Erised's Bane
Author's Note: Well, thanks for all the great reviews! I really appreciate them! I think this story is even better than Curse of the Gypsy, the story I wrote about fifth year when we all didn't know what was going to happen in fifth year. Well, things turned out quite a bit different, but this is a pretty good story, or at least I think so. Tell me what you think, and don't be cruel!
Disclaimer: Surely you don't think I own Harry Potter? Cause yeah, I'd really be writing on a fan fiction site...
Chapter Four: All Things Considered
Harry looked from Ron to Hermione, who were sharing his shocked expression, as the hall erupted. Ginny was biting her lip and craning her neck up to see the situation more clearly, and Fred and George, who still hadn't become clear on if they regarded Snape as a friend or enemy, were torn somewhere between curiosity and anxiety.
"One of you, get Madam Pomfrey quick!" shouted Dumbledore. "Tell her to bring a Blood Restorative."
Harry glanced at his friends for a moment before standing. "I'll go." He muttered as he rushed down the hall, feet pounding up the steps towards the infirmary. He paused, panting, when he got to the door and took a deep breath before reaching out and twisting the knob. It didn't turn. He cursed and began pounding impatiently.
"Just a minute, just a minute." The nurse tutted as she made her way to the door. She opened it, frowning when she saw Harry. "What have you done now, Potter?" she said bleakly, looking him over as if she could search out the source of injury.
"It's not me." He said quickly, glancing back down the stairs. "It's Snape. He just arrived, and he was bleeding really badly. Dumbledore said to bring a Blood Restor..." Harry hadn't even finished his sentence when Madam Pomfrey had swept back to her office and emerged with a large stone bottle. She was fairly running as she made her way down the stairs, Harry at her heels.
They emerged in the great hall a moment later. Ginny, Hermione, Fred, George, and Ron were all gathered at the entrance waiting. "It looks pretty bad." Hermione said nervously, biting her lip. "He's conscious now. Do you think Voldemort...?"
"No." Harry said, shaking his head sharply. "He'd be dead now, believe me, if Voldemort had found out."
"Maybe he finally ticked off the wrong person." Ron muttered, gaining a quick reprove from Hermione.
"I think we'd better go now." Harry said after a long, tense moment. "Why don't we head towards my room? We can talk there."
Everybody nodded and they silently headed down the hall, Hermione frowning when she saw the house-elves scurrying past in their dishtowels. "What's this?" Fred muttered when they went past the portrait of the Fat Lady. "I thought you said we were going to your room?"
"Yeah. I got my own place." Harry shrugged. "It's actually right under the dormitory, at least I think so. Probably where the head of house used to sleep." He found the portrait of Lord Hornswaggle, who was currently involved in a game of gin with his companions. He looked up, the smoke billowing around his head, and squinted.
"Eh, that you Harry? And who're these brats?"
"They're my friends." Harry said. "Could you please step aside now?" he said, catching the strange looks he was getting from his friends. Lord Hornswaggle was about to move when he noticed Fred and George, who were grinning madly and standing behind Harry.
"It's them! The monsters!" he said loudly. "I remember you, don't think I'd forget!" he said.
"Just move already." Harry said in exasperation, fighting to be heard over the twins' loud guffaws. With a surly nod, Lord Hornswaggle jerked to the side to reveal the keyhole. Everybody stared in amazement when Harry inserted the key and the door opened wide, revealing the room. "Come on in." he muttered as he stepped inside the dark passageway.
Ron jumped when the torches automatically began to light themselves in the slow circle around the room. In a moment everybody was inside and the door sealed itself again. "I always knew Hornswaggle was hiding something." George said as he made his way over to the chair near the fireplace and slumped down. "Always reckoned it was a secret passageway, even though it was never shown on the Marauder's Map."
"This place is great." Ron said with a long, low whistle. "And you say it's all yours?" he muttered. "Unbelievable."
Hermione, who had just developed a great interest in the racks of books, many of which she had never seen in the library, peered over his shoulder. "I think it's terrific. You can do more studying this way, without having to scavenge an empty classroom. Plus, if you need to talk to anybody, there's a fireplace right here. Very convenient."
