A/N: Year 2 begins, and a very different incident befalls Harry at the start of the year. Dobby is as persistent as ever in his attempts to dislodge Harry from Hogwarts, though by very different means compared to CoS.
Chapter 23 A New Year
To say that there weren't strange goings-on at Hogwarts would be nothing short of a bald-faced lie. If Albus didn't know any better, he'd have thought Peeves was up to his usual shenanigans, or that it was another poltergeist that was playing tricks on him and his three wards. As it was, Albus did know better and knew the culprit to be none other than a house-elf. As a result, Albus put up enchantments around his quarters to keep any non-Hogwarts employed house elves out within his and his wards' private quarters. Using long-forgotten magic, Albus was able to successfully keep out the intrusions of the house elf Lily and Harry called 'Dobby', and the strange goings-on stopped as quickly as they'd come about. As the new school year approached and staff returned to the castle, Lily, Harry and Severus began to grow a little more restless. Dobby's warnings rang loudly in their minds, oftentimes when they were on their lonesome and staring up at the canopy of their beds. At the very least, Albus assured them that Dobby wouldn't be able to bother them anymore, for he'd made provisions to keep the Malfoy house elf away.
The days flew by quickly though, and before they knew it, the prospect of a new year was upon them. The excitement and nerves associated with the start of any new school year quickly chased away their concerns about the danger that lay ahead. Particularly since it'd been about a month since they'd encountered their diminutive messenger. On the thirty first of August, the Hogwarts express pulled into Hogsmeade station, and the students disembarked to the castle. The first years clambered on into the boats guided by Hagrid, while the second through seventh years stepped into the thestral-drawn carriages. Harry, Severus and Lily watched the caravan of carriages approach, a dim, but brightening river of light hundreds of meters long. The lights of the carriages grew brighter, and before they knew it, they entered the courtyard single-file. As the students disembarked, they made sure to step aside to allow them easy access into the Entrance Hall, their eyes poring over the sea of black robes for sign of their friends.
As fate would have it, Harry spotted the Weasleys very quickly. Their bright, vibrant orange hair standing out in stark contrast amidst the massive wave of black cloth.
"See you guys after the feast," said Harry, grinning at Severus and Lily in turn.
"Go on Harry, we'll catch up then," Lily replied with a grin. She gave him a gentle shove towards the mass of students, and Harry didn't need to be told twice. He knifed through the crowd towards the gaggle of bright-red-haired students.
"Like a proud mother you are," Severus jested, giving Lily a playful shove of her shoulder in turn.
"In a sense, I am," she replied cheekily to which Severus rolled his eyes and she grinned.
All of a sudden, she felt Severus grab her hand, working double-time to suppress the little shudder and gasp she wanted to give at his forwardness. When she turned to peek at him, she noticed his onyx eyes trained intently on the crowd of students, more specifically, a pair of second-years that she quickly spotted to be their friends Mandy and Anthony.
"C'mon," he said urgently. "Let's go see our friends."
"Yeah, let's."
Her eyes darted briefly through the crowd over to Harry, only lingering on her friend for a second as they tracked over to the lanky, square-shouldered form of Percy Weasley stood a couple feet to Harry's left. Lily's gaze didn't linger on Percy for long as she felt Severus pull her with him into the crowd of students. As they walked through the crowd, they briefly spotted a few more of their fellow second year Eagles off to the side, Sue Li, Lisa Turpin and Padma Patil were all chatting with one another. The remainder of their second-year housemates scattered across the crowd but converging on the Ravenclaw table. Out of the corner of her eye, Lily saw Harry peel off towards the Gryffindor table with the Weasley brood, chatting animatedly with the lot of them as if they were family.
"C'mon Lily, stop spacing," Severus urged her, pulling her hand with a bit more insistency. "Anthony and Mandy've already got a place for us."
Lily's gaze drifts over to the Ravenclaw table where she sees her friends have already sat, spotted them, and are waving them over. With a smile, she and Sev go to join them. Lily's eyes widen a fraction as she glimpsed the changed appearance of Mandy, who looked to have grown some, and taken a pair of shears to her hair at the same time. Last year, Mandy was the shortest of their group by a fair margin, but looking at her now, she seemed almost Lily's height, and perhaps just as tall as Harry was. Anthony looked different too, he was still a little bit shorter than Mandy was, the shortest of their little quartet, but it looked as though he'd put on a few pounds and filled out some. No longer was he the short, willowy-thin boy they were introduced to exactly one year ago. They knifed through the dispersing crowd and claimed their seats at the table, Severus and Lily sat directly opposite to their friends, surrounded by their fellow second years and some third years.
