Faith Chapter 27: At the Mouth of Madness, a harry potter fanfic

A/N: Here's the next installment, hope ya'll enjoy it!

DISCLAIMER: I'm NOT JK Rowling, so oh well. I don't own the world or the characters, although I sure wish I did.

Chapter 27: At the Mouth of Madness

Rain and sleet pelted the Hogwarts grounds unremorsefully, while sheets of lightning flashed across the sky. Two figures forged across the grounds, heavy cloaks protecting their heads and obscuring their faces. The taller of the figures' long legs ate up the ground as he strode towards the castle; light blue eyes gleamed dangerously in the bright flashes of lightning. Sirius had arrived. Remus followed close behind him, his eyes a strange, pale yellow in the light offered up by the storm.

They slipped into the castle silently, moving through the deserted hallways quickly, shaking off their heavy cloaks as they went, casting droplets to the ground. Mud and ice trailed in their wake as they did not pause to clean either shoes or the hems of their robes in their haste. They had one goal in mind – Harry.

The door to the Infirmary was cracked open when the pair arrived at it, a pale sliver of yellow gleaming in the darkness. Sirius gripped the frame with a faintly shaking hand, pushing it open with a bang.

Madam Pomfrey sent a furious glare in Sirius' direction, which did not faze the animagus one bit. He strode down the aisle of beds, his eyes locked onto Harry's frail form. Remus dropped behind him, catching Madam Pomfrey's elbow and pulling her aside, intent on grilling her about Harry's condition, while also giving Sirius time alone with his godson.

"Harry?" Sirius paused at the edge of his godson's bed, one hand reaching out towards the prone form. "Harry?" It was little more than a whisper and with a sob, Sirius fell to his knees next to the small form, taking one of Harry's hands in his own.

"Sirius Black! Keep your voice down!" Madam Pomfrey's admonition did nothing to the animagus, who tipped back his head and howled – the sound raising the hackles on everyone who heard it – and pulling a reluctant answering growl from Remus' own throat. The Head Nurse looked at both of the men and swallowed nervously – neither of them were in their right minds at the moment, and neither of them cared.

Sirius bowed his head and curled over Harry's hand, clutching it to his chest. "Harry, Harry, Harry wake up. Please wake up. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. I never should have left. I'm sorry. I'm so so s-s-sorry…"

_*_*_*_*_*_*_

"I want him expelled!"

"Now Severus –,"

"No! Absolutely not! Albus you know as well as I do who perpetrated the attacks on Ginny and Harry! Ronald Weasley should be expelled immediately with a recommendation to every other wizarding school that he is a menace that should not be allowed in! Let his family wallow in the shame of their sons, sure that they will never be able to hold any type of upstanding office in the Ministry ever!" The Potions Master's normally pallid face was flushed, and his dark eyes glittered with rage.

The Headmaster leaned back in his chair in his office, his face tired and haggard. His age was clearly showing at the late hour, and Severus felt a flash of guilt for forcing the confrontation on the older man. But the guild swiftly passed as he recalled the two still forms in the Hospital Wing. Slytherins, my Slytherins… Severus ground his teeth together, ignoring the growing ache in his jaw and waited for the Headmaster's response.

"There is such a thing as innocent until proven guilty, Severus. We have no proof of Mr. Weasley's involvement in these heinous attacks. We must be patient and until either Ginny or Harry wakes up, there is nothing we can do about it." The Headmaster sighed and rubbed his hands across his face tiredly. "Patience, my friend. We'll have it figured out in the end."

Severus growled. "Albus –,"

The Headmaster held up a hand, cutting the younger man off. "Peace, Severus. Please. Go to your students, I'm sure they are just as worried as you. And I'll not have any retaliation against the Weasley's by your House – Slytherin is in a precarious position as it is – the last thing you need is a public outcry against acts of violence against the wizarding world's favorite family." Albus gave him a long look over the tops of his glasses, his blue eyes intent.

The younger man blanched and balled his hands into fists. "Ginny will have to walk with a cane for the rest of her life, Albus." Severus seethed, spittle flying from his mouth as he spoke. Albus closed his eyes wearily, turning his head away.

"I know, Severus. I know." The Potions Master sneered, ignoring the twisting in his chest at the figure the Headmaster made, with his tired slump and wrinkled hands. The Potions Master spun on his heel, his robes flaring dramatically as he stalked from the room, heading for the owlery. The Headmaster opened his eyes and watched him leave, sorrow dimming the light in his eyes. "Forgive me, children. Forgive me."

*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*

Lucius Malfoy stormed up the steps of the ancient castle, his fine dress robes snapping crisply in the early morning air. A permanent scowl etched deep lines into his handsome face, and he impatiently batted away a loose fold of his robe away from his arm, where it had become entangled.

Severus met him at the top of the stairs, his face inscrutable as he watched his lover approach. "Lucius." Severus inclined his head slightly, a brief smile flitting across his face. Lucius spared him a small smile in return before taking the slighter man's arm and leading him into the castle.

"How are they?" Lucius kept his voice low, watching for the occasional early rising student. The halls were blessedly silent, and even though Lucius despised getting up at such an ungodly hour, he could see the logic of his lover's thinking.

"Neither has woken yet, though Poppy is hopeful that Ginny will regain consciousness soon. There has been no change with Har-Potter." Severus scowled at a group of third year Ravenclaws, who took one look at the imposing Slytherins before scuttling off towards the Main Hall, their robes snapping with their haste.

"What are the extent of their injuries?"

"Ms..Nobody," Severus cleared his throat abruptly, and shook his head. "Ms. Ginny has a shattered knee, a concussion and numerous fractured ribs. All has been healed except for her knee – which is unfortunately irreparable." Lucius looked over at Severus, his eyes widening fractionally. "As for Mr. Potter, he had a broken arm and other small fractures that were easy enough to repair. Unfortunately he also took several severe blows to the head, which has resulted in his present state."

"Draco and Ms. Parkinson found them both?" They paused at the entrance to Severus' office, waiting for a pair of Hufflepuff's to pass.

"Yes. Draco has been quite upset, and has only reluctantly left the Hospital Ward. He is lucky that the Headmaster has declared a long weekend for the students." Severus smiled sadly at the mental image of Draco perched on Harry's beside as he let Lucius into his office. The picture they made reminded him of other days, long before Voldemort and the Dark Mark were ever part of his or Lucius' world.

"Has he now?" Lucius pursed his lips thoughtfully as they entered Severus' office. "Interesting." He sat down on the long couch, idly watching the other man move about the room.

Severus rolled his eyes briefly at his lover's stuffiness and crossed the room to the teapot, busying himself with brewing a much-needed cup of tea.

