( A/N: I don't know how to thank you for your great reviews! I'm sorry for the cliffy, but here we are! In the next chapter we're going to meet a new character: Mark Evans. Some of you will remember the name; it's the same name as the little 10 years old boy, who has been beaten by Duddley at the beginning of OOTP; since J.K. Rowling has already said that this little boy won't be a main character later on, I've decided to pick up his name and use if for a really different character. Enjoy your reading!)
Chapter 14. MARK EVANS
...
In front of me
There's another life
Ours is already over
And more nights come
And more days come
My dear- are you going away,
Or are you coming back to me?
...
"Thoughts and words" by Lucio Battisti
"COME HERE, QUICK! THERE'S NO TIME TO LOSE!"
"Harry, Harry, come on, let's go! Hold on to me!"
Harry heard Lupin's voice, and he felt a great turmoil around him, like a group of people running everywhere.
He felt so weak; he didn't even have enough strength to open his eyes and see what was happening. Then suddenly, someone grabbed his arm, lifted him up, and dragged him out of the room.
Harry was leaning completely on the person who was helping him. With his eyes wide open, he could just manage to see a huge amount of white smoke around him.
He walked down the stairs with great effort, stopping at every step. When he felt the fresh air filling his lungs and the rain drops on his face, he realized that he was already outside of the house.
"Quick! Let's go Harry, we can't stop now... please make one last effort... please!"
Hermione was begging him to go on, but he had already given away more than he could afford. He felt as if he was falling down a deep well; he was falling and falling....
***O***
When he woke up, Harry found himself in a warm bed, covered in clean sheets. Everything was quiet around him. He opened
his eyes, but the only thing he could see in the darkness of the room was a small light on his left side, far away from
him.
He slowly tried to lift his head and stretched his arm out to the bed table to take his glasses. As soon as he was able to see clearly, he realized he was in the hospital wing at Hogwarts. Madam Pomfrey was sitting across from him at her small table, lit only by the tiny light of a candle.
Harry looked with apprehension at the other beds and sighed in relief when he saw that they were all empty. He tried to remember; slowly, everything came to his mind: the Riddle House, the Death Eaters, Hermione, Lucius Malfoy, Voldemort, the Prophecy.
Suddenly he got up and sat on the bed with his heart beating faster in panic; he felt horrible.
He wasn't able to keep the Prophecy secret. He had disappointed Dumbledore, but at least, he was still alive, and he was at Hogwarts again, even if he didn't remember how he'd arrived there.
He needed to talk to someone from the Order, to Professor Lupin, or McGonagall, even to Dumbledore, if he could find one of them. He turned to the edge of the bed and stood up, looking for his clothes.
"Oh no Mr. Potter, you can't! You're still too weak!"
Madam Pomfrey came to him, with a worried look on her face.
"But I feel fine! Please, I need to talk to Professor Lupin."
"I'm sorry, but I don't want to hear anything more from you! Do you realize how late it is? It's the middle of the night, and you want to wander around the castle!"
"Madam Pomfrey, please... I need to talk to Professor Lupin as soon as possible, or maybe to Professor McGonagall." Harry pleaded.
"As I said, it's not possible, Mr. Potter! And also... Professor Lupin and Professor McGonagall are not in the castle at the moment."
Madam Pomfrey's face became grim and she lowered her gaze in embarrassment.
"Where are they then? Are they OK? Please, tell me!"
Madam Pomfrey was still looking at the floor. She raised her head and sighed deeply before speaking; Harry feared the worst.
"They are both at St. Mungo's Hospital... they have been for a few days. I don't know anything more."
Harry felt his legs trembling and he leaned against the bed to support himself. What he had feared was true; something terrible had happened at the Riddle House. He wanted know the complete truth, otherwise he felt his heart would explode.
"Madam Pomfrey, please listen to me... I need to know if they are OK, and if all the others are fine, Hermione, Dumbledore..."
"Yes, yes Mr. Potter... please be quiet... the Headmaster is fine and so is Miss Granger... she's even come here to visit you several times, with Mr. Weasley."
