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Healing

After classes had ended for lunch, and Ron had made a quick trip to grab food from the Great Hall, he, Hermione and Ginny walked into the hospital wing to find Harry sitting up on his bed eating from a half empty plate of food. Seeing Harry turn his head to look at them, and the smile that followed was enough to make them wonder.

“Harry, are you…” Ron began.

“I’m still blind if that’s what you’re asking,” Harry interrupted as he noticed yet another new connection he had not been able to see previously.

“This is the first time you’ve sat up since the accident,” Hermione pointed out. “Is your head feeling better?”

“I still have a persistent headache,” Harry replied as he continued to look from Hermione to Ron quizzically, “but everything else seems to have healed nicely.”

Noticing the look of concentration on Harry’s face as he looked from Ron to Hermione, Ginny asked, “Is there something wrong, Harry? Looking at Hermione and Ron that way is only going to make them paranoid. They were already rattled enough by that stunt you pulled earlier while they were in Potions class.”

“I’m seeing something I haven’t seen before,” Harry replied.

“It figures,” Ron said with a grin. “We found out the hard way that you can do things you didn’t used to be able to do until today.”

“So what is it now, Harry?” Hermione asked. “Have the colors of our lines changed or something.”

“Not exactly,” Harry replied carefully. “The ones to me haven’t changed at all, but for some reason I can see the one connecting the two of you now.”

“There’s a connection between us?” Ron asked with a proud grin on his face. “Wicked.”

“Yet another color I suppose,” Hermione commented looking equally pleased.

“No,” Harry said. “Actually it’s the same color as the one I have with Ginny.”

Ron and Hermione looked at one another and smiled as the significance of their connection became apparent, and Ginny said, “So white must be the color of the love bond between two people.”

“So far that seems to be holding true anyway,” Harry said. “Firenze should be happy to hear that I’ve been able to distinguish some kind of reason for at least one of the colors I see. He’s been here all morning working with me. He only left because he got a message that the Centaurs wanted to talk with him.”

“I wonder what they want,” Ron questioned. “I don’t think we should be so tolerant and trusting of them being on the grounds.”

“That’s what you said about the Slytherin,” Harry reminded him.

“Exactly,” Ron replied, “and look where that got you.”

“I’m here because of a death eater, mate,” Harry pointed out. “The Slytherins didn’t have anything to do with it.”

“Theodore Nott did,” Ron said as he readied himself for another round of angry pacing. “He’s the one who got you mixed up with this in the first place.”

“I think we can all agree that I got myself mixed up into the situation where I currently find myself,” Harry commented with conviction in his words. “Besides, Theodore Nott is visiting his dad in the dungeon. What I felt from him earlier makes it all worth it.”

“You have got to be joking, mate,” Ron accused. “We were there when Nott woke up this morning. He’s a nasty piece of work. Trust me; you don’t want to have anything to do with him.”

In the dungeon, Theodore Nott called out to McGonagall and waited as she walked into view before he said, “Professor, I’d like to stay here for the rest of the day with my dad.”

“I had a feeling you would end up asking for that,” McGonagall said as she studied the cell where they both stood. “Though it is against my better judgment I shall allow it. I need not remind you that such visitation would not be allowed were you being held by the Ministry. I am placing a great deal of trust into you both. I hope you will do nothing to betray that trust.”

“Though it may mean nothing to you,” Nott said as he stepped up beside his son and placed a hand on his shoulder, “I give you my word that I will do nothing to attempt an escape.”

“Very well,” McGonagall said. “I shall place an order for meals to be brought to you both. I will send Professor Lupin back tonight after dinner begins. It will be easier to move you through the castle without being observed by the other students at that time.”

“Can I come back tomorrow?” Theodore asked hopefully. “I don’t know how much more time I’ll have with my dad.”

McGonagall considered the request, but as she studied the yearning in Theodore’s eyes she said, “I will not deny you that time. I will send someone for you again tomorrow.”

“Thank you, Professor,” Theodore said happily.

“Yes,” Nott said in echo, “thank you, Professor McGonagall. It means a great deal to me as well. I have only one other request.”

McGonagall looked back at him briefly as she asked, “What is it?”

“Since I’m locked in this cell and not free to do so on my own,” Nott began, “please convey my appreciation to Mr. Potter for all that he has done for my son, and for me. Had I only known… well… I would have reacted very differently. Then he wouldn’t be…”

“I spoke with Mr. Potter extensively early this morning,” McGonagall commented. “As unimaginable as it may seem, he does not bear any ill will toward you for what you did to him.”

“How is that possible?” Nott asked. “I nearly killed him.”

“I think you will find, as I have, that Mr. Potter’s capacity for love and forgiveness runs very deep,” McGonagall stated. “He understands that he was not attacked by a death eater. He was attacked by a parent concerned for the well being of his child. Growing up the way he did… It is enough to say that he sympathizes with your feelings.”

Nott considered her words for several seconds before he nodded and said, “I understand.”

Without another word, McGonagall turned and walked out of the dungeons on her way to the kitchen to place an order for the food she had promised. After emerging from the kitchen, she walked toward the Great Hall. Before she made it there, she met a worried looking Lupin.

“What is it, Remus?” McGonagall asked. “What’s happened?”

“Firenze went out to speak to the Centaurs again,” Lupin explained. “There are more of them this time. There are a lot more.”

McGonagall wasted no time in turning for the castle doors. Upon stepping outside she could plainly see why Lupin had thought it necessary to warn her. Hagrid stood along with Tonks, Flitwick, and Slughorn well behind where Firenze stood facing what appeared to be around a hundred Centaurs.

“That was enough at the earlier meeting when our numbers were fewer,” Magorian said strongly with his voice raised slightly with a warning tone. “For those present now these demands must be met.”

“I will speak to Professor McGonagall if I can be assured that all of you are at least willing to offer what I have already indicated,” Firenze said as he remained acutely aware of the centaurs arrayed in an arc around him.

“There is no reason to wait,” Orlef said as he spotted McGonagall walking past where her teachers stood and proceeding toward them. “You can ask her now.”

“Nothing has changed, Magorian” McGonagall said harshly as she stopped beside Firenze. “Your increased number here only serves to heighten my suspicions about your intent.”

