Chapter 17
Playing Doctor
"Argh," Harry growled as he re-appeared in the Training Hall with the rest of the team.
"Harry?" Ginny asked in concern.
"I'm fine," he lied so poorly it was all but a confession.
"Bullshit," she said, coming over to him.
He held up a hand. "Alright, alright, alright, cracked rib or two. Been here before."
"Honestly?" She asked with a look matched by Ron and Hermone.
Harry tried to laugh, which made the pain come. "Fair, but ya, to the best of my knowledge at least. Let's get to the hospital wing. How are you all?."
They did a brief survey, the synopsis seemed to be bumps, scrapes, and singes, but again Harry took the brunt of the injury for the mission.
Neveille got to the link and was tired or didn't care enough to keep it to thought. "Private to Hannah: We're back… no nothing life threatening, general scrapes, but Harry thinks he's cracked a rib at least. Meet you in the Hospital wing? Ya, between the five of us we got him." Turning his attention to the group. "Hannah and Madam Pomfrey will be waiting for us."
"Don't let me hold you up." Harry volunteered.
"Oh like that's bloody going to happen mate." Ron replied, picking up Harry's right arm over his shoulder. "Ginny, no offense, But I'm taller. Mind if I help 'em."
"Today, I'll let you Ron. I'm taking your pack though, babe." Ginny informed him. She didn't ask.
"I'll take the other side." Neville volunteered.
"Merlin, I'm not broken." Harry argued.
"No, you said your ribs are." Ron replied with a smile.
"Would you rather I levitate you to the hospital wing?" Hermione threatened.
"Oh hell no."
"Quiet!" Susan snapped. "Harry, what if it were any of us pulling that crap?"
Harry, glared at her.
Susan though was already well experienced with intimidation. "Seriously, what would your reaction be? What would you be doing?"
"I'm actually siding with Susan." Ginny grinned. "What would you do, Harry?" She replied with a very knowing look.
"Depending who it was, variations of carrying your arse to medical." he admitted.
"Thank you, now set the example for the rest of us." Susan ordered.
"Yes ma'am." Then a moment or two later tried to joke. "I need friends with less backbone."
"To fight a war?" Ron replied with a grin.
Ginny flashed Susan a very appreciative smile.
They slowly made their way to the hospital wing.
"So Harry, what did you mean 'depending on who"?"
"No offense Nev, I'm not carrying you lovingly in my arms over the hospital ward threshold."
"Thank Merlin, how would I explain that to Hannah?" He did elicit a few chuckles.
They got about half way there when Tonks linked in. "First let's check, can you all hear me?
"Yes, Sergeant." Hermione replied. "We are back at school. We're mostly fine. Cracked ribs on Harry. We are on our way to the hospital wing now."
"Good to hear. D.M.L.E. is apprating in. Wanted to let you know, all four civilians were found alive and well. Looks like they were just given a sleeping drug in their tea as a diversion for theft. Well done for a first mission, especially the way it escalated."
The whole team nodded their heads in relief and appreciation.
"Good to know, Thank you, Sergeant."
A few moments later a stray thought came to Ron. "Mione, how far is Liverpool?"
"Depends on the route a lot, but 400 miles minimum. Why?"
"Well unless I miss my guess, that is the furthest link we've had in those things. Gin, know anything different?"
"Nope, in fact that's part of why Mr. Whitehorn is willing to send us these links is for field testing the upgrades. I'll send him an owl. Keep him happy."
Ron smiled. "So we're letting Tonks keep one?" he asked.
Ginny looked to Harry, who nodded in agreement. "Tonks has been good to us. Hell even been over for holidays. It would be convenient. These things have a signal charm that warms up if you have a link incoming."
Hermione smiled. "That sounds very familiar."
Ginny returned the smile. "Someone may have suggested the idea to Nimbus."
"Alright," Harry grimaced. "Keep the links handy. Remember, we have Tonks included. Use private mode more if you are worried."
Hannah and Madam Pomfrey were waiting for them. Harry nodded to the madam as he entered. "Ma'am."
"Mr. Potter, just when I thought there would be one month you would not grace my ward with your presence."
"Someone has to give Hannah practice cases."
"Harry!" she replied.
"Sorry, Lady Abbott."
