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Author: RdeHwyll Story: Harry Potter and the Philtre of Promise Rating: Teens Setting: AU Status: Completed Reviews: 8 Words: 101,355
Adding the sigil to the letters was a simple task, thanks to Hermione's knowledge of Ancient Runes and ability at Charms. It was also her idea to enchant the letters with the perfume scent that Pansy Parkinson habitually wore, a particularly over-sweet floral. "It will add verisimilitude to the deception," she had explained. Anna May immediately asked, "What's Verzimitoot to the 'ception' mean?" Hermione explained the term to the girl, who looked thoughtful for a moment. "V-Verzimitoot to the 'ception' uses a lot of too big words. Wouldn't it be eaz'er to just say 'seem true'?" the seven year old asked. "I bet more people would unnerstand that, Miss Herminey." Both Harry and Ginny suppressed a laugh as Hermione's mouth dropped open. When she turned to them for support, the effort became too much and Harry could only begin coughing to hide his laughter. He coughed twice. "Erm... Well. I guess I'd," he coughed again, "better get these out by school owl. The sooner that Crabbe and Goyle get and read them, the sooner Malfoy will tell 'Voldymork' the information we want him to have," Harry commented, giving Ginny a quick kiss on the cheek before heading out the portrait hole to the Owlery, his face red with effort. "Anna May, how did you know about the sigil?" asked Ginny, changing the subject quickly. "Sometimes I just know things all at once. I don't know why. I think it's kinda like 'memb'ring something b'fore it happens," Anna May tried to explain. "Sometimes I 'member stuff a long time b'fore, and sometimes I 'member things that don't happen at all. And I get ideas, too." "Ideas?" asked Ginny "Once, I stopped my friend Delilah from chasing the ball into the street, 'cause I had an idea something bad would happen, and when I did, a big Muggle truck runned over the ball." Anna May frowned at the memory "Do you think things like that often?" asked Hermione. Anna May shook her head. "No, just sometimes. Like yesterday, when the snake-man hurted the man and Mr. Harry." "Have you been able to 'remember ahead' for long?" "I don't know. Mummy said she thought I was just 'buhzervant and listened when the people from the min'stry asked her that question," Anna May replied. "Miss Herminey, what does 'buhzervant mean?" "‘Observant' means that you pay attention to what is going on around you, Anna May," explained Hermione. "Like yesterday, when you told Ginny she liked Harry, and you knew that because she smiles more around him. You were being observant when you noticed that." "Speaking of that," Ginny interjected, "you've said several things about my -- my having babies. You said I would have two. Is that because you 'remembered it ahead'?" Anna May frowned. "I don't know, Miss Ginny. I think so -- I saw you carrying two babies b'fore the bad snake-man -- b'fore he..." she trailed off in mid-sentence, tears beginning to well up in her eyes. "Anna May? You don't have to talk about it if it upsets you," Ginny comforted the little girl, taking and holding her in a hug. "That's right. You're supposed to be resting, anyway," Hermione added. "I'm not sleepy, Miss Herminey. Can I just sit in a chair, and have Miss Ginny tell me a story?" "How about if we help you with your lesson assignments first, and then Ginny will tell you a story?" Hermione asked. The little girl smiled. "I think that would be good. Mummy said I should always do my best and try to learn as much as I can and ask for help if I don't unnerstand something." Anna May paused, a sudden look of concentration plastering itself across her small visage. "Miss Herminey? I don't think I should do Potions up here. Doctor Far'nwald told us that we should only try es-spearmints when he's there to su-soup-permise us -- Am I s'posed to still call him Doctor Far'nwald? It's not his name." "I don't know, Anna May. I think you should wait until the next time you have a lesson with him and ask him yourself." Hermione answered. "I also think that not doing Potions up here is a very good idea." "May I start with Trans -- trams -- tramsfiggershins?" "That's transfigurations, Anna May," Hermione corrected. "That's a hard word to 'member," Anna May frowned, "Trans-figg-yer-a-shunz? Is that better?" "Much better," laughed Ginny. "What are you supposed to do?" "I think I unnerstand how to make the matchstick into a needle now. Perfesher McGonagall told me I had to learn to do that b'fore I can make myself into a moggie like her." "Yes, you've told us, Anna May," replied Hermione, a look of quiet frustration on her visage. The little girl seemed unaware that there would need to be a great