18 Chapter 18

The next morning Harry woke up feeling not only fresh but very good. He was very happy though he really did not know why. He thought of Hermione and blushed as he felt odd sensations sweeping through him, making his body react in certain ways that made him blush even more. He had dreamt of her and he realized with a loopy grin, that was why he had woken up so happy.

He opened his trunk to take his clothes out and went almost whistling to the bathroom. He came out all refreshed and woke up Ron and as Ron grinned at him and sleepily went of to have his bath, Harry started taking out his books and packed them into the new bottomless bag he had bought from Diagon Alley before.

He added one of Canogahn's books on ancient magic feeling that he would be able to understand them better as he had been through the basics in the Room of Requirement for the last three days. He also added a Dark Arts book and a book on Blood Magic and he was ready. He activated his earring and spoke softly into it, casting silencing charms and notice me not charms on the curtains.

"Hey Hermione are you awake?" he asked softly, keeping an eye on the bathroom by the simple process of making the curtains see-through.

"'Morning Harry yes, I am awake and was almost ready to go down. I will meet you there." Hermione said just as softly.

Harry then called for Snape, "Hi Sev, and 'morning."

"Harry have you placed silencing charms on your curtains?"

Harry laughed, "Yeah."

"Be careful brat and I will not give you a detention today, you have the last class and we will try and talk after that. Tell Hermione and I will tell Draco and the rest to come then."

"No need Severus." A chorus of voices interrupted and laughing Harry cut the connection as he saw Ron coming out of the bathroom.

Harry hastily bent down and shut and locked his trunk and opened his curtains and grinned at Ron. Ron grinned back at Harry until he saw the bag and a look of jealousy came over him, before he wiped it off his face.

Why should he feel so jealous Harry wondered? He is richer by ten thousand galleons this year after all he thought a bit bitterly and suddenly it struck him that Ron was so good at hiding his feelings that had Harry not known about Ron, he would have never noticed the jealousy or anything else really. Maybe he learnt Occlumency from Dumbledore Harry thought angrily for a second.

The next second Harry swallowed his anger and gazed at Ron smiling at him and grinning at him as Ron patted his stomach, "Come on Harry, time for breakfast, I am hungry." And Ron pulled Harry out of the room. As they were passing Neville, Harry on an impulse shouted to Neville who was also closing his trunk, "Hey Neville coming?"

Harry felt very guilty at the way Neville beamed at him at that simple invitation and nodded, "In a jiff, Harry. Let me close my trunk." Once again Ron's face turned ugly before he grinned good naturedly at Harry. Only his eyes were very hard.

Linking his hands through Neville's Harry and Ron walked down Seamus and Dean just behind them and met Hermione in the common room tapping her foot impatiently. She looked up and was about to say something sharp, when she noticed Harry was looping his hands through Neville's and her eyes softened.

"Harry, Ron, Neville, come on it's the first day of classes and we must not be late."

"Hi Hermione," Harry and Neville chorused and Ron looked at her desire shining in his eyes as he merely grinned. Hermione saw it and frowned inwardly and glanced at Harry, but thankfully he had not noticed it.

All of them trooped down to the Great Hall and sat down talking hard about the subjects they had chosen.

"Well I am going to take charms, Transfiguration, defense against the dark arts, potions and runes." Harry told all of them.

Ron's jaw hit the floor at the mention of runes and he was going to say something when Hermione stepped in, "Good Harry, you are finally choosing good subjects instead of things like divination and the like. You Ron and Nev, what are you taking?"

"Well Herbology, defense, charms and Transfiguration. No potions." Neville said with a shudder as he thought of potions and Snape.

"Well I am taking the same as you Harry, except potions, and I am also taking care of magical creatures." Ron told him and then asked him, "Why runes Harry?"

"I read an interesting book that I got from Flourish and Blotts this summer and it was fascinating Ron, why don't you try it along with me. I am planning to write my OWLS in runes this year. If I pass, I will take my NEWTS next year."

"Don't worry Harry I will teach you. It will be easy especially if you will work hard. In fact Ron you and even you Neville should do this as this will help in understanding spells in DADA better." Hermione told him smiling at him.

Neville looked thoughtful; "I will write my Gran and if she allows will you help me as well?" he asked looking at Hermione shyly.

Hermione nodded, "Of course I will Neville."

"Give your name for it to McGonagall today before she draws your schedule and you can always withdraw if your gran does not allow." Harry advised him and Neville trotted of to McGonagall to tell her that he would be taking runes that year.

