# # #
Later in the day, though it was a Saturday, Harry and Sirius went to Gringotts to find out how the purchase of the Daily Prophet was progressing.
After the pleasantries were over Harry asked Blockrig, "How goes the purchase of the Daily Prophet?"
"Very well, My Lord," said a clearly pleased Blockrig. "You now own the major controlling interest with forty-five percent of the company. We're having trouble securing any further as some of the part-owners are reluctant to part with their shares as the company is seeing an increase in profits of late."
Snorting, Harry said, "An increase in profits mainly as a result of the heightened interest in the criminal proceedings against Crouch and the previous Minister, no doubt."
"Yes, My Lord," said the goblin. "The goblins representing those interests are loathe to release them without making obscene profits."
Sirius spoke up for the first time and asked, "Does the Black family own part of the company?"
"Yes, My Lord. Thirty percent," replied the goblin.
Harry laughed and said, "In that case, friend goblin, don't worry about pushing to purchase any more. With Lord Black here," he said, indicating Sirius, "we control seventy-five percent of the company. That'll do for now. But, if they come up, by all means purchase them."
"Yes, My Lord," said the goblin. "Is there anything else of which I can assist?"
Thinking, Harry said, "Yes, Blockrig, there is. On Wednesday... probably around late afternoon... the real Harry Potter is going to come out of hiding. In the process, I'm going to cause a great deal of embarrassment for one Albus Dumbledore.
"I'm going to arrive at the bank at about 12.30pm under cover of disguise. I'm going to have the blocks removed on the Head of House Potter and the Heir of House Black rings. But not the Head of House Slytherin ring. This will give the impression Harry Potter has come to the bank for the first time and is given both the Potter Will to read and to take up his House rings. At that time you can block all access to the Potter vaults by Dumbledore, and begin recovering from him that which has been stolen.
"Then Harry Potter is going to go shopping for his school supplies. He's going to make sure everyone sees him doing his shopping.
"When Dumbledore turns up and attempts to drag Harry Potter away. And, I assure you, friend goblin, he will. Harry Potter is going to scream about how 'the dirty old man is trying to drag him away to touch him in his naughty places'. Harry Potter may even kick him in the shins a couple of times for good measure. That'll bring the aurors in force.
"His godfather, Lord Black here, his rightful magical guardian, has been looking for his godson for quite some time. He will find Dumbledore 'accosting' his godson and is going to have a mighty argument with Dumbledore.
"The aurors, of course, who will have arrived by that time, will have no choice but to hand Harry Potter over to his proper guardian, especially when Harry Potter waves his copy of the Potter Will about, and the Head of the DMLE has no choice but to read it. Harry Potter is also going to show everyone the nice pretty ring the goblins gave him to wear that has his family crest upon it. And Harry Potter is also going to mention, once he's told Dumbledore's identity, how the nice goblins told him about the... really long term here... financial malfeasance... that has been going on with his trust fund by Albus Dumbledore.
"No doubt, Dumbledore will be taken back to the DMLE in manacles to answer questions of Will tampering and/or interference and theft from the Potter accounts, adding to his charges of mail owl interception.
"Lord Black is going to immediately take Lord Harry Potter, the poor wee lad, directly to Gringotts, where he, Lord Black will learn of the thefts from the Potter vaults, and demand an immediate investigation. It is also likely the aurors will be summoned, once more. You'll need to be prepared for that.
"It will also come to light at some stage how Harry Potter has been abused by his 'muggle' relatives for his entire life since he disappeared on the 31st of October in 1981. A place where Dumbledore, acting as his magical guardian, put him. It will soon be discovered how Dumbledore knew of the abuse.
"It will further come to light that Harry Potter was kept in the dark about his wizarding heritage, only learning of his heritage that very day, when he received his letter from Hogwarts.
"You may wish to... take a stroll... through the Alley, that afternoon after I visit here. I believe you will find the shenanigans quite entertaining."
By the time Harry had finished, the old goblin was nearly roaring with laughter. A laughing goblin was quite a fearsome thing.
Waiting for some time for the goblin to gain control of himself, Sirius asked wryly, "I take it you approve?"
"Oh, yes, My Lord; Oh, yes," chuckled the goblin with glee.
"Again, My Lord," he said on a serious note, "I must ask that if I ever displease you as much as Mister Dumbledore has done, you deal with me the goblin way and just take my head. If you need to borrow a sword for the deed, you may borrow mine. I would rather you do that, than destroy my name, or that of my clan, by reducing it to dirt."
"Oh, friend goblin," said Harry with an evil grin. "I'm only just getting warmed up. These are only the opening skirmishes."
After withdrawing some more galleons from his vault, Harry and Sirius left.
# # #
After Harry and his godfather left the bank, Blockrig sought audience with Director Ragnock.
Entering the Director's office, Blockrig gave the usual formalities.
