First, I want to thank all of my reviewers. I've never gotten so many for
just one chapter and they were all so helpful and encouraging so I added a
little extra for this chapter. Now that my beta has finally given a good
part of my story back (P.S. powergirl, thanks for looking it over.) I think
I will be able to update more frequently as I have about 90 pages ready to
go. Thanks again and keep reviewing!
**********
The moment Harry had fainted, Draco had run off to a nurses' station and snagged the first one he could find.
Together, they ran to room 412 where Harry still laid pressed against the cold tile.
The nurse crouched beside him and put a hand on his flushed forehead. "Oh, he's burning up. Wingardium Leviosa!" He rose in the air and gently lowered the unconscious boy to his bed. "Ennervate!" Harry's eyes opened slowly and he let out a low moan of pain. "Can you hear me?"
"Yes." Harry tried to say but it came out as a hiss as he shifted himself around the bed.
"What happened?"
"It's your magic de-tox. It-" She would have continued but another wave of pain shot through Harry, making him arch his back and bite his lip to stifle a scream. The nurse quickly shooed Draco out and then called the replacement doctor in.
Draco wandered down the hallway lost in his thoughts. He was so caught up in them he failed to notice a medi-witch running behind him and calling his name until she grabbed his elbow and dragged him down a corridor back to his room.
"Mr. Malfoy, where have you been?" She said with a huff as she pushed him back into bed and muttered the personal information spell. She didn't wait for an answer before replying, "The staff has been at its wits end, what with you and Mr. Potter running around here at all hours. What would other hospitals think!"
"That you're not putting those restraints to use as often as you should?" Draco muttered while glaring at the nurse.
She pretended not to hear him and continued on with her fussing. "I hope you're not in any pain, seeing as we can't get any more throat medicine for a while."
"Why?"
"There was an accident in the Potions Lab." She replied flippantly, ignorant to Draco's eyes widening. "I'm not sure what, thought. It was something with anti-Skelo-Gro."
Quickly, the bedridden blonde forcefully flung the covers up and hopped out of bed, ignoring the nurse sputtering behind him. He ran as fast as he could in his condition and by the time he reached a nurses' station, he was panting heavily.
He took a moment to compose himself; no Malfoy was ever seen as less than perfect in any situation.
"Could you please tell me where I might find." He was cut off by the soft elevator ping, which in itself would've barely caused a disturbance if not for the two people stumbling out of it. He smiled briefly at the sight before turning back to the nurse. "Never mind."
**********
By now, everyone who had left the waiting room had once again returned, excluding the five that had jobs (and the Grangers) and were now at them.
They watched as Dr. Carroll approached the group much like Dr. Johansson had a few days ago. The elderly man was the replacement doctor and was now regretting taking on the case after all the excitement that had happened. He inwardly cursed Joe for escaping when he did and leaving him with all the complications.
The doctor surveyed the group, his eyes resting briefly on a thin dark- haired man that reminded him of someone he once knew but he dismissed his suspicions. Sirius who was the recipient of this gaze breathed a small sigh of relief when the doctor looked away. Dr. Carroll had once been his doctor and it would do no good if the elderly wizard recognized him. Sirius had been able to walk freely in the hospital as many were too worried about their loved ones in the hospital or were too busy with their jobs and because he was in the recovery ward, he saw few Aurors besides Ari, something he was most grateful for.
He was drawn from his thoughts when the doctor spoke. "Mr. Potter is experiencing a magic de-tox. He'll be in a lot of pain, although we gave him a powerful muggle anesthetic. It might make him seem a little spacey. We think it would be best if family and friends surrounded him so we are going to allow you in. I must ask that you remain very quiet and don't crowd him." All members of the room were too happy to be allowed in to protest at all. "Alright, follow me." He gestured for them to come as he turned and went back down from where he came. They were right outside the room when three people ran down the hallway, stopping when they noticed a member of their party.
Ron looked to see Draco Malfoy flanked by two dark haired people, a man and a girl. Both were dressed in traveling cloaks, expensive ones if Ron was correct. He briefly thought he had seen the girl before but assumed she was visiting someone as well.
"Professor Snape," Draco began, panting after his run down the hallway, "Thank God you're here." He breathed in relief.
"Enough of the dramatics. Just get on with it." The girl huffed impatiently and tapped her foot against the floor. Ron detected a slight French accent.
"I would have if I wasn't interrupted, Allie." Draco said to 'Allie' who rolled her eyes. "Anyway, there was an accident in the Potions Lab."
Snape's face grew concerned, which surprised Ron greatly. He figured the sallow Potions Master was as emotionless as the toad liver that he made Ron cut up in many of his detentions. And as nasty, Ron thought as he wrinkled his nose thinking of the amphibian organs.
"Deadly?"
"No. Just stupid. Just a bone removing potion but it was a new potion and we need someone with your expertise to advise the doctors whether or not they should administer Skelo-Gro." The black haired boy said, flicking his head to toss the bangs out of his eyes.
Snape nodded his head, deep in thought. "Were you three involved?"
"Of course not. We are completely innocent in this situation." Draco said sweetly, looking every bit the angel with his fair features.
"He's about as innocent as his father was." Ron whispered to Hermione, causing her to glare at Ron.
Draco, who also heard the comment, opened his mouth to unleash a scathing retort but paused when he digested the whole sentence. "Was?" He asked in a quiet voice, searching the faces of his companions.
"Merde." Allie whispered, ducking her head at Draco's inquisitive look.
"What happened?" The blonde's face had lost all color; not that he had much anyway, but now was ghostly looking. His lips were drawn into a tight line and his eyes were dark gray and hiding all emotions from view. "Why is my father being referred to in the past tense?"
"Draco," Snape said, stepping forward and placing a hand on his shoulder, "Lucius is gone. He died yesterday."
Ron, meanwhile, had gone pale as well and the only color on his face was from the freckles that dotted his face. He had no idea that the other boy didn't know that his father was dead and now that he thought of it, it wasn't decent to bring that up in front of him even if he had known. Ron felt as heartless as he often accused Malfoy of being.
"And what of my mother?" His voice was so calm and composed that maybe Ron was right in his accusation. When Snape refused to answer Draco, the blonde boy nodded. "I see." With that, he turned and marched down the hallway, the same direction that he came. When the Slytherin reached the end of the hallway, he stopped near a stairwell and went downstairs.
Minerva McGonagall spoke up for the first time that day. "What's downstairs? I thought his room was on this floor."
"Downstairs? The morgue." Dr. Carroll replied with a sigh. Everyone shifted uncomfortably.
Allie made to go the way that Draco left but the other boy grabbed her shoulder and shook his head. "He needs to grieve and he won't do it properly if we're there. Let him go." She looked down towards the ground and the black haired boy grabbed her into a hug and whispered soothing words to her.
Trying to break the mood that had settled over them all, Snape quickly said, "I think we need to go to the Potions Lab. When Draco needs company he'll search us out." With that, all three left.
Ron was once again confused in his thoughts. He had never seen Snape act that nice to anyone, not even the Slytherins because that was fake adoration. Now it seemed genuine. He wondered how close Snape and Malfoy were because he was sure that not even his head of house would have been that kind. Ron still remembered what happened after Ginny had disappeared. McGonagall had been sympathetic but was not as truly concerned as Snape had been just then.
