Harry Potter, Heir of Gryffindor
Leo and Blackie
On the third Saturday of January, 1997 - after what was rapidly becoming their traditional Saturday morning breakfast of Eggs Benedict - Harry and Ginny bottled Harry's Animagus Potion and walked to the Headmaster's Office. Albus, Severus, Minerva and Remus were waiting for them in the Headmaster's Library and looked up expectantly when they entered. "Are you ready, Harry?" Minerva asked after they had a taken their seats.
Harry took a deep breath, looked at the bottle of potion on the table in front of him then sighed and looked up at his Transfiguration Professor. "I think so," he said. "I'm pretty sure the potion is right. I've got the spell pretty much memorized and I can visualize myself as both the lion and the panther without too much effort. So, yes, I think I'm ready."
Are you sure you want Ginevra to be here for your first attempts?" Albus asked.
Harry turned to look at Ginny, his heart filled with concern for her safety in case anything went wrong and he became trapped in either of his animagus forms but he knew that she wanted to be there and that he wanted her there. So, with a reassuring squeeze from her, he looked over at Albus and said, "Yes. But I want you to have your wands ready just in case."
The four professors nodded. "Which are you going to try first?" Remus asked.
Harry looked at the potion again and then over at his soul mate and smiled, "Well, since Ginny's potential form is a lioness I think I will try for the lion first."
"Good luck," Severus said as Harry reached for the bottle.
Harry glanced over at his Potions Master and realized that Severus really did mean what he had just said. "Thanks," he said as he climbed up onto the table and stepped to stand in its center. After a brief glance at Ginny, whereupon she mouthed, "I love you," Harry tilted the bottle back and quickly drank the foul-tasting brew.
He didn't feel anything at first. But then again he knew that, once the potion had been consumed, he had less than five minutes to assume his animagus form and return to his human state for the process to be complete. But since he was trying for two forms he had even less time than that to transform from human to lion to human to panther and back to human.
Closing his eyes he began meditating, envisioning himself as the enormous African Lion that had come out of his wand a little more than two weeks previous. As his thoughts focused upon everything he had learned about the lion - its bone structure, its muscles, its fur, its anatomy, physiology, habits and traditions - he felt himself slowly but surely becoming that lion. After almost a minute he opened his eyes and found himself looking straight into Ginny's smiling face. He opened his mouth to ask her if it had worked but instead of words coming out of his mouth he heard a soft growl. "Very good, Harry," Minerva said. "You now have four minutes so please return to your human form."
With three minutes to go he was back in his human form and standing in the center of the table. "So far so good," Remus said. "Now go for the panther."
Once again Harry closed his eyes and began concentrating. This time, however, he began concentrating on everything he had learned about the black panther. It was still a member of the cat family but it was very different from the lion he had just become. He was sweating and he could feel himself getting tired but he knew that this was something he both wanted and needed to do so he kept his focus and ignored the fatigue. A little more than a minute later he heard Minerva say, "Very good, Harry. You now have ninety-three seconds to return to your human form and complete the process."
Harry turned to look at her and growled a much higher pitched grown than before but still a jungle cat's growl. Eighty-nine seconds later Harry was standing, in his human form, in the center of the table. The professors were applauding and Ginny was screaming, "You did it, Harry! You did it!" Harry, however, was exhausted and collapsed. He didn't faint or pass out but he was spent and in desperate need of a restorative draught.
Remus and Severus helped him off the table and into a chair and Severus handed him a bottle of one of his most powerful restorative draughts. "Congratulation," he said. "You are the first Double Animagus in over five hundred years."
Harry nodded. "Thanks," he said, sweat pouring off his brow. "Now I know why there are so few animagi. That's a lot of work."
"Yes it is, Harry," Minerva said. "That is why I was so surprised when you decided to try for both forms. Most witches or wizards who are able to become animagi only have enough energy for one set of transformations. I must say, however, that I am very proud of you."
Half an hour later, after promising Albus and Minerva that he would practice both forms on a regular basis and promising Remus that he would be with him on the next full moon, Harry and Ginny made their way back to the Gryffindor Common Room where Ron, Hermione, Neville and Luna were waiting for them, while doing their homework.
