Vires Incomitatus

Chapter Four: The Ritual of Survival

The added workload of Wandless Magics wasn't as great as Harry had thought it would be, and with the loss of History of Magic he found his life to be quite bearable. Ron wasn't the only person to get annoyed; the other Gryffindor elves were equally so, but soon everything settled down into a pattern again.

Harry and Seamus found themselves working together a lot more; much to Harry's relief, he found himself intact every time. Or, at least, somewhat normal.

Harry looked down at his hand, or tried to.

"I think it worked," he announced. "I dunno, can you see me?"

"No," Seamus replied. "Hey, what do you know? First try, too."

"Great. Now, can you get me visible again?" Seamus frowned and Harry shot him a worried look, then realised that there was little point to this. They had been working on Invisibility Charms that Charms class, and Seamus had gotten the hang of it very quickly. Now, of course, came the matter of making Harry visible again.

"Finite Incantatem?" Seamus tried, pointing somewhere in Harry's direction.

"Um ... over here?" Harry suggested, and Seamus grinned sheepishly. He aimed towards Harry's voice and tried again. To no avail.

"Uh ... what's the spell?" He asked somewhat desperately.

"Videa," Terry Brooks called over, helpfully.

"Right," Seamus exclaimed, slapping himself on the forehead. He pointed his wand at Harry, who moved to be directly in front of it, and repeated the word. Harry felt himself tingle from head to foot, and then he could see himself again.

"You," he began, advancing on his partner. "If that hadn't worked -"

"But it did," Seamus said hastily. "You're still in one piece and I can see you!"

"This time," Harry muttered. "Now, let's see if I can get this right ... nonwedeus." Seamus shimmered and disappeared.

"Well, that was a success," he declared. "Now ... let's see if I can remember how to make you visible again ..." Harry smirked and left the sentence hanging.

"You wouldn't," Seamus sounded desperate, and came from farther left than Harry would have expected.

"Stay still," he replied. "I can't get a fix on you if you move; you're invisible!"

"Riiight," Seamus sounded sheepish. "I'm right here."

"Of course you are," Harry answered, and repeated the spell. A faint blur appeared that expanded to reveal his partner.

"Who needs an invisibility cloak?" Seamus laughed.

"That depends on whether or not you can remember how to make yourself visible again," Harry replied, smiling.

"True," Seamus replied morosely.

Harry shook his head, then turned at a squawk from the other side of the room. The first thing to meet his eyes was Neville, who looked about to burst from worry and embarrassment. The squawk had originated, it appeared, from Lisa Turpin, who had managed to get herself stuck with Neville again. Of course, Harry couldn't be quite certain, because she was invisible.

"Hey, Neville, your charm worked?" he called.

"Um ... that's the problem," Neville replied in a squeaky voice. "You see ..."

"I'm stuck," Lisa wailed. "It won't work!"

Just what wouldn't work also became apparent when Terry rushed over and tried the counter-charm, without result.

"Oh dear," Professor Flitwick hurried over, then promptly stopped just as Lisa called out,

"Professor, watch out!" There was a moment, then Lisa's voice called somewhat tentatively,

"Oh, I'm sorry. Are you all right?"

"I'm fine, don't worry," Professor Flitwick squeaked. "Come with me, we'll see what we can do, shall we?" He reached out blindly for a moment, and then his arm latched onto something, which was, presumably, Lisa, because he led the empty air off into his office.

"Nice one," Mandy Brocklehurst said somewhat bitterly. Neville ducked his head and blushed.

"I didn't mean to," he voiced feebly.

"It might be best if the rest of you just left early," Professor Flitwick observed, sticking his head out of his office door; well below the doorknob, Harry noticed with a smile.

"Come on," he told Seamus. "We still have some time before Transfiguration!"

~

Draco grabbed a bathrobe and a towel from his trunk and headed off to the Prefect's bathroom. He had had a long day, and was sorely in need of recuperation. He trudged down the corridors towards the bathroom door, then realised that he was trudging and abruptly straightened. Malfoys did not trudge. They might slump, if life did not go their way, even sulk, but a Malfoy would never, ever, in a million lifetimes of torture, be caught trudging. He firmly maintained his distinguished stalk until he reached the safety of the washroom.

"Lemon clean," he said with some relief upon approaching the door, and as soon as he closed it he allowed his shoulders to slump once more in a most undignified position, one certainly unsuitable for a Malfoy, but he didn't care.

He looked around quickly. "Myrtle?" he called warily, and was rewarded by a slight noise at the back of the room. "Get out here!"

"Ooh," Myrtle appeared from inside a pipe. "You're not bad, there!"

"Go away." Myrtle pouted in a way that Draco assumed was meant to be seductive. It failed miserably. "I want to have a bath, and I don't want you here ... watching!" He ended somewhat feebly for his taste, but that could not be helped; he was talking to a plain, unattractive ghost who appeared to be at least moderately obsessed with the male physique, there was only so much to be expected from a guy.

"You're no fun," Myrtle retorted sulkily, still pouting.

"Go."

"Fine," Myrtle threw up her hands. "Fine! If you're going to be that way, you're no fun."

"Go," Draco repeated again, realising he was becoming fearfully monotonous. Myrtle had to go; soon he would be using street-slang and trudging through the halls with his hair slicked back and - he shuddered. That was just too horrible to imagine. Draco possessively touched his smooth blonde hair, revelling in the silky feel for a moment before feeling utterly foolish and dropping his hand.

After checking once more, though he supposed that if Myrtle really wanted to remain she would find a way, Draco took off his robes and got into the gigantic bathtub. He went over to the little niche at one end of the water body and inspected the taps. He paused over a few of them, and finally turned one. Instantly a flood of pale pink bubbles lightly perfumed with rosemary poured out. Draco caught a bubble on his palm and inhaled deeply. He frowned over the remaining taps before opening one to a flood of rose-scented rainbow foam; it nicely complimented the rosemary, Draco thought with satisfaction. He sighed and stretched out his legs, finally relaxing.

He didn't know how long he had lain there before his true nature surfaced again. Pulled by the need to do something productive, anything productive, he moved from the bubbled perfection of the cove and entered the bath proper. Draco stretched and dove headfirst into the deeper section of the water, shivering at the temperature difference. He began doing laps in the pool. It had been a while since he had done this and it took him a while to get back into the comforting rhythm of front crawl, but then he just let his body take over and thought.

His life was turning head over heels, and there was nothing he could do about it. He didn't want to be a pawn for Voldemort - he would say the name - but he refused to become a pawn for Dumbledore and their little group. Of course, defiance of the Great Lord would result in pain, that was definite. Draco didn't really look forward to the pain. Pain was not something he enjoyed, really. Definitely not. He usually avoided it when possible. It did most unpleasant things to his normally perfect physique. He stopped for a moment and looked at his left arm. The snake on it was cursedly ugly, and it would make life decidedly difficult for him no matter what he did. It was a pity that he was stuck with it, but stuck with it he was, and he would deal with it in true Malfoy fashion.

