'Dear Harry/Bambi/Bambolini/Pronglet/Cub/Pup/Trouble/Itsy-witsy-teeny-weeny-ittle-wittle mmmmbebbeh!
I'm sure you're aware that Sirius wrote the majority of that introduction. How are you? We are both exceptionally fine, relaxing at you-know-where. I've managed to score myself a muggle job or three as a writer of both articles and problem-solving. I am known as Uncle Rome in a man's magazine called 'Nuts' that Sirius is rather fond of and I get rather annoyed by – in the last edition there were three pages of thumbnail-sized pictures of female breasts.
Remus and I made a game out of picking out the plastic ones from the natural ones. It was quite amusing, I'll send you a copy of the magazine if you want, you can play it with Ron and Hermione.
I'm not sure Hermione would consent to playing that game. At any rate, the jobs bring in enough money for us to make regular face at the town centre closest for food shopping. All is well here and Sirius is quite happily busying himself with weekend work in the Leaky Cauldron. I've never seen poor Tom so drunk on a Monday morning; I do wish Sirius would stop 'convincing' the old bartender to drink his own stock – with Sirius' help, of course.
How is the Mate issue coming along? Is Draco still in your favour? He's not being a total prat to Hermione and Ron is he? Speaking of total prats how is our dearly unlov-ed Severus? If he's giving you grief in DADA I'll march in as Padfoot and bite his –
That will do, Sirius. But don't forget to answer those questions, Harry, they're very important. Because if Severus is being unreasonable we will be making a 'social call'. Now, about the issues you raised, those being;
Male Pregnancies and births.
Dark Veela birthing their young
Elements of Dark Veela and the effect it has on their burrowing.
I shall brief you here, but we may need to visit the castle or arrange a date to meet in Hogsmeade.
Normally males cannot get pregnant, however, with the right charms and potions they are able to conceive. They go through the nine months process with the mood swings, morning sickness, cravings and cramps, the same as any woman and when it comes to the birth they either transfigure certain body parts into their counterparts such as the penis into a vagina. Failing that or skipping that option they can have a caesarean section performed by a mediwitch or mediwizard or, under the right glamours and such, a muggle doctor and or surgeon.
On the other hand, Dark Veela have absolutely no need for C-sections or self-transfiguration. Though I do not know precisely what happens during the birth I can assume it is similar to the way that male Elves give birth, which I have been fortunate enough to see as the Elves, though being a secretive race, are far less secretive about their births than the male Veela.
The male Elf in question spent a week in a slight daze looking around for the best place to make his warren. As Elves are in tune with Earth and Water he was snuffling around in the forests and around the caves that surround waterfalls and hollowed out rock near rivers. He eventually chose a small glade in a forest. He deemed it the perfect place; it had a high cliff that covered three of the four edges in the metaphorical 'square', there was water nearby and the wood in that area was thick. He took his Mate and several protectors (myself included) to the glade and settled himself in the gnarling roots of a massive tree. He took off his clothes and his Mate stationed us around vulnerable points of attack. I was able to see from my position that just before the birth began the pregnant Elf became fully erect, then slowly an angry red stripe spread from his belly button, down the brown stripe of the underside of his… Elfhood, and continued through the crevice of his private areas and stopped at his –
BUMHOLE!
Yes, there, thank you Sirius, thank you ever so. The red stripe deepened in colour and then the Elf began to pant and whimper as the striped skin began to tear until the striped part of his body was similar to a ripped pouch. The baby was then slowly eased out of this great cavity into the arms of the Elf's Mate. I was one of those who went with the 'Father' and the baby to the stream where the baby was cleansed, then we headed back to the glade where a Healer fixed up the birthing parent and the Hunters brought back food suitable for the birthing Elf and the baby.
Be sure that your Mate is very proficient in Healing, pup. It wouldn't do to have you die during child birth. We can help you figure out your Element when we meet. When is the first Hogsmeade visit? I heard Horace Slughorn is back at the teaching helm again, how is that barmy old gerbil?
Enjoy yourself, Harry, but study hard.
Prank and party hard too.
Write back soon.
We love you!
Very much so.
Your loving and doting Godfathers,
Remus (Moony) and Sirius (Padfoot).
PS: The owl has thirty galleons and a Weasley Catalogue. Use them well.'
