money from it, so please Mrs. Rowling if you read this
don’t sue me. A comment or two would be welcome
though.
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Chapter 7: The Healer
Harry stood at the side of Bridgette’s bed, the pain of her death coursing through him. The last words she spoke were to wish him happy birthday, they reverberated in his head. Harry wanted nothing more than to never have another birthday again. It would mark the day of her death for the rest of his life. He knew that Voldemort had picked this day on purpose.
Harry looked at Bridgette’s face. She seemed to only be sleeping, just like Ginny had for four weeks not so long ago. He could feel her hand in his, but where Ginny’s had always had something in it to indicate she was there, somewhere, just looking for a way to come home. Bridgette’s was dead; already the heat of her life was fading from it. Harry shook his head, regaining his senses and gently pulled Ginny away from Bridgette. She turned into his embrace clutching at his shirt, her tears soaking through it as he held her.
He looked around at the other beds in the hospital, taking in the scene in front of him. Ron and Hermione huddled together on the floor, as devastated as he and Ginny, Remus Lupin stood with tears in his eyes saying his last goodbye to Bridgette, Professor Dumbledore was trying to comfort Professor McGonagall. Bridgette and she had been close; she had shown a particular gift for transfiguration. All this pain and suffering, and he did not even know the condition of his other friends. His anger began to rise, replacing the pain in his heart. He knew he did not have the answer to end this yet, but there was a piece of his training that could begin. It did not have to wait. Harry pulled Ginny with him to Ron and Hermione.
Ron and Hermione looked up at Harry and Ginny. Harry could tell that Ron was seething with anger. Hermione, while she had tears in her eyes, was in much the same state. Ginny held her hand out to Hermione and Ron, and helped them get to their feet. Together the four of them walked to Professor Dumbledore. Ginny spoke for all of them.
“You find that Unspeakable, and you get him here.” Her voice was a whisper, yet it carried more force than the noise of a hurricane.
“And if he is not capable of performing the curse, get Professor Snape. I’m sure he would love nothing more than to cast it at us,” Hermione added, her own voice a whisper of command that only someone wishing to die would disregard.
Dumbledore surveyed them over his glasses. He had expected this, that they would all choose to train against the curse, but the level of motivation they had now was almost dangerous. These four students were the dream of any teacher. Not because they were gifted, but because they cared.
Each of them would have become powerful sorcerers under normal circumstances. Lesser people would have cracked under the turmoil that these four lived with. Instead they only got stronger, and they rallied people to them without trying. Dumbledore himself was continually amazed by each of them.
“You understand the danger of preparing for this, one second more than you are ready for, and you risk permanent damage to your minds,” Dumbledore replied gravely to them. Harry was just about to respond to him when a blood curdling scream ripped through the hospital wing.
“FINITE INCANTANUM!” A voice roared from behind one of the screens. The screaming ended an instant later. Professor Dumbledore bolted to the bed followed, closely by Harry, and the others.
“Is he alright?” Dumbledore demanded, of the Healers that were now moving to help their colleague who was lying on the floor.
“Yes, Albus, I will be alright,” the man answered for himself, as he struggled to his feet. Harry took note that he was very old, probably as old as Professor Dumbledore. He also looked to be near exhausted.
“She however, will not be. Unless someone more capable than I, can find her before the rest of her brain shuts down,” the man said. Harry looked to the bed quickly. Cho Chang was laying there, the same blank look in her eyes as Harry had seen in Neville’s parents.
The debate raged in Dumbledore’s mind.
We could possibly do it, his second said to him.
And risk death. We do not place our life before hers, but in this war, there is no doubt whom Harry needs more. We cannot take the chance to help her, his fourth replied.
There is one who could, she has played her role, his first added quietly. Dumbledore turned to Hermione.
“Hermione,” he said quietly.
“Yes, Headmaster?”
“All four of you and myself could possibly help her. It will be just like breaking into Harry, Ginny, or Ronald’s mind. If you can get through her defense, and lead her to the surface she will be able to make a full recovery.
“But there is a difference. When you fight with Harry or the others, you have the choice to leave their minds before you are hurt or killed. If you attempt to enter Cho’s mind, her defense will not let you leave by your choice. She will hold you until you free her, she kills you, or we extract you by force as was done with Healer Marchbanks. And the extraction is not always safe. In fact, it becomes more dangerous the longer you have been linked.
Oh no he doesn’t, the voices said in alarm in Harry’s head.
If anyone takes this risk, it will be us! Harry’s second screamed at him.
“I’ll try, Professor,” Harry said, pushing Hermione out of the way.
“No, Harry, you will not,” Professor Dumbledore said, stepping in front of him.
