Chapter 31 At the Edge of the Forest
At breakfast the following morning, Harry once again couldn't seem to stop sneezing. Hermione sighed after a while, setting her fork down on the table and rubbing Harry's back once the most recent fit ended. Lavender and Ron were staring at him wide-eyed. "Your face is bright red," Lavender told Harry with sympathy. "You should go to the nurse."
"She's right, Harry." Hermione added. "You haven't stopped sneezing since you woke up this morning."
Harry sniffed. "It feels good to be able to take a deep breath." He told them and they chuckled. Jessica and Erin arrived at the Great Hall, both looking exhausted. They had been up late the night before serving their detentions and were not pleased about it. Harry sneezed again just as the two girls took their seats, and Erin cocked her head.
"You all right, Harry?" She asked with concern.
"I'm fine." He choked.
Ron had an idea. "Say-we should go and visit Hagrid after classes end today just to see what he's been up to. Have you ever been inside of his cabin, Lavender?"
Lavender shook her head. She'd met the half-giant plenty of times, obviously, but she'd never set foot inside of the lopsided hut at the edge of the forbidden forest and the idea pleased her.
"Can we come too?" Jess asked. "We've only met Hagrid once."
"I suppose," Ron laughed. "When classes end we'll meet at the portrait hole and head out from there."
Breakfast was finished hastily and Hermione, after much encouraging, managed to urge Harry to the hospital wing for an allergy check-up. Madame Pomfrey checked his breathing and his pulse, and then checked the pollen chart. "Yes, Mr. Potter, you are in for a rather rough afternoon. I can give you your allergy shot but it won't really go into effect for another hour."
"That's all right." Harry insisted. "I just need SOMETHING to keep me going."
The nurse smiled as she took out the needle and the rubbing alcohol. Harry hated this part, but he had gotten over it after fainting the first time. Ron and Lavender had never let him live that one down, that was for certain. Even though they teased him mercilessly, they still would hug him and pat him on the back assuring him they were just joking around.
"So where is Hermione?" Madame Pomfrey, watching as Harry squeezed his eyes shut and held his breath while she stuck the needle into his arm.
"In class. She had to ask her arithmancy teacher a quick question and didn't want to interrupt him during the lesson with it. Thanks." He added, once Madame Pomfrey put the materials away.
"So I hear you tried out for the play, eh?" The nurse smiled. "That is wonderful, Harry. I hope you get a decent role." She wrote him a note to excuse him for being late to his first class (Herbology) and he headed off to the Greenhouse. Madame Sprout had them growing athelas plants (poison reducers), and the smell was a bit much for Harry at that particular time. He had to turn his head whenever he had to sneeze, because the plants were so tiny that he'd blow them away. His partner, Seamus, shook his head everytime he exploded.
"I'm tired of saying bless you every five minutes." Seamus laughed. "How about I just say it once and use it for all of them?"
"Whatever you want." Harry replied, wiping his slightly watery eyes with his hand. Professor Sprout, who had been keeping tabs on how many times Harry had sneezed, walked over to them.
"Good. Bless you, then."
Harry smiled weakly.
"Mr. Potter-are you sure you're all right? Do you need to go to the nurse? Don't want you catching a chill now." The teachers were informed of the incident that summer, so were advised to keep an
Harry shook his head. "No, Professor. I was already there-it's just my allergies. Madame Pomfrey gave me an allergy shot and it isn't supposed to go into effect for at least another half hour."
The herbology teacher shook her head. "I see. Well, if you're not feeling well, you can go back up to your dormitory and rest. I'll still give you full marks for being here, but excuse you for medical reasons."
Harry looked at Seamus who was trimming part of the plant with a pair of small clippers. He looked up when he felt Harry's eyes on him and frowned. "It's okay with me, Harry. I can finish this up no problem."
"Go on, Mr. Potter." Professor Sprout let him out of class, much to the annoyance of Malfoy, who was working with his love-interest, Pansy Parkinson a few tables away. Harry gathered up his things and said goodbye to Seamus before heading back to the Gryffindor Tower. He sneezed just before he reached the portrait hole, waking the pink lady, who did not appear pleased.
"Password." She said in a huffy voice.
"Florishescu." Harry said as clearly as he could and the portrait swung open, revealing an empty common room. Harry decided it wasn't safe to go up to bed, because he didn't want to miss his next class, so he sat down in his usual armchair and set his napsack on the floor beside the chair, pulling out his assignment for his Potion's Class. He had already finished it, but he wanted to make sure there weren't any flaws so Snape couldn't come up with an excuse to give him a poor grade. He soon found it too difficult to concentrate as he was constantly blowing his nose and sniffling, and by the time he actually felt decent enough to work on it, it was time for his next class.
He met up with Hermione in the corridor, and she was stunned to hear that Professor Sprout had given him leave because of his allergies. "Well, I couldn't stop sneezing and she thought it was better if I went back to the tower and rested a bit. I do feel a lot better now since the medicine's kicking in."
Hermione nodded in agreement. "You still sound pretty clogged up, though."
"Oh well-I'll live." He planted a kiss on their cheek just before they entered the dungeon. Snape sat at his desk deep in concentration, and Harry could certainly assume that the man was preparing the cast list. He noticed that every so often, Snape would cross something out and write something else in its place. When class began, he put the parchment aside and went to stand in front of the room to begin his usual lecture before they began their labs. He still had no idea that he had been doused with Neville's potion, and that was fine with the Gryffindors. They certainly didn't want poor Neville to get into trouble, because that seemed to be all that happened to the boy.
