Chapter 10: Farewells
They all trudged up to the hospital wing, where Snape set the stretchers down on beds, and called for Madam Pomfrey. "What happened?" she asked.
"There will be time for explanations later," said Snape. "For now, just tend them. And make sure this one-" he nodded to Cody - "stays here. I must find Cornelius Fudge." And with that, he left.
Baffled, Madame Pomfrey looked at Cody. "Cody, what's happened tonight?"
The boy sighed, and shook his head, climbing up onto one of the beds. "Lots of stuff...I-I think Harry an' Hermione met some dementors. And...an' Ron mighta been Stunned. An' his leg got broke."
"Oh, dear." The healer sighed and went about tending them. She healed the claw marks from Crookshanks, and the cut on Cody's head, too, and the one on his back from the Whomping Willow. He thanked her. "You should lie down and rest," she said.
"I'm not tired, I'll rest later, I promise." No amount of convincing got him to lie down, and so they only waited.
There was silence for several minutes, and then Cody heard voices outside the door. Cornelius Fudge and Snape had returned and were talking. Snape was telling Fudge what Cody considered a highly biased and inaccurate account of the night's events. He scowled darkly, as Snape told Fudge they'd been hit with a Confundus Charm, which Cody assumed made you act weird. "We did NOT get hit by a Cer...fun...dis...whatever!" he yelled at the door.
Through the window he saw Snape's head turn in his direction, and his eyes narrow, but he said nothing. Cody seethed.
Harry woke up not long after, and opened his eyes. Cody saw him look at Hermione, who was also awake. He wondered how long they'd been lying down, pretending still to be asleep. Hermione put a finger to her lips, and Cody did not rat on them. He contented himself with glaring all kinds of daggers at Snape.
When Madame Pomfrey came back, she was carrying a huge slab of chocolate. When she saw Harry's eyes were open, she began breaking up the chocolate with a little hammer she had brought from her office. "How's Ron?" asked Harry and Hermione.
"He'll live. And as for you two, you'll be staying here until I'm satisfied you're - Potter, what do you think you're doing?"
He had sat up, grabbed his glasses, and his wand. "I need to see the headmaster."
"Potter, it's all right, they've got Black. He's locked away upstairs. The dementors will be performing the kiss any moment now."
"WHAT?"
Harry and Hermione jumped out of bed and Cody stood up on his. "They can't do that, he's a good-guy!"
Just then, the door opened, and Fudge and Snape came in. Worried, Fudge told him that Harry should be in bed, and asked Madame Pomfrey if he had had any chocolate. But Harry interrupted, trying desperately to tell Fudge that Black was innocent. Fudge maintained that he had everything under control, and Harry argued, telling him they had the wrong man!
"He didn't kill anyone!" Cody said. "He got framed!"
"You see, Minister?" Snape said, as they tried to explain the story. "Confunded. Black's done a very good job on them."
"We're not confunded!" Harry yelled, at which point Madame Pomfrey started trying to force him back into his bed. Angrily, Harry swallowed the chocolate she shoved into his mouth, and got out of bed once more.
The door opened then, and Dumbledore walked in, and Madame Pomfrey tried to shoo him out. But he apologized, saying he had to speak to Hermione and Harry about Sirius Black.
Snape sneered. "I suppose he's told you the same fairy tale he's planted into Potter's mind? Something about a rat, and Pettigrew being alive?"
"That, indeed, is Black's story."
"And does my evidence count for nothing?" Snape growled. "Peter Pettigrew was not in the Shrieking Shack, nor did I see any sign of him on the grounds."
Snape wouldn't listen to the explanations, but it seemed that Dumbledore would. He asked everyone to leave, over the protests of Madame Pomfrey. She was nice enough, Cody figured, but jeez, they weren't that fragile!
After some brief protests, Snape followed the others out of the room. Once they had all gone, Cody, Hermione, and Harry burst into explanations of what had really happened. But he interrupted them, and asked them to listen, and not interrupt. They did, eventually. At first it seemed as though all hope was lost, especially when Dumbledore said that Siruis had not acted like an innocent man. But Dumbledore believed them.
