herumtreiber

Title: The Privy Councilors 14/35
Chapter: The unlikely hero
Author:herumtreiber
Genre: AU to HBP, romance, adventure
Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or related characters. Nor do I make any money from the writing of these stories.
Rating: PG-13
Warnings: None
Epilogue compliant? No way!
Chapter length: ~3,150 words
Summary: Draco/Harry, Luna/Neville, Ron/Hermione, Narcissa/??? Harry is about to be sent to Azkaban. The story explores Wizengamot politics and the fight against evil Dumbledore - where he gets vanquished early and does not prattle on and on - but is he gone? Plus de-aging. Someone returns whose name begins with a S. (And my revenge on characters whose accents are hard to read – like Hagrid and Fleur ;-)

Table of contents

11. Transformations

That's me in the corner
That's me in the spotlight
Losing my religion
Trying to keep up with you
And I don't know if I can do it
(Losing my religion; Bill Berry; Michael Stipe; Mike Mills; Peter Buck)

In the dungeons of Slytherin Manor, the Dark Lord was talking to a cowering underling, Theodosius Nott.

"I will attack them covertly, and they will be lost! Dumbledore didn't teach them anything useful while they were in their care, just stupid things like Wingardium leviosa and the Tickling Charm, obviously he was too worried with the power they may hold someday."

"They might have started to train by now, but the time they've spent doing that has not been very long. This is the perfect time to attack and bring down my enemy."

Nott dared to interrupt, "But the boy swore an oath not to attack you, won't you lose this advantage?"

The Dark Lord replied nonchalantly, "The attack technically does not originate from me and therefore does not violate the oath. Now, for daring to speak to me thus…"

Voldemort swished his wand elegantly and murmured lazily, 'Crucio!'

Nott writhed on the floor and screamed his lungs off. Finally the Dark Lord tired of the game and let him go.

Bellatrix approached her Lord, with an almost religious reverence in her ravaged countenance. She said,

"Lord, I did as you wanted and spread those rumors about erumpents and other figments of the imagination. The man will approach the trap soon."

The Dark Lord replied, "Very well, Bella. We will move stealthily and strike where it hurts most, like the good snakes we are."

oOoOo

The phoenix had started its mission with a sound mind, as phoenixes go. However, when George managed to make it breathe the potion, the phoenix rapidly became confused. It knew what it had to do, but there were so many people and chairs!

Finally it settled on a likely candidate, a black-haired, green eyed boy and sent him the portkey. Fortunately its aim was off and the portkey would impact another chair, unfortunately, it would strike the black-haired boy before.

The boy didn't have time enough to move out of the way.

Harry seized the moment and transformed into a bat, then flew into the rafters above. He hung from them, upside down, and observed serenely the battle going on below him.

The portkey finally touched the chair and it activated, and transported it who knew where.

When they saw that Harry had made good his escape, Pansy and Hermione transformed into an eagle and owl, they were very enraged and let the phoenix know by biting and scratching it.

While the phoenix was thus very busy, Narcissa had time enough to swish her wand energetically, murmur an incantation, and order "Anti-phoenix wards up!"

It was very hard to ward against phoenixes appearing in or out, but Severus knew of a potion and he had brewed it. The potion required two phoenix feathers, which initially they were at a loss to obtain, until they
talked to Draco. Turns out he had secretly taken several Fawkes feathers when he had gone to visit the headmaster through the years. The potion was finished and applied to Narcissa's and Draco's wands.

Ever since she saw the phoenix appearing in Severus's quarters, Narcissa had felt that there would be a day of reckoning between them. She had prepared the best she knew how. The phoenix was trapped now in Malfoy Manor and could not go out in a flash of light.

Draco had observed all the goings on with trembling eyes. He sighed when Harry escaped, he cheered when the phoenix was battered by Pansy and Hermione. He raged that his form was a lion, and would prove to be not quite useful in this melee.

