Chapter Twenty One
Hermione, Peabody and Blackmoore stood watching in horror. As soon as Voldemort realized what Harry had done, he also changed into his animagi form; the black panther. Together they attacked with claw and fang. A tremendous noise of growling and snarling erupted from each of them. The tiger, although smaller, was fiercer. The beautiful white coat, however was quickly becoming stained red with blood.
"Stop them! Oh, somebody stop them!" Hermione was screaming.
Blackmoore had Peabody by the back of the cloak off the ground while he was swimming with all of his might; his hands flailing, his feet kicking, trying to reach them. He was also shouting, "Harry! Harry!"
The animals broke and then charged again, a flurry of black and white bodies rolling and twisting on the floor. There were gnashing teeth and claws flying in every direction.
Suddenly, a black shape swept into the room. It was Snape. Hermione saw him.
"Do it now Professor! Change him now!" Hermione withdrew her wand and the two of them pointed and shouted at the same time.
"MORARI CONFINIS," Hermione screamed.
"ABI IN MALAM REM," Snape shouted.
Their spells hit the target. At once Voldemort began to change back to his human form and then, writhing in fury, he retreated into his animal form. Caught between the two, he spun on his feet and rolled away from Harry. Blackmoore let go of Peabody who ran over and cast a spell to surround the writhing, growling creature in a cage.
Hermione was on her knees next to the white tiger who lay panting and bleeding profusely. She looked over at Snape who was examining the creature with his eyes.
"Help him change," she pleaded. "He's been hurt too badly and he doesn't have the energy. Don't let him die like this."
Snape waved his wand once again and the beautiful animal before them changed into a living breathing Harry.
He had a gash across his chest and tears and bite marks on his arms and shoulders. He was awake and gasping. "Did we do it?"
Hermione was weeping and holding his head. "Yes, we did it. He's caught in the 'inbetween'." Harry nodded. She looked over at Snape, pleading, "Please you've got to help him."
"It's alright, Miss Granger," a voice said from the doorway. "I've brought help." Albus Dumbledore stepped into the room and behind him was Poppy. She rushed to them and knelt beside Harry.
"My goodness, Mr. Potter," she exclaimed. "You do manage to get yourself into a mess. We've got to get you to hospital."
"Not now Poppy," Albus said leaning over them. "Just stop the bleeding for now."
Harry stared at him, and stuttered, "Pro...Professor?"
"Yes, Harry," Dumbledore nodded gravely. "Now you must make a choice, Harry. You must decide. Voldemort is caught between animal and beast. His human mind is trapped in an animal body. You must decide whether to kill him or not."
"Can't it wait, Professor," Hermione cried. "He's…he's badly hurt."
Dumbledore placed his hand on her shoulder. "He will live I think, but this cannot wait."
"Mr. Snape, will you give me my mother's wand; it's over there, I dropped it," Harry said and gestured weakly to the other side of the room. His hand dripped blood in the direction he pointed.
The man walked over and picked up the wand. He returned and handed it to Harry who took it and grasped it to his chest. He once again looked at Snape, "Will you help me?"
Snape leaned over and helped him to his feet. Together, they walked to the cage where a black panther with an almost human countenance snarled back at them.
"I'm going to let my mother's wand make the choice," Harry said. "If it kills him, then so be it. If it doesn't then we will let him live. It has her energy in it and not mine." Harry looked up at the faces surrounding him. "If he lives, he will live a horrific life but it is no more than he deserves. If I were to kill him by another means, then dark magic would rule my life. Granddad, am I right in believing that he cannot change from this form now?" Harry looked over at his worried grandfather. Peabody was literally wringing his hands.
"No, Harry, there is nothing anyone can do for him now," Peabody answered, staring in horror at the part animal, part-human.
"Very well. Stand back Professor Snape," Harry raised the wand, and with all the strength that remained he shouted, AVADA KEDAVRA! and then passed out.
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Madam Pomphrey kept him in the hospital wing the first two weeks of school primarily because she couldn't keep visitors away and even small visits tired him out. Hermione and Ron kept constant vigil through the night and during the day. He often had someone sitting in a chair next to the bed as he slept. It was usually the new Defense Against the Darks Arts teacher, Humphrey Raleigh Peabody.
Harry lay heavily bandaged in the bed he had occupied so often in the past and was sleeping.
A tall figure stepped into the room and crossed to the foot of the bed. Peabody glanced up, nodded and left the room. The figure reached over and laid a hand on Harry's wrist and felt for his pulse. It was strong and steady. He went to withdraw it when Harry's other hand reached over and held it in place. Harry opened his eyes.
"I didn't think you would come and see me," he said sleepily.
"I've come to see if you are ready to do a little homework, Mr. Potter," the deep voice replied. "You are two weeks behind already."
Harry stared up and then rolled and almost reached his glasses before the hand took them and placed them on his face. Snape then stood back his hands folded in front of him and waited.
"Professor," Harry said and pulled himself painfully into a sitting position. "No one will tell me…"
"He died, Mr. Potter. Even in death Lily Potter could show only mercy," Snape interrupted to answer the question he knew was coming. "You need not worry about him again."
Harry nodded. "Hermione tricked me. I didn't know she'd taken Sirius' mirror from my trunk. I didn't know she was going to call for you. But I'm glad she did."