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Harry grinned at the letter and stuffed it in his back pocket before heading down to Charms. He'd stayed in late and had missed breakfast, but he wasn't worried. It had been a week since he had first arrived and things with Draco were progressing nicely. He had a skip in his step as he neared the Charms corridor. A skip that skipped to a halt when he came almost face to face with a smug Pansy Parkinson conversing with an equally smug Michael Corner.
"Hello, Potter." Pansy spat viciously with a smile on her face. "Seen much of Draco lately? I know we have."
"He left us high and well, decidedly wet, in the early hours of this morning." Michael smirked.
"He's such a good lay, Potter, but he seems to have made no move on you."
"He's a good lay?" Harry asked. "Why don't you tell me about it?"
"He has fantastically skilled hands." Michael said dreamily. "They wander all over you and pressure, stroke and scratch you in all the right places. They leave a hot trail behind them and they just ooze pleasure."
"And that tongue." Pansy smirked, fixing Harry with a superior look. "In my mouth, on my body, it matters not. That hot, wet, tantalising muscle of his is so good anywhere. Not that he's shown you at all, Potter. You wouldn't know, would you? He hasn't even deigned to touch you. It's because you're not worthy, Gryffindor, you're filth under his shoe."
Harry laughed outright. "I think you completely misunderstand Draco, Parkinson. He wouldn't touch either of you if it weren't for me."
Harry sauntered away towards Ron and Hermione. He noticed that Hermione's lips were pressed very tightly together and her cheeks were taught and red. He also noticed that Ron's fists were balled, he had gone a ridiculous shade of red and his eyes were ablaze.
"Are you both all right?" Harry asked tentatively.
"They know you like him. But they can't stop. They're scum, Harry, the three of them." Hermione snapped.
"Stay away from Malfoy, Harry, he has no respect for you and if I see him I'll kill him. How dare he do this to you? He knows you're interested but he runs along and fucks other people behind your back! He's faithless, Harry! Stay away from him!" Ron bellowed.
"Oh no, wait, you don't understand. He's-" Harry began
"It's an order Harry!" Ron roared. "As your honorary elder brother I order you to stay far away from him!"
Harry paled. He stared wide eyed into Ron's face as his inner self conflicted. He wanted and needed Draco, Draco knew what he was doing and his friends had misunderstood. On the other hand, Ron as his honorary older brother had some modicum of authority over him and he should do what the red-head wanted.
Draco strolled around the corner, sated and smug with his actions, knowing that Harry would hear about it when a fast moving black-topped blur crashed into him. Draco easily caught aforementioned blue by the shoulders and looked down into the startled face of Harry Potter.
"Harry, what's wrong?"
"Ron has-"
"I said stay away from him!" Ron bellowed as he charged, wand out, towards Draco. "I'll kill you, Blondie!"
Draco's eyes shot wide and a smirk fought itself onto his face. He manoeuvred Harry behind him and prepared to defend himself. He watched, pleased, as Theodore approached Hermione with the intent of explaining Draco's actions.
"Reducto!" Ron yelled, all but flinging his wand forward in the direction of Draco.
"Protego." Draco drawled, wandlessly blocking the spell with very little effort. "Wingardium Leviosa."
Ron's clothes began to rise into the air, taking Ron with them. He fought furiously to extract himself from the enchanted garments, pausing his attempts only to stare livid at a laughing Draco Malfoy.
"Unless you plan on duelling me in the nude, I suggest you stop stripping yourself." Draco said calmly, pulling Harry into a protective embrace. "I have not done anything to hurt Harry; I have only done things that will, ultimately, benefit him."
"Yes, it's better to break the wretched orphan's heart sooner than later." Pansy spat as she sashayed arrogantly towards the blonde.
"Silence!" Draco barked. He had felt Harry go slightly rigid at the dig at his orphan status. "You! Stop your ridiculous nattering, you vile piece of meat."
Pansy cast a shocked look in the direction of her would-be-beloved. "Drakey, darling, what about last night? You, Mickey and I? Have you already forgotten? Have you already forgotten how you dominated us, had the stamina to fuck us both over in one sitting without stopping, had the skill to make me climax eight times? Have you already forgotten me?"
Draco laughed harshly. "It was never about you two. It's about Harry. It's always about Harry. I despised having to touch you, what with your staining redness, embarrassing wetness and shrieking voice. Stay away from me, Parkinson, you are nothing to me and you never will be. You're just a tool. You've never been anything more and you never will be anything more."
