AN: I am SO sorry about the delay in posting.

Chapter 33 For Better or Worse

May 'for better or worse' be far better than worse. (wedding quote)

Amber looked up as Remus led Alexis and Snape into the sitting room. Snape looked particularly unhappy while Alexis looked grim, "Alexis, Snape, what a pleasant surprise," Amber grinned at the couple.

"Sorry to barge in but Severus has something he wanted to give Pookie," Alexis said with a pointed look at her husband.

Amber grinned widened, "Severus, I really must protest if you are going to poison Pookie, Darla would be devastated. "

"Alexis has insisted that I prepare a hair growth potion," Snape gritted out through clenched teeth.

"I'm sure Darla will appreciate that as soon as she returns from Romania," Remus couldn't keep from smiling at Snape's obvious displeasure.

Snape gave Alexis a look as she told him, "I didn't realize that Darla would not be here. However that doesn't mean that Pookie doesn't need his fur."

Snape growled before stomping over to where Pookie was sitting. Pookie returned the growl. Snape smirked and withdrew his wand and petrified the pooch.

"Severus what are you doing?" Alexis demanded.

"You don't want the mangy mutt to bite me?" Snape asked defensively. Not waiting for a response, Snape pried open Pookie's jaws and forced the potion down his throat. Waiting a moment, he released the spell. Pookie sneezed twice and then walked over to Snape and threw up on his boots, "Why you!..."

Alexis cleaned the mess with a wave of her wand, "Does he need another dose?"

Snape just pointed to where Pookie now resembled a chia pet. Short black bristles were sprouting all over him, "His fur should be back to normal by this evening."

"Pookie," Amber called, "Don't you want to thank Severus?"

Pookie trotted up to Snape and sat down politely and offered his paw. Snape looked around with a grimace at Alexis and Amber's expectant looks. With a long sigh he reached out to take the proffered paw. That was when Pookie took his opportunity and knocked Snape to the floor and proceeded to hump Snape's leg, "Get off me you deranged dog," Snape demanded as he tried to move away from Pookie.

Alexis and Remus looked on in disbelief while Amber began laughing, "Severus I think Pookie likes you."

"Damn ungrateful dog," Snape was still muttering as he and Alexis made their way up the Hogwart's drive, "That is the last time I do anything for that hound."

Amber spied a little bit of red under the sofa, reaching under she pulled out a dog collar Darla must have lost it. Amber snorted as she remembered the large black dog forcing the dignified Potion Master to his knees. It had taken Remus and Alexis to pull the massive mutt off of Snape. Alexis had to take Snape's wand away before Pookie ended up as a fur rug or a eunuch. Snape was furious and had to be dragged out the door. Amber put the dog collar in Darla's room before going to check on Cynthia.

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Alexis looked up at a knock on her office door; Colin Creevey came in with an eager smile and a hand full of photos, "Mrs. Snape, I developed the pictures I took of your friend and her dog and I made extras but I wasn't sure how to get them to her," Colin said in a breathless rush.

Alexis tried not to smile; it was obvious that Colin had a bit of a crush on Darla, "She is staying in Hogsmeade with her sister and brother-in-law; a packaged address to Darla Doff care of Amber Lupin Hogsmeade should reach her with no problem. Would you mind if I saw the pictures?"

Colin immediately handed Alexis the photos. Alexis couldn't stop the snort of laughter at the sight of Darla holding onto Pookie with all her might while he tried to escape the frame. In the next photo Pookie had his back to the camera while Darla was smiling brightly and nudging him with her leg trying to get him to turn around. The final picture was the best; Pookie had totally wrapped his leash around Darla's legs and toppled her over. He was sitting on her back trying to pull off the pink and white striped socks with his teeth, "Do you think I could have copies?"

Colin nodded and Alexis continued, "I have some film I need to get developed. If I paid you for your time and supplies, would you be able to handle it for me?" Colin nodded again, "I would want several prints of all the photos."

"No problem Mrs. Snape," Colin's grin was infectious, "I can have them for you tomorrow," he offered.

Alexis pulled the rolls of film out of her desk drawer and handed them over, "Can you do enlargements too?"

The next day Colin returned with Alexis' photos. She was delighted with the way they had turned out. The one of a bare naked Pookie was priceless. She was going to have to talk with Filius, she was almost positive there was a charm that would cycle different pictures so that she could have regular Pookie, followed by bald Pookie, followed by rag-tag Pookie and finally Pink Pookie before starting all over. Maybe a poster sized one like that would be perfect for a gift to Darla. Alexis was pretty sure that Darla would want to prominently display the pictures of her beloved Pookie.

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Darla returned from her trip to Romania. She had really enjoyed seeing where Charlie worked. There was a small wizarding community near the preserve and they had spent a day exploring it.

She had finished unpacking when she noticed a bit of red leather on the nightstand. Walking over to pick it up, her hand was just a hair breadth away when a sharp bark caused her to start and Darla fell to the bed. Pookie had walked into her room wagging his tail the ball she had tried to teach him to play catch with was on the floor at his feet. Darla just stared at him in delight, "Pookie! You got your hair back!"

