Chapter 36
All in all there was a relaxed and happy atmosphere at the Gryffindor table during the Halloween feast. Eliza was feeling much calmer since the talk with Professor Lupin earlier in the day and even Harry seemed to have had his bad mood satisfied by the delicious food. Ron and Hermione had bought them a whole bag full of sweets to share, and Lavender (giggling madly) had bought Eliza a pair of identical socks to the ones she kept stealing in the night, even Eliza joined in the laughter.
As the group made their way back up to the common room the main discussion between them was whether Eliza would still steal Lavenders socks. Fred Weasley had a 4 galleon bet with his twin that she wouldn't and by the time they reached the Gryffindor corridor even Eliza had placed a bet.
The discussion was brought to an abrupt end when they reached a group of fifth years waiting outside the portrait hole,
"They can't all have forgotten the password!" Said Hermione looking at the group, just then Percy Weasley came running towards them, away from the portrait of the Fat Lady.
"Somebody fetch the Headmaster! The fat lady's gone!" He looked quite flustered, especially for someone who prided themselves on being in control. One of the second years began to run back to the Great Hall and within a few minutes, the teachers arrived looking concerned.
"Mr Weasley, what is the problem?" Asked Dumbledore as he approached.
"Headmaster, The Fat Lady has gone - look her portrait has been slashed!" As he showed the Headmaster the portrait the fifth years moved away and Eliza got a glimpse. The portrait had three deep tears along the length of it and pieces of the canvas were littering the floor, Professor McGonagall gasped.
The commotion had caused a number of the ghosts to travel to the tower; Peeves looked delighted by the drama;
"She's ashamed your Headship. Doesn't want to be seen, horrible mess she is. He got angry when she wouldn't let him in, nasty temper that Sirius Black!" He sang, floating above their heads and revelling in all the attention.
The audience gasped but Dumbledore recovered quickly.
"Gryffindor's, you will be escorted to the Great Hall by Professor McGonagall where you will spend the night whilst we conduct a thorough search of the castle – go."
The students moved quickly and quietly to the Hall, Professor McGonagall had her wand out and walked so close to the twins that she kept bumping elbows with Eliza. When they arrived in the Great Hall purple sleeping bags were waiting for them.
Eliza, Harry, Ron and Hermione grabbed four and pulled them into a corner. Ron had just opened his mouth to speak when Professor McGonagall walked up to them.
"Miss Potter, you are still sleep-walking correct?" Eliza nodded wondering how the teachers had found out.
"I will fetch you a potion from the hospital wing just for tonight, just for safety reasons ... we need you ... everyone to stay in the hall." Eliza nodded and Professor McGonagall walked away.
"How does she know?" Asked Harry looking at Hermione with a strange expression,
"Don't look at me like that, Harry, I didn't tell her! There are loads of ways she could have found out, Lavender for one. Also there are portraits in the Common Room who could have seen her in the night, we don't know how far she walks, plus she always looks tired now, maybe Professor McGonagall just guessed!"
Eliza frowned at the accusation that she looked tired and Hermione avoided eye contact. She was right though, Eliza thought; the teachers probably knew pretty much everything that happened in the school.
Ten minutes later Professor McGonagall arrived with Madam Pomfrey in tow.
"Now, Miss Potter, there are a variety of potions we could try but I think in this situation we best go for the strongest, just to be safe. You may have some side effects but we can deal with those tomorrow."
"Madam Pomfrey?" Said Hermione, her brow furrowed.
"Yes, Miss Granger?"
"I did some researched last year; couldn't you just give Eliza a simple sleeping potion, or a dreamless sleep potion? They aren't that strong, are they?" Eliza was surprised that Hermione had thought to research sleep-walking when Eliza herself had not got around to it.
"That is true, Miss Granger, however, they are not always effective and also, although they induce sleep, they don't necessarily stop movement. Like I said, given the severity of the situation a stronger potion is safer."
Hermione nodded looking concerned; this did little to ease Eliza's nerves.
