This is chapter no 10... I would once more like to thank everyone that has
reviewed, I really appreciate it : - )
To 'Lily and James Potter': I don't know if Angelina Johnson left Hogwarts, I thought she had one more year left... Well, if anyone knows for sure, please tell me... I will change that chapter if she did...
To 'missProngs': read this chapter, maybe it'll answer your question. Though, nothing is certain yet... : - )
Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter and Co, JK Rowling does. However Melinda Atwood and Aidan Gallagher are mina : - )
WAKING UP
Harry woke opened his eyes and reached out for his glasses. As he put them on, he turned his head. He was in the hospital wing at Hogwarts; he recognized it since he'd been there several times during his years at the school. He'd actually been there the first year, after he, Ron and Hermione had stopped Voldemort from stealing the philosopher's stone. Then suddenly, a thought struck him... Were Hermione and Ron alright? Was anyone hurt? He sat up and saw to his surprise that his leg had mended; he felt a bit soar though. How long had he been here?
"You're awake"
Professor Gallagher walked up to his bed, looking at him. He looked a bit concerned, Harry noted.
"Professor, Hermione and Ron, are they alright?"
"They're just fine, Harry" he said. "I found them near the school, accompanied by professor Dumbledore. They've been asking to see you."
"Was anyone hurt?"
"No casualties" professor Gallagher said and sat down in a chair next to Harry's bed. "Just a few cursed people, from the order that is, but they will be all right. We got there just in time, thanks to you, Hermione and Ron. None of the students were harmed. "
Harry nodded slowly. No one was seriously injured, that was good, he thought to himself.
"How long have I been here?" he asked a moment later.
"You've been out cold for a day" Professor Gallagher answered.
"A day? But, my leg, it's fully mended... Even Madame Pomfrey can't make it heal that fast..."
"Well... Atwood is a very skilled healer; a broken leg is no match for her... She worked her magic and well... It's fully mended. Don't ask me how she did it"
Harry sat up, staring at professor Gallagher.
"But, how? I mean, who or what is she?"
"I only know that which she has told me and it isn't much really... I'm sure you've realized that Atwood's no ordinary witch. I don't know if I would even call her a witch... I'm guessing I should tell you the whole story...It's not exactly something she tells just anyone, but I don't think she'll mind if I tell you. Atwood is the last of an ancient kind of... Well, magical beings I would say. Some wizards call them the ancient ones, those who know of their existence that is. No one has ever thought of anything better to call them actually... And since Atwood is the only one left and few wizards know of her existence, they aren't in need of a name... They're only a myth now, long since forgotten. She told me there were seven of them in the beginning, and they were here long before the wizard kind. They were much like wizards and witches though, but with skills that none in the wizard world would ever possess. Since they also were immortal, they learned things the mortal wizards will probably never learn. But they soon grew weary, living in this world. They started to fade away, one by one, as they felt they had nothing left to live for... People think immortality is a blessing, but most of the time it is a curse... Atwood, however, lingered here, I don't know why really. I'm just glad she did. "
He paused. Harry thought about what Hermione had said, now suspecting that her theory about professor Gallagher might actually be true.
"Er, Professor... What about the ravens, what were they?"
Professor Gallagher looked at him.
"That was her. She likes ravens, I don't know why and I don't know how she does it, but it's very effective. Scared that Lestrange woman half to death."
"Wait, are you saying that those ravens... Were Melinda?"
"Yes... She's not an animagus, she can just... Transform into anything really. She mostly turns into a black raven. You can tell it's her by looking at the eyes; she never changes her eye colour unless she has to."
The professor continued a moment later.
"She'll probably come see you in the morning. Dumbledore needed her to come to a meeting, for the order."
"Professor, hope you don't mind me asking, but how long have you known her?"
"Well... I don't know how long actually, I met her a long time ago, in Ireland, during the first war."
The professor looked out the window, and Harry understood that was all he would tell him.
"What happened to Bellatrix Lestrange?" Harry asked suddenly.
Professor Gallagher looked at Harry for a moment, and then he spoke.
"She was brought to Azkaban prison, immediately after her capture. As were every Death Eater Dumbledore and the others could find in the area."
"Why did Voldemort want me dead?" he asked quietly.
"Well... No one knows why yet, Harry" professor Gallagher said. "We're working on it, believe me. Or at least, all those who can are."
He suddenly looked a bit bitter. Then he got up, looking at Harry.
"I should go get your friends, they really wanted to see you and I suspect that Mrs Weasley will be here shortly."
Professor Gallagher left the hospital wing. Harry sat on the bed, still feeling confused and numb at the same time. All that which he had learned, it was so much information, so much to process. He had known that Melinda was a bit, well different from other witches. That had been clear from the beginning, when she'd given him that orb. Suddenly, he saw it lying on the table next to him, glowing faintly. But what professor Gallagher had told him, he could never have imagined that...
