I do not own Harry Potter, the Wizarding World, or any canon characters.

Note: Thank you all for your kind words on the last chapter. I'm happy to see everyone received it well. I was also happy to see the constructive critique. It was well-reasoned and it was something I had thought about while writing it, but I was really hoping to make it work the best that I could. Thank you for your thoughts. This chapter is the second of three that I really think will set the tone for the rest of the fic. It's another big moment that I really want to highlight and hope it resonates well.

Thank you all for reading, your follows, your reviews. You continue to inspire me to write the most that I ever have written before. I have stuck with this project for much longer than any project I've started in the past and with your assistance, I am committing to finishing this completely. I have finished chapter 70 at this point and it finishes third year and do intend on doing justice to the next 4 and beyond.

Have a wonderful day everyone!

The Family that Chooses You

Chapter 55 – The Turning Point

Pomfrey had taken one look at the team when they burst into the Infirmary and immediately sprang into action. She directed the twins next to a bed and she magically lifted Harry out of the stretcher and onto it. She directed Oliver to set Alicia down on the next bed over and she immediately set a diagnostic charm running on Harry.

"He's magically drained. Dementors?" The team nodded and she cursed loudly. "Must have been more than one. What happened?" She cast more diagnostic charms on the team while they told her the story. Her eyes widened as she listened and she looked at all of them with shock and respect. "You all should be proud of yourselves. That's incredible teamwork and spell-craft."

Katie wrung her hands. "Is, is Harry okay? Is his soul okay?"

"His what?!" the twins cried out together.

"Dementors can suck out a person's soul," Pomfrey explained with disgust. "It's awful. The people who have been Kissed by a Dementor become empty shells, unable to do anything but die soon after." She cast another spell, breathing a sigh of relief at the white flame that glowed in Harry's chest. "His soul is fine. They must not have been able to Kiss him up. He's very drained and will be very weak for some time, but he will recover." She looked at each of them one by one. "Thanks to all of you."

Katie buried her face into Harry's chest, her shoulders shaking as she hiccupped fitfully. Angelina burst into tears, sliding down onto the stone floor, sobbing with relief. The twins fell over, sprawling out on the ground, coughing and gasping. Oliver felt all the tension leave his body and he almost slumped over himself. Alicia dragged her arms around him, burying her face into his side as she too wept. Oliver's arms encircled her and he held her, rubbing her back.

Pomfrey waved her wand over the still unconscious boy. "I can't do too much for him right now. Essentially I need to keep him warm and try to stabilize his magic."

"Mum said there is a way for you to share magic," Katie said, her eyes red. "That someone can use yours to stabilize theirs."

"Yes there is," Pomfrey said, a tear growing in her eye.

Katie took Harry's wand hand in both of hers and looked up at Pomfrey.

The Matron cast another spell.

Katie felt a slight tugging from deep within, a gentle flow of her magic out of her. It was not the cold harsh feeling the Dementors had. It was small and slow, somewhat pleasant. Her hands grew warm and so did Harry's. She sighed with relief when the boy breathed easier, and seemed to rest more easily.

Pomfrey checked the results from the rest of the team and she gently restored bruises and sprains with simple charms one by one.

"You also drained your reserves," she observed when she got to Alicia. "You need rest and plenty of it to recover, but you should be back to normal tomorrow."

The door to the Medical Ward opened and Dumbledore strode in followed by McGonagall and Snape. Two more figures scurried after them, Ron and Hermione. The third year girl squeaked with alarm at how pale Harry looked and rushed to him. Ron stared at Harry with wide eyes as he approached his brothers, checking on them.

"I see he is being well taken care of," Dumbledore said pleasantly.

Katie felt something grow warm in her chest, not the warmth of her magic. Something else, something more primal.

"I warned you this would happen," Pomfrey said angrily. "Why on earth did the Dementors storm the grounds?"

"They were hungry," Dumbledore said with a moue of distaste. "Apparently they haven't fed in some time so they became desperate. All the emotion of the Quidditch game overwhelmed them and they couldn't help themselves. It won't happen again; I have been assured."

The team stared at him with horror, and they were not the only ones.

Dumbledore smiled. "Still, looks like no permanent harm was done. Harry appears to be fine."

"He's not fine."

For a moment everyone looked around to see who spoke. All eyes were drawn to Katie when she spoke again.

"He's not fine," she repeated. Her chest was burning.

