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SIYE Time:11:34 on 28th March 2024
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Darkness Rising
By hgromance

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Category: Post-OotP, Alternate Universe
Characters:Albus Dumbledore, Draco Malfoy, Harry/Ginny, Hermione Granger, James Potter, Lily Potter, Luna Lovegood, Minerva McGonagall, Other
Genres: Action/Adventure, Drama, Romance
Warnings: Death, Disturbing Imagery, Intimate Sexual Situations, Mild Language, Mild Sexual Situations, Sexual Situations, Violence
Rating: R
Reviews: 245
Summary: ON HIATUS FOR NOW. Sequel to Innocence Lost. Read that one first. Harry's fifth year. More surprises are in store for Harry and company. Harry has to learn how to handle an evil teacher, an evil wizard who wants him dead. He finds the answers to why he and Ginny can practically feel the others' emotions. Oh, and Harry's parents are alive? He has a sister?
Hitcount: Story Total: 108044; Chapter Total: 5124





Author's Notes:
Sorry it's taken so long. Here's the next one.




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Chapter 14



"Why didn't someone come get us last night?" asked Cherish.

McGonagall had just brought into the Hospital Wing Cherish, Hermione, Ron, and Dudley after explaining what had happened. It was breakfast time and she was needed in the Great Hall. Before leaving them, she told them they were excused from morning classes unless they wanted to go.

"Hush, you're going to wake Harry," shushed Hermione.

"I'm afraid you weren't notified because I didn't want a bunch of people in my ward who didn't need to be here. I already had beds occupied by Harry, Ginny and Lily. James, Professors Snape and Sprout were also here. I had to convince Remus and Sirius to stay home."

Pomfrey gently checked Harry's pulse, shaking her head at the still too-rapid result. Just as she finished, he began to stir in a way that had become quite familiar to those present during the night. Shooing out everyone but Lily and Ginny, she tugged the curtain around them. Just in time. As the previous times, the only thing in Harry's stomach to come up was the Hydrating Potion she had just administered not long ago. She quickly vanished it and nodded to the water by the table.

"Remember, small sips."

Ginny poured some into a glass and, with her other hand, gently lifted Harry's head so he could drink some. Through a combination of the poisoning itself and not being able to keep anything down, Harry could barely move, he was so weak.

Satisfied he'd managed to swallow even a little bit of water, Pomfrey slid the curtain back revealing the mix of stunned and horrified faces on the other four. Not one of them knew what to say or how to act. They watched as Ginny said something to Harry, saw him nod slightly, and she reached for Harry's glasses. These were different than his normal ones, however. The lenses had been tinted dark to help keep the light sensitivity down to a minimum. Lily left them alone for awhile.

"Hey, guys," Harry croaked weakly.

"Harry, how are you?"

"I'm not going to die, Hermione, so get that horrible look off your face. Though there's times it certainly feels like it."

"Don't joke like that, Harry. Don't ever joke like that," cried Cherish.

"It's okay, Cherish. I'm fine. The only problem is that I'm going to have to drink something made by Snape which means it's going to taste as foul as it possibly can."

Weakly, he made a gagging sound, making everyone laugh and relax.

"Do they know how you were poisoned?" Ron asked.

"It wasn't the food itself or others would have gotten sick. Other than that, no."

"Do they even know who did it?"

"No. Once they figure out how it was delivered, they'll figure out who did it."

The Hospital Wing door opened and Snape entered carrying several bottles of a muddy green potion. Handing all but one to the nurse, he uncorked the vial he kept and strode to Harry's side.

"Drink this, Potter. It'll flush out the toxins from your body."

Harry warily took it and sniffed. Surprisingly, it didn't smell that badly. Deciding to just get it over with, he downed it. His stomach protested a little, but it stayed down. He sighed in relief when his stomach settled more than it had in several hours. When he realized the others were waiting to see if it would remain in him, he nodded. Ginny relaxed and smiled, cueing the others' reactions as well.

Madame Pomfrey chose that moment to reappear at Harry's side. "Okay, you've had some time. Now, Mr. Potter needs his rest."

Hermione and Cherish both kissed his cheek and Ron waved before they left. Hermione scolded Ron into attending morning classes, after all, and she'd promised Harry to take extra good notes and to write down any assignments. Harry thanked her, though he couldn't help thinking she did that anyway. Suddenly feeling very tired, he yawned.

