The following days were rather fast paced even for Harry and his new schedule he had taken to running laps around the house as a substitute for the park, and it was working adequately. The animagus potion was brewing and he had Dobby to remind him when anything needed to be done to it over the next two months. The two months gave him just enough time to finish the potion, the timing meaning it would be ready two days before school started.

He was especially enjoying the time with Neville, every other day from Monday to Friday Neville had come round and they had started to work in the greenhouses. Though ecstatic to be invited, Neville was still rather shy, and it took until the Friday for him to really open up, but they were getting along surprisingly well, and Neville was of course in his element when it came to the greenhouses.

He had been here a week and had heard from Hagrid, Ginny and Ron, all were doing well, as were Kali and Samson, which Ginny was only too happy to hear. She was rather frustrated to be getting the information second hand but was making the best of it. She also confirmed that she had indeed written to Bill and was nervously awaiting his response. Both her and Ron did have some very good news though, that they were going to Egypt to visit Bill since the Weasleys had won a thousand galleons. Harry couldn't be happier. The Weasleys deserved a holiday and being closer to Bill could only help Ginny.

He had taken the day off, Edward had advised him too, said it did him no good to sit inside most of the day he hadn't properly explored yet and at Harry's suggestion he look at the library it was forcefully suggested that he wander the grounds. By this point Harry had explained his history in greater detail and though fiercely proud of his multi-great grandson he had repeatedly stated that while the desire to learn seemed prudent given the circumstances, it does no good to study to the detriment of all else. It reminded Harry of the look he got from Kalcon and Professor McGonagall when he suggested concentrating solely on defence. If that wasn't enough Edward then suggested that if he liked to fly as much as it seemed why hadn't he used the broomstick here yet. Harry relented immediately as the thought of flying took hold.

He was in the air for two hours before he thought about food and after lunch he wandered out to the forest at the back corner of the property. He had always loved trees. It might have had something to do with the cupboard but the idea of the great outdoors was wonderful. Of course the incident with Aragog was in a forest but then that was where he met Kali so it was a case swings and roundabouts really. He was following the route of the stream thinking of Kali and Samson. He really would have to write to Hagrid when he got back. He was shaken from his thoughts when the trees opened up into a clearing and a small lake along with a sight that froze his almost teenage mind.

On the opposite side of the lake were three girls. That really wasn't the problem, years of not being physically allowed to talk to anyone meant that the idea of talking to girls was not an unpleasant one. The problem was what they were wearing, or the lack of it. Harry knew what a naked female was supposed to look like, he went to a boarding school, within hours he and his dorm mates had been introduced to the trade in illicit magazines, not that Harry had ever partaken, but you can't help but see things. He just had never seen so much in real life. Sure the girls were wearing bikini's and objectively speaking they weren't that old and there wasn't an awful lot to cover, but to Harry's hormonally driven mind that didn't really register.

It was at that moment that Harry chose to embarrass himself. Too stunned by the sight to take in his surroundings he tripped over an exposed tree root. The noise caused the girls to look up, not that Harry saw them, engaged as he was in an undignified scramble on the downhill slope of the bank to the lake. He was unsuccessful in his attempt to stay upright and ended up covered in mud from head to toe, his jeans weren't too bad and they were quite dark but his white polo shirt had seen better days. Harry was mortified but at least the blood rushing too his face put a quick stop to what could have been an even greater disaster. His relief for that intensified when he stood up and looked again at the girls who were walking over to him, wrapped in towels now, but most definitely smirking.

"Quite the entrance Potter." He groaned, he was surrounded by magical homes so it was inevitable people would recognise him. He looked more closely at the girls.

Oh this was bad. He knew them too.

"So Potter what brings you to our lowly retreat?"

"Nothing Davis. I live here now. I was taking a walk and ended up here. Not entirely sure when I left the wards."

She nodded but continued to take him in with a calculating expression. "You might want to clean yourself off in the lake. And cool yourself down. I gather from your entrance you liked what you saw." She smirked as his cheeks darkened. One of the other girls chuckled while the other looked scandalised.