When they entered the common room Luna looked up from her position on the couch and nudged Neville who was reading one of the books Victor had recommended. Looking up Neville marked his page and set the book down, which got the attention of Ron and Hermione who were working on Transfiguration and Arithmancy essays respectively.
With a nod from Ginny the four gathered up their homework and followed Harry and Ginny up the stairs and into the sixth-year boys dormitory. "How'd it go?" Ron asked after he had closed the door.
"You'll see," Harry said. "But right now I just want to go lay down." As soon as they were all in his sitting room Luna closed the trunk's lid and Harry lay down on one of the couches. As the others began asking questions Harry glanced up at Ginny, who was sitting next to his head, and said, "Do you think I ought to show them?"
"Do you feel up to it?" she asked.
Harry smirked. "The way it was explained to me is that the first time is always the hardest. But after that it just keeps getting easier."
"Ginny looked at him questioningly. "If you're sure."
Harry nodded. "Which one do you think?"
Ginny giggled softly. "They're both very impressive, Harry, but for some reason the panther seems a bit more . . . domesticated than the lion."
Harry nodded. "All right then. The panther it is. You might want to call Dobby and Winky after I've transformed so they will know what to expect and not be frightened."
Ginny giggled again. "This ought to be interesting."
Harry closed his eyes and started to meditate on his panther form. He knew it was easier than his first four transformations because it didn't take anywhere near the amount of energy or time and before he knew it he could feel himself purring. He heard four gasps from his friends and looked up at Ginny who reached down and scratched behind his ears. Harry rolled over and stretched out, laying his front paws and head across Ginny's lap. Ginny laughed. "Do you like that, Harry?"
Harry purred his contentment and moved his head into her hand.
Moments later he felt someone gently caressing his back and briefly stopped purring. Glancing up at Ginny he saw her smile and mouth the word, "Luna," so he relaxed and lay his head back down. He was about to drop off to sleep when he heard two frightened screams. Apparently Dobby and Winky had come into the sitting room and spotted him lying on the couch.
Operating on the pure animal instincts of his panther form Harry immediately tensed and sprang off of the couch. In a leap and a bound he was safely out of the sitting room, through the curtain and hidden in his bedroom. He wasn't afraid . . . well not much. But he was startled and didn't want to let his animal instincts lead him into doing something he might regret later. So, he stayed in the bedroom and listened while Ginny explained his animagus forms to Dobby and Winky and told them that he liked being scratched behind the ears. Gee, thanks, Ginny, he thought. That's all I need: Two house elves treating me like a pet.
Five minutes later, after Ginny had calmed their "children" down and they had placed a large bowl of water on the floor for him Harry stuck his head through the curtain and looked reproachfully over at Ginny, which earned him gales of laughter from Ron, Hermione, Neville, Luna and especially Ginny. He then trotted out to drink gratefully from the bowl of water the house elves had set out for him.
Dobby and Winky, who had hidden behind Ginny's legs, slowly crept forward at Ginny's insistence and gradually reached out to pet Harry's shoulders. Their pets were very hesitant at first but gradually grew more and more confident. Before long both house elves were confidently rubbing their hands along his neck and shoulders and occasionally scratching him behind the ears.
Hermione, despite herself, was so captivated by what was happening that she had totally forgotten about her homework and was cautiously approaching Harry from the front. Harry, who was laying down with his eyes closed and purring contentedly while Dobby and Winky caressed his neck and shoulders, could sense her presence and feel her apprehension. When she was kneeling down on the floor, directly across the water bowl from Harry's head, she cleared her throat and said, "Harry?"
Harry opened his eyes and looked up at her.
"May I?" she asked.
Harry sensed that she was nervous but determined and wanted to pet him if only to prove to herself that she could so he closed his eyes and laid his head back down. Moments later he felt one of Hermione's shaky hands scratching behind his ears.