Draco wished he had a smaller, more noteworthy form. He remembered Sirius' words to the effect that "It isn't the wizard or witch who chooses the form, it is magic itself, for its own inscrutable reasons, which does so. Sometimes a wizard may be presented with two forms and choose one, as happened to James, but usually, the form is what the world needs at the moment. Like many things in life, there's not much reason in it."

The phoenix felt hurt. These people had really hurt it! The pain seemed to help him to recover its expertise and
proficiency. It knew it was vulnerable in this state, with this people, so it concentrated on being near the Master… and failed.

It could not move, it felt like the phoenix was chained to this house. It knew despair then, until it remembered its ace in the hole.

The phoenix transformed.

It became something small and fast, its color almost designed to be undetectable in this situation. It spied an open door and ran for it, reaching it a scant second later. Its small brain was filled with glee at having escaped its enemies. It knew where it was, and it would be easy to make its way unannounced.

Ron observed that the phoenix had turned into something small and furry, he calculated that he'd make
it outside unscathed if it wasn't detained. He transformed into a fox and settled into a chase.

The rodent felt and smelled that something was chasing it. It ran fast and dodged where it could.
Whatever else, it'd spent long years living as a rodent and had learned perfectly to use its instincts to survive. The predator following him was not a natural one, but a transformed wizard, like it.

The rodent would soon give him the slip, and then it'd be free.

What it wasn't counting on, however, was the fierce orange claw that came out of nowhere and pinned him painfully to the floor, nor the jaws that broke the bones in its arm, and finally the excruciating pain when the orange beast ate its paw. Ultimately, it had chosen its form and therefore was subject to its limits.

Crookshanks had been quietly stalking an owl, after having dined on selected mice, when he saw a rapid movement.

Soon he followed and saw that the rodent would soon evade the clumsy wizard-fox. This rodent was the same one that had haunted him in Mistress' third year. He followed, ready to deliver his mighty judgment, and pounced when the moment was right.

It felt great, to see the vermin writhing under him, he just wanted to eat him. So he ate its paw.

Unfortunately for Crookshanks, he couldn't enjoy the culinary aspects of his victory as he was swiftly stupefied.

A pale hand appeared and, opening his jaws, took out the paw. Narcissa exclaimed, "Well, done, Crookshanks! You have done all of us a crucial favor!"

Narcissa stopped the bleeding on the stump of the rodent, noticing its other, silver paw. She rapidly cast a strong Stupefy and Immobulus.

She put the rodent in a special box. Narcissa looked around and saw
that the corridor was filled with assorted felines, foxes and avians, including a bat.

She mock-glared at the felines, including two Siberian tigers, a leopard, a lion and a black panther. She bade them to change to their human forms so they would use less space. The felines grudgingly submitted, and the lion was glaring daggers at her, from his grey eyes. Prompted by this, the rest of the animals duly complied and became human. Harry was rubbing his temples, and Narcissa asked concernedly, "Are you ok, Harry?"

"Yes, I am, must be all that time I spent upside down in the rafters."

Enraged by the snickers, Harry countered, "At least I could defend myself, I have a useful form. But you are so bulky it's useless!"

An angry Fred responded, "Do you think that, Harry? Then maybe we should just show you how useful our forms really are!"

Narcissa derailed that discussion asking them sweetly if they wanted to know who the phoenix was. Everyone assented.

Narcissa took out the box, but before she opened it, she said, "Who's always been a pain in the behind, Harry? Since the very beginning. Who is partly responsible for the deaths of your parents? Who betrayed them and then blamed Sirius and caused him to spend 12 years in that hell? Whose life did you save, only for that person to run to Voldemort and actually help him in his rebirth? Who is ever so truthful to his
Animagus form, that of a rat?"

"I give you Wormtail, also known as Peter Pettigrew, betrayer extraordinaire."

There in the box was a battered old rat, lacking one paw. What was riveting, though, was that the other paw was silver. There was only one being who would have such a feature.