The youngest male Weasley also wondered who the other two were. They didn't look like the brutes Crabbe and Goyle were. Instead, they seemed fairly intelligent, nowhere near Hermione's level of intelligence, Ron thought haughtily. The three of them seemed to be.friends. Which was crazy since Malfoy was a git and gits had no friends.
He found himself in Harry's room when he was finally roused from his thoughts by an elbow from Fred as he tried to enter the room.
"Sorry, Ron, but you're blocking the doorway." His older brother said apologetically. Ron smiled and moved into the room.
They were all crowded around Harry's bed, watching as the young man opened his eyes and blinked at the crowd of people before him.
He gave a lopsided smile and waved a hand cheerily. "Oh, hello."
"Harry, are you alright?" Dumbledore asked as he approached the bed.
"Of course. I feel just dandy Headmaster, but what are you doing in Hogwarts' lake?" Harry was looking at Dumbledore and the picture on the wall but to the one in question it seemed that the boy was truly confused so the old wizard decided to humor him.
"Why, I'm going for a swim." He replied with a smile.
Harry seemed to accept this for he nodded his head and looked seriously for a moment. "Then you better not go naked as Myrtle likes to peep at you." Ignoring his Headmaster's red face, he turned towards the head of his house. "You too McGonagall. No skinny dipping."
"Of course Harry." She bit her lip to stop from smiling but not all others had that tact. Fred and George were practically bursting with laughter.
Harry turned towards the twins and his eyes widened with recognition. "Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum! What are you doing here?" Ginny and Bill had to hold back laughs at the names. "Alice, you're going to want to here the story of the Walrus and the Carpenter." He said to Ginny who nodded encouragingly. "I do hope they don't eat those oysters. I feel so sad." His nose wrinkled as he tried to remember something. Suddenly, he burst out into laughter, ignoring the surprised looks everyone gave him. "Pearls! Oysters! It's all a joke." He then howled with laughter and tossed around on the bed.
"Harry, mate? Are you okay?" Ron asked hesitantly, approaching the bed.
When Harry heard the voice, his hand reached out and grabbed the red head's arm and pulled him close. "Sam!" Ron tried to figure out who Sam was but Harry had once again continued talking now in a stage whisper. "We need to get the ring to Mordor and destroy it, but we must go alone and leave Strider," Now he glanced at Bill who simply raised an eyebrow and let him continue, "and Gimli," Now he glanced at Hagrid, "and Merry and Pippin." He glanced at Hermione but then looked around wildly for Pippin.
"What happened to Legolas and Boromir?" Fred asked teasingly.
Harry racked his brains for a moment, "Well the elf is gone. I don't think he likes me much because he said he won't be my friend. I want him as a friend." Harry said petulantly. "He's pretty. And Boromir." He turned his head and saw Charlie standing to the side. He opened his eyes really wide, an action repeated by Charlie who was slightly scared of what Harry's mind would come up with. "Thank the Valar! Boromir! You're alive. But you can't have my ring."
"Of course not Harry." Charlie replied seriously. This seemed to do because once again Harry directed his gaze elsewhere. Onto Professor Lupin.
"Professor!" He exclaimed delightedly. "How are you?" Then his eyes took on suspicion. "Have you captured those monkeys yet?"
"Monkeys, Harry?" The werewolf asked hesitantly.
"Well, I suppose the monkeys are hairy unless Sam and Merry decided to shave them." All gazes turned towards Ron and Hermione who shrugged in response.
"I meant, what monkeys?"
"Well if you don't know, I won't tell you." Once again he giggled. "That sounds like what he said!" He giggled again.
"What who said?" Dumbledore asked gently.
"What Salazar said." He said and then added as an after thought, "Duh."
"Slytherin?" At Harry's nod he quietly asked, "What did he say?"
"For me to know and to be revealed to you." Harry said in a spooky voice before he laughed again. "He doesn't like hats. He likes stairs and secrets and chambers and wards and I think he was sweet on Rowena but Max the dog just doesn't believe me." Harry gestured towards the lamp before turning back towards the crowd. "So Gandalf how was Moria?"
"It was mostly work, no pleasure." Dumbledore sighed, falling back into the role.
"Then I guess McGonagall wasn't with you." Harry said slyly, making everyone burst out into laughter and the two teachers blush.
"No, just a Balrog."
"Oh." Harry said quietly, "I heard they're kinky, walking around with whips and stuff." This caused everyone to laugh and Harry to stare at them, puzzled by their actions. He was about to say more but his body jerked up in a seizure from the magic de-tox and he cried out in pain. After a minute or two he calmed down. "Oh no! I've become Simon!" He groaned and slapped his forehead. "Don't let Jack kill me, Ralph." He looked towards Sirius as he said this. Then he turned to Percy. "You better watch out, too, Piggy. He's after you."
"Don't worry Harry, er, Simon. Jack's gone." Sirius said gently.
"Phew. I think I'll go to sleep. Bye." Harry turned on his side and pulled the covers up to his chin.
After a chorus of good-byes, they all left the room.
************
"So.how're you feeling?" The black haired man asked with a smile as he stared at his sister.
"Fine for a piece of Jell-o." Andrea said with a sigh as she tried to move her arm but instead just caused it to wriggle.
"You lost forty-two bones." Allie said with a smirk as she watched her sister try to sit up.
"Really? I hadn't noticed." She paused and stared around the room. "Where's Draco?" She said at last.
Both of their faces fell but Snape who walked through the door with a goblet spared them from answering the question. "Here, drink this." As she drank, he began talking. "Draco found out his parents died."
Nearly spitting out the potion, Andrea managed to force out a 'how'.
"Ronald Weasley." Snape muttered with distaste.
"Bastard." Snape eyed Allie oddly who just shrugged. "Well he is. He should have never brought that up." All three murmured in agreement.
"Where is he now?" Andrea asked as she finished drinking the entire potion.
"The morgue." Her brother Randolph replied, gazing down the hallway as if waiting for the blonde boy to appear.
************
The moment he was out of sight, Draco ran madly down the stairs to the morgue. He remembered going with his father to identify his uncle's body so he knew the way even as tears were clouding his vision.
The young Slytherin brushed past a medical examiner and threw the heavy metal doors open with as much force as he could. He stopped in front of a woman who stood over a sheet-covered body.
"Excuse me." He began, as composed as ever.
She turned around in shock and stared at him for a moment. "You're not supposed to be down here."
Draco sighed and closed his eyes. He had other methods of getting information out of this lady. When he opened his eyes again, they were no longer the dark gray eyes that the world saw. Instead his eyes were hypnotic swirling mists that held the woman's will in his smoky grasp.
"Will you help me?" Draco's voice was not the silky hiss, but, like his eyes, his voice had changed into a deep velvety caress.
Dumbly, the woman nodded her head.
"Good. Where are the." He choked on the next word, "bodies of Lucius and Narcissa Malfoy?" Again the woman said nothing but managed to point to two metal squares, one on top of the other, on the wall to his right. "Thank you." Then, dropping his cool composure, he ran towards the wall and dragged open the heavy slab with the name Narcissa Malfoy posted to it. An icy mist rose around his face as a dark bag was pulled into view. Unzipping it carefully, he looked into the still face of his mother.
