(Two days since Harry's attempt)
Harry sat in the bed, his eyes were mindlessly looking out of the window. Dawn was curled up in his lap, purring under the ministration of his stroking fingers. The young phoenix had not left him the entirety of the time, not once. It went so far that Harry had to summon small bugs towards the bed for her to feed cause she wouldn't even part for hunting.
The raven-haired boy smiled, brushing through her feathers. Dawns love and his own love for her amazed him all over again. That she would stop her own instincts her own desires only to be with him was so amazing and humbling at the same time. Harry's smile was a little sad. He knew he had hurt his little girl, more than he could ever make up for. Yes, Andromeda had told him about the side effects of the potions but still, it was his decision and Dawn had suffered from it, maybe more than anybody else, including himself. The fact that she still stuck to his side and was still loving him after that, it was a wonder beyond his mind. But he was grateful for every fibre of his body for it. She was more than he ever deserved and then some. His fingers tickled her under her chin and she chirped, her unblinking eyes looking up at him with warmth and love.
"I will never hurt you again." The boy whispered and leaned down, planting a kiss on her small head. Dawn rubbed her head against his chin, hopping slightly in his lap. Harry smiled as he brushed through her dark plumage once more.
The creaking of the door opening made him turn his head. A bushy mop of hair stuck through, quickly followed by the girl's body before she closes the door behind herself. She noticed him sitting in his bed, quickly making her way over to him. Her face showed a wild mix of emotions and feelings. She slid into the chair next to his bed, looking a little worrying over her shoulder.
Harry smirked slightly. "Madam Pomfrey doesn't know you are in here?" He asked. Hermione shot him a guilty grin.
"Yeah, she said no one but family but I needed to see you. I just wanted to be sure you are okay. I can go if you want me to leave."
Harry shook his head slowly. "No." He simply muttered out. Hermione nodded slowly but said nothing. For a moment, they were just sitting there, not talking at all. The sound of soft rain falling onto the windows was the only one in the room. Finally, both of them started to talk at the same time.
"How are you, Harry?"
"I'm sorry Mione."
Both of them froze, then Hermione smiled.
"You first." She said with a soft smile. Harry nodded looking down at Dawn's feathers. He had thought long about Hermione in the last two day and a half since he had woken up and this needed to get out there.
"I'm sorry Hermione. Not just for the...you know...but also how I acted the last weeks. I was a right prat and you just wanted to help me." He brushed a little stronger.
Hermione slowly nodded, then sighed. "Harry, I also need to apologise. I walked away from you and that wasn't right. You were in a tough spot and as a friend, I should have stood by you, no matter what. Maybe you were a prat, but I wasn't any better. I know how much Gryph meant to you and what it meant to lose him. I'm sorry Harry."
Harry flinched slightly at the mentioning of his snake friend, but he nodded sadly. "It's okay." He mumbled out. Hermione reached out and trailed her fingers over his hand, which was still stroking Dawn's back. Harry twitched a little but relaxed as quickly again. They sat there in quiet for a while, but while it had been before strained now that they both had said their apologies it was easier. Not perfect, back to the way it was before but still, it was not as hard either.
"How are you?" Hermione finally asked, pulling her hand back, after rubbing Dawn's chin for a moment. The phoenix had nuzzled her finger and cooed quietly. Harry shrugged a little.
"Not bad...I guess. It is weird. I'm not sick and the...the cuts have been healed but still, I'm here." He pointed around himself. Hermione nodded.
"I guess they want to keep you under a careful eye after..." She said with a raised eyebrow. Then she blushed a little. "I'm sorry, that was rude."
Harry shook his head. "It's okay Mione. I don't want to dance around it. I tried to kill myself. I don't want everybody to dance around the subject like it was some kind of...I don't know. I know what I did, you know what I tried to do, so...no hiding about it all right?" He had the same conversation with Sirius already and he would probably have it with a lot more people. One more thing for the tabloid he guessed. They would know anyway, in fact, he was kind of surprise when he asked Sirius and his godfather had told him the Prophet hasn't said a word about his try.
Hermione looked a little uncomfortable for a moment but she nodded. "All right, if you feel better that way." He nodded.
"Well, I guess they want to keep you under observation for the moment."
