And Who Are You?

And Who Are You? Chapter 02

No password was needed this time, for as Fawkes took the three children and Lockhart up the stairs and glided towards them, the doors opened, on their own.

'Wow,' said Harry deliriously. 'Just like magic!'

The four hurried into the office, and Fawkes flew back to his perch.

Inside the office, staring at the foursome covered in mud, slime and blood, were the Professors Dumbledore, McGonagall and Snape and Mrs Weasley.

They all stood and gaped at the children and Lockhart, who was still spellbound. Ginny released him, and he fell to the floor.

Ron spoke first. 'Sir, Harry was bitten by the Basilisk; he pulled the fang out of his arm and used it to stab the diary.'

Everyone seemed to suddenly find their voice, and Ron lowered Harry carefully to the floor, who was now unconscious.

'Silence!' boomed Dumbledore, and the babble of voices died away. He walked over to Harry, and rolled up his right sleeve so that his wound was visible. Mrs Weasley and Professor McGonagall simultaneously cried out in shock. Harry had gone white.

Snape looked over Dumbledore's shoulder and said, 'The only thing that can heal that is--'

'--Phoenix tears,' finished Dumbledore, and no sooner had he said it, than Fawkes laid his head on Harry's arm and began to weep silvery tears. After a few minutes, the gash shrunk, and then disappeared altogether. Harry began to stir.

He finally sat up, and propped himself against the wall.

Dumbledore put his hand on Harry's shoulder, fixed him with his piercing blue gaze and said, 'Are you alright, Harry?'

Harry looked at him in confusion. 'I'm not too bad thank you, but, um, do I know you?'

The whole room apart from Ron and Lockhart gasped. Ron took the sword, Sorting Hat and ruined diary from Ginny and put them on the desk.

Then he rounded on Lockhart. 'You see? You see what you've done?! Undo it! Now!'

Everyone seemed to notice Lockhart for the first time, and McGonagall exclaimed, 'Gilderoy! What are you doing? Mr Weasley? Did you hex him?!' She undid the spell, and then, before she or the faintly embarrassed Lockhart could say anything, Ron butted in, and told her how Lockhart had tried to wipe both their memories to make him look good. He was accompanied by vigorous nods from Ginny.

'You--you did this to poor Harry?!' shouted Mrs Weasley, who had been mid-hug with Ginny.

'Can you all talk to snakes too?' asked Harry absentmindedly.

Everyone stared at him, and Dumbledore started, and then got up.

There was silence for a few moments.

'Excuse me, but can anyone tell me where I am? Or who I am?' Dumbledore looked at Harry sadly, and there was even a flicker of something on Snape's face.

'He is going to need a lot of work done on him,' stated Dumbledore. 'But before I continue, Mr Weasley, Ginny, could you please take Professor Lockhart up to the Hospital Wing to see Madam Pomfrey? Tell her that he may have a slight concussion. I need her to keep him there until I can talk to him.'

Before they left Ron said, 'Oh! That's right! In the chamber, sir, Harry remembered you! But, he didn't remember anything else.'

They left, and Dumbledore continued. 'From what I can tell, it wasn't a particularly strong charm.'

'But all the same, Albus, this boy is meant to fight You-Know-Who! He--'

'Who?' butted in Harry, looking bewildered.

'Exactly!' continued McGonagall. 'He is in no fit state to do anything!'

'I do know that, Minerva, we may yet be able to restore his memories. But I am concerned, that his past may hurt him even more the second time round. This has to be done with utmost care and delicacy. Severus, I trust you know of many minor memory restoring charms?'

'Of course, Headmaster, let us just hope that one will work,' replied Snape.

'Yes, yes, well they are worth a try don't you think?' Dumbledore resumed his place behind his desk.

'Certainly, sir,' Snape stepped forwards and took out his wand. Harry looked up at him fearfully.

'What are you--?' he began.

'Just sit still for a moment please, Harry,' Dumbledore cut in, fixing him with another light blue stare. He handed Snape a couple of spell books and Snape crouched down in front of Harry. Harry saw a flicker of something in his eyes; could it have been worry or real concern? Harry didn't feel afraid any more.

'Don't worry Harry. It will be alright,' said Dumbledore, resting his chin on his long fingertips.

'Oh, I'm not worried any more,' replied Harry, smiling at Snape.

Snape started mumbling random spells and rapping Harry on the head with his wand.

Many minutes later, Snape was getting to the end of the spell book. He decided to try one more spell. He said something Harry didn't understand. Green sparks flew from his wand, and a rush of scenes swirled into Harry's mind.

It was his seventh birthday; he was alone in a spider-infested cupboard,

He was being chased up a tree by a bulldog,

He was running away from a fat boy and his gang,

He was talking to a snake in a zoo,

The memories went on, and finally, perhaps most vivid of them all, a flash of green light, and a woman screaming.

Not just any woman, Harry realised, my mother.

Harry brought his knees up to his chest and paused, lost in painful thoughts and memories.

'Harry?' Dumbledore kneeled beside him. He looked up, and saw Snape had backed away. He and McGonagall looked fearful.

Harry didn't know it, but the flash of green light from his memory had actually flashed in his eyes. Mrs Weasley came and gave him a hug. He hugged her back.

Dumbledore was now right in front of him. 'Harry, do you know where you are?'

'I am in your office,' Harry replied quietly.

'And who am I?'

'You are Albus Dumbledore, Head of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.'

'Very good. Lastly, do you know who you are?'

'I am Harry James Potter, aged twelve; people call me The Boy Who Lived, because I apparently defeated Lord Voldemort when I was one year old.' Harry looked up at Dumbledore with a mixture of bitterness, regret and sadness. 'And I have no parents.'

Mrs Weasley looked at him, and said emotionally, 'No, but Arthur and I are as good as.' She gave him another hug and burst into tears.

End

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