That made him wonder; what exactly was true Malfoy fashion when dealing with an unfortunate tattoo on ones left arm that had a direct tie to the Dark Lord? Was it in the Family Tome? He doubted it. The bloody book never held any useful information. Always execute traitors thusly, never shave your head in this manner, though this manner is perfectly acceptable. But what to do about a botched Dark Mark - Draco doubted it.

He was about to continue swimming when he happened to look towards the door and observed, to his horror, that it was opening. He quickly dived towards the safety of his bubbles just as the door swung open and revealed the unkempt black mane of hair that always topped Potter's head.

"What in bloody hell are you doing here?" Draco shouted indignantly as Potter turned around and jumped.

"Malfoy!" Potter exclaimed, slamming the door closed and dropping the bag he had been carrying. "What are you doing here?"

"I asked you first," Draco muttered pathetically, pitching it softly enough that it wouldn't be overheard. In a louder voice he retorted, "I'm here to have a bath, Potter, as should be painfully obvious to someone with even your limited mentality."

"Well," Potter replied, appearing to be thinking quickly, "since it is obvious that you appear to think yourself well above my 'limited mentality' why did you even bother to ask me that question? I'd think it was just as clear to you."

He's not bad, Draco gave grudgingly, then realised what he had just thought. "I demand that you get out of here, Potter," he said haughtily. "I was here first and I refuse to share a tub with ... you."

For an instant Potter smirked, then he seemed to think of something, because his eyes widened abruptly and he grimaced. "If it had been anyone else who had said that, Malfoy," he commented, "I would say that if they didn't want to share a bath with me that was their problem. However, that means risking actually having to be in the same water as you, so I'll leave, don't worry. I don't think I could stand the stink of you for much longer."

He bent to pick up his bag again when one of Draco's pastel bubbles was inconsiderate enough to drift in front of Potter to land on his nose. The Gryffindor turned sharply.

"Pink!" he goggled. "Malfoy! Pink!"

"You seem to be having problems with your speech," Draco taunted quickly, hoping to cover up his rival's observation. Potter, however, seemed to sense that he held a winning card.

"Malfoy! Your bubbles are pink!" He chuckled, then his laughter grew until Draco feared somewhat that he was in danger of having a fit. Potter shook his head, still laughing, and turned to leave. "Just wait until Ron hears about this," he murmured to himself.

Just leave, Draco prayed, however it appeared that Potter's luck was holding while his own plummeted. He dark haired boy suddenly sniffed.

"Speaking of a stench..." he remarked, then he fixed an accusatory gaze on Draco, one that held much amusement. "Is that ... rosemary?" Potter let out a short bark of laughter.

"It's nothing of the kind," Draco retorted. "If you smell rosemary, that must say something about -"

"You have pink and rosemary bubbles," Potter said slowly, seeming to savour his discovery. "Oh, this one will be interesting for you to live down," With that, he opened the door and was gone.

Draco cursed imaginatively for a moment.

"That's not a nice thing to say in the presence of a lady," a whining voice informed him.

"Myrtle!" Draco squeaked. "Get out of here! GO!" He sank deeper into his bubbles and wondered what in Merlin's name he had ever done to deserve a punishment such as this one.

~

Harry flopped down in one of the Library chairs with a large book in front of him. Professor Dumbledore had announced yesterday that they would be taking one of the final steps in the Animagus Ritual next class, which happened to be tomorrow, and that each student needed to know what he or she had chosen as an animal. Harry had quickly decided against a magical creature, reasoning that he would be unable to use it as often, and he knew that most of the people in the class agreed with him.

For this reason, he now sat looking at the huge volume that was entitled, "The complete guide to non magical creatures - a popup." This was an added bonus that Harry had not expected; magical popup books were truly wonderful items. Unlike their Muggle counterparts, when the page was opened the image would pop up in three-dimensional detail and, like all wizarding pictures, they moved.

Harry turned to the first section; birds. He didn't really expect to choose a bird, but he thought that there was no harm in it. He flipped through page after page of hawks, owls, sparrows, finches, robins, ducks, falcons, and fishers before he decided he really didn't want to be a bird. It was true that birds had an arena available to them that few other creatures did, but Harry didn't really feel any connection to any of the species he saw.

He passed by the next section completely; fish. Though they were supreme in the water, once taken out of the water they were useless, and so were useless to him.

The next section, however, caught his eye. He turned the first page and was greeted by the cool stare of a hooded cobra who regarded him for a moment before lashing out and closing her jaws a few scant inches away from his nose. He rubbed it and watched the snake for a moment. Then, he thought about it as he moved on to a diamond-backed rattlesnake. Snakes were fast and vicious, but there was one major problem, and that was the fact that they were cold-blooded. This meant that temperature changes affected their mood and ability. Though tempted, Harry decided against a snake.

He passed by the deer-related creatures with some reluctance; he needed a predator or else he would be eaten by everything he could see, however he felt an urge to forge another link with his father. Wolves were something to consider, however in the end he also decided against them.

Finally, he turned a page and his breath stopped for a moment. The creature in front of him was truly magnificent, and perfect in every way. It had high endurance, was extremely powerful, could run quickly, swim well, and was respected by much of the animal community. In addition, it had powerful eyes, ears, and a strong sense of smell.

"Perfect," Harry decided, taking note of both the common and scientific name of the beast, then closing the book. He picked it up and walked over to where Dean and Seamus were sitting, looking as if they were both dying to talk. One of Professor Dumbledore's strictest rules was that they were not to speak of what they thought about animals to each other, just in case the person's decision was influenced by it.

"Here," Harry set the book down on the table by Dean with a heavy thud. "It's a popup."

"Really?" Dean said eagerly, setting aside his own book in favour of Harry's.

"Hey," Seamus protested. "No fair!"

"Quiet down," Madam Pince called from across the room as Dean smirked at Seamus and began flipping through his new book.

"Any ideas yet?" Harry asked Seamus, who nodded uncertainly.

"I'm kind of stuck between three, actually. I'm not sure; maybe I'll have a look at that book once Dean's done, see if it helps any."

"Well, good luck." Seamus nodded and Harry picked up his bag and left the library.

~

Draco lay on his bed thinking. He had to find an animal for himself by the end of the day. The choice should have been simple. He was a Malfoy, and that in itself dictated the lines of the animal he should choose. His grandfather had been a boa constrictor, his aunt a rattlesnake. The only forms he could remember were those of magnificent serpents.

Another idea offered itself when Draco thought more about himself; the answer to the question was painfully simple, it was in his name. Draco, the dragon. He could just see himself now, serpentine body gleaming with polished scales, wings aloft, sooty flame emerging from a mouth riddled with dagger-like fangs, the terror of the muggle and wizarding world alike. And, dragons were murderously hard to kill, he reflected, and winced at his pun.

