A/N I am continually amazed by all the wonderful reviews, after reading
them how can I not sit down and ponder up another chapter. Special note to
animalwriter: blush, tear to the eye, book 6? No I really can't come close
to JK Rowling but I love you for that. Now to answer a few questions: yes
likely the Harry in the HP books would not get addicted to dreamless sleep
potion, he's a smart boy but then again he has made some mistakes, so my
excuse for this addiction is because he has lost someone he loved.
Sometimes pain makes people do strange things and the temptation to turn to
something to make that pain disappear even for a little while is
overwhelming. No there is no proof anywhere in the books that the potion is
actually addictive, it just came out of my imagination but apparently
others have written this also? Author pouts. Kicks wall. Thought I was
being original. Pouts again. Big Ooops to my Lily's body/Snape scene in
last chapter. I had forgotten that Snape had turned to the light before the
Potters died, thanks for pointing it out I have fixed it now. Yes Snape
will find out about Harry stealing potions and yes he will be very pissed,
but it can't happen yet because Harry isn't really addicted yet, he has yet
to start experiencing some overdose effects. There will be some Lupin
coming up sometime in one of the upcoming chapters. Sneak preview: side
effects
Chapter 10 - Puzzlement
"Harry, Hermione, Ginny and I are going over to see Hagrid. Do you want to come?" Ron walked into the room.
Harry thought about it for a minute. Hagrid had kept trying to get him to talk about Sirius whenever they were alone but he'd probably leave him alone if he was in a group.
"Ok."
As they made their way over, Hermione started talking.
"Harry something really weird happened after Malfoy apologized. We ran after him and he was being really awful and talked about how he wanted to use the killing curse on my parents, when all of a sudden Snape came and Harry, he was furious with Malfoy. He yelled at him and dragged him to his office."
Ron added. "Do you think that Snape made him apologize? I mean I know it sounds unreal but obviously aside from you, who else knew about the curse other than Snape?"
Harry looked at Hermione and Ron with surprise. "You mean you two didn't go running to Professor McGonagall? I thought she made Malfoy apologize."
Hermione looked annoyed. "You told us to butt out so we did. Except when Malfoy apologized we went after him to ensure he wouldn't attempt to curse you again."
"Oh." Harry looked puzzled. "So you think Snape made him do it?"
"Well who else could it have been?" Ron stated.
"Maybe after all the Occlumency classes you've been having with Snape, maybe Snape likes you better now and is being fairer." Ginny stated.
Hermione and Ron burst out laughing. "Right and Snape will dress up as Father Christmas this year."
Harry grinned at that but then thought about the scene in Snape's office again. What was that all about? Why was Malfoy so upset. If Snape had made him apologize and from what Ron and Hermione witnessed Snape yelled at him and dragged him into his office, Malfoy would have been furious. Malfoy had always been Snape's favorite student, if Snape suddenly punished him Malfoy would have been fit to be tied, not sobbing on Snape's shoulder. He remembered Snape's voice gentle and comforting, it couldn't have been him that made Malfoy apologize.
Harry found himself really wanting to tell Ron and Hermione what he had witnessed but they both hated Malfoy. He wasn't sure if when really provoked they wouldn't blurt it out at Malfoy to humiliate him back. He had promised Snape he wouldn't tell. So he sighed and said nothing.
They had tea with Hagrid who kept the conversation light as he talked proudly of how well Norbert was doing in Romania. He was the best fire- breathing dragon there. Every so often Hagrid's gaze wandered over to Harry. Harry saw the concern in his eyes but looked away uncomfortably. He didn't want anyone getting close.
After awhile they left again and as they headed back they encountered Malfoy, Crabbe and Goyle. Malfoy smirked, "Hey Potty, taking your pets, the mudblood and weasels out for a breath of fresh air?"
For one split second, Harry felt tempted to wipe that smirk of Malfoy's face and seriously humiliate him in front of Goyle and Crabbe but then he flashed back to how devastated Malfoy had seemed and that memory calmed him down somewhat.
His eyes narrowed however as he responded. "Is that the best you can do? Or would you like to hurl a curse at me again. Oh hang on but then Snape would make you apologize again." Harry then smiled.
Malfoy's face fell and he glanced nervously at Crabbe and Goyle who looked at him confused. He glared at Harry then mumbled "Let's go" to his faithful goons.
"See it was Snape." Ginny smiled triumphantly.
Ron broke into a huge smile. "I guess so." Then he laughed. "Well he turned tail and ran awfully quick."
Harry couldn't help smiling. He kept his promise but also managed to shut Malfoy up. Obviously apologizing to him wasn't something Malfoy wanted to be reminded off. So Snape actually made him apologize, he couldn't quite believe it that after over 5 years of encouraging or ignoring Malfoy's antics Snape had actually punished his favorite Slytherin for something.
