^.^ Hi again! This is your little author,
you know the one that write the story. I didn¡¦t make you wait that long did I?
How do you like it so far??? I know I suck but bear with me here okay? And oh
if you are looking for a disclaimer here it is: Nothing belongs to me except
the plot and some of the spells I¡¦ve made up. So if you recognize it, it¡¦s not
mine. And I would like to dedicate this to a online friend of mine. Edward Juan
who¡¦s an extremely good artist. It was his birthday but this came kind of late.
So Happy Birthday ED! Okay enough talking here¡¦s the next chapter. (No drum
rolls this time if you are waiting for one) have fun! ^.^
Chapter 9: Half Time
As he fell
back a pair of strong arms caught him. Harry looked up. Through his blurred
vision he could still make out the outline of his catcher.
¡§Sirius?¡¨
Harry exclaimed weakly. Next to Sirius stood Dumbledore and Madam Pomfrey. ¡§How
did you know¡K¡¨
¡§It¡¦s
alright now Harry. We will talk in the infirmary.¡¨ Dumbledore replied calmly.
Sirius gathered Harry up in his arms and started to follow Dumbledore. Harry
didn¡¦t argue. He was too weak to argue. He barely has the energy to keep his
eyes open and his mind conscious.
¡§Ron,
Hermione you can come along if you wish.¡¨ Professor Dumbledore said seeing Ron
and Hermione hesitate to follow. ¡§Or you can go back to your classes.¡¨ Ron and
Hermione walked silently behind the others. They knew some thing was very
wrong. All that ether of them could think of is for Harry to be all right.
During
the walk up to the infirmary Harry felt drowsier and drowsier. He could see
Sirius¡¦s worried face, hear Dumbledore¡¦s eager exchange o words with Madam
Pomfrey. Harry was getting really scared. What was happening to him?
Harry
was barely conscious by the time they reached the infirmary. Madam Pomfrey
dressed him and put him to bed. He heard Dumbledore speaking but couldn¡¦t make
out what he was saying. He felt more tiresome than he has never felt in his
life. Madam Pomfrey fed him some potion and he drifted off into a dreamless
sleep.
***
¡§Professor¡K¡¨
Hermione asked Dumbledore who was looking out the window at nothing in
particular. ¡§Can I ask you a question?¡¨
¡§Ms.
Granger I need to¡K¡¨ He didn¡¦t get to finish his sentence before Ron finally
burst out.
¡§You¡¦ve
asked us many questions and we¡¦ve answered them to the best of our
knowledge now it¡¦s your turn to let us know what¡¦s going on with Harry!¡¨ Ron¡¦s determination
amazed him as much as it did others. Dumbledore now looked at them with sad
eyes, but remained silent.
¡§Professor¡K
Please.¡¨ Hermione pleaded on the verge of bursting into tears.
¡§Oh
alright,¡¨ Dumbledore sighed, ¡§I suppose you have the right to know. ¡§As he
spoke his face became sadder. ¡§Voldemort is back and this time he is attacking
openly. We got news from the Ministry of Magic. Voldemort has gathered demons,
evil witches and wizards, and creatures of dark magic. The planning of the
attack is underway¡K it¡¦s just a matter of time now.¡¨ The two gaped at the news.
¡§He¡¦s
got his body back, but how did he regain power so fast?¡¨ Hermione asked.
¡§That¡¦s
what we were wondering too until now.¡¨ Dumbledore looked over his shoulders at
Harry¡¦s still form.¡¨ As you mentioned earlier Harry¡¦s been looking drowsy and
lately his magic wouldn¡¦t work. Well there is a curse.
It¡¦s
called ¡¥Leechen¡¦. It originated form ancient Egypt created by a wizard
named Sentio Prospect. His name means ¡¥the judge of view¡¦ He disliked all the
indulgence he saw in the world around him so he created the Leechen
curs. It slowly takes one¡¦s wealth and stores it in a tiny vale called the ¡¥Lune¡¦.
He used the wealth to help the poor and hungry people of Egypt. However the
curse got in to the wrong hands. Sentio¡¦s evil brother used it not to suck the
wealth out of a person, but to suck the energy and life. Sentio decided to put
a stop to it once and for all, so he sealed it under an ancient pyramid far out
in the desert of Egypt. Hundreds of years have passed. It stayed safe under the
seal. Till now.¡¨
¡§But
what does this have anything to do with Harry!¡¨ Ron burst out again in angry
words. He clearly wasn¡¦t thinking. Hermione however had caught on.
