Touched by Death – Chapter 7
It was in the morning that Harry found himself outside the doors to the Hospital Wing. Most the time he tried to avoid it, not that it worked with how much he got injured in Quidditch.
The Gryffindor gently pushed the doors open and wasn't surprised to find it empty. It was the start of the year and nobody had been injured or cursed yet. Most people tended who been in the Hospital Wing didn't pay much attention to Madam Pomfrey's office in the corner of the Wing.
Harry went past all the empty beds and headed to the open office. The Mediwitch was in the corner by her potions stock, checking off what was needed for the new year.
"Madam Pomfrey," Harry's voice was quiet, yet strong.
The witch quickly turned around and her gaze turn stern. "What happened this time, Mr. Potter?"
The Gryffindor let a small smile show, he been there so often that you could say he had a bed with his name on it. It wasn't surprising that Madam Pomfrey thought he got injured again considering that she had checked him over when he got inside the castle after the Dementor fiasco.
"Not hurt…" Harry muttered.
The Mediwitch raised her eyebrows. "Then what have you come to ask of me, Mr. Potter?"
"Can I train under you to be a Healer?" Harry's response was shy and unsure. Scared that he would be refused.
Madam Pomfrey looked thoughtful. "You do realize, Mr. Potter that you may not be able to handle it with having two or three additional electives for your third year."
Harry looked a little more confident. "I'm taking Care of Magical Creatures and plan to drop Divination. I don't want the class just because it's known as an easy class. I know I can do it."
The Mediwitch looked impressed. "You wish to be a Healer?"
The Gryffindor nodded furiously.
"The work will be hard, and I expect you to not fall behind and do your best. If you do slack off, your lessons with me will be dropped. Healing is a serious profession and the slightest mistake can cause a death. Are you sure you want to do this?" Pomfrey's voice was hard and stern.
Harry's voice was confident, "I'm sure."
Pomfrey nodded in approval. She went to grab a spare parchment and wrote on it before signing it. "If you gain approval from Professor McGonagall. You are to replace Divination with your lessons here. And I fully expect you to be prompt. I do not approve of tardiness. Minerva will notify me if your schedule is changed. You are to give her this, this will let you make the change. Do not make me regret this Mr. Potter."
Harry was fighting his nerves as he stood outside of a classroom. The classroom in specific was for Transfiguration that was taught by Headmistress and Head of Gryffindor House, Minerva McGonagall.
The main reason the Gryffindor was outside the classroom was because he wanted to drop Divination. It wasn't hard for Marcus to convince him to drop the class. Harry did feel guilty where he wouldn't share a class with Ron. The decision to drop the fraud's class was pretty easy considering in his first class the woman started predicting about his death about this Grim. The woman gave Harry an uneasy feeling as did the pitied look from Ron and Hermione.
Steeling his nerves did Harry finally walk through the open door to Professor McGonagall's class. Thankfully he had already gained approval from Madam Pomfrey.
The older woman was sitting at her desk while looking down with a fancy quill in her hand, grading essays most likely.
"Professor McGonagall," went Harry's tiny voice.
The sudden voice made the Minerva glance up to see one of her lions in front of her. She focused her attention on the boy.
"Yes, Mr. Potter?"
"Is it too late to change electives for our third year?" Harry's voice was hesitant.
Minerva looked a little shocked at the question before recomposing herself. "No, a student is given a few weeks to decide if a class is too much or is not suited for a student."
Harry seemed to brighten up at that. "What is your opinion of Divination?"
The question actually got the stern professor to snort. "Not a suitable class for anyone unless they are a seer. I would never prompt a student to take such as class, any professor who delights in predicting on a student's death every year is not worthy of respect."
Harry lightly blushed in embarrassment at the stern stare. He remembered all too well that he told McGonagall that Trelawney had predicted his death on the first day of classes. At the time it had shaken him up badly.
"You wish to drop the class, Mr. Potter?" Professor McGonagall asked with a tight smile.
Harry just simply nodded his head as he muttered, "thank you…"
The professor simply nodded her head and got up from silently summoning something. It was a blank schedule and Harry's current schedule.
"Are you adding Muggle Studies, Arithmancy, or Ancient Runes?" The Head of Gryffindor asked suddenly.
The question took a moment for Harry to register. His response was almost quiet, "I'm replacing it with lessons from Madam Pomfrey."
Professor McGonagall's quill made a sudden stop as she glanced up at the student she's considered one of her lions.
Harry didn't say anything as he pulled out the parchment that the Mediwitch gave him.
Minerva glanced over the parchment her student handed her. Her eyebrows rose before casting a validation charm. Nodding in approval to herself before making the note to add Healing to Harry Potter's schedule. It took her a minute to add the class into the new schedule before comparing the new to old. The schedules were almost identical except that Divination was replaced for healing and a note that on occasion weekends Pomfrey may require his presence.
