A/N: Hi guys ! New chapter up ! Read and Review
Osborn and Harry broke apart. She brushed away the tears on Harry's face with her thumbs, smiling at him fondly.
"I swear. I'm going to get you out Harry." She whispered. "You're not alone anymore".
Harry felt a sudden warmth running through him. It was like drinking a chocolate mug next to the fireplace. He felt safe, maybe for the first time in his life. He knew Osborn would do everything to help him. They started into each others eyes for a long time before Harry broke the silence.
"How did you get over this ?" He asked, not knowing how anyone could ever get over something like this.
Osborn sighed and went to sit in her chair, facing Harry.
"I never got over it. I couldn't. I couldn't come back to St Mungo's after that. I did not even want to be a Healer anymore." She said quietly. "I went away for a while. Travelled. I've only returned to England because Dumbledore asked me. I don't think I would have if it weren't for him."
Harry nodded. Thinking that if Dumbledore had not send this letter, we would have died. It was Osborn's quick thinking that had saved his life that night. Harry remained silent for a while.
"What are you going to do about Umbridge ?" He suddenly asked, remembering that Osborn could be sack at any moment.
Osborn actually laughed. Her eyes playful.
"Oh don't worry about her. I'll find something"
Harry had the feeling that she was planning something, something big. Umbridge was in for a surprise. Harry suddenly felt very tired. He tried to stifle a yawn but Osborn caught it.
"Now up to bed with you. I don't want Severus telling me you fell asleep during Potions." She smiled at him and Harry left.
He was surprised when he looked at the time. He had only been in Osborn's office for an hour. Ron and Hermione were probably still in the library. And he indeed found them still looking through piles of newspapers.
"Harry ! We were not expecting you this early." Hermione said.
"So what happened with Osborn ?" Ron asked.
Harry began sharing all that had been discussed with Osborn, including the dreadful memories he had watched. Hermione gasped and Ron's face whitened as Harry talked.
"That's horrible" Hermione let out when Harry finished his story.
"No wonder she was mad when Umbridge said Aden's name." Ron observed.
"Yeah. Well anyway, she said she'd help me. And I think I can trust her." Harry said confidently. It was a first for him. He had never really trusted any adult in his life.
"Did Snape really told her he was going to help ?" Ron asked, disgust in his voice.
"Yes. That's weird I know. They seem to really get along. If Osborn can trust Snape maybe I can too." Harry still had trouble with the notion. Five years of loathing could not go away that easily.
"I don't know mate. He's.." Ron dropped his voice to a whisper. "A death Eater. You can't trust someone like that."
Hermione smacked Ron on the arm.
"Ouch! Hermione that hurt!" Ron exclaimed, outraged.
"Don't say something like this Ronald ! You better than anyone know he's working for Dumbledore."
Ron crossed his arms and said nothing. Harry shook his head. These two would never stop bickering.
"So did you find anything in the papers ?" Harry asked, in an attempt to change the subject.
Hermione and Ron shared a look.
"We found something. It's not much but we thought it might mean something." Hermione took out a copy of the Daily Prophet. It was dated 13thOctober 1984. She opened the paper and pointed at a small article.
There was no picture, only a headline and a small paragraph.
St Mungo's healer under investigation.
A child succumbed today at St Mungo's from injuries he was supposed to have received from his caretakers. One healer discovered the child last night, and brought him to St Mungo's. The child did not survived. St Mungo's chief Healer had supported the child abuse theory at first but is now coming back on his testimony after a meeting with the child's caretakers. The Tasciones were immensly distraught by the loss of their ward (they had adopted the child when his parents died at the hands of You-Know-Who.). The Tasciones are a very well respected family and Mrs Tascione was appalled by the accusations. Apparently, the healer who discovered the boy had formed a bond with the boy which was uncomfortable for the Tasciones. The healer in question disappeared shortly after the boy died and has yet to be found. "This behavior is very strange indeed. Jane Osborn had indeed a strong relationship with the boy and it is strange that she would not want to see the family of the boy." Said the chief Healer when asked about the behavior of Ms Osborn. Albus Dumbledore, Chief Warlock of the Wizengamot, vouched for Ms Osborn's character. Simply stating that the death of the boy had been very upsetting to her and that she would turn up eventually. Wether Ms Osborn is somehow responsible for the boy's death is unknown but according to the Tasciones, it is certain that she is the person responsible for the death of the boy.
Harry looked up from the article.
