Harry gasped as he was deposited in the Hogwarts Infirmary after Portkeying. It felt worse than Flooing, and he wasn't very good at that either. Had it not been for the fact that he was already sitting, he would likely have fallen down. Indeed, his injures flared in pain because of the mode of transport, and his vision swam. He felt a strong, firm hand pressing against his good shoulder lightly, holding him up as he swayed.

"Poppy! Poppy, are you in?!" a voice called. He recognized that voice as Professor McGonagall, and it was coming from his right. If she was to his right that meant....that Snape was holding him up. If his face hadn't been covered in black fur, the blush that now colored his cheeks would have been all too obvious. It was for more than just the embarrassment at the situation, it was for the fact that he enjoyed the care he felt radiating from the hand on his shoulder. Who would have guessed that Snape had a heart?

Minerva called again, truly hoping that her friend was in. She had noticed that Harry had swayed, and was surprised when Severus had steadied him. She bit back a sigh of relief as the Infirmary Matron came out of the door that led to her rooms. She motioned Poppy over with a hand, while nodding in the direction of Harry. She almost wished she had gone to talk to her before calling her as she watched Poppy's eyes widen with horror.

"What happened?" Madame Pomfrey asked as she went to perform some diagnostic spells on the boy-cat. Said cat had managed to regain his equilibrium, but still felt totally exhausted. Besides that, he was in a great deal of pain, though not as much as he had been after the transportation. He listened idly as McGonagall told of how they had found him. It only took a few minutes after that for the Healer to mend his broken bones. She then immobilized his freshly healed arm against his side, so as to not aggravate it.

"I suggest you take a shower before I heal the visible wounds. I wouldn't want any lingering bacteria to be sealed inside you." said Pomfrey. With that, Harry got up and headed for the door that he knew led to the lavatory. He was grateful to get out of his blood sticky clothing, though he had to bite his lip to keep from crying out as the remaining back on the shirt tore at his scabs. He then got into the shower, and turned it to just below burning level.

After spelling the water to act as a disinfectant, he stood still, letting the jets beat against his body. That was one thing he had discovered coming to Hogwarts. Magical showers had jets not just from above, but from the side-walls as well. How long he stood there like that, letting the water wash away the blood, he didn't know. But he finally decided he had been in there long enough, and began scrubbing vigorously at his fur after pouring some shampoo into his good hand. He was very grateful for his small amount of control on his wand-less magic, for he wouldn't have been able to perform that simple task with his right arm pinned against his side.

Once he finished the shower, he stepped out onto a fuzzy bath-mat that always seemed to be there after a shower but never before. Grabbing a red with gold lined towel, he proceeded to dry his fur off as best he could. He then tried to struggle into his under-garments and finally his pajama pants. He noticed that there was no top there, and figured the Healer had told the house-elves not to put them out for him until he'd been healed. He sighed, and pulled up what remained of his famed Gryffindor courage, and headed out into the main part of the Infirmary. Time to face the music, it seemed.

***

Madame Pomfrey sighed, and muttered "Poor child. Bad enough he seems to have come on the wrong end of a feline spell, but to get beaten by ones own relatives? I think, for once, that Mr. Potter will agree to stay that week it's going to take his body to fully recover from his injuries." Minerva smiled quietly, and didn't bother glancing at Severus. She likely knew what his expression was going to be. One of disgust, disbelief or sheer impatience.

Severus growled lightly, and muttered "I am going to kill Albus. What was the man thinking? He knew better than to not check what kind of living conditions the boy would have to endure. Thank Merlin the boy came to some senses this year. That Muggle nearly killed him this time, I think." He looked to Poppy to confirm, and she nodded slightly.

Minerva sighed, and stated "Well, now I know where Harry gets his reluctance to ask for help. That man probably beat him out of trying to!" Her eyes flashed angrily as she remembered, merely an hour ago, coming into the small bedroom and finding her 'Golden' Lion in such a state. She, too, was going to have sharp words with Albus.

The conversations stopped as the bathroom door opened, and the top-naked feline came in. Well, it was sort of hard for a person to be naked if one was furred. Either way, the child sat down on the bed that Poppy indicated, and stayed completely still. It took mere moments to heal the welt-marks and the cut above his eye. Though his back would have scars if he ever returned to his human form, the youngling wasn't going to die from the wounds. He was then given a pain-killing potion, followed by a light sleeping draught.

Severus and Minerva nodded as Potter fell asleep. It was time to hunt Albus down and get some answers. One of which was 'why is the child a feline?' Though that question likely wouldn't be able to be answered by any save the boy-cat, and the one who had cast the spell. Merlin knew who that person was.

