Disclaimer: All of this is based upon the lovely J.K. Rowling's work. I own nothing except Salazar's wife, son, and various other original characters. This story is an AU of sixth year, but it will contain a few spoilers from Half-Blood Prince and Deathly Hallows. However, it will still seriously diverge from canon.
"blah": dialogue
'blah': thoughts
"blah" : Parseltongue
"blah": Legilimency/Telepathy
Italics: excerpt from a book /newspaper or any other written form
Bold: a word or phrase that is emphasized
Italics, Underlined, and Bold: location/date of a scene in the story
Chapter Twenty-Five: Healing and Hope
Hogsmeade Wizarding Village, Home of Amia Hawthorne: Late Winter, 963 A.D.
"It's done," Fiona informed them as she all but collapsed onto her chair. "It's finally over." She gratefully accepted the cup of water Edmund offered her.
"She is cured?" Siobhan questioned as she once more took her place beside Amia and stroked her hand through her adopted mother's hair.
Her brother swiftly took his place next to her, also running his hand over the older woman.
The eldest Ravenclaw sister nodded. "Yes, but she will still be tired for some time, weak. But it's finished. The curse has been lifted; it will no longer leech away her life." She quietly sipped her water, her head drooping with exhaustion.
Helga placed a quilt around the Healer. "Here, Fiona," she murmured, removing the cup from the other woman's hand and setting it on a nearby table.
"Thank you," Fiona mumbled and blinked slowly.
Lady Hufflepuff corrected with a smile, "No, thanks to you." She didn't have to say what it was for.
Fiona merely nodded, watching as Siobhan and Edmund silently surveyed their mother. Helga also gazed at them for a moment before turning her attention back to the redhead. Fiona sighed, seemingly lost in her own world. She idly lifted the quilt to her chin and snuggled deeper into it. Her blue eyes were half-lidded, and she fiddled with her mismatched necklace and dress.
"Such an unusual disease… curse really," Fiona commented to Helga.
The brunette started at the sudden address. "What do you mean?" she asked with a mixture of apprehension and interest.
Fiona shifted in her chair, folding her feet under her. "What plagued Amia… it was unlike anything else I have ever seen. It didn't behave like a disease, but it didn't quite feel similar to a curse either." She tapped her finger against her check in thought, watching as Siobhan whispered something to her brother.
Edmund quickly rose and left the room.
"How did it feel then?" Helga questioned, her eyes flickering back and forth between the Healer and Siobhan, who was now listening also.
Fiona hesitated. "It's hard to describe. It leeched away her life, but it did not physically damage her body. Her trembles and thinness were a result of a lack of energy, not of actual injury." She tilted her head to the side. "Further, she was always freezing, never showing any sign of fever. Once again, it was like she simply lacked the energy to become warm."
"And she was always in pain," Siobhan inserted suddenly, tracing her hand down her mother's face. "She always felt terrible pain. The only time she was ever warm was when it was tied to the pain."
The blonde quieted as Edmund returned, bringing with him a bowl of soup. He sat back next to his mother, now spoon feeding her.
Fiona inclined her head in silent agreement and turned back to Helga. "Yes, and it seemed to come out of nowhere, this illness. One day, she was perfectly fine. The next, she was near death. There was no intermediate step, no decline. Few diseases are as such. With them, there's usually some sign of what is happening." She gently massaged her now aching temples. "This didn't act like an illness but more like a curse. Yet, curses don't have symptoms like Amia displayed." The Healer sighed, long and drawn out. "It is most puzzling."
The two lapsed into silence, watching as Amia finished her meal and laid back. Siobhan once more smoothed her hair, singing to the older woman and bidding her to sleep. Edmund took the bowl to wash out, not returning until sometime later.
Finally, just as Amia drifted off to sleep, Fiona spoke again.
"And still I wonder," the redhead murmured, her eyes seeking Helga, "I wonder why this happened. What motive a person would have for doing this. For certainly, this did not happen by chance?"
"That is a worthy question, but I feel it isn't the one we should be asking," Helga put in after a long pause, smoothing her hair back. Her gaze was fixed on her friend, her husband, and her mother-in-law. "I don't think we should be wondering why, dear Ravenclaw." She shook her head. "Not why at all." Her face tightened, eyes narrowing dangerously. "But rather who?"
