A/N: Oh! Look at that! Update not two or three days later! I figured
you all needed some more, especially since that evil cliffy I left you all
with. Sorry about that. It was a good place to stop. Hope you all enjoy!
Slyvia
"Ennervate." Harry opened his eyes slowly and blinked, looking around. Everything was blurry and his head pounded. He reached out and looked for his glasses. He really hoped that they were lying next to him. He jumped when they were slid onto his face. "Hey there, mate." Ron said from above him. Harry stared at Ron in bemusement, wondering what exactly had happened.
"Ron, what happened?" Harry asked. Ron smiled and settled down next to Harry on the couch. "Where are we?" He looked around, trying to identify this room.
"The Room of Requirement." Ron answered. Harry looked over at Ron and found him unconcerned by being in the Room of Requirement. He looked around and noticed the things in the room. Couches, rug, pillows, two beds, table and chairs, that was it. He froze. Wait a minute. Where was the door?
"Ron, why are we in this room?" Harry asked, getting up and looking around. Ron shrugged.
"Don't know, mate. I woke up right before you." Ron told him. Harry was sorry tempted to try Legilimency with Ron, just to see if he was telling the truth. He decided against it, however. He was sure that he didn't want to see if there was anything in Ron's mind that he really didn't want to see.
"Okay." Harry said. "Right. Well, I'm going to find the door and get out of here." Ron shrugged.
"All ready looked, mate. There isn't one." Harry eyed him suspiciously. Why was Ron here? Harry felt for his wand and froze. Where was his wand? He looked around for a few minutes, wondering if it was on the floor.
"Ron, do you have your wand?" He asked. Ron looked puzzled.
"Yes, why?" Harry shrugged.
"I don't." Harry answered him. Harry turned towards the wall where the door usually appeared and went towards it. He stopped in front of the wall and paced back and forth. No door. He growled at the wall. He reached out and willed a door to open. This was the Room of Requirement, and he required a door! No door. He went over to the other one and tried again. No door. He tried all four walls and none of them were giving him a door. He growled and went back to the couch. Ron looked over at him and sighed.
"I told you I already tried." Ron told him. Harry nodded and lost himself in his own thoughts. Why were he and Ron together in a sealed room? He crossed his arms and looked around. There was nothing to do in this room. No books, no games, not even homework! He was doomed with Ron being there, because when Ron became bored, he became dangerous. And annoying. Half an hour later found Harry back on his feet and pacing again. "Harry, there isn't a way out. I told you that." Harry turned around and stared at Ron.
"Ron, why did you bring me here?" Harry asked, coming straight to the point after using Legilimency. He mentally thanked Tom and waited for Ron's answer. Ron paused for a few seconds, as though surprised that Harry figured it out. Well, Harry had been gullible in the past, but no longer. That and Tom had trained him. "Why?"
"Harry, Snape has you addicted to something." Ron started. Harry groaned and got up from the couch to pace again. It was pacing or actually attacking his friend. "Do you even know what he's been giving you?"
"Yes! I told you, I was sick over the holidays and he's been giving me the potion I need. Is that what this is all about?" Harry asked. At Ron's nod, he spun away and stalked to a wall and leaned against it. "He's not hurting me, he's helping me." Harry slid down the wall and rested his head on his knees. "Just open the door." Harry said, unconsciously toying with the protection charm that hung on his necklace. He sighed. Why hadn't it worked? He thought about it and decided that it was the intent of the spell. Malfoy had tried to harm him, while Ron wanted to help him. Darn intent. Harry clutched his charm and got to his feet. "Open the door."
Ron shook his head. "I put a timer on it. It won't open for twenty- four hours." Harry paled and he knew it. Twenty-four hours! He wouldn't last. He couldn't last that long. There was no way. He would go into withdrawal and that would be bad. He took a deep breath to calm himself. He could beat this. And then he would give Ron the thrashing he truly deserved. He had a feeling that he would need to save Ron from Draco, Severus, and Hermione. He wondered exactly how many Dark Spells Severus actually knew, and how many Harry had counters for. Perhaps he should just let the others do as they wished. Maybe then Ron would learn to stay out of things that didn't concern him.
