Harry Potter and the Supreme Animagus

Chapter 22

British Changeling's Winter Behavioral Changes

Please Read and Review. I'd like to know what I'm doing right (to keep doing it), and what I am doing wrong (to correct it).

Hogwarts
Great Hall

Next Day

"A muckracker zerteinly!" Fleur Delacoeur snorted angrily, waving the last issue of the Daily Prophet. "Juz look at zhis!"

Harry nodded wisely. "Hmm… less than we actually expected. Skeeter must be saving something for later."

Viktor Krum snapped the paper open, studied the article, and grunted. "Da. Seen vorse stoff in Quidditch mags. Gossip column gets vorse vhen writer loses bet."

Diggory rubbed the bridge of his nose. "You two are too calm about this."

Harry and Viktor exchanged a look, both shrugged simultaneously. "Used to it." Viktor said. "No matter vhat ve do, press finds vay to make it look vad if they vant."

Neville read quickly. "She's making it look like you guys are rigging the tournament!"

"Of course." Hermione put some jam on a piece of toast. "Blood sells papers. The Champions are not at each others' throats, but cooperating peacefully, no dragons were harmed in the First Task, neither the Champions. So, they will want to get their blood one way or another. Literal or metaphorical. Skeeter wants the Champions to fight."

Fleur calmed down. "So zhis is to be… what's ze word… when one endures a storm?" She hesitated.

"Weathered." Neville offered. "So, will you guys just ignore it?"

Harry nodded again. "Not much point in getting our knickers on a twist. We can't fight on their terms anyway."

Viktor grunted his agreement. "Vell sed. Press alvays annoyink." He closed his paper, and leaned forward on the table. "Any ov you got da cloo? Me halv def, egg is too noisy."

"Not yet," Harry admitted. "I think the shriek is the message, but changed into a scream. There must be some way to make it clear." He rubbed his left ear, still a bit pained.

Fleur tapped a perfect nail on the table, "I zhink it muss be somezhing izzy. Zhat can be done anyzime. Day or nite."

"Good point." Diggory agreed. "Wouldn't be good if we missed the clue because we didn't open the egg at the right time."

The bell marking the end of lunchtime rang, interrupting the talk. "Oh, well…" Harry shook his head. "Double Divination. Oh, joy."

"You think Trelawney knows something?" Harry wondered, "She seems to think there's a whole menagerie chasing me to devour me."

"No idea. She's too… disperse… I think." Hermione bit her lip. "Unfocused. She may be getting the right impressions, but doesn't know how to interpret them."

Harry shrugged.

Days later

Hogwarts
Transfiguration Classroom

"Potter, a word, if you please." Professor McGonagall called as the students left the classroom.

Harry stood tensely in front of the teacher's desk. "First of all, I must congratulate you on your improvements with inanimate to animate transfiguration. Your attention to detail has grown to an impressive level. Still, your creations tend to be too… greenish. Work on correcting that."

"Yes, Professor."

"One other thing, Potter. The Champions and their partners…" She began.

"Partners? What partners?" Harry asked, his fang barely protruding between his lips. McGonagall stared at it occasionally, but never commented on it.

"Your partners for the Yule Ball, Potter. The Champions are traditionally the ones to open the Yule Ball, with the first dance."

Harry almost facepalmed. "I can't dance."

"Surely you can. It's very much a tradition. You, as a Hogwarts champion, represent the school, so make sure to get a suitable partner for the dance, and practice."

"So, McGonagall dropped that on me. I would like you to be my partner, Hermione."

She blushed cutely. "Why me?" She stammered. "I'm sure any girl in the castle would want to go with you."

Harry looked at her. "Yeah, but they would want to go with the Hogwarts Champion, the Boy-Who-Lived, not with me, not with Harry. Just Harry." He sighed and smiled at her. "You don't care about my fame. That's worth a lot to me."

"Oh, Harry!" She hugged him with impressive strength. "Of course I'll go to the Ball with you!"

"…Hermione… air…" he wheezed, still smiling.

