Harry Potter and the Amulet of Power
Summary: Harry Potter is in his 6th year at Hogwarts. Right off the start of summer holiday, Voldemort captures him. There is a mysterious new student at Hogwarts this year that transferred from Durmstang and she holds some interesting secrets. Harry is a sixteen year old with all of the love problems that come with his age. He struggles with the meaning of love and has some tough decisions to make. And if he chooses wrong, everything could come crashing down around him…
Genre/Category: Action/Adventure/Romance
Disclaimer: Harry Potter and all related characters belong to JK Rowling and Warner Brothers Entertainment. I have no wish to claim it as my own. Yet, the plot and original characters of "Harry Potter and the Amulet of Life" are all my own.
A/N: Thank you to the few people who reviewed me. I hope you enjoy this chapter. Thanks to my beta Roman. Keep the reviews comin'!
Chapter Three – The Light at the End of the TunnelHermione grabbed Harry before he fell, and then her knees gave out and she collapsed, holding her best friend's lifeless body in her lap. She was moaning and sobbing loudly, holding him in her arms, and rubbing his back. Dumbledore shot a stunning spell at Bellatrix, missing her and then shot a disarming spell at Voldemort while Snape started dueling Bellatrix.
"AVADA KEDAVRA!" Voldemort yelled.
"Argenteus Amphora Munimen!" Dumbledore retorted, sending a fluid-like shield in front of him, absorbing the green light and then disappearing. "Argenteus Amphora Inlaqueo!" A silver strand flew out of the old man's wand and then expanded into another fluid-like wall, but this time enveloping his opponent in it. His eyes flashed with youthful vigor and his gaze would make one quiver, Albus Dumbledore was angry. The Dark Lord yelled some spell, which made the silvery substance around him freeze and break into thousands of pieces. He threw a Cruciatus Curse at Dumbledore, which he dodged and then the Dark Lord Apparated. Seconds later, Bellatrix did the same.
And there was Hermione, holding a lifeless Harry in her arms.
She looked up at Snape with a hollow expression in her eyes, as if she'd never see happiness again. Snape looked down at her with compassion; he knew what it felt like to lose a best friend. Dumbledore looked uneasily at Hermione and Harry, then came over and swept him out of her arms.
Dumbledore examined him gravely and his eyes lit up. "We need to get him to St. Mungo's!" He picked up a rock and pointed his wand at it, "Portus" he said, making the rock glow. "Grab hold, Miss Granger, and we'll meet you there. Severus, please bind these Death Eaters and I'll alert the Ministry."
Then they were ripped away from the graveyard, an invisible hook pulled from behind her bellybutton and she found her feet once again planted on the ground. Hermione looked up and saw herself in the waiting room of a building with white walls and an enchanted window, making it look sunny outside. She knew better.
It looked the same as a muggle waiting room, except the people inside of it had quite different ailments. One woman had a strange squid-looking animal enveloping her hand while and a young man with sandy hair had a nose that was a few feet long. A few people were also reading 'The Daily Profit' and 'Witch Weekly' and others were pacing the room anxiously. She suddenly became embarrassed that she was still in her pajama pants and a tank top and felt out of place.
A healer ran over to Dumbledore, who asked to see a man named Schwartz. The healer took Harry and put him in a device that resembled a muggle wheelchair, except it hovered and had no wheels. The healer led them to an elevator and they shot up and got out at floor 20. The entire room was white. White floors, white chairs, white walls, white beds, white cabinets; everything was white. Hermione looked again at the sign in the elevator that didn't mention a 20th floor.
"Uh… Headmaster… How are we on the—" Hermione asked, being interrupted by Dumbledore.
"Not now, Miss Granger."
A second later they were met by a man in white with a tag that said 'Schwartz'. He was tall and lanky with short, dark brown hair. He was sporting a pair of black-rimmed glasses, which gave him a look of intellectuality.
"Albus, vat iz zis about?" he asked in a thick accent.
"This is Harry Potter, there are still signs of power and life emitting from him. He was hit with the Killing Curse about seven minutes ago."
"Yes, yes then. Iz zere anything special about today or zis time?"
"Actually, for ten minutes now it's been his sixteenth birthday. Am I right, Miss Granger?"
"Oh, yes, I'd forgotten about that, since, well…" she stammered.
"Yes, yes zen. I'll get on it. MELINDA! Get me ze number four and some MP's!" Schwartz cried, directing the floating Harry Potter onto a bed. He whipped out his wand and started muttering spells under his breath, moving his wand to different parts on Harry's body. A black woman came up beside him, in the same white robes and handed him a few vials and a funnel.
"Excellent, Melinda. Now, continue the eppercussions and then try the pulse resuscitations and some CPM." Schwartz said, putting the funnel into Harry's mouth and organizing the potions and vials he had summoned in the table.
"Ebenezer," Dumbledore began, getting the healer's attention, "I need to go to the Ministry, and Ms. Granger will stay with Mr. Potter. Professor Severus Snape will be here shortly, he should also be allowed in Harry's company, take his orders as you would mine."
"Anyzing for you Albus! After helping me oot before with zat case."
"If I were given the opportunity to represent you again, I would be delighted." He smiled at the man in white and got into the elevator.
Hermione found her way to a chair ten feet away from where they were working on Harry. Her face was stained with tears but she held hope that he could come back. She sat on the edge of her seat for any word of her best friend's condition.
He'd always been a friend, but after this she wasn't sure how she really felt for him. It seemed so odd, the feelings she'd felt when he was hit with that deadly green light. She felt like she'd never be the same again, like she'd lost a big part of herself. But, that couldn't be right, she'd always have Ron. Why wasn't that the same?
