Harry Potter and the Daemon Sidhe

Chapter 16

Harry slowly rose towards consciousness, the memory of terrible pain making him shudder until he became aware that it was merely a memory. He kept his eyes determinedly closed even though he could tell by the smells and sounds around him that he was in the Hospital Wing.

Harry, Severus said wearily. I know you're awake.

Harry gasped. You're alive! I...wasn't sure.

Yes, I am alive, Severus said, hints of pain and discomfort in his mental voice. Regrettably I am also awake.

Are...you alright? Harry asked tentatively, still refusing to open his eyes.

I will be, Severus replied. I...thank you. The way things were going it was doubtful I would have ever been able to reach the portkey without your aid.

I wasn't going to let you die! Harry said indignantly. You're a member of my court, one of my Advisors and... my...friend.

Gryffindors are too quick to call others friend, Severus responded uncomfortably.

Slytherins are too slow to do that, Harry countered.

There was a long silence from the other man. Why are you not opening your eyes? Severus finally asked curiously.

Harry gave a small smile and decided to allow the change of subject; it was unfair to expect the man to change so drastically. He was a Slytherin after all.

I'm not sure I really want to, he admitted. That really hurt. I'm not sure if it was because Vol...er, the Dark Lord was incredibly angry or because it was due to you being linked to me.

Did the others feel the pain?

No, I don't think so, Harry said slowly. At least not until the end when some of it leaked through from me.

Then I think it may just be due to the Dark Lord's...Voldemort's extreme anger with me, Severus replied.

Harry was surprised for a moment. You called him by his name!

Don't be an idiot! Severus snapped with what sounded like a pained grunt. There has always been a reason I have referred to him as the Dark Lord.

He did not continue and Harry realised Severus wanted to see if he could work it out.

Because you had to always think of him like that in order to maintain the proper attitude? he ventured.

Close, Severus grunted. We were never permitted to refer to him by name even amongst ourselves. He was our Lord and Master and we were too lowly to be able to speak his name.

Oh! So if you had gotten into the habit of calling him Voldemort here, you might have slipped elsewhere, Harry said in understanding.

Indeed, Severus replied shortly, discomfort and pain evident in his voice.

Harry finally, reluctantly, opened his eyes and propped himself up on one elbow, groping on the bedside table for his glasses. Once he'd solved that problem, he pushed himself into a sitting position, grimacing at the residual pain in his head and body and looked around. Curtains had been drawn around a bed at the far end of the room and Harry grumbled under his breath at Madam Pomfrey for a minute before pushing his blankets back. He slowly stood and braced himself against the bed until he stopped shaking then made his way down to the curtained off bed. He pushed past the curtains and collapsed into the chair bedside the bed with a sigh.

"You are an idiot, Potter," Severus said wearily.

"Yes, I know," Harry replied equally wearily though a smile hovered on his lips. "Why am I am idiot now?"

"Poppy Pomfrey will tar and feather you when she finds you out of bed," Severus replied.

"No, she won't. She's used to me doing this sort of thing," Harry said calmly.

Inwardly he was wincing. He hadn't been able to see where Voldemort was aiming the cutting curse during the vision but now it was plainly obvious. Severus was not wearing a pyjama top, which Harry assumed was due to Madam Pomfrey not wanting to inflame his injuries, and the healing scars were currently red and livid against his pale, sallow skin. Two had been cast though the second one had been cut off abruptly by the actions of Harry and his court. The first one ran from Severus' left temple down the left side of his face and throat before running halfway down the left side of his chest. The second ran down the Potion Master's right arm from the top of his shoulder and broke off suddenly just above his wrist. Harry shivered; he was fairly sure that if that one had been continued then Severus would no longer have the use of his right hand. The Dark Mark also glared black and malevolent on his left arm. He looked up from his perusal of Severus' wounds to find the older man watching him soberly.

Severus looked down at the ugly red line running down his arm. "Your timing was impeccable," was all he said though when he raised his eyes Harry could see the horror at the thought of what might have been within them.

"You're welcome," Harry said soberly. He paused then spoke again. "Are those going to scar?"

Severus grimaced. "Yes," he said flatly.

A giggle rose in Harry's throat though he kept it carefully hidden. "I'm told women find scars irresistible," he said as blandly as he could.

The exasperated look Severus gave him was enough to set Harry off into a fit of laughter.

