Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter, but if anyone's selling the Weasley twins…?

Slytherins Secret

AN: I shall endeavour not to make Dumbles to 1 dimensional, I think I'm going to make him an old man who's very set in his ways(heavens know my granddad at 60 is inflexible as a wall) and was born in a different era (in a culture that is even more antiquated) so his brain is set on what was acceptable in 1700s, he's not evil, but is deliberately blind, set in his ways and utterly convinced that only he knows the right path, and that he deserves some reward for guiding people to that path.

Chapter 3: Hospital Management

When Harry arrived at the hospital wing, he saw Ginny already in bed, rapidly falling asleep, the bottle in her father's hand explaining how and Ron struggling to escape from the next bed over.

"But Mum, I didn't even DO anything, not like I had a chance to help, so why do I have to stay?" he complained hoping she would overrule Madam Pomfrey.

"Because you HAVE hurt your hands Mr Weasley, I don't want you doing anything more until tomorrow, now stop complaining or will I have to potion you to sleep?" Madam Pomfrey responded in a voice that suggested she had had this argument to many times and was quite prepared to resort to the aforementioned potions.

Harry looked at Ron's hands which looked like he had tried to pull brambles with his bare hands; they were scraped raw, obviously from making the hole that they had escaped through. Curiously this made him feel a bit better, Ron cares enough about me that he scraped his hands raw to clear an exit and didn't even mention it, I'm so glad that he really is my friend. "Ron, I'd feel better if you stayed mate, Ginny might have nightmares and need you, hell I might need waking, and I'd rather it was you y'know?" Harry ventured, meaning every word off it and knowing that Ron wouldn't take care of his hands whilst they healed otherwise.

Mrs Weasley huffed and agreed "Please Ronald dear, I'm worried about Ginny, she'll be coming home as soon as the Professors allow, but I think she needs family to look out for her."

"Fine!" Ron agreed and slumped back onto the bed putting his hands into a basin that probably held a topical healing potion.

With attention diverted from the task of pacifying Ron the adults suddenly seemed to notice just who had provided the voice of reason, and see Harry's slim frame leaning against the doorway, fatigue in every line of his body, and as one began to rush towards him. Mrs Weasley came in first and dropped to her knees hugging him fiercely "Thank you, thank you, thank you! You saved her, oh thank you dear!" with that she gave him another squeeze and let go suddenly realising the filthy state of him.

"Oh dear let me get you cleaned up and..." she began to swish her wand as she spoke.

"No!" Harry shouted quickly as he remembered Salazar's warning and the odd feeling he'd had earlier when the shield spell had been near him.

She paused in her wand movement and the adults all looked oddly at him. "No don't," he continued more slowly, "when I went to clean them in the chamber my magic felt…funny. That shield cast in your office professor" he nodded at McGonagall "it made me feel really odd; I'm not sure I should have magic anywhere near me at the moment, I guess it's all the stuff in my veins?" he questioned looking at Madam Pomfrey.

"I have yet to be privy to this story Mr Potter?" She hinted privately thinking oh God what's happened to him NOW.

"Basics are," he began ticking incidents of on his fingers "number one, a failed obliviate brought the ceiling down, so I had to sprint through that and got hit by a few small bits, that's how Ron hurt his hands by the way. Number two, fought a Basilisk with a sword and got bitten" he rolled up his sleeve again and pointed "three, Fawkes healed me with his tears and four; I destroyed a diary that said it was the heart and soul of Voldemort. Can I shower whilst Professor McGonagall gives you the details?" he really did feel filthy and didn't want to tell the stupid story twice.

"Of…" she coughed to clear her throat and continued "of course Mr Potter if, for whatever insane reason, you haven't died yet; then I don't expect you to get any worse in the next five minutes, now shoo." With that she hustled him into the bathroom pulling out towels and hospital pyjamas on the way.

As Harry climbed into the shower and tuned it on, he heard the beginning of the explanation but tuned it out in favour of being warm and clean for the first time in what felt like ages.

When Harry emerged about six minutes later looking a bit more like himself, Madam Pomfrey had a shell shocked look on her face, and there was no sign of Professor McGonagall or the Weasleys. Again Harry found her poorly concealed horror strangely comforting. Clearly here is someone who gives a damn about me as an individual, he thought happily as he hopped onto his usual bed, and isn't that disturbing, I even have a 'usual' HOSPITAL bed!

