It's All On Us
Chapter 3: The Doctors
Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter, nor do I intend to gain any profit from this fanfiction.
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Nov. 1st, 1992
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"It's a little posh, for my tastes," Ron offered after reading the letter, "But it'll do."
"Great." Harry said, taking the letter back as he did, "I'll send it off right away. How's your search going?"
Ron scowled, "Most every book on any subject even slightly related to Hogwarts has been checked out. I've had some luck with the Puffs and Claws, though. MacMillan and Davis offered a summary of anything they found."
"Brilliant. Still, let's see if we can get a hold of those books when they get checked in. Did you get any information on the Chamber from Macmillan or Davis?"
Ron glanced at a piece of parchment before answering, "Apparently most books agree there is supposedly a Chamber constructed by Salazar Slytherin, which holds a creature that's supposed to defend, or purge, the school."
"Depends on your point of view, I suppose."
"I think we know where Malfoy and his bloody 'heir' lean."
Harry scowled, but nodded all the same. Since there was precious little available in the library, the pair decided to send the letter off and then pay a visit to Hagrid (with a brief stop to the dorms to collect the invisibility cloak, just in case). They were intercepted on their way down from the owlery, however, as Professor McGonagall informed them that Hermione's parents had arrived and were visiting their daughter in the hospital ward.
They entered the ward to find a full-blown shouting match between a man in muggle clothing (Dr. Granger, for sure) and Madam Pomfrey.
"I tell you, Doctor, she cannot be moved!"
"Yet you've failed to give me a good reason!"
"She is a witch, sir, and requires a magical environment while in such a state-"
"Utter tripe! She's petrified, Madam! A state in which the outside world cannot affect her, at least not to my understanding of the term!"
"Your understanding is limited, Doctor!"
"Because I am a 'muggle'? That's what you lot call us, isn't it? Loathsome little word, like what a racist would call me and my family."
The boys winced as Madam Pomfrey went absolutely still, Harry particularly recognizing the danger they were all in at that moment. Surprisingly, though, the accompanying outburst never came.
Instead, Madam Pomfrey muttered, "If you wish to remove your daughter against my most urgent medical objections, then on your own head be it!"
With that, she stormed out of the hospital ward. In the sudden silence, Harry finally got a chance to really examine Mr. and Mrs. Granger.
Mr. Granger was a tall man, dressed in a suit similar to those Uncle Vernon's employers usually wore when they came round to dinner. He had dark skin and a shaved head, and styled his facial hair into a goatee. He was more than a little intimidating, especially when he'd been yelling.
Mrs. Granger was a near perfect copy of an older Hermione Granger, except her skin was much lighter than her daughter's. She had the same bushy hair and slight frame, a frame which was bent over her daughter with barely controlled tears.
Harry and Ron exchanged a look and almost backed out, but Mr. Granger had caught sight of them. The man frowned and straightened his clothes before speaking to them.
"I apologize that you boys had to see me like that. It's not how I'd have liked to introduce myself."
"It's quite alright, Sir." Harry said in reply.
"We understand." Ron agreed, "No harm done."
The older man sighed and said, "I'm pleased to hear it. Now, I know you, don't I? From the Express?"
"Yes, Sir. I'm Harry Potter, and this is Ron Weasley."
"The two boys Hermione writes home about?" Mrs. Granger spoke for the first time.
The boys nodded.
"Madam Pomfrey informed us you were the ones who found her," Mr. Granger said, "I'm sorry for that. It must have been an awful sight."
Neither Harry nor Ron answered, but their silence was answer enough.
"I'd like to ask you boys a serious question." Mr. Granger continued, "She's told us all about the troll, Professor Quirrell and how you all stopped them. The only reason I didn't pull my daughter from this school was because she assured me those were isolated events. But here we are, and my little girl is in danger again. So tell me: she's not safe, is she?"
Harry knew there was only one answer he could give.
"No."
Ron glanced at him, uncertain and more than a little hurt by his answer.
The older man sighed, "I appreciate your honesty. I'll have her pulled from school the minute she's awake. Of course, you're more than welcome to visit her."
"We won't be able to." Ron said, "You'll be obliviated."
The Grangers appeared stunned by the information, so Ron continued.
"If you take her from school, leave the magical world altogether, the Ministry will wipe all knowledge of our world from your minds. They'll bind Hermione's magic."
Harry frowned at the idea, and was a little pleased to see the startled looks on the adults' faces. It was an unjustified, totally unfair pleasure but they were going to take away one of his only friends. They had good reason to be concerned and every right to do so, but all Harry could think of was the fact that he'd be much more lonely without Hermione.
Still, Harry realized just how wrong those thoughts were and ruthlessly quashed them. He knew how disappointed Hermione would be if she ever knew he'd thought such a thing.
