Disclaimer: This story is for entertainment purposes and no money is
changing hands. I do not own any of the 'Harry Potter' characters.
A/N: I got an interesting question from Shellbert, after the last chapter. The question was if there was a deeper relationship between Harry and Hermione. The answer is simple. I don't know. I hadn't planned on doing any shipping in this story. To be honest I feel that I REALLY suck at doing that sort of thing. I also have to admit that the ships I see in the books are Harry with Ginny and Ron with Hermione, with a possible Neville with Luna (Cause I like both characters). The blasted rings have been playing with me again and I do see some possible changes to my plans.
At the moment I see Ron and Hermione being closer than in book five. I don't know if it will be boyfriend/girlfriend though. I will be trying to make the outbursts by Hermione clearer in a bit with possible flashbacks (I don't want to do flashbacks), I would prefer to find a way to work the information directly into the story but haven't figured how to do that yet.
I haven't set a relationship for Harry as yet and I don't know if I will. The blasted Rings are trying to make me do something but it may not happen. Heck, they already convinced me to bring in someone I hadn't wanted to, and I had to figure out how to do it.
Well, enough about my problems.
Warning: This chapter is going to talk about some nasty stuff. I'm going to describe Harry's injuries. I will try not to be to graphic.
** Chapter Four:
Someone was trying to wake him. He was comfortable and enjoying a dream that included his Godfather and didn't want to leave it.
"Harry," a voice shouted next to his ear. "You need to wake up so we can talk before Madame Pomfrey gets back."
Realizing that he wasn't going to be able to ignore this voice successfully he looked up at the person sitting beside him. He would have jumped if his body had allowed it. "Sirius? Does this mean I'm really dead? I wasn't sure when I saw Madame Pomfrey."
The young looking man beside him smiled sadly before answering. "No Harry you aren't dead. That's not to say you're alive either. This is probably the time to explain that. First, you need to remember the prophecy. Voldemort didn't do any of this to you. He knew what was happening, but he wasn't there. That's one of the reasons you're stuck where you are. The second thing we don't really understand. You see, you have somehow turned your magic entirely inward. That is what has kept you alive for so long. Now, though, it gets difficult." There was a pause as Sirius stood and began pacing. "Hmm, this is difficult. Your body has been so damaged and pushed so far beyond its limits that you can't be alive. You should be dead right now Harry. Your magic wouldn't let that happen. Hogwarts itself is holding you in the world of the living now as well."
A confused Harry Potter interrupted at this point. "So I'm alive then? Is that what your saying?"
Sirius Black turned to look at the horribly injured and abused boy. "No, you aren't alive Harry. The best way to describe what's happening is to say that you got stuck. Sort of like what would happen if you tried to crawl through a window and someone shrank it just when you got halfway through. Just as you died your magic held you back. Now there is a whole lot of magic wrapped around you keeping you from moving forward towards death. It also keeps you from moving back to being alive. It seems that you need to make a decision and can't do it until it's asked by someone outside of yourself."
Harry could feel himself getting more confused with each word that was said. He was neither alive nor dead. What did that make him? Was he now something like a vampire?
"No, you aren't a vampire. You are something that has never been before. There is no name for what you have become. We don't know what will happen after you make the Choice. Oh, and no I can't read your mind, just the look on your face."
"So what is this choice?" Was all Harry could think to say. He was confused and unsure what to do. He did know that he had to do something. Being stuck was uncomfortable.
Sirius sat down beside Harry at this point. "Well, this is a difficult thing, and I wish I wasn't the one who had to do it. You won't be able to speak once I start telling you about your options. I have to finish explaining what will happen before a decision can be made or will be allowed. I don't know what will happen to me, whether I'll be allowed to stay here or not, once you decide. So, do you have any questions for me? Do you want to hear how I switched your parent's hair in seventh year?"
Harry couldn't help but laugh at this. A vision of both his parents chasing after Sirius flashed into his mind. Then he remembered what Sirius had said about the time limit. He thought for a moment, and realized he didn't care. He wanted to just spend some time with this man and laugh.
