Disclaimer: don't own, don't sue. JKR is pure brilliance!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
*Wormtail pulled open the robes on the ground, revealing what was inside them, and Harry let out a yell that was strangled in the wad of material blocking his mouth.
It was as though Wormtail had flipped over a stone and revealed something ugly, slimy, and blind -- but worse, a hunderd times worse. The thing wormtail had been carrying had the shape of a crouched human child, except that Harry had never seen anything less like a child. It was hairless and scaly-looking, a dark, raw, reddish black. Its arms and legs were thin and feeble, and it's face -- no child alive ever had a face like that -- flat and snakelike, with gleaming red eyes. Wormtail lowered the creature into the cauldron; there was a hiss, and it vanished below the surface; Harry heard its frail body hit the bottom with a soft thud.
Wormtail raised his wand, closed his eyes, and spoke to the night.
"*Bone of the father, unknowingly given, you will renew your son!*"
The surface of the grave at Harry's feet cracked. A fine trickle of dust rose into the air at Wormtail's command and fell softly into the cauldron. The diamond surface of the water broke and hissed; it sent sparks in all directions and turned a vivid, poisonous-looking blue.
And now Wormtail was whimpering. He pulled a long, thin, shining silver dagger from inside his cloak. His voice broke into petrified sobs.
"*Flesh -- of the servant -- w-willingly given -- you will -- revive -- your master."
He stretched his right hand out in front of him -- the hand with the missing finger. He gripped the dagger very tightly in his left hand and swung it upward.
Harry realized what Wormtail was about to do a second before it happened -- he closed his eyes as tightly as he could, but he could not block the scream that pierced the night, that went through Harry as though he had been stabbed with the dagger too. He heard something fall to the ground, heard Wormtail's anguished panting, then a sickening splash, as something was dropped into the cauldron. Harry couldn't stand to look... but the potion had turned a burning red; the light of it shone through Harry's closed eyelids....
Wormtail was gasping and moaning with agony. Not until Harry felt Wormtail's anguished breath on his face did he realize that Wormtail was right in front of him.
"*B-blood of the enemy...forcibly taken...you will...resurrect your foe.*"
Harry could do nothing to prevent it, he was tied too tightly.... Squinting down, struggling hopelessly at the ropes binding him, he saw the shining silver dagger shaking in Wormtail's remaining hand. He felt its point penetrate the crook of his right arm and blood seeping down the sleeve of his torn robes.*
Harry woke suddenly, and pushed his sweaty bangs off his face. He lay in his bed and sobbed. He was so worn down, so horrorfied. No one could see or hear him cry. After what seemed like forever, he finally stopped.
I *need* some Dreamless sleep potion, he thought, sitting up, sniffing, and rubbing his eyes. I don't care what Snape says, or Dumbledore, even.... I'm going to get some. He got up and with expert silence opened his trunk and took out his Invisibility Cloak. He then got out the Marauder's Map and closed the trunk again. Taking his wand, he whispered, "I solumnly swear I am up to no good," and tapped the map. Lines spread out from the center, and he could see what was going on inside the school. Throwing the cloak over himself, he left the dormitory.
The corridors were deserted. Harry kept glancing at the map just to make sure. After ten minutes, he glanced at the map and moved to the side, holding his breath. If he hadn't had the map he would have walked right into Filch, who was walking around the corner. Mrs. Norris stared at him for several moments before they finally moved on. Harry breathed a sigh of relief once he was sure they were out of earshot, and kept going.
He eventually reached the hospital wing. He remembered with a grimace the many times he'd woken up here, and especially the most recent and disappointing one. He peered around, wondering where he should look. Probably not where the beds are... Madam Pomfrey usually comes in through here... He decided to try that way.
The wall was covered in shelves filled with neatly labeled bottles of potion. Harry looked around, then peered at the map, before pulling out his wand and muttering "lumos" so he could search better.
It took a long time. Eventually, though, the found the bottle labeled "Dreamless Sleep." Harry looked around and saw nearby a glass-fronted cabinet filled with goblets, so, putting his wand away, he silently took one and poured some potion into it, then carefully replaced the top on the bottle and gently set it back in it's place on the shelf. There. No one will ever know any is missing. Though I really probably ought to learn to brew this stuff myself sometime... Big hassle doing this, and she'll notice if she runs out... Harry slowly and carefully walked back to the Gryffindor common room, without running into Filch again, or Peeves either.
Harry grimaced again as he saw Ron and Hermione hysterical and trying to comfort each other in the common room. That's right, he thought. If I wander off they think I'm trying to kill myself... and I've got the map, so they can't find me.
Harry approached the two of them, and with his free hand pulled off the cloak. The sudden appearance of Harry when they feared his certain death startled them, and they both fell onto a couch.
Harry set the goblet down on a coffee table and shook them.
"Harry, don't *do* that to us!" Ron said, once he came to. Hermione just closed her eyes and shook her head slightly.
"Guys, don't freak out like that. I just snuck out to get some potion, okay? I'm going to bed." And he took his things and went back up to the dormitory. He replaced his cloak and cleared map, sat in his bed, and drank all the potion in one gulp.