Harry turned to tackle Ron about it who agreed very reluctantly trying his best to dissuade Harry from taking a new subject, "Aw come on Harry, why do you have to take on a new subject this year, I thought we could relax this year."

Harry nodded his head, "Yeah we will Ron, but I badly want to try this. Come on this will be helpful in out defense class."

Ron scowled and grunted but did not say anything more and went off to McGonagall.

Neville was already there and she looked at Ron, "Mr. Weasley, have you also come for the same purpose as Mr. Longbottom, to enroll in runes?"

Ron nodded. "Yes professor."

"Well," she said briskly "You may but make sure you get not less than an acceptable in your assignments for the next three months or else you will have to leave the class."

Ron brightened as he heard that and nodded his head and went away with Neville carrying his new schedule. McGonagall came behind him and handed out the schedules for the others.

Ron grimaced and glanced at his schedules and found to his dismay that there was hardly any free time. He pulled Harry's schedule and saw that Harry had even less time.

"Okay now, I think all of us should go to our classes, I have Transfiguration," and she peeped into Harry's and saw that he had it too, "You have it too; now we will meet in the library in the evening after dinner and we can start straight away on runes. I will give you my book Neville until your gran okay's it for you. Ron you will write your mother and ask her to send the books to you won't you?" she finished and started walking towards the doors.

Ron sulked all the way to the Transfiguration classroom and sat there scowling all through the class. Harry and Hermione did not mind though. Hermione sat with Neville and Harry and Ron sat together.

McGonagall was starting with human Transfigurations and soon all of them were listening attentively to her explanations. It all seemed very complicated and Harry groaned along with Ron and indeed the others when she set an assignment for them.

The same was repeated in all classes and then Ron finally had the last period free. Harry and Hermione had potions for their last class. Harry and Hermione went to the potions class and found that they were the only Gryffindors, Draco, Blaise, Pansy and Bulstrode from the Slytherins, Padma Patil and Terry Boot from Ravenclaw and Justin Finch-Finchley and Michael Corner from Hufflepuff.

"Now, not all of you who are here are here because you are well versed in the art of potion making." Snape started speaking softly staring straight at Harry and waited for the Slytherins to snicker and then continued, "However if anyone, anyone and I do not care for titles or names, will fall below the standards set by me, then you will be removed from my class for good."

He looked around and sneered at everyone and the looking straight at Harry, "Is that clear?" he asked his voice suddenly sharp and like a whiplash.

Harry was about to pair with Hermione when Snape clapped his hands, "I will decide the pairing for the rest of the year. Malfoy sit with Granger. Boot with Bulstrode. Patil with Finchley. Potter with Parkinson and Zabini with Corner."

"Begin."

Harry scowled at Snape and went to sit with Pansy winking at her as he sat next to her. Draco sat away from Hermione looking as if he just managed not to hold his nose. Pansy was being less subtle, "Potter, don't sit too close to me for Merlin's sake."

"As if I want to," Harry mumbled as he winked at her again. She scowled at him. He could keep winking at her because no one could see and she could not do the same. She 'accidentally' nudged him and then smirked at him telling him to get the ingredients. Harry turned once more and smiled at her making her flush in anger before leaving to get the ingredients.

They were doing a complex potion and soon all of them went to work. The whole class worked silently and efficiently because of the man prowling around glaring at them and their cauldrons.

When Harry and Pansy went up to Snape's table to hand over the potion, he smirked at Harry and said, "Five points to Slytherin for making sure Potter did not spoil the potion." And smiled as Harry spluttered and then sighing in defeat, with his eyes promising retribution later on he turned and stomped out angrily.

As they tiredly went to their common room, they realized that they had homework assignments in almost all subjects and Harry had a mountain of work in runes and he had not had even a single minute to study the books he had taken out in the morning. The first day was not even over.

Harry trudged up to his dorm and dumping his bag on his bed, went to freshen up and came out feeling more alert. Neville, Dean and Seamus were there but no Ron. Harry smiled at the others and chatted a bit with them and then he and Neville went down to go to the Great Hall for dinner, before tackling all their work.

As they were leaving Ron and Ginny came running through the portrait hole and stopped as they saw Harry. Ron flushed for a second before he controlled himself and grinned, "You go on Harry; I will just come along after you. Need to freshen up." And Ron ran up.