Harry's mind was reeling. Draco had done all that to them both in one sitting? He cuddled close to Draco and sighed emphatically, now fully knowledgeable of Draco's capability to care for him in more ways than one.
"I don't understand, Draco," Michael said, coming to stand beside Pansy. "You used us?"
"For someone that doesn't understand, you seem to have a very good grasp of what's going on." Theodore drawled. "Draco pleasured you both to perfect himself. You played right into their hands by announcing it. Congratulations, you just further cemented the chance of Draco Mating with Harry."
Pansy shrieked loudly and shoved Michael away from her before storming in a flurry of robes, wild hair and vicious curses to the Slytherin House.
"Draco," Harry called softly, "Can you let Ron down now, please? I think he understands."
Ron's feet touched the floor gently. He stood stock still for a moment as he collected his bearings and walked slowly towards Harry and Draco. He took a soft but firm hold of Harry's arm and tugged the Dark Veela away from the Light Veela.
"I need some time before I can accept this." Ron said to Draco, ignoring Harry's futile attempts at escape. "In the mean time, any Dominants will be staying away from Harry. That includes Zabini, Nott and Seamus too."
"But Ron!"
"No, Harry," Draco said calmly, stroking Harry's face lightly. "Ronald has a point. He is like an older brother to you and it is in your nature to obey him. I respect that and thus I shall keep my distance. For two days. After that I will again be pursuing you, for now, concentrate on your studies and I shall concentrate on mine."
"Draco could you, I mean, I know you have a lot to do, but, would it be possible for you to learn a few healing spells?" Harry asked desperately as he was dragged away. "I'll explain later."
"Of course. Enjoy your lesson. Sit at the front so I can keep an eye on you."
Harry reluctantly turned away from Draco and headed into the Charms classroom, wrenching his arm from Ron's death grip and futilely trying to massage some feeling back into his hand.
"It's for your own good, you know." Ron said as he gently pushed Harry into the seat to Hermione's left and then took the seat to Harry's left.
Harry nodded. "I know you're looking out for me." He admitted, though he was still somewhat sore and indignant about it all.
"Today class, we will be focusing on the art of giving an inanimate object living qualities with awareness. Now, we have made things move before and made them breathe etc but today we will be trying to make them aware of different stimulus. The stimulus we will be using is, unfortunately, pain. It is one of the things that causes the most basic reactions. There will be those of you who may get a flinch, there are those of you that may get a scream and there may even be more complex reactions than that. The particular wording for the spell is…"
Harry drifted off into a daydream, he had already covered this and it's complexities to above-NEWT standard with Remus and Sirius. He could do this half asleep, and he knew that because he had tried. Sirius had enchanted an extra pillow to attack him half way through the night so, extremely drowsy; Harry had cast the spell on the pillow and shot a cutting hex at it, chuckling sleepily as it shrieked and zoomed away.
Harry came back to earth as the small figurine of a fat man was put in front of him. He wandlessly and wordlessly cast the spell when his two friends were distracted and watched as the little man got up and scratched his head in confusion.
"Diffindo." Harry said in a bored tone, focusing on the little man's back.
The little man wailed and tried desperately to fold his arms backwards over the small cut. He ran in circles around the desk screaming "OW! OW! OW! OUCH THAT FUCKING KILLS!"
Harry watched in morbid fascination as the small man cursed and blinded and rolled around the desk kicking and screaming until the small dwarf of a teacher ended Harry's spell. Harry had to giggle at the look of fury that was stuck on the man's face.
"Mister Potter, that was truly quite amazing." Filius Flitwick said.
"Yes I know," Harry agreed, "I think I've learned about three new words."
Harry's classmates within earshot burst into giggles and even the professor had to stifle a chuckle.
"I award twenty points to Gryffindor for such a momentous success; never before have I seen such a reactio-"
"AAAAAAAAAAIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGHHH!"
A horrendously high pitched scream broke the relative quiet of the classroom as Draco little figurine hopped about on one and a half of her legs, the rest of her left leg dangling lifelessly from Draco's forefinger and thumb.
"AAAAAAAAAAAAH! YOU GIGANTIC BARBARIAN! I'LL HAVE YOU SKINNED ALIVE FOR THIS!"
