Chapter Forty Two
Harry stood in front of the door to the Come and Go room with his friends and reached for the handle.
He wasn't sure what he wanted to find in there, anything about Horcruxes was likely to make for the most unpleasant of reads and did they really need to know how the horrific things are made?
But they would also, almost certainly, tell them how to destroy them and they did need to know that.
Harry took a deep breath and walked in, holding the door open for the others.
"Bloody hell!" Neville said, wide eyed and looking around.
Hermione sighed, "I know you said there was a lot of stuff but… Harry we can never search through all of this…"
"Crap." Draco finished for her.
"Exactly." Hermione sighed.
Harry grinned, "We don't actually need to search through it all, we can just summon it."
Neville, Daphne and Pansy let out a snort of laughter at Draco and Hermione's slightly ashamed faces.
"And you two are meant to be the clever ones." Harry said dramatically, shaking his head, "Accio Horcrux books!"
Their hopes lifted as a small pile of rubbish fell from one of the many shelves but nothing came to them.
"Accio books on Horcruxes!" Harry tried again.
Nothing.
Harry let out a sigh and rubbed his head, it seemed like everything was working against them.
"It was worth a try." Hermione said, giving him a comforting pat on the shoulder.
"Maybe Dumbledore has them," Pansy shrugged, "in his office or something? You said he was dead set against them."
It made sense, it also meant there was no way they were getting those books, not until Dumbledore thought it was the time to give them over, if that time ever came.
"We should tidy this up." Pansy said, wrinkling her nose at the pile that fell over, "Someone might want some of it…"
Harry seriously doubted it but moved over to the fallen shelf of stuff anyway, having been raised to tidy up any mess you made.
There were a few dozen books, in various states, ranging from brand new to barely holding themselves together. A large over turned jewellery box that had tipped everywhere and an old mannequin head. Harry placed the head back on the shelf while the others shoved the jewellery back into the box and stacked the books.
"Has anyone seen a tiara thing?" Harry asked, "I think it was meant to be sitting on the mannequin."
Harry turned to see the box as it made a rather final clunk shut. Hermione, who had just shut it looked wide eyed.
"I think I shoved it in here…Was it meant to make that noise?" she asked, trying to open it again but the lid stayed firmly shut.
"It looks like it's locked itself, did you lock the key in there?" Daphne asked, pointing her wand at the box, but it didn't budge.
Hermione shook her head, "No, I'm pretty sure no anyway."
"Well, let's hope no one needs anything from it!" Draco sniggered.
"We're going to be late for class." Neville said, as the bell rang behind them, echoing softly into the Come and Go room.
Harry nodded, thoroughly disappointed they'd not found anything and trudged to class.
A month passed and nothing. Harry wondered if it was worth asking Professor Slughorn about Horcruxes again, but it seemed unlikely it would provide them with any more information than they already had.
Harry sat outside, resting against the castle wall with Cho snuggled into his side. She was reading out of her Potion's book, the exam coming up quickly.
"Mistletoe and holly sprigs… add in…?" she mumbled.
"Add in cherry stones?" Harry suggested, feeling the sun warming his skin.
Cho laughed and gave him a peck on the cheek, "I love you Harry but you've just filled the classroom with poisoned smoke."
Harry smirked, "Oops."
"You should be paying more attention to this stuff." Cho told him, "This will be you next year, they don't change the curriculum that much."
Harry sighed and leant back, resting his head on the stone wall, "Yeah, you're right."
Cho reached up, running her fingers through his hair, "You're thinking about the Horcruxes again?"
Harry nodded, giving her a small smile, "Sorry."
Cho shook her head, closing her book and sitting up so she could look him in the eye, "Well, let's talk about it."
"You have to study." Harry said.
Cho gave an easy shrug, "It can wait."
Harry smiled at her, "I just… don't even know where to start."
"Well, Dumbledore is tracking one down right?" Cho said, "So there must be a way."
Harry nodded, "Yeah… yeah I know."
