JKR owns all of these wonderful characters besides Astrid and a few other
minor ones. I also own the plot!
Nat rocks, my reviewers rock.
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This is all for now, I believe.
*****
"Interrupting," Sawyer began.
"MOO!" Chelsea cried. She clapped her hands as she doubled over with laughter. As she was still walking down the corridor, she nearly staggered into the wall.
"Merlin, Chelsea, that was just about the worst joke I've ever heard!" Sawyer said, rolling his bright blue eyes at the girl.
"I think it's simply fantastic!" Chelsea squealed.
"If you keep that pitch of voice for much longer, there won't be any glass left in the castle!" Sawyer warned. Chelsea shrugged, still giggling occasionally.
"Sawyer!" a voice from just behind the pair screeched. Sawyer and Chelsea stopped ad turned to find Nathan and Jason running towards them.
"We met Hannah on the way down here then she remembered that she forgot something so she told me to tell you guys to go ahead in and get our work out but not to touch anything else," Jason quickly explained.
"Breathe Jase, breathe," Sawyer instructed, motioning his hands towards the floor in a visible instruction for Jason to calm down.
"Got it," Jason gasped, pushing his black hair back off of his flushed red forehead.
"Shall we go then?" Chelsea asked, nodding towards the opposite end of the corridor.
"Certainly!" Nathan said.
"Hey Nate, I got a joke for you!" Chelsea squealed.
"Don't let her tell it!" Sawyer exclaimed. Chelsea skipped a few steps ahead of the boys and then turned to look at them.
"Okay ready?" Chelsea asked. Nathan nodded and shrugged. The look on his chubby Neville-esque face clearly said he didn't think he had much of a choice.
"Knock knock!" Chelsea proclaimed.
"Who is there?" Nathan muttered.
"Interrupting cow!" Chelsea announced. By this point she was walking fully backwards so she could completely face Nathan, Sawyer and Jason.
"Inter-" Nathan began.
"MOO!" Chelsea, Sawyer and Jason chorused. Chelsea looked from Sawyer to Jason then back to Sawyer.
"No fair!" she cried. Both of the boys shrugged and smiled sheepishly at the Hufflepuff. "Where's Astrid?"
"Astrid quite definitely doesn't have to do special potions," Jason replied.
"You forget she's a Malfoy. That's synonymous with Snape's favorite," Jason added. Chelsea shrugged.
"How do you manage to be the only Hufflepuff in special potions anyway?" Nathan questioned.
"I'm the seventh Hufflepuff," Chelsea replied.
"Not in special potions," Jason countered.
"No!" Chelsea cried. "I'm the seventh Hufflepuff first year, meaning I'm the only one to work with a Gryffindor." Nathan, Sawyer and Jason all stopped dead in their tracks and glared at her. She shrugged at them innocently before prancing into the potions classroom.
"I think it's cause she has to work with me," Nathan said, blowing a gust of air upwards to move his blonde hair from his chubby face.
"Don't tell yourself that," Jason instructed.
"Yeah, she's in special potions because she's brainless," Sawyer added. A shrill scream from the classroom stopped the boys flippant conversation dead.
"What has she done now?" Jason wondered aloud. Sawyer flung the door open and rushed through with Jason and Nathan close on his heels. Chelsea stood in the center of the room facing the students' cupboards. Her face was ashen and she stared at something in the floor, horror frozen on her usually cheerful features. The doors to the first year cupboard were flung open.
"What is it?" Sawyer asked, clambering around a few tables to get to Chelsea.
"I think he drank my potions homework," Chelsea muttered, finally blinking twice at the person in the floor. Jason and Nathan approached either side of her.
"Bloody Hell," Jason muttered. "I think he drank all of our potions homework." The four first years stood at the feet of a black robed figure. The boy lay in the floor, legs bent towards his left. His right hand was pinned under his body, twisting his arm at a gruesome angle. His left still clutched a potions bottle. He lay in a pool of spilled potions, blood, glass, bottle fragments, and corks. The blood and one of the potions had mixed and an eerie purple smoke rose from a puddle around the figures head.
"Bloody hell," Sawyer echoed, "That's Astrid's brother!"
"It is?" Chelsea asked.
"Do you know anyone else with that color hair?" Jason retorted.
"Keiran," Chelsea offered.
"Yeah, and he's a little too big to be Keiran," Jason spat.
"Is he dead?" Chelsea asked. Draco's skin had achieved a mottled blue look in the places that weren't covered in blood. Sawyer nudged Draco's foot with his.
"Don't kick him!" Chelsea cried indignantly.
"I think he drank about nine different potions," Nathan announced. To avoid looking at Draco's body, he had carefully surveyed the contents of the open cupboard. Chelsea's eyes widened and she began viciously pawing through her bag, obviously looking for something.
"Chelsea?" Sawyer ventured to ask.
"A-Ha!" Chelsea cried. She held a small crystal bottle full of liquid up to the light. The top half of the liquid was yellow while the bottom half was blue. She shook the bottle three times and the colors mixed, turning the liquid hot pink.
"It's still good," she announced. "Now guys, I need you to get the upper half of his body in a 45 degree angle to the floor!" Sawyer and Jason looked at Chelsea as though she had just asked them to kiss a Blast Ended Skrewt.
"Don't stand there and look at me like I'm stupid!" Chelsea commanded. "Move him and move him now!" Gone was happy brainless Chelsea and in her place was a defiantly determined girl, possessed with a sense of calm Sawyer and Jason only expected to see from level-headed Astrid, not fanciful Chelsea. "NOW!" Chelsea practically screamed. "And mind his right arm there, it looks rather nasty."
"If he's dead and you're making me touch him, I will never speak to you again," Sawyer threatened as he moved to Draco's right side.
"And if he dies because you're being a git, you'll feel eternally guilty," Chelsea spat.
"Or he'll die at the hands of Lucius Malfoy," Jason joked.
"On the count of three," Sawyer said. "1. 2. 3.!" The two first year boys lifted Draco's arms at the same time. The fifth year's body slowly rose between the pair of tiny first years.
"I can feel the bones in his arm moving!" Sawyers face lost all color.
"Hold him right there," Chelsea instructed. Draco's head snapped directly backwards and his mouth fell open.
"Oh my God," Sawyer mouthed repetitively and silently, as sort of a mantra. Chelsea pulled the stopper from the bottle of potion.
"Don't you think he's had enough potions?" Jason asked. Chelsea tipped the contents of the bottle into Draco's open mouth. The three first years watched the pink liquid bubble out of the bottle. When the bottle emptied, Chelsea removed it from his lips and looked at Jason. She placed her small hand on Draco's throat to try to work the potion down. She couldn't help notice the cool, clammy, almost rubbery texture of his skin.
"Will one more make a difference?" Chelsea finally replied.
"Can we put him down now?" Sawyer asked.
"Slowly!" Chelsea instructed.
"You think maybe we should levitate him out of this glass?" Jason asked. He noticed a small trail of blood running from his own knee where he had slid it on some glass in an attempt to steady Draco.
"What in the world have you guys done?" a familiar voice asked from just inside the potions room door.
"Nothing Hannah, honest!" Chelsea exclaimed, jumping to her feet. "We found him this way!"
"Found who what way?" Hannah asked. She walked towards Chelsea, only to stop dead in her tracks when she saw Draco lying on the floor with Jason and Sawyer crouched to either side of him.
"Bloody Hell!" she cried. "What happened?"
"It looks as though he decided to drink the first year's homework. All of it." Sawyer said, looking at the bottles on the floor to the uncorked full bottles on the table.
"Step aside please," Professor Dumbledore said as he entered the room. He brushed past the fifth year and three first years and stood directly over Draco. He pulled his wand from his pocket and levitated the boy from the glassy mess on the floor onto one of the potions tables. McGonagall swept into the room and over to Dumbledore. He whispered a few directions to her and she turned to the students, who now included Nathan Longbottom standing just inside the door.
"Which of you found him?" she asked. Chelsea timidly raised her hand.
"We were right behind her though," Sawyer added, and Jason nodded.
"Is he alive?" Chelsea asked warily, looking up at McGonagall through wide grey-blue eyes. McGonagall looked over to Dumbledore. The old wizard still stood over Draco's lifeless body, flicking his wand here and there to repair the odd scrape or cut.
"Professor Dumbledore?" McGonagall asked.
"Students, I need to know right now which potions you all have made or studied within the last month," Dumbledore said. Chelsea, Sawyer, Jason and Nathan exchanged a panicked glance.
"A cure for boils," Chelsea slowly began.
"A basic thinning potion," Jason added.
