Harry was getting closer and closer to a full transformation now, with his whole body regularly being covered with feathers, much of his face transforming, and his hearing and eyesight sharpening. Even his hands and feet changed, to a degree. Soon he would be working on transforming without the potion.
Unfortunately every time he worked on the Animagus transformation, which was nearly every evening, he was reminded of Hermione and Ron. When he'd told Jennifer about the problem she'd been more concerned about them ratting him out, which he supposed he could understand.
Still, that wasn't the biggest concern for him. If they were going to rat him they would have already. The biggest concern was that he'd lost his two best friends. Seamus and Parvati were no substitute for them.
Unfortunately, he just couldn't trust them. He had secrets for a good reason and they needed to understand that.
He told himself that he wasn't beginning to doubt the mission, he was just sad about losing his friends.
The Friday meeting with Dumbledore went about the same as the last one had with them focusing on furthering his ability to transfigure stone to ice. He had started out the lesson by being able to do a foot-by-foot area and ended it by being able to do a five-foot by five-foot area. More than enough for dueling, not quite enough for a battlefield.
At the end of the lesson, he told him that Seamus and Parvati would be going with them next Saturday. The Headmaster had seemed sad but had agreed. Why he cared was beyond Harry's understanding.
Now it was Saturday morning and, after spending all breakfast ignoring Hermione and Ron and instead listening to Seamus and Dean pretend like they weren't flirting, Harry met with the Headmaster.
The Headmaster was once more seated by the fireplace and Harry settled down in the seat across from him.
"I thought that we could perhaps learn Occlumency today. Do you know what that is?"
Harry shifted uncomfortably in his seat, "Uh yeah."
The man nodded knowingly, "I'm not surprised, however, to best learn Occlumency one must learn the touch of Legilimency."
This was an unfortunate truth, try as he might his walls were still weak and he had no idea how to direct anyone away from the memories he didn't want them to know. Still, Dumbledore was exactly who he was hiding things from. It would be bad if he learned what the Prime Minister's end goal was. He'd just have to find another tutor and bind them up in a secrecy contract. Perhaps over the summer.
"I'm sorry, I'm just not comfortable with that."
The Headmaster sighed then offered, "I could guarantee not to look at more… sensitive memories."
Harry just shook his head.
"Very well then, how does learning spell chains sound?"
Harry brightened, "Brilliant!"
As the week dragged on Harry found himself less and less sure about keeping Hermione and Ron out. He'd begun to hang out with Seamus, Dean, Lavender, and Parvati and while they were less nosy they were also less enjoyable to be around.
Maybe it was just that they were unsure about him but everything they talked about was almost boring. Lavender and Parvati talked constantly about fashion and Dean would not shut up about football while Seamus was always experimenting with spells and setting fire to just about everything he got his hands on. He'd never realized just how many fires were happening in Gryffindor until he'd seen one nearly every day.
Part of that was that none of the four ever seemed to want to go to the library unless they had to for homework and then they usually only stayed for about an hour before inevitably leaving, claiming they were bored. He'd thought Ron barely spent any time in the library but comparatively, he practically lived there. He ended up spending a lot more time alone than he'd thought he would.
He also couldn't help but think about all the things that Hermione and Ron had stuck by him through. A troll, that had started it all. The Sorcerer's Stone, which they'd never asked him about even though they had to have known he had it. The Chamber of Secrets. And now they had yet to tell anyone about what they'd discovered him doing.
Unfortunately, he knew that his bosses would not want him to remain friends with such nosy people. They hadn't said anything about it, presumably because Harry had given an incredibly detailed account of their falling out, but he knew his bosses and knew they would tell him to stay away if asked.
So he stayed away, much as it hurt.
Still, when next Saturday arrived, after two more very productive sessions with the Headmaster, he felt awkward standing in the Headmaster's office with Seamus and Parvati.
They all touched the portkey the Headmaster had made out of a frisbee (which apparently only worked within Hogwarts because Dumbledore himself had made it) and soon they were spinning wildly through the air, the world around them a blur until they finally landed belly down on the grass, though Harry noted as he gulped in air desperately that Dumbledore seemed to land on his feet just fine.
As he was still getting his stomach back in place he heard Seamus shout, "Wicked!" and looking up revealed a sign atop a gate that read Cymraeg Dragon Reserve. Ill feeling gone Harry jumped up in excitement and Parvati even squealed a little bit.
They were quickly greeted by a man who asked to be called Alan. "We've got quite the tour for you four, it's not every day that we have two celebrities visiting!"
They followed him to a flying carpet that they all climbed onto.
"Hang on," Seamus said, "I thought flying carpets are illegal.
Alan laughed a little, "There's always one. They're illegal to buy and illegal to fly in muggle areas, but this baby was bought before they were illegal to buy and we're definitely not going into a muggle area."
Satisfied, they launched into the air and for the second time in as many weeks, Harry was flying again. He could get used to flying regularly, he decided.
The Dragon Reserve was amazing, it had fifteen different kinds of dragons, each of which they got to see at least one type of. They even got to see infant Chinese Fireballs that had just hatched only three weeks prior.
Halfway through the tour, Seamus asked Harry, "Can you understand them? Since you're a Parseltongue and all."
"You're a Parseltongue?" Alan asked with interest. "Parseltongues are highly prized at Dragon Reserves. Unfortunately, there are none in Britain, except you I suppose, so we have to ship them in from places like India. Costs a bloody fortune…"
"I didn't know I could talk to dragons too…"
Alan nodded, "Obviously you're a bit young to be working right now, but if you want a job when you turn fifteen feel free to apply, we'd snap you up in a heartbeat."
"I always thought everyone turning on you for being a Parselmouth was ridiculous," Parvati said, "In India, they're highly prized. I'd love to be a Parselmouth," she finished with a sigh.
Harry's eyes flicked back and forth in confusion at the completely different reception he was getting about being a Parselmouth than he had gotten the year before. "I'll think about it," he finally told Alan, who seemed satisfied with that answer.
They had lunch at the Reserve and got to meet several Dragon Tamers who were all heavily scarred, muscled men and women who seemed to love their jobs. Seamus, in particular, seemed excited to meet them and spent the whole lunch asking them questions about their jobs.
After lunch, they continued the tour and before Harry knew it they were back at Hogwarts in time for dinner.
"Thanks for taking us," Parvati said.
"Yeah, it was great!" Seamus exclaimed.
Harry smiled at them, "I was happy to do so. I had a lot of fun, thanks for coming."
Seamus wandered off and now it was just him and Parvati standing together in the Entrance Hall while people wandered past to the Great Hall for dinner.
"So, our date," Parvati said.
Harry shifted uncomfortably, "Right, you want to do it for Hogsmeade weekend?"
She squealed a little then launched herself at him to hug him. "I can't wait!" And, mercifully, with that, she ran off.
At least it was over a month away.
When Harry entered the Great Hall his eyes immediately sought Hermione and Ron who were sitting together at the end of the table looking miserable.
Hermione and Ron who had never thought poorly of him for being a Parselmouth.
With his heart tight in his chest, Harry sat down with Seamus and Dean and tried to ignore his one-time friends.