CH 34

Giving a grunt of acknowledgement, Madam Bones said, "As per my last, I'm to be contacted the minute he's awake. I'll be in my office at the Ministry." The healer gave a nod in reply and said, "Yes, Madam Bones." And continued with her work as the lady in question walked back out the door.

'C'mon, Harry,' she thought. 'I need to talk to you.'

On the morning after 'The Incident', as it was being spoken of, the last class had just finished for the day when Potions Master, Professor Severus Snape, saw a man he recognised as the father of one of his newest snakes walk in the door of his classroom.

"Lord Greengrass," drolled Snape. "To what do I owe the honour?"

"I've come to collect my eldest daughter, Potions Master; Daphne. I believe she's one of yours," said Cygnus.

"Indeed," replied Snape. "I take it this is a family matter?" "Indeed," replied Cygnus, not clarifying the point.

"And when may we find her returning?"

"Probably, this evening; possibly, tomorrow morning before class."

Snape merely nodded and said, "I would hazard a guess she'll be in the Slytherin common room about now. I take it you remember your way?"

With a nod of his own, Cygnus replied, "Of course."

With almost a dismissive gesture, Snape said, "The password is 'cunning and guile'. I'll inform the other staff at dinner Miss Greengrass will be away on family matters until tomorrow morning at the latest."

"Thank you, Potions Master, for your consideration," said Cygnus with barely a head nod of recognition, before he turned on his heel and left the classroom, heading for the Slytherin common room.

Daphne was almost frantic with worry about what happened to 'her Harry' the evening before at the sorting. She wanted to rush over and help him when he collapsed but Tracey held her back. By the time she was able to dislodge herself from her friend's grip, the Older Years were already herding all the children away from the Hufflepuff table.

She watched - almost in horror - as Madam Pomfrey, the school Healer, worked rapidly on the inert form of her betrothed. She could feel her ring give off the occasional vibration and pulse of light, but she knew they weren't malicious attacks.

When Madam Pomfrey and one of the healers from Saint Mungo's levitated Harry's - body - off the table onto a waiting stretcher, and then hurry him out of the room, she wanted nothing more than to rush after them. However, she knew the aurors that had arrived would have blocked her from doing so.

Instead, she stayed with the other First Year Slytherins and allowed herself to be comforted by her friend.

As soon as she was able to, though, she raced to the owlery to write and send a note to her father. She found Hedwig there, looking quite distressed. When Daphne stepped into the roost Hedwig immediately flew down to land on her shoulder; she softly hooted in the girl's ear.

While she was writing a note to her father she talked to the bird. "I know you understand, girl. Something bad happened to Harry during the sorting. He's been rushed off to Saint Mungo's, I think. I need to get a message to my Dad right away about what happened. I know I can give it to one of the other owls to carry; but, I only trust you to carry something so important for me and Harry."

Hedwig gave a bit of a scoffing huff and nibbled gently on Daphne's ear as the girl wrote her note.

As soon as Daphne finished writing the letter, Hedwig flew to a lower level roost within arms reach of the girl. And Daphne quickly attached the note to the owl's leg.

Once both owl and girl were happy the note was firmly affixed, Hedwig took immediate flight out on of the many windows.

Daphne sighed as she watched the snowy, softly glowing outline of the owl disappear into the night. "Be safe, girl," she whispered. "And hurry." As soon as classes finished for the day, she rushed back to the Slytherin dorms. She'd no sooner unloaded her books onto her bed when one of the girls in an older year poked her head in and said, "Your father awaits you in the common room, Miss Greengrass."

Daphne practically flew out of the room. And, half an hour later she was walking beside her father through the corridors of Saint Mungo's heading for what she hoped was the healthy form of her 'man'.

After being brought up short by a pair of aurors standing outside the door of a private ward to identify themselves, both Daphne and her father were allowed through. But, they'd had to get past quite a few people she recognised as probably being journalists to get there. A couple had tried to question them before they stepped through, but she ignored them all. Inside, they were greeted by the sight of Harry lying, appearing still unconscious, on a standard ward hospital bed. Daphne was introduced by her father to both Madam Bones and Madam Longbottom, who had been standing off to the side, quietly conversing before they walked in.

As soon as the introductions were done with, though, Daphne quickly moved to the side of the bed. She took Harry's hand in one of her own and placed her other one on his shoulder.

"Oh, Harry," she cried to the sleeping form on the bed. "What have you done to yourself?"

She felt the hand she was holding twitch a little, before her grasp of it was returned. Harry's eyes fluttered a little before she heard him ask in a soft voice, "D... Daphne?" Moving her other hand to brush her fingers through his hair, she felt her heart give a leap of joy. "Yes, Harry!" she cried. "I'm here!"

She didn't notice the adults, having heard Harry respond, move closer around the bed.

Nor did she notice Madam Bones move away again and stick her head outside the door for a moment before returning.

"What did you do to yourself?" the girl cried. "You gave me such a fright."

"I'm sorry," he croaked out. "I - lost my temper. I - let it get away from me. I couldn't stop it."

"Harry, its Aunt Amelia," piped in Madam Bones. "You're in Saint Mungo's and you're quite safe. Just rest for a bit. I've called for one of your Healers to come and check up on you." "Al... alright," whispered Harry.

Madam Bones moved away and indicated for the other two adults to join her.

"What in Merlin's name happened last night, Amelia?" Cygnus pretty much growled. "I know you've already investigated it by now."

"If you come by my office later, I'll let you watch the pensieve memories I have of the event," she replied. "For now, though, the crib notes.

"The first years, including your daughter and Harry, came in to the Great Hall, as per normal. The sorting began and students started to be sorted. The expression on Harry's face quickly turned to one of complete anger. It seems to have come when he first spied the Head Table.

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