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Chapter Text

”Albus,” Harry greeted as he opened the door to Grimmauld Place. He frowned slightly at the yellow robes the man was wearing combined with a yellow hat with bright blue dots. He looked like an Easter chicken that had run away in the middle of august. In his hand he looked to be carrying a large case.

”What brings you here?” he asked to distract himself from the horrid outfit the man was wearing. Was the man colour blind or did he simply not care about what he was wearing? Harry opened the door and welcomed the headmaster into the house.

“Oh, just dropping by to tell you that I will be leaving the country for a little while before school starts again.” Dumbledore followed him into the hallway and further into the kitchen.

“Tea?” Harry asked motioning towards the pot on the table as well as a half filled cup that Harry had been drinking from when he was interrupted by the knock on his door early in the morning on a Sunday.

“Yes, please.” Dumbledore put the case, crate, cage? Harry was unsure exactly what the man was carrying. A hissing sound came from it and Harry paused in the process of placing a cup in front of Dumbledore.

“Did your case just hiss?” he asked with a frown and put the cup down on the table.

“Yes,” Dumbledore answered and poured himself a cup of tea. Harry remained standing looking at the case until Dumbledore looked up from his cup with a questioning look in his blue eyes.

“How are you finding the house then, Harry?”

The house? Harry tore his eyes away from the case and looked at Dumbledore. “The house?” He repeated, not quite grasping the question, as he took his seat.

Dumbledore smiled. “Yes, are you liking it here? I understand you and Kreacher have reached an understanding and that you had late Lady Black´s portrait removed?”

“Oh, yes. Yes. I do like it. It´s still a bit dark and gloomy but we are painting and bringing in some new furniture and plants. Hermione keeps dragging me to Ikea for shopping. I think she enjoys it more than I do.” Harry smiled and took a sip from his cup. It was getting cold so he cast a quick reheating charm on it before taking another sip.

“The garden is however in a dreadful state, but it´s getting there, I´ve been tending to it most of the summer. There are some interesting, magical plants growing out there as well. Also I love how secluded the gardens is with all the wards and safeguards that are in place.”

The case made another sound and Harry stared at it. Dumbledore seemed to completely ignore it.

“Have you decided on what you want to do now that you are finished at Hogwarts, my boy?”

Harry looked at him, confused. “We are at war, Headmaster, I don´t exactly have time to look for a day time job in between the raids, meetings, paper work and so on. That, and there is no guarantee that I´ll actually will survive this war.”

“Have faith, Harry. Everything will end as fate wants.”

Harry raised an eyebrow. Yes, because that made everything more reassuring.

“My I ask, Headmaster, why are you here? Is there any news about Voldemort? He has been quiet the whole summer, and you mentioned something about traveling?”

Dumbledore looked surprised for a moment, as if he had forgotten why he was there in the first place. “Yes. I´ll be leaving for a little while. Nothing to worry about,” he smiled. “I´ll be back before school starts.”

Harry nodded and emptied his cup. There was no use asking the older man where he was going because he knew he wouldn´t get a sensible answer.

“The other reason I came by, is this,” Dumbledore continued and lifted the strange, hissing case up on the table. He waved his wand and the case disappeared to reveal a cat carrier. It contained a rather large, short haired, completely black cat, with a long tail that was swishing back and forth. The cat was staring at Dumbledore, medium sized ears pinned flat.

“A cat?” Harry asked.

Dumbledore smiled and reach in to pet the cat, which retaliated by trying to bit him. He quickly retracted his hand before smiling once more.

“A stray,” he explained. “I found it wandering around, alone and cold. I thought you might take it in? I´m unfortunately,” there was a small pause, “allergic to cats. And I travel fare too much to take care of it.”

The ears on the cat flattened even more. It hissed and a growl came from it.

Harry stared from the cat to Dumbledore and back to the cat.

“You know I have an owl, right? I´m not sure how well she would get along with a cat,” he trailed of as Dumbledore waved his hand in a `no problem´ gesture.

“I´m sure they´ll get a long just fine.” There was a small emphasis on fine as the man stared down at the cat, which hissed back. “

“You sure it doesn´t have an owner?” Harry asked, noticing the black collar with what looked like expensive gems.

“Yes, quite sure. The collar is one I purchased. It will protect it, and it will also keep it from leaving your property and make it possible for you to track it through the tracking charm I´ve placed on it. I´ve charmed it to include this house and the garden, but the cat will not be able to go further.”

Harry sighed. “Why not give it to Ron and `Mione? She loves cats, and Ron can´t say no to her.”

Dumbledore smiled. “I think it would be happier her to be honest. And you need someone in this house beside yourself. Cats are said to be great company.”

The cat growled. Yes, Harry thought. The cat looked like wonderful company.

“Shall we let it out? I think it is quite upset about being locked up. Took me quite some time to catch it. And I have checked with the people in the neighbourhood, but no one had seen the cat before.” Dumbledore slowly opened the door to the carrier and turned it so that the opening was turned towards Harry.

One, black, paw was delicately placed on the table as the cat came sliding out of the carrier, looking like a black panther. The ears were still pinned back. And if looks could kill, Harry thought, then Dumbledore would be six feet under. The cat looked away from Dumbledore and met Harry´s gaze.

“Uhm,” Harry said staring at the large, black cat. The eyes staring back at him was deadly, sharp and filled with something Harry couldn´t quite name. “Why does it have red eyes?”

Dumbledore laughed softly and the cat whipped his head around to look at him. “I believe it might have belonged to a wizard or witch. Cats bred by our kind often have slightly unusual eye colours.

Harry found himself nodding, too mesmerized by the crimson eyes that had come back around to look at him. The ears were slightly lifted now, but it still looked furious. “I don´t think it likes me,” he said. The cat looked like it wanted to kill him slowly and painfully.

“Oh, it will come around.” Dumbledore stood and gathered his robes. “It is just scared and unsure. Some food and rest and I´m sure it will be more than happy to stay here.” The last part was pointedly directed at the cat, which growled low in it´s throat.

“I´ll be of my dear boy, but I´ll send you an owl when I return.” Dumbledore started walking towards the entrance door. Harry edged around the table, carefully keeping an eye on the cat in the middle of the table.

“Headmaster,” he called following the other man out into the entrance hall. “Is it a he, a she? Does it have name?” he inquired, looking over his shoulder to check that the cat remained on the table.

“I believe it is a he, and no I don´t believe he do,” Dumbledore smiled before walking out and apparating away.

Great, Harry thought, just great. He closed the door and returned to the kitchen.

The cat was still in the middle of the table. It had sat down, but it´s tail was still twirling rapidly from side to side. The ears had however straightened. It stared at Harry with unblinking red eyes.

“So, I guess you´re staying. Welcome.” Harry stood awkwardly in the doorway. Was it normal to be intimated by a cat? The cat blinked slowly. The tail slowed down and it curled around him.

“I guess we should find a name for you. I can´t keep calling you cat.” Harry took a step into the room and sat down in the chair he had left. The cat turned to follow him.

“You know, with those eyes it´s tempting to call you Tom,” Harry laughed. The cat hissed, ears pinned and continued to growl.

Harry laughed, he couldn´t help him self. “You react just like he does when someone uses that name. Not Tom then? I guess I can´t call you Voldemort unless I want to scare everyone half to death every time I call for you.” The cat looked slightly pleased at that prospect. Harry frowned. Definitly not Voldemort. “How about Fluffy?” he said, trying to keep a straight face.

The cat growled.

“No?” Harry thought. What did one name a cat really? “How about Marv?” He finally asked. Not sure where the name came from, but it just seemed right. The cat seemed to consider it. When no hissing or growling came, Harry nodded. “Good, then Marv it is. You hungry? You don´t exactly look like you have been starving and living on your own, but perhaps you are a good hunter?”

The cat, Marv, blinked slowly, looking pleased. Harry stood and walked over to the fridge. What did he have that would be suitable for a cat to eat? He had some left over meat from the night before. Glancing back at the cat, he sliced up some of it and placed it on a plate that he put on the floor.

“Come on then,” he smiled at the cat. Marv walked to the edge of the table before jumping down. It went over to the plate and looked at the meat before he seemed to deem it eatable and started eating. Harry watched him eat for a moment before turning and clearing the table.

“Kreacher,” he called and waited for the elf to appear.

“What can Kreacher do for Master?” The creature bowed before noticing the cat. “Master has gotten a cat?”

Harry smiled. “Yes, his name is Marv, he is a stray and he will be staying here, can you add cat food to the shopping list, please?”

“Kreacher will be doing that,” Kreacher said, still looking at the cat, which turned and glared. The elf jumped at the sight of the red eyes.

“It´s just a spell or glamour or something,” Harry said to reassure the steady panicking elf.

“Yes, master. Of course, master. Will master be dinning at home tonight?” The elf managed to tear his eyes from the cat to look at his master again. Marv returned to eating his meat.

“Yes, I guess it would be wise to keep an eye Marv here the first day.” A knock on the window announced the arrival of the morning post and Harry went to let the owl in. He ruffled through the letters and gave the owl a treat.

“I´ll be in my office, Kreacher. Dumbledore said the collar prevents Marv from leaving the property, but until we actually test it don´t let him out. I don´t want him to get lost again.”

He went upstairs to his office and settled down with the newspaper. Voldemort had been suspiciously quiet during the summer. He had skipped the annual let try and kill Harry plot as well. No raids, no attacks, not sightings. It was like the dark side had decided upon a summer vacation. It was pleasant, but still worrisome.

There was nothing new in the papers this time either. He sighed and put it aside. Time to get on with the paperwork then. War or no war, he still had two estates to run. The Potter and the Black estate.

Midways through his letter to Gringotts about his investments he saw the door, which was slightly ajar, open further and the sound of claws on the wooden floor could be heard. Marv, Harry thought looking up to see the cat coming sauntering in like he owned the room. It sat down in the middle of the room and looked around, red eyes blinking slowly as he took in his surroundings.

“Out exploring?” Harry asked with a smile before returning to his paperwork. He looked up again as a shadow fell over the papers and saw Marv on top of the desk. Harry stood and went to pick up the cat.

“Marv, you´re not allowed on my desk.” He carefully picked up the cat and put him on the floor, and the cat immediately jumped back up. He seemed interested in the newspaper and was turning so that he was looking at it from the right angel. Strange, Harry thought. It was as if Marv was trying to read the paper. The cat seemed to glance over the first page before using his claws to try and push the page over.

“Marv,” Harry chided and picked the cat back up and placed him back on the floor. The cat turned and scratched at him while hissing.

“Ow!” Harry jumped back, landing on his backside, clutching his hand and looking at the four small stripes of blood on top of his hand. The cat sat down on the floor and washed his paw without a care in the world that his owner was bleeding.

“Bloody menace,” Harry muttered before healing the wound with his wand. The moment he pulled out his wand the cat stopped licking his pawn and stared.

“Oh, no,” Harry said pointing the wand at Marv. “This is not for playing.” The cat came closer, eyes still fixated on the wand. “Marv,” he warned, but the cat simply stopped short of the wand and den carefully reached out a paw to touch it. Harry relaxed when it became apparent that the cat wasn´t going to attack his wand. The cat withdrew it´s paw, looking thoughtful for a cat, before moving his eyes to Harry´s.

“Okay, then,” Harry said, putting the wand back in his holster. He stood and pointed towards one of the armchairs in front of his desk. “Why don´t you sleep on this while I work?”

Marv jumped onto the armchair.

“Why are you so interested in the paper, boy?” Harry asked as he sat back down, pulling the paper over to him. “Looking for a missing add about yourself? Sorry to disappoint, but there is nothing exciting in here, just the regular stuff. Nothing about Voldemort either.”

The name seemed to get the cat´s attention. Perhaps a witch or wizard had owned him? If one was to speculate on the basis of the colour of the cats eyes, it might even have been a dark one.

“You seemed to know that name, Marv?” Harry frowned. The cat just stared back. “Well, he is an insane, homicidal maniac with a God complex.” The cat just continued to stare. “And unfortunately I have been selected to be the one to defeat him. A war I don´t want anything to do with, which I am now the centrepiece of. He also killed my parents, and his completely mental follower killed my Godfather. This is his house.” Harry made a gesture to the room they were in. “And I´m apparently going insane, seeing as I´m talking to a cat.” Harry laughed. Marv started washing his tail and Harry returned to his letter.

