Adult-FanFiction.org : Harry Potter

Vulpes	By : Relevant_Peach Category: Harry Potter > Slash - Male/Male Views: 8816 -:- Recommendations : 1 -:- Currently Reading : 1
Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter or any of the characters described here. I make no money from this work.

Chapter List
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Upon return to the castle, Severus and Albus found Minerva in her room, reviewing student timetables and muttering under her breath. As they entered the room, she looked up hopefully, only for her face to fall when she saw that there were only two of them. “Oh” she said softly. “He wasn’t there either?”

“We have reason to believe that Harry is within the castle. Minerva, what can you tell us of the Animagus charm?”

Minerva gasped. “You think Harry’s become an Animagus? I suppose it’s not out of the question…after all, his father…but it’s very complicated. What do you suppose…”. Minerva seemed to be thinking out loud, because her words provided nothing of value to Severus.

“Perhaps you could finish one sentence before starting another?” He suggested mildly.

“Oh hush. As I was saying” she continued with a half-hearted glare in Severus’ direction. “it’s entirely possible that Harry is strong enough, magically, to perform the charm. Usually, taking one’s Animagus form is something done with support from a Mentor. Otherwise, there’s the risk that someone could transform, but be unable to determine how to transform back. If Harry were learning this on his own, he may have become stuck in his animal form…” she trailed off, looking in the direction of the fireplace, where a snoozing fox was curled in a tiny ball. “Oh Harry” she said, in the mixture of affection and aggravation that Severus had been hearing for the past six years. “Harry” she said sharply, quite loudly, causing the two men to jump a little. The fox sat rigidly upright and looked at her keenly. “Harry Potter”. The fox’s head tilted at this and he rose and nimbly stepped over to her, watching her closely, before turning back to the fire and laying back down.

“That doesn’t seem exactly promising” Albus remarked.

“No, it’s worrisome. I think we can safely say that this fox is indeed our missing young man. But if he’s been in his animagus form for a number of days, it becomes problematic”

“How so?” Severus wondered. He’d always been curious about the Animagus spell, but his current workload, with Masters Dark and Light, didn’t allow him the time required to study it properly.

“When one transforms into an animal self, the thought process is very different. Simpler. The animal is capable of awareness, holds memory of who they are, but it’s secondary to instinct. The longer one stays in animal form, the less likely they are to utilize his human thought processes. If I had been guiding Mister Potter on the day he managed his transformation, his human mind could have listened to, and understood, my instructions on how to transform back. Now, three weeks later, it’s likely that he’s operating primarily on animal instinct. He doesn’t have the ability to register what I might say to him”

“It’s arguable that he’s never possessed that ability” Severus murmured, sotto voce.

Albus gave him a sharp look. “Try to be constructive, Severus. Minerva, can anything be done?”

“He’ll need to be continuously reoriented to human pursuits. He should stay within the castle, sleep in a bed, be encouraged to eat from a plate. I don’t think that these things will improve anything, mind you, but it might slow his instincts from taking over completely.”

Severus was deep in thought. “What about the Mandrake Restorative Draught?” He asked suddenly. “It’s used to reverse petrification, as you know, but I recall reading something about a modified version used to reverse other sorts of transformations. I’ll need to do more research”

“Excellent” Dumbledore looked delighted.

“But what about Harry? In the meantime, he’ll need to have someone taking care of him”

“He seems to enjoy spending time in the dungeons” Albus began, but Severus glared at him.

“Absolutely not. I will not be a babysitter, Albus. I refuse. Minerva, certainly you-“

“Severus, he’s already bonded to you. It would take far too long to entice him to bond with me. Surely he’s tolerable in his current form?” Minerva fondly smiled at the fox.

Severus wanted to punch something, or to cast the strongest Reducto he could on Minerva’s tartan tea set. Instead, he sighed, cast a long-suffering look of pain at his two colleagues and said “Come, Potter”. The fox cocked his head at Severus’ voice, and padded over quickly, standing close to Severus’ robes. If Severus slammed the door to Minerva’s study on his way out, well, it couldn’t be helped.

