Chapter 1: Animagi

Chapter 1: Animagi

Harry Potter looked out the window of Gryffindor tower at the sun-splashed grounds below him. It was summer time; two weeks into summer, and already he was having the time of his life. Since his parents had come back, Harry felt as though a large bubble in his stomach that had been growing for ages had finally popped; and he was grateful. There were so many things he wanted to know about the Marauders and his parents that he had resorted to taking down notes which his parents laughed about.

But this morning, Harry wasn't in his usual good spirits. If anything, he was deep in thought, pondering over the future. It was something he had been thinking about since he learned of his father being an Animagus in third year. What if he could be an Animagus? What would he become? The questions seem to spiral him into a fitful despair and seemed to be resurfacing more and more frequently. But today would be different.

His father, at Harry's request, had been so kind enough to find the exact same book about Animagi that himself, Sirius and Peter Pettigrew used back in their fifth year to become the immutable Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot and Prongs, purveyors of Magical Mischief Aides to a new generation of law breakers at Hogwarts. Harry assumed that his father suspected Harry's intentions, yet he did not question it. All in all, it seemed as if James Potter would be willing to make his son into something that would make him invincible.

But weighing down on Harry's consciousness was the fact that he couldn't decide which animal to become, if he had a choice at all. He remembered the book, Becoming Animagi, referred the person's animal to be one of their true nature. The only thing Harry could come up with would be a snake or a lion, both with staggering dis-advantages that made him cringe at the thought of morphing into one of those animals.

A sudden creaking of the portrait door made Harry jump while trying to hide the book that lay open in his lap. He turned around and came face to face with James and Sirius.

"Hi there, Harry," Sirius said with a lopsided grin on his face. "Jamie-boy here tells me you are curious about becoming an Animagi?"

Harry paled instantly, but his father merely chuckled and laid an understanding hand on his shoulder.

"No need to hide it Harry. I almost think it will give you quite an advantage over Voldemort," James said lightly while picking up the Animagi book from underneath one of the pillows Harry had hidden it under. James flicked through some of the pages while Sirius sat down on the bench seat beside Harry.

"So…given any thought to what animal you might become?"

Harry wondered whether it would be prudent to tell his father about being a Parselmouth, but thought wiser of it and merely shook his head. After all, Harry wasn't sure he would become a snake. James must have sensed some type of hesitation in Harry because he sat down next to him and closed the book with a SNAP!

"Harry, you do realize that you can tell me anything?" James looked uncharacteristically serious as he looked down at the book in his hands. Harry visibly shuddered; what it must be like for his father was a painful thought. He quickly recovered his glum mood, replacing it with one of mischievousness that could rival his father's.

"Let's get started on the potion then," Harry said, causing James too look up and laugh at Harry. Sirius stood up, chuckling to himself as he made his way towards the portrait hole. James and Harry stood up and followed, but James soon stopped Harry.

"You know, you have to narrow your eyes a bit more and raise an eyebrow to get the full effect of 'I'm up to something'."

Harry grinned while taking the book from his father. James, plastering his own lopsided smile, wrapped his arm around Harry's shoulder. "We ought to get to work before your mother wakes up otherwise she'll have kittens."

***

"James, my Potions skills are not up to their usual standard," Sirius whispered as he dumped another handful of leech legs into the cauldron and stirred counter-clockwise. "Maybe we should go bug Julia…I mean, she was an excellent Potions student…when we weren't setting off fireworks."

"Yeah, but she'll tell Lily before Harry even gets a taste of the potion. Besides, the potion is only to enhance the inner-animal. It's not that hard."

Sirius shook his head, muttering something that sounded like 'daft git' under his breath before adding two more lion fish spine and proclaiming the potion finished.

"Now Harry. You are simply going to drink the goblet and focus on the animal characteristics that become clear to you when after you drink this," James said, ladling some of the glutinous potion into a goblet and handing it to his son. "If Padfoot here is good enough at Potions as we all knew he was deep down, you'll become an animal."

Harry nodded his head blankly, staring at the goblet before him. James and Sirius sensed his unease.

"Harry don't worry—"

"—If you become a badger, I won't disown you—"

"James, that isn't helping—"

"Harry, listen to me. Drink the potion. After you have transformed, just think of you as yourself—"

"Easy for you to say, Prongs."

"Padfoot, will you shut up? I wasn't an A student in Transfiguration for nothing!"

Sirius shook his head, a surprisingly worried expression on his face. But he said nothing more. Instead, he pulled out a chair in the cold dungeon number four, sat down and twirled his wand between his fingers. "Go on Harry."

Harry hesitated a moment before he stiffened his resolve and gulped down the potion. It wasn't the tastiest thing in the wizarding world, but it wasn't as bad as Polyjuice potion. The dungeon around him swirled a bit, but he remained standing.

"Did it work?" Sirius asked, standing from his chair and standing next to James. Harry was about to shake his head no when his brain began a spiral. Phrases and words, as well as his past began to jump out at him. His first instinct was to cry out for help until he realized it was a good feeling. His self-confidence, Quidditch ability and loyalty became more obvious to him as well as his strength in Defense Against the Dark Arts. Even Karista managed to jump out at him. His feeling of being a leader, along side Dumbledore, pounded at his heart, making him feel dazed and happy. He was a leader, someone strong-willed and unafraid of challenge.

"Blimey, look at him," said Sirius' far off voice. "He looks as if he's drunk."

"What did you put in that cauldron, Sirius?" his father asked, folding his arms across his chest and gave Sirius a stern look, very much like McGonagall. But then the room lurched violently around him and suddenly Harry found his eye-view of things changed.

