Albus Potter, Friends and Foes

Ch 38 The plural of Animagus is Trouble

Harry Potter was in the small conference room in the New Burrow with Teddy Lupin, Dennis MacGraw, and Dan Van Lente, looking at a map of Hogwarts, Hogsmeade and the area. It was a large map covering most of the conference table, and by shrinking the size of what was shown they could display all of not only Hogwarts and Hogsmeade but all of the Forbidden Forest.

"More Magi from Jezebel are starting to spend time in Hogsmeade and around Hogwarts," Teddy pointed out. "I am worried about all of them, but especially about these two, Celia Hernandes and Francisco Villodas."

"They have been spending time in the Forbidden Forest," Harry noticed. "I wonder why the centaurs do not notice them and say something."

"They are probably not in human form," Dennis suggested. "They are Animagi. They both take the shape of snakes, reasonably large snakes. They also transform from fully clothed Magi with their wands to the snakes and back, so as soon as they are back to human form they can perform magic."

"Can they perform magic as snakes?" Harry wondered. "I've never heard of a transformed Animagus being able to perform magic."

"I saw them transform often enough when I was on the island," Dennis volunteered. "I have no idea what powers they have as snakes. Teddy, do you know?"

"I think I only saw then once," Teddy responded, pondering. "I did not see them transform then either. I think they were off on assignment for Jezebel for most of the time I was on the island."

"Do you know what they were doing?" Harry wondered.

Teddy shook his head 'no.'

Harry looked at Dan Van Lente, who volunteered, "We do not dare reveal how good our map making has become, which is a problem. I think they have mostly been in South America, capturing people for Jezebel to sacrifice. We know that is some of what they have done, but have no idea what else they might have done."

"I will let Albus know,' Harry suggested. "He can contact the centaurs and have them look out for the Animagi. He gets more information from them than I can. I am also going to warn Minerva McGonagall and Albus about the increase in people around Hogwarts."

Everyone agreed that this was a good idea.

The group spent another hour going over all the information they had on what was going on around Hogwarts.

*

Harry went downstairs to the Closet, and Dan Van Lente left. Harry saw Molly sitting alone in the little sitting area next to the kitchen, and he went over to talk to her.

"How are you, Mum," Harry asked his mother-in-law after giving her a hug from behind and a kiss to the top of her grey hair.

Molly sighed a big sigh, and looked at Harry.

Harry pulled up a chair and sat down facing the only mother he could ever remember. Instead of trying to say anything, he just waited. It looked like Molly was close to tears. Finally, she admitted, "Losing Charlie was harder than I thought it would be. You are not supposed to bury your children. For that manner, you are not supposed to bury their spouses. I am not sure I ever grieved properly for Stribog, Charlie's partner. He is buried in Romania, and I never thought to bury Charlie next to him."

Molly gave another sigh, and Harry just waited some more.

"Stribog was not close to us, but still we were family," Molly admitted. She paused again, trying to formulate what she was thinking and feeling.

"I cannot say it was a surprise that Charlie died when he did. Caroline has worked with several patients during their last years. That is what she has done, what her job has been, for years. She was trying to prepare the family, but I guess you are never really ready to bury someone much younger.