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Chapter 22

September 1st 1989

London

It was finally time for Second Year.

Harry had spent much of the Summer with the Dursleys or training with Master Dao.

Sadly he had not spent as much time with Daphne as he would have liked due to busy training schedule and Daphnes family going on a long vacation.

But he wasnt sad.

He had learned so much from Master Dao this summer.

Not just in Martial Arts but also Master Dao taught Harry how to do several spells that even though he could not use a wand himself was able to teach.

And after telling Master Dao what had happened in Slytherin House this past year he did not shy away from showing Harry some more darker spells that he would not be able to find in the Hogwarts Library.

He had learned the Puncture Hex Perfigo,the Bone-Shattering Curse Ossus Fragmen,Periculum which creates Red Sparks,The Full Body-Bind Curse Petrificus Totalus,A Fire Charm Phoenixius Infernitatum,A Animation Spell Piertotum Locomotor,The Cushioning Charm Pillovinus,The Paintball Charm Pingo,The Portkey Spell Portus,A Opening Spell Cistem Apario,A Cage Spell Cavea,A Burning Curse Censumosis,A Wind Charm Cero Ventus,A Binding Spell Chalybs Funis and the Warning Spell Cave Inimicum.

So a pretty productive summer.

Harry was dropped off at Kings Cross by Aunt Petunia who had errands to do and did not even get out when they arrived. He dragged his huge trunk out of the back of the car and mumbled 'bye' to his aunt.

Harry slipped deftly through the barrier to Platform 9 ¾. He was just in time to see Daphne saying bye to her parents as they helped her load her trunk on the train.

He hurried over to the Greengrasses, who greeted him cheerfully and helped him on board.

Finally, everyone, even the last student, a small first-year girl who had been clinging, sobbing, to her mother, was safelyon board the train, and it rolled slowly out of the station.

'We're second-year students, now,' said Harry, looking out of the train window as the waving parents faded from view.

Harry and Daphne had found an empty compartment near the front of the train, and Harry had already put on his Hogwarts robes.

'Yeah – always good to have someone greener and smaller than you,' smirked Spiers who had looked in to greet Harry and Daphne. 'Wish I was a senior student already, though – they really look up to you, then.'

Daphne shook her head.

'I think I want to take my time growing up. There's no going back then, is there?'

"I guess so,"Spiers said.

The three talked a bit more before Edmund had to go somewhere.

Harry and Daphne then chatted a bit and caught up on what they had fully done over the summer.

Harry told her about his training and she told him about the various places her family traveled.

And after they had caught up Harry decided to get in a bit of reading.

After an hour or so had passed Harry felt a warm pressure on his shoulder. He turned his head and found that Daphne had fallen asleep next to him, and her head had slipped down to rest on his shoulder. He froze. He didn't know what to do – should he attempt to wake her up? Perhaps she wouldn't want to be found asleep on his shoulder….

Daphne was so close he could smell the lavender smell of her hair, feel the warm heaviness of her head on his shoulder. He felt himself redden uncomfortably, but he didn't really want to wake her up. It felt strangely exciting, yet at the same time it made him feel protective of the sleeping girl at his side. He kept very still, not even turning the pages of his book, barely even breathing so that he would allow her to sleep on so trustingly against him.

It was hard to believe that they had first met six years ago.

Harry instead looked out instead, at the sky outside the train window, and was hoped that they wouldn't be disturbed, but that's when he heard a first-year girl shouting in the corridor outside their compartment:

'We're there! We're there! I can see the lights of the castle!'

Actually, it was just Hogsmeade, beyond and to the left of the castle, that she was seeing, thought Harry, as he peered outside. He felt Daphne stir against his shoulder, and looked determinedly out of the train window, trying to calm his beating heart.

'Oh! I - I think I fell asleep.' she said, as she straightened up.

'Obviously,' Harryreplied, risking a look at her.

She looked a bit dazed, and slightly flushed, but not angry or disgusted.

'I'm sorry, Harry, I guess I was a bit tired,' Daphne yawned. Her cheek was still red where it had rested on his shoulder. 'Are we there yet?'

Harry nodded and stood up to get their luggage. They could feel the train slowing down now.