As Harry became aware of the world around him, through the panther's senses, he realized that It was going to take time and practice to get used to his animagus forms' views of the world. But then again that is what practice was for. He also knew that in order to fine tune his animagus senses he would have to spend a lot of time in the Forbidden Forest, which meant that he would have to reveal himself to Bane, Ronan and the rest of the centaurs so that he could work in relative safety.
After an hour in his panther form he felt Ginny scratching the top of his head to wake him up. When he opened his eyes and looked up she said, "I think its time you showed them your other form."
Harry growled and stood up. When everyone had backed away he wondered what would happen if he tried to transform into his lion form without reverting to his human form first. Closing his eyes and focusing his mind on his lion form he fixed that image in his mind and mentally cast the spell. Moments later there were gasps from Hermione and Luna, squeaks of surprise from Dobby and Winky and a "Wicked!" from Ron.
Neville hesitantly stood up and walked over. "I . . . is that really you, Harry?" he asked.
Harry looked up and nodded his head.
Neville walked around Harry, quietly studying him, until he was facing him again. "M-may I?" he asked.
Harry bowed his head towards his friend and let him scratch behind his ears. Moments later he felt Dobby and Winky rubbing his neck, shoulders, front legs and sides.
A few minutes later Ginny knelt down in front of him and, looking him in the eye, said, "Harry? Is it alright if I put Dobby and Winky on your back?"
Surprised, Harry looked up at her with a curious expression on his face.
"Well, they are almost family," she explained. "And I think it would be a real treat for them to get to ride a lion."
Harry looked up at her, a look of consternation on his face, but he knew he couldn't refuse her. So, with a heavy sigh he looked down at the water bowl in a posture of dejected resignation for a few seconds then looked back up and nodded his head.
Ginny smiled sweetly and said, "I knew I could count on you, Harry. That's why I love you so much."
For the next thirty minutes Harry gave Dobby and Winky 'pony' rides around the various rooms of his trunk. He took them around the conference table, through kitchen, into and out of the bedroom, through his office, toured the library and into and out of their spacious quarters in the third chamber, which Harry noticed had an entire room dedicated to the twins' inventions. He made a note to himself to order some modified portable swamps and a collection of their new attack fireworks. The trunk's Room of Requirement and owlry weren't ready yet but Harry knew that he would be spending a lot of time in both of those rooms when they were finished, practicing and fine-tuning his senses and abilities.
Needless to say, Dobby and Winky had a blast. It did, however, get kind of irritating for Harry when Dobby kept bouncing up and down screaming for him to go faster. Ginny, Ron, Hermione, Neville and Luna had fun too and laughed several times, which earned them reproachful glares from one very frustrated lion.
His reward for playing pony for the house elves was, however, well worth it. After crouching down to let them off they immediately began scratching his sides and moving down towards his belly. When they were low enough Harry rolled over onto his side and then onto his back. Before long Harry had seven sets of hands scratching and petting him while his friends and . . . family carried on an excited conversation about the animagus transformations they hoped to achieve in three weeks time. Ron, who was scratching under Harry's chin at the time, had to ruin it, however. In Harry's mind he was in Lion Heaven, enjoying all of the love and attention he was receiving, when Ron said, "You know, Harry, you're nothing big pussy cat." Harry immediately looked up at his friend from his position on the floor and glared at Ron while snarling menacingly. Everyone laughed and after the laughter had died down Ron smiled down at his friend's prostrate lion form and said, "Just kidding."
After almost an hour in his lion form Ginny stood up and said, "I think it's almost time for lunch, Harry. So unless you want to eat raw steak for lunch I suggest you turn back into your human form."
Harry looked up at her as if to ask, "Do I have to?" but the look on her face brokered no argument so he rolled over, got up and walked into the bedroom. Moments later he walked back out, in his human form, with a cheesy grin plastered across his face and looked around at his friends. "Well?" he asked. "What do you think?"
As the weeks rolled by and the number of casualties and fatalities in the outside world began to mount no one at Hogwarts was left unaffected. A few of the Slytherins tried to remain aloof as they were purebloods and tended to agree with Voldemort's goals. But when members of their families began to fall victim to Voldemort and his followers, and without their blond prince to lead them, even they, although hesitantly at first, joined with the rest of the student body in a concerted effort to help each other through the difficult times that lay ahead.