Ginny gave a quick kiss. "Get some sleep, luv. You're going to need your strength back for the HEDGE meetings, not to mention Apparition. If you don't want me beating you to the punch with those, you're going to need to get back on your feet soon."

"I know," he yawned, "and I will and you better not."

Ginny ran her fingers lovingly through his hair as he drifted off to sleep. She, too, felt tired and, again, used the bed next to his for a nap.

++++

"Severus," James called, before the Potions Master could leave the ward.

Snape turned to see James coming toward him. Not knowing what to expect, he just stood there, waiting.

"Severus, I thank you. Any debt you feel you owe has been paid." Seeing Snape's eyes widen then narrow, he continued. "Albus told us you felt you owed us. He didn't say why. I wanted to tell you this makes us even, more than. Good luck."

James held out his hand, hoping Severus would take it but not really expecting him to. There was a lot of history to overcome and James wasn't sure if they could.

Severus stared at the proffered hand then looked into the eyes of the man he'd spent a good portion of his life despising. He nodded his head once in acknowledgment before continuing on his way.

++++

By the end of that day, Harry was able to keep liquids down, the trembling disappeared and his pulse returned to normal. By midweek, he could finally lose the tinted glasses, eat soft, bland foods, and feel his strength slowly returning. The end of the week found him back to his regular diet. He still tired easily but he was getting out of the Hospital Ward, much to his delight.

"Now, Mr. Potter," began the matron, "I have your word you'll go easy? Rest when you need it?"

"Don't worry, Madame Pomfrey," Ginny interjected, "I'll see that he doesn't go overboard for a while."

The nurse nodded with a faint grin. "I'm sure you will. Now, you're going to be on a restricted schedule for now. Morning classes only until further notice. NO QUIDDITCH UNTIL AN ACTUAL GAME UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE. That should give you plenty of time to recover before pushing yourself during a game."

Just then the door opened and Tort came into the large room. Spotting Harry and Ginny, she immediately became irate. Her face flushed, eyes narrowed, breathing quickened and her pulse raced. She marched to where the Potters were standing with Pomfrey.

"What is he," she furiously spoke, "still doing here? Surely he's well enough by now to go back to his dorm."

"As a matter of fact," Pomfrey stated, "I was just sending him on his way." She turned back to Harry. "Remember. Morning classes only and no Quidditch until the season begins."

"That's rubbish. If the boy is well enough to be out of here, he can attend all of his classes. There will be no more mollycoddling the students." Looking to Harry, she informed him, "You are hereby instructed to return to your original schedule."

"Now, hold on there." The matron's stern voice demonstrated how she managed to get her way when it came to the care of her patients. "You will not tell me how to care for my patients. If I say he needs to be on a restricted schedule then that's what he shall have."

"We'll see about that. In the meantime, how long have you worked here? Perhaps it's time this school had a nurse with a firmer hand. Perhaps then the students would realize the Hospital Ward is not a fun place to be and would not be indulged any longer."

She looked at Harry as she spoke her next words. "Minor illnesses are no concern of the school nurse. They run their courses and are over with."

Incredulity showed on Harry's face turning quickly to indignation at what the professor was implying. He opened his mouth to retort only to have it snap shut as Ginny hauled him out the door. They hurried down the hall, turned a corner, and down a side hall before slowing to a stop.

"Thanks, Gin. You probably saved me from a month of detentions."

"I didn't do it just for you, but you're welcome." The red-haired witch paced back and forth, trying to calm the raging storm inside, which was no small feat. "Imagine, thinking you were faking it just to skive off class or something. My hand itched to draw my wand and hex her into the next century."

"I wasn't faking it, but I think a lot of people will be soon." Harry smiled wickedly at the thought.

"What do you mean?"

"Fred and George told me about one of their joke products they're working on. Different sweets produce different illness symptoms. I can't wait to see Tort's face when suddenly everyone's too sick to attend her class."

"Oh, that's just perfect," Ginny nearly purred, giddy with anticipation. "Did they say how long before they had things ready to go?"

"No, but they've been working on them for a while so it can't be much longer."

"How do you know all this?"

"Guess they figured I was getting bored being cooped up in the Hospital Wing, which was true."

Ginny impishly smiled at Harry, her eyes twinkling and sauntered over to stand in front of him. Up on her toes, she leaned fully against him, slid her fingers into his hair at the back of his head and spoke softly into his ear.

"I know of a way to cure that boredom."