Later

"You guys are fast." Neville said, scratching his head.

"Yu be gud coople." Viktor agreed. "Me look forvard to see you dancink." He waved his hand, and mumbled, "Me need to find girl not into Quidditch."

"What about you, guys?" Harry looked around while he squeezed softly at Hermione's hand. "Have somebody in mind?"

Diggory grinned, "Yeah. I'll ask Cho later today. Fleur?"

"Is 'ard for me to find a zootabel partner." She shook her head. "Veela allure." She sighed sadly. "Mos' men act like fools if I loze control."

Neville gulped. "Um… why don't you and Krum go as a couple?"

They seemed to consider it for a moment, "Rule against it somevhere, me sure." Viktor shrugged. "Each champion needs own partner."

Neville blurted, "Will you be my partner, Miss Delacoeur?" His face was crimson red, but somehow he managed to ask. "I'll try not to be a fool, I promise!"

While she was recovering from the surprise, Roger Davies, the Ravenclaw Quidditch Captain tapped at her shoulder, prompting her to turn, "Miss Delacoeur? Would you be my partner for the Yule Ball?" He asked, his eyes bouncing nervously from Fleur's eyes to her lips, and clearly having some problems to not go farther down.

She gasped at the uncouth behavior of the teenager. "Zorry, I alredy 'ave a partner." She turned back to Neville. "Monsieur Longbottom 'as graciously asked me."

"Longbottom?" Davies raised an incredulous eyebrow. "Really?"

"Zertainly. I find 'im to be a moss aczeptable partner. And 'e 'as alredy asked me. Zorry." She was clearly not sorry. Davies returned back to his place, shaking his head and mumbling something that sounded like "Longbottom..."

"Pleeze, don't zhink I aczepted jus' to get rid of 'im." Fleur patted Neville's hand. "I reelly zhink you weell be a good danze partner."

Neville nodded, shaking a bit. He adjusted his collar. "Ah, thanks! I need to refresh my dancing. I hope all those lessons my gran insisted on are still there."

Harry leaned forward. "Nev? Do you think you could teach me? I haven't danced in my life, and I don't want to embarrass Hermione."

Viktor clapped once. "Vonderful idea! My contry's dance is more for grups than cuples. Vhy don't ve all practice togedder? Vhile me find a partner me'd haff to practice alone, me think."

Hermione and Fleur exchanged a look, then, both grinned. "Geev me a minute." She went to the faculty table, and spoke briefly with Madame Maxime. The tall woman smiled, and nodded at whatever the French Champion said.

Fleur returned, similing widely. "Done. Wee 'ave permission to practice at the Carriage. And Madame will also teach an open etiquette class."

Harry sighed in relief. "I had forgotten that!" Hermione patted his shoulder twice, an indulgent smile on her face.

Hogwarts
DADA Classroom

Predictably, Moody grumbled about the whole affair. "Pfah! A waste of time. Just a ludicrous show! Like peacocks opening their tails."

Dan snorted. "More circus than bread, Moody. And I bet my autographed Judge Dredd (1) book that the press will be there."

"I don't know that Judge or what he might have written about, Granger, but I won't take that bet." Moody growled.

Sirius elbowed Dan. "Skeeter will be there too, no doubt."

Hermione noted. "Dumbledore forbid her from entering Hogwarts, but Hagrid said she had interviewed him. Something about his Blast-Ended Skrewts at the beginning, but then about the Champions' activities."

Harry scratched his chin. "Bloody things… I'm sure they will figure in the Tournament… and Skeeter is looking for something juicy to pr

Emma nodded. "The timing is suspicious, sure."

"Any progress with the screeching egg, Harry?" Sirius changed the subject.

"Not yet, Fleur suggested we try elemental magic on them. We drew lots and will try everything we can think of tomorrow."

"Harry got air, Viktor earth, Fleur fire, and Cedric water." Hermione read from her notes. "So, Harry will get the egg to the top of the Astronomy Tower, under the bridge, and on a broom flight, places with strong air currents."

