Dealing with Danger
Chapter 19: Amoenus Somnium (Year 3)
By Anne B. Walsh
Chapter 19: Amoenus Somnium
Remus wondered dully how empty one man could feel.
He’d mourned before — for friends lost to the first war, James and Lily, his mother and his father — but it had never been like this. There had always been some comfort. For those who had died in the war, there was the sense that they had died in a good cause, as they would have wanted to. His mother’s death had been an accident, no one’s fault, and his father’s almost a relief, a release from the constant sorrow and guilt for having survived the fire that killed his wife.
This, though — this was a deliberate killing, the murder of an innocent boy, done through trickery and stealth. There was no reason, no sense to it, except one man’s insane determination that no one else should have what he could not. And the result was the death of someone Remus loved dearly, more dearly than he loved himself or any other except two.
Draco.
My son.
Not born to him, not of his blood, but ten years his, and dearly beloved every day of those years. Sometimes provoking, sometimes maddening, but always, always his.
And now he’s gone.
The thought had created a void in his heart, into which all emotions vanished, leaving behind only pain. Danger was weeping into his chest with a quiet hopelessness that was almost worse than her earlier howls of grief. Her heart, too, ached with the void where Draco once had been, and Remus wished for a moment that he could fall into that void and cease to hurt, cease to feel — it would be so easy...
But he couldn’t. Draco had been dear to him, but there were others who needed him still. Others like Danger, and Hermione.
Hermione. God, what is she going to do without Draco?
His Kitten and their Fox had been close since the Pack’s move to Devon, when Harry had become good friends with Ron. There had been days Remus had forgotten, or let himself forget, that they weren’t what they claimed to be, that Draco was another man’s son and Hermione his wife’s sister, and looked at them with all a father’s love and pride.
He had imagined their lives as they grew older together — Draco becoming a scholar or a musician or even an Auror alongside Harry, Hermione accepting a teaching position at Hogwarts or a place in the Department of Mysteries. He had dreamed of marriages and children, raised in love as the Pack’s cubs had been, playing every day with their "cousins" and running freely from one house to the next, since he was certain they would wish to live near one another. It had become unthinkable that they could ever be parted.
But now they had been parted, irrevocably so. And Hermione didn’t even know it yet —
Remus bowed his head, his throat tightening further still, as he realized what he’d done. He’d told Harry and the others that he would tell them as soon as there was news — he’d practically promised — and then he’d forgotten about it, and now it was too late...
One broken promise led his mind to another. That night, so long ago, when he had placed a sleeping Draco between Harry and Hermione, and promised him silently that there would be a happy ending to his story. There was no possible way this ending could be described as happy. He’d failed, as a father, as an alpha, as everything.
The muscles of his back and shoulders burned with tension, and a hot, hard knot of misery had lodged itself directly under his breastbone. Danger’s weight against him seemed to be pushing it farther in, so that it hurt more with every passing second, growing until he thought he might scream —
And then someone did scream.
"GET OUT OF MY WAY!"
xXxXx
"Hot in here," grumbled Ron, holding Ginny against him. "Stuffy. Making my eyes water."
"Oh, stop it," muttered Harry. "Just go on and cry, it’s not like we aren’t."
"He’s right, though," said Ginny, shifting her head against Ron’s chest. "It is hot."
"Hot," repeated Hermione in a small, distracted voice, rubbing at her neck. "So hot — it must be from us..."
"From all of us, I guess." Harry understood what Hermione meant. He wished he had some of Moony and Danger’s imperviousness to fire, or at least knew how to stop his pendants burning against his skin. Maybe getting them out of my robes would help.
He brought them out, letting them hang loose against his chest. Most of the carvings were glowing, but one shone brighter than the others, like a miniature star.
Whoever feels the worst over this, I guess. Though I can’t see how they could tell.
Hermione suddenly stiffened in his arms. "My God," she breathed. "Oh my God, oh my God—"
"What?" Harry demanded as she pulled away. "What’s wrong?"
Hermione fumbled at her neck, swearing under her breath, until her pendants came free of her robes. She flipped through them frantically and stared at the brightest carving with a horrified expression, then leaped to her feet. "Move!" she shouted at Ron and Ginny, who were beside the opening in the bookshelves. "GET OUT OF MY WAY!"
"Hermione, no, don’t—" Harry protested as Ron scrambled away from the opening, dragging Ginny with him.
Hermione darted across the room and vanished into the chute.
xXxXx
Remus jerked his head around. The scream seemed to have come from the direction of the fireplace —
Hermione?
As he watched, a section of the stone wall slid aside, and Hermione shot out of the passage thus revealed. Her face was blotchy and tear-stained, but alight with frantic haste. She ran across the room, falling to her knees on Draco’s other side, her hands already on her pendant chain.
