III. Vulpes Lagopus

Draco was sure that the small fox was supposed to be his familiar. Not many people practised the bonding to a familiar spirit anymore, as it was a very old ritual magic and was considered, by most people, as dark. But Draco had always wanted a familiar and it wasn't like you could just buy an animal and it would fit. The familiar decided upon the magician, and the fox had been the one to run into him.

Of course, first of all he needed to tame the fox, and get him used to his presence. It wouldn't do after all to try binding them only to find out that they weren't compatible.

Draco was certain that the fox was meant to be his familiar, but he wouldn't take risks. Familiars were for a lifetime and not something to take lightly. It would have effects on the animal just as it would on the wizard. The most common effect was a boost in magical power, depending on the animal's powers.

Since a fox had very keen senses his would increase too and he might become a few other fox-traits. This didn't worry him at all. There was a reason foxes were the cunning in old folklore so it could only be good.

The fox would too get a burst in magical power. After all it was a bond, and bonds were positive for both participants normally. It would be able to support him in rituals and other magic and, in some rare cases, it would be able to take on a human appearance.

Familiars though were most of all forming an unwavering loyalty to their masters. They would never turn against them, and their master would do everything to protect them. It was a bond, and the master was obliged, both by magic and by common sense, to protect the familiar.

It was the kind of relationship that would never break, unimportant of what could happen. But of course this needed a certain amount of trust as a base.

If the animal didn't like, or even fear, the master before the bonding many things could go wrong, starting with deformities and going to the loss of magic or even death. It was a bond both participants needed to be willing to enter.

So, at the moment all Draco needed to concentrate on, aside from homework, was getting his little fox to trust him.

And find a fitting name...

At the moment he was still studying the book about familiars and how to bind them while glancing at the sleeping ball of black fur that was lying in front of him.

Draco had nearly given up hope of the fox warming up to him at the beginning, but as it was right now it didn't seem too improbable that he could tame the animal.

He didn't know all that much about foxes sadly. On the one hand things might have been easier had it been something like a cat, on the other he'd never believe that something as simple as a cat could become his familiar.

He knew the Vulpes was a genus of the canidae family, they were omnivores and arctic foxes, like the one in front of him, were native in colder regions, one of the smallest in the vulpes genus and were monogamous, but all of that was common knowledge that wouldn't get him very far in taming the animal.

Seeing as it was of the canidae family he supposed there were certain similiarities in the upbringing as with dogs and it was clear that the animal had a certain amount of magic. He could feel it when the fox had been scared, so he didn't need to worry about that either.

One rather fascinating aspect about his fox had been its eyes. They were a startling emerald green, which was very unusual for foxes. It could be seen with cats, but dogs normally had irises in colours ranging from light blue to brown, amber included. But green? He had never seen that before.

He closed the book with a sigh. He wouldn't find out anything about the little fox in it anyways and the bond was something that would come only in time. A glance out of the window told him that the sun had already set. He took out his transfiguration homework and started researching his essay about why it was possible to transfigure living beings into objects, but not shift them.

Some people would go to bed at that time, but Draco knew with certainty that he wouldn't get anything done in the morning, as he was seriously not a morning person. He rather worked until two in the night or later and slept until noon.

At about one o'clock in the morning a tingling sensation told him that the fox had woken up again – he had forgotten to remove the charm – and Draco watched as he sleepily opened his eyes and took in his surroundings.

He smiled as the fox yawned – it was a rather adorable sight – and finished the paragraph he had just worked on.

He was scribbling for about ten minutes as he looked up again and locked eyes with the animal. It seemed to be intently studying him

It's probably still suspicious of me...Draco realized. He took one of the treats he had asked the house-elves to prepare for him and stood up.

He could see the fox tense as he neared him, but at least he didn't try to run away anymore. It might have to do with the broken leg, but at least this way the fox learned that he wasn't in any danger from Draco, even when he was defenceless.

He crouched down so that he was only a bit above eyelevel of the fox and slowly reached out with the hand that contained the treat, a small piece of raw meat actually. The fox leaned away at first and flattened his ears but after a few seconds he seemed to realize that Draco didn't mean any harm and wouldn't move. He looked at the outstretched hand and then he slowly, mistrustful, leaned forward to sniff on it.

He looked at Draco and then at the meat again. Draco waited a few minutes but the fox only stared at the treat making no move to take it, ears still flat on his head.

With a sigh Draco lay the meat down in front of the fox who looked surprised.

He still seemed suspicious, but after Draco backed away he slowly took the offered meat, his eyes not leaving Draco as if he suspected him to just snatch it away again.

Well, who said this wasn't exactly the way he had been treated before? Draco sighed again as he watched the small fox devour the little treat a safe distance away. He just hoped that it would start to trust him before the holidays ended... it would be impossible to do the ritual at Hogwarts so he would have to wait until Christmas for his next chance.

~oOo~

Harry was gnawing on the way too delicious piece of meat Malfoy had given him thoughtfully.

He had full suspected the blonde to just snatch it away the moment he would reach for it... Dudley particularly had taken a lot of pleasure from offering food to Harry and then eating it himself the moment he had reached for it.

Well... he wasn't really Harry Potter at the moment, so he supposed that it wasn't that abnormal that he was treated kindly... maybe...

