Disclaimer: I have no intention of making aney money off of this story,I give all credit for characters(and histories of said characters)to J.K. Rowling
Chapter 3:
Yay, The Family Is Here!
A soft purring on his forehead woke him up. He opened his eyes and realized that Alima was in kitten form and wrapped around his head. He scooted down the bed so that she was still snoozing on the pillow and got up.
He summoned a shirt to him out of the wardrobe. Since the week before, he had become able to consciously control his magic almost all the time. And because he could use it without the Ministry knowing, he used it every chance he could (outside of the Dursleys knowing, of course).
Today his Aunt Agatha and her children would be arriving. Harry was almost looking forward to it, as life in the Dursley house was at an all-time-low. He was once more allowed to leave his room, that permission having been granted as soon as he was able to control his magic, which was as of five days ago, but not one person in the family would speak to him. In fact, they pretended as if he didn't exist at all, which wasn't unusual, except in the part where they didn't even enslave him to do the menial jobs around the house. But of course he was grateful for that.
His lessons and conversations with Alima were insightful and educating. She surprised him every day with the new things she showed or told him. He found out that she had known a Chimaera that had fought with Hercules when he was still alive, and that she knew Rumpelstiltskin well, he was an old friend, and that she had in fact been the fairy that cursed the Beast from Beauty and the Beast. Of course he was also surprised that any of those stories were true, as he'd thought them to be muggle-made. But when he told her this, she just winked and said, "Well, where did you think they got the ideas?"
He stood up and stretched, wondering if he had the energy to transfigure his pajamas into something more. He concentrated, imagining a comfortable pair of jeans and a light cotton black shirt. He opened his eyes, and looked down, it was exactly as he'd imagined. He looked in the mirror; they didn't fit him quite the way he wanted, so he altered them here or there until they looked just right.
"Today you'll begin thinking about what form you want to take when changing."
"Pardon?" Harry asked startled, looking down to see a comfortable Alima spread across the head of his bed.
"What animal form you'd like to take when you learn to become an animagus." She said.
"I'm really going to learn?"
"Yes, and we aren't going to register you either, as then they would be able to find you. So you're not to tell anyone that you're learning, not even your friends." She said, eyeing him sternly. He opened his mouth to protest but she cut him off. "Not until you can change completely may you tell them." He nodded curtly.
"As long as they can know. Why don't they learn either?" He asked, the thought suddenly occurring to him.
"They are, I enlisted a few of my more adventurous relatives to do the job. I believe that even Ginevra Weasley is learning, and Neville Longbottom, along with Luna Lovegood." Harry opened his mouth to ask why it wasn't just Ron and Hermione. "They've all become targets, you know." Harry looked at her. "By their participation in your quest to the Ministry earlier this year, they blatantly made themselves your allies and your accomplices. All of them are in hiding and taking extra lessons in defense." He stared.
"Bloody hell." He muttered. "They're all going to get attacked and killed because they followed me. Bloody goddamn hell." He pounded his fist against his palm. "Do you know if they're coming along well or not?"
"Miss Granger is second to you, then comes Mr. Longbottom, Miss Weasley, Mr. Weasley, and Miss Lovegood. They're doing rather well, better than we thought that any of you would do." She smiled weakly.
"Neville is doing better than Ginny and Ron?" Harry asked in disbelief. "That's fantastic." Some of his shame and anger was dissipating with that news. "I'll have to owl him...wait, I have no owl, never mind." He tapped his chin. "Hermione can forward it for me." He moved to his desk and wrote a letter out for Neville, then added a note for Hermione, asking her to forward it to Neville for him. He enveloped it and stamped it, and took it downstairs.
He opened the front door, walked out to the mailbox by the sidewalk, and put it inside. Just as he was putting the flag up to indicate mail inside, a black van pulled up in front of him. His fists clenched immediately, and spells were running through his mind. But he recognized his Aunt Agatha in the driver's seat and forced himself to relax.
She cut the ignition and all the doors opened at once. Five children climbed out and so did she. Harry put a smile on his face and welcomed them.
