AN: Sorry this has taken so long. I have had a hospital stay and have had to have a lot of physical therapy and drugs that make it hard to concentrate and be creative. Not sure how often I will be able to update for a while but I don't want to stop writing. Once again, Sorry.

Chapter 3: Shadow Pride

First thing in the morning, all the women currently residing at the Potter Battlements rushed to the nursery. They all needed to ensure their little girl was okay and hoped to find her back to normal. What they found was five shadow panther cubs playing with each other and chasing each other around the room.

Man was it a sight to behold too! Five new shadow cubs learning how to run and use their claws and jump and bite and chase things! The poor house elves didn't know where to turn! They could hear Skeet saying "Ms. Nymphy, you can't be climbing the drapings! Master! Her tail is not a chew toy! Ms. Daffy, yous needing to not be pottying in the plant! Ms Flower and Suzy not be scratchings up the wood!"

The women all looked at each other and roared with laughter at the sight of the frantic little elf trying to herd cats. Then they sobered up quickly thinking that this was going to be their problem quick if they didn't get it under control and fast. The next thought was how the little elf was able to tell the girls apart? Harry was easy. He was bigger by a head and had shadow flames running down his back where the girls did not. But the girls were all the same size and shape, so how were they differentiated? As they looked closer, they saw the eyes of their girls in the eyes of the cubs. Fleur's were as deep and blue as the ocean. Daphne's eyes were more like an ice blue. There was no mistaking the two different color blue eyes there. Susan's eyes were green. Nym's eyes were in a constant flux depending on here mood in her shadow panther form. That was the transfer from her metamorphmagus abilities; in human it was her hair; in panther it was her eyes.

As each mother tried to scoop up her baby girl, they all scurried away and slid into a shadow to disappear. At first they all freaked out thinking the kids were somehow stolen by black magic. Then heads began to appear from out of the shadows where there was nothing to hide behind except the shadow itself. The mothers begged and pleaded with the little cubs to come out so they could go get some good food and milk. The only one that didn't come out was Harry. He was too scared of these new adults. All his life adults had only brought him pain and misery so he didn't trust them. They hit you and yelled at you and made you work without much to eat or drink. The mothers tried and tried to get him to come and even treated him like a little cat and tried to trap him and lunge at him to get him thinking they were quicker and smarter. But Harry would just retreat into a shadow and be safe.

Finally, Appoline decided to ask the girls if they could coax him out. They told him to let him know it was safe and he would get food and drink. That no one would hurt him anymore.

Fleur looked at her mother and understood what she wanted. She padded over to where Harry was hiding and nuzzled her face into his showing him her affection. Then she thought about what she wanted to tell Harry and how to best tell him; but an amazing thing happened! The images started flowing from her mind into the mind of Harry and the others and the feeling of safety, warmth, home, comfort, and love was passed to each other. It was something totally new to all of them and it made all of them stop what they were doing. They all looked at each other as if to say, "Did that just happen?" and then got the feeling of uncertainty from each other. Then, just to confirm what she did, Fleur sent the same message of safety, warmth, home, comfort, and love to Harry and the others. That was enough to bring Harry from his hiding place.

Amelia decided to ask the simple question, "Kids, do you know how or can you turn back into the little boy and girls you normally are?"

They all looked at each other and one by one the girls each made the transition back into a little girl, albeit a very naked little girl since they didn't even think to transform back with cloths on. Then they noticed Harry start to try to slink into s shadow.

"Please, Harry? Will you come out and play with us? As a boy? We haven't seen you or played with you as a little boy yet. I bet we could have loads of fun?" Nym pleaded. The rest of the girls nodded their heads in agreement.

Slowly Harry crept back into the light. He gave a big cat sigh and transformed into a little boy. Nym and Fleur crept forward and took his hands and led him to the dining area for breakfast where they seated him between themselves with the other girls across from him so they could see him. The rest of the mothers set down around their children serving up food to their children and Harry while gently trying to talk to Harry.

It didn't work at first, but he started to respond little by little. He started with shrugs or nods. Then moved up to "Yes, Ma'am." Or "No, Ma'am."

It was more that they could hope for from someone they suspected was abused. The ladies hoped the girls could heal some of the damage done to him, but only time would tell.

After breakfast, they decided to take a tour of the house and grounds led by Mimzy, the another house elf of House Potter. She showed them the dungeon where the potions lab, dueling room, and prison cells were located. Then the first floor where the common rooms where like the kitchen, dining room, ball room, library, sitting room, entrance hall and receiving room, and finally the office. The second floor held the guest rooms with attached bath suite and living quarters. The third floor was for the master suite, nursery, family rooms, and another entrance to the library's third floor entrance. There was a second floor entrance to the library, but it was only revealed to those trusted entrance to the Potter library.

Things were tense, sad, a little fearful of the unknown, but very happy to have found their friend's little boy and have him safe. They were only too happy to take care of him.

The rest of the adults needed to return to their lives but new that things needed to change. Veela were not looked upon as people here in Britain. They were only half-breeds. The discussion was had as to whether or not to send the kids to Buxbattons when the time came for school so they would not be separated from each other. Eventually it was agreed upon that the children would all attend Buxbattons.

Harry and the girls enjoyed each other's company and grew as a group, almost like a pride of lions would except Harry didn't let his lionesses do all the work! They were often seen roaming the grounds and forest in their different forms but always together and always making sure the others were safe.

They grew up closer than siblings knowing they were fated to be wed, yet not worried about it because they were bound together already closer than any vow could make them. They physical stuff would come later when they were ready for it.