Ginny smiled at everyone and Harry and the others grinned back at her and went on their way. Harry was thinking furiously though. Ron and Ginny had come running together and Ron had not said where he had been. Well he could not could he, especially if he had been to the Headmaster's office? Harry heard a sarcastic voice inside of his head that sounded suspiciously like Snape.

Yeah they could not he answered his own query, how could they when they probably went to Dumbledore to report on today's activities. Harry's face turned ugly for a second and he hastily rearranged it as Hermione nudged him. She had been looking worried and angry and had been watching him from the corner of her eyes and seeing his expression had warned him.

They walked talking and laughing as they made their way to their table and Harry plunged in. He was ravenous and he wanted to finish dinner and his studies fast and meet with Snape and the others and let his hair down. Ron joined them soon after and they laughed and chatted all through dinner, only Harry's laughter was slightly strained.

Harry and the others went straight to the library not listening to Ron's protests about relaxing as it was only the first day after all and soon Harry, Hermione, Neville and Ron were sitting in a remote corner.

Harry pulled out his assignments and started with Transfiguration, helping Neville along the way. They also practiced wand movements and soon they had finished with it. Neville's new wand was working so very well for him that Harry felt compelled to comment upon it.

"Your new wand is doing wonders for you Neville. I think this suits you far more than your dad's old wand." He said as he watched Neville flick it.

Neville nodded, "Yes Harry, though that was my dad's wand it did not work well for me. How difficult it was with that wand, I realize only now when every spell seems to come so easy from this."

Harry having a sudden suspicion used his aura sight and saw Neville's aura. It was a combination of pink and green with small silver dots sprinkled here and there. Harry put that away in his mind to ponder on it later. He then turned curiously to Ron and saw a combination of red, blue and pink and purple and all the colors were the same as was in almost all the auras he had seen but very sluggish.

Ron at this point was so bored by Hermione's lectures and was not really listening to her explanations about Transfiguration or Charms. Instead he was watching Harry and Neville practice wand movements tackle their Transfiguration homework together before they started on their Charms.

Soon they had their Charms work all done and Hermione had left Ron to his own devices, concentrating on her work. By common consent they decided to do the potions homework the next day. Ron had finished Transfiguration but had not even started with Charms. Harry and the others packed their bags except for their Runes books and Hermione took Harry, Ron and Neville through the basics for the next hour.

Ron was yawning within the first ten minutes, though Harry and Neville were listening attentively. Harry knew most of what Hermione was saying and soon they were tackling their first assignment in Runes.

A half hour later the three boys and one girl packed their bags tiredly and went up to their common room. They still had their potions assignment and the first day was not even over and it was not even the NEWTS year.

There was no one in the common room and Hermione went to the girls' dorm saying a brief goodnight to the other three boys, who mumbled back and went to their dorm and automatically washed up and crashed on to their beds.

Harry had the curtains spelled and then called Snape.

"Severus?" he called out softly.

"Harry? I am waiting here for you. Draco and the others were not able to come. What happened?"

"I was not able to shake off Ron. Severus, he and Ginny came running as we were leaving for dinner and simply stood before us for a second before telling us he would join us as soon as he would wash and freshen up and simply ran up the stairs. I am sure he was with Dumbledore as was Ginny." Then realizing that Snape had said Draco and the others were not able to come down Harry tensed slightly.

"What happened to Draco and the others? Why did they not come down? Is there a problem Severus?"

"No," Snape told him making him feel very relieved, "They too could not get away. Harry I think that we should keep to speaking like this until we get a chance to meet. Read up your books and keep up with your other studies as much as you can, all right?"

"How could you take points off me Sev? That was so unfair." Harry demanded and huffed a little as Snape laughed, "But my dear Harry I have to keep up my dislike of you have I not and," Snape paused here for a second before he continued, "I really enjoy taking points off Gryffindor, you must know by now." and laughed as Harry spluttered loudly at the unfairness of it all.

After that they spoke quietly for sometime before Harry deactivated his earring and took out his book on ancient magic and started reading for almost and hour before he could not stop yawning and went to sleep.

That set the tone for the next few weeks. Harry, Hermione and Neville and slowly Luna who joined them, spent their time studying very hard on all their subjects. Ron was also always with them but he was not studying as well and spent his time in trying to distract Harry all the time.

"Ron, I have spent enough time fooling around and it was because of that I lost him. I did not know enough to counter the death eaters. I am going to study as hard as I can so that those mistakes will never be repeated. Understood?" Harry told him warning in his tone about a week into School. Ron had been badgering him to slow down and Harry was almost at the end of his patience.

