CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
AWAKENINGS
The rest of the day was quickly becoming the normal for the Potter household. James would return from work around eighteen and tea would be waiting. Harry had been reading comics looking for clues to help him in his new quest to return to where he belonged but he was enjoying his time with his parents, even though it was a lie. After tea, they would sit around the television and watch news and whatever was on the BBC for the evening. Harry walked around the block with Snuffles.
"Tomorrow is going to be the day." Harry was telling his godfather. "I'm going to use my parents' full length mirror and the one we just got. I tell you, it looks just like the mirror of Erised!"
Snuffles nodded as if he didn't expect anything less.
"You're probably thinking that I willed that mirror into this dream world, eh?" Harry said with a slight laugh. "If it were that easy, I could probably will myself out of the 'coma!' But for some reason I can't concentrate enough like that to break free."
Snuffles barked his sympathy as they rounded the corner next to the house.
"I will tell you one thing though. I am going to miss this, even though it's all in my head." Harry admitted with a bit of sadness to his voice.
Snuffles led the way into the house and when Harry unfastened the leash, the dog licked him on the cheek. Harry smiled. "Thanks. I'll see what I can do for you later."
"What'll you do for Snuffles?" His mother asked curiously from behind him. Harry jumped.
"You scared me, mom!" He laughed.
"Well, pay attention to what's around you then!" She laughed in reply.
"I was going to see about getting Snuffles a longer run out in the park tomorrow afternoon." Harry lied. If lying to his aunt made him feel guilty, lying to his mother made him feel downright filthy.
"I don't see a problem with that." She said with a smile. "Don't forget the football game is tomorrow evening!" She added excitedly.
"I had almost forgotten!" Harry said with shock. "Things have been going so well after I got back with all the photo albums, stories and updates that have been going on." He added quickly.
"It's been a pretty busy week, sweetie." His mother said happily. "I wouldn't trade it all for the world! Now get yourself up to bed, we've got a busy morning and an even busier afternoon!"
Harry smiled and gave his mother a big hug. "I love you, mom. I'm glad I've gotten the time to get to know you."
"I love you too, Harry. As I said, I wouldn't have traded this for the world." She stifled a sniff and shooed Harry upstairs. "Goodnight, sweetie."
"Night, mom." Harry said with a smile as he wiped a tear from his eye. He went upstairs to his parents' room where his father was putting away some of his clothes.
"Hey, night, son." He said with a smile. "Looking forward to tomorrow? Big day, you know?"
Harry smiled. "Sure, dad." He said. "I just wanted to say that I love you. And thanks for not giving up on me."
James smiled at his son. "I would never give up on you Harry. I love you too. Now get some sleep and I'll see you tomorrow after work."
"You have to work on a Saturday?" Harry asked.
"Well, it was part of the deal to get the tickets, unfortunately, but it's only half a day. I should be home by thirteen or so." His father replied.
Harry gave him a hug and said his goodnights and went to his room where Snuffles was already waiting on the bed for him.
"No fair taking up the entire bed!" Harry said with a laugh as he nudged the dog over a bit. Snuffles grudgingly gave him some more room. Harry put on his pajamas and climbed into bed. He took another look at the forget-me-not cameo card and saw that Harmony was still in the hospital and he lay down smiling. He couldn't help but think about how happy they would all be tomorrow when Harry was freed from the Potion of Erised.
A few minutes later, his mother entered the room and tucked him in. She kissed him on the forehead and turned off the lights as she left the room. Harry had fallen asleep almost immediately and began to dream.
Lockhart had been trying to distract Hermione and Ron by pawning off signed photos of himself. Hermione, however, refused to leave Harry's side. Mr. and Mrs. Weasley had popped in to check on Harry's status but only sighed when they found he wasn't awake. Ron and his parents left a little while later to get some breakfast. They decided it would be best if Hermione continued to sleep. When the three had gone, Lockhart started sneaking over again. Harry tried to warn Hermione but he couldn't move and couldn't talk. I need to get to Hermione NOW! He was shouting desperately in his sleep.
He was woken by Snuffles' nudging again and Harry heard footsteps on the stairs. He pretended he was still asleep.
"Yes, this room here. Please try and be quiet, my son is still asleep. I didn't expect the delivery so early in the morning. Your company is very prompt." He heard his mother talking to the delivery men.
A few short moments later, two men and his mother entered the room as quietly as possible.
"Just set it against the wall here." Lily whispered as she pointed to the free space they had cleared the day before. The delivery men did as they were told and removed the large blanket they had wrapped it in for protection. "It's just so beautiful! My son will be so surprised to find it here when he wakes up!" His mother said again in an excited whisper.
