Cecity

Chapter Three

Figures in lime green robes bustled around a motionless body lying on a small bed. Short, curt sentences broke the overhanging silence as the witches moved in perfect synchrony with each other. No movement was wasted as they moved around the bed, waving their wands. Waves of lights pulsated across the inert form of their patient, flickering indicators occasionally materializing from their wands. Amidst the movement a tall figure stood calm, a pillar that everyone moved around without noticing. Long blue robes reached down to his feet and were occasionally parted when an arm extended to hand a vial to a witch or to examine the results from a particular test. A small twisted nose reared out his face between a pair of cold brown eyes. His pale face was framed by long black hair, that reached down towards his shoulders. A woman not dressed in the green robes of the healers walked up behind him and whispered something in his ear. The man nodded once and turned on his heel to leave the room.

Icy blue eyes with their ever present twinkle stared at him from behind half-moon spectacles. "I hear Mr. Potter had a particularly explosive reaction to purchasing a new wand this afternoon."

The healer grimaced at the elderly man before turning to observe the patient through the window that conjoined the rooms. "He was brought in by procedure, he did more damage to Ollivander's shop than anything. I was brought in later when a mediwitch came across a rather startling discovery."

The twinkle went out of Albus's eye and his face lost its customary cheerfulness. "What did she find?" It was very quiet, but he could feel the steel underlying his tone.

"Well, he's blind sir. It appears he has been for quite some time. It wasn't listed in our records of his birth so I highly doubt he was born with it." Albus gave a sigh and turned to look into the room at the boy.

"I see. So you believe this happened when…"

"That night, yes sir. The details of the incident are murky, at best, but it seems the most likely cause. However, we noticed a basic connection system had replaced the damaged nerves, one we are almost certain was created by the boy's own magic. It seems to have formed its own network to replace the old one."

The old man's face grew curious and he turned to look at his companion. "This...new system. Will it fix the problems in his eye?"

"It's too late for even magic now. The nerves are too far gone and his magic has not replaced them completely. I don't think Mr. Potter will ever regain his sight." The old man's face still didn't reveal what he was thinking. He stood still, observing the boy in the other room with a careful, thoughtful stare.

He gave another sigh and turned back to the doorway where a healer had poked their head in. "Excuse me sirs, but can I borrow Mr. Bagley? We want to try a few more potions."

Albus turned away from both and looked into the operating room. "We had just finished speaking. I wish you luck Rowan." He was awarded a single nod before he became once more the sole inhabitant of the room.

Harry slowly rolled the sweet around in his mouth and almost winced from the sourness. "They take a while to get used to, but I have become quite partial to lemon drops." Harry had awoken to a room devoid of any furnishings except for a small chair next to his bed and the man sitting upon it. If Ollivander was a lantern than this man was like the sun, a powerful glow emanating from his body that surpassed anything Harry had seen before. Harry could look upon his wizened and wrinkled face and observe it in perfect detail. Unsure of himself he had simply stared at the man for a couple of minutes waiting for him to do something. Finally, the man opened his move to speak and had simply offered Harry a piece of candy.

"Where am I?" Harry asked around the piece of candy in his mouth. The man smiled genially and folded his arms back into his robes. "Currently you are residing in the spell damage ward of St. Mungo's Hospital. Luckily your little accident left you with only superficial wounds. Ollivander's store however suffered a bit of remodeling."

Harry's eyes widened as memories of the incident rushed back into place. "Hagrid and Mr. Ollivander... They're all right?"

The man's smile widened even more. "Luckily neither required any medical care – just a little bruised." Harry sighed in relief. "Let me introduce myself, my name is Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore and I am the headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. In light of certain circumstances, I have become your temporary guardian and benefactor."

Harry frowned in thought. "What about the Dursleys?"

The grandfatherly smile that had beamed at him since his wakening faltered and pursed itself into a small grimace. "Well, the school year is starting soon and in consideration of your condition I deemed it best for you to stay here for the time being. Once the healers have determined you to be at full health you will be sent to Hogwarts"

"I... I won't be going back to the Dursleys?"

"Not till after this school year ends, at the earliest." Harry let out a sigh of relief and sunk back against the bed.

"Can I have another lemon drop?"


Snape stared down at the boy's form as he sorted the overflowing amount of potion vials and bottles that rested on the stand next to the hospital bed. The mediwizards had created a treatment plan for the boy that would span several months, mostly centered on forcing as many archaic concoctions they could find and produce down his throat. In a usual patient the case would be declared impossible and healers would replace his eyes. However, this was not an ordinary citizen, he was the Boy-Who-Lived, a beacon of hope and the largest celebrity in the country.

