Disclaimer: Everything concerning Harry Potter belongs to J. K. Rowling. I own nothing, nor is this done for any purpose except my own enjoyment and the enjoyment of anyone reading this. There is no attempt to make any profit.
The Most Ancient Magic
Chapter Eleven: A Priceless Advantage
The night passed peacefully. Hermione's sleep was unsettled, but she did not wake as she had the night before, Harry slept deeply. Hugh sat up with them through the early morning hours thinking.
When Galen arrived they were all having breakfast. "Healer Galen, I wonder if we might try an experiment? That is if Harry is willing," asked Hugh.
"What did you have in mind?"
Hugh quietly explained his idea. Galen nodded his approval, "It would do no harm to try. Mr. Potter, would you care to try an experiment?"
"Sure."
"Harry, get up and stand here beside the bed," instructed Hugh. He and Galin watched Harry work to follow his instructions. Galen had Harry perform some simple exercises. Touching his toes, knees, nose, and ears. Harry's movements were jerky at worst and twitchy at best.
"Now, Harry, clear your mind," said Hugh, "think about the muscles you use when twisting from side to side. Then start twisting, don't worry about your arms, just let them hang limp by your sides. Concentrate on how the muscles in your abdomen feel as you work them."
Slowly Harry began to perform the twisting motion. It was slow and jerky at first. Janet joined them as she and Hermione watched. After about ten minutes it was obvious that Harry's control and range of motion were slowly improving.
"All right, Harry, well done. Rest for a few minutes and watch me. Janet you want to help me show him?" Janet joined her husband and together they began a series of slow, graceful stretching movements that looked almost like some kind of dance.
"Dad," asked Hermione, obviously impressed and fascinated, "is that Tai Chi? When did you learn?"
"We learned after you left for Hogwarts. It helps us relax after standing by the chair all day working or after doing complicated procedures."
"Will you teach me too?" she asked.
"I will get you started, but you'll have to wait until the Christmas holidays to really began to learn. Harry, what I have shown you is what we are aiming for. Right now you need to start small and work your way along. We need to see how much your potion will help you."
Harry drank the potion and tried again. There was a marked improvement in Harry's ability to twist, with a minor improvement in his performance with the exercises.
Hugh looked at Galen, "You see, the meditation aspect seems to help the repetitive motion. The potion enhances the total effect. Perhaps you can design a series of exercises that will help him regain his physical abilities faster."
Galen smiled, "This Tai Chi you mentioned, I've never heard of it, but there is a young healer on my staff, Augustus Pye, who might have. I'll send him around this afternoon, would you mind discussing it with him?" The Grangers nodded. "Mr. Potter, try to walk across the ward three times this morning."
Harry picked up his staff and began walking back and forth across the ward, Hermione encouraging him at each turn.
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Tuesday passed much the same as Monday had with Harry and Hermione doing what schoolwork they could from their hospital beds. Lupin came to visit at lunchtime but had to leave. He told Harry privately that he had some things to do for the Order and would return later in the week.
Augustus Pye appeared in the early afternoon. Hugh spent some time talking to him. Healer Pye was familiar with the basics of Tai Chi, so Hugh explained some of the fine points of the various movements and how they related to the "form".
Harry wanted to try to shower before the Weasleys came to visit that evening. Healer Pye and Hugh agreed to stand by to help if he needed assistance. They made their way slowly to the shower, leaving Janet and Hermione alone on the ward.
"One," began Janet, "may I talk to you."
"Of course," said Hermione, without looking up from the charms essay she was working on.
"Do you still want to marry Harry?" Janet asked quietly. "Your letter was most insistent."
The soft scratching of Hermione's quill came to an abrupt halt. She continued to stare at her parchment, there was a long moment of silence before she said very quietly, "Yes…I do."
"Why?" Janet asked, her voice was soft and kind.
"I did some research after he told me about the prophecy. Harry's parents and one other couple defied Voldemort three times. That's more than anyone else, except Harry himself. Voldemort has tried to kill him five times, it seems he gets closer each time, the only difference was the last time Professor Dumbledore was there to intervene before Voldemort got there. This time his henchmen very nearly succeeded."