Harry felt like the lowest snake the world had ever seen but he continued to lay there seemingly asleep.
"Would you gentlemen like some tea or something to eat?" She whispered again as they left the room quietly. The men smiled and said they'd like that.
Harry strained his ears and waited. He heard the creaking step three times and quietly shot into action.
He moved as silently as possible to his parents' room and dragged their large mirror to his room. He had read that the angle had to be dead center in relation to the subject between both mirrors so that there was no curvature to be seen from the vantage point of the viewer's eyes.
He faced the two mirrors when he felt Snuffles nudging his leg. Without thinking, Harry bent down and removed the collar from his godfather and then turned and closed the door to his bedroom.
"Harry, I think you should use these cards. I think they might be a bridge between the two worlds." He handed Harry the forget-me-not cameo and one of a wand. Upon closer inspection Harry confirmed that it was indeed his wand.
"I never noticed that this card was of my normal wand." Harry whispered in surprise. "Sirius, when I get to the other side, I'm going to make sure that I find a way to get you back."
Sirius smiled. "I know you will. But don't let me keep you from important business. Now, let's see if this idea you had works."
Harry smiled and hugged Sirius quickly. "First things first." He said as he moved to his desk and pulled out a note he had written the previous evening:
Dear Mom and Dad,
I've loved every minute I got to spend with you but my real life is calling.
If it were possible to bring you back with me, I'd do it in a heartbeat, but in my reality, you've both died.
This time has been wonderful because I finally got a chance to be with you and live as I might have had everything been
different. I'm going to miss you terribly, but know that I'll keep you in my heart forever and never forget
this short time we've had and we'll hopefully see each other again in my dreams.
Love, your son,
-Harry
He quickly placed the note on his pillow.
"What did you do that for?" Sirius asked curiously. "This is all in your head; they won't be able to read it once you've returned to your reality."
"I know." Harry replied. "I guess it gives me closure on that part of my life."
Sirius smiled. "I know what you mean. Seeing James and Lily again has been a wonderful dream that came true for a short time. Now get going, you don't have much time!"
Harry nodded grimly and with the wand card in his right hand and the forget-me-not cameo card in his left he stood between the two mirrors. After a small adjustment Harry felt his head crack as if it were about to explode.
Harry snapped to just as Lockhart had raised his wand above his head.
"EXPELLIARMUS!" He bellowed with his wand leveled at his old professor and Lockhart flew back against the far wall and crumpled into a heap on the floor. Lockhart's wand landed on the floor between them with a clatter.
Hermione woke with a start and stared at the now awake Harry. "HARRY!" She cried and wrapped her arms around him. "You're awake!"
Harry smiled at his girlfriend. "I am and you're not going to believe what was happening. But first, let's get someone in here to hold down Lockhart. I think his memory is back." Harry hadn't moved his wand an inch and was still pointing it at the attacker's chest.
Hermione looked over at the celebrity she once had a crush on. He was sitting in a corner of the room shaking in fear.
"Hermione, go get Mr. Weasley." Harry said with cold determination. "And any aurors that you find on the way. The Weasleys are in the cafeteria."
Hermione didn't ask questions and shot from the room.
"Harry, Harry, Harry. You-you wouldn't want to do anything to hurt me, now would you?" Gilderoy Lockhart tried his best to sound like his old, charming self.
"Don't bet on it, Lockhart." Harry said fiercely. "You were a fraud then and you're a fraud now. How long have you had your memory?"
"Oh, that's not important! The important thing is that you're ok!" The blonde man was getting to his feet as he glanced around for a quick escape route.
"I don't think so, PETRIFICUS TOTALUS!" Harry bellowed the immobilizing spell before Lockhart could move. The older man stiffened up and fell flat on his face.
Harry reached down and winced as he pulled the tube out of his arm. He quickly tied it to keep the potion from spilling onto the floor and clamped his hand over the hole to stop the bleeding. He gingerly slid out of bed and stumbled to the wand on the floor and had picked it up just as the Weasleys and Moody made it to the room.
"What in the nine hells?" Moody bellowed as he saw Harry out of bed and Gilderoy Lockhart lying stiff on the floor. "What's happened?" He lifted his wand and with a bang ropes shot out and tied Lockhart up.
Mrs. Weasley ran over to support Harry at the same time that Hermione did and Mr. Weasley relieved Harry of Gilderoy's wand.
Harry looked back and checked that the flask his potion drip was in was indeed still there and he motioned to the bed. "I'll explain everything in a minute. I need something to drink first." He croaked.