"You really are annoying," Severus said with a mix of irritation and amusement. "Just because the moronic females that inhabit this castle cannot keep themselves away from you does not mean that is a universal trait."

"Actually I've kissed a grand total of two girls," Harry said pedantically while grinning a little self-deprecatingly. "Cho Chang and Ginny. That's why I said I'm told women find scars irresistible. Personally I've found women either try to mother me because of this damn thing or look at me like I'm a live snake depending on the circumstances."

Severus snorted with amusement then winced as the action jarred the mark on his chest. "Considering your speech impediment, the latter makes some sense."

Harry's response was lost when Poppy Pomfrey pushed the curtains aside and eyed the two men grimly.

"Mr Potter!" she said sternly. "What in Merlin's name are you doing out of bed?"

Severus smirked as Harry searched for a reply.

"Never mind, Mr Potter," Poppy said archly. "Back to bed." She then turned that arch look on Severus. "I'll deal with you in a minute." Now it was Harry's turn to smirk as Severus' face fell.

She helped the young man up and summarily marched him back to his bed before drawing the curtains around him. As Harry settled back under his blankets with a resigned expression on his face, she picked up a potion bottle sitting on his bedside table and poured him a cup of the liquid.

"Drink this, Mr Potter," she said, holding the cup out to him.

Harry obediently drank the potion, grimacing at the taste and pulling his glasses off. Madam Pomfrey took both the cup and his glasses from him and placed them on the bedside table before watching him sternly until the potion pulled into sleep again.

****************************************************************************

When Harry woke again, he found he had been moved to the bed next to Severus and that the rest of his court was sitting around the two beds talking quietly amongst themselves. He fumbled for his glasses, gaining the immediate attention of everyone and Sirius leapt to his feet to help him. Once his glasses were back on his face and he'd been helped into a sitting position, Sirius sat back down and everyone looked at him expectantly...except one. Harry looked over to find Severus deeply asleep.

"Is he alright?" he asked urgently.

"Yes," Remus replied. "Poppy gave him a sleeping draught a while ago." He paused and chuckled as grins sprouted on everyone else's faces. "Actually Poppy bullied and threatened him into taking a sleeping draught. That woman has a heartless streak that has to be seen to be believed."

"I thought you would already know about that," Ron said curiously.

"Oh no, I've always been a fairly good patient," Remus said with a laugh. "I do as she tells me. Then again I'm always so exhausted after the full moon it's just easier to do as I'm told."

"That did change in Seventh Year," Sirius said mischievously. "You got a bit rebellious then."

Remus blushed and stammered for a moment. "Er, well, I guess I'd just gotten tired of being in the Hospital Wing all the time after so long."

Sirius chuckled wickedly. "Yeah, there was that. Okay, what are we going to do, Harry?" he said, changing the subject.

"About what?" Harry said blankly.

"About the fact we made something of a spectacle of ourselves yesterday," Remus replied dryly. "There are a lot of people demanding answers and we're running out of ways of putting them off."

Harry sighed. "I suppose we ought to tell the teachers but I'm not sure I want this to be general knowledge around the school."

"The rumours are flying, Harry," Hermione said. "You did collapse in the middle of class after all. Right now the rumours are just saying it was something Voldemort related and so far they've ignored the fact that we were all there and that some of us came running."

"I would recommend telling everyone," Remus said soberly. "Once the Daemon Sidhe are here, we're not going to be able to keep it a secret anyway."

"And it might just do some good," Sirius added.

"How?" Harry asked dubiously.

"The fact that the Daemon Sidhe has returned and selected their king will probably add a bit of heart to everyone," Sirius explained. "They are a powerful symbol for the Light after all as are you."

Harry thought about that for a moment then sighed. "I...suppose you're right."

Ginny came over and sat on the edge of the bed, taking one of his hands in her own. "You're going to be a leader in this fight, Harry. You know that and so do we. Maybe it's time to make it official."

Harry's shoulders slumped slightly and he nodded.

"You know we'll help in any way we can," Ron said staunchly. He then hesitated slightly and exchanged a look with Hermione. She smiled encouragingly at him and he took a deep breath and continued, "I...had an idea, Harry. I know you wanted to get the DA going again but you may not have the time. I was thinking that maybe I could take charge and you could then come when you were able and not have to worry when you couldn't. Devante has been training me in command and leadership and it occurred to me that this might be the sort of thing I'm meant to be doing." Ron waited nervously for Harry's response.

