Ch 29 A Longbottom in the middle
The next several days passed in a blurry haze. Crookshanks had survived, barely, according to Madam Pomfrey. Harry was also forced to try and explain why there was now a hole in the wall of the hospital that was currently being patched and how precisely he'd managed to ride a hippogriff without any prior instruction.
Much to McGonagall's frustration Harry's only answer was a series of repeated 'I don't knows' and 'beats my whiskers'. So in the end, they ended up settling for docking forty points from Harry and giving the entire Care of Magical Creatures class detentions for a week. Harry spent his free time in vigil outside the Hospital wing as Madam Pomfrey had insisted that one cat was enough at a time.
Hermione was understandably distraught, Ron was trying to be as sympathetic as he could given the situation, and Neville was looking to kill someone. At least he certainly was raging enough to do so. Harry had returned recently from his vigil and tromped gloomily into the common room, settling himself next to Ginny. The entire gang was up much earlier than expected this morning, which would have surprised Harry on any other day. Not today, though, today was another day of anxiousness for everyone.
"How's he doing?" Ginny asked.
"No change yet. He's woken up, but shouldn't move much. They're not sure what kind of permanent damage he's going to have, but I think he'll be alright in the end," Harry replied despondently. "That sexing bastard, I'll get him for this."
"Harry, one question for you?" Ron piped up.
"No, Ron, I don't know what I'm going to do yet, but rest assured it is going to be exceedingly painful."
"Not what I was going to ask, mate," Ron replied sharply. "What I was going to ask is… Why the hell do you always say 'sex' like it is some kind of a curse word? I mean you go on about 'sex this' and 'sex him' or my personal favourite, 'sex me running'. What exactly does that mean? Really, why can't you just say 'fuck' like a normal bloke."
Hermione stared slack jawed at her red-haired friend. Did Ron really make an observation not related to Quidditch or food? She was so gobsmacked, she forgot to reprimand the boy for his language. Based on the stares from the rest of the group it seemed similar thoughts were going through everyone's mind.
"It's a synonym, Ron. I thought you'd know that. I looked it up, fuck means the same thing. I don't know how to conjugate sex yet, but I'm working on it."
"Harry, you beat the pants of Merlin's sagging arse cheeks," Neville said, rolling his eyes.
"Oh… I'm supposed to infer that is a good thing?"
"No, it just is," Neville replied.
"We've breakfast in a few minutes," Ron mentioned, giving the situation some semblance of normality. They all nodded and trooped gloomily down to the Great Hall, where anyone's assumptions that things couldn't get any worse were quickly dashed. Someone had done a rather interesting piece of charm work on the Gryffindor banner. So now instead of a majestic lion protecting their food, it featured an anorexic house cat being repeatedly strangled by a giant green snake.
Hermione was so upset she nearly left the breakfast hall, Ginny and many of the other Gryffindors were raging. Harry's blind fury was stopped suddenly by a rather calm sounding Neville.
"Is that what it looked like, Harry?" Neville asked, his voice devoid of emotion.
"Is that what what looked like?"
"The basilisk."
"Yeah, I suppose a bit. Before it was crushed, though. I didn't see much of it, to tell the truth."
"I can't believe it. They mock not only the senseless attack of a defenceless creature, but the near death of two of our own?"
"Four if you think about it. What is all this about, Neville?" Ron said, coming to stand behind them. "I'm as hacked off as the next bloke, but what are you going to do? Not like you can just point your wand at the Slytherin table and say 'take it back or I'll hex your bollocks off'. Come on, mate. Just have some breakfast and forget about it. Flitwick is already looking at it. The Snakes aren't that clever. He'll have the whole thing sorted before we finish second helpings."
Neville gave Ron a curious look and then strode decisively towards the Slytherin table and the back of a loudly laughing Draco Malfoy.
"Isis furry… you had to go and say it, didn't you, Ron?" Harry said exasperatedly. "Nothing for it now. We've got to keep them safe."
"Right, wouldn't want Neville to get hurt," Ron said quickly coming to the same conclusion as his friend.
"Wasn't talking about Neville, Ron. I think he might kill someone."
Neville, however wasn't quite bent on killing someone… yet. Although if pressed he was sure he could produce a mean Cruciatus. Malfoy was related… so were Nott and Goyle. Those bastards could see what it was like to go visit once a week and know they'd never get better. Neville stopped the train of thought right there. It wouldn't do to go over reacting with this.
