"Molly! How nice to see you!" Albus beamed at the advancing red-head and Severus could only wonder whether the headmaster had absolutely no sense of self-preservation or if he was simply blind. If the Weasely-matriarch would have looked at him in such a threatening way...

"ALBUS DUMBLEDORE! HOW DARE YOU TO ALLOW ONE OF MY SONS BEING HURT BY A FELLOW STUDENT!?"

"Molly, please, there is no need to be upset-" The headmaster tried to placate the furious woman.

"NO NEED TO BE UPSET? ARE YOU MAD, DUMBLEDORE?! THAT BOY COULD HAVE KILLED MY RONNY!"

"Well, but he hasn't... and if I have understood Poppy correctly, Ronald only sustained superficial injuries, nothing remotely life-threatening... well, of course, I haven't spoken with her since she left the Great Hall but..."

"And you think this would excuse what that boy has done to Ronny?!" While Severus was glad that the witch had stopped screaming like a banshee, somehow the hissing sounds she made now were even more threatening. "He could have killed him, Albus! He could have killed my son! And you just stand there and tell me that there is no need to be upset?"

"Well... he hasn't killed Ron, and the healers got here immediately after I had summoned them. If Ron had been seriously injured, he would have received the best possible care right away! But, well, this point is moot anyway now, and whilst I'm sorry that such a thing happened to one of your boys, there is no need to worry any longer... the boy that caused Ron's injury was brought to St Mungo's and he won't return until the healers have found a way to cure him from this strange madness..."

We will see that, Severus thought, but he was wise enough to stay silent. It wouldn't do for the headmaster - or Molly Weasley - to know that he had no intention of leaving Harry in the dubious care of the staff of St Mungo's longer than absolutely necessary.

Just then, the medi-witch approached the three of them and interrupted the argument Molly and Albus were currently engaged in.

"Ah, Poppy! I trust young Ronald is attended to?" Albus asked, despite Molly's growling still cheerfully.

"Yes," Poppy replied in her usual brisk manner. "The injury he sustained on his shoulder was minimal, once it is properly healed he won't feel a thing. I would like to keep him here, though, at least until tomorrow, he lost his consciousness, after all, even if it might only have been due to shock... well, but the boy seems to feel rather well already, so if you want to question him on what exactly has happened... well, only if Molly doesn't have any objections, of course!" The medi-witch added hastily after receiving a frown from the mother of the child in question.

"Well, Molly, do you agree? I think it would be the best course of action to listen to young Ronald's account of events before making any other decisions..."

And so it was that Poppy led Mrs Weasley, the headmaster and Professor Snape (after a brief explanation from Dumbeldore that Severus was in charge of dealing with the offender) to the far end of the hospital-wing were the youngest Weasely-boy had been put to bed, hidden behind a screen (a magical one, of course, completed with light protection-charms and spells that prevented anybody outside the covered area from eavesdropping) that allowed a minimum of privacy.

"Ah, Ronald, I'm glad to see you have mostly recovered from the unfortunate event!" Dumbeldore greeted the boy, who sat in his bed, propped up against several pillows.

"Uh, yes..." Ron answered, somehow intimidated at being addressed by Albus Dumbledore himself. "It wasn't so bad, really, and Madame Pomfrey told me that by tomorrow, the wound will be healed completely. I don't really mind spending the night here either, so I guess it's all right..." He trailed off, awkwardly.

"Ah, I'm glad that you can see it this way, Ronald. Well, perhaps you can tell us what exactly has happened before you passed out? Of course, if it's too stressful or frightening for you we can always wait until tomorrow, or resort to Legilimency..."

"No, no, it's fine!" Ron assured the headmaster. "But, Sir, ehm, where's Harry, Sir?"

"Harry, my boy? You don't need to worry about him, son, he won't be able to harm you ever again!"

"Ehm I don't worry about that... it is only, he was hurt pretty badly, much worse than I, I think, and well... I haven't seen or heard him but I really think he needs being treated by Madame Pomfrey, too..."

"Oh no, don't worry, child, Harry has been brought away. You're right, he did sustain rather sever injuries - nothing life-threatening, though," the headmaster added, having seen the worried look on Ron's face, "but he has been taken to St Mungo's. He will receive the best possible care and he won't return until it is absolutely safe for him to do so! He won't attack you again, I can promise you that!"