Now and then he looked up and watched as Marv preened before he curled up into a ball and fell asleep. Strange cat, he thought. It seemed a little too human, but he knew pets that were bred by wizards and witches tended to be more intelligent and humanlike than their muggle bred counterparts.

Chapter Text

Marv seemed to settle in after a couple of weeks. He had explored the whole house, broken three vases and destroyed two curtains, five quills, four pillows that apparently had been used for target practice, and not to mention an unnumbered amount of plates, cups and glasses as the bloody thing seemed to love sneaking up on Kreacher. The elf was terrified of the cat, claiming it was evil reincarnated.

Harry´s small consolation was that Marv apparently was housetrained as he went to the door to the terrace when he wanted out.

At the moment he was sipping a cup of coffee out on the terrace, while watching as Marv was hunting in the dwindling sunlight for something or another in the yard. The cat was laying low in the tall grass, only his tail moving, eyes intently fixed on something or another that Harry couldn´t see.

Slowly Marv lifted up on his hind legs and after wiggling a bit, he shot off into a bush and Harry could hear a squeak of something that sounded like a mouse. There was a lot of rustling and the bush moved as if hit by a strong wind all of a sudden. A couple of seconds and then Marv reappeared with a, what Harry assumed at least, dead mouse in his mouth and a proud look.

The mouse was dropped at Harry´s feet and Marv looked up, blinking slowly and looking very pleased with himself.

“Thanks,” Harry said warily, wondering what to do with the dead mouse. “You gonna eat that for breakfast?” he asked, hoping the answer was no. Marv looked down at the mouse before wandering off into the house. The mouse was left at Harry´s feet.

“Apparently not,” Harry muttered. He used his foot to carefully nudge the mouse to check if it actually was dead. He had heard somewhere that prey would pretend to be dead to lure the cat into letting go, as cats general found hunting more amusing when the prey was fighting back. Unfortunately the mouse seemed to be dead. By the looks of it Marv had broken the neck on the poor thing.

He could remember Ron complaining that cats were worse than most other predators, because cats killed because they wanted to, in cold blood. They didn´t kill because they had to feed themselves, they killed because they found it amusing and fun. For a brief second Harry´s mind went to Voldemort and the Death Eaters. Perhaps they were like cats in some regards. They did seem to torture, rape and murder without cause sometimes. No other cause then to spread fear and panic.

The sound of something crashing to the floor and by the sound, getting turned into several pieces brought Harry back from his musings. He sighed. What had Kreacher broken this time? He took out his wand and quickly vanished the mouse before going back into the house and the kitchen.

He called out as he entered the room. “Kreacher?”

On the floor were the remains of what had been a bowl if Harry remembered correctly. Luckily this seemed to have been empty at least when it met it´s demise against the tiles that made up the kitchen floor. Kreacher bowed as soon as Harry entered.

“Kreacher very sorry. Kreacher bad elf!” Before the elf could find some inventive and painful way of punishing himself, Harry held out a hand and smiled.

“It´s all right. I´m assuming Marv had something to do with this?”

Kreacher glared towards the fireplace and when Harry followed his line of sight he found Marv sitting on top of the mantel, licking his tail and looking like he had no care in the world. Which he probably didn´t, Harry thought.

With a sigh he strode over and picked the cat up by the skin of the neck. It growled but hung limp as Harry carried it out of the kitchen and back out on the terrace. Well outside he lifted the cat up so that they came eye to eye. The red colour of Marv´s eyes still unsettled Harry´s stomach to some degree, but he was getting used to them.

“Bad cat,” he scolded. “If you keep sneaking up on poor Kreacher like that I´ll either have to confirm you to a room when you are indoors or buy a cage to keep you in when I can´t keep an eye on you.”

Marv looked furious. He hissed and growled and tried to lash out with a paw, not that he had snowballs chance in hell at hitting Harry. The cat really had a temperament.

Harry sighed. “Marv,” he said in a slightly exhausted tone. The cat quieted. Why was he keeping the cat again? “I should just turn you over to a shelter or something,” Harry muttered. For some reason that seemed to catch Marv´s attention because the ears flickered back and forth and something akin to worry bled into the crimson eyes. He meowed softly and somehow managed to actually look like he was sorry.

“Yes, yes, I know.” Harry rolled his eyes. “You are sorry. Do try to behave at least.” He put the cat down and it sat there looking rather pathetic. Harry crouched down and petted it a few times over the head, impressed when the cat accepted the touch, as Marv wasn´t one for petting and cuddling. “How about a new mouse to hunt? Mhm?” he pulled out his wand and transfigured a nearby branch into a mouse. It would turn back to branch once Marv killed it, but it would keep the cat entertained for little while.

The mouse sat stock still for a couple of seconds before it ran over the terrace and down onto the lawn, disappearing in the high grass. He really should get around to mowing the lawn, Harry thought. Well, it could wait until the next day.

The black cat watch as the grey, slightly long mouse got a head start, his red eyes following it´s every move. Then he slowly rose and stalked after it.

Harry smiled. At least the chances of getting mouse and rats into the house was declining rapidly with Marv skulking around.

“Master´s guest are arriving.” Kreacher appered in the doorway.

“I´m coming.” With a last glance towards the black killer stalking around in the garden, Harry went inside to welcome the order members.

***

Harry didn´t notice that Marv had entered the dining room until the cat suddenly jumped up onto the table next to Harry´s seat.

“Oh, when did you get a cat, mate?” Ron asked. The rest of the Order stopped their discussion to look at the big cat now sitting at the table staring at them like they were dinner.

“Why does it have red eyes?” Remus looked sceptical, his brow frowning slightly.

“Where did you get it?” Hermione was on her feet coming forward to take a closer look at Marv. The cat looked at her, eyes following her movements, but he did nothing.

Dumbledore looked like he was torn between saying something and keeping his mouth closed, and Snape looked slightly paler, which was saying something considering how little colour the man had to begin with. Harry took in the different reactions with out giving away what he was thinking. They mostly reacted as he had the first time he saw Marv.

“This is Marv,” he introduced with a gesture towards the cat. “He´s a stray. Probably belonged to or was bred by a wizard or witch, seeing as he has an unnatural eye colour.”

“Should he be here during the meeting?” It was Snape who spoke, still looking rather pale. He was gripping his cup of tea like he was afraid the poor cup would try and escape before he could drink it.

Confused Harry looked from Snape to Dumbledore and back. “It´s a cat, Snape. I don´t see what harm it could do for him to be here.”

A growl made Harry look back and he saw that Hermione had reached out to pet Marv.

“Careful,” he warned. “He isn´t too fond of humans yet.”

Hermione pulled back her hand. “Have you had him chipped and neutered?”

A loud coughing as Snape, who had just taken a sip from his apparently escape-happy teacup and swallowed the wrong way, followed the question. Dumbledore patted him helpful on the back, his blue eyes twinkling with humour and a smile was present on his lips.

“Ehh, no,” Harry answered, rubbing the back of his neck. Ron looked like he was about to be ill at the thought of the poor cat getting neutered.

Marv was stone still. His eyes fixated on Hermione. The tail was swising so rapidly back and fort that Harry was afraid it would get dislocated. The ears was pinned back and the whole cat looked like it was moments away from attacking Hermione for the suggestion.

“You should,” Hermione continued, returning to her seat, red eyes following her the whole way there. “It will reduce the likelihood of him getting lost during breeding season and it´s less likely that he will get into fights. Not to mention it is every cat owner´s responsibility to make sure the cat population is regulated.”

Marv was tensing up, and Harry quickly grabbed him and put the now hissing, growling and fighting cat in his lap, thus preventing it from actually lunching itself at Hermione.

Harry stood, taking the fighting cat with him. He smiled tightly as he tried to hold onto the clearly pissed of Marv in his arms. “I´ll be right back. I´ll just put Marv in the library.”

“Of course, my dear boy.” Dumbledore looked to be enjoying himself as he took another sip of the tea. At his side Snape seemed to have recovered from nearly being strangled by his tea. He was still looking pale and wary, but nearly dying could do that to one, Harry thought.

***

“Marv?”

Harry entered the library sometime later that evening once the meeting was finished. The first thing that met him was a ruined pillow that had belonged to one of the armchairs. Feathers were everywhere. The chess that normally sat on the table in front of the fireplace was missing all it´s pieces, which was scattered around the floor. Several books seemed to have found it´s way out of the shelves as well, and a poor plant had paid with it´s life and was lying in a heap of broken shards and mold under the window.

“MARV!”

The cat in question was sitting on top of one of the armchairs, looking completely pissed of.

“What in Melin´s name have you been doing?!”

Looking around Harry pulled out his wand and started setting the room straight again. Once everything looked somewhat normal he stalked over to the cat and pointed his wand at it. “Give me one good reason not to ship you of to a shelter right this instance?!”

The threat did make some of the attitude bled out from the red eyes and the ears flicked. Marv moved his front paws slightly, as if fidgeting. Harry sighed and put his wand away. He reached out and watched as the cat slightly nuzzled against his hand, looking slightly sorry at least. Against better judgement he picked up the cat.

“I´m not going to send you to get fixed,” he told the cat, feeling slightly insane for talking to a cat. Marv went stiff as soon as Harry lifted him up, but seemed to relax ever to slightly when Harry went to scratch it behind the ears. He relaxed even further as Harry carried it with him upstairs.

“Hermione is just a little too fond of right and wrong,” he explained and put Marv down on the bed.

The cat looked around and Harry realised the cat had not yet been in his bedroom. Red eyes seemed to take in the large double bed that stood against the south wall. On both sides where black nightstands with identical lamps on. On the opposite wall was a fireplace that was burning heartily. In front of it a small table separated two black armchairs.

The wardrobe was also in black material and located against the wall beside the door. Two large windows with heavy, cream coloured curtains, in the same colour as the bed sheets, dominated the east wall. The room wasn’t big, but it was warm and cosy. Harry loved it. A door on the right side of the south wall led into a bathroom.

Harry left Marv sitting on the bed and went into the bedroom to make him self ready for bed. When he came back out Marv was sound asleep on the bed, curled into a tight ball. He couldn´t help but smile as he climbed into bed. The cat might be a menace, but it was hard to stay angry at him.

Chapter Text

“Kreacher?”

“Yes, master?”

“Why are there black paw prints all over the floor in the drawing room?”

Harry looked up from the wooden floor to stare at he elf. Kreacher looked miserable. Ears hanging slightly and Harry noticed that his normally white outfit was covered in the same dark material that was spread all over the floor.

“And why do you look like you have been rolling around in one of the flower beds?”

The elf looked even more miserable. It hung it´s head. “Kreacher sorry. Very sorry. Please don´t punish Kreacher.”

Harry sighed. “Kreacher! I´m not going to hurt you. Get cleaned up and clean this,” he gestured to the floor, “up as well. Where is Marv? Never mind, I´ll just follow the trail of prints.”

Between the elf and Marv he some days thought he was going to loose his mind. He suspected that Marv probably was behind this, as usual. The cat seemed to have an uncanny ability to get into trouble, or make trouble just for the sake of making trouble. Perhaps it was bored? He crossed out into the hallway and wandered up the stairs. The little black paw prints was leading him up to the fourth floor where his bedroom and the guest bedroom were. The door to the guest bedroom was closed, but the one leading into his was open.

Peering in he could see a black lump on the bed. On top of the white sheets. Or on top of what had once been white sheets.

For a moment Harry wondered where the nearest shelter was. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath, trying to loose the urge to strangle Marv. Killing a cat wasn´t technically murder was it? He stalked over to the bed and picked up the cat. It was completely soaked and looked like it had been rolling around in a flower bed before entering the house.

Marv woke as he picked him up and hissed, clearly angry at been woken in such a fashion. The tail swished back and forth.

“What. Do. You. Think. You. Are. Doing?!”

It was scary, Harry decided, how innocent the bloody menace could manage to look.

“Come on.” He carried the cat into the bathroom and closed the door. Turning on the water he tried to put the cat in the bottom of the tub. It needed to be cleaned before he was going to let it back into the house.