However, Draco was unwilling to take the obvious choice. He didn't know if he wanted take on another form that could only do one thing; terrorise. Earlier in his life he would have taken up the opportunity in a second, but Draco was beginning to realise that his life had been set out for him before he was even born, and he didn't want to follow that path without thinking of all of the possibilities first.

Draco, the dragon. His name implied that he was a terror, a dark wizard who would rise to the surface because he would be almost impossible to stop. Already he was set on his way. Trained by his father and, to a lesser extent, his mother, he had been raised in this image. What would be a more natural extension of this than the ability to change himself into the ferocious beast? And what would happen if he decided, later on in life, that he wanted to make his own mark on his life.

Draco shook his head, deciding. He would not use the dragon, he wouldn't trap himself like that. He wasn't going to be a pawn, and using that shape would be an easy way to get himself into that position again, whether he wanted to or not. He thought about serpents again, then shook his head once more. He wouldn't follow the family footprints either. He would make his own life for himself.

There had been one other beast he had considered. Draco hadn't really thought about it, but it had caught his eye nonetheless. Now, he thought back to it and saw it in his mind. Really, when he thought about it, it was perfect. Sleek, sly, fearsome but respected for it. A creature that took its on side and watched with perfect content, and some amusement, as the rest of the world went about its foolish little way. A creature after Draco's own heart.

That was it, then. It was really painfully easy, once he thought about it. Something he could respect for itself, something that was not in any way related to his father. Perfect.

~

The classroom was abuzz with excitement as everyone came in, wondering what they would be doing. The chapter on Animagi had mentioned a difficult task, which was a cause of some concern to many people. Dean in particular looked shaky.

"I hope I don't die," he said somewhat wistfully.

"Do you really think the Professor's going to kill us?" Seamus pointed out sceptically. "Aside from anything else, it'd look bad on the record."

"So much help," Dean scowled.

"Mister Finnegan does have a point," a voice behind him said, and Professor Dumbledore urged them all to their seats. "Now, has everyone chosen an animal?" There was a pause, and Crabbe looked around desperately before Malfoy hit him sharply on the head and whispered something in his ear. Crabbe grinned sheepishly and said,

"Never mind."

Dumbledore raised one eyebrow, but said nothing on the subject. "If we have no other problems..." he waited through a short silence. "To become an Animagus there is an ancient test of strength and will that must be attempted."

"Will I die?" Dean asked anxiously.

"No," Dumbledore reassured him.

"Okay," Dean brightened.

"Today will be somewhat different for all of you. You will all step through a portal, which I will create, and the test will begin." Professor Dumbledore waved his wand in an intricate pattern and the room began to warp where his wand passed. He uttered no spell, but soon there was something of a vortex spinning quietly in the corner. Harry found himelf getting dizzy as he watched the room seem to get sucked into the center. Goyle fell over.

"This is the entrance to a special place," Dumbledore told them. "It is something of an alternate realm, though it isn't. Once you step through, you will find yourself somewhere. I don't know where, because it changes, However, to complete the ritual you must make your way through to a portal located in this realm. It will take you back here."

"What ... what if you can't find the portal?" Dean asked.

"Don't worry," Dumbledore said reassuringly. "Nothing will happen to you that is irreversible."

"Very comforting," Dean said wryly to Seamus.

"Oh," Dumbledore added. "And ... should you run into trouble ... just lie still ... it should pass you by if you don't attract its attention ... unless, of course ..." he trailed off, looking into space.

Dean groaned loudly.

Dumbledore smiled and his eyes drew into focus again. "I assure you, that there is nothing in the nature of mortal peril through the portal. Now, to pass through, you must simply recite the indication listed in your books and step through."

Everyone hurriedly flipped open their texts and a collective moan of disbelief rose from the group as they read the 'incantation'.

Fur and feather, wing and fin,

Let the journey here begin,

Now to you I beg and ask,

Please lend your hand and ease my task.

"They've got to be joking," Seamus told Harry.

"Oh, wait, they are!" Everyone looked at Dean, who was looking triumphantly below the poem. Printed neatly were the words, "Wait, we're joking. The previous was not mandetory. To enter, simply recite the Latin name of the creature in question."

"What was the writer on?" Harry asked. "That was stupid." Malfoy looked accusingly at Dumbledore, who smiled innocently, in contrast to the twinkle in his eye.

"I swear he's going batty," Seamus told Dean behind his hand, and Dumbledore winked.

"Everyone, please approach the portal and state the Latin name of the creature in question, as indicated in the book."

"But -" Crabbe protested. "What are we doing?" Dumbledore smiled.

"You must find the portal at the opposite end of the realm you find yourself in," he said cheerfully. "I can tell you no more, because you must find it out for yourself. Now, Mr. Crabbe, you may go first." The Headmaster motioned him on.

Apparently Crabbe said the right thing in the end, because he disappeared through the vortex without a hitch. Secretly, Harry felt that he knew not much more than Crabbe did, but he would have died before admitting it, and stepped through the vortex as he called out, "Panthera onca."

~

Albus watched as one by one, all uncertain and all at least somewhat terrified, the students entered the vortex. Of course, he could have told them much more, but that would have been in violation of the purposes of the ritual. He watched as Draco went through, proclaiming to the world, "Panthera pardus." He smiled. This would be interesting. Finally, all of the students had gone through. He sat up, muttered a few words over the vortex, then stepped through himself.

~

He looked around him and saw one thing: green. Then, slowly, the world began to loose its colour and he could make out trees around him, until he was seeing with vision better than he could ever have hoped for, even with his glasses, in a world of blacks, whites, and a multitude of greys. His hearing was magnified to a level beyond belief, and he couldn't believe the intensity of the sounds around him. He stood there for a moment, just getting used to the new sensations. Then he began to take control of the new form, and noticed the sounds of others around him.

To his left, when he looked, he saw a small red fox. Seamus, he thought with a small smile. It was typical of his Irish friend; the fox was a small animal, not ostentatious, but he had a reputation of intelligence and cunning that was known and recognised everywhere. He was a versatile animal who could survive in a multitude of climates and environments, and could get past many obsticles,

Beside the fox was a large black wolf that could have been any number of his classmates. There was nothing striking about the animal, but it had an intelligence in its eyes that made Harry suspect that it was a Ravenclaw.

The next animal was most definitely a Ravenclaw student, Harry thought. A large black eagle that resembled the House's mascot sat on a tree branch and studied everything around it, tallying its new abilities as if it intended to make note if this in a journal sometime in the future.

Below the eagle was a large snow leopard. Harry thought that it could be Dean, but something seemed wrong with that assessment, somehow. He shrugged it off, It certainly suited Dean's artistic sense, at least.