"The winter holiday break is fast approaching," Lucius took the cup from Severus gratefully, and cradled it in his hands, letting it warm his fingers. Severus seated himself across from his lover, raising one black eyebrow.

"Yes." Severus tilted his head at Lucius.

"I think it would be good for Ms…Ginny and Mr. Potter to come to the Manor this year, wouldn't you agree?" Lucius took a sip of tea, savoring the fine blend. Severus spun his cup in its saucer, studying the aristocratic blond.

"Mr. Potter's godfather would object."

Lucius smiled, baring his perfectly even teeth. "I'm sure the Manor has a place for a Gryffindor or two. Providing, " he frowned briefly, "that they kept their – boisterous spirits to a minimum." Severus snickered and looked down at his hands briefly, his dark eyes shining.

"You are very brave."

Lucius snorted and placed his cup and saucer on the tea table next to him. "I highly doubt Mr. Potter would go anywhere without the mutt."

Severus laughed, leaning back in his chair and placing his tea aside. "You must make sure I am in the room when you extend the invitation to Black." A brief sneer flashed across the lean face. Lucius reached out abruptly, letting his hand hover in the air for a moment before withdrawing it. "You are aware that where Black goes, the werewolf will follow, correct?" Hatred flashed across the Potions Master's face.

Lucius shrugged and tilted his head slightly, an amused expression flashing across his face. "The Malfoy name has fallen to such a state that having a werewolf at the Manor can not harm its reputation any further." The blond looked away, forcing his tone to an airy lightness. "We will have to thoroughly clean the Manor afterwards, however. Otherwise I'm sure to have fleas everywhere."

Severus let out a bark of laughter, his anger and tension subsiding slowly. "Most assuredly." Lucius caught the other man's eye and extended his hand again; this time Severus moved to him, letting the blond draw him close.

"Lets move on to more pleasant topics, shall we? After all, classes have been cancelled for today – and I've come so far to see you." Lucius' voice was husky as he settled the smaller man over him. Severus glanced towards his office door briefly, hesitating for a moment before taking out his wand and casting several spells.

"There's time enough for a – conversation or two." Severus arched his back abruptly, a gasp escaping from his throat.

"Indeed."

*_*_*_*_*_*

The first thing Ginny registered was pain. Everything hurt – her head, her joints, I think even my hair hurts. She whimpered and immediately gentle hands were guiding her to open her mouth, and a sweet tasting potion trickled down her throat. She swallowed painfully, her tongue coming out to moisten parched lips.

"More," her voice was raspy and soft, and distantly she recognized people exclaiming joyfully. The potion was brought to her lips again, and she drank greedily. She tried to force her eyes open, but heavy weights kept them shut and against her will she felt herself be pulled under, the call of natural sleep too difficult to resist.

She woke what felt like minutes later. This time her eyes opened slowly on her command, the bright light streaming in from the windows making her wince. She worked her mouth steadily, making a face at the fuzzy coating on her teeth.

"Ginny?" Draco's tone was soft and she frowned, wondering at the unsteady note in his voice.

"D-Draco?" She blinked several times, trying to clear her eyes. She struggled against the covers, fighting to free her arms, suddenly not wanting to be constricted, held down against her will. Suddenly hands were there to help her – but she flinched, not expecting the contact. A spike of fear flashed through her and she pushed it down, fighting against the memories that flashed in front of her mind.

"Easy, Gin. Easy. Pansy?" Draco's blurry form moved away from the bed and a smaller, more petite form was suddenly at her side.

"Hey there lovely. Easy now." Pansy kept her tone soft and smooth, her gentle hands guiding Ginny into a sitting position. Ginny relaxed minutely, hating the fear that made her pulse beat wildly in her throat.

The redhead's vision finally cleared she was able to focus on Pansy, who had taken a seat on her bed. The older girl had deep circles under her eyes and her normally impeccable appearance was disheveled.

"Hey there," Pansy smiled as Ginny finally met her eyes, a shine of tears making her eyes look glassy. "Finally back with us, eh?"

Ginny smiled back at her, a tempest of emotions running through her mind. "Hey," Ginny winced slightly at the sound of her voice – it was still rough and raspy. "I –," she closed her mouth abruptly and took a deep breath, memories and images coming back to her. Her face settled into hard lines, as her eyes snapped open, pinning Pansy with a stare.

"It was Ron and Lavender…and the twins, and Dean. That's all I saw. I don't think there was anyone else there, but I'm not a hundred percent sure. Who found me?" Ginny bunched the covers up in her fists, tension coursing through her.

Pansy held up a steadying hand, her expression turning grave. "We'd guessed as much. Harry found you, but we're not sure how long into the attack. Weasley and his crew have been insufferably smug for the past day or so. Dumbledore cancelled classes, you know, but didn't say why. Add that to some of the reports we've been getting from Sasha…"

"Day or so? How long was I unconscious? And why didn't Harry tell you about –," Ginny broke off, understanding dawning on her. "Oh Merlin no." She closed her eyes and began to tremble lightly. "Oh please Merlin no." Pansy reached for her slowly, not pulling away when the younger girl jumped at her touch.

"Shh..it's okay…"

"Is he – is he okay?" Ginny clutched at the other girl's robes, burying her head in Pansy's shoulder, not looking up. She felt Pansy sigh.

"He's – still unconscious. He's actually right next to you, though Madam Pomfrey has the curtains closed around him." Pansy rubbed Ginny's back soothingly, shifting until she could support the other girl comfortably.

"But – is he okay? Why hasn't he woken up yet?"

"I don't know, Gin. I don't know." Pansy looked over her head at Draco who stood at the foot of Ginny's bed, his expression unreadable. He had his arms wrapped tightly around his midsection, his grip wrinkling the fine material of his robes. Pansy smiled sadly at him, but he did not smile back; he only turned and parted the curtains leading to Harry's bedside, letting them fall back into place silently as he slipped through. The blond had rarely left the other boy's side, and Pansy was worried for him.

Ginny pulled away slightly, groping for something to wipe her nose with. Pansy handed her a tissue from the bedside table, letting the younger girl clean herself up. Ginny smiled at her weakly and then frowned, hissing as she accidentally tried to bend her right knee. A wave of pain broke over her and she swallowed repeatedly, forcing the nausea down. Madam Pomfrey chose that moment to arrive.

The Head Nurse took one look at Ginny's slightly green expression and shoved Pansy off the bed, settling the younger girl back onto the pillows. The Nurse then pulled the covers back from Ginny's leg and folded it neatly, accidentally letting Ginny see the extent of the injury. The redhead paled.

