I'm slow as always, but here we are!!!
Chapter 27: Potions and Power
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After speaking with Snape and being interviewed about the Dractnoxes behavior, Harry had gathered two things: One, he was in it deep, and Two, Voldemort was very desperate and over-eager, especially to be messing with Harry's mind without his usual stealth. He'd had a general idea before that something was amiss, but after the series of questions he'd answered, the future looked rather grim.
"Have you had any other violent visions? Other than those which you've told me?" Snape asked very seriously.
"No, not lately."
"Any other magical-misfires, Potter?" he asked almost rhetorically in relation to Harry's finger-sparks.
"No."
"And those creatures you see, what of them? Have you conversed with them recently?" he asked bitterly.
"I...I didn't need to so I haven't," he replied. Well, it wasn't a lie. He was just a little scared to use them is all.
"And why is that?"
"Uh- because I didn't need to?" he repeated. Duh. Only Snape would ask that twice.
"Don't play dumb with me, Potter, as natural it may come to you," Snape told him icily, stopping his pacing and staring Harry dead-on. "Any boy with that kind of knowledge in their possession would use it in any way possible to their advantage and so I ask you again, why haven't you used them?"
Harry was silent a moment and decided that the bloody git wouldn't accept any evasive answers he gave. What was the point in being evasive now, anyway? His life, and that of his mates, were on the line. "I don't want another repeat of the hospital wing incident. Especially when they're acting so weird."
"Weird? How 'weird'?" he asked, cocking an eyebrow pensively.
"They either zip-about faster than racing brooms or don't move at all for days at a time, and they keep giving me weird looks, so why bother with them?"
Snape made an aggravated noise and wondered how in the world the idiot boy in front of him had ever become even close to destroying the Dark Lord. "You, Potter, might have just proven that there's an even bigger idiot boy in this world than Longbottom. Why haven't you reported this sooner?!" Harry shrugged. He didn't know, and he wasn't going to try any half-guesses. "For all that we know, He's in there and has some sort of power over you, also admitting Him control over those bloody creatures as you have!! Did this never occur to you, boy?!"
"Well, I did think it odd..."
Snape growled and went to his desk. "This is a larger problem than we anticipated...those bloody things..."
It all made sense now, why Lestrange was lurking around Hogwarts, the mind-attack on the Slytherins, Harry's violent visions...Voldemort was in Potter's head and was exerting some kind of control on the boy, and he undoubtedly had some sort of power over the Dractnox creatures through their shared bond, no doubt about it. He was looking specifically at Hogwarts for the other piece of the Omnivieve Glass; not in the protected Gringotts' vaults, not in highly secured caves guarded by known wizard-killing beasts in the unreachable mountains, nor in any other high-security place that one would hide such a weapon. He was looking -here- and He knew it was here. He just didn't know where it was being kept. That he had yet to find out.
"Drink this, Potter, and soak your hands in this once more," Snape instructed as he poured more of the permeable liquid into the hand-basin and gave Harry a violet-colored vial.
"Excuse me, sir, but what does this do?" he asked, holding the vial questionably. He wasn't about to happily imbibe whatever Snape gave him in the mood he was in. Most students would rather eat a blast-ended skrewt pie.
"The contents of that vial will protect you should He attempt another mind-invasion. And letting your hands soak up all of that shielding potion will hopefully force Him out as opposed to creating a block." Snape mixed up a few things and quickly wrote an urgent letter to Dumbledore. This couldn't wait for the man's return. "You'll have to have one of those vials every twelve hours when the effects start to diminish, and you're to stay in your common room until further notice."
Harry quickly downed the nasty stuff and put the vial on Snape's desk, swearing he'd cut out his own tongue before tasting that interesting flavor again. He put his hands into the wonderfully-calming liquid after wiping his tongue with the inside of his robes. "What about eating in the Great Hall? And my classes?" he asked, still tasting the nasty treat.
"A house-elf will bring you your daily meals. As for your classes, you're to remain in the safety of your dormitory until the Headmaster returns," he said affirmatively, expecting his commands to be duly noted and followed for the boy's own safety. "And don't look so smug, Potter. You'll still be doing the work and assignments for all of your classes daily, starting with that paper on the properties of mooncalf saliva due in two days."
Harry shrugged. He knew it'd been too good to be true. But at least he didn't have to be bored in his classes...Now he could concentrate on all the fun ways he was most likely to die this term...
"Is there anything else I can do to get rid of Him?"
"Have our training sessions taught you nothing, Potter?!" He was agitated, aggravated, and above all, very anxious. How was this boy supposed to keep himself safe and alive if he didn't even utilize the skills he had?!
"Oh...right...the occlumency and stuff..."
Snape inwardly sighed and put forefinger to the bridge of his nose in irritation. For the first time, Harry noticed, he looked really tired. Just a tired and life-weary man standing before him in one of the rare moments when Snape actually seemed human.
"Potter, ask the Dractnox where the Dark Lord resides..."
"Wha-...Alright." Harry conceded as he looked at the globby, floating forms in the room and focused on one that came to attention. Where is Voldemort hiding?
Snape watched for a moment, studying Harry and confirming his suspicions as a minute spark jumped from Harry's fingertip. The contamination was there, and fighting it would be hard.
"Well?"
"They won't tell me," Harry informed, thoroughly upset by this in some way deep down. Snape just watched him silently as he tried to think up an explanation. "They just keep looking at me...I-I feel weird..."
"Ask them the main usage for jellied-spines, Potter."
He paused a moment and looked back to Snape. "For killing Levibison. What are Levibison?"
"Something you would know nothing about..." Snape replied wearily. This was not good in any sense of the word. He could still get general knowledge, but there were specific blocks put on him. No, not good at all. "How do you feel?"
