Harry and Hermione quickly lead the (false) Headmistress Umbridge into the dark forest with the promise of a secret weapon. Once within the trees, Hermione started talking loudly and thrashing around noisily. They were taking the path leading towards Aragog, and not Grawp, when suddenly an arrow flew through the air and landed with a menacing thud in the tree just over Hermione's head. The forest floor trembled and the sounds of hundreds of hooves impacting the ground echoed into the night. Umbridge screamed and pushed Harry in front of her like a shield. Wrenching free and turning he saw about 50, if not more, centaurs surrounding the three of them. All had loaded bows drawn and pointed right at them!

"Who are you?" a voice, identifiable as the chestnut coated, Magorian.

"I asked you who are you, human," Magorian repeated roughly, when no one answered.

"I am Dolores Umbridge! Senior Undersecretary to the Minister of Magic and Headmistress and High Inquisitor of Hogwarts!" Umbridge said in a high pitched terrified voice.

What followed in the next twenty minutes was chaos, and after the centaurs carried away Umbridge, the rest turned to Harry and Hermione.

"And these?" A hard-faced, gray centaur, who was holding Hermione asked.

"They are young," answered a slow, doleful voice from behind the one holding Harry. "We do not attack foals."

"They brought her here, Ronan," Stated the one holding on firmly to Harry. "And they are not so young.... He is nearing manhood, this one...."

In the next few minutes, a situation that was bad, became worse when Hermione said a very stupid thing to the already irate centaurs. They were about to carry Harry and Hermione away to where they had taken Umbridge, when all the sudden there was a horrible racket coming towards them through the trees. It was so loud that all of the centaurs and the humans looked over. Hermione and Harry's centaurs dropped them and reached for their bows, loading an arrow and aiming at the trembling trees. Those same trees were shoved apart by the huge form of Hagrid's baby half-brother, Grawp, and the centaurs nearest him backed up into the ones behind. All loaded bows were now pointing at the young giant, who stooped down at the centaurs and bellowed.

"Hagger!" He kept saying this getting louder and more insistent, before Hermione figured out what he was trying to say.

"He's saying Hagrid." She whispered to Harry, when at that very moment Grawp noticed the two young humans.

"Hermy, where Hagger?" Grawp roared.

When Hermione told him she didn't know, he through a fit, reaching out a hand to grab them and knocking over a pure white centaur while at it. When Grawp's giant fingers were a foot from Harry, when 50 arrows flew though the air and peppered Grawp's huge face. In the minutes that followed Harry was showered with pebble-sized drops of blood as he screamed for Hermione to run, becoming separated in the stampede of hooves and the giant's feet. Pushing harry deeper into the forest and Hermione back towards the castle. Harry's scar gave a terrible pulse of pain, and Harry nearly screamed in frustration, trying to find his way back to the school, but was soon turned around and lost. So feeling defeated, Harry climbed a nearby tree waiting for dawn, when the sun would help him navigate, all the while Harry felt horrible worried about his Godfather.

~~Meanwhile with Hermione~~

Hermione, decided to return to the castle for help, help from who? She didn't know yet, but she knew she wouldn't be able to find Harry alone in that forest. Upon exiting the forest, she ran right into Professor Snape, who looked furious. He grabbed her shoulders, as he was about to snap at her, but he stopped and lifted his hands, looking at the blood that covered them.

"Where...is...Potter!?"He questioned roughly, face pale and breathing thickening.

"He's still in the forest, we got separated, and I came to get help." Hermione answered, looking back into the shadowed trees.

"Are you hurt, is he hurt?"

"No, I'm not and I don't think Harry is either, the blood is Hagrid's half-brother's."

"You don't think Potter is hurt? Your not certain!?"

"No sir, we got separated in the stampede, he... he might have gotten hurt by the centaur hooves,sir."

"Ms. Granger, you will go back to the school and wait. When I get back with Potter, you will tell me everything that has happened." Snape said before hurrying away, Hermione though didn't go back to the school, but waited right there.

Only to be joined by Ron, Ginny, Luna and Neville, who all agreed to wait with Hermione after she told them what had happened. It was nearing dawn, when the Professor returned empty-handed, he was furious when he spotted the children. Striding forward quickly, he opened his mouth to comment and possibly take points, when the bushes a few yards away began shaking.

~~With Harry~~

When dawn was nearing Harry decided to try again, using the half-light as his guide, to his anger he was not far at all from the castle and as he approached, Harry suddenly heard the bushes shaking slightly behind him. Fear that the centaurs were coming back, he broke into the run, rushing to the school as fast as his tired body could go. Breaking through the last bushes violently, Harry heard the cries of his friends, and looking a few yards ahead, he was greeted with the sight of his friends. To his dismay, he also saw the Potions Master standing there scowling at him too. Walking a few steps away from the bushes, Harry was suddenly grabbed viciously on his upper thigh. He screamed shrilly as sharp fangs tore into his skin, and with the time it toke to blink, he was being dragged back into the dark forest.