deal more training before she could transfigure herself into anything, let alone a living creature. "All right," Hermione said as she crossed the common room to the fireplace. Taking a matchstick from the holder on the mantel, she returned to the table where Ginny and Anna May sat. "Here's a matchstick. Do you remember what Professor McGonagall told you to do?" "Yes, Miss Herminey." Anna May pulled her tiny wand from the pocket of her robes, and pointed it at the matchstick, her face showing determination. In less than thirty seconds, the wooden matchstick had lengthened, become pointy at one end and a hole formed through the other, as it suddenly turned silvery. There on the table was a sewing needle. "That was... excellent, Anna May," Hermione exclaimed, both in surprise and a tiny twinge of jealousy. "All I could do on my first day was get it looking silvery and pointy, and -- and I was four years older than you are." The first-year student smiled broadly as she slipped her tiny wand back into her robes. "I thought I could, Miss Herminey." Anna May stood up from the table and danced excitedly (for there was no other way to describe it) to the centre of the common room. There, she closed her eyes and the look of concentration and determination once more appeared on her features. "Wee Moggie..." she whispered. "Anna May, no! You could hurt yourself--" Ginny and Hermione bounded out of their chairs and raced toward the little girl, then stopped in mid-stride, shocked by what they were seeing. It took less than a second for the tiny girl to shrink and change form, becoming a calico kitten that mewed at them before arching its back, hissing excitedly and scurrying under the nearest sofa. *** As Harry descended the steps from the Owlery, having sent the posts to Crabbe and Goyle, he heard the sound of urgent voices and quickly moving feet in the corridor below. Pausing to look over the banister, he saw Hermione dash past, with Professor McGonagall following her quickly down the hallway towards the Gryffindor Common Room. "...don't know how she did it, Professor, it took us both by surprise." "I don't see how it would be possible without a specialized knowledge that takes years to learn. I was nearly twenty-five before I accomplished it, and then only because I spent five years researching how it could be done..." The voices faded away, and Harry picked up his pace to follow, wondering what had happened. As he approached the portrait that hid the entrance to the Gryffindor Common Room, he noted that the fat lady was wringing her hands as if she were worrying, and kept looking to the area of the portrait behind her. He cleared his throat to attract her attention. "Oh, Mr. Potter, I didn't see you. Password, please?" "Knickerbocker -- but what's going on?" "You'd best get inside quickly; there seems to have been an incident with one of the first-years," she replied. "Professor McGonagall and Miss Granger both seemed rather worried and upset when they arrived." The painting swung aside, opening the hole in the wall, through which Harry quickly climbed. Once in the common room proper, he saw Professor McGonagall, Hermione and Ginny down on hands and knees, peering under one of the overstuffed sofas, trying to reach something. Crookshanks was disappearing under the far end of the same sofa, and moments later hissing and spitting could be heard emanating from underneath. "Oh, be careful with her, Crookshanks," Hermione called. "Bring her out gently." The oversized yellow cat's head emerged from the darkness with what looked like a small ball of noisily insistent, writhing black, white and orange fur held firmly in his mouth, and deposited it into Professor McGonagall's waiting hands. The Transfiguration instructor spoke softly to -- whatever it was -- in calm, soothing tone of voice as Hermione and Ginny helped her to her feet. She then walked to the nearest table and placed the wailing, wriggling bundle on its broad surface. "Hush now, I know you're frightened, and if you just hold still, I'll be able to help you," the Transfiguration instructor said gently. The ball of fluff then mewed piteously, and Harry realized it was a kitten. He wondered for a moment which of the first-years had brought it to Hogwarts before Professor McGonagall took her wand from the pocket of her robes, pointed it firmly at the small cat and intoned, "Finito Incantatum Esse Quam Videri!" Harry's mouth dropped open in awe as the kitten swiftly became a small, crying and frightened little girl sitting on the tabletop. Ginny immediately had Anna May in her arms, comforting her as her sobs degenerated into hiccups, while Professor McGonagall sat primly on the edge of the nearest chair and spoke quietly with Hermione, her face