Authors Note: thanks again for all the support and I hope you'll like this chapter as well.
Lost in time
Chapter 8
Once back at Malfoy manor, Harry asks if Tom is back and is glad to see that he is. "How are you?" Harry asks after seeing the somber look on his face.
"I don't know how to get to all the Horocruxes I made." Tom replies somberly. "Lucius is currently trying to get one of them that is in a Vault at Gringotts. The Vault belongs to Bellatrix and he's trying to get her to sign that he can get it out and then get it here so I can destroy it."
"Is that the only on you still need or how many more?" Harry questions.
"One more." He says "The last is in Hogwarts so maybe you can get it. It's hidden in a room that only appears when you need it."
"I know the one." Harry says, knowing it from his time in the past. "What is it so I can go and find it."
"It's Rowena's Tiara." Tom replies.
"I know what it looks like and will get that one." Harry replies, "I have another question though. Who went to school with you and does any of them know about Slughorn's testing tendencies?"
"Most of them died during the last war like Orion Black and his wife Walburga Black and The father of the Lestrange brothers and Avery but they don't know anything. Minerva went to school with me and Myrtle Warren obviously. But like Minerva she wasn't in Slytherin and wouldn't know anything."
"Would a Portrait count as widnes?" Harry questions after a moment of thought.
"Sadly not." The man replies.
"Even if it did. No one would speak up about it." Lucius drawls walking into the room with a cup in his Hand. "At least I assume you want to bust Slughorn?"
"Do you have a better idea?" Harry grumbles.
"As a matter of fact I do." Lucius replies, "I'm just not sure if it could work unless you join me on a little trip." He passes the cup from which Harry can feel the negative energy of the Horocrux. "Bellatrix paid Slughorn for tutoring by testing his potions and she is similarly crazy and it started slowly. I know from my wife that she noticed it first during Bellatrix's last year at Hogwarts. Everyone else noticed after what she did to the Longbottoms. Her husband tried to stop the torture but she was too far gone to let anyone stop her."
"Then there might be a second victim." Harry musses "I guess you want me to test her but not cure her yet?"
"Not until it was officially confirmed." Lucius agrees "But I might have to come back to you about that."
"What are we waiting for." Harry asks.
"For a ministry permission to go." Lucius replies "I called in a lot of favors to get the last one so fast. I fear it will be some time before we can go."
"No problem." Tom replies with a sigh. "I can wait and Harry needs to find a small object in a huge cluttered room for me so I'm sure he'll be busy until then."
"Don't worry," Harry promises "I'll have it found and destroyed in no time. Basily will help me with the later. But if I can't do anything else I should go and get on it before meeting Professor Snape as I promised."
After a quick good bye Harry apparates back to Hogwarts and goes straight to the Room of Requirements. He finds the Tiara easily being able to sense the Horocrux since he is one. Once he has it Harry goes down to Basily and talks with his Basilisk after she destroyed the Horocrux. He also uses that time to get more then enough potions ingredients from Basily for himself, Severus as well as plenty to sell to others.
Once he's done Harry goes to the potions lab and knocks. "Come in." Harry hears from inside and walks into the room.
"Need a hand?" Harry asks.
"I doubt you know this one." Severus replies "It's fairly new."
"Maybe I can do another one you could use." Harry suggests. "And what kind of potion are you making?"
"Nothing that has to be done today." Severus replies "I also made more dreamless sleep in case you need it."
"I can make my own." Harry replies and looks through the potions cabinet and notices that there is no more calming drought "I could also brew a calming drought for you. Unless you doubt my ability."
Severus sighs and says "Fine. Do as you please and you may use this lab when needed."
"Thank you." Harry thanks him "Now, will you let me know about the potion you're making?"
"It's called wolfsbane." Severus explains "It ensures that a werewolf can keep his human mind while transformed thus making him harmless."
"Unless the human is a jerk." Harry grins, "May I look at the instructions?"
"Sure." Severus replies, "They are in a book over there." He points to one of the bookcases. "Third row fifth book it's black and just a note book where I copied it into. It's on page 325."
