The Temple of Le Fay

Chapter Sixteen: Reasons To Be Fearful

"We found this in the pocket of his robes," Professor McGonagall said to Hermione. She held out a battered piece of parchment that had been screwed up into a ball.

Harry,

I wish that there were an easier way to say this, but I don't have much time. Snuffles has been hurt, and he's in a critical condition. I managed to get him to St Mungo's, but the doctors have put him in an isolation ward. They've never seen anything like it, they say.

He's been poisoned by a strange spell that I've never even heard of. I'm not sure what I'll do, if I'll carry on with the work we have or if I'll stay here and wait for him to get better. For the next week or so I don't have any orders, so I'll be here at the hospital. You know how to contact me, but I can't get in to see him. The doctors are very serious about the isolation.

Sorry I can't be more comforting. I'm still rather shaken by our being ambushed.

I'll owl you as soon as I have more news,

Moony

"Poor Harry," Hermione whispered. On the other side of the corridor, Ron stood with his arm around Ginny as she stared blankly at the floor.

"As best we can tell, Harry received that message sometime between his last class of the day and six o'clock. When he tackled the Boggart-"

"-it was too much for him," Ron finished, his voice hollow. "I mean, I took it out okay when I found him. I think it was confused that Harry fainted, it barely had time to start changing. "

"Very likely, Mr. Weasley," Professor McGonagall said. "There's a very good chance that Harry was just too unfocussed to take on a Boggart, especially as it would have turned into a Dementor when it saw him. Of course, that doesn't explain the damage to the staff room. Everything within five metres of Potter was reduced to firewood"

Ginny emitted a choking cough that earned her worried glances from the other three, but she schooled her features into an expression of controlled worry. All three could see how badly she was hurt, however. Harry was lying still and unresponsive in the hospital wing for the second time in a week. The other students had been buzzing with gossip as Dumbledore dismissed them from the Great Hall to return to their dormitories.

". . .looked almost dead. . ."

". . .what could take down him?"

". . .what if You-Know-Who. . ."

". . .that redhead who brought him in. . ."

Hermione squeezed her eyes shut, fighting once more the tears that had threatened to spring forth when an idle remark from someone that she didn't even know had connected Ron with Harry's condition.

". . .Miss Granger?"

Hermione snapped back to the real world. "Sorry, Professor, it's just a lot to take in," she said wearily.

"I understand," McGonagall replied. Her expression softened. "I imagine that Potter would tell you not to worry, that he'll be fine, that he's been through worse."

"He's a terrible liar," Ron said, his voice seeming to come from far away. "Always has been."

"Indeed," Professor McGonagall didn't smile. "Well, Madam Pomfrey is looking after him, Professor Dumbledore is investigating Sirius' condition -how exactly Sirius will avoid recognition I don't know- and all you three can do is go to bed. It is, after all, nearly eleven o'clock and you will all be expected to be in class tomorrow morning."

Nobody argued. Nobody had the strength or the will to. They made their way silently back to their dormitories, Ron holding Hermione's hand while his other arm lay around Ginny's shoulders. They entered a common room that was almost silent, the sight of Harry Potter having been beaten so shocking to so many of the Gryffindors that it seemed too hard for many of them to believe.

Ginny hissed, the first real noise she'd made since seeing Harry in Ron's arms hours before.

"Why are you all sitting around like this?" she asked in a low voice, which nonetheless seemed to carry right to the edges of the common room. "It's Halloween! Harry will be okay, he's had some bad news and shouldn't have tried to go after a Boggart on his own. But that's Harry for you. He never takes the easy way if he can save other people any trouble by taking the hard way. He'll be okay, and when he's out of the hospital wing I'm going to kill him. But first I'll torture him by telling him what a great party he missed tonight. Now, where were we?"

Ginny moved into the centre of the room, to the untouched table of food that the Gryffindors hadn't been able to bring themselves to try. She picked up a platter of pumpkin pasties, made her way to a group of her fellow fifth years and began handing them around. Hermione and Ron followed her lead and soon several people were helping to serve the food.

