YourSide, Their Side and the Truth by Mizzy ( )
Part VIII - Nuances Of The Truth (8.45)
Disclaimer: Harry Potter doesn't belong to me, this is a fan fiction, by a fan for the fans. No money has exchanged hands during its production.
It was about two hours after they had discovered Harry was in the plagued sleep, and Ron and Draco were pacing outside impatiently. Sirius – no longer needed inside the infirmary – was leaning against the wall, his face clouded.
"I hate this," Ron said suddenly, savagely kicking the wall.
"Ron –" Sirius started, sighing as Ron slumped to the floor. Seconds later Hermione appeared at the door, slightly shaken but a faint smile on her face.
"We're almost finished," she said softly, a pained expression in her eyes.
"Can we – can we come in?" Draco asked gently, getting to his feet unsteadily. She nodded. Draco extended a hand to Ron and the redhead took it quickly. They entered the infirmary unsure of what to expect. Professor Snape was clearing away his potions with a faintly disgruntled look on his face. Draco was suddenly reminded of the younger Snape they had seen in the past… A stark contrast from the shy Slytherin boy to the harsh and bitter teacher stood before them now and it saddened Draco tremendously. It didn't catch his attention for long though, the pale boy lying still on one of the beds took up most of his attention.
"Is he all right?" Ron asked Professor Dumbledore, ashen-faced. Draco blinked. He hadn't noticed the wizened professor stood there, looking extremely concerned.
"He'll be all right," Professor Dumbledore conceded. "When he wakes up."
"And when will he wake up?" Ron pressed, worried for his friend.
"Well that's why we needed Hermione," Hagrid spoke up gruffly. Hagrid had not left Harry's side the entire time despite Madam Pomfrey's gentle persuading that he would just get in the way.
"Why?" Hermione asked curiously.
"Well this is a very old charm… Very old.." Dumbledore explained. "And has a very traditional final counter-charm as well as the potion… It requires a kiss from the closest to him. And we figured Hermione is the closest girl to Harry, so…"
"WHAT!"
Hermione shrieked out loud and diverted everyone's attention to her except for Dumbledore; who winked surreptitiously at Draco before turning away. Suddenly getting it, the blond blushed, turned around and deposited a gentle kiss on Harry's prone form.
Quickly dropping back to where he was stood before, Draco tried to stop blushing as Hermione scowled.
"Mean," she said softly, suddenly getting how Dumbledore had tricked her.
"Well," Ron said slowly. "I suppose it is to help Harry. It's the only way to wake him up."
"Idiot," Hermione sniffed. Ron's cheeks burned shamefacedly and then he frowned.
"What's so funny?" He asked, scowling at Hermione. Hermione made a hand gesture for Ron to turn around and look. Ron whirled around and he saw Harry open his eyes slowly, blinking furiously as he tried to prop himself up on one elbow. Sirius immediately rushed to his godson's side, smiling, while Ron blinked curiously.
"So you already kissed him?" Ron asked, completely befuddled.
"No," Hermione said, sighing. "Dumbledore used me as a distraction so someone else could without too many onlookers," she explained slowly.
"Oh," Ron said. "Oh." Ron looked over to where Draco was fidgeting nervously with the sleeves of his dressing gown.
"What am I doing here?" Harry said, in a completely dazed voice.
"You were in a plagued sleep," Sirius explained. Harry looked concerned, then mystified. "What's one of those?" He asked, his words slurred.
Sirius laughed. "It's something people do to plague someone's sleep with nightmares," Sirius explained. "I suppose you have been getting nightmares recently."
Harry nodded dumbly. "Yes." Frowning, he blinked fuzzily, unable to see.
"Here," Draco said, softly. He had brought Harry's glasses down from the dormitory for him about an hour back when Madam Pomfrey had told him to go get something to eat. Hagrid accepted them gingerly and passed them to Harry, who balanced them on his nose.
"Thanks," he whispered shyly. Then he frowned, puzzled. "But who would do that to me?"