Across from the leopard was a snake. Definitely a Slytherin, Harry decided, and most likely Malfoy. The embodiment of his house would be just like the white-haired boy, who was everything a Slytherin could dream to be and more. Beside the snake stood a large brown gorilla and an almost larger brown bull. The brutes didn't remain still for long, however, and soon they were attacking each other stupidly, crashing again and again until both fell with almost identical moans to the ground, looking delirious.

The snake quickly moved over to the dumb beasts and snapped at their heels. They looked at each other for a belligerent moment, then fixed their blank stares on the snake and getting dizzily to their feet. As soon as they could stand without falling over again they were herded off into the jungle by the reptile, who remained hot on their heels. It appeared that the muscle-heads thought the cobra was Malfoy as well.

None of the remaining animals appeared to have any idea what they were doing. Though they had no way of communicating, an unspoken agreement seemed to pass between them; to somewhat randomly search the jungle until they found the portal. Though the plan was not high calibre, there didn't seem to be many other options.

The group began to dissipate, his peers drifting off in twos and alone. Harry decided to opt for the latter option. He flicked his tail - which, he soon discovered, was an extraordinarily useful tool for balancing - and padded off on his four soft, padded paws into the jungle.

The greenery around him was astonishing, even in black and white, and Harry paused after a short while to admire this new world. He tested out his powerful hind legs, leaping high up onto the lowest branch of a tree to get a different sense of perspective, and found it amazingly simple to do. The altitude offered him a wider view of the world around him, and off in the distance Harry thought he saw a glimmer of light, like the sun shining off of a river. He continued the journey through the treetops, passing a nesting white raven on his way.

Harry prowled along for a time, simply letting himself go wherever his paws took him, enjoying the freedom of his new form and all the wonders that came with it. Everything moved smoothly, dreamlike, until suddenly something took him by surprise.

His apparently quiet footfalls disturbed a large, tropical bird, one that reminded Harry strikingly of those that Sirius had used in replacement for messenger owls while he had been in hiding, years ago. The nesting fowl emerged from her well-hidden nest and launched herself rapidly at his face, her sharp claws seeking her eyes.

Harry jumped back reflexively, swatting at the offender with a needle-sharp paw. He felt some amazement as he did so, almost as if the part of him that was Harry was shoved aside so that the panther could do what it knew it had to do. His body moved on its own accord, batting at the bird instinctively. The battered bird became more enraged, and the intenisty of her attacks increased. Then, one of Harry's blows caught her hard on one side. She was sent flying rapidly backwards towards the tree containing her nest, and only regained control of herself and her trajectory at the last second.

Seeming to realise that she would not best this enemy, the bird flew back to her protected nest, shooting one final dirty look at Harry. He continued on with her mocking jeers chasing down his tail.

~

Remus sat alone in his office, staring at the wall and thinking. The full moon was only three nights away. While that fact was not a new one for him, this coming moon brought with it other things to consider. In three days, Severus would leave the safety of Hogwarts to return to the enemy camp. Whether he would survive or not would be determined only by the Fates if even the Fates had any control over He-who-must-not-be-named.

He would accompany Severus to make sure that nothing went wrong, or that if something went wrong no one died. At least, none of them died. That meant that the potion had to work flawlessly. There could be no mistakes; a mistake would undoubtedly result in Severus's death, and that could not happen. Remus trusted the potions master, but he did not like to risk everything on the prayer that his alternative face could be repressed by a potion.

Nonetheless, they needed him. It was a fact that was undeniable, and one that made Remus feel slightly better about himself. Slightly. He was a werewolf; the woods and the wilds were home to him when the moon was full. Sirius would be a strong protector, but he would have to think if they encountered something in the forests. Remus knew that he wouldn't. Even with the effects of the potion, he was still a wolf when the full moon rose, and he knew that he had the posture and scent of an Alpha. That would be enough to deter many other predators. If it did not, he would be able to handle them.

Remus sighed and ran a hand through his light honey-coloured hair, now heavily streaked with silver-grey. That surprised everyone, the fact that he could handle his own. And more, that he could impress his authority on a stranger in the woods. Remus Lupin had always been the one everyone protected. No one had thought him lesser for it, but throughout his life people had always assumed that his lycanthropy made him weak. James and Sirius had protected him from the hardships of life during his school days, and others who knew of his secret had also seemed to work with kid gloves on.

However, all of these people were mistaken. Remus was not and had never been, save in his first year, weak. He had, from very early on, possessed strength to surpass everyone else, both mentally and physically. Severus had seen that strength, once. Remus wondered if he still remembered the event.

And that strength would be needed, three nights from now. A guard dog can only do so much. But the one thing it could do was invaluable.

You give me strength, Remus thought. He looked down at his desk and at the papers lying on it. It was inescapable, now. Since that time four years ago, werewolves were a topic of major interest, and that meant that any good DADA professor was required to teach about them. And that meant that this particular good DADA professor was now sentenced to reading seemingly endless essays about werewolves, their habits, their personalities, their transformations, and the common personalities of werewolves when the moon was not yet full.

Thank God he was only required to cover werewolves for Third Years; there were still many who did not know about his ... secret. And many who did underestimated it. That was his strength. He was a weapon that no one believed was a weapon. A weapon that could only be brought out of the cupboard once a month when the moon rose full, and a weapon that hated the thought of being one, but a weapon nonetheless. And he would prove, to himself as well as to others, that he was necessary, that he was needed.

Remus nodded to himself. Three days. Two nights. And then things would change. Whether for the better or not, that would be determined with time, nothing else. He had always been a patient man.

He seemed to find some sort of peace, a sort of purpose. He didn't smile, but it seemed as if a blanket of calm had settled over him. Remus shivered once then, noticing the chill temperature of the room without other thoughts burdening him. He extended one hand. The fire sprang up in the hearth, filling the room with warmth.

~

Soon enough the spot of glare that indicated a river became the actual, flowing body of water, visible scant miles away. Harry raced towards it, excited. He jumped higher and higher up in the trees until he was looking down at it, the gentle curve seeming to extend backwards and surround him. This must be a test, he thought. Part of the challenge, to see if he could cross the not inconsiderable obstacle.

Not many animals would be able to swim through the current to the opposite side, though he did not expect it to pose a problem for him specifically. It would be interesting to see how others approached the problem. However, that was not his goal at the moment; first he had to get himself over, and he was looking forward to it.

Harry jumped from limb to limb until he was standing right before the shimmering waters. With what would have been a gleeful smile, had he had a human mouth, he leapt up to a higher branch, one that extended right over the river. Then, he gathered up his powerful hind-muscles, and pushed himself out into the air over the water.