Number Twelve, Grimmauld Place, The Kitchen: September 24th, 1996
Molly sat heavily in her seat, waiting for the everything to start. The Order was meeting to discuss Harry's "recent" dreams of Voldemort, dreams that the young wizard had confessed to Dumbledore just a day earlier. In turn, the old headmaster had immediately summoned those his most trusted lieutenants. Well, the ones at Hogwarts at any rate. Albus had been quite surprised when he learned that a few had already known and had been on their way to tell him.
All in all, it had worked perfectly. It had worked exactly as they, the Founders and company, had planned.
And so now, Molly sat in the kitchen of Grimmauld place, waiting for the rest of the Order to arrive. She patiently situated herself in her chair and grinned at Remus, who was sitting across from her. The werewolf was reading the Daily Prophet, undoubtedly seeing countless articles about Voldemort's reign of terror and the numerous missing persons. Remus was here at the discretion of the headmaster, a concession Minerva and Severus had grudgingly allowed.
Molly's gaze drifted across the table, landing on Sybill Trelawney. The Divination professor gave her a taut smile and inclined her head. The Weasley matriarch nodded back, a tightness to her face. She fought the urge to fidget as she thought about her recent conversation with the woman and the Healer's promise to examine Ron.
Molly was to fetch her son from Hogwarts on Friday after lessons had ended and bring him to Grimmauld Place. She had already talked over the arrangement with the headmaster, though he did not know to whom exactly Ron was being taken. Albus simply thought that they were staying at Black Manor before going to see the Healer. He didn't know that they were actually meeting her there. But then, Dumbledore didn't know of Sybill's gifts either.
The professor gave a polite head bow before turning away. And again Molly's eyes wandered, now looking at Tonks and Kingsley. Her ears twitched, and she could pick up faint hints of their conversation.
Tonks smiled sweetly. "It was a rather thoughtful gift, Kingsley. Though, I do wonder how he knew that I love irises. Especially live ones that I could plant in the garden" She inclined her head in thought, but she still managed to notice the bald man shift uncomfortably. Her eyes narrowed with suspicion.
"You told him, didn't you, King?" the metamorph questioned, pink hair standing on end. "But when would you have seen Dom to tell him. Unless you specifically sought him out." Tonks put both hands on her hips. "Please tell me you didn't. I don't need you to check up on my…"
The Weasley matriarch allowed her mind to filter out Tonks' recriminating words, not wanting to further listen in. She was about to look around once more, but a creak outside the kitchen door drew her attention. Without announcement, Albus and Alastor entered, the latter's magical eye whirling all around.
"Hello, my friends," the headmaster stated, his customary sparkle somewhat dimmed. "I fear that we don't have time for many pleasantries, however, due to a grave matter that has been recently brought to my attention."
The elderly man swept in, taking his seat at the head of the table, Minerva to his right and Severus to his left. Moody hobbled over to the chair next to Kingsley, his magical eye sweeping about once more.
Dumbledore steepled his fingers together, leaning on the tabletop. "Yesterday, it was brought to my attention that Harry, regardless of his success with Occlumency, has again been having dreams of Voldemort."
At the thought of such visions, there was a collected shudder around the table, one Molly didn't have to fake.
"While they were initially indistinct and garbled, they became clear on Sunday. Harry informed his friends about the dreams, and they in turn told either their parents and siblings or various members of my staff." The headmaster's eyes swept around the table, going from Minerva to Bill to Arthur and finally landing on Severus. "Then, it was brought to my attention."
"And what exactly are these dreams about?" Remus inquired, a strange look on his face. It was not unlike disappointment.
Molly couldn't be sure if it was due to Harry still having visions or if it dealt with the fact that he hadn't personally told the werewolf. For all his knowledge and experience, Harry was still a human. As such, he hadn't wanted to disappoint Remus, tell the older wizard that he was still susceptible to visions, the very thing that had led Sirius to his death.
Wizened eyes flickered to the werewolf. "Apparently, Voldemort plans to enter the Department of Mysteries on Halloween."
Everyone, including those who already knew, instantly stiffened.
"And he plans to use an attack on Hogwarts as a distraction."
