It took a long time, but by mid-September, Merula and Zarif were finally ready. They had to spend a month with a mandrake leaf in their mouths and then wait for a week for this day, but now the storm was raging outside.

"Lightning in the distance," Merula says, looking out the window.

"It's time then," Zarif says, double-checking how to become an animagus in his book again.

Merula walks over and leans over next to him, reading it herself. "We have all the parts ready, correct?" Merula asks, a bit apprehensive.

"Yes," Zarif says before McGonagall enters.

"Mr. Trazax, Ms. Snyde, come with me," she instructed.

They both start to follow and keep reading from the book. Reading over the next parts that are needed to be done. "Lot of timings," Merula notices as she tries to keep up.

Zarif nods closing the book as they make their way out onto the roof of one of the towers.

Merula blinks as some drops land on her face. "Hope we don't get wet by the time we turn."

"Yeah," Zarif says as Snape stood there waiting for them with two vials sitting on a table.

"Are you both sure you want to do this?" Snape asks, a bit of a warning implied.

Zarif takes a deep breath. "I am."

Merula slowly raises a hand a little. "I am too."

"Very well," Snape says as lightning struck close to them.

"It is time then," McGonagall says as Snape uncorked the vials.

Both of the two students takes their wands out of their robes and walk over to the small table, each taking a vial. Then both stepping away from each other and place the tip of their wands over their heart.

"Amato Animo Animato Animagus."

Another lightning strikes around them and they both drink the potion in one go. Almost expecting searing pain, Merula braces herself for the change but feels nothing as she brings the vial and wand down. "Did…we do it wrong?" she asks the two professors.

"A few seconds. I suggest you relax," McGonagall advises and both Zarif and Merula jerk slightly in pain before they start to shrink down in size and the various parts of their body morph into an animal. With Zarif changing into a golden eagle and tilts his head, almost surprised. And Merula falling to her hands and feet as she morphs into a timber wolf that has an orange strip that trails down her forehead to the side, but also trips over her own feet and falls over onto her side.

"It seems this was a success," Snape says as McGonagall looks the two over to make sure.

Zarif cocks his head around before giving a flap of his wings and tries to fly over before only going a few feet over to Merula. Waddling and then hopping the rest of the way. Leaning down and nuzzling her ear as she tries to stand.

"Indeed. Congratulations you both," McGonagall says as Zarif morphed back to human and pets Merula like he does with Morganna.

Merula seems to look up annoyed and twitches an ear at him. Still trying to get her feet under herself.

Zarif smirks. "You did tell me big canines are for hugging and stuff," Zarif says lightly wrapping an arm around her.

Merula blows air up at him and tries again to stand, but fails as she stands on shaky legs. She starts to smile before her legs slip out from under her and fall flat on herself. Merula just gives another heavy sigh before trying to think of herself as human.

"Yeah…best to practice," Zarif nervously chuckles as she changes back to human. "Can't fly myself…oh. Wonder if I can talk with Autumn now?"

"You both will have plenty of time to do so, but for now, we need to register you both with the ministry," McGonagall informs.

"Does that take about a month and then a six month waiting period?" Zarif asks dryly.

"No. Of course not," McGonagall reassures.

"That is actually an official registration you have to do soon," Snape informs.

Zarif and Merula just stares at the two for a while before Zarif helps Merula up. "So where do we start?" Zarif asks.

"I will send a letter to the ministry and, in a few days, we should hear back from them," McGonagall informs.

"So…who's going to train us?" Merula asks, brushing her robes off.

"I will be. I expect to continue seeing you both at the same time on the same days," McGonagall informs.

Merula gives a sigh of relief at that point. "At least we can eat whatever we want again."

"If we are done here. I suggest that both of you head back to your dorms," Snape informs.

Zarif smiles now. "Thanks for the help," he says before walking off with Merula smiling and following him as well.

After returning to his dorm, he changed out of his wet robes into dry pajamas and soon the rest of his roomates came in. "Where have you been?" Dean asks.

"Late night test…to turn into an animal," Zarif shrugs.

"Huh?" Dean asks turning to him and was just looking at a golden eagle now perched on the bed frame of Zarif's bed.

Zarif lifts a wing and waves it before Autumn lands onto the bed and tilts her head at him. "Hiya," Zarif squawks happily.

"Oh, stand up straight. It's a bit embarrassing," Autumn instructs.

"And the excitement is gone," Zarif slouches with both wings down now.

