The Beast Within

This deranged little episode was inspired by a passage from Fawn's Fang's excellent fic In Care Of, in which Snape proposes to experiment with an Animagus potion. The quote from In Care Of serves as an introduction for this fic, and is in italics. It is reproduced and used with Fawn's Fang's permission, and all my thanks. The rest of the story is mine and follows its own entirely separate plotline.

I rewrote the ending following a nagging suspicion that I have somewhere read a story which finished pretty much exactly the way I'd originally written it. I can't remember anything else about that particular piece and humbly apologise to its writer. The end as it now stands I am pretty sure is my own.

Disclaimer: I don't own the characters, or In Care Of, I've just borrowed them for my own nefarious purposes.

Enjoy!

Albus Dumbledore had been very serious when Snape first proposed the plan.

"You do realize, my boy, that this is a very risky procedure," he gently reminded his former student. "Besides the illegality of the thing, which is not to be overlooked should the Ministry get wind of it, there is much that can go wrong."

"I am prepared," Snape replied calmly. His black eyes, as usual, gave nothing away.

Dumbledore's piercing blue ones were more open.

"Remember, too, Severus, that the risk may be for naught in the end," he added. "You cannot choose the form your animagus self will take. If, therefore, the result is something along the lines of, say, a Tibetan yak, you will have undergone the danger for a result that will – forgive me – be of very little use for clandestine activities."

"We can only try," Snape had replied, his black eyes glittering strangely. And without further ado he had downed the smoking potion at a single go. There had been something almost fatalistic in his look that troubled the older wizard, but there was no going back now.

A little while later…

"Ah, Severus. I see the transformation was successful…"

"…"

"Yes, well, we did know something like that might happen. Though I must say you cut a rather impressive figure. A Spanish bull, no less! I wasn't that far off the mark after all, though I must admit this is much more you than a yak. That combination of striking black looks, sharp horns and a vile temper… Not to mention an aversion to the colour red… And a tendency to ruminate over things…"

"… Mrrrrreeeeuuh…"

"Were you attempting to snarl, Severus? May I suggest you keep this for your human form. It looked a bit lopsided and rather endearing… Not, I suspect, the effect you were aiming for."

"Mhhh…"

"No, I'm afraid you will not be much use to the Order in this form. I do agree that a Spanish bull might look a tad incongruous on the grounds of Malfoy Manor. However, it would be a unique opportunity to find out just how fast the Dark Lord and his followers can run. I find myself sorely tempted."

"Mrreuuuh?"

"Absolutely not. You cannot stay here in this condition. I do not wish to have to explain to anyone why there is a bull in Professor Snape's office… in Professor Snape's absence. Do you?"

"…"

"I thought so. Well, in the circumstances, I do believe that the best thing to do is to surrender you to Hagrid's care until the potion wears off."

"Maaaaoooooeuhhh!!!"

"Now, now, Severus, there is no need to be rude about this. Hagrid will take good care of you, I'm sure. No, don't interrupt. We cannot Apparate, so I shall have to Levitate you down the stairs, I'm afraid."

"Mooohhh…"

"People will stare? Severus, I have great experience of group dynamics. People tend to take their cue from their leader. If I, who am the leader of the Hogwarts group, act nonchalant and natural about wafting a huge black bull down the school stairs, then everyone who sees us will automatically tend to think of it as no big deal. You see? Problem solved."

"Mehh."

"That is quite enough. I am old, yes. I am certainly not stupid, and as for goat, well, I'm not the one sporting horns right now. Speaking of horns, will you please stop banging your head against the wall, your… appendages are pitting the stone.

… Let's get ready.

Oh, before I forget: Gryffindor students – or anyone wearing red, for that matter - are strictly out of bounds. And remember, Severus: act nonchalant.

Now concentrate. On the count of three. One, two…"

"Well, that went rather well, wouldn't you say?

"Mrraraeuuuhh."

"Must you be so negative? We only missed two turns –

"Mooeehhh!!!"

"Severus, you exaggerate. You did not ricochet against the walls. Bounced off them a little bit, perhaps, and as for being upside down, yes, well, your bulk was somewhat more difficult to control than I thought. All the same –"

"Mehhh…"

"Must you keep interrupting? As I was saying, I thought you controlled that skid at the end rather skilfully. Shame about the tapestry, of course, and Argus won't be too happy about the mess-"

"Mooooohhhh."

"Yes, I am sorry about your headache. I did get a tad distracted by Peeves, but surely you can't have been going that fast, and that suit of armour must have softened the shock somewhat. We'll ask Hagrid for a nice cool compress and you'll be fine in no time at all.

Now if you're quite finished, please be so kind as to get up. I am most certainly not carrying you all the way to Hagrid's hut."

"…"

"… Do try to walk in a straight line, Severus. You are setting a dreadful example for the students, concussion or not."

"Hello, Professor! Fine figure of a bull you' got there. Spanish, eh? Want me te look after him fer ye?"

"Hello, Hagrid. Would you mind? It should only be for a few hours, at the most. He's –erm- a bit unwell, I'm afraid. Do you think you can help him? Without magic, I must add."

"No problem, Professor. He does look a bit wobbly on his legs, poor fella. An' he looks all sweated up, an' – is that plaster dust on his flanks? An' ye'll think me silly, Professor, but that looks like cobwebs on his hooves. I hope ye don' mind me asking, but how'd that happen?"

"Meuuahhhh!"

"Easy there, fella! Mind those horns, Professor, they're sharp. Seems to be 'aving a grudge, he does. Funny."

"Yes, I really can't think why – Ow! That hurt, you know!"

"Moooohhhh!!!

"Now, now, fella, that was a bit low, wasn't it? Professor Dumbledore needs to be able to sit down, ye know, fer his work an' all. Off ye go, Professor, I'll make sure he's OK. Anythin' happens I'll let ye know."

"We are both deeply grateful for your kindness, Hagrid. I'll see you later."

"Bye, Professor."

"We'll start off with jus' a bit o' cold water over ye, cool ye down and clean ye up a bit… No, none o' that with me, lad. Skittish, aren't ye?"

"Mooooaahhhh!!"

"Now that was rude, that was. Let me take that rag off yer neck… Looks like a bit o' tapestry from the castle, that does… Though it can' be… There, fella. Feelin' better already, I bet. I told ye keep yer horns away from me… Ouch! That does it. I don' like doin' it, but it's fer yer own good as well as mine, an' Professor Dumbledore oughta understand that. Now stand still if ye don' want this te hurt more'n it has to. There.... Steady, lad. All done. Wasn't too bad, now, was it?"

"Meeeeehh!!!"

"An' stop havin' a go! You've a nasty temper on ye, an' no mistake. Now let's take you over out back, plenty o' nice fresh grass fer ye. Come on, now, I don' wanna have te tug ye along… Oh, I forgot… Ye stay here, lad, I've got te have a word with the Professor. He's no' gone too far yet, I'll jus' catch up with him."

"… Ohe, Professor… Professor Dumbledore!!!"

"Yes, Hagrid, what is it?"

"Sorry, Professor, I meant to ask, about yer bull: what's his name?"

"… Severus."

"…"

"…"

"…"

"…"

"…Righ'."

"…"

"…"

"… Was there anything else, Hagrid?"

"…"

"…Nothin', Professor. Nothin' at all. It's just… He won't be needin' the nose ring, then. Bein' a Professor an' all. I'll – I'll just go take it off of him."

"… You do that, Hagrid. You do that."

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