Poetry in Motion
Chapter 21
Poetry in Motion
Harry flew slowly down the hall of St Mungo's with Hermione walking at his side.
"I'm sorry, sir," said a witch attempting to stop him. "We don't allow flying in the building."
Harry hovered his broom and turned to face her. The witch did the usual look at Harry's face before the glance traveled to his forehead.
"Oh, sorry, Mr. Potter, dreadfully sorry," she stammered rushing off.
Hermione led him to the Spell Damage Ward on the fourth floor. She left Harry in a waiting room while she consulted with Healer Strankford. Both Healers approached him.
"Come along, Harry. They are ready for you," Hermione uttered with false cheer in her voice.
Harry followed the Healers into a private room. He climbed ungracefully from his broom to the examination table.
"I need to work on that," he said bashfully. Hermione smiled at him encouragingly.
Mr. Potter," Healer Strankford began, "I'm going to do a thorough examination. I have Healer Granger's notes; however I wish to see for myself."
Harry tensed, looking at Hermione. She held his hand for support and said not a word.
The Healer's wand flickered a multitude of colors that gave Harry a headache just watching, not to mention trying to interpret.
When the Healer was finished, he handed Harry back his glasses. Harry, seeing clearly again, searched the Healer's face for clues.
"Most of you is healing slowly, yet acceptably," Healer Strankford stated as he flipped through Harry's file. "I had hoped for better progress; however the fact that you survived the attack speaks highly of your strength. Your legs seem to be the worst of it, I see. The rest of you should be much better in just over another month. Keep taking your potions and you can resume more normal activities in a week." The Healer looked at Harry over the rim of his glasses. "I see you've been out flying already and your power is at 77%. You are taking care of your personal hygiene with little assistance…hmmmm…seems a bit soon for that." Harry rolled his eyes at that, but remained silent. "Your sexual health seems to be in good order," the Healer continued. "That's good news." Harry examined his shoes closely hoping that he would move on. Hermione squeezed his hand. "The only major issue we are facing is your leg strength. I have the apparatus set up and ready. Healer Granger would you take a reading on his bone strength to compare with my own?"
Hermione waved her wand over Harry's legs and it flashed a bright red light.
"My reading is 27.6. Yours?" she asked with a frown.
"The same," the Healer responded. "That won't do, won't do at all."
"What do we do?" Hermione asked. "How can we help him?"
Harry looked back and forth between the Healers, his optimism at an all time low.
Hermione discussed Luna's idea with the elder Healer, who felt it had some merit, however expressed his concern that Harry's legs were not strong enough for it.
"If we could find a potion that would raise his bone strength to over 53.2, he would be able to use the enchanted muggle contraptions. Healer Granger, find out what you can about it and report back to me, please. I'll continue to cover your patient load for the next two weeks. See what you can come up with in that time."
"Yes, sir…" Hermione answered feeling confidant. There was no one she trusted more than herself when it came to Harry's health and well being. She was going to find an answer, hopefully without the unpleasant side effects of Skele-gro. She promised herself that she would find an answer to Harry's brittle legs that would not only raise the percentage 53.2; she would find a way to get them back to 100% and she had two whole weeks to do it.
Harry arrived home alone. According to his note, Remus was gone to the market. Dobby was cleaning the upstairs and Winky was busy preparing dinner. Exhausted, Harry crawled to the sofa and settled in for a kip.
Harry opened his eyes to see Hermione flitting from book to book which she had spread over the entire room. He watched silently as worked. She has her quill and parchment floating behind her and her work arranged so that she could keep an eye on him.
"You're awake," she whispered never pausing in her research.
Harry smiled at her. "So I am," he replied. "How is it going?"
"Nothing yet..." she frowned. "I've got some ideas in mind, but they are flawed and need work. "
"Can I help?" he asked hopefully.
She kneeled in front of him. "Well, remember the old adage to drink milk to make strong bones?" Harry nodded. "I thought of separating the element of calcium that builds bones, mix it with salamander blood, knotgrass and powdered horn of a graphorn, the result should strengthen your legs to a more normal density…"
"It's just that salamander blood will destroy the properties of the calcium and graphorn and knotgrass won't mix," Harry finished.
"Exactly!" she cried out in frustration. "And they called me a bookworm…"
Harry laughed at her teasing. "We'll figure it out, Hermione," he said confidently. "I know we will." Harry summoned a few of the tomes from the stack Hermione hadn't started and began looking through the index.