¡§It
does Ron. You-know-who has obviously used it on Harry.¡¨ Hermione explained, ¡§He
has somehow broken Sentio¡¦s seal and¡K oh my gosh.¡¨ Hermione burst into tears.
¡§But
why Harry?¡¨ Ron asked as he caught on. ¡§Why not an grown up wizard?¡¨
¡§Voldemort
needs someone with a lot of power an dose not know how to use it, or is not
aware of it. This prevents them from noticing till close to the end. Harry
matches his description. At the same time it also ensure that Harry would not
be able to interfere with his plans. He¡¦s taking two birds with one stone.¡¨
¡§What
will happen to the host after his power is drained?¡¨ Sirius who¡¦s been silent
through out this whole conversation finally asked. Dumbledore did not answer
this question. He just looked away sadly. It hit Ron and Hermione suddenly when
tears gather in Sirius¡¦s eyes. They had gotten the reply they feared the most.
Harry was going to ¡K
¡§I will
die.¡¨ Harry said suddenly from his position on the bed behind them. Harry felt
scared. He had heard their whole conversation, but the words that came out of
his mouth sounded rather calm, a lot calmer than he felt.
¡§No
Harry. You won¡¦t die! What makes you think that?¡¨ Sirius said quickly rushing
over to Harry as he struggled to sit up.
¡§It¡¦s
okay Sirius I heard it all.¡¨ Harry replied as Ron and Hermione propped him up
with a pillow.
¡§You
won¡¦t die, we¡¦re not going to let you.¡¨ Ron said determinedly.
¡§Ron is
right.¡¨ Hermione pitched in, ¡§The Ministry of Magic will give you a cure fore
it won¡¦t they?¡¨ Hermione turned to look at the Professor, her eyes begging for
him to say yes. Dumbledore just looked sadly at the group in front of him.
¡§There
is one way¡K¡¨ Dumbledore¡¦s words lighted a spark in the shadow of this horrible
event. ¡§The host has to seize the Lune before the last drop is drunk.
The moment the Lune is captured the curse is lifted¡K But to reach this Lune¡K
Well it¡¦s almost impossible¡K especially in his present state. There are two
guards to the Lune. First the Keeper, no one knows much about the Keeper
so I cannot help you there. The next guard is in the chamber where the Lune
it self is kept. There will be four trolls and two fire breathing dragons, they
too will disappear as the curse is lifted.¡¨
¡§That¡¦s
great! We can just bring Harry there and every thing will be fine.¡¨ Ron was really
excited. Dumbledore however was not.
¡§The
only thing is we don¡¦t know where.¡¨ Dumbledore said the dreaded words.
¡§But we
can¡K¡¨ Hermione argued, but was cut off by Harry.
¡§It¡¦s
alright Hermione.¡¨ Harry said with a weak smile, ¡§Besides I don¡¦t want anyone
else dieing for me.¡¨ His voice was now totally emotionless just like his face.
¡§Oh
Harry¡K¡¨ Hermione winced at Harry¡¦s blank face. She knew she could say something
that would convince Harry it wasn¡¦t his fault that Cedric died, but all her
words failed her. She knows that every word she says would just build on to his
pain.
¡§Harry it¡¦s not your fault.¡¨ Said Ron
obviously knowing what his best friend was thinking, but his confrontation
caused Harry to react in a unexpected way.
¡§NO!¡¨
Harry turned around to face them all screaming. ¡§It IS my fault if I had backed
out to start with none of it would have happened. And it was MY idea that we
take the cup together! It¡¦s ALL my fault. He needn¡¦t have died! He shouldn¡¦t
have died!¡¨ After his outburst he buried his face in his hands leaving the
crowd in shock.
Hermione
was shaken Harry has never showed them this side of him, now it¡¦s finally
exposed. Hermione understood ¡V with the mix of feelings he¡¦s got stored up
inside him it¡¦s hard to hide. Hermione only wish Ron understood too. Ron was
looking bewildered. Madam Pomfrey was crying along with Sirius who¡¦s also
trying desperately to comfort the crying Harry. They both felt pained to see a
young child suffer this way. Dumbledore, like Hermione, had saw through him. He
just stood and shook his head, staring out the window he sadly muttered to
himself.
