Silver Blood
Chapter 15: Truth Revealed
The car jolted suddenly as the speed began to decrease. Above the flying car the sky was a dark gray, the only rays of sunlight coming from a distance away. They were approaching London and had somehow lost sight of the train because of the lack of light. Luckily, Fred and George knew where they were going. In the back, Ron and Hermione were talking like old times telling stories about their vacation, oblivious to the two up front who wore worried expressions.
"It's getting a bit dark out," Fred muttered, while George squinted out the window.
"Yeah, wonder if a storm's approaching."
Hermione glanced up front to see Fred and George talking seriously to one another. She raised an eyebrow in amusement.
"They're actually talking seriously, what a surprise."
Ron saw what she was talking about and laughed. "Yeah, my mum thinks they're beginning to grow up. You should've seen them when we were being given a tour, they actually seemed interested."
Hermione shook her head, smiling. "I bet your mind was only focused on Quidditch and how exciting our last year is going to be."
Ron sent a glare to her, but couldn't help smiling. "You're right."
Suddenly, the car shook violently causing Hermione to scream out of surprise. She was thrown forward in her seat, almost banging her head on the back of the front seat. Ron yelped and threw his arms around Hermione squeezing the air out of her.
"What was that?" Ron yelled up front after the car started shaking.
Fred turned around a worried look on his face, "I don't know, it's just starting to act weird."
The car suddenly threw them all forward and zoomed straight ahead, swerving in zigzags. Ron was trying his best not to scream and be the calm and rational one but he was instead screaming the loudest. Hermione was holding on for dear life wondering what possessed her to get in the car with Fred and George in the front seat.
"This is a new car! What, do all flying cars hate us?!" Ron shouted.
"It's not that anything's wrong with it!" Fred shouted back as he tried to steer the car and get it back to normal. "I think something's pulling it down."
"What?! How is that possible?" Ron shouted.
Before Fred could comment the car was pulled forcefully and swerved straight down toward the ground. Hermione screamed and covered her eyes as Ron held on for his life. Fred and George too were looking wide-eyed and scared as the car headed straight for the ground. Just as they thought it would be the end the car suddenly crashed into something, throwing them out of their seats. Luckily, the car's emergency safety straps swiftly came out and tied them up so they didn't injure themselves. They all sat breathing heavily waiting for their hearts to go back to normal. Fred finally got the nerve to look out his window.
"Hey, uh, I think we're stuck in a tree," he said.
"Oh that's bloody great," Ron muttered leaning back in his seat.
The safety straps slowly unraveled themselves and shrunk back to where they came from. Hermione was very pale but luckily not hyperventilating like she felt like doing. It was a miracle they were still alive.
"How do we get down?" George asked.
Fred shook his head, then turned to look at Hermione. "Hey Hermione, open your door and see if there's a safe way down."
She opened and closed her mouth a couple times wordlessly. "Why me?"
"Because you're the sorceress-in-training," George answered with a smirk. "And Ron's a wimp."
"I am not!" Ron retorted, folding his arms across his chest.
"Then, would you like to open your door?" Fred asked casually.
"No," he answered immediately.
Hermione sighed exasperated and opened her door. She looked down the large fifteen foot tree with wide eyes. There were no branches to even catch them if they fell.
"No, there's not even anything to catch us if we— "
The car was suddenly shaken violently cutting Hermione's last words off. She screeched as she lost her balance and was thrown out her door.
"Hermione!" Ron screamed.
Quickly, he jumped to her side of the car and whipped out his wand. He said the first spell that came to mind.
"Impedimenta!"
A bright blue mist blasted out from the end of his wand and aimed toward Hermione, who was a foot from crashing into the hard ground. It wrapped around her body and disappeared into her, surrounding her in a bright blue shield for a split second as she slowly sank the rest of the way down to the ground.
Ron poked his head out of the car door.
"Are you all right?" he shouted down to her.