"Harry, nice to see you." She had an equally pained expression on her face, but was polite to him nonetheless.
"Good to see you too, Agatha." He told her. "And you lot, how is everyone?" Richard and Adam's faces both lit up in identical mischievous grins, almost reminding Harry of Fred and George Weasley, except that Harry didn't fear turning into a canary around these two.
"Hello Potter." They both said politely. "Nice to see you."
"Harry." Nora said kindly, actually giving him a hug, which he returned in surprise.
"Hi Nora." He said with equal kindness. "How have you been?"
"Good thanks. And you?"
"Very well." He looked up, seeing Alberta talking to another young female just as rotund, unattractive and mean looking as herself. "Hello Alberta." He said evenly.
"Hello Potter." She said just as evenly. "Potter, meet Bernice Goulding, Bernice, this is my cousin's cousin, Harry Potter."
"Nice to meet you." The dark-haired, plump girl said coldly.
"Nice to meet you too." Harry said with a grim smile. "Where are everyone's bags?" He asked, diverting his attention from the rude set of girls. "Let me help you carry that in Nora." He said taking the heavy shoulder bag from her. "Alright, we'll go inside and let the family know you're here."
He led them all up the path and to the front door, opening it and helping everyone inside. He let them set their things down in the living room and went to the kitchen to find Petunia setting out an enormous breakfast. "They're here." He told her.
"Yes, I heard them come in. Finish setting the table so I can go get Vernon and Dudley." Harry nodded, waited for her to leave and then waved his hand. Dishes, silverware, place mats, and napkins all magically set themselves in all the right places, the table even moved into the middle of the room so that there would be space all around.
With that he turned and went back to the living room. He sat on the couch next to Nora, smiling down at her. Everyone was a bit silent.
"Petunia is getting Vernon and Dudley now." He told Agatha. Another minute of silence crawled by. "So how was the drive?" He asked into the quiet.
"Rather well. It's not a holiday so the traffic wasn't bad, thank goodness. And that van drives like a dream."
"I saw it, is it new?"
"Got it last month."
"Nice." He said. "So anything new or interesting happen lately? How's Geoffrey?" Harry inquired politely.
"He's on a case right now, you know how lawyers are, he's hardly come home for a week now." She laughed dryly. "You've met Bernice, right?" She asked suddenly.
"Yes, Alberta introduced us." It was silent for a few more minutes until Petunia, Vernon, and Dudley burst into the room.
"Agatha, darling!" Petunia cried. "How are you?"
"Richard! Adam! How are you boys? Not getting into trouble, are we?" Vernon pulled the boys into a bear hug.
"Hello Aunt Agatha." Dudley said sullenly. Harry knew he didn't much like her; she wouldn't fawn over him or give him money like Marge did. "Hello Richard, Adam, Alberta, Nora." He nodded to each in turn. "Been well, I hope?" They all nodded. "And who is this?" Dudley looked at Bernice inquiringly. "Hello, I'm Dudley Dursley."
"Bernice Goulding. Nice to meet you." She shook his hand.
"Are you a friend of Alberta's?"
"Yes, I'm spending the summer with them all." She responded.
"Very good." Dudley nodded and turned to hug Agatha, as was required.
When introductions all around were finished, everyone moved to the kitchen for breakfast.
In the middle of it, Harry felt something rub against his leg. He was sitting to the left of Nora, and Adam was on his other side. Richard and Dudley were across from them. Harry looked down to see Alima purring against his leg in kitten form. So he picked her up gently and set her in his lap, taking care that neither Petunia nor Vernon were paying attention.
"Hi kitty..." He said gently. Nora noticed her and awed in girlish delight.
"Awwwwww..." she said. "Can I pet her?" She asked quietly. Luckily Petunia and Vernon were too absorbed in their conversation with Agatha to take notice.
"Sure go ahead. But I warn you, she has a nasty temper sometimes." Alima glanced at him and then rubbed on Nora's hand, still purring.
"What's her name?" Nora asked quietly.
"Alima." Harry answered. "I got her a week ago, found her out in the street, took her in. She was too sweet and adorable to just leave out there, so I brought her home." Harry smiled down at her; she had on a happy kitty smile as Nora scratched her ears.
