AN : We reached 200 ... ;)
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Headmaster's Office - (Monday Afternoon)
"Good afternoon, Harry," the aged headmaster greeted warmly as he entered the office. "Right on time, just as usual."
"Of course," he replied as he took his usual seat.
"Lemon drop?" the elderly wizard offered, holding out the silver bowl filled with yellow, teardrop-shaped candies.
"No thank you, Headmaster," he politely declined as he reached into his own robe pocket for his own selection of sweets before he carefully unwrapped the red packaging and tin foil, throwing the red cherry-flavoured sweet into his mouth.
"Cherry drop, Headmaster?" he offered with a grin as the headmaster's own lips twitched in amusement at his familiar offer being turned back on him.
"If you don't mind," the headmaster expressed with a distinct sparkle in his eye, his old bony fingers cupping the cherry drop before placing it in his mouth. "Hmm... that's rather nice," the headmaster noted.
"What is it you wished to see me about, Professor?" Harry enquired smoothly.
"I wanted to discuss several important things with you. As far as the rest of staff are concerned, I'm discussing your recent behaviour," the headmaster offered with a coy smile. "I have taken the liberty of rearranging your detention with Professor Flitwick this Saturday. Instead, you'll be serving your detention with me this upcoming Wednesday night, where we can spend the evening discussing the many mysteries of magic. I think you'd agree that that's a far more productive use of your time than writing lines."
He smiled at the good news. "Thank you, Headmaster," Harry expressed whilst at the same time wondering what the headmaster's game was.
"No problem, my boy," the headmaster casually remarked as Harry fought the urge to call him out on his inappropriate familiarity. "After all, it seems awfully wrong to punish you for achieving such an extraordinary feat of magic at such a young age, just like your father and godfather before you," Dumbledore expressed, his eyes sparkling. "To become an animagus at so young an age is almost unheard of."
"An animagus, Headmaster? You flatter me," Harry announced, playing for time whilst trying to work out how the elder wizard had found out so soon.
"There is no need to lie, Harry," the headmaster scolded lightly, with clear amusement lining his features. "You should be proud of your achievement; not many people achieve such an ability, let alone such an impressive creature as a tiger."
"How did you know?" Harry asked, realizing that he had been definitively found out if the man knew his form as well. He was caught, like a fish in a net, and it would be counterproductive at this point to continue denying it.
Smiling, he answered Harry's question. "Well, this past Christmas I helped to erect several new wards around the school. One of them was an animagus detection ward, supported by a secondary animagus identification ward, otherwise Professor McGonagall would set it off nightly," the headmaster offered with a smile.
"Naturally, I put an additional set of security wards over Ravenclaw Tower and further wards over your dorm room for added security, along with Gryffindor Tower. So when suddenly last night they triggered and, much to my surprise, they registered a tiger animagus in your room rather than a rat or a housecat, I naturally concluded it was you," he explained proudly to Harry with a smirk on his old smug lips.
"After all, your late father was one, so is your godfather; therefore, it was predictable you would learn the skill in time. I have to admit, though, I didn't expect it as a second year," the headmaster expressed with amusement. "I personally expect Professor McGonagall will be intensely quizzing you soon enough."
"Indeed," Harry confirmed with a hint of bitterness whilst giving the elder wizard a slight bow of his head, acknowledging the headmaster's deductive prowess. He silently cursed himself for failing to hide his new ability. Both his father and godfather had been able to keep the secret for years, but he had been found out in less than a fucking day. Of course, he realized that these new wards were the problem.
His father and godfather had not had to deal with that particular issue while still in school. His successful transition had also been rather sudden and unexpected as well. Nevertheless, he would need to expand his knowledge of wards to determine just what had been placed on his dorm room and work to prevent their information gathering.
"So tomorrow morning you will be escorted to the Ministry of Magic so that you can register, just as the law requires," the headmaster stated firmly. "After all, we don't want a repeat of what happened to your godfather. Either myself or Professor McGonagall will escort you." Harry realized that the headmaster was protecting his own ass.