It was an instant thrill. The wind rushing around him, the feeling of total freedom, of utter abandon, reminded him of Quidditch. He was, he decided, performing the ultimate Wronski Feint. Harry saw the water coming up below him and fought his instincts, turning over onto his back. Then he was hitting the water, sending sheets of crystalline spray up over him as he was driven downwards.

He floated there for a few blissful moments, allowing himself to drift where the current would take him, pulled down by the undertow and then suddenly hurled upwards as the river flowed around a rock. Then he surged upwards and broke the surface of the water. He swam over to the opposite bank, fighting against the current to move back nearer to where he had entered, and a few easy but powerful strokes had him on the bank, shaking more diamond drops from his fur.

The forest stretched out before him once more, seemingly endless. He moved on again, determined to see all that he could see, and be gone as quickly as he could do both. He took to the trees again, moving with more speed now.

A sudden noise made Harry stop, hackles raised, He jumped lightly down from his branch and looked around him. He could see nothing, but followed the sounds until suddenly he came upon one of his classmates.

The snow leopard, who Harry still thought to be Dean, though it somehow didn't seem quite right, was wrestling with a giant tree snake; a boa constrictor. Worse, he appeared to be losing. The enormous snake was coiled around the feline, who was trying to disentangle it without success.

No, Harry decided. The cat was not Dean; its movements were utterly wrong. However, that was no reason not to provide assistance. The hero thing again, he thought wryly as he was on the serpent with one large bound, sinking both claws and teeth into the scaly hide. He jumped back as the snake relinquished its hold on the leopard to turn instead towards him.

Once again Harry felt pushed backwards, and the panther part of his mind took over. The leopard appeared to be on the same wavelength, and they moved as a unit, both attacking the weakest part of the constrictor.

Try as it might, the snake could not fend off the attacks, all aimed for the weak and blind spot behind its diamond shaped head. The positioning rendered all attacks it could retaliate with useless, as it became unable to turn to grip its opponents. Slowly its efforts became less intense, and finally the great reptilian head dropped to the ground.

Harry relinquished the carcass with a snarl of victory, feeling some amazement at his ability to kill such a monstrous snake. He felt no remorse for his act, the panther was too practical to worry about grief over a reptile that had tried to kill its cousin. He looked at his companion. For a moment neither moved, and then a sort of understanding passed between them.

Thank you, the leopard indicated, and Harry found that he could understand the other with perfect clarity. He offered a feline shrug.

It was nothing, he replied. It was interesting. It appeared that as felines there was a language that they both shared, ingrained into the mind of the panther so deeply that it is a part of the very form. The leopard communicated somewhat differently, almost like the equivalent of an accent, in human terms, but he understood it and was understood in turn. Did all species have a language, he wondered. Snakes spoke Parsletongue, is there a speech for each species of animal in existence? Pulling out of his thoughts he saw the other cat looking at him.

Which way? he asked, wondering how the rest of the journey would turn out, now that he had a companion.

After you, the leopard replied generously. Harry shrugged his acceptance and followed his scent back to the tree in which he had heard of the other's distress. He jumped up into the branches and looked ahead once more, seeing nothing more than a faint white bird soaring in the distance.

~

Sirius looked down at the paper he was marking, reading it to himself.

" The telephone is a Muggle invention that was created at the beginning of the fourteenth century to fix problems Muggles had with communication. It appears that Muggle mailmen could not transport letters farther than three miles, and they were therefore out of contact with anyone that did not live in that area. With the invention of the telephone, Muggles could communicate with people on the other side if the country." Sirius blinked. What on earth had this student been reading for reference? He shook his head and picked up his quill.

Please check your references more clearly and resubmit this essay, he wrote neatly at the top without bothering to read the rest of the parchment. He put the roll to one side and looked out the window.

The moon was out, slowly rising in the inky sky. Most others would have dismissively called it full, but he knew better. If the moon was full, he would have heard in his mind ghosts of the cries of agony that were safely locked away in the DADA Professor's soundproof office. If the moon was full, he would be in the dungeon with Snape and Professor Dumbledore, waiting for it to be safe to enter that office. If the moon were full, Muggle Studies essays would be the farthest thing from his mind.

If the moon was full, he would be helping Snape to do one of the most dangerous things he had ever done in his life. No one returned to the Snake Lord. Few had ever tried to desert him, but everyone knew better than to try to return once having done so. If he got his hands on a deserter, they would wish that they had never been born.

And yet, Snape was returning. Snape, who knew better than almost anyone what the price of returning was, was going back to the man who would most likely kill him. Sirius almost couldn't get his mind around that fact. Since the moment he had met Snape, the git had been greasy, slippery, and villainous; the perfect one to turn to You-Know-Who. When he had, along with Ebony Starling, joined the evil wizard, no one had been surprised.

Then, one day, Snape had deserted. To this day, Sirius suspected that Dumbledore was the only person to know exactly why he did, except perhaps Ebony. He would have given quite a bit to understand the reasoning behind that decision, but he didn't think he would ever know.

Still, whatever had happened, it must have been important; Snape went from being one of the most feared Death Eaters known to one that Dumbledore said he could trust with the lives of children and, more specifically, Harry. So Sirius was going to put his own hide on the line to help Snape do one of the hardest things he could do. Something that could, incidentally, end up getting both of them killed.

There was one thing that kept him from even thinking about deserting. Remus was in this with him. He had, from the start, felt differently about the golden-eyed werewolf. He had always tried to protect him, shield him. In their school years it had been from boys like Lucius Malfoy and Snape, now he tried vainly to keep the world from sinking their claws into his friend. If Remus was going to undertake this, he could not leave his friend undefended.

Sirius looked down at the papers on his desk, then back out the window. The night air was calling to him, and he was still not used to the strict schedule of a Professor's life. The papers could wait. He needed a run.

~

Far into the distance Harry saw a jagged line that seemed to extend into the earth; a canyon. As had the river, the chasm seemed to extend around the jungle, another obstacle that needed to be crossed before the end could be reached. He came down and indicated as much to his companion.

Another test, the other snarled, making Harry wonder for a moment who he was now working with. Shrugging it off, he began to move towards the barrier, the two felines moving through the trees with a fluid grace. Slowly, the jagged line drew nearer and nearer as they practically flew along the branches. As the chasm approached, the trees began to thin out and the jumps from branch to branch became longer and more difficult.

Finally, they reached the end of the trees, some hundred yards before the canyon. Neither made their descent immediately, however, for there were three others at the chasm's edge.

The bull and the gorilla seemed to be operating under orders, though Harry wondered how this was possible due to the cross-species language barrier. Nevertheless, they were attacking the edge of the gap, causing large rocks to break off and tumble down, creating a stairway of sorts. The serpent that had herded them away from the clearing was coiled off to one side, waiting for the labour to be completed.

It won't work, Harry told the leopard, indicating the pile of stones.

Idiots, the white cat agreed, the edge won't hold for much longer.