Filius coughed discreetly whilst he ended Draco's handy work. "Twenty points to Slytherin."
Draco inclined his head at the short man before lying back in his chair in a comfortable position, watching lackadaisically as Theodore Nott's figurine was subjected to her hair being forcefully ripped from her scalp. He half giggled at the shrieks the living figure made and smirked at the twenty points awarded to Slytherin for Theodore's accomplishments.
"As you saw, Messrs Potter, Malfoy and Nott were able to produce spectacular results; their figurines reacted physically, verbally and semi-logically. They ran from the pain, yelled and cursed about the pain and either tried to alleviate it or threatened the cause of their pain – evidence of self defence and healing. I would like a short essay, twenty inches, on the reactions your particular figurine displayed." Filius said. "Class dismissed."
"Ron, I need to ask something of Draco, can I do it now, please? It's just, we have a free period now and I was going to study and he has Ancient Runes with Hermione so I wouldn't get to see him until dinner, which is not really an ideal time."
Ron gave Harry a disapproving look but nodded his consent.
"Draco, I just remembered something." Harry said, slyly reaching behind his robe into his back pocket. "I have to meet the Potions Professor this Friday at eight o clock. I don't want to go alone and he said this meeting is going to be us discussing Veela and whatnot and I thought that you could give him the information to the other side of the coin."
"Of course Harry, I'll come with you." Draco said, drawing Harry into a hug. He felt Harry slide something into his robe but did not question it.
"It explains the healing." Harry whispered. "I have a free period now, I'll see you later."
"See you, my little moon."
Harry cocked his head to the side at Draco's pet name but shrugged it off as the Light Veela being his usual mystifyingly charming self. He trotted back to Ron and smiled innocently up at him before walking with him to the Library.
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Draco was invariably, most decidedly bored out of his pretty face. The class was recapping, which was enough to make Draco scoff, Runes was a simple subject as soon as you got over the basics, which of course made him almost snort derisively at the pitiful amount of people who had the correct grades to continue the course. He reached into his robe pocket and pulled out the parchment that Harry had deposited there.
His eyebrow rose and lip quirked during odd occasions during the letter until he reached part of Sirius' questions and rants.
'Be sure that your Mate is very proficient in Healing, pup. It wouldn't do to have you die during child birth.'
So that is what had Harry so frantic. It was not a great issue insofar as Draco's ability to learn Healing was concerned. He was proficient enough in both Potions and Charms which had an element in Healing; all he needed was the right reference texts. His father could supply those.
The lesson finally drew to a close allowing Draco to stand and surreptitiously stretch his legs. He carefully folded the letter and approached Hermione and Theodore.
"Lunch now; finally, I'm getting quite peckish." Theodore said with a nod of greeting to Draco.
"Hermione, could you please return this to Harry clandestinely? He knows I have it, but your red-headed friend does not and as Harry slipped this to me underhandedly I shall assume he wants it delivered back to him in the same manner. Could you please tell him I understand the importance of his request now and I shall soon be sending off for some reference books and such. It shall not be a problem."
Hermione clutched the note and nodded. Her eyes narrowed slightly. "Question." She announced.
"Yes?"
"The pheromones of the Veela that usually affect everyone, why are they not affecting us?" She asked shrewdly.
"We can control it. Usually the pheromones are blasted out whilst Displaying, such as the female Veela dancing, which, by the way, males don't do before you try to get Harry to waltz with you or something. There is always something of an Allure that we have but we can sort of turn it on and off. The bedazzlement you're feeling now is because of our natural good looks." Draco grinned cheekily.
Hermione tried to scowl, really, she did, but she ended up snorting delicately. "Thank you, Draco, I'll now have to deflate Ron's head by telling him that no, he's not immune and I'll unfortunately have to let Harry into the secret that he shall never enjoy one dance with anyone without treading on their feet, kicking them, tripping them up etc. He's always been such a terrible dancer."
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After Lunch the sixth years with the capabilities to get into Pomona Sprout's NEWT level class marched to the greenhouses. They were confronted by the sight of her standing there holding a travel bag with several boxes levitating behind her.
"We'll be heading into the forest today, chaps," She said as they approached. "Grasp your things tightly and get ready to be sorted into groups of three:
Corner, Parkinson and Bones,
Malfoy, Nott and Potter,
Zabini, Patil and Finch-Fletchy,
Weasley, Granger and Longbottom
And finally Brown, Thomas and Finnegan.
