TWENTY-ONE

Bones gave her aurors their instructions, including looking for that strange spell, then accompanied the two professors to the castle's hospital wing.

When they arrived they saw Madam Pomfrey, along with two other healers, working over Harry. Mandy was standing off to the side looking worried. There were three elves standing behind her. She did not seem to notice as she was watching Harry very closely.

McGonagall was also standing off to the side in another spot watching the proceedings. Dumbledore crossed over to her so Flitwick and Bones followed him.

"Any more news, Minerva?" he asked her.

"Nothing yet, Albus. Hello Amelia. Poppy had me call in for some help so those two healers came over immediately. No one seems to know what spell he was hit with. Everything they've tried hasn't worked so far and he is completely unresponsive."

"Shouldn't he be taken to St. Mungos?" asked Amelia.

"The healers wanted to do that instead of coming over so I swore them to secrecy and told them what was going on to get them here. They agreed that he would be safer here, especially once word gets out of what he did," McGonagall replied.

"Good point," said Amelia, "but I'm trying to keep this quiet as long as I can. I know that will be impossible very shortly, though."

"Most of the kids heard what happened in the Great Hall so I'm pretty sure the word is already spreading," said Dumbledore

"Right," replied Amelia. "By the way, we did a Prior Incantato on that monster's wand, Minerva. The last spell was very unusual. No one had ever heard of it before. It's impossible to even pronounce it. We think that may be the one he was hit with. I have my aurors looking into it to see if they can find something about it."

"I'll go back to my office and send word to some old friends with knowledge of strange spells to see if they can research it as well," said Dumbledore. "I'm sure once they know who we are trying to save they will be more than willing to help."

"I can check the Restricted Section," offered Flitwick.

"Do that Filius," said Amelia. "There's nothing more I can do here so I'm going back to the office where I can be of better assistance. I'll see you all soon, I'm sure."

With that they all three exited the Infirmary.

McGonagall decided to stay with her student in the hospital wing. She wanted to keep an eye on Miss Brocklehurst as well. She noticed the elves again so decided to go over and chat with them. She recognized two of them right away. She patted Mandy on the shoulder after she walked over.

"May I ask why you three house elves are here?" she asked them politely.

Mandy turned around when she heard the question asked. She noticed Dobby, Winky, and Kreacher standing behind her. Dobby spoke up.

"I am Dobby. Dobby is head house elf to the Great Harry Potter and the Potter family. Winky and Kreacher are Black family house elves and work for the Great Harry Potter, too."

"I see, so you three are bonded to Mr. Potter's family houses?"

"Yes," answered Mandy for them. "I know them all quite well." She smiled down at them.

"The misses looks very tired," Dobby said to Mandy. Dobby snapped his fingers and a comfortable chair appeared. "The misses should sit down and rest while she waits."

"Thank you, Dobby. That's very thoughtful of you." She turned and sat down.

Winky snapped her fingers and a chair appeared next to McGonagall. She gestured to it. "The professor should rest too."

"Why, thank you, Winky. That was very kind of you too." She turned and sat next to Mandy in her provided chair.

Hours passed and still there was no change. McGonagall had left a little earlier to try and get some sleep. The elves had curled up around Mandy's chair. Mandy had not slept at all. She continue to wait and watch everything they did.

It was the middle of the night, maybe three or four in the morning, when one of the healers stepped back.

"That's a good sign but we still haven't figured this out. He's in a very deep coma, but at least he's stable for now," he said. "I was worried we wouldn't be able to keep up with the healing that was needed since he was deteriorating so fast, but I guess the three of us pulled it off."

"This is the oddest thing I've ever seen," said the other healer stepping back as well. "I believe his magic kicked in and removed whatever it was that was attacking his body. I don't see where we did anything other than keep him healed. He's evidently still fighting something though. His brain activity is off the charts."

Pomfrey just nodded.

"Poppy, we have run out of ideas," said the first one that spoke. "We'll head back to the hospital and explain the issue to the other healers on duty to see if they have any suggestions. We then need to get some rest. At least he's stable at the moment. I recommend you put an alert on him and get some rest yourself."

"We'll send over anyone who thinks they can help," said the second healer. "Maybe a fresh mind on it will help. At least we can get some of our researchers going on it to hopefully figure this thing out."

"Very well and thanks gentlemen. At least he's no longer dying, at least not at the moment," replied Poppy. "I am in dire need of some rest as well."

