HPCreatures Fest 2020: A Fine Pair of Aurors
Title: A Fine Pair of Aurors
Author: enchanted_jae
Prompt Used: Auror partners Potter & Malfoy got struck by a wayward curse during a raid and turned into a cat & bunny. Draco is not amused by the fact that Potter's new four legs are longer than his, and he'll fight his undignified urge to hop around (or in which Draco is absolutely in denial of his new form and Harry is doing his best to ignore him) submitted by chojangmi
Rating: PG13
Word Count: 2,022
Creature: Cat & Bunny
Author/Artist Notes: It took a mighty effort from jake67jake to make this presentable. Thank you!
Summary of Fic: Potter has no survival instincts, and Draco suffers the consequences.
"I can't believe she left her wand behind."
Alarmed, Draco pivoted to see what his idiot partner was looking at. "Potter, don't touch that!" he shouted, but it was too late. Potter, the survival-challenged imbecile, picked up the discarded wand. There was a flash of light, and Draco cried out as his body felt like he was being torn apart. He was dimly aware of Potter shouting in agony before darkness overtook him.
Draco awoke to a strange rasping sound and the sensation of something stroking his head. He reached up with a hand to see what was touching him, only to see a furry gray paw. Confused, Draco lowered his hand. When the paw lowered at the same time, he gave a cry of fright...only it came out as a shrill squeak.
"Take it easy, Malfoy."
It was Potter's voice, and yet it wasn't. Draco hadn't heard his partner speak aloud, so much as he was aware of Potter's thoughts in his mind. He clambered to his feet...all four of them.
"What in Merlin's name is going on?!" Draco exclaimed. He found himself face to face with a black cat. A black cat with green eyes and a faintly guilty expression. "Potter?"
"Yeah, it's me," said the cat. "That wand was spelled to transform us into animals."
"You!" Draco seethed. "You triggered a bloody spell after I told you not to touch anything!"
"How was I to know what would happen?!"
Draco groaned and flung a paw over his eyes. "Did you pay any attention at all during our training, or did you just get by on your reputation?"
"There's no need to be rude," huffed Potter.
"We've been transformed into cats," Draco bit out. "Pardon me if that causes me to be rude."
Potter glanced away. "Correction, Malfoy. I've been transformed into a cat. You're a...well, um, a bunny."
"I beg your pardon?"
"You're a bunny," said Potter. "A rabbit, a hare, whatever you wish to call it." He cocked his head. "You're quite adorable, actually."
"Adorable?! This is a travesty!"
"Surely, the spell will wear off soon," Potter ventured to say.
"We don't know that," Draco snapped. "What if we're stuck like this forever?"
The fur along Potter's back rose, and his tail bristled. "Don't say that," he blurted. "It doesn't bear thinking about."
Draco refrained from further comment. There was no sense panicking Potter. They both needed to keep their wits about them.
"Where are our wands?" asked Draco. "Perhaps we can reverse the spell."
"I don't know," Potter replied. "Our clothing seems to have vanished, and I imagine our wands did the same. It reminds me of how an Animagus' clothing and accessories disappear when he or she transforms."
"You may be on to something."
"Sorry?"
"Perhaps this transformation is like what an Animagus does," said Draco. "I wonder if we can will ourselves to change back?"
Potter hunched his shoulders in a feline shrug. "I reckon it's worth a try."
Draco took two short hops away, already missing the warmth of Potter's body. He closed his eyes and concentrated, hoping to effect a reverse transformation. Nothing happened. Draco opened his eyes and saw Potter, still in cat form, where he'd left him.
"It's not working," said Potter. His fur bristled again with his mounting frustration.
"We can try again later," said Draco. He was afraid to state that the situation appeared hopeless. Draco hopped back to Potter's side and sank down, tucking his paws beneath him.
"Someone will come looking for us," Potter said with what sounded like forced cheer. "When we fail to return, other Aurors will be sent to investigate."
Draco took heart in that, although he would rather not be discovered in such a lowly state by his fellow Aurors. Aside from that, it would be hours yet before anyone came looking for them. The rustic cottage they were in was cold. No fire burned in the hearth, and they had no wands or even hands to start a fire. Draco's sides heaved as he sighed.
"We'll be okay," Potter said in an attempt to cheer him.
"I'm cold." Even Draco's thoughts sounded dispirited.
Potter sidled closer and pressed against Draco, sharing the warmth of his fur. "Is this better?"
