Training and Confrontations

Chapter XXXII

Harry woke up in great pain. His entire left side, including his leg, was in agony. His right side would have really bothered him, if the left side had not been so much worse. His head felt like it had been split open.

Harry opened his eyes, and quickly closed them as the room spun. He was scared, because he had not been able to move his eyes or anything on his left side at all. Harry went back to sleep, only knowing he was back in the Infirmary.

When Harry woke up again, the lights were more subdued, and the pains in his right side were gone, as was the pain in his left leg. His left arm and left side were still burning, and he had a fearsome headache, although these were nothing like what he woken up with earlier.

Harry next realized that his left arm and side were somewhat paralyzed, while he only had limited movement in his head and especially his eyes. Still, his slight movements attracted some attention.

"Good evening, Harry," Dumbledore said softly.

Harry tried to speak, but was unable to.

"Don't worry. Your partial paralysis will pass over the next thirty to sixty hours or so. The potion you need to take is rather specialized, but it does work. You need to rest as much as possible. For now, I will just say that it is late Sunday night, a little before midnight in fact. Your five friends are much better off than you are. So, let me help you drink your potion. The poison will most likely take twenty-four to twenty-seven more days to work its way out of your system. If so, you will be on this potion for up to twenty-eight more days."

Dumbledore lifted Harry into his arms, and helped Harry drink a beaker of a warm, sweetish, watery, milky potion. Warmth flooded Harry, and he drifted off to sleep. Dumbledore looked at Harry sadly, and then left to arrange to have security wizards hired to patrol the grounds. It was a simple idea he had put off too long.

Monday, December 9, 1996

When Harry next fully woke up just before dawn, he was glad Dobby was waiting to help him. The unpleasantness with the bedpans concluded, Dobby helped Harry drink another breaker of the potion. Harry fell back asleep for a few hours.

When Harry woke up just before 9:00, he saw Dumbledore sitting and waiting for him. Harry drank down yet another beaker of the potion, but this time, it did not put him immediately to sleep.

"I hope you find the potion palatable," Dumbledore said. "I regret to tell you that this is the only sustenance you are allowed for approximately a week. Any other food or drink, other than water, would simply be indigestible."

Harry still felt too weak to argue, so he managed a one shoulder shrug.

"You must take at least one beaker every six hours. We will try and get you to take one every ninety minutes or so, if you feel up to it. It will heal you faster that way."

Harry nodded.

"I suppose you would like to know what happened?"

Harry nodded again.

Dumbledore laid Harry back onto the bed and then sat back. "It seems both sides underestimated each other to some degree. We had thought that all active supporters of Voldemort were gone from the castle. Obviously, we were wrong. Since we gave at least a day's notice of the last two Saturdays in Hogsmeade, we should have kept an eye on the owlery. Word was sent to Voldemort the first time, and to one of his agents the second."

Seeing Harry was listening, Dumbledore went on. "Voldemort sent the agent that Saturday in November. He is a very personable young man by the name of Julian Malfoy." Harry reacted slightly to the name. "You know of him?"

Harry managed to mutter, "Cousin . . . Mrs. Weasley. . . ."

"So he is. His grandmother was a Prewitt, I believe. We believe he is the agent who planted the portkey targets at your Aunt's and arranged the surveillance on Miss Granger's house. Last month, he isolated a rather depressed and lonely young man that day in Hogsmeade, and seduced him."

Harry thought about that a moment. "Colin?"

"Yes, Mister Creevy. Therefore, when the day in Hogsmeade was announced Friday, Mister Creevy sent a school owl to Julian Malfoy, whom he knew as Julian Commodore."

Harry was glad Colin at least had not knowingly consorted with a Malfoy.

"Expecting a romantic assignation, Mister Creey accompanied Julian to a house which had been under surveillance, as it belongs to the Malfoy family. Before you ask, young Draco will not have access to the house until his seventeenth birthday. The guard was put under the Imperius sometime after he had checked in Saturday morning, just before the students arrived. Mister Creevy had his mind ransacked, and then was put under the Imperius by Voldemort himself."

"Didn't feel him," Harry muttered.