"Yeah, well." Harry muttered. "At least I had a few glorious hours thinking I wouldn't have to take potions. But of course, Dumbledore got me in anyway. Thinks it will be good 'training'."
"Buck up, mate." Fred said as he sat on the edge of Harry's bed. "You might not have to take N.E.W.T. potions if Snape croaks."
A long silence passed before Ginny finally spoke. "That wasn't funny." She whispered. "Even if it was Snape."
"Sorry." He muttered, looking downcast. "Just trying to make light of a bad situation." Harry cringed when he realized that Fred, for perhaps only the second time in his memory, was being completely serious. He looked up again. "But what do you think happened, really? I know he's doing something for the Order, but does this have anything to do with it? Or was it just a bad coincidence?"
"A really bad coincidence." Hermione muttered, sitting cross-legged by the bookshelf with a text open on her lap. "But as Harry said, if it was Voldemort, he'd be dead right now. Or worse." She shuddered.
Everybody except Harry winced at the mention of the name. "Perhaps one of the others found out, though, and didn't manage to kill him before he escaped." He said as he leaned against a wall. "But that doesn't explain why he was bleeding. I don't know of many curses that act physically like that." He said, vaguely remembering the cut Snape had given his father in the pensieve. "Well, perhaps I know of one. But at any rate, I don't think we're likely to be finding out what happened. After all, we're still the kiddies."
"Yeah, right." George said sullenly. "Even though we have a thriving business and all, mum still likes to treat us like we're in diapers. Do you realize we've never been on a single adventure?" he said, tossing a galleon he had pulled from his pocket up into the air and catching it. "Even ickle Ronniekins got to help save the Sorcerer's Stone from Queer Quirrel in first year. Repeat after me...first year."
"Yeah." Ron said, a strange look going over his face. "But then, all I really did was play chess down there."
"Baby Ron's one gift." Fred said with a sigh. "Well, besides Quidditch. How nice it is to have a keeper in the family."
Ron blushed. "Shut up. What're we even talking about that for, anyway? If I remember correctly, we were talking about Snape."
"We're never going to find out anything about that." Ginny said. "So we better just forget about it."
"Wonder if they've got him to the infirmary yet." Harry muttered. He went over to the door and pulled it open a bit, enough for him to stick his head out and glance around the hall. It was empty to either side, but from the direction of Madam Pomfrey's he could hear voices. "I think they've got him up there." Harry said as he came back in, pushing the door shut again.
"We should probably stay here until somebody comes. Dumbledore should know you're here." Hermione said thoughtfully.
"Knowing me, he'll probably think I went off to get myself killed again." Harry muttered. "Congratulations, you're a member of the Order of the Phoenix, now stay put and do your homework." He said sarcastically.
"Well, I can understand why he did it." Ginny piped up. "We overheard them talking about some sort of charm they put on the Order, so you can tell when another member is in trouble. Plus, there's those locater things."
"Apparently, we don't need the protection enough." Ron sighed. "Mum still won't let us join."
"They might still let us join." Fred said, waving a hand. "I know they're thinking about it, anyway. Mostly as spies. They think we can keep an eye out on Diagon Alley since we work there."
"Yeah, and I wonder who told them you could do that?" Ginny snorted. "Now, let me think..."
"So I gave them the idea." George said. "That doesn't mean it won't work. And we are fully grown wizards." He added. He turned to Harry. "So, what number are you?"
"Thirty-four."
Ron had just opened his mouth to speak when a faint tapping could be heard from the door. Everybody looked at each other before Harry slowly crossed back to the door for a second time and pulled it open. McGonagall blinked for a moment, her face white as she glanced at the faces staring back at her.
"Harry Potter, could you come with me please?" she said, her voice dry. He stared for a moment before nodding and exiting the room, hearing his friends break out into whispers before the wall closed up behind him.
"What...?" Harry started, his voice catching in his throat when he saw McGonagall's stiff carriage and her white knuckles clenching about her wand. He wondered for a moment if he might somehow be in trouble, even though he hadn't done anything...not lately, at any rate.
They froze at the door to the infirmary and McGonagall pulled it open, nodding inside. "Please go on in." she said, her voice frozen. Suppressing a bad feeling that threatened to rise up in his throat, Harry turned and entered, looking at the sharp faces that were turned to him as he broke their rapid conversation.
