Title: Harry Potter and the Staff of Merlin
Author: Legolas-gurl88
Disclaimer: J.K. Rowling, J.K. Rowling, J.K. Rowling… :looks up: Oh, hi! I'm just checking off how many characters and things belong to J.K. Rowling::looks back down: J.K. Rowling, J.K. Rowling, J.K. Rowling…
Author Note: This chapter will be a bit slower paced than the last one and I apologize if it's a bit boring. I just need some things to be resolved in this chapter. Maybe the next chapter…
27. A Recommended Appearance
"It is almost time, Wormtail." Voldemort said wickedly.
"Time, Master?"
"Yes, time-- time to strike."
"Sir--"
"He has the coin, Wormtail. She's told me. She found it in a Mudblood's book. His friends' book."
"How will we get it if Potter has it, Sir?"
"We won't."
"But, Master--"
Harry yelled loudly.
"Shh! He's awake!" he heard someone whisper.
"No he's not."
"Of course he is." the first voice said bossily. "Harry… wake up."
The voice coaxed Harry's eyes open. Light immediately filled his vision. Once his eyes got used to the unfamiliar light, two shapes came clearer. One with red hair and another with bushy brown hair… Ron and Hermione.
Harry tried to sit up, but let out a groan of pain and fell back on a pillow. Ron and Hermione moved closer, worry filling their eyes.
"Are you alright, Harry?" Hermione asked quietly.
"I-- yeah." Harry panted. Though he realized he was breathing regularly, his voice sounded unusually winded and croaky.
"You gave us such a scare, there, mate." said Ron, pouring Harry a glass of water and handing it to him. Harry took a small sip and felt his voice replenish slightly. He didn't answer to Ron's statement right away, and instead, looked at his surroundings. Familiar portraits hung on the walls; familiar sheets covered him. He was in the Hospital Wing. Taking a deep breath, he struggled to sit up. Hermione helped him to do so and once he was sitting, he looked at his friends, trying to remember what had happened.
Instantly, his head filled with horrible memories of Frost performing the Cruciatus Curse on him-- his inability to breath at all-- and the walls of Madam Puddifoot's Teashop crashing down on him and everyone else.
"How did I get out?" Harry thought aloud.
"Well--" Ron began and Harry looked at his best friend. "The people in the other buildings heard the shop coming down and rushed outside to see what was going on. They saw the walls collapse. Someone had enough wit to run for help. He ran into the Three Broomsticks yelling that the shop had come down and we knew you were probably in there."
Tears were filling Hermione's eyes and she rubbed them away hurriedly.
"When we arrived, people were already rummaging through the wreckage, looking for survivors." Ron continued. "After a little bit, they found you. They thought you were dead-- because you weren't breathing."
"It was the Inhalation Charm." Hermione cut in. "It causes the lungs to collapse and air to be blocked."
"Well, it worked." Harry said grimly.
"Luckily," Ron cut in, "they felt for a pulse and found one. An old bloke of a wizard knew what the curse was because of the symptoms you had--"
"Your neck was bruised and puffy--"
"And did the countercurse. You started breathing again."
Harry lay his back on the wall behind the bed.
"What about Cho? Is she alright?"
Ron and Hermione exchanged nervous glances.
"What?" Harry said.
"Er-- well… she's sort of… mad." Ron said. Harry's heart stopped.
"It was the Cruciatus Curse." Harry said. "Frost performed it on her."
"Frost did this?" Hermione gasped.
"Yeah." said Harry. "But never mind that-- what about Cho?"
"Well…" said Ron. "She's not fully hurt-- like Neville's parents or… Fleur. But she forgets who she is sometimes. She's got sort of what Lockhart has though not as permanent. They have a specialized potion for her and she'll be back at the end of the month."
Relief swooped down on Harry. At least her mind wasn't completely damaged as Fleur's had been.
"But what about… well… everyone else?" asked Harry.
"Well," said Hermione, "twenty-seven bodies, including yours, Cho's and Snape's bodies were found…"
"And…"
"Oh, Harry!" Hermione sobbed, "Twenty-three of them were dead!"