Draco shivered and burrowed closer. A rough tongue began to wash his head and ears. It was oddly comforting. Draco's eyes grew heavy and he yawned. He dropped onto his stomach and laid his chin on his paws, planning to just rest for a moment.
Draco was startled awake when the door banged open. Pleased to be rescued, his ears came up.
"Hah! Still here, I see."
Draco shrank back in horror as the witch who'd cursed them strutted into the small cottage.
"What's wrong, loves?" she taunted. "Couldn't open the door?" The woman threw her head back and cackled out a laugh. She planted her hands on her hips and sneered. "What a fine pair of Aurors you are."
She turned away and reached up onto a shelf, emerging with an old camera in her hands. The witch pointed it at them, and the bulb flashed as she took a picture. "I ought to send this to the Daily Prophet. I reckon they'd pay a dear price for this." The photo emerged from the camera, and the witch set both items on the table.
She narrowed her eyes on her hapless victims. "Now then, who's hungry? I'm a mite peckish myself, and you two look like a tasty pair of morsels." Her body blurred and transformed into a large, shaggy dog. She was an Animagus!
Draco's heart pounded in fear. Beside him, he felt Potter's fur bristle, and a low, angry growl emanated from the cat. When the dog lunged at them, Potter sprang at her face. A yowl erupted from him and he latched onto the dog, digging all of his claws into her and going for her eyes. Potter clamped his teeth onto her ear and bit down hard.
She yelped and flailed, shaking her head and stumbling backward as she tried to dislodge the furious cat.
Emboldened by Potter's fearless attack, Draco leapt forward and bit the dog's hock. She yelped again, staggering around now on three feet while kicking out with the other as she attempted to shake Draco off. The dog stumbled and fell, compelling Draco to jump out of the way. Once she was down, he reentered the fray, biting her tail this time. He was only dimly aware of the door banging open once more.
"Immobilus!"
Draco froze with his strong teeth still clamped into the witch's tail. He tasted blood, and he could only hope it was hers and not his.
"What in the name of Merlin's beard is going on in here?!"
The voice belonged to Walter Aspinwall, the Auror who was partnered with Hermione Granger. It was followed by a put-upon sigh that could only belong to Granger herself.
"Since it appears this brawl was two against one, I'm going to speculate that the cat and the hare are Harry and Malfoy, and the dog is one Mildred Canino."
"Looks like the dog was getting its arse handed to it."
"Naturally," said Granger. "To paraphrase a Muggle saying, it's not the size of the Auror in the fight, it's the size of the fight in the Auror."
Draco felt a rush of pride and a sense of accomplishment. Granger had the right of it. He and Potter may have been brought low, but they hadn't let that stop them from taking down their common enemy. He sensed magic in the air an instant before Granger's magic swept the tableau, releasing the combatants from the immobilizing spell and returning them to their human forms.
Draco scrambled backward, swiping the back of his hand over his mouth. He would need to Obliviate himself later to remove the memory of where his teeth had been. A hand wrapped around Draco's upper arm and hauled him to his feet.
"Okay there, Malfoy?" asked Potter.
The witch was still sprawled on the floor, blood trickling down her head and face from the wounds Potter had inflicted. "My eye," she whimpered. "You've blinded me, you arsehole!"
Potter clenched his jaw and took a step in her direction, but Aspinwall reached the witch first. He dragged her to her feet and slapped a pair of magical cuffs on her wrists. "Mildred Canino, you are under arrest for possession of dark artifacts, use of dark magic, resisting arrest, abuse of Aurors-"
"Mange and fleas," Potter cut in.
Draco smothered a laugh, while Granger shot them both a quelling glare. "We'll meet you back at the Ministry," she said. "I can't wait to hear the full report on this one." With that, she pivoted and followed her partner out of the cottage.
Draco heard two quick cracks of Apparation. He walked out of the cottage and spat twice on the ground. Behind him, Potter chuckled.
"That wasn't our finest moment, I reckon," he said.
Draco was about to lambaste him for his egregious lack of judgment that had landed them in their predicament, but he held his tongue. Potter had saved him in there, even if it was his fault that Draco needed rescuing in the first place. He settled for shrugging and spitting once more.
"Can't get the taste of blood out of your mouth?"
Draco shuddered. "I need a stiff drink."