A dark haired Centaur McGonagall didn’t recognize stepped closer as he warned, “Watch your tone, human. Your suspicion is of no importance to us.”

“But her cooperation is,” Firenze pointed out as McGonagall looked over at him questioningly.

“Some among us have claimed it is so,” a female centaur. “Others among us see no need for the cooperation of any human.”

“Exactly what kind of cooperation on my part has been proposed?” McGonagall asked.

“We wish to speak in person with Harry Potter,” Magorian supplied.

“I can tell you with all assurance that will never happen until I know your true intent,” McGonagall countered.

“They are interested in the connections Mr. Potter sees and shares with others,” Firenze commented. “I can not tell you why.”

“Can’t, or won’t?” McGonagall asked.

Firenze considered carefully before he said, “You are well aware that there are some things I am forbidden to discuss with humans. I can not tell you more about their intentions as I understand them without speaking of things of which I can not.”

“Be that as it may,” McGonagall began, “you are all well aware that as Headmistress I am responsible for the safety and welfare of all of my students.”

“We don’t care about all of your students,” the dark haired Centaur said as he began advancing threateningly with a group of thirty six centaurs advancing behind him. “We want to see Potter.”

Quickly, McGonagall drew her wand even as her teachers behind her did the same. The advancing Centaurs stopped, but it was not from the threat of the wands. Instead, McGonagall could see that their attention was focused back toward the castle. Looking behind her, she saw Ginny step onto the grass and begin walking toward them calmly. Turning back she watched as the Centaurs stepped back respectfully even as the ones in the back maneuvered for a better view. McGonagall backed away as she kept her wand trained on the Centaurs.

“Miss Weasley, what are you…” McGonagall began as Ginny neared her position.

“Harry asked me to come,” Ginny explained preemptively as she stopped beside McGonagall. “He sensed things could get out of hand. He asked me to try to stop it.”

“Students are not permitted on the grounds for a reason, Miss Weasley,” McGonagall pointed out as Tonks and Lupin walked closer to them. “This is not a safe place for you to be right now even if Mr. Potter wishes it were.”

“She’s right, Ginny,” Tonks agreed. “I’ll take you back inside.”

“Wait a minute,” Lupin said as he studied the calmness on Ginny’s face. “Harry knows something. He never would have sent Ginny here if he didn’t believe it was safe.”

“Need you be reminded of the chances he takes?” McGonagall asked.

“With himself, yes,” Lupin said. “Not with her though.”

“Firenze did spend the entire morning with Harry,” Tonks commented. “Maybe he does know something we don’t.”

“If he does it isn’t something he’s shared with me,” Ginny informed them. “He knows that the Centaurs are interested in him. They’ve been watching him from the forest for some time now. He’s confident that they intend no harm to anyone else though.”

“That is a belief I am not as confident in,” McGonagall said.

“It may not be a bad idea to let her talk to them,” Lupin said surprising McGonagall and Tonks. “Look at the reaction they had as soon as she walked outside. A few of them looked to be on the verge of storming the castle before. Look at them. Even the ones who were so brazenly hostile before are staring at her even now. They don’t seem the least bit hostile any more.”

McGonagall studied the posture and expressions of the Centaurs carefully as Tonks said, “I suppose there really would be very little danger to her. We would all be able to protect her if they did turn hostile. A simple shield charm should work.”

McGonagall delayed several seconds before she turned back to Ginny and said, “You must be very careful in the words you choose to use when addressing the Centaurs. Even an unintended insult could be disastrous.”

“I’ll be careful,” Ginny assured her.

McGonagall motioned for the other teachers to join them, and once they had they walked alertly toward where the Centaurs stood waiting. As the group stopped, Magorian stepped forward and bowed his head to Ginny.

“I know that you’ve requested a meeting with Harry,” Ginny said addressing Magorian. “He wanted to come here to meet with you himself, but his current condition made that impossible.”

“It is truly an honor to have you before us, Miss Weasley,” Magorian said as several of his Centaur brethren nodded agreement. “We have… many questions.”

“As do I,” Ginny responded. “First and foremost I must know if you have any intention of trying to harm Harry.”

“Harm him?” Magorian asked in surprise. “I can assure you that we have no intention of causing harm to any humans in the castle, yourself and Mr. Potter least of all.”

“Me?” Ginny asked as the dark haired Centaur stepped close to her and passed his hand through the air just in front of her chest.

“You can see it can’t you?” Firenze asked. “All of you can see it.”

“I always believed it to be an impossibility,” the dark haired Centaur said as he looked at his own hand in wonder. “If this is a trick it is a very realistic one.”

“You mean the connection I have with Harry?” Ginny asked as the Centaur nodded his head. “I can’t deny you your disbelief. I live with it every day and it somehow seems impossible to me as well. I know it’s real though. I can see it with my own eyes now, though not nearly as well as Harry can see it. Is it important to you?”

“So important that it could change the relationship between humans and Centaurs forever,” Magorian said.

“For the better I hope,” Ginny said with a smile.

“Indeed, Miss Weasley,” the dark haired Centaur said as he stuck his hand out to Ginny. “I am called Lisian. I pledge to help Harry Potter in any way I can.”

Ginny took Lisian’s hand in a gentle handshake as she said, “It’s a pleasure to meet you Lisian. I don’t know what you can do to help Harry, but thank you for offering.”

“There is potentially a great deal we can do,” Magorian said. “It is one of the reasons we are all gathered here today.”

“Are you saying you have a way to cure Mr. Potter?” McGonagall asked.

“There is no way to be sure,” Magorian replied. “There is a slight chance, but even the cooperation of the entire herd is not a guarantee of success.”

“I would like to hear what you have in mind,” McGonagall said.

“I am just as unable to tell you at this point as Firenze,” Magorian replied. “The decision within the herd must be unanimous before the attempt can be made at all.”

“How soon will you know?” McGonagall asked.

“It is difficult to say,” Magorian said. “Most of us will now go to attempt to convince the others. Some may wish to remain either close inside the forest or on the grounds.”

“Now that I understand your intentions not to be malicious you may use the grounds at your leisure,” McGonagall offered.