Harry nodded, picking up Dawn and placing her on his shoulder. The phoenix started preening his hair with vigour the moment Harry's fingers left her.
"Yeah, kind of. Also, Andromeda comes here every day to talk to me. Also, Madam Pomfrey is...well herself mostly, you know her."
Hermione chuckled a little. The matron was well known for her no-nonsense attitude and overprotectiveness. Since Harry was one of her most regular visitors she was quite eager about him.
"What about Sirius?"
Harry's face got a little strained, but he gave her a careful smile. "I finally got him to go home for at least a few hours, sleep and grab a shower. He hasn't left the entire time and as much as I love him, he does tend to be a little...dramatic at times and I think if he had kept it up, Madam Pomfrey would have hexed him by now. She or Narcissa."
Hermione actually laughed, could easily imagine the black-haired man doing something that annoyed one or both of the witches.
"Looking out for him right?" She said in a soft voice.
Harry smiled back at her. "Yeah...He is my family...all that is left of it." He stared down into his lap now, balling his hands. Hermione carefully reached out, placing her hand on his shoulder.
"Harry. A lot of people will probably say this over the course of the next few days and weeks and quite a few have probably already said it and I might have not been up to it up until now but believe me one thing, be it in the dead of night, a thousand miles away, tomorrow night or in fifty years. I will always be there for you, whether you want to talk or need help or anything else. Always." She squeezed slightly his shoulder. Harry looked up and he couldn't keep it in, not after his childhood it was difficult to believe that someone would be there for him.
"Why?" He just whispered.
Hermione smiled her most radiant smile. The one she normally had when she got an O or when she saw some new book she hadn't read.
"You are my friend." She simply answered. Harry felt a smile spread across his own face and he nodded.
"And you are mine." He raised his hand and squeezed hers that was still on his shoulder for a moment.
For the first time, Dawn spread her wings and flew off across the infirmary. Hermione raised her eyebrow and Harry grinned.
"I think it is her way of Saying She trust you with me." Harry chuckled letting go of her hand. Hermione snorted, crossing her arms.
"I hope so. I looked out for you before she was even born."
Both friends laughed together at that, a little bit of darkness chipped away. It was still like a rain cloud over his mind, but in the distance, there were the first rays of sunlight showing through the clouds.
Harry sat in his bed, his fingers trailing down Dawn's spine, while he held the book about Gryffindors life in the other, reading. The boy just had returned from his conversation with Andromeda and had a lot of thinking. They had talked surprisingly little about everything connected to his suicide attempt and instead talked about school, about Quidditch, about basically everything. Harry was very glad about it, he needed a time out from it. All those heavy talking was taking a toll from him, quite a bit. He was glad, even though Andromeda was his mind healer, that he could talk to her about something else. It took his mind off things for a while. He had felt a little guilty when she asked about the book, but she had waved off his apology. She wasn't expecting him to read it in just one day after all.
Still, it lingered in his mind and since he didn't have a lot to do otherwise, he had picked it up. For a biography, it was surprisingly entertaining to read. Maybe because it was about Gryffindor, maybe it had a good writer or maybe if you don't have to read a 300-page tome about some long-dead goblin king for an assignment it was actually interesting to read about someone else's life.
He was just in the chapter about the first meeting of Gryffindor and Helga Hufflepuff when the door opened. A person slid in, her long blond hair a straight give-away who it might be. Daphne wore her school robes, not surprising since the last class just finished. She walked through the infirmary not careful and sneaky like Hermione. No, she walked like she had every right to be here and Madam Pomfrey wouldn't chase her out. Their eyes connected and Harry closed the book with a snap. Dawn raised her head and cooed at the Greengrass Heiress but otherwise didn't move away from Harry's lap. The girl came to a full stop next to Harry's bed, not sitting down, merely setting down her bookbag.
"Hello, Daphne." Harry said, not sure what to say. She didn't move her face one inch, nodded slowly.
"Lord Peverell." Her tone was formal, one eyebrow raised.
Harry sighed. "I guess I deserved that. I was hoping we could be less formal, but I think..." He trailed off uncertain what he was really thinking.
Daphne observed him for a moment, then her stance softened a bit.
"I think, given the circumstances, that would be acceptable...Harry." And with those words, she pulled a chair in sitting down. Harry shot her a short smile.
