HARRY POTTER AND THE SECRET ENEMY
Harry Potter and all associated characters and situations are the property of J.K. Rowling. I make no claim to ownership.
CHAPTER 2: Healers and Hospitals
8 July 1992
Harry's eyes fluttered open painfully, and he took in his new surroundings in confusion. He was lying in a comfortable single bed in a sparsely decorated but rather homey room. Early morning sunlit filtered in through the window blinds and was reflected in the multicolored crystals of a mobile that was hanging over his head. Almost immediately, Harry sneezed due to the spicy aroma of dozens of multicolored candles situated around the room. Then, he bit back a hiss of pain as a burning ache rocketed through his entire body from the sudden movement. Instantly, as if in response to his pain, the crystal mobile started to jangle discordantly.
Barely a minute later, the door opened, and a middle-aged man with thinning blonde hair and a friendly face entered the room. He wore a flowing white robe with a blue caduceus symbol that reminded Harry of the robes Madame Pomfrey sometimes wore in the school infirmary. The robe was open in the front, however, and looked more like a doctor's lab coat, and Harry was surprised to see that the healer also wore a pair of Muggle trousers, a button-down shirt, a bowtie ... and fuzzy brown house slippers designed to look like small animals of some kind. "Good morning, Mr. Potter. So good to see you're back with us. Tonks is the name. Ted Tonks. I gather my daughter's been giving you defense lessons."
"Only one ..." the boy coughed painfully. His whole body was sore, and his throat was so raw he could barely speak above a whisper. "Only one session so far. Unfortunately ... we didn't cover cheap shots and doxy swarms on the first day. How did I get ... wherever here is?"
"Here is the Tonks Clinic. My wife Andromeda and I operate a clinic out of our home in Hogsmeade for the benefit of locals who don't want to go all the way to St. Mungo's for minor ailments. Normally, Andie handles pediatric patients, but she's currently in France teaching a seminar on medical healing at Beauxbatons so you're stuck with me. Anyway, your solicitor Miss Jones had you brought in over the weekend because ... well, I gather it was because there might be some sort of complications if you went to St. Mungo's."
As the healer spoke, he calmly removed several burnt out candles and replaced them with new ones that sparkled in the sunlight coming in through the window, as if glitter had been mixed in with the candle wax. Then, he pulled some wire "half-moon" spectacles from a pocket and donned them while examining the arrangement of crystals in the mobile. Dissatisfied for some inscrutable reason pertaining to "chakras," he rearranged several crystals so that their reflected light would strike Harry in some more auspicious manner.
"What sort of complications?" asked Harry as he tried to figure out the purpose behind the healer's seemingly random actions.
"Well," he said, "severe doxy poisoning is the sort of thing you can go to St. Mungo's for without anyone batting an eye, Mr. Potter. But accompanied by a black eye, a fractured jaw and a concussion? That's the sort of thing that gets people talking, especially for someone in your circumstances."
At that, Harry remembered that had happened – that Vernon Dursley had struck him hard enough to nearly knock him out and then thrown him out to be devoured by the doxy swarm. "Yeah," he thought. "Nearly getting murdered by your guardian who is also your estranged parents' brother-in-law might definitely get people talking."
Harry shifted his position, grimacing in pain as he did. "What day is it?"
"Tuesday the 8th at quarter to nine in the a.m. You've been in a healing coma since around eight o'clock on Saturday night. The process by which doxy venom is neutralized is extremely painful, so I thought it best you sleep through as much of the experience as possible. You woke up a wee bit ahead of schedule," Ted suddenly glanced down at his feet and then looked back up sheepishly, "hence the badger slippers."
Harry laughed and then winced from the pain. "So that was what they were supposed to be," he thought to himself. "Badger slippers. What else would a Hufflepuff wear around the house. I wonder if they come in a snake theme."
"What can you tell me about what happened last Saturday night, Healer Tonks?" he asked aloud.
