Chapter 12
To the Books

Harry moaned softly when he felt something damp and cool touch his burning forehead. Professor Dumbledore stood in the corner of the hospital wing speaking to Professor's McGonagall and Lupin after he'd arrived with the sick boy. Madame Pomfrey sat beside Harry's bed blotting his face with a damp cloth and carefully administiring the cooling potion (Harry had thrown it up twice and it was beginning to get frustrating). "He is getting worse, Albus. Surely this is not some common Muggle flu that he's come down with."

"His body is not accepting any of our medicines," Professor Lupin added with a very worried expression on his face. "This constant vomiting is going to cause him to become very dehydrated and that could lead to even more damage."

Suddenly there was a flash of light and Ron, Sirius and Hermione appeared in the center of the room, all clutching the old, tattered boot with one hand. Everyone turned and Professor Dumbledore helped them up. "There you three are."

"How is he?" asked Sirius. "How is Harry?"

"He's been vomiting continuously and his fever is rising, Sirius. Professor McGonagall thinks that he is not inflicted with a normal muggle illness."

Hermione gasped and turned to face her boyfriend, who's skin was pale and his lips parched and cracked when he was not receiving medication. Sirius hurried over to stand on the opposite side of his godson's cot and placed his hand on top of Harry's. "I'm here, kid." He whispered.

"Mum--" Harry whimpered, his chin trembling.

Madame Pomfrey brushed a few stray bangs away from Harry's forehead. "We ought to wait this out. I'm sure it's just a bad stomach virus," Sirius suggested. "If he doesn't get well within a few days then we'll have to do a little research in the library."

Hermione's face lit up at the idea. "Of course--there must be SOME type of medical book for magical inflictions!"

Ron sniggered. "Of COURSE you'd get pumped up about doing research," he teased, trying to keep the mood light, but blushed to the tips of his ears when everyone gave him a warning look. "Sorry."

Professor McGonagall folded her arms. Though Harry was usually getting into trouble while he was at school, she still cared deeply about the child. He was, after all, the saviour of the wizarding world. Had he not vanquished Voldemort's powers the night his parents were killed, many of their kind would be dead as well. Hermione chewed on her lower lip in thought. "I wonder," She began in a quiet tone, "whether Harry's illness may have SOMETHING to do with Voldemort's death."

"YOU-KNOW-WHO," Ron hissed.

"Mr. Weasley," Professor Dumbledore spoke up, "Fear of a name increases fear of the thing itself. Do not fear to say Voldemort's real name, especially since he is gone now."

Ron sighed. "I know--it just--it still frightens me. I keep thinking he may not really be dead and maybe I only sent him to another country for the time being."

Hermione smiled but the other's didn't. Professor Dumbledore turned to Sirius, who was stroking Harry's sweat-soaked hair. "Unfortunately, Sirius, Ronald could be correct. Voldemort was a very powerful wizard. We thought he was gone when Harry destroyed his powers fifteen years ago."

"But he wasn't." Professor McGonagall shuddered. "If that is the case, then our dear Harry is in great danger. Miss Granger--since you seem to take such pleasure in it, would you take Mr. Weasley with you to the library and ask Madame Pince if she has any books on magical illnesses? Anything you can find will be helpful. Here is a pass from me--you may go into the restricted section if you must do so to find what you are looking for."

Hermione nodded. "Of course, Professor McGonagall." She turned to Ron who looked ready to vomit himself at the thought of tackling another research project, but one look at Harry changed his mind.

"Let's go." The two of them hurried out of the hospital wing and down the dim corridor. The candles along the walls flickered with the wind they produced. "So you're thinking I really did not kill Voldemort?" Ron asked in a whisper.

"I can't be sure, Ron." Hermione told him. "The idea that you of all people killed him seemed a bit unrealistic. You may have weakened him again, but there are ways he can come back. He has before."

"And Harry is sick like this--"

"The entire wizarding world is at stake." Hermione finished.

They burst into the old library, much to the annoyance of the librarian, who stood and hollered at them for making such a racket and asked them what in the name of heaven they were doing at school during the summer holidays and that Professor Dumbledore would have their heads if she told him. Hermione handed Madame Pince the note from Professor McGonagall, and the librarian immediately did a double-take. "I--I see." She stuttered. "I'm sorry then--go on. I am sure there is something you may find in such a clutter."

"Thank you, Madame Pince." Hermione replied. "I think we ought to try the restricted section first. There is always plenty of material there to search through."

Ron nodded and they made their way to the door that lead to that section of the library. As it was the summertime, the school was so silent that they could practically hear a pin drop. Hermione searched through the alphabetized books on one side, using her index finger and Ron searched the other side. After nearly ten minutes, both of them pulled out large, leatherbound books at the same time and knocked headstrong into each other in a frenzy. "Ron!" Hermione snapped. "What did you find?"

"Potentially Deadly Effects from Curses," Ron whispered, showing Hermioine the front cover. "Written by Mungo Magshot in 1990. How about you?"

"Ailments and Cures by Herman Ashkway in 1904. Both look perfect."

The two of them sat down and opened the books, glancing at the indexes. "Let's see." Ron leaned his chin in his palm. "Ah ha--jackpot. Voldemort, Lord--page 312. I'm sure Harry is in this book." Hermione shoved her book aside and leaned forward to listen to what Ron had found.

Back in the hospital wing, Harry was in the midst of another vomiting session, but it was mostly dry heaves as he had not eaten anything within the past four hours. When he lifted his head away from the wastebasket, Sirius noticed that sweat was pouring down his cheeks and forehead. "Toast water," Madame Pomfrey told him. "That is a muggle remedy for nausea. It is usually helpful when other things won't stay down, and he is not responding to any of our attempts. Are you finished, Harry dear?"

Harry choked on a sob and nodded, and Sirius set the wastebasket on the floor before easing his godson back under the covers. "I hope Hermione and Ron have found something. I will do anything to make Harry well, even if it means sacrificing myself to Voldemort to do so."

Professor Dumbledore placed a weathered hand on Sirius's shoulder. "That is a very noble thing to say, Sirius, and I am sure James Potter would have been very pleased to hear that you cared so much about his son."

"Harry needs his parents now more than ever," Professor McGonagall told the headmaster, her voice quavering. "I would bring them back if I had the power to do so. He needs his mother's comfort. It is such a terrible tragedy that they had to die when he was so young."

"He needs a mother's comfort," Sirius agreed. "Molly Weasley. We ought to contact her."

"She could be of some help I am sure." Professor Lupin agreed with Sirius's idea. "We ought to contact her using the fire. She could aid Harry through his delirium. It will be painful to do--very emotional but--"

Suddenly the door to the hospital wing flew open and Ron and Hermione burst in. "We've found something! We've found something!" They cried.