Potions Class

Harry Wakes Up

Harry Potter woke up to the sound of a soothing baritone voice, mixed with a sweet, tinkling voice. He smiled softly to himself, instantly recognising the deeper voice as his head-of-house. He tried to open his eyes, but they felt heavy and instead, he just made a small grunt.

Suddenly, the voices ceased talking, and he heard footsteps approach.

"Harry? Are you awake my little snake? Please say yes," he could hear the worry in Severus' voice.

It took the young boy three tries, but eventually, he managed to croak out a pitiful whimper. He tried to open his eyes but found they burnt when the light edged its way in. Quickly, as tears gathered, he squeezed his eyes closed again with a pained cry.

*Tsk* Harry heard a woman's voice, "oh, Harry dear, you are finally awake! Are you in any pain? Where does it hurt?"

He opened his mouth to respond, but after a week without use, all that came out was a scratchy cough. Seeing the predicament, the potion master walked conjured a glass, straw and cast aguamenti. Carefully he stepped towards Harry and told him to take a sip.

After Severus guided the boy the process, he stepped back again to make room for the matron.

"Do you think you could try that again now, Harry?" Poppy asked the boy gently.

The raven-haired boy swallowed a few times before trying to speak again. Eventually, he managed a small, almost whispered, "Yes, miss... whoever you are. I can't open my eyes, everything is too bright."

"Oh, I forgot to introduce myself, didn't I? I am Poppy Pomfrey, the school healer. Now, you said your eyes hurt because it's too bright," she hummed for a moment before continuing, "it is strange for you to say that because there is very little light in the room at the moment. However, I do have an inkling on what the dilemma may be. Severus dear, would you give me and Harry some space? Perhaps you could go and alert Draco that Harry has awoken."

"Of course Poppy, whatever you think is best," Severus replied before Harry heard his footsteps retreat and the click of a door being closed.

"Now Harry, I believe you may find it easier to open your eyes."

Although he was nervous, he slowly opened his eyes. He couldn't see through the light yet, but he eventually had them fully opened once more. Off to the side, he could see the flicker of candle-light but it was what was straight in front of him that gave him a shock. In the place he had imagined the woman to be by the sound of her voice, all he could see was a gentle swirl of bright, changing colours.

Harry let out a gasped shock when the lights moved towards him and he started to see an elderly looking lady with a kind smile on her face.

"Wh-what's happening? What are all those colours around you?"

"Ah, so it is as I had suspected. Young man, you have been granted a special gift, even if it came from a tragic event. You have been given the sight to see people's nature and intentions. You may be able to see or sense other things as well but for now, we will focus on training you to control this new power."

"Really? That's incredible! But how am I supposed to know what the colours mean? I mean, at the moment I can see at least seven distinct different colours. All calmly intertwined around you."

"I think I have a book in my office that may help you. However, first I will need to tell Severus and Draco of this new development, so they don't overload you. I will head them off before they get here."

Poppy walked out of the room, leaving Harry by himself to digest what he had just learned. She waited in the corridor and not a minute later Severus and an excited Draco arrived. She filled them in and advised them to take turns talking with Harry for the time being.