Harry did return to the common room by 9:15 pm, finding that his friends were obviously off showering or in the dorm. Harry made his way up to the dorm room, finding the sixth year one and walking inside. Sure enough, all his friends were there, including Pansy. It was kind of funny that boys couldn't go in the girl's dorm, but girls could get into the boy's.
Harry didn't really care, he knew that there was nothing going on between the boys and Pansy. Except for fourth year, Harry knew Draco lost his virginity to Pansy the night of the Yule Ball. The two had snuck off for an hour or so, and it was so damn busy in that room that no one noticed two students gone missing. Regardless, Draco and Pansy only did it one time, and stayed good friends. Harry felt like it was more of a one time to get it over with ordeal.
"Harry!" Pansy beamed. "How did lessons go with Snape?"
His friends did know that Harry was learning Occlumency from Severus, because of the link between Harry and Voldemort. "Was alright, I guess. Tiring." The teen responded, going over to his bed and basically falling onto it.
"We can quiet down if you wanna sleep, Harry?" Blaise offered.
"Are you kidding? It's barely 9:30 pm, Blaise…And a Friday night." Harry chuckled. "So what is everyone doing here?"
"Just learned after all these years that Draco has a major sweet tooth." Theodore laughed. "Sorry, Harry, he was in your chocolates before we even got up here."
"Chocolates?" Harry arched a brow as Gregory handed him a decorative box.
"Seems you have a secret admirer, Harry." Pansy teased.
"No guy would put in this much effort, my bet is on a girl and doesn't know I'm gay." Harry rolled his eyes before looking over to Draco, the boy was just sitting on his bed staring out the window. Harry walked over. "You alright there, Dray?"
"It's like we live underwater…" Draco said, all dreamy like.
"Well, yes, Draco…The Slytherin common room is under the Great Lake. We are, technically, underwater." Harry told him. "Are you drugged out on candy or something?"
"The box was on your desk. I just wanted to try one…" Draco told him.
"Or fifteen," Harry smiled. "It's alright, no harm done. Glad you enjoyed them."
"I can't stop thinking about her, Harry." Draco stated as Harry eyed him. That was an odd response. Last Harry knew, Draco wasn't interested in anyone.
"Thinking about who, Draco?" Vincent asked. "Thought you said you weren't into anyone?"
"I don't have to tell you everything." Draco snorted. "She's so beautiful…Like the sun." He scooted himself closer to Harry on the teen's bed now.
"U-Uh…Well, brilliant then." Harry responded, trying to inch away from his love struck friend.
"I think I'm in love with her." Draco announced.
Everyone in the room could see something wasn't right, Draco wasn't acting his normal self; he wouldn't get like this over anyone. "Right, in love with who?" Blaise asked.
"Weasley, of course." Draco informed.
Harry blinked. "Ginny?"
Draco nodded. "Do you think she knows I exist?"
"Yeah, something is off about this. He's entranced…" Harry told the others. Draco took the box and threw it at Harry. "Ow! The hell, Dray?"
"Nothing is off! I love her, you just want her for yourself!" Draco glared.
"Draco…Come on, you know Harry is gay." Theodore tried.
"Guys…I think he's been dosed with a love potion or something," Harry revealed quietly. "Come on, why would he ever like Ginny? I know she has a thing for me, probably trying to get my attention. I told you once before that I haven't made my orientation public." He reminded.
"Well, let's take him to Snape?" Pansy suggested.
"He's not here tonight…" Harry sighed. "I'll take him to Slughorn, I'm sure he can break whatever is on Draco." The teenager sighed some. "Come on, Dray."
"Where are we going?" Draco inquired.
"I'm going to take you to see Ginny." Harry linked his arm to Draco's with a smile.
"Oh, are you? You're such a great friend, Harry." Draco held on.
"We're coming with you." Gregory assured.
"Bring that stuff with us." Harry told them as he guided Draco out of the dorm and the others were following with the evidence that Ginny Weasley created a love potion variation to drug Harry. It was a kind of desperate move, and Harry didn't appreciate it; they would be having serious words.
. . .
Harry left Draco fawning about whatever while he knocked on Slughorn's door, and the man opened a looking hole from within. "Harry? It's nearly curfew."
"I'm sorry, Professor. I wouldn't have come to you after hours if it weren't essential." Harry stated.
"Where's Ginny?" Draco looked around.
"What's wrong with Mr. Malfoy?" Horace asked softly.
"Really strong love potion, sir," Harry replied.
"Right, yes. Come on in." Slughorn closed the hole, then opened the door to let them inside. "How exactly did this happen?"
"Ginny Weasley, Professor. She must have brewed it, and put in some chocolates that ended up in my dorm. Draco got into them, I expect they were intended for myself." Harry sighed.
