Hello!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Yay - the following two people I LUV!!!!!
Rowan arkenson/cheesy fiend gal - yay - thanks for reviewin, promise will get round to reading ur stories soon!! Just been hectic recently :D also - solsticeyness!!!!
PrincessofBarzel: something fishy is going on here-- lol - true, true hehe and btw, im keeping my options open - not big with the planning myself. I will give away nothing!!! *laughs evily* - also, will try and change the ey (will check what u sed () thing, hehe, but may for get :P also - I no, its not exactly in the true 'harry potter' style, but ive never been wikid at the imitational art, if you get what I mean :D thank u tho - v kind to waist ur time reviewing every chapter, and I expect it agen :P hehe. nehoo - will stop being silly hehe, but I do LOVE getting reviews, in other words -thank you come again (am I getting the hang of copying a little bit now?!?! hehe)
newa - on with the story.
Chapter VIII - Voices and the Past
Harry gulped down hard. 'Okay, I'm gonna' do this.' He was adamant, and assuring himself. 'I've got to do this. She helped me, I can't just let her die. I've got to face them.'
Forgetting any spells that may have helped him, Harry picked Juliet up as best he could and walked toward the forest edge, and Hogwarts castle, at least, he was pretty sure it was the right way.
"Wake up?!" he pleaded. This was not the direction in which he had hoped he would travel, not without having thought up some superb excuse, at least. Though.he did wonder if Cho was O.K, and he missed Ron and Hermione. 'Whoa!' he thought, 'I've only just remembered them.what kind of friend am I?'
'What kind of friend, indeed? To forget the ones you claim to love, and run from them, fearing what they will think of you. If you truly loved them, wouldn't you have wanted to explain?'
Why? It's not like I was thinking before anyway. If I had been, would I have. He paused, searching for breath, and an escape from his shame, from his pain. He looked to the floor. Would I have raised my wand.would I have used it.would I ever have hurt Cho? Somehow, I don't think so.
The voice seemed lost for words, for quite some time, it appeared. Harry had already reached the trees on the outskirts, and heard nothing from it in return. He was almost worried. He'd have no one to help him; he'd be explaining the events resulting in his expulsion on his own. With no help whatsoever.from anyone.
Harry tried not to think as he walked out of the trees, and into the brightest sunlight he'd seen for days; tried not to make a sound as he walked towards the castle; tried to disappear as he reached the long, sweeping steps. All he wanted was to disappear, to be forgotten, or forgiven. But Harry would not get what he wanted.
He walked with no sign of discomfort, save the look on his face, even though he took with him another person, one who could not walk herself. One for whom he felt deep remorse, and one who he was grateful to. She had saved his life.
Harry walked along the corridor, not knowing where he should go. Straight to the hospital wing? Or should he see Dumbledore first? If Juliet was with him, he might feel a little safer, a little braver. But he cared about her. It wasn't fair to take her along to Dumbledore's office when she needed Madame Pomfrey.
Madame Pomfrey it was.
"Why won't you just wake up?" Harry pleaded with Juliet, as he neared the medical ward. "Please.?"
As he turned the final corner between him and the ward, voices carried toward him.
"Where could he be? We will need him, for good, of course, but how can we even ask him to help us if he's not here?"
"Worry about finding him first, isn't that what really matters now?" Harry couldn't recognise the voices.
"Well, what if he thinks he did it? He may never come back. We must find him!"
"I agree with that, but not for your reasons, for his own sake."
"Yes, yes. But I will still ask him.when he's older.when he's ready."
"He will never be ready, my lord. No one would be. Now we must leave."
Harry jumped into an empty room to his right, waiting for them to pass. He tried to get a glimpse, but saw only a sweeping cloak, brought up over the head, and reaching right down to the floor. Anyone could be under it.
Harry exited the classroom, and proceeded to Madame Pomfrey.
"Excuse me?" Harry hesitated as he walked backwards through the double doors, trying to peer around to see who was in there. Curtains were drawn round one bed, but everywhere else seemed empty.
Harry, arms feeling limp, managed to drag Juliet over to the nearest bed, and then went to look for Madame Pomfrey.