alternating between disapproving and stern one moment and briefly smiling the next. "Ginny, what's going on?" he asked. "Anna May was practicing her Transfigurations and somehow managed to transfigure herself into a kitten," his fiancée replied as she held the sobbing little girl. "We think the experience frightened her so badly that she panicked, ran and hid. We've spent the last ten minutes trying to get her to come out from under the sofa." "Is she all right?" "I don't know. She's still upset, and hasn't said anything coherent yet, but as soon as she calms down enough, Professor McGonagall will check to see if she has injured herself magically." Ginny continued to hold and soothe the child as she spoke. Anna May had wrapped her arms around the sixth-year prefect's neck, holding Ginny tightly as if she never wanted to let go. She hiccupped twice between sobs, then turned to look at Harry, tears streaking her face and her hair in wild disarray. "M-M-M-Mr. H-Harry, M-Miss Ginny, I don't w-want to," she paused to hiccup, "be a m-m-moggie never again!" "There, there, Anna May," soothed Ginny. "You won't have to Transfigure yourself if you don't want to." "That is quite correct, Miss Vertocular," said Professor McGonagall, who had risen to her feet and come up behind Ginny and the girl. "I suggest that you not do that again before you have had the proper instruction and training. I told you and the others yesterday that anyone messing about in my class would leave and not be back." The Transfiguration Instructor's voice held an edge that indicated she was definitely not pleased with what had happened. "Luckily for you, you were not in my class when this occurred. Now hold still a moment, and let me check to see if everything is all right." She pointed her wand, and a silvery mist emerged and surrounded the little girl. "It appears that you somehow managed the Transfiguration without harm, thank Merlin. I am still taking twenty points from Gryffindor for your unauthorised use of Transfiguratory Magic, and you will serve the next three evenings in detention with me in my classroom." The little girl looked as if she would burst into tears anew, hiccupped and hugged Ginny even tighter. "Miss Weasley, Miss Granger," Professor McGonagall addressed the two female prefects, "I realize that the circumstances were beyond your control, and I applaud your quick thinking and common sense in coming to me in this emergency. I therefore award the female sixth-and-seventh-year Gryffindor prefects fifteen points each." The Head of the House smiled briefly as she said this. "Miss Vertocular, Miss Granger tells me that prior to this incident, you were able to transform a matchstick into a needle, as I had asked you to practice. Will you please demonstrate to me how you achieved this?" Anna May gulped down a sob as she nodded her head, then loosened her hold on Ginny and slid herself down to the floor. "M-Miss Ginny, will you please," she hiccupped, "g-get me a m-matchstick? I d-don't think," she hiccupped again, "I can reach them on the ma'tel." Harry pulled a clean handkerchief from his pocket and helped the little girl blow her nose as Ginny complied with the request. "Here you are, Anna May. Do you still have your wand?" "T-Thank you, Miss Ginny. Yes, I ," she paused to hiccup, "still have it," she sniffed as she drew the tiny wand from her pocket and displayed it. "You're welcome, Anna May," replied Ginny. Professor McGonagall allowed a brief smile to grace her lips at this exchange of niceties. Anna May placed the matchstick atop the table where she had been transmuted to human form, pointed her wand at it and concentrated. The change from wood to metal was much faster this time, less than fifteen seconds. Professor McGonagall plucked the needle from the table and examined it closely, nodding her head at the result. "Thank you, Miss Vertocular, that was excellent," she said as another small smile quirked the corners of her mouth. "I believe that accomplishment should be rewarded. Five points to Gryffindor for your quick success." She turned her gaze to the child as she said this, and Anna May smiled faintly at the praise. "And as long as I am rewarding successful accomplishments," continued the stern-faced witch, " I award Gryffindor twenty-five points for your highly dangerous and forbidden achievement in Transfiguring yourself successfully into a kitten and sheer dumb luck," she strongly emphasized the negative terms, glancing briefly at Harry. "Now please promise me you will never, never try that again until I, or another qualified Transfiguration instructor, have fully informed, instructed and trained you in the process and give you permission!" Anna May hiccupped once more before replying. "Yes, I promise, Perfesher