And a disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or any Harry Potter related material! (Although…I have a plan…ready? Okay, well I'm going to hire all of these criminals right- after I save and save and save my money -and then we're going to go to J. K. Rowling's house and kidnap her and take her home to my house and put her in my basement- after I build it –and then I'm going to feed her on water and breadcrumbs until she signs over all of Harry Potter to me… MWAHAHAHAHA…*strokes hairless cat in Dr Evil style*…no…not really…*sigh*)
HARRY POTTER AND THE STAFF OF VIGOR ~ ~ !!! ~ ~ CHAPTER 8: BROKENHesitantly Harry opened his eyes. He was worried if he did he would find his best friends dead and he would still be in that cave. That horrible evil cave. He chanced a look and let out a relieved breath as he found himself in the Hospital Wing. Hermione and Ron were sitting in the chairs they had last time Harry had been admitted and were both asleep. Ron was breathing loudly while Hermione's head rested on his shoulder. Harry looked out the window and noted how dark it was, assuming that it must be late. He turned to look across the room and saw Geraldine, sitting very still and staring at him. It looked like she had been crying. She slowly stood up and made her way quietly over to him.
"You're up." She smiled at him. Harry nodded.
"Sorry to worry you." He muttered.
"It's ok." She lent over and kissed him on the cheek, grabbing his hand at the same time. He appreciated the comfort the touch of someone else brought.
"How long have I been...well...asleep?" He inquired. Geraldine bit her bottom lip thoughtfully.
"About three days." She put her head to the side and eyed him.
"What?" He wondered. Geraldine's bottom lip quivered.
"I thought you were going to die! I got to the game just as you were falling to the ground, oh it was awful!" Her eyes filled with tears.
"I'm okay now. I just have a headache." Harry patted her hand.
"But I felt so bad." She said, letting her tears fall freely.
"Why?"
"Because. I lied to you." She avoided his eye contact.
"With what?" He thought he already knew though.
"My homework. I really didn't have any." She closed her eyes tightly. She was beautiful even when she was distressed.
"What were you doing then?"
"I'd really rather not say. I want you to get better and then we'll talk about it." She swallowed and stood up.
"You're leaving already then." He stated. She nodded.
"I just wanted to see you wake up." She bent down and kissed his cheek again. He didn't say goodbye to her but examined her critically as she left. What had she been doing instead of homework? He knew she had been lying but he didn't know what she was covering up. He frowned and closed his eyes, letting himself go back to a restless sleep. He was still very tired.
* * * *
"And I killed Ron?" Hermione's eyes widened as Harry told her about his dream. Ron shuffled uncomfortably in his seat.
"I don't like this dream." He muttered.
"I didn't either." Harry sighed at the vivid memory of his dream.
"And Sirius was in it? And Malfoy? And you all put your...your blood on this wall?" Hermione was uncertain.
"Yes. And then Sirius disappeared and it was just Malfoy and me. We became like a team."
"Malfoy...you...a team." Ron scoffed. Hermione scolded him to be quiet and he crossed his arms sulkily.
"Anyway, we went through the passage and we were trying to find something." Harry's brow furrowed at this part of the memory, it was hazy.
"Which was..." Ron inquired.
"I don't know. But it wasn't something good." Harry explained. Hermione clicked her tongue.
"Obviously not if it made us all go mad and...kill each other." She looked at Ron worriedly. Ron shuffled in his seat again.
"What are you going to do?" Ron asked after a few minutes had passed.
"Tell Dumbledore," Hermione held up her hand as the boys went to protest, "I want no arguments. We have researched and researched to no avail. It's time we got a teacher involved."
"Fine." Harry mumbled.
"I'll go and get the Professor then," Hermione smiled at Harry and hugged him, "I'm glad you're alright."
"Thanks." She left the room swiftly. Ron watched her go.
"She's so bossy." He grinned after her retreating figure fondly. Harry smiled.
"More worthwhile than Ellanora is she?" He teased. Ron's head swung around sharply.
"What? No! I mean. Hermione's my friend. Ella is my friend. They're both just my friends," He narrowed his eyes as Harry laughed, "Shut up."
"Right." Harry said bemused. Ron scowled.
"Did we win?" Harry asked, wanting to know what had happened with Quidditch. Ron's face lit up a little.
"Don't you know it. We put on the reserve Seeker, who isn't as good as you by the way, and kept playing. I wanted to get the game over really quickly because Dumbledore had taken you here. And it was lucky, the game only lasted about another twenty minutes. Cho caught the Snitch but it didn't bring them up enough. We won 290 to 220."
