Bones in the closet
Their visit to Saint Mango's had its own surprises. Arthur was very surprised to see her. His surprise wasn't a result of her being there, only that she looked so different. Hermione had not seen Mr. Weasley since September, so the change was more of a shock to him.
She liked this place. It was calm, clean and odourless unlike the muggle hospitals. Healers seemed to be much less stressed than your average doctor, and the patients seemed to be in a better condition. Becoming a healer seemed to be a good idea. Perhaps she would consider it.
When they came back Harry seemed extremely stressed.
"Is something wrong, Harry?" she asked without looking at him.
"Um, it's complicated," He too avoided looking looking at her. "But I think I'll go crazy if don't talk to someone, so here it is anyway-"
Harry told her about the conversation he had overheard in the hospital. "Don't you see? I'm giving him a front row seat. No wonder Dumbledore avoids me."
It did make sense. However, Hermione, knew very well that she had to be delicate.
"I think you should talk with someone who is more experienced, Harry. I don't think that's how possession works." she said, trying to seem more confident than she actually was
"Well, neither do I." Harry said shakily. "But I'm not as optimistic as you are."
"I bet I could direct you to someone who does, Mr. Potter." Harry turned to the voice so fast that he fell.
"What the...?" Harry looked up and saw Phineas Nigellus in his portrait.
"I know if someone could help you here, that would be my last descendant's lover, Ms. Malfoy." He said.
"Are they really lovers?" asked Hermione curiously.
"Yes, but that's irrelevant." He continued, "Dumbledore is not happy that it has to be her, but he has to compromise at times."
"Doesn't he trust her?" Harry asked.
"Oh he does. Although she is an element of light as Dumbledore puts it, she has a rather secular view towards Dark Arts." Phineas explained, "She finds them practical and I have to say that's something hardly to be argued with at times."
"She could help Harry, right?" Hermione asked.
"Oh yes, she's knowledgeable." He said. "Wouldn't hurt to ask a few questions. Oh, and before I go, I have a message to deliver. Dumbledore says 'Stay where you are.'."
And with that he left.
"So I guess we need to have a talk with Lucinda." said Harry.
"About what, Harry?" asked Lucinda as she closed the door behind her.
Harry and Hermione jumped again.
"Will you people stop shocking us to death?" said Harry, "I heard something yesterday."
Harry explained the situation. He was most uncomfortable about admitting that he too felt he was giving information to Voldemort.
"Oh they're right. You're not supposed to see anything like you saw, Harry." she continued, "What really intrigues me, is that you saw it through the snake. Dumbledore had told me about your visions of Voldemort." she used his name like they were talking about a popstar casually. "so I always believed that you had a mental connection formed by a malfunctioning killing curse. The snake makes that theory go right out of the window as a consequence. I suppose there's a spiritual connection between you and Voldemort that gives you these visions. If I'm correct that would be even more dangerous. On the plus side, that could mean he cannot be in total control, because you can see things that he clearly did not want you to see." she pouted a bit. "That makes things complicated. We need to get smarter, because he will know about it now, and he might use it against you. He will plant ideas into your head." she frowned. "hum, I don't like it, but I think you should learn Occlumency."
"What?" asked Harry.
"It's a branch of obscure magic." she explained. "More of mental trick really. It helps you conceal your thoughts. Some are natural at it, like Sirius. He doesn't use it regularly, but sometimes he can't help it. Severus hates him even more than your dad, because he can never use Legilimency against Sirius. That, my dear children, is the technique that allows people to take a glimpse into your mind. Natural Legilimentes like me hate it when people call it mind reading."
"You can read minds?"
Harry and Hermione felt very insecure.
Lucinda laughed lightly, "I guess there is no helping it. You guys will eventually call it mind reading." She sighed, "I can read your minds. You should be happy to hear that I really rather avoid using it. Makes me feel unnatural. It's the same with Sirius. It really disturbs us that Dumbledore and Severus use it so freely and frequently. They both learnt it. They have acquired competency by practicing over and over again. They ought to know that it's even more dangerous for someone who isn't natural at it."
"Okay, is there anything you can do to protect yourself other than Occlumeny?" Harry asked.
"Occlumency. Yes it's rather simple. Don't look them in the eyes." she looked at Harry. "Especially when it feels like this."
Harry squeezed his eyes slightly. "So that's what it is? Yours is stronger than Dumbledore's."
"Ah, that's because I wanted you to feel it, but I could do it more subtly." she admitted. "Sirius, is actually really good at it, but he hates using it even more than me. He regrets learning it."
"Could Sirius teach me?" asked Harry hopefully.
"Uh, that would be a great idea if we could keep you here for the next six months." said Lucinda, "You're going back to Hogwarts soon, so we need a teacher who's there. You know where I'm getting at, right?"
"It's too dangerous to do it with Dumbledore, so I'll have to settle for Snape." Harry guessed.
"That's right, lad." she looked at Hermione, "Would you like to see how Legilimency feels?"
Hermione nodded yes. She could feel a force trying to penetrate in. Hermione felt something deep in her mind moved. Lucinda pulled out of her mind before it could move to the surface.
"Ah, Harry's mind is much keener in his own way, but your mind, it almost reminds me of someone." she began to hum. "You have an affinity for Legilimency and Occlumency. I wouldn't call you a natural, but it's there, I can feel it. I dare not investigate any more, because you might actually be a natural, and the later it manifests itself, the better."
She stood up. "I have to go for a drink."
She looked a bit ashamed. Harry knew in that moment, he could trust this woman more than Dumbledore.
