Chapter 20
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Harry yawned widely as he and Ron struggled out of bed on Friday morning before breakfast.
They wanted to visit Tony in the Hospital Wing before class, so they’d decided to get up early – a decision he was dearly regretting as he felt exhaustion weighing him down.
“If it’s not one bloody thing, it’s another,” Ron groused, hair sticking up all over the place.
“Yeah,” he nodded, slowly getting dressed.
Over the past two days, they and Hermione had felt more sluggish than usual and it couldn’t be because of worrying about not being in contact with Tony like they’d feared before finding out Tony was going to be teaching them this year. Maybe it was worrying about him in the general sense, since that was shaping up to be the theme of the year.
Tony’s overall reaction to Sherlock’s death had been worrying enough on its own – the Italian first having rocked the Burrow to its Magical foundations before going about the rest of their stay in a completely exhausted state with little evidence of a follow-up breakdown like they’d all expected from him.
Now, however, the Trio couldn’t help wondering what happened to him in the early morning hours on Thursday.
Harry remembered well going down to breakfast and expecting to see Tony there as well. Instead not only had Tony been absent, but the teachers had been gone, too. It hadn’t been until lunch they heard of Dumbledore filling in for Defense and had decided to track Tony down in his office.
As they left the Great Hall, however, Deeks, Palmer and Mac grabbed them and dragged them to the Hospital Wing.
“Reckon he’s awake?” Ron rubbed his eyes as they left their room in the present here and now. “Palmer – poor bloke – didn’t seem to be able to tell.”
“The nurse said he should be up by now,” Harry felt the worry fill him again. He’d honestly never seen the older Wizard so shaken, even in their short acquaintance.
Deeks, too, had seemed to have trouble breathing, but Mac hadn’t stayed long enough for them to see her reaction. She’d delivered the lot of them to Hospital before going back out to Vince’s house with the Order members that had been called in to help.
Hermione yawned as she joined them in the Common Room, looking as tired as they felt. “I don’t understand how tired I am,” she complained, leading the way to the Hospital Wing.
“Join the club,” Ron scowled.
Harry knew they would all feel better when they saw that Tony … well, wasn’t any worse than they left him and when they had some food in them.
Hardly a soul roamed the corridors as they went, so they didn’t have any problems getting through the general Ward and back into the private rooms where they put Tony in.
Harry gave a knock before opening the door and peeking around the edge.
Instead of seeing his friend flat on his back with closed eyes, he found him sitting upright with a puzzled look on his face.
“Tony!” he threw the door open and led the charge, the three of them so very relieved to find him aware once more.
“You’re okay!” Ron yelled, grinning widely as he followed Harry onto the bed.
Hermione just climbed up on the other side to help box Tony in and they spent a few moments reassuring themselves and each other that he was okay.
Tony, for his part, just hugged them as close as he could, trying his best to comfort them as they clung.
After enough time passed, they pulled back to gather themselves and Harry was wiping his damp eyes when Tony finally got a word in.
“Not that it’s not great to see you three, but what’s going on? he frowned. “How’d I get back to the school? What time is it?”
“You mean what day is it,” Ron relaxed at the foot of the bed.
“What?”
“Yeah,” Harry nodded when Tony looked over at him. “You’ve been out of it since early Thursday morning. It’s Friday, now.”
“Friday?”
“Tony, we were so worried,” Hermione had to hug him again. “Mac, Palmer and Deeks didn’t know what happened to you.”
“Wait,” he held up a hand, looking around at them. “What do you mean?”
They relayed what little they knew and watched him think it over. “I don’t know what to tell you,” he eventually shrugged. “The last thing I remember was walking with Deeks to the U-shaped clearing and listening to him spouting off theories.”
“And that’s it?” Hermione frowned.
“That’s it,” he confirmed. “I don’t remember telling him to split up or walking or even ending up back at the wall.” He rubbed his face. “I’m at as much of a loss as you are.”
“Something had to have happened,” Ron pointed out. “You don’t end up that deep asleep unless something happens.”
“You can try extracting the memories,” Harry suggested.
“Not with this headache, I won’t,” Tony lay back down with a sigh.
“We should probably go get someone,” Hermione fussed. “I mean, you just woke up and all.”
“I wouldn’t worry,” Tony told her before pointing up at the ceiling above them. “See that small mirror up there?” They followed his gaze and Harry found a small triangular shape looking down at them. “Dumbledore stuck that up there to keep an eye on me. He’s got the other piece in his office, but only he can see it. The reason we can is that he wants us to see it and know that we’re being watched.”
“Does he use that for the Order?” Ron wanted to know.
“Nah. I presume they have anti-viewing charms or something. Hey, is it breakfast, yet?”
“We were just about to go eat,” Hermione explained.
