Chapter 13 - Making Progress

                                    

                                          


Harry opened his eyes to find that he was curled up on the grass in the middle of a forest. He could somehow hear and smell his surroundings more than ever before. He also felt bigger and stronger that he ever had in his life. He looked down at his hands and received a shock. What he saw didn't look anything like his hands. Instead of hands, he saw sharp claws with tan fur on them. He racked his brain trying to figure out what had happened to him. Then he remembered. He'd just started his animagus form-finding meditation. He realized that he must be in that form now, but wasn't sure what that form was, aside from a creature with claws.
He tentatively got up, and subconsciously tried to stand on his two feet, which resulted in his falling down on his back. He shouted, "Oww!" but it sounded like a powerful roar. He smiled to himself thinking, 'Whatever I am is a powerful beast.' When he carefully turned himself around and got up, this time walking on all four legs, he was instinctively impressed to walk in a particular direction. As he walked for a few minutes, he found that he could hear the slightest movement near him, such as leaves being crushed under his paws.
He began to smell what he instinctively knew to be water, and he realized how thirsty he was. He soon came upon a stream, and thought about how he was going to drink. He realized that he only had one choice, but wasn't entirely comfortable with it. Reasoning that his pride wouldn't quench his thirst, he moved his head over the water to start licking it up. Before he did that, he noticed the reflection that was peering up at him. With big emerald eyes, a wild black mane and lightning-shaped scar on his forehead, he was a lion. He stuck out his tongue toward the water. The moment he felt the water, he woke up.
-ASM-
Harry opened his eyes to see that he was lying on his back on a mat that had been conjured specifically for this exercise. He turned around to see two girls lying on similar mats nearby. They appeared to be stirring. He got up, standing normally on two feet, and walked over to Hermione.
The bushy-haired girl opened her eyes and looked around. She smiled upon seeing her boyfriend's emerald eyes. "Hi, Harry."
Harry smiled and reached out his hand to help her up. "Hi. Did you have a pleasant dream?"
"I think so. I found out that I'm a cat."
"Really?"
"Yeah. I'm a dark brown cat with brown eyes and…big front teeth." She blushed at the last statement. "Even as an animal, I can't escape my big teeth. I don't know how you can stand looking at me smile. I asked my parents to help, but…"
"I love looking at you smiling," interrupted Harry. "And I also love kissing you," he added with a wink.
"You may want to remember that someone else is in the room before you start snogging," suggested Ginny as she got up.
They both blushed at that statement. Over the past few weeks they'd kissed a lot, but never done that yet. "I'm sorry, Ginny," said Harry, "I should've helped you up, too."
"I guess I can forgive you, Harry. I'd expect you to pay more attention to your girlfriend than me. By the way, I'm a cute red robin. What are you two?"
Harry answered with a smirk, "Then you'd better watch out for Hermione. She's a cat and may decide she's hungry."
"Ha-ha, very witty," replied Hermione sarcastically as Ginny started giggling. "You never said what you are, Harry."
Harry sighed, acting disappointed. "Well, I have eyes as green as a fresh-pickled…"
"Hey!" shouted Ginny defensively as her ears, face, and neck turned pink, "Er, Tom made me send that Valentine! Yeah! He wrote that poem!"