Bit by bit, the noise level in the common room began to creep up, and soon a fully fledged Halloween party was taking place. Someone produced a wizarding radio, and soon everyone was dancing. Only two of the party goers noticed the small, forlorn looking red haired girl making her way slowly away from all the noise and up the stairs to her dormitory.

"I'm going to kill Harry when he wakes up," Ron said. "He can't keep doing this to her. He needs to think about other people."

"Ron, you know as well as I do that Harry hardly stops thinking of other people. He probably went after the Boggart today so that you wouldn't have to."

Ron scowled, but nodded. "Yeah, okay, you're right. But it's tearing Ginny apart to see him like this. Do you think she'll be concentrating in classes tomorrow?"

"Probably not," Hermione said. "But what are we supposed to do?"

"Talk to him," Ron sighed. "Continue the impossible attempt to make Harry open up to us. Try and get him to actually think before he acts for a change."

"We never get anything easy to do, do we?" Hermione asked, resting her head on Ron's shoulder.

"I suppose it's what we get for being Harry's best friends," Ron said, tightening his arm around her.

"Would you have it any other way?" she asked.

"Not on your life, he said forcefully.

*

The next few days were grim. Ron, Hermione and Professor Skeeter held a meeting of the Duelling Club on the following Tuesday, but only a few people showed up. Those who weren't discussing Harry, who was still unconscious in the hospital wing, were discussing that weekend's Quidditch match. Ravenclaw were playing Hufflepuff, and the students of both houses were hard to distract from discussions of their respective chances.

At dinner on Friday, Cho stopped by the Gryffindor table to ask after Harry.

"There's no change," Hermione said. "He's not responding to anything."

"What does Professor Dumbledore say?" Cho asked.

Ron looked at her in surprise. "He hasn't said anything, has he? He's been away since Halloween."

"Has he?" Cho asked in surprise. "Honestly, you'd think someone would have said something. I've been at Quidditch practise most of the time. This is the first time I've had a meal at a normal time almost all week. Where's he gone?"

"Don't know," Ron said shortly. It was true. Professor McGonagall had told them that there hadn't been any change in Sirius' condition. From this they had deduced that Dumbledore had seen Sirius and arranged for his safe treatment. Beyond this, however, they had no idea why the Headmaster had been away from Hogwarts for so long.

"Well, whatever he's doing, I'm sure that it's for the best."

"You think so?" Hermione asked.

"Absolutely," Cho said firmly. "Harry trusts Dumbledore unquestioningly. That's good enough for me."

*

"Erm, Ginny?"

Ginny raised her attention from Harry's still features to look at Cho.

"If I'm interrupting. . ." the Ravenclaw said, looking uncomfortable.

"No, it's okay," Ginny said quietly. "He's not very stimulating conversation right now."

Cho looked at the younger girl in sympathy.

"I wish I could say something to make it better," she said.

Ginny smiled. "Thank you. Everyone else says how strong Harry is, how this is nothing compared to fighting You-Know-Who, that sort of thing."

"Not what you want to hear," Cho said, nodding. "You know all that already. How about : You'll get through this. Because, well, you will. It's hard, but Harry will come back to you, and you'll want to kill him for getting hurt, but that second when he opens his eyes will be worth all the trouble he's caused."

Ginny smiled slightly. "Nothing can be worth all this much trouble."

Cho grinned.

"Do you want to sit down?" Ginny asked, pointing to an empty chair. "I've been trying to concentrate on my Muggle Studies work, but it's not really happening with Harry there. I'm looking up every two seconds to see if he's moved, and. . ."

Cho smiled sympathetically.

"I know what you mean. When Cedric, well, last summer I kept sitting by the window, waiting for an owl from him, or his parents, anything to say that it was all a big misunderstanding. . ." she tailed off.

"I wanted to apologise," she said after a long moment of silence.

"For what?" Ginny asked.

"Last summer, and parts of last year, there were times when I wanted, when I wished that. . ."

She swallowed, and rubbed at her eyes with the ball of her hand.