Dumbledore coughed softly. "I think I can explain that… I think it's Peter. Just reminding you that he's around, he's dangerous and he can get to you at any time. A plagued sleep isn't too serious, unless a time-frozen spell is cast at the same time, then it can last for… Well, the last time it happened, it lasted for almost a hundred years… But thankfully Time-Freeze Charms are notoriously impossible to cast." Dumbledore frowned slightly, realising he'd gone slightly off-topic. "Anyway, it was most likely a warning that he's still around."
There was silence in the infirmary for a few unsettling moments.
"Sir…" Hermione said softly.
Dumbledore raised an eyebrow. "Yes?"
"I…" The bushy haired witch frowned gently. "I… We, that is… Were wondering if it wasn't… Peter or even Voldemort who was doing all these bad things. We… We think it's someone… Or something else."
Sirius gasped slightly. "I never thought of that," he admitted, looking worried again.
"It's… an interesting idea," Dumbledore admitted. "It would actually explain a lot… Well, if it is a something or someone else then they could not have chosen a worse host than Peter to manifest itself in."
"Why's that?" Draco bit his lip in confusion. "I would have thought with that metal hand of his, he would be quite a good host."
"You weren't there two years ago," Harry said softly, struggling to a sitting up position. "When we first found out the truth about Peter and Sirius… I kind of saved his life."
"So his life belongs to you, in a way," Hermione said simply.
Harry nodded. Hagrid laughed suddenly, a booming sound in the silence and stillness of the infirmary. "It is funny, though, you have to say that. The bad side has chosen someone whose life belongs to our champion!"
"Funny or whatever it is," Madam Pomfrey piped up sternly. "My patient needs his rest. Everyone out!"
No amount of protesting helped anyone stay in with Harry and Madam Pomfrey had steered everyone out of the infirmary to let Harry get some rest. Hermione, Ron and Draco were given breakfast in Professor Black's study; the other teachers were off in a meeting with Professor Dumbledore so yet again school was suspended for the morning. The three students were in a slightly lightened-up mood – Seamus and Dean had stopped by a few minutes ago informing them they had painted Mrs. Norris in the Slytherin colours.
Ron sipped thoughtfully at a goblet of pumpkin juice while he sat on one of the comfy low arm-chairs, his still-bare feet grazing the thick carpet. He looked at Hermione curiously.
"Hermione, why did you react like that at the thought of kissing Harry?" He asked suddenly. "If it got him back to normal I'm sure Draco wouldn't have minded."
"I wouldn't," Draco said ferverently. "I'm just glad he's all right. I'm still worried that Peter… whatever his name is… can get him like that any time. I've never seen him in so much pain… Actually scratch that… The only other time I've seen him like that was in the Pensieve when he saw his parents."
Hermione grinned impishly. "If I could get a word in sideways!"
Draco blushed sheepishly. "Sorry."
"That's all right," Hermione conceded gracefully.
"Hermione," Ron warned softly. Hermione rolled her eyes.
"All right," she said. She grinned. "Professor Dumbledore explained that I had to react like that. He said he'd heard enough of Harry's inappropriate thoughts about Draco in the conflict against Voldemort to actually witness anything live."
"I don't believe you," Ron said, concentrating on a bread bun stuffed with a banana.
"Believe whatever you like," Hermione said airily.
Draco chuckled softly, looking at the two of them curiously.
"What?" Ron asked, his eyes narrowing. "What's with that look?" he clarified.
"Nothing," Draco said, then paused. "No… I was just thinking about how lucky I was for you two to forgive all the beastly things I said and did to you in the last four years… And how lucky I am you're my friends."
Ron blushed to the tip of his ears and Hermione laughed.
"It's nice not to be teased by you any more… Besides," she added, "we gave as good as we got a lot of the time."
Draco smiled softly, remembering. "You're a ferocious girl when you're mad, Hermione. Remind me to duck next time you're going to slap me again."
They sat there in comparative silence as they attacked the food, ravenous after the events of the last few days.
"So, what do you guys think that music is?" Ron asked conversationally.
"Music?" Hermione frowned. "What?"
Draco raised his eyebrows. "What? The multi-talented Miss Granger hasn't heard the rumours about the music down from the Ravenclaw dorms?"
Hermione rolled her eyes sarcastically. "Oh, those rumours. I really wasn't paying attention."
"The Ravenclaws mostly think it's ghosts," Ron said, taking a sausage absent-mindedly and blowing on it to cool it down.