Harry was sure that the Inhalation Charm had been put on him again. Twenty-three? Out of twenty-seven?
"Who--" croaked Harry, "--who survived?"
"You, Cho, Snape and another Hogwarts student." Ron said, pointing his thumb over his back to the bed across from Harry's. Harry painfully leaned over and saw that it was one of the noisy kissers who had been sitting next to him and Cho. His face was deathly pale and his chest rose up and down in short movements as he stared up at the ceiling, not even comprehending that he had visitors surrounding him.
"Poor bloke," Ron said, shaking his head slightly in sympathy, "Soon as he woke up, he went into shock and denial. He still thinks he's in the teashop, snogging his girlfriend."
When Harry moved back into place, he looked at his arms. For the first time, he noticed that they were bandaged as well as his neck.
"Teacups sliced you rather badly." Hermione explained, seeing what Harry was looking at. "Madam Pomfrey removed an inch of one from your shoulder yesterday."
Harry instinctively reached one of his bandaged arms up to his shoulder and felt a slight pain on his left shoulder.
"Why couldn't Madam Pomfrey just cure it with magic? I mean, these're just cuts right?" asked Harry.
"Well, one of the teapots was magical and when it sliced you, it stuck really badly and spread some sort of foreign tea into your veins and that took Madam Pomfrey hours to clear up."
Again, Harry swallowed hard. His mind left the hospital wing, also leaving Ron and Hermione in a silence as the two stared at him, eyes filled with worry and sorrow. He didn't ever remember falling asleep, but at one point or another, he passed into unconsciousness.
The longest week of Harry's life happened after he woke up the next morning, feeling slightly better. Madam Pomfrey gave him porridge for breakfast as she took a cloth and dropped a few beads of some smoking grey substance onto a cloth, then transferred it to his scraped neck, all the while muttering things like, "Lucky you're not dead" or "Almost out of Nexis Neck Potion".
Notice signs were posted in the Hospital Wing and, according to Ron and Hermione, in the Gryffindor Common Room, that Defense Against the Dark Arts had been cancelled until further notice. The next time Ron and Hermione came to visit him, Ron took his quill out and added at the bottom of the announcement Because one of the teachers almost died and the other is a raving lunatic.
"Where is Frost, anyway?" Harry asked, eating the sausages that Madam Pomfrey provided, as Ron returned to his seat, hiding his quill innocently. Disapproving stares from Hermione were followed, until she looked back at Harry.
"They caught up with her yesterday. It was in the newspaper this morning. It said that she's in a heavily guarded cell in Azkaban right now charged with the crimes of manslaughter and possible service to Voldemort, waiting for a trial date to be set."
"Don't know why they even bother with a trial." Ron said, opening a wrapper of one of the chocolate frogs that Hagrid sent Harry as a get-well present and stuffing it into his mouth. "Woman kills twenty-three people, I'd say chuck her in jail and be done with it."
"Ron, that's the same attitude those people had when Sirius was convicted. It might not have been her!"
"Aw, open your eyes, Hermione!" said Ron disbelievingly, "Harry was there! He saw her!"
Hermione sat back in her chair, huffily, crossing her arms.
"I suppose your right." she said. Harry and Ron exchanged surprised looks.
"I am?" asked Ron, surprised, his mouth still full of chocolate frog.
"Of course you are!" snapped Hermione, "Why wouldn't you be?"
"I-I dunno… it's just… I've never been right… and you've never admitted that I was right!"
"Then there's hope for the world." said Harry.
On Sunday, the sun peeked out from behind the clouds, warming the air a bit, but not much. Harry was released from the Hospital Wing with bandaged arms and neck, though not as heavily. He was able to cover up his arms (which were looking pretty red and purple), but could do nothing about his neck, which had turned a lovely shade of green, which, according to Madam Pomfrey, was a sign that it was healing. To Harry, however, it meant more embarrassment.