"Call me Ted, Mr. Potter. I'm Muggleborn, you see, and never really went in for Pureblood etiquette." There was a chime that rang somewhere nearby. "Ah, do hold that thought, Mr. Potter. I believe company's arrived that can answer all your questions better than I." Ted stepped out of the room for just a moment and then returned with Hestia Jones and, to Harry's surprise, Professor Snape. The latter was carrying several vials which Ted took and held up to the light to examine. The healer returned to Harry's bedside and handed one of the vials to the boy. "That will soothe your throat a bit and make speaking easier," he said. While Harry drank the potion, Ted waved his wand over the boy in a complicated pattern.
"Hmm. Alright, Mr. Potter..."
"Harry," he said less painfully. "I was Muggle-raised too, so if we're going to be on a first name basis, might as well be mutual."
Ted smiled. "Alright, Harry. I know you have questions, so I'm giving you five minutes to ask what you want from Miss Jones and Professor Snape. Then, you'll be drinking the rest of these potions the good Professor has prepared, and they'll put you back to sleep for the rest of the day and all night until the last of the venom is been neutralized. You'll be right as rain in the morning."
"Thank you, Ted." He looked over at the other two. Hestia looked horrified at his condition, while Snape wore his usual emotionless mask.
"I knew we should have gotten you a personal emergency portkey," she spat. "And by tomorrow we will have one for you even if I have to wring Violetta Edgecombe's neck to get it!"
"It's okay, Hestia," he said softly while trying not to move too much. "I'm alive. That's what matters. Although I would like to know how I got here. I thought I was done for. The last thing I remember is ..." His voice trailed off. The last thing he remembered was Vernon's smile.
Snape stepped forward. "I believe it would be best if you were to go first and tell us what you remember, Potter. Then, Miss Jones can fill in the gaps."
Harry nodded and told what he remembered from Saturday night. His strange encounter with Dobby. The swarm of doxies. How Vernon had sucker-punched him and thrown him out to die. Then, he looked concerned for a moment.
"Also, I remember using Alohomora to get inside the house. Am I going to be in trouble for underage magic?"
"Actually," said Hestia, "that little misdemeanor probably saved your life. It registered with the Office of Underage Magic, and they sent a First Offense owl notice to the Dursleys. As your registered solicitor, I got a courtesy copy and immediately knew something bad must have happened with those Muggles, so I apparated straight there. You were already unconscious, but I was able to shoo most of the doxies away from you and set up a protective shield. Then, just a minute or so later, the aurors showed up. Apparently, the doxies killed the Ministry owl that was carrying your Underage Magic warning."
"I saw that," said Harry with a sick expression. "They ripped the poor thing apart. It was awful."
"I've no doubt," she continued. "But the important thing for us is that the Ministry pays attention to its official owls, and when one of them gets killed while delivering an official legal notice, aurors automatically get dispatched to the scene. Two of them showed up and were able to eradicate the doxies. Then, I had one of them transport you here while the other auror and I went in to talk to the Dursleys. You'll be happy to know that all of your personal possessions are now at our offices. Well, except for this one." With a smile, she reached into her handbag and produced Harry's wand. The boy smiled in relief.
"Thanks. I was afraid Vernon might have snapped it."
"It had rolled under the couch. When it wasn't on your person or among your things, I used the Summoning Charm. Also, to answer your earlier question, you are allowed to use underage magic for self-defense. The auror report made it clear that you were defending yourself against an unusually large doxy swarm, and I've already filed the paperwork to expunge that First Warning from your file."
Harry sighed. "So ... what happens next? Somebody wants to kill me, and the Dursleys are happy to help them."
Snape stepped forward. "What happens next, Potter, is that you will rest and allow Healer Tonks to complete his work. We shall return tomorrow morning to discuss your future living arrangements."
Minutes later, Harry was sleeping peacefully, and the three adults stepped out of the room.
"I noticed you didn't mention his uncle's status, Severus," said Hestia.
"Neither did you," he replied while staring off into space thoughtfully.
"Neither one of you mentioned it to me either," said Ted. "What about the bastard? Please tell me he's rotting in a Ministry holding cell."