"Well, perhaps not fine," Dumbledore said smoothly. "Being close to Dementors is unpleasant for everyone. However, he will recover so that's all that matters. I believe congratulations are in order for all of you in looking after him on this day."

The heat became an inferno. She felt something inside break.

"This day? Every day. Since the day we met him. We had to."

"Watch your words Miss Bell-" Snape began.

Dumbledore waved his hand. "No, please continue Miss Bell. You clearly have something to say. What are you insinuating?"

"Harry has been hurt. He's been hurt by the people that are supposed to care about him, to take care of him. They didn't and he's been left alone to take care of himself. Until he met us." Her chest heaved. She kept her eyes on Harry's face, trying to remain calm.

"Those are dreadful accusations," Dumbledore said with mild reproof.

"It's the dreadful truth. When Harry got to school, he was thin and scrawny. Obviously starved. He was scared of everyone. No one had treated him warmly or nicely at all." She felt her eyes grow wet. "He had never been given a pat on the shoulder, a hug. Any kind of physical contact made him scream with fear." She looked accusingly at Dumbledore. "Does that seem normal to you?"

"Perhaps not," the Headmaster admitted. "However, I'm sure nothing serious ever happened. I'm sure his magical guardian would have been notified if there were any abnormalities found."

"There were plenty of abnormalities," Pomfrey said. "I looked and Mister Potter had never been fully evaluated by a magical medical professional before. There were no records anywhere. I tried to compare his current health status against prior ones but there were none to be found. I sent letters to his magical guardian and have received no replies." Her eyes narrowed at Dumbledore's slightest facial twitch.

"Guardian identification is private," he said smoothly.

"That's a lie." Fred stood up and did not flinch when everyone looked at him. "Dad has been trying to figure out Harry's magical guardian since last summer. Over a year and every time he tried he got blocked. Most guardian records are open to inquiry."

"Harry's circumstances are different," Dumbledore replied. He was showing signs of losing composure. "If there were any legitimate concerns, I'm sure they would have been resolved."

"That's another lie." George stood up too. Ron was staring at his brothers with an open mouth. "Mum wrote to you many times last year. I know she did. She was hoping you would help with figuring things out because she had some 'legitimate concerns'."

"As are my somewhat 'legitimate concerns'," Pomfrey added scathingly.

The Headmaster's eyes no longer twinkled. "Harry's family is well equipped to take care of him. He is with his relatives."

"You gave the boy to Petunia?!"

Everyone stared at Snape with shock. His face was pale and his eyes wide open with disbelief. He stared at Dumbledore in abject horror. "You gave him to her?!"

"Severus," Dumbledore began with a warning tone.

"Isn't she a Muggle?" Pomfrey asked. She gasped when McGonagall and Snape nodded. "Then she wouldn't be his magical guardian. She can't be." She pointed accusingly at Dumbledore. "You know who it is, don't you." She did not ask a question, she made a statement. She cut him off as he tried to speak. "His god-parents are unavailable so you must know who it is."

"You sent him to them?" Katie's voice was a horrified whisper. "You sent Harry to them? You forced him back there again and again?"

Dumbledore sighed deeply before he spoke. "There are factors involved that influenced my decision. Nothing I can explain to you. Trust me when I say it was imperative."

"How?" Angelina scrambled up. "How so? Have you seen Harry? Have you seen how he used to be? How he's suffered? What can warrant that?!"

"I have seen Harry these last few years as well." Dumbledore was beginning to look angry. "He has coped well given the circumstances."

"Begging your pardon Sir," Oliver said, "you see him but once at meals and from afar. You don't live with him like we do. You don't see him like we do. He's not coped at all. The only reason Harry is anything remotely like a normal kid is because of Katie noticing and us helping him."

"Enough." Dumbledore's voice was cold. "You know nothing of what is at stake here. What was done was not ideal but necessary, for everyone."

"For the greater good?" Alicia asked softly. She reached out to Oliver who pulled her up with him.

Dumbledore looked like he was stabbed.

"You're trying to say that what Harry went through was for everyone's sake? That it was needed?" Alicia glared at him. "Then I rather not benefit from the torture of a boy! What about Harry? What does he need? What about what he lost?!"

"Do not think to lecture me about loss." Dumbledore's voice trembled with suppressed emotion. "I remember all that has been lost for us. Each and every one."

