Chapter Four: Dreary Days, Birthdays, and O.W.L.S
Disclaimer: I don't own anything except the plot and OC's which, as of now, don't exist. JK Rowling owns the rest.
A/N: Well, here's another chapter! I hope you all like it because it's been another really bad week. I swear this school year sucks at my school. So I'm dedicating this chapter to four awesome young men who died in a car crash on January 20. They were coming home from a movie and slid on ice and hit a semi head-on. They were a great bunch of boys and will be greatly missed. Please keep their families and friends in your thoughts and prayers. We'll love you always, Danny, Justin, Josh and Jason.
Now to reviews:
Dinatius: Yes I do have my reasons…I hope. Thanks for the review!
Smokey: Thanks for the review!
DarkLycanthrope: Yes, I enjoy the Sirius part too. There isn't much about it in this chapter, but hopefully the next. Thanks for the review!
Glenlightarrow: Thanks for reviewing, I'll try to write more, but right now I'm really busy.
Blue Mittens- Cheers to my tenth reviewer! I don't agree with a lot of what you say, but appreciate your review all the same. 1) I am not JK Rowling. But she would not just kill off Sirius with no reason. Sirius is still dead, too. A dream does not involve physical people. I don't believe this is how he'll come back, but I do believe he will in some way. 2) In many of my dreams I can control my thoughts and what I do. I also have a reason. for this that has yet to be explained. It's not exactly Sirius' point of view either. Read it more carefully. 3) Thanks, I thought the shielding of the house was cool, too. 5) Seeing as we don't know that much about Moody, and he still seems a bit fishy as a character, I don't mind him dying. But if you don't want to read my story that's ok. It's your choice. Thanks for the review!
FredandGeorgeWeasleyareMYkings: Hey, thanks for the review! Everyone else please read Year Six: Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince by FredandGeorgeWeasleyareMYkings. It's a great story!
Whew…that was long. Thanks for all the great reviews and keep em coming!
CHAPTER FOUR: Dreary Days, Birthdays and O.W.L.S
Harry opened his eyes slowly, still mad at Sirius for not answering him about Ginny and making him come back to the real world. He wished he could stay there always, where it was warm and sunny, and perfect. As the room slowly came into focus, Harry saw that the hospital wing was empty and sighed. It was mostly dark out, so Harry assumed that everyone was either at dinner or sleeping already.
He scooted himself up so he was sitting, and grabbed his glasses off the nightstand. He had been mistaken about the hospital wing being empty. There was someone in there with him, staring at him with a look completely different to the one Harry usually saw on him.
He started towards Harry, before coming to a rest beside the foot of the bed. "How are you doing?" He asked Harry quietly. "You had us all worried for a while. You slept for four days straight."
"What's it to you?" Harry snarled.
His potions teacher recoiled. "Does it mean anything to you that I stayed by your side the entire four days and tended your injury?" Snape hissed at Harry whose turn it was to recoil.
"Nobody asked you to do it!" Harry retorted.
"Exactly! I did it of my own accord and this is the thanks I get!" Snape swept his robe around and stormed to the door. Harry could hear him storming down the hall. But then to Harry's surprise, Snape came back, still looking mad as ever. "Oh, and by the way, Happy Birthday a day late," he said sourly, his lip curling in a sneer as he threw something down on Harry's bed and swept out of the room muttering angry curses under his breath.
Harry had frozen at the Happy Birthday greeting he had gotten from Snape. He stared at the wrapped package that was now lying on his bed. Did Snape actually just do what he thought he did? Gave him a birthday present? Harry now noticed the huge pile sitting at the foot of his bed. People must have heard about him being in the hospital wing or something, he never got this many presents!
Harry felt a knot tighten in his stomach as guilt settled in. He couldn't believe he had acted that way to Snape, who had cared for him all this time then given him a birthday present, of all things, after he had yelled at him.
Harry turned first to the huge pile at the foot of his bed. He summoned the first one, which was from his best friend, Ron Weasley. He first read the note attached.
Harry,
Wow! That must have been an exciting battle! I wish I could have been there! I'm glad you're ok, except for your head. Hope my present will cheer you up! I also think you're going to come here in a few days, or we're going to go there, whichever Dumbledore decides. See you soon, mate!
Ron
Harry frowned when he read the letter. Ron actually thought he should have been there? They didn't know what a battle was like; they still all thought it was fun and games. Harry couldn't believe Ron was still like that after the DoM in June.
