AN I'm back! It's been faaaar too long, but here it is! Finally! I'm soz about the delay.
(Dedicated to my boyfriend, Rob.)
Draco followed the headmaster in silence. His shock had faded now and he was beginning to feel very stupid.
Of course he must have been dreaming, or seeing things, either way it was all Harry's fault. There was no other explanation for such paranoia… Yes, it had to be something to do with Harry Potter. It nearly always was.
When he caught his Father in a foul temper and was beaten
it was always because of Harry's latest escape or Harry's latest out-doing of
him.
When he looked around and saw the bad tempers in the
Slytherin house it was always because of Harry's latest points tally or
quidditch victory.
Everything that was wrong with his life stemmed from
Harry. So why should he feel guilty if
he betrayed the boy-who-lived?!
Draco was distracted as he realised that Dumbledore had led
him to a magnificent chamber.
Dumbledore was pinning Draco to the spot with his legendary
gaze.
Draco looked at his hands and only then realised that he
had gotten a paper cut… Must have come from my Father's letter. The sight of the thin line of red and the
realisation of the stinging pain threatened Draco's composure…
What if he hadn't been seeing things? What if he really had been visited by a dead wizard? What if Salazar Slytherin could see him now, or hear him? What if he came back?
Trembling slightly Draco hardly noticed the commotion in
the next room.
He felt Dumbledore's hand squeeze his shoulder before the
headmaster hurried over to the adjoining office.
~~~
Between all the shouting neither of the wizards noticed
Dumbledore enter the room.
"Well I'm sorry I spoke!" Yelled Sirius loosing his cool.
"So you should be!" Shouted Severus his pale face drawn into a particularly ugly glare.
"I only wondered how you were feeling!" Growled Sirius returning the glare.
Albus Dumbledore shook his head, it was the same ongoing
feud that had divided the two ever since childhood.
Announcing his arrival Dumbledore said
"Severus! Sirius! I expect better from two
grown men. I'm trying to talk to
someone next door and all I can hear is bickering." The two men lowered their heads like scolded children.
"Sirius, go and see if Lupin is ready to take Harry down to
the forest." Ordered Dumbledore.
Once Sirius had left with one final glare at Snape and a
guilty flush in his cheeks, Dumbledore turned to Snape.
"Severus, you need some rest. Make some dreamless sleep potion up and take it!"
Snape also left the office walking slowly his shoulders
sagging.
Dumbledore turned back to the Gryffindor chamber, but it
stood empty the torches flickering innocently.
…Draco had gone.
~~~
As he approached the Hospital Wing Sirius thought he could
hear laughing. He opened the door
curious to see what was happening inside and his face cracked into a grin.
It was as though everyone had suddenly jumped back in time
15 years. Lupin was parading up and
down the Hospital Wing seemingly oblivious of everyone except his eager
audience, performing his legendary and extremely accurate impression of
Professor McGonagall.
Sirius held back a laugh but then Lupin suddenly saw him
from the corner of is eye. He turned and his mouth fell open, and Sirius had to
laugh as a blush crept over Moony's face.
From the other side of the room where she was looking
decidedly more cheerful and had at last regained a bit of colour in her face,
Dawn Inigma was chuckling merrily.
"I'm so sorry Professor McGonagall I didn't mean to disturb you." Said Sirius in a deadpan voice pulling on
his innocent face.
"Cut it out Padfoot." Said Remus still blushing.
"Oh! It's you
Moony! So sorry!"
"What did you want Sirius?" Said Remus trying to regain his
dignity.
"I came to see if you were ready to help with Harry… But if
you're busy…"
Lupin jumped up and cut him off,
"Let's go now."
~~~
A comfortable and easy silence had finally descended over
Harry and his friends as they sat around Dumbledore's desk just enjoying being
together again.
But of course this couldn't last.
Harry suddenly gasped, bringing his hands to his back he
held them against the painful wound squeezing his eyes shut.
