Disclaimer: I own nothing in this story except the plot. All the creators own their respective things. And Angel from JilseponieAngel owns the name Mscartjrm (the J's silent). And Lanfear owns a good portion of the battle scene at the end of the chapter. (I can't thank you enough!!!!)
A/N: Thanks for reviewing everyone--especially Etelka for the wonderful review she gave. It was a real boost to my confidence in this story. I'm sorry. I've forgotten Luna and Artemis (the Sailor Scout's guardian cats) They do make an appearance in this. So sorry for forgetting about them till this point.
Chapter Four--Play
Still at Hogwarts
Jake walked into the hospital wing, to give Rachel a "back to reality" lesson. The day before he had told her what her name was and where she was so they could move onto more complicated subjects. After the lesson Harry, who had been working on schoolwork, called Jake over to his bed.
"Now can you tell me more about the Yeerks?" Harry asked softly.
"No, not now. When do you get out of here?" Jake asked in an equally soft tone.
"Wednesday." Harry said.
"OK how about the Saturday afterwards we meet at...where's a private place in Hogsmead were a large group of people can talk?" That Saturday was the Hogsmead trip and Jake was still planning for the Friday meeting to tell them so all they would have to do is explain and answer questions.
"Err..." Harry thought for a moment. The Three Broomsticks wouldn't do. Neither Honeydukes, nor anyplace they typically went. "How about the mountain nearby."
"Where's that?"
"We'll meet outside The Broomsticks at about eleven and Hermione, Ron, and I will show you. It is all right that they can come?" Harry asked.
"Sure, then that's where we'll meet."
* * * * *
The Saturday after Wednesday The Animorphs walked around exploring the sites, Rachel along with them (they even monitored her during the three days that they were mongering Harry, to make sure that she wasn't a controller). While they were doing that The Scouts also were doing that exact same thing. Harry, Ron, and Hermione did the same thing, all wondering around. As eleven o'clock rolled around they all started to make it to the designated spot. The Trio (A/N: Harry, Ron, and Hermione. They need a nickname so that's what I refer to them as: The Trio) all came out positive as not being infested. But The Scouts had the most fun getting over there.
They found a bookstore to carryout their plan in. They made sure that Ami was in the back looking through books when they all ran off to the meeting spot, they were the last ones there but they got there.
"Made it!" Lita said jogging up, she saw that The Trio was there along with Rachel, and the Animorphs. "Hi, Rachel. Felling better?"
"Yeah, I guess." Rachel said somewhat uncertainly.
"That's good." Lita said.
"OK, we all here now?" Ron asked, then seeing Cassie's nod he said, "lets go then."
They walked quickly, but casually to the mountain. It was the same one that Sirius had hidden on in Harry's fourth year, but they knew that he wasn't going to be there so they decided it would be a good place to talk without interruptions.
They climbed up the hill, Hermione leading the way. They reached the cave and entered. It had lost all the papers and bones from Sirius' visit, luckily. Tobias and Ax, in bird form flew inside the cave, Ax having barely remorphed bird, so he had the advantages of the full two hours of morph time. The Trio and Rachel looked curiously at Ax and Tobias but scene Jake said that they could stay so they left them alone.
"Now, since we all come from different houses, we should have introductions for the last time." Jake said, then he introduced himself. "I'm Jake."
"Marco."
"Cassie."
"Rachel."
"Serena."
"Lita."
"Raye."
"Mina."
"Harry."
"Ron."
"Hermione."
Jake introduced Ax and Tobias. "The Red Tail Hawk over there is Tobias. And the Northern Harrier is Ax."
"You have the birds named?" Ron asked incredulously. "What are they like owls for you Americans?"
Actually our parents named us. And no we are not like owls, but we can change into them! A voice sounded in everyone's head.
"Yaa!" Ron yelled looking around for the sound of the voice, Harry, Hermione and Rachel having similar reactions.
"Calm down." Cassie said. "That's how they communicate, through thought speech. Tobias, the red tail was the one that spoke."
They all looked slightly less panicked, but still slightly uncomfortable.
"So, you said you would do some explaining, Jake. Can I hear it now?" Harry asked Jake.
Jake nodded, and explained all about the Yeerks and their movements surrounding the school year. When they were all done they all sat in silence until Rachel spoke up.