"But... but... he's my friend!" Ron spluttered. "You can't just send him away!"

"Ronny, honey, he has viciously attacked you! He could have killed you! I won't allow such a threat to remain anywhere in your vicinity, least of all in your own dorm!" Molly interrupted her son, appalled that he was actually defending his own attacker.

"But... but it's only Harry! He isn't dangerous - well, most of the time. And it was only an accident! He didn't mean to attack me, or himself, I have seen it in his face! It was just like the other day when he ran out of DADA, he didn't mean to slam his head against the wall, he just couldn't help it! He's just like Luna, mum, just like Ginny's friend! You can't send him away, I won't allow it, he's my friend!" The last part was directed more at Dumbledore than as Molly, who seemed to be at a loss for what to say.

The headmaster was lost in thoughts for a few moments, and when he spoke again he chose his words carefully. "Well, for now, Harry needs to stay in St Mungo's anyway, so there is no need to discuss that point just now-" But Dumbledore couldn't finish his sentence because just then, Molly Weasley exploded.

"I WON'T ALLOW THAT BOY COMING BACK TO HOGWARTS EVER AGAIN, ALBUS DUMBLEDORE! I should have contacted you right after he acted all funny when I tried to help him finding the platform but I though it was only because everything was new to him! I should have realized what a dangerous maniac that boy is when he almost pushed me on the ground and ran away without apologizing or thanking me for helping him! I will bring this to the attention of the ministry if I must, but I won't allow you to endanger my sons - or the other students - in such a fashion! That boy ought to be locked away forever, otherwise we will have to deal with another you-know-who in a few years time!"

"But Molly, surely you can't mean that Harry might become dark?" Albus asked the furious read-headed witch.

"Of course he will! He already is, or why do you think he has attacked my Ronny of all people?! Either he will become another dark wizard of the calibre of you-know-who or he'll get mixed up with some Death-Eater scum!" (here, she shot a look full of distrust in the direction of the Potion Master) "Albus, you have to promise me that you'll see to the boy being under lock and key for the rest of his life!"

"But, Molly... we don't yet know what's wrong with Harry, and while I agree that - for now - it's better not to have Harry at Hogwarts, I don't know... well, I'm sure Harry won't become a follower of Voldemort or anything like that..."

"How can you be sure of this, Albus?! You have already assigned the head of Slytherin to take care of that boy, so it's only a matter of time until he is just as corrupted as the entire house is-"

"Mind your language, woman!" Severus, who finally had enough, interrupted the witch. "I won't have you spouting prejudices like this! I-" But just then something happened that was almost unheard of: A student dared to interrupt Severus Snape, bat of the dungeons.

"Yeah, mum, Harry's a Gryffindor, after all!" Ron piped in, "and, well, I have already told Harry that he must be careful when dealing with Slytherins, but well, he thinks that they aren't so bad... well, at least he likes Professor Snape..." Only then, Ron looked at the Potion Master and cringed when he noticed how angry the man looked.

"I WON'T HAVE YOU DEFENDING YOUR ATTACKER, RONALD WEASLEY!" Molly shouted, "if he thinks that Slytherins aren't all bad it just proves that he is just as evil as the lot of them! You won't associate with such a boy, no matter whether it is Harry Potter or not!"

"But, mum, you always said... it's only Harry, he can't be bad! And if he thinks that some Slytherins are all right, perhaps-"

"Stop talking like this, Ron! I have told you again and again that you can't trust a Slytherin! They are responsible for the last war, they are responsible that you haven't got to know your uncles, they are responsible for me having lost my brothers-" Molly was sobbing by now, and since Severus could only stare at the woman who was spouting such prejudices and lies in front of her own child, Albus managed to re-take control over the situation.

"Molly, I'm sure that you don't really mean what you're saying right now. No, you're upset about young Ronald being hurt, and that's perfectly understandable, but I don't think it's wise to dwell on old times now, and I'm sure that once you feel better you will agree with me that not every Slytherin is evil. Mh, perhaps it would be better if we continue this discussion on a later date? I'm not sure whether everything that might come up would be appropriate for Ronald to hear..."

"He already knows that Slytherins are evil and that he mustn't trust anyone from that lot, Albus, do you really think I'm that careless?! Each one of my children knows not to get mixed up with one of them! They killed Gideon and Fabian, Albus, how can you have forgotten this?!" And again, Molly broke into tears.

