A/N
– I had this part finished for the beginning of August, but ff.net was down , I
then took a long holiday in Florida, and so I was left with two choices.
1.) Make readers wait longer
to extend the part originally designed to carry them on while I went away
2.)Post
uncharacteristically short story in order to avoid being chased by screaming
readers wielding axes..
Here's
the next part of the story..
Rufus
^_^
Harry Potter and the Order of Praesentia
The Fountain of Youth
Harry, having gone back to sleep almost immediately after speaking, eventually awoke when the first rays of sunlight burst through the infirmary window early the next morning. Reaching automatically for his glasses, he winced slightly as his joints cracked obviously a result of their correction the previous night. Finally somebody handed him his glasses and once wearing them, Harry found Sirius sat on the chair at the side of the cubicle.
"Morning!" He said brightly.
Harry yawned. "Mornin'."
"How are you feeling now, then?"
"Good as new," Harry replied eagerly. "Just a bit tired."
"Ron and Hermione are worried. I sent them to bed about three hours ago they'd sat by our bed until then."
"I'm fine," Harry repeated for what felt like the fiftieth time. "I don't know why everyone's so worried."
"You don't know why we're worried?" Black fumed, his voice rising steadily. "Do you understand how stupid it was? I know you saved Elise and I, Harry, and I am honestly very grateful for that, but what on earth did you think you were doing? What possessed you to enter that house? Couldn't you have waited for someone else?"
"I-"
"You not only put yourself in danger, but Ron, Hermione and the other students as well!"
"But-"
"And how many times have I warned you not to use your powers against others unless they're out for your blood? Yet, there you are, blasting your best friend against a wall and rendering him unconscious."
"They're-"
"How often to you have to be told to stay out of trouble? After all that people have done to maintain the best protections around you possible, you throw it back in their faces and rush headlong into danger."
"I don't-"
"Don't you want to live past next week, Harry? Madame Pomfrey must have seen more of you than anyone else at Hogwarts ever! How do you-"
Half an hour later
"Just think how lucky you were when I imagine what might have happened! If the death eaters had still been there, or-"
"SIRIUS BLACK!" Madame Pomfrey cry rang through the infirmary as she returned from breakfast. "Leave the poor boy alone!"
"But-"
"And besides, your Godson has been asleep for quite a while it would seem. I would say he may have missed the finer points of your ranting, but from what I just heard there were very few. Now shoo leave my patient alone."
**
"Right then time to test the messes concocted today. Longbottom bring a sample to the front. Quickly, boy." He sneered. "Do you have any friends who would be willing to test," he looked at the vial Neville handed to him, "this and perhaps lose a bodily function for a short while?"
Having returned to the normal routine of lessons at Hogwarts, Harry had found his work, as predicted, steadily improving - even his potion looked right today. Pity it's Neville's being tested, he thought. They were making a youth potion today - it was supposed to transform the drinker into a younger version of themselves but only in appearance - in mind they would be the same as their current self. The potion was said to be used frequently as a disguise method, after all -nobody ever suspects the kid (that is, nobody other than the child's parents who usually seem to know better.) Harry was, as usual, sat in-between Ron and Hermione Hermione's potion as perfect as ever, Ron's with a slightly green tinge that really couldn't be healthy if consumed.
Neville looked desperately around the room avoiding the sniggering faces of the Slytherins but found most of the Gryffindors hiding from his pleading gaze. Hermione nudged Harry hard in the ribs.
"Come on, it's your turn!"
"No it's not!" Harry whispered angrily.
"Yes it is!" Hermione replied indignantly. "I took the cheerfulness potion that had me crying for two hours, remember?"
"Hermione"
"Don't 'Hermione' me, Harry It's your turn."
"Fine." Harry angrily raised his hand.
"Ah," Snape said icily, disguising his surprise that someone had actually volunteered. "Potter, excellent. Here is you vict-er-subject then, Longbottom."
Silently praying that Neville had improved his results in a sudden bout of inspiration, Harry took the vial of a viscous lilac potion and, grimacing, swallowed its entire contents quickly.
The class collectively held their breath as Harry closed both his eyes.
Nothing happened.
"Well, Longbottom," the professor snapped as Harry warily opened one eye and seemed surprised to still be in one piece. "Another failure - perhaps we ought to-"
Suddenly, as Neville began to worry about another howler from his Grandmother concerning his failing potions grade, an eerie green glow surrounded Harry and small sparks were emitted from his fingers. With a 'poof' reminiscent of a dragon's flame, Harry vanished and a small heap was left on the floor - a moving heap, covered by a blanket.
It suddenly stopped shivering and a head appeared on one side. A small, black haired head. Slowly the blanket was removed and a skinny child wearing enormous clothes appeared. Looking around the room anxiously the boy, Harry, started to shuffle backwards away from the larger people in front of him.