"Yes!" Harry exclaimed triumphantly. Ron grinned and nodded.
"Your Veela Woman came by too." Ron told him. .
"Yeah I know. She was here last night when I woke up." Harry's smile faltered a little.
"What! She never told us you woke up last night! Stupid girl." Ron was annoyed.
"Oh. Sorry about that." Harry apologized for her.
"No. Forget it. Sorry I called her a stupid girl..." Ron trailed off. Harry shrugged. He wasn't too sure he wanted to be with Geraldine anymore. He really liked her but that alone didn't seem to be enough. Hermione returned shortly with Dumbledore. Harry decided to tell him mostly everything. He told Dumbledore every detail involving the dream, leaving out the part about Ellanora and the fairy and Malfoy killing Ginny for the sake of Ron and his temper. Harry even explained to Dumbledore the strange thoughts he'd had when he was getting thrashed on his broom about not telling a man 'where it is' and how he had thought about a 'wife and son' while he had been in pain last month. Dumbledore stroked his beard thoughtfully after Harry had finished talking.
"I'd like the three of you to come to my office tomorrow, don't worry Harry you will be fine by then. I would like to show you something that I think will greatly help your understand what is happening to you Harry." He bid them farewell and left them to ponder what he had said.
"Don't you love how they all explain everything to us so well." Ron drawled sarcastically. Hermione rolled her eyes and Harry grinned, anticipating slightly what would happen tomorrow.
* * * *
The Trio made they're way up to Dumbledore's office the following day in silence. They waited outside his office door for about fifteen minutes before Ron got irritated.
"Dammit! He says 'come by' we 'come by' and he's not here. I thought he was supposed to be wise, not senile." Ron muttered. Harry grinned.
"Ron! Honestly! Maybe he's waiting for us." Hermione snapped. Ron rolled his eyes.
"Then how, genius of the universe, are we supposed to get in?" He snapped back. Hermione scanned the entrance momentarily before bending down and picking up a small sweet that looked like a green chocolate truffle. She turned around and held it up to Ron.
"Yes? It's a Sugar Blister. What about it?" He asked turning around to face the entrance to Dumbledore's office as the Gargoyle statue blocking the entrance moved away. Hermione smiled triumphantly. Ron pulled a face at her behind her back and all three of them made their way up the narrow staircase to Dumbledore's office. He greeted them from behind his desk happily when they reached him.
"I'm glad you came. I was wondering if you were going to or not." His eyes sparkled. Harry coughed. He felt uneasy. He didn't know what Dumbledore was going to show them.
"Ah, I'm sorry. I know it's been hard Harry." Dumbledore apologized. He opened his desk drawer and pulled something out before standing up from his desk. He held out to them a piece of paper.
"It is an article from The Daily Prophet." He told them. Hermione reached out and took the clipping reluctantly. She read it quickly and gasped.
"I knew there was a connection!" She exclaimed. Harry raised an eyebrow. Ron took the article off her and looked from it to Hermione to Dumbledore to Harry and then stared back at the clipping frowning.
"Call me a Giant but what is it?" He continued to frown. Hermione shook her head impatiently.
"Listen," She instructed before snatching the clipping back and reading briefly from it, "Yesterday, a Wizard by the name of Charles Pote was found dead whilst on duty at Grignotts Bank. He was discovered by his fellow co-worker Marcus Smith. It has been uncovered that the cause of his death was the illegal use of one of the Forbidden Curses. There are no witnesses but it is suspected that Pote's attacker was possibly after something that is being held in one of the top-secret vaults at the Bank."
"And..." Ron urged her to continue.
"The man was found the day after you had to go to the Hospital Wing Harry. It's almost seven weeks to the day." Hermione noted their dazed expressions and sighed irritably before continuing, "A funeral will be held for Charles Pote, late at the end of this week, who will be greatly missed by both his wife, Mary Pote and son, Justin Pote."
"Wife...son..." Harry's eyes widened. That was it! There was a connection.
"Yes Harry," Dumbledore sat back down at his desk and linked together his long figures, "It seems you felt the pain of that victim. I would not be surprised in the least if Tom Riddle is behind this attack."
"And...and the other day. At the match. I was getting attacked again. Was that another victim?" Harry wondered. Dumbledore looked sad.
"I'm afraid it might have been. A woman was found murdered two days ago, a result of one of the Forbidden Curses. She was a Paladina."
"And her name?" Harry shut his eyes angrily. He hated Voldemort so much.
