Shadows and Secrets | Drarry Creature Inheritance [Discontinued]

(001)

I watched my clock, counting down.

10...

9...

8...

7...

6...

5...

4...

3...

2...

1...

When the clock hit midnight, signalling the 31st of July 1996, I was hit with pain throughout my whole body. I didn't know what was happening, but I willed myself to not cry out. I lied down on my bed, curled into a ball on my side, waiting.

When the pain finally passed, my clock read 1:37. I sat up slowly and ran a hand through my hair, only to pause in surprise when I felt something poking through it. 

I scrambled to the slightly cracked mirror that stood in the corner of my bedroom.

I gasped at what I saw. I had grown from my previous 1.75 meters. I was now about 2 meters tall. I had carapace-like horns laying almost flat on my head and curving up slightly in the middle. When I moved, there was a faint iridescence to them. Sprouting from my back were scaled black wings. I spread them out to find they had a seven-meter wingspan and the same shimmering iridescence. My tail had about a fifteen-centimeter diameter and was long enough to touch the floor and curl itself around my ankles, the end flicking back and forth lazily.

I marvelled at my new appearance. Along with my other additions, my eyes now looked more like a cat's; thin pupils running from the top to the bottom of my iris, still its same emerald green. My hair was now straight and long, reaching the base of my spine. My facial features were sharper as well, giving me a more regal look. I took my glasses off to view myself better and found that I could see perfectly without them.

A large yawn stretched my mouth into an 'O,' revealing fangs that looked so sharp that I could simply tap the tip with my finger and draw blood.

My exhaustion finally reaching my whole body, I walked back and curled into the fetal position on top of my bed, wrapping my - surprisingly warm - wings comfortingly around my body and my tail around my waist. As a small smile crept onto my lips, I fell into a content sleep.

*    *    *    *    *    *    *

I woke up in the morning and stretched, groaning as my sore muscles pulled. The weight of what happened last night crashed down upon me as I noticed the edges of my wings on the outskirts of my peripheral vision.

At the same moment, I heard a tap on my window that seemed louder than it usually would. I turned towards it and saw a brown owl waiting outside my window with a letter tied to its leg. I opened the window to let him in.

Good morning, Sir. I have brought you this. I heard an android-like voice in my head and jumped, looking around. My name is Frederick. I am the owl.

I tilted my head, looking at the owl. "How can I understand you?"

I do not understand, but I think that this letter will help you find out. Frederick held out his leg for me to untie the note and open it.

Dear Sir,

I have been notified that you have come into your Creature Inheritance. It has also come to my attention that some things are not as they seem. Please come and see me this afternoon.

Head of Gringotts Bank, Korgnuk

I read and reread the letter multiple times before I realized what it meant. My Creature Inheritance. This is what happened. I sent a reply back with Frederick and decided that I would pack up my things and stay at the Leaky Cauldron for the remainder of the holiday. I placed my textbooks and classroom necessities on the bottom of my trunk, then placed my neatly folded clothes on top. I heard another tap on my window and found three owls outside. One, I immediately recognized as Ron's owl, Pig, carrying a small bag. The second looked like Hermione's owl, carrying a box wrapped in green paper. The third was a Hogwarts owl, carrying a large brown package.

I let the owls in and took the three packages and letters. I opened Hermione's first to find a book about rare magical creatures and a letter.

Dear Harry,

Happy Birthday! I wonder what kind of Creature Inheritance you got? I guess we'll see at school. I sent you this book because I know that you said that you'd rather be a Magizoologist, so, why not start learning now? I can't wait to see you! Maybe we can meet up in Diagon Alley to get school supplies? Let me know when you'll be there, I'll be there from on the 3rd of August and staying until the 6th. See you soon!

Love, Hermione

I was excited to read the book. I set it to the side and opened the small bag that Pig was carrying. Inside was a bag of candy called Sour Patch. I next opened Ron's short letter.

Hey, mate! How're you? Er, yeah, happy birthday. Dad won the Thousand Galleon draw again, so this time we went to the United States! Their accent is weird. So is the Muggle money. But I found this Muggle sweet and thought you might like it! I'm going to Diagon Alley for school stuff on August 4th. Let's meet up!

Ron

I tried one of the little sweets and found it to be very sour, unsurprisingly. I noticed that my birthday seemed to be an afterthought to him, making me scowl. The third and final package had a letter tied to it, so I decided to read that first.

Dear Harry,

I baked you this since I know that those Muggles you live with don't celebrate your birthday. What sorta Inheritance did you get? I'll see you at Hogwarts.

Hagrid

I opened the package to find a chocolate cake, not unlike the one he gave me on my eleventh birthday. I smiled at the kind gesture. I checked the clock before quietly opening my window and letting the owls out. I stepped out and let myself fall, letting my wings catch on the air to slow my fall. Once safely on the ground, I scanned my surroundings. The sun was just coming up, and it was a Saturday, so none of the Muggles were awake yet. I spread my wings and ascended into the partly-cloudy sky.

WC: 1080