"Fine, I just fell from a one-story tree and almost fell flat on my face!" she snapped hotly.
Ron poked his head back inside, "Yep, she's all right."
She sighed in annoyance and brushed the leaves and dirt off her robe. She knew getting a white one would be a pain. Luckily, the woman who gave her the tour and the robe, teaching her the beginning lessons of sorcery, also included a helpful spell to remove any harsh stains. She'd have to do that later.
"Hey Hermione, can you see any houses around so that someone can help us down?" Fred asked sticking his head out the window.
Hermione turned and looked around her. There were several large trees hovering above them, like a mini forest, but they were spaced out at a distance. It looked like the park near to Hogsmeade, but she couldn't be sure. It was a little too cloudy out to be positive. Most of her surroundings were covered in shadows, but she could make out outlines of most of the trees and bushes. There were no houses to her knowledge.
Hermione walked away from the tall trees to see if she could see past all the plant life and suddenly halted as she heard a low hiss from somewhere nearby. It wasn't like a hiss from a snake, more of a whisper, or airy breath. She suddenly found herself holding her breath and listening, standing as still as a statue. Something was moving near the bushes toward her left. She swallowed the lump in her throat, remembering that sorceresses would accept any challenge or danger without fear, and turned her head slowly around. She was only able to hear the leaves of the bushes blow slightly in the wind...or were they moving because of something else? The hairs on the back of her neck rose as she backed away with as much ease as she could muster.
"Hey Hermione, are you still there?" Fred joked.
She opened her mouth to answer but froze instinctively as she heard a strange sound. Something was sliding across the ground, almost unnoticeable. Hermione didn't recognize the pattern, but knew it wasn't a snake or any other animal she had ever heard before. It was almost like a shadow, or ghost gently brushing the ground occasionally. Suddenly she felt something soft and almost silky touch her leg. Her eyes widened with fear as her heart thumped loudly in her chest.
It's okay, I can handle this, I've had beginner's training and I know how to handle myself. Just take a deep breath.
She swallowed again feeling that her throat was dry. With caution, careful not to move anything but her head, she glanced down and saw that her foot was covered in what looked like a black cloak. At first she thought maybe Ron had dropped his robe out of the car door, until she realized what it was. Hermione's mouth dropped open fearfully and she let out a horrendously loud scream and jumped back. The cloak lashed out at her and wrapped around her leg, tripping her and pulling her to the ground.
Ron was at the car door in seconds after hearing her scream. He glanced down only able to see her lying on the ground. Then he noticed the strange black figure trying to cover her body.
"Fred, George, I'm jumping down, make sure you stop me from crashing to the ground!"
Fred grinned, "Sure thing, Ron."
Ron took a deep breath and jumped out of the car heading for the ground. He thought he was about to crash but he was suddenly frozen in mid air, three feet from crashing face first. A little ways from him was Hermione who was struggling against the strange black figure.
"Fred! George! Not the freezing spell, I need to get down!"
"Suit yourself," George said feigning innocence.
Ron yelped as he dropped the rest of the way down almost getting the wind knocked out of him. He cursed them under his breath and ran full speed at the black lump on his friend. Not knowing what it was or what to do he tackled it, which ended up with him on the ground instead of Hermione. He tried to hold it to the ground but it slipped through his fingers like liquid and managed to trap him on the ground beneath it. Ron was too stunned to fight back, but he managed to see Hermione scramble to her feet as it smothered his face to block the oxygen from getting into his nose and mouth.
Ron struggled hard, feeling a piece of the silky black thing slip into his mouth and try to lodge itself down his throat. Suddenly, he heard Hermione's voice as he was losing his breath.
"Expecto Patronus!"
A beautiful, delicate four-legged horse-like figure appeared in a mist of blinding white light. It charged the black cape down, off of Ron. It sulked away and soon disappeared into the darkness. Quickly, Ron gasped for air in need of oxygen and shakily stood up.
"What in the bloody hell was that?!" he shouted, looking very pale.
