CHAPTER 12
The End Of Year One
Severus sat by the children's beds until midnight, after which, Madam Pomfrey insisted that he occupy a bed if he intended to stay the entire night. Severus grimaced, but did as she asked, lifting Venn and placing her on his feet. Madam Pomfrey sniffed but said nothing.
Back in his quarters, she enjoyed sleeping on his feet and Severus found her weight comforting. This was the first time she left their quarters and Severus had no intention of exposing her to any more people until she was nine months old at least.
He must have fallen asleep for a few minutes for was woken up by a scream. He sat up straight in bed and pulled out his wand, hoping against hope that the spirit hadn't entered the hospital wing.
Looking around, he found Blaire sitting too looking around with unfocused eyes. Severus pushed Venn off his feet, climbed out of his bed, magicked his boots on and walked to Blaire's bed and sat at the edge of it.
"It's my fault." she whispered.
"And why is that?" he said.
She jumped in fright, having not seen him approach, then she took in a deep breath and said slowly, "I should have come to get you sooner. Ethan and Harry wouldn't have been like this."
"Was it your fault that Harry entered the classroom?"
"Er... No? But it wasn't his fault either!"
"So, it was the fault of the reason that lured him there. Correct?"
When she said nothing, Severus sighed.
"Does this castle have elevators or escalators that you failed to use tonight?"
She shook her head and looked at her hands.
Severus kept boring into the top of that black head.
"Did you have roller skates or a broomstick with you that you could have used but didn't?"
Again she shook her head.
"Did you know of any shortcuts through the castle that you could have used but you didn't? Or maybe a fireplace with floo powder lying near it?"
She shook her head again, not daring to look up. Severus let her keep staring at her hands.
"Blaire, then how exactly would you have reached me any sooner?"
She looked up at him miserably and shook her head.
"Come on, don't be ridiculous." he continued. "If it wasn't for you, one of your brothers would have died. You got to us just in time. If we'd gone in there any sooner, Harry might have been killed then and there, or severely hurt. Things went just fine and both, Neville and Ethan will be right as rain tomorrow morning. Harry will take a little longer but he'll be fine. Now go to sleep before your parents get down here. They must have not heard of tonight's events yet."
Blaire gave him a woeful look and lay down back in bed. Severus waited by her side till she fell asleep and was about to move back to his bed when Dumbledore and McGonagall entered.
"What's happened?" Severus demanded immediately.
"He's gone." McGonagall said. "We've chased him away and now," she gave Dumbledore a stern look, "we are going to strengthen the wards, something I've been demanding for years."
Dumbledore sighed.
"As for the stone," McGonagall continued, "I don't want it at Hogwarts anymore...it needs to be returned to the Flamels."
"Of course, Minerva." Dumbledore said, "I will speak to Nicholas. He may decide what to do with is, though I believe, he'll wish to destroy it..."
She turned to Severus abruptly, "What about the children? How are they?"
"As well as they can be given the circumstances, Minerva. They'll be fine after a while." Severus turned to Dumbledore, "What happened, Albus? How did he even enter? For how long has he been in Quirrel?"
"From the time we saw Quirrel with the turban, Severus." Dumbledore said somberly. "He's been around us for almost a year, with his face occupying the back of Quirrel's head."
That explained Harry's headaches... Quirrel did have eyes on the back of his head. Severus let his thoughts wonder to the sight of the disgusting man dying on the floor earlier that evening and another question made its way into his mind.
"And what caused all those blisters? I didn't see Harry Potter holding anything damaging in his hands.
Dumbledore smiled sadly, "That was the work of Lily. It was her love, something so pure, that prevented something so evil from touching her son. She gave her life for the three and as long as that sacrifice is alive in their blood and as long as her protection lies on their skin, nothing can harm them."
"You mean, anything can harm them. But nothing will kill them."
Severus sighed when he saw Potter and Lily in the portrait of the ancient plump nurse.
Lily had a savage look on her face. "It's high time that you and I had a talk, old man. James and I would like to meet you in your office in fifteen minutes."
"If you fail to do so," Potter added severely, "I will have Peeves make your life miserable."
