**Heck. It's New Year's Eve. I have done no prep. Yikes.

Random note, I hope that you are able to follow the 'blue book' scenes. You can't really tell who is writing at one time unless I tell you. But I'm sure you can work them out. The trick is to read them very slowly.

He, he, some of you are getting very frustrated! I love writing something with loads of mystery, as long as I know how to solve them. (This is actually one of the few occasions when I do.) There are so many questions to answer and don't worry, they will be!! **

Harry gave up trying to sleep after a while. It was three o'clock in the morning, but he was wide-awake, his mind full of images of the old wizard and the Muggle Postman.

The Postman had seen him.

He had heard his voice.

But how was that possible? Harry was not actually there in the dreams, at least, he hoped he wasn't.

Was it because the man was a Muggle? He couldn't remember ever having seen a Muggle in his visions before. They had all been wizards, because most of them had had wands, and those that didn't obviously recognized the Dark Lord.

If Muggles could see him… it was a terrifying prospect.  Voldemort would be bound to go after them, sooner or later.

He could get thousands killed that way. They would be caught off guard by seeing him and not even get a chance to run before the fatal curse hit them.

And what if one of them, in their fright before they died, happened to mention to Voldemort that there was a black haired boy in glasses standing just there…

It didn't really bear thinking about.

The only other alternative explanation Harry could think of was that his dream had been just that, a dream. Not a vision… only the events in his normal dreams about Voldemort usually had happened before…

Harry decided not to think about it unless the problem came up again. He picked up the blue book, which now lay beside his four-poster.

Trying not to disturb Sleeve, who was seated at the end of the bed, he sat cross-legged beneath the duvet with his back against the headboard.

Flicking through the pages, he found August 27th, wrote his name in the gap and read through everything he, Remus and Sirius had talked about over the last two days.

It was heavy revision, but most of it had stuck in his brain anyway, so it wasn't hard. The thought that dried his throat was that there was to be no more. Today he started trying to turn himself into an animal.

As it neared four o'clock, Harry had finished reading. With shaking fingers he got his quill and ink out of the drawer of his bedside table.

He closed the book, and opened it again at the very first page.

'Harry Potter.'

There was a pause.

'Harry? Is that you?' said the book's default.

'Yes.'

'Gees, aren't you going a bit to the other extreme?'

'Eh?'

'It's early.'

'Not a morning person, then?'

'That's the understatement of the century.'

'Thanks Remus, for your friendly worthwhile morning greeting.'

'You're welcome.'

'Get a life.'

'Morning Harry.'

'Morning Remus.'

'Are you ready?'

'I hope so.'

'You'll do fine.' It was Sirius this time. 'Just relax, and try and remember everything we've told you.'

'I've been looking over it.'

'Good. You'll need all of it.' That was Remus' neat writing.

Harry suddenly felt an urge to go through everything a dozen times more.

'First step is to stand somewhere where you've got lots of space. You don't know how big you're going to be.' That was Sirius' sound advice.

'Right.' Harry got out of bed and stood in the middle of the room, shivering in his pyjamas, the book still in his hand.

He wondered whether he ought to warn Sleeve. He didn't want to get eaten by his friend if he turned into a mouse or something.

Then he remembered that the transformation wouldn't happen fully the first time. The best he could hope for was a couple of feathers or a patch of fur.

He decided not to disturb the snake. Harry had discovered, after a fashion, that his scaly friend was not a morning person either. Or rather, a morning snake.

'Now, take a deep breath, shut your eyes and close everything out. Think the words in your head and try and come out of your body.'

'I don't know if I can do this, Sirius.'

'Sure you can. Write back when you're back in your own form.'

Harry put the book down on the floor. He closed his eyes and tried to think of nothing.

It was very difficult. Thoughts kept running through his mind, such as the cold, the fear, and the danger of what he was about to do.

After a while he began to relax, however. His mind eventually became blank as he shut out the sounds of the world around him.