"I'll have to report this. Love potion is no joking matter, as you can see. It doesn't create real love at all, more obsession than anything." Horace stated.
"We brought the remaining chocolates and the card she sent." Blaise added. "She probably asked one of the Slytherin's to deliver it to Harry, she wouldn't have gotten into the common room without the password."
"Seems likely." Horace nodded as he went over to a case and pulled something down, like a table. "I'm surprised you didn't just whip up a remedy of your own, Harry."
"I…Felt this called for more practiced hands, Professor." Harry stated. "I would have taken him to Professor Snape, being he is typically closer to our common room, but he's not in and this was kind of an emergency."
Draco hugged Slughorn, making the older male look over. "Hello, darling,"
"Perhaps you're right." Horace agreed with Harry's notion of creating an antidote with someone more experienced.
"Guys, sit him down on the couch." Harry told the boys. "I am sorry about earlier, Professor. Our misunderstanding."
"Oh, don't worry about it. Water under the bridge," Horace replied.
Harry had tried to ask about the memory, but redoing the conversation Riddle had started with Horace, like repeating its beginning. It veered off topic and Slughorn accused Harry of only asking because Dumbledore put him up to it. Such had been true, but Harry knew he needed to keep trying, not that this was a chance, but he needed the air cleared.
"I expect you're tired of all the questions by now…About Voldemort." Harry began.
"Don't say that name!" Horace said quickly, then finished the antidote and brought it over to Draco. "Here you go, bottoms up."
"What is it?" Draco asked.
"Tonic, for the nerves before you go see Miss. Weasley…" Horace played along.
"Oh, right." Draco drank it back about halfway, smiling, then it began to fade off. "What the-?" He looked around, confused.
"The chocolates you found in the dorm were meant for Harry, Draco. You were dosed with a love potion by Ginny Weasley…We had to bring you to Slughorn to break it." Pansy said.
"Merlin, she really is obsessed with you, isn't she?" Draco shivered. "God, was I really fawning over her."
"Sickeningly so, my friend." Harry nodded.
"Here, you need a pick me up," Horace came over with a tray of drinks. "Enough for all," He offered. The others took them and everyone toasted, but Harry ended up sucking his back first. Such a stressful night, a little alcohol might help him sleep good. After only moments, Harry dropped to the ground, convulsing like a seizure and foaming at the mouth. "Wh-What's happened?..."
"Professor!" Gregory tried to refocus the man.
"Sir, please! Do something!" Pansy shrieked.
The boy was choking, and couldn't breathe. "Out of the way." Draco quickly rushed over to the potions kit Slughorn left open, digging through the drawers until he found what he wanted. Bezoars. Draco rushed back to his friend, quickly inserting one his mouth and everything went eerily quiet. "Come on, Harry…Breathe. Please breathe?!" Draco felt like he hadn't been fast enough, but then, Harry gasped for air, turning to his side to cough and catch his breath.
"Oh, Thank God…" Blaise sighed in relief. "Are you alright?"
"T-Think so?" Harry panted.
"Quick thinking, Dray…" Vincent patted the teen's shoulder. "You saved his life."
"We should take them to Madam Pomfrey, just to be safe…" Pansy informed.
"Come on, up you get, guys…She's right." Draco helped Harry up. "Professor, bring that bottle…It's clearly not safe."
"Right, yes…" Horace capped the bottle and held it as they were soon all out of the room and heading to the hospital wing.
. . .
"Madam Pomfrey!" Pansy got the matron's attention as they hurried through the doors. Draco and Blaise were working together to support Harry.
The healer had rushed out to them. "Oh my goodness. What's happened to Mr. Potter now?" She was so used to seeing Harry there throughout the year. Usually Quidditch injuries, or end of the year drama.
"It's a long story, just…Make sure he's okay, please?" Draco asked.
"I expect that story after I examine him, Mr. Malfoy…" Poppy remarked. "Lay him here, and step back."
"I was…Having a drink with them, and the bottle, Poppy; it's tampered with poison. Harry was first to drink and dropped instantly. It was…Mr. Malfoy's quick thinking to counter such with a bezoar." Horace informed. "None of the others drank…I swear, I didn't know."
"No one blames you, Professor," Theodore told him. "It could have been any of us who drank first. Luckily, Draco's been instructed in his teachings since he was a boy, and his godfather happens to be a potions master; he knew exactly what to do."
"I have to summon Albus, Minerva, and Severus." Poppy informed after her scan on Harry, who seemed to be unconscious now and the matron had tucked him in. "I should also contact Harry's godfather too. Your actions were good, Mr. Malfoy. And fast. My scan shows that you had only moments to respond and save his life." She stated.
