Chapter 11
Unsettling Discovery
Headmaster's Office
Hogwarts
Past
Hermione steps up to the moving staircase and smiles as she remembers all the tails Harry has told her about the Headmaster's office. She finds herself excited to see something Harry had described as so magical and entrancing. Her mind decided this was the moment to remind her she may never see her friend Harry again, her smile quickly slides off her face instantly replaced by sadness and concern. Muttering the password, "Skittles and Nerds," the gargoyle jumps to the side and the stairs start to move. She quickly jumps on them and rides up to the top.
Taking a step forward off of the stairs she heads to the door straight ahead of her, once reaching it she knocks softly on the door. "Come in Ms. Granger," a voice she knows well calls out. Slowly she opens the door to find the room full of people, more importantly people she knows. "Have a seat," Dumbledore says to her as he points to the only remaining chair.
She looks around and takes a mental count of who are here, Molly, Arthur, Bill, Charles, Fred, George, Ron, and Ginny Weasley then there is Professor Dumbledore, Professor McGonagall, Professor Hagrid, their former Professor Lupin and herself. All in all it seems to be a room full of people who know Harry personally. She sits in the chair not wanting to know what she is about to hear, not wanting to hear she will never see Harry again.
"Thank you all for coming on such short notice," Dumbledore says as Hermione takes in the shocked looks on Bill and Charles faces. It seems as though they had just seen a ghost. This look surprises Hermione.
"Professor," George asks as he looks around to those in the room with them.
"What are we doing here," Fred finishes his twin's question.
"Ah," Dumbledore says as he looks around the table, "Since we are all here I guess we can begin," he continues and to everyone's horror the twinkle so prominent in his eyes is missing. He pauses as everyone shifts in their seat. "Nearly three weeks ago today," he says confirming their fears this gathering has something to do with Harry. Ignoring the looks on the faces of those with him, Dumbledore continues, "after a rather grueling practice, Harry stayed behind to have a word with Minerva, as he approached her he asked for her to hold his wand for him for the remainder of the day and that he would get it from her in the Great Hall at breakfast," he says telling them something they didn't know. Dumbledore looks over at Professor McGonagall and nod his head once.
Before anyone can think, move or react to this news, Hermione speaks up, "you didn't take it did you, please tell me you didn't," she begs of her.
Minerva slowly places a wand on the table, a wand everyone there recognizes as Harry's, "he was very adamant about it," she says looking at the horror stricken Hermione.
"Anyway," Dumbledore says before anyone else could get the chance, "right after Harry had handed his wand to Minerva, Minerva tried to hand it back," he says telling Hermione that her faith in her teacher isn't unfounded. "However, before she had the chance to an arrow struck Harry and went through his right shoulder," he says with a sad yet knowing tone. "At this point he looked up at Minerva smiling softly and simply told her, 'please keep my wand safe, if I can't use it someone else can. Unfortunately it seems I must be going, I will see you if I am meant to see you again. May the fates be with us,' with these words he was gone," Dumbledore tells them and pauses for a moment.
"So that's what happened," Ginny says as the pieces of the puzzle finally start to fit.
"Yes it is," Minerva says to them, "there wasn't anything I could do," she says in a self depreciating voice.
"No Minerva, there wasn't," Dumbledore confirms. "however," he says and everyone one can hear the gravity of his voice, "last night we have new information on the whereabouts of Mr. Potter," he says honestly yet seemingly reluctantly.
"Where is he," Molly shouts out excited they might get to see him again.
"Is he okay," Hermione asks hopefully.
"Is he alive," Arthur asks at the same time as Hermione. All at once they erupt into a plan to save Harry from the clutches of death. Only three people remain still, they are Bill, Charles and of course Dumbledore.
After a moment of waiting for them to calm down to no avail, Dumbledore raises his hands, "enough," he says causing them all to stop mid-word.
"What is it Albus," Arthur asks worriedly.
"Bill, Charles," Dumbledore says to them.
"Right," Charles says as he looks over at Bill. "Last night we were on duty," he says as he receives a look from his mother. "We were patrolling the grounds," he says ignoring the threat in her eyes.
"What we found will live with us forever," Bill says agreeing with his brother.
"We were near Hagrid's hut when we," Charles drifts off not able to finish.
"We," Bill stutters out, "heard something coming from the forest," he says in a whisper. "It wasn't loud, it was a wheezing kind of sound," this time it is Bill who can not continue.
"We decided to investigate," Charles tries to continue.
