Hogwarts Revisited

Hogwarts Revisited

by FSR

Chapter Twelve

"Harry!"

"What?"

"Haven't you heard the news? Madam Pomfrey sent Jerkins to St. Mungo's! He had an, well, extensive myocardial infarction or something like that. Malfoy is with him and he looks even worse than Jerkins -"

"I know, Hermione."

"Harry? What happened?"

"Malfoy cheated on me. With Jerkins."

Hermione was rarely speechless. Now she was.

"And... you did what?"

"I provoked Jerkins' heart attack or whatever you called it... and I punished Malfoy."

"Harry... wait! How you punished Malfoy?"

"I tortured him half to death."

"Oh, Harry."

Hermione pulled Harry into a fierce hug.

"It's all right. We'll go to St. Mungo's now and you'll correct your mistakes."

"I don't want to go anywhere."

***

"Go in."

"No."

"Yes, dammit!"

"Maybe later?"

"Now, Harry!"

"Alright, alright!"

Harry walked in to see something he couldn't have guessed was possible - Draco was sitting by the bed holding Berth's hand who was deathly pale and looked as though he would lie in that bed for the end of his days. They were talking in soft voices.

They both flinched when they spotted Harry standing in the doorframe with perfectly blank expression on his face. Chief Warlock stood there for what seemed like eternity but eventually he cleared his throat and spoke.

It was the very last thing Draco and Berth prepared themselves to hear.

"I am not paying you, Jerkins, for lying the whole day in bed."

With those words Harry waved his hand decidedly. Blinding flash of white light sailed across the room, enveloped Berth, changed shape and colour to blue and then sipped itself into the body. A moment later Berth jumped out of bed looking as healthy as usual, summoned his wand from a nightstand and transfigured his hospital pyjamas into black robes.

Draco's mouth was hanging open.

"Sir, I am so -"

"I know, Jerkins. That's why I came here."

"I don't know if I can make up for -"

"Oh, you actually can. We'll speak about it at home."

Harry turned to walk through the door but stopped to call for his husband.

"Are you coming, Malfoy?"

Draco came to himself from stupor, decided that he'll think about what the hell happened in last 24 hours later and hurried after Harry.

Hermione had a self-satisfied smile on her face.

***

The four of them were sitting in Harry's parlour.

Jerkins thought: a) life was rather good and b) he was in dire need of a good shag. Draco wasn't thinking at all; he just sat there with Godric's head in his lap. Hermione decided that she was the cleverest person in the world and was busy making plans on making the world see it as clearly as she did. And Harry wanted to curl up in his bed and wake up when everything was all right.

"So... well, I should probably apologise for my actions."

All the occupants of the room including Godric and Harry himself were quite shocked to hear those words. Harry summoned his Gryffindor courage and continued.

"I am really sorry. These days I do not feel in perfect control due to my... specific condition." Harry made a pause. "However, what you did was wrong."

"Sir, I -"

"I am not yet done. I probably gave you the fright of your life, Jerkins, but there is no damage left. And you, of course, understand that you won't go unpunished."

Jerkins' earlier desire to shag the first good-looking boy or girl evaporated.

"The punishment, however, won't include torture or lots of work or scarring your pretty body."

Maybe I'll have to read some book, Berth thought, about high morals or something and somehow understand it? That would be perfect punishment.

"The information I am going to tell you shouldn't be of any news to you. I am sure that in your heart you always knew it." Harry made sure that he had Jerkins' total attention. "Charlie is your soul mate and you'll make the first step to reconcile with him."

The only reaction Berth showed was no reaction at all. He sat with carefully blank look on his face for a few moments and then spoke in a flat voice.

"I understand, sir. Can I go now?"

"You may go now. You have 24 hours."

When Berth left Harry turned to Hermione.

"If you could leave us alone..."

Hermione stood up but thought that it would be best to say something clever.

"I trust you both to behave like responsible adults you are supposed to be."

***

"Potter, I am not really sorry for what I did."

"I know. I am also not very sorry for what I did to you."

"Does it mean you won't be removing my scars?"

"Yes. And no. I'll remove them when I forgive you."

"You know, it's not fair."

"Why?"

"What will I do if I forgive you?"

"I am sure you'll think of something. By the way, there are other types of scars. And, who knows, maybe you'll be able to remove some of mine."

Author's Notes

Thanks for reading! ANY FEEDBACK IS MUCH APPRECIATED!!! If I made any language mistakes, please, tell me. Please, also tell me if I contradicted canon in any way.

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