"What we need," said Dumbledore, looking right at Hermione. "Is more time."
"But-" Apparently, Hermione knew no more about this than anyone else did. But then her eyes got huge, and Cody could almost hear the click in her brain as things fell into place. "OH!"
"Now pay attention," said Dumbledore, his words low and distinct. "Sirius is locked in Professor Flitwick's office, on the seventh floor. Thirteenth window from the right of the West Tower. If all goes well you will be able to save more than one innocent life tonight. But remember this: you must not be seen. Miss Granger, you know the law - you know what's at stake. You...must...not...be...seen." Cody felt a chill at his words.
Dumbledore strode to the door, and told him that he was going to lock them in. "It is...five minutes to midnight. Miss Granger, three turns should do it. Good luck."
Harry looked utterly baffled. "Good luck? Three turns? What's he talking about? What're we supposed to do?"
But Hermione wasn't listening, she was taking something out of the front of her robes. "Harry come here, quick. Cody? I'm not sure if I can fit you in here. If you can't, you'll have to stay behind."
Cody frowned, and came over to stand next to her. She was holding a tiny hourglass, on a gold chain around her neck. Cody looked at it dubiously. He thought fast for a few moments, but decided, in the end, to stay. He didn't want to get in the way, and if he messed up now, here, he'd mess things up but good. "It's okay," he said. "I'll stay here, tell me everything after, okay?"
Hermione smiled distractedly and ruffled his hair. "Absolutely. Okay," she said to Harry. "Ready?"
"What are we doing?" came the reply. But Hermione didn't answer just then. She threw the chain over Harry's head, twisted the little hourglass over three times...and they disappeared.
Cody grinned climbed into bed. He looked nervously at Madame Pomfrey's office, but she did not emerge. He sighed, and lay down on the bed, getting a few moments' worth of rest. He suddenly felt exhausted. And boy, did he want a shower!
It wasn't three minutes later when he heard voices in the hallway, and the door opened to reveal Harry, Hermione, and Dumbledore. Dumbledore caught Cody's eye and smiled, before leaving them once more. Cody gave Harry and Hermione an expectant look and Harry grinned widely. Cody giggled, and gave an ecstatic thumbs-up.
Madame Pomfrey was in a less-than-chipper mood. She stormed out of her office, asking if she was allowed to look after her patients, now. She gave them all chocolate, and Harry and Hermione ate theirs quietly. Cody frowned a bit. "But I didn't fight dementors," he said.
"I don't care, eat it anyway!"
Whoops, Cody thought. Definitely not a time to cross her! And anyway, wasn't it silly to refuse chocolate? He took a large piece and was still working on it when a faint cry of fury was heard above. Cody hid his grin behind his melting chocolate. A barrage of angry voices made its way toward the hospital wing, and Madame Pomfrey became quite agitated. Feeling completely happy, Cody simply sat, ate his chocolate, and listened.
He heard Fudge say something about Disapparating, and then Snape screaming nearly at the top of his lungs that he did not Apparate, that people could not Apparate or Disapparate from Hogwarts. That it had something to do with Potter...
Cody looked up in mild surprise as Snape, Dumbledore, and Fudge busted into the hospital wing. He finished his chocolate, and took the second piece that Madame Pomfrey shoved into his hands.
"OUT WITH IT, POTTER!" Snape screamed. Cody noticed that Dumbledore looked highly amused, and he and Cody exchanged a knowing grin. "WHAT DID YOU DO?"
Madame Pomfrey shrieked at him. "Professor Snape! Control yourself!"
All in all, the hospital wing was not a very quiet place.
Fudge was taken aback by Snape's fury. "See here Snape, be reasonable. This door's been locked, we just saw-"
"They helped him escape, I know it!" Snarled Snape, looking quite crazed.
Fudge was staring at the angry (or was it mad?) Professor in astonishment. "Calm down, man! You're talking nonsense!"