"But, how long have I been here?"
Madam Pomfrey stared at him with a look of compassion.
"They brought you here about three days ago. You were so weak... and in my opinion you still are! So please, go to bed! Tomorrow morning, you can see anyone you want and ask all the questions you can think of." Then she helped him to get back in bed.
When Madam Pomfrey moved away, Harry started to think; he had slept for three whole days... he couldn't believe it. And what had happened to the wizards of the Order? Had they fought against Voldemort?
In any case, he would have to wait until the next day before he would get an answer. He closed his eyes and tried to fall asleep.
***O***
Harry had a disturbed night; he dreamt that he was in the Riddle House again, with Ron and Hermione. Voldemort was laughing in an unbearable way and Dumbledore was scolding him, "DO YOU REALIZE WHAT YOU'VE DONE, HARRY?"
Then suddenly, he woke up, panting heavily and covered in sweat.
After lunch, Ron and Hermione came to visit him, and he was really glad to see them. But most of all, Harry was happy to see Hermione...
Both of his friends took a seat on the closest bed. The most important thing Harry wanted to know was about Professor Lupin's and Professor McGonagall's conditions.
"I know that they are at St. Mungo's... what's happened to them?" he asked, deeply worried.
"Calm down, Harry... it isn't necessary to..."
"But how are they?" Harry cut Hermione off, and she smiled to reassure him.
"Lupin was wounded during the fight against the Death Eaters, but he's doing better now. Professor McGonagall is in charge of taking care of him, that's why she's at St. Mungo's as well... but she's fine!"
Harry was feeling better after that news; he leaned back against the wall and tried to relax.
"But, what's happened? I don't remember anything about that..."
Hermione started telling him everything, starting from when he lost consciousness, to when she and a few other wizards from the Order had brought him to the hospital wing. Ron remained silent, carefully listening to her.
"I was so worried about you, Harry! While Voldemort was reading your mind, you started to shake and then you fainted on the floor. You were so pale... you seemed dead!"
"But what happened then? I just remember a great explosion, and smoke everywhere..."
"Luckily, at that very moment, the door blew up and when the smoke cleared, I saw Dumbledore standing in front of us... it was incredible, Harry! I've never seen such an expression on his face... he was absolutely furious!"
Hermione stopped, and Harry tried to imagine the scene.
"But how? How did they find out where we were?"
Then Harry looked at Ron.
"Yeah, mate, I did it! After you left, Seamus and Neville came to me and performed the counter spell. As soon as I recovered, I ran to McGonagall and told her everything about your dream."
Harry remembered how he had immobilized Ron with the full body spell and he felt guilty for that.
"I'm so sorry Ron... and I thank you. If it wasn't for you, Hermione and I wouldn't be here talking with you."
"It's OK, Harry! You'd've done the same if you were in my place."
Both friends smiled at each other meaningfully, and Hermione continued the story.
"There were all the Wizards from the Order, of course Mad-eye Moody, Tonks, and Kingsley Shacklebolt too. There were nearly one hundred, and they started to cast spells everywhere. Then Lupin came to me, and helped to drag you away from that hell. He lifted you up and brought you outside, into the garden... then he went back inside, to help the others."
"And Voldemort?" Harry asked the question with a trembling voice.
"He managed to get away... as did a majority of his Death Eaters... but some of them were caught and forced back into Azkaban. No, Bellatrix and Wormtail were the first ones to follow him," added Hermione bitterly, after Harry had opened his mouth to ask another question.
He grabbed the bed sheets in anger.
"Damn it, they ran away! And I betrayed Dumbledore's trust... I wasn't able to resist that MONSTER." Harry was furious with himself because he had allowed Voldemort to read the Prophecy in his mind. He couldn't forgive himself.
Then he raised his head, and sternly stared at his friends.
"There's something you should know..."
Harry told them everything about the Prophecy. When he finished, Ron still had his mouth open in surprise; Hermione seemed less surprised than he, although she still looked very tense.
"Do you understand now why I didn't want to tell you about it?"
"How could you manage to keep such a secret inside you? I mean... it's a horrible weight to bear!" Ron was deeply bewildered.
