Harry Potter and the Magic Within

Harry Potter and the Magic Within

Chapter 15: 'The Way back'

Harry was tugging at the cords binding his hands, as usual, while Wormtail was sleeping on his fifth day of imprisonment, when something white came through the door to the hall and landed at Harry's side.

'Hedwig!' Harry whispered, over joyed at the sight of his owl. Hedwig sat perched on his arm, rubbing up against his side. She seemed to know how important it was that she stayed quiet for she didn't hoot once like she normally did.

She glided silently across the room and picked up Harry's wand from the table. She flew back, past the sleeping Wormtail, and dropped the wand in Harry's tied up hands. Then she bit the cords around his hands until they were free. Harry then untied his ankles and hugged his owl.

It seemed he still had a chance. He looked at Wormtail to check he was still asleep. Harry noticed that a small pot by the fire held Wormtail's floo powder supply. He thought for a moment, hardly daring to move in case he made a sound. If he took a pinch of powder to get back to Hogwarts, it would be very easy for Wormtail to do the same and take him away again.

He tip-toed across the room, holding his breath. Wormtail moved in his sleep. Harry froze but Wormtail didn't wake up. Hedwig sat on the mantle piece above the fire.

The small pot, only the size of a teacup, had a small amount of floo powder inside. Harry picked it up very quietly. He decided that if he used all the powder there was left, he could lower the possibility of another break in to Hogwarts committed by Wormtail.

Hedwig landed on Harry's shoulder. He tipped the whole contents of the pot in to the fire. The flames rose up and turned bright green. The flames make no noise and nor did Harry as he stepped in to the grate.

'Noooo!' cried Wormtail, grabbing the back of Harry's shirt.

Hedwig bit Wormtail's hand but this didn't make any difference and didn't stop him from pulling Harry back from the fireplace. He pushed Harry to the floor and grabbed the broken ropes to tie him up again. Hedwig was trying to confuse him and was getting in his way. Harry started to shift sideways, towards the fire, which was still green.

'Don't you move!' shouted Wormtail. Harry didn't stop, he wanted to get to the fireplace and back to Hogwarts and Wormtail wouldn't stop him.

'Don't move a muscle!' Wormtail screamed, pulling out his wand and pointing it at Harry. Perhaps he didn't mean to, perhaps he did, but either way, sparks started to come from Wormtail's wand. They were green and Harry didn't associate green with good. Harry felt stabbing pains all through him. He would have screamed if he hadn't experienced worse before then. Wormtail seemed to be out of control of his wand. The pain was getting too much to bear for Harry. He hated Wormtail as much as Malfoy and He who had killed his parents.

Anger spread through Harry like poison. He had a tingling sensation run through his body. Instantly, Wormtail stood as still as stone. He was just like a statue. Harry stood up and marveled at what he had done. The pain was leaving him. Wormtail's wand was emitting sparks, which had frozen in mid air.

There wasn't time to hang around, Voldemort would be there soon and the longer Harry stood about, the worse off he would be. He walked stiffly over to the fireplace. Hedwig settled on his shoulder once more and Harry walked in to the tall green flames.

'Hogwarts!' he yelled. He swirled around and around, Hedwig turning around and hooting with disapproval above his head. Harry shut his eyes. Then he was falling out of a fireplace he knew - he was back in the common room. He sat himself up and watched as Hedwig flew out of the window (to the owlery, Harry thought). He felt dizzy and rather ill, not to mention the aches and pains from Wormtail's attack. He sat on the floor of the empty common room for a moment, calming down.

'I did it,' he murmured. 'With Hedwig's help, I escaped, again!'

He stood up a little shakily and walked over to sit by the window. He wondered where Ron and Hermione would be, then saw where they were. They were sitting with Hagrid under a tree by the lake. There were lots of Gryffindors outside, none of the other houses though.

He stood up slowly and left the common room. He wondered if he should inform someone of his return before going outside to see Ron and Hermione. His head was very dizzy now. He was almost at the top of the marble staircase when his strength left him and he fainted.