"No," Dumbledore agreed. "Still, you had not sensed him last October, either. In any event, Mister Creevy was mentally attacked after being softened by the Cruciatus. After all the necessary information was taken, he was hit by the Cruciatus again, and finally put under the Imperius for several hours."

Seeing Harry was still alert, Dumbledore went on. "Alastor found out last week that Mister Creevy is moderately susceptible to the Imperius Curse. Still, Voldemort obviously wanted to make certain he could get Mister Creevy close enough to you to kill you. Just before he struck, three things happened. First, Mister Malfoy saw Mister Creevy approach you and pull the knife. Just as Mister Malfoy saw that, Miss Lovegood caught a flash of the internal struggles Mister Creevy was undergoing. He was trying to fight the Curse, albeit unsuccessfully. Then both Mister Malfoy and Miss Lovegood screamed at you. You turned slightly, and Mister Creevy was able to fight the Curse just enough so that the blade did not follow your movement. Therefore, instead of striking you under the ribs right under your heart, which would have either been instantly fatal if your heart had actually been hit or nearly instantaneous no matter what due to the poison, the knife hit the ribs on your left side and slid under the muscles. Had the knife not been poisoned, it would have been an incredibly painful wound, but nothing Madam Pomfrey could not have fixed in a few days."

"Unfortunately, the knife was poisoned. Miss Lovegood managed to pick that up and announce it. Miss Granger therefore put you into a magical stasis, so that the poison would not spread. Had she not done so, you still would have died by early Saturday evening. As it was, it took us until Saturday evening to analyze the poison and learn the antidote. We brought you out of the stasis late Sunday morning, washed the wound with the antidote and managed to get you to swallow a dose. You woke up for a few moments an hour or so later. Your wound will be healed by tomorrow, although it may leave a slight scar, although a long one."

Harry shrugged at that information.

"Why don't you rest some more?" Dumbledore suggested. "I'll tell you more when you wake up again and are ready."

Harry nodded, and let himself fall asleep.

Harry was vaguely aware of being partially woken and dosed with the potion at least twice more. When he woke up the third time, he was more alert. He thought he heard several girls giggling, and then he heard a door shut. He realized that he was no longer out in the Infirmary proper but in one of the small private rooms, and that the door's opening was likely what woke him up.

"Nice to see you awake," Remus said, sitting down.

"Nice to be awake," Harry said. He tried to move, and pain shot through him. "Well, maybe."

"I understand." Remus leaned forward and slightly ruffled Harry's hair. "You had us scared."

"I'm not surprised," Harry said. "I'm thirsty, is there. . . ?"

Remus leaned back and poured Harry some cold water, and then helped sit him up so that he could drink it.

"Thanks," Harry said was he was settled back down. "Much better than that potion."

"You don't like it?"

"It's okay, but it makes me a bit sleepy, and I really think I need to brush my teeth afterwards. It leaves a sort of film. . . ."

"I understand," Remus said. "It is a milk-based potion, after all. Dobby has been cleaning up for you."

"The Headmaster promised to tell me more of what happened," Harry pointed out.

"I know," Remus said. "He was here most of the time, but Fudge showed up again half an hour ago. You need to take your potion again in about ten minutes. If the Headmaster is back by then, he'll explain. Otherwise, you'll have to wait until you wake up again."

"Remus. . . ."

"I know. If he hasn't told you everything by tomorrow morning, I promise Moody or I will."

"I heard the Killing Curse."

Remus paused. "I promise, Harry."

"Alright." Harry paused a moment, thinking of what he could get an answer to. "Was Kingsley disappointed I couldn't beat him last night?"

Remus smiled ruefully. "So, you found out, huh? I think he was anxious to test you. Maybe he'll come back after Christmas."

"I guess I'll have to spend Christmas here," Harry said in a slightly depressed tone.

"I'm afraid so," Remus agreed. "Dan Lovegood already mentioned that. He and the Weasleys will be here."

Harry sighed.

"What is it?" Remus asked.

"Three attacks," Harry said.

"What three attacks?"

"The one down at the station, Voldemort in October, and Saturday. Three attacks, and I only properly responded to one," Harry said. "Not good."