"This can't be true. Who are these Tasciones anyway, there's the ones responsible. They killed Aden. Osborn was trying to get him out." Harry 's temper was rising fast.
Hermione patted him on the arm to calm him down.
"We know that mate. But the Ministry doesn't, that's why Umbridge is using the story to scare her off." Ron said.
"That.. Awful woman" Hermione blurted out. Obviously restraining herself from saying anything too rude.
They walked back to the common room plotting against Umbridge. They knew they could not do anything but just thinking about it was fun. The common room was not very full that night. The Weasley twins were apparently in big discussion with Ginny. This peaked the group curiosity and they went to seat besides them.
"What are you plotting ?" Ron asked, eying his brothers suspiciously.
"And why should we tell you dear brother ?" Fred replied
"How can we know you're trustworthy ?" Georges added.
Ron was about to reply but Ginny cut through.
"We are not plotting. Actually you guys might help us. You've been out of the common room since dinner right?"
The three nodded. Ginny looked around her to see that no one else was around and dropped her voice a little.
"I was walking back from the library when I realized I had forgotten something in the defense classroom. So I went to get it and I saw Snape getting out of Osborn's office. He looked really worried about something."
Harry gave his two friends a look.
"What's so weird about a teacher visiting another teacher ?" Hermione asked, letting nothing transpire on her face. They, of course, knew why Snape had been there but Harry had made them swear to say nothing.
"Nothing's weird about that of course. But it's what happened next that was weird. I couldn't find what I was looking for so I went looking in the corridor. That's when I met Fred and Georges. They helped me find my book, I had actually dropped it and it wound up behind a statue. Anyway we were walking back towards the common room when we heard a weird noise coming from the classroom. We went to look and then there was this bright light coming from the office. Not candle light. Much more powerful. It lasted for less than a minute and then it was gone. You guys didn't notice anything ?"
Harry was surprised. He did not notice any bright light in Osborn's office. The was Ginny described it, he could not have missed it. But then, Harry thought that he had spent some time in the Pensive. Something could have happened when Osborn and him were looking at the memories. Ron was staring at Harry in a not too subtle way. Fred, picked up on it and rounded on Harry.
"You saw something " Fred said, moving to look at Harry directly. It was more of a statement than a question.
"No. I didn't !" Harry said defensively. He was telling the truth, he did not know about any light in Osborn's office.
"Yes you did!" Georges said.
"No !" Harry got up and wanted to leave but the twins held him down on the sofa. Harry sighed. He really did not want to break the promise he made to Osborn.
"Let him be you beasts !" Ginny exclaimed. "He told you he doesn't know anything. Leave him alone!"
Fred and Georges let Harry go reluctantly and Harry went up to bed, he did not want to discuss the matter anymore. It had probably been a trick of the light. Harry tossed and turned that night, sleep eluding him. He heard everyone else going to bed, Ron had tried to talk to him but Harry did not answer. Sensing he would not sleep a wink tonight, Harry got the Marauders map out of his trunk. He watched as Peeves roamed the corridors, Dumbledore was still awake, the man never slept. He was pacing in his office. Looking a bit closer, Harry saw that Dumbledore was not alone. Osborn's and Snape's dot were there also. Harry wondered what they were talking about. At this time of night, it must be about something important, probably Order business. Harry's vision became blurry, he shook his head to focus his vision but it didn't work. His forehead began to sweat, cold sweat. He did not feel well at all. I must be too tired, Harry thought. He rested his head on his pillow and fell asleep.
The next morning, Harry still did not feel well. His vision wasn't blurry anymore but his head was pounding and he was always either too hot or too cold. Hermione repeatedly told him to go and see Madam Pomfrey but Harry refused, he knew he wasn't sick, he just had not had enough sleep the night before. He had trouble concentrating in class, during transfiguration his toad wound up with a tail. He was supposed to transfigure it into a pillow.
"Mr Potter ! What is the matter with you today ?" McGonagall asked him, seeing his dreadful work.
Harry did not answer. He collapsed onto the floor.
When he woke up, he was lying in the hospital wing.
"Harry ! Thank Merlin you're awake !" Hermione squealed.
"You gave us a right scare mate !" Ron added.
Harry felt groggy. His head did not hurt that much anymore, but he felt weak.
"What happened?" Harry asked them.
Hermione and Ron shared a look.
"What do you remember ?" Hermione asked.
