Disclaimer : I do not own anything of the Harry Potter universe, it all belongs to JK Rowling, I just love writing about the fantastic universe she presented us.
This story is/was posted on my other account, since I had trouble posting a new story on this account. Now that it is all worked out, I'm moving that story here, since that will be easier to manage all of my stories. The story is mostly the same as before, minus some mistakes or typos.
If there are still grammer or spelling mistakes, please let me know. English isn't my native language (plus I have dyslexia), so it is possible that there are still a few mistakes in my stories even though I edit them before I post them. I hope you'll enjoy the story.
I know that it has been a very long while since I updated and I really have no excuses apart from doing my internship and thesis... I hope I'll be able to update quicker next time, but know that I'm not abandoning this story (or Taking control...)
The Change - chapter 5
Three days later, Harry woke up in the familiar surroundings of the hospital wing. He tried to sit up, but his body was hurting too much to even move his arm.
"Mr. Potter, I see you're awake" Madam Pomfrey said.
"Glasses" Harry managed to make out, his voice hoarse from the screaming whilst under the torture curse and not using it for the last three days.
Madam Pomfrey gently put his glasses on his nose. "How are you feeling Mr. Potter?"
"Horrible" Harry croaked, clearly having trouble to just say that.
"That's to be expected, from my calculations you were held under the cruciatus curse multiple times for an extended period. That on top of your other injuries caused you to be unconscious for three days" Madam Pomfrey told them.
"Three days, what happened" Harry asked, not really caring that his voice hurt, he just wanted answers at that point.
"I believe it would be best if I answered that question" a voice that was without a doubt from Albus Dumbledore said.
Madam Pomfrey did a last check before she left the headmaster with Harry. She didn't want to leave her patient alone, especially with how weak he still was, but she knew Albus had to speak to him.
Dumbledore performed some privacy spells, but when Harry saw the sad look on Dumbledore's face he said "Sirius didn't make it, didn't he?"
"No, I'm afraid he did not. We weren't even able to retrieve a body since he fell through the veil. I'm sorry Harry" Dumbledore told him.
Harry blinked away a few tears "How are the others?"
"Most of them had multiple injuries, but they will all be fine. Ron and Hermione only got cuts and scrapes and left the hospital wing the same day. Hestia had to regrow a bone that was shattered, but she's also home again. Tonks is still here at the infirmary, but she will be alright, she just has to rest" Dumbledore explained to him.
Harry nodded "What happened?"
Dumbledore sighted "I'm afraid I'll have to go back to the very beginning. A few months before you were born, a prophecy was made to me that goes as followed 'The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches… Born to those who have thrice defied him, born as the seventh month dies… And the Dark Lord will mark him as his equal, but he will have power the Dark Lord knows not… And either must die at the hand of the other, for neither can live while the other survives… The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord will be born as the seventh month dies…' "
Harry was quiet for a moment "That suggests that I have to kill Voldemort or he'll kill me?"
"I'm afraid so. I personally don't give much credence to prophecies, but this one became self-fulfilling since a servant of Voldemort heard the first part of the prophecy, saying that a child with the power to defeat his Lord would be born as the seventh month died. Originally, the prophecy fit two children, you and Neville Longbottom, but he went after you and your parents and marked you as his equal with the scar you have. Voldemort believes the prophecy, which is why he will keep coming after you, that is why it is self-fulfilling. Your mother sacrificed herself so you could live, which is why Voldemort couldn't touch you. Using the power of that sacrifice, I managed to set up blood wards around your relatives' house, since Petunia is your mother's sister. As long as you call that place your home, the blood wards will protect you, that is also the reason you always have to go back in the summers"
Harry had to let that sink in before he questioned "What happened at the ministry?"
"Voldemort had sent some of his death eaters after you, to catch you and your friends and bring them to the ministry, so you would retrieve the prophecy for him. You sending that signal to Tonks, warned us and gave us a location, since there was also a locator spell on it. We managed to capture all the death eaters, except one I'm afraid"
"Bellatrix" Harry spat angrily "I'll get her for what she's done to Sirius"
Dumbledore laid his hand on Harry's shoulder "Try not to let you anger consume you. Use what you've learned about Occlumency to push those emotions away since it will not do you any good to dwell in them. They will ruin your life"
Harry knew that what Dumbledore was telling him was true, so he closed his eyes and focused on getting his emotions controlled again. It was hard for a moment, to push back the anger, but eventually he managed to do so.