"What are you doing?" Remus asked hoarsely. "Hermione, don’t... he’s..."
"No, he’s not," said Hermione, yanking at her chain to make it larger. "He can’t be. He can’t."
"Kitten, denying it won’t help—"
"I’m not denying it, it’s a fact! Feel them!" Hermione shook her pendants hard. "They’re hot! Hot, not cold! He can’t be dead!"
And before Remus could do anything to stop her, she had thrown her chain over Draco’s head and pulled it between his head and the pillow, so that it rested around his neck.
Her face screwed up, as in pain. "Draco!" she half-shouted, twitching the pendants so that the chain tightened ever so slightly. "Draco, it’s all right, it’s all right now. It’s me, it’s Neenie, yes, I’m here, I can hear you, you don’t have to yell." Her hand sought his and held it. "Yes, yes, I know, me too — no, don’t worry, I won’t let them — I don’t have to, they understand now, they know. It’s going to be all right. I know. I know." Tears were falling from her eyes, but her face was radiant with joy. "I figured it out just a second ago. No, not only me, everyone helped."
Remus didn’t want to look away from what was either a miracle or his Kitten losing her mind, but he could hear noises behind him. Danger solved the problem by knuckling the tears out of her eyes and looking over his shoulder. The other three just climbed out of that hole by the fireplace, she reported. Wherever Hermione was, they were with her.
"Ron was saying how it was hot, and Ginny agreed with him and moved her face away like something was hot right against it — she was leaning on him, on his chest — and then Harry took his pendants out of his robes, and I saw your carving glowing so bright, and I realized that they ought to have been cold if you were dead, and if they were hot it meant something else was wrong..."
She’s right, said Remus, not taking his eyes from the cubs. She’s right. Hot is for distress, for anger and fear, not for death. This is some kind of trick. Draco’s alive.
Danger took one shuddering breath and let it out. That’s the best news I’ve heard in years. What do we do now?
"Move over," said Aletha from behind them. Her face was tear-stained, but her voice brisk and businesslike, and she had her chain out already. It joined Hermione’s around Draco’s neck. "How are you feeling, love?" she asked, then smiled wryly. "I’m sure. But other than that. Are you in pain?"
Remus stood up and stepped away. You stay with him, he said. I need to get another look at that globe.
The door slammed open and Sirius charged in, looking panicked. Harry ran straight to him. "I was wrong," he said quickly. "I was wrong, we were all wrong, I don’t know what’s happening but I think Draco’s going to be all right..."
Sirius’ shoulders sagged in relief, and he hugged Harry hard. "’Lo, Moony," he said, looking over at Remus. "What’d I miss?"
"A hell of a scare," said Remus. "Go see if Letha needs you. She was looking pretty shaky a minute ago, and I think she could use your help."
Sirius nodded and hurried toward Draco’s bed, Harry beside him. Remus went to the table holding the globe, where Healer Young was still sitting, looking utterly lost. "You probably think we’re crazy," he said conversationally.
"The thought had crossed my mind."
Remus pulled out his own pendants. "Magical amulets," he said. "Charmed to allow speech mind to mind when two people wear them at once. Also charmed to tell us if someone’s upset or hurt, or in danger of dying, and they were activating for the former and not the latter, if we had only noticed it."
"Thank you," said Healer Young, most of the confusion clearing from his face. "I’ll admit I couldn’t make heads or tails of that little goings-on."
"Understandable. Can you show me where the runes are that led you to believe Draco was dying?"
Healer Young pointed out a group with his wand. "These three, here. You see how they’re intertwined, meaning that if one of these things happens, they’ll all happen. This one for failure, this for unconsciousness, and this for death."
Remus looked closely at the death rune, directing a beam of wand light into it. It seemed just like all the other runes on the globe... and yet...
He held his left hand close to the globe and shone the light directly into the globe. It reflected back out, so that his hand was illuminated in patterns that looked like the lines of the rune — but there seemed to be patterns within some of the lines as well.
I think I’m onto something. Remus pulled the globe closer to himself and peered directly within the engraved lines, shining the wand light from above his head.
Deep in the recesses of the lines, so tiny they could barely be seen, were carved a series of other runes.
Lucius Malfoy, you slippery bastard. Nice try.
Grinning to himself, Remus pulled over parchment and quill. Since he wrote with his wand hand, he summoned a ball of fire to be his light, using his wand to conjure it so as not to alarm the Healer. Then he began to copy the runes, trying to strike a balance between fast and accurate.
Healer Young came to peer over his shoulder. "I’ve never seen that done before," he said in mild surprise.
