Minerva turned to the others. “Of course I don’t know what his rant was all about but he obviously did Legilimency on me and planted an image in my head. If I understand it correctly he wants me to transform him back into his human form. Is that right, Harry?”

The baby phoenix nodded, and Lily could understand a small, #Yes, pwease, Gwanny.#

Minerva carefully stood up, holding baby phoenix Harry tight in her hand in order not to drop him as his feathers were still too small for the bird to be able to fly. When she walked over into Harry’s room, everyone stood up in order to follow her.

However, Salazar immediately held the others back. “No, you will please stay here and wait. Everyone! Poppy or I will be the only one to accompany them. Don’t you think Harry would be uncomfortable having so many spectators? He probably won’t even have clothes on him.” He threw the Healer an enquiring look, who nodded and quickly followed Minerva out of the room, while the others grudgingly sat down again.

Ten minutes later, Minerva and Poppy left Harry’s room. “Where’s Harry? Is he all right?” Lily asked impatiently.

“He is all right but he was very upset and tired, and Madam Pomfrey gave him a Sleeping Draught. You will all be able to see him in the morning,” Minerva answered sternly.

“Will he be able to attend lessons beginning tomorrow?” Remus asked eagerly.

“No,” Poppy replied before anyone else could answer differently. “I want him to rest for the remainder of the week. He’s not allowed to do any magic anyway. You can ask Professor Dumbledore about Fawkes condition after a burning day and after being a baby for a few weeks.”

“Yes, that’s correct,” Salazar agreed. “The Headmaster has once told me that it takes Fawkes at least six weeks to be back to his usual self after a burning day. And I don’t think it will be any different for Harry, especially as he isn’t used to it and then after what happened at the Shrieking Shack. Everything must have been a huge shock to him.”

-----

In spite of his friends’ and teachers’ concerns, Harry seemed to cope with everything very well. When he woke up late in the morning, Lily was sitting on the edge of his bed, reading her Transfiguration notes. She jumped suddenly when her son’s voice penetrated her ears.

“Hi Mum.”

“Harry! You’re awake! How are you?” Lily carefully pulled Harry into a hug.

“I’m fine, Mum. Have they already done something about the orphanage? Has Granddad given them my plans?” Harry asked eagerly.

“Oh, Harry,” Lily said, exasperated. “Don’t you have more pressing things to think about than the orphanage? Was that what you were talking about yesterday when you were in your phoenix form?”

“Yes, of course it was, and no, the orphanage is a pressing matter. Remember, the Death Eaters’ children, they don’t have anywhere to go. I have to go speak with Granddad.” He scrambled out of bed, and Lily let out a loud laugh.

“Oh, Harry, that’s priceless. What have Granny and Madam Pomfrey done to you?”

Harry frowned and looked down. He was wearing light blue footed pyjamas with little lions in yellow and orange roaring silently. He could feel his face getting red. “Oh, wait until I get back at them for this!” So threatening Harry quickly picked out an outfit and ran into the bathroom. When he emerged ten minutes later, fully dressed, his hair still damp from his shower, Lily was still pondering what to do with her son.

“Harry, you cannot just leave. Let me at least call your father or Madam Pomfrey to check on you. You aren’t even allowed to attend classes for the rest of the week. They said you mustn’t do any magic at all.”

“It’s all right, Lily, I’m fine. You can return to your class. Thanks for staying with me,” Harry answered speedily, took his plans out of his desk’s drawer, and transformed into Breeze in order to flash away immediately. However, as soon as he had transformed he remembered that Breeze wasn’t able to flash at all. He was still a baby.

Lily picked the baby phoenix up from the floor and said sternly, “Harry, you have to think before you rush to do something.” She put him on his bed and asked, “Do you think you can transform back, or do I have to call Granny?”

#I’ll try# the phoenix trilled a reply. Harry tried to transform back but soon had to realize that he didn’t have enough magic. He tried again and again until he gave up. #I can’t# he told his mother and tiredly closed his eyes.