“Why not? I’m the strongest, and you know it,” Harry replied angrily.
“Because you cannot be risked to save Cho’s life,” Dumbledore answered calmly. Ron’s head was spinning through the prophecies, analyzing the role each of them had to play.
Why is he talking to Hermione? he asked the voices.
Because Harry must fight Voldemort, his second replied.
We have not come up with the final plan yet, his third added.
Ginny has yet to give us the key to victory, Ron added himself. But Hermione has played her role she could be risked without damaging Harry’s chances of defeating Voldemort.
And why not Dumbledore? his first asked angrily.
Because we need a teacher, Ron replied, closing his eyes in disgust.
“Harry, it does not matter that you are the strongest. Professor Dumbledore is fighting a war. You are his sword; he cannot risk you. I am the General, who has yet to give you a plan, he cannot risk me. Ginny holds the key to victory, which we have not found. She cannot be risked. Dumbledore is the teacher we all need, he cannot risk himself,” Ron finished speaking. He had not opened his eyes the whole time, afraid that he would start crying. Hermione listened to Ron and she understood why Dumbledore had addressed her to begin with.
“But I have fulfilled my part in the prophecy,” she said quietly. “I can be risked to save Cho.” Harry had turned to look at Ron when he started speaking; he listened to Hermione finish the explanation, and saw Ron flinch when she spoke.
“You do not have to do this, Hermione,” Ginny said quietly moving behind her and taking her in her arms.
“Yes, Ginny, I do,” Hermione replied. Ron sank to his knees next to her holding his hands behind his head. Harry wanted to argue, but knew his friends and Dumbledore were right. He stormed away across the room, kicking a wastebasket in frustration. Hermione put her hand on Ron’s shoulder. He reached up and took it in his. Pulling it to his lips, he kissed her fingers gently.
“Come back to me, Love,” he whispered to her. Hermione placed her hand on the side of his face, lifting his eyes to hers.
“I promise, Ronald,” she then turned and walked to Cho’s bed, locking her eyes on Cho’s she raised her wand to her. “Legilimens!”
The Cruciatus curse, like all methods of torture was used to inflict pain, stop, and then get information from a person too weak to resist or put up with more punishment. All methods of torture could push a person’s brain to shut down, killing them because their brain refused to deal with the pain anymore.
Cho’s brain had not quite reached that point. It had erected the only defense it could come up with, locking away who she was in one area of her mind and diverting the pain being inflicted on her to another part.
The problem with this was, unlike Hermione, or any other sorcerer who had developed different selves; Cho’s mind was not capable of being broken in two. The part of her mind that had been forced to deal with the pain of the curse had no way of communicating with the part of her mind that retained who she was.
Cho did not know she was no longer being cursed. If someone could get past the barrier her mind had developed quickly enough she would recover. If it took too long to find her, her mind would not be able to meld into one again and she would be forever trapped in the defense she had created.
The strength of the protection erected by the person being tortured was a function of how long they had fought the curse without it. The Healers had underestimated with Cho, thinking she was too young to have fought more than fifteen to twenty minutes before her mind split. Based on that guess, they had allowed for Healer Marchbanks to spend an hour in her mind before they would forcibly extract him.
Cho had spent a total of almost seventy minutes under the effects of the Cruciatus curse before the split occurred. This miscalculation had resulted in Cho completely draining the Healer in less than half an hour. Only his scream had let the other Healers know that he needed to be saved before their estimate.
“Albus, this girl cannot possibly hope to get through what I did not,” Healer Marchbanks said stepping next to Hermione. “She must not be allowed more than ten or fifteen minutes in her mind. Ron and Harry forced their way between the Healer and Hermione, each gently touching her on the back. Ginny had moved near Cho’s head and was whispering softly into her ear.
Harry interjected himself into the discussion. “Tell me what you saw?” Healer Marchbanks looked at Harry and Ron in astonishment at being forced out of the way.
“Who do you think you are?” He demanded of Harry. Harry returned his glare.
“Next to her husband I am the best friend this girl has,” Harry shot at him. “Now tell me what you saw in Cho’s mind.” Healer Marchbanks turned to Dumbledore.
“Albus this is crazy.”
“David, answer the question,” Dumbledore replied forcefully.
“Albus, I saw nothing, no thoughts, no memories, a blank slate,” he replied in exasperation.” Harry groaned to himself.
The best way to get the information would be to see the memory, the voices said to Harry.
“Healer Marchbanks, may I look in your mind?” Harry asked quietly.
“Why?”
“I want to see what you saw when you were in Cho’s mind, I want to know what you felt. I will then be able to tell you how long Hermione can stay in Cho’s mind before she must be taken out.”
