Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or any of the characters.
A/N: Thanks to kaittybee who beta this story.
Chapter Twenty-One
Researching
The rest of the Christmas break, Harry tried not to let his mind dwell on the image he saw in the mirror, and found that it was n'ttoo difficult to do. What with him either playing chess with Ron, or going out to the Quidditch Pitch and play against the twins, or playing exploding snaps or... well, doing just about everything he could think of. However, when he had time to think about it, his mind did drift to the mirror and he longed to see it again. Whenever that thought crossed his mind he was grateful that Dumbledore had moved the mirror and he didn't have to fight the temptation he would have had.
It was only a few days before the break was over that Harry remembered about going to the library to check out the book on Animagi. He asked Ron if he wanted to come and again his friend came with him, after a detour to the kitchen. This time when he saw the spell he remembered to made the proper wand motions and the pinkest glow shined. Beaming ear to ear, Harry pulled down the book he was looking for and opened it. As expected, there was no blood curdling scream.
"Are you going to read the whole thing in here?" Ron questioned, causing Harry to look up at him curiously. He had been reading for the last twenty minutes, rather fascinated about what was said, and he hadn't even gotten to the difficult part yet. "Can't we just take the book with us and get out of here?"
"Yeah, sure... sorry, I just got caught up," Harry smiled at him sheepishly.
"I just had to make friends with the two smartest people in our year, didn't I?" Ron grumbled.
"Sorry," Harry apologized again, chuckling this time. "I just been thinking about this for years... Since I was nine, in fact, and had to leave my house when Remus transformed..."
"You mean he transforms at your house?" Ron said, gulping. Harry glared at him.
"He uses the Wolfbane Potion, he's completely safe." Harry said coldly.
"Right... sorry, I... I'm just used to..." Ron stammered his apology.
"Werewolves being dangerous creatures, I know," Harry said still a little coldly but he tried not to let it show. "But it's not like that..."
"Why did you have to leave then?" Ron questioned, and Harry glared him again, but realized that Ron didn't really mean any offense, and it was a legitimate question.
"When Sirius found out that his parents died he got really upset and broke Remus' potion," Harry shrugged. "So when Remus turned that night, I had to go away and Sirius transformed into the dog to keep Remus company. That night I tried to imagine what Remus had to go through... but I couldn't.
"Remus told me that when he transformed as a kid... before the Wolfbane Potion was invented, and before my dad and Sirius learned to transform, he was terrified of the full moon. I didn't think there was anything that he was afraid of, but the look on his face..." Harry shivered and then picked up at a different place. "He said what he was most afraid of was the fact that he completely lost control... like something else took control over him and he couldn't do anything about it."
Ron was looking on the ground thoughtfully, he couldn't imagine something like that happening.
"He told me that when he takes the potion it's not like that anymore... that he knows everything he does but he's still not completely himself. He's still run by his instincts, he just has control... that's why I'm never allowed to be near him even now, he's afraid of how he would react to seeing me.
"But if I'm a Animagus too, there nothing he can say about that," Harry said, "and Sirius said that he and Remus connect on a completely different level when they're transformed... there's no words... it's just feelings, and... I don't know, they couldn't really explain it right, but I just really want to do it."
"Okay I get it, but that still doesn't explain why we have to stay in this library all bloody night," Ron grumbled again. "For all we know Pince will be here any second knowing someone was looking at one of her precious books for too long or something."
"What did you just say?" Harry said his eyes going wide for a second before he start frowning.
"Er... can we leave?" Ron said questioningly, Harry was starting to act really strangely.
"I can't believe I didn't think about that before... I don't think even Hermione thought of that," Harry muttered to himself and when he saw Ron's face he added, "Pince will know. If one of her books are missing, I'm sure she would know and of course she wouldn't know who took it but I don't want it getting around that this book is missing."
"So you mean we can't take this book," Ron sighed. "All this work was for nothing."
"I wouldn't say nothing, but this is definitely going to make it a lot more complicated," Harry groaned. "This is going to take forever if we can only get hold of this book at night."
"Argh," Ron made a face, he didn't mind a late night stroll now, but that's because he got to have a nice lie in the next morning. "We'll just have to think of something else to help us out."