McGonagall. I won't never ever do that again!" she nodded and shook her head in unison with her sentiments as she replied. "Very well. I shall expect you in my classroom this evening at the hour of six pm sharp for your detention. Good day." The elder witch turned and walked away, but not before Harry saw her smile, shake her head, and say softly, "An Animagi at her age -- How ever did she do it?" *** "Bloody hell, Harry, do you know what we have to do for our NEWT in Defence Against the Dark Arts?" Ron complained loudly as he collapsed into one of the overstuffed chairs in the common room at the end of the day. Harry looked up from the book he was reading, and shook his head at his best friend. "Snape's requiring a hands-on Practicum demonstrating our knowledge of all the defensive spells and their negating counterparts, all the offensive spells and curses except for the three unforgivables, and all possible wardings, including one called Collinwoods' Undeadly Biter!" he continued. "I'd never even heard of the Undeadly Biter! Snape said that if I did not know what it was by this time, he certainly was not going to hand me the answer, and then took ten points from Gryffindor just because I asked! Bloody Git!" "So he's just as horrible as he was in Potions?" Hermione asked. "That's just it -- he's... different, somehow. He seems obsessed with determining how much and what we have learned, and for once, he is not showing any favouritism -- Every House was hit for points today. He even took 50 points from Slytherin during the lesson because Millicent Bulstrode managed to Stupefy herself. It was almost as if he was a totally different person," Ron shook his head in disbelief. "What do we have to do for our NEWTs in the rest of our lessons?" asked Harry. Ron dug out a sheet of parchment from his book bag. "The Herbology NEWT will consist of three hands-on practicums over the course of the year -- Planting and Care of Beneficial Foreign Plant Species, Grafting and Cultivation of Magical Hybrids, and Specialized Magical Harvesting Techniques -- along with a written essay dealing with the advantages and disadvantages of use of the nineteen different currently available magical fertilizers for seven uniquely different species of magical plants," he read aloud, then sighed. "As for Care of Magical Creatures, you'll never guess what Hagrid has planned for us this year," Ron continued. "We're each being assigned a portion of the Hogwarts grounds to inventory all the various magical creatures inhabiting it, and then we have to find a way to increase the population of at least two of them! Who in their right mind would want to increase the population of garden gnomes?" "Someone who's found Horclumps and Jarveys in their plot?" suggested Harry. Ron glared at his friend for a moment, then shook his head. "What about History of Magic?" asked Harry. "Professor Binns assigned that thirty-foot essay we heard about yesterday, on the subject of what social, political and financial effects on the wizarding world were caused by the multiple Goblin Wars and Giant Rebellions in the past ten centuries, along with a three-day test of our knowledge of Magical History from the time of Merlin Ambrosius to the present day." "Ouch! That will take quite a bit of research… Hermione, any chance we can borrow your History of Magic notes?" asked Harry hopefully. "You should have been taking them yourselves, you know, instead of sleeping through the class," Hermione sniffed from where her sheets of parchment were spread out on the table. "Oh, come on, Hermione, what's it going to hurt if we read your notes to write that bloody essay?" Ron cajoled, bending over to give Hermione a quick kiss on the cheek. "It's not as if you're writing it for us -- we still do that part." "Ronald Weasley! You are supposed to be an example to the other students as Head Boy! What is it going to say to the lower years if you have someone else do all your work for you? That it's all right to just slide by because you have a friend who will let you borrow their notes?" Hermione was building up to a full head of steam on one of her favourite topics. "Are you going to make me sorry for recommending you to Professor Dumbledore? It's not as if you haven't a brain -- you are as smart and as intelligent as any other student here at Hogwarts. You just refuse to apply yourself!" Ron's mouth dropped open. "You think I'm smart and intelligent? Hermione paused briefly before answering. "Yes, I do. If you enjoy something, you always do well at it. Take Wizard Chess for example -- it takes an ability to think several moves ahead in order to consistently win, and you've been doing that since before you ever got to Hogwarts. That alone shows you're intelligent. And