"So, your saying that I have amnesia is because they attacked Harry and me a few weeks ago?" Jake nodded, and Rachel continued. "And now that they're here we might need to go into battle again?" Jake nodded again, Rachel continued. "You're going to tell me what morphs I have to go into battle and be partially effective?" Jake nodded again, Rachel said, with a slight smile on her face, "cool."
"Even with amnesia Rachel hasn't changed from her battle-ready spirit." Marco said grinning.
Rachel shot a half-glare in his direction, which made him laugh saying, "Yep, personality intact!"
Harry said half to himself, half to the others, "Now what Malfoy said makes scene. I'm glad Rachel knew how to do a memory charm, and Malfoy hadn't made his intentions known to the rest of them. He mentioned that also."
"Well Ax, I think you should change back now." Jake said then quickly adding. "As I mentioned when I was first explaining Ax is an Andalite, so don't freak." Jake said emphasizing the last two words.
Ax started to demorph after waiting for Jake's warning to be delivered so The Trio and Rachel would not freak as much.
They still did freak but not much.
Greetings, Earthlings. Ax said with one of the strange Andalite smiles that they did with their eyes. I am Aximili-Esgarrouth-Isthil. But you may call me Ax.
"Ax, are you sure you don't have a scene of humor?" Marco asked. "Because if you do, you need to quit reading old sci-fi books about invading aliens."
"We need a big collective name for ourselves." Serena said.
"How about, Mscartjrm?" Marco said.
Marco' I think you're too good with playing with words. Go away.
Marco pretends to be hurt while grinning.
"So now what?" Harry asked.
"We wait to see if there's some plan that they have that we can foil, then foil it. We'll have a meeting next Friday at 3 o'clock in the Charms room. That interfere with anything Harry?" Jake said, knowing that Harry played Quidditch for Gryffindor.
Harry shook his head. "6 o'clock Mondays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays."
"Good. If there's nothing else, I don't see any reason why we shouldn't go back to Hogsmead, like we're suppose to be." Jake said standing up.
Lita said shyly, "maybe now we should go get Ami. Wonder if she missed us?"
"Knowing Ami, she'd be perfectly fine with being lost in a bookstore. And the Yeerk, is imitating Ami's movements so, probably not." Mina said.
With that they stood up and departed, being as in conspectus as possible.
* * * * *
Monday morning, Cassie and Mina were again talking about the classes they had, and again it was Care of Magical Creatures and Cassie said, "did you see Ax that one-day in the forest that one day?"
Mina shook her head, "No I didn't why?"
"I saw him, and I was wondering if I need to worry about Hagrid seeing him."
"I don't think so. But we now need to get to class." Mina said swinging her bag over her shoulder. Cassie doing likewise.
When they got there they went over to where Rachel, Jake, The Trio and Hagrid said chatting with them.
"Yes, I'm all caught up in my classes. Professor McGonagall made sure that I was fit to go back to classes." Rachel was saying when they got up to them.
"That's good. Well class is going to start soon. I just wanted to check up on you." Hagrid said, nodding at Cassie and Mina, and walking away to start the class.
Class started. Ron leaned over to Harry and whispered. "Maybe Lockhart's not coming." And it most certainly seemed like it but 20 minutes into the lesson he appeared.
"Sorry I'm late Hagrid I had to help Professor Sprout with some troublesome plants in Greenhouse 2." Lockhart flashed his grin in the direction of the ladies in the class, most melted.
"Correction, Ron." Harry said softly to Ron. "The nice Lockhart is going away permanently. The old one is back."
* * * * *
Overhead in the sky two hawks were flying, not together but separate. Tobias and Ax were flying above the Care of Magical Creatures class when Lockhart came out of the castle and went down to Hagrid's hut. Ax being his usual Andaliteish self, was almost positive that he was a controller, fresh out of the pool, because he wasn't at breakfast when they both had posed as mail owls just to see what the inside of the Great Hall looked like. And as Ax pointed out when Tobias asked how he knew, he just looked like one now.
Tobias watched him for a while and judged him from the way he was from even last class. Yes now that you point it out he looks like one. Do you think that they might be trying to infest the teachers? Tobias asked Ax.
That most certainly would seem like a reasonable plan, it would give them the most powerful people in the school. We should watch this Lockhart person for the next few days. Ax said searching the ground around Hagrid's hut.