“Don’t let me keep you, then,” he waved them off. “Someone’s probably on the way to kick you out right now.”
“We’ll visit before lunch,” Harry promised.
They left the Hospital to see Dumbledore, McGonagall and Nurse Pomfrey striding quickly down the hall, passing them with reassuring looks and smiles.
“He was right,” Ron noted as the friends turned the corner. “Think they have those at the MNP?”
“Maybe,” Harry shrugged.
They got to breakfast where some of the others waited for them to find out how Tony was doing. Harry soothed AJ and the triplets when they arrived en masse to check.
“What do you think happened, though?” H Benson put her hands on her hips.
“Is Vince going to be okay living there?” G added.
Harry turned to see the other Gryffindor staring blankly into his toast and sighed.
Vince and his Mum felt just horrible about what happened to Tony – whatever that had been – and Vince was noticeably avoiding the Trio as a result since just about everyone knew now that the Trio was very close with their Defense professor.
Harry and Hermione – and no doubt others as well – had tried telling him that it wasn’t his fault, but he was still so guilty.
“The teachers will find out what’s going on,” Hermione assured. “Vince will be fine.”
“Professor DiNozzo will find out,” AJ added. “It’s only a matter of time.”
“He can’t do that alone, AJ,” she pointed out with a smile.
“And he won’t,” she returned, “since he’s got the three of you to help.”
“I dunno how much help you think we’ll be,” Ron frowned at her. “We aren’t trained for solving things like he is. Besides, what could we do?”
“I think you know already,” she beamed.
The quartet eventually moved on and Ron sighed after them in exasperation.
“I still don’t know what to make of that one.”
* ** *
Their morning classes dragged slowly on and Harry was certain that someone was messing with the time on purpose just to spite him.
He said as much to his friends as they made their way back to see Tony.
“That’s just what it feels like,” Hermione giggled at him. “No one’s messing with time, Harry.”
He watched as she moved on ahead and scowled. “That’s what it feels like to me.”
Ron walked at his side, unusually quiet. “Harry,” he piped up after a minute. “I think we should start looking into the Mark of the Founders.”
“Alright,” he nodded. “Tomorrow?”
“Yeah.”
Hermione would be dragging them up to the library tomorrow, anyway, during their Saturday classes. They would get their schedules – along with the First Years – at breakfast tomorrow morning. They would still have a break before Tony’s class and they would use that to research the Founders while Hermione would be preoccupied with her own studies.
Harry thought he’d heard something about a girl study group and knew that Hermione wouldn’t be bothering them.
“Okay,” he nodded, both of their eyes glancing on Hermione as she led the way completely oblivious to their plans.
They got to the room Tony was in and found Eames watching Tony like a hawk.
“I’m going to make Palmer give me an Unbreakable Vow,” Tony told them when he saw them hovering at the door. “If I do that, he won’t be able to tell this one,” he jerked a thumb at his minder, “about me for the rest of this calendar year.”
“What makes you so sure that I don’t have the lad under one to tell me about you to begin with?” Eames challenged.
“You wouldn’t,” Tony scowled at him. “Palmer doesn’t need encouragement. I still remember catching a cold and finding you on my couch, convinced I’m on my deathbed.”
“Well, we have to be careful with your lungs,” the Brit brushed him off.
“It was a good two years before NCIS! Explain that!”
“Good afternoon, Mr. Eames,” Hermione broke in with a smile.
“How are you, dove?” he beamed back. “You and the lads taking care of our Tony, are we?”
“We’re trying,” she sighed, going over to shake his hand. “He’s just not making it easy for us.”
“And I used to think this would be an easy year,” Ron told Tony.
“Maybe I would be safer back home,” Tony huffed. “At least there, I know how to deal with things.”
“Did Dumbledore find out what happened?” Harry asked, the others turning their attention back to Tony in anticipation.
“He did go back in my memory, sure, but he says that he got kicked out around the time me and Deeks were outside – like I told you was the last thing I remembered.”
“It’s a very odd thing to have happen,” Eames mused, settling back in his chair against the wall. “I can’t recall off the top of my head what kind of attack could create the effects that have been observed and reported.”
“And Donners was just here with Vance,” Tony added. “They couldn’t think of anything, either.”
“But what if it happens again?” Hermione looked between them.
“Let’s hope someone finds the answer before then,” Tony quipped.
“Tony…”
“What ‘Tony’? Do you have a better answer? Look, I don’t even know what happened, so who knows. Deeks certainly didn’t think I behaved any differently.”
“Well, Deeks doesn’t know you like the rest of us do,” Hermione told him.