"But Professor Dumbledore, if all of first year is as dismal at potions as I am, then who knows what Malfoy drank!" Nathan exclaimed.
"Nate, if the entire first year was as dismal at potions as you, there would certainly be more than four people in special potions," Sawyer joked.
"Remedial, Mr. Lewis, remedial," Dumbledore corrected.
"What was that stuff you gave him?" Jason asked Chelsea, ignoring Sawyer's attempt at a joke.
"You gave him something else Miss Ramsey?" Professor McGonagall asked, glaring sternly down at the girl. Chelsea nodded very slightly, afraid to admit what she had done.
"Professor Snape made me a small bottle of potion that I was supposed to mix and pour on the accident if Nate did anything particularly disastrous. It's supposed to neutralize the effects of most first year potions. I figured this is worse than anything Nathan could have done, and the accident is in Malfoy's stomach so I poured it down his throat," Chelsea explained in a quiet voice.
"We," Jason corrected, "we poured it down his throat."
"Miss Ramsey, did you ever stop to think that perhaps your potion was not meant to be ingested?" Professor McGonagall queried.
"With all due respect professor, I don't think much of what Malfoy drank was meant to be ingested, but that didn't much stop him," Sawyer piped up. McGonagall sent a glare so fierce at the boy that he took several steps backwards and almost ducked behind Jason.
"Minerva, you may deal with the first years later. Right now we must get Mr. Malfoy to the hospital wing," Dumbledore instructed.
"He's alive?" Chelsea asked, eyes widening at the prospect. Dumbledore nodded solemnly.
"But only just. I do believe your quick thinking is the only thing that saved him. For that, I award Hufflepuff 200 points." Chelsea's face lit up like the blast end of a Skrewt.
"I don't know if I'd call that quick thinking or dumb luck," Jason muttered.
"Ask Mr. Potter about dumb luck one of these days Mr. Black," Dumbledore instructed. "Now Miss Abbott, I need you to walk Chelsea back to the Hufflepuff common room. Put her in Mr. Macmillan and Mr. Finch- Fletchley's direct care. No one is to know about this so explain to Ernie and Justin how important it is for her to keep quiet. Then I want you to go to the Gryffindor common room and collect Astrid Malfoy. Better yet, keep Chelsea with you and after you collect Astrid, bring all five first years to my office." Dumbledore instructed.
"Sir, I don't remember how to get to your office." Hannah said. "Or the Gryffindor common room for that matter."
"Three little Gryffindors right here!" Sawyer exclaimed, waving his hand just above his head.
"Oh, right," Hannah mumbled.
"As for my office, collect Mr. Potter or any of the Misters Weasley from Gryffindor. They can show you the way," Dumbledore instructed with a slight laugh. He flicked his wand and Draco's body slowly levitated off the table.
"Will he be okay Professor Dumbledore?" Chelsea asked as Draco's body floated past her.
"We shall see, Miss Ramsey, only time will tell," Dumbledore said as he and Professor McGonagall followed the floating fifth year from the dungeon.
"This way," Jason said, point towards the door.
"Really now?" Chelsea asked, grinning slightly.
"What are we going to tell little Miss Malfoy?" Sawyer asked, worry evident o his cherubic face.
"The truth?" Jason suggested, leading the tiny procession out of the dungeon. "She's not exactly her brother's biggest fan so it shouldn't be to hard."
"Please be tactful guys," Hannah begged.
"I was thinking of saying something along the lines of 'geeze Astrid, your brother decided to play potions master only he's not really clear on the difference between his cauldron and his stomach so he decided to mix his potions in the latter rather than the former'," Jason offered. Chelsea whacked him on his arm.
"You have the most morbid sense of humor ever!" She cried.
"And Jase, knowing your odd preference for the taste of shoe leather, I wouldn't put it past you," Sawyer joked.
"I only eat my feet when it comes to dead people," Jason replied.
"Morbid!" Chelsea cried, tossing her hands into the air.
"Guys, I know sometimes it's easier to make jokes than to deal with what's really going on," Hannah began.
"Don't worry, Hannie, we'll be on our best behavior," Chelsea promised.
"BLOODY HELL!" Jason cried.
"Jason!" came Hannah and Chelsea's equally surprised exclamations.
"Wait Hannah, you're going to like this bloody hell," Jason assured the older girl. "With Malfoy out cold in the hospital wing, Slytherin's going to have to fly Little Malfoy as their seeker in the Hufflepuff match on Saturday. They also have a brand new chaser, so you guys may actually have a chance!" Hannah's face brightened considerably at the prospect.
"What about the school team thought?" Sawyer asked.
"They're lucky both of their reserves are keepers. They'll probably just fly Ron," Jason replied.
"What about William?" Hannah asked. "I mean, Sanguinis is a bloody good keeper in his own right."
"Yes, but with Malfoy out this close to the match, Wood would be better served to go with the player the rest of the team is most used to, and that's undeniably Ron," Jason explained.
"Guys, the Beauxbatons match is over three weeks away. Maybe Malfoy will be better by then," Chelsea said hopefully.
"If he's not, it'll be great to see the Gryffindor team Kick Beauxbatons' teeth in!" Sawyer exclaimed.
"Although Ginny may get mad if her boyfriend has no teeth," Jason added.
"Why do you think he tried to kill himself anyway?" Nathan asked. The rest of the group walked in momentary silence as they pondered their individual answers.
"Love," Hannah finally spoke up. "His girlfriend died over Christmas and because he couldn't live without her, he decided to try to take his own life." She smiled proudly at the conclusion of her assumption.
"Get real Hannah, this is Draco Malfoy we're talking about. I'm not sure he's capable of love," Jason countered.
"Rebellion then," Hannah tried. "He's not pleased with the path his father has chosen for him so the only way out is death." Sawyer looked up at the older girl.
"Malfoy's president of the Jr. Death Eaters. I seriously don't think he objects to the path his father has chosen," he insisted. Hannah sighed and stared distantly off at the wall.
"It's just nice to imagine that there is a guy out there who would still die for the woman he loves," she admitted.
"But there is!" Jason exclaimed, "And you of all people should know that!"
"There is?" Hannah asked, quite stupidly.
"Yes!" Sawyer insisted. "Kinda tall fellow, messy black hair, green eyes, glasses, scar, somewhat famous super-hero type?"
"Quidditch player," Jason added.
"Dating some girl from Hufflepuff," Sawyer said. The boys smiled innocently up at Hannah.
"Oh yes!" Hannah said, her face turning almost Gryffindor red. "Harry."
"Only Harry wouldn't die because you did, he would die because you were going to," Nathan interjected. Everyone turned to look at Nathan, bewildered looks on their faces.
"Just think about it for a moment," Nathan instructed, and refused to make any further comment on his statement. Hannah finally smiled stupidly, but refrained from saying anything else.
*****
"Back from special potions already?" Astrid giggled, glancing at her two friends as the pair staggered through the portrait hole.
"Yes," Jason said, looking nervously at Sawyer. Sawyer glanced back at Jason.
"That was an awfully quick lesson," Astrid commented, looking back to her book.
"Yep," Sawyer replied. He crossed his arms across his chest and glanced back at Jason. Jason ran his fingers through his black hair and cast his glance to the floor.
"Did you guys get thrown out of special potions or something? What's going on?" Astrid asked. She looked from her book back to her two suspicious looking best friends.
"Get Harry or Ron and come with us," Jason said, smiling triumphantly. Sawyer looked to Jason, eyes wide.
"What?" Jason mouthed, shrugging at his friend. Sawyer glared at Jason.
"We were supposed to tell her," Sawyer mouthed.
"HARRY! RON! HERMIONE!" Astrid screeched.
"We said Harry or Ron," Sawyer said.
"And I said I'm bringing all three of them since you two won't tell me what's going on," Astrid replied, glaring at both of her friends.
"What are you yelling about?" Ron asked, approaching the first year's chair from the bottom of the boys' stairs. Harry was close on his heels.
"Where's Hermione?" Astrid asked the two older boys.
"She had a lesson with Madame Pomfrey in the hospital wing," Ron said.
"Doesn't she usually have those during Quidditch practices?" Astrid asked.
"Yes, but she didn't have one yesterday, so they scheduled it for today," Harry explained. Jason swallowed almost audibly. Sawyer looked at the group.
"That's going to be a hospital lesson she'll never forget," he muttered.
"Sawyer!" Astrid began. She looked hopelessly at Sawyer, unsure of his middle name.
"Dare," he hissed.
"SAWYER DARE LEWIS!" Astrid screeched. "Will you please tell me what's going on?"
"We'll talk on the way to Dumbledore's office," Jason said, starting towards the portrait hole.