Pookie wagged his tail and picked up the ball in his mouth and bounded out the door stopping only to look back a Darla, who eagerly took up the invitation to play.

Sirius was relieved that Darla had not touched the leather collar. Remus had told Sirius about Darla's ability to touch an object and "see" things. Sirius didn't think Remus was ready for Darla or Amber to find out that the family pet was really an escaped prisoner accused of mass murder. He was going to have to find some way to get the collar back before Darla had a chance to touch it.

Pookie looked with distaste at the ball that had rolled into a large muddy puddle in a corner of the back garden. A glance back showed Darla eagerly waiting on him to bring the disgusting missile back for her to throw. Gingerly picking it up he trotted back and dropped it with a soggy plop at her feet.

Pookie could not believe it; Darla had managed to hit the exact same mud puddle again! Resignedly walking back over to the ball he gave it a considering look. If he did this just right….a careful paw on the ball, just the right amount of pressure and success. Darla yelped as the mud coated ball flew through the air and caught her in the chin with a squelchy thud. Pookie trotted back his tail high and wagging sure that this would be the end of the torture. "Pookie," Darla exclaimed, "You are such a smart dog! Not only can you retrieve a ball, you can throw one too!"

Pookie huffed, this was going to be a long afternoon.

Darla threw the ball with a great deal of enthusiasm but not much skill or accuracy. Pookie heaved a sigh as he watched the ball arc and land in the rose bushes. Those things were covered in large, sharp thorns. His fur was thick enough that he had a small measure of protection: however, they did get caught in his coat. There was a large snarl in his tail from retrieving the ball from a blackberry bramble when Darla had overthrown the garden fence. He knew it was going to take the better part of an hour to chew the dang thing out of his hair.

Pookie poked a cautious snoot into the bushes hoping that the ball had fallen within easy reach. He could just make out the red of the ball in the dim shadows under the bush. Another heavy sigh mixed with a bit of a growl and Pookie dropped to his stomach and began to inch his way under the bush. Several painful hair pulls as his fur caught on branches and thorns and an unpleasant encounter with a stink bug later and Pookie was almost within reach of his goal. Just another inch and he would be able to take the nasty, muddy mess into his mouth and begin the slow, painful trek back out of the bushes. He was reaching for it when with an insane giggle a garden gnome gave it a healthy kick and knocked the ball free of the bushes. Pookie sensed movement near his rear and had a sudden premonition that something singularly unpleasant was about to happen.

Even though he had never been particularly adept at divination, this time Pookie was right on the money. The rose bushes were infested with garden gnomes and these gnomes were bent on defending their home ground.

Darla shrieked as Pookie shot almost straight up out of the bushes with several gnomes attached to his rear legs by their tiny little teeth. Pookie managed to free himself from the thorny bushes and was now trying to free himself from the gnomes.

With a war cry worthy of her Norse ancestors, Darla joined the fray, "Hold still Pookie, I'll knock them off," grabbing up a stick and chasing the beleaguered dog she began swatting at the gnomes. She was slightly better at batting than pitching and managed to hit a gnome every third or fourth try.

Finally Pookie was free from the biting buggers. Darla was patting his back comfortingly and he nudged her to continue as that was the least she could do after beating him with a stick. Darla crooned, "You were such a big brave boy fighting all of those nasty gnomes. I am so proud of you Pookie," she gave him a quick hug, "The way you so fearlessly fought them off. You have won the victory and must now claim the spoils of battle….you must get the ball back."

Pookie lifted his head from her lap and stared at her as though to say "who do you think you are kidding?"

Darla gestured over to where the gnomes were playing with the ball. One chubby potato shaped gnome tried to pick up the ball that was about half his size and run off with it, but before he could stagger off under the weight of the ball, three other gnomes converged on him and tackled him. Pookie put his head back down on Darla's lap. As far as he was concerned the gnomes could have the cursed ball.

"Come on Pookie," Darla pleaded, "you can't mean to let them keep our favorite ball?"

Pookie ignored her and began cleaning his leg where a persistent gnome had ripped off a small patch of his newly re-grown fur. Now that specific fellow he wouldn't mind going a few rounds with one on one. He turned to look over at the group of gnomes who were still playing with the ball. Yes, that was the one, right there, the one with black fur stuck in his teeth. Now a little strategy…with a sudden leap Pookie was in the middle of the group of gnomes chasing the one who had ripped out his fur. The gnomes ran giggling madly, but Pookie concentrated on the one who had done the most damage. He was going to get that one and teach him a lesson he wouldn't soon forget.

Pookie had the lumpy beast backed into a corner with no where to run. Now it was time for some revenge, just one quick lunge and a snap and the annoying blighter would see what it was like to be on the receiving end of sharp teeth. Pookie let out a doggy growl of victory and prepared to deliver the coup de grace when, "Pookie! Fetch!" and a blinding pain hit the back of his head knocking him off his feet. The last thing he heard before everything went black was mad giggling as the gnome escaped and "Oh Pookie I am so sorry!"