"Not just yet, unfortunately," said Hestia. "While he was being interviewed by the auror, Vernon Dursley suffered a massive heart attack. He's presently in intensive care in a Muggle hospital."
"A heart attack, you say?" said Ted mildly. "How convenient."
The witch stiffened. "I was there, Ted. Neither the auror nor I did anything untoward ... no matter how much he deserved it. Anyway, that cut the interview short, but we have enough to be sure that Harry Potter is no longer safe at the Dursley residence. Although in their defense, Harry seemed to be fine there this summer until this doxy swarm business. Apparently, an actual attack on their home by magical creatures pushed Vernon over the edge." Her face hardened almost into cruelty. "Not that the Wizengamot will accept that as an excuse when we file charges." She turned to Snape. "I thought the house was supposed to be warded against magical creatures."
"It is," he replied coolly. "You'll notice that none of them got inside to attack the Dursleys. Unfortunately, the wards don't extend to cover the entire grounds, and in any case, they were never intended to protect Potter from outright treachery by his own kin." He thought for a moment. "And come to think of it, I doubt they can block out house elves. There are very few wards that can do so other than those placed on government facilities. The elf who assaulted Potter was named Dobby. Is there any sort of registry of house elf names?" he asked the solicitor.
"None that I'm aware of," said Hestia, "although the number of private families old enough and rich enough to have multiple house elves is fairly small... and overwhelmingly Pureblood."
"Hmm. And while I've been in the homes of many Purebloods who might conceivably bear Harry ill will, I am embarrassed to say that I've never paid attention to the names of any of their servants."
"I know. We're all just trained to ask house elves to carry our bags and fetch the afternoon tea, and then we just forget about them."
"Speak for yourself," muttered Ted. He was, in fact, both fond of and intensely protective of his own house elf. "Anyway, the boy obviously can't stay where he is regardless of what happens to this Dursley beast," said Ted. "Where are you going to send him?"
"Good question," Hestia responded. "There's an injunction that says he's not going to the Potters against his will, but they still have the power to veto a placement they disapprove of, which probably means no Slytherins. Longbottom Manor is a good possibility, but Augusta and the Heir are out of country and can't be reached."
"Why should the Potters have any say in the matter given the fact that their negligence led to the boy's current state?" asked Snape with a hint of edge to his voice.
"Because we have not yet legally demonstrated that they are unfit guardians, and we probably won't be able to until I can complete an interview with Vernon Dursley. I'd like to get a memory recording from him and Petunia about what happened so that we don't have to put Harry on the witness stand and turn this whole thing into a media circus, but I can't get in to see Vernon while he's in hospital."
Snape smiled cruelly. "You can't, perhaps."
Two hours later ...
It had been years since Severus Snape had worn anything but wizarding robes. From an early age, he was eager to abandon his Muggle roots and everything that came with them, and the feeling of robes was part of that effort to escape. But he was still Muggle-raised, and basic Muggle fashion hadn't changed that much since his school days. Nevertheless, Snape's students would have been amazed to see the man who walked into Charring Cross Hospital in the early afternoon wearing a black business suit with his hair scrubbed clean and pulled back into a ponytail. Only the most observant of watchers would have noticed how ill at ease the man felt, let alone attribute it to how uncomfortable he was with the odd sensation of wearing trousers for the first time in fifteen years.
Snape first checked with the front desk to find out that Vernon was still in ICU. Then, he placed a Notice-Me-Not Charm on himself and made his way there. It had been years since he'd last seen her, but it was quite possible that Petunia Dursley would recognize him, and Snape didn't want that ... not yet anyway. Near the ICU, he saw the vile woman and her enormous son sitting in a nearby waiting room quietly. He would deal with them later.