This.creature was not his mother. Gone were the delicate features of Narcissa that created a beautiful woman. Instead were claw like hands, an elongated face and fangs peering out from her bloodless mouth. She was partially transformed into a veela, half of her heritage, but Draco was not shocked nor did he know the reason on the change. In all the years he knew his mother, she had never altered her appearance like this. She had never laid a hand on him before, either, Draco thought as he rubbed his neck gently. Something had happened to her, Draco knew, and he intended to figure out what. He grasped her claw like hand and shed a few tears over her body before kissing her forehead.
"Good-bye Mother, rest in peace." He placed a hand over her face and quietly whispered, "Recurro." Narcissa's face once again showed her frosted beauty. He didn't want anyone telling him his mother was a monster, which is what would happen when the hospitals leaked the pictures. He closed the body bag and pushed it back into wall. Then he turned towards his father's.
Doing as he did with his mother, he began to unzip the bag. However, instead of a monster like appearance like his mother had had, his father's face was much more gruesome. It looked like some rabid beast had attacked him and tore him apart with its claws. Deep gashes ran across his face in every direction and Draco was sure it was worse on the lower half. He purposely kept that part closed. Draco didn't dare grab his hand like he did his mother for he was too frightened to see what was left of it. Instead, he pushed the silvery hair out of his fathers face and stroked an unblemished part of his cheek. He stopped in shock when he noticed a sprinkle of blood that had not been there before. Brushing his hand over the skin again, the dots of blood increased in amount.
Shaking, he turned his hand over and saw flecks of frozen blood melting in his hand. The hand that held his mother's. Looking around for a sink, he spotted one and dunked his hand under the cold spray, watching the red trickle down the drain. He braced his hands against the sink before going back over to his father's body. He placed a kiss on his forehead like he had to his mother and was prepared to seal up the bag again when something stopped him.
This was the end of his childhood. The single defining moment that he would remember forever; it was the day he said good-bye to his parents and assumed the position of the head of the Malfoy family, his father's place. The thought rushed around in his head and he collapsed to his knees, a fresh bout of tears springing from his eyes and landing on the body bag where Draco rested his head. For an hour he cried until his eyes were swollen and he had no more tears to cry. But crying wasn't the only way to deal with grief in his family. He let his head hang back and opened his mouth to create a blood-chilling scream that carried throughout the hospital. Patients flinched in their sleep, tears sprung in the eyes of those awake, babies cried more, the injured stopped wincing at their injuries and the ones in the mental ward stopped shrieking. Then there was silence in the whole hospital for a moment. And then everything started up again as if nothing had ever happened, so was the way of a veela's mourning.
*********
The four black haired people lifted their heads at the sound of the shriek, only they didn't forget.
"Go after him Randolph." Allie said, gently pushing her brother out the door. "You understand what it's like to loose both of your parents." He nodded and swept from the room. "Andy, what happened to you? You've never fainted while making a potion."
Snape, who had just returned from putting the Skelo-Gro back, looked up curiously.
She sighed softly before speaking. "He reached out to me." All in the room closed their eyes in a pained fashion for they all knew what this meant.
"Then it's time." Allie mumbled. "He needs to know." She directed this to the Potions Master who hovered uncertainly.
"Maybe we should wait." He began.
"We've waited for thirteen years. Pulling me in like that only proves it and if we wait to tell him and he does it again, he'll know anyway." Andrea stated, wincing as she felt her hand re-grow its bones.
"But not now. He's on pain killers now and he probably wouldn't understand a thing we tell him." Snape commented.
"Not now." Allie agreed. "But soon."
***********
When Randolph burst through the doors in the morgue, he quickly scanned the whole room looking for a flash of silvery blond hair. His eyes flicked over the worker who was just standing there in a daze before locating the boy lying over the body of his father. Quickly, he ran and pulled Draco off him.
"Let go of me." Draco gritted out through clenched teeth, trying to get back to his family.
"No." He said simply, wrestling with the boy and tugging him to the other side of the room. When it seemed that it would be difficult to keep him away, Randolph whipped out his wand and cast the body-bind curse on Draco. He laid the boy on the ground and walked over to the deformed face of Lucius Malfoy and re-zipped the bag and closed the chamber.
He released Draco from the charm and was prepared when he ran towards him, intent on seeing his father again.
"Just leave me alone, Randolph."
"No way, Drake. This isn't healthy. You need to let go."
Draco's face twisted in rage. "Let go? Let go! He's my father. I can't just let him go, you uncaring bastard." He ran at the older man but found himself pinned to the floor.
"Yes, Lucius is dead, Draco." At these words, he stopped struggling. "You'll just make yourself sick by staring at him like that because that's not your father. That's just his body; the man's gone Draco."
"But I could bring him back." Draco whispered. "I know a spell, I could do it."
More forcefully, Randolph gripped his wrists and held them to the side of Draco's head. "No! What the hell do you think you would be doing? He'd be a zombie, not a person."
"He'd be alive." Draco said staring towards the wall his father was behind.
Randolph yanked his head back to meet his. "You will not attempt any spell like that, do you hear me? Grieve for him, cry, or kick the shit out of me, I don't care but just let him go."
Draco chocked on his words. "How can I let him go when I want him here with me more than anything?"
"Because Lucius would hate himself for what was taken from you to complete that spell and bring him back. You lose bits of your soul Draco. That's why the magic is so dark." He sighed and bent his head. "But it gets easier, you know? The sadness won't go away but every morning, it's easier to get up in the morning without thinking of ways how you can join them."
"What did it feel like when you lost your parents?"
He took a deep breath and released Draco. "I felt so alone and abandoned. I cursed them for leaving me and then I cursed myself for not being strong enough to go to them. There was a hole inside of me and I felt like I would never be complete again."
"Were you?"
"No." At Draco's disappointed face he added, "But the hole got smaller by other people. Like my sisters, Severus, you and your family, and my friends. I won't lie and say that this is my perfect life, Draco, but I love it and all the people in it and I wouldn't trade any of them for my parents to be alive because then a new hole would form and I still wouldn't be complete." Draco nodded slowly and let a tear slide down his face.
"I don't feel alone. I have you guys, right?"
"Always." He gave a small smile and climbed off his cousin. "Want to come watch Andrea grow her bones back?"
"I think I just want to sleep."
"Okay, but come back with us. There's an extra bed in Andrea's room." Draco nodded and they stood to leave. "Oh, by the way, you might want to release that lady from your spell."
"I kind of like her better this way." ************
"Ow. Mione! Stop that!" Ron cried as his best friend smacked him across the waiting room after they left their other best friend's room.
"You are such a moron, Ronald Weasley." She said each word as she slapped a magazine against his head. "Maybe I can beat the stupidity out of you."
"Not likely or else I would have tried it." Snape's silky voice said as he slid into the room.
With a final 'whap', she sat back down and glared at the redheaded boy. "You really are a moron."
"I'm sorry, okay?" Ron pleaded, eyes closing in relief as she put the magazine down. "I didn't know he had no idea about his parents. I feel awful." He collapsed next to Sirius who patted his shoulder awkwardly.
"How could you not have known? It's been in the papers that the whole family was in the hospital, morgue or room, and it wasn't like they were very informed in here." Percy said.
"Well I didn't. What happened to his family anyway?" Ron asked, rubbing his head tenderly.
"That, Mr. Weasley," Snape said in his icy voice, "Is a matter between Mr. Malfoy and his family."
"What family?" Ron snorted.
With a resounding slap, Hermione stalked back to her seat and left Ron lying on the floor with a red handprint on his face. "You enormous prick!"