Her knee was swollen to nearly twice its normal size, the shape of it almost unrecognizable. The skin was a mottled canvas of blues, purples, greens and yellows – the burst capillaries having made quite an extravagant piece of artwork out of her skin. A brace ran from her mid thigh to mid calf, holding the joint straight, slightly bent. Ginny fought off a wave of dizziness as she looked at the mangled remains of her leg.

"I – what –," she swallowed hard and brought a hand to her mouth, never noticing how bad it shook. "What's happened to my knee?"

Poppy closed her eyes briefly at the lost, horrified sound of Ginny's question. She forced her voice to come out brisk and businesslike, ignoring the ache in her heart. "It's been shattered, dear. I'm sorry." She checked the bindings around the injury carefully, double-checking for any signs of blackness or foul odors. She pretended not to hear the small whimper that escaped the young girl at her announcement.

"Will I be able to walk?" Ginny's voice was distant, and a quick look up let Poppy know that she was slipping into shock.

"You'll be able to walk, young lady, though you will most likely need a cane. But who knows, miracles can happen. We can only hope for the best." Poppy recovered the leg, tucking Ginny in tenderly. "You get some more sleep now, dear. It'll do you some good. I want you to drink this," she placed a vile of sedative on the nightstand, catching Pansy's eye in the process, "and make sure you drink all of it. Understood?" The redhead nodded faintly, her eyes still locked on her knee. Poppy sighed and straightened up, smoothing her apron down in the process. With a final nod to Pansy she moved over to Harry's bed, leaving the older girl to comfort and soothe the distraught child.

Ginny barely registered the other girl's presence. My knee, she obediently drank the potion that was brought to her lips, making a face at the taste. My knee. She reached out and brushed her hand gently over the covers, her hand skittering over the shape of her leg.

"Pansy?" She blinked several times, the light going hazy around her.

"Yes Ginny?" Pansy moved close to Ginny's side, taking up one of her hands.

"Will you make sure to wake me up if there's any change with Harry?" The other girl nodded soberly, gently petting the hand in her grasp. Ginny drew in a deep breath and let it out slowly, her lower lip trembling slightly.

"I – I – Pansy, my knee…I can't…" she trailed off, a few hot tears slipping down her face unnoticed.

"Shh, darling. Sleep now, don't think about it. It's alright, just sleep." Pansy ignored the wavering note in her voice, pushing back her own tears and focusing on comforting Ginny. The redhead's eyes slipped closed and her breathing evened out slowly. Pansy bowed her head over the tiny hand in her grasp. The door to the Infirmary opened and she jerked her head up, hastily wiping her face and glaring at the person entering. Her expression softened immediately when she saw the lanky form of Bill approaching.

The once heir to the Weasley family was pale, with large bags under his eyes. The redhead had barely slept since his sister had been attacked. The Slytherin offered him a tremulous smile, which he answered wanly.

The Slytherins had quite adopted the ex-Weasley for the month her had been at the school. He had managed to procure enough leave from his employers to stay at the school until the end of the winter holidays, but that was as far as the goblin's generosity went. He had taken Ginny's attack hard, giving up his position as substitute DADA professor in order to focus solely on Ginny.

The Slytherins hadn't been overt in their adoption of him – but they had also made it clear to the other Houses that no rumors or slander were to be spoken about him while they were present. Many a Gryffindor had suffered their wrath over the last month when their vicious tongues wagged a little to loudly when certain ears were present. Every Slytherin had served their subsequent detentions with pride – even the ones with Filch.

Bill hadn't been blind to the dark House's fondness for him – although he'd been at a loss as how to repay them for it. That was until Blaise had drug Neville in for extra DADA lessons, which surprisingly all of them had enjoyed. Soon enough the cursebreaker had a steady stream of young students tromping in and out of the DADA classroom, their eyes wide and faces flushed from the intense drills that Bill would put them through. Now all Bill had time for was his sister, and the extra lessons were something the Slytherin house missed, but they understood his needs.

"You just missed it – she woke up and was talking. I'm sorry." Pansy craned her neck to look up at Bill. "Madam Pomfrey checked her over if you want to –," Bill waved her off, falling into a chair next to her, his arms and legs sprawling carelessly. Pansy winced as the chair squeaked in protest.

"No, no. It's alright." The haunted look refused to leave Bill's eyes however. He stared blindly at Ginny, his hands twitching where they rested on his thighs. He glanced over to Harry's bed, catching a glimpse of Draco through a crack in the curtains. His face softened briefly. "Has Harry woken up yet?"

Pansy shook her head solemnly. "He'll wake up soon." She cleared her throat and folded her hands tightly in her lap. "He just needs a little more time."

"Of course." Bill glanced once more over at Harry's bed, a troubled expression clouding his face. "Of course."

*_*_*_*_*_*

Hermione frowned as she studied her Transfigurations book, angry for letting herself get behind in her studies. Well, Ron was always there to bother me…she shook her head faintly and bit her lip, ignoring the rush of emotions that threatened to overwhelm her. Nonsense. I let myself get distracted. There's no one to blame here except me. She glanced up briefly, catching sight of Ron entering the Common Room with Lavender at his side. She blinked back a rush of tears – no matter what Ron had done, it still hurt to see him with the other girl.

She looked back down at her textbook, feeling lost. Since she had broken up with Ron she'd been left alone, her other Housemates seeming almost afraid to come up to her. For the first time she missed Harry – or at least the Harry she thought she'd known. A wistful smile crossed her face. Harry'd be here with me, pretending to keep me company. Or trying to copy my notes. She sniffed softly and blinked several times, pushing back her tears. But that Harry never existed, you know that Hermione.

"I know that," she whispered to the voice sounding suspiciously like Ron in her head. At least, I wanted to believe that, she amended silently, fiddling with the quill in her hand. I wanted to believe in Ron.

She sighed and dropped her quill, resting her head in her hands as she stared sightlessly at the page in front of her. She was so confused. She believed what the Weasleys – what Ron – had told her over and over again during the summer. Their arguments had been logical, and with Percy's proof…

Documents can be forged. Hermione squashed the small defiant voice inside her. But why would Harry lie? Why would he keep secrets? And how did the Dark Lord kill Cedric with Harry there to protect him? She closed her eyes tightly, feeling a migraine start to bloom behind her eyes.

"Alright there Hermione?" She jerked her head up and stared wide eyed at Seamus. The Irish boy had been scarce in the dorms of late. He looked a fright – his robes were disheveled and deep bags were under his eyes, making them looked bruised.

"I should ask the same of you." Seamus smiled at her and dropped into the chair across from her with a sigh.