Harry gave his oldest friend a wry grin. "You might just have a point there, Ron," he said and his grin widened when Ron gave a sigh and relaxed. "It sounds workable to me. I know the Daemon Sidhe wanted to increase my training once they were corporeal and I may not have the time for the DA. Okay, let's do it that way. I wanted you, Hermione, Ginny, Neville and Luna to have more responsibility in the DA anyway."

"Sirius and I can pitch in as well," Remus said. "And we could probably convince Severus to help as well."

Harry nodded. "Just as well Severus has been found out as a spy. He'd be outed anyway when we reveal this to everyone."

"Do you think it'll change the way he treats the students?" Neville asked.

Harry snorted. "Probably not. He may stop mollycoddling the Death Eater children but I suspect that'll be about it."

"Yeah, somehow it just wouldn't be right if Severus started treating us all like human beings," Ron said dryly and everyone laughed.

"He does manage to keep classroom discipline," Sirius allowed. "And I am starting to discover that's harder than it looks. How do you manage it Moony?"

"I don't seem to have many problems," Remus said with a small smile. "Then again, I am a werewolf. Maybe that has something to do with it?"

"That'd be right," Sirius said with mock-irritation. "Use an unfair advantage."

"Pity they gave you the full pardon and acknowledgement that you were innocent," Remus said blandly though there was a hint of mischief in his eyes. "You could have frightened the students into submission with your Azkaban escapee act."

Sirius snorted and flicked a hand at Harry, Ron and Hermione. "What makes you think that would have worked? Didn't frighten those three when I actually did break out of Azkaban."

"True," Remus conceded. "But they're a special case."

"Frightened me," Neville grumbled under his breath.

"Ah but was that Sirius or Professor McGonagall?" Harry asked with a grin.

Neville blushed. "A bit of both, I think."

Sirius smiled wryly. "You know, I probably should apologise. I understand I got you into a fair bit of trouble that year."

"That's okay," Neville said with an embarrassed shrug. "I probably shouldn't have written the passwords down. I just have a lot of trouble remembering them when they're long and complicated."

"And considering Percy was Head Boy that year they were always destined to be long and complicated," Ron said dryly. He then looked curiously at Sirius. "Speaking of that incident, why did you rip my curtains? You could have just pulled them back."

Sirius laughed. "I wasn't thinking too clearly at that point. I was pretty frustrated. It was hard to move around the school easily, partly because Snape was always lurking around but I also knew I had to avoid Moony. He'd have spotted me in a second and I was fairly sure he thought I really had betrayed James and Lily. When the Fat Lady wouldn't let me in, I got so angry. I knew you were all down in the Great Hall for the feast and it was my one really good chance to get at Peter. So when I finally did get the chance, I just got so focussed I forgot about the simple things." He shrugged. "I was a bit obsessed, I guess."

"And you're not now?" Hermione said dubiously.

"I didn't say that," Sirius said solemnly. "I want that little rat bastard to pay for what he did. But I'm free, so I can afford to be a little more patient now. Nothing can bring James and Lily back." His expression became sad. "And I'm able to look after Harry now so I can wait until the time is right."

"We'll get him," Remus said calmly. "Though I, for one, want to know why he betrayed us before anything permanent gets done to him."

Sirius opened his mouth to answer but was interrupted by an irritated voice.

"How is one supposed to sleep with you lot chattering away like parrots?"

"Hello, Severus. How are you feeling?" Harry said blandly.

The Potions Master pushed himself into a sitting position and Harry could see he still was not wearing a top of any description and the marks were still livid and painful.

"As well as can be expected," he grumbled.

"We were just discussing how we're going to handle this," Harry said in an effort to distract the man. "When I yelled, the others came running. Apparently, we made a bit of a spectacle of ourselves. The rumours are running rampant."

"And what conclusions did you come to?" Severus asked with a wince as his movement caused the healing scars to pull.

"That we should just tell people," Hermione said. "We won't be able to hide the Daemon Sidhe and with you now exposed as a spy, it's not like we have to hide anything." He paused. "Speaking of which, how did Voldemort find out you were a spy?"

Severus grimaced. "He summoned me because the changes in all of us were reported. He questioned me about that. He did not believe my answer to one of his questions and attempted Legilimancy on me. Between the bond and the Mentat spell, he failed of course. That was all the information he needed."