For all his calm and pose however, Marv apparently did not like water, or he assumed Harry was planning on drowning him. The thought did cross his mind. It shrieked and fought and more or less clawed it´s way up Harry´s arm and then disappeared over his shoulder and down on the floor.

“Saints,” Harry swore and looked at the bleeding scratches on his arm. “I´m not going to drown you!” He turned around and found Marv hiding under the counter. He knelt down and looked under it. “You are covered in dirt and you need a bath if you think I´m going to let you into my bed again.”

The red eyes didn´t look convinced.

Harry sighed and let his forehead drop down on his arms. When he looked back up he fixed the cat with a cold stare. “This is going to happen one of two ways, Marv. You either come out and let me bath you, or I´ll stun you and do it anyway. Take your pick.”

He felt like a bloody fool for trying to reason with the ball of fur.

“Fine.” He pulled out his wand, but as he did the cat actually came forward and jumped onto the edge of the bathtub.

Harry sighed. Thank you. “Good boy,” he praised and carefully put the cat down into the tub and turning of the water.

Marv didn´t look exactly pleased, but allowed Harry to clean the fur with soap and then rinse him of. He had to change the water in the tub twice to get all the dirt out of the black fur. All done Harry found a towel and carefully wrapped it around the cat.

“See, you didn´t die.” He teased. Marv was not impressed. He carried the cat into the bedroom where Kreacher had cleaned the bed sheets and the floor and put it back down on the bed while carefully using the towel to dry him. Figuring out the cat probably was as dry as it would get he returned the towel to the bathroom and cleaned up the tub.

Returning to his bedroom he found Marv trying to fix his fur with an annoyed look about him. Harry sat down on the bed and reached out a hand to pet him, which was rewarded with a hiss and a scratch.

“Ow,” Harry complained. “You know, you´re not what one would call a friendly cat.” He stood and went down stairs. Before he had made it halfway down the stairs a black shadowed bounded past him and into the kitchen. He heard a crash and the sound of something breaking and Kreacher moaning. Harry closed his eyes. Good grief.

He reached the ground floor but before he could enter the kitchen the fireplace in the hallway flared to life and a black shadow emerged.

“Snape,” Harry said, surprised at the visit. The man rarely came by even when he had to, and never unannounced.

Snape dusted of his black robes and nodded. “Potter.”

Tilting his head slightly to the side Harry regarded the man. “What brings you here?”

Snape looked around the hallway, clearly looking for something. “Dumbledore sent me.”

Before Harry could ask why a black shadow came out from the kitchen, complaining loudly about what Harry assumed was the lack of food. Marv stopped as he noticed Snape and sat down, his tail coming to rest around his body.

Snape seemed to freeze. Harry was starting to think Snape either didn’t like cats in general or just Marv.

“Why is he wet?”

“Mhm?” Harry looked down at the still not quite dry cat. “Oh, he went rolling around in a flower bed or something and then decided to sleep it of in my bed. I had to give him a bath. And clean the whole house.”

For some reason that seemed to make Snape slightly paler. “Your bed?” He repeated.

Harry raised an eyebrow. “Yes?” Snape was really acting strangely around the cat.

“Why was he in your bed?” Snape finally tore his eyes from Marv and frowned at Harry.

Harry shrugged. “He sleeps there sometimes.”

“You sure it´s wise to have him sleeping in your bed?”

Harry wondered for a moment if Snape was sober. “Why shouldn´t it be wise to have him sleeping in my bed? He isn´t that big.”

Snape opened his mouth to answer, but then closed it. Marv began twirling his tail, looking to be very interested in the conversation for some reason. “Because…” Snape trailed of. “Ticks.”

“What?” Harry started laughing. What in the world had gotten into the man? “Don´t worry, I put one of those muggle concoctions on his neck that repels ticks. He should be fine.”

The potion master didn´t look convinced.

“You said Dumbledore sent you?”

“What? Yes. I need a word with you. In private.”

Harry was really starting to worry about the state of Snape´s mind. “We are alone, Snape. I live alone. Unless you count Kreacher and he is probably busy cleaning up whatever Marv made him drop and break this time.”

Snape sighed and pushed a hand through his hair, looking around. He looked agitated, not a common look for the man. “Yes, yes of course.” His eyes landed back on Marv. Marv´s ears twitched slightly and his tail continued to move.

“Do you want a cup of tea?” Harry offered. Perhaps a calming draught, he thought as he led the way into the kitchen. Marv followed and jumped onto the kitchen table. Harry glanced at the cat. “Marv, get of the table,” he warned. When the cat didn´t move Harry walked over and picked him up, disposing of him on one of the chairs. “Bad cat,” he scolded, flicking it on the nose, which made Marv recoil and for once he looked properly chastised. He looked up to ask Snape what kind of tea he wanted, but stopped before he could speak however. Snape looked like a ghost.

“Snape are you sure you´re feeling alright?” He finally asked. “You are looking rather pale. I think I have a Pepper Up Potion somewhere if you want?”

“I- What?”

“You are acting very strangely,” Harry explained. That seemed to bring Snape out of whatever state he was currently in.

“Yes. No, I mean I´m fine.” He sat down on the opposite side of Marv.

Okay, Harry thought, turning back to the tea. Perhaps some chamomile tea would help calm the man down.

Chapter Text

Harry put the cup of tea down in front of Snape and sat down with his own, the plate of biscuits he was carrying was put in the middle of the table, moving the vase that normally stood there. He took a sip from the cup, grimacing slightly as it burned his tongue.

“Give the tea a couple of minutes,” he told Snape who was reaching out for his own cup. “Well, what does Dumbledore want?”

Snape left the cup well alone and instead took one of the biscuits on the plate. Harry raised a brow. That was the first time he had ever seen Snape actually eat something Harry had put on the table. Normally he barely even touched the tea. He wasn´t sure if it was something personal, or if Snape just wasn´t the tea and cucumber sandwich type.

“There have been reports,” Snape began, looking from Marv to the biscuit before taken a bite.

Was it Harry´s imagination or did Marv sit up a bit straighter on the chair? He dismissed the idea in favour of trying to urge Snape to actually finish a sentence. If he was going to be this obtrusive there was a real chance the conversation would take the rest of the afternoon.

“Perhaps he should explain him self when he arrives later this evening,” Snape muttered, more to himself than to Harry.

Harry barely managed not to roll his eyes. “Severus. Have someone died?”

“What? No.”

“Then why are you being so evasive? Whatever Dumbledore sent you to tell me can´t possibly be that bad?” Harry placed his elbows on the table and leaned forward. This was worse than trying to get Ron to study for the exam. At least he could be bribed with sweets.

Snape visibly took a deep breath and with a last glance towards the cat, finally seemed to reach a decision.

“There have been reports regarding the Death Eaters. It seems that the Dark Lord hasn´t been seen for quite some time.”

Harry frowned. “Are you saying his missing?” he asked, disbelief colouring his voice. It would explain why there had not been any raids, attacks or anything else that summer. But how? A Dark Lord didn´t just go up in smoke.

Snape nodded, glancing again at Marv, who was looking like he was paying very close attention to the conversation. Harry looked at the cat. It seemed to react every time Voldemort´s name was mentioned. Strange.

“I´m assuming he´s not away on a holiday or something?”

“I can assure you that the Dark Lord does not go on holidays, Potter,” Snape sneered, finally looking like himself.

Snape then sighed and reached for his cup. “Lucius called a meeting last night,” he began slowly, using his spoon to stir the tea a couple of times. “It seems no one has been able to contact the Dark Lord for the last month and no one seems to know where he is.”

Harry lifted his own cup. Why would Voldemort just disappear? How could he just disappear? It had to be a part of some elaborate plot.

“And?” He asked. “What is Malfoy proposing to do with this little problem?” Perhaps Voldemort had died from a heart attack? Then again, that would require that he actually had a heart, so perhaps not. Brain tumour? That would explain the insane behaviour.

Again Snape seemed to be more interested in Marv than Harry.

“Snape,” he finally snapped, “I know Marv is quite beautiful, but I´m starting to feel you´re more interested in him, than having a conversation with me.”

The comment managed to gain a reaction from Snape that Harry had never ever seen before. The man actually blushed. Harry gaped. It wasn´t a full on red-face blush, but there was definitively some colour creeping up his neck and giving his normally so pale face some colour. That was interesting. He leaned back in his chair. To his surprise Marv suddenly jumped over and placed himself in Harry´s lap, red eyes blinking slowly before the cat walked around it a circle and then curled up in his lap.

Unsure Harry slowly put down a hand and let it slide over the soft, black fur. Encouraged by the fact that Marv hadn´t bitten him yet, he slowly scratched him behind one of the ears and was rewarded with Marv nuzzling ever so slightly against his hand. Apparently the cat liked to be complimented. Harry smiled and shook his head. He looked up and met Snape´s eyes. “Well?” he prompted.

“Lucius wanted to know if anyone and any information about his whereabouts. The common theory is that he is of on one of his research trips. They occur every now and then, and are normally never planned or announced. After all the Dark Lord does not answer to anyone.”

Marv tensed slightly under Harry´s hand and he slowed his petting to avoid getting bitten. The cat relaxed again and closed his eyes.

Harry smiled. “So the decision is to wait and see if he suddenly shows up?”

“More or less. Bellatrix want´s to do a localisation ritual to figure out where he is.”

In his lap Marv suddenly decided he had been petted enough and jumped back to his own chair. Red eyes fixed on Snape, the gaze intense. Harry let him go in favour of his tea. “Okay?”

“Avery and LeStrange talked her out of it. Apparently they´re afraid the Dark Lord will be angry if he notices that we have tried to interfere in his business.”

Harry finished the cup and poured himself another. “I´m assuming there is no chance that Voldemort just fell over and died from natural causes?”

“What?” he added when he looked up and saw that both Snape and Marv were glaring at him. “It would make everything easier.”

“I don´t think we´ll get so lucky,” Snape said in a dry tone as he stood up from the table. “I´ll be back with the rest of the miscreants later this evening.” With that he swept out of the room, his cloak billowing behind him.

Harry looked at Marv. “I have no idea what´s wrong with him at the moment. He is acting incredible strange.”

Marv looked at him attentively, his tail twirling slowly back and forth.

“He isn´t so bad,” Harry continued. “One of the best spies. Voldemort thinks he is on his side, but I´m pretty sure Snape is firmly planted on our side. Especially after Voldemort killed my mother. Snape had a real crush on her you see, and he begged Voldemort not to kill her. Apparently Voldemort asked her to step aside, but he isn´t exactly known for his patience, and when she refused he killed her all the same.” Harry stared into the air.

“Anyway,” he continued shaking himself out of the memories of his parents. He looked over a Marv who was completely still and was regarding him with a look Harry couldn´t label. “You hungry, boy? You were making a lot of noise when Snape arrived.” A quick look in the fridge revealed that there was more bacon left and Harry put it into the bowl.

***

“Is Marv alright?” It was Hermione who was asking. She was turned in her seat and was watching the black cat who was sitting in the window looking out into the garden. Harry looked over and had to agree that Marv did seem a bit subdued in comparison to his normal vibrant self.

“He´s a cat,” Ron said, helping himself to another biscuit and talking with his mouth full.

“Ron! Manners,” Mrs. Weasley scolded and smacked her son lightly on the arm. In the armchair next to the fireplace Snape looked towards the ceiling, probably praying for patience, and perhaps manners for Ron.

“He´s probably just tired of the rain”. It had been raining for a week now and even Harry was starting to wish for better conditions. Although he had to admit that Marv had been sort of quiet that afternoon after Snape left. He had eaten the bacon and then slunk away somewhere and not appeared again until several of the Order members had arrived for the meeting.

Currently they were waiting on the twins, Remus and Tonks. Mad-Eye and Kingsley wouldn´t be joining them as they where at work. Dumbledore was in the kitchen talking to Arthur about some muggle contraption Arthur had discovered at work.

Harry watched Marv for a moment, noting how the cat seemed to be listening to them from the way one of his ears was turned. He did however seem somewhat resigned.

Beside him on the sofa Hermione suddenly smiled. “I know just the thing. I´ll be right back.” With that she disappeared out into the hallway and they could hear the floo activate and Hermione giving her home address.

Raising a brow Harry looked over at Ron in a silent question. The redhead just shrugged. Apparently he had no idea why Hermione had disappeared.