"Even if you do, it might not make much difference," Harry added, "The people who do this sort of thing will still be out there, and they won't forget about the brightest witch in our generation. They'd hunt her down for daring to be more than what they want her to be."
"B-but she'd be away from them," Mrs. Granger argued, "They don't know our world, they wouldn't find her."
"Not right away," Harry said, "My parents hid from Voldemort. They did their very best to keep me safe and hidden, but he still found them and...killed them." Harry forced down the sorrow he felt and pushed on, knowing how important this was, "If he, or anyone with even the weakest amount of magic, decided to come after you...there's nothing you could do to stop them."
Mr. Granger looked downright mutinous at the notion that he couldn't keep his family safe. Harry and Ron shared a look before Harry drew his wand and cast a leviosa on a chair, levitating it several feet off the ground.
"That's the spell I used to take down a twelve foot tall mountain troll," Ron said, "I knocked it out with its own club."
"He was just a first year," Harry picked up, "These people have had decades of magical experience."
Mr. Granger stared at the chair as it remained aloft and asked, "Then what do you think we should do?"
Ron answered, "Harry wasn't kidding when he said she's the brightest witch in our generation. Let her stay in school, learn what she needs to defend herself. We'll be here to look out for her."
"And if things ever do get that bad," Harry finished, "Then run as far away from here as you can, and take her with you."
Ron scowled but nodded in agreement, saying, "We'd do the same, but we're not exactly rolling in Galleons."
"You and your family are as close to my own family as can be," Harry remarked, "Along with Hermione. I'll pay for all of us if needs be."
Ron felt his jealousy and insecurities flare up and almost rejected his offer out of hand, but Ron held his breath and collected his thoughts. He knew Harry thought the world of his family, even if it was only because they were the only family he'd ever known. He would do everything he could to prevent any harm befalling them, even if it meant making them uncomfortable. What he'd said was a remarkable show of loyalty from his best friend, and Ron wouldn't sully it with misplaced jealousy.
Instead, he held up his fist in a gesture he'd seen some muggle-borns use and Harry fistbumped him without hesitation.
For the Doctors Granger, it was a surreal moment. These boys behaved more like brothers instead of boys who'd known each other for one year. But then, they remembered their daughter telling them about the Weasley boys rescuing Harry from his relatives. They'd dismissed such notions as boyhood embellishment but, perhaps, there was more truth to that story than fiction.
But in a strange way, it served to hearten them: to know the deep loyalty these boys had was extended to their little girl meant more to them than they could ever realize. They knew these boys would always watch out for their girl.
It was during this surreal moment that Professor McGonagall entered the infirmary. She quirked a curious eyebrow as she read the room, but put it aside and focused on her fallen cub's parents.
"Doctor Granger, Doctor Granger," she greeted, "I understand you intend to remove your daughter from our care."
Doctor Granger didn't turn to the transfiguration professor right away. He held his gaze on the two boys for a moment longer before inclining his head slightly. He then turned his full attention to Professor McGonagall.
"I'd like to understand exactly what Madam Pomfrey meant by my daughter needing to remain in a magical environment."
Professor McGonagall's eyebrow nearly reached the ceiling upon hearing his words. From what Poppy had told her, she'd been prepared for an agitated and irate parent, not a calm man asking a relevant question. If it had been that handsome idiot Lockhart or the odious Snape, she would chalk it up to an overly exaggerated lie.
But she'd known Madam Pomfrey for decades now; the woman was not prone to such behavior. So barring a calming draught or cheering charm, she could only surmise that the other two members of the Golden Trio (as they were sometimes referred to) had managed to calm the distraught parents somehow.
She set that issue aside for a moment and answered the waiting parent, "Doctor Granger, your daughter is in a wholly unnatural state. It is only magic which is keeping her alive at the moment. As an adolescent, her core is underdeveloped and would fail to sustain her life if she were in a non-magical environment. As it is, if she were in an environment with lower levels of ambient magic, I daresay she would not last the week."
Minerva winced at the straightforward manner she spoke, but she needed to impress upon them the necessity of leaving their daughter in an unfamiliar atmosphere, away from their loving care. If she failed to convince them and they took her home, one of her favorite Gryffindors would meet an untimely and entirely avoidable fate.
Her explanation seemed to reach through to the Doctors Granger, as they shared a concerned look before gazing at their daughter. Before they spoke, though, they turned their eyes on the two boys who had listened to her explanation in silence.
Harry answered their questioning looks, "Professor McGonagall is our best teacher. She'd never lie about something like this."
Minerva nodded her head in thanks, silently gratified to know she had earned such trust from the second years.
That trust seemed to seal the issue, as the female Doctor Granger asked, "What is being done for our daughter?"
"We are preparing a potion to restore her, but it will take some time. Mandragora are a necessary part of the potion and, unfortunately, they have not reached maturity as is needed."