"I'll have none of that in my hospital." Madam Pomfre interrupted. "I'll respect the title of Professor, but that's it."
Ron and Neville were doing the logical thing of bringing him to the nearest bed. "No guys," he corrected them, "Second one down. First, it has a pokey spring." Both the boys laughed.
Hermione's mouth fell open. "Harry, has it ever occurred to you that one should not be so acquainted with the medical ward as to know which bed is the most comfortable?"
The lads got Harry on to the bed as the Healer came near. "We'll be with the rest of you shortly. Take a bed." Turning to, Harry. "Ribs you say?"
Harry nodded.
"Right might as well take the shirt off. Get a clear look."
Harry didn't care but did stifle a yelp as he started to lift it off. Ginny didn't even think but reacted by hopping off the nearby bed and helping. "I got it." This being Hannah's first viewing Hannah gasped. To which Madam Pomfrey cleared her throat in disapproval to her protege. Harry's chest was a mix of yellow to black bruising. Harry knew the new injury wasn't the trigger though. It was the collections of scars he'd earned both here and at the Dursleys. Ron and Hermione had seen many of them added and Ginny had seen them in a lover's eye as a badge of honor. Harry could tell she was looking at them as a healer. "Price of saving the day," he replied with a grin to her.
"You idiot," Ginny laughed, easing him down onto the bed. Then taking his sweater and hung it off the foot railing of his bed.
Hanna refined her composure, took her wand and started a health scry. "Multiple minor burns and lacerations. Six broken ribs." She reported.
"New personal best, Mr. Potter." Madam Pomfre commented disapprovingly. As she rolled over the healer's cart of potions and equipment.
"Girlfriend brings out the competitive spirit in me."
The entire room laughed. "Don't you dare blame this one on me, Harry. I held back and did NOT drop a fireball."
Pomfey looked up to Hannah. "One of his friends showed restraint? What has the world come to?" She shook her head and looked at Ginny. "Could you please teach him some."
Pomfrey brought Hannah's attention to her medication cart. "Recommended treatment?" the elder witch asked.
"One dose Skelly-gro for the ribs and one treatment of bruise removing paste for the chest injury. Burn-healing paste for those. Despite the patient's banter and demeanor I would recommend a dose of pain-reliever."
"Observation?"
"Given the multiple breaks," Hannah gave a massive side eye glance to Harry. "... and patient's inability to actually sit still and recover, yes, I would recommend an overnight observation."
"OI!" Harry chided in mock offense. "Who's side are you on?"
Hanna laughed. "When you are injured, Madam Pomfrey's."
"Wise decision Hannah," Pomfrey scoffed, "That one spends enough time here, he thinks he's on staff. I concur with your diagnosis and treatment. Finish with him and we'll move on to the less severe cases."
"Traitor." Harry said with a smile as he laid back, which also further had the team laughing.
"You're an idiot sometimes but I love you." Ginny said with a kiss to his forehead as she pulled the cover sheet over. Then she retreated to the next bed and awaited her turn.
"All right," Madam Pomfrey said as she addressed the others. "Let's work effectively yet efficiently. You all seem no worse for wear. Unless your health scrys show something or you individually request privacy it I think we can fast track this. Ladies, I'll examine you. Hannah can you review the gentlemen?"
"Yes Matron." Hanna as she gave Harry two shot glasses of mediation, which she reflexified quickly scourgified.
"Give me the paste," Harry volunteered, "I can handle that much."
Hannah smiled as she pulled the sheet down to his waist. "Or… you could lay there and let me do my job, Harry. You supported me going into healing. Be a decent patient."
"Yes, Nurse Abbott." Harry finally relented.
Ginny snickered and laughed.
The rest of the team was as they expected, minor burns and scrapes. Madam Pomfrey wrote one note for Susan. "Give that to Professor Spout please, if you don't need anything else you are excused."
"Hey Lady Bones," Harry called with a grin. "Nice work today."
Susan smiled warmly. "Thanks for getting me in the fight, Master Potter " Then she departed for Hufflepuff. And for the rest of you, Miss Granger, would you please give this to Professor Mcgonagall? Mr. Potter will be released for breakfast."
"I work out before breakfast these days." Harry argued.
"Not tomorrow you don't. Now, say goodnight to your friends and get some actual rest for once." Madam Pomfrey stood her ground and watched. Clearly his fate had been decided.