as for smart, that's just the ability to think on your feet and arrive at a suitable answer. That's why you are as good as you are at Quidditch! Now if you would just apply yourself to your schoolwork and lessons with that same enthusiasm, you would be getting top marks all the time!" "But --" Ron had backed away several steps as Hermione stood to face him. "Ron, it's even in your heritage to do well! Your parents are accomplished and respected, your brothers have all done well for themselves. Even Fred and George have shown how clever they are, though they might have directed their energies to something other than pranks and jokes. Look at Ginny! She has moved ahead a year because she did so well at Potions. You could be like that if only you would try!" Hermione's rant gave way to her frustration with her boyfriend's attitude toward school in general, and tears started to form in her eyes -- she had raised her voice enough that others in the common room were staring. "I want you to be successful at whatever you decide to do -- but bloody hell, Ron, it's time to decide to do something!" Hermione emphasized the sentiment by poking her forefinger into his chest. Ron stared at his girlfriend, wonder evident on his face. Then his expression hardened. "Hermione, I - I never knew you felt that way. I know I haven't always tried my hardest at lessons, but - but I will from now on. Just wait, you'll see. I'll -- I'll get top marks this year, just as good as yours!" Ron turned away, picked up his book bag and started for the exit from the common room. "Just where do you think you're going?" asked Hermione, following him. "To the library. If I can't borrow your notes, I have a lot of reading to do," Ron replied as he continued to walk away. "But -" Hermione paused. "Just wait a minute! I'll get my books and go with you." "Why would you want to do that?" Ron grumbled. "Because if you are serious about what you said, and are going to do research, I'm coming along to help," She replied. "I won't let you copy my notes, but I will help you with the research. Sound fair to you?" Ron slowly smiled. "All right, Hermione. I'll wait." As Hermione gathered her parchment sheets and rushed up the stairs to the girls dormitories, Harry cocked his head and looked at his best friend. "That didn't sound like the Ron Weasley I know," he commented. "What are you planning to do?" Ron grinned sheepishly. "Just what I said I would. I guess Hermione finally got through to me, telling me she thinks I'm smart and intelligent. Now I have to do whatever I can so she keeps thinking of me that way, and if it includes hours of research at the library," he sighed, "then that's what I'll have to do." "Uh-huh… So, Ron, when you're done, can I borrow your notes?" Harry deadpanned, and chuckled quietly as Ron's ears turned red. *** Lessons the next day were given over to study and research, with every lesson period a daze of scribbled notes, shuffled parchments, book leaves being studied and flipped, and a barrage of questions to the instructors. Seventh-year students set up the apparatus to begin the distillery process for their Potions NEWT, practiced transformations for their Transfiguration NEWT and began preparing seedlings for their Herbology NEWT. They frantically revised the previous six years materials, and to see one without their nose in a book meant they were either writing, eating or sleeping. By the end of the first week, lessons had fallen into a rhythm of run to the classroom, study ahead, revise, experiment and then do it all again for the next lesson. Hermione spent a great deal of time in the library with Ron, drilling him on the various historical facts and helping him with research for the other lessons. Harry and Ginny seldom were able to spend time together except at meals and in Potions, or if they studied together in the common room. Harry was busy trying to get a good start on the tasks set for the NEWTs, and Ginny found herself spending more and more time in the evenings with Anna May. It came as something of a relief when Friday arrived and they all had the afternoon free. "Quidditch tryouts next week, Harry, Ginny. You'll be at practice today, won't you?" Ron reminded them at lunch. "Can't win without our Seeker and best Chaser!" "You're the captain, Ron. Just say when, and we'll be there," answered Harry. "I've reserved the pitch for half past 3:00. Try not to be late -- we have to find ourselves a pair of beaters and two new chasers, and I've convinced Madame Hooch to allow those Gryffindors who'll be trying out next week to come to practice. That'll give us some idea of the capabilities they have, and make tryouts next week go a bit smoother." "Good idea. Ginny and I are going to go see Doctor Farmwood and