Dumbledore was surprised by the amount of control Harry had, but decided not to comment on it and to continue "At the ministry, Voldemort came because one of his death eaters managed to call for him before they were incapacitated. He showed up in the atrium, like you probably know and put you under the cruciatus curse. I entered the atrium the moment you passed out and started dueling him. In that time, ministry officials had arrived and Bellatrix fled. Voldemort did so too, but not before he tried to possess you. Unfortunately for him, you managed to keep him out and judging from his screaming, he got injured in trying to do so"
Harry processed everything in his mind "What happens now? How comes you're back at Hogwarts?"
"Ah, I have to partially thank you for that" Dumbledore told him. "but the other part is that Fudge was one of the ministry officials that arrived in the atrium and he saw Voldemort with his own eyes so he couldn't deny his return anymore. That plus a devise that was conveniently found in your pocket that incriminated Dolores Umbridge, resulted in the vote of no confidence towards Fudge, the arrest of Umbridge and the reinstatement of myself"
Harry nodded again. It was all very much to take in. The loss of his godfather, the prophesy and that he had faced Voldemort again. The fact that the plan to oust Umbridge had worked didn't even register, since Harry's mind was too occupied with other things. "If you don't mind headmaster, I would prefer to be alone now to process everything that has happened"
"Of course, if you need anything, feel free to ask" Dumbledore expressed, no twinkle visible in his eyes, before he left the infirmary.
Harry laid there for a few minutes, thinking about what Dumbledore had just told him and organizing his mind to be able to process everything better. He was so busy doing so, he didn't notice Madam Pomfrey trying to get his attention until her third attempt.
When she saw that she had his attention she asked "Everything alright Mr. Potter?"
"Yes, I'm sorry Madam Pomfrey, what I just heard was a lot to take in, so I was busy organizing my mind" Harry explained, looking rather sheepishly since the matron had looked quite freaked out.
A sad look appeared on her face for a moment, before she said "I've brought you your potions and some food. I'm sorry to say that you're in no state to feed yourself, so I'm going to have to help you"
Harry tried to move his arm, but noticed the exhaustion in his limb immediately, so he just agreed and let Madam Pomfrey spoon feed him. After his meal, she helped him take his potions, which made him feel a bit better.
"Thank you for the help" he told her and his voice felt better at that part, probably because of the potions he had just taken, even though they tasted vile.
Madam Pomfrey looked at him strangely and said "I'm surprised you didn't fight me"
"Honestly, I wanted to, but I can't even make myself to move my arm. I thought that that was a good sign that I should try, so I didn't bother fighting you" Harry replied.
The matron smiled warmly at him "I'm glad you didn't, now is there something else I can do for you Mr. Potter"
"Can I see Tonks" Harry asked her hopefully. In the months before, she had been his rock during the turbulent times at Hogwarts, but also at Headquarters. He was worried for her after the events at the ministry, even though the headmaster had assured him she was alright.
Madam Pomfrey disappeared for a moment, but when she came back she said "I'll bring you to her, if you stay in your bed"
"It's not like I can get out of bed" Harry grumbled halfheartedly.
Madam Pomfrey just ignored him and removed the curtains on his right side, revealing Tonks with dull brown/grey hair laying in a bed a bit further. Tonks smiled at him sadly, while Madam Pomfrey rolled her bed towards Harry's.
"I'll leave you alone now, but if I see one of you trying to get out of bed, I'll put a sticking charm on both of you" Madam Pomfrey warned them.
