Book of Memories

Chapter 23: HORRIBLE PROSPECTS

Consciousness creeped back into him. He didn't think it would; he truly thought he had died and the only thing that kept him from telling himself "you're used to it, get over it," was the indescribably ugly prospect of it ever really happening.

Stiff and aching all over, Harry opened his eyes. He was lying in the dark, empty hospital wing. He turned his head, his neck so stiff it almost didn't want to move. On his left was, unfortunately, Sirius but on his right was Ron. How had they survived? And worse yet, Harry didn't forget how he ended up in this position... Thantanos got away with the Book of Memories but at least not the Staff of Cybele...

"Ron!" Harry hissed croakily through the darkness. It hurt to speak and it hurt even more when he tried to move his torso... so he stopped. Ron didn't move.

"RON!" Harry croaked again. Ron's covers gave a jolt.

"Harry?" Ron croaked back.

Despite all the horrors, Harry couldn't force down a smile. It at least looked as if Thantanos didn't get the staff. It wasn't all bad...

"We did it," Harry grinned, his voice a little more like normal.

Ron grinned back.

"But now what," Harry added, slightly sulky.

That was a good question.

What was going to happen to them? Were they going to be punished? Expelled? Thrown out and made to live as Muggles... Harry didn't want to think about that.

"So what d'you think that was all about?" asked Harry.

"All what was all about?"

"The book, the staff, Thantanos, Michelle, Fluffy..."

"Fluffy I can guess. Thantanos probably wanted Fluffy to kill as many of us as possible so he could get out easy. The rest, you're on your own..."

They were both silent for a few minutes... and then...

"Thantanos was under another permanent Imperius," Harry said through the darkness.

"Was he?"

"Has to have been. Voldemort probably has my blood stored away somewhere or something just in case..."

"Or someone else alive is an ancient, too --"

"Don't say that," said Harry sharply. "I'll be kicking myself from here to Azkaban if that's true."

Ron silently agreed.

They both layed in silence for several more minutes.

"Why d'you think Pettigrew ran?" Harry wondered aloud.

"Probably scared out of his wits --"

"Like I was? --"

"-- at something Voldemort was pla --" but Ron couldn't finish his sentence because Harry had started clapping softly.

"You did it!" he croaked cheerily. "You said the name!"

Ron was amazed at himself but he coughed loudly (which hurt) and continued.

"...at something Voldemort was planning..."

"But what?" Harry asked, more to himself than to Ron.

"Who knows, who cares. He doesn't have the staff," said Ron dismissively. Ron paused. Where was the staff now, anyway?

"I wonder why he wouldn't ever look at me," said Harry, his mind wandering.

"Hey," said Ron, looking for an answer, and suddenly, as if he knew it all along, it came to him. "Remember when Dumbledore said there would be a day when you'd be glad you saved Pettigrew's life? Well, this is it, isn't it?"

"Yeah," said Harry, "I guess... It didn't help much..."

"It didn't help at all... I just hope we don't get kicked out," said Ron, staring at some space just beyond the foot of Harry's bed. "My mom'll finish where Thantanos left off."

Harry and Ron sat silent for a few moments.

"Harry!" shouted Ron suddenly.

"What," said Harry dully, as if nothing could be of any importance.

"Look! The foot of your bed!"

Harry tried to sit up but it hurt too much so he settled for straining his neck and eyes (which didn't hurt much less). He would have screamed but his voice wouldn't let him. Sitting on a table at the end of the bed was a bunch of get-well cards (as many as Ron had) and --

"The staff!" Harry croaked. "I don't believe it. Dumledore's not -- he's -- letting us," he stammered.

"He's not letting you keep it if that's what you're thinking," said Ron. "Don't forget why we wanted the staff in the first place," he added, pointing his head in Sirius' direction.

Harry didn't want to look but Ron was right, that's why they wanted it in the first place. Would Dumbledore revive him?

"Dumbledore still better revive him," said Harry. "Even if they kick us out afterwards."

"And if they don't revive him?" said Ron.

Harry grunted moodily.

"I don't know and I don't really care," he said flatly. "My head hurts. I'm tired. I really don't want to know what happened down there yet and the longer it is before I have to hear Professor Dumbledore, the better."

"Can't say I don't agree with you there. It was strange though, Thantanos being down there and all."

"You know what was more strange?" Harry asked mysteriously. "The staff was talking to me."

"What?"

"You heard. It told me to pick it up. And when Thantanos had me under -- under that curse, it told me to break from it."

Remembering the picture of Harry writhing madly on the ground, blood leaking out of his mouth, screaming at the top of his lungs, Ron was instantly horrified again.

"Harry, that was just --"

"No, Ron. I don't need reminding. Let's just go back to sleep," said Harry, staring up at the black ceiling above him. "Dumbledore's probably going to revive Sirius and then throw us out. Might as well enjoy our last night."

"Right," Ron agreed darkly.

"Well, good night then," said Harry.

"Good night."

It sure wasn't much to hang on nor was it a good note to try to go to sleep on. Harry managed to painfully turn his body onto his stomach. Out of the corner of his eye, something was glinting in the moonlight at him. He opened both eyes and strained to get a better look. To his somewhat relief, something golden, something silver and another something golden was sitting on the table next to him. Harry seized the Order of Merlin plaque at once and held it in his hand.

He felt very guilty for doing so after having braved danger and thwarted death for yet another time. Harry probably would have argued with himself if a part of him didn't say "shut up and go to sleep. You can worry about it in the morning."

Holding the plaque was as effective as it had once ever been.