Sorry for the delay! I'm still alive but I have a lot of homework to do! Still, I managed to write a good 11 pages chapter so I'm proud of myself.
And don't worry; Suspension is the title of the chapter. I'm not putting a hiatus on the story!
Thanks to :
Kiki Smythe Tsuki no Tenshi Queen Diamond Seren Lunar Echo Koosei Koldy
Jewelclaw Lady of Wind Invisible rain Lady Light Jaz7 Kail Ceannai rynn Eo
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Sylverwind Karashacket Kawaii Usa Crystal Moon Magic Black mage of Darkness
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Kobayashi Eiko Angelic Sazuka Usagi no Megami Krazi Pandi Taiki angelwings6117
Amazing-jax
Silent Liquid: It's ok! I really don't know how long the fic is going to be and the others (meaning Hermione, Ron and Malfoy) will be mentioned soon. They're still a part of the story, don't worry. As for another IY/SM fic, I'll see…
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Within the Chamber she Lies
Chapter 10: Suspension
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"Is he okay? We were so worried all week but he wouldn't let us go near him!"
Harry rose from his slumber when he heard a familiar voice. Hermione was speaking to Madam Pomfrey with an anxious voice but the matron refused to let neither her, nor Ron for that matter, approach his bed.
"I'm sorry Miss Granger but Mister Potter is sleeping right now and it wouldn't do any good to awaken him; I made him drink a cup of Sleeping Draught anyway so he'll be sleeping for quite some time."
Harry internally grimaced. So that was the foul taste in his mouth.
Hermione and Ron started to protest in earnest until Snape made his grand entrance, followed by Dumbledore. "Granger! Weasley! 20 points off Gryffindor! Get to class right now!" the potions master snapped impatiently.
Hermione and Ron gave him hateful looks but they complied nonetheless, their heads bent as they walked by Snape. Dumbledore gave them a sorry glance and a reassuring smile. "We're doing this for Harry's interest. You all know he needs help right now."
The 2 Gryffindors merely nodded and exited the infirmary.
The green eyed boy sneered mentally. 'Good formula to say that I'm crazy and that they can't stay alone with me.' His anger subsided slightly to hear what Pomfrey, Dumbledore and Snape were saying, talking in hushed tones.
"Albus, the boy is still sleeping. Are you sure it was a good thing to make Severus prod his memories? The boy is tired beyond anything and he's as pale as a ghost. I checked him quickly and he had a dangerous level of anemia. It stabilized not so long ago but Mister Potter never showed such level of tiredness before. He clearly lost some blood, but how? He wasn't bleeding from anywhere, anyway from what I've seen during my quick check-up." Poppy gave a worried glance towards Harry but Snape quickly changed the subject with a disdainful sneer.
"So what? He's okay now so instead of worrying over your damned precious Golden Boy, Albus, we should concentrate on what we'll do with him! Umbridge is going to have a field trip with this if we don't sack him!"
Albus sighed tiredly and massaged his temple when Snape and Pomfrey started to bicker.
Harry started to have a headache himself and felt Voldemort trying to prod his mind slightly. This caused the boy to sit up in his bed and close his eyes in vain concentration. 'You won't win, Tom.'
He didn't know why he had such a new will to survive all of a sudden. Probably because there was someone in Hogwarts who was giving him a new reason to live. The noise in his head stopped of its own and he opened his eyes, his gaze riveted on the stone wall in front of him.
"…impossible Albus! I gave him a full vial of Sleeping Draught!" Pomfrey exclaimed from somewhere in the room.
Looks like Harry had stunned them speechless when he had sat up so suddenly. Albus walked towards him guardedly and gave him a tentative smile.
'Trying to gain my favor again, are you?' Harry thought in anger. He kept his face neutral and the headmaster's smile transformed into a sad look.
"Harry, I'm sorry about earlier. But you must understand that we needed to know and prove if what you were saying was right."
Harry gave him an empty look, completely ignoring what Albus just tried to explain. "Are you going to send me back to the Dursleys?" he asked in a dead voice.
Snape almost shoved the headmaster aside. "Of course you insolent boy! With all that you've done!"
Albus put a hand on Severus' shoulder and gave him a reprimanding look that had even Snape backing away. "Enough Severus. Now Harry, you won't be sacked and you know it."