Narcissa continued briskly, "Remus, I would like you to watch over Wormtail. As long as he is in that box he
won't be able to change to human and he can't run. I want you, Pansy, and Neville to watch over him.

"Harry, Draco, Fred and George, come with me, we have unfinished business with a certain book."

They made their way to Draco's room, where the book was. Harry started acting irrationally and shouting that they were crazy, they were going to try to bring Sirius back using a rat! Sirius would return as a half-man/half-rat thing! It was unbelievable!

The sound of a slap was heard, and Harry finally shut up. Narcissa rubbed her hand and said,
"I needed you to be calm. I have something that will show you the truth." She called for an elf and told her to bring the Pensieve.

Then she swirled the Elder wand elegantly over her forehead and caught the memory. She put it in the Pensieve and invited Harry to watch.

Harry saw the whole confrontation, how he changed into a bat and flew away, eventually how the phoenix transformed into a rat and scurried through the door, Ron giving pursuit. Narcissa ran a little behind them and so Harry was able to observe and rejoice in Crookshanks' lethal jump and bite. Finally he had no doubt left.

The rat was Wormtail.

Narcissa explained, "Because of the peculiar conditions of Sirius' demise, we must rely on resonant magic. The ritual may be powerful enough to bring him back, or maybe not. If we use the hand of someone who has been linked so strongly to Sirius in love and in hate through so many years, a resonance is created. That resonance is amplified if the hand is in the form of the Animagus' paw. Remember, magic does not take into account so much the physical reality as the intent."

Narcissa continued, "It would be proper if you let him know what is going to happen, boys."

Harry and Draco nodded and set up the blackboard and quick-quills.

(All) Hello Sirius!

Hey gang, what's up? I feel something's weird is going to happen, but I don't know what.

Sirius, we managed to capture Wormtail. In doing so, he had an accident and lost a hand. We will use that paw to raise you.

Thank you, Draco! I would like to say that I will miss being a book, but I won't.

Sirius, I want you to know that I love you as my godfather, the one who protected me when he could. I'll be right here and I'll do what I can to make sure this goes on safely.

Knowing you, Harry, has been one of my greatest pleasures.

We'll be here, too...

…and it'll be fun to be able to talk normally…

… unless you come back with rat's ears!.

Yeah, I'll talk to you later, miscreants. And I will get my motorcycle back! (grins evilly)

They completed the preparations and set aside a space for the ritual.

Draco carried inside the biggest cauldron Harry had ever seen, except for the one where Voldemort coalesced, or did whatever he did.

Harry was surprised when Draco started the ritual. He believed that Narcissa would carry it through, but obviously he was wrong.

Bone of the father, unwillingly given. A thunk was heard as the piece of bone was dropped into the cauldron.

Blood of a friend and relative, willingly given. Draco pierced his hand and let an amount of blood fall into the cauldron.

Flesh of a once-friend, betrayer, unwillingly given. A small thump was heard as the pathetically small paw made its way inside.

Sliver of a soul, horcrux willingly given. Harry shuddered as the Book was thrown inside the cauldron.

He was of a mind to stop the ritual. He could not risk it that it would backfire and all communication with Sirius would be lost. He wanted his godfather, even if it was only as a book. He had the same warmth, intelligence, and wanton desire for pranks as ever. Why couldn't he stay like this always? Harry would carry the book around wherever he went, and he would always have his godfather near.

But then he remembered what Narcissa had said, about Sirius needing constant interaction. For the moment he had his friends who spoke with Sirius, but what when he graduated and started working? He'd have to work long hours, in which Sirius would have no distractions.

It would be something akin to being in Azkaban or what Dumbles had done with his house arrest. This arrangement may keep Harry happy, it surely wouldn't do that to Sirius. He couldn't let Sirius enjoy life as a book while he hid behind his insecurities. If he lost his godfather, he had the hope that Sirius would at long last be reunited with his parents.