Anthony and Mandy weren't the only ones among their number who had changed, for a lot of their fellow, second-year Ravenclaws looked different as well. Michael Corner was now the tallest of the lot of them, having clearly had a growth spurt, and he'd cut his hair as well. Gareth Carmichael was still as short as ever, though by contrast to Michael, his hair had grown out a bit. Terry Boot was much the same too, though a little taller and sporting a messy comb-over that Lily couldn't help but wrinkle her nose at. Among the girls, Padma Patil was still much the same, as was Sue Li, though Lisa Turpin seemingly hit a growth spurt and was now as tall as Severus and the tallest girl in their year.
"Hello you two," said Mandy, smiling broadly as Lily and Severus slid onto the bench.
"Hey guys, how was your summer?" Anthony added, also smiling.
The two childhood friends shared a look, then turned to face their friends. "We enjoyed ourselves," Lily replied, smiling.
"Restful and relaxing," Severus added. He then turned to Anthony specifically, asking; "How was Hungary?"
"It was nice to see my family again, and oh, how I've missed my Grandma's cookin'…I ate really good over the summer, as you can see."
Anthony certainly looked more filled-out than he did last year. "Yeah, I can see that," Lily chuckled.
Anthony grinned back at Lily and Severus. "Anyway, that's only the start of it. My grandma's on the magical side of the family, and she has this neat, little cottage, kinda modest, really…but with tonnes of open space," Anthony gushed. "So, I made good use of that open space and flew pretty much every day. You're pretty much lookin' at a first-string chaser right now, if I'm being honest. I'll easily make the team."
"Is that so?" Severus remarked, his brow raised in a clear display of doubt.
"Absolutely," Anthony said swiftly, still grinning.
"Well quit yammering about it then, and prove it out on the pitch," Lisa dared, sitting a bit further down the table.
Anthony's blue eyes flashed in challenge, turning away from his three best friends to face Lisa. "Well, I will. And I'll blow away all the competition you or anyone else sends my way," he said with a cocky smirk.
Lily rolled her eyes and Severus heaved a sigh at their friend's antics, then turned their attention back to Mandy. "So, how was your summer, Mandy?" Lily asked curiously.
"Nowhere near as action-packed as Anthony's," she muttered, darting a disdainful look at the blonde-haired boy as he eagerly chatted with Lisa and Terry about their shared adoration of Quidditch. "But I enjoyed myself, just relaxed mainly, enjoyed spending time with my family, and that's pretty much it."
"Ah," said Lily, smiling. "So, I take it you didn't go anywhere then?"
Mandy shook her head, loose strands of chestnut falling out of her braid. "Nah, I didn't even leave Scotland," she chuckled. "You guys didn't go anywhere either?"
Both Lily and Severus shook their heads. "Nope," Lily said.
Mandy's gaze drifted past her pair of friends up to the high-table, a dreamy sort of contented smile settling on her face as her eyes came to rest on a wizard dressed in expensive, blue robes.
"Professor Lockhart," she said dreamily, her words coming out as a sigh. "He seems a delight, doesn't he?"
Lily turned in her seat slowly, Severus mimicking her actions moments later as they too turned to stare at their new Professor. "You could say that again," Lisa said breathily. The brunette idly twirled a lock of hair as she stared up at the high table adoringly. "He's so handsome, isn't he?"
"Definitely," Mandy agreed.
"You think he's…handsome?" Severus asked Lisa, disgust evident in his voice and on his sneer.
"And you don't?" This time it was Lily speaking, and Severus was quite horrified to hear his best friend speaking so highly of the new Professor. At Severus' aghast look, Lily quickly tacked on; "From an objective point of view, of course. He is quite handsome, right?"
"He seems like a smarmy git is what he is," Severus muttered, earning him stares of disapproval from Lily and Mandy both.
"I think he'll be a great teacher," said Mandy, showing her disagreement with Severus clearly.
Severus rolled his eyes at the brunette and turned to face Lily. "And you?"