Ron had glared at Harry and when Harry refused to back off he had stormed away. However he had cooled down sufficiently, and came around the next day talking and laughing as usual. Harry suspected bitterly that Dumbledore had reminded him of the money he had paid into Ron's separate account and had forced him to be with Harry.

Two weeks before Halloween came the first Hogsmeade weekend and that morning which was a Saturday and was a clear, crisp and cold day. Harry, Ron and Neville, who became a part of their group, now came down the stairs to find Hermione waiting for them. Just as they were to leave for Hogsmeade, Ginny came running down and screeched to a halt in front of Harry.

"Harry, may I join you all as well?" she asked smiling brightly at Harry and looking expectantly at him.

Harry blinked and looked at Ginny who was smiling at him in a way that made him feel very uncomfortable.

"Er, Ginny don't you think you have to ask Ron that?" Harry asked her not smiling back at her. She scowled at him for a second and then smiled turning to Ron and raising her eyebrows.

Ron shrugged uncomfortably as Luna bounced into the room, "Are we all going to Hogsmeade Harry?"

"Yeah," Harry nodded his head and he and the others moved away from Ron and Ginny who were still staring at each other.

"Come on Ron," Harry called out to him, "We will be slowly moving on."

As the portrait door shut Harry had a glimpse of an angry Ginny who was speaking rapidly in a low voice and a very uncomfortable looking Ron.

Harry and the others walked away from the Tower and went out of Hogwarts to the fully magical village of Hogsmeade. They walked into The Three Broomsticks and grabbed a table at the back and had a very enjoyable time there until they were joined by both Ginny and Ron who ran in looking all flushed and angry. Ron stopped as he saw Harry and with effort pulled his face back to normal. Ginny however was smiling as he dragged a chair and sat next to Harry.

There was an uncomfortable silence the easy conversation coming to a full stop as the brother and sister sat down with them.

Ginny looked around and still smiling though now her smile was a bit strained, opened her mouth to say something to Harry, the doors opened once again and the Slytherins walked in. Draco, Blaise, Pansy, Nott, Crabbe, Goyle and Bulstrode came in chattering happily, stopped when they saw Harry and the others sitting there.

"Hey look at that Draco," Pansy told him, "The Golden boy, his harem and the sidekicks. What a pretty picture."

"Hey shut up." Ron told them his wand at the ready. Harry also had his wand in his hand as did the others.

Draco sneered at Weasley. "Why should we? You are the sidekick as is the squib. How much are you paid for all this?" he asked conversationally as Ron's face flamed as did Ginny's.

Harry and Hermione glanced at Ron and Ginny whose faces were red and Ron's was slowly becoming purple. Millicent Bulstrode took up where Draco had left off, "They must be paid lots Draco. After all the Potters are old family aren't they? Potter may lack in just about everything but he has got the gold. Otherwise the Weasels will surely not associate with him, for Merlin's sake."

"Maybe you hire them by the year hmm Potter?" Nott added smirking, unknowingly hitting the nail right on the head, when Ron who had now become as pale as had Ginny, while the others were looking silently at this attack. Then all was a blur as Ron and surprisingly Ginny launched themselves on Draco and the others. Harry and Neville jumped and tried to pull Ron away while Hermione and Luna were doing the same for Ginny.

Ron was punching Malfoy for all that he was worth and Ginny had removed her wand and was cursing indiscriminately at one and all. Malfoy and the others were giving back as good as they got though Draco, Pansy and Blaise took care not to hit Harry, Hermione, Neville and Luna, the other Slytherins were not so kind.

Nott seeing this opportunity, something Harry and the others should have anticipated sent out a dark curse that hit Harry straight on his chest. The next second Harry crumpled on to the ground.

Then there was more pandemonium as Hermione shrieked loudly when Harry fell down and she, Neville and Luna dragged Harry to the side. Thankfully Hermione had taken the precaution of casting a powerful shield that bounced of about six curses and very dark by the looks of it. Many other students who were there had joined the fight and soon there was a free for all going on with hexes and jinxes flying everywhere.

Neville was about to run to bring someone as Harry was now shivering and there was a trickle of blood that had started coming down from his mouth and nose, when the door opened with a bang!

"Silence! What is happening here?" Snape was standing there with McGonagall and both of them had their wands in their hands as they surveyed the scene in front of them.

