Work Text:
Harry walked back towards his small flat near The Leaking Cauldron feeling a million times lighter. Sure he was a bit aimless in life, he was still grieving over several lost friends, but the war was over. Despite all the bad and evil that occurred, he was free, for the first time in his life.
He wasn’t sure what he wanted to do with his life, but there were a few things he was sure that he didn’t want. The first was to become an Auror. The thought made him almost sick. He was so tired of fighting. Maybe he could finish up his mastery in defense, and then teach at Hogwarts? He had really enjoyed teaching the DA? He wasn’t yet sure if that was what he wanted. Time, time was the answer. Just give himself time to adjust.
The other thing he was sure he didn’t want was to get back with Ginny. That had been a nightmare. Almost the moment he had slain Voldemort she had been all over him, talking about all the great things in their future, how they would have a perfect wedding, how he would go and become an auror, and she a Quidditch player. It was all too much, too fast. When he had told Ginny that she had blown up at him, becoming her mother trying to order him around. He had told her no, they weren’t back together and he needed time to figure out where he was in life and what he wanted. She had spouted some line about how they were meant to be together and he just grabbed his stuff and left the burrow.
Three major burdens of his life removed. No wonder the weight of the world was no longer bearing down on him.
His flat wasn’t huge, much bigger than his room at the Dursleys, and a mansion compared to his cupboard. It was a one bed, small living room, and a bit of an oversized kitchen for the size of the rest of the place. The bedroom only really had room for a double, but that was more than enough for him. Apparently Sirius had bought the place and lived here after he had graduated Hogwarts. The firm that had been his managing his estate since his parent’s death, and then Sirius’ had been letting it out to various people, but the previous tenants had vacated during the war and it hadn’t been re-let, perfect for him.
Lacking anything specific to do he had set his mind to the Animagus ritual. Something he had wanted to do since learning about his father and Sirius back in 3rd year.
Today was the day, he was going to do it, he could just feel it. A form of percipience magic he wondered?
Ideally he should have Hermione around to spot him, but she was off in Australia trying to recover her parents. He could ask Ron, but their relationship is a bit unstable at the moment. Ron hadn’t taken his breakup with Ginny fantastically. Besides what could go wrong, he knew this was going to work.
Clothes often didn’t survive one’s first transformation so he got au naturel.
Everything was huge. How was everything so big around him. Harry took a tenuous step forward and looked down. There in front of him was a black paw.
He spun around and charged into his room, and leapt up onto the bed. Gazing into the mirror he saw his new form. A black kitten! How was he a kitten! He was 17, well past the age of a kitten. He would never admit it to his friends but he thought himself kinda cute. He was pure black, not a speck of other colours, besides his pink toebeans. His eyes were his trademark piercing green. Pretty subtle as far as an animagus distinguishing mark went. If one didn’t think to look for it they would think him just a normal cat, or kneazle possibly.
Time to take this new body out for a spin. Bouncing off the couch he sauntered into the living room. A quick jump and he was at his window that looked out onto the alley. His new eyes could easily make out details as far down as Gringots. Something he would struggle to see with his glasses as a human. This was so amazing!
Beneath his window was an awning over a couple of tables for a Parisian style Café, run by a wonderful couple from Paris. They were so cute, and absolute dolls to him. It probably helped that he didn’t hit on either of them, or make any lewd jokes about them being witches-witches, what a high bar.
Now having gotten somewhat used to his new form he was fairly confident that he could jump back up onto the awning from the hostess stand beneath. With a great deal of confidence he dropped down onto the pavement below and scampered off to in front of the café. Ohh, a nice garden box, that was the perfect place to take a nap. He hopped up, did a bit of cleaning of his paws, and then settled into the stand for a nap.
Harry awoke to quite the commotion. It looked like Léna was closing up the café for the day. He should probably head home. He looked around for the hostess stand, and she had already moved it inside. With a quick scamper across the terrace he hopped onto a table and started bobbing back and forth preparing for the jump of his life back onto the awning.
Just as he was about to jump he was scooped up, and lifted face to face with a human. Marie! How could his friend Marie do this to him. Thwarting his return home. It wasn’t like he could shift back to a human here. He was starkers!
“Léna, look at this enchanting kitten!” Marie’s adorable and thick accent was like a lullaby making him want to curl up and fall asleep in her arms.
“Do they have a collar?” Léna responded as she wandered over.
“No, maybe we should take it to the Menagerie, they might know who owns it.”
Just like that he was unable to get home.
The Menagerie didn’t know who he belonged to, surprise surprise, but they offered to hold him until his owners showed up, or if no one did, they would find a good home for him.