Lily looked more hesitant than Mandy to provide any concrete commitment on her prediction of Lockhart's classroom-based abilities. "If his exploits are true…and aren't, well, exaggerated at all, then yes, I'd agree with Mandy, he will be a good teacher," Lily said diplomatically.
Severus was evidently far less enthusiastic about their new teacher's chances, and he certainly showed as such through his sneer. Lily could only roll her eyes at Severus' open display of disdain for their new teacher, for some reason, he didn't trust Lockhart. She shifted her green-eyed gaze back to Mandy.
"So, erm—how was the rest of your break?"
Mandy expelled a dreamy sigh and turned away from the high-table to face Lily. "More or less just staying in Inverness," she said with a small shrug. "Though I did go to Diagon Alley on the day Professor Lockhart was there for his book-signing—" Lily's eyes widened in surprise, "—and I'm pretty sure I saw you there with Severus, Harry and the Weasleys."
"Yeah…we were there as well, Alb—umm, Professor Dumbledore brought us there that day, though I didn't see you to be honest," Lily admitted with a sheepish tone.
"If I'm being honest, I didn't see you at first either," said Mandy, chuckling ruefully. "Though I heard the brawl between Mister Malfoy and Mister Weasley, and I made my way towards it until I saw you there with Severus, Harry, Hermione and the Weasleys. Then Professor Dumbledore broke up the fight and I wanted to come over to greet you guys, but—"
"—he ushered us out of Flourish and Blotts in a right state," Lily finished, now sporting a small frown.
"Yeah…he didn't look too happy about all that," Mandy agreed.
Lily gave a grim smile of agreement. She still remembered with crystal clarity just how peeved Albus had been that day. Stomping right up the middle of Diagon Alley, his usually jolly and cheerful purple and gold robes swirling about menacingly. The crowd of shoppers parted like the red sea, people scurrying out of the way of a peeved-looking Albus Dumbledore and his three sheepish wards who trailed after him with their heads hung low, eyes trained fixedly on the cobblestones beneath their feet. Lily, Severus and Harry were all quite embarrassed that late-summer afternoon; having to hang their heads low as they shuffled up the street after their angry guardian all the while having half the eyes of magical Britain fixed upon their retreating forms. Even the mere memory of the sheer number of stares they received from surprised shoppers that day was plenty enough to cause a reddish tinge to rise on Lily's and Severus' cheeks.
"And based on your reactions…I'm sure it was uncomfortable for you two as well," Mandy muttered.
Lily's lips curled upwards into a grim smile, unable to refute Mandy's words.
"At the very least, that…incident between Mister Weasley and Mister Malfoy occurred after we'd purchased all our things," said Severus, sounding relieved.
Mandy gave Severus an amused look. "Yeah, for you two sure bade a hasty retreat after that, would've been a bit of a shame if you hadn't finished your shopping."
Lily and Severus both chuckled in agreement, earning a slightly wider smirk from Mandy across from them. At Mandy's behest, they then proceeded to regale their pureblooded friend on their summer, explaining to their friend how their eight-week summer went, though leaving out some sensitive details they opted to keep private for the time being. When they'd finished telling Mandy—and Anthony, once he'd rejoined their conversation following his verbal spat with Lisa; they fell back into familiar conversation habits, chatting with the rest of their fellow second year housemates. Padma and her twin sister Parvati Patil had returned to India for a few weeks to visit some relatives there. Terry Boot and his family had gone on vacation in the south of France, spending almost the entirety of his summer there and sporting a tan as evidence. Michael Corner didn't have all that much to share with his fellow second-year eagles, simply offering that he stayed at home with his parents. Lisa Turpin also remained in the United Kingdom, though she traveled to Northern Ireland for a two week vacation there, but spent the remaining six weeks of her break at home in Cheshire. Sue Li told them that she also spent her eight weeks at home, though some of her relatives from Guangzhou visited for a month.
Having had their turns to share details about their summer breaks, the group listened intently to Sue Li as she spoke.
"So, once my Ye Ye and Nai Nai returned to Guangzhou, I only had another two weeks left. I started reading the Lockhart books and they were so amazing!" Sue gushed, earning smiles of approval from the other girls at the table.
