A/N: As always thank you sll for your support, every follow, favorite and review really makes my day.
I'm very pleased to welcome back Keoki8806 as Beta.
I don't own Harry Potter, or any related characters, and I'm not making any money off this.
9 Lives
By: Time Keeper
Chapter 7: Easy Like Sunday Morning
#/# November 27, 1994 #/#
Harry and Hermione are just about to leave their room when someone knocks on their door. Harry opens the door, and Sirius walks in. "I have good news!" Sirius says.
"Good morning to you too, Sirius." Hermione chuckles.
"Yes, yes, good morning." Sirius says quickly. "Now, onto my news." He pauses for a moment, then pulls Hufflepuff's cup out of his robes as he says: "Ta-da!"
"Hufflepuff's cup?" Harry asks.
"Yes, a house-elf delivered it from the goblins this morning." Sirius says. "Shall we destroy it?"
"What about Remus?" Hermione asks.
"You'll love this!" Sirius laughs. "Right before I received my present." He holds up the cup. "Remus received a missive from the Ministry."
"Was it because we are no longer going to compete in the tournament?" Harry asks.
"Oh, no." Sirius replies. "They were asking for his help."
There's a moment of complete silence before both Potters start laughing. "Pull the other one!" Hermione jokes. When they look at Sirius, they see that he's not laughing with them. "Wait, is this not a prank?"
Sirius shakes his head. "Apparently, when Hogwarts receives a new Headmaster or mistress, the Ministry hires someone outside of themselves to come and assist them. Since Remus was already here, they offered him the job."
"But I thought they refused to hire werewolves." Harry says.
"That's the best part. The charter for the school specifically states that the Ministry must hire someone they wouldn't normally." Sirius explains.
They all chuckled, then Sirius claps his hands as best he could while still holding the cup. "Now, what do you say we do this?"
"Fine, but we need to be more careful after what happened with Dumbledore." Hermione says. "We can't have someone dying every time we destroy one of these."
"Do you have a plan for that?" Sirius asks.
Hermione nods. "Actually, I do."
#/#/#
A short time later, Sirius and Harry are standing off to the side as Hermione paces in front of the blank wall. Harry has the sword of Gryffindor in hand and Sirius still carries Hufflepuff's cup.
Just as Sirius is about to ask what she's doing, a door appears. "What just happened?" Sirius asks.
"We have dubbed this the Room of Requirement." Hermione answers as she opens the door, then steps inside.
Harry and Sirius follow behind her. The inside of the room is circular, with walls that appear to be made of rubber. In the middle of the room sits a large silver anvil. Sirius walks up to the anvil. "What metal is this made out of?" He asks.
"Mithril." Hermione answers.
"Never heard of it." Sirius says, Harry grins as he chuckles softly. "I take it you have?"
"Hermione recently had me read the book it's from." Harry admits. "Do you think it'll hold up?"
"Only one way to find out." Hermione answers. "Sirius?"
Sirius places the cup on the anvil. "May I?" He asks.
Harry hands him the sword. "Don't let go."
Sirius pulls out his wand and casts a spell on his hand. "Sticking charm." He grabs the hilt of the blade, then firmly grasping the blade cleaves the cup in two.
Everyone stands there silent as nothing happens. "Do you suppose it wasn't actually a horcrux?" Hermione asks.
"It was in the previous timeline." Harry explains. "Why would something like that change?"
"Maybe because it was destroyed by dragon fire in another timeline, it wasn't restored here?" Hermione suggests as black smoke begins to coil around the sword where it sliced through the cup.
Sirius pulls on the blade. "It's stuck!" He says as he now sees that the blade has cut into the anvil and wedged itself within.
"Let go!" Hermione yells as she sees him struggle.
"I can't, sticking charm." Sirius says.
Hermione pulls out her wand and points it at Sirius' hand. "Finite."
"It's not working." Sirius says, panic evident in his voice as more smoke billows from the cup.
"I don't know what else to do." Hermione says, at an absolute loss.
"Leave me, you two get out of here." Sirius says.
"There has to be another solution." Hermione says.
"Do you know any first aid?" Harry asks as he walks up to them. Hermione nods in response. "Get ready to drag him out; he'll probably pass out."
Hermione gasps as she realizes what Harry was planning; she grabs Sirius and holds him up. "Do it"
Harry looks into his godfather's eyes. "Forgive me." Sirius' eyes widen as Harry quickly pulls out his wand and says, "Diffindo!" Then with a single motion, he slices off Sirius' hand.
Sirius screams and passes out falling backwards backwards into Hermione. "We need to leave, now!" Hermione commands. Harry quickly slips his wand in his pocket before helping her drag Sirius out of the room. They exit the room and lay Sirius down on the floor. Hermione is casting spells on Sirius when an explosion shakes the room behind them.
"How is he?" Harry asks.