Kitten food sucked. Tasted like dried cardboard and old socks. The worst thing in the world. He turned his nose up at it, and only ate when his stomach absolutely forced him too. Except the occasional dried meat treats that actually did taste good, those he gobbled up. His weight was starting to drop, and he was getting worried about when he would be able to get back home. It wasn’t even like anyone was looking for him. It wouldn’t have been unfair to call him a hermit for the last moth. The occasional conversation with Léna and Marie, and the various shop keepers when he would nip in someplace for whatever supply he needed. His friends either weren’t talking to him, or out of country.
At first he hadn’t just shifted back because he was afraid of flashing everyone. He could just see the headlines: Man Who Conquered: Streaking through Diagon Alley. Kingsley would kill him, and he would never live it down. Then he started getting so worried that he was willing to just live with the humiliation.
Then he had been placed into a small cage, about a cubic half-meter. That limited his ability to shift, finally when he had briefly escape from the hands of a small five year old who was roughly handling him and attempted to shift back he found he couldn’t.
Then the shop keeper waved his wand and he found he couldn’t move. Well his body could move, but his neck was frozen in place. Turns out he had a runic collar tight around his neck. One that made it so one could always locate their pet along with a few other magical ticks, such as this freezing charm and an invisible leash spell.
Harry eventually got a look at one of the neighbour cats’ collar and realised that while it was probably unintentional that it stopped an Animagus, it had some anti-transformation magic in it. Not enough to stop an experienced Animagus, but more than enough to stop one who was just getting their control over it. The collars seemed to be fairly generic, and as best as he could figure the anti-transformation magic was to stop breeds of magical cats which could shift their size.
He really didn’t know how he was going to escape from here. All he could do for now was to lay down and continue to nap the days away, waiting until the moment to strike occurred.
The bells to the Menagerie rang crisp. Harry’s eyes drifted open with all the urgency of a sloth.
An absolutely fit bird had just walked into the shop. She looked rather familiar, maybe someone he knew from Hogwarts? Likely a couple of years younger than him. If he was honest she was probably a year younger than Ginny and Luna.
She had dark brown hair, braided in a fancy style that he couldn’t really label. He was far from an expert on clothes but her outfit easily cost more than an average families food budget for a month.
“Hello, I’m looking for a present for my sister’s birthday.” She stated with all the expectation that the shop staff would jump at her every command. They did.
The debate on specifics went back and forth; various birds were considered, but it seemed this young woman’s sister wasn’t the biggest fan of birds. Next they moved onto the felines.
When they reached his cage she stopped. “This is the one. Its perfect, she will just love you little one.”
“Oh yes, this was a stray we had brought in. Very intelligent, we think either part kneazle or possibly even full bread, but we haven’t tested yet.” They picked him up, and kitten-handled him upside down. “See here, definitely a boy. We can have him neutered if you want.”
At the mention of neutering he went apocalyptic. Clawing at the hands holding him, biting, screaming bloody murder. The handler held tighter at his fit, and shoved him back into his cage before firmly locking him in.
“Doesn’t look like he wants that, so best leave that up to my sister. She can be quite exacting about how she wants things anyways. It looks like he is perfect. Pack him up, along with a full kit. Everything a young woman would need to care for their cat while at Hogwarts for the year.”
He was going to Hogwarts? Perfect, he could definitely convey a message to someone there, McGonagall at the least was also a cat and should be able to understand him. He had his plan, just hold out, and pray they didn’t neuter him.
The ride to his new “home” was a bit rough. The lady holding his carrier was a bit overwhelmed by the size of it. The rest of the supplies for him were shrunk and placed into her handbag. The floo was almost worse when so tiny and imprisoned in a small cat carrier. He mewled in frustration and upset, feeling like he would be sick.
“Oh little one, its okay. The floo is rough, but you shouldn’t have to take it again until the end of the summer. Oh, Daphne is going to love you! I think you will love her as well.”
His carrier was taken into an elegant siting room. It reminded him of the Malfoy’s house, all posh, and finely carved wood. The lady placed his carrier under a table which had a table cloth that extended to the floor, leaving it nicely hidden from his new ‘owner’.
Guess its time to go back to sleep and wait this out. Only a couple more weeks until he was at Hogwarts where he could get help and escape.
The noise of the room started to build. Guests must have arrived. He could mewl and maybe attract attention? That was unlikely to do much though so he just stayed there quiet waiting. The smell of the food around him was driving him nuts. He was already half-starved, and it all smelled so good.