"Right," Harry sighed, looking a little down cast, but he shrugged. He knew this wasn't going to be easy from the beginning and he wasn't going to let anything stop him from achieving his goal of becoming an Animagus. "Come on... we better get back to Gryffindor Tower... it's getting late."
o
"Hm... I didn't think of that," Hermione said a few days later, she had just came back and Harry had told her everything about both the Mirror of Erised, and what happened in the library. Hermione obviously didn't approve of his wandering to the see the mirror, judging by the way her lips thinned when Harry told her about it, but she didn't say anything. However, she was more vocal about the library issue. She especially enjoyed the part where Harry hadn't done the spell right at first, but that might have had more to do with the way that Ron had acted out that part and the face that Harry was making. When Harry got to his theory about taking a book of the the restricted section she had to agree with him, and she was a little annoyed that she didn't think of that herself.
"Do you have any ideas of how we're going to get this book now?" Harry questioned.
"Well... none off the top of my head, but I'm sure we can come up with something," Hermione said.
And that's what they did, whenever they had any spare time they tried to figure out how to get the book out of the library. Luckily for Ron, it only took them a few days to find something that would be useful. Hermione found a spell that would let them copy anything. It would be a perfect copy, however they wouldn't be able to take the copy more than a mile away from the originally book. Hermione told them the person that invented this spell was a mother that was sick of her children fighting over their favorite book, but didn't want to buy another copy. (Ron say that those children had to be either metal or really boring to fight over a book, and then cringed when Hermione glared icily at him). Hermione went on to tell Harry (because she was ignoring Ron for his rudeness) that when the person went to the Ministry to get this spell pattented, publishers all over the country fought against this. It took a while, but they eventually came up with the compromise that the spell could copy the book, but that it wouldn't be able to go far away.
"I'm sure glad you told us all that," Ron grumbled after she finished. "All we really needed to know was that it would work... not the spell's history..."
"It's always good to have an understanding of the..." Hermione started to say but Ron yawned dramatically. "Argh... you are such an annoying prat."
"Don't mind him, he's just trying to get to you," Harry said, he was smiling. "And I think this is the perfect spell... thanks Hermione, you're brilliant."
"You're welcome Harry," Hermione said, she couldn't help but be pleased by his compliment.
"So I suppose this means we're going to take another trip to the library," Ron said.
"Yeah, but we have to wait until we master the spell," Harry said.
"Right... well, you two have fun with that," Ron said.
"You're not going to try and learn the charm, too?" Hermione questioned and Ron gave her an incredulous look.
"Why would I want to do that... I'm having trouble enough learning the charms for class," Ron said. "I don't need to be adding more to it."
"I suppose, but I always feel that with every spell I learn the easier it is to do the next one," Hermione shrugged. "Besides, I think this charm can be very useful."
Again Ron gave her an incredulous look, but Harry said something before he could make a comment about not really needing to know a spell to copy books, "yeah I think so too, less trips to the library that way. Now check out that book Hermione and let's get out of here."
It only took a few hours for Hermione to learn the spell, but they decided to wait on actually going to the library until Friday. This trip to the library went as planned and Harry was pleased to finally have the books in his hand, for Hermione had said that they might as well take all the books that they knew of that dealt with Animagi. Harry and Hermione both woke up early the next morning to go through the books in a quite corner of the common room, while Ron had decided to sleep in. Ron was starting to feel almost as excited as Harry was about the idea of transforming in to an animal, but he still didn't fancy waking up early just to read about it.
"So far, everything that I've read indicates that this is too advance for us to even start the transformation," Hermione said when Harry asked what she thought about how they should carry on with this. "I know you really want to do this... but it's just not feasible right now."
Harry frowned, and grumbled, "I was actually thinking the same thing... I just hoped you were going to say something else..."
"I'm sorry Harry," Hermione sighed and put a hand on his shoulder. "You know that doesn't mean that we have to give up on doing this... if we work hard in Transfiguration, I'm sure we'll be able to give this a really shot in a few years time."
Harry groaned, but nodded his head.
"Isn't there anything we can do to help us do it sooner?" Ron asked, he felt that he might have a better understanding of just how much Harry really wanted to learn this after how he had explained it the other night.
"Actually, there is something that we can do... and it sort of helps though it's not necessary that you do this," Hermione said, "of course it will take a while to actually get it ready, but I'm confident that I could get it ready before the end of the year..."
"And by that point, you'll let us know what you're talking about, right?" Ron smirked at her.
Hermione glared at him before turning to Harry, "there's a potion that will let us know what animal we will turn into. Like I said, it's not something that strictly has to be done, but you know I like to be prepared, and it would be interesting to see what we're going to be!"
"Yeah, that would be cool," Harry smiled, and though he knew this was just so he would feel like he was doing something, but he still liked the idea. "But what did you mean about it taking a while... is the potion really hard to make or something?"