Mr. and Mrs. Weasley were off to one side, talking quickly, while Remus, Moody, and Tonks were gathered against the wall next to the door. Tonks smiled briefly, though her usual droll persona was shadowed with worry. Dumbledore was standing next to the bed, talking in low tones to Snape. Harry felt a small twinge when he saw Snape bandaged around the middle, even paler than usual. A goblet of reddish liquid--the Blood Restorative--stood unfinished on the bedside table.
He stared at the scene for a long moment and had just opened his mouth to speak when his world exploded. He screamed and dropped to the floor as his head filled with pain, anger that was not his own coursing through his body, white hot flames filling his vision. The world faded from him and back again as the pain slowly ebbed away, leaving him weak and sore.
"Harry!" His eyes slid open and he saw through shadows Mrs. Weasley frantically rushing to his side. Mr. Weasley stopped her and she clutched at his arm, eyes filling with tears. Through the chaos he saw a sight that made him tremble with fear and rage...Dumbledore, cutting through the space and night, coming towards him...
"GET AWAY!" he shouted, his vision again burning white. He felt something like a small blast around him and suddenly his vision was clear again and all the pain had left him, sweating and struggling to catch his breath. Confusion reined for a moment before he saw what had happened. Dumbledore had been thrown against a wall, struck against the stone by the small blast. The blast Harry had made...Harry had attacked him....
"I'm...I'm sorry." He wheezed as he scrambled to his feet, swaying slightly so that he had to catch himself. He brought his hand to his forehead, panting. "I'm so sorry, I don't know...I don't know what happened..."
Dumbledore, who had been brought back to his feet by Remus, was looking at him mournfully. "I do." He muttered. "It seems...it seems that Voldemort is now channeling much more than his feelings through you now."
"You...you mean he's possessing me?" Harry said frantically. "But...but it can't..."
"He's not possessing you." Dumbledore said, dusting off his robes. "What you did was all on your own. But he was able to make you hate me...and fear me. In the past you have proven that you are unable to control your magic, especially when confronted with your anger." He said calmly. Harry thought suddenly about the disappearing glass and his Aunt Marge. "This only proves it." Dumbledore said.
Shivering, he let Mrs. Weasley lead him to another bed. "So what?" he finally managed to say, choking. "He's trying to use me now? To hurt people?"
"I don't even now if it was intentional." Dumbledore said slowly, his gaze flickering to Snape. "At the moment, he might have just discovered that he has encountered a very large...setback."
Knowing better than to ask what that meant, Harry looked down at the floor, resting his head on the palm of his hands. I hate this. He thought wearily. I hate everything about this. After a long moment, he shook his head and looked up. "Do you...do you think that I still have a chance to get it out? If I were to continue with Occlumency?" he said hopefully.
"We can try." He said. "But...but it would have to be Professor Snape who taught you...if he was willing. You see how unsafe it would be to open yourself to Voldemort around...around me. Or any other member of the Order. But I have to warn you...as hard as it was last year, it's going to be much harder now that he has gotten so far into your mind."
Harry suppressed a groan, shaking his head. Finally he looked up, taking a deep breath. "What was it you wanted me for?" he asked, remembering for the first time that he had been brought up, and hadn't just come of his own accord. "Did you need something?"
"Yes." Snape spoke for the first time, looking at Harry with a stone-cold expression. "We were just wondering what you meant by the ridiculous statement that I came and retrieved you from your aunt and uncle's? I never made it to your house that night."
"What?" Harry said, blinking. "Of course you did."
"I most certainly did not." Snape stood, wincing slightly and bringing his hand to the wound. "I was going that way when I was summoned by the Dark Lord. I could not ignore the call and went, but as we were leaving the snake attacked me." He muttered. "The bastards left me there to rot."
"It's the one fault of that damn locater." Moody muttered. "Sure, it said he was in mortal danger but it does that every time he goes to one of them meetings. We just thought he went and got Harry beforehand."
"So it was an impostor who got me?" Harry said, a strange look going over his face. "Why?"
"Probably to try and attack you, render you defenseless."
"Then why didn't he?" Harry muttered.
"That is the setback I believe Voldemort has just encountered." Dumbledore sighed. "The charm I placed on you long ago, which makes the most hated place in the world for you probably the safest."
