Chapter 16: Snow on the Mountain.

Time pasted quickly at Hogwarts. Day by day classes became harder and more interesting. Preparations were already underway for the students to start signing up and studying for their O.W.L and N.E.W.T examinations. Harry and his friends had already signed up for the N.E.W.Ts they needed and had become very serious about classes and keeping caught up. Harry was finding his classes enjoyable even with the added pressure of the looming exams. Defense against the dark arts hadn't been this much fun since professor Lupin, in Harry's opinion. Dumbledore had a lot of knowledge and excitement when he was teaching and for the subject itself. Surprisingly no major mishaps had occurred since the incident by the lake. Harry's mind was always clear and even his scar didn't bother him much anymore. The daily profit kept a close watch on the happenings of the death eaters and sightings of Voldemort for those wizards that were still not joining his side. Things had been kept quiet and for the most part Harry was devoting his time an energy to school and Quiddich, un like previous year when he went looking for trouble.

The Quiddich season was going on wonderfully. Gryffindor had won their first game against Ravenclaw, 250 to 80 and were sitting at number one in the house cup spot thus far in the school year. Both teams played competitive games. The new Gryffindor chasers worked well together. They communicated well with each other, were very technical flyers and were well guarded by the team beaters. Ron was showing his improvement to the highest respect not making it easy for the Ravenclaw's and even if they did score a point on him it wasn't with out him fighting his hardest even with the mocking Slytherins from the stands. Harry hadn't seen the golden snitch for most of the game and when he did finally get his first glimpse of it, nearly two hours into play time, he lost it again because he was distracted with the cheers and the taunting as a point was scored against Gryffindor. The match was becoming a very tiresome game. It was the first game of the season and was the one to set the standard of play for the teams to follow, and so everyone was playing to the point of exhaustion. When Harry did finally see and catch the snitch the team gave out cheers of relief as nearly everyone collapsed to the ground as the final whistle blew. The cheers from the crowd were loud in the air and the Ravenclaw's and Gryffindor's were all very happy with the playing and the start of the season. Quiddich practices were also going along very well with no major mishaps. Ginny had received a brand new broom from her parents only days after her's was destroyed and the schedules for the practice time were set up and regulated by the four house professors so that no one was left out. Professor McGonagall made sure that the Gryffindor practice time was not stolen by the Slytherins. Harry's team was getting along fabulously. The beaters took to hassling the bludgers at any time they could laughing and taunting them as they practiced. The Chasers gave Ron a run for his money, playing very technical passes and communicating with each other all the time. The practice was only making Ron more aware of what he would be dealing with and Harry watch on as he devised passing techniques and plays for the chasers, all the while releasing the snitch and catching it as it came close to him. By the end of practice, the Chasers were horse from yelling, the Beaters were bruised and exhausted and Ron could hardly keep himself on his broom any longer. Professor McGonagall had also scheduled practice games for the Gryffindors and other teams, to get the feel of the players and how competitive the teams were becoming.

As for Harry's classes, he was enjoying them all, even potions with Professor Snape. He really felt that he was taking in valuable knowledge to help him in his future trials as he knew there would be. He had learned and mastered many potions that went along with a lot of what Dumbledore was teaching in Defense against the dark arts. Harry was finding it easier to get along in Snape's class, he found that Draco Malfoy had taken to watching Amelia and he was scolded often by Snape for it and Professor Snape had turned his negative attentions toward Dominic and the advanced potion making. Dominic didn't mind however, the potions were entertaining him greatly and he knew that Snape couldn't read his mind or the things he passed back and forth to Harry and Amelia.

Harry was very content with his friends as well. Ron and Hermione were very cute together and Harry found that some of Hermione's study techniques were rubbing off on Ron and all of them for that matter. Hermione and Amelia has also taken to comparing and contrasting their study notes and both of them held top marks over most of the school for the final year students. They concentrated more on school work and Quiddich than anything else. Amelia had gone with Professor McGonagall to register her animagus and she had begun to teach all her friends the basics about what she had learned to perform the animagus spell. She spent more time on it with Ron and Dominic, as Hermione had already achieved hers, than she did with Harry but Harry didn't mine. His time with Amelia was spent on occlumency and he could really see the difference in the way he worked, in the way his mind was always clear and it made him calmer and more focused on what he really needed to learn. His mind was cleared from the worry of what Voldemort could do to his mind and it was more set on what he would have to learn to defeat Voldemort when the time for them to face off actually did come. Harry wasn't the only one being taught, he took great pride in practicing and trading techniques with Dominic in Defense against the dark arts. Harry's patronus charm was still baffling Dominic but he too was learning from Harry and they believed that it would be what was needed to fight the good fight.