"Perhaps I can be of assistance," said Potter. Before Draco could react, Potter leaned in and pressed their lips firmly together. Draco was shocked into momentary immobility, but he recovered quickly and became an ardent participant. The kiss was over too soon for Draco's liking. Potter stepped back, shot Draco a saucy wink, drew his wand, and Disapparated.
Once Draco gathered his scattered wits, he convinced himself that he was glad Potter had drawn back. No doubt the passion between them resulted from their recent brush with disaster. Draco licked his lips, adjusted the front of his trousers, and followed his partner to the Ministry.
After nearly a week of well-deserved rest, Draco returned to his job at the DMLE, feeling refreshed and ready for a new assignment. He entered the small office he shared with Potter, hoping his partner wouldn't mention any of the indignities of their last case, including the kiss they'd shared. Draco had spent far too much time thinking of that kiss as it was. He was ready to put it behind him.
Draco took his seat and nodded at his partner. "Potter."
"Malfoy."
Draco was relieved when Potter's attention immediately returned to the dossier on his desk. He was definitely not disappointed. Draco reached for his own copy of the dossier, intent on leaning about their next assignment.
A framed photo on the wall behind Potter caught his eye. Draco leaned forward for a better look. "Is that-"
"It's the picture old Mildred took of us in her cottage," Potter said without glancing up.
Indeed, the photo depicted a cat and a rabbit huddled together. Draco opened his mouth to comment on it, but he had no words. He settled for asking, "Why did you keep that?"
"You must admit, we look adorable," Potter replied. He finally raised his eyes to meet Draco's, and he was grinning like he'd gone around the twist. "We can look back at it and consider it our first date."
"Our first...but, we...sorry?"
"Where would you like to have dinner tonight?"
Draco found himself speechless yet again.
After a moment, Potter declared, "My home, it is. I'll make dinner. Do you like shrimp scampi?"
"Er, yes, but-"
"Excellent! Why don't you bring the wine?" Potter pushed his chair back and stood up. "I need to speak to Hermione. She has some intel on our next case." He gathered his notes and swept out of the office.
Draco was left staring after him in bemused silence. It seemed he'd been maneuvered into having dinner with his partner. Draco was surprised to find himself looking forward to it. He only hoped Potter--Harry--wouldn't serve salad as a side dish.
Cross-posted to hp_creatures
Cross-posted to AO3
Author: enchanted_jae
Prompt Used: Auror partners Potter & Malfoy got struck by a wayward curse during a raid and turned into a cat & bunny. Draco is not amused by the fact that Potter's new four legs are longer than his, and he'll fight his undignified urge to hop around (or in which Draco is absolutely in denial of his new form and Harry is doing his best to ignore him) submitted by chojangmi
Rating: PG13
Word Count: 2,022
Creature: Cat & Bunny
Author/Artist Notes: It took a mighty effort from jake67jake to make this presentable. Thank you!
Summary of Fic: Potter has no survival instincts, and Draco suffers the consequences.
"I can't believe she left her wand behind."
Alarmed, Draco pivoted to see what his idiot partner was looking at. "Potter, don't touch that!" he shouted, but it was too late. Potter, the survival-challenged imbecile, picked up the discarded wand. There was a flash of light, and Draco cried out as his body felt like he was being torn apart. He was dimly aware of Potter shouting in agony before darkness overtook him.
Draco awoke to a strange rasping sound and the sensation of something stroking his head. He reached up with a hand to see what was touching him, only to see a furry gray paw. Confused, Draco lowered his hand. When the paw lowered at the same time, he gave a cry of fright...only it came out as a shrill squeak.
"Take it easy, Malfoy."
It was Potter's voice, and yet it wasn't. Draco hadn't heard his partner speak aloud, so much as he was aware of Potter's thoughts in his mind. He clambered to his feet...all four of them.
"What in Merlin's name is going on?!" Draco exclaimed. He found himself face to face with a black cat. A black cat with green eyes and a faintly guilty expression. "Potter?"
"Yeah, it's me," said the cat. "That wand was spelled to transform us into animals."
"You!" Draco seethed. "You triggered a bloody spell after I told you not to touch anything!"
"How was I to know what would happen?!"
Draco groaned and flung a paw over his eyes. "Did you pay any attention at all during our training, or did you just get by on your reputation?"
"There's no need to be rude," huffed Potter.
"We've been transformed into cats," Draco bit out. "Pardon me if that causes me to be rude."
Potter glanced away. "Correction, Malfoy. I've been transformed into a cat. You're a...well, um, a bunny."