"Hermione!" Molly shouted from her seat.
"How dare you? He may not be here but there is no reason for you to talk ill of the dead. That is the most insensitive thing I have ever heard you say!"
Snape looked at her with vague admiration and nearly smiled at the sprawled body of his student still on the floor.
"Albus how was Potter?" Snape asked, as he turned his interest away from the two and to his employer.
"A little out of it like the doctor said. He's asleep now. It seems he's been reading an awful lot this summer, wouldn't you say Sirius?" He turned his twinkling blue eyes to Sirius who smiled back.
"He has. Lord of the Rings, Lord of the Flies and others."
"I was wondering where Piggy and Ralph came from." Arthur said thoughtfully.
"Dear God, don't tell me he compared himself to the martyr, Simon, did he?" Snape groaned.
"Yes, he did. And also Frodo Baggins." Albus mussed thoughtfully.
"That is just like the boy with his swelled head to place himself as the martyr and the center of the universe."
"Come now, Severus. He was merely confused."
"He must have been to see a comparison between himself and those characters."
"Now tell me what happened in the Potions Lab. Were you of any assistance?"
Snape sighed and sank into one of the chairs. "Yes. The potion was brewed perfectly so there were no complications but for the life of me I can't figure out the use for a potion that removes bones." Albus chuckled slightly. "Anyway, Andrea claims that she was 'called'." He gave Dumbledore a significant glance and the old man nodded gravely.
"Well, I believe you know what to do."
"Yes. But not now; we've decided to wait for a few days until everything is more.lucid."
"Good plan then. Now I believe we have some business at the patents' office."
After they left, Ginny looked towards Hermione. "What was that about?"
"I don't know."
**********
Harry was sleeping peacefully when he suddenly sprang up from bed his more coherent than he had been that afternoon. He let out a soft groan of pain and flopped back onto the bed. He felt that the medicine was gone and all of his pain intensified. His body ached all over in varying amounts but the pain was constant and that was not the source of his soft exclamation. His head felt like it was stuffed with cotton; it was thick and hazy and he could barely think but Harry simply couldn't figure out why. He knew he was alone in his room but when he closed his eyes, he felt like he was in a crowded street.
He tried to go to sleep again but his door opening interrupted that. Inside walked Joe who was still supposed to be gone for another day, but he wasn't alone. His doctor was dressed up in a tuxedo and was escorting a young woman on his arm that also dressed fancifully. Harry took a moment to study her as they stepped into the light.
She had long brown hair that hung down her back in gentle curls over her light blue strapless dress. Her eyes were brown also and her oval face seemed intelligent. In a way, she reminded him of Hermione; a person with plain beauty and understated grace that was as sharp and quick as they came. The woman vaguely reminded him of someone and as he thought, a mental image of Penelope Clearwater flashed through his brain but it was a picture of Percy's girlfriend that he had never seen before and unless he had a rather vivid imagination, the memory wasn't his.
"Oh, Harry, you're awake." Joe said as he closed the door behind him and turned on a light. "Am I disturbing you? Has your pain medication worn off yet?"
Harry shook his head and sat in thought about the memory as Joe did the PI spell on him again. "No, I'm fine and yes, my medicine is gone. Why are you back so early? And who's your fiancé?"
"Oh, this is Caitlin, she's.wait." He looked at Harry strangely. "How'd you know she was my fiancé? I just proposed last night."
His eyes opened in shock and under Joe's scrutinizing gaze, Harry nervously scooted backwards on the bed until he was flush against the headboard and curled in the fetal position. "I-I don't know." He said quietly as he tried to sort out his thoughts but to no avail. Thoughts and questions plagued him, as did theories from books he had never read and images of people he had never met.
"Harry, what's my middle name?" He spoke calmly but Harry could tell he was weary of his patient.
Harry concentrated for a moment and closed his eyes, he opened them and stared directly at his physician. "Luke."
"Oh my God." Joe whispered as he sat in the chair and placed his head in his hands.
"Joe? What is it? What's wrong?" Caitlin asked as she leant over her betrothed.
"Harry, I'm going to ask you questions really fast. Answer what you can." He began with new determination. "What's Caitlin's full name?"
"Caitlin Maria Clearwater." Harry answered tonelessly, both males ignoring the shocked gasp from the other person in the room.
"I graduated from Hogwarts how many years ago."
"Six."
"My great-aunt's name is."
"Eleanor."
"I like."
"Peas."
"Do I really?"
"No because.they're round?" Harry looked puzzled for a moment. "You dislike round things?"
Joe took a quick glance at Caitlin who looked amused. "No, of course not. That was..a test. Let's continue. Okay what is-"
"Douglas, Six, square, two, football, French, potatoes, Mars, swimming and bed linens." He looked over at Joe's shocked face. "Is that all the questions?"
"Well, the last answer was 'pillow case' but I think I'll let that go." Joe said lightly although his eyes betrayed him with the severity of the situation.
Harry heard Joe's thoughts loud and clear and he sighed. "Joe? What's happening?"
"I don't know." He sighed also and ran a hand through his hair. "There are some books about people who-"
"I know." At Joe's shocked look, he rolled his eyes. "I can read your mind, remember?" Just then, everything went quiet again. "Hey. It stopped."
Joe looked up and stopped raking his fingers through his hair. "What?"
"That mind thing. It's gone. Maybe it was just a passing thing." Harry shrugged.
"Or it's just phasing in and out until you learn to control it." Caitlin suggested. Both males looked up in surprise; they had completely forgotten she was even in the room. "Hey, I'm an Obliverator; mind affecting spells and conditions are my specialty." The doctor slapped himself on the forehead in his stupidity and Harry remained unmoved.
"So, this means I'm some sort of mind reader?" Harry asked.
"Telepath." Both adults said at the same time and Harry smirked.
"Okay, so I'm a telepath. How 'bout we get to the why part."
"If we knew the why and the how then this would all be solved." Joe said.
"Well, we can all rake our brains for the answers, or," She added mischievously, "Harry could rake our minds for us," Harry grinned at her sad attempt at humor and Joe rolled his eyes, "But unfortunately, we know nothing so I think we better just sleep on it and begin again in the morning." Harry nodded and she grabbed Joe's arm and pulled him out the door. They all mumbled their good-byes and Harry rolled on his side.
So, he was a telepath. Once again something miraculous only happened to him; he really didn't need or want another reason to stand out. However, on the other hand, he supposed it could be a little interesting being able to peak into people's minds. It would also be an extreme invasion of privacy, but he doubted whether he would be hesitant about using his gift on someone like that Skeeter woman who had no idea the meaning of privacy breach. Or possibly Malfoy..
Harry shook his head and tried his best to stop that train of thought. A small voice inside him was saying that maybe Draco had been right in saying that they weren't ready to be friends yet. Harry would never dream of peaking into Ron or Hermione's mind so why was he trying to invade the mind of his newest friend?
'Maybe because he's not your friend yet.' There was the small voice again which oddly sounded like Snape's unctuous tone. He quickly shushed the voice and tried to go back to sleep but his mind was cluttered with thoughts, most containing the petit blond boy who held an undecided status with him. Truthfully, he couldn't figure out why he wanted to be friends with Draco in the first place. All he knew was that he wanted the same Draco he met a few nights ago with Andrea. The one whose eyes lit up when he laughed and made cynical and sarcastic comments but managed to do it without malice. Harry wanted to be friends with the only person who could keep him on his toes, be his mirror image and an equal while standing for everything he himself stood against. The feelings rushed around in his head and confused him. It would be a long time before he went to sleep that night.