Soon, he found the room he was sought. Room 535 - Vernon Dursley. Inside, the room was quiet except for the beeping and wheezing of various medical devices. Immediately, he cast a mild Muggle-Repelling Charm on the room to keep the staff from intruding. He did not plan to be here long. Briefly, he examined the chart hanging next to the door, but Muggle medical terminology was beyond him. Not that it mattered. He had his own diagnostic techniques as one did not become a Potions Master without some understanding of healing magic. Several quick spells revealed that Vernon was sleeping under a mild sedative. His heartbeat was irregular but otherwise strong. While the doxy attack and the subsequent auror interview were both triggering events, it appeared that his heart attack was simply the result of obesity, lack of exercise and, curiously, the long term effects of extreme anxiety and stress. From a pocket of his coat, Snape produced a Calming Draught which he spelled into the IV drop plugged into the man's arm. Then, he pried the Muggle's mouth open and placed a single drop of Veritaserum on his tongue – not enough to compel the truth, as the man's health would not permit it, but enough to make him loose-lipped. Then, after giving the potions a few minutes to do their work, the wizard cast an Ennervate spell on the Muggle, and his eyes fluttered open.
"Who... who are you? You're not a doctor?" said Vernon weakly. Then, he noticed the wand in Snape's hand. "You're one of them, aren't you? Come to kill me for revenge? Well, get it over with, but leave my wife and son alone. They had nothing to do with it."
"I am not here to kill you, Vernon Dursley, but simply to find out what happened. Although I may consider killing you depending on what I find out." Snape spoke coldly to the man. In truth, he had no immediate plans to kill Vernon, who he thought might presently be more valuable to young Potter alive.
"What is there to ask?" he said in a rasping voice. "The Freak brought those ... creatures right up to the door of our house. I've known for years that one day his ... unnaturalness would endanger all our lives. I didn't want to give him the chance to do something even worse to us."
"The boy did not deliberately endanger you, Dursley. Not that I would have thought less of him if he had." Snape leaned in towards Vernon. "I know about the cupboard, Dursley," he hissed at the man.
"You want me to feel guilty? You're wasting your time. I wanted the Freak as far away from my wife and son as possible. If we'd been zoned for it, I'd have built a shed in the back yard so he could stay out there."
"Why keep him at all if you felt such hatred for him?"
"We knew the Potters would never take him back. Why would they? He was a bad one from the start, always staring at us with those green eyes, waiting for his chance to strike. We tried to stamp the magic out of him before it was too late. But still, every day we could see it in him ... growing."
"See what?"
Vernon stared at him intently, almost feverishly, and the beeping of the heart monitor sped up noticeably. "Evil," he growled in a hateful whisper. Then, the man closed his eyes, and the beeping slowed. "Anyway, I did what I had to do to protect my family. Kill me if you want. I have nothing more to say."
Snape sneered at him as he raised his wand. "Then I will waste no more time asking." Vernon opened his eyes in time to hear Snape snarl the word "LEGILIMENS!" And with that, Severus Snape plunged into Vernon Dursley's mind. The intrusion lasted for several minutes before Snape staggered back in shock. He shook his head violently to clear it and then looked at Vernon Dursley anew now that he'd seen things from the Muggle's disturbed perspective. He raised his wand again and cast a Somnium spell before the other man could say anything. Then, he erased the last few minutes of Vernon Dursley's memories, dispelled the Muggle-Repelling Charm, and left the room.
Seconds later, he entered the family waiting room and cast another Muggle-Repelling Charm to keep anyone else from entering. Petunia stood up angrily at the sight of his wand, while Dudley recoiled from him.
"What is this? Haven't your kind done enough?" Then, she looked at Snape more closely. "YOU!" she spat.
"Yes, me. It's been a long time, Petunia. And before you start squawking at me or yelling 'freak' at the top of your lungs, let me advise against doing either. I am here to find out what's been going on in that hell-house of yours. Do as I say, and I'll be gone inside of five minutes. Resist me and, well, it would be a shame if your husband suffers any sort of ... relapse."
Dudley paled at that while Petunia's face registered fear, then anger, and finally resignation. "What do you want me to do?"