He strode boldly to the turned back of Malfoy, who's only clue to the next happenings were the confused stares of several of his classmates. Neville reached out a hand and clamped it firmly on the blond boy's shoulder and using the proper amount of leverage dragged him to the ground. The resounding smack of flesh hitting stone was quickly followed by a hoarse gasping as Neville's knee pressed painfully on the throat of his adversary.
"Take it back, I know you know how," Neville whispered dangerously, pressing his now drawn wand in between Draco's eyes.
"Don… know… wha, GRKK!" Malfoy's half-hearted response was cut off as the knee was dug deeper
"Don't you lie to me. If you can't, then you know who can. I want it down before lunch or you're going to be the last heir of the House of Malfoy. Do you understand?" Neville moved his wand to the right, slightly and muttered a spell that even Harry had trouble catching, but the effect was instant. A three inch wide hole was dug out of the floor of the castle.
"Let him go, Mr. Longbottom," the uncharacteristically tense voice of Dumbledore.
Neville's glare intensified for a moment and then he stood up, putting his wand away. "I should think that was worth two weeks detention, Mr. Longbottom. You will also accompany me to my study now," Dumbledore said in a slightly calmer voice.
Neville's cold eyes met equally fierce blue. "Two weeks, well worth it." With that final pronouncement, Neville followed the Headmaster out of the Great Hall.
"Something's different about him," Ron noted. Everyone else at the table nodded.
oOo
Potions class was unbearable as usual, but Harry had suffered through it stoically, with a distracted mind. Professor Snape had taken the customary points off the Gryffindors, but had left off when not even Hermione seemed to respond much. It was with a sigh of brief relief that they finally left the dungeons and headed for their next appointment. One Harry had been dreading since he realized what it was, Defence Against the Dark Arts.
Harry was stifling every natural instinct he had. Sitting through Defence class would be torture, with the wolf-man teaching. Harry was currently studying the man's movements for any tell tale signs that he was going to start disembowelling Harry's classmates. Thus far Professor Lupin had managed to restrain himself from any overtly hostile action, but Harry was staying alert.
The professor had informed them today would be a practical lesson and the class was led to an unused room several doors down. After dealing with a particularly pesky Peeves, they settled into the meat of the lesson, which left Harry in his current predicament. He couldn't very well pay attention to what the professor was saying and watch subtle movement cues as to when he might pounce and begin to rend the helpless Gryffindors limb from limb. So, Harry settled for a half-hearted attempt at listening about something called a boggart.
"Miss Patil, would you be so kind as to help with the demonstration?" Professor Lupin, asked cordially. The bastard was smooth, Harry had to admit that. "Now, what scares you the most?"
"Mummies, sir." Parvati replied, softly.
"Ah, I see. The cursed kind, with blood and reanimation still present?" Parvati nodded. "Well, here is what I'm going to need you to do…" Lupin then further explained the boggart and how it would take the form of what scared someone the most, and the only effective counter was laughter.
Harry's mind immediately began to wander. What scared him the most? Immediately it jumped to a giant mouse-dog-bird with big pointy teeth, but then a new and vague image began to form. Something far more sinister, and evil. Something, Harry feared, might frighten the entire class making laughter a totally ineffective countermeasure.
"Seamus!" Lupin shouted. Harry was drawn out of his stupor suddenly. Parvati had succeeded apparently and now the Wolf was putting the rest of the class through the paces. Each student in turn jumped in as they were called, but Lupin seemed to be avoiding Harry. This puzzled the Kneazle-boy and Harry hated being puzzled.
"Neville, go!" Lupin shouted, but Neville delayed a moment, his previous reluctant attitude seemingly not totally vanquished. Lupin's eyes widened with fear as instead the one student he'd hoped to avoid participating jumped closest to the boggart and then froze. Lupin heard snickering from the rest of the class, but was a little too stunned to fully contemplate what he was seeing.
