A/N:
Here it is readers, my fourth chapter. As I promised, this is a long chapter so I hope the short chapter in the previous one and the late review is worth it.
Please read it all the way till the end then tell me if this is good or confusing.
Enjoy Reading!
Chapter Four
D I S C O V E R Y
And then, all at once, the explosion of the sudden burst of pain came through
and attacked his body and Harry screamed.
He screamed at the top of his lungs.
When a piercing pained filled voice ripped through his mouth,
he reached for his wand and, still struggling,
muttered and raised a silencing spell
around him.
Clutching his wand tightly even when he's weak and in pain,
his body writhed around in uncontrollable spasms at the deserted
Astronomy Tower,
fighting for his consciousness
to stay.
~ oOo ~
Draco Malfoy was wandering around the Hogwarts' corridors, thinking. He wondered what that stunt Harry pulled yesterday evening was. What does he want to achieve? And almost as immediately as that thought entered his mind, he erased it in his concerns. Who cares what Potter did? Draco thought. What made him curious was Potter's reason. Potter said he didn't want to start a fight right there because he's already sore. What kind of sore is he talking about? And pain? What pain?
He got out of the Slytherin common room as his house-mates wanted to know the "what's" and "why's" about what happened yesterday evening. He had enough of the probing and it's irritating him when they wouldn't even listen to him ordering to stop. His magic cracked around the air because of fury and one student who'd been irritatingly too close to him, Pansy Parkinson, got caught up in his outburst of magic. She was pushed out and had hit her body towards the wall, and they immediately rushed her to the Hospital Wing as there is blood in the back of her head.
He wasn't worried about detentions and point deductions coz he didn't utter a single spell after all. He didn't even know his magic had erupted in the air until it was too late, and he already warned them not to irritate him coz his magic is currently unstable but they did it anyway, even with the warning they received again from Draco's best mate, Blaise Zabini.
He wanted to be alone so he asked Blaise to keep any Slytherins' from finding him and the latter immediately complied.
What the heck is the problem with not fighting with Potter? It's almost like the students at Hogwarts expected them to always fight whenever they got the chance to be alone or to even meet at the corridors when they themselves complains about the two of them being so utterly childish to be so passionate about fighting each other. They were not the only one surprise by the lack of aggressive fighting contact! He did too!
He admit that they must have looked pretty childish and unusually passionate when their hexing each other or scratching or doing a hand-to-hand fight but he just always brush it off to the excuse of rivalry but now he wondered if that was really that.
As he wondered towards the Astronomy Tower, wanting to have some peaceful moment there as the Tower rarely have visitors, he can't help but think how he felt after his encounters with Potter. He always felt relieved, happy, contented and incredibly alive, and at the same time, he longed to do it again, like his life depended on the contact he would have with the Gryffindor. As he reached that conclusion, he paused at the middle of the stairs towards the tower. The discovery only brought further questions inside him and he wondered on some of them. He was surprised he didn't feel disgusted or horrified at the revelations—
He stopped dead on his tracks when he heard a piercing scream coming from the tower just above him. He waited for a few seconds to listen to it again but nothing came. Feeling something dreadful inside him, he ran and rushed towards the tower. When he came, he saw a lone figure crumpled on the floor, writhing as if he is in pain. Draco took a tentative step forward to know the condition of the man and to recognize the figure.
Then, he saw some striking features of the guy. The unruly black hair now glistening with sweat, outline of round eyeglasses caught some of his sight and Draco paused again. He could and would be able to recognize that features really well, even from a distance.
That was Harry Potter.
Potter collapsed on the floor laying his back against the cold floor of the tower, his mouth open and panting, like he is screaming with the top of his lungs, but no sound came, wand clutched by his hands and pressed on the boy's chest. It was then he realized Potter must have put a silencing spell around him to muffle his own voice. He appeared to not have noticed Draco standing a few feet away from him.
Without a second thought, Draco immediately walked towards the man on the floor and as he got closer and close, he was horrified at the sight can finally see.
There were many bruises at his face, almost to the point where you can't even recognise him as Harry Potter, except if you look at the scar on his forehead which, if you look, you're eyes wouldn't even bother to look, too distracted at the bruises a person's eyes would see. Potter's startling green eyes were full of pain, Draco saw before the other closed them. When Draco tried to softly grab Potter's arm to help him up and rush him to the Hospital Wing, he saw at the corner of his eyes Potter screaming, mouth and eyes wide open and his hands weakly clenched itself curling into a fist.
Startled, he almost drops Potter's head on the floor. He slowly put the pained boy on the floor with comfortable position. He took a deep breath and slowly, very carefully looked at the other's body to assess the damage. He was shocked and horrified at the extent of it. He almost wanted to vomit when he saw a particularly large burn on the other's leg.
Deciding that he shouldn't touch Potter carelessly because of the damage the other got, he rose to his feet and levitated him. Potter turned his eyes on him looking horrified, finally noticing someone was there with him. Draco knows how to read lips as his mother wanted him to know how because it might work for him in future politics, what with people mumbling under their breaths. He saw Potter's lips asking him to not bring him to the Hospital Wing, and to leave him alone as he would heal soon.
"Bloody hell, Potter! Did you see your body? It's almost like a body of … never mind. I'm taking you to the Hospital Wing. You'll need proper treatment." Draco said and he really doubt if Potter could hear him with the silencing charm Potter put around himself but apparently, Potter could also read lips because he answered.