"Nor have I," said Remus. "First time for everything."
xXxXx
Draco had no idea how long he’d spent screaming before Hermione’s voice had pierced his panic. It had felt like hours, but he was fairly sure now that it had only been a minute or two. The moment she had called his name — not like she was grieving for someone who was lost, but like she was calling someone who was found — would probably rank high on his lifetime list of moments he never wanted to relive but was unbelievably glad had happened.
"Draco!"
His mental screams cut off instantly as he snapped back to some form of sanity. If someone was calling him, they must expect a response — but they had to know he couldn’t move or say anything, or he would have already...
"Draco, it’s all right, it’s all right now."
He felt a twitch around his neck, a second line of heat like the first — pendant chain! — and thought hard towards the speaker. Please, whoever you are, TELL ME YOU CAN HEAR ME!
"It’s me, it’s Neenie, yes, I’m here, I can hear you, you don’t have to yell."
Relief swamped him, drowning his fear and floating him high on its tide. If his body had worked, he would have burst into tears. Neenie, oh my God, thank you — He felt her hand close around his, an anchor into life. I was so scared, so scared, they thought I was dead —
"Yes, yes, I know, me too—"
They’re going to bury me, please, tell them not to, I’m not dead —
"No, don’t worry, I won’t let them—"
Tell them, please, tell them, I don’t want them to think I’m dead —
"I don’t have to, they understand now, they know. It’s going to be all right."
I hate this, I hate it, thank you so much, I thought they were going to bury me alive —
"I know. I know." He could hear her crying, but her mind’s touch was unadulterated joy.
You just saved my life, thank you, but how the hell did you know?
"I figured it out just a second ago."
Draco sent her a mental grin. All by yourself, right?
"No, not only me, everyone helped. Ron was saying how it was hot, and Ginny agreed with him and moved her face away like something was hot right against it..."
By the time the explanation was finished, Draco was beginning to feel normal again. Oh, no, nothing else was wrong, he said dryly. I was just stuck in my dead body and couldn’t make anyone understand I was alive, nothing was wrong at all.
Idiot, she shot back mentally. Letha’s coming.
"Move over," said Letha’s voice, and Draco felt a chain pass under his head and settle around his neck. "How are you feeling, love?" she asked.
Pretty good for a dead man.
He felt her amusement. "I’m sure. But other than that. Are you in pain?"
No, nothing hurts. I just can’t move. And it’s freaky as hell not to be breathing.
"I can imagine."
Can you really?
"Actually... no, probably not. I’m going to run a few diagnostics on you. I’ll warn you if anything is supposed to hurt, and you tell me if anything does."
Draco heard a door slam open. What’s that?
Padfoot just got here, said Hermione. Harry’s telling him you’re all right.
Am I? Is there any way to recover from this — whatever it is?
"There should be," said Letha absently. "Most curses are reversible if caught early enough. Can you feel this?"
Oi! That tickles!
"Good, it’s supposed to."
"What’s going on?" said a deep voice.
Say hi for me, would you?
"Draco says hello," said Hermione aloud. "The curse on him made us all think he was dead, but he’s not."
"Going to be all right now, fox," said Padfoot comfortingly.
Draco felt a large hand muss his hair. He growled mentally. I’d bite you if I could move.
"Now, now, no violence," said Letha. "Everyone be quiet for a minute, I think I’ve almost got something..."
Danger wants to talk to you too, said Hermione silently. Do you mind if she puts her chain on?
I’m going to look like a jewelry festival at this rate. Why don’t you all just use mine?
That sounds like a good idea. Will you make it expand for me?
Just pull it out. Draco felt Hermione’s hand slide under his robes and extract the chain, now warm with only the warmth of body-heated metal. Grow, he told it, and heard a small chorus of giggles. What? he demanded.
There’s a lot of it now, said Hermione. He heard her moving beside him, probably handing the chain around. Probably more than we need. But it’s not so bad.
How much is there?
Let me put it this way, said Harry’s voice. You could probably talk to all of Gryffindor Tower with this thing.
Hello to you too.
You scared us pretty good there, said Ginny. It’s a good thing Luna wasn’t here.
Where is she?
Her dad’s here with her, said Harry. They went somewhere, I think a private room. She kept crying about seeing a snake on you, that it was trying to crush you and eat you. She was pretty broken up.
So she won’t know about any of this?
Not unless somebody told her. Maybe one of us should go find her and make sure she knows you’re all right.
More or less.
Oh, for heaven’s sake, said Ginny, and Draco felt her fingers flick his ear lightly. I’ll go. And I’ll try and get her to come back with me, how’s that?
No. Please don’t. Draco spoke quickly, hoping to catch Ginny before she ducked out of his chain. She won’t like it — it’ll scare her to see me like this —
If she knows you’re all right, I don’t think she’ll get scared, said Ginny. I’m going.
No—! But Ginny was already gone. Draco swore to himself.
