Chapter Fifteen – A Night at the Hospital Wing

Haiden was quickly taken to the Hospital Wing after Lockhart tried to mend his arm by removing the bones. And when Madam Pomfrey saw Haiden's deboned arm, she was not pleased at all. "You should have come straight to me!" She raged while holding up the sad, limp remainder of what once had been a working arm. "I can mend bones in a second – but growing them back–"

"You will be able to grow it back, right?" Haiden asked desperately as Madam Pomfrey dropped his arm to turn around, without his arm he wouldn't be able to play Quidditch.

"I'll be able to, certainly, but it will be painful." Madam Pomfrey told him grimly as she threw a pair of pajama's at Haiden. "You'll have to stay the night..." She told him drawing the curtains around his bed before ushering Hermione outside the curtain.

"Funny that Harry isn't here." Ron said as he help Haiden into his pajamas. "He made such a big deal about you not visiting him, and yet he's not here. Hypocrite." Ron pointed out as the two of them fought to get Haiden's rubbery, boneless arm into a sleeve. It was then that Haiden realized that Ron was right, his brother was no where to be seen. He had been there after the game and while Lockhart had tried to 'heal' him and yet he was now no where to be seen.

"Give Harry some time, Haiden's only been in the Hospital Wing less than an hour. While Harry was in the Hospital Wing for over a week." Hermione called through the curtain causing Ron to roll his eyes.

"I don't get why you are defending Harry all of a sudden. Since you got the directions for the Polyjuice Potion you've been defending him! Wasn't it you that pointed out that if Dumbledore wants us to keep an eye on Harry then that must mean that something is going on with him! Didn't you say that it was possible that Harry was the one to petrify Mrs Norris." Ron said throwing open the curtain as Haiden slid back into his Hospital bed. "He's cursed you!" Haiden looked at Hermione in shock. She was cursed?!

"Harry hasn't cursed me! He wouldn't do that!" Hermione defended causing Ron's face to redden with anger.

"Have you forgotten about last year when Harry made me go get that book! I had no control over my own body!" Ron yelled. Hermione quickly pushed past Ron and over to Haiden.

"How can you just sit there and let Ron talk about your brother like this?" Hermione asked, slamming her hands on the mattress.

"Well," Haiden started his mind going over everything, "Harry has been acting differently since we got here." He informed her. "And there was this one time when Harry set a Boa Constrictor on my cousin and his friend at the zoon the summer we got out letters."

"What?" Hermione asked in shock.

"See, Harry is evil!" Ron cried.

"No! I don't believe that!" Hermione said shaking her head, it was clear to Haiden that her mind was now racing. "Tell me exactly what happened that day at the zoo."

"Why?" Haiden asked.

"Because it could have been Accidental Magic." Hermione told him.

"Accidental Magic?" Haiden asked in confusion. "What is that?"

"Don't you pay attention in class? Both Professor McGonagall and Professor Flitwick has gone over accidental magic multiple times!" Haiden and Ron shared a look causing Hermione to sigh. "Accidental Magic happens when a witch or wizard accidently uses their magic when they are young and doesn't have control of their magic. It can be caused by many different reasons, the most common reasons are heightened emptions like fear or anger or extreme happiness. Most Accidental Magic is used by either very powerful witches and wizards or muggle born or raised witches and wizards." Hermione explained and Haiden thought back on every time something weird or strange happened around Harry and tried to imagine what he was feeling at that time.

"So, all of the times that Harry caused something to happen or even when he disappeared and reappeared somewhere else seconds later was because he was using Accidental Magic?" Haiden asked and Hermione paled.

"What do you mean 'he disappeared and reappeared'?" Hermione asked.

"Oh, well, one time me and Harry were trying to hide from our cousin by jumping behind some trash bins behind the school when he suddenly disappeared in mid air only reappear on the roof of the school's kitchen." Haiden explained causing Hermione to gasp and cover her mouth in shock.

"When Harry 'disappeared' did you hear a loud crack like sound or even a small pop?" Hermione asked and Haiden thought back to that day and realized that he had heard a small pop which had caused him to look behind him only to notice that Harry was now gone.