She pulled away until their lips were mere inches apart, looked into his limpid green eyes. She watched, fascinated, as they slowly became a murky green, paralleling his rising excitement. Ginny loved his eyes. She didn't need their connection to know what he was thinking. She just had to notice his eye color. A brilliant shade meant happiness. A hard, burning green meant anger. A flat, silvery green denoted sadness or moodiness. In moments like these, the clear green turned a deep, cloudy color.

She watched and she waited. His tongue peeked out to wet his lips before disappearing once more. She watched as he swallowed; he was trying to rein in his emotions, she knew.

In a voice, more than a little husky, he barely whispered, "I'm supposed to be taking it easy, remember?"

Her response was a saucily cocked eyebrow.

"Right. I think I'll shut up now."

Closing the distance between them, he took her mouth in a kiss that had no hope of being anything but hot. His arms snaked around her, holding her in place. Soft sounds of enjoyment rose from the depths of their beings, spurring them on.

Completely oblivious to their surroundings, regardless of the snickers or murmurs from passersby, they were lost in a world of shared emotion, and things began to get a little out of hand when a loud throat-clearing sound caught their attention.

"You might want to take it easy on the poor man--,"

"--or you'll exhaust him and be stuck here for awhile."

"Where's the fun in that?" the twins said together.

Harry stared dazedly at them while Ginny glared for interrupting them. She wanted nothing more than to return to her previous activity but it seemed the twins were in for some conversation.

"Although there's one good thing about your little show."

"It's convinced more people you're actually married."

Fred nodded in agreement. "Yeah, most didn't believe it because you didn't act like it."

"So?" Ginny asked, "Who cares what they think?"

"So says the one who hasn't had to listen to all the talk. Some cruel things were being said."
Ginny shrugged in response. She really didn't care who said what.

Fred grabbed Harry's school bag and George threw one arm around Ginny and the other around Harry, leading them back in the direction of the common room.

"Tell me about these sweets to make you ill. I have to hear about them from Harry? You prats!"

Both twins looked a bit sheepish at having left their sister out of the loop. No one could have looked more guilty or more uncertain at that moment. Silently trying to convince the other to begin the conversation, they both sighed.

"We didn't mean to not tell you. We just haven't finished them yet."

"And we thought Harry could use a bit of cheering up being stuck in the Hospital Wing for so long."

They began, in their back and forth manner, to explain what exactly their newest products did. By the time they were done, the quartet was laughing.

"I'd love to see Tort get hold of one of those Puking things. You won't believe what she insinuated just before Harry was released."

The expressions on the twins' faces became wicked in nature. Devilish grins spread across their faces and an unholy light shone in their eyes. Rubbing their hands together in anticipation and excitement, they tore off at a much faster pace than Harry could manage. George turned back to the couple momentarily.

"Sis, that's the best idea you've ever had. We owe you."

Ginny smiled knowing full well what it meant to have the twins in your debt. Wrapping an arm around Harry's waist, they continued their slow but steady walk back.

"Do you honestly think they can pull this one off?" Harry asked. It seemed to him to be a monumental task. "I mean, not only do they have to get it into her food or drink but they have to do it without being seen."

"Oh, that's right, you don't know. Since you've been out, she's taken to bringing a goblet of drink into class. It's not going to be as difficult as you think."

Slowly a wicked grin snuck its way across Harry's face. He couldn't believe it, but he was actually looking forward to Defense class.

++++

"I'm worried about Harry."

Cherish sat in the common room with Dudley and Neville. Ron and Hermione were off doing their Prefect duties. She knew he was going to be fine but knowing someone out there poisoned him worried her greatly.

"He'll be fine, Cherish." Neville reached over and briefly touched her arm before pulling his hand back. "Besides, this is kind of a typical year for Harry. I mean, you've heard about his previous years, right?"

"I know and, yes, I've heard the tales. It's been a week, though, and the best the Headmaster can come up with is that Harry was poisoned during a meal. Well, gee, I could have told him that. Harry had to ingest it for it do anything, so, yeah, he was poisoned during a meal. They still don't know how or even who."

"They'll figure it out. Just give them some time."

"Sure," she snorted sarcastically, "in the meantime, that same someone could be planning another attack."

"And Harry will live through it." Neville shrugged. "It's what he does."

"It's just so scary."

"I know. Just remember this: Ginny didn't choose a phoenix to represent Harry on her bracelet for nothing."

Cherish thought about that a moment and the beginnings of a smile showed on her face. If anyone knew Harry, it would be Ginny and if she's got that much confidence in him, well, I should, too.