"I'll get my uncle," Draco informed. "Godfather…I mean Professor Snape," He corrected.
"Very well." Poppy nodded as she left the room to call Albus, Minerva, and then likely Sirius, who would show up with Remus, no doubt.
Draco pulled something from his pocket, it looked like a little makeup container, the ones with makeup and a mirror inside. Only it was just a mirror. Draco opened it. "Severus Snape."
Meanwhile, at the meeting as Voldemort was going on about something useless; he felt his two way communicator heat up and pull it from within his robes. "Severus, is something more imperative than my plans?"
"Forgive me, my lord. I hold a two way mirror for communication with my godson, who you know is Lucius and Narcissa's boy, Draco. It's only for emergencies, so I can only assume something is happening at the school that I've needed to be contacted for." Severus explained.
"Answer it. Now, Severus. I want to know if my son is okay or so help me…I'm marching to the school right now to give Dumbledore a piece of my mind for endangering him!" Narcissa stated quickly. "Sorry, my lord," She bowed her head to him.
"Oh, no worries, my dear. I know the power of a mother loving their child first hand…" Voldemort was obviously thinking back to when Lily gave her life to save Harry. "Go on, Severus."
The potions master pulled out the object, and opened it. "What is it, Draco? It's nearly curfew, someone better be dying or dead for you to summon me when you're supposed to be in bed."
"Don't start with me, Uncle Sev. Curfew just says what time we're supposed to be not leaving the dorms…We don't actually have a set bedtime." Draco commented. "You need to come back, now."
"What's happening with the snakes now?" Severus inquired.
"It's nothing happening in the common room. Well, it is to do with the Slytherins. Just get here, will you? I'm giving you the heads up you'll be needed as Slytherin's head of house…Madam Pomfrey is calling Dumbledore, McGonagall, and Black here to the hospital wing." Draco said.
"Black? Why on Earth would she call that mutt to-," Severus stopped. The only reason Sirius would get summoned was if something happened to Harry. "Draco…Who got hurt? Do not beat around the bush."
"Harry…" Draco revealed.
"Potter got hurt and is the hospital wing? What happened to him now? I swear he's such a-," Severus was only keeping up the act in front of Voldemort and the Death Eaters, but he was basically trying to get Draco to tell him what happened to Harry.
"Uncle Severus!" Draco silenced the man. "I know you hate him for whatever reason, but for Merlin's sake…You are his teacher and his head of house! Quit being a stubborn git and get here already. He got poisoned." Severus froze, his breath getting caught in his throat. "Okay? He got poisoned. Can you just get here…Please? I'm sorry for yelling at you, but we're all kind'a freaked out and scared…" Draco admitted.
"I'm on my way back." Severus replied as he closed the communicator down and put it away. "My lord?"
"No need to explain, Severus. The boy is right, you are employed there and if you do not do your duties; Albus will fire you and then I will lose my insider. Go. I expect updates." Voldemort told him. "Also…When were you going to tell me Potter was in Slytherin?" Severus kept his composure, but his mind was screaming. Draco must have given it away. "The boy did just say you were Potter's head of house, didn't he? And you are that of Slytherin's?"
"I…Did not think you would care about his house placement, my lord. Forgive me." Severus hadn't wanted that getting out.
"How long ago was this? I believed Harry Potter was a Gryffindor, how is he in Slytherin?" Voldemort asked.
"Just this year, my lord. I did not see what occurred, only that Potter ended up resorted by the hat to Slytherin after the Christmas holidays." Severus informed.
"We will be discussing this at a later date. For now, you are dismissed." Voldemort remarked.
"Yes, my lord." Severus hurried to the fireplace once more and sent himself to the school, this time, the hospital wing.
Back at Hogwarts, Harry was still knocked out on the bed. Severus showed up through the infirmary fireplace, stepping out to find Albus, Minerva, Sirius and Remus standing around. Horace was somewhat farther back, holding the assumed bottle of poison. Severus also took notice of Draco, Theo, Greg, Vincent, Blaise, and Pansy grouped together, but near Harry's bed.
"Ah, Severus…You've joined us." Albus greeted.
"My godson called and said there was an emergency with one of my snakes. I thought it prudent to make an appearance." Severus drawled as he approached.
"Now that you are all here…" Poppy got their attention. "Horace, would you please tell everyone what happened?"
"All of this started because the kids brought Draco to my room, he ended up ingesting a home-brewed love potion that had been intended for Harry through chocolates…" Horace started. "I whipped up an antidote, and figured to share a drink with them, just a small one…We all toasted to whatever and Harry drank his first. Before anyone else had gotten in a sip, he just dropped, convulsing, and foaming at the mouth."