Harry took a seat on a couch far away from Ron, pulled out his Gameboy, and proceeded to ignore Ron. Ron tried to catch his attention several times by starting a conversation, but Harry had been taught well. He borrowed one of Snape's patented glares and stared at the other boy as though to say "You hope to regain my trust with your inane chatter?". It worked and Ron shut up, deciding that he had already risked death once, and it wouldn't do to risk it again. Harry might just kill him before the two of them left the room. Thank goodness Harry didn't have his wand, otherwise Ron had a feeling that Harry would have hexed him and been done with it.
Harry watched the other boy fidget out of the corner of his eye. How dare Ron try something like this? Harry checked his watch again and saw that the last four hours had passed quickly. Video games were scary in that he could lose himself and never notice. He shrugged and started a new game. There was nothing else to do.
Ron got up and paced around the room. He had been hoping to talk to Harry while they were here. No such luck. He had ticked Harry off like nothing he had managed before, and now he was just hoping that the next twenty-four hours would see him alive. He had a feeling that Harry would feel very justified in his death. He just wasn't sure how. He sighed and paced again. He couldn't stand this silence. He jumped as he heard Harry's Gameboy clatter to the ground. Harry reached down with a shaking hand and picked it up before stowing it in his robes.
Harry folded his arms and shut his eyes, aware of Ron's gaze on him. His withdrawal was becoming strong. He had been feeling light-headed since his appointed time for the dose had passed, and now it was getting worse. He cleared his mind and cast about for a happy thought that he could focus on to take away some of the pain he was feeling.
He recalled when Tom had taught him how to do wandless magic. He remembered the frustration he had felt when nothing had happened, how upset he had been, and then the joy he felt when he finally accomplished it. He had been surprised to see such a proud look on Tom and Matthew's faces. Then again, the men were his family now. He frowned slightly. He missed them terribly, more so because he was in danger of not getting them back. He forced the doubt from his mind and focused once again on one of his and Tom's lessons.
They had been practicing Transfiguration and Harry had managed to change a teacup into a table without his wand for the first time. Tom had cheered when the table popped into view and grabbed Harry, jumping up and down with him a few times while shouting "You did it!". Harry had been startled at first, but finally gave his guardian a large smile that showed his happiness at his ability as well. The shaking in his body increased and he sighed. This was going to be bad.
Harry pulled his legs to his chest and rested his head on them. There, that helped the shaking a bit more. He closed his eyes and focused on breathing, trying to treat the symptoms as a panic attack. He was trying to keep his mind in that calm state so he wouldn't do anything he would regret later. Like murder Ron. Or just maim him. The little part of Harry that was still demanding the Mind's Snare was giving the rational part of Harry some very good suggestions, which Harry was really tempted to try at this point.
"Harry, you okay?" Ron asked in a quiet voice. The symptoms his friend was showing was scaring him. He hadn't known for sure that Harry was addicted to something, and now that he had proof, he sorely wished that he had been wrong. Now, he was glad that he had been able to hex Harry and bring him here to keep him away from Snape and his drugs. He watched as Harry lifted his head. Harry's eyes were glassy and his forehead was beaded over with sweat. "You okay?" Ron asked again. The eyes cleared for a minute and Ron saw Harry's fear for the first time.
"No." Harry answered shortly, his withdrawal increasing by the second. His eyes turned glassy again, and he slowly lowered his head back to his knees. Ron's eyes widened. Thank goodness he had gotten Harry away from Snape. Harry had definitely needed his help if Snape had him this addicted to that stuff.
Harry fought down the desire to scream and cast about for another kind of thought that would help him stay in his mind. It was a losing battle and he was amazed that he had lasted this long. He tried to read the watch, but was unable to do so. His mind wouldn't focus long enough to accomplish such a simple task.
He fished in his pockets to see if there were any Mind's Snare there, just in case. Maybe Draco had slipped him some. He only found Galleons there. He felt one that didn't feel quite right. He fingered the Galleon, wondering why it was different. His mind cleared long enough to remember that this was the Galleon he used to summon everyone to a D. A. meeting. Wonderful! His mind wandered for a minute, and he paused with the Galleon in his hand, trying hard to remember why it was special. It flashed back in his mind and he quickly muttered the spell that would activate it. He only hoped that Ron had spent his somewhere. He laughed when he imagined some poor store clerk somewhere flipping out over a coin.