"Sit down and look into my eyes," he commanded. "LEGILIMENS." Snape did not spend as much time in Petunia's memories as he had with Vernon now that he knew which memories were the most salient. He did make a point of reviewing Petunia's memories of interacting with Lily from the days leading up to Harry's birth to the time he was left with the Dursleys, and he was surprised to see that they matched Lily's description. Snape considered using Legilimency on the boy as well, but decided that he'd learned enough already. Also, he'd found studying the memories of both Vernon and Petunia to be ... profoundly unpleasant, and he thought the boy would likely be the same. As with Vernon, he erased the memory of his presence from Petunia and Dudley. Then, he left, albeit with even more troubling questions than the ones that had already been answered.
From the hospital, Snape apparated to Diagon Alley and went straightaway to the offices of Podmore & Associates to inform Artie and Hestia of his findings. Not long after, they contacted Ted Tonks and asked him to Floo to their offices as well. Snape, Ted, Hestia and Artie talked about what Snape had learned from his invasive and slightly illegal assault on the minds of Vernon and Petunia Dursley. Eventually, he poured his observations out into a Pensieve so that they could observe things first hand. After an hour or so, they took a break. Ted went back to the clinic to review some obscure medical books and also write a quick letter for Iris to take to Andromeda.
Meanwhile, Snape quickly made his way through a list of Muggles he'd been putting together for months, as he interviewed doctors, nurses, teachers and various inhabitants of Privet Drive. Then, he went back to Hogwarts to raid the Restricted Section of the Library. Artie went home to his wife, Elizabeth, for a quick dinner, and then told her he'd be working very late that night. His expression was so grim that this time she didn't chide him about the late hours. She knew the look that said "something bad has happened to one of my clients" and simply kissed his cheek and promised to have the family's house elf leave a late-night snack for him. Around eight, the four reconvened to discuss their findings and spent several hours doing so. They also went through an entire bottle of Ogden's Finest, though not because it was a happy occasion.
The next update will be posted on 8/31/15. "Mysteries and Revelations" in which Harry has another encounter with a house elf and then learns some unpleasant truths.
AN: Previously, I'd asked for suggestions on what Theo, Daphne and Tracey looked like. For future reference, the film version of this story that plays in my head has the following cast notes:
1. The part of Theo Nott will be played by Charlie Korsmo (Hook, Dick Tracy) around age twelve and before he grew up to become a Republican lawyer.
2. The part of Tracey Davis will be played by Mercedes McNabb (Addams Family Values) around age twelve and before she grew up to be a vampire. She has a reputation for being giggly and flighty which Harry and Blaise see through almost immediately to the shrewd operator underneath.
3. The part of Hestia Jones will be played by Hayley Atwell in full "Peggy Carter" attire and attitude except that she's a kickass solicitor rather than secret agent.
4. The part of Artemus Podmore will be played by Hugh Bonneville in full "Lord Grantham" attire but with a progressive working class attitude.
5. The part of Ted Tonks will be played by Peter Davison (the Fifth Doctor) around age 40. Older than when he was on Doctor Who, probably around his Campion days, although he probably dresses more like Tristan Farnham. Also, it's somewhat amusing to me that I wrote this chapter over a month ago, but as soon as I realized Ted was Peter Davison, his speaking voice changed in my head and I had to rewrite half his dialogue.
6. The part of Nymphadora Tonks will be played by Georgia Moffatt (because I never cared for the actress in the film).
7. The part of Andromeda Tonks will be played by Michelle Gomez (Missy from Doctor Who). She is younger however, and does not dress like Missy, instead favoring contemporary Muggle fashion and hair styles.
8. The part of Daphne Greengrass is still uncast but will be an "aloof, raven-haired beauty with blue eyes." Possibly a young Liv Tyler. It's difficult because I can't think of any actresses who project the image I ultimately have for Daphne while in their early teens. It's all Disney Princesses and Tomboys at that age, and neither of those fit Daphne. Michelle Tractenberg might also be a good fit if you can imagine a weird amalgam of her Gossip Girls character and Harriet the Spy.