“All right, Harry, sleep for a while. I’m going to call Granny as soon as she finishes teaching her lessons.”

-----

During lunchtime, Minerva came to once more transform the baby phoenix into her twelve-year-old great grandson. Salazar, who had followed his colleague into the room after hearing from Lily what had happened, asked sternly, “What do you think you were doing? Nobody has allowed you to get up and roam the castle.”

“But nobody has forbidden me to get up and do what I have to do,” Harry retorted. “I have to talk to Granddad. Does anyone of know if he has given my plans to the Ministry? We have to proceed with the project.”

“As far as I know,” Minerva replied pensively, “he had an appointment with the Ministry last week and has handed over your plans to them. And if I remember correctly, he was very satisfied after the meeting. I’ll tell him to come and visit you later.”

“Harry, with your transformation and your tries of transforming back you have depleted your magic completely. Now, please behave and be a bit more careful. You are not to leave our quarters today,” Salazar stated calmly with a stern look on his face.

Harry grudgingly obeyed and proceeded to sleep until his great grandfather woke him up a few hours later. “Now, Harry, what’s all this commotion about? Did you think we abandon your plan just because you decided to spend a few weeks as a baby phoenix?” Albus asked his great grandchild, his eyes twinkling merrily.

Harry groaned. “No, but…”

“No buts! I have taken your plans to the Ministry and they have made an enquiry to the few people within the magical world who are able to change the present building into the building from your plans. They have given the contractors this weekend to look over the plans and to turn in a bid for the needed work, and then we will choose the most convenient, which will probably be the cheapest, offer.”

“How long do you think it will take them to make the changes to the building? And do they only do the outside part and the additional walls for the rooms, or are they going to take care of the furnishings as well?”

“Oh my, have you spent your time as baby phoenix thinking about this all the time?” Albus asked, astonished. “The interior will be up to us to complete. We could hire someone to do it for us but with so many powerful wizards and witches among my colleagues it would be a waste of money to do so. Therefore, we will do it ourselves, and yes, you may help. However, you mustn’t do too much and you have to listen to what your father and Poppy say. I am aware of the fact that you are very powerful, but don’t forget that you’re only twelve years old while the teachers are grown-up wizards and witches. Do you understand me?”

“Yes,” Harry replied grudgingly.

“Now, Harry,” Albus continued, and Harry noticed that his eyes weren’t twinkling anymore. “Listen well. If you start to argue with any of us instead of just listening to us, you won’t be allowed to help at all. Is that clear?”

“Yes but…”

“No buts.”

-----

During the rest of the week, Harry spent most of his days studying with the help of Lily’s notes. He had already missed three weeks of classes and was glad to have time to catch up a bit at least on the theoretical parts. He also started once again translating potions recipes from Slytherin’s books as he was eager to finish as many books as possible before he had to go back to the future.

Apart from being diligent however, he had also thought about how to get back at his great grandmother and Madam Pomfrey for dressing him into footie pyjamas with a baby design.

On Friday evening, Harry was finally allowed to join his friends for dinner in the Great Hall. He knew that he was still not supposed to do any magic. However, Harry couldn’t care less. When he entered the Great Hall he immediately threw an unobtrusive glance at the Head table, glad to notice that Poppy was there too. If she hadn’t been there, he would have had to wait for the next meal, but now was the perfect opportunity to get his revenge. Harry sat down between Lily and Remus at the Gryffindor table and told his friends, “I’m sorry, but please give me five minutes. I just have to do something. Afterwards, I’m all yours.”

“Harry, you know that you can’t do magic yet,” Lily warned him but Harry decided to ignore everyone around him.

