Alone

After the red clad House witnessed how harmless the doom was, thanks to the Bulgarian champion, they relaxed. They never felt threatened by the small, scrawny boy, knowing that he wouldn’t even have a snowball’s chance in hell against them so they felt calm while they bullied him time and time again. The other reason behind it was the fact that no one ever said or did anything against it, hell they could even bully the boy in front of teachers and still not get in trouble just like in the green-eyed wizard’s first and second year. Two years ago when the whole school turned against Potter none of the teachers gave any of them detention so they felt justified in their beliefs.

            The foreign students watched the host school’s students with mounting dread as their cockiness came back. For them it was clear that there will be a confrontation and who the winner will be. Fleur Delacour looked over at the Head Table where the teachers were, but none of Hogwarts’ professors’ reacted to the brewing clashing. She saw her own Headmistress give a slight shake of her head ordering her not to do anything making the part veela bristle with anger silently. She turned back to her table and the others around her could easily deduct what she found with only one glance at her face. They hoped they will have a little bit of time so they could get one of the teacher’s attention, but it was crushed when  one of the seventh years went up to the boy. He was tall, broad-shouldered and packed up with a great deal of muscles. The young had his wand in his hand pointing at the unsuspecting boy’s back. Before anyone could react the cocky 17 year old cast a spell.

            The delegations watched with fearful helplessness as it reached the shield, thinking it will slip through, but that wasn’t what happened. The same shield that let Krum’s hand in without any kind of fight was impenetrable for the spell. The electric doom absorbed the attack strengthening itself then struck the attacker with a strong bolt of lightning throwing him across the Hall to crash into a wall and fall to the floor.

The noises in the Great Hall stopped. Everyone present in the dining hall watched the aftermath of the accident with wide eyes and, in many cases, open mouthed too. The Ravenclaws looked on in interest, the Slytherins regarded him with respected awe, the Hufflepuffs saw the fourth year in a new light after his little display of power, while the Gryffindors, who were known for their bravery, jumped up from the table and backed away from the boy fearfully. The other three Houses’ members, the delegations and the professors didn’t understand why the students of the boisterous House seemed to be afraid of their famous Housemate. The only professor, who had any idea what could be the problem, was their own Head of House.

            Minerva McGonagall watched her House with her lips pressed together into a thin line and slitted eyes. With the happenings of last night still fresh in her mind she realized, that Potter had been left alone, with his House turning him away for something he didn’t even do. The betrayal was clearly in front of her and she has had enough. In the last three years she listened to Albus and didn’t do anything about her House turning against one of their own, but last night they stepped over a line, that even the worst Slytherin wouldn’t dare to cross, just like they wouldn’t turn against one of the other snakes.

            The Transfiguration Professor stood up suddenly pushing her chair back with a loud screech. Walking down the steps to her House’s table her angry forbidding look didn’t change one bit. The red clad students swallowed thickly upon seeing the anger directed at them instead of Potter. She hadn’t looked at them so angrily in all of their Hogwarts’ carrier. What happened next shocked the teaching staff who had gotten used of the Deputy Headmistress following Dumbledore’s orders whenever Harry Potter was involved, which meant she turns a blind eye on any and all kind of bullying the boy was subjected to. Seeing how she didn’t tell any of them as of yet what had happened yesterday it was no surprise. One backwards glance from her broke Madam Pomfrey out of her shocked state. The Mediwitch made her way over to the prone form of the bully, the quick waves of her wand indicated that she was already working. McGonagall turned back to her House and looked at all the scared and confused faces there was also some worry for McDugal’s health, but none of them looked even remotely guilty or remorseful, no that wasn’t true a handful of her Gryffindors was completely innocent. It saddened her that she could count the innocent ones together on her two hands and still have spare fingers. This whole situation was another rude wake up call for her. The boy’s situation was worse than she thought with only the Weasley twins, the Creevey brothers and Neville Longbottom not bullying him.

“I haven’t been this disgusted with my own House in all of my carrier as a Head of House!” spat the Transfiguration Professor. “So I’m going to discipline you all together bar the few, who wasn’t involved. The first and second years will all be in bed by 8:30 PM. From the third year up to seventh year you’re banned from going to Hogmeade. And finally no more desserts for any of you.” her words were followed with indignant shouts, but those stopped coming with her intensified glare falling on them. “Now I’m going to tell you whose, not included.” there she paused for a couple of moments to agitate them before going over the short list. “Dennis Creevey, Collin Creevey, Neville Longbottom, Fred Weasley, George Weasley and of course Harry Potter, seeing how he had been, who was attacked first and only defended himself.” the teacher’s words were followed by a short lived silence then the Great Hall filled with a great deal of sound as everyone talked about what just happened.

