To See A Falling Star

Animagus, Magusimal or Just a Smart Mutt

By Lady FoxFire

Dec 27, 2002

Sirius groaned as he opened his eyes a crack. He lifted his head enough to look at Harry as the child lay peacefully next to him, his head resting on Sirius's chest. Sirius smiled gently at the sight of his godson's slumbering form, and gently brushed aside one of Harry's unruly locks of get-black hair from his eyes.

"If only this would last forever," Sirius thought wistfully to himself, relishing the placid atmosphere that had enveloped them like a warm blanket. His thoughts were disturbed by a cacophony of chattering voices resounding from beyond the scarlet curtains of Harry's four-poster.

"Has anyone seen my shoes?"

"Trevor? Trevor, where are you?"

"Hey Ron, what about Harry?"

"Let him sleep; he's had a hard night."

"Do we have Potions today?"

"It's time to wake up, Harry," Sirius whispered as he gently shook Harry.

Harry slowly opened his sleep-incrusted eyes. "Wha... Morning?" He mumbled as he lifted his head off of Sirius

"Yep it's morning, so time to get up, Harry." Sirius explains.

"Don't want to," mumbled Harry as his head plopped back down onto the soft pillow.

Harry's head bounced as Sirius chuckled merrily at the boy. "Hey, you need to get up. Today's the day you get to introduce me to everyone."

"Huh?" Harry raised his head and his eyes squinted as if to see his godfather.

Sirius grinned slyly like the sneaky dog he was. "I wonder if Trelawney will run away when she sees me, screaming about the Grim."

"If she doesn't die first from seeing the dreaded Grim," Harry snorted and started laughing.

Sirius raised an eyebrow. "What's so funny?"

Harry sat up and turned his face towards where Sirius lay. "Just transform so we can start the Grim Terror of Hogwarts."

~*~

"Morning, Harry," Neville said as Harry pulled open his curtains. "Harry..." Neville's eyes grew wide as he stared gaping at the other figure lying languidly on Harry's bed. "Run, Harry. Run right now!"

The panic in Neville's voice drew Seamus and Dean's attention. "By Merlin." Seamus squeaked as he grabbed the back of Neville's robe and started to drag him towards the door.

"Harry..." Dean's voice quaked as he too backed away from Harry's bed and the huge black hound that sat upon it. "Harry... Harry there is a Grim seating in your bed."

At that moment Ron walked in toweling off his wet red hair. "What's' wrong with you guys?" he asked as he saw the panicking boys. Neville raised a shaking hand and pointed towards the dog.

Ron looked at Snuffles as he sat on Harry's bed then back at his roommate. With a shake of his head, Ron marched over to the bed. Going face to face with the hound, Ron pitched his voice so only Harry and Sirius could hear him. "If we have a repeat of last night's performance, I'll explain to Ginny about the Teddy Bear."

Snuffles laid his head on the bed and whimpered as he looked up at Ron with big wistful eyes.

Ron turned back to where Dean, Seamus and Neville stood with their mouths hanging open in shock staring at their fellow Gryffindor. "It's just a dog," Ron said in a tone Hermione had used on him many times in the past.

"Is that what you guys were panicking over? You thought Snuffles was a Grim?" Harry chuckled as he scratched behind the hound's ear.

"Five sickles that Lavender will be the first to either faint or run off screaming when she see Sniffles," Dean joked as he recovered from the shock before the other boys, grinning like a madman.

"It's Snuffles," Ron and Harry corrected together.

"My money is on Parvati. She's more likely to run off, screaming," Seamus stated realizing how everyone will react to Harry's guide dog.

"Why don't you three go down to the common room and gather everyone so they can meet Harry's new guide dog." Ron suggested as he started searching for clean clothes to wear for the day. "And while you're down there, think up a way to get Snuffles up to Trelawney's tower."

As soon as the door was closed, Ron cast a silencing and locking spell upon it. Immediately Snuffles transformed back into Sirius and collapsed to the floor howling with laughter. "Did you see their faces?" He got out around his laughter.

"I thought Seamus was going to wet himself," Ron sputtered as he joined the laughter.

Chuckling evilly Harry said. "Tomorrow will be interesting if they can figure a way to get you up in the tower. If you're willing, Sirius."

"To play a prank on Sibyll, you'd better believe it!" Sirius exclaimed with a twinkle in his eyes. "But wouldn't someone have told her about the 'Grim' walking around Hogwarts?"