After the two healers left via the floo, Pomfrey put an alert on Harry to notify her of any change then left to go to her quarters for some sleep. She noticed Miss Brocklehurst was still there with the elves. She knew not to try and get her to leave. That had already been tried to no avail by both her and McGonagall.

Mandy heard what the healers said, so waited until they all left the room. Then she quietly got up from her chair and walked toward Harry. The elves all raised up and watched her.

Mandy looked at him closely while she ran her hand through his hair. He had no marks or bruises on him that she could see. His bloody hand was clean with no damage to it at all. She then bent down and whispered in his ear.

"I love you, Harry Potter."

Mandy took her wand out and transfigured her clothes to comfortable modest pajamas. She then expanded the bed a little wider, lifted the covers, and climbed in next to Harry. Snuggling up next to him, she laid her head close to his, and dosed off.

oOo

The next morning, Pomfrey found Mandy lying in the expanded bed with Harry but decided not to wake her. Harry was still in a coma, confirmed by her diagnostic spell, and his mind was still working overtime. His health was getting better but he still showed no signs of waking up anytime soon.

A little later she decided to give her patient a general restorative draught to help his overall health and hopefully speed up his recovery. She had to wake Mandy to do it but Mandy was helpful when they had to spell him to swallow the potion. After the potion was given, Pomfrey told her to go back to sleep and get more rest. She looked like she could use it. She also warned her that if she wasn't resting properly then she would make her take a sleeping potion.

Mandy didn't want to risk missing anything so promised she would go back to sleep as soon as she went to the bathroom and relieved herself. When she got back, she heard Pomfrey back in her office conversing with someone. Mandy climbed back into bed with Harry and snuggled up next to him again. She gave him a light kiss then closed her eyes.

Pomfrey was chatting over the floo with one of the healers that was here the night before and had worked on Harry. She let him know that he was improving health wise and that she had given him the potion that morning to help him more. They decided that would be a good thing to do every morning as long as he continued to improve.

A couple hours later, the healer Pomfrey spoke to came through her floo so he could run some different diagnostics on Harry to see if more could be discovered. Mandy woke up when the healer and Pomfrey started talking. She quickly got out of their way and went back to the bathroom to wash her face.

Word had come back that no one had found anything on the weird spell Voldemort used so they were trying different things. After several diagnostics and even having five additional healers come over and look at him, they all decided that he was on the mend but how long he would remain in a coma was anyone's guess. They really weren't sure he would ever come out of the coma since they had no idea what caused it.

Dobby brought Mandy some breakfast while she waited in a chair beside Harry's bed. He later fetched her clean clothes, books and study material so she could prepare for her end of year exams. They were coming up soon so she wanted to be ready, even though it was difficult to study worrying about Harry.

Ron, Hermione, Neville, and Ginny were allowed in to see him in the afternoon. Both girls kissed him on the forehead while Ron squeezed his hand. Neville just watched quietly. They then talked to Mandy for a while before they had to leave. Luna also dropped by for a little while. Occasionally, a few others would stop by, including Susan and Hannah. Daphne and Tracey stopped by as well.

Hermione came back in the evening the next day to study some with Mandy. While they were studying, Mandy shared her greatest fear.

"Hermione, I'm so worried that Harry will never wake up. I love him so much. But, no one knows what he was hit with."

"Mandy, Harry is the strongest person I know. If anyone can beat this thing, whatever it is, then it'll be Harry. He always comes out the winner in the end. I would expect nothing less from him and I know he loves you too. Don't give up on him."

"Never," she assured her.

Since Mandy spent so much time in the hospital wing with Harry, Madam Pomfrey started showing her some additional healing spells and advanced diagnostic spells. Pretty soon, she was casting her own diagnostic spells on him to check his vitals and chart the improvement on his health.

It was a relief to see his body getting heathier every day, but he still refused to wake up.

The only time Mandy left the Infirmary and Harry's side was when she had to go take her end of year exams. Other than that, she stayed by him telling him how much she loved him and begging him to come back to her.

By the end of June, after all the students returned home, Harry's body appeared to be back to normal but he was still in a deep coma. Mandy was the only student that stayed at the school. She had Dobby take a note to Hedwig so her parents could be informed of her intentions to stay. David and Alison even paid her and Harry some visits. They also brought her some more clothes to wear so she could be more comfortable instead of having to wear her school uniform.