Hermione tucked her wand back in her robe still looking a bit distressed her self.
"That was a Lethifold, Ron."
"A what?" Ron asked, not liking the sound of it all ready.
Hermione sighed with frustration. "Honestly, I don't see how you and Harry have made it this far!"
"Dumb luck," Ron muttered.
Hermione didn't appear to have heard him, instead she launched into an explanation. "A Lethifold is a very rare creature in the form of a black cape. One can barely hear it or see it coming. Centuries ago it was seen only at night and in tropical areas. Whatever it's doing here does not give me a good feeling."
"It didn't seem that dangerous," Ron pointed out, trying to retrieve some of his composure.
Hermione raised an eyebrow skeptically, "Oh sure, being only a half inch thick black cape it wouldn't. If you would've read that extra reading assignment we got in Dark Arts class last year you would know a Lethifold can be thicker," she paused, "only after it has digested someone."
Ron's mouth dropped open in horror, and he started making fish-like movements. "T-that thing could've," he gulped, "eaten me?"
Hermione nodded intelligently, "Yes, it could've eaten both of us. lucky you did what you did and pulled it off me. The only magic that can be used against it that's known to scare it away is the Patronus charm."
Ron smiled weakly, "I'll have to remember that."
Hermione dug her hands in her hair and sighed. Just then the loud sound of an ignition starting caused them both to look up. The flying car made a few noises and then suddenly disappeared. It reappeared seconds later out of the tree, a few feet above them. Fred and George poked their heads out of their windows waving.
"Hey, this car has a back up system in case it stalls or gets stuck! Wouldn't you know it!"
Ron grinned widely, "I love this car."
He turned back to Hermione who had a grim expression on her face.
"What's the matter?"
"Ron, we have to see Harry," she said sternly. "Now."
A firm nod was all he could do for an answer. He trusted Hermione's instincts especially when she was serious, mostly because it had saved them several times in the past. Fred and George lowered the car so they could get back in.
"Full speed to Harry's," Ron told them.
The two nodded wordlessly and sped off quickly before the car could act up again, for whatever reason.
Ten minutes later they had made it without any problems to Harry's house, where he lived with Sirius. Fred and George lowered the car to Harry's bedroom window.
"Look, no bars," Fred pointed out, getting an elbow in the side by George.
"It doesn't look like anyone's home," George commented, noting the darkness of the house.
Hermione frowned and took out her wand. Muttering a spell softly a white mist came out of her wand and settled in front of them. Soon the mist took the shape of numbers letting them know it was six o'clock, around the time they were supposed to be back.
"He wouldn't be asleep," she said as the numbers disappeared.
"Of course not!" Ron said.
"It seems like this whole city is asleep," Hermione said quietly. "Something feels very different, and I don't like it."
Ron glanced out the window wondering why he couldn't sense what she was sensing. It was darker than it should for the summer, and he was sure it wasn't supposed to rain. But Hermione was right, the city seemed...dead quiet.
He shivered inwardly, "Maybe Harry and Sirius are out playing Quidditch, or maybe they're at Hogsmeade," Ron said trying to reassure her.
Hermione looked a little relieved until George spoke.
"Actually, Hogsmeade is closed. I saw the notice when we passed over it."
It was silent for a moment increasing the tenseness in the air. Suddenly, Ron perked up.
"I know! Harry said he and Sirius might help Professor Lu...I mean Remus at Hogwarts sometime."
Hermione nodded with determination, "Let's go there."
"Wait, Hermione! This would be the perfect time to set up Harry's birthday surprise," Ron said.
"We will Ron, I promise. I just have a feeling...I want to see him first and make sure nothing's going on then we'll come back."
Ron stared at her questioningly, "Why, you think something's wrong?"
She didn't answer immediately and instead stared out the window. "I don't know, with our luck something is."