There'll be no arguments! Get ready to march!"
Harry shot an apologetic glance at Ron and Hermione before joining Theodore and Draco. He was immediately pulled into a cuddle by Draco, much to Ron's evident disgust displayed with a low growl.
"Within your group you need to make a decision; there will be a tracker, a collector and a protector. The tracker will locate the plant, the collector will gather it and the protector will watch over the group and guard them from oncoming attacks. If anything should happen then either the collector or the tracker needs to run to either myself or Hagrid's hut. Is that clear?"
A chorus of assent ran through the students. A spokesperson from each group came forward with their titles.
"Professor," Pansy's sickening voice began, "I will be protector, Corner will be tracker and Bones will be collector."
"Professor," Harry said quietly, waiting for her to encourage him to speak again, "Draco will be the protector, I will be the tracker and Theodore will be the collector."
"Professor," Blaise said, "I will be collector, Parvati will be protector and Finch-Fletchy will be tracker."
"Professor." Ron spoke, "I will be protector, Hermione will be collector and Neville will be the tracker."
A series of raised voices was all Pomona managed to get from the final group as each of them tried to be the protector.
"One of us should be the protector, Lav, we're male!" Dean sputtered.
"How dare you!" Lavender shrieked, "Are you saying I am weaker than you just because I'm a woman?"
"I think I should be the protector because of my Fae blood!"
"Oh because, Fae blood makes you better than the rest of us lowly humans, does it?" Lavender roared.
"Quiet!" Pomona shouted. "Finnegan, you will be tracker! Brown, you will be collector and Thomas you will be protector! No arguments!"
She marched off furiously at a fast pace which had her students jogging to keep up with her; she was surprisingly speedy for a woman of her stature. She led her class into a clearing and gave each group a different plant to find and then sent them down different trails.
Harry was thoroughly enjoying himself. He had been doing a lot of tracking and such with Remus and Sirius when they figured out what he might want to do. This task was a piece of cake. They found the Fire Seeds only ten minutes or so down their trail growing in a clearing near some stone ruins.
Draco watched as Theodore levitated the Fire Seeds into a special container and put the lid on. He enjoyed the tracking but was slightly miffed that he did not get a chance to protect Harry. So, to make up for that, he spent time cuddling the Dark Veela and talking and joking with him.
A loud snap brought their attention to a large tree nearby.
"Theo, Harry, get behind me. Theo, make sure Harry stays safe." Draco ordered.
Harry was calm. He was unnaturally calm and his eyes were trained on a moving shadow where a dark paw pressed into the light. He watched as a great hulking figure, black as midnight, pressed slowly out into the clearing and found himself so surprised he could not speak straight away.
Draco stared at the animal in front of him. It was a Grim, he realised. He poised himself, ready to strike should the creature come any closer. He watched warily, making sure he stood directly in its path instead of Harry, as the creature lifted its head and fixed its gaze on the Light Veela.
"Padfoot!" Harry wailed.
The Grim yipped and trotted further into the clearing, followed by Remus Lupin.
"Professor Lupin?" Draco and Theodore said incredulously.
The Werewolf just gave them a wry smile and gathered the bundle of Dark Veela in his arms as Harry rushed into them shrieking happily.
"What are you doing here?" Harry asked happily.
"We're here to see you, pup." Sirius answered him, now resting against a tree trunk. He caught the Dark Veela in a one armed hug and ruffled his hair.
"So, these are three remaining Marauders then?" Draco asked, smirking, "I'm slightly impressed that Dumbledore isn't rushing down to act all sage like. How did you get past the wards?"
"A Marauder never gives away his secrets." Sirius grinned.
"Oopsie." Harry said, the sound muffled by Sirius' chest.
Remus chuckled and freed Harry of Sirius' crushing embrace. He leaned forward slightly on the cane he used after Full Moons and walked to sit on the crumbling remains of a wall.
"Why do you have that thing?" Harry asked, pointing at the cane. "It isn't the Full Moon for another week."
"I plan to still be in the vicinity then." Remus smiled. "And it's good to rap Sirius around the head with when he's being disagreeable, isn't it Pads?"
Sirius scowled at Remus before standing up straight and stretching. "So, what lesson are you three in?"