Harry grins a little. Godric also always knew where everything was while Sal was the king of chaos. Harry never knew how but Sal always knew round about where something was in his mess and found it after about five minutes of search in that area. It had been hard for Harry to keep their rooms clean. Harry takes the book with a sigh and looks through it slowly finding even more potions he never knew existed. "You're welcome to borrow it." Severus replies, "I know them all."
"You're a lot like Godric you know." Harry replies with a grin and eyes the shocked looking man that starts to frown but doesn't comment. Still grinning the younger one returns his attention towards the note book and the correct page reading it through he asks, "And how many werewolves actually manage to get their hands on it?"
"I know of one." Severus replies, "And only because he's close to Dumbledore who makes me brew it for him this time. Never done it before but Dumbledore made a deal and he's to assist with that crash course for you since he's fairly good with defense."
"I see." Harry says and looks over the instructions again before saying, "I think I will take you up on that offer and borrow this to learn those or at least some of them. But for now I'll get started on those I do know."
After that they work in silence for awhile and Severus occasionally watches Harry while he works. Severus notices how relaxed and calm he seems to be and how precise his working is. He also quickly sees that Harry knows how to make the potion he's making by hart and does it nearly instinctively. When Harry is nearly done Severus states, "That isn't the first dreamless sleep you brewed."
"Not even close." Harry replies, "Back in the past we had a few kids that came from abusive muggle homes and when the other four looked for more students I was left alone with those and had to provide for them. I also occasionally made it during the year to help Godric who had more classes then I had."
"He's also faster with the preparations and is the more capable healer." A voice from a portrait says.
"Quit flattering me Merlin." Harry says before quickly placing the instructions for the wolfsbane potion in front of the portrait Merlin is visiting. "And use your time more appropriately by looking over this, it's to help werewolves."
After that Harry finishes the potion and bottles it into vials before cleaning everything quickly and efficiently and starting another one. "I must admit that some of the ingredients are unknown to me."
"I feared you'd say that." Harry sighs, "Guess I have a lot of reading up to do to get good at potions again."
"You are good at it." Severus replies, "And I'm sure you catch up fast."
Harry grins and then replies, "Never thought to hear you say that after that first lesson I had with you."
"You should have listened to what I said and maybe read a book before coming here." Severus grumbles.
"I wrote down every word you said and I couldn't have read a book because my uncle never let me." Harry mumbles and it is quiet again for a while. Both of them brewing their potions.
Severus feels bad for reminding Harry on his bad childhood as well as for being unfair as it seems. Harry clearly has talent so if he had been a better teacher he might have been able to show it during his first and second year on this school. Or rather the start of the second year considering that it is just now coming to an end.
After both finished their potions Harry gets out two begs he had shrunken and says, "One of those is for you to use and I thought you could sell the other and use the money for ingredients, as far as I remember from my time in the past it cost a lot to supply even one class never mind multiple ones and I'd like to help out the school my Husband wanted to create so much." He places both of them on the table. "Now excuse me please I'll see if I find Ron and Hermione to talk to them a little before dinner and I'll see you then."
Harry quickly leaves and doesn't even see the stunned look on the older mans face when he unpacks the bags and finds the amount of venom and skin as well as the teeth he finds in them. But what shocks him the most is the size of the biggest tooth in that bag. It's hard to imagine that any creature got rid of it because it was too small. But to imagine that Harry actually faces it and chats with it amiably is frightening and he really hopes that Harry never looses his mind and goes berserk or they're all inside of that snake in no time at all.
While he's with Ron and Hermione, Neville Longbottom is also there and Harry does mention when telling them his news that Bellatrix might have the same insanity then the dark lord, caused by the same person. Neville frowns but doesn't complain that Harry wants to help her, but when he gets to the part that it would have to be him since he knows healing potions that have gone lost in time he does speak up. "Can you cure nerve damage too?"
Harry looks at the boy that doesn't seem all that hopeful and then answers, "Depends on how severe it is."
"I only know that my parents nerve damage was caused by extensive exposure to the cruciatus curse by Bellatrix." Neville explains. "Could you help them?"
"I would have to see how it effected them." Harry replies, "I hadn't heard from such a case in the past but from what I know about the curse itself I fear the damage could be too severe, especially if the memory is effected they might never be the same. But I can't say until after I've seen them. With your permission I will go to St. Mungos for a visit and use that to check them over. But please don't get your hopes up too much."