"Maturity?" The male Doctor Granger asked.
"Mandrakes are alive, Sir," Ron answered, "They were basically newborns the other day."
"So why not order mature mandrakes?"
Professor McGonagall answered the masculine doctor's question, "Unfortunately, mature mandrakes do not keep for very long. Any storehouses willing to part with their supply have either already sold their stock or have already slaughtered them for use."
"Why not look outside the country, Professor?" Harry asked.
"A non-start there as well, Mr. Potter. Mandrakes are considered a highly dangerous substance and their distribution is heavily regulated. Professor Dumbledore is the Chief Warlock of our governing body, the Wizengamot, and has been exerting every bit of his influence to get an emergency supply of mature mandrakes. Unfortunately, the Ministry is unwilling to budge on this issue."
Bet they would for their precious purebloods, Ron thought scathingly, a thought that brought an idea to fore.
"What if it was me, Professor?" Ron asked, "I'm a pureblood, they're more likely to make an exception in my case."
All three adults frowned at that, but were even more dismayed when Harry spoke up as well.
"No, it should be me. I'm the bloody 'Boy-Who-Lived', might as well use that title for something good."
Minerva took a breath before answering, "Mr. Weasley, Mr. Potter, while your suggestions are honorable, we will not do any good by placing ourselves in legal difficulties by defrauding the Ministry."
"Then do it for real." Harry replied.
All within the room, even Ron, shot him a concerned look at that.
"Petrify me, Professor." Harry continued, "They'll probably have fresh supplies by the end of the week."
Privately, Minerva rather agreed with the young boy, but she refused to even consider the idea.
"Mr. Potter, underneath no circumstances are you to petrify yourself in an effort to aid Ms. Granger. That goes for you as well, Mr. Weasley. If either of you wind up in such a state, I will ensure that day is your last waking day in Hogwarts."
Harry and Ron frowned at that, but Doctor Granger prevented any rebuttal by laying his hand on their shoulders and saying, "As noble a gesture as that would be, I doubt Hermione would appreciate her two best friends being expelled on her account."
The two shared a look, smiled and said, "Or worse."
Bloody Hell, they're turning into the twins, Minerva thought in despair.
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The Grangers departed shortly after that, though it was after extracting a promise for updates from Harry and Ron. The boys were happy to do so, as they couldn't imagine how the two parents were holding it together.
That night, Harry and Ron sat in front of the fireplace in the common room. They were splitting their jobs, with Harry focusing on their homework while Ron focused on reading the summaries he'd gotten in the library.
It was unusual for them to even think about homework, but they both realized Hermione wouldn't want them to sacrifice their education on her account. Just the opposite, in fact; she would be expecting top marks from the two.
Neither were that optimistic, but resolved to try.
"Harry," Ron drew his friend's attention as he spoke, "We forgot to see Hagrid today."
"...Bollocks, we did."
"Think we can see him tomorrow?"
Harry frowned and considered his schedule before shaking his head, "I'm loaded tomorrow, and my afternoon's filled with quidditch practice. But you should go, see if you can get something out of him."
Ron nodded and resumed his work. Harry meant to do the same, but he found himself unable to. There was something he had to get off his chest.
"I meant it." Ron looked up at his friend, "When I told McGonagall to petrify me. I meant it."
Ron frowned and said, "I know that, Harry. I think everyone did."
"...Is that wrong of me?"
"Mate, one thing Hermione and I figured out about you last year: you're a bloody hero. You led us into that corridor. Sure, Hermione was brilliant and I kicked arse in chess, but none of it would have happened without you. Hell, mate, you gave us the courage to do it all. Without you, I doubt I'd have had the stones to sacrifice myself like that."
"Ron-"
"No, it's true. Same for Hermione. There's no way she would ever have broken a rule before you came into the picture, let alone however many we broke that night. You, I dunno, you...inspire us. Without you, I never would have gone after Hermione. I would have forgotten all about her, Hell, I did forget all about her."
"It's not like I was any nicer to her."
"No, but you weren't as mean as I was. That's something I plan to change when she wakes up."
Harry nodded, "That sounds like a good idea."
The two boys stared into the fire for a moment, thinking of when they'd be reunited with their lost friend. They shook the moment off quickly, though, as they still had so much work to do before they could sleep.
After all, tomorrow was Monday and classes awaited them.
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A/N: So I was a little iffy on my explanation for why the petrified students needed to stay at Hogwarts. I mean, if I was a parent and that happened to my kid I'd yank them away so fast it'd make their heads spin. The only logical answer I could come up with was Hogwarts itself, cause if they just needed magical care, they could have been sent to St. Mungo's. But Hogwarts is supposed to be a magical environment, and that's supposed to strengthen the student's cores (least as I understand it), so this explanation was the most logical I could come up with. I hope it's satisfactory.