"Nah," Ron said as he pulled his shirt on. "She doesn't come out of her lofty tower for practically anything any more." He glanced at the clock. "Shit, you two need to take your showers before someone comes up looking for us," Ron said as he shoved towels into Sirius's hands. "I'll gather your stuff up, Harry. Just hurry up."

In less than ten minutes, Ron and a damp Harry were being led out of their dormitory by the new guide dog, walking down the stairs towards the common room.

"About time, we were wondering if we would have to go up there and drag you out," One of the twins chided jokingly as he grinned knowingly.

All eyes turned towards the staircase. "IT'S THE GRIM!!!!" Lavender screamed as Parvati collapsed into a dead faint. "ITS KILLED PARVATI!" Lavender runs screaming from the common room. "IT'S THE GRIM!"

The Gryffindors, except for 5^th year boys, the Weasley children, and Hermione, pressed themselves against the wall and inched towards the exit.

"Bloody hell, Snuffles is just a dog," Hermione swore which caused everyone in the room to stop and stare at the normally perfect young lady.

"Herm, you swore." Harry exclaimed before collapse into laughter.

~*~

"Gather around, children," Hagrid's booming voice called out as he dragged a huge box covered with a heavy tarp towards the students. "Today we got an Allghoi khorkhoi, or more commonly know as a Mongolian Death Worm."

"What," Blaise Zabini squealed as he scrabbled away from the box. Immediately every student took a step or two back. " You can't have one here! They're bad luck!"

"Nonsense, they're just poor misunderstood beasties!" Hagrid cooed as he pulled the tarp off the box. The glass box was almost completely filled with sand.

"Yeah, poor misunderstood beasties that squirt acids, which immediately corrodes anything it touches. Bloody hell, just touching the worm can kill you in seconds!" Blaise informed the others as he continued to back away from the creature

Suddenly the head of a fat bright red creature broke through the sand and started spitting acid at the walls of the glass box. "Umm Hagrid?" Harry spoke up as Snuffles tried to drag him away. "It can't get out of the box, can it?"

"Of course not, Harry," Hagrid replied in his gruff but friendly tone. "If it got out, it would die. It's too cold here for this poor beastie."

"Oh!" Everyone breathed a sigh of relief.

"I mean, it would survive for a couple days, but eventually it would die."

"Oh!" Everyone said as they once again started to back away.

"Wow!" Hagrid said with awe. "The acid is melting the glass."

"Hagrid?" Hermione suddenly spoke drawing the half giant's attention. "Harry's not feeling well so I'm going to take him to the hospital wing." Hermione planted an elbow in Harry's side when he tried to say something.

"I'll help," Ron chimed in.

"Me too," the other Gryffindors said as they looked for a way to escape the class.

"Alright, but hurry back," Hagrid said, never noticing the melted glass dripping to the ground or the envious looks the Slytherin gave them as they escaped.

"Do you think it will escape?" Seamus asked once they were out of hearing distance.

"I don't know, and I hope to never find out," Ron answered with a backwards glance towards the class. "I could almost pity them. Almost."

"Damn, Hermione, you have sharp elbows," Harry grumbled as he rubbed his side.

"Well it was that or let Snuffles bite you," she replied in a haughty voice.

"You won't do that now would you Snuffles?" Harry asks as he ran his fingers through the dog's thick black fur.

With a turn of his head Snuffles reassured Harry by licking his hand before turning and growling at Hermione, who in return made scissor-like motions with her fingers while Ron bit his lip to keep from laughing.

"I saw a peanut stand, heard a rubber band, I saw a needle that winked its eye," Dean suddenly started to sing. "But I think I will have seen everything. When I see an elephant fly."

The others turned to see what made Dean to suddenly break out in song. "Oh my word!" Hermione whispered in awe.

"Did someone put something funny in the food this morning?" Seamus asked.

"What? What is it?" Harry asked as Snuffles started to make a strange choking sound almost like laughter.

"It's McGonagall. She's walking up the path to Hogwarts." Ron said in awe.

"So?" Harry snapped in frustration.

"She has... She has..." Hermione stuttered in shock.

"A pink elephant!" Dean said as he grinned like a demon. "A floating pink elephant! On a leash, even!"

The group quickly intercepted their transfiguration professor. "Professor McGonagall?" Hermione spoke up as the group's spoke person.