Harry turned his thoughts away from this as he tore open Ron's present. It was a huge assortment of Wizard candies along with a Chudley Cannons special edition magazine signed by the players. Harry grinned, he would have fun eating the candy and reading the magazine. He knew from Ron's earlier letter that the Cannons were doing really well this year.
Harry started ripping open the other presents. He got a book on practical self-defense from Hermione, which looked like it had a lot of useful spells and curses, and a bunch of rock cakes and pictures of Fang from Hagrid. Also to Harry's surprise, there were puppies that looked just like Fang. Attached to the present was this note:
Harry,
Happy Birthday, Harry! When you feel up ter it, come down to my hut, I've got somthin fer ya! Enjoy the rock cakes and pictures!
Hagrid
Harry laughed; he hoped it wasn't a blast-ended skrewt or something. Harry also received An Auror's Complete Defense Book by M. M. Nevets from Tonks and Kingsley Shacklebolt, and, to Harry's delight, a box of Weasley's Wizarding Wheezes from Fred and George. Inside they wrote:
Harry,
Hope this box of jokes will come in handy. You have also been made 25 owner with us and Lee Jordan. Every month we will deposit your profit into Gringotts. (But it would be nice if you came and helped out sometimes!) We are doing splendidly and the shop is booming with business. Come down and visit us soon! Happy Birthday!
Gred and Forge Weasley
P.S. You might want to be careful opening the Bat-Bogey Pack …it's…err… well, still a prototype…
Harry laughed at this and put the box aside. He would open it when he was up and active, sure to be able to fight off anything that attacked him.
Harry then looked at the last present from his friends, other than the ones from his admirer's. Harry's heart skipped a beat as he saw who it was from and his mind wandered back to the dream he had had. He also felt guilty because he had said he would write Ginny back and that had been about 5 days ago! He promised himself right after he finished opening gifts he would write her. He opened the present slowly, revealing a pendant that had a scarlet and gold Gryffindor Lion in the middle, surrounded by what looked like ancient runes. He recognized a few of them from quizzing Hermione for last year's O.W.L. exams. On the other side it had a Snake, symbolizing the Slytherin House. Harry wondered why Ginny had gotten him one with that on it. Maybe she knew about the Sorting Hat wanting to sort him into Slytherin.
Harry turned to the letter that accompanied the pendant.
Harry,
First of all, Happy Birthday! I hope you are feeling alright after the battle. I hope you like the pendant; I found it in a store in Diagon Alley the other day and thought it was perfect. It seemed to be calling me to buy it for you, it was weird. The runes translate to: Binding together enemy's of old discover the other and you shall find friendship, loyalty, and aid for the times ahead. I have no clue what they mean, and I don't get the enemy's of old part. The pendant also has several protection charms and spells on it, a few of which I performed myself. Ask me sometime and I will tell you exactly what is on it. Well, please write back, I'm guessing you never had time to before, and tell me what you think of it and the runes. I think we'll see each other soon!
Happy Birthday!
Ginny
Harry jumped as someone came into the room. Quickly he stuffed the pendant under the covers and wiped his hands, which were suddenly sweaty and shaking, on the sheets. He didn't know why but he didn't want anyone to see the pendant.
Harry relaxed when he saw Dumbledore walk into the moonlight beside his bed. He was glad it wasn't Snape, coming back to torment him. "Hello, Professor!" Harry said brightly. Dumbledore only sighed gravely and conjured a soft, purple, puffy chair to sit on next to Harry's bed.
"Harry, we need to talk," Dumbledore said quietly. Harry grimaced and looked resigned; he knew where this was going. "You didn't treat Professor Snape very well when you woke up. It disappointed me when he came to dinner and started yelling about how inane you are," Dumbledore silenced Harry with a wave of his hand, because Harry had started to shout out excuses about the way he treated Snape. "Professor Snape sacrificed a lot this week for you Harry," he started counting off on his fingers. "Let's see, he was tortured for 3 hours on how you escaped the Death Eaters, on where you are being kept and many other questions before being readmitted to Voldemort's ranks. He came back to Hogwarts and immediately came here to make sure you were alright. Seeing as you were delirious, and very sick, he brewed potions for half a day to make you well, before caring for his own injuries. Severus then stayed with you for almost the entire time you were dreaming, administering your potions and keeping you company. He looked after you better then anyone, and hardly left your side," Harry hung his head, ashamed at what he had done. But a question would not leave his head. Why did he do it? It was this he asked Dumbledore now.