It was made even worse when a fourth bikini clad girl made her way to the clearing, one that Harry knew better than the others.

"Oi Daphne, Tracey, Susan! Where have you...Oh Harry what are you doing here?"

"Hi Katie" he replied, forcing himself to look her in the eye.

"Oh for Merlin's sake!" she moaned as she wrapped a towel round herself. "Now Harry how come your here?"

"I moved in last week. Only just found out I had an ancestral home. Moved in to get away from my aunt and uncle."

Katie nodded, there were rumours in the common room about the place Harry lived. The Weasley twins were not complimentary about Harry's relatives. The other three girls looked confused though.

"How could you not know about the home?" asked Tracey Davis bluntly. Though the question was almost drowned out by Susan Bones'.

"Why would you want to leave your relatives?"

"My-err relatives...well...they weren't nice people." He responded in a manner which clearly suggested no more was forthcoming. "As for the home, no one ever saw fit to tell me until McGonagall found out a bit about my home life. So she told me about this place. Got it properly warded again last week and moved in." He was embarrassed about sharing this much information with the girls, three of which he barely knew and the one he did know he barely spoke to outside of Quidditch. Still anything to take their mind off his entrance.

"You still need to get cleaned up Potter!" Trace smirked "Katie! You missed Harry's introduction! He was on the opposite bank ogling us all so much he fell over."

"I was not ogling!" Harry cried indignantly, though he quailed under the gaze of Tracey and Daphne and the blush returned to his cheeks with a vengeance.

"You know, I wonder what Malfoy would say if he knew about this episode." Daphne was smirking at him this time. The blush disappeared as Harry paled. The rest of the girls laughed before Katie started.

"Oh Harry don't worry, it's not Malfoy you should worry about. It's the other Quidditch girls and maybe the twins."

Panicking now Harry stammered "O-Okay I'm sorry I was just really shocked and you all looked so beautiful and I didn't expect to see anyone and I'm really, really sorry. I'll do anything just please don't tell." He was so engrossed in his babbling response he failed to notice the colour changes in the girls opposite him.

Tracey recovered quickly, "Hmm, anything?" Harry nodded earnestly as he was finally washing his face. "Fine it's always annoyed me about first year, we were winning the cup and then you and your lot got all those points. Why?"

Harry was taken aback. "B-But Dumbledore said everyone knew?"

Seeing their confused looks he resigned himself to explaining a significant portion of his life. "Well okay I'll tell but it'll take quite a while do you mind if we sit down?" As they moved back to where they had been bathing Harry had a sudden thought "Dobby?" The elf popped up in front of him.

"Yes Harry Potter sir?" the elf beamed, bouncing on his toes

"Would you mind getting me a fresh shirt? This one kind of needs a wash. Oh and could you get me a pumpkin juice. Ladies would you like anything?" After requests for pumpkin juices all round the group settled down.

"Right where to start, you remember the opening feast two years ago, that bit about the third floor corridor."

"The one with the Cerberus behind it?" piped Tracey, at Harry's startled expression she shrugged. "What everyone in Slytherin knew. The door could be opened with the simplest possible locking spell. It was almost like they were begging people to try." Harry frowned but continued.

"Yeah that one. We, that is Ron, Hermione and I figured out it was guarding the Philosopher's Stone." judging by the gasps from the group they weren't as ignorant as he had been. "Exactly, anyway we worked out someone was trying to steal it and we knew when so when they went or it we tried to stop them. Neville tried to stop us because last time we got Gryffindor in trouble. That was his points." He looked around the group and they nodded.

"We headed to the corridor and the door was open and the Cerberus was asleep." We went through the trap door it was guarding and landed on Devil's Snare." The girl's paled. "but got by easy enough with a fire spell. The next room had a load of flying keys and broomsticks and we needed to get the right one to open the door. Then a giant transfigured chess set we had to play across, that's where Ron got knocked out when he sacrificed himself. Then an already dead troll, then a logic puzzle to get through to the next bit. There was only enough potion left for one person when Hermione worked out the puzzle, so she drank the one to go back and get help and I went on to face Professor Quirrell."

