Chapter 12
Headmaster Albus Dumbledore sat at his desk surveying the group before him. The motley crew of The Order of the Phoenix. Alastor Moody, Hagrid, Remus Lupin, Tonks, Snape, and Mr. and Mrs. Weasley. He addressed one man standing before him, with a grizzled face, and a magical eye rotating slowly. "Alastor, you are sure you never had any inkling of something amiss at Harry's relatives' house?"
"No Albus, I swear, we received letters, regular as clockwork. every two days. Nothing ever changed, Potter always wrote of chores, homework, regular things."
"I see, perhaps this mystery will be better answered when Harry awakes." Dumbledore rose from his chair. "Well, I believe that will be all for now. Molly, of course you may go see Harry now." Albus added as he saw the red-haired woman about to ask.
The others left and Dumbledore escorted the Weasley's to the hospital wing. Upon entering Mrs. Weasley noticed a small blond girl sitting by the object of her visit. The girl was holding Harry's hand and talking to him in a low voice.
As the three approached, the girl looked up and gave a half smile. She set Harry's hand back on the coverlet and stood.
Quietly so as not to disturb the sleeping boy, Molly said, "Hello, are you a friend of Harry's?"
Buffy gave that sad half smile again and answered, "Not really, in fact we've never met, I helped remove him from his uncle's house. I just thought he might want some company."
At this Mr. Weasley stepped forward and grasped her hand warmly. "I see you must be the Slayer. It's fantastic to meet you. Albus told us about you. Have you really killed a vampire? You lived with muggles right? What is the purpose of a yo-yo?"
Buffy looked confused for a second then fired back, "Yes, but call me Buffy, yes, I have killed several, yes I did, and it's a children's toy."
"Arthur, leave her alone. Anyone who'd help Harry like that, is a worthy friend indeed." Molly Weasley smiled and shook Buffy's hand warmly.
Molly then went to the bed where the small boy slept. She brushed his unruly hair from his forehead only to have it fall back into his eyes. She sighed and suddenly looked old. Arthur went behind his wife and comforted her as she looked upon the boy she thought of as her sixth son.
Buffy returned to her chair and took Harry's hand again. Dumbledore took a position by the foot of the bed. They all sat silently, watching and waiting.
Hours later, Dumbledore had left with business to attend to , Buffy and Mr. and Mrs. Weasley sat, silently waiting. Around dinner time, Harry began to stir. He felt like he was swimming up from a great depth. He slowly opened his eyes and looked at the people on his right. He saw their concern and managed a weak smile before he was enveloped in hugs.
"Oh Harry, you poor poor thing, oh your poor face, oh Harry...." Mrs. Weasley's litany went on and on, till Arthur pulled her off the boy.
"Molly, I will go inform Dumbledore that Harry's awake, perhaps you should run home and tell Ron and the children, I'm sure they are anxious to know of Harry's condition."
"You're right Arthur, Harry, I will be right back, you just lay there and rest."
Harry managed another smile and closed his eyes wearily. He could hear the two leave, and mentally took stock of his injuries, they hurt, but not as much as they had....(when, what day was it, how long was I out for?)
"You've been asleep for three days, Madame Pomphrey thought it best to let your body rest while you healed."
The unexpected voice made Harry's eyes snap open. He saw Buffy and his eyes widened.
"You, you're t-the girl from my l-living room. I didn't think you were real. I thought I was going crazy."
"I am real, and I'm pretty sure you're not crazy, though you did take quite a few shots to the head....what?" She questioned at the strange look on his face.
"A-are you an angel?"
The girl laughed, "No, not really, just plain old Buffy. I'm going to be your DADA professor when school starts."
"Oh....you saved me, I remember, you and...and," His eyes widened again and the memory.
"Professor Snape, he was with me."
"Snape saved me?"
"Yee-eess." She drew out the word as if he wasn't comprehending, which he wasn't. She told him of the events leading to his awakening in the hospital wind, including her dream and how he saw her.
"Wow."
Another voice startled him. "Yes, Mr. Potter, I was there."
"Err, thank you sir." Harry said with feeling.
Snape raised his eyebrows, he hadn't been expecting thanks from the Boy-Who-Lived. Covering up his emotions, he gruffly said, "The headmaster sent me, I had no choice." It wasn't very effective.
Harry nodded and Buffy covered a smile.
