im.thelookshegavehiminreturnseemedtosaysheknewfullwellhehadn’tbeen.“iwas,”heinsisted,defensivetohersilentjudgement.

shemewedathimandhesighed.

“alright,alright,”hesaid,srathingbetweenherears.shehadbeenagiftfrommgonagall,andhelovedherdearly.hehadbeenslightlywaryofherbeingananimagus,asthemarkingsaroundhereyeslookedverymuhlikegsses,butmgonagallinsistedshewasjustaat,shehadmadesureofit.hewasonlyompletelyonvinedwhenhebeameananimagushimself,asherenergydidnotfeellikemgonagall’s.whenmgonagallhadtoldhimhernamewasharriet,draowassureitwassomerueljoke,buttherewasnohintofughterinmgonagall’seyes.shehadgivenhimabespetaledatnamedharrietandseeminglythoughtnothingofit.thoughhesupposedmostnormalpeoplewouldthinknothingofit.allthesame,hehadtakentoallingherpotter,asshewasjustashardheadedandrebellious.

“i’llletyouout,butplease,don’tbringanymiebak,”hepleadedwithher,throwinghislegsovertheedgeofthebed.

shehoppeddowninpursuitofhim,followinghimtotheholeinthewallthatbegantolikopenathistouh.shemeowedagain.

“imeanit,potter,nomieoryou’regrounded,”draoreplied,knowingthatevenifhedidn’tletherout,shewouldfindanotherway,bullyingthehouseelvesintolettingherthroughwhentheyametogatherhisdishes.

shemewledagaininresponse,soundingnoothreatened,anddashedoutintothehall.draolosedtheentraneagainanddraggedhimselfbaktobed.

whenhefinallyfesleep,hedreamtofpotter,stumblingoutoftheforbiddenforest,bloodiedandinthesamelotheshehadbeenwearinginthestbattle,whiledraowasononeofhisnightlywalksofthegrounds,onlythistimeasahuman.he