Avian Anarchy
by Teddylonglong
All recognizable characters belong to J. K. Rowling or Disney, and I am not earning anything by writing this story. I am merely borrowing the characters to play with them.
I am not a native speaker of English. Please excuse my mistakes.
Warnings: Completely AU, partly OOC, magically powerful Harry. Dumbledore/Weasley bashing.
To everyone's surprise, the sleigh was magically extended for the whole Slytherin house to fit in. A huge buffet was put up at the back of the sleigh, and a group of elves from the North Pole were working on it. Harry chuckled at the sight of the elves, who were all wearing Quidditch gear in the red, green and golden colours of the North Pole. He quickly greeted them and thanked them profusely, before he went to say hello to Remus and Sirius, who were engrossed in a conversation with their head of house.
'I thought they didn't get along with him,' he thought in confusion.
"I can't believe that we're attending a Slytherin Quidditch party," Sirius said, rolling his eyes at Harry. "Harry, you really should have seen to it that the Sorting Hat put you into Gryffindor."
"I don't think so." Harry cast his godfather a smug look. "Slytherin is the best of all houses and even won the Quidditch cup."
Snape nodded in apparent amusement, just when Paws began to jump up at Sirius and demanded, =What is that supposed to be surprise?=
"Give me a moment," Remus said upon hearing Harry's translation. He walked a few steps away from the crowd to have some space, before he swiftly transformed into a reindeer. Ignoring the "Ahh"s and "Ohh"s as everyone stared at him with a combination of surprise and admiration, he left the sleigh and walked up to the reindeer, who were resting in front of it. Most of them seemed to be asleep; however, there was one that was impatiently scratching its hooves.
Remus and that specific reindeer exchanged a few words, before Remus called Holly over to have him loosen the chains, so that the reindeer was able to join him. The red-nosed reindeer, who was in the front of what seemed to be Remus' friend said something. It did not seem pleased, however, apparently, Remus and his friend did not care and came over to board the sleigh and join the party.
Everyone willingly made space for the two reindeer, who joined Sirius, Snape and Harry and his friends, before Remus swiftly transformed back into his human form.
"Harry, my friend wishes to bond with you. Is that all right with you?"
Harry cast the reindeer an apologetic look. "I'm sorry, but I already have two familiars."
#It doesn't matter. Do it.# Hedwig trilled in apparent delight, as she flew over and settled down on the reindeer's back. #She has just bonded with me, too. It's your Aunt Cassiopeia, your godmother.#
Harry stared at the phoenix and the reindeer in shock. "My godmother? Mum, are you sure?"
#Yes.#
Harry gave the reindeer a sharp nod. "All right."
An instant later, a well-known feeling of happiness washed over him, before Cassiopeia thought to him.
'Hi Harry, I am so happy to meet you. You've become a brilliant big nephew. I'm sorry that I only remembered now who I was in my former life. Seeing Sirius and Remus and having them talk about how Remus was now a weredeer and not a werewolf anymore and making jokes about James triggered some memories…' She slowly trailed off.
'I'm happy to meet you, too, and Mum also only remembered who she was about ten months ago.'
'Remus told me everything about your life with your horrible relatives. I am so sorry that I couldn't save your mother. I never attended Hogwarts, so I'm not able to do controlled magic. You know, Lily and I were together with you in your nursery, when he attacked, but I could only try to save you using wish magic, but nevertheless, he still managed to kill Lily and me. I'm very happy that it worked though and you survived.'
'I didn't know that. Thank you so much for saving my life then.' He felt confused. 'Dumbledore said that Mum used some blood magic on me to save me.'
The reindeer let out a strange sound, which Harry took as a chuckle. 'No Harry, that's not true. Your mother would never use dark magic. Don't believe anything that Dumbledore tells you. He's not as light as he pretends to be. Even if I didn't attend Hogwarts, I know enough about him to not trust him.'
'Please tell me as much as you can. The holidays are going to begin in three weeks' time, and then I'll be home on the North Pole for more than two months.'
'We have all time of the world now. Too bad that we can only think to each other though.'
'Perhaps you can try to become a dog Animagus,' Harry suggested.
'I will try. It is amazing to see what Remus is capable off, but I don't have the magical training that he has, because I never attended Hogwarts.'
'That would be totally cool. Mum and my friends and I are trying to become dogs like Paws. I've already managed the transformation apart from my head.'
'That's great. Then I will try to transform as well. Perhaps Santa can help me with that.'
'I hope so.'
Their silent conversation was interrupted by his team members, who wanted him to participate in the party instead of leading silent conversations with reindeers.
'Aunt Cassiopeia, I'll talk to you later. I'm very happy to get to know you, even if only as a reindeer for the time being.'
'Enjoy your victory, which was well done, by the way. I'll just talk to your mother for a while.'
'My Aunt Cassiopeia?' Harry thought, incredulously. 'I never even knew that my Dad had a sister, and she did not attend Hogwarts? I wonder why.'
When he returned his attention to his friends, he was still deep in thought.
