1 | Things Have Changed

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Chapter One: Things Have Changed

Harry awoke in extreme pain, it felt like his skin was being penetrated by tiny knives from the inside out. He tried to cry out in agony, only to hear nothing at all. Soon his throat began to burn, and it felt as though the room was shrinking.

Blind with pain, Harry thrashed about, his limbs searing as they grew to twice their regular size. His body was stretching and morphing, and Harry could no longer rest on his mattress as he felt something forming at the base of his spine.

The pain vanished as suddenly as it had appeared, and Harry opened his eyes which had previously been clamped tightly shut. With a brief flash of green, his eyes readjusted and Harry looked down at himself. What he was greeted with came with slight shock, but Harry had half-guessed what was occurring after the scales had erupted.

Now that the pain had receded, Harry could admire what had just taken place. Though he was crammed up in his small bedroom at the Dursley's, he couldn't help but feel regal and strong.

He proudly surveyed his large claws, and his black scales which glinted in the moonlight pouring through the window. He twitched his long, spiked tail in approval. Oh yes, how Harry liked this. This was a good inheritance indeed.

Harry had been aware that were he to receive an inheritance, it would happen as the clock struck midnight, marking his fifteenth birthday. Not all wizards received an inheritance, in fact most did not, usually only very powerful, and very old family lines still carried the blood of other creatures down with them.

Most people who did receive their inheritance were very proud of it, as it marked them as powerful, and believed they should be respected. Some witches and wizards who inherited weak powers would often hide their inheritance entirely, but those were people who became crows, rats, or insects. The more powerful, and more magical your inheritance, the greater power you received, so when Harry became a dragon, he was quite pleased indeed.

At Hogwarts, all students in their fourth year studied inheritances, as it was important to know the information before receiving their powers, should they receive them at all. So Harry quickly recalled the procedure of returning back to one's original body, knowing that he could not stay in dragon form forever, as fun as that may be.

Speaking the phrase "Ut redeat ad spiritum meum." (Latin for: May spirit return to mine.) Harry concentrated on his normal appearance, and felt his body painlessly shift back to its normal size and shape.

He had realized that amidst his shape-shifting, Harry's glasses had snapped clean down the middle and tumbled to the floor, but he didn't mind. Along with his new inheritance, Harry's need for glasses seemed to evaporate.

He turned to the small mirror in his room, and took in his reflection. He looked basically the same as he had mere hours earlier, accept for his missing glasses, and his once normal green eyes now seemed to have an unnatural iridescence to them. It was as though his eyes were glowing.

Harry silently wondered if he should tell his friends of his inheritance. He already knew that Ron hadn't received anything, nor had Hermione. He knew Ron to be the jealous type, and figured his friend would be angry to find out just to what extent Harry's inheritance had arrived. He would most likely be upset at Harry if he found out. Hermione, on the other hand would be excited for him, but would constantly be on his case about being careful, only using his powers when he needed to, not bragging, using his powers for good. No, she would be no fun at all.

So as Harry made up his mind, a sly smirk slowly crept it's way onto his face. As his Slytherin side made itself apparent, Harry grew happier and happier. He would hide his inheritance from the world. That way, nobody would be able to control what he did with his powers. That way, he would be free.

With his mind made, Harry began to prepare his story. In three days, when he was to go to Grimauld Place and reunite with his friends and godfather, they were sure to ask him if he had received an inheritance, and so his plotting began.

///

"Happy birthday, Harry!" Hermione exclaimed, jumping into the arms of one of her best friends.

"Thanks, Hermione." Harry replied sullenly, looking at the floor for extra effect.

"Harry, what's wrong?" The frizzy-haired Gryffindor asked, suddenly very concerned for her friend.

"I-it's nothing. I should've never gotten my hopes up anyways." He spoke the lie with ease, just the way he'd practiced it.

"Gotten your hopes up on what, Harry?" The girl asked softly, wanting to help her friend.

"My inheritance." Harry mumbled and looked solemnly at his feet.

"Oh, Harry. Did you not get anything?"

"Nothing. Absolutely nothing. Not even something stupid and small like a dung beetle, not a single thing." He spat miserably, and went to sit down in a chair.

"Oi! Harry mate! I almost forgot you were coming today! How are y-" The red-haired boy was cut off by a look from the brown-eyed girl in the room.

It was then that Ron noticed the state of his friend, and suddenly he was concerned. He looked to Hermione as if to ask, 'What's got him so down?' To which she mouthed the response inheritance.

Realization dawned on the pale face of Harry's best friend, and he moved forward to comfort the sad form in front of him.

"Hey mate,"

"Hi, Ron." Harry replied half-heartedly, forcing a little smile.

"I know how much you wanted to get your inheritance, Harry. I'm really sorry nothing happened. But with everything else you've had to deal with so far, I'm pretty sure an inheritance is the last thing you need. You're already one of the best wizards our age, you don't need some magic animal powers anyway." Ron reasoned, placing a hand on Harry's shoulder.

Harry gave a little smile and nodded, "I guess you're right... I just wanted something, you know? A piece of my family that I could actually remember."

"We know, Harry. But just remember, you've got a whole family of red-heads upstairs who will love you no matter what happens, not to mention, a godfather and me." Hermione smiled at Harry and offered him a hand up. He smiled back at her and allowed himself to be pulled out of the chair.

His plan was working wonderfully so far. They had both believed his lie without question, and they both seemed to be really understanding. That meant if Harry wanted some 'alone time' to brood over things, they wouldn't bother him, giving him time to practice his powers without their supervision.

Oh yes, Harry thought, I will quite enjoy this.

Author's Note:
First chapter:3

I hope you guys like this

I like this so far

I have so many ideas for this story

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