At that the rest were confused. "Wait Quirrell? Stuttering, bumbling idiot?" Tracey exclaimed

"That's the one. Anyway turned out he was sharing his body with the spirit of Voldemort." Harry stated.

"Your fucking kidding me!" shouted Daphne, surprising Harry as she hadn't said much so far. "You-know-who? As in the actual you-know-who was teaching us defence for a year and he was still that shit!"

"Whoa language there Daph!" Tracey laughed. "Not exactly the point I would focus on. Harry you are kidding right?"

"No." His tone brooking no argument.

"Wow." Said the girls in unison. "So what happened?" asked Susan nervously.

"Well, it turns out my mum sacrificed herself for me." He replied emotionally "and that sacrifice protected me from her murderer. So because I've got her blood in me her murderer can't touch me without being burned. Voldemort couldn't stand the pain when I realised that I grabbed him so he left Quirrell which killed the Professor. The whole thing gave me magical exhaustion which is why I was in hospital for days after."

The girls were stunned. They had all heard little bits and pieces of the story but not all of it, and they were stunned by the boy, if you could call him that, in front of them. He hadn't bragged about anything, he clearly hadn't embellished, he was just matter-of-fact about the whole thing. One thing bothered Daphne though and she wasn't quite sure what it was.

It was at that point Dobby arrived with the drinks and the change of clothes. Harry didn't notice the glances he got from the girls as he changed, particularly the surprised one from Katie.

As they settled back own Susan tentatively asked another question "So what happened this year I mean we know you saved Ginny Weasley but what happened?"

Harry sighed "I take it you all want to ask questions then as payment for silence then?" Susan and Katie nodded. But Daphne looked thoughtful.

"Not sure yet Potter, I'll see what you say to the others."

Harry sighed again and settled in. "Okay but do you mind if I ask questions too?"

"When we've finished maybe, and the price of that will probably be more questions." Smirked Tracey.

Sighing again Harry started "It's not quite as complicated. There was a diary enchanted with the memory of the last Heir of Slytherin and designed to open the Chamber of Secrets in order to 'cleanse' the school of muggleborns. So someone was possessed and forced to open the chamber and set a basilisk loose in the school."

The girls stared at him shaking, not quite believing what had gone on.

"Dumbledore reckons we were lucky with all the students only being petrified, I think the person was fighting for control of their mind and forced the basilisk to petrify not kill.

"Anyway, the memory in the diary was getting more and more powerful and eventually took Ginny down to the Chamber. Me and Ron went after her. Being a parselmouth I was the only one who could open it. We collared Lockhart and we forced him to go as well, he overpowered Ron and tried to Obliviate us but he was using Ron's broken wand and it backfired. He's a complete loon now. Turns out he found who did all that stuff in his books then Obliviated them all and took credit for it." Harry had been staring out over the lake during all of this so didn't see their looks of disgust.

"When the spell backfired the roof collapsed cutting the other two off and leaving me to go on alone. The memory from the diary was starting to take corporeal form by using Ginny's power but spells wouldn't harm it, he then called the Basilisk and ordered it to kill me. Then Fawkes came and blinded it so I could open my eyes but it was still after me. Fawkes had brought the Sorting Hat for some reason so I put it on and was then almost knocked out when the Sword of Gryffindor dropped on my head. I grabbed it, the basilisk went to bite me and I stabbed it through the roof of the mouth. I got pierced by a fang but Fawkes's tears healed me. Then I saw the diary and stabbed it through with the basilisk fang. The memory died. Ginny woke up."

The group sat in silence for a moment before Daphne spoke up. "Okay I don't buy it, who was this Heir of Slytherin?"

"Voldemort, when he was still in school." Daphne looked slightly appeased by this but still not happy

"And you killed a Basilisk that had been sitting in Slytherin's hidden chamber's? The thing must be enormous."

