**I'm 14!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Heh, heh, sorry. Yay!!!
Happy birthday to me!!!
Ok, that's enough. Now, I know you're all mad because I solved one mystery and added a new one, but I'll solve that one this chapter. Promise.
Oh yeah, and if you are reading please review. I know there are some that don't because I am appearing mysteriously on the fav lists of people I've never heard from. Don't you know I am an addict? Just acknowledge yourself! **
"Sirius sister?"
"Yes. They're twins."
"Twins?"
"Yes."
"I don't believe it!"
"Oh? Why is it so hard to believe?"
"Because… because…."
Harry stopped. Now he thought about it, he knew where he had seen those eyes before. And he knew why Wendy had been in Poland. And he knew-
"Is that why-?"
"Yes, it is. Most of the Ministry, most of everyone really, believed that Alula was some kind of double agent because of her relationship with his 'right hand'. She was one of the greatest Aurors in the country of course~"
"She what?"
"But she could just as easily have been a very dangerous addition to Voldemort's growing ranks of Death Eaters. There was no evidence against her, but she left."
"Why?"
"Because no one trusted her."
"But surely… Voldemort is feared throughout the whole world, isn't he? Surely they would have heard of Wendy in Poland?"
"They did. But they didn't know as much about Sirius as we do here. She was accepted there. She even found a husband."
Remus sighed, perhaps a little harder than he'd meant to.
"You really missed her, didn't you?" said Harry, to fill the silence.
"I did. I wrote to her for about a year, but then she stopped replying. She thought that I was spying on her for the Ministry."
"But she was so happy to see you when you came in."
"I wrote to her again, as soon as I learned that she was at Hogwarts. I suppose she believed me after that."
There was another silence. Harry thought hard. It all clicked into place.
"Does she know about – about –?"
"Yes." Remus laughed. "She snooped around a bit until she found out what Sirius and the others were up to. She knows about Sirius' animagus form."
"But isn't that dangerous? To Sirius, I mean? Dumbledore still hasn't told her he's innocent."
"I don't think she thinks it's significant enough to tell anyone about it. And I think Dumbledore is saving up that sweet moment for Sirius. That'll be a moment to remember."
"What do you mean, not significant? That could get him caught, wouldn't it? Then everyone would believe her again."
Remus smiled. "Harry, Alula is too scared of the Ministry to go anywhere near them. So who do you think would be the first person she'd tell if she decided to?"
Harry thought about that. "Dumbledore of course – oh."
"Exactly. Well, now that that's cleared up…"
Harry still wanted to know more, but the glint in Remus' eye brought him back to the disturbing events of that morning's training session.
"So he wrote to you?"
"In a way." Remus smiled, and gestured to the palm of his left hand.
"So he told you?"
"Yes. He told me what happened this morning."
"So what did happen?"
Remus eyed him shrewdly. "What do you know already?"
Harry rolled his eyes in exasperation.
"I had fur yesterday and feathers today. Oh, and talons like an owl."
"And what did Sirius say?"
"Not a lot. He called me an ani – something."
"An animuchos."
Harry frowned and repeated the word, rolling it over on his tongue and in his mind.
"Sounds Spanish."
"It is. The first ever animuchos was a Spaniard. There wasn't a name for it before then, so he named it. No one really minds because it's so rare."
"But what is it? You're evading the question."
"I want to be sure first of all."
Harry didn't say anything. He could feel another request for performance coming on.
****************************************************
Five minutes later, Harry was concentrating as hard as he could on thinking of nothing, for the second time that day.
The wind howled outside the window. Harry screwed his eyes up, trying to concentrate.
Surprisingly, it took less time than the other two transformations had done.
It was also complete.
Harry felt triumph rushing through him before he even opened his eyes. He could tell without being told that he was no longer a human, and there were no human parts in him whatsoever.
For some reason, he felt a little squashed. When he finally opened his eyes, the first thing he noticed was that he had a very long nose.
The second thing he noticed was that he was extremely small. The floor was practically at his eye level. He could see a crooked Knut underneath the chair he was currently standing near. Standing on all four, black clawed paws.
A huge hand swooped into view. A momentary fear swept through Harry's tiny brain, but he was over that stage now. His rodent instincts were not going to get the better of him.
He was held up high until he was staring straight into two sharp brown eyes lined with wrinkles.
Remus' mouth was wide open. He absent-mindedly ran a thumb over Harry's head. He closed his whole hand over him while he took deep breaths.
Sitting in the dark, Harry squeaked indignantly.
Remus almost dropped him. Shaking, he put the black rodent down on the sofa. He turned away as Harry changed back.
The transformation was faster than ever.
"See!" said Harry when he was done. "See? I defiantly wasn't a mouse before! I had feathers!"