Neville shook his hand and smiled, also gave a wink to Hannah who nodded and simple tapped her ear to remind him.
Hermione came over and was confused. "My reflex is to hug you… but your ribs."
"Mione, pain killer in the system already, go ahead."
"Okay," she said with trepidation. "I'll start working on filing our report. Manual says we're supposed to."
"Um good you do that,.. Um I would … but with my condition… you know." Harry joked very poorly hiding his smile.
Hermione just rolled his eyes. "See you at breakfast, Harry."
Ron stepped in and Harry didn't even let him get a word in. "Mione, you're going to let the injured one have this… Water Wizard, that was bloody brilliant you bastard. Pleasure to see you work tonight."
"Thanks mate. Seriously though, get better and get out of here."
Ginny came in with a smile, bent down and kissed him, then leaned over and whispered. "Be back in a few." When she stood up she gestured to the shoulder holding Harry's wizard pack. "Don't worry about anything, I've got your stuff covered." she said with a wink.
"Well, I suppose I'll see you when I see you then." he smiled.
Madam Pomfrey seemed satisfied once the three guests left. "Hanna, If I'm not mistaken you generally prefer late evening watches over early morning."
"Yes, Matron, still." Hannah said with a nod.
"Very well, I shall retire for the moment at least. I trust you will alert me if our status changes."
"Of course, good night." she replied as they watched the lead healer return to her quarters.
Hannah came to the far end of the bed. "If you are here overnight, mind if I take your boots off? Try to make you comfortable?"
"Thanks Hannah, I should give you an apology."
"Oh, don't worry. You joking at least means you weren't too bad off."
A silence came to the air. Finally Harry asked. "How are you doing, Hannah?"
She gestured to some space on the end of his bed. He happily nodded. "Especially to you and our group I will be honest enough to say, 'as best as can be expected.' Work and study helps to keep the mind busy, so … here I am. Neville has been a godsend."
"Neville is a solid bloke. Glad you two got on. Apparently I wasn't aware just how well you two really were."
Hannah smiled widely. "Yes, well I consider myself very lucky. Now more to the conversation at hand. Harry, you seem oddly relaxed here in the Hospital Wing."
"Hannah, you've heard the stories, rumors, legends of the crap I've gotten into."
"Oh yeah!" she confirmed.
"Well most of those ended in a trip here, so there is a familiarity. Seriously, I'm fine, I will be fine. Babysitting is one duty you don't need to do. Homework or other nursing duties or … linking in with certain House Masters, feel free."
"Alright Harry, but please, don't be bashful. I am your nurse tonight… and your friend."
"If you want to feel helpful, turn the lighting down?"
"Happily, " she replied as she stepped off the bed and waved her wand, on her way to the nurses office.
Ginny shared a smirk with Hermione down hall till the first turn. "Okay, well, you kids have a fun night."
"Sure Ginny, and what do you think you're going to do with Har-" Ron stopped midway as he turned to look at his sister, already invisible from the neck down. He immediately fell into a whisper yell, "Harry's cloak! Are you serious? What are you going to do with that?"
Ginny smiled widely. "You'll see." Then she covered her head and completely faded away. "Or more likely … you won't." The disembodied voice of Ginny giggled.
"Ginny? Ginny!" Ron called. "Bollox!"
"Now, now, language Ron. Relax."
"Relax, My sister who studied under Fred and George, just took off with a pranksters dream, and doesn't even have Harry to keep her in line."
"Ron, come on, now. You know what she's going to do, right?"
"No! That's the problem!"
Hermione wrapped her arms around his neck and forced him to look at her. "Ron, it's easy. She's going to take the cloak so she can stay by Harry's bedside tonight. Just like when the locket got him and she waited for him in the living room to wake up."
The realization did relax him. "I suppose that's not bad then."
"'Not bad then'" Hermione parroted. "Ronald, both of them are likely simultaneously two of the strongest mages in this school. But for each other they are the softest and most caring. I think it's heartwarming, especially as both of them deserve it. They're my second favorite couple."
"Second?" Ron asked with his jokers smile.
"Well a girl is allowed her favorites." she replied, kissing hers.
