Hello.
If you're unfamiliar with the Harry Potter series of books by J.K.
Rowling, don't read this. Read the novels first, get to know the
characters, then come back and read this. While there are no obvious
spoilers, one of the beautiful parts of the Potter books is the way you
get to know the characters over time - and I would not want to take that
feeling away from anyone.
The scene is down below. Consider yourself warned...
She loved Harry Potter.
Strange, and easy, that Hermione Granger could say that now. Sure, he
was mischievous and a bit immature at times; however, despite all this,
his heart was always in the right place. He was nice, he was smart, and
he always knew what was important. He never looked down on her for her
parentage; he was as close to royalty as wizardry got at fourteen, but
he never let that go to his head. He was a marked man, wanted in one
way or another by people without number - and the most human, most
humane person she knew. She loved him - and it didn't matter anymore.
Draco, at least, would pay for what he'd done. He'd gone too far; even
his father's influence wasn't going to keep him at Hogwarts after this.
The stuff he'd used was so dangerous even Snape was ordering him out;
MacGonagall, thank goodness, beat Snape to it; she'd issued an immediate
suspension, with an expulsion hearing coming within the week. She
doubted even Lucien Malfoy could work fast enough to stop the
proceedings. After what Draco had done, he was as good as gone - and no
one would miss his presence.
But that still wouldn't help poor Harry. Harry was... changed. She'd
read up on the stuff Draco had used; it was exotic magic, from deep in
the heart of China. This... 'Jusenkyo' would go away temporarily, but
it would always come back - and no one had found a way around it. Harry
would have to live with what had happened for the rest of his life. He
would never be who he wanted to be; he was now only half of one person,
and half of another.
Hermione looked at the sleeping figure on the bed; Draco's stunt had
shocked him into unconsciousness. Even in sleep, Harry was restless;
the ghosts of enemies past and present had to fill his dreams. His face
was more slender, now, softer, with the lightning-bolt scar the only
blemish on his face. Still, it was still unmistakably Harry, even down
to the rest of him. To be honest, not much told of the transformation
he'd gone through; only two conspicuous bumps on his chest told the tale
of what Draco had done.
Sighing, Hermione pursed her lips in thought. She'd always liked Harry
as a friend; maybe they could be roommates now...
***
Harry Potter and the Water of Change
A work not written by J.K. Rowling and will be coming to your local
bookstore about the same time the Cubs win the World Series.
***
I'm sorry. Really. This is another of those "torture me until the damn
thing gets out of my head" spamfics.
I mean no offense to either Takahashi or Rowling. They own these characters
and ideas; I'm just borrowing them for a little moment of silliness.
-- Nicholas Leifker
- July 6, 2000