Unfortunately for the large, stupid beasts, the leopard's prediction was correct. They had both moved to the very edge and were attempting to knock off another hunk of the hard rock when there was a tremendous crack and the canyon wall caved downwards, right where both had been standing. With bellows of pain and surprise they fell, followed by tonnes of rock.

The snake appeared to feel no pity, strengthening Harry's feeling that it was Malfoy, and instead used its fallen classmates' newly made ramp to slither down into the canyon, disappearing from sight. Harry looked at the leopard, and they both jumped down to the ground by the edge of the canyon. Looking down they could see the serpent coiling around a scraggly sapling and making its way up to the other side, but it was apparent that they could not use that method to cross.

What do we do? Harry wondered to his companion, looking around for other ways to get across the gorge. To his left was a bare stretch of land stretching in a gentle curve, with nothing of use. He knew he would not be able to simply jump across the ravine; they would need assistance, somehow.

In answer, the leopard began to prowl around the rim of the chasm, trying to find something that would help them. Harry nodded to himself and took of in the opposite direction. Just perfect, he thought. Stuck in some portal dimension as a cat. Can't even use magic! That made him wonder. No, he decided. I'm on enough trouble as it is, let's not add any more to it.

He looked up when he heard a call. The leopard was a spot in the distance, sitting on his haunches and waiting. Harry trotted over to him and saw that beside him was a large, dead tree. The only problem was that the tree was still firmly attached to the ground.

We can use this to get across, the leopard said in a decided tone. Harry nodded and began to walk around the base of the tree. What are you doing? The other cat inquired, sounding somewhat curious.

The root structure is weak because the tree is dead, Harry explained somewhat self-consciously. One of the benefits of living in the Muggle world, it appeared. It should be weaker on one side, and if we push there it will give more easily. The leopard looked slightly confused, but nodded. The two giant cats put their weight together and applied it to the giant tree trunk.

At first, nothing happened. Then, slowly, there was an echoing crack that reverberated through the canyon. They both felt the bulk of the dead tree shift against them, and intensified their efforts. Slowly at first, and then more quickly, the tree began to topple forwards. Then, it shuddered and crashed to the ground on the other side of the chasm. Harry and the leopard leapt quickly out of the way to avoid being crushed by the trunk, and a white raven squawked and soared off.

That wasn't so hard, was it? The leopard asked brightly, leaping up onto the newly created bridge. Harry looked at him for a moment, and then followed. Having created a solution for themselves, crossing the gap was no difficulty. Still, it was with some relief that he put his paws onto the solid ground of the far side.

Come on! Harry looked ahead and saw the leopard a short distance ahead. What are you waiting for? We won't be able to get out of here if we sit and wait all day.

~

They were idiots. There was nothing deniable or refutable about that fact. Every one of these monsters was a brain-dead ignoramus with nothing more between the ears than cotton candy or newts' eyes. And this Longbottom was the worst of the lot.

Severus didn't understand why the idiot hadn't given up on Potions when he had had the chance, back in his fifth year. It would have saved everyone the trouble of having to deal with his stupidity and incompetence, and would have left him free to think about more important matters.

He looked up from the mess of melted cauldron on the table across the room. His eyes glazed over as he thought. Then, he snapped himself out of his haze and picked up his wand.

"Forbio," he muttered, and the shards of pewter, the silvery-violet gel, and the scald marks that had seemed imbedded into the pristine wood table vanished in a wisp of golden smoke. Shaking his head once more over the utter inability of his students, Severus collected his materials into a bag and left the Potions classroom.

He made his way through the hallways, ignoring the fearful whispers that followed him with a critical glare. A trio of Hufflepuff first-years jumped out of his way as he passed. He looked at them. Were they that weak, that they were frightened by his mere presence? It was disgusting.

Severus finally reached his office and opened the door. He strode to his desk, closing the door with a flick of his wand. He sat down, sinking into his chair with a sigh. Two more nights. In two nights, his life would change. That is, if he survived the journey to the Stone Circle. That name sent shivers up his spine, the circle of standing stones similar to those of Stonehenge, where the Death Eaters convened on nights of great importance. Unlike Stonehenge, Severus knew the purpose of the grim stones of the Stone Circle. One stone to mark each Death Eater turned at the feet of his master. That was the price of failure. In some of the newer stones, one could still make out the terror. No one knew how exactly the Dark Lord had managed to find each traitor, much less how he brought him back to the Circle and transfigured him into a Stone, but every Death Eater to ever live knew the price of treachery.

Of course, to even worry about that was to make a huge assumption, and that was that he would survive the trip to the Stone Circle. His bodyguards didn't make him entirely confident about the likelihood of that.

After all, having Black as a protector was almost as bad as if Dumbledore had told him that he would have to put his life in the hands of Weasly, though not quite. The giant canine hated his essence, and Severus seriously doubted that he would go even one step out of his way to stop something from killing him. A wonderful thought.

And then there was Lupin. Severus rose from his chair and went to the window, looking for a moment at the moon. Lupin. Perhaps he would survive the night after all. Lupin was no weakling. He had made the mistake of thinking that once, after the werewolf incident, and would not again. He frowned, caught in the memory.

Severus fingered the cufflink that held his sleeve together. Blackmail had always served him well. He had a small collection of intriguing items, including the cufflink and its mate, which he had earned through this practice. But he hadn't added to his collection in quite some time. And there was one tantalizing little item in Lupin's hand that he thought he might like to own.

It wasn't difficult to find Lupin alone; they took Advanced Divination together, and it was easy to separate from the rest of the school on the way to the Divination tower. Severus followed Lupin until they were in a secluded corner, then called his name.

"Yes?" Lupin turned and fixed his piercing gaze on him. Severus took a step closer, then another, backing Lupin up into a corner.

"I have something you need," he said with a cold smirk on his face.

"Yes?" Lupin inquired again.

"I have a secret. I have a fact."

"What is your fact?" Lupin asked softly. Severus smiled again.

"You tried to kill me," he said simply. "That means that you are indebted to me, as punishment for what you have done."

Lupin frowned slightly. "I didn't mean to," he said softly. "You shouldn't have been there." Severus grinned to himself. He had him. Then Lupin looked up again. "But," he continued, "I think you have it wrong. Werewolves do not owe their survivors anything for having survived, except one thing. Most werewolves leave their survivors with a legacy of their own." Severus shuddered at the thought of how close he had come. "I owe you nothing for your survival."

Now it was Severus's turn to frown. He hadn't expected Lupin to be firm; he had expected him to cave when confronted with the events that had occurred. That didn't matter, though. There was still the secret.

"I'm sorry you feel that way," Severus smiled. Lupin looked puzzled, causing the smirk to grow. "You see, I was going to keep your secret for you. But now I have no incentive, do I? Unless ..." he let the statement hang, and looked pointedly at the small gold clasp on Lupin's bag. He didn't expect what happened next.