Ron shuddered when Harry laughed. It sounded dead somehow. He watched as his friend toyed with a Galleon, holding it up to look at it, passing it from one hand to another, and flipping it up and down. He dropped it a lot, and finally pocketed it. He clutched his legs again and rocked a bit, as though trying to comfort himself somehow. Ron felt the first feelings of helplessness as he watched his friend, wished he knew what Harry had managed to get addicted to.
Hermione jumped in her seat in the library as she felt one of the coins in her pocket grow warm. What the? She pulled the money out of her pocket and stared at one of them. The numbers and letters shifted. It was her D.A. coin! She had nearly forgotten she had this, it hadn't been used in so long! She had almost spent it! She smiled and watched as the letters settled down and read the date and time. Now? She hadn't been the one to activate the coin, so she figured that Harry was the one to do it. He wanted to meet them now. She gathered her books and left the library at a run. Being a prefect had its good points, because no one yelled at her as she tore down the hallway towards the Room of Requirement.
She arrived at the room to see the entire DA gathered in front of the door. Many of them were yanking on the door handles, trying to open it. Many were pulling out their wands, ready to hex them open. "What's wrong? Where's Harry?" She asked as she managed to get there.
"I don't know." Neville answered. "We can't open the door. It seems locked or something." The young Gryffindor told her. She frowned and watched as the DA tried various spells, none of them for locked doors.
"Move aside!" She commanded. She was surprised to see just that happen, with everyone scattering out of her way. "Alohomora!" She said forcefully, throwing the spell at the door. Everyone cheered as they heard the lock release.
"Well done, Mione!" Hannah Abbot complimented as everyone started into the room. Hermione froze inside the doorway when she saw Harry and Ron already there, and Harry looking ill.
"Ron! Harry! What is it?" She asked. Ron looked guilty. Hermione froze, her insides sinking. Ron had acted without asking Harry, and now Harry was experiencing something that looked very bad. "Petrificus Totalis!" She shouted at Ron, who immediately seized up and fell to the ground. She could care less if he had hit his nose. She rushed over to Harry and looked at his face. "Harry, what's wrong?" She asked. His eyes couldn't focus and the shaking was more pronounced when he tried to lift it.
"What's wrong with Harry?" Someone asked. Hermione shook her head, not exactly sure.
"Someone go find Professor Snape, Professor Dumbledore, and Draco Malfoy, as quick as you can." She told them. "Professor Snape first, if possible. Tell him something's wrong with Harry. Someone else get Madame Pomfrey." Several people took off in different directions. Hermione ignored her boyfriend and pried Harry's arms away from himself and managed to coax him down on the couch. She opened his robes, removed his tie, and loosened a few buttons on his shirt. She conjured up some cool water and a cloth and started bathing her face. She kept an anxious eye on the door while she whispered to Harry that he was going to be all right, that there was nothing to worry about.
"Someone get Ron out of here. Before releasing that spell. Secure him somewhere. I'm sure the professors will want to speak with him." Hermione watched as several members did as she asked. No doubt they were going to the sixth year boys' dorm. The entire group consisted of no one else.
She looked up relieved when Snape stormed in, robes billowing behind him and a glare that was enough to kill Voldemort on sight. "Miss Granger?" he questioned, coming to a rest on one of his knees next to her. "Tell me what happened." He ordered, starting to check Harry's vital signs. Hermione related her story of the coin and finding Harry here. Snape raised an eyebrow at her admission of the coin and the secret DA meetings. "Bravo, Miss Granger. Well done." He took Harry's pulse and sighed. "I hate to do this." He muttered. "We were so close!" He whispered to himself. He sighed shook his head, and started pulling out several little vials, looking at the number on the bottom of each one before summoning a cup and pouring the contents in. He added some water to it to dilute it and mixed it well before approaching Harry.
Harry's eyes had opened when he heard Snape's voice. Snape watched as Harry's eyes locked onto the clear cup Snape was holding. The boy's eyes lit up as he figured out what was in the container. Snape reached over and helped the boy sit up a bit as he held the cup to his lips. The other teachers came in as Snape helped Harry drink the concoction. "Very good, Harry. That's it." He sighed as the boy finished off the dose. "Okay, that's enough for now." Harry smiled as the potion took effect, releasing him from the withdrawal and taking his mind away just a little bit. Snape banished the cup and sighed. They were set back several steps. He got to his feet and glared at the wall.
"Where is that Weasley boy?" He demanded of several Gryffindor students. They all pointed down the hallway. He immediately headed for the door.