"I wished that it had been Harry who was killed instead of Cedric," she admitted. "And when I saw him last year, I wished that he'd suffer for surviving. It's stupid, isn't it? I realised it wasn't his fault, and that I couldn't want him to come to harm, and yet he always does."

Ginny sat quietly by as Cho stared moodily at Harry's still form.

"I really don't want any harm to come to Harry," she said at last. "I want him well and strong, so he can play his part in taking down You-Know-Who."

Ginny paled at the thought of Harry facing Voldemort. "He takes it all too seriously," she said. "He's ready to take the burden all by himself, and that's why he gets hurt."

Cho nodded understandingly. "I told him he should trust others to handle some of the things he tries to do alone. It seems I didn't get through to him."

"He's too stubborn," Ginny said, laying her hand on Harry's. "He should have known better than to go after a Boggart on his own, it doesn't matter how good he is. He wasn't in any fit state to tackle it."

"Do you know why he couldn't fight it?"

"We think it was because he had some bad news. His godfather was taken ill."

"It's never easy for him, is it?"

"No. But he'd probably find some way to make his life difficult even if everything was going smoothly."

Cho laughed. "That does sound about right. I'll leave you to it. I hope he wakes up soon. It'd be good if he could be at the match tomorrow."

"Even if he woke up, he probably wouldn't be allowed out. I hope it's a good match, though. Harry always enjoys it when Ravenclaw play Hufflepuff."

"The one match where he doesn't have to care who wins," Cho laughed.

Ginny smiled.

"Would it be okay if I came back after the match tomorrow? I could give Harry a replay of the match."

"I know he'd like that," Ginny smiled. "And Cho?"

"Yes?"

"You shouldn't feel bad about what you were thinking. I know that if Harry were. . . If I lost him, then I don't know what I'd do, or how I'd feel, but I know I wouldn't be thinking straight."

Cho smiled. "Thank you," she said. "I'll see you tomorrow?"

"I'll be here," Ginny replied. "Waiting, worrying, making Harry wish I'd give up and let him enjoy some peace and quiet for a change. I'm sure by now that he wishes I'd just leave him alone."

She turned back to Harry and her Muggle Studies work, leaving Cho to make her way back to her dormitory.

I doubt it,

she thought as she headed for the Ravenclaw common room. I doubt that very much.

*

Saturday morning came, and but for a few people trying to concentrate on their homework, the entire school was abuzz with talk of Quaffles and Bludgers, Snitches and line-ups. The two house teams were greeted with great roars as they entered the Great Hall for a breakfast that few of them would enjoy.

In the hospital wing, Hermione tutted at the noise. Ron grinned at the top of her head as she refocused herself on her Dark Arts essay.

"Excuse me? I'm frightfully sorry to interrupt."

Gilderoy Lockhart stood in the doorway a bulky package under his arm. It was Ron's turn to tut, and Hermione's turn to throw an amused glance at him. Ginny smiled at the two of them.

"The captains of the Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff house teams came to me with a most unusual request this morning," Lockhart said as he came in. "They had worked out that I had some method of communicating with the Ministry in order that I could keep them updated on my progress in my task. They wished to borrow it so that young Harry here might hear today's match. Well, of course, I shouldn't really let this out of my sight, but as I myself will be at the match, and as my assistants have gone home for the weekend, I shouldn't think that anyone will mind, hmmm?"

He set the package on the bedside cabinet and removed its wrappings.

"Et voila," he beamed.

The three students looked at the object. It was a small rectangle of quartz, barely six inches by three.

"Err. . ." Ron said.

"Is that a Sound Stone?" Hermione asked.

"Very good Miss Granger!" Lockhart seemed delighted. "I didn't know what it was when I first saw it."

"Sound Stones have been around since Merlin's time," Hermione explained to Ron and Ginny. "They can be used to transmit and receive sound from great distances, like a sort of radio. They're incredibly hard to make, and very rare and expensive."