Harry concentrated on the task that was in front of him. Suddenly, two women at the Head table were wearing baby jumpsuits. Minerva wore a yellow jumpsuit with green crocodiles that made small noises of splashing water. Poppy had on a pink jumpsuit with purple dragons on it that were roaring fire from time to time. Both ladies had bibs around their neck with sparkling letters on them saying ‘Attention – Minnie’s trying to eat’ and ‘Be careful – Poppy’s messing’. On their heads the two women were wearing baby bonnets, the colour matching the pattern on their jumpsuits. Harry had transfigured their knives and forks into baby cutlery and their glasses into feeding cups. He completed his revenge by sending some more wish magic into the prank that should assure that the Transfiguration Charm couldn’t be cancelled easily but would last until the two women had left the Great Hall.

Within a minute, the whole student body had noticed what had happened at the Head table and the Hall was roaring with laughter.

While Minerva and Poppy glared daggers at Harry, Albus stood up and announced, “Thirty points for your Houses, Mr. Snape, for a splendid Transfiguration show!”

“Oh, Harry, how could you do that?” Lily asked. On one hand, she had enjoyed the prank very much, but on the other hand she was worried for her son.

“Don’t worry, Lily. What can they do? They won’t kill me.”

“But they can prank you, which can be really uncomfortable,” Remus contradicted.

“Ah, but I’m not afraid of their pranks. Anyway, that was my revenge for the prank they played on me.”

“What?” James gasped.

Lily explained, giggling that Harry had found himself dressed in footie pyjamas the morning after he had been transformed back from his phoenix form. “But even if they won’t prank you, Poppy will be very angry because you weren’t allowed to do magic,” she added.

And Sirius suggested, “Maybe you should hide somewhere tonight.”

“No!” Lily said flabbergasted. “You’ll only make things worse.”

“No, actually I believe that’s a good idea. I will spend the night in the chamber. Can you tell my Dad please, Lily?”

“No, Harry, wait. You’re crazy. You can’t escape them anyway,” Lily begged Harry.

Suddenly Harry felt a hand on his shoulder. Jumping up in a fright he saw his father standing behind him. “Now, Harry, let’s go back to our quarters.”

Harry frowned. They had been so engaged in their discussion that he hadn’t noticed that dinner was already finished, and he hadn’t even managed to eat anything.

-----

A week later, the renovation of the Shrieking Shack started. Harry was dying to go watching the transformation but Albus had told him that it normally took Fawkes six weeks after a burning day to be strong enough to fly or flash. Therefore, Harry knew that he had to wait at least two more weeks until he could safely transform into his Animagus form again. A few days later, the outside of the new building was already finished. As Harry had suggested in his plan, that the outside the orphanage/school building resemble a miniature version of Hogwarts.

One day, Salazar finally told Harry, “This weekend, beginning after breakfast tomorrow morning, Professors Dumbledore, McGonagall and I will go to the Orphanage to start adding furniture and other items to the rooms. Do you want to help?”

“Of course I want to help. Do you think my friends, or at least Lily and Severus could come too? You know how good Lily is at Charms, don’t you?”

“Yes, that’s right. And as it is you that’s paying for the whole renovation project I don’t think Professor Dumbledore would deny your wish to include them. However, let’s ask him when the professors join us for tea tonight.”

Already knowing Albus’ answer as he had spoken to the Headmaster during dinner Salazar asked Harry’s friends to stay in their quarters after curfew. When Albus, Minerva, and Poppy arrived for tea as they used to do in the evenings, Salazar officially asked if Harry’s friends could join them at the Orphanage to assist with things that needed to be completed.

Albus pensively replied, “If you promise not to tell everyone about it, so that I won’t be asked ‘why could they help and we couldn’t?’ then I don’t see any problem with it.”

“Why should anyone ask that? I mean it’s me paying for the whole renovation, so why shouldn’t my friends and I do the rest of it then?” Harry asked innocently.

“Are you sure that you want everyone to know that it was you to finance the renovation?” Salazar asked, giving his son a piercing look.

“Oh, no, of course not, sorry,” Harry replied, blushing fiercely.

“All right, that means there are three adults and six students, so one adult and two students for each floor. We should decide how to pair ourselves in order to always have one person good at Charms, one person good at Transfiguration, and one person for general Magic, to overlook everything and help here and there,” Dumbledore continued before he gave the students a piercing look.