Suddenly, Severus found himself lying on the floor, staring up at the boy he had intended to, for all intents and purposes, rob. He pushed himself to his feet, only to find himself flying back to the ground again. Lupin hadn't moved.

"What ... what are you doing?" Severus demanded. Lupin's honey gaze turned cold, like molten ice. Severus pushed himself to his feet one more. This time, he stayed there.

"You think I'm weak," Lupin stated. "You think that you can just blackmail me with these secrets and I'll stand here like a weakling and do nothing." Lupin's delicate hand grabbed the collar of Severus's robe and lifted him up into the air a few inches. The effort didn't register on the lycanthrope's face. "I won't."

Lupin threw Severus against a wall. "Don't pick on me again," he said softly, then turned and walked away.

Severus rubbed the back of his head, feeling the memory of the pain. Perhaps he stood a chance of survival, with Lupin there. Perhaps.

~

Harry paused in his trek to look around him.

It's getting dark, he noted. I hope we can make it out before night falls. The leopard looked at him somewhat grimly.

We'll never make it out, he said. Harry glared at him, and then began to move again. Slowly and steadily, the further they progressed, the darker it grew. Harry couldn't see the sky from beneath the canopy of trees, and he wondered how late it truly was. Then, suddenly, they cleared the trees once more and looked ahead of them.

I don't think that the darkness is because of night, the leopard stated.

A mountain? Harry stammered. It would be impossible to miss this; it's huge!

And it has its own personal storm, the other cat noted. Harry sighed in agreement. Like any of the other obstacles, the mountain curved around in a circle, like a giant, rocky wall around the portal world. There would be no point in trying to avoid the storm either, Harry saw quickly. It hovered over top of the mountain, curving in the same path. There was no spot that was clearer than any other. They would simply have to make it through with brute force.

Both cats looked up quickly as a shape flew by overhead. Harry recognized it as the large black eagle he had seen in the clearing, and he saw that the leopard recognized it as well.

Lucky sod, it muttered. That's not fair. They probably just flew over the river and the canyon, and now they can just fly over the mountain and be done with it!

Harry shook his head. No, he disagreed. They had it easy for the first few tests, but I wouldn't want to be them when they get to the mountain. The turbulence from those storm clouds will make the air ten times worse than the land could possibly be. He shrugged when the leopard cast him a strange glance. He still didn't know who his newfound companion was, and didn't feel like telling a strange seventh-year how he was forced to complete all of Dudley's homework for him.

Then I guess we should just get going, the leopard suggested. Harry nodded, and they set off towards the mountain. They both kept an eye on the black eagle as they moved, using it as a sort of beacon. Therefore, they both saw it try to gain altitude and pass above the storm, and they both saw it get hurled backwards as if thrown by a giant hand. Harry winced.

Glad we're going on foot, now? He asked as they continued along a sort of path that lead to the mountain. The path to it was deceptively easy to travel, and they found that almost no time had passed before they stood at the foot of the giant stone mammoth. Harry looked up, trying to see if there was a break in the storm, but found none. He turned when he heard a noise.

Over here, the leopard called. There's some sort of pass. It won't be easy, but I think we'll live through it.

That's a great comfort, Harry growled. Can't you do any better than that? The leopard shrugged and flicked his tail. Harry shook his head and started up the pass.

Mountain passes are notoriously hard to travel, and this one wasn't assisted in any way by the sheets of rain that were coming down from the almost black clouds. The water served to make the rock surface of the path sheer and slippery, and though Harry was grateful for having his four padded paws as an asset, he and the leopard both found themselves on the ground almost as much as they were on their feet.

The storm did not let up. Slowly, despite his determination to be optimistic, Harry felt his spirits sink. He had no concept of time any longer, had no idea how long he had been moving. He was beginning to wonder if there was an end to this challenge after all, and if there was, was it physically possible to find it? It probably was, he didn't think that Dumbledore would send them to an endless dimension, but nonetheless -

The next thing Harry knew, he was staring up at the furry white muzzle of the leopard.

What just happened? He demanded. The leopard seemed torn between anxiety and amusement.

You really need to watch where you're going, he declared. The pass made a rather abrupt turn, and you didn't see it, I guess. Are you okay?

Am I supposed to be seeing small canaries? Harry shot back.

Yes, the leopard replied.

In that case, everything's fine. Harry tried to stand up, but the force of the wind and the rain on this unsteady legs knocked him back down again.

The leopard frowned down at him, and Harry thought he heard it mutter, Must be a Gryffindor. Before he had time to wonder who exactly would say that kind of thing, he was hit in the face by a sharp gust of wind. He got to his feet once more, this time staying there.

I need to get out of the rain for a second, he said, looking around. Just in front of him he spotted a small cave.

That can't be coincidence, the leopard stated, and Harry agreed. Perhaps this portal dimension wasn't quite as bad as he had believed. He made his way to the cave and curled himself up on the floor just inside.

Are you sure you're okay? The leopard asked once again.

I'm fine, Harry repeated. Honestly. The leopard glared at him, then shrugged and joined him on the cave floor. He seemed about to put his head on his folded paws for a moment, then looked at them critically.

Filthy, he stated. Harry looked at him.

What are you going to do? he asked. The leopard shrugged.

Nothing, he said sensibly. But cleanliness is next to Godliness, or so they say.

Harry laughed. Then I guess we're nowhere near being Gods. The dirt doesn't show as badly in my fur as it does in yours, though.

The leopard finally did concede to laying his head on his paws. I won't deign to answer that, he declared. Harry stood up.

What are you doing? He asked. The leopard looked at him.

I was going to go to sleep, actually, he replied. Harry glared down at him. What?

You actually consider sleeping here? The leopard shrugged, an interesting manoeuvre for a stretched-out feline. Harry turned back to the entrance of the small cave. Come on, we need to get out of here.

We're not going to get out, the leopard commented. Harry growled.

Get up, lazy git, he ordered. The name seemed somehow right, but he didn't take the time to think about that. The leopard stood, reluctantly.

Well, it sighed. If we're both standing we may as well try to get out of this twisted dimension.

I don't know if becoming an Animagus will be worth this, Harry agreed as they set out once again.

The rain hadn't cleared at all during their brief stay in the cave. In fact, it seemed to have gained ferocity while they had had their rest. Harry groaned and allowed the leopard to take the lead this time, shielding him from some of the wind.

Then he had an idea of what it must have been like to watch himself crash into the wall of the pass. Suddenly, in front of him, the leopard keeled slightly to one side and tumbled downwards. Harry cautiously moved forwards until he found himself at the top of a steep incline.

Are you okay, he called down. The leopard rose shakily to its feet.

Of course I am, it replied. Harry shrugged and tentatively jumped onto a rock. When it held his weight, he continued down to join the leopard, who glared at him as if he had done something slightly offensive.

