Last time:

The second Challenge finished, the two boys continued climbing. They reached the peak by sunset, exhausted by the climb. Their eyes locked onto the one figure who had been there before them. Madam Sel, who was smiling. She said in her breathy way "Congratulations, Natural Animagi! You have passed the Trial." Harry exchange looks with Draco, and they both let out a whoop of victory. They had made it, where many had failed. And, though they didn't know it, they were one of the few with a time under sixteen days.

Once the boys calmed down somewhat, Sel spoke once more "You both showed a great deal of bravery in facing your foes. But even more so, when you came to trust one another. So many Natural Anamagi, for one reason or another, lose their trust in other people. Many of those who failed the test were not able to trust their companion. But as you saw, those who go into the test together have Challenges presented to them as a team. Now, for your animagus forms." Harry and Draco exchanged a look, slightly thrown by the speech. Though they really shouldn't have been, as old people seemed to have a tendency to make long winded speeches. Sel appeared to be no different in that respect.

"You're Animagus aura can be classed as a feline, of some type. Let us see who appears from the dusk mists." Turning, she pointed to the other side of the peak, where the mist and fog was thick. The two boys stared hard into the mist, seeing nothing for a good long time. Then they saw two pairs of shining eyes, missing color just at the moment. Seconds later the faces that they eyes belonged to appeared, soon followed by the rest of the body. Though the fur was as colorless as the eyes, the physique was recognizable as that of a cheetah. But these were different in two very obvious aspects. One was the colorless flames flickering at their paws, the second was they both had a glorious pair of feathery wings. Other than that, they both appeared to be young adolescent cheetahs at about the same size.

Harry breathed out, saying softly in sheer wonder "Awesome. The ultimate Runner!" Draco, too, was amazed. These creatures were no ordinary muggle animals. Nay, they were all too obviously magical felines. And both seemed very regal. Sel spoke again, a smile hovering on her lips "Very appropriate. Cheetahs are one of the few cats who travel together, as a coalition. The Fire Cheetahs have an even stronger bond, and are very rare. No other Animagi has them as their forms. Now listen, for this is very important: Never let yourself be consumed by hatred or bitterness, for Natural Animagi have difficulty dealing with those emotions in their animal form. At best, you would be totally unable to transform. At worst, you'll lose your mind to those negative thoughts. And with magical animals like these, insanity is more likely to happen."

Both boys nodded, eyes glittering with a bit of anxiety. They hadn't a clue that if they started feeling bitter after gaining their forms that it could be so devastating. They had only known that they couldn't have unlocked the gene that allowed them to become Animagi if they'd been bitter. However, there was no time to think, as the two cheetahs approached them. The one on the left, who seemed smaller then his companion closer up, went to Harry. As the muzzle of this cheetah touched Harry, it's colors changed. It became a beautiful black cheetah, with white king cheetah markings and teardrops. The wings also became white and black, with the black almost sandwiching the white. The flame was red and black, and burned very brightly. The eyes were a beautiful green, and over one eyebrow was the trademark lightning bolt in white fur. After the color change, the cheetah disappeared, and Harry felt a swelling of completeness inside him; Harry instinctively knew, without a doubt, that the cheetah was now apart of him forever.

The other cheetah, who had approached Draco, also touched his muzzle to the boy. It became an almost exact flip-flop of Harry's form, though missing some of the stripes on it's back. The flames were red and white, and despite their color, burned less brightly then the red and black flames had. It's eyes were silver, and glittered with some unknown mischief on it's mind. It, too, disappeared after it's color changed. What happened next, neither boys could prepare for. For right on the heels of Draco feeling complete, memories that were not their own invaded their minds. The flashing images got faster and faster until they stopped completely, having reached to that day. Though both felt weak from the sheer force of the bonding, they knew, somehow, that what they had seen was correct. As was the bond itself, which would provide them with someone to be there for the other when needed.

