Prophecy Repeated, chapter twelve.
Disclaimer:-
Harry Potter belongs to J.K.Rowling, her various publishers and Warner Brothers. This story and any new characters belong to me.
RECAP.
Gail is seriously ill. Could she really be allergic to her own magic?
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Gail was having one of her bad days. Some days the pain was less and she didn't need any pain-killing charms or potion, but today wasn't one of them. Even with both the charm and the potion, she was sweating with the pain.
"Harry, I can't bear to see her like this. Is there anything we can give her to remove her magic?"
If Harry was shocked, he tried not to show it. "Florence will know. And if she doesn't, Hermione can find out." That almost made Ginny giggle, as Harry had intended. Hermione's talent for researching until she found out something was legendary, even outside of Hogwarts.
As Florence had been dealing with Gail every day, and was obviously upset at Gail's continued suffering, Harry had expected her to be receptive to Ginny's idea. He was wrong. "There is a potion rumoured to do that. It's only used by some dark families, so I don't know it and wouldn't even know where to find it. If I did, I don't think I would use it."
"Not even to end her pain, Florence?" Harry asked pointedly.
"I know this is harder for you than it is for me," Florence tried to explain, "but this feels wrong. You more than anyone know how much she wanted her magic. And on top of that, I just feel..." Florence faltered.
"Feel what?"
"Like there's more to this than we know. In all my years, I've never heard of someone's own magic turn on them. I'm not sure it's possible. Spells backfire, yes. Your defeat of Voldemort was a prime example."
For a moment Harry felt a surge of pride, not so much at his defeating Voldemort, but that the witch could say the name without fear. Even after all this time, many could not. His wandering thoughts almost made him laugh as he thought of another backfiring spell which had left Ron belching slugs.
Forcing himself back to the present, he said, "Sorry. My mind was wandering for a moment. You were saying?"
"I just feel like we should trust her magic."
"How long? Until it kills her?" Harry asked bitterly.
At first, Florence did not answer. "It won't," she said firmly. "Whatever is happening, she's not getting worse. She's levelled out."
"So we just let her suffer?" snapped Harry angrily and walked away, feeling slightly guilty that he was being unfair to Florence.
Hermione's reaction to the idea of removing Gail's magic somehow was as negative as Florence's had been. "I'm sorry, Harry. I can't help you do that. I could probably find the potion, I but I won't."
"Why Hermione?"
"One. I think Florence is right, it feels right, to trust Gail's magic. Two, like it or not, Gail is part of the prophecy. If you somehow manage to remove her magic, you don't know what it will do. Perhaps it will mean that Lucius won't defeat his father. I love Gail too," Hermione cried, "but we just can't take that risk."
At the thought of returning to tell Ginny what Florence and Hermione had said, Harry wanted to feel angry at them, but he couldn't. He had a nagging feeling that they were right. He just didn't want to admit that right now.
The term went on as normal. Harry was proud to see that the students really were becoming a formidable group now. If Minister Collins or his lackeys did attack any of them, at worst it would be a fight the Minister would never forget. And he felt confident that nobody would be able to mount a successful attack on Hogwarts, as Voldemort had almost succeeded in doing.
Two huge questions remained. What could they do about Gail? And what should he tell Lucius?
Lucius. There was a mystery. He had continued to visit Gail more than anyone as the time went on. Hermione caught him one day to ask him why. "You don't have to sit by her bed that much, just because of a life debt, you know. She'd still want you to live your life, even if she can't."
"Is that what you think?" he had replied, surprisingly angry. "You don't understand."
"Then help me," Hermione asked him.
"She... Gail..." he started, as if there had been any doubt about whom they were talking, "was my first friend." At Hermione's startled reaction, he continued. "The first friend who wanted me. Everyone else hung around me because of who I was, or because of fear. Gail didn't. She was never afraid of me. She'd answer back when she disagreed with me. I know I tricked her into being my friend at first, but it was real to her. Even after she knew, and I know that really hurt her, she didn't back off. I'm so scared I'll lose her." Lucius straightened up suddenly. "I'm rambling. Forget it."