**
Hermione felt strange. The situation was the opposite of any she had ever experienced. Here she was, a student giving a lecture to all of her teachers. It wasn't supposed to be this way. They were the ones who should have the answers, they should be telling her what she needed to know. Instead they were listening closely to her every word, as she would do in one of their classes. One of them had even raised their hand to ask a question.
"Do you have a question Professor McGonagall?"
The professor that Hermione most admired looked slightly confused with the situation as well but asked, "Do you know how Mr. Potter made these rings? Do you know how to do it yourself?"
Hermione had expected this question almost from the moment she had started talking about the Heart Rings. "I have no idea how to make them. Harry showed me a book he had found while wandering around the school. He, well he wasn't doing very well at that point and had started taking long walks around the school. He was so exited when he showed me the book, but I couldn't see anything on its pages. To me they were blank, though he saw words and diagrams. He told me they were a description of some rings that he could make to protect other people. Because I was worried he told me he would be making Heart Rings and that I could watch. I wanted to be there in case there was a problem. He also asked me if I could write out copies of five very difficult protection and healing spells for him. Those spells aren't evil and are well known though difficult to use, so I agreed."
The teachers before her were silent as she spoke. They hung on every word spoken, and several were taking notes. "When Harry made the first ring we went to a large room close to Gryffindor Tower that I had never seen before and couldn't have found again until tonight. What Harry did to make the ring was very strange. He placed the spells I had copied and three or four others on a table then opened that book. I could see that he was reading from the book because his lips were moving like he was talking. I couldn't hear anything while he cast whatever spell or spells he used to make the ring though." Hermione paused here for a moment. She could almost see what had happened that night. "It was very strange what happened next. Harry place the tips of his ring fingers together and then drew them apart over the parchments with the spells on them. He kept speaking and moving one of his hands in little circles for a few minutes, and after a while I saw a pile of what looked like the finest thread I've every seen appear an grow in front of him. He finished this part of what he called the Making by bringing his fingers back together. After this he covered the thread with one hand and his heart with the other. He was still speaking and would only move to turn the pages of the book with the hand over his heart. I could feel magic flowing through the room, it made me feel safer than I ever had before. When he stopped reading the power seemed to vanish and he raised his hand to show me a beautiful ring atop a pile of blank parchment. It was this ring here."
The teacher's faces looked confused now. The ring that Hermione held was rather plain. There was nothing remarkable about it. Professor Snape asked with a sneer in his voice. "You call that beautiful? It's just a simple gold band. What are you playing at young lady."
Hermione just shook her head sadly. "It was beautiful. It started to change to this rather quickly though. When I asked Harry what was happening he told me that this ring was for his Godfather. It could never go to it true owner but it would be a reminder of the good times they had together. He then told me that he had to make more. There were people who were in danger because of him. He didn't think he was the only reason for the danger but he did make it greater, so he had to help them. This box holds a ring for the head of each House here, as well as one for the Headmaster and one for the Nurse. He told me about those and a couple of the others. It seemed important to him that the rings were for the position and not a person so I asked about it later. Harry said that the rings would never loose power as long as someone held each position like a ring for a particular person would when they died."
All of the teachers were looking amazed at this new revelation. In the quiet that followed her last statement the student began removing rings from the box before her, reading a small note tied to each and delivering them. A giggle escaped her lips suddenly though she stopped it quickly.
"Miss Granger, could you tell us what made you laugh?" The Headmaster was looking very curiously at her as he asked this.
Hermione really didn't want to say anything. She new it could get her in trouble if she did. As she was thinking about what she should do the thought that the words weren't hers came into her mind. Smiling she responded to the question. "I apologize Headmaster. This note just made me think of something else. You see it says 'Snivellus, this one is for Slytherin House, don't sell it you slimy git'. I do apologize for laughing but it reminded me of a happier time with Harry." Hermione's smile faded as she approached Professor Snape.