Ron sighed but nodded and sat back in his seat. They had been planning Harry's birthday surprise before summer with Sirius and Remus, and also during their trips. He was so excited because he couldn't wait to see the look on Harry's face.
"Shouldn't we stop by my house and let my dad know we're okay?" Ron voiced.
Fred turned to look back at them. "Don't worry, we'll drop you two off at Hogwarts and then go home to let mum and dad know we're not dead."
"Thanks you two," Hermione smiled gratefully.
XXXXX
Hogwarts appeared just as dark and quiet as Harry's house. Hermione got the chills which worsened as they approached. She felt a comforting hand on her arm and turned to see Ron smiling at her in order to cheer her up.
"What's wrong?"
She tried to smile to reassure him she was okay but couldn't. Instead she placed her hand on his. "I have a bad feeling."
"It'll be all right, Hermione, you'll see. Even if something did happen while we were gone, Harry's strong. He's much more powerful than before and he survived numerous encounters with the Dark Lord," he said, avoiding saying the name he feared for so long. "Besides, remember, Harry's famous again for finally defeated him once and for all. I seriously doubt anything could be worse than those years we had to help him get through fighting that psychopath."
She smiled thankfully and stared back out the window, knowing that what he was saying was true. But she still couldn't help what her feelings were telling her.
"All right you two, the Gryffindor common room express has arrived!"
Ron and Hermione opened the door as Fred and George steadied the car in front of the high window. Together they pulled out their wands and pointed it at the window.
"Diffindo!"
The window burst open and they jumped inside, waving goodbye to Fred and George afterward. Hermione fixed the window and turned around to face Ron.
"Well, that was sure an adventure," Ron said breaking the silence.
Hermione nodded, "Why don't you go see if Harry's in the boys' dormitory. I'll wait here."
Ron grinned and ran up the stairs to the seventh year dorms. Once at the top he paused outside the door almost admiring it.
"Man it feels good to be a seventh year," he smiled imagining how it would be using the dorms once the last year came around.
He placed his fingers around the door knob and opened the door, emitting vibes of excitement. He stepped inside to see the dorms were a little bigger with scarlet silk sheets on the beds. It was probably a treat from Dumbledore for all seventh years. He had done something different for each year and this year it was also that seventh years got one free period, meaning a couple classes, whichever ones they weren't interested in, could be cut short.
During this free period they would be taken to the Quidditch field to practice dueling with friends, or anyone they wanted and put to test everything they learned over the years. Madam Hooch and Professor McGonagall, as said during dinner of last year, the night before summer break, would be setting up obstacles and small "mini-adventures" as they called it, to test their skills. They would be rated and judged and hopefully improve each time.
This was a new addition and also an experimentation to see if it worked out. Ron knew the one class he would cut time in, Potions.
Ron's smile slowly faded into a confused frown when he noticed the form was empty. Not even Harry's trunk was lying anywhere, which meant he wasn't staying there, but he wasn't at home. So, where was he? Ron walked back down to where Hermione was waiting. A big smile was plastered on her face until she saw Ron was alone.
"Where's Harry?"
Ron shrugged, "Don't know, his stuff's not up there either."
"Maybe we should check the Quidditch field," Hermione suggested, knowing Harry got a new broom from Sirius for an early birthday present.
"I know, why don't we ask Dumbledore!" Ron smiled.
Hermione frowned slightly, "That would work...but he might be at a meeting and we don't know the password to his office..."
Silence reigned over the two of them as they were silent in thought. Dumbledore would surely know if Harry was out somewhere with Sirius.
"Let's see if Madam Pomprey knows where Dumbledore is," Ron suggested. "She's always the first to know what's going on so she can work around the schedule."
Hermione smiled brightly, "Good idea, Ron."
The common room was left behind as they headed to the Hospital Wing. Madam Pomprey knew everything going on even when she was busy with patients. Since it was summer she wouldn't be busy with anything.