It was like someone had cast a mass Petrifaction spell. Everyone was frozen in time. Tonks mouth dropped open, while Kingsley's eyes widened so much that his irises were little more than a thin ring around his pupils. Remus stiffened instantly, his hands gripping the tabletop so hard that his knuckles were turning white. There were now little grooves in the surface where his nails had dug into the wood. Even the Founders' group couldn't help the shudder that ran through, but then, Hogwarts was very precious to them.
"How?" Tonks asked, freeing herself first. Her face was very still, hair was now a dull pink.
Dumbledore's already faint sparkle dimmed more. "That we do not know. Voldemort was purposely vague so that even his followers would not be certain. I fear that he suspects a spy within his ranks." In that moment, the old man looked more tired and weary than anyone had ever seen him.
The werewolf unfroze next. "And Harry? Does Voldemort know that he was listening in?" Remus looked at the professor with thinly veiled dread. Concern was clearly written on his face.
"Harry assures me that Tom did not notice, and I am inclined to believe him," Albus answered, a hint of some nameless emotion in his voice. "For one, Severus has confirmed that there are plans for an attack on Hogwarts." Dumbledore's gaze flicked to his Potions master, who inclined his head, face an emotionless mask. "For another, Tom would never reveal such a thing to Harry, not even as a diversion or a distraction. Also, Harry's Occlumency skill, while not enough completely deaden their link and prevent visions, is enough to mask his presence."
Kingsley and Moody seemed to be thinking over the problem.
"Do we know why Voldemort wants to enter the Department of Mysteries? Does he think that the prophecy wasn't really destroyed?" Mad-Eye inserted with a voice even gruffer than usual.
Albus shook his head. "No, Tom knows it to truly be destroyed." He paused then, his twinkle nearly gone. "The true reason he wishes to enter is because he believes the Phoenix Gate to be hidden there."
Once more, everyone froze.
"Please, say that it isn't," Kingsley implored softly and ran a slightly shaky hand over his bald head.
Tonks nodded in agreement. Remus watched him with narrowed, golden eyes. Even Moody seemed to be hinged on what the headmaster was about to say.
However, Albus couldn't reassure them. "I honestly do not know. There is a chance, a very good one, that the Gate is there. Hidden within the depths of the Ministry. Even the Minister would not know if it was." He slumped slightly, looking every bit his one hundred and fifty years. "The only person who could know with certainty would be the department head. And even then, there is a good chance that Artemis Avis doesn't know. Her predecessor, Revan, disappeared during the last war, taking the most closely guarded of the department secrets with him." His twinkle completely disappeared. He exhaled in defeat.
But it was Remus who said the obvious. "Then, the Gate could very well be there with no one the wiser."
Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, The Room of Requirement: The Same Day
"There is something I have been meaning to discuss with you," Dom began without preamble as Harry and he entered the room half an hour before the DA meeting was scheduled to start. They were having a full meeting today, meaning that it was everyone in the Defense Association as opposed to the trusted inner circle, Dumbledore's Army. The Slytherin Contingent, Draco's group, would be there also.
Harry surveyed the area, noting the wide space for dueling and the partially enclosed spaces at each of the far corners. "And what is that?" he asked and turned to glance at the vampire.
In turn, the reborn Slytherin received a look that clearly said, "You know what I mean."
Harry fought the urge to sigh. "Yes," he prompted again.
Dom raised an eyebrow.
The vampire gestured to two chairs that had just appeared side by side, and the pair quietly sat. Dominic leaned back, settling in his seat and setting his elbows on the arms. His gaze was fixed on the teenager, who somewhat uneasily looked back at him.
Finally, the vampire spoke again. "You had a rather adverse reaction during the class discussion of Inferi, and if I remember correctly, you were distinctly uncomfortable when we spoke of it to the other Founders." Silvery eyes dared the other to form a denial, which he thankfully didn't. "I find myself wondering why, Harry."
The young wizard was silent for a moment. "I was just… imagining my friends like that. Just imagining… and remembering," he admitted softly.
Dom was immediately blank-faced. "You have encountered Inferi before?"
"Yes, as Salazar." Harry exhaled very slowly, running his hand through his hair in a nervous gesture. "Godric and I came upon them during our travels." He again hesitated, as though he had used his word quota for the day. However, he unexpectedly added, "It was… unpleasant."
