Black's Prophecy || Book 3

Twenty Three

Cordelia was hit with the sterile acidic smell of the hospital wing and soft sheets underneath her fingertips as soon as she started gaining consciousness. 

Her head was spinning and it took a moment for her to force her eyes open and shake the grogginess of her limbs. She turned her to the bed beside her and saw Lorenzo laying there, seemingly in a state similar to her as well.

"I need to see the headmaster," She heard Harry's voice first.

"Potter," said Madam Pomfrey soothingly, "it's all right. They've got Black. He's locked away upstairs. The Dementors will be performing the kiss any moment now—"

"WHAT?" she jumped out of bed, stumbling a bit as another wave of dizziness hit her at standing up so fast. But she wasn't the only one. All the kids who were awake had done the same thing and looking at her as if she had told them that someone had murdered their pets.

Their voices, however, was heard in the corridor outside and in strolled Snape and Fudge. Cordelia's eyes flashed in anger at the sight of the two men and she detected fear flickering across the Minister's face but he turned to Harry.

"Harry, Harry, what's this?" said Fudge, looking agitated. "You should be in bed—has he had any chocolate?" he asked Madam Pomfrey anxiously.

"Minister, listen!" Harry said. "Sirius Black's innocent! Peter Pettigrew faked his own death! We saw him tonight! You can't let the Dementors do that thing to Sirius, he's—"

But Fudge was shaking his head with a small smile on his face.

"Harry, Harry, you're very confused, you've been through a dreadful ordeal, lie back down, now, we've got everything under control..."

"YOU HAVEN'T!" Harry yelled. "YOU'VE GOT THE WRONG MAN!"

"Minister, listen, please," Hermione said; she had hurried to Harry's side and was gazing imploringly into Fudge's face. "I saw him too. It was Ron's rat, he's an Animagus, Pettigrew, I mean, and --"

"You see, Minister?" said Snape. "Confunded, both of them... Black's done a very good job on them...."

"WE'RE NOT CONFUNDED!" Harry roared.

"You're the one to talk, blinded by a petty school grudge." Cordelia said after Harry yelled in anger, stalking towards Harry. Lorenzo followed but maintained a distance even though his eyes were back to their normal violet shade.

"Minister! Professor!" said Madam Pomfrey angrily. "I must insist that you leave. Potter is my patient, and he should not be distressed! And neither should be Black!"

"We not distressed, we're trying to tell them what happened!" Harry said furiously. "If they'd just listen—"

But Madam Pomfrey suddenly stuffed a large chunk of chocolate into Harry"s mouth; he choked, and she seized the opportunity to force him back onto the bed. 

Cordelia backed away when she looked at her and glared.

"Now, please, Minister, these children need care. Please leave."

The door opened again. It was Dumbledore. Harry swallowed his mouthful of chocolate with great difficulty and got up again.

"Professor Dumbledore, Sirius Black—"

"For heaven's sake!" said Madam Pomfrey hysterically. "Is this a hospital wing or not? Headmaster, I must insist—"

"My apologies, Poppy, but I need a word with Mr. Potter, Miss Black, Mr. Berkshire and Ms Granger" said Dumbledore calmly. "I have just been talking to Sirius Black—"

"I suppose he's told you the same fairy tale he's planted in Potter's mind?" spat Snape. "Something about a rat, and Pettigrew being alive—"

"That, indeed, is Black's story," said Dumbledore, surveying Snape closely through his half-moon spectacles.