After the Dawn: The Philosopher's Stone
Chapter Nine: Headaches
Harry smiled faintly as he walked into breakfast the next morning. Malfoy was gaping in amazement, obviously surprised to see Harry still at Hogwarts, looking tired but cheerful. Harry smiled coldly at him, and Malfoy seemed to shiver.
Harry had decided that the three headed dog had been quite an adventure, and that he wouldn't mind having another one. Indeed, he quite thought he could come to like adventures quite a bit .
But next time, he thought that he should probably go alone, or with just Sirius. He didn't want other people going into danger because of him. Not even people he didn't like. It would have been more fun if he hadn't been trying to keep the other two alive and with him.
Yes, the next time he went for an adventure, he'd go with just Sirius, and they'd have a great time. And they wouldn't have to look out for anyone but each other. That would be good.
***Flash Back***
Once Harry and Sirius were sure that Neville had gone to sleep, Sirius transformed and cast a silencing charm around Harry's bed. "So . you think the dog is guarding something?" Sirius asked.
"Yes," Harry replied. "I think that it's guarding whatever it was that Hagrid got from Gringotts."
"Then this thing must be either really valuable, or really dangerous," Sirius said thoughtfully, sprawling across Harry's bd.
"Or both," Harry added. Sirius nodded.
But of course, they knew nothing about this object, other than that it was about two inches long and started with 'philo'.
***End Flash Back***
Neither Neville or Hermione seemed at all interested in what lay beneath the trap door. All Neville cared about was staying as far away from the dog as he could.
Hermione was now refusing to talk to Harry, but Harry didn't mind. She was bossy, and even though he sensed that she would be a good friend, if he cared to have a friend or she cared to make him one of hers, Harry was fairly happy to keep out of her way.
Owls flocked into the Great Hall, as they always did, but today everyone's attention was caught by a long package that required six owls to carry it. Harry was as interested as everyone else in seeing who the package was for . and was quite surprised when it dropped in front of him, and was quickly followed by a letter.
Harry opened the letter first, deciding that it might have something to do with the package . Besides, it was on top.
DO NOT OPEN THE PARCEL AT THE TABLE.
It contains your new Nimbus Two Thousand, but I don't want everybody knowing you've got a broomstick, or they'll all want one. Oliver Wood will meet you tonight on the Quidditch Pitch at seven o'clock for your first training session.
Professor M. McGonagall.
Harry smiled slightly, but, to the disappointment of the curious students, he obeyed the letters instructions and did not open the parcel.
Harry finished eating and left quickly, before people started asking a lot of questions about the mysterious parcel.
When Harry and Sirius reached the stairs out of the Great Hall, they found the way barred by Draco Malfoy, flanked, as always, but Vincent Crabbe and Gregory Goyle. Mafloy snatched the package from Harry and felt it.
"That's a broomstick," he said, throwing it back at Harry with a mixture of jealousy and spite on his face. "You'll be in for it this time, Protectium, first years aren't allowed them."
Harry couldn't resist it. "It's a Nimbus Two Thousand, actually," he informed Malfoy coolly. "What did you say you've got at home? A Comet Two Sixty? They just look flashy - not nearly in the same league as the Nimbus."
Malfoy opened his mouth to reply, but found Flitwick suddenly at his elbow. "Not arguing, I hope?" he squeaked.
"Protectium's been sent a broomstick," Malfoy jumped in immediately. Harry let a slight smile play across his face as Flitwick turned to him.
"Yes, yes, that's right! Professor McGonagall told me all about the special circumstances. Apparently you're quite a flyer! What model is it?"
"A Nimbus Two Thousand, Sir, best model around," Harry replied, fighting not to laugh out loud at the look of horror and surprise on Malfoy's face. "And it's really thanks to Malfoy here that I got it! Thanks mate," he added, looking at Malfoy was a cool pretend smile on face, "I owe you one!"
"That's what I like to see!" Flitwick exclaimed happily as Harry started up the stairs passing the stunned Slytherin by. "Gryffindors and Slytherins giving each credit and getting along!"
Harry laughed quietly at he headed upstairs. "Well," he said to Sirius, "it's true. If he hadn't stolen the Remembrall, I would have never gotten on the Quidditch team!"
