£ Cat tongue £
$ Serpent tongue $
: High Mind Speech:
SPRB
Harry sat on the couch, Daphne once more in his lap, this time as a Kneazle, with Harry scratching behind her ears as her rumbling purring cast a spell over him. "How do you know that?" He whispered.
"My Daughter is the rookie traveling with the Witches. She has been reporting to me as well as Bones and Dumbledore. When Ted was contacted by the Goblins about the Relic issue, we decided to join them. We have a room in the city. Elf." Dobby popped up. She laid her hand on his head. My magic signature. Find my things and my husband's bring them please. We will settle who is where later."
She turned back to Harry as Dobby popped away. "Things unraveled quickly after that. It soon came to Light that Luci had been making promises based on Draco inheriting Black and Draco had been bad mouthing everyone because he was the Black Heir. Just before we left, the Prophet posted a story about him trying to claim Heiress Greengrass and she put him in his place. Gave him what Nymphadora would call a Bitch Slap Beating."
Hermione swatted his shoulder. "No… just no." Then the two of them began purring.
"That is creepy." Ted said from behind Andi, as she was leaning on him with his arms about her.
"Just don't leave the door open when they are like that. Harry introduced us to his kitty form the morning after…" Dan was mimicking Ted with Emma playing the plushy. Tasha was sitting beside them as the two wizards sat in high backed wicker chairs.
Padfoot snickered.
Moony just facepalmed.
"So… What is happening with Dumbledore?" Hermione spoke up.
"It turns out that the Potter Estates were left open to the Allies when Charles passed." Ted spoke up. "Those who kept up with their tithe were not affected. Those who were in arrears of more than three years, suddenly lost all access to the Estate. That is what triggered the whole thing to begin with. It seems that one of Allies that fell behind was the Weasleys. Albus in an attempt to keep Molly close and Loyal to keep the whole Family on his side, made her the Potion Professor and Snape got the DADA slot. Until school starts they are in the Castle."
Harry and Hermione nodded.
"Before we left London with the Goblins," Andi smiled at the boy. "Tonks has tracked you both, by the way, first to Paris Disney." Andi chuckled, "They spent a couple of days 'Searching the Place' looking for you. Then they followed you to Marseille. They missed you by about a Week. They learned that you were heading to Rio and would be arriving here today. Unfortunately the earliest they could get here is tomorrow."
"So… Andi Black. I hear that my cousin is arriving with her friends. Please meet them and invite them here. I am going to insist on Proper Cultural Attire. I am sorry to say that you are not properly attired. Emma and Tasha are. Tasha. Assist Andi with this Task. Moony, My Grim could use a wash and cut. His shaggy black coat is too much for this heat. See if they can get him a puppy cut. All the better for snuffling bikini clad breasts."
Sirius first glared at Harry before grinning.
"Afterward, meet up with the witches. They will need help carrying their shopping. Don't call Dobby unless it is an emergency. He and Emma are going to be here helping Winky." He looked at Emma. "She is carrying Twins and they are due over the weekend. She was tapping me to fulfill her understanding of my needs. With the taking of Daphne and the mess of that, my Core was at half power. Not reading the number of my levels just that I was low. But I was pouring raw mana into her and as the only way to protect her, her magic 'baked two buns' on a rush order." He stilled. "Emma. This is an Elf issue. I am going to have to Order Dobby to allow you to help. There are things that you as a muggle medical professional know that even Andi who is a Full Healer doesn't. What you learn Does Not go beyond you. There are some things that they keep to themselves. This is one. If it was a single birth, I would leave it to them, but Twins are almost unheard of. Winky is a valuable Asset to House Black. She sees herself as property. I accept that she sees herself as such and her value to me is twice this House."
Emma paled.
"Now I have said that, She is not my Elf. She belongs to Sirius. As his Elf, he never needs to return to the London Townhouse. That is Kreature's Domain. The babies are going to be House Black. I will have to Find a Female for House Potter."
"And D?" Hermione was careful to not say his name.
"While he is a Potter House Elf, he is not a House Potter House Elf." He smiled at her. "If you get the difference."
"Like I am a Potter Witch but not a Witch Potter." she smiled at him.
Every Adult in the room sat up straight.
"Ah… Lass, do you know what you just said?" Sirius was serious.