"You're human," Hermione replied. "Someone special to you is suffering and you can't help them. That feels awful, I know."
"I just wish I could take some of her pain sometimes, you know?"
"Just let her know you're there for her. As you are doing."
"It doesn't feel enough."
"It never does."
When Lucius was in class or with the others outside of class, he had changed. Gone was the arrogance. Perhaps having to deal with something so painful where neither power not position could help had taken that from him. But he had also softened. Hermione had watched the hard shell which kept him apart slowly crumble. Others had seen it too. Lucius was no longer automatically the leader in Slytherin, as he had been previously, despite his age, but those around him now were the ones who wanted to be around him. Many of them were also Gail's friends.
When Harry and Ginny had been angry with her for still refusing to help find a potion for Gail, Hermione had mentioned this. "Have you seen Lucius lately?"
"Lucius?" cried Ginny. What's he got to do with this?"
"He's the reason we're here, remember?" asked Hermione sternly.
Ginny looked like she was about to retort something, but didn't. Harry's guilty look told Hermione that she'd hit home with him at least.
"Gail's illness, for want of a better word, has changed him. You must see that. He's not the same person he was a year ago. From what I've heard he doesn't even use the word mudblood any more. He's caring, and not just for Gail. I hate to say this Harry, but he reminds me of you."
"Me? Why?" Harry wasn't sure whether to be insulted or not.
"He reminds me of a lost hurting boy, trying to find his own way. His heart is good, like yours was, despite his background and upbringing. It just took Gail to bring it out. Well," she admitted, "that and his father trying to kill him."
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The Easter break was not much different to the Christmas one. Gail remained in bed most of the time, but this time Lucius stayed with her whenever he could, until Florence chased him outside to get some sun or something.
"Lucius?" asked Gail quietly one afternoon. "Can I ask you something?"
"Sure," he replied more casually than he felt.
"Can you take me flying? I still haven't done it." Not only had Gail been the only one in her class not to have been able to fly by the end of the lesson, she hadn't even been able to successfully command her broom to lift off the ground.
Lucius was taken aback by her request and she immediately said, "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have asked..."
"Shut up, Gail. Of course I'll take you."
Gail squealed so loud in excitement that it brought Florence running to see what the problem was. When they were alone again, Lucius said, "We'll have to plan it so we can sneak you out without anyone knowing."
Gail grinned at the thought, and a strange feeling went through Lucius at the sight of that.
With Harry and the rest of the staff busy with preparation for the year's final exams (even Ron had been roped in to help by Hermione), it was easier than they thought to find a time to sneak out. They'd only had to wait a few days.
Lucius had brought a cloak for Gail to wear over her nightdress, but the day was warm enough for her not to need it.. "Put it on anyway," he insisted. "It gets cold when you are flying fast."
Her grin at the thought of him going fast with her was enough reward already for this, he couldn't help thinking, wondering how he could ever have despised the girl.
Florence had gone down to the gardens and greenhouses to select more ingredients to make her potions, so Lucius thought that they had at least an hour. He carefully picked her up, trying to ignore her gasp of pain as he did so, placed her in her chair and wheeled her to the floo and they came out in the entrance hall. "At least the cloak kept the soot off your nightdress," he laughed as he flicked some soot from her nose.
To retaliate she went to flick some soot from his face, but just rubbed it in instead. "It should have been round your eyes," she complained. "You'd make a good panda."
Silently he wheeled her outside and towards the broom shed where he's previously put his broom. Normally, like most students with their own broom, he kept his broom in his dorm, but it was easier to have it ready in the broom shed.
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They didn't know it, but Gail was being talked about, even while the staff were trying to concentrate on the exams.
