The Privy Councilors 23/33

[herumtreiber]

Title: The Privy Councilors 23/33
Chapter: MAD: Mutually Assured Deaging
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:  ~5,221 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


22. Awry wars gone prank


Here good fellows I'll sing you a song,
Sing for the brave and sing for the strong
To all those living and those who have gone
With never a penny of money.

And he that will not pledge me this,
Pardonnez mois je vous en prie.
Pays for the shot whatever it is,
With never a penny of money.
(We be soldiers three, Traditional)

Before they retired for the day, feeling a bit weary due to all the excitement, Ron asked his friends to ward the Burrow. Considering what Mrs. Weasley and Ginny had gone through, they complied readily.

Mrs. Weasley noticed the Tiger cubs and wanted to know if they were safe to be around. The cubs appeared a little menacing to her, stalking forward like an army of two. Luna saved the situation explaining that they were giant half-Kneazles from a breed she was interested in. The Cubs visibly sneered at that, their muzzles wrinkling synchronously. Only the fact that they were Cubs and unrecognizable for their mother saved them from a scolding. Molly could again be called Mrs. Weasley because Arthur and she had decided to give their marriage another try. They owed it to their children. More importantly, they owed it to themselves.

When they got to the Burrow, Molly, Ginny, Narcissa and Luna busied themselves in the kitchen. When they asked Hermione if she could lend a hand peeling potatoes, the brown-haired witch dashed out of the room, huffing indignantly that she would help with the wards.

Percy was in the Burrow. He was taking correspondence courses to get a degree in Accounting. After all, he loved to set things straight and given that dealing with human situations tended to fudge the correct procedure, he would deal instead in the realm of numbers. He was doing very well. Next month he'd go to the school for a two-month practical course.

Bill was at his apartment, trying to stay out of the clutches of a young Veela. It seemed that Fleur wouldn't take no for an answer. She followed Bill around, even stalked him. She still believed in Dumbledore's ideas and his powers to return.

Charlie was taking care of his dragons. He mused bitterly at times that dealing with the fire-breathing animals was better than visiting his family. At least the dragons didn't turn him into a strange animal. Several times he had tried to rock the Twins' boat, but it didn't work!

One day he sent them sweets. In the covering note he advised his brothers to eat them. In a fit of Gryffindor cunning, Charlie had sent them prank candies and signed the note as Karl Drake, an admirer of their Quidditch days. It didn't work. It would require the finesse of a very cunning mind to finally get one up on the Twins.

oOoOo

Narcissa had been keeping an eye on Sirius, but she was distracted by the questions of the other witches and young Black slipped away. He opened the door and went to the backyard where Ron was arguing with Harry and Draco.

Harry waved his arms at the garden. "We need to take the current wards down, Ron! I reckon it's the only way we can build from scratch. We'll make sure that any tracking ward left by Dumbles dies!"

Ron huffed, crossing his arms. "But then it will be very difficult to build sturdy wards from the ground up! It's a harebrained scheme!"

Draco was reclining lazily against a birch. He measured the grounds around the Burrow with his eyes. "I believe Harry is right, Ron. If we left any part or foundation from the old ones, it could take over the control and allow selected individuals to enter here. People like Fleur, McGonagall, Wormtail, who worked secretly or openly for Dumbles."

Harry nodded to his lover and then turned to face his best friend. "The wards can be built if we all contribute! If only I or Draco tried to build them, they'd zap our strength pretty quickly. Together we'll succeed."

Ron turned to his girlfriend. "Mione, what do you think?"

"They're right, Ron. History says that the wards at Hogwarts were built by the four founders."

oOoOo

They all contributed to the task of building the wards. First they had to dismantle the current ones. Draco swished and flicked his wand, murmuring old Celtic words from an ancient rite to destroy whatever wards existed previously. It worked; the group felt them collapse in on themselves. However, the fading wards neared Draco who was kneeling on the floor out of breath. They whirled and grew, taking the appearance of a small inferno.

The dying wards appeared ready to kill whoever had disrupted them until a lilting voice said, "The voice of Black orders you to stop: Toujours pur."

The shimmering decreased when the light was one foot away from Draco. Finally the wards retreated and disappeared.