"Thanks."
"Don't mention it." She answered with a slight smirk because she knew that Harry understood that this really meant not to mention it.
"How are you?" She asked with a light tone after a few moments of quiet.
Harry frowned a little. "Not to be rude, but are you asking because we are allies or why?"
Daphne flipped her blond hair over her shoulder with a well-learned motion again raising her eyebrow.
"Of course because we are allies. My father would like to have an update." A quiet came but then her face showed the faintest of smiles. "But also I am inclined to see that Dawn is happy and since your happiness is connected to yours, I ask."
Harry smirked back. This roundabout way seemed to be Daphne's way of saying she cared. Harry shrugged a little.
"Better. I mean not good, but I don't feel so down like I did before. It is really embarrassing in fact."
Daphne waved it off, with what people would call a shrug but pureblood ladies don't shrug. Of course not.
"Don't pay to much of a mind to it Harry. More people do it than you would think." She waved it off. But somehow Harry didn't feel like she was dismissing his thought, merely wanted to give a perspective to it.
Harry frowned a little. "Don't tell me people like Malfoy aren'T laughing about me right now in the halls." He said with bitterness.
This really made the girl smirk.
"Oh, they do. Or at least they did. Let me tell you about yesterdays breakfast."
Daphne leaned back in her seat at the Slytherin table. It was quiet in the room, well as quiet as hundreds of people during eating could be, with a variance of etiquette as well as talking. Once more she looked over at her housemate Crabbe, who was grunting a little bit with every bite he ate. To her surprise, his clone, Goyle, was surprisingly delicate with his silverware. Still, it was one of the more quiet moments in the day. Daphne liked to spend the time to collect herself, structure her day to come, think what she would have to do. Over the tables, she looked over at her biggest rival, the muggle-born Granger. The girl was looking horrible. Her face was pale, her hair looked more horrible than usual, her eyes were sunk in, red and hallow and her clothes, normally very neat, were crumbled. Normally Daphne would sneer at such behaviour but right now she couldn't.
The image of Harry's white and empty features and the red of blood was sticking in her mind like a bad smell, every time she closed her eyes she saw those images. It was disturbing. And not just the images. She had spent quite some time to figure out, what her problem was with it last night. In fact, she had laid awake almost until four in the morning, thinking about it. For some reason, she was feeling sick when she thought about Harry Peverell and what he did. Also, she thought about what had happened before when she had hissed at him in this hall. Yes, his act with the Weasley girl was...bad, but still.
Her eyes looked over to the girl. If Granger looked bad, this girl was a wreck. She was crying openly, while her two twin brothers seemed to try to calm or console her. But it didn't seem like the girl was even hearing what they were saying. Daphne felt somewhat bad for the girl, but in the end, she wasn't too much. She didn't know Ginerva Weasley and from what she got to know her, she disliked her. It might be her plebian upbringing or her very emotional way of handling things, but Daphne disliked her a great deal and even now when she knew the girl had it rough, she couldn't bring herself to really feel for her. The only reason she even cared for her in any way, shape or form was that she was involved with Lord Peverell.
Because that was it of course. Lord Peverell was her ally and having him in a state of weakness, that looked bad on House Greengrass as well. She almost nodded to herself. That was what was her conclusion from thinking long and hard yesterday. He was simply a political ally and him looking bad made her look bad.
But why couldn't she shake of the dread she had felt when she saw him lying in that bathroom?
Her thoughts were cut short from Tracey, subtle as always, jabbing her with her elbow.
"Daph." She hissed over, trusting her Daily Prophet at the blond girl. The Greengrass Heiress frowned ever so slightly, leaning over.
"You have no tact you know that Tracey right?" She answered, still not taking the newspaper. Tracey only grinned at her with a wide toothy grin.
"Oh, you know you love me. Now look." She said, bumping her shoulder into Daphnes, knowing full well that her friend disliked human contact. Daphne sighed because a pureblood lady doesn't groan, still taking the annoying paper object.
"I have no idea why." She muttered flipping it open. But she instantly knew why Tracey was so insistent.
Trouble in Paradies?
