Chapter 62: The Foe Glass

The Foe Glass

Sage was so closed in by people who he suspected were members of the Order of the Phoenix, that he could not easily see what was going on around him. Which was good, because that meant that unwanted people could not see him or his uncle gripping their arms.

There was no easy way to think about how he was feeling, because he was even at a loss to think about what he was experiencing and what he had just seen, what he had just done.

Everything really was a blur, he was so lost in what had happened, now that everyone was now completely overwhelmed by Potter's predicament. His uncle was mumbling something, or was he talking to him? Everyone else was talking quietly with Dumbledore, probably making plans of action. It did seem that those people surrounding him were members of the Order, but he wondered how Dumbledore had called them, because Sage knew that all of them had not seen his projection of what was happening to Harry. Sage had been sure that he had succeeded in only letting a select handful of people see what was going on: Dumbledore, his Uncle, McGonagall, Molly Weasley, Bill Weasley, to name the majority.

His body numbed with cold. His perception of the world fading greatly. Vaguely, he felt his Uncle squeezing his shoulder, before he blacked out.

Dumbledore looked at Severus when Sage went limp in his arms and offered him a slight smile of sadness.

"I believe that our Magi has had an epiphany, Severus. This was an awakening for his powers, an amazing awakening."

Severus spat, "I don't care about his damned powers, headmaster."

The older wizard sighed deeply, his age beginning to show on his worried face.

"They are one and the same, I am afraid. You know that," he replied to the Potions master.

"Only too well, Albus, only too well."

"This was why he came back, this was the reason that he had to leave Lyon Llyonyss. That he felt he had to leave there."

The man growled in response.

"It was important that he return after all," the old wizard added, nodding down towards Sage.

"Important so that he could show you what was happening to Potter, half killing himself," He growled.

"That is not what I said, Severus. It was important in his coming into his powers, into what he really is."

Before Severus had a chance to react to the headmaster's statement, a thud took both of their attention away.

Face-down in the grass lay Harry Potter, not moving, his blood staining his shirt.

Within an instant, the headmaster jumped up with the agility of a much younger man and went to Harry's side. He shook him gently, not daring to think the worst. A few of the others that had been standing around Sage got up and went over to Potter, holding their breath.

Sage groaned shallowly and opened his eyes. Immediately he tried to sit up, but he wasn't able to get up all the way. Instead he put his hand to his aching head and squinted at Severus.

"How long?" He gasped, his throat dry and raw.

"A quarter of an hour."

"What ha-happened?"

Severus threw his head to the side, "Potter is back. I believe that he is alive."

Sage forced himself up with both of his hands, "I'm a'right, help them," he said, looking over at the crowd surrounding Harry.

The man scoffed.

"Voldemort is back..."

Severus cringed at the name.

"Do what you need to do," Sage finished, ignoring his Uncle's face.

The man raised an eyebrow at him again.

"I'm fine! Go," he replied insistently.

Scowling darkly, Severus finally got up and went to the headmaster, who Sage could barely hear tell Harry to 'stay put'.

Sitting on the grass, still feeling soaking wet, he exhaled painfully and closed his eyes. He wanted desperately to cast a drying charm on himself, but he wasn't sure if he should be so willing to cast any magic on himself in his current state. His hair was heavy and tight on his head, slicked with sweat. Shaking his head at himself, he couldn't take it anymore, and he waved his hands in front of himself, hoping that nothing strange would happen to him other then his clothes becoming dry.

After crossing his legs in front of him, he began massaging his temples, vaguely wondering why people weren't swarming around the area. Sage figured that they would be, despite the fact that not many could see what he had shown, they had still seen him obliterate the maze and yell some stuff in Latin.

He looked towards Potter. Harry was alive. He was greatful for that, regardless of what Harry may think about him.

His face quickly darkened as he frowned deeply, staring at Moody talking to Harry. He wanted nothing else than to curse the man from where he sat, but he wasn't willing to take the chance that he would hit Harry.

But when Moody lifted Harry off the ground, Sage's heartbeat sped up instantly. Something was definitely not right. If Dumbledore wanted Harry to stay where he was, there was no way he would send Moody to go take him away.

Growling in residual pain, Sage pushed himself off the ground, struggling greatly to get his feet under him. After staggering a few steps, he managed to drunkenly move himself through the crowd, having no ambition other than getting the headmaster or his uncle.

The second he made out the long white hair of the man, he called out and pointed towards the figures that were now almost to the castle.

"Headmaster, Moody and Harry," he gestured again, shaking where he stood pale as a ghost.

It seemed as if it were immediate, the headmaster reacted so quickly, that the man was at his side his wand drawn.

"Are you strong enough to come with me, Sage?"

Sage shrugged and answered, "Strong enough, would be the apt expression, sir."

The old wizard pointed his wand up into the air and shot gold sparks out of it.

Sage had no idea what they were supposed to mean, but within seconds Severus bolted up to them, as did McGonagall.

"We have no time to wait for the others, Moody has taken Harry back to the castle without permission."

"We must go after them," McGonagall said, sharply.

Severus glared at Sage, "Wait here."

Dumbledore grabbed Sage's arm, "We may need all the help we can get, Severus."

The Potion's master scowled, but strode quickly towards the castle nevertheless.

The thick wooden door burst open as "Stupefy" was yelled by all four of them. Severus was the last to stalk into the room, prepared for more, wanting an excuse to curse Moody into bloody little pieces, but the man was already down.

What caught his eyes was the large Foe Glass across from him. It still held the image of all of them, as they would all be threats to Moody. However, that was not what caused his mouth to drop open slightly.

"Dumbledore...It couldn't be," he though to himself. "But it is right there, but how."

His thoughts were interrupted when Dumbledore fired orders off at him to bring Veritaserum and some house-elf named Winky.

He hesitated for a mere second before he tore himself away from the image and went to his stores.

Sage slumped down to the floor, feeling thoroughly drained. He stared at the prone face of Moody on the ground, pleased to no end that he had been right and everyone else had been wrong. He took in a few deep breaths, surprisingly he did not feel as if he were going to lose consciousness again.

After seeing to Harry, Dumbledore put a hand on his shoulder.

"I owe you an apology, but that is neither for here nor now." He looked back towards the fake Moody, "Before long, we will know who this man is."