.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
*Wormtail pulled open the robes on the ground, revealing what was inside them, and Harry let out a yell that was strangled in the wad of material blocking his mouth.
It was as though Wormtail had flipped over a stone and revealed something ugly, slimy, and blind -- but worse, a hunderd times worse. The thing wormtail had been carrying had the shape of a crouched human child, except that Harry had never seen anything less like a child. It was hairless and scaly-looking, a dark, raw, reddish black. Its arms and legs were thin and feeble, and it's face -- no child alive ever had a face like that -- flat and snakelike, with gleaming red eyes. Wormtail lowered the creature into the cauldron; there was a hiss, and it vanished below the surface; Harry heard its frail body hit the bottom with a soft thud.
Wormtail raised his wand, closed his eyes, and spoke to the night.
"*Bone of the father, unknowingly given, you will renew your son!*"
The surface of the grave at Harry's feet cracked. A fine trickle of dust rose into the air at Wormtail's command and fell softly into the cauldron. The diamond surface of the water broke and hissed; it sent sparks in all directions and turned a vivid, poisonous-looking blue.
And now Wormtail was whimpering. He pulled a long, thin, shining silver dagger from inside his cloak. His voice broke into petrified sobs.
"*Flesh -- of the servant -- w-willingly given -- you will -- revive -- your master."
He stretched his right hand out in front of him -- the hand with the missing finger. He gripped the dagger very tightly in his left hand and swung it upward.
Harry realized what Wormtail was about to do a second before it happened -- he closed his eyes as tightly as he could, but he could not block the scream that pierced the night, that went through Harry as though he had been stabbed with the dagger too. He heard something fall to the ground, heard Wormtail's anguished panting, then a sickening splash, as something was dropped into the cauldron. Harry couldn't stand to look... but the potion had turned a burning red; the light of it shone through Harry's closed eyelids....
Wormtail was gasping and moaning with agony. Not until Harry felt Wormtail's anguished breath on his face did he realize that Wormtail was right in front of him.
"*B-blood of the enemy...forcibly taken...you will...resurrect your foe.*"
Harry could do nothing to prevent it, he was tied too tightly.... Squinting down, struggling hopelessly at the ropes binding him, he saw the shining silver dagger shaking in Wormtail's remaining hand. He felt its point penetrate the crook of his right arm and blood seeping down the sleeve of his torn robes.*
Harry woke suddenly, and pushed his sweaty bangs off his face. He lay in his bed and sobbed. He was so worn down, so horrorfied. No one could see or hear him cry. After what seemed like forever, he finally stopped.
I *need* some Dreamless sleep potion, he thought, sitting up, sniffing, and rubbing his eyes. I don't care what Snape says, or Dumbledore, even.... I'm going to get some. He got up and with expert silence opened his trunk and took out his Invisibility Cloak. He then got out the Marauder's Map and closed the trunk again. Taking his wand, he whispered, "I solumnly swear I am up to no good," and tapped the map. Lines spread out from the center, and he could see what was going on inside the school. Throwing the cloak over himself, he left the dormitory.
The corridors were deserted. Harry kept glancing at the map just to make sure. After ten minutes, he glanced at the map and moved to the side, holding his breath. If he hadn't had the map he would have walked right into Filch, who was walking around the corner. Mrs. Norris stared at him for several moments before they finally moved on. Harry breathed a sigh of relief once he was sure they were out of earshot, and kept going.
He eventually reached the hospital wing. He remembered with a grimace the many times he'd woken up here, and especially the most recent and disappointing one. He peered around, wondering where he should look. Probably not where the beds are... Madam Pomfrey usually comes in through here... He decided to try that way.
The wall was covered in shelves filled with neatly labeled bottles of potion. Harry looked around, then peered at the map, before pulling out his wand and muttering "lumos" so he could search better.
It took a long time. Eventually, though, the found the bottle labeled "Dreamless Sleep." Harry looked around and saw nearby a glass-fronted cabinet filled with goblets, so, putting his wand away, he silently took one and poured some potion into it, then carefully replaced the top on the bottle and gently set it back in it's place on the shelf. There. No one will ever know any is missing. Though I really probably ought to learn to brew this stuff myself sometime... Big hassle doing this, and she'll notice if she runs out... Harry slowly and carefully walked back to the Gryffindor common room, without running into Filch again, or Peeves either.
Harry grimaced again as he saw Ron and Hermione hysterical and trying to comfort each other in the common room. That's right, he thought. If I wander off they think I'm trying to kill myself... and I've got the map, so they can't find me.
Harry approached the two of them, and with his free hand pulled off the cloak. The sudden appearance of Harry when they feared his certain death startled them, and they both fell onto a couch.
Harry set the goblet down on a coffee table and shook them.
"Harry, don't *do* that to us!" Ron said, once he came to. Hermione just closed her eyes and shook her head slightly.
"Guys, don't freak out like that. I just snuck out to get some potion, okay? I'm going to bed." And he took his things and went back up to the dormitory. He replaced his cloak and cleared map, sat in his bed, and drank all the potion in one gulp.
.