Dom knew that declaration to be quite the understatement. "I can imagine." And he really could.
Harry sniffed and glanced at his companion. "Yes, I would say that you could." Green eyes glazed over as he looked away. "It was… horrible. Really, that is the only way you can describe it. The person who made them was powerful and very skilled. They could… they could talk. They did talk, and the things they said…" He trembled in remembrance. "And there were so many. So very many. Even children. And their relatives were there… the others from their village were fleeing from them. Apparently, they had been trying to reason with the Inferi, not realizing what had happen. What they had become."
The professor studied him closely. "And then, the Inferi had attacked them." It was a statement, not a question.
Harry scowled. "Yes, and that's how Godric and I found them. They were running for their lives. Fleeing from monsters that wore the faces of the people they loved, that sounded like them." He gave a shuddering exhale.
"Does Luna know about this?" Dom inquired gently, wondering if he would need to bring this matter up to the reborn Siobhan.
Harry gave an affirmative. "Yes… not all the details, but she knows. She thought I was over it ages ago, but sometimes, I would still think about it. I would wonder who was responsible, you know." He finally looked at the vampire again. "We never did find out, Godric and me. We investigated; we asked the surviving villagers. But no one knew anything. Or perhaps they were too horrified to remember."
"Perhaps," Dominic allowed, silently letting the subject drop.
Now was not the time to address it again. Harry needed a chance to mull over everything before it was brought up once more. Maybe he would ask Luna what she knew about the situation, what Salazar had actually told her. Even if there was another eyewitness, it was not as if he could ask Godric what he remembered about the incident.
The feeling of someone approaching snapped both of them out of their prospective reveries. Harry rose as his girlfriend entered, and he strode over to meet her by the door. Their hands instantly intertwined. Dom couldn't help but give a small grin.
Slowly, the other members of the Defense Association started to filter in. Hermione and Neville were first after Luna, coming in only moments later. Next, came a group of Gryffindors from various years, the youngest Weasley among them. Ginny's eyes immediately traveled to Dominic as she entered, and she gave him a cold, scathing look. Nevertheless, her friend Athena Avis tugged on her arm and pulled her along with the others.
Soon enough, almost everybody was gathered, a few late arrivals trickling in. Everyone waited with baited breath for the meeting to start. Harry and Professor Boyd stood in the middle with Luna, Hermione, Ginny, and Neville, surveying those gathered. The reborn Salazar and his friends were pleased to note that quite a number of Slytherins were among those coming in, nearly a full fourth of the group. A fair number of Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs were members, too. However, it was no surprise that Gryffindor was the largest House group.
Harry was also pleased to notice that the students were mingling more along their skill level lines than by House. The previous week the DA had met to give its new members the basic guidelines. But so many students had shown up, over seventy, that Harry and the Defense professor had been forced to use their fall back plan. As such, they had divided up the group into three different skill levels.
The lowest level, Beginner, consisted off those with almost no knowledge of dueling or Defense. Also, in this group were the first and second year pupils, regardless of how skilled or knowledgeable they actually were. There were some spells in the upper levels that required more power than that available to the youngest years.
The middle stage, Intermediate, was filled with students who possessed the most basic knowledge and some skill. Most of this group were third through fifth year students, though there were a few older pupils, much to their chagrin.
By far, the smallest group was the highest level, Advanced. Strangely enough, the majority were members of the inner council, Dumbledore's Army. Though neither Harry nor Dom had purposely done this. It all bogged down to the simple fact that most of those in the group were returning members from last year. A few of the others were their close friends, who had received extra help from their more knowledgeable companions.
The only part of Level Three that wasn't members of Dumbledore's Army were the members of the Slytherin Contingent, as Draco had not-so-jokingly called them. They were the leaders of the Serpent House, bent on keeping it out of Voldemort's hands. And they consisted of all those the blond had approached over the last weeks, as well as those that he had been true allies with all along. While it did have a few younger years, it they almost exclusively consisted of sixth and seventh year Slytherins along with the token Ravenclaw or three.
The Slytherins had recently met with Dumbledore's Army, proposing a secret alliance between them, secret mostly because of their fear of Voldemort. The DA had quickly agreed, and thus, the two groups were now regularly meeting to discuss the various goings-on at Hogwarts and in the wider world.