"I've stopped the bleeding, but we need to get him to Madam Pomfrey." Hermione replies.
"Dobby!" Harry calls, and the elf appears.
"You called for Dobby?"
"I need you to take Sirius to Madam Pomfrey." Harry answers.
"I'll go with him." Hermione says, "I can explain what happened."
Harry nods. "I'll go back into the room and see if I can retrieve his hand."
"Don't forget the sword and whatever is left of the cup." Hermione says.
"I won't." Harry says.
"Ready?" Dobby asks. Hermione nods, and they vanish, leaving Harry.
Harry sighs, then turns around, seeing the door still there he opens it and looks inside. The sword of Gryffindor lays unscathed in the middle of the floor next to a twisted chuck of metal that had once been Hufflepuff's cup. They are surrounded by bits of shiny metal that are the remnants of the anvil.
Harry picks up the sword and the cup with a sigh. "We really have to find a place to keep these once they're destroyed." Suddenly, he remembers his vision from right before they died in the future. "You've got to be kidding me." He mutters before leaving the room.
#/#/#
Harry walks into the Infirmary and sees Sirius lying in one of the beds; the stump of his right arm is immersed in a pan of green liquid. Madam Pomfrey stands beside him, while Remus and Hermione sit nearby.
"How bad is it?" Harry asks as he fully enters the room, drawing everyone's attention to him.
"That depends," Madam Pomfrey answers. "Did you manage to recover his hand?"
Harry shakes his head. "There was no sign of it."
"I suspected as much." Pomfrey answers. "I'll have to contact Saint Mungo's. They should be able to restore his hand."
"Thank you." Harry says. Pomfrey nods and heads off to contact Saint Mungo's. Harry walks up to Sirius' bed. "Sorry about your hand."
"If you hadn't done it, I'd be dead." Sirius says. "So don't be sorry. Besides, odds are that they can restore it."
Harry nods. "I do have some good news."
"Oh?" Sirius asks.
Harry motions for everyone to gather around, and once they do, he says, "I found this." He pulls out Ravenclaw's diadem from his robes.
"Is that another one?" Remus asks.
"Yes, I saw it in the vision I had right before we died." Harry answers.
"Where did you find it?" Hermione asks.
"In one of the other versions of the Room of Requirement." Harry explains. "It occurred to me that we needed a good place to hide the destroyed horcruxes until we were sure we got them all. That's when I remembered where I had hidden the Prince's book in sixth year. I also remembered I had hidden it near this, and it perfectly matched what I saw in my vision."
"You need to destroy it as soon as possible." Sirius says.
"We will, right after they take you to Saint Mungo's." Hermione says.
"Everyone say goodbye to Mister Black, I'm sending him to Saint Mungo's." Pomfrey says as she enters the room.
"How will you do that?" Hermione asks.
"All the beds are fitted with a portkey that sends them there when it's activated." Pomfrey answers.
"That makes sense." Hermione says. With that, they all say their goodbyes then and are ushered outside.
"Do you have time to help us destroy this?" Hermione asks.
Remus sighs. "Are two going to destroy another one, right after Sirius got injured?"
"We have already seen one future where he comes back." Harry says, "we will not allow it to happen again."
"And the sword is the safest way to destroy them." Hermione says. "Though I don't recall them being so potent in the previous timeline."
"Perhaps it's because he's not resurrected?" Remus suggests.
Hermione nods. "That is a reasonable conclusion."
"I can see that you two are set on this, so let's go." Remus says.
#/#/#
They enter the Room of Requirement, stepping into a fairly narrow walkway. Harry, carrying the diadem, leads the way. Hermione flanks his right side, holding the sword of Gryffindor, and Remus is on Harry's left.
After a short walk, the path ends just short of a podium hanging by chains in the middle of the room. Harry places the diadem on the podium and backs away.
"Wands ready," Hermione says. "As soon as the sword cuts the diadem, I want you to cut the chains."
Harry and Remus draw their wands. "Ready." Harry says, Remus nods in agreement.
Hermione swings the sword, the blade easily cuts through the diadem, and the pedestal. A split second later she sees spells hit the chains, dropping the remains of the pedestal. The diadem explodes not far beneath them, violently shaking the room. Hermione reaches for the wall to steady herself, but loses her grip during the violent shaking. Resulting in her dropping the sword into the void.
"Accio Sword of Gryffindor!" Harry shouts, stepping beside Hermione and pointing his wand into the void.
"I don't think it worked." Hermione says after nothing happens for a minute.
Harry sighs as he puts his wand away. "How are we going to destroy the ring once we get it?"
"With that." Remus says as he points towards the entrance.
Harry and Hermione both turn and see the Sword of Gryffindor leaning on the wall by the door, on the floor beside it are the twisted remains of Ravenclaw's diadem. "That's impossible." Hermione says as she watches Harry pick up the blade.
