Harry woke the next morning feeling astonishingly well rested. He glanced at his wristwatch, noting that despite being just past ten, and having been out over half the night, he felt as though he'd gotten a full night's worth of uninterrupted sleep.
Rubbing his eyes, Harry gave a small grin. That potion sure was something. He'd have to remember to thank Snape again, next time he saw the man. Humiliating as it was having someone know about his nightmares, the relief of getting good sleep was almost worth the embarrassment.
His friends noted his change in demeanor as well. When Hermione commented on his unusually high energy level that day, Harry simply shrugged and replied that he'd slept well the previous night. Hermione, astute as ever, had smiled knowingly.
"I'm glad, Harry," she commented lightly. "You've been so tired these past few weeks. It's good to hear you're sleeping better."
Harry flushed, quickly busying himself with the Charms essay he'd been working on. "Yeah," he replied quietly, so only Hermione could hear. "I'm glad too."
The next few days passed quickly. Harry had taken the Dreamless Sleep twice more since that first night, and had felt just as energized and rested when he'd woke the following mornings. He felt like a changed person- more human and less zombie than he'd been in weeks. During Quidditch practice, he'd flown laps around his teammates, catching the snitch an impressive five times before they'd finished the scrimmage match they were playing.
"Brilliant, Harry!" Oliver Wood had clasped him by both shoulders when he'd landed after practice, shaking him with unrestrained enthusiasm. "Absolutely brilliant! You play like that next week against Hufflepuff, and they don't stand a bloody chance!"
His schoolwork had taken a turn for the better as well. Alert and motivated for a change, he'd done brilliantly on his Transfiguration exam, much to Hermione's delight and Ron's astonishment.
"Very well done, Mr. Potter," McGonagall commented upon handing back his exam. Harry's jaw dropped when he saw his mark. Exceeds Expectations was a score he rarely received in any class aside from Defense.
"Keep up the good work," McGonagall said with a nod of encouragement, and he felt himself beam from ear to ear.
Harry was on top of the world. Even his detention with Snape hadn't been enough to dampen his spirits. He'd spent the first evening preparing potions ingredients with the professor in comfortable silence. It honestly hadn't been too terrible, Harry had to admit. There was something quite soothing and mindless about chopping and dicing ingredients- much more tolerable than scouring cauldrons, a task Snape was partial to assigning during detention.
The real punishment of it all was that Snape had decided to postpone his Patronus lessons for the week, with the detentions taking place in lieu of lessons. Harry had argued when Snape informed him of this, but he'd quickly conceded upon seeing the displeasure etched in every line of the man's face.
He'd been informed in short that it wasn't a topic up for discussion. Snape had made several arguments, including what seemed to be his new favorite- that Harry hardly needed to be "overworked" until he "collapsed again from sheer exhaustion".
It was rather frustrating, but Harry supposed Snape made a fair point, and he'd kept all further commentary to himself.
That Thursday morning, McGonagall sought him out at breakfast.
"Mr. Potter."
Harry looked up from his plate, swallowing a large mouthful of scrambled eggs and sausage with an audible gulp. "Er- yeah, Professor?" he questioned, trying to be surreptitious as he wiped his mouth on his sleeve.
McGonagall's brow furrowed. "No need to interrupt your feast on my account, Potter. I merely wished to inform you that I will be overseeing your detention this evening."
Harry frowned. "But, I was supposed to have detention with Snape again tonight. Why can't he do it?"
Harry winced as Ron elbowed him in the gut. Professor McGonagall raised an eyebrow at the action, but did not comment.
"The Potions Master is otherwise occupied this evening. With what is none of your concern. You will report to my office at seven sharp to serve your detention. Understood?"
Harry rubbed his ribs, frowning slightly. "Yeah, Professor. Sounds good."
Ron gawked openly at Harry as McGonagall walked away. "Blimey, mate. You were really going to argue about Snape not being the one to give you detention? McGonagall is loads better than that slimy git!"
Harry found himself stiffening at the comment. Trying very hard to remain casual, he shrugged. "I dunno. Last detention wasn't that bad."
Hermione interrupted before an argument could progress. "I suppose it's for the best, Harry. After all, didn't you have something you needed to ask Professor McGonagall anyway?"
Harry blinked, and then nodded slowly. "Oh yeah- the Hogsmeade form. Thanks, Hermione, I'd forgotten. I'll ask her about it tonight."
Hermione smiled and took a sip of her juice. Previous concerns forgotten, Ron thumped Harry on the back good naturedly. "That's right! First Hogsmeade weekend is this weekend, Harry! You can't miss out- Fred and George told me all about it! You know, there's this massive candy store, and this pub where you can buy Butterbeer, and Fred and George swear one of the barkeeps sold them Firewhiskey!"