"Stupefy!" Dumbledore said. Snape fell to the ground and clutched his head in obvious pain. He was used to more than just a stupefy curse, but it was enough to take him to the ground. "I'm sorry, Severus. I can't let you kill him, no matter how much you feel he deserves it." He paused for a moment and then turned to McGonagall. "Minerva, go find Draco Malfoy and make sure that neither he nor Ron are in the same room at the same time in the immediate future. Young Draco might just do what Severus had planned." McGonagall disappeared and Pomfrey came in.
"What's happened?" She asked. Dumbledore noticed Severus getting to his feet and moved towards the door as fast as his feet could carry him.
"Stupefy." Dumbledore said again. Snape dropped to the ground, hands instantly going back to his head.
"Albus!" Severus moaned, trying again to get to his feet. Dumbledore sighed before sending a binding charm to Severus. Severus snarled at Dumbledore while trying to fight his bonds.
"Someone take Professor Snape down to his rooms." Dumbeldore requested. Hermione mentioned something about someone seeing him, which caused Albus to nod. He cast an invisibility charm on Severus and motioned for one of the other teachers to take him away. Flitwick happily did so. It was normal to see the small teacher brandishing his wand for no reason at all. No one would notice his odd behavior. "Pomfrey, will you go and sedate him. Mr. Potter will be taken to the infirmary while you are away. He'll be fine for the moment while you are subduing Severus." Pomfrey nodded and hurried away, eager to be able to sedate Severus while she could. Merlin knew that man did not get enough rest.
"Where is that little weasel?" Draco's voice demanded as he was pulled down the hall by McGonagall. "I'll kill him, bring him back, and then kill him again!" Draco promised as McGonagall tugged him into the room. She forced him into a chair.
"Ah, Draco. Thank you for joining us." Draco looked around. He noticed the absence of Snape and smiled.
"Oh, good. Severus is torturing the Weasel. Wonderful." He said, smiling in anticipation of the wounds that Ron would be sporting the next day.
"No, I'm afraid that Severus is now in his quarters and is being sedated as we speak, so that he harms no one." Draco jumped to his feet and was out the door before anyone could stop him. Hermione tore after him, knowing that he was going to kill Ron. She was ultimately surprised when he passed Gryffindor tower and descended into the dungeons. She followed him into the Potions Master quarters and watched as he glared at Pomfrey.
"Don't glare at me, young man!" she said, chastising Draco.
"I'm sorry." He said, dropping the glare. "Is he okay?" He asked.
"Oh, he'll be fine. He was just homicidal for a few minutes. The headmaster thought it best for him to be sedated for a little while." She told Draco.
"I'm sleepy, not dead." A voice sneered from the bed. Draco sat on the edge of it. Severus reached out and patted the boy's shoulder.
"I wanted to kill him too." Draco admitted. Pomfrey immediately gave Draco a Calming Draught. Draco had swallowed before he knew what hit him. He glared again.
"Draco, you should stay here." Snape told the boy. Draco nodded and watched as his guardian started falling asleep. "Go tend to Harry, Poppy." He said, pulling out three vials. "Mix these with an equal amount of water. They're numbered, so you know which one to use first. That'll be number two." Snape transfigured his clothes into pajamas and pulled the blankets over himself. Poppy left, knowing that Severus would at least sleep the night through. She motioned Hermione out and warded the door so that it would let her know the minute Severus was awake.
Draco sighed, feeling the calming potion working. He yawned a bit. What had been in that potion? Snape chuckled, transfigured Draco's clothes into pajamas and pulled the boy down onto the bed. Draco didn't argue and curled up on one side of the bed. Snape smiled and tucked Draco in. Draco mumbled something unintelligible and clutched the blankets around his neck. Severus smiled to himself and fell into a deep sleep. He would kill the Weasley boy tomorrow.
A/N: Thanks to everyone who reviewed! I loved it. Twenty of them. Wonderful! Again, if you want answers, please include your email and I'll be happy to answer. The last thing I want is for ffn to freeze my story because of too much chat. Oh well. Oh, a warning for you all. I'm leaving for summer camp really soon. I have a job as a counselor. So, I admit it. Nine weeks of no ffn! waaaah, sniff sniff I don't know how I'm going to survive. If my stories stop updating, I'm at camp. I leave next week. I should be back first week of August. Everyone pray that I don't run into rattlesnakes! Sylvia
"Ennervate." Harry opened his eyes slowly and blinked, looking around. Everything was blurry and his head pounded. He reached out and looked for his glasses. He really hoped that they were lying next to him. He jumped when they were slid onto his face. "Hey there, mate." Ron said from above him. Harry stared at Ron in bemusement, wondering what exactly had happened.