"Natalie Green." Dumbledore said gently.
"What does a Paladina do Professor?" Hermione inquired. Ron seemed quite happy to answer. After all, it wasn't everyday he got to explain things to Hermione.
"They're protectors Hermione. They're kind of like Aurors except that they don't seek out evil Wizards. They guard things and defend whatever they're guarding against anyone who tries to steal it. Right Professor?" He looked at Dumbledore.
"Yes, quite correct Mr Weasley. Although at this moment I am not quite sure what it is Tom is after." He paused thoughtfully.
"Something to make him immortal? Like how he wanted the Philosopher's Stone?" Ron guessed.
"Possibly Mr Weasley, possibly." Dumbledore cleared his throat, "Perhaps you would like to assess and discuss this further, amongst yourselves."
"Yes Professor." Ron and Hermione mumbled. He urged them gently from his office. When they were back at the Gargoyle statue Ron turned to his two best friends.
"He's up to something," Ron pointed out, "He had that look! He knows something."
"He's probably going to go to the Order to inform them about what we've found out," Hermione sighed, "I suppose they still think we're too young to work on these sort of things."
Harry nodded in agreement.
"You're being awfully quiet." Ron noted of his friend.
"I was just...it makes me mad. He killed all these people and no-one can catch him." Harry shrugged.
"We will Harry, don't worry. Somehow we will." Ron promised. Hermione bit her bottom lip and nodded but she looked unsure. Harry smiled at them slightly. He really did appreciate them.
"So we hit the books then Hermione?" Ron asked, pulling a face. Hermione gave him an annoyed look.
"No. I think we should just wait a bit. We have some exams coming up. I don't know about you but I really need to get started on some of my assignments." She gave them her 'you better do the same' look. Ron and Harry moaned and followed her up to the common room.
* * * *
Harry was researching for his fairy assignment for Care of Magical Creatures again. He still hardly had anything written for it. Hagrid had suggested to them that if they wanted to hand in a really good assignment the best thing to do would be to catch a fairy themselves and study it. Hermione had contradicted him saying that most things could be found in books. Harry sighed, this was worth too much of his grade to led slide or to for him to slack off and hand in some scribbled material on a piece of parchment. Ron stuck his head in the dorm room.
"Veela Woman is downstairs." He told him grinning. Harry nodded, he'd needed to see Geraldine all day. He rolled up his parchment quickly and hurried down the stairs. She was standing at the entrance next to Hermione, who didn't seem to be enjoying her company. He approached them slowly.
"...so you see, it's a gel I really recommend. You have lovely hair but it'd look so much better if you just did something to it...you know what I mean..." Geraldine was explaining her hair thesis to Hermione who was appearing more exasperated by the moment.
"Hey." Harry greeted them. Hermione glared at him and walked away.
"I try Harry. She's so difficult to get along with." Geraldine stated, frowning after Hermione. Harry wondered how he was going do what he needed to. Geraldine smiled at him and he grimaced.
"Can we go for a walk?" He asked. She nodded and they left the dorm room. Geraldine seemed to sense his uneasiness and didn't try to make any conversation. They wondered around for a little while before they found themselves at the Quidditch pitch. Harry stopped walking and Geraldine turned to face him expectantly. If he didn't do this now he never would.
"Geri..." He began. She rolled her eyes.
"Ohmigod. You're breaking up with me." She folded her arms over her chest.
"What? How did you know? I mean..." He trailed off.
"You are the most predictable person Harry Potter." She stated. Harry shrugged.
"You're a great girl but I don't know. This just doesn't feel right." Harry offered her lamely, even though it was how he felt. He still liked her a lot.
"Oh, well I can't say I'm surprised." She snapped.
"Why?" Harry mumbled.
"It's her. I see you staring at her. Half-witted girl. She's not even pretty." Geraldine said bitterly.
"Geri..." Harry started again but she held up her hand and stopped him.
"It doesn't matter," She said spitefully, "I was only dating you because you're famous. I don't find you interesting in the least!"
"I suppose it's best I did this then." Harry tried to control his anger. She began to walk away but stopped and turned to face him one final time.
"And you know what I was doing that day I ditched you at lunch?" She said angrily. Even mad she was beautiful. Maybe that had been the problem. She was too beautiful, Harry should have know it wouldn't work out.
"What?" Harry couldn't really care anymore.