"They were killed by Death Eaters, you stupid woman!" Severus remarked caustically. "And if you want to suggest that being sorted into Slytherin house is the same as being a Death Eater I suggest that you withdraw your lot of children immediately from this facility, since according to you, one quarter of the occupants of the entire castle are dark wizards. Not a good place to send one's children, don't you agree?"

"I - ITS YOU DEATH-EATER THAT SHOULD BE SEND AWAY YOU-"

"Molly, I don't think- well, why don't we retreat to my office, I'm sure we can come to an agreement without frightening Ronald further, don't you think so? I'm sure we will find a solution, but the infirmary is hardly the right place for a-, ehm, heated discussions, so if you would accompany me to my office...?" And while he kept talking soothingly to the distraught witch, Albus led her away, towards the entrance of the infirmary, receiving a dark glance from the medi-witch, who wasn't happy about all the shouting (and who had only allowed it to continue because there weren't any other patients in the wing just now).

"Eh..." Ron awkwardly cleared his throat. While he had begun to doubt his mother's claims that all Slytherins were evil, he felt rather terrified now that he was left alone with the head of the snakes himself. But then, his mother had clearly said that the Potion Master was responsible for Harry's well-being...

"You should be aware, Mr Weasley, that your mother is rather... upset about the recent turns of events, and perhaps you shouldn't take everything she just said for face value. I know she's your mother but-" Severus stopped, not really sure of what to say to the child who was looking at him with a mixture of fear and something else he couldn't quite place.

"You... you really take care of Harry?" Ron blurted out.

"Wha- yes, Mr Weasley, the headmaster, the medi-witch and your head of house have decided that I would be the best possible choice to find out what's wrong with Mr Potter and to..., ehm, well, to take means to remedy the situation if necessary." What was the boy on about?

"Then- I know he has hurt me, and I know that perhaps he isn't like anybody else... but he's my friend! And I'm sure Harry didn't want to hurt me, he just... he just lost control! I don't want him to be locked away forever and ever..."

"You are aware, Mr Weasley, that your mother considers the boy to be a serious threat for not only your but also your classmates' safety?"

"Yes, but, well, mum just worries about everything... and Harry really likes you, and you're a Slytherin... so I guess, perhaps mum's wrong and not all snakes are equally bad... well, I know she's still kind of upset because those guys killed her brother ages ago, but if Harry likes you you can't be too bad, I think... Mum had told us so many stories about Harry, but Harry isn't really like the Harry from the stories either..." Ron broke of. In the short week since he had come to Hogwarts, his whole view of the world had shifted. Yes, he still thought that it would be better not to trust any Slytherin with anything important, perhaps his mother was right after all, but then, she had been wrong about Harry, too. He wasn't anything like the boy from the stories, he was even more insecure than Ron! Ginny was in for a shock when she would come to Hogwarts next year, she practically idolized Harry! Well, the Harry she knew from the stories...

"Well, Mr Weasley, I'm certainly not going to just abandon Mr Potter at St Mungo's, I can't promise you anything, though. But if you know something about your friend that might be of importance, please let me know about it.

Ron nodded vigorously. Perhaps Harry had been right and Professor Snape wasn't so bad?

In the evening, after a subtle nod from the headmaster, Severus remained behind in Albus' office when the other heads of houses returned to their respective quarters. The headmaster had informed all of them about Harry's whereabouts and they had decided on what to tell the still-terrified students. Since nobody seemed to have a clue about what was wrong with the boy (or at least nobody, namely Dumbeldore and Severus, were willing to share anything they knew), they had simply set on announcing that due to unknown reasons Harry's mind was disturbed and that he would be treated in hospital until he was better. Severus just hoped this would be enough to avoid an angry mob of parents attacking the castle, but then, he had seen Minerva and Poppy glancing at each other meaningfully, so perhaps they had already come up with a better plan?

For a few seconds, it was completely silent, but then Albus started to speak. "Molly is still rather upset about today's events, but I hope she will calm down once she realizes that Ron wasn't hurt seriously and that Harry will be taken care of. Well, it's no surprise, not after what happened to her brothers back during the war. However, I must admit I had hoped she had recovered enough not to inculcate her children with all her reservations about Slytherins... well, but Ronald seemed to have developed a liking for Harry, despite his obvious oddities so perhaps..."

"She has told her children stories about Potter, Albus! Stories! As if the boy was some kind of fictional hero!"