"Hello, Harry"
Hermione and Ron walked up to his bed, Ron sat down on the side of it. Hermione sat down on the chair that professor Gallagher had been sitting in moments ago. Harry hadn't even heard them coming.
"How are you?" Hermione asked anxiously.
Harry shrugged.
"I'm fine."
"You keep saying that" she said quietly.
"Yeah, well... How about you? You okay?" he asked to change the subject. He didn't want to talk about how he felt. Truth being that he actually didn't know what he felt in that very moment.
"I'm good" Ron said.
"Me too" Hermione said. "You should have seen Dumbledore, Harry, he was so worried. He came rushing towards Hogsmeade as we were heading back to tell him... He already knew... And then we met professor Gallagher, he told us that Melinda had you and that you were hurt, but alive."
"They didn't tell us more than that" Ron said.
Harry knew that was his cue. He started to fill them in on what had happened in the forest, about Bellatrix Lestrange and the ravens. He also told them what he had found out about Melinda Atwood. Hermione was frowning looking far away in mind after he finished; Ron sat and stared at the floor.
"Wait, so Professor Gallagher told you that those ravens actually were Melinda?" Ron said and looked up at Harry.
Harry nodded.
"Wicked..." Ron said. "Hey, do you reckon I should tell Charlie about her being thousands of years old? I mean, he seems to fancy her a lot..." he said a while later.
"I think we should leave it to her to tell it" Harry said. "I don't think we should spread it out..."
"I agree with Harry. She'll probably tell him herself if she needs to..." Hermione said. "I still wonder about professor Gallagher..."
"Well, your vampire theory can't be accurate" Ron said now turning to Hermione. "I mean, professor Gallagher was out there, in daytime..."
"Actually, I'm beginning to think there's something to it, Ron" Harry said. "When we were out in the forest, Melinda told him he should return to the castle, because she was worried that the eclipse was going to be over soon..."
"Of course" Hermione burst out. "The eclipse made it possible for him to be out during the day."
"And... He started to talk about how being immortal was a curse, it sounded as if he really knew what it was like..." Harry trailed off.
They looked at each other.
"So... Then our defence against the dark arts teacher is probably, most likely a vampire?" Hermione said as she stared at the floor.
"Well... It's nothing new, now is it?" Ron said. "I mean, all our defence against the dark arts teachers has had some kind of... Weird twist about them. Lupin being a werewolf, Mad-eye Moody was a Death Eater with polyjuice elixir and so on... So why not a vampire? "
End of chapter 10
The eleventh chapter should be up soon... I hope... I've said it before, I'm a bit suck, but I'm working on it : - )
To 'Lily and James Potter': I don't know if Angelina Johnson left Hogwarts, I thought she had one more year left... Well, if anyone knows for sure, please tell me... I will change that chapter if she did...
To 'missProngs': read this chapter, maybe it'll answer your question. Though, nothing is certain yet... : - )
Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter and Co, JK Rowling does. However Melinda Atwood and Aidan Gallagher are mina : - )
WAKING UP
Harry woke opened his eyes and reached out for his glasses. As he put them on, he turned his head. He was in the hospital wing at Hogwarts; he recognized it since he'd been there several times during his years at the school. He'd actually been there the first year, after he, Ron and Hermione had stopped Voldemort from stealing the philosopher's stone. Then suddenly, a thought struck him... Were Hermione and Ron alright? Was anyone hurt? He sat up and saw to his surprise that his leg had mended; he felt a bit soar though. How long had he been here?
"You're awake"
Professor Gallagher walked up to his bed, looking at him. He looked a bit concerned, Harry noted.
"Professor, Hermione and Ron, are they alright?"
"They're just fine, Harry" he said. "I found them near the school, accompanied by professor Dumbledore. They've been asking to see you."
"Was anyone hurt?"
"No casualties" professor Gallagher said and sat down in a chair next to Harry's bed. "Just a few cursed people, from the order that is, but they will be all right. We got there just in time, thanks to you, Hermione and Ron. None of the students were harmed. "
Harry nodded slowly. No one was seriously injured, that was good, he thought to himself.
"How long have I been here?" he asked a moment later.
"You've been out cold for a day" Professor Gallagher answered.
"A day? But, my leg, it's fully mended... Even Madame Pomfrey can't make it heal that fast..."
"Well... Atwood is a very skilled healer; a broken leg is no match for her... She worked her magic and well... It's fully mended. Don't ask me how she did it"
Harry sat up, staring at professor Gallagher.
"But, how? I mean, who or what is she?"