"Yes." Hermione smiled softly at the cat in Harry's lap. "And should he ever complete it, I will be in the best of care. Even better than when I was like her in my daddy's arms. I am not claiming the Ladyship, as we are not ready for that… but I feel that this idiot has done something that I won't like. I need to declare it now."
"That would make House Granger a vassal House of House Potter." Ted spoke up. "But what position would you have Granger Hold? You need to Name the Head of Granger to a post in your House."
"Thank you Vassal Legal Adviser and Litigator Tonks of House Black. After all, you have damaged and stolen away our prized Daughter." Harry sat up Straight. "Dan… you were Military. Everyone who was in public School, knows that you have the common tells."
Dan looked about the room. "I was a Major in the SAS. I took a round through my left Kidney, protecting my protectee. Got out on a medical discharge with a Cross. I am in the reserves and I do a favour now and again for my Brigadier Buddies, mostly teaching sniper and Breaching tactics."
Harry nodded. "Vassal Major D. Granger. I name you Weapon Master and Master of Arms in and For the House of Potter. You are on loan to House Black and are needed to bring this Property up to snuff in defense. We will make arrangements with the Goblins to meet with a few grey market weapon dealers in the morning."
Dan blinked. "I think I just got Shanghaied."
"Shut up dear. He made sure that you get to shoot anytime you want, and next week you get to pick up new babies."
His arms wrapped around his wife. "And when I am not working for the Master, I get to man-handle the sexy lady laying topless on the beach."
Hermione sprayed the two of them with a tight stream of water from her wand. "I would say get a room, but Winky is needing her rest."
"Okay. Daphne is needing time in the Yard… either as a human or as a kitten, Padfoot, let's show her, her new Doggy. She is Pack."
Both Wizards stood from the wicker chairs and knelt before the Kitten.
Lupin offered his hand and allowed her to brush her head along his palm. He leaned in and inhaled her kitty scent. He grunted and drew back.
Sirius grinned as he just leaned forward as he blurred into the black dog. First he bumped noses with her, before he licked her, nose to shoulders. He then gripped her scruff and pranced off with her dangling from his teeth.
"Daphne!" Tasha jumped to her feet as Lupin rose up behind her
"Padfoot! Damn it! Bad Dog! Get back here!" The two of them followed the Grim out to the yard.
Harry shook his head as he stood. "Well, with the Elves focused elsewhere, Andi, will you taxi me to the mainland. I think I am going to do some SMC for twenty."
"SMC?" Andi asked as she stood.
Hermione snorted. "Single Male Cooking." she shook her head. "A joke about the current muggle mindset. He is going out for takeaway. Remember, not too spicy. Also Wine and Beer for the adults, I think we could split a pack of Fanta." She stretched. "I am going to look for the library."
SPRB
Dinner that night was calm with an undercurrent of excitement and suspense.
After she ate her fill, Daphne was picked up and taken for a bath and to sleep. Tasha kissed Dan and Emma before taking the far Suite with the Courtyard Garden between the Front door and the bedroom.
Dan and Ted walked the property line… of the Island. Ted to get in touch with the other muggle raised male from his era. Dan was looking for weak points.
Emma and Andi were checking on Winky.
Hermione and Harry were given white robes and told that they were to leave their other clothes behind.
They meet on the beach below the Villa facing the West. As the Sun touched the horizon, Remus, dressed in a plain white Robe with a braided cord belt, a beaded stole over his shoulders, drew the hood over his face, causing the glamour of a Wolf mask to take the place of his head. "Brothers. The First of Our Acolytes Claim to have completed the needed trials to Advance in our Brotherhood."
Sirius, also in a white robe with a stole and a cowl, stepped forward. "I Question this claim. Show Us Proof of the First Challenge. Name your Greatest Prank."
"I have stolen away The Boy Who Lived. Even now The Ministry is struggling to regain their footing from the Fallout." Hermione spoke as the last rays of light shone upon her face.
"I have Stolen away a Child that was going to be used to Kill me and Steal my House. I have ruined them instead."
The Grim faced Wizard's mouth moved as it chewing. "That doesn't sound like a prank."
"It took three weeks for the Goblins to transfer the gold and Relics into the Potter Vaults. No blood was drawn, no bones broken. Those who were dealing with House Potter in Good Faith were not touched."
"One aspect of a prank is that no-one knows that you did it."
"Have them prove that they Acted in Good Faith."
"Accusing the Acolyte would prove that they were not in Good Faith." Wolf declared. "They have passed the First Test."
