Seo Gerecednis

Chapter Fifteen

Harry awoke feeling well-rested, albeit as though he'd been used as a Bludger all the night before. By instinct he turned to his left and was relieved to see his glasses on the bedside table. He put them on and peered blinkingly around him, recognizing the all-too-familiar surroundings of the infirmary as details gradually came into focus. So then last night hadn't been just another nightmare.

Gray early-morning light seeped in through the windows in the infirmary and he heard the distinctive patter of rain against the glass. Harry sat on the edge of the cot, slid his feet into the pair of slippers someone had left on the floor beside his bed and pulled on his dressing gown, then rose stiffly and crossed to look out the window. A heavy fog had rolled in from the lake during the night and draped itself across the Forbidden Forest and grounds like an old army blanket. Charlie's hut was visible only by the faint glow of light from one of its windows. The gables and spires of Hogsmeade were nowhere to be seen.

Harry rubbed at his temple as he gazed outside, lost in thought. He only barely remembered anything that had happened since he and Ron went down to the corral last night, and most of what he did know he'd learned second-hand after he regained consciousness. He had a vague recollection of a sharp cracking sound from within his head and the sensation of his skull splitting apart like an overripe melon. Then he'd heard a dark, husky laugh -- a woman's laugh -- and a voice inside his head.

Bellatrix Lestrange's voice.

He couldn't remember exactly what she'd said, but he'd understood her meaning all too well. She and her sister were going to make him pay for what he'd done, and nothing he or Dumbledore or anyone else tried to do could stop them. Narcissa had been there too, inside his head, her voice more cool and controlled than her sister's.

Then their voices had faded, muffled by a growing sensation of light and warmth within his chest. He'd heard Luna's voice then, oddly enough, urging him to respond. As her voice grew louder, so did the light and warmth grow stronger, and the pressure in his chest reminded him of the second task during his fourth year, when the effects of the gillyweed had worn off but he was still so far from the lake's surface. As he had that afternoon he broke through the darkness that had settled over him gasping for breath.

When he opened his eyes he was surprised to see he was surrounded by students -- Ron, Ginny, Neville, Peter, Luna, Susan Bones and another girl he didn't know -- and that they all had their hands on his chest and were blinking and unsteady as though they felt dizzy. Professor Dumbledore was there too, as were Professor McGonagall and Snape and another witch Harry didn't know, looking down upon him with grave concern. Harry learned then that, while Bellatrix Lestrange and Narcissa Malfoy plundered his mind, Voldemort's followers had sacked Hogsmeade. The Death Eaters were now encamped in the Forbidden Forest and just beyond Hogwarts' protective wards.

It seemed that Voldemort had at last declared open war.

The rest was but a hazy blur in Harry's memory. He remembered a discussion about renewing his Occlumency lessons, this time with Peter practicing his Legilimency, and at some point the strange witch told Harry she'd be tutoring him and Luna in wandless magic, and then Ron had started shouting, then Ginny was shouting back, McGonagall was trying in vain to restore order and finally Madame Pomfrey ejected them all from the infirmary, much to Harry's relief. The matron had then given him a diluted Dreamless Sleep Draught and he fell quickly asleep.

He heard a clatter from outside the infirmary and then Ron burst through the door, his arms laden with robes and school supplies. "Morning, mate," he said, tipping the whole lot on to an empty cot. "I brought everything you need for lessons today." Harry just stood by the window and watched in bemusement as Ron fussed about like a mother hen, refolding his robes and stacking his books in a neat pile. Finally Ron looked up at him, the corners of his mouth turned down. "All right there, Harry?"

Harry shrugged and redirected his gaze outside. For some reason he found it difficult to look directly at Ron. "All right, I reckon."

He heard the shuffle of Ron's shoes across the stone floor as he crossed to stand near Harry. "You gave us quite a scare last night," he said. He inhaled deeply and blew out through his mouth. "What a night, eh? I reckon we won't be making any Hogsmeade trips this term."

"Reckon not," Harry said.

