Secrets, Lies and the Daily Prophet (Alt. Fifth Year Fic)

Chapter Fifteen: Harry's Animagus Form

Harry was nervous at the prospect of having Sirius turn him into an animal. But not just any animal, a snake. All because he spoke Parseltongue.

"I want you to be aware that your thought processes will be different in your animal form," said Sirius. "I don't want you to panic and bite anyone, because there's a good chance you'll be venomous. If you start feeling like you need to change back, please give me a sign."

"What kind of signal do you think I could give you? I can't just write H-E-L-P with a paw?" Harry said flustered.

Sirius pondered that for a moment and then brought out a catnip mouse.

"If you need to transform back, just go up and bite this mouse. Don't swallow it, just bite it."

Harry gave him a look like - why would I consider swallowing a cat toy?

"Are you ready?" asked Sirius.

Harry nodded and then Sirius raised his wand and a bolt of blue-white light shot out of it. Harry felt a shock course through his body with his arms and legs becoming bound tightly to his body. His head started shrinking and then he felt his body slam onto the floor. He looked around and saw under the furniture. His tongue started to flicker and when it left his mouth he sensed the pungent smells of Professor Figg's house. It had a strong odor of multiple cats, dried herbs and various potions in the root cellar.

Harry tried to move and found it difficult. He had to think and visualize how snakes moved forward in a sine wave like motion. He forced himself forward and once he started moving he found it easier to do so. He started exploring the ground floor of Professor Figg's house by roaming over the floorboards. Going over the tile and hardwood floors were fine, but trying to move over her various area rugs were difficult. He soon avoided going over those.

He slithered past Sirius and Professor Figg several times, but had trouble seeing their faces, let alone the looks on their faces. He instinctively knew they were speaking, but Harry had difficulty hearing anything beyond muffled noises.

Harry then saw Sirius kneeling on the floor and holding the catnip mouse. He wasn't sure what his godfather wanted, but he slithered over next to him. Then he felt like he was being electrocuted. The shock coursed through his entire body and his head was spinning out of control. When the feeling subsided he was lying face down on the kitchen floor. He began shaking uncontrollably as if he had a bad case of the chills. Professor Figg wrapped an afghan over his shoulders and started rubbing his arms vigorously.

"Sirius, put a kettle on. The poor boy is freezing."

Harry's teeth chattered and only after he sat down on the sofa covered up in two blankets and holding his second cup of hot tea in his hands did he begin to feel warm.

"We certainly didn't expect that reaction from you, Harry. But then again, neither of us ever turned into a reptile," she said in a comforting voice. "Can you tell us how it felt?"

Harry looked up at her and shook his head.

"I'm still trying to piece it all together myself. Tell me, what did I look like?"

Professor Figg poured him another cup of tea and sat down across from him.

"You were a very large snake. It's hard to know exactly how long because you kept moving, but I'd say you were close to a metre in length. I think you could probably swallow a rabbit or small cat if you could catch them."

"But why would I want to do that?" Harry asked.

"Well, last year I used my Animagus form to catch and eat rats," replied Sirius who was standing before the fireplace. "You just never know when your animal form and its attributes will become helpful."

"You also had dark brown and tan diamond patterns on your back and had bright green eyes. It'll be your eyes that'll give you away as not being an ordinary snake. I'm going to have to be certain that all my sentries are at a safe distance from you when you take that form again. I could tell them its you, but I think they'd still get a bit antsy."

"I couldn't hear anything - or at least understand anything. It was all fuzzy and muffled."

"Well, yes. Snakes don't have ears. With training you'll be able to maintain your own hearing and vision, but that comes with time and practice. Tell me how was your sense of smell?" she asked.

"Pretty powerful. I found smells coming from your root cellar overwhelming at times."

"Well, I was brewing up some more aging potion last night after you left. It should be ready in a few days," she said sheepishly. "How are you feeling? You look exhausted."

"I am. Famished, too."

"Well let me heat up some of the chicken and dumplings left from last night's dinner and then I want you to rest. You can use my bed and feel free to sleep as long as you need," she said kindly.

Later as Harry was drifting in and out of consciousness he heard Professor Figg and Sirius speaking in hushed tones.

"Perhaps we're pushing him too hard. Just look at the poor boy. He's completely worn out and this is only the beginning."

"He's strong Arabella. We just need to give him some time. He will succeed at this, I have no doubt."

Harry wanted to scream out, "I don't want to be a snake!" to the shadows encircling him, but he heard the high cackled laughter of Voldemort. Nagini was chasing Harry in his Animagus form. He began worrying that he'd be swallowed by the gigantic serpent. Harry was writhing around the ground between the tombstones and the only thing saving him was that he was faster and more agile than the lumbering snake. He woke up drenched in a cold sweat and surprised that the bedside clock said read eight o'clock at night. As he sat up, his head began to spin.

"You're awake. I thought I heard you rustling in here. How are you feeling," Sirius asked.

"Really groggy. I think I've got to get going home or my aunt's going to worry."

"I doubt she'll worry, but she'll certainly begin to wonder. Why don't you come into the kitchen and you can have some food that we've been keeping warm for you. Arabella will call and come up with an excuse as to why you've stayed here so long. Then I'll walk you home to make sure you get there safely."

Harry nodded and stumbled into the kitchen. He had a hard time remembering what happened the rest of the night after returning to Number 4 Privet Drive. It seemed to be a blur of images and his dreams were vivid serpentine fantasies.

He was given a break from Animagus training for a few days. Professor Figg brewed some pepper-up potion normally used to help ward off the common cold by warming your blood. She gave some to Harry before being transformed again into a snake. The hope was that it would warm his blood enough to avoid the severe reaction he experienced in changing so rapidly from warm to cold-blooded.

Thankfully, it helped him adjust tothe changes and allowed him to maintain his snake form for longer and longerperiods without any adverse reaction when he resumed his human state. Harry started visualizing how he could turnhimself into a snake and within a week was able to get his legs to locktogether and a faint glistening of scales to form on his calves.

Author's note: Next up is a short chapter with of an interlude with Harry and his Aunt Petunia. And no, she isn't any kinder to him than you've seen before.