Severus immediately pulled down an ancient-looking herbology book, as well as a number of back issues of Potions Monthly. He knew he’d read the article recently. The fox had been watching him during this endeavour, but, satisfied that he wasn’t going to feed him, or stroke him, had settled in an armchair. Severus was about to hiss at him to get off the furniture when he remembered that Minerva had said he needed to continue to be reoriented to people behaviour. Not that he behaved much like a human before, he smirked to himself.

As he went to bed that night, he noticed that Harry was comfortably still asleep in the armchair. He wasn’t sure what prompted him to accio a blanket from the linens store and cover him, but the fox huffed appreciatively, and buried his nose under the cover.

It was nearly dinnertime the next day when Severus found what he was looking for. In between classes, he’d been scouring his research materials, and finally found it: a modified Restorative Draught that would reverse transformations and restore someone to their original form. The issue lay in the specific timing involved. While the Draught used to restore someone who’d been petrified required adult Mandrakes, this potion required the Mandrakes to be adolescents. It was time to visit Pomona. “Harry” Severus called sharply. “Come”. The little fox looked up eagerly. He’d woken from his nap about an hour ago, and had been gambolling about Severus’ quarters since then. After he’d knocked an expensive set of scales from his bookshelf, Severus had transfigured a bouncy ball out of a piece of parchment, and Harry had amused himself chasing it around. He’d been delighted when Severus had thrown it for him, and Severus was unsure whether the game had been encouraging Harry to be more human or more fox-like. He vowed to ask Rolanda for a training snitch. Severus pinched the bridge of his nose and, not for the first time, questioned the type of world he lived in, where he was encouraging James Potter’s son to pursue his Quidditch obsession.

Pomona was wrestling with the Venomous Tentacula when Severus and Harry arrived in Greenhouse Eight. Literally. After he’d managed to free the plump little witch from the plant’s clutches, he explained the situation, and mentioned that he’d need three sturdy adolescent Mandrake plants. “Oh dear” she said. “The Mandrakes suffered from root rot over the summer. I lost the whole lot of them. I’ve planted more, but they’re just babies still. It will be at least three weeks, Severus”

Severus took a deep, calming breath, followed by another. “Why” he asked quietly “Do we have such a hard time keeping Mandrakes around this school? Considering that this isn’t the first time we’ve needed a restorative draught”

“It’s not like I’m not trying” Pomona snapped defensively. “Tell Albus that I need a better irrigation system. It’s too much work for one person, Severus. Besides” she shot back. “Why don’t you have restorative draughts brewed and ready at all times?”

“I apologize” he replied, placing a calming hand on his colleague’s arm. “I am overwrought from having the Chosen Fox living in my quarters. I did not mean to take it out on you”

“He’s a cute little thing” she observed bemusedly, watching Harry stalk down the aisles after a frog. Getting closer, he paused, his rear in the air, tail twitching in anticipation. As he pounced, the frog croaked in alarm, and hopped speedily away, Harry in hot pursuit.

“He’s more tolerable than in his human form” Severus allowed. The frog disappeared under a potting bench and Severus heard the faint sound of clay pots shattering on the floor. “Duty calls” he sighed and made his way in search of his errant charge.

After managing to coerce the fox away from the frog and outside again, Severus headed off towards the Quidditch pitch. Rolanda was likely to be there, making her way through the annual service of the school brooms. They’d nearly made it when Harry disrupted a vole from its slumber. It squeaked in surprise, and set off across the open field. Again, Harry gave chase, and Severus shouted his name in alarm. Harry was alight with the joy of the pursuit, however, and didn’t give Severus a single glance as he sped off after the creature.

Severus had begun aiming an arresto momentum when the sound of a cry from overhead chilled his blood. High in the clouds was an enormous Golden Eagle. It spotted Harry and wheeled into a dive so quickly Severus’ breath caught. If it hadn’t been about to kill and eat the Saviour of the Wizarding World, it would have been beautiful. As it was, Severus watched, horror struck, as the Eagle sped towards Harry. The young fox froze as the shadow passed over him, and slunk into the grass. He was wide open, with no place to hide. Severus cast stunners at the winged creature as quickly as he could, but the bird was incredibly fast, and it took Severus some time to adjust his aim for its speed.