You are reading right. Once again our beloved school for witchcraft and wizardry is in everyone's mind. Such an esteemed institution, a place of learning and wisdom. Such a beacon of light. Everyone who once walked those esteemed halls will always remember it with a warm feeling to their heart. The beautiful towers, the wast Forrest and the glistening lake. Not for nothing, Hogwarts is often referred to as a fairytale coming to life.
Yet there is something darker to this too. Where there is youth there is always the drama that comes with it. Love found and lost, the dread of a failed mark, other students you don't get along with. There are a great number of things in a young person's life that is quite turbulent. Me, myself and I remember my not so distant teenage years with the same mix of fondness and embarrassment that most of us feel, thinking the ay they were when they were children. What foolish decisions one makes when learning the ropes of life when the hormones are high. Some with more or less.
One might ask himself how our very own boy-hero, the one who brought us salvation over a decade ago would think back on these days when he is older. What would he say about what happened not twenty four hours ago in the hallowed halls of Hogwarts?
Yesterday evening the boy-who-lived was carried to the infirmary, without conscious. There is no official statement, but as my valued reader will know, the rumour mill on Hogwarts is running high as always. Some say they have seen cuts on Lord Peverells(the official name of the boy-who-lived, Harry for his friends) wrists, bleeding profoundly. Others say that Harry was found in an unused bathroom, next to the shards of a broken mirror.
Of course, we of the Daily Prophet won't guess and spin wild theories about this incident, but one must wonder. This all sounds very familiar to an attempt to end his own life. Others say this is only a cry for attention.
"Potter has always been one who would grab the limelight. He can't pass an opportunity to try to get everybody's attention." A fourth-year tells yours truly.
"He just wants to be the focal point of everything. He is the golden child and Merlin forbid someone else would try to get more coverage than him. I think he did it because due to the tournament other students get their well-deserved attention." Another fourth-year girl spoke up.
Daphne slammed the newspaper shut. Whatever else was said in it wasn't important. Harry's...incident had made itself known to the public and when she glared down the table, she could guess who told Skeeter about this.
"I mean, of course, once again Potter gets to be on the front page. I bet he is up the hospital wing right now, playing up those little scratches he got himself." Draco said, closing his own newspaper. Next to him, Pansy was nodding emphatically.
"Yeah, I mean he is such a glory hound, right? Allways everything has to revolve around him. Even two years ago with the Heir of Slytherin thing. Like anyone would believe him to be the heir of our house, they must have been idiots. A half-blood. Pff."
Daphne turned her head, looking at the girl with the pug face. "You were one of the loudest voices that called him the heir two years ago. I wonder what that makes of you Miss Parkinson." And then she smirked in that way she just knew that made the girl almost pop a vein in anger when she did it. It said loud and clear: 'I am better than you in every way.'
Pansy didn't fall short of expectations. She turned red in anger, gripping the edge of the table. Her fingernails turned almost white due to the pressure. "Shut your mouth, Greengrass. No one cares for your opinion...bitch."
Daphne mimicked a peal of slight laughter. "That is funny." She smiled at the girl. Pansy frowned, confused.
"What?"
Daphne smiled wider, now like a shark. "That you would a) you think you were the one who decides about the importance of opinion b) that you think you wouldn't pay for an insult to House Greengrass. I can't decide what is funnier."
Pansy now turned even darker red, but at the same time, her eyes darted over Daphne. No matter how much she was hated by Pansy, Daphne knew that the girl was also afraid of her. Draco now tuned in to the conversation.
"Pansy, she is just pissed because Potter had taken the Weasel instead of her."
Ice cold eyes turned one place over and Daphne started thinking in the back of her had. Boil paste in his drink? Or maybe Tenor draught on his bedsheet? Hrmm possible, but balding potion in his showerhead, that would be more like it. Daphne wasn't much for pranks, but revenge...oh that she was all for.
"Oh Malfoy Malfoy, I know you are jealous for the title of Heir Black, that Lord Peverell took rightfully. It must be hard being only noble and ancient. MOST is such a special word."
Malfoy sneered while turning red as Pansy. "Jealous of scarface? Pfff, as if. He is a half-blooded son of a mudblood."
Daphne frowned. Was Malfoy stupid? They were getting quite some attention now and it was only mear time before one of the professors came down from the head table. McGonagall already looked displeased in their direction. The headmaster and Professor Snape were nowhere to be seen. But before anything could be answered a new voice joined in on this conversation.
