And here we are. Woohoo! I haven't left it six months between updates! Man alive it must be the end of the world, either that or there's pigs flying across the sky. Either way another chapter is here.

Disclaimer: I own nothing!

Chapter Twenty Six

By Rosa241

Madame Pomfrey POV

Looking at the boy in front of me I can't help but wince. Right now he's as white as a sheet, I swear he's so pale he could be mistaken for one of the ghosts. His symptoms baffle me to be honest. If this were simply the flu or another virus then it would certainly account for the headaches and the dizzy spells. It's the nightmares that are worrying me, from what he described they seem to be disturbingly sinister in their content. Its these nightmares that are preventing him from sleeping which no doubt is making his illness worse.

The poor dear looks so tired that it's no surprise he isn't well, mind you with this silly tournament I dare say that there are many people who could do with a good nights sleep. No secret has been made among the staff that he didn't place himself into the tournament and facing off against a dragon! Well…I have no doubt in my mind that he's under an enormous amount of stress. All these symptoms would fit well with stress but I just have a feeling that there's more to it.

Shaking my head I focus back on the task at hand. Given the fact that the boys competing in the tournament it would prudent to let the powers that be know about his illness. Grumbling to myself I pull up a piece of parchment and scribble down a quick note.

Minerva,

I just wanted to make you aware that I have Percy Weasley here with me. Poor dear seems to be coming down with something.

Poppy

Ordinarily I wouldn't bothering to write a note about a student being here, I'd wait until dinner and let them know but given the tournament, which no doubt is somehow the cause of this, it's probably best to let her know now. Handing the note over to the waiting Owl I shake my head and bring my mind back to the present problem.

First thing the poor dear needs is something to battle that headache of his.

Professor Snape POV

I've been staring at the book for several minutes now and, despite my attempts at thinking of an alternate explanation, I know that it's the only answer. Over the last hour I've checked and rechecked my stores. The list of missing ingredients are suitable enough to make two potions one of which is the Polyjuice potion. My former theory of Potter and his friends brewing it is starting to turn into a different theory. Quite who is brewing that particular potion I don't know but the fact that it is has been disturbing enough. Albus has been lax in his interest in it and deep down despite my insistence that Potter was behind it something tells me that he isn't. As for the second potion being brewed…

My eyes dart over to the book and my fears come rushing back.

Aconitum Draught

A particular poison that, when brewed correctly, can cause death in a matter of hours. Although the entire plant is dangerous and should be handled with care it's the roots that are the most deadly. Should the poison be brewed from the roots of the plant then the poison is far more deadly and death can occur in minutes.

Symptoms include severe headaches, dizzy spells, disturbed sleep and general feelings of weakness throughout the body.

The symptoms fit exactly with what Weasley described before not to mention that the ingredients list matches exactly with those that have gone missing from my store. It all fits however…

If the poison had been given to him directly then it would have killed him by now. Whomever has been slipping it to him must be doing it in small doses as advertised by his continued 'illness' these past few weeks. Something in me clenches at the thought that someone has been deliberately poisoning the boy but I shake it off and focus on the task at hand. Grabbing hold of the book I march straight out of the room and head for Albus' office.

"Severus you can't seriously believe-" He begins as I finish explaining but I cut him off.

"Albus think about it. The boy was entered into the tournament against his will something that would take an incredibly powerful wizard. Someone has been stealing from my stores and it just so happens that those ingredients are the exact same ones that are needed to brew a very powerful poison. Now the boy is suffering from a range of symptoms which match with this particular poison." This is far from being a coincidence and he knows it. The trouble that's been going on in this school over the last few years is the work on one person and we both know it, the whole thing has been discussed at length several times over.

"Why would someone want to poison Mr Weasley? Why would someone place his name in the Goblet in the first place? It doesn't make sense." There are lots of things in the world that don't make sense but it doesn't stop them from being true. "I don't doubt that someone has been stealing from your stores, I don't doubt that something strange is going on but we mustn't jump to conclusions before confirming the facts."

Rolling my eyes I almost sigh as he speaks. No doubt if this were Mr Potter we were talking about then he'd be jumping up and down right now. Forcing that thought from my mind I focus on the task at hand.

"There is an easy way to find out. Testing the boys blood will confirm whether or not he has been given the poison." Albus eventually nods his head and deep down I know that he sees this is the truth. I don't envy his position but there is something going on in this school and it needs to be stopped sooner rather than later.