"I can take you down and show you the corpse if you want" he responded coolly.

She looked chagrined but defiant. The other girls, noticing the animosity between the pair decided something needed to be done.

"So Harry, my question, are you taller than a few weeks ago and why were you still working so hard after the exams?"

"That's two questions Katie."

"Yes but the other two's questions took up whole years." She smiled sweetly and laughed when he coloured.

"Fine, but this isn't common knowledge, not even Ron and Hermione know yet. Though I probably won't be able to hide it next year. I went for a walk just after the Chamber thing. I was over by the forbidden forest when from inside it I heard a screech. I ran towards it and found acromantula surrounding a baby griffin. I helped fight them off and formed a familiar bond with her. She's responsible for the growth spurt as she corrected all the problems caused by the Dursley's starving me." He winced at the girl's sharp intake of breath. He hadn't meant to say quite so much

"S-starving you?" asked Susan, her voice barely above a whisper.

"As I said my relatives weren't nice people" he answered hoping they didn't push further.

"Well I'd be sceptical about the familiar bond but I'd be embarrassed next year wouldn't I Potter?"

"That you would Greengrass yes." He smiled. The girls slumped pleased some of the tension had lifted.

"Anyway my new Griffin family weren't exactly pleased with my cop out choice of Divination so I changed electives, and suggested that since I had a habit of getting myself into dangerous situations I should be doing more to learn enough to get me out of them. So for the rest of the year I was reviewing what I'd learnt in every subject and over summer I'm learning as much as I can and completely relearning Potions and stuff. That's why I've been here a week and this is the first time I've been here."

"Why do you have to completely relearn Potions?" asked Tracey

Harry scoffed "Come on Davis, You've seen what Snape's like to me in class I don't learn anything, so I'm going through them all again and learning some new ones."

"Like what"

"The animag...nothing important" Harry tried to cover himself quickly.

Daphne smirked "What was that Potter? That sounded like your making the Animagus revealing potion."

"Fine, yes I am. It takes two months to brew and it's been on for a week."

"Where did you find it?" asked Tracey, it was common knowledge that the potion recipe could not be found anywhere in Hogwarts, the risk of Student accidents was too high."

"McGonagall" he said quietly

The Slytherin girls looked at him in disbelief. "You got a teacher to tell you!" the practically yelled. At Harry's sheepish look they examined him thoughtfully.

"You know Potter, that might just be the most impressive thing you've done."

"Thanks Greengrass."

"Tell you what, the price for my silence is a vial of that potion for each of us and access to any of the material you have about the transformation."

Harry thought for a moment before reaching out his hand. "Deal Greengrass" As she shook his hand she and the other girls broke out into massive grins.

"Well Potter, are you wanting to question us now?"

"Sure. How long have you all been here? Is there anyone else from school around? And how come everyone's such good friends? I mean a Gryffindor and a Hufflepuff fine, Huflepuff's and Slytherin's okay but all three? I don't have a problem or anything I mean neither of you are Malfoy but still."

"Right" Tracey answered, "I might as well answer. We've all been here as long as we can remember. There's nine families which back on to this forest and its shared property, which is why you didn't feel yourself leaving your wards, you haven't." Harry was confused about what this meant for the Fidelius but let Tracey continue. As we grew up together, especially as we're so close in age, we're all rather close. As for who else is around, we're largely all in the same year, except Katie here. Wayne Hopkins and Anthony Goldstein are the two missing, meaning you have girls all to yourself."

Harry blushed again and the girls smiled. This was rather easy.

"As for the house thing, it really isn't that big a deal, it depends on who you hang around with. Your friend Weasley is well known for his blanket hatred of Slytherin's just like Malfoy is known for the opposite. The Quidditch lot don't really help either. Sorry Katie." She looked at the girl apologetically. Katie just shrugged.