"Apologies...boy." The gruff and raspy voice cut in. Draco turned and behind him stood the gaunt figure of Ulrich Kurfürst. The older guy was staring at him from bloodshot, tired eyes, and his jaw was stiff. Ulrich kept talking.
"My girlfriend is...you say muggle-born. I dislike you using that slur." He gestured at the blond beauty that was standing next to him, her blue eyes glaring at the Malfoy heir. It spoke volume about Ulrich intimidating aura, that Malfoy lowered his head a little, something he only did when scared.
Three seats down one of the Slytherin stood up, turning to the german student. "Oh yeah?"
Cassius Warrington walked over, an arrogant sneer on his face. Daphne eyed the head table. Professor McGonagall had stood up already. Warrington moved in. While he wasn't as tall as the one arms german he had quite a few pounds on him. Ulrich stared back.
"Warrington, this is nothing for you. Walk away." He simply said before turning back to Malfoy. Cassius gripped his shoulder, spinning him back.
"Oh yeah? This is my housemate, so I am making this mine. You walk away, you foreign cripple." Ulrich blinked at him once. "And take your mudblood with you."
"MR. WARRINGTON!" McGonagall had now reached the conversation, glaring at the tall Slytherin. The boy ignored her completely, now in a glaring contest with Ulrich.
"Take that back." He hissed in his German accent. Warrington smirked at him.
"Why would I cripple?" He answered. McGonagall seemed like she was short of a personal nuclear meltdown. Madam Greif joined the conversation.
"MR Warrington, this is the-"
Ulrich cut her short. "That's it. Duel me you bastard."
Greif snapped her head to the gaunt-looking boy. "Ulrich!"
Warrington laughed. "I would. But in this country, a civilised one I might add, those of noble blood only duel with those who are noble too. So run along, cripple." His eyes were dancing in victory. He knew that he was in trouble with McGonagall, but he paid no heed. This was the principle and his parents had thought him, sometimes you have to stand for those. He was expecting the other bo to either growl at him, get really angry or sculk away.
What he didn't expect was Ulrich pulling a clove from somewhere and smacking him right over the cheek.
"Cassius Warrington, I challenge you to a duel for the insult to my honour as well as the honour of my families friend." He motioned to the girl next to him, who was trying to hold him back. Daphne noticed quite a change in him. While he still looked like death warmed over, he got a vicious streak in his gaze now and mad-mans grin.
Cassius still held his cheek, looking dumbfounded.
"You can't challenge me...you aren't noble. Germany has no nobles anymore...you-"
Madam Greif cut him short, looking down at the boy. "Oh yes, he can. When uncivilised Germany ended its nobility, it was only the human one. One of those who kept their title was Mannfred von Carstein, Ulrich father."
Daphne perked up with interest. She knew that name. When she was young she learned all about Europas nobility. That included also the goblin and dwarfen kingdoms and clans, the great free cities of the merpeople. And then there were the vampire clans, all loyal to the Emperor of magical Transivaina, Vlad Dracula.
She had no idea the leader of the von Carsteins had a son.
Harry blinked in surprise.
"Ulrich is a vampire?"
Daphne nodded. "Halfblood, apparently. That also explains his...worn-out look." Her voice crisped a little at the statement.
Harry raised an eyebrow. "Do tell." He simply said, pulling Dawn closer to his chest. They had learned quite a bit about vampires from Remus last year. Nocturnal, with superhuman strength and speed. They were magically powerful and quite dangerous. Unlike in muggle folklore, you don't turn into a vampire if bitten. Vampires were a race, like Dwarf or giant and cold reproduce as humans would. Someone who was bitten by a full vampire turned into something called a Ghoul or Thrall. They are still alive and normal, but a strong compulsion is placed on them to serve their vampiric master.
"I looked it up in the library before I came here. Vampiric half-bloods are prone to weak bodies, sun allergies and an appetite for raw meat. They tend to a short lifespan filled with sickness. The vampire part of their bodies is constantly assaulting the human part."
Harry looked in surprise. "That is horrible. Why would anyone do that to their child?"