"Harry, I thought that would be obvious. He cares about you and your well-being. You may have had disagreements in the past, but now I believe Severus understands you. There's also the matter of vultures hats and snakes, but I will leave that for you to figure out," Dumbledore didn't quite have a twinkle in his eye, but it was close.
Harry sighed, another mystery he had to solve. Dumbledore never seemed to stop with the things he left for Harry and his friends to find out. "I'm sorry sir, I didn't mean to be so rash but he sort of surprised me being in here."
"Don't apologize to me Harry, apologize to him. If you need anything, Madam Pomfrey will be in here shortly and you can always call Professor Snape or myself. Goodnight," Dumbledore got up and waved his wand at the chair, which promptly disappeared. He then swept out of the room, not looking back at Harry.
Harry sighed and turned back to his pendant, only to have to stuff it hastily back under the covers as Madam Pomfrey bustled in, complaining about not being able to care for her patient.
After assuring Madam Pomfrey that he was fine and only needed some good, hot food, Harry looked back at the last present sitting on the end of his bed. Madam Pomfrey hadn't commented on it, but Harry was sure she had gotten a good look at it as she was suspiciously checking his feet to make sure they were alright. Harry sighed and knew he might as well open it. Perhaps he'd even like it.
After eating and getting ready to go to sleep, Harry double checked that Madam Pomfrey had turned in for the night and wouldn't be coming back to check on him. He then grabbed the package and stared at it for a long time, examining the shape and shaking it gently to see if he could hear anything. Finally, getting exasperated with himself for taking so long, Harry warily opened the package. Inside was a pensieve, just like Dumbledore's and Snape's but different colors; scarlet and gold, the colors of Gryffindor. Attached was a note that read: I thought this might come in handy with your present situation and all the thoughts and memories that must be running through your head. If ever you need to talk, just ask. Also I will show you how to use the pensieve. Happy Birthday
There was no signature, or greeting, but Harry felt the lump in his throat go down as he read the note. As Harry settled down to go to bed, he clutched the pendant that he had put around his neck and thought of Ginny and then of his potion professor. He was glad he had such a good friend as Ginny and a professor who obviously had had a change of heart. Now, could he have a change of heart towards his professor?
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The next few days passed slowly for Harry. He had finally gotten someone to tell him what had happened after he was knocked unconscious. Professor McGonagall had sadly delivered the news that Mad-Eye Moody had passed beyond the veil. He had fought bravely and until the very end, when the one and only Lucius Malfoy had gotten him with a cutting curse that had done too much damage to be able to heal. Everyone was grieving for the beloved old auror and people were, Professor Flitwik told Harry in one of his brief visits, wondering just how long this war would last and how many were to be lost. Debates were also going on in the newspapers about who the best auror was now that Moody was gone, but Harry didn't have the heart to read the articles.
Harry had yet to be allowed to talk with his friends in the fire and was resigned to writing long letters to be sent by owl post nearly every day. Both Ron and Hermione had kept telling him that they would soon arrive to Hogwarts to visit him and possibly stay until the new term started (but Harry doubted it as they had been telling him this since the beginning of summer).
Harry had only glimpsed Snape once as he had been talking to Madam Pomfrey right before Harry woke up, but he had seemed to know the exact moment Harry would wake up and he left promptly. He really wanted to thank him for the pensieve and ask him how to use it but after losing his temper at Snape the first night, he was afraid to.
So he spent his days writing letters, doing some homework for his sixth year, and anxiously awaiting his O.W.L. results. They came on the third day after the battle. He knew as soon as he opened Hermione's letter. It was hastily scrawled and gave her results. Harry threw it aside and hurriedly opened the letter which had arrived by a school owl while he was asleep.
Mr. Potter,
We are pleased to present you with your Ordinary Wizarding Levels results. We are sorry for any problems the delay might have caused. Upon further examination of your results, you will need to pick a career you wish to pursue. There will be another Career Consultation on the first day of the school year to help you make sure you can take the classes required for that career. If you have any questions or comments, please owl us in the Department of Wizarding Examinations at the Ministry of Magic.