~~With Snape~~

Snape swirled around quickly when the bushes a few yards away from him started shaking, pointing his wand at them, he prepared to fight whatever was coming out of the forest. When Potter stumbled out though, he lowered his wand, scowling darkly at the little hellion. All the while, the brat's friends behind him were cheering loudly. Snape decided then to tear into the little rule-breaker until the brat was in tears. 'As soon as he gets over here,' he thought, watching the small Gryffindor start walking in their direction, suddenly the boy shrieked and Snape watched in horror, as the child was knocked down and dragged back into the forest by something he couldn't see.

"HARRY!!" Ms. Granger screamed and tried to rush after him.

"Ms. Granger, NO! You don't know what it is, nor if there's more than one!" Snape roared, rushing forward swiftly.

Snape had to grab her and order the others back all at once. As much as Snape wanted to go after Potter, he knew that the other students would try to follow him. Before he could decide though, the decision was made for him. The sound of Potter screaming echoed from a distance away, followed by the feel of strong wild magic that lifted the hairs on the back of Snape's neck. Quickly followed by the roar of what sounded like a large cat, shortly echoed by two other cries a slight distance away. Then the sounds of something clumsily rushing towards them from the forest.

~~With Harry~~

Harry was painfully dragged over the forest floor, with something big's teeth tearing his thigh up, not to mention his chest, since his shirt and robe was torn off somewhere back towards Hogwarts. Suddenly, Harry was dropped, and swiftly he turned around to see what had attacked him. What it was he hadn't a clue, it was a cat, as big as a tiger if not bigger, and it was all black, except a white star on its forehead, and white strips on the bottom of its legs and tail. A tail which was bladed, with twin blades, like two scythes laid side by side. The cat also had a stiff mane running down its back, ending slightly past its shoulder blades. The cat watched him for a moment, before lunging at him again, and instinctively Harry throw up his hands to protect himself, while letting loose a scream.

Only to knock the attacking cat away with a powerful blast of wild magic. The said cat landed some ten feet away, before struggling onto its feet and roaring at Harry in rage. Harry was already running back to the school as fast as his injured leg could carry him, when he heard the answering cries, he speed up faster then he ever thought possible. Crashing through the trees, bushes and undergrowth, Harry didn't stop even when he burst, limping, from the trees into the clearing.

"RUN!! ITS COMING!!" He cried shrilly, when he saw his friends and Professor still standing in the distance.

"PLEASE, GET AWAY!!" Harry screamed again as he neared the other frightened looking students.

Before Harry could pass them though, Snape reached out and caught him, like a snitch, pressing him into his chest and trying to calm him, but Harry was beyond calming. His mind was in the grip of an animal-like terror.

"PLEASE, ITS COMING, ITS COMING, RUUUNNN!!!" Harry bellowed, struggling to get out of his Professor's hold.

~~Snape POV~~

Snape held the struggling, terrified child (for indeed, right then Potter was nothing more than a injured and panicking child) to his chest, quickly he gently lifted the youth into his arms and ordering the others to follow, took off quickly back to the castle. All the while, the boy-who-lived was clinging tightly to him, and had his head pressed under Snape's chin. Snape's concern was growing quickly at how fast the boy's temperature was dropping and how much blood he was losing. Finally, rushing into the hospital wing with Potter starting to loose conscienceness, Snape bellowed for Madam Pomfrey, while he laid the Gryffindor on the nearest bed. To his horror, Potter started to seizure right then and he had to hold the boy down, and try to prevent him from hurting himself.

"Severus, what is...?" Madam Pomfrey trailed off when she say Potter, quickly she turned and ran for the necessary potions.

"Come on, Potter, don't do this. You've survived so many life-threatening situations, don't let this kill you now." Snape whispered to the convulsing child, and gradually the shaking stop, when Snape could stand up again, he helped Poppy administer the potions.

"I will return, Poppy, I must make a fire-call to the Headmaster and to Potter's do... Godfather, explaining what has happened as best I can." He said, before rushing away, and ushering the forgotten students out of the room with him.

~~the next night~~

"Albus, the boy's fever isn't getting any better and his wounds are not responding to any of the potions. There must be something else wrong."

"What do you mean, Poppy?"

"We don't know what bit, Mr. Potter to begin with, what if it had a disease?"

"A disease!?" Sirius cried, turning to look at the small, pale, and sweating form of his Godson.

"Yes, a disease, that's why I would like Severus to start taking blood tests. Unless we can find out what is wrong, than Mr. Potter will die."