"If you have any more ideas, I'll gladly try them." Harry said, "As long as I don't have to fly into a storm. Once was enough." He shuddered, and rubbed his arms as if he was cold.

"Is there any spell that can make wind?" Dan asked.

"Several. Most are simple domestic use spells," Moody said, his magical eye spinning idly. "Mostly used for venting closed spaces, dusting, drying clothes, even to fly a comet in windless days, stuff like that. Easily available and simple to learn and fast. They are so simple the Hogwarts curriculum doesn't include them. There are some spells that can only be related to air if you squint and tilt your head at the same time, like Alarte Ascendare, that one simply sends something up in the air; or Ascendio, same thing, but slow."

Hermione wrote a note. "I'll check with the other girls. The ones with domestic temperaments. They must have some books."

"Are we still pariahs at Gryffindor or not?" Harry snorted.

"Depends on who do you ask. Ask Ron or his closest friends, and your answer is Yes. I know a few girls who were not fully convinced and might want to mend fences, the rest of the House, were still pariahs."

It was Moody's turn to snort. And he did it with full sarcasm points. "Bloody weathervanes. But if you can take advantage…" His face distorted with what might have been charitably said was a smile. "Any other ideas?"

"Elf magic could work too." Harry mused.

"Possibly." Moody stomped his staff on the floor. "The other three Champions are Purebloods, from wealthy families. If course they have easy and discreet access to house elves, like so many things, odds are stacked in favor of the Purebloods."

"Well, nothing we can do about it for now, so let's go back to the problem at hand and try the basics first. No magic, passive exposure." Sirius proposed.

Next day

"Well, that was a bust." Harry shook his head. "Again."

The Champions gathered at their usual classroom for a late lunch, each one carrying their respective egg.

Viktor was the first to talk business, once they had all eaten. "Me sorry. Egg very stubborn. Tried burying it, pouring dirt on it, transfigure it to stone (magic resistant, ov cours). Nothink." He rubbed his right ear, almost closing his right eye at the same time.

Fleur was next. "Zame result. I tried 'eating it in a chimney, putting it in a bonfire, got zo angry I zhanged enouff to zhrow a fireball at it." She shook her head.

Harry was next. "I used several windy places, and even took it on my broom. Hermione is helping me look for some air based spells to try next." He pulled a box from his book bag, "And next time I'll be prepared." He showed the group a set of earmuffs.

Cedric shrugged. "Well… I have poured water on it, cold, warm and hot. Took it to the shower, and did the same with drinking water and sea water. Nothing."

Hermione nodded. "I think it will be awkward to carry the eggs everywhere…"

"Da. Vut ve use any chance to try to open egg."

Hogwarts Grounds
Beauxbatons Carriage

Madame Maxime walked slowly around the cleared classroom. It was not exactly a dance hall, but it would serve its purpose. "Very well, Monsieur Longbottom." She praised Neville as he guided Fleur. "Monsieur Krum, relax your arms a liddle. Much better." Viktor was very tense indeed, provisionally, one of the French students would be his dance partner, but the girl was terribly distracted, making him nervous in turn.

"Ah, Monsieur Potter, Mademoiselle Granger, I'm afraid you'll have to start again. You are twirling clockwise instead of counterclockwise." She lifted the needle of the old gramophone, and returned it to the beginning of the record. "Everybody, from the beginning."

Harry smiled awkwardly while Hermione blushed. "Sorry." He said, his fang barely visible.

"Monsieur Diggory, this time you'll be the lead, Mademoiselle Chang, please leave a bit more space between you two. Propriety must be observed." She admonished softly.

The music started again, and the couples began their dance once more.

Hogwarts
Teachers' Room

"Why so angry, Severus?" Professor Flitwick asked softly, not wanting to provoke the Potions Master.

"Somebody is stealing ingredients from my reserves. Fluxweed, Knotgrass, and Lacewing Flies so far. If I catch the miscreants I'll have them expelled!" Snape grumbled through clenched teeth.

"Any suspects?" Flitwick asked, as he stirred a spoonful of cream in his tea.