After finishing some homework in the library they went to dinner. No sooner had they sat down, when the buzz went around the table that Lucius Malfoy had gotten out of Azkaban and had gone into hiding. Harry shivered at the news. He hated Lucius for what he had done at the Ministry of Magic. He glanced over to the Slytherin table fully expecting to see Draco gleaming from joy but instead the blond Slytherin looked even paler than usual as he pushed the food around on his plate. At that exact moment he looked up and caught Harry's eye. For a split second Harry caught a look of sheer misery reflected in his eyes but then realizing Harry was watching him his chin came up and he flashed a triumphant smile. Harry looked away again puzzled. He shook his head he must have imagined Draco looking unhappy.
He still wasn't very hungry but forced himself to eat a sandwich so his friends would stop looking so concerned. When he finished his sandwich and a glass of pumpkin juice he excused himself saying that Snape's Occlumency class had exhausted him and he wanted to turn in early. He really wanted to go outside for a few moments and breath in some cold air to numb him.
Since everyone was still inside the hallway was silent as Harry walked along back to the Gryffindor tower. It was another chilly night and he shivered as he stepped outside. He jumped slightly when he realized he wasn't alone. He turned a startled gaze to Draco who looked back equally startled.
"Potter what are you doing out here!" Malfoy sneered at him.
"I like the night I came out to look at the full moon. What are you doing? Hoping your father will show up?"
A look of alarm flashed in Draco's eyes, he looked away. "My father will be rejoining the Death Eaters, he won't bother to come here." He paused. "However once he's rejoined the dark lord they'll likely come after you Potter." Malfoy looked at him smugly.
Harry's eyes narrowed, he didn't respond instead just stared at Draco with a puzzled stare. What was up with him?
Malfoy faltered under his stare. He looked away and stared out into the dark night.
"Are you all right?" Harry softly asked.
Malfoy glared at him. "Of course, why wouldn't I be, my father broke out of Azkaban like I said he would. You're on the wrong side Potter."
"I'm on the only side worth fighting for." Harry stated.
Malfoy didn't respond at first, just narrowed his eyes. "I'm going back in, you can howl at the moon by yourself.
Harry contemplated Malfoy's strange behavior. He was still being nasty but much less than usual, definitely not up to his usual form. He stood outside for a few more moments staring up at the stars. "Sirius, are you out there somewhere?" He whispered tears welling up in his eyes. "I miss you so much." He swallowed painfully, blinking the tears away. He went back inside wanting nothing more than to drift off into a dreamless void. Just before he turned the corner to head upstairs, he saw Snape standing down the darkened hall in front of Malfoy, he handed him what looked like a dreamless sleep potion.
He quickly turned the corner not wanting to be seen. So Malfoy would be taking the potion also tonight. Rather strange considering he should be happy Lucius had broken out. He put the puzzling thoughts out of his mind as he readied himself for bed. He drank the potion quickly, hiding the bottle under his bed and lay down falling asleep instantly.
Chapter 10 - Puzzlement
"Harry, Hermione, Ginny and I are going over to see Hagrid. Do you want to come?" Ron walked into the room.
Harry thought about it for a minute. Hagrid had kept trying to get him to talk about Sirius whenever they were alone but he'd probably leave him alone if he was in a group.
"Ok."
As they made their way over, Hermione started talking.
"Harry something really weird happened after Malfoy apologized. We ran after him and he was being really awful and talked about how he wanted to use the killing curse on my parents, when all of a sudden Snape came and Harry, he was furious with Malfoy. He yelled at him and dragged him to his office."
Ron added. "Do you think that Snape made him apologize? I mean I know it sounds unreal but obviously aside from you, who else knew about the curse other than Snape?"
Harry looked at Hermione and Ron with surprise. "You mean you two didn't go running to Professor McGonagall? I thought she made Malfoy apologize."
Hermione looked annoyed. "You told us to butt out so we did. Except when Malfoy apologized we went after him to ensure he wouldn't attempt to curse you again."
"Oh." Harry looked puzzled. "So you think Snape made him do it?"
"Well who else could it have been?" Ron stated.
"Maybe after all the Occlumency classes you've been having with Snape, maybe Snape likes you better now and is being fairer." Ginny stated.
Hermione and Ron burst out laughing. "Right and Snape will dress up as Father Christmas this year."
Harry grinned at that but then thought about the scene in Snape's office again. What was that all about? Why was Malfoy so upset. If Snape had made him apologize and from what Ron and Hermione witnessed Snape yelled at him and dragged him into his office, Malfoy would have been furious. Malfoy had always been Snape's favorite student, if Snape suddenly punished him Malfoy would have been fit to be tied, not sobbing on Snape's shoulder. He remembered Snape's voice gentle and comforting, it couldn't have been him that made Malfoy apologize.