"Now nice." Nora said sincerely. "That's so sweet."
"Of course, that means she ignores everyone else, usually." He smiled. "You must have something special about you." Nora smiled widely.
"I'm good with cats." She said happily.
After breakfast was finished, Harry excused himself to go upstairs.
"Oh, oh, can I come with? I want to play with the kitten!" Nora asked her mother.
"Sure go on ahead, dear." Agatha said casually. Vernon's face contorted for a second, and Petunia paled. Harry looked at them helplessly, figuring they would come up with a reason for her to stay downstairs.
"Alright." He said when his Aunt and Uncle made no plausible objections. "Come along then." He carried Alima upstairs on his shoulder, her favorite perch while in feline form, and waved his finger casually over the doorknob before opening it.
"Go ahead and play with her while I do some homework." He told Nora. She nodded, sitting on his bed with Alima.
He pulled out his notebook and began to mentally take inventory of all the Potions ingredients he had, and all the ones he would need, and the ones he needed to refill. Then he listed them:
-robes
-quills
-parchment
-ink
-boots
-need to visit the twin's new shop
-find any books about animagi
-advanced spell-books
-new clothes in general
Then he ran his finger down the page, applying a disillusionment charm, so that if anyone were to read it, they would see any normal shopping list, besides himself of course.
"Alima... kitty, kitty, kitty." He called. She leapt from Nora and onto his lap immediately. "Oh, you're so cute..." He was holding her up and looking at her. She raised one kitty eyebrow. He smirked.
"You know, she matches you." Nora said suddenly. Harry was laughing and distracted by the look on Alima's face.
"What?" He asked absently.
"She matches you. Black hair and green eyes." She repeated. "It's rather cute." Harry smiled and looked at Alima's face again. It was resigned.
"She does, doesn't she?" He said, almost to himself. With that he pulled out an encyclopedia of animals that he had found in his room, one of the things Dudley had left there. He began flipping through it, eager to find an animal that would suit him.
"Hmmm." He said to himself absorbed in the description of a grizzly bear.
"What are you doing?" Nora asked over his shoulder. He jumped; he'd forgotten she was still in his room.
"Animal Report, for...Science class." He lied easily. "We have to study one animal from each continent, an animal that's indigenous to that continent, and turn it in at the beginning of the year." He said smoothly, surprised at himself. "I'm doing this one for North America, as wolves are around here too."
"Ah." She accepted it easily. "Why don't you do mythical creatures?" She asked after a few minutes.
"What?" He had begun reading again.
"Mythical creatures." She asked keenly. "There are far more mythical creatures to choose from than there are normal ones. And every area has their own." Harry stared at her a second.
"But it's for science class." He reminded her uncomfortably.
"Ah yes, that's right." She said, but didn't sound convinced. He looked at Alima, and saw she was staring at the girl keenly.
Nora left his room fifteen minutes after that, saying she needed to go to the bathroom. When she was gone, Harry locked the door and cast a silencing charm combined with a befuddlement charm so that were anyone to stand outside his door, they would merely hear him listening to music.
"What the hell was that?" He asked Alima immediately. "Did you hear that?"
"I heard it louder and clearer than you." She said. "Cats have sensitive ears. It seemed to me she knew you were lying, though I must admit it was a very good lie."
"But the comment about mythical animals, that was bizarre."
"Indeed that was." She nodded. "I detect magic in her. But she didn't have enough to receive a letter from Hogwarts. Perhaps she can feel you. You do have a powerful magical aura." She told him; Harry stared.
"She has magic?" He asked in disbelief, ignoring the comment about his aura. Alima nodded. "Just not enough?"
"Precisely. You have to have a certain amount to start with in order to hone your abilities, she fell just shy." Harry paused in thought.
"Do you think she knows she has it?" He asked; Alima nodded.
"She probably realized she has...abilities that others don't. And she's much more perceptible to the magical world than other muggles would be."
"But, if she's a muggle, who's just under the wire, wouldn't she be able to see, say, The Leaky Cauldron?" He asked her.She thought a moment.