As he did so Madam Pomfrey blinked rapidly, then seemed to collect herself, "well we will have to forgo the magical examination, but can you describe exactly how you feel?" She held up a hand to forestall his inevitable response, "if you say fine I will be forced to staple your pyjamas to that bed, in lieu of magic, until I can get the truth." She looked sternly at him "I need to know what hurts, where and how it is in comparison to earlier; if they become necessary, hopefully by tomorrow you will be able to tolerate the magic in a healing potion."

Harry contemplated his options and decided honesty was his best policy "I'm knackered, aching all over like I'd exercised hard for hours without warming up yesterday, I've been getting twitches and twinges but they are getting weaker and less often and are now only in my extremities and my magic feels restless and disturbed especially near other magic. At the moment all I want is to sleep for about a day straight." He finished smiling at her.

"Well from what has been said you were right, the various magical substances in your blood are not agreeing with your core, it should settle down to external magic soon enough within the next day or so, we will track you progress. The bad news is that it might not like you casting for a while, we won't know until we see your results over the next few days, I don't want you even touching your wand for the next 3 days." She looked at him sternly and he nodded rapidly.

"I don't want to do anything that could harm it further." He agreed hastily "but what about classes, we still have two weeks, not to mention the tests."

"Dumbledore is announcing tomorrow that classes are cancelled and those that wish may return home unless they have formal examinations to take. Now can you sleep on your own?"

"I think so, I'll call you if I haven't gone to sleep in half an hour?" he responded happily.

"Alright I'll check in ¾ or so, sleep well Mr Potter." As she turned away she thought she heard a sleepy 'you to Mam' but the poor boy looked like he was already asleep.

Having slept for around 8 hours Harry was awoken at 5am by a muttering sound and shuffling footsteps; years of living with the Dursleys making him hypersensitive to changes in the night-time sounds. Careful not to alert whatever was pacing in the infirmary to his conscious state he listened intently identifying a few over-optimistic birds, Ron's snoring, and a quite whistle which was probably Ginny before concentrating on the voice. "Mustn't wake Harry Potter Sir, but Dobby needs to talk to him? Master Harry Potter Sir needs to sleep, but Dobby must speak soon, oh dear!"

By this point I'm almost used to being woken up by a crazed elf Harry thought wryly, even as he responded in a whisper "It's OK Dobby I did ask to speak later and now is a good time so that nobody knows. Just, please be as quiet as possible, we don't want to wake the others."

"Oh! Master Harry Potter Sir is awake, Dobby is sorry, but Dobby needed to talk to youse. Bad Dobby waking the good Master, but don't worry Harry Potter Sir Dobby will make sure Harry Potter Sir's Wheezy and the Girly Wheezy sleeps." The excitable elf pointed a long finger at Ron and Ginny's sleeping forms just visible in the pre-dawn light and muttered something with muffled the sound of snoring.

"It's fine Dobby really, but can you shorten the name to Master Harry or Harry Sir if just Harry is too hard for you?"

"Dobby cans be doing that, yes Harry Sir."

"Alright, brilliant! Dobby, am I right in guessing that you temporarily bound yourself to me?" He asked smiling. Harry had researched house elves a bit since a demented one was 'helping' him, but he wasn't sure how much was wizarding myth and how much reality.

"Yes Master Harry." Dobby looked sheepish "Dobby is a bad elf, but Dobby needed a wizard, Dobby must decide to be a Hogwarts elf or be findings a new master very soon, Dobby only has 13 hours from the bond breaking!"

"That's great, I wasn't sure if you really needed to be bound so I didn't offer immediately, but Dobby would you like to be my elf?" Harry couldn't think of anything more useful than an insanely loyal elf that could get through the wards at Privet Drive if his relatives decided to repeat the 'no food and no bathroom' rules off the previous summer.

Dobby's enormous eyes filled with tears and he beamed "Yes Master Harry! Dobby would be likings that very much, which bonding is we using?"

