More Than Just a Pet

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter, and I do not have any rights to Harry Potter. I am not making any money from writing these fics.

The next morning, Hermione was escorted by Madam Pomfrey to Dumbledore’s office. The hallway was deserted and silent, even though students should

“You can’t do this; she’s only twelve years old. It was only a Polyjuice potion gone wrong,” Dumbledore argued.

            “Dumbledore you’re already in a lot of trouble with the attacks happening,” a new snobbish voice snapped at the Headmaster. He continued to say, “Watch what you’re saying, your already walking on thin ice, one more attack and the parents will be demanding you send their children home and the ministry will close this school.”

Hermione gripped her skirt tighter, she kept her eyes cast downwards, she didn’t want to get into anymore trouble then she already was in. She wished for Harry and Ron- no not Ron, he didn’t care about her anymore. She wished for Harry to be with her, maybe the Boy Who Lived could save her from this.

“Cornelius Fudge, you have no right!” Dumbledore yelled in anger. “What you should be doing is-“

“We should be checking out why you’ve had a new Defense against the Dark Arts professor every year,” ‘Cornelius said angrily. He sighed and continued in a calmer tone, “I should do that, Headmaster, but for now I think I’ll be taking this....exotic pet with me.”

“I will not allow that Cornelius,” Dumbledore said with his voice full of steel and determination, “I shall not allow you to harm a student as long as I live.”

“Oh, don’t you worry, I won’t harm her. Besides, this animal is no longer a student of Hogwarts, so you have no power,” Cornelius said in a snobby tone.

Hermione’s breath hitched as she felt two fingers rest upon her chin, then without any warming she found her head fiercely pushed upwards causing her to come face to face with Cornelius Fudge, the man who was going to force her out of school and into slavery. 

She took a moment to examine him. He was a plump and short man with short grey hair that Hermione suspected to be falling out due to old age; he had cold blue eyes that made Hermione want to shudder. His eyes were cold and dark- without a care for anyone or anything except his own wealth and fame.

“You don’t understand-” Dumbledore tried to argue.

“I’m afraid we do understand. Miss Granger is no longer considered human or witch. Furthermore, I should shut this school down right now,” Fudge yelled causing Hermione to wince, “In the past years you’ve done nothing but destroy the school! Honestly, you’ve hired Defense teachers who want to kill the students, and a Death Eater! You’ve let a monster run about in your school, and now you’ve hired Lockheart! We both know that man can’t even tie his shoes, let alone cast any spell right besides a memory charm!”

“Now, Cornelius, we’re not here to argue about if we’re going to close the school or not,” Dumbledore said calmly. “So how about we explain to Miss. Granger here what’s going to happen to her?”

“Why bother?” Fudge said with a sneer in his voice, “The young bright witch you told me about is dead, in her place is a freaky cat girl.”

Hermione winced as the tears finally fell freely down her face, she ignored the rest of the conversation; she simply allowed the tears to run down her face as she stared blankly at her clawed hands. Hermione couldn’t believe how fast everything had changed, only yesterday morning she had been happily eating breakfast with her two best friends and getting ready to put the finishing touches on the Polyjuice potion. But now...it had totally changed.

The Polyjuice potion had had a different effect on Hermione compared to Harry and Ron. Where her two friends had turned into the correct humans they had been aiming for Hermione had grabbed cat hair, she now knew it didn’t mix well with the Polyjuice potion.

“Now then, I’ll be taking this exotic pet with me,” Cornelius said smugly.

“But Cornelius,” Dumbledore tried again.

“That’s enough, Dumbledore! You’re on thin ice as it is. I’ll be sending over a ministry official to check over this school,” the minister said.

Dumbledore let out a deep and depressed sigh. Hermione gave a silent gulp as it finally sunk in that the Headmaster couldn’t save her this time. She no longer had any rights- she was going to spend the rest of her life as an animal. She was now just an exotic pet.