"No! I can heal!" Potter said, at least that's what Draco had read but Draco shook his head and stubbornly said no. when he reached the door he paused because he felt Potter's magic reach out to him. He looked at the levitated boy.
"I don't want to be seen" Potter's lips said. Draco nodded and cast a disillusionment charm and walked off out of the tower. He knew the professors could see him in his disillusionment as he was still a student but he didn't care. At least the students wouldn't be able to. And Potter is his top priority for now.
He rushed out of the tower and towards the Hospital Wing. As Draco walked, he passed some students but he ignored them. He knew they wouldn't see him, and they didn't. When he was already going to turn to another corridor just a few steps away from the infirmary, he encountered their professor in Transfiguration. Professor McGonagall stopped and looked at him and the levitated boy.
"What is this, Draco Malfoy?" Professor McGonagall asked sternly.
"Exactly as it looks professor. I am taking Potter to the Hospital Wing." Draco said and rushed towards the Hospital Wing. Professor followed while trying to see Harry Potter to know why Draco needed to levitate him instead of brining him, but she didn't saw him because Potter put a privacy screen around himself – to his amazement because they haven't learned yet how to put up privacy screens.
He immediately opened the door and put Potter on the bed carefully, McGonagall noted. Now, she is really curious.
"What is this? Who is this?" Madam Pomfrey asked coming out of her office when he heard someone opening the door almost like they banged it with a rush. She saw Draco Malfoy carefully putting a levitated body on the bed and she shut her mouth, following the Headmistress' actions and just observed what the Slytherin is doing. After Malfoy was done, he immediately spoke.
"That's Potter. He didn't want to go here so I brought him. You need to tend to him carefully, he's really in a bad shape that I needed to levitate him to not cause any further damage, and for the record," Draco said, seeing as the two wanted to ask if he was the cause of it. "I am not the cause of it."
Hearing Malfoy, Professor McGonagall and Madam Pomfrey rushed to the screened boy's side. They tried to break the screen but it wouldn't budge.
"Harry, do you hear me? We need to tend to your injuries." Madam Pomfrey said softly, as if talking to a reluctant child. Draco saw this and he shook his head, "He put up a silencing spell around himself so he wouldn't hear you"
"What?" Professor McGonagall asked sharply. They tried to tear off the screen but it was futile. Draco chose to help. He asked the two adults to let him handle Potter's reluctance. Madam Pomfrey and Professor McGonagall looked at him warily. Draco couldn't blame them. He and Potter are the very essence of the rivalry between Gryffindor and Slytherin after all.
He shrugged their stare at him – because he really didn't care about that – and started at what he needed to do to convince Potter to take the privacy screen and silencing charm off.
He remembered how Potter got his attention at the tower before they got out. Potter reached him using his magic so he applied that theory, only he will use his aura and magic infused with some of his consciousness to talk some sense to the idiotic green-eyed Gryffindor.
Because his magic is unstable at the moment, his natural magic erupted in the air almost immediately when he summoned them out of his body. The aura around him changed in a comforting and soothing way that all occupants in the room relaxed when they felt it. Draco didn't notice nor minded the look he received from the two adults and focused his attention at the boy inside the privacy screen.
He doubled his efforts into releasing some of his natural magic again and the two adults inside the room gaped at the tendrils of silver dust sprinkling around the blonde. Although thin, they can still see sprinkles of sparkling silver dust circling around Malfoy and slowly made its way towards the screen.
Draco focused and when his magic and aura entered the screen along with some of his consciousness, he paused. He saw Potter with his mouth tightly shut, as if preventing a scream to escape; his brilliantly green eyes looked at the silver dust curiously and warily. Draco reached out – well, his magic anyway as he is not physically inside – and circled around the lying boy's head while at the same time, made sure that some of the sparkling dust remained in front so as to have a clear view of Harry's face and he spoke in his thoughts, knowing that he will be transmuting what he thought using his magic.
"It's better if you take off the screen Potter. Also the silencing spell. If you won't, you'll only stay here longer. Do you want to stay with Madam Pomfrey?" he asked and he immediately saw Potter's eyes widen at that. No doubt about it, Harry James Potter hated the Hospital Wing and the nagging of the nurse witch. In spite of himself, he smiled fondly. He didn't need Harry to answer him verbally as his eyes alone gave him the answer.
And he wondered why he hadn't noticed how expressive those green eyes were all those years.
He pushed that thought at the back of his mind at the moment, deciding to ponder at all his pile rising questions later when he's free and focused back on Harry. His eyes widen when he realized he had called Potter by his first name inwardly. No, it's Potter.
"Then do it already. They need to see the extent of your … injuries." Malfoy said. He waited for Har – I said no. its Potter. He waited for Potter's response. When he nodded, he nod back in approval and got out of the screen.
When all of his senses returned in him, Draco sat down at the seat behind him. He needed it coz his world was spinning. The use of his magic like that made him slightly exhausted and his mind not functioning properly, a side-effect of what he did perhaps. Madam Pomfrey came towards him and he shook his head slightly, saying he didn't need attention. Basically, he hated earning some attention from the nurse as she's an absolute nagger and worrier. Madam Pomfrey's eyes narrowed and was about to talk to him when they heard Professor McGonagall gasped.