“How will that tell you? Miss Chang is draining energy like nothing I have ever seen, beyond what your Headmaster has ever done to me when helping me train for this.”
“Then look in my mind and tell me if Cho is stronger than I am,” Harry replied. Healer Marchbanks looked at him in exasperation.
“Son, I know who you are, but you cannot honestly think you are stronger than your Headmaster. Only the great trauma Miss Chang has suffered has allowed her to erect such a powerful defense.”
“David, we run out of time to save two lives, what can it hurt to do what Harry asks you?” Dumbledore said him. The Healer looked at Professor Dumbledore shaking his head.
“Very well, we will look in each other’s minds together,” he said turning back to Harry and raising his wand.
“I need you to let me see your memories of being in Cho’s mind,” Harry replied as they locked their eyes on each other.
“You’re forgetting your wand, Harry.”
“I don’t need it,” Harry answered, his mind registering the surprise on the Healer’s face at his statement.
“Shall we then?” Healer Marchbanks asked. Harry nodded at him.
“Legilimens!” they said together. Harry saw the memory of Healer Marchbank’s time in Cho’s mind. He concentrated every once of his energy on understanding the feeling, the rate at which Cho had taken the Healer’s strength from him.
David Marchbanks, for the second time that day was completely overwhelmed. Cho’s mind had been a solid white wall, the best defense he had ever come across. He had known the moment he entered her mind that he would never last the hour that had been allotted. He had spent the whole time trying to get out. Where his scream of terror had come from he did not know. No one had ever been able to give such an obvious indication of a need for help.
Harry’s mind by comparison was not a white wall. It was black, as black as the deepest cave at the bottom of the deepest ocean. A darkness that it appeared had never seen light. Unless Harry chose to let him, he would never in a thousand years penetrate it. If he did not leave Harry’s mind quickly, he would be dead in a few minutes. Nevertheless, he attempted to stay as long as he could.
“Thank you, Healer Marchbanks,” Harry said, as he released him and pulled himself out of the Healer’s mind.
“You’re welcome….I think,” he replied, as he collapsed into a chair that Professor Dumbledore had set behind him. Harry turned over in his mind what he had felt while in the Healer’s mind. Cho’s defense was strong. Hermione, if she was strong today, could beat it. Today, however, was not turning out to be a normal day, Harry looked at his watch. It was only 11:30 am. Harry could hardly believe that he and Ginny had peacefully shared their minds with each other less than four hours ago. Hermione was either going to be weak from the rest of the day’s events or she would take new strength from it.
If she can’t break through, and we let her go too long, we lose both Cho and Hermione, the voices said to him.
We owe Cho as much time as Hermione can stand, Harry replied to them.
We know that Hermione fought us for seven hours yesterday before we both quit. And that we are stronger than Cho, his first said to him.
“Ron, is Hermione using the new defense you came up with right now?” Harry asked. Ron blinked in surprise at the question.
“No, Harry. She is not.”
“Does that defense help you to stay in my mind, or only make it more difficult for me to stay in yours?”
“It only makes it more difficult for someone to attack us,” Ron replied. Harry fell silent again.
If she is staying in Cho’s mind the same way she stays in ours, then she should have at least seven hours, Harry said to the voices.
Do we give her any more time? his second asked.
No Harry replied. He got no arguments from the voices. Harry looked to Professor Dumbledore and Healer Marchbanks, who was drinking a pepperupper potion.
“Hermione will need to be extracted after seven hours in Cho’s mind, regardless of whether she is successful of not. Healer Marchbanks, along with the other Healers who had gathered round them, just stared at him. Professor Dumbledore surveyed him over his half-moon glasses.
“Very well then, Harry. She has six hours and forty-nine minutes left. Let us hope it is enough,” he said quietly.
“So now we wait?” Harry asked.
“We will watch, in fifteen minute shifts. Two people each, in case you have made a mistake and Hermione is able to give us some indication that she needs to be helped before her time is up,” Dumbledore replied gravely.
“What of the others who were injured?” Harry asked.
“We will discuss that later; neither Hermione nor Cho can afford to be disturbed by what they might or might not hear.” Harry nodded at Dumbledore and moved behind Ron.
“I cut the time short. Cho is already gone; I won’t lose them both by letting her stay too long,” he whispered. Harry did not see Ron close his eyes.
“Thank you, Harry,” he whispered in reply.
Well, at least it’s not black in here, Hermione’s second remarked upon first entering Cho’s mind.
Quiet, Hermione snapped. We only have so much time in here before they pull us out, and the longer it takes to find Cho, the harder it will be to bring her back.
How do we bring her back when we find her? her third asked.
Show her Neville, her second said. From that time when we were hunting and she was sitting by the lake with his head in her lap.
