Back to Saint Mungos

Harry was becoming aware of whispers all around him. At first he was too groggy for them to make sense but gradually he began to comprehend what was being said and by whom.

"…what he was thinking, rushing out there in the middle of things like that!" he heard Mrs. Weasely whisper.

He heard Fred counter, "Geez, Mum! If it wasn't for him, I'd be dead— I for one am glad he showed up! I'm only sorry it knocked him out so much."

Mrs. Weasley let out a sniffle and said, "I know, dear, I know. I have thanked the stars that he was able to stop her every second since I found out what happened. Just the thought that you were almost killed… and Harry knew how dangerous it could be for him if he used magic so soon! "

Mrs. Weasley sniffled again. "I just pray he hasn't done any serious damage to himself this time."

Hermione's voice said, "The Healer said he expects Harry to make a full recovery and that he's nowhere near as bad off as he was the last time."

"I'll just feel a lot better when he wakes up," came Ginny's whisper, which sounded much closer to him than the others. Harry's senses began to return and he realized someone was holding his hand. He tried to give it a squeeze and he heard a gasp next to him.

He heard Ginny say, "Harry? I just felt his hand move!"

He gave her hand another squeeze and opened his eyes but he quickly shut them. The light shining in from the room's lone window made his eyes hurt.

"Somebody pull down the blind!" Ginny said. "That's it, Harry, wake up!"

Once they darkened room, Harry slowly opened his eyes to see a circle of out-of-focus faces staring down at him.

"Hey, you gave us another scare there, mate," Ron said smiling down at him.

"What happened?" Harry asked as Ginny handed him his glasses and he struggled to sit up.

Hermione and Ginny quickly assisted him by placing several pillows behind his back.

George said grinning, "Don't you remember? You totally ignored doctor's orders in typical hero style and saved yet another Weasley from a dire fate."

Harry felt his face start to flush at George's statement and said, "I mean how'd I end up here? The last thing I remember was being afraid that something had happened to…" he paused and looked at Ginny.

Ginny said, "You were exhausted by the time Hermione and I found all of you and then you passed out."

Hermione continued, "Tonks had an emergency portkey that she used to bring us all here. The Healer said since your energy levels had not fully replenished from before, it didn't take that much to weaken you again."

Mrs. Weasley said to George, "Why don't you go tell the Healer that Harry is awake."

She looked back at Harry with tears glistening in her eyes and said sincerely, "I want to thank you for saving another one of my children's lives. I know if you hadn't stopped her when you did, we would have lost Fred. But, Harry, you took an awful risk, performing so much magic against the Healer's orders and rushing into the middle of Death Eaters like that!"

She looked pointedly at Ron, Ginny and Hermione and continued, "All of you did for that matter! Nevertheless, Harry, I am just going to have to insist that you take better care of yourself and follow the Healer's instructions completely until you have fully recovered. Do you hear me, young man?"

Harry replied quietly, "Yes, ma'am."

He realized that Ginny had kept her hand in his but he found the gesture comforting while his mind began to replay everything that had happened.

"I killed her," he said at last, not looking at anyone in particular. "I only wanted to knock her off balance so I could stop her. I don't know what happened. I didn't intend to… I mean… the rock shouldn't have hit her that hard, at least not hard enough to do what it did to her."

Hermione said sympathetically, "Harry, you can't blame yourself. You stopped a very evil Death Eater from killing an innocent person."

Harry half-expected Ginny to pull away from him when he confessed, "There were times when I wanted her dead and I wanted to be the one to do it. I thought that was what she deserved for killing Sirius."

Harry continued so quietly that only Ginny could hear him clearly, "Maybe we were both wrong. Maybe there really is no difference between Voldemort and me."

Holding his hand firmer, Ginny caressed his face with her other hand. She brought his chin up so he was forced to look at her.

"Nothing you have done or will ever do could cause me to believe that and neither should you. The fact that you feel regret for what happened proves you are different. It proves you are more human and the better of the two."

Looking into her eyes Harry felt the strength of her conviction and her belief in him easing away his tension and fears. Their eyes remained locked until Healer Endlemire and George entered the room and broke the spell.

"Good afternoon, Mr. Potter," the healer said curtly, pulling out his wand and moving it in a circular pattern over Harry's body.

"Well, you can count yourself lucky," he said at last. "It seems you have not caused any permanent damage and your energy levels have already begun to regenerate since you were brought in."

The Healer placed his wand back in his pocket and pulled out a roll of parchment containing Harry's records from the end of the bed.

Reading it he said, "Let me see… two, no, three counts of the Impediment curse, five counts of any one of a number of disarming spells, numerous smaller hexes, and a levitation spell all on top of wandless magic. And this is just what your friends were able to account for."