"The potion really isn't difficult at all," Hermione said, "anyone can make it..."
"You know, I think that saying is 'even a first year can make it'," Harry pointed out, "which it seems you're trying to prove, is quite true for you..."
"Whatever," Hermione roll her eyes, "what I was about to say was that it takes over a month to stew. Luckily all the ingredients are keep in the student storage. The potions sounds similar to the Dreaming Draught, you know the potion that induces you to dream, but I imagine the length of time it stews helps the strengthen that aspect of it and than adding the..."
"Hermione," Ron groaned.
"...it seems like this potions is suppose to make you go in a sort of trance..." Hermione continued, not even bother to pause for Ron's interruption. " It doesn't say how long the trance will last, I suppose it depends on how long it takes you to discover what animal you are."
"Well, I say that we should get started on that as soon as possible," Harry smiled.
"Um... I have a question?" Ron said looking thoughtful. "Where are we supposed to make this potions? I mean it's not like we can just leave it laying around were anyone can find it."
"Argh, that's true," Harry groaned and Hermione looked puzzled too. "I can't think of anywhere."
"Nor can I," Hermione said, "and I would say that we only have month to find somewhere or we won't be able to make the potion before the term ends... which I assume you want to do."
"Yeah," Harry said, "I'll have to find somewhere... I'm sure Hogwarts has plenty of hiding places in it... it's just a matter of finding them..."
"I could ask Fred and George about it," Ron suggested.
"Hm, maybe... but I would prefer to find the place on our own if we can," Harry said, "we'll asked them in three weeks if we haven't found a place by then..."
"Well, now that we got that settled, I think it would be wise if we start working hard in Transfiguration," Hermione said.
"You always think things like that," Ron point out, "what else is new?"
"What's new is that the more we learn in that class, the faster we will be able to do the Animagus spell," Hermione said.
"Do we really have to do this?" Ron grumbled. "I didn't realized that being your friend would give me so much extra work..."
"Sorry mate," Harry chuckled. "But you know it will be worth it once you turn into a tiger or something like that."
"A tiger... that would be cool," Ron smiled, "but knowing my luck, I would turn into an ant."
"Don't think so little of yourself, Ron," Hermione said smirking, "I'm sure you'll turn into a ladybug or a firefly or something like that..."
Ron suck his tongue out at her but then the three of them laughed.
Harry was out on the Quidditch pitch, Wood, the Gryffindor team captain, had come to Harry earlier that day and told him of their last minute practices that they were going to have. Wood wanted to try out a move with the Chasers, and decided that Mark Benson, their Seeker, might as well get more training while he was at it. Harry didn't mind one bit, he loved the idea of flying right now... nothing cleared his mind like flying.
Ron was all for going down to the pitch too, just to watch, but Hermione reminded him of the paper he still hadn't done for charms. Ron grumbled about that but Hermione wouldn't budge and the two of them went to the library promising to meet Harry at the pitch... if Ron had finished, that is.
Harry practices hard of over an hour, he caught the snitch five times and Mark seemed to be frustrated about that. Harry was going to ask him about it, because Mark really wasn't playing well at all but before he could even move the broom he was using today it started acting strangely. Now, as a general rule, the school broom where horrible, so at first he didn't notice what was happening. However, thing quickly turn more ominous as the broom flow high and then seemed try to buck him off of it. He held on as well as he could, and realized that he had no control over the broom what so ever.
This wasn't normal... something dark is happening here and I have to do something, Harry thoughts race through his head, but he couldn't think of anything. He muttered Finite Incantatem in hopes that it would help, but nothing happened, he didn't know any other counter curse to use now. Gritting his teeth and grasping onto the broom tight, he tried to ride the broom that was now like mad bull.
He saw the flashes of read hair coming towards him, but the broom wouldn't let the twins come close enough to be of any help. He saw them hovering under him... he thought he heard Wood shouting for Angeline, the fastest flier besides himself, to get some help but he couldn't worry about that.
For at that moment his hands slipped slightly, and the next second there was a particularly hard buck and Harry was sent flying off of his broom. He heard a blood curdling scream that might have been his own, but he didn't care at the moment, for he felt something more than air trying to keep him for crashing into the ground. He had no idea what. Suddenly, a hand grab his, one of the twins had caught him but the extra weight was too much for him and Harry's hand slipped once again. However the next second he felt another hand grab at him, this time holding onto one of his legs. Again, his descent was too great for the other twin to hold him, but he had slowed considerably, and when he hit the ground the air was knocked out of him and he would have several bruises, but he wasn't serious hurt.