Harry sighs as he turns to her. "We're in a semi-sentient room that conforms to our whims. That room resides inside a sentient castle that is also a school for magic and THAT'S where you draw the line?"
Hermione shakes her head and chuckles. "Good point."
"So, where do we find the last horcrux?" Remus asks as they all leave the room.
"It's hidden in a house belonging to the Gaunt family." Harry answers. "I don't know exactly where, but Dumbledore showed me the memory of him retrieving it."
"Show me the memory." Remus says. "I'll find the house. Then we'll take care of it together."
"Aren't you going to be busy helping McGonagall?" Harry asks.
"We did most of the work this morning." Remus says.
#/#/# Earlier #/#/#
McGonagall sits at the head of a large table. Remus sits to her right. The rest of the staff fill the seats, except for the one to her left. "Thank you all for joining me on such short notice." McGonagall says; the others nod. "I'll make this as quick as possible."
"Good, who knows what trouble the students are up to without our oversight." Snape sneers.
"First order of business," McGonagall says. "I'm completely revamping the house points system. Too many of us, myself included, have used this to play favorites. From now on, you will keep a record of all points you wish to award or take away. We will meet every Sunday and go over the lists, and yes, I am under the same restraint."
"That seems fair." Flitwick says.
"I will also be enacting an anti-bullying policy, effective immediately." McGonagall says. "All reports of bullying are to come straight to me. I will investigate them and determine the proper response. The likely responses will be anywhere from detention to expulsion, depending on severity and frequency." She pauses a moment. "I will also not tolerate bullying from or against a professor. If a professor is caught bullying a student, they will be immediately terminated."
"You can't do that!" Snape says. "We all have contracts with the school."
"No, you HAD contracts through Dumbledore." McGonagall says. "Mister Lupin here has helped me write up the new contracts."
Lupin gets up and hands each professor a roll of parchment. "As you can see all your contracts, except for Flitwick's are identical, except for your name and class taught."
"Why is mine different?" Flitwick asks.
"I want you to be my assistant Headmaster." McGonagall replies.
"A position I'll gladly accept." Flitwick says.
"And if we refuse to sign this drivel?" Snape asks, holding his unfurled contract.
"Then I ask that you finish this semester on your best behavior whilst I find a replacement." McGonagall replies. "In exchange I'll write a letter of recommendation to the place of your choosing."
Snape rolls his contract back up. "I will be taking that option."
McGonagall nods. "I understand. Anyone else?" The rest quickly sign their contracts. "That will be all for now." The staff get up and leave.
"Looks like you will need a replacement potions teacher." Remus says.
"Yes, I will ask the Ministry for a list of eligible candidates." McGonagall says.
"I will help you go through them." Remus responds.
"I'll let you know when I need more assistance." McGonagall says. "In the meantime, please have the Potters join me after lunch. We need to discuss their readmission to Hogwarts."
#/#/#
McGonagall stands outside her office as Harry and Hermione walk towards her. "Right on time, as expected." McGonagall says. "Now, if you'll follow me." She quickly starts walking.
They follow her silently as she leads them to a very familiar corridor. The door to the Room of Requirement appears as they approach it. "How did you do that?" Hermione asks as McGonagall reaches for the door.
"Do what?" McGonagall asks.
"Make the door appear without having to walk past it three times." Hermione answers.
"The privileges of being Headmistress." McGonagall grins as she answers, then steps into the room
Hermione follows, with Harry right behind her. Inside the room is set up in smaller sections that consist of; a potion brewing area, a pair of tables filled with various objects; a padded dueling area; and a greenhouse.
McGonagall leads them to the dueling area, then quickly turns around, wand in hand, and fires a spell at them.
"Protego!" Harry yells, blocking the spell.
Hermione quickly pulls out her wand and fires a spell at McGonagall. "Silent casting under pressure, impressive." McGonagall says as she dodges the spell, firing back several spells as she does.
Hermione silently summons one of the nearby tables, using it to block the spell, causing the table to break apart. Harry catches the pieces of wood, quickly transfigures them into stakes and launches them at McGonagall, who pulls part of the floor up and transfigures it into a shield.
The fight continues for a while until Harry finally disarms McGonagall. "Well done," McGonagall says as she goes and picks up her wand.
"What's next?" Hermione asks.
"You tell me when you're from. I'm guessing the end of your sixth year?" McGonagall asks. Neither Hermione nor Harry can hide the looks of surprise on their faces. "You two thought you were the only ones to get extra lives?"
"Wait, you have extra lives?" Hermione asks.
"Had," McGonagall says sadly. "I'm on my last one. I got nine when I became a cat animagus."
"I got nine from the polyjuice incident." Hermione says.
McGonagall nods. "I suspected as much, especially with the soul bond. You're sharing your lives with Harry."
