"Oh, thank you, Harry!" the professor acknowledged.
"This will help him sleep tonight and dream pleasant dreams
of the one who has been lost. I must say, Harry," the
professor complimented, "you are everything my brother ever
said you were. You know he deeply admired you, Harry. My brother
had strange ways of showing things, but his criticism was always
meant to help a student grow."
"I understand!" Harry answered. "I wish I had
something to help me sleep!"
The professor smiled. "It's on your night stand,
Harry!" Harry returned his smile, bowed and headed for his
dorm. Harry was not surprised to find Professor McGonagall
waiting in front of the painting of the fat lady who everyone was
so glad to have back in her proper place. Harry looked at her and
smiled.
"Back in the prison," Harry remarked "Professor
Snape said Hermione would be the wife of the headmaster and a
teacher here. Who will the headmaster be?"
The headmistress smiled. "Now, Harry!" she answered
with her usual mischievous grin, "We know very well who that
will be, don't we?" Harry returned her smile. Harry went to
utter the password but the fat lady curtsied and opened the door.
The headmistress knelt down and kissed Harry on the forehead then
without a word hurried off. Harry got to his bed, found the
potion and a glass of water, and took it. As he laid down Ron
stirred.
"Draco all right?" he asked.
"As well as can be expected," Harry answered.
"We're going to have to be especially kind to him, Ron, no
matter how hard it is, we're going to have to forget a lot of bad
feelings. He's going to need us and we need to be there, Crabbe
and Goyle too!"
"I understand!" Ron answered. "Hell I can imagine
if it was my dad! I wouldn't know what to do. I couldn't bear it,
Harry!"
Harry only nodded and laid down. The potion was taking effect and
he was soon other places, places he had never been before,
incredible places surrounded by incredible beings. When he got up
the next morning he found a note on his night table.
"Harry," it said "I'd appreciate it very much if
you and Hermione could drop by my house this afternoon after
classes; just you and Hermione. There's something I'd like to
discuss with you. Hagrid."
Ron asked what it was and Harry told him. "See?" Ron
moaned, "I'm being left out of things already!"
Harry
looked at him crossly. "I'm sure there's a reason," he
put in. "You know how fond Hagrid is of you. I'm sure he'll
let us tell you what it's about when he's ready."
Ron smiled. "Of course!" he managed, "Of
course!"
Page 8