"Well Mr. Potter, take this, it will give you the strength you need to stand the Weasley clan at least, I hear they are on their way."
Severus gave the bottle to Harry who immediately upended it, contents sliding down his throat.
Snape fidgeted for a moment, then tersely, "Speedy Recovery Mr. Potter. Elizabeth, Good-day." And turning on his heal, he left the infirmary.
As soon as he had left, Buffy let out a giggle. Harry stared at her.
"How can you be laughing? That was Snape, he's evil! And I thought you said your name was Buffy?"
"Severus? Nah, he's just grumpy, he's worked so hard to be evil for so long, he doesn't know how to stop. He'll come around in time. And yeah, my name is really Elizabeth, Buffy's a nickname. Sev just can't let himself use it, he thinks it's silly."
Harry looked at her like she'd flipped, but no words were uttered, for just then, Arthur and Molly Weasley and six Weasley children burst into the infirmary, each one talking a mile a minute.
Buffy was shuffled to the back away from the bed and took her cue to leave Harry surrounded by his surrogate family.
"Wow mate, the trouble never seems to end for you." Ron Weasley commiserated with his friend. The rest of the Weasley crew had withdrawn at Madame Pomphrey's request for Harry to rest. Ron had been allowed to stay behind after promising the medi-witch he wouldn't rile up the patient.
Harry winced as he re-settled himself. "Yeah, but if Buffy and Snape hadn't come for me, it could'a been a lot worse."
Ron gave him a blank look and Harry recounted the tale Buffy had told him.
"Wow."
"That's what I said."
"And she's gonna teach Defense Against the Dark Arts. If she's not evil, it should be a good class this year. There wasn't a textbook on our lists for that class. Maybe she'll be like Moody."
Harry shrugged and then winced as the pain flared up. The potion Snape had given him was wearing off and he was tired.
Slowly he drifted to sleep as Ron went on about his recent trip to see Derwent Shimpling, a wizard comedian.
End Chapter 12
A/N: Yeah, another short piece of filler, I promise I get to the good stuff soon. It's a crazy time for me now, as I'm moving and changing jobs all at the same time, but I'll try to update again, asap.
Adios,
Peri
Headmaster Albus Dumbledore sat at his desk surveying the group before him. The motley crew of The Order of the Phoenix. Alastor Moody, Hagrid, Remus Lupin, Tonks, Snape, and Mr. and Mrs. Weasley. He addressed one man standing before him, with a grizzled face, and a magical eye rotating slowly. "Alastor, you are sure you never had any inkling of something amiss at Harry's relatives' house?"
"No Albus, I swear, we received letters, regular as clockwork. every two days. Nothing ever changed, Potter always wrote of chores, homework, regular things."
"I see, perhaps this mystery will be better answered when Harry awakes." Dumbledore rose from his chair. "Well, I believe that will be all for now. Molly, of course you may go see Harry now." Albus added as he saw the red-haired woman about to ask.
The others left and Dumbledore escorted the Weasley's to the hospital wing. Upon entering Mrs. Weasley noticed a small blond girl sitting by the object of her visit. The girl was holding Harry's hand and talking to him in a low voice.
As the three approached, the girl looked up and gave a half smile. She set Harry's hand back on the coverlet and stood.
Quietly so as not to disturb the sleeping boy, Molly said, "Hello, are you a friend of Harry's?"
Buffy gave that sad half smile again and answered, "Not really, in fact we've never met, I helped remove him from his uncle's house. I just thought he might want some company."
At this Mr. Weasley stepped forward and grasped her hand warmly. "I see you must be the Slayer. It's fantastic to meet you. Albus told us about you. Have you really killed a vampire? You lived with muggles right? What is the purpose of a yo-yo?"
Buffy looked confused for a second then fired back, "Yes, but call me Buffy, yes, I have killed several, yes I did, and it's a children's toy."
"Arthur, leave her alone. Anyone who'd help Harry like that, is a worthy friend indeed." Molly Weasley smiled and shook Buffy's hand warmly.
Molly then went to the bed where the small boy slept. She brushed his unruly hair from his forehead only to have it fall back into his eyes. She sighed and suddenly looked old. Arthur went behind his wife and comforted her as she looked upon the boy she thought of as her sixth son.
Buffy returned to her chair and took Harry's hand again. Dumbledore took a position by the foot of the bed. They all sat silently, watching and waiting.