It was dark when Harry opened his eyes. A small lamp was burning dimly at the side of his bed. His head was dizzy and he still felt some of the pain from Wormtail's wand. He put his glasses on. He was in the hospital wing. He could hear low voices.

'How is he, Poppy? asked Dumbledore's voice.

'Well, he is far from well, but he should be fine,' answered Madame Pomfrey, quietly. 'I have mended one or two small cuts but I have to wait until he wakes up before I can give him the potions to restore him fully. Do you know how he got back here, how come he was found by the entrance hall?'

'I do not know how he got back,' said Dumbledore. Harry could see him standing not far from a window, in the moonlight. 'It is just wonderful that he is. I will have to inform the school of his return tomorrow,' finished Dumbledore. Then Harry heard him leave and saw Madame Pomfrey go back to mixing a smoking cup of liquid.

Harry sat up and Madame Pomfrey noticed.

'Ah! You're awake! How do you feel?' she said.

'Alright,' said Harry. Madame Pomfrey checked his pulse, told him to lie still and gave him the blue potion to drink. It made his throat tickle and his insides squirm.

'Now, you need to get some more sleep,' she said, when he had finished the potion. Harry lay back and closed his eyes. It didn't take him long to fall in to a deep deep sleep.

He woke up late the next morning. Madame Pomfrey gave him more potions to drink and sent word to Dumbledore telling him that Harry had woken up.

At about lunchtime, Dumbledore came in to the hospital wing. Harry sat himself up as Dumbledore reached his bedside.

'Good afternoon,' he said pleasantly. 'How are you feeling, Harry?

'I'm fine,' said Harry. 'Where are Ron and Hermione. Can I see them?'

'Ah, well, they don't know you are back yet. I have been busy with some other matters since last night and haven't informed the school of your return,' he answered.

'Can I go and see them?' asked Harry, desperate to talk to his friends again.

'I don't think you should leave the wing yet, Harry,' Dumbledore said, 'but I can go and tell Mr Weasley and Miss Granger you are here so that they can come and visit you.' Dumbledore smiled and left. He found Ron and Hermione walking in to the entrance hall from outside as he went by.

'Mr Weasley, Miss Granger, may I have a word?' he called. They came over to meet him. 'I have some news of Harry,' he told them. Ron and Hermione stood silently hoping that the news was not bad. 'He is in the hospital wing,' he said smiling at them.

Ron and Hermione cheered and whooped with joy. Then they asked when they could see him. Dumbledore told them that they could as soon as they wanted so they hurtled off towards the hospital wing.

Harry was dozing a little when the hospital wing door was pushed hastily open and Ron and Hermione came in breathlessly. They could hardly believe their eyes. They didn't make much noise so as not to wake him but they were so relieved to find that he was truly there and back at Hogwarts, it was hard for them to stay quiet.

Madame Pomfrey let them stay and wait for Harry to wake up.

After Ron and Hermione had waited by his bed for at least half an hour, Harry's hand felt his bedside table, found his glasses and put them on. When he opened his eyes he saw Ron and Hermione smiling with looks of total happiness on their faces.

'Ron! Hermione!' he gasped, smiling as widely as them.

'Oh Harry!' shrieked Hermione, 'I thought you promised!'

'Promised? Promised what?' Harry said bewildered.

'You promised me that you would never scare me like you did in the summer again!' she answered, briskly.

'I said I would try not to,' Harry corrected her, smiling wryly.

'Harry! What happened? Did Hedwig find you?' said Ron, changing the topic deliberately. Harry told them. They sat and listened without a sound.

'Woah,' Ron said when Harry was done. 'That was a close one, Harry,' he added.

'It was awful here,' Hermione said, 'Hagrid cried in his hut for the first three days and only came out when we had sent Hedwig, all the Gryffindors were quiet, even Fred and George and the whole school has been thinking you were dead for the last two or three days.'

Harry stared. 'So, everyone thinks I'm dead?' he said amazed.