On Valentine's Day Ginny, Ron, Hermione, Neville and Luna bottled their Animagus Potions just before dinner and took them to their regular Order meeting that night. Harry and Minerva had been working with them, whenever possible, over the past few weeks to help them prepare and - even though they felt the five were ready - were slightly nervous because they both knew how much energy it took to become an animagus. And Severus, under the guise of a particularly powerful disillusionment charm, even visited Harry's trunk several times over the course of the previous week to make sure their potions were correct. He didn't want anything even remotely associated with their potions to go wrong. Harry secretly suspected that Severus had actually begun to care about them but didn't want to say anything because he knew that the greasy haired Potions Mater had a reputation to uphold and he wasn't about to ruin it for him.
When they walked into the Order meeting that night all of the regulars were in attendance as were Mr. and Mrs. Weasley, Bill and Fleur. After all of the greetings had been made, messages delivered, hugs exchanged - The Weasleys were serving as messengers and surrogate parents for Hermione, Neville and Luna - and everyone had settled down, Albus called the meeting to order. "Yes, yes. Welcome and Happy Valentine's Day. I believe we all know why we are here this evening. We will dispense with our regular business after we have completed the most important tasks of the evening. Which of you would like to go first?" he asked, looking calmly over at the five hopeful students.
The five looked nervously around the table and at each other for several seconds before Ginny stood up and climbed up onto the table. Godric's sword had been mounted and hung above the fireplace shortly after the battle on Christmas Day so there was no fear of anyone harming themselves that way; but nevertheless everyone stood back and drew their wands just in case something went wrong and Ginny lost control while in her animagus form.
Taking her bottle of potion from her pocket Ginny looked over at Harry who smiled his encouragement. "Just relax and concentrate," he said. "And it will all be over in a few minutes."
Ginny smiled, nodded her head resolutely, drank her Animagus Potion, closed her eyes and began to concentrate on her form. Almost two minutes into the process she opened her eyes at her mother's gasp and found herself looking into Harry's eyes. Harry was beaming. He could tell she was tired but he also knew that she had to return to her human form within the next three minutes for the process to be complete. "That's great, Gin!" he said, smiling broadly. "Now all you have to do is return to your human form."
Ginny tilted her head slightly and growled as if asking him to repeat himself. "She doesn't understand!" Minerva gasped. "Quickly, Harry! Transform and explain that she has to reverse the process or she will be stuck as a lioness for the rest of her life."
Harry briefly glanced at his Transfiguration Professor then looked back at Ginny who was eyeing him curiously. Quickly transforming into his lion form Harry jumped up onto the table, causing it to rock slightly, and started grunting, growling and purring at Ginny, explaining that she had to transform back into her human form and that she had less than two minutes in which to do it.
As soon as he had explained it to her Ginny closed her eyes and began concentrating on her human form. With seconds to spare she resumed her human form and collapsed across Harry's back. It was close but the process was complete. Harry, still in his lion form, gently carried her over to the edge of the table where Remus, Severus, Arthur and Molly helped her down and gave her a bottle of restorative draught. As soon as he had been relieved of his burden Harry leapt down and lay down beside Ginny. He decided to stay in his lion form just in case one of the others needed help.
Ron went next. As he was climbing up on the table Minerva cautioned him about keeping his wits about him and not losing himself to the though processes of his animagus form. After receiving a reassuring smile from Hermione and quickly glancing at Harry, who was intently watching him from the floor, Ron drank his potion, closed his eyes and began to concentrate. A minute and a half later one of the largest timber wolves anyone had ever seen, albeit a ginger haired timber wolf, was standing on the table. The wolf - Ron - looked down at Harry and snarled in mock challenge, which earned him a full, deep-throated, deafening roar. Ron was most thoroughly cowed and backed up to sit on his haunches in the center of the table where he closed his eyes and began to concentrate on the reverse transformation.