Snape appeared unable to decide if he was being presented something of great value and should be honored. The other option he appeared to be considering was knocking the ring as far from himself as possible. He finally took the ring, holding it as though it were a particularly foul object and spoke to the room at large. "I've told you all many times that Potter revels in causing problems. None of you have ever listened in the past and I doubt you will now. Still, how can you defend him in this? When I get my hands on him he will serve the worst detention I can find. I would remove twenty points from Gryffindor as well if I didn't feel certain that others would simply grant him far more to nullify my efforts at proper discipline."
There was a sudden noise from the Phoenix that had sat quietly throughout the previous events. All present looked up to see Fawkes gazing at a doorway of light appearing from nowhere. Their surprise grew as Madame Pomfrey stepped, with tears in her eyes, into the room, and the strange door suddenly vanished.
**
Warning: This is not a pleasant part as it talks about horrible injuries to Harry. I did not enjoy writing it and I don't know if I should leave all or any of it in. Please let me know if I should remove it or not.
**
The room exploded with questions. Everyone wanted to know where Madame Pomfrey had been and how she had gotten here.
Poppy Pomfrey was having trouble seeing the people around her. The tears were causing problems but she didn't care. Not after seeing what she had. It had been hideous but she was proud to have kept control while in the boy's presence. Suddenly a face became clear before her and all thought stopped.
"Severus I want you to find them. Find them and do the worst things you can think of. I wouldn't be able to do it myself so you must promise you will find them and kill them. It has to be painful and take a long time. Do you understand Severus." She was screaming as she finished.
Everyone in the room was shocked by what was happening. The woman who would go out of here way to help someone in pain was crying out for blood. The nurse who would never cause another person any pain was demanding someone be tortured.
"Would you mind telling me why you want this Poppy?" Came the voice of the Headmaster.
Madame Pomfrey turned on the man with her face twisted in fury. "Don't you try to placate me Albus. I know what you all think about the boy and I don't care. You haven't seen him and I have. He didn't do any of those things. He couldn't have."
Now there were more confused faces around her and Poppy could feel her frustration and anger growing. She barely heard Severus' voice as he spoke. "If you tell us what you are talking about Poppy we might understand and be able to help."
Poppy didn't care about understanding. She didn't want anything but to see the people who had tormented the poor child she had just left. "What am I talking about Severus? I'm talking about Harry Potter and the evil beasts that tortured them. I'm talking about you finding them and causing pain and death. I'm talking about a child who's been labeled a monster and couldn't have done any of the lies people hate him for. That's what I'm talking about. Now go find them and hurt them for me Severus. If you don't I swear the next time you come to me for help you will regret it." She wasn't done yet. After seeing the frustrated and confused look on Snape's face she turned on the Headmaster. "Now for you Albus. I begged you to find someplace where the boy would be treated decently. Somewhere with people that he could talk to about all the pain and troubles he's had to face, people who would help him. You kept saying he had to go back to that place. 'It's the safest place Poppy. We will help all we can but he must go back Poppy.' Well, if that place and those Muggles were so safe than how do you explain this? Well?"
The headmaster sat slowly. "Please try to calm yourself Poppy. Many things have happened tonight and we are all trying to decide what must be done. I would ask you to explain what you have been doing and why you are acting this way. I promise to answer any questions you have when you have told us what you know."
She didn't want to be calm but she had received a promise from Albus. She knew that she would get her answers after she told them what she had seen. Just looking at the Headmaster she also knew that she wouldn't be told anything until she had spoken.
"Fine, you want to hear what has happened? I'll tell you, but I swear that if I ever hear a bad word spoken about that boy again whoever says it will regret having been born. Someone calling to me for help woke me. I still don't know who it was and I really don't care after what I saw. There was no explanation of who I was to see, just a door made of light appearing on my wall." She had to pause for several breaths before continuing.
What she was about to say sickened her, but she would say it. "I stepped through the door. Not happy about being dragged out of my sleep mind you. Well, after a short walk I saw him. He was on a strange chair that wrapped around him to avoid causing any pain. When I got to his side Potter actually made a joke. He asked if I was there to give him an after death check-up. I nearly lost my mind at the sight of him. He should be dead. I don't know how he could be alive with everything that was done to him, it's not possible, but he is. I checked him over to see what the total damage was and it's hideous. They twisted his body. They broke the bones and healed them wrong. His left hand and his foot are twisted clubs now. The rest of his bones are as bad or worse."