"Yeah, actually, there was a small pop that sounded before I noticed Harry had disappeared. How did you know?" Haiden asked as Hermione looked as if she was about to be sick. "What's wrong?" Haiden asked reaching his good arm out to her.

"Harry apparated." Hermione whispered just loud enough for him and Ron to hear.

"He what?" Haiden asked looked over towards Ron.

"It's a magical method of transportation." Ron explained to him.

"And it's very dangerous for someone as young and untrained in apparation as Harry." Hermione explained.

"Why?" Haiden asked looking between Ron, who looked annoyed, and Hermione who was looking less sick and more annoyed now.

"Because he could have splinched himself." Hermione explained to him.

"He could have what?" Haiden asked causing Hermione to groan in annoyance before hitting Haiden shocking the boy. Hermione hadn't actually hit him before, smacked his hand yes, but actually hit him, no.

"Don't you read or even pay attention in class? Harry could have splinched himself, meaning he could have lost part of his clothes or even a piece of himself. Meaning : He could have lost a body part!" Hermione cried.

"But he didn't." Haiden told her, trying to calm the girl down. He was starting to understand the dangers of apparating. "Harry was fine, very confused and probably a little scared but fine."

"And he was lucky!" Hermione cried before she took a deep, calming breath. "Apparation without training is very dangerous which is why it is illegal to do so without a license." Hermione told him.

"Wait, you need a license to Apparate?" Haiden asked.

"Yes." Hermione told him. "And it's not an easy thing to get." Just then Madam Pomfrey walked over holding a large bottle of something labeled Skele-Gro.

"You're in for a rough night." Madam Pomfrey told Haiden as she stood on the opposite side of the bed as Hermione and poured out a steaming beakerful of the potion before handing it to Haiden. "Regrowing bones is a nasty business."

So was taking the Skele-Gro. It burned Haiden's mouth and throat as it went down, making him cough and splutter. Still tut-tutting about dangerous sports and inept teachers, Madam Pomfrey retreated, leaving Ron and Hermione to help Haiden gulp down some water.

"We won though." Ron said as a grin broke across his face. "That was some catch you made. Malfoy's face... he looked ready to kill.

"So did Harry." Haiden muttered as he remembered his brother's face after he had destroyed that Bludger, it was enough to cause him to regret his decision to continue playing. Remembering Harry yelling at him while also hitting him brought up a new question: What did Harry mean when he said he had given them a warning? When had Harry given them a warning? Had it been before the game? If so, when? And did that mean Harry knew about the Bludger before hand?

"I want to know how Malfoy was able to tamper with that Bludger?" Hermione asked darkly.

"Harry knew about the Bludger." Haiden informed them.

"What?" Hermione asked and Ron gave Hermione a 'see' look.

"After destroying the Bludger, he yelled something about giving me a warning about the Bludger." Haiden explained.

"He's lying! He never warned you! We were with you the whole time before the game, and we never once saw him. And when we did see him, it was when he ran into us after coming from the Slytherin locker room." Ron said with a sneer.

"But why would Harry lie about that?" Hermione asked as Haiden went over everything that had happened after the game between him and Harry.

"He didn't use a wand." Haiden muttered catching Hermione and Ron's attention.

"What?" Ron asked.

"Harry." Haiden said receiving blank looks from his friends. "When Harry destroyed the Bludger he didn't use a wand or an incantation."

"He was probably so concerned about saving you that he got a burst of magic. I hear it happens a lot with untrained witches and wizards that are in an intense situation, I've read that it's as if instinct just takes over them. It's also thought to be similar to Accidental Magic." Hermione explained.

"I've never heard of that." Ron said.

"Ronald, you didn't even know what the Sorcerer's Stone was." Hermione told him causing the boy's face to redden in embarrassment as Haiden chuckled. "Heck, half the time I have to explain to you what simple everyday spells do, and you were raised in a wizarding family." Hermione pointed out causing Haiden to actually laugh. The door of the Hospital Wing burst open at the moment as the rest of the Gryffindor team, filthy and soaking wet, along with Harry who was being swung by the Weasley twins came waltzing in.