You’re just vain, said Harry. You don’t want her to see you like this, with your hair all messed up.
Is it all messed up?
Well, just a little over there.
Over where? He heard Harry laughing. Damn it, Four-Eyes, this isn’t funny!
Your hair looks fine, said Danger’s voice soothingly. Or it will in a second. And Remus and the Healer are close to finding out what actually happened to you. I can’t make promises, but things are starting to look up, fox...
Things started to look up the second Neenie called my name.
This once, I’ll let you get away with that out of den, said Hermione, finger-combing his hair back into place.
Oh, so that’s what you have to do, said Harry. To get her to let you do things she won’t normally. Die.
Giggles erupted all around.
xXxXx
"Here’s what I found," said Remus, placing the parchment between himself and Healer Young. "First off, there are null runes in all four corners of that death rune. It would never have worked. But then there’s this whole other series, written up and down the lines..."
"Which are for an effect I have seen before," said Healer Young grimly. "And should have recognized this time, except I was fooled by that blasted big death sign staring me in the face. But that’s what it’s meant to do. Now this, this is the real thing. And if I’m reading it right, he’s still alive, and still in there." He looked over his shoulder at the people surrounding Draco’s bed. "But his body’s responding, and reading to all the usual spells, as dead. If we left it, it would probably even start to counterfeit damage. Decay and the like."
"Counterfeit?"
"That’s what this is about." Healer Young tapped another line of runes. "This sequence here keeps his actual body in perfect condition — equivalent of a stasis spell — indefinitely. Until it’s removed. There’s a command to remove it, but it’s probably locked to one specific person."
"Most likely the curse’s originator." Remus nodded. "What about these?" He pointed to a third line.
"Now those are strange. Something I’ve never seen before. According to this, the curse was supposed to let him awaken as soon as the death-counterfeit began, give him three minutes of full awareness, and then knock him out again, and keep him unconscious until it was removed."
"But he’s already been awake longer than that."
"Yes, and there’s the other catch. The knock-out order was tailored towards his emotional state. It could only take effect if he was in a state of panic, or close to it. And when your girl did what she did — called to him, told him she knew he was alive — that must have stopped him panicking."
Remus savored Hermione being "his girl," even as he asked his question. "Why would it do that?"
"Offhand, I don’t know. But I have a guess. Being trapped in what seems to be a dead body, unable to communicate in any way, reads to me as a perfect template for madness. If the curse’s originator wanted your boy sane, he wouldn’t want him aware for too long. Just long enough to understand what had happened to him, and want to get out so desperately that he’d accept anyone or anything that would help him."
"Including his blood father," said Remus coldly, though he did notice that Young had just matched his reference to Hermione with one to Draco. It seemed the Healer had accepted the Pack’s status as a family.
And he also seems to have a problem using names for some reason...
"So, what do we do now?" he asked.
"Well, his prognosis is unknown at this point," said Healer Young uncertainly, looking at the bed again. "I doubt he’ll recover on his own."
"But he’s not going to die."
"Not from the curse... but this isn’t a good situation. An active young man, suddenly confined to bed — more than that, unable to move at all, even to open his eyes — and his body’s basically shut down, he’s running on magic only at this point. It’s not a workable situation long-term."
"Excuse me," said a hesitant voice. Remus and Healer Young both turned to see Ron standing beside their table. "Ron Weasley, sir," he said, offering his hand to the Healer. "I’m a friend of Draco’s."
"Albertus Young — Weasley, eh? You have the look. Any relation to Arthur Weasley, Misuse of Muggle Artifacts?"
"He’s my dad."
"I’ve met him. A few years back now, to-do over a cursed book. Burned some poor witch’s eyes out."
"I remember that. Dad told us about you — he said you were the best curse Healer at St. Mungo’s."
"Did he, now." Healer Young looked pleased. "What can I do for you, then?"
"We were listening earlier, sir," Ron admitted. "When you and Mrs. Letha were talking about how you’d heal the curse if it wasn’t going to kill Draco. And now it isn’t. So can’t you do what you were talking about? Transfer it to somebody else?"
"I suppose we could," said Healer Young slowly, thinking as he spoke. "Yes, we could do that. Transfer a curse to someone else, and it wears off gradually," he said for Remus’ benefit. "The only snag is, this curse was set for a male pureblood teenager. Whoever we transferred it to would have to be the same, or it would just bounce back."
"What would it be like, sir? For whoever took the curse, I mean?"
"I’d imagine it would be a lot like what Mr. Black’s experiencing now. He’s obviously unable to move or speak, or he would have let us know he wasn’t dead on his own. That wouldn’t last, of course, but a curse this comprehensive would be at least a month wearing off fully. That’d mean a few weeks in bed, probably not even being able to tend to yourself, and maybe a week or two where that’s all you can manage, is tending to yourself."
