Chapter Two
"Madam Pomfrey, Madam Pomfrey." Draco yelled has he run into the infirmary." Mr. Malfoy what ever are you bellowing about?" Madam Pomfrey said calmingly." Potions, accident, Professor Snape, Granger and Longbottom, explosion, there hurt. "He stumbled out. "Dear please calm down I can't help if I don't understand you." She said gentle moving Draco to a chair to sit down." Professor Snape sent me to tell you there's been explosion in potions, Granger and Longbottom were in the class when it happened," he said with emotion." Oh dear me. Those poor children," she sighed." The headmaster?" She asked." Potter went to get him". Draco explained." Granger and Longbottom?" She asked." Professor Snape and Weasley are bringing them." He said. Just as she turns to prepare for the hurt students Ron rushes in with Neville on a stretcher. "Oh dear me.... what potion was it?" Madam Pomfrey asks as she moves Neville to a bed." Airitdun Pasttomin"they both say at the same time. "Oh dear me and has he found Ms Granger yet?" She asked." No he was still looking when I left to bring Neville to you." Ron answered.
"Poppey ...hurry I have Ms Granger, she bleeding badly from her head." Professor Snape called as he rushes in with Hermione." What were you thinking letting these children try that potion?" She yelled at him with a horrified look on her face. Snape looked away from her accusing eyes. She is right they were not ready I was pushing them to hard to be the best students I have ever taught. Now if either of these students dies I will have more blood on my hands.
"Severus, Poppey how are they?" Albus Dumbledore called as he hurried into the room." Neville is stable and until he wakes up I won't know the extent of the damage." She said looking at the three young men standing there wondering the fate of there friends." Albus ...I don't think" she said hurriedly. Dumbledore turned to the three boys and softly said" you all three showed great strength and courage today but now I need you to show even greater strength and return to you common rooms while Madam Pomfrey takes care of Hermione and Neville." He could see that all three boys were scared to death that after everything they have been thru and survived that they were now going to lose there best friends." I will send for you as soon as I know more, you have my word." He said."Alright headmaster. "They all said. Albus watched sadly as they glanced at there friends before slowly walking out the door.
"Now Poppey Ms Granger will she make it?" Albus said as he looked on the child with such a deep sadness I've never seen before. I cause all this pain, If only it had been me and not them, no one would miss the grease grit potions master." Albus it's to soon to be sure, I've stopped the bleeding but I don't know when and if she will ever wake up." Poppey said sadly." Do whatever you have to Poppey. Don't let her die, not again please." Albus said weakly as he feels into a chair.
Don't let her die again, drew my mind out of my guilt and I looked at Albus and for the first time in the last 17 year and truly seeing how very old and sad he was. I have not seen that look on his face since the day his granddaughter body was sent to him by Voldemort. I barely heard Poppeys reply of I'll do everything I can Albus. What did he mean don't let her die again. I looked at Ms Granger and I looked at Albus. Those eyes, but it can't be, she's dead, I held her in my arms, and I felt the life go out of her. Alizabeth is dead. This girl is too young it can't be her; I would have known I would have felt her. I look at Albus and I see a stranger.
"Why, how, what were you thinking, how could you do that how could you play god? Answer me. You knew what her death did to me to yourself how could you." I demanded tears running unchecked down my face." Severus I did what any person would do to save there child. "He answered silently tears running down his cheeks.
"Your upsetting her if you don't calm down I will bar you both from here, I will not lose her because of your foolishness." They nodded at Poppey and she turned from them back to her patient." Oh dear girl you must not die they need you they all do." She said softly only for the girl to hear. Solf white clouds formed and showers of rose petals sprinkled down upon Hermione." Hello ... Neville, Harry, Professor Snape, anyone is everyone alright, were I.?" She asks." You are safe child do not worry" a soft voice answers." Who are you?" Hermione ask." My name is Alexia, and I am your guardian". She says softly. "But were you why can't I see you?" Hermione ask. "You are in the walk way of roses and I will guide you thru." She says softly." Please wear are my friends are they alright, is Neville alright. "Hermione cries with tears running down her face.
"Sweet child do not cry, your friends are alright and Neville will be fine. But you are hear because you must begin your journey home. "She says." Home but I can't leave school this is my last year, I'm not ready I have N.e.w.t.s., and graduation." Hermione explained. "Forever worried about grades." The voice laughs" it has always been that way even the first time" the voice says." The first time I don't understand." Hermione says. Running her fingers across her face to wipe away the tears.
"Of course you don't child, if you did you would not be here." Hermione looks around and takes a deep breath and the tranquil sounds and smells seem to ease some of the pain and hopelessness she feels." Is this heaven?" Hermione asks." Silly child, no this is not heaven, only the pathway to many places. You are not ment to go to heaven yet and great souls like your was never ment to go hell either. "The voice whispers." Then were was I ment to go, were will I go, I don't understand. "Hermione yells. "You will child soon, you were given a gift once and it changed you, now you must accept the past before the gift, if you don't the next time you cross the threshold of the roses you will be alone." Alexia whispers in the distance." How do I find my way back?" Hermione ask pulling herself off the ground. "You must walk down this path at the end of it you will come to three chamber doors, and then you must decide what door is home." Alexia says.
"How will I know what door is the right one." Hermione asks." Follow your heart child, and you will pick the right door, but know I must leave you I can't walk the rest of the path with you, you must do it alone." Alexia whispers." How will I know what door to pick? "Mione yells. Faintly in the distance she "hears follow your heart Alizabeth and you will find your way thru the right door down the path of what was ment to be."
