Fellowship of the Fox

by Ryuuohjin

/ AN /

Disclaimer - I do not in any way own Harry Potter or any of its world or characters.

They all fully belong to J.K. Rowling and her affiliates.

Update 2018-03-21: Rewritten somewhat.

/

Chapter 2 - Aftermatch

Harry let out a groan as he stirred where he laid, his consciousness slowly leaving the realm of the Sandman for the waking world once again. He had a pounding headache, and his body felt sore and ached all over. The first thing that Harry's gaze as lazily open his eyes was an unfamiliar stone ceiling. With some effort and another groan he pulled himself up into a sitting position

As he looks around confusedly, wondering where he was. His eyes tiredly sweeping from side to side, analyzing the place, while he tried to figure out his current situation. His eyes eventually went up and just stared at the ceiling. He squinted a bit at the bright light coming down from it.

Was he in danger? How the hell did he get here? Where the hell was here to begin with?

'An infirmary', was the first thought that appeared in his mind, as he rubbed one of his eyes drowsily. Even though his bed was surrounded closed by drapes, Harry had still been in enough infirmaries too recognize one when he saw one.

'But why I am in an infirmary', was the next thought that struck his sleep-addled mind.

As strained his mind trying to remember, what he had done to land himself in an infirmary this time. One his ears started itch he automatically went to scratch it, it took a quite a while for his drowsy consciousness, too really register what his sub-consciousness already found out, and had been trying to tell him. There was something large and hairy were his ear should be, Harry reached for his other ear and it was the same there. Harry's brain went into overdrive, as adrenalin flooded his system, blasting away the last remnants of his sleepiness. With that, his memories from earlier started to emerge with a rush. He remembered it all, the ritual, the magic, the light, the pain, and how he had passed out from it.

'So this must Gringotts infirmary then', Harry concluded as he calmed down.

After few moments of pondering, Harry slowly climbed out the bed, his muscles protesting with every little movement he did. Then on wobbly legs, he went and pulled drapes surrounding his bed aside. Harry quickly scanned the room easily finding what he was looking for and went straight for it. It was a large full-length mirror, exactly what he needed, he thought, as wobbled his way there.

The person that stared back at him in the mirror Harry didn't recognize at all. It was a skinny girl, with a small delicate frame and bone structure, and a flat chest. His body now had a light build with small joints and long thin limbs with stringy, lean muscles. The shoulders were thin with little width. That not mention he was now also quite short, with a pair of large wolf ears, that sat on each side of a round childish, face. He had thin eyebrows and slightly red cheeks, plump with baby fat, but also a thin mouth with soft tan lips. Whenever his mouth widens, Harry could see twin canines, small and thin, appear, glistening with saliva.

His eyes were large and intense and mysterious, shifting from teal blue to teal green depending on the light. His pupils now were narrow slits and seemed to naturally give off a somewhat alluring, titillating gaze. He also had seemed to have long curled eyelashes that made his eyes appear somewhat bigger and more open. Along with what looked like natural light gold eyeshadow and eyeliner, there was also a little natural golden shimmer to both corners of the girl's eyes making them look even bigger, along with highlighting their colour.

His hair now was thick and seemed to be full of life, not mention it was long as he now was tall, and whose ends curled outward at the end. It was bright red and fell down to her feet, burning into a fiery orange as it made its way down her body.

Physically, Harry would guess, based on his now more childish looks and quite diminished height, he now was approximately somewhere between 6 to 8 years old. Which confused him somewhat, not mention the fangs or wolf ears he now had somehow acquired...

'Damn, if this was someone else, I would say the girl in the mirror would be amongst cutest girls I had ever seen,' he thought as he started to blush.