"Fine."
"You've been blocked, Potter. He already has that much control over those creatures through your mind, and won't have you meddling with Him," he said, thoroughly troubled. Why hadn't the Death Eaters been called forth to learn this? What plans were being made that he wasn't aware of?
"Why didn't you have me ask them before? I mean, I've thought about finding his hiding place, but never actually dared--"
"The mental link and bond you share would have alerted Him of our tracing and we didn't want anything getting back through that connection, let alone your new...abilities...but He's already exerting his power and influence over you. Be wary, Potter. There's more here at stack than just your life."
"Sir...?" Harry was worried. Far more worried than he'd ever been. So Voldemort knew that he controlled Dractnoxes...Did that mean He could personally question them, or did He have to use Harry? Did He know that Ron and Hermione were in the loop? And what about Draco? How many people were in danger here?! His head was swimming with questions.
"Take this, Potter," Snape commanded as he handed Harry another vial, this time pink. He answered Harry's query before he asked. "An advanced dreamless-sleep potion. You'll sleep like the dead, and no manner of thought can be leeched from you this night."
"Thank you," Harry said, grateful for this small consolation to keep Voldemort from his thoughts for at least one night. He downed the potion and left the bottle on the desk, grateful it didn't taste like bubotuber pus.
"Back to your commons and do not leave there until a teacher fetches you. Understand, Potter?" he said with icy command, daring Harry to even think about sneaking about tonight.
"Yes, sir.
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"When can you leave?"
"Madam Pomfrey says I can go tomorrow. Too bloody long if you ask me..." Draco replied to Harry's question. A quick detour to the hospital wing on the way to Gryffindor Tower found Harry visiting with Draco, who was in a splendid mood for a visit, even if he tried to hide it.
"Are you feeling alright?"
Draco snorted. "As if anything that bloody Weasley can do could hurt me."
Harry smirked. "Ron didn't mean it..."
"What's going on out there in the real world?" Draco asked in a most bored tone that didn't fool Harry for a minute.
"Big things are happening, and none are good." He lowered his voice to a barely audible whisper. "Voldemort knows that the silver of the Omnivieve Glass is here."
"But--! But how? He wouldn't come here, would He?!" Draco began to sweat, frightened that the Dark Lord knew he'd betrayed Him.
"He knows because I touched it and because of this, of course," Harry said, motioning to his scar. "Snape's worried, and so I am."
"Well of course he bloody is!! But He wouldn't come here what with Dumbledore, would he?!"
"Dumbledore isn't here, but Snape sent him an owl..."
"Well that's bloody helpful..."
Harry thought for a moment, determination setting in. "Okay, what do we know so far? How could we destroy that last piece? Mess up his plans a bit..."
"Ha, it can't be destroyed. Not on our end of the deal, and not on His. The silver part is indestructible and that bloody crystal repels any magic you use on it ."
"Are you sur-"
"I used it for target practice before I knew what it was..."
"Oh." Harry yawned and noticed a single envelope on Draco's bedstand. "Who's this from?"
"Father."
"What about?"
"The usual complaints, promises to take me away from this bloody institution...You know, his warm regards."
Harry cracked a smile. "Is that an actual joke?"
"Don't look so surprised," he said with a smirk. He sure was enjoying having someone to finally have an actual conversation with. Crabbe and Goyle only achieved so much.
Harry yawned once more and remembered the advanced potions in his system, getting to his feet.
"Where're you going?"
"I'm going to pass out if I don't get to bed." Draco arched an eyebrow at him. "Snape. I've got more potions in me than I should, and I think this one's taking effect."
"Sleeping potions, Potter?"
"To stop my mind from thinking...Ugh...I'm gonna go and catch up on some sleep. I'll see you tomorrow, okay?"
"Sure. Whatever," Draco said nonchalantly as if he couldn't care less. Harry smirked and ran out the hospital wing, successfully evading Madam Pomfrey, and rushed to his common room in the chill breeze that filled the darkened corridors. He knew he had but moments to get to his bed before he full-on passed out, but it seemed the faster he ran, the quicker the potions worked through his system.
He could feel his heart-rate slowing even with the running, his breathing deepen, his vision blur. And he was only precious feet from the portrait hole when a shadow fell over him, a blur of fair hair and whispered words as he felt the spell penetrating his back.
He was unconscious and asleep before his body hit the hard ground.
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Dun-dun-dun!! Well, at least I didn't take more than two months to get this up:D Okais, review and whatnot please:D We're bringin' this baby to a close. I'm thinking about two or three more chaps...I haven't quite figured it out yuet, but the point it It will be done!! :)
And to some of the most lovely readers ever....
corinnetkn24: Sorry for the wait! But here we go!!
S.S.I.: Thanx a bunch, and I honestly have no clue what that 'highly recommend' button does. I guess it's one of their top-secret...um, secrets:) But thanx a bunch! As always, awesome feedback:D
kameeko: Well thanx a lot, and hope this wasn't too long a wait:)
divinething: You've definitely got one thing right: when Dumbledore is gone bad, bad things happen (ooo...what will happen next?) :) Heh heh...yeah, I update slow, but it's the holidays until February for me so hopefully I'll get this sucker done by then:D
Lady FoxFire: Blast-ended skrewts are meaner;) I think a snake is too humane a way to deal with her:D
Kallan Myers: Thanx a load!
FlyingPixie: YEah, there's so much bloody jokes around my house with those 'sparking fingers'. Especially after the third movie came out...we just won't get into it;) Yeah, me and my multiple fics...and college...and housework...and bills...and job-finding...bugger it all! I better get my ass moving!!