Under the Cloak, Ginny bit her tongue and smiled as her brother called out for her. She carefully slowed and focused her foot falls one at a time to purposely be quiet until she was out of ear shot from them. But she was warmed to hear Hermione's both accurate prediction of her plans and opinion.
The walk back to the hospital wing was quick and brief. The lights were already dimmed. Carefully she looked through windows for anyone in sight. Satisfied it was relatively clear she slipped inside. From his bed Harry's attention was drawn from the hospital wing door opening and closing itself. He smiled as he could hear the lightest footsteps walking around his bed. Then a chair quietly rose, glided over to the less traveled left side of his bed, then rested back on the ground. Finally the floating head of a beautiful redhead with chocolate brown eyes floated above him. "Peekaboo." she replied.
"I see you," Harry said with a smile.
"Damn right," she replied as she bent down to kiss him.
After her smiling face disappeared again as she sat down. "I am going to borrow part of the end of the bed as a footrest, love."
They both spoke in quieted voices. Harry might not have been able to see Ginny's smile, but he could feel it. He could always feel her smile.
"Anything you like." he replied as he could feel the invisible grip of Ginny's hand in his. "How are you doing, babe?" he asked.
"I'm okay? I mean, I'm not exactly excited you're here. A girl can think of much more enjoyable ways to spend a Friday night. But I am comforted by you walking in here, more or less. And the fact you were conscious when you came in. It makes it feel more mild."
"Gin, I am and will be okay. If you want to go hang with Lu-"
"Harry Potter," she cut him off with a squeeze. "I've made my choice. Where would you be if I had the cracked ribs?"
"Point taken. I guess I just don't want you to have a rough night's sleep."
"Then I'll curl up with you for an afternoon nap, and that's the end of it, Harry." He could feel the minor fire in her eyes he had triggered.
"Yes Ma'am. " he nodded. "And thank you."
"Anything for you, love."
For the first time in a while they had the time and were able to talk about inconsequential things; class, quidditch, Hogsmeade trip in less than a month. With the exception of the Invisibility cloak allowing Ginny to say to hell with this pesky rule called 'visiting hours', because who cares, that's for people who let rules limit them. It was a visit to normalcy for once. No talk of Riddle, no one's painful past needed tending to. The War didn't even come up. For a short little bit they could actually just be Harry and Ginny, just another couple of teens from Hogwarts. Somewhere along the time the adrenaline wore off and though he couldn't see it, he could feel Ginny's head fall asleep on his arm. Harry settled in and let himself drift off.
Sometime later they were jarred awake by Hannah's voice on the defensive. "I'm sorry ma'am. Visiting hours are closed."
"I'm not a visitor, I'm a mother!" a powerful, yet familiar voice argued.
It was one that Ginny had long ago developed reflexes to, "Shite, it's Mum."
Harry's view shot over to see Hannah standing in front of Molly Weasley with Professor McGonagall. More accurately and perhaps more dangerously Hannah was standing between Molly and one of her kids.
Fast thinking Ginny remembered what she was wearing. "Um Harry, with me in the cloak and this area about to get busy-"
"Agreed. Slip out. I'll see you later. Love you."
"Love you too," he heard as he finally felt the release of his hand.
The Professor raised a calming hand, to Hannah. "Miss Abbott, I commend your commitment to rule and protocol. But as Deputy Headmistress, I'll happily authorize Mrs. Weasley an exemption."
"Yes Ma'am… um.. Be my guest then." Hannah replied as stood to the side. Then followed along.
"Er, um, hi?" Harry greeted.
"I came as soon as Minerva flamed. Are you alright dear?" Molly asked.
"Minerva?" Harry repeated.
The Professor raised an eyebrow, but considering the location and situation, opted to leave it lay.
"Sev- now eight children through her house dear, you think I don't know her name?" Molly smiled, as she took a seat on the bed by his feet.
Hannah stood by the ready "Pat- Harry, will be fine. He checked in earlier with several cracked ribs, severe bruising, minor burns, and minor lacerations. Madam Pomfrey approved standard potion and balm treatment and overnight observation," again giving Harry side eye and grin, "because Harry largely doesn't know how to sit still."