After downing a glass of water, Harry sighed and began telling everyone what had happened over the past two weeks he was out. He told them how he had woken up to his parents and how he had supposedly been in a coma for six years. How he had tried to find any inkling that the wizarding world existed and to his dismay it seemed as if everything he lived through was a dream. (Hermione and Mrs. Weasley had gasped at this bit of news.) He then described the comic books and card game that he had supposedly been reading and how he ran into Sirius as well as his animagus form in the park. He held out the forget-me-not cameo which was an identical copy of Hermione's that gave him the first clue that he needed to get back.
"The Potion of Erised?" Moody asked with a look of surprise. "I didn't even know that it existed." The others nodded in agreement.
"Well, that's what was pumping through my veins, apparently." Harry said after a nurse had bandaged his arm. "I was able to use that to my advantage and apparently change the playing card and transpose Sirius with Snuffles. He's the one that told me about the potion."
"What about Lockhart?" Ron asked after a moment of silence.
"I had a few dreams while I was in my dream world. I'd gone to sleep hoping I could see you again and I seem to have dreamed what was going on here." Harry explained. "Last night before you two got here, he was sneaking up to me with his wand. I guess he was going to try and wipe my memories or something. When Ron and Hermione came in, he snuck back off.
"I also dreamed that he was trying to get you two away from me by giving you signed photos of himself." Harry laughed. "I knew Ron didn't want any and was relieved when Hermione turned him down too."
Everyone laughed except Hermione who eyed Harry. "You're lucky you're stuck in a hospital bed." She said teasingly.
"Anyway," Harry continued after quickly composing himself. "When I read about the Mirror of Truth I set one up. I was able to use my wand because I kept the copy that I had of the card with my wand and the cameo and snapped to before Lockhart could curse either of us."
"We'll get this git to talk." Moody said reassuringly. "He might even do a bit of time in Azkaban." He said with a smile as Gilderoy blanched.
"I'll get this potion to Dumbledore. There's no telling if there might be others here who are being fed this potion." Arthur Weasley said. "It's good to have you back with us, Harry. Sorry to hear that you had to leave your parents again, even if it was only in your head."
Mrs. Weasley caught Harry in a motherly hug. "You'll be fine now, Harry, and you can always come to the Burrow! We'll be there for a long time to come!"
"Thanks." Harry said with a small smile. "It's good to be back in the real world."
Mr. and Mrs. Weasley, Moody, and a now mobilicorpused Lockhart left the room.
Harry squeezed his girlfriend's hand as he bent to her ear. "I love you too." He said. She smiled and they caught each other in a big hug and kiss. Ron turned around quickly.
"It's good to have you back Harry!" Ron said after he figured they'd finished.
"What's this about a match?" Harry asked. "I didn't think we were up for the next one until just before Valentine's Day. Oh, and sorry about messing up the Slytherin game. How badly did we lose?"
"Lose?!" Ron asked incredulously. "We didn't lose, Harry. That was the most spectacular catch I've ever seen!"
"I-I caught the snitch?" Harry asked with a shocked look on his face. "How could I? I was knocked unconscious!"
"Harry, Ron's right. You did a perfect Plumpton Pass!" Hermione put in excitedly. "When you shot forward, the snitch went up your sleeve and Madam Hooch called it a legal catch!"
Harry was dumbfounded. "I don't believe it."
"Oh, and get this, you'll be able to see the look on Malfoy's face! Colin was there and got it on film!" Ron was laughing so hard that he fell off the edge of the bed and that caused Harry and Hermione to laugh even harder.
"Now what's this about a match in a few weeks?" Harry asked again.
"Well, Malfoy was so angry that you had won the game even when you weren't conscious he threw his broom. Well, his luck didn't get any better because it hit Cho in the face and gave her a black eye. Ravenclaw couldn't match with Hufflepuff and Slytherin wanted more time to practice after our match." Ron was explaining this very quickly and excitedly. "That left only us and Hufflepuff able to play at the next match! We'll have the rest of the year to practice even more!"
"Well, it depends on when I get out of here." Harry said glumly. "I really didn't want to read another comic about wizard ball..."
Ron's stomach let out a loud growl and a few moments later, Harry's and Hermione's joined in the hungry chorus. The trio laughed for a moment before Ron excused himself to finish gathering food. "I'll pick something up for you too, Harry. Didn't expect to see you awake so soon." Ron smiled and left the room.
"If it hadn't been for you, I never would have made it back." Harry said to Hermione after they were alone. He showed her his copy of the cameo after he checked it over and sure enough, it was an exact copy. The pictures inside were of him and Hermione instead of Harvey and Harmony. He put his version of the forget-me-not cameo around his neck and tucked it under his shirt.
Hermione smiled at him and hugged him tight. "I missed you." She said simply and he hugged her back.
"Me too, Hermione, me too."