At the sound of a heavy door being pushed open Harry peered downward. The witch from last night, whom he recognized by her long gray braid, exited the castle. Beside him Ron made a sound of recognition. "Professor Tolliver," he said when Harry looked up at him with a raised eyebrow. "Herbology. She's a right strange one."

"Yeah?"

"D'you remember anything from last night?"

Harry shrugged again and watched the witch walk around the castle toward the greenhouses. "Not much."

"Just as well," Ron said. "Everything happened so fast I had enough trouble keeping up myself, and I didn't have You-Know-Who fannying about in my head."

Harry gave a half-hearted snort before he said, "Wasn't Voldemort this time." He ignored Ron's twitch when he mentioned Voldemort by name. "It was Bellatrix Lestrange." For the moment, he declined to mention that Malfoy's mother had also been there.

Ron's eyes grew wide. "Bellatrix Lestrange? You mean that -- the one -- wasn't she the one who --?" Harry nodded. "Bloody hell."

Harry could tell Ron was itching to probe him for more information but he just wasn't in the mood to talk about it. Instead he asked, "So what's so odd about Professor --?"

"Tolliver?" Harry nodded. "D'you remember she's going to be teaching you wandless magic? With Luna Lovegood."

"Yeah, that much I remember."

"That doesn't strike you as odd?"

"Should it?" Harry asked. "Which part?"

Ron snorted. "All of it, mate. Wandless magic! D'you have any idea how rare that is?" Harry shook his head. "Casting spells without a wand is... well, I wouldn't even trust Dumbledore to do it. It's too dangerous. And here he's found someone to teach you and Loony Lovegood to use it!"

"Luna's all right."

Ron gave him an exasperated look. "Harry, Luna believes in creatures that don't exist. Using wandless magic...?" He gave a shudder. "I'd rather have Fred and George come teach Potions."

Harry made an irritated sound in the back of his throat but didn't press the matter further. Instead he said, "What do we have this morning?"

Ron made a face. "Advanced Potions."

"Yuck." Harry grabbed his robe and went behind a curtained partition to change. "As if this term hasn't already got off to a bad start. I swear, if that greasy git makes one crack about Sirius I'll --" Ron's exaggerated cough and the distinct creak of a door opening silenced him. He peered around the partition, his robe bunched around his midriff.

"Mr. Potter," Professor McGonagall said, her lips pursed primly, "if you would finish dressing and accompany Mr. Weasley and myself to the Gryffindor common room?"

Harry felt his face and neck grow warm with embarrassment and hurried to pull his robes down, then yanked off his pajama bottoms and traded them for a clean set of shorts and trousers. Then, jamming his feet into the brogans Ron had brought for him to wear he came out from behind the partition, trying his best to flatten his hair. "Is something wrong, Professor?" he asked. "Are we in trouble?"

Her face softened a fraction. "No, Mr. Potter, you're not in trouble. The headmaster requested that each House meet this morning before breakfast to discuss last night's events. I've arranged for the school elves to bring coffee, juice and pastries while I explain what happened and the steps we've taken to ensure everyone's safety."

"Won't we be --?" Ron asked.

"It won't matter if you're late for lessons, Mr. Weasley, because everyone else be as well. Professor Snape can hardly deduct House points for tardiness if he's late himself."

"You don't know Professor Snape," he mumbled.

She gave him a sharp look but didn't reprimand him. Instead she said, "If you'll collect your things and come with me please," and held the door open for Harry and Ron.

They followed her in silence through the corridors and up several flights of stairs to Gryffindor Tower. Upon passing through the portrait hole Harry thought he heard the Fat Lady cluck her tongue and say, "Poor lad," then they entered the common room and found it filled to bursting with anxious anticipation. Most of his housemates, Harry suspected, already had some idea of what had happened the night before, and those who didn't had been well-fed by the rumor mill. He followed Ron as he wound his way across the common room to take seats on the floor near Seamus and Neville, painfully conscious of the silent stares that tracked his progress. House elves bearing platters, carafes and cups picked their way through the crowd, though most of the students seemed to be without much of an appetite. Harry swiped a pastry from a passing platter.