"Eh, I'll be fine. Just got – things on my mind. That's all." He shrugged and leaned back in his chair, tipping it back onto two legs.

Hermione frowned. "What kind of – look out!" She watched helplessly as one of Fred and George's experiments exploded in the center of the Common Room, where the pair had been working on it. Seamus squawked and lost his balance, falling back in his chair, his head connecting solidly with the floor. Chaos reigned as the students scrambled for cover and Hermione hurried to the fallen boy's side.

"Seamus! Are you alright?" She knelt next to him, her hands hovering over him. The prone boy grunted and brought a hand up to the back of his head, a pained expression on his face.

"Bloody hell." He hissed softly as he probed the back of his skull. "That hurt." He let Hermione help him up slowly.

"Do you want to go to the Infirmary?"

"No!" Hermione rocked back on her heels slightly at the vehement note in the boy's voice. His face softened and he shrugged, smiling sheepishly at her.

"I'm fine, really. It's just a bump on the head. Nothing to worry about." Hermione bit her lip, shifting from foot to foot.

"I don't know. You hit your head pretty hard, and I'm sure Madam Pomfrey will have a headache draught there for you –,"

"No. Really, Herm, it's fine. I don't want Madam Pomfrey to have to worry about me when –," he broke off abruptly and looked away, grimacing.

"When what?" Hermione reached out and touched his sleeve. A flash of hurt spiked through her when he pulled away abruptly.

"Nothing Hermione. Just forget it, alright? Look, I got to go study for Potions. I'll see you around." She watched helplessly as the boy grabbed his book bag and disappeared out of the dorm without looking back. She frowned, turning his words over in her mind. Why doesn't he want Madam Pomfrey to worry over him? Who's in the Infirmary that Seamus –

She sank into Seamus's deserted chair as a particular notion came over her. Rumor had it that Harry and Ginny were in the Infirmary, having been 'attacked' the night before. Ron and Lavender had made a fuss over it, claiming the Slytherins were up to no good again, making false claims of being attacked to garner sympathy from the rest of the wizarding world. But then why would Seamus…

She glanced over to where Ron was giving his older brothers a piece of his mind and quickly glanced away. Surely it isn't that bad…she took a deep breath and let it out slowly. She looked over at Ron again and let her face harden as her resolve came over her. Quickly she gathered up her books and edged past the crowd of returning students, slipping out the door quietly, unseen.

In the silence of the hall she had a moment to pause and reflect. I just want to see how they're doing. I'm sure they're fine – they're just playing it up, I'm sure. They're – they're Slytherins, after all. She winced as her mental tone shifted into Ron's strident sneer and quickly shook herself. Enough. Time to go see for myself.

She met no on in the halls as she approached the Infirmary. It was eerie to be walking by herself along the dark hallways, without the presence of either Ron or Harry at her side. More than once she stopped, hesitant to continue.

Before she knew it, however, she was at the entrance to the Ward. She let her hand rest on the handle, biting her lip nervously. This is silly. They wont be in there. I mean, I'm sure it wasn't all that serious –

"Madam Pomfrey! Get Professor Snape! Harry's going into seizures!" Draco Malfoy's panicked voice spurred her to open the door. She walked into pandemonium.

Harry was thrashing on his bed, making mewling noises as he fought against Malfoy to reach his face. She stood frozen in the doorway as the Slytherin students and the Head Nurse hurried to the small boy's side. When did Harry get so small? Hermione was abruptly knocked to the side as Professor Snape stormed through the door.

"Draco! Pansy! Pin him down before he can re-break those ribs of his. Poppy, get the Headmaster. Tell him to come immediately." The Head Nurse nodded curtly and ran from the room. Hermione could only watch in shock as the normally dour Potions Master gently tipped Harry's face up, his habitually sour expression gone and was instead replaced by one of concern. She took a step forward, only to be stopped by a silken voice.

"Why Ms. Granger. How strange to see you here." Hermione turned around slowly; Lucius Malfoy stood behind her, his hands resting lightly on his cane, his dress robes impeccable.

"Mr. Malfoy," she took a deep breath, forcing her voice to come out steadily. "I'm surprised to see you here as well. I came to see how Harry –,"

"Don't you mean Potter, my dear girl?" Lucius tilted his head and studied her dispassionately. "After all, he is a stranger to you, now isn't he?"

Hermione flinched at his words, feeling herself flush. "I – I –,"

"Miss Granger," Hermione sighed with relief at the sound of the Headmaster's voice. Lucius' hand tightened on his cane fractionally, but otherwise his expression remained unchanged. She turned to the older wizard with a smile, only to have it fade at his serious expression. "I think you should leave."

Hermione felt her mouth drop open in shock. "But I –,"

"What's she doing here?" Hermione had never heard such hatred in Ginny's tone before. All movement except Harry and Draco's stilled for a second as the bushy haired Gryffindor turned to face the small redhead. She felt like deer caught in the headlights as every Slytherin glared coldly at her.

"Ginny, I –,"

"Get out you hag. Go back to my former brother you worthless –,"

"Miss Ginny." Snape's shape voice silenced her and Hermione felt a rush of tears make her face flush. "A Slytherin is pleasant even in the most awkward of situations. Ignore her and she will go away; she is beneath your notice." Hermione shrank back from the cruel words, a hand rising to her mouth. She glanced around wildly, becoming more and more flustered when every expression she saw was one of disapproval.

"I – I –," she fled, darting past the Headmaster before her tears could fall. She ran to the nearest girls bathroom, locking herself in the furthest stall before bursting into confused tears.

*_*_*_*_*_*

Harry was lost. He hurt, everything hurt – pain washed through him, and he huddled, curled up on whatever he was resting on, and wrapped his arms around his head, whimpering. Please just make it stop. Please, I've changed my mind, it hurts, it hurts so bad. It hurts ithurtsithurtsithurts…

" Oh Harry." He registered a voice calling his name, and against his will he began to listen to it. "Harry, relax. Push it away. You can be in control, it's alright. Just relax…"

The pain slowly ebbed the longer he listened to the voice, and after a while he was able to slowly uncurl from his prone position. He was in Voldemort's mind – oh God no please why – and the little girl was in front of him, her white dress making a puddle of fabric around her where she sat. Tear tracks made her face shiny, and she reached out hesitantly to him, resting one hand on his arm.

"You – why –," Harry's voice was rusty and weak; he brought up an arm and wiped at his face, trying to sit up further. "How are you here?" The little girl smiled sadly at him.

"I am a part of him now Harry. He has my heart – and I cannot leave." Harry shook his head faintly, frowning.