"Rather surprising the Ministry would let me have this one, really," Lockhart said. "I suppose this mission of mine is rather important. I'm told that Minister Fudge is taking a close personal interest, even. Anyway, I'd better get to the match. I'll cast the spell to send the sound when I get there. I've become rather adept at it."

Lockhart took his leave with a flamboyant sweep of his cloak. Ron stared after him until he'd disappeared from view.

"I'm ready to name my first son Gilderoy," he said in a reverent voice.

Ginny grinned, but said nothing.

Hermione looked at the Sound Stone curiously.

"Why on earth would the Ministry give something so valuable to Lockhart?" she asked.

"Well, you heard him," Ginny said. "It's an important mission he's been given."

"Why him, then?" Hermione asked. "If the mission is so important that they need to be in contact at all times, and if Fudge really is taking an interest, then why on Earth was it given to Lockhart?"

"Hermione, you're paranoid," Ron said as he pushed his Herbology essay away and sat back in his chair. "I expect Fudge's mum is a big Lockhart fan or something. Who cares? We can listen to the match. Much better than Herbology."

"But don't you think it's strange that-" Hermione was cut off by Ron's abrupt shake of his head.

"Hermione, I've seen flying keys and giant three headed dogs. I've watched toilets turn into giant holes in the ground. I've seen grown men turn into dogs, rats and wolves. Nothing is strange anymore.

"However, I've also learnt that you're right about this sort of thing pretty often, so if you'll let me enjoy the match in peace, I'll hear you out, okay?"

Hermione was only partly mollified by this, but she knew that Ron, to his mind, had reached a fair compromise, and it would be more trouble than it was worth to argue him down. Besides, she did want to know how the match turned out, and the thoughtful actions of Justin Finch-Fletchley and Cho, the Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw captains, had at least as good a chance of waking Harry as anything they'd tried. She turned back to her Herbology essay, at least until Ron grabbed her hand and pulled her onto Harry's bed.

"It's starting, listen!" he said. He cocked his head towards the window, and Hermione strained her hearing. She could just make out the faint sounds of the roaring crowd from the other side of the school.

"AND WELCOME TO THE SECOND GAME OF THE SEASON!" the Sound Stone suddenly roared. Ron jumped and fell off the bed, but Hermione, who had half been expecting this, lowered the volume of Lee's commentary with a quick "Quietus!"

"Hufflepuff versus Ravenclaw," Lee continued, his voice projected clear as a bell from the Sound Stone. Ron clambered back up onto the bed, his eyes shining.

"Imagine if we could stick this in our classes. We could listen from bed. Oh, just imagine how great it would be to get out of Potions," he said longingly.

"Ron, either listen to the match, or talk about work, but you can't do both," Hermione said. Ron shut up immediately, and settled on the edge of Harry's bed, as close to the Sound Stone as he could get without perching on Harry's bedside table.

"And it's a fast kick off as the Bludgers and Snitch go soaring. The Quaffle is hoisted into the air today by our referee, the astronomical Professor Sinistra, and the game is on. Immediately Hufflepuff Chaser Susan Bones takes the Quaffle, and she's away. Susan Bones, the only player other than Harry Potter to be flying a Firebolt this year -get well soon Harry, if you can hear me - and Bones puts it cleanly past Turpin in the Ravenclaw goal. What a start by Hufflepuff! They lead by ten points to nil."

Ron had Harry's sheets twisted in his fingers already. Hermione was amazed that he could get so worked up about a match that logically he shouldn't have cared about, but put it down to his passionate nature.

"And the Hufflepuff Chasers are running the game so far," Lee reported. "Passing the ball fluidly and easily, the Ravenclaw Beaters, Quirke and Goldstein, are being left looking thoroughly outclassed. This isn't the even match that was played out last year. Only Lisa Turpin in the Ravenclaw goal has stopped Hufflepuff getting a sackful."

With ten minutes gone, it was thirty-nil to Hufflepuff, and the avalanche of shots that the Hufflepuff Chasers were raining down on Lisa Turpin was overwhelming.

"Hufflepuff captain Justin Finch Fletchley has put together a very impressive side," Lee said. "The only side without a seventh year among their first team ranks, for the record. But wait, Ravenclaw have a break!