As Harry was cataloguing his new features, he started to twist and turn around, to get a better look at his new body. That was he saw another strange new addition that he hadn't expected to have, a quite big and fluffy tail. Harry had been so wrapped up in his thoughts and admiration of his new body that neither saw nor heard of when a goblin entered the room. It wasn't until it goblin began to loudly clear his throat that Harry first noticed him. Causing Harry's blush to darken even further, making the goblin chuckle good-naturedly.

"Good morning, Mr. Potter, or maybe good afternoon would more appropriate, considering what time it is time," the goblin said with a light chuckle. "My name is Sharptooth. I'm one of the healers in charge of you and your friends. And from what I can see, you have discovered the results of ritual that you recently participated in."

"Good afternoon? How long was out?" Harry asks worried, with a slight pinking of his cheeks, and the look on his face seemingly innocence itself. "What happened? Is everyone alright?"

"You had been asleep for about a day. None of the goblins or any of witches or wizards were hurt. There some scrapes and bruises, but not anything more," Sharptooth replied, he then paused for a while letting the information sink in. "The wolf though, is another matter, as it died after the initial explosion when it was thrown into a wall."

"Hmm... Have my friends been informed of the results of the ritual?"

"Mr. Wesley and Mr. Longbottom were there as it happened, so they already know. But other than that, none of the other know, as far as I know. They had been restricted to bed rest just in case of a concussion."

"Good, I can use that. Could please you call for Ron an Neville for me please," Harry said as an impish grin sneaked its was upon his face.

/

It wasn't until later that Harry encountered, the first hurdle with his new body, it had happened just after Sharptooth's had left. It was then he had noticed all the new sounds and smells he was bombarded with through his new enhanced senses. Although, this was an only minor inconvenience that he soon got adjusted too. The second hurdle he encountered though, that caused him some real trouble. It had been after Ron and Neville had visited him, he had told them all about an idea for a prank he had just come up with. Which was something they had both had agreed to help him with. After they had left Harry decided it was high time to take a shower.

As he was undressing, he caught a glimpse of himself in a mirror. He had been standing just in a pair of panties and socks, when he suddenly felt how his cheeks started to get warm, along with a getting a pink tinge spreading on his cheeks. He had had absolutely no reason feel like this, the logical part of his mind told him. Because a) this was his body, and b) even though he was a girl now, he only looked to be a child for Merlin's sake. Whilst he knew all of this, he couldn't help himself from blushing and feeling embarrassed, as he continued to undress.

Although the undressing part had been nothing compared to when he had actually begun to washing himself, especially his girlie bits. That had made him feel like he was like some kind of pedophile or something, and no matter what the logical part of his mind had said. He also encountered similar problems when he had to take a call of nature, although they had not been as severe as when he had showered. Harry noticed that as long he was clothed and didn't have to think about his new gender he had no qualms at all. He shuddered in at the thought of how it would have been if his body had been older, and he actually had something to be embarrassed about.

/

Later that day, in another part of Gringotts. Gabrielle, Hermione, Luna, and Ginny had gathered in a meeting room that had been provided to them. They currently engaged in some inconsequential small talk as they waited for the rest of their group to arrive. The door then opened and a strangest little child peeked in cautiously. It was a girl with large teal eyes and a long red hair, wearing a simple white summer dress. She was extremely cute and seemed to have to have an innocent, naive air about her. The only thing they thought was weird about her was that she seemed to have wolf ears instead of human ones, that along with large fluffy that was waving excitedly. After a while, as the little girl just seemed to stand there nervously looking around, Hermione got up from her seat and went to talk with their cute little visitor.

"Hello, little fella. What are you doing here? Are you lost?" Gabrielle asked trying to make her tone as welcoming as possible, as she crouched down to the girl eye level. "Do you know where your parents are? I can help find your parents if you want."

"… I have been told not talk to strangers," the girl then answered warily after a while.

"Your parents must be very wise, as that is some very sound advice since there are many types of people in this world," said Hermione said trying to keep her tone calm and friendly. Not wanting to upset the child. She had quickly followed Gabrielle, as she hated to sad or troubled children. "Therefore, we will simply have to stop being strangers. My name is Hermione, Hermione Granger. And this is my friend Gabrielle Delacour, " she said as first pointed at herself, then at Gabrielle in turn.

