The New Me

Disclamier: Not mine.

Warnings: For this one? Dumbles being up to his old tricks, I 'spose.

A/N: Hi... First of all, let me say that I am DEEPLY sorry for the long wait. Real life sort of took over for a while, and I only had like 3 hours a week to write, and then I had to study for the swedish version of the SATs (I got a 1.2 out of 2.0! *proud*), and my boss was being a real jerk, changing my hours around without asking me first...
Anyway, here it is, and I hope you like it!

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Chapter 16

“How did you manage to talk in your animal form, Harry?” Remus asked stunned. Harry turned his head away and didn’t answer. It hadn’t even occurred to him that he would be giving away one of the Winged Fenris’ secrets by responding to Remus’ praise of him.

“Harry?” Remus walked forward and raised his hand to stroke Harry’s neck. He quickly paled and backed off at the thunderous growl that came from his adopted Godson. The others backed off as well, not wanting to get too close to the former Golden Boy, worried that he might lash out at them.

The only one who didn’t seem afraid was Draco.

He cautiously stepped forward, giving a challenging growl to catch Harry’s attention. He was quite confident that he could match the former Gryffindor in physical strength, should there be a fight. After all, their Animagi forms were nearly the same size.

“Harry, why don’t you change back, and we can talk about this? In fact, why don’t you all change back, and we’ll end the lesson for today? Just remember to fill in your Ministry forms, I want them handed in next class so we can send them off as soon as possible. That will be all for today.” Remus spoke hurriedly as he made shooing motions with his hands. Blaise and Hermione quickly changed back and headed out the door along with the rest of the class. Draco stayed put.

“Mr Malfoy, leave as well. I would like to speak to Harry alone, please.” Turning his head slowly to look at his Professor, Draco met Remus’ steady golden gaze and knew he didn’t have a choice in the matter. Sighing deeply, he quickly changed back to his human form and bent down to pick up his bag.

“Be careful, will you?” He said softly, not making it clear to whom he was speaking, before leaving through the door.

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Hermione started running as soon as she was out of the door to the Room, not bothering to answer Pansy and Blaise’s calls for her to stop. Racing down the halls, she dodged the other students that got in her way, shouting for them to move.

Finally making her way down in to the dungeons, she skid round the corner leading to the Potions classroom, and…
…promptly crashed into the very person she was looking for – Professor Severus Snape.

“Ouf!” Hermione let out a small groan as the air was slammed from her body, and she landed on top of her Head of House. She was immediately pushed off, and landed on her back as Snape stood up, scowling down at her.

“What is the meaning of this, Miss Granger?” He sneered, his voice full of anger. Hermione on her part let out a relieved sigh as she managed to breathe again.

“Professor Snape. I was looking for you, and was in a bit of a hurry.” She said calmly as she brushed her clothes off and stood up. Snape raised an eyebrow and waited for her to continue.

“We were in the Room of Requirement today to practice changing into our Animagi forms, we all managed too, and Harry turned into this really large Winged Fenris, and he spoke while he was in his Animagus form, and Moony tried to find out how he could, Harry wouldn’t answer, and Moony tried to touch his neck and he growled really loud and then Moony threw us out and now he’s all alone with him!” Hermione was talking so fast that by the time she was done, Snape was still trying to decipher what she had said.

“Mr Potter is a Winged Fenris and is now locked in the Room of Requirement with Lupin?” Snape asked cautiously.

“Yes! And Harry seemed really upset, so I came to ask you to talk to him before he does something stupid.” Worry flashed over Snape’s face before he took off down the hall, heading up to the seventh floor to try and stop his very unstable student before he did something to Lupin that he might regret.

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“Harry, why don’t you change back?” Remus pleaded with his lover’s Godson as Harry continued to huddle in a corner of the Room, his head hidden beneath his large wings. He had reverted to this position as soon as they were alone in the Room, refusing to acknowledge Remus presence unless he tried to touch him in any way, in which case he let loose another threatening growl. Honestly, Remus was at his wits end about what to do with his cub. Just as he was going to try pleading with Harry again, the door slammed open and Severus Snape rushed in, robes billowing behind him.

“Severus, what are you doing here?” Remus asked surprised.

“Miss Granger came to find me, she was worried that something would happen, and as I’ve formed a sort of trust with Mr Potter, she thought I would be able to help.” Snape said curtly, his eyes locked on Harry’s form.

“Oh? Well, I don’t really know what to do, he’s been like that since the others left, and won’t even react unless I try to touch him.” Snape nodded and slowly made his way over to Harry. He kneeled down beside his head before speaking more softly than Remus had ever heard him speak before.

“Harry? I’m not going to touch you, but would you look at me, please?” Slowly, ever so slowly, Harry moved his left wing back from where it was hiding his face, looking at the Potions Master with despair showing in his eyes.

