CHAPTER 12
Once Harry finished his morning routine, he ran into the four founders, who were talking in the living room.
"Yes, he is doing well." Rowena said, "He has a talent for Arthrimacy."
"And he's a good animagus," Godric added, "Defense could brush up some, but it's still good."
"It's fun teachin' 'im." Helga quipped. "The look on 'is face after getting' the wootgrass," she sighed happily, "Priceless it was."
"You sent him out for wootgrass?" Salazar's voice was surprised.
"Yep!"
Slytherin laughed, "I don't blame him for complaining then!"
"Well, what about your lessons, Slyth—uh, Salazar?" Godric asked.
Slytherin was quiet, "They are going very well." He answered finally, "He's a natural for potions, and is a quick learner at offensive spells."
"I say he'll be quite the warlock," Rowena finished. Godric and Helga nodded their agreement, then looked at Salazar.
"It would seem we actually agree on something," he sighed, and a bright flash of light exploded in the room.
Harry rushed in, wand out. In his haste, he bumped into something, knocking both him and the object over. As the light cleared, Harry saw what it was he'd run into. "Godric?" he whispered. The red robed figure look at him, "Whoa, since when did you become a portrait Harry?"
Harry stood up and looked around, "Since when did you four become people again?" It was true, Helga, Rowena and Salazar were all standing in the living room, looking around with amazed, confused expressions. A piece of parchment floated out of nowhere and into Harry's hand. "It's from G.B. again," he said, looking at the signature.
"Read it." Godric told him.
Harry obeyed. " 'Congratulations again. No doubt you have solved the second Chimera Puzzle. Because you four have admitted to be at a peace of some sort with each other, you now have the ability to become people once more. I regret to say that this is only a long term, yet temporary effect. You will be able to do this only two days a week. My apologies for not making it longer, but I do not have the skill. Congratulations again, and good luck. Signed, G.B."
The four founders looked at each other, Harry laughed.
"What?" Godric demanded.
"You all look so confused!" Harry exclaimed, "I haven't seen you like that, and never expected to either!"
Salazar promptly wiped his face to blankness, but Rowena and Helga smiled—Godric remained confused. "Why's that funny?" he asked. This time they all laughed; except for Godric, who still didn't get it.
After the initial shock had faded, the founders decided that they would use this new ability on weekends. Saturdays they would finally have practical lessons with Harry, Sundays they would do what they wanted. Harry was a bit bummed about having only one day of freedom, so they agreed that he would get Mondays off as well. Salazar asked Harry if he could borrow the potions lab on Sundays, and Harry agreed. "It's the least I can do for you, since you've been teaching me." Harry told him, "When you're not busy, feel free to use it any time." Harry made likewise promises to Rowena when she asked to use the Library, and Helga to use the kitchen ("Big surprise," Godric muttered), and for Godric to use his broom and Quidditch supplies.
Godric helped Harry to call his final, magical creature of darkness into focus—a werewolf. Just like Remus, Harry thought as it howled. Since he could call all four creatures in just a second, Godric led Harry through the next step—transformation.
"Don't go to them Harry," Godric whispered as Harry floated in the empty space of his mind. "Let them come to you, so they can break the barriers." So Harry waited, but his four totems just hovered uncertainly. He didn't want to call them, it seemed too much like he was ordering them around. Instead, he welcomed them into himself, welcomed them to pass the barriers. The first two to cross were the panther and the werewolf. A foot away, they stopped and looked at each other. The werewolf nodded, and took a step back, allowing the panther to melt into Harry. As soon as the silvery form touched him, Harry felt his body begin to change rapidly. His head shifted, his eyesight grew sharp. His ears grew, moving to the top of his head. The legs came next, growing more muscle, and sprouting paws instead of hands. His tail flicked left, then right. Transformation complete, Harry let out a roar.
Godric smiled, "Well done Harry," he said, and held up a mirror. Harry had sleek black fur, and yellow-green eyes. Observing himself, Harry noticed that his scar was gone. He rubbed at his forehead with a paw, trying to pass the message to Godric, who quickly caught on. "Sometimes they appear in other places; your stomach, your tail, even your ear. Try looking everywhere." Harry did, and found a lightning bolt mark on the bottom of his front left paw.