"Blimey, did someone get a new pet?" Ron asks, walking in to this.

"Can you help teach me to fly once in a while? McGonagall will teach me…but I want a true flyer too," Zarif asks shaking himself and folds his wings again.

"If I must. Now stick your chest out more," Autumn informs.

Zarif looks to himself before doing as she asks a little. "How's this?"

"More, show some pride in being an avian," Autumn informs.

"What is going on?" Harry seems to ask as they all watch the birds seem to speak to each other and the eagle make some poses under Zarif's owl's watchful eye.

"I think we have a new pet," Ron says as the boys gather around.

"So…this is how birds stand…I'll admit. My body does feel better standing like this," Zarif says happily and looking proud.

"Yes, now deal with them," Autumn says before taking off and going to her perch.

Zarif smiles before turning to the other guys and changes back onto the bed. "So…what do you guys think?"

"…wicked," Ron says smiling.

"Yeah…but the problem is to become an animagus, you have to spend a month with an ingredient in your mouth, mostly under the tongue. Imagine eating like that," Zarif explains as he starts to get ready for sleep.

"What ingredient?" Seamus asks.

"Mandrake leaf. And it is tough to handle. Then you have to brew it in a potion and wait till a storm like this happens while repeating the incantation everyday till then," Zarif shrugs.

"I don't think I'll make it that far," Ron admits.

"This is why many don't become animagus," Zarif informs before reaching over and petting Autumn.

She hoots and nuzzles her head back at him before trying to nip his hand.

"Alright girl," Zarif says before giving her an owl treat.

Autumn hoots and nips at the treat, eating happily.

"Night everyone," Zarif says.

"You are so lucky, you know?" Harry says smiling as everyone starts to get ready for bed.

"It wasn't luck. It was determination and study that got me this ability," Zarif says.

"So you can fly and everything?" Dean asks.

"I need to practice to do that," Zarif informs.

Seamus hums. "I always wondered what it would be like to be an animagus."

"It is interesting," Zarif says before using his wand to extinguish his lamp's light.

"Don't you have a test tomorrow?" Ron suddenly asks.

"No, but I will have to register with the ministry that I am an animagus," Zarif informs.

Everyone starts to head to sleep now as they settle in. "How long will that take?" Harry asks.

"I don't think it will take long. Probably the ministry just needs to make a record of it," Zarif informs.

Autumn hoot loudly to them, curling up on her pedestal and closing her eyes.


The next month seemed to fly by quickly as Zarif threw himself into studying all his subjects. The only thing that was odd was that professor Lupin was not teaching his extra defense against the dark arts lessons, but Snape still was like last year. Zarif found this a bit odd, but he wasn't unhappy as he had very much come to enjoy Snape's lessons and what he had to teach. Snape was even continuing to instruct him in dueling though as it seemed the rest of the school had forgotten about it.

"Did dueling class really end?" Zarif asks one day.

"I am much too busy to teach the entire school how to duel. If not for this extra lesson I do with you, then I wouldn't even be able to teach you then," Snape answers as Zarif starts casting spells very fast at Snape who blocked each with a flick of his wand.

"That will be all for tonight," Snape says looking to the clock in the room.

"Yes, professor. Before I go, I was wondering if you can train to enter an upcoming competition," Zarif says as he and Snape gathered their belongings.

"Competition? There are many ways to enter dueling competitions. Much more widespread in fact," Snape informs.

"No, professor I wish to enter the Wizarding Schools Potions Championship next year," Zarif informs.

Snape stops and looks at him sternly now with the same expression that he uses while classes are in session. "The Potions Championship? Something that can even lead to your death if you are not careful?"

"I know sir, but it is the competition that I think would do me the most good and test me," Zarif says seriously and sounding like he had put much thought into it and was very determined.

Snape hums and crosses his arms. His face having a look that he is thinking about this whole thing. "Give me some time. I will see what I can do. But you must be dedicated to participate once the final choice is made. After which, I make no promises it won't end badly."

"I understand professor," Zarif says before leaving and Snape, after a bit, left the room to head to Dumbledore's office before he made his way to the great hall for the halloween feast.

"Hey. How did it go?" Ron asks, most of them getting use to his extra classes and just think he would be with them within an hour or so.

"Well enough, but excuse me. Percy!" Zarif calls to headboy.

Percy looks up from stuffing his mouth full of pumpkin pie and sees the student calling out to him. Putting his fork down, he swallows what he could and cleans his mouth with a napkin before trying to speak. "Yes?"