The Hospital Wing seemed more quiet and eerie than before. Hermione figured it was because there was no one around in the halls. The door was open as they stepped inside and closed the door behind them. Ron immediately wrinkled his nose.
"What is that smell?"
Hermione too looked a little fazed by the strange odor in the air.
"It smells like a potion."
"A potion? Try a hundred potions!" Ron said holding his nose. "It's worse than the potions room!"
They walked in the rest of the way making sure to breathe through their mouths. On a table in the middle of the room were at least ten potion bottles. Ron studied them as he approached the table.
"I wonder what these are for."
Hermione walked over too, looking around for any sign of Madam Pomprey. "Maybe she's testing which potions are better."
Ron snorted, "Hermione, there's no one here to test them on. Besides, her potions are great, she can cure anything."
There was no arguing about that. Hermione knew what miracles she could perform. She smiled in acknowledgment knowing how many times she was helpful in the past.
"I wonder where she could be," Hermione said sitting on one of the beds.
Before Ron could reply they heard rapid footsteps before the door burst open. Madam Pomprey stumbled in carrying about seven more potion bottles in her arms. Her back was turned to them.
"Thanks, Severus!" she shouted out the door. "I won't bother you again with your potion project. I'm just going to see if any of these are able to neutralize the heart. If he's put into suspended animation he might have a better chance."
She nodded as a faint voice replied, and carefully she closed the door with her foot. She almost dropped all the bottles when she saw Ron and Hermione staring at her curiously.
"Ron! Hermione! You startled me! What are you two doing here?" she asked quickly, trying to recompose herself. She didn't wait for them to answer. "Listen," she said walking to the table, " I have lots of work to do, it'd be better if you came back later."
Ron nodded and pointed to the bottles in her arms, "What are those for?"
Madam Pomprey looked down nervously and then back up. "They're for this potion I'm working on. I'm trying to effectively get a neutralizer and it'll take lots of— "
"It's not hard," Hermione interrupted. Her features dark and blazing. "You know how to do a neutralizer Madam Pomprey, I've seen you do it before," she said slowly getting off the bed. "We heard you, you're trying to make a potion that'll put someone in suspended animation."
"What's that?" Ron asked, turning to Hermione.
"One thing it's used for is if a person is on the brink of death and a cure hasn't been found. We learned about Rodby Gallahoo, remember Ron? Last year in Professor McGonagall's class? He had to take a potion to make his body sleep of lie dormant because he had been poisoned by an exotic plant. He slept until the cure was found, twenty years later. But of course a neutralizer isn't effective a lot of the times, depending on the person."
"Oh yeah...I think that was the lecture I fell asleep in," he muttered thoughtfully.
Madam Pomprey looked a little uneasy, "Very good Hermione, now if you two don't mind— "
"Where's Dumbledore?" Hermione interrupted, her voice wavering slightly.
Madam Pomprey hesitated for only a second, "He's at a meeting. He should be back by tomorrow."
Ron nodded and got up to leave. He stopped a foot from the door as he realized Hermione wasn't following.
"Come on Hermione."
Her gaze was harsh, but not meant directly for Madam Pomprey. It was the expression she wore when she was in deep concentration.
"Something's going on," she whispered, never looking away from Madam Pomprey, who looked slightly taken aback. "there's something you're not telling us."
"Hermione!" Ron exclaimed, wondering why she was acting so strange.
Madam Pomprey straightened herself up, "Like what dear?"
Hermione didn't answer right away. She looked away for a moment breaking the intense eye contact. Finally, she turned her head toward the table of potions and looked straight into Madam Pomprey's eyes.
"Why is Dumbledore in a meeting?"
"Because...," Madam Pomprey hesitated. "Because there's something going on with the dark creatures."
"What's going on?"
"Um...I'm not sure I know what you mean," Madam Pomprey looked nervously at them.
Hermione took a deep breath, never blinking. "Where's Harry?" she asked in frustration.
"Hermione, come on! She doesn't know!" Ron exclaimed trying to calm her down.