"What if I say no?" Astrid asked.
"Guys really," Harry said, looking down at Sawyer and Jason. The two first years stopped and turned to face their friend. Sawyer placed his hand on Astrid's shoulder.
"Draco has done something to land himself in the hospital wing." Jason and Astrid's faces both morphed to confusion at Sawyer's use of Draco's first name.
"What's the stupid prick done now?" Astrid asked, raising one eyebrow at her best friend.
"He," Jason began. Sawyer clamped his hand over Jason's mouth.
"He broke into the first year's potions cabinet and drank about nine different potions," Sawyer said. He let his hand drop away from his friend's face.
"I was going to say that!" Jason exclaimed, indignantly. Sawyer rolled his eyes and looked at his friends.
"I don't trust you not to have a craving for feet," he muttered. Astrid struggled to school her features into a characteristically Malfoy emotionless mask. The Draco-silver eyes she looked at Ron and Harry with were filled with pure terror. Ron reached down and brushed a strand of iridescent hair away from her face.
"What are we waiting for?" the fifth year asked. "You said we were supposed to go to Dumbledore's office." Jason and Sawyer both nodded solemnly before turning towards the portrait hole. Astrid, Ron and Harry followed the pair and soon all five joined Nathan, Hannah and Chelsea in the hallway.
"Hannah," Harry said. He held his hand out and Hannah laced her fingers through his.
"How bad is it?" he whispered as Ron and the first years hurried off towards Dumbledore's office.
"He's barely alive," Hannah admitted. "Did the boys do alright telling Astrid?"
"They were perfect," Harry said. "Of course, it was touched with Jason/Sawyer humor, but of course, they're Jason and Sawyer so what would you expect. He's not exactly her favorite person so she seems to be okay."
"I wonder why he did it," Hannah said. Her grip on Harry's hand tightened involuntarily.
"That's a really good question. It seems that suicide would be below Malfoy," Harry replied. He instinctively pulled her closer to him. "Who found him?"
"Chelsea actually, with Jason and Sawyer close behind her. The three of them are actually the reason he's still alive," Hannah explained. Harry looked at her wide-eyed, jaw dropped.
"Yes Harry, really. My special potions class saved Draco Malfoy with their potions knowledge," Hannah said.
"They saved him because they happened to walk in on him, right?" Harry asked.
"Actually, Chelsea dumped a neutralizing potion down his throat that stopped the reactions of the potions in his stomach. Sawyer and Jason held him up so she could." The first years and Ron disappeared around the corner.
"I'm sure it was because they have such a wonderful tutor," Harry said, smiling shyly at Hannah.
"Actually, I'm going with Jason's vote of dumb luck on Chelsea's part," Hannah replied, dropping a quick kiss on Harry's cheek.
"There is a lot to be said for dumb luck," Harry said, leaning in for a proper kiss. Hannah obliged for just a moment before pulling away.
"Funny, Dumbledore seemed to think you'd say that." Harry tried to recapture her lips.
"Not right now doll, one of your best friend's older brothers is lying in the hospital wing fighting for his life. I hardly think this is a time to snog." Harry frowned at his girlfriend, but she paid no heed to his pouting. Instead, she pulled him towards the end of the hall where Astrid, Nathan, Jason, Sawyer and Ron were already walking past a familiar gargoyle.
*****
"Harry man, you're bloody brilliant!" Ron cried. He dumped the heavy bundle of robes onto his bed. Harry instantly went to his closet and started rummaging around in the bottom of it
"This will make us more famous than your brothers!" Harry cried. "If only I could find those fire crackers!" Seamus and Dean quietly got to their feet and crept from the room.
"We'll leave you guys to your illegal activities," Seamus said just before he left the room.
"And we didn't see anything," Dean added. He closed the door behind them.
"Guys!" the door swung open as quickly as it had closed. "Astrid's gone missing and Draco's almost dead!" The bundle of robes on the bed sat up straight on the bed.
"I'm not missing!" it announced.
"Oh," Hermione said, clasping her hands to her mouth. Astrid fought to pull the robes from her head.
"Tell me honestly, how is he?" Astrid asked. "Because I know Dumbledore was sugar coating it, but you were right there." Hermione sat down on the edge of the bed next to Astrid and helped pull the spare robes from the little girl.
"And Dumbledore asked that I tell you the truth when I got back here," Hermione agreed. "Well, I don't know if he mentioned it, but your mum and dad and little sister will be here sometime tonight. As soon as your mum can get your sister from school.
"It's that good?" Astrid asked, wry smile on her tiny face.
"What all do you guys know?" Hermione asked.
"That he drank a bunch of potions, that Chelsea saved him, and that he should be fine," Harry provided.
"Fine in the loosest sense of the word," Hermione countered, looking down at her hands.
"Tell me?" Astrid asked. Hermione held out nine fingers.
"He drank nine different potions." She curled her left thumb towards her palm. "The boil curing potion basically caused an opening in the lining of his stomach. Just after they brought him in, he began vomiting blood. This is mainly a problem because he is unconscious and therefore at risk for asphyxiation on his own blood." Astrid nodded solemnly. Hermione curled her left pinkie to her palm. "The thinning potion caused his blood and bones to thin to a very dangerous level. Dumbledore seems to think the blood thinning isn't a problem any more. He did some ridiculously complicated spell, but he seems to think that worked." Hermione's left ring finger joined her thumb and pinkie. "He drank a basic jinx blocker potion that has rendered all basic healing spells useless. This is only a problem because Madame Pomfrey and Dumbledore can't give him any healing potions either, so they're having to resort to very complicated, antiquated, or slightly muggle methods."
"Couldn't that be dangerous?" Ron asked.
"Evidently Madame Pomfrey keeps her certifications in Muggle nursing up to date," Hermione shrugged. She folded her left middle finger down.
"What else?" Astrid asked. She had grown so pale her skin looked translucent.
"He took a pain killing potion, that when combined with the jinx blocker killed his sense of touch," Hermione said.
"Will it ever return?" Astrid asked, eyes wide.
"They're not sure," Hermione admitted honestly. She closed her left fist and folded down her right pinkie. "He managed to drink not one but two Chelsea and Nathan cocktails. The potions were so far off that no one is sure what they were originally intended to be."
"What did they do to him?" Astrid questioned quietly.
"It seems as though they reacted with each other after they made it to his kidneys and they solidified," Hermione explained. Astrid, if possible, got paler. "That's not going to be pretty." Hermione shook her head in agreement, while Harry promised a bewildered Ron a later explanation.
"Did he take anything to make him nicer?" Ron muttered. Harry glared at him and Ron shrugged. Luckily Harry was the only one who heard. Hermione folded her right ring and middle fingers to her palm.
"I'm sure Dumbledore told you of Chelsea's bit of heroics. Her potion rendered the other two completely useless. No side effects," Hermione said.
"And the last?" Astrid asked, looking down at Hermione's still extended index finger.
"He took a cleaning potion that, well, I got sent out when the effects of that one started," Hermione admitted, turning slightly red.
"Why?" Ron questioned stupidly.
"The cleaning potion and the intestines," Hermione's sentence trailed off, but Harry caught where she was heading.
"I'll explain later," he assured his friend.
"So basically my older brother is a vegetable," Astrid said, looking down at her own tiny hands. Hermione curled the small girl's hands into hers.
"Dumbledore and Madame Pomfrey and Professor McGonagall are taking very good care of him. He could very well heal completely," Hermione assured the small girl. She wisely chose not to mention the permanent effects of the boil and thinning potions. Draco would very likely always have an ulcer and easily breakable bones.
"He could die," Astrid whispered down at the clasped hands.
"He could," Hermione agreed. A silent tear trailed down Astrid's cheek, followed by another.
"Why?" Astrid asked. "Why?" Hermione quickly shook Astrid's hands off of hers.
"There is good news!" Hermione exclaimed.
"What?" Astrid asked, looking at Hermione through a curtain of tears.
"He didn't try to commit suicide," Hermione announced triumphantly.
"He didn't?" Astrid, Ron and Harry chorused.
"No!" Hermione said. "Dumbledore found the traces of a time-released, more legal imperious on him. Someone tried to kill him and make it look like suicide!"
"That really brightens my day," Astrid mumbled. Tears still fell freely, splashing onto the robes pooled around her knees. Harry and Ron both sank onto the bed next to her. Ron placed a hand on her shoulder while Harry smoothed her silky hair.
"It'll be okay, chica," Ron assured her.
*****
"I can't believe stupid Chelsea saved him," Jason said. He looked at Harry and Ron across the table in the Great Hall.
"Seriously," Sawyer mumbled to his plate.