"Yes, I know, but well, all of us were relieved when Voldemort finally vanished... and Molly has lost her siblings, Severus!"

"But this isn't an excuse for telling fairy-tales about a boy that has no knowledge about this... this night! He didn't do anything intentionally, it's ridiculous to admire him for something he can't even remember! And those talks about Slytherins being evil...well, with the whole bunch of Weasleys that have attended Hogwarts over the past decade, I finally begin to understand why house rivalries have taken a turn for the worse!"

"Well, yes, it's unfortunate... but perhaps we should focus on Harry now rather than on Molly's faults, Severus? I don't think there is anything we can do about her..."

"Yes... so what are you planning to do about Harry?"

"Well, for now, I really think it would be for the better if he stayed at St Mungo's. Then... well, I don't know, but this is part of why I have asked you here. You see, the Sorting Hat... well, normally, it doesn't tell anything about the things it has seen in the minds of the new first-years, the founders have seen to this, but, well, ehm..."

Severus frowned. Never before had he seen the headmaster this uncomfortable. "What is it, Albus?" he demanded.

"Well, I might have... after what happened with Tom, I thought it would be... desirable... to learn anything that might be of importance for the greater good as soon as possible, when there might still be a chance to change the course of history. And since the position of headmaster brings about quite a few useful capabilities, I decided to make certain...refinements concerning the sorting..."

"What exactly are you trying to tell me, Albus?!"

"Well, I, ehm, persuaded the hat to share certain information with me. It wasn't even entirely opposed to that notion, you see! I don't thing I would have managed to convince the hat that the current circumstances call for certain safety-measures if it hadn't agreed at least partially..."

"So you have interrogated the hat about the new students every year... Have you never heard about things like violation of privacy, you fool?!" Severus asked incredulously.

"Well, yes, but if it is for the greater good...?" Albus argued, and his voice sounded pleadingly. "Well, and it hasn't told me much anyway, but this year, well, it found some rather disturbing things in Harry's mind and... well, I think this might be the key for all of Harry's difficulties, and after what happened today..."

"If you have known what's wrong with the boy since September 1st, why haven't you informed me - or Minerva - about it?" Severus hissed. "I have spent hours searching for any clues, trying to get the boy to talk, and the entire time you have already known what has been the cause of everything?!"

"No, no, Severus, you have misunderstood me... well, you see, the Sorting Hat only told me very little about what it has witnessed in the boy's mind, and all I have been able to do is to guess what this might entail. But well, I have come to a conclusion, and today's events only support my theory."

"And so you have decided that finally your minions are allowed to know at least part of it, yes?" Severus was more than angry. He had known the entire time that Albus was playing a deeper game, but purposefully withholding information that might very well have enabled him to help Harry instead of just watching him almost killing himself...? Well, he shouldn't be surprised, this was Dumbledore, after all. "So what is it, then? What has the blasted hat told you about Harry?"

"Well..."Albus stood up, turned around and retrieved a low basin with runes carved into its side from one of the cabinets behind him. "I think I'd better show you..." And with that, he put the tip of his wand against his temple and when, after a few seconds of apparent concentration, he pulled it away again, a thin thread of a silvery substance was attached to it. Carefully, the headmaster lowered it into the Pensive, gave it a slight swirl with his wand, and the silvery form of the very man himself (looking rather ridiculous with the much-too-small Sorting Hat on his head) rouse from the depths of the basin.

As it was Albus' memory, Severus was able to understand every word of the conversation between the hat and the headmaster, despite it being hardly more than a whisper.

"... Slytherin. But that was before I felt the presence of another student in his mind, a student I have already sorted about fifty years ago. You know whom I'm talking about, headmaster." The last comment was a statement, and indeed, the Dumbledore from the memory didn't look shocked or bewildered but more like a man whose worst fears had just been confirmed, his expression defeated, resigned.

"And you are sure of this? Isn't it possible that it was Harry himself and the part of him only resembled Tom because of the similarities in their upbringing?" The ghostly form of the headmaster asked, sounding desperate.

"No. It's him, well, part of him. When he cast the killing-curse at the boy and it rebounded, his soul must have split. You know what this means, headmaster."

"Yes. I know."