"But it won’t wear off Draco like that."
"No. On him, it’d just stay. Curses are funny that way — tenacious as bundimuns on the person they’re cast on, but swap them over and they drain right away like water off a dragon’s back..."
Young could probably go on for hours about curses, Remus thought. "Why do you ask, Ron?" he said, though he had a feeling he knew.
"I’m pureblood," said Ron. "And I’m a couple months older than Draco, but we’re in the same year." He seemed to nerve himself up. "What about me?"
"You?" Healer Young looked surprised. "Well, I suppose it would work — I can’t see any reason why not — you’d have to undergo an examination beforehand, but if that checked out..."
"Healer Young, I’ve got something," said Aletha from the direction of the bed. "You may want to see this."
Young was on his feet and crossing the room immediately. Remus looked at Ron. "You don’t have to do this," he said. "We can find another way."
Ron shifted his weight from one foot to the other. "I know Draco and I don’t always get along," he said. "But this is wrong. It’s disgusting. It made H — everybody cry. And I’d get better from it. Draco won’t. Not on his own." Then he grinned. "Besides, if it takes a month to recover, I’d get out of exams."
Remus laughed, his first real laugh since this mess had started.
Not terribly difficult. Do you realize it’s only been about half an hour?
My God, you’re right. It feels like years. "Certainly a praiseworthy reason to do anything," he told Ron. "We’ll need to talk to your parents, of course, but as long as they agree, I’m with Healer Young — I don’t see why not." Are you keeping track of this?
You bet. But I’m not telling Draco. Not until we have something definite.
Good idea. False hope at this stage would be very bad.
Speaking of hope, a certain fox was hoping you could be tempted over here at some point.
On my way. "I’m going over to say hello to Draco," Remus said. "Care to come?"
"Sure. Should I tell him?"
"Not yet. Not until we know for certain."
Ron nodded and followed Remus to the bedside.
"Excellent work," said Healer Young to Aletha as they approached. "Magical confirmation of what I’d worked out from the cursed object with Professor Lupin’s help — a stasis spell counterfeiting death, and the soul still inhabiting the body. You’re really rather talented."
"It helps to know exactly what I’m looking for." Aletha looked up at Remus and Ron. "Hello, there, come to get in on the party?"
"You could say that. Are we welcome?"
"Very much so," said Danger, holding out a loop of the immense gold chain that circled everyone’s shoulders. "Come on in."
Remus slid the chain over his shoulders. Hello, fox, how are you feeling? he asked.
Alive, thank you. And hoping to stay that way.
Sounds like a plan. Remus reached down and pressed Draco’s hand briefly. It was cold and limp, but he knew that was the spell working. We’re doing our best.
But I have to go somewhere to make it happen, said Danger. Excuse me a few minutes, Draco? I’ll be back.
Sure. Didn’t want you here anyway.
Fine, I won’t be back.
Suit yourself.
"You don’t even stop being smart when you’re dead," said Ron in amazement. "I guess some people really never change."
Who asked you?
Danger kissed Remus on the cheek and slipped out of the room.
xXxXx
Ah, the things we get to tell our neighbors. Let’s see.
First, there was "One of us is a mass murderer, but not really." Then we had "One of us is a werewolf." After that came "Your children are risking their lives with ours." Then was "One of our children is risking his life for yours." And now we have "One of your children wants to die — but not permanently — to get one of ours out of the same condition."
Why can’t we just complain about their pets getting into our garden like normal people?
Danger Flooed to the Burrow, where she was lucky enough to catch Molly just coming in from marketing. The Weasley matriarch heard her out with only a few exclamations, most of them directed against the person who had sent the cursed globe to Draco. She was properly horrified by what it had done to him and looked quite proud, if a little worried, when Danger revealed that Ron had volunteered to take the curse on himself. "You’re sure he wouldn’t be hurt?" she asked. "That it won’t harm him any?"
"I’m not sure of anything, but that’s what the Healer says."
"Well, I’ll want to ask Arthur — can you wait a minute or two?"
"Of course."
Molly returned a very few minutes later, looking satisfied. "He says it’s all right," she said. "Apparently he’s seen curse transference done before, and he says there’s no risk whatsoever that it would take permanent effect on Ron. So the worst that will happen is he spends some time in bed. Maybe it’ll slow his growth — I swear, the boy is a weed, every time I turn around he’s an inch taller..."
"It gets worse, I hear," said Danger sympathetically. "Just remember, whatever Ron puts you through, we get double from our two."
"And worse, I’m sure. But I’m used to it by now. Go on, back to the school with you, the faster you go the faster this is over with." Molly shooed her towards the fireplace. "I’ll be by as soon as I have supper started, an hour or less, I’d guess."