*How goes young Lord Potter, Account Keeper Blockrig?* asked the Director.
*He is about to implement his next plan to discredit wizard Dumbledore. In the process he is bringing the real Harry Potter out into the open early,* replied Blockrig. *He plans this to happen just after noon this Wednesday.*
Putting down his quill, the Director sat back and said, *Tell me.*
Blockrig told the Director what Harry had told him. He left nothing out and did not exaggerate any point.
The Director was also left chuckling, *When Lord Potter returns to the bank on Wednesday, he and any of his party with him are to be escorted to this office. I will remove the blocks on the rings he requests. I will be looking forward to the visit.*
*Lord Potter also suggested I may consider taking time out of my schedule on Wednesday to witness this event for myself,* said Blockrig with a look of glee.
The Director asked, *Do you wish to?*
Thinking about it, Blockrig replied, *I do, but I do not want to abandon my post.*
Waving his hand in a dismissive gesture, the Director said, *It is of no consequence. You may, if you desire. If Lord Potter has suggested it, then you will comply. We consider him a friend of the goblin nation.*
*Shall I inform him of that, Director?* asked Blockrig.
Ragnock thought about it for a moment and replied, *No. If he has not determined that for himself yet, he soon will. Let it be a surprise.*
*Very good, Director,* replied Blockrig.
The Director said, *You may return to your work, Account Keeper. We thank you for your report.*
*Thank you, Director,* replied Blockrig bowing and leaving the room.
# # #
That evening, Harry did the final round of the Heirs with the cubes.
He checked in on Neville to make sure he'd behaved himself, only to learn he changed to his animagus form about an hour after he arrived home.
"I know I should have waited, Harry," he said abashed. "But, I wanted to make sure I could do it on my own without assistance. What I didn't realise is Gran walked into the room just after I changed."
Sighing, Harry said, "What happened?"
Speaking up, Augusta said, "I just saw this big, mean-looking animal in the room and tried to hex it."
Harry snorted in amusement.
Neville said, "It's not funny, Harry! She screamed at me and it scared me. When she tried to hex me I had to try to get out the door. I've not tried to move in my form yet, so I was a bit... clumsy."
Augusta cut in, "Clumsy? You tried to hop up and run on your back feet! If it wasn't so surprising watching this animal moving like an animated toy, I might have actually hit it with a second hex. As it was, I was so surprised I held my hex for a moment."
"That's when I turned back out of my animagus form," said Neville a bit glumly.
Harry laughed. He couldn't help it. The image of what happened in his mind's eye was just too funny.
"I didn't think it was funny," said a sullen Neville. "When I turned back, grandmother hexed me anyway."
Harry laughed even harder. "Serves you right!" he said with mirth. "Didn't you think to tell your grandmother you'd managed to change to your animagus form before you actually did it while she wasn't in the room?"
"I wanted it to be a surprise," said a still sullen Neville.
Augusta replied, "Oh, it was a surprise, alright. One that nearly got you injured bad enough to need hospitalisation! And the last one was a stinging hex only."
Finally calming down, Harry walked over and checked Neville's magical core. While it was a little depleted it wasn't close to being a dangerous level.
"Next time, Nev," he said a little exasperated, "change while your grandmother watches. And you may as well start to learn how to walk in the form, before you try and run in it!"
# # #
At the Ossuary, Amelia brought Harry up-to-date on the cases against Bagnold, Crouch and Dumbledore.
"Bagnold has fled the country and we're trying to get her extradited from the United States. Her actions will likely lead to her spending time in Azkaban but the US won't comply because of the dementors," reported Amelia. "When we grabbed Crouch we learned his wife had switched places with their son in Azkaban, where she died soon afterwards from an incurable illness.
"Crouch Junior was found in Crouch Manor, recaptured and returned to Azkaban; and Crouch Senior, due to his role in that and in Black's illegal incarceration, has now joined him. I hope they both rot there!
"Dumbledore's been madly trying to delay the trial for as long as possible. Even then, he's been bribing members left, right and centre to try and get the case thrown out. I just can't prove it! The evidence against him is clear. I now have over one thousand formal complaints, forming over five thousand individual cases, of mail tampering. But, if I can't get him back on the witness stand, I can't convict him. And then people can't sue him for the loss of galleons they spent on sending you gifts."
"That's okay, Madam Bones," replied Harry. "In less than four days he's going to have far worse trouble when Harry Potter makes his big debut in Diagon Alley. As long as he hasn't managed to get the case thrown out by then, you'll be able to pile a lot more illegal actions upon him. His support will evaporate very quickly after that."
"Ah, yes," said Amelia with a grin. "I've already started to ensure I'll have a fair-sized team lined up ready to go when we get the first call of a child in danger in the Alley."
"I've planned to arrive in Gringotts at 12.30pm," said Harry. "I'll then leave Gringotts, after about an hour, and start my shopping at that time. I don't think it's going to be very long before old Dumbles makes an appearance and tries to grab me. The goblins already have what they need to do lined up ready to go.