"Enjoying the company of Anthony Moore." She turned and ran off the pitch. Andrew Moore, hey? He was a Hufflepuff seventh year. Harry knew of him because he was the captain of the Hufflepuff Quidditch team. Harry turned and kicked a stone on the ground angrily. He felt so stupid about the whole situation. He found himself walking out into the middle of the pitch. He sat down and pondered a series of contradicting thoughts. Finally and thankfully however he came to the conclusion that he had made the right choice by breaking up with Geraldine. He stood up only to be knocked down again.
"Watch it!" He snapped, still in a bad mood from before.
"Lumos." The person muttered. Harry looked up into the face of Ellanora.
"Oh! I'm...I'm sorry. I didn't know it was you." He apologized. She offered him her hand and helped him to his feet.
"The Professors' don't know you're here do they?" She asked. He shook his head.
"Good. Will you help me?" She asked. Harry frowned.
"What?"
"Will you help me Harry? Please. It...it's Edward," She looked towards the Forbidden Forest, "He ran away. He's in the forest. Please, I don't want him to get expelled."
"Why on earth would he go in there?" Harry cried. He could get killed!
"He's upset, he's just upset. Please. Please help me look for him!" Ellanora was getting herself worked up. Harry grabbed her by her arms to steady her. She stopped moving and looked up at him.
"I'll help you okay. Come on." He led the way over to the forest, looking around warily. They stood at the exterior of it.
"Are you sure about this?" Harry asked turning to her.
"Yes. I know where he is. But...but he might not be there. If he's somewhere I don't know...no...I think I know where he is. Yes, he'll be there." Ellanora nodded her head. Harry reluctantly took a step into the forest and began heading into it. Ellanora followed closely behind. Harry didn't know why he was doing this but he'd probably do the same for anyone else. Plus, he felt bad for her. Her parents had died not so long ago. He couldn't remember losing his but Sirius' death was still fresh in his mind, and Sirius had just been one person. He couldn't imagine how hard it would be to remember losing two important people in your life.
"Are you okay?" He wondered, looking over his shoulder at her. His sympathetic thoughts pouring emotion into his question.
"I don't need you're pity Harry." Ellanora growled, catching his compassionate tone.
"I'm just wondering...because...I know...I know you've..." He paused as she grabbed his arm.
"You know I've had it rough? Is that it? Well I don't need your friendship either." She walked past him and he waited a moment before quickly heading after her.
"Why do you always do this?" He demanded.
"Do what?" She was annoyed.
"Shut me out when all I try and do is be nice!"
"I don't." She argued pushing her way angrily through the thick terrain.
"You do," Harry groaned, "You don't do it to Ron."
"Ron is different. I like him." She walked faster.
"Well then go out with him!" Harry shouted. Ellanora stopped abruptly so he ran into her.
"I don't like him like that. Don't be such an imp." She scowled.
"Fine." Harry snapped and they continued into the forest quietly for ten more minutes. Harry stopped when he heard a noise and grabbed Ellanora, halting her in her tracks. She turned and opened her mouth to protest but stiffened when they heard the noise again. She grabbed his arm and leant in closer to him, her breathing sharp and heavy. Harry put his hand over her mouth to quiet her. Every second that passed was agonizing as they both waited for some unknown beast to jump out and attack them. When enough time had passed without any danger making an appearance Ellanora gently pushed him away from her.
"I can defend myself." She whispered. Harry rolled his eyes and followed her as they headed off again. He didn't know where they were going anymore but she seemed to know the way fairly well.
"Sorry about before." He said quietly. She turned to face him and sighed.
"Listen Harry. I find it really hard to make friends," She smiled a little, "Ron was so insistent about being my friend that eventually I just gave up and let him in."
"So I just have to keep nagging you?" He asked.
"Pretty much." She opened her mouth to say something else but stopped.
"I had a dream about you." Harry told her suddenly. She pulled a face and he realised how bad it had sounded.
"I mean, I had a dream and you were in it, amoung other people." He restated.
"Oh." She turned and began walking again.
"Yeah. You were crying and...and there was a fairy with you." He realised now how lame his idea of a conversation was.
"Are you interested in fairies?" She wondered, ignoring the part about her crying. Harry shrugged.
"They're okay. I have this huge assignment on them for Care of Magical Creatures and what I've read is interesting..." He stopped talking when he felt her hand on his arm
"Then you'll like this." She pulled him up beside her. They were standing in front of a sheet of vines. Ellanora reached out and pulled them aside, allowing Harry to walk through. She followed him and looked around eagerly. It was too dark to see, even with both of their wands alight. Ellanora held up her wand high and waved it around.