Hermione looked at them angrily and finally her eyes caught sight of one of the hospital beds that had the curtain closed. She ran at it as Madam Pomprey noticed and tried to put down the bottles and stop her. The curtain sprang aside as Madam Pomprey yelled for her to stop and as Ron stood transfixed. Suddenly, it was very quiet. Madam Pomprey had cupped her hands over her mouth and Ron and Hermione looked petrified, as if they had seen a basilisk. On the bed with blank open eyes, lie Harry, pale and still. His chest was barely rising and his mouth was slightly open, but his lips were pale just like his face.
Hermione's eyes had widened so large Madam Pomprey was sure they'd fall out. Ron too looked on the verge of collapse. Hermione suddenly ran forward and knelt by his die taking one of his cold hands in hers. Ron slowly advanced toward the bed with unblinking eyes as he stared at Harry lying there looking barely alive. When Hermione finally looked back up her eyes were flooding with tears.
"What happened?" she barely choked out.
She had to bite her lip to keep from crying. Ron too slowly turned and stared at Madam Pomprey expectantly. Madam Pomprey brought her hands down as she inwardly sighed in defeat. They deserved an explanation now.
"You better sit down."
XXXXX
Another book was tossed to the floor to join an all ready large pile of books scattered around. Sirius rubbed his eyes in frustration. Remus peered over at him from across the table over the book he was looking over. They were currently sitting in the library trying to find a clue or something to help them. It was no use, there was nothing to help them with Harry's condition.
"What are we going to do?" Sirius whispered desperately, placing his hands over his face.
Remus sighed and closed the book he was reading, gently setting it down.
"We're doing everything we can, Sirius. All we can do now is hope Harry's strong enough to over come it."
Sirius looked up at him with a desperate expression that showed he couldn't believe Harry would pull through something like that. Whatever happened to him was carefully planned, or intended to happen, it wasn't by accident. Sirius was beginning to think everything from day one wasn't an accident.
The chair moved back as Remus scooted back to stand up. He put the last book neatly on a pile of other books he looked through.
"Ron and Hermione should be back from their trip. They're probably on their way to your place to see Harry," Remus spoke softly.
Sirius looked down and shook his head, "We can't let them see him like that."
Remus nodded in agreement, "We'll have to meet them there and somehow make up an excuse for Harry's absence, just for now."
Sirius stood up finally, "I know, but first let me check on Harry..."
Remus put a comforting smile on and nodded. They walked up to the Hospital Wing and opened the door expecting to see Madam Pomprey busying herself with stabilizing potions. Instead they were greeted with the sight of Madam Pomprey, Ron and Hermione all sitting around Harry's bed. They turned just as Madam Pomprey finished talking to them. Sirius' mouth had dropped to the floor as he mouthed words but made no sound.
Madam Pomprey quickly jumped up, "Sirius, Remus, I can explain. They just— "
Sirius silenced her by lifting up his hand. He walked to Harry's bed and knelt on the other side, taking Harry's other hand. Remus followed shortly after, putting a hand on Madam Pomprey's shoulder and nodding. She nodded solemnly and sat back down. Sirius held Harry's hand tighter and kept his eyes on his Godson's face.
"How long ago did you guys arrive?" he asked quietly, his voice a little hoarse and sounding like he hadn't been getting much sleep.
"Not too long ago," Ron answered since Hermione seemed to have lost her voice after Madam Pomprey had explained to them everything that had been going on, as far as she knew.
He nodded slowly. Finally he looked up at Madam Pomprey.
"How's he doing?"
Madam Pomprey glanced down at her hands and shook her head. "The stabilizing potion I gave him before was the strongest synthesis I'm able to create. It won't last much longer."
Sirius' eyes dimmed as Hermione squeezed Harry's hand tighter.
Sirius took a deep breath, "Can you give him more?"