He knew what he had to do next. He still kept other thoughts out, but let just one drift in.

Transforma Animagi… Transforma Animagi…. Transforma Animagi….

Without meaning to, Harry found his essence, the part that made him Harry, and pulled it out of his body.

It didn't happen perfectly, Harry was the first to admit. He got stuck halfway out. When he opened his eyes, there was black hair covering his hands and lower arms. His fingernails had sharpened and curled slightly to form claws.

For a moment, Harry could do nothing but stare at his hands. What was he? They looked like… cat's paws. But they could just as easily be bear's paws.

'Harry? Harry? You done yet?'

Harry was shaken out of his daze. Now what?

He had to put himself back together. Frantically he tried to remember how. But his mind was blank.

'Are you all right, Harry?'

Harry stared helplessly at the book. He tried to grab the quill and ink but he dropped the bottle and it smashed. He tried to swear but all that came out was a series of growls.

Apart from anything else, Harry could only be glad that no one was there to watch him. He picked up the quill with his teeth… and great difficulty.

He dipped the quill in the black mess on the floor, which was soaking rather quickly into the carpet and somehow managed to scratch out in huge, wonky letters,

'NO'

'Ah. I take it you're still in your animagus form?'

Harry drew a long, impatient line across the page.

'Right. The words are 'Reverso Animagi'. Just do it the same as before, but imagine yourself back in your own form.'

Sure. Harry thought. Sure, you can say that. Like you've ever tried this.

'Just relax, Harry.' That was Sirius. Now there was something he could use.

He closed his eyes. He tried to shut everything out, but there still remained that blind panic that he would be stuck that way forever.

Gradually, painfully gradually, the fear subsided, and Harry was left with just one thought.

'Reverso Animagi, Reverso Animagi, Reverso Animagi!'

When Harry opened his eyes, his hands were back to normal, and his name kept flashing anxiously across the surface of the blue book's pages.

'Harry? Harry? Where are you?'

Harry glanced at the blackened carpet, decided there was nothing he could do about that now, grabbed his quill and pulled a new pot of ink from his trunk. He certainly couldn't afford to break another.

'I'm here!'

'Harry! You Ok?'

'Sure, Sirius.'

'What was it like?' asked Remus.

'That was the scariest thing I've ever done in my life.'

'Tell me about it,' said Sirius.

'The changing back was the worst part. My mind went blank.'

'That was your animal, Harry. You'll get used to that in time, and you'll be able to stop it taking over. Soon you'll do it much faster, and without the words, but you have to master the form first'…

'What was your form, Harry,' Sirius interrupted.

'I don't know. I had black paws and a growl, but that was it.'

'Did you look in a mirror?'

'No.'

'Do that next time. It'll give you a closer idea of what you are. You might have had whiskers or something without knowing.'

'I'm pretty sure I would have noticed something like that, Sirius.'

'True.'

'Harry, I hope you're not another Sirius.'

'Why would you think that?'

'Oh, I don't know… black paws and a growl…. ringing any bells?'

'But they weren't dog paws - I think. They were more like cat paws.'

'With a growl?'

'Good point.'

'Harry?'

'Yes?'

'Are you feeling confident about this?'

'No actually.'

'Good.'

'Sorry?'

'I don't want you trying this by yourself, understand?'

Harry chuckled. 'No fear, Remus.'

'I hope not.'

'We'll hear from you tomorrow, Harry.'

'And don't groan,' said Sirius, just as Harry did.

Then they were gone.

The transformations had taken so long, without Harry realising, that it was now almost seven. No wonder his friends had been worried.

Harry almost fell over trying to pull on his almost perfect fitting clothes. He was used to them just falling over his head and past his knees.

He was glad that no one turned up before he could make his way downstairs. Far from him really not wanting to get caught with sweat still running in drives down his face, but he really did not want someone to catch him alone with the huge black patch in the carpet before the house elves came and cleaned it up.

