Well, the 175th and 200th reviewer didn't leave an item, so I'll take this one from my dedication list. This one goes out to Iniysa, who (besides having a cool name) has been reading and reviewing devotedly. Thanks!
Wow…there are a lot of reviews…oh well!
TNTitans01: Yes, yes it was evil. But that's why they call them cliffhangers. Uh…there's logic in there somewhere, you just have to look for it.
Mrs. Radcliffe: Are you Daniel's mother? Just kidding *ducks thrown fruit* Thanks for reading!
Cresha Potter: You were #175, but no item! Better luck next time!
Selke: Well, you'll just have to read to find out if he's okay or not.
Kateri: I'm leaving Lee's prank to the imagination. I don't think I could write something that hilarious. And are by chance a Star Wars fan? Hehe….
Lei Dumbledore: I think that's already been used *G* And I just had to put Draco Hufflepuff.
Charlie YuY: That item would be cool. But you are #180.
Lady Lightning: The stones don't transfer emotions or pain. They allow the wearers to communicate with each other. Now, if Harry had screamed "HELP" over the connection, that would have been a different story.
Sparrow: Snape pulling a prank? Interesting.
Saavik: As I said, I'm leaving what Lee did to your imaginations. Have fun.
Floramorada: Updating as ordered! Man, you people are needy! ;)
Chaser: That seems to be the popular idea. I'll think about it.
Jliles: I was going to have Ron explode, but it seems like Hermione would stop him. And he's fifteen; he's got some self-control.
Phoenix Flight: It came to me in a dream!
Lee Lee Potter: I had an evil cliffhanger (see reviews). Some were not amused. I'm over 200 now! It's great!
Charma1219: MORE COMING UP!!
Iniysa: This one's yours! Sorry for upsetting you…
Takari4ever7: What can I say? Work is boring. And yes, Harry is sweet when he wants to be.
Snape coolgirl: No, Harry's not going to change houses. But Blaise might.
Little Suzi: I told ya so! I'll try not to leave too much a cliffie.
The Kuro no Tenshi: Dancing elephants? Thank Merlin you weren't on the mark.
Esperanza: Here's some more for ya!
Alecatq: Will do. One chapter will be dedicated to you anyway, so one (or both) will get in there somehow. Yes, something is wrong…read to find out!
Pineapplehead: Yeah, I almost used all of them. I just couldn't work the song in there. And no, you will not get Alan Rickman. I can fight just as dirty…and yes, we'll put him in a steel container so he won't get bloody. *thinks* Why can't we share him again?
Ebeth: My co-worker's last name is Brill! Hehe…sorry…ruined the mood.
Radcliffe-Lover: They won't be found out per say. Read for explanation! *G*
*looks back up at reviews* Wow…y'all are awesome. I'm over 200!! And this thing isn't nearly over! I think it's trying to rival my other fic, "The Last Sorcerer" in chapters. Oh well…I love writing, so it's all the more fun for me! Enjoy!
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Poppy shooed the students out of the Hospital Wing, but they remained just outside, waiting for any word. Snape came back moments later laden with vials of potions. Blaise looked shocked at his Head of House, Ginny scowled, and Neville shrunk back. Only Hermione reacted, pushing the door open for him. He nodded infinitesimally at her, and used magic to shut the door behind him. He deposited his potions on the table and cast a silencing ward on the Wing.
Blaise stood up from his eavesdropping position. "I can't hear anything. Someone must have cast a silencing charm on the Hospital Wing." Hermione, knowing why, quickly diverted attention elsewhere.
"Something must be up. Harry only hurts like that when Voldemort (flinches) is feeling cruel." She discreetly left out the other option, not wanting to frighten them. Once again resuming her prefect role, she straightened. "Come on. Let's go back to the common room. I'm sure others want to know what's happened to Harry." They nodded reluctantly, but followed anyway.
Snape advanced on Harry with potions, but Poppy intercepted him halfway. She leveled a glare on him to rival his own, but Dumbledore placed a hand on her shoulder. Looking incredulously at the Headmaster, Snape continued on his path and carefully set the potions down.
With a tenderness no one knew he had, he sat Harry up, supporting the skinny form with one arm, and poured a potion down his throat. Immediately, the writing boy calmed, and his contorted facial features relaxed. Snape brushed his hair away, revealing a strikingly red and agitated scar, and felt his forehead. The boy was burning, and he grabbed a fever-reducing potion, again pouring it in the boy's mouth. Poppy, witnessing this uncharacteristic display, stood gaping like a fish out of water, while the Headmaster was smiling. Without looking back, Snape barked at Poppy.
"Are you just going to stand there gaping or are you going to fulfill your duties?" Poppy snapped into action, pulling her wand and examining the boy. He was conscious, barely, and his fever was slowly coming down. All of a sudden, activity stopped, and Harry sat straight up, breathing heavily. Snape, realizing Poppy was still "in the dark" on certain items, sneered at him.
"If you are quite done, Potter, I would like to revel in what peace is left of the weekend." He stood and turned, but Albus placed a firm hand on his shoulder.
"It's alright, Severus. I'm sure we can inform Poppy of recent discoveries, as this incident will probably not be unique." Poppy looked up quizzically at the two, and Severus sighed, returning to his son's side. He pulled a chair over and sat in it as he pushed Harry back down.