"Look Slytherin doesn't mean dark it means cunning and ambitious. Gryffindor doesn't mean light it means brave. You can bravely do evil things and you can be ambitious and cunning in your plans for bettering the world. The problem is bigots on both sides. We've all been friends forever so we know its bollocks."

Harry took a moment. Everything she said made perfect sense. "Huh. Maybe I shouldn't have argued so hard against Slytherin then" he said, almost to himself.

The four girls looked at him in shock. "The hat wanted YOU in Slytherin. You're like the textbook Gryffindor!" Daphne shrieked. It was Harry's turn to shrug.

"That hat said I suited any of the houses but 'Slytherin could make me great'."

"Any of the houses?" asked Susan in disbelief, that hat had suggested Gryffindor or Hufflepuff for her.

"Yep. It said plenty of courage, not a bad mind, and a willingness to work hard with a desire to prove myself as something other than the 'Boy-Who-Lived'. I would fit anywhere. But then I begged not to be in Slytherin."

"Why?" asked Daphne, genuinely interested.

"I'd already met Malfoy. I don't get how he's in Slytherin. He doesn't seem ambitious I mean he rides daddy's coat tails, and his continued attempts to get the better of me have shown no cunning whatsoever!"

"You're preaching to the converted in us Potter" replied Tracey pointing to herself and Daphne.

Daphne took over "I don't know what other houses are like but Slytherin is all about house politics." Harry saw the other girls nod and was confused when Katie agreed and looked at her questioningly.

"Harry you don't see it because you're a special case but there are little spats and politics games all the time in the house. Not to the extent of Slytherin I would imagine but they are still there. There's a git in my year Cormac McLaggen. Absolutely loaded, father's friends with those in high places, spent half of my first year mouthing off about who his daddy knows."

"What happened?"

"Weasley twins" she said with a feral grin, one which Harry returned. "Having them there brings everyone down off the perch a bit. You never noticed it because you're kind of above it all anyway being as famous as you are." Harry scowled but she continued regardless "Don't argue it's true, anyway you seem to have more important things to worry about. Besides even if you weren't you you're in with the Quidditch lot anyway. That counts for a lot. In Gryffindor anyway." The other's nodded.

"Hufflepuff is similar this year there was one first year that was a bit like that, but he got taken aside and warned that isn't the Hufflepuff way" added Susan.

"Well Slytherin is all about the politics and everything is a game of one-upmanship. The house is probably only about thirty or forty percent pureblood supremacist but you wouldn't know it. Malfoy is probably the main reason, not so much Draco as his father. He's rich, powerful and he gave power to his vassal houses, even when his son wasn't there."

"Vassal houses?"

"Geez you really don't know a thing about our world do you Harry. Right, all of us here are from old middle-class wizarding families. Independent of anyone else, we went about our business happily doing our own thing. Then there is the upper classes who are all titled, Lords, ladies Counts, Barons, Earl's we have all kinds. They were either historically battle mages like the Black's or Longbottom's or they married into magic like the Malfoy's. Most of those have vassal houses i.e. families they have sworn to protect using their power as long as the family provides a service."

"So the Malfoy's have a few of these?"

"The Flint's, Pucey's, Crabbe's, Goyle's and Warrington's are the ones to worry about at the moment but there are more."

"So because Malfoy has so much power, these families run Slytherin even though most people there don't want him to?"

"To be honest, most in Slytherin just want to let others get on with their own life and do their own thing, the only ones actively pushing a real political agenda are the Malfoy faction."

"So ultimately Draco Malfoy ends up with a false sense of his own importance because no one in the house is powerful enough to stand up to his father, or interested enough to knock him off his perch?"

"That about sums it up. He may well be incredibly cunning and ambitious but he doesn't need it to run the house. There's actually a good chance he would run the school if not for you." Harry looked startled again. "What you stand up to him and beat him every time but you're not interested in politics which allows the school to run relatively smoothly, but keeps Draco trying to take over."

"Wow. I guess I really have been locked in my own little world"

"Yeah you have, I mean the pair of us" Tracey pointed to herself and Daphne "are well known for being bitchy sarcastic and unpleasant to people when we want but even we have more than two good friends."