'Pretty much,' said Ron. 'We didn't, but almost all the students do and a lot of the teachers too.'

Hermione looked thoughtful for a moment. 'If you do really have a guardian here, Harry,' she said slowly, 'they aren't very good are they.'

'No, I suppose not,' said Harry, grinning faintly.

'I have an idea,' said Ron with a dreamy look on his face. 'If Malfoy doesn't know you're back, we could really scare him if we covered you in flour and made you look like a ghost,' he grinned.

Harry Potter and the Magic Within

Chapter 16: 'The Trick'

They all laughed at Ron's idea. It would make an excellent practical joke. Hermione stopped their day dreaming, however, by reminding them that Malfoy would make things very bad for them if they did it. But the more they joked about it, and imagined the look on Malfoys face at the sight of a Harry Potter ghost, the more they wanted to do it.

'It would make things worse,' protested Hermione.

'But it would be a once-in-a-life-time practical joke,' said Ron. 'What do you say Harry? We could get the flour from the kitchens; Dobby would help us. One of us could look out for Malfoy coming towards the entrance hall and let us know, so that you could go out and scare him,' he said pleadingly, he really wanted to do this it seemed.

Harry agreed that it would make Malfoy worse to them than ever, but he couldn't help thinking of the look on Malfoy's face.

'Let's do it!' he said at length. Hermione looked worried but Ron rubbed his hands together, chuckling.

A few minutes later, Madame Pomfrey sent Ron and Hermione away. They told Harry that they wouldn't tell anyone that he was back so that Malfoy would have no way to find out. They just hoped Dumbledore would be too busy to tell them at dinner that night, or breakfast the next morning.

Ron and Hermione needn't have worried, Dumbledore never told the school Harry was back, he seemed busy with something and wasn't around very much.

Harry rested all the rest of that day and the next morning, Ron and Hermione came in to see him and hopefully to sneak him down to the kitchens to get covered in flour in time to scare Malfoy out of his wits.

'Hey, Harry!' said Ron sitting next to Harry's bed with Hermione, 'How do you feel?'

'Not bad,' said Harry. 'Madame Pomfrey says I can go.' And with that he got up, got changed and followed Ron and Hermione, cautiously. He knew their trick wouldn't work if anyone saw him.

Ron went first and waved at them when the next corridor was clear.

They got to the entrance hall, and went down a set of steps to the right and walked along a stone corridor. When they reached a picture of a bowl of fruit, Hermione tickled the big green pear. It turned in to a door handle, Hermione pulled the handle and went in. Harry and Ron followed close behind.

'Harry Potter! Harry Potter, sir!' squealed Dobby, in surprise.

'Hello, Dobby,' said Harry, smiling. Dobby ran up to them with a look of amazement on his face. Dobby was wearing unusual clothes as always. He was wearing a pink and blue jumper and a stripy grey and green tie. He also wore a pair of orange socks.

'Dobby heard that Harry Potter was kidnapped, sir! Dobby had no idea that it was not so!'

'Oh, no, I was,' said Harry, nodding. Dobby blinked and his eyes watered. 'But I'm back now,' said Harry, patting Dobby on the shoulder.

'We wondered if we could have your help?' he added.

'Yes, Harry Potter, of course. What does Dobby have to do?' said the elf happily.

'We need you to cover Harry in flour,' Ron put in, smiling. Dobby looked confused.

'But - why, sir?' he asked.

'It would take a long time to explain, Dobby,' said Harry hastily.

'Can you help us?' Dobby nodded and trotted off. He came back a minute later with a large pot full of white flour.

Ron took the pot and warned Harry to take off his glasses, but to close his eyes. Harry did and Ron emptied the pot over his head.

It worked extremely well. Hermione looked like she was trying not to laugh and Dobby was looking very confused.

'Did it work? Do I look like a ghost?' asked Harry, putting his glasses back on.

'Yeah! You look just like one! This must be a special brand of flour!' Ron gasped. 'This is going to be great! Malfoy wont be able to speak for a week,' he chortled.

