Long Live // Harry Potter Universe

16. The Flu

take a deep breath
count to ten

ϟ

Harry glided over the grounds of Hogwarts on his broom. He watched the lights shine from the windows of the castle onto the grounds outside. He watched as a cloaked figure made its way into the forest.

He knew it was Snape by the way he dressed. By the way he strode into the abyss. He knew it, and that's why he followed him into the forest.

It was difficult to keep an eye on Snape, but Harry followed him into a clearing in the middle of the woods. Harry landed in one of the birch trees quietly and watched as Snape approached another figure, the stuttering
Professor Quirrell.

"...d-don't know why you wanted t-t-to meet here of all p-places, Severus..."

Harry was trying his best to listen to their conversation. He concentrated on every word they said but he was too far away.

"Oh, I thought we'd keep this private," Snape said coldly. "Students aren't supposed to know about the Philosopher's Stone at all."

Harry's heart skipped a beat and he leaned forward to listen more intently. Perry had been right. She had put all the right pieces into place. Harry smiled to himself as he leaned forward to try and hear what Quirrell was muttering.

"Have you found out how to get past that beast of Hagrid's yet?" Snape asked dryly.

"B-b-but Severus, I—"

"You don't want me as your enemy, Quirrell," Snape said taking a menacing step towards him.

"I-I don't know what you mean—"

"You know perfectly well what I mean," Snape interrupted.

Harry had lent too close to the conversation and almost fell out of the tree. His quick reflexes helped him not fall to his death. By the time he recuperated himself he had missed a large portion of the conversation.

"—your little bit of hocus-pocus. I'm waiting."

"B-but I d-d-don't—"

"Very well," Snape interrupted once again. "We'll have another little chat soon, when you've had time to think things over and decide where where your loyalties lie."

Snape turned dramatically and strode out of the forest. Harry waited a few minutes before hopping on his broom and riding off in the distance.

Around him the world turned blurry. The starry night was filled with dark thunderclouds and green lightning. All colors except for the clouds mixed together in a swirl of catastrophe.

"Persephone—"

An icy whisper called out something incoherent. Screams intensified while popping thundered. Footsteps echoed as a baby cried. A very bright, blurry image of someone running played in view. Slurred words spilled out from some unknown mouth. Suddenly the world went dark and all that could be heard was the piercing cry of a baby.

"Perry, Perry, wake up!"

"Hey, hey, you're okay."

"Deep breaths. Deep breaths."

Perry let out a whimper as she looked up at the two faces staring down at her with tightly knit smiles. Perry moved her one free hand around as she looked from Alana to Cedric. She was breathing far too heavy.

Alana sat on the bed next to her, cupping a hand to Perry's face as she pushed her sweaty hair from her forehead. Cedric sat beside her with a book on his lap and one of his hands holding hers. Alana had a small smile on her face as she looked down at Perry and stroked her hair. Perry closed her eyes and took a few deep breaths while she squeezed Cedrics hand and the arm of the hospital bed.