Daphne sighed. "I have no idea. Apparently when they drink blood, they get the powers of a full vampire for a short amount of time, but still."
Harry nodded, frowning. "To think that Ulrich still became duelling champion that is pretty amazing."
Daphne shook her head. "Not so much. The magical core of half-blooded vampires is somewhere between vampire and human. So not that much of a surprise."
Harry bit his lip, nodding. "If you say so. When will they duel?"
Daphne tilted her head slightly to the side. "Next weekend, Saturday, before the students get onto the Express for their Yule Holidays. So enough to distract from you."
Harry raised an eyebrow. "So you think that will be more important to the rumour mill?"
Daphne nodded. "Yes. I mean your suicide attempt was pretty spectacular, but the german half-vampire champion challenging one of Slytherins best duelers to a fight in front of the entire school? That is pretty far up there." Harry winced only slightly. Daphne could be quite direct and to the point when she wanted to, but at the moment, when everybody danced around the subject this was nice.
Harry nodded again. "Let's hope so. Thanks for telling me, Daphne."
She even gave him a little smile. "No problem Harry. Now, the real reason I came."
They sat there in quiet for a moment, while Daphne pulled out his classwork for the day, something that made him smile. He would have thought Hermione would be the one to bring out the notes and homework but apparently Daphne had taken to it, not that he minded. Hermione tended to be a little overeager with it.
They started looking through those, a work that Harry enjoyed greatly, due to the absolute normality in those actions. It was like talking to Andromeda about normal things because this was what he enjoyed most this day, when everything was like nothing had happened. But like so often, it wouldn't hold, as only twenty minutes in the door opened and Sirius together with Dumbeldore walked inside.
The old headmaster wore his familiar half-moon glasses and a bright green robe with unicorns slowly dancing around the fabric. On his head, his long white hair was flowing freely. Next to him, much to Harry relief, Sirius looked a lot calmer and better rested. He didn't wear formal robes, but simple jeans and a red and golden sweatshirt. Daphne frowned ever so slightly seeing Lord Black in such muggle clothes, but on the other hand, the man wasn't quite a normal noble lord, so what should she expect. Sirius smiled slightly, yet grim at the girl next to Harry's bed, while Dumbledore spread his arms smiling wide at his two students.
"Ah, Harry, Miss Greengrass, learning already I see." The old man said while folding his hands. Daphne rose from her chair, curtsying in front of Sirius, before inclining her head towards Dumbledore.
"Lord Black, Headmaster." She greeted both of them. Sirius shook his head with a slight grin before returning the greeting. Dumbledore smiled at her still it his grandfatherly smile.
"Miss Greengrass, while I do commend yours and Harry's interest in getting him up to speed and award a point to Slytherin for the inter-house cooperation, I must ask you to take your leave. Harry, his godfather and I have something important to discuss."
Greengrass raised her eyebrow ever so slightly, but instead of moving she looked over at the Lord of House Black, waiting. The man looked back and after a moment he nodded faintly. It was obvious she would take his word over Dumbledores apparently. She then turned back to Harry, while placing folded parchment on his nightstand.
"These are the notes from Charms, Lord Peverell. I would appreciate it if you would look through these until tomorrow."
Harry said up more straight, nodding. "Will do Heiress Greengrass."
Daphne curtsied in front of him. "Good evening, Lord Peverell." Then she reached out and tickled Dawn slightly under the chin for a moment. After also curtsying in front of Sirius and another nod to the headmaster, she headed out, her blond hair flowing behind her like a curtain. Harry watched her leave for a moment before he turned to the two older men.
Dumbledore stepped in front of the end of his bed, as he did so often when talking to Harry in this particular room, while Sirius sat down next the bed on the chair Daphne had just vacated.
"If you would Sirius, my boy." Dumbledore said. The black-haired man nodded, waving his wand around. Harry almost jolted out of his bed, when a black sphere appeared and pushed outwards until it enveloped the three.
Dumbledore smiled gently at the startled Harry.
"In all my years if have seen quite a lot for incredible and strange magical tidbitz and wonders. But I never found such a strong privacy ward as this sphere of the House of Black. I might even argue that it was the reason House Black is called house Black."
He looked over at Sirius who merely shrugged. He didn't know and he didn't care about it.
