Author's Note: Sorry this chapter took so long to write. Blame it on lack of inspiration and free time. Anyway, I intend to try and update again on Friday. If that doesn't happen, look for me to update on Monday.


Chapter 4: Small Mercies

Harry had been moved to the Gryffindor common room. After that, he was hardly ever alone during much of the day. Someone would check to see if he how he was, or bring him a glass of water, or send a student to see that he was comfortable.

There was finally a time during the day (he had no clue what time of day it was) that he was alone. It was both terrible and wonderful. It was terrible because he was deeply disturbed by the feeling of being alone and abandoned. It was also wonderful, since there was no one poking or prodding him, or demanding to know if he needed anything. What he needed was to see again. He felt through his pockets for his glasses. He'd forgotten them. They were no where on his person. Harry giggled a little, the way he had during Snape's lecture. Imagine that. He'd forgotten the things that had caused all of this in the first place. He sighed at his refusal to take responsibility for what had happened. He suddenly recalled Hermione's remark from the other day: "Inanimate objects have no control over our daily lives."

He'd been foolish to agree to something he didn't understand. He was now going to have to live with it, at least for the next few months.

"Harry?"

"Ron?" Harry turned towards the sound of his best friend's voice.

"Harry, are you…wow your eyes!"

"What about them? Do they look…"

"It's nothing," Hermione had spoken, and had done so rather sharply. Even though Harry couldn't see her, he was certain she was glaring at Ron. "You'll be back to normal in no time. Isn't that right, Ron?" It was too menacing a question to invite anything but further assurances.

"Of course…I was just saying that…Never mind."

"No, what? I can't see anything anyway. It's like looking out into a thick, gray fog and it won't go away. How do my eyes look?"

Hermione leaned over to examine him closely. Harry could feel a few strands of her hair brush his right cheek.

"They look clouded with some gray substance, like swirling mucus."

"Swirling?"

"Yes, swirling. As in spinning in a circular motion very fast. It's cre…er, strange."

"That does sound weird."

"Not as weird as it looks," Ron chimed in. He grunted. Harry could guess it was due to Hermione's elbowing him.

"I…don't think I'm going to be in class for a while."

There was a brief silence following Harry's remark. He sat up straight suddenly.

"Snape! My detention!"

"Harry I seriously doubt Snape is heartless enough to make you serve any detention. Oh, that reminds me, today he said…" Hermione paused. Was she looking at Ron? Was it something bad? Harry wished she would continue.

"Go on," Harry urged her, thinking she wouldn't continue.

"Well, he said in class today that 'we were all to be spared any more of your in-class nonsense about your glasses.'"

Harry frowned. "And how is that comforting?"

Hermione continued. "He also said that since you were apparently being punished by greater forces for your moment of idiocy, he would have to rethink whether or not a week's worth of detention would be necessary at all."

Ron and Hermione waited patiently for Harry to respond to the news.

"He said 'rethink'," Harry said quietly, "not 'revoke'."

"Come on, Harry," Ron said, sitting down beside him, "I know everything looks terrible…I…I mean."

"I know what you mean, Ron, and thanks for trying to make me feel better. I just wish…"

"STOP!"

Harry nearly jumped out of his skin.

"Hermione!" It was Ron's turn to be annoyed. "Are you trying to scare him to death?"

"It was wishing that caused all of this, Ron. Harry, forget the wishing and just…try to make it through the rest of the day, will you?"

"Are you two leaving me?" Harry didn't want to sound as upset about it was he did. He wasn't sure he wanted to go back to the lonely silence that had occupied the room before they entered.

"Hermione has asked me to accompany her to the library," Ron said miserably. "Apparently there will be a lot of heavy lifting on my part."

"Everyone else might have given up, but we haven't," Hermione said, "I'm certain I can find an explanation of what has happened to you. If I have to go through every single book in the library."

"Great," Ron grumbled.

"What was that?"

"Nothing, Herm." Ron stood. "Maybe you should try and get some sleep, Harry. Oh wait, it wouldn't be too comfortable sleeping their, would it? And the way everyone stomps through here, it'll be impossible to sleep." Turning to Hermione, Ron said, "You go ahead. I'll meet you a bit. I'm going to help Harry to his bed."

Hermione nodded. She reached down and patted Harry's shoulder gently. "You get some rest, Harry. Ron and I will figure out a way to end this. I promise."

There was a pause, and then Hermione walked away.

"All right, Harry," Ron said, helping him to his feet, "Let's get you to bed."

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"Well that won't do."

"What do you mean?"

"He'll miss the whole point of this if they interfere."

"Well what do you expect them to do? Sit by and watch their friend suffer? Not everyone is as unfeeling as you."

"And I think you're making more out of human emotions than you should."

The two wish-weavers, still observing what was taking place, had moved into the realm of Harry and his friends. No one could see them or hear them, which was their intention. It made them better able to concentrate on their private debate. The first wish-weaver, somewhat displeased, stood and began to walk back and forth.

"Yes, something should be done…"

"No you don't!" The second form stood.

"Excuse me?" The first form stopped walking.

"You always pace back and forth like that when you're scheming."

"I do not scheme, I plan." The first figure turned away from the second. "You should really learn the difference."

"Well I don't care WHAT you call it!" The second form snapped, "You leave those other children alone! You've done enough damage as it is."

The first dream-weaver, the much older of the two, felt the need to remind this insolent being just who it was the superior.

"And if I don't?" The first form spoke with an implied authority.

The second form crossed its arms. "I will summon the others." The first form laughed, its cloudy body vibrating rapidly. "Oh you will, will you?"

"Yes," The second form said, its tone flat and final. "I'm certain they'd love to hear about your 'grand' experiment."

The first form was uneasy, and didn't want to pursue this anymore. At the same time, the first form didn't want their underling to think their threat had worked.

"Fine, Fine! I'll leave the little mortals be. But, you had best believe I will see this through to the end." And with that, the cloudy form contracted inward until there was nothing but a ripple in empty air. A moment later, the ripple was no more.

The second figure remained, standing perfectly still. It sighed. "Poor, poor human," it said, and in an instant, it too was gone.


I hope that was alright, sorry if the "first form"/ "second form" bit confused you. I mentioned what they are, but I won't start calling them it until the next chapter when…no that would be giving away the story.

I will try to update in the next few days. I hope these improvements and this update help. Thanks so much for reading. Remember, any questions, criticisms, or feedback can be left in a review (or you can email me through my bio page.)

BP