Cho chewed on her lip for a moment, "You said… and I remember really, but anyway, you said that Bellatrix had one of the Horcruxes? The diary?"
"Yeah." Harry said, "Umm… but she stole it from Malfoy Manor."
"So is it possible that another Death Eater has another one?" Cho suggested.
Harry sat up, "That's a good point. We know that Voldemort is keeping Nagini close; he turned her into a Horcrux to keep her close. It would make sense that he would hid the others with his Death Eaters."
"But which ones?" Cho pointed out, "There are loads."
Harry sat back, "Yeah… good point."
"I have faith in you Harry." Cho grinned, "You're brilliant."
Harry couldn't help but smile back reaching forwards to pull her onto his knee for a kiss.
They missed dinner, something that was both noted and teased over as Harry sat down with his friends in the common room that evening.
"What were you doing out there for so long?" Daphne laughed.
"What do you think they were doing?!" Pansy sniggered, as Daphne blushed.
"Nothing like that!" Harry told them firmly, "We were just talking. I helped her go over some Potions stuff and…" Harry leaned in, making sure they couldn't be over heard, "she sort of suggested, and I sort of figured out, that some of the other Death Eaters might have some of the other Horcruxes."
"Well… that would make sense." Daphne nodded, "Don't suppose she had an idea of which ones?"
"Bellatrix would make sense." Harry mused, "She's always been over… obsessed with him."
"She had the diary though." Draco pointed out.
"No…" Harry said, thinking that Bellatrix was making more and more sense, "your parents did. She stole it, remember? Years and years ago but it was your father's to start with."
Draco squirmed slightly, "True. I need chocolate."
Harry gave him an awkward smile. Draco stood, calmly enough, and wondered through the common room to the boys dorm. Harry followed.
"I'm really sorry." Harry said, closing the door behind him, "I didn't mean to make you feel bad."
Draco waved his hand dismissively, "It's fine. It's just tough, knowing that they used to… ever think how things could of ended up differently?"
Harry shrugged, flopping onto his bed, "Sometimes, I guess."
"I could of hated you, we could still be death eaters!" Draco sighed, "Whole other world."
Harry snorted a laugh, "Don't think it could of ever been like that."
Draco smiled, "Mates forever right?"
"I don't think I've ever heard you say 'mates' before but yes." Harry laughed.
Draco pulled out his treats basket from under his bed and sighed loudly, "I'm due a new one soon, there's barely anything left in here, I might starve to death."
"In any world you will always be over dramatic!" Harry smirked.
Draco pretended to look offended and laughed, "Would you like anything?" he asked.
Harry looked into the nearly empty basket and shook his head, "No, I will leave you to your horrible coconut things."
Draco rolled his head, "Suit yourself." he opened one, taking a large bite, "Mmmm."
Harry grinned, "Haha."
"They're rea…" Draco let out a loud cough, "re… re…"
"Draco?" Harry asked, slowly standing up.
Draco looked deeply at Harry before falling to the ground, thrashing around violently.
Harry rushed over, throwing open the door to the dorm and dashing down the steps.
"Get Draco!" Harry yelled to Daphne and Pansy, "Potions Lab!"
He didn't wait for a response, sprinting down the corridor as his lungs screamed for air, pushing his legs to move faster and faster. The door wasn't locked and Harry didn't bother to knock.
Slughorn was in there was a small group of students having a study class.
"What on earth is wrong, Harry m'boy?" Slughorn asked.
Harry ignored him, gasping for breath as he wrenched open the supply cupboard, which was locked.
"Open it!" Harry yelled to Slughorn.
"Harry, what on earth is going on?" Slughorn asked, not moving.
"OPEN IT!" Harry yelled louder.
Pansy and Daphne staggered though the door, carrying Draco between them and laying him on the floor.
"Harry he's barely breathing!" Daphne cried.
Slughorn looked for a moment between the four suddenly appeared students before hurrying over to the supply cupboard, opening the lock with a small golden key.