"He was choking, and couldn't breathe…" Pansy frowned.
"Draco's the one who saved him," Blaise added. "Shoved a bezoar down his throat."
"After a few silent moments, Harry started breathing again and we decided to bring him here just to be on the safe side." Draco said softly, looking down at his friend.
"Smart thinking on your part, Mr. Malfoy." Albus praised.
"I think we can all agree that Mr. Malfoy's actions were heroic," Minerva commented. "The question is why were they necessary?"
"I think a better question is why Horace was serving underage students hard alcohol." Remus remarked. "Still…Well done, Mr. Malfoy and I thank you for your quick thinking to save Harry."
"He's one of my best friends, I couldn't just stand there and do nothing…" Draco said.
"Horace, why didn't you do something when you saw Harry had been poisoned?" Severus inquired. "It shouldn't have been up to a student. I'm eternally grateful I've taught Draco from childhood how to handle all situations."
"I panicked, Severus…" Horace admitted.
"You can't freeze up when a child's life is on the line!" Severus narrowed his eyes. "It only took seconds for the poison to take hold; he could have been killed and you just stood there!?"
"Severus…Severus, relax my boy." Albus said gently.
"I'm kind of on Severus's side here. If it weren't for Draco's quick thinking, Harry would be dead. It shouldn't be up to children to have to step up in place of adults." Sirius said. "I didn't fight to get to Harry just to lose him now."
"Let me see that bottle," Albus asked Horace, who handed it over and then the elder wizard gave it a sniff. "Hints of licorice and cherry," He handed it to Severus. "Can you determine the poison, Severus?"
"I'm sure I can." Severus nodded.
"Can we also discuss this love potion?" Minerva stated firmly.
"It was-," Blaise began.
"Harry! Oh my God…" Hermione's voice carried through the infirmary as she rushed ahead to get to her friend's side.
"It is after hours!" Minerva scolded when she saw Ron walking in with Neville, Dean, Seamus, and Ginny.
"We're sorry, Professor…But it's all over the castle. The paintings are talking about Harry being poisoned, we had to see him…" Ron told her. "Punish us if you want, but we had to make sure our friend is okay."
"Minerva, it's fine…" Albus told his deputy headmistress. "Now, about this love potion Draco was struck with?"
"Ginny Weasley, Headmaster," Blaise remarked.
"What? I would never!" Ginny gasped.
"Oh, please…" Draco scoffed. "You've been obsessed with Harry since he saved you in second year, it's not a secret to anyone. What you may not know is that Harry is gay! He's never gonna return your affections, if they can even be called that at this point." He enlightened.
Ginny looked affronted, but under that, realized that she might have messed up. "You put it in a box of chocolates, Harry's favorites, actually, and got someone from Slytherin to deliver it into our dorm. Your name is on the card!"
"Is this true?" Minerva asked.
"We brought it all with us." Theodore pulled the items and gave them to Minerva. "What's left of the chocolate, and the card. Harry had been in…Detention with Professor Snape until 9:00, we were in our dorm. That box was on Harry's desk. Draco had gotten into it because Harry told us he's happy to share his treats…Draco got all kinds of obsessed with loving Ginny. Harry is the one who figured out something was right and suggested we take him to Professor Slughorn since Professor Snape was out."
"Ginny, come on…I told you Harry wasn't into you. Though, I just learned he was gay myself…Harry sees you too much like a sister. Same as he does Hermione and Luna." Ron sighed. "This was stupid of you to do, just look what it caused…"
"Miss. Weasley…Surely you know love potions are forbidden for a reason!" Minerva scolded. "You and I will be having a discussion tomorrow about punishment, I will not let this go."
"Is Harry going to be alright?" Neville inquired.
"I scanned him; he should be fine. The Bezoar took care of the poison, and I've given him something to heal whatever damage it might have done in a short span of time. I expect he'll be out the rest of the night; I added a pain reliever, and stomach soother. Fever reducer too, for good measure. I will keep him overnight." Poppy informed.
"Thank you for informing us," Sirius told Poppy.
"You're his godfather, and guardian. It would have been unprofessional not to alert you of something so severe." Poppy nodded her head.
"S-S…rus…" Harry tried to say.
"What? What did he say?" Pansy inquired.
"S-Se…R-Rus…" Harry moaned, turning his head side to side slowly.
"I'm here, pup…It's alright. You're safe…" Sirius told Harry.
Harry sort of scrunched up a bit, groaning. "Se…V…Rus…"
This time, Harry's head turned completely, facing the direction Severus stood in, despite him remaining asleep. Suddenly, all eyes were on Severus. Because what Harry said, with the V pronounced, as broken up as it sounded; the name was clear. Severus. That's who Harry was calling out to. Severus.