Harry spent the entire afternoon in the Common Room, talking to Ron and Hermione, avoiding stares of first years. At lunch, he walked into the Great Hall and saw Snape sitting at Dumbledore's left. Harry's heart gave a jolt. In the excitement of himself, Cho and Frost, he'd forgotten all about Snape.
The Potions Master looked slightly better off than Harry, but bore a few cuts around his face. If there were any more injuries, Snape had covered them almost professionally with his billowing robes. Harry and Snape made eye contact for a brief second and Harry received another shock. Snape's stare was not a friendly stare-- far from it, in fact-- but it seemed ever-so-slightly warmer than his usual coldness. Harry gave it a week to fade.
"We heard him telling Dumbledore the other day how you saved him." Hermione said as the three of them took their seats at the Gryffindor table, avoiding stares from the other tables.
"Noble thing, Harry," Ron said, "I wouldn't've done it."
Harry grunted a response. During the remaining of lunch, he kept his eyes on his plate, feeling the gazes of everyone on his back.
After lunch, Harry left the Great Hall and told Ron and Hermione he was going to visit Hagrid. They both muttered something about how they needed to do homework. Harry knew they wanted him to have time to talk to Hagrid alone and he, Harry, was grateful for their consideration. Lost in thought the whole walk to Hagrid's, Harry didn't even realize he was right outside Hagrid's house for at least a minute. When he knocked, Hagrid's voice boomed out at him.
"Who's tha'? Who's there? Who-- down, Fang. Down."
The door opened and Harry stepped into the threshold.
"Hi, Hagrid."
"Harry! Nice ter see yeh, Harry, nice ter see yeh. Blimey, what dragon swallowed yeh up and spit yeh back ou'?"
"No dragon." said Harry, taking Hagrid's silent invitation to walk inside. He sat down at the table and leaned over, resting his arms on it. Fang rested his head on Harry's lap and panted a slobbery mess.
"Now, I know I shoudn' be askin' this, but what the 'ell's botherin' yeh so bad?"
Harry stared at Hagrid in astonishment.
"Haven't you heard?" Harry asked.
"Oh, I 'eard alrigh'." said Hagrid, "But yer alive, yer lady friend'll be fine in a month, Frost is in jail--"
"But the other kid who survived is in total shock!" said Harry, "And to top it all off, twenty-three people died, Hagrid! Twenty-three!"
Hagrid was silent. He exhaled roughly and lowered his head, eyes closed. Then, without moving from his position, he spoke.
"I know wha' 'appened, Harry. I know 'ow many people died. But yer worth more ter me than all o' them put together. If only one of yeh was able ter live, I'd've rather it been you. Thank God, yeh survived. With or without yer cuts and injuries. Better you alive an' hurt than dead."
It was Harry's turn to be silent. He stared at Hagrid for a moment, then averted eye contact and concentrated on a notch in the table. How could anyone talk after someone had said that to them? When it became clear that Hagrid wasn't going to talk first, Harry looked up again.
"But twenty-three people, Hagrid…"
"Ah, I know it's 'ard ter face the facts, bu' when yeh get ter be as old as I am, yeh learn things. And yeh find ou' wha's mos' important ter yeh."
What was Hagrid saying? That Harry would grow to be a grouchy and selfish old man?
"So--so you're saying that the lives of those twenty-three people weren't important?"
"I didn't say a thing of the like!" exclaimed Hagrid. "All I'm sayin' is tha'-- blimey, this is 'ard-- all I'm sayin' is tha' yeh should feel lucky for wha' yeh 'ave. It migh' not be there the nex' day."
"What are you talking about, Hagrid?"
"I'm talkin' abou' you, Harry! Yer importan' ter me! Yer in more danger than all yer classmates put together. I never know if yeh'll be there to say hello to me the nex' day!"
Harry stared at Hagrid. Giant tears leaked from the corners of the Gamekeeper's eyes. Neither of them said a thing.
