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The Value of Friendship By LisaRosa
Chapter 5 – Starlight
He heard it again, the scratching sound under his bed. Opening heavy eyes he searched the very dim light around the infirmary. More students filled the beds. Even though he had expected this, it was still shocking to see how many students were ill. Every bed was filled with coughing, moaning and sleeping children. He turned his head toward Hermione's bed and found her parents sitting next to her. He attempted to sit up but only got as far as leaning on his elbow.
"Mrs. Granger?" Harry said softly, hoping she would hear.
"Harry?" Hermione's mother turned to him and stood. She gently pushed him back down on the bed and sat in the vacant chair beside him. "You should be asleep."
"How's Hermione?" He glanced over at his friend again, still very concerned.
Mrs. Granger sighed, her brow creasing in worry. "She's still the same, but Madame Pomfrey seems to think her fever might have come down a bit." She tried to smile comfortingly for the boy.
"Dear, I think we should call the nurse," Mr. Granger came over to them. An expression of panic crossed Mrs. Granger's face before she saw the small smile on her husband's. "Her fever has broken. Hermione's sweating up a storm." He hugged his wife as she threw her arms around him, elated and relieved at the same time.
As Mrs. Granger ran toward Madame Pomfrey's office, Harry once again struggled to sit up and finally managed sit on the edge of his bed. As he tried to stand up, Mr. Granger caught and forced him to sit down once more.
"Harry, lay down before you fall. Hermione isn't awake, but she's out of danger now." Hermione's father helped him back into bed, pulling the covers up to his chin. "She maybe out of danger, but you're not. You need rest if you want to beat this too."
"Someone should tell Ron and Ginny," he insisted, pulling the bed covers down again. He felt like he was burning up again. Mr. Granger felt his forehead and shook his head.
"I will ask the nurse to tell them in the morning, but for now, you rest. You're fever is getting worse." Before the man could say anymore, Madame Pomfrey quickly walked to Hermione's bed and Mr. Granger went over to join his wife and the nurse.
Harry started to close his eyes again but then heard the scratching noise again. He turned his head to look beside him then sat up slowly to look down at the floor. The sound traveled away from him. Glancing back at the adults around Hermione, he slowly stood and leaned against the bed until he reached the railing at the foot. He looked back again to make sure no one noticed then gradually moved forward. He could hear the noise traveling further away.
Mr. Granger pulled Madame Pomfrey off to the side after she had examined his daughter and found her beginning to recover. "I believe you need to have another look at Harry, Madame Pomfrey. When I checked his fever, it seemed to be growing worse."
"Oh my..." She quickly turned to Harry's bed and found it empty. "Mr. Potter?" She called softly, searching the room. The nurse quickly turned back to the Grangers. "Stay here. I'll inform the headmaster that Potter is missing. If he returns, please force him back into bed. In his condition, he could seriously damage his health." Madame Pomfrey took off at a run out of the room.
Mr. Granger turned back to his wife and daughter, shaking his head. He knew the effects a high fever could have on the mind. He only hoped that Harry was safe in the strange castle that was his daughter's school.
"Dear, why don't you take the vacant bed over there to rest? Hermione is going to be fine." He put an arm around his wife's shoulders and kissed her temple. Mrs. Granger signed and nodded. Before she could move though, the door to the infirmary opened once more. Hermione's friend, Ronald was carrying a young redhead girl, his sister Mrs. Granger remembered, into the room. "Where's Madame Pomfrey?" He quickly laid Ginny on the vacant bed on the other side of Harry's. "She's burning up."
Professor Andrews peered through her telescope again to study the position of the stars and planets when she heard someone coming up the steps to the Astronomy tower. Turning to see who it was, she paused in shock when she noticed a very pale and weak Harry hanging onto the door.
"Mr. Potter?" Amanda set down her notes on a small table next to her and slowly walked over to the boy. "Shouldn't you be in bed?" she asked, being cautious not to scare him. By the glassy look in his eyes, she knew that he was very sick with the fever that had brought down most of the school population.
"Did you see something crawl up here earlier?" Harry searched the floor of the tower as he slowly moved forward, grabbing hold of the chest high stone wall.
"No, I didn't." Amanda ever so slowly reached out for boy, hoping to stop him before he lost his hold and fell. "Let me help you back to the hospital wing, Harry. You shouldn't be out here."
"I have to find it..." He walked forward once again, searching the floor. Amanda walked toward him again, meaning to take hold of him and force him back to the infirmary.
Suddenly, Harry looked up at her and his eyes grew wide in alarm. "Look out!"
Amanda felt a sharp pain then knew no more.
"No..." Harry shook his head, not believing who he was seeing. "Wormtail..."
"Your father gave me that name, did you know that, Harry?" Wormtail quickly grabbed hold of the boy who struggled but gave up after only a few minutes. "Too weak, Harry?" he asked mockingly. Harry noticed that he was nothing like the whimpering man he had been before.
"You did this, didn't you? You brought the sickness that's been killing the students." Harry coughed again, his legs giving out underneath him. The traitor let go of him, causing Harry to fall against the wall. Next to him was his fallen professor.