The girl though, seemingly unsure what to say next, just seemed looked around the room. It almost made Hermione think that the little girl was intentionally were avoiding to look in their eyes, but would be ridiculous, why should the small girl be doing that.

Gabrielle on the other was quite unsure what should do about at the little girl, not mention she was also curious what such young child was doing here. Now that she thought about that, there sure was something strange going on here.

First, there was the girl herself, those wolf ears, they seemed to be natural, so either she was born with them or had gotten them through magic. Then were the girl's parents, she doubted that they would allow her to run free in Gringotts, even if the parents would allow it, Gabrielle doubted the goblins would allow that. That would mean there was much more to this girl then first meet the eye if so Gabrielle could but help to wonder what secrets this was holding.

Luna, while also unsure what do about the little girl at first, but when her eyes meet the girl's, relief had flooded over her as realized who this child was. For even with this changed appearance, Luna was able to recognize who this was as soon as she meets the child's gaze. For as the saying goes, the eyes are windows to the soul, and while the eyes themselves had changed, the soul behind them hadn't. Luna really couldn't help but smile as she realized this, a smile that quickly widens into a grin when she also realized what the red-headed child was probably up to.

This seemed to infuriate the little girl, Hermione had no idea why, nor did have any idea why Luna was grinning in the first place. But as she watched the little girl get more and more irate at the grinning Luna, her little face now frowning as it began turn red. Although that only seemed make Luna smile wider. Which only seemed to infuriate the girl even further. She drops her hands to her sides, squeezing them into fists in her frustration, almost like a toddler about to explode into a tantrum.

"What are you smiling at?" the little girl finally snaps.

"We are not stranger are we," Luna then said and gave the girl a mischievous wink.

For a moment the girl seemed to shocked by Luna's statement, but that seemed to quickly go over. After that, the girl just kept looking at Luna cautiously, who just kept smiling back at the girl, with a glint in the blonde's eyes that Hermione knew she didn't quite like, and Gabrielle couldn't quite place, both were unsure of why. Then after what looked like an inner debate, along with what seemed to be a silent conversation between her and Luna, the little girl nodded, and with looked like some disappointment, went over to where Luna sat, who proceeded pulled the small child securely into her lap, and started to cuddle her. Leaving the rest of the occupant in the room somewhat confused.

Minutes passed as Luna was interrogated by Ginny and Hermione, while the girl in her was engaged in small talk with Gabrielle. It then moved back too small talk for the rest of the girls, when little girl yawned and curled up against Luna. After a bit of squirming to finding the most comfortable spot in Luna's lap, the girl then promptly fell asleep. As Luna felt girl in her lap suddenly relax and breath even out, she quietly cast a silencing spell over her. This way the girl would only be forced wake if Luna moved.

As Ginny watched the sleeping girl, a gnawing suspicion started to grow in the back of her mind. There was something about her, something that she just couldn't put her finger on. The girls' mannerisms and personality, gave away a certain aura of familiarity. She was sure she had met the girl before. She could feel it in her bones, but no matter how she ransacked her mind, she couldn't remember where.

As Ginny pondered both Hermione and Gabrielle had their own suspicions. They both had noticed that they still knew next to nothing about the little girl. Not once had any type of name been mentioned. When they had asked about it or any other information about her, both Luna and the small girl in question, had either somehow changed the subject or neatly danced around the question. Although while Gabrielle thought she already knew who this strange, but familiar, little child was. Hermione only had a vague suspicion who girl really was, all that she needed now was some kind of confirmation.

