Chapter 44
Malfoy's News
Harry sighed and knocked upon Professor McGonnagal's office door.
"Enter," he heard her say, and he prepared himself, best he could, for what lay ahead. He opened the door, and was surprised to find Professor McGonnagal sitting upon her bed, scratching Leon behind his right ear. Leon looked up sharply when Harry entered, a small rumble sounding from his chest. "There there, Leon...do be nice," McGonnagal cautioned, giving him a final pat. She then stood back up to her feet.
"Leon?" Harry asked, grinning at the name.
"Yes, Harry. Leon. And, if I may quote Hagrid, he has to have a name now, doesn't he?" McGonnagal reasoned. Leon looked over to her upon hearing his name and rumbled fondly at her. Professor McGonnagal ruffled his mane once, the turned back to look at Harry, smiling. "Thank you for letting me and my Sisters go a day earlier than agreed upon, my grandson," she said.
"Hey, it was the least we could do after what I had done to you," Harry admitted, then blushed guiltily. "I'm really very sorry about that flea bath," he added quickly. "I don't really know why, but I was still put out with that singing thing, and well..."
"Yes, I suppose I can understand that. You've most certainly inherited the McGonnagal temper, my boy. Aye, that you have," she replied, her eyes twinkling with cleverness.
"Well, though, to balance against that, you've also done a few rather nice things as well, haven't you?" McGonnagal added, smiling. As if he knew what she was saying, Leon jumped down off the bed, and ambled over to begin rubbing himself against Harry's leg. "Ah, I knew Leon would understand. Precicely what I was after, Leon, thank you."
"Um, might I ask what you wanted to see me about?" Harry asked, reaching down to scratch Leon behind his ear.
Harry frowned as she didn't say anything, but he watched McGonnagal move over before a closet and take out a small purple bottle, from which she poured a dram into a goblet, which promptly began to issue wisps of pale lilac smoke. She picked up the smoking goblet, walked over, and placed it in front of Harry. "Drink this," she instructed.
For some reason, Harry suddenly had a strange sense of déjà vu, but did as he was told. Actually, much to his surprise, it was quite tasty. He was still considering his good fortune when he suddenly felt very dizzy. "What exactly was that, Professor?" he asked, having to brace himself against the wall to keep from falling.
"Nothing harmful, I assure you. A simple sleeping draught," McGonnagal explained. "You had better lie down though...unless you'd care to sleep on the floor."
Later, he dimly remember taking to bed, and blinked his eyes rapidly to find he was now in his own bed in the Gryffindor tower. Strange, but from aside from feeling well-rested, he didn't feel at all strange. "Just what did she do to me then?" he wondered aloud. He shrugged a moment later, threw on some clothes, and headed down to the common room, where he meet up with Hermione and Ron, who had settled their differences once again, it seemed.
"Morning," Harry said, stifling a yawn, stretching. He was a bit unprepared when he saw both Ron and Hermione goggling at him. "What?"
"Oy! What did McGonnagal do to you last night, mate?" Ron asked, shaking his head and grinning.
Harry frowned. "Nothing much, really. She gave me a sleeping draught, and put me to bed. Next thing I know, I'm waking up in my own bed. Why do you ask?"
"Harry...I really don´t think that was all she did," Hermione said a bit mysteriously. She then took Harry's arm and guided him before the full- length mirror in the common room.
Harry yelped in surprise when he saw his reflection. His normally dark brown unruly hair was now bright blond and lay flat against his head. For some reason, he had a sense of familiarity, as if he'd seen someone like this before, but he just couldn't put his finger on it. He gazed back into his own eyes only to see they were a crisp brilliant blue instead of their normal green. Oddly enough as well, he noticed he didn't need his spectacles to see clearly.
"I expect that this is her payback for that whole flea bath thing, Harry," Ron said weakly, struggling mightily not to laugh.
"Well, never mind," Hermione said, ignoring Ron. "We have to get down to get some breakfast before class this morning. Do come along, Harry." This last bit from her to distract Harry from looking at his reflection any further.