"Not to worry, Headmaster. " Severus put in blithely, "I will convey whatever you've told me to the triplets when they wake up. You go ahead with the meeting, Albus. I really wouldn't want Peeves making a nuisance of himself, that is more than he already is... "
Dumbledore gave Severus a reproachful look and turned on his heel and left. McGonagall followed soon after, muttering about starting on the wards by herself, as it didn't look like Dumbledore would be free anytime soon.
Severus was left to his thoughts. He knew there was a gaping hole in the theory Severus had formulated about the night's incident, but the answers would have to wait until the children awoke.
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"... he'll wake up?"
"Dunno."
"It's been three days already! What if he never wakes up!"
"Calm down, Blaire! He'll be fine!"
"How can you tell?"
"When have you become so pessimistic, Ethan? Come on! I've known Harry for less than a year and I've learnt that he's a fighter... You two are being stupid! Just give him time!"
"I'm never going to let him out of my sight again, once he wakes up."
"How do you plan on doing that? We're in different houses, remember?"
"Oh..."
"Oh, Ethan..."
Harry tried to tune out the bickering... It was awfully annoying... He wanted to sleep. But the argument would just not cease. With an inward growl Harry decided to perform the grueling task of opening his eyes. Terrible job it was, but it worked and now, his blurry vision was clearing.
He let his eyes wander around the ceiling of the familiar Hospital wing and slowly, he lowered his line of vision, the bickering still going strong in his head. And as Harry looked about, his eyes fell on Professor Snape who seemed to be quietly watching him.
Harry smiled at him.
The Professor returned it.
"I didn't want to startle you, Harry, but now that you're awake, I will take the liberty of asking you how you feel?"
"I feel fine, Professor." Harry rasped out.
The professor tsked and snapped his fingers and a glass of water appeared in Harry's hands.
The liquid felt soothing to his throat and when he finished drinking the glass disappeared.
The professor watched Harry with a small frown, but Harry didn't mind it.
"I believe," he said, "you wish to know what happened after Quirrel attacked you?"
Harry nodded.
"He died, Harry, but there's nothing to bother about."
It must have happened after he touched his face... Oh!
"Why couldn't he touch me without hurting himself, Professor?"
The Professor's expression softened slightly and he said, "That would possibly be the result of your mother's love, Harry. Something so pure cannot be touched by that monster. Her protection lies on your skin as well as that of Blaire and Ethan. They're attending their classes at the moment, by the way."
Instinctively, Harry shifted his gaze to the portrait his parents would occupy to watch over their children, anytime they were in the hospital.
Both, his father and mother was beaming and waving up at him from there, but they didn't say a word. Harry smiled and turned back to the Professor.
"They were making quite a bit of a commotion the day after you landed here, so Madam Pomfrey put a silencing charm on every portrait in this infirmary." the professor explained. Then he cleared his throat and said, "If you're up to it, Harry, I wish you to tell to me exactly what happened after you left the library."
Harry was now in a dilemma. And though he began to tell his tale, he decided to his siblings.
"Blaire, Ethan, Neville!"
"Harry!" Ethan was startled out of his argument. "You're awake!"
"Yes, yes." Harry said quickly, "I wanted it to be a surprise, but I'm facing a problem. You see, the professor has asked me to explain what happened to me after I left the library. What exactly do I tell him about how I got through to you for help?"
Ethan, Blaire and Neville remained silent.
"Hello!" Harry said with a little impatience and a little panic, "I've nearly reached that part!"
Blaire said, "I think it would be best to tell him."
"No!" Harry said automatically.
Ethan said, "Why not, Harry? You know he can be trusted!"
Neville said quietly, "Harry, tell him. And tell him to keep it a secret. Then no one else would know, not even Dumbledore."
Blaire said, "Besides, if ever we need someone to cover up for our mode of communication, it's the Professor. He can be trusted."
"I know that!" Harry said and sighed. "You know what, I'll simply tell him I contacted you and move on with my story. When he asks how we communicated, I will tell him that we will explain it when we're together. So head over here once you're done with your class."
"Alright." Ethan said with resignation as he turned back to listened to Professor Flitwick's pieces of advice regarding their exams.
"By the way, how many days has it been?" Harry asked and they didn't need him to specify what he meant.
"Three days, Harry." Neville said quietly and then chuckled. "And it's been for three days that your parents haven't let Dumbledore in the infirmary."