**********
**********
The moment Harry had fainted, Draco had run off to a nurses' station and snagged the first one he could find.
Together, they ran to room 412 where Harry still laid pressed against the cold tile.
The nurse crouched beside him and put a hand on his flushed forehead. "Oh, he's burning up. Wingardium Leviosa!" He rose in the air and gently lowered the unconscious boy to his bed. "Ennervate!" Harry's eyes opened slowly and he let out a low moan of pain. "Can you hear me?"
"Yes." Harry tried to say but it came out as a hiss as he shifted himself around the bed.
"What happened?"
"It's your magic de-tox. It-" She would have continued but another wave of pain shot through Harry, making him arch his back and bite his lip to stifle a scream. The nurse quickly shooed Draco out and then called the replacement doctor in.
Draco wandered down the hallway lost in his thoughts. He was so caught up in them he failed to notice a medi-witch running behind him and calling his name until she grabbed his elbow and dragged him down a corridor back to his room.
"Mr. Malfoy, where have you been?" She said with a huff as she pushed him back into bed and muttered the personal information spell. She didn't wait for an answer before replying, "The staff has been at its wits end, what with you and Mr. Potter running around here at all hours. What would other hospitals think!"
"That you're not putting those restraints to use as often as you should?" Draco muttered while glaring at the nurse.
She pretended not to hear him and continued on with her fussing. "I hope you're not in any pain, seeing as we can't get any more throat medicine for a while."
"Why?"
"There was an accident in the Potions Lab." She replied flippantly, ignorant to Draco's eyes widening. "I'm not sure what, thought. It was something with anti-Skelo-Gro."
Quickly, the bedridden blonde forcefully flung the covers up and hopped out of bed, ignoring the nurse sputtering behind him. He ran as fast as he could in his condition and by the time he reached a nurses' station, he was panting heavily.
He took a moment to compose himself; no Malfoy was ever seen as less than perfect in any situation.
"Could you please tell me where I might find." He was cut off by the soft elevator ping, which in itself would've barely caused a disturbance if not for the two people stumbling out of it. He smiled briefly at the sight before turning back to the nurse. "Never mind."
**********
By now, everyone who had left the waiting room had once again returned, excluding the five that had jobs (and the Grangers) and were now at them.
They watched as Dr. Carroll approached the group much like Dr. Johansson had a few days ago. The elderly man was the replacement doctor and was now regretting taking on the case after all the excitement that had happened. He inwardly cursed Joe for escaping when he did and leaving him with all the complications.
The doctor surveyed the group, his eyes resting briefly on a thin dark- haired man that reminded him of someone he once knew but he dismissed his suspicions. Sirius who was the recipient of this gaze breathed a small sigh of relief when the doctor looked away. Dr. Carroll had once been his doctor and it would do no good if the elderly wizard recognized him. Sirius had been able to walk freely in the hospital as many were too worried about their loved ones in the hospital or were too busy with their jobs and because he was in the recovery ward, he saw few Aurors besides Ari, something he was most grateful for.
He was drawn from his thoughts when the doctor spoke. "Mr. Potter is experiencing a magic de-tox. He'll be in a lot of pain, although we gave him a powerful muggle anesthetic. It might make him seem a little spacey. We think it would be best if family and friends surrounded him so we are going to allow you in. I must ask that you remain very quiet and don't crowd him." All members of the room were too happy to be allowed in to protest at all. "Alright, follow me." He gestured for them to come as he turned and went back down from where he came. They were right outside the room when three people ran down the hallway, stopping when they noticed a member of their party.
Ron looked to see Draco Malfoy flanked by two dark haired people, a man and a girl. Both were dressed in traveling cloaks, expensive ones if Ron was correct. He briefly thought he had seen the girl before but assumed she was visiting someone as well.
"Professor Snape," Draco began, panting after his run down the hallway, "Thank God you're here." He breathed in relief.
"Enough of the dramatics. Just get on with it." The girl huffed impatiently and tapped her foot against the floor. Ron detected a slight French accent.
"I would have if I wasn't interrupted, Allie." Draco said to 'Allie' who rolled her eyes. "Anyway, there was an accident in the Potions Lab."
Snape's face grew concerned, which surprised Ron greatly. He figured the sallow Potions Master was as emotionless as the toad liver that he made Ron cut up in many of his detentions. And as nasty, Ron thought as he wrinkled his nose thinking of the amphibian organs.
"Deadly?"
"No. Just stupid. Just a bone removing potion but it was a new potion and we need someone with your expertise to advise the doctors whether or not they should administer Skelo-Gro." The black haired boy said, flicking his head to toss the bangs out of his eyes.
Snape nodded his head, deep in thought. "Were you three involved?"
"Of course not. We are completely innocent in this situation." Draco said sweetly, looking every bit the angel with his fair features.
"He's about as innocent as his father was." Ron whispered to Hermione, causing her to glare at Ron.
Draco, who also heard the comment, opened his mouth to unleash a scathing retort but paused when he digested the whole sentence. "Was?" He asked in a quiet voice, searching the faces of his companions.
"Merde." Allie whispered, ducking her head at Draco's inquisitive look.
"What happened?" The blonde's face had lost all color; not that he had much anyway, but now was ghostly looking. His lips were drawn into a tight line and his eyes were dark gray and hiding all emotions from view. "Why is my father being referred to in the past tense?"
"Draco," Snape said, stepping forward and placing a hand on his shoulder, "Lucius is gone. He died yesterday."
Ron, meanwhile, had gone pale as well and the only color on his face was from the freckles that dotted his face. He had no idea that the other boy didn't know that his father was dead and now that he thought of it, it wasn't decent to bring that up in front of him even if he had known. Ron felt as heartless as he often accused Malfoy of being.
"And what of my mother?" His voice was so calm and composed that maybe Ron was right in his accusation. When Snape refused to answer Draco, the blonde boy nodded. "I see." With that, he turned and marched down the hallway, the same direction that he came. When the Slytherin reached the end of the hallway, he stopped near a stairwell and went downstairs.
Minerva McGonagall spoke up for the first time that day. "What's downstairs? I thought his room was on this floor."
"Downstairs? The morgue." Dr. Carroll replied with a sigh. Everyone shifted uncomfortably.
Allie made to go the way that Draco left but the other boy grabbed her shoulder and shook his head. "He needs to grieve and he won't do it properly if we're there. Let him go." She looked down towards the ground and the black haired boy grabbed her into a hug and whispered soothing words to her.
Trying to break the mood that had settled over them all, Snape quickly said, "I think we need to go to the Potions Lab. When Draco needs company he'll search us out." With that, all three left.
Ron was once again confused in his thoughts. He had never seen Snape act that nice to anyone, not even the Slytherins because that was fake adoration. Now it seemed genuine. He wondered how close Snape and Malfoy were because he was sure that not even his head of house would have been that kind. Ron still remembered what happened after Ginny had disappeared. McGonagall had been sympathetic but was not as truly concerned as Snape had been just then.
The youngest male Weasley also wondered who the other two were. They didn't look like the brutes Crabbe and Goyle were. Instead, they seemed fairly intelligent, nowhere near Hermione's level of intelligence, Ron thought haughtily. The three of them seemed to be.friends. Which was crazy since Malfoy was a git and gits had no friends.