"Isn't there anything you can tell us about the bite, Poppy?" Remus asked, sitting beside the young Gryffindor's bed.

"Well, judging from the size of the original bite...."

"Original bite?" Severus spoke up from he stood in the corner of the room.

"Well, this creature bit him only once, but the wound was torn further from it dragging him." Poppy explain, looking at the four others in the room. "Anyway, as I was saying, the size of the original bite is identifiable to an animal the size of a tiger if not larger, I believe the...ah... attacker was of the cat family, and strangely enough the cat didn't do half the damage it could have."

"What do you mean 'didn't do half the damage it could have'? I think it did quiet a bit of damage!" Sirius barked, pacing around in his anger.

"What I mean is, a cat this size could have easily torn Harry's leg off entirely."

After that everyone was silent for a long time, only to be brought out of their thoughts by Harry's mew of discomfort.

"Severus, you may take the blood sample needed for you tests." Headmaster Dumbledore stated, walking towards the small teen's bed.

Snape walked out of the corner he was standing in and ignoring Sirius' growl, he approached Potter's bed. Pulling out three small vials and sitting on the bed, he gently took the boy's thin arm in his hand. Poppy was already there and together they filled the three vials with Potter's blood, before Snape carefully placed those vials in his robes and excused himself to work on the needed tests.

~~Two Days Later~~

"Well Severus, what did the tests find?" Albus asked, the five of them were all in the hospital wing with Harry, who still hadn't woken-up yet.

"It's as we feared, there is some type of infection, but it's more than that." Snape replied, wishing that he had better news.

"What do you mean 'it's more than that', Severus?" The headmaster asked.

"The infection seems to be not only spreading through the boy's system, but its changing the boy's blood and possible body as well." Snape answered. "Its behaving like the werewolf infection, so I have reason to believe that the...cat... that bit Harry was some kind of Lycanthrope."

"But...but how, I thought werewolves were the only lycanthropes to be found?" Sirius questioned, shocked senseless by the news.

"Yes, so did all of we, but we could all be wrong." Albus stated, watching the comatose boy. "We will have to wait and see what this brings."

Everyone was silent for quiet some time, unable to believe this horrible news was real.

Harry Potter and all it's characters belong to J.K. Rowling, although I do own the Mastakos and maybe later a few other little characters.

~~Three days later~~

Harry has been unconscious for six days, and in the afternoon of the 6st day, he opened his eyes and looked around. He remembered slowly everything that had happened and seeing no one, he swung his legs over the side of the bed. Wincing a little at the slight twinges of pain from his right leg, but he still stood weakly and limped into the nearby bathroom. Looking into the mirror, he was shocked at the sight of his face staring pale and wasted out at him. His skin was so pale it was tinged grey and he had huge dark circles under his eyes, not to mention his face had a starved thinness to it, but what really caught his attention was his fringe. His fringe of hair that always covered his scar was no longer raven black like the rest of his hair, but white, not blonde-white either, but pure white.

Shaking his head, Harry went about his business and left the bathroom, only to run into Madam Pomfrey, who was coming out of her office.

"Oh, Harry, your awake and your out of bed! This is great, but get back in bed and stay there! I'll be right back!" She exclaimed excitedly, before rushing towards the hospital wing doors and opening them.

Harry could clearly hear her snatching a student from the hall and telling them to tell the Headmaster to come to the hospital wing as swiftly as he could, and Harry could hear her telling the male student to be quick about it. It took a few moments for Harry to realize that he shouldn't be able to hear anything so clearly from this distance, but he shrugged it off as his imagination.

Madam Pomfrey came back and started fussing around him, she was just about to take a medical scan, when suddenly the hospital wing doors swung open with a bang that sounded like an explosive going off to Harry, who cringed away from the noise quickly. In walked Albus Dumbledore, Snape, Remus and to Harry's utter delight Sirius in his dog form. The headmaster shut and warded the doors with locking and silencing charms, while Sirius turned back into his human form. Harry didn't remember moving, but suddenly he was wrapping his arms around his godfather's waist and crying into his chest.

Standing leaning on his good leg mostly and on his godfather, Harry forgot everything else in the world. His senses taking up by the sound of Sirius' heart beating like thunder in Harry ears, the feel of his heat almost burning Harry's skin, and the Sirius' smell enveloping Harry in all it's strength. It took Harry a minute to come out of it and realize that someone was talking to him and that someone was Madam Pomfrey.

"Mr. Potter, you will come back to this bed right this minute, young man. We have to check you over now."

"But I feel fine." Harry said, surprised that it was true, his leg no longer hurt and he was feeling stronger as every second went by.

"No buts, Potter, just listen to Madam Pomfrey." Snape said from where he stood by Harry's 'bed'.