Harry stood frozen with stark terror. Most in the class would have expected Voldemort, or a giant dog, but before him stood the deepest fear of all Kneazles: a giant rocking chair with four bladed rockers on each side, ensuring that whatever Kneazle dared approach would lose paw and tail. Such a thing was usually described by the older mollies to kittens when they wouldn't go to sleep. It was traumatizing enough for most kittens at the time that many refused to leave the den for the next day. Harry never took such things seriously, but to see one in the flesh… His mind froze, but years of natural survival instinct took over.
Hermione gasped, Ron stood slack jawed and several of his other classmates screamed when, in one fluid motion, Harry drew his new favourite weapon, gripped the blade and gave a powerful toss, just like he and Sebastian had practiced. The knife glowed briefly just before impact and drove the rocking chair into the door of the cupboard from which it came. A wailing shriek was let out and the boggart swiftly transformed into various prior forms before exploding in a shower of bright orange goo.
"That was… certainly unorthodox, Mr. Potter," Lupin said slowly. It appeared the teacher was in as much a state of shock as his students.
Another minute later, and a concerned McGonagall and an irate Filch burst through the classroom door. "Professor Lupin, what happened?" McGonagall's voice seemed to shake everyone out of their trance.
"Harry here, has found a new way to deal with a boggart. Unfortunately, it seems to be rather messy. I wouldn't recommend it in the future," Lupin said with a small smile.
"I see. Very well then, Professor." McGonagall nodded briefly and walked out of the class. Filch began grumbling and headed out as well. Something about a 'hot mop'.
"Well, as we seem to have no further boggart related material for today, I would say that class is over for now," Lupin concluded and everyone began to file out slowly. As Harry went to retrieve his knife, a hand touched his shoulder. Harry stiffened instantly.
"You'll remove that paw, Wolf, or lose it. I don't take kindly to familiarity outside my Pride," Harry growled as he wrenched Sebastian's gift loose from the wardrobe. The offending hand was swiftly pulled back.
"Five points from Gryffindor, Mr. Potter. You'll not address a teacher that way, ever." Lupin's voice was cold and as Harry turned around student and professor locked eyes. There was a trace of anger, Harry was sure of that, but there also looked to be… sadness? A tricky wolf plot, Harry was sure of it. He'd get no sympathy from any Kneazle. "Now move along before I lose my temper," Lupin concluded.
There it was. Harry could spot a threat any day of the week. Locking eyes once more, the green orbs hardened and Harry ground out, "Don't threaten me, professor. I've killed snakes bigger than this room and torn a professor's throat out. Wolf or no, you'd need your whole pack to bring me off my paws." Angrily the teen strode out of the room leaving a very confused Remus Lupin.
Lupin had been called 'wolf' before, when someone had found out his secret. That his closest friend's son should be so intolerant when his father was so open wounded the older man more than he could say, but how had the boy figured it out? Moreover, everyone knew that by and large werewolves were solitary types or formed together in loose bands for protection, but nothing in the way of a 'pack' was ever established. What was going on in the young Potter's mind? Where had the boy been these past years? So many questions and no answers. Harry would need to be studied, and Remus Lupin was a patient man.
Harry on the other hand was frustrated and angry. Spending the rest of the day moody did nothing to improve dinner and it was only after he grabbed Ginny for a bout of forest romping that his spirits began to improve.
"Do you think you can do it, Sparkplug?" Harry asked, as they snuck out of the tower, towards the Entrance Hall.
"I'm sure I can. Harry, do you think they'll recognise me? I mean, I don't want to upset the kittens." Ginny bit her lip worriedly.
"Nah, they might be a bit confused at first, but no worries. They'll figure it out eventually."
Buoyed by Harry's assertions, Ginny sat down to try and concentrate on the change. Nearly an hour later, she was getting frustrated. "I just can't seem to do it, Paws," she grumbled a little too loudly.
"Just try and focus, I don't really know what to say beyond that," Harry replied.
"Prrrt?" The musical lilt of a feline drew both students' attention and they looked down to see the lamp-like eyes of Mrs. Norris. She smirked as only she could, as if to tell them 'you're in for it now'.
Ginny felt desperate. She knew McGonagall didn't put up with any foolishness from her students and her low marks from the previous year meant that she was on a shorter leash than most with her Head of House. Ginny remembered Harry's hundred point fiasco from the previous year and desperation turned into full out panic. "Leave me alone!" she yelled, but it didn't come out as a yell. Instead there was a thunderous roar that shook dust loose from the beams and woke every inhabitant of Gryffindor tower. Mrs. Norris promptly fainted.
