The Pride
by Jardyn39
Chapter 4 - Not Very Stripy But Quite Bitey
More to take his mind off missing Hermione than anything else, Harry decided to go and see Justin's collection of exotic animals. He made his way down from the tower and headed for a large painted wall map he remembered seeing next to the café.
He studied the map for a few minutes before he was interrupted by Susan.
"Lost again, Harry?" she asked in an amused tone.
He turned and smiled. Susan had often liked to accuse him of wandering about lost when they had encountered each other outside the hiding places of suspected Death Eaters.
She had changed out of her smart dress and wore green Wellington boots, jeans and a frayed jacket which seemed to suit her much better.
"I wondered where the tigers were."
"I'm sorry but I don't think we have any tigers at the moment. Don't tell Justin, though, or he'll think we need some."
Harry snorted.
"We do have a few lions, though. Not very stripy but quite bitey."
"Where are they?"
"The park isn't actually on this map, although there is a petting zoo on the edge of the farm. Come on, I'll drive you over there. I take it Hermione needed to go? She warned me she wouldn't be able to stay long."
"Yes. She sends her apologies."
The journey across the fields in Susan's mud-encrusted Land Rover was terrifying but mercifully short. Susan seemed to have got only the general idea of what the steering wheel for was for, but the brake pedal didn't get much use at all.
Susan hammered on the horn as tourists and stray sheep scattered from their path until they finally skidded to a halt. It was a moment before Harry prised his fingers from the door handle.
"Here we are."
Harry practically fell out of the vehicle and staggered around to the front. He half expected to see a couple of sheep jammed in the radiator grille, but the front of the battered Land Rover had just mud and grass sticking to it.
He looked around at the many signs warning of dangerous animals and explaining in graphic terms the consequences of anyone not observing the rules.
"I hope this isn't the petting zoo," he muttered under his breath.
"Come on up to the observation platform," said Susan, opening a sprung metal gate and ushering him through. They climbed a steep flight of metal steps and emerged on a high open decking. They went over and stood by the railings.
"This observation platform isn't open to visitors because it hasn't got a cage," said Susan.
"Oh," said Harry, peering over the edge and wondering just how high lions could jump.
"It also failed a safety inspection because they found some of the supports had almost rusted through. We'll be fine so long as you don't jump up and down too much."
"Right," said Harry, noticing for the first time that he was standing on some form of rusty grillage. He could see right down to the ground several feet below and what looked like an old steel support that had apparently fallen off the structure.
"How's the Observation Platform Restoration Fund looking?" he asked.
"You need to ask?" said Susan with a grin.
"Not really," replied Harry with a chuckle. "I suppose the money is better spent making sure the fencing is secure enough to keep the lions in."
"You'd think so, wouldn't you?"
Harry snorted.
"See over there?" she said pointing down to the right where a caged bus was entering slowly through a double lock. "Those buses tour through the various enclosures so people can see the animals up close."
"What is that truck doing?" asked Harry as another vehicle came from another direction.
"Feeding time," she answered as wardens threw great chunks of raw meat carcasses out the back. A pride of cats was stalking the truck and most of the female lions pounced upon the meat as soon as it landed on the ground. One even looked tempted to jump up into the back of the truck.
The tourist bus had stopped a few feet away with an excellent view of the feeding pride.
The male lion of the group, however, ignored the meal and the bus.
"What's up with him?" asked Harry.
"That's Caesar. He's very old in lion terms and actually sees us for what we are, Harry. Some cats can tell those people who have magical blood in them by sight."
The lion roared up at them.
"That is why I didn't think a trip in the tourist bus would be a very good idea," said Susan. "I suggest we go before he gets too excited."
Harry was happy to comply. Caesar was looking up at him with a particularly hungry eye as they headed back down the steps.
"Why do you keep these animals, Susan?"
"I'm not that keen, but they are growing on Justin. However, we're stuck with them for the present. Exotic pets were all the rage a few years ago, and since the then owners of the place were rich, idle and stupid they just had to get some big cats. Unfortunately, although they can never be tamed, they are no longer truly wild. Most of our cats were bred in captivity and wouldn't last five minutes back in the wild."
They walked over to a brick-built building that was partly sunk into the ground and only had a few tiny square windows. As they approached the air became heavy with a sickly smell.
"You just have cats?"
"Well, we also have a small herd of gazelles and quite a few reptiles."
"That seems a strange combination," Harry observed, following Susan into the building through another door marked Private.
"There were more at one time, but as they cost a small fortune and the cash was needed to legal expenses they were often sold or donated to other keepers."
Susan's voice echoed off the glazed tile walls.
"Legal expenses?"
"Quite a few of Justin's distant relatives fell foul of the law at one time or another. Usually they were financial scams but some had more imagination."
"Why on earth would they break the law?"