Harry walked back to his bed reluctantly, but without limping this time around. Harry sat slowly on the bed, feeling uncomfortable with everyone around, something inside him said that he shouldn't let himself be cornered. Either way, he stayed still while Madam Pomfrey scanned him with her wand, but when she told him to drop his trousers, that was where he drew the line. He opened his mouth to argued, but suddenly Snape firmly pushed him onto his back and swiftly though gently tugged Harry's trousers off. Harry was so surprised, he didn't do anything but stare up at his Professor in complete and utter shock, only to look back at Madam Pomfrey when she let a gasp.

She was looking at Harry right leg and Harry looked down to see what she was so upset about, he couldn't understand he shock, there was nothing on his leg but some light scratches. "Madam Pomfrey, I told you I was fine, see I'm just scratched up a little, nothing to worry about."

"Nothing to worry about, Potter do you even remember what happened to you?"Snape barked, receiving a glare from Sirius.

"Yes, I do. But the cat obviously didn't do much damage, even though it felt worse, maybe I was...I don't know...maybe it felt worse because I was shocked."

"The cat, Harry? Do you know what bite you?" Remus asked, walking over to crouch beside Harry's bed, and Harry suddenly wanted to push him away, to get away from him, but he curbed that desire.

"Yes, how could I forget, it was like a cat I'd never seen before."

"Harry if I get my pensieve, will you show us what you saw?" The Headmaster asked, and after Harry nodded, he hurried away.

Only to return about five minutes later with the rare bowl, once he was done showing Harry how to remove a memory, Harry pulled the attack memory out and placed it in the pensieve. When it was inside the adults in the room all leaned towards the bowl and looked in. After a few minutes, they all blinked and looked away, all of them were obviously deep in thought.

"Albus, what was it? I never seen anything like it before." Remus said sitting on the bed beside Harry, who felt the need to hiss at his friend.

"I don't know, we will all have to search for the answer, I will order books that may tell us what we want to know." Albus said, walking around the side of the bed, to stand on the opposite side of Remus, with Harry in the center.

Harry was feeling really weird now, he felt like he wanted to claw everyone around him. He knew this wasn't normal behavior and before he could think about it, he was out of bed and across the room moving away from everyone. He looked up at the surprised faces of the others and when Madam Pomfrey approached Harry couldn't quite stop the cat-like growl that bubbled up his throat. Madam Pomfrey stopped and stay where she was, while the others seemed a bit more worried.

"What's wrong with me? Why am I feeling so weird?" Harry asked, a feeling of panic building up inside and in response, he crouched down wrapped his arms around himself.

"Harry, the cat...we believe was a...a type of lycanthrope." Remus said, approaching slowly and kneeling not to far away.

"What? You mean I'm a...a werecat!?"Harry cried, standing and backing further away from everyone, back towards the hospital wing door, but he didn't notice Snape slink around to stand between him and the door out. "Is there a cure? Can't anything be done!?"

Madam Pomfrey, Remus and the Headmaster shock their heads, and Sirius looked sorrowfully at the ground. Harry shook his head wildly, running his hands through his hair compulsively, before grabbing two handfulls and pulling, moaning and denying the whole situation.

"Harry, don't you hurt yourself!" Sirius ordered coming forward quickly, but that was a mistake, as Harry suddenly turned and tried to bolt for the door.

Tried being the word, as before he got to steps, Snape grabbed him and held him to his chest. "Potter, running won't make this go away, it'll only make it worse!"

"I can't! I don't want this!" Harry screamed, his voice muffled by his professor's chest, and in his panic and confusion he gripped the teacher tightly, feeling like without someone to hold onto him he would fall away to pieces.

Suddenly Harry was jerk away from Snape, even though he tried to hold, and turned around to be smashed against Sirius' chest. He grabbed onto his godfather's body, needing to whole onto something...somebody to keep from shattering apart. Above him, Sirius was glaring at Snape and strangely enough Snape was glaring right back at Sirius. He also looked like he wanted to grab the now werecat Potter out of Sirius' arms. Remus seeing a fight about to breakout between the two quickly intervened. Stepping between the the two adults, Remus placed his hand on Sirius' shoulder.

"Why don't we get Harry back in bed and give him...perhaps a calming draft?"

"Yeah, that sounds like a good idea." Sirius said picking up the boy and taking him to the bed. "Why the hell is he so light?"

"He hasn't been eating or sleeping well, this past school year." Madam Pomfrey supplied, helping him tuck the still clinging boy into the bed. "He was to stressed from dealing with that Umbridge women and was tormented from nightmares all year long."

"Here you go, Harry drink up, it's a calming draft, for your nerves. Don't worry everything will be alright." Remus said, taking the empty vial from Harry and helping him lay down.