Several minutes, no word was spoken, and Severus began to wonder why Albus - the real one - didn't stop the unfolding of the memory. You couldn't convey your own emotions or thoughts by displaying a memory like this, so there was no point in watching the Albus from the memory considering everything he had just learnt - and who knew what else.
But then, the voice of the hat could be heard again, and Severus suddenly envied it for being able to see exactly what the old man was thinking. "Yes. I don't think there is any other way. But headmaster, he is only a child. And he has been through so much already. You shouldn't have left him with muggles who wouldn't understand anything about what was to come." Again, the hat's voice died down for several minutes. "No. As long as it lives inside his mind, he will be able to come back."

"Then Harry has to die." The memory-headmaster whispered, barely audible. Severus, though, felt as if the man had screamed at him.

"Perhaps..." The hat's voice trailed off, and with that, the memory ended.

Both men sat in silence for several minutes. Severus thoughts were racing, but he didn't let it show on his face. He had been right. There was a piece of the Dark Lord inside Harry's mind. And it had attached itself to the boy just when he had survived the killing-curse. How ironical, the Potion Master though, surviving the unsurvivable only to sentenced to death nevertheless.

"I won't allow you to kill the boy, Albus." He stated, looking sharply at the old man who probably had never looked older.

"But if it's the only way to prevent Voldemort from rising again, Severus? Certain sacrifices are necessary to prevent even greater evils."

"There must be other ways to force this being out of the boy's mind."

"I don't think so... Horcruxes can only be destroyed by exterminating their shell entirely."

Dumbledore seemed to know even more about that specific branch of magic than Severus did. Apparently, Albus was far more knowledgeable when it came to dark arts then he let on. Probably the man had known what was wrong with Harry ever since their very first discussion, an Severus felt, once again, furious at the man for always playing games with other human beings. "You won't kill the boy, Albus." Severus repeated, feeling strangely calm. The situation was almost... surreal. Discussing the fate of the Boy-Who-Lived with the leader of the light. Discussing whether Harry would live or die.

"Well, I don't think it's necessary to do it right away. I had even hoped that we could allow him to enjoy a few years of childhood. But after today's events... he's dangerous, Severus. We must prevent him from harming others ever again."

"This is why you told the healers to take him to St Mungo's."

"Yes. I'm not happy about this, but there simply wasn't any other option."

"You have asked me to find means to help the boy. I won't give up on him, Albus."

"I know. But there is hardly a choice, isn't there? Either Harry is locked up permanently, stunned or sedated by other means, warded so that the Horcrux hasn't any chance to hurt any other being should it manage to take over the body, or we kill him. Don't you think that the second option is more... humane?"

Severus considered what Albus had said. Until two days ago, he had never even heard of Horcruxes, but surely there were at least some references to them in certain books. Not in the books you could buy at Flourish&Blots, not even in those the average book-store in Knockturn-Alley sold. But Severus didn't worry, he knew plenty of other locations where he would be able to find anything that had ever been written, no matter how dark. So at least he would be able to find out more about that branch of magic without Albus' interference. And if he told Minerva that their employer was planning to kill Harry, he would have a valuable ally.

"What about the prophecy?" Severus asked, his voice hoarse.

"I have already thought about it. Perhaps... perhaps this is 'the power the Dark Lord knows not'... perhaps Harry would indeed have been able to defeat him by making use of the Horcrux inside his own mind. But then... nobody knows when Voldemort will return, or where he currently is. But we can hardly wait until he reappears... the damage Harry - well, the Horcrux - might do if we wait too long... well, it's simply too risky.
And of course, it's possible that the only reason why Tom didn't die all those years ago was that his soul was ruptured, and a part of it attached itself to Harry's. Then... perhaps I have misunderstood the prophecy. Perhaps it means that both of them have to die... and if the splinter of Voldemort in Harry is the only thing that prevents him from vanishing for good, it would be even more appropriate to kill it before it ever manages to create a body of its own. Or to overtake Harry completely. But there simply is no means to destroy the Horcrux without killing Harry, too. I'm afraid... yes, Severus, I'm afraid the boy has to die. And soon."

Half an hour later, a very pensive Severus Snape returned to his quarters.