"Oh, and you won't be offended if I land a couple of kicks to Dumbledore's shins when he grabs me, do you? After all, that's what a mundane child has been told to do if they're grabbed in a similar manner."
"Just so long as you land a couple of good ones for me," she replied with a grin.
"Oh," said Harry, suddenly thinking of something. "Can I have that list of complainants, and who they're on behalf of if they're acting as guardians for the real victims? I want to write a letter to each and every one of them. Even if I have to get a form letter printed off and I personally address and sign each one."
Surprised, Amelia said, "Yes, of course, My Lord. But that's a great deal of work you've set yourself up for."
Nodding, Harry said, "I know. And I know it's going to take me a long time to address them all. But, I have a reputation that's in tatters from what Dumbebutt has done. And I need to fix it, since I can't expect Dumbles to do it for me."
Impressed, Amelia said, "I'll get you a copy of the list of names, and see if I can get you a list of what they sent you to match."
"Thank you, Ma'am," he said. "And, do you know where I can order a whole batch of dicta-quills?"
"I'll get you the contact details of our supplier," she replied.
"Again, thank you," replied Harry.
While Harry and Amelia had been talking, Susan came into the room and had sat quietly. Turning to her, Harry said with a big smile and a deep flourish, "And good evening to you, My Lady Hufflepuff. I hope I find you well, this evening?"
Amelia rolled her eyes at Harry's antics.
Grinning back, Susan replied with an equal deep curtseying flourish, "I am well. Thank you, My Lord Slytherin, for asking."
Chuckling, Harry said, "How goes the search for your animagus?"
Sitting up in excitement, Susan replied, "I'm a dark grey wolf with a hint of reddish colouring between my ears and down my ruff. It also has the same dark brown coloured eyes as me!"
Nodding, Harry said, "Okay, if your aunt allows it you can come over to the Pottery tomorrow and Sirius and I will help you to assume the form for the first couple of times."
Both looked towards Amelia, who nodded and said, "But she's to come straight back home afterwards."
Nodding, Harry said, "Of course."
Looking back at Susan, he said, "Come through via the floo at about 10.00am and we'll have the middle of the parlour floor cleared of furniture."
"Yes!" squealed Susan. "I'll be there!"
A little while later he activated the last cube for Susan and left for the Grangers.
# # #
"Come in, lad," said Dan, holding the door open for him, after first checking the street.
While Dan was returning his weapon to his new gun safe in the hall closet, Harry went into the lounge room to half flop into his now favourite chair.
Hermione was still working on the arithmancy equations but, at least this time, she wasn't so deep into it that she wasn't paying attention to what was going on around her.
"Hi, Harry," she said glancing up as he walked in.
"Hi 'Mione," he replied with a grin. "Still working on magical energy conservation?"
"Oh, yes," she replied. "I think you're going to be really surprised!"
Dan came in and called Emma from the kitchen.
Answering Hermione, Harry said, "I've no doubt."
Emma and Dan both came in and sat on the sofa facing the two kids. They clearly had something on their minds.
"Oh, oh!" said Harry in mock dread to Hermione. "The Major's called in support from the good Lady Emma. Why do I have the feeling I'm about to be ambushed?"
"Because you're smarter than you think?" asked Hermione with a wry smile.
Dan snorted. "Uppity kid!"
"Daniel!" scolded Emma, rounding on her husband.
Leaping to his feet, chest puffed out, fists on his hips and feet apart, Harry declared, "I, am Super Harry! And I am impervious to your taunts!"
"Sit down, you impertinent child," Dan mock ordered.
With an airily gesture of his right hand, Harry declared, "Super Harry must first give his impressive monologue!"
"Sit down, or I'll give the Sergeant Major a call," Dan ordered with a grin.
Deflating, as he had already met He-who-makes-you-hurt, Sergeant Major Bellows, on more than one of his training exercises, Harry said, "Super Harry is not impervious to Sar'Majors." He flopped back into his chair.
Dan chuckled while Emma just gave a 'why me' sigh and a roll of her eyes. Hermione just shook her head with a slight smile.
"Did you hear what he said to to me, this morning?" asked Harry.
"Oh, this'll be good," said Dan with a look of glee on his face.
"He said, 'You, my little butt nugget, have as much co-ordination as two jellyfish fornicating in a bucket of warm snot.'"
Dan roared with laughter while Emma looked scandalised.
"He never!" gasped Emma.
"That's one of his better ones!" chortled Dan.
Hermione blushed a little but didn't say anything.
Once everyone had settled again, with her patience voice, Emma began, "Harry, I'm... we're... not happy about you having to deal with Dumbledore, on Wednesday in the Alley, on your own until your support can arrive."
"I'll be fine, Ma'am," replied Harry, still grinning. "Everyone is a only few seconds away."