When they finally got off the train, Hagrid was already shepherding the first-years towards the lake for their traditional journey across. The rest of them, they found out, were to be taken to Hogwarts by several horseless carriages that were waiting near the train station.

Once they arrived they went to sit with the rest of Slytherin House and waited for the first-years to file in and stand in front of the teacher's dais.

Soon Professor McGonogal came in with the first years to be sorted.

Harry politely clapped for the new students as he waited for Professor Dumbledore to give his announcements so they could eat.

His mind though was on the train.

Daphne had just fallen asleep like he had done so many times before.

So why did that make him feel so weird.

After the last student was sorted Dumbledore stood up and raised his hand for silence and everyone focused their attention on him.

Welcome, students, to another year at Hogwarts," Professor Dumbledore opens his arms in a welcoming gesture. "I hope we all have a year full of achievements".

Harry and Daphne then enjoyed the feast composed of the most mouth-watering foods: roast beef, carrot puree, pumpkin soup, turkey legs with herbs.

And by the end of the meal Harry was so full that he could barely walk.

Daphne looked the same way.

SCENE CHANGE

The next few days were a blur of lessons. Their new timetables seemed busier than last years, and after a brief revision of the previous year's subjects most teachers plunged immediately into the new lessons, and homework soon started to pile up.

Their new DADA teacher, Professor Lynwood Derksen was interesting.

A Veteran of the War against Voldermort she knew what she was doing..

She marched into class for the first lesson, and, after she went through the names of both Gryffindor and Slytherin students, she came to the front of her desk and observed them carefully through her steel-rimmed spectacles. She had short, iron-grey hair in stiff curls that framed a narrow, bony face with papery, wrinkled skin.

'This year,' she told them, 'You will be studying some of the dark creatures that inhabit the magical world. You will study their habitat and their magical properties. I will also be teaching you the precise legislation on the control and management of these beings. Please turn to Page 25 of your books.'

There was rustling noise as everyone hurried to do what she asked.

'The Forest Imp,' Professor Derksen said, 'is one of the most evil creatures one might meet in a dark forest glen.'

She then conjured up a stand for an old-fashioned projector, and drew the curtains closed with a wave of her wand. An expectant hush fell on the class as the projector flickered to life and a moving photo of a Forest Imp came on. The photo was old and grainy and they could hardly see the little creature, more so because its body was shaped to mimic the leaves and twigs of its surroundings.

Professor Derksen waved her wand and the old projector, an odd piece of equipment with many elaborate gilt decorations, creaked into action once more. Another photo, just as grainy and unclear as the preceding one came into view. They could just make out the shape of the Imp which appeared to be shaking its fist at whoever was taking the photo.

'The Forest Imp,' Professor Derksen was saying 'due to its vicious nature, and the secretive, stealthy way it haunts our woods, ready to attack the unsuspecting witch or wizard, has been classified in Category D, that is, among 'Dangerous creatures', and in sub-category 4, because of its stealthy nature, in the new draft regulations on the classification of dark creatures. According to Article 4, sub-article 3 and paragraph b of the draft regulation on the control of…'

And then Professor Derksen started talking about technical mumbo jumbo that no one seemed to understand

Wonderful.

After DADA they then had their first Charms lesson back remembering and practicing the spells they had learned last year:

The Levitation Wand-Lighting Charm,The Wand-Extinguishing Charm,The Fire-Making Spell,The Softening Unlocking Locking Spell,The Mending Charm,The Severing Charm,The Knockback Jinx,The Ice Jinx and the Box Blasting Charm.

SCENE CHANGE

A Few days later Harry and Daphne where laying by the Lake.

Harry was working out a list of spells he had pulled from various books that he wanted to learn for this year.

He was creating a longer list than the one he had last year but Harry felt like he could do it.

SCENE CHANGE

One night a few weeks into the term Daphne convinced Harry to accompany her to deliver a letter to the Owlery.

It was past curfew though so they had to use the Disillusionment Charm that Daphne had learned recently.

As Harry waited for Daphne to send off her letter he was thinking about some spells he was working on.