Harry marvelled at the quick change of his Sparkplug. She was a wonderful human, but magnificent as a lion. He hoped his growth spurt kicked in soon and he could be equally as impressive. The roar was a nice touch, too, even if it did leave his ears ringing. Her great lioness eyes met his green ones and conveyed one word, 'Help!' Harry changed equally quickly and before the portraits were even fully aware of what was going on, both felines were making a mad dash down stairs and out the doors, towards the Forbidden Forest.
'Mum, come meet your kitten!' Harry mewed, loud enough for the whole pride to hear. They had traversed the empty grounds without being spotted, and were now just outside the Pride's den. Several of the older toms came out to investigate with Father and all seemed to have a similar reaction.
"MEROWW!" Three jumped vertically, and the other two stood stock still. They were apparently not used to having a lioness so close to their den.
'Flatten your fur. You're acting like a bunch of scared kittens. You've all met her before,' Harry smiled gently, and as soon as he said that the toms all stopped their caterwauling and began to sniff. Tentatively and at a distance at first, but then slowly closer until the newcomer's identity could be confirmed. Then the party was on.
Questions were being asked so quickly, Ginny could hardly respond. Mother finally brought the now older kittens out and they romped all over Ginny's deep red fur. It took Harry nearly another hour to finally explain to everyone what had happened.
'We must go hunting to celebrate!' a calico named Corelle declared. The rest of the Pride took half a second to agree and another five minutes to weather the Mother's warnings about staying away from Acromantula and cleaning their whiskers after the kill.
'I've never been so excited!' Ginny exclaimed. Unfortunately, her enthusiasm couldn't be contained and another rather loud roar escaped, earning her irritated looks from many in the hunting party.
'Wait! She can't hunt yet, she's never learned,' Harry exclaimed. In all the excitement, he'd totally forgotten that basic point.
'Oh my,' Igglebum said, softly. 'Then we'll have to give her the quick course, won't we?'
Ginny, it seemed was a natural. She picked up stalking easily, lying motionless without problem and her pounce was flawless. Even the Pride Mum was impressed. The only problem was her enormous size prevented her from joining in stalking the regular prey. It didn't prevent her from wrestling her newest family unit. Although due to the mass difference it was rather akin to Andre the Giant wrestling forty midgets.
Ginny stopped suddenly when she heard Harry yelp. 'What's wrong?' she asked, spinning around to see to see Harry face to face in a serious discussion with several Unicorns. Unfortunately, it the conversation seemed rather one sided. She could understand Harry, but the Unicorns merely emitted a series of nickers and whinnies.
'Really? Just the dog, then, or more?'
Nicker.
'How many more?'
'A little rat faced man? What did he smell like?'
Whinny.
'Why would he be here? What's that to do with Neville? I don't understand, but thank you for the warning. Keep your foals out of danger and we'll keep the kittens protected. If we find anything, we'll kill it sure as pooping.'
Nicker, whinny, nicker, nicker, snort.
Harry let out a small chuckle and then bowed and headed over to the Pride Father where after a short consultation, their visit was abruptly ended.
'All kittens to the den. Mollies, defence formation right whiskers, toms, patrol formation dew-claw.' The woods were suddenly a flurry of activity as mollies herded their younger siblings into the den and the toms split up into several teams and softly left the area.
'Do you need us?' Harry asked.
Pride Mum shrieked, 'Certainly not, young tom. You see that kitten safely to your own den and be careful! I'll not have you eaten by wild manticores or rocking chairs.'
Harry nodded and with a small shake of his head, Ginny knew that tonight was over.
'What was all that about?' Ginny asked, impatiently.
'You know, I'm really surprised you can understand Kneazle,' Harry replied.
'I'm speaking Kneazle?' Ginny stammered, rather shocked.
'And quite well too, although you do well at most anything you put your mind to, so I guess it isn't too much of a stretch. To answer your question, the Unicorns have spotted intruders in the forest again. They wanted to warn us, well, me anyway. There is a large shaggy dog that has been hanging around and two other men have been seen near Hogsmeade. They've tried coming through the forest, but they haven't made it here quite yet. I guess the cloaked soul-sucking harbingers of empty treat tins are doing a pretty good job of fending the men off. Nearly caught them yesterday.'