Snape moved around the bed to retrieve his cloak and was a bit disconcerted when the boy's sightless eyes followed him the whole way. He picked up the cloak and slowly slid a large item out of its inner pocket. "Are you familiar with Hogwarts?"

"Yes sir. It's a school where you learn how to do magic." The boy answered quickly and continued staring intently at the man.

"That is its general purpose yes, but you must understand that it matters even more than as an educational institute. Unlike muggles, wizards don't have any bodies of higher learning, and most children are taught by their parents till they are eligible to enter Hogwarts. Once you leave Hogwarts you start your career immediately. Therefore, your time at Hogwarts is crucial." He walked quickly to Harry's side and held out an item. "The school is divided into four houses based on your projected success in each."

Snape startled as Harry reached and grabbed the offering and held it before him. He ran his fingers over the object, noting its battered leathery texture. It seemed to be a hat, a rather large and pointed hat. "Gryffindor, Slytherin, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw." He whispered. It went unnoticed by Snape as he continued his speech.

"These will be the people you spend the next seven years eating, sleeping, and learning with. The bond of sharing a house often transcends Hogwarts and into your adult life. Normally you would be sorted at Hogwarts, but you have already missed the opening feast." Snape then stared at him expectantly till Harry slowly slid the hat on his head. The wide brim fell down his head and obscured his face.

"Hello Harry." A sudden coolness washed through his mind, easily bypassing all his defenses and swirled around in the center of his mind. What scared Harry even more than the alien presence was the fact that his scar had not reacted in the slightest. He desperately tried to format a defense but everything moved sluggishly, weighed down by a comforting calmness. "Don't worry Harry, I mean you no harm. Your defenses don't affect me once you willingly place me on your head."

"What are you?"

"I'm the sorting hat." Harry got the impression it would be smirking if he could see it. "I determine the house you stay in for your time at Hogwarts."

"Based on how successful I'll be?" Harry asked remembering what Snape said.

"Among other things." Harry felt it move around his mind, sliding right through his walls to inspect memories. "Hmm, how … familiar. Yes, you could do quite well in Slytherin, you would accomplish great things I am sure." Certain memories broke free from the hat's grip and flared into prominence in his mind.

'Green and silver robes. A small badge glinting in his hand. A snake rearing in front of him, easily towering over. The man cowered in front of him, his handsome face contorted in a rictus of pain and fear as blood and tears streaked his face. A green flash.'

"No … no, not Slytherin." Harry gasped to the hat.

'I had a feeling that you would say that. In that case you shall be in,' "Gryffindor!" the hat announced to Snape. The man quickly retrieved the hat and stuck it back into his cloak. He turned and stared at the boy intently. The gaze lingered for several seconds before his whole body jerked back and an expression of surprise crossed his face. "That's all for now Mr. Potter. Be sure to continue your potion regimen, we need you out of here as quickly as possible." With that the man swept out of the room.


Severus face twisted into a frown. "There is one thing I would like to ask you about the boy, sir." Dumbledore gave him a hand gesture to continue. "When I went to St. Mungos to have Potter sorted I attempted to use legilimency on him."

Dumbledore sighed. "You felt it." It was not a question.

"His mind... It felt like I flew a broom into the side of Hogwarts. I have never seen a mind so secure before. I don't think he even noticed me attempt to access it." Snape shook his head at the memory.

"I'm not sure what it means. He could have developed the skill naturally, I've heard of occlumens who are self-taught, but..."

"Could it be from the Dark Lord? Is it as we feared and he resides in the boy?" Snape eyes narrowed.

"It is most likely from his encounter with Voldemort, but I highly doubt he is possessed. What worries me is that every recorded self-taught occlumens developed the skill after repeated exposure to legilimency, some even unconsciously. Years ago I read an interesting journal from a wizard who served an ancient muggle king detailing how several of the king's court slowly developed the skill without even knowing he was entering their minds. Unfortunately, once his ability became useless the king had him burned at stake, which prevented him from documenting how far their ability could progress."

"You think someone is using legilimency on him on a regular basis?" Snape offered, eyes narrowing.

"I think that even though Voldemort hasn't possessed him, it doesn't mean he left him alone for the last 10 years."