"What did being married have to do with their survival, do you know why being married helped?"
"I don't know, it might be something magical," shrugged Hermione, "but maybe nothing beyond two people looking out for each other, but if Voldemort kills Harry, we all lose. If it will give Harry an advantage, even if it is only a small advantage, then I think he deserves it."
"Does it have to be you? Could anyone else give him the same advantage?" Janet pressed.
"I guess anyone who married him could give him the same advantage, but I want it to be me, I love him. There's no one else who has been with him like Ron and I have." Hermione was trying to keep the emotions out of her voice. "The only girl in our year he dated was Parvati, and that was just for the Yule Ball during the tournament. The only reason he asked her was that the girl he really wanted to go with was going with someone else."
"You went with Victor Krum, right? Who did he want to go with?"
"Yes, I went with Victor, the girl Harry wanted to go with was Cho Chang. He had a crush on her during our fourth year. They dated a couple of times. Then she and Harry broke up at the end of last year. The only other girl that has taken some time to be with Harry is Ginny Weasley. She had a crush on him from the first time she saw him, but she seems to have gotten over him and is dating other boys now. She still likes him though. Every body else just whispers about him behind his back."
"Then the main question is, does Harry love you?"
"He hasn't told me that he does," Hermione frowned, "but we didn't even get to finish our first date." Slow tears began to course down Hermione's cheeks. "He was holding my hand, and he really seemed to be happy to be with me," she said rather defiantly.
Janet moved to sit beside her daughter, Hermione was fiercely wiping her tears away. "One, your tears are normal after this kind of violence. You needn't be ashamed. Your father cried too."
"Dad?" she looked at her mother in surprise.
"Yes. Your father fought in the war in the Falkland Islands. Several ships were sunk, even though he was a dentist he had emergency medical training. He had nightmares for a couple of years because of the wounded. We were going to wait until he was out of the service to get married, but after he came back we married earlier than we had planned."
Janet continued, "That's why we are concerned about you wanting to get married now. We don't know if your feelings are being influenced by the stress you are under or Harry being hurt. One, marriage is such a serious commitment, it isn't to be entered into lightly. It was harder for us in the beginning because we let our emotions overrule our heads. We want to spare you our mistake."
Hermione nodded, "I just can't get the picture of Harry lying in the street out of my mind. I would do anything to keep that from coming true."
The sound of Harry's staff clunking on the stone floor made them look up. Harry, flanked by Hugh and Healer Pye, was making his way back to his bed. Grim determination was etched on his face as he made his way to his bedside. He paused there for a long moment. Hermione took her wand and levitated him into the bed.
Harry smiled gratefully at her. "Thanks, Hermione." Harry's eyelids fluttered and he dropped off to sleep.
"Sorry, Dad. He just couldn't do it."
Hugh frowned, but nodded in agreement.
Madam Pomfrey came up to them and asked Hugh and Janet to join her in her office. When they entered they found Dumbledore waiting for them, "I came to find out how you are getting on," he inquired.
"Very well, thank you," answered Janet. "Hermione is thinking on the lines you proposed when we first spoke. Although we haven't had a long discussion about it yet."
"We are concerned about Harry's recovery. I've been talking to Master Healer Galen and his assistant, Healer Pye, about a treatment program for him," said Hugh. "I'd like to teach him some exercises based on Tai Chi."
"Indeed!" smiled Dumbledore, "Which form?"
"It's based on Yang style…" Hugh threw a puzzled look at Dumbledore, "You know about Tai Chi?"
"I do not use it, but I am familiar with the fundamentals and the thoughts behind its practice. I am of the opinion that there are many things that have value, even if they did not originate in the wizarding community."
Dumbledore continued, "Have you made any plans on how long you will remain with us? You are welcome to stay as long as you wish. I must tell you that your daughter will be allowed to return to class tomorrow morning. She will, however, sleep here for the rest of the week. We want to keep her from having to deal with overly inquisitive classmates until she is ready to do so."
"I'd like to remain until Friday evening. That would give me about six training sessions with Harry, although I'd like more time to teach him," answered Hugh. "Any thoughts, Janet?"
Janet shook her head, "I'd just like a little more time to talk to her."