Harry smiled and nodded at Ron, but inside, his gut clenched horribly. Uncle Vernon had refused to sign his permission form that summer. Hermione and Ron had suggested he ask McGonagall to sign instead, and though Harry had agreed to ask the professor, he had his doubts on whether she'd be amenable or not.
Pushing his worries aside, Harry joined in Hermione and Ron's discussion, which had turned into a heated debate on whether or not Ron's brothers had been lying about the Firewhiskey.
Detention with McGonagall was unremarkable. The professor wasn't very creative when it came to punishment, which admittedly, wasn't such a horrible thing. It just made for a very boring evening writing lines.
When the detention had finished, McGonagall dismissed him with a wave of her hand, distracted by some papers on her desk. Harry packed up, shaking his cramping hand- two hours was a long time to write lines without a break.
Lingering in the doorway, Harry wondered how to broach the topic of Hogsmeade. McGonagall looked up from her work after a minute, frowning when she saw Harry. "You're still here, Potter? You had best start heading back to Gryffindor House, curfew is in twenty minutes."
Harry nodded, biting his lip.
Mcgonagall sighed, set down her quill and gave Harry a very pointed look. "Unless there was something else you wished to discuss?"
"Er- well," Harry said, rummaging in his bookbag. "I just wanted to ask- if you'd sign my Hogsmeade form, Professor." Harry pulled the slip of paper from his bag, handing it hesitantly toward McGonagall.
The Professor frowned deeply and Harry felt his stomach sink at the sight. That wasn't a promising sign.
"I cannot, Mr. Potter. The permission slip specifies it needs a parent- or guardian's- signature. Your relatives…"
Harry gripped the paper tightly and shook his head. "They refused to sign it, Professor. I thought- you're my Head of House. If you gave your permission-"
But McGonagall had already begun to shake her head. "I'm sorry, Potter, but unless your relatives sign that form, I cannot grant you permission to travel to Hogsmeade. No exceptions." Her voice was regretful, but Harry found himself bristling in anger.
"But- Professor, please! It's not fair, I-"
McGonagall held up a hand, effectively silencing him. "Arguing will not change my decision. And truthfully, it is not my decision to make. It is a school-wide rule, and one which cannot be bent. Now, you had best be on your way."
Silently fuming, Harry shoved the unsigned permission slip back in his bag and stormed from the office. Stalking angrily through the halls toward Gryffindor House, Harry cursed both McGonagall and his relatives under his breath.
Just his luck that he'd gone and blown up Aunt Marge before he'd convinced Uncle Vernon to sign that stupid permission slip. And now, all his friends would get to go and visit Hogsmeade this weekend without him, all because Uncle Vernon was a stupid jerk.
Harry paused outside the portrait hole to the common room, taking a few deep breaths as he tried to calm his outrage.
"Well, you're in quite the state," the Fat Lady informed him unhelpfully. "You know what they say, young man- you lose your temper, you lose yourself!"
"Balderdash," Harry muttered, ignoring her comment. The Fat Lady humphed indignantly, but swung open, allowing Harry passage into the common room.
He was immediately greeted by Ron and Hermione, who were seated in some armchairs near the fireplace working on homework.
"Hey, Harry!" Ron greeted him from across the room. "Wanna help me with my Transfiguration essay? How was detention?"
Rubbing a hand across his face, Harry threw his bookbag down on the nearest table and sunk on the floor between his friends. "Horrible," he said shortly, picking at a loose thread in the carpet.
Hermione and Ron exchanged a knowing look.
"McGonagall refused to sign your permission form, then?" Hermione asked gently after a moment.
Harry gave a jerky nod, not really wanting to discuss the matter further.
"Tough luck, mate," Ron sighed. "Really, that's rotten of her. I promise we'll get you some sweets from Honeydukes, okay? Maybe we can figure out how to bring you back some Butterbeer too, yeah?"
Harry shrugged, hunching his chin down against his knees. "Yeah, alright," he agreed halfheartedly.
After a few minutes more of relentless sympathy from his friends, Harry's head began to pound.
"I'm going to bed," he informed them shortly, rising from his spot on the floor and heading upstairs.
"Er- yeah, alright. Night, Harry," he heard Ron's voice sound from behind him.
Feeling very sorry for himself, Harry changed into pajamas and burrowed beneath his bedcovers. Rolling over, he reached under his pillow and felt for the bottle of Dreamless Sleep he'd stored there.
Frowning, Harry tightened his hand around the bottle. No more than three times a week, Snape had said. Harry had taken in three times already since Snape had given him the bottle that past weekend. Technically, taking it tonight would put him over the weekly limit. But really, what would one more night hurt? Besides, it had been nearly a full week already.
