No Obvious Truths

Chapter 26

Lessons and Flying

Harry was bundled up in warm clothes, his dragon hat placed firmly on his head despite the good weather. It was imperative to keep Harry warm, the slightest illness could deteriorate his immune system further and ultimately kill him. As always his horde of animals followed him, Shenanigans, Smaug, Nagini were all with him, even if one wasn't actually real but rather a stuffed animated toy. Nagini found a nice spot half in the shade and half out, and was napping away, basking in the warmth. Nagini was, as all snakes were, cold blooded, they relied on their environment to keep warm. Every chance they got, they would find a warm spot and just soak up as much warmth as they could. As Tom explained, Nagini couldn't put fat on, she didn't grow fur so she couldn't keep warm. He had also told Harry about their digestive system working better in hotter weather. It had fascinated Harry to no end, too bad he'd fallen asleep and that's all he could remember.

"How are you feeling Harry?" asked Tom, sitting down on the blanket beside Harry, feeling his forehead, which was warm since his hat was over it. Harry leaned into the touch, relishing in the fact the pain always diminished when he did. "Are you in pain?"

"My back is sore," admitted Harry quietly, "I'll be fine though, I don't want to go back in." he added hastily.

Tom's lips twitched, "Very well, but you must tell me if it gets too much alright?" he told Harry seriously, if he overdid it – it would just set him back and that's the last thing he wanted. Especially with Halloween soon approaching, and Harry if he was well enough that night, would be attending the feast. They wanted him to have fun, and not dwell on the fact it was the night he lost his parents. He would understand, nevertheless, if Harry did. Harry's life hadn't been an easy one, much like his and Severus',and it wasn't solely due to his illness but his deplorable relatives.

"I promise," said Harry nodding vigorously.

"Alright then, Herbology it is. Now since we can't use plants to compare we've come up with an alternative. These cards move around and widen to let you see each angle. On the back is the name of the plant and the potions they are primary used in, if they are used,of course, and how much it's worth. Since it's only first year plants it won't be much." said Tom, holding out the cards for Harry. They were similar to exploding snap cards, minus the educational purpose and of course the fact they don't explode. They were also bigger, to allow a clearer picture of the plant so it was easier to memorize. "Why can't I do Herbology?" asked Harry. He reluctantly understood why he couldn't brew potions, but surely it wasn't dangerous just looking at plants? "I mean its just looking at plants isn't it? I did it back at Privet Drive…when I was sick." Admittedly not willingly but he'd still done it.

"Magical plants are very different from Muggle plants Harry, take for example Devils Snare. It is alive; it can tangle itself around your body and choke you. Then there are mandrakes that can screech so loudly that it's fatal. If you are lucky you'll just end up unconscious for a few hours until you learn to defend against them. It would be at the height of stupidity to take you into the greenhouse. As it is you aren't missing anything, the first year at Hogwarts is solely for lectures relating to plants. It's in second year you receive a more hands on approach." replied Tom.

"Oh," said Harry, feeling a little better that he wasn't doing anything different from Draco - for at least one class.

"Alright, now it's not just plants remember, it's also Fungi." said Tom, gesturing Harry to start, keeping a hand on Harry to help him.

Harry stared at the first picture, it looked normal enough; he did wonder what it was. Thin green stems with green small leaves on it. It didn't look like anything awesome, turning it over in curiosity he found out its name and properties. "Dittany, its alternative name is burning bush it's used for wand cores, scar healing and potions. It enables flesh to grow over wounds making it appear weeks old almost immediately. It can also be swallowed to heal shallow wounds. Shredded dittany is an ingredient in the creation of the Wiggenweld Potion."

"What's the Wiggenweld Potion?" asked Harry in curiosity, Severus spoke about potions all the time and it was rubbing off. It may also have something to do with potions helping to make him better, when he would have died in the Muggle world.

"Have you heard of Sleeping Beauty?" enquired Severus.

Speak of the devil and he shall appear.

"I read it in primary school," said Harry, curiosity written across his face. He was so eager to learn about everything, so when he went to Hogwarts he didn't seem stupid. Normally he had Draco to ask all these questions of but he was at school now.

"Most Muggle childrens literature is based on something that happened in real life," explained Severus, "Wiggenweld potion restores someone from an enchanted sleep, such as if they had consumed Draught of the Living Death. As the name says it's exactly that, it puts you in a permanent sleep but it looks like you are dead."

"Sleeping Beauty was a witch?" asked Harry surprised.

"No, it really happened to a witch who was also a princess, no doubt a squib published it, or perhaps a squibs child, who had been told a variation of the story." replied Severus his lips twitching. "She'd been given the draught of the Living Death by a jealous hag named Leticia Somnolens. The prince placed the potion on his lips and then kissed her. Hence the belief that the kiss woke her rather than the potion."

"Wow," said Harry, wide eyed, does that mean all the other children books he'd read were true?

"Of course the potion is extremely difficult, and it requires willingly given unicorn horn." said Severus, imparting more knowledge to Harry.