The nurse immediately rushed towards the bed where the Transfiguration Professor and Harry are and also gasped. Draco already expected this reaction from them. If he, The-Boy-Who-Lived ' s enemy was shocked at what he saw at the tower, what would be the reaction of the professors and Harry's friends? Again, he shook his head when he realized he called Harry by his first name. 'Oh well, never mind.' Draco thought to himself. 'I'll just call him by his first name, at least in my mind.'
He stood up and walked towards the bed, looking at the expressions of the two adults inside.
Professor McGonagall's face looked shocked, not entirely believing that a student had been injured. That word doesn't even come close to it. There is just not a perfect and proper term to call the extent of Harry's injuries. It's … everywhere!
Madam Pomfrey was equally in shock. If not for the remarkably unruly black hair, that startling green eyes, the trademark round glasses and the lightning bolt scar, she wouldn't have recognize that this particular student is Harry Potter.
Harry, after taking down the spells surrounding him passed out almost immediately. He didn't even look around or even took a small glance and had right away passed out. Draco became impatient and said in an unmistakable irritated voice, "Aren't you going to treat him? We are in a hospital wing after all."
After hearing the Slytherin, they snapped out of their shock. Madam Pomfrey took an initial scanning and frowned. After a while, she took a full scan around Harry, her face and expressions changed frequently. A look of utter shock, pained eyes, and horror struck crossed as she finished. Draco and Minerva saw this and had creased their foreheads in curiosity and realization. They looked at her as if asking 'what happened?' after the school nurse finished.
"Later. I need to heal him first. You can stay Minerva but you need to go Mr. Malfoy. You need not concern yourself with this." Madam Pomfrey said.
"I found him Madam Pomfrey. I brought him here so I really will concern myself with him." Draco said, crossing both of his arms on his chest. A look of pure impatience and determination mixed on his facial expression. It really is unusual for the blonde to let others see his emotion other than sneering and mockery that Professor McGonagall relented and put a hand on the school nurse' shoulder to stop the oncoming argument.
"Poppy, its okay. Let me talk to him. You need to attend to Mr. Potter now as he needs medical attention."
"Oh! Alright. Talk to him Minerva." The school nurse said before rushing towards her office, probably to take something she needed but obviously, neither the professor nor Draco cared as they were staring at each other.
Professor McGonagall motioned the blonde to follow her as they entered the school nurse's office after she got out and had taken what she need to take inside, having allowed them to stay there and talk while she rushed to the occupied bed. Draco made it plain that he will stay by striding towards the seat in front of the nurse's desk and sat, crossing his arms protectively on his chest and gave a look that plainly says, 'You can't make me leave'
"Professor, I will not leave until I know what happened to Potter." Draco said in a clear voice after he settled. 'I'm not leaving.'
. . . . .
Professor Minerva McGonagall, the Transfiguration teacher and Deputy Headmistress of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry is feeling an ominous headache coming her way. What with Harry Potter's condition and Draco Malfoy's reluctance to leave the Hospital Wing, she sure as hell knew that a headache is a light term for the events coming.
Now that really sound ominous especially when she is cursing in her head already.
She still didn't know what happened to Harry, how he got it and how much is the extent of his … injuries. Minerva sighed, finally feeling her age coming towards her. Harry's injuries weren't just injuries that the boy usually got during his stay here in Hogwarts. The damage on his body weren't innocent at all. Not that the boy's previous injuries were innocent to begin with, but she is sure that kind of bruising is from a beating. And a nasty one at that.
How did he hide it? He was still good and normal at the Welcoming Feast last night.
And now, here is the heir of the Malfoy family, Draco Malfoy. Not that the blonde's staying would inconvenience them as they were sure the blonde wouldn't do anything stupid with a patient inside. The problem is, that said patient is the mortal enemy of the Malfoy heir.
The perfect resemblance of the Gryffindor and Slytherin house.
The exact replica of the feud between the two very different families.
Because the Potter's and Malfoy's never, as in never get along.
And being a teacher for many years, she had seen the rivalry between them and this two are, so far, the worst in the generations of Potter and Malfoy's feud. They not only throw fights mentally and emotionally, they were even more vicious physically, even putting such a passion in their every encounter that they always forgot others around them, involving innocents in their fights and was always sent to the infirmary. Giving them detentions and deducting house points from them didn't even prevent them from their passionate fights, unfortunately.
So, it's perfectly natural for any Professors in this school to separate the two as much as possible and that was the intention she and the school nurse' are doing right now but apparently, Malfoy won't allow it.
Minerva looked at Draco Malfoy sternly as she said, "You need to leave Mr. Malfoy. I know you found and brought him here and were thankful. Without you, who knows what would have happened to him," 'Yeah, who knows.' Minerva thought absently before speaking again with the same voice she had earlier. "But we can handle it already from here. We'll tell you about his condition later"
"No." Draco said stubbornly.
"Malfoy—"
"Professor, I will not leave. I want to be here until I know his condition." Draco said, even tightening his now close arms on his chest while he said that and Minerva groaned inwardly.
'This indeed makes me certain an ominous headache is coming my way' Minerva grudgingly told herself.
. . . . .
