What Voldemort Left Behind

Chapter 10 - Family Reunited

Harry it turns out, hadn't thought things through and sure enough when Poppy came back into the room she exploded at him as he was getting ready to leave. She refused even to let him out of bed and Harry wondered had she ever done the same to Dumbledore, when Harry was younger he'd assumed when you grow up you no longer have to listen to Madam Pomfrey, how wrong he was.
This was the woman who threw the Minister of Magic and Albus Dumbledore out when they had been too loud for her patients once.
"HARRY POTTER. You will stay on here, in this bed for as long as I tell you to, I swear you're no better than your son. Comes in here with two broken arms and a broken nose AND a concussion at age 13 after claiming to be the "greatest seeker since his father" and then has the nerve to ask if he could play in the match the next day......"

"I'm nowhere near as bad as James!!!" Harry said indignantly.
Poppy laughed, "Never mind, you're a lot worse, at least when James gets hurt he allows someone to fix him, you on the other hand won't see a healer unless your life depends on it. And even then, Ginny has to drag you by your practically useless legs."

Harry sighed "I'm honestly fine Poppy, I've gotten myself out of a lot worse than this before."

"The point isn't that you can't, we know very well that you'll do anything and everything to get yourself through, the point is that you shouldn't have to. This isn't the war Harry, you have time to fix things now, make yourself better. You're not doing much just for you, you need to live for yourself as well as for others.
Talk to Hermione, she can research what may be causing this, I will too, and you need the help. Yes, even with your incredible amount of luck and resilience, you need help."

She promised Harry that as long as he stayed where he was, she would allow his children to visit. Poppy Pomfrey was a brilliant healer that Harry trusted more than any at St Mungos, after many incidents, but she was strict and Harry supposed that was good for him. Most wizards, apart from his family, would do whatever he wanted with no complaints and it was nice to get a bit of backlash sometimes.

-

Albus watched as the paper airplane disintegrated and his Head of House stepped into the classroom. Professor Binns continued the lecture as if nothing had happened and Professor Martens glanced over at Binns and raised an eyebrow before she spoke.
"Mr Potter, a word."
Albus stared at his best friend for a second, as if willing him to come too, before hurriedly walking out.
"I'd suggest bringing your books too as I don't think you'll be back today." Albus was puzzled but ran back to take his stuff. Once outside the classroom, Professor Martens started to explain. "Mr Potter, I'm sorry to say this but your father and mother are both here as your father is in the Hospital Wing after taking ill. I can take you up to meet them now, your brother and sister have been sent for as well."
Albus stared at her in shock, he had expected that she was here to talk to him about his Charms homework or he'd been late to her class at some point.
"What happened? Is he ok?"

"I'm sorry but I don't know the details, Professor McGonagall met him when he arrived and she already knew what was going on and she sent an owl around asking for us to find you and your siblings. I don't think I should be the one to explain everything to you, you'll see your mother and father in a moment."
Albus quietly followed her up towards the hospital wing, imagining his Dad in all sorts of dangerous situations that he'd read about in books, like being cursed or meeting a dragon. Sadly he could very easily see his dad in all of those heroic (and also painful) stories.

