Oops! I am so sorry it took me so long to update! I was supposed to update…what was it? Two days ago? Here's the thing…two days ago I had to help my fiancé move out of his dorm room, then yesterday he helped me reorganize my room (he lent me the shelves from his dorm) and I finally have some free time… So much for being less busy after finals. Anywha, here it is, and I hope you enjoy it!!
-Act II scene 3-
Only a Test
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Niger shivered under the thin sheet draped over him. Wait a minute…where am I? He heard faint voices beyond his consciousness; they buzzed just outside recognition.
"What...think...happen...?"
"Saw...fall...no way...why."
What? This doesn't make any sense. Niger struggled for consciousness, but as he did, pain seized him. Never mind! Let me go back to sleep! Blessed nothingness take hold of me again! He thought, melodramatically. A groan escaped him.
"Oh! I think he may be coming around," a voice whispered to his left. He opened one eye slightly then regretted doing so. It was far too bright. He clamped his eyes shut again, and slowly allowed the light to penetrate though his eyelids. When he finally opened both his eyes, his vision was bleary after having his eyes shut so tight earlier. Little stars flecked his vision as he looked up into the face of Madame Pomfrey. Her face was so close that their noses would touch if he moved at all. She pulled back when she saw his eyes open and sighed with relief.
"He's awake, Professor," she breathed.
Niger turned his head slightly to look at the person to whom she had directed her words. Professor Dumbledore stood looking down at Niger. He wished he'd never woken up when he saw that look in his eyes. That piercing penetrating look. That look that made him believe everything his father had told him about this man, and more. He knows who I am! was Niger's irrational thought. Irrational because, how could he possibly know?
"You gave us quite a scare, Mr. Noctum. Do you remember what happened?"
Niger nodded. He really didn't want to tell them what he'd seen. No, he wouldn't tell them what he'd seen, but for some reason he couldn't lie with Professor Dumbledore looking at him like that.
Professor Dumbledore raised his eyebrows, waiting for an explanation.
"My scar hurt. I guess I passed out from the pain."
Madame Pomfrey puffed up like a peacock. "Scar? Where? How could a scar hurt, Professor?"
Dumbledore, however, did not take his eyes off Niger. He wished he could pull away. It felt as though Dumbledore was looking straight into his soul and measuring him up. Would he be found wanting?
"Let me see this scar," it was a command. You couldn't try and rationalize it any other way. I was not a request, it was a command. Niger pulled the hair back to expose the skin behind his right ear, and turned his head to give the Headmaster a better view.
"Where did you get this scar?" Dumbledore asked knowingly as Madame Pomfrey sucked in a breath.
Niger didn't want to answer. He couldn't possibly explain. Dumbledore knew too much already. Niger clenched his teeth briefly and was finally able to wrench his eyes away. "I don't know," he said with a shrug. "I've had it as long as I can remember."
Niger could tell that Dumbledore didn't believe him but he also didn't press the matter. "If it hurts again, I ask that you please come and tell me." Niger nodded again, but he knew that if he ever had an experience like that again he wasn't going to tell anyone.
"Now, Poppy," added Dumbledore, seeming to completely change his demeanor, "I seem to remember that a few of Niger's friends have been coming by to see him. I think they could be allowed in now, don't you?"
Niger blanched. His friends? If Draco and Pansy had come to see him, they were the last people he wanted to talk to right now.
"I don't know Professor," Madame Pomfrey said hesitantly.
"What friends?" Niger asked suddenly. "Who was here?"
"Why, Mr. Weasley and Miss Granger have come to see you several times since this morning," Dumbledore answered, and Poppy nodded with something akin to exasperation.
"Yes, I believe I will go tell them you are alright. I'm sure they will be delighted to hear it."
As Dumbledore walked out humming to himself and Madame Pomfrey walked to her office muttering darkly; Niger just sat there. Ron and Hermione had come to see him? But he had beaten their team at Quidditch. He had seen Hermione crying. Had they come to see how he was, or had they hoped it was worse than they'd heard? He didn't have much time to think about it, however, because a mere minute after Dumbledore left, he heard the sound of running feet outside the infirmary.
"Niger!" yelled Hermione as she ran in, just ahead of Ron and Neville. "We're so glad you're okay!" she sobbed as she collapsed in a chair next to Niger's bed.
"Yeah, mate, what happened? One minute you were walking off the field and the next minute you were on the ground twitching and screaming. No one knew what was going on." Ron came over to him a bit slower than Hermione, but he also pulled up a chair and sat by the bed.
Neville came over to the bed and sat on the floor by Niger's head, smiling. "I'm glad I was around when Dumbledore came to get these two. I guess Madame Pomfrey didn't tell him about me trying to sneak in to see you earlier. Warn me if she comes out of her office. I don't think she'd be too keen on me being in here after that ordeal." Neville seemed amused by the fact that he'd almost gotten in trouble and coming from him, Niger almost laughed.
His heart felt lighter than it had all day. They weren't mad at him! He couldn't believe it. He was the whole reason their team had lost and they didn't hate him. He couldn't comprehend that, but he didn't think he really had to.
"So," started Hermione very seriously, deliberately ignoring Neville's confession, "What did happen, Niger?"
He swallowed. "My scar started to burn really bad, that's all." Seeing the bewildered appalled faces he just shrugged and added. "It's not the first time it's happened."