HP
He did not return home that evening now that Remus had already breeched the news to him; however, he convinced Sirius and Remus to stay at Hogwarts for another hour, when Holly took the sleigh home.
"I'm sorry, but I have so many questions. Why is it that I never knew about Aunt Cassiopeia? I've never even heard that my father had a sister."
The Marauders looked at each other.
"She was a year younger than your father, however, for some reason, she detested magic and refused to attend Hogwarts. Therefore, James never mentioned her. We only met her for the first time, when we spent some time at Potter Manor during the summer holidays after our second year."
Sirius' expression was grim. "Harry, you must know that your grandmother, Dorea Potter, who was an extremely nice person, was a Black by birth, my aunt in fact. But most members of the Black family were just atrocious persons and very dark. Perhaps meeting my mother and some others drove her around the edge, so that she said she didn't want anything to do with the magical world."
"She was nice to us though and a good friend," Remus said, smiling. "I am really happy that I found her. She was living with you and your parents and died together with your mother, when Voldemort attacked you and your parents; however, due to her lack of active knowledge of spells, she did not have a chance to survive. Only due to lucky circumstances and powerful magic did she manage to save your life."
"I thought that Mum had used some blood magic to save me. That's what Dumbledore told me, when he called me into his office at the beginning of the school year."
"No, that's not true. It was Cassiopeia. I wished we could find James as well though. He should be one of the animals on the North Pole, too, considering that he gave his life trying to save Lily, Cassiopeia and you." Sirius let out a deep sigh.
"Perhaps Aunt Cassiopeia can help you find him?"
Remus shook his head. "If your mother, who was his wife and the love of his life, hasn't found him yet, it'll be difficult."
HP
There were only three weeks left before the end of the school year; however, as much as Harry loved Hogwarts, he could not wait to return home and get some more information about his Aunt Cassiopeia. Every evening, he spent a few minutes communicating with her, and he found that she was really nice – just as Hedwig, Sirius and Remus had told him.
#When we're back at home, we'll ask Sirius and Remus if they have some photographs left of our Hogwarts time. Cassiopeia should at least be in the photographs of our wedding.#
"Oh, that's a great idea. I'll ask them. Too bad that it's not possible to watch scenes from the past on Santa's screen. I'd love to watch the Marauders at Hogwarts."
Hedwig remained pensive for a while, before she replied. #Perhaps it's possible. I need to try inventing a charm, but first of all, I must test the charm for Merlin.#
"Did you invent a charm for him?" Harry asked, feeling very excited at the prospect of possibly meeting Merlin in person instead of his portrait.
#Don't get your hopes up. Perhaps it won't work at all.#
"It will. Professor Flitwick told me that you were his best Charms student ever." Harry smiled, somehow feeling proud of his mother.
=It's extremely annoying that I can't remember who I was in my former life.=
"Perhaps you lived in a completely different time, Paws. Or at a different place. Not all the animals on the North Pole are from Great Britain."
=I feel at home here though.=
"Have you tried asking Santa?"
Paws growled. =I've asked him a couple of times, but he won't tell me. Perhaps I'll need the Weasley twins to play some pranks on him this summer.=
Harry chuckled. The Weasley twins were as close to managing the Animagus transformation as him. Knowing that Paws was quite mischievous, he thought, 'Oh Merlin, when they'll manage to transform, so that they'll be able to communicate with him, there's going to be trouble.'
He absentmindedly tried to practise the transformation, only realising that it worked, when Paws jumped against him in apparent delight. So far, he had still only been able to transform his whole body minus his head.
=You did it, Harry. Well done.=
=Thanks,= Harry said, as he took a few uncertain steps on his four paws. 'This feels strange,' he thought, just when Draco dashed into the room.
"Harry," he asked, "what…?" He stopped himself, apparently realising that Harry was not in the room. "Paws? Harry? Is that you?"
Harry nodded and unsteadily crossed the short distance to gently lick his friend's hand.
"You did it! Congratulations. That's totally cool. Come with me, so we can show the others."
Harry slowly followed his seemingly excited friend out into the common room, where Paws immediately pulled him into one of his favourite mock fights.
=Careful Paws. I've got too many limbs for me to handle,= Harry complained, as they rolled over the carpet in the common room, much to their housemates' amusement.
"What is going on here?"
Only then did Harry realise that their head of house had entered the common room and was staring at them wearing a strict expression.
'Paws, stop it please,' he thought to his familiar, who released him instantly.
"Harry managed the Animagus transformation," Daphne spoke up, while Snape eyed him with apparent interest, before he – to everyone's surprise – transformed into a black lynx.
Paws immediately set to chase the lynx, and Harry inwardly groaned, as he let himself sink onto Paws' favourite carpet in front of the fireplace trying to sort out his four legs; however, he watched in amusement, when the professor retaliated and reversed the chase. Finally, Paws gave up, stretched out next to Harry and began to meticulously clean his paws, causing everyone to laugh.
"One nil for Professor Snape," Draco said, grinning, when the lynx sat next to Paws.
"I didn't know that cats and dogs could get along," Annika commented, causing Paws to begin to gently clean the feline's fur.