"And it's Ackerley, his first match for the team, and he nips neatly under a Bludger from Hannah Abbott and passes easily to Su Li, who flicks it on to Terry Boot and it's a goal! Hufflepuff Keeper Elenor Branstone was well beaten there. Ravenclaw get ten points!"

The game raged back and forth, Ravenclaw finding a rhythm of their own once the first goal went in. Hufflepuff stayed ahead by the skin of their teeth, but it was close, very close.

"Magnificent Bludger work there by McMillan of Hufflepuff. A very talented young player there, a possible pro, you might think. Anyway good beating, and the Bludger nearly takes off Boot's head, need to wake up there lad, just because you don't have the Quaffle doesn't mean you're immune. Katie Bell would never lose track of a Bludger that w-"

"JORDAN!"

"And back to the match. Seventy-sixty to Hufflepuff now, and Ravenclaw have a break. Ackerley to Li, to Boot, back to Li, Boot, Ackerley, great move this, Li, Ackerley, Boot-"

Hannah Abbott clubbed a Bludger from five feet away, and it slammed into Terry Boot at top speed. Boot cried out, and the Quaffle flew from his grasp. He slumped over his broom, which automatically slowed, coming to a halt without throwing its rider and beginning a slow descent to the ground. Professor Sinistra blew her whistle, and the match paused.

"Time out, time out, Ravenclaw injury. Boot's favouring his side, looks like bruised ribs, maybe cracked. Enthusiastic beating from Abbott of Hufflepuff. Boot looks thoroughly miserable at having to come off. Substitute Chaser Michael Corner is ready on the touchline, and he will be flying a Nimbus 2000, along with team-mates Goldstein and Quirke, and Hufflepuff's McMillan. Susan Bones, I should say, is still on her Firebolt-"

"JORDAN!"

"-and Michael Corner is up and flying. The teams line up for the restart, and Corner takes his place just below Ravenclaw Seeker Cho Chang. The two were reportedly a hot couple at the start of term, although my sources in the Ravenclaw common room say that there may well be trouble in paradise-"

"JORDAN!!"

"-not that I'm suggesting anything, but you'll notice Corner's only a reserve while his girlfriend is captain. Anyone think she's trying to tell him something?"

"JORDAN!! I'm warning you!"

"Just my little joke, folks. Seriously, kids, good luck with the relationship thing. I know it can't be easy for you, Michael, with the whole jealousy thi-"

"JORDAN!!! ONE MORE WORD!!!"

"What's Lee up to?" Ginny asked. "He doesn't normally do that sort of thing."

Hermione stared at Ron, who was watching the Sound Stone intently. A little too intently. He was perched on the edge of the bed and seemed to be ready to run at a moment's notice.

"Ron?" she asked. He winced.

"I told them it was a bad idea," he said.

"Who?"

"Fred and George, who else? They asked Lee to make fun of Corner if he got to play this year."

"Why?" Ginny asked. Ron looked at his sister with a hint of panic about him.

"Because he didn't treat you very well when you dumped him," Ron admitted. To his surprise, Ginny giggled.

"I know that it shouldn't be funny," she said. "And I know that I always say that I hate my brothers fighting my battles for me, but. . . It is pretty funny. I'll have to talk to Michael and Cho later and apologise, though. Especially after what Dean and Seamus did to Michael last week."

Ron looked relieved to not have been the target of Ginny's temper. He slumped back on the bed and returned his attention to the match.

"What did they do to him?" Hermione asked, glancing up from her work.

"They set a Birthday Bomb to go off in his bag during his History of Magic class," Ginny shrugged. "I mean, Professor Binns didn't notice, but it burnt half his notes."

Ron grinned at the Sound Stone, but didn't say anything.

"Hufflepuff lead by eighty points to sixty, and the game is incredibly close. Plenty of goals, though, as we approach the hour mark."

"An hour already? Blimey, time does fly when you're having fun," Ron said. Hermione threw a pillow at him.