"Hello?" He tried, but no one answered. He looked into the office, but no one was there, so he made his way back over to his friend's bedside. "I'll be back soon, okay? I just need.I've got to find Dumbledore - he's the headmaster - and explain. But, I don't know how. I'll see you soon. I promise" And Harry walked out of the room.
As he walked towards the Gargoyle guarding Dumbledore's office, Harry wondered what day it was. He hadn't thought of it while he was in the woods, as with most of what he used to think of everyday. How long had he been gone for?
Abruptly, he stopped, and turned toward the stone statue.
"Erm.should have remembered - I don't know the password!" He said aloud. "Lets see, sherbet lemon? Cockroach Cluster? Er.liquorish wand?" The gargoyle just smiled down at him as he stood before it, annoyed with himself.
'Dumbledore,' he thought. 'If only you could here me. I need your help, and I'm sorry.'
"Dumbledore has been waiting for you, Mr. Potter." Professor McGonagal spoke with no emotion from behind him.
"Huh?" he spun round, startled.
"Mugwump Scone." She spoke, as if this were perfectly normal, but the Gargoyle sprung to life, and slid aside to reveal a narrow staircase that rose to the headmaster's office. "Follow me."
Harry looked down to his feet as he climbed up after her. He was really ashamed now. He would have to ecplain to Dumbledore, the man who he respected and wanted to please most in the world, why he had attacked Cho Chang, run away from school, and returned with a second injured female.
They reached the door, and, in reply the the professor's knocking, Dumbledore said "Please come in." In they went. "Ah, Harry, I was wondering when you'd be returning to us. I was beginning to get worried." His eyes twinkled a little, but he was otherwise solemn. "Would you like to tell me where you have been?"
Harry swallowed, though.perhaps this wasn't as bad as he'd thought it would be. So he told him. About seeing Malfoy with Cho, about attacking her without meaning to, about losing his memory, about meeting Juliet in the Dark Forest, about her getting his memory back for him, about the Hyrolith, about bringing her back but not being able to find Madame Pomfrey. All Dumbledore was sit and listen, letting him relieve himself of the past few days entirely, before he spoke.
"But you are perfectly all right?"
".yeah. Thanks to Juliet."
"Indeed. It would appear that she is a remarkable girl. I shall make sure she is seen to as and when we are finished. Minerva," he turned to address her, "Perhaps you would fetch Harry some food from the kitchens?" She nodded curtly, and then left the room.
"This Juliet, you trust her?" Dumbledore questioned him.
"Yes. At first, when I couldn't remember, I just had to really. Then I wasn't too sure, when she gave me my memory back, because she was living in the Dark Forest. Thing was, she'd given me my memory back so I thought she must be trustworthy, really. And then."
"And then," Dumbledore finished for him, "She seems to have saved your life." He raised his eyebrows, ever so slightly, and then said. "Harry. Have you ever read Shakespeare's Macbeth?"
A little startled, Harry replied "No - muggles do it when they're around my age at school, and I've heard of his work. But I've never read it."
"Ah, you are young, you will have time."
".were you, were you going to say something about it?"
"Oh, perhaps. But now. I believe dear Minerva will be back with your food any moment.
"Sir. I was wondering. How long was I away for?"
"Hmm.? Oh - a day Harry. How long did it feel like?"
"Oh."Harry was confused. "More like an eternity I guess. Must have just got a little muddled." He attempted to smile. "Should I tell people, should they happen to ask, where I really was?"
The headmaster shook his head, looking old and weary. "That is for you to decide, Harry. Minerva and I shall tell no one, and you are welcome to say you were in the medical ward if you wish. Only Cho came there, we didn't let her have any visitors"
"And.how is Cho?"
"She's fine. It was very minor, the accident she had. A mear sleeping spell. She slept for 15 hours, and then came back round, as if from a normal sleep. Though, I dare say, she was a bit light headed."
Professor McGonagal came in with Harry's food - boiled potatoes and sausages, and a goblet of pumpkin juice. He devoured it speedily, and then headed back to the common, a great need for sleep rushing over him.
A/n - cheers for reading - and soz for taking AGES to rite this chapter and put it up ( lol. Hope you are enjoying it, and please review :D I think chapter was a bit longer, YAY!! On my part hehe. Much appreciation to my r&rers xxxxx
Rowan arkenson/cheesy fiend gal - yay - thanks for reviewin, promise will get round to reading ur stories soon!! Just been hectic recently :D also - solsticeyness!!!!