Frantic, Severus continued to cast, hoping that a shield charm would work on a non-magical creature. It woudn’t, it turned out. The bird swept over Harry, seized him in its razorsharp talons and flapped enormous wings, carrying Harry off into the sky. Sweating, heart pounding, Severus took a breath, aimed, cast a desperate prayer to Merlin and Morgana and anyone else who might be listening, and just as the bird was nearly out of spellshot, landed a stunning spell. The effect on the bird was instantaneous, and it released its grip on Harry immediately. Despite his frantic cushioning spells, the little fox hit the ground hard, and was still.

“I’m sorry Lily” Severus whispered, throat tight as he raced across the field to where the little animal lay. As he reached Harry’s side, he took a calming breath, and examined the damage. Harry’s breath was coming fast, shallow little pants that made Severus’ own breath hitch. Harry’s eyes were glazed and pain-filled, and the puncture marks from the Eagle’s talons were steadily leaking blood. “Harry” Severus whispered. “Be calm. I have you, and I’ll take care of you.”

He sent his Patronus to Poppy, and gathered the tiny creature into his arms. The fox looked at him trustingly, green eyes dark with pain and fear. He shushed it comfortingly, and walked as quickly as he could without jarring the creature, headed towards the Hospital Wing.

Poppy shouted in alarm when he arrived with the bleeding fox. “Professor Snape! This is a hospital”

Severus cast a quick eye around the ward, to ensure that no students were present. “This is a student” he said quietly.

“Which student?” She asked suspiciously.

“Which student do you think?” He asked, voice a little despairing.

“Put him in his usual bed. And call Hagrid. I don’t know how to care for foxes”

Severus did so, and the Matron bustled about, casting diagnostic scans. “I have no idea whether his heart rate and breathing are normal, but it seems whatever cut him up managed to miss his organs” she muttered. “He’s broken a leg though.”

“Can we give Skele-grow to foxes?” Severus wondered aloud.

“I’m sure I don’t know” she answered in frustration. “Where is that giant? Just once” she ranted, summoning a basin and cloths “I’d like to get through the first week of school without having to deal with one of Harry Potter’s antics”

“I know the feeling” Severus replied, just as, from the doorway, he heard the sound of a gasp.

“Harry Potter?” It was Granger, her red-headed counterpart in tow. “That’s Harry? You found him?”

“He found us” Severus answered. “But he’s been hurt”

“Oh Harry” Granger said softly. “Honestly. Why is he a fox, exactly?”

“It seems that Mister Potter has been working on his Animagus abilities.”

Severus was mid-way through the story when the door flew open with a bang, and Hagrid came crashing in. “Harry!” He cried, his voice thick, as though he’d been crying. Severus supposed he likely had. Big Baby, he thought scornfully. “Let me through!” Hagrid was pushing past Weasley and Granger as though his own child lay dead on the ground. Miss Granger, in particular, flew rather pertly against a wall, Severus noticed, hastily hiding his glee. The giant knelt against the cot, enormous hand stroking the fox’s fur gently. “Poor little tyke” he murmured. “Don’ worry, Harry. We’ll get you fixed up, the Professor and I”

Between Madame Pomphrey and Hagrid, they determined that Harry was likely not gravely injured. Hagrid suggested some poutices that would aid in healing, and Poppy cast a strengthening spell for Harry’s heart. By the time curfew had rolled around, the fox had been released to Severus’ care. Granger and Weasley were sworn to secrecy: It would do no good for any Death Eater’s child to realize that Harry was a relatively defensive injured fox. Severus carried the little bundle back to his chambers. The fox lay still and quiet in his arms.

As he sat by the fire, somehow unable to set Harry down, he stroked his soft fur. Harry had been sleeping during the entire journey from the Hospital Wing, but now the green eyes opened and regarded him thoughtfully. Severus stared back at the little creature, wondering what sort of fox thoughts Harry was having. The moment stretched on, fox and man gazing at one another. “I’m sorry I didn’t keep you safe” Severus whispered softly. Harry blinked in surprise at the voice that had broken the silent exchange of gazes, but he didn’t stop looking into Severus’ eyes. Finally, Harry seemed to realize that the hand stroking his back had stopped moving. He wriggled a little, finally nudging Severus’ hand with his pointed, cold nose. Realizing, Severus found himself smiling as he stroked the fox from nose to tail. Making a happy chirruping noise, Harry settled into Severus’ lap as though there were no place he’d rather be.