At somepoint they started opening presents. Soon he could get out of this carrier and at least stretch his legs, get a bite to eat.
“Storie. I know I can get a bit catty at times, but a scratching tree? Isn’t that taking a joke a bit far.”
‘Storie’ had a musical laugh. He wondered if this Daphne had one as well.
The table cloth was pulled up and light flooded into his dark sanctuary.
“Storie, is that what I think it is? Did you get me a kitten!”
“Say hello to your new familiar Daph. He is quite the intelligent little thing. They mentioned the n–e–u–t–e–r word at the shop and he went crazy. So good luck with that one.” She laughed again, and ‘Daph’ joined in.
“Oh, you are that smart, well as long as you don’t go knocking up all the queens at Hogwarts, then I have no reason to do such an evil, nasty, thing to you.” She stated as she stuck her finger through the carrier bars to rub at his head. An involuntary purr escaped him. Damn these cat instincts.
Daph opened the carrier and her hands that were as big as his entire kitten body reached in and scooped him up. He tried to wriggle out of them, but was easily overpowered. He could try and put some force into it, but that seemed like it was inviting trouble.
She smelled of vanilla and cinnamon, almost intoxicating. Daph was sat on the ground, legs crossed, with her dress creating a hammock. He was placed gently onto the fabric, as she continued to gently stroke his head and down his back. The purrs intensified. Damn it why couldn’t he stop purring. She was going to think he enjoyed this.
“Now what should we call you?”
“His eyes remind me of Potter’s,” one of the unnamed girls called. He bolted up at that.
Daph gave a light chuckle at that, “Hmm, as funny as it would be to call my kitten Potter, I don’t know if I want to walk around Hogwarts yelling ‘Potter, come here Potter!’, could you imagine the ribbing Malfoy would give.”
That got a chuckle, or giggle from the assembled girls.
“How about Midnight?”, “Shadow?”, “Salem?”, various names were called out, but for one reason or another Daphne vetoed.
“I think I’ll call him Sootpaw, or Sooty for short.”
Harry debated it, it could have been far worse. One of the girls had suggested “Professor Fluffykins” he had strongly objected to that. He resigned himself to Sooty and just nuzzled her hand to show he didn’t mind.
“See Sooty here doesn’t seem to mind.”
He had tried to wander and explore the room but the she seemed to have enabled another enchantment in his collar. He couldn’t get more than three feet away from her. Growing bored with his heavily curtailed explorations he plopped down in the cat bed that ‘Storie’ had gotten for Daphne/him. That only lasted a minute before she picked him back up and setting him back down in lap.
He couldn’t see Daphne’s face from here. Her chest and the frilly lace of her dress obscured his sight too much. That said when he had been wandering he had gotten a look, She was familiar, but he couldn’t quite place her. Older than he was expecting. For some reason he was expecting this to be a first or second year, but she looked to be seventh, or part of the temporary ‘eighth’ year.
Back to sleep he went.
Something delectable hit his nose. The most mouth watering thing he had ever smelt, although that might just be the hunger speaking. His eyes fluttered open. They had relocated and Daphne was sitting at a long dinning table.
He couldn’t clearly see anything on the table from this position. So he stood up and stretched across her lap. Her hand came and gently scratched behind his ear. Part of him wanted to just sit down and enjoy it, but food!
He had to shove his head up between her chest and the table. He tried to push more into her chest than the table. One being hard, the other being so soft. God he was being such a pervert, she was going to kill him when this was all resolved.
He was right, the contents of the table were godly. His eyes zoomed in to a rib sitting on the plate in front of him, absolutely bursting with pork. The scent of honey just wafting off. He finished forcing his way up onto the table.
“Oh, is my cute baby boy hungry?” Daphne stated with a bit of a coo in her voice. She started to stand up, but he bolted forward grabbed the rib and charged across the table leaping off. He ran as fast as he could dodging legs, feet, and furniture until he found a sideboard that had a space that he could just wiggle his way under.
As hands tried to reach under to separate him from his succulent prize he hissed, clawed, and screamed bloody murder. This was his dinner! He would not allow it to be taken.
“Quite the lungs on him aren’t there. Didn’t know kittens could make so much noise.” An older man’s voice said from above.
“Yea, best to probably leave him for a bit,” Daphne responded.
Harry finished his rib. He needed those calories more than he realized. He was still hungry, but it would do for now. He figured he would have to climb out at some point, so he carried his well gnawed bone out with him. With all the regality he could muster, which wasn’t much considering his earlier feral outburst, he walked over to the table and hopped up onto a chair, and then the table. There he gingerly placed his rib bone onto Daphne’s finished plate.
