Chapter 3: Return to the Atrium

Hermione led the troops to the room again. Falling in suit behind her were Harry, Ron, Ginny, Tonks and Lupin. She opened the door, smiling brightly at everyone who walked by her. Her smile is infectious. Harry thought. Everyone couldn't help but laugh or smile along with her when they saw her do it.

Hermione had her reasons for smiling. Not only was this her second-favorite part of their day-to-day activities (second only to schoolwork), she had also been practicing. Here she would get to show off her newly gained ability, if she chose to. She smiled at the thought.

Harry looked around the room. It had changed. The cold hard stone that was once under his feet had turned to warm grass. Vines had also begun growing up the walls and had actually closed the cabinets that didn't require usage at the moment. He loved this part of the day, as did the other children. Harry and Ron laughed as Ginny and Hermione danced around in the sunlight. They pulled Harry and Ron into their game.

Tonks smiled at the sight. They don't deserve this, she thought, they are really too young. Remus broke her thoughts. "All right, nymphs," he chuckled. Harry and Ron mocked hurt, while Hermione and Ginny stuck their tongues out at him. "We do need to get started. I promise, after an hour, we will eat lunch."

Ron got excited then, anxious for food. The morning duel had hungered them all, so they stopped frolicking and stood attentively in front of Lupin and Tonks. "How many of you can reach a separate corporeal form now?" Lupin asked the children before him. Ron suddenly found an interest in the bookcases, Ginny studied her shoes, and Harry nodded jerkily. Hermione slowly raised her hand.

Tonks beamed and tapped Lupin on the shoulder. He turned on his heel. "You still owe me from this morning. Harry won, that would be, I believe, 30 galleons," he said smugly.

"What happened to the whole 'they shouldn't have done that' crap you were spewing earlier, Remus?" Tonks replied.

"Well, Nymphadora, it happened. They both did it, so it's fair. Now then, my money?" he held his hand out. She dropped her galleons into his hand, taking back five.

"Hermione is the only one prepared. So I'll take my winnings." Lupin rolled his eyes and faced his students once again. They all had smirks on their faces. "Oh, come off it!" They laughed.

"Now then. If there is nothing else…" he glared at Tonks, who stuck her tongue out. "You will all need to concentrate very hard today." Hermione opened her mouth to protest but Lupin was ready. "I doubt you can fully change?" She hung her head. "Then you need to concentrate as well. Harry, if you would be so kind…"

Harry concentrated for a moment. Vines grew across the center of the room, strangely reinforced, as if a trellis grew with them. They created an eight-foot wall separating the two halves of the Atrium. It split up Harry and Hermione from Ron, Ginny, Tonks, and Lupin. Harry still marveled at this. He had done it since they trained here mid-morning in the beginning of the summer. Lupin said that Sirius had created the room and it obeyed him somehow. Harry asked him why he had to create the wall and Lupin explained that Harry had the closest bond to Sirius before his death. It confused him, but Harry did this every day, except for weekends.

"Just begin concentrating on your animal and we will be with you in a minute. Hermione, maybe you could help Harry out?" Tonks yelled over the vine-wall to Harry and Hermione. They sat down facing each other, legs crossed beneath them. Harry found himself unable to concentrate, so he talked to Hermione.

"What animal did you get?" he asked. She opened one eye and looked at him, annoyed at him for breaking her concentration, but pleased to be able to talk about her accomplishment.

"Guess," she said with a mischievous smile. He thought about her qualities and actions and spoke out loud to her.

"Well let's see…you're smart, so something with brains," Hermione blushed at his compliment. "You're strong, so a strong creature. Courage there too." He tapped his finger on his chin. Stifling a laugh, he said, "You also sometimes exhibit suicidal tendencies, so I would say the Sphinx, since you would also be proud enough to pick a mythic beast!" He finally laughed as she slapped his arm.