The seasons changed before Harry knew it and the Christmas vacation was already descending on them. Hermione was on her way home for the holiday but everyone else had decided to stay with Amelia, Dominic and Harry at Hogwarts. Belinda had recruited her children, Ron and Harry to help her decorate her classroom for the holiday and most of their time was spent with Belinda in the warm, cozy holiday environment. The seasons changed in the windows of her room as they did outside the castle. New animals seemed to play in the stained glass as the greens of the summer had changed to the golds of the autumn and the whites of the winter. Harry had shared the marauder's map with his friends to sneak in and out of Hogsmade to bring back secret gifts for each other and for Belinda. It was also used to sneak up and play ticks on Mrs. Norris. Amelia had actually caught the cat by the tail in her animagus form and really upset the poor cat. It had been rare that Harry ever just got time to play and he did a lot of this with his friends now. They spent a lot of time around the Hogwarts grounds, in the fresh winter snow, taking part in many muggle traditions as Amelia and Dominic had grown up that way.

One sunny winter afternoon, Harry found himself bombarded by Amelia, Dominic and Ron. The snow was sticky and wet and perfect for snow balls. Dominic threw another, that hit Harry in the back. Harry spun around, wand at the ready and looked all around him for any signs of his friends.

"No wands!" they all yelled from there hiding spots.

"This is a non magical game!" Amelia laughed.

"Yeah come on Harry, fight like a man!" Dominic added.

"What is this gang up on Harry day?" Harry yelled putting his wand away and picking up some snow.

"Of course not," Ron laughed as he threw another snow ball at Harry, from around a stone pillar.

"It's a snowball fight and you just happen to be the unsuspecting one right now!" Amelia laughed as she too threw another snow ball but this time at her brother.

"Oh so that's how you want to play!" Harry said sneaking up behind her, "pick on the vulnerable one!" he laughed as he shoved snow down her back and she screamed.

"no, that's not what's going on!" Ron laughed.

"It's a free for all!" Dominic yelled as he tackled his sister into the snow then went after Harry. Harry ducked out of Dominic's way and Dominic flew head first into a pile of snow. Harry then pelted him with snow balls until Dominic had regain his composure and tackled Harry into the snow. Amelia and Ron came out of hiding and began to gang up on Harry and Dominic, which didn't last long as Dominic tackled Ron and Harry grabbed Amelia's arm and pulled her into the snow. Soon the four friends laid, soaking wet, in the bright white snow laughing uncontrollably, the snow cold on their backs but the sun warm on their faces.

"This is probably one of the best winter breaks we have ever had Dom!" Amelia said as she sat up, snow covering her hair.

"Why do you say that Lia?" Harry asked as he sat up beside her.

"Because everyone is happy," Amelia smiled, "Mum is so much more at ease at Hogwarts. I've never see her so happy and so in her own element and we get to spend our holiday with our best friends, just fooling around and not worrying. Its just been so wonderful!"

"I'll have to agree with you!" Dominic smiled throwing more snow at her, "it's a nice break from the muggle Christmas rush and the hustle and bustle of all that goes along with the season. Its quiet and peaceful. Truly what Christmas should be about."

"I guess you both are right!" Harry said, "it's really nice to have people to stay with and to celebrate with."

Amelia shook out her hair. The snow had turned to water in the sun and rolled off her hair and glittered in the sunlight. Before everyone's eyes she changed forms to her animagus, stretched her wings and took off to the top of the highest tower of the castle, over looking the school grounds.

"Now she is just showing off!" Dominic huffed and rolled his eyes.

"You haven't done it yet?" Ron asked.

"No!" Dominic said, "I'm beginning to think she is beating around the bush and just doesn't want me to do it. She talks all the time about techniques but nothing has happened and I don't feel any different. She keeps telling me to be patient."

"Same here," Ron said, "we're been through it all but nothing has happened."

"What about you Harry?" Dominic asked.

"She has taught me some stuff but we spend more time on occlumency," Harry said as he watched Amelia fly down from the tower.

Amelia landed on the bench where Harry had sat down and changed back to her human form, "there are some storm clouds coming our way," she said, "we should probably head into the castle soon oh and Harry, I just saw Hedwig on the other side of the castle she looked like she had a letter for you."

"Thanks Lia," Harry smiled, "she'll probably leave it for me."

"Ok Lia," Dominic said standing before her, "enough of me being patient, when are you going to tell me exactly how to do the animagus spell?"

"I think you are all about ready for it," Amelia smiled, "we've been though all the techniques and you know that it's..."

"...not a spoken spell, yeah, yeah we got that. Lets get to the flying!" Dominic interrupted.

"If you want to fly that bad Dominic go get your broom cause I can't guarantee that a bird will be your animagus," Amelia said angrily.

"So what's next Amelia?" Harry asked, knowing that a fight between Amelia and Dominic was about to erupt.

"And don't make us do anything stupid Amelia for your own enjoyment. That would just be uncool!" Ron said.

"Awe Ron, you just foiled my plan!" Amelia giggled.

"What's the trick?" Harry asked, "if we know the technique and stuff there has to be a trick that we are missing."

"Well," Amelia said, "first we have to figure out what animal spirit is bound to you."

"And how do you expect us to do that?" Dominic asked sarcastically.

"The first animal that comes to your mind, the very first is normally the one that you are bound with. Sometimes it can be hard cause more than one animal will come to mind and you wont know but for the most part the very first one that comes into your head is the one that calls out to you."

