Summery: Harry finally has Sirius back in his life, a house and friends. What could go wrong?
No Longer Running
Chapter Six
Replies and Classes
A few day's later Harry was sitting in the Great Hall for breakfast when the owls arrived to deliver mail. He always loved this sight, but today he was looking for a letter he was supposed to receive from his Godfather.
He grinned as one of the school owls landed in front of him. He fed the small brown owl a piece of bacon and untied the letter.
"Who's it from?" Ron asked swallowing and taking a drink.
"Sirius." Harry answered as he opened the letter.
Dear Harry,
Your the Gryffindor Seeker? Congratulations! I'm very proud of you! Remus says Congratulations and he is also proud!
Nothing much is happening here. Remus is over almost every day. We're still working on getting to know each other and working out our past.
Over Christmas break I have something to discuss with you.
I'm glad things are going well!
Again, we are very proud of you on becoming Seeker for Gryffindor!
Your Godfather,
Sirius Black
P.S.
Remus and I will be at your game next month!
Harry grinned as he folded the letter back up. He was very pleased by Sirius' reply. He knew Sirius would be happy about him being on the team; Sirius himself had been on the team with his Dad while they were at Hogwarts. Harry was also happy Sirius and Remus appeared to be trying to work out they're problems. He also wondered what Sirius wanted to talk about.
Breakfast soon ended and they had to go to their first class, Charms.
Professor Flitwick was teaching them how to boil water with a heating charm. Harry had almost managed to get the water to boil by the time class ended. Only Hermione and Draco Malfoy had fully completed the assignment.
Next they had Transfiguration.
Professor McGonagall was the same stern woman she had been the previous year. She was trying to teach them how to do animal transfiguration.
"Professor," One of the Slytherin girls asked. "Is this how we can become Animagus' or similar to it?" Much of the class murmured in interest.
"No." Professor McGonagall answered. "Becoming an Animagus is much more difficult. There is a lot of work involved in becoming an Animagus and it takes a long time to accomplish. There are also many dangers involved."
"But there are reports of people becoming Animagus' on they're own without lessons." A Gryffindor boy, who Harry didn't know too well, commented.
Professor McGonagall sighed before she spoke. "Yes, some have managed to become Animagus' on they're own without lessons." She confirmed. "One of those ways is by teaching yourself, but I warn you not to do so. It is very dangerous to teach yourself to become an Animagus."
"What kind of dangers?" A Slytherin boy asked.
"You may only partially transform. You may transform fully and not be able to transform back into your human form. But know this; if you are discovered to have taught yourself to become an Animagus, there are punishments." She warned eyeing the class sternly.
"Professor, you said there were two ways to become an Animagus without lessons?" A Slytherin boy asked.
Professor McGonagall nodded. "Some young children have learned to transform as a form of self defense." She glanced briefly at Harry who looked down at his hands. "They tap into they're magic, like accidental magic. Most of you as children have preformed accidental magic. When you got into trouble, when you wanted something, when you were running for something or were upset." She paused to let her class think that over for a minute. "There have been documented cases of abused wizards and witches who have transformed as a way to protect themselves."
"How come we couldn't have done it then?" A Slytherin asked. "Most kids played games where they pretended to be animals. Why couldn't our magic react to that and allow us to perform an Animagus transformation?"
"Because there isn't a need for you to transform. It takes a lot of magic to become an Animagus. If the young wizard or witch really is in danger they're magic will react to it, and in the case of many abused children it has given them the ability to transform. A child who learns to transform like that though is usually unable to control they're transformations."
"Like Potter." Mumbled Draco Malfoy and a few Slytherin's snickered. Malfoy had told everyone about how Harry had transformed the previous year, though many of the student's didn't believe him. Many had wondered and some had even asked Harry about it, but he neither confirmed Malfoy's claims or denied them.
"Do those who learn to become Animagus' for self defense get punished if they get caught?"
"No," Professor McGonagall answered. "If it is proven they suffered abuse they are not punished. They do however have to register."
Class finally ended much to Harry's relief. The topic of Animagus transforming was a bit uncomfortable for him.
The door opened with a bang and Professor Snape sneered at his students as they quickly entered the class room. "Today we are brewing the Pepper Up potion. Madam Pomfrey is in need of restocking her cabinets in the infirmary. Any properly brewed potions will be graded and sent to her."
Harry was glad for the Pepper Up potion for being the assigned potion because it was one he was familiar with. By the end of class, less then half of the potions looked like they'd been properly brewed. Harry's and Hermione's appeared to be the proper color, but Ron's resembled mud.
Harry and Ron slept through most of History of Magic while Hermione avidly took notes.
End of Chapter Six
A/N: I had all this pre-written on paper! I hope you all like it and I hope it explains a little more about Harry's Animagus Burrow. I will have the next chapter posted very soon! Please REVIEW!