-

James followed Professor Haywood nervously, he really didn't want a detention but he still hoped, detention was nothing compared to losing his place as Quidditch captain. Professor Haywood was a nice teacher, quite lenient, she'd said in the past that James and his friends reminded her of her time at Hogwarts nearly 40 years ago. She'd been in Teddy's mother's and Uncle Charlie's year and had apparently got up to a lot of mischief searching for some kind of curse, so James supposed she wasn't the worst teacher who could be punishing him and although she was Head of Hufflepuff she was fair and wouldn't sabotage the other teams. He hoped anyway but you can never be too careful... What was he saying? He was never careful, that must be how he was caught. Finally Haywood brought him into an empty classroom and shut the door behind her. Oh no, this was bad, very bad. Usually teachers would just yell in the corridors. James drifted off, this was likely to take a while and he'd tune back in when she gets to his punishment.
"...And if there's anything I can do for you or your family please don't hesitate to let me know. You're exempt from the test on Friday."
James snapped to attention.... WHAT did she just say?!?! She looked at him as if she was concerned but waited for him to speak.
"Um.... Professor, I didn't catch that bit, could you please repeat it?"
Better being extra polite, except he was slightly unsure now if he was really being punished, perhaps he should have listened...
"I said that I can take you up there right now if you'd like."
Ok now something was really up, "if you like" doesn't sound like detention. James looked bewildered. Professor Haywood clearly noticed his odd behavior.
"James, do you want me to say that all again?" Professor Haywood asked gently. James nodded.
"I'm really sorry to tell you, but your father is here at Hogwarts in the Hospital Wing. Headmistress McGonagall told me to fetch you, she told me something serious had happened but she didn't say what, I didn't ask because I think it's better for your parents to explain, we can go up there right now if you'd like. You're exempt from Friday's test and feel free to talk to me if you or any of your family need anything."
James stared at her. Clearly he'd got away with the Quidditch game but that hardly mattered now, he'd rather have the detention. She said it, whatever it was, is serious, and usually when adults said that to him, they really meant it.

-

Lily followed her teacher out of the room apprehensively and they had barely got out of the room when they met Professor Longbottom. She smiled at him as they passed and her teacher stopped.
She heard Professor Creevey mutter, "Perhaps you might be better to speak to her."
Her Head of House nodded at him and turned towards her.
"Hey Lil, can you come with me? I need to tell you something."
Lily was surprised, Neville usually called her Lily or else Miss Potter while in school, never by a nickname. Her teacher turned back towards the classroom, Lily walked beside Professor Longbottom. He moved slower than usual but didn't stop when he started his explanation. "Lily, your father... he's here today and he wants to tell you and your siblings something. I won't say anything, but it's not good. I haven't seen him yet, he's with your mother and Madam Pomfrey, she refuses to let anyone in but you and your siblings. Something is badly wrong with him but I don't know what exactly."
Lily's felt so bad for her father, she knew that he'd blame himself for whatever this was, and then he'd only think about the impact it would have on everyone else. She met her siblings on the way up the stairs. James tried to mouth at her, however they knew there was no point in exchanging stories, they'd hear from their father now.
They were never left in the dark with important matters, as their parents had both had enough of that as children and always told them at least the basics.
Their teachers left them to the door, Madam Pomfrey met them, bringing them past the main Hospital Wing into a bright white side room where they saw their mum sitting in an armchair that looked new as if it was just conjured. Their dad was lying awake in a bed. He was very pale, but he tried to smile, although it resembled more of a grimace. James ran to hug his mother and Albus and Lily went to either side of their dad's bed and Lily gave him a very light hug, his arms were freezing but his chest, where they knew the Killing curse mark lay, was almost too hot to be close to.
Three chairs appeared just behind each of Harry's children, their mother gestured for them to sit down. All three began to talk at once.

"What happened, why are you here? Is something wrong?"

"Dad are you ok?"

"Our teachers were acting really weird, said something had happened..."

Ginny interrupted their questions with a laugh, "First of all, hello. I know all three of you are dying to know what is going on, but what exactly did your teachers say to you?"

James jumped in immediately, "Just that Dad was here and something serious was going on but she didn't say what."

"And they thought that you should explain," Albus added.
Lily stared off into the distance, trying to solve the mystery, "Neville used the words "something is badly wrong" and I didn't know what he meant."
Ginny looked thoughtful for a second.
"I just wanted to know to see how quickly word spreads, McGonagall seems to have kept it quiet. However unfortunately your teachers are right." Ginny, aided a little by Harry, explained to their children the events of the last two days, although they were reluctant to reveal the potential causes since nothing was for sure. If they were dealing with a curse, it was likely to progress, which could result in an early death.
Harry himself accepted this easily, it was 23 years longer than he'd expected to live and it was only a chance after all.