CHAPTER 11
He woke at noon, and it took some time to adjust to the light. He looked around and smiled. Remus was in a bed next to him, sleeping. Ron's chin was on his chest, with an arm around Hermione who was sharing the bench with him. Snape had a nasty cut across his cheek, which was probably why he was still here. Splikvin's arm was bandaged and she was leaning on her brother's shoulder, also sleeping. Alex had fallen asleep in a chair next to Harry, she was still wearing the bracelet he'd given her after the dance. He brushed the hair out of her face and looked at himself in a nearby mirror. His hair fell past his shoulders and was clean of grime and blood. What surprised him was the additional color. Three stripes stood out against the jet black. There was one of copper starting from his left temple and reached the end of his hair. A silver stripe came from his right temple, and a gold stripe swept back from the middle of his forehead. Interesting, he thought, wonder what caused it. He continued to observe himself further.
He was paler and much, much skinnier. He still had a small bit of the muscle he'd worked up over the summer, but he had a lot to make up for. No injuries remained, and he found only a scar on his arm. Harry found his wand on the bedside table and used it to cut his hair back to the length he'd had it for the year.
"Much better," someone told him.
Harry turned and found Draco sitting in a chair nearby. "Thanks," Harry said, "How long has everybody been sleeping for?"
Draco shrugged. "Not long, you've been back for two days already."
"Seriously?"
The Slytherin Prefect nodded. "Yeah, Professor Snape and Splikvin had a run in with some Death Eaters in Hogsmede last night; Lupin was…nearby and saved them. Now all three are in here."
"Ah, do you mind telling me what I've missed?" Harry asked.
Draco smiled ruefully. "Sorry, we've made a deal to talk about one thing each—I just told you mine."
Harry chuckled, "Alright, I guess I can wait. But can you tell me about classes?"
Draco grinned, pointing at a very large stack of parchment near Harry's bed. "Granger's got you covered."
Harry groaned, it would take him hours to read through all of it. "Please? Just a summary?"
Draco laughed. "Alright, but you owe me."
So Draco began to fill Harry in on the CoMC, Charms, Transfiguration, Potions and DADA classes. He'd missed studying chimeras in DADA and CoMC, it had been a joint lesson; conjuring in Transfiguration; a truth serum in Potions; and charming things to float for longer periods of time, like the candles in the Great Hall, in Flitwick's class. With relief, Harry realized that he knew about those things already so it wouldn't be hard to catch up, but he still had the homework. Maybe I should use Mark again, Harry thought slyly and that was when everyone began to wake.
Alex was the first and she instantly hugged Harry then kissed him on the cheek. "I ruined four brooms because of you," she whispered with a tiny smile.
"And attacked a professor with a patronous," he added, causing her to blush.
Ron and Hermione woke up next, taking a few seconds to realize Harry was up. "You alright mate?" Ron asked quietly.
Harry nodded with a smile. "Never better. How've you guys been?"
"Worried," Hermione answered.
"Like hell," Ron added.
Hermione picked up the book that had been next to her and handed it to Harry. "We made this. It's a scrapbook of what's happened while you were—gone."
Harry took it and opened it after looking at the brown leather cover. The first page had a clipping from the Daily Prophet. Its headline read: Boy-Who-Lived Is Abducted! The picture was of the ruined Dursely home with the Dark Mark hovering above it. He flipped through the pages; there were articles covering each day he'd been missing, his face grew more solemn with each one. It was amazing how far from the truth the reporters' thoughts were.
After the newspaper articles ended, photographs of the school days replaced them. Gryffindor won their second match, barely, which was against Ravenclaw. There were pictures of the common room at different times, but no one looked happy at all. He saw a picture of a thunderstorm that almost overflowed the lake and he smiled inwardly. Apparently the elements hadn't liked his dissapearence either. A few photographs later, the scrapbook ended with letters from friends, wishing him a quick recovery. "Thanks," he said quietly, and closed the book.
"Anytime mate," Ron said, "we're glad you're back."