/

When the door opened much later. and Ron and Neville stepped in, Hermione was on too them like a vulture. Demanding too know why they were so late, all while giving them a lecture on the importance of punctuality. They replied by saying that they were actually quite on time and that it was the girls that been there too early. Unknown to them, but know to both Neville and Ron, the girls had just been given an earlier time. As they then looked around the room and spotted Luna and the sleeping girl in her lap, they gave her a questioning gaze. Luna replied by giving them a wink, at which both of them chuckled, which only further served to confuse all the girls, except Luna. Ginny could also hear Ron muttering something that sounded like, "That they should have known." But exactly what they should have known Ginny never got the chance to ask, as a goblin just had entered the room.

"I see we all are here, good then can get started," the goblin said after he had scanned the room. "Good day, my name is Grimclaw, and I'm here to give you our preliminary findings of the ritual, and it's results."

"I will not tell you to exact what result it had since Mr. Potter has requested to do that personally. Any questions so far?"

"According to Neville and Ron here, we were given a different time for this meeting then them, is that true?" Hermione asked, the tone clearly told them she didn't believe them.

"Yes, they were correct. This was another one of Mr. Potter's requests," Grmiclaw replied.

"Why would he do that?" Hermione responded in shock and disbelief.

"That is something you will have to take up with Mr. Potter himself I'm afraid, as I can't answer that," Grimclaw stated simply.

"Talking about Harry. Where is he? Is he alright? And why isn't he here?" Ginny asked Grimclaw in quick succession, with worry lacing her voice.

"Mr. Potter is alright, Ms. Weasley. He is currently asleep, as far as I can tell. As it seems like he had tired himself out," Grimclaw answered her.

This, combined with what Grimclaw had said when had first entered the room, was all that Gabrielle had needed to confirm she had been right. As this final information was all but a direct confirmation to Gabrielle about who the girl in Luna's lap was.

"Either way, let get to what we are here for. From what we managed to deduce so far about the ritual, was that is was somehow overpowered, which caused several anomalies to appear in it. We suspect that we may have look something when preparing for it," he then continued. "Our next step at moment is to look over all of our notes once again and to do a thorough check-up on everything that was involved. If there no more question, that will be all for now," Grimclaw finished. After waiting awhile, and as it seemed that no more questions were forthcoming, he went to the door. Just as was about exit it, he turns around and said.

"Ms. Lovegood please do inform Mr. Potter when he wakes up, that the medical testing starts early tomorrow," he then bowed and closed the door behind him.

"Sure, I will make sure he knows," Luna replies.

It was then it all clicked for Ginny and Hermione, as slowly turned too the once mysterious girl sleeping in Luna's lap. They could keep staring at the little girl, they now knew be one their amongst their longest and closest friends. This seemed to be making him uncomfortable, as even though he was asleep, Harry began to squirm under the gazes. But they couldn't help it, it was just so strange to see him like this. Although what they need now was answers, answers only he could give. And Ginny had gotten an idea how to get them.

She leaned down and gently started blow too in one Harry big fluffy ears, which gave way a twitch as she did so. A small hand was soon raised, as Harry tried to chase away whatever it was that was trying to disturb his sleep. As Ginny saw that, her heart melted at the cute gesture, and proceeded to the same with his other ear, only too have the same thing happen there.

Hermione sighed as she saw Ginny joining Luna in cuddling the adorable little fiend Harry now had become. Ginny seemed to have completely forgotten why she went there in the first place, she thought in dismay. Luna had been a lost cause form the beginning, and looking at Gabrielle, she could tell that the half-veela would be no help either. And now with Ginny throwing in the towel, that only left herself, if she wanted any questions answered soon. She had never really counted Ron or Neville towards the equation, as she knew they were accomplices in Harry's little scheme. So Hermione carefully approached her still deep slumbering friend.

"Harry, its time to wake up," she said softly, all while lightly shaking him.

"Five more minutes," she could hear him sleepily mumble from Luna's bosom, as he slapped her hand away with his tail, all while snuggling closer to Luna.

/

TBC

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