"Honestly, he's such an amazing wizard," Lisa said reverently, staring up at the handsome Professor sat at the high table.
"Mhmm," Sue agreed. "Anyways, I just had a quiet last two weeks really, getting ahead on my reading, and getting caught up on Professor Lockhart's exploits."
Michael rolled his eyes at Sue and Lisa's open adoration of the young Professor. Sure he was handsome, had accomplished great things, had an order of Merlin to boot, but what's so impressive about that?
All of a sudden, the doors to the Hall swung open and Professor McGonagall strode in with a sea of eleven-year-olds trailing after her. Dumbledore, who was sat at the high table, smiled at the approach of his deputy, before turning his genuine smile to the awestruck children following her. Sue Li abruptly cut herself off mid-sentence, her brown eyes widening as she glimpsed the main doors swinging open, watching the deputy Headmistress make her appearance. They walked all the way through the enchanted hall to stand at the base of the high table, where the sorting hat sat atop a stool.
"So, this is what it's like to be on the other side," Lily murmured, staring out at the congregated first years.
"Yeah…it's a bit weird to be watching it now, considering that one year ago it was our turn," Michael Corner replied.
Within the group of first years, Lily spotted her new friend Ginny Weasley, her fiery red hair standing out amongst a swathe of black, brown and blonde. She was shorter than most of her peers, and looked quite nervous as she gave her brothers and Harry over at the Gryffindor table fleeting looks. Lily peered over at the Gryffindors, finding Harry, Ron and the Weasleys all sat together, all of whom were watching Professor McGonagall intently. She conducted the sorting, and to no one's great surprise, Ginny Weasley joined her brothers in Gryffindor, the hat barely touching her head before sending her there.
"Typical, another Weasley in Gryffindor," said Anthony, smiling at the thought.
"That makes the lot of 'em, doesn't it?" Padma asked curiously from further down the table.
Anthony, Mandy, Michael and Lisa all nodded. Having either one magical parent or both, all three of them were well aware of the red-haired family's proclivity for sorting into Gryffindor House. Once the last students was sorted, a Japanese boy by the name of Seiji Yutanabe, Dumbledore rose to his feet at the High table. Like last year, his commencement words were similarly odd, and without further delay their grand feast appeared before them.
While Lily and Severus conversed and ate amongst their friends in Ravenclaw, on the other side of the hall, Harry was doing much the same with Ron, Hermione and the rest of his second year housemates. Ginny was getting along well with the other five girls sorted into Gryffindor, and Ron was slowly dropping his protective brother act as Ginny continued to acclimatize herself amongst her new friends. With Ginny settling in well, he chatted with Harry and Hermione about the latter's summer, and their expectations for the new year. Ron's plate was piled high with food, while Harry and Hermione opted for a slightly more conservative portion. Harry occasionally stole glances of Severus and Lily at the Ravenclaw table, watching them talking to Mandy, Anthony, Sue and Terry who were all sat around them. It served as a good distraction to his upset stomach, growling in complaint every few minutes.
"Personally, I think it's going to be a brilliant year," said Hermione, sounding every bit as confident as she usually was. "With Professor Lockhart teaching us, we're bound to be much better off than we were last year with Quirrell."
Ron and Harry didn't look all that convinced, but at the same time they couldn't begrudge Hermione's optimism about their new teacher.
"I don't wanna talk about him," Ron muttered, sounding miffed. "Lockhart's a…well, I shouldn't use that word in polite—Oi!"
Hermione whacked him lightly on the arm, causing Ron to rear back in surprise and Harry to chortle with laughter.
"Don't talk rudely of him," Hermione chastised. "He's a member of staff and a very accomplished wizard as well," she sniped.
Ron rolled his eyes. "Yeah. Whatever. In any case, I'm far more excited about Quidditch, I'll finally be able to try out!"
Ron's eyes darted to Harry, who sported a grimace on his face. "You'll be able to put in a good word with Wood for me, right?"
"Erm—yeah, of course, what're friends for?" Harry said awkwardly, his stomach continuing to rumble and churn.
Harry's stomach continued to grumble, increasing in volume and frequency until the point that Hermione's lips pursed into a slight frown. "Harry, are you alright?"
"Stomach's a bit off," Harry said quietly, bringing one hand lower to clutch at his abdomen. With the other, he reached for a goblet of water and drank its contents in a single gulp.