Remus nodded silently.
"But it was absolutely - Remus?"
"I can't believe this."
"Believe what?"
"You're an animuchos. The first in five hundred years."
"Remus, this is really starting to irritate me. Tell me what is going on – or I'll blow something up. You know I can."
Remus smiled. Even he could tell that was a joke.
"An animuchos is a very rare creature, Harry."
Harry decided to ignore that last remark.
"Animagi forms come form the form the human would have taken, if they had been born to a different mother. Or father." He added.
"Sorry?"
"Everyone has two destinies, Harry. But they can't both be human. If Sirius' parents, for example, had decided not to have a baby after all, Sirius would still have been born, but to a couple of great big black dogs somewhere."
"Right…."
"But rarely, very rarely, someone is born that only has one destiny. You had to be born to James and Lily, Harry. If you'd been born to a dog, or a cat or something, you would never have been able to…"
"To what?" said Harry. "To defeat Voldemort, you mean?"
"Well, I'm not sure exactly. It could be that. Or it could be something you haven't done yet. It could even be both."
"So what you're telling me is that I don't have two destinies, or forms, so I can't have an animagus form, right?"
"Correct."
"So what am I?"
"You, Harry, are an animuchos. You can change into any animal, or plant if you feel like it, that you want to."
Harry let that sink in.
"Any one?"
"Yes."
"Even a plant?"
"Yes."
"Why would I want to be a plant?"
"I don't know. Harry, are you all right?"
Harry's mind had gone officially blank. Great. Add this to the freak files, why don't you?
He only thought that for about a second though, when the enmity of what Remus had said hit him.
He sat stunned. Then he asked,
"What's the catch?"
Remus smiled. "Animuchi, if that is the correct term, always have a distinct mark or trait by which they can be recognised."
Harry thought about that.
"Ok. So what's mine?"
Remus frowned. "I haven't noticed one. That's what worries me."
"So how do I find out?"
"There's only one way."
Harry groaned loudly.
************************************************
An hour later, (Remus insisted he rest before he did), Harry made his first deliberate transformation into the animal of his choice. It was much harder.
Instead of thinking of the blackness and the words, he also had to think about what shape he wanted to be.
It had to be one he knew a lot about or he'd get it wrong, unless he just let his magic change him into whatever it wanted, as it had previously.
He chose a cat for no other reason other than Professor McGonagall had made them study felines in great intensity while they were studying Animagi in Transfiguration.
Because it was his first form, the cat was thereafter Harry Potter's favourite form.
In just a few minutes, despite the difficulty of the new task, a sleek, black tomcat was purring on the chair opposite Remus Lupin.
"Don't get fur on my chair," said the man. He jumped as words flashed across his hand.
'It's not your chair.'
"You can do that even in your form?" he exclaimed rapturously.
'Uh… I guess so?'
"Well, I suppose Sirius does it when he's feeling lazy."
The words came back. 'It's hard to read black words on black paws.'
Remus sighed. "You're probably right."
'Of course I am.'
"Well, I suppose it makes it easier for me to talk to you."
'Can you see my mark, Remus?'
"No."
'Brilliant.'
"You're just all black."
'Super.'
There was a pause.
'I was all black before, wasn't I?'
Remus slapped himself on the head with his free hand. "Of course! You're all black! That's your mark!"
'It's a bit a depressing mark if you ask me.'
"It's perfect!'
That startled Harry so much he turned back into a human.
Remus started in his seat. "Well done, Harry! That was almost instantaneous!"
"What do you mean, perfect?"
"Well, imagine. If you had a really distinctive mark, like a pure white crescent moon on your forehead, you'd be noticed and recognised. But since you'll always be just black with no markings, you'll never be noticed! It's perfect!" he said again.
"Great," said Harry sarcastically. "So now I can turn into anything except a polar bear."
"You could. You'd just be a black one, that's all. Only a bear expert would be able to tell you weren't an ordinary forest bear," said Remus, quite seriously.
Harry smiled. "I was joking."
"I know." Remus lied.
"So what's the next lesson, know I've got this?"
"There isn't one."
"What?"
"There isn't one. This changes everything. You need no further instruction."
"Yes! No more study!"
"You're wrong there."
Harry glared at him. "I thought you said it was over."
"Only the need for you to be taught. You need to study animals, Harry. At least one a night, and then report to me or Sirius the next day."
"And practise?"
"Naturally."
Harry grinned. That was what he had been waiting for.
"But I don't need supervision anymore?"
Remus sighed. That boy got more like his father everyday. "No. I suppose you don't."
"In that case…" Harry made the change in a matter of seconds.
The sleek black tomcat looked up at Remus as his sentence was finished on the palm of his teacher's hand.
'I'd better get cracking, hadn't I?'
