Chapter 18: What's going on?
People were whispering around him. He was thirsty. He was confused, something was making his heart ache.
"You've got to tell him," whispered a female voice.
"As if he needed that to get out of bed."
That voice was Ron's.
"Don't tell me I'm in the hospital," Harry replied in a whisper.
Bits of memory came back to him, Jasper's angry face, his hand on George's thigh, Ginny, a fire. He sat up suddenly, unscrupulous of his own state.
"Harry, keep calm," Hermione begged him.
"Jasper? George?"
His friends exchanged a look that turned his stomach.
"Who died?" he asked in a white voice.
"No one!" reassured Hermione at once.
"What's the matter?"
"Harry, what do you remember?"
The convalescent tried to gather his thoughts, but all he could see again were bits and pieces.
"Ginny set fire to the attic. Jasper was enraged, I locked him in a shield and, and George arrived, he protected us both."
"Is that all?"
He nodded, trying unsuccessfully to revive his memories.
"I'll let Madam Pomfresh know, maybe she'll have a potion to help you remember."
Harry watched Ron leave the room uneasily, annoyed at not understanding, he stared at his friend.
"Why aren't I at Grimmauld place?"
"The fire had attacked the lower floors before we managed to bring it under control, the main structure was affected and the building is unstable. It's dangerous to stay there."
The young man looked around; he knew, without a doubt, that he was at the Burrow, in Ron's old room.
"The Cullens? Are they here?"
"No, they're at my place, the atmosphere was a bit tense after...after…"
"Jasper?"
"Harry, you'd better remember what happened before I answer you."
He knew something had happened to Jasper, otherwise she would have reassured him by now. However, he had no time to insist, the Hogwarts nurse was entering the room with Ron and Arthur.
"Mr. Potter, when will you stop throwing yourself in the face of danger?"
"When danger will stop standing in my way."
The nurse glowered at his reply and cast a few diagnostic spells.
"Will you allow me to see what you remember?" she asked once she was satisfied with her initial results.
Harry nodded, the intrusion lasting only a few seconds. No sooner had she seen what she wanted, Madam Pomfresh pulled out a vial of dark blue potion and handed it to him.
"It won't work miracles, but it should reduce the bruise on your head and unlock your memories."
Harry wasted no time in swallowing the liquid with a grimace of disgust. His head began to spin, forcing him to lie back, but once the scenery around him had returned to its proper place, everything was clear. He remembered Ginny's attack, their duel, the fire, the Major trying to kiss him, the shield, George and the empath's attacks. Everything came back to him down to the last second, down to the feeling of fury that had stunned him.
"Oh by Merlin!" he was horrified at the images. "How's George? And Jasper?"
"Harry, you have to understand that Jasper tried to flee when your shield disappeared. He sent three aurors to the hospital," Arthur explained in a sad voice as he sat on the edge of his bed.
"Where have they locked him up?" asked the younger boy, anxious to know the answer.
"At the Ministry, in one of the cells next to the courtroom."
"Oh no, they didn't."
"Indeed, he's getting worse and worse. And the chief auror wants to take him to trial, so if he's convicted, he could be executed."
Horror and amazement were all Harry could feel, he didn't understand why he could be sentenced to death, he hadn't killed anyone. A doubt crept into his mind.
"Is anyone's life on the line?" he asked fearfully.
"George," gasped the family's father, tears welling up in his eyes.
"What? How?"
Arthur wanted to answer, but his voice caught in his throat. Ron laid a hand on his father's shoulder, immediately grasped by the man, and Hermione replied.
"He didn't attack George with fury like you, but with desperation."
Harry understood part of the implication at once and covered his mouth in horror, listening to the rest of the explanation.
"This feeling has combined with his depression and is no longer leaving him; he's tried to kill himself many times in the last two hours. He's locked in his room with Molly, Percy and Madam Pomfresh."
The latter had in fact left as soon as Harry had shown signs that he was remembering.
"They took away his wand, anything he could hurt himself with, and had to barricade the window."
"We can't leave him alone," Arthur added in a strangled voice.
"I'm sorry," breathed Harry, for whom it was clear that George was suffering because of the jealousy he had inspired in his soulmate.
"Madam Pomfresh has no solution to offer us," added Ron, "so we wondered…"
"Well, Ron, it was his idea," corrected Hermione.
"Could Jasper undo what he's done?"
Harry took the time to consider the question, but he didn't have the answer.
"You'll have to ask the Cullens that, they'll know better than me, but if there's anything I can do to help, I will."
"Thanks Harry, and just know that no one holds you responsible." added Arthur.
The concerned man looked at Hermione and saw that she wasn't quite thinking the same thing; they both knew that he and George's past relationship, and especially the feelings George had developed for him, had led to the empath's already overly edgy reaction.
"I'll go and talk to Carlisle," Harry said as he stood up, but a thought interrupted him. "What about Ginny?"
"Arrested, she's at the aurors' office, they refused to let any of us accompany her." answered Ron.
Harry nodded, relieved to know the young woman was alive, and delighted to know her actions weren't going to go unpunished.
"I."
He hesitated, not sure what to say. Ron spoke for him.
"Go to the Cullens with Hermione, find a solution as soon as possible, we're staying here."
Harry nodded, and held out his hand to his best friend, who apparated them home.
The vampires, all gathered in the living room, rose to their feet at their appearance, on guard, then relaxed as they recognized the arrivals, distrust still present on their faces.
"How are you, Harry?" asked Carlisle, but neither Harry nor Hermione were fooled.
"Are we interrupting something?" asked the witch as she slid her wand into her hand.
No one missed this gesture and the tension rose a notch.
"We've come for a solution, not trouble," declared Harry, stepping in front of his friend, anger swelling inside him.
"A solution to what exactly?" retorted Rosalie, whose posture was by far the most offensive.
"To avoid death!" shouted the wizard angrily.
"Harry?" called Hermione, touching his shoulder.
"What?" he shouted, turning to her.
"This anger isn't yours, don't let it guide you."
He recognized she was right and took several deep breaths to calm himself.
"The wave of feeling Jasper sent us is still inside us," he explained as soon as he could. "Do you think he'll be able to help us?"
"Harry," Carlisle replied calmly and sadly. "They've locked him up there, and they want to kill him."
"What makes you say that?"
"The other young man, his death will cause Jasper's, we can't let that happen."
"Did Alice have a vision?" asked Hermione, turning to the seer.
"Yes, she did."
"That's why we're here, we want to stop George and Jasper dying."
"How?" asked Carlisle hopefully.
"Jasper sent us feelings that are stuck inside us. Can he take them back?" repeated Harry.
"In his normal state, he could, but right now, I don't think so."
The Survivor didn't let this answer faze him and began to think of a plan. A crazy plan, but it was the only one he could think of.
"I think it could work. "Edward said.
The youngest then put forward his idea, which was supported by those of the other vampires and Hermione. They spent the night working on it, and in the morning, Harry, Hermione and the Cullens went to the Ministry.