The only ones who weren't currently at the meeting and who would probably never actually come to a Defense Association gathering, were the more notorious members of Slytherin House. Namely Draco, Pansy Parkinson, Gregory Goyle, Vincent Crabbe, Dimitri Dolohov, and Theodore Nott. All had connections with the Death Eaters and would have had a hard time explaining to their relatives why they were attending DA meetings with the Boy-Who-Lived. As such, Dom and Harry were going to tutor them privately. A few of the other older Slytherins joined them, like Draco's friends Blaise and Millicent, even though they had no ties to the Dark Lord. Yet, they mostly went to provide moral support, not to mention receive extra practice under Dominic's skillful hand.
Giving himself a satisfied nod, Harry came back to himself "Hello, everyone. Welcome to another meeting of the DA," he greeted.
Instantly, the room fell into silence.
"Last week, we divided into three groups, and like we told you before, you will remain in these groups until we feel you are ready to move up. Or if we feel that you need to move down a level." He paused letting the information sink in. "Right then, Professor Boyd." Harry yielded the floor to the Defense professor.
Dominic smiled. "Thank you, Mr. Potter. Now then, since that is completely clear. Level One – that's Beginner, in case you have forgotten – will meet in the far corner." He indicated a partially enclosed area off to the side. "The helpful Miss Granger, Miss Weasley, and Mr. Longbottom will be supervising you today." His grin widened as the students in the lowest rank along with their instructors walked away.
Once they were gone, he went on, "Excellent. Now, Level Two Intermediates will be taught by Miss Lovegood and Mr. Potter today, and they will be over there." He pointed to the opposite side of the room from the Beginners. "Finally, everyone else will be with me."
And with that, everybody moved off to their prospective groups. Or rather Harry, Luna, and the Level Two students walked away, while Professor Boyd and his group remained in the middle of the room near the dueling platform. The teacher quickly set them to warming up by conjuring various types of shields among other things, but the reborn Salazar couldn't quite hear the last bit as he moved out of range.
They stopped in the unused corner, Harry and Luna standing in front of the nervous pupils. Most of them were younger than their instructors, though the frowning Ravenclaw seventh-year was a clear exception. The wizard scowled at Luna, as if it were her fault that he was there and not with the more advanced group. Regardless, the reborn Siobhan merely ignored him and quietly hummed something that suspiciously sounded like "Weasley is our king."
Mentally shrugging, Harry began, "Now then." He grinned at everyone as they clustered even closer to him, apparently quite excited at the prospect of learning from the famed Harry Potter and his lady love. "Today, we are going to mostly review just to make sure everyone is up to snuff." He could see the disappointment etched onto their faces, but he quickly chased it away. "Review is very important to dueling," Harry swiftly informed them, a stern undertone in his voice. "You have to remember the basics to be able to build on them. So that is what we are going to do… ensure that we know the basics." He tilted his head to his girlfriend as an oblique offer that she could continue for him, which she did.
The blonde gave the younger pupils a dreamy smile and spoke in a whimsical tone, which belied her sober words. "Everyone, please pair off. We've an even number, so there shouldn't be any problems."
They reluctantly did as they were told, turning to face their instructors once they had complied.
"For now, we're just going to use the most basic spells: Stunners, Disarming spells, Tickling charms, and on. Do not cast anything that is above that level." For once, her voice took on a serious lilt. "Begin whenever you are ready."
The students exchanged glances and hesitated for a moment before facing each other. They begin to cast at each other. Or rather attempted to do so. Most were not successful, only causing their opponents to step back when they were supposed to be disarmed or to blink sleepily when they should be stunned. Luna and Harry worked their way among them, correcting as they went and giving helpful hints. One pairing, a rather unusual Slytherin-Gryffindor partnership, seemed to be having a slightly worse time of it than the others, even though they were actually managing to cast at each other with some variance of results. But they were still far below the level of Defense they should be at their ages, even though they were among the best of the entire group.
After a few minutes and hitting a lull in corrections, Harry idly allowed his gaze to drift around the room. His eyes first traveled to the Beginners, who seemed to be focusing more on wand work than actual casting. Hermione had them all in a single line spaced apart and facing the same direction so that they wouldn't accidentally hex one another. She demonstrated in front of them before moving behind the line to where Neville and Ginny were currently prowling, the three fixing various flicks and swishes of the younger students.