She pretty much moved into the hospital wing with Harry and helped care for him. She helped feed him and keep him clean. Pomfrey taught Mandy as much about being a healer as she could, showing her new spells, etc. Eventually, she became Harry's primary healer with the occasional visit from St. Mungos healers who wanted to try a different diagnostic or just give him a checkup.

oOo

The world outside the castle walls was clamoring for news about him. Dumbledore made sure no one was allowed in that shouldn't be there, especially reporters. They were told that while Harry was successful in defeating the Dark Lord, he had suffered greatly for it. However, there was hope that he would eventually fully recover. No other information was given.

A big show was put on for the people in a magically created stadium so all who wanted could come and watch as they incinerated the body of Voldemort. It was the Minister's idea. He promoted it and wanted to make sure everyone understood that You-Know-Who was dead for good. They had a rather large turnout.

While Harry was convalescing, Remus and a few other friends convinced the Ministry to use some of the funds left behind by all the dead Death Eaters to rebuild the Potter estate. It was to be done on the original lands and also have the goblins provide the strongest wards possible once it was completed.

Word got out and the people insisted on it. The Ministry did finally agree and had Remus oversee the project, since he was a close family friend and Harry had used him to manage the DEBI fund. The teams of builders who were hired, shunted all their other jobs aside to do the Potter manor first. While it was a rather large manor, they were able to complete it in a month, with the extra builders working on it.

The goblins sent Bill Weasley and a whole team of warders to setup the protection on the newly built manor. No expense was spared. They had it all complete for his birthday but everyone was disappointed when Harry was unable to see it for himself. He was still not awake and missed his seventeenth birthday completely.

Mandy never gave up on him though. She constantly talked to him and told him how much she loved him. She took very good care of him and slept with him every night, holding him tight and trying to make him feel all the love she could muster.

oOo

On August twentieth, Mandy was taking a shower that morning after tending to and bathing Harry as soon as she woke up. He still was not responsive at all. She took a good long shower that was nice and hot to help get rid of some of the tension and worry she was carrying around.

When she came out of the bathroom and looked over at Harry in his bed, she swore he had his eyes open and was blinking them. She thought for sure she was seeing things. She was just hoping during her shower that today would be the day he woke up. Of course, she wished that every day. As she drew closer though, she could see that he indeed had his eyes open.

"HARRY!" she yelled and ran to him.

Harry turned his head carefully and looked her way. Slowly a smile came on his face as he saw who it was.

"Harry! Oh thank Merlin, you're awake" she said then started kissing him for all he was worth.

"Ma-n-dy," he croaked out when she finally stopped.

"Hang on Harry. Don't talk yet. Dobby?"

Pop

"What can Dobby do for the misses?" he asked then saw Harry was awake. "Harry Potter sir is awake! Harry Potter sir is awake!" he said jumping up and down as Harry smiled at him.

"Dobby, Harry needs a glass of water with a straw, pronto!"

Dobby looked at Mandy then popped away. A second later, he popped back with the water and handed it to Mandy after she had Harry sitting up with pillows behind him.

"Here. Drink this slowly, Harry. It'll help your dry throat so you can talk."

She held the straw up to his lips so he could drink. He took a few swallows while Mandy summoned a Pepper-Up potion. When he was done drinking the water she handed him the potion and helped him take it.

"This is a Pepper-Up. It should help you some more."

He took it right away then waited for it to take affect. After he felt it kick in, he looked over at Dobby who was hopping from one foot to the other.

"Hi, Dobby. It's good to see you."

"Oh, Harry Potter sir, Dobby is so happy!"

"I can see that. It's good to be back among the living." He looked at Mandy. "Where's Madam Pomfrey?"

"She's picking up some supplies for the new year."

"Really? What's today's date?"

"August twentieth. You've been in a coma for months."

"August twentieth? You mean I woke up just in time to start a new school year? I missed my whole summer?"

Mandy nodded then asked, "How are you feeling."

"A little sluggish but better after the Pepper-Up."

"It'll take you a few days to feel back to normal, Harry, after being in a coma for so long. However, given your unnatural strength, you will likely recover a little faster. Some more potions will help too."

Then she just hugged him and held him while she cried on his shoulder. She was letting it all out. He was rubbing her back, trying to get her to calm down, and assuring her he was going to be fine now. She kept crying.

"I knew it," he said all of a sudden. "I guess I should of stayed in a coma. I wake up and she's so sad she's crying," he said exasperated.

Mandy stopped crying and pulled back away from Harry, staring at him.