"Ron, what happened?" Harry asked. Ron smiled and settled down next to Harry on the couch. "Where are we?" He looked around, trying to identify this room.
"The Room of Requirement." Ron answered. Harry looked over at Ron and found him unconcerned by being in the Room of Requirement. He looked around and noticed the things in the room. Couches, rug, pillows, two beds, table and chairs, that was it. He froze. Wait a minute. Where was the door?
"Ron, why are we in this room?" Harry asked, getting up and looking around. Ron shrugged.
"Don't know, mate. I woke up right before you." Ron told him. Harry was sorry tempted to try Legilimency with Ron, just to see if he was telling the truth. He decided against it, however. He was sure that he didn't want to see if there was anything in Ron's mind that he really didn't want to see.
"Okay." Harry said. "Right. Well, I'm going to find the door and get out of here." Ron shrugged.
"All ready looked, mate. There isn't one." Harry eyed him suspiciously. Why was Ron here? Harry felt for his wand and froze. Where was his wand? He looked around for a few minutes, wondering if it was on the floor.
"Ron, do you have your wand?" He asked. Ron looked puzzled.
"Yes, why?" Harry shrugged.
"I don't." Harry answered him. Harry turned towards the wall where the door usually appeared and went towards it. He stopped in front of the wall and paced back and forth. No door. He growled at the wall. He reached out and willed a door to open. This was the Room of Requirement, and he required a door! No door. He went over to the other one and tried again. No door. He tried all four walls and none of them were giving him a door. He growled and went back to the couch. Ron looked over at him and sighed.
"I told you I already tried." Ron told him. Harry nodded and lost himself in his own thoughts. Why were he and Ron together in a sealed room? He crossed his arms and looked around. There was nothing to do in this room. No books, no games, not even homework! He was doomed with Ron being there, because when Ron became bored, he became dangerous. And annoying. Half an hour later found Harry back on his feet and pacing again. "Harry, there isn't a way out. I told you that." Harry turned around and stared at Ron.
"Ron, why did you bring me here?" Harry asked, coming straight to the point after using Legilimency. He mentally thanked Tom and waited for Ron's answer. Ron paused for a few seconds, as though surprised that Harry figured it out. Well, Harry had been gullible in the past, but no longer. That and Tom had trained him. "Why?"
"Harry, Snape has you addicted to something." Ron started. Harry groaned and got up from the couch to pace again. It was pacing or actually attacking his friend. "Do you even know what he's been giving you?"
"Yes! I told you, I was sick over the holidays and he's been giving me the potion I need. Is that what this is all about?" Harry asked. At Ron's nod, he spun away and stalked to a wall and leaned against it. "He's not hurting me, he's helping me." Harry slid down the wall and rested his head on his knees. "Just open the door." Harry said, unconsciously toying with the protection charm that hung on his necklace. He sighed. Why hadn't it worked? He thought about it and decided that it was the intent of the spell. Malfoy had tried to harm him, while Ron wanted to help him. Darn intent. Harry clutched his charm and got to his feet. "Open the door."
Ron shook his head. "I put a timer on it. It won't open for twenty- four hours." Harry paled and he knew it. Twenty-four hours! He wouldn't last. He couldn't last that long. There was no way. He would go into withdrawal and that would be bad. He took a deep breath to calm himself. He could beat this. And then he would give Ron the thrashing he truly deserved. He had a feeling that he would need to save Ron from Draco, Severus, and Hermione. He wondered exactly how many Dark Spells Severus actually knew, and how many Harry had counters for. Perhaps he should just let the others do as they wished. Maybe then Ron would learn to stay out of things that didn't concern him.
Harry took a seat on a couch far away from Ron, pulled out his Gameboy, and proceeded to ignore Ron. Ron tried to catch his attention several times by starting a conversation, but Harry had been taught well. He borrowed one of Snape's patented glares and stared at the other boy as though to say "You hope to regain my trust with your inane chatter?". It worked and Ron shut up, deciding that he had already risked death once, and it wouldn't do to risk it again. Harry might just kill him before the two of them left the room. Thank goodness Harry didn't have his wand, otherwise Ron had a feeling that Harry would have hexed him and been done with it.