"Poppy what do you mean by leg?" It was Minerva McGonagall who interrupted this time.
She just looked at her friend. She thought what she had said was rather clear. "I meant what I said Minerva. His leg, Potter only has one leg now. The left leg is missing just below the knee. It would probably be shorter if whatever had chewed on the remains had been given more time." Looking around Poppy Pomfrey found a strange pleasure at the looks on the faces of those present. "That's not all. No, they beat, cut, and burned him. It had to take weeks for all the damage to be done. His body is completely covered with burns and cuts, at least where they didn't remove his flesh. The only parts of him that don't seem damaged or changed are his ears and eye."
This time she heard the sobs from the side of Dumbledore's desk. Looking to see who was crying she saw Hermione Granger. "I'm sorry if this upsets you Miss Granger. Had I known you were here I would have sent you out of the room. Horrible things have been to the boy and I wouldn't have had you hear this."
Albus stood again. "I to am sorry that you had to hear these things. I had not realized that so much had been done to the boy."
Poppy looked at Albus. His voice had been calm, his face unreadable. She didn't know what made her do it. She didn't want to harm the student before her, but she just had to see the Headmaster flinch so she said it. "There's more. They scalped him. His left eye was burned out with fire and dark magic. They made his liver produce a slow and painful poison that has spread through his entire body. He should be dead. He can't be alive with all the damage, but he is." She saw the pain in Dumbledore's eyes. He flinched with each of the new torments the youth had been forced to endure. She also heard someone being sick. She also saw the horror on the face of a student.
"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said those things child." She wouldn't tell of the Pneumonia, or the slow constant bleeding. She had something that she would add though. It had to be done and she didn't care what anyone else would think. "I will be returning to him after I gather some things to try and repair the damage. I don't think I can do much about some of what was done, but I will fix all that I can. No one try to stop me. I don't care what any of you think. I've heard the whispers of the students and teachers about Mr. Potter and I don't care." She was crying again, but that didn't matter.
As she turned to leave a small voice from the only student present stopped her. "We know he's innocent Madame Pomfrey."
She turned back confused at these words but she needed to know what this girl could tell her. Hermione looked as though she was about to be sick but she continued to speak to the nurse as though driven. "We found these rings. They prove that he was innocent. When, when you see him, p, please tell him how sorry I am for not thinking of them. I, I, I know I failed. I could have saved him from the h, hatred and f, failed. If I had just thought, we could have found him and saved him."
Poppy was ashamed of the pain she knew she had caused this girl who looked so lost. "I will tell him child. Now I need to get some things and return. Severus, will you do what I asked?"
Severus Snape's face was strange. There were tears and hatred in his eyes. He was not the one to answer her question though. That response was from the Headmaster once again. "He can't do that Poppy. Would you doom his soul for your vengeance? Would you cause more pain? I swear those who harmed Mr. Potter will be punished to the full extent of the law, but I will not allow it to go further." Dumbledore's eyes were hard as he spoke. He would not allow things to get out of control.
Poppy gave a jerky nod and turned to leave only to be stopped once again by Hermione Granger. "This ring is for you Madame Pomfrey. Harry made this one for the school nurse so they would always have protection if danger ever came near to them."
After taking the ring Poppy nodded and left the room to return to her patient. She no longer cared to listen to explanations or anything else. There was someone who needed all of her skills and she would use them and more to help. The last thing she heard was Albus' voice directed at the student. "Please give me a list of people outside Hogwarts who will need to come and collect rings. I will try to gather them by this evening.
**
A/N: Well that was a long chapter. I almost put the part with Pomfrey in the next chapter but it would have required a lot of work to make it work right. I hope it wasn't too bad for anyone. This was the reason for the rating of the story. I'm not sure if I should raise the rating or not. What do people think?
Sorry but after writing this I don't feel that I can answer my reviews from last chapter. I'll do better next time though. I promise. Also the next chapter may take a little longer. After writing this I need to take a short break. I will try to get chapter five up by Monday at the latest but I can't guarantee it.
