Chapter 1

"Hermione! Won't you tell me what's in the restricted section?" Ginny asked, her big bluish gray eyes pleading with the pretty brunette sitting just opposite her in the dining room of Hogwarts.

"There's nothing really. Just a bunch of magic books too difficult for students like you to figure it out. And," she added secretively, "there're books on forbidden magic in there too." She winked at Ginny, who was none too satisfied.

"I mean, what kind of forbidden magic?"

"Now, I shouldn't be going around telling everyone what's there right? It is restricted," Hermione concluded, her expression indicating her wish for the conversation to end right there and then.

Ginny sighed audibly. She wasn't getting anywhere with the information that was virtually useless. Why am I so interested in the restriction section anyway? She asked herself, fiddling with her soupspoon. She was after all, well into her sixth year and if she didn't find out about the restricted section then… well, she would go check the library out after lights out. And that's a promise. She added too herself.

It was slightly past 10 at night, and Ginny was sitting at the common room of the Gryffindor dorms, waiting for a chance to sneak out into the library to do some 'research'. She had thought about borrowing the invisible cloak from Harry, but that would bring about too much suspicion, and she wouldn't want Harry to follow her wherever she was going. 20 minutes more, she glanced at her watch, before it's bedtime.

"Ginny!" a male voice called from behind her, giving her a rude shock. Turning around, she was surprised to see Harry walking towards her and plopping down on the couch in front of the fireplace beside her. "What are you doing up so late? Got something on your mind?"

Ginny shook her head, refusing to look at Harry in the eye. Harry looked at her quizzically, before asking if she was really ok. She nodded in affirmation, and turned her face away from him. Not that she was still shy around him, but she did not know exactly what to say to him. It had been an awkward six months since she had finally gathered the courage to profess her love, or rather, crush on him and he had rejected her in a gentlemanly way, so careful and tactful was he that she did not feel like she was dumped at all. Just another one of those great traits Harry has, she mused to herself, lost in her own world of thoughts.

Harry let out a breath, and placed a hand on her shoulder. "You know, if you need anything, or anyone, you could always come to me," he pulled her chin up so that she was facing him, and mussed her hair. "I'm going up to bed. Don't stay up too long, ok?" he grinned lopsidedly, green eyes twinkling from the glow of the fire.

Ginny nodded, and mumbled a "Good night," before watching him going up the stairs leading to the boys' dorm. Looking around, she found that she was the only one left in the common room, and decided that she should be going to the library then. Putting on her cloak with the hood covering her shimmering dark red hair, she slipped out of the Gryffindor room, and went her way down to the library.

***

Sneaking into the library, which was still lit dimly with overhanging chandeliers, the library was a really elegant place with wooded shelves decorated with intricate carvings, tables and chairs standing regally in neat rows filling all empty spaces of the room.

Ginny looked around carefully, and was sure that there was no other person milling about before stepping foot into the restricted section, which was that hard a place to find, considering it was just at the back of the library with a sign that said, 'Restricted Section. Nobody allowed unless given permission'.

Holding up her wand that was glowing at the tip, she used it to scan through the books on the shelves. The books looked really old and tattered, fraying at the spines, causing Ginny to squint hard before being able to make out the title of each book.

"Advanced Dark Magic, healing magic, to become a dragon master…" Ginny muttered, and went on to the next shelf. The next shelf was more on creatures of the wizarding world, and the book that she had finally taken out to examine, was, 'Book of Animagi'. This definitely looks interesting.

Flipping through the pages of the book, she remembered vaguely about Harry's father being an animagus, as did his group of friends otherwise known as The Marauders. She read on, quite absorbed in the information she found in that book.

From the contents of the book, she understood that you could only be what you truly wish to be, that is, your favourite animal and nothing else. Choosing a creature that is innately you is very important as to facilitate the change of the human being, and that the repercussions of the change, mental and physical, could be very well minimized. How does one go about transforming? Ginny read on, and the book gave a spell, at the bottom of the page. A paragraph is to be chanted in your mind, over and over again until the change is complete. Full concentration must be given or the subject would become half creature half human and the result is irreversible.

Feeling somewhat freaked out but greatly exhilarated, she wondered if she could become one of those Animagi.  It couldn't hurt to try, could it? Maybe, maybe not.

Just then, a scuffle could be heard just outside the restricted section, and panic overwhelmed Ginny's senses. Oh my god oh my god oh my god her hands shook together with the book, and she thought, It's now or never. Hearing more footsteps, now nearing the shelves she was standing at, she looked at the book, then at the direction of the sound, and wondered which was worse, getting caught, or changing into an animal but remaining safe. Maybe it's better getting caught…. I don't know much about this Animagus thing and what if… before she could think further, the footsteps stopped. The person was among the shelves behind the one she was standing at. What now?

Draco Malfoy cursed in irritation. All thanks to Pansy, he thought bitterly, daring me to come here to steal a book about dark magic for her. What the hell was I thinking? He ran a finger through the books, taking out those whose writing had faded on the spine to check out the title. Slamming it back into the shelf, he cursed again, this time more colourfully, and stopped abruptly. Did I… did I hear something? His ears perked slightly, waiting. Who had the nerve to sneak into the library at this time of the night, and into the restriction section too?

Dismissing the noise as hallucination, he continued with his search, feeling more and more vexed by the minute. He was never a patient man, and he would not start being one now. Throwing his hand up in frustration, he was about to give up when something caught his eye. The book that he was looking for. "There you are," he said almost inaudibly.

Placing the book into his robes, he was about to walk off with a smug smile on his face when another shuffling sound stopped him. He turned back around, and decided to check it out. Taking big long strides to the second row of shelves, he confronted whatever that was there with his hand outstretched, wand pointing.

In front of him stood the most peculiar kitten, its fur being reddish gold in colour so much so that it shines under the obscure lighting. "My, my. What do we have here?" he stepped closer, bending down to see the little creature that was actually shivering in fright at the sight of him. "C'mon now. Am I really that scary?" he scoffed.

The kitten had nodded, to the surprise and delight of Draco Malfoy. He had never seen such a well, cute and beautiful creature that looked about the size of half his hand. "Here kitty," he cooed to the animal, but it stayed where it was, refusing to move. Draco laughed softly. "You really are afraid of me aren't you?" he smirked. "Oh well. I couldn't leave you here by yourself now, could I?" he picked the genteel creature up and placed it on his palm, bringing it close to his face to examine it more closely. "A female," he decided, "with blue eyes too. Highly unusual. And special. Therefore, you shall belong to me," Draco grinned evilly, and exited the library.

***