"The usual human frailties. They just wanted more money, fame or whatever. They also deluded themselves into thinking that because they were rich they were smarter than anyone else and of course would never get caught."
"So, will you and Justin following in the family tradition?"
Susan laughed and said, "We've joked about it, but that's all."
They got to the end of the corridor and Susan turned to face him before opening the door.
"Do you ever think about when we broke the law? I mean, all of us."
Harry smiled and nodded in understanding.
"It was different, Susan. When we broke into people's homes we were at war. The injuries and property damage were all consequences of that."
"Do you ever miss those times?" she asked, adding guiltily, "I know I do."
"Part of me does," Harry admitted.
"Sometimes the slightest thing can bring back memories. I find that it's the small things I remember most. I mean, some of the things were amazing, like the trials or you fighting you way out to freedom but I tend to remember things like our night-time conversations about nothing."
"Me too," agreed Harry. "Anyway, they weren't about nothing; we were just careful about what we revealed to each other."
"Actually, I lied. Watching as you escaped is something I'll never forget. We were stuck up on the hillside but we had prisoners. I remember arguing with Justin that we should go and help but he pointed out that everyone else had already gone and us two were the only ones left. So much for discipline!"
"It did get a bit hectic that day," agreed Harry.
"You were out on your feet that night," Susan remembered fondly.
Harry nodded and said, "Wasn't that the night you and Hermione argued?"
Susan ignored his question completely.
"You know? I remember later on when word came through that you'd finally won. That was just after we'd captured a load of Death Eaters as well, except they were fleeing the country rather than hurrying to join him. One of them offered me a bribe to let him and his family escape. I'd never seen so much gold."
Harry smiled at her and asked, "What did Justin say?" He knew Justin too well not to already know the answer.
"He was simply outraged, of course, so I never really had a chance to accept it. I was sorely tempted, though."
"You wouldn't have taken the gold," Harry promised her.
"I was tempted, Harry," she said in a low voice. "I remember the moment when the message was shouted out. He was dead but there was no news at all of you.
"Everyone around me started jumping about and shouting with joy. All I remember of the moment is being so angry with you. I wanted to kill him. I felt it should have been me to face him."
"No, it was always going to be me, Susan."
"I looked around in a daze and there was Justin," she continued in a far-away voice. "He put his arms around me and whispered, It's over. No more thoughts of revenge. He proposed to me that night but I refused him saying that the fighting might not be over; he might not be gone for good. But the true reason was that I thought I should have suffered more. That was when we all assumed you three were dead too."
"Don't worry, if he comes back again then he's all yours."
This seemed to snap Susan out of her reminiscences.
"Liar," she said with a smile, turning back and pulling the heavy door open towards her.
The coldness of the air inside hit Harry at once although it took him a moment for his eyes to adjust to the darkness.
The brightly lit glass display cages told him at once they were in the reptile house.
"Now, you will behave yourself in here, won't you Harry?" she asked mischievously.
Susan left Harry in the care of Brian the Reptile Keeper and explained that Harry had delusions of being able to talk to the animals but assured him that he was an old friend who was mostly harmless, if a little eccentric.
Harry actually rather enjoyed himself chatting with the snakes for much of the afternoon.
The keeper hadn't been at all keen to allow Harry anywhere near his prized animals at first, but relented a little after Harry was able to help a sick python. The vet had apparently been baffled by the symptoms, but then he hadn't the advantage of actually asking his patient to explain the problem.
The Python, whose name was Barry, blamed his feeling unwell on his last meal of a dodgy rat and really just wanted to be left alone for a few days to recover. Being left out on display wasn't really helping much.
Brian and Harry were the last to leave and locked the Reptile House up for the evening. As soon as they stepped outside the lions in the enclosure starting roaring. They sounded like they had gathered beside the fence closest to where Harry was.
"Blimey," said Brian. "Listen to that lot."
"Are they usually this unsettled?" asked Harry.
"Strangest thing. Before his Lordship and his missus arrived they were generally asleep on their feet. Now they actually act like they might make a meal of you. Fortunately, the lions seem to be the only ones on the estate who weren't pleased so see a new Lordship arrive."
"I hear the previous owners were a bit wild," said Harry.
"That's an understatement," said Brian with an undertone. "Salaries were never paid on time and every time one got nicked some of us would be laid off. I'd better drive you back to the house."
"Thanks," said Harry, who had intended to find a quiet spot to Disapparate back from.
"You known them long? Only, you don't sound like a toff."
Harry smiled and said, "I was at school with Justin and Susan."
"Oh, right."
*
They stopped just before stable buildings to allow the last of the day's tourist coaches to depart before driving up to the side of main house. Brian walked with Harry around to the front entrance and they arrived just as most of the staff were making their way home for the evening.
