I'm not a kitten... Okay, I'm Kitten

Chapter 11

RECAP

Upon opening it, Lucius chuckled warmly. He pulled out the simple pocket watch and knelt down to Boy's level. "That was incredibly thoughtful, Harry. Thank you."
Boy hugged them both and stepped into the floo, waving goodbye.

CHAPTER 11

Boy hadn't stepped fully out of the floo at Potter Manor when he was sent sprawling. His shoulder hit the side of the fireplace and he turned awkwardly as he fell to the floor.

"And where the fuck have you been?" Sir's voice boomed above him.

Boy stayed quiet.

There was a pop, followed immediately by a growl and a yelp.

"No! Bear!" Boy cried out, turning over to see Bear lying on his side unconscious. It was then that he realized his mistake. He spoke in private.

Heart thudding rapidly, he scrambled back as fast as he could. Apologizing would only make things worse, though he wasn't sure how much worse it could get. He was already in an immense amount of trouble.

When Boy woke, he found himself on the little landing at the foot of the attic stairs. He had no idea how long he lay there, but with as stiff as he felt, it was clear that it had been a while. Lifting his arms, he whimpered lightly. It was mostly just sore. Keep going. He pushed himself up with agonizingly slow movements, but he was eventually sitting upright. Head swimming, he placed a hand on the wall. It might have been ten minutes, or it might have been an hour that Boy sat there, almost entirely motionless.

"Bear?" He croaked out harshly. Merlin, his throat hurt. "Bear! Where are you?"

The clicking on bare floorboards had Boy gasping in relief.

The massive furry frame moved cautiously down the stairs. He paused and dashed back up.

Boy could hear shifting, but he couldn't figure out what it would possibly be. He didn't own anything that wasn't in his trunk, and whatever was shifting didn't sound anything like that.

After a minute or so, Bear's tail and back legs came into view. Whatever he was dragging sounded like fabric, but it was too heavy. What on Earth could-

Very carefully, Bear walked down the stairs backwards, dragging the mattress by his teeth. It had begun to slip a few times, but his brilliant doggy would stop and let it bump into the wall of the narrow aisle.

When the mattress finally got to the landing, while lying flat along the bottom steps, Bear squeezed through the small space and lowered his head so that Boy could grab onto his neck. Getting onto the mattress was slow and painful work, but after a while they managed and he held onto the top as tightly as possible. He didn't want to slip off of it and tumble back down to the landing.

Bear edged back around and started pulling on the mattress.

With as thin as it was, Boy felt every step, but didn't make a sound. As soon as it flattened out, Boy had Bear stop. There was still a fair distance to get back to where his bed usually rested, but he didn't care. He just needed sleep.

Days and nights passed in a haze. Boy wasn't able to keep track until New Years Eve. Sir showed up for the annual visit and he was well beyond drunk.

When he woke the next morning, he made a notch on the floor. He was going back on the fifth, and it was already the first. Only a few more days. Then he would be back in his broom cupboard in the dungeons, and far away from the Potter's. Well, far from Sir and Ma'am anyway. For the most part, Jamie had avoided him in school since Bear had come into his life. Bear was such a good doggy. Scaring away the bullies and snuggling with him and his friends.