Within the Great Hall, the official bet had finally ended, and the seven members of the faculty involved talked amongst themselves at the Head table.
"Ah, finally! No more wearing Gryffindor colors. I've begun to loathe scarlet," Snape sighed happily.
"Tut tut, Snape. I, for one, think you looked rather smashing in them really," Madam Hooch opined, a clever grin upon her face.
Snape glared. "Yes, you would, Hooch. Then, might I say that you looked rather fetching as well with that pink hair of yours," Snape said back. Madam Hooch's eyes narrowed dangerously, and her leather gauntleted fists tightened. Snape wisely decided to take up a conversation with Professor Sinistra, the Astronomy teacher.
The door to the Great Hall then opened and the Trouble Trio breezed in. Harry looked over to the teachers at the Head table, and caught Minerva's stare and grin. She smiled back at him, and raised her hand which held a goblet as if to give a toast.
"Well, it looks like everyone is here now, Minerva," Poppy whispered over.
"Albus dear, may I preempt your morning greeting today, do you think?" McGonnagal asked. "I'll take hardly no time at all."
Dumbledore nodded his assent, and while Minerva got to her feet, he stood and then got everyone's attention by tapping his crystal goblet with a spoon.
"Good morning, all. Before I begin for today, Professor McGonnagal would like a say a few words. Minerva?" Dumbledore intoned.
"Thank you, Headmaster. Now, I have a little announcement to make," McGonaagal began. "The Hogwarts Sisters have been playing each Saturday, as most of you well know, and this was due to our being in debt to our student contemporaries. Still though, now that this has now stopped, we've been thinking...and have decided to continue on playing each Saturday until the end of the year."
The whoop and roar of the assembled student body startled poor Professor Flitwick, who choked upon his swallow of pumpkin juice.
"I'm quite finished, Albus," Minerva told her husband, who smiled.
Professor Dumbledore was again preempted, this time by the bevy of owls who whisked in to deliever the day's post. Harry was surprised when a most familiar and menacing eagle owl alighted before him, holding out one hugely clawed leg that bore a letter. A letter addressed to him!
Harry warily removed the letter, then offered the huge owl a couple of strips of bacon, which it snapped out of his hands rather neatly, before taking flight once more. Harry raised an eyebrow at these developments, but quickly opened and read the letter in his hands.
Potter,
You may consider this note of mine to be a one time deal. I will owe you nothing! Now, I'm only doing this because I owe you my life from that day on the Quidditch field. After this, we are done, Potter!
I intercepted one of Dad's letter to Mother, and upon reading it, found that You-Know-You has been training his most loyal Death Eaters to become Animagi. Quite clever of him, don't you think?
Now, here's the part where we're even, Potter. Dad says they are going to attack Hogwarts...and soon. If you tell anyone I said this, I'll deny it to my death! You know I think Dumbledore is an old fraud, but...well, I like Hogwarts---well, except for the part of allowing you, the Weasel, and the Mudblood to attend. I think Hogwarts is a fine institution, and don´t really want it to be destroyed, as the Dark Lord intends.
Dad somehow thinks that the attack will come on July 15th or there about. Tell Dumbledore...but don't tell him you got this from me!
Malfoy
Harry blinked, looking at the letter again, and then looking over to the Slytherin table where Malfoy sat, glowering. Malfoy caught Harry looking his way, and scowled.
Harry knew what he must do, and he did it. Harry got to his feet, and made his way over to the Head table. There, he folded the letter and placed it in his pocket, then moved over to just before Dumbledore. "Professor! I must talk to you," he said quietly, so only Dumbledore could hear him. "Alone, please," he added a moment later.
"Of course, Harry," Dumbledore said, unable not to grin at Harry's altered appearance.
"All this is her fault," Harry said, jerking a thumb in Minerva's direction.
"I thought it suitable retribution for all I have had to go through these past three months," Minerva said, then laughed softly.
"Yes. Now, come along, Harry," Dumbledore replied, rising to his feet, guiding Harry alongside of him. They both moved out into the massive hallway, and Dumbledore found a out of the way niche where they could have a private conversation. "Now, Harry...what's this all about?"