Harry thanked Brian and promised to try and look in on Barry the python before he left the next day. He then made his way under the portico to the entrance doors but found them locked.
Fortunately, the ticket collector recognised him and called back, "You'll need to go around to the family entrance. Just follow the building around to your right. The door will be open. Go straight up the stairs and you'll be at the private apartments."
Harry thanked her and walked around the path. When he got there he recognised it was the way Justin has shown him before. He was about to enter when he caught sight of Justin and Susan on the rear terrace.
He walked over to join them. It was a wonderful view before them as the sun set over the distant woods. Immediately in front of the terrace was a formal garden which led down to a wide, calm lake.
"Ah, Harry," said Justin. "We'll be eating at eight. Is that alright?"
"Fine," said Harry at once. "This is quite a view."
"Yes, it's our favourite," agreed Susan, handing him a tall glass of iced lemonade. "Everything is man-made, you know? That small hill on the horizon was actually moved so you can have an unobstructed view of the folly on the estate boundary."
Harry shaded his eyes and just about made out a tower in the distance.
"Did you put Harry in the Blue Room?" asked Susan as she stirred her drink.
"Actually, I didn't have time to show Harry his room," admitted Justin apologetically.
"Well, why not put him in the Queen's Room since Hermione won't have need of it."
"Good idea," said Justin, turning to Harry. "I'm afraid the selection of guest rooms is rather limited at the moment. The wing has ten bedrooms, but only two are fit for staying in. They were the first to be restored, although the Blue Room needs more attention again. The Queen's Room is much the finer of the two, but we didn't think you'd mind if Hermione had that one."
"Of course not," said Harry with a smile. "Why is it called the Queen's Room?"
"It was originally redecorated and furnished in anticipation of a visit from Queen Victoria. Unfortunately, she never did stay here."
"The Blue Room is named after the colour," added Susan, "although Justin did find some rather racy etchings behind one of the wall panels."
"Yes, but unfortunately Susan made me donate them to a local museum. Come on, I'll show you up there and you can change for dinner."
*
Harry was quite lost for words as Justin showed him into the Queen's Room. The centrepiece of the room was a magnificent four-poster bed with draping that went almost to the high ceiling. A large coat of arms hung above the bed-head and repeated in white marble above the fireplace.
Every piece of furniture was embroidered with fine white silk or gilded in gold. The ceiling was intricately patterned in fibrous plaster and the walls were decorated with a fine intricate pattern.
Remembering what Justin had told him of the cost to refurbish the house, he realised that a good proportion was probably spent in this one room alone.
"Justin, this is fantastic, but I really can't stay here."
"Why ever not? I know it's supposed to be haunted, but we've never actually met a ghost here."
"No, it isn't that. I won't be able to move for fear of damaging something. I'd really be much happier in one of the rooms we just came through. I'd feel terrible if anything happened."
"Harry, those rooms are practically building sites. Actually, four of them are building sites."
"I'll be fine."
"Well, how about looking at the Blue Room before you finally decide."
He walked over to the far door and opened it. Feeling curious, Harry followed.
The Blue Room was just as luxurious, but definitely had a lived-in feel to it. The blue theme extended from the faded wallpaper to the furnishings, but the carpet clashed magnificently.
"This was redecorated about twenty years ago. As you can see it is rather in need of a refresh. This is a replacement carpet, obviously. We suspect the original was sold to pay for a fine or something."
Seeing the torn patches of wallpaper and frayed armrests on the chair, Harry said, "This is much better."
"Good."
"Um, Justin, where's the bathroom?"
"I'm afraid these old houses weren't designed with modern things like bathrooms in mind," said Justin, walking him back through the Queens Room and the next until they came to a small door disguised as a bookcase.
Inside was a modern bathroom suite complete with a large bath up on a raised marble-tiled platform. Harry guessed the bather would have a seriously good view of the lake through the large window.
"Strange to think that even Queen Victoria would have needed to walk to the loo of a night," commented Harry.
"Harry," said Justin in mock seriousness. "Even suggesting that Her Majesty had need of a loo like the rest of us mere humans is a treasonable offence."
"I stand corrected," said Harry with a grin.
*
"That bath upstairs is amazing," commented Harry over dinner. "The sun had set too far to see much of the view across the lake, though."
Although Harry had enjoyed his luxurious bath, he had found himself contemplating again the name that had been nagging at the back of his mind all afternoon and refused to go away. For some reason the name Worrell meant something to him, but he couldn't remember where he could have heard it before.
Still, as he thought as he finally got out of the tub, it made a change from worrying about Hermione the whole time.
"You managed to get enough hot water?" asked Susan.
"Um no," Harry admitted. "It was a bit rusty coloured so I conjured my own water."
"Oh, good. The plumbing is just one of our many problems around here."