The ritual proceeded, and Harry observed lackadaisically. He thought that once you've seen a reincarnation, you have seen them all. Still, he was excited and trembling when Draco threw a dark cloak over a shape that was rising out of the cauldron.

Harry was repeating his recent mantra: 'Please, let Sirius be all right. Please let Sirius be all right…'

Soon Draco was guiding the cloak-covered shape to a chair, Narcissa put a glass of firewhisky in his hands. "I think you need this, mate. You'd better start talking soon, or I'm going to play Dancing Queen right now."

The shape visibly shuddered, and then the raspy – and unmistakable – voice of Sirius whined, "You wouldn't do that, Cissa, would you? Anyway we're at the Manor, so I doubt any CDs work."

The shape lowered its hood and Sirius' face looked all right. In fact, he looked more than all right.
He looked like an imposing forty year-old man. He had black hair till his shoulders, without any grey hairs. The only grey thing about him was the color of his eyes. He looked handsome and well-cared for.

It was all too much for Harry, who suddenly felt out of breath and fainted.

Fortunately George was near and caught him. They put him on the bed.

Sirius smirked and said, "I think it was too much excitement for Harry."

Then he looked at Draco. "It's good to finally meet you, cousin Draco, face to face, as it were." He offered his hand and Draco pumped it.

Then Sirius turned to the Twins. "And you, miscreants! What have you done with my motorcycle? If I learn you have used it for mundane tasks I'll be mad."

The Twins smirked as they answered, "We haven't used it for…"

"… anything plebeian or something.."

"… like that. We used it to break into the Ministry..."

"...and try to save Harry!"

Sirius moaned, "I swear it was easier to hear you two as a book! Anyway I'm glad you follow the hallowed traditions of pranksterism."

When Sirius turned to look at Narcissa, he found her flicking her wand deliberately. Soon a small kit containing audio equipment floated in.

Narcissa winked at him and Sirius shuddered, remembering her threat.

Narcissa spoke, "Don't worry, Sirius! You talked, so I'll play you a song, which one do you want?"

"Do you have REM?"

"Yes, I do."

"Then I'd like 'Losing my religion.'"

"I remember this song. Wasn't it a hit when you were in…?"

"In Azkaban? Yes, it was. I remember a Warden religiously played it every morning for months. At first I cordially hated the song, but after a while I grew to like it. I found the Warden an uncomfortable fellow, but
he didn't sneer or taunt as much as the others. One day, the Warden did not show up. Weeks later I learned that he had been fired because of a rumor stating that he was a Death Eater. Still I missed the song, and I promised myself that one day I would listen to it when I was finally free."

Narcissa summoned the CD with the song on it, and it played.

They decided not to move Harry and just change his clothes into pajamas.

Then the Twins and Draco left. Only Sirius and Narcissa remained until the morning, talking and reminiscing. Finally Narcissa left, and Sirius fell asleep watching Harry, as should have happened so long ago.

Harry was awakened from a very disturbing dream involving handcuffs and platinum blonds by someone poking him. He opened his eyes and beheld Draco. He tried to disguise the effects of the dream on his anatomy.

Draco said, bored, "We have to interrogate Wormtail and also arrange for a special session of the Wizengamot so they can see what fools they have been. Do you want some revenge for Sirius, Harry?"

"Yes, I do."

"Then follow my lead. First things first, gather intelligence."

Draco called for a house-elf to bring them lunch while Harry showered and dressed. Then both of them managed to drag Sirius into the bed, strangely enough, the dog Animagus hadn't woken up.

Crookshanks felt really well.

Finally those silly humans were getting some things straight, like who was important and why. His Mistress had hugged him and it was becoming clear that the silly bell thing would not be on him any more.

Those damned birds had better watch out! The cat was still miffed at being out of action for a while. Apparently someone had knocked him out and made away with his prey! It was awful. Fortunately he was free to hunt again like what he was, a consummate predator.

13. Winning and losing