"Madam Pomfrey, Madam Pomfrey." Draco yelled has he run into the infirmary." Mr. Malfoy what ever are you bellowing about?" Madam Pomfrey said calmingly." Potions, accident, Professor Snape, Granger and Longbottom, explosion, there hurt. "He stumbled out. "Dear please calm down I can't help if I don't understand you." She said gentle moving Draco to a chair to sit down." Professor Snape sent me to tell you there's been explosion in potions, Granger and Longbottom were in the class when it happened," he said with emotion." Oh dear me. Those poor children," she sighed." The headmaster?" She asked." Potter went to get him". Draco explained." Granger and Longbottom?" She asked." Professor Snape and Weasley are bringing them." He said. Just as she turns to prepare for the hurt students Ron rushes in with Neville on a stretcher. "Oh dear me.... what potion was it?" Madam Pomfrey asks as she moves Neville to a bed." Airitdun Pasttomin"they both say at the same time. "Oh dear me and has he found Ms Granger yet?" She asked." No he was still looking when I left to bring Neville to you." Ron answered.
"Poppey ...hurry I have Ms Granger, she bleeding badly from her head." Professor Snape called as he rushes in with Hermione." What were you thinking letting these children try that potion?" She yelled at him with a horrified look on her face. Snape looked away from her accusing eyes. She is right they were not ready I was pushing them to hard to be the best students I have ever taught. Now if either of these students dies I will have more blood on my hands.
"Severus, Poppey how are they?" Albus Dumbledore called as he hurried into the room." Neville is stable and until he wakes up I won't know the extent of the damage." She said looking at the three young men standing there wondering the fate of there friends." Albus ...I don't think" she said hurriedly. Dumbledore turned to the three boys and softly said" you all three showed great strength and courage today but now I need you to show even greater strength and return to you common rooms while Madam Pomfrey takes care of Hermione and Neville." He could see that all three boys were scared to death that after everything they have been thru and survived that they were now going to lose there best friends." I will send for you as soon as I know more, you have my word." He said."Alright headmaster. "They all said. Albus watched sadly as they glanced at there friends before slowly walking out the door.
"Now Poppey Ms Granger will she make it?" Albus said as he looked on the child with such a deep sadness I've never seen before. I cause all this pain, If only it had been me and not them, no one would miss the grease grit potions master." Albus it's to soon to be sure, I've stopped the bleeding but I don't know when and if she will ever wake up." Poppey said sadly." Do whatever you have to Poppey. Don't let her die, not again please." Albus said weakly as he feels into a chair.
Don't let her die again, drew my mind out of my guilt and I looked at Albus and for the first time in the last 17 year and truly seeing how very old and sad he was. I have not seen that look on his face since the day his granddaughter body was sent to him by Voldemort. I barely heard Poppeys reply of I'll do everything I can Albus. What did he mean don't let her die again. I looked at Ms Granger and I looked at Albus. Those eyes, but it can't be, she's dead, I held her in my arms, and I felt the life go out of her. Alizabeth is dead. This girl is too young it can't be her; I would have known I would have felt her. I look at Albus and I see a stranger.
"Why, how, what were you thinking, how could you do that how could you play god? Answer me. You knew what her death did to me to yourself how could you." I demanded tears running unchecked down my face." Severus I did what any person would do to save there child. "He answered silently tears running down his cheeks.
"Your upsetting her if you don't calm down I will bar you both from here, I will not lose her because of your foolishness." They nodded at Poppey and she turned from them back to her patient." Oh dear girl you must not die they need you they all do." She said softly only for the girl to hear. Solf white clouds formed and showers of rose petals sprinkled down upon Hermione." Hello ... Neville, Harry, Professor Snape, anyone is everyone alright, were I.?" She asks." You are safe child do not worry" a soft voice answers." Who are you?" Hermione ask." My name is Alexia, and I am your guardian". She says softly. "But were you why can't I see you?" Hermione ask. "You are in the walk way of roses and I will guide you thru." She says softly." Please wear are my friends are they alright, is Neville alright. "Hermione cries with tears running down her face.
"Sweet child do not cry, your friends are alright and Neville will be fine. But you are hear because you must begin your journey home. "She says." Home but I can't leave school this is my last year, I'm not ready I have N.e.w.t.s., and graduation." Hermione explained. "Forever worried about grades." The voice laughs" it has always been that way even the first time" the voice says." The first time I don't understand." Hermione says. Running her fingers across her face to wipe away the tears.
"Of course you don't child, if you did you would not be here." Hermione looks around and takes a deep breath and the tranquil sounds and smells seem to ease some of the pain and hopelessness she feels." Is this heaven?" Hermione asks." Silly child, no this is not heaven, only the pathway to many places. You are not ment to go to heaven yet and great souls like your was never ment to go hell either. "The voice whispers." Then were was I ment to go, were will I go, I don't understand. "Hermione yells. "You will child soon, you were given a gift once and it changed you, now you must accept the past before the gift, if you don't the next time you cross the threshold of the roses you will be alone." Alexia whispers in the distance." How do I find my way back?" Hermione ask pulling herself off the ground. "You must walk down this path at the end of it you will come to three chamber doors, and then you must decide what door is home." Alexia says.
"How will I know what door is the right one." Hermione asks." Follow your heart child, and you will pick the right door, but know I must leave you I can't walk the rest of the path with you, you must do it alone." Alexia whispers." How will I know what door to pick? "Mione yells. Faintly in the distance she "hears follow your heart Alizabeth and you will find your way thru the right door down the path of what was ment to be."