Chapter 10
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The day before term started, the rest of the first year Slytherins arrived. Daphne had been in Greece, bringing back greek sweets and pastries. Blaise vacationed on a Carribean island that his parents owned. Draco and Pansy stayed home, celebrating with their respective families and traditions.
Rebekah was particularly glad to have them back, it was boring and lonesome without them and their idiotic suggestions that, at certain times, were hilarious, just not when they were all trying to revise a subject.
She mentioned the Mirror of Erised, the group was curious about this mirror and thus attempted to locate it in the upcoming week. Since Dumbledore said he would hide the mirror, and well he did, they couldn't find it. They weren't too pessimistic about it, they would try later in the term when they had more time to waste. But in the meantime, they would keep an eye out for the mirror of desires.
"Potter, keep your eye on the Quaffle!" Flint yelled. Rebekah groaned as her body ached from the last two hours of practice.
"We've been out for two hours already and it's gonna rain soon," Rebekah howled over the several metres that separated them.
"We have homework to do," Bletchley said, waving an arm in the air. "Open!"
"Catch! We got a four-foot essay from Snape," Bole continued. "He'll be disappointed if we don't do it."
"Just keep practising and then I'll consider!" Flint snarled, losing his temper slightly.
He didn't, not once, consider halting practise. Their House was Slytherin; the temporary pain and fatigue would loosen their grip on them if they continued. Snakes were known for stealth, and if one of their own couldn't stay on their broom without noise, they would practise until they could.
"Oi! Watch it, I want to keep my head," Rebekah yelled when the Bludger came too close. Her eyes followed as it whizzed past, they broadened in fear. "EMPEROR!"
The shadow-like feline sat on the suspended benches, he didn't pay attention to the Bludger that came his way. It swiftly shoved him off the bench, right in the shoulder. Rebekah rushed over as fast as her broom would allow. The Bludger rose again and aimed, Rebekah fluidly raised her hand and flicked it downwards with her finger against her palm. It stopped and dropped, bouncing down the stairs.
Rebekah picked Emperor up, placing him on the bench and began to examine him. He didn't wince, moan or complain when she roughly touched the area. She released a large sigh of relief.
Emperor was fine, and he insisted that she finish practising.
"Watch where you aim those bloody things!" Rebekah said to the Beaters. The two gave each other a look, Derrick nodded sharply to the teachers' raised benches. Rebekah glared when she saw Quirrell sitting there, mumbling once again.
This wasn't the first time Quirrell tried to harm her or her friends. This wasn't even the second time. Rebekah became angry with this news, she had a little bit of revenge to havoc on him.
"I'll report this to Snape later, let's continue since Emperor is fine," Flint said. Practise continued for the next half hour, Rebekah's anger fueled her playing and resulted in her getting the Quaffle more often.
When it began to rain heavily, enough to easily drench them in seconds, Flint finally decided to end practise. Rebekah sighed and flew over to Emperor, then stood on the benches and began to descend the stairs. She quickly realised that Emperor couldn't place his paw down completely. Anger fueled with great concern and worry, she lifted him up as he converted into a portable form.
She flew down to the Lake, finding the small bit of glass poking out of the water. It was her room. The water around the glass peeled away, leaving enough room to allow her to touch the glass. She rushed in, leaving her broom on her bed and ran the way to her destination. Emperor didn't complain at her jostling him at all, he was pleased that she was concerned about him. She didn't even care that she was in her soaked Quidditch uniform.
He had chosen well.
She whacked on the door quite firmly twice and then thrice again, her body trembled slightly as she waited for the door to open.
"What is it, Miss Potter?" Snape said, a feeble scowl on his face. This was the scowl of marking less-than-adequate papers. "Why are you soaking? And why do you seem like you're running on adrenaline?"
"I just had Quidditch practise and Emperor was on the sidelines, and Bludger came loose and went for him. Emperor says he's fine but he keeps limping and now I'm worried," Rebekah rushed her words. "And now I should be tired but I can't until I know Emperor isn't injured. And I don't know how to contact the Care of Magical Creatures Professor, so I came to you, sir."
"Alright, Miss Potter, calm yourself. I will contact Professor Kettleburn. He should be in the Castle as it is just after dinner," A large wisp of blue-hued light appeared from Snape's wand, shaping a thin doe with wide orb eyes. "There. Professor Kettleburn should be here within a few minutes depending on where he is. Set your familiar onto one of the desks, he shouldn't be standing until we know if anything is injured. Dry yourself before you become ill."