Harry sat in a small chair in the Healer's office, the desk in front of him currently occupied by the headmaster of Hogwarts. It was the first time Harry had seen him since waking up and he was excited to learn more about his future in the magical world. "I'm afraid you're not going to be able to attend Hogwarts this year Harry. The Healers want you to stay for more treatment, and I'm inclined to follow their advice. Regaining your sight is much more important than anything else right now."

"It's really fine Professor, I can see well enough." Harry pleaded. Dumbledore frowned, something Harry had never seen him do. "What do you mean by that, my boy? According to the Healers you have lost almost all sight out of both eyes."

Harry shifted uncomfortable under his questioning gaze. "It's... it's not like it was before, but I'm not blind. Back at the Dursley's it was like I-I could feel what was around me. I always just thought I remembered where everything was. But once I came here with Hagrid, it's like a light was turned on. I can feel so much more, I can even recognize faces. Sometimes it's almost like I have my old sight back!"

"When does it feel like that?"

"It's more of a where. It only happens in certain places, like here for instance. When I'm in a room with you it's like you're a lamp." Dumbledore leaned back in his chair and processed this information.

"So you can see me right now?"

"Yes sir." Dumbledore slowly moved in the chair and watched as the boy's eyes tracked him perfectly the whole way.

"How remarkable! The Healers must learn about this; it may just cause a breakthrough!" Dumbledore exclaimed happily. Harry's heart slowly swelled with hope as he revealed his sight, before crumbling at the professor's words.

"Can't I go to Hogwarts now? You saw that I'm still able to see." Dumbledore gave him an empathetic smile before shaking his head.

"I still think it would be wise for you to remain in the hospital for now. As remarkable as it is we still don't know how your vision works or its limits. Perhaps there is something wrong with it that could prove detrimental in the future, something that could be fixed if the Healer's continued studying it. Perhaps you've already noticed some differences in it?

Harry looked away in realization. "I can't see color anymore. In Diagon Alley I could see shades of things but that's it."

Dumbledore smiled genially. "And perhaps the Healers could fix that. You said you felt more than you saw, perceiving more of physical outlines of objects. Than how would you read the school textbooks I wonder? Could you see the text, or would you merely see the page?" Harry lowered his head at the gentle reprimand. "I think it would be best for you to stay here for the time being. Even if I did allow you to go to Hogwarts this year then you would already be far behind the rest of the students. I do hope you understand why it would be better for you to abstain from your first year."

"I understand sir."

Harry grasped the wand in his tightly, slowly rolling it around his palm. The glowing warmth that had suffused him in Ollivander's shop no longer coursed through him as he held the wand. It felt dead, a simple inert piece of wood no more capable of destroying the ceiling then his pillow did. It had disheartened Dumbledore for perhaps six seconds, before he launched back into explanations of wand movements with more emphasis on pronunciations of syllables. "I confess I'm not entirely sure why this feather refuses to move. It couldn't be your form, I daresay you've got it hammered into you at this point. Perhaps the feather is weighted?"

"I've already told you why it doesn't work." Harry replied, his face already set in a mask of resignation.

"I've not ignored you Harry, its just–well frankly, I've never heard of such an occurrence happening before." Dumbledore admitted. "This spell has been taught in the first year charms class for decades. There have been very few who haven't been able to accomplish it, and all had a circumstance that explained for it. You must understand Harry that I am not insulting you, it is a fact that the levitation spell is the first spell learned because of its lack of necessary skill. It is a building block for students to build off of, because it requires almost no awareness of magic at all. In the later years' spells will require more skill, which is simply increasing ease of doing magic as your body becomes more used to manipulating it, a muscle memory of sorts. However, this spell requires almost none of that muscle memory, just enough would be provided from incidents of accidental magic in your childhood. You shouldn't be able to feel the magic inside of you, as your body should direct its manipulation instead of it being a conscious action. Now we, and Mr. Ollivander, know very well that a lack of magical ability is emphatically not the problem. So it leads me to believe that the issue is something in this room. Hence the slanderous accusations against the feather."

"I'm sorry sir, but it feels wrong. The wand isn't like it was back at Mr. Ollivander's. Back then it was full of warmth and light..." Harry trailed off quietly.

"And now?" Dumbledore asked gently.

"It feels dead. Like I'm holding a branch of a tree." Dumbledore continued staring speculatively at him for a few seconds before letting out a long-suffering sigh and pocketing his wand.

"I do believe we have beat this topic to death today. Let's turn to a more muggle activity. I want you to carefully watch the position of my quill as I write and replicate it on your paper. Remember I don't want you to simply record the words, you need to understand them. There will be plenty of essay assignments once you go to Hogwarts."