His stomach gave a loud grumble then, attracting stares from those around the group, including those from students on neighboring tables as well.
"Harry, mate—perhaps it'd be better if you—"
"—Madam Pomfrey!" Hermione called out, waving her hand through the air just like she did when she hoped to be called on in class.
Madam Pomfrey's gaze quickly found Hermione, then the boy sat next to her clutching at his stomach and leaning his head against the table.
"Oh dear," Madam Pomfrey muttered under her breath, her eyes widening.
Beside her, Minerva followed the mediwitch's gaze. "Oh, Potter…what's happened to you now?"
Madam Pomfrey quickly stood to her feet, and strode down from her place on the high-table to the Gryffindor table.
"Harry, Harry…Madam Pomfrey's coming," Hermione whispered urgently.
Harry lifted his head off the table with a groan, both hands clutching at his abdomen. His eyes appeared glazed, pupils dilated; a trickle of drool leaking out of his lips. "W-where?" he moaned.
"Mister Potter," came Madam Pomfrey's voice. "Can you stand?"
Harry nodded subduedly, his eyes scrunched shut in pain. He slowly pushed back from the bench and stood to his feet. His stomach hurt so badly, tears pooled in his eyes but he kept them scrunched tightly shut, letting Madam Pomfrey guide him between the tables towards the exit at the far end of the hall.
The chatter and sounds of the Great Hall ground to an abrupt halt as Harry stood to his feet, hundreds of pairs of eyes training on Harry as he made a rapid exit from the Hall. After two to three seconds of silence, the Hall erupted into chatter, numerous voices ringing out to grab Harry's attention. Among them, a loud cackle rang out from the Slytherin table, Draco Malfoy was doubled over in laughter, cackling like an insane asylum inmate. Beside him, Crabbe, Goyle and Zabini were all laughing too, Parkinson and her friends were laughing as well. The only Slytherins who weren't laughing were Tracey and surprisingly, Nott. Harry couldn't even bring himself to meet Malfoy's gaze as the boy cackled hysterically at the sight of his rival clutching feebly at his aching stomach. Harry's jaw clenched, and if there weren't tears prickling his eyes he would've shot Malfoy and his goons a hateful glare.
"Just breathe, Potter, breathe with me, we'll be in the Hospital Wing soon enough," Pomfrey whispered, as the two of them exited the Great Hall to the tune of chatter and noise all directed at Harry himself.
At the Ravenclaw table, Lily and Severus stared up at the high table, searching out Dumbledore's sapphire gaze. As if he could sense the eyes of two of his wards on him, Dumbledore turned to look at them, and gave them an almost imperceptible nod of approval.
Without a word, Severus and Lily stood up from the bench and hastily made their exit from the Hall, hugging the wall to avoid drawing any undue attention onto themselves.
"Merlin, Harry….what've you gotten yourself into now," Severus muttered, as he and Lily stealthily crept out of the Hall whilst the eyes of their fellow students remained fixed on Harry.
Upon exiting the Great Hall, they paused and glanced about for a moment, trying to decide which way they should go. As they whirled about, the grand, oaken doors swung open once again, with Ron and Hermione stepping through as well to join them. Lily whirled about to face them, her eyes narrowed.
"What happened? Harry was just fine less than an hour ago."
Hermione and Ron exchanged a grim look, before Hermione glanced back to Lily. "We don't know," she muttered sadly. "He was…it all happened so quickly, but once he started eating I could tell he looked a bit off."
Lily opened her mouth to reply to Hermione, but Severus shook his head and instead grasped her hand. "C'moon, let's not waste any more time, Harry's probably in the Hospital Wing right now."
The other three shared unanimous nods at that and quickly made to follow Severus through the castle to the wing. As they set off for the Hospital wing, there was an unmistakable air of unease between the four of them, and it was no mystery as to its cause.
"How's Ginny settling in, Ron?" Lily asked, hoping it would ease some of the tension between them.
Ron darted Lily a surprised look, having clearly expected their brisk walk to be taken in silence. "She's—erm, she's fine. Already settling in with the other girls in Gryffindor."
Lily smiled genially. "I guess it came as no surprise she sorted into Gryffindor, did it?"