=Professor, will you join us again on the North Pole?= Harry asked, looking around Paws at the lynx.
=Are you sure that I am welcome?=
=Of course. You won't have the lab for yourself this time though, as the Weasley twins and I are going to use it as well.= Harry inwardly grinned at the lynx, when he feigned annoyance, moving his tail back and forth.
=I need to speak with Professor McGonagall, before I can promise anything. I'd love to come though.=
=Please tell her that she is welcome to join you.=
HP
"You can't be away during the whole holidays, both of you at that." The headmaster glared at his most trustworthy colleagues. "At least tell me where you are going to be. Do you have access to the Floo network in case I need to urgently contact one or both of you?"
"No sir, you will only be able to reach us by owl." Fortunately, Severus was an expert in keeping his expression a blank mask that did not let any emotion through. Minerva, however, glared at the old wizard in obvious annoyance.
"Albus, we're both going to be back two weeks before the beginning of the new school year. We've been invited by an old friend to stay over the summer, and that's all that you need to know. I know that we barely left the castle during the last few years, but I believe that it's overdue for us to do so."
"Very well, do as you please. Just be back on time and don't complain in case I make decisions without waiting for your consent."
Severus realised that the headmaster was absolutely angered, however, knew that there was nothing that he could do about it.
"At least please hire a decent Defence Against the Dark Arts professor," Minerva said, grimly.
"If that was so easy." Albus looked grim, as he popped a lemon drop into his mouth and silently accepted that they excused themselves.
HP
Harry had agreed with his friends that they would join him on the North Pole on his birthday and stay for the rest of the holidays. Therefore, he was only accompanied by Annika, Dudley, Paws and the Weasley twins, when he walked along platform nine and three quarters to where Holly had parked the sleigh. Hedwig flashed back to Hogwarts to pick up Professors McGonagall and Snape and take them straight to the North Pole.
By the time the sleigh arrived on the North Pole, Harry motioned everyone to head inside, while he went to speak with the reindeer. He had already greeted them and lightly hugged each of them on platform nine and three quarters; however, he just wished to speak with Cassiopeia for a moment. He patiently waited until Holly had unchained the reindeer, before he waved at Cassiopeia. In fact, her reindeer name was Cunegonde; however, Harry decided to just call her by her former human name. The reindeer immediately came over to him and gently nudged her head against his chest.
"Hello Cassiopeia, I am so very happy to see you," Harry said, smiling.
'Me too. I am trying to change into a dog, but so far, I haven't managed,' his aunt admitted. 'I should ask Santa if he can help me…' She slowly trailed off.
"Why didn't you ask him already?" Harry enquired, causing the reindeer to sigh.
'He can't give in to every whim that one of the animals has,' she explained.
Harry nodded in understanding. "It's all right. I'll ask him later on. I'll head in for dinner now, but I'll come to see you later on or tomorrow morning." He gently caressed the reindeer's head, before he entered the house.
Hedwig and Snape had already introduced Professor McGonagall to Santa and Claire, and the two professors were deeply engrossed in a conversation with Merlin in his portrait. Everyone else was sitting around the table listening raptly.
"Where were you? Dinner is going to begin," Dudley said, giving him a questioning look.
"Sorry, I just had to speak a few words with Cassiopeia," Harry replied and immediately turned to Santa. "Santa, is there anything you could do to help her manage the Animagus transformation? I'd really like to communicate with her personally and not only through telepathy."
"Let's make a deal," Santa replied, smirking. "If you manage the Animagus transformation and become a canine Animagus, I shall help Cunegonde."
"Really?" A broad grin spread over Harry's face, causing the Potions Master to let out a snort.
"Really," Santa confirmed.
Harry rose from his chair and swiftly transformed into his Animagus form, causing everyone to laugh at Santa's gobsmacked expression.
Harry ran around the table and licked Santa's hand, while Paws began to jump up at the older wizard from his other side.
"Shall we have dinner then?"
Hearing Claire speak up, the two dogs returned to the other side of the table, where Harry transformed back and took his seat with Paws nestling on his feet.
"You managed the Animagus transformation as a first-year?" Professor McGonagall spoke up in apparent bewilderment.
"Yes. Paws badly wanted to play with me, so I've been practising since last summer," Harry explained, just when dinner appeared on the table.
"Professor Snape even chased Harry and Paws around the common room in his lynx Animagus form."
McGonagall stared at Annika in apparent disbelief. "Is that true?"
"Yes, it was quite funny," Dudley said, causing the Potions Master to glare at the twins.
"Ms. Evans, was that really necessary?"
"Yes," Annika replied, chuckling.
HP
Right after dinner, Santa motioned Harry to follow him outside. "Let's see if we can help your aunt change into a dog Animagus as well."
Harry and Paws rushed after Santa in excitement, only to notice that a third dog was accompanying them, which they had never seen before.
tbc...
Thank you for your kind comments on the previous chapter. Please tell me what you thought about this chapter and what you expect from this story. My muse appreciates the feedback.
Next chapter "Oh Merlin".