Rebekah held her wand in a hand as she muttered a drying spell, brushing the water out of her clothes and hair. She couldn't sit in one of the seats for long, bouncing her knee in anxiety. She bit the tip of her thumb, standing up and then placed around. Step, step, step, turn. Step, step, step, turn. Again and again, until Snape became frustrated and stalked away to a cupboard.
"Drink," He said, passing Rebekah a Draught of Peace, a vial of grey liquid that emitted silver vapours when opened. "This will decrease your anxiety while we wait for him to arrive."
The doors opened.
"Good evening, Severus," Silvanus Kettleburn had white hair swept back and to the side. He hoisted a mechanical arm covered with translucent skin in greeting. One eye was covered by a bandage. "Ah, is this the injured creature?"
"Emperor, he is the familiar of Miss Potter here," Snape watched on as Rebekah clutched the vial in her hand before taking it.
"As I told Professor Snape, we were at Quidditch practice-Emperor sat on the sidelines and I was in the air- a Bludger came loose and aimed itself to him, he was hit in the upper side of his chest, at the base of his shoulder. He said he was okay, but as soon as we left for the changing room, he began to limp. He couldn't put his front paw and now I'm worried!"
Kettleburn shifted the sleeves of his wood brown shirt up to his elbows. He used his fingers of his real hand to massage the base of the injury, his other hand waved his wand. The tip blinked a green tone over the healthy and undamaged areas, it turned a deep red at the shoulder.
"Just as I thought, he has a simple fracture in his shoulder bone. He'll be fine but it may take a while to heal," He took a long look at Emperor's face, body and tail. "He's not a muggle feline, is he?"
"No. Emperor can change forms, growing smaller or bigger. He also had shadow qualities when I first got him," Rebekah said, stroking Emperor's ears and making him purr deeply.
"He seems to be of a Kneazle heritage but I'll have to do a few spells to verify what he actually is," Kettleburn said. "I need your permission to do the spell, Miss Potter."
Rebekah nodded frantically. "I've always wanted to know what he actually is. Is it alright, Emperor?"
Emperor laid down on the table with a huff and a groan. He looked over to Rebekah, his eyes full of acknowledgement. He huffed air out of his nose, then moved his head to lick her palm. He placed his head on top of her hand, forcing it down and against his front paws where he laid his head with a purr.
Rebekah, as observant as she was, didn't realise this exchanged was not natural, even between Familiar and Mistress, for the Professors to see. They gave each other a knowing look. Kettleburn had a vast grin, while Snape had a smirk mixed with a smile. This kind of exchange didn't happen often, no Familiar had a strong enough bond with their keeper at this stage.
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Merlin, everyone who had a pet believed that they had a familiar.
Familiars were an extreme rarity in the Wizarding World. One out of seven hundred thousand Wizards or Witches had an established bond with them. Most of these bonds didn't manifest until the two were together for several years, sometimes going up to decades passing until they bonded.
The bond ensured that neither party would be left out of the other's life, to have someone look after them until Death came, or the bond was dissolved by both parties. Some familiars, instead of dying with their keeper, lived in and bonded with a member of their keeper's lineage.
Bonding with a familiar before even knowing about magic was an incredible miracle in itself.
But to the degree Rebekah's bond with Emperor was never recorded before.
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Rebekah used her other hand to stroke his head, in turn, causing his lower ligaments to turn onto a shadow-like mist. This surprised Kettleburn when he moved his wand over the legs and tail, the mist wrapped itself around the wand warmly before shifted the wooden away from them.
"Quite strange, very peculiar," He mumbled, placing his wand away. He snapped his fingers next to Emperor's ear, causing the feline to jump and then claw at the hand. He missed. "There you go. You've got yourself a Bakeneko, a changed cat."
"A what Neko?" Rebekah said, perplexed. She knew Neko meant cat in Japanese, but she didn't know what Bake meant.
"A cat that has turned into a Yokai, a Demon," Kettleburn said. "It's common enough, the shadow qualities are one of the abilities they can gain. Since he became your Familiar, he gained other qualities too. Though those won't show themselves until both of your bonds have strengthened some more."
"I've got a Demon cat…," Rebekah mumbled, then turned to Emperor. "And you decided not to tell me. Really, Emperor?"
Emperor grinned sheepishly, flicking one ear and then licked her hand.
"Anyway, how long will it take for him to heal? Does he need to do anything to make it heal quicker?" Rebekah asked. "I've got basic first aid training for humans and animals, but I don't know all that much."