Albus had tried to convince him that killing Harry really was the only option they had. Oh, the headmaster had said that he was sorry, that he wished there was another way, that he loved Harry and would never agree to take such measures if he saw the slightest chance of finding a different solution, but apparently, for Albus, everything was settled.
Harry would stay on the closed ward of St Mungo's until they had spoken with a few "trustworthy" people that worked for the ministry, both ensuring that everything they did was legally and that the public wouldn't learn about anything that was going to happen. After all, at Albus had pointed out, they might very well lynch the boy if they thought that he was some sot of reincarnation of Voldemort, and Albus would not let this happen. No, the boy would be killed by a painless and quick Avada Kedavra that would both ensure that Harry didn't suffer from unnecessary pain and that the Horcrux was destroyed completely.

Harry would be released from hospital, and a few days later they would announce that sadly the boy has died due to an illness. The wizarding world would grieve for a few days, but there wouldn't be a mass panic (as it was sure to happen when they told the press that Harry had died during a Death Eater raid or similar dark activities or even the truth about him having part of Voldemord in his mind).

Yes, Albus was quite confident that there wouldn't be any major problems. It was unpleasant, but in war, you simply had to sacrifice certain things - or people - if you wanted to ensure the safety and happiness of mankind in general.

He even believed that Severus would, in the end, help him carrying out the plan. Albus was the leader of the light, after all, and Severus was his spy. So Severus would do everything he, Albus Dumbledore, told him to do, even if sometimes he needed a few days to come to terms with whatever atrocities he had to commit next, wouldn't he?

Well, Severus might be quite willing to endure torture, to risk being killed (to be honest, he rather loved the thrill of never knowing whether he would survive the next Death-Eater-Meeting) and even to kill, on occasions. But he had no intention of harming Harry in any way. Or, more precisely, he would only harm the boy if Harry himself would benefit from the outcome. If he had to hurt the child in order to force the Horcrux out of his mind, he would do so. If he had to resort to violent means to ensure that Harry - or the Horcrux-demon, or whatever it was - wouldn't hurt himself or others again, he wouldn't hesitate.

But killing the boy only because he had the misfortune of getting caught between the fronts of the so-called dark and light side in a war where he didn't even have a clue about what the different party were fighting for?
No. This was unacceptable. Severus smirked when he thought about what Minerva would say if he told her about Albus' plans. Oh, the headmaster had tried to 'convince' him not to tell anyone, and while Severus wasn't exactly keen on letting anybody in on Harry's secret, he would do so if it meant that it was less likely that Albus would carry out his plans.

And turning a furious McGonagall loose on the old coot would virtually prevent him from doing anything the lioness didn't approve of. There was a reason the head of Gryffindor was Albus' deputy, after all.

Sighing, Severus went to the cabinet where he kept his liquor, helped himself to some firewhiskey and sat down on his settee in front of the fireplace.

Dimly, he remembered that he had wanted to pay a visit to Little Whinging, but after what had happened earlier this day, he couldn't summon the energy to do so. And was it even necessary? After all, he knew what was wrong with Harry, there wasn't really any need to interrogate Petunia or the doctor any more. Shouldn't he concentrate on finding out more about Horcruxes instead?
But then, perhaps it wouldn't be all that bad if he learnt more about Harry's life before said child had come to Hogwarts. After all, he had only got to know him a mere week ago, and if he really planned to practically abducting him from St Mungo's and to act as some sort of guardian for the boy, protecting him from Albus and the Horcrux at the same time while hopefully finding a way to get rid of that thing without killing him, he would need to know as much about Harry as possible.

Well. Perhaps he should just go to sleep. Maybe tomorrow he would be able to think more rationally, without constantly seeing a blood-stained Harry in front of his inner eye, feeling the small form of the boy in his arms, hearing his screams...

Harry didn't know what was happening. People came into his vision only to disappear again a few seconds later. He thought he was lying on some sort of soft surface, but it felt different to the beds they normally had in hospitals, they had never been this soft! When he tried to move his head in order to see more than the white ceiling, he discovered that he couldn't move at all. What had they done to him? Never before had he been unable to even turn his head around, or to move his fingers, for that matter. But somehow, they seemed to have paralysed him completely.

Or was he dead? If you were dead, you didn't have a body any more, so it would make sense if you couldn't move... But if he was dead, why did his whole body seem to be on fire? It hurt, he wanted to scream, but not even his mouth was working.

Dimly, Harry heard a male voice shouting something, but he felt too woozy to understand anything.

The next thing he knew was that his head hurt even more than it had when the medi-witch had cast that spell on him, a couldn't bear it, he wanted them to stop, but he couldn't move, he couldn't scream... and then everything went black.