"Professor, you wanted to talk to me?" Harry said, looking back at the man. Dumbledore nodded gravely, looking now older.
"Ah, yes Harry my boy. I have talked with Andromeda this morning." Harry flinched noticeably at that.
"Don't worry, she didn't tell me a lot. We talked mostly about how we should go from here. First I think it would be best if you stayed here for another week and head home like the other students when the Yule holidays come around. That of course only if you want to go home." He smiled.
Harry looked over at his fondly smiling godfather and nodded emphatically. "Yes, I would very much like that."
Dumbledore smiled brighter now. "Good, that is good. I'm glad you two found each other. Now I would like you to stay here for two reasons. For one it would mitigate the notion that something was wrong with you. Hogwarts only sends students home in very rare cases."
Harry nodded. "And the second reason?"
Dumbledore pulled something small out of his robes, handing it to Harry. It was a stone carved with runes all over it.
"What is this?" The boy asked.
"It's a syphoning stone. Normally those are used in places where great amounts of magic occur and need to be handled, like in the corners of floo chimney. In other cases, they are used in an attempt to drain magic from something. The longterm curse ward in for example."
Harry turned the stone. It was smooth and slick, slightly shining in dark black, with the runes in white. Sirius stared at I tin a grim fashion. "And what does this has to do with me?"
Dumbledore smiled. "This, Harry, will be your last defence should Tom come ever to close to you. Andromeda told me that you were ready to offer your own life to stop Tom. I must say it warms my heart seeing you so selfless. Only a few would go this far, would be ready to take this burden. This stone is here so you don't have to take such measures. You see, these stones are like magical drains, once activated, they pump out all the magic in contact. What I am proposing is that we put this stone near your core, inside your chest and should there be no other way, you activate the stone, it will suck all the magic out of you and Tom has nothing to complete the polar ritual with."
Harry turned the stone a little in his hand. "And that will stop it?"
Dumbledore nodded. "Yes. Maybe I have been unclear. It would drain ALL the magic out of you, turning you into a squib." Harry paled, dropping the stone at an instant.
"What? A s-squib? What if I do it by accident?"
Dumbledore shook his head smiling. "Don't worry Harry. To activate it you would have to push great amounts of magic with the intent to destroy into the stone. Since I don't think you would normally push magic into yourself with the intention to destroy yourself, you will be fine. But also you have to make it ready sort of. So no accidents there."
Harry frowned. "And I would activate it what way?"
Dumbledore placed his hand over his chest. "By placing your wand hand over the stone and saying "I, your name, am willing to sacrifice my magic in stopping Tom Riddle. Fluffy Socks."
Harry blinked. "Fluffy socks?"
Dumbledore smiled. "Fluffy socks. I think there will be never a time where you say these words exactly in this form in a normal conversation."
Harry stared at the old slightly crazy man for a moment before eying Sirius. The black-haired man stared at the stone grimly.
"I don't like it, pub, but it is our best shot. But it is your decision." He put his hand on Harry's shoulder as he did often before, squeezing slightly. Harry smiled in appreciation, before turning back to look into the half-moon glassed eyes.
"If I do this, this doesn't go off just suddenly?"
Dumbledore shook his head. "No, it can only be activated by these words and then pushing magic into the stone. Of course, it can also be deactivated by saying "My magic is not needed to stop Tom Riddle. Cauldron bottom."
Harry nodded, slowly. "And I carry it around my neck?"
Dumbledore smiled wider. "Oh no, that could be difficult, if you were to be taken again. No, we would place it inside your body, under your ribcage. That is why I want you to stay here for the next few days. To make sure nothing went wrong. I told Poppy what she should look out for."
Harry looked down ad the thumbnail big stone.
Dumbledore followed his gaze. "As an additional security measure, I will obliviate myself and Sirius of this secret. You will be the only one who knows what we did, the only thing I and Sirius will remember is that security measures have been made."
Harry stared at the pebble for about two minutes before he nodded.
"Let's do it." Seeling himself for the procedure.
