Okay here you go Harry Kid. You've been waiting a long time. Hope you all enjoy it!
Hogsmeade was in exactly six days. It was Sunday night and Harry had just walked up to his dormitory after leaving the hospital wing in shock of his newly discovered disease.
Sirius, Harry thought. I need you now. I know you could make this better. Harrry lay down on his bed and looked up at the ceiling and then over at his nightstand. The mirror sat there halfway on the table and halfway off, taunting him; begging him to come and take another look. Let it crash Harry thought. See if I care. Harry couldn't let this affect him. He had to move on. Sirius was happy now. He was innocent now. He was safe now. The only thing trying to hold him back is me. Harry rolled over in bed and buried his face in the pillow. None of his homework was done. This was ridiculous. After a moment of lying there in the cold, dark, silent room, Harry dozed off. He dreamed that he was walking down Hogsmeade again, hand in hand with Ginny. Only this time Hermione and Ron weren't snogging but they were hand in hand walking in front of them. Suddenly Harry saw a furry black dog in the distance. He screamed "SIRIUS!" and was suddenly shot backwards and lay painfully on his back on the stone dirt ground. Everything was blurry but he hadn't passed out yet. Ginny leaned over him.
"Harry," she muttered. "Harry it's okay. I'm here for you." Harry stared up at her face weakly and for a moment, Harry had thought he saw Sirius leaning over him.
"Harry,'' Sirius said. "I'm here for you. I'm here for you."
"I'm here for you, Harry," Ginny muttered.
"Harry." Ron was shaking Harry hard and suddenly Harry was jerked away. All the boys in their dormitory were bustling around, putting on there uniforms and ties and organizing their books. Harry saw Seamus Finnigan chuck Neville's Herbology book which had some how grown four legs, across the room, missing Harry's head by a few inches, when they realized Harry was awake.
"Harry," Seamus said jumping on his bed, pulling at his own tie as he spoke. "What's going on? How did that happen yesterday? You okay?" Neville walked over to the bed now and sat in the chair by Harry's desk and said, "Yeah I was worried sick about you." Dean then walked over and leaned against his bed post when Ron began making big arm movements and glaring at all the boys.
"Harry's MY best friend and I woke him up first so Harry's going to answer ME first!" Ron said pushing the other boys aside and sitting on the edge of Harry's bed. Harry smiled a little and chuckled in his mind. "So Harry," Ron said. "Are you okay? Tell me how that happened. What's the matter? Did Dumbledore tell you?" Harry sat up and reached for his glasses and put them on. Right before he looked at all the boys staring at him intently.
"I'll tell you later," Harry muttered to Ron so that the others couldn't hear. Then he turned to the rest of them who now put all their focus on Harry right after Seamus gave Neville a hard shove.
"They don't really know what happened," Harry lied to Dean, Seamus and Neville. They all looked rather disappointed.
"Damn, Harry, we were all so worried," Dean said.
"And they have no idea? We all thought you might have gotten a nasty spider bite or something." Seamus said.
"Yeah. Or had not enough water that day."
"Or maybe that potion in Potions class the day before made you a bit nauseous," Ron added.
Finally Neville spoke up. "I thought, that maybe, well," Neville hesitated. "I remember last year when your Godfather died, well there's this disease that"
"Oh shut up Neville," said Seamus. "Harry doesn't have a DISEASE." Seamus chuckled and Harry gulped glancing at Neville. Neville sounded like he was on the right track, although Harry would never admit it to anyone except Ron and Hermione.
That afternoon when Harry, Ron and Hermione were on the way to Defense against the Dark Arts Harry realized that Professor Lupin would be an excellent person to talk to about this. Why hadn't he thought of it before?
"You know," Hermione said as the trio walked together down the stone corridor. "I suppose all this talk about you having disease is rubbish." Harry and Ron looked at her disbelieving. If Dumbledore's the one who told them, there's practically no chance that it's incorrect. Afterall, how ofter did Dumbledore make a mistake?
"I know you think it sounds crazy, but, I was looking in the library at lunch," Ron rolled his eyes and sighed. "and I came across the book called "Wizarding Diseases and Cures, and in it there was a passage that read that every disease ever come across in the wizarding world has at least some sort of cure or fighting potion."
"Sure," said Ron, "but do you actually think Dumbledore's lying?"
"NO, but maybe he's mistaken."
"You guys I'd prefer if we didn't talk about this right now," Harry said as Malfoy, Crabbe, Goyle, Blaise and Pansy walked towards them.
"What do you want?" Harry said rudely, as Malfoy faced him.
"Hm†NOT very friendly," Malfoy said smiling. "I, as a matter of fact came to let you know that Professor Snape has returned. Isn't that fantastic?" Draco said, assuming that the three would but sad and disappointed, but to Draco's disappointment, they were rather happy.