Suddenly the room shifts around them. When the shift ends a fireplace crackles in a wall. By the fireplace sits three comfortable looking chairs around a table with a decanter of some liquid and three glasses on it. "Lets sit, and you can tell me what you came back to change."
The three of them all go sit, McGonagall pours them each a glass of the liquid. "Irish Whiskey, I figure we can all use it."
Harry grabs his glass and sips on it. "It all started with my name coming out of the Goblet of Fire."
#/#/#
"And that leads up to right here." Hermione says.
"Firstly, I'll have to say I'm surprised Death took the form of Thanatos for you, " McGonagall says.
"Why?" Hermione asks.
"I would have thought you would have been one of those that saw Death as a figure on a pale horse."
"Before my first year, you probably would have been right." Hermione admits. "After I told my parents about our run-in with Fluffy, my dad bought me a book on Greek mythology. I had just finished rereading it when I died the first time."
McGonagall nods. "I understand."
"How did Death appear to you?" Harry asks.
"As Arawn." McGonagall answers, summoning a book as she does. "The Celtic God of Death." She opens the book and shows them a picture depicting the God; tall, looming, wearing a gray cloak and riding a horse.
"Very reminiscent of what you thought I'd see." Hermione says.
"Aye, I'm not entirely sure which inspired which." McGonagall admits.
Hermione nods. "So, now that you know the truth, what happens to us?"
"What would you like to happen?" McGonagall asks.
"Finish our schooling." Hermione says.
"Hopefully without having to redo the next couple years." Harry adds.
"Of course, I'll have the elves move you into the Gryffindor married quarters tomorrow. As for classes I will write recommendations that you get allowed to join 7th year classes, but it's up to each professor to decide whether or not to accept you." McGonagall answers.
"If you can give us a list of when we could talk to each teacher and prove ourselves we'd appreciate it." Hermione says.
"You'll have to wait until I get a new potions professor though, Professor Snape has decided he no longer wishes to teach here." McGonagall says as she gets parchment and starts writing said list. "As for transfiguration, you're already accepted."
"Do you by chance teach the process to become an animagus?" Harry asks.
McGonagall looks up from her writing. "Thanatos didn't tell you?"
"Tell us what?" Hermione asks.
"Returning such as you did magically unlocks your animagus form; it also makes it so you can't be obliviated, nor subjected to legilimancy, and you are immune to veritaserum."
"Thanatos never mentioned ANY of that." Hermione says.
"Odd," McGonagall muses. "Very well, take out your wands, place the tip to your heart and repeat after me: Amato Animo Animator Animagus."
Harry and Hermione follow her instructions, repeating the words. Suddenly they shift, dropping their wands as they do. When the shift ends a black tabby cat and a calico cat sit in their places.
"Now, to change back, you need to visualize your human form as clearly as you can in your mind." McGonagall instructs. "Once you do that, visualize yourself changing back."
Both cats close their eyes, almost immediately Harry returns to his human form. Once he does, he looks over at Hermione in her calico form; he can tell she's starting to panic. "You can do this," he whispers. "It's a lot like the patronus charm."
Hermione, the calico cat, visibly relaxes, then nearly immediately returns to her human form. "Thank you. That helped."
"Congratulations, you two are now full animagi." McGonagall says.
#/#/#
Harry and Hermione returned to their quarters, where they found Sirius, who was sitting in one of the chairs, with a cup that has smoke coming out of it in his left hand.
"You're back already?" Harry asks, shocked.
Sirius puts his right arm up on the table, the end of which is wrapped in a huge ball of gauze. "They restored the basic shape of my hand, all that I have to do is drink the potion to restore the bones, muscle and nerves."
"I assume that's what's in the cup." Hermione says.
"It is, I have to drink three cups like this three times a day for three days and I'll be right as rain." Sirius answers.
"Good." Harry says.
"Did I miss anything here?" Sirius asks.
"Not much," Hermione answers, then waits until he takes a drink before continuing. "We found and destroyed another horcrux, became animagi, and are officially Gryffindors again."
Sirius quickly puts the cup down as he stops himself from spitting out the potion. "Excuse me, I don't think I heard that right." He asks after finally swallowing the potion.
"Which part?" Hermione asks.
"Did you say you two became animagi?" Sirius asks, incredulously.
Harry silently shifts into his cat form instead of answering. "Show-off." Hermione mumbles as he returns to his human form.
"You'll get there." Harry says as he hugs Hermione.
"What's your form?" Sirius asks.
"I'm also a cat." Hermione answers. "Most likely from the polyjuice incident, our soul bond probably changed Harry's to match."
Sirius nods. "How did this happen?"
"McGonagall helped us, after we told her everything." Harry admits.
"I thought you weren't going to tell anyone else." Sirius says.
"The situation changed." Hermione says.
Sirius grins. "This I've got to hear."