Draco, while still crossing his arms protectively and looking stubbornly at the Deputy Headmistress, was inwardly debating to himself why he felt the need to stay. Why he even wanted to learn the condition of the Gryffindor's Golden Boy. And he even went so far as to reject his Professor's proposition that he leave and will just be notified about Harry's condition and that just made him confuse about himself.
Because really, he has never, ever concern himself and felt concern for the brunet.
But after some pondering, he finally came to the shocking conclusion that he did, in fact concern himself and felt concern for him. And annoyingly, as he looked back at his actions years earlier, itis everytime, especially whenever and after they fight. Shit! Why hadn't he realized it sooner?
But of course, he knew better than to let his Professor see the conflict inside him. So he remained stubborn.
After what it felt like hours of silence, as his mind didn't actually focused his attention on his Professor caz he's still locked up on his mind furiously searching the times when he felt his concern for the man he hated the most – well, except for the shuffling and rushing sound the school nurse is doing behind the office door - Professor McGonagall finally spoke.
"Why?"
"Excuse me Professor?" Draco asked, confused as to what his Professor is asking. His mind is just slowly returning back into the present – thanks to that mind puzzling discovery - and it still didn't process quite well what his Professor is asking. He heard her sigh.
"I asked you why? Why do you want to know, even going so far as to stay?" she elaborated and now, Draco finally understood what she was asking him. As he himself was asking that question, he racked his mind to answer her without betraying that he didn't even know the answer himself.
And he didn't exactly wonder why she asked. That would be the exact same thing others would have asked him. Staying in the same place as Potter would have been the last thing a Malfoy would want and that is a common knowledge for everyone at Hogwarts.
But now, that common knowledge everyone knows would change, Draco thinks. Because now, he don't call the brunet Potter anymore but Harry – at least in his head – and Draco suspected that what he will learn about The-Boy-Who-Lived will change his resentment towards the brunet.
"If you don't mind me answering frankly Professor, I would say that it's none of your mind's business." Draco simply said, not caring the least if he's being disrespectful to the teacher who is going to give him marks for one of his subjects as he was too concerned about his own thoughts to care.
"I do mind Mr. Malfoy" Professor McGonagall all but drawled, giving him a stern and warning look that clearly says to respect her.
"Then I'll put it on polite words while still being frank Professor," Draco started, looking directly at his teacher with a look that undoubtedly will put the Deputy Headmistress into what he wanted her to think, that she should not butt in to his business. "Please accept my answer that I do not want to answer your question." 'because its personal' Draco added in inside his head.
"Then I will not press you some answers as there is a possibility you will receive my detention and at the same time lose points for your house and it wasn't even classes time yet." She said and Draco sighed. She finally understood the look he gave her.
They look at each other some more minutes before Professor McGonagall sighed and jerked her head towards the door. Draco, getting the message stood up immediately and followed the Gryffindor's Head of House out of the office. As they walk towards Harry's bed, they saw the school nurse busily nursing the brunet to health. They offered help but was rejected nicely as the nurse said she's almost done. They took a seat 5 step away from the bed and waited.
After a minute of waiting, the school nurse finally strode towards them and also sat opposite the seat they took a while ago.
"Well?"
"It's terrible. I don't even know how he got by another day with that kind of abuse." Madam Pomfrey said in a tired and pained voice and Professor McGonagall and Draco's ears perked up at the statement and the intonation of the nurse's voice.
"What do you mean?" Professor McGonagall asked. Even though she understood what the nurse witch said, that Harry's condition is not good as she already figured it out, she still wants clarification and when she glanced towards the blonde's direction, she saw that Draco also wanted to know.
"As I said Minerva, terrible. I'm even wondering how he was able to use his magic. Using magic at his condition should not be possible. It will only aggravate his already worst condition."
"That bad?" Minerva asked incredulously. Draco was frowning as he didn't know how using magic should not be possible. They saw Madam Pomfrey nod.
"Um, if you don't mind me asking Professor, but why?" Draco asked quietly and for the first time, Madam Pomfrey looked at him with understanding in her eyes, she didn't even comment or bothered asking why he was still in there.
"Mr. Malfoy, I'm not surprised you don't know as only a handful of people knew about this, or rather, only a handful of people bother to ever know why." Madam Pomfrey said to him. When she saw that Draco Malfoy is willing to know why and expressed his interest to listen, she opened her mouth to start but was interrupted by Minerva McGonagall.
"Wait Poppy, we should call Professor Dumbledore here with us. He needs to know."
"No." Minerva heard with clearly two voices and it was from Draco Malfoy and Poppy Pomfrey. She looked at them and Draco and Poppy looked at each other then back at her. She raised one eyebrow, silently asking why to the school nurse. She already know why Malfoy said no as the Malfoy's didn't trust Dumbledore but Poppy?
"We should not tell the Headmaster, Minerva. Let's talk about this ourselves first and decide if we should tell him" she answered and Minerva looked at her oddly.
"We should not tell? Talk to ourselves first? Then Draco Malfoy should leave—"
"As I said Professor, I'm not leaving. And even if you manage to somehow kick me out of here, I have my ways to know what you are talking about even if there are wards and silencing charms around you when you talk. So, it's still useless." Draco said politely, even when inside he was seething because his Professor wanted and insisted for him to leave. He wanted to know Harry's condition badly and he didn't even know why.