“Thank you, Headmistress,” Magorian said with much more sincerity than he had done previously.

Magorian turned and began walking back toward the forest and a few of the Centaurs followed. However, the majority of them took the opportunity to walk to Ginny individually as they respectfully shook hands and introduced themselves.

As the last of the Centaurs walked away, Firenze turned to Ginny and said, “Thank you, Miss Weasley. I can not adequately explain to you the profound difference you made with your presence.”

“I was terrified,” Ginny admitted with a small grin.

“You hid it well,” Slughorn said with a twinkle in his eye. “There may be a future for you in diplomacy, Miss Weasley.”

“Well, the only thing in my near future is Transfiguration,” Ginny said. “May I be excused? If I don’t hurry I’ll be late to class.”

“Something tells me the teacher will excuse you if you are,” Tonks said with a smile as she placed her hand on Ginny’s shoulder. “I’ll walk there with you if you don’t mind.”

“Not at all,” Ginny responded as she and Tonks began walking back to the castle.

McGonagall watched them go as she said, “None of us ever asked them what their intentions were. Miss Weasley opened with the question we should have been asking from the very beginning. Have we really become so jaded?”

At number twelve, Draco sat silently at the table as he continued to pick distractedly at his food. All morning Theodore Nott’s words were stinging in his ears. How could it be possible that Theodore was able to find out what had happened to his mum before he did? Had she taken him into her confidence even as she shut out her own son? None of it made any sense.

Narcissa reached for her empty plate and started to stand when Draco reached out quickly and stopped her by touching one of her hands gently. She looked at him and was surprised to see wetness forming in his eyes.

“Please, mum,” Draco said softly, “leave that. I’ll clean up as soon as I finish.”

“Are you sure, Draco?” Narcissa asked, surprised that he had even offered. “It isn’t much. I could…”

“No,” Draco replied. “I want to do it for you. It’ll give you a chance to rest.”

“Thank you, Draco,” Narcissa said with a kind smile. “That would be nice.”

After Narcissa had left the room, Draco said to himself, “You aren’t the only one who can be helpful Nott. I won’t let you steal my mum away from me.”

A short time later, Draco finished his food and set about clearing away the lunch dishes. It was no trouble for him. The months of living with Snape had made him very familiar with being the low rung on the ladder.

As soon as that thought passed through his mind he stopped what he was doing as his brow wrinkled in question. Was that really the way he thought of his mum? In his heart he knew he felt so much more for her, but Nott had questioned that as well. Did he treat his mum as no more than a servant?

Later that day, after classes at Hogwarts had ended, Lupin retrieved Theodore from the Dungeons to return him to number twelve. By then, dinner was well underway in the Great Hall, but not everyone chose to satisfy their need for food.

Zacharias Smith stepped into view of the cell to see Nott lying on his bed as if he was extremely relaxed. Seeing him that way only served to make Zacharias angrier.

“I’m not finished with you death eater,” Zacharias said as he drew his wand and Nott sat up to look at him.

“I was actually hoping you would come back, Mr. Smith,” Nott said as he stood and walked closer to the bars.

“You won’t be saying that when I get through with you,” Zacharias said as he readied his wand for the spell he had planned on the way down to the dungeon.

“I didn’t kill your father, Mr. Smith,” Nott said calmly.

Zacharias’ mouth dropped open as his wand dipped slightly before he was able to refocus his thoughts and say, “How do I know you aren’t lying? It isn’t like I can trust the word of a death eater anyway.”

“I understand,” Nott said. “I felt the same way about all of you when I first woke up here. I didn’t trust you because I thought you had kidnapped my son. You don’t trust me because you think I may have been involved in the death of your father. Since this morning my views on the matter have changed considerably. They let me visit with Theodore for most of the day.”

“How nice for you,” Zacharias said bitterly. “A visit like that is something the death eaters took away from me. It’s the one thing I can never have.”

“I know,” Nott said. “That is the same thing they took from me when they killed my wife.”

“What are you talking about?” Zacharias asked with a harsh tone.

“Not every death eater chose to follow the Dark Lord of their own volition,” Nott explained sadly. “I didn’t agree to become one until the Dark Lord threatened to kill my wife if I didn’t. After Theodore was born my wife and I tried to run. We didn’t want our son growing up in that kind of world. We didn’t make it far before he found us. As a punishment for my disloyalty I was forced to watch as he tortured my wife before killing her. Had I not gone back to serve him he threatened to do the same to my infant son. There is nothing I wouldn’t have done to keep that from happening.”

“You could have gone to the Ministry and turned yourself in,” Zacharias suggested.

“We were under Ministry protection at the time when the Dark Lord found us,” Nott explained. “I wasn’t about to make that mistake again. I thought it was finally over when I was captured during the battle in the Department of Mysteries. I was sent to Azkaban, and never has a prisoner gone there so happily. There, I thought, I was finally out of his reach. The attack there a few months ago proved just how wrong I was. That’s why even here in this dungeon, inside the protective walls of this castle, I know it is only a matter of time before he comes for me once again.”

Zacharias was silent as he stared at Nott intently for several seconds before he finally said, “Even if you didn’t kill my dad I’m betting you know something about it.”

“I’ll tell you all that I know,” Nott offered. “I wasn’t there when your father was killed. I didn’t even know about it until the day after it happened when I read it in the Prophet. I didn’t know your father, and the Prophet was not very detailed about the events leading up to his murder. It wasn’t until later that night that I overheard a group of death eaters talking about killing a wizard in London and realized they were talking about the man I had read about. You were right, Mr. Smith. Your father never did anything to make him the target of a death eater attack. The death eater who killed him hadn’t been seeking him out at all. His real target was a prominent muggle official who was in London for the day with his wife and children. Your father became a target when he stepped in front of that muggle family to defend them against the attack. He fought long enough to allow the muggles to escape, but the death eater killed him with the killing curse.”

By the time Nott finished his tale, Zacharias’ wand hung loosely at his side, and his eyes were full of tears as he asked, “Do you know which death eater killed him?”

“Yes,” Nott replied. “It was one of the most dangerous death eaters of them all. I strongly advise against going after him.”