Harry found himself really wanting to tell Ron and Hermione what he had witnessed but they both hated Malfoy. He wasn't sure if when really provoked they wouldn't blurt it out at Malfoy to humiliate him back. He had promised Snape he wouldn't tell. So he sighed and said nothing.
They had tea with Hagrid who kept the conversation light as he talked proudly of how well Norbert was doing in Romania. He was the best fire- breathing dragon there. Every so often Hagrid's gaze wandered over to Harry. Harry saw the concern in his eyes but looked away uncomfortably. He didn't want anyone getting close.
After awhile they left again and as they headed back they encountered Malfoy, Crabbe and Goyle. Malfoy smirked, "Hey Potty, taking your pets, the mudblood and weasels out for a breath of fresh air?"
For one split second, Harry felt tempted to wipe that smirk of Malfoy's face and seriously humiliate him in front of Goyle and Crabbe but then he flashed back to how devastated Malfoy had seemed and that memory calmed him down somewhat.
His eyes narrowed however as he responded. "Is that the best you can do? Or would you like to hurl a curse at me again. Oh hang on but then Snape would make you apologize again." Harry then smiled.
Malfoy's face fell and he glanced nervously at Crabbe and Goyle who looked at him confused. He glared at Harry then mumbled "Let's go" to his faithful goons.
"See it was Snape." Ginny smiled triumphantly.
Ron broke into a huge smile. "I guess so." Then he laughed. "Well he turned tail and ran awfully quick."
Harry couldn't help smiling. He kept his promise but also managed to shut Malfoy up. Obviously apologizing to him wasn't something Malfoy wanted to be reminded off. So Snape actually made him apologize, he couldn't quite believe it that after over 5 years of encouraging or ignoring Malfoy's antics Snape had actually punished his favorite Slytherin for something.
After finishing some homework in the library they went to dinner. No sooner had they sat down, when the buzz went around the table that Lucius Malfoy had gotten out of Azkaban and had gone into hiding. Harry shivered at the news. He hated Lucius for what he had done at the Ministry of Magic. He glanced over to the Slytherin table fully expecting to see Draco gleaming from joy but instead the blond Slytherin looked even paler than usual as he pushed the food around on his plate. At that exact moment he looked up and caught Harry's eye. For a split second Harry caught a look of sheer misery reflected in his eyes but then realizing Harry was watching him his chin came up and he flashed a triumphant smile. Harry looked away again puzzled. He shook his head he must have imagined Draco looking unhappy.
He still wasn't very hungry but forced himself to eat a sandwich so his friends would stop looking so concerned. When he finished his sandwich and a glass of pumpkin juice he excused himself saying that Snape's Occlumency class had exhausted him and he wanted to turn in early. He really wanted to go outside for a few moments and breath in some cold air to numb him.
Since everyone was still inside the hallway was silent as Harry walked along back to the Gryffindor tower. It was another chilly night and he shivered as he stepped outside. He jumped slightly when he realized he wasn't alone. He turned a startled gaze to Draco who looked back equally startled.
"Potter what are you doing out here!" Malfoy sneered at him.
"I like the night I came out to look at the full moon. What are you doing? Hoping your father will show up?"
A look of alarm flashed in Draco's eyes, he looked away. "My father will be rejoining the Death Eaters, he won't bother to come here." He paused. "However once he's rejoined the dark lord they'll likely come after you Potter." Malfoy looked at him smugly.
Harry's eyes narrowed, he didn't respond instead just stared at Draco with a puzzled stare. What was up with him?
Malfoy faltered under his stare. He looked away and stared out into the dark night.
"Are you all right?" Harry softly asked.
Malfoy glared at him. "Of course, why wouldn't I be, my father broke out of Azkaban like I said he would. You're on the wrong side Potter."
"I'm on the only side worth fighting for." Harry stated.
Malfoy didn't respond at first, just narrowed his eyes. "I'm going back in, you can howl at the moon by yourself.
Harry contemplated Malfoy's strange behavior. He was still being nasty but much less than usual, definitely not up to his usual form. He stood outside for a few more moments staring up at the stars. "Sirius, are you out there somewhere?" He whispered tears welling up in his eyes. "I miss you so much." He swallowed painfully, blinking the tears away. He went back inside wanting nothing more than to drift off into a dreamless void. Just before he turned the corner to head upstairs, he saw Snape standing down the darkened hall in front of Malfoy, he handed him what looked like a dreamless sleep potion.
He quickly turned the corner not wanting to be seen. So Malfoy would be taking the potion also tonight. Rather strange considering he should be happy Lucius had broken out. He put the puzzling thoughts out of his mind as he readied himself for bed. He drank the potion quickly, hiding the bottle under his bed and lay down falling asleep instantly.