"How would you do that?" Professor McGonagall asked incredulously and Draco smirked smugly before replying in his slightly arrogant tone. "I am a Malfoy"
. . . . .
Minerva shook her head at the blonde's simple yet rich statement.
Indeed, he is a Malfoy and he has many resources. Although she didn't know what and how he would be able to pull it and was tempted to know by really kicking him out, she don't fancy wanting to see a destruction or something like that. Her mind is already giving her a headache by procuring a very vivid image of a certain blonde outside the Hospital Wing casting some spells enabling him to hear everything inside and after that was over, the building would then collapse.
Though that's unorthodox and rather disturbing in a normal working mind – and she's not even normal – she still found herself believing the blonde is a Malfoy and a Malfoy would do anything to achieve what they wanted. Even if she knew that Malfoy's are discreet, she wouldn't take her chances so instead, she ignored the answer the Slytherin gave her and turned her attention towards the school nurse, acutely aware of the grin Draco Malfoy is wearing.
"Alright Poppy, we'll talk to ourselves first but you must tell me why we shouldn't tell Dumbledore yet."
. . . . .
Poppy Pomfrey, School Nurse of the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry is having a hard day today.
She thought she wouldn't do any work or much work today as it is still a Saturday morning and there is still one day left for school to start but now, she don't know.
She never had a student in the Hospital Wing staying almost frequently like a mantra from year one to year six like Harry James Potter (except for when the Weasley twins were still studying and that time with the Marauders) and school term isn't even beginning yet!
First that time when You-Know-Who was at the back of Quirell's head and Harry had fought. Second the basilisk in the boy's second year, then the run-in with the dementors and falling nearly a hundred and fifty feet in his third year, the Triwizard Tournament where he was picked as the fourth champion by the goblet of fire and also witnessing the death of his fellow student wizard and the return of the dark lord. Lastly, that break-in in the Department of Mysteries (that's the only thing she knew) and now this?
It's a miracle he's still alive!
"Alright Minerva, but I'll tell you along the way while I'm explaining some things to Draco" she said and when she looked at the blonde, looking if he is disturbed with her calling him by his first name but she saw him smile warmly and she returned it. Poppy didn't know why but she surely feels comfortable around the Slytherin now than before.
Maybe it is because of the lack of the usual sneer and the genuine concern the blonde had for Harry.
"Well Draco, using magic with that degree of abuse shouldn't be possible because it will disturb our magical flow."
"Magical flow?"
"Yes. Our magical flow is connected with every fibre and every cell in our entire body and that flow, along with our nerves is connected with our magical core. What do you think will happen if our magical core is disturbed?"
"It depends on how much our magical core is disturbed ma'am" Draco said after pondering on the question thrown at him.
"Let's say … greatly disturbed. Like our magical flow is … clogged or had gone awry. Remember that magical flow is connected with our cells and nerves and fibres and all of it is connected to our magical core, what do you think?"
Draco's mind wondered off to answer the witch's question. Then, his mind clouded and a sudden realization started to spread on his face and he looked at the nurse' witch in horror. The gravity of Harry's condition is now slowly sinking onto his brain.
"Y-you mean …"
"Yes Draco. If what you're thinking is the same as mine then it's a yes. Tell me, what are you thinking?"
"That Harry will lose the ability to use magic and he will become a squib. That the abuse he has taken disturbed his magical core greatly that it will be … destroyed?" Draco said the last word uncertainly, not sure if he had answered correctly. If he's theory is correct, then that should have been what happened. He looked at the nurse' witch intently and he saw her nod. He wasn't sure what in his theory is correct so he listened.
"You're right Draco, he will lose his ability to use magic, but that's not all. That's not the worst thing that could have happened—"
"What do you mean Poppy? I thought that was it?" Minerva asked sharply and Poppy sighed. 'Now I have to explain it to two people.'
"No Minerva, that's not all. Base on the series of tests I did to Harry's body, I can say that that's not what we should be afraid of. Harry is powerful so his magical flow is also powerful. Because of that, the sudden loss of his magical flow will leave his body in total need. The natural flow non-magical being possess will only deteriorate his body. Slowly, he will feel his life slipping out of his body. Pain is a usual occurrence in him."
"Why? It's only a natural flow—"
"That's exactly it Minerva. It's only a natural flow."
"What do you mean by that's exactly it? So you're saying that I'm correct in my assumption that the natural flow won't be able to deteriorate Harry's body? I mean, come on Poppy, you said it yourself, Harry is powerful. The natural flow won't be enough to deteriorate a human being's body, let alone him." Minerva said and Draco nodded. It's true. It's absurd to even think that natural flow is the cause of Harry's deterioration, if that were to happen.
"Yes, I know. Harry is powerful, no denying that. But that will be the cause of his deterioration." Poppy said but seeing that her listeners were looking at her quite lost, she elaborated.
"Harry's core is powerful so it releases powerful magical flow to travel in his body. Now, if his magical flow is lost, then it's the same as losing his life. His body is so used to magical flow that the instant the natural flow replaces his magical flow, his body will sip it to provide the usual amount of energy the magical flow was providing his body.
The sipping his body is doing will leave him lacking of necessary flows a body of a living being should be having and deterioration will begin. The natural flow isn't like our magical flow that it has something that gives it off like the magical core. The natural flow is just a flow that recycles itself to provide usual necessities. But Harry's body isn't like the usual body of normal humans."
