Chapter Sixteen
The Yule Ball, the second one that Hogwarts school would be having was only a week away. Witches were running around trying to get the perfect dress and Wizards were hurrying to find dates. Dumbledore had organized a Hogsmeade trip for the students one week before, for any students who needed to get last minute items or just take a break from all the excitement. This last one was the case for two teens who walked quietly down the path to the small town. Harry and Mia were heading down to Hogsmeade to try to escape the chaos of the castle, every one was acting crazy!
Harry was currently laughing at Mia's imitation of the various girls in her dorm that had flipped their lid over the ball. She was especially talented in imitating Lavender's "Oh…my…gosh… look at that dress! What were you thinking?"
Mia joined in the laughter just as they entered the town. It seemed that some of the chaos had seeped into the town, much to their dismay. They really didn't understand why everyone was acting so odd about a ball. Perhaps it was because neither really had anything to worry about, they had clothes picked out, and were already planning on attending it together through an unspoken agreement.
Mia shook her head at her fellow students before dragging Harry into Honeydukes, no one was really in it, all the girls were to afraid that the sugar would 'go to their hips' as Mia liked to say. They spent a good deal of time in the small shop, trying out the new candy and buying a few sweets for themselves. They had just left the shop and were heading to the middle of the town when a scream pierced through the air.
The couple turned quickly around to see three death eaters stalk into the town. The students screamed running for their lives as the townspeople shut up their shops holding as many students as possible. Harry grabbed Mia's arm, pulling her over to a small ally blocked by a few crates. "Stay here, I'll take care of this."
He started walking away when Mia noticed something odd about the 'Death Eaters', they had red trims to their normally all black cloaks, and had swords attached to their hips…a trademark of Malae! "Harry!" she called, "DON'T!"
But he ignored her marching over to the death eaters, wand draw, one single thought running through his mind, "Protect her…"
Many of the students had made it into the buildings, only a few remained outside, hidden by boxes and tables, Ron and Hermione among them. They were closest to the path to the school, and might be able to make a break for it to get a teacher if only they had a distraction.
"Hey you lot!" Harry called, stopping a distance from the Death Eaters.
They turned to cast a quick glance at him, before returning their attention to scouting the town for something else. One death eater, however, pulled out his wand to get rid of the nuisence. Harry reacted quickly shooting a stunning spell at the group and running around them to the other side, trying to draw attention from Mia.
Mia frowned, two of the 'death eaters'' wands were glowing purple, and she knew what spell they were about to launch. She had to act now.
Mia stood up running over to the group, out of nowhere a stone hurled itself at the closest 'death eater', getting it's attention.
The group spun around as one, getting a glimpse of Mia, "YOU!" One sneered, as she took off down one of the allies that led to an abandoned part of town, she couldn't risk people getting hurt.
This was all the distraction Ron and Hermione needed. Ron stood, dragging Hermione with him as he ran up the path; he glanced back in time to see the Death Eaters run after Mia, completely ignoring Harry…
Mia ran as fast as she could, putting up an invisible shield to block the curses Malae's minions were throwing at her. She ran past the back of an old shop, grabbing a long wooden pole that was lying on the back of it. She spun around as she reached a clearing, smacking a minion in the head, knocking him down. The remaining two pulled out their red swords, advancing on Mia, attacking at the same time.
Mia fought them off with the make shift staff, effectively hitting one sword out of a minion's hand, and tripping him a short time later. She was so focused in the fight to stop the minions and to protect the students that she didn't notice that Harry had followed them.
He stood in shock watching Mia fight three men with only a piece of wood. She was amazing; she had knocked out the first death eater with out even knowing where he would be. She took out as second one amidst a two on one battle. As soon as the shock passed, Harry realized that he still had his wand in his hand; he should be helping her.
He raised his wand firing a stunning spell that hit the death eater right in the back…but the he… wasn't stunned?
Mia saw a spell hit the minion before her and glanced behind him only to see Harry standing there, wand raised, shocked expression on his face. "HARRY!" Mia called in alarm, distracted just enough for the minion to swing and hit her. She swung at the minion with all her might, knocking him unconscious before collapsing to her knees.
Air left Harry when he saw the death eater swing, as if in slow motion. He couldn't hear anything, except his heart beating in his ear. He couldn't move, he couldn't breathe…he felt helpless…But as soon as he saw Mia fall, he pushed himself forward, running to her side.
Mia held her side in pain, blood soaking through the fabric of her torn shirt. She grew very pale, her breath coming faster, she was dizzy; the world was spinning. She collapsed onto Harry lap.
Harry couldn't see, all he knew was that Mia was in trouble, in pain, and he couldn't do anything. There were voices getting closer, voices shouting about attacks, they were there. The next thing that Harry knew, people were trying to take Mia from him…and he couldn't let them do that…
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"What could have happened, Albus?" Professor McGonnagal asked, watching two students sleep fitfully in the Hospital Wing. "Death Eaters don't use swords."
"Ah, I am afraid, Minerva, that those were not Death Eaters per say…" He replied quietly, concern in his eyes as he watched his granddaughter sleep.
"What do you mean Albus?" She asked, "According to the students, those three men were Death Eaters."
Dumbledore sighed, "I fear what Amelia has predicted has come true. Malae had found Voldemort…"
McGonnagal gasped, "You don't mean…"
"I'm afraid so." He replied.
"I still don't understand what happened out there, Albus," Madam Pomfrey said, coming out of her office with a few patches of cloth, and a bowl of fluid. "Why couldn't anyone get to Miss Matthews quicker?" She stepped over to where Mia was resting, to peel off the bandage around her wound, cleaning it and re-wrapping it with fresh cloth.