Shrugging, Harry opened the bottle and took a large swig of potion. The now familiar heavy-lidded, drowsy feeling hit him instantly, leaving him blinking stupidly as he struggled to cork the bottle before sleep hit him.
Though still upset about the whole Hogsmeade situation, Harry was in better spirits by the next morning. Things always looked better after a good night's sleep.
He'd managed to completely forget his troubles by that afternoon. Joking with Ron and Neville as they made their way to Divination, Harry startled when he heard a voice hiss at him from an empty hallway.
"Harry!"
Whipping his head around, Harry frowned, wondering if he'd imagined the voice calling his name. A moment later, he narrowly managed to avoid shouting aloud when two familiar red-headed faces poked out from behind a tapestry.
Turning around, Harry noted that Ron and Neville hadn't noticed the disturbance. "Uh, you two go ahead to class. I just remembered- I forgot something in Charms."
"Want us to wait for you, Harry?" Neville asked with a polite smile.
"No- no, that's fine. I won't be long, you guys go on ahead."
Ever agreeable, Neville smiled brightly and turned to depart toward class, dragging a reluctant Ron along with him.
Harry smiled, waiting until they'd rounded the corner, and then turned back toward the source of the voice.
"They're gone," he informed the tapestry matter of factly. "You two can come out now."
Harry shook his head, smiling as Fred and George Weasley climbed out from behind the wall hanging, dual grins plastered on their faces.
"Hiya, Harry," said Fred, straightening his robes.
"Wotcher!" George added cheerfully.
Harry couldn't help but smile in return. "What in Merlin's name are you two up to?" he asked, shaking his head in amusement.
"Ah-"
"That, Harry boy-"
"Is a fair question indeed-"
"And one which involves you."
Fred and George stared at him, seemingly expecting a response.
"Um," said Harry dumbly. "Me?"
"You see, Harry, we've heard of your- how shall we say- Hogsmeade troubles."
"And lucky for you, we have a solution!"
Harry looked back and forth between the twins, trying to keep up with their rapid-fire conversation. "A solution? What do you mean?"
The twins grinned broadly at Harry, eyes glimmering with mischief. Fred was first to speak. "Ah, Harry. I'm so glad you asked."
That night, Harry lay in bed, examining the Marauder's Map that Fred and George had gifted to him.
It was certainly a neat bit of magic, Harry thought to himself, watching as the dot labeled 'Minerva McGonagall' paced back and forth in her office. Smiling, he traced the loopy letters at the top of the map- Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot and Prongs…
They were certainly strange nicknames. But it'd been smart of them, Harry supposed, to not use their real names on the map lest it was confiscated.
Harry continued to examine the map by the light of his wand, stifling a giggle when he noticed two dots- 'Percy Weasley' and 'Penelope Clearwater'- in the Astronomy Tower together. He wondered what they were doing there.
Stretching his arms above his head, Harry glanced at his watch. Past midnight. He supposed he should go to bed sometime soon.
Setting the map aside, Harry reached under his pillow and pulled out his Dreamless Sleep potion, holding the bottle up to his wand light. The bottle was over half gone already. Snape hadn't given him very much...
Harry frowned. He probably shouldn't take the potion again tonight- that would make five nights in less than a week. But he felt fine- better than fine, really. In fact, Harry couldn't recall feeling as good as he'd felt this past week in years. Unless it starting affecting him badly, Harry didn't see why he couldn't keep taking the potion on a nightly basis.
He just had to figure out how to get more- he doubted Snape would hand over another bottle so quickly after the first, especially after he'd specifically instructed Harry to use it sparingly.
Glancing at the map sitting on his chest, Harry sat upright as he was struck with a sudden bolt of inspiration. Tossing the bottle of potion aside, Harry grasped the map closely and examined a small dot labeled 'Poppy Pomfrey' moving about the Hospital Wing.
Of course- Madame Pomfrey! Harry was certain if he told her he'd been having trouble sleeping that she'd give him a potion for it. After all, Snape had told him to ask for help if he needed it, right?
Satisfied with this new plan, Harry wiped the map clean, took a swig of potion and whispered a quiet Nox to kill the light of his wand.
That Saturday, when the majority of the school was gone to Hogsmeade, Harry decided to enact his plan.
"Sorry, mate. We'll bring you back something good," Ron promised as Harry saw him and Hermione off at the school gate.
Harry smiled and waved as his friends made their way up the path toward Hogsmeade, not dropping his hand until they were out of sight. Determined to follow through with his plan, Harry turned around and made his way back inside Hogwarts.