PrincessofBarzel: something fishy is going on here-- lol - true, true hehe and btw, im keeping my options open - not big with the planning myself. I will give away nothing!!! *laughs evily* - also, will try and change the ey (will check what u sed () thing, hehe, but may for get :P also - I no, its not exactly in the true 'harry potter' style, but ive never been wikid at the imitational art, if you get what I mean :D thank u tho - v kind to waist ur time reviewing every chapter, and I expect it agen :P hehe. nehoo - will stop being silly hehe, but I do LOVE getting reviews, in other words -thank you come again (am I getting the hang of copying a little bit now?!?! hehe)
newa - on with the story.
Chapter VIII - Voices and the Past
Harry gulped down hard. 'Okay, I'm gonna' do this.' He was adamant, and assuring himself. 'I've got to do this. She helped me, I can't just let her die. I've got to face them.'
Forgetting any spells that may have helped him, Harry picked Juliet up as best he could and walked toward the forest edge, and Hogwarts castle, at least, he was pretty sure it was the right way.
"Wake up?!" he pleaded. This was not the direction in which he had hoped he would travel, not without having thought up some superb excuse, at least. Though.he did wonder if Cho was O.K, and he missed Ron and Hermione. 'Whoa!' he thought, 'I've only just remembered them.what kind of friend am I?'
'What kind of friend, indeed? To forget the ones you claim to love, and run from them, fearing what they will think of you. If you truly loved them, wouldn't you have wanted to explain?'
Why? It's not like I was thinking before anyway. If I had been, would I have. He paused, searching for breath, and an escape from his shame, from his pain. He looked to the floor. Would I have raised my wand.would I have used it.would I ever have hurt Cho? Somehow, I don't think so.
The voice seemed lost for words, for quite some time, it appeared. Harry had already reached the trees on the outskirts, and heard nothing from it in return. He was almost worried. He'd have no one to help him; he'd be explaining the events resulting in his expulsion on his own. With no help whatsoever.from anyone.
Harry tried not to think as he walked out of the trees, and into the brightest sunlight he'd seen for days; tried not to make a sound as he walked towards the castle; tried to disappear as he reached the long, sweeping steps. All he wanted was to disappear, to be forgotten, or forgiven. But Harry would not get what he wanted.
He walked with no sign of discomfort, save the look on his face, even though he took with him another person, one who could not walk herself. One for whom he felt deep remorse, and one who he was grateful to. She had saved his life.
Harry walked along the corridor, not knowing where he should go. Straight to the hospital wing? Or should he see Dumbledore first? If Juliet was with him, he might feel a little safer, a little braver. But he cared about her. It wasn't fair to take her along to Dumbledore's office when she needed Madame Pomfrey.
Madame Pomfrey it was.
"Why won't you just wake up?" Harry pleaded with Juliet, as he neared the medical ward. "Please.?"
As he turned the final corner between him and the ward, voices carried toward him.
"Where could he be? We will need him, for good, of course, but how can we even ask him to help us if he's not here?"
"Worry about finding him first, isn't that what really matters now?" Harry couldn't recognise the voices.
"Well, what if he thinks he did it? He may never come back. We must find him!"
"I agree with that, but not for your reasons, for his own sake."
"Yes, yes. But I will still ask him.when he's older.when he's ready."
"He will never be ready, my lord. No one would be. Now we must leave."
Harry jumped into an empty room to his right, waiting for them to pass. He tried to get a glimpse, but saw only a sweeping cloak, brought up over the head, and reaching right down to the floor. Anyone could be under it.
Harry exited the classroom, and proceeded to Madame Pomfrey.
"Excuse me?" Harry hesitated as he walked backwards through the double doors, trying to peer around to see who was in there. Curtains were drawn round one bed, but everywhere else seemed empty.
Harry, arms feeling limp, managed to drag Juliet over to the nearest bed, and then went to look for Madame Pomfrey.