"Well, there's going to be three people right there with you," she said. "Dan, Hermione and I will be joining you in Gringotts before you walk out to start your shopping. Mister Dumbledore does not know us, so he will think we're just other shoppers who happen to be near you when he sees you."
Frowning, Harry thought about it. He said, "Well, I don't think I really need the backup. But, if it makes you happy, we can do that."
"It makes me very happy, Harry," she said in a firm voice.
"Okay," said Harry, surrendering. "We'll all go shopping together. We'll make it look like Hermione and I had just met and we worked out we were both to be first years together at Hogwarts. We'll then go shopping together to buy what we need off the shopping list."
"I already have everything I need for school, Harry," said Hermione.
"That doesn't matter, I'll pay for you to have a second set of everything. I'm rich, remember?"
Dan said, "Good plan. But you're not going to buy a second set of everything. It's a waste of money."
"But," said Harry sitting up, "if we're going to do this, then I get to buy you some gifts."
"Only something small, useful and cheap," said Emma.
"Madam, you wound me!" mock declared Harry. "I would dishonour the memory of my ancestors if I was to... stint... on my responsibilities as the Head of the Noble and Most Ancient House of Potter!"
"Can it, lad," said Dan with a chuckle. "We're non-magical upper middle class, remember?"
"Okay, but I still get to buy gifts," grumbled Harry. "I told the goblins I'll be at Gringotts at 12.30pm. I think it's going to take about an hour hiding in the back offices before we then come out and start shopping."
Turning to Emma, he asked, "Are you going to be okay taking a day off, Ma'am?"
"I've already cleared the time in my schedule," she replied.
"In other words, you'd already planned to ambush me with this, well in advance," he grouched.
Sighing, Emma said, "Sometimes you take too much onto yourself, Harry. You might have the mind of a nineteen year old but you've still the body of an eleven year old. It's you who keeps reminding us of that."
"Having a couple of adults along will not harm your 'rep', lad," said Dan.
Holding up his hands in a sign of surrender, Harry said, "Okay, okay."
Grinning, Dan said, "We knew you'd see it our way."
"Did I actually have a choice?"
"No," he grinned.
Shaking his head and changing the subject, Harry turned to Hermione and asked, "How goes the search for your animagus form?"
Brightening, Hermione replied, "Oh, I'm a big raven... or a crow... or something."
"Or something?" asked Harry.
She said, "It... looks different... to what I'd expect a raven or crow to look like."
Curious, Harry asked, "What do you mean?"
"Well," she replied, "for starters, it doesn't have the yellow irises of either of those birds. It's eyes are brown, like mine."
"That's because it has a lot of your characteristics," said Harry. "Clearly, one of the characteristics in your form is the colour of your eyes. Susan said the same thing."
"And, though it's a black bird, it has pure white tips to its pinion and tail feathers," she said, thinking hard.
"Does it have four or five pinion feathers?" he asked.
Thinking, she replied, "Five... yes... definitely five."
"That's a crow," said Harry with a smile. "Ravens have four."
"Okay," said Hermione. "But, as I'm Ravenclaw, I'd have thought it'd be a raven."
"Nope!" he replied. "But, the only difference biologists can determine between a raven and a crow, is the difference of one pinion feather between the two."
Grinning, he said, "That is, the difference between a crow and a raven is a matter of a pinion!" He laughed.
"Oh, Harry," she said with a little sigh and a shake of her head. "That really was lame... Clever... but lame."
"Yeah, well," he said, still chuckling. "I thought it was funny."
"Even so," she said. "It still doesn't explain the colour difference in the feather tips."
Shrugging but still smiling, Harry said, "I know. But, we'll work it out. How about I come and pick you up just before 10.00am tomorrow morning. Susan's also coming to the Pottery and Sirius and I will help you through the first form shift or two along with her."
Looking back at her parents, she asked, "Is that okay?"
Her father nodded, but Emma said, "As long as I come, too, that's fine."
Harry replied, "That's fine. I appreciate the idea of having a female chaperone there. And I hope Madam Bones comes, too. Sirius and I will be along shortly before 10.00am and we'll side-along apparate the two of you."
Emma only nodded but Hermione was a bit excited.
Dan said, "Okay, Pumpkin. Time for bed. We'll be up shortly."
Sighing, Hermione packed up what she was working on and tucked it all under her arm. Then she walked over, kissed her mother, then her father, hesitated a moment, rushed over to Harry and kissed him on the cheek before dashing up the stairs with a giggle.
Harry blushed again, quite gobsmacked.
Emma just smiled at him and shook her head. "I told you," she said. "She already falling in love with you."
"I'm soooo not ready for this," said Harry with a mumble.
Dan just grinned and said, "Too bad!"
Activating the last cube for Hermione, Harry headed for home. He needed sleep.