Harry, calm now, felt sleep pull him under and he gladly submitted to it.

The next day Harry woke up feeling irritable, he felt like growling at everyone, and he didn't feel any better after he remembered the news he had received the day before. He was also feeling restless, hot, thirsty, hungry and in need of a long bath. That was where Headmaster Dumbledore and Professor Snape found him, crouching on the stand next to the bed and licking his arm thoroughly before rubbing it over his head. Harry had heard them come in, he could even hear them approaching five minutes ago, but he ignored them, concentrating instead on getting CLEAN. He continued to ignore them, even as the two adults shared a look between themselves. The only thing that matter to Harry right then was getting the dirt OFF!

"Ah, Harry good to see you up and...about." Albus said, staring at the dark-haired boy, like he'd never seen him before.

When Harry didn't answer, choosing to instead continue 'cleaning' himself, Snape got angry and quickly approached the crouched figure. Harry heard him coming and quickly looked up, hissing at the Professor. Snape stopped and getting annoyed barked out at the young Gryffindor.

"For Merlin's sake, Potter, what are you doing!?"

"Cleaning."

"What?"

"I have to get the dirt off, I have to be clean." Harry replied, showing Snape his arm, which was actually very clean, before going back to licking.

"I see...." Snape said, with an eyebrow raised. "Although I...regret to inform you, that no amount of...cleaning...will help with your hair."

Harry gave Snape a look (anyone who has cats and does or says something stupid near them has seen this look), Snape returned the look with one of his 'death glares' only to become irritable when it has no effect on the 'cat-boy'. Walking around to the other side of the bed, Snape turned slowly to face the boy-who-lived-to-become-a-werecat.

"I must say Potter, that getting bit by that cat has made you more like you father than ever, maybe even more so, I actually don't recall him being quite this arrogant."

Harry, hearing that, forgot his cleaning and lifting his head, snarled at the Professor. When Snape gave him one of his smirks, Harry lost it and from the bed stand where he crouched, he sprang up and over the bed to land beside the shocked Potions Master.

"How dare you call me arrogant when you know next to nothing about me!!"

"Watch your tongue, Potter! Your still in school and I am still your Professor! Do you want all the points taking from your house!?"

"What's it matter to me! Now that I am this! Do you actually think the ministry will allow me to remain in school!?"

"What in Merlin's name are you talking about Potter?!"

"I'm a werecat now! To them that's no better than a rabid animal! Look how they treat Remus!"

"Foolish boy!! Do you think their going to find this out! That we plan to wave this around in everyone's faces!!?"

"How can they not find out!? I feel myself changing even as we argue!"

"Come now, Potter don't...!" Snape trailed off though when he caught sight of Harry's eyes, moving quickly and unexpectedly, Snape gently but firmly grabbed Harry's head in his two hands and turned the boy's head up so he could see better.

As he thought, Harry's green eyes now had cat-like pupils, and with Harry's lips pulled back slightly, Snape saw his teeth were also very cat-like now.

"See? I'm a monster now!" Harry stated, pulling his head out of his Professor's hands, 'I'm a freak now just like the Dursleys always said', Harry thought to himself.

"Harry, your not a monster, and Professor Snape is right, the Ministry will not find out about this. Will think of something, so don't you worry." The Headmaster reassured, walking over to the distressed teen.

"I don't know Headmaster, perhaps Potter is right. Maybe we should...place...him somewhere he won't cause problems?"

"Severus, please, your not helping right now."

"Sorry, Headmaster." Snape said unconvincingly, looking out the nearby window.

The Headmaster shook his head and turned his attention to the upset teen. For a moment Albus just looked at the young man before him. It's true that Harry now had some changes, from his white fringe, strange eyes and his teeth, but all in all he looked the same. Albus looked down at where the boy was scratching his fingernail on his right hand's pointer finger, while Albus looked, the nail came off!! Everyone seemed so shocked at this that no one could even say any thing for a few long moments. Finally Albus turned to Snape, who was looking at the fingernail in a mixture of astonishment and horror.

"Severus, I'm going to need you to do another blood test for Harry, and see just what is going on with his blood now."

"Yes, of course Headmaster." Snape said, pulling out an empty vial, while still looking at the finger with the missing nail.

In the time it took for the Headmaster to request this and for Snape to pull out an empty vial and a small clean knife, Harry had already pulled off the rest of his nails on his right hand.

"Potter would you stop it, if your nails are going to fall off, let them fall off. Don't pull them off, it's disgusting." Snape snapped, approaching the now wary boy, who growled and backed away from the knife. "Come now, Potter, don't be childish, I'm not going to kill you. However much I may want to at times."