"Excellent, I have a couple of proposals to make to you. First, it would be a shame for you not to see what we do here. I'd like to arrange a small tour for you if you wish." The Grangers looked at each other and grinned like two children who had just been offered a trip to the candy store. "I will take that for a 'yes' then. Second, we are going to try to hide Harry from Voldemort as much as we can. Do you think it might be possible for you to have him stay with you over the Christmas holidays? If there is the slightest problem, please say no."
"How would having Harry with us help you hide him?" asked Hugh.
"We hope that we could monitor what Voldemort's spies are telling him, it might reveal if any student's parents are in league with the Dark Lord. It would seem he knew exactly where to ambush Harry, we would like to know if that information came from here or the village," explained Dumbledore.
"If Harry is willing to come he is welcome, but we don't have a guest room. All we have is a sleeper sofa in our library," answered Hugh.
"Harry would not tell you, but I would have you know he spent nearly ten years living in a cupboard under the stairs of his aunt and uncle's house when they had an extra bedroom. I don't think that he would need a lot of extra care."
"Then we would be happy to have him, Headmaster,"
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Wednesday morning found Harry trying to catch up on his schoolwork, it was the first time he had been alone since the attack. He paused, thinking about the night before. He had enjoyed the visit with the Weasleys, Ginny had been telling funny stories about Quidditch practices and other happenings in the common room. Ron was being distant, but he had talked a little to him. Harry hoped that things might have a chance to become more normal between the three of them. At least Ron had brought him his homework. Luna and Ginny had brought Hermione's. Mrs. Weasley had brought him some cookies.
This morning Hermione had gone back to class. Healer Galen had brought him his potion and Dr. Granger had started teaching him the new exercises that he had wanted him to learn. They all seemed to be pleased with his progress and he was less tired after he had finished. Then they had all disappeared. Harry finished the work he had been doing on his charms homework and lay back against the pillows.
He felt tired. Harry began to think about what Sirius had told him. He was having a hard time deciding whether it was a dream, it had seemed so real. What Sirius had had to say sounded so like him and the advice was sound. At the same time, it was all stuff he had known all along, except that part about Hermione. He resolved to ask Professor Dumbledore about it.
About Hermione, why was she here? She didn't seem to have been hurt, at least not like she had been after she had followed him to the Ministry of Magic. He was confused. She hadn't been hurt, but her parents had come. It would be more right for them to have come when she was hurt before. Could she have been hurt in some way he couldn't see? Then there was something that she had said…he had been falling asleep and now he couldn't remember. He knew that it had made him feel…happy.
Harry shook his head. He had so wanted to stay with Sirius and his parents. Everything was just so hard. Now there was this injury to deal with, it seemed he spent part of every year in the hospital wing. He was tired of the attention, tired of the threat of Voldemort, and tired most of all of feeling alone even among his friends.
"Just because you have to do it yourself doesn't mean you have to do it alone. We can all help…we want too," Hermione's voice echoed through his mind.
"I know, Hermione, but I don't want you to get hurt again," he said to the air.
"Harry, your friends care about you, they may follow whether you want them to or not," Lupin's voice reminded him.
"I made a mistake, they followed, and they all got hurt," Harry argued.
"You have to learn from your mistakes, try not to repeat them as you go out and make new ones. The only people who don't make mistakes are the people who don't do anything. Can you think of anything you might do differently?" added Sirius.
"Are you ganging up on me too?" Harry smiled. "Ok, Sirius, I guess I'll have to tell them about the prophecy. I will try to learn how to accept help from my friends, Remus. I will try to stop feeling misunderstood, Hermione. Now will you guys let me take a nap?"
Somehow making a simple decision eased his pain and Harry fell asleep.
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Harry woke to voices whispering excitedly. The Grangers were animatedly talking together.
"Sorry, Harry, did we wake you?"
"No, sir," answered Harry sleepily.
"Could I ask you a question, Harry?" asked Janet. Harry nodded and she continued, "Does Hermione try to answer every question that the teachers ask?"
"Umm…," Harry didn't want to get Hermione in trouble, "No,…uh…not all the time." His shoulders slumped in defeat. "Just most of it. She's always been like that," he sighed. The sudden picture of Hermione in class, waving her hand, airing out her armpit as Ron always said behind her back, made him smile.