“Why didn’t you tell anyone that your family was mistreating you?” Severus asked him, rubbing behind the velvety ears. “Did you think that no one would help you?” His guilt had reached a breaking point, and Severus was deeply ashamed that he’d been one of many who had harmed Lily’s boy. “I’ll keep you safe going forward, Harry” he whispered.

That night, after Severus had changed Harry's dressings, he gathered several soft blankets and placed them by the fire for Harry to sleep in. Harry regarded them suspiciously. “Go on” Severus encouraged. “You need to be comfortable while you’re recovering.” Harry sniffed the blankets. One of them was one that Severus himself used while stealing a few moments of rest on his sofa. He noticed that Harry buried himself into that one. It was a very comfortable blanket.

Severus got beneath the covers of his own bed, and sleep overtook him almost immediately. It was some hours later that he awoke with a start, instinctively grabbing his wand. As his eyes struggled to adjust to the dark, he heard a tiny noise. Freezing, his panicked eyes followed the noise to the floor beside his bed. As awareness began to flood him, he cast lumos, relieved that he’d not been awoken by red snakelike eyes, aware of his betrayal. Sitting patiently on the floor beside his bed, was Harry. He was breathing fast, as though the effort to leave his comfy bed by the fire had been too much exertion.

“What do you need, Potter?” Severus snapped, the adrenaline of his fright still coursing through his veins. The green eyes that met his were beseeching, and it didn’t take much to realize what he was asking. Severus sighed. “No” he said firmly. “It’s inappropriate enough to have you in my quarters at all. And I don’t share my bed, not even with the Chosen One.”

Harry’s head tilted, as though he was trying to understand. “Go” Severus ordered. “Get back to your bed”. It was the middle of the night, and he was arguing with a fox about whether it could sleep in his bed. Not for the first time, Severus strung together in his head the foulest curse words he could think of, projecting his hate onto Albus. Why did the Headmaster always put him in situations like these? What had his life become? With a roar of fury, Severus leapt from the bed, startling Harry, and causing him to skitter away, only to collapse to the floor with a cry of pain. Despite all appearances to the contrary, Severus wasn’t a cruel man, and he instantly felt guilty for allowing his charge to come to harm, again. He hastened to the little fox’s side, examining him for additional injury. When it became evident that Harry wasn’t further injured, just feeling the effects of a traumatic day, he felt relief wash over him like a warm shower.

“Alright” he said soothingly. “I’m sorry, Potter. I can’t begin to imagine what’s prompted you to want to sleep here, but I’m too tired, and too far down this mad rabbit hole to spend any further time arguing with you. Let’s just get some sleep”. He picked up the little animal, and gently carried him into his bed.

When he awoke the following morning, the fox was curled as tightly into his side as was possible. Hoping, rather too late, that the creature didn’t have fleas, he quickly exited the bed, his sense of propriety injured at cuddling with Harry Potter. His hasty leap from the mattress woke the fox who blinked stupidly (Severus told himself firmly that it wasn’t adorable) before languidly stretching and shaking his fur out. With a happy chirp, he bounced across the bed. Seeming to enjoy the way the mattress propelled him, he proceeded to leap across the bed in the opposite direction before burrowing under the covers. A tiny nose peeped out from the blanket on the the opposite side of the bed. Severus tapped his foot impatiently. “Feeling better?” he drawled in pseudo-annoyance. In truth, his relief that he hadn’t managed to get the Chosen One killed by an eagle made him feel much more indulgent to the fox’s antics. That is, until the fox spied his tapping foot, and pounced on it, sharp teeth sinking into the tender flesh of his ankle. “That will do!” He howled, picking the fox up by the scruff of the neck and carrying him into the sitting room, wondering idly whether his professor counterparts in the Muggle world were often were bitten by their students.
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