It didn't really make much sense to him as Malfoy didn't really strike him as an animal loving person, especially considering the Buckbeak incident in 3rd year, but it seemed that the other had taken a... liking to him.

He had treated his wounds and given him something to eat. He had also given him a very comfortable spot to sleep. It felt so nice to be cared for like that. He really liked Mrs. Weasley, but sometimes she could be a bit overwhelming. And there were seven other children she had to take care of. No one had ever been caring specifically for him like that. He should easily be able to see over the fact that it was Malfoy caring for him and just enjoy it while it lasted but... he found he couldn't.

After all, it was Malfoy, Lucius Malfoy's son. He knew he should be all courageous and stuff, but he was really scared of that man.

He was the one that had given the cursed diary to Ginny, setting Tom Riddle's ghost free.

He was the one he had had to confront at the Ministry of Magic, the one he had to fight in the department of Mysteries, the one that had tried and succeeded in taking the prophesy.

Harry shuddered lightly. This whole action had been such a waste. Not only did he lose... not only did Sirius... he swallowed thickly. He wouldn't think about that now. Not only did that happen but it turned out that the prophesy, the reason they had come to the Ministry in the first place, was a sham and Voldemort had been able to escape before Fudge had arrived.

In the end Dumbledore had been charged with the intrusion of the Ministry, and the destruction of several very important things there.

Harry curled together, using his bushy, soft tail as a blanket.

He didn't know what had happened now to Dumbledore over the vacation, but he found he didn't really care either.

After all, this entire incident, to a certain point, had been the headmasters fault. Had he not ignored Harry, had he only listened to him, they could have found out that all these visions had been fraud.

They would never have gone there and all of this would never have happened.

He wondered though what the real prophesy said. Dumbledore surely knew, he had been there after all when it was made. But... would he tell if asked? He had been the one to give the sham to the Ministry and he didn't really trust the headmaster anymore.

He had thought a lot about this while he had been home.

A lot of the incidents that wouldn't have happened had the headmaster only actively done something against it. Really, if first years got through these traps to protect the philosopher's stone then why should it stop a dark lord?

He yawned loudly. Thinking about this had made him tired again, and actually he was too content right now to even want to think about it.

He started watching the blonde again. He seemed to be working on some assignments. Harry hadn't even started his. They'd been locked away by the Dursleys. Well, he thought, it's not like I can do anything in the state I'm in right now anyways.

He wondered if anyone had already noticed that he was gone.

After all there were posts all around his house to keep him safe, at least safe from anyone but his family. He had seen some of the order standing around, trying to look discrete. They had failed miserably of course. They were all rather conspicuous after all.

The feather Malfoy was using to write was a rather fluffy and expensive looking one. Maybe it was from an ostrich?

At least he didn't use peacock-feathers... that would remind him too much of Lockhart.

The way the feather was travelling from the right to the left and swinging this and that way was really interesting. It would be so much fun to chase after it...

A chuckle tore him out of his thoughts and he looked at Malfoy who was watching him, but his gaze turned back to the feather after a moment, finding it rather hard not to look at the feather that was still swinging this way, and that way, turning around and swishing high and then low...

Suddenly Malfoy laid the feather down, breaking Harry's trance, stood up and went to a chair that was standing in the corner. He looked at it critically for a while, then he looked at Harry and then back at the chair.

Harry really wondered why the chair seemed to be so interesting for the blonde. It didn't seem special at all. Then he took his wand out and aimed at the chair he had been studying so intently a few moments ago.

In front of his eyes the stair morphed into some weird kind of construction.

On a circular stand one stick was going up in the air on top of it, another stick reached into the middle of the circle, where a string was dangling down, a fluffy ball and a bell were attached to it.

Malfoy lifted the weird construction up and carried it over to where Harry, who was far too fascinated by the thing to be scared by Malfoy, was lying.

The blonde placed it on the floor, so that the ball was hanging directly, and only a few inches above Harry.

'That way you can play with something, since you can't put any weigh on your paw,' he explained at Harry's confused look.

He stared at the thing above him again and then huffed with disdain as if I'm going to play with something like that! He thought irritated. Malfoy just smiled and went back to his assignment.

After a few minutes he couldn't help glancing at the ball and bell every now and then.

Maybe he should just play with this weird thing? After all Malfoy had made it specifically for him, without meaning to insult him, but in a friendly gesture. It would be kind of rude not to play with it, he reasoned.

And... and... he really wanted to hear that bell!

That decided he rolled on his back and reached out with his front paws, hitting the ball and making it swing.

The bell sounded really funny! And the way it was swinging this way and that... he hit it again, changing its curse and he was pretty sure that his tail was wagging, but he couldn't bring himself to care.

This was just too much fun!

~oOo~

NEXT CHAPTER:

Draco will give Harry a name... will Harry really be able to trust a Malfoy?

Hello everyone! I'm quite sorry for the long wait with this chapter, but I'm kind of stressed right now with everything going on and don't really find the time and muse to write at the moment... I'm really sorry for that!

Please leave a comment! Criticism is very much welcome too! :) and tell me how you would want Draco to name Harry. I already have some ideas, but it's always interesting to hear what others think! :D