A/N: I got an interesting question from Shellbert, after the last chapter. The question was if there was a deeper relationship between Harry and Hermione. The answer is simple. I don't know. I hadn't planned on doing any shipping in this story. To be honest I feel that I REALLY suck at doing that sort of thing. I also have to admit that the ships I see in the books are Harry with Ginny and Ron with Hermione, with a possible Neville with Luna (Cause I like both characters). The blasted rings have been playing with me again and I do see some possible changes to my plans.
At the moment I see Ron and Hermione being closer than in book five. I don't know if it will be boyfriend/girlfriend though. I will be trying to make the outbursts by Hermione clearer in a bit with possible flashbacks (I don't want to do flashbacks), I would prefer to find a way to work the information directly into the story but haven't figured how to do that yet.
I haven't set a relationship for Harry as yet and I don't know if I will. The blasted Rings are trying to make me do something but it may not happen. Heck, they already convinced me to bring in someone I hadn't wanted to, and I had to figure out how to do it.
Well, enough about my problems.
Warning: This chapter is going to talk about some nasty stuff. I'm going to describe Harry's injuries. I will try not to be to graphic.
** Chapter Four:
Someone was trying to wake him. He was comfortable and enjoying a dream that included his Godfather and didn't want to leave it.
"Harry," a voice shouted next to his ear. "You need to wake up so we can talk before Madame Pomfrey gets back."
Realizing that he wasn't going to be able to ignore this voice successfully he looked up at the person sitting beside him. He would have jumped if his body had allowed it. "Sirius? Does this mean I'm really dead? I wasn't sure when I saw Madame Pomfrey."
The young looking man beside him smiled sadly before answering. "No Harry you aren't dead. That's not to say you're alive either. This is probably the time to explain that. First, you need to remember the prophecy. Voldemort didn't do any of this to you. He knew what was happening, but he wasn't there. That's one of the reasons you're stuck where you are. The second thing we don't really understand. You see, you have somehow turned your magic entirely inward. That is what has kept you alive for so long. Now, though, it gets difficult." There was a pause as Sirius stood and began pacing. "Hmm, this is difficult. Your body has been so damaged and pushed so far beyond its limits that you can't be alive. You should be dead right now Harry. Your magic wouldn't let that happen. Hogwarts itself is holding you in the world of the living now as well."
A confused Harry Potter interrupted at this point. "So I'm alive then? Is that what your saying?"
Sirius Black turned to look at the horribly injured and abused boy. "No, you aren't alive Harry. The best way to describe what's happening is to say that you got stuck. Sort of like what would happen if you tried to crawl through a window and someone shrank it just when you got halfway through. Just as you died your magic held you back. Now there is a whole lot of magic wrapped around you keeping you from moving forward towards death. It also keeps you from moving back to being alive. It seems that you need to make a decision and can't do it until it's asked by someone outside of yourself."
Harry could feel himself getting more confused with each word that was said. He was neither alive nor dead. What did that make him? Was he now something like a vampire?
"No, you aren't a vampire. You are something that has never been before. There is no name for what you have become. We don't know what will happen after you make the Choice. Oh, and no I can't read your mind, just the look on your face."
"So what is this choice?" Was all Harry could think to say. He was confused and unsure what to do. He did know that he had to do something. Being stuck was uncomfortable.
Sirius sat down beside Harry at this point. "Well, this is a difficult thing, and I wish I wasn't the one who had to do it. You won't be able to speak once I start telling you about your options. I have to finish explaining what will happen before a decision can be made or will be allowed. I don't know what will happen to me, whether I'll be allowed to stay here or not, once you decide. So, do you have any questions for me? Do you want to hear how I switched your parent's hair in seventh year?"
Harry couldn't help but laugh at this. A vision of both his parents chasing after Sirius flashed into his mind. Then he remembered what Sirius had said about the time limit. He thought for a moment, and realized he didn't care. He wanted to just spend some time with this man and laugh.