"You mean you have a scar that burns occasionally and makes you pass out and this is the first anyone has heard of it?" Ron didn't seem very believing.
"Well, it's just never hurt that bad before..." he said simply, just barely stopping himself from telling them the whole story.
Hermione gave him a meaningful look while Ron and Neville just looked confused. Hermione looked like she was going to say something, but decided against it, for which Niger was grateful. He didn't think he'd be up to answering any of Hermione's questions right now. She had a way of getting right to the point, especially when the point was the last thing you wanted getting to.
They sat talking for a while more before Niger decided to ask them. "Why aren't you guys mad at me?"
They stared at him for a second before Neville answered him. "You're our friend. And that really was a spectacular win. I mean, I've never seen a game turn around like that." He started gesticulating wildly as he spoke. "One minute you guys were being pummeled and the next, you'd won." He shrugged as though it was obvious.
"But, you, Hermione, you were crying. I saw you."
She laughed. "Like I care that much about a Quidditch match! You saw me in flying lessons. I really couldn't care less about the outcome of the game. I was crying for a different reason." Hermione blushed as she spoke and Niger thought he saw her direct a glare at Ron.
"Besides, she earns us so many points in classes that it doesn't matter to her if we win the Quidditch cup," Neville said, laughing. Hermione grinned sheepishly and her blush deepened.
Niger laughed along with everyone else and felt something akin to happiness flow through him. Well, that's different, he thought caustically.
In no time at all, Madame Pomfrey came back in and ordered them all to leave Niger alone. He had to laugh at the look on Madame Pomfrey's face when she saw Neville sitting on the floor beside the bed. It looked like she was about to spit nails. They all grudgingly left, telling him they would see him tomorrow. Niger, however, was condemned to stay in the infirmary for the night. This did not please him.
After dark, when Madame Pomfrey proclaimed that he must sleep, Niger began to get jumpy. With the others around, it had been hard to think on any one thing for very long, but without them here, his thoughts turned to topics he didn't want to think about. One of which was his father. How had he been able to see that vision? Why had it never happened before? A thought came to him. Perhaps it's because I allowed my emotions free reign. It may not have happened if I had been controlling them. This thought rather disturbed him. Did his father know he was capable of this? Wait! Maybe it was a test! Yes, father does that to me often. It had all been fake. His father was testing his loyalty; that was all. And with the ironically reassuring thought that it had all been a test, Niger drifted off to an uneasy sleep.
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m.e.: Yeah, I know. Some of my chapters are short, but I make up for it in style, don't I? -winks-
Chips Challenge: You go ahead and wonder that…it will be answered soon.
Adenara Yatman: lol Is that all you can say? Thanks for the review!
The Breeze: Wow. That is by far the longest review I've ever gotten that wasn't a flame! Lol Thanks so much. You brought up a lot of good points, and I only hope that you will continue to enjoy the story as it progresses! A lot of them might be answered in the next few chapters, while others are eluded to, and still other may not be answered for quite a while (ie. They aren't included in the story as of yet…). Thank you so much for the review!
sami1010220: Yes, it was supposed to be obvious that it was Dumbledore but I don't see why that would give a clue as to who he is to anybody… It could have been Professor Binns for all anyone cares, right? Nope, you'll just have to wait and see how many people actually know who he is.
Tarawen: Well, here it is! Thanks for the review.
Spaced Out Space Cadet: te-hehe I was actually kind of nervous about the Quidditch match. It seemed a little too predictable to me. Ah well, I'm glad you liked it! Yeah, I didn't really even want Slytherin to win, but since the real Harry was a natural on a broom and never lost a game (I refuse to remember the game in book three) it's safe to think that Niger would, even if he didn't have help from his team mates –shrugs- I'm almost to the new chapters for you! You've read one more after this one, I believe. Hope you'll still like the story!
Hermione HP: Yay! My short chapter wasn't evil! This one is about a page longer than the last one. I hope that will suffice. It starts to get interesting after this… te-hehe
Emmy: Thank you so much! I'm glad my story stopped your boredom even temporarily, and I am flattered that you find my work interesting. I hope you continue to do so. Thanks so much for the review!
PippinsMyHobbit: -blushes- Yeah, I know…I've been spoiled by the number of people that review this story. I have another story with seven chapters and only 23 reviews. Sadness. Sorry, but I really like reviews, and the more I get the happier I am!! Yay! Anywha, you reviewed, so I won't take your first born. Really…I wouldn't know what to do with it anyway! lol Yeah, I'm trying to fit my version of the story into canon despite the vast differences. I figured it was time the Weasley's got a bit of good luck. And really…I couldn't possibly change Fred and George! They are so perfect the way they are! Just like I couldn't very well change Hermione very much. She wasn't affected by the change in the Wizarding world, after all, being a muggle. I hope you liked this chapter.
Thanks to everyone for reviewing. You guys make my day! Flattery is always appreciated, and all of you are so good at it –winks- I should be posting in another four days, that is if my schedule allows it… So, chapter seven "Slytherin Hero" will be up, hopefully, by the 29th. Erm…I'm still not witty enough to think of another incentive, so…review or I'll sick my…fiancé on you! -tries to laugh until it's realized that it wasn't funny- sorry. I tried.