Chapter 6: I Don't Like Mondays
Harry woke up Sunday night in his other room at Hogwarts. One glance at the stark white ceiling and he knew he was in the Hospital Wing. Sitting up slowly, Harry reached out blindly for his glasses. Putting them on he saw the wing was filled to capacity and that some patients weren't students. Madam Rosmerta was snoring lightly in the bed next to his, and several other beds were filled by people who were entirely too large to be children.
Harry noticed that in the chair beside his bed he had a change of clothes and a note in the headmaster's handwriting. He felt a little achy when he stood, but considering he and Neville had single-handedly taken out nine dark wizards, he felt pretty damned good. After getting dressed he decided to check on his friends.
Ron was absent from the ward, but Hermione was in the far corner with a large number of other girls. To a one, their skin seemed a pale green color. Harry bent over Hermione and kissed her forehead lightly. Madam Pomfrey, contrary to her normal procedure, stepped up softly behind him. He'd been expecting a loud rebuke, but she merely squeezed his shoulder gently and motioned him to step a few feet away from her sleeping patients.
"They were, I think the muggles call it gassed. Some kind of potion tossed through the window of Gladrags; we found another one in Madam Puddifoot's. Between the two, they took out nearly every female student in Hogsmeade in one fell swoop. We found unexploded potions in Flourish & Blotts and Dervish & Banges, so I suppose they don't have the delivery perfected yet.
"Actually, I wonder if this gas isn't one of Snape's potions," she whispered to her fellow Order member. "It's pretty safe. Just makes you a little sick and puts you under. As far as I can tell, it's easy to defend against - a simple bubblehead charm or some gillyweed will protect you."
He was surprised that while he had huddled behind the clearance bin in front of the clothing store, Hermione had been ten feet inside the story with a gaggle of other girls. It seemed unlike her, but he was glad to know both that she had been safely behind him and that she had friends who didn't spend every day looking over their shoulders for trouble. "I think they just wanted me," Harry finally responded. "Dead or alive."
"Preferably the former, by what I've been told," Pomfrey said, shuddering. Shaking off her chill she pushed Harry toward the doors back to the castle. "Everyone here will recover in a week or less, Harry. Poor Longbottom was the worst of the lot, but with some skele-gro, a few potions and time he'll be fine. Dumbledore is waiting for you in his office. Both your friends should be back to class by lunch tomorrow. Hurry up, now."
Harry tried not to let the door to the Hospital Wing hit him on his arse as he left, but was only partially successful.
After ten minutes of standing on the second floor in front of the gargoyle protecting the headmaster's office, not to mention the recitation of the name of every sweet he could think of, Harry was getting frustrated. Sighing, Harry placed his hands on the gargoyle and closed his eyes. A minute later Harry had moved the gargoyle just far enough for him to squeeze into the doorway beyond. He barely had enough time to get through before the gargoyle slammed closed again. Harry noticed that the staircase wasn't spiraling upward, probably a result of his unauthorized entry. He'd have to climb it like any other.
Dumbledore was also surprised to see Harry coming up the stairs. "Mmm, was just coming the fetch you, Harry. I thought I'd finally chosen a password that couldn't be guessed. I wasn't aware that you were familiar with Krispy Kreme doughnuts."
Harry fumbled for words. "I'm not, sir, and I didn't. I, uh, that is, sir, I-" Harry plopped into one of the two puffy chairs that sat facing the desk.
The headmaster's twinkling eyes nearly glowed with pleasure. " You didn't, Harry! Oh, that is indeed wonderful. Your skills are progressing far more rapidly than I imagined, though this early in your study I'm inclined to believe it was more sheer power than finesse." Harry merely nodded.
"That will come with time and study, Harry. I'm sure I could have blown a hole in the wall, but I doubt even I could just make the gargoyle move . However, as much as the enchanter's gift is instinctual, training is at least as important as raw strength. I don't have much of the gift myself - I just know how to use what I have. At any rate, I'll trust you to not abuse that ability by breaking into to other protected areas of the castle. Before we discuss the events of yesterday morning, do you have any questions about your training so far?"
"Tons. I was considering starting a list. I guess the most important is that I thought you were going to be teaching me Charms and Transfiguration and Defense on top of everything else, but I've gotten almost none of any. Why not?"
"I've withheld the truth from you before and too many people got hurt, including you. To be honest, I'm not teaching you those things because I'm cheating, Harry. What I am teaching you is a far more basic and powerful skill. Just with what you know now you could easily pass your practicals. You've taught more Defense in this school under the guise of the DA club than anyone since Professor Lupin. I'm counting on Hermione to help you through the written tests. I'm choosing what could save your life over what will give you higher scores on your NEWTs. I imagine that's all you've wanted from us since you were thriteen," Dumbledore said, smiling. "Turning a cricket into a thimble or making a cat breathe fire is rather insignificant in comparison. You have all the knowledge of conventional magic you need to face any Death Eater. My hope is that you'll have more than enough time to pick up what you've missed when Tom is out of the picture."
Harry couldn't argue a word of it. "And the wandless magic I've been studying?"
"It's not quite wandless magic, Harry. Here," said Dumbledore, moving to sit in the other chair facing the desk. "Now, point your finger at me and stun me." Harry focused, but as much as he tried he couldn't cast the spell. "Okay, take my hand and turn me into a chicken." Just trying gave Harry a headache, but nary a cluck nor cheep was heard. "Last one, Harry. Make me kick my leg." Two minutes later Dumbledore's foot jerked a little, but it was hardly a kick, and Harry was nearly comatose. "I'm surprised you did even that, Harry. Now, summon my quill from the desk." Less than two seconds later the quill was in Harry's hand. "Turn it into a potion flask." Moments later it was, but Harry would need to be poured into a much larger bottle if the headmaster expected Harry to move in the next eight hours.