“If I do it won’t be alone,” Zacharias said. “For now though, I just want to be able to tell my mother, the woman that death eater widowed, who killed her husband and why.”

Nott sighed heavily and said, “Very well. The death eater you seek is Rodolphus Lestrange.”

In the hospital wing, Ginny walked in to find Harry dressed and sitting up on the side of his bed as if he had just sat down there. Madam Pomfrey was talking to him, and as she got closer she heard what they were talking about.

“You were right, Mr. Potter” Madam Pomfrey said as she looked up at Ginny. “I should have known.”

“What was Harry right about this time?” Ginny asked as she reached the end of the bed.

“I was ready to send for one of the teachers,” Pomfrey explained, “but Mr. Potter said you were on your way here and could escort him downstairs.”

“Downstairs?” Ginny asked surprised. “You’re releasing him?”

“At this point I have no reason not to,” Pomfrey answered. “Aside from his blindness he’s in perfect health.”

“My headache is even gone,” Harry added happily as he stood and turned toward Ginny. “I’m fine.”

At that moment, Harry started walking to the end of the bed where Ginny was standing. Believing he had walked far enough, Harry turned ninety degrees and tripped over the end of the bed. Ginny moved quickly to catch him.

“Easy there, Harry,” Ginny said as she helped to right him once again. “Even you can’t walk through solid objects.”

“It’s a good thing for me you were here to catch me,” Harry said with a sly grin.

Spotting the look on his face Ginny said, “I could almost believe from that look that you tripped on purpose.”

“I don’t know what you mean,” Harry replied while not losing the smile. “I’m just happy you’re here.”

“Sure,” Ginny said not believing it for a moment.

“Shall I escort you to dinner?” Harry asked as he held out his arm for Ginny.

Ginny laughed as she took Harry’s arm and said, “I think it would be safer if you let me escort you this time.”

“How very modern of you,” Harry said as they began walking out of he hospital wing together.

Silence fell over the Great Hall as soon as Harry and Ginny walked in. Harry too was taken a bit by surprise when hundreds of colored threads of light sprang to his chest. He had expected as much, but the reality of it was still a bit overwhelming. All of the varied colors of blue lines in the room led only toward the Slytherin table, while nearly all of Gryffindor house was some shade of gold or another. Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff also had their share of gold lines, and Harry noticed that nearly all of them connected to D.A. members. The remaining lines ranged from dark red to a light pink.

Hermione and Ron were easy for him to spot with the line connecting them glowing brightly among all of the gold. The connection that soon held his attention though was one not from the house tables, but from the teachers table. He could see Tonks sitting there with a gold line connecting her to him, but another white line emerged from her chest and angled off to the side before disappearing through the castle wall. Harry smiled since he had a good idea of where the other end of that line connected.

Ginny helped Harry to sit down next to Ron, and she sat down beside him. Over the next several minutes Harry answered question after question from his housemates as he ate the food Ginny put on his plate for him. It was when Harry was half way through his meal that Zacharias entered the Great Hall with red puffy eyes and headed straight for Harry.

As Harry turned to look at him, Zacharias said, “I went to the hospital wing to see you, Harry, but you had already left. I hope you’re feeling better.”

“Much better,” Harry assured him. “Did you walk all the way up there just to see how I was doing?”

“Well… not exactly,” Zacharias admitted. “I need to talk to you about something as soon as you have time.”

“Is it important?” Harry asked.

“It is to me,” Zacharias replied. “I want to talk to you alone. It doesn’t have to be tonight.”

“Would tomorrow after classes be too late?” Harry asked.

“That would be perfect,” Zacharias said happily.

“Then I’ll meet you here in the Great Hall before dinner tomorrow night,” Harry offered.

“Great,” Zacharias said. “I’ll see you then.”

“I wonder what that was all about,” Ron said.

“It looked as if he had been crying,” Hermione added.

“Did you feel anything from him, Harry?” Ginny asked as she studied his face for a clue.

“Happiness,” Harry replied with a smile. “More happiness than he’s felt in a while I think.”

“Speaking of happiness,” Ron said, “you missed it, mate. McGonagall made the announcement tonight. She’s lifted the ban on going outside. She warned us that Centaurs are roaming the grounds, but no one seems to care. Everyone seems ready to get back outside.”

“Well then,” Harry said with a grin as he reached for Ginny’s hand, “Ginny, would you do me the honor of escorting me on a walk down by the lake after dinner?”

“Harry,” Hermione began, “I don’t know if that would be a good idea. The Centaurs…”

“The D.A. will look after you, Harry,” Neville said as he leaned in closer to them. “The Centaurs will never get close to you.”

“Thanks, Neville,” Harry said. “Don’t get too close though. I meant this to be a private walk with Ginny.”

Later that evening, with the majority of the D.A. formed behind Harry and Ginny, Harry stepped off of the stone step and his foot came into contact with the ground. As soon as he did an explosion of green light erupted from the partially snow covered ground to connect with his chest.

Seeing his reaction, Ginny asked, “What is it, Harry?”

“There’s a lot of organic material out here,” Harry replied as the green lights from the trees of the forbidden forest made their connection. “Wow.”

“Do you want to go back inside?” Ginny asked, concerned.

‘No,” Harry replied as he looked around and breathed in the cold night air. “Let’s walk down to the lake.”

As they moved closer to the lake, more and more connections sprang up to greet Harry. Even from the lake itself there were a multitude of green lines along with several purple and orange ones. Harry was still trying to sort those new ones out when several silver lines appeared to him. Looking to his left, he could see several Centaurs walking out of the forest toward where they stood. On and on they came as more followed behind. The D.A. members with Harry realized that protecting Harry from such a large number of Centaurs was going to be beyond their ability. They need not have worried though as a large contingent of teachers walked to an area that put them between Harry and the Centaurs. Of course, soon after this the Great Hall nearly emptied its contents onto the grounds as the curious students came out to see what was happening.

“I was told the Centaurs were free to wonder the grounds,” Bane said with a bite in his voice.

“I was told that not all of the Centaurs had made their intentions known,” McGonagall said just as sternly.