"You need to rest." He checked the boy's temperature again, and found that it was normal. However, he stayed in the chair, obviously content to spend as long as needed there. Poppy just remained standing, staring at the Headmaster.
"Poppy, you may want to sit down for this," he said. The medi-witch complied and sat on a stool. "Recently, we uncovered interesting facts about Mr. Potter's parentage."
"That he's as daft as his father?" she barked. Harry, not being able to help himself, laughed, sending his lungs and throat into fits of coughs. Severus sat him up, leaning him forward a little, and patted him on the back, smirking.
"That's what you get." Through the coughing, he shot his father a mirthful glare. After the Headmaster regained his composure, having chuckled a little himself, continued.
"Well, one could say that." Severus looked up.
"Albus, I hardly think—"
"But that is not the matter we need to discuss. It was brought to our attention that James Potter was not in fact Harry's father. If you remember, one other young man was quite fond of Lily Evans." Poppy thought for a moment, then slowly turned her head to the potions master, eyes wide.
"Well, it seems that not everyone is as ignorant as I originally took them for," he said, smirking. "Albus, his friends were outside," Snape panicked for a moment, though it didn't show.
"Quite all right, Severus. I believe Miss Granger directed them to the common room several minutes ago." Severus nodded and turned back to Harry, who was watching the whole scene with interest. Dumbledore stepped forward and sat on the edge of the bed.
"Harry, what made your scar hurt so badly?"
"Albus, I hardly think he would know. You said yourself—"
"He called Malfoy to him, and they discussed a plan to attack London. He said that if they could pull that off, then no one would question his return." Snape's eyes narrowed, fury blazing in his eyes. He turned to the Headmaster.
"You said nothing about visions of what Voldemort is doing!" Harry cringed down, glad he was not on the receiving end. Though he didn't suspect Dumbledore was too intimidated.
"Severus, if we told you the whole truth, do you promise not to do anything rash?" Widening his eyes at the thought of there being more, Snape inhaled deeply and nodded. "When Voldemort plans something, or is actually doing something, Harry can see and feel it through his scar. If he's awake, it takes on the form of visions. If he's asleep, dreams."
"What do you mean 'feel?'" Harry jumped in before the Headmaster took too much more of the brunt.
"Whenever something happens, like an attack, I feel the effects of the curses and things when I wake up. It's like being there, with a small filter. I don't get the full curse, but I do feel some of it."
"When has this happened in the past?" Snape barked, turning on his son.
"Just twice, once when he called you before. He didn't do much then, just one or two Cruciatus' and some others. The other was before you came to get me from the Dursleys." That is when Snape lost it.
"That was one of the worst raids ever! It lasted over three hours!" Harry merely nodded at the memory.
"I know, so did my dream. I woke up screaming. Uncle Vernon wasn't too happy about that." Harry couldn't suppress a shudder at the memory and began rubbing his right shoulder absently. Snape snatched his hand and cast a spell on the shoulder. Harry watched guiltily as the past abuse on said shoulder listed itself in the air.
"There is much more here than two incidents. What else has been going on?" Snape's silky voice was deadly low.
"Harry looked at the list and pointed to each as he explained. "This one I fell down the stairs. Well, I fell after Dudley pushed me. This one—" He was cut off by Snape casting the spell again onto a blank parchment, only this time over Harry's entire body. Poppy let out a horrified gasp as the list grew, and never seemed to stop. Finally, as it neared the bottom of the second column, it ended. Snape narrowed his eyes in anger and turned to the Headmaster.
"Could you excuse us? I believe we need to talk." Dumbledore nodded gravely and escorted Poppy out of the Wing, securing the doors. Snape turned back to Harry. "You will tell me when and how each of these occurred."
"I don't see how that will affect me now. I mean, it was in the past." Harry's eyes darted around the room, mapping possible escape routes. Snape's voice switched suddenly to one Harry was not used to hearing from the man.
"Harry, it does matter because those…people have done things that no boy should have to endure. And believe it or not, physical abuse has psychological effects, though you may not realize it."
"Fine, but you have to swear on Salazar Slytherin's grave that you won't go and do anything rash to them."
"Why not?" Snape asked, shocked. Harry's eyes darted to his hands before he looked up again.
"Because I don't know what's going to happen in the future, and if something happens to you, I'll have to go back and live there again."
"If something happens to me, you will stay with someone else. I will not allow you to return there. But I promise not to do anything…too horrible to them." Harry sighed, realizing this was the best he was going to get. He took the parchment from Snape's hand and began listing off the origin of each injury. Many of them were accidents, but they were accidents that happened while he was doing something he was not fit to do.
"I was going out to get the laundry and I fell down the stone steps."
"Why did you fall? Were you pushed?"
"No, but I had a twisted ankle. I could barely walk." Snape pursed his lips and motioned for him to continue. The listing continued for two hours, Snape interjecting for more information every now and then. When they were done, Harry was exhausted. Snape gave him Dreamless Sleep and laid him back.
"What are we going to do about London?" Harry mumbled, almost asleep.
"We are not going to do anything. The Headmaster and I will take care of it. You will be resting for the rest of the day, all day tomorrow, and then we'll see if you are well enough to resume classes on Monday." A mumble of acceptance was all he received as he swept out of the Wing. Poppy flew in, checked on her charge, and shut herself in her office. Snape walked with Dumbledore to his office, discussing what was to be done.