"But how –,"

"Dark Magic, Harry. The very darkest arts can trap a person's soul in an object, in an organ, forever if they choose. And He has done that to me." The girl withdrew her hand, smoothing down her dress carefully as she spoke, not meeting his eyes.

"But why…" Harry brought his legs up to his chest, wrapping his arms around them tightly.

The girl's face became grave. She studied him silently for a few minutes, before nodding once, sharply, to herself. "My family has guarded the Book of Living Dead for centuries. The Book was entrusted to us by the Lord of the Dead himself – as both a reward, and a curse." A small bubble of silence settled around them, and if Harry was careful, he could block out everything – else – that was going on around him. He kept his eyes carefully trained on the figure in front of him, unwilling to break the small peace around them.

"But why does he want to keep your soul imprisoned?" He sniffed, and rubbed absently at his chin, scratching it with his knee. The little girl looked away, emotions passing across her face too fast for him to read.

"Why does He do a number of things? Because he enjoys it? Because he is insane? I have no concrete answers, but I have do have some ideas as to why."

"Like what?"

She turned luminous blue eyes to him. "Because I am the last of my Clan. Because when my soul is freed the Lord will find out what he has been doing with the Cwn Annwn. And the Lord will not be pleased."

"How old are you?" The question came as a surprise to Harry – he hadn't meant to blurt the thought out – but out it came. The girl smiled at him, much to his surprise.

"I was eight at the time of my death. But – when I died, it was like, parts of my family, my mother and father, came into me. I know them, far better than I ever did as a child." Her expression was lost, and Harry felt an answering sadness resound inside of him. He reached out to her hesitantly, not sure if she would accept his comfort, as meager as it was. Her expression crumbled and she bolted into his arms, her small frame fitting easily into his embrace. "I miss my mommy and daddy." Harry blinked furiously.

"Me too."

"I'm scared and I don't want to be here anymore."

"I'll find out how to set you free," Harry whispered into her fine dark hair, holding her tightly as her tears soaked his robes.

"Don't make promises you can't keep."

"I'll find a way, we'll find a way, you'll see. Have faith in us, in Headmaster Dumbledore, Professor Snape, Draco, Sirius, the girls…all of us. We'll find a way, I promise." They sat in silence for a long while, the little girl resting in his arms quietly.

"What's your name?" Harry rubbed her back soothingly, shifting her slightly.

"Erin McVir, of the clan McVir."

"Well, Erin, I'm Harry, although you already know that." He could feel her smile against his chest. He sobered.

"Why did he want the Book of Living Dead? Do you know?" Erin pulled away from him, her face puffy as she brushed back her hair. She sniffed and scrubbed at her eyes, frowning.

"Voldemort managed to capture a pair of the Cwn Annwn, hellhounds as you might know them. What Dark Arts he used to do this, I have no idea, but he has. But he couldn't control them, only hold them. He wanted the Book because he believed he could find a way to control them using it."

"Can he?"

She shrugged. "I don't know. My family never read the Book."

Harry sighed and scrubbed his hands over his face. "What if we contacted the Lord of the Dead and told him about Voldemort's plans?"

Erin nibbled at her lower lip, thinking. "I don't know if you can contact him that easily – but he is also the God of –,"

Their peaceful bubble was shattered by a black rage. It swept over them, like a flood, stealing their breath away. Harry lunged forward, grabbing Erin as Voldemort's voice pounded over them.

" – KILL THEM ALL! SLAUGHTER THE CHILDREN AND MAKE THE MOTHERS EATH THEIR FLESH! SHOW THEM WHAT WE DO TO FILTHY LITTLE SPIES!" Harry shuddered, bile rising in his throat was scenes of what Voldemort wanted to do was forced into his mind. Erin began thrashing in his arms, pushing at him frantically.

"Go Harry. Leave, please now. You have to go – he'll call me soon and I don't want you to see me like – that – please…"

"He'll call you? Why?"

"Because the McVir magic is strong, because he needs my essence to open the Book. Please Harry. He'll see you here and he'll know. Go – now!"

"But –,"

"You promised me you'd set me free and you can't do that here! Honor your promise and GO!" She finally broke free from his embrace her hair and eyes wild.

"But –,"

"Go, Harry please. You'll see me again. Go – set me free." He froze at her plea and finally nodded miserably, his face crumbling as the now familiar rushing feeling came over him.

"I'll – see you again, I swear it." He reached out to her rapidly diminishing form.

"I know. I'm so sorry Harry. I know."

He had one last clear glimpse of her in the roiling sea of hate before his world went black.

*_*_*_*_*

Severus sighed and rested his head in his hands as Lucius kneaded the muscles in his neck and back. Harry had been convulsing for hours; his body randomly stilling before thrashing again and again. None of the potions they had fed him had done anything to calm him down, and they could do nothing but watch helplessly as his ribs cracked and he began to spit up blood. Draco had gone wild fighting against all of them to get to his side – it had taken a curt spell by his father to finally knock him out. The blond haired boy now rested in the bed next to Harry, slowly coming awake.

"Nghh…what…Father!" Draco bolted up into a sitting position, glaring over to where he could see his father standing. "How dare you –,"

"Draco be silent and at least try and act like a Malfoy." The rebuke silenced the younger wizard, but it did not lessen the glare he sent his father's way. His expression went suddenly blank as he looked towards Harry's bed.

"Has he –,"

"He went silent about twenty minutes ago. He has not woken either." Severus grunted as Lucius hit a particularly sensitive spot. "We should really move him to a privet room. We don't want a repeat of that Granger girl stumbling in on –,"

"Draco? Is that you?" Ginny's voice spurred the boy off his bed and over to her side, not bothering to smooth down his hair. The redhead was propped up on several pillows, her hair also in disarray as she struggled to sit up further. Draco soothed her back, pulling up a seat next to her.

"What is it Ginny?"

She snorted, folded her arms across her chest and leveled a glare at him. She'd had enough. "You have serious issues, you know that?" Lucius abruptly coughed, his head falling forward to hide his expression. Draco's face was priceless at Ginny's unexpected attack.

"What?"

"You heard me. You're doing Harry no good freaking out. It's positively – unSlytherin." Severus had to bring a hand up to cover his mouth as he shoulders began to shake silently.

"How dare you –,"

"Shaddup!" Draco snapped his mouth shut, a scandalized expression coming over his face. Ginny's stance softened slightly.

"Look, we know you care for Harry –,"

"I have never said –,"

"I said shaddup!" Ginny's eyes sparkled dangerously. Draco closed his mouth and glared at her, but no real heat was behind it. "Good. Now let me finish. Now, we know you care for Harry, your actions," she sent him a withering glance, "have made that obvious. As Harry's all-but-adoptive-sister, it is now my place to ask you what you intend to do about it." Draco blinked at her silently. "Well, I'm waiting."