It’s a start, Hermione replied. Now help me find her.
Harry sat down in the chair in front of Hermione, his wand delicately balanced in his hand. They may have been on fifteen minute shifts, but he, Ron and Ginny never left. Ron had been standing behind Hermione, his hand on her back the whole time. He had not moved in five hours. Ginny was constantly whispering in Cho’s ear telling her to come back, that she was safe. Harry had been staring at Hermione’s face. She had twitched once an hour ago, and now her face was starting to show the first signs of the effort she was putting out.
Harry glanced up as the Healers changed shifts. Healer Marchbanks had moved behind him half an hour ago. He had not moved since. Dumbledore had had to go out in the hallway when Cho’s mother arrived. Harry was surprised that he had not brought her back in with him. He was now standing in a corner with Professor McGonagall, quietly discussing something. His eyes however, never left Hermione’s face. Harry moved his eyes back to Hermione.
“Come on, Mione,” he said barely above a whisper. “You’re running out of time.” Healer Marchbanks leaned in close to Harry’s ear.
“There are records of Healers who could do what your friend is doing, but none have lived for hundreds of years,” he whispered quietly. “Is her mind as black as yours?”
“Yes,” Harry whispered back to him.
“And she can penetrate into yours?”
“Not since it turned black two days ago.”
“And can you penetrate into hers?”
“I don’t know. I quit trying after seven hours yesterday.” Even though he could not see him, Harry could feel the man’s shock.
“You and she fought each other for seven hours yesterday and she has the strength to do it again today?”
“Yes.”
“And your other friends? You said she was married, I assume that is him behind her.
“He is her husband. The woman whispering in Cho’s ear is my wife. If you attempted to enter their minds, you would find them black also,” Harry replied. Harry felt the Healer sit back in his chair again.
David Marchbank’s mind reeled. He was an accomplished Healer, one of the greatest of his generation. He had been friends with Albus Dumbledore since they attended Hogwarts together, and had always thought that he would never see a more powerful sorcerer in his lifetime. He now looked at four in the same room who had the potential to exceed him.
Hermione was not really sure how long she had been in Cho’s mind. Time became lost when you did this. She and Ginny had always timed how long each training session took, letting each other know afterwards how long the fight had lasted. And they had charts upstairs in their flat that tracked the progress of all four of them.
Hermione was just beginning to feel the strain of the attempt. She had dug deep into Cho’s mind. The wall between them was weakening, and she had just brushed a very powerful, recent memory that she was now trying to latch onto.
“Come on, Cho. It’s Hermione. I’m here to help you,” she pushed her thought to Cho.
Cho did not know what had happened to her, only that she had been in complete agony from the effects of the Cruciatus curse one moment, and that the pain was gone the next. She did not think she was dead, but did not seem to be in her body.
Cho could not see, unable even to distinguish if it was light or dark. She could not feel or taste the saliva in her own mouth. In the deathly quiet, she should have been able to hear her heart beating.
People never notice that they smell themselves all day, the odor not really registering, until it is gone, and then the sense of loss is devastating. Cho had absolutely no sensory perception at all, and being without it was maddening.
Ron opened his eyes and looked at his watch. He moved around in front of Hermione, blocking the view the others had of her face. Hermione was biting her lip, screwing her face up in concentration. He studied her, comparing how she looked now to all the other times Harry had released her just before she collapsed. He turned to Professor Dumbledore.
“There are only fifteen minutes left, she can go longer,” he said to him.
“She is your wife, Ronald,” Dumbledore replied. Ron turned back to Hermione. Harry moved next to him.
“Ron, she has done enough,” he whispered. Ron did not answer.
Hermione felt the turmoil beneath what was left of Cho’s wall. She knew she had to be cautious. Cho could latch on to her like a drowning swimmer does to their rescuer. If she was not careful they would both drown.
Hermione separated her memories finding anything that she could remember about Cho that was happy, burying everything that was painful to her, or would be to Cho. Cho had to have a reason to connect to her feelings again, if she sensed any pain, Hermione knew the wall would go back up and she would most likely never be able to get through it again.
The healers started to move in to break the spell and extract Hermione from Cho’s mind.
“Not yet,” Ron said quietly. They stopped, looking for instruction from someone.
“Ron,” Harry said quietly.
“Not yet,” Ron repeated. David Marchbanks considered the situation. He could not be responsible for the death of both girls, but he had been in both Cho’s and Harry’s mind. Harry was much stronger, so much that he could hardly fathom it. And this girl, Hermione, could fight him for seven hours, without falling to him. Harry must have given her seven hours because he knew she would be safe.