A small projectile launched himself at Draco. The blond stumbled, he was afraid that the stubborn wards had returned from the dead or whatever. Then he noticed Sirius' face. He tried to be serious but he just couldn't. After all, it was bad manners to be abrupt with the five-year old who had just saved his life.

Draco said as sternly as he could, "What are you doing here, Sirius?"

Doing honor to his name, the boy replied seriously, "I was bored, 'side, Dwaco! Then I saw you and the others here, talking. Seemed like you were having fun!"

Draco crossed his arms, his feet shuffling on the grass. "Sirius, you shouldn't have put yourself at risk with that crazy ward."

Sirius asked, "What's a wart?"

Ron crouched near the young Black. "A ward is like a magical defense that exists around a dwelling or place to ward against entry by potential enemies."

Sirius scrunched up his face in confusion until Hermione said, "Seriously, Ron, he is only five years old! He won't get that." She ruffled the tousled hair of the boy. "A ward is a magical barrier that can protect your house, Sirius."

Draco interrupted them, saying moodily, "As interesting as that is, why did you say what you said, Siri?"

Sirius fidgeted for a while until Draco touched his shoulder. "At home, I like to go exploring, and there might be bad things and they want to hurt people. Mom told me that I should say that, exactly like her, for the bad things to 'cognize me and let me go."

Just then the door to the kitchen opened suddenly and Narcissa walked to the group, frowning and looking around the garden. She quickly scanned those present and recognized the face of the missing Sirius.

She smiled. "Great to see you here, Sirius! Can I stay with you? Molly, Ginny and Luna need time to chat. Given the fact that Luna has been protected from any contact with Neville by her overbearing tiger cubs, perhaps it is time we discussed how to make those cubs age."

Narcissa chose a spot to sit on and grabbed a squirming Sirius. Young Black wanted to be in the midst of the action but recognizing that it was futile to struggle, he complied. He wished that Remy were here. They would have been able to escape Cissa's watchful eyes then, but Remus said he needed to see Tonks and had left precipitately.

They started to construct the wards, commanding their magic to follow their will. Harry used his unmatched ability to feel the flow of magic to control their efforts. He directed the growth of the foundations. Ron added his flair for challenging games and strategic thinking, devising forms to counter possible attacks.

Hermione infused with life the project, joining the divergent streams of magic through magical and natural theory. Her work was sometimes the hardest of them all, because the viewpoints attending the construction of the wards had to agree in order for their force to grow.

Neville's profound knowledge about plant life proved determinant. His love for Herbology allowed them to anchor the construction in the real world. It assured that they would be safe from magical and Muggle attacks. It was Hermione who provided the links between Neville's gentle viewpoints and the sometimes grisly ones of Ron, Harry and Draco.

Blaise and Pansy provided cool counter commentary. Theirs were the voices that would invite the miscreants to come closer and would zap them at the correct moment; theirs were the protections against mind-controlling potions and devices.

So it came to pass that Slytherins provided help and succor in the building of the Weasley wards.

oOoOo

Sirius realized that they'd forgotten something important! There was no time to tell them, so he climbed down from Narcissa's lap and ran towards them until he was in their middle. The others stopped what they were doing and stared at the boy expectantly. There was a faint glow from the half-finished wards.

Sirius knew what he had to do. He opened his hand and a silver ball flew to the wards and fused with them. The light surrounding them now had a silvery sheen.

Ron left to gather blood from his mother, Percy and Ginny. Meanwhile, Harry and Draco approached Sirius.

Harry leaned towards his young godfather. "What was the silver light for, Siri?"

Draco touched his boyfriend's unruly hair. "I think it complements the wards in some manner. I'm not sure why."

Sirius breathed more easily. It appeared they were not angry. He was used to being blamed for some things, so that didn't bother him too much. But sometimes his mother grew very mad with him and he had learned to be cautious around grown-ups.

Sirius explained quietly, "It was 'gainst the 'Mentors! They cannot come here now!"

Narcissa lifted Sirius' small body and hugged him tightly. After a moment, Harry and Draco joined in.

It was in this position that Ron found them when he returned with the vials of blood of his family and together with his own, they were integrated into the wards, giving control to the Weasleys.

Just before the end, Draco went to the center. He took out his wand and swished it energetically, intoning Danish words of an ancient rite created when the Danegeld was new. There was a brief green glimmer.