"If she tried, yes. But someone would have to tell her it was there."
"Ah." He sat in thought for a few moments. "I'm looking at animals." he told her, moving back to his encyclopedia.
"I noticed."
"What type of animal would you recommend?" Alima got comfortable on his bed.
"Big, strong, able to cause physical harm, but still fast and able to run for long distances if necessary. But not so big that you can't hide if needed." Harry nodded.
"Something indigenous to Britain, though?" He asked, looking at the bear again.
"Preferably. Though if there is something you see, that fits the profile, it will work as well."
"I was going along the lines of wolf, though I'd rather not." Thoughts of both Sirius and Remus were going through his head. "Stag, but probably not as it'd be too weak. Or maybe one of the great cats. A panther, or leopard... cheetah maybe..." He was flipping through the cat section. "I found it." He said suddenly. "Laughing Hyena. It's a mix between a dog and cat, big, strong, fast, perfect sense of smell, but not as big as a great cat would be." he kept reading. "It's the biggest Hyena there is, andI have to admit,I do like the way it looks."
Alima flitted over behind him and read the profile over his shoulder. "Yes, I think that would be a perfect choice." She kept reading a moment. "Know that you will have markings, markings that prove that you are an animagus. On your face there will most likely be circles around your eyes...you'll have a black ruff instead of auburn or gold...and the eyes will be green instead of yellow." Harry nodded.
"I figured. But that's alright with me."
"Alright. Now stand up here in front of me." Harry obeyed, once more amazed at how petite she was. "Hands at your sides...close your eyes...and feel yourself."
"What?" He asked, eyes popping open.
"Take inventory of all of your physical body parts...every last one. Every finger...the parts of your arms, feel how they move...shoulders...how your shoulders attach to your neck and head...your facial features...the way they move...how your chest feels...the way you hold yourself...down to your waist...the way you stand...feel your abdomen, below your waist, how that feels," at this Harry turned red, "Your behind, be conscious of it...your legs...the way they bend also...how long they are...how big your feet are...the way your toes move...the way your knees bend...everything. Just feel. Become familiar with yourself." Harry took a deep breath and moved all of his limbs experimentally, feeling how they connected and shifted, how they moved easily and gracefully. He could feel where they all fit, how everything shifted in sync and with an easy rhythm.
"Now think of a hyena...what does it look like? How do you imagine it moves?" She told him. "How big is it? Everything about a hyena that you can bring to mind that you know right now, I want you to think about." He nodded and took a deep breath to focus. After a few minutes with Harry's intense concentration, Alima spoke. "All right. You're done for the day." Harry's eyes popped open.
"Excuse me?" He asked, confused.
"You will do this exercise everyday until you can conjure the image and the feeling of what it might be like to be a hyena immediately to your mind."
Harry nodded, slightly disappointed. "So what are we doing now?"
"We're going to have to wait until we can get to London to go shopping. We need to get some things." Harry looked at her questioningly, but she didn't say anything more. Then someone knocked on the door. Harry cut the music spell, undid the silencing charm, and unlocked the door with a wave of his hand.
"Hey, I'm back. Let's see if we can leave and go walk somewhere?" Nora asked him.
"Sure." He shrugged, picked up Alima, put her on his shoulder, and followed Nora out, locking the door with a snap of his fingers.
"What was that for?" She asked. He looked at her questioningly. "You snapped your fingers."
"Oh, that...I do that out of habit, sometimes I'll just snap my fingers. I dunno, I've done it for awhile now." Alima purred into his ear.
"Petunia, Nora wants me to take her for a walk, show her around the neighborhood. Is that alright?" Harry asked Petunia politely.
"Ask Agatha." Petunia said haughtily.
"Aunt Agatha, would you mind if I took your daughter out for a walk? She'd like to see the neighborhood." Agatha nodded, and Nora smiled widely.
"Then let's go!" Nora said excitedly.