On Christmas Harry and Hermione got some presents. Mostly books for Hermione and some other things for Harry. Percey Weasley had proved himself to be prick and had sent his jumper back. They had been advised to stay upstairs a little bit longer for Mrs. Weasley was crying.
"Lucinda and Lupin are taking care of that. Sirius seems so sour about something." Fred said suspiciously, "You guys happen to know anything about that?"
"Not really." said Harry.
Once the coast was clear, they went downstairs to the kitchen were Sirius had prepared a wonderful British breakfast.
Hermione had bought a Christmas present for Kreacher and that was just too dangerous. Harry warned her that clothes were off limits.
"It's not clothes, I promise, I'm not doing that to you guys. It's a patchwork quilt. It'll brighten his room a bit." she said. "Although, now that I think about it, he might not be into that sort of thing."
"Ah, that's true. Kreacher is a truly morbid and dark being, my dear." said Sirius as sat at The table. "He would very much like a dead muggle's skull."
Lucinda was disappointed by his remark, "You should show him some kindness."
"When it comes to Kreacher, that's pointless, love." he said as he buttered his bread.
When Harry went into Kreacher's den he found a lot of junk that they had been trying to get rid of. He also found a picture of a woman who she recognised to be Bellatrix Lestrange. What truly disturbed him was that her face seemed so familiar. "I guess she looks a bit like Sirius." He thought.
"I'll put his present here. He'll find it." said Hermione. Harry had a lot on his mind so he went to sit next to Sirius.
"Where is he anyway?" asked Sirius, "Has anyone seen him recently?"
"Only you could lose a house elf without freeing them." said Lucinda as she looked at him even more disapprovingly.
"Ah, come on. I take it back, whatever I said about Snape." Sirius said.
"Well, I cannot unhear what I heard, right?" She snapped.
Sirius looked very ashamed. "I know, I shouldn't have said that. I know it's time I grew up." he said in resignation.
"That's more like it." she smiled and kissed Sirius on the cheek.
"I didn't know you could flush like that, Sirius." Harry said giggling.
"Shut it, Harry." he said as he gulped a large sip of his ice tea, "I'm sure you didn't while you were snogging your new girlfriend.
Harry blushed and looked away as Lucinda laughed cheerfully.
It was time they visited Mr. Weasley for the second time. They had to leave him and his wife alone quickly, as Molly Weasley realised that his husband had been testing muggle treatments on himself. In other to get away from the squabble they opted to go get some tea.
"I wonder if they have tried enhancing the stitches with magic. That could actually work." wondered Lucinda loudly.
On the fourth floor they met someone familiar.
"Oh, my Merlin, that's professor Lockheart!" exclaimed Hermione.
Disgust was evident in Lucinda's face.
He came to them asking if they wanted his signature.
"Fell from the broom you jinxed, Gilderoy?" she pressed her lips together tightly. It made her look like Lucius Malfoy even more.
Lockheart was confused. "Broom?"
Before they could say anything a healer came to their rescue. She said that he was showing progress. Harry could swear Lucinda muttered, "I hope not."
The healer had assumed them to be visitors. Therefore she invited them into the ward with an expecting smile that even Lucinda Couldn't say no to.
Inside they met the other patients in the Permanent Spell Damage ward and to Harry's horror they saw them.
Frank and Alice Longbottom were sitting upright on their beds. Harry felt very sorry for Neville who was standing next to his mom. Suddenly, something really unexpected happened. A woman with a pointy hat decorated with a stuffed vulture looked at them. Her eyes went wide.
"You!" she drew her wand. At first Harry thought she was aiming at lucinda, but she aimed her wand at Hermione.
It seemed surreal, "I won't allow you to finish the job." she cried and sent an Expelliarmus to her.
Hermione was so shocked that she didn't move and the spell hit her. Her want left her pocket and fell on the ground.
"Lady Longbottom, please. She's not Bellatrix Lestrange." Lucinda said urgently as she tried to calm the witch down. Neville was standing next to the woman frozen. His gaze fixed on Hermione.
"Who is she? Have you been hiding her spawn from the world, Lucinda?" Lady Longbottom screamed.
"No… No … This is Hermione Granger. Please calm down." She looked at the woman pleadingly.
A light bulb flashed blindingly in Harry's head. She now knew why Bellatrix Lestrange seemed so familiar. Because Hermione's face was her splitting image except her blonde hair. She was trying to hide her shock and that was amplifying the similarities. Her dark clothes made it even worse. No wonder Madam Longbottom had made this mistake. He wondered why it hadn't occurred to him earlier. "I've probably been avoiding this unconsciously." He thought to himself.
"Hermione Granger? Isn't that your friend from school? You had described her quite differently, Neville." she said accusingly.
"She had a transfiguration mishap a couple of months ago," said Neville.
"Transfiguration mishap?" She pitied his naiveness. "Is that the excuse?" she looked at them incredulously.
"I think we should talk somewhere else." said Lucinda cautiously, "I can explain this."
Before they could go anywhere something amazing happened. Alice Longbottom stood up and went toward Hermione. Hermione's whole body went rigid. Alice looked at her curiously for a few seconds and then she put a candy in Hermione's hand. "Here." said Alice simply and then she went back to her bed.
Everyone was in shock. Lucinda's eyes were so wide that they could pop out at any moment. Harry didn't know what to make of it and Hermione was crying silently as she was frozen at her spot.
"We can talk in the tearoom." said Augusta Longbottom. As she left the room, she cried "Neville!"
He smiled at them apologetically as he followed his grandmother.
