I Don't Want to be a Hero - Second Year
Chapter Twenty-Two
The Nargles Aren't Happy
Harry and Luna did not have far to wander to find Ginny; she was in the Entrance Hall at the base of the first step of the Moving Staircases. Ginny was curled up with her knees to her forehead, and her red hair spilling over her shoulders and knees.
"Ohhh those naughty Nargles," Luna hissed softly. "They're not happy with Ginny."
"Ginny?" asked Harry hesitantly.
Ginny lifted her head, and was mortified to see that the Boy-Who-Lived had come after her. Then, she saw Luna, and she huffed, "What do you two want?"
Luna nudged Harry, "Go sit next to her," she whispered.
Harry walked over to Ginny, slid down the wall so he was now folded like her. "I was worried about you."
"No you weren't," Ginny snapped miserably. "You don't like me at all!"
"I do like you, Ginny," he said sincerely. "You make it so hard, though. Do you want to worship me or be my friend?"
"I…" Ginny sniffled, and Luna handed her a handkerchief which she accepted. "I just read so much about you, Harry. I know your favourite colour, the song you like best from the Wyrd Sisters, and that you want to be an Auror when you leave Hogwarts. I know everything about you and you just ignore me. You like Luna better than me!"
"Awww, Ginny," sighed Harry as he ran his hands through his hair. "Hermione's shown me some of those articles in Witch Weekly, and they're ridiculous! They never get my favourite colour right, I don't know who the Wyrd Sisters are, and why would I want to be an Auror?"
"Because your dad was!" Ginny blurted.
"Yeah, my dad was but I'm not James Potter," Harry shot back. Slapping his thighs with his open palms he rolled his eyes with a huff of frustrated breath. He was a bit lost as to what to say or do. Turning to Luna he hoped she could help him.
"I read those articles, too, Ginny," Luna corrected gently. "Nobody likes the song 'Light my Dragon' because it's mean to dragons. And, it was Jame Potter that always wanted to be an Auror and he was really good at it. He caught a lot of bad wizards. As for the colours," she giggled and tugged on one of her dried radish earrings. "Well, the magazine has written about four different colours so far!"
"Luna's my friend… yours, too, Ginny. And, all that stuff written about me is so much bunkum. I'm just me. Don't you like just me?" asked Harry sincerely.
Ginny nodded sadly, and wiped at her tears again. "But, you don't seem to like me, Harry."
Harry sighed heavily, "Cause you keep thinking I'm this giant hero who can vanquish all the Dark Wizards in the world, and I'm not. Heck, I just finally got my Summoned book to not hit me in Charms!" He smiled, and nudged her shoulder.
"Fred and George told me you weren't a hero…" Ginny glanced quickly at Luna, and Harry did not miss the uncertain look for the girl that crossed her freckled features. "What about Luna?"
Harry indicated with a nod of his head to Luna that she should sit on the other side of Ginny. Luna did so. "Luna's my friend, Ginny. Maybe I sorta like her more, but I don't know what that is. Since I don't know I do know she's at least my friend. Can you be my friend?"
Ginny sniffled a bit more, then looked over at Luna. "Aren't you his girlfriend?"
Luna smiled gently, "Oh yes! I'm a girl, and I'm Harry's friend! Just like Hermione. You should be his girl friend, too, Ginny."
Ginny managed a small giggle as she shook her head. "Hopeless."
Harry nudged her shoulder with his. "C'mon, Ginny. Be friends with me and Luna, okay?"
Harry and Luna helped Ginny to her feet. "Let's go to classes, Ginny." He gave Luna a small wave. "We'll see you at lunch, right?"
"I'll be there," agreed Luna. "Your Nargles are happy now, Ginny!" Luna clapped, spun away, and skipped to her first class.
"She's odd," mused Ginny with a shake of her head.
"Thank goodness!" smiled Harry. "If Luna were just like everybody else she'd be boring."
Ginny's head cocked to the side thoughtfully as she watched Luna disappear around the corner. "Yeah, I guess you're right, Harry, but uhm… shouldn't she be going upstairs to class?"
"I suppose," Harry said starting to climb the stairs. "Maybe she knows a secret we don't. Luna's a Ravenclaw, you know. I hear she can talk to these stairs since Rowena Ravenclaw charmed them."
Harry sat in Potions class and dutifully listened as his father lectured about the difference between buying certain ingredients versus harvesting your own. Every few sentences Professor Snape would cough as discretely as possible. When he took a break he was either dosing himself with a cough suppressant potion, or drinking water.