The wards changed color until they shined brightly with a silver glow. A golden hue appeared next until it faded away.

Ron said, "What was the last ritual for, Draco?"

The blond shrugged. "It's a Scandinavian discovery used to banish the influence of bad thoughts on a place. I suspect that Voldie still haunts Ginny in her sleep, now he won't be able to." Turning to look at his boyfriend, he said, "We've the same spell at the Manor, Harry."

Hermione put her hand under her chin, gazing at the stone walls behind which she could hear the garden gnomes muttering rebelliously. "Shouldn't we do the same at Hogwarts? We could create new, powerful wards instead of the current ones!"

Draco frowned. "The situation at Hogwarts is completely different than this one. Here the land recognized the touch of a Weasley and was content for a while. The Weasleys have lived long and fulfilling lives here, the wards obey them willingly. The original wards were done by a Weasley ancestor. In Hogwarts, the four founders created them, and each one was working at cross purposes to some extent. The wards should mirror that."

Hermione huffed. "Yes, but--"

Draco went on. "They also reflect the conflicting orders and layers of wards imposed by successive headmasters and headmistresses, amongst which we have the redoubtable Dumbles." The blond brushed his black robes with fastidiousness. "You saw what happened when I tore the wards down? They reacted and would have killed me if not for Sirius! In Hogwarts, if I dared to destroy Dumbles' wards, I wouldn't survive."

Ron took the opportunity to ask the blond something which had been puzzling him. "Why did you propose to Her Majesty the dissolution of the Wizengamot?"

Draco gazed at the distance, his voice acquiring a harshness that belied his calm expression. "For a long time now, the Wizengamot has been nothing more than a rubber-stamp forum. It approved orders already made. It was a place where little or no discussion was allowed. Once upon a time, the Wizengamot functioned like a place where people would engage in earnest discussions about their options, voting for what they thought was the best."

Hermione touched Ron's shoulders as she said, "You must realize this same Wizengamot is the one that was enormously concerned with the supposedly unlawful activities of a Fourth-Year student, our Harry. No matter what your opinion, if you had a modicum of common sense you'd recognize that it was not a matter where the Wizengamot should have handled. Yet it did, responding to the desires of its quiet master Dumbles who wanted Harry publicly humiliated so that he may cherish more the heroic efforts of Dumbles to protect him."

Draco nodded at the witch. "Exactly. Reality check: Dumbledore was the head of the Wizengamot, it could not have met without his approval. He could have dealt with the charges in a lesser court or used the position he held in the Wizengamot to force some needed changes, like destroying that stupid rule that punished minors for their use of magic!"

Harry frowned ferociously. If he had Albus in front of him he'd kick him but good. "Yet Dumbles chose to play his usual role of devoted if crazy headmaster."

Draco gazed up to the clouds which had the same hue as his eyes. "This Wizengamot has been heavily taxed lately with the 'urgent' case of allowing the adoption of a deaged minor, not to mention presenting charges against a former student of Hogwarts. As if they hadn't anything better to do. They spend their time wasting our money, playing like children. It's obvious that the Wizengamot has gone to the wolves and there's nothing further to save. We'd have to institute a policy of continuously checking the Wizengamot 24 hours a day, if we did not want to be surprised by a silly vote whereby all platinum-blonds are considered inimical to Britain and are expelled to the Continent."

Hermione crossed her arms, fidgeting with the buttons of her sweater. "But how will the Ministry function?"

Draco turned to face the witch."Most cases will be handled by lower courts. If any come up that needs addressing, we will hear them and decide. It's how it should be." Taking a deep breath, he continued. "In four weeks, elections for all positions in the Wizengamot will be held. Because the last one was dissolved, no person from it shall be kept as officers. The privy councilors will still hold their seats, because we are independent from the Wizengamot structure."

oOoOo

In the kitchen, after Molly directed the preparation of the dishes and put everything ready to be served, she went up to her room to lie down for a while.

She kept scowling at the Siberian Tiger cubs. They behaved so sweetly, as if they were so innocent. But she had seen one of them move a carrot with his paw until it fell on Luna's feet and startled her. She had the eeriest feeling that she knew those cubs very well.

Ginny also felt some kinship with the cubs, but she was still startled by the whole ordeal and when the cubs approached her, she cringed.

