Chapter 4
The next morning breakfast was very quiet, after everyone had eaten the plates and food vanished and the headmaster stood to speak.
"Yesterday death eaters attacked the Hogwarts Express ten miles from Hogwarts. Taking immediate action Harry Potter called everyone together on one side of the tracks and contacted me, that was the first word anyone here at the castle got of the disaster. When two patrols of Order of the Phoenix agents arrived most of you were already together in a clearing. You were then transported to the school doors by Harry, who, as you know, has a gift with lightning. The patrols and Harry went back for the last six who had been captured by Voldemort. Once again Harry led the attack, transforming into his animagus form and attacking Voldemort and his supporters, teleporting the rest of the students to safety with lightning. The patrols attacked in a planned formation on the outside of the death eater mob, Harry killed off the dementors and untransformed, at this point he was attacked by Voldemort himself." Here the headmaster paused for gasps then continued. "I must say that in the ensuing wizards duel and swordfight Harry kicked Voldemort's butt. Voldemort has lost what remained of his left eye, been stunned and electrocuted, burned, gashed on his right leg and the side of his face, split his lip, been stabbed in the back and had two fingers cut off. Harry escaped but he has a knife wound on his right shoulder, the knife was poisoned and he is currently running a high fever. With this on top of the injuries he received last year his body can't take much more, he won't be back among us for two days at least. The Order patrols did a remarkable job finishing off the death eaters in record time. They've returned to the Order of the Phoenix Fortress. Now it's time for class." The students left the hall in shocked silence or talking loudly.
"Poor Harry! Let's go see him after lunch." Ron suggested,
"No, we have History of Magic, after dinner will be fine though." Ira said, pulling out a schedule, they had Potions first thing.
"Poor guy, he'll miss the first day back." Hermione said, as if this were some great tragedy.
"I don't think he'll mind missing Divination Hermione." Ron replied, looking over his own schedule.
"Lucky, though I don't envy him the injuries. Come on, we'll be late." Ira said, pulling them along towards the Potions classroom.
"Oh Weasely, Mudblood, are you scared now? Your friend isn't here to protect you, noble Potter lost to the dark lord, they're just saying he did good. Don't want to ruin his public image." Ira grabbed Ron to keep him from hitting Malfoy again, Pansy Parkinson too was sneering and making comments.
"I bet he'll come back looking like Mad Eye, won't think he's so good looking then! Pitiful mutilated Potter!" Her friends snickered as the trio passed.
"Better start planning the funeral, Potter'll be dead soon, did you hear Dumby? He can't take much more." Draco called at them, Hermione slapped him across the face, he staggered back, rubbing his cheek.
"Stupid Mudblood lovers, you'll be dead soon, no brave Potter to save you, he'll be too scared, die of fright if the dark lord shows up." Sam, Dean, and Neville attacked him as one, Crabbe and Goyle ran forward to help. Professor Snape suddenly rounded the corner.
"Weasely! Granger! What is going on here?" He yelled, sneering at them evilly.
"We didn't do anything, Malfoy and his sidekicks were insulting Harry, said he'd die of fright if he-who-must-not-be-named showed up again. Said we should start planning a funeral and making all sorts of other mean comments." Snape glared at them,
"Fifty points from Gryffindor for fighting in the halls and detention tonight, and forty from Slytherin, now get to class before I give you a detention too!" They hurried off, hoping they weren't late.
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
Harry groaned and opened his eyes, of course, he was in the hospital wing, first day back too. Drat. I must be injury prone around Voldemort. Then again, who isn't?
"Hey Tiger," he murmured to the cat, who was curled up beside him purring in the sun. Harry could have sworn Tiger smiled at him.
"Good morning Harry, nice to see you awake." Harry twisted so he could see Dumbledore clearly, the Headmaster was seated at the foot of his bed smiling away. Harry nearly growled like Tiger at the all too familiar sight.
"Good morning, how long have I been asleep?" He asked, almost dreading the answer.
"Just about 28 hours, here." Dumbledore handed him a tray with breakfast on it. Harry sat up, disturbing Tiger who growled and stretched, lashing his tail at Harry.
"How much longer will I have to stay here?" Harry asked as he ate, glancing at his schedule on the table beside him.
"You can leave as soon as you're done, you had an awful fever the first fifteen hours, but the poison's worn off and you'll be fine." Harry wrinkled his nose, he had Potions first thing today. Perhaps he could find a way to be late of not go at all.
