Disclaimer: None of it's mine except this storyline, please don't sue me it wouldn't be worth the legal fees and I am not making any money from this anyway.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Chapter 9: Dead Faints and Swinging Doors
The Great Hall glimmered with gentle light thrown from the stars and candles. The Gryffindor table was loud and happy. Extraordinarily vocal discussions were occurring about anything that was of remote interest. Harry was frustratingly quiet though. Watching the nervous first years his attention was drawn to a tall girl at the front who evidently wasn't a first year. She gently fidgeted and looked confidently at Professor McGonagall who appeared to be having an attempt at conversation. There was something familiar about her that Harry couldn't place.
'Harry, oi Harry! You have a Filibuster Firework down your robes!' Ron yelled in Harry's ear, pulling him out of his reverie.
'George and Fred Weasley please don't force me to take points off Gryffindor already.' McGonagall snapped as she extinguished the firework in Harry's robes. Harry eventually got it out and held it up to her.
'But Professor McGonagall we promised Mum we would have a good year.' George smiled angelically at his Professor.
McGonagall's eyebrow raised and she stifled what appeared to be the beginnings of a gentle grin. 'I think Mr. Weasley what you promised your mother was that you would be good this year. Please refrain from breaking it on the first day.'
'Too late.' Ron audibly muttered. Harry and Hermione smiled.
Dumbeldore stood up and an unanimous silence entered the hall. All eyes were cast on the old man with the cascading white beard standing tall at the head of the teacher's table. 'I would like to welcome back all the students to Hogwarts. To the First Years welcome! I am Albus Dumbeldore, your principal. Until Christmas this castle will be your home and I would like you to treat it as such. However like any home there are rules. You are not to leave your house common room after 10pm and you are not under any circumstances walk the grounds of Hogwarts after dark.' He shot three Fifth Year Gryffindors a glittering eye, which then shifted a little further down the table to two identical redheads. 'The forbidden forest is still out of bounds Messrs Weasley.' Dumbeldore smiled momentarily before continuing. 'We are a family here, and I am like your father. As your father I have a duty to make sure you are safe in our home. To the older years, it is with sincere regret that I must once again tell you that all trips to Hogsmeade have been cancelled until further notice.'
A loud angry murmur arose from the belly of the hall and many of the students looked at Harry. The tall girl at the beginning of the sorting hat queue looked at him too, but she smiled warmly. Harry smiled back, but it didn't reach his eyes. The feeling he had when he realised Cedric Diggory was dead had decided to revisit. A pool of emotion swept over Harry and the stars and candles spun wildly above his head just before his world was painted black.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Poppy Pomfrey nervously paced the hospital ward of Hogwarts, her steps resonating off the walls of the quiet room. Superstition came hand in hand with being a witch and Poppy believed it a terrible omen that Harry was required to visit her on the very first day back, even before the first years had been sorted. The broken arm wasn't a problem, she expected that Harry would have visited her tomorrow once his timetable was established and he had some free time. It was the dead faint that concerned her. No one had reported any prior pain from Harry's scar before he fainted; it was as if he had just let go of consciousness for a while. Poppy was a great medi-witch, but she couldn't work out how to revitalise Harry. She had tried pepper-up and a couple of potions associated with fainting, but Harry slept soundlessly on.
Ron and Hermione had followed Snape who was carrying Harry to the hospital. Why he didn't use mobilicorpus no one was sure, not even Severus himself. Snape tried to shoo them in a way that only Snape could, but it was to no avail. Damn Gryffindor bravery and nerves. Snape obtained a stretcher and dropped Harry on it. 'Miss Granger, Mr. Weasley I trust that you will not get in Madam Pomfrey's way.' The voice was at it's characteristic low, but had gentle flecks of something that seemed very uncharacteristic. Concern.
'Yes Sir.' Hermione and Ron felt like impressionable first years again.
Snape, Ron and Hermione all explained what had happened the best they could. Poppy smiled that magnificent nurses smile that says 'everything will be fine' and then told Harry's little entourage (Snape included) to go back to the Great Hall and leave her to do her work.
That had been hours ago. Harry's no longer broken arm was gently resting on his torso and his breathing was even, but that was the only sign of life. Thus far Harry hadn't stirred and nothing Poppy had done appeared to make any difference
Poppy paced again, the methodical 'flwop' of her shoes the only thing that relaxed her.
Suddenly the doors at the far end of the hospital wings swooshed open.
Harry still unconscious bolted upright and let out a very loud yell.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Where has Harry seen the girl in the sorting queue that is not a first year? Any guesses? She did get a brief mention earlier and this is one of the questions of my story that I don't actually answer.
As always all review are deeply appreciated.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Jagged Epiphany: Thanks as always for the reviews. I shall be watching out for your updates. Congrats on finishing your HSC, I hope it all goes well for you.
Moosemuch: I didn't say that did I? The reference is a little more obscure than that, but thanks for trying.