“So, Harry, how are you going to spend your birthday this year?”

“I haven´t decided,” Harry answer, leaning forward to take one of the sandwiches Kreacher had made. He took a bit and swallowed before continuing. “I thought perhaps a quiet dinner at home?”

“You´re turning 18 Harry!” Ron exclaim, having finally finished the biscuit. “You ought to do something special! Like, throw a party, or get really drunk.” He was grinning.

Harry rolled his eyes. Of course Ron wanted a party. Luckily for him the sound of the floo activating stopped him from answering. He turned his head towards the door. Hermione appeared in the doorway, smiling and holding something in her hand.

“Found it,” she grinned and walked over to the window where Marv was sitting. Harry watched as she first held out our hand, letting Marv smell it before dangling what looked like a toy mouse in her other hand just out of range.

“He´s not lacking in the toy department, ´Mione,” Harry called, wondering why she had brought another toy. Marv had more toys than Harry wanted to count, and he didn´t seem to like any of them. The only time he got interested was when Harry conjured up live animals from something. Harry reached out and picked up the teapot, he poured a cup for himself and noticed that Snape´s cup was empty, filling that as well.

Snape nodded in thanks and picked up the cup.

“It´s not just another toy,” Hermione said behind Harry. “It´s filled with catnip.”

Snape started coughing as the tea apparently went down the wrong way. Between the coughs it seemed like he was trying to say something that sounded like “Don´t”. Harry turned around and looked towards Hermione and Marv.

“Catnip?” He asked. He had never heard about it.

Hermione smiled at him and Harry watched as Marv suddenly noticed the smell of catnip, whatever it was, on Hermione´s hand. The change was almost funny to watch. For a moment nothing happened, then Marv was rubbing against Hermione´s hand, licking and looking like he was trying to get her to touch him all over at the same time. Hermione grinned and picked him up, carrying him over to the sofa and placing him in her lap.

Surprised Harry noted that Marv didn´t seem to mind the treatment. His pupils where dilated and he had both front paws rapped around Hermione´s hand, keeping it still as he rubbed his head against it, over and over again. He then licked and nipped at her fingers and hand, before going back to rubbing his head against it. To Harry´s amazement a loud purring could be heard.

“He seems content,” Dumbledore remarked as he came into the room, eying the cat with something between amusement and worry. Severus, who had finally managed to stop coughing, explained in a strangled voice.

“It´s catnip, Headmaster.”

For a moment Harry thought Dumbledore looked concerned before he smiled. “Oh, well, I guess a small dose won´t hurt.” Sill confused Harry turned to Hermione and watched as Marv twisted and turned in her lap, purring happily and seemingly enjoying himself.

“It´s a plant,” Hermione explained. “Cat´s react to it like it´s a drug, but it´s quite harmless. It gives them a slight high and makes them more happy and active. Watch.”

Hermione managed to get her hand back and dangled the mouse in front of the purring cat. Marv tried to take it but Hermione was faster and threw the mouse across the floor.

Marv, who had been on his back, scrambled to turn and kicked off from Hermione´s lap after it. He grabbed it, and slid across the floor for a couple of feet ending up on his side. He held it between his front paws and kicked at it with his back paws, twisting and turning.

Harry smiled as he watched the cat rubbing his face all over the mouse. Suddenly Marv jumped to his feet and used his mouth to throw the mouse into the air, before pouncing on it once it landed. Hermione stood and wrestled the mouse from Marv to throw it towards the hallway and the cat ran after it, diving to capture it to continue to rub his face against it.

“I think that´s the most active I´ve seen him in a long time,” Harry said. Watching as Marv kicked the mouse away only to twist, jump and go after it.

“He´ll jump around for a little while and then he´ll probably sleep until tomorrow. They normally get a bit sleepy once the drug wears of.” Hermione returned to her seat on the sofa and watched as Marv kept throwing the mouse around, running after it before repeating.

Hermione was right though. After about 30 min Harry could see Marv getting tired. Smiling he went over and picked up the cat and brought it back with him to the sofa. He placed him in his lap and grinned as Marv, still a bit high apparently, nuzzled against his hand and purred loudly. He was blinking slowly and stretched out on Harry´s lap. A yawn gave Harry a nice few of several sharp teeth.

Still careful, Harry put a hand on Marv´s stomach and rubbed it slowly. The cat seemed to approve because he started purring even louder and closed his eyes. Pushing one front paw up into the air.

Still grinning, Harry looked up at Dumbledore who was staring at Marv with amusement twinkling in his blue eyes. “I´ve never seen him this affectionate,” Harry confessed.

Glancing over to the armchair he wondered why Snape was starting to look slightly green. Perhaps he was coming down with the flu or something?

Chapter Text

“Marv, get the hell down from the counter,” Harry snapped as the cat jumped up for the third time. When it didn´t move at all Harry grabbed it by the scruff of it´s neck and unceremoniously dumped it on the floor. Jeeze. He was trying to prepare a steak he wanted for dinner, Kreacher was busy elsewhere, and the bloody cat was apparently trying to insinuate, quite clearly, that it wanted the steak for itself. “You have food.” Harry pointed to the full bowl with kibbles. Expensive kibbles, he might have added. The cat was incredibly picky. 

The cat didn´t even spare the bowl a glance, instead he was glaring at Harry, looking properly annoyed. Harry sighed and cut of of a small piece at the end of the stake and held out towards the cat. “Here, you bloody thing.” Marv snatched the meat and happily chewed on it, looking more pleased. “Go play with that mouse of yours,” he ordered, knowing the cat wasn´t going to move.

He did seem to like the mouse however – the one with catnip in it. Harry had caught him playing with it several times, getting lost in the drug as it took effect. Afterwards he was always more quiet and affectionate, even seeking Harry out to curl up in his lap or lay along his side. It was nice. Normally Marv would shun every effort to pet or hold him, but after Hermione had introduced him to catnip he seemed happier and more interested in human contact. He even purred on occasions, which was something Harry had never heard him do until that night when Hermione had brought the mouse. Was it possible for the cat to get addicted? Perhaps he should ask Hermione.

After putting salt and pepper on the steak and checking that the pan was hot enough he put the steak in and took a sip from the red wine he had poured into a glass. When he glanced up, Marv was back on the counter, looking disgruntled at the sight of the steak in the pan.

“Are you completely unable to follow instructions?” All evidence did point in that direction. He could hardly remember one time the cat has actually done as he had been told. With a sigh he picked him up and carried him out into the dinning room. Putting Marv on the sofa he looked around and spotted the mouse by the wall. He walked over and picked it up before returning to the sofa. “Here.”

At first Marv seemed to recoil from the mouse, but as soon as he got wind of the catnip his eyes dilated and he snatched it out of Harry´s hand and started playing with it on the sofa. Twisting and turning a couple of times before a loud purring could be heard. Harry smiled. Yes, the bloody mouse was the best idea Hermione had come up with in a while.

Returning to the kitchen he flipped the steak over and checked on the potatoes that was roasting in the oven. Cooking for one was incredibly boring, but he was getting used to it. He took another sip of the red wine, before taking the potatoes out of the oven, and the steak out of the pan to rest. A quick look into the dining room revealed that Marv was stilling rolling around on the sofa, lost in his own little world. Good, perhaps he could manage to eat his dinner in peace for once.

He did manage to eat, drink and clean up before Marv came sauntering in to the kitchen, still high as a kit. The red eyes were still dilated and Harry could see that he had worn himself out for the time being. Good. Then perhaps he could get some work done without having to worry about what Marv was up to.

“Hey, boy,” he smiled and lifted the cat into his lap. It purred happily and rose on his hind legs to push his face against Harry´s cheek. Harry smiled and continued to pet and scratch at the black fur. Still purring Marv more or less collapsed in a boneless heap in his lap, red eyes closing as the cat let sleep claim it. So much for working, Harry thought and carried the cat with him into the library. There he settled into the sofa with a book and the sleeping ball of fur in his lap. For a cat he didn´t want, he had to admit that after two months the annoying cat had grown on him.

It also seemed like the cat somehow had settled more the last couple of weeks. Marv had gone from being constantly angry and annoyed, to resigned and almost depressed, but the last two weeks it seemed to have landed on something close normal. Almost like it had come to terms with something that had been bothering it. Harry had stopped threating to send it of to a shelter every time Marv misbehaved, mostly because the threat actually seemed to genuinely make the cat uneasy.

In his lap Marv yawned and stretched out even more, one paw flexing and showing of the sharp claws before they retracted. The purring was still there, but had settled into something lower.

Harry turned a page in the muggle novel he was reading and tried to get lost in the story as Marv slept on. It worked for a good while until Marv started twitching in his lap, legs and tail moving and his whiskers twisted. With a sudden meow the red eyes flew open and for a moment Harry saw nothing but fear in the red eyes, before they landed on Harry and he could see awareness bleed into them. A nightmare perhaps? Could cats have nightmares?

“Hey, you okay?” Harry slowly let his hand slide along the side of the cat, feeling how the small heart was hammering in Marv´s chest. The cat twitched before jumping to the floor. It seemed a little unsteady but started pacing back and forth on the floor. “Marv?” He called, but all he got was a cold glare. Merlin, the cat had more mood swings than anyone Harry had ever met. Giving up, he put down the book and left the room. He needed something to drink. As he arrived downstairs again the Floo activated and Dumbledore stepped through.

“Albus,” Harry said, surprised. He hadn´t been expecting the man.

Albus smiled, but the smile seemed forced. “Harry, sorry to come calling unannounced.”

“Don´t be. Can I tempt you with a glass of wine?” Harry motioned for the kitchen and walked through.

“Yes, why not.”

Harry poured another glass and handed it to the headmaster. “What to I owe the pleasure?” He asked taking a sip of the wine. Dumbledore seemed to look around the kitchen before nodding towards the living room. “Why don’t we sit out on the terrace? It´s warm enough for that.” He started walking. Harry shrugged and followed, exiting the house as Dumbledore held the door open. The man followed, closing the door behind him and they both settled into a chair.

The sun was starting to set, but the temperature wasn´t bad and the last remains of summer still hung in the air. They were headed for autumn, but as of yet, the summer seemed to dig it´s nail in to stay a little longer.

“How´s Marv doing?” The question took Harry by surprise.

“Fine I guess. Acting like a bloody menace as usual and scaring Kreacher, but he seems happy enough. Not the friendliest of cat´s though. Feel asleep in my lap earlier, but seemed to have a nightmare because he woke in panic. I think he is still up in the library.”

“Nightmare?” Dumbledore inquired, looking more interested than Harry would have assumed. “Yes. He started twisting and woke with what looked like panic in his eyes. Didn´t quite seem to know where he was at first.”

“This was just now?”

Harry stared. “Yes.” Why did everyone keep asking strange questions about that cat. “Headmaster, is there something I should know about that cat? Both you and Snape are acting really weird regarding it.”

Dumbledore smiled and waved his hand. “Oh, no. I´m just interested. Marv seems like an odd cat after all.”

That was the understatement of the year Harry thought. Before he could ask further Dumbledore took out something that looked like a ring from his pocket and placed in on the table between them. “You remember I told you about the horcruxes, Harry?”

Harry eyed the ring. Was this another of them? “Yes, Voldemort split his soul six times. The diary I destroyed was one of them. Is this another?”

Dumbledore nodded, looking gravely. “Yes. It´s the Gaunt ring. The ring of Tom´s family on his mother´s side. I found it buried at the Gaunt house, or what´s left of it. I managed to destroy it right before I came here. It´s quite harmless now."

Harry grinned. “That´s great. That means there is only four left. If we can find them too and destroy them, then Voldemort will be mortal enough for us finally kill him.” That had to be the best news of the day. They of course had to find the missing Dark Lord, but at least they could kill him once they found him. If they found him. Harry was still hoping that the man might have fallen over dead by natural causes.

“I think I have the location for two of the other horcruxes. One is located in Albania and one I believe is hiding at Hogwarts at the room of requirement. Tom seems to have targeted items he believed to have great value in the eyes of the world or something close to home, like the ring here and the diary. I do need help to retrieve the one from Albania and I thought you might be able to assist me? It won´t be easy, and it will be dangerous, but it is the only way to destroy Voldemort.”