“Oh, so smart! He even cleaned up after himself.”
“Yes he is intelligent Daphne, but no animals on the table.”
He released as much of annoyed grumble of a meow as he could and hoped off the table back into Daphne’s lap. She proceeded to scratch behind his ears in the most divine of manners and slipped him the occasional sliver of meat from the table. Only when her parents weren’t paying attention of course.
Oh was this the life, he thought as Daphne lulled him back into a comfortable sleep.
Daphne had picked him up and was cradling him to her chest as she carried him up to her room. She closed the door behind him and set him down on her bed.
Harry took in his surroundings. Whatever he was expecting it wasn’t this. A pink frilly room with porcelain statuettes of unicorns; a refined room of dark woods and bold colours, looking like something out of a palace possibly. Instead it was a bit of a mess. A few dresses draped across the back of a chair, a small pile of dirty laundry piled on the floor, a haphazard stack of books on the desk. It looked pretty similar to how he kept his room, besides you know being twice the size of the bedroom in his flat. Oh and the boxers being swapped for knickers and bras, oh god he would be blushing so bad right now if he could, and were those emerald and silver ties, his would be scarlet and gold of course.
Wait a second. He locked eyes on the stack of dirty clothes. Standing up he strode over to the edge of the bed and leapt towards the pile. Reaching the pile he used his paws to bat away the underthings, grabbed the dirty robes in his mouth (gross) and pulled them off until the tie was fully visible. She was a Slytherin. That was where he recognized her from. Oh god, all of a sudden he knew who this was. Greengrass.
They hadn’t really been enemies. She was fairly asocial, didn’t follow Malfoy around. Just stuck to her own little clique and avoided the house rivalry. Hermione, bitched, sorry gently complained, about her and how Daphne had her solidly beat for first in Runes and Potions. It wasn’t the end of the world, just not what he had expected. Considering the manor they were in it really was obvious in hindsight.
“Oh you want to play!” She said from over him. She bent down and picked up the tie and started to drag it along the floor for him to chase. He pounced, missing it by a hair. He bent down and wiggled his but waiting for her to drag it back into position for him to catch again. He went to jump again and noticed that she had shed most of her clothes. Her blouse was half unbuttoned and she only had knickers on her bottom half. He jumped into the side of the bed instead of where he had aimed at the tie. Regaining his bearings he hopped up onto the bed and ran to hide his head under the pillow.
Was he hyperventilating. Oh god, he would never live this down, she was going to kill him!
“Oh poor Sooty! Did you hurt yourself. No reason to be so embarrassed, it can be our little secret.” She held him up to her half born chest cuddling him, her soft skin rubbing so deliciously against his smooth kitten fur. Oh god he was sooooo dead. She was going to castrate him, and rip his eyes out for this when she realized.
He stared intently at the far wall while she finished putting her night gown on. Not that it helped. The gown was a frilly little thing, just reaching down to her upper thighs.
Daphne extinguished the lights, pulled the sheet over herself, rolled onto her side, pulled her legs up a bit, and then picked him up and tucked him into the crevice made between her chest, legs, and impeccably smooth stomach. He wanted to cry, any (straight) boy would kill to be in this position but god was she going to kill him.
They settled into a routine. Daphne relocating him from room to room with her. Luckily he was able to escape the bathroom, which she chalked up to him being afraid of the water. He also had swatted and flipped his food bowl when she tried to feed him those god awful pieces of kibble. Just staring at her with disdain. She had attempted to hand feed him a piece, to which he responded by picking it up with his teeth (yuck!) and carrying it and dropping it into her mouth. She was both surprised by his actions, and horrified by the taste. He just sat there and gave her a ‘now do you see how disgusting this kibble is?’ look. She relented and got him some better food. Mostly by convincing the Elves to either cook something special for him, or giving her the left over bits of meat from dinner to feed him. Bits he devoured.
Daphne was chilling in one of the sitting rooms. Reading some romance novel or another. Harry was chasing a small enchanted toy mouse across the room. Pouncing on it, grabbing its tail and swing it around before bringing it back to Daphne to present her with the catch of his hunt. She always gave him the most adorable laugh when he did. He could feel the warmth and happiness fill him when she did.
She had just set the mouse back down and restarted it. Harry sat and waited for it to charge across the room before he restarted the hunt. It was no fun to grab it immediately. Instead he let it hide so he could stalk it, and then once in position he would strike.
As he was getting ready to start his hunt he heard a squeal from behind him. “Astoria Caterina Greengrass! Do not do that.”