“It’s okay, Harry. Why don’t you change back and we’ll talk about what happened, okay?” Harry shook his head sharply and closed his eyes tightly.

“Harry. No one is angry or upset with you, I promise. You know you can trust me.” Harry glanced up at him, before sighing deeply.

“Who’s your Guardian, Harry? Would it be easier for you if they were here?” Snape asked. Harry snapped up his head, shock clear in his eyes.

“How…?” Harry asked, forgetting in his shock that he wasn’t supposed to speak in this form again. Snape quirked his lips into something resembling an ironic smile.

“Thought I didn’t know about the Council, did you? I have a Guardian as well.”

“Z-zed. His name is Zed.” Harry whispered. Snape closed his eyes and seemed to be concentrating on focusing his thoughts.

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‘Zahira, can you hear me?’

‘What is the matter, Sev? You have not contacted me in five months.’ His Guardian sounded amused rather than worried.

‘A student of mine, Harry Potter, needs the presence of his Guardian. Harry tells me his name is Zed, do you know him?’

‘Harry is in trouble? I will send Zed over right away, where are you?’ Zahira sounded alarmed and frantic, as if she was already flying to where Harry’s Guardian was located.

‘We are at Hogwarts, in the Room of Requirement on the seventh floor. And Harry is not in trouble, but he is in his Animagus form, and he needs his Guardian’s presence to have the courage to change back. He is afraid that he has done something wrong.’

‘Zed will be there in two minutes. Stay where you are, and don’t let anyone else in.’

‘Harry’s adopted Godfather is here, the werewolf, Lupin. Should I ask him to leave?’

‘No, let him stay. He will know to keep our secret, he has known persecution and would not wish it on anyone.’ Zahira cut the connection and Snape refocused on the room.

“He will be here in about two minutes, Harry. Lupin?”

“Yes, Severus?” Remus sounded startled that he had addressed him at all.

“I must ask you to promise never to reveal the Council’s existence or the fact that they are not extinct as is believed. Only a few select people are ever told of them.”

“Of course. Will they be able to help Harry?”

“Yes.”

“Then I have no trouble with keeping quiet.” Remus answered. As soon as he finished speaking, a large Winged Fenris appeared in front of them, startling them.

“So, pup, what have you been up to since we last talked?” Zed asked in his deep voice. Harry whimpered slightly, ducking his head again, but not answering. The older Winged Fenris bent down and nuzzled his charge.

“Come now, pup. Change back to your human form, it is not good for you to stay too long in this form the first time you change in to it. Also, I think it is time you told your Godfather’s mate just what has been going on with you since your Headmaster dropped you off at the Dursleys.” Harry looked up at Zed, before changing back to his human form, curling himself up tightly on the floor.

“Harry?” Remus asked carefully, wondering what could possibly make his cub so sad and scared.

“They really weren’t nice at all…” Harry whispered, staring at the floor, his eyes faraway, lost in memories.

“Tell him what you told Professor Snape, Harry. He needs to know.”

“There is nothing they haven’t done to me. Nothing. And he knew, and still he sent me there.”

“What do you mean?”

“I mean that there is no form of abuse that I haven’t been subjected to at the hands of my so called Uncle.” Harry said bitterly. Remus sank stunned to the floor, unable to believe what he had just been told.

“But why didn’t you tell us sooner? We could have helped you, gotten you away from there or something?” He pleaded with his cub, feeling more and more desperate about the situation.

“I was ashamed and I didn’t want anyone to know. And I really didn’t know anything else at first, it was just…how it was.”

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Draco made his way down to the Slytherin common room after Remus threw him out of the Room. He was really quite upset with the whole thing, if he was being honest with himself. He didn’t feel it was right to leave Harry when he was that upset, what if something happened to him and Draco wasn’t there?

‘Maybe I’m overestimating my own value in this? I mean, it’s not like he wants me around as something other than a friend.’ Draco snorted gently while shaking his head. He was seriously deluding himself if he hoped that Harry would ever accept him.

“Draco, are you alright? What happened after we left? Did Professor Snape get there before you left?” The questions were hurled at him as soon as he entered the common room. He raised his head and looked Hermione straight in the eye.

“I’m fine. Worried about him. Lupin threw me out just after you left, said he wanted to talk to Harry alone. What about Sev?” Hermione blushed a bit and averted her gaze before she answered.

“Well, I ran into Professor Snape, and I asked him to go help Harry.”

“And when she says ‘ran into’, she means that literally, don’t you, Mione?” Pansy quipped. Hermione cleared her throat before answering primly.

“Well, I did actually run into him and knock him over, but that was all.”

“Oh. Do you think he’s okay?” Draco asked quietly.

“I’m sure he’ll be okay, I mean – he’s Harry, right?” Pansy said smiling brightly.