"Great shot from Bones for Hufflepuff, and an amazing save from Turpin in the Ravenclaw goal. The Quaffle breaks and it's with Corner -I wasn't serious earlier, of course- Corner passes to Li, who sends it forward to Boot. Boot soaring high, avoiding those Bludgers with ease. Great flying from Boot-

"Magnificent pass! Boot releases the Quaffle from what must be three hundred feet up, and Su Li comes through and claims it before Hufflepuff can even blink. Li through on goal, she shoots. . . What a goal! The Ravenclaw team reduce Hufflepuff's lead to just ten- There's the Snitch!"

Ron, Hermione and Ginny leant forward instinctively. So entranced were they by the match that they didn't notice Harry's hands clenching slightly.

"Chang and Finch-Fletchley, the two team captains locked together as they streak after the Snitch. Both flying Nimbus 2001s, of course, and very evenly matched. The Snitch is just out of reach, it's almost teasing them.

"Finch-Fletchley of Hufflepuff reaches forward. His fingers are just inches from the Snitch, Chang looks beaten-"

So much of Harry's sheet was screwed up in Ron's hands now that Harry was entirely bare chested. His eyelids fluttered slightly.

"-but he's overbalanced! Finch-Fletchley's reach exceeds his grasp and now he's struggling to just stay on his broom. Cho Chang is clear, squeezing a last burst of speed from the broom. . . And she's done it! Ravenclaw win, Cho Chang gets the Snitch, Ravenclaw win!"

"Cho?"

Hermione, Ron and Ginny blinked, uncertain for a second exactly whose weak, croaky voice they had heard. They looked around, and saw Harry blinking feebly in the sun streaming through the hospital wing's high windows.

"Harry!" Ginny threw herself at him, wrapping her arms tightly around him and babbling wildly as she tried to express how badly she'd missed them over the last few days. He smiled weakly but didn't move, and it struck Hermione how gaunt he looked.

"Miss Weasley!"

Madam Pomfrey bustled out of her office, glaring daggers at Ginny, who reluctantly released her hold on Harry and allowed the school nurse to examine him. Madam Pomfrey looked deeply troubled by the results of her checkup.

"What's wrong?" Hermione asked. Madame Pomfrey looked up at her, but said nothing.

"Poppy, is it as we suspected?"

The three students turned to see Professor Dumbledore standing in the doorway. Hermione was struck once more by the Headmaster's expression. He had only been away for a few days, but he appeared every bit as gaunt and worn down as Harry was.

"It is, Headmaster," Madam Pomfrey said solemnly.

"What's wrong?" Harry croaked. "What happened to me?"

"Harry, you faced a Boggart, am I correct?"

"Yeah," Harry said guardedly. "I mean, I guess so. I went into the staff room, but I don't remember anything after that."

A little colour returned to Harry's cheeks. Hermione wondered if Harry knew that they could tell that he was lying.

"I see," Dumbledore allowed the lie to pass. "Well, Mr. Weasley here found you unconscious in the staff room. You have been here for several days. It is now Saturday afternoon."

"I. . . see," Harry rasped. "But why do I feel so weak? I mean, I've been in here before, I normally can't wait to get out of here. Now all I want to do is sleep for the next week."

"I had an idea about that, and Madam Pomfrey happens to agree with me," Dumbledore said. "Harry, I'm afraid there's no easy way to say this, but it appears to myself and Madam Pomfrey that you have burnt out your ability to use magic."

There was a silence that held for several seconds, before Ron snorted.

"You're joking, right?"

"Would that I were, Mr. Weasley, would that I were," Dumbledore said gravely. "The body of any human, including Harry, can only expend a finite amount of energy at one time. In wizards, this energy can be used to cast magic, harnessing the magical fields around us. Harry utilised all of his energy in one go, leaving him drained of all but the bare minimum required to sustain life, perhaps even a little less than that, as he has spent the last four days in a coma. It appears that there was an explosive release of energy, which is what caused the damage to the staff room furniture, and drained Harry here. For now, at least, Harry is something of an empty bottle."