He felt a wash of feelings flash through him. Shock, mortification, embarrassment, and some residual lust. Where had that come from, he questioned.
“What ya reading?” Astoria teased. Causing Harry to look over at the pair of girls interacting. Daphne had slammed her book shut and was attempting to keep it as far away from Astoria as she could.
Oh, oh god no. This was getting worse and worse. Daphne and he were developing a familiar bond. How would they ever recover from this.
This caused Daphne’s face to shoot up and stared at him in confusion for a moment, before it all clicked. It seems she had noticed his fear and dread overwhelming him.
“Its okay Sooty! Nothing to worry about. You are just starting to feel my emotions. Its perfectly normal.”
“Isn’t it a bit soon?” Astoria enquired. “I mean you have only been together for what, a week?”
“Could be a sign that we are well fit for each other, or a sign that my cutey kitty is not just adorable, but extremely powerful!” She said as she rolled him over and started rubbing his belly while making cooing noises.
Daphne was laying on her bed lounging in her undies and a camisole. Harry was laying next to her, trying desperately to ignore her state of semi-undressed while he cleaned himself.
“Sooty baby, why are you always in such a tizzy when we are alone like this?” She asked him rhetorically. “You scared I’m going to do something to you. Haven’t I proven I’ll always keep you safe?”
He mewled. She could feel a note of half distress, and half agreement.
“So you know I’ll protect you, but something else is bothering you?”
“Meow” he agreed.
“Can you tell me what?”
He nudged at her side, first where the camisole covered her, and then again below it where her midriff was exposed. Then he buried his eyes in his paws.
“Did I get a pruddy little kitty?” she teased with a bit of a sing-song.
“Meow” he agreed.
“Okay, okay. I want you to be comfortable. I’ll not change in front of you, and try and keep myself no more undressed than this. Does that work as a compromise? I mean I walk around like this in front of my family.”
“Meow” he agreed. She could still feel hints of his discomfort, but it had significantly decreased.
Taking the conversation as over Harry started trying to bend his mouth down to grab the collar that was causing him so many issues. He fell over partway and rolled onto his back, trying to use his claws to get it.
“Oh poor little Sooty, that needs to stay on.” Daphne informed him as she pulled his claws away from it.
“Meow,” he replied full of frustration and annoyance.
“Once you stop trying to run away and hide, until then it has to stay on.”
“Meow, meow!” another surge of annoyance, and what was that insistence that it needed to be off.
“Nope! Out of the discussion.”
“Meow,” this time she felt his resignment, and bitterness.
“Be good at Hogwarts!” Lady Greengrass commanded her daughters. “And you, don’t get into any mischief,” she directed at him.
“Meow?” He retorted. Daphne clearly understood he was saying “who me?” She giggled a little in response, but didn’t translate.
Lady Greengrass just gave him a bit of the evil eye. It wasn’t his fault that when he tried to hop onto the table last night he missed pulling the table cloth with him. It also wasn’t his fault that Lady Greengrass’ leftover pea soup pulled off the table and spilled all over her lap. He was a completely innocent kitty, he swore. Daphne giggled again at the combination of his mischievous emotions mixed with his a bit of full hearted assertions of innocence.
He wasn’t in a carrier, but his collar had been set to keep him within five feet of Daphne.
He saw Susan and Hermione chatting a good 15 feet away. He got as close as he could and meowed trying to get Hermione’s attention, but she ignored it.
“So no signs of Harry?” Susan inquired.
“Yea, we are getting really worried. He had been in contact with Andromeda at the beginning of summer, but then all of a sudden that stopped.”
“Did Kingsley know anything?”
“No, but we don’t want it to become a spectacle so it is all being kept pretty hush hush at the moment.”
Still they ignored Harry’s meows, and assertions that he was right here, standing before them.
Daphne walked over and picked him up. Pulling him close to her chest. “I know you are here, you weren’t lost at all, no need to get so worked up. This is why you have to keep that collar on.” Harry wilted at the misunderstanding.
He had managed to wriggle his way out of Daphne’s grasp, and was instead sitting on her shoulder looking around at all the familiar and new faces as they passed.
At one point Luna had the audacity to lean over and scratch his head. “Hello Harry! I thought you were missing,” she stated.
“Oh, Luna. I hope you had a good summer,” Daphne responded upon noticing the girl walk up behind her.
“Yes, much better than last year. Sorry, was just saying hi to this cute little guy.”
“Yes, Astoria got him for me for my birthday!”
“I didn’t know you could get people for your birthday like that. Do you think I could get Neville for mine?”
Daphne wasn’t sure how to respond to that. She just nodded and made pleasantries until the conversation had moved to a point where she could escape.