# # #
The next morning, after his training regimen with Dan - Something he was beginning to enjoy no matter how much he now pretended to whine and moan about it to Dan - he returned home to find Sirius had already cleared the floor of the Parlour again. This time he had removed the furniture.
Pixie prepared a light morning tea with small quartered sandwiches and tea in preparation of their guests.
Sirius and he, at a little before 10.00am, apparated over to the entry hall of the Granger residence and announced themselves.
"Hello?" called Harry.
"In the kitchen," Harry heard Emma call.
Harry led Sirius through to the kitchen at the rear of the house and said hello.
"Hermione!" Emma called.
With a sudden rush of thumping feet Hermione came down the stairs leading up to the bedrooms in a rush and barrelled into the kitchen.
"Hi, Sirius!" she said, going to the older man and giving him a hug.
A little shocked by Hermione's forwardness it took him a moment to hug her back.
Looking down at the top of her head, he said, "Hello, my little darling."
Harry just snorted and Emma just rolled her eyes.
"Where's Dan?" asked Harry.
Hermione said, "Outside talking to the lovely men who stopped by in a plumbers van across the street. He's just letting them know we're going to be away for a while."
Harry nodded
Hermione helped her mother tidy up the kitchen while they waited.
A few minutes later, Dan walked back in the front door. He drew a small automatic from the middle of his back and check-safed it before re-tucking it back into the small holster in the small of his back.
Sirius watched him with curiosity.
"What was that?" he asked.
Dan replied, "A nine millimetre automatic. Twelve rounds, hollow tipped."
That seemed to confuse Sirius even more than he was already.
Harry grinned and decided to explain it to his godfather. He said, "A powerful enough mundane weapon useful at short distances no more than about duelling ranges. For longer distances they have a longer weapon. Quite lethal."
"Ah!" said Sirius, suddenly understanding.
Looking around the room he asked, "Are we ready to go?"
Dan replied, "Yes. But I'm coming, too."
Looking at his godfather, Harry asked, "Can you side-along apparate two?"
Frowning, Sirius said, "Yes, but it'd be easier to make two trips."
"Okay," said Harry. "You take Emma and I'll take Hermione. Then you can come back for Dan?"
"Sounds like a plan," said Dan.
Sirius walked up and held on to Emma while she held on to him. Then they were gone. Harry took Hermione.
# # #
At the Pottery, Harry arrived and held up Hermione for the few seconds it took her to get her balance, and Sirius went back and collected Dan. They were back a few seconds later.
Pixie popped in and asked, "Missy Emma and Mister Dan like tea?"
Emma said to the little elf, "Yes, but I'll come and give you a hand."
Pixie, having had previous experience of this with Emma, nodded and popped away. Emma left the room heading for the kitchen. Harry suspected she was more checking to ensure he and Sirius were eating well, than to actually assist in making tea.
A few moments later they received a floo call from the Ossuary. Amelia, then Susan, stepped through. Amelia had her wand out ready for trouble until she was sure the room was safe.
Sirius said to her, "You know, you come across as quite paranoid when you do that," indicating her wand.
Amelia grinned and said, "My instructor at the auror training centre said, 'Better to look paranoid and be alive than be foolish and dead'."
Sirius grinned and nodded his head. "Moody. We were the same during the war," he said.
"Okay, that's everybody," said Harry, changing the subject. Turning to Susan he asked, "Do you want to go first?"
Susan replied, "Yes, please."
Sirius said, "Right. Everyone else, please move to the walls. Susan, you're in the middle of the floor."
After moving folks around, during which time Emma came back in, they were ready.
Looking at Susan, Sirius said, "The best way to start is to put your body into a position somewhat how your form looks when you've changed. It gets your mind thinking of the shape. So, you're a wolf, right?"
Nodding, Susan got down onto her hands and knees in the middle of the floor, "Is this okay?"
Sirius replied, "More than okay."
"Now, I want you to relax, in that position meditate just slightly if you need to, then use your magic to push your body into the shape of the wolf. Let me know when you're ready."
Susan held still for a little while and then quietly said, "Okay, I'm ready."
Harry moved up to one side of Susan, holding his hands at the ready, while Sirius drew his wand and took the other. Everyone else remained quiet and watched with avid interest.
"Okay, Susan," he said. "Now."
Harry and Sirius both pumped their magic into Susan. And she changed with an almost audible pop.
Dan and Emma gasped in shock.
"Merlin!" said Amelia.
"Wow!" said Sirius. "That was quick."
Harry moved around in front of the young girl and told her to sit on her haunches. She did so and copied almost the same expression as Neville the day before.
Thinking, he said, "Definitely a wolf. Young adolescent from your lines. A pretty big one, too."
Suddenly, he realised what he was seeing, "Damn, Susan! You make one big wolf; bigger than a timber wolf, even!"
Susan titled her head across to the other side and appeared to frown back at Harry. She rose back up onto all four feet and turned her head to look at herself from one side to the other.