The last sentence was spoken in a low voice, obviously Harry was meant to hear, but hear he did and it made him growl, hiss and show his 'fangs' at the approaching Professor. Said Professor, with speed that surprised even himself, quickly grabbed Harry's left hand and Harry responded by trying to 'claw' him with his right hand. This didn't do much, so still struggling, Harry attempted to bite the Professor, who quickly let go of him and stepped away. Once he was released Harry, insane with panic, leapt onto the headboard of the bed and crouched, hissing.

"Oh dear, we're going to need help, I'll call Remus and Sirius up to calm him." The Headmaster said and entered Madam Pomfrey's office to call for back up.

Not a few moments later, Remus and Sirius step out of the office with the Headmaster, who was explaining what was needed. They stopped though at the sight of Harry balanced on the headboard, hissing at Snape.

"Hello Harry, why don't you come down off of there and sit on the bed with us?" Remus asked, slowly approaching and sitting at the bottom of the bed.

Harry looked at his friend and Godfather before looking at Snape, who wasn't approaching with the knife and then glancing at the twinkling Headmaster, who smile gently at him. Deciding that it looked safe Harry climbed down and sat next to Remus with Sirius sitting on the other side of Harry.

Suddenly something inside warned Harry that he should move, but before he could, Remus and Sirius lunged forward and grabbed him. Holding his arms and legs in such a way that Harry couldn't bite nor scratch. Struggling he didn't notice Sirius nod to the Headmaster, who turned and shot a meaningful look at Snape. Snape quickly approached and Harry, who could only see something large and black coming, freaked out.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I won't do it again... I promise, don't hurt me. I'm sorry...I...I'm...I'm sorry!" Harry cried, no longer seeing his Professor, but rather the huge form of his uncle.

Needless to say the others in the room were terrible surprise and distressed by Harry outburst. Particularly Snape, who was used to dealing with abused children from his house, he could easily see the signs of abuse. He could only wonder why he didn't see it before, maybe because he never thought to look before with Potter or perhaps because Potter was a better actor than Snape gave him credit for. That didn't explain why no one else never notice anything before either, where they all just to blind?

"Shh... it's okay, P...Harry, it'll just hurt for a moment, than we'll heal it up and it won't hurt anymore." Snape said soothingly, ignoring the looks he was getting from the other adults in the room.

Quickly Snape took the blood sample and backed away, while Sirius and Remus let go of Harry, who rolled of the bed and onto the floor before sliding up said bed and hiding. When Sirius tried to go under and get him out though, Snape stopped him.

"Don't, you'll make it worse, he'll come out when he's ready."

"How do you know this?" Remus asked, cutting of Sirius when he looked like he was going to argue.

"I've handled abuse children before, when they hide it's not a good idea to try and get them out of their hiding places. They'll come out on their own when they feel it is safe. Now if you don't mind, I have tests to run." Snape replied and lifted for the dungeons, swooping out of the room like a giant bat.

~~Three hours later~~

Snape turned out to be right, much to Sirius' displeasure, about Harry coming out on his own. Not an hour after he left, Harry emerged, sheepishly, from under the bed. He apologized continuously for causing such a scene and only stopped when Sirius threatened to dump a bucket of ice-water on his head. Now they were waiting for Snape to come and tell them of his findings, but they didn't have to wait to long. Three hours after he left he returned and acting as if Harry didn't do anything out of the ordinary, much to Harry gratitude, Snape made his announcement.

"I find myself at a loss on how to explain my findings, so I will start with the basics. Potter, unlike a werewolf, is turning into a cat when it's not a full moon. In my findings though, it seems as if with time he may be able to control this change. Although right now the change is out of his control, the change is unusual in the fact that some time the changes in his blood are extreme and other times it seems like his blood is almost completely human." Snape said to the five (Madam Pomfrey was now there) gathered together in the room.

"Your turning into a cat, Potter." Snape clarified with a sneer when he saw the confused look on both Harry's and Sirius' faces.

Severus Snape, Potions Master of Hogwarts, closed the book he was reading with a frustrated sigh. The book, 'One Hundred and One Magical Creatures' by Maybell Rosecutter, didn't mention one word about the strange werecat that bit Potter. It was the 20th book he had read through looking for answers, as they all were. All being, himself, the Headmaster, and just about every other member of the Order, and so far there wasn't a single thing they've found. It had been three days since Potter's nails had fallen off and they discovered his abuse. How far that abuse went they didn't know...yet, the boy was being very closed mouth about it. Severus still couldn't believe how horribly wrong he'd been about Potter, who was pacing restlessly nearby from where Severus was sitting.