Bane and McGonagall stood facing off against one another until Harry walked over with Ginny and said, “I don’t want there to be any trouble here tonight because of me. I’ll go back inside if I need to, but let everyone else enjoy their time outside.”

“The other humans are of no interest to me,” Bane said as he eyed Harry warily. “You are the one I was told was of some significance.”

“Can you not see it?” Magorian asked as he stepped beside Bane.

“If that is all the proof you asked for then you disgrace the intelligence of our entire herd,” Bane charged. “The human wizards can not be trusted. They are devious creatures who are capable of elaborate deceptions. The line is likely an illusion. His knowledge of the lines is obviously a sign of treachery from Firenze. Beyond that you have nothing of consequence.”

“I urge you to reconsider your…” Magorian began.

“The Centaurs have more than just the silver lines,” Harry interrupted.

“Be careful what you insinuate, human,” Bane warned. “Don’t spout lies that will only insult those you have to convince.”

“Centaurs choose a mate for life,” Harry continued.

“That is also information Firenze could have given you,” Bane insisted as he stamped his front hoof in the snow.

”Perhaps,” Harry admitted. “He wouldn’t have been able to tell me which of you is mated to the others since I don’t know most of you, yet I can tell you that each mated pair among you is connected with the same type of line you see connecting me to Ginny.”

“You presume too much, human,” Bane seethed angrily. “There is no such connection. If there were then we would have seen it before a lowly human.”

“I can’t explain to you why I see them,” Harry said calmly. “I don’t even know why I can see anything at all in my current condition. Up until recently the only connection I saw was the one to Ginny. Now I seem to be seeing more and more as time goes by. I don’t know if it has something to do with the blindness or if it was caused by something they did to me in the hospital wing.”

“Or perhaps you are simply making it all up,” Bane accused.

Harry smiled gently as he slowly raised his arm until it was pointing directly at a female Centaur and he said, “Yours is standing right there.”

Bane turned his head to look at where Harry was pointing before quickly turning back to Harry with a surprised look as he said, “Who told you that? It could not have been Firenze. We did not become mates until recently. Tell me, human. Who is your source?”

“I only have the line I see to tell me,” Harry said. “I can tell you every connection like it I see, or I can show you what I see.”

“You want me to give you another chance to deceive me,” Bane accused.

“I’ll just show you honestly what I see,” Harry assured him. “After that you can make your own decision about the validity of it.”

“Just how would you propose to do that?” Bane asked.

Instead of a verbal answer, Harry intensified his connection with Bane similarly to the way he had done with Ginny. Bane gasped and stepped backwards as thousands of light strings branched off from Harry’s chest to connect to every organic thing in the area. Turning to look at his fellow centaurs he could see the white lines Harry spoke of connecting all of the correct Centaurs.

Bane turned back to look at Harry as Harry said, “This is what I see. There is no trick involved unless someone is playing a cruel joke on me as well.”

Bane’s eyes narrowed as he said, “To see it is one thing, but to feel the connection is quite another.”

“You don’t trust humans in general,” Harry said. “You’re debating within yourself whether you can trust what your own eyes are showing you right now. You’re trying to hide from me the deepness of your feelings for… Aelzea. You want to empty your mind. I don’t read your thoughts. I read the information given off by your feelings. You want the connection to end. It is too similar to the circle…”

At that moment Harry pulled the connection down to its regular level. Bane stood with a worried look on his face.

“What do you know of the circle?” Bane asked quickly.

“Only that you desperately wanted me to end the connection before I learned too much about it,” Harry said. “I give you my word that I severed the sensitivity of our connection as soon as I detected your feelings about it. I don’t know what the circle is that you were worried about.”

“Harry,” Ron said as he came to Harry’s side and placed a hand on his upper arm, “I think we should go back into the castle now.”

“Do that, human,” Bane said as he backed away a few steps. “We will now return to the forest.”

As the Centaurs were turning to go, McGonagall asked, “Have you made your decision?”

Bane stopped and turned his head to glare at McGonagall and say, “You will be informed.”

With that, the Centaurs turned and followed Bane back into the forest. The majority of the humans left behind let out a collective breath they had been holding. The teachers set about trying to make the students disperse with little success.

“There is no way to tell what the reaction of the Centaurs will be from this point,” McGonagall said as she turned her attention to Harry. “It would be best if you went back inside.”

“Actually there is very little reason for that,” Harry said with a smile. “Whatever the decision it is that the Centaurs are making, Bane is leaning in my favor.”

“Can you really be sure of that?” McGonagall asked.

“As sure as I can be of anything concerning the Centaurs,” Harry said with a smile. “If anyone is looking for me we’ll be down by the lake.”

Harry turned in the direction of the lake and Ginny led him away in that direction. Everyone else watched him go for several seconds before they began to disperse. Some went inside due to the fact that they had not dressed properly to be outside in the first place. Others walked about the grounds happy to be free of the castle walls, and determined to enjoy it before McGonagall changed her mind. The teachers that did not go back inside huddled around McGonagall as they watched Harry walk away as if he had not a care in the world.

McGonagall noticed the teacher beside her and said, “I didn’t expect to see you here tonight, Cybil.”

“I was sitting in my tower tonight and felt it urgent that I come down here,” Trelawney said as she watched Harry more intently than the others. “There is a great deal of energy in the air tonight. It is difficult to explain.”

“There is no need,” McGonagall said. “Even those of us not blessed with the use of our inner eye can feel it tonight.”

At number twelve, dinner was being finished as a cheerful Theodore Nott told them all about his meeting with his father. Conspicuous in its absence from the tale of the death eaters’ most recent activities that brought him to be incarcerated at Hogwarts was any mention of Lucius Malfoy. Intended or not, it grated on Draco’s already raw nerves.

Again, as he had done earlier, Draco offered to clean up after dinner. To his annoyance, Theodore offered his help as well. After Narcissa left the room, there was a stifling silence that filled the room though Draco knew he was the only one it bothered.

“What news of my dad?” Draco asked unable to contain the question any longer. “You had to have heard something.”

“Nothing much,” Theodore replied as he took the dinner plates to the sink. “He’s apparently spending much more time at the side of the Dark Lord lately. Other than that my dad didn’t have much contact with him that was out of the ordinary.”