McGonagall smiled at Hannah. "Thank you Miss Abbott, I believe we will be fine for now. I'll let you know if we need you." Hannah nodded and began to break away, until the Professor stopped her, "First though, I will send word for 20 points to Hufflepuff for your diligence and effectiveness." Hannah smiled and nodded as she retired to her office.
Molly focused her attention on Harry. "So catch me up, how did this happen? It sounds like you were blown up.
Harry squirmed, "Well.."
"Oh, Merlin…start at the beginning."
Harry tried to sort his thoughts, then realized. He didn't even know A.C.T. was a thing when he left at the end of summer. And the month since had been one of the busiest since. "The beginning, wow, that's going to be a bit."
Molly smiled. "Especially, since my eighth child hasn't written to me since they left for school."
"Oh really?" Professor McGonagall replied with something combined between an amused and judgemental look on her face.
Molly clarified. "It's alright Harry, I understand we didn't specifically talk about this and it is new to you. I'm not mad… just a bit disappointed." That cut Harry to the bone. The Weasley's had taken him in every way possible summer and he'd gotten so busy he hadn't even written. What's more, as Harry watched Molly he swore he saw a slight curl of her lip and gleam in her eye. The veteran mother knew what she was doing too. Somehow Death Eaters seemed safer at that moment.
"Harry, for your future reference, I would prefer a weekly letter, but I insist on at least a monthly."
"Oh no Molly, I'm rather certain a man of Mr. Potter's abilities and intellect can write his guardian one quality letter a week, or else." the Professor agreed.
Harry's eyebrows raised. "Or else?"
"Nothing severe, you simply won't be released for your individual weekend free time until I see a unique and worthy letter for home. You have family now, Harry. And a good one at that. I'm happy to help you develop positive habits with them. Would that be acceptable, Molly?"
"Quite, thank you." Both the witches looked at Harry with very satisfied looks, realizing they both had the checkmate in this conversation.
Harry nodded. "Weekly letters, yes Ma'am's."
Molly beamed with the agreement. Harry noticed a bit of where Ginny got her smile from.
"Now to assist with catching me up I will let you know my other two have been writing, Ginny more than Ron. But I'm sure you can believe you do come up in Ginny's writings." Molly smiled.
Harry nodded. "I would be surprised if I didn't." he admitted.
As if listening, the door to the medical ward opened again, where the long haired redhead stood plain as day, with Harry's pack over her shoulder and in her all black combat uniform. "Mum!" she said happily and she quickly came over.
"Hello darling, " Molly said as she hugged her daughter.
"Some of the students from Gryffindor said you flamed in. I took a guess as to why." She faked a sour look at Harry. "Told you, you were the favorite." Harry had to admit, the girl could act.
By the side eye Molly gave Ginny they could tell the mother caught the joke, but chose to ignore the statement. "Yes, I was both sad to hear anything had happened to our young man, but happy I was at least being notified."
"My pleasure Molly, and considering the nature of the visit, visitor, and your positon under Sergeant Tonks, Miss Weasley, I'm willing to overlook your out of bed after lights out."
Ginny smiled, "Thank you, Professor."
"Position?" Molly asked.
"Approved for field missions." Ginny explained. "The four of us and also Neville and Susan. As I understand it, we are granted prefect access?"
McGonagall nodded. "If you are serving auror duties in the field I can not in good conscience fail to respect you with the same privileges we give our prefects."
"So ALL of you have made prefects this year?"
Ginny said, "Sure, mom."
Harry declined, "Not really."
The Professor overwrote them both. "I'm the one who made the decision, so I will say definitively yes." She looked at both of them with a pursed smile.
Molly finally registered the all black tactical outfit her daughter was wearing. "That does explain the very muggle looking outfit."
Both Ginny and Harry smiled. Harry explained. "Field uniform, especially for us cadets. Aurors bounce between both sides the most of any real mage profession. So they try to embrace the best of both worlds."
"So I hear Tonks has been the one training you?"
Harry nodded. "The Sergeant knows her stuff, tough too. I wouldn't want to get on her bad side. Today was our first real field mission. Well tactical mission, that is, Gin and I had a first contact mission with the family of a new muggle born."
"I was actually quite pleased, Sergeant Tonks selected you two for that assignment." the Professor nodded.
Harry looked at her with an eyebrow raised. "The two of you are fine mages, with complimentary backgrounds. Excellent representatives of Hogwarts."