Harry watched the other boy fidget out of the corner of his eye. How dare Ron try something like this? Harry checked his watch again and saw that the last four hours had passed quickly. Video games were scary in that he could lose himself and never notice. He shrugged and started a new game. There was nothing else to do.
Ron got up and paced around the room. He had been hoping to talk to Harry while they were here. No such luck. He had ticked Harry off like nothing he had managed before, and now he was just hoping that the next twenty-four hours would see him alive. He had a feeling that Harry would feel very justified in his death. He just wasn't sure how. He sighed and paced again. He couldn't stand this silence. He jumped as he heard Harry's Gameboy clatter to the ground. Harry reached down with a shaking hand and picked it up before stowing it in his robes.
Harry folded his arms and shut his eyes, aware of Ron's gaze on him. His withdrawal was becoming strong. He had been feeling light-headed since his appointed time for the dose had passed, and now it was getting worse. He cleared his mind and cast about for a happy thought that he could focus on to take away some of the pain he was feeling.
He recalled when Tom had taught him how to do wandless magic. He remembered the frustration he had felt when nothing had happened, how upset he had been, and then the joy he felt when he finally accomplished it. He had been surprised to see such a proud look on Tom and Matthew's faces. Then again, the men were his family now. He frowned slightly. He missed them terribly, more so because he was in danger of not getting them back. He forced the doubt from his mind and focused once again on one of his and Tom's lessons.
They had been practicing Transfiguration and Harry had managed to change a teacup into a table without his wand for the first time. Tom had cheered when the table popped into view and grabbed Harry, jumping up and down with him a few times while shouting "You did it!". Harry had been startled at first, but finally gave his guardian a large smile that showed his happiness at his ability as well. The shaking in his body increased and he sighed. This was going to be bad.
Harry pulled his legs to his chest and rested his head on them. There, that helped the shaking a bit more. He closed his eyes and focused on breathing, trying to treat the symptoms as a panic attack. He was trying to keep his mind in that calm state so he wouldn't do anything he would regret later. Like murder Ron. Or just maim him. The little part of Harry that was still demanding the Mind's Snare was giving the rational part of Harry some very good suggestions, which Harry was really tempted to try at this point.
"Harry, you okay?" Ron asked in a quiet voice. The symptoms his friend was showing was scaring him. He hadn't known for sure that Harry was addicted to something, and now that he had proof, he sorely wished that he had been wrong. Now, he was glad that he had been able to hex Harry and bring him here to keep him away from Snape and his drugs. He watched as Harry lifted his head. Harry's eyes were glassy and his forehead was beaded over with sweat. "You okay?" Ron asked again. The eyes cleared for a minute and Ron saw Harry's fear for the first time.
"No." Harry answered shortly, his withdrawal increasing by the second. His eyes turned glassy again, and he slowly lowered his head back to his knees. Ron's eyes widened. Thank goodness he had gotten Harry away from Snape. Harry had definitely needed his help if Snape had him this addicted to that stuff.
Harry fought down the desire to scream and cast about for another kind of thought that would help him stay in his mind. It was a losing battle and he was amazed that he had lasted this long. He tried to read the watch, but was unable to do so. His mind wouldn't focus long enough to accomplish such a simple task.
He fished in his pockets to see if there were any Mind's Snare there, just in case. Maybe Draco had slipped him some. He only found Galleons there. He felt one that didn't feel quite right. He fingered the Galleon, wondering why it was different. His mind cleared long enough to remember that this was the Galleon he used to summon everyone to a D. A. meeting. Wonderful! His mind wandered for a minute, and he paused with the Galleon in his hand, trying hard to remember why it was special. It flashed back in his mind and he quickly muttered the spell that would activate it. He only hoped that Ron had spent his somewhere. He laughed when he imagined some poor store clerk somewhere flipping out over a coin.
Ron shuddered when Harry laughed. It sounded dead somehow. He watched as his friend toyed with a Galleon, holding it up to look at it, passing it from one hand to another, and flipping it up and down. He dropped it a lot, and finally pocketed it. He clutched his legs again and rocked a bit, as though trying to comfort himself somehow. Ron felt the first feelings of helplessness as he watched his friend, wished he knew what Harry had managed to get addicted to.
