Disclaimers…

The Harry Potter world is not mine. J.K.R. planted this garden, I am just adding a few weeds of my own. Any similarities to any real people alive or dead, is either a total accident, or was with their consent.

Chapter 9

Harry woke up alone.  The white walls, curtains, and bedding of the hospital wing were made grey by the darkness.  Somebody just out of Harry's range of vision was writing by the light of an oil lamp.  Harry could see the slow flickers of shadows and hear the gentle scratching of a quill on parchment.

'I must be getting used to the visions,' Harry thought grimly to himself.  'I am recovering faster.  Dear God!  What kind of person can I be if I am getting used to seeing people tortured to death?'  Harry lay awake for a long time, alone in the dark with his thoughts of Voldemort.

Madam Pomfrey released Harry the next morning.  He made only a token effort to make himself presentable before going to see the Headmaster.  The anger Harry felt towards Voldemort's evil, and for his own growing capacity to become used to the terrifying visions, was burning in side of him.  Harry was just starting to wonder what the password to get past the stone gargoyle would be when Professor Dumbledore found Harry.

"Good morning, Harry."  The headmaster greeted Harry with a smile.  "You were free of the Hospital Wing before I had a chance to speak with you."  The headmaster guided Harry to his office.  "Candy Apple."  Almost negligently Dumbledore tossed the password at the gargoyle guarding his office.  "Would you care to tell me about what happened?"

In a halting voice, Harry recounted his most recent vision.  Harry gave every detail he could remember.  The headmaster asked dozens of questions, helping Harry to remember more information.  Harry felt a particular satisfaction in pointing out that Lucius Malfoy had been at the scene of the crime and a willing supported in the atrocities.  Harry kept his private fears and concerns to himself however.

"I thank you, Harry."  Dumbledore concluded the interview.  "I will excuse you from morning classes if you wish."

"No thank you, Professor."  Harry gave a small shake of his head.  "I think I want to stay busy for now."

"I understand.  Then why don't you take some time to get yourself together before breakfast.  It is still early, and I suspect your friends are still sleeping."

"Yes Professor."  Harry left the headmaster's office and returned to the Gryffindor tower.

After classes, Hermione found Harry in the common room.  His face was a mask of determination that he had worn all day.  He was sitting at a table with what she had started referring to as 'The Other Book Bag.'  Harry had been reluctant to tell his friends about what had happened after the dance, only giving a short and gruff answer.  He had had another vision of Voldemort.

"Harry," Hermione intruded into Harry's thoughts.  "Harry, we have a Prefect's Meeting in twenty minutes."

"All right.  Thank you, Hermione."  Harry answered in a flat voice without ever looking up.

"Harry, may I borrow this book?"  Harry looked up to see Hermione standing with one finger on the cover of Animus Accedo Addictio.

"Sure."  Harry gave a brief nod of his head.  The short, wooden answers were starting to bother Hermione.  She picked-up the book in question and headed for the Prefect's meeting.

            Harry arrived at the meeting on time.  His snogger patrol after the meeting went by in a blur.  He was very abrupt and unsympathetic to anybody he caught that night.  Harry tried to distract himself from his concerns by throwing himself into studying.  It was a measure of his desperation that he didn't touch a single Quidditch book.  When his Prefect duties were fulfilled for the night, Harry returned to his dorm where he fell asleep reading his Auror's manual.

            The first week of November wound to a close.  Prefect duties and Quidditch practice cut into Harry's study time, and would for the remainder of the season.  Harry looked forward to any excuse to be on his broom.  To fly, and to be in control of his own life.  When not sitting in class or sitting atop his broom, Harry held his nose in a book.

            Hermione admired his studious determination, but was a little concerned about this change in Harry.  Following the Halloween dance, she had seen only two things that made Harry smile.  Flying his broom and talking to Cho Chang.  Hermione was not the only person to notice the change in Harry's behavior.  Ron, despite his Quidditch obsession felt the effects of the change in Harry.  Ginny, who had stopped talking to Harry the night the Halloween ball was announced, had slowly started to warm up to him again.  On more then one occasion, Hermione found herself wishing for access to a modern muggle library.  She wanted up to date books on psychology and mental stress.

Terrie Shire saw the change in Harry too.  A more dedicated work partner no student could wish for.  Harry threw himself into the work with energy and determination.  Terrie did not see this as an improvement.  She wanted Harry to pay attention to her.  Before, he would struggle to hide the effect her teasing had on him.  After Halloween, it was like she was having no affect what so ever.  Unless she poked him in the ribs, Harry didn't even notice when she was talking.  As long as she talked about class material, he would listen and answer questions.  A single suggestive comment though, and Harry would become grim and tune her out again.

Cho had sensed a change in Harry as well.  He lit up every time she was near him.  He would listen and talk and smile as long as Cho was with him.  But Cho noticed the moment Harry became aware of her by the brightening of his disposition.  When she watched Harry from a distance, he was a like a thunder storm boiling on the horizon.

"Harry?"  It was Saturday November fourth, and the Gryffindors were headed out to Quidditch Practice.  The Ravenclaw team was just leaving the pitch when Cho took the opportunity to talk to Harry.

"Hi, Cho."  Harry's cool mask melted and he smiled warmly.  It was a smile that brightened his whole face and made his eyes seem to sparkle.  "How are you doing?  How is the flying today?"

"Good, good.  Thank you.  Harry the first match of the season is Ravenclaw against Slytherin on November eighteenth."

"Yes.  I will be cheering for you."

"Thank you, Harry.  But I wanted to know if you would walk out with me Hogsmeade on the nineteenth?"  Harry was stunned by the offer and it took him a moment to find his voice to answer.

"Yes!"  Harry was excited enough that he nearly yelled his consent.  Cho gave Harry a quick kiss on the cheek.

"I look forward to it."  Cho sped off, leaving a stunned but happy Harry to catch up to his team mates.

Quidditch practice went well.  The reserve players and the first string veterans swapped sides back and forth, mixing up the two teams.  This gave the veterans a chance to get used to playing with reserve members, and gave the reserve members training in how to work with the veterans.  Harry suspected the Gryffindor reserve roster would be a match for the first string payers of Slytherin by Christmas.

Harry spent the whole weekend in a good mood.  Over the next two weeks, thinking about Hogsmeade with Cho helped keep Harry out of his depression.  He was still throwing himself into his school work and extra studies until he was worn out and ready to sleep like a log.  The people around Harry were glad to see his old self making a reappearance.

It was during this time that Harry got used to the effects of the solution Tiffany De'Fay had sent him.  Harry learned to read the glow of magic that denoted enchanted items.  He could not identify the charms or enchantments, but he know that the brighter the glow the stronger the magic.  Harry also discovered what Tiffany had meant about "True Sight." 

Harry was enjoying his best term in Potions.  Sever was helping Harry and indirectly annoying Professor Snape.  The first Potions class after Halloween gave Harry a shock he was unprepared for.  Professor Snape marched into the classroom in his normal fashion and stood in the front of the room.  When Harry saw him through his glasses, he saw a different person.  All of the traits Harry had come to expect from the greasy Professor were still present.  Underneath all of that, Harry saw a tired, noble looking man that was quietly suffering from defeat.  Harry almost felt pity for the man, until the professor took fifteen points from Gryffindor for "That stupid look" on Harry's face.

After the vision on Halloween night something had changed in side of Harry Potter.  The out side observers saw it as only a passing round of depression.  Harry didn't see it at all.  Something had changed in side of Harry Potter, and may the gods have mercy on him.