"Really?!" Harry said. Ron and Hermione grinned at each other. Malfoy twitched.
"Er- yeah," Malfoy said, obviously attempting to think of something mean very quickly before he had to take credit for pleasing his three arch enemies.
"That's great. And do you know what happened to him?" Harry said, trying not to reveal the suspicion in his voice.
"No, but I'm sure since Professor Snape actually LIKES me, he'll tell me today," Draco said raising his head up.
"Right" said Harry, eyebrows raised.
"So," Pansy said, stepping forward, smirking at Hermione and Ron, and then resting her focus on Harry. "I heard you fainted again." Harry's stomach tightened.
Draco and his cronies laughed.
"Did you see another Dementor, Potter?" Blaise said flipping his black hair back.
"No, Potter probably just saw someone in a black coat and fainted," Draco said in a smirk.
"Mind your own business, Malfoy," said Hermione.
"Yeah," said Ron, stepping forward. "If we feel a need to tell you anything about Harry's troubles, we will, but until then, shut your face and find something constructive to do." With that Harry, Ron and Hermione left the five Slytherins and entered the Defense Against the Dark Arts room. Harry took a deep breath. It's okay, he had to deal with this all the time.
As all the students found their seats, Professor Lupin entered the room looking tired, as usual, but also content and warm.
"Good morning class," He said smiling.
"Good morning, Professor Lupin," The class chanted back.
"Hope you all had a good weekend. I hear next weekend is a Hogsmeade visit," He said. The class started talking very loudly and excitedly and after a moment, Lupin lifted his hand to silence. "I'm glad you're excited. But, I have something to show you today," Lupin said, pulling out a large rectangular glass cage from behind his desk. He pulled off the cover slowly and inside, Harry saw a very large lizard, probably a foot and a half to two feet lying within it and munching on something pink.
"I know what that is!" Hermione said excitedly. Ron rolled his eyes and Harry smiled. Was there anything she didn't know?
"That's got to be the biggest lizard I've ever seen!" Parvati said as Lavender clasped her hand over her mouth. Lupin chuckled.
"Not for long," he said. "Just watch." After a moment the lizard began to shrink and it got so small that the class had to squint to see it.
"That is a Moke," Lupin said. "They're creatures from the lizard family who can shrink at will and change colors as well. They're among the most populate wizarding creatures of all time because it is so difficult to catch one because of the camouflauge. They're very dangerous though. Their teeth are incredibly sharp and today I'm going to teach you a spell to reduce any animals claws and teeth and you will practice and this Moke who I call Garry."
"I knew it," Hermione said. "That's exactly what I thought."
"Repeat after me class," Lupin said. "Randaralus."
"Randaralus" The class muttered. The rest of the period they practiced it. Hermione, of course, managed to shrink the teeth of her Moke as well as the claws. Harry had shrunk the teeth just fine but made the claws grow even more and Ron's Moke didn't do anything but twitch when he muttered the spell. After class Harry told Hermione and Ron to go on without him while he spoke to Lupin.
"Professor?" Harry said as Lupin packed away all the mokes.
"Yes Harry? Hope you liked the lesson."
"OH of course, sir it was brilliant," Harry said in complete honesty. That spell would prove very useful. "I was just wondering if I could have a word with you."
"Yes I know you haven't quite been well lately." Lupin said now turning to Harry with concern in his eyes.
"You know what happened?" Harry asked.
"Well, only a little. Why don't you tell me." They sat down at one of the student tables and Harry told Lupin about how Every time anyone says Sirius's name he feels sick and naseous and how its getting worse as time goes by. He told Lupin about how he finally fainted after he saw Sirius's face in the mirror and how he had no idea if it was real or fake, and about the "sickness of Loss" disease he apparently had.
"Professor, is there a chance that Dumbledore is†mistaken? I mean, there couldn't possibly be a disease" Lupin cut Harry off.
"Harry I'm sorry I haven't been there for you these past few weeks. I know I've been working andâ€but you've been through so much†I should have—well, Just know that, except for the three or four days each month when I'm ill, you can talk to me. All right? I'll help you with anything. Anything I can do." Lupin watched Harry sympathetically. This was very kind of Lupin to say. He was one of the people Harry could relate to in his suffering.
"you've been through a lot too, Lupin," Harry said. "He was your best friend."
"and he was your Godfather," Lupin finished.
"Thanks," Harry said. "But, Professor, what do you think I really saw in the mirror?" Harry said.
"I don't know Harry. I really don't know if it was your imagination, or if Sirius really has the mirror behind the veil or something. I just don't know but I'll look into it for you."
"Okay, thanks," Harry said, again. There was nothing he could do but wait so Harry left the room and headed down to the dungeons for Potions.
