Sirius Black broke his Disillusionment Charm and transformed into a large black dog, hiding within the shadows of the infirmary. Madam Pomfrey was resting in her small cubicle, leaving only him and Harry in the room. He had originally intended only to steal a glance at Harry, having seen the boy's miserable state on the Quidditch pitch earlier that day.
However, he never expected to overhear a conversation between a house-elf and Harry! Someone was out to get the boy. Was it the Malfoy family? He had been about to leave, but he immediately concealed himself—he had to protect Harry for as long as he remained in the infirmary. This was more important than killing Peter Pettigrew.
Why hadn't Dumbledore strengthened the protection around Harry? A trace of resentment rose in Sirius's heart. This child had suffered so much living with Muggles; why didn't Dumbledore look after him more? He clearly had the power to do so! Yet now, there wasn't a shred of protection for Harry!
The infirmary door was pushed open, startling Harry from his half-conscious state. The "little bit of pain" Madam Pomfrey had described was far beyond his imagination. The piercing ache radiating from his bone marrow made him wish he were dead. He had only just managed to fall asleep when he was woken up again.
"Who is it?" Harry asked.
"My dear Harry, it's me!"
"Professor Lockhart?"
"Yes, it is your favorite, Professor Lockhart!"
Lockhart stepped out from the darkness, his eight pearly-white teeth reflecting the moonlight like a row of LED lights, allowing Harry to recognize him instantly. Harry grew tense; if it weren't for this man, he wouldn't have suffered so much today.
"Professor, why are you here?"
"I am here to treat you, of course!" Lockhart said with supreme confidence. "Skele-Gro is decent, but the effects are too slow and painful. I know a spell that can make your bones grow back with a 'whoosh'!"
"No, no, no," Harry shook his head repeatedly. "I appreciate the sentiment, but please don't trouble yourself!"
Lockhart's smile vanished, and he looked somewhat offended. "That simply won't do! This concerns my reputation! Once I have cured you, the students will stop spreading those nasty rumors about me!"
Watching Lockhart approach step by step, Harry let out a cry from the depths of his soul: "Don't come any closer!"
Madam Pomfrey came rushing out of the inner room in a fit of rage. "Professor Lockhart, what are you doing? Get out!"
Lockhart pulled out his wand. "Obliviate!!"
The Memory Charm struck her. Her eyes rolled back, and she pitched forward, collapsing instantly. No one knew what she would forget or how much of her memory was gone. Harry swallowed hard. He was extremely nervous; he had absolutely no confidence in Lockhart's so-called "treatment."
Sirius moved slowly, crawling out from under the bed, his muscles tensed and ready to strike. He was poised to pounce and tear the man's throat out the moment he tried to harm Harry.
At that moment, the infirmary door was pushed open again. A short figure entered, their face hidden by a hood.
"What a nuisance," Lockhart said impatiently. "Who are you now? Don't interfere with my treatment of Harry Potter!"
The short figure said nothing but raised their right hand. In their palm was a yellow sphere the size of a volleyball. Lockhart laughed. "What is this? A gift for Harry? Fine, fine, I know Harry is as popular as I am. Just put it down and leave. I still have to—"
The yellow sphere flashed with a faint light, and Lockhart's expression turned instantly to one of terror. "No..."
In the next moment, he felt the blood throughout his body freeze. He fell straight down, motionless. The short figure laughed. "This thing is quite useful." He stepped forward and kicked Lockhart's corpse. "You fraud, I've been sick of you for a long time!"
Harry Potter propped himself up with his one good arm and grabbed his wand from the bedside table. "Who are you? What do you want?"
The short figure scanned the infirmary; seeing only a dead man and the unconscious Madam Pomfrey, he felt secure enough to slowly lower his hood.
Harry had some memory of this face. He was a Slytherin first-year who had apparently called Audrey a "Mudblood" at the start of the term and had been given a month's detention by Snape.
"First meeting, Harry Potter. Unfortunately, it will also be our last."
"You want to kill me?" Harry asked.
"That's right," the short boy laughed. "Allow me to introduce myself. I am Viggars Carrow, the man who is about to kill the great Harry Potter."
"Why? Why kill me?"
"Because once you are dead, That Lord will teach me advanced Dark Arts! Because once you are dead, That Lord will tell me more powerful ways to use the Basilisk's eye! Then I can have my revenge!"
Harry didn't understand what Carrow was talking about. "Revenge?"
"Yes! Revenge!" Carrow's eyes were filled with madness. "I'm going to kill Audrey Astley! I'm going to kill her! My family's hundred million Galleons were swindled away! Those scammers said it was because I offended someone in school I shouldn't have! And the only person I've offended here is her!! I was kicked out of my family! After this school year ends, I won't even have the money to buy textbooks for next term! But it doesn't matter... it doesn't matter," Viggars Carrow grinned hideously. "Once I kill you, everything will be fine again!"
"Die, Harry Potter!"
The Basilisk's eye flashed again, Harry's panicked expression reflected in its waxy yellow surface. Suddenly, a large dog leaped out with a bark, positioning itself right between the Basilisk's eye and Harry. Harry locked eyes with the black dog and, strangely, saw a look of deep care in them. For some reason, he knew the dog was protecting him.
Mid-air, the dog began to stiffen, turning a grayish-white. It hit the foot of the bed with a thud before rolling onto the floor. It turned out that while Sirius was looking at Harry, he had also caught the reflection of the Basilisk's eye in the glass window behind him. He was luckier than Lockhart; he was merely petrified.
Ignoring his shock, Harry waved his wand. "Incendio!"
Taking advantage of the opening Sirius had created, Harry set fire to Carrow's robes and the cloth screens of the infirmary. This caught Viggars Carrow completely off guard. He was, after all, a freshman who had only been in school for two months—he hadn't even been practicing magic for two and a half months! His only solution to the sudden crisis was to strip off his long robes.
Amidst the flames, Harry seemed to hear a voice: "Go, quickly! Dumbledore will be here soon!"
Viggars Carrow gritted his teeth and raised the Basilisk's eye again, prepared to risk everything. Harry scrambled out of bed, losing his balance due to his missing hand and falling hard onto the floor. It was undignified, but effective. He did not look directly at the eye.
Viggars Carrow fled. He would not return to the dormitory, knowing his career as a Hogwarts student was over. But his revenge was not finished.
With a crack, Dumbledore arrived. He waved his wand, extinguishing the fires in the infirmary. Dumbledore's expression was grave. He saw Harry on the floor, clutching his arm and sweating in agony; he saw Madam Pomfrey lying face down, her status unknown; he saw the very dead Defense Against the Dark Arts professor, and a petrified large black dog.
"Harry, tell me, what exactly happened here?"
Few in the school knew what had transpired in the infirmary, but Audrey saw a remarkable scene within the territory she controlled.
Snape was gleefully grabbing a black dog by its tail, dragging the creature toward his office. The dog was completely stiff, looking as though it had been petrified.
Dammit! Can't I just have a nice vacation?
Audrey cursed under her breath. Sirius Black, oh Sirius Black... you don't act like an elder at all. To think I, your little niece, have to clean up your mess!
It's such a hassle, you know?
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