Next, his gaze wandered over to Dom, who was now watching from the sidelines as his group dueled amongst themselves. The professor slowly started to amble among them, correcting a few wand movements, pronunciations, and blocks as he went. He paused for a moment behind Susan Bones and Lavender Brown, who were standing very close together. The vampire leaned in, stating something to them that Harry definitely couldn't hear. Nevertheless, it must have been well received because both witches beamed at him before they took several steps backward from each other. Again, the professor wandered between his students, pausing at various places and always receiving smiles and nods for his troubles.
Harry was greatly pleased by this development, a clear sign that the inner council members were warming up to the Defense teacher. Initially they had been somewhat stand-offish to the announcement that he was to assist them. Even after Luna personally vouched for him, the DA was skeptical. Now, however, they were positively reacting to his advice, actually doing as he suggested.
With a grin of his own, Harry turned back to his own group and nudged Luna. "Look at Dom's group," he said in an aside, his eyes now fixed back on his own pupils. "Do you see what they're doing?" A faint frown tugged at his lips as a third-year Gryffindor misstated a spell and accidentally scorched his partner, a fourth-year Slytherin.
His girlfriend nonchalantly looked over and made a pleased sound. "They seem to be listening to him, and they actually look to be learning something from it."
"Yes, they do. Plus, I don't think that they see him as a potential threat anymore," Harry added in a low murmur, watching the same Slytherin-Gryffindor pair. The fourth-year girl ducked out of the way as the Gryffindor sent a strangely purplish-red Stunner in her general direction.
"And that's good because he is not." Her attention drifted back. "Finally, we have a Defense professor on our side." She also frowned as the third-year sent a Disarming charm that only served to make his partner's hair turn turquoise.
Harry finally drifted over to the pair, taking the now very exasperated Slytherin off to the side and adding her to another group of two. He leaned down to whisper something to her, and her lips immediately forming a smirk. She laughed, turning to look over her shoulder at the Gryffindor. The third-year paled.
However, just before Harry left he softly shot back, "Yes, and isn't it nice to have a Defense teacher who isn't trying to kill me."
Luna snorted, now partnering with the third-year herself. 'Well, there is a first time for everything,' she thought as she ducked another purplish-red Stunner.
Grimmauld Place, The Third Floor Study: September 27th, 1996
Sybill Trelawney stuck her tongue between her teeth, lost in deep concentration. Her eyes were unfocused, as though she were looking at something that no one else could see, and she slowly ran her hand just inches above her patient's freckled skin, careful not touching him. Her thin fingers passed over his cheeks, mouth, nose, and finally over his eyes. She froze and lingered around his forehead.
After a moment, the Divination professor moved again, ghosting her hands the rest of the way around his head. She gently tapped him on the ear with her left index finger and could feel a shiver of power run through him. Yet, it ended as soon as she removed her hands, moving the appendages to her lap.
"Roll up your sleeves," she commanded quietly.
Her patient gave her a strange look. His eyes flickered to his mother, who was hovering nearby.
Molly Weasley nodded. "Please do as she says, Ron," his mother implored.
He shifted uncomfortably in his chair. Once more, his eyes flicked from his teacher to his mother and back. Professor Trelawney simply gazed down her nose at him, her glasses greatly magnifying her eyes. The Weasley matriarch raised both of her eyebrows, giving an encouraging smile.
Finally, he exhaled and acquiesced. The Gryffindor slowly rolled his sleeves up to above his elbow, the lingering marks from the Department of Mysteries now visible. Ron sank lower into his seat, hunching over and looking at his professor with an expression of extreme discomfort.
Sybill gave him a grim grin and slowly ghosted her palms over the fingers of his right hand. Her eyes glazed as she cautiously worked her way up his less injured arm. When she reached the scars caused by the brains, she slowed and passed over them several times. Each instance, she came closer to his skin, still not quite touching it.
A few moments passed, and the professor moved her ministrations to Ron's other arm. However, this time Sybill actually ran the tips of her fingers over the marks in an almost caress. The teenager trembled, and her eyes snapped into focus.