Hermione was given the privelage to sit with Ron that day, but Harry had to sit with Malfoy, who took the liberty of tormenting him throughout the lesson. "So just because you happen to be one of the only wizards with muggle illnesses means that you're better than everybody else?" He asked haughtily. "I'll bet," He continued, "That it's just all a big act."
Harry ignored Malfoy as he worked on his potion. Hermione whispered to Ron from across the room, "I'd slug Malfoy in the nose if we weren't in class."
Ron sniggered. "YOU'D slug Malfoy?"
"I've smacked him before. Don't you remember?" She asked.
"Oh-right."
Classes went by in a blur for Harry for the rest of the afternoon. He, despite how tired he felt, was still perfectly willing to head down to Hagrid's with Hermione, Ron, Lavender, Jess and Erin. The half-giant was thrilled to have so much company at one time, and he greeted them with a big smile.
"Glad ter see yeh!" He said, clasping Ron on the back. "Come in, come in. I'll make yeh all a nice cup o' tea."
Harry suddenly felt the inside of his nose itch. Hermione seemed to sense that he was going to sneeze, because she immediately stomped on his toe. "OW!" He cried in alarm, glaring at her. "What was that for?"
"To keep you from sneezing," She whispered.
"Oh. Thanks." He kissed her and then settled back into the huge couch.
"So-what can I do for yeh?" He sat down at the large table and smiled at Erin and Jessica, who were gazing around in awe. They were still tiny for their ages, so their feet barely touched the ground.
"Not much, Hagrid. Just wanted to see what you've been up to lately." Answered Ron. "Have you met Jessica or Erin yet? They're new Gryffindor first years."
Hagrid shook both of the younger girls' hands. "Nice ter meet the two o' yeh. Don' mind the mess-been bakin' cookies all mornin'."
Harry sniggered. "Cookies? What for?" He asked.
"Just because I feel like bakin'." He winked at Hermione who giggled, her arm still around Harry. "Try one and see what yeh think." He handed her a particularily large-seemingly chocolate chip cookie and looked at Harry, who shrugged. She bit into it and chewed thoughtfully.
"It's really good, Hagrid!" She exclaimed, breaking off a piece and handing it to Harry. Hagrid was often famous for his rock cakes, which could break a person's teeth. Hagrid was very pleased with her response, so he handed each of them a cookie.
"How have yeh been feelin', Harry?" Hagrid asked.
An enormous sneeze was Hagrid's reply, and Harry accepted a large, pink handkerchief. "Bless you," Everyone told him at once.
"Thanks. I'm sorry, Hagrid." He apologized, blowing his nose.
"Not a problem. Sounds like yeh have a bit of a cold there."
"No-just allergies." He sniffed and looked at the handkerchief he held in his hand, contemplating on whether to hand it back to Hagrid or not.
"Eh? Aller what?" Hagrid asked, taking a sip of tea and then pouring cups for the others.
"Allergies," Hermione explained. "A muggle disease. Certain things make him sneeze." She kissed Harry's cheek.
"I see, I see. Yeh can keep that, Harry." Hagrid pointed to the hanky, noticing the boy's contemplative expression.
"Oh-thanks." He sniffed again.
"Well for a chap yer size you have quite a sneeze." Hagrid chortled, patting Harry on the shoulder.
"He sure does." Laughed Hermione.
"Say Hagrid," Lavender began, "What are you growing this year? I saw you had your big pink umbrella out there again."
Hagrid nodded. "Yeah-I'm growin' corn."
"Corn?" asked Ron.
"Well I did pumpkins already, so I figured I'd try somethin' else."
"Soon you'll need flesh eating crow repellent," Jess joked and everyone laughed.
"Well-haven' had much trouble yet with the pests, but that doesn' mean I won't." Hagrid admitted, grimacing as Harry blew his nose again.
"Have you dusted around here lately?" Hermione asked with a raised eyebrow. "Harry's really allergic to dust and he seems to be sneezing and sniffling quite a bit in here. Not to be mean or anything, but..."
"No offense taken." Hagrid insisted. "Actually, yer right-I haven' cleaned properly in ages."
Harry gave Hagrid a half-smile. "It's not your fault, Hagrid. It's my stupid nose."
Jess laughed. "Poor Harry." She comforted.
"Well never mind. It's getting late anyway-we really should be getting back up to the school," said Hermione, helping Harry stand up. "We just wanted to see how you were doing."
"Well it was nice seein' all of yeh as usual." Hagrid replied with a grin. "I always love havin' visitors so don't ever hesitate to come by and see me. That goes for you two as well." He pointed at Erin and Jess who were smiling also.
"Thanks Hagrid. We'll certainly stop by again. Thank you for the tea and cookies." Said Erin, curtsying a bit, before following the rest of her friends out onto the grounds. It was just starting to get dark, so the group had to hurry inside before any of the Professors realized they had left.
"Hagrid is brilliant!" Jess told Lavender as she walked beside her cousin.
"He is wonderful." Hermione agreed.
"It wouldn't be Hogwarts without him," added Harry, and that in deed, was the truth.