"Grab your jacket and your scarf, I'll be there in a minute." Harry called to her. "Petunia, I need to speak to you privately later." He said in an undertone. Petunia glared at him and looked as though she were ready to give a nasty retort, but held her tongue. "I need to go shopping for some projects from school." He told her. She paled.
"School? And what school are you in now?" Agatha asked.
"St. Brutus' Secure Center for Incurably Criminal Boys." Vernon piped in before Harry could reply.
Agatha turned to look at him. "Incurably Criminal?" She asked raising an eyebrow. "He might be dysfunctional, but surely not criminal." Harry frowned at being spoken of as if he weren't there.
"We'd rather be sure that he's well cared for." Vernon said, seeing mutiny on Harry's face and daring him to say otherwise.
"I hope they're good there." Agatha turned to him.
"Very strict, you break a rule, just one tiny thing and you're in deep, but they are fair." He said through gritted teeth.
"Good. I'm glad to hear that." She smiled indulgently. "Now, go give my daughter a tour of the town. Off with you!"
Harry tried not to stomp out of the house. So Vernon was still telling people that? He asked himself. The bloody git. Harry would be sure that Vernon had bad luck for the rest of the week.
"What was that about?" Nora asked when they'd closed the door and walked to the sidewalk.
"Oh...just Vernon being..." He refrained from finishing that sentence the way he wanted. "...Vernon. As usual."
"Yeah...Vernon isn't a very nice man." Harry looked at her in surprise. "I see the way he treats you, and the way he talks to you, and hear the way you respond. You don't get along very well, do you?" She asked acutely.
"Well...no, we don't. We never have."
"Why do you live with them then?"
"Because they're the only family I have." Harry replied quietly.
"I always wanted to ask, and you don't have to tell me if you don't want to...but, whatever did happen to your parents?" She said uncertainly.
Harry thought for a moment before answering. "They were murdered, by a very, very bad man." Nora gasped. "Petunia tells everyone that they died in a car crash, but it's not true."
He could almost feel her staring at him. "Did they ever catch him?" She asked quietly. Harry smiled coldly.
"No, not yet. But everyone who's able is working on just that." He assured her.
"How come I never heard of this?" She asked.
"People wanted it covered up, because the guy did such a good job of it. They couldn't figure out who it was or how it happened or why." he paused. "And your mum probably doesn't even know the truth herself, if she even wonders."
"Where were you at the time?"
"I was there...he left me alone...actually...the only thing he left on me was this." Harry traced his scar with his finger. "I was only a year old. Then they sent me here, and this is where I've been ever since."
She was staring at him. Harry glanced at her uncomfortably. He noticed a tear falling down her cheek. "Don't be sad for me! It's nothing, I got over it a long time ago, it doesn't hurt me anymore..." He tried to console her.
"But they wonder why you're different...if my parents were murdered I'd be a bit out of it too!" She said through tears.
"Now, now...I know who the man is, and as soon as I'm able to I plan on going after him. Though I have to wait until I'm of age to do that. See?" Harry wished he'd bit his tongue on that; how on earth was he to explain how he knew whom the man was?
"That's not for two years!" She said, Harry had to catch himself from disagreeing with her, the Muggle coming-of-age was eighteen, and the Wizarding was seventeen.
"Yes, yes I know. But I've been patient for fifteen years, I can manage another two." He smiled. "You don't have to worry about me, you know. I take care of myself, the Dursley's are nothing more than a house to spend the summer in, believe you me."
"But that's so sad!" She cried. "And your school...you must hate it."
"You know...the funny thing is, I love it. It lets me get away from everything. I concentrate on school, and the people there, and I get away. It's quite nice."
"You must not break very many rules then...otherwise you'd be in trouble all the time and not having any fun at all." Harry smiled at her mischievously.
"That or I do break rules and cover my tracks very well." He winked at her and she grinned.
"I can somehow see you doing that." She agreed.
They fell into conversation easily, and Harry was glad that there was someone in the muggle world who did not recoil or leave the room at the sight of him.
Author's Note: Yes, still slow...it will be this slow for awhile, I have to keep setting things up for later in the story. Don't worry, things will make sense eventually; I hope. (hahaha...it will all blow up at some point...)