"I'm scared, Harry." Hagrid said. "I'm scared fer yeh! An' I'm scared fer me an' fer Ron an' Hermione! Yeh kids're the only friends I've ever really had! An' you, Harry, are more like a son ter me in ways."
He lifted his giant hands and wiped his ruddy face. Harry was speechless. He hadn't wanted the conversation to be this sad.
"An' now look at yeh!" sobbed Hagrid, sitting across from Harry. "Yer bruised, every inch o' yeh! But tha's not it, Harry. Yer growin' up, fightin' fer what yeh believe in, takin' responsibility. I'm proud o' yeh, Harry." He sniffed gigantically. "I'm proud o' yeh."
"Er-- thanks." said Harry awkwardly. Hagrid took the hint and wiped his face again. He sniffed one last time.
"Sorry, mate. Jus' everythin' tha's happenin', yeh know… so, did yeh get my gift?"
"Yeah." said Harry, gladly taking up the new conversation. "Thanks. Ron loved them."
Hagrid gave a weak chuckle.
"How're Grawp and Sarff?"
"Who? Oh, Grawpy's doin' great. It's Sarff I'm worried abou'. She keeps tryin' to get ter the castle, so I've had to tie her to tons o' trees to get her from gettin' there."
"Why does she want to get to the castle?"
"Dunno. Probably smells the food."
Night fell before Harry returned to the Common Room. He and Hagrid had talked for so long that they hadn't even noticed the time. The second he stepped through the portrait hole, a demeanor-looking owl swooped over to him and landed on his shoulder. Harry winced slightly due to the pressure on his injury, but the owl simply gave him a regal hoot, dropped a letter into his hands and took flight again.
Confused, Harry looked around for Ron and Hermione. He found them by the fire with a seat saved for him. When he dropped into his favorite chair, Ron looked at the envelope in his hands.
"What's that?"
"I dunno yet." said Harry. He looked at the seal on the envelope. It was stamped with the Ministry of Magic symbol. Silently, he opened it while Ron and Hermione watched and unfolded the letter. Ron and Hermione leaned in closer to read over his shoulder.
Dear Mr. Potter,
It has come to our attention that you were among the four witnesses that survived the events that happened on February 14. The other survivors are listed, Cho Chang, Severus Snape and Barnaby Salamander. We would ask that the four of you attend the hearing of one, Philberta Bradwer Frost on February 29 at one o'clock.
However, new has reached us that Mr. Salamander is in shock and is unable to speak at the present time and Miss. Chang is temporarily unable to recall fully what happened. Mr. Snape has already sent a reply saying he will be unable to attend. However, Miss. Chang's parents allowed Miss. Chang to attend if she was entirely recovered at the listed time.
Therefore, it would be in the best interest of the Wizengamot to hear the story from one of Philberta Bradwer Frost's victims. Please send word by owl at your most convenient time necessary informing the Wizengamot of your status of attendance.
Sincerely,
Tireena Bagcock
Senior Wizengamot Official
Harry looked up at Ron and Hermione, mouth oddly dry.
"There you go, Harry!" said Ron obligingly. "You can just tell your part of the story and they'll be sure to chuck Frost into Azkaban."
Hermione gave Ron another disapproving stare and then began to speak.
"Ron, will you stop obsessing over whether people will go to jail or not--"
"I'm not obsessing. I'm merely pointing it out, if you don't mind."
"Shut it," said Harry as Hermione opened her mouth for the rebuttal. When his two friends stopped quarrelling, he spoke.
"The actually expect me to face her? After what she did to Cho and those other twenty-three people? And who's to say the Wizengamot will even believe me?"
"This is your chance, though, Harry." said Hermione. "Half of them didn't believe you last year, I know, but this year, you're not the one in the chair-- Frost is."
"What do you think, Ron?" asked Harry, staring at Ron. Ron's ears turned pink as he went under pressure.
"I think you should do it. Maybe we'll get a decent Defense Against the Dark Arts in her place-- not that you, Lupin and Fleur weren't good. I meant the other teachers."
Harry sighed, then nodded.
"Fine. Do either of you have a quill? I have a letter to write."
