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.
A.N. If you have not read (and reviewed) chapter 29, which I only posted yesterday, please go back and check it out first; otherwise, parts of this chapter won't make sense. Thank you.
One corridor in the dungeons at Hogwarts was flooded by at least a dozen toads of various colours. They were running all over the corridor. There seemed to be two adults, a pink one and a green one, as well as about a dozen smaller toads, pink, green and brown ones. From both ends of the corridor, white storks approached, making quite some noise. An instant later, the toads were picked up by red beaks. When Harry had expected the storks to have a feast devouring the smaller animals, however, he was sadly mistaken. Carrying the toads in their beaks, the storks gathered at the end of the corridor, where a couple of elves were apparently waiting for them. Each elf gathered one stork in their arms, before they popped away, silently.
Merlin quickly adjusted the screen to display what he called the Isle of Elves, just when an elf entered the screen room.
"This is Bandhu, the professor of Elven Magic at the SAMS. Bandhu, will you please show us, where they've taken the toads?"
Bandhu smirked. "Good evening, Headmaster. They have taken them to the garden of the Isle of Elves."
Merlin quickly adjusted the screen to display said garden, and everyone watched in amazement how the storks put the toads down in a beautiful garden. It held varieties of flowers, fruits and vegetables and looked just amazing.
"While the elves greatly despise toads, they're beneficial in our garden, as they keep insects, slugs and snails away. Therefore, we have decided to keep them in our garden."
Harry gave Bandhu a sharp look. "Will they not able to escape from the Isle of Elves?"
Bandhu smirked. "No one escapes from the Isle of Elves, my boy. One time during the next few years, I will invite you to visit us."
Harry profusely thanked the elder elf, knowing from what he heard at the academy during the summer that it was a great honour to be invited to the Isle of Elves as a human.
"Mum, if you take me to Diagon Alley, I'm going to buy a new pet for Neville."
To his surprise, the puppy let out a miserable whine, causing him to pick her up in concern. "What's wrong?"
=I can't take you anywhere, as Santa punished me for what I did to Umbridge, and I'm not allowed to transform into my phoenix form until Christmas.=
Harry quickly translated for the others, giving Merlin a questioning look. "Isn't that a bit too strict? I mean, Hedwig saved all the Hogwarts students from possibly being tortured by her, plus, Umbridge was supposed to spend the rest of her life in Azkaban anyway, for what she did to at least Luna and me." He shrugged, gently caressing Hedwig's canine ears. "She also seems quite happy now, even if she didn't really deserve any happiness after all she's done."
Merlin let out a deep sigh. "I know, and I believe that Hedwig did very well. Santa's problem is that it's not exactly phoenix behaviour, which is the reason for the punishment. As the day after tomorrow is Christmas Day, I wouldn't bother questioning him now." He remained quiet for a moment. "I believe that Santa has reason to not allow you to transform for a while anyway. If you wish, I can take Harry to the Magical Menagerie."
"Yes please."
"Have you already decided what animal you wish to buy for Neville?" Merlin quirked an eyebrow.
"How about a kitten?" Everyone looked at Minerva and blurted out laughing.
"My dear Minerva, are you in dire need of some feline company?" Merlin asked, smirking, as he gently laid his arm around her shoulders.
"Well, seeing that Severus is the only other feline here, I'd appreciate it."
Merlin smirked. "Have you ever heard of the recent trend on the North Pole of getting a second Animagus form?" he quipped, before he swiftly transformed into a white tiger.
"Beautiful." Minerva stared at the large feline in apparent amazement, before she changed into her own Animagus form, only to get chased around the room by the tiger.
This was only the beginning of a large chase, as everyone but Dudley, who had not managed the complete transformation yet, changed into their own forms and joined the game.
"That was much fun," Harry breathed, when everyone finally changed back thirty minutes later.
"Indeed." The Potions master smirked at him, knowing that it had been Harry, whom he had chased for a trip over the snowy grounds.
"So, Harry, are you still up for a trip to the Magical Menagerie to buy a cat for your friend?" Merlin cast him a questioning look.
"Yes please, although I'd rather buy a dog for him, as Neville is a dog Animagus like all my friends."
Remus cleared his throat. "Sirius and I know someone, who is a dog breeder in Hogsmeade. Perhaps we could visit him and ask if he has a puppy to sell or knows someone."
Harry immediately agreed, and after a short trip to Hogsmeade, they returned with a tricoloured Jack Russel Terrier. He was six months old and extremely cute.