"Nah," Ron said, smiling now, his thoughts of Harry's suffering fleetingly forgotten. "I'm sure Mum'll be very proud of her, but as you said, it's to be expected, heh."
Hermione only rolled her eyes. "I'd hope your opinion of her wouldn't change based on what house she was sorted into, though," she said, giving Ron a reproachful look.
Ron looked scandalized at the thought. "Of course not," he said, shaking his head vehemently. "Severus, Lily, Anthony and Mandy are in Ravenclaw, almost my entire family is in Gryffindor, I've got a handful of relatives in Hufflepuff, and Tracey's in Slytherin, so why would my opinion of her change?"
If Hermione was being honest with herself, she hadn't been expecting that and more so expected a firm denial of her words from Ron.
"Never mind that, we're here," said Severus, before Hermione could respond to Ron.
They were indeed at the entrance to the hospital wing, and on the other side of the large, oaken doors, they heard the most horrible and gut-wrenching of moans ringing out on the other end. It didn't take a genius to realize that all of those terrible sounds were coming from their dear friend.
"Oh, Merlin…" Lily whispered. She moved past Hermione, Ron and Severus to the front and planted an ear on the door, her three friends doing the same, the horrible sounds that met their ears were nothing short of gut-wrenching.
Lily didn't want to wait a moment longer and shoved open the doors with all her might. They swung open swiftly, and in the nearest bed to the entrance, she spotted Harry lying on his side with Madam Pomfrey bustling about.
Harry was too distressed and in-pain to notice their arrival, but Pomfrey certainly did and whirled about on the spot only to see a quartet of second years standing by the door.
"Out with you," she whispered harshly, not raising her voice to disturb her patient. She glared at them, and Severus, Hermione and Ron cowed slightly under her gaze, but not Lily.
"Madam Pomfrey, please…can I—can I stay? I won't make a—"
A long, drawn-out moan rang out from the bed, Harry's eyes were now open just a fraction, his arm stretched out feebly for his four friends.
"L-Li-ly," he said weakly, earning a little gasp of surprise from Madam Pomfrey.
"Miss Ev—erm, Bergman, you can stay," said Madam Pomfrey tersely. "The rest of you, out."
"Madam Pomfrey, please," Hermione insisted. "Can we stay? We won't make any troub—"
"—No. Out," the mediwitch said tersely. She glanced down at her watch, then added; "It's nearing curfew as it is, so I want all of you to return to your dormitories immediately. Is that understood?"
"But what about Lily?" Severus asked, casting his friend a longing glance, as she slowly made her way to Harry's bedside.
"Miss Bergman will return a little bit later, and I'll provide her a note excusing her tardiness," said Pomfrey. "Mister Potter's suffering from a severe bout of food-poisoning, but rest assured he is in good hands. Now away with you."
"Will he be alright?" Severus asked pointedly.
Pomfrey leveled Severus with a passive expression. "In time, he will be, he just needs his rest. Now, I won't ask again—"
"—Right, right," Ron said coolly, holding his hands up in front of himself as he backed away to the door. "We're going."
Pomfrey's dark eyes swept over the two Gryffindors and lone Ravenclaw, then nodded and turned back to Harry. Ron, Severus and Hermione all gave Harry sympathetic smiles, hoping that it'd be enough to pass along even just a little bit of positivity and encouragement to their bedridden friend.
"We'll see you tomorrow, Harry," said Hermione, as she left.
"Rest up mate, hope you feel better soon," Ron added, smiling as he left.
"You'll be back on your feet before you know it," Severus said lastly, granting his friend a small smile and nod, before taking his leave and letting the door to the infirmary swing shut.
Now that Severus, Ron and Hermione were gone, Lily calmly sat down in the lone chair by Harry's bedside and grasped his hand. It was cool and sweaty to the touch, yet Lily didn't let the less-than-pleasant feeling of holding Harry's hand dissuade her in the least.
"How are you feeling, Harry?"
Harry's eyes cracked open once more, finding the identical pair on Lily's face and shook his head.
"He doesn't wish to speak, Miss Evans," said Madam Pomfrey.
Lily couldn't rein in her gasp of surprise, she quickly whirled about in search of anyone else in the war, but there was no one.
"Relax, Miss Evans, there's no one else here," Pomfrey said with a fond chuckle.