He found himself in Harry's room when he was finally roused from his thoughts by an elbow from Fred as he tried to enter the room.
"Sorry, Ron, but you're blocking the doorway." His older brother said apologetically. Ron smiled and moved into the room.
They were all crowded around Harry's bed, watching as the young man opened his eyes and blinked at the crowd of people before him.
He gave a lopsided smile and waved a hand cheerily. "Oh, hello."
"Harry, are you alright?" Dumbledore asked as he approached the bed.
"Of course. I feel just dandy Headmaster, but what are you doing in Hogwarts' lake?" Harry was looking at Dumbledore and the picture on the wall but to the one in question it seemed that the boy was truly confused so the old wizard decided to humor him.
"Why, I'm going for a swim." He replied with a smile.
Harry seemed to accept this for he nodded his head and looked seriously for a moment. "Then you better not go naked as Myrtle likes to peep at you." Ignoring his Headmaster's red face, he turned towards the head of his house. "You too McGonagall. No skinny dipping."
"Of course Harry." She bit her lip to stop from smiling but not all others had that tact. Fred and George were practically bursting with laughter.
Harry turned towards the twins and his eyes widened with recognition. "Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum! What are you doing here?" Ginny and Bill had to hold back laughs at the names. "Alice, you're going to want to here the story of the Walrus and the Carpenter." He said to Ginny who nodded encouragingly. "I do hope they don't eat those oysters. I feel so sad." His nose wrinkled as he tried to remember something. Suddenly, he burst out into laughter, ignoring the surprised looks everyone gave him. "Pearls! Oysters! It's all a joke." He then howled with laughter and tossed around on the bed.
"Harry, mate? Are you okay?" Ron asked hesitantly, approaching the bed.
When Harry heard the voice, his hand reached out and grabbed the red head's arm and pulled him close. "Sam!" Ron tried to figure out who Sam was but Harry had once again continued talking now in a stage whisper. "We need to get the ring to Mordor and destroy it, but we must go alone and leave Strider," Now he glanced at Bill who simply raised an eyebrow and let him continue, "and Gimli," Now he glanced at Hagrid, "and Merry and Pippin." He glanced at Hermione but then looked around wildly for Pippin.
"What happened to Legolas and Boromir?" Fred asked teasingly.
Harry racked his brains for a moment, "Well the elf is gone. I don't think he likes me much because he said he won't be my friend. I want him as a friend." Harry said petulantly. "He's pretty. And Boromir." He turned his head and saw Charlie standing to the side. He opened his eyes really wide, an action repeated by Charlie who was slightly scared of what Harry's mind would come up with. "Thank the Valar! Boromir! You're alive. But you can't have my ring."
"Of course not Harry." Charlie replied seriously. This seemed to do because once again Harry directed his gaze elsewhere. Onto Professor Lupin.
"Professor!" He exclaimed delightedly. "How are you?" Then his eyes took on suspicion. "Have you captured those monkeys yet?"
"Monkeys, Harry?" The werewolf asked hesitantly.
"Well, I suppose the monkeys are hairy unless Sam and Merry decided to shave them." All gazes turned towards Ron and Hermione who shrugged in response.
"I meant, what monkeys?"
"Well if you don't know, I won't tell you." Once again he giggled. "That sounds like what he said!" He giggled again.
"What who said?" Dumbledore asked gently.
"What Salazar said." He said and then added as an after thought, "Duh."
"Slytherin?" At Harry's nod he quietly asked, "What did he say?"
"For me to know and to be revealed to you." Harry said in a spooky voice before he laughed again. "He doesn't like hats. He likes stairs and secrets and chambers and wards and I think he was sweet on Rowena but Max the dog just doesn't believe me." Harry gestured towards the lamp before turning back towards the crowd. "So Gandalf how was Moria?"
"It was mostly work, no pleasure." Dumbledore sighed, falling back into the role.
"Then I guess McGonagall wasn't with you." Harry said slyly, making everyone burst out into laughter and the two teachers blush.
"No, just a Balrog."
"Oh." Harry said quietly, "I heard they're kinky, walking around with whips and stuff." This caused everyone to laugh and Harry to stare at them, puzzled by their actions. He was about to say more but his body jerked up in a seizure from the magic de-tox and he cried out in pain. After a minute or two he calmed down. "Oh no! I've become Simon!" He groaned and slapped his forehead. "Don't let Jack kill me, Ralph." He looked towards Sirius as he said this. Then he turned to Percy. "You better watch out, too, Piggy. He's after you."
"Don't worry Harry, er, Simon. Jack's gone." Sirius said gently.
"Phew. I think I'll go to sleep. Bye." Harry turned on his side and pulled the covers up to his chin.
After a chorus of good-byes, they all left the room.
************
"So.how're you feeling?" The black haired man asked with a smile as he stared at his sister.
"Fine for a piece of Jell-o." Andrea said with a sigh as she tried to move her arm but instead just caused it to wriggle.
"You lost forty-two bones." Allie said with a smirk as she watched her sister try to sit up.
"Really? I hadn't noticed." She paused and stared around the room. "Where's Draco?" She said at last.
Both of their faces fell but Snape who walked through the door with a goblet spared them from answering the question. "Here, drink this." As she drank, he began talking. "Draco found out his parents died."
Nearly spitting out the potion, Andrea managed to force out a 'how'.
"Ronald Weasley." Snape muttered with distaste.
"Bastard." Snape eyed Allie oddly who just shrugged. "Well he is. He should have never brought that up." All three murmured in agreement.
"Where is he now?" Andrea asked as she finished drinking the entire potion.
"The morgue." Her brother Randolph replied, gazing down the hallway as if waiting for the blonde boy to appear.
************
The moment he was out of sight, Draco ran madly down the stairs to the morgue. He remembered going with his father to identify his uncle's body so he knew the way even as tears were clouding his vision.
The young Slytherin brushed past a medical examiner and threw the heavy metal doors open with as much force as he could. He stopped in front of a woman who stood over a sheet-covered body.
"Excuse me." He began, as composed as ever.
She turned around in shock and stared at him for a moment. "You're not supposed to be down here."
Draco sighed and closed his eyes. He had other methods of getting information out of this lady. When he opened his eyes again, they were no longer the dark gray eyes that the world saw. Instead his eyes were hypnotic swirling mists that held the woman's will in his smoky grasp.
"Will you help me?" Draco's voice was not the silky hiss, but, like his eyes, his voice had changed into a deep velvety caress.
Dumbly, the woman nodded her head.
"Good. Where are the." He choked on the next word, "bodies of Lucius and Narcissa Malfoy?" Again the woman said nothing but managed to point to two metal squares, one on top of the other, on the wall to his right. "Thank you." Then, dropping his cool composure, he ran towards the wall and dragged open the heavy slab with the name Narcissa Malfoy posted to it. An icy mist rose around his face as a dark bag was pulled into view. Unzipping it carefully, he looked into the still face of his mother.
This.creature was not his mother. Gone were the delicate features of Narcissa that created a beautiful woman. Instead were claw like hands, an elongated face and fangs peering out from her bloodless mouth. She was partially transformed into a veela, half of her heritage, but Draco was not shocked nor did he know the reason on the change. In all the years he knew his mother, she had never altered her appearance like this. She had never laid a hand on him before, either, Draco thought as he rubbed his neck gently. Something had happened to her, Draco knew, and he intended to figure out what. He grasped her claw like hand and shed a few tears over her body before kissing her forehead.