"So, how do I get it back?" Harry asked, his voice rasping in his throat.

"Simply by living, Harry," Dumbledore smiled. "Think of it as a cut. First it must scab over, then gradually the scab will disappear and you will have fresh skin there once more. It is part of recovering from injury, part of just being alive. In a few weeks you will be back to normal."

"A few weeks!" Harry tried to sit up, but slumped back on his bed after a few agonising seconds. "But-"

"This not open to argument, Mr. Potter," Madam Pomfrey snapped. "You've been here far too many times. I see more of you than any five other people, and I see too much of them. You will listen to Professor Dumbledore and you will get well, do you understand me?"

"Yes, Madam Pomfrey," Harry rasped meekly.

"An excellent choice," Professor Dumbledore said happily as Madam Pomfrey stalked off to prepare one of her vile but undeniably effective potions. "By the way, I saw Remus this morning. He says that Sirius has not grown any worse. The doctors assure me that this is as much as can be hoped for."

"Didn't anyone recognise him?" Hermione asked anxiously.

"What?" Harry croaked at the same time, his voice drowned out by Hermione's.

"Well, it certainly helps that the head doctor at St Mungo's is an old friend," Dumbledore said. "But Sirius is rather different in appearance then when he escaped Azkaban. His hair is now a strawberry blonde colour for example."

Ron let out a great laugh at the idea of a blonde Sirius. This, too, masked an attempt by Harry to get attention.

"Oh, I wish I could see him," Ron laughed. "Sirius? Blonde? How long is it?"

"Hey!"

"I believe it is quite short, no longer than Harry's. Of course, he is in an isolation ward, so he may decide to experiment to amuse himself. Yes, Harry?"

"Why," Harry asked slowly, "is Sirius in an isolation ward," his voice rasped heavily on the last two words, "at St Mungo's."

"You don't know?" Dumbledore asked, all trace of levity disappearing from his face at once.

"No," Harry rasped. "The last thing I heard from them was some stupid letter," he paused to take a sip of water, "that Remus sent me about, well, it doesn't matter. Why is Sirius in hospital?"

"They were attacked," Dumbledore said heavily. "Death Eaters caught them spying on a meeting place. Sirius was hit with a poisonous spell, and he's been placed in isolation so that doctors can monitor him without putting him or anyone else at risk."

"Why did you think I knew that?" Harry asked incredulously. "How could I know that?"

"There was a letter in your pocket," Hermione said. "From Remus, it was all screwed up."

Harry's eyes widened in horror.

"I. . . I thought it was another joke letter," he rasped. "Hedwig brought it just before I went down to tackle the Boggart. I was going to read it that night. You mean it told me that Sirius had been injured? I should be there."

He pushed himself upright, and managed to twist so that his feet were on the floor.

"Harry," Ron began, starting forward.

"Don't," Harry snarled. As much as anything, Ron was stopped by the venom in his voice. "Sirius must think I don't care."

"Sirius is well aware that you have been unwell yourself," Dumbledore said mildly. "He would not want you to make yourself worse."

"Sirius would have done the same at my age," Harry said.

"Yes, he would have done, but he is now nearly rather older and knows better than to let sixteen year old wizards run around the countryside without any help, especially when they're too ill to stand upright."

"I can stand," Harry said, putting his feet on the floor. "You can't stop me seeing Sirius."

"If I thought it would do either of you any good, then I would be assisting you," Dumbledore said mildly. "As it is, I don't think you appreciate just how very ill you have been."

Hermione, Ron and Ginny watched as Harry and Dumbledore locked gazes. They had never seen anyone defy Dumbledore this way before. Certainly they never would have imagined Harry would be the one to defy him. While Harry could be as stubborn as anyone, he would never normally consider going against Dumbledore's wishes.

"I can stand," Harry said. "And if I can stand, I can walk, and if I can walk, then I can make it to the broom shed and get my broom."

"And then what?" Dumbledore asked "Do you know where St Mungo's is?"

"I know where Diagon Alley is," Harry said. "Someone there will tell me how to get to the hospital."