He was snapped out of his thoughts though by the sound of wings and Harry turned around to see a majestic golden eagle land on the windowsill.

It was a eagle with sharp reddish eyes. An unusual bird among the owls, but there where families that sent letters through ravens, macaws, and the occasional cockatoo, so its appearance was not entirely unprecedented.

Harry was then surprised as he saw the eagle leap forward and turn into a boy who landed softly on the dropping-strewn floor, his feet barely making a sound. His hair fell gracefully down around his face.

Harry had seen Professor McGonagall transform intront of the Transfiguartion Class several times before but he was surprised that another student was an Animagus.

It also then turns out that his surprise had caused his Disillusionment Charm to wear off as he saw the other students eyes widen.

"Hello"Harry said "I didint know that there were student Animagus here".

The student nodded "Please dont say anything"He said "Im not registered".

"Sure"Harry said "Is it hard to learn how to become a Animagus"He asked.

The other student pushes his hair back behind his ears and smooths down his robes, eyeing me critically.

Harry looked over the other student. He has a heart-shaped face and a pointy chin and nose that looks almost like an eagle's beak. His skin has a cinnamon tone, and his brownish hair, pulled back, forms a V on his forehead. But none of these features are strange or unusual; what really draws my attention are his dark red eyes.

"It takes some work"The boy eventually said.

"Would you be willing to teach me and my friend"Harry asked.

After a few seconds he nodded

"I'm Talbott Winger," he says.

"Harry Potter"Harry replied and seeing Daphne walk back into the room "And this is my friend Daphne Greengrass".

Daphne was surprised to see Harry talking with another student.

"Who is this Harry"She asked.

"Daph this is Talbott"He said "And hes going to teach us how to become Animagus".

She looked surprised.

SCENE CHANGE

A few days later Daphne and Harry where meeting with Talbott to begin their Animagus Training.

Harry noticed that Talbott did not seem to blink a eagles don't blink very much.

"Dont think this will be an easy process," Talbott said. "It's difficult and very dangerous, and also illegal when you're unregistered."

"All right, Talbott," Daphne said "Tell us what to do."

"You need to get ingredients first"Talbott said handing them a list.

Harry and Daphne looked at the list.

A chrysalis of a Death's-Head Hawkmoth.

A dewdrop from a place untouched by sunlight and human feet for seven days, collected with a silver spoon.

A Mandrake leaf.

Sounds easy enough.

The next day Harry and Daphne went to the library and found a book on magical insects and immediately flip to the part about Lepidoptera. Apparently, the only Death's-Head Hawkmoth available in Europe is named Acherontia atropos, and it lays its eggs under the leaves of plants from the families Solanaceae, Verbenaceae, Oleaceae, and Bignoniaceae.

Harry did not know what on earth that book was talking about though and it seemed like Daphne, someone who knew a bit about Potions, did not understand the book either.

So Harry decided instead to look for another book, this time on magical plant identification.

Daphne looked through the book a bit "I can already identify several plants from these families that grow on the Hogwarts grounds and some of them are easy to find, like tomato and pepper, but I don't think Hagrid would leave his plants full of moth eggs. I suppose we will have to look under several different plants until we find the chrysalis"She said.

Harry nodded.

Sounds easy enough.

About a week later Talbott gave them a tiny vase of Midnight Dew Dwarf Aloe. He told Harry to keep it safe inside a drawer to allow the dew to form within a week of sun deprivation.

Daphne then smuggled a silver spoon from the breakfast table.

The Mandrake leaves were quite easy to get, but they had to keep it in their mouth for thirty days, until the next full moon. Daphne then spent the day after they got the Mandrake leaves worrying that she might accidentally swallow it, so Harry found and cast a spell inside both of their mouths to allow the leaf to glue itself to the underside of both of their tongues.

"I hope this works," Harry said. "If you feel like your spell is weakening, tell me so I can cast it again."

After about a week or so neither Harry or Daphne really noticed the Mandrake leaf anymore.

SCENE CHANGE

An Animagus (pl. Animagi) is a witch or wizard who can morph him or herself into an animal at will. Unlike the hereditary skill of a Metamorphmagus, becoming an Animagus is a learned skill.

