A.N: Sorry about long wait. I was wasting away at work, but I didn't forget my story - no way! I actually had couple of ideas that I just can't wait to write:)

Anyway, Harry Potter characters and Kyou Kara Maou characters, story, plot, whatever comes to mind - don't belong to me and I make no profit out of using them. Cheers!

Chapter 14

If there was ever a moment that Severus Snape was close to getting a heart attack, it was a moment when Harry stepped off the balcony. His mind has simply blanked out from the horror of the situation, unable to process any thoughts. The reality around him became impossibly sharp and clear at the edges, all noises too loud, all colors too bright and surreal. His mind registered the screams around him, but he couldn't comprehend who was screaming. The image of Harry smiling, looking up, stepping back was tormenting his conscience, not fading away, not dulling with each passing moment. His chest was hurting, he noticed distantly. Why was it hurting? Why? Why did Harry…? Was he, Severus, to blame? Harry didn't seem as if he wanted to die, but what did he want to do then? Only when the winged figure of his ward have appeared before his eyes again, rising and spinning into the sky above, Severus came back to his senses, and was immediately horrified again. He tried to understand what Harry was thinking gambling his life on a simple hunch, a mere feeling that could be or could be not right. He finally managed to process Desi's words before his not quiet suicidal stunt, but it didn't make him feel better. In fact, it made it worse. Severus wasn't sure how it was worse exactly, he just knew that it was. Because of the guilt? Not understanding in time to prevent it? Not telling Severus first? Who knew… But looking at laughing figure in the sky, he was feeling confused and a bit lost. He was… he still was useless when it mattered the most.

_Shift in POV_

Murata Ken was an extraordinary human and saw a lot in his current and previous lifetimes. Being reincarnated over and over again so he could fulfill his promise to the Shinou gave him a chance to experience things in all parts of both of Shin Makoku and Earth worlds, but he couldn't remember ever seeing flying humans if that was a human. He glanced at Gwendal sideways, analyzing his reaction and creased his forehead in a frown. Gwendal's reaction was strange in its intensity: he could understand paleness and frightful expression on the face, but fairly noticeable tremble in the hands wasn't part of the expected reaction for a soldier of his calibre. Also, there was a lack of surprise. The scare, yes, it was present, but not the surprise. The flying being was known to the Demon General. What exactly has happened during the two weeks he was absent? Knowing Yuuri though, anything could, from alien invasion to discovery of new or lost species. It was ridiculous, really, how much trouble one person could find. He shuddered to think what would happen if Yuuri met his match in trouble-finding…

_scene from the beyond_

… Somewhere in the universe the goddess of Luck smirked forebodingly…

_shift in POV_

"So," Murata coughed, "do you mind telling me who is this and what is going on here?"
"This is our guests from different world. They are called Shifters, and there are two of them. You saw Ramiel, and I guess up on the tower is his guardian Lord Eskil…" Gwendal wasn't up to answering questions, but he also couldn't ignore Daikenja. Maybe he should send Murata to Konrart? "Different world?" Murata's eyes glinted behind the glasses. "Really?"
"Yes," Gwendal sighed and started to go towards the tower, inviting Murata with the nod of the head along, "however, it is not Earth. That is, not your Earth. Have you ever heard of wizards?"
"Wizards? Really? I thought you called them Shifters."
"I did, and they are Shifters now, however, they were Wizards in their world. Due to some circumstances, they were changed into what they are now. The most tragic tale…" Gwendal looked up to Ramiel who was still doing acrobatics in the air. "Wizards…" Murata chewed his lip thoughtfully, "I think you don't mean Houseki magic. Or Earth magicians, for that matter. Then I'd have to say no. By the way, how did the hunt for the bandits go?"
"The bandits were caught, but apparently, the organization was larger than we suspected. Some demons did not like new peace, so they decided to disrupt it by making attacks."
"Why wouldn't they like it? I thought everyone was tired of war already," Murata asked puzzled. "Except those who did profit on it," Gwendal sighed.
They made it to the top of the tower finally and Gwendal discovered that Ramiel already landed and now was standing near his guardian with extremely guilty face. Good, at least he understood that what he did was wrong, Gwendal nodded to himself.

_shift in POV_

Severus was silent. His ominous lack of words hang in the air like a heavy cloud, and he knew he should say something at least, but he simply couldn't. He knew that if he broke that silence, he would lose all traces of control he so desperately grasped at right now. He barely held himself back from grabbing his ward and shaking him, shouting at him, screaming and begging not to do anything like this again, never again, or maybe hug him and check if he was all right, or scared as well, or exhausted, or… He trembled from shock, and anger, and fear. Afraid to say or do something at last, something he will surely regret later, Severus shook his head and turning away let out the few words that managed to crawl from his throat through the strained control: "Our room. Now." He didn't even glance at the others. Not looking back, he started back to their room at a fast pace. After a brief silence, he heard the sound of footsteps softly following him.