“Why didn’t you say that earlier?” Draco asked. “Why did you make me ask about it now? You had to know that I was just as anxious for news of my dad as you were of yours.”

“I knew,” Theodore admitted. “I didn’t say anything because of your mum. I thought you would have understood that. I guess I was wrong.”

“I am really tired of you saying I don’t understand my own mother,” Draco yelled as he clenched his fists.

“Then prove me wrong,” Theodore charged calmly.

Draco looked back at Theodore as the color drained from his face and he asked, “Well… how am I supposed to do that?”

“The same way we all do, Draco,” Theodore replied, “one step at a time. I can finish cleaning up. Go talk to your mum. Don’t think about what you’re going to say. Just talk to her.”

“But… about what?” Draco asked as he momentarily forgot he was talking to someone he had been angry at for most of the day.

“Try talking about yourself,” Theodore said with a straight face. “You like that subject well enough. You have to know yourself before you can really know someone else.”

Draco looked at Theodore quizzically as he turned and walked out the door into the hallway beyond. With no clear idea of what he was going to say in his mind, Draco stated walking toward the library where he suspected his mum was sitting in an attempt to relax. As he reached the door, a topic of conversation sprang into his mind about his recent life that he really wanted to talk to someone about. Before he turned the knob, Draco seriously questioned if it was really something he should talk about with his mother.

On the grounds at Hogwarts, McGonagall was ready to end the students’ time outside before the curfew. She was about to have Tonks and some of the other teachers begin rounding up the students, when she saw Bane step back out of the forest and stand looking at where Harry stood with Ginny.

Made aware of Bane’s presence by Hermione, Harry turned to see McGonagall walking across the grounds ahead of five teachers. They were heading straight for Bane, and Harry could see that Bane wasn’t intimidated in the least by the uneven odds.

“Do you have news?” McGonagall asked as she stopped in front of Bane and finally took his attention away from Harry.

“You will have Harry Potter here on the grounds in one half hours time,” Bane instructed giving no room for deviation. “The Centaurs will arrive here at that time. You will also provide as many of your teachers and students as possible to assist.”

Before McGonagall could object, Bane turned and walked back into the forest. McGonagall turned to seek the opinions of her teachers. As she did she saw Harry being led in her direction being followed by his many friends. Looking at him, and knowing his importance, she knew that she would not be sending students to bed quite as early that night.

At the exact time Bane had specified, the Centaurs walked out of the forbidden forest led by Bane and Magorian. Their numbers had swelled even more over previous numbers as Centaur children accompanied their parents onto the Hogwarts grounds. For all of the students present it was an awe inspiring sight as well as one that made them wonder if they shouldn’t run back in to the safety of the castle walls. Their excitement kept them rooted to their spots.

Within the next few minutes the Centaurs arranged themselves in a wide circle around Harry. Each gap between the Centaurs was filled with two students or teachers. When everyone was in place, Magorian walked to Harry.

“Are you ready to begin, Mr. Potter?” Magorian asked.

“What do I have to do?” Harry asked in response.

“You must open yourself, Mr. Potter” Magorian said. “As you felt the feelings from Bane earlier, you must now feel the feelings of healing from all of those around you. You must let them fill you.”

“All at the same time?” Harry asked as Magorian nodded in response. “Well that should be a new experience. I’ll do my best.”

“There is no guarantee this will work at all,” Magorian informed him. “This has never been attempted with assistance from anyone outside of the Centaur herd. We can not see the connections between the other humans to yourself at all, but you have claimed they are there, so it will have to do.”

Magorian walked back to his place in the circle as Bane stepped forward to address the group and said, “You are here to attempt to heal the blindness of Harry Potter. For those not experienced in this ritual, you must attempt to concentrate on your warmest most nurturing feelings as you pass them through the connection from you to Mr. Potter. For the Centaurs this will come easily. For the humans among us, there is little more we can tell you to make it easier. Close your eyes and feel the connection.”

As Bane walked around the circle, the large contingent of Slytherin students standing away from the circle watched curiously. After only a moment’s hesitation, Pritchard turned his head and nodded for his friends to follow him. As they broke away from the main group, more and more Slytherin followed them toward where the circle was formed. As they did, more students from other houses who had not joined the circle before also walked to take their place. In only a couple of minutes, the number of people in the circle swelled as the spaces between the Centaurs grew to contain three humans in each.

The Centaurs reached out on either side of them to join hands with their human neighbors. When everyone’s hands were joined, Harry closed his eyes even as the members of the circle did the same. Even the most cynical of the humans were surprised when they felt a strangely pleasant felling coursing through their hands and bodies as if hope itself were being sent around the circle from one person to the next. The Centaurs began chanting in unison very softly though none of the humans understood what they were saying. Slowly, they could feel the energy passing around the circle building in intensity.

Harry, feeling as calm and open as he could get, opened his eyes to see a circular wall of light spinning around the circle with a multitude of blending colors. Harry concentrated on opening connections to the people around him. Soon after, a brightening surge left Harry and flowed out each of the individual connections. As soon as it reached its recipients, everyone, including the Centaurs, opened their eyes in surprise as they too felt and saw everything that Harry felt. As they did, the swirling wall of color siphoned into the individual connections and rushed into Harry. To those watching from the circle, Harry disappeared from view in a blinding light.

The blinding light persisted for several seconds as those in the circle looked on. Even the Centaurs had not seen such a dazzling display during the ritual before. When the last of the energy from the circle had siphoned to Harry, the connections Harry had established with all of them cut off and receded back into the ball of light in the center of the circle. Ginny’s was the only connection that never wavered.

When the light finally diminished, Harry was kneeling on one knee with both of his hands on the ground in front of him. Most of the light had dissipated, but enough remained for Harry to be silhouetted in a white glow that didn’t seem to be going away. Bane, Magorian, and McGonagall began walking toward Harry at the same time Ginny, Hermione, and Ron did the same. Just before they reached him, Harry stood up and looked down at his arm.

Looking up at Magorian, Harry said, “That was… wicked.

“I admit that it was… unique,” Magorian said. “Never before have those in the circle experienced the healing in quite such a personal way.”