Harry turned his back on the leopard, who was obviously going to refuse any help despite the fact that he looked quite severely injured, and looked up at this sky. The rain was still pelting down at an almost painful leve.

Let's keep moving, he said firmly. Neither of us is in great shape, we should try to get out of here as soon as possible. He turned to see the leopard shrugging at him.

You may not be in great shape, it retorted. I, however, am perfectly - the statement ended in a yelp as the leopard put pressure on his hind paw. Harry shook his head.

Fine then, he decided. But let's keep moving anyway.

Has anyone told you you're a bully? The leopard asked him.

No, Harry replied.

Oh. The leopard paused for a moment. In that case, let me be the first to say, you're a bully.

Oh thank you, Harry gushed. I will remember this date forever, having now been officially been named a bully. Now let's go. I'm cold.

With that he took off, leaving it up to the leopard to remain or follow. From the sounds of quiet footsteps behind him, he knew that the other feline had chosen the latter option. Harry looked up, and saw a familiar-looking white raven spiralling in the sky to the right and slightly ahead of him.

With the next step he took, everything changed radically. It was as if Harry had just walked out from under a waterfall; the sheets of rain simply ended. He stopped for a moment, mystified, and the leopard came up beside him.

Rather abrupt, wasn't it, the cat stated. Harry shook the rain from his fur. The leopard growled low in his throat. Do you think we're nearly at the end of it, then? He asked. Suddenly things began to come together in Harry's head.

Yes, he said. The leopard seemed surprised by his assuredness.

How do you know that? It asked. Harry frowned.

Do ravens have large wings? He asked somewhat cryptically. At least the leopard appeared to think so. It shot him an annoyed look.

No, it replied. What on earth does that have to do with anything?

Why is it circling, then? Harry continued. Ravens don't circle. It's a sign, a beacon. Come on.

He took off again, moving cautiously in the direction of the white bird. The mountain pass divided. Harry looked up at the bird. It hadn't moved. He flicked his tail and took the right pass, still moving towards the raven.

If this finds us dead, you have my word that I will kill you, the leopard muttered.

Of course, Harry agreed. He continued along the right pass, his spirits rising slightly. It was entirely possible that he would make it out of this maze alive. That was always a good thing. And the possibility of making it out of this maze alive and unharmed, which also seemed to be quite a real one, was even better.

He only missed repeating his earlier mistake by a second, coming to a halt less than an inch before his nose would have crashed into solid stone.

This looks promising, the leopard noted. Now what?

Harry shrugged. I don't know, he replied. I guess we go back and try the left pass where it split off? The leopard nodded his agreement. Dejected, Harry turned to return the way they had come when the leopard suddenly straightened.

Your tail! It exclaimed.

Yes, Harry replied. I have one. The leopard shook his head.

It's in the wall, it explained as if talking to one either very young or slightly unintelligent. Harry turned to see the tip of his tail disappearing into the wall.

So ... I was right?

You didn't know! The leopard exclaimed. All that talk about beacons and you didn't know? I am never following you again. Bully, he added in a last effort.

If I die I intend to blame you, Harry replied for lack of anything better to say. He turned back to face the wall again, and took a slow step forward.

The world flashed white. Harry had the sensation that everything was spinning, though he could see nothing. He felt suspended in infinity, in emptiness. He tried to move, but found that nothing happened. Or perhaps something happened, but he couldn't feel it. Time lost all meaning for him.

Then he felt the cold, hard impression of the stone as he fell. He stood and found himself looking around the classroom that was used for Advanced Magics. Around him, other figures were beginning to appear in flashes of white light. He saw around him the same animals he had seen in the forest when they had first entered the portal dimension: eagle, wolf, fox, snake, bull, gorilla, and leopard, as well as others. Everyone looked around, then the collective gaze seemed to fall to the centre of their little impromptu circle.

There, in the precise centre, a white raven appeared. It circled once, then vanished leaving Professor Dumbledore in its place. He looked at them all and smiled.

"I trust that you are all unharmed?" he inquired. There was a general nod. Dumbledore smiled. "In that case, I believe it would be best to release you from your present forms. After you have done so, you will all report to Madame Pomfrey. I'm sure that she will want to take a look at you. Now," nodded. "I would like to visualise your human forms. With clothes on. I believe I do not need to explain the consequences of not doing so? I suspected not. You may return to your present forms at any moment, except for you, Mister Goyle, and you ,Crabbe. I believe you will require assistance."

Dumbledore walked over to the bull and the gorilla, taking his wand from his pocket. He muttered an incantation before them and watched with satisfaction as they returned to their human, if brutish, forms.

Harry closed his eyes for a moment and pictured himself in his school robes, trying desperately to imagine his hair neat. The world jumped, and when he opened his eyes he was staring at a hand instead of a paw. He looked up. In front of him, the snow leopard that had been his companion during his journey disappeared. He found himself looking into the cold grey eyes of Draco Malfoy. Malfoy seemed to realise who he was looking at at approximately the same moment, because his face contorted in an expression of horror.

"Merlin," Harry muttered as he was carted off to the hospital wing. "I can't believe I asked if he was okay!"

~

This is just a quick guide to all of the spells that I have created so far in this fic.

Mactus locus: Mactus, from the Latin word Macto; to magnify or bring closer. Locus, the Latin word for location. Roughly translates to Magnify that Location. The spell will magnify a selected area on a silvery smoky screen.

Subscriptum: From the Latin word Subscripsi: to sign. The spell will add the caster's signature to papers, obviously.

Mobiliarca: Mobili, the standard prefix in Rowling's series which indicates movement. Arca, the Latin word for chest. The spell will lift any chest or trunk.

Vir Draco Malfoy: Directly translated into Latin, simply The Man, Draco Malfoy

Translocus finites: translocation generally means moving by magic. Finites, from the Latin word Finis; farthest boundary. Indicates the end point of a translocation spell.

Dementorus: A play on the word Dementor, the soul sucking creatures that Harry fears. Causes a black mist as well as a feeling of despair similar to that caused by a dementor.

Pario patronus. Pario, the Latin word meaning to bring forth. Patronus, the Latin word for protector. Translates roughly as "I bring forth my protector". Countercurse to Dementorus, creates white light. Similar to Expecto Patronus.

Videa: From the Latin word Video, to see. The spell will make hidden things visible.

Nonwedeus: Non, a standard negation. Wedeus, from the Latin word Video, to see. ('V's were pronounced as a 'W') Makes the selected target invisible.

Forbio: From the Italian, Forbire: to clean. Spell ... well ... cleans.

~

White Raven: Albus Dumbledore is one of the if not the greatest good wizard in the history of magic. White is the ultimate colour of good, and is actually included in his name, "Albus". A raven is often a symbol of darkness and death, but also of power. Therefore, I made Dumbledore a white raven as a combination of the two.