get permission to check on our Potions distillation process after lunch, but we'll be at the pitch when we're needed." "I'll be in the library with Hermione. You wouldn't remember if it was the Goblin Rebellion of 1348 or the one in 1834 that caused the depression of twenty percent of the worth of Galleons, would you?" Ron asked. "I know we covered it in lessons, but I keep getting the dates mixed up." "1834, Ron. The Goblin Rebellion of 1348 was the one that led to the Goblin/Giant Alliance of 1350 that caused the unseating of Andriusian the Addlepated from the Wizangamot," Ginny responded. "Thanks, Ginny. I'll see the two of you later. Half past 3:00, remember!" and with that Ron was on his way out of the Great Hall. Anna May had been sitting silent through the meal, a rather serious look on her face as she chewed on a pumpkin butter and gooseberry jam sandwich. "Is Mr. Ron all right?" she asked. "He seemed kinda ‘stracted, and he didn't finish his punkin juice or his razzberry trifle." "He has a lot on his mind right now, Anna May. He's trying to study hard to bring up his marks, he's the captain of the Gryffindor Quidditch Team, he's got responsibilities as Head Boy -- and Hermione keeps him a little distracted, too," Harry replied. "Oh. Why does Miss Herminey ‘stract him? Doesn't she like him?" Ginny giggled. "Oh yes, Hermione likes Ron very much. It's because they like each other so much that Ron gets distracted." Anna May nodded and took another bite of her sandwich. "I think Mr. Ron and Miss Herminey are gonna be happy together, even if she does get mad at him." "Hermione's mad at Ron? I didn't notice anything that would indicate that," Ginny questioned. "Not now, Miss Ginny. She gets mad at Mr. Ron at Chris'mas ‘cause he isn't gonna get her what she e'specs," She took another bite, and washed it down with some pumpkin juice. "But it'll all be all right by Val'ntines Day. She‘ll be real happy then." Harry noticed that Ginny was studying Anna May with a puzzled expression on her face, but when she shook her head and went back to eating, he just passed it off as something he didn't really need to know or worry about. *** In spite of being so much younger than the rest of the first year students, Anna May seemed to make friends with her year mates quickly. By the start of the second week, Alicia and Anastasia felt that it was their enjoyable duty to help Anna May with her studies, and had taken on the chore of making sure she got to the various lessons they shared. Sir Nicholas was still accompanying her from History of Magic to Herbology three times a week, much to Anna May's delight. When the Grey Lady, the Fat Friar and several other Hogwarts ghosts began to tag along, it seemed she had won over their approval for her manners as well. Indeed, by the end of the week it was not unusual to find Anna May studying history in the library under the direct tutelage of Professor Binns, or being helped to practice Charms by the Fat Friar. Perhaps the greatest thing she achieved, in the estimation of the ghostly contingent, was Friday morning of the second week, when she somehow managed to make both a silencing charm and a levitation charm stick to Peeves the Poltergeist, after he popped out of a suit of armour to scream loudly in the passing students' ears. It was apparent from the expression on his face that whatever it was that was causing him to float silently and uncontrollably all the way to the top floor of the castle, it was not something he was enjoying "Oh, I say, well done, Anna May, well done! I must say it's a definite improvement to have someone other than the Bloody Baron be able to take that scoundrel down a notch or two!" the Grey Lady was heard to say. "Thank you, M'lady Grey. He tried to scare me yesterday, so I used the charms Perfesher Flitwick taught us to stop him. He's not a very nice ghost, is he?" asked Anna May. "He is not a ghost at all. He's only a Poltergeist, Anna May," the female ghost sniffed. "Does that mean he's not special?" Anna May looked a bit confused. "There is absolutely nothing special about Peeves, my dear. He is just an annoyance!" Anna May pondered this in silence until she and the several ghosts had arrived at the Greenhouse for Herbology lessons. "Thank you for ‘scorting me, Sir Nickles, M'lady Grey, Friar William, Lord Cosworthy and Miss Lemmonn," she gave them a short curtsey. "Will I see you again after History of Magic on Monday?" "It will be our pleasure to be waiting for you, Anna May," responded Sir Nicholas, and the rest joined in a chorus of goodbyes before they wafted their way back to the castle. The young girl watched them glide away before turning and entering the large greenhouse. Just inside the door, Alicia and Anastasia were waiting