The Dark Phoenix

Madam Pomfrey came back into the room, she surveyed the room and seemed to be glad that a certain big black dog was missing from her Hospital wing.

"Poppy, would you like to have some tea with me in my office?...We'll discuss compensation for your time spent here on emergency notice."

Madam Pomfrey looked quite pleased, "Why Albus I'd be delighted, but thar's no need to pay me. Ah was glad to be o' help."

"I wouldn't think of it Poppy. I'm well aware of your volunteer services at St. Mungo's on your summers off. It would only be proper."

"Very well Albus, I'll be along as soon as ah give these two a dose of praesangium."

Dumbledore involuntarily wrinkled his nose, "See you soon then," turned and left.

"Ya mean 'Razage'!?" Ron said in disbelief.

Madam Pomfrey was indignant, "Ah know the slang name that's been given this medicinal potion, an' ah'm well aware of it's abuses, wizards and witches bleedin' themselves for it's side effect. This potion has saved lives, an' it'll get Mr. Potter an' Miss Granger on tha road ta health ah least five times quicker than without." Without another word Madam Pomfrey pulled out her wand and unlocked the medicinal cabinet. She took a tightly sealed bottle off the shelf, put a nose pinch on, uncorked the bottle and poured a gray geen liquid with bright blue and orange bubbles into two cups. She brought the cups to Harry and Hermione.

Ron gagged covering his mouth and pinching his nose. "Awh, gawd."

"Serves ya right," said Madam Pomfrey with a nasal sound to her voice.

Harry and Hermione were each holding a cup and looking at each other. "Ah, Hermione? Does yours smell bad?"

"No, in fact it smells really good, but it looks awful."

Still sounding nasal, "Ah course it smells good now. It'll smell worse tha better ya get. Drink up, drink up."

Harry and Hermione drank up. It tasted as good, as it looked awful. Madam Pomfrey gave them each a quick dissolving breath mint that made their mouths feel cold, they could even see their breaths as they exhaled till the mints had dissolved. Madam Pomfrey magicked a breeze that blew through the hospital wing and out the window before she took off her nose pinch at which point Ron looked relieved that it was safe to breathe again.

Harry felt a little strange, like he was drifting, and settled back into his pillow. He felt like he didn't have a care in the world. He turned and looked at Hermione, she had a goofy smile and had settled back into her pillow as well.

Ron looked at the two of them, "Wow…you guys are trippin'"

Ginny came running into the hospital wing, shouting, "Harry! You're here! And Hermione! You're alive!" Ginny ran to Harry and hugged him.

"That's nice Ginny, I'm glad you're happy, but did I go somewhere?" Harry said in slurred speech.

"Hi Ginny, I'm not dead even though they keep saying I dead," said Hermione with the same slurred speech, and then she giggled.

Ginny leaned across Harry and hugged Hermione. "Uggh," came a low groan from Harry. "I'm being squished."

"Sorry Harry. Ron, what's wrong with these two? They're acting and sounding weird."

Arthur, Molly and the twins came through the door as Ron told everyone with wide eyes. "They've taken Razage." Ron shot a sideways glance at Madam Pomfrey, "I mean praesangium."

Arthur and Molly looked concerned, Ginny's mouth was open and speechless, Fred and George looked delighted.

"Really?" said Fred.

"Are they trippin' big time?" asked George. Molly shot George a look, "I mean, are they okay?"

Molly and Arthur seemed to have the sentiment of George's last question and Madam Pomfrey picked up on it. "Tiz the strangest thing. Tha both seem to have lost a lot of blood but I'll be put to tha test to understand how it happened. Ah'm sure it had somethin' ta do with tha spell used to save Miss Granger. They'll both be fine. Hermione's shoulder is not healing as quickly as ah could normally coax along, but it'll be fine as well. An' if you, Mr. Weasley, an' Mrs. Weasley, can watch over these two for awhile, Ah've been invited for tea in the Headmaster's office." Poppy looked quite pleased with Dumbledore's invitation and took her leave.

"Later Poppy," waved Harry.

"Toodles Mad Pop," giggled Hermione. Madam Pomfrey shook her head, looked at the ceiling and left for tea.

Mrs. Weasley went over to Hermione and stroked her hair and checked her arm sling, making sure it wasn't too tight. "You have no idea how worried we were dear, Dumbledore had your being alive a complete secret an' refused to let us know either way after the spell had been performed."

"That's right, and then the Daily Prophet reported that you were dead and Harry was missing, missing for a whole week," put in Arthur.

"But I'm not dead. At least I don't think I am. And Harry's right over there." Hermione waved to Harry with her left hand and Harry waved back grinning stupidly. "Hang on." Hermione looked like she was trying to concentrate and having difficulty doing it. "You said a week? Awww Harry, your birthday. You've missed your birthday and I didn't get your present. At least I don't remember getting it….Nope, don't believe I did. I'm so sorry Harry."

It didn't seem to bother Harry, in his current state it's doubtful anything would. "Don't worry about it Herm. It's not like I ever got anything for my birthday 'til I got to Hogwarts anyway. It's not like I had a family 'til I got to Hogwarts. In fact I count all of you as my family." Harry was very animated with the 'all' throwing his arms in the air and letting them drop to his sides. "That includes Hagrid, and Sirius, and, and, well all of you," animated again.