Dumbledore closed his eyes for a second, and then nodded.

"I can see that you are not to be shaken," he said. Hermione couldn't decide whether the emotion evident in his voice was disappointment, anger, or just frustration. "Very well. If you can stand, without support, then I shall personally accompany you to St. Mungo's."

Harry looked mildly surprised that Dumbledore had given in so easily, but seemingly decided not to waste any time. He pushed himself upright, and for a second Hermione thought that Dumbledore had been wrong, that Harry was fine.

But then Harry's knees started to shake, and then buckle, and he pitched forwards onto the floor. Under any other circumstances it might have seemed comical, but Hermione knew that nothing could make her laugh at that moment.

Ron stepped forwards to help Harry up. Hermione glanced at Ginny, and saw that the younger girl had her hands over mouth. Tears were streaming silently down her cheeks. Hermione slipped an arm around her shoulders, and then jumped.

"GET OFF ME!!" Harry yelled. Ron stepped back quickly, as though he'd been shocked with electricity. Harry lay sprawled on the floor, his face flushed red, panting heavily. Ginny pulled out of Hermione's grasp and moved forward to help.

"Leave me alone," Harry snarled, before she could take two steps. "Get away from me, okay? Get away from me."

Ginny stopped, not sure what to do. Dumbledore stepped forward and laid a hand on her shoulder.

"Come now," he said. "Let's give Harry some time alone. He needs time to take everything in. You can come and see him later."

Ginny hesitated, her eyes on the floor, but after a long moment, she nodded. She raised her head so that she could look Harry in the eye.

"We'll be back later, Harry," she said, and Hermione was impressed at how level her voice was. "We'll help you get caught up with your work."

She collected her books, and strode out of the hospital wing. Ron looked after her, obviously confused, and torn between his sister and his friend. But he collected his and Hermione's things, and followed Ginny out of the door. Hermione lingered behind, unsure as to why.

"You heard me," Harry repeated, his voice rasping again. "Leave me alone."

"Let's do as he suggests, Miss Granger," Dumbledore said quietly.

Hermione felt terrible leaving Harry on the floor. She tried to gauge the expression on his face as he ordered her away, but couldn't. She'd never seen the expression on Harry before, but it seemed hauntingly familiar.

She joined Ron and Ginny outside, worrying at the problem the entire time. She barely heard what Dumbledore said to them -something about Harry needing time to adjust- before he went back inside to talk to Madam Pomfrey.

Hermione followed Ginny and Ron back up to Gryffindor Tower. They passed Lisa Turpin, Terry Boot and Draco along the way, and the two groups nodded absently to one another. Ron stiffened slightly at the sight of Malfoy, but said nothing. The Ravenclaws seemed preoccupied with the food and drink they were struggling to keep hold of. Apparently there would be a grand party in their common room today.

There should be one in our common room,

Hermione thought. Harry's out of his coma. We should be celebrating.

They stopped in front of the Fat Lady. Ron gave the password ("By Royal appointment") and they went inside.

The portrait swung closed behind them, leaving them in a very quiet common room. There was hardly anyone there, and Hermione vaguely remembered Seamus saying something about an additional fencing class in the Great Hall that afternoon. She supposed it would probably just be Gryffindors and Slytherins. Certainly there wouldn't be many Ravencl-

Malfoy.

Hermione stopped in the middle of the common room floor, one hand at her mouth as it dawned on her who Harry had looked like. It was uncanny, and only their completely different appearances had stopped her seeing it before. Harry had looked just like Malfoy did when he called her a Mudblood for the first time, five years before.

The hatred, no,

loathing on his face. The tone of voice, the way he looked at me, as though he couldn't stand to be near me.

I must be wrong. I can't have seen it properly. Harry doesn't have that kind of hate in him, does he?

Hermione shivered, and hugged her arms. She looked at Ron and Ginny, who had taken seats by the fire and were listlessly sorting through their books.

I must be wrong. I'm not going to say anything.

I must be wrong.

To be continued. . .