"I –," Draco opened and closed his mouth a few times. "I don't know. I haven't thought that far ahead, honestly." Ginny's mouth flattened into a line.

"That answer is not acceptable."

"Well – I planned to tell him! I just – don't know when. Or – how." Draco looked lost abruptly. He shook his head slightly and shrugged. It's just – never been the right, er, time." He straightened in his seat. "And for that matter, I don't even know how he feels either. I mean …"

"Shush. Harry likes you. A lot. A blind man could see that." Ginny snorted, uncrossing her arms and flicking her hair back over her shoulder, pleased with herself.

Draco glanced at his father, who was studiously looking away. He looked back at Ginny. "He – does?" Draco hated the hopeful note in his voice, but he couldn't help it.

Ginny's face softened. "Well, yes. Obviously. He lets you get away with a thousand things none of us get to do – and he trusts you enough to fall asleep near you. Trust me, he likes you."

"Uh – good." Draco blinked a few times and absently fiddled with the edges of his robe.

"Draco don't fidget." The younger blond scowled briefly at his father, but his hands stilled.

"Now," Ginny leveled a finger at him, her expression becoming deadly again. "If you so much as make him cry I will personally rip the skin off your balls and make you eat it, understood?"

"Ginny!"

"I'm serious, Draco. Don't you dare hurt him, or I'll show you every trick in my book, got it?" Draco nodded hastily, his eyes wide and proud.

Severus snorted and Lucius was again laughing silently. "Welcome your newest Slytherin. You are truly one of us now." Ginny laughed at her Potion Master's tone, winking at Draco once. The blond grimaced sourly before finally smiling back at her.

"You little –,"

"Nghh. Mruph." All heads suddenly whipped around to stare at Harry. The small boy was stirring in his bed. Draco was at his side in a heartbeat. "Oh my head." Green eyes opened briefly and slammed shut immediately. "Someone turn off the sun." A smile flitted across Draco's face before he gingerly took a seat next to Harry on his bed.

"Harry?"

"D – Draco?" The blond blinked furiously and cleared his throat briefly.

"I'm here Harry. So is Severus, and Ginny and my father. Do you need Madam Pomfrey? A headache potion? A pain draught –,"

"Turn off the bloody lights." Harry's miserable expression made all of them smile briefly before springing into motion. The curtains were drawn around him and the lights were dimmed. Harry gingerly opened his eyes again. "Much better." He blinked a few times, trying to focus on the blurry figures around him. His glasses were pushed into his hand, and he slipped them on gratefully. "Thank you."

"Does your head hurt?" Draco reached for one of the many potions that littered the bedside table, pressing one into Harry's fist.

"Oh yes. Very much. Thank you." Harry tried to raise the vial to his lips, but his hand trembled violently. Draco helped him to drink the potion, ignoring the embarrassed blush that spread across the smaller boy's features.

"Thanks again." Harry's voice was nearly inaudible as Draco took the vial away.

"You're welcome."

"Harry? Harry!?" Ginny was practically bouncing off her bed in order to see the dark haired boy. Harry's expression immediately lit up.

"Ginny! Are you okay?" He struggled forward, ignoring the other Slytherin's attempts to keep him prone. Finally Draco relented with a sigh, helping the other boy up and pulling back the curtains slightly, enabling him to see the petite redhead.

Ginny's face immediately softened when she caught sight of Harry, and her lower lip trembled dangerously. "Oh Harry." She sniffed. Harry paled strangely, and a pained expression passed across his face. Draco exchanged a worried look with Severus, but let it pass.

"I'm fine, Gin. Really." The girl snorted and wiped at her eyes furiously.

"No you're not. Harry, what happened? You –," Harry's face darkened and his eyes glittered dangerously.

"You mean you don't remember what happened to you?"

Ginny shook her head hastily. "No, no. I mean, you were – you had a –,"

"I know." All of them looked at Harry oddly, but the smaller boy's face was unreadable. "I – I have to talk to the Headmaster, but I want to talk to you too Gin, and Draco and – well everyone, but I – I can't. I have to –," Draco put a hand on the rapidly panicking boy's arm, forcing him to slow down. Harry took a deep breath, closed his eyes and let it out slowly.

"Why do you need to see the Headmaster, Harry?" Severus' eyes were intent.

"I have information for him about the – about what Voldemort has. It's important." The small, dark haired boy answered without opening his eyes. Severus and Lucius exchanged a glance and the elder Malfoy turned abruptly, sweeping from the room towards the Headmaster's office. Harry drew in another deep breath and let it out quietly. He opened his eyes and focused on Ginny, only then seeing her immobile knee.

"What happened to your knee, Gin?" The small redhead looked away, her eyes clouding.

"It's shattered," Draco answered for her. She sent him a grateful look.

Harry paled. "It's what? That bastard. When I get my hands on him…"

"You'll do absolutely nothing. Unfortunately." Severus' face was a sight. Harry glared at the Potions Master.

"And why the hell am I going to do that?"

"Language, Mr. Potter." Harry had the grace to blush, but his stubborn expression stayed true. Severus sighed and grimaced, clearly not liking the answer as much as Harry. "Mr. Potter, the Weasley family is currently the wizarding world's favorite martyrs at the moment. They hold the attention of the press – much to my disgust – and unfortunately any revenge we would like to inflict on the spineless worms would only create that much more of an intense backlash upon us – and you."

Harry balled his hands into fists on the coverlet. "Damn it. It's not fair." Severus' expression softened slightly.

"I know, Mr. Potter. But that is life." Harry's shoulders drooped as the tension drained out of him.

"Sometimes I hate them all," he muttered, his eyes falling to the floor.

"Don't we all, Mr. Potter." Harry glanced up at his Head of House and saw the understanding there. He gave the older wizard a weary, halfhearted smile that faded as quickly as it came – which Severus returned.

The door to the Ward opened abruptly and a rush of people came storming down the aisle. Harry shrank back reflexively, and Draco tightened his hold on the boy's arm, squeezing slightly to remind him that he was there. The smile Harry sent him nearly made Draco blush – but he pushed his emotions away hastily, quickly dropping a mask over his features with ease.

"Cheater," Harry murmured to the blond, who glanced at him, started – but they were cut off by the people descending on him.

Bill moved to Ginny's side, nearly climbing into the bed in order to hug her. Both redheads were crying silently, from both joy and sadness. Remus hovered at the end of Harry's bed, along with the Headmaster, letting the tall animagus go first.