"HARRY!" he heard Hermione screaming but he couldn't move, his body felt stiff.
"HARRY!" Ron screamed too, and then the two of them were there, quickly followed by the twins who were looking rather pale at the moment.
"I'm okay," Harry mumbled, once he caught his breath.
"I thought... you fell... nearly thirty feet..." Hermione was saying through tears, she was clearly trying to stop herself for lunging at him.
"What happen?" George asked, he had been the one closer to the ground. "I've never seen you lose control like that... Actually, I've never seen anything like that."
"I don't know what happened." Harry said, trying to sit up, but Hermione put her hands on his shoulders.
"You don't know how seriously you were hurt, Harry, you shouldn't be moving."
Harry didn't think he was hurt that badly but he could bear to make Hermione look any more worried than she was right now. He turned back to the twins and said, "It felt like the broom was trying to buck me off..."
"Brooms don't just do that... not even the crappy school brooms," Fred said, and then looked at Harry thoughtfully. "Do you think someone was trying to curse you?"
"It crossed my mind, but I don't know who," Harry admitted truthfully but didn't add that he was going to try and find out whoever this person was. He would save that for when it was just Ron and Hermione.
"Merlin Harry, that was the scariest thing I've ever seen in my life," Ron said.
"Sorry I scared you," Harry chuckled and then winced, yes he was definitely going to be sore for a while. He then turned and said wholeheartedly, "thanks... you really save my neck there."
"It's no problem," Fred smiled.
"We don't want anything to happen to our new apprentice before we even got to train him up a bit," George added, smiling, too.
"Stop making me laugh," Harry chuckled and winced again.
o
Harry had been taken to the Hospital Wing as soon as Angelina had returned with Professor McGonagall, who looked quite worried about Harry as she magicked him through the castle. However, it had only taken Madam Pomfrey five minutes to heal him up and send him on his way, telling him that he was very lucky that he wasn't seriously injured.
As soon as he got to the common room it was filled with people asking him questions about what had happened and he serious wished that he wasn't so famous, for he was sure that no one else would have been bothered like he was. He was glad that the twins hadn't mentioned anything about the curse, though he didn't like the many looks he got that were obviously questioning his flying skills.
He had to wait a long time before he was able to talk to Ron and Hermione alone, but eventually the common room emptied. He then quickly told them everything that he felt, including the the force that seemed to helped slow him down, though he wasn't sure if it would have been enough if the twins weren't there helping him, too.
Hermione had grabbed his hand when he explained what happened, and was now squeezing the life out of it. "If you ever scare me like that again..."
"Please don't finish that sentence," Harry interrupted, with a pensive and stern look in his eyes.
"What is it Harry?" Hermione questioned.
"Remember what we saw earlier this year," Harry said, "about the package that Hagrid took from..."
"Harry, that's..." Hermione started to say but Harry just keep talking.
"... and how we know that someone had tried to steal it. Then a troll was let into the castle... using as a diversion so someone could go into the room with the giant three headed dog..."
"Someone... don't you mean Snape," Ron said hotly, but Harry didn't pay any attention to him.
"What about it Harry?" Hermione said sharply.
"You said this had nothing to do with me," Harry said just as sharply. "That I shouldn't try to figure out what was in that package because it's not my problem.."
"Well it's not," Hermione said pointedly.
"Then why was I nearly thrown off my broom today?" Harry said hotly. "Obviously someone thinks I'm a problem... and I'm not going to just sit around here and do nothing. I'm going to try and figure this whole mess out so at least I would know why someone was trying to have a go at me."
"Harry," Hermione said, her expression was more worried than ever and he was sure that he was going to have to go back to Madam Pomfrey in the morning to mend a broken hand. "There must be..."
"You know I can't just let something like this go," Harry said in a soft, but determined tone. "I don't like anything that's been going on this year and I want to know why... and I don't like having an enemy out there that I don't even know of..."
"Fine," Hermione sighed, "but what can we do about it?"
"I'm not sure... but I know where I'm going to start looking," Harry said.
"Where?" Ron and Hermione questioned at the same time.
"Well, the biggest clue we have to go on is the three headed dog," Harry said.
"We're not going anywhere near there again," Hermione said firmly, and Ron nodded his head venomously in agreement.
"Wow, you two can agree on some things!" Harry chuckled and then added, "but you can relax, I wasn't suggesting that. I was thinking that we should go pay Hagrid a visit."