Hugh shot Janet an I-told-you-so look.
"Shall we begin your exercises, Harry?" Hugh asked.
In answer Harry climbed out of bed. He cleared his mind and began to follow the movements that the Grangers were teaching him. He found it relaxing to just concentrate on the feeling of his body moving.
As they finished they were startled by the sound of applause. Dumbledore was clapping at Harry's performance. "Well done Harry, when you finish, I would like a chance to chat."
A short while later Harry was seated in Madam Pomfrey's office. "Harry, there is a matter of great importance to discuss with you. I must also tell you that it will require great sacrifice on your part. I know that you are working to recover from your injury, but would you consider hiding how much you are able to regain?"
"Why?" Harry inquired warily.
"Voldemort may not move as quickly against you if he thinks you are less of a threat to him. By keeping you out of sight, we can keep you safe and train you."
"You want me to pretend to be hurt? To give up Quidditch? Just on the chance Voldemort will leave me alone." Harry's heart plummeted into the pit of his stomach. His look was one of dismay.
"If you do so, you may gain a priceless advantage, Voldemort is so powerful he has a tendency to underestimate his opponents. That advantage would come at the cost of your Quidditch career. As some compensation the time you would have been practicing Quidditch could be devoted to Occlumency and Legilimens, extremely important skills in your career as an Auror.
Harry's fists clenched in his anger. "You're asking this of me now when I've given up so much to be here?"
"What have you given up?" Dumbledore asked gently.
Harry leaned back in his chair, his eyes closed. Tears began flowing down his face, as his breathing became more ragged. "I was nearly dead, Professor. I was just floating…there was peace beyond anything I have ever known. Then Sirius came and spoke to me. With as much as he suffered…all those years in Azkaban…all the pain was gone from his voice." Harry swallowed, "He laughed, I've never heard so much joy. He was going to see my Mom and Dad…I wanted to go with him…I wanted to stay there with all of them." For long moments Harry cried, his face buried in his hands.
"Why didn't you stay, Harry?" Dumbledore placed a comforting hand on Harry's shoulder.
Harry's crying slowly abated. "Sirius said I could if I chose, but he reminded me of the prophecy," he sighed. "I couldn't abandon you, Hermione, Lupin, and the Weasleys to Voldemort. He said it wasn't my time and he was sent to tell me to come back, but he wouldn't tell me who sent the message, do you know?" Harry looked with tear-reddened eyes at Dumbledore.
"I have no answer that would make sense to you, Harry. I will ask you if you have noticed how the infinite, which you study in Astronomy, mirrors the infinitesimal which you study in Transfiguration. It appears that they are opposite ends of the same puzzle, and the place where they meet is in the human heart, the only place where questions can be contemplated. You must decide for yourself who you are, what it all means, and what there is, if anything, behind the Great Dance. You notice that everything has a place and it all works together. Beyond that, what you discover will be personal to you."
Harry thought about what Dumbledore had told him. "I will go along with your plan. It's the prophecy, if I can't seem to have what I want as long as Voldemort exists, then I will do all I can to make sure he doesn't get what he wants either."
Harry wept unashamed, while Dumbledore sat beside him.
Harry's tears ended, Dumbledore sighed, "My dear boy…No, no longer, from now on you are a man, …my dear sir. You make me proud, I know your parents would be pleased."
"Thank you," Harry answered his voice flat, "I have homework to do. May I go?"
Dumbledore bowed him from the room.
Hermione entered the ward, smiling after her first day back in class. She stopped, her smile melted as she saw the look on Harry's face as he limped across the floor to his bed.
"What's wrong, Harry?" she ran to him.
Harry looked at her for a moment then he reached to caress her cheek. "Not now, Hermione. I just need to be alone. I'll tell you later. Ok?"
Hermione nodded. Harry was climbing into bed as Professor Dumbledore joined her. "Harry is grieving, Miss Granger. Voldemort may have killed Harry, The-Boy-Who-Lived. In his place he has created Harry James Potter, the one who will vanquish him. Birth has always been a most uncomfortable process."