HP FANFIC CHAPTER 12- Gryffindors first
Harry, Ron and Hermione all slept in the living room. Were they had slept recently. Ron on the floor between Harry and Hermione (Only after a half an hour of arguing with a reluctant Harry.) Luna, Seamus, and Draco all took Regulus' room and slept on the floor. Luna happily slept next to the heater. Shelby and Connor slept in the corner of the living room, next to the fire. Connor on one side, Shelby on the other. The fire and Dennis' jacket were the only thing between them. Connor thought over and over in his head of ways to protect everyone. Just like Riley, he felt helpless. Everyone did. Harry thought of the same thing as the McDonough's. “I've just won one war... I'm not stopping here.” Harry told himself before falling shutting his eyes tight and trying to clear his mind.
“I should’ve been there for him.” Shelby said. Connor snapped out of his trance and turned to her.
“For Dennis?”
“And Colin. If I was there for them. This wouldn’t have happened.” She said. “Dennis wanted nothing more than to live like he used too. He’s didn’t really have a childhood.” She frowned. Connor propped himself up on his elbow and focused on Shelby.
“And Colin…You know he had a girlfriend?” Shelby grinned turning to Connor.
“Wasn’t her name Becca or something?” Connor asked smiling seeing her smile. She nodded.
“Two weeks ago I went out to dinner with him, Becca, Dennis and Luna. Becca and him told me that after school they wanted to get married.” She said sighing.
“They were really committed.” Connor said. Shelby nodded. “I know that he never went anywhere without her.” Shelby chuckled and nodded again.
“I saw Becca before we came…” Shelby said. Connor stopped smiling instantly.
“Did she know he...”
“Yeah.”
“She wished me and the rest of us luck and gave me his wand.” She said biting her lip. Connor frowned and looked down. He noticed she had started crying again and he pulled her into a hug.
“Don’t cry please.” He said quietly rocking her almost. He let her cry for a few minutes before he pulled her back. “Shelby, you have to be strong sweetheart. Its not going to be easy but ill help you, everyone in this house will help you. You’re not alone and this isn’t your fault. You had no way of stopping or preventing this.” He said calmly holding her face with both of his hands. She nodded quickly and hugged him again. He was tired of it all.
“I think he's awake!” “I don't know...” “You idiots, his eyes are still closed!” “Blimey! Shut up!” “He needs his sleep you lot! Hush!”
Harry opened his eyes slowly, hearing people talking around him. He looked around and saw everyone surrounding him... he was laying in a bed. As he looked around more, he noticed a very familiar smell and scene. The high ceiling, large windows. 13 beds... he was in the Hogwarts hospital wing.
“W...what am I doing here?” he stuttered. He shut his mouth quickly feeling a sharp pain in his neck.
“Harry . . . don’t talk too much.” Ginny said. She sat beside his bed on a chair.
“What happened...” he whispered.
“Well.....” Seamus began.
“Once we all had fallen asleep... something happened. I guess someone from the Ministry was aware that we were here...” Hermione said quickly.
“The ministry is on our side though... right?”
“Were... well I guess they still are. There was a spy, working in the department of mysteries. I guess they were watching one of us from somewhere and found out we were staying here, alarmed their forces and all hell broke loose. They attacked you first harry... it was terrible. You wouldn't even wake up... must've been dreaming of wonderful things...” Luna said softly.
“Anyways, to sum it up. We were ambushed. They burned down the entire complex. I heard half of the muggle's were killed... and Preacher too. We were lucky to be able to get you out.”
“How did I get out, if I wasn't awake?” harry asked fighting through the burning in his throat.
“Connor carried you out...” Shelby said. Harry turned his head towards her. Connor grinned; he had cuts on his neck and jaw. And a burn mark on his left wrist.
“Why does my throat hurt...?” he asked quickly.
“They used some spell... I’m not sure of the name... madam Pomfrey would give us no information. But it was basically a silencing charm. It would keep you quiet long enough for someone to get in and get you out. It affects your vocal chords. So they are probably sore. Here use this.” Hermione talked slowly. She handed harry a parchment and put a quill and tube of ink on his bed side table.
“If you need to say something, use that. It will help you heal.” Harry nodded softly.
As night fell, everyone began to clear out of the wing. Hermione and Ron were the last ones by his side, Connor and Shelby had to stay in the wing for supervision. Shelby's ankle had been snapped during the fight and Connor's arm was severely burned.
“I’m sorry.” Harry said his throat pain easing.
“For what harry?” Shelby asked getting to her feet, using crutches.
“For that! I’m making things worse...”
“Rubbish.” Connor interjected. “It wasn't your fault, Potter. Really, it’s fine. Besides, it doesn't hurt as bad as it did earlier.” He reassured harry. Shelby grabbed a glass of water, then hopped back to her bed. She sat her crutches on the floor and climbed into bed, falling asleep quickly. Her bed was next to the window, Connor lay between her and Harry.
“Thank you... a lot Connor.” Harry said slowly.
“No big deal harry, someone had to get you out. And I happened to be closest.” he said in a humble tone.
“You still saved me.” Harry laughed.
“Well, let’s just put it like this. I returned the favor. You saved me from Voldemort.” Connor grinned. He rolled over and closed his eyes. A wave of happiness hit Harry. He did defeat Voldemort. What made him doubt that he couldn't defeat Bellatrix? She was obviously weaker then Voldemort, and weaker now considering she had just risen from the dead and barely alive. He fell asleep smiling. He could win this war, not alone. But he could win it.