Madam Pomprey shook her head still looking down, "I'm afraid it won't help. That's why I was going to try and make a potion to put him in suspended animation, but I fear I won't even have enough time for that. From what I can tell...he only has a little more than a half hour to live."
Hermione choked on a sob and covered her mouth with her free hand. Ron bit his lip and kept his eyes on the bed unable to look at any of them. Sirius swallowed the lump in his throat but couldn't find anything to say. He couldn't even shed any tears, he was too shocked. After everything Harry had been through, this was it.
Remus remained quiet, his features dark and melancholy. Madam Pomprey stood up and brushed her apron.
"I'll go tell the others," she said quiet, her voice shaking slight, and headed to the door.
The room was filled with a depressed silence as they all wondered how it happened so fast. How Harry, the Boy Who Lived, several times in fact, the one boy who defeated the greatest Dark Wizard of all time, was now going to die in a matter of a short period of time. There were so many questions buzzing around, like how and why. Just as she approached the door to go tell the teachers the news, the door opened. To her surprise, Snape walked in, his black robe looking a little wrinkled and smelling strongly of potions.
"Professor Snape!" she looked taken aback. Her eyes lowered, "I was just coming to tell the teacher's horrible news. It's Potter, he's— "
"A bit stubborn for a boy famous for surviving, if you ask me," Snape interrupted, his arms coolly crossed over his chest.
"What did you say!?" Sirius stood up just as Remus grabbed his arm.
Snape turned and saw Ron and Hermione looking like they had been told they wouldn't graduate.
"Granger, Weasley, what a nice surprise. Come to cheer Mr. Potter on I presume."
"Professor!" Madam Pomprey exclaimed, clearly appalled by his behavior. "He's on his death bed!"
"He doesn't care!" Sirius growled angrily. "He doesn't care about anyone but himself!"
Snape walked toward the group of them. "Save your breath, Black," he said walking passed him and Remus.
He approached the bed where Hermione was holding Harry's hand tightly and glaring daggers at him. Ron was all ready standing up ready to attack him if he said one more word. Before any of them could get a first take at him, Snape pulled out a small bottle filled with a lavender colored liquid.
"What is that Severus?" Madam Pomprey asked looking at the unusual concoction.
Snape looked at them with forced amusement, "The cure, so to speak."
"Cure?! I thought there was no cure!" Ron retorted hotly, still glaring at him as if he was holding poison.
Snape stared back at him coldly, "Well, Mr. Weasley, if you paid attention in my class you might have learned a thing or two. There is no cure for what Potter has gotten himself into, but there is a way to combine synthesis, believe me when I say it's the trickiest part about potions and only experts like myself can do it.
"This potion will unblock the dark realm leaving a small hole so that there's a tiny chance Potter can escape it, but," he paused looking at all their shocked faces, "in order for him to find it you all must lead him to it."
"How?" Sirius asked.
Snape half sneered with amusement, "I don't know everything, Black, you'll have to figure that out for yourselves."
He placed the bottle by Harry's bed stand and turned to leave.
"Why you...," Sirius growled as he passed.
Snape turned, folding his hands casually in front of him, "My, my Black, not thankful are we? Maybe you need a class or two on swallowing ones pride."
With that he turned and left. Sirius was still glaring at his retreating form.
"I can't believe it," Hermione spoke up breaking the silence, "this is the second time Snape has saved Harry's life."
Sirius scowled in denial and quickly grabbed the potion. He tilted Harry's head back and carefully let the liquid slide down his throat.
"Now what?" Ron asked.
"That's easy, Ron, Snape told us."
Sirius snorted but didn't say anything. Hermione chose to ignore him.
"He said we have to 'lead him' to us, so we just have to call out to him. If we concentrate really hard and try and get deep into his mind I'm sure it'll work!" she smiled.
Madam Pomprey too had a big grin on her face, along with a few tears, "I'll go tell them the good news."
She then opened the door and rushed out, finally glad something was going right, and left them there to help Harry out of his world of darkness.
TO BE CONTINUED...