Harry frowned. It was a fair point he really didn't know Gryffindor people that well, let alone any of the other houses. Maybe it was time to change more than just his work attitude.

"Huh, so what is it you all do over the holidays can I expect to see more of you here?" he was confused by Tracey's snort and Daphne's arched eyebrow until he replayed the statement in his head.

"Damn it I didn't mean that."

"Oh we know Harry it's just so easy" Susan responded. We're around most days, usually we swim but we kind of got distracted today. You're welcome to join us if you like."

Harry blushed and hung his head "What's the matter Harry? Don't you like us in our costumes?"Tracey teased

"Ineverlearnedtoswim" he said in a rushed whisper

"What was that?"

"I never learned to swim. They wouldn't teach me." All four girls scowled.

"Well we'll teach you. At least one or two of us are here every day, sometimes some other girls join us generally Hannah Abbott or the Gryffindor Quidditch girls. Daphne's sister has been a few times but she's a bit young. The boy's are away for most of this summer, so no one else need know." Said Susan earnestly.

"I'm not sure when I can I'm studying quite a lot."

"Don't be an idiot Potter. It's the summer, you need to relax, besides don't you know how rare it is to be offered the chance to hang around with wet half naked witches all day?" Tracey laughed as the other girls shrieked at her. Secretly Harry thought she had a rather good point. They made plans to meet between twelve and one every day to teach Harry to swim and the lessons quickly became the high point of each and every day.

Each of the girl's had their quirks. Tracey was hilarious and he spent most of his time with her thankful the water was cold so he could contain his blush. Daphne was sharp and witty with an acerbic tongue and a surprisingly foul mouth. After the less than stellar start he found himself really appreciating her. Where Tracey would knock him down with innuendo, Daphne barely needed to raise an eyebrow, she reminded him of McGonagall in the way a single glance spoke volumes. Susan on the other hand mothered him, tried to help him relax and not rise to Tracey's bait all the time. She could laugh and be laughed at too as she was quite clumsy she put it down to struggling with the weight of her developing chest which caused the rest of the girls to laugh uproariously when the saw Harry's face and Susan to blush profusely when she realised he had heard. Katie was the tomboy of the group and sometimes instead of swimming the pair spent the time climbing a tree and she told stories of her two older brothers.

It was during one of his chats with Katie that he first found out about Sirius Black, the escaped lieutenant of Voldemort. He was definitely glad he had got his act together and started studying.

The lesson's with Neville were still going on and Harry was gradually bringing the boy out of his shell. He enjoyed the quiet time in the greenhouse and could see why some of his ancestor's had developed such a love of the subject, not that he could spend all day doing it like Neville seemed to want to, but he would certainly be taking a more active role in his lessons this year.

With the Weasley's away, his only regular correspondent was Hagrid who heard from once or twice a week. Kali was apparently rather restless and seemed desperate to see him. Samson too seemed to be pining for Ginny. In the letter he received for his birthday it appeared that Ginny too was pining for Samson. Harry knew the feeling.

Before he knew it, it was the end of august and the greatest time of his life. His more relaxed approach towards the end of summer meant that while he had finished all the books he personally had bought or borrowed, he hadn't even scratched the surface of his library. Harry toyed with the idea of coming home for Christmas, just for the library. No maybe not, while Hermione would be proud, he still had standards.

The best bit of the end of august was the Animagus potion, he ladled it into vials and had just closed them all when he realised his predicament. He had enough for six. Himself, he had promised Tracey, Daphne, Katie and Susan but then there was one more. In the back of his mind he had thought that Ron, Hermione and Ginny would appreciate it as well, but that plan was scuppered. While Hermione would appreciate it he wasn't sure she wouldn't try to make them wait until they could be taught personally. While Harry hoped McGonagall would help a bit he planned on being rather self reliant, so she was probably out. Ron would think it was cool but he just didn't have the dedication required yet, if he ever would. Ginny though, from his letters he knew she still wanted him to teach her, and from the end of last year he knew she was dedicated. He would give the vial to her.