"Well, Longbottom, Congratulations. It appears you have finally managed to do something correctly." Snape remarked cruelly. "LEAVE THE BOY ALONE!" He shouted angrily at the crowd that had gathered around Harry. "Now then, Potter. The potion will wear off in approximately thirty minutes, so you may return to your seat for now."
Harry stared at the potions master, and then started to suck at the blanket he was holding in one hand.
"Potter, I said go back to your seat now hop to it!"
Glaring malevolently at the child, Snape frowned in confusion as Harry shrunk back further under the table. Bending down, Severus spoke as gently as anyone had ever heard him to address the frightened looking boy.
"What's your name?" He asked.
"What's yours?" Harry asked back with a trace of a grin. "I'm not a'sposed to talk to strangers in silly dresses."
Snape rolled his eyes, and then frowned as the class behind him laughed.
"I'm Snape."
"Oh. That's a weird name. I'm Harry."
"How old are you, Harry?"
"I am three and one quarter years. You look old. How old are you?"
The class roared.
"Too old for this," Snape muttered quietly. Rising to his feet once more, he turned to Neville. "Congratulations, Longbottom you've managed to swap the present day Harry Potter with his three-year-old counterpart. Malfoy you're in charge."
Grabbing one of Harry's hands, (his other was holding a very grotty grey blanket,) the potions master swept from the room, heading for Remus Lupin's classroom.
"Ah, Professor Snape to what do we owe the pleasure of your company?"
"This." Snape said, swinging Harry round in front of him. As the class of fifth year Gryffindors craned their necks to see what was causing the commotion, Harry's eyes looked puzzled for a moment before they flashed with recognition and he cried out cheerfully.
"MOONY!"
"Is this-?"
"Yes. I'm afraid Longbottom had yet another accident in my class. This is Potter when he was three-"
"Three and a quarter!" Harry piped up.
"Three and a quarter." Snape corrected miserably. "I don't know what to do with kids and I was going to ask you what to do but as it seems he can remember you - you can look after him while I see the headmaster."
"But I'm teach-"
Snape slammed the door behind him.
Perplexed, Lupin stared at the boy in front of him. Harry remained calm, a huge grin plastered across his face. Finally, Lupin moved forward, extending his hand in a friendly gesture.
"Come on then, Harry - you can sit at my desk while I finish teaching, okay?"
"Yeah!" Harry followed Lupin around the desk, and then allowed himself to be picked up and placed on the large chair behind the oak desk. Thinking for a short while, Remus twirled his wand and created a few stuffed animals and set them down on the desk quietly. Harry looked at them.
"Aren't you going to play with them?" Lupin asked, puzzled.
"I'm allowed?" Harry replied, astonishment clear in his voice.
"Er, yes, of course." Lupin watched as Harry stared at the small animals, as if afraid to touch them. "They won't bite!" He joked good-naturedly.
"Oh, I know." Harry said, although he looked again to check. "I'm jut not supposed to touch toys."
Remus was astounded. "Why ever not?"
Harry shuffled uncomfortably in his seat. "My Uncle Vernon says that they're only for Dudley - and I don't want to get in trouble cos they'll shut me in the cupboard."
"Well," Lupin said kindly, hiding his shock and disgust, "they're not here not - so you play with them as much as you want."
"Really?"
Remus nodded.
Harry grinned widely and then set about arranging the animals in a way which was obviously very important to him. Lupin turned back to his class holding very little hope that anything would now get done with them.
"Right then, where was I?"
"You were just explaining the ghost-exorcism myth thingy-" somebody from the back of the room called out.
"Oh, thank you, Thomas. Well, as we had already stated, the theory that a priest could exorcise a ghoul, ghost or poltergeist is wholly unfounded. It is due to an unfortunate series of events that a ghost exists, and only by completing a particular task or challenge, basically the reason they stayed, can they be removed from their plane of existence. Now-"
He was interrupted as a series of snorts, gasps and giggles came from his students. Looking in the direction they were staring, Lupin stared in wonder as he watched Harry playing with the animals. They were moving. The class watched, amazed, as a small black kitten sat on Harry's shoulder, whilst the minute unicorn pranced along the desk and an eagle soared through the sky.
"What on earth?"
Lupin cried slowly
He turned back to the class
"Which one of you did this?" He snapped in a manner entirely unlike his usual self.
The class all started babbling at once - Remus called for quiet.
"ONE at a time, please!"
Ginny Weasley put her hand slowly in the air.
"Yes, Virginia?"
"I don't think it was one of us, s-sir." She stammered. "I think it was H-harry." The class murmured its agreement.
Lupin turned back around. "What do you mean?" He asked her, still watching Harry carefully.