"That's not true!" she said a little loudly. "I'm not crying because I'm sad. I'm crying because I'm happy, not to mention how relieved I am."

"Gotcha!" Harry said smiling.

"That's not funny," she said pouting.

"It got you stop crying though didn't it?"

"Yes," she answered with a big pout.

"Well, if you're going to pout with those pretty lips then you might as well kiss me with them," Harry suggested.

"Alright, but you'll have to wait until I run some diagnostics on you to see how you're really doing."

Harry just nodded.

When she finished the diagnostics that showed he was fine, she climbed into the bed with him and started kissing him for all he was worth again. It was this scene that Madam Pomfrey walked into when she returned with the supplies. She was setting them all down on a table when she turned to glance over at her patient and what she assumed would be Mandy tending to him like always. The snogging session caught her off guard to say the least.

"MANDY! What are you doing?"

Mandy looked up. "I'm kissing Harry, of course."

"But… but... –" then she saw Harry's head move and he turned it to look right at her. Her eyes bugged out at the sight.

"Hello, Madam Pomfrey! Good to see you again!" Harry greeted her.

"Mr. Potter? You're awake? Merlin's beard. YOU'RE AWAKE! Let me run some diagnostics real fast," she said as she drew her wand and walked over.

"I've already ran them, Poppy," said Mandy, "and he's doing great! He woke up while I was in the shower this morning."

"Mandy, you are a very accomplished healer now and I don't doubt you or your ability. Please forgive me, but a licensed healer has to run them to make it official."

"Oh, of course, Poppy. That makes perfect sense. Go right ahead."

Pomfrey started running some diagnostics on Harry and questioned him how he was feeling.

"Fine, Madam Pomfrey. Maybe a little sluggish but Mandy gave me a Pepper-up to help with that and it did. I think her kisses helped me more though."

"Well, if you're able to be cheeky, then I suppose you are doing better. You're diagnostics check out just as Mandy confirmed. Good job," she said to Mandy. "What all did you give him since he awoke?" she asked her.

"Just water and the Pepper-Up. That's it."

"You left off the kisses," Harry interjected.

"Well, Poppy saw that just fine, so she is fully informed about you now," replied Mandy with a smirk. She couldn't believe how happy she was right now to have Harry back.

"Are you up for some company, Mr. Potter?" asked Pomfrey. "There are a few people anxious to talk to you and ask some questions."

"I suppose I could put up with a few visitors."

"Good. I'll let Albus and Minerva know you are awake and doing fine."

While they were waiting on his visitors, Mandy filled him in on what had been happening in the world. She told him how frantic the reporters were about his health and about the rebuilding of Potter manor and how they fixed everything on the estate for him including the wards. How Remus oversaw everything in his interest and that they used the extra money from the dead Death Eater vaults to finance it all.

Harry was shocked to say the least. He had never even known about the Potter lands and the manor that was once there. He supposed it would be nice to have a real place to live with lands and a regular house, instead of the chamber.

Just as he was thinking about that, the doors to the hospital wing swung open and in walked Dumbledore, McGonagall, Flitwick, Snape, Sprout, and Amelia Bones. Everyone was smiling.

"Harry," said Dumbledore. "It is so wonderful to see you awake. We were quite worried about you."

"I'm sorry I worried anyone."

"Think nothing of it, Harry. That wasn't your fault. We're just glad you are doing okay now," Dumbledore replied.

Harry looked around at the others and saw McGonagall and Sprout with tears in their eyes. Both Flitwick and Snape, of all people, were smiling at him. Amelia was looking her all business self.

"Harry, are you up for some questions?" asked Amelia. "I need to close this case so if you can, please tell us what happened between you and Voldemort."

"Did you take care of his body?" he turned his head and asked Dumbledore.

"Oh, I forgot to tell you about that, Harry," said Mandy. "I wasn't there so perhaps someone else could fill him in?"

"The Minister decided to make it official and incinerate Tom's body in front of as many people as possible," said Dumbledore. "He did and the body was turned to ash in front of thousands of spectators. He hoped everyone would be convinced it was over. In retrospect, it appears that helped since things are going very well right now."

"I see. Well, I guess now is as good a time as any to fill you guys in on what transpired between me and Voldemort. I assume I should start at the point I left the castle to meet him?"

"Yes," answered Amelia while everyone else just nodded.

"A whole lot went on in a very short period of time. I left the Great Hall and landed behind Voldemort just outside the gates. I –"

"One second, Mr. Potter," interrupted McGonagall. "How exactly did you leave the Great Hall in the first place? You can't apparate in or out of Hogwarts."