"Can I ask you to make a request to the headmaster?" Zarif asks as Autumn flies down from a floating jack o'lantern she had been perched on and lands on Zarif's shoulder.

"What is the request?" Percy asks.

"Can you ask him to let us found a dueling club?" Zarif asks getting many new excited looks now.

"I did wonder what happened to the last one," Hermione wonders herself.

"Snape destroyed Lockhart is what happened," Zarif says smirking now.

"He was running the club," Percy points out.

"Yeah, but he wasn't qualified and did it for his own ego," Zarif reminds as Percy could tell the word of bringing back the dueling club was already being leaked to other tables now and people were starting to get excited.

"I will see what I can do," Percy says before returning to eating.

Zarif smiles he heads back to the group to eat and talk.

The evening was a very fun one for all. Zarif talked and shared stories with his fellow Gryffindors as they ate. A few times Zarif looked to the Slytherin table to see Merula having a great time with her gang as well and from their expressions heard about the duel club request.

"Oh, how's your training with being an animagus going?" Hermione asks curiously.

Zarif looked to Autumn and gestures for her to get on the table. After she did, Zarif transforms before their eyes into a golden eagle.

"Shall we go for a flight milady?" Zarif teases, somehow getting a smile on his beak.

"Oh, good feathery god in the sky, your posture is still horrid," Autumn informs shaking her head.

"I'm human. Give me some time to really spend time like this," Zarif tries to defend himself. "Now, shall we take flight or do you want to peck those little bits of meat from the plate next to you?" he asks somehow grinning and she eyes the plate before pushing it away with a foot.

"No, now transform back. I expect to be carried all the way to my resting place," Autumn informs.

Zarif just stares at her. "Don't expect to be treated like royalty the whole time," he says jumping back into the seat and transforms back to normal. "Good thing she isn't hungry."

"Um," Ron says and Zarif looked back to see an empty plate and a bit of food hanging from her beak.

Zarif slowly frowns at her and she turns her head before turning around and then back to him, almost trying to look confused. "Don't…play…coy."

Autumn cocks her head, playing innocent.

"I'm going to change back and scold you," Zarif threatens and she jumps onto his shoulder at that, pecking his head softly. "She is now trying to act cute. She is definitely guilty."

"She accomplished one thing. She acted cute," Hermione says smiling.

"Yes, and is loveable. Aren't you girl?" Zarif asks.

Autumn hoots and pokes his head again.

Soon the feast ended with Percy going to talk to Dumbledore before leaving and the rest started to walk to their common room. Autumn takes off from Zarif's shoulder and flies toward the common room as everyone starts to walk up the stairs.

"No. Everything is fine. Right now, if needed, they can tell if the animal is me or just a regular one," Zarif explains to the others.

"And if you're hunted by the aurors?" Ron asks a bit worried.

Zarif chuckles as he tries to push past some people. "I don't think I will be causing a crime…unless Fred and George release another big prank and I am somehow named," he says after a bit of after thought. But then realizes the crowd is growing. "What's with the gathering? Someone died again?"

"Don't jinx it," Hermione says before Autumn gave him a hard peck.

"Oy, cut that out you," Zarif orders to her and she gives a soft peck to his head again. "I hate you," he mutters and she softly nuzzles his head with her beak.

Someone started to push through the crowd and show himself to be Neville as he looks at them with a panicked face. "It's the Fat Lady…she's gone," he says and was quickly pushed aside as everyone rushes past him to see.

"What?" Zarif asks as Percy pushes his way to the front.

"Her painting is cut up and there is no sign of her. I didn't even know you can kill a painting," Neville tries to explain frantically.

"Not easy with a painting like that," Zarif says before Percy called out, "Someone fetch professor Dumbledore. Quickly!"

"What's going on?" Ginny asked, having had just arrived.

A moment later, Professor Dumbledore was there, sweeping toward the portrait; the Gryffindors squeezed together to let him through, and Harry, Zarif, Ron, and Hermione moved closer to see the damage. "Oh, my…" Dumbledore comments, causing Hermione to grab Harry's arm.

"Uh…best you take off for now Autumn…I feel like we are going to get shoved here," Zarif warns up to his owl who hoots before taking off in the large expansive grand staircase.