Danger Flooed directly back to the hospital wing, and stumbled out of the fireplace on the end of a burst of laughter. Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Ginny were sitting on or near Draco’s bed, the chain around their necks, laughing with abandon. Sirius and Aletha were nowhere to be seen.
They’re with Meghan. Neville seems to have done their little sharing trick again, so both of them are asleep at the moment, and Sirius and Letha are sitting with them. And probably getting rid of some tension.
Crying their eyes out with relief, you mean.
Why, yes. Remus stood up from his seat at the corner table, where Healer Young was working on something on a piece of parchment. He’s getting the transference spell ready. I told him it was good news. And no, I didn’t eavesdrop. But the tone of your mind went about five notes higher and several shades brighter when — I assume — Molly told you this was all right with her.
Her and Arthur both. She hopes it’ll slow Ron’s growth to be dead for a while.
Remus laughed aloud. It might indeed do that. Oh, have you noticed who’s not here?
Yes, where’s Luna?
She fell asleep after that little crying fit up in the Tower, and no one wanted to wake her. Gerald promised to tell her that Draco’s all right as soon as she wakes up.
If we get right to this, she might be able to see it for herself.
Then let’s get to it.
They walked over to the bed, waited out another burst of laughter, then ducked under the chain together. "We’re back," said Remus.
Oh, no, not you again, said Draco. Bouncers, remove the undesirables.
"Yes, sir!" chorused Harry and Ron, as Hermione and Ginny giggled. "Right away, sir!"
They’re not moving, are they?
"No," said Hermione, still giggling. "Not at all."
Story of my life. No one listens to me.
"What did Mum say?" Ron asked.
"She said yes," said Danger. "Do you want to tell everyone, or should I?"
"I’ll do it." Ron faced his friends and squared his shoulders. "Draco, you know how we were talking about how to get the curse off you. And the best way was to put it on somebody else, but it has to be a pureblood teenage boy or it won’t take. And you said it was a shame Neville was asleep, since you could talk him into anything."
Merlin’s beard, Ron, I was kidding.
"I know. But it doesn’t matter." Ron pulled at the collar of his robes. "I’ve said I’ll do it."
Hermione made a sound of joyful amazement, Harry stared at his friend, and Ginny looked bewildered. "Mum said yes?" she asked Danger. "Does she know what this is about?"
"Not only does she know, but your father has seen it done," said Danger. "And he says Ron would be in no real danger at all. He’ll be inconvenienced for about a month, that’s all."
"And you’ll be better by tomorrow, Drake," added Ron. "Just in time to start studying for exams."
Oh, of course, that’s why you’re doing this. To get out of exams. I should have known. But there was an undercurrent of surprise and genuine gratitude in Draco’s voice. Thanks, Ron. I won’t forget this.
"Don’t worry. I won’t let you."
"You’re nuts," said Harry. "Wish I was a pureblood, I’d do it."
"Well, you’re not. So I get to do something you can’t. Suck it up, hero-boy."
Harry shoved Ron off the bed.
Hermione hadn’t moved since the announcement. Now, as Ron picked himself up off the floor, she suddenly jumped up, threw her arms around him, kissed him on the lips, and ran out of the room.
I have a feeling I’m really going to regret not being able to see that as soon as someone tells me what it was.
"It’s all right," said Harry, staring at Ron, who was standing completely still and looking dazed. "I’ll show you my memory later. How do we do this?"
"We don’t do anything," said Healer Young from behind him, making him jump. "You, young man — Ron, is it? — you lie down over here, and get comfortable. You’re going to be here for a while."
"Yeah, a while," said Ron, lying down on the indicated bed. "A while, like a month. I must be out of my mind."
If you back out now...
"I never said I was going to back out."
Yeah, but you acted like it.
"Would you two stop?" said Ginny. "Draco, you’d better take your chain back. It might interfere with the spell."
"Good thinking," said Healer Young approvingly. "I’ll get Trainee Freeman-Black in to observe while you’re doing that." He moved to the other end of the room, where the screens had been drawn around a bed.
Remus took Draco’s chain off, but Danger didn’t bother, letting it slide through her neck as Draco called it home. It vanished through his robes, and Remus swallowed in sympathy. He knew, too well, the feeling of being entirely alone.
"I’ll be right here," Ginny said, taking up a station beside Ron as Aletha and Sirius emerged from behind the screens. "And I’ll get my chain on you as soon as the spell goes through. That way, you won’t have time to get scared."
"I’m not scared."
Ginny made a motion indicating what she thought of that.
Where did a nice girl like her learn language like that?
They all get corrupted so young these days. Remus tossed in an image.
Well! If you show them things like that, I shouldn’t wonder!