"I couldn't find anything on the bonds when I looked, but do you know what the Potters used? I want a bond that gives you as much most freedom as possible and doesn't make you punish yourself. You have been so loyal to me, I consider you one of my few friends not a slave or a servant even if you do need to serve to earn your magic." Harry had put allot of thought into the house elf situation once he had found out about them, especially with the way the Malfoys treated them. He hoped someone in the Potter family had too; after all, his mother had been muggleborn and was unlikely to have appreciated apparent slavery, but he didn't know if his parents had even had an elf.

"Yes Master Harry the Potters had special bonding ritual, most of the truly Ancient Noble houses did, Dobby thinks it does what master Harry wants, and Dobby would get Potter elf history if Master Harry used it. Dobby thinks it is a good bond, and lets Dobby serve his Master better, Dobby will fetch a copy." With a pop the elf disappeared.

He reappeared shortly and handed Harry a scroll which he skimmed and nodded "this is perfect thank you Dobby, are you happy with it?" At the elf's nod he held his wand and put one hand on Dobby's head as the elf kneeled, the passive magic would hopefully cause little disturbance to his core, and began to recite. "I Harry James Potter Heir to the Ancient and Noble House of Potter do accept Dobby as elf to the House of Potter, pledging magic for service, loyalty for loyalty and friendship for friendship, for so long as he lives or my line continues, So Mote it Be."

A golden glow with hints of green from Harry's core settled over the elf as he responded "I Dobby House Elf accept service to the Ancient and Noble House of Potter binding myself to its Heir, Harry James Potter, pledging Service for Magic, loyalty for loyalty and friendship for friendship, for as long as I live or the line continues, So Mote it Be." The golden glow extended to cover Harry then flashed and disappeared.

"Wow, that unsettled my magic less than I thought, probably another day until it's completely normal thought" Harry muttered to himself. "So Dobby I don't want anyone to know about this yet, you're my hidden ace against being sent back to the Dursleys. So I guess you need somewhere to hide and to only come to me if I'm in real danger or nobody can detect you. I suggest you use the Chamber of Secrets if you can get access, you should know the secret because of the bond yes?" At Dobby's affirming nod Harry continued "Great! The main job that I have for you is to find out what you can about the current state of the Potters. I didn't know it was one of the Ancient houses until you said, so I suspect my attempts at finding my history have been monitored and misdirected, find out what you can without risking yourself or detection."

"Yes Master Harry! Dobby understands and he cans be doing that's, Dobby will keep you safe but quietly. Dobby will look for the Potter properties and Potter history, but careful, careful, checks for wards and sneaky spy magics." Dobby was positively beaming with this first assignment, his master trusted him, needed him, the great Harry Potter wanted Dobby; he would have made a huge fuss, but the master had asked for quiet.

"Wonderful, thanks Dobby, you're the best. I'm gonna sleep now, m'tired again." With that Harry rolled over and hoped to sleep until, lunch.

"Sleep well Master Harry" Dobby murmured, he tucked Harry in, checked that everything was as it had been when he arrived, and removed his spells then disappeared to do some snooping.

When Madam Pomfrey checked on her patients at 6 she was glad to see that all were asleep and the monitoring spells showed none had woken during the night.

When next Harry woke it was nearly 4 and there was nobody in the wing except Madam Pomfrey, whom he could hear busting around in a corner. The beds that had been screened of for the petrified students were empty, as were Ron and Ginny's, so he assumed all was well and that Madam Pomfrey was working to restore her domain to its normal pristine condition, after the flood of well-wishers. Speaking of which when he looked on the table next to his bed for his glasses he saw a pile of cards and some sweets wishing him well. I'm not touching that pile until I'm sure the twins haven't pranked anything, he thought remembering the toilet seat from first year, which had been charmed to hang itself round his neck for 2 hours, and put on his glasses.

Madam Pomfrey bustled over, her normal uncanny ability to detect a patient's state of consciousness once more unimpaired. "It's good to see you awake Mr Potter; although under the circumstances, sleep was undoubtedly the best cure. It is the afternoon of the day after your little escapade, for your information, now how are you feeling." She pinned him with a glare that reminded him of last night's statement concerning the word 'fine'.

