Chapter Two - Life Giving song charm

Chapter Two

It had been more than half an hour since all three girls had fallen unconscious, and nobody, not even Hagrid, could explain the reason behind it.

The students stood outside the cave, lost in their own thoughts.

"If only Muggleborns were affected differently, then why am I not affected?" Dean asked Seamus, who was seated next to him.

"Parvati and Lavender weren't Muggleborn," Seamus corrected him.

"Then why were they affected at all?"

"I dunno," Seamus told Dean. He stared at where Harry and Ron were standing next to Draco Malfoy. "I wonder what Malfoy's doing standing there with them."

"Beats me," Dean muttered, gazing at Malfoy with a confounded expression.

Their attention on Malfoy, they didn't notice Goyle and Crabbe walking past them.

Goyle and Crabbe hunkered towards Neville, who was keeping an eye on Parvati as she lay stiffly on a stretcher. Neville seemed surprised to see them.

"What do you want?"

"Nothing," Goyle grunted. He gazed at Parvati's pale face only for a second before turning away abruptly. "Let's go, Crabbe."

Neville watched them walked away, looking slightly confounded.

Goyle and Crabbe headed back towards the side of the cave's entrance, where the Slytherins were huddled, when Crabbe turned to Goyle and smirked maliciously. "You seem worried about her."

Goyle gave him a withering look and grunted, "She's been nice to me during Potions, that's all."

Crabbe rolled his eyes and snorted loudly.

"Shut it," growled Goyle.

Crabbe, still smirking, saw Pansy talking to Millicent Bullstrode; he motioned to Goyle to follow him. They stopped a few feet away from where Pansy and Millicent stood.

"He must be out of his right mind to carry that . . . Mudblood in his arms!" Pansy fumed."Why should he be concerned with her, anyway," she muttered furiously.

"Well, I did wonder," Millicent began saying.

"I hope the little Mudblood rots in hell," hissed Pansy, under her breath.

Millicent made a surprised sound.

"I wish she dies soon enough," Pansy muttered furiously. She turned to study Millicent's reaction. "You're awfully quiet, what is it?"

Millicent didn't answer her; she was looking across the spot where Draco stood.

"You haven't you told me what you saw, Millicent."

Millicent mumbled, "Mostly saw his mom."

"And?"

Millicent looked hesitant. "I'm not sure."

"What do you mean you're not sure?" Pansy demanded.

"I might be mistaken," she told her, avoiding Pansy's eyes.

"What was it you're not telling me?"

"I thought I saw her," Millicent finally said with obvious reluctance.

"Who?" Pansy asked, her voice turned slightly shrill. "You don't mean, Granger, do you?"

"Might be," Millicent replied vaguely.

"I don't believe you," Pansy spluttered, eyeing Millicent furiously.

Millicent shrugged, leaving a furious looking Pansy behind.

Crabbe and Goyle exchanged surprised looks. When they looked back, Pansy was already trying to catch up with Millicent.

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"Hagrid, shouldn't we bring them to Madam Pomfrey for treatment?"

"Maybe Madam Pomfrey could do something to help them," Ron added.

"No, better not," replied Hagrid, looking gravely serious, "I know that if somethin' wrong happened, must stay outside the cave an' wait."

Harry sighed, looking depressed.

"Is there any other spell we can use?" Ron wondered out loud. "Anything at all?"

Draco remained silent. Even when Seamus and Dean threw him dark looks before standing close to Harry's side.

"Can't we try the Life Giving song charm?"

Harry turned to see a worried-looking Neville, his face chalky white and looking as desperate as they were.

"It would not hurt ter try!" Hagrid said enthusiastically.

Hagrid asked the students to immediately form a big circle, with the three stretchers in the center of the circle.They held hands together as they chanted the Life Giving charm. After a few agonizing minutes, Hagrid observed the pallor of their skin had changed gradually from a dead like bluish sheen to chalky white. With renewed hope, they chanted with increasing determination. They were no longer aware of the time, they just kept on chanting, waiting fervently for something good to happen.