"I suppose you think that this is a reward for breaking rules?" came an angry voice from behind them. Hermione was stomping up the stairs looking disapprovingly at the package in Harry's hands.
"Oh," he said, sounding dissapointed, "have you stopped ignoring me?"
She glared at him and stalked off, looking for easier pray.
Harry and Neville had had little to do with each other since the incident with the great dog, but Harry kept an eye out for the boy whenever he was being bullied. Sirius had told him about Neville's parents, and Harry was determined to treat Neville as himself, rather than comparing him to his parents image and finding him wanting.
At some point, he had begun to think, he might be friends with Neville. The boy was intelligent, in his own way, brave, friendly and sometimes even funny. Harry saw something of Dan in this boy, and wanted to help him improve himself and show the world how great he could be, despite the often belittling treatment he'd been given over time.
Someone he was surprised to recognise some of Dan in was Hermione. She had . something that he knew and loved, but every time he tried to pinpoint it . Well, it was gone. Overshadowed, he thought, but Hermione's bossy, know-it-all nature.
Continuing on his way up to the Gryffindor tower, Harry felt confused. He wanted to make friends again - he'd loved being friends with Dan. Real friends, like brothers. But . he didn't want anyone getting hurt because they were his friend. By him or someone else.
If I make friends with anyone, that person will be friends with a lie. I am not who I have said I am, and I will have to continue to lie to them, forever, perhaps. I should not let anyone befriend Nemo Protectium, for no such person exists.
. But he wanted to make friends with someone. Oh, this was confusing.
Harry shook his head and walked into the Gryffindor boys dormitory, sitting on his bed and closing the drapes, so that Sirius could transform and help him unwrap the parcel.
"Wow - this is a good broom," Sirius muttered. "I can't wait to see you flying with it!"
Harry smiled. "Tonight," he remarked. "I've got a practice with just Wood, as you no doubt remember."
"Of course," Sirius agreed. "And you'll show him how damn good you are too! I told you you'd make a Seeker!"
Harry laughed. "Yup, so you did," he agreed.
The day could not pass fast enough for Harry's liking. His mind kept drifting back to his broom, which was lying under his bed with wards that Sirius had put up around it - just in case.
In case of what, he wasn't too sure, but they were there, and this comforted him.
In his mind he could picture it perfectly, and did so frequently throughout the day, seeing clearly it's sleek mahogany handle, neat, straight tail twigs and Nimbus Two Thousand written in gold near the top.
It was fantastic - a broom to dream about. And he, Harry Potter, a first year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, owned one of them.
As seven o'clock drew nearer, Harry and Sirius slipped away from the kitchens, where they'd been eating in favour of the Great Hall, and headed out to the pitch. Harry wanted to fly for a bit before Wood arrived.
Harry looked around the Quidditch Pitch as he arrived there - he'd never seen so many seats. There hundreds of them, raised up off the ground in stands around the pitch, so that the spectators could see what was going on. Harry was reminiscent of a cricket stadium, but this comparison hardly gave the field justice.
Harry had seen pictures in books of Quidditch stadiums before, and he had a pitch at his own home, but the Potter Mansion had not had a stadium around it - why would it, after all? There were only a few people who had ever been granted access to the Potter's most ancient abode.
The desire to fly over took Harry as he looked around the huge stadium, and he mounted the Nimbus Two Thousand and shot into the air. It was amazing - this broom was far better than his old one.
Swooping around the pitch, ducking in and out of the goals, Harry had the time of his life, his heart swelling with the delight of being back in the air, the only place he felt that he truly belonged.
After a while, he noticed Wood standing down on the ground, watching him, and Harry quickly landed. "I'm sorry," he said, "I didn't notice you."
"That's ok," Wood assured him. "I wanted to see you fly, without trying to impress anyone."
Harry smiled faintly.
"You'll make a great Seeker, I can tell you that. You're a natural, from what I've seen! You said you knew a bit about Quidditch?"
"I know the rules, the balls, the players and all that stuff," Harry assured him. "We had a set of Quidditch balls at home, though we rarely used them."