"It's not going make her ill or put her in a coma, is it?" Asked Harry looking at the potion bottle; Professor McGonagall looked to be hiding a smile.
"Do you really think that we would put your sister in harm, Mr. Potter? She may feel at bit rough tomorrow but we'll cross that bridge when we come to it." Said Professor McGonagall in a kind voice, when Harry did not look completely convinced she added, "We will check on her in the night, Mr. Potter!" In her usual stern tone.
Harry nodded.
Madam Pomfrey passed the potion to Eliza, the bottle looked to only hold about two mouthfuls and it was a bright blue colour. She uncorked the bottle and then hesitated looking up at everyone watching her, Ron looked away messing with his sleeping bag, but the rest of the group maintained their gaze.
"Best get into your sleeping bag first, Miss Potter and drink it in one go. I'm not going to lie to you, it's not the nicest tasting potion in the world." Said Madam Pomfrey, with a bite of impatience.
Eliza climbed into the sleeping bag and downed the potion; she felt someone remove the bottle from her hand and knew no more.
The first thing Eliza was aware of when she woke was that she was not on the floor of the Great Hall, or in her Gryffindor bed. The harsh light that greeted her when she opened her eyes told her that she was in the hospital wing. The second thing she was aware of was that her stomach felt like it had been on one of those huge rollercoaster's that Dudley always went on. She began to attempt to push herself up on the bed and realised that her legs felt like lead - this was not a good morning.
A face appeared round the curtain and the end of the cubicle and Eliza just had time to register that it was Madam Pomfrey before she threw up. Madam Pomfrey rushed in and passed her a bowl and pulled her up on the bed.
"Drink this, Miss Potter; it will help with the sickness." Madam Pomfrey thrust the small bottle into Eliza's mouth giving her no choice but to swallow. To her immense surprise it worked instantly.
"Better?" Asked the Matron.
Eliza began to nod but her head felt like it was about to roll off so she stopped.
"Right, stay there while I fetch your brother and Professor McGonagall." Eliza didn't nod, and had absolutely no desire to move from now until Christmas.
"Eliza, you're awake!" Cried Harry pulling her into a hug, she didn't resist but was very grateful when Madam Pomfrey pulled him off her.
"Be gentle, Mr. Potter, I imagine your sister is feeling rather delicate."
"Oh, sorry Eliza. I was so worried, you slept all day it's nearly dinner!"
Eliza couldn't believe she had slept all day and couldn't help the accusatory glance she cast at Madam Pomfrey; she had missed a whole day, and she still had homework to finish!
"Apologies, Miss Potter. The potion had a much stronger effect on you than we anticipated. The rest of the effects should wear off in the next few hours but I feel it would be better if you stayed in the hospital wing until… let's say, Wedneday."
"Why?" Said Harry, catching the outraged look on his sister's face. It was Professor McGonagall who answered.
"Well Mr. Potter, for one thing we want to make sure that the side-effects are completely gone before she returns to class, for example she may be drowsy and cause a potion accident which I'm sure Professor Snape would not be thrilled about ..."
Harry and Eliza exchanged a look; Professor McGonagall was right about that one.
"... and another reason is that a few nights in the hospital wing will give Madam Pomfrey a chance to observe your sister's sleep patterns and work on a plan of action." Eliza frowned at that one; she didn't like the idea of waking up to Madam Pomfrey leaning over her. Harry however apparently didn't have the same concern; he looked at Eliza in a distracted way.
"That's actually quite a good idea, Eliza; if they sort out your sleepwalking then you won't have to stay in the shed this..." Harry stopped suddenly, realising what he had said.
"I mean ... you'll stop walking into the shed ... in your sleep ... in Surrey." Whilst Harry blushed, Eliza paled. No one spoke for several seconds. Finally Eliza looked at Professor McGonagall, who was looking down at Harry with an oddly triumphant look on her face.
"Nice try, Mr. Potter, don't think we are idiots. We know how Miss Potter got that chest infection. We will indeed have stopped the sleepwalking before the summer."
Harry nodded to the floor and left the cubicle without saying a word to his sister.