"They'd be on the register, and I don't know any of the Hogwarts ghosts could play instruments," Hermione said. "There's not many on the students list who can play instruments come to think of it."
"It's weird," Draco said; shrugging. "The Hufflepuffs, mainly Hannah Abbott, have a theory that it's a kind of recording from the past of some people playing some instruments."
"Wow, this sounds like a pretty much decent normal Hogwarts conversation," a voice laced with dry humour said from the doorway. Three heads swiftly turned to see Harry standing there in an infirmary gown, grinning at them. He quickly closed the door and smiled at his friends before dropping down to one of the chairs close to Draco. Draco immediately offered him the plate of food and Harry took three sausages and began ravenously tearing at them.
"Harry you shouldn't be out of bed!" Hermione exclaimed, looking horrified.
Harry shrugged reflectively. "It was driving me crazy. Couldn't sleep."
"So how did you get out!" Ron stared at Harry in shock.
"A black dog dropped off my invisibility cloak while Madam Pomfrey's back was turned," Harry said, grinning like crazy. "I put it on and ran for it, basically."
"I'm glad you're better," Draco said sincerely. Harry looked at Draco, blushed and smiled.
The door was opened gently and Hermione, Ron and Draco watched while Harry dived for cover behind one of the armchairs, scared it was going to be Madam Pomfrey on a rampage.
To Draco's surprise a large, black dog pushed it's way in and then closed the door behind himself.
"What in the world-" he started as the dog suddenly transfigured back into Sirius. Draco's eyes were wide.
"You're an animagi?"
Sirius blinked at Draco uncertainly as Harry got back up from his hiding spot and then nodded, remembering.
"We've got a lot of details to fill you in on all the stuff you missed from the last five years," Sirius said ruefully. "You're not going to believe half of the stuff Harry's been through."
Draco raised his eyebrows and Harry sat back into his chair, letting out a thankful deep breath.
"Thanks for getting me out of there," Harry said to his godfather. Sirius smiled.
"Least I could do," he saidn grinning like a Cheshire cat. "Sometimes I think that place is worse than Azkaban."
"Speaking of Azkaban," Hermione said, her voice full of worry. "Did Professor Lupin go back to sort it out or something?"
Sirius flinched slightly at the sound of Remus' name and nodded. "Yes. The relationship between wizards and giants has to be fully sorted out. Thanks to your tip, we're getting Rita Skeeter to write the articles for "Wizarding Weekly" – I'm pretty much assured she will write everything we tell her to for fear of her secret being disclosed. They should help mend the divide."
"Yeah, I can't believe how some people can get away with being unregistered animagi," Ron said cheekily, grinning at the tall professor. Sirius rolled his eyes.
"You know you should make things up with him, don't you," Harry said simply into the silence. Sirius looked pained for a moment. The other three were confused for a moment until the events from the past flooded back to them…
"You made a good couple from what I saw," Draco offered. "It'd be a shame for all that passion to go to waste for the want of a few apologies."
Sirius' face softened. "I don't expect you to really understand…"
"Understand?" Draco burst out laughing. "You do know what happened in our case do you know how hard it was to admit I had feelings for Harry Potter of all people? Oh come on, it's weirder than you and Professor Lupin even if he is a werewolf."
Sirius sighed ruefully. "I suppose… I could give it a try…" he said doubtfully. "What do you think Harry?"
The four other people in the small study turned to get Harry's opinion but all they got in reply was a shallow snore. Harry, tired from his latest ordeals, had fallen asleep on Draco's shoulder. Draco's eyes widened and he stared at the pale boy affectionately, noting with dismay Harry's tired features.
"He needs to rest," Draco said softly. The others nodded and began to rise. Draco watched them leaving then returned to the sleeping form of the boy on his shoulder. He watched affectionately and tried to gently blow a few unruly strands away from his face, smiling as they floated back onto his forehead. His hair just didn't lie down… The blond just sat there for what seemed like hours watching the love of his life sleep and could only think in wonder how it all happened… What they were saying yesterday was completely true. If someone had told him he'd end up like this with Harry, he would have laughed and socked them one. But now… Now he couldn't even remember why it didn't happen earlier. The sensible part of his mind kicked in and told him it was because he was a stubborn git, and he laughed.