"Allow me," said Sirius. He conjured the same mirror they'd used for Neville and put it so Susan could see her own reflection. Again, she made those slight head tilts Harry was used to seeing a puppy do.
Grinning, Harry stood back up and said, "Okay, time to revert."
Sirius then stepped forward and said, "Okay, Susan." Getting the girl's attention he said, "To revert you just need to let the form go and allow yourself to revert back to your normal self. When you're ready, do that. Harry and I will be here to help force the change, if necessary."
Again, with an almost audible pop, Susan changed. This time, back to her normal self. Harry looked up at Sirius and asked, "Did you assist?"
"No", said Sirius. "She changed too quick for me to even have a chance to raise my wand."
"Me, neither," said Harry. "I think she's going to understand this the quickest of the three."
Looking at the young girl as she rose to her feet, Sirius asked, "How did that feel?"
Thinking hard, Susan replied, "It felt... right. I felt alive and I felt like I needed to run and hunt!"
Looking at Harry, he grinned and said, "She's going to be a natural at this."
Nodding, Harry grinned back before turning to Susan and saying, "Yeah, you're not going to have any trouble getting this down pat."
Sirius piped up and said to her, "For now, though, take a break. We'll give Hermione a shot."
Susan moved off to the side to stand next to her aunt, grinning like a loon. While Hermione came forward and stood in the middle of the floor.
"Okay, 'Mione," said Harry. "As you're a bird, you'll need to remain standing. But I want you to lean forward a bit and hold your arms straight down by your sides as if they were your wings."
Hermione took the stance as she was instructed, but asked, "Why do I need to do this when Harry doesn't?"
Replying, Harry said, "Because I now have quite a bit of experience assuming my form. Taking the stance just helps you get your mind into a receptive state for your first couple of times."
Sirius then said, "Same thing as Susan, meditate a little and focus on assuming the shape of your..."
"White-tipped crow," finished Harry.
Sirius then said, "Let us know when you're ready."
A few moments later, Hermione nodded.
Stepping forward, as Harry did the same from the other side, he instructed, "Okay, push!"
Harry and Sirius both pushed their magic into Hermione and she flowed into her shape. Now standing before them was what looked like a large crow with white tips on its pinion feathers and the tips of its tail feathers. Again, it was a large bird, standing almost knee high to the adults in the room.
Again, Harry heard a sharp intake of breath from the others in the room. He wondered when he'd become quite so blasé about someone assuming their animagus form.
"Okay," said Sirius in a little amazement. "That's pretty big for a normal adolescent crow."
Hermione was using the mirror to give herself a good look over. She was carefully moving her wings out from her body and spreading her feathers. Her wingspan was going to be quite impressive; bigger even than Harry's.
Grinning, Harry replied, "That's because I don't think she's going to be a normal crow. I think she may be something more than that. Those white tips are very unusual."
Hermione was looking all around; at herself, at her reflection, at her parents, at everyone.
Stepping forward again, Sirius said, "Okay, time to revert."
"Okay, Hermione," he said. Hermione looked up at him as he said, "Time to revert. When you're ready."
Harry moved into his now normal position on the other side and both he and Sirius stood ready to assist. She leaned forward just a little and then... blurred. 'Normal' Hermione was now standing in front of them bent forward a little.
She stood up straight, turned to Harry, grinned and threw her arms around him.
"Oh, wow!" she exclaimed. "That was so... cool!"
Looking over her shoulder, Harry asked Sirius, "Did you need to assist with the reversion?"
"No," replied Sirius. "You?"
"No," he said.
Patting the girl on the back, Harry said, "Okay, 'Mione. You need to let me go now."
Hermione reluctantly let go of Harry and went to her parents saying, "Did you see that? I'm a crow!"
"Errr... yeah," said Dan, still a little shocked.
Sirius then turned to Susan and asked, "Ready for a second attempt?"
Nodding, Susan replied, "Yes, please!" And moved into the centre of the room once more.
Standing between Sirius and Harry she concentrated a little bit and, before Sirius or Harry were even ready, she blurred and assumed her wolf form.
"Ummm... Harry?" asked Sirius. "Did you..."
"Nope!" said Harry with a grin. "That was all her!"
Susan sat on her haunches and looked around a bit to make sure she had everything where it was supposed to be. Then stood and tried to walk around the room a bit. At first, she was a little off-gaited, but soon learned how to walk in her form after a bit of concentration.
She moved back into the centre of the room and, after a little hesitation, blurred back into her normal human form.
Sirius chuckled and said, "Yeah, she's got this."
Grinning, Harry said to her, "What you're now going to need to do is watch how dogs and horses move about. A wolf moves the same way. There's walking, trotting, galloping, jumping and the ways they suddenly change direction."