"And I'm short of three days of revision!" Harry groaned.
"We'll help you with it." Blaire said. "Not with exams, mind you. We will, as always, not cheat, but we will help you revise once our classes are over for the day."
Luckily for them the next on their schedule was lunch and Blaire, Neville and Ethan headed up to the infirmary. They entered the room and were greeted by an irritable, "Hurry over! I'm waiting!"
Professor Snape hated being left in the dark she supposed and after a nod at the boys Blaire sat besides Harry on the bed and began speaking about the day Harry had the apple encounter. She spoke of how they enhanced their ability of mind chatting and she specified on her claim that they never cheated during tests. Then Ethan took over and told him how worried he was over Neville being stuck with that Ron Weasley and over Harry being stuck alone with Draco Malfoy and his cronies and how Neville began his mental communication.
"That was partially why we took up Occlumency, Professor." Harry said. "We wanted to know if there was a way of stopping it...not that we didn't find Mindchatting useful, i-it was just a bit of curiosity, actually."
"I take it Occlumency didn't help then." the Professor said as he pinched the bridge of his nose in exasperation.
"It didn't, Sir." Harry admitted.
"I must say, this is an interesting mode of communication...Well, I will respect your discretion and keep this information to myself. However, I urge you to use this talent wisely."
The four of them nodded and fell into a comfortable silence only to be broken by Harry less than a minute later.
"Professor," he said, "Voldemort was saying something about making Quirrel drink unicorn blood for him. Do unicorns even exist in England?"
The Professor sounded amused.
"Indeed they do, Harry. But, before I dwell on that I wish to make something clear to you four. Tell me, have you ever used unicorn blood in your potions so far?"
The four shook their heads.
Severus nodded slowly, "And it is likely that you never will. A unicorn is probably the most pure creature in this mortal world and drinking it's blood is probably the worst deed one could commit. Nobody should have it in himself to harm something so pure and innocent, something so defenceless, but the person who does so is cursed.
"The unicorn blood gives the drinker life, albeit a cursed life the moment it's blood touches the person's lips. A better person would choose death over this. It is too filthy a deed to even think about for long.
Now speaking of Unicorns, I must tell you that there are some of them that reside in the Forbidden forest itself. The forest is a home to many magical creatures, some friendly, others dangerous and yet others that are vulnerable. This is the major reason the Headmaster keeps the students away from the forest it's the reason the forest has got its name."
"What other creatures live there?" Blaire asked with interest.
The Professor studied her for a couple of seconds before replying, "Well, there are Centaurs, creatures with the torso of a man and the body of a horse. There are trolls, large beasts with miniscule brains, creatures that I hope you never get to meet. There are rumours regarding the presence of acramantulas as well - these are dangerous overlarge spiders that I urge you to never approach and then," Professor Snape said sombrely, "there are threstals, gentle creatures that can be seen by only those who have seen death. I don't wish this on any child, but alas, I believe it cannot be helped sometimes."
The Professor sighed looked meaningfully at Neville.
"Your grandmother, wasn't it?"
Neville gulped lightly and said, "No Sir, my grandfather."
The Professor nodded at him regretfully but sincerely and turned to Blaire and Ethan, "Quirrel. You saw Quirrel die. You will see the threstals pull your carriage next year." The Professor turned to Harry. "You were fortunate enough to be unconscious when Quirrel died. I hope that you never get the opportunity of seeing them."
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Severus patiently waited for his lessons to end for the day and he picked up a box containing the artifacts he'd been working on the last three days and headed back to the infirmary. As expected, Blaire, Ethan and Neville were sitting by Harry's side and the boy looked frustrated, a closed Charms textbook in his hands.
They were probably having an argument, but Severus didn't want to know what it was about. He found himself wondering, however, what the entire mental communication felt like. Not that he was envious. Useful as the ability was, Severus believed he was better off not sharing his head with another.
The four children turned to look at him with attention when he approached them. Severus nodded at them and took a seat. He opened the box and pulled out four thin and delicate lockets, and he asked them to put them on.
The moment they did as they were asked the small circular medal of the locket on each child glowed and the child's initials appeared on it signifying that the lockets were successfully working.