**
Hermione felt strange. The situation was the opposite of any she had ever experienced. Here she was, a student giving a lecture to all of her teachers. It wasn't supposed to be this way. They were the ones who should have the answers, they should be telling her what she needed to know. Instead they were listening closely to her every word, as she would do in one of their classes. One of them had even raised their hand to ask a question.
"Do you have a question Professor McGonagall?"
The professor that Hermione most admired looked slightly confused with the situation as well but asked, "Do you know how Mr. Potter made these rings? Do you know how to do it yourself?"
Hermione had expected this question almost from the moment she had started talking about the Heart Rings. "I have no idea how to make them. Harry showed me a book he had found while wandering around the school. He, well he wasn't doing very well at that point and had started taking long walks around the school. He was so exited when he showed me the book, but I couldn't see anything on its pages. To me they were blank, though he saw words and diagrams. He told me they were a description of some rings that he could make to protect other people. Because I was worried he told me he would be making Heart Rings and that I could watch. I wanted to be there in case there was a problem. He also asked me if I could write out copies of five very difficult protection and healing spells for him. Those spells aren't evil and are well known though difficult to use, so I agreed."
The teachers before her were silent as she spoke. They hung on every word spoken, and several were taking notes. "When Harry made the first ring we went to a large room close to Gryffindor Tower that I had never seen before and couldn't have found again until tonight. What Harry did to make the ring was very strange. He placed the spells I had copied and three or four others on a table then opened that book. I could see that he was reading from the book because his lips were moving like he was talking. I couldn't hear anything while he cast whatever spell or spells he used to make the ring though." Hermione paused here for a moment. She could almost see what had happened that night. "It was very strange what happened next. Harry place the tips of his ring fingers together and then drew them apart over the parchments with the spells on them. He kept speaking and moving one of his hands in little circles for a few minutes, and after a while I saw a pile of what looked like the finest thread I've every seen appear an grow in front of him. He finished this part of what he called the Making by bringing his fingers back together. After this he covered the thread with one hand and his heart with the other. He was still speaking and would only move to turn the pages of the book with the hand over his heart. I could feel magic flowing through the room, it made me feel safer than I ever had before. When he stopped reading the power seemed to vanish and he raised his hand to show me a beautiful ring atop a pile of blank parchment. It was this ring here."
The teacher's faces looked confused now. The ring that Hermione held was rather plain. There was nothing remarkable about it. Professor Snape asked with a sneer in his voice. "You call that beautiful? It's just a simple gold band. What are you playing at young lady."
Hermione just shook her head sadly. "It was beautiful. It started to change to this rather quickly though. When I asked Harry what was happening he told me that this ring was for his Godfather. It could never go to it true owner but it would be a reminder of the good times they had together. He then told me that he had to make more. There were people who were in danger because of him. He didn't think he was the only reason for the danger but he did make it greater, so he had to help them. This box holds a ring for the head of each House here, as well as one for the Headmaster and one for the Nurse. He told me about those and a couple of the others. It seemed important to him that the rings were for the position and not a person so I asked about it later. Harry said that the rings would never loose power as long as someone held each position like a ring for a particular person would when they died."
All of the teachers were looking amazed at this new revelation. In the quiet that followed her last statement the student began removing rings from the box before her, reading a small note tied to each and delivering them. A giggle escaped her lips suddenly though she stopped it quickly.
"Miss Granger, could you tell us what made you laugh?" The Headmaster was looking very curiously at her as he asked this.
Hermione really didn't want to say anything. She new it could get her in trouble if she did. As she was thinking about what she should do the thought that the words weren't hers came into her mind. Smiling she responded to the question. "I apologize Headmaster. This note just made me think of something else. You see it says 'Snivellus, this one is for Slytherin House, don't sell it you slimy git'. I do apologize for laughing but it reminded me of a happier time with Harry." Hermione's smile faded as she approached Professor Snape.
Snape appeared unable to decide if he was being presented something of great value and should be honored. The other option he appeared to be considering was knocking the ring as far from himself as possible. He finally took the ring, holding it as though it were a particularly foul object and spoke to the room at large. "I've told you all many times that Potter revels in causing problems. None of you have ever listened in the past and I doubt you will now. Still, how can you defend him in this? When I get my hands on him he will serve the worst detention I can find. I would remove twenty points from Gryffindor as well if I didn't feel certain that others would simply grant him far more to nullify my efforts at proper discipline."