"Unbelievable flying, Haiden." George said as him and Fred picked Harry up and sat him at the end of the hospital bed with the elder twins standing protectively behind Harry. "We've just seen Marcus Flint yelling at Draco. Something about having the Snitch on top of his head and him not even noticing. Draco didn't seem too happy."

"It's his own fault." Harry said, shocking Haiden. Wasn't Harry attached to Draco's hip and praising everything the boy did? "If he hadn't been focused on showing of and actually focused on the game, then Draco might have noticed the Snitch." The Gryffindor team laughed at that.

The Gryffindor team had brought cakes, sweets, and bottles of pumpkin juice and had just gotten started on what was promising to be a good party when Madam Pomfrey came storming over. "This boy needs rest! He's got thirty-three bones to regrow! Out! Out!" She yelled and Haiden was left alone, with nothing to distract him from the stabbing pains in his limp arm.

– Keep Me In Your Memories –

Haiden was woken up quite suddenly in the pitch blackness and gave a small yelp of pain. His arm now felt full of large splinters. For a split second, Haiden thought that was what had woken him until, with a thrill of horror, he realized that someone was sponging his forehead in the dark. Haiden's mind was brought back to the cupboard after a harsh beating and could practically see Harry caring for him. However, the image of his brother quickly changed into something bat-like.

"Get off!" Haiden cried loudly while swinging his good arm, coming in contact with something. This caused that bat-like something to quickly back up so that Haiden was able to get a good look at it. "Dobby?" The house-elf's goggling tennis ball eyes were peering at Haiden through the darkness, a single tear was running down his long, pointed nose.

"Haiden Potter came back to school." The house-elf whispered miserably. "Dobby warned and warned Haiden Potter. Ah, sir, why didn't you heed Dobby? Why didn't Haiden Potter go back home when he missed the train?" Haiden heaved himself up on his pillows.

"What're you doing here?" Haiden asked. "And how did you know I had missed the train?" Dobby's lips trembled and Haiden was seized by a sudden suspicion. "It was you." He hissed. "You stopped the barrier from letting us through!"

"Indeed yes, sir." Dobby said nodding his head vigorously, ears flapping. "Dobby hid and watched for Haiden Potter and sealed the gateway and Dobby had to iron his hands afterwards." The house-elf showed Haiden ten long, bandaged fingers. "But Dobby didn't care, sir, for he thought Haiden Potter was safe, and never did Dobby dream that Haiden Potter would get to school another way." The house-elf was rocking back and forth, shaking his ugly head. "Dobby was so shocked when he heard Haiden Potter was back at Hogwarts, he let his master's dinner burn! Such a flogging Dobby never had, sir..." Haiden slumped back onto his pillows.

"You nearly got Ron and me expelled!" He hissed at Dobby fiercely. "You'd better get lost before my bones come back, Dobby, or I might strangle you." The house-elf smiled weakly.

"Dobby is used to death threats, sir. Dobby hears death threats five times a day." Dobby blew his nose on a corner of his filthy pillowcase he wore, looking so pathetic that Haiden felt his anger ebb away in spite of himself.

"Why d'you wear that thing, Dobby?" He asked curiously.

"This, sir?" The house-elf asked plucking at the pillowcase. "'Tis a mark of the house-elf's enslavement, sir. Dobby can only be freed if his masters present him with clothes, sir. The family is careful not to pass Dobby even a sock, sir, for then he would be free to leave their house forever." Dobby mopped his bulging eyes before suddenly saying: "Haiden Potter must go home! Dobby was sure that his Bludger would be enough – But Harry Potter's magic was strong than Dobby was told – Stopped Dobby's Bludger too soon." The house-elf muttered the last few lines but Haiden had been able to barely hear him.

"Wait, your Bludger?" Haiden asked, anger rising once more. "What d'you mean, your Bludger? You made that Bludger try and kill me? And what did you mean that Harry's magic was stronger than you were told? Who's talking to you about my brother?"