"Good," Wood said. "I was hoping that I wouldn't have to show you the Bludgers. I get bruises every time I have to get those damn balls into the box."
Harry permitted himself a small smile.
"Since you know everything about the rules and such, we may as well see what you're like at catching things," Wood decided. "It's too dark to loose the Snitch now, so I guess we will have to make do with these," he fished out a bag of Muggle golf balls.
"Let's get up in the air, Protectium, and see what you can do," Wood smiled in an almost challenging manner.
Harry grinned savagely, only too happy to take up the challenge, and shot up into the air, Wood following at a slower pace on an older broom, along with the golf balls.
"Right, here's how this works - I throw golf balls, and you catch them. I won't throw more than one at a time, but I might throw them in any direction," Wood informed Harry.
"I'm ready," Harry assured him, raring to go.
"Then let's get started," as he was speaking, Wood selected a golf ball and tossed it over his shoulder. Immediately Harry lent against his broom, shooting after the little white ball and catching it a moment later, tossing it back to Wood, who already had another golf ball out and had thrown it in an easy movement upwards.
Again, Harry raced off, caught the ball, threw it back, and dove after yet another.
Half an hour later they landed again, as it was too dark to see much of anything, let alone little white balls. Wood was delighted - no matter which direction he threw the balls in, and how hard, Harry always managed to catch them far before they hit the ground.
"I wouldn't be surprised if you turn out better than Charlie Weasley, and he couldn't have played for England, if he hadn't decided to go off after dragons - the two loves of his life: magical creatures (dragon's in particular) and flying," Wood remarked. "Mark my words, the Cup will be ours this year."
"Consider them marked," Harry replied calmly, not at all fazed by the other's praise. "I'll see you later." He slipped away from Wood's side as they entered the castle, before the Quidditch captain had a chance to say another word.
Quidditch practice was three nights a week, adding this to all of his homework made Harry very busy over the next little while, though Sirius was a great help. The man was very intelligent (however well he hid it most of the time) and gave Harry as much help as he needed on homework, short of actually doing the work for him.
Harry and his godfather continued to play pranks, and over the month before Halloween it became a common site (or sound) to see Mrs. Norris bounding angrilly through the halls, pursued by the tinkling sounds of a bell, magically amplified, which sung out every time her feet made contact with the floor.
Filch was furious with this, but had as yet failed to catch the Weasley Twins in any suspicious circumstances regarding this development. He had not been able to bring himself to think that it might be a new student come to torment him, but it was only a matter of time.
Sitting in Potions class, a week before Halloween, Harry was seething silently. Professor Snape had taken five points from Gryffindor when Neville bumped into a cauldron, and another five from Harry for taking more than a minute to unpack (despite the fact that most of the Slytherins had not unpack their things ten minutes into the lesson.)
Today was all theory, so there would be nothing to distract Harry from his dislike of Snape. He already knew most of the things that the Potions master was saying, as he had been spending much of his spare time (that which wasn't focused on pranks) reading up on Potions, so that Snape could not catch him unawares.
Harry was often the annoyed recipient of sudden questions, which had absolutely no relevance to what was going on in that particular lesson, and had up to fifteen points removed if he took longer than a minute to answer any of the said questions.
Needless to say, he never got any of those points back, no matter how many questions he got right.
Harry had a bad nights sleep the night before, woken by the old nightmare that showed his parents death, and his temper had been frayed to breaking point with Malfoy's insults that morning at breakfast.
Potions was the last thing he needed, that was for sure.
The only thing Harry could think of to avoid rising to the Potion Masters bait was pranks, and, instead of having all of his attention focused on Snape, he only concentrated enough to write down relevant points. Sirius could always help him out later, if he needed it.
Suddenly, Harry was struck by the perfect idea.
His quill still moving across the page in front of him, Harry turned all of his spare attention to the black board. It was risky, using Wandless magic in a situation such as this one, but he had become more proficient at it in the last few years, and thought that it was time he gave himself a little challenge. After all, once this lesson was finished, he had no more until Monday morning.
As Snape was facing the class, he didn't see his piece of chalk rise up from its usual resting position. Not many of the students noticed it either, being too focused on what the professor was saying, as they didn't want to give any excuse for points to be removed.