"He was just playing with them and the they suddenly came alive - but his eyes did this weird flashy thing."
Lupin looked at Harry.
"Well, you all know that young wizards show signs of magic before they receive their education." But not like this, he thought. "It's perfectly normal." Liar. "Anyway, class - it's just about time for you to leave, so we'll finish five minutes earlier today while I try to get the normal Harry back. I daresay the quidditch team will be a bit upset if something isn't done, eh?"
The class laughed as they left the room (rather quickly - just in case Lupin changed his mind.)
"Right then, Harry." Lupin said picking Harry up out of the chair. "Time to go see Dumbledore."
"Bus Dumbydore"
"Yep, that's the one."
**
"What do you mean there's no antidote?!"
"There just isn't," Snape replied calmly. "This isn't Harry made younger, this is actually Harry when he was three - somehow they've been swapped around!"
"So then our Harry is now at his Aunt and Uncle's house?"
"Yes."
"No wonder they hate our kind." Dumbledore thought out loud. "He will have just appeared out of nowhere."
"Anyway," Sirius said, throwing a meaningful glare at Albus. "What are we going to do until we can swap them? More importantly, how are we going to swap them?"
"We need to create the same sort of porthole as Mr Longbottom created. It could take a while, or it could take minutes...depending on our luck."
"And what are we going to do with him until then?"
"Well, Sirius..."
"As much as I would love to-" he wrung his hands here and sighed ashamedly. "I really don't think I can cope with two three-year-olds - somebody is going to have to take either Elise or Harry."
Dumbledore thought for a minute. "Could you bring Mr Weasley and Miss Granger up for me please, Remus?"
"What are you up to, Albus?"
"I think that Harry should stay here - he could be returned as his normal self at any time and may well need the attention of Madame Pomfrey. I am planning to ask-" Ron and Hermione hurried up the stairs. "Ah, Hermione, Ronald."
"Is Harry okay? Where is he?"
"Harry is currently sleeping next door, and is fine. However, I was wondering - how would you like to look after him for the time being?"
"What do you mean, look after?" Hermione asked with a frown.
"It seems," Sirius said from his place across the room, "that Harry can't be returned to normal for a while and -"
"And you want him to stay in Gryffindor?"
"Pretty much. I think we are all agreed that Sirius - being Sirius - can't manage both Harry and Elise at once, and the easier option is to keep Harry here."
"Right then, so we'll look after Harry - shouldn't be too much of a problem."
"Excellent."
"I don't like to leave Harry when he's like this." Sirius said. "Is there not a way me Elise and I could stay in the castle – to offer some help?"
"Yes - we have several fee rooms at the minute, and I'm sure these two," here he indicated Ron and Hermione, "would appreciate the help."
"Well then, now that that's sorted, I'll just check on Harry and then go to pick up Elise from playgroup - anyone want to guess what structure she's destroyed today? It was the wall last week."
The
group laughed as Remus led them through the doors to his left, and then stood
stock still in fascination as they gathered around the bed.
Floating in a circle around
Harry, who was wide awake and sat up in bed, was every moveable item in the
room. With a delighted grin he turned to the group and shrieked,
"FLOATY!"
Ron looked at Hermione.
"Oh dear."
To be continued…
A/N - Ok, I know it's really short, but it was supposed to be posted 3 weeks ago! I'm going to start on a new one shortly, and it hopefully shouldn't be too long, as I'm still of school..
Thanks to those who reviewed, but in particular to Someon2 and Krazy Kris, who showed me that people occasionally do visit my website (For those of you who don't, this chapter was posted there on the 3rd of August…) Also – I love your story..so get some more written! J
Thanks to all others, (Sorry, I ran out of time to do any comments like usual – next time around I will) ;
Dumbledore's True Love, Vmr, Oceana, KateMarie Itari15, Jona (Whens the next part of your story coming out?? We need to know what's going to happen!!) Lita of Jupita, Lizzy/ Tygrestick, Shadow, Coqui (Look – Im back!!), Ellie, Desiree, Sandrine Black, Person, Lena, Zybenkizzashanta, Suzybeth, AjaKe, Rogue15, Nagh, Katie Potter, Tschubi-chan, Rachel, Jennylovesnick, Mars is bright tonight, Water Nymph, Ravenclaw Filly, Yellow Daisy Girl, Gryffindor Filly, Magma, Darth Yoda, Svolkame, Farseeker, Potter_hal, Lucky woods, Lord of the net, Potter/Pikachu, Jamie Potter, Bon, CurlyLoxTN, Polaris/Vanessa L. Black, Linda, M, Adrienne, Sera Terasaki, Lishel Francrium, Jules Rox, Pylite, Caitlin Black..
Thanks again to everyone,
Until the next part, remember – you're a closer to death than you were when you started reading this.depressing, eh?