There was a short pause of silence. Connor was waiting until he heard Harry snoring quietly to get up. He sat up in his bed slowly and swung his feet over the bed.
“Connor what are you doing?” Shelby whispered. He grabbed his own crutches and propped himself up on top of them after getting out of bed. He limped over to her bed and fell onto it. He sat beside her.
“You look upset. You've looked upset all day, what's wrong?” Connor asked setting his leaning his crutches up against the small bedside table and turning to her.
“Vincent came to visit today.” She said looking rather nervous. Connor bit his lip.
“And?”
“I told him. I wasn't sure if I should because I was afraid he was going to do something.” Shelby said sitting up in her bed.
“Do something? To who? Me?” Connor chuckled. “He couldn't hurt me.”
“Connor, please.” Shelby said glaring at him. He closed his mouth quickly. “He seemed upset but the minute I told him he walked out of the room. I’m not sure how he's taking it all.” She said looking down.
“Look, it'll be okay.” Connor put his arm around her. “Don't worry about him anymore.”
Hermione's birthday was just around the corner and the time couldn't be worse. The rumor of Bellatrix attacking students around the school spread quick, and everyone began to travel in groups. And rain poured endlessly. Everyone stayed with packs and no students lounged anywhere unless accompanied by more. No one was even allowed in the great hall unless accompanied by their whole house. All of this reminded harry of when the chamber of secrets had been opened. Seven students lay in the hospital wing injured or petrified. Madam Pomfrey had her hands full, and allowed no visitors or messages. Unless they were urgent.
“Why can’t things just go right?” Harry asked an empty cage were his once sparkling white owl used to perch. He took a deep breath and turned to Ron and Neville. Riley had joined them in the tower.
“Harry?” Neville asked looking up from The Quibbler.
“Yes Neville?” Harry said no emotion in his voice.
“You don't truly believe she's... she's in the school do you?” he muttered putting the glossy magazine down.
“At this point I don't know what to believe...” harry said taking his gaze off Hedwig's empty cage to glance at a nervous Neville.
“We need more proof.” Ron spoke. Riley gave a long yawn.
“Well, we all need reassuring. So maybe we can go for a castle lookout session tomorrow. Might help.” Riley suggested. Everyone agreed to it, Harry looked back at the cage and nodded approvingly.
His eyes didn't leave the cage for hours. They were glazed with tears several times before he finally stopped drowning them in his sleeve and let them flow.
“I’ve lost so many...” he thought. “What about teddy...?” Harry suddenly looked over at Ron.
“Bloody hell! Ron, who's looking after Teddy Lupin?” Harry broke the sleepy silence. Making riley open his eyes. Neville rolled over in his sleep.
“I-I believe a friend of theirs is currently watching them until your responsible enough... didn't you and Remus discuss this?” Ron said looking at harry, he looked concerned. “Don't you remember?” Ron added.
“Remus and Tonk's left Teddy in your care?” Riley asked quietly. “Blimey.”
Harry lay back in his small four poster bed and yawned. He hadn't slept in this bed since last month and it felt great to know it was still as warm and soft. The same people were in the Gryffindor dorms. Riley however, had fallen asleep in the dorms writing a letter to his younger brother, Toby in Seamus Finnegan’s bed. Neville dozed off inspecting his Herbology exams from last week and Ron seemed to be the only one who looked like he was intending to sleep. His book placed nicely on the table beside his bed. The rest were in awkward positions. Harry looked around realizing the time. It was almost 2 AM and he couldn't care less. He held the snitch Dumbledore had given him. Occasionally tossing it up in the air and letting it zip around the room. Rain softly hit the small windows letting out a soothing sound. Every once in a while Ron or riley would let out a loud snore that would startle harry from dozing off but sleep wasn't important to a shivering harry. The room had grown cold. Harry slowly got to his feet and stalked over to the fireplace by the window pane he loved to sit on. Without magic, he put a stack of new logs in the ash filled fire place and threw a match in.
“I don't understand...” he breathed sitting next to the fire. “Why are people being attacked? Why would she be in Hogwarts?” harry asked the fire.
“revenge.” someone spoke. Harry hopped onto his feet and whipped his wand from his sweat pants pocket and angled it at the fire.
“Drop your wand potter.” a girl said from the doorway. Harry looked over and relaxed.
“Pansy Parkinson?” Harry stared, eyebrows raised.
“Are you really that stupid, Harry?” Pansy mused. Harry stiffened up as she stepped from the shadows. She had long black hair now, down to her shoulders and bright green eyes resembling his. She had several scratches around her neck and jaw and even had a bandage on her collarbone. Her clothes were the usual uniform with her thick robes.
“Why are you here?” harry asked.
“To warn you.” her words and the expression on her face were worrisome. She stared at harry intently. Her green eyes looked like those of a basilisk in the firelight. Harry clenched his wand.
“Stay away from the McDonough's.” Pansy warned. Harry opened his mouth but said nothing.
“-And that Dursley kid, Vincent? Whatever your cousin. Don't trust him...” she said, her body was tense and her stance was awkward.
“Why!?” harry gasped.
“Hush! Don't wake them you idiot!” pansy growled. “Come on!” she said as she roughly grabbed his hoodie collar. She dragged him into the hallway.
“Harry... look.” she said quickly pushing him towards painting on the wall. Harry pushed pansy's hand off him and took a few steps back
Gryffindor's first