"I promise you ma'am, I did tell them about quidditch."
"And Harry was the only one who lit anything on fire. " Ginny joked.
"Candles, as a mild introduction to magic, after the Sergeant already bridged the subject. Stop trying to get me in trouble, Gin." he smiled.
"You can take it." she replied with a grin.
Harry's Head of House smiled. "I rest my point. Ensuring the next generation knows what's really important." The quidditch fans all shared a smile.
"So what happened tonight?" Molly asked, trying to understand what happened to put Harry into the hospital wing. Harry and Ginny took turns retelling the evening's events.
"So you were blown up." Molly repeated.
"Just a little." Harry replied.
Molly lowered and shook her head in disbelief. "Congratulations Harry, seven children before you, and you are still the first for some things."
Harry looked over to a smiling Ginny, "Winning." he said with a wink.
They all smiled and Ginny shook her head, "You would make injuries a competition, Harry."
"I learned it from watching you - ARGHHHH!" Harry finished in a yell as his right hand gripped his scar like a vice grip. His scar felt like it had burst into flames and daggers creeping out like roots beneath his skin along his nerves. His body shot rigid from and arched his back upward, also triggering pain in his broken ribs.
"Harry!" both the Weasley ladies shouted. Molly instantly hopped off the bed, Ginny coming to his side.
McGonagall snapped her head to the nurses office. "Miss Abbott, we need you now!"
Ginny stood over him and focused on him. "What's going on? What's happening?"
"Riddle … headache!" He grunted through clenched teeth.
Hannah dashed with the medical cart in hand, "Move!" She shouted to the Weasleys in her way.
Molly took a step back, Ginny ran to the other side. "How do we help?" she asked with determination.
"Professor, I need the Matron!" Hannah ordered. McGonagall nodded and dashed out the room. "Need to hold him steady. Mrs. Weasley, legs. Ginny, chest." Both the Weasley ladies fell to their own healers training and followed their orders.
Hannah started scrying. "Merlin, massive psychic emanations from that scar."
"Flask." Harry gritted in pain.
Remembering, Ginny's eyes lit. "His flask! He brewed a potion to help with this!" She immediately went to Harry's wizard pack.
"Pants. Pants!" he corrected as he shook.
Ginny tore off his cover and started patting down the cargo pants. Luckily on the second try she felt the flash she had seen before. "Got it!" she said, talking, pulling it out.
"Dose?" Hannah asked, as she snatched it from.
"No clue." Ginny admitted.
Hannah quickly eyed him over to take a look at his body mass. "Make it a double then." she muttered and she quickly filled two of the small glasses. "Maducare bibe" the nurse cast with a wave of her wand from the position to his stomach. The clear liquid disappeared. "Hold 'em steady for a minute until it gets in his system. See if it works." Hanna took Harry's left shoulder, Ginny his right and Molly never let his legs go.
It was the longest minute of Ginny's life, but slowly the tremors stopped and Harry's body began to relax. He started to catch his breath. "OWWW… damn that one sucked."
Ginny caressed Harry's forehead but avoided the scar. "That's the infamous Riddle headache I've heard about?"
Harry nodded. "Pretty bad one," he gasped from exhaustion.
Hannah took her wand and scryed his scar again. "Technically it is the psychic energy is lower, but marginally, certainly not enough to justify the reduction in pain. So congratulations that potion of yours seems to work."
"Yay, class work to the rescue." Harry joked lightly.
"Harry, if you'll forgive me, I'd like to compare my notes to your file." Hannah turned around so see both Professor McGonnagall and Madam Pomfrey standing watching, they were so quite when she saw them so close Hannah jumped. "Matron! Sorry… Patient-"
Pomfrey raised a hand. "The Professor explained the beginning, and I witnessed the end. You performed admirably, Miss Abbot. Professor, please add an additional 30 points to Hufflepuff and 20 points to Gryffindor for performing with grace under pressure."
"Noted. Matron, If I may I would like to inquire more as to these Riddle headaches."
"As I would I. Mr. Potter, I have been the lead healer since you have been attending. Why am I only now hearing of this affliction?" she looked at Harry with more than a touch of irritation and contempt.
"Well, Madam, let me ask you. When did you actually believe Riddle had come back?" Hannah and Ginny both bit their tongs as they saw the wind completely knocked out of the adult's sails.