"Wouldn't my own Head of House be more appropriate for such an escort?" Harry enquired, since this seemed like Professor Flitwick's job rather than Professor McGonagall's, whom he had easily identified as a hardcore Dumbledore worshipper and who was either blind or chose not to see the many failings and sins of the headmaster.
"Yes, he would be," the elder wizard stated as his hands folded across his lap. "But he has several lessons tomorrow morning, whilst Professor McGonagall doesn't. Plus, Minerva also happens to know the relevant Ministry procedures and paperwork involved," the headmaster listed with a kind-hearted smile.
He felt his anger stir at the headmaster as he realized the political game that was being played. With the well-known cat animagus escorting him through the Ministry, everyone would automatically assume that she had taught him the skill rather than the truth: that it was almost entirely self-taught.
People would also assume it was due to the prowess of a Hogwarts education rather than his own intense efforts, boosting the school's prestige as a byproduct of his hard work. He would be no one's pawn or means to take unearned credit to enhance their public image.
Perhaps an interview with Rita would work to ensure that no one thought Hogwarts had any part in his success? He'd have to think more on that. "Sirius will be escorting me," he stated, interrupting the headmaster's speech.
"He is my magical guardian; it is his responsibility to escort me outside school grounds, not the school's, not yours."
"Naturally," the Chief Warlock agreed with a laidback smile.
"Can I go now, Professor? I need to contact my godfather," Harry asked coldly, fighting to keep his emotions in check.
Smiling back at him before waving his old hand in dismissal, "Of course," the headmaster agreed, leaning back in his chair as Harry quickly rose from his seat. However, just before he could leave the office, the headmaster suddenly spoke up, "That will be 150 points to Ravenclaw House."
'At least that's something,' he mentally noted as he left the room to inform his godfather and research the current laws on being an animagus and its registration requirements, privately hoping the library could provide him with some positive answers. Who knows, there might be some alternate means of registration, either with the ICW or with another country that would suffice.
It would be unlikely for a foreign registration to be found out by his many enemies. Or there might be some loophole or privilege for a Lord or heir to exploit on that front. The point was, he just didn't know, but he'd do his best to find out.
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Great Hall (Dinner Time)
"Yes, Davis, I already got the detention changed to this Wednesday night; I'll be there Saturday morning despite what Chang's told you," Harry patiently explained to the Quidditch team captain, who seemed to calm down at the unexpected news.
"Good," Davis announced smugly, like he had just won an argument before walking away.
'Fucking idiot,' he mentally muttered as he sat back down at the Ravenclaw table next to his close friend, whilst sending a look over towards a red-faced Chang.
"How are you today?" he enquired, looking over towards Padma.
"I'm fine, thank you, Harry. What about you?" Padma asked as she enjoyed her evening meal.
Despite the headmaster finding out his secret, he was still in rather a good mood. After all, only the headmaster knew of it so far. "Rather good, thanks," he admitted with a sly grin. "Even with the detention and being called to the headmaster's office," she gave him a look of disapproval at this.
However, before Padma could reply, the harsh, accusing voice of Professor Snape cut through the air, immediately silencing the entire population of the Great Hall. "Headmaster! I demand to know how you can justify giving Ravenclaw House 150 points! I hope you're not playing favourites again like you did last year with Gryffindor," reminding all the houses of the previous school year's last-minute events in the awarding of the House Cup.
"Fuck me," Harry muttered, attracting some strange looks from the surrounding Ravenclaws as Padma gave him a sharp look.
"I'd also like to know, Albus. There's no reason why the points were awarded in the points log book," Professor McGonagall spoke sternly, taking her chance at getting some revenge for the previous year.
He watched as the headmaster silently stood up from his chair whilst fluttering his bright cyan robes. "Please calm down, my friends, the points are quite justified," the aged wizard seemingly explained to the entire hall, even if he was facing the deputy headmistress and his voice had absolutely no need to be so loud for her to hear with her so close.
"Really? Please enlighten us, Headmaster," Professor McGonagall pushed as he mentally groaned.
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