"Malfoy!" Ron said sharply. "Bet it was bloody Malfoy who blabbed."

"An accurate assumption," Severus said wearily.

"He'll be a little startled when you actually turn up for classes in a few days," Hermione said with amusement.

"I intend to turn up to classes tomorrow," Severus said flatly.

The others began protesting while Harry laughed. "And Madam Pomfrey says I'm a terrible patient," he said with amusement.

Severus' lips twitched. "While the fact that I am not the most obedient patient in the world is indeed true, that is not why I will back teaching tomorrow," he said archly.

"Sending a message," Remus said quietly. "It's important that Severus send the message that this cannot and will not stop him from doing what he wishes."

Severus nodded once then flinched and grabbed at the Dark Mark. They all saw the muscles tighten in his arm and chest and Harry swore once. He immediately reached for Severus' mind.

Let me in, he growled against the older man's shields.

Severus seemed startled and hesitated for a long moment before allowing his king entry into his mind. Harry focused in on the pain and followed it back to the Dark Mark. In a sudden furious action he flung himself along that link, ignoring the cries that came from the others, and arrived abruptly in Voldemort's mind.

YOU WILL LEAVE WHAT IS MINE ALONE! he bellowed at the startled Voldemort and then he flicked a lance of pain at the twisted wizard.

The Dark Lord flinched back from Harry's sudden and unexpected attack and pulled back from the link to Severus' Dark Mark. Harry found himself being flung back into the Potions Master's mind and from there into his own and he collapsed back onto the pillows, unaware that Severus was mirroring his actions.

Madam Pomfrey came running into the ward at the outcry and she stared at the two collapsed wizards for a moment before bustling into action. She almost ran to Harry's side and pulled out her wand, running it over him in a quick, practiced action. As soon as she was finished there, she went to Snape's side and copied the action. She then returned to Harry.

"Mr Potter, what have you been doing?" she demanded.

"Protecting my own," he gasped out as his head swam.

"Are you in pain?" she asked urgently.

Harry shook his head. "No. Just...dizzy. Check Snape."

The school nurse looked sharply at him then went to Severus' side.

"Well, Severus?" she said archly as she ran her hand and wand lightly over his healing scars to check that he had not damaged them.

The Potions Master batted her hands away irritably as he pushed himself into a sitting position once again. "I am perfectly alright," he snapped as he gave a gasp of pain. "Has Mr Potter been harmed by his asinine actions?"

"He's perfectly fine from what I can tell," Poppy said tightly. "Exhausted and I'm sure he has a headache but nothing more. Now, I would like to know what is going on!"

"Mr Potter has just acted like the idiotic Gryffindor that he is," Severus snapped. "And the rest is a matter between us. You do not need to know right now, Poppy."

The school nurse took a deep breath and for the first time the students actually flinched away from her a little. She looked like she was about to tear strips out of Severus. Then she turned suddenly and levelled a finger at Harry.

"No more shenanigans from you, Mr Potter," she said fiercely and Harry nodded frantically. "Drink a dose from that blue vial and if I have to come back in here, I shall ask Professor Dumbledore to spell you into sleep for three days to keep you out of trouble!" With that she swept out of the room.

There was silence for a long moment and then everyone seemed to let out a sigh all at once.

"Whoa!" Ron said, looking very impressed. "She's even scarier than Mum."

That seemed to break the ice and there was a small spate of quiet laughter. Sirius got to his feet and plucked the blue vial the school nurse had spoken of from the bedside table and poured some of it into a small cup.

"Better do what she says," he said roguishly. "I think she meant that last threat."

Harry smiled weakly and downed the contents of the cup, relaxing when he realised it was merely a headache potion.

"What did you do?" Sirius demanded as he sat down again.

"Yes, do tell them," Severus said acidly.

Harry rolled his eyes. "I followed the link from the Dark Mark back to Voldemort and I yelled at him, gave him some pain to think about then I got thrown back into my own mind," he said matter-of-factly and waited for the explosions to start.

"What!" Sirius bellowed, actually managing to drown out the protestations of Remus, Ron, Hermione and Ginny. Luna was clearly trying not to laugh while Neville just stared at him with disbelief. In contrast, Severus was watching with an almost unholy amount of glee.

"What possessed you to do something like that?" the animagus continued, his face contorted with anger and fear.