“Of course I´ll help.” Harry scoffed. He wanted to get rid of Voldemort once and for all. The man had brought nothing but misery and pain to his life since he was born. If this was the way to finally be rid of him, then Harry would do what it took to see that it came through. “What about Nagini? She´s another horcrux isn´t she?” Harry thought about how protective Voldemort always had been of that blasted snake.

The headmaster nodded. “Snape is working on it. He think he might get a hold of the snake soon. I thought we could leave tomorrow evening, how does that sound?”

“Sounds good. So, my boy, tell me about this writing project you are working on.”

Harry took another sip from his glass, suddenly feeling more optimistic about the future.

***

He found Marv in the library after saying goodbye to Dumbledore. The cat was sitting in the window post looking out into the garden. As Harry entered, the cat turned his head and meowed softly.

“What?” Harry smiled, walking over to the cat and letting his hand slide over the soft fur. The red eyes seemed wary for some reason Harry couldn´t understand. “You okay, pet?” Marv turned and kept looking out the window. “There´s noting out there. Or there are dark wizards and witches, but as long as the bloody dark lord is missing they seem to have put their raids on hold. And this house is under heavy protection.” Marv seemed to tense under his hand, apparently his words had the opposite effect of what he wanted to achieve. “Hopefully if everything works out the way Dumbledore thinks, then we don´t have to worry too much about Voldemort in the future.”

That made the cat whip his head around, red eyes full focused on Harry. “What? You do seem very interested in him, or is it that the name is familiar? Perhaps you were owned by a dark wizarding family that serves him?” Harry let his hand rub against the side of the cat´s face, which looked like it was torn between staying and moving. The red eyes were calculated and if Harry hadn´t know better he would say the cat was plotting something.

Chapter Text

Autumn fell away to winter and Harry kept wondering how time could pass so quickly. The last year seemed to have flown away in a strange mass of horcrux hunting, friends, writing and wondering what Voldemort was up to.

Eight months had gone by without there having been any Death Eaters activities, or any sign of the man himself or anything else. Snape reported that the Death Eaters mostly had taken a step down and gone back to their normal lives, much like the time when Voldemort had nearly killed himself by trying to kill Harry. The exception of course was Bellatrix and a couple of the other more fanatic followers. They were searching high and low for the Dark Lord, apparently having decided to risk the man´s wraith if they found him against his will. Harry assumed that wouldn´t be pretty.

The fire in the fireplace burned low and Harry moved from the chair and added another log to it. The fire quickly caught hold of the new source of energy and the flames rose higher. He sat down on the floor in front of the fireplace and resumed staring into the flames. A hand stretched out to slide through Marv´s fur where he was stretched out. The cat was sleeping, which he had pretty much done most of the day. As the weather grew colder Marv seemed to prefer being indoors to outdoors and spent most of the days sleeping.

He twitched in his sleep as Harry slid his hand over the face, ears and neck. The collar and the gems caught against his hand and he looked at it. He didn´t know if the gems were real, but if they were, then it was one expensive collar. Slightly curious he turned the collar around, carefully not to wake Marv. The gems looked like diamonds that was inlaid with a couple of inches of space in between them. The strange thing was that there was no clasp, no apparent way to remove the collar. It almost seemed like someone had used magic to fasten it, making it impossible to remove. Giving up, he let go of the collar, but continued to brush his hand through the fur. A low purring could be heard in the silent room as Marv turned on his back and stretched his legs out. For once he didn´t seem to mind the petting.

His mind turned again to the horcruxes. They had found the locket, and the diadem. It had taken them almost two months, but they had gotten to them in the end. The only thing missing now was the snake and whatever the last piece was. Harry had no idea what Voldemort might have used to make the final horcrux. Following the theme if you could call it that, the last horcrux should either be something personal or something related to the founders.

The ring had belonged to the Gaunt´s, the diary had been Voldemort´s. The Slytherin locket obviously related to the Slytherin house. The diadem had been Rowena Ravenclaw´s. The snake was Voldemort´s, so it would make sense that the last one would be connected to the founders. That left Gryffindor and Hufflepuff. For some reason Harry couldn´t see Voldemort making a horcrux out of the sword of Gryffindor, but perhaps something belonging to Helga Hufflepuff?

He had shared his theory with Dumbledore who had agreed. The headmaster was currently researching what Helga Hufflepuff might have left behind that could have caught a young Tom Riddle´s interest. The last one, the snake, was nowhere to be found. Snape was working on it though under the guise of needing the snake to find Voldemort.

Well, two horcruxes was at least better than the five they had started out hunting half a year earlier. For a moment Harry wondered if Voldemort knew that four of his horcruxes had been destroyed. He knew of the diary of course, Lucius had told him after all, but Harry wondered if he had felt the others being destroyed. He somehow doubted it. If Voldemort had thought his immorality was in danger he would surely have resurfaced by now to make sure they were safe? Instead he had been gone for eight months. Harry was actually starting to think he preferred to have the Dark Lord going on raids and wreaking havoc on the world, as opposed to doing Merlin knew what somewhere in the world.

On the other hand, they might have peaceful Christmas for once unless Voldemort suddenly showed up on Christmas Eve that was. Harry somehow doubted it. Hopefully the only problem they would have this year would be trying to keep Marv from destroying the decorations. Speaking of the blood thing, Harry looked down and saw Marv was fast asleep. One paw curled against his chest, the other one resting over his snout almost like he was shielding his eyes from the light of the fire. Harry smiled. Marv looked so innocent while sleeping.

On the other hand, the cat had actually somewhat behaved the last two months. He had stopped scaring Kreacher when ever possible and had actually started to allow Harry to both hold and pet him with out trying to kill him. He had seemed rather wary, almost depressed for a while, about the time Harry had returned from destroying the two horcruxes, but Harry assumed that had something to do with the cat not necessarily appreciated being left home alone for two weeks. As time passed however the cat seemed to snap out of his moods and was more or less back to normal. The only exception was every time Dumbledore came over. Marv would tense at the sight of the man and promptly leave the room. He would only emerge from where ever he had gone when Dumbledore left.

That Marv didn´t like the man had been no secret, but the outright refusal to be anywhere near the man was new. Strange seeing as Dumbledore hardly had interacted with Marv since the time when Dumbledore had brought him around all those months ago. He had taken to disliking Snape was well, which Harry could understand. He didn´t like the man himself. Snape didn´t seem to care much about the dislike the cat showed him, but the man was incredibly wary of the cat, almost at to the point of being afraid. Perhaps he was allergic, Harry mused.

Beside him Marv stirred slightly and one red eye opened to look around, the other was still covered by his paw. After blinking a couple of times, it closed and it looked like Marv decided to go back to sleep.

Harry sighed. Well, he couldn´t sit in front of the fireplace for the rest of the day. Hermione and Ron were coming over to help decorate the Christmas tree. It was kind of last moment seeing as it was already the 23th of December, but better late than never. They were spending Christmas Eve with him and then he was going with them to the Burrow for Christmas day for dinner and presents. It was the first Christmas he spent in Grimmauld Place and he was grateful for the company.

Climbing to his feet he headed for the attic to try and find the Christmas decorations he remembered seeing there a long time ago when they had been renovating the place. He found them easily enough and levitated them downstairs to the living room where the large Christmas tree had been put. Kreacher was still grumbling about it making a mess, but Harry had assured him that if it was that much of a problem then he could clean the living room himself. That had somehow gotten the elf to backtrack.

He had barely gotten the boxes down before the Floo flared to life and Hermione and Ron came through.

“Harry!” Hermione gave him a hug and turned towards the large tree. “You couldn´t find anything that was bigger?” She teased.

“Really, mate?” Ron sighed looking at the gigantic tree.

Harry just shrugged. “First Christmas tree, thought I´d go all out.”

Hermione just laughed and started rummaging through the boxes. “Oh, Harry. These are just wonderful.” She held up two decorations in the shape of snow crystals. They looked to be made from glass. “And this,” she put the decorations down and held up a star in an intricate pattern. She handed it to Ron. “Will you put it up?”

“How?” Ron said looking from star to the top of the tree and then back down. Hermione smacked him on the thigh. “Are you or are you not a wizard?” she scolded.

“Oh, right,” Ron pulled out his wand and carefully levitated the star to the top of the tree. “Say, Harry, where is that bloody menace of a cat? I thought he would be here to help destroy something.”

“Ron!” Hermione stared at him, anger clearly visible on her face. “You´ve hurt his feelings,” she said pointing to something behind them. Both Harry and Ron turned and saw Marv sitting in the doorway, ears slightly pinned back. He didn´t look particularly affronted Harry thought, but decided not to say anything. Hermione walked over and picked him up, cradling him in her arms and muttered to him. “Don´t listen to him. He´s just jealous.” Marv looked like he wasn´t sure what to do and apparently landed on doing nothing. Hermione put him down by the boxes.

Ron rolled his eyes at Harry, who grinned, as Hermione and Marv started going to the boxes together, pulling out decorations, lights, garlands, stars and snow crystals.

Kreacher appeared with a tray. Tea, cookies, sandwiches and everything else one would want for decorating. Ron snatched a cookie before he and Harry tried to untangle the electrical lights in order to somehow get them on the tree. Beside them on the floor Hermione and Marv were having a conversation, though one-sided, about which decorations were going on the tree, and which weren’t.

“How about this?” Hermione held up a beautiful angel. Harry had to hide a smile as Marv pinned his ears back, clearly unhappy. “No?” She put it down and pulled out something that looked like an elf in chains. “Uh, Harry, what t he hell?” She turned her head.

“Don´t look at me. I´ve never looked in those boxes before!”

“That´s not going on the tree, Marv,” she then scolded the cat that had his ears forward. The ears tipped slightly to the side before Marv apparently decided to take a more active role in the decorations. He stood up on two and placed his front paws on the edge of one of the boxes. Looking into it he dragged up a green and silver Christmas ball and looked at Hermione.

“Of course the bloody thing wants to use Slytherin colours,” Ron complained while trying to figure out exactly how to get out from the mess of lights and cords that was currently all over him. Harry laughed. “You do realise the whole Black family, except Sirius was in Slytherin right? What did you expect?”

“Nothing, nothing at all,” Ron grumbled, tripping over the cord and falling to the ground, nearly taking the tree with him. “Why the bloody hell are we using muggle lights for the tree? Can´t we just charm some candles?!” He complained from the floor.

Marv, having abandoned the Christmas ball and jumped into the box, came up with a small white candle in his mouth. Hermione leaned over him and pulled out the rest. “Good idea, boy,” she smiled and petted him. While Ron tried to figure out how to get free, she and Harry used magic to light the candles and charmed them to float around the tree.

In the door leading to the kitchen Dumbledore watched.

“Does mr. Dumbledore not want Kreacher to announce him?”

Dumbledore smiled and looked down at the elf. “No thank you, Kreacher, I don´t want to disturb them. I´ll come back another time.” He looked into the room and couldn´t help but smile at the three children. The war had forced them to grow up all too fast, robbing them of their chance of a normal childhood. It was nice to see them do something as trivial as decorating a Christmas tree together. He looked down at the Christmas presents in his hand and put them on the table. “Kreacher, can you make sure Harry gets these tomorrow, please?”

The elf bowed. “Of course, Mr. Dumbledore.”

As he looked back into the room, he saw the cat standing on two legs against Hermione´s leg, a snow crystal in his mouth. Hermione accepted it and hung it on one of the branches, and the cat went back to rummaging through another box. Dumbledore smiled. Yes, the cat seemed to be doing well for the moment. The lights caught one of the gems on the collar, making it sparkle. He felt a pang of something that felt like guilt, but he pushed it away. This was for the better he reminded himself.

Marv had found a silver tinsel, which he apparently wasn´t too eager to give up and Dumbledore smirked as the cat and Ron got into a tug of war over the thing. It ended with it breaking in the middle, sending Ron tumbling to the floor and Marv fell over to his side, half the tinsel in his mouth. Apparently the fun had disappeared for Marv let go of the tinsel and in stead started stalking one of hovering Christmas snow crystals that Harry was levitating from the box. He nearly caught it was it rose from the box, but lost his footing and fell over. Getting back up he jumped, a paw lashing out to grab it mid-air. Harry laughed and continued to levitate the decoration low enough for Marv to have a shot at getting to it, only to pull it away at the last second.