for their yearmate, looking just a tiny bit put out. "Honestly, Anna May, do they have to come along every time?" Alicia complained. "Don't you find it just a little creepy to spend so much time with the ghosts? One of them brushed up against me, and it felt like I'd been drenched with ice water," she shivered at the thought. "I know, they make me shivery sometimes, too, but it wouldn't be p'lite to ask them to stop ‘scorting me, ‘cause Miss Herminey and Miss Ginny went to an awful lot of trouble to get Sir Nickles to help me. Besides, I promised Sir Nickles and the others that I would ‘troduce them to Lady Desiree, and --" Anna May stopped suddenly in mid-speech, her eyes growing round with fear. "W-We gotta leave the g-greenhouse now!" she stuttered, grabbing her two friends by the arm and pulling them back toward the doorway. "Why? What's the matter?" Anastasia tried to look behind her, thinking Anna may had seen something. The seven-year old pulled harder, and made the two older girls stumble through the doorway at the same time a splintery crash sounded from inside. A second and third followed closely thereafter, accompanied by a creaking and groaning as the glass roof of the structure sagged inward and shattered on the floor and tables inside. "Quick! Go get Madame Pomfry! Someone's hurted!" The small girl was trembling as she cried orders to the older students. "Hurry!" Screams and cries could be heard issuing from within the collapsed structure as the youngest Gryffindor pulled her tiny wand from the pocket of her robe and pointed it. "Structura Leviosa!" she cried. The entire structure quivered momentarily, and the fallen roof slowly rose upward. Moments later, several students stumbled out the doorway in panic, some cut and bleeding, followed by Professor Sprout, who was carrying one child, drenched in blood, in her arms. Anna May was trembling violently by this time, but kept her wand pointed at the collapsed greenhouse until she was certain no one else would appear. She could hear the sound of running feet behind her as her world slowly grew dark, and she fell to the ground. The last thing she heard before the blackness took her was the sound of breaking glass. *** " 'T'was Bundimuns, Professor Dumbledore, sir -- A huge infestation, from th' look o' things. Hid themselves right well ‘neath the dirt and plant cuttings. I've took th' liberty o' contactin' th' Department for th' Reg'lation an' Control o' Magical Creatures t' come an' scour th' remains clean of th' filthy pests, an‘ t‘ inspec‘ th‘ rest o‘ th‘ buildings," Hagrid explained. "Can't understan' how they di'n't get noticed -- th' stench was somethin' fearful." It was just before lunch, and the half-giant and the Hogwarts Headmaster stood outside the pile of rotted beams, broken glass and crumbling glazing that had been greenhouse number one. "We were extremely fortunate that more students were not hurt, Hagrid. Had it not been for our young Miss Vertocular, it could have been much worse." Professor Dumbledore sighed. "That were some right spectacular magic work th' wee one did," agreed the Hogwarts Groundskeeper. "Is she goin' t' be all right?" "Poppy says all she needs is rest -- she overextended herself, drew too deeply on her personal reserves. A few restorative potions and she should be just fine. I fear the child may be at risk, though. Her year-mates have been spreading the story of how she knew the greenhouse would collapse, and I fear that the tale may find its way to the wrong ears." The Headmaster shook his head, removed his glasses and pinched the bridge of his nose, closing his eyes as if he had a headache. "As for the other students, most of the injuries were minor -- cuts, scrapes, and bruises -- but young Master Grabbi will be spending some time in the hospital wing as Poppy heals those severed tendons. Still, better a badly injured arm than a death -- that shard of glass could have been fatal had it fallen a few inches further in one direction. Madame Sprout was quite shaken and disturbed by this event." "Professor Dumbledore!" came a shout. Ginny Weasley ran up to the Headmaster and Hagrid, breathing hard from the exertion. "What happened? Where's Anna May?" "Calm yourself, Miss Weasley. Miss Vertocular is fine -- she'll need a night in the hospital wing, but beyond that, Madame Pomfrey has things well in hand.Hagrid tells me that the greenhouse was infested with Bundimuns, which caused it to collapse." The headmaster frowned slightly. "Tell me, Miss Weasley -- Had you noticed a rather powerful stench in Greenhouse Number One of late? I know you are out here several times a week." "No, I can't say I have, Professor Dumbledore. In fact, the lesson day before yesterday was set aside so we could do a thourough