"Whatzofunny?" Harry mumbled. Draco blinked, and lifted up one hand to wonderingly stroke Harry's cheek.
"Nothing. Go back to sleep," Draco said in a hushed tone, more than a little surprised when Harry shut his eyes and complied with his order.
No one was really sure when everything somehow drifted back to normal. After Madam Pomfrey had stopped trying to headhunt Professor Black for helping Harry escape the infirmary, things had just kind of drifted back to normal; except for one thing puzzling Draco. Sometimes, not very often, but sometimes when he awoke in the early hours of morning Harry would be missing, and so would his invisibility cloak. Whenever the blond asked him about it, Harry did this quirky grin and promised to tell him later. Draco supposed it was some secret training or something and trusted Harry enough to leave it well alone.
Ron, however, was having an extremely hard time. Professor Dumbledore had requested that Harry's plagued sleep episode remain among the few who knew. Unfortunately this had Ron branded as a pervert among most of the girls and a hero among most of the boys. The Slytherin girls were quite giggly around him, though, and the Slytherin boys just teased him worse than most of the other girls. Being caught in a girls toilet in his second year really didn't help things much.
Hermione did her best to defend Ron, and soon the incident was mostly smoothed over and forgotten. In a while you would have almost forgotten the defeat of Voldemort, if it wasn't for the hundreds of letters both Harry and Draco were receiving each day. Harry, noticeably, was getting the most. He could hardly sit down for breakfast until all the owls swooped in and dropped the letters on his head. Or in his breakfast. Harry got so mad he accosted Professor Dumbledore and begged for him to do something.
The next day it had obviously worked. The only letters Harry got were one from Hagrid asking him to come down for tea that day and one from the Dursleys'. That was the one that got his attention.
"To Harry. We have recently received the letter from your godfather Sirius Black. He seems very nice. We are sorry to hear you won't be staying with us any more. Drop by as much as you want (just please don't bring that ruddy owl.) Love Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia." Harry read it out loud and in shock dropped it into his bowl of milk and cornflakes. Ron blinked furiously and Hermione looked quite pleased.
"They seem friendly," Draco said, confused, as he absently poured orange juice over his rice krispies. "I thought you said the muggles weren't very nice to you."
"They weren't," Harry said dazedly. "I'm confused…"
"Bet he threatened them to be nice," Ron grunted into his breakfast.
"'Spose this means you get to live with Professor Black now," Draco mumbled through a mouthful of orange-soaked cereal.
Harry sat there quietly; absent-mindedly knocking over his glass of milk in the process.
"Harry?" Hermione prompted; smiling softly. "Your sleeve is drenched with milk." Harry blinked violently and lifted his sleeve up; wincing as he realised it was drenched through with the milk. He pulled a face and Hermione whipped out her wand and cleaned it up quickly.
"What have we got next?" Ron asked conversationally.
"Herbology," Hermione said while piling the rest of her eggs into her mouth and getting to her feet. "The only lesson we have apart from Potions and Defence Against the Dark Arts that we actually have together."
"OK, students, we're in Greenhouse Four today," Professor Sprout called directing the students to follow her. Grudgingly the mixed Gryffindor and Hufflepuff class followed the literally green-fingered Professor into the greenhouse and stood around the main table in the centre. On the table were a long shallow tray and several bulbs ready to be planted. The bulbs looked quite normal as far as magical bulbs go. Sure the colours were weird (blue and green) but they looked like normal bulbs.
"These," Professor Sprout, "are bulbs of a plant I know three of you have encountered before."
There was a quit murmuring as a few people tried to guess what it was.
"Silence, class," Professor Sprout commanded softly; annoyed. "Ron Weasley should be able to tell you what it is." Everyone turned to Ron and the Weasley in question thought for a few seconds. Of course it didn't help having Hermione bobbing up and down on the balls of her feet as usual and waving her hand in the air.
"Devil's snare," Ron said softly, remembering softly.
"Oh," Harry said, also remembering and grinning.
"When did you three encounter Devil's Snare?" Draco asked the one question that was on everyone's minds.
