The Prophecy for Christmas
by Healer Pomfrey
All recognizable characters belong to J. K. Rowling, and I am not earning anything by writing this story.
I am not a native speaker of English. Please excuse my mistakes.
3 December
"Harry, wait a moment," Rowena called after him. "What do you mean you won't be able to come here together with your uncle?"
Harry stared in the direction from where he heard the voice, fiercely rubbing his temples in a faint attempt to get rid of the headache that seemed to become worse by the hour. "My uncle is a Muggle, Professor, and he absolutely detests magic. He'd never be willing to come to Hogwarts," he replied in a firm voice. His stare turned into a glare upon hearing the Founder chuckle.
"No dear," Rowena finally replied, "no one is talking about your Muggle uncle. This is about your magical uncle, who's a descendant of Helga Hufflepuff and Salazar Slytherin just like you're the heir of all four of us."
"I'm sorry Professor, but I don't have any magical relatives," Harry stammered in confusion, only to add, "or at least I'm not aware of it." 'If I have a magical uncle, who might it be?' he wondered in disbelief.
Rowena let out a long sigh, before she replied, "I'm sorry to hear that my boy. Severus Snape, who is the Potions professor and Head of Slytherin here at Hogwarts, is your uncle from your father's side. Bring him with you, when you come here the next time, and you'll be able to see our painting and receive further instructions."
"Severus Snape?" Harry repeated, horrified. "I'll try to speak with him, but just so you know, Professor Snape seems to hate me with a passion, even if I don't know why. Oh well, I'll try to bring him here."
"Please do so," Rowena said in a soft voice. "It's very important."
HP
Harry slowly returned to the common room, deep in thoughts. 'That's impossible,' he thought, incredulously. 'Professor Snape would surely know if he was related to me. Maybe I should just go and ask him.' He glanced at his wrist watch, realising in shock that it was already after curfew. 'Oh no, I just hope I won't meet anyone now,' he thought and ran all the way up to Gryffindor, only to stop dead in his tracks, when a tall person stepped into his way.
"Mr. Potter," the Potions Master sneered, "it's after curfew. Please enlighten me why you deem yourself beyond the rules?" He glared at the boy, quirking an eyebrow at the same time.
"I'm sorry sir," Harry replied, hesitantly adding, "I went to the hospital wing."
The professor held out his hand. "Then I'm certain that Madam Pomfrey gave you a pass. Give it to me."
Harry shook his head. "No sir, I intended to go to the hospital wing, but I only went until I reached the door and then decided otherwise and came back here," he explained in a small voice, averting his eyes to the floor.
"You imbecile," the professor spat, seemingly enraged. "Do you really believe me to be stupid enough to buy your lies? Just like your father. He also was an attention seeking, arrogant brat and thought he was above the rules. Detention with me tomorrow after dinner." That said, the Potions Master strode beyond Harry and vanished in the dark corridor.
'Ahh, that went well,' Harry mused, as he tiredly entered the common room. 'Oh well, maybe I'll have the opportunity to speak with him during the detention.'
HP
Hermione and Ron were waiting for him in front of the fireplace. "Harry, is everything all right?" Hermione queried immediately. "You were away for quite a time. It's already after curfew."
"Yes, I know," Harry replied, darkly. "On the way back, I met Snape and got detention for tomorrow night."
"Why?..."
"... Madam Pomfrey could have given you a pass," the twins threw in, causing Harry to cast a weak smile in their direction.
"Yes, but I didn't meet her. She wasn't there," he lied, before he said good night and went to bed.
'Rowena said it was Salazar, who had spoken to me last night,' he mused, as he closed the curtains around his bed. 'I hope he won't talk to me tonight. I really just want to sleep.' To his relief, his night remained undisturbed.
However, when he woke up in the morning, he still did not feel overly well. 'I hope I won't get sick now. I'll have to attend tonight's detention in any case,' he thought, as he followed Ron and Hermione to the first morning class. 'Hopefully, Snape won't single me out again,' Harry mused, once again wondering why the teacher seemed to hate him so much.
HP
When the Potions Master began to speak, Harry realised, horrified, that the next hour was definitely going to be worse than the previous Potions class.
"Today, all of you are expected to go and see Madam Pomfrey. She's going to check which vaccinations you already received and if there are some, which you still need to get in order to be allowed to attend Hogwarts," Snape explained, sounding bored. "Zabini and Longbottom, you go first."
After the first two students had left, he began a monologue about magical and Muggle potions ingredients and how to distinguish them. Harry was sure that he'd have found the content extremely interesting if the thread of going to the hospital wing wasn't occupying his mind. 'What if she notices that I've never been to a Healer or a doctor before?' he mused, 'And what if she notices the bruises and welts on my back? She must believe that I'm a freak.'
Every five minutes, the Potions Master sent two more students, each time one Slytherin and one Gryffindor, to the hospital wing. All of a sudden, he called out, "Malfoy and Potter."
Like in a trance, Harry followed the Slytherin boy, who suddenly turned around, grinning.
"What's wrong, Potter? Don't tell me you're afraid of needles," he sneered, causing Harry to blush.
"I don't know; I've never been to a Healer or a doctor," he admitted in a small voice, feeling too scared to care to whom he was speaking about the matter.
"Really?" The other boy looked at him in surprise. "Oh well, I know you grew up with Muggles, but in the magical world, all children receive vaccinations for various magical diseases from a small age onwards."
"Dudley did, but the Dursleys never took me," Harry replied, before he remembered to add, "Please keep this to yourself." The thought 'I'm talking to Malfoy' suddenly penetrated his mind, and he listened in surprise to the boy's next words.
"Well, that's why Professor Snape sent two of us together, so that one can look out for the other," Draco said in a surprisingly soft voice. "We'll remain together until we're both finished, no matter how many vaccinations she gives you."
Harry scoffed. "Why did he always send one Gryffindor and one Slytherin together?" he enquired, quirking an eyebrow. "He could have sent us together with our friends."
Draco smirked. "He wants to give us a chance to get to know each other," he then explained. "At least that's what he told us in our House meeting last night."
"Oh," Harry said, unintelligently, thinking, 'Oh well, that seems to have worked at least. I didn't think Malfoy could be so nice.'
HP
To his enormous annoyance, the Healer made a huge fuss, because she had not received any medical card from him; however, her voice softened, when he admitted that he had never been to any kind of Healer before.
"Very well then, I can only give you some vaccinations now, and you'll have to come back in three weeks' time for more," she informed him and pointed her wand at his head. Giving him a sharp look, she said, "Your temperature is slightly elevated. Are you feeling well?"
"Yes," Harry replied, feeling much too excited to even realise that it was a lie.
"All right then," Pomfrey said, thoughtfully. "It's not too high to give you the vaccinations right now, but I'd like to see you again tonight for a small check up."
Harry grudgingly agreed to come by the hospital wing after his detention with Professor Snape and sighed in relief when he was released, noticing in surprise that Draco was indeed waiting for him.
HP
Several hours later, Harry walked to the dungeons with mixed feelings. On the one hand, he dreaded the detention with the Potions Master, on the other hand, he knew that he had to speak with the man, as Salazar and Rowena had instructed him.
tbc...
Thanks to those who were so kind and commented on the previous chapter! See you tomorrow...
