Chapter 29: Accomplishments and Advice
If anyone tells you that having a sliver of someone else's leech of a soul ripped out of your body doesn't hurt, slap them. Hard. I laid on the cold stone floor of the kitchen sweating, half nude, and trembling like I'd just been tortured into insanity and back again by the Cruciatus curse.
"Professor?" I gasped, trying to sit up and only succeeding in rolling over, "Did it work?"
"When you defeated Riddle in the Chamber of Secrets, did a phantom image of him come out?"
"Yes."
"Then it worked."
"Good." I sighed and closed my eyes. "I feel like shit."
Someone giggled. "You look like shit, Harry."
"Shut up Luna."
She knelt next to me and nudged me with a glass of water. "Here."
I drained the glass without taking a breath. "Thanks."
"Come on." Snape said, hauling me up by the arm, "Let's get you cleaned up. The train leaves tomorrow."
"Yay!" Luna exclaimed. "Back to Hogwarts, where I can feed the thesterals!" She promptly bounced out of the room, presumably to pack.
"What was she doing here again?" I asked as Snape hauled me up the stairs to Sirius' old room.
"She was with her father in Hogsmead during the attack. She's been here ever since." He replied, pushing the door open.
"Her father wouldn't stay?"
"He didn't want to be away from his newspaper. Left just as soon as Poppy let him."
"And he just left Luna?" I slumped down onto the bed. "That sucks."
"He didn't want to leave her at first, but I talked him into it. She's one of the 'Ministry Six' – that makes her a target. She's safer here until school starts back."
"Oh. Will you be taking the train with us, sir?"
Snape paused at the door. "I'm on the Advance Guard, this time, so yes, I'll be on the train."
I nodded. "Can I ask you something?"
"More that you already have?" Snape said, sitting on the bed, "I suppose."
"I asked Dumbledore if I could bring a portrait of my parents back to Hogwarts with me. He said no."
"And your question is why did he say no?"
"Yeah, I mean… I know Malfoy has a portrait of his grandparents in his dorm, so why can't I have my family with me?"
"Hmm…" Snape stroked his five o'clock shadow. "Perhaps he doesn't want them to influence you. You weren't supposed to be left with the Dursley's you know."
"Yeah, they told me."
"Do you want my advice?"
"Sure." I replied, lying back on the bed. "Yours is as good as any."
"Bring it anyway. If he asks, tell him he owes you for the Basilisk."
I stared at Snape, dumbfounded. "You're serious?"
He smirked at me. "As serious as a heart attack."