"There's your Charms and Transfiguration, Harry. However, enchanting only works on inanimate objects. You can't use it to curse anyone, but you can use it to summon your wand if you are disarmed, or to disarm someone with one hand while casting a wand spell with the other. It's a much more primitive and direct form of magic. It allows you to do things that can't be done by mere spellwork, if for no other reason than the incantations haven't been discovered yet. I have some wandless ability as well, and the difference is simple. Wandless magic merely lets you cast a normal spell without the need of a wand - you still must use the proper incantation, even if you just say them in your head. Its effects are temporary. No normal spell can last longer than a few months, perhaps longer if the wizard is powerful and particularly well-educated. The day you agreed to personal instruction I tossed a lemon drop to you. You appeared within the Prefect's bathroom correct?" At Harry's nod he continued. "Simple casting of a portkey. If I'd made the portkey two weeks earlier, when you caught it all you'd have caught was a piece of candy. If I'd really pushed it, I could make one last a few years, but then I'd require a stay with Poppy and her ward."
Dumbledore's features tuned serious. "We recovered a few of those galleons you altered, Harry. Be careful with them if you haven't already dispelled the enchantments. Long after you and I have left this world, those portkeys will still transport any Death Eater that touches them into the Chamber." Both Harry's and Dumbledore's eyebrows jumped at the thought.
"Actually," they both said simultaneously.
"Let me think about it, Harry," Dumbledore said. "Magic is black and white, but the legal system is not. I would need to discuss the idea with others, first. However, if you're attacked again, it's certainly a valid tactic."
Harry nodded; something else had already distracted him. "If the galleons were in the chamber, and I'm the only one on the grounds who can open the door, how did you recover them?"
"That is the simplest question to answer yet," the professor responded. "Dobby found them. He and the other elves are naturally able to transport to anywhere inside the castle wards, so long as they know that place exists and generally where it is. That, along with the ability to become invisible at will is how the elves stay out of sight and how they can get into the House dorms without needing any passwords. Twice a day Dobby appears in a random place in the Chamber to deliver food and water, and a number of elves pop in and out throughout the day to make sure they haven't found any means of escape. Since you are specifically banned by a Ministry decree from reopening the door in the second floor girl's bathroom," Dumbledore finished with a wide smile, "there's currently no legal way to release Bellatrix Lestrange or the others into Ministry custody short of asking Voldemort for assistance. They can't bar you from creating portkeys, as it's a required spell in the NEWTs."
"I guess that covers most of my questions, sir," Harry said.
"Good. Feel free to come to me if you have any more. Now, about the attack yesterday. Did Bellatrix or the others give any indication as to why they were there?"
"No. Really, all I know is that they wanted me. I'm sure you know about the potions they used to put everyone out of the fight. I'm surprised there aren't a slew of dead bodies. It's kind of apparent they had a specific goal - me - and wanted to get it over with as soon as possible."
"Yes, I agree. Tom is all about fear. Fear of the name Voldemort, the fear he inspires through his dark servants. However, they didn't bother with their normal scare tactics or torture this time. Perhaps the fear this time is what you have instilled in him? Clearly, they were after you alone. There were close to a thousand people in Hogsmeade, yet there was only one fatality - a brave clerk from Flourish and Blotts who took a killing curse meant for one of the fourth year DA club members who was resisting. The rest were stunned and disarmed or gassed."
Harry paled at the thought of a fourth year dying to protect him. Dumbledore caught it and immediately responded. "I know how you feel Harry - here I am, Chief Warlock and all, training a teenager to save the world because I'm incapable of doing it myself. It's a valuable lesson. I think if you were to ask her, she'd tell you the same thing you told me just before I revealed the prophecy to you at the end of your fifth year. It's a matter of free will. Stacy chose to defend the lives of others, knowing what it might cost - just as the clerk chose to defend Stacy."
Harry knew it had been a hard lesson for Dumbledore to give into free will. Harry wasn't sure it was a lesson he wanted to learn if it meant more people dying for him.
"I'm rather sleepy, sir. Is there anything else tonight?" Harry asked.
"Just one thing, Harry. You can sleep in an extra hour or two tomorrow, I know I've given you a lot to think about. On top of all that, a Mr. K'Shiv of the goblins and a representative of their government has requested an appointment to see you tomorrow morning at 10 o'clock.
Harry immediately groped for the Galleon Pouch and found it secured to his belt where he'd left it. He didn't know why the goblins were asking after him, but if Harry was right, he knew he had a big favor to ask of them. Getting up, Harry said goodnight to the professor and turned to leave.
"One last thing, Harry. Two, really. We recovered Goyle's wand and the six you broke, but that still leaves three unaccounted for. Dobby says that no one in the Chamber is armed." Harry reached into his pouch and retrieved the wands. He hesitated before handing over the one that belonged to Bellatrix. "You can break it before you give it to me," Dumbledore said earnestly.
"I'd like to keep it if I could. I have something I'd like to use it for, I'm just not ready to try it."
"That's fine, Harry, just don't tell the Ministry I said so. One death eater did escape - the one you found in the street. Aurors are searching for him. I imagine that without his wand he's still walking to his destination. Goodnight, Harry."
If Harry hurried, he could catch Professor Moody before curfew.
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Mr. Exposition says:
Coming soon: Galloping Galleon-Greedy Goblins Give Graciously
and
Dumbledore gets medieval on Harry's arse.
Okay, my author's note for today is: Rent Lost In Translation ASAP. Best movie I've seen in I can't remember how long. Best movie Bill Murray has ever made (which isn't saying much, but...).
I said I'd make up for the short chapters. Just don't expect me to keep up the pace. :)
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