Luna saw that and ordered the Cubs to let Ginny alone. The blond witch gazed at Ginny's troubled face. "I see that you still feel guilty for what you did. It's time to let go of the past. Take the lessons you've learned and build a future for yourself!"

The red-haired girl answered a little spitefully, "How can you know?"

Luna petted George's head as she replied, "Because I can see the symptoms I once exhibited: moodiness, depression, general loss of the will to live. You see, I too made mistakes and betrayed someone."

Luna had to pet Fred's head. The cub had shouldered his twin aside. "Still, life offered me a second chance, and I took it. What I learned is that people were not what I imagined them to be. They changed, they offered surprising depth. Most of all, they forgave."

Luna batted George's head. The tiger was munching on the tablecloth. "It was that which lent me the strength to go on, Ginny. You have made similar errors, likewise you've been forgiven. It's time to move on with your life."

The blonde smiled at Ginny. "Let me tell you what I See, a Ginny Weasley that makes her successful entry into Beauxbatons and shows them all that she is a great student."

Ginny sputtered, "B… Beauxbatons? But being abroad, that's very expensive…"

Luna shrugged easily. "So what? You have a vault with money you can use for yourself. If that does not suffice, there's always your family vault. I am sure that you will positively thrive in an environment where you are not the sister of the Boy Who Lived's best mate, where there's no Golden Trio that often overlooks your existence."

Luna frowned at the cubs, who cowered seeing her ferocious expression. "Of course, I see some problems ahead for you with proud strutting Veelas; nothing that a good Bat Bogey Hex won't solve!"

Ginny smiled, saying wistfully, "You make it sound so much fun! But I wonder if the reality will prove like that."

"Maybe it will and maybe it won't." Luna took a big slice of ham to keep the unruly cubs pacified for a while. She gave it to George who was caught by surprise by Fred. The cub smirked at George. Luna had to struggle to keep them apart from each other. "Where was I? Yeah, there's only one way to find out, do it! You will learn solving the various problems that pop up. If you find a conundrum too big for you, call for your family and friends here! You could see in the casting of the Lex majoris spell that your brother, Harry and Draco supported you and your quest for justice."

Ginny frowned; the way the tiger cubs kept playing with each other was oddly familiar. Their movements were eerily synchronized too, they even growled together! She said, "I don't speak the language!"

"Of course you will have the challenge of learning to speak French. Think about it, being able to speak a second language cannot help but improve your chances in love and with your career! You'll be doing something that Hermione cannot do!"

Ginny smiled delightedly for the first time in many months.

Just then the doors were opened and a mass of ravenous warders came in. Molly tucked her apron and the women, plus Sirius and Neville, managed to serve the food.

Molly commented that the atmosphere was more relaxed like it hadn't been in a long time.

Draco replied that may be because of wards put by Dumbledore to keep the inhabitants of the Burrow in despair and subjected to his desires.

oOoOo

After dinner, they wanted to stay and discuss more issues with Mrs. Weasley and Ginny, but Sirius was falling asleep and so were the tiger cubs.

The group said goodbye and Apparated to the Hogwarts gates.

They went to Draco's rooms. He was going to suggest to Sirius it was time to go to bed, but an oblivious Neville said, "Do you think it will take a long time for the Twins to transform? I had never heard of a five-year-old Animag..."

By then he was hit by Ron and Draco's Silencio spells, though too late to matter.

Sirius was bright-eyed. Squirming with excitement, he shouted, "They are 'Magus! They human. Who are they? Don't know any with whiter hair except you, Dwaco, and Cissa!"

Draco felt awful indeed. He had struggled to keep hold of young Sirius. It was very hard to keep an eye on him, especially when he managed to disappear so effortlessly.

But if Sirius could transform into a puppy dog, then he would be impossible to stop. He could use small holes in the walls; he could go where he wanted to - directly into mischief. They wouldn't know where he was!

Young Sirius wanted so badly to transform and become a 'Magus that he actually connected with his magical core. He forcefully thrust his mind into the task at hand and transformed successfully.

A small Grim puppy was watching them, merriment in his bright black eyes. Sirius waved his small tail and barked joyously.