"You may want to think about still playing Quidditch this term, Mr. Potter," The Head of Gryffindor started.
Harry wanted to protest before he was silenced by the harsh glare.
"As I was saying. You may need to think about being Seeker this year or not. As Madam Pomfrey will require your assistance on certain weekends during term. You will need to think about if you consider Healing a serious career or not. Just like in my class, if you are not serious about the class. You will leave and never come back. Healing is not to be taken lightly. It is a very admirable profession and will only take the best. Any slackers will be kicked out."
Harry was thinking hard about what McGonagall said. He knew that he enjoyed Quidditch, but not enough to make a professional career about it. His cheeks did go a light pink at the indirect compliment. It was nice to know that his professor didn't ask why he didn't choose to go into becoming an Auror or not like his dad had. He didn't know what his mother did for a career.
"I understand Professor McGonagall. I want to think about it. But I am serious about being a Healer. But I do enjoy playing Quidditch," Harry responded.
Minerva gave a firm nod, "I will give you a week to let me know. You are still allowed to play during that time frame."
Harry was in the library once again as he had a few books in front of him. One of them was a potions book and another was about minor injuries. The Gryffindor honestly had hated his Potions class, mainly because of a certain professor. But a Potions OWL and NEWT was required to be a healer. Harry had already been in his first class with Madam Pomfrey. The Mediwitch had given him some of the basics on how to recognize what potions to use and when. A lot of them where potions he had already brewed in the class, Potions.
The Gryffindor finally looked up when he heard his name. He wasn't surprised to see Marcus in front of him with a nasty grin on his face. Harry instantly brightened.
"Marcus. I know that look, what did you do?" Harry asked before snorting to himself.
"Some bloody morons may have gotten a few bludgers to the head…" Flint trailed off purposely.
"Basically, a group of stupid Slytherins got on your bad side," Harry assumed.
Marcus huffed, "serves them right…" That's when the Slytherin glanced over to the books spread out over Harry's table.
"What are you reading?"
"Books about Potions and their basics. I got one or two about healing…" Harry trailed off, remembering he had to return them to the Hospital Wing.
"Pomfrey agreed to add you into her training?"
Harry nodded eagerly. "I already recognized one of the spells. I honestly thought it wasn't a real spell seeing as Lockhart casted it."
"You act like a damn Hufflepuff," Marcus muttered.
Harry fake glared at the Slytherin.
What did the spell do?" The Slytherin seemed intrigued.
"Removed all of the bones in my arm…" Harry looked at Marcus nervously. It was a common fact that Marcus was protective of him.
Harry wasn't wrong, Marcus looked murderous.
The Gryffindor had to roll his eyes, "Don't even think about it. For one, Pomfrey already healed me. Two, considering the idiot obliviated himself and it's irreversible. There's no sense on getting mad about it. The fraud's been sentenced to Mungo's for life."
"How was he a fraud?" Marcus' tone was curious, his anger tamed for now.
"Me and Ron found out that Lockhart had stolen other witches and wizards work and took them for his own and obliviated them."
The Slytherin looked thoughtful before wiping the fraud teacher's discussion aside. He honestly wasn't that surprised by the revelation. "What's the potion book for?"
Harry had looked back at his books before glancing back to meet Marcus' eyes. A bright blush formed on his face, "I've always been horrible at Potions. I want to make sure it's not me that's doing something wrong. I've always thought it was just because of Snape and Malfoy that I did horrible. But there are a lot of ingredients I need to know about. Some of them have a lot of healing qualities."
Marcus never contradicted Harry's comment against the members in his house. He knew how spiteful his Head of House could be and everyone knew about the rivalry with Harry and Malfoy. The Slytherin did notice the bright red on Harry's face, but didn't say a word. If someone were to ask Flint what his opinion of Potter a year ago, he would say a boy who has no respect for his ancestors and spoiled brat. Dare he say that the Gryffindor was very appealing to gaze at especially when he was focused on something. He didn't know what it was about Harry that seemed to draw him in and it seemed that Harry saw something in him that most overlooked. He usually didn't care much about those at Hogwarts, but something about Harry made him care. Even the first and second years, sure he cared about them. It was different somehow, though.
Harry never mentioned to Marcus about his decision to quit Quidditch. The decision wasn't too hard after what had happened at the first Quidditch match against Hufflepuff. It was the first Quidditch match that Harry didn't purposely lose. The Gryffindor had been told that he had fallen off his broom because Dementors had swarmed the Quidditch Pitch.
Madam Pomfrey seemed even stricter than normal. Harry assumed it was because she thought she lost her student and trainee. The woman lightened up a little as she quizzed him about what helps against the effect of Dementors.
Somehow it was a weird feeling to be instantly surrounded when he woke up. Hermione, Ron, and the entire Quidditch team had surrounded him around his bed. It felt to be a little too much considering some of the girls had tried to curse him last year. Harry wound up giving the Mediwitch a pleading look to send them away. Surprisingly, Harry wasn't all that concerned about the broken broom. It was like an indicator to quit Quidditch.