Getting her attention, Sirius said, "When you're ready to try those, the Pottery here has plenty of outside space in the woods where we can help you practice that. We're a pretty decent distance from non-magical folks. And I doubt it's going to take you all that long to get the hang of it, considering how quickly you've picked up assuming your form and reverting back."
Turning to Hermione, Harry asked, "You ready to try again, 'Mione?"
Hermione nodded and skipped to the middle of the room as Susan moved out of the way. She leaned forward slightly with her arms by her side and, before Harry or Sirius could even move to assist, she blurred and assumed the form of her crow.
Exasperated but amused, Sirius said, "What is it with you kids? You're picking it up so fast!"
Hermione looked at him with her beak slightly open and gave a little 'caw!'. She spread her wings out to each side and turned about on the spot with little hops. She looked down at her rather skinny legs with her splayed toes, and moved them about a little.
Looking up she gave her wings a single beat and lifted about a foot into the air.
Harry pleaded, "Please don't try to fly in the house."
"When you want to try that," he said, "we'll go outside and try a few attempts at gliding and banking. Then we'll go over how your wings work when they're flapping. In the mean time, you need to watch some videos in slow motion of birds in flight, and how they take off and land."
Hermione, without warning, suddenly blurred and assumed her normal form.
"Merlin!" exclaimed Sirius. "Both of them! Like naturals!"
Harry just shook his head and chuckled. Speaking to the room, he asked, "How about we have some morning tea?"
That made everyone at least start to relax. With a wave of his wand, Sirius brought the furniture back into the room. "Pixie!" he called.
*Pop* "Yes, Master Sirius, Sir?"
"You can bring in the morning tea, now, Pix," he said.
*Pop* *Pop* And the morning tea was laid out on the coffee table.
# # #
After a quick call through to Longbottom Manor via floo, they were soon joined by Neville and Augusta.
Hermione and Susan tag teamed Neville and told him they, too, could now assume their animagus forms. Neville was clearly excited for them both.
Augusta said, "This is actually quite extraordinary. Everyone always assumed it was such a rare gift."
It was Sirius who responded first. Shaking his head, he said, "No, it just takes learning how to meditate, seeking your form, meeting it, and then being given a bit of assistance in assuming it for the first time. If you want to discover your own, Harry and I can help you."
"Lord Black," said Amelia. "Clearly, you have such an animagus form, yourself. You wouldn't know so much about the subject if you didn't."
Looking abashed before sighing, "Yeah, I do."
He gave a shrug, looking at Harry, said, "It was bound to come out sooner or later."
Harry just grinned back and said, "You'd best show them."
Sirius rose from his seat and moved to stand in front of the fireplace. He suddenly blurred and took the form of his Irish Wolfhound.
Harry said with a wide grin, "Everyone, say hello to Padfoot!"
"He has his own name?" asked Hermione wondrously.
Sirius blurred back and said, "In the group of like-skilled folks I was a part of, it was de rigueur to have a different name when you were in your animagus form."
"Can we have a name for ours?" asked Susan excitedly.
Sirius, moving back to his seat, said, "Yes, but it's not up to you to pick the name. It's up to the others to pick it for you."
Sitting back and clearly remembering better days, he said, "It was James and Remus who picked mine, Padfoot. I picked Pettigrew's, Wormtail. James gave Remus his very early, Moony, because he's a werewolf. That's what started the concept, actually. And Moony and Pettigrew who gave Harry's father his, Prongs."
Turning to Harry, she asked, "And your name is 'Pup'?"
Harry snorted and replied, "No. Sirius is the only one who calls me that."
"Moony called him 'Cub'," said Sirius, continuing. "And James called him 'Prongslet'."
"Then, do you have one, Harry?" asked Susan.
Nodding, Harry said, "Myrrdin called me 'Archimedes', but it's not really a suitable name for the style of which Sirius speaks."
Hermione, frowning, asked, "Wait. Wasn't Archimedes the name of Merlin's owl?"
Grumbling, Harry said, "No. I was never 'Merlin's owl'. It was that damnable blonde-headed kid, Arthur, who called me that because he knew it annoyed me. That damned kid was never Merlin's apprentice, I was. But, Merlin taught Arthur how to read and write and, when he grew up, he wrote a bloody book. In it he claimed to have been Merlin's apprentice and I was just an owl, when he knew damned well that wasn't true!"
"You were Merlin's owl?" asked Dan, shocked. "The one in the Disney film? That owl?"
"Yes... No... Disney, as has a lot of the written history, got a few things wrong," explained Harry. "That damned kid wrote what he did as revenge against me for pranking his butt on a couple of occasions. And then people assumed it as fact, rather than the fiction it was.
"I was the so-called owl and wore the glasses, not Myrrdin. I was also the apprentice, but part of my training was assumed to have been Arthur's because of his bloody book. Arthur lied about that; he was only a non-magical. I couldn't speak in my earth phoenix form, either, as Disney's version does. However, Myrrdin was a highly skilled Legilimens and he could read my thoughts while I was in my form. I, of course, could understand him when he talked to me."