"Call her stupid all you want, but you guys are stuck with her," Ron insisted.
"Are not!" Sawyer cried indignantly.
"'Fraid so, boys," Harry laughed.
"There are just some things you can't live through without becoming friends," Hermione said, looking from one of her best friends to the other.
"What?" Jason and Sawyer chorused.
"Trust us," Harry insisted.
"We speak from experience," Ron agreed.
*****
"Hey guys, I've got someone you need to meet," a small voice announced before the doors to the Great Hall finished creaking. The fifth years gathered inside turned to look at the small figure who had stepped inside.
"Who is it, Astrid?" Ron asked. He looked up from the chess game he and Justin played. Astrid tugged her arm into the Great Hall. Attached to the other end was a girl about four inches taller than Astrid. She had fluffy blonde hair, identical to Astrid's that hung almost to her waist. Astrid's stopped just below her shoulder blades. The second girl had piercing blue eyes framed by small oval glasses.
"Holy cookie dough, there are two of you!" Harry cried. He and Hannah had been pouring over their Herbology homework. Mandy was situated right next to Ron, paying rapt attention to his game, while Ernie and Hermione had a heated debate over Arithmancy that no one else could follow. Ginny hadn't looked up from her Braeden book since she had sat down at the table.
"Guys, this is my little sister, Emma. She'll be in Gryffindor next year," Astrid said, pushing Emma towards the group. Emma turned and gave Astrid a very direct glare through her light blue eyes. "Or maybe Ravenclaw."
"Go you!" Mandy cheered. Emma smiled shyly at the fifth year.
"Mandy's the group's lone Ravenclaw," Astrid explained. Emma's smile broadened. "So yes, that's Mandy, Ron and Justin on either side of the chess board. I'm sure you can guess which is the Weasley. Hermione's there with the brown hair, and Ernie's next to her. And that's Ginny. Her boyfriend's on the other end of the book, so you'll be lucky to get to talk to her before he goes away. And the one sitting next to Harry is Hannah." Emma turned her smile at the entire gathered group.
"Hello," she basically whispered.
"Heya, Emma," Ernie said enthusiastically. Emma instantly turned pale pink.
"Have you guys gone to see your brother?" Hannah asked. Emma nodded shyly while Astrid shook her head.
"How is he?" Justin asked, enthusiastically. Emma shrugged.
"He looks rather dead," she replied. Hannah shuddered.
"You should have seen him when we found him."
"Hufflepuff might win after all," Justin muttered. Ron reached across the table and whacked Justin's head.
"Not something to say in front of his little sisters, man," Ron reprimanded. Astrid laughed, while Emma looked torn between confusion and glaring at Justin.
"Curfew!" came Snape's booming voice. "Miss Malfoy, you may go see your brother now if a prefect will accompany you. Emma, your parents are requesting your presence back in their rooms." With that, the door snapped shut. Harry and Hannah began saying their goodnights, while Astrid looked hopefully from Ron to Hermione.
"I'll go with you, chica," Ron said. He began putting his chess pieces back in the box. Astrid smiled gratefully at the boy.
"Hannah, kindly remove your tongue from Harry's mouth. There are children present!" Ernie exclaimed. Hannah pulled away from Harry and looked sheepishly at Ernie. She quickly passed the back of her hand across her swollen red lips.
"It's not like I haven't seen it before," Astrid muttered.
"Yes, but I haven't," Emma said. Astrid laughed, while everyone else just looked at the youngest Malfoy. Mandy looked hopefully at Ron.
"Ready to go?" Justin asked, looking from Hannah to Ernie. Ernie nodded, while Hannah gave Harry one more quick hug.
"Goodnight," he whispered in her ear.
"Goodnight," she replied, dropping a chaste kiss on his lips. The Hufflepuff trio turned to their Ravenclaw counter part.
"Ready?" Ernie asked. Mandy shrugged. In the process of standing up, she turned to face Ron. Ron pulled her into a quick hug and pressed a kiss into her hair.
"Goodnight," he said. His face had reached a level of red that threatened imminent explosion. Astrid turned to Emma as the Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff delegation trailed out of the Great Hall.
"They snogged at the Yule Ball and haven't really been able to speak to each other since, although they're both still very into the other," she quickly explained.
"Astrid!" Hermione insisted.
"I'm almost 11 years old. I know what snogging is!" Emma said, looking up at Hermione. Astrid glanced up at her sister.
"And if you didn't before, Harry and Hannah gave a pretty good demonstration!"
"ASTRID!" Harry cried. Astrid shrugged.
"How long are you going to be here?" Hermione asked Emma in hopes of changing the subject for the benefit of the youngest girl.
"Mum and I are staying until Draco wakes up. Lucius is leaving tomorrow," Emma explained, smiling at Hermione.
"How are you almost 11? Doesn't Astrid get to be 12 before you can be almost 11?" Harry queried.
"Nope!" Emma laughed.
"Emma's 10 months younger than me and Keiran. Our parents didn't quite understand the concept of spacing children out," Astrid explained. "So she, in fact, will be 11 in June and Keiran and I turn 12 in August."
"Most of the time we play twins to keep Astrid from Keiran," Emma laughed.
"You should go, I don't want Lucius mad at either of us," Astrid said. Emma's face paled.
"You're right," she said. "It was nice meeting you all. I'm sure I'll see you more between now and the time Draco wakes up." With that, she turned on her heel and scurried out of the great hall.
"Cool kid," Ron said, nodding after the little girl.
"Not as cool as me though," Astrid laughed.
"Not as cool as you though," Ron agreed.
*****
"You have failed," Lucius Malfoy's silky smooth voice issued from behind the black mask as he looked down at the form cowering in front of him.
"Yes, I have," the boy agreed.
"Father, you should have left his work to me," a smaller figure just behind Lucius said.
"No Keiran," Lucius scolded. "But you may take care of his punishment." Keiran stepped forward, drawing his wand from his robe.
"What shall I do?" Keiran asked quite rhetorically.
"Use the new spell you learned," Lucius urged. Keiran pointed his wand at the person. A quietly muttered spell sent the boy crashing to the floor, screaming with pain.
"Now," Lucius's hiss came over the boy's screams. "You will not be allowed to finish the job. You are not worthy of that. You will, however, make sure Draco has no recollection of what happened. You must not get yourself caught."
*****
"Hey," Astrid said, looking down at the still form in the bed. Draco was curled on his left side, hand tucked under his head. His right arm was encased from almost his neck to his wrist in a thick white material. His skin still held a bluish tinge, and he was speckled with angry pink marks where he had been cut.
"What exactly do you think you're doing, going and getting yourself almost killed?" she asked softly. She reached over and pushed a strand of hair away from his face.
"Know that if I find out who did this to you, I'll hex them into next week. Unless of course it's our darling brother." She reached over and brushed her fingers across the back of her brother's right hand. "I'll kill him." She closed her fingers around her brother's in what she hoped was a reassuring gesture, momentarily forgetting that he couldn't feel her hand at all.
"I'll bet this is some plan to increase Keiran's power," she finally said. "And that scares me slightly, because it means I'm next. And what about Emma? She's at muggle boarding school with no magical protection what so ever. I know the last place anyone would look for one of Lucius's daughters would be a muggle school, but if Voldemort really wants to find her, he will." Draco's body gave a violent lurch.
"Madame Pomfrey!" Astrid called. Draco's body shook again. His mouth fell open and a great quantity of deep crimson blood spewed forth.
"MADAME POMFREY!" Astrid shrieked, taking several steps back from her brother. The blood soaked down across his hand and dripped off of the edge of the bed, splashing into the floor at Astrid's shoes. A few iridescent red bubbles gathered at the corner of his mouth.
"What is it dear?" Madame Pomfrey asked, bustling out of her office. She stepped inside the curtained enclosure with the first year. Astrid, eyes wide, pointed at the quickly pooling blood.
"Oh my. It's probably time for you to go back to your common room." Astrid didn't need to be told twice. She turned on her heel and rushed from the hospital wing.
"How was he?" Ron asked, not taking notice of the terrified expression on the first years face. A sob lurched from Astrid's throat.
"So much blood," were the only words she muttered through the tears that began gushing from her eyes. Ron turned to look at his little friend.
"Blood?" he asked. Astrid nodded mutely. Ron held his hands down to the girl. She stretched her arms up towards him and jumped. He caught her and held her flat against his chest. She buried her face into the soft spot just between his neck and his shoulder and sobbed. He began the long walk back to Gryffindor tower, smoothing her hair with the hand of the arm he had wrapped protectively around her shaking shoulders.
"It'll be okay," he whispered into her soft hair.