There was a sudden noise from the Phoenix that had sat quietly throughout the previous events. All present looked up to see Fawkes gazing at a doorway of light appearing from nowhere. Their surprise grew as Madame Pomfrey stepped, with tears in her eyes, into the room, and the strange door suddenly vanished.
**
Warning: This is not a pleasant part as it talks about horrible injuries to Harry. I did not enjoy writing it and I don't know if I should leave all or any of it in. Please let me know if I should remove it or not.
**
The room exploded with questions. Everyone wanted to know where Madame Pomfrey had been and how she had gotten here.
Poppy Pomfrey was having trouble seeing the people around her. The tears were causing problems but she didn't care. Not after seeing what she had. It had been hideous but she was proud to have kept control while in the boy's presence. Suddenly a face became clear before her and all thought stopped.
"Severus I want you to find them. Find them and do the worst things you can think of. I wouldn't be able to do it myself so you must promise you will find them and kill them. It has to be painful and take a long time. Do you understand Severus." She was screaming as she finished.
Everyone in the room was shocked by what was happening. The woman who would go out of here way to help someone in pain was crying out for blood. The nurse who would never cause another person any pain was demanding someone be tortured.
"Would you mind telling me why you want this Poppy?" Came the voice of the Headmaster.
Madame Pomfrey turned on the man with her face twisted in fury. "Don't you try to placate me Albus. I know what you all think about the boy and I don't care. You haven't seen him and I have. He didn't do any of those things. He couldn't have."
Now there were more confused faces around her and Poppy could feel her frustration and anger growing. She barely heard Severus' voice as he spoke. "If you tell us what you are talking about Poppy we might understand and be able to help."
Poppy didn't care about understanding. She didn't want anything but to see the people who had tormented the poor child she had just left. "What am I talking about Severus? I'm talking about Harry Potter and the evil beasts that tortured them. I'm talking about you finding them and causing pain and death. I'm talking about a child who's been labeled a monster and couldn't have done any of the lies people hate him for. That's what I'm talking about. Now go find them and hurt them for me Severus. If you don't I swear the next time you come to me for help you will regret it." She wasn't done yet. After seeing the frustrated and confused look on Snape's face she turned on the Headmaster. "Now for you Albus. I begged you to find someplace where the boy would be treated decently. Somewhere with people that he could talk to about all the pain and troubles he's had to face, people who would help him. You kept saying he had to go back to that place. 'It's the safest place Poppy. We will help all we can but he must go back Poppy.' Well, if that place and those Muggles were so safe than how do you explain this? Well?"
The headmaster sat slowly. "Please try to calm yourself Poppy. Many things have happened tonight and we are all trying to decide what must be done. I would ask you to explain what you have been doing and why you are acting this way. I promise to answer any questions you have when you have told us what you know."
She didn't want to be calm but she had received a promise from Albus. She knew that she would get her answers after she told them what she had seen. Just looking at the Headmaster she also knew that she wouldn't be told anything until she had spoken.
"Fine, you want to hear what has happened? I'll tell you, but I swear that if I ever hear a bad word spoken about that boy again whoever says it will regret having been born. Someone calling to me for help woke me. I still don't know who it was and I really don't care after what I saw. There was no explanation of who I was to see, just a door made of light appearing on my wall." She had to pause for several breaths before continuing.
What she was about to say sickened her, but she would say it. "I stepped through the door. Not happy about being dragged out of my sleep mind you. Well, after a short walk I saw him. He was on a strange chair that wrapped around him to avoid causing any pain. When I got to his side Potter actually made a joke. He asked if I was there to give him an after death check-up. I nearly lost my mind at the sight of him. He should be dead. I don't know how he could be alive with everything that was done to him, it's not possible, but he is. I checked him over to see what the total damage was and it's hideous. They twisted his body. They broke the bones and healed them wrong. His left hand and his foot are twisted clubs now. The rest of his bones are as bad or worse."