"No doubt," McGonagall began once everyone had settled down, "most of you are aware of last night's events, even if you did not witness them yourselves. No doubt you have heard various rumors and speculations as to the cause. Let me dispel them all: You-Know-Who and his followers attacked Hogsmeade and now remain encamped right outside the grounds of Hogwarts."

An uproar like angry bees whose hive had just been disturbed swarmed around the room. Harry watched while McGonagall waited for it to abate. He knew instinctively much of the murmuring was about him -- far too many students had been present when he'd collapsed last night for them not to have made a connection -- but he wasn't interested in hearing what they thought about it. He pulled his legs up under him until he was sitting cross-legged and worried at a shoelace.

Once the room had grown relatively quiet again McGonagall continued, "It should be obvious even to the most obtuse among you that Hogsmeade visits are cancelled. Furthermore, we don't know how reliable the owl post is at this point. We sent test memos by several school owls early this morning and are now awaiting responses. Even if the owl post remains open, messages in and out of the school must be carefully monitored."

Jack Sloper could be heard muttering, "I thought we got rid of that along with that old toad who taught Defense last year."

McGonagall pursed her lips. "I assure you, no one is pleased with this situation. But we cannot risk the safety of this school or any of you for the conveniences of parcels from home."

Natalie McDonald raised her hand. "Professor, what of our parents? Do they know what's happened here?"

"Professor Dumbledore was able to get an emergency message to someone who is in a position to alert the authorities. I imagine your parents are being contacted at this very moment and apprised of the situation."

"I'll wager he had Fawkes get a letter to ol' Moody," Ron said behind his hand.

Harry nodded. "The Order's probably on its way, if not already here."

Dennis Creevey was next to speak up. "Professor, is there anything we can do?"

"Do?" she asked, her eyebrows raised.

"Y'know, to help defend Hogwarts or make it more safe, or act as spies to find out what You-Know-Who's up to, that sort of thing?" Several other students murmured their assent; Harry thought he heard one mention the D.A. and wondered what Dennis had been telling his friends.

Her mouth twitched in just the faintest hint of a smile. "As much as I admire your courage and determination Mr. Creevey, we have the situation well in hand. You should concentrate on your lessons."

"Easy for her to say," Seamus said quietly.

"Not hardly," Ginny said. Harry turned to her; he hadn't noticed her sitting beside Neville when he'd come over. "You try convincing a thousand teenagers that, yes, You-Know-Who and his army is sitting on our back doorstep, but nothing's wrong."

"You don't really expect me to twiddle my thumbs in lessons day after day and not get distracted?"

"I don't care one way or the other whether you twiddle your thumbs," Ginny said. "But your professors will, and I reckon your mum and dad will too, if you earn low marks."

"Low marks," Seamus said with a snort. "Me mum and dad'll be happy just to see me make it home."

Harry was curious to hear what Ginny had to say in reply, but she chose to turn her back to Seamus and whisper something to Neville. Lavender, on the other hand, said loudly enough for her to hear, "Who does she think she is, Hermione Granger?" Harry hid a laugh behind a coughing fit when Ginny turned and scowled darkly at Lavender.

"Miss Brown, if I may?" All attention swiftly refocused on McGonagall. "Hogwarts will conduct its daily business as usual. You will attend lessons, complete your assignments, prepare for exams, and go about your normal daily routines."

"Professor?" Ron asked.

"Yes?"

"What about Quidditch?"

A murmur bubbled through the room. "Ah, yes," McGonagall said. "Quidditch."

Harry sat up on his knees, anxious to hear what she would say. "At this time, I do not know if Quidditch will be possible." She silenced Ron's protest before he could articulate it. "We need to ensure your absolute safety first."

Bodies shifted and stirred in dismay. Harry overheard Parvati say, "Hogwarts must not be as secure as she's letting on."

"D'you think You-Know-Who could attack us from the sky?" Lavender asked, her face pale.

"On brooms?" Seamus scoffed. "He's evil, not daft. He'd have to know we'd see him coming from a mile off."

