A/N: I don't think I can apologize profusely enough for not updating in nearly two months. Let's just say extreme writer's block plus working was not a good combination. Anyway, I don't plan to let this get away from me again!
It recently came to my attention that Fred and George aren't supposed to be at Hogwarts during Harry's sixth year. I don't know if anyone noticed, but if you did, my apologies. Anyway, hope you enjoy :)
Ron and Cameron had just made it down to the Great Hall and took a seat at one of the four large tables when Hedwig came swooping back into the room. She flew low over Cameron and dropped a scroll on the table in front of her. Cameron opened it quickly.
Cam-
Something came up. I'll have to meet you later.
"Is he serious?" Cameron demanded after reading it. "How much do you wanna bet he's up to no good?" She sighed. "Will my phone work outside? I should call Foreman."
"It'll work outside the gate," Ron said with a shrug. Cameron sighed, resigned.
"Well, I guess I'm gonna be here for a while longer, anyway. I might as well go outside."
"We could go to Hogsmeade," Ron suggested. "It's kind of a cool place. And you could call from there."
Cameron thought about it for a moment. She was dying to check out the shops she'd seen on the way in. "But Harry…" she began.
"Is being taken care of," Ron said with a smile. "Let's go."
"Alright," Cameron said with a laugh. Ron took her hand and led her out the door.
()()()
"Does it ever get annoying wearing those dresses?" House called to Snape. He was limping along several yards behind the other man, who had refused to slow down. Snape didn't answer. House tried again. "So, what do you teach at this weird place?"
"Potions," Snape said curtly.
"Boring," House yawned. "You might as well be making soup."
"Listen," Snape hissed, whirling around so abruptly that House nearly bumped into him. "I could make a potion that could force you to reveal your deepest, darkest secrets. I could disfigure you beyond all recognition. I could make a potion that could kill you."
"I could hit you with my cane in your special place," House retorted. "Stop wasting time. I have to save a life."
The muscles in Snape's face twitched dangerously. Finally, he composed his features into what resembled a menacing smile before turning and leading House to another pair of stone gargoyles ("Hey look, it's you!" House said). Muttering, "Skittles," the gargoyles stepped aside, and Snape lead House up a long winding staircase, smirking the entire way as House huffed and puffed and swore about being a cripple. Finally, they reached a large set of oak doors, and Snape motioned towards them. Without knocking, House pushed his way inside.
"Dr. House," Dumbledore said quietly as soon as House was inside.
"How did you know that?" House asked with his eyes narrowed.
"As headmaster, I feel it is my duty to know the goings-on of Hogwarts," Dumbledore replied with a twinkle in his eye.
"Do you know where you keep the razors and shaving cream?" House muttered to himself.
"Forgive me," Dumbledore began, "but is there something in particular I may help you with?"
"Yeah," House cleared his throat. "See, I have this leg problem…" he indicated the cane, "and I was wondering if you could, you know, work your magic and fix it up for me."
"I'm sorry," Dumbledore shook his head gravely.
"Why not?" House asked angrily. "The fat woman in the ER told me you'd be able to."
"Madam Pomfrey was correct in that we are certainly able to perform such a spell. But we cannot. It is against the Wizarding Law. You see, if we were to help one non-magical person, they would all come to us for solutions to their problems. That is why we remain a secret. Our worlds are too different. They must not mix."
"Okay. How about just for me then?" House asked, rolling his eyes.
"Dr. House," Dumbledore said with a laugh, "you have not proven yourself worthy of an exception by any means. Go back to your hospital," he said loudly over House's protestations, "and save our Harry. We will be forever grateful to you if you do."
House glared at Dumbledore. "Fine," he grunted. "But don't expect great treatment if you come to visit. And Cuddy might jump you if you wear that outfit." Taking advantage of Dumbledore's momentary confusion, House turned and exited dramatically.
()()()
They were halfway to Hogsmeade before Cameron realized she was still holding Ron's hand. She pulled it away quickly and dug into her pocket for her phone. Upon finding it, she flipped it open and dialed the phone number for the diagnostics room.