Looking back down at the card, he noticed that essence of dittany was extremely difficult to acquire. That he had no trouble believing, it looked so small, to get the essence out of the stem probably required a lot of plant. It was also first found in Crete, on a magical mountain, called Dicte. It wasn't going to be hard to write an essay with all this information.

"Perhaps you'd like to read Draco's old books, I'm sure you will find them fascinating." said Severus.

"I'd love to!" said Harry agreeing quickly, he wanted to see how different they were from the ones he'd read as a little boy. He loved to read, and be read to. He had finally finished the Hobbit, the story had been so fascinating, and with Bilbo Baggin's joining Gandalf the Grey on a journey to get treasure. Along the way getting separated from the dwarfs when they encounter goblins. He encounters the strange creatures Gollum, who proposes a game of riddles. If Bilbo wins he gets information if he loses, his life is forfeited. To his amazement Bilbo had gone invisible with the help of his ring! And goes back to the Dwarves. The saddest part was when the dragon was destroyed, poor Smaug - he'd only been doing what he was told to do. Which was to protect the treasure. Another fight ensues but in the end all was well, Bilbo returned to the shire only accepting a small amount of treasure having no want or need for it. For a hobbit though he'd been very wealthy he'd even kept the ring. He'd have to choose between the Lord of the Rings and Draco's books, both sounded so good. Then again he had an entire year stuck by himself before going to Hogwarts, with a bit of luck he could read all of them.

"I'm sure Narcissa can bring them to you," said Tom rejoining the conversation. Just watching them, he could see that Severus was taking on a more parental role, and he did wonder if he realized it or not. He and Lucius were more like harebrained uncles, or so Narcissa insisted. Severus and Narcissa were so alike, it surprised him sometimes how they seemed to always get along. Narcissa wasn't Severus' first love, for most of his life it had been Lily, it was his greatest shame that he hadn't been able to save her, not just for Severus but Harry as well. The guilt lessened every day having Harry with them, and seeing Narcissa and him together. It hadn't surprised him as much as it should have, when Severus had fallen for Narcissa, she was a lot like Lily in many ways. Very protective and possessive of those in her life, and would do anything to protect their children. The only difference he could see between them was Lily had been bubbly and outgoing, while Narcissa wasn't. Unfortunately growing up as a pureblood, it was drummed out of you. Don't show emotion, it's a sign of weakness, well...not entirely pureblood. He had learned that lesson in the orphanage. Severus had as well; unfortunately life hadn't been kind to them.

"Are you hungry Harry?" asked Severus noticing the time, it was lunch and he'd come to bring the potions and see how Harry was. Hopefully he wouldn't be accosted by the staff when he arrived back at Hogwarts later. He appreciated they were all worried, but Quirrell still made him apprehensive of revealing anything, and add Dumbledore to the list as well. He just knew the Headmaster would try something, there was no way he was happy with his hero's placement at the Malfoy's.

"I am," admitted Harry, "Can we have a picnic?" he added hopefully. He'd never had one until he came here, plus he wanted to stay outside a little longer.

"Of course," said Severus in agreement, understanding why Harry wanted to remain outside longer. It would have driven him insane the length of time Harry had been confined to a bed. Although it was probably better than the alternative at the Dursley's, who made a sick child cook and clean for the family. It still inwardly horrified him how blatantly family could hate one of their own. "Dobby!"

"Yes, Master Severus?" asked Dobby appearing in front of them.

"Make Harry's favourite, and we shall all have orange juice today." said Severus, it had been a long time since he'd sat down and had a hamburger.

"Can you get my writing things as well please?" questioned Harry, as always unsure about demanding anything from Dobby.

"Yes, Master Harry!" squealed Dobby as always over the moon to do anything for his new Master.

"And how are you adapting to writing with a quill?" enquired Severus, he knew Harry wasn't having the easiest time; it was little wonder as he was used to writing with normal pens. Even he had trouble when he first began, but learned more quickly and gracefully than Lily. With his help though she'd gotten there in the end.

"It's still weird! But practice makes perfect." said Harry sagely. "But I can't really draw with them." he then admitted looking saddened.

"You like drawing?" asked Tom, surprised, there was still a lot they didn't know about Harry it seemed.

"Yeah, the nurses used to let me colour in colouring books and gave me paper so I could draw," said Harry sheepishly. It was mostly things that other patients had left behind or they bought for the sick children to have something to do. Since he was too sick to get out of bed, he couldn't go to the play room often, so they brought him stuff. They had been so nice to him, then again compared to the Dursley's everyone he met was kind.

"I see," said Tom, making a note to himself to remind Narcissa to go to the shop and get Harry an art set.

Severus shook his head, already deducing what Tom was thinking. Harry was going to be one spoiled young man; thankfully he was at an age where it wouldn't go to his head. Although Draco wasn't too bad, thankfully he had his mother and him to counter the craziness Lucius and Tom brought into their lives. Poor Harry was still adapting to that as well, with Draco there in the beginning he'd realized it wasn't a bad thing just…harebrained.