With the increasing volume Harry felt worse and worse. He never liked big crowds and now that many looked at him accusingly again he had no desire to stay in the Great Hall so he stood up silently and left the noise Dinning hall behind. His beloved owl was still in his arms. Never once did he let go of his first friend for fear of someone trying to hurt her again. His shoes clicking on the floor was the only real noise now and he relaxed along with his owl. The black haired boy slipped into a dark alcove and pulled the feathery body flush to his chest. He knew he will have to let go of Hedwig soon as his class will start, but he didn’t want to. Ever since he had gotten his beloved pet he had bonded with her so well and deep he was able to feel the emotions running through her and vice versa. Since the summer before his second year he had been able to understand what Hedwig said, but he never once told anyone so the others wouldn’t have leverage against him or go against his summer companion. His trust had always been an easily breakable thing he didn’t give to any one so that so many broke it and threw the shards into the wind without a care in the world shook him up making him even more tightly onto his owl.

As Harry was immersed in his hopelessness he didn’t realize that his magic was swirling and rearing around and inside him. Hedwig on the other hand felt it, but didn’t alert her master because she could tell it wouldn’t hurt her not now not ever.

What neither of them knew was the magic they didn’t acknowledge will give them new possibilities. The magic that came forth was the not too long ago freed one which now worked on granting its wielder’s wish. The magic concentrated around the snowy owl then slowly began to envelope her body filling every last fibre in her lithe body with her master’s magic. Once the owl was filled with more than enough magic her body began to change.

Harry’s formerly closed eyes snapped open the moment he felt his beloved pet’s body began morphing under his hands. Moving his snowy owl’s body slightly away so he could take a look at it he was shocked at seeing the beautiful turning into a cat. He held onto his owl turned cat in such deep shock he couldn’t move. In his arms where only moments ago he had his owl he now had a cat and just any cat. The feline had a beautiful snow white fur with a couple of black dots on her where she had in her original form.

“Hedwig?” called the green eyed boy softly. The cat opened her eyes revealing stunning green eyes just like his in her yellow avian eyes place. The young wizard cradled her close to his chest again with one arm and used the other to look her over. The soft nimble fingers looked her over from the top of her head to the end of her hind legs toes. She began to purr contentedly as that familiar hand gave her small soft pets and caresses. “I don’t know what happened, but it doesn’t seem to be a bad thing or at least you are in perfect health.” mumbled the youngster upon finding nothing.

~Of course there isn’t any trouble with me. Your magic would never hurt me.~ exclaimed Hedwig as she used her new body to cuddle as close to her wizard as she could.

Harry blinked at this a couple of times trying to comprehend the meaning of his owl’s words clearly. He analysed the two sentences for a whole minute then came to a conclusion. “You mean my magic would always keep you safe? Even from a spell I would shot in your way accidentally?”

~Yes.~ answered the feline while purring softly at the feel of warmth coming from her master. She never really had been able to use his body heath to warm her what with her bird body, but now her new form gave her the ability to do just that. She had wanted to do it for quite some time now. Her body basically melt under the soft touches bestowed upon her by her human. Her eyes closed and she fell into a deep sleep so easily that she didn’t even notice when they began to make their way towards the first class of the day which happened to be Charms.

The green eyed wizard walked with fast sure steps towards his classroom while at the same time he kept his owl,… well more like cat right now, in his arms steady. She seemed to soak up all the warmth and care he could offer so readily he was sure she had wanted to cuddle up to him like this for some time now. Walking up the marble stairs to the floor where his class will be held he made his way to the chair in the right back corner of the room where he could keep an eye on everyone for he never trusted the others since his first year where he had been bullied mercilessly for losing some points. After he sat down he turned his attention back to Hedwig who was snoozing peacefully. He thought about where to put her. He couldn’t put her in his bag because she could easily be kidnapped or injured if someone sent a hex at his bag or stole when he can’t do anything against it with all the others inside the classroom. So he laid her down on his lap pulled his cloak and pullover off then put his cloak back on. Using his pullover he made a soft makeshift cradle which he attached to his torso with the help of the sleeves then slowly so as to not wake her up he eased the feline’s body inside it while she was still swaddled in his scarf. Once he had her safely in his cradle he put spells on his cloak so his friend will have enough air, won’t be too warm or cold, wouldn’t hear the noise of the others but be able to hear him and last, but not least an invisible barrier to keep both of them safe. After he was done he looked up in time to see the others coming in and shooting hi mean and sometimes even murderous looks.

‘Great! It looks like I have a long day ahead of me. Oh joy!’