“But you forget,” he gently reminded. “You don’t, either. The only ones who do are Peter, Sparky, Shep, Booker, Pin, Eames and Sherlock. Of those, Eames and Peter can’t keep their eyes on me all the time without outing themselves to several people they don’t want to tell just yet. If ever. Pin, Sparky and Booker are too busy to bother with and of those remaining, one has to this day not been seen or heard from and the other –”
Eames suddenly shot out of his chair, startling them. “Apologies,” he smiled tightly.
Tony stared at him blankly for long moments before his features flooded with something that looked like realization. “Eames…”
“’s alright,” his smile softened as his hand clasped Tony’s own. “Not all of us have your skill at compartmentalizing. Nor do we need a reason to,” he sighed. “I was fortunate to get time off that you couldn’t afford. Now, if you will,” he turned his attention to the room at large. “I need to visit the loo.”
He went off without another word, Tony reaching out to keep Hermione in place. “Let him have a minute,” he advised. “How could I forget?” he muttered to himself a moment later.
“Well,” Ron shrugged. “Just what he said. You couldn’t let the Muggles know, so you probably buried it deep.”
“But it’ll have to come out eventually,” Harry solemnly noted.
“And that’s fine,” Hermione assured. “You know we’ll be here for you when the realization finally hits, right?”
“For now,” Tony sighed. “Remember after your graduation and … them.”
“We’ll just have to find a way around that,” Harry told him in no uncertain terms.
Ron suddenly frowned. “Tony, you leave after Christmas, right?”
“That’s the plan,” he eyed him. “Why?”
“Well, well, think about it. All we really know about this other Professor is that she wasn’t able to teach right away – which is why Tony’s here. What if she’s … a Member and she’s going to spy on us now that Tony won’t be around?”
Harry’s heart dropped as he glanced at Tony to see the same look of slow panic on his face, too.
“I never thought about that,” Tony paled.
“We all need to calm down,” Hermione spoke, sounding like she was trying to convince herself, too. “We – we don’t know for sure if that’s the case. And,” she suddenly calmed, “we’re still basing this on a theory that people want us to be kept from Tony. Maybe we should just be calm and play it by ear, alright?”
“Be calm and play what by ear?”
They turned to see Eames watching them curiously from the door.
“Oh, you know,” Tony shakily laughed, panic not abating from his green eyes. Or Harry’s system, for that matter. “Conspiracy theories running away with us and all.”
“What might these particular theories be, may I ask?” he reclaimed his seat and waited for their answer.
Harry wasn’t sure what to tell him. “We, er, think,” he glanced at the others, “that someone might want to keep us from staying in contact with Tony when he leaves.”
“Why might that be?” Eames sat back and crossed his legs, fiddling with something in his pocket.
“Certain things,” Hermione hedged. “Just … you know. It’s Harry,” she lifted a shoulder.
“Yeah,” Ron nodded unusually enthusiastically. “It’s Harry and Tony’s Tony. You know,” he shrugged when Harry, Hermione and Tony looked at him. “Tony isn’t exactly innocent, right? I mean, he works with Muggles and … well, there’ve been things in the past that Tony may have done or people he encountered …”
Harry frowned at him, not entirely sure what he was going on about.
But Hermione must’ve caught on, because her eyes lit up. “Yes! His … activities aren’t very well received to some and there’ve been some complaints about how trustworthy Tony can be. Especially since … it’s Harry…”
“Are you honestly telling me,” Harry stiffened and turned wide green eyes to the oldest Brit, Eames’ cold hard tone belying the fire in his grey eyes, “that Tony’s being scrutinized by someone who doesn’t approve of his relationship with the three of you based on rumors and hearsay? And they are questioning him because of that?” His gaze turned calculating as Tony warily inched away from him, pillow coming up to block his face as he scrunched behind it. “Who, may I ask, is stupid enough to believe rumors slandering the reputation of one of my closest friends?” he outright snarled. “They have no right! Tony is the most trustworthy man that I can possibly find in either world and someone is going to take action against him because of this?!”
“We think they might,” Hermione hastily jumped in. “We only suspect. But there is the impression that Tony may not be welcome in our lives after Christmas. Oh, you do know that he won’t be here the entire year, correct?”
Eames gave a distracted nod. “Yes, I’m aware. Harry,” he locked their gazes together. “Ron, Hermione. I want the three of you to be completely honest with me. Do you want Tony in your life? Here at this moment, after graduation, for the rest of your lives?”
That was an easy question:
“Yes,” Harry didn’t blink as he stared into the older man’s grey eyes. Eames moved to glance at Ron and Hermione, who gave the same answer.
“Well, then,” he nodded after long moments. “In your lives he will be. I promise you.”
“It’s actually good that we told you one of our concerns,” Tony lowered his pillow, deeming it safe to come out of hiding. “You can help keep in touch until we have some kind of plan. I mean, I’m the recognizable one of the both of us…”
Harry did feel better at that. And they were right.
