Peradventure | By : LadyMacbeth Category: Harry Potter > General > General Views: 2626 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0 |
Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter, nor any of the characters from the books or movies. I do not make any money from the writing of this story. |
"He thinks he's a young lady named Heather, and that he belongs in Slytherin house," Madame Pomfrey reported matter-of-factly. Her eyes moved from Minerva McGonagall's outright shocked gape to Albus Dumbledore's mildly surprised expression. "Other than that, he seems perfectly fine," Madame Pomfrey continued. "Excepting the fact that I can’t get him to put his clothes on, because he's insisting on wearing Slytherin girls' attire."
The three of them turned to face the curtained beds at the sound of an uncharacteristically angry voice shouting from where Madame Pomfrey had been tending to the teen. "Does that even look remotely like a Slytherin crest to you, you stupid house-elf? No. It looks like a Gryffindork crest. And what the hell are these? Do you take me for one of those freaks who wear men's underwear? If you can't bring me my own, at least bring me something a respectable woman would wear!"
A moment later a distraught, shaking house elf approached the three adults and held a school robe out toward Madame Pomfrey. "Winky is sorry!" the elf said brokenly. "Master Harry will not take these clothes. Master Harry says they are not his."
Dumbledore knelt down and patted Winky on the head, then took the Gryffindor uniform from her hands. "It's quite all right, Winky," he said quietly. "Harry's not quite himself right now; go ahead and bring up the clothes he's asking for - I'll take care of everything else, so that you don't get yelled at again."
"Winky thanks you!" the house elf said gratefully. "Winky will get the new clothes right away!" She disappeared in a blur.
Dumbledore straightened up. He stroked his long, white beard thoughtfully for a moment then turned to the two witches standing with him. "For now, I suggest we play along with this, and treat him as he wishes to be treated - as a young Slytherin lady. It will save stress on him and conflicts with the staff until we find a solution. Of course, that means I will have to talk to Severus and have some kind of arrangements made until such time as we figure out how to cure his malady...but I don't think that any arrangements should be extraordinarily difficult." He thought a moment longer. "Poppy," he said, "If you would be so good as to send Severus up here, I'd like to speak to him while Harry's in the room - it'll make it easier to explain the situation."
Madam Pomfrey nodded and bustled off to find the Potions master. The other two turned back toward Harry's bed at the sound of him muttering to himself and moving around on the bed. They made their way over to Harry, who looked up at them suspiciously.
"Professor Dumbledore," Harry acknowledged. He eyed McGonagall warily but said nothing. "Where is Professor Snape?" Harry demanded. "I'm sure he has a potion of some sort that will sort this mess out - it has to be some kind of hex or curse that Weasel put on me during the Quidditch match today."
"First of all, Harry -" Dumbledore began.
"Heather!" Harry seethed. "My name is Heather Potter. I don't know why everyone thinks my name is Harry." He glowered at the two adults, as if silently challenging them to contradict him.
"- Heather," Dumbledore continued amiably, "there is indeed something very wrong with this situation, and we will be doing everything possible to find a solution in a timely manner." The aged wizard paused, then looked over the top of his glasses at Harry. "Secondly, your attitude needs to be reigned in, young lady. We do not yell at house elves in this castle, nor do we condone purposeful insults toward other students. I am certain that Mr. Weasley had nothing to do with your current state, and even if he did it is no cause for that kind of statement."
Harry's lips tightened into a thin line and he did not respond. In only a moment, however, his face brightened, and Dumbledore turned to see Snape approaching. The house elf Winky was not far behind, carrying a Slytherin girls uniform.
The relief was evident in Harry's voice as he spoke. "Professor Snape!" he said greatfully. "Thank goodness, maybe you can talk some sense into everyone. Tell them that you remember that I'm in Slytherin house, please?" His eyes widened, and a hopeful expression to crossed his face.
Snape started to open his mouth to speak, but Dumbledore quickly took him by the elbow and led him around the other side of the curtains. When he felt that they were out of hearing range of Harry's bed, Dumbledore spoke quietly to Snape. "Has Poppy told you of the situation?" he asked.
"Very little," Snape said curiously. "She said that Potter has lost his memory and that you had requested I come to meet you in the hospital wing. What's this about him being in Slytherin?"
Dumbledore sighed and sat on the edge of a nearby table. He folded his hands carefully in front of him while he thought how best to explain the situation. "Harry took a severe blow to the head in that accident during the Quidditch match today," he began. "He was unconscious until just a short while ago, and when he awoke, he had no memory of who he is. Interestingly, his memories seem to be replaced with some others that his mind has seemingly fabricated - he thinks he's a Slytherin, and that he's a girl named Heather Potter. Apparently he also feels that there is some animosity between himself, or rather herself, and the Weasleys. As he's only been awake and conversing for a few minutes, we haven't discovered yet what else he remembers or misremembers."
"And why did you ask for me, Albus?" Snape asked. "Do you think that there might be a potion of some sort that would help him? Because I know of very few that help amnesia of any sort -"
"No, no, nothing like that, Severus," Dumbledore replied. "I asked for you because I think that the best way to deal with the situation right now is to keep Harry, or rather Heather, calm by going along with this idea. We'll continue looking for a cure, of course, but in the meantime I'd like to adjust the schedule and house assignments to include Miss Potter as a Slytherin sixth year and remove mention of Mr. Potter from the Gryffindor list. Temporarily, of course," he added. He noted the objection that was already starting to form on Snape's lips.