Harry pulled out the ingredient boxes until he found the boxes of bezoars. Rushing over, he dropped painfully to his knees with a crack and shoved the strange stone down Draco's throat.
Draco took a shallow breath and rolled over, throwing up on the stone floor before flopping back over, taking several ragged breaths.
Harry breathed, a stitch burning in his side.
"Hawthorn, go and get Madam Pomfrey and Professor Dumbledore." Slughorn said, his voice shaking slightly.
One of the students nodded before dashing from the room. Draco lay on the floor still, his breathing rough but not stopping as the sickening blue colour faded from his lips and finger nails.
No one spoke, not until the door to the classroom flew open and Madam Pomfrey bustled in.
"I was told there had been an accident, what on earth has happened this… oh my." she stopped short, seeing Draco lying on the ground, "What on earth happened?"
"He ate a chocolate bar and then stopped breathing." Harry told her, "I think it was poisoned."
Madam Pomfrey waved her wand carefully over Draco, muttering softly under her breath, "Have you administrated any sort of antidote yet?"
"A bezoar." Harry said, "He'd stopped breathing completely before hand."
"Breathing is still very weak." Madam Pomfrey muttered, "You did the right thing Mr Potter."
"Is he going to be OK?" Pansy asked. Everything had happened so quickly, so quickly she still didn't really know what was going on.
"He should be fine." Madam Pomfrey said, "But I need to get him to the hospital wing and will need to make another antidote, a more specific one. Horace, would you be able to help?"
Professor Slughorn nodded, "Yes, yeas of course Poppy, I'd love to help. But I would need a sample of the poison."
"Draco hadn't finished eating the chocolate." Harry said, "And he had more, it's all on his bed still."
"Miss Greengrass, Miss Parkinson, please go and collect all of Mr Malfoy's sweets. Bring them here." Madam Pomfrey told them firmly, "Do not touch any more than you have to."
Daphne and Pansy nodded before darting from room. Harry clutched onto Draco's hand as Madam Pomfrey levitated him and floated him carefully from the room.
Harry ignored the stares and worried whispers from the students as they went passed. It was still early enough in the day for there to be several groups of students milling around the school still.
The hospital wing was empty when they arrived. Madam Pomfrey gently lowered Draco into a bed and stripped off his robes. She made Harry stand on the other side of the screens, pacing back and forth while she changed Draco into the hospital wing pyjamas.
The screens were put away and Harry darted back to his friend's side. Madam Pomfrey set about mixing a sweet and fruity smelling potion, pouring it carefully, drop by drop into Draco's mouth. His breathing became slightly easier, although still very laboured.
It wasn't long before Dumbledore strode into the room, followed by Severus who rushed to Harry's side.
"Poppy, will Mr Malfoy recover?" Dumbledore asked, looking over him.
"Yes Albus, I believe he will be perfectly fine in a day or two. I have Horace making up an antidote as we speak." Madam Pomfrey explained.
"I have contacted his parents, they will be here as soon as possible." Dumbledore informed them all, "I believe they are bringing Lily and young Danica with them as well, for support all round."
"Why isn't he awake?" Harry asked, "I'd have thought he'd have woken up by now."
"Poisons often have a long lasting effect in that area." Madam Pomfrey explained, "But we'll be able to know more once we know what the poison is."
Dumbledore drew up a chair and sat next to Harry, facing him. Harry turned to face the headmaster, forcing him to let go of Draco's hand.
"Can you tell me exactly what happened?" Dumbledore said calmly.
Harry took a deep breath, the panic of the moment had caused everything to grow slightly blurry now he was beginning to calm down.
"He ate something." Harry said, "And…"
Dumbledore raised his hand to stop him, "No, start before then. I noticed you were absent from dinner."
Harry rubbed his head, "Yeah, I was sitting outside with Cho. We got talking and we were enjoying the sunshine."
"What were you discussing?" Dumbledore asked.