"Let us see if they have Passed the Second Test. The Second Form. Let us See what they have found."
Harry Stepped forward. "Due to factors beyond our control… we were not able to acquire a single Alternative Form." He bowed his head.
He and Hermione had discussed this after dinner while they were getting ready. She stepped forward. "The Unfortunate Circumstances of Being Harry Potter and His Best Friend, have done things to our Magic that you could not have expected. I was in an unfortunate potion mishap Christmas of Ninety two." Hermione went half cat. "Your potion gave me two forms. The cat… and my Soul Animal… a burrowing Owl."
"But it is worse than that." Harry picked up the tale. "As Padfoot will tell you, at the wag of a tail, that shifting over is not just flipping a switch but rolling a dail."
"And there are times when you reverse the roll and times that you continue around…" Sirius nodded.
The Acolytes both dropped to all fours in their respective feline Form.
"An American Puma, Black and a Brown Main Coon… Kneazle mix … no," lupin knelt to inspect the cat closer. "Main Coon Kneazle Lynx. Don't Say it Padfoot."
"What… I can't call her a Minx?" Sirius grinned, the Grim Face looked like it was snarling. "In fact I dub her Mynx."
Both Felines spread their Wings as they took on the round avian faces of owls.
Harry clicked his Beak at the Adults.
"I still say she is Mynx." Padfoot edged away. "Wicked Smart mind with her Wicked Sharp beak, a true beauty and no one will ever think of her as more than her Kat form." He stepped around Harry, running his fingers long the wing bones. "Between his Stance and Colouring, something to do with Knight…"
On the other side of the Island, a lightning bolt flashed across the horizon.
"StormKnight." Moony snorted. "She called him Wind and Fire Rider, why not include a Storm."
The Acolytes both nodded and turned into their owl shapes. She, a brindled Burrowing Owl and him a Dark gray and black Great Horned owl.
The younger two unfolded into their human forms.
"Let's get this done." Moony raised his left hand, his right hand on his Heart, covering his Core. "Acolytes Potter and Granger. Do swear to Hold the Brotherhood of Mischief Making as the Highest Order. To Prank Responsibly, and to Hold Others to the Same Code. To keep the Sheeple Safe and Laughing. So Mote it be."
The other three mimicked him. "So Mote it be."
The Four of them Flashed White, before the Cowls rose up and covered the Acolytes heads, causing both to take on a new face.
Hermione now sported a cat face like that of when she had the Polyjuice.
Harry was an Owl for a face.
"Welcome Brother StormKnyght, Sister Mynx. Welcome to our Brotherhood. Our next meeting is in two weeks." Remus lowered his cowl, dispelling the glamour. "This Beach is completely closed off, the only way up is through the gate you entered the beach from. You need a wand for it to open. Moony likes splashing in the waves, but is afraid of the water deeper than his knees." He demonstrated and used a stone brick to hold the gate open.
As they climbed the stairs to the ground floor, Sirius chuckled. "Good one on the Single Form. You had us going."
The four in white headed for the Kitchens. No sooner than they were inside the Main House, did the leading edge of the Storm passed overhead.
They found Dan and Ted sitting in the kitchen next to the Fire sipping beers and laughing.
"What is with the Vestments?" Ted thrust his hand holding the beer at them.
"Our Acolytes were just promoted to Brothers." Lupin smiled as he put a pot of water to boil. "They have earned the Cowl. Go ahead and show them." He dug out a tin labeled tea and three mugs.
Harry and Hermione pulled the Cowl of their robes up.
"Oh." Sirius snapped his fingers. "Bad News. Your New Names are now bound by Magic. Should anyone write a letter to you, Your Marauder Name will work as well as your birth name."
Harry huffed. "Well. I am off to bed. As I am going to sleep as Storm, Mynx is welcome to join me. I have spent the last two weeks force feeding Winky, and I have Goblins in the Morning."
"I am going to join you. I have slept as Lynx, but…" She smiled at Lupin, "so… no tea for us. See you in the morning."
In the Grand Master Suite, Harry just shimmered into Storm and crawled onto the mattress, stretched his wings, and flopped down in the center after dragging a fluffy pillow across his forelegs.
Hermione joined him, grabbing her selected pillow and burrowed in under his left wing.
Just before he drifted off, Dobby popped in, looking sad. Harry raised his right wing. The Elf was quick to crawl in to the hallow and curl up with his Master.
Sleep was quick to claim them.
TBC