If her husband says she can fight longer we should trust that for now, the one voice that lived in David Marchbanks mind said to him.
“We will wait, let her stay,” Healer Marchbanks said to the other Healers.
We’re ready, the voices said to Hermione. Hermione took a deep breath and reached out to the most powerful memory she could feel coming from Cho. She caught a flash of it and then let her memories flood into Cho.
Cho grasped at them pulling them into her mind. There was light coming from something, and then she heard a voice.
“HERMIONE!?” she screamed.
“Her hand twitched,” Ginny gasped. Healer Marchbanks whirled.
“Keep talking to her. Tell her to follow your voice,” he commanded.
“Bring her back, Love,” Ron whispered into Hermione’s ear. Harry noticed the slightest hint of a smile play on Hermione’s mouth.
“I’m here, Cho,” Hermione called to her.
“WHERE?” Cho’s voice came back frantically to Hermione.
“I can’t come any closer Cho. You have to come the rest of the way to me,” Hermione replied.
“NO, IT WILL HURT!” All that Cho could remember of connecting with where Hermione’s voice was coming from was the pain of the Cruciatus curse.
“I promise you it will not hurt, Cho,” Hermione answered.
“I don’t believe you. You’re trying to trick me, you’re not Hermione. I won’t let you hurt me anymore….And I will never tell you anything about Harry!” Cho screamed at her.
“Harry is waiting to see you, Cho. He is here with me. All you have to do is come to me.” Hermione could hear Ginny’s voice speaking in Cho’s mind.
“Listen, Cho, Ginny is here too.” Cho did not respond for what seemed like a long time. Hermione felt her emotions moving closer to the surface.
“I don’t trust you.” Cho’s voice rang in the void.
“I won’t hurt you, Cho,” Hermione replied, and then she pushed her memory of Cho and Neville by the lake to Cho.
“How do you know that?” Cho asked guardedly. Hermione pushed her memories of the first time she assumed her animagus form to Cho.
“Ron and I were playing in the woods that day too,” Hermione said quietly. It was quiet for a long time again.
“You and Ron are the lions that were living in the woods?” Cho asked cautiously. Hermione could feel her moving closer still.
“Yes.”
“I can hear Ginny.”
“She is waiting for you to wake up,” Hermione replied.
“Where am I? I don’t want to hurt anymore. I can’t take it,” Cho whispered to her.
“You are in the hospital wing at Hogwarts, Cho,”
“She doesn’t appear to be straining anymore,” Harry said quietly as he studied Hermione’s face.
“No,” Ron agreed. “She looks like she does when she and I want to connect,” he added a moment later.
“How often do you and she willingly connect?” Healer Marchbanks asked quietly.
“At least once a day, usually twice,” Ron replied, not looking away from Hermione.
“I would say then that she has connected with Cho, and she is at least willingly talking with Hermione. If your wife starts to appear stressed again, things will deteriorate quickly. I would advise you to let us cut the connection immediately if that happens.”
“You don't know my wife. I don't need Harry to tell me how long she can fight. I can tell by the look on her face when she has had enough. I have seen it dozens of times in the last six weeks. I believe we have hours, maybe even days yet if we need them,” Ron replied.
“Ron, I don’t want to lose both of them,” Harry said.
“What would Ginny do to you if you pulled her out too soon?” Ron snapped at him. Harry blinked; his mouth flapped a moment before he recovered.
“Ok, Ron,” he replied in defeat.
“If I’m in the hospital wing, then I’m hurt. It will hurt if I come to you,” Cho said, her voice on the edge of panic.
“Cho, please you must trust me. The Death Eaters are gone. There might be a little pain but it will get better.”
“No! You come with me; we can stay here, where it doesn’t hurt.”
Arrghhh. This is like arguing with a two year old, the voices screamed at Hermione.
Unless you have something helpful to say keep quiet, Hermione snapped at them.
“I can’t come with you, Cho.”
“Why not!?”
“Because I’ll die, Cho,” Hermione replied.
“I don’t believe you,” Cho said, her voice quivering.
“Cho, you must believe me. If you do not come with me, I will die and no one else will ever come to you again.”
It was quiet for a long time. Hermione might have thought Cho had left if she could not still sense her just beyond the thin white wall that was separating who she was from actually being alive now.
“Cho, we’re all waiting for you. You can hear Ginny, Harry is here, Ron, Professor Dumbledore, Professor McGonagall.”
“Where is Neville?”
Hermione flinched, this was going to be the final hurdle, and she did not have the answer.
“He is here, but I do not know if he is ok,” Hermione replied.
“What about Luna, and Neville’s grandmother, and Bridgette?”
“They are here too.”
“And?”