"Hello?" He tried, but no one answered. He looked into the office, but no one was there, so he made his way back over to his friend's bedside. "I'll be back soon, okay? I just need.I've got to find Dumbledore - he's the headmaster - and explain. But, I don't know how. I'll see you soon. I promise" And Harry walked out of the room.
As he walked towards the Gargoyle guarding Dumbledore's office, Harry wondered what day it was. He hadn't thought of it while he was in the woods, as with most of what he used to think of everyday. How long had he been gone for?
Abruptly, he stopped, and turned toward the stone statue.
"Erm.should have remembered - I don't know the password!" He said aloud. "Lets see, sherbet lemon? Cockroach Cluster? Er.liquorish wand?" The gargoyle just smiled down at him as he stood before it, annoyed with himself.
'Dumbledore,' he thought. 'If only you could here me. I need your help, and I'm sorry.'
"Dumbledore has been waiting for you, Mr. Potter." Professor McGonagal spoke with no emotion from behind him.
"Huh?" he spun round, startled.
"Mugwump Scone." She spoke, as if this were perfectly normal, but the Gargoyle sprung to life, and slid aside to reveal a narrow staircase that rose to the headmaster's office. "Follow me."
Harry looked down to his feet as he climbed up after her. He was really ashamed now. He would have to ecplain to Dumbledore, the man who he respected and wanted to please most in the world, why he had attacked Cho Chang, run away from school, and returned with a second injured female.
They reached the door, and, in reply the the professor's knocking, Dumbledore said "Please come in." In they went. "Ah, Harry, I was wondering when you'd be returning to us. I was beginning to get worried." His eyes twinkled a little, but he was otherwise solemn. "Would you like to tell me where you have been?"
Harry swallowed, though.perhaps this wasn't as bad as he'd thought it would be. So he told him. About seeing Malfoy with Cho, about attacking her without meaning to, about losing his memory, about meeting Juliet in the Dark Forest, about her getting his memory back for him, about the Hyrolith, about bringing her back but not being able to find Madame Pomfrey. All Dumbledore was sit and listen, letting him relieve himself of the past few days entirely, before he spoke.
"But you are perfectly all right?"
".yeah. Thanks to Juliet."
"Indeed. It would appear that she is a remarkable girl. I shall make sure she is seen to as and when we are finished. Minerva," he turned to address her, "Perhaps you would fetch Harry some food from the kitchens?" She nodded curtly, and then left the room.
"This Juliet, you trust her?" Dumbledore questioned him.
"Yes. At first, when I couldn't remember, I just had to really. Then I wasn't too sure, when she gave me my memory back, because she was living in the Dark Forest. Thing was, she'd given me my memory back so I thought she must be trustworthy, really. And then."
"And then," Dumbledore finished for him, "She seems to have saved your life." He raised his eyebrows, ever so slightly, and then said. "Harry. Have you ever read Shakespeare's Macbeth?"
A little startled, Harry replied "No - muggles do it when they're around my age at school, and I've heard of his work. But I've never read it."
"Ah, you are young, you will have time."
".were you, were you going to say something about it?"
"Oh, perhaps. But now. I believe dear Minerva will be back with your food any moment.
"Sir. I was wondering. How long was I away for?"
"Hmm.? Oh - a day Harry. How long did it feel like?"
"Oh."Harry was confused. "More like an eternity I guess. Must have just got a little muddled." He attempted to smile. "Should I tell people, should they happen to ask, where I really was?"
The headmaster shook his head, looking old and weary. "That is for you to decide, Harry. Minerva and I shall tell no one, and you are welcome to say you were in the medical ward if you wish. Only Cho came there, we didn't let her have any visitors"
"And.how is Cho?"
"She's fine. It was very minor, the accident she had. A mear sleeping spell. She slept for 15 hours, and then came back round, as if from a normal sleep. Though, I dare say, she was a bit light headed."
Professor McGonagal came in with Harry's food - boiled potatoes and sausages, and a goblet of pumpkin juice. He devoured it speedily, and then headed back to the common, a great need for sleep rushing over him.
A/n - cheers for reading - and soz for taking AGES to rite this chapter and put it up ( lol. Hope you are enjoying it, and please review :D I think chapter was a bit longer, YAY!! On my part hehe. Much appreciation to my r&rers xxxxx