"Here professor," Hermione was sobbing as she held Harry and McGonagall rushed at once to her and ran her wand through Harry and her lips tightened as the spell showed the use of a dark curse.

Snape stood still his heart almost stopping as he saw Harry slumped over unconscious and swiftly striding up to him, he turned to the Slytherins he asked them in his coldest voice, "Wait here all of you."

He ran his wand over Harry and his lips tightened as he looked at the nervous crowd and snapped, "Who cast the seeping curse at Potter?" There was a collective gasp at those words and McGonagall gave a sort of a stifled scream as she heard that and quickly got to work.

"Sir we saw Potter and his friends here and there was an argument and I really don't know how Potter got hurt." Draco's eyes showed his worry.

McGonagall by then had conjured a stretcher and had placed Harry on it freezing him with a stasis charm and was on her way out, with Hermione, Luna and Neville following her. Ron and Ginny saw that and started to leave when Snape stopped all of them.

"Granger, were you, Lovegood and Longbottom in the fight?" Snape glared at her as he asked her.

"No Sir, Harry and Neville were holding Ron, and Luna and I were holding Ginny who were angry with Bulstrode and Nott and the others for, for, for," she ran down there, her eyes still running with tears and looking at the door longingly.

"You may go with professor McGonagall and help her if necessary." Hermione waited only for that, she was out like a shot racing after McGonagall.

Ron and Ginny scowled and tried to also move to the door when Snape raised his eyebrows, "And pray, may I know where you two are going?"

"To Harry. He is my best friend and I want to be with him you greasy git, don't you understand, let me go." Ron shouted as he totally lost control and it was the sudden quiet in The Three Broomsticks that reminded him that he had said something that would land him in a lot of trouble and be very hard to get out of.

"What did you say Weasley?" Snape asked very softly, his eyes piercing Ron Weasley.

No one dared utter a word as they stood still and silent.

Snape suddenly whirled to Neville and Luna, "Longbottom, what happened here? Tell me word for word; else you will be in detention with me all the year around."

Neville gulped as Snape's eyes landed on him and stumbling and stuttering with Luna helping him along, Snape soon got to the bottom of what had happened.

"Draco, Bulstrode, Nott, Zabini and Parkinson, to my office and wait there for me. Weasley, you and your sister will join them in my office and wait for me. Now I expect all of you to behave yourselves and there will be no talking let alone fighting. I will know if any of you do anything to the contrary."

"Hey let me and Ginny go. We did not do a thing. It was your slimy Slytherins." Ron shouted at Snape, who had already turned to leave for Hogwarts. Hearing Ron's words he stopped and turned around. "You will do as I say, both of you. Is that understood?" his eyes bore down on Ginny and Ron.

But Ron and Ginny were very flustered by the words that Draco and the others had thrown about and both of them lost it completely.

"No we won't and you cannot make us, you death eater." He shouted as Ginny tried to pull him back. Snape came forward and stood intimidating in front of Ron and glared into his eyes.

"If I were a death eater you would not be alive now for provoking me so." He said very softly, his tone deadly and promising retribution.

There was a deathly silence as Snape stood there for a long minute until Ron started shaking and sweating and then he turned and walked out swiftly and almost ran along the road to Hogwarts and once he was out of sight from The Three Broomsticks he apparated to the gates and ran inside and once he entered the doors at Hogwarts, went straight to the infirmary, summoning a few potions on the way.

He burst into the infirmary where he was greeted with many cries of relief from, McGonagall, Pomfrey and Hermione. Snape opened the bottles he had summoned to him and McGonagall conjured vials and soon they had poured about four potions into Harry's throat.

Harry was unconscious through it all and a few minutes after he had the last potion, the blood that had been coming out of his nose and mouth stopped. Snape ran his wand once again as did Pomfrey and they found that the internal bleeding was slowly being contained.

"This would need three more potions that I have to make as I do not have it with me. Potter will have to sleep with a stasis charm until then, I'm afraid. He has been hit by a seeping curse that is a dark curse used to seep the blood in two ways from the body. The blood flows out through the nose and mouth and it also starts seeping out of the blood vessels inside the body."

"Severus?" McGonagall trembled as she looked at his in horror as Hermione gasped out loudly and Pomfrey looked grim.

"Who did this Severus?" she demanded her face boding no good for whoever dared to use a dark curse on a student and that too, Harry for whom she had a soft corner.