Eames was a relatively safe person to go to should their – as yet unfounded – suspicions come true. The Order didn’t really know him … right?
“So, I will act as the mediator between the four of you,” Eames told Tony, who nodded.
“Exactly. When I go back to work, I won’t be as available as I have been to just drop everything and rush over. Eames, I’m trusting you to work in my stead until I can get things settled down enough to make my way over if I’m needed.”
“I will gladly do so,” he vowed. “Friends should not be kept away from each other on ridiculous grounds. And if worse comes to worse, I will gladly ‘borrow’ them without permission.”
“I’m not sure that will be necessary,” Hermione shook her head, “but thank you.”
Eventually, the conversation turned to other topics – despite the indignation they could all see still simmering under Eames’ calm.
None of the Trio wanted to leave for lunch and they were surprised when they didn’t have to.
“I thought I would take the opportunity to spend more time with you,” Eames shrugged after Winky, Dobby and another House Elf disappeared back to the kitchens, leaving a miniature feast in their wake. “Admittedly, our last few meetings were … less than ideal, you could say.”
“I guess not,” Tony mused, munching on a lunch roll. “Sorry about that.”
“I learned a bit about you when I ran across Tony in Muggle London this past summer,” Hermione offered, carefully omitting any mention of Sherlock.
“Probably not even the good bits, I imagine,” he chuckled. “Alright then. I’ll take questions.”
Whatever lingering panic that was left over from before was carefully packed away to be dealt with a different time, the incentive of more background in Tony and Eames’ lives gladly taking over. While there were questions that refused to be answered for one reason or another, it was still interesting to have a near no holds barred conversation with two people that didn’t give personal details out to just anyone.
And one of the two was one of Tony’s closest friends – if not brother – and the Trio wanted to know more about their fourth outside of NCIS.
During the course of lunch, they gained both some answers to inane questions – “I was a few years behind the Marauders, yes. Didn’t really meet Watson back then and, no, I wasn’t close with any of them.” – and some insight into the history between them, Palmer, Mac and Stevens.
“I still say he could’ve taken the lot of them,” Eames grumbled into his salad as Tony rolled his eyes.
“Stevens and concussions don’t mix, you know that. We were just lucky Mac showed up when she did or we wouldn’t be here right now.”
“Come now. The lad is constantly vastly underestimated –”
“Has Palmer gotten around to telling you about the Mop Incident that first year he was with us? It’s not underestimating anything –”
“So you claim.”
“And anyway I can see why you didn’t have friends in your House at school with that attitude.”
“Don’t be ridiculous, I had plenty of friends backing me up at school.”
“Because you were a hot-headed coconut who rivaled the Marauders in chaos and devilry?”
“No, I rivaled the Detectives of Creswell in chaos and mischief. But that was then and you have a different man before you today.”
“Different, yes,” Tony smirked, “but you’re still a Dreamer.”
Harry barely managed to catch Eames’ knowing wink at Tony in his haste to ask, “What House were you in?”
“Oh, no, you don’t,” Tony snickered. “You have to find that out for yourselves. The clues are right in front of you. And don’t even start with those faces. All three of you want to be Aurors, right? So start investigating at your leisure.”
“Not a lot to go on,” Ron scowled. “And Merlin knows when we’ll be able to see Eames again if you won’t tell us.”
“Oh, I’ll find a way to see you again,” Eames smiled slightly, though there was something in his expression that Harry couldn’t put his finger on.
Before anything could really be said after that, the Trio had to leave. They reluctantly told Tony that they would be back and Eames walked them out.
“You know,” he told them as they dragged their feet. “I do apologize for my earlier loss of composure.”
“Don’t be sorry,” Hermione shook her head. “It really is still fresh. I mean… We can’t go more than a few days without thinking of … him somehow.”
“It is too soon,” he gave a sigh. “For Watson, especially. Poor bloke. And Tony. I’m more worried about him, of course. Hasn’t been allowed to let it all rush out, has he? Of course not. Bloody Muggles,” he scowled. “Palmer’s been letting me know that Tony’s not acting much differently and that is somewhat of a concern. He puts his undercover skills to work and you’d never know he was breaking apart. Not like he can afford it, though. Perhaps this teaching job’s come to him at the right time so he can relax,” he mused, stopping at the Hospital doors. “The three of you are there to give your support and I think he needs that, so I will be more than happy to keep the four of you together for all involved.”
“We’re here for you, too, Mr. Eames,” Hermione spoke for the Trio. “If you want.”
“Just Eames, then, Dove,” he smiled slightly, but couldn’t hide the surprise drawn by her words and sincerity. “Thank you. I … I’ll keep that in mind.”
* **