_shift in POV_

Harry knew he had moments where he did something incredibly stupid, but until the moment he saw his guardian's face he never regretted his escapades much except several times like with Sirius or his …ex-friends getting hurt. He never feared the consequences for himself, be it broken bones or death. Who would miss him, really? Seeing his Uncle's face reminded him, however, that there was someone who would, indeed, miss him. How did he forget it in the moment of his reckless euphoria? He trudged softly after tall, dark Shifter trying to come up with an explanation to his actions. The excuse of "I didn't think" seemed weak to him if not insulting. It was the honest one, though. He tried to listen to Potion's Master's emotions, but they were like a whirlwind of jumbled strands, anger and fear, and guilt sticking out here and there. Instinctively, Harry wrapped his wings around himself with a soft barely noticeable whining. His guardian flinched as in struck and turned around. For a few seconds, he just looked at Harry. The he sighed and his shoulders slumped in resignation. Without speaking a word, he walked up to Harry and lifted him up in his arms bride-style. Shocked, Harry stopped whining and retracted the wings, and just stared at his Uncle. Still not speaking, the other Shifter shook his head, and continued their way.

The end of their walk came much too soon for Harry's liking. He had all rights in the world to dread his guardian's ire, and knew it was unavoidable, but all the same he wished he could postpone their talk indefinitely. His guardian surprised him, however. Putting the boy on the bed, ex-Potions Master stood for some time silently staring at Harry. Finally, he opened his mouth: "Why?" Harry hang his head in shame: "I'm sorry. I didn't… I just… didn't think you'd be that worried. I knew I could do it, and so I didn't think to warn you…"

_shift in POV_

Severus closed his eyes. He felt he had to scold the boy, but the truth was… he didn't want to do it. He didn't think it would bring any results. A short walk to their rooms cleared his head and allowed him to get a grip on his emotions - he was calmer now and more rational. "Desi," he began, "I ask of you just one thing from now on: if you want to try something - some experiment, shift, magic spell, combat tactic, whatever - warn me or some other adult first. I admit that you experienced more than any being should have, and by all rights should be considered adult, but allow me this one indulgence - to be sure of your safety. Please."

_shift in POV_

The last word stunned Harry so much his heart constricted. "It's not that I didn't trust you," he finally answered, "I just forgot I should have told you first… How can I promise you what you ask of me if I won't remember it at the time? How?" Harry shook his head trying to ward off tears. His uncle took a seat by his side: "Then promise me to try. My anger was cause not by you not telling me anything, but that I was scared you could be hurt and not being able to do anything. By your disregard to your own safety. Promise me you'll try at least." Harry looked him in the eyes:"I promise."

_shift in POV_

They spent the rest of the day lounging in their rooms, with Harry practicing drawing wings out, and Severus meditating on his third form. Apparently, Tria Forma worked much like Animagus form, except it was more powerful and mentally hard. With Animagus form, wizards had to research the animal form, accept it as their own, imagine being the animal, having animal body. It didn't require the necessity to think like an animal. The wizard's mind was a constant. When they turned into animal form, they had to assert their dominance over animal part of mind and suppress it, thus becoming wizard mind in animal body. The most skilled could let animal mind to dominate still keeping themselves separate. It was a delicate balance easily disrupted and the consequence was partial insanity or spending the rest of one's life as an animal. Being forcibly reversed to human form would return some semblance of human mind to unfortunate wizard or witch, and that was an exact reason that all Animagi had to be registered (that it allowed Ministry to control all Animagi was just an additional bonus).

Being a Shifter was different. Severus understood it first when he managed to shift to Secunda Forma first. His thinking pattern changed at once, and he noticed it because he spend his whole life controlling his emotions, thoughts and expression. He could almost see the wild nature of the being he shifted into. He could see the thoughts changing priorities and the increasing speed of the thinking process. He could see the erratic flow of the said process. He could feel human instincts fade away and new ones take place. Frankly speaking, it terrified him. He was mastering his own mind all his life and to see it all crumbling away was making him feel helpless. If his Secunda Forma was changing him so much what did await him with Tria Forma, where he shed his humanoid form completely? To Shift he had to yield himself to the unknown, and he couldn't. He just…couldn't. Sighing, he opened his eyes and immediately they nearly bugged out. In place of Harry sat cute black kitten with shadows swirling around large paws. Ridiculously huge green eyes stared at him with a sparkle of mischief.

"Desi?" he called surprised. "But how? This is Quatra Forma, and that would mean you achieved Tria Forma?"
The kitten sniffed, closed his eyes, and three seconds later there was a young falcon instead, dark-grey with silver shine on the feathers. Little electricity sparks arced randomly over his wings with a constant buzz, and you could see a storm clouds swirling in its eyes. "But how?" for the second time in his life proper articulation failed poor Potions Master. Falcon cawed once and turned back into human form. "We-e-ell," Harry blushed, "it was like this..."

P.S. Harry is awesome:)