Furry Magic

Title: Furry Magic, chapter 88

Disclaimer. Darn it, they aren't mine...


Harry swallowed. He was nervous. He was still in shock over Lucius agreeing to let his godfather and Remus Lupin apparate into the Manor for the meeting. Lucius had not parted with Sirius on good terms during the last encounter. He resented the other man trying to take Harry from him and the pride. So, the king insisted on being there for this meeting, between wolf, wolf, and leopard.

Lucius still didn't trust the wolves. Especially when it came to the safety of his Chosen. Godfather or not. Harry, all a titter, happy to have support with him when his godfather arrived, and very happy it was Lucius, reluctantly agreed. Sirius had tried to enlist the help of his own king to take his godson away. And Tambyn took the further step of calling on the Seer's Council to get custody of the were-leopard, through legal means. The were-wolves would be here at any moment.

And Lucius was going to be at hand, in case there was any more funny business planned. Graeme had offered to be there, but Lucius had declined, trying to keep the gathering lower keyed, more peaceful. Less likely to explode into some confrontation. He hoped that would be possible. The volatile nature of the black wolf was a wild card, hard to predict. Having the quick to react Graeme there, in the audience room, ready to jump in and defend any slight, well, it wasn't too stabilizing an influence. So, just Lucius. With help only a quick call away.

Harry paced through the private audience room. Quivering with excitement and anticipation. He was eager to see both Sirius and Remus. He'd missed the teacher during the time he had not been studying at Hogwarts. And Sirius had long been traveling out of the country, only to return and learn Harry had been changed into a lycanthrope, but not a wolf. A feline. It had infuriated the other man. He had hoped to have Harry accepted into his own pack. But by the time Harry was of age, it was too late. He was a were-leopard. It took some serious, unstable magic to change that, and the magic had been refused. The Seers thought Harry was perfectly placed where he was.

Lucius watched his Chosen. The raven-haired boy was frantic with nerves, his cheeks flushed pink. Harry had begun sitting calmly by Lucius' side at the center of the couch, one shoulder brushing the older man's arm. He had started to fidget almost at once. He'd been quiet for about two minutes, then his leg started jumping and swinging. He plucked at his tunic hem, unraveling the edge of the silk.

Lucius read from the stack of scrolls he'd brought with him. Talking to Harry did not calm him, that usually required some kind of physical exertion, and right now sex was not the best option. Harry would be upset if his godfather walked into that kind of stress reduction, so Lucius remained quiet, letting Harry work off the excess nerves his own way. The young man fairly vibrated with energy that had no where to go.

Harry had progressed from swinging his leg, to fidgeting, to standing, and shifting foot to foot, to walking. Now he was pacing. He was rubbing damp palms on his robes, the loose trousers and tunic not inhibiting him at all, billowing out as he turned and paced, paced and turned. He nibbled on his already short fingernails.

They were waiting for Sirius and Remus just under ten minutes when Lucius felt the change in the air and looked up. Harry, still pacing, was doing it with a lashing, long, darkly furred tail. The extremity twitched and waved behind him, quivering, and Harry paid no attention to it at all. In fact, Lucius would lay bets that his Chosen had no idea he was now sporting a tail. Lucius sighed. He knew this was not how Harry wanted to meet the wolves, as a cat. But once the process started, the youth was not too gifted at reversing it, until he had gone to the entirely furry stage.

Lucius hoped that Sirius was not going to be much longer. He let the scrolls fall into his lap and watched the youth pacing restlessly. The enticing tail and delightfully pert bum twitching under the fine silk, made for enjoyable watching. Harry was muttering to himself, twining his hands, wringing them, as he waited. He bit his lip, and Lucius had a nearly impossible urge to overcome, putting his own mouth there.

The ears were next to go, just as Lucius had learned to expect. The young man had never found it easy to retain his human ears once the change began. This time Lucius watched as the two small human ears morphed into two large, mobile, triangular ones, nice and furry, also twitching, front and back, back and front, alternately flattening to his skull and lifting to point alertly forward. Again Harry seemed unaware of the change.

The click, click, click of claws drew Lucius' gaze to the floor, and the big fluffy paws that had by now, substituted for Harry's bare feet. Half-extended claws, rapped on the floor with each step, faster and faster, tick, tick tick, as Harry never slowed, rather he increased his pace.

Lucius let the scrolls fall off to one side of the couch and concentrated his entire attention on the youth, he raised his brows as, with a sproing!, the long, stiff, black whiskers sprouted one bristling group to each side of Harry's very human nose.

Finally, Harry noticed, stopping and raising his hands to his face. He poked himself in the nose with a sharp claw. Then his hands flew up to his ears, fingering them, two large fuzzy triangles, and then waved his tail into view, craning over his shoulder, frowning. Then he extended out a hind paw and wiggled the kitty-toes. He pouted, opening his mouth experimentally he tried to speak, succeeding in producing a tentative rowl. He sighed, licking his lips nervously...with what was a rough, sinuous, feline tongue.

Harry let out a moan of protest, stamping a paw. He couldn't even speak! His godfather was coming to visit and now he was not able to talk to him! He let out another tentative mewl, his eyes going over to Lucius and begging him silently for help.

The king sat with all his attention focused on his Chosen, waiting to see what his beautiful, half feline mate would do next. Harry's expression grew thunderous, his lip pushed out, and he yowled. Lucius braced himself for what was sure to happen next.

Harry sprang. He easily covered the dozen feet that was between them. Landing in Lucius' lap and yowling his distress. Lucius petted him, stroking the luxurious fur. Digging his strong fingers into the kitten's growing ruff, as Harry continued to change forms. Emerald eyes glittered, frantic, anxious, Lucius murmured soothing sounds, purred, nuzzled and stroked the distressed young-ling.

It seemed that Sirius and Remus were going to have to make do, at least for a while, with a kitten.

ne'ichan
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