With fifteen seconds to spare Ron returned to his human form and slid off the table. When he was sitting down, after drinking the restorative draught Severus had given him, he turned to look at Harry and said, "You know, you can be pretty intimidating sometimes, Harry." Harry just looked up at him, curled his lip and growled.
Ginny giggled. "Pussy cat, indeed," she translated and started laughing.
After the laughter died down - the adults didn't know about the private joke but all of the students got it - Hermione climbed up onto the table and stepped to the center. After a brief moment's hesitation she looked at Ron and smiled. "Bottoms up!" she said almost lightly and lifted her bottle of potion to her lips.
One minute and fifteen seconds later a brown otter was standing in the middle of the table. She scampered over towards the edge to look down at Harry but slipped and slid off, curling into a ball just before hitting the floor and rolled. When she stopped Hermione uncurled and looked around. She was less than ten centimeters away from Harry's massive shout.
Getting back to her feet she scampered over and, standing on her hind legs, rested her front paws on Harry's nose and looked into his eyes. Harry woofed and growled a few times and reminded her to return to her human form. Scampering back towards the table Hermione was stopped by Minerva who said, "Two and a half minutes, Hermione. I suggest you perform the reverse transformation right where you are."
Hermione stopped, looked up at her Transfiguration Professor, nodded her understanding and closed her eyes. With forty-five seconds to spare Hermione, in her human form, stood blushing at her own enthusiasm. "Oops," she said. "Sorry about that. I guess I got a little carried away." Then, looking down at Harry, she said, "Hi." Harry tried to laugh but it came out as a series of grunts.
Neville was next. Due to the nature and size of his potential form, however, it was decided that he should remain on the floor. Once a space had been cleared away and Harry had moved to stand a few meters in front of his friend, Neville drank his potion; glanced at Harry, who gave him a reassuring nod; closed his eyes and began to meditate.
It took Neville almost a full two minutes to complete the transformation; but when he did an enormous Texas Longhorn bull, with a horn span of at least two meters, was standing in his place. Even Harry was slightly intimidated by his presence. But he couldn't let it show because Neville still had to do the reverse transformation. So, with a few grunts and a reassuring nod, Harry encouraged his friend to reverse the process.
With seconds to spare Neville completed the reverse transformation and breathed a sigh of relief. Harry was so happy for his friend that he returned to his human form and shook his hand while Ron patted him on the back and Luna gave him a hug. Then all yes were on Luna.
Harry looked at her and said, "I'll tell you what, Luna. Just for you I'm going to use my other form."
Those who didn't know that Harry had two animagus forms looked at him curiously but Luna walked over and hugged him. "Thank you, Harry," she said as she smiled and strode confidently towards the table.
When Luna reached the center of the table she turned around and looked down at Harry, in his panther form. Harry was sitting on his haunches next to Ginny. Hermione was kneeling on his other side with Ron's arm around her shoulders and Neville was sitting, resting in a chair, behind the others. With a nod from Harry and a reassuring smile from Neville, Luna raised her potions bottle to her lips, drank the draught, closed her eyes and began to meditate.
In just under two minutes a dirty-blond falcon, with Luna's grey-blue eyes, was standing in the middle of the table. She was so excited that she began hopping up and down, flapping her wings and calling out to her friends. Recognizing the potential danger of her becoming trapped in her animagus form if she didn't settle down, Harry quickly got up, trotted over to the edge of the table, lifted himself up and peered over the edge of the table at their new air-born reconnaissance expert. Nodding his approval he growled at her to return to her human form, dropped back down to the flood and returned to lay down beside Ginny. With twenty-four seconds to spare Luna returned to her human form, jumped off of the table and ran over to hug Harry. Harry in turn purred and gently rubbed his head against her hair.