"But-But how could his body sip his natural flow? A body of a human being who isn't magically gifted or whose magical core is destroyed wouldn't be able to do that!" Minerva said. Poppy took a glance to the Slytherin blonde and she saw him listening intently. No doubt having the same question as the woman in front of her.
"Yes Minerva, I know. But did I say that Harry's magical core will be destroyed?" she said patiently and he saw the two of her listeners looking at her in shock.
"You mean to say … his magical core…"
"Yes. That degree of abuse isn't enough for Harry's magical core to be destroyed. It is very much intact. One needs to greatly do him some harm to be able to do it. And one need to be a powerful wizard or witch considering how magically gifted Harry is." She said and her two listeners fell into uncomfortable silence. Finally, Draco spoke.
"Then, what will happen if his core is indeed destroyed? I mean, Har-Potter is powerful, if not then how could he defeat and how will he defeat the Dark Lord? With everything I am hearing right now, I can't even imagine what would have happened if his magical core is indeed destroyed." Draco said and two heads and two pairs of eyes looked at him strangely and it made him uncomfortable. He was about to put up a defensive stance when Professor McGonagall turned her head to look at the school nurse, eyes looking at the other woman questioningly and Madam Pomfrey answered.
"That's the ironic thing Draco. If his magical core were indeed destroyed, he won't feel anything. When he wakes, all his knowledge about magic is destroyed to be replaced by the knowledge a muggle child his age should have been possessing if he weren't a wizard. Perhaps he'd gain even more knowledge than usual because of his magical core. All the people he knew who possess magic will be erased from his mind.
He won't be able to remember every single one of them, except for the people who are emotionally too close to him. His magical core is like a sentient being. It will make sure that Harry can live a normal life in the muggle society without it. If I am the one who will choose which of the two inevitable situations he should experience if that were to happen, I'd rather choose for his magical core to be destroyed."
"But-but ma'am, isn't our magical core connected to every fibre and every cell in our entire body? If our core is destroyed, then our body should be suffering also!" Draco said, confusion evident on his voice. Even Minerva is looking at her for answer.
"Draco, I told you earlier. Harry's core is different, entirely different from us. It's sentient. It's thinking. It will make sure that its holder won't be harmed should it be destroyed. That means when it's destroyed, the connections it has with its holder's body will be gone. The body of the holder won't feel any harm done except for what his core wanted him to experience."
"And … he'll be left without any ability to use magic?" McGonagall asked and she nodded. She watched as the two people in front of her looked at her in shock and horror.
She can't blame them, really. She can understand what is running through their minds. A wizard or a witch who becomes incapable of using magic or people who are squib really will feel that their life isn't worth living for anymore if their magic is lost. Magic is their life so without it, for them, life is meaningless.
But it's different for Harry.
He will have no recollection of anything, nothing at all. From the first time he received his Hogwarts letter till this day. His magical core will make sure he forgot everything that includes magic to avoid its holder to feel unnecessary pain, physically or mentally. It will make sure that before it is destroyed, his knowledge about everything involving magic will be replaced by everything involving knowledge muggle has, even going so far as to have higher knowledge than children his age to assure that its holder will be able to live a normal life.
And she told them exactly that.
"That's true. He won't remember anything so at least that will make his life good." Minerva said.
"Umm, that won't really happen won't it? I mean, were only talking about this to know how serious Potter's condition is, right?" Draco said and there's something in his voice that had the nurse witch's attention focus onto him entirely but his face only has genuine concern.
"Yes child. Do not worry. We are talking about it just to let you know what Harry's life would have been like if the disturbance really did happened." Madam Pomfrey said and Draco let out the breath he didn't know he was holding. After a few minutes, Professor McGonagall cleared her throat and looked at Madam Pomfrey. Then, the school nurse spoke.
"I'm sorry for being rude Draco but I need to discuss some things with the Deputy Headmistress if that is okay with you?" She said and Draco nodded stiffly. He knew instantly what they wanted him to do when the nurse witch called Professor McGonagall by her official title. Leave. They wanted to discuss something that he should not be hearing so he stood up and walked towards the door.
When he opened the door, someone called out his name and he turned around to give his full attention to the witch who called him back.
"Don't tell the Headmaster about what happened and what you know, all right Draco?" Madam Pomfrey asked and he nodded. 'As if I'd ever tell that old coot. I don't even like him'
"Yes madam. But I'll tell his friends about what happened. Is that alright?" he asked and he received a nod. He turned around again. He took a deep breath before walking outside the Hospital Wing. He walk out of the door immediately as he wanted to talk to Harry's friends. He wanted to know if they knew about Harry's abuse, but then he stopped after taking five steps away from the door.
He was insanely curious as to what they wanted to talk about that he wanted to know badly. Something inside him is saying that he should listen and he knew instantly that that was his instinct talking to him and he obliged. He had long trusted his instincts and it always is right. After feeling that a silencing spell was cast around the room, he muttered his own spell that he created and perfected. A mist shot out of his wand and made its ways to the openings the door.
It was a spell he'd been creating for four years now. With careful adjusting and calculating, and with rigorous research, he finally created a spell that will allow him to hear a conversation in a room where he casted it even with silencing spells cast in the room. What's good is that he can hear the conversation wherever he is. The only restriction is that he should stay in the property of where he casted the spell. He hastily walked away after casting the spell as he heard footsteps just a few feet away from him.
