"No," said the professor. "Please follow me. We're going to the infirmary; not the Headmaster's office." And walked off.
Quite concerned now, Harry hurried after the quite quick Charms Professor.
"Professor Flitwick?" asked Harry. "Why the infirmary?"
As he was hurrying after the much smaller professor, Harry noticed the students were no longer looking at him in fear. Now they were looking at him with shame and sorrow, ducking their heads down or turning them away.
By the time they reached the doors to the infirmary, Harry's emotional state was approaching panic. 'Please, please, don't let it be Daphne or my other friends,' he prayed. But, if it wasn't, why was he being rushed to the infirmary; and why were the other students reacting as they were? Trotting in through the double doors to the infirmary, Harry quickly looked around. He saw Dumbledore, Snape, McGonagall and Madam Pomfrey hovering over someone lying in a bed. On seeing him, all except Snape looked at him with sadness. Snape just looked back stoically. That, in itself was a worry because the man wasn't on the edge of sneering at him.
Quickly, Harry rushed over to find out what was going on. And found Daphne lying on the bed, frozen. Her eyes were open and she had a look of surprise on her face, just like what he remembered seeing on the face of Justin Finch-Fletchley. She was petrified.
He did not know how long he stood rooted to the spot. He didn't think he'd even breathed the whole time. His stomach felt as if it had dropped out to hang between his knees. He barely heard a sound until he felt a hand land on his shoulder.
Snapping out of his stupor, he found Dumbledore had moved to stand next to him.
"Harry," the old man gently said. "She's alive. Just petrified. As are your other friends."
Hearing the old man's words Harry was, at first, relieved. But, when he mentioned 'your other friends', Harry felt his panic begin to rise up again. He snapped his head to look into the eyes of the Headmaster and croaked, "Who?"
The old man guided him past Daphne's bed and past the other adults. Then Harry could see who.
"Miss Davis and Miss Granger," the old man said, as if Harry couldn't see for himself. Neville, Susan and Hannah were standing near their beds. They'd been crying.
Hannah, looked up and rushed over to him. "Oh, Harry," she sobbed. She was quickly joined by Susan in a similar state. Neville looked away and didn't approach.
Turning to Dumbledore and the other adults, he asked "What happened? - No - I can see that. How did it happen? Where were they found?"
"They were on the second floor," said Dumbledore sadly. "Near the intersection of two corridors. Miss Granger had a mirror in her hand and Miss Greengrass and Miss Davis were either side of her."
Harry slowly made his way back to his betrothed's side. The adults allowed him through. Dumbledore conjured a tall chair for him and he sat down in it with a nod of gratitude. He gently reached out and placed his hand over Daphne's own where it appeared to be holding her robes against herself low on her chest. Her other hand appeared to be reaching out as if she was resting it on someone's back.
"Have you asked the portraits what they saw?" asked Harry.
"The portraits were all frozen, Harry," replied Dumbledore. "Just as they were at the scenes of the other attacks."
"The house elves?" he asked.
"What about them?" asked the Headmaster.
"Have you asked them if they saw anything, or have any information?" Harry almost snarled.
"Errr - No," replied the old man. "But that is a good idea. Thank you, Harry." "The castle ghosts?" he asked.
"None in the area," replied the old man. "And, after what happened to Sir Nicholas, I would fathom the same would happen to them if they were. And, possibly, the house elves.
"Any who, I must toddle off. I'm about to expect visitors!"
He didn't know how long he'd sat there, but the adults had all left before he next noticed. The two girls and Neville were also gone.
Rising, he moved away from Daphne to visit Tracey on the next bed. Standing between the two he could see how it appeared both girls were leaning over the bent over form of another.
Moving to Hermione on the next bed, he could see she had been laid on her side. She appeared to be hunched over and peering at something in her right hand, which was held out before her. He left hand was against herself holding her robes in tight.
Finally, Harry noticed Neville hadn't left and was, in fact, sitting on the floor against the wall with his knees drawn up to his chest and his head resting on his knees. His arms were wrapped around his folded legs.
"Neville," called Harry to his friend.
Neville didn't move except to shuffle his feet slightly. A few moments later, Harry saw the other boy's shoulders jiggle slightly. He was crying.
Harry moved to kneel in front of his only male friend. With a sigh, he softly called, "Neville. Please look at me."
After a few moments Neville raised his head and, sobbing, said, "I couldn't protect them, Harry. They got hurt because I couldn't protect them!"
Harry was stunned. He was stunned that his friend felt he had somehow let him down by not protecting 'their' girls. And, he was stunned that his friend had taken that role onto his own shoulders.
"Bullshit!" snarled Harry, looking the boy in the eyes and hoping he'd look back. "It was not your job to protect them. That role belongs to the Headmaster and his staff. They failed to protect them. They let us down."
Harry reached out with his hand and gripped the other boy by his chin, turning his face to force the boy to look at him. "Look me in the eyes, Neville, and see the truth!"
Neville stared back through tear-filled eyes. "I, Harry James Potter, do not accept - nor recognise - that my friend, Neville Francis Longbottom, is in any way culpable for the harm caused upon our loved ones, Daphne Greengrass, Tracey Davis and Hermione Granger," he firmly said. "Do you accept my word?"
Harry let him go, and Neville took a couple of deep breaths before firmly nodding.
"Good," said Harry firmly. Then he stood and offered his arm to Neville.
Neville accepted the offered arm and Harry helped him to his feet. The other boy used the sleeves of his robe to wipe his eyes clear.
"Now," said Harry. "You, I, Susan and Hannah are going to figure out just what is causing this. Then, you and I are going to go and deal with it. Agreed?" Neville nodded a couple of times with his head before he lifted his chin, stared back at Harry with grim determination, and said, "Where a Potter goes, a Longbottom will be with him."
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