Severus started to sputter in indignation and frustration but quickly shut up and stomped away from the infirmary in a swirl of black robes after a commanding look from the headmaster.
"Where were we?...Ah yes! You won't be sacked, as you say it, but I will have to suspend you for 2 weeks. You will be going back to the Dursleys until Dolores calms down and until you get your priorities in check. Is that understood Harry? Auror Moody will be accompanying you home. The wards have already been doubled so there won't be any problems. I suggest you go pack up and say a temporary goodbye to your friends. You depart tonight at 7."
Harry got up without saying a word (which Dumbledore thought strange; Harry always argued when it was a matter of going back to the Dursleys) and opened the door Snape had closed with a bang.
He had set foot outside when he froze for a moment, thinking about something. "Oh. Before I forget; you should really ask Snape to brew something more powerful than the Sleeping Draught. It seems as though I've developed a certain immunity to it. And he could ameliorate the flavor while you're at it; it tastes like shit." And with that he was gone, leaving Dumbledore and Pomfrey looking at each other worriedly.
Neither really noticed the heavy swearing as Poppy murmured weakly; "But it's the most potent draught there is for sleep…"
………
Harry packed his things (although there wasn't much) under the curious and watchful eyes of his 3 other roommates, but he simply ignored their inquisitive glances.
"Hey mate! You're not going away for good, aren't you?" Ron asked nervously, fidgeting on his spot. Seamus and Neville looked apprehensive and held their breath to hear the answer.
Harry decided that a casual answer was better so he shrugged. "No. Just suspended until Umbridge calms herself down. 2 weeks I've been given." He shrugged again for good measure when he noticed Ron shudder.
"Bullocks! Doesn't Dumbledore have any pity? You have to go back to the Dursleys? Really?" the redhead asked with a grimace and a sympathetic look.
Harry shrugged a 3rd time. "I don't really care right now. Any place without Umbridge is good enough for me. Now if you'll excuse me, I have other things to do." Harry excused himself and left for the kitchens.
Ron, Neville and Seamus looked at each other anxiously. "Blimey! I don't like this at all! It won't be the same without Harry here! Who'll protect us if there's an attack?" Ron said while gnawing at his lower lip.
Neville tried to look at the positive side with a nervous laugh. "Come on, guys! Don't look so glum! Dumbledore's here isn't he?"
Seamus nodded, trying to follow Neville's example. Ron frowned slightly but before he could open his mouth to reply, someone else beat him to it, surprising the 3 boys so much that they jumped from their respective bed.
"Dumbledore may be here, but he hasn't done much in the last 6 years we've been here. Harry did almost everything by himself and Dumbledore merely watched and congratulated him."
Ron put a hand on his chest and gave an annoyed glare at the newcomer, who sat beside him as if nothing was wrong.
"Merlin Hermione! Don't do that again! You nearly gave me a heart attack!" the redhead whined loudly.
The girl shrugged and took out a bag of Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans, plopping one in her mouth while replying with a dismissive shrug; "I'm right though. We all see Dumbledore as the greatest and all, but he hasn't done much in the past years to really help Harry. I mostly think he's the one responsible for Harry's sorrowfulness."
She had made her point, and the 3 boys stayed oddly contemplative, trying to remember any events where Dumbledore had truly helped Harry. Nothing really came in their minds.
………
He tickled the pear when no one was looking and found himself with an armful of crying house-elf. "Master Harry Potter! Dobby heard! Dobby heard! Don't go away Mister Harry Potter sir! Hogwarts won't feel as safe without Master Harry Potter! Dobby can go see Master Dumbledore and tell him Master Harry Potter didn't do anything wrong! Dobby doesn't believe Master Harry Potter is evil! Harry Potter is good!"
Harry actually chuckled and stopped Dobby before he could do anything foolish. "Don't Dobby! My…relatives aren't the nicest but it will do me some good to get out of Hogwarts for a while. I'm accumulating stress here and my magic is getting out of control. I'll have some time to relax."
Dobby nodded in understanding but still blew his nose noisily on his sleeve. "Anything Master Harry Potter wishes, Dobby will obey!"