"I can't wait to be out of here," said Susan.
"You're leaving?" asked Harry in surprise.
"Oh, no," Justin assured him. "We're planning to build a smaller house on the far side of the estate to actually live in. It will be a little more private and have running hot water, but the main thing is that we'll be able to have a more magical lifestyle. We have to be careful around here because all the staff are Muggle and they often visit."
"That sounds nice," said Harry, "so long as you don't go mad with the decorations in the guest rooms."
"Ah, but then you'll be able to do repairs with magic," Susan reminded him.
Harry nodded, remembering what Justin had told him about the repairs having to be all Muggle in the house.
Harry made sure he passed on the kind comments he'd heard their staff making towards them during his afternoon, but inevitably the conversation came around to discussing their absent friend.
"I was glad to see that she didn't look quite as bad as we'd feared," said Susan. "From what Luna has told us, Hermione seems to be rather miserable lately."
"Well, she works long hours at St Mungos," said Harry.
"She seemed bright enough to me," said Justin pleasantly. "I'm sure Luna was exaggerating."
"She's having problems performing magic too, I hear?"
"Well, they wouldn't let her work as a Healer if she couldn't perform magic," Harry said loyally, although he privately thought that there must be some truth in the rumours. "She doesn't like to show off much these days, that's all."
"We had hoped she would come and stay a few days," said Justin. "You know, try and relax; get away from it all."
"Luna said she never accepts invitations these days," said Susan. "Frankly, I was amazed she turned up at all today."
"Other invitations?" asked Justin. Harry had wondered the same thing but wouldn't have said anything aloud. He knew Luna could be famously indiscrete sometimes.
"Oh, yes. It sounds like many of her close friends have been growing concerned for her."
*
After dinner, Justin begged Susan for permission to show Harry something as a special treat. She wasn't at all keen at first, but agreed in the end and even joined them.
Justin seemed surprised but quite pleased that she was coming with them, and the three of them stepped out onto the rear terrace.
It was fully dark now.
"Wands out," whispered Justin.
"No sudden noises," warned Susan, "and we must Disapparate away as soon as we are seen. They are much faster than you'd think."
"Ready? We'll Apparate to the centre enclosure first."
Susan grabbed Harry's arm tightly and they Disapparated together.
*
The clouds parted and the moonlight flooded the open ground before them. Harry scanned the horizon and recognised the outline of the Reptile House and the high viewing platform. He realised at once that he was now standing on the wrong side of the high compound fence.
Susan tapped him on the shoulder and the three of them walked silently deeper into the long grass towards the centre of the compound with Justin leading the way and Susan making up the rear.
It struck Harry that the last time the three of them had walked through the night like this it was Susan in the lead with Justin following up behind as they took him the safe route into one of their camps.
Harry listened intently as they went but could only make out distant indistinct noises.
Soon they were climbing a low hillock. Justin stopped at the top and pointed down.
Only a few feet away, the pride lay together in a large group. Harry could see movement, but the overall impression he had was that most were sleeping.
"They can't see us as wizards in the dark, even with good moonlight," whispered Justin. "If the wind direction changes, we'll have to leave at once. Their sense of smell is a good as ever. They are not generally that active during the night, but they wouldn't refuse a meal that walked up to them."
Harry looked for the dominant male of the group and saw Caesar was stretched out asleep towards the rear. Harry guessed he was almost eight feet long and much bigger than he had originally thought.
They stayed watching in silent fascination for a few minutes, but unfortunately a restless juvenile decided to investigate and there was a risk the others might be roused.
Justin grabbed Harry's shoulder and they retreated before Disapparating to an inner compound.
"We were probably okay," said Justin. "I didn't want to take a chance though."
"What's this compound for?" asked Harry, looking around them.
"Well, lions have strict social rules," explained Justin. "Males are rejected from the group when they get too old, so sometimes we have to separate a few individuals for their own good. In the wild their territory can stretch to miles around. Obviously we don't have the same degree of space, but decent fencing keeps them in check. We haven't had any rejected males yet, but in the past they have been sent to other parks and zoos."
"We also use this area for any injured animals that need to convalesce," added Susan.
"It seems a shame to keep them penned in like this," said Harry.
"Yes, but what choice do we have right now?" said Susan. "At least this is better than a zoo, in my view. They have a reasonable amount of space here."
They walked over to the far side of the smaller compound and peered through the fence at a herd of Thomson's Gazelles. Justin was describing their behaviour but Harry's mind kept wandering back to Caesar when he roared at him earlier in the day.
He couldn't help but feel sorry for that lion. He was trapped with no hope of escape, gawped at constantly by onlookers and prevented from dominating the territory, as he would have in the wild.
Hearing that Justin had stopped talking, Harry turned and saw Susan looking at him thoughtfully.
"Let's go back," said Susan.