Nat rocks, my reviewers rock.
If you want an email notifying of chapter updates and my replies to my reviewers, leave me a review with your email addy listed.
This is all for now, I believe.
*****
"Interrupting," Sawyer began.
"MOO!" Chelsea cried. She clapped her hands as she doubled over with laughter. As she was still walking down the corridor, she nearly staggered into the wall.
"Merlin, Chelsea, that was just about the worst joke I've ever heard!" Sawyer said, rolling his bright blue eyes at the girl.
"I think it's simply fantastic!" Chelsea squealed.
"If you keep that pitch of voice for much longer, there won't be any glass left in the castle!" Sawyer warned. Chelsea shrugged, still giggling occasionally.
"Sawyer!" a voice from just behind the pair screeched. Sawyer and Chelsea stopped ad turned to find Nathan and Jason running towards them.
"We met Hannah on the way down here then she remembered that she forgot something so she told me to tell you guys to go ahead in and get our work out but not to touch anything else," Jason quickly explained.
"Breathe Jase, breathe," Sawyer instructed, motioning his hands towards the floor in a visible instruction for Jason to calm down.
"Got it," Jason gasped, pushing his black hair back off of his flushed red forehead.
"Shall we go then?" Chelsea asked, nodding towards the opposite end of the corridor.
"Certainly!" Nathan said.
"Hey Nate, I got a joke for you!" Chelsea squealed.
"Don't let her tell it!" Sawyer exclaimed. Chelsea skipped a few steps ahead of the boys and then turned to look at them.
"Okay ready?" Chelsea asked. Nathan nodded and shrugged. The look on his chubby Neville-esque face clearly said he didn't think he had much of a choice.
"Knock knock!" Chelsea proclaimed.
"Who is there?" Nathan muttered.
"Interrupting cow!" Chelsea announced. By this point she was walking fully backwards so she could completely face Nathan, Sawyer and Jason.
"Inter-" Nathan began.
"MOO!" Chelsea, Sawyer and Jason chorused. Chelsea looked from Sawyer to Jason then back to Sawyer.
"No fair!" she cried. Both of the boys shrugged and smiled sheepishly at the Hufflepuff. "Where's Astrid?"
"Astrid quite definitely doesn't have to do special potions," Jason replied.
"You forget she's a Malfoy. That's synonymous with Snape's favorite," Jason added. Chelsea shrugged.
"How do you manage to be the only Hufflepuff in special potions anyway?" Nathan questioned.
"I'm the seventh Hufflepuff," Chelsea replied.
"Not in special potions," Jason countered.
"No!" Chelsea cried. "I'm the seventh Hufflepuff first year, meaning I'm the only one to work with a Gryffindor." Nathan, Sawyer and Jason all stopped dead in their tracks and glared at her. She shrugged at them innocently before prancing into the potions classroom.
"I think it's cause she has to work with me," Nathan said, blowing a gust of air upwards to move his blonde hair from his chubby face.
"Don't tell yourself that," Jason instructed.
"Yeah, she's in special potions because she's brainless," Sawyer added. A shrill scream from the classroom stopped the boys flippant conversation dead.
"What has she done now?" Jason wondered aloud. Sawyer flung the door open and rushed through with Jason and Nathan close on his heels. Chelsea stood in the center of the room facing the students' cupboards. Her face was ashen and she stared at something in the floor, horror frozen on her usually cheerful features. The doors to the first year cupboard were flung open.
"What is it?" Sawyer asked, clambering around a few tables to get to Chelsea.
"I think he drank my potions homework," Chelsea muttered, finally blinking twice at the person in the floor. Jason and Nathan approached either side of her.
"Bloody Hell," Jason muttered. "I think he drank all of our potions homework." The four first years stood at the feet of a black robed figure. The boy lay in the floor, legs bent towards his left. His right hand was pinned under his body, twisting his arm at a gruesome angle. His left still clutched a potions bottle. He lay in a pool of spilled potions, blood, glass, bottle fragments, and corks. The blood and one of the potions had mixed and an eerie purple smoke rose from a puddle around the figures head.
"Bloody hell," Sawyer echoed, "That's Astrid's brother!"
"It is?" Chelsea asked.
"Do you know anyone else with that color hair?" Jason retorted.
"Keiran," Chelsea offered.
"Yeah, and he's a little too big to be Keiran," Jason spat.
"Is he dead?" Chelsea asked. Draco's skin had achieved a mottled blue look in the places that weren't covered in blood. Sawyer nudged Draco's foot with his.
"Don't kick him!" Chelsea cried indignantly.
"I think he drank about nine different potions," Nathan announced. To avoid looking at Draco's body, he had carefully surveyed the contents of the open cupboard. Chelsea's eyes widened and she began viciously pawing through her bag, obviously looking for something.
"Chelsea?" Sawyer ventured to ask.
"A-Ha!" Chelsea cried. She held a small crystal bottle full of liquid up to the light. The top half of the liquid was yellow while the bottom half was blue. She shook the bottle three times and the colors mixed, turning the liquid hot pink.
"It's still good," she announced. "Now guys, I need you to get the upper half of his body in a 45 degree angle to the floor!" Sawyer and Jason looked at Chelsea as though she had just asked them to kiss a Blast Ended Skrewt.
"Don't stand there and look at me like I'm stupid!" Chelsea commanded. "Move him and move him now!" Gone was happy brainless Chelsea and in her place was a defiantly determined girl, possessed with a sense of calm Sawyer and Jason only expected to see from level-headed Astrid, not fanciful Chelsea. "NOW!" Chelsea practically screamed. "And mind his right arm there, it looks rather nasty."
"If he's dead and you're making me touch him, I will never speak to you again," Sawyer threatened as he moved to Draco's right side.
"And if he dies because you're being a git, you'll feel eternally guilty," Chelsea spat.
"Or he'll die at the hands of Lucius Malfoy," Jason joked.
"On the count of three," Sawyer said. "1. 2. 3.!" The two first year boys lifted Draco's arms at the same time. The fifth year's body slowly rose between the pair of tiny first years.
"I can feel the bones in his arm moving!" Sawyers face lost all color.
"Hold him right there," Chelsea instructed. Draco's head snapped directly backwards and his mouth fell open.
"Oh my God," Sawyer mouthed repetitively and silently, as sort of a mantra. Chelsea pulled the stopper from the bottle of potion.
"Don't you think he's had enough potions?" Jason asked. Chelsea tipped the contents of the bottle into Draco's open mouth. The three first years watched the pink liquid bubble out of the bottle. When the bottle emptied, Chelsea removed it from his lips and looked at Jason. She placed her small hand on Draco's throat to try to work the potion down. She couldn't help notice the cool, clammy, almost rubbery texture of his skin.
"Will one more make a difference?" Chelsea finally replied.
"Can we put him down now?" Sawyer asked.
"Slowly!" Chelsea instructed.
"You think maybe we should levitate him out of this glass?" Jason asked. He noticed a small trail of blood running from his own knee where he had slid it on some glass in an attempt to steady Draco.
"What in the world have you guys done?" a familiar voice asked from just inside the potions room door.
"Nothing Hannah, honest!" Chelsea exclaimed, jumping to her feet. "We found him this way!"
"Found who what way?" Hannah asked. She walked towards Chelsea, only to stop dead in her tracks when she saw Draco lying on the floor with Jason and Sawyer crouched to either side of him.
"Bloody Hell!" she cried. "What happened?"
"It looks as though he decided to drink the first year's homework. All of it." Sawyer said, looking at the bottles on the floor to the uncorked full bottles on the table.
"Step aside please," Professor Dumbledore said as he entered the room. He brushed past the fifth year and three first years and stood directly over Draco. He pulled his wand from his pocket and levitated the boy from the glassy mess on the floor onto one of the potions tables. McGonagall swept into the room and over to Dumbledore. He whispered a few directions to her and she turned to the students, who now included Nathan Longbottom standing just inside the door.
"Which of you found him?" she asked. Chelsea timidly raised her hand.
"We were right behind her though," Sawyer added, and Jason nodded.
"Is he alive?" Chelsea asked warily, looking up at McGonagall through wide grey-blue eyes. McGonagall looked over to Dumbledore. The old wizard still stood over Draco's lifeless body, flicking his wand here and there to repair the odd scrape or cut.
"Professor Dumbledore?" McGonagall asked.
"Students, I need to know right now which potions you all have made or studied within the last month," Dumbledore said. Chelsea, Sawyer, Jason and Nathan exchanged a panicked glance.
"A cure for boils," Chelsea slowly began.
"A basic thinning potion," Jason added.