"It's just…it's been ages since anyone called me that," Lily said, sheepishly ducking her head. She felt Harry's fingers twitch in her palm and she squeezed back in solidarity. "I've missed it, my old name."
Pomfrey moved to the other side of the bed and popped open a vial. She then tipped the contents of it slowly down Harry's mouth, using magic to help ease the liquid's journey down his throat. Lily continued to hold Harry's hand as Madam Pomfrey bustled about, continuing her observations of him for a few minutes longer before eventually leaving back to her office.
"You don't have to speak, Harry, I don't want you to exert yourself, but…but I'd like if you can listen to me," said Lily, once Madam Pomfrey was out of earshot.
Harry squeezed her fingers to show he understood and Lily squeezed back.
"I'll always be here for you," she said softly, her dark green eyes eagerly searching out Harry's. "I'll aways be by your side, in your corner, and if you need anything, you need only ask, for I'll always be there."
Even though his stomach still continued to gurgle, and his arms and legs trembled, Harry found the strength to open his mouth. Lily made to shush him but Harry waved her off and said; "me too."
Tears of joy coalesced in Lily's eyes, though she was careful not to show them to Harry lest he interpret them the wrong way. She squeezed his fingers gently, and he squeezed back. She recalled her first meeting with Harry over a year ago, in which the boy desperately asked if she was his mother or not. Naturally, she said no, that she wasn't and that she couldn't be one since she was hardly older than he was. All the same, she said wanted to be his friend, and that even though she wasn't his mother, she fully acknowledged that another Lily was exactly that to her orphaned friend. She strived to be the best friend she could be.
Back in the Ravenclaw common room, Severus had only just correctly answered the knocker's riddle, stepping into the room whereupon a few of his friends were waiting for him. Over by one of the fireplaces, Mandy, Anthony, Sue and Terry were all sat together, the three of them conversing in hushed tones. Severus frowned and made his way nearer, intent on hearing what they were discussing.
"I hope he's alright," Mandy murmured, sounding distressed.
"I'm sure he will be," said Anthony, sounding assured. "In any case, Harry's a—oh, Severus!" Evidently he'd been spotted, so Severus graced his two friends, Sue and Terry with a small wave.
"Hello you lot," he said, plopping down on an armchair.
"How is Potter?" Sue asked, gazing at him intently.
"He's resting now, and before you ask, Lily is still with him. She was given permission by Madam Pomfrey."
Anthony and Mandy nodded in understanding, but Sue and Terry still looked a little confused. "Why's she allowed to be with him? It's almost curfew already," said Terry, sounding perplexed.
Severus shrugged. "Don't ask me, ask Madam Pomfrey, it was her decision not mine," he muttered. "Where's the rest of us?" he asked, peering around for any sign of their fellow second years.
"Gareth and Michael already went upstairs," Anthony answered.
"As did Lisa, Isobel and Padma," Sue added, to which Severus nodded.
"But Harry's doing okay, right?" Mandy asked.
Severus was never that good and sounding or appearing reassuring, but nevertheless he tried his best to be as he said; "I think so. He's in good hands."
Anthony gave a short chuckle of agreement, the blonde-haired boy remembering quite clearly how Madam Pomfrey treated him for his bout of food-poisoning last year at Halloween.
"Anyways, I think I'm gonna head to bed now," Severus said, standing to his feet.
The others remained seated but they waved Severus goodbye as he headed up to the dorm to retire for the night. Severus took quite some time to fall asleep for his thoughts wandered far and wide as to what might've caused Harry's bout of food poisoning. It was obvious to Severus, that something suspicious was afoot, for the likelihood of Harry and only Harry being poisoned was very low. He supposed that Malfoy might've tried something, perhaps a spell the Slytherin knew that made the food go bad or something along those lines. Severus didn't have any concrete evidence that it was or wasn't Malfoy, all that he did know was that Harry ending up in the hospital wing couldn't have been a random occurrence. Eventually Severus fell asleep, though even his dreams were plagued with thoughts of his best friend in the hospital wing.
A/N2: A terrible time for Harry during the opening feast turns into a bonding moment for Lily and Harry. A reaffirmation of her desire to always stand by Harry goes a long way to assuring Harry. Year two kicks off without as much fanfare as in canon, but with Lockhart coming into the picture next chapter, do stay tuned for that! Thanks for reading!