"I only know that which she has told me and it isn't much really... I'm sure you've realized that Atwood's no ordinary witch. I don't know if I would even call her a witch... I'm guessing I should tell you the whole story...It's not exactly something she tells just anyone, but I don't think she'll mind if I tell you. Atwood is the last of an ancient kind of... Well, magical beings I would say. Some wizards call them the ancient ones, those who know of their existence that is. No one has ever thought of anything better to call them actually... And since Atwood is the only one left and few wizards know of her existence, they aren't in need of a name... They're only a myth now, long since forgotten. She told me there were seven of them in the beginning, and they were here long before the wizard kind. They were much like wizards and witches though, but with skills that none in the wizard world would ever possess. Since they also were immortal, they learned things the mortal wizards will probably never learn. But they soon grew weary, living in this world. They started to fade away, one by one, as they felt they had nothing left to live for... People think immortality is a blessing, but most of the time it is a curse... Atwood, however, lingered here, I don't know why really. I'm just glad she did. "
He paused. Harry thought about what Hermione had said, now suspecting that her theory about professor Gallagher might actually be true.
"Er, Professor... What about the ravens, what were they?"
Professor Gallagher looked at him.
"That was her. She likes ravens, I don't know why and I don't know how she does it, but it's very effective. Scared that Lestrange woman half to death."
"Wait, are you saying that those ravens... Were Melinda?"
"Yes... She's not an animagus, she can just... Transform into anything really. She mostly turns into a black raven. You can tell it's her by looking at the eyes; she never changes her eye colour unless she has to."
The professor continued a moment later.
"She'll probably come see you in the morning. Dumbledore needed her to come to a meeting, for the order."
"Professor, hope you don't mind me asking, but how long have you known her?"
"Well... I don't know how long actually, I met her a long time ago, in Ireland, during the first war."
The professor looked out the window, and Harry understood that was all he would tell him.
"What happened to Bellatrix Lestrange?" Harry asked suddenly.
Professor Gallagher looked at Harry for a moment, and then he spoke.
"She was brought to Azkaban prison, immediately after her capture. As were every Death Eater Dumbledore and the others could find in the area."
"Why did Voldemort want me dead?" he asked quietly.
"Well... No one knows why yet, Harry" professor Gallagher said. "We're working on it, believe me. Or at least, all those who can are."
He suddenly looked a bit bitter. Then he got up, looking at Harry.
"I should go get your friends, they really wanted to see you and I suspect that Mrs Weasley will be here shortly."
Professor Gallagher left the hospital wing. Harry sat on the bed, still feeling confused and numb at the same time. All that which he had learned, it was so much information, so much to process. He had known that Melinda was a bit, well different from other witches. That had been clear from the beginning, when she'd given him that orb. Suddenly, he saw it lying on the table next to him, glowing faintly. But what professor Gallagher had told him, he could never have imagined that...
"Hello, Harry"
Hermione and Ron walked up to his bed, Ron sat down on the side of it. Hermione sat down on the chair that professor Gallagher had been sitting in moments ago. Harry hadn't even heard them coming.
"How are you?" Hermione asked anxiously.
Harry shrugged.
"I'm fine."
"You keep saying that" she said quietly.
"Yeah, well... How about you? You okay?" he asked to change the subject. He didn't want to talk about how he felt. Truth being that he actually didn't know what he felt in that very moment.
"I'm good" Ron said.
"Me too" Hermione said. "You should have seen Dumbledore, Harry, he was so worried. He came rushing towards Hogsmeade as we were heading back to tell him... He already knew... And then we met professor Gallagher, he told us that Melinda had you and that you were hurt, but alive."
"They didn't tell us more than that" Ron said.
Harry knew that was his cue. He started to fill them in on what had happened in the forest, about Bellatrix Lestrange and the ravens. He also told them what he had found out about Melinda Atwood. Hermione was frowning looking far away in mind after he finished; Ron sat and stared at the floor.
"Wait, so Professor Gallagher told you that those ravens actually were Melinda?" Ron said and looked up at Harry.
Harry nodded.
"Wicked..." Ron said. "Hey, do you reckon I should tell Charlie about her being thousands of years old? I mean, he seems to fancy her a lot..." he said a while later.
"I think we should leave it to her to tell it" Harry said. "I don't think we should spread it out..."
"I agree with Harry. She'll probably tell him herself if she needs to..." Hermione said. "I still wonder about professor Gallagher..."
"Well, your vampire theory can't be accurate" Ron said now turning to Hermione. "I mean, professor Gallagher was out there, in daytime..."
"Actually, I'm beginning to think there's something to it, Ron" Harry said. "When we were out in the forest, Melinda told him he should return to the castle, because she was worried that the eclipse was going to be over soon..."
"Of course" Hermione burst out. "The eclipse made it possible for him to be out during the day."
"And... He started to talk about how being immortal was a curse, it sounded as if he really knew what it was like..." Harry trailed off.
They looked at each other.
"So... Then our defence against the dark arts teacher is probably, most likely a vampire?" Hermione said as she stared at the floor.
"Well... It's nothing new, now is it?" Ron said. "I mean, all our defence against the dark arts teachers has had some kind of... Weird twist about them. Lupin being a werewolf, Mad-eye Moody was a Death Eater with polyjuice elixir and so on... So why not a vampire? "
End of chapter 10
The eleventh chapter should be up soon... I hope... I've said it before, I'm a bit suck, but I'm working on it : - )