"Thanks, Neville. You've made feel much better." Impulsively, she leaned over and kissed his cheek, astounding the shy young man. "I've still got homework. I think I'll head for the library. Would you like to come with me?"

"I-I-I-uh-," was all Neville could get out.

"It's okay. You don't have to." She was disappointed and a little hurt but she hid it well.

"NO! I mean, that's not what I meant. I'd like to go. I've still got homework, too."

Cherish smiled a smile that could have lit the room. "Great. Let me go get my stuff." She turned to Dudley. "You can come, too."

Dudley eyed the two speculatively before shaking his head. "I don't think so. You two go and have fun. I'm going to enjoy the weekend first."

Shrugging her shoulders, Cherish took off to her room to retrieve what she needed.

Dudley good-naturedly teased Neville. "She likes you, you know, in a boyfriend/girlfriend kind of way. You know that, don't you?"

"You think so?" Neville sounded half-hopeful yet wary.

"I'm pretty sure. What's the matter? I'd have thought you'd be happy about it."

"Well, I kind of am but...it's Harry's sister. Ever since first year, he's been nothing but kind to me. I'd hate to do something to mess that up."

"Trust me, Harry's not going to care. I think you're lucky to have someone like you like that."

"Thanks," Neville smiled. "You will, too. You've already changed a lot since I met you."

It was Dudley's turn to smile. "Thanks. You'd better get your stuff before she comes back."

"Right. Bye."

Dudley watched him leave. What he'd said was true. He did envy Neville for having a girl like him. He looked down at himself. What Neville had said was true, as well. He had lost a lot of weight and replaced it with muscle. All that walking I've been doing since I got here. Those moving staircases, forcing me to walk even more, have helped. He shrugged. He was still busy drinking in the magical world. He'd even acquired a taste for pumpkin juice. Mum and Dad wouldn't recognize me now. That thought brought a bit of sadness with it. I wonder if they're okay. He shook off the melancholy stealing over him and decided a walk was in order.

++++

The next week, Harry found it more difficult than he imagined, trying to attend his classes. He was grateful Pomfrey put him on a restricted schedule of morning classes only. More often than not, he nodded off during class, which he normally did in History of Magic, anyway. Surprisingly, Hermione didn't bother him about it, for which he was eternally grateful. She made sure he had copies of her notes and any assignments.

It was one of those mornings. He'd fallen asleep during McGonagall's lecture about the dangers of cross-species transfiguration and why none of them should be attempting it just yet. The next thing he knew, he was being shaken.

"Mr. Potter."

Harry's head jumped off the arm draped across his desk. "I'm sorry, Professor. I didn't mean to fall asleep. I just get so tired." Harry knew he was rambling but he couldn't seem to help it.

"Mr. Potter, it's okay. Madam Pomfrey warned us this could happen until you fully recovered."

The Professor studied the young man in front of her. He still seemed a bit peaky. His usually bright green eyes were now dull and tired looking. His shoulders slumped in exhaustion. McGonagall secretly wondered if Poppy had let Harry go too soon.

"Come to my office, Harry," she said kindly. "You can sleep in there as long as you need to. I really don't think you're going to last through lunch, much less get all the way up to your room."

Too tired to do much else, he nodded and gathered his belongings. Slowly putting one foot in front of the other, he followed his Head of House to her office. Once there, she transfigured a chair into a comfortable couch with a throw pillow and a knitted covering thrown over the back of one of the other chairs into a blanket.

"I'll let the others know where you are."

"Thanks, Professor."

"Just keeping my team's Seeker in good condition," she replied. They both knew it was more than that.

Harry nodded, lay down and was asleep in seconds.

Minerva looked down at her student. Poor boy has been through enough already. How he's managed to survive everything with his sanity intact is a mystery. Light winked off the bracelet barely uncovered by the shirt sleeve. Then again, having a Life-force Union with someone as strong as Miss Weas--, Mrs. Potter probably helps. She's definitely been good for him.

Shaking her head, she headed to the Great Hall to inform the others of Harry's location.

++++

Two hours after lunch, McGonagall cut her double Transfiguration class into a normal one and was in her office catching up with grading essays when her door opened. In walked Professor Tort. The young Professor, so intent upon the older one, she didn't notice Harry still asleep on the couch.

"Is there something you needed?" McGonagall asked coolly.

"I just wanted to ask you a few questions about your tenure here. It is my right, after all, as High Inquisitor, to make sure the teaching staff is up to par."

McGonagall cast a Silencing Charm in Harry's direction, for she knew things would likely get ugly.