To his surprise, it wasn't a complicated, painful or lengthy action. He had thought about knives and splicers, about Madam Pomfrey and pain. The headmaster merely asked Harry to take off his pyjama shirt. Harry did so, conscious about the scars and welts that covered his body since childhood. If the headmaster thought something about those he said not a thing. Then Dumbledore took the stone in his hand and asked Harry to lay on his back. Dawn huddled next to his head, rubbing herself against the dark black hair. Dumbledores warm spider-like hands placed the small rune stone on his chest and the old man started chanting in a language Harry had never heard before and he was pretty sure was dead for years. He then felt a slight pressure and warmth on his chest and only a short jap of pain, like a poke with a needle. It was as fastly gone as it came, leaving Harry behind unsure whether he had really felt any pain or it was just imagination.
During the entire time, a grim face Sirius held his hand. Dumbledore pulled his hands back.
"Done." He said returning to the end of the bed.
Harry sat up, brushing over his chest. "That's it?"
Dumbledore smiled. "That is it. Quite an easy ritual really. When the day comes for you when you no longer need it, it can be easily removed."
Sirius smiled slightly at Harry. "Let'S hope you never need it." He said with a slightly shaken voice.
Dumbledore raised his hand. "Now, Sirius step over here, I would like to take your and my memory of this and anything connected to it."
The Black Lord stood up with a nod, walking over. Fascinated Harry watched as Dumbledore placed his hands on Sirius's shoulder, staring deep into his eyes. Both man just stared at each other against the backdrop of the black orb. Then only because there was darkness behind them, Harry saw slightly grey mist rising from the top first of Sirius and then of Dumbeldores own head, a mist that disappeared almost as quick as it came. Dumbledore stepped back and Sirius shook his head.
"Wow, this feels...weird. I know there was something but...it's gone. Like a Deja Vu really."
Dumbledore smiled. "Oh yes, the human mind is an intricate and wonderful piece of art. Sometimes I lose myself in the ins and outs of my own brain and need hours to find a way out of it." He smiled genuinely. Harry snorted in amusement.
Dumbledore clapped his hands. "Very well, I think we are done here. Sirius would you be so kind?"
The black-haired man had returned to the bedside chair, but he nodded. Bring down his wand like a whip, with a slight pop, the orb disappeared, leaving the three alone.
But they weren't alone. In fact, quite a few people were in the hospital wing. There was McGonagall, who stood to the side, her arms folded and an angry look on her face. Severus Snape was somewhere in the back, like a large dark bat near the entrance. Then Madam Pomfrey was there, her hands to her hips and chewing someone out.
"-is it not. This is a hospital wing and I will not-"
"Poppy." Dumbledore said while eyeing the three persons that were on the receiving end of MadamPomfreys dressing down.
"Maybe someone would like to explain what is going on?"
With a sigh, the tall woman in the centre stepped forward. Her robes were black, with yellow trim and her eyes darted shortly to Sirius, who looked surprised in return. A crown with crossed bones under it was embroidered on the edge of her robe, while she sighed. Her face showed great reluctance. The two next to her, one a black man with a big earring and the other a man with shaggy hair and a scar over the face, both wearing crimson Auror robes. Amelia Bones sighed again.
"Albus Dumbledore. You are hereby under arrest."
Grave silence followed her words.
Ah yes, this was fun.
A lot of things I wanted to happen finally happened.
I'm quite tired, so no long author notes this time. I had fun and after the last chapter is so short my thought. This was really really fun. The whole stone thing came to me just a short while ago and I think it takes away a lot of Harrys reason to kill himself.
It is totally intentional that Ginny hasn't come to Harry yet.
I first wanted to give Hermione the tale about the breakfast but then I thought no you know what this is a good way to have a little Daphne point of view. Important, some of the things she sees or say are her opinion or thoughts. With all the mistakes that come with that kind of narration.
Dumbeldore getting arrested. There are quite a few good things in OotP. Like Hogwarts without Dumbs, or Umbridge. The best character to hate ever and that is such a wonderful thing. I actually think Umbridge is one of the best-written characters in HP, because she is just this massive bitch. Also, I need Dumbledore out of school, so yeah.
Finally, some might think, Harry is accepting the stone quite quick. In my mind, he was ready to kill himself. Having something to stop Tom to get what he wants seems like something he would latch to quite eager. At least in my mind. Sirius is less happy with it.
Like always, comments ideas thoughts, keep those coming.
Next: Turbulence