In the late hours of the night, Harry still lay in bed, staring at the ceiling.
Go to sleep, a voice coaxed and Harry's eyes closed, but then snapped open again.
No. What if I have one of those dreams again?
What if you don't?
Who's to say I will or won't. I don't want to take chances. I'm tired of being the one to wake up shaking or screaming.
But you're tired, aren't you? The voice sounded more coaxing than ever. "Take a chance… sleep.
Harry's head sank more deeply into the pillows and he felt himself doze off.
A shape was flying. The Snitch? No, no, it couldn't be. It was much bigger. What was it? It was flying towards Harry, giving off a loud screech. As the night progressed into the early hours of the morning, the shape continued to fly to Harry, but never got closer. Soon, Dean Thomas and Seamus Finnigan's voices woke Harry. He pretended to be asleep. A few more minutes. That's all he needed. Then he'd be ready to start his Monday morning.
L---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I'm sorry for how long it took to post this stupid chapter! Believe it or not, I had writer's block for a solid month! I couldn't even think of one little thing to write. Horrible place to get writer's block, isn't it? Right at the biggest cliffie in my whole story… or not? I dunno… we'll find out sooner or later, right? On top of having writer's block, I was so busy that when I wasn't at a school-related something-or-other, I was at home, pouring over books and doing homework. I tried to schedule a bit of fun and I did get it, but I rarely had a time when I wasn't doing SOMETHING that kept me away from the computer.
You see, I joined the Pit at our school for our Spring musical and that took up so much time. I don't think I've ever played my flute so long before! It was fun and I met a bunch of new friends and had tons of laughs along the way, but the music was challenging and we'd be practicing, sometimes from 4:00-9:30! Wow, right? Every day of the week for the two weeks approaching the show, we did that! I went home early a lot, but I also signed up for a solo competition for my flute. The highest grade was a I and I got a II. The lowest grade possible was a IV. But I feel I did well, because the piece I chose wasn't very music…ly challenging. Just 'Danny Boy'. While it was fun, all I wanted was some criticism and ideas for how I could make myself better. So, next year when I actually have my new flute (which I got back TODAY! EEEK!) and a good, difficult piece, maybe I'll make it to State!
I have finals this week… woo hoo…
We're (my band and me) are preparing for our trip to Disneyland. We'll be there most of Spring Vacation, and I'll be getting back somewhere around 5:30 seven days later. Then, the next day, we're packing up and going to my family's PRIVATE ISLAND! No, I'm just joking. It isn't our private island. We don't even own it, but my great-great-great grandfather was the first white child born on the island, so that's got to count for something, right? Little piece of my history for you. Anyway, don't expect anything to be posted for a while, 'cause I'm very busy! Sorry!
Written about three weeks later… We got back from Disneyland after a 40 hour train ride! And our train got stopped for about every little thing on the way… car crashes, trees in the way, drunks on the train… yup. So I got home at about 11:30 p.m. Then I had to wash clothes and back for my family trip. I was sick the whole time, so I didn't have much fun. I still have a pretty bad cough. I just got home from the island about an hour ago. I would have posted this SO much earlier, but my computer chose the worst possible time to fry to the point that my mom had to buy ANOTHER computer! And it still hasn't arrived yet. When this chapter is posted, it means that we got the computer, but until then, I'm without internet, e-mail and AAAAH! How will I survive?
Yet another week later… The computer came, but they forgot to pack a part, so my mom called them and they said that they'd send it overnight. They didn't. So my mom called and they ignored her calls until finally, after three hours of attempting to call, she got the number to send the computer back. We're going to send it back on Monday and she bought a new computer that will take about a day to set up! WAH! It ended up taking about a month to actually get the computer and internet running, but then my internet malfunctioned, so I couldn't post until later!
700 REVIEWS!
Review time!
SmartEagle- Thanks! I'm glad you like it!