Snape told her briefly, "Minerva will fill you on the rest Poppy. I need to go to the potions lab to brew the necessary potions Poppy. The potions I have given are only to temporarily stop the flow of blood outside and inside. Granger I will need you and Roger from seventh year and," looking at Luna and Neville who had entered the infirmary at that point Snape continued, "Lovegood you may come and help Granger with the chopping. You will inform Albus Minerva, I presume." Snape told her as he went down to the dungeons followed by Luna and Hermione who was still crying.

All of them went to the dungeons and Snape asked an elf to call for the seventh year student whom he knew was not associated with death eaters and gave Hermione and Luna instructions and bade them to start work. Then he left for his office to meet with the Slytherins.

Snape strode in silently and stood in a dark corner of the office watching everyone who was there. All of them were standing very uncomfortably Snape noted with satisfaction, though Draco, Pansy and Blaise were looking worried.

He strode into the room and everyone looked up with a start as he came and sat down on the chair and surveyed them intently. All of them shuffled a bit and looked down. They were all much disheveled and sported various scratches and wounds on their person.

"Well this is out of my hands as the Headmaster will mete out your punishments. How stupid can you be, all of you who are from Slytherin I mean? Do you or do you not know that fighting outside where there are so many witnesses are just not done?" the tone was soft and silky and all the Slytherins shivered. That tone meant a very harsh punishment later.

At that point Dumbledore entered and looked very gravely at all of them and his blue eyes pierced Ron and Ginny intently making them squirm. Snape got up at once and they went to a corner of the room and spoke for sometime, Snape looking very sour.

They heard him say to Dumbledore as they walked back to the students, "But Albus Potter will survive. Must you be harsh when nothing has really happened?"

"I knew it. You are a death eater." Ron shouted. He was frustrated, nothing was going his way and now it looked as if he was going to be punished badly.

Snape sneered at him and Dumbledore took over. "What you have committed today is a grave offence indeed. Please hand over your wands."

Ron came first and handed his wand for the priori incantatem. Slowly all the others came forward and when Nott came trembling Dumbledore silently tested his wand and found the curse had come from his wand.

He looked at Nott silently for a few minutes his eyes assessing the situation that was at hand.

"Mr. Nott, this offence if reported by Mr. Potter will get you life in Azkaban if you are fortunate and a dementor's kiss if you are not. What do you have to say about this?"

"He wishes to apologize of course, Headmaster. These curses come not by intent but in the heat of the moment. He will be punished of course but surely all of them are young boys and they do get carried away." Snape glared at Nott willing him to back Snape's statement and Nott who was very frightened by now nodded his head fervently.

"Yes Sir. I never meant to. I never knew what this curse would do. I just happened to read of it somewhere and…" Nott gulped and looked pleadingly at Snape.

He was not to know that Snape was so angry with him, he would have killed Nott for what he had done. But Snape's position with the Inner Circle meant he had to down play this and try his best to get Nott off.

After what seemed ages Dumbledore nodded his head. There will be no more Hogsmeade visits for you this year and for the next year. Your punishment will be decided by the Head of Gryffindor House as Mr. Potter belongs to that House. Mr. Weasley and Miss. Weasley I am very disappointed. You do not speak to a teacher like you did Mr. Weasley. To accuse a professor of being a death eater in public was in very bad taste. Your punishments will be decided by professor Snape."

As both Ron and Ginny opened their mouths to protest Dumbledore held up his hand and sent a quelling look that silenced both of them. "It was your reaction to some immature remarks that started the fight in the first place."

"The rest of you will receive detentions that the professors Snape and McGonagall will decide upon. You will receive your punishments tomorrow. Mr. Nott and indeed all of you here, the next time a student is caught casting a dark spell, that will result in expulsion and a visit to the auror office in the Ministry. Am I clear?"

Dumbledore looked once more at all of them and sent them away and went into the potions lab with Snape. The seventh year was already there and he had started the cauldrons. All of them worked in silence with Dumbledore looking on and it was late at night that the potions were finished.

Dumbledore thanked the three students and sent them to their common rooms and went with Snape to the infirmary where Harry still lay unconscious and in a stasis.

Snape assisted by Pomfrey removed the stasis and fed the potions to Harry who was still unconscious. Then she ran her wand and breathed a sigh of relief. The potions were working.

"Potter should be fine in a day or two. The potions are fine Severus." She told the tired man with a smile.

Dumbledore beamed at her and Snape and warning Pomfrey to ward the doors, both the Headmaster and his professor left for their rooms.