"I know what you're going to say, Harry," said Mandy jumping in. "Do you mind if I field that question for you?"

Harry gestured for her to go right ahead. Mandy nodded with a smile at Harry then turned to McGonagall.

"Professor McGonagall, Harry can't reveal that information since it's a Potter family secret."

"Oh, for Merlin's sake!" said Snape in an exasperated tone.

"Shall I continue?" asked Harry smiling.

"Please do," answered Dumbledore, smiling as well.

"Where was I? Oh, yeah. I landed behind Voldemort and immediately started casting some powerful stuff, more family magic, you see. I ended up killing several trees but did not manage to hurt him. He responded and I was then on the move while still throwing things his way. He was very powerful and was able to keep up a full body shield to protect against my invisible spells. He was very quick too and an amazing dueler," he said remembering.

"I think we unloaded pretty much everything we had at each other in about a minute without much luck until he barely grazed me in the foot with a very nasty spell. It was in Parseltongue as well and he vocalized it, which was what made me slow down a hair and get caught with it. He never used a Parseltongue spell before then, but I understood clearly what he said. From the spell he uttered, it sounded like some sort of withering curse for inside the body, but it also had an element of locking you inside your mind to torture you while it killed you."

"My word!" said Pomfrey. "That's what we were fighting to heal you from for hours."

"I knew at that point I was in trouble and he was gleeful that he caught me with the spell. He knew he only had to hit me with it anywhere so he was very happy. He started laughing. I quickly used the same Potter travelling magic that brought me to him but this time I went to right beside him. I think my fading distracted him more. As soon as I was next to him, I struck out with my magically powered hand and ripped out his throat. He was dead before he hit the ground."

Everyone appeared to be in shock at his report so far.

"It was good the spell just grazed me in the foot. That made it slower reacting to reach my heart and other vital organs. Had he hit me in the chest with it, I doubt I would have survived. Anyway, I traveled back while I still could, hoping to get some help. I believe you know the rest."

They all looked pensive for a moment.

"Was it your magic that got rid of the curse destroying your body?" asked Pomfrey. "We seemed to only be able to heal you as it tried to destroy your organs. I had two healers helping me so we could keep up, but just barely."

"Yes. I broke through the torture just long enough to shutdown the first part of the curse. It was making me too weak to combat the torture and mind lock properly."

"But how, Mr. Potter?" asked Pomfrey.

"I can't explain it. I just used my internal magic to kill it. The rest of the time I was fighting the torture and the mind lock. Eventually, I was able to weaken it and shutdown the torture. I then had to find my way out of this weird mindscape. If it hadn't been for Mandy talking to me and telling me how much she loves me, I'm not sure I would have ever made it out. She gave me a reason to try harder."

Mandy was wiping her eyes beside Harry and had started holding his hand while he was telling the story. He looked up at her.

"That reminds me. Do you know what my biggest thought was that kept me fighting to get my life back?" he asked as he looked back at his visitors.

Everyone shook their heads.

"Let me ask a question and then I believe you'll all understand."

They all nodded.

Harry turned his head to the love of his life who was still holding his hand.

"Mandy, when we get done with our last year at Hogwarts, would you do me the honor of becoming my wife?"

"Oh, Harry! Yes! A thousand times yes!"

She then climbed on the bed and straddled Harry. She started kissing him with all she had, not caring who all was in the room.

"Young love," sighed Dumbledore. "There is nothing better than that."

"I believe I can finally close this case," said Amelia. "Thank you, Harry," she said a little louder, then paused, noticing he didn't hear her. "Oh well, I can thank him the next time I see him. I'm not sure how they learned how to breathe while doing that," she observed.

"I think we should give them some privacy," said Sprout who was turning to leave.

"I've seen enough," said Snape gruffly, who then quickly turned and exited the hospital wing, post haste.

Soon the others followed while Pomfrey just went back to her office, so the couple would not be disturbed.

The End

A/N: Thanks so much for reading. I have several stories I'm working on. Some more so than others. I hope you can join me again when I have another ready. For those who are waiting on my Jedi Chronicles story, I apologize for how long it's taking. It's the only story I decided to post before completing. Now I wish I had picked a shorter one, instead of that long saga. Eventually, my muse will work again on it, just like it has on all the others I've completed and the ones I'm still working on. Please stay tuned.