Disclaimer: I do not own HP.  I repeat, I do NOT own HP.  But, of course, you lot know this, right?  If not, whack yourself repeatedly in the head with a blunt object until you do.

Chapter 29 – I Wish I Could…

"Ssso.  This Ethan…he isss Ssseverusss?"

"Yes, my lord."

"Why did you not know of thisss earlier?"

"I was not informed of it."

A pale white hand whipped forward and grasped the chin of a kneeling seventeen-year-old boy in a tight grip.  He forced the young man's face up until blue eyes met blood red.

"I let you into my circle on one condition, young weasssel.  That wasss to keep me informed.  You, in your tenure, have let two major piecesss of information ssslip by you.  Even Ssseverusss, a traitor, never let that much by."

Blue eyes blazed and Ronald Weasley spat, "I was not trusted with such information."

Voldemort tilted his head slightly to the side.

"And why isss that?"

"Harry would never have told me that he was the Heir of Slytherin.  He would have believed I would turn on him if he had."

"And the deception on Ssseverusss' part?  Why did Potter know and not you?"

"I doubt I was trusted with that either, my lord.  I regret not being more useful to you."

Voldemort smiled, a cold, cruel smile.  "On the contrary, my boy," he hissed.  "You have been…most ussseful.  And sssoon your ussse will be quite great."

"I look forward to the honor, my lord."

"Very well that you ssshould.  Luciusss!"

Lucius Malfoy entered the room from a door to the right of the thrown that Voldemort sat upon.  His gray eyes alighted upon Ron with disdain and a sneer crossed his lips, causing Voldemort to frown.

"Now, now, Luciusss," he said.  "Our young Weasley hasss been quite helpful, dessspite his excussse for a family.  If you would ssshow him to hisss room, Luciusss…I will call for him when I have need of him."

The steel-eyed man continued to sneer and strode forward to jerk the ginger-haired young man to his feet.

"Come then, boy," he commanded, dragging him towards the door he'd come in through.

"Luciussss," hissed Voldemort.  "Be gentle.  Our young Weasley ssshall be…greatly needed in the lassst battle of thisss war."

Lucius blinked at these words then slowly nodded and said, "Yes, my lord.  Come, Weasley."

Ron jerked his arm away from the older wizard and snapped, "I can follow you just fine on my own, thanks."

Lucius sneered at him again and turned to stalk off down the dark corridor he'd come down.  Ron glanced once back at Voldemort then turned and followed, leaving as well.

The snake-like man on the throne smiled coldly and looked down at the huge serpent coiled at his feet.

"The final battle in this war isss coming, my pet.  And now…it doesss not matter if I win or not."  Thin lips smiled tightly and he continued, "I jussst want to sssee the look on Potter'sss face when hisss ex-best friend leads my armiesss againssst him."

Nagini hissed in pleasure and Voldemort reached down to stroke her scaly head.

"Indeed, my pet," he purred, "it will be quite the ssshow."

* * * *

"So, you say this is a short Animagus course…"

McGonagall frowned at Draco, who was sitting in the chair behind her desk with his feet propped up on the aforementioned object.

"Yes, Mister Malfoy, this will be a 'short Animagus course' as you called it.  Now if you would get your feet off my desk, we will begin."

Draco just smirked at her and leaned back in her chair (which, for some reason, was a Muggle swivel chair) and said, "I think I'll just relax here."

McGonagall started to move forward but Harry, from his own seat in a chair leaned against one of the walls, said, "Don't bother, professor.  I'll get him."

"Like to see you try, Potter."

Harry smirked and lifted a hand to orient on the blonde behind the desk.  His emerald eyes swirled black and a second later Draco was lifted out of the chair and thrown across the room to land atop a desk.  The blonde let out a yelp and tumbled off of it onto the floor.

"See?" said the dark-haired boy with a smile, letting his hand fall back into his lap.

McGonagall smiled at him and said, "Thank you, Harry.  Now, shall we get to business?"

"Sure," growled Draco, pulling himself up into a chair.  He scowled at Harry then looked sulkily at McGonagall.  "Let's go then."