After Madam Pomfrey had left, it was quiet for a few minutes until Tonks said, with tears in her eyes "I'm sorry Harry, it's all my fault"
Confused, Harry asked her "What is your fault? I would say everything is my fault, I let them capture me. You got hurt and Sirius…"
"I was fighting Bellatrix Harry, before she shot that spell at Sirius. I couldn't beat her…"
"Tonks, you did everything you could to help, hell you even got hurt because of it, so don't put it in your mind that it is your fault, please" he begged her. He couldn't handle it that she felt guilty, while she had done everything she could.
"If I'm not at fault, then you definitely aren't either Harry. Ron and Hermione told me how you were attacked from behind and then brought to the ministry with a portkey. Then you managed to stall them long enough for us to arrive. If you hadn't you and Ron and Hermione wouldn't be here anymore" Tonks pointed out eventually , knowing that he was right and she also didn't want Harry to get too upset after just waking up.
Harry couldn't find any error in her logic, so he couldn't do anything else than to agree with her. It was hard however to reprogram his mind so that it knew that Sirius' death wasn't his fault.
"I just wished I could have done something" Harry told her after a while.
"I know Harry, so do I" Tonks agreed, but Harry could observe that her hair had gotten a slightly purple tone again, so he guessed that he had managed to relieve some of the guilt from her.
"What happened to you that you're still here?" Harry asked her.
"Bellatrix happened" Tonks first said before she clarified "While I fought her, she hit me with a few spells, which did a little damage. I was able to do the same with her, before she caught me with a blasting spell. I was knocked against the wall and barely conscious when she placed me under the cruciatus curse a few times, that was until she saw Sirius unguarded"
"I'm sorry Tonks, that you had to go through that" Harry told her. "I know her cruciatus curses are par with those of Voldemort"
"What do you mean? How do you know that" Tonks asked him, already dreading the answer.
"I tried to follow Bellatrix after Sirius... She managed to disarm me and put me under the spell. Voldemort is the main reason I'm here though. He put me under it a few more times before the headmaster managed to get him to stop. I don't remember much of it though, I passed out after his third and then after fighting Voldemort, he tried to possess me but wasn't able because of the defenses I put up"
Tonks reached out towards Harry's hand and managed to grab it with her own. She rubbed circled on it with her thumb, not knowing what to tell him.
Harry relaxed a bit by the motions she made with her thumb. Looking at her and seeing her observe him, Harry decided to tell her what Dumbledore had told him earlier that day.
"Are you able to put up some wards?" Harry asked her.
"I thinks so" Tonks said and she grabbed with her other hand her wand from under her pillow and started casting them.
When Harry was sure nobody would be able to overhear them he started to tell her everything Dumbledore had told him. When he was finished, Tonks was silent, but still held his hand.
After a few minutes, Harry broke the silence again and asked "Everything alright?"
Snapped out of her thoughts, Tonks turned her head again towards Harry and said "Yes, sorry, I was thinking about everything you told me. I don't really know where to start or what to say"
"I know what you mean" Harry replied, still having trouble to process it all.
Tonks nodded "About those blood wards, I would suggest you let them be inspected. If they are really there, then we have to think about what you'll do"
"Sorry, I can't follow" Harry told her.
"I told you in August I would do everything I could to prevent you from going back to your relatives right? Before we make a plan, we have to know more about these blood wards that Dumbledore constructed. I know that isn't really on your mind for the moment, but I won't let those bastards do anything else to you, especially not now" Tonks clarified.
Harry had trouble blinking away the tears that had formed in his eyes. "Thank you Tonks"
She squeezed his hand as a reply and after taking down the wards they just stayed there, laying hand in hand, until Madam Pomfrey came in to check on them.
Seeing them she said "If you want, I'll change you to the bed next to Mr. Potter, Ms. Tonks"
Startled at first, Tonks responded "That would be nice, thank you"
"It's time for dinner" she told them and she placed a tray before the both of them. Looking at Harry she said "I'm sorry but I will again have to help you eat"
"She had to help me too until this morning" Tonks told him, squeezing his hand again before she let go.
"Go ahead" he told Madam Pomfrey.
"You're having a positive influence on him Ms. Tonks, who would have thought" Madam Pomfrey said towards Tonks with a barely noticeable wink.
She helped Harry with his food and his potions, and only minutes after his meal, Harry fell asleep.