Sirius was oddly silent as he approached Harry, and the dark haired boy looked up at him worriedly. "Sirius? Are you ok? I'm sorry –,"

The animagus abruptly swept down and gathered Harry in his arms, nearly knocking Draco off the bed in the process. The older wizard held Harry tightly, shaking slightly. "Sirius? What – I'm sorry, please don't be mad. I didn't mean to get hurt –,"

"Harry. Oh Harry, you silly boy. I'm not mad. I nearly lost you. Oh God, Harry m'lad. I nearly lost you." Sirius' voice shook and Harry awkwardly tried to pat him on the back. The animagus set him down gently, brushing the hair out of Harry's face as he did so. His blue eyes burned intently.

"They will never touch you again. I wont let them." Another strange expression passed over Harry's face as he gazed up at his godfather.

"Don't make promises you can't keep, Sirius. Things happen, but I'll be alright." Sirius shook his head vehemently, but Harry raised his hand, a sad look in his eyes. "Please, Sirius. I know. I know." Sirius blinked rapidly a few times and again gathered Harry close to him, rocking him gently.

"I missed you Siri." Harry's words unleashed the animagus' tears, and the crowd that was gathered around Harry's bed moved off a little to give them some room.

"I missed you too, kiddo."

*_*

"Now, Mr. Potter, I believe you had some things you needed to tell me." The Headmaster sat next to Harry's bed, his blue eyes tired. Sirius sat on one side of the small boy's bed, while Draco sat on the other, both of them glaring at the Headmaster the entire time. Harry rolled his eyes at the pair and nodded.

"Yes, sir. It's about the Book. It was in the keeping of the McVir clan, given to them by the Lord of the Dead himself. Voldemort killed the entire clan and got a hold of the Book, and plans on using it to control the hellhounds." The Headmaster frowned.

"We had figured as much, Mr. Potter. I don't see –," Albus blinked in surprise as Harry abruptly raised his hand and cut him off.

"Voldemort tortured and killed the entire Clan, sir, but he imprisoned the soul of the youngest member of the Clan, Erin McVir. He's trapped her soul in her heart, which he cut out of her chest while she was still alive." Everyone turned a bit green at Harry's words. Albus closed his eyes and looked pained.

"How do you know this, my boy?"

"Because Erin's there, in His head, a part of him, a – a slave to him. She's tried to help me several times. He's using her magic, her essence to make himself stronger, and, I think, to help control the hounds." The Headmaster opened his eyes and looked at Harry intently.

"Does she know how to stop Voldemort?" Harry shook his head solemnly. "Does she know what He plans to do with the hounds once he has control of them?"

Harry shrugged. "I would have to ask her. We were – interrupted before I could get that far."

Sirius cocked his head to the side, studying Harry and the Headmaster for a moment before understanding dawned. He leapt to his feet, his hands balled into tight fists as he looked down at Harry. "Absolutely not. I forbid it, as your guardian, as your godfather. Harry, you're never taking that potion again, do you hear me?" Sirius was in a state of panic.

Harry looked at him sadly. "There's no other choice, Sirius." The animagus shook violently. "And you're not my guardian technically. The Dursley's are. And I doubt they would –," Harry broke off abruptly, snapping his mouth shut. Severus' eyes narrowed and he leaned forward in his chair as Sirius merely opened and closed his mouth silently in shock.

"You doubt they would what, Mr. Potter?" Harry shook his head slightly, his eyes widening fractionally as he looked at the Potions Master's suspicious face.

"I – I –,"

"But – Harry, don't you want me as your guardian?" Harry's attention snapped back to Sirius, pain and guilty relief lancing through him at the hurt apparent on the animagus' face. Sidetracked, thank God. He reached out for the older wizard.

"Of course I do, Sirius. But – the Dursley's are my guardians, as according to the law, not by what I want." Sirius took Harry's hand and held it tightly to his chest.

"We'll see about that." The animagus' expression was dangerous. Abruptly he switched back to a stubborn set. "You're still not taking that bloody potion again."

Harry sighed. "I have to Sirius. I'm sorry."

"There are other ways –,"

"No, unfortunately there isn't." The Headmaster's voice was sad. Sirius turned burning eyes in his direction.

"What the hell do you mean? You have spies – you have informants –,"

"That Voldemort has slaughtered in the last twenty four hours. All, or nearly that, am I right, Headmaster?" Harry's quiet voice made them all stop and stare at the older wizard, who merely nodded sadly.

"Dead God." Severus' voice shook and Lucius' hand tightened on his lover's shoulder. "All of them?"

Albus took off his glasses and polished them absently. "Nearly all. But enough that the Order is effectively blind to Voldemort's plans now. Harry is now our only way to gain any insight into where and when the Dark Lord plans to strike next."

"God damn it," Sirius snarled, pounding his free fist into his thigh. "God damn it." Harry closed his eyes briefly and sighed.

"I'm sorry, Harry." The dark haired boy opened his eyes and smiled wearily at Albus, but it did not reach his eyes.

"Me too, sir. Me too." Albus' face saddened as he saw the understanding in Harry's eyes.

"At least let him heal up from the attack before you decide to torture him again." Albus managed not to flinch at Sirius' verbal assault.

"Of course. You need a rest, my boy. Get away from the school for a while, to enjoy the holidays somewhere else, rather than in a gloomy old castle." Harry nodded slightly at the Headmaster, squeezing Sirius' hand to keep him silent. Albus' face turned serious, and Harry found his hopes to get away with his new family and friends dropping. "But you do need to be somewhere privet, somewhere where none of the press would dare to go –,"

"Then in that case, may I extend to you an invitation to Malfoy Manor, Mr. Potter? I'm sure Draco would enjoy having you there, as would Severus and I." Everyone turned astonished eyes in Lucius' direction. Harry opened and closed his mouth a few times, his eyes darting to Ginny, Bill and Sirius, before returning to Lucius. The older blond stifled a sigh. "The invitation is also open to Ms. Ginny, Mr. William, Mr. Black and his – companion, of course." Lucius' eyes flicked to where Remus stood behind Sirius and settled back onto Harry. Severus abruptly coughed and quickly brought a hand up to cover his mouth and hide his expression.

A twinkle set the Headmaster's eyes alight. "Excellent idea, Mr. Malfoy. I'm sure they wouldn't have any problems with that?" The three shook their heads dazedly, and Albus beamed, slapping his hands on his thighs merrily. "Wonderful. Thank you Lucius."

"My pleasure." Lucius barred his teeth at the older wizard in a parody of a smile. Sirius blinked a few times, the pole axed expression fading slowly from his face, gradually being replaced by a somewhat horrified realization that he failed miserably in trying to cover up.