"I beg your pardon?"
"You're a bunny," said Potter. "A rabbit, a hare, whatever you wish to call it." He cocked his head. "You're quite adorable, actually."
"Adorable?! This is a travesty!"
"Surely, the spell will wear off soon," Potter ventured to say.
"We don't know that," Draco snapped. "What if we're stuck like this forever?"
The fur along Potter's back rose, and his tail bristled. "Don't say that," he blurted. "It doesn't bear thinking about."
Draco refrained from further comment. There was no sense panicking Potter. They both needed to keep their wits about them.
"Where are our wands?" asked Draco. "Perhaps we can reverse the spell."
"I don't know," Potter replied. "Our clothing seems to have vanished, and I imagine our wands did the same. It reminds me of how an Animagus' clothing and accessories disappear when he or she transforms."
"You may be on to something."
"Sorry?"
"Perhaps this transformation is like what an Animagus does," said Draco. "I wonder if we can will ourselves to change back?"
Potter hunched his shoulders in a feline shrug. "I reckon it's worth a try."
Draco took two short hops away, already missing the warmth of Potter's body. He closed his eyes and concentrated, hoping to effect a reverse transformation. Nothing happened. Draco opened his eyes and saw Potter, still in cat form, where he'd left him.
"It's not working," said Potter. His fur bristled again with his mounting frustration.
"We can try again later," said Draco. He was afraid to state that the situation appeared hopeless. Draco hopped back to Potter's side and sank down, tucking his paws beneath him.
"Someone will come looking for us," Potter said with what sounded like forced cheer. "When we fail to return, other Aurors will be sent to investigate."
Draco took heart in that, although he would rather not be discovered in such a lowly state by his fellow Aurors. Aside from that, it would be hours yet before anyone came looking for them. The rustic cottage they were in was cold. No fire burned in the hearth, and they had no wands or even hands to start a fire. Draco's sides heaved as he sighed.
"We'll be okay," Potter said in an attempt to cheer him.
"I'm cold." Even Draco's thoughts sounded dispirited.
Potter sidled closer and pressed against Draco, sharing the warmth of his fur. "Is this better?"
Draco shivered and burrowed closer. A rough tongue began to wash his head and ears. It was oddly comforting. Draco's eyes grew heavy and he yawned. He dropped onto his stomach and laid his chin on his paws, planning to just rest for a moment.
Draco was startled awake when the door banged open. Pleased to be rescued, his ears came up.
"Hah! Still here, I see."
Draco shrank back in horror as the witch who'd cursed them strutted into the small cottage.
"What's wrong, loves?" she taunted. "Couldn't open the door?" The woman threw her head back and cackled out a laugh. She planted her hands on her hips and sneered. "What a fine pair of Aurors you are."
She turned away and reached up onto a shelf, emerging with an old camera in her hands. The witch pointed it at them, and the bulb flashed as she took a picture. "I ought to send this to the Daily Prophet. I reckon they'd pay a dear price for this." The photo emerged from the camera, and the witch set both items on the table.
She narrowed her eyes on her hapless victims. "Now then, who's hungry? I'm a mite peckish myself, and you two look like a tasty pair of morsels." Her body blurred and transformed into a large, shaggy dog. She was an Animagus!
Draco's heart pounded in fear. Beside him, he felt Potter's fur bristle, and a low, angry growl emanated from the cat. When the dog lunged at them, Potter sprang at her face. A yowl erupted from him and he latched onto the dog, digging all of his claws into her and going for her eyes. Potter clamped his teeth onto her ear and bit down hard.
She yelped and flailed, shaking her head and stumbling backward as she tried to dislodge the furious cat.
Emboldened by Potter's fearless attack, Draco leapt forward and bit the dog's hock. She yelped again, staggering around now on three feet while kicking out with the other as she attempted to shake Draco off. The dog stumbled and fell, compelling Draco to jump out of the way. Once she was down, he reentered the fray, biting her tail this time. He was only dimly aware of the door banging open once more.
"Immobilus!"
Draco froze with his strong teeth still clamped into the witch's tail. He tasted blood, and he could only hope it was hers and not his.
"What in the name of Merlin's beard is going on in here?!"
The voice belonged to Walter Aspinwall, the Auror who was partnered with Hermione Granger. It was followed by a put-upon sigh that could only belong to Granger herself.
