Luck of Nines

42

       Malfoy did not return that day.

He had been partially roused from sleep when late that evening Goyle returned to the dorm alone, dinner should be over and there was no astronomy class to hold the others up. His questions remained unanswered when Professor Snape came, escorting Nott and Crabbe back to the dorm after curfew had fallen. That those two in particular were kept late suggested it had something to do with what had happened the previous night.

The professor paused in the doorway, "Where is Potter?"

Goyle glanced up from where he absently had been toying with a set of shiny, round rocks with the sort of sluggish boredom that came with having nothing better to do and desperately not wanting to be in a situation, "I dunno, sir, he wasn't here when I got here."

"I see." Snape pursed his lips and turned and stalked off, leaving Crabbe and Nott behind. The latter of who walked over to his bed, grabbed a book, and drew the curtains. Hidden from view and to everybody else's hearing they collapsed, their breathing deep, tired, and very much awake. Crabbe stood in the doorway, like Goyle seemingly not quite sure what to do with himself without Malfoy around. He wondered what they did when at home or if they just sat in one place and waited to be of use again. His tail tapped lazily on the canopy's top.

Surprisingly he noticed Crabbe's eyes dart upwards as if hearing the noise. His head remained unmoved though, until he turned and began walking to his bed, the way he tilted his head as he did so seemed so casual, except it would give him a better angle to see further up. Clever. Perhaps not so much a hunk of stone after all.

Crabbe had kept himself angled ever so slightly so that his back was not turned towards where Harry was as he stood up on his bed. He had been taught by someone. Harry however had easily switched to appear like a house cat, so he and Chipped Fang stared back at Crabbe when he could finally get a good look at what was on the canope. Crabbe relaxed some again and sat down.

"What are you doing?" Goyle asked flatly.

"Nothing," Crabbe replied.

Goyle sent a disbelieving glare and returned his attention to the polished stones. It was the most insight he'd gotten into Malfoy's two minions this whole time. More so Crabbe than Goyle.

They didn't seem to get along that well, Crabbe had been taught in some form how to be aware of his surroundings; the strict form and his way of holding himself spoke more of the training of kept animals than the practice of wild strays. Crabbe had not said anything to the other Slytherins about what he had seen the other night. But Goyle was aware that he and Crabbe were different and resented it. Even if they seemed to hold a unified front, Crabbe didn't treat Goyle as an equal partner and Goyle saw it as looking down on him rather than trained senses and a difference in strength. There was no communication nor understanding between the two.

Still, he rolled onto his back, batting Chipped Fang's face away from him with a paw, the both of them were dull and the most boring kind of potential threats, and would remain that way until something more changed about them.

He stayed there, up upon the canopy, dozing lightly, as the dorm got ready for bed the sound of showers and the general clatter of getting ready echoing from the bathroom.

    They all turned in early, but only Goyle went to sleep, the other two remained up behind closed curtains.

    Waiting.

    Listening.

    Pretending to be unaffected.

      He wondered if Crabbe would crack, there was a tension in him since last night that hadn't been there before.

        He wondered if Goyle would, now the only one explicitly left out of a secret rather than the distance between him and the others he hung around that could previously be written off as imaginary. He must be wondering why Malfoy chose Crabbe for whatever task had led to him being called away.

       His tail flicked in annoyance against the canopy below him.

     As the silence drew on Harry slid silently from his resting spot into the bed, once more keeping a firm but gentle grip on Chipped Fang, and tugged the curtains closed. Rolling about a few times to make himself the most comfortable he could be, he slowly fell back asleep, Chipped Fang choosing to sprawl across his back as he did so. 

     Crabbe and Goyle left the door room alone the next day, as Nott said he wasn't feeling well and was going to sleep in since they didn't have morning classes. The two expected that and left, as the dining hall was only open at certain hours for meals, they wouldn't wait up for Nott. The two were rather more driven by hunger  than their peers and Harry had seen them sneaking snacks throughout the day.

     He waited a few moments for the door to swing shut before he slipped out from under the curtain. "H-Potter-?" 

     To his credit, Nott responded quickly to the sound as he turned around, only to freeze as he caught sight of Harry- he was still in the clouded leopard form, with its reddish fur spotted with dark black- Harry realized and shifted easily back to a more human one.

     "Hello Theo."

     Nott stared and he gazed back without concern. The secret was out, now that Malfoy knew, it was only fair that his ally knew before the general public did. 

     "You're an animagus." Nott still sounded stunned, as if he'd just been struck soundly in the head.

     "Yes, Professor Flitwick informed me that it's something called a Natural Animagus form." 

     "A natural...?"

     Harry shrugged, taking a comfortable seat on the ground, "I'm really not sure what that means, for me it meant one day my uncle was chasing me around and then I was a cat. Whatever label you wish to assign, being able to shift forms was what saved Malfoy and I from being killed yesterday so he knows too. I figured it's only fair to give you warning."

     "I...Malfoy's an animagus too?"

     "No, not at the moment at least, and if he is he's rather good at hiding it. I could smell the human and cat both on Mcgonagall."

      "My father always warned me to stay away from animagus," Nott said, "He says that to find your form you need a purpose and that purpose controls animagus.  Warps them. "

      "I've been one for years now so any changes should have happened, but if you plan on keeping away then do so." It would be disappointing, but they were not becoming an enemy so he wasn't upset.

        Nott paused, watching him for a moment, and then tilted his head, "You really don't seem human some of the time, but I think I still like my chances best sticking by your side." 

       Chipped Fang watched from the bed with his usual semi-understanding through this conversation, Harry looked back at him now, 'Theo's joining us.' It was something between a question and a statement.

      'Ah, we are keeping the sickly one.' Chipped Fang responded, leaping neatly onto his shoulder so they could both observe, 'Are you sure?'

      'It is different here, he has knowledge of the terrain and status. If food becomes a problem, I can still provide even if it is for three.' Harry nodded and smiled at them after Chipped Fang's tentative acceptance,"Then it's nice to have you join us Theo."

      'He is still weak, like a fresh kitten.' The cat pondered in amusement.

     Their conversations were quiet, if spoken aloud at all, but they were still the only reassurance Harry had that he was not alone, little bits of commentary and friendly, reassuring contact here and there telling him everything would be alright just... eventually.

      Theo and he set about gathering their stuff for the afternoon class silently, 'I know, that just means we're going to have to protect him.' He added quietly.