"Harry! Are you
alright?" Asked Ron nervously.
"Of course he isn't! Ron!" Replied Hermione harshly.
Harry felt the pain lessen slightly and opened his eyes to
be greeted by four faces staring back at him.
Ron Hermione and Neville were crowded around him looking
concerned, but behind them Harry noticed another. It was his alter-ego… he was back.
"Oh God." Said
Harry croakily.
"Do you want us to go and get a teacher?" Asked Hermione gently.
Harry didn't reply, his eyes were fixed on his own face
which was sneering back at him eyes filled with malice.
"Harry! What is
it?" Said Neville raising his voice as
his worry escalated.
"D-Dumbledore. Get
Dumbledore." Stuttered Harry, his eyes
remaining riveted across the room.
He winced as the dark shadow of himself spoke.
"Dumbledore, ha! He
can't help you now."
In a flash the cloudy image advanced and reached forward to
touch Harry's scar.
"No!" Shouted Harry
leaning back, but it was too late, as his chair toppled backwards and his head
slammed against the floor Harry knew that he now shared his body and mind with
his alter-ego.
~~~
As Hermione reached the door she heard a commotion behind
her.
"No!" Shouted Harry
"Harry! Look
out!" Yelled Ron. And then there was a sickening thump as
Harry hit the floor
Seeing Harry sprawled on the floor out cold, Hermione's
mind raced into control.
"Ron! You find
Dumbledore, I'll go and get Madame Pomfrey."
Ron stood up shakily and nodded.
"Neville, look after him, make sure he doesn't move and try
and bring him round if you can."
Neville bit his lip and nodded as well.
Hermione hurried down the hallways and suddenly found
herself face to face with Remus Lupin.
"Professor Lupin! Come quickly! It's Harry!" She gasped.
She was almost bowled over as Padfoot rushed past her
knees.
"I'm going to get Madame Pomfrey."
"No, come with us, we need to take him down to the
forest. The centaurs agreed to heal
him." Said Lupin glancing at Padfoot's
speeding departure.
Ron got to the bottom of the stairway when he realised that
he didn't have a clue where Dumbledore would be, after all, he'd just left the
headmaster's office, and last he'd heard Dumbledore had taken Malfoy somewhere
private to talk. Frowning he
decided to go back up and help Neville.
As he re-entered the office Ron's jaw dropped, he looked
from Neville to Harry and back again and still couldn't believe what he
saw. Harry was thrashing around wildly
trying to get back into his chair and Neville was restraining him a look of
terror in his eyes.
"Help me!" Shouted
Neville in a panic
"What happened?" Asked Ron hurrying over.
"Harry came around when I cast the awakening spell on him
and he tried to attack me!"
Ron reached down and saw the manic and angry light in
Harry's usually docile face.
"Harry! Snap out of
it mate! You're safe! It's us, your friends!" Said Ron trying to pin Harry's arms to his
sides.
"Go away! leave me
alone! Go away!" Shouted Harry his eyes rolling around
dangerously.
"He's delusional!" Muttered Ron and Neville had to nod in
agreement as they managed to pin their friend to the ground.
Just then, the door burst open and Sirius, Remus and
Hermione all poured in.
Sirius ignored Ron and Neville's hurried explanations and
grabbed Harry in his arms. He stormed
out of the room and started straight for the forest leaving everyone else to
hurry behind him.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
AN
Okies, no long list of excuses, Although I do apologise for the shortness of this chapter. I am going somewhere with this fic, but I haven't gotten there yet. It will be one of those where everything comes out in the end, so bear with me.
Thankyou to everyone who's read and reviewed 'Losing Your Way' I really enjoyed writing it, and yes there will be a sequel, it's started and it will tie up the loose ends…
Just to give you a taster, it involves Harry spending the rest of the holiday recovering… at Snape Manor!!!!!!
*grins*
Lot's of Love to you all!
Jona
xxx