But all of them noticed when words started writing themselves across the blackboard. The first thing to appear was a little rhyme:
See that happy moron?
He doesn't give a damn.
I wish I were a moron .
My god, perhaps I am!
The Gryffindors did their best to contain their amusement, but the Slytherins had no such worries, and laughed out loud at the stupid message.
"May I enquire as to what you find funny?" Snape asked, though not sounding nearly so tried as he would if it had been Gryffindors laughing.
"On the board, Professor - there is some stupid rhyme," Malfoy stated, still grinning.
Snape turned around to view the board, whereupon the message disappeared. "I don't see any messages, Malfoy," he remarked.
"It was there a moment ago," Malfoy protested, looking at the now blank board.
"I'm sure, Mr. Malfoy. Kindly refrain from such behaviour in this class in the future," Snape growled, and returned to his lecture.
Harry found this entirely unfair, as just about everything that Snape did was, and once more readied his will, raising the chalk again. This time no one failed to see the chalk rise, and everyone waited with baited breath to see what happened next.
Mary had a little lamb whose fleece was white as snow . trailed across the board, and disappeared as Snape whirled to look at the board, alerted by Malfoy's pointing finger.
Finding, again, that nothing was the matter, Snape turned back to the class, and immediately words began again.
And everywhere that Mary went, the lamb was sure to go. Only the Muggleborns and some of the half-bloods recognised the words as being from a Muggle rhyme, and as most of these were in Gryffindor, they said nothing on the matter.
Snape spun around again, when several Slytherins pointed at the board. He was obviously beginning to get angry.
Harry decided to stop there, as he could feel a headache coming on - moving chalk and removing writing from the board took no small amount of concentration and effort.
The moment that Harry released the chalk from his will, it disappeared altogether, and a moment later, words started appearing again. Everyone gasped at the obscene the suggestions that were popping up all over the board now, and Snape turned around again.
This time the writing did not disappear, and Snape looked even more livid than before. Before he could even open his mouth to speak, there was a swirl of air and Peeves appeared, pegging the chalk at Snape's head and zooming off, rattling the door on its hinges as he passed through it.
"You are dismissed," Snape ground out. It was nearly the end of the lesson anyway, and he wanted to take this matter up with the headmaster.
Harry staggered from the room, his head now aching with a vengeance. He knew that he shouldn't have kept going after the first part of Mary had a little lamb, but he hadn't been able to help himself.
Hermione was the only one who noticed him walking at the end of the line of students, holding his aching head. She wasn't sure why she was being kind to him, after all the rules he'd broken, but he looked to be in quite a bit of pain.
"Are you alright?" she asked, approaching him warily, in case he snapped at her, or ordered his dog to attack or something.
"I'm fine," Harry ground out, then gasped as a
white starburst exploded in front of his eyes.
"Somehow, I don't think you are,"
Hermione remarked, taking him by the arm, with a wary look at Sirius, who
didn't protest, and leading him forwards.
Black and gold specs were dancing in Harry's eyes and he had absolutely no idea what direction he was in, feeling dizzy and sick, and but one of his hands twined itself in Sirius's fur, and he didn't protest at being led by Hermione. Sirius wouldn't let any harm befall him.
Harry was aware that they'd stopped, and thought he could hear Hermione talking to someone, but it all seemed very loud and made his head ache further, so he didn't catch the words.
A moment later another hand took hold of his arm and steered him forwards. Blinking his eyes frantically in an attempt to clear his vision, Harry soon realised that he was in the Hospital wing, being guided to a bed by Madam Pomfrey, the school nurse.
He didn't say anything to her, being too busy concentrating on keeping his last meal down.
Madam Pomfrey set him down on one of the beds. Hermione stood near the door, waiting to make sure he was ok - Harry wasn't sure if he was thankful or annoyed about this.
The nurse bustled away and returned a few moments later with a potion in a goblet. She held it to Harry's lips. "Drink," she ordered him sternly. Dizziness having receded slightly, Harry was able to process this thought, and opened his mouth.
