Chapter Eight

"Well, you see Harry," Herman began, "It's like this …"

Harry turned to look at her when she didn't finish her sentence. The pause had been quite foreboding.

"How long?"

"Is that really important to know mate?" Won-won asked. "I mean you're out of there now and that's all that really matters. Soon you'll be out of here and mum and dad said you can come and stay at the Burrow and she'll fatten you up in next to no time at all."

"Susie?"

Won-won and Herman looked at each other again.

"Mate, who's Susie?"

"Do you want to talk to Susan Bones?"

Harry sighed again and returned to look out of the window. Maybe there was some drug or a potion out there that could take him back to his delusions, as they were making a lot more sense than these two were right now and lets face facts they were also far more entertaining as well, at least for Harry anyway.

"How long?" asked Harry again with a sigh as he continued to stare out of the window. Did he really want to know this? Perhaps he could pretend to once again be in the delusion and then everyone would leave him alone. That wouldn't be so bad.

Herman and Won-won looked at each other.

"It doesn't matter how long you were there, all that matters is that you're back with us and that we love you no matter what," Herman said trying to avoid answering the question.

"Yeah, Harry it doesn't matter at all," Won-won agreed quickly.

Finally realizing that he wasn't going to be getting any answers from these two, Harry settles back into the comfy chair and attempts to feign sleep.

"Oh no you don't Harry," Herman said sternly. "You need to eat and we're not letting you go to sleep again until you eat something."

"Yeah mate, you need to eat because there's a certain someone who is dying to see you," Won-won said in sing song manner.

Harry opened his eyes to look at them. "Who?"

"Someone important to you mate. Someone who might even be the most important person in the world to you."

Okay, its official, Won-won is an arse.

"Marietsy?"

"Who?" asked Herman and Won-won together.

Okay, not here then. "Fangalla Marie?"

Again the two looked confused. Wrong name again, well that's two down.

"S'Tar Kan?"

"Harry," Herman said gently, "We don't know who you are talking about. These names don't mean much to us. Are these people you know?"

Well of course Harry knew of these people. How would he know there names if he hadn't at least heard of them before. Hello, he wasn't that delusional you know. Though he wished he was.

"Eppy?"

Won-won was about to say something this time but before he could a small house elf wearing a pink dress with little yellow flowers embroidered on the hem popped into the room.

"Yes, Master Harry, is you's needing something?"

Everyone turned to look at the new arrival. Harry knew this elf, she was the one who punished Benson for forcing the trade onto him by withholding food. The trade. Harry squeezed his eyes shut again and tried to forget.

"Um, who are you?"

"I's is being Eppy the house elf and I's is being Master Harry's house elf. Eppy is being a much better elf than that Kreacher thing that Master Harry owns," the elf explained.

"Okay," Herman said trying to take all that in. "When did Harry get you? I don't remember him owning anyone but Kreacher before he was sentenced to Azkaban."

"Oh that is being a long story involving Quantum physics, alternate realities and the restaurant at the end of the universe. It is being too much to explain now," the elf replied dismissively. "Is you's be needing something Master Harry?"

Harry shook his head in the negative and muttered, "Nap."

Instantly Eppy conjured a small blanket for him and put it in his lap as he sat in the overstuffed chair.

"No Harry, you can't sleep. You need to eat. Madame Pomfrey will go spare if you don't put something in your stomach soon. You know she knows all kinds of spells to force you to eat."

Harry shook his head again. He did not want to eat. He did not want to think about the trade he had been caught performing and he REALLY did not want to think about the greasy git who saw him doing it and was probably telling everyone in the world all about it as he sat there by the window trying to go back to his delusions.

"Who?" asked Harry trying to change the subject.

"Who do you mean?" Herman asked. Really didn't she keep up with the conversation?

"Wants to see me?"

Won-won rolled his eyes. "Well Ginny of course. You know your girlfriend?"

Girlfriend? He had a girlfriend? Now that was something Harry felt he should have remembered right off. Wait a minute; he did recall something about a red haired girl.

Begin the wavy lines to indicate a flashback sequence

"Harry!" screamed a girl from the doorway into the courtroom.

As the Dementors were pulling Harry from the court he turned his head and looked at the girl. She had tears streaming down her face and she looked like the most beautiful thing in the world to him.

"I'll always love you Harry!"

Wavy lines again to indicate the end of the flashback sequence

A smile came to Harry's lips. He had been loved. Maybe being in the real world wasn't so bad after all. Then he remembered the trade and squeezed his eyes shut again. Would she still love him after she learned about what he had done? Was he dirty to her now? Would she even want to see him again?

"Ginny," whispered Harry.

"That's it mate," Won-won said encouragingly. "You're beginning to remember her aren't you?"

Then Harry looked absolutely miserable.

"Harry? What's wrong?" asked Herman.

"Dirty. Shame."

"Oh Harry, she won't care about that. You weren't in there that long anyway," Herman said before she caught herself. She obviously hadn't meant to say that.

Opening his eyes, he looked at Herman and Won-won and asked again, "How long?"

"Well, um," stammered Won-won.

"Has you's not been telling him how long he's is being there?" Eppy asked.

"No," Harry said simply.

"Master Harry, you's is being in there for …"

To Be Continued … Please Read and Review

Okay, any suggestions on how long Harry was in Azkaban?