Mystical Days: Trials and Tribulations [Hermione Granger]

Chapter 7

"You guys made it!" Harry said, smiling at Nate and Hermione.

"Told you we'd be here." Nate said, sitting upright. "When did you all arrive?" He said as he noticed Fred and George Weasley, as well as Arthur Weasley, sitting outside a tent across the thoroughfare.

"Just past five this morning..." Ginny said, seemingly unamused as she yawned. "Portkey with the Diggorys." She said, anticipating Nate's next question.

"What about you? When did you get here?" Harry asked, as the three sat down in front of Nate and Hermione.

Nate would check his watch. "About forty minutes ago. We came by Side-Along Apparition, so we were able to sleep in a bit longer."

"So, is it true?" Ginny asked unexpectedly.

"Umm, is what true?" Hermione asked, looking just as confused as Nate.

"Well, the thing is... Dad said he saw you two at the Ministry of Magic over the summer and that you were being registered as Animagi." Ron said, speaking as if it should've been obvious. "We were just wondering if it's actually true."

"Oh, that." Hermione said, looking at the ground. "Yeah, it's true."

"What? But how?!" Ron shouted out, causing several witches and wizards to stare at the group for a few moments. "You said it took years to become an Animagus, Hermione." Ron hissed.

Hermione would simply nod. "It can take years, Ronald. But we had an excellent set of instructions, and Lupin was helping through most of it." She said, matter-of-factly. "We simply couldn't have done it without him."

"You mean that, as well as giving me Patronus lessons, he was also giving you two Animagus lessons?" Harry said incredulously.

"Not lessons, no. He had to steal some stuff from Snape's private stores for us." Nate said, explaining. "See, to simplify things, a part of the process to become an Animagus involves making a potion with specific ingredients."

"Can you tell us what's in it?" Ginny asked hopefully.

Nate would shake his head. "We could, but I wont. I don't want any of you to try and make it, because if it's done wrong it can result in permanent half-human, half-animal transformations."

"Well, can you at least show us your transformations?" Harry asked.

Nate would shrug. "I don't see why not." He said, standing up. Once he was sure that nobody was looking, he'd turn into his fox form, willing his clothes to transform with him as well, before sitting in front of the group, looking at them.

"Wow.." Ginny said, her eyes shining brightly in admiration.

"Bloody hell.." Ron said simply.

Harry would just smile, having already seen Nate transform into his fox form at the end of the previous school year.

Unfortunately, at that moment, Laura and Luna returned, carrying the now full buckets of water, and Laura caught sight of her son sitting on the ground in his fox form. "Now, Nate. Don't show off." She said admonishingly, as she and Luna walked past them, carrying the buckets into the tent.

Nate would turn back into his human form, fully clothed still. "I'm not showing off, I'm demonstrating." He said, smiling as Laura and Luna disappeared into the tent. "I learnt that one from my dad.." He said in an undertone to the group.

"Why's Loony Lovegood with you?" Ginny asked.

"Yeah, I thought you said you didn't have any siblings, Nate?" Harry asked, sounding confused.