Harry patted the bald head of the elf and smiled. "Good. Now Dobby, could you prepare a big basket of food for me? Just shrink it if it's too big please, it would be of a great help."
Dobby bobbed his head up and down and disappeared with a loud crack!, only to reappear minutes later with not one, but 2 miniature baskets. Harry didn't complain and thanked the house-elf profusely, which resulted in Dobby crying in happiness.
Harry put the 2 small baskets in his pocket and put his father's cloak on when Dobby disappeared again.
Many times he had to pull over or change corridors because Dumbledore or any other teachers were coming his way. He mentally blessed the Marauder's Map and continued to trek towards Myrtle's lavatories with only one goal in head: go back to the Chamber of Secrets…and to his own secret.
Myrtle was too busy screaming her dead heart out to even notice the hissing and opening of the entrance. Harry let himself slide in the wide tunnel and with further hissing he was back in front of the surprisingly opened hidden stone wall.
A small smile lit his face when she smiled widely at him, waving and now walking towards him in greeting. "Harry! I didn't think you would come back so soon! Is there something wrong?"
The smile that previously lit her face transformed into a worried glance and she looked at him with deep concern when the courage he had found to smile went away. He sighed deeply and ran a hand through his hair, ruffling it even more.
"Well, the good news is that I've been able to escape the vigilance of the teachers to come here to see you. The bad news is that I'm going home tonight at 7."
She gasped softly and put a hand on his shoulders to make him look at her in the eyes. He felt nervous at the contact but didn't try to pry her hands off, remembering that he was (probably) the only person she had ever touched beside her (supposed) fathers and that she had to trust him a lot if she was actually concerned for his welfare.
"Are you being sent home just because you did the right thing?!" She actually looked scared of such an idea. She probably didn't want to be alone here anymore than she already had.
Harry scoffed. "Right or wrong, it all rings the same when it comes to the ministry. But to answer your question, no, I haven't been sacked from Hogwarts. But I'll have to stay 2 weeks at my relatives" he said the word with a great deal of disdain, "so don't worry I'll be back."
She still looked worried and bit her lower lips. She truly felt lost and useless right now. Harry sighed and decided that, why not? He would try to believe her.
He gave a soft stroke at her long hair and marveled at its silkiness, while she looked at his hand as if it was the most interesting thing in the world.
"Just don't worry, Serena. I've got it all covered. Moody- the auror with the fake eye I told you about- is going to accompany me to the Dursley household and members of the Order will probably pry around the neighborhood once in a while. I'll just stay away from Dudley and Vernon (he had told her about them earlier) and study a little until things calm down. Then I'll use my father's invisibility cloak to creep away and call the Knight Bus. I'll have to cover my scar with my hair as best as I can but I can do it. I'll go to Diagon Alley with the cloak on still to check up on some book."
She eyed him curiously. "Go to Diagon Alley just to find a book? And why with your cloak?"
Harry grimaced. "Hogwarts school year is still in session. If I'm seen it'll be a scandal in the Daily Prophet the next day. Especially where I'm going: Knockturn Alley."
She gasped again and quickly stepped back. "Why would you want to go there?! This place helped ruin my father's reputation even more!"
Harry gave her the wisp of a smile. "I know it's scary, but I really need to find that book on Salazar Slytherin's life story."
She blinked and suddenly understood. "So you want to believe me then?"
Harry nodded when she looked relieved and radiant with happiness. "I do already believe in you, Serena. It's the other's version of the story I want to contradict."
When he looked at her after that declaration, he was shocked to see tears falling down her eyes. She unsuccessfully tried to wipe them all off on the long sleeve of her blood red blouse -medieval type, Harry noticed- but she laughed shakily when more trailed down her cheeks.
"Thank you. Thank you so much!" She seemed to lose her words and stuttered. "Look at me! I'm crying over the simple fact that you would do all of this for me!"
Harry smiled softly and closed his eyes, his hands going in his pockets. "It's quite understandable." He decided to change the subject to brighten their spirit.
"Did something happen while I was gone? You seemed awfully happy when I arrived."
Her eyes lit up and all traces of tears disappeared. "You won't believe what I found!" She gripped his right hand and ran to her chamber.
Harry had no choice but to follow and he was surprised to find a bump in her bed sheets. "What'cha got there?" he asked curiously.