Hermione stuck her head into the room. Remus beckoned her closer. She trotted in, followed closely by Luna. "I heard about the curse," said the blonde girl, rubbing sleep out of her eyes. "What’s going on?"
"Healer Young is just going to transfer it from Draco to Ron," said Danger.
Luna nodded and walked quickly to Draco’s bedside. Hermione did the same, and Harry, tapping two fingers against his brother’s cheek and muttering something to him, stepped across the aisle to the other bed. Ron looked pale, but resolute, though he was holding Ginny’s hand.
Please. Allowing Ginny to hold his hand, so that she will not be frightened by the terrible spellwork about to take place.
Remus’ response was lurid and impolite, making Danger laugh.
The curse transference was indeed a simple spell, but the gestures were large and impressive, and it obviously needed careful handling to make it work right. Healer Young was not quite sweating when he took his wand away from Ron for the last time, but he did look relieved. "You should be able to use those now," he told Ginny, nodding to her pendants. "The active magic’s over, there’s nothing for them to interfere with."
In the other bed, Draco drew a long, wheezing breath, then began to cough. Remus thought he’d never heard a more beautiful sound.
Luna waited until Draco was breathing more or less normally and had opened his eyes, and until Hermione had hugged him tightly, blinking away tears again. Then she leaned over and kissed him full on the mouth.
"Is it my birthday and I just haven’t noticed?" Sirius asked.
"Wow," said Draco hoarsely when Luna straightened up. "I have to get killed more often."
"I don’t think so," said Danger tartly. "Once is quite often enough for me, thank you very much."
"Yes, do think of us poor old folks," added Aletha. "We’re getting gray hairs fast enough because of you. Do you really need to speed it along like this?"
"Oh, right," Draco scoffed. "Show me one gray hair on your head from today."
"Does it have to be my head?" Aletha looked smug. "Because I can see several from where I’m sitting, and I’m pretty sure they weren’t there yesterday."
"Where?" asked Sirius in alarm.
"Don’t fuss, they’re barely visible. Besides, they make you look debonair. The dashing Auror, no longer in his first youth but now a man of experience."
Sirius was about to respond to this, but Healer Young cut in. "The curse seems to have transferred perfectly," he said. "There’s only regular hospital care needed now, which Poppy Pomfrey is entirely capable of — where is she, by the way? I haven’t seen her since I got here."
"In her office," said Aletha. "She said she was out of her depth and in the way when it came to curses, and she wasn’t going to interfere in things she didn’t properly understand."
"I’ll go in and have a word with her, then, and Floo back to the hospital straight from there. I’ll be by tomorrow to check, but if nothing goes wrong between now and then, nothing will."
"Thank you for this," said Aletha, rising and shaking the Healer’s hand. "For everything."
"Not at all." Healer Young knocked at Madam Pomfrey’s office door and was admitted, closing it behind him.
"Now where were we?" said Danger. "Oh yes, something about a dashing Auror, a man of experience."
"Yeah, well, I’m not an Auror anymore," said Sirius. "Not after this afternoon."
"What happened?" asked Remus, surprised.
"I basically told Scrimgeour to go to hell. He was playing with me, making me go fetch papers for him, even when he knew I had a family emergency to get to — I think he thought I was making it up — and then he told me he still doesn’t believe I’m not a Death Eater, and he thinks I may have been responsible for the poisonings. And then your note got there, Harry, and I just lost it. I was about to leave anyway, but that really clinched it. He told me if I walked out of his office, I’d never work as an Auror again, and..." Sirius shrugged. "I did."
"He’s bluffing," said Aletha. "He can’t afford to fire you. You’re too high-profile. Especially if you go public with why you left. Come on, you know how people think. Rushing off to see sick child — good. Keeping someone from rushing off to see sick child — bad. He’d take an enormous hit on that one."
"Sick, hell, I thought he was dying," said Sirius. "Harry sent me a note about it."
"Yes, I think some people have some explaining to do about their part in this afternoon," said Danger, looking over at the bed which held a motionless Ron, with Harry and Ginny on either side of it. They both looked up at this. "Are we going to learn exactly where you were that you could, apparently, hear everything that went on in this room?" She nodded to the hole in the wall by the fireplace.
"I think we’re due an explanation first," said Harry, standing up. He looked straight at Remus. "What happened to ‘we’ll tell you as soon as we know anything’?"
Remus took a breath to begin a chain of explanations — all of them perfectly valid reasons why he hadn’t told Harry and the others what was going on — but then let it out again. Harry deserved better than explanations which were, at the end, more than half excuse. "I’m sorry, Harry," he said. "I did tell you that, and then I didn’t follow through on it. I’m very sorry."
"Oh, come on, there wasn’t time," objected Draco. He looked at his watch. "Hell, it hasn’t even been an hour since this whole thing started! We’re supposed to still be taking that mock Potions test!" Danger laid a hand on his shoulder, quieting him.