Tobias was also looking around on the ground but for a different purpose. Yumm. Breakfast. See you in a few minutes. He then went into a dive and caught the rat and carried it off into the forest, leaving Ax to watch the Lockhart-controller.
* * * * *
That next Friday at their usual meeting, Ax and Tobias told them about Lockhart being a controller.
"I knew something was wrong the moment he walked into our class this past Monday. He was back. He hadn't acted this way all year, and I was just beginning to like him." Ron complained.
"Why when they got him did he start acting like the jerk-Lockhart?" Harry asked.
You said that he tried to put a memory charm on you, right? And the wand backfired and hit him, right? Ax asked Ron and Harry.
They nodded.
Well I think that the Yeerk unknowingly unlocked that charm when he went in to his memories to figure out his personality and saw that one instead of the one he'd been living these last few years. Ax explained.
"So what do we do now?" Rachel asked. She with the help of the rest of the Animorphs and Madam Pomfery was rapidly regaining her memory and personality.
"We need to stop this before they get too many people and now that Rachel is almost normal we are ready to take on the pool." Jake said.
"But what about the Sailor Scouts?" Marco asked. "Won't Ami recognize them?"
"We can go into extreme battle form." Lita said.
"What's that?" Cassie asked?
"They have different uniforms and use masks." A voice said.
"They can't even recognize each other without asking who they are." Another voice from the floor.
"Wha? Who said that?" Ron asked startled.
"We did." The first voice said.
Suddenly two cats appeared, a purple one and a white one, both had crescent moons on their foreheads. The purple one jumped into Serena's lap and the white one into Mina's.
The purple one said, "my name is Luna and my companion is Artemis. Our job is to advise Princess Serenity and her Sailor Scouts, and I also am their guardian."
"Oh, OK, this is getting more interesting by the moment." Marco commented. "But I guess this isn't as weird as a talking bird."
Almost. Tobias said.
"Now we have ourselves and the scouts done now just for you three." Jake said.
Everyone was quiet for a moment then Hermione gave a way that they all could go into battle with out being recognized.
All were silent. "That'd work." Cassie said.
"All right. It's settled next Friday, at 9:40 p.m. meet in the classroom 5 doors on the left of the Girl's bathroom on the same side." Jake said.
"Okay." they all said and the meeting ended and people slowly departed, as to not arouse suspicion.
* * * * *
The week passed quickly, The Trio was especially nervous, this was their first battle against someone other than Voldemort they'd ever participated in.
"It'll be all right." Lita said trying to calm their nerves, on the way to the meeting point. "All battles are on the scary side, but it'll be all right."
"I've been in some major fights but not battles like this." Harry said.
Harry, Ron, Hermione, Serena, and Lita entered the room and found Raye, Jake, Rachel, Cassie, Mina and Marco waiting.
"Welcome. Are you ready to kick some butt?" Rachel asked.
"I guess," Hermione said, nervously fiddling with her wand.
"Don't worry. You'll do all right." Cassie said.
At that moment there came a tap-tap on the window and when Mina opened it up two owls flew in.
"Good evening." Marco greeted them.
Who said? Tobias asked.
"What happened?" Cassie asked, "or is it that we're doing battle that's got you all depressed?"
Tobias didn't say anything, but just started to preen his feathers, still in owl morph, Ax also still in owl. Ax responded. I think it's a mix of battle 'willies' and he's been in a bad mood all day.
"Oh." Cassie said.
"Well," Jake said, "Harry, will you go open the passage for Ax to go see if it's all clear down in the chamber?"
Harry nodded and they left.
They all were silent for a moment. Then Marco said, "so... how are you guys."
"Well enough, I suppose." Mina said.
"That good."
They waited in silence until Harry and Ax came back.
"All clear!" Harry announced.
"Okay let's go!" Jake said and was about to take a step when a voice spoke up.
"If you could wait a moment I'd like to better prepare the Sailor Scouts."
Jake stopped, and turned and saw Luna and Artemis standing there. Jake nodded.
"Scouts, I want you to call out what your planet is then Earth Power!" Luna said.
"What's that do?" Serena said.
"You'll see." Artemis said mysteriously.
"Okay..." Serena said uncertainly.
"Done?" Marco asked.
"Yep." Artemis said.
"Good luck!" Luna said.