The potion was bitter, but Harry swallowed it. Sirius had given him the same potion before when he'd had these headaches, and he recognised the taste easily.
Immediately he began to feel a better . Well, his head did, his stomach still wanted to heave. "Does anything else seem to be a problem?" Madam Pomfrey asked him kindly.
"Stomach," Harry replied quickly, still concentrating on keeping his food down.
Madam Pomfrey quickly got another potion and gave it to Harry, who drank it quickly.
Immediately his stomach began to feel better. He lent back against the bed. "An unfortunate after-effect of that potion is that it makes you very tired. You'll have to stay the night here, just in case this happens again," the nurse said.
"It won't," Harry told her.
"How do you know?"
"This has happened before," Harry replied calmly. "It won't happen again so soon after the last time. It never does."
"Well, I'd like you to stay here anyway. Miss Granger wants to speak with you about something, she was the one who brought you here. You have five minutes, Miss Granger," the nurse walked away.
Hermione came forward nervously. Harry didn't glare at her, he didn't have the energy. "Are you alright?" she asked him.
"Yes," Harry replied shortly.
"Nemo - you this has happened before? But . It looks so painful!"
"Life isn't all sunshine and daisies," Harry snapped. "Bad things happen."
"But so do good."
"I never said they didn't," Harry pointed out.
"Well, no, you didn't," Hermione admitted. "But you implied it."
"Whatever," Harry shrugged. He was getting more and more sleepy, and Hermione was keeping him awake.
"Aren't you going to thank me for bringing you here?" Hermione demanded.
"Why? It would have gone away eventually," Harry replied. Well, he didn't know that, but Sirius would have been quick to get help, and Harry didn't like the feeling that he was in Hermione's debt.
Hermione gave a sniff, stood up and stalked out without another word. Harry lay back and let his eyes drift closed. He was asleep in seconds.
He didn't feel Madam Pomfrey come over and remove his glasses, he was too deep in the realms of the sleep.
Harry didn't wake until morning, and when he did, Madam Pomfrey reluctantly let him leave. "If this happens again, come back," she ordered him. Harry nodded.
With Sirius padding beside him, Harry returned to the Gryffindor tower. Hermione looked up when he entered, maybe trying to catch his eye, but Harry ignored her, going up to the boys dormitory to work on his homework in peace.
***
Well, there you go! Harry's being mean and pushing everyone away again, Snape gets frustrated, Harry gets sick from overstraining himself . and it was 3900 words long! Yay!
Next chapter - Halloween and troll.
Thanks:
Crysania Fay, Jaded Angel8, Maxx77, Dumbledore's Heir, Surarrin, BeastialSunStormDragon, Songbreeze Swifteye, dweem-angel, athenakitty, dreamer43, solar, kraeg001, OhioGrl-HPFan, MikiBaby, Raven Potter Weasley, hp4all, PhoenixTears322, Anna L. Black, ReflectionsOfReality, SerendipitousNightcrawler, Calimora, deddinty, Jeanne2, Destined Enchantress, wi11ow, Wynjara, Musicstarlover, howling wolf1, Btownbeast1303, wizardmon92, Stix-the-Rebel, Gaia, ananova, torifire, Kathy Stgqvk, Nasser Himura, JeanieBeanie33, Prongs4, Phoenix Flight, Empress Sarah-sama, munch, Persephone, Quick Mettle, Chiquita-3, kodomo, Samara-Morgan-101, uNoeWho, Jeangab057, Romm, MEMEME!!!, Taka ichijouji, Gaul1, Butler, Vicious Pixie, Jeangab057, Fire Tempest, Nicoletta, Mike Potter 2002, Pen, Fate, Futagoakuma-tenshi01, Cyblade Silver.
BeastialSunStormDragon: No, I haven't read that book . Is it good?
Munch: I haven't put Ron in the story because I don't think that, if he'd made friends before, Harry would have become friends with Ron. Ron just seems a sort of . Minor character thrust into a major role who doesn't seem likely to be friends with Harry. I don't know. I like Ron well enough, but it just seems unlikely, you know?
Kodomo: Luna isn't at Hogwarts yet, remember? She's in Ginny's year. Harry will meet up with her next year, probably.