Disclaimer: I own nothing of the Harry Potter world, however much I would want to Sigh
Dedication: Have Faith is dedicated to my own very special Maraudering friends, Padfoot, Wormtail and Moony. I also dedicate it to Snoogewho will be returning home to another country soon Sniffle and my other good friend M.A.R...Hope you enjoy
Have Faith
The sky lit up with lightning illuminating fourteen players on broomsticks flying in the vicious storm. You could hardly distinguish the red players from the yellow and it seemed Cedric or Harry had neither sighted the snitch…so the match continued.
Albus watched, his silvery beard stone dry (from a water proofing charm) in the treacherous weather sweeping across the Hogwarts grounds.
Wood appeared to signal time out to Madame Hooch who viewed from afar, was only to willing to give it (soaked to the skin herself). Albus could see the two teams touch ground and huddle from the rain…they would be discussing tactics of course.
Albus could also make out one of Harry's friends, Ms Granger sprinting across the pitch with a wild look of glowing triumph on her face; she probably had an ingenious plan to give her friend…
He saw Madame Hooch make her way towards the scarlet team gesturing them to take to the sky, and with a quick word to Hermione they did.
The weather now was worse than ever, he could see the trees in the distance flailing around violently like a pack of angry wolves. He was tempted to call off the match and then hold it on a better day…he was worried about his students.
Albus watched as Alicia from Gryffindor made a wild throw at the goals in the freezing rain and succeed in scoring for her team. However none of the other players appeared to have seen for they all continued flying around, frozen hard to their brooms.
The wind picked up a notch and he saw Harry's broom give a shudder…he really should stop this match…it wasn't worth Harry getting hurt…it really wasn't…
He felt Minerva next to him give a start as a Weasley twin was nearly dislodged by a bludger; Albus gave her a comforting smile to ease her feelings.
Suddenly a burst of noise escaped from the yellow clad fans in the stadium and a bright yellow blur sped past him…
Cedric Diggory was chasing the snitch.
Albus look towards Harry who appeared as though he had just seen the Grim, pale and slightly sickly looking Albus' young charge looked…startled, he thought worriedly.
This was getting dangerous…he thought.
Then Wood shouted something to Harry and he sped off in pursuit of Cedric and the snitch.
Albus sat and watched with Minerva his heart pounding too fast for what he thought was normal for him at a Quidditch match.
Something bad was going to happen, he just knew it…
The two players accelerated up from the pitch barely visible from the stands where the various fans where screaming their seeker on.
Albus craned his neck, a feeling of foreboding coursing through his veins and automatically he fingered his wand…just in case…it was wise to trust your instincts sometimes.
The wind howled and the seekers played on…until….
A sudden cold and silence came over the pitch, he himself could feel the happiness being sucked away as the Dementors swooped in…chilling everything like ice that was in their way.
What?
He thought to himself taking his eyes off Harry and seeing the mass of Dementors streaming onto the pitch below…hungry for pain and suffering...hungry for vulnerable people…
Like Harry…
He had to do something, he could feel Minerva shivering beside him, eyes closed and murmuring soft noises to comfort herself. He had to do something and fast, as old memories flooded his mind. Making his occlumency shields up to full strength he focused on something happy…
His thoughts were jarred though by the eerily silence suddenly alert with screams of horror and extreme worry, he looked up.
NO!
He thought desperately as he watched the limp form of Harry tumble through the sky.
NO!
Standing up and pulling out his wand he cast the first charm that popped into his head.
"Wingardium Leviosa!" he shouted at the falling figure…it had an effect however that slowed Harry down before he made contact with the hard earth.
Cedric had caught the snitch but that didn't matter to Albus at the moment all that mattered was that Harry was all right.
Please don't be dead, please don't be dead…
He thought frantically preparing his mind…he was completely mute to the surrounding noise and commotion.
He hurried down the stand towards the sodden sand and glided across the ground while summoning up his most happy memory.