It concerned him that over night it seemed as if his father had gone to coughing intermittently to coughing on a regular basis. Professor Snape was also snappish, and Harry had discerned dark circles under his eyes.
"Harry," whispered Hermione with as quiet a voice as she could, "what's wrong with Professor Snape?"
"I don't think he got any sleep last night," Harry whispered back.
"Ten points from Gryffindor!" Professor Snape suddenly snapped. "Each." He coughed so much that he had to stride back to his desk for his water. After having enough to calm the cough, he turned back. "Chatter at lunch, if you desire, but not in my class."
Potions class finally ended with at least 50 more points lost from Gryffindor, and 47 from Slytherin. Everyone also had a nice long essay to work on. Professor Snape was obviously not in a conciliatory mood. Even so, Harry was going to brave the dragon in his den, and speak to his father.
Harry packed his book bag slowly, and when the last student was gone he walked up to where his father sat at his desk with his head in his hands.
"I am not giving you your points back, Harry," Severus said wearily.
"That's all right, dad. I'm just worried about you." Harry laid his hand upon his father's back. "What's wrong?"
Severus lifted his head, and refilled his glass with water. He took another drink. "This cough…" Severus was sure he could guess what was wrong but he did not want his son to worry. "It is just bothersome."
"Did it keep you awake last night?" Severus nodded. A moment later he coughed tiredly and dropped his head into his hands with resignation. "Maybe you should go see Madame Pomfrey, dad."
With supreme effort, it seemed, Severus lifted his head, and drew his fingers affectionately down his cheek. "I do not want you to worry yourself, Harry."
"I already am, dad," Harry smiled wanly. "You've been coughing ever since my birthday, and you're drinking that potion every hour. Please, won't you go see Madame Pomfrey?"
Severus looked deeply into his son's eyes and very lightly touched upon Harry's thoughts; the boy was more than worried. Harry was frightened… not for himself but for Severus Snape, for his father.
Severus leaned towards Harry, and kissed his forehead. "I promise I shall see Madame Pomfrey at the end of classes today. Will you go to your next class, now?"
Harry smiled. "Yeah. I'll check on you later, dad." He turned to the door to leave, but then paused, and turned slightly. "I love you, dad." He then raced out into the corridor, his running footsteps fading away.
Severus sighed, and stood straightening his spine so he would be ready for his next class; the last one of the day. "I love you, too, Harry," he whispered into the empty classroom.
Dinner arrived, and Harry lost his appetite when he saw his father was not up at the teachers table. He really heard none of the conversation, and he just ate a few token bites before excusing himself to run out of the Great Hall and to the Infirmary.
Pushing open both doors of the Infirmary he expected to see his father being examined by Madame Pomfrey but he was not there. The Healer was also noticeably absent. In her place was her apprentice, a seventh year Hufflepuff by the name of Cydra Ann Seacliffe.
"Where's my dad?" Harry demanded.
"Who's your father?" asked Cydra Ann.
"Severus Snape. He's got a cough, and he told me he was coming to see Madame Pomfrey when his classes finished. So, where is he?" Harry spoke quickly as his eyes darted around at the empty beds.
Cydra Ann's eyes widened. "Oh! You're Harry Snape! I sent an owl with a message for you only a few minutes ago."
"I missed it," snapped Harry. His heart was beating so hard in his chest he thought it would burst.
"Come with me, Mr. Snape. You can speak to Madame Pomfrey," Cydra Ann ushered him into the office, knelt down in front of the fireplace to make a Floo call, and called into the green flames, "St. Mungos, Madame Pomfrey please. I have Harry Snape with me."
A moment passed, and then the green head of Hogwarts infirmarian appeared in the flames.
"Harry, dear! There you are. Your father would like to see you," said Madame Pomfrey.
"How's my dad? What's he doing there? Is he all right?" Harry's questions were rapid fire to the green face.
"Miss Seacliffe, send Harry right through, would you?" The green face was gone, and Cydra Ann rose to her feet. She threw another handful of Floo powder into the flames.
"Just step into the flames, Mr. Snape," encouraged the apprentice.
Without any further questions Harry did so and was caught on the other end by Madame Pomfrey who kept him from falling on his face.
"My dad?" he asked.
"Come this way, Harry," said Madame Pomfrey leading the way down a pristine corridor. "He'll be asleep soon."
Only for a moment Harry stopped. "Asleep?" he then ran to catch up.
a/n: Lovely readers - at this time I am still working on Ch. 23. I promise to post it as soon as I have proofed it.