Daphne’s carriage only had a few people in it. Tracey Davis, and Astoria being the only ones he recognised. The others seem to be a smattering from his year, Astoria’s and the years in between. While she didn’t stay in the carriage for the trip there was a brief stop by Susan Bones. He didn’t know they were friends.
Daphne had noticed his excitement when she had stopped by. As soon as Susan had left she turned on him. “What are my tits not big enough for you?” she asked him with more than a bit of jealousy leaking across her words and their familiar bond.
“Meow” he assured her. He tried to convey how beautiful he thought she looked, and how he was very content with their hugs and he didn’t need anyone else for that. She looked a bit suspicious for a moment before accepting his assurances and pulling him in for what would be an inappropriate cuddle if she knew he were human.
Oh god she was going to kill him!
At some point one of the girls said something about how they needed to get changed for Hogwarts.
He desperately searched for someplace to hide, where he wouldn’t be able to see anything. Before he got a chance various tops and skirts had been shed. He leapt out of Daphne’s arms and dived under a thick cabled jumper that had fallen to the ground.
“Is he okay?” One of the girls asked. The jumper muffling the noise enough that he couldn’t tell which.
“Oh yes, he is fine. He is just a total prude, tis kinda sweet. Almost like he is looking out for my modesty and trying to protect my virtue,” Daphne added with a bit of a giggle. Even through the muffling jumper he would know Daphne’s voice anywhere.
All the girls laughed at him. The remaining of the journey turned into them teasing him. One of the girls, a 6th year he didn’t know personally even flashed him once.
Being back at Hogwarts was nice, or it would be if he wasn’t trapped mostly in the Slytherin dorms.
Turns out even as a kitten he could still speak parsletongue, which was useful as the snakes that decorated the doors would respond to it. He could open the door, and see out, but he couldn’t step through, as she had set his collar to keep him from leaving the dorms. Its like she was teasing him with freedom.
He did leave a large gash on Malfoy’s had when he had said something nasty about Daphne. Now Malfoy had a constant look of wariness and anger when ever he looked at him.
How to escape that was the question.
They were sitting in the Slytherin dorm, about three weeks into the term. Daphne had gone upstairs to find a book for her Rune’s homework. He was sleeping on the couch so she left him alone. As soon as she left he bolted awake and found one of the first years sitting on the far side of the room. He sauntered over, sat down in front of them and made a big deal of having an itchy spot on his neck that he couldn’t reach.
The poor first year bought it and reached down to take the collar off and scratch it for him. As soon as it was off he bolted under a chair, zoomed across the room, and dashed out a room as someone entered. He heard screaming behind him. Sounded like Daphne had realised what was going on and was yelling at the poor first year. He would have to do something nice for them.
Harry knew the dungeons better than any other student of his year. Well he thought he did at least, and no one had proven otherwise. He ducked and weaved his way through the place until he found an alcove he thought he could hide out in.
His most immediate problem was how to get out of this. He had no clothes, his wand was back at his flat, and while he could transform and then use a tapestry as a toga that didn’t seem like a fantastic idea. Unless he wanted to end up on some registry someplace.
The hospital wing. Madame Pomfrey would help him he was sure of it. He waited until it got dark out, all the better to sneak around in. Double so with his pitch black fur.
Several hours later, a couple of close calls with the Slytherin hunting parties, and a lot of sneaking through dusty corridors he had made it to the healing halls. He would finally be free.
Daphne had been relentless in trying to find him. He could feel her despair, and fear. That he would be hurt. She was able to use their familiar bond to almost catch him a few times, but he funneled every bit of fear he had felt around Voldemort and the Dementors at her to befuddle it until he managed to escape those close situations.
It looks like Madame Pomfrey was still awake. The light was on. He ran up to the door and started meowing like he never had before. Scratching at the door until it swung open and he fell forward into the room.
Madame Pomfrey looked down at him. “I normally only see human patients. Are you in need of some help.”
Within a blink of her eyes there was no longer a small black kitten standing before her, but a fully grown young man.
“Mr. Potter! Where are your clothes?”
Harry dived to the side, using a hospital bed to hide his state of undress. Ripped a sheet off and converted it into a makeshift toga.
“It isn’t what it looks like.”
“You had better get explaining then.”
His ears still rang after the tongue lashing she gave him, but he was back to human shape.
Not long after she finished Headmistress McGonagall showed up to repeat the process. Of course after she was done she gave him a hearty congratulations and a big hug on completing such an arduous task of transfiguration.