“Did it work though?” Bane asked without the usual bitterness in his voice. “Was this all pointless?”

“Only Mr. Potter can answer that,” McGonagall aid as they all looked at Harry examining his own hands.

Seconds later Harry looked up while still holding his hands out and asked, “Am I…”

“Glowing?” Ron asked with a grin. “You look like a human lantern.”

“But can you see?” Hermione asked what everyone had been aching to know.

“A bit,” Harry said in response.

“A bit?” McGonagall asked. “What exactly does that mean?”

“I can see shapes,” Harry said, “but everything is blurry.”

Ginny laughed as she stepped closer to Harry and said, “Maybe it would be better if you were wearing your glasses.”

Ginny put Harry’s glasses on him as be blinked a couple of times and said, “You’re right. That’s much better.”

At number twelve, Draco didn’t know how long he had been standing with his hand clasped around the knob to the library door, but he felt his stomach drop as his hand seemed to turn the knob of its own will. As the door opened, he could see that his mother was indeed sitting by the fire reading.

Narcissa looked around at Draco and asked, “Is something wrong, Draco? You have a strange look on your face.”

“I… I was just wondering if we could talk,” Draco uttered with unexpected nerves using his voice to waver.

“Of course,” Narcissa replied with a tense smile as she prepared herself for yet another round of questioning about his father. “Come and sit down.”

Draco’s legs felt like stone as he tried to pick up his feet to walk into the room. Eventually he took the seat across from his mother. He sat quietly for several long seconds as he looked into the fire to keep from meeting her eye.

Seeing that something was truly troubling her son, Narcissa asked, “What did you want to talk to me about, Draco?”

“I…” Draco stuttered as he continued to look into the fire. “On Christmas night, when we were leaving Harry’s house after dinner, I saw someone I didn’t expect to see.”

“Someone who arrived after I left?” Narcissa asked.

“Yes,” Draco replied. “It was Pansy Parkinson. She flooed in just as I was leaving.”

“Did Harry tell her you would be there?” Narcissa asked as Draco continued to look away from her. “Did she come to see you?”

“No,” Draco said. “She was as surprised to see me as I was her.”

“Well that must have been nice,” Narcissa said with a gentle smile. “The last I heard you two were dating.”

“It wasn’t nice,” Draco admitted. “It was extremely uncomfortable. We aren’t dating any longer.”

“I see,” Narcissa said with sympathy. “Still, after being gone for so long I would have thought the two of you could still take pleasure in seeing a friend.”

“It seemed like she had been making new friends,” Draco said dryly. “She was with Neville Longbottom. Besides, if you could have seen the look in her eyes you would know that she doesn’t think of me as a friend.”

“Oh,” Narcissa said. “So, your relationship didn’t end well.”

“I guess not,” Draco admitted. “It could have been better if she hadn’t overreacted the way she did.”

“So the reason the two of you broke up was because of something she did?” Narcissa asked.

“Well… She was the one who wanted to break up,” Draco replied. “I told her she was making a mistake, but she wouldn’t listen. To see her with Longbottom…”

“So you still have feelings for her?” Narcissa asked consolingly.

“I hadn’t actually thought about her the entire time I was gone,” Draco said. “I know she doesn’t belong with Longbottom though. She belongs to me.”

“Belongs to you?” Narcissa asked in surprise.

“More to me than to anyone else,” Draco said taking no notice of the look on Narcissa’s face. “I invested a lot of time and effort into her.”

“So why did she want to end your relationship?” Narcissa asked.

“Well someone told her I had kissed another girl in the common room,” Draco said. “She got mad and started yelling at me in front of everyone. She was hysterical. She should be grateful I stopped her before she made more of a fool of herself.”

‘Did you?” Narcissa asked. “Did you kiss another girl?”

“It was a dare,” Draco said dismissing the incident as inconsequential. “I tried to tell her that I didn’t do it out of some desire to cheat on her, but she just wouldn’t listen. She went raving mad.”

“You said you stopped her,” Narcissa said beginning to fear what she would hear. “What did you do?”

“I slapped her,” Draco said with no indication he felt it to be wrong. “She went dead silent for several seconds as she looked at me with wide eyes. Then she actually yelled again as she attacked me. I didn’t have any choice. I had to knock her out.”

Draco looked over at his mother and noticed the way she was looking at the fire as he rubbed her hands anxiously. Then he saw the tears begin to slip from her eyes. Suddenly he wasn’t so interested in himself anymore. He was only interested in making his mum feel better. What he told her had made her sad. He desperately wanted to say something to make her smile again.

“I was there by her side when she woke up,” Draco explained. “She wouldn’t even talk to me as she stood up and walked away. I followed her to the bottom of the stairs trying to explain myself. I told her I was sorry, but she wouldn’t listen.”

Narcissa placed her hand over her mouth as her tears of disappointment exploded from her and she said, “Sometimes saying you’re sorry just isn’t enough.”

Looking at his mother and seeing that he had only upset her more, a thought entered Draco’s mind. Looking at her reaction to his words he knew there was more upsetting her than what he had told her. As he watched her cry, Draco began to realize why it had affected her the way it had. Then he understood it. The reason Harry had told him to treat his mother with tenderness, the reason she refused to tell him what happened between her and his father, the thing that Theodore Nott had guessed so much more easily than Draco had, it was a part of the man Draco had always tried to model himself after.

As he realized it, a rage began to build within Draco. It was a rage at himself for succeeding in becoming more like his father than he had imagined. It was a rage against his father as he pictured his mother being subjected to the same treatment he had just described to her. As much as he had idolized his father, he treasured his mother more. Watching her cry he knew he had injured her more deeply than he could imagine. Tears fell from his own eyes as he stood and walked close enough to place a gentle hand on her shoulder.

“I’m sorry,” Draco said softly. “I don’t want to be that kind of man. I just don’t know how to be anything else. I don’t know if I even really know what it means to care for someone. I haven’t even treated you well lately, and I love you more than anyone.”

Narcissa took Draco’s hand and placed it against her cheek as she said, “You know how to love, Draco. I’ll help you discover that if I can.”

“I’d like that,” Draco said as he felt his heart warm. “I promise I’ll be a better son. After that I need to learn to be a better friend.”