"There, there, dear I'm sure arrangements can be made," said Mrs. Weasley and a chorus of affirmation from the rest of the Weasleys. But Hermione was silent and her eyes were starting to water.

"Really?" Harry squeaked. "That's swell! What's the matter Herm?"

"But I didn't get your Birthday present I don't have anything to give youuu." Hermione pouted and then brightened almost immediately. "I know. I can give you a kiss. You gave me a kiss to save me right? Well I can give you a kiss for your birthday." Hermione seemed quite pleased with her idea. Hermione would have been mortified at having said such a thing otherwise, if not for suffering the euphoric side effects of the praesangium. Mr. and Mrs. Weasley were amused, the Twins were delighted at the teasing potential, Ron was torn between amusement and something else, and Ginny obviously didn't like the idea at all and was turning red.

Harry shrugged and said, "Okay."

Ginny could contain herself no longer, "I'm sure you'll have enough time to get Harry a proper Birthday present, Hermione."

"Aww, Ginny. You didn't get Harry a Birthday present either…..I know…We can both give him a kiss."

"My, I'm popular today," said Harry shaking his head from side to side.

Ginny was turning redder by the second. This was not going to her liking. She didn't care whether they were tripping out or not. Fred nudged George to look at Ginny and her ever increasing color.

Ron had decided to change the subject. "Say Harry, I'll bet you're looking forward to playing Quidditch this year."

"Quidditch?" replied Harry. "Great idea, let's go"

"I agree, yep, let's go," said Hermione. They both tossed back the bed sheets as though they were headed down to the Quidditch field. They were both met with laughter and hands pushing them back into their beds.

"Not in your condition, you two. Either one of ya would slide right off the end of a broom," said George.

"Wha? Harry Potter slide off the end of his broom? Never!" retorted Harry. Who was met with more laughter.

Meanwhile Hermione had been looking at her exposed toes, wiggling them. "Saaay, I've never noticed before, but my second toe is longer than my big toe. Did you ever notice that Haaary?"

"You're riiiight Herm," answered Harry.

There were snorts and giggles met with Harry and Hermione's new found discovery. Hermione had another idea. "I wonder what my toes would look like painted blue. Can I borrow your wand Fred?"

There was a resounding and unanimous, "No!" from all the Weasley's. Whereupon Hermione pouted and brightened again. "Okay then, Fred you paint my toes blue."

Fred shrugged and said, "Uh, okay. Hold your foot still Hermione, I can't get a good shot."

Harry lifted up his foot wiggling his toes and said, "Yeah, Fred. When your done with Hermione you can paint mine green."

That comment caught Fred off guard and it was all the distraction Hermione needed. She took Fred's wand, slick as you please, and said, "Here, I can do it, your taking forever."

There were gasps and cries of "Fred don't let her have that wand" as Fred tried in vain to get his wand back. It was much like trying to take a toy away from a three year old. Hermione's foot was waving around as well as her left hand while Fred was trying to grab for his wand. Splotches of blue paint shot out the end of the wand but she never hit her foot. One shot hit Ginny, "Blat" in the side of the head. Half Ginny's face was now blue and it made an interesting contrast to the rest of her crimson face.

Just as it seemed Fred was about to get his wand Harry reached over, "C'mon Herm I want to give it a try, and you should really try green."

"No fair Harry you've got two hands and I've only got one." The wand erupted into rapid fire shots of blue and green paint splotches in every direction. Sheer pandemonium ensued; Cornish Pixies would have fled for cover. Ron had been laughing and was shot in the mouth with green paint, even his tongue was green. The twins had dove for cover under a vacant hospital bed along with Ginny but to no avail, each had been hit several times on the way down. Mr. and Mrs. Weasley had taken the most shots trying to get the wand away from Harry and Hermione. Mr. Weasley had been nailed right between the eyes with a blue splotch, his eyes were completely blue, and blue was now the color he saw the world in.

"HERMIONE GRANGER! Put that wand down this instant!" came Katherine's echoing voice.

Harry and Hermione froze, one side of Harry's glasses was covered in blue paint and dripped a single drop. The end of Fred's wand was smoking slightly from all the rapid fire splotches of green and blue paint and all was silent, as Hermione gave a wide eyed "Uh oh."

Mr. Weasley calmly walked over and took the wand from what could have easily been a couple of three year olds caught in the act of doing that which they knew they shouldn't. Slowly Harry and Hermione looked around. The hospital wing looked like it had been pelted from a green and blue cyclone, and that included the recently arrived Grangers who had obviously not been spared the rampage. Harry's facial expression changed, looking long and serious mimicking Professor Snape almost precisely, "Mr. Potter and Miss Granger, that will be fifty points from Gryffindor." Everyone burst out laughing, including the Grangers who didn't know Snape's mannerisms as well, but found it contagiously funny.

Luckily for Harry and Hermione a mess can be magicked clean with ease. The Grangers were ever so happy to see their daughter after an entire week. They had been aware that she was alive but had to play the part that she wasn't. They were still glad to see her and Harry both. As the euphoria from the praesangium wore off, Harry and Hermione grew sleepy and Harry dreamed.