Ginny, even as a lion, looked perplexed. 'The Unicorns can get near them?'
'They said it isn't pleasant, but they can if need be. I didn't think too much about it really. I make a point of avoiding those blokes,' Harry said nonchalantly.
'They scare the hell out of me, Paws.'
'Nothing to worry about, Sparkplug. Just avoid them like you would a nest of Acromantula.'
'Harry,' Harry's ears perked at the sound of his real name. 'What if we can't? I saw what they did to you and I know what they did to me. What if we can't avoid them? They eat peoples' souls for Merlin's sake. They scare the hell out of me, Paws and I hate having something I don't know how to fight.'
Harry's face contorted and his tail began whipping back and forth quickly. Ears low and eyes down he had to admit she had a good point. Everything else it seemed he could fight with claws, teeth and occasionally his trusty wand if need be, but these Demented-thingy's had steel skin or something from the way Dumbledore talked and Harry doubted even Ginny's impressive claws could get through that. Not that he'd let her near them, mind. She had a bad enough reaction and lion or not, she was still his human.
'What were they saying about Neville?'
'Oh, that was the odd bit. The two men were talking rather loudly about axing the 'Longbottom git' and one seemed most in favour while the other said they couldn't do that until the master's downfall was dealt with first.'
'They were talking about killing Neville?' Ginny roared. She winced visibly at the sound. If they weren't caught before the end of the night, it would be a miracle.
'Well, we don't know that, do we? I mean, Neville is hardly a git and there are plenty of other Longbottoms in the area, don't you think?'
'Harry, Neville and his Gran are some of the only Longbottoms we've ever met.'
'Oh… I guess they were talking about killing him, then. We should tell him, I think.'
'Yes, Paws, perhaps we should,' Ginny finished. Her voice dripping with sarcasm.
Risking a visit to the Hospital, they checked in on Crookshanks for the night, who was delighted to hear about Ginny's new found four-legged locomotive powers.
"You doing alright, then?" Harry asked, now back in two legs once more. "Keeping you comfortable and a clean litter-box?"
'Sure, they are. I can't wait to get out though. The old woman in here fusses like a Pride Mum with her first litter. She does have a nice lap, though, and she sits in the sunbeams… with old weathered hands.' Crookshanks began purring, Harry suspected, without even realizing it and he had to stifle a smile.
"Glad it isn't too awful. When are the letting you out?"
'The big man, Hagrid I think, and the old woman say another week or so and I should be mended enough to let my pet be given back to me. Provided I don't do heavy lifting or mate with too many mollies.'
"I'm sorry this all happened. When you get out though…"
'That bastard is going to wish he'd never been born,' Crookshanks finished. 'I'm going to poop in his shoes for a month.'
"Or I will," Harry smirked. With final goodbyes and some last minute petting from Ginny, the two wayward Gryffindors headed back to their tower avoiding notice from all but the most nocturnal of portraits.
oOo
The next morning, Harry and Ginny managed to corner Neville alone before breakfast.
"Neville, we don't want to pry, but we need to know is there anyone… after you?" Ginny said, as delicately as possible.
"You're right, you don't need to know. Why are you asking anyway?" Neville snapped. His red-rimmed eyes were accented by the dark circles underneath. It didn't take a genius to figure out the boy hadn't been sleeping much.
"I talked to the Unicorns and they told me that they heard some men talking about wanting to kill you. Now, Malfoy I can understand random people wanting to stomp his ferret head right in, but you… you're too much lion for anyone to want to kill you without very good provocation," Harry informed the chubby boy, with as much tact as a sledgehammer. Ginny really wanted to hit him right now.
Neville on the other hand went paler than before. "You… how… How in Merlin's name can you talk to Unicorns? If this is just some plot, Potter, I don't find it funny," Neville fumed.
Harry remained unfazed. "It wasn't a plot two years ago, Neville, and if it is any consolation they told me that Sirius Black wants to kill me, too. Tell the truth, I get the distinct impression there is a waiting line behind him. As for how I can talk to the Unicorns, I don't know. A family gift I think, but no, I'm not related to Uncas the Unicorn Herder."
"Someone wants to kill you, too?" Neville said, shocked.
Harry nodded.