It takes practice and patience to become an Animagus. The process is long and arduous, and holds the potential to go horribly wrong. Because it is such an advanced and difficult form of magic, many witches and wizards prefer to learn other methods for disguise and concealment.

The process can result in disaster. If done incorrectly, adverse effects include, but are not limited to, permanent half-human, half-animal mutations.

Each Animagus bears an identifying mark on their animal form that directly correlates to a distinguishing trait on their human body. This may be a physical trait (like big teeth or blue eyes) or an acquired trait (like glasses). If an Animagus undergoes a significant physical change, such as the irreplaceable loss of a limb, this change will be reflected in their animal form.

Harry and Daphne were studying what they were about to become by reading more about Animagus and speculation on what their animal forms would become.

They were still trying to find the moth's chrysalis and still had three more weeks to find it.

Talbott had told them to meet him in another week so that he could teach both of them an important spell

The following Sunday Daphne and Harry meet Talbott inside an empty classroom.

Talbott drew his wand, rolling it between his fingers. "I'm going to teach you the Animagus spell today. I assume you must have read about it."

They both nodded.

"Repeat after me," Talbott said firmly. "Amato Animo Animato Animagus."

"Amato Animo Animato Animagus." "Amato Animo Animato Animagus."

"Very good," Talbott says

The movement of the spell is gentle, almost like caressing the air, and when Harry sounded out the incantation he immediately felt a warmth flooding inside him, pulsing through his organs, bones, and veins. The sensation was incredible, and while he stand still, enjoying the feeling, Harry could almost hear a second heartbeat.

"Amazing," Daphne said delighted.

"After you prepare the Animagus potion, you'll need to perform this spell every dawn and every dusk without fail until the next electrical storm."Talbott said.

SCENE CHANGE

A few days later they were doing a lesson about Shrivelfigs in Herbology.

"Can someone tell me where this plant is from?" Professor Sprout asks, and Daphne raises her hand. "Yes, Miss Greengrass?"

"From Africa."

"Correct. Five points to Slytherin. And can someone tell me its primary purpose for cultivation?"

This time, Harry raised his hand.

"Mr Potter?"

"It's used for potions and medicines," He said "Its leaves have medicinal properties, whereas the fruit contains an inner blossom that can be used in many potions, such as the Shrinking Solution and the Elixir to Induce Euphoria."

"Very good," she says. "Another five points to Slytherin. Because of the Shrivelfig's many uses in potions, it has become a favorite of Professor Snape."

As they began to pick the fruits, skinned them, and collected the blossoms hidden within, Harry noticed something rather small and papery-looking hanging from a thin branch on his Shrivelfig, just poking out from behind a leaf. Taking a closer look his heart started to race in anticipation.

He smiled.

Harry took a careful look around before removing the chrysalis from the plant and placing it inside an empty flask in his bag.

He then discreetly showed Daphne what he had found.

Eyes widened Daphne soon had collected her own chrysalis.

They were then one step closer to becoming an Animagus.

On the next full moon Harry and Daphne met up with Talbott in a secluded courtyard.

"Ready to take the Mandrake leaf out of your mouth, you two?" Talbott asks with a soft smile.

Harry could see that Talbott was a bit amused, but in truth he had grown so used to the Mandrake Leaf that he had nearly forgotten it was there.

"Finally," Daphne said gently, removing the leaf from the underside of her tongue.

Harry did the same.

Talbott then held out two phials

"Now put your leaves inside these phials with one strand of your hairs."He said

Daphne and Harry did as he said.

"Hand me the dew and the chrysalis," Talbott said, and when they handed the ingredients to him, Talbott mixed them inside the phials and allowed the moonlight to shine over it.

The phials seems to momentarily spark in the light, and Talbott gave both of them a phial.

"Take these to a dark and quiet place where they won't be disturbed or touched by sunlight."

Harry and Daphne nodded.

SCENE CHANGE

Having hidden their phials the next step was to wait for a lightning storm.

The following weeks though seemed to be cursed with sun. Cloudless skies and starry nights seemed to be on the forecast daily. Harry and Daphne performed the Animagus spell every dawn and every dusk as instructed, but the electrical storm they were waiting for seemed to be nowhere to be found.