They were ooohing at him. Everyone except Narcissa and Draco, who were pondering how they would cope with puppy Sirius. Draco was also formulating dire revenge plans against a hapless Neville. What was counting on Longbottom's favor was that Draco didn't want Luna to become a widow.

The blond mused that it was time for the big guns now. That required certain steps which would be promptly taken; it also required the Twins in human form. Draco nodded to Harry, pointing towards his deaged, puppy godfather.

Harry grabbed puppy Sirius and rubbed his tummy, murmuring, "You did it, Sirius! Now you have to transform back."

Sirius wagged his tongue, biting playfully Harry's fingers. It wasn't until Narcissa frowned at him that Sirius complied and the human child appeared in the arms of his godson. Harry gave him to Narcissa

After Sirius left with his mother, Draco faced the Cubs and he thundered at the scared-looking tigers. "Come on, Twins, time to become the real you! If Sirius can do it, so can you. Of course, it might be that you can't, because Sirius is a better wizard, who knows?"

The Twin Cubs were enraged! They wanted nothing more than to teach the blond lout some manners. They even had a moment of tigerish déjà-vu, when they remembered they had done this many times, ganging up on Draco. But they couldn't have, because they were good tigers, right?

Eventually the Cubs looked at each other, jumping on Draco at the same moment. Fred was ready to pounce on the blond's back, but his paw grabbed nothing. The git couldn't have moved so fast!

Fred flopped to the floor, he saw George fighting a losing battle against a lion twice his size, with a blond mane!

Draco roughed them up a bit; finally he grabbed their thick heads with his huge paws, and banged them against each other.

Meanwhile a very agitated Hermione tried to impose order in the feline melee.

Unfortunately, she didn't know she had transformed and thus her efforts to break up the scuffle were pretty much wasted. The majestic owl just hooted angrily as she flew in circles. Pansy also transformed and flew a bit around the room, until she got bored and the eagle proceeded to destroy with her beak and claws one of Sirius' colored picture books.

Not to be outdone, Ron and Neville transformed into a fox and panther but mostly stared at the felines.

Harry was proud to note that he was the only one to withstand the wave of Animagus magic or pheromones or whatever that went through them. He felt so proud of himself.

Of course he didn't notice that his nose was now a bat-nose. His friends didn't want Harry to be angry, so they tactfully said nothing.

Draco morphed to himself, growling at the Twins, "Time to transform, now!"

The Twins silently agreed that the blond was a tough nut to crack, but they would crack him up anyway. They had better transform or he might decide to become a lion again.

After concentrating mightily, the Twins changed to their human form. Draco sent them to their rooms with Neville. He gave Blaise the night off from watching over the Twins. The Slytherin looked gratefully to Draco, who just smirked evilly in Neville's direction.

Draco used the Floo to call some important people and arrange for an important event the next day.

oOoOo

In the morning, Draco looked frantically for Sirius, only to find him beneath the bathroom sink. If this went on, he would have a heart attack soon!

After breakfast, Draco ordered Sirius to spend the day with Harry. With a mutinous face, Sirius complied.

A bit later the Twins opened the door and strolled in. Neville walked some steps behind; by the circles under his eyes it was clear to see that he had slept poorly, if at all.

Draco glared at the Twins. "You are a big problem for people. They are afraid of you, you do not understand the meaning of your pranks and problems, and you'll never understand unless you are faced with consequences of your actions and foolish ideas. I have found a new caretaker for you."

The door opened and Narcissa Malfoy came in. She was presenting a different side to people now. When Lucius had tried to dominate her, she had been able to present a mimicry of some, if not all, his mannerisms and penchant for scathing comments.

Narcissa looked at the cowering children. One part of her wanted to comfort them while the Slytherin part urged her to follow Draco's advice. It was for the best and would provide the solution, even if it put her in a bad light.

She said irately, "You brats! Come here. This is the last time you'll be together in months. I will put you in separate rooms and you won't see each other at all. Maybe then you will be easier to handle!"

Fred started crying and George bawled, "I want mommy! I want mommy! Mommy!"

Draco inwardly smirked while he replied, "I assure you she wants nothing to do with you. Mrs. Weasley, come in!"

The door opened and Molly and Ginny came in. The Twins surrounded their mother and asked her to take them home, away from the bad Malfoy.

