Chapter 04

• Hells Howl •

The second summer was very different from the first.

The encounter with Firenze had cautioned Harry, but in a different way. He was not afraid to go out, but he was careful about what was going on around him. His ever alert eyes would scan the ground as he hopped through the trees and he began seeing more than he'd ever seen before.

There were the mice that ran through one of the clearer areas of the forest where a hill and a field had become overrun with potatoes. If he listened close enough he could hear voices coming from the ground sometimes, and he would move away, trying to stay away from people.

Firenze appeared many times, and sometimes with friends. There were a few of the man-horses, Harry concluded, maybe even a dozen. They were easy to hear though, as their hooves made a distinctive sound, and Harry always had time to hide.

Dog began pulling Harry out when he went on hunts, nipping him and nosing him along until Harry got the idea. It was strange, but Dog seemed to understand what it was Harry was doing and in some ways they could understand each other. The sounds that Dog made were slowly taken on by Harry until he was using them in most of his expressions. Dog understood them best of all and being that he was Harry's only companion they became a sort of pack, misunderstood and odd, but a pack.

When the wolves who lived nearby came near Harry they would announce their presence by a yip, and then go about their own business, ignoring Harry altogether if he ignored them. Then there were the bears. As Harry was returning home from watching a successful hunt from above the wolves he heard a crashing, the falling of trees and what seemed like a stamped. Naturally Harry hid himself high in a tree, and watched to see what beast was moving through the forest. A huge thing appeared in the twilight, immediately reminding Harry of a monstrous Vernon, but instead of being peach he was grayish and carried a gigantic stick which was waving back and forth dropping the smaller trees and bushes that lay in its path.

With the little experience Harry had in animals, Harry had thought it might be a bear, even though the pictures in the storybooks he'd seen of them were far different. But then, he'd found that many things did not look like the pictures in the storybooks.

There was a foul odor emanating from the beast, like the rotting carcasses that were sometimes left in the forest untouched by the animals. With each swing he grunted deeply and again it reminded Harry of Uncle Vernon. But it was not, it was not human at all, Harry knew that. It had tiny little eyes, and as it continued past Harry there was an odd sound that emitted from its throat, like a roar. The sound made Harry tremble even in the tree's. But still, his curiosity got the best of him and he decided to follow it instead of running. He was safe in the trees it seemed.

When it got dark Harry found it hard to follow the creature and he found a limb that was large enough and perched himself in it, sleeping. Dog would likely come after him soon, but he wouldn't be able to find Harry right away – he hadn't been on the ground for more than half the day. When Harry realized this in the morning he dropped to the ground and then, pulling back, let out a long howl. Dog would hear it and come, hopefully close enough to find his scent. Harry still wanted to follow the creature.

"Will, mate, thought you'd said that there weren't no wolves in this area," a voice said from nearby and Harry jumped, slipping around a tree away from the voices. "That sure sounded like a wolf to me, you don't think that it's a werewolf, do you?" the voice continued.

As quietly as possible Harry climbed into the tree he stood behind.

There was a shuffle and a much quieter voice. "Shut up you mangy manticore, we aren't about to find a troll with you yapping so loud. T'ain't no werewolf either, they only come out on full moons and there aren't many that roam the forest. Probably a wild dog, there aren't any wolves in Scotland, 'aven't been for years."

Creeping around the tree when he was high enough Harry spotted two people standing in a clearing, looking both ways. "Where do you suppose he went Will? It don' look like he did much damage round here."

"Dung I told you to keep your trap shut," the second man said growled and looked around. Harry pulled back a little. The man seemed to think that there might be danger nearby and was trying to discover where it was.

Somewhere far off Harry heard Dog howl a response and Harry smiled. Dog had been looking for him. "Sure sounds like a wolf," the man called Dung said, gripping the stick in his hand tighter. Harry would have laughed had he remembered how to; such a small stick was no match for a pack of wolves if that's what they were after. And the beast that had come through the night before was holding a much larger one.

"Yeah," muttered Will and he moved along the same path that the bear had gone the night before. "There's the trail again," Will said pointing to where the bear had laid his stick down on the ground and dragged it behind him. "Let's get moving before the animals get over here. Watch for the one nearby, it sounded like it wasn't more than a few yards away."

Understanding the two were after the bear, Harry followed, even more curious. They carried nothing on them that he could see that would protect them. They were odd men, the oddest he'd ever seen. Their clothing was different from the sort of clothing that people wore, but was vaguely like the cloak he'd found in the forest. He was still wearing it, sort of, the arms and bottom half had been ripped off because it caught on things as he ran through the trees, but he kept himself partially covered by what was left.

The bear was huge and had a weapon – while they had nothing, Harry wanted to see how they would kill him. People were strange; he knew that, they didn't act the same in the woods. It took him a little while, but he took a side route parallel to the path the bear would be taking and he caught up to the beast again, after a good distance of running.

The bear had fallen asleep on the ground and was still asleep, his stick lying on the ground beside him, and his huge chest heaving up and down like a mountain. The smell was unbearable and Harry curled his nose in disgust, but he had an idea to get both things he wanted, the men to leave and to be able to see the fight which would take place. He doubted that the men would win, and that was all the better, he didn't like people in the forest near him.