After dinner and several hours of research, exchanging ideas and making a list of options to try, the couple called it quits for the day.
Saturday dawned bright and sunny, making Harry was restless. He sat in his hidden chaise on the balcony, his head was aching. He was prevented from his habitual pacing by his useless legs. He had tried to 'pace' via broomstick, but that proved to be too awkward even in the considerable house. He knew better than to go flying by himself across the field yet. It was barely past sunrise. He already knew the night he was in for, having experienced these occurrences for years and was worried about it.
"I've got to find a way to get rid of Hermione" he contemplated. "She'll be mad with worry if she witnesses one of my bad nights. I can't deal with her and this at the same time. How do I get her to stay somewhere else, when I've just asked her to move in? Stupid, stupid, stupid…."
"Harry?" she asked from his bed. "What's wrong?"
"Nothing. I'm fine," he lied.
She entered the balcony and crouched down beside him. "You are a very bad liar…" she said with a comforting smile. "You could have just said, 'I'm just dealing with some stuff right now and I don't want to be bothered.'"
"And that would work, would it?" he replied unable to suppress a smirk.
"Well, no, it wouldn't," she responded. "I would probably be more concerned, but it would be better than 'I'm fine'. You always say that and no one ever believes you."
"I don't care if anyone believes me or not. Saying it ends the inquiry and that is the goal. Mission accomplished," he explained.
"Honestly!" she complained shaking her head. "Did you ever think that maybe you'd feel better if you talked to someone about it…whatever it is…?"
Harry gave a humorless laugh. "Tried that once, my problems became fodder for Witch Weekly."
"Please don't put me in the same category as Ginny Weasley…" she warned. "Ginny is a dear friend, but she just doesn't think sometimes."
"She thinks, alright," Harry spat. "She thinks about what's in it for her. It was as if I didn't even matter…"
"You knew about Ian," she said softly.
"Of course I knew about Ian. I knew she was seeing him on the nights I worked. I knew she slept with him in my flat. I even knew she slept with him in my bed. I think I knew plenty about Ian."
"How did you find out?" Hermione asked more as a friend than Harry's girlfriend.
"Let's just say I take my security very seriously and leave it at that."
"You found them?" she deduced.
"I had a ward on my bedroom. Anytime someone entered when I was away, I knew who they were and what they were doing in my flat immediately."
"I'm sorry she betrayed your trust"
"Yeah, well…it is ancient history and I survived."
A snowy owl perched on the railing with a letter tied to her leg. Harry's features visibly softened upon sight of her. Hedwig flew over and stuck out her leg for him to remove the parchment.
Following his perusal of the letter, Harry swore viciously and wished even more that he could pace.
"What is it?" asked Hermione.
"I have to go to court and testify against Malfoy….again. I can't say it worked out so well for me last time."
"Are you afraid the same thing will happen again?" asked Hermione.
"No, it's not that" Harry said sadly. "I can't let him see that he got to me. I just can't. The last time, I had a job. I was a productive member of society. Look at me now, Hermione!"
"I am looking at you," she said with as much warmth she could muster. "I am looking at a man who has sacrificed everything he has and everything he is for the good of others, a man who never worries about himself, a man who wants the world to be perfect for future generations and is willing to do everything in his power to make it that way. Need I say more?"
"Yes, tell me that you love me," he breathed.
"I love you, Harry Potter, and I know you love me, too. One day soon you'll be brave enough to admit it."
Harry had a look of skepticism, even though he was beginning to suspect she was right. He looked away when he saw Ron and Luna apparate into the garden. "We're up here," he shouted at them.
"Harry! We have such exciting news for you!" gushed Luna.
"We've finished it, mate!" Ron added eagerly. He pulled his hands from behind his back and presented Harry with an odd looking set of muggle contraptions. "We tried them out late last night. Luna put a body bind on me and strapped them on. Fred and George helped us charm them to take all weight off of your legs and onto your hips. You are kind of suspended and floating about, while they give the appearance that you are walking. They work, Harry! They really work!"
"Well, let's see it then!" beamed Hermione.
Harry grinned widely, his headache forgotten, as they strapped the dragon hide and metal brace around his waist. If he were to wear his robes a bit longer, they wouldn't even have to worry about a concealment charm.
Harry was pulled into a stand. He moved gingerly about the terrace. Tears rolled down the faces of Hermione and Luna, while Harry's and Ron's eyes sparkled.