The youth's metamorphosis was progressing quickly, but not quickly enough for P...Harry. Harry, who over the course of the three days, has grown a tail and had his ears migrate to the top of his head, not to mention the other changes. Severus had to struggle to keep his face straight, as every time he looked at the boy, he felt a strong urge to laugh. That wouldn't help the boy's deterating temper any, so far the child has tried to claw (as he now had retractable claws), bite and slice everyone unlucky enough to push him. The only ones able to remain with him for any amount of time were the Headmaster, Black, Lupin, Madam Pomfrey and himself. Minerva had tried to remain with the boy, but apparently werecats and animagus cats do not get along well. Others have tried, but again the boy's temper was only getting more insane at every passing moment.

After watching the white fringed, scythed tailed, young man walking back and forth by the window, Severus picked up another book from his diminishing pile and opened it to continue with the search. He had to admit he felt bad for the boy, he might not have been fond of the brat before, but that didn't mean he wished for anything like this to happen. Severus was disturbed from his reading by the sound of a thunk and two crashes. Looking up, Severus sneered when he saw that Harry had sliced through the bottom footboard with his tail blade in a fit of temper. Waving his wand, Severus fix the bed and went back to reading. He looked up irritated when the sound of Harry's tail slicing the footboard rung out again.

Looking sourly at the boy, who was grinning devilishly at his previously unlike Professor, Severus fix the bed once more, adding a protection charm to it as well. Going back to reading, Severus smirked when he heard a thud and then a grunt. Looking up, he saw that the Gryffindor had tried to cut through the bed again only to have his tail get stuck. Harry glared at the Potions Master as he pulled furtively on his trapped tail, obviously waiting for Severus to help him out.

"Problem, Mr. Potter?" Severus said mildly, laughing inside at the look on the boy's face, it didn't take much these days to make him mad.

"I would have thought that obvious, my tail is stuck, could you get it out for me?"

"I see nothing wrong with your tail, you should stop telling lies. Oh, and five points from Gryffindor for cheek." Severus smirked darkly, as he watched Harry turn away from him angrily and sit on the bottom of the bed, his tail still stuck in the footboard.

"Oh, by the way Potter, since you're not doing anything. Now might be a good time to tell me what that show you put on three days ago was about?" Severus spoke silkily, putting aside his book and giving the snarky teenager his attention.

"I don't know what your talking about." Harry replied, dancing around his question. "Did you find anything out about the cat that bit me yet?"

"No, and don't try to change the subject, little Gryffindor, I've been in Slytherin to long to be fooled by such a tactic."

"I can't tell you, it's not important."

"Oh, I think you can and I think it is important."

"I can't and it's not important, because I've dealt with it this long, so it's not a big deal." Harry insisted, stubbornly refusing to even look at the Potions Master.

Sighing, Severus got up and sitting in front of Potter grabbed his shoulders, Harry wasn't able to stop the flinch that occurred. "This is a big deal, tell me Potter and I'll make sure that you'll never have to go back to those muggles again."

"Why do you care? What's in it for you?"

"Why Potter, you sound like a slytherin. Why I care...I care because I made a huge mistake judging you and I always fix my mistakes. What's in it for me...I can finally repay Lilly's kindness back, after all these years."

"My mother, what did she do for you? Did you know her very well?"

"Your mother was a good friend of mine and she helped me greatly during school. I wish I could say I knew her very well, but I was very arrogant in school and didn't try to...get to know her... I thought I needed no one. Lilly saw through that though and befriended me despite my behavior."

"Oh, well I guess that's cool and all, but I'm still not telling you anything because there is nothing to tell."

"Foolish boy, do you want to go back to those muggles!?"

"It doesn't matter what I want, the blood wards...."

"The blood wards are pointless if your relatives kill you."

"You're not the first person to try to help me, the last person failed and was transferred to a new school. What makes you think that you'll succeed?"

"Potter after five years have you ever known me to fail at getting what I want?"

"Yes...usually when it comes to me."

"Those times I did fail...yes...but this time I'm not out to get you. This time I only want to help you and I WILL not fail. So Potter, tell me what those muggles did to you."

"I...I can't...I ashamed!" Harry cried, trying to pull his tail out of the footboard and leave the room, but his was stuck firmly.

"Whatever are you ashamed of, it's not your fault that your 'family' is abusive."

"I'm the boy-who-lived, everyone is expecting me to be their savior, what kind of savior am I if I can't even defend myself from my muggle uncle."

"If they have problems with a child not being able to defend himself from his adult uncle than they're the ones with problems. Now no more delaying, tell me what they did to you."

