The Crucible
by Jardyn39
Part Two of "The Apprentice Piece"
Chapter 12: He Knows
Dumbledore thought for a long moment after Harry had finished describing his dreams.
"Tell me, Harry," he said gently, "what you think it means."
"It means I can't go back to Hogwarts or be trusted to be near anyone again," Harry spat bitterly.
"It's true that we'll have to take some additional precautions," Dumbledore said smiling a little, "but you will be going back to school. Hogwarts is protected by many ancient wards that will make Voldemort's possession of you there much more of a challenge."
"I'd never forgive myself if anything happened," Harry said sadly.
"I wanted to know, Harry, what you thought the vision meant. Was anything different from the previous times you saw things through Voldemort's eyes?"
Harry looked up and said, "Er, yes, it was different. This time I didn't panic until they tried to strangle me."
"Rather strange behaviour, don't you think?"
"They were terrified. I can only assume they were either trying to dispose of Voldemort while he was weak or distracted, which I doubt, or he told them to do it."
"I agree. It seems likely that Voldemort suspected you could take control of his body as he could yours. Perhaps he left a password that only he would say when he woke."
Harry rubbed is scar as pain burned through it and said, "He's still angry. Maybe he's punishing them for getting carried away."
"The main thing is he's getting worried. He thought you might see or do something very damaging. He was taking quite a risk."
"Could he know about the crucible?" asked Harry.
"Yes, he does," said a cold voice, "although he doesn't know its significance." Snape stood in the doorway, still wearing his black travelling cloak and staring at Harry with total loathing.
"The Dark Lord has learnt that Potter was charmed as a child in order to suppress some magical ability and he knows that the charm will be lifted sometime soon. He assumes Potter will gain some new magical ability that will be a danger to him or at least will allow him a greater likelihood of surviving a little longer."
Just then Winky appeared next to Harry with a small pop. She looked at Snape with fear before quickly whispering in Harry's ear.
Harry got up at once and said, "Excuse me for a moment."
*
Harry knocked gently on the bedroom door and entered. The room was dimly lit and very warm. He walked over to the bed and said, "No, Hermione, lie back and rest."
She stopped struggling to raise herself and relaxed back into her pillow. She looked very weak.
"I'm so sorry, Hermione," he said quietly.
"Don't be silly," she said at once, "you didn't do anything."
She smiled warmly at him, normally something that couldn't help raise his spirits. This time, he just felt tears form in his eyes. He looked down, not wanting her to see.
Hermione grabbed his hand and squeezed tight. Harry fell heavily to his knees and buried his face in the bedsheets next to Hermione, holding onto her hand as if his life depended on it.
"It's okay," she whispered and Harry just shook his head in response. He couldn't speak. He felt a dull pain in his chest grow more and more evident. Pain seared across his scar and he gave a quiet involuntary cry.
Harry looked up suddenly and then staggered to his feet and ran for the door.
"I think he's trying again!" he shouted, throwing the door open and staggering out. The pain in his chest was subsiding now but his scar burned worse than ever.
Harry fell to his knees further along the passageway. Before him, Dobby was looking stricken.
"Please, Dobby," he pleaded, "he can't be allowed to use me. Please stun me or something!"
Dobby held up a single wavering finger. Harry felt himself collapse in a heap when the spell hit him. He tried to mumble his thanks but darkness took him almost immediately.
*
Harry woke with a start to find himself in his bed. Hermione closed her book and got up. She came across to his bedside and smiled down at him.
"Did I do anything?" he asked.
"No, Dobby stunned you," she answered.
"Good. I hope he didn't punish himself or anything?"
"Well, he's feeling pretty terrible about what he did but he's been forbidden to punish himself," said Hermione, sitting down on the bed.
"Harry, Professor Dumbledore thinks Voldemort wasn't trying to possess you," she said, "he was just trying to distract you."
"What?"
"You looked like you were feeling something before your scar hurt."
"Well, yes. I was upset and I felt a pain in my chest," he said. "It hurt less when I left the room."
"Nothing else he might've distracted you from?" asked Lupin.
Harry spun his head around. He hadn't noticed Lupin sitting in a chair on the other side of his bed.
"Sorry," he said apologetically as Harry breathed deeply, recovering from the shock.
"I'll bring you up some breakfast," said Hermione getting up and leaving. Harry followed her blurred outline out of the door before reaching for his glasses.
"So," continued Lupin, "what could you have been distracted from? Think back."
Harry said nothing.
Lupin got up, looking serious. As he got to the door he looked like he was almost about to say something further but instead turned and left, leaving the door open.
Harry thought. He had been distracted from something. What could it be? He wondered about the pain he had felt in his chest. Was it something to do with the crucible? Perhaps it would hurt when the charm finally broke.
Harry sat up as he considered this last notion. Maybe the charm really had been about to break. If that was true, the triggering event must almost have happened. If that was true then the trigger, whatever it was, had something to do with Hermione.
Voldemort tried to get to Hermione. That reinforced the idea that Hermione had a part in the trigger. Did Voldemort know something or had he just guessed. Why Hermione?
He started again. The pain started when Hermione had grabbed his hand and had got worse.
Harry was disturbed from his thoughts by Mrs Granger walking in with a breakfast tray.
She placed the tray over the bed and smiled at him.
"Harry, we're going shortly," she said gently, stoking his hair. "Professor Dumbledore wants you to spend some time alone so you can think things through."
"But," Harry began to protest before he stopped himself. He couldn't be selfish. "Yes, it would be safer, I suppose."
"You'll see Hermione and the rest of your friends back at school," she said. "Thank you for a wonderful Christmas, Harry."
She bent down and kissed him lightly on his cheek and was gone before he could say anything in response.