McGonagall approached the two of them. "Pardon me, Headmaster," she interrupted. "My presence here seems to only aggravate our young friend further, so I think I'll head back to the Gryffindor common room. I'm certain that his friends are probably on their way down even as we speak."
"Of course, Minerva," Dumbledore replied. "Remember that we are speaking of Harry as he wishes to be known - Heather - until we get his memory back to him. His friends will need to be reminded of that as well."
McGonagall nodded and left.
Snape's mouth worked silently for a moment as he fought to not reject the idea entirely. Finally he said, "It could be done, Albus; however, I hope you know that rumors are going to be flying. Without some serious work and major threats over the other students, this will be all over the Daily Prophet by tomorrow. And I can't imagine the howlers that would be flying at the idea of a boy in the Slytherin girls' dorm - because despite what he may or may not believe, he is very much a boy."
"I am already making plans to handle the students and staff, Severus," Dumbledore soothed. "And I'm certain that Harry - Heather - is bright enough to understand that she appears to be male; that's very likely what she was complaining about when she accused Mr. Weasley of putting a hex or curse on her." He paused. "I will be calling an emergency staff meeting shortly," he continued. "For now, however, I would like you to take our young Miss Potter back to your office and get her settled in so that no curious students wander up here and upset her before we can talk to them."
"You mean the other two-thirds of his...her...trio," Snape said pointedly. "All right, Headmaster, I'll play along with this game for now. I do, however, want to voice my reservation that I believe this situation may well lead to more trouble than simply keeping...her...in the hospital wing would."
Dumbledore simply smiled and motioned for Snape to lead the way back to Harry's bed. The Potions master sighed and walked to the curtained bed, with Dumbledore close behind him. He pulled open the curtain and was met with a very girl-like shriek and the sight of Harry Potter, nude save for a pair of girl's panties, pulling stockings up onto his legs. He stood frozen for a moment as the teen dove onto the bed and hastily wrapped the sheets around himself; as much as Snape wanted to pull the curtains shut and not dwell on the idea of Harry Potter in women's underwear, he also didn't want to dwell on the idea of why he would dwell on it.
"Er, excuse me, Potter," he finally managed to say. "I'll let you finish getting dressed." He shut the curtains and stepped back from the bed a couple feet.
A couple of moments later, Harry stepped out of the curtained alcove, dressed and blushing. "Sorry it took so long, Professor," he said apologetically. "This body is so..awkward..." He flexed his fingers a bit and smoothed his robe flat. "Can we go back to the Slytherin dorms now?" he asked. "I feel fine, and being in this hospital bed for everyone to stare at me is starting to bother me."
"Right away, then," Snape replied. He gestured for Harry to follow him. "I take it you'll handle everything else, Headmaster?” he asked Dumbledore.
"Of course, Severus," Dumbledore replied with a smile. "Off with you two."
As Snape and Harry stepped out of the hospital wing they nearly ran right into Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger, who were walking up to the doorway. Before they could speak, Dumbledore stepped up behind Harry and Snape and cut in. "Ah, Mr. Weasley, Miss Granger," he said. "Have you spoken to Professor McGonagall yet?"
"Yes sir, we met her on the way down," Hermione replied. "We just..." She trailed off, eyeing up Harry's Slytherin uniform.
"Yes, well then I am sure you are aware of the situation. Oh, and Mr. Weasley, there were some things I wanted to discuss with you as well...if you two wouldn't mind accompanying me to my office...?" Dumbledore held out his hand and gestured down the hall, away from Harry and Snape.
Ron looked puzzled. "Of course, Headmaster," he said. He and Hermione turned to follow the headmaster, but he stopped cold when he felt someone nearly brush up against him from behind.
Harry leaned in close to Ron's ear. "I'll get you for this, Weasel," he whispered harshly. "Your arse is mine."
Ron spun around. "Wha-" he began to ask. However, Harry and Snape were already down the hall, striding purposefully toward the dungeons. Ron looked back to find Hermione and Dumbledore watching him.
"Something wrong, Mr. Weasley?" Dumbledore queried.
"Harry..." Ron began. "He said..." The redhead let the thought trail off.
"What?" Hermione asked. "What did he say to you, Ron?"
Ron just shook his head. "He's messed up, I know. I just...it's hard to understand."
"I take it he's still blaming you for his current condition?" Dumbledore asked gently. He motioned for the two teens to walk with him as they spoke.
Ron sighed. "Yes," he replied. His face twisted with frustration as he repeated what Harry had said to Hermione and Dumbledore. "I just don't get it. Amnesia I can understand, but this? How can he 'remember' something that never happened?"
"Ah, the mind works in mysterious ways, Mr. Weasley," Dumbledore said. "There have been scattered reports of this type of thing happening in the past, but in earlier eras some of the magical techniques were much more basic that what we have today, and those suffering from it either stayed that way or came out of it on their own. I'm hoping that we can do much better than that in finding a solution."
"Headmaster, if I can help at all -" Hermione began.
Dumbledore raised his hand up. "You and Mr. Weasley need to focus on your studies," he said. "I can assure you that all of the staff will be working on this. If we should need your help, however, we will gladly ask for it." He smiled at the two of them. "Now," he began, "if the two of you would kindly report back to your common room, and not mention any of this to the other Gryffindors, it would be greatly appreciated. Professor McGonagall will be down shortly to speak to all of you in your common room, and there will be an order out to the prefects to take all of the students back to the common rooms. Obviously, this situation is going to require the cooperation of the whole school to keep it out of the press and general rumor mill."
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