Percy POV

I have to admit that coming here was actually a good idea. Thanks to the draught Madame Pomfrey had given to me the headache that has been plaguing me for the last few weeks has dampened down to a dull ache. Of course it's still there but given how painful it's been any relief is a welcome one. With the headache fading into the background I can finally relax for the first time in so long. My mind flickers over to my best friend and I can't help but laugh.

After bringing me up to Madame Pomfrey he'd hung around for as long as possible before reluctantly dragging himself off to his detention. Despite his protests I knew full well that the moment he'd gotten out of the room he'd raced down to the dungeon as quickly as possible. It's a well-known fact that in this school Professor Snape and Professor McGonagall take the lead in the scariest teacher contest.

Leaning back on the bed I almost want to close my eyes and rest but the thought of the nightmares that have been plaguing me keep me from doing so. Shivering at the memories of the most recent nightmare I sigh before sitting up. Okay so maybe I'm putting off sleep for as long as possible there's no law against it. The door flying open interrupts my thoughts.

"Perce!" Ron is the one who speaks, flying forward along with Ginny, with Fred and George pulling up the rear.

"What on earth of you lot doing here?" The sheer noise they're making as they huddle around the bed sends daggers of pain shooting behind my eyes.

"Are you kidding? Oliver tells us that you're in the hospital wing and you don't think we're going to come down and check on you." I can't help smiling slightly at the thought of them all racing over here to check up on me. Last year I would have probably lectured them for being out of bed so late but now I simply find it a comfort.

"Well that's very kind but you needn't have done that. I'm fine." Given the dark glare I'm receiving from both Fred and George they don't believe that for a second.

"Really because you look like death warmed up!" George announces as Madame Pomfrey steps out of her office and back into the room. She takes in the sight of my siblings standing there and huffs in annoyance.

"Visiting times have been over for the last hour, the four of you should be in bed." She announces as she folds her arms. Any other time and I'd find the way that Fred backs up slightly comical. Maybe we need to add Madame Pomfrey into the mix…

"We just wanted to see if Percy was okay." Ginny says with a small smile. "Just five minute please?"

"Oh alright. Five minutes and then I must insist that you leave, your brother needs to rest." She finally agrees as she steps back into his office.

"Look I really am okay." I say as they focus their attention back on me. "I just have a bug or something but you don't need to worry."

"Well you can't blame us for being worried." George says as he folds his arms.

"Yeah when one of us ends up in here it's usually because something bads happened. Think about it. In Ron's first year he ended up in unconscious for two days thanks to the giant chess set. Second year both of them manage to get themselves in more than enough trouble and then last year with that maniac that managed to break his leg." Both Ron and Ginny have the good grace to look sheepish at the worry they've caused us over the last few years.

"Okay I appreciate that but I really am going to be fine. Seriously I already feel better." And that's the honest truth. I really do feel better now that my head isn't pounding with every breath I take. "You can all relax I'm going to be fine, it's just a case of unfortunately timed flu. Nothing more."

For a moment I think Ginny's going to say something more but she snaps her mouth shut and nods before hugging me. Ron sighs with a 'feel better' before taking hold of Ginny's arm and leading her out of the room. Fred and George hang back for a moment and share a look before Fred speaks.

"You'd tell us if there was something more to this wouldn't you?" Sitting up a little straighter I can't help but try and give them a reassuring look.

"Yes. Now go on back to the Tower before you end up in trouble." Sensing their reluctance to leave I push a little harder. "Go. The sooner you lot get me some sleep the sooner I'll get better and the sooner I'm better the sooner I'll be out there driving you both mad."

"In that case we should stay a while longer." Fred manages as the tension drains from both of their faces. As they finally head out of the door I sink back onto the bed. The tiredness I'd felt earlier has finally given way to sheer exhaustion and I can feel my eyes beginning to close of their own accord.

Aha! So Percy's been poisoned but never fear Snape to the rescue. He knows what the poison is and Madame Pomfrey is making it her mission to ensure that he feels better.

I kind of want to show a different side of Snape. In the books you only really see him from Harry's perspective and I wanted to explore him from another point of view.

Now as for the poison it took a while before I found the right kind of thing. It's quite possibly the weirdest thing I've done for a while, sitting on a train searching poisonous plants on google on my phone, poor man sat next to me didn't half give me funny looks. Anyway…

Until next time. Bye x