"Yes, Albus, I tried to get to her, but there was something in the way. It was like an invisible wall keeping us away. If Professor Snape had not knocked Harry out, I don't know what would have happened."
Dumbledore thought back to the event of just a short while ago. He had been called down to the main hall by Mr. Weasley yelling about death eaters in the village, only to arrive at the town to find his granddaughter bleeding in the arms of Harry Potter surrounded by unconscious wizards. Worse yet, whenever someone tried to get close they were sent flying in the other direction. It was only until Harry was unconscious himself were any of the teachers able to get to Mia.
Noticing that they would not be getting an answer, Professor McGonnagal and Madame Pomfrey left the room…
It was late at night when Harry started to stir from his slumber, with a piercing headache and a slight sting in his side. He grabbed his glasses off the side table, bringing the blurry world into focus, and wondering why he was in the Hospital Wing. Then, the events of that afternoon flooded back to him. He looked around trying to find Mia, and let out a sigh of relief at seeing her on the bed next to his. He tried to get up, but felt very heavy…nevertheless he wanted to check on Mia…he had to know if she was all right.
"She's fine Harry, you should rest," Came Dumbledore's voice. Harry turned to see Dumbledore sitting in a chair near their beds. "This was a very trying day."
"But sir…Mia…"
"Can take care of herself, as she proved today." His gaze wandered over to his sleeping granddaughter, "I'm so proud of her." He paused as he glanced at Harry watching Mia. "But I do fear that sometimes, her selflessness may be her biggest weakness. She reminds me of you Harry," He said, looking at Harry, gaining his attention, "She cares so much for those around her, even those who would wish to hurt her. She never thinks about what could happen to herself but only of how to help others…and I am afraid that it is this fault that may take her from me."
Harry remained silent, listening to the older man bear his fears to a student. He looked back over at the topic of discussions, sleeping restlessly on her back, her right arm by her face, her hand bandaged from the cuts that the raw piece of wood had made, and her left one lying across her stomach, resting gently on her side just over the bandage of the wound.
"Sir," Harry started, drawing his gaze away from the cloth, "Why hasn't Madame Pomfrey healed Mia yet?"
The headmaster sighed, "You forget Harry, we use sorcery, sometimes when sorcerers are injured regular magic cannot heal them."
"Sometimes?" Harry asked.
"Yes, you'll remember that the sword that struck her was red?" Harry nodded, "It was endowed with a certain type of enchantment, one that wizarding magic cannot cure."
"Why…why can't you cure it?" Harry asked slowly, "You can do sorcery."
Dumbledore nodded, "I should be able to, but you see Harry I have not practiced major sorcery in many years. I am far too rusty to even attempt to cure the wound. You remember how you are taught the possibilities of saying a spell wrong? Well, sorcery is even more difficult to master than Wizarding magic, and it has even greater consequences if done incorrectly." Harry nodded in understanding, "Luckily though, this wound is not that serious, it will just have to heal naturally."
They sat in silence for a moment longer, as Harry looked back at the wound that Mia received protecting the students…protecting him. He looked back up at her face; a thin layer of sweat could be seen on her brow. It was then that Harry realized that he and the headmaster shared the same fear…what would he do if something happened to Mia?
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Should I end it here?
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Nah…
"Sir," Harry started.
"Yes Harry?"
"Would it be alright with you if I maybe…that is to say, I really care about Mia and I just wanted to ask you if…well…you see…"
Dumbledore let out a small chuckle at Harry's inability to form a cohesive sentence. "Yes, Harry." He answered for the embarrassed boy, "You have my permission to court Amelia." Harry let out a relieved breath he hadn't known he was holding and looked at Mia. "Although, after your display today, I do believe that even if I were to say no, you'd find a way to be with her anyway…" Although it is against my better judgment…Amelia deserves to be happy…
"What do you mean, after my display today?" Harry asked rather confused, he didn't think he did anything out of the ordinary. He went to Hogsmeade with Mia, went to Honeydukes, tried to foil the Dark Lord's plans…nope, nothing out of the ordinary.
"Do you remember what happened after Amelia was injured?" Dumbledore asked, growing curious.
"I remember feeling like…like I couldn't breathe," Harry muttered looking down at his bed as if trying to figure something out, "Then…I remember thinking that I had to protect her…and I don't remember anything else…sorry…"
"I see…" Dumbledore thought for a moment as if debating whether or not to tell Harry what had happened. He decided to tell him, he had already kept so much from Harry over the years. "The teachers and I arrived a few moments after Amelia was injured, we…tried to get to her but the was something blocking the way…" Harry threw him a curious look, and so the wizened man continued, "Many teachers believe that it was wild magic, your worry over my granddaughter was keeping her protected from anything trying to get her."
Harry nodded, not noticing that Dumbledore never said that he believe what the teachers thought. Harry laid back down, feeling quite drowsy but still keeping his eyes on Mia. And that was the sight that sleep left him with before it seized him. Dumbledore smiled at his granddaughter and the boy who lived, wondering what would happen next.
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A few days had gone by, the Yule Ball was drawing closer, and Harry had not left the Hospital Wing. He was fine, fit as a fiddle, but he was not about to leave Mia. He could remember what it was like to wake up in the Wing with no one there to see if you were ok. He had sat by Mia's bed every day and night, just waiting for her to wake up. He hadn't really slept that much which was why it wasn't all that shocking when he fell asleep just after breakfast was brought to him.
He had his hand resting gently on her bandaged one, and when he felt something moving beneath it, it stirred him from his slumber. He looked up, glasses slightly askew, into the tired but smiling face of Mia…and he smiled back…
A/N – Next up the YULE BALL, with a development many have been waiting for.