"Not kill you, sir, never kill you!" The house-elf cried in shock. "Dobby wants to save Haiden Potter's life! Better sent home, grievously injured, than remain here, sir! Dobby only wanted Haiden Potter hurt enough to be sent home!" It was clear that the house-elf had ignored Haiden's question about Harry. However, Haiden was too angry about the fact that the house-elf had tried to maim him!

"Oh, is that all?" Haiden all but yelled. "I don't suppose you're going to tell my why you wanted me sent home in pieces?"

"Ah, if Haiden Potter only knew!" The house-elf groaned, more tears dripping onto his ragged pillowcase. "If he knew what he means to us, to the lowly, enslaved, we dregs of the magical world! Dobby remembers how it was when He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named was the height of his powers, sir! We house-elves were treated like vermin, sir! Of course, Dobby still feels that he is treated like that, sir." The house-elf admitted, drying his face on the pillowcase. "But mostly, sir, life has improved from my kind since you triumphed over He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named. Haiden Potter survived, and the Dark Lord's power was broken, and it was a new dawn, sir, and Haiden Potter shone like a beacon of hope for those of us thought the dark days would never end, sir... And now, at Hogwarts, terrible things are to happen, are perhaps happening already, and Dobby cannot let Haiden Potter stay here now that history is to repeat itself, now that the Chamber of Secrets is open once more –"

The house-elf froze, horrorstruck, then grabbed Haiden's water jug from his bedside table and cracked it over his own head, toppling out of sight. A second later, the house-elf crawled back onto the bed, cross-eyed, muttering: "Bad Dobby, very bad Dobby..."

"So, there is a Chamber of Secrets?" Haiden whispered. "And, did you say it's been open before? Tell me, Dobby?" He seized the elf's boney wrist as the house-elf's hand inched towards the water jug again. "But I'm not Muggle-born – how can I be in danger from the Chamber?"

"Ah, sir, ask no more, ask no more of poor Dobby." The house-elf stammered, his eyes huge in the dark. "Dark deeds are planned in this place, but Haiden Potter must not be here when they happen – go home, Haiden Potter, go home. Haiden Potter must not meddle in this, sir, 'tis dangerous –"

"Who is it, Dobby?" Haiden asked, keeping a firm hold on the house-elf's wrist to stop him from hitting himself with the water jug again. "Who's opening it? Who opened it last time?"

"Dobby can't, sir, Dobby can't... Dobby mustn't tell! Dobby does not wish to face the wrath of the angry raven again!" The house-elf squealed. "Go home, Haiden Potter! Go home!"

"I'm not going anywhere!" Haiden said fiercely. "One of my best friends is Muggle-born; she'll be first in line if the Chamber really has been open –"

"Haiden Potter risks his own life for his friends!" The house-elf moaned in a kind of miserable ecstasy. "So noble! So valiant! But he must save himself, he must! Haiden potter must not d–" The house-elf froze, his bat-like ears quivering. Haiden also heard what the house-elf heard. There were footsteps coming down the passageway outside. "Dobby must go!" The house-elf breathed out terrified. There was a loud crack, and Haiden's fist was suddenly clenched in thin air. He quickly slumped back into bed, his eyes on the dark doorway to the Hospital Wing as the footsteps drew nearer.

Haiden had to force himself from flinching when the Hospital Wing's doors flew open and Dumbledore came backing into the room, wearing a long wooly dressing gown and a nightcap. He was carrying one end of what looked like a statue. Professor McGonagall appeared a second later, carrying its feet. Together they heaved the statue onto a bed.

"Get Madame Pomfrey." Dumbledore whispered and Professor McGonagall swept past the end of Haiden's bed and out of sight. Haiden laid a still as he could, pretending to be asleep. He heard urgent voices, and then Professor McGonagall swept back into view, closely followed by Madam Pomfrey, who was pulling a cardigan on over nightdress. He heard a sharp intake of breath.

"What happened?" Madam Pomfrey whispered to Dumbledore, bending over the statue on the bed.

"Another attack." Dumbledore said. "Minerva found him on the stairs."