"Has anyone else noticed, or is it just me, but Gail seems happier the last few days?"
Hermione's slight irritation at Ginny distracting them all from their work was tempered by the fact that Ginny actually seemed happy about Gail. Ginny hadn't really forgiven Hermione yet for her refusal to help remove Gail's magic, so to hear her saying something good about Gail's condition was more encouraging than it would have been otherwise.
"It's true," said Ron. "She's actually had a smile on her face, even for me." Gail's relationship with Ron hadn't been as good since his initial angry reaction to Gail being sorted into Slytherin. After he and Hermione had spent so much time with Lucius over Christmas, he had to admit that the boy, young man, had definitely changed, Slytherin or not, and Ron had made a great effort to repair his relationship with Gail.
"Yeah," said Harry. "At times she seems so happy that if it was Ginny, I'd think she was plotting something."
"Ha Ha," responded Ginny, kicking her husband until the table, then, "You don't think she is, do you?"
"Even Gail can't do much lying in bed in the hospital wing," said Harry.
"Especially with 'Eyes Everywhere Florence' keeping watch," laughed Ron.
They might have changed their mind if they could have seen Lucius gently lifting Gail from her chair onto his broom.
"Hold tight," he told her.
Gail didn't need telling. There was enough fear mixed with her excitement to make her grasp Lucius around the chest so tightly he had to ask her, "Not quite THAT tight. I need to breathe."
"Sorry."
"Ready."
She nodded, then realised that he couldn't see her nod and said, "I'm ready."
Slowly the broom swept into the air. Lucius didn't want to take any chances with his precious 'cargo' and was taking it easy.
"Higher! Faster!" cried Gail.
"You sure?"
"Yes, yes."
The broom sailed through the quidditch hoops and high over the pitch, then Lucius decided to circle Hogwarts, to show her the castle from all angles.
Suddenly he heard a voice booming at him. "Lucius Collins. Meet me at the main entrance right now."
"I got you in trouble," said Gail, guiltily.
"It's okay," he replied. "I'll take you straight back to the hospital wing, then go down there."
"No you won't. He'll be easier on you if I'm there too, especially as it was my idea."
Lucius wasn't so sure about that, but the idea of facing an angry Harry Potter alone was not a pleasant one.
They didn't have long to wait. Harry came storming out of the main doors, "What the hell did you think you were doing?"
"Stop! It's not his fault," cried Gail.
"Of course it is."
"It was my idea."
"I don't care. He's older. I expect him to be responsible." Harry turned to Lucius. "I'm removing your flying priv..."
"Harry!" Harry was interrupted by a voice from behind. "We need to talk. Now."
Harry glared angrily at Ginny, then turned back to Lucius. "You two. Wait here. Don't move until I get back." Then he followed Ginny into the castle.
"Harry. Gail's been happier these last few days than we've seen her for months. Don't take this away from her."
Harry's argument was flattened in a moment. Ginny was right. They'd only just been talking about it.
"They should have asked," he replied feebly.
"And we'd have said no," said Ginny. "You know we would. And if we didn't, Florence would have."
Lucius and Gail hadn't moved when Harry followed Ginny back outside.
"Did you enjoy it?" Ginny asked Gail softly.
Quickly grasping that Ginny wasn't angry, Gail replied, "It was great, Mum. In fact, great doesn't even come close."
"You," said Harry to Lucius. "Next time you take her flying, tell us what you're doing."
Lucius was amazed he seemed to be getting off without any kind of punishment. "Yes, sir."
"We can go again?" cried Gail, "Yippee."
Ginny laughed at her ten year old, who suddenly seemed about five years old at that moment.
"Now take Gail back to the hospital wing before Florence finds out," instructed Harry.
Without a reply, Lucius sailed upwards, heading for the big open window at one end of the hospital wing, unaware that Florence was already back in her office and had been watching them from her window with a smile on her face.
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Author's note...
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