He was walking at the corridors of Hogwarts slowly, not really paying attention to any people he encountered as he concentrated on eavesdropping at the conversation held inside the Hospital Wing.
"… is absurd!"
"No it isn't. Think Minerva. Think. Stop thinking about what you wanted to believe and look and listen carefully to the facts in front of you."
"What do you mean? I am looking at the facts. Stop trying to make him look bad in my eyes Poppy." Draco heard Professor McGonagall's voice harden and he instantly became curious as to now who this 'him' they were talking about.
"I am not trying to Minerva! Will you listen to me first?" Draco heard Madam Pomfrey snap and he winced at the sharpness of the tone.
"Fine."
"I can see you're unwilling to open your mind. Well then, let's start from the basic. Who took Harry to his muggle relatives? It's Dumbledore isn't it?"
'So the 'him' they were talking about is that old coot.' Draco thought.
"Yes, but he gave him to them because they are needed for the protection ward he would set up for Harry!"
"Tell me Minerva, what kind of protective ward did the Headmaster put? Did he really casted a spell?"
"Of course! I was there!"
"Then what is it? You should have recognize it if you knew that he really did cast a protective ward right?"
Silence.
"Well?"
"It's the Blood Ward."
"What kind of Blood Ward, Minerva?" Draco heard Madam Pomfrey's voice said softly.
"There are other kinds of Blood Ward?"
"Yes."
Draco gasped. He didn't know, didn't have any idea that there are different kinds of Blood Ward. He listened intently as he wanted to now what other kinds of Blood Ward there is aside from the one they all knew. He didn't even care when someone would leave some nasty remarks when he's walking in the corridors.
"What is it? And why wasn't I informed about this?"
"Probably because no one wanted you to know and also, only a handful of wizards and witches knew about this. Blood wards are ancient protection Minerva. Now, there are three kinds of Blood Ward. The first one is the one we all know and the most common one as it's the simplest of all. It's the kind of Blood Ward where the two relatives have the same blood running through their veins and magic will recognize them as one. With just a flick of magic, a protective ward is cast—"
"That's it! That's the kind of Blood Ward he casted! I'm sure of it."
"No Minerva, that is not."
"How could you know that? You weren't there!"
"No, I am not but I know that's not it. There is still a protection ward in their house right?"
"Yes."
"Then that's not it. Wait Minerva, listen to me first." Draco heard the nurse' voice rose before it settled into a normal one. "There is a condition to that spell."
"What? A condition?"
"Yes. What we didn't know is that, that ward is only effective if there is unconditional love and trust between the two relatives. The degree of trust the two has for each other sets up the ward protecting them from evil and people who have harmful intentions and seeing the condition Mr. Potter is in, I'd say there is no love and trust in that family so the ward should have been set down or broken.
"Now, the second one is when two people whose bloods are not related. Two different people who are not related can set up a protection wards using both of their blood. But this isn't the one Dumbledore did as this needs a ritual.
"So, I'm thinking this very ancient and dangerous last one is the Blood Ward he casted. Very ancient because this is the first Blood Ward created hundreds of centuries ago. And dangerous in a sense because this is like having a sacrificial lamb."
"What?"
'What?' Draco thought at the same time as Professor McGonagall's shocked voice resounded in his ear.
"Yes, a sacrificial lamb. This didn't need any rituals at all. All one needs is a sacrifice, a magical being of course, to take a huge amount of blood, forcefully. Then, with a flick of magic, the blood turns into a mist and surrounds the area with it and a protection ward is cast. If the area is big, then the amount of blood needed should be much also to cover all the area."
"So you mean to say if it's a big area, then even if the sacrifice died the blood should be taken nonetheless?"
"Yes."
Silence.
But Draco's heart is beating wildly in his chest and that's all he heard. He didn't heard the footsteps around him, the voices or chatters around him. He was completely in his own world, walking at the Hogwarts' corridor slowly, as if lost.
"So does that mean that, from the very beginning, Harry's life is already in danger from Dumbledore?"
"That's what I was thinking. Were lucky the property is not that huge or infant Harry would have died. And also, I think his magical core and the ancient protection Lily casted on Harry prevented him from dying from blood loss."
"Ok Poppy, you got my attention, and I'm certainly believing you right now. But I want to know. How did you know about the different kinds of Blood Wards? You don't live in ancient times, and I don't think ancient purebloods would ever tell you about it so how'd you come across that kind of information?"
Silence.
"Well? Tell me Poppy. I need to know if you want me to believe all of what you said."
"Okay, I'll tell you about it but you must not tell a soul about what we're talking about here. What we discussed must remain within us and if I wanted everyone to know, I will decide."
"Alright. Trust me, I won't tell anyone."
"From the Ravenclaw Founder, Rowena Ravenclaw."
"What?"
'What?' again, that thought crossed the same time as his Professors voice resounded.
"What do you mean from the founder? The founders are not here! Not in this time! Or did you—"
"No, I did not go back through time. I found Ravenclaw's portrait accidentally at the Room of Requirement when I was agitated to know about Blood Wards."
"Where is it? Is the portrait still on the Room of Requirement?"
"No. The Headmaster destroyed it."
"What?"