"There was a bunch of grapes next to him." Professor McGonagall said. "We think he was trying to sneak up here to visit Potter." Haiden's stomach gave a horrible lurch. Slowly and carefully, he raised himself a few inches so he could look at the statue on the bed. A ray of moonlight lay across the statue's face. It was Colin Creevey, the first year that had been following him around taking pictures of him. His eyes were wide and his hands were stuck up front of him, holding his camera.

"Petrified?" Madam Pomfrey whispered.

"Yes." Professor McGonagall said. "But I shudder to think... If Albus hadn't been on the way downstairs for hot chocolate – who knows what might have–" the three of them stared down at Colin. The Dumbledore leaned forward and wrenched the camera out of Colin's tight grip. "You don't think he managed to get a picture of his attacker?" She asked eagerly. Dumbledore didn't answer. He opened the back of the camera.

"Good gracious!" Madam Pomfrey cried. A jet of steam had hissed out of the camera. Haiden, three beds away, caught the acrid smell of burnt plastic. "Melted." Madam Pomfrey said wonderingly. "All melted..."

"What does this mean, Albus?" Professor McGonagall asked urgently.

"It means that the Chamber of Secrets is indeed open again. No student, second year or not, could have done this." Dumbledore said.

"You don't mean you actually suspected Harry!" Professor McGonagall cried out in shocked horror and Dumbledore lowered his head slightly.

"I did. Even if he did not consciously do it, the person that had possessed him last year could have. Harry is powerful, the proof of that was shown last year when he lost control of his magic, and his magic is still only growing. In all of my years here at Hogwarts, I've never seen anyone strong enough to not only shake the castle the way he did, but also damage all of the barriers and wards protecting the castle. When the first attacked happened, I feared that Harry had been possessed again and had attacked Mrs Norris. I had been trying to keep an eyes on him, however, I fear that Harry may be stronger than I had originally thought. Harry not only felt me every time I watched him but may have also spotted me this last time.

"Then at the game today, he not only destroyed the Bludger both without a wand or even an incantation, but was able to send one of the Weasley Twins a Bubble Message. It's still a wonder how he knew of that technique as it is a very old technique that is no longer taught and thought to be forgotten. And had Harry not run when he spotted me, I would have asked him how he knew that technique." Dumbledore explained with a sighed. "I fear that watching Harry may have done more damage than good. The boy is strong, almost inhumanly strong and he needs to be trained on how to properly use his magic. I fear that if Severus and Lucius Malfoy fight for custody of Harry and win, he may be lead astray."

"So if Harry is not the one doing this, then who?" Madam Pomfrey asked.

"The question is not 'Who'." Dumbledore said, his eyes on Colin. "The question is 'how'..." And from what Haiden could see of McGonagall's shadowy face, she didn't understand this any better than he did.

–Keep Me In Your Memories–

Haiden woke up on Sunday morning to find the dormitory blazing with winter sunlight and his arm reboned but very stiff. He sat up quickly and looked over at Colin's bed, but it had been blocked from view by the high curtain Haiden had changed behind yesterday. Seeing that he was awake, Madam Pomfrey came bustling over with a breakfast tray and then began bending and stretching his arm and fingers, loosing the muscles up a little.

"All in order." Madam Pomfrey muttered as Haiden clumsily fed himself porridge left handed. "When you've finished eating, you may leave." She told him.

Haiden dressed as quickly as he could and hurried off to Gryffindor Tower, desperate to tell Ron and Hermione about Colin, Dobby, and what he had overheard Dumbledore said about Harry, however they weren't there. Haiden left to look for them, wondering where they could have gone and feeling slightly hurt that they weren't interested in whether he had his bones back or not. As Haiden passed the library, Percy Weasley strolled out of it looking in far better spirits than last time they'd met.

"Oh, hello, Haiden." Percy said. "Excellent flying yesterday, really excellent. Gryffindor has just taken the lead for the House Cup – you earned fifty points!"

"You haven't seen Ron or Hermione, have you?" Haiden asked.