"Good-bye Mother, rest in peace." He placed a hand over her face and quietly whispered, "Recurro." Narcissa's face once again showed her frosted beauty. He didn't want anyone telling him his mother was a monster, which is what would happen when the hospitals leaked the pictures. He closed the body bag and pushed it back into wall. Then he turned towards his father's.
Doing as he did with his mother, he began to unzip the bag. However, instead of a monster like appearance like his mother had had, his father's face was much more gruesome. It looked like some rabid beast had attacked him and tore him apart with its claws. Deep gashes ran across his face in every direction and Draco was sure it was worse on the lower half. He purposely kept that part closed. Draco didn't dare grab his hand like he did his mother for he was too frightened to see what was left of it. Instead, he pushed the silvery hair out of his fathers face and stroked an unblemished part of his cheek. He stopped in shock when he noticed a sprinkle of blood that had not been there before. Brushing his hand over the skin again, the dots of blood increased in amount.
Shaking, he turned his hand over and saw flecks of frozen blood melting in his hand. The hand that held his mother's. Looking around for a sink, he spotted one and dunked his hand under the cold spray, watching the red trickle down the drain. He braced his hands against the sink before going back over to his father's body. He placed a kiss on his forehead like he had to his mother and was prepared to seal up the bag again when something stopped him.
This was the end of his childhood. The single defining moment that he would remember forever; it was the day he said good-bye to his parents and assumed the position of the head of the Malfoy family, his father's place. The thought rushed around in his head and he collapsed to his knees, a fresh bout of tears springing from his eyes and landing on the body bag where Draco rested his head. For an hour he cried until his eyes were swollen and he had no more tears to cry. But crying wasn't the only way to deal with grief in his family. He let his head hang back and opened his mouth to create a blood-chilling scream that carried throughout the hospital. Patients flinched in their sleep, tears sprung in the eyes of those awake, babies cried more, the injured stopped wincing at their injuries and the ones in the mental ward stopped shrieking. Then there was silence in the whole hospital for a moment. And then everything started up again as if nothing had ever happened, so was the way of a veela's mourning.
*********
The four black haired people lifted their heads at the sound of the shriek, only they didn't forget.
"Go after him Randolph." Allie said, gently pushing her brother out the door. "You understand what it's like to loose both of your parents." He nodded and swept from the room. "Andy, what happened to you? You've never fainted while making a potion."
Snape, who had just returned from putting the Skelo-Gro back, looked up curiously.
She sighed softly before speaking. "He reached out to me." All in the room closed their eyes in a pained fashion for they all knew what this meant.
"Then it's time." Allie mumbled. "He needs to know." She directed this to the Potions Master who hovered uncertainly.
"Maybe we should wait." He began.
"We've waited for thirteen years. Pulling me in like that only proves it and if we wait to tell him and he does it again, he'll know anyway." Andrea stated, wincing as she felt her hand re-grow its bones.
"But not now. He's on pain killers now and he probably wouldn't understand a thing we tell him." Snape commented.
"Not now." Allie agreed. "But soon."
***********
When Randolph burst through the doors in the morgue, he quickly scanned the whole room looking for a flash of silvery blond hair. His eyes flicked over the worker who was just standing there in a daze before locating the boy lying over the body of his father. Quickly, he ran and pulled Draco off him.
"Let go of me." Draco gritted out through clenched teeth, trying to get back to his family.
"No." He said simply, wrestling with the boy and tugging him to the other side of the room. When it seemed that it would be difficult to keep him away, Randolph whipped out his wand and cast the body-bind curse on Draco. He laid the boy on the ground and walked over to the deformed face of Lucius Malfoy and re-zipped the bag and closed the chamber.
He released Draco from the charm and was prepared when he ran towards him, intent on seeing his father again.
"Just leave me alone, Randolph."
"No way, Drake. This isn't healthy. You need to let go."
Draco's face twisted in rage. "Let go? Let go! He's my father. I can't just let him go, you uncaring bastard." He ran at the older man but found himself pinned to the floor.
"Yes, Lucius is dead, Draco." At these words, he stopped struggling. "You'll just make yourself sick by staring at him like that because that's not your father. That's just his body; the man's gone Draco."
"But I could bring him back." Draco whispered. "I know a spell, I could do it."
More forcefully, Randolph gripped his wrists and held them to the side of Draco's head. "No! What the hell do you think you would be doing? He'd be a zombie, not a person."
"He'd be alive." Draco said staring towards the wall his father was behind.
Randolph yanked his head back to meet his. "You will not attempt any spell like that, do you hear me? Grieve for him, cry, or kick the shit out of me, I don't care but just let him go."
Draco chocked on his words. "How can I let him go when I want him here with me more than anything?"
"Because Lucius would hate himself for what was taken from you to complete that spell and bring him back. You lose bits of your soul Draco. That's why the magic is so dark." He sighed and bent his head. "But it gets easier, you know? The sadness won't go away but every morning, it's easier to get up in the morning without thinking of ways how you can join them."
"What did it feel like when you lost your parents?"
He took a deep breath and released Draco. "I felt so alone and abandoned. I cursed them for leaving me and then I cursed myself for not being strong enough to go to them. There was a hole inside of me and I felt like I would never be complete again."
"Were you?"
"No." At Draco's disappointed face he added, "But the hole got smaller by other people. Like my sisters, Severus, you and your family, and my friends. I won't lie and say that this is my perfect life, Draco, but I love it and all the people in it and I wouldn't trade any of them for my parents to be alive because then a new hole would form and I still wouldn't be complete." Draco nodded slowly and let a tear slide down his face.
"I don't feel alone. I have you guys, right?"
"Always." He gave a small smile and climbed off his cousin. "Want to come watch Andrea grow her bones back?"
"I think I just want to sleep."
"Okay, but come back with us. There's an extra bed in Andrea's room." Draco nodded and they stood to leave. "Oh, by the way, you might want to release that lady from your spell."
"I kind of like her better this way." ************
"Ow. Mione! Stop that!" Ron cried as his best friend smacked him across the waiting room after they left their other best friend's room.
"You are such a moron, Ronald Weasley." She said each word as she slapped a magazine against his head. "Maybe I can beat the stupidity out of you."
"Not likely or else I would have tried it." Snape's silky voice said as he slid into the room.
With a final 'whap', she sat back down and glared at the redheaded boy. "You really are a moron."
"I'm sorry, okay?" Ron pleaded, eyes closing in relief as she put the magazine down. "I didn't know he had no idea about his parents. I feel awful." He collapsed next to Sirius who patted his shoulder awkwardly.
"How could you not have known? It's been in the papers that the whole family was in the hospital, morgue or room, and it wasn't like they were very informed in here." Percy said.
"Well I didn't. What happened to his family anyway?" Ron asked, rubbing his head tenderly.
"That, Mr. Weasley," Snape said in his icy voice, "Is a matter between Mr. Malfoy and his family."
"What family?" Ron snorted.
With a resounding slap, Hermione stalked back to her seat and left Ron lying on the floor with a red handprint on his face. "You enormous prick!"
"Hermione!" Molly shouted from her seat.
"How dare you? He may not be here but there is no reason for you to talk ill of the dead. That is the most insensitive thing I have ever heard you say!"