No one ever got news of student's messes from the house elves. It was an unwritten law.

He was, of course, last into the Great Hall for breakfast. They all looked up as he arrived.

As he sat down amid the uncomfortable chatter, he heard Professor McGonagall whisper to Professor Dumbledore.

"Headmaster, do you really think it's safe for Harry in here? After yesterday?"

"Are you suggesting we ban him from breakfast in the Great Hall, Minerva? Whatever dangers those envelopes conceal will not be a danger only to Harry, once school starts. There is no point."

Harry was about to add, 'And I can take care of myself,' before he realised that it wasn't true and would only show he'd been eavesdropping.

Instead, he looked up at Wendy, who he reminded at the last minute, wasn't really Wendy, but someone called Alula.

There was no emotion on her face as she spooned egg onto her plate.

"How was yesterday?" Harry asked her.

Wendy jumped. "What? Oh, fine." She had gone a little red in the face. "And you? Did you get much done?"

"Loads," said Harry with a smile.

"Try anything out?"

"Only one. Were they happy to see you at the Ministry?"

Wendy laughed nervously. "As happy as can be expected, Harry. What did you try out?"

"The Returno Maximus. Why didn't you expect them to be happy?"

Wendy stopped eating. "You never give up, do you?"

"Never."

Suddenly Wendy blanched. "The Returno Maximus? And it worked?"

"Yes."

Wendy shook her head vigorously. "We'll talk about that later."

"All right. So tell me what-"

"Harry, take a hint Ok? Shut up."

Harry shrugged. "I was only asking."

"Some questions are better left unanswered."

"Amen," said half the teachers around the table, just as the post arrived.

Harry prepared to duck under the table, but the brown barn owl did not turn up. Instead…

"Madeline!" Harry leapt up and caught the letter. When he sat down again, Professor McGonagall was undoing the string around the Daily Prophet.

Harry held his breath. Please, please, please…

The elderly witch looked at the front page. Her eyes widened and filled with tears. Professor Dumbledore gently took the newspaper from her shaking hands.

He looked at it too, and sighed deeply. Then he slumped back in his chair, looking older than ever.

They all waited with baited breath. Then Dumbledore leant forward slightly.

"I am afraid-" he started.

"Don't say it!" Harry couldn't stand it. He knew what Dumbledore was going to say, and he didn't want to hear it, didn't want to hear the name.

"Harry?"

"Just don't say it," said Harry, clambering out of his seat. "Just… wait till I'm gone, or I'll be sick again."

"Again?" started Professor McGonagall

Professor Dumbledore held up a hand. "Harry, do you know something about this?"

Harry stared him full in the eyes, wishing he could just leave.

"If it's about a old Wizard and a Muggle postman, then yes, I know."

"You know."

"Yes. Please can I go?"

"Harry, listen. This is very important."

Harry groaned. He was in for an interrogation. He slid back into the chair.

"Did you see this in a dream?"

"Professor-"

Dumbledore's eyes flashed.

"Yes, sir."

"Last night?"

"Yes, sir."

"Has this ever happened before?"

"Yes."

There was a pause. Harry choked a little. "Rainbow… and her mum… and then… well, I don't know what any of the others were called."

He was very, very conscious of everyone watching him.

"Has this been happening all summer?"

"I guess so."

Dumbledore nodded. "Thank you, Harry. Now you may go."

"I'll see you later, Harry," said Wendy quietly.

Harry practically fled. As soon as he was in the entrance hall he stopped and leant heavily against the wall. Next time he saw Tom Riddle, he was going to chuck an extra curse at him just for that little incident.

Would you rather freeze to death…?

And in all the excitement, he'd forgotten all about the pocketed letter from Hermione.

*******************************************************************************************

"A piece of parchment."

"Yes. I was wondering where it was, is all."

"So you tried Returno Maximus on it?"

"Yes." Why did everyone keep asking stupid questions?

Wendy looked as though she wanted to do the truth test on his head again, but it seemed to be against her better judgement after all.