"If you are going to go downstairs or up, you either need to apparate or have someone pull you along," stated Luna. "Shall we try it? Hold his hand, Hermione."
Hermione walked over and grabbed Harry's hand. Harry 'walked' beside her as they descended the stairs and entered the dining room. Lupin dropped his teacup at the sight.
"We're just in time for breakfast, I see," hinted Ron. "Oh, and Harry, we haven't worked out how to sit down yet, so you are best off standing until we can get it sorted out."
Hermione sat down and fixed herself and Harry a plate as Harry continued to pace around the room.
"Congratulations, guys" praised Remus. "It worked! Harry, how does it feel?"
"Kind of like I have a really heavy belt on…" said Harry. "It isn't uncomfortable, really, it's just odd."
"Also, Harry we have some tweaking to do on it. We haven't worked out a few things, like if you need to stop quickly or … other things." said Luna airily.
"But as soon as we've sorted those things out, St Mungo's wants to place a large order to sell to other wizards and witches who need them." finished Ron.
"Well done," said Harry to his friends. "Even if I can't do everything I could do before, this is a vast improvement. Thank you."
"Don't thank us yet, Harry," cautioned Luna. "You've yet to receive our bill."
"Luna has to meditate on how much these are worth. Her dad is giving free advertisements in The Quibbler," commended Ron. Luna smiled sweetly at him, humming the tune to "Weasley is our King" from school.
"This is brilliant," praised Harry. "It'll be worth every knut."
Harry and Hermione arrived at Auror Headquarters early. He had a bit of trouble negotiating the door. Hermione made him back up and opened the door wide for him to float through. A cheer went up from his former colleagues at the sight of him. Tonks and Shacklebolt came out of the back office to see what the commotion was.
Harry met them with a wide smile. Tonks ran over and threw her arms around him, nearly upending him in his floating device. He took the opportunity to show off the invention and how it worked.
After several minutes of discussion and catching up, Kingsley Shacklebolt called Harry back into his office.
"Will you be okay for a bit?" he asked Hermione.
"Go on," she urged. "Tonks and I will be fine. We're going to go for a cup of coffee at the bakery around the corner. Just meet me there whenever you are done."
Harry kissed her cheek and made his way to the back office. He got one of his former team members to catch the door for him.
"Sit down, Potter, please," said Shacklebolt.
"I can just stand, if that's alright. These," he said pointing to his legs, "aren't able to accommodate sitting yet."
"Alright," said Shacklebolt. "I'll get right to the point. Minister Bones is pressing for a date for the celebration. Have you given it any thought?"
"I can't honestly say that I have," confessed Harry. "I will say I'm not as opposed to it as I was…"
Shacklebolt glanced down at the brace and grinned. "I can see where that might make a difference. So, shall we compare calendars?"
After a few minutes of conversation, they arrived a date that was suitable for all. "I'll get the press release going" said Shacklebolt. "Now onto new business, will you be able to testify?"
"Yes," said Harry. "I'm not comfortable with it, but as long as my… limitations are considered, then I will do it."
"Good…good," stated Shacklebolt. He retrieved Harry's wand and handed it to him.
"Sir…" Harry began without confidence in his voice staring at the piece of wood in his hand. "I'm not going to be allowed to come back to work, am I?"
Kingsley had been hoping to avoid this subject. "Harry, you know the rules. If you can't pass the physical, then we can't endanger you in the field."
"Hermione had an idea about that." Harry offered. "What if I wasn't in the field?"
"Harry, you would go mad with a desk job. I've seen you fill out your paperwork. You'd hate it. I can't do that to you."
"What if I became a trainer? It would be just like the DA at school, only more advanced. I could teach the recruits how to stay alive in the field."
"I can't say the idea doesn't have merit," said his former superior. "I'll need to speak with the Ministry about it, but one thing you need to keep in mind, Harry, is that training is dangerous, especially for the trainer. One wrong Reducto curse and you know what will happen. Are you willing to take that risk? No shield spell is fool-proof. I'm sorry, Son."
Kingsley saw the dejection in the younger man's eyes. He vowed silently to do all he could to change that. Knowing his hands were tied on this, he sighed.
Harry nodded, knowing he had failed. After a few more minutes of pleasantries, he left. "How could he face Hermione?" he wondered. "What did he have to offer her? Why did it matter to him so very much?"