"You don't know Potter!" shrieked Snape. "He did it, I know he did it!"
Cody looked at Snape with a feigned look of worry, and looked at Cornelius Fudge. "Maybe he got hit with a Confuders...Charm...maybe Madame Pomfrey should look at him?" He looked innocently up as Snape turned an evil glare his way. Cody thought he might have seen some steam coming out of his ears. He heard a muffled snort of laughter from Hermione's direction.
"That will do, Severus," Dumbledore said finally. "Think about what you are saying. This door has been locked since I left the wing. Madame Pomfrey, have these students left their beds?"
"Of course not! I would have heard them!"
"Well, there you have it, Severus," said Dumbledore calmly. "Unless you are suggesting that Harry and Hermione are able to be in two places at once, I'm afraid I don't see any point in troubling them further."
Snape glared at the lot, seething, his gaze going from one person to the other. Cody pretended to be highly interested in his chocolate. Finally, the Slytherin teacher turned on his heel and stormed out.
Fudge seemed concerned that Snape was mentally unbalanced. Dumbledore said Snape had simply suffered a severe disappointment.
"He's not the only one!" said Fudge. "The Daily Prophet's going to have a field day! We had Black cornered and he slipped through our fingers yet again! All it needs now is for the story of that hippogriff''s escape to get out, and I'll be a laughingstock!" Cody snorted, and went, luckily, unheard. Too late, he thought. "Well, I'd better go notify the Ministry."
"And the dementors?" Dumbledore asked. "They'll be removed from the school, I trust?"
"Oh yes, they'll have to go. Never dreamed they'd attempt to administer the kiss on an innocent boy." Cody's eyes widened, realizing that he was talking about Harry. You shouldn't have Dark magic creatures around then, you big jerk! Cody thought. Fudge said he would pack them up and send them back to the prison. "Perhaps we should think about dragons at the school entrance."
Cody giggled. "Hagrid would like that," said Dumbledore as the two men left. Boy, would he!
Once they were gone, there was a groan from Ron's bed. He sat up, rubbing his head, and looking disconcerted. "What - what happened? Harry? Why are we in here? Where's Sirius? Where's Lupin? What's going on?"
Harry and Hermione looked at each other. "You explain," said Harry.
And so she did. She went through what had happened after Ron had been knocked out, and told the entire story about going back in time, saving Buckbeak without making Hagrid take the blame. She told about Harry's Patronus, and how they'd flown up to get Sirius out of the office.
Cody told them what happened with Snape, and how convinced he was that Sirius and Lupin were guilty. Cody sighed. "I dunno if he really thinks that or if he just hates him that much. I mean how could you hate someone that much that you'd do something so awful to them like that when they were innocent? I mean...I...definitely know how he coulda been a -" He broke off. He had been very close to saying "A Death Eater", but did not. Instead he finished with, "a Slytherin." He scowled down at his green and silver tie (still just tied in a knot), loosened it, and threw it on the floor.
"Easy, mate," said Ron. "You said it yourself, it's not all Slytherins."
"Yeah. Still. Snape's still a git."
Ron had to grin, and nod. "Yeah, he sure is."
---
Cody spent much of the next day visiting with Hagrid. Hagrid told him all about Buckbeak's escape, and Cody had cheered. "I bet ol' Malfoy's all mad, too!" said Cody gleefully.
"I don't care if he is or not," said Hagrid. "I'm just glad 'e got out. An' I didn' get in trouble fer it."
"I'm glad too!" said Cody. He stood, and then stretched. "I'm gonna go splash in the lake, okay?"
It was a sure sign that Hagrid was feeling elated. He didn't even try to convince Cody that it wasn't such a hot idea. Or maybe the students were allowed to swim in the lake. Grinning, Cody exited the cabin, and went to do just that. It was a glorious, hot, summer day for once, and Cody fully intended to take advantage of it!
He splashed into the water, dogpaddling around the lake until he was in deep enough that he could not reach the bottom. That was okay though, for now he was able to stay afloat.