Godric got Harry's attention by snapping his fingers. "Now try to change back." Harry sat, tail moving slowly back and forth as he re-entered his mind. Sensing what it was he wanted, the panther melted out of him, staying inside the barrier, but allowing Harry to change back to human. Without leaving his trance-like state, he obeyed Godric's next instruction and welcomed the werewolf into him. Harry's fear that it would be painful vanished the moment he began to change. Harry shifted to three times his normal mass, the transformation was quicker too. His face lengthened into a fanged snout, his ears got bigger and pointed; fur grew and his limbs stretched. His tail sprouted and Harry opened his sharp, yellow eyes. He could hear Godric breathing, Helga in the kitchen, even Rowena turning the pages of her book and Slytherin carefully stirring a cauldron. Wanting to hear their reaction, Harry threw back his head and howled. Harry melted back into human form laughing. Ravenclaw had dropped the book in shock, and Helga nearly jumped out of her skin. Godric was also laughing, mainly because he heard Salazar cursing in the dungeons blew—he was that loud.
Once they'd calmed down, Harry moved onto his next totem. The phoenix was his third transformation, since the cobra hadn't made up its mind yet as to whether or not it wanted to cross the barrier. The first thing that changed were his bones. They hollowed out, then he shrank. His nose grew and hardened into a yellow beak, his arms folded and turned into wings. Talons grew from his feet, and feathers sprouted from his body. "Beautiful!" Godric exclaimed, and held up the mirror again.
His eyes were black, with a splinter of emerald green in both. His plumage was mostly red, with the exception of his tail, the tips of his wings, and the crown of feathers on his head—they were all gold. The lightning bolt appeared on his chest, its color white. Harry sang a few notes of a phoenix song, and discovered that his voice was a bit deeper than Fawkes'. "Alright Harry, for you last totem, I want you to try something else." Godric began, "Keep the phoenix shape, but try to become the cobra without having to become human again."
So Harry entered the calm state of mind he needed, and explained mentally what it was he was trying to the totems. He figured that treating them like real beings might help, and it did. The cobra finally slithered over the barrier, and looked at Harry for a moment, then joined with him at the exact moment the phoenix left. This was the strangest change of all. Harry felt like his limbs were glued to his sides, and his body shrank, then stretched. His neck grew longer, his eyes smaller.
Godric applauded as Harry finished, then help up the mirror. Harry was mostly black, but his stomach was silver. He flared his 'hood' (as Godric told him) open, and saw that it was silver too. Harry then bared his fangs—they were ivory, and incredibly sharp. "Careful with those," Godric warned. Harry nodded and flickered his tongue, drawing a laugh from Gryffindor. " Loop at your tongue," Godric told him after Harry made a questioning noise at him. Harry opened his mouth, and saw what was so amusing. Instead of being forked, Harry's tongue was in the shape of a black lightning bolt. Harry hissed his laughter, then melted into human form. "That wasn't too bad." Harry admitted.
Harry spent the rest of the day exploring the woods with Helga, making potions with Salazar, and enchanting his ceilings with Rowena. His Occlumency went well, and Rowena was able to test him, being a Legilimens. She told him after ten minutes that he would need to prepare himself incase someone tried to use Legilimency while he was fighting.
On Sunday, Godric accompanied him in the workout room, and was amused by the muggle machinery. He insisted on trying them, and wasn't too bad. For his day off, Harry practiced catching the snitch he'd gotten out of one of the broom closets, and explored the wood around The Hideaway in his animagus shapes—he wanted to know it like the back of his hand. Remembering that no one could find his house, he asked Hedgwig to visit Alex, and deliver the letter he'd written on Friday, then wait for her to send a response. Hedgwig happily took the letter, and flew away. I hope I'm not too far from London, Harry thought.