In the end Hermione scolded him for making it impossible for the cat to get to it.

The scene was oddly homely. Dumbledore let his hand slide across the shrunken object in the pocket of his purple robe. The price to get a hold of it had been high. The cup felt cold underneath his touch, but it simmered with something dark. It would have to be destroyed, but perhaps it could wait until after Christmas.

He took a last look at the three people in the living room before nodding to himself. Yes, it could wait. He turned and with a last smile towards Kreacher he left the house through the front door and Apparated.

Chapter Text

Christmas had passed in peace. Something Harry was thankful for. His fear of Voldemort suddenly reappearing on Christmas Eve had been unfounded as there had been no word about the missing Dark Lord. The whole thing was starting to look rather strange. It was like the Dark Lord had just suddenly decided to give up and flee the country or something.

Harry sighed and let himself sink deeper into the bed. It was the 31th of December and he refused to spend the last day of the year thinking about Voldemort.

Marv shifted a bit and sighed. He was stretched out on top of Harry, his head on Harry´s chest and his long body sprawled. The heavy and warm weight should have been uncomfortable, but it wasn´t – for some reason Harry couldn´t identify. He let a hand slide through the silky fur and Marv moved one of his paws and a low purring could be heard. Harry smiled. The bloody thing was actually growing on him. It helped that Marv had gone from being constantly angry to somewhat more affectionate. The last month he had taken to sleeping in Harry´s bed more or less every night. Thankfully he had a big bed, but the cat seemed to prefer to sleep on top of or curled up against Harry. Not that Harry minded. It was somehow nice not to sleep alone.

Slowly he let sleep claim him once more. It was far too early to wake up.

When he next came around it was because something was tickling his chin and the weight on his chest made it near impossible to breath. Opening his eyes he looked straight into Marv´s red ones that was only a short distance away from his own. For a moment they just looked at one another. Harry was struck with the thought that Marv´s eyes looked far too human, so did the emotions he could see swirling in those red orbs. Marv seemed to be searching for something or at least suddenly seeing something because his eyes suddenly widened with surprise and perhaps wonder, Harry wasn´t too sure.

“Hey, boy,” Harry said and reached up to run his hand through the soft fur. Marv´s ears flickered for a moment as if the cat was trying to decide something before he leaned into the touch. “Up early?” A quick tempus told him that it was still early.

“How do you feel about fireworks?” There would be a lot of it later and Hermione had mentioned that some cats were afraid and suggested he´d buy a calming drought for cats. In the end he had asked Snape for one, and the man had grudgingly agreed to make one.

Marv purred and looked to be completely unconcerned about the prospect of loud sounds and light. Harry shrugged. Well, he still had the potion in case it became a problem later in the evening.

***

“Marv, get down.”

Harry had to smile at the tone in Hermione´s voice. This was perhaps the fourth time she had commanded Marv to get of the counter. That cat was currently sitting on the counter, looking at the large turkey with hungry eyes. “You can’t eat it raw,” she continued and tried to shoo the big cat down. When that didn’t help at all she picked him up and gently placed him on the floor. Marv hissed in displeasure at the treatment, the tail whipping back and forth.

“You´ll get some when it´s done,” she told him as Marv moved across the room and jumped up onto one of the kitchen chairs.

Feeling slightly sorry for the cat, Harry picked up the turkey heart and held it out to the cat. Marv seemed to perk up at the sight and snatched it from Harry´s hand, almost swallowing it whole.

“Harry! I was going to use that to make stock for the sauce,” Hermione reprimanded him.

“Sorry,” Harry replied, rubbing a hand over his neck and looking down at Marv who had swallowed the morsel and was now looking like he was expecting more and not caring one bit about the sauce.

“Too much raw meat isn´t good for a cat.” Marv looked like he disagreed by the glare he sent the witch. Harry just smiled and sat down on the chair to Marv´s left. Ron was in the living room setting the table. The sounds of plates and glassed being set out could be heard. Marv was looking at him with that strange, wondering look and Harry smiled at him.

“What?” The ears flickered before Marv moved and jumped into his lap. Surprised, Harry looked down. The cat was never especially cuddly unless he was high as kite on catnip or sleeping, but Harry didn´t mind this new development. He let his hand card through the soft fur as Marv moved around a couple of times before curling up in his lap.

Hermione cast a look over her shoulder and smiled. “He seems to be getting a bit more social at least, and friendly.”

“It only took six months,” Harry murmured. “He has stopped scaring Kreacher as much as he used to.” Which meant a lot less broken glasses and plates. “He doesn´t like Snape or Dumbledore though.”

“Yes, I´ve noticed,” Hermione replied as she cut up the carrots and onions and put them in the pot. “Snape doesn´t seem to like Marv either. Perhaps he isn´t a cat person.”

“He looks like he is going to be sick or faint half the time he is around Marv,” Harry said, moving his hand to scratch Marv behind the ear at the request of the animal.

Hermione nodded and put the last of the carrots into the pot, stirring it.

“Who looks like he is going faint?” Ron came into the room and peered into the pot. “What are you doing – making a stew?” Hermione batted him away. “It the base for the sauce you idiot.”

Ron looked like a question mark and shot a look at Harry who shrugged. “Snape looks like he going to faint every time Marv does something.”

Ron laughed. “Perhaps it´s the red eyes – reminds him too much about You-know-who. Perhaps he thinks You-know-who has turned himself into a cat to spy on you. Would explain why no one has seen him in eight months.”

Harry looked down and froze. Marv had lifted his head as Ron spoke and was now staring directly at Harry with those red orbs, which was filled with an emotion that Harry couldn´t completely identify. Suddenly everything about Marv felt wrong. His behaviour, the way he avoided Snape and Dumbledore like a plague, the way Snape was reacting to certain things Marv did, the way the cat seemed to understand a lot more than an animale should, the reaction that day when Dumbledore had destroyed the horcrux and his behaviour when Harry came home after destroying two more.

“Harry?” Hermione sounded like she this was the second time she was calling his name.

Not taking his eyes of the cat he replied. “Hermione would you send a patronus and ask Dumbledore to come over a soon as possible.”

“What, why?” Hermione sounded confused.

Harry watched as something akin to worry bled into the red eyes. Not certain what to do about the cat, but wanting it off his lap, Harry slowly turned towards the chair Marv had first jumped onto.

Ron looked at the cat and back at Harry and down again at the cat. “I was just kidding, mate.”

Hermione came closer and looked down at Marv who was still staring at Harry. “Harry, you don´t think…” she trailed off as she too looked at Marv.

“Think about it,” Harry said in a low voice. “The behaviour, the eyes, the way Marv seems to react to the name…” he too trailed off.

“You aren´t serious?” Ron exclaimed looking steadily paler. He was staring wide eyed at the cat. Marv didn´t move muscle. Even the ever-twitching tail was still. Carefully Harry reached down and slowly moved the cat from his lap and onto the chair. Like a spell having been broken Marv growled and hissed and lashed out at Harry. Harry jumped back and got to his feet. Pulling out his wand he conquered up the patronus and sent it off.

“I don´t know,” Harry said, “but I want to ask Dumbledore. Just to be cautious. Voldemort has done a lot of strange things over the years, so I wouldn´t put this past him. The only question is why he hasn´t turned himself back and killed me yet.”

“Exactly,” Hermione exclaimed. “Why would Vold-You-know-who stay with you for six months as a cat? It doesn’t make any sense.”

Ron just nodded, but didn´t look quite as sure as Hermione sounded.

“I don´t know, but you have to admit that Marv doesn´t exactly behave like a normal cat.” Harry tore his eyes from the red orbs and looked from Hermione to Ron.

The smell of something burning had Hermione jumping. “Oh, no. The food.” She quickly moved the pot from the heat and looked into it. Grimacing she stirred the food around. “I think it´s okay, the onions might be a bit burned.”

From the entrance hall they could hear the sound of the Floo flaring into life.

“Harry?” Came Dumbledore´s voice. Marv immediately flattened his ears at the sound of the voice and the tail started twitching rapidly.

“In the kitchen,” Harry called back. He still had his wand in his hand.

The sound of footsteps was heard and Dumbledore and Snape came into view. Harry´s suspicion that he was right only increased by the serious look on Dumbledore´s face and the fact that he had brought Snape with him. The feeling of anger and betrayal rose in him and threatened to overwhelm him. Breathing deeply he pushed the feelings away and turned towards the two men. “Why is Voldemort in my kitchen looking like a cat?” he demanded. His suspicions proven right as Dumbledore didn´t look surprised at the question.

To his side Hermione gasped, she too realising that Harry was right.

“Harry,” Dumbledore began but Harry cut him of. “No. I don´t want any excuses I want to know why you thought it was a good idea, a safe one at that, to put Voldemort in my house! And seeing as you don´t look even the slightest surprised and the fact that he hasn´t tried to kill me yet, I´m going to assume he isn´t here out of his own free will. So would you kindly explain this.” His tone made it perfectly clear he that despite the polite words he was furious.

Snape rubbed a hand over his face. “Potter…”

“No.” Harry cut him of too. “At least now I understand why you have been acting so strange around him.”

Dumbledore sighed and sat down in one of the chairs, looking at Mar-Voldemort who hissed and growled at him. Ears pinned. “Oh, be quiet, Tom,” Dumbledore said, which seemed to make Voldemort even more furious. The tail looked like it could dislocate at any moment with the pace it was going.

“Tom is an animagus, this is his form,” Dumbledore started, making a gesture towards the very pissed off Dark Lord. “He´s currently trapped in it, due to the collar.”

“How?”

“The collar´s function would take a long time to explain.”

Harry crossed his arms over his chest. “I don´t care how the collar works, I want to know how you managed to get the bloody thing around his neck to begin with.”

“Ah. Well. Tom rarely uses this form, but occasionally he does. As it happens Severus made a rather complicated potion that forces the drinker to turn into his or hers animagus form. Tom has been, ehm, doing something about his appearance and has taken a lot of potions that Severus has been brewing for him, which made it easy to slip this one in with the rest.”

Voldemort looked like he was considering trying to kill Severus. Harry somehow could understand the man. Finding out your loyal potion master wasn´t all that loyal had to hurt.

“That still doesn´t explain why he is here, in my house! Sleeping in my bed for Merlin´s sake. Could´t you have put him in a cage or something!”

A guilty look passed over Dumbledore´s face. “We thought about it, but I thought that perhaps this would be better for Tom.”

“Better for… Are you kidding me? What about me?”

Dumbledore smiled. “Are you telling me you haven´t enjoyed his company?”

Harry gaped. “That´s not the point!”

“Because it would have been different if you had known?”

Harry threw his arms up. “Of course!”

“And that is why I didn´t tell you. I wanted you to treat Tom as a normal cat. I wanted Tom to try and at least experience something akin to a normal life, though from a cat´s perspective.”

Before Harry could ask if the man was genuinely insane, Hermione spoke up. “But, Headmaster, what was the plan then? For Vol-him to stay here as a cat for the rest of his life?”

Dumbledore shook his head and a look of guilt and something that looked like sorrow passed over his face. “No. We intended for him to stay here until we had destroyed all the horcruxes.”

The implication of his words hit Harry. The unspoken and then kill him, hung in the air. He looked at Voldemort, as did Ron and Hermione and he saw that Voldemort had connected the dots himself.

“We managed to get a hold of the snake and the last horcux and destroyed them earlier this week. I was meaning to wait until after New Years Eve and then tell you I had found his real owners and that they wanted him back. Voldemort would have just disappeared into thin air and never have been seen again.”

Harry watched as fear bled into the crimson eyes as Dumbledore spoke. The tail was completely still and the ears pointed backwards, but not in anger.

Chapter Text

Harry was pacing back and forth in the library. After Dumbledore´s confession he had excused himself. He assumed that four wizards would be able to handle one Dark Lord in his current form. 

Marv – he had ha come to like the strange animal over the last six months, despite it´s strange behaviour at times. At least now the behaviour made perfect sense. The same did Snape´s behaviour. No wonder the man almost had looked close to having a heart attack at the thought of Marv sleeping in his bed. Harry winced. He had actually shared his bed with Voldemort. Not to mention everything else like Marv walking in on him in the bathroom as he exited the shower, or laying half asleep on the bed as Harry had changed clothes. Then there were all the conversations. Harry had found it rather therapeutic to talk to Marv about everything that was going on. To think he had actually confessed all his feelings, wants, and fears to Voldemort was rather hard to wrap his head around. 