"Better." He responded slowly, moving a little in the bed to test his limbs "the aches are gone and I haven't felt and twitches yet although this arm is a little stiffer than normal" he showed her his freshly scared forelimb. "Not sure about the magic, should I try or do you…?"He trailed of questioningly.

I shall, I need to sterilise and seal these beds anyway; so I shall work down the row towards you, and you can tell me when, and if, the magic affects you, if you feel nothing by the one next to you I will try something affecting your clothes, then a diagnostic. Ok?"

"Sounds great Madam Pomfrey, thanks, sorry to be a bother" he ducked his head embarrassed, I hate being in the hospital wing and getting in peoples way.

"Nonsense Mr Potter, you did just save the School from a XXXXX class monster yes? One that wasn't very good at discriminating between targets, thus preventing the closing of the school and my place of work. Oh and off course, prevented the return of the most feared man in modern Europe mustn't forget that, I think I can handle slightly unorthodox diagnostic methods. However" she looked at him sternly, although her mouth was twitching in amusement "however, I would prefer it if you would TRY to end up hear less next year. One of these days I'm going to give in and put a plaque over that bed. "

"I shall try." Harry promised amused and already feeling less of a burden, if he looked at things from that perspective he had done rather well for a completely half assed plan.

"Oh and before I forget, yourself and Mr Weasley have been given the award for special services to the school, Mr Lockhart has been sent to St Mungos and is awaiting criminal charges and Miss Weasley appears to be fine after her near draining, but I have recommended she see a specialist mind healer. Madam Pomfrey sighed at the end of this.

"Can the Weasleys afford that?" Harry questioned, guessing the reason for the sigh.

"The initial session yes, but if she needs follow ups I doubt the ministry will cover it" she responded sadly.

"Well maybe we can sell the Basilisk it has got to be worth something." Harry didn't really notice he was thinking aloud.

"That Basilisk is extremely valuable, but it is yours by right of conquest Mr Potter, however I'm sure the Weasleys would appreciate the thought" she replied smiling fondly.

"Is it? Well then I will have to harvest it give something to the petrified students, perhaps pay for summer tutoring for the lessons missed." Hermione and the Weasleys won't like it but they shouldn't argue for too long since they need this.

"That is very generous Harry dear; Miss Clearwater has missed a half year of NEWT prep so she would especially need the help." The matronly woman was beaming at Harry as if a load had been lifted from her shoulders.

Harry blinked at her then thought, of course, she has been trying all year to help but couldn't until now, the amount of time lost must have been weighing on her. Realising a pressing need Harry asked "Um, Madam Pomfrey, can I uh, go to the loo please?"

"Oh of course Mr Potter, I quite forgot, here's a change of pyjamas and a towel, wash up whilst you are in there and I will call the kitchens for some food." She added as Harry's stomach rumbled "We will test your reaction once you've washed up and eaten."

Twenty minutes later, cleaned and having demolished the enormous lunch given to him, Harry was back in bed concentrating on the feeling of his magic, when Madam Pomfrey reached the bed Ron had used about 2 meters away he felt a slight tingle across his magic and it twitched a little in reaction "I felt that Madam Pomfrey, it wasn't strong but…"

"Hummm, an improvement but not a great one, I'm afraid my estimate of three days is looking more likely possibly four. Until you stop reacting to other's magic I'm going to have to ask you to stay here, if you develop a magical allergy…" she shook her head warningly.

"Ok Madam Pomfrey, thanks for explaining, can I get something to do though? I don't think I'll be able to sleep again for a few hours yet." Harry didn't really mind being holed up in the hospital wing; he could sneak out at night to talk to Slytherin's statue more easily than from the Gryffindor common room. "If classes are cancelled along with exams I don't have any homework, perhaps I could have the first year elective course books? I don't really know what electives to take or what they are like, and Ron's opinion is mostly based around what is easiest, I mean he wants me to take muggle studies!"

She blinked at him slightly surprised then responded "I will ask an elf to fetch them, and Harry dear if you read the first introductory chapter of each, I would be glad to talk about your options and possible career paths."

Five minutes later and Harry had a small pile of text books, a mug of hot chocolate and was happily propped up in bed, with a sigh he grabbed the divination text from the top of the pile and began to read.