"Well, two were very stealthy," Remus hedged. "Those are very difficult to defend against."

"I know. That's still no excuse." Harry looked up. "Why haven't Hermione and Luna been to see me?"

"They're both alright," Remus said. "They should be here tomorrow."

"Why did Malfoy shout?" Harry asked. "Do you know?" At that moment there was a knock on the door and Madam Pomfrey came in with another beaker of Harry's potion.

Harry sighed and drank it down. At least it tasted decent, unlike the other potions he had been subjected to. "How am I supposed to last a month if I fall asleep every time I drink this?" Harry asked as he handed the beaker back.

"Oh, as the poison weakens, you'll stay more alert," Pomfrey assured him.

"That's good, anyway."

Remus laid Harry back. "As for Draco, if Draco is learning anything from the last year of his life, it's that victory is more important than mere revenge. So, he seems to have sat down, and thought about what he REALLY wants. I don't know what that is, but it obviously includes keeping you alive, at least for now."

When Harry next woke up, he had to have the assistance of Dobby again. This time Harry found the elf's enthusiasm a bit more difficult to deal with, but he had little choice. When he woke up a while later, he found Dumbledore sitting and waiting for him.

"More partial answers?" Harry asked soon after opening his eyes.

"If you fall asleep again, yes," Dumbledore replied. "In which case, I shall do my best to sit here until I can answer most of your questions. Now, where was I? Oh, yes, you had just been struck down and Miss Granger had put you into stasis. To finish off what happened to you directly before taking up another thread, Miss Granger and Mister Longbottom took you into the Three Broomsticks and tried to persuade Madam Pomfrey to open the floo connection between the pub and the Infirmary. When that did not work, they made contact with Professor Snape, and managed to persuade him to do so, although it took a trip to the pub to convince him. He had Miss Granger bring you back to Hogwarts and then followed, closing the connection behind him."

"Neville. . . ."

"We will get to that, Harry. Miss Granger had removed the knife -- in a very professional manner, I might add -- but since Miss Lovegood had said it was poisoned, she had retained it. Madam Pomfrey made certain your stasis was well-formed and Professor Snape and Miss Granger analyzed the poison and made the necessary preliminary steps for your potion. There is some effort involved with the making of the potion, and Miss Granger is handling that, while Professor Snape supervises its making. That is why Miss Granger has not been by to visit yet."

"Go on."

"When Miss Lovegood realized what was happening, she shouted one of the alarms. She then strove to break the connection between Mister Creevy and Voldemort. Only a very powerful Legilimens or a fully-trained Seer should ever attempt such direct intervention."

"And Luna isn't either of those."

"No, she is not," Dumbledore agreed. "However, she is a moderately decent Legilimens and a very powerful and moderately well-trained natural Seer. She broke the connection and then confronted Voldemort directly in his mind. Her powerful feelings of love drove him into a rapid retreat, but the brief but intense battle weakened her, and she passed out. She is in that private room you found under the lecture room, and Miss Weasley and Winky are looking after her. She should be fine by tomorrow."

"That's good to know," Harry said.

"Now, before we go on to other events, let me say that we again had a number of aurors hidden around Hogsmeade. At the same time, Professor Flitwick and myself made our way down to the village to escort the students back. We were just close enough to observe what was happening but still too far away to directly assist anyone. At the moment you were attacked, sixty dementors attacked that end of the village. Filius and I were therefore engaged in driving them off, destroying several. Four aurors were attacking another group of dementors attempting to attack the center of town, while the others first secured the far end of town and quickly worked their way to the Three Broomsticks. Of the hundred and seventeen dementors that attacked, we destroyed seventy-two of them over a half hour battle. Voldemort committed no other forces. No one was Kissed, although I must admit our supply of chocolate is much depleted. On the positive side, we have since learned that the remaining dementors have deserted Voldemort, at least for the moment. Our best estimate is that Voldemort only has thirty Death Eaters and a handful of other followers."

"That's good to know, but you're still hiding things from me," Harry said.

"I am giving you as much information as I can, given your condition," Dumbledore replied. "You will get it all, just in this piecemeal fashion." A knock came on the door.

"More potion?" Harry asked.