“I don’t know about Luna or Neville’s grandmother….Bridgette is dead, Cho,” Hermione replied. Cho did not reply right away, but Hermione felt a new surge of emotion run through her, white hot anger.
“Hermione would never lie about something like that,” Cho whispered.
“Trust me, Cho.” Hermione felt the last of the wall go down between herself and Cho. She could see Cho standing in front of her.
“It doesn’t hurt, Hermione.”
“I’m happy, Cho,” Hermione said. She then pushed Cho out of her mind and pulled herself away.
Hermione opened her eyes; she quickly kissed Ron on the forehead and moved past him.
Cho opened her eyes to see Hermione moving towards her.
“Hermione?” she whispered as she enveloped her in her arms.
“I told you we we’re waiting for you.”
“Thank you, Hermione,” Cho gasped before breaking down and sobbing on Hermione’s shoulder. A second later Cho noticed Ginny and pulled her close also. Harry and Ron moved within range of Cho and she clutched them to her as well.
“Does anyone know if Neville is ok?” Cho asked timidly after a few minutes.
“He is sleeping,” Professor Dumbledore replied kindly, as he laid his hand on her shoulder. “He will make a full recovery,” he added a moment later. Cho let her breath out in relief.
“I already know about Bridg….” Cho choked on her name. “The others, what about them?” she whispered. Harry, Ron, Hermione and Ginny all looked at Professor Dumbledore; they did not know the answer either.
Harry was not alone in thinking that he did not want to know. There were five beds with curtains around them. Only two of them had had Healers moving in and out of them all day, one was Cho’s. The other, he, Ron, and Ginny had all seen Neville in it. Professor Dumbledore closed his eyes and took a deep breath. Harry did not need to hear the answer to know what it was.
“Luna and Neville’s grandmother are dead,” Professor Dumbledore said quietly. Harry’s mind reeled. Even not looking at Ginny, their connection had grown so strong that he could feel her mind doing the same. They did not think it possible for this day to get any worse. They were both very wrong.
The doors to the hospital opened and he learned why Cho’s mother had not been brought into the room while Hermione had been in her mind. She had a bandage over one eye, and her arm was in a sling. Harry found himself wondering where Cho’s father was, and then not wanting to know the answer.
Harry and the others moved to the side to let Cho’s mother get close to her daughter.
“Baby you’re alright?” her mother asked.
“I’m alive, Mum,” Cho replied, flinching at the tightness of her mother’s embrace. Her mother kissed her cheek.
“I’ll take it baby,” she whispered to her.
“Mum, you’re hurt?” Cho said quietly.
“I’ll be fine sweatheart,” her mother replied quickly. “Rest now; close your eyes and sleep.” Harry groaned inwardly and tried to move discreetly away from the bed. He did not like the way Cho’s mother was avoiding answering Cho’s question.
“Where is Dad, Mum?” Cho whispered.
“Sleep baby, you need to rest.”
“NO!...I need to know where dad is,” Cho replied, her voice trailing away as her mother cast her eyes to the floor.
“Professor Dumbledore,” Harry said forcing himself to look away from Cho. Professor Dumbledore turned to him. “How many other attacks occurred this morning?”
Professor Dumbledore closed his eyes and sighed. He did not know where his strength was coming from this day. This was his third war. In the other two he had been the leader also, but he had fought with adults. This war he fought with four children as his weapon. Other children had flocked to these four and they were all now paying the price. Professor Dumbledore took a deep breath, and mustered what little resolve he had left this day.
“All houses of the DA members were attacked this morning, Harry,” he answered. Dumbledore surprised himself at the strength in his voice.
“And?” Ginny asked her voice cold as ice.
“There are a number of other injuries and I believe four more deaths. The Minister and I will be speaking shortly and she will make a statement to the press after that.
“Who is dead?” Ron asked quietly. Dumbledore shook his head, not answering the question. Cho had watched this exchange of questions with growing terror in her heart. The Cruciatus curse did not compare to the fear she felt now.
“Mum, where is dad?” Cho whispered, her body beginning to shake.
“I’m sorry, baby,” her mother replied as she took Cho in her arms. “I tried, but he made a portkey and shoved it into my hands,” she whispered. “He sent me to find you.” Cho could not reply. Her body shook as she started sobbing again. She reached towards Hermione trying to get her to come close enough for her to hang on to. Hermione and the others moved in and all of them held her until she cried herself to sleep.
Hermione stood up and looked around the room. Her eyes settled on Dumbledore and Healer Marchbanks.
“Headmaster, Healer Marchbanks, are there any others like Cho that I might be able to help?” she asked. Healer Marchbanks felt his stomach lurch.
“Even if there are, I cannot allow it. You have done too much already,” he replied. Ron saw his wife’s eyes flash in defiance.