And the bloody thing had grown on him and he still felt something for the damnable cat even though it was him. The Dark Lord that had vanished eight months ago. The Dark Lord he had shared his house with for six months. 

Merlin. Harry pushed a hand through his hair and sighed.  The best thing for everyone would be to let Dumbledore take Marv with him and get rid of him. Then the world would be rid of Voldemort and Harry could finally get his life back. 

The sound of claws clicking against bare floorboards made him whip around – wand out. Marv came through the open door to the library and seated himself in one of the armchairs, tail curling around his body. The ears twitched and he moved his front paws slightly, giving of a nervous energy.  

Harry sighed and lowered his wand. The cat was no threat to him at the moment. 

“What?” he snapped sinking into the other armchair. “You have tried to kill me more times than I would like to count. You killed my parents, your insane followers got my godfather and Cedric killed. You are trying to enslave the muggleborns and – I actually don´t know how you are thinking you can change things to the better, but I´m going to assume you have some misguided plan or are delusional. The latter is probably the most likely, seeing as you split your bloody soul six times because you were afraid of dying. Couldn´t it have been enough with one, or two?” 

The tail twitched slightly.  

“Harry?” Dumbledore´s voice came around the door before the man appeared. “Is Tom here?”

Harry made a gesture towards the cat that looked slightly more panicking at the sight of Dumbledore. 

“How did you manage to loose a cat?” Harry snapped. How hard could it be to keep Mar-Voldemort in the kitchen?  

Dumbledore smiled. “He was quick out the door before we could catch him, but seeing as he can´t leave the premise it wasn´t something to worry about. I was though surprised he ran up her.” He looked at Voldemort, who in return glared. 

“Are you taking him with you?”  

“Yes. Although it would be a slight shame as it´s actually Tom´s birthday.” 

Harry turned to stare at the cat again. Birthday? He knew logically that the man had to have been born at some point during the year, but on New Years Eve? “Happy birthday,” he said, the irony and anger heavy in his voice. It looked like the cat almost winced at the tone. The eyes blinked before Marv turned his attention to the floor, moving his front paws. 

*** 

The turkey was probably excellent but Harry had to admit he didn’t have an appetite. He kept moving the food around on the plate, occasionally taking a bit without really tasting what he was eating. Hermione and Ron were talking quietly. They had tried to include him a couple of times, but had given up in the end. 

Marv was gone. Dumbledore and Snape had taken him with them when they left. And for some reason the house seemed impossibly empty with out the cat. Harry hadn´t come to realise just how much he had appreciated Marv until he was gone. The bloody thing had grown on him. The thought of Voldemort having grown on him was unsettling to say the least. 

He remembered all the quiet evenings in the sitting room. Him with a book and Marv draped either across his lap or beside him. The last month or so Marv had been a lot more affectionate as some sort of calm had settled over him. Looking back Harry assumed it was Voldemort finally more or less giving up as he probably had felt one after the other of the horcruxes being destroyed. Or perhaps it was the cat instincts taking more and more over? 

Harry could remember Sirius telling him that it was dangerous to use ones animagus form for too long because the animal instincts could take over and make it difficult to remember the human side. Perhaps that was what had happened to Voldemort over the last eight months? Logically Harry assumed that Voldemort would be able to withstand the effects of being in his animagus form for so long, but instincts could be powerful. 

“Harry?” He lifted his head. It sounded like Hermione had called his name a couple of times by the sound.  

“Yes?” 

“You seem lost in thoughts.” 

Harry sighed and put down his fork and knife. “Sorry. It´s just…” he trailed off. 

“The thought of Marv being him?” Ron supplied. “Living in your house. I can´t begin to understand what Dumbledore was thinking. Couldn´t he just have put the cat in Azkaban or something. At least he´ll probably be dead by the end of the night.” The hate in Ron´s voice was so strong it took Harry back a bit.  

“Ron!” Hermione exclaimed. “I know Marv is V-him, but no one deserves a death sentence.” 

Harry could feel his head starting to hurt. “What would you have us do with him then?” He snapped. “What if he breaks free of that collar? What if one of his followers figures out what happened and comes looking for him?”

“I know! It´s just…” Hermione ducked her head and stared down on the plate. Harry sighed. “I know,” he said as well. “I know.”  

“I liked Marv,” came the quiet confession. 

Harry sighed again. “Yes, I liked him too.” 

They continued the meal in silence, each one lost in their own thoughts. 

*** 

The headache Harry had the next morning did noting to elevate his mood. The bed had felt strangely empty without the large cat and he hadn´t slept well. The whole house felt like it was missing if he was being honest. Perhaps he should go to one of those shelters he had threatened Marv with and get a new cat. Although it wouldn´t be the same. It didn´t want just any cat, he wanted Marv. 

Coming back down into the living room he found a box and started gathering up Marv´s toys and faux-fur blanket the cat had preferred to sleep on in front of the fireplace. Next were the bowls in the kitchen, the scratching post that he had bought to get Marv to stop clawing on the couch. The last thing he packed was the mouse filled with cat nip that had quickly becoming Marv´s favourite. Staring at the mouse in his hand he barely registered that the Floo connected fireplace in the entrance hall flared to life and Snape stepped through. 

“Potter,” he barked before noticing Harry just inside the living room. “Come. The Headmaster needs you.”  

Frowning, Harry put down the box and went to the entrance hall. “Why – more cats on the loose?” he snarled. Snape just looked unimpressed and gestured towards the fireplace. Feeling the anger brew Harry wanted to refuse. He didn´t want any details about how Dumbledore had made Marv disappear and the Dark Lord with him. In the end however he gave in. Stepping into the fireplace he dropped the Floo powder and watch as the world turned green. 

He arrived in the Headmasters office, stumbling slightly as he exited. The room was empty and he dusted of his clothes just as Snape came through. 

“This way,” the man said and led the way out the door. They continued down the stairs and into the dungeon where the Slytherin dorms were. Harry wanted to ask where they were going, but it would be a vast of time, as he already knew. They rounded a couple of more corners before Snape stopped before what looked like it was a solid wall. He held the tip of his wand to the bricks and they started shimmering. Without looking at him Snape walked through and, after moment of hesitation, Harry followed.  

The room was square and completely empty. No windows, no door, no nothing. When Harry looked back at the wall he had come through it looked completely solid and unyielding. Turning back he looked at the sight in the middle of the room. 

Marv was nowhere to be seen, but in the middle of the room, on his knees was Tom Riddle, looking only slightly older than his diary self. His hands were chained to the floor, and around his neck was the same collar Harry remembered Marv wearing, only that this seemed to be lacking a crystal. The red eyes were glaring daggers at Dumbledore who was standing a bit off to the side; his wand in one hand and a small, somewhat cold smile on his lips. For a moment Harry was confused to as how Voldemort looked like the handsome Tom Riddle again, but then he remembered Dumbledore telling him that he had been doing something about his looks. Apparently he had succeeded. The sight of the all too gorgeous Tom Riddle on his knees wasn´t an unappealing sight if Harry was going to be honest. Before he could consider down that road, which was one which he didn´t want to entertain, Dumbledore spoke.  

“Harry, nice of you to stop by.”  

Harry, not being able to tear his eyes from the young looking Dark Lord only nodded. 

“Look into his mind, you old fool, and tell me if I´m lying.” The words were spat with so much hate that Harry almost flinched. Dumbledore only smiled and stepped up to Harry. 

“My boy, if I could.” Confused Harry looked from the furious Dark Lord to Dumbledore. The question was clear on his face. 

“Don´t worry,” Dumbledore smiled. “I won´t hurt.”  

Well, that sounded reassuring Harry thought. Before he could ask what wouldn´t hurt he felt a pressure against his mental shields and the feeling of someone sorting through his mind. Before he could manage to pull up his shields the pressure disappeared. Blinking and feeling slightly of balance Harry caught the sorrow and seriousness that had appeared on the headmaster´s face. 

“Well?” Voldemort demanded rudely and Harry suddenly felt a strong need to flick the man on the nose as he had done so many times with Marv. 

“Headmaster?” came Snape´s more quiet voice. 

“It´s seems you are not lying, Tom.”  

Harry couldn´t remember ever seeing Dumbledore as serious as he was at that moment. “Headmaster?” He asked, a feeling of trepidation washing over him.  

Dumbledore sighed and dragged a hand over his face. 

“You see, Albus,” came the goading voice from the floor, “are you prepared to sacrifice the boy to get rid of me? You little golden savi-“ 

“Shut up, Marv,” Harry snapped, his irritation over having to deal with the human version of Voldemort getting to him. He wasn´t sure if it was the use of the cat name or the order itself, but Voldemort did shut up. “What in Merlin´s name is he rambling about now. Why is he even still alive?” The last question almost made Voldemort wince. 

Dumbledore looked unsure for a moment, as if not even sure how to proceed. 

“Are you going to tell him, or should I?” The last of his patience gone Harry turned and flicked Voldemort on the nose the same way he had always done with Marv. “I said, be quiet.” The surprise on Voldemort´s face at the gesture would have been hilarious in any other setting, but Harry was too annoyed for it to register. Snape looked slightly disconcerted. 

“It seems Tom made one more horcrux without meaning to.” 

“What?”  

“You, Harry, it would seem that the night he killed your parents a small piece of his soul latched onto the only living thing in the room – you. You are the horcux he never meant to make.”  

Harry stared. “What?” he repeated. His mind reeling as he tried to make sense of what Dumbledore had told him. A horcrux? How was that even possible? Then he suddenly remembered that Voldemort wasn´t mortal until all the horcruxes were gone.  

“What now?” He forced himself to ask. 

Dumbledore looked unsure. “Unfortunately we can´t kill him.”

“Unless you kill me first,” Harry deadpanned. Dumbledore nodded. 

“Killing you isn´t an option, but we can´t risk Voldemort returning either. I´m load to keep him chained up in here, but there is really nowhere else to keep him. We can´t send him to Azkaban either.” 

Harry suddenly saw where Dumbledore was most likely going with his little speech, apparently so did Voldemort. “No!” Both of them said simultaneously. 

“You are not forcing me to turn into that blasted creature and leaving me with him,” Voldemort snarled, pulling at his restraints. Not that he could get far, chained on his knees as he was. Harry assumed something about the collar blocked his magic, seeing as they weren´t all dead yet, 

“I´m not sharing my house with my parents killers!” It did register for a moment that for once he and Voldemort agreed on something. “I don´t care how “harmless” he is in his animagus form and with that collar on.”  

“I´m not spending anymore time being his bloody pet,” snapped Voldemort behind him, sounding like he wanted to chop of his own hand instead. 

“Tom, the alternative is staying here, in this room, for the rest of your time,” Dumbledore warned. Making a gesture to the empty, square cell. “Harry, it would be better for Tom to stay with you than in this cell, don´t you agree.” 

Harry rubbed a hand over his eyes. “Can´t you take him yourself? Or Snape, or just give him to a shelter or something?!” 

The sound Voldemort made at mention of a shelter reminded Harry that Tom Riddle had spent his whole youth at an orphanage. Suddenly he understood why Marv had balked at the mention of being given to a shelter, it was probably a hit far too close to home when it came to memories of his youth. Suddenly a stab of guilt it him like an arrow. 

Voldemort had never had a home, no one to care about him or to look after him. His whole life had been one battle of surviving after another; first the orphanage during the war, then in Slytherin, being presumed to be a muggleborn, then as an adult with no money or family.   

His mind went back to the last six months with the cat, with Marv. It hadn´t exactly been easy, but things had smoothed out over time. They had found somehow to co-exist. If he took Voldemort back now it would probably be like turning back in time to the first weeks when Marv had arrived, but perhaps it would once more smooth out?  

He turned around and looked at Voldemort. The man was kneeling, his back straight as a rod and his eyes locked on Harry´s. For once Harry could see the emotion swimming in them. He wasn´t sure if it was Voldemort faking it, but somehow he doubted it. Mind made up, he turned towards Dumbledore. “You are absolutely sure the collar will keep?”  