"It was Dark Lord's will. He wanted to weaken Dumbledore and the school. Now I will bring you to him. He'll be very pleased." He scratched his arm then knelt down next to the woman.
"Too bad really," Wormtail commented as he took her wrist for a moment. "She was a pretty girl when we were in school, but she had a thing for Sirius."
Harry's heart plummeted to his stomach. She was dead. Another died for him. "No... She can't be."
Before Pettigrew could answer, the door leading out of the tower crashed open. Four adults came running up to them and halted at the sight. Harry felt a flood of relief when he was saw Dumbledore then Remus charge toward them before darkness finally took him.
"Harry!" Remus started to run to his student but was brought up short by the wand Wormtail was pointing at him. "How did you get in here?" The werewolf gave the man a murderous glare.
"How else? I never forgot the passages, Remus." Wormtail quickly glanced over at the other three professors. McGonagall and Snape pointed their wands at Wormtail while the Headmaster knelt to check on Andrews.
"You won't leave here alive, Peter." Lupin started to mutter a spell. Before he could finish, Pettigrew began to change into his animagus form, but Dumbledore was faster. The transformation stopped and reversed.
"Incarcerious!" Lupin yelled, ropes flying out of his wand to wrap around Wormtail up to his nose, effectively quieting him.
"Severus, please take our "guest" down to the dungeons to be held until the Magical Law Enforcement can collect him," Dumbledore requested, moving quickly over to Harry with Lupin. McGonagall knelt to check the younger woman.
"Harry?" Remus turned the boy over and lifted him so he could cradle Harry's head in his arm. "Harry, wake up." He shook the boy slightly, but Harry did not move in the slightest and the breath he drew in sounded very congested in his lungs. Remus could feel the heat pouring off Harry in waves.
"Dumbledore, we need to get him back to Pomfrey," Remus said as he stood, picking up Harry in his arms the best he could. It wasn't easy carrying a sixteen year old boy. Before he could rush to the door, he saw Amanda. "How is she?"
"I believe Pettigrew used a stunning charm," McGonagall answered, conjuring a stretcher next to the unconscious woman. "I'll bring her to hospital wing."
Remus breathed a sigh of relief. The feeling did not last long though as he felt the cheek leaning against his should grow even warmer. "Dumbledore, I need to get him to Pomfrey." He ran through the door, ignoring Severus and Wormtail as he passed by them in the stairwell. He could not lose Harry. He was the last of the family he had built around him long ago.
Okay, there you go. Another chapter and not long after the last. This plot bunny seems to want to stick around. :o)
Please review!
Lisa :o)
Please, Please, Please review!
The Value of Friendship By LisaRosa
Chapter 5 – Starlight
He heard it again, the scratching sound under his bed. Opening heavy eyes he searched the very dim light around the infirmary. More students filled the beds. Even though he had expected this, it was still shocking to see how many students were ill. Every bed was filled with coughing, moaning and sleeping children. He turned his head toward Hermione's bed and found her parents sitting next to her. He attempted to sit up but only got as far as leaning on his elbow.
"Mrs. Granger?" Harry said softly, hoping she would hear.
"Harry?" Hermione's mother turned to him and stood. She gently pushed him back down on the bed and sat in the vacant chair beside him. "You should be asleep."
"How's Hermione?" He glanced over at his friend again, still very concerned.
Mrs. Granger sighed, her brow creasing in worry. "She's still the same, but Madame Pomfrey seems to think her fever might have come down a bit." She tried to smile comfortingly for the boy.
"Dear, I think we should call the nurse," Mr. Granger came over to them. An expression of panic crossed Mrs. Granger's face before she saw the small smile on her husband's. "Her fever has broken. Hermione's sweating up a storm." He hugged his wife as she threw her arms around him, elated and relieved at the same time.
As Mrs. Granger ran toward Madame Pomfrey's office, Harry once again struggled to sit up and finally managed sit on the edge of his bed. As he tried to stand up, Mr. Granger caught and forced him to sit down once more.
"Harry, lay down before you fall. Hermione isn't awake, but she's out of danger now." Hermione's father helped him back into bed, pulling the covers up to his chin. "She maybe out of danger, but you're not. You need rest if you want to beat this too."
"Someone should tell Ron and Ginny," he insisted, pulling the bed covers down again. He felt like he was burning up again. Mr. Granger felt his forehead and shook his head.
"I will ask the nurse to tell them in the morning, but for now, you rest. You're fever is getting worse." Before the man could say anymore, Madame Pomfrey quickly walked to Hermione's bed and Mr. Granger went over to join his wife and the nurse.
Harry started to close his eyes again but then heard the scratching noise again. He turned his head to look beside him then sat up slowly to look down at the floor. The sound traveled away from him. Glancing back at the adults around Hermione, he slowly stood and leaned against the bed until he reached the railing at the foot. He looked back again to make sure no one noticed then gradually moved forward. He could hear the noise traveling further away.
Mr. Granger pulled Madame Pomfrey off to the side after she had examined his daughter and found her beginning to recover. "I believe you need to have another look at Harry, Madame Pomfrey. When I checked his fever, it seemed to be growing worse."