"Yes, children?" McGonagall replied as she looked fondly at her students.

"Ummmm... Is that a pink elephant?" Hermione asked nervously as if she didn't believe her eyes.

McGonagall turned and look up at the huge pink beast floating high in the air. "Yes, Miss Granger, I believe it is." She said in a calm voice with only a trace of pleasure in her voice.

"He wouldn't be someone I know, would he?" Harry spoke up a small smile on his face.

~*~

Slowly, those Slytherins who had escaped Hagrid's class with minor injuries, hobbled into the Potion lab. "Well we can all see how much Gryffindor courage is worth," Draco snarled as he hugged his injured arm towards himself as his fellow housemates filed past him.

At Draco's comment, a number of the Gryffindors grasped their wands with spells on the tips of their tongues as they prepared to defend their honor. The Slytherins grinned knowing that if anything happened, it would be the Gryffindors who paid.

"Courage isn't just learning to face your fears, it's also know when to pull back when one is outmatched and outgunned," Harry said in a firm tone. "The difference between a courageous man and a fool is a courageous man face his fears and overcomes them. A fool faces an enemy when he is outmatched, outgunned and has nothing to gain by those action except to save his pride."

"What does that mean?" Crabbe dumbly asked as he scratched his head in confusion.

"Live today, fight tomorrow," Seamus added in a regal voice as he stared with contempt at the boy.

"Oh, he was cute!" Lavender shivered with pleasure.

"Absolutely yummy," Parvati drooled. "Especially with those dark eyes."

"Oh come on! That girl in the beginning. The one that kills herself. Now she was HOT!" Dean stated as he figured out what they were talking about.

"Students should be in their seats at the start of class," Professor Snape stated as he stormed into the room like a bat from hell. "Potter, due to your condition, you will now be sitting separately from the other students."

A few Slytherins grinned with joy, as the Gryffindors glared with hate at their potion master and at the empty table in the Slytherin area of the room.

With a weary sigh, Harry allowed Snuffles to guide him to his new seat. "Ah, poor blind Potter all helpless and alone," Pansy cooed at Harry with an evil smirk on her face. "Better watch you back Potter. Oops, forgot you can't see."

Snape ignored the snide comments of his Slytherin. "Turn to page 740 and begin," he instructed his class. "I expect this potion to be done by the end of class." Snape's eyes never left Longbottom's face as the boy paled under the dreaded Potion Master's gaze.

As the class began to gather the necessary ingredients Snape made his way over to Harry. "Potter," Snape said as he glared with disdain at the black hound at the boy's feet. "Every Tuesday and Thursday you will report here after dinner for tutoring."

"Yes, sir," Potter replied in a dejected tone. "Sir... How?"

"How are you going to learn to make potions?" Snape said looking down his nose at the boy.

"Yes, sir." Harry said keeping his head down.

"One does not have to see to be able to make potion. You do have four other senses Potter. Make use of them," Snape sneered. With a quick incantation a number of potion ingredients appeared on the table in front of Harry. "For the remainder of this class, you will try to determine what each of these ingredients are, while I try to keep your fellow students from killing themselves or each other."

Snuffles snorted in disgust once Snape was away. "Yeah, I know, but he's right. I have to learn how to do this," Harry replied as he carefully reached out towards the table.

His hand brushed against a pile of what appeared to those who could see as pine needles. He placed a pinch full of these small needles in the palm of his hand. "Small pieces, light weight," he mumbled to himself. "Sweet scent. Can't figure it out but I know it. Just can't remember."

After a few minutes of trying to figure out what it was, Harry mumbled with a sigh as he placed a few needles in his mouth, "Hope none of these are poisonous." After a brief moment's pause he said, "Rosemary," as soon as he tasted them.

Harry slowly proceeded through the piles of ingredients while Snuffles snarled at any Slytherin who even tried to come close to the table.

"Last one," Harry sighed with relief just as Neville's cauldron exploded, covering himself in thick purple goop.

"Go to the hospital wing, Longbottom," Snape sighed in complete disgust and frustration.

Harry shook his head sadly as he picked up his last ingredients. "It won't be a potion class without Neville blowing up at least one cauldron per class," he explained to Snuffles.

"Right, lets figure this out," he mumbled as he turned his attention back to the task at hand. "Small twig with what feels like little claws on one end." Harry brought the item up to his nose and sneezed violently. "Clove," He sniffled. "Should have figured it from the claws. Aunt Petunia always like ham baked with clove."

