A Ghoul's Warning

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"Ummm ... No. I'd remember a potion like that." Harry commented and was shocked when the next thing that happened was Severus running out of the room ...

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Completely baffled green eyes watched the doorway Severus ran out of until he felt a gentle hand on his shoulder. Harry turned and looked up into his grandma's face. To his surprise, she looked very concerned.

"Harry ... Honey, do you understand why we're worried?" Eileen asked tentatively, but paled when Harry shook his head. "Ok. The birth control potion can't be broken until the counter is given. Now your mother only thought she was given something to knock her out ... However ... The only way your mother could've gotten pregnant is if she was given a counter and possibly a fertility potion."

"What?" Harry blinked a little stunned. "Severus said they were bad at potions ... Who gave it to James- ..." His sentence died in his throat the second a realization hit him.

Eileen nodded, "Yes. Severus checked other possibilities and ruled them out. Considering our suspicions about Dumbledore's involvement with the inheritance issue, that he's very skilled in potion brewing and that the rich heir of the Potter family and your mother were targeted ... It's likely Dumbledore was involved and not giving you a potion ... That's all quite disturbing."

The young boy was stunned, "He might've wanted to use me like that too." He felt so dazed that he would've fallen if his grandma didn't take hold of him in a hug.

"No one will use you now. They'd have to go through us first." Eileen stated firmly and with so much warmth that it managed to ease Harry's trembling if only a little. Unfortunately, Harry finally broke down crying.

A moment later Severus returned with a vial containing a pink potion and an empty vial, "I never expected being forced to complete all the school potions would help here." He commented as he entered the room, but stopped once he saw the scene before him. Without a second thought he rushed over, put the vials on the table and rubbed Harry's back comfortingly. "It'll be alright. If it helps, this information will be very helpful." He said softly, hoping to give Harry a silver lining for this horrendous situation.

Granted, Severus wasn't sure how much it'll help. Dumbledore could just say 'oops, my mistake' and it could be swept under the rug, but he just wanted to help. Still Harry was sobbing and Severus wanted to hug him, but his own mother didn't leave enough room for a hug. As annoyed as he was by that, Severus settled for just trying to soothe the boy with caring words and gentle touches.

"Take your time. There's no rush." Severus said softly when Harry calmed down enough and was only sniffing. "You can drink that when you're ready."

Slowly but surely, Harry settled down. Not long after that much needed burst of emotion, Harry noticed the pink potion. Of course, the first thing Harry did was reach out and wrap his fingers around it.

Severus stopped Harry and held the empty vial, "Please put a couple drops of blood in this. It'll help if someone tries to claim you just forgot that you took the potion before." He explained and, when Harry let him hold his hand, he used his wand to quickly and painlessly make a cut to remove a little blood. Whatever spell was used was easily healed with an incantation instead of ointment.

Harry looked curiously, despite feeling dazed by everything he had just learned, "What spell was that? It doesn't look like anything from the textbooks." He asked, recalling all the spells Hermione has bragged about learning.

Granted, she rattled off so many times about that it's difficult to remember everything, but this spell was quite unique. Something like would stick out in his mind. In fact, it seemed somehow similar to the shield spell his mother used in the memory.