"Oh my..." She quickly turned to Harry's bed and found it empty. "Mr. Potter?" She called softly, searching the room. The nurse quickly turned back to the Grangers. "Stay here. I'll inform the headmaster that Potter is missing. If he returns, please force him back into bed. In his condition, he could seriously damage his health." Madame Pomfrey took off at a run out of the room.
Mr. Granger turned back to his wife and daughter, shaking his head. He knew the effects a high fever could have on the mind. He only hoped that Harry was safe in the strange castle that was his daughter's school.
"Dear, why don't you take the vacant bed over there to rest? Hermione is going to be fine." He put an arm around his wife's shoulders and kissed her temple. Mrs. Granger signed and nodded. Before she could move though, the door to the infirmary opened once more. Hermione's friend, Ronald was carrying a young redhead girl, his sister Mrs. Granger remembered, into the room. "Where's Madame Pomfrey?" He quickly laid Ginny on the vacant bed on the other side of Harry's. "She's burning up."
Professor Andrews peered through her telescope again to study the position of the stars and planets when she heard someone coming up the steps to the Astronomy tower. Turning to see who it was, she paused in shock when she noticed a very pale and weak Harry hanging onto the door.
"Mr. Potter?" Amanda set down her notes on a small table next to her and slowly walked over to the boy. "Shouldn't you be in bed?" she asked, being cautious not to scare him. By the glassy look in his eyes, she knew that he was very sick with the fever that had brought down most of the school population.
"Did you see something crawl up here earlier?" Harry searched the floor of the tower as he slowly moved forward, grabbing hold of the chest high stone wall.
"No, I didn't." Amanda ever so slowly reached out for boy, hoping to stop him before he lost his hold and fell. "Let me help you back to the hospital wing, Harry. You shouldn't be out here."
"I have to find it..." He walked forward once again, searching the floor. Amanda walked toward him again, meaning to take hold of him and force him back to the infirmary.
Suddenly, Harry looked up at her and his eyes grew wide in alarm. "Look out!"
Amanda felt a sharp pain then knew no more.
"No..." Harry shook his head, not believing who he was seeing. "Wormtail..."
"Your father gave me that name, did you know that, Harry?" Wormtail quickly grabbed hold of the boy who struggled but gave up after only a few minutes. "Too weak, Harry?" he asked mockingly. Harry noticed that he was nothing like the whimpering man he had been before.
"You did this, didn't you? You brought the sickness that's been killing the students." Harry coughed again, his legs giving out underneath him. The traitor let go of him, causing Harry to fall against the wall. Next to him was his fallen professor.
"It was Dark Lord's will. He wanted to weaken Dumbledore and the school. Now I will bring you to him. He'll be very pleased." He scratched his arm then knelt down next to the woman.
"Too bad really," Wormtail commented as he took her wrist for a moment. "She was a pretty girl when we were in school, but she had a thing for Sirius."
Harry's heart plummeted to his stomach. She was dead. Another died for him. "No... She can't be."
Before Pettigrew could answer, the door leading out of the tower crashed open. Four adults came running up to them and halted at the sight. Harry felt a flood of relief when he was saw Dumbledore then Remus charge toward them before darkness finally took him.
"Harry!" Remus started to run to his student but was brought up short by the wand Wormtail was pointing at him. "How did you get in here?" The werewolf gave the man a murderous glare.
"How else? I never forgot the passages, Remus." Wormtail quickly glanced over at the other three professors. McGonagall and Snape pointed their wands at Wormtail while the Headmaster knelt to check on Andrews.
"You won't leave here alive, Peter." Lupin started to mutter a spell. Before he could finish, Pettigrew began to change into his animagus form, but Dumbledore was faster. The transformation stopped and reversed.
"Incarcerious!" Lupin yelled, ropes flying out of his wand to wrap around Wormtail up to his nose, effectively quieting him.
"Severus, please take our "guest" down to the dungeons to be held until the Magical Law Enforcement can collect him," Dumbledore requested, moving quickly over to Harry with Lupin. McGonagall knelt to check the younger woman.
"Harry?" Remus turned the boy over and lifted him so he could cradle Harry's head in his arm. "Harry, wake up." He shook the boy slightly, but Harry did not move in the slightest and the breath he drew in sounded very congested in his lungs. Remus could feel the heat pouring off Harry in waves.
"Dumbledore, we need to get him back to Pomfrey," Remus said as he stood, picking up Harry in his arms the best he could. It wasn't easy carrying a sixteen year old boy. Before he could rush to the door, he saw Amanda. "How is she?"
"I believe Pettigrew used a stunning charm," McGonagall answered, conjuring a stretcher next to the unconscious woman. "I'll bring her to hospital wing."
Remus breathed a sigh of relief. The feeling did not last long though as he felt the cheek leaning against his should grow even warmer. "Dumbledore, I need to get him to Pomfrey." He ran through the door, ignoring Severus and Wormtail as he passed by them in the stairwell. He could not lose Harry. He was the last of the family he had built around him long ago.
Okay, there you go. Another chapter and not long after the last. This plot bunny seems to want to stick around. :o)
Please review!
Lisa :o)