'Ok, Hermione, you go out first,' said Harry. 'Thanks, Dobby.'

Hermione left first with Ron and Harry following. Harry was surprised at how the flour didn't dust off him. Hermione went up the stone steps and stood there waiting for Malfoy to leave the Great hall where everyone was having lunch.

'Ok, wait here,' said Hermione as they reached the bottom of the stone steps behind her. She stood by a suit of armour, waiting. Ron was very excited and kept checking that the flour still made Harry look ghostly.

'Should I say anything to him?' whispered Harry to Ron, who looked thoughtful for a moment.

'Yes,' he said slowly. 'I think you should,' he added with a nod. 'But something to really scare him.' Harry wondered what he should say as he stood.

The great hall doors opened and people started to leave it in small groups.

Hermione stepped back down the stairs after about ten minutes.

'We could be waiting around here for ages,' she said quietly. But as she spoke a familiar drawling voice sounded in the entrance hall. Malfoy, Crabbe and Goyle were coming out the great hall, last it seemed.

'That's our cue, go on, Harry,' said Ron quickly.

'Don't you think they might notice he isn't see through?' hissed Hermione sharply.

'Uh oh,' said Ron, 'we didn't think of that. Oh no. Our plan won't work now.' Hermione looked at them both quickly, as the voices got a little less loud from the hall.

'Oh well, if you want to do this you had better do it properly then,'

she said. With that, she went half way up the stairs and muttered something with her wand in her hand.

All the torches went out. The only light came from a high window.

'Why did the lights go out?' they heard Malfoy say, confused.

Hermione ran back to Harry and told him to go, so Harry went up the stairs slowly and walked across the entrance hall towards the bottom of the marble staircase, at the top of which stood Malfoy and his cronies.

Malfoy's face, normally pale, was now faintly green. He gaped in horror. Ron, who was watching from the dark staircase, was doubled up with silent laughter.

Harry stopped at the foot of the staircase. And, thinking he should make the most of the situation, slowly raised his right arm and pointed an accusing finger. Malfoy looked ready to collapse and Crabbe and Goyle were beginning to gibber. Harry put his head on one side and spoke in a chilling whisper:

'What's the matter, Malfoy,' he said. 'You look like you've seen a ghost!' he added, grinning grimly.

Malfoy, Crabbe and Goyle all screamed and ran down the next corridor. Their screams echoed through the castle.

Ron was howling with laughter. Hermione looked like she was halfway between laughing and being worried. Harry chuckled as Ron came up next to him. 'That - was - brilliant!' he said, gasping for breath. 'I will remember that forever!'

'Maybe I should get cleaned up,' said Harry dusting some of the flour off his shoulders.

'Yes, let's go, quickly,' said Hermione, 'maybe the kitchens would be the best place to go. It's closest and people will be coming out to see what Malfoy's screams were all about.' With that, she took out her wand muttered another word and the torches were lit again.

They walked back in to the kitchens a moment later, Ron and Harry still laughing. Dobby trotted up to them again.

'Hey, Dobby,' said Harry. 'Do you know where I can get this flour off?' Dobby pointed to a small hose at the other end of the kitchens.

Harry picked it up but couldn't see a tap or anything similar so he asked: 'What do I do with it?' Ron walked over to him.

'My Mum uses one of them sometimes, its called a Vacuzap,' he said, 'you do this...'

Ron took the hose and tapped it with his wand. The hose shook a little then Ron directed it at Harry. Barely a moment later, all Harry's robes were clean and flour free.

'Woahh,' said Harry. Ron put the hose down...

'Where do we go now?' he said.

'Well, I think we should go and tell Dumbledore Harry is up so he can tell the school,' said Hermione, briskly.

So Harry, Ron and Hermione rushed off to Dumbledore's secret office. When they got there, Harry used the password and the gargoyle slid aside to let them through. They knocked on the large door and were called in by Dumbledore's voice. They entered.