Hogwarts: The Missing Relative - BOOK 3 (A Harry Potter Fanfic)

11: Werewolf

I slowly opened my eyes. My arm was really painful but I couldn't remember what happened. The last thing I could think of was the relief I felt with everyone believing my father was innocent. But what happened after that? It felt important, why did I forget? Surely it was only a matter of hours ago?

'Molly!' said Nico, smiling.

'Urgh... What happened?' I asked him, sitting up.

'Well, you were kind of...' he started but then Snape's and Fudge's voices drifted into the room.

'Shocking business... shocking... miracle none of them died... never heard the like... by thunder, it was lucky you were there, Snape...'

'Thank you, Minister.'

'Order of Merlin, Second Class, I'd say. First Class, if I can wrangle it!'

'Thank you very much indeed, Minister.'

'Nasty cut you've got there... Black's work, I suppose?'

'As a matter of fact, it was the students, Minister...'

'No!'

'Black had bewitched them, I saw it immediately. A Confundus Charm, to judge by their behaviour. They seemed to think there was a possibility he was innocent. They weren't responsible for their actions. On the other hand, their interference might have permitted Black to escape... They obviously thought they were going to catch Black single-handed. They've got away with a great deal before now... I'm afraid it's given them a rather high opinion of themselves... and of course, Potter has always been allowed an extraordinary amount of license by the headmaster -'

'Ah, well, Snape... Harry Potter, you know... we've all got a bit of a blind spot where he's concerned.'

'And yet - is it good for him to be given so much special treatment? Personally, I try and treat him like any other student. And any other student would be suspended - at the very least - for leading his friends into such danger. Consider, Minister - against all school rules - after all the precautions put in place for his protection - out-of-bounds, at night, consorting with a werewolf and a murderer - and I have reason to believe he has been visiting Hogsmeade illegally too -'

'Well, well... we shall see, Snape, we shall see... The boy has undoubtedly been foolish....'

I lay listening with my eyes wide. The words I was hearing seemed to be travelling very slowly from my ears to my brain so that it was difficult to understand... My arm was searing with pain and I still didn't know what happened to it!

'What amazes me most is the behaviour of the Dementors... you've really no idea what made them retreat, Snape?'

'No, Minister... by the time I had come round they were heading back to their positions at the entrances...'

'Extraordinary. And yet Black, and Harry, and the girl -'

'All unconscious by the time I reached them. I bound and gagged Black, naturally, conjured stretchers, and brought them all straight back to the castle.'

There was a pause. My brain seemed to be moving a little faster, and as it did, a gnawing sensation grew in the pit of my stomach...

Madam Pomfrey now came walking briskly up the dark ward to my bed. I turned to look at her. She was carrying the largest block of chocolate I had ever seen in my life. It looked like a small boulder.

'Ah, you're awake!' she said briskly. She placed the chocolate on my bedside table and began breaking it apart with a small hammer.

'What happened?!' I asked her, examining my bandaged arm. There was no way of knowing the damage, it was too well covered.