The door opened for the black cat as he bounded out into the corridor. Remus picked up a book, grinning. It had to be Sirius' influence.
***********************************************
Late that evening, Professor Dumbledore received a letter from the Ministry of Magic, stating that the 'enclosed' had been found in the belongings of Mr. William Anderson.
Inside the parchment envelope, he found another, paper one. The traces of a spell lingered around the Muggle object. The letter was addressed to him, but had clearly been opened.
Dumbledore opened the envelope, unfolded the letter, and scanned its contents.
The St. Johns court sent Mr. Dumbledore greetings.
The trial of Mr. And Mrs. Dursely, coupled with the juvenile case of Dudley Dursely would be taking place in three weeks time. Until then they were being held in police custody.
The victim was not required at the trial, he had already stated in front of witness that he was not willing to submit information, and sufficient evidence had been collected.
They sent their regards.
And a list of various Muggles.
There was one relief at least. The Death Eaters had not found this document. It would have been dangerous if they had.
As far as Dumbledore knew, Voldemort did not know of Harry's current position. It would be better for him to remain ignorant.
Dumbledore thought back on what Remus had told him about Harry's progress.
It pleased him immensely.
"Hi, Sleeve!"
"Good evening. You appear in high spirits, Master."
"I am! I am I am I am!!!"
"Goodness. One perceives that you are excited."
Harry told his friend everything.
"How interesting. Do you do snakes?"
"I think I'll stick with cats for time being, until I learn more."
"What is there to learn about snakes?"
"How they move for one thing."
"Movement is simple. It does not require instruction. You were not taught how to walk?"
"Of course I was."
"How very odd."
*Boom yow! Cha ching!
Sorry, I just feel like making weird noises. You're not a year older everyday.
Sorry if the whole transformation thing seems rushed, but it's hard to explain that so many times without repeating yourself. You try it and see how far you get.
Also, I want Harry to be full developed before school starts, so I guess I handled that Ok.
I love you people!!!
Here be thanks:
Shdurrani
Darienetta Stoke
Andreas Steffen: I know, very cheesy word, but I do not know Latin! So yes, it
was necessary!!! Thanks for the award though. I wear it with pride.
Lady Pheonix Gryffindor
Autumn Dreams: It's suprising really, because I thought a lot more people were
telling me that they knew what was going on. Thanks for laughing at my little instalments of humour, cause no one else does! Boo hoo!
vampire goth
chaser
Gandalfgrl86
AllAboutMe: there's a thought…
Fizzysoda
Hpfan: marauder mayhem! Ha, I said it. THAnks very much for you
appreciation… he he I love that word. You are right, some people tend to over do it, like… "Oh my god, I have a sister! A twin sister! Wow! I wonder how that could possibly have happened and how no one told me about it. Weird…" You are right. Not going to happen. Harry is recovering quickly because he is being kept busy on purpose. More about that later on in the fic. ER… more devotion to my life? Newsflash – I don't Have a life!!!
Lunatyme
Icedrake
John: Hey, you gave me a laugh! Going to the toilet doesn't take that long; you
know… Hey, I have been in that situation before. Maybe I should shut up.
Evil Snapple Pie: That's a pretty good site I am telling you. It took me forever to
find a star name that I liked!!! FOREVER!! Ahem, sorry. I hate it when you guess right. (j/k!) the way you right sounds complicated but I'm sure it's not. I have started an original story which complicated my life to extremes. But I LOVE it! It Is going to rival lord of the rings, I swear. Well, maybe not THAT good…
Skahducky
Ssjgoddesschico
august wynd: yes, I love showing Harry off on purpose. Tons of fun.
Sabrina: I love irritating people with that one little phrase. It's like when I did my
talk on fanfiction at school… but you don't want to hear that story. Wendy does not know of Sirius' innocence which is why she is so upset periodically.
Centra-gal86
Kateydidnt: erm.. no…
Jordan: yeah, that desk and chair kind of popped up out of nowhere…
**snigger**
Trueblades: I hate that too. We should start a club.
Queen of Fire and Ice
JeZeBeL: er… yeah, hi. I don't think I need to put anything in here, do I? Thanks
for getting to know me.
Iniysa
Kay
Callie: I notice you said 'forms', what are you, a seer? Only joking!
Xia Sarrasri: Who said anything about babies? **snigger**
Evil Willow: indeed.
AllieSkittlez: wouldn't you like to know?
Chocolate Frog
k00lgirl1808
**Phew, that's it. That took up all my evening. Damn! French revision! Hate it, hate it, and hate it. Oh well. Here it is folks. The next chapter is the last day of the holidays for Harry. Aw, what a shame.
Hugs and kisses (sorry jez)
*~*~*~*~*~*Laterose~*~*~*~*~*
**