Nine Lives and Bad Luck

14

So I recognize I updated this like a day or so ago, but I've been working on the darker animagus story (I mentioned that earlier on right?) and I got like four chapters done on that so basically I'm just super excited but also very stressed about literally everything else that is going on with my life... so, extra chapter! Possibly expect more, but I'm trying to limit myself. Right, anyway, enjoy,

-T.A.L.A.

Harry woke with a loud yawn slipping from his bed and easily loping over to get a view out the window; the moon was still up, but the sky was fading to blue already. He really must have been tired. A low whimper interrupted his musings and made him turn to view the boy who stood across the room, eyes wide and hands shaking. Harry glanced behind him to the window in confusion and then back again to his terrified roommate before realizing the problem.

Not even a year ago he had discovered his ninth form as a natural animagus- he now had more forms than Silk to his conflicted delight, but luckily few of them had lasted as long as his first had- and he found that he still often accidentally transformed into it fully in his sleep. He opened his mouth to reassure them, which ultimately turned out to be a bad idea as it displayed all of the sharp fangs his dire wolf form had to offer making the other flinch back hard. With a huff he let his more human traits shine through and soon he was standing before Neville in his pajamas.

"Err, good morning Neville."

"Yo- you're a-"

"I'm a natural animagus, the dire wolf is one of my forms- sorry I didn't even notice I had changed overnight or that you were awake, I should have at least said something - I'm sorry I startled you."

"A natural animagus?"

"It's, uh, fairly complicated- think of it as a mix between a forced- a regular animagus- and a Metamorphmagus- do you know what...?"

Neville nodded uncertainly, "I know what those are; my gran is an animagus, but her transformation doesn't look like that..."

"It's a bit different, a natural has set forms they can take or mix parts of, but when they first discover a form they get trapped in it for awhile, also while forc- regular, gain an 'animal' side, naturals are that side already. I'm pretty sure if your gran is one she's heard of it, you might get a better explanation from her."

He blinked before nodding in far calmer acceptance, "I'll ask her about it then, what are you doing up so early?" Neville headed past him to the bathroom to change as Harry gathered his stuff for the day.

"I normally get up pretty early, you?"

"Same, I have a greenhouse back at home and I normally start working on some of the plants around now...."

Harry tilted his head to the side, finishing packing his last few books, "Homesick?"

"A little, I suppose. I mostly miss the greenhouse really, but I've heard Hogwarts has wonderful ones as well."

"I haven't heard too much about the grounds here, so I wouldn't know, I kind of want to get to breakfast early in case I get lost or something want to come with and tell me what you've heard about them?" Neville looked delighted at the offer and the two walked side by side heading towards the great hall- both weren't sure how well they could manage to navigate the halls of Hogwarts and weren't sure when breakfast would be served. If they got there too early, Harry figured he could get some reading or practice in and if not they could head to their next class early and figure out the way. Plus they would get first choice on food.