"Expecto patronum!" he shouted at the Dementors and a brilliant silver phoenix erupted from his wand and swooped down at the foul creatures, scattering them away, exposing a pale, wet and shivering form of a thirteen year old boy.
At least he's alive…
Albus thought as he summoned a stretcher and put Harry on it, wincing ever so slightly at the clamminess of his white skin and ice blue lips. Now was not the time to show weakness, he had his charge to save.
He swept out the stadium with Harry, furious with the Dementors but more furious with himself.
I should have stopped the game, it was nearly hailing out there…why didn't I think?
Albus looked down at Harry, what he saw doubled his mounting guilt.
Faint (but noticeable) tear stains were streaked down the boys face; he mumbled something incoherent and clutched the side of the stretcher.
Albus thought for moment.
What kind of memories is Harry forced to relive?
Then it hit him, as he walked briskly up the stone stairs.
His parents' death…
No wonder he had such a violent reaction, this doubled his efforts to get to the hospital wing.
Albus threw open the doors of the infirmary and saw Madame Pomfrey rush over, taking Harry off the stretcher and placing him on the nearest bed all the while asking numerous questions.
"What happened?" she asked taking Harry's temperature.
"Dementors came onto the pitch during the game…he reacted like he did on the train except he was fifty feet up in the air this time," Albus answered taking a seat next to his charge.
"How fast did he hit the ground?" she asked, taking off his glasses and feeling his pulse.
"I managed to slow him down enough before he hit the ground, but I'd say he hit it pretty hard anyway," Albus answered noticing a slight tinge of pink return to Harry's face in the warmth of the hospital. This gave him a small rush of hope.
"I'd count Mr Potter very lucky, he will have rather painful bruising and he has a broken wrist but I can fix that in a heartbeat anyway…but the bruising with have to heal by its self unfortunately" she said aiming her wand at Harry's right wrist and with a flash of indigo light it was repaired.
Thank goodness…
Albus thought breathing a sigh of relief.
Suddenly the hospital doors flew open and a noisy crowd burst in consisting of Ms Granger who was sporting frantic blood shot eyes and Mr Ron Weasley along with his twins and the rest of the Gryffindor team, mud splattered of course.
"Where is Harry?"
"Is he okay?"
"Why can't we see him?"
"Silence please!" Albus said firmly, "You may see him, but I ask you to be gentle and quiet, he will be incredibly sore when he wakes up."
"Yes okay," said the group and all went to sit by his bed, much to the distaste of Madame Pomfrey.
"Harry needs his friends at this moment Poppy, it would be good to give him that privilege," Albus said placing a hand on her shoulder.
"I know, its just I see him so many times in here, looking so vulnerable all the time…it makes me sad to think that I can't do anything more than keep him comfortable." She said wistfully.
"Yes I know Poppy, but this is where he needs friends the most…" Albus answered sternly watching the group surrounding the limp figure.
Albus however felt a fierce protection to Harry and a growing desire to help him everyway he could.
"Albus, is he okay?" Minerva asked worriedly walking up beside him.
"He will be fine; however the Dementors affect him in the most horrible ways…" said Albus, the twinkle in his crystal blue eyes dulling.
"I can imagine…" said Minerva, "The things that boy must see should be ghastly…"
"Quite so unfortunately," Albus said gravely, "But we must have faith."
Albus and Minerva looked over at the thirteen year old, his messy black hair (so much like his fathers it was almost too painful too look at for Minerva) was plastered on his forehead with a mix of sweat and rain droplets. He shivered every once and again, but not from the cold (for it was lovely and warm inside the hospital) but from the horrors he must be reliving inside his unconscious mind.
"Yes Albus," Minerva said solemnly, "We must have faith."
The End (or should I write more?)
A/N: I know you all know the drill of Read and Reveiw, so if you did the first step of Reading thenI know you can do the last step of Reveiwing, I know that reveiw button looks so tempting...cheers thanks!
---Marauder Madness