The Cat & The Canary

CHAPTER EIGHT - THE CLAIM

Note - Guess their forms before reaching the end of this chapter and let us see if you are right in the next chapter.

"Creature Speech"
"Hermione's Anger/Magic Control"
"Spells"
"Hermione's Anger/Magic Control Spells"

- The Next Morning -
- Hermione's Dorm -

Hermione sat up in bed and stretched her limbs to the ceiling with a smile on her face and her tail curled in pleasure - last night was better than she thought it would be, the forms that she and her Bloodless Siblings took during their run through the Forbidden Forest was better than they expected; she could still feel the adrenaline rushing through her veins even now. She couldn't wait for tonight to run again but her thoughts were interrupted by the sound of a snicker in the room, she opened her eyes to see the smirking half-knzeale snickering at her from his perch on her bookshelf.

"You must have enjoyed yourself, Hermione." Crookshanks chuckled.

"What makes you think that, Crooks?" Hermione raised her eyebrow at her cat. He raised his right paw and pointed at Hermione's Head.

"You still have grass and twigs in your mane, Granger." Crookshanks pointed out. Hermione leaped from her bed and looked in the mirror, sure enough, she had at least 5 small twigs poking from the curls of her hair, at least 15 loose blades of grass and a few leaves. Hermione laughed at her carelessness and plucked her hair clean of the vegetation before she ruffled her hair to make sure that there were no unseen unwelcome party members. Once she was clear of any and all outside items, she got dressed in black pants, a white shirt, black socks and shoes before she dawned her tie and robe. She tied her long curly hair in her signature ponytail, making sure to avoid her ears - it was getting easier and easier with each passing day. Hermione's adjustment to her Knzeale Features was more an advantage, plus with the Animagus Transformation, it was easy to understand why the features remained and she thanked Merlin for it. She bid her cat a goodbye before she left her dorm to meet her brother in the Common Room.

Hermione kept her dominant hand in her pocket with a small sideways smirk on her face, Neville explained the plan last night during their run - Hermione would approach Dumbledore and request to be moved from the Gryffindor Dorm and placed in either Hufflepuff or Ravenclaw's Founder's Dorm, should Dumbledore deny her request, she would show me that she has legal standing to request and call upon her Ancestors to verify her claim. It would put everything in place - Hermione's Claim would be heard and the students of Hogwarts would know that she was not the dirt they have treated her as.

Hermione met Neville, who was waiting on the sofa of the Common Room for her; the smirk on his face made it clear this was going to happen. They made their way out of the Common Room but ran into Potter and his Weasels, who didn't look like they were going to let them through.

"Can we help you with something, Harry and company?" Neville said, not wanting his sister to waste her breath. Harry said nothing, all he did was hold a paper of assignments out to Hermione, who just looked at them with no intention of taking it. When Harry didn't speak, Ron did.

"Harry needs these done before Friday so that he can play Quidditch and go to Hogsmeade this weekend." Ron explained to Hermione, who looked at him with disinterested eyes.

"If Harry needs them done, why are you bothering me?" Hermione asked with a raised eyebrow and ear. Ginny huffed.

"Just get them done, Granger. We don't have time for your games. Filth or not, you are still the Brightest Witch of our Age and Harry has the rightful claim to those smarts; get the work done." Ginny hissed at her, this just caused Hermione to laugh. The Golden Trio failed to see what was funny. Hermione inhaled and managed to calm her breathing.