TRUST ME, harry potter ( very slow updates )

FIFTY-TWO - THE 'CONFUNDED' TEENS!

CASSIE STIRRED, HER BODY WAS ACHING badly. At first, she was confused. But then, the events of last came flooding back to her. She turned on her side, noticing Harry already looking over at her. She gave him a weak smile.

Poppy came walking briskly up to Harry's and Cassie's beds. She was carrying the largest block of chocolate he had ever seen in his life. It looked like a small boulder.

"Ah, you're awake!" she said briskly. She placed the chocolate on Harry's bedside table and began breaking it apart with a small hammer. She gave both Cassie and Harry a piece — although Cassie wasn't affected by the dementors.

"How are the others?" Harry asked as Hermione approached their beds and sat at the edge of Cassie's.

"They'll live," said Madam Pomfrey grimly. "As for you three, you'll be staying here until I'm satisfied you're — Potter, what do you think you're doing?"

Harry had sat up, put his glasses back on and picked up his wand.

"I need to see the headmaster," he said.

"Potter," said Madam Pomfrey soothingly, "it's all right. They've got Black. He's locked away upstairs. The Dementors will be performing the kiss any moment now —"

"WHAT?" Cassie, Harry and Hermione shrieked.

The three of them jumped out of the beds; Cassie picking up her wand as she did so. However, the next second, Cornelius Fudge and Snape had entered the ward.

"Harry, Harry, what's this?" said Fudge, looking agitated. "You should be in bed — has he had any chocolate?" he asked Madam Pomfrey anxiously.

"Minister, listen!" Harry said. "Sirius Black's innocent! Peter Pettigrew faked his own death! We saw him tonight! You can't let the Dementors do that thing to Sirius, he's —"

But Fudge was shaking his head with a small smile on his face.

"Harry, Harry, you're very confused, you've been through a dreadful ordeal, lie back down, now, we've got everything under control..."

"YOU HAVEN'T!" Harry yelled. "YOU'VE GOT THE WRONG MAN! ASK CASSIE, GO ON! SHE'S A SEER, SHE CAN TELL YOU ALL ABOUT HER MEMORIES!"

Cassie looked at Harry, and then the Minister.

"Minister, listen, please," Hermione said as she and Cassie had hurried to Harry's side and was gazing imploringly into Fudge's face. "Cassie and I saw him too. It was Ron's rat, he's an Animagus, Pettigrew, I mean, and —"

"You see, Minister?" said Snape. "Confunded, all three of them... Black's done a very good job on them..."

"WE'RE NOT CONFUNDED!" Harry roared.

Cassie gasped, "How dare you say such things!" She exclaimed, "You should be lucky —"

"Minister! Professor!" said Madam Pomfrey angrily, sending a look Cassie's way. "I must insist that you leave. These are my patients, and they should not be distressed!"

"We are not distressed, we're trying to tell them what happened!" Harry said furiously. "If they'd just listen —"

But Madam Pomfrey suddenly stuffed another large chunk of chocolate into Harry"s mouth; he choked, and she seized the opportunity to force him back onto the bed.

Cassie started patting his back to help him swallow the chocolate.

"Now, please, Minister, these children need care. Please leave."

The door opened again. It was Dumbledore. Harry, after swallowing his mouthful of chocolate, got up again.

"Professor Dumbledore, Sirius Black —"

"For heaven's sake!" said Madam Pomfrey hysterically. "Is this a hospital wing or not? Headmaster, I must insist —"

"My apologies, Poppy, but I need a word with Mr. Potter, Miss Smith and Miss Granger," said Dumbledore calmly. "I have just been talking to Sirius Black —"

"I suppose he's told you the same fairy tale he's planted in Potter's mind?" spat Snape. "Something about a rat, and Pettigrew being alive —"

"That, indeed, is Black's story," said Dumbledore, surveying Snape closely through his half-moon spectacles.

"Because it's the truth!" Cassie exclaimed.

"And does my evidence count for nothing?" snarled Snape, ignoring Cassie. "Peter Pettigrew was not in the Shrieking Shack, nor did I see any sign of him on the grounds."

"That was because you were knocked out, Professor!" said Hermione earnestly as Cassie beamed proudly. Harry sent her an amused glance. "You didn't arrive in time to hear."

"Miss Granger, HOLD YOUR TONGUE!"

Cassie mimicked him.

"Now, Snape," said Fudge, startled, "the young lady is disturbed in her mind, we must make allowances —"

"I would like to speak to Harry, Cassie and Hermione alone," said Dumbledore abruptly. "Cornelius, Severus, Poppy — please leave us."

"Headmaster!" sputtered Madam Pomfrey. "They need treatment, they need rest —"

"This cannot wait," said Dumbledore. "I must insist."

Madam Pomfrey pursed her lips and strode away into her office at the end of the ward, slamming the door behind her. Fudge consulted the large gold pocket watch dangling from his waistcoat.

"The Dementors should have arrived by now," he said. "I'll go and meet them. Dumbledore, I'll see you upstairs."

He crossed to the door and held it open for Snape, but Snape hadn't moved.

"You surely don't believe a word of Black's story?" Snape whispered, his eyes fixed on Dumbledore's face.

"I wish to speak to Harry, Cassie and Hermione alone," Dumbledore repeated.

Snape took a step toward Dumbledore.

"Sirius Black showed he was capable of murder at the age of sixteen," he breathed. "You haven't forgotten that, Headmaster? You haven't forgotten that he once tried to kill me?"

"My memory is as good as it ever was, Severus," said Dumbledore quietly.

Snape turned on his heel and marched through the door Fudge was still holding. It closed behind them, and Dumbledore turned to Harry, Cassie and Hermione. Hermione and Harry burst into speech at the same time.

"Professor, Black's telling the truth — we saw Pettigrew — he escaped when Professor Lupin turned into a werewolf —"

"— he's a rat —"

"— Pettigrew's front paw, I mean, finger, he cut it off —"

"— Pettigrew attacked Ron, it wasn't Sirius —"

"GUYS!" Cassie interrupted loudly, shutting them up. "Dumbledore knows, I told him everything months ago."

Harry and Hermione glanced at her, eyes wide with shock. They knew that she knew the truth the whole time, but when did she talk to Dumbledore?

Dumbledore sighed, "It is your turn to listen, and I beg you will not interrupt me, because there is very little time,"

A/N: Cassie is the brightest witch of her age, sorry 'Mione.
QOTD: how's your day been?