"Faimigo." She murmured. Slowly the dark area became alight. Small balls of light flew around everywhere illuminating up a small clearing that was covered in luscious fauna.
"Fireflies." Harry muttered amazed, he didn't know that the bugs inhabited the Forbidden Forest.
"No," Ellanora shook her head, "Fairies."
She held up her hand and a small ball of light flew over and landed on it. Harry walked over and had a close look, fairies indeed they were. This particular one was about the size of his pinkie and looked like a little person with pointed ears and clear, crystal wings. It stared up at him half-interested.
"This is Amora. She's the queen." Ellanora smiled down at the fairy.
"Wow. This is amazing. How do you know about this place?" Harry asked.
"I ran into here last year when I...got the news...about my parents. I was really upset and they must have felt sorry for me because they came out. Fairies usually avoid humans you see. Since then I come back sometimes if I want some peace. Edward does too, since I showed it to him."
Harry nodded and looked around. There were piles of earth that looked like Termite mounds except that they had dime-sized holes running all around them and a large hole in the top. Windows and the entrances; most probably where the fairies lived.
"Amora," Ellanora bent forward to the fairy in her palm and said gently, "I'm looking for Edward. Is he here?"
The fairy made a noise that sounded like rain falling onto the soft ground before flying away. Ellanora and Harry followed her quickly until they were led to a small, shallow dam. The fairy flew over to the center of the dam and around the body of a boy with blue hair.
"Oh thank god!" Ellanora paddled into the water and over to the rock. Edward looked up at her as if he wasn't surprised to see her. Harry stayed where he was, not wanting to overly intrude. He was grateful they'd found Edward unharmed.
"Edward! What are you doing! You know it's dangerous to come in here alone! I told you..." She trailed off as she got closer to him and saw his tear-stained face, "What's the matter?"
Edward looked up at her and shrugged. She hugged him.
"Tell me what's the matter." She said in a motherly fashion. Edward sighed.
"They made fun of me." He told her.
"Who?"
"The kids in my class. They said I was weird...they said that they hated...hated me and wish...wished I'd go away..." He started crying. Ellanora hugged him again before looking out at Harry. He caught the look and paddled into the pool to help her carry back her brother so he wouldn't get wet. They got him out of the dam and he was still crying despite Ellanora's efforts to calm him.
"I can't do it." He bawled. Ellanora frowned, confused.
"Do what?" She asked. Edward wrapped his arms around his knees and sobbed into them.
"I miss them too much Ella. I don't want to be here. I don't want you to be try and be my mum. I don't want to live with stupid foster parents. I don't want to do this...I don't want to..." He choked on a sob. Ellanora enveloped him in a hug.
"I miss them too Eddie. But...but we have to move on." He pushed her away roughly.
"You do not miss them!" He cried, "You never cry! I never see you cry!"
"I do!" Ellanora insisted. Edward stood up weakly before looking up at Harry.
"She never cries. She never talks about them. She's mad at them for leaving." He told him. Harry frowned down at him gently.
"I'm sure she does. Come on, let's get you back to the castle." He picked up Edward so that he wouldn't have to walk as it was late and Harry supposed he was probably exhausted. Ellanora whispered something to Queen Amora before following them quietly. The trip back to the castle went by quicker than the trip there had been. Harry felt awkward, he had intruded on something extremely personal that he had nothing to do with. He made eye contact with Ellanora a few times but she looked away before he was able to say something. When they reached the castle he took Edward up to the boys' first year dormitory room and put him in his bed as he'd fallen asleep in Harry's arms halfway through the forest.
"So. Potions first tomorrow." Harry said, greeting Ellanora as he emerged from his dormitory staircase.
"Yeah. That will be fun." She put little effort into her sarcasm.
"About all this..." Harry started. Ellanora shook her head and back away towards the door.
"Forget it Harry. Forget it all. I don't want to talk about it, any of it. It…it breaks my heart too much. I just can't. Like I said before I don't need your friendship." She disappeared through the entrance. Harry shut the door after her and collapsed onto the couch in front of the fire. He wouldn't forget any of it but he was feeling so exhausted that he fell asleep before he could think about what had happened.
~ ~ !!! ~ ~
A/N: I hope you're all enjoying this! I absolutely adore all the reviews!
I hope you all like Geraldine being out of the picture. I couldn't handle her anymore so…bye bye to her.
So what really was the deal with Harry's dream?
What does Dumbledore know?
And just because I'm curious…who do you guy's want to get together? Should some new characters be brought in?
TUNE IN FOR FUTURE CHAPTERS COMING SOON!