Cody was badly startled when something come up underneath him and pushed up against his stomach and chest, lifting him out of the water. He let out a yell of alarm as whatever it was hoisted him high in the air, and then let him drop into the water. He came up sputtering, looking wildly around for who or what had just tossed him. "Hey!" he said with a scowl. The problem was, no one was in the lake with him.
When he felt it again, his eyes widened, and he held on tight, looking down to see what it was; he caught sight of a pinkish tentacle as it disappeared back into the lake, letting Cody fall once more. The squid! The giant squid, it had to be! When he came up once more, Cody stared down into the water in shock, wondering if he should be afraid or not. He knew there was a giant squid in the lake, but was he friendly to students? He had heard nothing about any attacks on the students, and hadn't he heard the Weasley twins talking about tickling its tentacles once?
More curious now than alarmed, Cody looked into the waters, trying to catch a glimpse of the squid, and laughed as a tentacle came up once more to lift him up. Once he realized what was going on, it was fun! He yelled as he landed back in the water a third time, giggling as he came up. He would have to come out here more often. Surely squids did not get a whole lot of visitors!
Cody might have gone on playing in the lake with the squid
all day, if not for the fact that he caught sight of Professor Lupin heading
towards the gate, carrying his suitcase. Cody blinked, scrambling
out of the lake, and then sprinted over to him. "Professor! You're
leaving?"
Looking down in surprise, the professor looked down and
smiled. "I was looking for you, child. Thought I'd have to leave
without saying goodbye."
"But-but...you're leaving!"
"I'm afraid so."
"Wh-why?"
"Well, Professor Snape - weren't you there? He told the whole of Slytherin house about me being a werewolf."
Cody's mouth dropped open. "N-no, I was in hospital."
"Well, he did tell them. Parents won't want me teaching their kids, knowing I'm a werewolf, I'm afraid. And I'd just as soon avoid any unpleasantness. The way people think on werewolves, things could get bad."
Cody bit his lip, fighting tears, and put his arms around Lupin's waist, as if to hold him there. "I don't want you to go, though!" His voice was muffled by Lupin's ragged robes.
The man sighed, put down his luggage, and picked Cody up, soaking wet or not. "I have to, Cody. Even Dumbledore won't really be able to keep me here once word gets out."
"But-but I won't see you again!"
"Of course you will, it's not like I'm leaving the earth, you know." He chuckled, and gave Cody a quick hug, then set him down on the ground. "I'll keep in touch, I promise, and you do the same, okay? I want to hear that you've gotten straight passing grades in Defense Against the Dark Arts."
Cody sniffed, and wiped his eyes, and only managed to nod. And then, after ruffling the boy's hair, Lupin was gone through the gates. Cody watched him for several moments, then turned around and headed inside.
Cody commiserated with the rest of the Defense Against the Dark Arts class about Lupin. It wasn't just that he was an awesome teacher. He was, but it was more than that. Cody liked him, a great deal - and he missed him. He spent most of the end of term in a mild blue funk. Harry let him fly his Firebolt one morning, which cheered him up a bit. (He nearly crashed it twice, so fast was it, and he could barely control it in the air). He decided he liked his Nimbus far better! He also gave Crookshanks good kick in the hindquarters, something that got Hermione angry at him, but made Cody feel a whole lot better! After that, he could make peace with the blasted animal. Mostly.
When the exam results came in, Cody found he had passed everything, though in Herbology and Potions, the marks were so low that had he done any worse, he would have failed them. He found Neville and thanked him for his help with Herbology, knowing that had it not been for his assistance Cody probably would have failed it.
At the train station the next day, Cody stood with Harry, Hermione, and Ron. His neon green trunk and Merlin's cage sat next to him, his broom was clutched in his hand. He heard Hermione tell the others she was turning in the Time Turner. Ron got on her case for not having told him and Harry, and Hermione said she's promised not to.
When Cody came out of his own thoughts, Ron was telling Harry that he would call him over the holidays. He stifled a snicker when he claimed to know how to use a "fellytone".