Harry stalled for another few minutes, before he finally told Severus everything, from the forced starvation and getting locked into his room. All the way to the broken bones, bruises, scars, and attempted rapes (always prevented by Harry's wild magic). Severus listened and recorded everything away for later use in a pensieve, these muggles were going down. After Harry was done speaking, Severus freed his tail, gave him some water and a dreamless sleep potion, before getting him in bed and leaving to find the Headmaster. He found said Headmaster on his way to Harry's private room, after quietly telling him that he needed to speak with him privately and that Harry was asleep, Albus lead the way to his office. Once there Severus asked Albus for his pensieve and after he go it, Severus place his memories of the earlier conversation with Harry into it.

Severus paced, much the same as Harry did earlier, around the office while he waited for the Headmaster to watch the memories. He couldn't help but remember when Harry had invaded his own memories before, Severus still felt some anger towards Harry from that. Before he could dwell on it though, the Headmaster pulled himself away from the pensieve and sat wearily behind his desk.

"He can not return to the Dursley's, but the ministry will try everything in their power to make him go back, even going as far a saying the conversation you had with Harry was all a lie. We need to get the Dursleys to silently sign over their rights as Harry's guardians, but to who? Sirius would take him...but he still being hunted by the ministry. Remus is a werewolf and the Weasleys have far to many children. I'm sure they would love to adopt him, but that would place them in danger of Voldemort." Albus thought out loud before going completely silent, gazing into the distance, suddenly he looked at Severus and Severus knew what he was going to say even before he said it.

"Severus, you are the only one capable of adopting Harry and teaching him all he needs to know."

"But Albus what about my spying?"

"You will still spy, this adoption will be done secretly, with no one who doesn't need to know finding out, unless you refuse?"

"No, I won't refuse." Severus responded after several minutes deep in thought.

"Good, you'll go tonight to the Dursleys, now let' s get some details worked out." They spent the next hour and half working through everything that needed to be done.

~~The next morning~~

The Headmaster and Severus walked quickly to Harry's private room after Madam Pomfrey called them over the fire, she sounded frantic and told them to hurry as fast as they could. Severus had just woken up from a late night bullying the Dursleys into compliance and was dreading having to tell Harry. Once they got to the room, Madam Pomfrey stopped them from going in, flicking her wand in a circle, she quickly cast a silencing charm before turning to the others.

"I nearly lost a limb going in there, Headmaster, it seems Harry's metamorphosis is complete. I must say that seeing the cat that attacked Harry up close is rather disturbing."

"So Potter is now the cat, I'll have to get more blood samples as much as I hate to get near him as he is."

"Yes, we'll have to stun him and do the work quickly," Albus said. "I'll call Remus and Sirius for their help."

It wasn't long before Sirius and Remus was standing outside Harry's door talking with Albus.

"So Remus and I just go in there and stun Harry, and everyone is okay with this, I mean the boy's been abused. I highly doubt he going to respond well to getting fire at."

"Yes, I understand your concern but we must get that blood sample. Harry, I'm sure will forgive us...eventually. Now we've wasted enough time." Albus replied, gesturing towards the closed door.

Sighing, Sirius and Remus walked to the door with their wands drawn and pointed, opening it quickly on the count of three they stepped into the room and stopped. The room was empty, they looked everywhere...in the closet...under the bed...even out the window. Finally turning to the three outside the room, they shrugged their shoulders and shook their heads, clearly confused.

"Well?" Snape snapped, glaring at them.

"He's not in here anymore, we've looked everywhere, it's not like a giant cat can up and disappear like a mouse." Sirius snapped back, glaring back at his most hated rival, only for that glare to turn into a look of terror.

The five looked on in fascinated horror, as a cat the size of lion climbed down from where it was hanging on the ceiling. Its massive head turned and looked at Sirius and Remus, while its mouth opened in a silent snarl, nearly 12" long fangs gleaming silver in the dull light. Suddenly the creature, who was Harry, turned and ran towards the three outside the room, they instinctually jumped out of the way. Meanwhile, the huge cat kept going, running with all its might for the front doors. Before he could get there though, Hagrid who had just come in those very doors, wrestled him to the ground (ever see the crocodile hunter?). When the five caught up, they stunned the cat and stood around its body, discussing what to do next.

"Is it obvious, we take him back to his room, put a collar on his neck and chain him up, while at the same time take the blood samples I need." Severus pointed out mildly, looking down at the huge cat who was now legally his son.

Albus opened his mouth to say something, but was interrupted by a sudden roaring echoing in through the front door, which were still opened. When the roar sounded, cat-Harry twitched as if responding. Severus quickly went to the doors and shut them, before turning back around and striding back to where the others gathered.

"I'd recognize the sound of that roar anywhere Headmaster, it's the same roar that sounded when Potter got away. The other were-cats must be trying to call out this one, we must get him back to his room." Severus said urgently, watching while Hagrid quickly but gently picked the huge cat up like it were the size of a kitten.

The others quietly followed the half-giant and Severus back to Harry's room and hoped to the gods he didn't wake before then.