"Alright…" Neville choked out. It seemed the effort was monstrous. "Rudolphus Lestrange broke out a little while before Black did. They said they were making plans to come after me. 'Finish the job he'd started' my Gran said. I didn't want to believe it, but everything keeps pointing to it being true. Merlin, I wish it wasn't…" Neville leaned against the stone wall and slid slowly to the floor.
"Neville," Ginny said softly. "What do you mean, 'finish the job'?"
"I mean," Neville said, nearly yelling at this point, "That he was going to do me like my Mum and Dad. They had their minds broken by the Cruciatus Curse. In Saint Mungo's they are. Stuck there like two potted petunias. I go to see them every week, but I don't think they've ever known who I was, and if what you're telling me is true, this psycho bastard is coming here next! Wants to complete the set, I heard Zabini say. Word's gotten round I can tell you that, and I'm scared, Potter. Bloody well scared. My parents were both trained Aurors and even they couldn't defend themselves against a couple of no talent Voldemort hacks."
Ginny gasped at the open use of the dark lord's name and even more so at Neville's apparent ease with it. Well, ease may not be the best word, the boy was one step short of hysterics.
"That's right, I said it. VOLDEMORT!" Neville bellowed. "If I'm going to be a potted plant for the rest of my life, I'm not going to give the son-of-a-bitch the satisfaction of seeing me cry. I'll be brave, like my Dad was and like Gran always said I should be. That sexing dog-rotter won't get the satisfaction."
Harry began to chuckle a little bit, and soon enough all three were nearly rolling with laughter from the suppressed emotions. Neville was wiping away tears that were threatening to fall. "Got me talking like you now, Harry. I mean, really, who says 'sexing dog-rotter', honestly?"
Harry put his hand on Neville's shoulder and said, "It's alright, mate. It isn't just you now, and he's only got one other manky git with him. Our Pride is bigger than his and we'll kill him together. No one's breaking you without facing pointy death." Harry unleashed his most feral grin. "Now, come on. We have breakfast and Herbology. Wouldn't want Professor Sprout missing her Green Wonder now would we?"
Neville reluctantly nodded and stood. "Harry, who is Uncas?"
"Oh. An American bloke, liked Unicorns a whole lot. Sebastian always said it was in the carnal sense, though. Whatever that means."
oOo
Herbology managed to raise Neville's spirits a little bit, which relieved Harry to no end. Even just walking into the green houses saw much of the tension Neville carried day to day, wash away.
"Now class, today we'll be working on beginning cultivation of Bubotubers. Their harvesting and cultivation will be a theme for us throughout this year and be a major component in this year's final exams," Professor Sprout said.
Harry was having a hard time concentrating. An unusual aroma filled the air and was making him insatiably hungry. He scanned the room for anything unusual and only spotted a small pot containing some long green leaves alongside a bag of dried herbs. Sniffing deeply, the boy-Kneazle was reasonably sure that was the problem. With the distracting aroma, he was going to have a hard time focusing on such an important lesson.
"Psst! Neville," Harry whispered. Neville responded with eye contact. "What's that funny plant over there?" Harry whispered again.
"Nepeta Cataria. It's an herb Professor Sprout has been trying to cross with some magical plant to test the effects. It's also called catnip."
"Oh." Was all Harry could say. He'd never heard of such a thing before, but the smell was becoming overpowering at this point and he had to get rid of it. Gently shifting himself around the back of the gathered students, Harry finally made his way next to the exotic plant. At this point, Harry was starving. The plant smelled so good, and then he realised something. It wasn't the plant that was the main source of his problem, but the bag with dried leaves. He gingerly picked it up, and opened it, taking a long inhale. After all, he was curious and what was the worst that could happen?
Harry's vision exploded in a kaleidoscope of colour and sound. The Kneazle felt his paws, or were they feet, leave the ground. As a series of talking purple wombats began doing show tunes to his left and the sky began melting, Harry began to run.
AN: Wow, thanks for the patience people. I'm sorry to say that this story may be on a bit of hiatus for the moment. Between school, work and writers block I haven't begun chapter 30. Please note, this does not equal any abandonment of this story what so ever! I fully plan to write again just as soon as possible. However, there may be no further updates till Decemberish. I just want you all to know. Anyway, hope this is worth the wait. To these things you must return- Manatoc Fox