One day Harry was walking along a corridor when he heard a voice.

"There's a storm coming."

Harry heard his voice and turned around to Talbott sitting on the edge of a tall window, backlit by the sun. The sky stretches out below him, but there is no fear in his eyes. But then again, why should you be afraid of the sky, if you can soar?

"How do you know?" Harry asked.

"I can feel it in the air," he says, and when Harry looked impressed, he smirked. "There's a black cloud in the horizon,can you and Greengrass meet me on the roof of the Owlery tonight.."

Harry thought for a second and then nodded.

Later on that night Daphne and Harry had made their way up to the top of the Owlery where they met Talbott who was holding two brooms.

They greet Talbott and before he can respond his voice is quickly muffled by the sound of roaring thunder. "Quick. Grab the potions."

Harry and Daphne withdraw the flasks from their pockets

"They're perfect," Talbott says. "Now remember, you two may experience some fiery pain and an intense double heartbeat. Don't try to resist. Allow yourself to absorb it while envisioning the animal you wish to become. Don't panic, or it all could go terribly wrong."

"Jeez," Daphne said "Thanks for the pep talk."

Talbott grinned before turning away from them, his eyes searching the sky.

"Here comes the first lightning," he says. His hair is flying furiously around his face as the wind picks up, and his eyes are positively glowing with excitement in a way Harry had never seen before.

Daphne and Harry looked at each other.

What were they getting themselves into.

Harry barely had time to think about not panicking as lightning struck one of the towers, not far from where the three of them are.

Talbott looked at the two of them with fiery red eyes.

"Cast the spell."

He and Daphne touched their wands to their chests

"Amato Animo Animato Animagus." "Amato Animo Animato Animagus."

"Now drink the potion," Talbott shouts over the growing wind.

Harry opened the flask, downing it all in one big gulp.

"God, it tastes awful!" Daphne gasped.

"It's the chrysalis." Talbott shrugged,glancing at them with a curious smirk. "Now, visualize your inner animal,!"

Harry closed his eyes, feeling a distinct second heartbeat start to beat to life inside him, enveloping him. The sound of it pounded in his ears, overwhelming everything. A sudden, stinging pain pierced Harrys back. He swallowed hard, gasping, trying to accept everything and embrace it all with arms wide open. The pain growed, overtaking him. The world is black. The pain is everything.

All of Harrys senses were gone. He didin't know where he was anymore. Whether he was standing. Sitting. Flying. He was being pulled. Squeezed. Ripped apart.

He felt grace and freedom and qualities that Harry could not quite describe.

The pain slowly dissipated, melting into the night. Harry opened his eyes to see Daphne laying next to him looking at him.

"Did it work?" Harry asked

"Only you can answer that. See if you can transform."Talbott said who Harry saw was looking at them

"And how do I do that?"Harry asked.

"Like you just did," he says. "Visualize."

An odd sensation took control of Harry when he closed his eyes again; filled with a burning desire to spread his wings and soar.

It was some sort of bird.

But what kind?

Harry opened his eyes again, but everything seemed to be different to him. From where he was standing, he could only see Daphne and Talbott's feet, but it's easy to look up and see them peering down at him, Daphne looking astonished and Talbott absolutely beaming.

Daphne withdrew something from her pocket and turned it towards Harry.

A mirror.

Harry blinked to make sure it was actually him. When He tryed to say something, He just produced a soft growl.

A Dragon.

"Well Potter"Talbott said "It looks like you're a Common Welsh Green at that".

"Why is he so small then"Daphne asked "Arent Dragons supposed to be these big things".

"He's only twelve,"Talbott said shrugging "He would grow into a bigger dragon as he gets older".

Looking at him Daphne then reached down to pet him.

As a baby dragon that actually felt quite good.

But soon wanting to see what Daphne would turn into.

With an effort of will against the Dragon inside him Harry separated their two hearts and visualized his human form until he had turned back into a human. Talbott looks at Harry with an amused smile and Daphne an amazed one.

And then it was Daphne's turn to transform.

Harry struggled not to laugh.

She was a bunny.

Hilarious.''