"How did you know?" she asked, slightly angry. She put a lot of thought into her Animagus form, and wanted it to be a surprise, but she was amused that Harry knew.

"You left a book open on the library desk on time, and I went in there to research an animal for myself and saw it. I opened t up to find a picture and the story of the Sphinx," he explained. She nodded and silently kicked herself for leaving her book in the library. "How far have you gotten?" he asked, wonderingly.

"Well, I can transform my lower half into a lion's, but I can only get one's hind legs," she frowned. Then she brightened up. "Do you want to see it?"

Harry nodded furiously. "Okay, but hold my arms, because it becomes difficult to stand with a lion's hind legs and a human's arms." He laughed and took her arms. Hermione breathed through her nose calmly for a moment. For a second she became irregular, and then she began to morph. For a moment, her entire body disappeared. Then the outline of the Sphinx was visible, but not fully seen. Starting at the nails and continuing up the hind legs, a lion appeared.

The transformation halted at the lion's torso. Hermione's arms became like a lion's front legs. Harry groaned in pain as her claws dug into his arm. A moment later, Harry's arms were released as Hermione let go of him, stepping backwards. He gawked at her for a second. She was a Sphinx. Her face and chest were still intact, but connected to a lion's body. She swished her tail and glared at him. Without warning, the mythic beast pounced onto Harry's chest. Hermione's face grinned at him devilishly, flashing her claws at him.

Slowly, and with labored breathing, the rest of her body matched her face. They both were grinning ear-to-ear. Hermione smiled and raised her eyebrows as to ask a question. At first he shrugged, but she let out a small growl.

"Amazing!" Harry laughed, and she rolled off him onto his right arm. He winced slightly, but was so glad to have her company that he allowed it. "Is it draining?" he asked, ignoring the pain.

"Very, but I've never gone that far before," replied Hermione, smiling at him still. "It was such a rush though, all of the strength and power." She tried to pretend the closeness between them was nothing, but couldn't help feeling nervous.

"Well, it was bloody brilliant!" Harry and Hermione lay there, talking to each other until a voice broke their conversation. Not a voice really, but Lupin clearing his throat.

"How's the training going, guys?" Ron said, walking out from behind Lupin. Harry and Hermione noticed that Ron, Tonks, Lupin, and Ginny, all of them with a goofy smile, now occupied their side of the wall. Ginny was giggling.

Hermione leapt up, blushing furiously. "Err, me and Harry were just trying to relax."

"On top of each other?" Ginny said, trying to hide her giggles. Harry had risen now too. Everyone noticed his arms bleeding rapidly, including Hermione for the first time. "Oh my God, Harry! What happened?"

"Oh. Yeah. Err. Uh, Hermione had transformed and her claws dug into my arms," Harry answered truthfully. Hermione looked like she was going to cry. "They don't hurt, they're just bleeding," he said, trying to stop her from crying.

Lupin quickly approached, brandishing his wand. "Medicum Incanto!" he whispered. Harry's cuts sealed themselves and the bleeding ceased. He murmured a thanks before Lupin said, "I think we're good for the morning training. Why don't we see what Dobby has fixed us for lunch."

Ron happily obliged and even raced everyone down to the kitchen. Harry walked a few paces in front of Hermione, trying to avoid her, but she caught up to him. "Are you sure you're all right? I am so sorry! I had no idea what was really going on while I transformed."

"Hermione, breath. In and out, in and out," Harry joked while she slapped him on the arm. "Look, its fine, really. Like I said, they don't hurt. Now let's see what's for lunch!"

She laughed. "Sounds great!" As they both walked toward the kitchen, Hermione whispered before they entered, "Umm, please don't tell anybody about my full transformation, ok? I wanna try to perfect it before everybody else knows." Harry nodded as they sat down for lunch.

A/N: Just so you know, the Sphinx jumped off a cliff after a human answered a riddle she thought no one could. Mythology buff, sorry. Review as always.