"But Professor Dumbledore, if all of first year is as dismal at potions as I am, then who knows what Malfoy drank!" Nathan exclaimed.
"Nate, if the entire first year was as dismal at potions as you, there would certainly be more than four people in special potions," Sawyer joked.
"Remedial, Mr. Lewis, remedial," Dumbledore corrected.
"What was that stuff you gave him?" Jason asked Chelsea, ignoring Sawyer's attempt at a joke.
"You gave him something else Miss Ramsey?" Professor McGonagall asked, glaring sternly down at the girl. Chelsea nodded very slightly, afraid to admit what she had done.
"Professor Snape made me a small bottle of potion that I was supposed to mix and pour on the accident if Nate did anything particularly disastrous. It's supposed to neutralize the effects of most first year potions. I figured this is worse than anything Nathan could have done, and the accident is in Malfoy's stomach so I poured it down his throat," Chelsea explained in a quiet voice.
"We," Jason corrected, "we poured it down his throat."
"Miss Ramsey, did you ever stop to think that perhaps your potion was not meant to be ingested?" Professor McGonagall queried.
"With all due respect professor, I don't think much of what Malfoy drank was meant to be ingested, but that didn't much stop him," Sawyer piped up. McGonagall sent a glare so fierce at the boy that he took several steps backwards and almost ducked behind Jason.
"Minerva, you may deal with the first years later. Right now we must get Mr. Malfoy to the hospital wing," Dumbledore instructed.
"He's alive?" Chelsea asked, eyes widening at the prospect. Dumbledore nodded solemnly.
"But only just. I do believe your quick thinking is the only thing that saved him. For that, I award Hufflepuff 200 points." Chelsea's face lit up like the blast end of a Skrewt.
"I don't know if I'd call that quick thinking or dumb luck," Jason muttered.
"Ask Mr. Potter about dumb luck one of these days Mr. Black," Dumbledore instructed. "Now Miss Abbott, I need you to walk Chelsea back to the Hufflepuff common room. Put her in Mr. Macmillan and Mr. Finch- Fletchley's direct care. No one is to know about this so explain to Ernie and Justin how important it is for her to keep quiet. Then I want you to go to the Gryffindor common room and collect Astrid Malfoy. Better yet, keep Chelsea with you and after you collect Astrid, bring all five first years to my office." Dumbledore instructed.
"Sir, I don't remember how to get to your office." Hannah said. "Or the Gryffindor common room for that matter."
"Three little Gryffindors right here!" Sawyer exclaimed, waving his hand just above his head.
"Oh, right," Hannah mumbled.
"As for my office, collect Mr. Potter or any of the Misters Weasley from Gryffindor. They can show you the way," Dumbledore instructed with a slight laugh. He flicked his wand and Draco's body slowly levitated off the table.
"Will he be okay Professor Dumbledore?" Chelsea asked as Draco's body floated past her.
"We shall see, Miss Ramsey, only time will tell," Dumbledore said as he and Professor McGonagall followed the floating fifth year from the dungeon.
"This way," Jason said, point towards the door.
"Really now?" Chelsea asked, grinning slightly.
"What are we going to tell little Miss Malfoy?" Sawyer asked, worry evident o his cherubic face.
"The truth?" Jason suggested, leading the tiny procession out of the dungeon. "She's not exactly her brother's biggest fan so it shouldn't be to hard."
"Please be tactful guys," Hannah begged.
"I was thinking of saying something along the lines of 'geeze Astrid, your brother decided to play potions master only he's not really clear on the difference between his cauldron and his stomach so he decided to mix his potions in the latter rather than the former'," Jason offered. Chelsea whacked him on his arm.
"You have the most morbid sense of humor ever!" She cried.
"And Jase, knowing your odd preference for the taste of shoe leather, I wouldn't put it past you," Sawyer joked.
"I only eat my feet when it comes to dead people," Jason replied.
"Morbid!" Chelsea cried, tossing her hands into the air.
"Guys, I know sometimes it's easier to make jokes than to deal with what's really going on," Hannah began.
"Don't worry, Hannie, we'll be on our best behavior," Chelsea promised.
"BLOODY HELL!" Jason cried.
"Jason!" came Hannah and Chelsea's equally surprised exclamations.
"Wait Hannah, you're going to like this bloody hell," Jason assured the older girl. "With Malfoy out cold in the hospital wing, Slytherin's going to have to fly Little Malfoy as their seeker in the Hufflepuff match on Saturday. They also have a brand new chaser, so you guys may actually have a chance!" Hannah's face brightened considerably at the prospect.
"What about the school team thought?" Sawyer asked.
"They're lucky both of their reserves are keepers. They'll probably just fly Ron," Jason replied.
"What about William?" Hannah asked. "I mean, Sanguinis is a bloody good keeper in his own right."
"Yes, but with Malfoy out this close to the match, Wood would be better served to go with the player the rest of the team is most used to, and that's undeniably Ron," Jason explained.
"Guys, the Beauxbatons match is over three weeks away. Maybe Malfoy will be better by then," Chelsea said hopefully.
"If he's not, it'll be great to see the Gryffindor team Kick Beauxbatons' teeth in!" Sawyer exclaimed.
"Although Ginny may get mad if her boyfriend has no teeth," Jason added.
"Why do you think he tried to kill himself anyway?" Nathan asked. The rest of the group walked in momentary silence as they pondered their individual answers.
"Love," Hannah finally spoke up. "His girlfriend died over Christmas and because he couldn't live without her, he decided to try to take his own life." She smiled proudly at the conclusion of her assumption.
"Get real Hannah, this is Draco Malfoy we're talking about. I'm not sure he's capable of love," Jason countered.
"Rebellion then," Hannah tried. "He's not pleased with the path his father has chosen for him so the only way out is death." Sawyer looked up at the older girl.
"Malfoy's president of the Jr. Death Eaters. I seriously don't think he objects to the path his father has chosen," he insisted. Hannah sighed and stared distantly off at the wall.
"It's just nice to imagine that there is a guy out there who would still die for the woman he loves," she admitted.
"But there is!" Jason exclaimed, "And you of all people should know that!"
"There is?" Hannah asked, quite stupidly.
"Yes!" Sawyer insisted. "Kinda tall fellow, messy black hair, green eyes, glasses, scar, somewhat famous super-hero type?"
"Quidditch player," Jason added.
"Dating some girl from Hufflepuff," Sawyer said. The boys smiled innocently up at Hannah.
"Oh yes!" Hannah said, her face turning almost Gryffindor red. "Harry."
"Only Harry wouldn't die because you did, he would die because you were going to," Nathan interjected. Everyone turned to look at Nathan, bewildered looks on their faces.
"Just think about it for a moment," Nathan instructed, and refused to make any further comment on his statement. Hannah finally smiled stupidly, but refrained from saying anything else.
*****
"Back from special potions already?" Astrid giggled, glancing at her two friends as the pair staggered through the portrait hole.
"Yes," Jason said, looking nervously at Sawyer. Sawyer glanced back at Jason.
"That was an awfully quick lesson," Astrid commented, looking back to her book.
"Yep," Sawyer replied. He crossed his arms across his chest and glanced back at Jason. Jason ran his fingers through his black hair and cast his glance to the floor.
"Did you guys get thrown out of special potions or something? What's going on?" Astrid asked. She looked from her book back to her two suspicious looking best friends.
"Get Harry or Ron and come with us," Jason said, smiling triumphantly. Sawyer looked to Jason, eyes wide.
"What?" Jason mouthed, shrugging at his friend. Sawyer glared at Jason.
"We were supposed to tell her," Sawyer mouthed.
"HARRY! RON! HERMIONE!" Astrid screeched.
"We said Harry or Ron," Sawyer said.
"And I said I'm bringing all three of them since you two won't tell me what's going on," Astrid replied, glaring at both of her friends.
"What are you yelling about?" Ron asked, approaching the first year's chair from the bottom of the boys' stairs. Harry was close on his heels.
"Where's Hermione?" Astrid asked the two older boys.
"She had a lesson with Madame Pomfrey in the hospital wing," Ron said.
"Doesn't she usually have those during Quidditch practices?" Astrid asked.
"Yes, but she didn't have one yesterday, so they scheduled it for today," Harry explained. Jason swallowed almost audibly. Sawyer looked at the group.
"That's going to be a hospital lesson she'll never forget," he muttered.
"Sawyer!" Astrid began. She looked hopelessly at Sawyer, unsure of his middle name.
"Dare," he hissed.
"SAWYER DARE LEWIS!" Astrid screeched. "Will you please tell me what's going on?"
"We'll talk on the way to Dumbledore's office," Jason said, starting towards the portrait hole.