Snape looked at her with vague admiration and nearly smiled at the sprawled body of his student still on the floor.
"Albus how was Potter?" Snape asked, as he turned his interest away from the two and to his employer.
"A little out of it like the doctor said. He's asleep now. It seems he's been reading an awful lot this summer, wouldn't you say Sirius?" He turned his twinkling blue eyes to Sirius who smiled back.
"He has. Lord of the Rings, Lord of the Flies and others."
"I was wondering where Piggy and Ralph came from." Arthur said thoughtfully.
"Dear God, don't tell me he compared himself to the martyr, Simon, did he?" Snape groaned.
"Yes, he did. And also Frodo Baggins." Albus mussed thoughtfully.
"That is just like the boy with his swelled head to place himself as the martyr and the center of the universe."
"Come now, Severus. He was merely confused."
"He must have been to see a comparison between himself and those characters."
"Now tell me what happened in the Potions Lab. Were you of any assistance?"
Snape sighed and sank into one of the chairs. "Yes. The potion was brewed perfectly so there were no complications but for the life of me I can't figure out the use for a potion that removes bones." Albus chuckled slightly. "Anyway, Andrea claims that she was 'called'." He gave Dumbledore a significant glance and the old man nodded gravely.
"Well, I believe you know what to do."
"Yes. But not now; we've decided to wait for a few days until everything is more.lucid."
"Good plan then. Now I believe we have some business at the patents' office."
After they left, Ginny looked towards Hermione. "What was that about?"
"I don't know."
**********
Harry was sleeping peacefully when he suddenly sprang up from bed his more coherent than he had been that afternoon. He let out a soft groan of pain and flopped back onto the bed. He felt that the medicine was gone and all of his pain intensified. His body ached all over in varying amounts but the pain was constant and that was not the source of his soft exclamation. His head felt like it was stuffed with cotton; it was thick and hazy and he could barely think but Harry simply couldn't figure out why. He knew he was alone in his room but when he closed his eyes, he felt like he was in a crowded street.
He tried to go to sleep again but his door opening interrupted that. Inside walked Joe who was still supposed to be gone for another day, but he wasn't alone. His doctor was dressed up in a tuxedo and was escorting a young woman on his arm that also dressed fancifully. Harry took a moment to study her as they stepped into the light.
She had long brown hair that hung down her back in gentle curls over her light blue strapless dress. Her eyes were brown also and her oval face seemed intelligent. In a way, she reminded him of Hermione; a person with plain beauty and understated grace that was as sharp and quick as they came. The woman vaguely reminded him of someone and as he thought, a mental image of Penelope Clearwater flashed through his brain but it was a picture of Percy's girlfriend that he had never seen before and unless he had a rather vivid imagination, the memory wasn't his.
"Oh, Harry, you're awake." Joe said as he closed the door behind him and turned on a light. "Am I disturbing you? Has your pain medication worn off yet?"
Harry shook his head and sat in thought about the memory as Joe did the PI spell on him again. "No, I'm fine and yes, my medicine is gone. Why are you back so early? And who's your fiancé?"
"Oh, this is Caitlin, she's.wait." He looked at Harry strangely. "How'd you know she was my fiancé? I just proposed last night."
His eyes opened in shock and under Joe's scrutinizing gaze, Harry nervously scooted backwards on the bed until he was flush against the headboard and curled in the fetal position. "I-I don't know." He said quietly as he tried to sort out his thoughts but to no avail. Thoughts and questions plagued him, as did theories from books he had never read and images of people he had never met.
"Harry, what's my middle name?" He spoke calmly but Harry could tell he was weary of his patient.
Harry concentrated for a moment and closed his eyes, he opened them and stared directly at his physician. "Luke."
"Oh my God." Joe whispered as he sat in the chair and placed his head in his hands.
"Joe? What is it? What's wrong?" Caitlin asked as she leant over her betrothed.
"Harry, I'm going to ask you questions really fast. Answer what you can." He began with new determination. "What's Caitlin's full name?"
"Caitlin Maria Clearwater." Harry answered tonelessly, both males ignoring the shocked gasp from the other person in the room.
"I graduated from Hogwarts how many years ago."
"Six."
"My great-aunt's name is."
"Eleanor."
"I like."
"Peas."
"Do I really?"
"No because.they're round?" Harry looked puzzled for a moment. "You dislike round things?"
Joe took a quick glance at Caitlin who looked amused. "No, of course not. That was..a test. Let's continue. Okay what is-"
"Douglas, Six, square, two, football, French, potatoes, Mars, swimming and bed linens." He looked over at Joe's shocked face. "Is that all the questions?"
"Well, the last answer was 'pillow case' but I think I'll let that go." Joe said lightly although his eyes betrayed him with the severity of the situation.
Harry heard Joe's thoughts loud and clear and he sighed. "Joe? What's happening?"
"I don't know." He sighed also and ran a hand through his hair. "There are some books about people who-"
"I know." At Joe's shocked look, he rolled his eyes. "I can read your mind, remember?" Just then, everything went quiet again. "Hey. It stopped."
Joe looked up and stopped raking his fingers through his hair. "What?"
"That mind thing. It's gone. Maybe it was just a passing thing." Harry shrugged.
"Or it's just phasing in and out until you learn to control it." Caitlin suggested. Both males looked up in surprise; they had completely forgotten she was even in the room. "Hey, I'm an Obliverator; mind affecting spells and conditions are my specialty." The doctor slapped himself on the forehead in his stupidity and Harry remained unmoved.
"So, this means I'm some sort of mind reader?" Harry asked.
"Telepath." Both adults said at the same time and Harry smirked.
"Okay, so I'm a telepath. How 'bout we get to the why part."
"If we knew the why and the how then this would all be solved." Joe said.
"Well, we can all rake our brains for the answers, or," She added mischievously, "Harry could rake our minds for us," Harry grinned at her sad attempt at humor and Joe rolled his eyes, "But unfortunately, we know nothing so I think we better just sleep on it and begin again in the morning." Harry nodded and she grabbed Joe's arm and pulled him out the door. They all mumbled their good-byes and Harry rolled on his side.
So, he was a telepath. Once again something miraculous only happened to him; he really didn't need or want another reason to stand out. However, on the other hand, he supposed it could be a little interesting being able to peak into people's minds. It would also be an extreme invasion of privacy, but he doubted whether he would be hesitant about using his gift on someone like that Skeeter woman who had no idea the meaning of privacy breach. Or possibly Malfoy..
Harry shook his head and tried his best to stop that train of thought. A small voice inside him was saying that maybe Draco had been right in saying that they weren't ready to be friends yet. Harry would never dream of peaking into Ron or Hermione's mind so why was he trying to invade the mind of his newest friend?
'Maybe because he's not your friend yet.' There was the small voice again which oddly sounded like Snape's unctuous tone. He quickly shushed the voice and tried to go back to sleep but his mind was cluttered with thoughts, most containing the petit blond boy who held an undecided status with him. Truthfully, he couldn't figure out why he wanted to be friends with Draco in the first place. All he knew was that he wanted the same Draco he met a few nights ago with Andrea. The one whose eyes lit up when he laughed and made cynical and sarcastic comments but managed to do it without malice. Harry wanted to be friends with the only person who could keep him on his toes, be his mirror image and an equal while standing for everything he himself stood against. The feelings rushed around in his head and confused him. It would be a long time before he went to sleep that night.
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