Katie let go of Harry's hand and stood in front of the boy, between him and Dumbledore. "Do you know what Harry hears whenever he's close to a Dementor? Do you know what memories they drag up? He hears his mum, begging for his life. He hears the person he needs begging You-Know-Who not to kill him. She doesn't beg for her own life, but for his. Then he hears him kill her."

Snape's face was devoid of life and he groaned almost inaudibly. McGonagall looked like she was about to cry. Pomfrey stifled a sob. The twins and Ron looked at Katie and Harry with horror, turning green at the thought. Oliver too looked horrified. Hermione began to cry.

Dumbledore looked at Harry, his face completely still.

"Does that sound like he's coped well, Headmaster?" Katie asked. She swallowed. The thing in her chest was roaring. "What was her name?" she asked.

"I beg your pardon, Miss Bell?" Dumbledore was trying to remain calm. He was failing.

She pointed at Harry. Tears streamed down her face but her voice was steady. "What was her name? His mother? You said you remember everyone who lost. Do you remember her?"

Dumbledore's face twisted. "How dare you-"

"What was her name?!" Katie took a step forward. "Tell me. What was it?"

Dumbledore opened his mouth.

"WHAT WAS HER NAME?!" she shrieked.

Angelina grabbed Katie from behind, wrapping her arms around the shorter girl and pulled her back.

Katie kicked and struggled. "SAY HER NAME! SAY IT! I WANT YOU TO SAY HER NAME AND TELL HER MEMORY THAT EVERYTHING HARRY WENT THROUGH WAS NECESSARY! TELL HER THAT HARRY'S LIFE HAD BEEN WORTH IT ALL!"

All the blood drained out of the Headmaster's face as he stared at her. McGonagall and Snape stared too, shock and grim vindication on their faces respectively. Pomfrey looked proud. The team stared at Dumbledore. Ron and Hermione looked horrified, their eyes flicking back and forth between everyone.

Harry began to cry.

He was still unconscious, the confrontation about him unheeded by him. Yet the emotion in the air, the charged magical energy affected him. He started to sob in his state, moaning and whimpering as his thoughts tormented him.

"Harry," Dumbledore said and took a step towards him.

The team rose and placed themselves between Harry and Dumbledore. The twins pushed Ron away and motioned him to stay put before standing on one side of the bed. Angelina let Katie go who ran to Harry's side, reaching for his hand. The tall girl stepped protectively in front of Katie and Harry. Oliver stood at her side, still supporting a weak Alicia. Alicia managed to grab Hermione and usher her to one side, away from Dumbledore, then clung resolutely to Oliver.

Something in Dumbledore broke. He stood there and saw the naked suspicion on their faces. They clearly distrusted him. He was used to seeing adult wizards and witches look at him like that. He was used to seeing those that oppose him and his ideals array themselves against him. He barely cared when they did.

Seeing his students stand together, against him, broke him.

"Things…" his voice faded into the awkward silence before he coughed. "Things will be different. From now on. I swear it." With a final nod he turned and fled the Infirmary.

Everyone watched him leave. His steps had a finality to it. A strange echoing quality that meant something had, irrevocably, changed.

"A hundred points to Gryffindor." All eyes turned to Snape. The man was looking at Harry with a strange expression. He then looked at Katie. "For Lily Evans." He looked like he was about to say more than just as abruptly, leaving the Medical Ward.

"What just happened?" Ron asked.

Alicia began to hyperventilate. She started to shake and she would have collapsed if Oliver was not holding her up. "We just stood up to the Headmaster, the most powerful wizard in magical Britain. We just questioned him in front of others."

"Alicia, calm down, it's alright," Oliver said as he tried to keep her up.

"You calm down! It's not alright! We're going to get expelled and everything's gone to pot!"

"It's just a bit of a panic attack," McGonagall said as she gestured at Pomfrey. "You're not going to get expelled. No one here will be, not for this. Not if I have anything to say about it." She looked at the rest of the team with obvious pride. "Twenty points for each of you for incredible teamwork. You have done your House and each other proud. I will do my best for you all from now on as well. I'm going to see the Headmaster. Poppy, if you would join me when you can?" She started to leave.

"Professor," Hermione asked, "who's Lily Evans?"

The Head of House looked incredibly sad. "She was one of my students from a very long time ago." Without explaining further, she left.

Pomfrey helped Alicia into bed and summoned a bottle with her wand. She poured out a measure into a beaker. "Okay, this is a Calming Draught mixed with some Peace. I want you to sip this-"

Alicia snatched the beaker from her and drank it all in one long gulp.