"Alright that seems simple enough," Harry smiled, "then what?"

"Well then all you have to do is free your mind of most everything you would be thinking of and think of freedom, true freedom. You then have to mix the though of freedom with the techniques we were working on." Amelia explained.

"That's a lot to be jumbled in your mind wouldn't you say?" Ron stated.

"That's why we worked so much on technique so that you can perform the technique without really knowing you are. It has to be almost subconscious for it to work," Amelia said, "that was my problem in the beginning I was trying to hard to think about it all," she added and turned back into the white snow owl and sat one the bench watching her friends.

"I guess that's all the help we are getting from you!" Dominic stated angrily as he pointed at the owl and it snapped it beak at him making him jump away.

Harry sat silently on the bench, Amelia's owl form beside him, "just feel the freedom Harry," he heard Amelia's voice in his head as the owl brushed its wings against the sleeve of his coat. Harry had never really felt freedom before, true freedom. He had lived his young years like an animal caged in his uncles home and now in his youth he was captive by the barriers of lord Voldemort powers. Harry closed his eyes and rested his head in his hands, "what is freedom?" he asked himself. "Freedom is going where ever you wish to go, running as fast as you can through wide open fields, with no boundaries. It's being loyal to yourself and only the people you choose to be close to. It's saying no if you are not comfortable with doing something you don't feel is right. It was what really only happens to the spirits of the dead who are free from the captivity of fear," Harry thought to himself.

"Oh my god!" Ron exclaimed.

"Harry, how did you do it?" Dominic gasped staring at the young colt that stood where Harry once sat.

Harry opened his eyes and he towered over his friends, "so much like his dad!" he heard Ron say to Dominic and he looked down his feet were no longer his. He reared his feet and brought them crashing back down onto the snow covered ground, "Amelia," he though, "is this real?" he called out to her.

"Oh yes Harry," Amelia answered as she took off from the bench and flew off in front of him.

Amelia startled him as she flew a circle around his head and then headed out toward the open field of the castle ground, "come on Harry," she called to him and he ran after her.

"They left us!" Ron exclaimed.

"I can't believe this!" Dominic said his eyes wide with amazement.

Harry ran quickly along with the wind. He was agile, strong and free. The snow coved ground and the forest trees flew past him. The wind sang in his ears and the sky stretched on forever. He jumped over rocks and snow at great speeds. This moment was the freest he had every felt in all of his life. He could feel the spirits of the earth and the sky and even those of the people he held closes to him. He could hear his mothers laughter on the wind and could feel his father pushing him along. He saw and heard thing he had never dreamed were alive and around him. He could hear, see, smell and feel life to its very core and root connecting him with all the magics of the earth and sky.

Amelia perched herself, high, in a fir tree and watched Harry disappear over a hill. She was pleased that he had been able to find himself before any of the other because she believed he was the one most in need of the freedom he had never known. She was even more proud to see that he was so much like his father and so tied spiritually to him, it was the confidence that Harry needed in his life to keep him pushing onward.

The storm clouds on the horizon became darker and closer. The wind was picking up and still Amelia didn't want to stop Harry from what he had found. She wanted to wait as long as she could, till the first snow began to fall before she stopped him. Soon another white owl found a perch in the same tree as she had.

"Finally I found you!" Dominic said from the branch close to her.

"You did it Dominic!" Amelia said happily.

"Yeah, after the initial shock that you and Harry left us was over, Ron and I both managed to figure it out," Dominic said, "looks like we have more in common than we though."

"Being tied to the same animal spirit, it must be a twins thing," she giggled as she hopped up and stood beside her brother, "what did Ron end up?"

"A Lynx," Dominic stated.

"Oo that's very original," Amelia said.

"Yeah he was quite excited about it. Now he has gone off to find Harry, to get him back to the castle. Those clouds look pretty bad, we should head in," Dominic said.

"Yeah," Amelia agreed and watched as Dominic flew off toward the school.

Amelia waited till she saw Harry and Ron come back across the white field before she left her perch. When she did she flew close to them just above Harry's head all the way back and stopped short just of the doors. The four friends gathered in a circle and were soon standing facing each other in their human forms.

"Wow that was amazing!" Ron stated excitedly.

"Yeah what a feeling that was," Harry smiled.

"Well that wasn't bad at all for your first try!" Amelia said, "but now that you all can do it, we will have to tell Professor McGonagall so that you can be registered."

"Yeah... or Harry can keep it a secret, like his father, and sneak around more," Ron said.

"That's what my map and my cloak are for I think I can risk registering my Animagus!" Harry laughed.

"And we should tell mum your good news Dominic," Amelia smiled.

"But not before we eat something," Dominic smiled, "I'm starving!"

"Me too!" Ron stated.

"Yeah, it's starting to snow anyway," Amelia laughed.

"Last one in the castle has to sit beside Professor Snape for dinner!" Ron yelled and they ran through the snow and into the castle as the storm began to curtain the castle in white glimmering snow.