Chapter 5

Getting to know each other

Everyone stared at Draco.

"A ferret?" Hermione said, trying hard to suppress a laugh. Harry and Ron's faces were pink from trying very hard not to laugh as well.

"If Draco prefers ferrets, then ferrets it will be… even if he was turned into one," Kitty proclaimed from behind a startled Draco. She had a steaming cup of something in her hand and handed it to him. "Here. This is hot chocolat. Drink it down," she said.

Draco did so, while he looked about McGonagall's room. After a bit, he said to Minerva, "Nice room, Professor."

"By drinking this, I've made him one of you," Kitty tried to explain. "It makes him understand that most of what his father taught him was wrong. Now, you all can take the day off… but I will be coming to get you all early in the morning. Is that clear?"

The newcomers all nodded.

"Very good then. Now, sleep well," Kitty said and left them to their own devices.

"Here you are, Ronald," Minerva said and gave him back his cuddly toy tabby cat.

"Thanks, Proffesor," he said gratefully.

"Please, Ronald… don't call me that any longer," Minerva said. "From now on, Minerva will be enough."

"Yes, Minerva's right. You may all call me Xiomara," they heard her shout from her room.

Ron went back to his room and his bed, after he changed and lie down, he soon felt something lying down on his feet. He looked down and saw that Minerva---in her tabby cat form---had laid herself upon his feet.

"Well… if you like… you can sleep up here, you know, Minerva," Ron told her, just a bit hesitantly. The cat sat up, and looked at him. She then got to her feet and laid herself down beside his face. Ron reached over and gently scratched her behind the ear, and smiled in wonder when she began to purr. Feeling a bit fondly of the purring cat, he laid his hand over her, and soon fell asleep.

Early next morning---just as she had promised---they were all woken by Kitty. She shook Ron and Minerva, none too gently, until they both woke up.

"Come on! It's time to wake up, you two," Kitty groused, hurrying them along. They got up, and---after Minerva had turned herself back into her human form once more---Kitty gave her a glass of water and a little blue-green pill. "Here. Take this," she instructed.

"What does this concentrated potion of yours do?" Minerva asked, curiously.

"It will give you all the power you will need. Since you are just a bit older than the rest of the team, you might harm yourself while training," Kitty explained a bit patiently.

"Oy! Why don't we get a pill?" Ron asked.

"Because you're still young, and the training won't hurt you," Kitty said.

Minerva took the pill, popped it into her mouth and swallowed it down with a swallow of water. A few minutes later, Minerva admitted, "I don't feel any different."

"You aren't supposed to feel any different," Kitty told her. "While I am teaching your students and Xiomara, I am going to tell you how to control your new abilities."

"Very well," Minerva said, though she did have her reservations still.

Kitty showed them the way to the Gymnasium.