"Thanks Harry." Neville replies with a little smile.
A little later during Dinner Dumbledore asks Harry if he's even gotten around to see his rooms and Harry has to admit that he hadn't but does tell him about his plan to see if Bellatrix could also be effected with the same kind of insanity as Voldemort was though he assumes that if it is, it must be less severe since as far as he knows she doesn't show all the symptoms that Voldemort did and that for assumes that it's a different cause but other potions could have caused it. And Harry still has to look up some more modern ingredients that he hadn't heard about in his time to see if any of them could have a similar effect.
After Dinner Dumbledore personally leads Harry to his new room where the young man starts to read in the new books he bought earlier that day with Professor Snape as soon as Dumbledore is gone. The next few days always follow the same pattern. During the mornings, as well as some nights where nightmares won't let him rest peacefully and he's not using the dreamless sleep to avoid getting addicted, Harry is reading in his own books since some of those are possible to be used in class he thinks it best to start with them. During Lunch he discusses with Dumbledore or Severus what he read about and asks further questions to the topics he read about. In the afternoon Harry sits in the library and reads some background material on the topics he read about in the mornings. The later part of the afternoon, after classes ended, Ron and Hermione are usually sitting with him and soon get used to ask him further information on their homework. Neville is also sitting with them a few times and always happy when he sees a book about healing on the table hoping that Harry will keep his promise. On one of those occasions the young boy tells Harry that he already wrote his Grandmother who informed St. Mungos that Harry will be visiting her son and wife at some point and that he has some knowledge in healing and they are to answer all his questions should he ask any.
Harry waits until the second year ended before he goes there in case he has to be around Neville and tell the boy himself that he can't help his parents. He rather not be the one to shatter the hope he surely build up. Even if he didn't want to. Harry apparates right to the door after lunch the day the train left and goes into the Hospital. He asks for directions at the reception desk and once he's in the right area a medi wizard addresses him. He recognizes Harry from a picture that had been in the daily prophet the day Sirius had been freed thanks to Harry finding Peter Pettigrew.
The potion Harry had used to cure the children that had been petrified and the fact that Severus Snape didn't know it makes them curious and they already tell him everything they have found and seem hopeful to find a cure with him too. Harry just hopes that he won't disappoint. Once inside the room with the Longbottoms he tries to talk to them to no effect and then does some diagnostic tests. Most of them just confirm what the medi wizard said. Half way through a wizard asks about a spell he did and Harry just requests that they write down their questions and ask them when he's done so he can focus now. They agree and apologize for interfering in the first place. Once Harry is done he looks thoughtful and asks for the file they had read out their findings from and looks over some things again. "You just wrote severe brain damage in both cases especially in the area of memory speech and in frank's case muscular control." Harry says, "How did you get those findings?"
"From symptoms." The head wizard replies. "We have no spells to confirm how far the brain damage goes and what areas it affects."
"I do and can teach them to you later." Harry says, "The Primary Motor area is in both cases functional but Frank's Primary Somesthetic area is affected causing him to lose the ability to feel his own body in the room and without that information his movements are handicapped. In both cases the Broca's area are effected also making speech impossible, not comprehending but using it. There are a few more that are effected but those are only partly damaged, like the emotional area and the complete frontal lope which is responsible for all the higher mental functions, it is nearly completely destroyed but not all. What really surprises me though is that the activity in the still working part of the brain is more like that of someone sleeping rather then someone who's awake and I fear that the shock the lasting pain must have been sort of caused them to shout down in a self defense mechanism. The damage to the brain could stop it from fully awakening and they are like in a constant state of day dreaming or sleepwalking rather then being fully aware. The good thing is that the memories aren't affected and should start working again once the frontal lobe can work with what is in the memory."
The wizards are already writing notes frantically even though they only understood part of it and don't actually know about the different parts of the brain. "Can you cure them?" One of them asks.