"So you knew what it was?"

"Of course I knew."

"Wouldn't a Returno Minimus have been easier?"

"A… what, sorry?"

Wendy sighed. "I thought you had read the whole book?"

"So did I."

"There are three types of summoning charm. The Accio is easiest because to perform it you need to know what you are looking for and where it is within a three foot radius."

"Right."

"The Returno Maximus is the hardest. You shouldn't have been able to perform it properly, but I think I've given up trying to predict what you can and can't do."

Harry grinned.

"For it, you don't need to know what you're looking for."

"But why would you need a charm for something you don't even know what it is?"

"Well, say you entered the enemy's headquarters, right, and you were looking for a clue to show you what the Death Eater's are up to, you do the charm, and hey presto, one shows up. You don't know what it is or where it's coming from, or how far away it is from you, but you find it anyway."

Harry looked at her shrewdly. She'd thought of that very quickly.

She smiled at him, as if guessing his thoughts.

"I had to do it a couple of times."

Harry gaped, and Wendy giggled.

"So the Returno… the other thing?"

"The Returno Minimus. It's half way between. You know what it is but not where, or you know where but not what. Though it's usually the former."

That made Harry's head spin and he groaned. "Must you complicate things?"

"Always," said his young teacher.

In the next few hours, Harry relearned all his elementary spells and charms in different stages, until he could levitate himself, light all the candles and change the colour of Wendy's eyes, all without words, and without his wand.

When they were done, Wendy looked in the mirror for the hundredth time and giggled.

"I don't see why it's funny."

"I do. All you have to do is give me red hair and I'll be your mum."

She tossed her own, long black locks, which Harry decided were defiantly left as they were. Her new, bright green eyes flashed. She could have passed for Harry's mother as she was anyway, with eyes like that.

"Should I change them back?"

She sighed. "Yes, I suppose you ought to. Mind, it was nice while it lasted."

Harry concentrated on Wendy's eyes. He imagined them back to that sparkling blue and let the magic go. They changed colour immediately.

Damn! It had been there for a split second. But then it was gone.

Wendy sighed again, and hopped off the desk to put the mirror away.

"Why are you so tense, master?"

"Because this is impossible!"

"Nothing is impossible."

"This is."

"If you say so, Master."

Harry sighed, and chewed the end of his quill again. He wished very much he had a sugar one. He thought there might have been one in that box the Weasley twins had sent him, but he knew better than to be a test subject for one of Fred and George's concoctions right when he was trying to concentrate.

After much humming and ha-ing, Harry had decided to grit his teeth, and finally do some homework. He cursed the Dursleys for the umpteenth time for locking away his school things.

Now, he sat in the library, trying desperately to find some order in the chaos he had created.

Most of it wasn't too bad. His completed Charms essay, only two foot long and with the ink still drying, had simply been done on the three types of summoning charm, 'Pick a Subject that Interests You And Explain In Detail.'

His Transfiguration prep had been a cinch, considering he'd been thinking about almost nothing else since he'd found out how the blue book worked.

No, the main problem lay simply in Divination… and Potions.

No matter how good he got at Defence Against the Dark Arts, Transfiguration and Charms, he was always going to suck at those two. 

"Why did she have to go and set us homework?"

"You learn quicker."

"Since when did you know all about homework?"

"Since you explained it to me."

"Oh, right."

"If it is any comfort, Master, the strange signs on your paper mean nothing to me either."

"Not a lot of help."

"What is it anyway Master?"

"A star chart. It's to see the future. Ha. Fat chance I have of ever sorting anything out of this mess." He threw the chart aside in irritation.

He could have sworn he'd heard a gasp just then, but he couldn't see anyone, so he picked up his potions essay for the fifth time and began to swear in Parseltongue – again.

Someone gave a little gasp of laughter. "Oh, look, he's given up."

"I don't blame him," said someone else, dryly.