"Or guzzle it down, that works too," Pomfrey finished wryly. She looked at Oliver, "Make sure she stays in bed. She's going to conk right out soon. Now," she addressed the other students, "I'm going to ask you all to leave. Harry needs rest and I need to go to the Headmaster's office."

"Can we please stay?" Angelina begged.

Pomfrey looked at their faces. "Fine. Do not poke about you two," looking at the twins, "and everyone be on your best behavior. If anyone comes looking for me the Floo is over there, just call for the Headmaster and I will answer." After one final check on everyone, she too left, closing the door securely behind her.

For a long moment everyone was silent, lost to their thoughts, shaken by what just happened.

"Why'd you do that?" Ron asked the twins.

"Do what?" they chorused together.

"Push me away." Ron looked angry. "Make it look like I'm not Harry's friend. Make me not stand with you."

"We're just protecting you," George said. "There's no need for you to get on Dumbledore's bad side."

"Why's it okay for you two then?"

"Because we spoke up during all that mess," Fred said. "Plus we were involved with what happened during the game. We were watching out for you."

"I didn't ask for it! I'm Harry's best mate. I'm the first friend he made on the Express. I deserve to know and to help him!"

"Don't be thick," George said. He too was starting to get angry. "Mum would skin us alive if we let you endanger yourself if you didn't have to. And this has nothing to do with you being friends with Harry or not. Obviously you are."

"I'd help him too if I knew to!" Ron shouted.

"But you didn't! And by the way, you don't deserve to know. If you were supposed to know, then you would!" Fred shouted back.

"The only reason you two know is if they tell you!" Ron countered pointing at the others on the team. "It's not my fault that I'm not on the team and don't know things!"

"Ron, give your brothers a break," Angelina said. "They were just trying to protect you. Yes, you're right that they know things you don't but it's not just because we tell them."

"Actually, why don't you tell us then?" Hermione asked, glaring at the tall girl. She ignored the responding glare. "Ron and I are Harry' friends too. We should know all that we can to help him."

"We can't tell you everything Harry tells us or we suss out." Angelina crossed her arms over her chest, trying to physically hold her anger back.

"But it's okay to tell the team?" Hermione stood and she mimicked the older girl. "Don't you think that's a bit hypocritical?"

"Hey, we didn't know that bit about the Dementors," George argued.

Angelina held up a hand to stop the twins from interfering. "Alright, tell me this then. Is this about helping Harry? Or is it about you not being the one that's helping him?" Angelina sneered at Hermione's shocked look. "You don't think I've noticed you glaring at me and the others? Are you mad that you're not one of the ones he relies on like that?"

"I was with him first year!" Hermione's arms dropped to her side with fists clenched. "Ron and I were! Where were you?"

"Enough!"

Everyone stopped arguing and looked at a furious Alicia trying to sit up on the bed. "Oliver, give me your arm," she snapped and when he did, she used it to pull herself up. She wavered when she did and Oliver slipped an arm around her back to keep her upright.

"I'm only going to say this once so listen up and do not interrupt me," she seethed. She pointed at the twins and they recoiled, going so far to shrink slightly as if to present a smaller target. "You two bollocks, that's right you're no longer tits, need to remember what it's like to be the younger brother constantly around older ones. You two had similar chips on your shoulders when Charlie was around but at least you two had the prankster thing going for you.

"Remember that Ron is just like how you two were, insecure. Of course he's mad. He's friends with Harry and really hates it when people try to diminish it. It's also a little brother's right to get mad at their older brothers, especially if they're doing the right thing. I bet he even knows it and he knows that he doesn't know everything. But did you think it might be easier for him to get mad at you two than anyone else? That's the older brother's job too, to let their little brothers get mad at them. I know your older brothers did it for you."

Her finger left the chagrined twins and aimed at Ron. Ron yelped and quivered but stood his ground, eyes wide. "And you, the third Weasley bollock, stop blaming your brothers. They're your older brothers and they're supposed to take care of you. If they didn't, then they're the ones in the wrong. You not knowing things is not necessarily a reflection on you. I see how you and Harry interact. You two chat and joke, play chess, do things together. But have you ever asked Harry things? Have you ever talked to him about his feelings and what bothers him?"

She ignored his shame-laced expression. "And again, that's not a slight against you. That's not necessarily your friendship dynamic. And that's okay. You can have different kinds of friends, friends who do different things. It is unfair, however, to blame others for what you did not do."