"No, I haven't" Percy said, his smile fading. "I do hope that Ron's not in another girl's toilet..." Haiden forced a laugh as he watched Percy walk out of sight before heading straight for Moaning Myrtle's bathroom. He couldn't see why Ron and Hermione would be in there again, but after making sure that neither Filch nor any prefects were around, he opened the door and heard their voices coming from a locked stall.

"It's me." Haiden announced closing the door behind him. There was a clunk, a splash, and a gasp from within the stall before he saw Hermione's honey brown eye peering through the keyhole.

"Haiden!" She cried while unlocking the stall and opening the door. "You gave us such a fright – come in – how's your arm?"

"Fine." Haiden muttered as he locked eyes with Hermione as he squeezed between her and the stall door causing a small blush to appear on Hermione's face. Hermione coughed before awkwardly turned and sitting down in front of the toilet. An old cauldron was perched on the toilet, and a cracking from under the rim told Haiden they had lit a fire beneath it. Conjuring up portable, waterproof fire was a specialty of Hermione's.

"We'd've come to meet you, but we decided to get started on the Polyjuice Potion." Ron explained as Haiden, with difficulty, locked the stall again. "We've decided this is the safest place to hide it." Haiden started to tell them all about Colin, but Hermione interrupted him.

"We already know – we heard Professor McGonagall telling Professor Flitwick this morning. That's why we decided we'd better get going –" Hermione started.

"The sooner we get a confession out of Harry, the better." Ron snarled earning a glare from Hermione.

"I don't think Harry did it." Haiden said before explaining everything he had overheard.

"So that's how Harry was able to warn you." Hermione muttered.

" That's what you got from that?" Ron asked.

"Well what did you get out of it?" Hermione asked.

"That Dumbledore knows that Harry is bad news and needs to be under constant watch!" Ron cried. "The Headmaster is already watching Harry! If Harry wasn't evil then why would Dumbledore feel that he needs to watch Harry? Harry is powerful enough to be able to find away to open the Chamber of Secrets! Not only that, but Harry is smart enough to figure out how to learn a technique that isn't taught anymore, and he probably did so from finding it in a book! Harry already knows where every book in the library is and had unlimited access to the Restricted Section! Who knows what other things Harry has already learned from books! He could know where the Chamber is and how to open it! He probably took his anger from the Bludger incident yesterday out on Colin!"

"But Haiden just said that Dumbledore doesn't think that Harry's the one doing this anymore!" Hermione pointed out.

"That's just because Harry was able to fool the Headmaster with some trickery or something!" Ron cried out.

"Dumbledore is too smart to be fooled by a student, Ron." Haiden informed Ron, earning an eye roll and a groan of anger.

"When Harry tricks you and kills everyone, don't come crying to me because I'm going to tell you that I told you so!" Ron huffed out, crossing his arms as Hermione rolled her eyes while tearing bundles of knotgrass and throwing them into the potion. It was silent and tense for a few minutes before Haiden couldn't take it anymore and broke the silence.

"Dobby came to visit me in the middle of the night." He informed his friends before he told them everything that Dobby had told him – or hadn't told him. Hermione and Ron listened with their mouths open.

"The Chamber of Secrets has been opened before?" Hermione asked.

"Well, that settles it. Someone must have opened the Chamber and wrote down where the Chamber is and how to open it and hit it somewhere in the library where Harry found it." Ron said triumphantly. "Wish Dobby'd told you what kind of monster's in there, though. I want to know how nobody's noticed it sneaking around the school."

"Ron, if Harry was the one opening the Chamber, then how does Dobby, the Malfoy's house-elf know all about the Chamber? That's why I say we question Draco, it is his house-elf doing this. Draco must know something about the Chamber." Hermione said prodding leeches to the bottom of the cauldron. "And maybe the monster can make itself invisible. Or maybe it can disguise itself – pretending to be a suit of armor or something – I've read about Chameleon Ghouls–"

"You read too much, Hermione." Ron said pouring dead lacewings on top of the leeches causing Hermione to glare at him. Her crumpled up the empty lacewing bag and looked at Haiden. "So, Dobby stopped us from getting on the train and broke your arm..." He shook his head. "You know what, Haiden? If he doesn't stop trying to save your life, he's going to kill you."