After she drank her restorative draught and everyone had taken their seats Minerva told Luna that she would have to take flying lessons and Harry and Ginny volunteered to talk to Hedwig and Henry about helping her. The rest of the evening was spent discussing the progress that was being made with the various werewolf packs; the intelligence reports that had come in over the past few days detailing Tom's latest recruiting efforts, most of which Harry already knew about; and the various security measures that were being taken at every level in both the public and private sectors. Ron and Neville discussed the various battle tactics and strategies that were being used by the Death Eaters as well as the many curses, hexes and charms they used and which spells could be used to block them. Luna and Hermione presented their findings on the latest healing techniques and opened the door to the possibility of reaching out to the Muggle Medical Community to try and find a cure for Neville's parents.
Neville looked up hopefully at this but knew not to get his hopes too high because the healers at St. Mungos had repeatedly told him that nothing could be done. It was only when Ginny reminded him that they had once thought it was impossible to destroy a dementor that he dared to smile and hope, for the first time, that he might actually get his parents back.
Harry and Ginny then gave their report on their recruiting efforts. Ginny was working with the Sprites and, through some of Bill's contacts in Egypt, the Sphinxes. Harry had been in almost constant contact with the High Elves; and the Vampires, after the rather decisive battle in December, had approached Albus, wishing to know if they could be of service. Negotiations were currently underway to secure an arrangement with the vampires similar to the one that had been worked out with the werewolves.
It was decided that Hagrid should approach Aragog to secure the acromantulas' support and assistance in guarding the Forbidden Forest so that, through their combined efforts, the centaurs and spiders could guard the castle from that direction and provide the students with an additional degree of safety from attack. It was also decided that, at the earliest possible moment, Harry would begin approaching the snakes to secure their services as spies.
Towards the end of the evening Bill and Fleur outlined their progress on the Purgatory Charm. Bill had contacted some of his friends in Egypt and obtained a copy of the Egyptian Book of the Dead to see if any of the spells contained in it could be used to reinforce the charm that was slowly taking shape. Likewise, Fleur was studying several of the French and German muggle classics to see if anything could be obtained from that sector as well. All in all it was a very productive meeting and everyone left feeling more confident about the progress that was being made.
The next day, being a Saturday, the six found themselves in Harry's trunk studying and helping Ginny and Luna begin their revising for their O.W.L. exams. After lunch, which Harry helped Ginny prepare as they were cooking for six humans and two house elves, Harry turned to his friends and said, "Alright you guys. I think it's about time you show Winky and Dobby your animagus forms."
For the next two hours Ron and Ginny gave Dobby and Winky 'pony' rides through the trunk; Hermione scampered around, hiding under the couches and chairs to escape Winky's loving embrace; Luna hopped from chair to chair, gradually learning how to glide; and Neville walked patiently around the sitting room and office area - his horns prevented him from entering the bedroom, library and conference room and he didn't want to scuff up the kitchen floor. Dobby and Winky were, needless to say, ecstatic. The last thing they did before going back to their homework was take a picture with Dobby's camera - he had taken up photography as a hobby and almost rivaled Colin in his enthusiasm.
After Dobby set his camera up outside the entrance to the bedroom he had Neville back up to where he was head and shoulders in front of the suits of armor guarding the conference room. Harry then lifted Luna up so she could perch on his head. Neville snorted at the strange sensation of having a falcon perched on his head at first but soon, apparently, got used to it. Ron walked over and sat proudly in front of Neville and Hermione scampered over to take her place between his front paws. Ginny then walked over and sat down in front of the suit of armor to Neville's right and Winky got down on her knees and scooched back so that she was sitting between Ginny's front paws. When Harry had transformed into his lion form and seated himself in front of the other set of armor Dobby focused the camera, set the exposure and timer and ran over to sit between Harry's massive front paws.
When the picture was developed in Dobby's dark room later that afternoon Harry had been caught in the act of yawning and the others had all been caught turning to look at him. Dobby and Winky, however, were smiling and waving like there was no tomorrow. Harry understandably blushed when he saw the picture and cringed when Dobby told him he was going to enlarge it, frame it and hang it in the library but he agreed to let him do it because it was a visual record of his friends and he didn't know how many of them would survive the coming war. He was fairly confident that they would win but there was still that little voice in the back of his mind that reminded him that nothing was certain and that he might still lose a few friends to Tom and his Death Eaters.