“Headmaster, you will bring any that I might help. I am going to rest until they get here,” Hermione replied ignoring the Healer. She then walked over and crawled into one of the empty hospital beds.
“Albus, you cannot allow this,” Healer Marchbanks said turning to him in exasperation. “She must be exhausted.”
“What would you do in her position David?”
“I….Well….Fine! She may help them, but she will enter their minds and be removed after one minute to tell us if she even thinks it is possible. She may then reenter and try to help if she thinks she can,” the Healer replied angrily.
“I am sure that Hermione will find those terms acceptable,” Professor Dumbledore replied. He then turned to Harry, Ron and Ginny.
“I must go meet with the Minister. I assume you three will be staying here?” Harry considered for a moment.
“I’m coming with you,” he replied.
“Harry, the Minister has great respect for you, but unless you are ready to tell her everything, she will not allow you in the meeting.”
“Harry, I do not wish for you to do that,” Ginny said quietly.
“Stay with your friends, Harry. I will tell you anything you ask when I speak with the four of you later,” Professor Dumbledore urged him.
“Please, Husband?” Ginny asked, placing her hand on his face. “Too many people know too much already.” Harry looked at Ginny. He could see the fear in her eyes.
“As you wish,” he said to her.
“David, take your Healers and go to your hospital. Bring any that Hermione might help.” The Healer nodded to him.
“We will return shortly,” he replied picking up a portkey and holding it out to the others. After they had gone Dumbledore turned to Professor Lupin.
“Remus, you are not to let any of them out of your sight.”
“Yes, Headmaster,” he replied.
“You three,” Professor Dumbledore’s voice came into Harry, Ron and Ginny’s minds, “you now know the reason I ask you to not go help anyone. I beg you to remember your importance and realize that you might need to sacrifice someone in order to save the world.”
“We will not leave,” Ginny answered him out loud.
“Thank you,” Professor Dumbledore replied and then he left the hospital.
Harry, Ron and Ginny had quit believing the day could not get worse. It wasn’t even one day anymore, as it had started over twenty-four hours ago around 11:00 am July 31st, Harry’s birthday. And it was now noon on August 1st. The healers had brought five members of the DA with them. Based on the strength of the defense in each mind, Hermione had started with the weakest and was moving to the more difficult cases. Alicia Spinet, Angelina Johnson, and Susan Bones had taken her about three hours each. Hermione was now trying to help Fred Weasley. George Weasley lay in the next bed, his eyes void of life, waiting for Hermione to help him if she could.
Hermione had assured everyone that none of the five were as bad as Cho had been, but the total of what she had been doing was showing before she even started to help Fred. Harry estimated that Hermione had been awake all but one of the last twenty-four hours. It had taken Hermione close to nine hours to save Cho, add nine more hours spent fighting to save Alicia, Angelina, and Susan, and now she was approaching five hours with Fred.
Twenty three of the last twenty four hours spent in the mind of a person who does not want her there, the voices said in awe to Harry.
Harry did not reply. He did not want to think about what was going to happen if Hermione did not have the strength to help his older brothers.
Harry watched Hermione intently. He knew the look on her face, had seen it a number of times; if she was fighting Ron or Ginny she had maybe an hour left. He found himself mentally letting George go.
“There it is again,” Ginny whispered to him, hope only just daring to enter her voice. Harry didn’t know how Ron or Ginny were doing this. Neither one had shed a single tear over their brothers’ condition. They had not tried to argue with the Healers when the order was determined for who Hermione would help first. Harry had not either, but he was unoffically adopted, he was sure they both had to be even more dead inside than he was.
Harry continued to watch Hermione. Each time she had managed to save someone, her mouth had exhibited the slightest hint of a smile anywhere from ten minutes to an hour before the injured person had woken up. The smile was back.
“Talk to him, Gin,” Harry said quietly without taking his eyes off of Hermione. Her face had relaxed again, the only strain she was showing was from the effort she had put out, not from what she was doing now. It looked like at least one of the twins was going to make it.
“Hermione?” Harry turned to see Fred with his eyes open, confused but awake. Hermione sank to her knees on the floor.
“I’m ok, Love, just tired,” Hermione reassured Ron as he caught her.
“Will you settle for me you, Prat?” Ginny said wrapping her arms around Fred.
“Ginny, Harry?” Fred said registering the two of them. “Hermione said Alicia and Angelina are ok?”
“Yes, they’re ok,” Harry replied taking his hand.
“And George?” he whispered.
“We don’t know, Fred,” Ginny replied as the Healers moved to take Fred to the main hospital wing. “You have to rest now, Fred. Hermione might be able to help him. Mum and Dad are waiting for you.”