“It won’t always be easy,” Narcissa said, “but it will be a good lesson to learn.”

“I know,” Draco said with a gentle smile. “I’ve created a lot of wounds that need healing.”

45


The Glow, The Confessions, The Rage





Early in the morning after Harry regained his sight, Ron rolled over and opened his eyes slightly after hearing a strange sound just on the other side of his bed hangings. Groggily, he reached out and pulled the drapes back to see Harry standing looking out the window with a giddy smile on his face.


“What are you doing, Harry?” Ron asked sleepily. “It’s still too early.”


“You have to see this, Ron,” Harry responded not taking his eyes off of the view out the window. “The sunrise is so beautiful.”


“I guess it hasn’t worn off yet,” Neville said as he walked over rubbing his eyes.


“No,” Ron agreed. “He hasn’t stopped glowing yet. Hermione thinks he’ll stay like this until the glow goes away.”


“Have I told you guys how happy I am to have you as dorm mates?” Harry asked as the smile on his face persisted.


“You actually told us several times last night,” Ron groaned, “but this is the first time today.”


“Wow,” Harry said as he looked back out the window. “Have you ever seen a more beautiful sunrise?”


“I usually try not to wake up in time to see them,” Ron said as he realized he wasn’t going to be able to go back to sleep.


“I guess it could be worse,” Neville offered. “He could have come out of that healing as angry Harry.”


“I’m not sure that would have been any worse than giddy happy Harry,” Ron said as he sat up and put his feet on the floor. “He would have hugged half of Gryffindor house last night with that goofy grin on his face if Hermione and Ginny hadn’t seen that something was wrong with him and brought him up here.”


“Did Hermione have any theories about exactly why he’s glowing?” Neville asked as Ron stood up and stretched.


“Of course,” Ron said with a yawn. “You’ll have to ask her about it though. I was so tired last night by the time she started telling me about it I couldn’t seem to pay attention. It was something to do with the power of love or something.”


Ron turned to stand next to Harry as he looked out the window and Harry put an arm around Ron’s shoulder and said, “I told you it was beautiful. It’s almost as beautiful as Ginny. I miss Ginny. I wonder if she’s watching this sunrise from her room. I’m going to go and watch it with her.”


With that Harry turned and began walking for the door. Seeing that he really meant to leave, Neville stepped in front of him and stopped him.


“Don’t you think you should get dressed before you go, Harry?” Neville asked.


Harry looked down and realized what Neville meant as he looked up and said, “Thanks, mate. You’re such a good friend. Have I told you that lately?”


Harry reached out and pulled Neville into a hug as Neville said, “Actually, you have.”


When the hug finally ended, Harry began to happily get himself dressed for the day. As he did, Ron and Neville did the same as Dean began to stir. Dean opened his drapes to see his dorm mates pulling on their school robes.


“You lot are up early,” Dean said as he rubbed the sleep from his eyes.


“Good morning, Dean,” Harry said brightly. “You missed a great sunrise this morning, but I’m sure the one tomorrow will be just as lovely if you want to catch that one. Do you want to go down and get some breakfast with us? We’ll wait for you.”


“I’ll catch up,” Dean said trying to stifle a laugh.


“I’ll see you there,” Harry said as he waved to all of them and left the room.


“So has he really gone nutters, or is this going to wear off eventually?” Dean asked. “I don’t know if I can stand being woken up every morning to look at the sunrise.”


“I’m going to see if I can get him to go to the hospital wing this morning,” Ron said. “If I didn’t know better I would think someone slipped him a cheering potion.”


“Who knows what happened in that ritual last night,” Dean said. “I know I felt something moving through me as it moved around that circle. I don’t know what it was, but it made me feel pretty good. Then that connection to Harry… well… that was just amazing.”


“It was pretty intense,” Neville commented. “Now take that feeling you experienced and multiply it a few hundred times and you can start to get some idea of what Harry must have experienced.”


“But he’s glowing,” Dean said with a grin. “What’s up with that?”


“He’s the boy who lived, Dean,” Seamus said from behind his drapes. “After knowing him for so long, does anything concerning Harry really surprise you?”


“Now that you mention it, no,” Dean answered.


“Then be quiet,” Seamus ordered groggily as he turned over. “Some of us are still trying to sleep until that proverbial last minute.”


Ginny awoke suddenly as she heard Harry whispering something about a sunrise to her. Looking around she could see that Harry was nowhere near. She sat up as she realized she was hearing his babbling in her head. From the sound of it, his mysterious glow and the strange effects it seemed to produce hadn’t gone away yet.


Ginny assured Harry she was awake and would be down soon. Ginny dressed quickly knowing she would need to wake Hermione before she went down to meet Harry. As soon as Ginny and Hermione stepped off the last stair into the common room they saw Ron and Neville standing behind Harry as he stared in open fascination at the flames in the fireplace and raved about how peaceful the dance of the flames seemed to be.


“You lot are certainly up early,” Hermione said as she walked over and gave Ron a peck on the cheek.


“Harry was awake in time to see the sunrise this morning,” Ron informed her. “He seemed to think the rest of us needed to see it as well.”


“I would ask you how you’re feeling, Harry, but…” Hermione began.


“I feel really great,” Harry said as he moved to hug her tightly. “You’re a real friend for caring how I feel. Do you know that?”


“I think we all do, Harry,” Ginny said as she placed a hand on his shoulder and he released Hermione.


“Ginny,” Harry said with a wide smile before enveloping her in a hug as well. “You look beautiful this morning. I watched the sunrise and it reminded me of you.”


“Thank you, Harry,” Ginny replied as she took Harry by the hand. “It was a good thing you woke me up so early. I’ll go with you to see Madam Pomfrey.”


“Was I supposed to go to see her?” Harry asked.


“I think it would be a good idea for her to check you over now that you have your sight back,” Ginny explained.


“It couldn’t hurt,” Harry agreed happily as he let Ginny lead him away from the fire toward the portrait hole.


Twenty minutes later, Madam Pomfrey pried Harry’s arms from around her as she said, “I already told you there is no need to thank me further. The first time was quite enough.”


“I just want you to know how much I appre