"He was threatening Severus," Harry protested. "I couldn't just let him do that."

"Protecting my own," Luna said with her usual odd smile and silencing the others.

"Yes," Harry said firmly. "Protecting my own. What's the point in being a king if I can't protect my own court?"

"You could have been hurt!" Sirius yelped. "He could have followed you back."

"I don't think so," Harry said, trying to calm his godfather. "I think I really startled him, maybe even managed to frighten him. Hopefully enough to make him leave Severus alone for a while."

"You don't think it will be permanent?" Remus said with surprise.

Both Harry and Severus snorted.

"No," Harry said flatly. "If I scared him, it's only temporary. He won't give up trying to torture Severus so easily."

Harry looked over at the Potions Master, his gaze falling on the exposed Dark Mark. Severus scowled and almost moved to cover it with one hand before remembering that these people knew him and accepted him without question. Harry stared at it for a long moment as his godfather stewed.

"I wonder if it could be removed," Harry said musingly.

"Harry!" Sirius bellowed.

Harry started and gave his godfather an exasperated look. "I'm fine, Sirius! Really! I wasn't hurt and I'm not going to suddenly stop protecting my court." He paused and his jaw clenched. "Cedric died because he was standing beside me. He was the spare. You died because I made a stupid mistake and you wanted to protect me. I got lucky; I got you back. But Mr and Mrs Diggory haven't got Cedric back. I know people are probably going to die; it's a war after all. But I'll be damned if I'm going to let that happen if I can do something about it!"

There was silence for a long moment and Sirius looked both abashed and rather militant.

"You're my godson," was all he said in a quiet, stubborn voice.

Harry sagged where he sat. "I know," he said equally quietly. "I know you love me and want to protect me but I...I have to do this, Sirius."

Sirius nodded slowly. "I'm meant to be your Protector," he said in a pleading tone. "Your Champion and Protector."

"I know," Harry said again. "But you can't protect me from everything. There are things I have to do. I'm...sort of starting to understand that. I'm a...king, as much as I hate the word and everything that comes with it. I have to be a king. Even more so now that we're going to tell everyone."

"Remember what Devante said," Remus said quietly, laying a hand on Sirius' shoulder. "Your role is to protect Harry from others, not from himself. He has to learn that one on his own."

Sirius bit his lip for a moment then nodded. "I'll try," he said dubiously.

Remus let his hand run down Sirius' arm. "I guess that's the best we can ask for at the moment."

Harry smiled. "I'll take it." Then he paused and his gaze wandered back over to Severus' Dark Mark. "I wonder if it can be removed."

Severus shifted uncomfortably and made a small movement as though to cover his arm. "The Headmaster examined it years ago and could find no way of doing so without killing me."

Harry looked up at his face in surprise then his eyes narrowed as though he viewed that as a challenge.

"Oh, no you don't," Sirius said warningly and Harry looked at him with surprise.

"You are not doing anything about that Mark right now," Sirius ordered. "It's waited twenty years; it can wait a few more days. Unless you'd like Poppy Pomfrey to carry out her threat."

Harry blanched a little. "Er, no. No, no, no. I'd like to be awake for the next few days, thank you very much."

There were assorted snorts of laughter that intensified as the woman in question walked into the room. She eyed the sniggering group archly for a moment.

"I think you lot have done quite enough catching up," she said almost frostily. "Out! Mr Potter and Professor Snape need rest."

For a moment Sirius looked like he wanted to challenge the school nurse but then he clearly thought better of the idea. The whole and hearty members of the court all stood and slowly trailed out of the hospital wing, saying their goodbyes under the gimlet eye of Poppy Pomfrey. When they had left the school nurse eyed Harry and Severus.

"Get some sleep. Both of you," she said firmly. "I'll be back in half an hour."

Harry watched her go before turning to Severus. "What do think she'll do if we're not asleep when she gets back?" he said with a small smile.

"I do not know but I am sure we would not like it," Severus said wryly.

"Good point," Harry said as he slid down under the blankets. "Well, as I have a standing threat hanging over me, I'm going to be a good boy. G'night, Severus."

"Good night," Severus said as he eased his painful way under the blankets as well. While he usually had no qualms about rebelling against whatever Poppy Pomfrey asked of him, tonight he was content to obey. He'd need the strength to face her tomorrow morning when he announced to her was going to teach.