"Thanks." Raye said, and they all left.
They entered the bathroom and were startled by a voice saying, "What are all of you doing in here?"
They all looked towards the sound of the voice and saw one of the many ghosts in Hogwarts.
"Moaning Myrtle! We're going into the chamber. Don't tell anyone where we are--not even Professor Dumbledore." Harry said sharply.
"You don't need to yell. I won't tell anyone." She said sadly.
"Good." Harry said and turned to the middle sink. He crouched down, cocked his head, and said something in a hissing language.
Instantly a huge hole appeared in the wall.
"Cool." Rachel said. "Let's go." With that she stepped into the shaft and soon was out of sight.
"All right!" Lita said also vanishing down the tube.
Soon everyone was down at the bottom.
"Everyone okay?" Jake asked, everyone nodded. "All right time to get prepared for battle. Ax, Tobias, tell us if anyone approaches."
The Animorphs were the first to start morphing.
"Guys, don't watch me, it's not gonna be pretty." Rachel said as her front teeth elongated into Elephant tusks.
The Trio and The Scouts looked at each other then each of the scouts yelled either Moon, Mercury, Venus, Jupiter, or Mars Earth power. Soon they found out what that was supposed to do. It transformed them into animals instead of their scout forms!
At the same time the scouts started to transform Harry, Ron, and Hermione pulled their secret weapon. They were Animagi! Harry could turn into a King Cobra, Ron a Baby Acromantula, and Hermione a Caracal (a medium cat that almost looks like a Lynx).
Soon Jake was his usual Siberian Tiger, Rachel an Elephant, Marco a Gorilla, Cassie a wolf, Serena a Phoenix, Raye a Red Panther, Mina a Lioness, and Lita a meter long Basilisk.
Someone's coming! Tobias called from his position from the rock in front of the entrance to the pool.
They heard a human shout that sounded suspiciously like "Andalites!" Before they heard a thud, indicating that Ax had knocked him unconscious.
Well, better be off. Jake said. Our cover is blown.
A Siberian Tiger, Elephant, Gorilla, Wolf, King Cobra, Acromantula, Caracal, Phoenix, Red Panther, Lioness, and Basilisk bounded/slithered down the passageway. A hawk and Andalite met them. Let's do it! Rachel yelled.
A Hork-Bajir blocked their way and a tiger slammed him down into the ground. More Hork-Bajir flooded in from the sides. The non-Animorphs balked a bit at the 7-foot tall beings, but threw themselves forward. Jake roared a challenge. Tobias dove down, his talons raking eyes. Serena followed his example. Rachel wrapped her trunk around a Hork-Bajir and threw him over her shoulder. Marco threw another one at the wall. Cassie leapt and tore out throats and gouged stomachs. Harry shot poison into the Hork-Bajir. Ron tore away and threw. Hermione slashed and bit. Raye and Mina moved with stunning agility gashing at the Hork-Bajir. Ax's tail flashed. Taxxon! Tobias yelled.
Raye slashed at one. She was surprised by the easy way her paw hit him. Ahh! Marco yelled. A Hork-Bajir had gotten to his chest and a deep gash showed. Marco! A Taxxon's behind you!
There is no longer a Taxxon behind him, Prince Jake, Ax replied.
Jake roared in pain as a Taxxon attacked and tore a long gash out of his flank. The Basilisk froze her opponents. Rachel trumpeted her pain. Taxxons rushed over to the elephant whose blood gushed freely out of her side. Rachel! Demorph!
They'll kill her! Lita cried.
No! Ax help her!
Covered by the Animorphs, Rachel demorphed and re-morphed. All right! Let's do this!
The tiger roared so loud they were sure the people above them heard. The human-controllers surely did.
Ax's tail froze in mid-strike when Ami appeared out of nowhere and grabbed Hermione and pointed a Dracon Beam weapon at her head yelling "Cease fire or this one dies!"
Everyone froze. Ami smiled a little.
"Good," she said, "now get over there." She motioned a wall across from all exits, they went, the moment they reached over there an energy field was erected, and the control box was over on the opposite side of the pool.
They were trapped.
A/N: Hehehe. I hope you enjoyed that. I'll try to have the final parts up very shortly I have so little left. But, I can't think of the EXACT words to finish it, nothing is willing to cooperate with me. Well REVIEW!!!