"What happened to the Dursleys?"
Hermione smiled ruefully. "That's Ginny's part to tell."
Harry gave a fake sigh. "This'll take ages to figure out completely." His friends only smiled.
Ginny came in with Neville, Luna and Seamus a little while later and bombarded Harry with handshakes and hugs. He thanked them all for coming and was glad to see even Luna's radish-looking earings. Ginny told him that the Dursleys had been terrified of Hogwarts and fainted once they were told where they were. More than one student had hexed them for speaking ill of Harry and more than once they had to visit Madam Pomfrey. After the thirtieth 'accidental' attack, Dumbledore took them to a new muggle apartment complex in London to live.
After Remus woke up, Harry began to get real information. Thinking himself fit to leave, Harry proved it to them by jogging to Gryffindor Tower and back, almost giving Madame Pomfrey a heart attack. He was ordered back in bed, but he only obeyed because that's where Remus was, with a penesive of his view of events.
Harry saw, the ruins of Privet Drive, the dilemma of the Dursleys, the attack on Snape and Selena in Hogsmede (in which Remus saved them as a werewolf) as well as several Order meetings concerning the search for Harry. "And that's what happened." Remus said as the images faded.
"Thanks for showing me," Harry replied.
The other people in the room shifted uncomfortably. "What about you?" Alex asked softly.
Harry's eyes grew shadowed, "I think it's best if you don't see my memories of the time." He said. "It's not something anyone should see, not that there's much to see—I was blind for most of the time."
Alex nodded, "If that's what you want. Just remember, we're always here for you, and we always will be."
Harry was forced to remain in the hospital wing for three more days. He caught up on his homework after the first day and got exceedingly bored on the second. After his friends left from their daily visit, Harry created Mark, and told his double to appear asleep. After that, Harry teleported to The Hideaway. The founders had been worried, thought Salazar tried to hide it. Apparently Remus had teleported to The Hideaway a few times, relaying the events.
Harry spent several hours with them and Hedwig, either practicing magic or just talking since it was a weekend. Harry wouldn't answer any questions about his stay in Voldemort's base; the only thing he said about it was that he couldn't teleport because something had anchored him to the pillar he'd been chained to. While talking though, Harry got the chance to ask something he'd thought about while captured. "Do you guys mind being stuck here all the time?"
"It's not bad," Godric answered with a shrug. "At least we can go outside our portraits some." The others nodded their agreement and the beginings of a Christmas present idea started to form in Harry's mind.
Checking his watch, Harry found that it was almost noon and had to bid the founders goodbye. He sent Hedwig first, to check if anyone was there, when she came back, Harry knew it was safe. Mark dissapeared as Harry crawled into the bed, and got out his Arthrimacy text as a house elf appeared with his meal, it was Dobby. After talking with him for a while and eating, Harry worked a bit on his shield spell, put it away and fell asleep.
That night, Harry had another dream.
The spell was nearly complete. Satisfied, he waited as his Death Eaters finished the ancient rites to call some of those who had died in his service back to life. The veil shimmered, the whispers of the dead met his ears. He smiled grimly. He had defied death, and more than once.
The movement behind the veil caught his attention. The Death Eaters continued to chant as someone began to emerge, stomach up. First a foot, then a leg, the entire lower half. He frowned, this was not the right person; he could tell by the lack of Mark on the man's forearm.
In surprise, his followers stopped chanting as Sirius Black opened his eyes. "Well, well. If it isn't my dear cousin." Bella crooned. Wand out, she pointed it at the newly-risen man.
He stopped her. "No. Do not kill him, take him home—he will provide a fair amount of amusement. Just like Potter." Black's eyes flickered with both fear and anger as the Death Eaters approached.
The spell hadn't worked as he had wished, but he laughed none the less…
Coming Up:
Chain magic
Classes Resume
The real first outbreak
Then:
True or False?
The Winter Holidays
(A/N: My apologies for this chapter being so short and so delayed. I do not have writer's block, just lacking in the time to type it all up.)