"What if I say no?" Astrid asked.
"Guys really," Harry said, looking down at Sawyer and Jason. The two first years stopped and turned to face their friend. Sawyer placed his hand on Astrid's shoulder.
"Draco has done something to land himself in the hospital wing." Jason and Astrid's faces both morphed to confusion at Sawyer's use of Draco's first name.
"What's the stupid prick done now?" Astrid asked, raising one eyebrow at her best friend.
"He," Jason began. Sawyer clamped his hand over Jason's mouth.
"He broke into the first year's potions cabinet and drank about nine different potions," Sawyer said. He let his hand drop away from his friend's face.
"I was going to say that!" Jason exclaimed, indignantly. Sawyer rolled his eyes and looked at his friends.
"I don't trust you not to have a craving for feet," he muttered. Astrid struggled to school her features into a characteristically Malfoy emotionless mask. The Draco-silver eyes she looked at Ron and Harry with were filled with pure terror. Ron reached down and brushed a strand of iridescent hair away from her face.
"What are we waiting for?" the fifth year asked. "You said we were supposed to go to Dumbledore's office." Jason and Sawyer both nodded solemnly before turning towards the portrait hole. Astrid, Ron and Harry followed the pair and soon all five joined Nathan, Hannah and Chelsea in the hallway.
"Hannah," Harry said. He held his hand out and Hannah laced her fingers through his.
"How bad is it?" he whispered as Ron and the first years hurried off towards Dumbledore's office.
"He's barely alive," Hannah admitted. "Did the boys do alright telling Astrid?"
"They were perfect," Harry said. "Of course, it was touched with Jason/Sawyer humor, but of course, they're Jason and Sawyer so what would you expect. He's not exactly her favorite person so she seems to be okay."
"I wonder why he did it," Hannah said. Her grip on Harry's hand tightened involuntarily.
"That's a really good question. It seems that suicide would be below Malfoy," Harry replied. He instinctively pulled her closer to him. "Who found him?"
"Chelsea actually, with Jason and Sawyer close behind her. The three of them are actually the reason he's still alive," Hannah explained. Harry looked at her wide-eyed, jaw dropped.
"Yes Harry, really. My special potions class saved Draco Malfoy with their potions knowledge," Hannah said.
"They saved him because they happened to walk in on him, right?" Harry asked.
"Actually, Chelsea dumped a neutralizing potion down his throat that stopped the reactions of the potions in his stomach. Sawyer and Jason held him up so she could." The first years and Ron disappeared around the corner.
"I'm sure it was because they have such a wonderful tutor," Harry said, smiling shyly at Hannah.
"Actually, I'm going with Jason's vote of dumb luck on Chelsea's part," Hannah replied, dropping a quick kiss on Harry's cheek.
"There is a lot to be said for dumb luck," Harry said, leaning in for a proper kiss. Hannah obliged for just a moment before pulling away.
"Funny, Dumbledore seemed to think you'd say that." Harry tried to recapture her lips.
"Not right now doll, one of your best friend's older brothers is lying in the hospital wing fighting for his life. I hardly think this is a time to snog." Harry frowned at his girlfriend, but she paid no heed to his pouting. Instead, she pulled him towards the end of the hall where Astrid, Nathan, Jason, Sawyer and Ron were already walking past a familiar gargoyle.
*****
"Harry man, you're bloody brilliant!" Ron cried. He dumped the heavy bundle of robes onto his bed. Harry instantly went to his closet and started rummaging around in the bottom of it
"This will make us more famous than your brothers!" Harry cried. "If only I could find those fire crackers!" Seamus and Dean quietly got to their feet and crept from the room.
"We'll leave you guys to your illegal activities," Seamus said just before he left the room.
"And we didn't see anything," Dean added. He closed the door behind them.
"Guys!" the door swung open as quickly as it had closed. "Astrid's gone missing and Draco's almost dead!" The bundle of robes on the bed sat up straight on the bed.
"I'm not missing!" it announced.
"Oh," Hermione said, clasping her hands to her mouth. Astrid fought to pull the robes from her head.
"Tell me honestly, how is he?" Astrid asked. "Because I know Dumbledore was sugar coating it, but you were right there." Hermione sat down on the edge of the bed next to Astrid and helped pull the spare robes from the little girl.
"And Dumbledore asked that I tell you the truth when I got back here," Hermione agreed. "Well, I don't know if he mentioned it, but your mum and dad and little sister will be here sometime tonight. As soon as your mum can get your sister from school.
"It's that good?" Astrid asked, wry smile on her tiny face.
"What all do you guys know?" Hermione asked.
"That he drank a bunch of potions, that Chelsea saved him, and that he should be fine," Harry provided.
"Fine in the loosest sense of the word," Hermione countered, looking down at her hands.
"Tell me?" Astrid asked. Hermione held out nine fingers.
"He drank nine different potions." She curled her left thumb towards her palm. "The boil curing potion basically caused an opening in the lining of his stomach. Just after they brought him in, he began vomiting blood. This is mainly a problem because he is unconscious and therefore at risk for asphyxiation on his own blood." Astrid nodded solemnly. Hermione curled her left pinkie to her palm. "The thinning potion caused his blood and bones to thin to a very dangerous level. Dumbledore seems to think the blood thinning isn't a problem any more. He did some ridiculously complicated spell, but he seems to think that worked." Hermione's left ring finger joined her thumb and pinkie. "He drank a basic jinx blocker potion that has rendered all basic healing spells useless. This is only a problem because Madame Pomfrey and Dumbledore can't give him any healing potions either, so they're having to resort to very complicated, antiquated, or slightly muggle methods."
"Couldn't that be dangerous?" Ron asked.
"Evidently Madame Pomfrey keeps her certifications in Muggle nursing up to date," Hermione shrugged. She folded her left middle finger down.
"What else?" Astrid asked. She had grown so pale her skin looked translucent.
"He took a pain killing potion, that when combined with the jinx blocker killed his sense of touch," Hermione said.
"Will it ever return?" Astrid asked, eyes wide.
"They're not sure," Hermione admitted honestly. She closed her left fist and folded down her right pinkie. "He managed to drink not one but two Chelsea and Nathan cocktails. The potions were so far off that no one is sure what they were originally intended to be."
"What did they do to him?" Astrid questioned quietly.
"It seems as though they reacted with each other after they made it to his kidneys and they solidified," Hermione explained. Astrid, if possible, got paler. "That's not going to be pretty." Hermione shook her head in agreement, while Harry promised a bewildered Ron a later explanation.
"Did he take anything to make him nicer?" Ron muttered. Harry glared at him and Ron shrugged. Luckily Harry was the only one who heard. Hermione folded her right ring and middle fingers to her palm.
"I'm sure Dumbledore told you of Chelsea's bit of heroics. Her potion rendered the other two completely useless. No side effects," Hermione said.
"And the last?" Astrid asked, looking down at Hermione's still extended index finger.
"He took a cleaning potion that, well, I got sent out when the effects of that one started," Hermione admitted, turning slightly red.
"Why?" Ron questioned stupidly.
"The cleaning potion and the intestines," Hermione's sentence trailed off, but Harry caught where she was heading.
"I'll explain later," he assured his friend.
"So basically my older brother is a vegetable," Astrid said, looking down at her own tiny hands. Hermione curled the small girl's hands into hers.
"Dumbledore and Madame Pomfrey and Professor McGonagall are taking very good care of him. He could very well heal completely," Hermione assured the small girl. She wisely chose not to mention the permanent effects of the boil and thinning potions. Draco would very likely always have an ulcer and easily breakable bones.
"He could die," Astrid whispered down at the clasped hands.
"He could," Hermione agreed. A silent tear trailed down Astrid's cheek, followed by another.
"Why?" Astrid asked. "Why?" Hermione quickly shook Astrid's hands off of hers.
"There is good news!" Hermione exclaimed.
"What?" Astrid asked, looking at Hermione through a curtain of tears.
"He didn't try to commit suicide," Hermione announced triumphantly.
"He didn't?" Astrid, Ron and Harry chorused.
"No!" Hermione said. "Dumbledore found the traces of a time-released, more legal imperious on him. Someone tried to kill him and make it look like suicide!"
"That really brightens my day," Astrid mumbled. Tears still fell freely, splashing onto the robes pooled around her knees. Harry and Ron both sank onto the bed next to her. Ron placed a hand on her shoulder while Harry smoothed her silky hair.
"It'll be okay, chica," Ron assured her.
*****
"I can't believe stupid Chelsea saved him," Jason said. He looked at Harry and Ron across the table in the Great Hall.
"Seriously," Sawyer mumbled to his plate.