The elevator door opened, interrupting her thoughts, and Snape stepped out looking about the room and his eyes fell on a heartbroken Hermione. A strange look of concern and empathy came across his face, one she had never seen before. He came over and sat next to her in one of the chairs and turned to her.
"Miss Granger, I'm sorry…" At this she dissolved into tears, crumpling into his body. He awkwardly put his arms around her and patted her on the back. What is she doing? He thought. He gave into the physical contact and rubbed her back while she sobbed into his chest. He held her there, his hands caressing her back, and he couldn't help but feel odd. He felt a strange sort of comfort wash over him. These feelings scared him; he usually despised physical contact. He hadn't been this close to a woman in years. He was a loner, and didn't find himself in the role of "caring, consoling professor" very often. Her touch made him feel at ease, like everything would be okay if she never let go. He had to keep reminding himself that she was just a student (a bossy, know-it-all one at that) and he was her professor.
"Missus?"
"Yes?" Hermione replied as Schwartz approached her.
"I find as a healer, honesty is the best policy, and we don't get many patients up 'ere on level tventy, but vhen ve do I like to keep zem and zeir friends or family kept up on zeir condition.
"Zis being said, I find your friend has about a 70/30 chance of surviving zis."
"Sir?" Hermione said, holding back tears at the prospect of him dying. "70 percent for him surviving, right?"
"Yes, Miss. We're doing all ve can. The best vay I can explain it to you iz zat he's in a coma, except closer to death. We have his breathing back, yet a little shallow for my liking, and a steady heartbeat, again not as strong as I'd like it. But if 'iz recovery goes vell, I expect him to make a nearly complete recovery."
"What do you mean…nearly?" Hermione asked, scared of his response.
"He could 'ave brain damage, amnesia, memory problems, short-term memory loss…" he said matter-of-factly.
Hermione gulped and sniffed a bit, making a sorry attempt to hold back the flood of tears hiding under her eyelids. As she opened her eyes a few tears came down and asked the man in white, "What is the chance that he will have any problems?"
"Hmm…I'd 'ave to say that all depends on his background, how fast he recovers, and how strong he is. You vould know better than me." he replied. "Vell, I have to get back to vork now, so just give me a yell if you need anyzing. Melanie vill be vatching over your friend; you can go and visit him now."
Severus remained silent through this conversation; it wasn't his place to butt in and ask the many questions plaguing his mind, such as what went on in this floor. She edged up to Harry's bed and pulled up a chair to sit next to him. She pulled the hair back from his eyes and held his hand. Then she stopped and put her fingers on his scar. It was bright purple, and throbbing, it seemed to be swollen. Well if his scar bothers him when Voldemort's angry, then I'd only imagine he'd have a worse reaction when Voldemort killed him.
"Professor?"
"Yes, Miss Granger?"
"How did it go? With the Death Eaters and all." She sniffed a few times then blew her nose in a napkin.
"The Ministry came by and picked them up. One of them was actually a spy from the Ministry. Telling Voldemort secrets, of which I do not know."
"Oh, well, that's good. They got what they deserved."
An awkward silence followed and Hermione was searching things to speak about to get her mind off Harry's condition.
Her Professor suspected this and said, "How has your summer been, Miss Granger?"
"Um, well it's been pretty good. I've finished all my summer assignments; I've gotten to spend a lot of time with my parents. We were going to leave for vacation tomorrow morning, but I think those plans will have to change."
"Why is that?"
She laughed, even though what drove it was nothing humorous. "Well, lets see, my best friend just died. And if you all think I'm going to leave his bedside until he's better, you're insane. My parents will just have to go to America on their own. Or at least postpone it until he's better."
"Hermione," He started, surprising her that he called her by her first name, "Staying here with him won't do anything except be a constant reminder, you don't need that kind of stress. I'm sure Harry would want you to go to America, have your vacation. Trust the Headmaster and me to watch over him; we will contact you immediately if there is any difference in his condition."
"I'm not sure I'm up to leaving him, at least not now. And I'm certainly not leaving England."
"Well, maybe you can make yourself useful? After the Headmaster comes back I need to run a few errands in Diagon Alley and Hogsmeade and at the Ministry. Perhaps you would like to join me? I do need help picking out some things."
She sighed. "I guess, I do need a bit of fresh air, and I need to pick up a book or two at Flourish and Blotts."
"Very well."
Hermione was utterly surprised about how her previously repulsive, overbearing Professor was acting towards her. He was being perfectly civil and not only that, but he was acting caring, empathetic, and downright kind. This baffled her, as much as his using her first name, giving her a warm embrace, or refraining from snide or sarcastic remarks the entire day. It seemed unreal. Maybe there's a whole side to him I've never known.
The elevator opened again and the Headmaster came in and faced Hermione and Snape, who were sitting in the Lobby area.
"Hello, I'm sorry that I've been so long. Hermione; I've told your parents what happened and where you are. They said you could stay here as long as you'd like, but they ask that you come home before the week is over. Your parents also said that they are holding off on the vacation. Though, your parents and I seem to agree that it would be good for you to leave and enjoy yourself. Too much moping can be devastating to one's character." Hermione looked up at him uneasily and gave a small smile.
"As for you Severus, the Death eaters are in holding chambers at the Ministry. And there are a few more things that I need, if you don't mind." He handed Snape a piece of parchment that he perused, then placed it in the pocket of his robes.
"Miss Granger will be joining me on my errands, is that going to be a problem?"
"I think it would be a marvelous idea. And I'll keep an eye on Harry. If there's any change on his condition I will alert you." Snape nodded at him and turned to Hermione.
"Miss Granger, shall we?"
"In a moment," she replied, walking over to Harry's bedside. She put his hand in hers and kissed him on the forehead. Hermione whispered her condolences and kissed him on each cheek. She walked back over to Snape with tears in her eyes.
"Right, let's be going."