Heading toward the Hospital Wing, Harry couldn't help but feel a tiny bit guilty. But really, it wasn't like he was lying to Madame Pomfrey. He was having trouble sleeping. And he really did need more potion- there were only a few mouthfuls left in the bottle Snape had given him...
Pushing away his lingering doubts, Harry took a deep breath before entering the Hospital Wing.
"Er- Madame Pomfrey?"
The woman looked up from where she'd been sorting linens, eyes widening in surprise. "Harry? Whatever's the matter? Are you ill?"
Harry rubbed his arm, suddenly embarrassed. "Uh- no, not exactly. I just…"
Madame Pomfrey seemed to sense the hesitation in his voice. Her eyes softened, and she patted the bed next to where she stood. "Come and sit," she instructed gently.
Harry sunk down on the edge of the bed. Biting his lip, he swung his legs back and forth nervously. "Uh- well, I was wondering…"
Pomfrey gave an encouraging nod.
"Well, I- I've been having trouble sleeping lately," Harry admitted hesitantly. "I was wondering if you had a potion or something that I could take to help."
Madame Pomfrey gave a sympathetic sort of sigh that had Harry flushing with embarrassment. "Oh, my dear boy," she reassured, patting him on the shoulder consolingly. "Of course, there's no need to look so uncomfortable! There's no shame in it!"
Harry relaxed minutely. "Uh- yeah. Thanks, Madame Pomfrey."
The woman gave him an affectionate smile. "Now, let's chat a bit more, and we'll see about getting you sorted away with something to help with sleep."
Madame Pomfrey ended up giving him a different potion than Dreamless Sleep. Harry wasn't sure of the name, but the woman had given him a large bottle of the fizzy blue draught. "Take one mouthful every night, directly before bed," the woman had instructed. "It's a very mild potion, intended for long-term use. It helps one's thoughts settle, and is minimally sedating, allowing for sleep to occur as naturally as possible."
Harry had been instructed to return in a week to meet with Madame Pomfrey again and discuss how the potion was working for him. "And please, don't be a stranger, Harry," Madame Pomfrey had added with a smile as Harry departed the Hospital Wing. "Feel free to come and speak with me anytime, about anything at all."
Harry smiled at the memory as he lay in bed that night. He was rather fond of Madame Pomfrey. She tended to fret over him more than he cared for, but there was something nice about having a fuss made about him once in awhile.
Having only several doses left, Harry had decided to save the Dreamless Sleep for when he really needed it and give Pomfrey's potion a try tonight instead. Taking a swallow of the new potion, Harry had to hold back a giggle as the liquid bubbled and tickled his throat all the way down.
Laying down in bed, Harry closed his eyes and drifted into an easy sleep...
Boy. BOY!
An angry voice reverberates, shaking the ceiling above his head. He curls in a ball, frightened and upset and alone, always alone.
You! BOY! Get OUT HERE, you good-for-nothing FREAK!
Light shines in his eyes, blinding him momentarily as a door is wrenched open, and then a thick hand is dragging him from the safety of his haven. He cowers, terrified, as the unyielding hand squeezes his upper arm hard enough to bruise.
A high-pitched laugh sounds, and his hair stands on edge. A figure in black approaches, eyes glowing, but he's held firmly in place, someone breathing heavily in his ear. His arm is burning- his vision tunneling- there's no escape- that familiar green light swells around him-
Harry bolted upright in bed, clamping his hands over his mouth to physically stop his screams. In a blind panic, he fumbled for his wand, hand shaking so badly that he dropped it several times before he was able to whisper a tearful "Lumos."
Wiping his face on his shirtsleeve, Harry allowed himself a shaky moan.
Merlin, that'd been a bad one. He'd fallen asleep easily enough, but clearly Pomfrey's potion had done nothing to calm his actual nightmares. And this sort of dream again- a hybrid nightmare of his childhood and Voldemort that didn't make any sort of sense. It was worse, dealing with the aftermath now, after having had a week nightmare-free thanks to the Dreamless Sleep.
Shuddering, Harry fumbled under his pillow for his potion bottles. Pulling out the Dreamless Sleep, he hurriedly uncorked the vial and took a sip before he could think better of the idea. Forget about conserving the potion- Harry wouldn't be able to sleep tonight without it. And hell if he was going to risk having another nightmare like that. Shrugging, he took a sip of Pomfrey's sleeping potion as well. It would help him fall asleep, at least, even if it didn't keep the nightmares at bay.
Sniffling, Harry tossed and turned fitfully for another minute before the potions took effect and drug him into a deep, relentless sleep.
Whoooaaa, two chapters in less than a week, I've shocked even myself! Let's hope the motivation bug that bit me keeps it up ;) Thanks for your lovely comments and continued support! Please leave a comment if you have the time, I so enjoy reading them. Hope everyone has a great week!