Hermione jumped in her seat in the library as she felt one of the coins in her pocket grow warm. What the? She pulled the money out of her pocket and stared at one of them. The numbers and letters shifted. It was her D.A. coin! She had nearly forgotten she had this, it hadn't been used in so long! She had almost spent it! She smiled and watched as the letters settled down and read the date and time. Now? She hadn't been the one to activate the coin, so she figured that Harry was the one to do it. He wanted to meet them now. She gathered her books and left the library at a run. Being a prefect had its good points, because no one yelled at her as she tore down the hallway towards the Room of Requirement.
She arrived at the room to see the entire DA gathered in front of the door. Many of them were yanking on the door handles, trying to open it. Many were pulling out their wands, ready to hex them open. "What's wrong? Where's Harry?" She asked as she managed to get there.
"I don't know." Neville answered. "We can't open the door. It seems locked or something." The young Gryffindor told her. She frowned and watched as the DA tried various spells, none of them for locked doors.
"Move aside!" She commanded. She was surprised to see just that happen, with everyone scattering out of her way. "Alohomora!" She said forcefully, throwing the spell at the door. Everyone cheered as they heard the lock release.
"Well done, Mione!" Hannah Abbot complimented as everyone started into the room. Hermione froze inside the doorway when she saw Harry and Ron already there, and Harry looking ill.
"Ron! Harry! What is it?" She asked. Ron looked guilty. Hermione froze, her insides sinking. Ron had acted without asking Harry, and now Harry was experiencing something that looked very bad. "Petrificus Totalis!" She shouted at Ron, who immediately seized up and fell to the ground. She could care less if he had hit his nose. She rushed over to Harry and looked at his face. "Harry, what's wrong?" She asked. His eyes couldn't focus and the shaking was more pronounced when he tried to lift it.
"What's wrong with Harry?" Someone asked. Hermione shook her head, not exactly sure.
"Someone go find Professor Snape, Professor Dumbledore, and Draco Malfoy, as quick as you can." She told them. "Professor Snape first, if possible. Tell him something's wrong with Harry. Someone else get Madame Pomfrey." Several people took off in different directions. Hermione ignored her boyfriend and pried Harry's arms away from himself and managed to coax him down on the couch. She opened his robes, removed his tie, and loosened a few buttons on his shirt. She conjured up some cool water and a cloth and started bathing her face. She kept an anxious eye on the door while she whispered to Harry that he was going to be all right, that there was nothing to worry about.
"Someone get Ron out of here. Before releasing that spell. Secure him somewhere. I'm sure the professors will want to speak with him." Hermione watched as several members did as she asked. No doubt they were going to the sixth year boys' dorm. The entire group consisted of no one else.
She looked up relieved when Snape stormed in, robes billowing behind him and a glare that was enough to kill Voldemort on sight. "Miss Granger?" he questioned, coming to a rest on one of his knees next to her. "Tell me what happened." He ordered, starting to check Harry's vital signs. Hermione related her story of the coin and finding Harry here. Snape raised an eyebrow at her admission of the coin and the secret DA meetings. "Bravo, Miss Granger. Well done." He took Harry's pulse and sighed. "I hate to do this." He muttered. "We were so close!" He whispered to himself. He sighed shook his head, and started pulling out several little vials, looking at the number on the bottom of each one before summoning a cup and pouring the contents in. He added some water to it to dilute it and mixed it well before approaching Harry.
Harry's eyes had opened when he heard Snape's voice. Snape watched as Harry's eyes locked onto the clear cup Snape was holding. The boy's eyes lit up as he figured out what was in the container. Snape reached over and helped the boy sit up a bit as he held the cup to his lips. The other teachers came in as Snape helped Harry drink the concoction. "Very good, Harry. That's it." He sighed as the boy finished off the dose. "Okay, that's enough for now." Harry smiled as the potion took effect, releasing him from the withdrawal and taking his mind away just a little bit. Snape banished the cup and sighed. They were set back several steps. He got to his feet and glared at the wall.
"Where is that Weasley boy?" He demanded of several Gryffindor students. They all pointed down the hallway. He immediately headed for the door.