Harry didn't say a word, but fumbled in his pockets for the letter. "Professor, what I'm about to show you stays between us, until we both decide otherwise. Agreed?"
"Of course," Dumbledore replied, eyeing Harry curiously over his half-moon spectacles.
Harry unfolded it, and then handed the letter from Malfoy over to the Headmaster to read. As he read what Malfoy had written, Dumbledore's normally calm face became most serious.
"Serious business, I should think," Dumbledore murmured, thinking furiously.
"Absolutely!" Harry agreed fervently. "But, Professor...what are we to do? June 15th is not that far away!"
"Do calm yourself, my boy," Dumbledore soothed. "Oh, and Harry? Thank you for showing me this. I know you were asked not to, and that must of weighed on your mind, Harry. I know you to be a young man who honors his word. But, as in all things, discretion is always a mitigating factor," he said.
Dumbledore then looked off into a portrait of Helga Hufflepuff for a moment, then looked back suddenly at Harry, causing him to nearly gasp.
"I shall tell you something, as a returning of a confidence, Harry. No one but myself and Professor Snape know this. Last week, Professor Snape was apprehended by minions of Lord Voldemort."
Harry gasped, and opened his mouth to speak, but Dumbledore cut him off kindly. "Yes, I know that you and Severus have differences, and that you don't trust one another nearly as much as you both should. But, hear me out. Yes, Lord Voldemort's Death Eaters had our Professor Snape...for nearly three days, in fact. The only reason he still lives, near as I can figure, is that Voldemort believes him now worth nothing but contempt, now that he knows Severus to be what he deems a 'harmless' vampire. Some things never do change, Harry. Tom Riddle was always one to scorn that which he does not understand."
Harry was confused. He understood most of what Dumbledore was saying, but there appeared to be much that the good Headmaster was still keeping back.
"So...it seems that now a number of Death Eaters have become Animagi?" Dumbledore said, half to himself. "Impressive."
Harry looked over at him, trying very hard to keep up. "Yes, they can. But, then again, there are many of us now who can too. Yet... I wonder, what kind of animals do you think these Death Eaters will transform into?" Harry asked, afraid, yet determined.
"Well, you pose a most interesting question, Harry," Dumbledore said. "But, to answer your question, all you need do is think back to your training. You do remember that now, don't you, my boy? Think, and then you tell me what forms you think they might present?"
Harry thought hard and quickly. What was it Professor McGonnagal had once said? Ah, yes...that the Animagi's personality was what determined the forms they transformed into. "Well, since we're talking about Death Eaters here, and well...they are not very noble or nice people, I think they will be taking the form of snakes, spiders, rats, lizards, and other vile things."
"Very nicely done, Mr. Potter," Dumbledore congratulated him. "Professor McGonnagal would be most proud, I think. Now, enough speculation, my boy. It is a time for us to plan our course of action. There will be a meeting, in my chambers, this very evening, Harry. Now, I have a job for you to do for me. I am asking you to gather all of those who are now Animagi, and ask them to accompany you to our meeting. Can you do that for me, Harry?"
"Yes, definitely, Professor!" Harry said quite earnestly, a small grin appearing on his face.
"That's a good fellow," Dumbledore replied, beaming at Harry as if he was a proud father. "I leave you to gather our student Animagi to our team. Now, if you would excuse me, I have to see about gathering others to our cause. Please bring yourself, and your budding Animagi friends, to my chambers this evening at nine o'clock. I shall change the password for the stairs, so that only you, Minerva, and myself shall know it. The password shall be...ah! I know, 'Leon'!"
Harry chuckled at that...though, he had to admit that it was really a very good password. Very few people in Hogwarts---or anywhere else for that matter---knew of Professor McGonnagal's plush lion. And even fewer knew of its name. "Right then, Professor. I'm off."
"Then I shall see you this evening, Harry. Good day to you," Dumbledore replied, taking his leave of Harry, and re-entered the Great Hall, heading back to the Head table and his staff. Harry returned as well, but back to where he had left Ron and Hermione...who he needed to talk to rather badly it seemed...