"Herbology." Theodore answered. "Theodore Nott, sir, it is a pleasure to make your acquaintance."
"Likewise." Sirius barked. "Just don't call me sir, it makes me feel old."
"You-" Harry was about to make a quip about Sirius being old but thought better of it from the look on Sirius' face. "You're certainly not old. A little dusty, but that's not your fault."
Remus coughed to disguise a laugh.
"Harry." Sirius intoned.
"Yes?"
"Harry."
"Yes, Sirius?"
"Harry."
"What?"
"Start running."
Harry turned and sprinted for Draco, diving behind him and peeking out at Sirius, who was oddly sprawled on the floor, Remus' cane looking suspiciously innocent in Remus' hands whilst Remus shook with silent laughter.
"Remus." Sirius said.
"Yes?"
"Remus."
"Yes, Sirius?"
"Remus!" Sirius barked. "Do you want to start a prank war?"
"Ah, my dear, beloved Mister Padfoot, Mister Moony begs the question of whether it is Mister Padfoot that wishes to start a prank war. Mister Moony would also like to remind Mister Padfoot of who won the last prank war."
"Mister Padfoot believes it was Mister Prongs who was the victor of the last prank war." Sirius looked fearful for a moment. "Like father, like son."
Harry grinned evilly.
"Do you always speak in third person?" Draco asked, outraged.
The three Marauders only sniggered in response.
"We ought to get the Fire Seeds to Sprout before she wonders where we've got to." Theodore said, looking back down the trail.
"But I don't want to just leave them here." Harry protested.
"Do you have your invisibility cloak with you?" Sirius asked. "James used to bring it to all the lessons we didn't particularly like so we could sneak off or cause mayhem."
Harry shook his head. "I can get it though if you want."
"Wordlessly, though, Harry; if you just say 'invisibility cloak' then you might end up with several flying towards you." Remus advised.
Harry nodded and focused on summoning his cloak. A slight whooshing sound and the flapping of the corners in the wind as the cloak neared was all the warning Harry got before his cloak all but slapped him in the face and vanished him from the view of the four standing around him.
Draco smirked and carefully plucked the cloak off of Harry before folding it a little and passing it to Remus and Sirius. He watched as they disappeared under it and then turned to Harry and wrapped his arm around the Dark Veela's shoulders.
The walk back to Pomona Sprout was silent and peaceful. They were the first to arrive and so, when they deposited their Fire Seeds they were sent along to their Transfiguration class early.
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Sirius and Remus grinned as they entered the classroom. Minerva had let the two Slytherins and the Gryffindor in early with a suspicious look at Draco before she walked off stiffly back to her staffroom to finish grading some papers. They stood behind Harry's seat as Harry sat down and made idle chit chat with the two Light Veela. All too soon the rest of their class came piling in and a sharp look from Ron cut off the pleasant conversation.
"Today, class, we will be focusing on turning one living animal into another. You shall be turning a rat into a hamster. We will not be touching Human Transfiguration; can anybody tell me why?"
One hand rose slowly into the air; and this time it was not Hermione's.
"Yes, Mister Potter?"
"It's because animals such as rats and hamsters are basic animals that feel only pain, fear, hunger and comfort. They run almost entirely off instinct whereas humans are more logical and compassionate and our thought processes are advanced; humans are very complex beings and so to Transfigure human into a baser creature, like a hamster, might cause the human brain damage. Plus, you might do the spell wrong and have a human mind permanently trapped in a hamster's body."
"That is correct. Twenty points to Gryffindor."
"Great going, Harry." Ron grinned.
Hermione, on the other hand, looked very sour. She sniffed snottily and stuck her nose in the air, turning away from her Dark Veela friend. This action of hers confused Harry greatly but he decided not to dwell on it.
Sirius glared at Hermione through the invisibility cloak; Harry was right, she was jealous of Harry's new found flair in certain subjects. The least she could do was pretend to be happy for her friend, though. It was this thought that tipped Sirius into poking his wand tip out of the cloak slightly and whispering a certain spell he was oh so fond of.
"Ostendo sum insontis."
Hermione shrieked and started to scratch at the light blue glow emanating from her skin. "Harry! What have you done to me?"
Harry stared at her in shock. "I haven't done anything." He protested. "Oh… Oh dear."