Hours later, Dumbledore had left with business to attend to , Buffy and Mr. and Mrs. Weasley sat, silently waiting. Around dinner time, Harry began to stir. He felt like he was swimming up from a great depth. He slowly opened his eyes and looked at the people on his right. He saw their concern and managed a weak smile before he was enveloped in hugs.
"Oh Harry, you poor poor thing, oh your poor face, oh Harry...." Mrs. Weasley's litany went on and on, till Arthur pulled her off the boy.
"Molly, I will go inform Dumbledore that Harry's awake, perhaps you should run home and tell Ron and the children, I'm sure they are anxious to know of Harry's condition."
"You're right Arthur, Harry, I will be right back, you just lay there and rest."
Harry managed another smile and closed his eyes wearily. He could hear the two leave, and mentally took stock of his injuries, they hurt, but not as much as they had....(when, what day was it, how long was I out for?)
"You've been asleep for three days, Madame Pomphrey thought it best to let your body rest while you healed."
The unexpected voice made Harry's eyes snap open. He saw Buffy and his eyes widened.
"You, you're t-the girl from my l-living room. I didn't think you were real. I thought I was going crazy."
"I am real, and I'm pretty sure you're not crazy, though you did take quite a few shots to the head....what?" She questioned at the strange look on his face.
"A-are you an angel?"
The girl laughed, "No, not really, just plain old Buffy. I'm going to be your DADA professor when school starts."
"Oh....you saved me, I remember, you and...and," His eyes widened again and the memory.
"Professor Snape, he was with me."
"Snape saved me?"
"Yee-eess." She drew out the word as if he wasn't comprehending, which he wasn't. She told him of the events leading to his awakening in the hospital wind, including her dream and how he saw her.
"Wow."
Another voice startled him. "Yes, Mr. Potter, I was there."
"Err, thank you sir." Harry said with feeling.
Snape raised his eyebrows, he hadn't been expecting thanks from the Boy-Who-Lived. Covering up his emotions, he gruffly said, "The headmaster sent me, I had no choice." It wasn't very effective.
Harry nodded and Buffy covered a smile.
"Well Mr. Potter, take this, it will give you the strength you need to stand the Weasley clan at least, I hear they are on their way."
Severus gave the bottle to Harry who immediately upended it, contents sliding down his throat.
Snape fidgeted for a moment, then tersely, "Speedy Recovery Mr. Potter. Elizabeth, Good-day." And turning on his heal, he left the infirmary.
As soon as he had left, Buffy let out a giggle. Harry stared at her.
"How can you be laughing? That was Snape, he's evil! And I thought you said your name was Buffy?"
"Severus? Nah, he's just grumpy, he's worked so hard to be evil for so long, he doesn't know how to stop. He'll come around in time. And yeah, my name is really Elizabeth, Buffy's a nickname. Sev just can't let himself use it, he thinks it's silly."
Harry looked at her like she'd flipped, but no words were uttered, for just then, Arthur and Molly Weasley and six Weasley children burst into the infirmary, each one talking a mile a minute.
Buffy was shuffled to the back away from the bed and took her cue to leave Harry surrounded by his surrogate family.
"Wow mate, the trouble never seems to end for you." Ron Weasley commiserated with his friend. The rest of the Weasley crew had withdrawn at Madame Pomphrey's request for Harry to rest. Ron had been allowed to stay behind after promising the medi-witch he wouldn't rile up the patient.
Harry winced as he re-settled himself. "Yeah, but if Buffy and Snape hadn't come for me, it could'a been a lot worse."
Ron gave him a blank look and Harry recounted the tale Buffy had told him.
"Wow."
"That's what I said."
"And she's gonna teach Defense Against the Dark Arts. If she's not evil, it should be a good class this year. There wasn't a textbook on our lists for that class. Maybe she'll be like Moody."
Harry shrugged and then winced as the pain flared up. The potion Snape had given him was wearing off and he was tired.
Slowly he drifted to sleep as Ron went on about his recent trip to see Derwent Shimpling, a wizard comedian.
End Chapter 12
A/N: Yeah, another short piece of filler, I promise I get to the good stuff soon. It's a crazy time for me now, as I'm moving and changing jobs all at the same time, but I'll try to update again, asap.
Adios,
Peri