"Poppy what do you mean by leg?" It was Minerva McGonagall who interrupted this time.
She just looked at her friend. She thought what she had said was rather clear. "I meant what I said Minerva. His leg, Potter only has one leg now. The left leg is missing just below the knee. It would probably be shorter if whatever had chewed on the remains had been given more time." Looking around Poppy Pomfrey found a strange pleasure at the looks on the faces of those present. "That's not all. No, they beat, cut, and burned him. It had to take weeks for all the damage to be done. His body is completely covered with burns and cuts, at least where they didn't remove his flesh. The only parts of him that don't seem damaged or changed are his ears and eye."
This time she heard the sobs from the side of Dumbledore's desk. Looking to see who was crying she saw Hermione Granger. "I'm sorry if this upsets you Miss Granger. Had I known you were here I would have sent you out of the room. Horrible things have been to the boy and I wouldn't have had you hear this."
Albus stood again. "I to am sorry that you had to hear these things. I had not realized that so much had been done to the boy."
Poppy looked at Albus. His voice had been calm, his face unreadable. She didn't know what made her do it. She didn't want to harm the student before her, but she just had to see the Headmaster flinch so she said it. "There's more. They scalped him. His left eye was burned out with fire and dark magic. They made his liver produce a slow and painful poison that has spread through his entire body. He should be dead. He can't be alive with all the damage, but he is." She saw the pain in Dumbledore's eyes. He flinched with each of the new torments the youth had been forced to endure. She also heard someone being sick. She also saw the horror on the face of a student.
"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said those things child." She wouldn't tell of the Pneumonia, or the slow constant bleeding. She had something that she would add though. It had to be done and she didn't care what anyone else would think. "I will be returning to him after I gather some things to try and repair the damage. I don't think I can do much about some of what was done, but I will fix all that I can. No one try to stop me. I don't care what any of you think. I've heard the whispers of the students and teachers about Mr. Potter and I don't care." She was crying again, but that didn't matter.
As she turned to leave a small voice from the only student present stopped her. "We know he's innocent Madame Pomfrey."
She turned back confused at these words but she needed to know what this girl could tell her. Hermione looked as though she was about to be sick but she continued to speak to the nurse as though driven. "We found these rings. They prove that he was innocent. When, when you see him, p, please tell him how sorry I am for not thinking of them. I, I, I know I failed. I could have saved him from the h, hatred and f, failed. If I had just thought, we could have found him and saved him."
Poppy was ashamed of the pain she knew she had caused this girl who looked so lost. "I will tell him child. Now I need to get some things and return. Severus, will you do what I asked?"
Severus Snape's face was strange. There were tears and hatred in his eyes. He was not the one to answer her question though. That response was from the Headmaster once again. "He can't do that Poppy. Would you doom his soul for your vengeance? Would you cause more pain? I swear those who harmed Mr. Potter will be punished to the full extent of the law, but I will not allow it to go further." Dumbledore's eyes were hard as he spoke. He would not allow things to get out of control.
Poppy gave a jerky nod and turned to leave only to be stopped once again by Hermione Granger. "This ring is for you Madame Pomfrey. Harry made this one for the school nurse so they would always have protection if danger ever came near to them."
After taking the ring Poppy nodded and left the room to return to her patient. She no longer cared to listen to explanations or anything else. There was someone who needed all of her skills and she would use them and more to help. The last thing she heard was Albus' voice directed at the student. "Please give me a list of people outside Hogwarts who will need to come and collect rings. I will try to gather them by this evening.
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A/N: Well that was a long chapter. I almost put the part with Pomfrey in the next chapter but it would have required a lot of work to make it work right. I hope it wasn't too bad for anyone. This was the reason for the rating of the story. I'm not sure if I should raise the rating or not. What do people think?
Sorry but after writing this I don't feel that I can answer my reviews from last chapter. I'll do better next time though. I promise. Also the next chapter may take a little longer. After writing this I need to take a short break. I will try to get chapter five up by Monday at the latest but I can't guarantee it.