There was still hurt in Harry’s eyes, but it was fading, and there was also respect, and thanks for being treated like an adult. "I understand," he said. "It did blow up awfully fast. And it’s not like we weren’t listening anyway." He looked at the hole in the wall. "Do you have to know about it?" he asked a little wistfully. "It was a secret."
"Is it the safe place we were discussing over holidays?"
Harry nodded.
"That’s where you den, isn’t it?" said Sirius. "I’d bet anything there’s an entrance like that in the Gryffindor common room."
"What happened to ‘there’s no way they den together,’ Padfoot?" Remus asked.
"I never said that."
"Yes, you did."
"Prove it."
Remus shook his head. "Never mind."
Sirius grinned. "I win."
"Oh, really?" said Aletha. "And just what do you think you win? You think I’m going to stick around with a big fat liar?"
"I am not fat!"
"But you are a liar," said Remus, recognizing the opening of a classic double-team when he saw one. "You lie like a magic carpet."
"Magic carpets don’t lie. They fly."
"Which is what you’ll be doing, out that window, if you don’t start telling some truth right now," said Aletha.
"I thought throwing people out the window was your threat," said Sirius, looking at Danger.
"I’m not getting involved in this," said Danger, backing away. "You three fight it out yourselves." Actually, I have something I want to do, she told Remus silently. Have fun beating up on Sirius.
I always do. You have fun doing whatever you want to do.
Oh, I think I will.
xXxXx
In the Defense teacher’s quarters, Danger lay down on the bed. I want to use my wild magic, she said, carefully shaping her words to reach other mental ears than Remus’. When I had so much of it that it was bursting out, I remember that I could change and shape dreams. I want to do that again.
I see no problem with that, answered another. In fact, if it is your own dream you wish to shape, or that of one connected to you in blood or in soul, you need no special magic at all. Dream-shaping is not a magical gift per se — even some Muggles have it. Your mother was one. It is in your blood.
Danger filed that little piece of information away for later reference. But the one I seek to help is not related to me, she said. It is the boy called Ronald Weasley. He will be unable to move or speak for several days because of a kindness done to my Pack-son. I wish to make his nights, at least, more pleasant. Can he be given a dream in which his friends can also choose to participate, in which they can all do what they please?
Certainly this can be done. The price to you is six hours. You may wish to wait until nightfall before you invoke the magic.
Thanks for the advice. What do I do?
Think of your goal, and pronounce "Amoenus somnium."
Danger laughed. "Sweet dreams"?
Would you prefer something more complicated, more portentous?
No thanks, that should work just fine.
The communication ended, and Danger was about to sit up when, without warning, it reactivated. She was suddenly falling down a long tunnel, whirling with color and sound.
This hasn’t happened for years — what the hell...?
It ended. She was standing in a hallway, pressed against a wall, listening to a conversation in the room within.
"—not bloody fair, Rick. I know they’re not puppets, and they deserve a chance to live their own lives, but cutting them off like this was cruel."
That’s Alex!
"You should have taken that into account when you made that unauthorized communication during the summer," said Godric Gryffindor testily. "We’ve been over this — nursemaiding them was allowable when the cubs were young, but they’re getting older now, more able to handle their own challenges. The adults as well. And you broke the rules, Alex. The consequences are clear — since you warned them about something you shouldn’t have, they have to weather two major events with no warning from you. And they have been warned about the next one."
"If you’re talking about Weena’s pet Seer, the woman’s a total imbecile. She’d predict rain in the middle of a drought. There’s no way they’re going to believe her. And it’s coming up so soon — at least let me tell them when!"
"They do believe her, as you would have known if you’d bothered to watch them instead of whining about them all the time to me, and if they have any intelligence at all, they’ll know when. They know what their enemy knows, don’t they?"
"Yes, but — it’s still not fair!" Best I can do, Alex’s voice continued silently. Good luck.
Danger opened her mouth to speak, to ask what was going on, but the tunnel enveloped her first.
All in all, she pondered as she fell, that was probably a good thing. If Alex was being punished just for telling her to get to Draco quickly during the summer...
I don’t even want to think about what kind of punishment he’d get for bringing me there without permission.
So we’re in for more trouble, and soon. Not that we didn’t know that. And we have to think about what our enemy knows, and that will tell us when it will come...
As she landed in her body again, she had to laugh.
Isn’t that just like a Slytherin, though? Doing something by complaining that he’s not being allowed to do it?
I think I’d better keep this one to myself. Or, better yet, act like I came up with it myself. "I was just thinking, Malfoy’s likely to try something else soon now that this has failed. We ought to be ready."
She got up and started back to the hospital wing. The Pack had some serious planning to do.