"Er, ah, yes. Th – thank you…Lu – Mr. Malfoy." Severus shoulders only shook harder and the animagus glared at him briefly before looking away, his jaw set. Remus said nothing; he only bowed his head and stared at the top of Sirius' head, a small smile on his face. Lucius inclined his head graciously at Sirius before also looking away, apparently disinterested.

The Headmaster's smile faded as he once more became serious. He cleared his throat quietly, getting their attention. "Harry…this Erin McVir," Sirius growled softly and Harry patted the animagus on the arm gently, his eyes on the Headmaster. "You said you talked to her?"

Harry nodded slowly. "Yes, and she said that the Lord of the Dead would be most displeased if he found out about what Voldemort is doing with his book. But – she said it would be difficult to contact him in that aspect. She was going to tell me something else about him – but she was unable to." He shrugged, nibbling on his lower lip. Albus nodded slowly, a thoughtful frown coming over his face.

"We'll look into it, Harry. Don't worry." Harry's mouth quirked up into something resembling a smile. Albus rose slowly from his seat, his movements careful and pained despite the twinkle in his eye. He felt ever single one of his long years in the late hour of the night. He sighed and folded his hands into his robes, looking at Harry gravely, the light in his eyes dimming.

"Get some rest, my boy." Harry nodded solemnly and Albus left, making his way silently from the Ward. Harry watched him go with tired. Eye.

As the crowd around him began to chatter amongst themselves once the Headmaster was gone, Harry found himself looking past them all; looking out the windows and into the dark night sky. He shivered, and pulled futilely at the bedding around him; unbidden, a snippet of poetry he remembered from muggle elementary school came to him as he looked out over the Forbidden Forest. The woods are lovely, dark and deep / But I have promises to keep./ And miles to go, before I sleep. He dropped his eyes to his hands, an image of Erin coming to him. I promised you, Erin. And I always keep my promises. I swear.

He never saw the worried looks cast his way, or the silent exchange between Draco and Severus about his silence. His mind was still on the image of a little girl being swallowed by a sea of blood. I promise, I swear. I do, Erin. I do.

End Chapter 27

A/N: I've seen a number of you refer to the fact that you were referred to Faith via…what? I'm curious =) Do tell, if you know =) Thanks tons.

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Kristine Thorne, Relle, Lady FoxFire, eriee, latin-freak, serendu, Kateri1, AnImE-aNd-Hp-FrEaK, RainWaters, Ruby-san, SlytherinAtHeart, Dea Liberty, Rogue1615, The angelic vampire, Lyla Snape, Nemati, Usually Immaculate Aristocrat, Quill, Frizzy, Dragenphly, Naia, Luminia, tati1, coriander, Jazzlady, shelleykids, Bosson12787, disturbedlady606, Angelofdeath, Korianna Myorin, M14Mouse, Ice, FroBoy, NayNymic, Belle, HPDM fan, Ruby-san, Milkyweed, krazymelmo5385, Pip3, Emily, snifflesaboutsnuffles, Daremyth, Moonfairy2000, Luna Malfoy/Lady Ithiliell, cRazy-GIrl-3000, Lady SallyRose, Serpent of Light, GrimmyD, Redrum, Kaze, Skysha_Tranqui, Shinigami, Silver Lady, bakachan17, ocpawnmaster1, Spiffycool, Op, flotitch, SparkySparkles, Waywren Truesong, Thundering Lights, NewYork-Malfoy, Undead Queen, Kalorna Enera, TwistedHeart, Mooses007, Fate, Michelle, Lemmings12, WITCH WERE, harrys_angel, Sapphire Raine, Eversohuman, Estrella de la Tarde, faer, CShacklebolt, Charmed1, wolfen-alysha-draco-dragon, anewdawn, me, Becca, Lucifer Frost, AoiHyou, Armitage374, Rowenna, Mortifyd, KoishiiSeppuku, pussbb, loverwren, Amethyst-Fairy, ddz008, Hey Darlin, ojb, Silver Elf, jbcna, Ped, Becca, kitty54781, rosa, Illucia, meggplant, Rabble, Musicstarlover, Quasar28: THANK YOU ALL FOR THE WONDERFUL REVIEWS!

Mauve Lipgloss: No, but within the next chapter or two you'll find out who! Stay tuned! Thank you for the lovely review!

Athenakitty: Hermione's is on a bitter rampage about Lavender. And Snape will find out, sooner or later =) I'm glad you're still enjoying the fic!

Lynntownsend: yes, eventually. I'm not one hundred percent sure exactly when, but it's definitely a question that I mean to answer sometime before the end of Faith. I'm glad you're enjoying the fic!

Tdei: SkeliGrow would work if the knee was all one bone that she had to repair…unfortunately, knees are just one bone. There're many smaller bones, plus oodles of muscle and tendon that are involved; so, having shattered all of the bones in her knee, causing massive trauma to the ACL and other things, I can see the wizarding world as not being able to repair it. That's how I saw it, anyways. Thank you for the lovely review!

GEmory: Sorta, but not really. More information will be supplied later on =)

Kanika: Yep! Glad you're enjoying the fic! Thanks for the lovely review!

Quidditchjunkie: Thank you for the absolutely fantastic reviews. It really means a lot to me that you would take the time for it…they're what keep me going anyhow. Even when the plot and the characters drive me up the proverbial wall /sigh. The answers to some of your questions ARE going to be answered in the next couple of chapters. As for the others: 2) Yes, you are going to see more of Neville and Blaise's relationship. Alas, I've been a bit slack on their account and they are quite upset with me. 3) Yes, most definitely. 10) Ginny's knee is going to stay that way – at least through the end of Faith. There's a reason for it…it'll just be a while before its shown. 11) Harry will return to Quidditch, don't worry. 12) Seamus is a Gryffindor, through and through. But he wont be roughed up too badly. I can't promise not at all, because I'm rather fond of torturing the characters. But we'll see. 13) No. 14) Yes. 15) The fox animagus is a runner of information, although he may or may not be appearing in later visions. I'm still undecided at that point, although I am leaning towards yes. Again, thank you for the lovely reviews, and hope you'll enjoy the rest of the fic!

Texasjeanette: Ginny's knee will unfortunately stay that way. Harry wont be under for too long, as you can see =) I'm glad you're enjoying the fic! Thank you for the lovely review!

Naia: Good eyes =) The explanation is forthcoming, you'll just have to be patient, I'm afraid. Thank you for the wonderful review!

Molly: Thank you for the awesome review! You're spot on about many of the reasons I chose Faith as the title to the fic. I don't really know where the pranks come from really, but I do have one twisted mind when it comes to revenge /shrug. Thanks again!