***

"This is absolutely ridiculous. Getting off with only a slap on the wrists. And the look Dursley had when he left the court-room would have frozen fire." snarled Severus to Minerva. They had both gone to the trial of Vernon Dursley, and both were furious that the man was only getting placed under house arrest. "Thankfully Petunia signed the separation papers, and the Muggle judge agreed to give her custody of Dudley." returned Minerva in a tight voice.

Severus nodded, and thought to himself 'At least Tuney will be safe'. Then he blinked, wondering where that thought came from. Petunia had always been cruel to him and a bit towards Lily. It was probably the fact that she was Lily's sister that made him think that. That, and the obvious fact that Petunia had tried to help her nephew, even if she was jealous of him.

As they entered Hogwarts, one of the magical papers that Albus always charmed to deliver messages to staff appeared. It hovered in front of Severus, and the Potions Master took it. Opening it, he read the note. He began cursing vehemently, and stated "Lucius has deemed that Draco didn't do well enough in his grades. After letting his disappointment be known, he sent Draco here. Draco is now in the Infirmary" at Minerva's shocked look.

Minerva paled slightly, and stated "Besides the fact that Malfoy Senior is a sick bastard, who should be forcefully gelded, Mr. Malfoy is now in the same room as Mr. Potter." Severus forced himself not to show the sudden dread he felt at that, but he moved swiftly, heading upstairs to the Infirmary. His godson and Mr. Potter had never been very friendly with each other, and just then he was worried that they would tear strips from each other.

***

Harry stirred slightly, before jerking himself out of the nightmare he'd been trapped in. His heart was hammering, and his breaths were coming in gasps. He thought to himself 'They're getting worse.' He then reached out to the bedside table for the special pair of glasses that had been charmed to fit on his changed face. He smiled as his vision was brought into full focus, something that had never happened with his old glasses. Looking around, he spotted a suspiciously familiar shape in one of the beds. It had platinum blond hair so light as to be almost silver.

'Malfoy' Harry thought with anger. That little creep, showing his face after turning him into a cat. Harry grinned then, evilly. There were no teachers about, or any other grown-up for that matter. He could pay Malfoy back big time. Slipping out of bed, he padded silently over to the bed with Malfoy in it. He then began picking through spells, and decided to use the spell that had been used on him. With one exception: Malfoy wasn't going to be a cat.

With a quickly muttered "Bestia - alio amoveo" Harry stood back to watch. What he didn't count on was for Malfoy to wake just as he completed casting the spell wandlessly. Malfoy's eyes widened in horror as he saw his nemesis, and remained that way as he felt the fur growing. Silver fur cascaded down his body, his finger-nails turned into claws, and his teeth turned extra sharp. His ears shifted to the top of his head, and he felt certain he could feel a tail growing from his tail-bone. Looking back, he watched amazed as a black-tipped tail burst from the back of his trousers. Where there once had been a human wizard, now sat an ermine.

Harry bit his tongue lightly to keep from laughing out loud. He had always thought Malfoy seemed like a ferret to him. This just proved it. Malfoy yelled "I am going to kill you, Potter!" and leaped out of bed, ignoring his pain in favor of chasing his enemy. Harry just grinned, and walked away. He wasn't expecting his tail to get bitten. Roaring, he turned on Malfoy, who seemed to have realized his mistake. The ermine turned, and ran out of the Infirmary, with the black panther hot on his heels. Both were moving so fast that neither noticed the two Professors they nearly ran over in the process.

On and on they ran, until they reached the Kitchen Corridor. Malfoy screeched to a stop, and tickled the pear. Leaping into the Kitchens, he was about to slam the painting shut when a black furred hand grabbed it. Fleeing further into the Kitchen, he was followed by Harry. Neither of them knew when it started, but one got hit with a bowl of porridge. This started a major food fight, which was only stopped by the sight of Professors McGonagall and Snape in the doorway.

Severus said in a voice thick with sarcasm "I'm glad to see you are having fun. But I do believe both of you were restricted to the Infirmary. Once we return there, you both will explain what you were thinking getting out of bed. You will then have the pleasure in trying to get food out of your pelts." Both children blinked, looked at each other, and grinned evilly. Those grins made a cold chill run down Severus' spine.

What made them think to do it, neither knew. But both were in silent agreement for once. Each picking up a pie apiece(both pies being heaped with whip cream) they took careful aim at the rival's Head of House. Then, in unison, they threw the pies. Both pies met their marks with a double splat-splat. The laughter that resounded after the prank could be heard all the way up to the Owlery.