"I'm not sure." Harry replies. "I know different potions that could cure the damage to different areas in the brain and could possibly cure those but some would interact which means we'll need to wait in between the dosages and it would take at least a month to cure them even if the potion were ready and one does take a long time to make it but I could give that last. The real problem is the lack of awareness. But I remember reading about a more recent potion that could help with that but I would have to read that up. I suggest to start curing the brain damage and then see if we can deal with the rest since it is possible that once the damage is cured enough they wake up on their own because it can also be that the damage to the frontal lobe is making a more wakeful awareness impossible and that once that is cured they'll be more alert already. Considering that I already have a potion prepared and that it's the one for the frontal lobe, we should start there to see if there is any effect. I do need to warn you though, some of the potions could kill them if given too close to each other or with even a single ingredient that is very common and used in potions like a normal nutrient potion so you can't give them any other potion without consulting me first once I give them one."
"We understand." The head of the medi wizards says. "How available will you be during that time? In case of an emergency where we would give one, we'd need to get to you quickly then."
"Do such cases happen often with them?" Harry asks surprised.
"So far not but we don't know how the potions will effect them." The wizard replies.
"It shouldn't cause any major trouble unless they react negatively to the main ingredient which I doubt has been used on them before, so I guess it's fine if they stay here while I'm in Hogwarts. I will however make sure to stay in the castle as much as humanly possible which should make me available enough for this case and I'll leave some potions that are save for them to use in such a case." Harry replies, "From what Neville had mentioned I already had assumed that the frontal lope is effected and am, as I said, prepared for that and have everything they might need until the potion is out of their system."
"Then what are we waiting for?" The medi wizard asks hoping that it will work.
Before giving them anything Harry passes some potions for different possible emergencies as well as a special nutrient potion that they can take and warns them what ingredients in potions they mustn't take to make sure they know what to avoid. He also leaves an antidote there in case something does go wrong. The antidote would neutralize the dangerous ingredient in the one Harry plans on giving them and such make any other potion harmless. Only after that does he give the potion first to the woman who's damage is a little less severe. Once that is done it takes only a moment for her to look right into Harry's eyes. He's constantly doing some tests and smiles at the changes he notices and then says, "Hello Miss Longbottom. You're currently in St. Mungos. You still will find yourself unable to do certain things but I think I can fix that with time so please try to stay calm. You can't speak at the moment but should be able to move just fine once your muscles gain more strength again. If you understood everything I said then please blink once."
Harry heard a sound like a door was opened but he doesn't react to it focusing on his patient. He sees her blink and nod as well and smiles before he says, "That is very good Miss Longbottom. Now please try to stay calm since we can't give you a calming potion but you were unaware for some years so please don't be too shocked when anything happens that points it out to you how long you've been out." Harry notices a worried look in her eyes and says, "Neville is fine. He's a very good young lad by now and you can be very proud of him."
She still looks worried but has a little smile on her face and Harry starts to check her one last time before going to the husband. He's nearly done with his checks when he hears Neville's voice from the door, "Mum?" Alice turns her head and Harry does as well but only for a moment before looking back to his patient to make sure she stays okay. "You're okay mum?"
She looks shocked for a moment seeing that her baby boy grew up that much but then smiles and moves her hand to reach for him and Neville runs to her and hugs her. "Are you really okay mum?"
She nods and after Harry sees a worried frown on Neville's face and remembers that the sound had been towards the end of his explanation he tells Neville, "She will be in about a month. But she can't speak yet and will need some time to recover since some other areas of her brain are damaged but I'm confidant that I can help her make a full recovery."
"What about dad?" Neville asks worried and Harry sees the worry in her eyes increase as well.
"His brain damage was a little worse but mostly in the same areas with just one addition." Harry replies, "I'm not a hundred percent sure if he'll recover as quickly and not yet if he'll fully recover but the odds are good and I might be able to tell you more in a moment. I just gave your mother a potion and plan on giving him the same and will do so now. He will be about the same as your mother with the disadvantage that his movements will still be troublesome. His senses are partly damaged but the visual and hearing should still work. It's mainly the sense that tells his brain where his arm is and how it moves that is damaged. But we'll have to see if it's the same reason for his dreamlike state of mind as your mothers and if he awakes or if I have to do a bit research to find the best out of multiple possible ways to help with that once the brain is healed."
"You're the best Harry." Neville says and hugs the older man.