Harry had, once again, begun to glow a soft, pure white. He flushed red and folded his arms on the desk, burying his face in them. He lifted his head only to see Ron yelp in shock as he too began to glow, though his colour was a thick, deep and bright red.
"Ron… what have you done?" Harry asked him quietly.
"I think the question is who has he done?" Hermione snapped.
Lavender Brown swallowed quietly and shrunk down in her seat between the Patil twins. This was supposed to be a secret. She knew Ron was desperate for Hermione and she knew Ron kept telling Hermione he was ready for sex but would wait for her. Now, he had been discovered.
"Hermione, it's not what you think." Ron spluttered.
"How can it not be what I think, Ronald? The evidence is right there!" She barked. "Now, I don't blame you Lavender, it's not your fault you were conned by this self absorbed, green-gutted, lying streak of filth, I'm only glad Harry helped me discover it."
"Me!" Harry yelped. "I haven't done anything!"
"Then who cast the spell?" Ron asked Harry accusingly.
"How is he supposed to know, Ronald?" Hermione snapped.
"Miss Granger, Mister Weasley, stop this madness immediately!"
Hermione cast a furious look at both Ron and Minerva and grasped her belongings firmly, wrenched them from under the table and thundered out, throwing the classroom door open and storming down the corridor.
"Go and sit with Malfoy, Harry." Ron said quietly, staring into space.
"I thought you said I was to stay away from him." Harry murmured.
"Just go. I don't want to be near you right now after what you've caused."
"But I haven't done anything." Harry protested quietly.
Minerva rolled her eyes and strode forward. She grasped Harry's wand and pointed her own to the tip. "Priori Incantatem! There you have it, Mister Weasley; Harry's last spell was a summoning charm, not the status enchantment. Though I am now curious as to where the perpetrator is hiding. Mister Black, show yourself this instant."
"Oh, bugger." Sirius sighed as he stepped out from under the invisibility cloak, careful to ensure that Remus was kept concealed.
"It's Sirius Black-"
"Harry's Godfather-"
"Escaped Azkaban-"
"Illegal Animagus at fourteen!"
"Whilst I'd usually love to sit around hearing people talk about my escapades, I have something to say; I'm sorry, Ron, I didn't mean for that to go so far. But, to be candid mate, you're supposed to be honest with the female of the species and caring, not lying and cheating. She was bound to find out sooner or later."
"What are you doing here, Mister Black?" Minerva asked in a clipped tone.
"First and foremost, to see my Godson, secondly, to see Dumbledore and thirdly to witness what I am sure Lord and Lady Malfoy, Mister and Missus Finnegan and Missus Zabini will be here to witness. But I'm sure you'll all find out about that later." Sirius answered.
"Why did you cast spells on three of my students?"
"It was a joke." Sirius shrugged. "I was going to bring Hermione down a few pegs; she had an attitude, you see, about Harry being able to answer a question she couldn't. So I was going to bring her down a few but, Circe, I never meant to make her bleeding distraught."
"Why did you feel the need to do such a thing?"
"This close to Mating Season Harry needs all the support he can get. He needs to really bolster his self confidence and she, with that superior attitude, was only going to cut him down. I don't know why she did that, maybe it was jealousy or frustration, but it's no excuse. Harry did not deserve to have it taken out on him, she should have been proud of him." Sirius preached, placing his hands on his Godson's shoulders as a gesture of love and support.
Minerva nodded reluctantly.
"Don't mind if I do." Sirius grinned, sitting down in Hermione's vacated chair. "So, what's the lesson plan today then, Minnie?"
Minerva stiffened and levelled a glare at the vagabond man in her class. "Today, Mister Black, we are focusing on Animal Transfiguration; turning rats into hamsters."
"Oh, I remember that, the first time Severus tried that spell he got what James called a 'hamrat' it was hamster colouring, but as big as a rat with a rat's tail and a hamster's squashed face." Sirius giggled.
Harry couldn't help but giggle too, along with a few Slytherins. Though most of the Gryffindors unashamedly burst out in laughter.
"Stop it." Harry snapped after a while. "It really isn't that funny and I'm willing to bet that some of your tries aren't as good as his." Harry picked up his rat by its tail, aware that they had not been taught the particulars of the spell but he was certain he could do it because of his work with Sirius and Remus over the summer. "Convoco Instar."