"Stupefy!" Dumbledore said. Snape fell to the ground and clutched his head in obvious pain. He was used to more than just a stupefy curse, but it was enough to take him to the ground. "I'm sorry, Severus. I can't let you kill him, no matter how much you feel he deserves it." He paused for a moment and then turned to McGonagall. "Minerva, go find Draco Malfoy and make sure that neither he nor Ron are in the same room at the same time in the immediate future. Young Draco might just do what Severus had planned." McGonagall disappeared and Pomfrey came in.
"What's happened?" She asked. Dumbledore noticed Severus getting to his feet and moved towards the door as fast as his feet could carry him.
"Stupefy." Dumbledore said again. Snape dropped to the ground, hands instantly going back to his head.
"Albus!" Severus moaned, trying again to get to his feet. Dumbledore sighed before sending a binding charm to Severus. Severus snarled at Dumbledore while trying to fight his bonds.
"Someone take Professor Snape down to his rooms." Dumbeldore requested. Hermione mentioned something about someone seeing him, which caused Albus to nod. He cast an invisibility charm on Severus and motioned for one of the other teachers to take him away. Flitwick happily did so. It was normal to see the small teacher brandishing his wand for no reason at all. No one would notice his odd behavior. "Pomfrey, will you go and sedate him. Mr. Potter will be taken to the infirmary while you are away. He'll be fine for the moment while you are subduing Severus." Pomfrey nodded and hurried away, eager to be able to sedate Severus while she could. Merlin knew that man did not get enough rest.
"Where is that little weasel?" Draco's voice demanded as he was pulled down the hall by McGonagall. "I'll kill him, bring him back, and then kill him again!" Draco promised as McGonagall tugged him into the room. She forced him into a chair.
"Ah, Draco. Thank you for joining us." Draco looked around. He noticed the absence of Snape and smiled.
"Oh, good. Severus is torturing the Weasel. Wonderful." He said, smiling in anticipation of the wounds that Ron would be sporting the next day.
"No, I'm afraid that Severus is now in his quarters and is being sedated as we speak, so that he harms no one." Draco jumped to his feet and was out the door before anyone could stop him. Hermione tore after him, knowing that he was going to kill Ron. She was ultimately surprised when he passed Gryffindor tower and descended into the dungeons. She followed him into the Potions Master quarters and watched as he glared at Pomfrey.
"Don't glare at me, young man!" she said, chastising Draco.
"I'm sorry." He said, dropping the glare. "Is he okay?" He asked.
"Oh, he'll be fine. He was just homicidal for a few minutes. The headmaster thought it best for him to be sedated for a little while." She told Draco.
"I'm sleepy, not dead." A voice sneered from the bed. Draco sat on the edge of it. Severus reached out and patted the boy's shoulder.
"I wanted to kill him too." Draco admitted. Pomfrey immediately gave Draco a Calming Draught. Draco had swallowed before he knew what hit him. He glared again.
"Draco, you should stay here." Snape told the boy. Draco nodded and watched as his guardian started falling asleep. "Go tend to Harry, Poppy." He said, pulling out three vials. "Mix these with an equal amount of water. They're numbered, so you know which one to use first. That'll be number two." Snape transfigured his clothes into pajamas and pulled the blankets over himself. Poppy left, knowing that Severus would at least sleep the night through. She motioned Hermione out and warded the door so that it would let her know the minute Severus was awake.
Draco sighed, feeling the calming potion working. He yawned a bit. What had been in that potion? Snape chuckled, transfigured Draco's clothes into pajamas and pulled the boy down onto the bed. Draco didn't argue and curled up on one side of the bed. Snape smiled and tucked Draco in. Draco mumbled something unintelligible and clutched the blankets around his neck. Severus smiled to himself and fell into a deep sleep. He would kill the Weasley boy tomorrow.
A/N: Thanks to everyone who reviewed! I loved it. Twenty of them. Wonderful! Again, if you want answers, please include your email and I'll be happy to answer. The last thing I want is for ffn to freeze my story because of too much chat. Oh well. Oh, a warning for you all. I'm leaving for summer camp really soon. I have a job as a counselor. So, I admit it. Nine weeks of no ffn! waaaah, sniff sniff I don't know how I'm going to survive. If my stories stop updating, I'm at camp. I leave next week. I should be back first week of August. Everyone pray that I don't run into rattlesnakes! Sylvia