He made his way to the clearing and was confronted by the four girls, each clearly excited. They knew today was the day the potion was set to finish. Tracey all but leapt at Harry as soon as he appeared.

"Is it done? Is it done? Is it do-" She stopped and let out an excited squeal as he held up the vial. He had also brought the book with him which indicated how the Potion should look after Daphne pointed out that regardless of whether it was Snape's fault she had seen him in Potion's class and wanted some confirmation that she wasn't about to die.

When she and the other girls were satisfied they looked at each other and Harry and in one fluid motion all five of them gulped down the contents.

Harry awoke to find himself on a steep slope in a heavily wooded area, making his way across the slope he found himself closing in on the mouth of a cave. Inside the cave was dark except for two emerald points of light which followed him. He halted and the eyes moved towards him instead and he was held by the gaze of an extremely strong and agile looking cat. It looked mostly like a tiger, but it was grey rather than orange or white like most tiger's and it's ears, were looked like that of a lynx. The odd feline started jogging towards him, then running and he noticed an odd hair colouration on its forehead. It was shaped like a lightning bolt. Guess there was no getting away from it. Though the cat was running it didn't seem aggressive towards him and he used the time to study it. Without warning, the creatures head changed from that of the odd grey tiger, to an eagle though everything else remained the same. Or at least he thought it did but as the creature built up speed and got closer he was surprised to see it spread wings and lift off. As it took off, the tiger paws, both front and back narrowly missed his forehead. Looking up at the creature, he watched its graceful manoeuvring for some minutes before it came into land at speed, it landed it slowed to a jog then a trot before finally coming to a halt in front of him and reverted to the purely feline form. He reached out to the creature to stroke its soft looking fur and in turn the creature lowered its head towards his hand. The moment the two met he was briefly filled with warmth similar to that of both the familiar bond and the first time he wore the ring. But before he could analyse it any further he was thrown from the vision and found himself lying on the floor in the clearing.

He looked around and noticed that the girls too were just waking and each was looking rather happy. Even Daphne.

While he was confused he thought he should start the inevitable questioning. "So what form does everyone have?"

"A hare" replied Susan rather pleased, she had spent her time speeding through fields and warrens, though there was a scary moment when she thought she had seen a wolf.

"A Lemur" answered Tracey, clearly ecstatic with her form, the playful mischievous creature certainly suited her. Harry idly wondered what the Weasley twins might be.

Turning to Katie she responded "Kingfisher" it rather suited her too. She was certainly a good flyer.

"Raven" said Daphne rather smug. With her dark hair and eyes she certainly had the look and from their discussions he knew she had the intelligence.

"So I guess everyone's pleased then?"

"What what about you? What's your form?" Tracey enquired.

"Not a clue"

"Didn't see anything?"

"No saw something but don't know what it was. It was a large cat. Like a tiger but mainly grey with pointy ears like a lynx. Seemed kind of cool then next thing I know, it has the head and wings of an eagle, but not the feet like a Griffin. Never seen it before and never heard of anything like it." The girls hadn't either and when they all left the clearing they were still pondering the riddle of Harry's form.

This is about as far as I had got to when I first published the story, the problem I have now is I don't know where to go with it. I have a couple of things I would quite like to see, and to those of you really interested Harry with anyone other than Ginny is not one of them in this story. Honestly if anyone has any ideas or even wants to take it over after the start they are welcome to give it ago as long as they let me know.

As I've said before I am not a writer but I have had this in my head for quite a while and needed to get it out and see if anyone else had any ideas of what to do with it.

As to Harry's form the bonding with the Griffin has had a significant role in determining Harry's form. As the bonding of a Cerberus will for Ginny. Harry doesn't know it yet but he is an Opinicus. Similar to a griffin but not quite as big and the front feet are paws rather than talons, they also have ears like a lynx. As to the tiger being grey, google Maltese Tiger and just see how awesome they look.