"Before he gets used to us, we should take him to Neville," Merlin suggested and had the elves pack a box with items that the puppy would need, before he flashed Harry right in front of Longbottom Manor.
To Harry's relief, as he did not overly liked Neville's grandmother, the house-elf, who opened the door, told him that the Longbottoms had gone shopping. He then handed the puppy and his belongings to the elf, who smiled broadly at the cute puppy.
"I wills cares for him and hands him to Master Neville on Christmas morning. Thank you so much for getting such a wonderful gift for Master Neville. He will be very happy."
Harry profusely thanked the elf, before he excused himself and asked Merlin to take him back home.
HP
Neville's response of absolute excitement and happiness reached Harry early on Christmas morning. His friend profusely thanked him and told him that it was the best Christmas present he had ever received. Apparently, the puppy's name was Felix, because he was a happy doggy growing up at Hogwarts with so many canines and dog Animagi around.
"Hedwig and Paws, you will be good friends for Neville's Felix, won't you?" Harry looked at his parents, who were – as so often – cuddling in front of the fireplace.
=Of course= was the simultaneous response.
"Thanks." Harry smiled, before he turned to the Christmas tree to see if there were any presents with his name on them. He still had not really get used to receiving presents and would not even have been overly surprised if there had not been any. However, he found a huge pile of gifts in colourful wrapping papers, which seemed to be for him.
HP
When they returned to Hogwarts at the beginning of January, they got to know Felix better. The puppy was as cute as a button, and everyone loved him, although he only concentrated on Neville and barely ever cuddled with his friends like Hedwig and Paws did.
One Sunday morning at the end of January, Hedwig and Paws instructed Harry to transform into his canine form and follow them into his bedroom.
Surprised what his parents wanted, Harry complied and jumped onto his bed, noticing in bewilderment that Hedwig and Paws did not follow him but sat on the floor in front of his bed.
Paws shook his fur in apparent stress relief. =Son, we need to talk to you.=
Hedwig playfully slapped his ears with her right front paw. =Paws, don't say that as if it was something bad.=
=No, actually, I'm happy.= Paws looked at Harry from large, brown eyes.
=Will you finally tell me whatever it is without making such a fuss?= Harry slowly became upset with his father's antics, as cute as the puppy was.
=I am pregnant, and you're going to have two puppy siblings.=
=What?= Harry stared at the canine forms of his parents in bewilderment.
=Yes, you heard that correctly, son.=
=Cool,= Harry breathed, even if his mind went haywire. 'Two siblings, that's cool, but will they be able to transform into humans, or will they forever be doggies?' he wondered.
Hedwig brought him back to reality, when she said, =I suppose that it would be better if I returned to the North Pole for a while. I can't imagine that you would be allowed to have four doggies here at the school.=
Harry let out an unconscious growl. =No Mum, please don't leave me. Hagrid and perhaps Madam Pomfrey would surely be able to help with the birth, and I don't think Draco would mind having the puppies here in our bedroom. Nor would my housemates mind having two more puppies in Slytherin.=
=Then ask them all please. Don't forget to ask Severus, who is likely going to complain about a puppy invasion in his common room.=
Harry chuckled. 'Thank Merlin I've got to know Severus so well,' he thought. 'If he still hated me like he did in my first year, I would never dare ask him such a thing.'
To Harry's relief, Hagrid, who had been the Care of Magical Creatures professor for around five decades, immediately agreed to assist with the birth of the puppies as did Madam Pomfrey, the healer. When she suggested for Hedwig to give birth in one of the small teachers' rooms behind her office, Harry and Draco protested badly, stating that they wanted the puppies to be born in their bedroom that was large enough to accommodate the canines.
When the puppies were born on February 19, Hedwig did not allow anyone but Hagrid, Poppy, Severus, Harry and Draco into the room.
Harry found them incredibly cute. They were both completely white. Lucy Dorea had emerald eyes like Hedwig and Harry, and Regulus Remus had Paws' brown eyes.
'My siblings,' Harry thought, feeling very happy, as he carefully balanced Lucy on his arm. 'Still, it's strange. I wonder if they will manage to get a human form, considering that our parents were originally human.'
Only when the puppies were four weeks old and able to walk or rather run around on unsteady paws, they were allowed into the common room, where all Slytherin students were ready to fawn over them. As Hedwig had predicted weeks ago, Severus growled something sounding like "Canine invasion," when he strode into the common room at the beginning of curfew.
HP
Harry was extremely disappointed, when Hedwig and Paws told him that they would not accompany him during the Hogsmeade visit that was scheduled for the first Saturday in April.