"Oh, come on Minerva," said a new voice completely. "She isn't that bad. Besides, I wouldn't speak too soon. I don't see his Transfiguration anywhere, do you?"

"It's in his bag," said the first voice.

"Wendy, how long have you been here, exactly?"

"Only about half an hour."

"Aren't you uncomfortable? My back's getting stiff already, and these books keep digging into my legs."

"Blame it on your age, Professor."

"Impudent young rip."

Wendy had in fact, been hiding behind the bookcases for almost a whole hour, watching her young student's valiant efforts to finish the whole summer's work in one afternoon.

Professor's McGonagall and Sprout had only just now joined her.

"I can't help it, Professor. It's so fascinating. I didn't think it was possible for someone's tongue to do all those things."

"It isn't. Not for a normal person, anyway."

"Yeah, well. Harry's special."

"Not in the best of ways."

"Of course."

There was a little pause, as they watched Harry get up and fetch a different potions book, preferably one that would be of any help.

"It's all right, you know," said Wendy then. "You don't have to be nice to me, just because Professor Dumbledore asked you to."

The other two looked at her gravely. "What makes you think he did, Alula?"

"Don't call me that! Well, when I first got here you wouldn't even speak to me. And then this morning, you-"

"Realised we'd all been stupid," said Professor Sprout, with a frown. "Alula, no one here thinks you had anything to do with it."

"That's what the Ministry said, but I could tell they thought I was some kind of mini Death Eater or something. And don't call me Alula."

"We know you aren't. Why don't you just accept the fact that someone here trusts you for who you are, not who you are related to. You have a home here, Alula."

Wendy was so surprised at this little speech of Professor McGonagall's that she forgot to be mad about the use of her real name.

It was dark before Harry was finished. He hoped Madam Pomfrey wouldn't find out that he'd missed dinner.

"I told you that it was possible."

"You were still wrong. I copied the potions, which he's sure to notice, knowing Snape, and I made up all of the Divination, which she won't notice, but I still know I cheated and it won't get me past my exams."

"How did you get past them last year?"

"I didn't' take them."

"Then do that this year."

Harry shuddered. "I think I'd rather have done the exams."

"Oh?"

"Never mind. Let's go up."

** At last! It's only taken, what? Six days? Anyway, thanks a lot for reviews and stuff. You all rock. I know a few of you must have hated that seemingly useless and pointless bit at the end, but I had to put it in. Sorry.

Here be thanks: (for both chapters):

Shdurrani

SarahSnape

Skahducky

Fizzysoda

AllAboutMe

Kim

Bumblebee Bucy

Summersun

Iniysa

Lucerito-del-alba

Leaf

Siri Kat's cousin

Tima

Windswift

Kit petitedra

Mysia

Hypfan

Chibi

Autumn dreams

Shadow

Hyperwriter

Not telling

Kay

Bumblebee: yes, everyone tells me that. Don't hit your head when you fall off that

chair, will you?

August wynd: you have scary friends. Sorry about your sanity. Do you know, you

are the only one who has picked up on a certain something.

Potter-Pikachu: Hi Sirius!!! Oh yeah, and you too P/P. Should be a real fighting

scene in a couple of chapters, I hope.

Evil Snapple Pie: Hello! Oh yeah, that little thing… well, it's a long story, and

you're reading it, so good luck spotting it until I unveil that mystery. Angela Darling probably sounds familiar because in Peter Pan, Wendy's full name is Wendy Moira Angela Darling. Sorry if you already knew but with reviews it is hard to tell when someone is being sarcastic or not. There are a couple of Peter pan references in this story. Yes, Wendy was in the same year as Harry's parents and no I am not settling for the norm when Harry's animagi is concerned. You have one hell of a long holiday. Will you post something already!

Gigabear: Yes, I did mean that, but I wasn't going to be that obvious about it!

Xia Sarrasri: hello! Here you are anyway. Luv U!

Whew. That was fun. Now please let my computer post this chapter, please… **