"Understood, Mr. Potter, and apologies. But as your healer and especially after seeing first hand, I am listening now."
Harry closed his eyes for a moment. Ginny took his hand. "And that, Molly, Professor, is a perfect example of why me and my friends have had to be the one to get involved with so many items. When we tried, hardly anyone believe us, so to save lives we took the direct approach." Harry sighed.
"As for your question about the headaches, after the end of the Triwizard Tournament, Pettigrew used some of my blood for the ritual to help Riddle come back. Ever since then, when Riddle gets particularly mad or angry, I get to feel it. He'd been fairly okay over the summer, one assumes he's happy with the progress of the war. Well tonight something pissed him off."
The silence hung in the air for a moment. Professor McGonagall stood forward. "Mr. Potter, in the future you will always have my ear. I apologize if somehow you did not in the past." She seemed as serious and open \as he had ever seen the woman.
"Yes, Ma'am, thank you." he replied honestly.
"Mr. Potter, as matron here I would ask to be briefed on this potion you have developed."
Harry nodded. "Take a sample as you like. Slughorn already has one. Gin, bag, textbook for Potions Brewing, back cover." Ginny followed directions and pulled out his brewing recipe.
Madam Pomfrey read through it. "Hannah, please make a copy. Muggle measurements?" she asked with an eyebrow raised.
"Once I realized Potions is just cooking, the class got a lot easier. Snape…" he stopped and looked at the surrounding adults. "... was not the best teacher I have experienced here. But I know my way around the kitchen. So I took what I know and I'm adapting it."
Ginny agreed, "I'm doing the same in mine class. It really makes the material a lot more understanding."
"Including muggle measurements?" Pomfrey asked.
Ginny shrugged. "Just a matter of conversion if you really want to. Same with currency. Helped a lot with the O.W.L." she replied.
That shocked Molly. "It's September, you already took your O.W.L.s?"
"Just one, mum, Muggle Studies, you knew Harry was tutoring Luna and me, I know I wrote about it."
Molly smiled widely. "Darling you mentioned he was tutoring you, Which makes all the sense in the world to me. You forgot to mention you were going to take the test so early."
"I'm sorry Mum, we have been crazy busy. But just yesterday, Luna and I tested and both got O's!" Ginny smiled brightly. "So I'm a year ahead in that class now. We're looking at N.E.W.T.s by…" she looked to Harry.
"Sergeant wants us all by the end of November. 'Mione says we are still on track."
"Fifth year taking N.E.W.T.s?" Molly said, impressed.
"Just for Muggle Studies. With Hermione and Harry leading the team. They passed their N.E.W.T.'s like first week."
Molly cocked her head and looked at the lad. "Harry, this is what I mean by writing. I would have loved to have heard that from you."
"Um… Molly, I passed my N.E.W.T." he quipped. He succeeded in getting a smile out of her. "Understood, I already agreed to write more. But ya, Tonks caught us trying to take an easy class, so she's having us test out to free up training time. I suspect several of us will likely have N.E.W.T.s in Defense by end of year."
Molly turned to the Professor. "This is all Tonks?"
McGonagall smiled. "The Sergeant is using flexibility in the school rules. There is no academic or age requirement for the tests. Over the years there has been a rare student here or there that opted to test out. But Sergeant Tonks is utilizing it to free time for auror training without its participants falling behind academically. Her idea, but I wholeheartedly support it."
Then spent the next hour covering several conversations with Hannah monitoring the scar. When the episode seemed to be over. Harry was visibly tired and everyone agreed it was time for sleep. This time Ginny didn't even bother to try and hide. She reclaimed the chair by his side and propped her feet up. Madam Pomfrey backed away, still stinging from Harry's accurate recollection of the last two years. Molly did give a slight look.
"Mum, do you really want him alone if he has another episode?" she asked pointedly.
Molly looked over to the Professor. "I have a school to manage and far greater worries than these two. If I trust them to enforce the actual law, I trust them to behave responsibly." she smiled as she walked away.
That thought brought a smile to Molly. She went and grabbed a blanket from the nearby bed, and draped it over Ginny. "I expect a flame tomorrow."
"Yes, Mum." Ginny yawned. Harry was already peacefully asleep.