"Those damnable Weasley Twins, I'm sure. Either them or Potter." Snape's hand closed as if strangling somebody.

"Hmm." Flitwick said. "What would they do with those ingredients?"

"Something stupid, no doubt. I wouldn't be surprised at all if they are making Knotgrass Mead somewhere, and I've heard some rumours about pies that change people into birds."

"A harmless prank, if true, I think." Flitwick said calmly.

"With stolen ingredients, Filius!"

At the other side of the table, Professor Moody listened intently, his face a scarred mask of studied indifference.

Hogwarts

The next few weeks passed in relative calm. Hermione, Harry, and surprisingly, Neville, managed to earn a good amount of points in all classes, with the obvious exception of Potions, whe Snape glared at them with such intensity Harry began to think Snape was trying to use Superman's heat vision on them.

The Daily Prophet kept on decrying the Champions' lack of competitive spirit.

Sirius really enjoyed living in the Puckle Farm, and with Dobby's help, managed to recover quite a bit of the weight he had lost at Azkaban. He was still reading voraciously any and all comic books Dan brought him. He seemed to especially enjoy a very curious title, so full of strange jokes and puns he filled a notebook with questions and notes, and even began to grow carrots in a windowsill, hoping a meteorite fragment would crash there (2). Still, Dan never brought him any book with the Clown Prince of Crime. Some ideas should never cross Sirius Black's brain.

Moody kept on teaching spells to Hermione, who discreetly passed them to Harry. By the time they would have to test for their O.W.L.s, both would be very well prepared indeed.

Ocassionally, potion ingredients would disappear from Snape's inventory.

Pettigrew visited the Shrieking Cabin a couple of times, asking about the progress of the plan. Moody reported dutifully how Potter was so useless he needed the other Champions' help to even prepare for the First Task. Privately, Moody appreciated the irony of using the biased opinions of both Snape and the Prophet to deceive the Dark Lord.

The students soon grew used to seeing the four Champions carrying their Golden Eggs everywhere, and subjecting them to the most strange processes.

The last week of term had a buzzing anticipation in the air. Viktor Krum still hadn't found a partner for the Yule Ball, and it seemed that every unattached girl in the school grounds (and a few who were very much attached…), tried to present themselves as candidates.

Hogwarts
DADA Classroom

Moody's magical eye spun in its socket, tracking the source of a familiar buzzing. A green bee flying around his desk. He put his quill down in the ink pot, and put aside the parchments he was grading. "Logan." He growled. "You took your time."

The green-skinned wizard seemed to appear from thin air, landing gracefully on the floor. "Hey, Moody. Just checking."

After a couple security questions, the scarred former Auror grinned grotesquely, satisfied. "Things have quieted down around here. Pettigrew has been twice to check our progress, but haven't been able to get the details. The most I got was that the Dark Lord wants Potter tired, demoralized, disoriented and pliable for a specific ritual. After the Third Task, of course."

"Of course," Logan's grin matched Moody's nastiness, though not it's grotesque quality. "I have been thinking about things…" he sat on Moody's trunk, and patted the worn surface. "I have an idea I think you'll like. Maybe even grant Junior his fondest wish."

Later

You laugh like a villain, Moody." Logan smiled, showing a set of sharp fangs.

"I was born and raised in a village, Logan."

Author Notes

(1) One of the best known of British comic book characters, Judge Dredd was created by writer John Wagner and artist Carlos Ezquerra. He debuted in 2000 AD issue 2 (1977), and has been published continuously ever since.

(2) Sirius has found the joys of reading Roy Thomas and Scott Shaw!'s (he used to sign his name with the exclamation point) Captain Carrot and His Amazing Zoo Crew, a quirky series that debuted in New Teen Titans issue 16 (Feb, 1982). The title is an affectionate parody of superhero comics, using anthropomorphic animals as characters. The title was indeed full of references to people and events of the 1980s and earlier, generally using awful puns at every opportunity. The title lasted a few years, but it was very fun while it lasted.