"Must you be so sulky?" asked Hermione as McGonagall turned towards her chalkboard and began to scribble on it.

"I don't sulk," grumbled Draco, glaring at her out of the corner of his eye.

"Oh really?" quipped Severus.  "You seem to be doing a very good job at it to me."

"Shut up."

"Pay attention!" snapped McGonagall, whirling around and scowling at them.

Severus snapped his jaws shut and Hermione hunkered down next to him.  Draco just continued to look sulky and glared at Harry, who was chuckling softly at the front of the room.

* * * *

Two weeks later…

Draco frowned at he watched Hermione – once again – turn into a golden phoenix the size of a swan.  The bushy-haired girl had been the first of the four of them to complete the transformation.  But, of course, this was expected.

"This is so unfair," grumbled the blonde as the huge phoenix flapped over to land on Severus' shoulder.  The green/black-haired boy opened his eyes to peer at the golden bird, lifting a hand that was covered in short black fur to stroke the soft feathers.  A small black horn rose from directly between and a little above his eyes, reflecting light from the torches about them.

"Harry, are you alright?" called Severus, his words only slightly garbled.  He had to fight for them not to come out as half-whinnies.

A low growl was the only answer that came from behind the couch Harry was hunkered down behind.  There was then a couch and a gravely voice rumbled, "Fine."

Draco blinked slitted yellow eyes and said, "You don't sound good, Potter."

"Thank you, Sir Obvious," growled Harry.

"How about a looksie at you, Potter?  I'm tired of seeing the same old Animagus forms here."

There was a scuffling and a bright green eye framed by a mop of wild dark hair glared over the back of the couch at the blonde.

"No."

"Oh, c'mon, Potter…"

"No," growled Harry, disappearing back behind the couch.

Hermione the Phoenix twittered and launched herself off of Severus' shoulder.  Halfway through her flight across the room, she became herself again in a flutter of soft blue dust motes.  Landing lightly on the ground, she turned to grin at the two boys, her cheeks flushed.

"That is so amazing!  You wouldn't believe the exhilaration!  It's so…so…wonderful!"

"Yet painful," came Harry's grunt from behind the couch.

Hermione glanced in her friend's direction and said, "Only a little."

"Heng."

"Really, Potter, you are being…"  The remainder of Draco's words were cut off as his head abruptly became that of a dragon's.  Or a rather smaller version of one.

Hermione and Severus both blinked and stared at him.

"That's new," mumbled Severus, causing Harry to peer a pupil-less eye over the back of the couch.  A pair of rather equine ears poked up through his mop of hair now.

"Definitely," agreed he before ducking back behind the couch with a groan.

"You okay?" asked Hermione, taking a step towards the couch.

"Fine," growled Harry.  "I just wish my damned magic hadn't taken hold of this.  Hell of a lot more painful."

Draco opened his mouth as though to say something then remembered he had a dragon's head now and crossed his arms sulkily.

"Could be worse," began Severus.

"How so?" grumbled Harry, attempting to ignore the fact that the bones in his arms were lengthening painfully.

"You could be a basilisk."

"Merlin forbid."

Hermione smiled at that then blinked as a huge dark unicorn appeared in Severus' place with a pop!  The creature staggered slightly and snorted, shaking its head.  Locks of black streaked green fell over the black eyes and ebony horn as he shifted nervously.

"You did it!" squealed Hermione with joy and flung herself at the unicorn, throwing her arms about its neck.  The creature nickered and blew her hair away from its nose.

"Hooray for him," said Draco, giving up on finishing the transformation and returning to normal.  "Maybe you'll be next, Potter."

A low growl answered him and he held up his hands, saying, "Hey, that's a compliment."

"I…rrr…know that," growled Harry.  "I just happen to be in a lot of pain here, Malfoy, and smart remarks – or even halfway smart one's – are not the best to make around me right now."

"Gotcha.  No smart remarks.  No, sir, not a one."

"Draco," growled Severus as he became himself again in a flutter of silver dust motes.

"What?"

"Shut up."