It must have been quite a shock for them when she answered coldly, "I'm done with you, Fred and George! You always get into problems, you get others into troubles. I'm tired of it all. I'm giving you up for adoption to Mrs. Malfoy. Maybe you will be better behaved then."

Molly left the room very rapidly. She needed to get away. Both Harry and Draco had told her the plan was necessary for Fred and George to return to their correct ages. But it weighed on her heart to react so to her children.

The Twins turned to Ginny and begged her to take them far away. Ginny crossed her arms. "Why should I? I've been nothing to you but a tool to taste your products. You never paid attention when I had all that trouble with the Chamber of Secrets. You never stood up for me when Harry and Ron dismissed my problems! I will do the same to you. Goodbye!"

Draco mused that it had been a good idea to invite Ginny to come along. If he was right, she had unfinished business with her brothers. Perhaps this gave her a good opportunity to voice some of her opinions; her brothers would be forced to listen and remember, and perhaps ponder with time.

Narcissa approached the hapless Twins, who were sitting with their heads down, hardly moving. She grabbed George's hand and walked with him to the door.

Draco felt wretched, seeing the tears of the Twins. That was why he had asked Harry to stay away for this confrontation. The blond hoped that it would be enough to give them the answers they needed.

He held up his hands. "Wait mother! Let me try something. George, sit here." The Twin sat where indicated.

Draco frowned. "There's a simple way for you to go on with the life you had before, when you were older than me. You see, to cause this loss a potion is necessary. We need to know what was in the potion. We must know this to have Sirius and you two back to your correct ages."

Draco gave the twins some butterscotch sweets. "That is not all. Currently there is a very bad Dark Lord that wants to kill Harry and all his friends. A supposedly dead Wizard could turn out to be alive, further complicating things. We cannot afford to have you three in such a weak position. What if Death Eaters appear and kidnap you? You could be hurt, we'd try to rescue you and maybe get killed."

Draco put his hand on his chest. "I swear to you on my word as Lord Malfoy that the information I have provided concerning your predicament is true." A faint hallo shone for a second.

It was Fred who started. He babbled, "Th… there's a vial of potion, more like six of them, under the bed in our room. The pa'word to open the box is 'Slytherin sucks.'"

When he heard that, Draco rolled his eyes.

George continued. "We.. we used one of them on the black-haired wizard, and the others on us."

Draco and Narcissa gasped. Narcissa was amazed. "You… you two deaged yourselves? Why if I may ask?"

George looked shiftily at his small shoes. "It was the best option. The 'ponent wouldn't hurt us if we were children. But then we started liking being children again and we didn't want to lose that and…"

Draco put his hand on George's shoulder, nudging him towards Narcissa. "You will not lose that. Mother likes to protect and act as a mother to my friends. You have your own mother and Ginny too, not to count your father and brothers."

oOoOo

Draco went to the Twins' room and got the vials of counter potion. He smelt three common ingredients for an Aging potion. He made his way to the Dungeons to consult his godfather Severus Snape.

It was the opinion of the headmaster and potions expert that the concoction was indeed the cause of the deaging of that troublesome Care of Magical Creatures teacher, Sirius Black, and the Weasley Twins.

Draco spent a good half hour trying to rein in Severus' temper who was fuming that the students had lost CoMC classes.

Finally Snape left the decisions of the punishments, if any, to his blond godson. As befitted a good Slytherin, Severus got something out of this. Draco promised to become the potions assistant during Seventh Year.

Severus had always nurtured Draco's love of potions. It was Snape's constant care and sarcastic company that encouraged the blond to apply himself to potions. Severus had seized the possibility to realize his dreams of having a good potions assistant and had artfully succumbed to Draco's plotting while carefully laying a different plot of his own. Typical Slytherin.

Draco returned to his room. After searching for Sirius frantically and at last finding him in the bathtub, taking a bath as a puppy, Draco took the Animagus to the Common Room and gave him a vial, after toweling the puppy dry.

Young Sirius took the potion and yawned, reclining on the leather couch.

Draco gave the counter potion to Harry. The brunet went to the twins, who were busy pawing the couch to shreds. After cajoling them with the promise to let them vote for the name of the Marauder's next generation, the twins transformed and took the potion.

The Seekers expected that the next day, the deaged Animagi should wake up as their normal selves, the operative word being "should."

24. The fateful class