"Call her stupid all you want, but you guys are stuck with her," Ron insisted.
"Are not!" Sawyer cried indignantly.
"'Fraid so, boys," Harry laughed.
"There are just some things you can't live through without becoming friends," Hermione said, looking from one of her best friends to the other.
"What?" Jason and Sawyer chorused.
"Trust us," Harry insisted.
"We speak from experience," Ron agreed.
*****
"Hey guys, I've got someone you need to meet," a small voice announced before the doors to the Great Hall finished creaking. The fifth years gathered inside turned to look at the small figure who had stepped inside.
"Who is it, Astrid?" Ron asked. He looked up from the chess game he and Justin played. Astrid tugged her arm into the Great Hall. Attached to the other end was a girl about four inches taller than Astrid. She had fluffy blonde hair, identical to Astrid's that hung almost to her waist. Astrid's stopped just below her shoulder blades. The second girl had piercing blue eyes framed by small oval glasses.
"Holy cookie dough, there are two of you!" Harry cried. He and Hannah had been pouring over their Herbology homework. Mandy was situated right next to Ron, paying rapt attention to his game, while Ernie and Hermione had a heated debate over Arithmancy that no one else could follow. Ginny hadn't looked up from her Braeden book since she had sat down at the table.
"Guys, this is my little sister, Emma. She'll be in Gryffindor next year," Astrid said, pushing Emma towards the group. Emma turned and gave Astrid a very direct glare through her light blue eyes. "Or maybe Ravenclaw."
"Go you!" Mandy cheered. Emma smiled shyly at the fifth year.
"Mandy's the group's lone Ravenclaw," Astrid explained. Emma's smile broadened. "So yes, that's Mandy, Ron and Justin on either side of the chess board. I'm sure you can guess which is the Weasley. Hermione's there with the brown hair, and Ernie's next to her. And that's Ginny. Her boyfriend's on the other end of the book, so you'll be lucky to get to talk to her before he goes away. And the one sitting next to Harry is Hannah." Emma turned her smile at the entire gathered group.
"Hello," she basically whispered.
"Heya, Emma," Ernie said enthusiastically. Emma instantly turned pale pink.
"Have you guys gone to see your brother?" Hannah asked. Emma nodded shyly while Astrid shook her head.
"How is he?" Justin asked, enthusiastically. Emma shrugged.
"He looks rather dead," she replied. Hannah shuddered.
"You should have seen him when we found him."
"Hufflepuff might win after all," Justin muttered. Ron reached across the table and whacked Justin's head.
"Not something to say in front of his little sisters, man," Ron reprimanded. Astrid laughed, while Emma looked torn between confusion and glaring at Justin.
"Curfew!" came Snape's booming voice. "Miss Malfoy, you may go see your brother now if a prefect will accompany you. Emma, your parents are requesting your presence back in their rooms." With that, the door snapped shut. Harry and Hannah began saying their goodnights, while Astrid looked hopefully from Ron to Hermione.
"I'll go with you, chica," Ron said. He began putting his chess pieces back in the box. Astrid smiled gratefully at the boy.
"Hannah, kindly remove your tongue from Harry's mouth. There are children present!" Ernie exclaimed. Hannah pulled away from Harry and looked sheepishly at Ernie. She quickly passed the back of her hand across her swollen red lips.
"It's not like I haven't seen it before," Astrid muttered.
"Yes, but I haven't," Emma said. Astrid laughed, while everyone else just looked at the youngest Malfoy. Mandy looked hopefully at Ron.
"Ready to go?" Justin asked, looking from Hannah to Ernie. Ernie nodded, while Hannah gave Harry one more quick hug.
"Goodnight," he whispered in her ear.
"Goodnight," she replied, dropping a chaste kiss on his lips. The Hufflepuff trio turned to their Ravenclaw counter part.
"Ready?" Ernie asked. Mandy shrugged. In the process of standing up, she turned to face Ron. Ron pulled her into a quick hug and pressed a kiss into her hair.
"Goodnight," he said. His face had reached a level of red that threatened imminent explosion. Astrid turned to Emma as the Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff delegation trailed out of the Great Hall.
"They snogged at the Yule Ball and haven't really been able to speak to each other since, although they're both still very into the other," she quickly explained.
"Astrid!" Hermione insisted.
"I'm almost 11 years old. I know what snogging is!" Emma said, looking up at Hermione. Astrid glanced up at her sister.
"And if you didn't before, Harry and Hannah gave a pretty good demonstration!"
"ASTRID!" Harry cried. Astrid shrugged.
"How long are you going to be here?" Hermione asked Emma in hopes of changing the subject for the benefit of the youngest girl.
"Mum and I are staying until Draco wakes up. Lucius is leaving tomorrow," Emma explained, smiling at Hermione.
"How are you almost 11? Doesn't Astrid get to be 12 before you can be almost 11?" Harry queried.
"Nope!" Emma laughed.
"Emma's 10 months younger than me and Keiran. Our parents didn't quite understand the concept of spacing children out," Astrid explained. "So she, in fact, will be 11 in June and Keiran and I turn 12 in August."
"Most of the time we play twins to keep Astrid from Keiran," Emma laughed.
"You should go, I don't want Lucius mad at either of us," Astrid said. Emma's face paled.
"You're right," she said. "It was nice meeting you all. I'm sure I'll see you more between now and the time Draco wakes up." With that, she turned on her heel and scurried out of the great hall.
"Cool kid," Ron said, nodding after the little girl.
"Not as cool as me though," Astrid laughed.
"Not as cool as you though," Ron agreed.
*****
"You have failed," Lucius Malfoy's silky smooth voice issued from behind the black mask as he looked down at the form cowering in front of him.
"Yes, I have," the boy agreed.
"Father, you should have left his work to me," a smaller figure just behind Lucius said.
"No Keiran," Lucius scolded. "But you may take care of his punishment." Keiran stepped forward, drawing his wand from his robe.
"What shall I do?" Keiran asked quite rhetorically.
"Use the new spell you learned," Lucius urged. Keiran pointed his wand at the person. A quietly muttered spell sent the boy crashing to the floor, screaming with pain.
"Now," Lucius's hiss came over the boy's screams. "You will not be allowed to finish the job. You are not worthy of that. You will, however, make sure Draco has no recollection of what happened. You must not get yourself caught."
*****
"Hey," Astrid said, looking down at the still form in the bed. Draco was curled on his left side, hand tucked under his head. His right arm was encased from almost his neck to his wrist in a thick white material. His skin still held a bluish tinge, and he was speckled with angry pink marks where he had been cut.
"What exactly do you think you're doing, going and getting yourself almost killed?" she asked softly. She reached over and pushed a strand of hair away from his face.
"Know that if I find out who did this to you, I'll hex them into next week. Unless of course it's our darling brother." She reached over and brushed her fingers across the back of her brother's right hand. "I'll kill him." She closed her fingers around her brother's in what she hoped was a reassuring gesture, momentarily forgetting that he couldn't feel her hand at all.
"I'll bet this is some plan to increase Keiran's power," she finally said. "And that scares me slightly, because it means I'm next. And what about Emma? She's at muggle boarding school with no magical protection what so ever. I know the last place anyone would look for one of Lucius's daughters would be a muggle school, but if Voldemort really wants to find her, he will." Draco's body gave a violent lurch.
"Madame Pomfrey!" Astrid called. Draco's body shook again. His mouth fell open and a great quantity of deep crimson blood spewed forth.
"MADAME POMFREY!" Astrid shrieked, taking several steps back from her brother. The blood soaked down across his hand and dripped off of the edge of the bed, splashing into the floor at Astrid's shoes. A few iridescent red bubbles gathered at the corner of his mouth.
"What is it dear?" Madame Pomfrey asked, bustling out of her office. She stepped inside the curtained enclosure with the first year. Astrid, eyes wide, pointed at the quickly pooling blood.
"Oh my. It's probably time for you to go back to your common room." Astrid didn't need to be told twice. She turned on her heel and rushed from the hospital wing.
"How was he?" Ron asked, not taking notice of the terrified expression on the first years face. A sob lurched from Astrid's throat.
"So much blood," were the only words she muttered through the tears that began gushing from her eyes. Ron turned to look at his little friend.
"Blood?" he asked. Astrid nodded mutely. Ron held his hands down to the girl. She stretched her arms up towards him and jumped. He caught her and held her flat against his chest. She buried her face into the soft spot just between his neck and his shoulder and sobbed. He began the long walk back to Gryffindor tower, smoothing her hair with the hand of the arm he had wrapped protectively around her shaking shoulders.
"It'll be okay," he whispered into her soft hair.