Now, Draco is too tired to even think of having the same question as his Professor and he didn't exactly see a humour at the same questions he and Professor were saying. He only saw the gravity of the information's he had gathered and will still gather.
"Dumbledore destroyed it. I saw him do it inside the Room of Requirement the same day as I discovered the portrait."
Silence.
"Tell me. What made you do an investigation? If you had come across this, then that means you had investigated. What made you do it?"
"It was Harry. I was curious about him the first day I saw him. He was too small and too skinny for children his age and I was concerned coz I didn't have a student who always visits in here every year to heal an injury. I have been monitoring him and whenever he do come, I always make a fuss, maybe that's why he hated hospitals very much.
"Remember the time when he was picked as the fourth Triwizard Champion? It was after the final task, after the ordeal he had with Barty Crouch Jr., and the rebirth of You-Know-Who, I gave him a dreamless potion. He was so distressed he didn't give a huge fight on drinking the potion when he hated it.
"It was there I ran a test to him thoroughly, from inside and out. I have the excuse that I need to do it to know the extent of his injuries from the task, although that was partially true so I didn't lie. Did you know what I discovered?"
Silence.
Draco waited with bated breath to know what the witch had discovered that made her want to do a full investigation.
"He's already in bad condition during his fourth year Minerva. No, scratch that. It's already worse. If I didn't heal him that time, his life would be in danger now. His bones were almost decayed. It's only because of his core that his bones is still fully capable of moving. His magic is what's making his body still in contact. I had to give him an elven healing potion for him to get better."
"An elven potion? You possess an elven potion Poppy?"
"Yes Minerva, I do."
"And you felt the need to give Harry an elven health potion?"
"Yes. Our own health potion isn't enough for his bones to heal. I only have 6 drops of it and that's all it took for his physical injury, inside and out, to heal. The potion even attempted to heal him mentally and emotionally but it still wasn't enough. Until now, he's not in his topmost health."
Draco's eyes widened in utter shock and enraged disbelief. The school nurse possesses an elven potion? That's unbelievable! Elven potion is a sought after potion in the whole magical community, especially the elven health potion. 3 drops and all physical injury, inside and out, no matter how big it is, is enough for the injury to heal! And the nurse is saying 6 drops is what it took for harry's injury to heal?
He didn't know that he'd stopped walking, or that many students were looking at him oddly. He didn't concentrate on his surroundings at all and instead his mind was running inside his head. His heart is beating wildly now and he had to close his eyes and breathe deeply to calm his nerves. He didn't know why he felt angry in behalf of his mortal enemy.
He didn't wish to know more so he walked again, slowly. Looking at his surroundings to distract his mind but unfortunately, his spell is still in effect as the spell only stops when the people inside the room has the intention of leaving. And he didn't want to leave the castle for some reason he didn't know.
"How is Dumbledore related to all this? Or is he not related at all?"
"Unfortunately Minerva, he is related. When I investigated, I visited Harry's uncle in his office and did a legilimens on him – yes, I know how – I didn't find anything in his mind that would betray Dumbledore's presence and I was desperate to know why my instincts tell me that Dumbledore is not to be trusted so I visited their house, casting a disillusionment charm on myself.
"When I arrived, I immediately felt something. I felt traces of Dumbledore's magical signature inside the house but it's not natural. It's like the traces were forcefully erased, like the owner is trying to erase his presence inside the house like he didn't want anyone to trace his magic. But I felt it.
"It's too heavy. That only means one thing, he's been coming there almost frequently. That means, he must have seen Harry's relatives beating him up but he didn't do anything. If ever he did, he would tell the order, right? But he didn't tell us. I suspect he didn't want any of us to know. I'm glad I had suspected Harry's case, if not, I don't know what would have happened."
"So, Dumbledore knew all of this? All of what happened?"
"That's what I think."
Draco again had stopped walking. He was now standing at the center of the corridor and the students walking who saw him stops and looks. Some even called him. But he didn't care, he didn't give a damn what those people will think of him. He was now shaking from anger and he had to close his fist until his knuckles were white from his grip. He didn't even attempt to move. One move might set him off to that old bastards' office and tear him off to shreads.
But that wasn't what he was afraid off.
He was afraid of his angers' intensity. He had never felt like this in his entire life.
"You need to go now Minerva. The Headmaster might suspect that something happened if you were gone."
"But he'll know Poppy. I think Harry will still be sleeping when the class starts!"
"let me worry about that. He should not know that you already knew what happened to Harry. Can you protect your mind from foreign probing?"
"Yes. I asked Severus to teach me occlumency last year to protect my mind. Although it never crossed my mind that I'll be protecting it from Dumbledore." Draco heard his Professor said and then, two voices chuckled wryly at the dry humour.
When a presence neared the door, his spell broke and his connections to the Hospital Wing is now gone. Finally, he lifted his gaze to look around him and saw that many students from different year has surrounded him. He sneered at all of them and walked gracefully, the crowd dispersed at once and he decided to go to the library where the muggle-born friend of Harry is.
Draco will find out everything there is to know about the Gryffindor Golden Boy, and the start is to his friends.
He just hope the first person he approaches is civil enough to tolerate him.
A/N:
Well? How was it? was that confusing? Did the information I put in here too much? If you ever have questions, please feel free to question me or PM me and I'd gladly answer.
And readers, please do me a favor and leave some reviews. Thanks!