Tort turned in the direction the spell was cast and her face turned red. Furious, she turned back to the Professor in front of her.

"WHAT IS HE DOING HERE?!"

"What does it look like?"

"This is NOT acceptable. I have found this staff to be way too lenient in their dealings with the students and with Harry Potter in particular. As I told the nurse, if he's well enough to attend classes, he should be attending a full schedule. This mollycoddling has got to end. Wake him up and send him off to class."

"I will not." Minerva stood, keeping her desk between them, her own temper flaring. "He is a student of my House and as his Head of House and Deputy Headmistress I will do as I see fit. If I feel he needs some extra rest, he will get it. You cannot force me to not care about my students."

"Fine. I'll do it myself."

Tort canceled the silencing spell and made to shake the boy awake but came into contact with a barrier. She couldn't touch him, no matter how hard she tried to push past it. She tried several versions of the canceling spell to no avail. Enraged, she turned back to the Transfiguration professor.

"Drop it. Now." she bit out through clenched teeth.

"No. Not when I believe his well-being is at stake."

"I see. This has gone far enough. Cornelius will be hearing of this. Changes will be made."

With that, Tort turned on her heel and left.

++++

The argument with McGonagall led to the declaring of the next Educational Decree. This one stated that the High Inquisitor had ultimate authority over punishments or privileges.

"Can you believe this?" Hermione asked indignantly. "You know what she's on about, don't you?"

When she was met by silence from their little group, she sighed. "It means she's going to try to get rid of anyone loyal to Dumbledore, get rid of him, and take over the school herself."

"She can't do that," protested Ron.

"She can with the Ministry's backing, and it looks like she's got it."

"I think it's time--,"

"--to prank ol' Professor Skunk again."

"Is it what I'm thinking?" asked Ginny with a devilish grin.

"Yep. We've gotten it perfected. Just you all wait. We'll set it up for next week."

++++

That evening Harry and company were back in the Come and Go Room practicing defensive spells. HEDGE had grown exponentially once word of Harry's poisoning was spread. It seemed more and more people were beginning to see the truth. They had been practicing Expelliarmus, Stupefy and had started on Impedimenta last week while Harry was recovering in the Hospital Wing.

"Are you sure you're up to this, Harry? No one would think less of you if you didn't participate." Hermione worried, as usual.

"I'll be fine, Hermione. I'm feeling okay. You honestly think I could get away with doing this if I wasn't?" Harry asked glancing at Ginny, who winked.

Harry took it easy that night, working with any newcomers or anyone who still hadn't perfected the first two spells.

By the end of the meeting, Harry was feeling a little tired but not overly so since he'd slept most of the afternoon. Everyone went their separate ways as he and Ginny made their silent way out of the castle and down to their meeting spot for their Apparition lesson.

"Harry, good to see you up and about again." Remus embraced the boy.

"Thanks, Remus."

"We won't keep you too long tonight. We've been made quite aware that you're on a restricted schedule for now."

"Yeah, but I slept most of this afternoon so I'm feeling pretty good."

Remus studied him, as if looking for the truth, and nodded when he found it. "Doesn't matter. I'd have the wrath of two very lovely and talented red-heads after my head and that just wouldn't do."

Ginny snickered but didn't dispute the claim.

Harry tried for the hundredth time that evening to apparate, not expecting the result to be any different, so he was quite surprised by the instant of being squeezed before materializing in a different spot. He looked around in disbelief then looked back at Ginny, Tonks, and Lupin. They were all grinning.

"I did it?" He popped out of existence and re-materialized next to Ginny. "I really did it!"

He began popping here and there before sitting down hard, a little dizzy. "I think I overdid it."

"All right, Ginny, your turn," Tonks instructed. "Remember what I told you last time and you shouldn't have a problem." She winked.

Ginny thought back then she, too, popped out of existence only to rematerialize at Harry's side. She wrinkled her nose and rubbed her chest.

"You didn't tell me about that constricting feeling."

"If we had," cheeked Tonks, "would you have wanted to do this so badly?"

Ginny conceded the point. "You okay, Harry?"

"Fine."

"We'll finish out the month just to make sure you can continue apparating. After that, we may not need to come anymore."

"Thanks, Remus."

They said their good-byes and the adults popped away. Harry threw the Cloak around Ginny and himself as they re-entered through the castle gates and made their way to the spot they chose in order to remove the Cloak. Neither could wait for the next opportunity to practice their newest skill.



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