Healer Endlemire thrust the parchment back into its place and said, "Mr. Potter, please enlighten me as to exactly what part of my instructions to refrain from the use of all forms of magic was unclear to you."

Sheepishly Harry said, "I'm sorry, sir, but I didn't have much of a choice, well, not for most of it, anyway. But I promise to follow your orders from here on out."

The Healer continued to stare down at him, unmoved by Harry's apology and said, "Magic performed too soon after an experience such as yours can be unpredictable and exhausting, which, I believe, you have now learned firsthand. I need to impress upon you the importance of refraining from any more magical activity until your energy levels have completely regenerated if you are to regain and maintain your full strength. I assume that will be especially important for you given your penchant for run-ins with You-Know-Who and his followers."

"Yes, sir," Harry replied. "I understand."

"I certainly hope so. Three more weeks then; no less, understand?" the Healer replied.

"Yes, sir," Harry said again.

Then he asked, "Sir? Is that the reason…? I mean, I did use a levitation spell on a rock or something, to try to stop Belletrix Lestrange. I never had trouble with that spell before… but this time…"

Healer Endlemire finished for him, "This time it got out of control and knocked into her with greater force than you had intended."

Harry nodded solemnly.

The Healer said, "I'm certain that was a result of your weakened state especially if you had performed other taxing spells beforehand."

Harry was quiet for a moment then he asked, "When will I be able to leave here?"

"I plan to keep you overnight for observation and if I'm satisfied with your progress by tomorrow morning, I'll release you then," Healer Endlemire replied. "However, Molly and I have already spoken; I believe you should stay where someone can look after you for a week to ten days, just in case. Agreed?"

The Healer's tone conveyed he was not giving Harry a choice.

"Yes, sir," Harry said. "Thank you, Mrs. Weasley."

Spending his time at the Burrow would be preferable to staying in St. Mungo's.

"Don't even mention it, Harry. We're happy to have you stay with us," Mrs. Weasley assured him.

Hermione asked, "Excuse me, sir. Harry, Ron and I were planning to visit some friends in Romania. It really is important that we go as soon as possible. When will Harry be able to travel?"

"If he behaves himself and promises not to use magic for the next three weeks, I'd be comfortable allowing him to leave in about two weeks from now," the Healer replied. "But no Apparating. Mr. Potter will have to travel by floo or portkey."

"Of course," Hermione said. "Thank you, sir,"

"Now, my patient needs some sleep. I will give you a few more minutes with him and then I expect you to continue any conversation you wish to have with him tomorrow," Healer Endlemire told them and left the room.

Everyone was quiet for a moment when Harry noticed a copy of the Daily Prophet on the table beside his bed. He reached over to pick it up.

Mrs. Weasley beat him to it and said, "Let me get that out of your way. You don't have to worry yourself with what's in there."

"There's something in there you think I shouldn't worry about?" Harry questioned, wondering what Mrs. Weasley did not want him to see.

Ron said, "The death of Bellatrix Lestrange made the front page." He took the folded newspaper from his mother's grasp and handed it to Harry. "Actually, there are several articles about what happened in Diagon Alley, but most of them say pretty much the same thing."

Hermione explained, "The way they tell it, not only did you stop Bellatrix Lestrange but you almost single-handedly took the Death Eaters on and captured a fair number of them yourself."

"You've got to be kidding," Harry said unbelievingly.

"Nope. Read it for yourself," Fred said, ignoring the look his mother sent him.

Harry unfolded the paper and, sure enough, prominently displayed on the front page was a caption that read 'Harry Potter Kills High Ranking Death Eater, Leads Aurors in Foiling Attack.'

WAP, London- Contrary to now known erroneous accounts of being hospitalized and near death after a confrontation with He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named, Harry Potter, 17, also known as 'The Boy Who Lived', and more recently as 'The Chosen One', is quite healthy and doing his part to aid the Ministry in battling the forces of terror. Yesterday in Diagon Alley, Potter confronted and killed Bellatrix Lestrange, a staunch supporter of He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named and a convicted Death Eater. Lestrange had been sentenced to life in Azkaban for the torture of Auror Frank Longbottom and his wife Alice (see related story on page 2). She and a number of other Death Eaters escaped from Azkaban three years ago and have allegedly been terrorizing the Wizarding community over the past two years.

In this latest incident, shortly after noontime yesterday, a large, but undetermined number of Death Eaters led by Lestrange, raided Diagon Alley causing the deaths of four people and the destruction of many shops and buildings. Eyewitness accounts have placed Harry Potter's arrival at the scene in time to face-off with Lestrange as she was about to murder Fred Weasley, co-owner of Weasley's Wizard Wheezes. According to eyewitnesses, Potter's arrival signaled a counter attack by Ministry Aurors who, beside Potter, were able to capture and detain many of the Death Eaters before they could flee the scene.