Markami- I'm not sure if you're still reading, but if you are, great! Yeah, I noticed the underlining as well, but I just thought I'd fix it when I posted my next chapter. I honestly was going to do it, and now it's fixed. Thank you for taking the time to point it out, but don't judge a book by it's cover… or a story by its… underlines? Hm… I'll have to think that over a bit.
The evil witch queen- Long time no chat! Wow! A lot of people I didn't think were reading this anymore have come back! I'll see about checking your story!
XxJaredxx- Yay! Someone that actually agrees with me on the whole Bill/Fleur thing!
LiLy MaLfOy13- Thanks!
Nienna- Howdy,doo, mellon-nin! Thanks for all the encouragement!
Amy- Thanks! I enjoyed your review!
Bongie- Yes, damn cliffie. That's life, I suppose, right? Right? Hello? Anyone there? Hello?
Pipaluga- YAY! You're back! THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR NOT BASHING CHO! Now I know I'm not the only one who likes her character!
Kelly White- Thank you so much for agreeing with me! I just don't like the fact that people take other people's ideas without them saying it's okay first! Thank you!
Kiara32- :sings: Frost is evil, Frost is crazy! You'll see what happens with her later… next chapter… but I'm sure people will be close to bashing my brains in.
Facil Glow- Thanks so much!
Bahzad- Thanks! Sorry this chapter took so long!
Patwas-Potter- Fifth year… sixth year… whatever. At least I have my health and most of my sanity. You'll find that that mistake appears often. Don't think anything of it.
Ellen- NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! SSSSSSPPPPPPAAAAAANNNNNIIIIISSSSHHHHHHH! Anyway, thanks for the review!
Misto- Am I evil enough? LOL! I hope your writer's block clears up!
Mei1105- I'm SO SORRY for taking so long. It really wasn't my intention, but I was very busy! Thanks for the review!
Shelly- I can tell you this; the reason Frost told Harry to stay down wasn't for protection, it was as a sort of threat. If he got up, she'd do something horrible (not that she didn't anyway) to him. He got up, so she did do something horrible to him! She took his breath away (not in the good way; the bad way! LOL!)
Constance Truggle- I'm sorry, but I'm glad your confused. It makes for better story reading in the future for you, I hope! Thanks much for the review!
Ophidia-black- Yo, Ophi! You're an awesome person! I don't know what it is about you, but you just make me want to compliment you! YAY YOU! Don't worry, I'm not gay, just excited that I have a three-day weekend!
Wytil- … um…
Gogglehead Lover- Thanks! I know! And guess what Harry's brave actions towards Snape are getting him? NOTHING! Poor Harry! But maybe he'll feel better! Though Frost is glad, she's one of the best characters I've EVER made up!
Michael A.C.- Very good. It's like him to put differences aside… sometimes at least!
TankerMDK- The way you wrote your last response, it sounded a little… mean. Sorry if that's mean… what I just said, I mean. Okay, now I'm not making sense! Anyway, that's all I have to say on the matter.
Trinityelf- :sings: Lost, Lost, Lost, Lost… I'll see you Sunday!
Jeanne2- : bows to Kiwi Jeanne: Thank you!
Starsmiles- Hopefully this chapter was worth the wait… sorry for dullness that might have occurred.
JeanieBeanie33- I'm not either a Luna/Harry, Ginny/Harry kinda person. Something about both of the girls just seems like their wrong for Harry. I wonder who Harry'll end up with in book 6?
Mistress-Genari- Ooooh! So close on your guesses, yet so far away! Sorry, can't say more than that. Don't like cliffies? My story will be full of them, as a forewarning if you hate them so much.
Trojan Horse- Don't worry, I didn't kill Harry.
Silenttiger43- Thanks a bunch! Good point about the Expelliarmus thing. Didn't notice that!
Dana- Thanks for the review!
M.Cross- Sorry I had to put a period in your name. My computer was being evil. POOR EVERYONE!
Well, that's all the reviews! Thanks, guys!
May broomsticks be in your dreams!
Luv,
Legolas-gurl88
Next time: Frost's hearing… that's all I can say on the matter.