cleaning -- Washed all the windows, swept up the loose cuttings, repotted a few of the mundane plants -- that sort of thing." "How odd…" Dumbledore muttered. "Beggin' your pardon, Professor Dumbledore, sir, but them there Bundimuns woulda had t' be in there for weeks t' cause that sort o' damage. I can't see how anyone could o' missed ‘em. There's something' a bit fishy ‘bout all this, if y' don't mind my sayin' so." "I must agree, Hagrid. Miss Weasley, I suggest you go to the hospital wing and check on your charge, perhaps bring her something from the kitchens. I'll be cancelling all the Herbology lessons for the time being, so if you would also have your brother announce that in the Great Hall during the noon meal, I would be most grateful." "Yes, Professor." The red-haired young woman turned away and started for the castle. Dumbledore watched her as she ran back to the entrance, then turned to survey the wreckage once more. "Most disturbing, Hagrid, most disturbing…" *** When Ron made the announcement about the cancellation of the Herbology classes, it was only a matter of moments before Hermione and Harry pulled him along to rush to the hospital wing, following Ginny as she ran up the stairs. By the time the trio had reached the doors to the infirmary, Ginny was already in the room and at Anna May's bedside. The child was still, dark circles under her closed eyes, her skin pallor grey and ashen as the sixth-year prefect held her hand. "Now, now, let the child rest -- She's fair exhausted herself," said Madame Pomfrey as she came around the curtain that separated Anna May's bed from the next one. "She'll be fine in a day or so." "Ah, Madame Pomfrey, there you are." Professor Snape walked in, ignoring the foursome gathered around the bed. "I was wondering if I might have a word with you -- I seem to be experiencing some rather severe headaches of late, and I haven't had time to mix up any restorative potion. May I have some of yours?" "Of course, Severus, just come with me." She paused only long enough to tell the Gryffindor's to keep their visit short, then led the Dark Arts instructor away to her office. "Hullo, Miss Ginny," came a soft and tired voice. Anna May had awakened, but seemed to be struggling to stay awake. "Did you see Nathan? He got hurted ‘cause he couldn't get out of the way. Is he going to be all right?" Her eyes were not their usual bright blue, but had turned a bluish grey beneath her sagging eyelids." "Yes, he'll be fine. Madame Pomfrey is taking very good care of him." "I think he's gonna be here for more'n a coupla days -- I heard Madame Pomfrey say his tenders got severed, and they're harder to heal than bones or muskles." Hermione looked as if she wanted to correct the child's pronunciation, but Ron gently grasped her hand and shook his head before she could say anything. "Let her be, Hermione," he whispered. "It isn't important right now." "I had an idea that the glass house was gonna fall down, so I pulled Anastasia and Alicia out th' door an' told them to go get Madame Pomfrey. Did I really make the building float? I can‘t --" she yawned deeply, "-- 'member. I think… I dreamed it," her eyes slid shut, and she was asleep. Madame Pomfrey returned, a vial of thick liquid in hand. "Has she woken up yet?" "Just for a minute or two, Madame Pomfrey, then she fell asleep again," Ginny told the Mediwitch. "Better a natural sleep than a potion-induced one -- she'll gain strength faster that way. But she really should have some restorative next time she awakens." She pursed her lips and shook her head. "All right then, let her sleep. Go on, shoo -- I promise I'll take good care of her." She ushered the foursome out of the ward. Ron and Hermione headed for the stairs, talking together in low tones. Ginny stood looking back into the ward, concern and worry plainly marked on her features. "She looked so -- so -- worn out. What did she do? How could it have happened?" Harry took her hand in his, trying to comfort her. "The rumour I heard at lunch said she knew the greenhouse was going to collapse, and when it did, she levitated everything until everyone else was out. " "How could that be possible? She's so young..." Harry stood silent as his thoughts raced. He had already enlisted her aid in trying to feed Voldemort erroneous information, but hadn't told her all the reasons for doing so. Should he share the confidence Dumbledore had revealed? She squeezed his hand, and he moved closer to her, embracing her in a comforting manner, letting her lean against his chest. His fingers felt the smooth edge of the ring she wore, and he knew what he had to do. "Ginny, let's go find someplace quiet. I have something important to tell you..."
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