“Ginny, where is Hermione?” Fred asked urgently as his bed floated towards the door.
“I’m right here, Fred.” Ron had helped Hermione to her feet again and she quickly walked over to his bed and took his hand. Fred grasped her hand tightly in his.
“Thank you, Hermione,” he said.
“Go rest,” Hermione replied to him. The doors closed behind Fred as the Healer moved him out of the room. Hermione turned around and walked to George’s bed; she took her hand and opened his eyes.
“Mione, you don’t have much left,” Ginny said as she came up from behind her and wrapped her arms around her waist. Hermione raised her wand at George.
“Legilimens!” she said firmly. Harry saw her face contort almost immediately. The healers moved in ready to break the spell.
“Not yet,” Ron told them. “She has hours left.” They eyed him skeptically.
“Son, I believe you when you say she has time left, but don’t make a mistake because she is trying to help your brother,” Healer Marchbanks said firmly from behind Ron.
“You don’t have to worry. I won't lose both of them,” Ron replied. Healer Marchbanks looked at the other Healers and shook his head at them.
“Wait for him to tell you,” he said. Harry settled in behind Hermione his hand on her back. Ron stood in front of her, watching her face. Ginny moved to George’s bed and began to whisper in his ear as she had done with Cho.
I don’t care what Hermione says about it being useless until he starts talking, her second said.
Neither do I, Ginny replied. Besides, there is nothing else to do,she added. The voices did not answer.
Almost six hours later she was still doing it. Ginny was exhausted; so was everyone in the room. They all took their strength from the sixteen year old girl with the bushy brown hair who was not ready to quit. If she still had the strength to fight then they could also.
Harry moved in front of Hermione next to Ron. They stood shoulder to shoulder, each lightly touching one of her hands. They both had their wands out and ready in their other hand. Harry did not know how fast George was draining energy from Hermione. But her body language told him she was near finished, if she was fighting Ginny it would be over in less than ten minutes.
Hermione sank slowly to her knees. Ron and Harry went with her. The healers moved in again.
“We have time,” Ron said to them.
“Son, please,” Healer Marchbanks said.
“This always happens to her, we have a little more time,” Ron replied. The Healers looked at each other trying to decide.
“Break it,” Healer Marchbanks told them.
“Finete incantanum!” the three Healers said together. Their wands however were dead.
“What in the name of Merlin?” they said together looking at their wands in surprise.
“Accio Wands!” Harry summoned the Healers wands from their hands. “Sorry, but you better sit down or I will put you in a binding spell,” he said to them.
“You’re going to kill them both,” the youngest healer hissed at Harry.
“Just wait, we have been doing this together for weeks now. Trust us to know when to pull her out,” Harry told them. The three Healers glared at him but had no choice.
“It is your conscience,” Healer Marchbanks finally replied turning away from them. Harry didn’t bother to tell him that all of the past thirty hours were already there. His conscience would not be clear until Voldemort was dead. Even then he was not sure he would be free.
There it is, Harry’s second said ten minutes later.
“She’s talking to him,” Ron said quietly. Healer Marchbanks moved back behind Harry and Ron.
“Her record is perfect so far when she gets to this point,” he commented. “Still, I would advise you to cut the connection if she starts to stress again.”
“This time I will listen to you,” Ron replied.
“Hermione?” Harry and the three Healers whirled to look at George.
“Love?” Hermione whispered.
“I’m here, Mione.” Ron replied pulling her to him
“Did I get him?”
“Yes, Mione,” Ron said picking her up off of the floor.
“Thank you God,” Ginny gasped grabbing hold of George and finally breaking down in tears on his chest.
“Ginny?....Where is Hermione?” George asked urgently.
“She’s ok, George,” Harry said quietly as he hugged him.
“I need to see her,” George said desperately.
“I’m here, George,” Hermione said clinging to Ron for support. Alarm spread on George’s face at her appearance.
“Are you alright?”
“I will be, George. I just need to rest. So do you,” Hermione replied taking his hand.
“Thank you, Hermione,” George said collapsing back on the bed.
“You’re welcome, George.” The Healers moved in to take George out to the main hospital.
“Love?”
“Yes, Mione?”
“Please take me to bed.” Ron picked Hermione up and headed for the door.
“This way, Ronald,” Professor Dumbledore stopped him. “You will be able to get to your flat without going through the mob out there.”
“Thank you, sir,” Ron replied turning to follow him. Harry and Ginny followed also.
“I will come see you in eight hours,” Professor Dumbledore said to them when they reached the portrait of the fat lady.
“Yes sir, Harry, Ron and Ginny replied. Hermione was already sleeping in Ron’s arms.