Harry turned away and stared at the large windows in front of him; he had often asked himself that question too.
After a long minute of silence, Hermione spoke in a firm voice.
"Don't worry! We'll always be with you, to help... right, Ron?"
"O-Of course, Harry! We're going to help you... but how?"
Ron stared at Hermione worriedly, though Harry immediately decided to flat out refuse their offer.
"NO, you won't! Listen to me... the Prophecy isn't your concern at all! I don't want you risking your lives for me again!"
Then he lowered his gaze, and spoke with a deep sadness.
"After all... nobody would be able to help me anyway... my destiny is already set..."
"Don't say such a silly thing!"
Hermione cut him off strongly, and Harry abruptly turned to her, deeply surprised.
"We are going to help you, Harry, and it doesn't matter whether you want it or not! If you have to fight against Voldemort, then you'll have to prepare yourself as best you can. We'll train you, every day if necessary, until you can use every spell and the curse in the world!"
Harry was feeling slightly better, especially since Hermione had spoken with such deep determination.
Contrary to what he had always feared, Harry felt uplifted and at peace now, having finally revealed the Prophecy to his best friends.
***O***
The next day, Harry met Dumbledore in his office. The Headmaster returned his wand and his invisibility cloak, which he had managed to recover after the fight at the Riddle House.
Harry told him everything, most of all how Voldemort had succeeded in reading the Prophecy in his mind.
Dumbledore didn't scold him; he just kept listening carefully, and then he dismissed him without saying a word. Harry, however, would have greatly preferred being scolded, or maybe even getting detention for what he did.
The Headmaster's silence had been a worse punishment; Harry clearly felt that he had deeply disappointed Dumbledore and this thought broke his heart.
During the week, Harry started attending his classes again. That morning was a Tuesday, and they were going to have double Defense Against the Dark Arts during the first two hours.
Since Professor Lupin wasn't back yet from St. Mungo's, Harry, Ron, and Hermione wondered who would take his place at school. During their third year, Snape was his substitute for a day and on that occasion, he had assigned them a long essay about werewolves!
As usual, the three friends were sitting in one of the last desks at the back of the class, patiently waiting for the teacher to arrive.
"Maybe nobody'll come!" said Ron, happy with the idea.
"No, you're wrong, Ron... here he comes!" answered Hermione, delighted, pointing at the door. Harry turned as well, deeply curious.
A young wizard, about thirty years old, had just entered the class and was heading to his desk. He suddenly turned to the students and all the girls' mouths dropped open in surprise; he was very handsome, tall with green eyes and long dark red hair tied in a low ponytail, and was wearing a long turquoise robe. He also had a large smile on his face.
"Good morning class! My name is Mark Evans, and I'll be Professor Lupin's substitute until he comes back. During the time that we're going to spend together, I'll follow the program Professor Lupin has already set... any questions? Yes?"
Harry had just raised his hand in the air, catching the teacher's attention.
"Do you know when Professor Lupin'll come back... sir?"
Professor Evans weakly hid his disappointment, but then he smiled again.
"Your name is?"
"Potter, Harry Potter, sir."
On hearing his name, Professor Evans stared at Harry with great surprise before he answered his question.
"I'm sorry, but I have no idea, Mr. Harry Potter... the Headmaster only told me to take his place, but he didn't tell me for how long."
Harry lowered his gaze and stared at his desk; he was deeply sorry for what had happened to Lupin, especially because he felt responsible for it.
His thoughts were interrupted by Hermione, who had grabbed his hand and squeezed it in hers, looking at him as if to say, "It's not your fault!"
Harry felt his heart rising a little. He turned to her and met her beautiful brown eyes. Suddenly, he felt as if she had just given him an electric shock and he immediately took away his hand, stubbornly turning to the teacher, who had just started to talk again.
"I know that Professor Lupin has only taught you a few defensive spells. Well, today I'd like to start with some offensive ones. I'm talking about really difficult spells, which'll require deep concentration on your part."