Moments
later Harry seemed to be more or less himself again. He stopped crying and had
a smile on his face.
¡§I¡¦m
sorry Ron¡¨ He apologized, ¡§I was just so¡K so mixed up and¡K¡¨
¡§It¡¦s
okay.¡¨ Ron smiled, ¡§but I¡¦m never going to let you forget this though. Little
Harry¡¦s a cry baby.¡¨ Harry laughed.
¡§That¡¦s
not very nice!¡¨ said Hermione.
¡§I was
only joking!¡¨ Ron added quickly, ¡§See it got him to laugh!¡¨ Hermione smiled as
the watched the boys laughing away she couldn¡¦t help but join in.
***
For the
next few days when Hermione and Ron are not in class they are by Harry¡¦s
bedside trying to get all the laugh out of him they can. Although much of the
time they found Harry asleep. The time Harry spent unconscious grew longer and
more frequent each day. While he¡¦s awake Harry insisted on keeping up with his
studies. Hermione kindly volunteered to help him, but it was hard to get
through at whole lesson at a time since he kept falling into periods of
unconsciousness during the teaching.
***
¡§Please
don¡¦t tell anyone about the fact that I¡¦m dieing.¡¨ Harry told his friends.
¡§But
everyone¡¦s really worried about you.¡¨ Said Hermione, ¡§and if they know they
might be able to help!¡¨
¡§No,
they will just get really scared.¡¨ Harry¡¦s words are followed by vigorous
coughs, causing him to gasp for air.
¡§But
what should we tell Wood?¡¨ Ron asked, ¡§The Quidditch tournament is canceled
this year, but he and the rest of the team has been asking about you ever since
you came in the hospital wing.¡¨
¡§What
did you tell him?¡¨
¡§We
told Wood that you went home with Sirius to settle some business¡¨ Hermione
replied, ¡§That¡¦s what we¡¦ve been telling everyone.¡¨
¡§The
teachers?¡¨
¡§No.
Dumbledore spoke to them.¡¨ Ron answered this time.
¡§Hagrid?¡¨
¡§We
told him the same thing that we told everyone else.¡¨ Hermione looked
disappointedly at Harry. Harry felt bad lying to his friends, but it was all
for the best.
¡§But
it¡¦s not for the best.¡¨ Hermione said as if she had just read Harry¡¦s mind.
¡§Er¡K I
have to go now.¡¨ Said Ron cutting short their conversation. ¡§Detention with
Snape. Don¡¦t think I¡¦ll live through this one.¡¨ With that he left.
¡§Harry¡K¡¨Hermione
turned back to Harry. ¡§I heard from Sirius that you refused to take Madam
Pomfrey¡¦s potion last night.¡¨ Hermione looked hurt.
¡§Herm¡K¡¨
Harry tried his best to smile with his headache. ¡§ Thank you for the potion.
*Cough* But replacing my powers is like feeding Voldemort with power and it
will make him*Cough* even harder *Cough* to defeat!¡¨ At this point Hermione
turned away. She knew Harry was right, but it seemed so unfair that Harry has
to suffer all this. Tears slid down her face. Harry let out a series of coughs
that he¡¦s been trying to hold back. It made Hermione turn, forgetting to wipe
away the tears on her cheeks Hermione helped Harry back down to his lying
position.
¡§Hermione¡K¡¨Harry
said painfully, ¡§There¡¦s not need for tears.¡¨ He weakly reached up and wiped
away the tears on her face. Hermione¡¦s hands found Harry¡¦s and she grasped it
as if she could hold him from death with was slowly approaching him. Even
though no one can be sure when, but sooner or later Harry is going to die.
¡§It¡¦s
just so unfair!¡¨ Hermione¡¦s voice trembled, ¡§you suffered way more than your
share already.¡¨ Tears were streaming out of her eyes. ¡§Your parents died when
you were only a baby. You had to live with you horrible aunt and uncle and¡K and
finally now that Sirius¡¦s name is clear your going to¡K¡¨ Hermione is now sobbing
out of controlled ¡§all your life you¡¦ve been suffering.¡¨
¡§Don¡¦t
think that!¡¨ Harry struggled into a half sitting position and hugged Hermione.
¡§Remember what you said? I¡¦m not going to die. It will be like the old times.