=Lucy and Regi are too small to take them with us into the crowded village.=
"I know, Mum. Still, I'm going to miss you."
=Go and have fun with your friends. Isn't it time for you to find a girlfriend, considering that most of your friends already roam the village as couples?=
Harry glared at Paws. "If that was so easy."
=I thought you liked Daphne?=
Harry inwardly groaned. 'Mum knows me too well,' he thought in annoyance.
"Maybe, but I don't know if she'd like to go with me. Perhaps she'd be bored spending the whole morning with me."
Paws gently licked his right hand. =Just ask her, son. She'll be happy that you asked.=
Later the same evening, Harry had a similar conversation with Draco. Ever after their first Hogsmeade visit, the blonde boy had been going to the village together with Ginny.
"I wonder if I could ask her to become my girlfriend." Draco cast Harry a thoughtful look. "What do you think?"
"That's cool. Do you really like her?" 'I wonder what it is to really like someone,' he thought, uncertainly.
"I think so." Draco remained pensive for a moment. "How do you know if you like someone enough to make her your girlfriend?"
=To really like someone means to make them your first priority.=
'Thank Merlin Draco is a canine Animagus, too, now, so that I don't have to translate anymore,' Harry thought, before he pondered his mother's advice.
"Draco, do you think Daphne would accompany me to Hogsmeade?"
The blonde nodded. "I think she's been waiting for you to ask her for months."
"I'm not sure if I'll ask her to become my girlfriend though. I don't know if I want to make her my first priority. When, for example, Luna needs me to help her, then that's more important."
=That's fine, dear. You're only thirteen and don't have to decide on a girlfriend yet.=
"Thanks Mum."
HP
Due to Draco's, Hedwig's and Paws' encouragement, Harry asked Daphne to accompany him on a date during the Hogsmeade visit, and to his excitement, the girl immediately agreed.
Draco spent the morning with Ginny, Dudley with Tracey and Neville with Susan. To Harry's surprise, Annika accepted Theodore's invitation to roam the village with him.
"I thought you liked Severus?" he asked later in the evening, when he had the chance to talk to his cousin alone.
"Well, I can't very well ask him out to Hogsmeade now, can I?" Annika cast him a glare of pure exasperation.
"Probably not." Harry remained pensive for a moment. "Do you think, he feels the same about you?"
Annika shrugged. "I don't know. For him, I'm probably just a child."
Harry shook his head. "Maybe not. He knows that you've been grown up before. Why don't you speak with him during the summer holidays?"
"Maybe I'll do that. I even wanted to talk to him during Christmas, but I couldn't find the courage to do so. Anyway, thanks for listening, Harry."
"Always," Harry promised, smiling at the girl, who was so different from the aunt he faintly remembered.
In the end, Annika decided to not go to Hogsmeade at all and instead offered Severus to assist in the potions lab, which her head of house accepted in surprise, apparently knowing from occasionally working together with her in the lab on the North Pole that she was as talented as her sister had been.
HP
Harry and Daphne spent some time in the bookshop, and Harry remembered to buy bones for his parents and puppy siblings as well as Luna's favourite sweets for his second-year friend. When they finished their shopping, Daphne suggested to retreat to a park for a while and just talk to get to know each other better.
They took turns asking each other questions, about their families, their life at home, even if Harry had the impression as if his friends knew everything about him, and whatever came into their minds. By the time they had to head to the Three Broomsticks to meet with the others, Harry was slightly disappointed, as he had thoroughly enjoyed spending time with Daphne.
HP
In the meantime, Annika spent a few hours assisting Severus with a couple of easy concoctions for the hospital wing.
While she was preparing ingredients and Severus brewed the potion, he asked, colloquially, "How much do you remember of your former life if I may ask?"
Annika let out a deep sigh and remained pensive for a moment. "Not much," she finally admitted. "I remember our childhood, and I remember the sadness I felt, when you and Lily got to attend Hogwarts. Ever since then, I've been unhappy because of being a muggle. Fortunately, I barely remember the awful husband I was married to."
"Do you regret having become de-aged if you don't mind me asking?"
"On the one hand, yes, but on the other hand, no. In my former life, I've never been as happy as I am now. I have magic, I am at Hogwarts, and I have friends. I feel as if I was the happiest girl on the planet. The only thing is that my friends are all teenagers. While my body is that of a thirteen-year-old, mentally, I am an adult." Summoning her courage, she asked, "Professor, what do you think about relationships between people of different ages?"
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 really appreciates the feedback.