Advance Arrangement
by Teddylonglong
All recognizable characters belong to J. K. Rowling, and I am not earning anything by writing this story. I am not a native speaker of English. Please excuse my mistakes.
From September onwards, Susan Bones and Ronald Weasley entered the class of the four-year-olds, eight-year-old Percy Weasley joined his six-year-old twin brothers, and Angelica was allowed to attend school together with three-year-old Luna Lovegood and Ginny Weasley. They were even joined by Daphne's two-year-old sister, Astoria.
Professor Ito, Sirius as well as Pandora Lovegood and Narcissa Malfoy became new teachers. While the two and three-year-olds were mostly taught by Gwenlin, Professor Ito taught Percy and his twin brothers Laser Magic, while Fluffy instructed them in Potions, knowing that the twins were very much ahead of everyone else due to their private tutoring. The four-year-olds, with twelve pupils by far the largest group at the SAMS, were taught by everyone, even if Remus was their main instructor.
Sirius gathered everyone, from the two-year-olds to eight-year-old Percy, together in the morning, as soon as they arrived at the school. They met in a comfortable room that was void of any furniture, however, filled which soft mattresses and cushions to provide room for the children to relax. He then taught them how to become Animagi. However, he pointed out that the Animagus transformation was extremely difficult and could not be easily achieved if one was not a natural Animagus like the Potter children seemed to be. Due to the interest in the matter and the children's begging, the teachers agreed to have Sirius teach them for thirty minutes every morning.
"Thank Merlin that classes commence at eight, so that I'll still be able to arrive at the Auror's office at nine," Sirius said to Remus one day.
"Thank Merlin, as the kids are much quieter and seemingly relaxed after your class," Remus replied, smiling.
"That's a good thing," Lily agreed. "Have you seen any improvement so far?"
Sirius grinned. "Honestly? No. But it's amazing how much interest and effort they display, even the little ones."
"Do they know what animals they're going to try for?"
Sirius grinned. "Do you really have to ask? With three canine familiars and three kids who can already transform into dogs, naturally, they all want to become dog Animagi."
"That their most adored professor is a dog Animagus surely helped with the decision as well." Remus chuckled.
"Oh well, that might be a point, too." Sirius grinned. "I've provided them with a book about dogs, and each of them chose the dog they want to become. I've made copies of the page about their respective form and told them to study it."
Claire frowned. "How are the two-year-olds going to study a page about a certain dog? They can't even properly read yet."
Sirius shrugged. "They need to ask the older students for help, which shouldn't be a problem, considering that they have an hour after lunch to just rest or mingle with the others. They can also ask their parents once they get home in the afternoon. The only two-year-old in question is Astoria anyway, who has her older sister in the same class."
HP
Unbeknownst to the adults, Angelica had overheard their conversation, and soon afterwards, Sirius was pulled into a private conversation with the three Potter children.
"Padfoot…"
"… Just so you know…"
"… your class is totally boring…"
"… because we are already Animagi." Harry and Bobby were wearing accusing expressions.
"I think so, too." Angelica pouted.
Sirius grinned. "Ah, but that's where you're wrong."
"Why?" As expected, the reaction was a triple question.
"Because you can still try to get a second Animagus form."
"Is that possible…"
"… and what form could we get?" Six emerald eyes stared at him in clear expectation.
"You could get any form. I'm sure Santa can provide a book for you with all kinds of animals. You could even try a magical animal."
"We should try for the same animal…"
"… so we can communicate with each other…"
"… but what about Paws, Claws and Lucy?"
"… Can they change into other animals, too?"
"No, they probably can't change, but as you're bonded with them, you can always think to them. Do you have an idea which animal you'd like? Why don't you think about it and decide on an animal before the weekend. I'll talk to you again about this on Sunday evening."
HP
During the rest of the week, Angelica and the twins pestered everyone, from their own enlarged family to the teachers, if they were Animagi, what their forms were and what advantages their form had. However, by the end of the week, they were none the wiser.
After breakfast on Saturday morning, Merlin took them aside and pressed three copies of a parchment into their hands.
"I believe that this might be the right animal for the three of you. It is a Paciguise, an animal, which is extinct in this time. It is the most complex magical animal, which means that it won't be easy, but if anyone manages to transform into one, it will be the three of you. Study this parchment and decide until your meeting with Sirius tomorrow evening if this is what you want."
The three children hugged Merlin in gratitude, before they dashed away and settled down in the twins' room to study the parchment.
"This is difficult." Angelica pointed out that the animal in the painting changed its form every now and then, before it returned to its previous form. However, when they leaned forward to closely examin it, it vanished from the sight.
"Perhaps, it can turn invisible…"
"… so no one can see it?"
While the twins and their sister knew all the letters and could read easy texts by now, the text was difficult, and Angelica decided to call Holly for help.
The head elf of Santa's workshop was always friendly and patient, and he gently read the text from the parchment to them. He even enlarged the picture for them and charmed the animal to remain in its original form. "They were rare but wonderful animals, and it would be brilliant if you managed the transformation. Their main advantage, apart from the fact that they can turn into any other animal, is that they permeate peace to their surroundings."
"We will try," Angelica promised in apparent determination, and the twins nodded their consent.
During the rest of the weekend, they eagerly studied the picture, and by the time they had to meet with Padfoot to discuss the matter, they knew all the features of the Paciguise by heart.
"We should hide the parchment…"
"… and not show it to Padfoot." The twins grinned at the idea of making their godfather do some research by himself.
Angelica nodded and, grabbing the parchment, dashed into her own room to hide it.
HP
"There is no such an animal," Sirius informed them, shaking his head in apparent disbelief. "How in the world did you come up with such an idea at all? You can only change into real animals."
"It is real." Angelica stomped her foot to emphasise her statement.
"It is extinct in this time…"
"… but it is real…"
"… and we will show you sometime."
"Well, I'm looking forward to meeting the Paciguise then. Are you sure that you're not mistaking it with the demiguise? The demiguise is a very rare animal, from which invisibility cloaks are made."
The siblings merely glared at him in silent response.
tbc...
Thank you for the kind reviews for the previous chapter. Please continue feeding my muse. Any ideas, suggestions or opinions are welcome.