She giggled and pulled the sheets aside to reveal an egg too big to fit in only one hand. It looked somewhat old and yellowed by time and had green spots of moss growing on it here and there.
Harry was stuck between feeling a deep sense of apprehension or disbelief. "Please don't tell me what I think it is."
She blinked at him and then swatted his shoulders playfully. "It depends on what you think it is. But if you think it's a Basilisk egg, you're right."
Now Harry didn't know what to say, he didn't know if he had to be worried, mad or stay neutral. "Are you crazy?! And who did you come across this thing anyway?"
She ignored his outburst wisely, knowing he had had a nasty experience with the previous one. "Well, I was bored this morning –my magic is only starting to reawaken inside of me- so I decided to inspect the changes in the outer chamber. I was really sad about the previous guardian of the Chamber of Secrets' fate so I only wanted to see in what he had been living in the past thousand years. I was so surprised to find this very egg just lying there, waiting to be picked up! I guess my previous Basilisk somehow knew it couldn't help but turn dark and wanted to leave something familiar for me behind. But it's just a wild guess."
Harry sighed deeply and ran a hand through his wild hair. "There was only one Basilisk, yes? So how come it has been able to lay an egg? And why do you think it'll still hatch after all these years?"
She smiled and put the warm sheet over the egg to cover it back again. "Well, some species of snakes can be asexual if needed. I admit it's rare for a Basilisk to lay an egg but I guess this one truly felt it was a necessity. As for the time it has been there, it's my guess that the environment just kept it in a stasis. Father Salazar told me he had bought the previous one when it wasn't yet hatched, and preserved in a stasis by means of magic. I'll just have to keep it warm and it'll eventually hatch, though I don't have any idea of when that will happen."
Harry nodded and decided that if she had perfect control over the first one, there weren't a lot of chances that the second wouldn't listen to her. It still felt weird to hear her call her fathers Salazar and Godric, but he would remediate that problem in Knockturn Alley, he hoped. "Oh, before I forget." He took out 2 minuscule baskets from his pockets and gave them to her.
She looked at them with interest, then back at him questioningly. "What are those for? And why have they been shrunk?"
Harry smiled and started; "I know you must surely be hungry by now. I'm sorry I didn't think of it sooner. I asked a close friend, a house-elf, to make those. I had only asked him one but I guess he overdid it a little. But since I'm going away for 2 weeks it's okay. You know the long tables we eat at in the Great Hall?"
She nodded for him to continue. "Yes, they're surely the same the students used a thousand years ago since they're preserved by the school's magic."
"Well, those 2 baskets are the equivalent of a whole table full of food."
Serena's eyes widened. 'Dear God! They must be huge!' But she smiled in apology and politely refused. "You keep them, Harry. I thank you for your consideration, it was nice of you to think about me so much, but I've already eaten."
Harry looked shocked. "You went out of the Chamber of Secrets?"
She giggled and shook her head negatively. "No. I have everything I need here. This room had been built especially for the emergencies and daddy Godric charmed the room so it could provide me for everything I might need, of course it was father Salazar who helped him enter" she specified. "And if something is missing, I'll just use my magic to get it when it'll be fully back."
Harry was happy that she wouldn't be missing anything while he was gone and sighed in relief. "Okay then. I'll keep the baskets. It's not like the Dursleys are spoiling me anyway."
She nodded and they lapsed in a comfortable silence, reveling in each other's presence. "It's beginning to be late. I should return to the 'world of the living' if I don't want to be fed Veritaserum or be assaulted by Snape with his damn occlumency. I have enough troubles as it is with Voldemort, I don't want him prying into my head either." He said half-jokingly, yet he truly didn't want to go but knew he had no choice.
He began to step away when she stopped him with a hand on his shoulder. "Harry, when you come back I'll teach you Occlumency and Legilimency," she said softly, her decision made.
He looked at her with wide eyes and his mouth slightly agape. "You'll what? You know Occlumency? But it's a dark art!"
She nodded and he now noticed how much she seemed tired and much aware of the situation. He hadn't been the only one to live a though life and he answered his own question. "Of course. You needed to know how to defend yourself."