The next morning breakfast was very quiet, after everyone had eaten the plates and food vanished and the headmaster stood to speak.
"Yesterday death eaters attacked the Hogwarts Express ten miles from Hogwarts. Taking immediate action Harry Potter called everyone together on one side of the tracks and contacted me, that was the first word anyone here at the castle got of the disaster. When two patrols of Order of the Phoenix agents arrived most of you were already together in a clearing. You were then transported to the school doors by Harry, who, as you know, has a gift with lightning. The patrols and Harry went back for the last six who had been captured by Voldemort. Once again Harry led the attack, transforming into his animagus form and attacking Voldemort and his supporters, teleporting the rest of the students to safety with lightning. The patrols attacked in a planned formation on the outside of the death eater mob, Harry killed off the dementors and untransformed, at this point he was attacked by Voldemort himself." Here the headmaster paused for gasps then continued. "I must say that in the ensuing wizards duel and swordfight Harry kicked Voldemort's butt. Voldemort has lost what remained of his left eye, been stunned and electrocuted, burned, gashed on his right leg and the side of his face, split his lip, been stabbed in the back and had two fingers cut off. Harry escaped but he has a knife wound on his right shoulder, the knife was poisoned and he is currently running a high fever. With this on top of the injuries he received last year his body can't take much more, he won't be back among us for two days at least. The Order patrols did a remarkable job finishing off the death eaters in record time. They've returned to the Order of the Phoenix Fortress. Now it's time for class." The students left the hall in shocked silence or talking loudly.
"Poor Harry! Let's go see him after lunch." Ron suggested,
"No, we have History of Magic, after dinner will be fine though." Ira said, pulling out a schedule, they had Potions first thing.
"Poor guy, he'll miss the first day back." Hermione said, as if this were some great tragedy.
"I don't think he'll mind missing Divination Hermione." Ron replied, looking over his own schedule.
"Lucky, though I don't envy him the injuries. Come on, we'll be late." Ira said, pulling them along towards the Potions classroom.
"Oh Weasely, Mudblood, are you scared now? Your friend isn't here to protect you, noble Potter lost to the dark lord, they're just saying he did good. Don't want to ruin his public image." Ira grabbed Ron to keep him from hitting Malfoy again, Pansy Parkinson too was sneering and making comments.
"I bet he'll come back looking like Mad Eye, won't think he's so good looking then! Pitiful mutilated Potter!" Her friends snickered as the trio passed.
"Better start planning the funeral, Potter'll be dead soon, did you hear Dumby? He can't take much more." Draco called at them, Hermione slapped him across the face, he staggered back, rubbing his cheek.
"Stupid Mudblood lovers, you'll be dead soon, no brave Potter to save you, he'll be too scared, die of fright if the dark lord shows up." Sam, Dean, and Neville attacked him as one, Crabbe and Goyle ran forward to help. Professor Snape suddenly rounded the corner.
"Weasely! Granger! What is going on here?" He yelled, sneering at them evilly.
"We didn't do anything, Malfoy and his sidekicks were insulting Harry, said he'd die of fright if he-who-must-not-be-named showed up again. Said we should start planning a funeral and making all sorts of other mean comments." Snape glared at them,
"Fifty points from Gryffindor for fighting in the halls and detention tonight, and forty from Slytherin, now get to class before I give you a detention too!" They hurried off, hoping they weren't late.
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
Harry groaned and opened his eyes, of course, he was in the hospital wing, first day back too. Drat. I must be injury prone around Voldemort. Then again, who isn't?
"Hey Tiger," he murmured to the cat, who was curled up beside him purring in the sun. Harry could have sworn Tiger smiled at him.
"Good morning Harry, nice to see you awake." Harry twisted so he could see Dumbledore clearly, the Headmaster was seated at the foot of his bed smiling away. Harry nearly growled like Tiger at the all too familiar sight.
"Good morning, how long have I been asleep?" He asked, almost dreading the answer.
"Just about 28 hours, here." Dumbledore handed him a tray with breakfast on it. Harry sat up, disturbing Tiger who growled and stretched, lashing his tail at Harry.
"How much longer will I have to stay here?" Harry asked as he ate, glancing at his schedule on the table beside him.
"You can leave as soon as you're done, you had an awful fever the first fifteen hours, but the poison's worn off and you'll be fine." Harry wrinkled his nose, he had Potions first thing today. Perhaps he could find a way to be late of not go at all.