"Since it appears this brawl was two against one, I'm going to speculate that the cat and the hare are Harry and Malfoy, and the dog is one Mildred Canino."
"Looks like the dog was getting its arse handed to it."
"Naturally," said Granger. "To paraphrase a Muggle saying, it's not the size of the Auror in the fight, it's the size of the fight in the Auror."
Draco felt a rush of pride and a sense of accomplishment. Granger had the right of it. He and Potter may have been brought low, but they hadn't let that stop them from taking down their common enemy. He sensed magic in the air an instant before Granger's magic swept the tableau, releasing the combatants from the immobilizing spell and returning them to their human forms.
Draco scrambled backward, swiping the back of his hand over his mouth. He would need to Obliviate himself later to remove the memory of where his teeth had been. A hand wrapped around Draco's upper arm and hauled him to his feet.
"Okay there, Malfoy?" asked Potter.
The witch was still sprawled on the floor, blood trickling down her head and face from the wounds Potter had inflicted. "My eye," she whimpered. "You've blinded me, you arsehole!"
Potter clenched his jaw and took a step in her direction, but Aspinwall reached the witch first. He dragged her to her feet and slapped a pair of magical cuffs on her wrists. "Mildred Canino, you are under arrest for possession of dark artifacts, use of dark magic, resisting arrest, abuse of Aurors-"
"Mange and fleas," Potter cut in.
Draco smothered a laugh, while Granger shot them both a quelling glare. "We'll meet you back at the Ministry," she said. "I can't wait to hear the full report on this one." With that, she pivoted and followed her partner out of the cottage.
Draco heard two quick cracks of Apparation. He walked out of the cottage and spat twice on the ground. Behind him, Potter chuckled.
"That wasn't our finest moment, I reckon," he said.
Draco was about to lambaste him for his egregious lack of judgment that had landed them in their predicament, but he held his tongue. Potter had saved him in there, even if it was his fault that Draco needed rescuing in the first place. He settled for shrugging and spitting once more.
"Can't get the taste of blood out of your mouth?"
Draco shuddered. "I need a stiff drink."
"Perhaps I can be of assistance," said Potter. Before Draco could react, Potter leaned in and pressed their lips firmly together. Draco was shocked into momentary immobility, but he recovered quickly and became an ardent participant. The kiss was over too soon for Draco's liking. Potter stepped back, shot Draco a saucy wink, drew his wand, and Disapparated.
Once Draco gathered his scattered wits, he convinced himself that he was glad Potter had drawn back. No doubt the passion between them resulted from their recent brush with disaster. Draco licked his lips, adjusted the front of his trousers, and followed his partner to the Ministry.
After nearly a week of well-deserved rest, Draco returned to his job at the DMLE, feeling refreshed and ready for a new assignment. He entered the small office he shared with Potter, hoping his partner wouldn't mention any of the indignities of their last case, including the kiss they'd shared. Draco had spent far too much time thinking of that kiss as it was. He was ready to put it behind him.
Draco took his seat and nodded at his partner. "Potter."
"Malfoy."
Draco was relieved when Potter's attention immediately returned to the dossier on his desk. He was definitely not disappointed. Draco reached for his own copy of the dossier, intent on leaning about their next assignment.
A framed photo on the wall behind Potter caught his eye. Draco leaned forward for a better look. "Is that-"
"It's the picture old Mildred took of us in her cottage," Potter said without glancing up.
Indeed, the photo depicted a cat and a rabbit huddled together. Draco opened his mouth to comment on it, but he had no words. He settled for asking, "Why did you keep that?"
"You must admit, we look adorable," Potter replied. He finally raised his eyes to meet Draco's, and he was grinning like he'd gone around the twist. "We can look back at it and consider it our first date."
"Our first...but, we...sorry?"
"Where would you like to have dinner tonight?"
Draco found himself speechless yet again.
After a moment, Potter declared, "My home, it is. I'll make dinner. Do you like shrimp scampi?"
"Er, yes, but-"
"Excellent! Why don't you bring the wine?" Potter pushed his chair back and stood up. "I need to speak to Hermione. She has some intel on our next case." He gathered his notes and swept out of the office.
Draco was left staring after him in bemused silence. It seemed he'd been maneuvered into having dinner with his partner. Draco was surprised to find himself looking forward to it. He only hoped Potter--Harry--wouldn't serve salad as a side dish.
Cross-posted to hp_creatures
Cross-posted to AO3