“Potter, to complete the animagus transformation in such a short period of time is truly extraordinary. It hints that there is a lot more skill in my art then you ever let on in classes.” That brought more than a bit of shame to Harry. “If you are up to it, I’d like to take you on as my apprentice.”
Harry’s jaw dropped a bit. “Your apprentice ma’am? What would that entail?”
“Helping Professor Dush with teaching some of the younger years. We would have some one on one tutoring sessions where I push your skills. Lots of directed but independent research. Of course to get your mastery you will need to write and publish your thesis, pushing the entire art forward that extra bit.”
Harry sat and thought about it. This would keep him at Hogwarts this year. He could maybe apologise to Daphne and maybe they could continue their relationship in a more…. balanced manner. He had been interested in teaching, and had reservations about continuing to fight. This might be perfect.
“I hope I don’t regret this, but I’d love to accept professor. I had been thinking about teaching, but Transfiguration sounds much better than Defense.”
It wasn’t one of the feast days, but the great hall was still pretty packed the next day at dinner. He saw Hermione sitting at the Gryffindor table. The look she was giving him was not one he was not going to enjoy later.
Ron was at the ministry training for the Auror program. Ginny had a look that was a cross between glaring daggers and conniving.
Finally he looked over and saw Daphne sitting at the Slytherin table in tears. He could feel her anguish at having lost Sooty. He also had felt more than a little bit of anger aimed at the small first year at the far end of the table.
It felt so good to be back to a human. The shower he had taken at his flat this afternoon was magnificent. Best shower he had taken in months. Plus he had his wand back! Oh how it sang under his touch.
It probably wasn’t helping Daphne’s mood that she could feel his joy. He got the vague impression that she thought he was happy to be away from her. Something he actually was regretting, but was necessary.
A loud POP fired from McGonagall’s wand. “Attention everyone. Just a quick announcement.”
It took a moment for everyone to give her their undivided attention. “I have the great pleasure of announcing the first Apprentice at Hogwarts in 17 years. Mr. Harry Potter will be starting his apprenticeship in transfiguration studying under me.”
Harry stood and gave a quick bow to each of the four tables. Making sure to make eye contact with Daphne. She just looked heart broken at him.
Okay he is going to have to do something about that.
Dear Miss Greengrass It has come to my attention that you recently lost your familiar. Upon enquiring or more information I realised I may have some knowledge of his current whereabouts.
Please meet me in The Hare Antechamber at 19:30 following dinner on Thursday.
Sincerely, Mr. Potter
Harry finished the letter with a flourish. He had spent a lot of time watching Daphne pen letters to her friends, collogues, and even a couple of her Dad’s business associates.
He sealed the letter with his house emblem, and handed it to an Owl to deliver.
He just hoped he survived the meeting, and that she would forgive him. He missed her presence.
Not even two hours after the announcement of his new role Hermione cornered him. Her wand pointing at him, sparks flying erratically from the tip.
“Harry James Potter! So help me I swear I’ll pull you apart strip by strip. Do you have any idea how worried we have been?”
“Hi Hermione! Good to see you.” He went in for a hug. He hadn’t been a cuddly person, but spending the last two months being a tiny kitten which everyone insisted on picking up and cuddling had broken that habit.
She relished the hug, not remembering a time Harry had initiated. “Don’t try and distract me, and don’t just hi Hermione me! Tell me where you have been.”
He grabbed her hand and pulled her into a nearby classroom before throwing up some privacy palings.
“So good news: I’ve finished my Animagus transformation. That is actually why McGonagall offered me an apprenticeship.”
“Congrats, but that still doesn’t explain where you have been.” Her right foot was starting to tap. He could also see a twitch of her left eyebrow. This wasn’t looking good for him.
“IgotstuckandthenkidnappedandthentrappedIonlyjustescaped” he rushed out in an garbled mess.
“Mind repeating that with breaths in between.”
“I may have gotten kidnapped, or is it kittenapped? Either way they put a collar on me. Prevented me from shifting back.”
“You were kidnapped? Was it a death eater? Do we need to call the Aurors?”
“No its honestly all a giant misunderstanding. They thought I was a stray. Ended up getting sold to someone for their birthday.” Harry rubbed the back of his head as he explained this.
Hermione just laughed.
“I still have to go and explain to the poor woman what happened. She is absolutely devastated at the moment because she can’t find her kitten.”
They fell into a comfortable conversation once Hermione accepted that he was okay. He also got a nice tongue lashing from her about attempting such difficult and dangerous magic alone. She didn’t care that he knew he could do it without issue, obviously there was an issue. She did assure him that she would send notifications to the relevant authorities and call off the man hunt.