All that time, Draco watched Hermione intently. His eyes never left her. He had forgotten where he was, and who he was with, as he reached out to tuck a wayward strand behind her right ear.

Harry looked livid when he saw what Draco was doing.

"Get your filthy hands off her!"

Draco looked startled and immediately jerked his hand away.

Harry took a threatening step toward Draco but froze in his track, when he heard Seamus shouting excitedly, "Lavender moved!" Harry went still and turned to look at Lavender.

All eyes were on Lavender, and everyone seemed to be holding their breath as they watched her come back to her senses. Lavender opened her eyes very slowly.

"What's going on?' she asked weakly.

"You mean, you don't remember anything at all?" Dean asked.

Lavender, still as pale as ever, shook her head.

"You're going to be fine," Seamus assured her, patting her arm.

With Lavender fully awake, they continued chanting. Another ten minutes passed before Parvati's eyes slowly fluttered open.

"She's awake!" somebody shouted excitedly.

Still feeling weak, Parvati remained lying on the stretcher. She turned her head to her left and saw Lavender, lying on the stretcher next to hers. Parvati extended her hand towards her. Lavender reached out and clutched her hand tightly, her eyes glistening with unshed tears.

With both girls successfully revived, the rest of them continued the chant. Hermione, however, remained immobile and stiff.

"I don't feel too good," Ron whispered to Harry. "I could hear something buzzing in my ear."

"I can hear it too," Harry mumbled in agreement. "I'm getting dizzy . . ."

Seamus had already stopped chanting. "I think I'm going to throw up," he said weakly, looking ill.

Hagrid observed the group. They all looked like they were ready to drop on the ground. He looked intently at Hermione, lying stiff and pale on the stretcher. Like everyone else, he too, could hear a faint buzzing sound inside his head. His eyes began to glaze. He took a deep breath and shouted at the top of his lungs.

"C'mon, Hermione, wake up, yer can do it!" Hagrid's voice boomed loud and clear.

It was enough for Harry and everyone else to remember that Hermione still needed their help. They continued to chant, although their voices were much weaker; they were all getting tired.

"She isn't going make it," muttered Draco, sounding oddly desperate.

"Shut it, Malfoy!" Ron retorted angrily.

Draco opened his mouth to make a sharp reply when his eyes widened in surprise, his eyes glued on Hermione's face.

Hermione had opened her eyes for one brief second, before closing again. If Ron and Harry weren't staring at her, they would have missed it.

Ron yelled excitedly, "Hermione just opened her eyes!"

"A'right, let's bring them ter the infirmary," instructed Hagrid, to the group.

"Mobilicorpus!" shouted Hagrid.

The stretchers, which carried Hermione, Lavender and Parvati, followed Hagrid, as he and the rest of the students trudged back to the castle.

Inside the hospital wing, "What's all this?" asked an outraged Madam Pomfrey. She took one look at the pale faces of the students, and quickly took several bars of chocolates. "Here," she said, handing the bars to Ron who was at the front, "distribute this to everyone."

"Forty five minutes!" Madam Pomfrey shrieked in outrage. Hagrid had told her what had happened

"You could have all died," she rattled on, her voice shaking a little.

A couple of students gasped out loud.

"Consider yourself very lucky to be alive." She looked at Harry pointedly. "Chanting more than thirty minutes could be fatal enough to cause death!"

"They are not to be disturbed, for at least, four hours," she barked, referring to Hermione, Parvati and Lavender."Visitors are welcome to drop by after that. I would allow a minimum of four visitors only per visit."

Before Harry and Ron could protest, Professor McGonagall entered the infirmary. She looked at the disheveled group, "I've already cancelled today's classes for both Slytherin and Gryffindor. All of you must go to your respective common room."

Draco Malfoy was the first one to leave.The rest of the students reluctantly left. McGonagall turned her attention to Harry and Ron. "Mister Potter and Mister Weasley, you two will be permitted to watch over Miss Granger."