"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to hurt you, dear," the Healer apologized. Her gaze drifted to Molly, who was now hovering even closer.
Ron muttered, "S'okay." He turned his head away, not wanting to watch.
The professor nodded curtly, passing over the scars once again. With her right hand, she gripped his wrist to keep him from jerking away. Several heartbeats passed in this way, Ron now on the edge of his seat, his teeth gritted. At last, she let him go but not before tapping him again, releasing a soothing wave of power.
The Gryffindor relaxed, and his mother glided in behind him. Molly gently placed her hands on his shoulders as the Divination teacher scooted her chair backwards. She looked off into space, clearly in thought. Both Weasleys watched her with bated breath. Ron gaped at her and tried to determine if his recent ordeal actually had a purpose. Molly simply gave a knowing sniff.
Sybill's lips moved slightly, as though she were conversing with herself. She mumbled something and then nodded. Absentmindedly, she turned to the bag that had been by her chair the entire time, digging through it. She selected a single very aged book and pulled it forth, instantly flipping to the index before going to a specific page. Trelawney scanned it before closing it with a snap.
"Well, Mr. Weasley," she started, "I do believe I know what's wrong with you." The Seer pushed her glasses up her nose with her forefinger.
A moment passed. "Yes," Molly prompted, hands still on her son's shoulders.
Sybill crocked an eyebrow. "You were correct with your hypothesis that the brains from the Department of Mysteries were the cause of your behavioral and mood changes." She tilted her head, causing her glasses to slide down her face. "Do you want the good new or the bad news first?" she asked suddenly, placing her hands on the arms of her chair.
Ron and Molly blinked, the Weasley matron's eyes widening.
"The… the bad first." The teenager's head swiveled around, actually causing him to give a grunt of pain. He rubbed the crick out with a shaking hand.
Trelawney again pushed her glasses up her face. "Well, the bad news is that the brains have caused a slight but progressive imbalance in both your aura and your magic. This imbalance, in turn, is affecting your mental processes." She paused and let the information sink in. "The good news is that your condition is not deteriorating. Also, it's perfectly treatable--"
Molly heaved out the breath she had been unconsciously holding since Sybill's pronouncement. Imbalances in magic were an exceptionally dangerous thing, especially in someone whose magic was still maturing, such as Ron. In cases like his, imbalances could lead to the degradation or complete loss of his magic, making him little more than a Squib. Further, his body would not be able to function properly without its innate magic. It would slow down, and several vital processes would cease. A severe magical imbalance could possibly cause it to fail entirely, leading directly to an untimely and exceptionally painful death.
"However..."
Sybill's words instantly still the redhead.
"However, due to the nature of this imbalance – a very unusual and hard one to notice, I can assure you – the treatment will be difficult. Perhaps even uncomfortable. If not painful."
"But it's still curable, right?" Ron finally asked with a shaky voice.
Grey eyes looked at him intently. "Yes, Mr. Weasley. Yes, it is. Soon enough, if all goes well, you'll be as good as new."
Molly Weasley smiled, and a terrible weight lifted from her soul.
AN: I know that I skipped the DA session where they divided everyone into the three skill levels. However, it was not vitally important to the plot, so I didn't want to bore you with it. The actual process used to divide them doesn't matter, so I am not going to bother. We can pretend that Dom knows how good they are and grouped them off. Suffice it to say, they are all divided up with all of the inner circle members in the highest group with a few others.
Oh, to clear it up. Slytherins who aren't in Draco's group are still coming to the DA meetings. Draco's group is basically the oldest members of the House. Also, the Slytherins aren't official members of Dumbledore's Army, the inner council. They are only allies, so they don't know of the plans, etc.
Things to think about: Who cursed Amia and why? Why didn't Madam Pomfrey notice Ron's reaction to the brains? When did Kingsley talk to Dom? What happened to Revan, the old head of the Department of Mysteries? Is he actually important to the plot? Finally, Salazar and Godric encountered Inferi made by a powerful Necromancer, and just who was this Necromancer? Why did I even bother to ask?
To everyone who reviewed: Thanks.
Chapter Twenty-Six: Before I Sleep
Ever Hopeful,
Azar
Updated and Edited:
06/26/08