Malfoy's News
Harry sighed and knocked upon Professor McGonnagal's office door.
"Enter," he heard her say, and he prepared himself, best he could, for what lay ahead. He opened the door, and was surprised to find Professor McGonnagal sitting upon her bed, scratching Leon behind his right ear. Leon looked up sharply when Harry entered, a small rumble sounding from his chest. "There there, Leon...do be nice," McGonnagal cautioned, giving him a final pat. She then stood back up to her feet.
"Leon?" Harry asked, grinning at the name.
"Yes, Harry. Leon. And, if I may quote Hagrid, he has to have a name now, doesn't he?" McGonnagal reasoned. Leon looked over to her upon hearing his name and rumbled fondly at her. Professor McGonnagal ruffled his mane once, the turned back to look at Harry, smiling. "Thank you for letting me and my Sisters go a day earlier than agreed upon, my grandson," she said.
"Hey, it was the least we could do after what I had done to you," Harry admitted, then blushed guiltily. "I'm really very sorry about that flea bath," he added quickly. "I don't really know why, but I was still put out with that singing thing, and well..."
"Yes, I suppose I can understand that. You've most certainly inherited the McGonnagal temper, my boy. Aye, that you have," she replied, her eyes twinkling with cleverness.
"Well, though, to balance against that, you've also done a few rather nice things as well, haven't you?" McGonnagal added, smiling. As if he knew what she was saying, Leon jumped down off the bed, and ambled over to begin rubbing himself against Harry's leg. "Ah, I knew Leon would understand. Precicely what I was after, Leon, thank you."
"Um, might I ask what you wanted to see me about?" Harry asked, reaching down to scratch Leon behind his ear.
Harry frowned as she didn't say anything, but he watched McGonnagal move over before a closet and take out a small purple bottle, from which she poured a dram into a goblet, which promptly began to issue wisps of pale lilac smoke. She picked up the smoking goblet, walked over, and placed it in front of Harry. "Drink this," she instructed.
For some reason, Harry suddenly had a strange sense of déjà vu, but did as he was told. Actually, much to his surprise, it was quite tasty. He was still considering his good fortune when he suddenly felt very dizzy. "What exactly was that, Professor?" he asked, having to brace himself against the wall to keep from falling.
"Nothing harmful, I assure you. A simple sleeping draught," McGonnagal explained. "You had better lie down though...unless you'd care to sleep on the floor."
Later, he dimly remember taking to bed, and blinked his eyes rapidly to find he was now in his own bed in the Gryffindor tower. Strange, but from aside from feeling well-rested, he didn't feel at all strange. "Just what did she do to me then?" he wondered aloud. He shrugged a moment later, threw on some clothes, and headed down to the common room, where he meet up with Hermione and Ron, who had settled their differences once again, it seemed.
"Morning," Harry said, stifling a yawn, stretching. He was a bit unprepared when he saw both Ron and Hermione goggling at him. "What?"
"Oy! What did McGonnagal do to you last night, mate?" Ron asked, shaking his head and grinning.
Harry frowned. "Nothing much, really. She gave me a sleeping draught, and put me to bed. Next thing I know, I'm waking up in my own bed. Why do you ask?"
"Harry...I really don´t think that was all she did," Hermione said a bit mysteriously. She then took Harry's arm and guided him before the full- length mirror in the common room.
Harry yelped in surprise when he saw his reflection. His normally dark brown unruly hair was now bright blond and lay flat against his head. For some reason, he had a sense of familiarity, as if he'd seen someone like this before, but he just couldn't put his finger on it. He gazed back into his own eyes only to see they were a crisp brilliant blue instead of their normal green. Oddly enough as well, he noticed he didn't need his spectacles to see clearly.
"I expect that this is her payback for that whole flea bath thing, Harry," Ron said weakly, struggling mightily not to laugh.
"Well, never mind," Hermione said, ignoring Ron. "We have to get down to get some breakfast before class this morning. Do come along, Harry." This last bit from her to distract Harry from looking at his reflection any further.