"Have you figured it out yet, Potter?" Snape asked as he appeared behind the boy

Harry nodded his head before he began to point to each of the herbs in turn and naming them. Snape snorted in disdain as Snuffle looked up at Harry with pride. "Was it American ginger or Asian?" Snape snapped.

"I'm not sure, sir," Harry replied as he chewed on his bottom lip in though.

"You do realize that the location and condition in which a herb was raised and harvested under can affect what potion it's used in," Snape explained coldly. "I expect better, Potter." The Potions Master then turned and stormed away.

"I must have every one of them right," Harry whispered to Snuffles who licked him on the face as a reply.

"Bottle you potions, place them on the shelf, and then get out," Snape commanded as he swooped to the front of the class. "Potter, stay," Snape commanded icily as the class filed out of the room.

"We'll wait for you outside," Hermione whispered as she gave Harry's shoulder a squeeze in passing.

Harry could hear his professor pace back and forth in front of him as Snuffles leaned against his leg, his hackles raised.

"Do you remember that day when you portkeyed outside of Hogsmeade?" Snape asked as he came to a stop in front of Potter.

Harry's brow furrowed in confusion. "Yes, sir."

"And do you remember that song you sang all the way to the gates of Hogwarts?" Snape growled slightly.

"Yes," Harry said hesitate.

"That. Was. My. Favorite. Muggle. Movie." The Potion master emphasized as he lean in towards the boy. "And now all I can hear when I think of that movie is that stupid song of yours."

Harry bit his lips to keep from smiling as Snuffles made an interesting chuckling laughter. "Sorry, sir."

"Oh you will be Potter. You will be very sorry because I came up with the perfect revenge," Snape said in a sickly sweet voice, which drained the blood from Harry's face and sent Snuffles into the defensive crouch.

Suddenly Snape began to sing.

"It's a small world after all. It's a small world after all. It's a small world after all. It's a small small world."

"NOOOOOO!" echoed down the halls of Hogwarts.

~*~

"It has to be. It's too damn smart. Too human like," Lee Jordan stated as he chewed on the end of his quill.

"No it couldn't be," Angelina Johnson argued as she yanked her long hair back into a ponytail. "Dumbledore would never allow it. It's just a smart mutt!"

In frustration, Lee threw his quill down. "Fine, if Harry's dog isn't an Animagus.... Than maybe it's a Magusimal, a Magus Breed."

"A what?" Colin spoke up from where he had been sitting listening to the older Gryffindor argues about Harry's seeing eye dog.

"You know, a Magus Breed." Angelina commented as she finished tying her hair back.

A number of students who had been following the conversation looked at their elders in confusion. Just then the trio and dog trudged in from their last class.

"Harry! Hey Harry, come over here!" Katie Ball shouted across the common room.

Carefully, Snuffles lead Harry around the obstacle course that was the Common Room. "Hi, what's going on?"

"We're arguing about what exactly Snuffles is." Angelina said in her sweetest voice, which everyone knew meant trouble.

Harry raised an eyebrow at her wording. "What you mean, what is he? He's a dog."

"The great debate is if Snuffles is an Animagus, a Magusimal or just a smart mutt." Lee said before Angelina could open her mouth, earning himself a dirty look from the girl.

"What's a Magusimal?" Ron asked

"When a Magusimal is..... Ummm...." Lee's face started to turn red, starting at the tips of his ears and spreading downwards. "When an Animagus goes out in the world and... they meet a...."

"They do the wild thing with a real animal," Angelina said in frustration as Lee stuttered around the subject.

"Eeee. That's gross!" A number of students grimaced.

"Yep! I agree," Angelina agreed with a smirk. "You have to wonder about what type of wizard would... Umm... Do it with an animal."

"So a Magusimal is an offspring of that pair." Harry stated.

"Ron? Are you ok?" Jordan asked as he saw how pale the red head had become.

"Missy." Ron whispered in shock.

"Missy?" Hermione repeated as she looked back and forth between the pale faces of Ron and the twins.

"She was a girl rat..." Fred said in a numb shock.

"...For Scabbers." George finished Fred's sentence.

Harry and Hermione grimace at the thought, while Snuffles covered his eyes with his paws and whimpered.

"What's wrong with that?" Lee asked hesitantly, half dreading the answer they would get judging from the appearances on his friends' faces.