Harry stood in the antechamber nervously shuffling his feet. Trying to distract himself with the tapestries of Hares that gave the room its name.
The door burst open. Huh, she was more than ten minutes early. And she strode in, desperation, anger, and fear surging through the bond.
“Miss Greengrass, a pleasure to meet you outside of class.”
“Potter, I don’t care for all the pageantry, just tell me where Sooty is.”
“Don’t worry he is safe and sound, but there are things we need to talk about. Please take a seat. I’ve had tea prepared.”
Its her favourite tea, a nice Lady Grey with a touch of orange zest. Steeped just the way she liked it. He could tell his human nose wasn’t as excellent as his cat one, but it still had improved a touch.
She sat, ramrod straight, her legs jittering up and down. He hadn’t ever seen her this nervous and upset.
“Please Miss Greengrass, Sootpaw is perfectly fine and healthy. In fact under your care his health massively improved from his time at The Magical Menagerie.”
Her eyes grew narrow as she looked at him with suspicion. How would he know about that.
“Are you some kind of purrseltongue in addition to parsletongue?”
“In a manner of speaking.” It was taking every ounce of control to not let his nerves overwhelm him. Even though he was avoiding the actual topic.
“Miss Greengrass I have a confession to make.”
Her glare drilled more into him at this declaration.
“Early this summer I mastered the Animagus transformation.”
“What does that have to do with this? You became a cat so you could talk to Sootpaw?”
“Close!” he timed his transformation perfectly. McGonagall had given him some tips on bringing his clothes with him, but his wand fell to the ground beside him.
“Sooty!” she exclaimed picking him up and bringing him tight to her chest to snuggle. The initial excitement of having her familiar passed and her brain ticked away. Realising what it was exactly she had pulled tightly to her breasts. “Oh my god you absolute pervert!” she exclaimed as she dropped him to the ground.
Harry darted a handful of feet away and shifted back. Fuck, his button down shirt had torn down the side. Needed to work on that more.
He held his arms up in front of himself half in protest, half in protection. “No, no, no. I tried my best to not take advantage, and to always look away.”
She glared at him for a moment before relenting. “You always were a pruddy little kitten.” His indignation flooded the bond.
He sniffed and turned his nose up a bit. “I think you will find I was gentlemanly and respectful.”
Another piece clicked for her. “The familiar bond! We have a familiar bond!”
He took another deep breath, attempting to gather his Gryffindor courage. “We do. I talked to Madame Pomfrey about it, without mentioning your name” he quickly added.
“And?” She prompted with a mountain of impatience.
“The familiar bond is just the name that given to emphatic bonds between a human and a magical creature. That they can develop naturally between any two magical beings or creatures. They rarely develop between two humans unless they have been in a close relationship for quite a while, and magically compatible.”
“So it isn’t bizarre that we have one?”
“Not as such, its bizarre for us to have developed one so easily, bit strange for us to have developed one as quickly as we did even if I was a kneazle at the time, but not unheard of considering our magical strength, and apparent compatibility. If it makes you really uncomfortable then we can break it, although that is painful, and it will not naturally be reformable. So I would caution that we take our time to consider options.”
“What, you want to go back to being my familiar?”
Harry looked a bit sheepish and shrugged. “Kinda? I enjoyed spending time with you, and now that I’m human again I’d like to ask you out when you next have a free weekend. I also enjoyed just cuddling up to you as a cat and you gave the best ear scratches.”
Daphne looked thoughtful for a minute. “Okay, I’ll have a think about the bond. You can pick me up at 11 from the Slytherin dorms on Sunday. I expect you to be impeccably dressed and to have an excellent date planed.” There was the slightly haughty girl he knew.
“Of course Miss Greengrass it would be my pleasure,” he flourished the statement with a small over the top bow. This earned him one of her magical giggles. He smiled at her and basked in the feelings emanating from her side of the bond.
“Would you like some company till curfew? McGonagall isn’t expecting me until the morning.”
“The Slytherin common room would crucify you, even if the worst of the blood purists aren’t here anymore.”
Harry just stared at her with a raised brow before shifting back into Sootpaw. With a quick jump onto the back of the chair he scrambled up and settled into his spot on her shoulder and began to nuzzle into her neck.
“Well, that might just work,” her giggle once again lighting up his world.
She rose from her chair and made her way to the Slytherin commons. A grin on her face, as she talked about all the chaos her little monster had caused over the last several days.
Joy, and comfort radiated the bond from Harry’s side. He was glad they were back to normal, well besides the whole being trapped bit.