"Miss Granger is an excellent student Mr. Potter…."
"Would you mind calling me Harry," he asked, watching the face. "Just while I'm in here."
"Harry." Snape didn't move. He continued talking as if he had not been interrupted, "You put too much faith in her abilities. The Dark Spell used to keep Voldemort from changing was actually a reverse spell. The spell itself means 'Change'. However, the exact wording means 'Go to the Devil'. You were partly right when you read about it in Peabody's study. Only a muggle-born can the speak the words Morari Confinis which means 'stay the same'. The two combined together- Change and Stay will cause the morphing to cease and leave the animagi caught in the 'in-between'."
Harry listened and nodded. "Hermione knew."
He continued, "What you failed to understand is that the words cannot be spoken by one person. Miss Granger was wise in asking me to join her there to speak the other words with her." Snape remained motionless at the side of his bed. His facial expression didn't change when he said, "Perhaps this will be a warning to not delve into the Dark Arts. It takes years of study and is very dangerous."
Harry listened but was curious about what was really going on in the man's mind. He knew the Potion's Master was nervous. "Professor?"
"Yes…Harry," Snape said it in a monotone.
"Thank you," Harry reached out and his hand was caught by the other. "I think my mother would have been very grateful that you helped me." Harry pulled the wand out from beneath the covers and handed it to Snape. "I want you to have this." Snape took it from his hand with some hesitation. It was Harry's mother's wand.
Snape held it gently and caressed the smooth surface. He nodded and slipped it into his pocket without speaking.
"Harry!" Hermione and Ron cried out as they came around the edge of the curtain.
"Oh hello, Professor!" Hermione said. "Happy to see you sir." She smiled at Harry and then leaned over and brushed his cheek with her lips. "Day after tomorrow they are having a ceremony. You must be up by then."
Ron grinned and added, "They are giving you the order of Merlin First Class! Fudge is going to do it here at the school."
Harry looked at them and then Snape. Hermione caught his eye and said, "Fudge is also awarding the Order of Merlin First Class to Professor Snape and to me, and the Order of Merlin Third Class to Remus, and Ron. Hannah has disappeared somewhere with her family or she would have gotten one, too." She sat on the edge of the bed and smiled at him. Harry smiled too as he watched his Professor blush!
To cover his embarrassment, Snape managed to turn his face into a scowl and say, "By the way Mr. Weasley, Draco Malfoy has avoided me as if I had contracted the plague. Just what was it you said to him on the train while you were impersonating me?"
Ron grinned and replied, "I told him that I had wanted to say something to him for a very long time. I told him I was sweet on him and wanted to know if we could date."
Harry and Hermione stared at Ron in astonishment and then burst out laughing. Snape turned on his heels and left the room.
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Ten minutes before noon the next day, Harry stood at the window with Dumbledore and stared out at the lawns. Gaily decorated tents were pitched all over the grass and not only the students and their families were scattered below but hundreds of other people. Cornelius Fudge was standing behind a curtain that separated a back stage area from a podium where he would be giving a speech.
Harry noticed a number of people he recognized, including the whole Weasley family, a dozen red-heads bobbing in the crowd.
Dumbledore stood at his side and remained silent.
"Are we safe do you think, Professor?" Harry asked.
The older man stared out and then turned to him, "I don't know Harry. I'm an old man and I think I've seen too many Voldemort's in my life. Perhaps we will have some peace. It's hard to say. Anyway, it's time for you to get on with your life." He patted Harry on the back. "Take your time. Come down when you're ready, they will wait for you." He headed down the aisle through the empty hospital ward.
Harry continued to stare out the window, the panes of glass filtering the noise from below so that the room was quiet. He didn't hear her enter.
"Hello, Chavo." Hannah stood in the doorway. Her melodious voice resounded in the empty room. "I see that you are alive and well, I hope."
Harry smiled before turning. Hannah! he thought, with pleasure"So you did come," he said and then turned back to the window. "Did you come to receive your award?"
She walked barefoot through the ward, the tiny tinkling of bells the only sound in the room. She stood next to him and looked out over the crowd and frowned. "No, Harry. Who cares about such things. I come with my family. When a Roma travels, many come with them. Today we will celebrate. We will sing and dance." She stood close to him, her shoulder touching his. She slipped a warm soft hand into his and squeezed it. "And then we will travel and see what there is to see."
"Don't you think Severus would be upset if he saw you with me?" Harry asked.
She grinned and whispered, "Yes." and then sobered and said, "He has only one love that he holds in his heart and she is dead. He can love no other."
"Hannah," Harry protested. "He does love you. How can you not know that?"
She shrugged. "Perhaps. It remains a mystery, yes? What is in another's heart?" She smiled and placed a hand over his heart. Harry could feel the heat of it through his shirt.
"It doesn't matter if he loves me because I love him and that is enough. He will be here when I return. This place will be here when you return."
She took him by the hand. "Come. We will run down through the grass in our bare feet and hide from the speechmakers. You will feel freedom as you have never felt it before. The darkness that follows you will be gone. Come, Chavo," she urged, teasing him and pulling him towards the door. "The road waits for you."
He hesitated, looked out at the hundreds of people and slowly kicked off his shoes and socks, dropped his robe, his tie and peeled back the cuffs on his shirt and said, "Lead the way, Hannah."
Latcho Drom (Safe Journey)
Natasha