"So what now, Albus?" Moody said, as a sudden murmur broke out in the room. "Do you think he's going to try and find a way to break that charm?"
"I'm certain he underestimates it." Dumbledore said. "But yes, it is of course not foolproof. I think it best if we keep watch over Privet Drive." He said sternly. "And make sure Petunia Dursley is well protected."
Harry waved solemnly as the last of his friends disappeared over the ridge and looked towards Hogsmeade for a long moment before turning and reentering the castle. He winced when he reminded himself that he still had a month to go before he would have any company, despite the reassurances of his friends that they would be coming to visit. Of course, with the revelation that whoever had come to him on that night hadn't been Snape, there was no way he was going to be allowed out to the Burrow.
He walked slowly, not paying any attention to where he was going. His footsteps were the only sound in the solemn quiet halls, as Hogwarts had sunk into restless peace at the day's end. He was thinking hard...he needed somebody to talk to right now, and he couldn't think of who. It wasn't like it had been...there was nobody who could understand.
He thought of the night so many years ago when he had awoken with a pain in his scar, and hadn't been able to place who he could turn to advice. That night it had taken him a long moment to be able to remember that Sirius existed, that he could talk to him. Now the only person he could imagine who would even listen to his worries, his fears was gone. And he couldn't place how he would be able to talk to him, now. That was all he needed...somebody to talk to.
Freezing, he noticed a door off to his side that seemed to have appeared out of nowhere. The Room of Requirement. But was it possible? His hand twitched as he lowered it to the knob and turned it, sliding it open and wondering what he would find behind it.
But whatever he had expected...a ghostly image of Sirius came to mind...it certainly wasn't the tall object that stood there in the middle of the darkness. He froze, remembering the last time he had come across it, years before. The Mirror of Erised.
Closing the door slowly, he stepped inside and walked around to peer into the glass. The first time he had peered into the glass, he had seen the many forms of his family...his mom, his dad, cousins...he couldn't even begin to think who each person was. But this time when he stood before it and gazed into its depths, there was only a single image peering back at him. His godfather.
"Sirius..." he whispered, reaching out a hand to touch the smooth glass. The image smiled back at him, looking as he had the day he had disappeared behind the veil. His fingers froze a fraction from the mirror as he remembered what Dumbledore had told him in his first year, how looking at one's desires could bring him to madness, but he also remembered that Dumbledore had decieved him for five years and, with a furious glare towards the door, he sat and stretched out in a chair that appeared suddenly behind him.
He was still watching it late into the night when he drifted off into fitful slumber, clouds of black around his head in that place where dreams and reality collide. "You're making a mistake, placing your blame on everybody." A voice said from behind him. "You're only hurting yourself and those who care about you."
"What do you know?" Harry said furiously as he turned. "You left me here alone. Why should I listen to you?"
"I thought you wanted to talk to me." Sirius said in amusement as he stood and walked over. They were seated in the Room of Requirement, but the mirror had disappeared, opening the space between them.
"Of course I wanted to." Harry muttered. "But not like this. Not like it isn't real."
"Things happen the way they do for a reason." Said Sirius calmly. "I know you don't see it know but you will. Someday."
"I'll never understand it." Harry said in irritation. He ran a hand through his hair, sighing. "I don't understand why it all had to happen to me."
"So you would have wished all this on another person?" Sirius said, his smile fading. "You know what would have happened had it not been you."
"So?" Harry muttered. "Neville ended up without his parents anyway. Perhaps his life might even have been a little easier, we can't tell for sure. At least then he might get a little recognition."
"The things that happen aren't that certain." Sirius said quietly. "Had Neville been chosen, do you really think you would have escaped unharmed? There's no way to know if that is true. Don't blame those you care about for the life you've been given. Above all, don't blame yourself."
Harry woke in his own bed without any recollection of how he got there, with only the faint memory of the night before running through his mind. He sighed and sat back, trying to recall what had happened, and fell into dreamless slumber before rising again to face the day, a day like all the rest. Never had he felt more alone in his life.
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Aww....such a sad chapter. Well, please read and review as always. E-mail me for suggestions, comments, or just to be my buddy! I promise I'll write back.
Megx