The rat seemed to shrink and its bottle neck shape squashed itself into a more even shape, the dull grey of the rat's fur washed out to white and beige. Its whiskers shortened and the rat's snout shrunk into the squashed pug of a hamster's countenance. There, in front of Harry, sat the perfect little hamster, staring around quite helpless and afraid. Harry couldn't help but smile and fuss the poor thing by plopping it into him palm and running his fingers through the soft fur.
"Well done, Mister Potter; take another twenty points to Gryffindor. And you, Mister Malfoy, take twenty points for Slytherin."
Harry looked over at the small brown hamster with huge chocolate eyes that rested, contented, in the palm of Draco's hand. Harry grinned as Draco then turned the hamster into a kitten with a wide ribbon tied in a bow behind its head and levitated it over to the Dark Veela. Harry accepted the gift with a wide, toothy smile and cuddled the little kitten close. He focused on his own hamster and turned it into a coyote pup before gifting it to the Light Veela male in his favour. He smiled as Draco inclined his head and gently petted the excited cub on his desk.
"Now cuddly animals are all well and good." Sirius announced, breaking the silence which had befallen the classroom as its inhabitants had turned to watch the exchange between the two would-be lovers. "But what you really want to do is something like this."
The remaining rat on Minerva's desk morphed into a large green-bellied Dragon. It took stock of the room before howling its great cry and preparing to burn the room and its inmates to a crisp.
"Oops, pardon me!"
The dragon disappeared and in its place stood a penguin, looking, for all intents and purposes, really rather irate.
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Sirius and Remus were sat at the Head Table at dinner. They surveyed the scene before them, picking Harry out in the crowd. They noticed that he was blushing and trying to keep his head down. Beside Harry sat Seamus Finnegan, making remarks about Harry's submissiveness and where Harry 'belonged'. Sirius and Remus both had frowns on their faces, neither of them wanted their Godson to feel meek, angry or humiliated.
So Sirius struck again.
Harry shrieked with shock and laughter as Seamus suddenly grew a spout and a handle and his girth stretched to at least five times its original size.
"I'm a little teapot short and stout!"
Harry's usually innocent giggles turned into a maniacal cackle.
"I am not a tea pot! Short and stout!"
The students and teachers alike were howling with laughter. Many of the Slytherins had lost control and one Daphne Greengrass could be found with her face in the pea bowl. Michael Corner had managed to get his chin swabbed by gravy and, Luna, in her hysterics, had accidentally knocked the mashed potato ladle, causing it to catapult a handful of mashed potato into Cho Chang's face. Thus began the food fight.
The remainders of Starter dishes, the majority of the Main Course and the beginnings of Desserts were slung about the entire room, leaving no one untouched. The Gryffindors had teamed up with the Hufflepuffs against the Slytherins and Ravenclaws, the two teams barricading themselves behind the dining tables and flinging the food over their barricades and over the enemy lines.
The teaching and caretaking staff had been all but impartial until Severus dunked a bowl of cranberry sauce over an unsuspecting Minerva, who had promptly turned around and hexed the bread rolls into chasing Severus around and breaking themselves off his head. Shockingly, Sirius and Remus had come to the rescue by literally 'buttering up' the Transfigurations professor whilst somehow forcing a dollop of ice cream down the back of Horace Slughorn's shirt.
Hagrid was astonished by the Headmaster, whom he had been bodily protecting from the flying beverage, when aforementioned Headmaster picked up a pitcher of orange juice and soaked the poor half giant with it. Hagrid had retaliated by hording together a huge pile of sweet corn and easily lifting the ancient man then dropping him straight into it.
Harry giggled and flung himself by Neville. "Nev! Get all the bowls and ladles, get people to stick anything semi-solid in there – mashed potato, particularly lumpy gravy, horse radish sauce et cetera and get ready to fire. I'm going to levitate the tables away from them."
Neville nodded and readied the Hufflepuffs to setting up the attack. Harry rallied the Gryffindors together and they pushed the tips of their wands forward, gently casting the spell on the table and raising it slowly. When the table was about sixteen foot in the air and all the dangling Slytherins and Ravenclaws had dropped off, the Hufflepuffs, led by Neville, fired.
Harry was both disgusted and amused to see Severus and his Godfathers kneeling together flinging food back in retaliation. Harry had to get revenge.
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I apologise for not replying to reviews and for the late update. College has started up again so everythig is going to slow down unfortunately. R&R