Harry and Ron quickly thanked her. She was about to leave, when Neville stopped her. She nodded after listening to what Neville had to say. She spoke quickly, then left the infirmary in hurried strides.

Harry and Ron looked questioningly at Neville.

"I asked her if I could stay," explained Neville. "Professor McGonagall said I could help keep an eye on Parvati and Lavender."

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By late afternoon, Parvati, although still weak, was able to sit up and talk. Hermione, however, remained asleep. Lavender was taken home by her parents, who were notified by Dumbledore.

That evening, a very proud looking Flitwick dropped by at the infirmary. Hagrid had told the whole faculty about how the song charm saved the day.

"Both Gryffindor and Slytherin gets bonus points each for performing the chant," Flitwick announced happily.

The tiny professor chatted with them for a while before finally excusing himself. Flitwick had barely left, when the door swung open again. It was the Divinations teacher. Professor Trelawney had juststepped inside the infirmary, when her face suddenly went chalky white and started mumbling something incoherent.

Harry, Ron, Parvati and Neville stared at the professor in shock. All they got were the words, "Following the light and someone dying a horrible death," before Trelawney fell in a heap onto the floor. Neville and Ron quickly lifted the professor to the next bed. She had passed out cold.

After a long silence, Ron whispered, "What was all that about?"

He looked at Parvati and Neville, who were firm believers of Divination. Neville seemed nervous while Parvati looked horrified.

"I'll go call Madam Pomfrey," said Neville, and quickly bolted out of the room.

Harry was silent.

Two years ago, Trelawney had predicted about a follower who would return back to his master and that Voldemort would rise back to power. He did not believe her at the time she made the prediction, but after the prediction materialized, he now gave her predictions some serious thoughts. But not to her tea-leaf reading, she had predicted his death since third year that he had gotten used to her exaggerated warnings of his probable death. He was about to say something when Neville returned with Madam Pomfrey.

It took a good couple of minutes before Professor Trelawney woke up, totally unaware of what happened. She was not allowed to leave until Madam Pomfrey was convinced that there was nothing wrong with her. The Divination Professor left the hospital wing, accompanied by Madam Pomfrey.

When the door opened, they all thought it was Madam Pomfrey. To their surprise, Crabbe and Goyle, accompanied by Pansy, entered the room.

"Parvati," Goyle said awkwardly.

Harry and Ron gaped at Goyle, as he handed Parvati a bunch of white lilies and a box of chocolate frogs.

"Thank you," Parvati said quietly, giving Goyle a slight smile.

Pansy went to Hermione's bedside and stared at the still unconscious Hermione.

"You see, she's fine," Ron told Pansy smugly.

Pansy gave Ron a disdainful look. She turned to Crabbe and Goyle, saying, "Let's go."

Goyle seemed reluctant to leave, but he followed Crabbe and Pansy to the door. After the three left, Ron turned to face Parvati.

"I didn't know you and Goyle," he began saying.

"He's not that terrible," Parvati said."But I don't like Crabbe, he kept giving me funny looks."

"Goyle, not terrible?" Ron choked, looking a bit purple on the face.

"Forget that I even said that." Parvati frowned at Ron. "Would you like some chocolate frogs?"

"You bet," Ron answered with a slight grin, as he reached for the box of chocolate frogs.

Two hours later, Parvati was still talking animatedly with Ron, who was seated near her bedside. Neville had already fallen asleep on a chair nearby.

Harry felt thirsty.

"I'll just get some Pumpkin juice," he told Ron and Parvati, who seemed not to hear him.

Harry had stepped out of the hospital wing, when he saw Madam Pomfrey conversing with Dumbledore in a low voice.

"If Miss Granger's not revived the next day, death will be inevitable."

To Be Continued

My heartfelt thanks goes to Sabrina Black for beta-reading the first and original draft of this story. Thanks for all the help.

Lastly, I would like to thank Melissa D for guiding me in re-writing this story. I can't thank you enough.