"A telephone, Ron," said Hermione. "Honestly, you should take Muggle Studies next year!" Cody wondered what it would be like to have been raised in such an atmosphere of magic that he didn't know about normal Muggle stuff.
"It's the Quidditch World Cup this summer!" said Ron. "How about it, Harry? Come and stay, and we'll go and see it! Dad can usually get tickets from work!"
A slow smile spread over Harry's face. "Yeah...I bet the Dursleys'd be pleased to let me come. Especially after what I did to Aunt Marge."
Ron ruffled Cody's hair as the Hogwarts Express arrived in a cloud of steam and a din of noise. "I can ask Dad if you can come too, Cody, if you want."
Cody's eyes got very big as he looked up at Ron. "No way!" he cried. "Really?"
Ron grinned. "Really. I mean we're gonna have nine of us, plus Harry and Hermione, might as well. How old are you?"
"Eight," said Cody. "Er, nine, I mean." It was easy to forget about birthdays when you were at Hogwarts!
"Great! That means that you'd be half price, anyway. Dad should be able to get your ticket for free."
Cody laughed delightedly and hugged Ron around the waist. "That'd be awesome! Thanks!" He was grinning as he boarded the train.
He told the others he was gonna spent the trip with Kathy Skinner and Kyle Tiller, as it would likely be the last time he saw them. Ron said he'd write to Cody about the World Cup, and Cody promised he would write to everyone over the summer.
And then he sought out his friends.
Turned out that Kathy and Kyle were sharing the same compartment, and welcomed Cody to come in and sit down. They were alone, which got Cody thinking they might have been getting mushy. It was a lucky thing Cody had been there to stop them! "Hey, kid," said Kathy. "Interesting year, huh?"
Cody nodded. "Yeah! It was fun."
"You like Runes, then?"
"Yeah! There's all kinds of creepy magic, and earth magic, and all that ancient stuff. It's cool, I like it."
"I took that my third year," said Kyle. "I dropped it after fifth year though, after I made a mistake during exams."
"What happened?" Kathy asked, interested.
Kyle's dark face tinged a deep red, and he chuckled. "Well I was supposed to be conjuring a handful of flame. But I switched the number runes around a little, and ended up setting the whole room on fire."
Cody gaped, as Kathy threw her head back and laughed. "Oh, wow," she said. "And I thought my mistakes during class were horrible."
Kyle grinned sheepishly as Cody also giggled. "Yeah, tell me about it. I could never remember all the glyphs and stuff, so I quit."
"Do me a favor, and don't take a job that involves runes."
"Don't worry. I won't."
"So, Cody," said Kathy. "What are you gonna do this summer?"
"Well, Ron Weasley said he's gonna ask his dad if I can go to the Quidditch World Cup!"
"Wow, that should be fun!" said Kyle.
"Yeah! I never saw a real one before, you know, not at school."
Kathy nodded. "I've been to a few professional games. We're gonna try and make the Cup also. I might see you there!"
Cody grinned. "I hope so!" He looked at the older students and his smile faded. He remembered again about how sad it was when the year ended, and he had to say goodbye to people. Especially older students, because they left school earlier. "I'm gonna miss you guys..."he said gloomily.
"Hey," said Kathy, pulling Cody up next to her and slinging an arm around his shoulders. "I'll miss you too, twerp. But we'll see each other again. The only goodbye that's forever is death."
"And maybe not even that," said Kyle.
"And besides, I'll expect owls from you."
Cody smiled, cheered a bit. "I will, I promise, but you guys have to, too."
"It's a deal."
Cody spent the rest of the trip playing Gobstones and Exploding Snap with the two seventh-years. Three-fourths or so through the trip, Cody sought out Flint to say goodbye to him, as well, as he didn't think that even Flint would fail his N.E.W.T.s twice.
And then, the train stopped at King's Cross. He caught a glimpse of Ron and Harry saying goodbye to each other, and of Harry's horrible uncle and aunt. And then he was off to catch the Knight Bus. He was happy to be going home.
But he also could not wait until next year.