Chapter 9
“A Deathday Party?” Hermione beamed as Harry recounted the days events; Alyssa giving a passive nod from the cauldron she was looming over. “I bet there arn’t that many living people that can say they’ve attended one.”
Hermione had finally ‘bullied’ Alyssa into changing the layout of their base, and to giver them a proper pace to brew potions.
Now off the back of the common room; which was now separated with a half wall from the library was a hallway that connected to the Potions lab; which also had a door to the library, and the gym. Off of that was a pool, with everyone’s sleeping quarters still down a flight of stairs; now at the end of the hall, in what Alyssa had dubbed the Hall of Rooms.
“I figured Alyssa and you would like to come. Everyone’s invited; well my friends are at least, and you two made the most sense. And we don’t have to stay the hole time either.”
“Why were you invited?” Alyssa finally piped up, removing the cauldron from the fire. “Oh, Hermione. You wouldn’t mind vialing this for me would you? I would but-“ They held up their hands which were now trembling. “I only just managed to move it without shaking. Once it cools off it’s fine; and it’ll just make you itch for a bit.”
“But you worked on it for several hours. I understand. I thought you were working on a cure for Chicken Pox.”
“Yeah, a cure for them.”
“For something for a one time illness that took a lot of precise work. It’s no wonder your above me when it comes to potions.” Hermione smiled, doing as she was told, putting them in the holder. “But to give you the quick run down Nick got him out of trouble with Filch and it was kind of as thanks for Harry supporting him when he learned that he was rejected from the headless Hunt.”
“Unfortunately I do get why he was rejected. Hes not technically headless. On the other hand an honorary thing would have been a nice offer. Not his fault it didn’t come clean off.”
“So are you both going to come?”
“Of course, it’s a good opportunity to learn more about ghosts, their culture, how they can effect things. Not to be disrespectful-“ Alyssa smiled as Draco headed in, scanning the trio and playfully rolling his eyes. “But my experiments with Draco have been a fast success. I’ve finished writing up my findings on that already, so why not move onto a different creature, and pass on the last bits of this to Remus, or- Oh what was her name?”
“Chiara?” Draco asked with a smile. “She’s been keeping me company with her Lycanwolf Borf. We’ve talked a few times and we pent the moon together.”
“Good. I’m sorry I haven't been so present.”
“Your good, and I get it.” Draco kissed their head. “Not that easy for you to be part of the night stuff, that’s okay.”
“I do feel a bit bad.” Alyssa admitted. “By the way Harry, have you spoke to Ginny? Apparently she seems off to Percy and I was hoping she maybe said something to you.”
“No, she’s mostly kept to herself from what I can tell, but I only stay in the dorms on the weekend.”
“She just seems shy to me.” Hermione gave a small shrug. “But I can try to talk to her if you would like.”
“Yeah, Precy has enough on his plate and while the twins- Well it’s the twins. They aren’t exactly the first people you go to with issues.” Alyssa chuckled a bit, taking the potions, slinging a pass around their neck. “I need to get these to Snape, but I’ll be back in a bit.”
As Alyssa headed out Harry sighed, heading up to Nevil in the library.
“Have you two gotten anywhere with the whispers?”
“No, but you haven’t heard them since right? Maybe you were imagining things.” Hermione smiled, but she didn’t sound convinced herself.
“With the way those two are I would highly doubt it.” Nevil shook his head. “But there really isn’t much to goo off of. Unfortunately it would seem we have to wait for it to happen again.”
“But you were able to detect a creature in the wall. What were you looking for?”
“I wasn’t really but it’s possible I subconsciously picked up that it was another language and cast for something that could speak it.” Harry shrugged. “Issue is I can’t for the life of me think what that language was.”
“Unfortunate. Well whatever it was it had to be able to go through the walls, so that narrows it down, issue is I can’t even think to what. I could probably ask Hagrid, but-“ Nevil shook his head. “I don’t know how I could word it.”
“Hm… Why don’t you tell… No that’s the week of the Moon, and I’ve been bonding with Chiara. Alright! I can ask Chiara about the creatures that her friends faced, maybe that can give us some hints.”
“Maybe.” Hermione gave a shrug. “At least give us something to work towards.”
“Unfortunately Alyssa doesn’t have much to go off either and I think the hole Lockheart thing rattled them more than they want to let on. They had me set up some wards last night, they seemed scared to go to sleep. I’m going to talk to Madam Pomfrey tomorrow to see if I cant get them some Potions of Dreamless Sleep, but they’ve been really hesitant to talk about what’s going on.”