"It was Professor Sprout's contribution to the protection of the Philosopher's Stone," Hermione explained gently.
Professor Sprout laughed gently. "Yes, I heard how you three dealt with it too."
"'There's no wood'", Ron mimicked. "Honestly."
Everyone else looked confused as Harry and Hermione giggled and for a moment it was like they were back in First Year.
"Quieten down," Professor Sprout commanded, trying to stop from grinning like an idiot. Unlike the other students she did know the full story of what happened down there and was suitably pleased her students had remember about the plant enough to deal with it. "If you can cast your mind back to when we first dealt with Devil's Snare, you will be able to tell me how to deal with it… And not you, Ron or Harry, Hermione."
Neville raised his hand slowly. He might be a bit clumsy in the ordinary things and especially clumsy in Potions, but Herbology was his specialty. "It grows best in dark damp conditions and is a carnivore so it eats anything it traps. It traps things by looking just like normal vines and then curling itself around you so you can't get out. To… to destroy it or at least scare it away from you, you should use a lot of light or heat such as conjuring a wizard's fire."
"Take ten points for Gryffindor," Professor Sprout congratulated. "Now this is the right way to plant them. If you look at the shape of the bulbs carefully, you –"
Harry felt the hairs on the back of his neck rise and suddenly everything was deathly silent. In shock, he stared at the teacher. She wasn't moving. No-one else was moving. What on earth was going on?
Stepping backwards reflexively he snapped out his wand. Everything had just… stopped. There was even a fly just sort of sticking in the air.
"Who's there?" He asked; feeling someone else's presence.
"Harry, Harry, Harry," the thin, familiar tone threaded through the air. "It's been such a long time since we've talked one-to-one, isn't it?"
"Peter," Harry hissed gently.
"Yes, Peter was my name wasn't it. I prefer Wormtail now. It has a nicer ring to it, don't you think?"
"Aren't you going to show yourself?" Harry challenged, disturbed by the frozen montage of his friends and classmates.
"Do you think I'm stupid enough to be in the area?"
"No, I suppose you're not," Harry conceded. "I have a question to ask though."
"Go ahead."
"Why? Why are you doing this?"
The other voice took a while to reply, then a curious sigh filled the air.
"You have no idea of the joys of absolute power, poor innocent uncorrupted Potter… Once you've tasted it you can never go back… It's a drug, Harry, power is a drug. And it's all mine… You shall know the consequences of everything you've done… Everything you do."
"You can't be this bothered by a few mistaken words back when you were at Hogwarts," Harry protested. "Besides, I know why you're here. Your still disgusted because your life belongs to me."
There was a very pregnant pause in which Harry became even more distinctively nervous. "Yes, I suppose it still does. You were a fool to save me back then. Then again, all you Potters are fools…"
"Next time you won't be so lucky," Harry hissed, his fists clenching.
"Oh, but Harry, I will be so lucky…" Peter's laugh filled the still atmosphere. "I thought I had come some way to clearing that debt by clearing Sirius' name for you."
Harry's eyes widened slightly. "Only a small way," he conceded. "But you will still pay for murdering my parents."
"But Voldemort killed them," Peter laughed again, a chilling sound that reminded Harry of his mother screaming. He flinched and shook it off quickly.
"You were responsible for their deaths," he repeated firmly. "And whatever killed my parents is now inhabiting you. You will pay. You can't run forever."
"So, the little rabbit isn't so dumb," Peter's voice thinned out; a harder edge gracing his reedy tones. "Well, well. You're growing some teeth Potter… I look forward to the final confrontation. I shall enjoy watching you and your friends die one by one."
Then as suddenly as it all had happened a click seemed to fill the air and everyone and everything started moving again. Harry blinked and stared open-mouthed as everyone began stirring again and all he could was stand there – looking shocked.
"Harry, how in the world…" Professor Sprout blinked as to her it had appeared he had just instantaneously moved to the back of the greenhouse. His expression told her all she needed to know. "You want to go see Professor Dumbledore?" Harry nodded dumbly. Draco looked at him concernedly but he mouthed 'it's all right' and with a nod of thanks to Professor Sprout exited the greenhouse and ran up the main castle as fast as he could to find Professor Dumbledore.