"Hello?" Foreman answered. Cameron could hear paper's rustling in the background and guessed she was on speaker.
"Is Chase there?" she asked.
"Yes," came Chase's tired response.
"It's not lead poisoning. School's clean," Cameron informed them. "Almost as if it were cleaned by magic."
Foreman sighed. "Great," he muttered.
"How's Harry?"
"He's stable. Chase is checking the disease database. We're still not sure what's going on. And the stomach pain hasn't gone away. Are you coming back?"
"Well, that's the thing," Cameron sighed. "House is up to something."
"What do you mean, up to something?" Chase asked.
"I'm not sure."
"Well, can't you come back, then?"
"We don't need her," Foreman argued. "She should stay. I have a feeling leaving House alone in England is not a good idea."
"Alright," Chase said. There was a sound as though someone was moving the speaker, and a moment later, Chase's voice came through, clearer than it had been. He must have taken her off speaker phone. "How are you?" he asked.
"Fine…" Cameron began.
"I don't like you being all the way in England."
"Well, since we can travel instantaneously, it's not like I'm really that far away," she reasoned.
"I know." There was a pause. "I miss you."
"I miss you, too," Cameron said. Ron turned to look at her curiously.
"When you get back, maybe we can go for drinks?" Chase asked.
Cameron sighed. "Let's get Harry better, okay?"
"Alright," Chase said, disappointment evident in his voice. "See you in a bit."
"Bye." Cameron hung up. There was an awkward silence as she and Ron continued their walk.
"So, where are we going?" Cameron asked finally.
"I was thinking this place called The Three Broomsticks. It has this really good drink that you have to try."
"Okay," Cameron said. They reached Hogsmeade and Ron lead the way up the street. There were a few more people there than there had been earlier. Cameron saw a man outside one shop, watching a broom as it swept by itself. A few men and woman in black robes were hurrying around, not stopping to talk to anyone.
"It's not always like this," Ron said, observing the scene. "Just last June, everyone found out that You-Know-Who had come back to power. People are too scared, I guess. Diagon Alley was almost empty."
Cameron could feel the fear and unease radiating from everyone they passed. It seemed crazy that everyone would be so scared of someone that most of the world had never heard of. "Can't you protect yourselves with magic?" she asked.
"He knows magic too, though," Ron said. "So it's still a fair fight." Cameron tried to imagine some sort of magical battle between a bunch of wizards. It was oddly comical.
"Right in here," Ron said, leading her to the side of the road and opening the door for her. Cameron went inside. There were about three of four groups of wizards sitting at tables, drinking happily. You never would have guessed that it wasn't a busy day. "People always come here," Ron explained. "Even during bad times. Their butterbeer is to die for. This place is packed, usually." He led Cameron to a small table in the corner and they sat down. A cheerful woman came over to take their orders.
"Two butterbeers, please," Ron said, placing some odd coins on the table. Cameron looked at them curiously before they disappeared into the woman's hand.
"Do you have your own money, too?" Cameron asked.
"Yup. Knuts, Sickles, and Galleons."
"Weird," Cameron said with a laugh. Silence fell over them again, and the woman returned with two bottles. Cameron drank from hers with slight apprehension. "Wow," she said when she'd swallowed. "This stuff is amazing!"
"Isn't it?" Ron replied. "It's really too bad muggles don't have this kind of stuff."
"Yeah…" Cameron said. She took several more gulps. Ron drank a little more, then cleared his throat.
"Er, well…do you have a boyfriend or something?"
Cameron blushed. "No," she said. "Not really. Why?" she asked, not sure if she wanted to hear the answer.
"Well, because on the phone…"
"Oh, that's just my friend," Cameron said with a laugh. Sort of, she thought.
"Okay," Ron seemed to brighten up a little. "So," he said with a smile, "tell me about yourself."
"Well…" Cameron began, searching for the right words. "I don't really know where to start." But there was no need. At that moment, her phone rang shrilly. Several wizards looked around in alarm. "Hello?" Cameron answered.
"You and House need to get back here," Foreman said immediately, his voice strained.
"What's wrong?" Cameron asked in alarm.
"He's having hallucinations."