Dobby popped in and placed their food on the blanket before leaving again.

Harry grinned in delight just seeing the hamburgers; he hadn't had one since that day in the hospital when his life had changed completely. He had just resigned himself to the fact he wouldn't survive the cancer he'd tried so hard to beat, only for magical people to swoop in and save the day. He knew he had Mrs. Figg to thank for that, and he'd never forget it.

Severus plated the food for them and passed it along, they had fries with them, far from healthy but it would put the much needed weight on Harry. They spent the next fifteen minutes in silence, enjoying the rare time to eat in peace. At least on Severus' part, who usually had to ensure the Great Hall's incessant babbling students.

"Are you looking forward to the Halloween feast?" asked Severus putting his empty plate down.

"Yeah! Draco and Ron told me what it's going to be like! They said Fred and George told them, it sounds really wonderful!" said Harry, his eyes glazed, "It's going to be so much fun. I've never celebrated Halloween before. My family hated it, they put up with it for Dudley's sake only… but I guess I know why now." It was the day they'd been landed with him. When his so called drunk unemployed father and mother had gotten themselves killed. He knew the truth now, and he had never been happier.
Severus and Tom stared at each other, silently wondering what to say to the eleven year old to make him feel better.

"Petunia has always been a sour faced…woman," said Severus settling on a name that wasn't a swearword, Narcissa would kill him for using such language in front of Harry. "Even as child she was always jealous, smug and vicious to anyone she felt was beneath her and not normal. Do you know she wanted to go to Hogwarts with your mum?"

"S-sh-she did?" stuttered Harry coughing on the juice, unable to believe his ears.

"Yes, but when she didn't get her way she began to hate Lily, hate magic, she was very self centred." said Severus in explanation. "None of it was your fault; she was like this before she grew up."

Harry nodded solemnly in understanding; the words actually helped him feel better, strangely enough.

"I have a gift for you, the teachers at Hogwarts helped put it together." said Severus remembering the photo album he'd gotten earlier from Minerva.

"You did?" asked Harry his eyes going wide, even now he still got excited and overwhelmed at being given gifts. He no longer got apprehensive and feared it was a joke, and when he'd open it he'd find something horrible, like the gifts he'd received from the Dursley's. Old clothes, dog biscuits, they hadn't just made Harry's life a living hell; they'd tormented him every year.

"I did," said Severus handing him the album, removing the empty plate.

Harry opened it, his breath hitching when he caught sight of the picture. It was one of him with whom he assumed was his mother. She was a little bit older than the photo that Severus had given him, but he could tell it was her. She was still the most beautiful woman in the world to him, and he wished he could remember her, even just for a minute. His trembling fingers traced her face, seeing the adoration there made his heart ache for her. She seemed so very happy; Harry swallowed the lump of anguish lodged in his throat.

"She would be so proud of you, Harry," said Severus comforting the emotional eleven year old. He rubbed his shoulder softly not wanting to hurt him. He, as well as everyone else knew Harry's back got sore a lot, especially when the painkillers wore off.

"That she would," said Tom in agreement.

"Thank you," said Harry almost choking the words out.

He flipped over the page, and found himself gazing at his father. Severus was right; he did have his father's hair, or rather had in his case since he no longer had any hair at the moment. It seemed that's all he had of his dad, Harry couldn't help but muse he looked more like his mum, especially his eyes as he'd been told by Remus as well. Everyone he met said the same thing; he had his mum's eyes. He looked so proud too; again he wished he could remember them. His dad was wearing an odd red robe, one he hadn't seen before.

"He was an Auror, a dark wizard catcher, that is their robes," said Severus as if reading Harry's mind. More and more pages were flipped, and he saw pictures of his dad's friends, Remus, Peter and Sirius Black. He noticed they were mostly the same age. There were hardly any pictures of him before the age of one, and obviously none from after he was fifteen months old. He was used to it though, the only pictures he had were the unclaimed ones from the yearly photos they took at school. Petunia had never paid for them though, so they probably just got discarded. Nobody had been interested in taking his picture. Not now though; he had many pictures of him and Draco to amuse himself with, lots with them riding their stuffed dragons. A smile slipped onto his face; no he couldn't continue thinking about the past. He had a good life now, and looking at his mum and dad, he knew they'd be happy for him. He had another family, a mum, a dad, uncles and a brother.

As sick as he was, he appreciated it each and every day. He vowed to continue to do so, even after he got better. Life was precious, and he would make the most of it, no matter how bad things got before it became better, he thought to himself in only a way someone who had nearly died or experienced it could. He closed the book and held it close to his heart.

There we go! the next chapter hope you are still enjoying it! so will harry be well enough to go to the feast? will Pettigrew be caught soon? will Sirius be part of Harry's life or will he not be able to accept the Malfoy's? will the feast end in the same disaster as always? will hermione die? who will save her? R&R PLEASE! EDITED AND POSTED :)