Same Disclaimer… don't own any of it *sigh*
Ch. 11 The Morning After
The next morning they awoke and trooped down to the Great Hall, which was empty during the summer. They sat down and no food appeared. Apparently the house elves hadn't been told of their arrival. They wandered down to the kitchen and found a very sad group of house elves loafing around a sparkling kitchen. Harry spotted Dobby who looked particularly downtrodden.
"Dobby, what's the matter?" asked a perturbed Harry.
"Dobby and the rest of the elves are wishing for the return of students. We likes our work and wants to be doing something again.
"If it makes you feel better you can make Hermione and I breakfast. We will be staying here for the rest of the summer so now you have something to do. I don't know how hard it will be to cook for just 2 people, sometimes Ron and Ginny may come too so that makes four. Right now we could really use some food though."
At that the house elves sprang into action with leaps and shouts of joy.
"I told you they didn't need to be liberated Hermione" Harry whispered. "See their joy in service? What's wrong with that?"
The breakfast was served in the kitchen with the elves looking on in hushed anticipation of the hoped for appreciation of the students. Harry and Hermione had placed their order, a small one which didn't allow for much sprucing up, something that disappointed the elves.
"This is wonderful" gushed Harry.
"I don't know that I've ever had a better breakfast" concurred Hermione.
This was enough to fill the elves with joy. And, after eating more breakfast than each rightly should have they bid the elves farewell until lunch. They skipped, as much as anybody who has had too much to eat can skip, up to professor McGonagall's office to resume their training.
"Good morning Harry and Hermione" said professor McGonagall. "I should be extremely upset about your little session last night, but in truth I am so impressed I can hardly be mad at you two. Transfiguring one's self is very difficult and dangerous. You should have come to me if you had wanted to try last night. All in all though, Hermione, you transformed perfectly, from what I could tell, and Harry you did quite well for needing to change into such a magical creature."
"My fingernails didn't change pouted Hermione. Seriously, how am I supposed to maul people if I don't grow claws?"
"Give it a rest" said Harry "you transfigured almost flawlessly on your first try and you are griping about fingernails? You should lower your standards a bit, you know that?"
"That is enough Mr. Potter. As you two also found out last night there is indeed a charm that needs to be placed on your clothing so that it will change with you. If you will leave me your complete, and I do mean complete, wardrobe I will enchant your clothing so we will have no more……accidents."
"Professor, I had a question from my research last night. The book said that my creature was on the list of innocents. Does its choice of me have anything to do with the attack on me by Voldermort?"
"I am not used to such clarity from you Mr. Potter, but I suspect it does. There is, of course, no way to be entirely sure, but I would guess that it is as you thought. Your parents openly opposed Voldermort, but you were merely in the wrong place at the wrong time, so to speak. Professor Dumbledore may have a better idea on this than I do, he held my position before he was named headmaster and I was hired."
"I have another question as well. The books also said that I could be killed in my firecorn form and live on in my human form. Is this true and why does that work?"
"That is a very perceptive question Harry. You are more earnest about your studies, and that shows now in your questions. Yes, that is true. Because your blood is unicorn blood it will heal the human form. You will appear back in your human form but will probably be unconscious. There is no limit to the number of times that this can happen either so potentially you could change directly back into your animagus form and go right on about your business. This is one of the reasons that yours is such a wonderful animagus form."
"Thank you professor, now what do I need to do to finish my transformation?"
"Hermione, while Potter and I are working I want you to practice transfiguring just your arms and legs into bear form so you can perfect your claws. This added control will help you in your overall transformation."
"Harry, your problems come from two places I suspect. First is that your animagus form is a very magical creature which will make it harder to transform into. Secondly, you need to concentrate more on the form that you will take. Feel your neck growing and lean over as you feel your arms lengthen into legs with hooves. Oh, and before you start, let me enchant both of your clothes."
Harry and Hermione worked all morning; Hermione perfecting her claws and Harry learning to fully become his firecorn self. It was difficult work. Harry kept falling over when he leaned forward because his arms weren't transfiguring quite right. This only made him work harder at his transformation. Hermione had learned to grow claws and was now practicing the full transformation so she could do it seamlessly between human to bear to human to bear to human. Harry finally broke thru his mental barrier and instantly changed into a bright red unicorn with a white patch between his eyes. His head was bowed both because he was looking at his hooves in amazement and because if he didn't his horn and most of his head would go thru the ceiling.
"Wow Harry, you did it" clapped Hermione as she and professor McGonagall walked around him in amazement.
Harry transfigured back into a human being again and was visibly exhausted.
"Let's get some lunch" Harry pleaded.
"Not quite yet Potter, change one more time then both of you will bring me your clothing to be enchanted while you are at lunch."
"Can we have the afternoon off? We promised Professor Moody we would visit him so he can finish teaching us shielding charms."
"I guess your work last night and this morning has paid off enough to allow that, especially since you will be working on other aspects of your magical education."
Harry changed with some effort back into his firecorn state and then back to his human form. They skipped off to lunch glad to have a break.