“Please tell me what you think your most useful ability is for the furnishing and decoration of the orphanage.”

“Lily?”

“Charms.”

“James?”

“Transfiguration.”

“Sirius?”

“Transfiguration.”

“Remus?”

“General.”

“Severus?”

“General.”

“All right, Harry I don’t have to ask you since with Wish Magic you can do Charms as well as Transfiguration easily. Professor McGonagall will do Transfiguration of course, Professor Snape general Magic, and I’m afraid I have to do Charms. This means, Professor McGonagall will work together with Lily and Severus, Professor Snape will work together with Harry and James, and I will make a group together with Sirius and Remus. Do you all agree with this solution?”

Everyone agreed and Salazar dismissed Harry’s friends for the evening. However, Severus still had a question he asked very hesitantly. “On the third floor, there will be dormitories for the students who are not able to return to their families for the summer, right?”

“That is correct,” Albus replied. “Why do you ask, my boy?”

“I was just wondering what kind of qualification students needed to stay there?” Severus asked quietly.

“Albus, I will speak with you about this later, but I believe that Severus fulfils the qualifications.”

“In this case, maybe we should let Severus’ group do the third floor. If it concerns you personally, perhaps you will have better ideas than those whom it doesn’t concern directly. Severus, I will listen to what Salazar tells me and we will talk about it later.”

-----

Directly after breakfast, the three teachers and six students headed to the Orphanage. Harry’s group was responsible for the Primary School floor. Using his wish magic he covered the floor with gleaming white tiles before he conjured ten desks and chairs as well as a blackboard for each classroom. In the meantime, Salazar had decorated the walls and James had conjured a fireplace for each classroom. After two hours, they only had the library, the washing room, the Hall, and the teachers’ room left. However, noticing that Harry was obviously starting to get tired Salazar decided they had done enough and motioned the students to follow him up to the other floors to see how the other groups were progressing.

On the other floors, they had to conjure or transfigure beds including pillows and bed covers, wardrobes, and many other things that were needed in the orphanage as well as the students’ summer dormitories. Therefore, the other groups had a lot more work than Harry’s group, so Salazar, James, and Harry proceeded to help the others from Sunday morning onwards. On Sunday afternoon, everything was finished.

“Now, I believe we have done enough and especially the students should go to rest and enjoy the remaining hours of the weekend. I would suggest that we come here again tomorrow after dinner – only those of you who have time of course – and once more walk through the whole building. I believe that we’ll still find lots of things to do, and we may even need to come here one other evening. As soon as we are sure that everything is perfect, I will need to invite Minister McNeill for a tour through the building to which I’d like you to accompany me, Harry.”

“All right, Professor,” Harry agreed immediately.

Everyone agreed to come again the next evening, and they left the building in order to head back to the main castle.

“Oh, Granddad,” Harry suddenly shouted. “What are we going to do about the connecting doors, I mean from the Entrance Hall to the Hogwarts Entrance Hall and from the Hospital room to Madam Pomfrey’s office?”

“Ah, yes, Harry, I know that we need these doors. If you don’t mind I’d like you to try to make the doors with Wish Magic. However, this will require a lot of magic, so I don’t want you to do it right now since you’ve already done so much work inside the building today. However, in case you are well rested and fit tomorrow evening, maybe you could try to at least make one of the doors.”

“Ah, all right, I will try,” Harry agreed immediately.

The group had already walked about a third of the way up to the castle when Lily suddenly noticed that Harry was not with them. “Wait!” she shouted alarmed. “Where’s Harry?”

Everyone looked around. “I only know that he left the building with us, but then…” Severus started when he was interrupted by Remus.

“Look, he’s standing in front of the Orphanage building. But what is he doing there? Maybe he is having some problems?”

The group worriedly hurried back to the Orphanage, and Harry’s friends let out a huge gasp when they approached the building.