"These lockets," he said to them, "will behave as a portkey. You must keep it in contact with your skin at all times. Whenever you are in trouble, all that you have to do is think of me or say 'Potions' aloud and the potkey will activate. Remember, this will work only if you find yourself in danger. Your locket will sense it.
"I am wearing a similar locket which will access the situation I'm in. If I am at a safe location, the Portkey shall drop you off next to me. If however I am in a precarious situation, the portkey will take you to my quarters and I will be alerted on your arrival. You will stay there until I come to get you. Is that understood?"
"Yes Professor." the four said in unison. "Thank you!"
He rewarded them with a small smile and said, "Now, there is the matter of informing your grandparents."
There was a collective gasp of dismay and Severus smirked slightly.
"They wouldn't appreciate not knowing...Not that they would appreciate the danger you landed in thanks to a little curiosity."
Harry ducked his head in mortification.
Severus shook his head and sighed.
"I'll tell you what. I'll go over to their home via your floo network and sit them down and explain things to them. I'll try and placate them before they meet you. Hopefully the major brunt of your grandmother's wrath may not be that hard to bear."
"We'd appreciate that, Professor, Thank you!" Ethan said almost immediately and very sincerely.
Severus grunted as he stood up.
"Why don't you get on with your preparation? Your tests are not going to be easy."
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Dear Dee,
I know I haven't written to you for a while, but exams and their prep do that you a person. You're very lucky you have nothing of that sort so you wouldn't understand. Then trust me when I say that the papers were tough. As were the practicals.
You wouldn't believe it, but I was able to transfigure my mouse into a snuffbox perfectly! I think it was the best in the class too! But alas, Blaire beat me in the other subjects. She beat Hermione Granger as well. Now that girl is haughtier than ever.
We had a visit from our Grandparents the day after Harry was discharged from the infirmary. To be honest I was expecting a barging, but they just pulled us into those wonderful hugs of theirs and said they were glad we were fine. All I can say is that I've got the best grandparents in this World!
Our first year at Hogwarts ends tomorrow when we will be taking the Express back to Kings Cross. Slytherin one the House Cup this year as well and I'm sure Harry's over the moon though he isn't trying to show it. Next time, I'm going to do my best to let Hufflepuff win. If I'm being honest, Dee, I think we could do with a little less danger next year. And something tells me my wish will not come true.
Then there are the Quidditch tryouts and I want to try in for chaser. I think Blaire will also try for Ravenclaw. Harry's sharp eyes are sure to put him in the seeker's spot and I don't know weather to be happy or worried. Happy as he won't have to do anything other than catching the snitch. Worried because I heard that the seekers were the ones most targeted on the field. If it comes to the latter, I know I will have to put my foot down.
Anyway, before all that can happen, I want to put all my holiday plans in action and that includes a number of visits, the first being the seaside (Can you imagine all the new ideas I'll get for my paintings?). Grandpa Grandma and the Professor plan on taking us to Godric's Hollow, where we will help them try and restore the place if possible, if not, I think we will only be looking around for things that have survived the past ten and half years. That's what he said in the letters.
But there was a weird line in Grandma's letter that arrived the day after our last exam. She told us to have some patience with Aunt Petunia and Dudley should we have the 'opportuny' of coming across them during our stay back at Privet Drive.
What does that mean? Even Blaire couldn't make sense of it. I mean we are asked to be patient with them after all they did to us. Understandable. But what's this for? What's happening? It doesn't look like we will get our answers anytime soon.
I think I'll stop now. I'm too tired to continue... Besides I'll need my sleep if I plan on staying awake throughout tomorrow's journey!
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Ethan, Blaire, Harry and Neville got their answer the next day when they reached Kings Cross. They waved goodbye to Fred and George and promptly made their way towards the barrier on the guard's urging.
What made them stop short in surprise was the sight before them. It wasn't only their Grandparents who were waiting for them, but Aunt Petunia and Dudley also! Both their aunt and cousin seemed to have lost a lot of weight and both looked more sober and even mortified than the triplets had ever seen them.
Their Aunt and Dudley looked thinner and even sickly pale...and were those bruises on their faces. What was happening?
"W-what's going on?" Ethan asked, his gaze fixed on their aunt's injuries.