Thankfully the older woman got the message clearly. "Out! All of you, out! Mr. Potter needs rest!"
The woman didn't get any complaints as everyone scattered out of the Hospital Wing. The Mediwitch looked slightly amused.
"Thanks," Harry's voice was shy.
"You do need rest, Mr. Potter. But I know you will not."
Harry snorted as he knew it was true. But there wasn't much anything more he could do against the effects of Dementors besides chocolate.
"Madam Pomfrey, Professor McGonagall said I would have to make a choice on what's important. Healing or Quidditch. I'm going to drop Quidditch," Harry admitted.
The Mediwitch gave a slight smile. "I am not surprised. Though that would explain why you wanted everyone out."
Harry nodded before his attention was adverted towards the door opening to the Hospital Wing.
"Marcus," Harry grinned.
The Slytherin's presence was no surprise. He knew that Marcus must have seen him fall from his broom. That was something that Harry wished that he didn't see. The Slytherin was already overprotective over him. Though he probably wouldn't say no to another hug by the bigger Slytherin.
Madam Pomfrey looked on as if disproving before seeing the pleading look on her charge's face. The woman sighed in aspiration. "Alright, Mr. Potter. Mr. Flint is allowed to stay. But you still need rest."
Harry huffed in annoyance, though brightened as Marcus took a seat beside him.
"You're the one that decided to be her apprentice," Flint remarked.
"Don't remind me," Harry groaned.
Marcus let his hand fall on Harry's arm, almost in comfort. "Dementors…" Marcus commented.
Harry almost wanted to wince. He knew that Marcus was going to ask about that.
"You could have died…" the Slytherin almost muttered. His grip on Harry's arm tightened a little bit.
The Gryffindor instantly felt bad that he had worried Marcus. "I'm sorry," he whispered.
Marcus looked at Harry critically, "what are you sorry for?"
"I could have told Professor McGonagall to go ahead and drop Quidditch. She had asked me when I put healing on my schedule. And now this happened…" Harry let off before noticing Marcus' furious expression.
"Are you that bloody insane to think this is your fault?!" The older boy snapped.
Harry's face immediately went red, "Ummm…. No…"
Marcus looked disbelieving but let it drop for the time being. He had gotten to know that Harry would feel like it was his fault that the Dementors came into the Pitch.
"You're not mad about me dropping Quidditch?" Harry asked with hesitation.
Flint raised an eyebrow, "why would I be?"
"Well… I won't be able to lose the Gryffindor Quidditch matches for you anymore."
"Harry, you are one of the best seekers I've seen at this bloody school. There is no way they'll find a replacement. And with you Gryffindors always losing points with Professor Snape. It shouldn't make too much of a difference. Gryffindor will lose either way, though if you really want to lose points. Just make Professor Snape mad."
"You expected this…" the Potter heir was shocked. He honestly expected the Slytherin to be mad. Well maybe not… maybe if he wasn't friends with Marcus the older boy would have been.
"It doesn't take a genius to know that. I knew that Madam Pomfrey would require your assistance during Quidditch practices and games."
"Right…" Harry muttered. Though it did make sense, the mediwitch would have the most injuries because of Quidditch.
Marcus' next actions almost made Harry jump out of his skin. He was very glad he didn't since Marcus had slowly wrapped his arms around his lithe body. It wasn't as tight as the last hug in the Chamber. But the embrace was just as comforting. The Gryffindor didn't want to lose the arms around him, as if trying to protect him from everything. He knew that the embrace wouldn't last, but he wanted to stay like that for as long as possible. If anything, Harry leaned into the embrace and felt Marcus' arms tighten slightly.
The Gryffindor wasn't sure if his eyes were playing tricks on him, but he swore that Marcus was focusing on his lips for a good minute or two. Harry almost wished that Marcus would lean in. The urge to kiss the Slytherin was strong, but he barely kept it back. The Potter heir didn't want to misread the expression and piss the older boy off by reading something that was never there.
Marcus' arms stay around Harry as his growled, "You are learning that damn charm."
Harry had to blink for a minute, 'charm? What charm?' were his first thoughts. The Gryffindor then wanted to smack himself, of course Marcus was talking about the Patronus Charm. Afterall, Marcus had spoken about the charm when in the Hogwarts Library when talking about Dementors. Even if Marcus didn't believe Harry about the Dementor on the train, today would have definitely proven he needed to learn it. But Marcus had never doubted his word for whatever reason.
"I can ask Professor Lupin about it tomorrow," Harry supplied.
"Lupin the one who sent the Dementor away on the train?" Marcus asked.
Harry slowly nodded before grinning. "He's beyond brilliant. Definitely better than Quirrell and Lockhart."