"More potion, and then rest. After that, more answers."

"Good evening, Harry."

Harry sighed.

"How are you feeling?"

"Well, I moved my fingers a little, and my eyes feel better."

"That's good to hear."

"Does that mean I can hear the rest of what happened?"

"Well, we have twenty minutes or so before you drink your potion, so we may try," Dumbledore said. "It turns out, there were still at least two active Voldemort supporters amongst the students. One Slytherin, and one Hufflepuff."

Harry's eyes went further open for a moment. Finally, he said, "I take it the Slytherin wasn't Malfoy."

"No, no it was not. Neither was it Mister Goyle."

Harry shrugged. "That's not surprising. It was pretty surprising that Crabbe acted last September without Malfoy being involved."

"True," Dumbledore admitted reluctantly. "Actually, it was Miss Parkinson."

"Pansy Parkinson used a Killing Curse?" Harry asked. "That's hard to believe. I mean, I thought that was her perfume I smelled on the woman under the invisibility cloak and she's pretty vile in some ways, but I thought she was pretty loyal to Malfoy."

"That is what Professor Snape said as well. I should point out that she did not use the Killing Curse, but rather used stunners to try and protect the Hufflepuff who did."

"Would that have been a Sixth year Hufflepuff?" When Dumbledore nodded, Harry asked, "Zach Smith?"

Dumbledore sighed and nodded. "Yes. Several students, including the Weasleys, Mister Longbottom, and Mister Thomas, stunned Mister Creevy. When he saw that you were not immediately killed, Mister Smith tried to use the Killing Curse on you. He obviously did not know that the knife was poisoned. You collapsed just at the right time. Unfortunately, the Curse killed a Third year Slytherin, George Blank. Mister Thomas sent a stunner at Mister Smith, who ducked. Miss Parkinson stunned both Mister Thomas and Mister Malfoy. Miss Bulstrode knocked Miss Parkinson out with what I've been told was a very well-executed right cross to the jaw. By then, Mister Smith had been hit by at least twenty stunners."

"Did he survive?" Harry asked. Enough stunners could kill, if they hit in a short enough time span.

"No, he did not. Mister Creevy barely survived, and will not be in any condition to even be questioned again until tomorrow. Miss Parkinson is under arrest, and is still being questioned."

"Was anyone else killed?" Harry asked.

"No. We were most fortunate, although you had us worried for quite a while."

"I take it Voldemort and this other Malfoy got away?"

"They did. Hopefully Mister Creevy will be able to inform us if he met Mister Malfoy anywhere other than at the Malfoy Hogsmeade residence."

"He's in a lot of trouble, isn't he?"

"Yes, although not for the attack on you. He was, after all, both under the Imperius and trying to fight it."

"Then what for? For being homosexual?"

"Homosexual acts, by themselves, are not illegal or even seriously frowned upon by wizarding society in general, although some people strenuously disapprove. However, you should know perfectly well that Mister Creevy is underage. The age differential alone makes their actions illegal. In addition, Mister Creevy was breaking a number of school rules, which you should also know perfectly well. Students are not to have contacts with adults in the wizarding world unrelated to you without parental permission. You are not. . . ."

"I know them, sir," Harry broke in tiredly.

"So," Dumbledore went on, "Mister Creevy will at a minimum lose all Hogsmeade privileges. Minister Fudge would like to have him tried for attempted murder."

"Fudge is a fu . . . err, idiot."

"He is," Dumbledore agreed. "However, if you wish to press charges, Mister Creevy would have to be tried."

Harry shook his head. "Unless Luna tells me she was mistaken about the Imperius, no, I won't do it."

"Fair enough," Dumbledore acknowledged.

At that moment, there was a knock on the door. Madam Pomfrey came in, saying, "Headmaster, Miss Lovegood woke up for a few minutes again. She should be well-healed tomorrow. She can visit Mister Potter here at some point tomorrow afternoon or evening, and return to classes Wednesday."

The Headmaster said, "Excellent," while Harry smiled.

"Here's the latest batch, Mister Potter," Pomfrey said.

"Latest batch?"

"Almost every dose must be made separately," she said. "Now, drink it down."