Dropping to the ground Harry found a rock and tossed it at the beast, striking him in the head. With a snort the tiny eyes opened and looked around. Harry hopped into a nearby tree with another rock in hand and threw it at him again, plainly staying in sight. The bear bellowed as the rock struck its nose and he looked up to Harry, standing immediately. His hand went for the stick, swinging it towards Harry in the tree but missing because it was not nearly long enough.

Harry growled at it and then dashed through the trees towards the men, trying to get the bear to follow. The sound of the trees behind him crashing was enough for Harry as he continued on a quick sprint through the trees trying to find where the men had gone. The huge bear, though it didn't look it, actually moved quite fast and kept up with Harry's pace continue to bellow angry guttural noises.

"'e's coming! That devil wolf is chasing him to us!" Harry could hear Dung shouting frantically as the bear neared the men. Their eyes were on the ground but Harry still moved higher into the branches away from them, howling one last time when he was sure they couldn't see him, as to get the bear to continue in his direction even though he couldn't see Harry.

When the bear finally met the men he was running full speed, and he barely caught site of them before he was on top of them. It was over the instant later. Both men held their sticks in the air and said something odd, something Harry'd never heard before and the huge bear tripped over himself, falling on the ground and sliding forward until he was at their feet.

Dung was cowering while the other man stared at the beast menacingly. Harry was very afraid, they'd never even thrown anything and the huge bear was already at their feet. "You don't suppose," said Dung, looking around, "that maybe that 't'ain't a wolf? I've heard stories from muggles. You know muggles, they always make up stories based on what they ain't never 'eard of. Sure'd explain why the thing seems to be flying round us."

Far off in the distance Harry could hear Dog howling a response to his howl. Below the two men looked around slightly disturbed, of course Dung was more afraid. "Let's say you and I get this beast out of here before they decide they don't like us," he said his stick held highly.

They waved their sticks again and the bear rose into the air, flying along behind them without anyone touching it. Harry gasped, he'd never heard of flying bears before. Maybe the men were doing it, but he couldn't see how, neither of them were touching the bear.

Swift and silent, Harry followed behind, keeping a good distance. Every once in a while he would slow and howl so that Dog would know where he was going. He had never been so far from his shelter before and would need Dog to get back this time.

One time, as afternoon was closing and night was creeping over the forest there was more than one response to Harry's howl. Dog had howled his response and Harry could tell he was closing in on the men, but then there was a second howl and a third and fourth, somewhere further off. Because it was almost night the pack was becoming active and it seemed that Harry's call was also calling to them.

It was fun to see the men stop and look around. They were terribly frightened and when they started off again it was at a quicker pace than before.

Every time Harry howled, the two men seemed to get more and more finicky. What made it even more fun was that the wolves were closing the distance fast - their howls were getting closer by the minute. Dung seemed to be constantly muttering under his breath as he looked into the trees.

Will was the one Harry was afraid of though, he'd almost caught Harry the first few times he turned to look into the trees. Harry had just howled the last time he did it and froze in mid movement as the eyes roved through the trees. At first he'd thought the man had seen him, because he didn't turn forward for a long time.

When Will finally did turn forward again, he didn't pause for a moment. The howling of the wolves in the distance was enough to do more than spook him. He started off at a dead run, the body of the bear moving behind him just as quick.

Dung was stunned for a minute, he looked back, then forward, and then back again as if insuring that it was Will and the bear that had just run past him. He finally turned back and forth a last time, sprinting after them at full speed. "Will!" he shouted frantically. "Will!" But no manner of shouting was going to slow Will. It only sped his progress, he ran almost as fast as Harry had when he'd been running for his life.

Harry grinned and gave chase in the tree's starting to howl ever spare moment he had. Dog and the wolves were catching up, but not as fast as they had been. The tree's started to sparse and Harry had a harder time trying to keep up as he ran through them, finally dropping to the ground and running hunched over but keeping further back. He could hear them crashing through the brush but the sound stopped and Harry slowed. There was something else, something familiar sounding. Making a quick course change, Harry headed around them, not wanting them to surprise him.

They hadn't stopped running though; they'd made it through the trees and to an open area. Harry came to the edge of the forest and stared beyond. He could see lights, and people, houses and stores. Then, suddenly, as quick as he'd seen it he turned and dashed away, heading back the way he'd come. He didn't like people; he didn't want to be there. The bear was gone now along with the men that had followed it. Harry'd had some fun and that was enough for him.

He howled after he'd gotten a good distance from village, trying to find where Dog was. Dog returned his howl, and within a minute or two was waiting for him ahead. The wolves howled, but they were still off in the distance, it seemed they didn't want to approach the town and Harry didn't blame them. When Harry started off the way he'd come Dog seemed to understand and followed him, steering him towards home.

They slept the night in a root cavity that had been formed over hundreds of years. Harry didn't sleep well at all, and continued to awaken in fright, seeing people meandering around in his dreams. He would awake and hear the call of the wolves – which calmed him considerably. But finally, he dreamed of the girl, her silver hair hanging loosely as she returned to his place near the creek and sat with him. They drew things and laughed until the morning came when Harry awoke with Dog licking his face.

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