Chapter Four
"Voldemort's come for him, Albus!" Sirius Black had been staying at Hogwarts the entire summer, working with Dumbledore to spy on the local wizards of Hogsmeade, sussing out their loyalties.
"That's not necessarily true. He could just be planning something from far away and Harry's picking up on it. Where is he now?"
"As of last week, somewhere in Spain. But I wouldn't know anything about his plans for Potter. He doesn't trust me with that kind of information." Snape had indeed gone back to Voldemort, begging for forgiveness and the chance for redemption. After being subjected to the Cruciatus Curse for what seemed like an eternity, Snape was allowed back into the Death Eaters and was told to spy on the staff and pupils of Hogwarts. But his new "master" made sure to remind him every time they met that his life was now in his hands.
"I think we should assume that Voldemort is back in the country and has amassed quite a following. Now the only question is what to do about it." Remus Lupin had also returned to Hogwarts at the request of Dumbledore. In addition to helping Dumbledore gather information about Death Eater activity, Lupin had been asked to tutor Harry during his fifth year at the academy. Despite Snape's protests that this would give Harry an unfair advantage over his classmates, Dumbledore had seen a need to prepare the boy for the conflict ahead, as Voldemort had made it painfully clear that Harry Potter was his number one target.
"Obviously Harry can't go home!" entered Mrs. Weasley, and Sirius nodded his head in agreement. "It's true, Albus. He's not safe with those Muggles."
"He is safe with his family, I have seen to that. But I do agree that I'd feel better having him closer to the magical community." Dumbledore was looking very gray and tired. He had hoped that it would take longer for Voldemort to sink back into his old habits.
"He can stay with us," offered Mr. Weasley.
"Or at Hogwarts," put in McGonagall. Snape didn't attempt to mask his opinion of that suggestion. He was about to make his objections when Hermione and Ron burst through the door. "Professor Dumbledore, Madame Pomfrey needs your help with Harry! Quick!"
Harry was still having fits when everyone arrived at the infirmary. "What have you tried, Poppy?" Dumbledore asked, putting his hand on Harry's forehead in a feeble attempt to comfort him.
"Damn near everything!" she sighed, looking quite put out by the whole thing.
"She even tried to stun him but it didn't work," offered Ron, who was also trying to comfort a sobbing Ginny. She and the rest of the team had made their way to the hospital wing to check on Harry.
"It must be more than the scar then," said Lupin, who was checking under Harry's eyelids. "I wouldn't be surprised if it's a mental attack, with all of the vampires that have reportedly sided with Voldemort."
"Perhaps a Memory Charm then?" asked Sirius. "It may block a mental attack."
"It may also put him in a coma," answered McGonagall, who had taken to comforting Ginny while Ron turned to comforting Hermione, who was for once without a helpful suggestion.
"Severus, do you have any suggestions?" asked Lupin, who, despite open hostility from Snape's end, had always addressed the Potions master as a friend.
"It would take at least four days to brew anything that would block the weakest mental attack, let alone one from a vampire if your guess is true. I say that a few of us try to stun him at once. It might knock him out but he'd come around eventually, if it has any effect at all." Sirius, Ron and Hermione couldn't help but think that Snape was just dying to knock Harry out, after what they did to him in their third year.
"I agree," answered Dumbledore as he nodded to Lupin and Snape. At the count of three, they all stunned Harry. This sent him flying against the headboard of the bed, where he finally lay still, his head lolled to one side and his glasses thrown askew. Madame Pomfrey rushed to make sure that he wasn't too hurt.
"Can't you wake him up now?" asked Ginny, who was so shocked at seeing Harry stunned that she had stopped crying.
"No, we should let him sleep," said Madame Pomfrey, noticeably relieved that Harry was no longer thrashing about.
"I don't think that's wise," returned Lupin, who was again checking under Harry's eyelids. "If it was indeed a mental attack, we need to find out if Harry knows who did it or if they left a message of any kind. That is, if he can be woken up." At this last remark, both Ginny and Cho began sniffling again.
"Ennervate," said Sirius. After fluttering his eyelids for several seconds, Harry came to.
"Harry, are you all right?" asked Hermione, the panic in her voice escalating.
"Ow. Yeah, I'm fine," he answered, comforting the lump on the back of his head.
"Harry, do you remember what happened?" Dumbledore asked, using his soft, soothing voice that he so often needed when inquiring after Harry's experiences.
"Yes. My scar began hurting in the Three Broomsticks. Then Hagrid carried me here. And Madame Pomfrey tried to stun me. And then Hermione and Ron left to get you, and you came back, something mentioned about vampires and comas and then you sent me flying against the headboard and then Lupin poked me in the eye and said I might not wake up and Ginny and Cho cried some more and Sirius woke me up."
"How could he know all that? He looked pretty out of it," asked Ron.
"Harry," continued Dumbledore, "do you know if you were being effected by a mental attack?"
"I don't think I was. It just hurt the same as anytime my scar hurts. Well, a great deal more than it has before when Voldemort's not actually near me. It felt like he was right in front of me, that close. But I didn't hear any voices or get any messages."
"I don't understand," said Sirius. "Why didn't the stun work the first time?"
"I think I might have blocked it. I didn't mean to, but I think that's what happened," answered Harry.
"Didn't you get knocked out by the three stuns?" asked Ron again. "You shouldn't have been able to hear what Lupin said if you were really stunned."
"Harry probably tried to block those as well," answered Moody, who until now had remained quiet. "He learned a lot preparing last year, but not enough to keep the wind from being knock out of him."
"Then why did the pain in his scar stop at that moment if he'd blocked them?" asked Mrs. Weasley.
"A think a better question is why Potter's reaction was so strong if Voldemort is not in this castle." Snape had voiced the matter that was on everyone's mind but no one had wanted to bring up.
"Children, Hagrid, Poppy, you all stay here for the night. The rest of you please come with me," said Dumbledore. After all of the professors and the rest had left, the team gathered around Harry, drowning him in hugs and professions of severe punishment if he ever pulled a stunt like that again. Once Madame Pomfrey had quieted everyone down and set up beds for the night, Hermione and Ron rolled their hospital beds closer to Harry's.
"Are you sure you're ok?" Ron asked.
"Well, I do have a bit of a headache, but I'm more concerned about something else," he answered, lowering his voice.
"What's that?" Hermione asked, settling in under the sheets.
"I never learned how to block three strong stun spells without using my wand."