O.W.L. Results for Potter, Harry James
Grades Possible: O-Outstanding, E-Exceeds Expectations, A-Acceptable, P-Poor, D-Dreadful
EXAMGRADE
Charms
Theory E
Practical O
Defense Against the Dark Arts
Theory O
Practical O
Transfiguration
Theory E
Practical O
Potions
TheoryE
PracticalO
Care of Magical Creatures
TheoryO
PracticalO
Divination
TheoryA
PracticalP
Astronomy
TheoryO
PracticalP
Total O.W.L.S: 12
Harry was astounded. He gave a shout of joy and then quickly read Hermione's results. Harry expected she did better then him and he was right. She had 14 O.W.L.S, meaning she passed every class's exams. Harry had known he wouldn't do the greatest in the Astronomy Practical, because he had only finished half of it, and Divination he was doomed to fail. He was really surprised at Potions, however, but disappointed he hadn't received an Outstanding in the theory exam. He hoped Snape would still let him into the
Advanced Potions class, though he dreaded it but needed it for his career as an Auror. Now he wondered what Ron had gotten, he hoped he had done well. Harry quickly scribbled a note to Ron, Hermione, and Neville telling him his results and asking Ron and Neville how they did.
Harry was just sending Hedwig and the two school owls he had borrowed off into the cloudy morning when Professor Dumbledore strode into the hospital wing. Harry still hadn't told Dumbledore about the dream he had had with Sirius in it because he was afraid that it wasn't real. He had been forced to take sleeping potions by Madam Pomfrey and he supposed those affected his ability to contact Sirius in his dreams. He had been to busy to think about trying to call for him when he was awake, and was a bit afraid to.
Now was his chance. Dumbledore came over and sat on his bed, eyeing the sweets that were on the table beside the bed. "Help yourself!" Harry said enthusiastically, grinning as the headmaster chose a Chocolate Frog.
"How are you doing today, Harry?" he asked as he unwrapped the frog and looked at the card. "I guess you got your O.W.L.S today, Harry. I noticed the Ministry owls fly by my window this morning."
"I'm doing fine, sir. Yes we got them today," Harry said staring out the window into the now rainy day.
"And…?"
Harry handed his results over while watching the aging wizard's facial expressions as he looked at the Chocolate Frog card he had received. He didn't seem to be thrilled with what card he had gotten. He shook off whatever he was thinking and looked down at Harry's results. Dumbledore was smiling and there was a twinkle in his eyes as he handed them back to Harry.
"Marvelous work Harry! An O in DADA, and you passed in potions! Excellent! I'm assuming you will still be pursuing the career of an auror?" Dumbledore said almost merrily.
"Yes, I hope to," Harry said. "But sir, I only got an Exceeds Expectations in the theory part of potions. Will Professor Snape still accept me into his class?"
"You'll have to ask him yourself, Harry. I can't answer that," Dumbledore told him.
After that they talked of other things for a while, before Harry told him about the dream. When Harry got done telling his tale, Dumbledore got up and crossed the room to the window. "Harry, I never knew, I swear this to you. What else did they do that we don't know?" He turned to Harry now, saying, "But I am glad they did. It will be good for you, having Sirius always there, willing to help. I wish for you to stay a child as long as possible, but I know that it won't happen. You are already more mature then many adults, and have suffered through more. Sirius will hopefully help you through this process and help it along."
Harry hadn't told him the part with Ginny in it; he wanted to talk to Ginny herself, face to face. He had sent her a letter back finally, but hadn't received a reply yet. He had told her he needed to talk to her and thanked her for the pendant. Harry asked Dumbledore now, "Professor, do you think I could see my friends soon, or at least talk to them in the fire?"
Dumbledore smiled and said, "Well, Harry, I bring you good news. Tomorrow Mr. Weasley, Ms. Weasley, and Ms. Granger will all be traveling by Floo to stay until the term starts."
"Are you serious? Thank you!" Harry shouted joyfully. Finally he would be actually able to talk to his friends, and not have to use code words in his letters.
"Yes, I assure you I am serious. But on one condition…no make that two. You must talk to Professor Snape before they come, preferably this afternoon, and listen to Madam Pomfrey as she inspects you. That means taking the potion she gives you instead of pouring it in the plant beside your bed," Dumbledore said, the twinkle in his eyes dancing merrily. He looked back down at the Chocolate Frog card that had lain forgotten on his lap and sighed, trying to leave quickly.
Harry looked curiously at the Chocolate Frog card in Dumbledore's hand. The wizard looked familiar, but Harry was just seeing it from the side. "Um, sir, can I see your Chocolate Frog card?"
"If you have to Harry, but you should really be getting some rest, your head is still not fully healed." Dumbledore looked like he was doing something he really didn't want to do, but did it anyway. "Here you go then," he said, handing Harry the card. "Congratulations and welcome to the Chocolate Frog card family."