She smiled sadly. "Exactly. Fathers taught me everything I know, and then some. I've practically read ALL the books in the library plus the darkest books. I didn't have anything else to do in that time. But I'm sure new books came out with the time and the new incantations must surely be different from mine. We'll see to it in 2 weeks. You better hurry before they get worried. I just want you to stay calm during that time, and to learn how to meditate and relax your mind. It's a pretty good exercise to begin with when you want to learn the art of blocking your mind. So it's your homework!" she said playfully, the mood brightening a little in the damp room.
Harry chuckled and nodded, for once really intending on doing what someone told him to do. If she had been Snape he wouldn't have tried anything. "Okay, professor!" He saluted, and with one last smile aimed at her he proceeded out the Chamber of Secrets, casting a Wingardium Leviosa on himself to get up the gigantic pipe that was the entrance.
As soon as he was back in the entrance hall, he was assaulted by a bunch of angry and worried teachers and a sneering Umbridge, looking like she had just lost a match (Harry hadn't been sacked after all…Harry 1- Umbridge 0!).
"Harry Potter! Where were you?! We've been waiting for you for almost 30 minutes now!!!" Minerva McGonagall grounded out with a thin set of lips.
Luckily for Harry, his Head of House had spoken up before the potions master so Severus kept his mouth shut. The students present were all watching the scene apprehensively, wondering if it was a good thing or a bad thing that Harry was going away. His attitude had scared them shitless, yes, but he had helped to protect the school all these years.
Malfoy and his Slytherin cronies were watching in a far corner with smirks on their faces and Harry only smirked back, angering the blonde boy with his boldness. After all, the green eyed boy knew something Malfoy didn't.
And Dumbledore had said he was to go back to the Dursleys, but he hadn't specified
if he was supposed to stay there at all times or not. He would go to Diagon Alley, whether they liked it or not (not that he would tell them anyway).
Harry glanced at his belongings now being reduced in size by an angry looking Moody. Harry shrugged it off. Moody was always moody. He chuckled mentally at his little joke yet his subconscious answered McGonagall's question less it looked suspicious. "I wanted to walk around Hogwarts for a while to clear my mind is all, professor McGonagall."
The Gryffindor Head of House sighed and brushed the incident aside and Albus gave him a sad look. Harry concentrated on staying neutral but he was mentally cheering. 'Take that! They completely believed my little lie! I'm getting quite good at this.'
To fake something, of course, was one of Harry's main ability he had developed after all these years. His little Slytherin side liked to come out once in a while.
"Come on, Potter! I haven't got all day! We're already late!" barked Moody, his fake magical eye spinning in its socket to watch the students behind him. Hermione ran to him and hugged him, bawling her eyes out and Snape's snort made her come out of her little bout of craziness.
She wiped her eyes on a handkerchief and backed away. "Don't worry Harry! The 2 weeks will pass rapidly and you'll be back here in no time!"
Ron nodded and patted Harry's shoulder awkwardly. "Yeah mate! Hogwarts won't be the same without you. You be careful and write to us daily okay? I'll pound those muggle relatives of yours into the ground if they try something!" Ron cracked his knuckles in emphasis, a smirk on his face.
"Of course Ron," Harry answered patiently.
'To be careful…' Harry almost snorted. He was only thinking about going to Knockturn Alley. Oh the irony!
He finally turned around to grip his precious Firebolt (Harry 2- Umbridge 0!) and looked just in time at professor Snape to see him rolling his eyes at Hermione and Ron with a look of disgust etched on his pale face. He simply ignored the potions teacher and mounted his broom, following Moody out of Hogwarts' ground limits where they would take -Harry shuddered- a Portkey.
"I'll see you soon, Serena. Be careful." Harry whispered to the wind.
"What was that, Potter?"
Harry blinked at the grouchy auror and shook his head. "Nothing."
Back in the Chamber of Secrets, a silver haired girl was staring at a half-covered egg while petting it gently. "Things will be fine Harry. You be careful."
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(breathes in relief) Another chapter done! I'm sorry again if it took too long to come out but I really had a LOT of homework to do. (I still do…)
I'm sure a couple of you guys were surprised about my little (big) egg found in the mouth of the statue! I told you not to be worried! (grins)
Well anyway, I hope you've enjoyed this longer chapter!
R&R!!!
Love ya all!
Eternal Cosmos