***

In the Real Realm

Sel awoke first, her eyes glittering with hidden emotion. Severus and Remus looked at her, and then exchange a look with each other. Did her waking first mean success, or failure, for their wards? The female chuckled, seeing the worried looks on the two men's faces. She said "They'll be waking up shortly, as full fledged Animagi. After they do, I must ask you Remus to take them to the girl at the front. She will present them with their SoNA bracers. Severus, I must speak with you alone while the children are busy." He nodded his head solemnly, not quite understand but accepting the necessity anyways.Just then the boys awoke, far more slowly then Sel had. Their eyes were clouded over with sleep, and it took them a bit before they realized they were out of the Dream Realm. Then green and silver eyes lit up with excitement, and it was only their failing sense of dignity, and their exhaustion, that kept them from jumping about the room like a couple of march hares. Remus couldn't help but smile at the obvious joy on the children's faces, and Severus too had to suppress a smirk. Remus stood up, and said "Come Harry, Draco. The woman in the store will present you both with a SoNA bracer, which decrees you as a Natural Animagus." Sel stated "Aye, and the Society of Natural Animagus will always be there to back you. You will always have protection from those who would harm you, as well as being exempt from the Animagus Registry Laws." Both boys grinned at that, and followed Remus out.

Sel turned to Severus, her mouth still curved into a slight smile. She said "That will go a long way in helping them with their trust issues. Now, Severus, I have something important to say to you." Severus, who had been very glad for Harry's sake (though he would never admit it), nodded thoughtfully in response. The woman continued "The children have made the Animagus Bond. And while that will serve them well later in life, it is a bit of a hindrance in it's first stages. One of the rules about bonding state that the Bonded Pair/Group can be no more then a hundred meters from each other for the first two weeks. Which means that they must be in the same house hold. As you told Albus you would take Harry under your roof again for the rest of the summer, I must ask you: are you prepared to take Draco as well?"

Severus, who had surprisingly not known this information, looked stunned for a good few minutes. Then he nodded decisively "Of course. The child is my godson, and besides---I wouldn't break my promise to Harry." He then seemed a bit irritated at himself for letting that slip. Sel simply smiled, and stated "I'm glad. Remember, if you ever need help, you merely have to call on Lune's Alicorn." With that Sel took her leave, her hair swaying with each movement. Severus shook his head in bemusement, and went to join the others. When he did so, he was greeted by both boys wishing to show them the bracer. He dutifully looked at it. It was golden, and had six different markings on it. From what he could see, they were animal prints, which seemed to be from mammalian to insect in difference.After expressing suitable (for him) enthusiasm, he quietly mentioned what Sel had told him. Both boys looked at him, then exchanged looks with each other. A few beats later, they were grinning from ear to ear. Severus wasn't quite sure he liked that mischievous gleam that had seemed to come into their eyes as they grinned. If he hadn't known better, he could have sworn that both were Slytherin instead of one being a Gryffindor. He hoped that he would not regret his decision in taking them to Snape Manor. But where else could he have taken them? He sent a quick prayer to whatever god still looked his way that there would still be a Manor at the end of the summer.

***

Later in the month

Harry looked at the potion, which was a bit too much on the purple side. He checked the instructions, and sighed. It should be lavender in color by this point. He grimaced, and glanced at Draco's potion. While his BondMate's potion was also too dark, it was still lighter in color then his own. He almost wished that he had not made that promise with Snape. Only the strange trust that was building between them had kept him from breaking the deal as soon as it started. Shaking his head to rid himself of any regrets, he returned to his potion. It was starting to let of noxious smelling fumes, though they didn't seem to be poisonous. Snape still banished his potion, and dismissed him for the day. He had tried his best, and was relieved to note that no criticism had come from the Professor. It had been a hard potion after all.

Going up to his room, he grumbled slightly at the feeling of light-headiness. It seemed the fumes had been a bit much, though he didn't feel sick as if they had been toxic. Instead, his mind kept coming up with something he hadn't thought of in a long time. He wondered if he could re-enact it correctly. It would require precise preparations, and might not even be successful. But if it was, the gag would be so worth it. As long as the one at the receiving end acted favorably to it. His mind was spinning with the idea so much, that he almost missed the great horned owl that was sitting on his bed-post. When he did see it, his heart leapt in sheer terror.

~What is it?~ Draco sent urgently. Harry didn't reply, instead taking the small letter and equally small package from the owl. Paying the required amount of coins, he looked with dread upon the message. He murmured "And things had been so peaceful, too." But, as per usual, peace could never last in Harry's life. It was time to once again become Shade, the Runner, lest he sign his own death warrant. As he had no wish to have someone other then Tom hunting him down, he would perform the run without complaint. So he got out his Runner's vest, his green eyes glittering with loathing at it. What he didn't count on though, was for Draco and Snape to appear in his doorway, both looking concerned (though Snape tried to hide it). Harry looked at them, and knew that he was going to have a very difficult time that day.