“Unfortunate, seems like it’s not only Ginny who’s acting a bit weird lately.” Hermione noted. “Alright, that warrants some looking into as well. I’ll talk to McMiller, the two of them are fairly close. Maybe you should bring it up with Snape. It could be a Silent Hill thing right?”
“Probably.” Harry nodded, then it hit him. “Alyssa had to stay in the hospital wing frequently after Lockheart. The tests to make sure he didn’t and- Oh… Draco, the reason they don’t want to mention the state of their dreams is because of the hospital wing. Let me talk to Madam Pomfrey okay? I’m sorry they didn’t tell you about the… Specific monster, but that’s… I hardly know about it.”
“What are you comfortable saying?”
“It’s a boss, and no mater how many times they fight it it doesn't stay gone.”
“Madam Pomfrey, may I have a quick word?” Harry asked, smiling as she made his way up to him. “Somewhat privately. I need to talk to you about Al but I would rather not rick being overhears. It’s a bit- They should say this but they really don’t like making a fuss.”
Madam Pomfrey seemed hesitant to talk about another patient, but gave a nod, leading Harry to a small orifice.
“Very well Mr. Queen. What’s the issue?”
“Alyssa hates hospitals.”
“Okay?”
‘Sorry, bad place to start. Alyssa’s apparently been having issues sleeping to the point they had Draco set up wards last night. They probably are having dreams related to slight prophecy and the other world partly brought on by trauma. Partly by having to spend so much time here after what happened.” Harry sighed softly. “It wasn’t a one time thing, but- Do you know about the de-ageing thing?”
“That has been brought up to me yes.” Pomfrey gave a small nod, leaning against her clasped hands. She was an older woman, with dark rosy skin, and warm lavender eyes. “But it would seem they’ve left out quite a bit of important information.”
“Unfortunately they have has a few issues with hospitals. There was their true last for that-“ Harry fumbled for a bit, earning a sympathetic chuckle from the usually stern matron.
“I know about the burning.”
“We don’t know much about their time in the mental hospital in the first half of this life. During the de-ageing process they intentionally locked away a bunch of memories. But it did leave them with a monster, and a common monster sub type.”
“Oh?”
“There is a reason why they are so afraid of the Nurses. They technically have two. They all set them off, but the important ones are the Smiling nurses. Going off that there is a… So to say boss monster called the Smiling Doctor. Nothing to do with Crane. We… I at least… Think he manifested based on an actual doctor from the Mental Hospital. It stalks them any time they are in well-“
“Hospitals.” Madam Pomfrey gave a nod. “Pour foolish thing has probably been having nightmares since the detention and has let them build to this severity. I never-“ Harry could hardly keep up with the woman as she launched on a rant, only occupationally catching things like ‘when dreams mean something,’ and ‘troubles with reality’.
“Madam Pomfrey?”
“I’m very well aware they aren’t schizophrenic, but it’s hard for me to gage where their powers on. Unfortunately this dose mean they are in some trouble, should have told me right from the beginning. And I mean the first time they had to come in here.” It was clear that Pomfrey wasn’t too angry, but was still slightly annoyed. “At leas Albus has finally been convinced to let me hire on Chiara full time. Now you run along to the feast-“
“Oh… Nearly headless Nick actually invited me, Hermione and Alyssa to his deathday party.”
“I’ll make sure the elves bring you three some food in that hideout of yours.”
“Everyone knows about it.” Harry sighed and Pomfrey shook her head.
“I’ve been Matron here since Minerva was attending. While I don’t leave here very often I do know my way around, and I’ve come to be highly perceptive. I’ll set up a meeting somewhere they can be more comfortable.”
“Thank you Madam Pomfrey.” Harry smiled, before heading out; quickly making his way to the dungeons, taking a bit of time to practice pass without a trace as he did.
A sudden snapping sounded below Harry as he reached the bottom of the staircase drawing a yelp from him as he stumbled forward, crashing into Snape’s chest slightly.
“I’m so sorry, I hate these stairs, every time I forget about that step and I swear it changes every time.”
“It’s quite alright Mr. Queen. I assume your off to the Deathday Party?” He drawled and Harry nodded. “Before you ask, Draco has had a word with me. It’s unfortunate that Mx. Wayne put themselves to suffering alone.”
“Right.” Harry nodded, pulling himself free before rushing along to the room.
“Harry, there you are.” Hermione said, smiling as Harry headed up to her. “Alyssa’s already mingling inside, they at least seam excited. Harry, the potion-“
“They shouldn’t have been left shaking, I know. It’s because they haven’t been sleeping, we both know that.” Harry smiled softly. “Everything is going to be okay, alright?”
“I know but I can’t help worry.”
“Me and Al are kind of like siblings in a way, so I worry about them too.” Harry smiled. “Now come on let’s go inside.”