Lavender glanced over her shoulder at Harry, then lowered her head and whispered, "But what about --?" She pointed a finger in Harry's general direction.

"What are you whispering for?" Ron said. "We can all hear you."

"Yeah?" Seamus said, no longer pretending. "Aren't you worried? You're his best mate."

"Here we go again," Harry groaned.

"What's that got to do with anything?" Ron said, his face reddening.

"Lavender told me that Parvati heard from her sister, who heard it from Zacharias Smith, that You-Know-Who attacked Potter while he was staying at your house this summer."

Harry made a deliberate effort to ignore the increasing tension and raised voices around him and nudged Neville. "Hey, Nev?" he asked.

"Yeah, Harry?"

"I'm not wearing my invisibility cloak, am I?"

Neville gave him a strange look. "Er..."

"Harry, what are you on about?" Ginny asked, leaning across Neville to address him.

"Why's everyone talking about me like I'm not here?"

A hearty chuckle caused Harry to turn around. Seated behind him in the window-box, his legs stretched out before him, Ace doffed his hat at Harry. "Welcome to the club," he said. "It's right aggravatin' to be invisible and in plain sight, ain't it?"

Harry shrugged. "It's been this way ever since I started at Hogwarts. You'd think I'd be used to it by now." He rose stiffly and went over to the window-box, where Ron and Seamus' clench-jawed argument wasn't quite as audible. Ace slid over to make room for him, but Harry preferred to lean against the frame and look outside. Fog still shrouded Hogsmeade, but the dull throbbing behind his eyes told Harry all he needed to know: that Voldemort was out there waiting for him, and wouldn't be leaving any time soon. "I should just go out there and face him," he said. "Get it over with."

"Harry Potter, don't you dare do a foolish thing like that," Ginny said.

Ace asked, "What on earth for?"

"It's me he wants," Harry said. He watched a bird -- not an owl, he could tell from this distance, but probably another bird of prey -- soar across the grounds, its wings motionless as wind currents carried it far afield. "I'm the reason why he's here. Maybe if I go out there, he'll go away."

"Are you mad?" Neville asked. "You're not ready to face him."

"Why not?" Harry asked, his voice sharper than he intended. "I've already faced him... what? Three times?" He looked at Ginny. "Four, counting Tom Riddle. What's one more time?"

"But you sound like you don't believe you'd survive another confrontation," Neville said.

Harry turned to look at him. "What d'you mean?"

"You said that maybe he'd go away if you went out to him. That would only happen if... if..." He swallowed visibly. "If he defeated you."

"He wouldn't skedaddle even then," Ace said. "Someone like him wouldn't be content with killing just one kid. You're just his last hold-up before he takes over everything from here to Saskatchewan."

Harry looked down at his shoes. "Yeah," he said with a sigh. "Reckon you're right."

"Reckon we are," Ginny said. She got up and approached him. "I swear, Harry, if you try to be the hero --" Her finger jabbed into his chest and she hitched her breath as though she was about to cry. "-- by Merlin, I'll kill you myself."

Harry stared at her in stunned silence. He was trying to decide which disturbed him more, her threat or the obvious emotion behind it, when he heard a small voice squeak "NO!" and something threw itself at his legs with such force he stumbled and lost his balance, barely catching himself in time to fall on to the window-seat.

"What the hell?" he swore, catching himself only when he saw just "what the hell" it was. "Winky?"

The house-elf, whom Harry had last seen slumped drunkenly by the hearth in the school kitchen, gazed up at him with eyes brimming with tears. "Harry Potter must NOT be killed!" she cried, clutching at his robes.

"It's okay, Winky," Harry said. "I don't think Ginny really means to kill me."

"Oh, yes, I do," she muttered.

