Chapter 7
Mr. Fox
I don't own any HP characters
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Harry had a restless night, he just couldn't get comfortable and his scar started to tingle which kept waking him up.
"Give it a rest" he said to himself angrily while he rubbed his fingers across it. As Harry lay there he listened to the different styles of breathing and snores that came from his fellow roommates. He heard Seamus sneeze and Ron mumbled to himself while he turned over, Harry relaxed and fell asleep.
Harry dreamt he was outside in a big open area, he shivered with the cold. It was a clear frosty night, the full moon giving the only light, but Harry wasn't alone. He could feel he was being watched and Professor Trelawney's voice come through the darkness,
"You will be betrayed"
Harry could hear himself shout, "Who will betray me?"
Hermione walked out of the darkness, "Surely not me Harry."
She faded back into the darkness, Ron came into the light, "You don't think me mate?"
One by one Harry's roommates appeared and disappeared all saying the same thing. Harry was surprised to see McGonagall and Dumbledore appear and ask the same question, "You don't think we would betray you Harry?"
The faces kept changing from Lupin to Mr. and Mrs. Weasley; even Sirius walked out of the darkness and asked him. Harry tried to reply but everytime it was too late the people disappeared. A hooded figure walked into the light, "Mr. Potter, do you think I will betray you?"
Harry recognised the voice of Lucius Malfoy and a second man joined the conversation, "Potter! Do you think it will be me, your own Potions master?" The two men laughed.
"Silence" a third voice yelled. Harry's scar exploded with pain. Voldermort walked out of the darkness, his red eyes looking straight at Harry. "Harry, Harry" he sneered, "I'm not looking to betray you, but I have other plans for you."
Harry screamed and jumped up in the bed. He was covered in sweat and breathing very heavily.
"Harry, you alright mate?" Ron called from his own bed.
Harry sat there gasping, his scar stinging. Ron pulled back Harry's curtains to see if his friend was alright.
"I'll fetch you a glass of water, relax, I'll be back in a minute."
Harry readjusted his pyjamas top that was tangled up and reached out for his glasses. When Ron came back into the room he asked Harry if he needed anything else or anyone else like McGonagall, Dumbledore or Madam Pomfrey the nurse, but Harry just shook his head.
"No! I'm fine honestly, it was just a nightmare"
Harry advised Ron to return to his own bed and not to worry; he would tell him everything in the morning. After an annoyed "Shh!" from Seamus's bed Ron finally agreed to return to his own bed.
"If you need me at all" Ron whispered, "You know where I am."
Harry thanked Ron and after changing his pyjamas for a clean dry pair, Harry lay back down. He wished that he had a bottle of dreamless sleep potion, he removed his glasses and fell asleep once more.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
At breakfast the following morning Harry had received an owl from Sirius asking him how his first day of classes had gone and if he wanted to meet up with himself and Lupin at the first Hogsmeade visit.
Harry had promised Ron and Hermione he would tell them about his dream at lunch. He reassured Hermione that it wasn't a vision, it was just his subconscious getting the better of him, like any normal person and if he told Dumbledore he would only laugh.
Harry remembered he had to go to the staff room before nine to hand in his Herbology essay. He apologised to Professor Sprout and after a brief lecture about the importance of his O.W.Ls she dismissed him.
Harry's first class that day was Defence against the Dark Arts with his new teacher. He noticed the time and started to run down the corridor. He arrived at the classroom just before his teacher and took his seat next to Ron.
Harry was always intrigued with the Dark Arts room. In First Year the possessed Quirrell taught there. In Second Year attention seeking Lockhart had the place decorated with portraits of himself. Lupin in Third Year had made the class his own with different types of skulls and books, and then last year the fake Mad-eye Moody had taught there. This year he noticed Professor Fox was obsessed with foxes. There were pictures all over the classroom and miniature sized stuffed foxes scattered all over the room, on tables and on shelves.
Fox introduced himself to the class and as he stood in front of his desk Harry and Ron noticed all the girls were staring at their new teacher. Harry remembered what Lockhart was like around the girls but this guy was actually handsome. He had blonde hair, tall and tailored very well.
"My name" he started, "is Claude Fox and I'll be your Defence against the Dark Arts teacher. I've been informed of your previous teachers and what you have learned so far. Now I think for today we'll just do a bit of introducing ourselves, nothing too strenuous for the first day. I would like to know your name, your house, your parent's connection as in Muggle, Half-blood etc and one special thing about yourself. We will quickly go around the class, so as soon as your neighbour is finished next person start straight away. I like to know my students, I will start. As I've already said I'm Claude Fox. My mother is a French witch and my dad is a British Muggle, who's a Professor in a Muggle college called Oxford. My one special thing is I'm a registered animagus. Does anyone know what this means?"
Hermione's hand shot up and she quickly rattled off the answer. "It's the ability to transform from a human to an animal" she said going very red in the cheeks when she saw the smile her Professor gave her.
"That's correct" Fox answered, "I'm sorry I don't know your name or your house, so you can be the first to introduce yourself."
"Hermione Granger, Gryffindor" she blushed.
"Well Ms. Granger, you may take ten points for your house, well done. As Ms. Granger said I'm a registered animagus and I decided to take the form of my Surname a fox. I have always found foxes intriguing, they are cunning, sly, clever and sharp and for the Dark Arts you need those four factors. So that animal suits me in more ways than one. Does anybody know anyone that is an animagus?"
Harry looked to the other two and then looked at his desk, deliberately not making eye contact with his teacher. He didn't want to mention Sirius.
"Professor McGonagall" Dean replied
"Very good, Mr...Eh!"
"Thomas, Dean Thomas"
"Thank you Mr. Thomas" and turning back to Hermione he said, "Okay, Ms. Granger if you would like to continue with your introduction"
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
That evening in the Common Room, Harry, Ron and Hermione were all doing their Transfiguration homework. Crookshanks Hermione's cat was asleep in front of the fire and Ron was staring at her.
"I wonder what it's like?"
"Hmm!" said Harry looking up from his parchment, "What did you say?"
"I said" Ron replied "I wonder what it's like?"
"What, what's like?" Harry said as he dipped his quill into his ink jar.
"Being an animagus" Ron continued, "I wonder what it's like? I would say it's brilliant. Roaming the streets at night time, sleeping when you want to, eating when you want to."
"You do all that already" Fred laughed.
Ron ignored his brother while Harry laughed into his hand as Ron continued, "Sometimes the way your cat acts Hermione I'd swear she was human."
"I never thought about it" Harry said, now looking at the sleeping cat in front of the fire. "It would be helpful if you had to run away in a hurry or get into small gaps and eavesdrop on conversations, but I never thought of what animal I would like to be. My dad was a stag just like my patronus so would I be a stag because of that?"
Hermione yawned beside the two boys. "I'd like to be a bird" she said, I could land anywhere listen into conversations fly away afterwards and if I didn't like what I heard Id peck their eyes out with my beak. Now I'm off to bed"
Harry and Ron laughed and agreed with Hermione and the three of them went to their dormitories.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Authors note: Hiya I just wanted to say thanks Ive received over 1000 hits for my story thats so cool but only 3 reviews let me know if you like my story - please review :) but more importantly please continue to read my story. Wukky