"It's okay Neville. You should thank Godric's and Merlin's portraits more then me. They taught me everything I know during my time in the past." He hugs the younger back for a moment and then says, "Go and talk to your mother I'm sure she'd like to know what I meant with Godric and Merlin and I'll check your father and try that potion."
Neville nods and Harry hears him mumble to his mother while he walks to Frank and checks him one more time before giving him the potion and waits for any reaction while he constantly monitors his brain activity. It takes a little longer before he notices a change in the workings and another moment until Frank's eyes seem to focus on him. "Hello Mister Longbottom." Harry says as calmly as he can since in this case he already notices the first worry and fear in his eyes. "You're at St. Mungos and out of danger and even though you are not fully healed yet, you will be better soon. I can heal you but you'll need to keep yourself calm since a calming drought would interact negatively with the potion I had to give you." He still looks worried and tries to move and speak. "Please Mister Longbottom there is no reason to worry, your family is okay and you're on the mend. You're wife is healing too and probably fully recovers a week before you. Your son is also well even though I should warn you that you've been unaware of your surroundings for a few years and your mother raised Neville for those years. He's a good kid and you can relax now that your family is safe."
Neville walks over to his dad and smiles at him taking his hand. His smile only increases when he sees his fathers eyes focus on him rather then look around. "Hey dad." Neville says and brightens even more feeling his fathers hand tighten for a moment, it's a very strong grip and even a little painful but he doesn't care and is just too happy to see recognition in his fathers face rather then the senseless unaware look he usually had. "I'm so happy you'll be fine too. Mum is getting better too and you don't need to worry."
Harry is relieved to see the man relax and smile at his son in astonishment. Harry looks at them from one to the other and then says, "Don't worry Neville. His brain activity seems normal considering the damage that is still there and I'm reasonably sure that he'll make a full recovery. They will need a special nutrient potion that I'll have to make some more of. I have some here that I already gave the medi wizards but I heard that you're good in Herbology so maybe you can grow me some Asphodel? I'll need fresh root from it and not the pre-powdered one, which is the only one I could get in the store I've been to the other day and have no more."
"I have some." Neville says excitedly. "I'll send it to you if that's okay."
"Of course thank you Neville." Harry replies.
"Sorry," One of the medi wizards in the room asks. "Is it okay to ask questions now because I'd like to know why it is so important that it is fresh rather than pre-powdered."
"Because I have to make sure that they are free of a mold that very often grows inside of the root and I fear that some don't check it properly before grounding it and the potion I gave them has Belladonna seed and if they get that mold into their system before the Belladonna is completely out of it it would increase the poisonous effect of the Belladonna and kill them. I did leave an antidote but it would negate the healing effect and throw them back and force us to start over with the healing since it isn't stable yet." Harry replies. "But I think we should leave the family alone to catch up and retreat to another room where you may ask me whatever you wish. Oh and before I forget it, Neville, I'd also appreciate your help in getting my hands on fresh Dandelion root in about two weeks' time for the potion to cure the Broca's area of their brain that has been completely destroyed by the cruciatus. After that they should be able to speak again."
"Thank you mister Potter." The strict looking elderly woman that came with Neville and probably is his grandmother says. "I don't know how we'll ever be able to repay you."
"There is no need madam." Harry replies. "Neville is my friend and I gladly do what little I can to make him happy. Now if you excuse me, these gentlemen still have some questions for me. And it's Slytherin now"
"Of course." She replies, "And thanks again for the help sir."
After that Harry leaves the family to catch up and just hopes that they don't cause any distress to his patients and discusses what spells he did and other things with the medi wizards. He stays till close to dinner time and then leaves with the promise to continue this the next time he's in for the next potion they have to take and promises to check on the patients next week and to be available in Hogwarts should anything come up.
Authors Note: Will Harry be able to save the Longbottoms or will something go wrong? Is Bellatrix really effected by a potion and how much longer before he can find out? Will that be enough prove to believe that Tom isn't really guilty? How will the third year go? Harry being the teacher of his former classmates? A teacher that is a former Gryffindor that is now named Slytherin? Will his students accept him or will there be trouble? Ad he still has to find time to see the Dursleys to talk to Dudley and give him his inheritance. How will that go? And what about Snape? Will Dumbledore succeed and get them together?