"What we found," Bill says in almost a whimper. "I don't know how anyone could," he forces himself to stop here.
"Needless to say we found someone there and they were in very bad shape," Charles says trying to distance him-self from the vision of last night.
"Are you saying this person knows where Harry is," Lupin asks hopefully.
"Oh, we know where Harry is alright," Bill says looking right at Lupin.
"Where," Hermione gasps out. "Where is he," she demands.
"Hospital wing," Charles says looking at Hermione.
A collective gasp can be heard, "he's here," Molly asks excitedly and then seeing the looks on her son's faces she knows he isn't well. "He was what you found last night," she asks hesitantly. All either son can do is nod their head.
"Madam Pomfrey," Dumbledore says taking the spotlight off the two men, "says she is very surprised he was alive when they found him, let alone this morning," he confesses to them.
"What did that monster do to him," Ron shouts standing up.
"We don't know," Dumbledore admits to him. "Harry was only conscious for a moment last night when Bill and Charles located him," he informs them.
"He says to tell everyone it's okay," Bill almost sobs out.
"It was the hardest thing to do, to carry him up to the castle and not know if he was going to die in our arms, not knowing if he was already dead, not knowing if he would live," Charles tells them.
"I'm just glad we checked it out," Bill says looking over at his brother who nods his head in agreement.
Hermione stands up, "I'm going to go and see him," she says looking at Dumbledore.
Dumbledore smiles at her, "we are all going," she tells her as he too stands up. Almost instantly everyone takes this as a sign to get moving. So they did.
Years later, students would still be talking about the sight they seen while walking down the hallway. To see so many red heads, and three Professors, a former Professor, and one bookworm walking with such purpose everyone knew not to say anything to them, not to get into their way. Even Draco Malfoy knew better than to make a remark. The crowd in the hallway parted for the determined looking group and watched in awe as they stormed passed without a glance to either side. Where they were headed, was anyone's guess. All they knew was they wanted to get there as fast as possible.
Hospital Wing
Hogwarts
Past
Madam Pomfrey looks down at her newest patient and sighs sadly. She doesn't hold any hope he will survive this time. Stepping out from behind the curtains she continues on with her rounds, she has six patients total, three with a cold who are waiting for some Peppermint Potion, one with and injury received during practice, not even a broken bone, one with burns received during potions class and is just waiting to be released. The last patient however, is another story. This last patient is a young man she has seen many times and she knows he has been through more trials and tribulations than any twenty adult wizards and witches; this patient's name of course is Harry Potter. She walks over to the two needing the Peppermint Potion and quickly gives it to them and releases them instantly with a shake of her head. She jumps as the doors to the hospital crash open and in walk a mob of very concerned people. Knowing who they are here for she looks at the last three patients, "you can all go now," she says releasing them and they don't need to be told twice as they take off out the freshly opened doors.
"Where is he," Ron demands as he looks up at the odd lady.
"Don't take that tone with me Mr. Weasley," Poppy says yet not with as sternly as she would normally use. "Hermione," Poppy says looking at her, with a tilt of her head she indicates the closed off area. "He isn't fairing too well," she warns as Ron and Hermione quickly make their way over to their friend.
Almost instantly two startled gasps can be heard, followed closely by sobs. Molly looks at Poppy, "what," she forces out in what she thought would be a shout but only came out as a whisper as the group heads over to the trio.
"Mr. Potter has massive internal damage, internal bleeding, six fractured ribs, three broken, his right arm has been shattered, his left one dislocated, his legs are okay, his feet however, look as though they were put through a grinder, there are signs of him getting whipped, burned, and beaten. There is a lot of evidence of the use of the Cruciatus Curse and his right lung has been punctured, it seems this occurred when he was struck with the arrow," she lists for them. "He is suffering from hypovolemic shock, starvation, dehydration, hypothermia, severe infection, severe fever, and a virus," she finishes the list.
As the group there listens to the list, Hermione looks down at her friend and carefully takes his bandaged hand in hers as the tears fall freely from her eyes. She leans over and places a gentle kiss on his forehead, "you get better Harry, you have to," she whispers to him.
Unknown to her, on the other side of the bed Ron is watching this scene unfold and he knows he was never meant to be with Hermione, Harry is. His two best friends belong together. Ron carefully takes Harry's other hand in his own and sits down in the chair there at the same time as Hermione does on the other side. "She's right you know," he whispers. "You have to be okay," he says as his voice cracks. The year before he wished he could see the Thestrals, now however he never wants to be able to see them and he sure doesn't want to see them because his friend dies.