"A few days, considering his heritage now. Just keep him off that leg and he'll heal like nothing even happened."
"Alright, I'm so grateful that you came, Professor," Rebekah took a sigh of relief. "I was so worried and scared. I didn't know what was happening. Thank you, sir."
Emperor shifted into his smallest, solid form, and allowed himself to be picked up. Rebekah took him by the scruff and chest, lifting him to place him in her Quidditch robe pockets.
"I best go, curfew has just been announced I believe," Rebekah stopped herself before she exited the classroom. "Oh, Professor Snape, I think Marcus Flint will need a word with you later. He believes that the Bludger was charmed. He's just being cautious since the thing with my broom. Have a good evening, Professors."
Rebekah exited the classroom and went into the cold hallway. The torches lit as she neared them, diminishing their flames when she was far enough that she didn't need them. Emperor purred in her pocket as she stroked his tiny, little kitten head.
It would take her ten minutes to walk to her dorm, she dragged her feet lightly as she walked. Yawning, she closed her eyes to an empty corridor with sleeping portraits. She opened her eyes to find Professor McGonagall in her Animagus form strutting down the hall.
Professor McGonagall stopped a few metres before Rebekah, transforming into her human form with a set of purple hues robes.
"Good evening, Professor McGonagall," Rebekah greeted her as she scowled in disapproval.
"Good evening, Miss Potter," She said curtly. "What do you call this time of day?"
"I am sorry, Professor," Rebekah sighed. "I know it's after curfew, but I have been with Professor Snape and Kettleburn since Quidditch practise was over. Emperor had a stray Bludger hit him and he was injured. I took him to Professor Snape, who called Professor Kettleburn and he checked Emperor out. It took a little longer than I realised, so that is the reason I am out during Curfew."
"Ok, Miss Potter, I'll confirm it with both Professors. How is young Emperor doing?" She asked, glancing to the feline in her pocket.
"A simple fracture in his shoulder, he'll be fine in a few days. I've found out that he's a Bakeneko, I believe is what Professor Kettleburn said. I didn't realise I had a demonic cat."
"Very good, Miss Potter. I am happy that he will be fine," She lifted her spectacles with one hand. "I'll escort you back to your House. We needn't have other Professors taking points away."
"Of course, Professor, thank you," Rebekah said, politely waiting for McGonagall to wave her to walk side by side.
"How is the book I recommend?" McGonagall asked, a slight knowing look in her eyes. "I hope it has been a great help with your studies."
Rebekah nodded. "It has. I've learnt so much from it. I'm still disturbed by the fact that I'll have to have a Mandrake leaf under my tongue for a month." She shuddered.
McGonagall chuckled. "Yes, that was an unpleasant experience. I suggest strong flavourful foods. Spicy, hot and tangy are the best bets from my experience. Extra spicy is the one I recommend most. Do you have a year in mind when you plan to do this?"
"Perhaps third or fourth year, maybe even next year. I haven't decided yet, but it won't be this year. I'll start the Mandrake part a month before term starts, just to get it out of the way of my lessons."
"Good, good. That would be best. It may take months, sometimes years to master that peculiar gift. I suggest you do it this summer, so you have time to master it before you are overcome by exams," McGonagall stopped outside of the Slytherin entrance, hidden by a wall. "Here you go, Miss Potter. Have a good evening."
"Thank you, Professor," Rebekah stood next to the entrance, it opened with her saying a word. "Have a good evening yourself."
Rebeka went through the entrance, closing shut after her in silence.
This was strange for McGonagall; one, anyone who wanted access needed to say the password, even the Professors who had the master password, but all Miss Potter needed to do was look at it. And two, the entrance always closed with a hiss and a thud, signifying that someone came in or left. It closed in silence.
This was not the proper way that Hogwarts Herself behaved. McGonagall would have believed that Hogwarts favoured Miss Potter, but McGonagall wasn't one to speculate about something so obscure that it could not have been true. At least, in any respect that McGonagall knew about.
She planned to speak to Severus Snape, she might as well bring us any concerns she had about Miss Potter to him. She needed to tell him what Miss Potter has planned for the upcoming years, she needn't do it all alone. Especially with Miss Potter's potential, it would be dangerous to allow her to experiment without some kind of supervision.
Allowing Miss Potter too much freedom at such a young age could cause her to not require Hogwarts in a few years, particularly at the rate she was discovering Magic.
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