Grandma said gravely, "Come dears, I'll explain everything to you once we reach home."
"Let's not ask questions." Harry urged. "I don't think we're going to like what will be said."
Obediently, they got in the jeep. Aunt Petunia sat up from with Grandpa while the rest filed into the back. And home they went in silence broken occasionally by Dudley's sniffles. Blaire placed a hand on his shoulder. Dudley flinched away. Blaire pulled her hand away stunned.
Dudley looked even more embarrassed and tears silently began flowing down his cheeks.
"Oh Dudley!" Blaire said horrified. Was this really their bully of a cousin?
Their Grandma moved over and put an arm around Dudley's shoulder and sat silently. Dudley just leaned towards her and hid his face in her shoulder, away from the rest of them.
The triplets and Neville sat in awkward silence for a moment, then looked away to give Dudley his privacy.
What could have even happened?
"What do you think will be said?" Blaire asked, not halfway through the journey.
"I don't know." Harry said. "And I don't want to think of it either."
"I feel sorry for them." Blaire sighed.
"Me too." said Ethan.
"Whatever for?" Harry growled. "Have you forgotten what they put us through?"
"It's not that Harry." Blaire said soothingly. "It's just that they used to be so strong and proud and, oh, I don't know, complete...Now they seem so out of place. It's just sad."
Harry scoffed but said nothing.
They fell into silence and now Neville found himself feeling a little out of place.
"It's as though someone hurt them on purpose." Blaire commented suddenly as they reached the end of their journey. She was had been silently observing the injuries on her aunt's face. "Who would do that?"
"But where's Uncle Vernon?" Ethan said.
"There's your answer, Blaire." Neville said unable to help himself.
"What!" came three shocked cries of surprise in his poor head, followed by adamant objections.
"Absolutely not!"
"Vernon loves Aunt Petunia like anything! And Dudley too!"
"Exactly! And if he didn't, he'd have done this years ago!"
"Quiet." Neville said. "I think he would have done that had there not been others to throw his anger on."
"What d'ya mean?" Ethan said.
Blaire gasped, finally comprehending Neville's point, "I think we were the others. And with us gone, he needed to get his anger off on something."
"He wasn't drinking when we-" Ethan began, but Harry interrupted.
"You lot, don't you think you're simply jumping to conclusions? Why don't we wait and see what the matter really is? For all you know, it could be that the Dursleys met with an accident and Uncle Vernon's home with a broken leg or something."
Harry couldn't have been more wrong.
For one, once they got out of the jeep, they saw the Dursleys fine car looking as polished and new as ever! And the next was their Grandma taking them aside and saying, "Alright, what do you four know about drunken violence?"
"Oh dear." Harry groaned.
Uncle Vernon began drinking... As a matter of fact, he began drinking once the stipend they'd been receiving for the triplets supposed upbringing had been stopped. Apparently Professor Snape's visit had been the last straw. And it steadily began getting worse.
All in all, Aunt Petunia and Dudley had a hard time for now Dudley was forced to attend Stonewall high instead of his highly prestigious Smeltings. All because, Vernon didn't want to give away that much money when he could save it to buy so many bottles more.
Whatever had taken place between the time the triplets left for Hogwarts and the time they returned was for the triplets to guess. But now, their uncle was now locked away in some rehabilitation centre and Aunt Petunia decided to pick herself up and take up the job of the librarian of the Little Whinging library as the previous one was retiring the next week. The neighbours had surprised Aunt Petunia by sympathising with her and offering their help whenever she was in need of it. And the triplets were almost positive that she was touched.
And now as everyone sat at the dining table in the Potter Alcove, enjoying a delicious elf-cooked meal, the triplets learnt that Aunt Petunia would finalize the divorce by the end of the week. As a carried on into their dinner, they were now modifying all their holidaying plans which now included Dudley too, for kind-hearted Blaire hated it when people who realised their mistakes suffered. Not to mention, Dudley came out of his way to apologize for all his bullying and so did Aunt Petunia.
Neville knew this entire episode was a family event and tried to move into a corner of the room, but Pat Evan's arm on his shoulder grounded him. So uncomfortable, touched and overwhelmed as he was, Neville contented in being the silent spectator.
tbc...