She pointed at Angelina and the tall girl glared at her, unperturbed. "And you, you Amazonian brute I call my best friend, chill out. You're the older one and you know what Hermione is going through and I damn well know that you and her are more alike than you think. You're still mad at the little firstie that dared talk back to you and that's fine. You don't have to like all of Harry's friends. But you need to remember what it's like being a young witch and what we go through to get where we are. I know you're an amazingly warm person and a good friend when you want to be, but get your head out of your arse!"

Hermione squeaked when Alicia glared at her next. "And you little annoying protégé of mine, I've told you time and again, you need to work on your insecurities. You're letting them rule you and you must learn how to let them go or you will be shackled by them forever. We all have to work on them and there's been a fine display of that tonight from everyone. You are not alone. We all feel that way.

"You also need to stop blaming others for them. No one doubts you and Ron's friendship with Harry. We know how close you are. But is it our fault that we are closer to him in different ways? Have you tried to be close like that or have you just angrily blamed us for the friendship we've made with him? You cannot hold him, or us, accountable for your own feelings of inadequacy. Talk to us Hermione. Odds are we know how you're feeling and as your older peers, we can help you. You need to ask us for it first."

Alicia was red-faced and breathing hard but not done yet. She looked at Katie who had not moved from Harry's side, still holding his hand. The girl had also remained silent during the shouting all around her, staring at the speakers with wide eyes. Thankfully Harry had calmed down as soon as she did during the confrontation with Dumbledore and had rested peacefully despite all the screaming his friends were doing.

"Katie, next time you try to pick a fight with the Headmaster and other Professors, please give us a word of warning. I need to prepare myself for that, my heart can't take it again without warning. We know how dedicated you are to Harry, but it's okay to be less aggressive about it. It does not diminish how much you care for him. You also can rely on us to help. You have but I know how much you internalize. " She thought for a moment. "Also, when I feel better, I'm going to get you back for jumping off your broom during all that. You nearly gave me a heart attack."

"Same with you Angelina," she added and ignored the taller girl's soft snort.

"And if all of you think I'm just taking advantage of railing at you all, I'm not immune to it. I constantly fight with myself over how I want to be and with who. Am I the girl that's a Pure-blood raised on the edges of High Wizarding Society? Or am I Alicia, a girl in Gryffindor trying to enjoy herself. It's something I have to work on every single day and I had to learn from a young age that I can't hold people to the standards I was raised with. Do I still do that? Of course, I'm stubborn. But I work on it."

Her face fell and for a moment she looked incredibly weary.

She looked up at Oliver and she had a soft look that turned into irritation. She smacked him hard in the chest. "And that's for scaring the shite out of me out there! Making us wait till 'the right moment' to cast the spell. I thought we would be too late and they would die and it would be all your fault! Think about my feelings for once for Merlin's sake!"

She shook her head slowly and pointed at the unconscious Harry. "And someone tell him when he wakes up that I'm happy he didn't die but I'm going to kill him for scaring me. I've gotten rather fond of him and don't want to lose him." Her head fell back and her eyes closed. She went limp in Oliver's arm and started to snore.

"Wh-what just happened?" Ron asked.

"Did she go crazy?" George asked.

"And fall asleep?" Fred asked.

Oliver snorted at the Weasley brothers. "Apparently extreme exhaustion coupled with a Calming Draught mixed with Peace made a reverse truth potion of sorts. As in, she lost her filter." He looked down at her fondly as he gently laid her back, pulling the covers over her.

He looked at the others. "Let's just relax. We've all gone through something very intense and let's be happy that we're all okay for the most part."

Fred got up and grabbed Ron's shoulder. The younger boy tried to shake him off but Fred pushed him gently onto a bed. He and George sat on either side of him and they started speaking softly. Ron relaxed and after a moment joined the conversation.

Angelina sighed and rolled her head around. Visibly shaking herself she looked down at Hermione. "Sorry," she said.

Hermione looked up at her and after a similar shaking, she nodded. "Me too. I'm sorry."

Angelina dragged three chairs to Harry's bedside. She placed one behind Katie who sat in it gratefully. She put a second by Katie and patted it, letting Hermione take it. Hermione sat in it and she leaned in when Katie wrapped an arm around her shoulders.

Angelina set the third on the other side of the bed and fell into it with a grunt, taking Harry's other hand in hers.

Oliver looked at everyone and nodded to himself with satisfaction. He summoned a chair for himself and settled into it, grateful for the quiet.