"Harry Potter was amazing!" said eyewitness, Mabel Maplewort. "The minute he showed up, you could just tell the Death Eaters got scared, they scattered so fast!"

"If you ask me, the Ministry is lucky to have Harry Potter working on their side!" said another witness, who asked that his name be withheld. "He proved there is still someone who is not afraid to lead the fight against those devils and You-Know-Who!"

After order was restored, Potter walked among the grateful survivors who rushed to thank him and express their gratitude. Upon viewing the body of Lestrange, Potter was heard to say, "The woman got what she deserved as far as I'm concerned— as will all Death Eaters who harm or murder innocent people."

When contacted for comment, Minister Scrimgeour's office released this brief statement: 'Our thoughts and prayers go out to the families of those who were killed in the attack. However, as made evident today, everyone can be assured that the Ministry and its Aurors, with the aid of Harry Potter, are making progress toward stopping and ending You-Know-Who's reign of terror.'

Under Harry Potter's brave leadership, sixteen other Death Eaters were captured and have been identified as…

Harry threw the paper down in disgust.

"This article makes it sound like I'm working for the Ministry! And that's not how it happened— I didn't take on Death Eaters and I definitely didn't say anything like that! Where did they get all that rubbish?"

The disgust in her voice mirroring Harry's, Ginny said, "Minister Scrimgeour has been after you to cooperate with his propaganda campaign for quite a while. Obviously he decided to take advantage of your appearance at the attack and had the Prophet twist the facts by rewording what 'anonymous sources' had to say."

Ron said, "He has to do something to try to convince people that the Ministry is on top of things, even if most of it is made up."

George agreed, "He is getting desperate. Dad heard his office is being bombarded daily with people demanding that he either do something more to ensure everyone's safety or else step aside for someone who can."

Conversation was interrupted when a Medi-Wizard poked his head in the door and said, "I'm sorry, but it's time to allow Mr. Potter to rest now."

"Of course," Mrs. Weasley said and quickly shooed everyone to the door. "You take it easy, Harry, and we'll be back to get you in the morning."

Ginny placed her hand back on Harry's and gave it one last squeeze.

She said, "Be good and we'll see you tomorrow."

Everyone in turn said their good-byes and filed out of the room with the exception of George, who hung back.

After the door closed behind everyone else, he turned to Harry, the look on his face uncharacteristically serious.

"I want to thank you for what you did for Fred. If you hadn't shown up when you did…"

"It was just lucky timing and anyone would have—"

"No, Harry, let me say this," George interrupted. "What I really want to do is apologize for how I've been treating you since that spell brought you around. It was just seeing Ginny get hurt that day… I know you were really out of it and that you would never purposely hurt her. But then seeing how you reacted when you thought she was the one who had been killed…"

George's voice trailed off and a sad look came to his eyes as the thought about Gretchen's death.

Finally he continued, "…well, it made me realize that you really do care about Ginny."

Harry was saved from replying when George said, "I don't know what's going on with you two and it's none of my business. But just know if you do decide to get back with her, you've got my vote. Oh, and I'll be more than happy to knock Ron around should he start acting like a git about it."

"Thanks," Harry said, moved by George's sincerity.

Wanting to steer the conversation away from his relationship with Ginny, Harry asked, "Does this mean that I'm back to being open game for your jokes and I'll have to be on my guard any time you and Fred are around again?"

George grinned slightly and said, "Of course! You should know by now that no one in the Weasley family is safe from either of us."

"Great," Harry said, also grinning.

George turned to leave, but Harry stopped him, "George? Can you tell me what Bellatrix Lestrange meant by Fred's death being an example and about the message you had for someone?"

George's smile faded. He seemed to debate with himself as to whether he should provide Harry with an answer or not.

Seeing his reluctance, Harry said, "It's alright if you don't want to tell me; but I was just wondering whether… well, she wasn't trying to warn me off, was she? I mean, I have no idea how much Voldemort actually saw when he got into my head. Maybe he found out that you know about the Horcruxes now, too."

George laughed slightly and said, "You know, maybe that 'Chosen One' title and all the publicity really is going to your head."

At the annoyed look that crossed Harry's face, George continued, "You aren't the only one fighting against him. We found out about the Horcruxes from Ron and Hermione while you were still being held by You-Know-Who, so you couldn't have let him know anything about us at that point."

Realization dawned on Harry as he said, "Oh, right. So then who else would they want to send a warning to?"

"I'm not sure I'm the one to tell you. Not that I don't want to, but it's not really my place. The next time you see Dad, ask him."

"Your dad?"

"Yeah, he'll probably be able tell you more than I can, anyway. Have a good night, Harry and we'll see you tomorrow."

"Okay, good night," Harry said, not understanding how Mr. Weasley would be able to shed more light on his question than George himself could.