Vulpinae

by Mnemosyne

A/N: Thanks to all my reviewers!  And for those people waiting for the romance to start – don't worry, it's coming!

Chapter 3: Transformation

            Six exhausted older brothers made their way into the kitchen and sat down.  Ginny stood in the doorway her eyes rimmed red with crying and fists clenched in anger.  She looked accusingly at all of them.  "I hate you!  You don't understand anything!" 

Bill gave an exasperated sigh and said gently, "Gin, you know you couldn't keep it.  It's a wild animal for Merlin's sake!" 

"No he wasn't!  He was my friend!  Can't you see how skinny he is?  He was hurt.  He needs me!" 

Ginny's sobs echoed in kitchen.  Ron had had enough.  He stood up and drew himself up to his highest height.  "Virginia Weasley!" he scolded sounding surprisingly like their mum, "You just can't go messing around with nature.  Things die out there – that's how it is.  If that pup couldn't take care of itself, there must have been a reason." 

He was answered with a baleful glare.  "What do you know Ron?  You shouldn't have followed me!"  His little sister gave one more hiccupping sob and ran upstairs crying. 

All six of them gave a heartfelt wince when they heard the door slam. 

Fred looked at his little brother and said, "Great going Ron.  You made her cry."

After weeks of Ginny's disappearing acts, her brothers had taken action and followed her – without each other's knowledge.  After many mishaps, they met each other and saw their little sister joyfully taking care of a tiny male pup – an arctic fox pup to be exact.  They looked at each other and knew that they had to nip this relationship at the bud.  So they did what older brothers usually do – they marched up and ruined their little sister's life (from Ginny's viewpoint that is).

George gave a groan as he scratched his body.  "Bloody hell!  The things I do for my little sister."  Fred and George ran into poison ivy while they were trying to keep track of Ginny.  George took the brunt of it – he itched all over his body.  ALL OVER.  Fred was lucky, at least he got to protect his unmentionables. 

Stalking after Ginny was a fiasco!  Bill, Charlie, and Ron all sported cuts of different kinds from different struggles.  Ron had encountered an angry woodpecker, while Bill and Charlie nearly stepped into traps and had a close encounter with a skunk.

Ron looked over at Percy and said, "Hey Perce, how come you're the only one without anything?" 

Percy turned red.  Charlie and Bill snorted with laughter.

"Perce here, found a girlfriend."  More laughter.  "This female fox in heat decided that out of all of us, Perce is the lucky one." 

            Percy gave them all an irritated look and decided to ignore the crude comments everybody started making.  His brothers were so immature!  He looked at them and said, "Don't worry, I think once Gin thinks it over, she'll realize that we're right.  And…" Percy hid a grin and said in his most stodgy voice, "I am the best looking one out of the lot of you."  With that proclamation he sauntered out of the kitchen silence behind him.  Everybody started hooting and guffawing.

***

--Ginny's 3rd year at Hogwarts--

            It was on a bright Sunday morning that Ginny Weasley's screams shook the Burrow at its foundation.  The whole house shook as the entire family raced for Ginny's bedroom.  Ron took a good look at his little sister and said in awe, "Bloody Hell!" 

            Fred and George both said, "Wow Gin!" 

            Percy merely tilted his head from side to side and studied her. 

            Their mum took control of the situation.  She entered Ginny's room and closed Ginny's door with a firm thud.  Everybody took this as a sign that they should eat the breakfast waiting for them downstairs. 

When the murmurs and exclamations of wonder faded away, Mrs. Weasley took one look at Ginny's face and said consolingly, "Oh Ginny." 

Mrs. Weasley gave a sigh and said, "I guess it's time for our talk." 

Ginny looked incredulously at her mum. 

"You're becoming a woman and you're body will be going through certain…changes you might say." 

"Mum!  Look at me!  I don't think other girls go through these sort of changes!"

As her daughter's eyes grew larger in panic, Mrs. Weasley looked embarrassed and said, "Well, I'm not really good at explaining these sort of things.  That's why I want you to have this."

Ginny looked at the book her mother gave her.  It was titled "Hogwarts: A History."  Mrs. Weasley saw her daughter's puzzled look and tittered, "How silly of me."  She took her wand and motioned over the book and chanted, "Vulpes Vulpes."  The book's title swam and became transformed to "Vulpinae Sexuality: Going Through Puberty." 

Ginny opened it to the first page – it was empty.  Words formed as Ginny stared at it. 

            As female Vulpinae reach their maturity, they undergo certain changes.  Although one can never be sure what form these changes will take (it is different for each individual), one thing can be sure – the vixen will be more vulnerable to detection.  It is due to the danger that puberty and sexual awakening presents for the female Vulpinae, that few females are born in a litter.  The best course for a vixen to take when she reaches sexual maturity is to find a mate to ground herself.

            Ginny looked at her mum who gave her a weak smile.  "I should have told you sooner.  But I didn't think it would happen so soon."  Mrs. Weasley gave a squeal.  "My daughter is now a woman!" 

            "How embarrassing," Ginny thought.  She looked down at the "changes" that occurred literally overnight.  Her hair could be found in every nook and cranny of her room.  It was that long!  And what's more, it was no longer the carroty color it was before.  Instead it was red.  Deep wine red.  She glanced at her bedroom mirror.  Her freckles!  They were gone.  Even her skin looked different – it was creamier somehow.  And was it her imagination or did her eyes look more exotically slanted?           

            "Oh Ginny!  You are an early bloomer like I was!"  Yes, Mrs. Weasley was still in raptures over her daughter's unexpected transformation.  "Of course, I didn't expect for you to change this much.  Not to worry dear, we'll get that hair cut today."

            After inspecting herself, Ginny started to smile.  What will other guys think?  What will Harry think?  Ginny suddenly started getting very excited.  She wished this transformation had happened to her years ago.  Life was good. 

A/N: Well what do you think?  Don't be shy, review.  It keeps the authors going.  In the next chapter, you'll find out what happens when Hogwarts gets in the picture.  What about Harry's reaction?  What about Ron's?