"My God…it worked," Sirius said, staring awe-struck at Harry. James dropped his wand, his face showing a mixture of pride and surprise.

Harry tried to respond, but his voice didn't come out as he expected, and he jumped in surprise only to find that he had four legs on the ground. Sirius laughed a bit at Harry expression while James stood in astonishment. "I think he gets it from you, Padfoot."

Sirius only laughed harder and once again Harry tried to speak. This time, his voice came out as a low growl. He tried to take a step forward, but found his coordination was a bit off and nearly stumbled. Sirius stopped laughing long enough to change into Padfoot.

"Harry, its not as hard as it looks," Sirius said, and for some strange reason, Harry understood him.

"What exactly am I?" Harry asked, his voice a tumbling growl.

"You're a wolf, and a damn stunning one at that," Sirius said, indicating Harry's leg. "Go on, have a look."

Harry turned his head and found himself looking at a tuft of jet-black fur that was slightly messy. He could see his tail and wagged it slightly before studying his legs.

"Wow," Harry said excitedly, only he emitted a loud bark. He could even feel his tail wagging furiously behind him; it was a strange yet wonderful feeling.

"Now try and change back," James said above him as Padfoot became Sirius once more.

"How?" Harry tried to ask, but it came out as more of a whimper.

"Think of yourself as a human, Harry, or something that you can do as yourself," Sirius chuckled, resting up against one of the many desks in the dungeon. Harry closed his eyes and thought for a second; the rushing of air against his face as he swooped through the air and caught a glimmering gold speck a foot from the ground. When Harry opened his eyes, he was back at his regular height and wearing a grin of satisfaction.

"You know what's really strange?" James said casually as he patted Harry on the shoulder. "Your eyes. They were a really deep yet bright green."

Harry could feel himself blushing, then began to help James and Sirius clean up the tables.

"Oh…don't worry about walking and running. It'll come in time," Sirius said as he jammed the different glass jars into the student supply cupboard and dusted off his hands. "Shall we go to lunch? I'm starving…maybe we could even 'surprise' Lily."

"Well, I think Harry should get used to doing it first otherwise Lily would kill me…literally," James said lightly as they headed out the room and into the bitterly cold corridor and made their way up to the Great Hall.

***

"Raquel, please come over here," Karista said, glancing up at the store window and frowning. Raquel Enidon, with her long inky-black hair and startlingly blue eyes, strode up to her and laid a hand on her shoulder. "Make me understand why I am shopping for Muggle clothing."

"Well…don't you need a new summer wardrobe? Let alone winter?" Raquel asked, patting Karista's shoulder and walking into the store; but one look at Karista's face, and she relented. "So how is Harry?"

"Great," Karista mumbled. Talking to Raquel about Karista's lovelife was like talking to a wall that could only talk back…but worse.

"Ooh…maybe, if we bought you a nice summer dress…"

"You can be so superficial, Raquel," Karista groaned while tugging at the bags already lined up at her feet.

"Thank you."

Karista shook her head and marched up the avenue, looking for a nice place to eat. Of course, it wasn't long before she was caught with Raquel again.

"You know, you have changed a lot since you left me here…all alone…" Raquel sighed, adjusting the many bags in her arms. "First, you say you 'give up boys for an eternity', then you go to somewhere in the far North of a country I probably can't pronounce—"

"Do me a favor and shut your trap," Karista muttered, turning into a deli.

"There you go! You see? We always…talked…and now, I hardly ever get an owl from you—"

"Keep your voice down!"

"Alright, alright, miss smarty-pants, I get your drift."

They ordered their sandwiches and settled into a private booth. Karista began immediately to pick on her sandwich, but for some reason, Raquel stared at her. "What?"

"Is this about the whole Sorceress of Fire thing?"

Karista spit her soda out and glared at Raquel, who sat looking absent-mindedly out the window. "You know I am right, Karista."

Karista sighed and set down her sandwich. After folding her arms across her chest, she gave Raquel a stern look. Just like McGonagall's, I'd imagine. Raquel, however, was immune to the look and instead returned the sternness, which made Karista visibly flinch.

"Alright, alright," Karista pleaded. Raquel smiled before waving her hand for Karista to begin to explain. "I had a dream."

"Really? About…Harry?" Raquel grinned, but stopped at the look on Karista's face.

"No…It was strange…you already know that I dream about my—"

"Yes, yes go on." Raquel waved her hand impatiently and Karista took a deep breath.

"Well, now I think it's a Prophecy."

Now it was Raquel's turn to spit out her soda; but to Karista's surprise, she began laughing.

"A Prophecy? Karista, I told you to lay off the drugs, girl."

"I'm serious, Raquel. I had another…er… strange dream last night. Only this time, someone was talking to me."

Raquel shook her head and chuckled before sipping down the last of her soda.

"Are you sure it isn't Voldie? I mean, if it was, you should just pickle the bastard and get it over with…"

"It's not him!" Karista shouted. Half the deli turned their heads in their directions, but all they were liable to see was a burning red forehead just above the tabletop and another girl laughing hysterically. Once Raquel had regained her composure and Karista return to above the tabletop, Raquel began her tirade again.

"Karista, you can't be absolutely sure, can you?"

"No…I can't."

"So? If you have another experience with the man, bash his head in or something like that. I, for one, would be really, really happy."

"I'm sure you would, Ice Maden."

"Naw, now they call me 'the Raven'."

"Ha…funny."

"I know."