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Harry stared at the Chocolate Frog card as he ate his lunch of a tuna fish sandwich and fruit. He couldn't believe it. Of all things, who would've thought to put Harry Potter on a Chocolate Frog card? What had he done to deserve even more unwanted fame? Sure he had unknowingly made the killing curse rebound on Voldemort when he was a baby. But was worthy of recognition among such famous warlocks and witches and wizards as Dumbledore and Merlin among numerous others? Harry was disgusted. It was all just because of him being the Boy-Who-Lived. He hated it. Why couldn't people see him for who he was, not for what people thought he did and expected of him?
Harry threw the card down onto the ground in repulsion, only to have it land by a pair of boots a few feet from his bed. Harry slowly raised his gaze from the boots, scanning the dark, black robe and then finally looking into the face of his potion's professor.
"Good afternoon, Mr. Potter," Snape said calmly, his face unreadable as he stared down at the Chocolate Frog card on the floor. "The headmaster said you wished to see me," he stooped down and picked up the card, turning it over to read the information given about the wizard on the back.
"Yea, I did," Harry said nervously. Now was the time Snape would make some snide remark about the Chocolate Frog card. But Snape surprised Harry by laying the card facedown on his night table and taking a seat at the foot of the bed.
"What about?" Snape asked as he crossed his legs and looked down the end of his abnormally long nose at Harry.
"Th…Th…Thank you for the pensieve," Harry stuttered. Snape's manners were unnerving.
"Your welcome. Now I assume you wish to know how to use it?" Snape asked him.
"Yes, I can't very well use it if I don't know how to put my thoughts and memories in there, now can I?" Harry asked, talking more strongly now that his initial nervousness about talking to Snape had receded.
"No, you very well can't. Here, let me show you," Snape said, taking his own pensieve out of the pocket of his robes. Harry grabbed his out from underneath his bed and gently removed the cover which had come with it.
"First, bring the thought or memory forward to the front of your mind so that you can see it clearly." Harry did this, closing his eyes to concentrate on Christmas last year when he had been with Sirius. They had been sitting in the drawing room next to the fire telling stories. Harry told about winning the Quidditch Cup in his first year while Sirius, when it was his turn, told about the various pranks the Marauders had played on teachers, students, and themselves. Everyone was laughing and having a good time, eating cookies and drinking hot cocoa. Harry gulped when he realized that he would never see Sirius in the physical world again.
"Alright, are you concentrating hard?" Snape asked him cautiously when he saw the sad look on the teen's face. "You'll have to open your eyes so you can see this next part."
"Ok, I'm watching," Harry said, opening his eyes while trying to concentrate on his memory.
Snape reached up and put his wand on his temple and then said, "Memoria Extracta," and slowly drew his wand away from his head. Attached to the wand was a silvery strand of thought which he deposited into the pensieve while saying, "Mirar Memoria."
Snape looked over at Harry then and said, "You try it."
Harry again concentrated on the memory and put his wand up to his temple. "Memoria Extracta," he said. He then pulled his wand away and grimaced as he could feel the thought leaving his head. It felt like he was pulling something out of himself, losing it forever. Harry then deposited the strand into the pensieve and finished the spell by saying "Mirar Memoria."
Snape leaned over closer to Harry to look into the pensieve to see if he did it correctly. "You did it correctly, Potter, well done," he said softly, with no hint of sarcasm. Snape had actually paid Harry a compliment. Harry smiled and thanked Snape for the gift and for helping him.
"Professor?" Harry thought it was probably a good time to bring up Advanced Potions and his O.W.L.S. "I received my O.W.L. results today, and I received an O in the practical Potions exam, but only an E in the theory part. I was wondering, would you still accept me into your class?" Harry looked at his hands, knowing that if he looked up he would see Snape sneering down his nose at him.
"Well done, Mr. Potter. I am thoroughly surprised at your efforts. For that alone, yes, you may join the class. But if you are not performing up to my expectations by the end of first term, you will have to be removed. Understood?" Snape asked him.
Harry gleefully answered, "Yes! Thank you, Professor!"
Snape looked amused with Harry's joy at being able to be in his class, probably considering that they had not been on very good terms throughout the school year, and Harry had often wished be get rid of the class.
"Very well, I believe that is all you needed me for? Good day, Mr. Potter," and with that Snape stood up and strode out of the hospital wing, his robes billowing around him.
Harry pumped his fist in the air in happiness. Now he would be able to become an auror, and he was seeing his friends tomorrow, and Sirius might come in his dream tonight. His last few weeks of break were certainly looking up.
A/N: Thanks for reading and please REVIEW!