Harry gave her a weak grin. He still wasn't quite sure what to make of her outburst. But with the house-elf now using his robes as a handkerchief, he had more urgent matters to deal with. For one thing, finding out what supernatural force had dredged Winky from the bottom of a butterbeer bottle, put a clean pinafore on her (not to mention what looked like one of Hermione's attempts at knitting from last term), and brought her here. "There, there," he said, gently tugging his robes away from Winky's dripping nose. "I don't plan on getting killed anytime soon." He looked around the common room. "Where's Dobby? I-I mean," he hastened to add when Winky let out a howl, "I'm not used to seeing you outside of the kitchens."

"Dobby has gone to Hufflepuff House this morning. Dobby was most distraught he couldn't serve Harry Potter, so Dobby says Winky must come to Gryffindor House to make sure Harry Potter is not dead and eats a good breakfast." Someone nearby muffled a laugh, but Winky pressed on. "Dobby says Winky must help him take care of Harry Potter, or else evil wizards will hurt Harry Potter," she sobbed. "Dobby says Winky has been a bad elf, a lazy elf, and that it's time she made herself useful. Dobby says Winky is an embarrassment to all house-elves!" Fresh tears streamed down her cheeks.

Harry cast about desperately for something to say -- anything to console the distraught elf before he had to start wringing out his robes. "But... you enjoy being at Hogwarts, don't you? So many people to care for, you must be much busier here than you were with Mr. Crouch." He happened to look over at Ginny and saw her smirking at him. He made a face at her, then knelt down so he could speak directly to Winky. "And you see I'm not dead, right? Dobby will be very glad to know that, I reckon."

As she nodded, a tear dripped from the end of her nose. "Don't you feel better knowing you can be useful?" Harry asked. "You want to know something else you do to be useful?" She looked up at him with wide, hopeful eyes. "Bring me a cup of pumpkin juice please?"

Winky clapped her hands with glee. "Yes, Harry Potter, Winky is very happy to get Harry Potter his pumpkin juice," she cried and scampered off.

"What a strange little creature," Ace murmured.

"You don't know the half of it," Ginny said with a laugh. Harry looked up at her. "Hermione will hex you six ways from Sunday," she said, her eyes bright with amusement.

"Not if she doesn't find out, she won't." He gave her a pointed look, which she returned with an arched eyebrow. "C'mon, Ginny..." He shook his head. "I wonder if I'll ever get to know a normal house-elf."

"I don't think there is such a thing," Neville said. "My gran's house-elves have always been a few Sickles shy of a Galleon."

Winky came scurrying back across the common room towards them, pumpkin juice slopping over the sides of the cup she held in her hands. "Here, here is Harry Potter's pumpkin juice!" She handed it to him proudly. "Winky is not a lazy house-elf!"

"No," Harry said emphatically. "Winky is most certainly not a lazy house-elf. You can tell Dobby that I said you were a very useful house-elf, and that I don't intend to let anyone kill me anytime soon."

She beamed with gratitude. "Thank you, Harry Potter. Winky will tell Dobby to keep his big nose to himself from now on."

"You do that," Harry said quietly as he watched her scamper off again.

He noticed the common room was emptying -- where Ron and Seamus and the others had got to, he had no idea -- and realized that morning lessons would soon be starting. As much as he dreaded spending his morning in Advanced Potions, the consequences of being late to the first lesson of the year would probably be far worse. The least Harry could do would be to deprive Snape the opportunity to give him detention for being late to class, even if McGonagall had assured Harry earlier that Snape would have no just cause for doing so. Snape never needed a just cause where doling out detentions and deducting House points were concerned. Harry got up from his crouch and hoisted his school bag over his shoulder. "You two got Potions this morning?" he asked Neville and Ace.

Neville shook his head, which didn't surprise Harry -- even if he did qualify for N.E.W.T.-level Potions, Neville would probably be more than happy to settle for the intermediate course -- but Ace got up from his seat. "I'll walk with ya," he said, adjusting his hat.

Harry looked at him with a grin, then shook his head. He couldn't wait to see what Snape made of Ace and his cowboy hat and boots. "Excellent," he said. He gave Neville and Ginny a small wave. "See you at lunch."

"Try not to melt any cauldrons," Ginny said cheerfully. Harry made a face at her and followed Ace out of the common room.