Soon Professors McGonagall, Lupin, and Snape hurrying toward the scene. "We need to find her," Dumbledore says before starting to issue orders. "Professor McGonagall, please go to Mr. Filch at once and tell him to search every painting in the castle for the Fat Lady."

"You'll be lucky!" a cackling voice says. It was Peeves the Poltergeist, bobbing over the crowd and looking delighted, as he always did, at the sight of wreckage or worry.

"Oh no," Zarif sighs never liking Peeves.

"What do you mean, Peeves?" Dumbledore says calmly, and Peeves's grin faded a little. He didn't dare taunt Dumbledore.

Instead, he adopted an oily voice that was no better than his cackle. "Ashamed, Your Headship, sir. Doesn't want to be seen. She's a horrible mess. Saw her running through the landscape up on the fourth floor, sir, dodging between the trees. Crying something dreadful," he said happily. "Poor thing," he added unconvincingly.

"Did she say who did it?" Dumbledore asks quietly. "Oh yes, Professorhead," Peeves confirms, with the air of one cradling a large bombshell in his arms. "He got very angry when she wouldn't let him in, you see." Peeves flipped over and grinned at Dumbledore from between his own legs. "Nasty temper he's got, that Sirius Black."

Everyone stopped dead in their tracks. Peeves had just suggested the current british wizarding world most wanted had done this. Without any convincing, Dumbledore and the three other staff lead the house back to the great hall.

Leaving most students to sleep on the ground. And as everyone grabbed sleeping bags, they started to find their places with the help of the professors. But what the professors were trying to put out most of all is a sense of calmness. Something the students couldn't receive just as well after what happened.

Zarif waited, knowing if they were brought here, most likely the other houses would soon be here as well. In time, as the Gryffindor house, students got all their bags and was starting to settle down, in stream the rest of the houses. Starting with Ravenclaw as Zairf was sure it was because they were in a far tower. Then Hufflepuff came in. And what he waited for, Slytherin.

Zarif spotted Merula and was about to go over to her when Dumbledore spoke. "The teachers and I need to conduct a thorough search of the castle," Professor Dumbledore told them as Professors McGonagall and Flitwick closed all doors into the hall. "I'm afraid that, for your own safety, you will have to spend the night here. I want the prefects to stand guard over the entrances to the hall and I am leaving the Head Boy and Girl in charge. Any disturbance should be reported to me immediately," he added to Percy, who was looking immensely proud and important. "Send word with one of the ghosts. Sleep well," Professor Dumbledore finishes, closing the door behind him.

"What happened?" Merula says as she and her gang walked over to them.

"According to Peeves, Sirius Black somehow snuck in and attacked the guard for our house's common room," Zarif informs.

"How did he get in? I thought the Dementors were guarding the grounds," Merula says before looking worried at him. "You okay?"

Zarif shrugs as Autumn hoots as she flies in and lands on his shoulder. "I got her…and you. Yeah. I'm fine. As for how he got in, that is the million galleon question now, isn't it?"

Merula nods before smiling, a few barks coming behind her until Morgana bounds over to Zarif and tries to jump up and place her paws on his shoulders, licking his face. "Glad to see you're okay. Now if you excuse me, I don't think they would care, but I rather not get into trouble having a spot next to another house," she says before walking off to her group setting a spot on the far side. Morgana barking happily at Zarif before jumping down and following her master.

The hall immediately began to buzz excitedly. The Gryffindors were telling the rest of the school what had just happened. "Everyone into their sleeping bags!" shouted Percy. "Come on, now, no more talking! Lights out in ten minutes!"

Zarif followed Harry, Ron, and Hermione to a spot for themselves and once he sat down, he turned to Autumn. "Autumn, can you go retrieve the sphere from my bed?" Zarif asks.

Autumn hoots and takes off towards the holes for owls and heads outside. Flying towards the tower and windows where it is made for owls to open easily. Leaving Zarif to wait as he thought about that ball and what's so important that Merula would give through Morgana. As the students start to fall asleep in their places, a hoot sounded out and Autumn flies through the owl hole and down to him. Landing beside him, she drops the sphere in her talons into his hand and lets him look it over. Starting to close her eyes and rest beside him. Leaving Zarif to stare at the bird symbol and wonder where did he see it until he blinks and facepalmed.

"I'm an idiot." A few bits of laughter sounded out from those nearby and awake still. But now knowing what language this is, he can sleep a bit easier now. Keeping the ball tucked inside his bag.

Autumn hoots a bit in acknowledgment.

"Shut up."