School, Quidditch, hanging out. And I haven¡¦t suffered all my life. I met you
guys and I¡¦m at Hogwarts what could I ask for more?¡¨ Harry said softly drying
her tears, ¡§You should go to dinner now. They fixed something extra special
today because its one of the teacher¡¦s birthday.¡¨ Hermione stepped out of their
embrace, ¡§Remember to bring me some if it¡¦s good!¡¨ Harry joked. It put a small
smile on Hermione¡¦s sad face.
¡§I
will.¡¨ Hermione leaned over and kissed Harry lightly on the lips, turned her heel
and headed towards the door. Harry, filled with exhaustion, soon fell asleep.
***
That
night when Sirius returned to the infirmary he found his godson deep in
slumber. Harry¡¦s face was paler and he seemed thinner than Sirius remember. His
friend Ron and Hermione were by his bedside watching him.
¡§How is
he?¡¨ Sirius asked Hermione. Ron was asleep.
¡§He¡¦s
been unconscious ever since I left him before dinner.¡¨ Hermione replied looking
rather worried.
¡§He¡¦ll
be alright.¡¨ Sirius said pointlessly, for the both know Harry may never be
alright again. ¡§I need to speak with Madam Pomfrey, would you stay with him for
a while longer?¡¨ Hermione silently nodded in reply.
¡§Did he
take it today?¡¨ Sirius asked the nurse.
¡§No¡¨
Madam Pomfrey shook her head, ¡§and he hasn¡¦t eaten any thing for the whole
day.¡¨ she frowned.
¡§How
much longer do you think he has?¡¨ Sirius¡¦s voice sounded rather urgent. From
where she was sitting Hermione could hear their conversation.
¡§I¡¦m
sorry, I don¡¦t know. How did your trip go?¡¨
¡§I
searched everywhere but there was nothing.¡¨ Sirius sounded like he¡¦s ready to
give up completely.
¡§You
need rest too.¡¨ Madam Pomfrey said comfortingly. ¡§ You don¡¦t want Harry worried
about you now, would you?¡¨
¡§Alright.¡¨
Sirius walked back towards Harry¡¦s bed, ¡§I want to stay with him for a while.¡¨
¡§I
guess we¡¦ll be leaving then.¡¨ Hermione got up and woke up Ron, they gathered
their stuff and left. Sirius was now alone, looking down at Harry¡¦s almost
lifeless body. ¡¥I¡¦m sorry James¡¦ He thought ¡¥Lilly I¡¦m so sorry I couldn¡¦t
protect him¡K¡¦ Suddenly Harry¡¦s eyes fluttered open. He smiled up at his
godfather.
¡§Hi!¡¨
Harry's voice sounded no more than a whisper.
¡§How
are you?¡¨ Sirius asked. When Harry didn¡¦t answer he moved the cup of potion to
Harry¡¦s lips. This time Harry didn¡¦t protest, the warm fluid gave his body some
temporary strength.
¡§I¡¦m
sorry Sirius.¡¨ Harry said after the last drop of he potion has disappeared.
¡§What
is there to be sorry about?¡¨ Sirius helped Harry up into a half sitting
position.
¡§You¡¦ve
worked so hard, and now you are finally free, but I can¡¦ t go home with you.¡¨
Tear flowed from Harry's eyes. Tears he had kept back for a long time. ¡§You
went through so much for us. You got at house and everything. And now I can¡¦t
repay you. Instead I made more trouble¡K¡¨ Harry's words were stopped by Sirius¡¦s
hug.
¡§Stop.¡¨
Sirius couldn¡¦t listen to it anymore. ¡§Don¡¦t blame yourself for things that you
can¡¦t help.¡¨ Sirius¡¦s tears flowed down his cheek. It blended with Harry's.
¡§And if you want to go home we can leave now.¡¨
¡§My
home is where ever you are.¡¨ Harry said quietly still crying.
¡§And
mine is where you are.¡¨ Sirius replied. The two held on to each other in a
tight embrace. Weeping their tears of happiness and sorrow as the pale face of
the moon gently looked down upon them. Dumbledore and Madam Pomfrey turned and
left the two godfather and son alone.
^.^ Aww isn¡¦t that sweet? So? Did you like
it? Huh? Huh? Huh? I have one question. Would you like me to make the story LONG
or cut it SHORT??? Review! Please be nice. Any kind of comments welcome. (Yes
flames too, but do take it easy) bye now! ^.^