Harry began wracking his brain. He remembered feeling poorly this morning, and collapsing in Transfiguration.
"Hum... I think I fainted during Transfiguration this morning."
"Harry..." Hermione began, "You've been in a coma for over two weeks."
"What ?" Harry shouted, standing upright on his bed. Ron pushed him back on his pillows.
"Take it easy Harry. You've been out of it for a while."
Hermione gave Harry his glasses and as his vision cleared, harry realised he was not in the hospital wing but in a room he did not recognised.
"Where are we ?" Harry asked,
Ron was about to answer when the door flew open.
" Potter.." The familiar sneer filled the room " Glad to see you have decided to rejoin the world of the living. Mr Weasley, Miss Granger, you have twenty minutes until curfew. I'll come to check on you when they're gone"
The door closed behind Snape.
"What in Merlin's name is going on ?" Harry demanded.
" Umbridge thinks you have a family emergency. When you fainted McGonagall called Snape and they brought you here. It's a secret, you would have been sent to St Mungo's otherwise. We don't want that. Hum there's another thing..." Ron did not finished his sentence. He seemed really nervous. Hermione put a reassuring hand on Ron's arm.
"Harry" She started. « The day after you slipped into a coma, Umbridge fired Osborn."
"She did what ?" Harry exclaimed, trying to get up again. Ron pushed him against the pillows again.
"Yeah. It was bound to happen. That's not all. We went to see her to tell her where you were and, she looked really bad. She fainted too. She hasn't woken up since. She's in the next room. Snape and Madam Pomfrey took care of you both."
"You have no idea how worried we all were about you. Nobody knows what happened." Hermione's watched beeped suddenly. "Oh Ron ! We have to go. Five minutes until curfew. We have to go Harry."
They both got up.
"We'll come back tomorrow mate. Very glad you're awake." Ron said as they left the room.
Harry was left alone for a while. He wanted to see Osborn, making sure she was okay. He tried to get up but his legs were not following. He fell on the floor, unable to get back into bed. I'm so pathetic , Harry thought. The door creaked open and Snape stood there smirking as Harry struggled to get back into bed.
" Trying to sneak out Potter. I'm afraid your body is too weak to do that for now." And he grabbed Harry by the arm and helped him get back on the bed.
"Now stay still for a minute" Snape said as he pointed his wand on Harry. A parchment suddenly appeared out of nowhere and Snape read it carefully, mumbling to himself.
"It appears that you have once again faced death and beat it Potter. Don't worry, you'll die one day, I hope so anyway" Snape added smirking.
"How's Osborn ?" Harry asked forcefully. Snape's gaze darkened and his face was serious once again.
"She is not doing as well as you I'm afraid. She is still in a coma. Is that why you tried to get out of bed Potter ?" Snape suddenly asked, his usual sneer back in his voice. Harry nodded, feeling slightly ashamed of himself. Snape sighed and conjured a chair out of thin air. He helped Harry onto it and levitated it out of the room. Out of the bedroom was a living room decorated in Slitheryn green. It must be Snape's quarters Harry thought. The chair followed Snape around, and he opened a door at the opposite side of the room Harry had been sleeping into. It was well decorated, the bed was huge and there was a big armchair in a corner. Harry saw Osborn lying there, eyes closed and very pale. She had an orb covering her nose and mouth.
" What's that ?" Harry asked, pointing at the orb.
Snape was standing behind him and spoke in a low voice
"As I told you, she is in worse shape than you. She lost the ability to breath on her own two days ago"
"What's wrong ? Can't you cure her like you cured me ?" Harry asked, his eyes still fixed upon Osborn's pale face.
"I did not cure you. You woke up on your own. We have no idea what's wrong with either of you. We can only wait and see." Snape told Harry.
Harry took Osborn's hand into his, begging her silently to wake up. It made no sense, she couldn't just die. He needed her too much.
The silence in the room was broken by someone entering, Dumbledore, in purple robes came in. He smiled fondly at Harry.
"Harry ! I'm really glad you are finally awake. You had us a little worried." Dumbledore's gaze left Harry to rest on Osborn's body. "Is she any different Severus ?" He asked, sadly.
"No headmaster. Not since she stopped breathing." Snape answered.
Harry rested his chin on his hand still holding Osborn's.
"We have to think about letting her go, Severus. She cannot be kept alive indefinitely."
To Harry's horror, Snape nodded and held out his wand, pointing it to the orb keeping Osborn alive.