Harry noticed that all the girls except for Hermione were leaning on their desks, staring dreamily at the teacher; it reminded him of their first lesson with Professor Lockhart during his second year. He gave Ron an amused look, and Ron made a funny grimace, pretending to throwing up.
"The first offensive spell I am going to teach you today is commonly called the STUNNING spell, and it's used to knock down your enemy and make him harmless."
Harry rolled his eyes; it was something he had learned ages ago! He had also taught this spell to his friends last year during their secret DA meetings.
He looked around and realized that all of his friends were carefully listening to the explanation; he realized that, after all, a little bit of review wasn't a bad idea.
Professor Evans started to explain in detail how the spell worked; they had to point their wand at their adversary, and pronounce the incantation "STUPEFY!" Then, he went over to a corner of the classroom, where Harry had just noticed a few large boxes covered with a dark sheet.
With a slight movement of his wand, Professor Evans removed the sheet, revealing the contents of the boxes; there were several medium size turtles inside.
He then divided the class into pairs, and told them to try the spell on the turtles.
Harry had to work together with Ron. With great pride, Harry noticed that all off his friends who he had taught the previous year were very good at it. Neville, Parvati Patil, Dean, and Seamus, as well as himself, Ron, and Hermione had all earned ten points each.
Professor Evans was very surprised by their good results, though it didn't prevent him from asking for a long essay about the right way to cast a Stunning Spell.
Just as Harry, Ron, and Hermione were leaving the classroom, Professor Evans called him over.
"Harry? Can you please come back here for a moment, please?"
Harry nodded, slightly surprised. He reached the teacher's desk, where Professor Evans was still sitting.
"I just wanted to ask you something. You're still living with your uncle and aunt, right?"
Harry stared at him in astonishment for a few seconds, then answered.
"Yes, it's true..."
"And... may I ask you, how are they treating you?"
He really wanted to say that they had always treated him like some horrible insect, but he decided not to tell him.
"Well... they're Muggles... and they don't really understand what I'm doing here at school. Actually, they can't stand anything I do..."
"I can imagine. You know, Harry... I met your parents in the past."
Harry was even more surprised to hear that, and stared at the teacher deeply concerned.
"Well... actually your mother and I were related."
"That means that you and I are..."
"Yes, Harry, we're cousins. You really didn't know about that? Of course not! Your Aunt Petunia always considered me a 'freak...' using her words! And then I've been away for such a long time... nobody would've found it useful to talk to you about me."
Then Professor Evans smiled slightly.
"I just wanted to tell you, Harry, that if you ever need any help... well, you know where to find me."
"Thank you, sir."
Harry didn't know what to think; he was shocked. He had always thought that the only living relatives he had were the Dursleys. Suddenly, his mind was filled with thousands of questions, but then he realized that it was late. He turned away, and reached Ron and Hermione, who were waiting for him at the door.
"Did you hear that?" asked Harry, walking faster along the corridor, heading to their next class.
"Didn't you tell us that those Muggles were your only relatives?"
"Yes, Ron! I thought so myself, until a few minutes ago!"
Then he turned to Hermione, who was deeply absorbed in her thoughts.
"You have nothing to say?"
"About what?" Hermione stared at him with surprise, as if he had just woken her up from a daydream.
"About Professor Mark Evans!"
"I don't know... it's strange, really strange..."
Harry and Ron looked at each other, clueless.
"Ha! Thanks Hermione, for always being ever so clear when you talk to us!"
"But Ron, don't you think it's strange? I mean... Harry didn't know anything about this cousin... even Dumbledore never told him about that... and now he shows up from nowhere, pretending to know everything about Harry and the Dursleys."
"Why are you always so suspicious? Can't it just be that Dumbledore wanted to call him as Lupin's substitute in order to help Harry even more? Maybe Professor Evans knows important things about his family... things that Harry always wanted to know!"
Ron's words were not far from the truth; Harry didn't know anything about his family, after all, and Mark Evans probably could be a great source of information for him.
"Well... maybe you're right! But if I were you, Harry, I would be really careful about what Professor Evans tells me..." Hermione warned him firmly, before rushing inside the classroom.
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