The arrival of March finally allowed The Vipers to take the Mandrake leaf out from under their tongues and spit it into a vial, ready to create the potion in the near future. For the next few weeks they were to meditate on what animal they would become once this was all over.

After a few weeks of this they were still no closer to envisioning their animal form, though.

"We'll be Animagi before we know it," Dudley called out cheerfully before Professor Lupin's laughter silenced him.

"You might have to spend over a year to see your form. If you go into this believing you will have a specific form then it could result in you disregarding your actual form." Professor Lupin explained to the group that there was no shortcut to this.

/*** **-** ***/

"I'll be honest, Potter, I expected you to neglect your Occlumency shields, but you have managed to impress me a little. Stemming from that is my latest decision, to begin teaching you Legilimency immediately. To that, before we begin, I'd like to take another scan of your brain. It will be helpful to have an up to date scan to ensure that any cognitive damage can be fixed accurately," Professor Snape had informed Harry at the start of their latest session. When Harry nodded his consent, the Professor waved his wand in a complicated pattern and then froze.

"Are you aware that the anomaly we noticed last year appears to have been removed and your magic has already fixed the damage?"

"Yes, Professor Snape sir, I had it removed during the summer, ever since I've noticed my headaches have lessened and my anger doesn't take over. Is there something you're concerned about?"

"Your brain appears to be healthy and no obvious abnormalities are present. That being said, I personally believe you should have had a magical doctor examine it, who knows what damage those muggle butchers could have done. I will be examining it weekly for any signs of anything unusual."

"Thank you, sir."

/*** **-** ***/

While sitting out on the grounds with the rest of the Vipers, the relative silence they had found themselves in had been broken by a black screech owl, who had landed in the centre of the group. It carried a letter for Harry, who removed it from the owl and, upon Elias' constant insistence, gave the owl a treat before it flew off.

The letter was from Lucius Malfoy:

To Mr Potter,

I am writing to you today to make you an offer. I've made an inquiry and it appears as though Professor Dumbledore has legal guardianship over you in the Wizarding World, which is common practice for Muggle-born wizards, but you are the Lord of House Potter and as a result you can remove his authority and give it to someone else, or even hold it yourself.

With that being said, I move on to the offer I have come to make. I would like four meetings with you, you're free to bring people with you so that you don't feel vulnerable. In return for these meetings I shall personally deal with all of the steps required to emancipate you and obtain proper legal representation.

I hope to hear back from you soon regarding this matter.

Lucius Malfoy

"Draco, I need to talk to you privately," Harry called out to the boy once he had finished reading the letter. The two boys walked a short distance away and talked quietly, but not so quietly that Dudley couldn't hear them with his enhanced hearing, ever since Luna told him that they shared a gift for magical hearing he had been working to improve it, sometimes with her help.

"I need to know Draco, is this a trap? I would rather walk into a trap I know is a trap than walk in blindly," Harry asked Draco once they were far enough away.

"Honestly Harry, I'm not sure. I haven't heard anything from him about a trap, so I'm inclined to believe that he is being genuine," Draco answered after some thought.

/*** **-** ***/

While walking through the corridors, Harry heard the voice of Professor Flitwick from a room he had passed.

"Mr Potter, I was wondering if I may talk to you for a moment." Came the voice of Professor Flitwick from the room Harry had just passed. Harry walked back towards the room and walked in through the open door.

"Sure, what's up, Professor?"

"Professor Lupin tells me you have perfected the corporeal Patronus already, is this true?"

"Yes, Professor. Here, I can show you." Harry summoned his Patronus and let it trot over to Professor Flitwick.

"This is astounding, I do wish you had come to me in first year. I could have helped you and studied the results of such a feat upon the magical core of a growing wizard. Never mind, did you know I am also capable of conjuring a patronus, though mine takes the form of a bear."

"No, Professor, why are you telling me all this?" Harry asked, not disrespectfully, simply curious.

"Well, Mr Potter, I believe you may be interested in some alternative uses I've come up with for the Patronus. I've used it offensively, for communication, and most importantly it can help combat some of the darkest curses someone could send your way. I propose to teach you these modifications in the hopes that you can discover the joy of alternative uses for Magic, and in the process discover some of your own."

"I'll never turn down the chance to learn more magic," Harry answered the diminutive Professor.

"Brilliant! Simply brilliant. How you didn't end up as one of my Ravenclaws I'll never know. I'll send you an owl with my availability and expect an owl with yours and we can arrange something."

Satisfied at the thought of learning more, Harry left the Charms room, not before bidding the Charms Professor goodbye, and headed for food.

/*** **-** ***/

March was half over now and Dudley was finally able to see his animal form, though it was shrouded with darkness and fog. Hoping to avoid the pitfalls mentioned by Professor Lupin about assuming you know what you will become, he had been asking Lupin about using his Animagus form in a DADA context and the Professor had much to say on the matter.

It was during another Defence lesson with Professor Lupin that something unexpected happened, even more unexpected than was normal at Hogwarts. There was a loud explosion and Professor Dumbledore's voice sounded through the castle.

"Vampires have attacked Hogwarts. The wards on the grounds are down, do not leave the castle as they cannot enter. Professors, I ask you to return your class to their dorms and then meet me outside my office." His voice ceased to sound throughout the castle and there was instant pandemonium.

"Right students, you will follow me to the Slytherin common room right away, Griffindors are to go with Professor Flitwick and the fifth year Gryffindors, as I take the fifth year Slytherins," Professor Lupin called out, having to use magic to force the students back from the windows. The class of third year Slytherins followed the Professor closely and, when the other Slytherins had joined, they carried on to the common room, which was locked once the last group of Slytherins were inside.

It wasn't until he found out about the doors being locked that Harry remembered something that made his blood run cold, and that of his friends when he told them.

"Elias has Herbology right now, he's not in the castle."