Harry looked around, "Umm… we talked about her upcoming exams and… we were discussing what you and I discussed in our last lesson, Professor."
Dumbledore nodded, Harry catching a slight note of disappointment in his eyes, "Please continue."
"I came back into the castle, and went to the common room." Harry said, "I sat with my friends and told them what Cho and I had talked about. I… I said something stupid, it upset Draco a little bit I think."
"What did you say?" Severus asked, placing his hand on Harry's shoulder, "You two haven't had a fight since you were little."
Harry shook his head, "It's not like that. I said something stupid about his parents working for Voldemort, I didn't mean it like that but it hit a nerve."
"Understandable, although Mr Malfoy is normally very level headed over such things." Dumbledore nodded along.
"Draco said he needed chocolate, I think he needed a breather as well. He went to our dorm." Harry continued, "I followed him, I wanted to say sorry. He said it was fine, just…" Harry shook his head, "He pulled out his treat basket and offered me some. He asked if I wanted any, but I said no."
"Why?" Dumbledore probed.
"He only really had bountys left and I'm not a fan of coconut." Harry explained, "He opened one and took a bite. He was fine for a second, but then… he just collapsed and started thrashing around. I ran down the stairs and shouted at Pansy and Daphne to grab him and that I was heading to the Potion's lab. Once there I got Professor Slughorn to unlock the supply cupboard and grabbed a bezoar. By that point, Daphne and Pansy managed to get Draco to the lab so I shoved it down his throat."
"What state was Mr Malfoy in when he arrived at the Potion's lab?" Dumbledore asked.
"Not good." Harry said, wondering why on earth Dumbledore needed to know that, "His lips and finger nails were all blue and he wasn't breathing at all."
"Was he limp or stiff?" Dumbledore said.
"Limp. Why does this matter?" Harry demanded.
"It might help us to work out what effect the poison had." Dumbledore said, annoyingly calm.
"We know what the poison is at least!" Slughorn announced, walking into the room, Daphne and Pansy following closely behind.
The two girls rushed over and gave Harry a big hug before sitting next to Harry.
"Very rare, very expensive, common name is Darcaluim. Contains mostly things that would be neutralised by a bezoar and one that wouldn't, common Belladonna. Very nasty item." Slughorn told them. He handed over the antidote, "Three tea spoons, four times a day for a week, plus a full bottle as soon as possible. Effects should be fully reversed."
"What else was poisoned?" Harry asked, looking at the treat basket that was now sitting on Draco's bedside table.
"All of the 'bounty' sweets." Slughorn told them, "Never heard of them myself but they were all laced."
"Harry!" Lily called, bursting into the hospital wing with Lucius and Narcissa.
They rushed over and hugged him tightly. Lucius drew up a chair and gestured for Narcissa to sit. She clutched tightly at Draco's hand, trying her best not to make a sound as tears streamed down her face.
"Will he be all right?" Lucius asked, holding tightly to his wife's shoulder.
"He will be fine, Lucius." Severus assured him.
"The poison was given through these sweets." Dumbledore told them, "Do they look familiar?"
Narcissa stood up slowly and nodded, "Yes… yes this is the basket we sent him last. We didn't add bountys though." she gave a wet smile, "Draco likes to share and they're not popular with his friends."
Harry felt his heart start to race, "You didn't put them in?"
Lucius shook his head, "No. I wouldn't even know where to buy them, I've only ever heard of them when Lily brought some round once, can't say they were very nice."
Harry stood up quickly, "Are you sure? I mean, sure?"
"Harry, what's wrong?" Lily asked.
Harry felt his panic rising, several sets of eyes watching him, "I got the basket. Petal delivered it… the bountys were in there when she delivered it."
"Petal gave it to you?" Narcissa frowned, "In person? She normally just sends it with an owl."
Harry nodded, "Yeah. She dropped it off after a Quidditch game."
Dumbledore and Harry exchanged a knowing look.
"Narcissa, Lucius, would you mind calling Petal?" Dumbledore asked gravely.