Within the Great Hall, the official bet had finally ended, and the seven members of the faculty involved talked amongst themselves at the Head table.
"Ah, finally! No more wearing Gryffindor colors. I've begun to loathe scarlet," Snape sighed happily.
"Tut tut, Snape. I, for one, think you looked rather smashing in them really," Madam Hooch opined, a clever grin upon her face.
Snape glared. "Yes, you would, Hooch. Then, might I say that you looked rather fetching as well with that pink hair of yours," Snape said back. Madam Hooch's eyes narrowed dangerously, and her leather gauntleted fists tightened. Snape wisely decided to take up a conversation with Professor Sinistra, the Astronomy teacher.
The door to the Great Hall then opened and the Trouble Trio breezed in. Harry looked over to the teachers at the Head table, and caught Minerva's stare and grin. She smiled back at him, and raised her hand which held a goblet as if to give a toast.
"Well, it looks like everyone is here now, Minerva," Poppy whispered over.
"Albus dear, may I preempt your morning greeting today, do you think?" McGonnagal asked. "I'll take hardly no time at all."
Dumbledore nodded his assent, and while Minerva got to her feet, he stood and then got everyone's attention by tapping his crystal goblet with a spoon.
"Good morning, all. Before I begin for today, Professor McGonnagal would like a say a few words. Minerva?" Dumbledore intoned.
"Thank you, Headmaster. Now, I have a little announcement to make," McGonaagal began. "The Hogwarts Sisters have been playing each Saturday, as most of you well know, and this was due to our being in debt to our student contemporaries. Still though, now that this has now stopped, we've been thinking...and have decided to continue on playing each Saturday until the end of the year."
The whoop and roar of the assembled student body startled poor Professor Flitwick, who choked upon his swallow of pumpkin juice.
"I'm quite finished, Albus," Minerva told her husband, who smiled.
Professor Dumbledore was again preempted, this time by the bevy of owls who whisked in to deliever the day's post. Harry was surprised when a most familiar and menacing eagle owl alighted before him, holding out one hugely clawed leg that bore a letter. A letter addressed to him!
Harry warily removed the letter, then offered the huge owl a couple of strips of bacon, which it snapped out of his hands rather neatly, before taking flight once more. Harry raised an eyebrow at these developments, but quickly opened and read the letter in his hands.
Potter,
You may consider this note of mine to be a one time deal. I will owe you nothing! Now, I'm only doing this because I owe you my life from that day on the Quidditch field. After this, we are done, Potter!
I intercepted one of Dad's letter to Mother, and upon reading it, found that You-Know-You has been training his most loyal Death Eaters to become Animagi. Quite clever of him, don't you think?
Now, here's the part where we're even, Potter. Dad says they are going to attack Hogwarts...and soon. If you tell anyone I said this, I'll deny it to my death! You know I think Dumbledore is an old fraud, but...well, I like Hogwarts---well, except for the part of allowing you, the Weasel, and the Mudblood to attend. I think Hogwarts is a fine institution, and don´t really want it to be destroyed, as the Dark Lord intends.
Dad somehow thinks that the attack will come on July 15th or there about. Tell Dumbledore...but don't tell him you got this from me!
Malfoy
Harry blinked, looking at the letter again, and then looking over to the Slytherin table where Malfoy sat, glowering. Malfoy caught Harry looking his way, and scowled.
Harry knew what he must do, and he did it. Harry got to his feet, and made his way over to the Head table. There, he folded the letter and placed it in his pocket, then moved over to just before Dumbledore. "Professor! I must talk to you," he said quietly, so only Dumbledore could hear him. "Alone, please," he added a moment later.
"Of course, Harry," Dumbledore said, unable not to grin at Harry's altered appearance.
"All this is her fault," Harry said, jerking a thumb in Minerva's direction.
"I thought it suitable retribution for all I have had to go through these past three months," Minerva said, then laughed softly.
"Yes. Now, come along, Harry," Dumbledore replied, rising to his feet, guiding Harry alongside of him. They both moved out into the massive hallway, and Dumbledore found a out of the way niche where they could have a private conversation. "Now, Harry...what's this all about?"