"Just because, on one occasion, I stuffed this great honking sword he found through the middle of a rock in a churchyard, he held a grudge."
"It was you who put the sword in the stone?" asked Emma.
"Well, yes," grumbled Harry sitting back with his arms crossed. "I did it as a prank."
"The sword in the stone was a prank?" asked Sirius.
Harry just grumbled about people taking things too seriously, while Sirius rolled around in his seat howling with laughter.
"Why else would a sword be sticking out of a rock?" he asked.
Emma asked, "So, you pulled a practical joke on King Arthur?"
"No," replied Harry, "I pranked a kid, another orphan, that Myrrdin rescued from semi-slavery from a castle in England. Myrrdin thought he'd make a good friend for me. But, we never got along. Not really. Myrrdin used to grab him, bring him to the pocket reality, teach him some stuff, and then send him back. But I'd be trying to meditate and the kid would poke me and demand I come play with him. He just annoyed the hell out of me.
"On one of those occasions the kid had brought an old sword with him and was dragging it everywhere. But he left it behind when Myrrdin sent him back. Myrrdin told me to send him his sword, so I did. I stuffed it in a rock in a nearby churchyard where he'd find it. And I was kind enough that I left it keyed to him so no one would steal it.
"It was those silly bloody bone-headed knights who, seeing him pull it back out, instantly declared him their rightful king for his deed. Seriously, I think those knights must've taken one too many hits to their collective heads to have done that! Not one of them bothered to ask how the sword came to be in the bloody rock in the first place!"
Sirius, having laughed himself right out of his chair, was still howling with laughter on the floor.
"Shut up, Snuffles!" grumbled Harry to his godfather.
Still laughing, Sirius said, "You went to pull a prank on a poor, defenceless mundane kid, and it made him a king!"
"It's not funny, Snuffles!" exclaimed Harry quite crossly. "It upset the future of the country and it took Myrrdin and me years to fix it. It took a couple of centuries in real time before we got the rightful ruling line back where it belonged and have the so-called history of Arthur rendered folklore. That little wart of a boy was supposed to have gone on to fulfil his dream and become a mighty knight; not become king!
"As punishment, Myrrdin made me train the boy for the next few years while he worked at fixing the problem it caused, until it was safe to leave him alone to his own devices."
Neville, speaking up for the first time, said, "So, not only did you prank Merlin. You also pranked King Arthur."
Shrugging, Harry replied, "Yeah, I suppose."
Neville declared, "You're bonkers!"
"Neville!" cried Augusta. "What a horrid thing to say!"
Neville asked, "Well, what would you call it, grandmother?"
Thinking, Augusta replied, "Inadvisable."
"Anyway," said Harry, trying to get the conversation back on track. "We need to figure out Marauder names for everyone. But I suggest we wait awhile. I have a feeling there's more about each of the animagus forms we don't know yet. And we might want to learn what those are, first."
"Anyone else have anything?" asked Dan.
There were a range of verbal nods in the negative from everyone else.
"In that case," said Dan, "Emma and I do. We're not letting Harry walk through Diagon Alley alone. No matter how close his backup is. We're going to walk with him."
Harry just rolled his eyes.
Amelia leaned forward and said, "Actually, Major Granger, that's a very good idea. I must confess it concerned me, too."
Dan said, "Well, we know this Dumbledore fellow doesn't know us from a bar of soap. So, when Harry goes straight to Gringotts, we'll be there waiting for him. Supposedly, he and Hermione will quickly discover they're both going to Hogwarts for the first time and strike up an immediate friendship. Emma, Hermione and I will then be walking with him when he goes to do his shopping."
Nodding, Amelia said, "That works. Anyone else have ideas about this?"
More negative head shakes from everyone else, including Harry, this time.
Harry said, "Just that Neville and Susan will be trained by Sirius on how to move in their animagus forms, while I'll train Hermione in moving and flight in hers."
Susan and Neville nodded. But Hermione said, "Harry, I'm afraid of heights. I don't think I'm going to be any good at this."
Harry smiled and replied, "You'll never need to be afraid of heights again, 'Mione. The fear of heights has more to do with the fear of falling, together with the... sudden deceleration syndrome at the end. And that's something you're never going to have to fear again."
"Well, I have one to add to next Wednesday's... festivities," said Amelia. "Just so Figg can't get in contact with Dumbledore when Harry pays her a visit, I'll be summoning him to my office for questions relating to... how it is he's managing to avoid being put on trial. I'll also be hinting how I believe he's been bribing other members of the Wizengamot. That should keep him busy for at least an hour."
After working out times when Harry and Sirius could train the three, the semi-impromptu meeting broke up and folks headed home. The Longbottoms and Boneses left via the floo first; and then Sirius and Harry shuttled the Grangers back to their home.