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Curling in on himself once more, Harry stared blankly at one of the walls. He really didn’t want to talk about this anymore. He wished they would just leave him alone, leave him in peace for once.

He sighed deeply, drawing the attention of the other occupants in the room.

“Harry?” Remus asked nervously.

“I’m tired. I’m going to bed now.” He stood up abruptly, turning his back to them, muscles clenched tightly.

“But Harry, we should talk more about this, don’t you think?”

“I don’t want to. Good night.” And with that he walked out the door, hearing it slam shut behind him, locking Remus, Snape and Zed inside.

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To say that Snape and Remus were annoyed when they finally got out of the Room, would be an understatement. Had it not been for what Harry had been through, there would have been punishments doled out. As it were, the two Professors decided that they would leave it be for now, and instead try to talk with Harry when they had arrived at Snape Manor for the field trip. It was decided that Remus would tag along with the Slytherin group, but neither of the men told the Headmaster just why Remus would want to spend time in the presence of the Slytherin seventh years and their Head of House.

When dawn broke on the 15th of December, a kind of nervous anticipation could be felt in the air. As they gathered at the Entrance Hall, the ten students huddled together, waiting for their teachers to arrive. Harry on the other hand…he had locked himself in his room ever since the incident in the Room of Requirement and refused to talk to anyone at all – including Hermione. They were all slightly worried about him, to tell the truth. He stood on the stairs looking out over the snow covered grounds, seemingly lost in thought.

“Alright students, lets gather around. The portkey will activate in two minutes.” Remus said as he and Snape stepped out on the stairs. The students quickly moved over to their teachers and placed their hands on the large hula hoop that served as a portkey.

“Harry? Are you coming?” The group turned as one to look at Harry as he stood stock still, his back facing the others.

“I will get there on my own.” Harry answered quietly, not turning around.

“How could you possibly get there on your own, Potter? It’s not as if you know where it is.” Greengrass sneered.

“Hold your tongue, Miss Greengrass. Mr Potter has permission to arrive by his own means.” Snape growled at the girl. She had been a Death Eater, but had been allowed to attend Hogwarts for her last year since she had not taken part in any of the attacks.

“Hang on everybody, here we go, 3, 2, 1!” Remus said, right before they winked out of sight, leaving Harry standing alone.

‘Thank Merlin they left. I really don’t…’

“Harry, my boy, shouldn’t you be with the other students at Snape Manor?” Dumbledore’s voice startled Harry out of his thoughts, and he silently cursed his inattentiveness.

“I am going. Professor Snape gave me permission to Apparate in a little while later. He knows how I feel about portkeys.” He answered stonily. Dumbledore twinkled away for some inane reason or other.

“Ah, yes. Don’t you think you should get going now? I am certain Severus has something exciting planned for you, and it would not do to miss it.” Harry curled his lip in distaste at the Headmaster’s attempt to order him about again.

“Good day, Headmaster.” Turning around and closing his eyes to concentrate on Snape Manor, Harry completely missed the spell that Dumbledore shot at him right before he disappeared.

‘It is done. Let’s see what you make of this one, Harry my boy.’

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When the portkey dropped them in front of Snape Manor, many of the students gasped at the beauty of the place.

The Manor house itself was made out of dark stone, three stories high, with pillars holding up a large terrace on the second floor. The gardens, though covered in snow, were large and open.

“Welcome to Snape Manor, if you follow Binky and Flossy they will show you to your rooms. We will meet down here in 15 minutes.” Snape gestured behind them at the two house elves that had appeared silently behind them. The students followed them, leaving Snape and Remus behind to wait for Harry’s arrival.

“Why did you let him travel here by himself, Severus?” Remus asked quietly as he stared out over the gardens.

“I know how he feels about portkeys. He will avoid travelling by them if he can, and I did not want to put the extra stress on him right now. I did not want to send him into another ‘fit’, if you will, when he just now have gotten passed what happened in the Room last week.”

“Yes…he still hasn’t talked to me about that, you know.”

“I don’t think he’s talked to anybody this week, actually.”

Remus nodded and they fell silent once again. Suddenly Harry Apparated in right in front of them, startling the older men.

“Hello, Professors, you know you didn’t have to…” Harry broke off in the middle of the sentence, his eyes widening a fraction.

“Are you alright, Harry?” Remus asked worriedly, frowning as Harry turned paler.

“I think…” Harry fell to the ground, passed out.

In a castle far away, and old man chuckled evilly as he felt his spell take hold of his victim.

‘This will be very interesting, indeed.’

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A/N2: Um, so...please don't kill me for leaving it like that. I'll try and work on ch 17 this weekend, but I can't really promise anything...it will be up when it's up.
Please review and make my day!
//LoveGD