Harry didn't say a word, but fumbled in his pockets for the letter. "Professor, what I'm about to show you stays between us, until we both decide otherwise. Agreed?"
"Of course," Dumbledore replied, eyeing Harry curiously over his half-moon spectacles.
Harry unfolded it, and then handed the letter from Malfoy over to the Headmaster to read. As he read what Malfoy had written, Dumbledore's normally calm face became most serious.
"Serious business, I should think," Dumbledore murmured, thinking furiously.
"Absolutely!" Harry agreed fervently. "But, Professor...what are we to do? June 15th is not that far away!"
"Do calm yourself, my boy," Dumbledore soothed. "Oh, and Harry? Thank you for showing me this. I know you were asked not to, and that must of weighed on your mind, Harry. I know you to be a young man who honors his word. But, as in all things, discretion is always a mitigating factor," he said.
Dumbledore then looked off into a portrait of Helga Hufflepuff for a moment, then looked back suddenly at Harry, causing him to nearly gasp.
"I shall tell you something, as a returning of a confidence, Harry. No one but myself and Professor Snape know this. Last week, Professor Snape was apprehended by minions of Lord Voldemort."
Harry gasped, and opened his mouth to speak, but Dumbledore cut him off kindly. "Yes, I know that you and Severus have differences, and that you don't trust one another nearly as much as you both should. But, hear me out. Yes, Lord Voldemort's Death Eaters had our Professor Snape...for nearly three days, in fact. The only reason he still lives, near as I can figure, is that Voldemort believes him now worth nothing but contempt, now that he knows Severus to be what he deems a 'harmless' vampire. Some things never do change, Harry. Tom Riddle was always one to scorn that which he does not understand."
Harry was confused. He understood most of what Dumbledore was saying, but there appeared to be much that the good Headmaster was still keeping back.
"So...it seems that now a number of Death Eaters have become Animagi?" Dumbledore said, half to himself. "Impressive."
Harry looked over at him, trying very hard to keep up. "Yes, they can. But, then again, there are many of us now who can too. Yet... I wonder, what kind of animals do you think these Death Eaters will transform into?" Harry asked, afraid, yet determined.
"Well, you pose a most interesting question, Harry," Dumbledore said. "But, to answer your question, all you need do is think back to your training. You do remember that now, don't you, my boy? Think, and then you tell me what forms you think they might present?"
Harry thought hard and quickly. What was it Professor McGonnagal had once said? Ah, yes...that the Animagi's personality was what determined the forms they transformed into. "Well, since we're talking about Death Eaters here, and well...they are not very noble or nice people, I think they will be taking the form of snakes, spiders, rats, lizards, and other vile things."
"Very nicely done, Mr. Potter," Dumbledore congratulated him. "Professor McGonnagal would be most proud, I think. Now, enough speculation, my boy. It is a time for us to plan our course of action. There will be a meeting, in my chambers, this very evening, Harry. Now, I have a job for you to do for me. I am asking you to gather all of those who are now Animagi, and ask them to accompany you to our meeting. Can you do that for me, Harry?"
"Yes, definitely, Professor!" Harry said quite earnestly, a small grin appearing on his face.
"That's a good fellow," Dumbledore replied, beaming at Harry as if he was a proud father. "I leave you to gather our student Animagi to our team. Now, if you would excuse me, I have to see about gathering others to our cause. Please bring yourself, and your budding Animagi friends, to my chambers this evening at nine o'clock. I shall change the password for the stairs, so that only you, Minerva, and myself shall know it. The password shall be...ah! I know, 'Leon'!"
Harry chuckled at that...though, he had to admit that it was really a very good password. Very few people in Hogwarts---or anywhere else for that matter---knew of Professor McGonnagal's plush lion. And even fewer knew of its name. "Right then, Professor. I'm off."
"Then I shall see you this evening, Harry. Good day to you," Dumbledore replied, taking his leave of Harry, and re-entered the Great Hall, heading back to the Head table and his staff. Harry returned as well, but back to where he had left Ron and Hermione...who he needed to talk to rather badly it seemed...