Bold*- parstletounge
Italics - thoughts
"Normal"- speech and narrative
Chapter 46: Christmas And A Transformation
19/12/1993
~~~~~~~~~
It had been an eventful month leading up to the train ride home for Christmas.
After the full moon Professor Lupin returned back teaching and Ravenclaw had flattened Hufflepuff in Quidditch (leaving Cassandra and the twins to comfort Cedric).
Cassandra had finished her meditating and placed a madrake leaf in her mouth, meaning she was ever so close to transforming into her undiscovered Animagus form (she had even begun teaching her friends) and lastly, Potter had snuck into Hogsmede, thrown stuff at them and then got away scot free!
The Hogwarts express had just stopped at Platform 9 3/4. Cassandra watched as Blaise pulled her bag down, along with his, taking it in his arms. He was coming home with her for Christmas as were Daphne and Astoria, they had even managed to arrange for Luna to join them secretly which was so exiting!
"C'mon guys! Let's not keep mother waiting!" Cass led them all onto the platform, quickly finding Bella in her disguise and getting the group disapparated home without anyone noticing Luna coming with them. (Her father knew of course she was going to a friends house for Christmas, he just didn't know who's - and they wanted to keep it that way.)
———
Later that night Cassie was wide awake. She had been told the date on which Buckbeaks hearing would be and it had put her in a bad mood. She sighed loudly.
"Cassandra?" A voice whispered out of the shadows. She crawled to the end of her bed to see Blaise curiously looking over from his bed that had been conjured on the opposite side of her bedroom.
Astoria, Luna and Daphne were sleeping with Cassandra in her bed but Tom had denied Blaise being within 6ft of Cass whilst in her room.
The boy tilted his head and beckoned her over. She gently climbed off the bed and tiptoed across the room as to not wake the girls. He lifted the cover and she got in, snuggling into his embrace.
"What are you doing up?" He asked, stroking her hair.
Cassandra sighed, "all I can think about is the hearing and how that poor creature will be sent to death for doing nothing wrong!"
"The oaf might-"
"Don't say he'll win Blaise, you know it's not true - Uncle Cias never looses!"
Blaise tightened his grip around her. "Everything is going to be alright Cass, everything is going to be fine!"
The two friends talked into the night and slowly drifted off to sleep.
———
20/12/1993
"Cassandra Riddle what the bloody hell is going here!!"
Her father's voice jolted her awake. Wide eyed she looked down to where Blaise was mumbling into her stomach and groaned - she was in so much trouble.
———
After an awkward morning of having to explain to her dad that Blaise was like a brother and that he was comforting her, Cassandra and the others decided to go to the training room; first practicing their spell work and duelling skills. They then meditated - until something unexpected happened.
Cassandra had felt a shock wave surge through her arm and cried out in surprise. The others had snapped out of their calm state to see Cass rising up in the air, a bright light shining around her.
Astoria quickly went to get Tom, Bellatrix and Severus, who was visiting. They all burst into the room and stopped at the sight. They grinned.
Daphne's hair went red, "what the hell are you grinning for?! Help her!"
"That won't be necessary."
"What do you mean it won't be-"
"She's becoming her animagus, the transformation is completing itself!" Severus interrupted. The Slytherins and Ravenclaw nodded in realisation and then turned back to their friend. The light suddenly exploded around the girl, causing the others to cover their eyes.
Once it settled they looked back to where Cassandra Riddle had been standing. In her place was an extremely confusing sight. The animal in front of them had the body of a snake, the tail of a lion, the face of a giraffe, the ears of a dog and the legs of an elephant. The creature, however, was all black, with some lighter shades of gray.
"What is she?" Blaise asked warily.
"Salazar, I can't believe that Cassandra is a pecora multa! There hasn't been one in centuries!" Bellatrix squealed, hugging her husband.
"What's a pecora multa?"
"It means 'multiple animals' in Latin, it means that, unlike normal Animagi, she can change into whatever animal she wants to, although like a regular one she can't change the colour she has been given, therefore all her forms will be black!" Luna stated earning looks of respect from the adults. They may have just met this strange girl but they already adored her.
Daphne looked at her friend, "so why does she look like a mutant thing?"
Tom let out a chuckle. "It's because she wasn't thinking of what animal she would turn into, because she hadn't figured it out yet - she was just letting nature take it's course. Let's get her out of that state shall we? It looks quite uncomfortable."
With a swish of his hand Cassandra was human once more.
"What happened? What animal am I? I thought when you first transformed you automatically know what you are and what you're doing?!"
"In normal cases, yes sweetie that is what happens, but this isn't a normal case - you are a pecora multa."
"Merlin, am I really!" Cassandra asked jumping up and down excitedly.
Her mother nodded, "why don't we test it out?"
Cassie grinned, "alright what animal should I turn into?! Ooh maybe a snake, ooh or a lion? Wait what about a wolf? Ahh there's so many to choose from!!"
The occupants of the room laughed as Cassandra kept listing off possible animals for her to turn into without even noticing that between saying the names she actually transformed herself into the animal and back.
"What about a dog like Uncle Sirius!" She stated turning into a smaller replica of the shaggy black dog. Just as she was about to change back and list another animal Blaise stopped her thought process.
"Cass you know what this means right?!" The dog shook its head. "We can make 'the grim' appear everywhere Potter goes to make him seem like he's losing the plot and going to drop dead any second!!"
Cassandra barked and wagged her tale, she then suddenly yelped spinning around in a circle. The human Cass suddenly appeared. "How in Merlins name did I become a dog?"
Severus chuckled at his goddaughter. "You've been transforming to the animals you've been saying this entire time you plonker! You just didn't notice it because you were spiralling!"
Cassandra blushed before turning into a crow and hiding in the corner of the room as the door suddenly flung open, revealing Lucius, Narcissa and Draco. "We came as quickly as we could! Where's Cass? Has she found her form yet? What is it?"
No one answered for they knew Cass would want to show them, and she did. She flew down, cawing before transforming back into herself.
Draco burst out laughing, "you're a freaking crow?!! Merlin that's hilarious! I was picturing something wayyy cooler, but you got a crow!! Ha!"
Suddenly a black panther pushed him to the ground, growling at him. Draco whimpered until he looked her in they eyes, her sparkling red eyes. "Cass? But wha-? How?"
She licked his face, messing up his hair before turning into a kitten and jumping into Astoria's arms.
Lucius and Narcissa looked to be in shock and Blaise laughed at Draco's dumbstruck expression whilst Daphne helped him up. Luna just smiled serenely.
"What the bloody hell was that?!"
———
26/12/1993
Christmas was amazing in Riddle Manor for Cassandra. Don't get me wrong she adored having just family around but it made it so much better that Blaise, Daphne, Astoria and Luna were there to share it with her.
It was way after midnight and everyone was lounged all over the living room. Tom and Bellatrix were snuggled up on one sofa, with Narcissa and Lucius on the other. Draco was sat on the loveseat with Daphne, both laughing their heads off and Cassandra was, as always, wrapped in Blaise's arms - with Astoria and Luna asleep in hers.
The group chatted away until they all fell asleep, comfy and content in their makeshift family.
If only they had the rest of it with them.