Voldemort opened his mouth to speak, but Harry silenced him with a movement of his hand. The outraged look on Voldemort´s face not scaring him one bit. How scary was a young Tom Riddle on his knees anyhow? 

Dumbledore smiled, probably realising where Harry was heading with his question. “Yes.” 

Harry nodded, he cast a look at Voldemort and saw some sort of emotion in his eyes he couldn´t quite identify, but it made him feel unsettled. “I guess everyone deserves a second chance.

*** 

“Harry!” Hermione and Ron were waiting in the entrance hall when Harry Floo-ed back home, one pissed of black cat in his arms. It had been a fight to the bitter end to keep a hold of Voldemort as they returned home. As soon as they stepped out of the fireplace Harry let go of the cat. Vold-Marv jumped down, hissing and growling before disappearing from sight. 

“Don´t,” Harry began, holding up a hand. “We can´t kill him. This was the second best thing.” 

At the confused look on his best friends faces he went on to explain the events of the day. By the end of it Hermione was nodding, while Ron looked slightly ill. 

As he finished up the story a loud meowing was heard and Marv appeared in the doorway leading to the kitchen. He meowed loudly, tail twitching. 

Harry groaned. “Yes, I know there´s no food. I´ll come.” He started making his way towards the kitchen. Behind him Hermione laughed. 

“You know, Harry, cat´s don´t have owner, they have servants.” 

The pleased look that appeared on Marv´s face at the words made him look like a cat that had gotten both the cream and the canary all at once.

THE END 

Chapter Text

The door was closed. And no matter how long he stared at it, the bloody thing wouldn’t open. Giving it one more glare, Voldemort turned and approached the bed where the twice damned boy was sleeping like the dead. Jumping up he settled at the foot of the bed. The boy was sprawled on his stomach in a sea star position. One of his bare feet was sticking out from under the cover and his head rested on his right arm. He was snoring softly, but not loud enough to disturb Voldemort’s sleep.

Sighing, as well as a cat could sigh, Voldemort let his tail curl around his body. He glared down at it. He seemingly had no control over the tail. It was something he hadn’t noticed the infrequent times he had used the form in the past. But now, trapped in the body of the cat he did however notice a whole lot of things about this form he couldn’t control. The tail was one thing. Another was the cat’s instinct that he really hadn’t paid attention to before. He knew, of course, that one had to be aware of the animal’s instinct when becoming an animagus. There had been records of previous wizards and witches that had stayed in their animagus form too long, and had been caught in the instincts of the animal and slowly forgetting all about their human self, which was probably what the old fool hoped would happen…

The anger in him rose to new heights at the thought of the events that had bought him to this very moment, and he tried his best to quell them. There was nothing he could do about his current situation. Dumbledore had made sure to do his research and the bloody collar around his neck was unbreakable in his current form. Glaring once more at the boy-who-bloody-well-wouldn’t-die, he bared his teeth and wondered for the unnumbered time if it was possible to kill the boy in any way. That would at least teach the old fool a lesson.

A more pressing problem at the moment was that he was hungry, and he couldn’t get down to the kitchen because the idiotic child on the bed had closed the door. Meowing loudly he tried to wake the boy, who in turn, simply muttered something and turned his head.

Annoyed Voldemort lashed out with his paw and struck the boy across the sole of the foot with his claws. THAT got a reaction. The boy jumped and more or less turned in the air.

“MARV! WHAT THE BLOODY HELL?!” The sound was intensified by the sensitive ears of the cat and Voldemort almost winced. Perhaps that hadn’t been the most thought through idea. Still, he held his ground and glared. He was hungry damned it, and it was the boy’s responsibility to feed him. Luckily, the boy seemed to get the point, because he glared at him once more before getting out of bed and throwing on a bathrobe before opening the door.

“Yezzz, Marv. Couldn’t you have found some other way to wake me, or waited,” he grumbled. Voldemort ignored him in favour of bounding down the stairs. He had to give this form that, it was amazingly fun to move about in. All class and elegance and smoot movements. And the damned tail that lived its own life. Turning the corner to the kitchen he was delighted to see the poor house elf just inside with a stake of plates in his hands. Narrowing his eyes Voldemort slowed down and snuck up on the poor thing. Coming in close he bared his teeth and hissed. The poor thing shrieked and promptly dropped the whole stack just at the boy came around the corner.

Very pleased, Voldemort sauntered over to the fridge and sat down. Meowing loudly, he turned his head.  Potter was standing by the door, his head in both hands while the snivelling creature was apologising, bowing, scraping and trembling in fear of a punishment Voldemort knew would never come. He meowed louder and scratched at the door to the fridge. Couldn’t the boy hurry up and feed him? The sound seemed to wake Potter from his thoughts as he came over and Voldemort looked up at the door, expecting it to be opened.

What he didn’t expect however was the hand that grabbed him by the nap of his neck and lifted him. Furious he lashed out and kicked, but the boy had the good sense to hold him well away from his body. Deciding that it was pointless Voldemort allowed himself to be carried in lack of better options. Sometimes his animagus form was completely useless. The humiliation was grating, but not enough to quell his anger at the two people who had put him in this situation.

He knew the boy had not been told of his true identity. Most likely some scheme or another from Dumbledore. How he hated that man! As such, Potter simply treated him as he would any other cat. And apparently a cat who managed to be the culprit of destroying a stake of plates was cast out without breakfast.

Voldemort hissed as his feet landed on the terrace, which was wet from the rain. Before he could turn the door slammed shut behind him. Great. Sulking, not that he would admit he was sulking, he settled close to the door, ears pinned, and his fur fluffed against the cold. If he was lucky then he looked pitiful enough for the boy to let him back in. After waiting patiently for a little while, the door opened and he ran in, sliding across the floorboards and into the kitchen. The poor elf turned all too fast and the pitcher of whatever he was carrying fell to the floor and broke, liquid spilling all over the tiles.

***

The warmth of the fire felt nice against the fur. He slowly stretched out the long body feeling the muscles strain against the movement in a good way. Yawning, he slowly opened his eyes and watch the room from his upside-down position lying on his back. At the far end of the room the boy was sitting at his desk, working on something or another. He looked up as Voldemort moved and Voldemort could see a smile cross his face. Standing up the boy moved over and crouched down where Voldemort was stretched out.

Keeping a wary eye on the boy Voldemort wondered what he wanted. The question was answered as the boy reached out and gently scratched him behind one ear.  Mm, he wanted to claw at the boy, but the sensation of his ear being scratched wasn't all that unpleasant. He hummed but stopped abruptly as the boy smiled even more. The realisation that he had been purring hit him like a sledgehammer. Mortification and humiliation battled for the dominant position and he rolled over, hissing and growling.

“Whoa,” Harry said, pulling the hand that had been scratching at Voldemort away quickly. “Merlin, Marv. You have more mood swings than a pregnant hippogriff.”

And, of course, that stupid name. Although it was better than Tom which the stupid child had tried to name him. Voldemort would have preferred his own name, but he could see how the boy might frighten most of his friends when calling for him. Marv had been acceptable he guessed. A play on his middle name he was sure. Still it was better than Fluffy…

“Harry?” The voice came from the floor below where the fireplace was located. Voldemort recognised the voice immediately. The bloody old fool again. He had been showing up regularly the month while Voldemort had been staying with the little golden boy. Steps could be heard up the stairs.

Dumbledore took in the sigh before him before moving over to Harry. “You all right my boy?”

Voldemort wanted to roll his eyes. Considering what the moron had put the boy through over the last ten years he was surprised they were on speaking terms at all. A glance down told him that the uncontrollable tail was twisting rapidly in anger. Well, at least he and the tail agreed on something.

“Yes, Marv just being his usual charming self.” Harry got to his feet and lead Dumbledore out of the room and Voldemort could hear them descending the stairs. Slightly curious Voldemort followed. He could hear them settle in the living room. He sat down just outside the room and peered in around the corner. Harry was moving towards the kitchen, probably to get tea for the unwelcome guest. Too bad there was no way to murder Dumbledore while in this form. Unfortunately, he hadn’t been able to kill him even when in his human form. The whole thing was grating. Couldn’t he just drop dead, soon preferably?

Lost in his own thoughts he didn’t see Dumbledore turn in his seat. But as he stood and moved over towards the door Voldemort drew back his lips, showing of sharp teeth.

“Hello, Tom.” Voldemort growled. The tail whipped back and forth. He knew the bloody man was using his birthname to rile him up, regrettably it worked every time.   

“Yes, I would assume you are still quite cross with me.” Cross wouldn’t exactly cover the feelings Voldemort had towards the man in front of him. Blistering rage would perhaps be more fitting.

Before Dumbledore could find something else to say, Harry returned with a tray which he put on the low coffee table. “You two getting along?” The boy looked dubious as he asked. Voldemort couldn’t blame him.

It wasn’t exactly a secret that he didn’t like the man, or that Marv didn’t like the man to be more correct. He assumed to boy either wouldn’t have been to friendly if Voldemort had trapped him in his animagus form and forced him to live with his enemy. In respons, Voldemort growled and pointily walked past Dumbledore, jumping onto the chair the man had sat in and laid down. If the two morons were to talk, then he wanted to listen just in case it might be something he could use at a later date.

***

His latest attempt to kill the boy had unfortunately … failed. Not that he had thought it would work out as planned, but he had figured it was worth a try. He had tried to make the boy trip on his way down the stair multiple times, but no luck. The annoying child had somehow managed to stay on his feet every time… The whole thing was vexing to say the least.

The newest idea had been to try and sleep on top of the boy’s chest and face in hopes of suffocating the boy while he slept. That could probably have worked if his fur had not made the boy sneeze and wake. The good thing was that the boy had not suspected what Voldemort was up to and had simply smiled at him, petting him, and turned over to fall asleep again on his side. Voldemort wanted to claw out the boy’s eyes. Perhaps that was a thought for another day…

He took his irritation out on the toy mouse the busy-haired mudblood had brought him. He really didn’t like the mouse, but there was something about the smell of it that drew him in like a moth to the flame. The smell did something funny to his mind, made it go all cotton-feeling-like and he just wanted to drink in the smell. Twisting he pulled the mouse to his chest and rubbed his face against it. Mhm, there was something about that smell that was just addictive.

Finally tiring himself out he collapsed in front of the fireplace and more or less passed out. Sleeping deeply until a familiar smell penetrated his senses, making him open his eyes. Meat! Scrambling to his feet he more or less ran into the kitchen, skidding to a halt in front of the counter.

“Marv, awake I see,” the boy said in a dry tone, with a note of amusement.

Voldemort meowed, eyeing the beautiful steak that was laying on a plate on the counter.

Potter sighed, lifting Voldemort, and putting him down in front of his bowl of kibbles.

“Here is your food, leave my steak alone.” Voldemort looked down at the kibbles and wanted to sneer. Kibbles. It tasted like cardboard. Only reason he ate them was in lack of better things. He had tried a mouse he had caught, but if he was to be honest, it hadn’t exactly tasted good.

“What?” The boy asked, sounded exhausted. “It’s the best kibbles money can buy.”

Voldemort glared, trying to communicate just how not impressed he was. The boy sighed. “I give up,” he muttered and turned towards the fridge. Eying an opportunity Voldemort ran, jumped and landing on the counter. Grabbing the steak, he turned to jump down only to be met with a very angry Potter who was in fact pointing his wand at him. Twisting his ears, Voldemort considered his chances. There was no way the boy was going to hurt him, that he knew.

“Marv, let go of that,” the boy threatened. Or what? Voldemort thought. Deciding it was worth the risk he jumped down and ran for the door from the kitchen to the hallway.

“Get back here!”

Voldemort could hear the boy move to follow behind him, but he didn’t slow down. Taking the corner as fast as he could and running straight into the annoying house elf. He bawled into the creature, taking it with him.

As a result, the elf dropped the stake of teacups and plates from the meeting for the Order that had taken place earlier that it had been levitating beside itself. They came crashing down, breaking and smashing into the floor around them. Shaking his head slightly, Voldemort got to his feet and he bounded up the stairs to the top floor.

Behind him he could hear the elf stuttering excuses and Potter yelling “MARV. GET THE BLOODY HELL BACK HERE!”

The end!