The next day, the four founders returned to their portraits, and Harry chose to explore the wood around The Hideaway once more, this time in his animagus forms. Before he left, he asked Salazar if he'd seen Mark. "No, after twenty-four hours, he vanished. It's normal of course. Slytherin assured him, "A spell like that doesn't last long, but you can always recast it." Satisfied that there wasn't a rogue mimic of himself running around, Harry left The Hideaway, and transformed into his werewolf shape. His panther form was good for tree-top walking, and short bursts of speed, but the werewolf was a good, long-distance runner. After looking at his black fur, and not being able to find his scar, Harry began to run, ready to see how far he really was from London.
About an hour before sunset, Harry the werewolf trotted wearily through the front door. "Have a good run?" Godric joked as he spotted Harry on the stairs. Unable to speak, Harry just nodded his head, and collapsed onto his bed, where he returned to human shape. He was barely able to stay awake during Occlumency, and fell asleep fully clothed the moment he finished.
His classes went by quickly for the next three days, and only slowed down when Hedwig arrived with Alex's letter. Putting aside his lunch, Harry thanked her, and tore open the envelope.
Good to hear from you Harry! I wasn't expecting a report that quick, but I'm glad you did anyway. I'm making the final adjustments on the second seeker's boom, it's come along much easier the second time.
Sunday sounds great by the way. Where do you want to meet? I'm busy until noon, so anytime after that is fine. Well, I hope to hear from you soon, and I'll see you Sunday. Thanks again Harry,
Alex
Harry let out a whoop, he'd been worried that she might refuse. He gave Hedwig an extra treat, and put the letter away in the Marauders' Box. His gaze was drawn to the envelope that contained his parents' will. Harry hadn't opened it yet, and he wasn't sure why. Swallowing what ever it was that made him hesitant, Harry grabbed the letter, sat on his bed, opened it, and began to read.
'The Official Will of James and Lily Potter, to be read and executed by Albus Dumbledore to the following: Harry Potter, Sirius Black, and Remus Lupin
We leave the Potter vault to our son Harry and his godfather, Sirius Black, and our home we leave them as well as Remus.
Dear Harry, (this is your mother speaking)
I wonder how old you'll be when you hear this—hopefully you'll be a grown man, and have had a wonderful life. We named Sirius you godfather, but should anything happen to him, Remus will be your Guardian. We've asked Dumbledore to place you in the care of a loving family if anything were to come upon your two godfathers, though we pray that won't be necessary. You probably know by now about Voldemort, and he's the reason we hid. Hopefully everything will come out alright in the end. How are you doing? Have you been eating right, making friends, and keeping out of trouble? I hope so, don't go completely the way your father did—Merlin knows how many times he broke the rules. Well, I hope you have a good life, and I love you so much, and I always will.
Hey Squirt! Guess who this is! That's right, it's your dad. How ya been? Getting into mischief, right? grin Don't tell your mother, but I'm going to show you every secret there is at Hogwarts! Are you in Gryffindor? If not, that's okay, just do your best not to be in Slytherin. It's a shame you won't be able to freely use the Potter vault until you're seventeen, so for now, hands off the money! Who are your friends? Any enemies? I sure had plenty of both! Actually Harry, I want you to do me a favor, there's another envelope with my seal on it in the Marauders' Box, (Ask Sirius or Remus about it) and I want you to give that to someone for me—his name is Severus Snape. I don't know if you've met him, and we didn't get along too well in school; but I wanted to clear a few things up. Well, good luck kiddo, and I love ya. –James P.
P.S. Do you look more like me or Lily? I had a bet with Sirius about it.
Harry laughed at the post script, and closed the will. Smiling, he put it back in the box, happy that his parents didn't dwell on the idea of their deaths. Yet, he was frustrated with Dumbledore. He was supposed to have placed Harry with a loving family, not an abusive one like the Dursleys. Harry looked in the box, and saw the second letter his dad had mentioned. He made a silent promise to give Snape the letter before the school year began.
Coming Up:
Lunch with Alex
Harry's second wand
A character's death.
Then:
The wards fall
Harry's anger with Dumbledore
A chat with Snape (the joy, I know)
(A/N: Did you like the second part of the Chimera Riddle?)
Review Response:
athenakitty: no, G.B. is not Dumbledore, good guess though (response to review of ch.11)
Thank you to all you who have reviewed once more. Please, keep it up!
A.S. Leif