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Darla had gone to visit her parents. Remus had insisted after seeing the shape Pookie was in. The mud on the ball had dried to a hard crust and Darla had put a tad more force in her throw that she realized turning the toy into a weapon.

Pookie was resting on a cushion in the parlor with an ice pack on his head and Remus was pretending to read the Dailey Prophet. Pookie could hear the soft snores coming from behind the newsprint and had just about decided to join his friend in a nap when a loud scream came from the nursery.

Remus jumped to his feet looked around wildly and quickly ran to the nursery as another scream was heard.

Pookie was hot on his heels.

Entering the nursery with wand drawn Remus found Amber staring down into the crib where Cynthia lay, "What is it?" he asked worriedly scanning the room.

Amber just pointed into the crib.

Remus stepped over and looked not sure what he would see. There lying in the crib was something he had never thought to behold. It was beyond anything he might have even imagined. Remus didn't even notice Pookie coming up and rearing up on his hind legs so that he could see into the crib. Remus reached a shaking finger out to stroke the silky hair running down his daughter's back. At least he thought it was his daughter, looking over at Amber she nodded before he could even ask the question, "Yes that is Cynthia. I was changing her when she suddenly changed."

Remus jerked his hand away at the nip of tiny little teeth and returned his attention to his daughter who was now wagging her tail at him and yipping in an invitation to play, "But how did she turn into a wolf pup? It isn't even close to the full moon."

Remus and Amber were trying to figure out why Cynthia had changed into a wolf pup. Amber's healer training in magical bites gave no indication that the child of a lycanthrope would also become one. And even if it could be passed from parent to child that did not explain the spontaneous change in the middle of the day when the full moon would not be for another two weeks.

Pookie was fascinated by the tiny cub. She seemed equally fascinated by him. It was a sign of Amber's distraction that she had not noticed the large black dog peering into the crib. Pookie noticed an intense expression coming over the baby wolf's face and that she was circling the crib sniffing as if trying to find something. Realizing what was about to happen, Pookie picked her up by the scruff of her neck and took off at a run.

Now that got Amber's attention and Amber's screech got Remus' attention, "Come back with my baby you deranged dog!"

Pookie had a good head start and was half-way down the stairs before Amber and Remus had gotten out of the nursery. Pookie heard Remus shout, "No Amber you might hit Cynthia," as the hairs on his back stood straight up in response to the stunning spell that just sizzled past him.

Darien was just opening the front door when Pookie made it the bottom of the stairs. Amber hollered to her, "Stop him, he's got Cynthia!"

Darien moved to block Pookie and Pookie dodged to the right but Darien was fast and blocked him again. Pookie was on a mission and nothing was going to stand in his way. If he could not go around Darien, he would go under him. Darien never knew what hit him. One minute he was blocking the door the next a black blur dodged between his legs and he was riding the Pookie Express into the garden.

Remus and Amber were hot on their heels. Pookie skidded to a stop in front of the tulips and Darien slid to the ground. Amber and Remus watched as Pookie gently placed the pup on the ground where she squatted and relieved herself.

Pookie flopped over and lay panting, that had been close. Too much more of this excitement and he was going back to his cave to stay. The food was way better here but the cave was much quieter and as his head throbbed, probably safer.

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"An animorphmagus?" Amber repeated in puzzled amazement.

"Yes dear," Madame Pomfrey replied, "they are even rarer than metamorphmagus."

"Exactly what does that mean?" Remus questioned her anxiously.

"It means that Cynthia, with time and training, will be able to change into just about any animal she chooses to change into. Although it is rare for it to manifest in such a young child, with a werewolf father and a wolf Animagus mother, it is not surprising that her first animal is a wolf. The more animals she is exposed to the more forms she will be able to change into. She will also need some instruction and to observe the animals in order to be able to properly mimic their behavior."

"So what do we do now?" Amber looked down at Cynthia who was now back in baby girl form and was happily trying to stick her foot into her mouth.

"Just watch her and you might want to ward her crib and room so that she cannot leave either without one of you being aware of it," at Remus and Amber's puzzled looks, "imagine if she transforms into a baby monkey?"

"Is there any way to control it so that she only changes when we want her to change?" Remus inquired.

"Not that I am aware of without stifling her abilities I'm afraid," Poppy replied with an understanding look, "I'll research it and let you know. Again, it is very rare for an infant to show this ability. An older child can usually be instructed about appropriate times for transforming. An infant is still operating very much on impulse." Poppy squeezed Remus' arm as Amber bent over to pick up Cynthia who happily gurgled at her mother as though quite enjoying all the fuss she had caused.

AN2: Excuses, excuses you hear them everyday….I moved and started a new job and the list of excuses goes on and on and on. The biggest block was of course of the writer's variety. My muse went into a dazed and confused state after we finished reading HBP and he is just now recovering. I know this isn't my best chapter and I haven't had it beta'd. Also, all my HP books are in a box somewhere and I can't seem to find them to double check some things, but I wanted to get back on track with writing. Just got internet access on my computer TODAY (11/26/05). I have been stealing time from my mom's computer and from work to check on stuff. No conducive to posting.