Title: Eyes of the Chosen
Author: Emcee
Summary: Remus, Harry, Neville and Snape visit patients at St. Mungo's and Draco tries to help Derek with the disappearance of Ron.
Author's Note: Thank-you to my muses, Rae and Fre and my beta and Pablo. This story is AU to "Order of the Phoenix". It is the sequel to Labyrinth of Illusion.

Disclaimer: "Harry Potter" and the characters, places and things related to it do not belong to me. They are from the brilliant mind of JK Rowling. They belong to her and her publishers. I am not making any profit from this fan fiction.

CHAPTER NINETEEN
Sanctuary

"You're looking a lot better." Remus crossed the distance between the doorway and Sakura's bed. He sat down beside her, smiling. "Of course, you look stunning all of the time."

"You flattering liar." Sakura was sitting up in bed. Her cuts and bruises were almost completely healed. She smiled back at Remus, taking his hand. "I hope you know I'm not staying in this bed any longer. There are important things for me to do."

Remus leaned in, cradling Sakura's face. He pressed his lips to her forehead. "Just had to make sure you and Hermione were all right." He furrowed his brow, looking her over. "Are you are all right?"

Sakura shrugged, pursing her lips. "Physically..." She looked down, her hair falling in front of her face. "I have to take some time with the psychological trauma to really sink in. I think I'd like to just get right back to work. So why are we really here?"

Remus pulled back, blinking. "We're here to make sure you and Hermione are all right."

Sakura rolled her eyes, shaking her head. "Remus, I was not born yesterday. Our injuries were easy enough for Madame Pomfrey to take care of. What's going on?"

Remus let out a long sigh. "Ravenclaws. Think you're so smart." He took her hand, helping her up. "Come on. I'll explain everything."

***

Harry smiled gently as he sat beside Hermione. He held her hand tightly, looking her over. She was looking a lot healthier than she had the night before. Only a few stray bruises remained on her face. "I spoke with the mediwitches. They say you can leave today."

Hermione sighed deeply, sitting up. "Good! I've spent far too much time in hospitals this year. I'm starting to loathe them. We really have to start being more careful."

Harry nodded, squeezing her hand. "Well, we're not dying. It's an upside."

Hermione nodded. "Yes, first rule of fighting evil is to keep yourself alive. I think we've done all right." She went very sombre. "Have you seen Gwendolyn?"

Harry blinked, hissing in a breath. He hadn't even thought of Gwendolyn. She was here, wasn't she? He had tried to push all thoughts of her out of his head. It was easier that way. "You really think I should?"

Hermione nodded. "Yes, I do. She's been in isolation for years. It would do her good to see a familiar face."

Harry exhaled, running a hand through his hair. "She thinks I'm my father."

"Are you honestly telling me you don't want to see her?"

"Do you know how hard is it seeing a member of your family like that?"

****

"Hullo Mum, Dad." Neville slowly approached the bed. He wrung his hands together, his eyes trained on his parents.

Alice Longbottom was curled up in the foetal position. Her thin, white hair hung in front of her once pretty features.

Neville knelt beside her, brushing the tresses out of her face. Her face was colourless, her eyes wide. Her face was prematurely lined with the stress of her ordeal. "You're looking well. Been doing all right? Has Gran been by?" Neville rested his head on the edge of the bed. "I'm sorry I haven't been by to see you. I've meant to. I'm here with Harry and Hermione. You remember them, right? I've told you about them before."

He turned to his dad, smiling. In pictures, he was tough and imposing, muscular. Now he was wasted, spindly. "You'd like Harry, dad. He's a lot like you were. He's gone against You-Know-Who five times now!"

He frowned when Frank didn't answer. His shoulders slumped. He shouldn't have expected anything. Even though his parents had been like this his entire life, he couldn't get rid of that thread of hope. The dream that one day they would wake up from their madness, and everything would be all right.

"No!"

Neville was snapped out his fantasy world by the sharp cry. He got up and peeked his head passed the privacy curtain.

She was hardly recognisable as his teacher from the beginning of the year. He had heard from Harry that she had never been his teacher, instead it had been Miss Tsukino disguised as her. He still wasn't too clear on the details of all of that. He felt a shudder pass over his spine.

Gwendolyn Maclay, who once seemed as frightening and imposing as Severus Snape, was a hollow shell. She looked half starved. One eye was sightless, milky white. A jagged scar ran down from her temple to her cheek. Her head had been shaved.

She was struggling against Professor Snape. He was grabbing at her arms, trying to get her to settle down.

"Don't touch!" Gwendolyn cried out, writhing against Snape. "Don't hurt!"

"I am not going to hurt you, silly woman!" Snape hissed. He tightened his grip on her wrists. There was a snap and Gwendolyn howled, falling down onto the ground. She cradled her wrist close to her chest. Snape pulled back as mediwitches ran to tend to her.

Neville opened the curtain, stepping out to watch. One of the mediwitches tapped her wand to Gwendolyn's wrist. "It's all right, Professor. It happens. She's still very weak. Got a fiery little temper. Things tend to break when she fights back."

Snape kept backing up. Neville tried to dart of out the way, but Snape backed up into him. He turned quickly, eyes burning. "What?" His lip curled. "Longbottom. What are you doing here? If you tell anyone what you--" He glanced passed the curtain, looking over Alice and Frank Longbottom. "Visiting your parents. Of course."

Neville nodded, staring down at the ground. "I'm sorry to bother you."

Snape sniffed, turning away. "I suppose it wasn't intentional."

Gwendolyn looked up from her spot on the floor. He face brightened. "Jamie!" Neville turned to the doorway. Harry was standing there, his face pale.

Hauling herself off the ground, Gwendolyn threw herself at Harry, wrapping her arms around his neck. Harry was horrorstruck, his eyes wide. He seemed unable to comprehend this unabashed affection. His arms flailed, trying to find the right place. He contented to pat Gwendolyn's shoulder. "Hello Gwendolyn. How are you?"

Gwendolyn pulled away. She began to scratch her arms. "It's cold. And small."

Snape stepped forward, taking her hands again. "Gwendolyn, no. You'll bleed."

Gwendolyn shook her head, her eyes empty of emotion. "Means nothing. Just a shell."

Snape let go of her hands abruptly, hissing in a breath. He looked to Harry, shaking his head. "She has lucid days. This is not one of them."

Both Harry and Neville looked at Snape in amazement. It was rare to see any humanity coming from Snape's hard shell. "Best just to let the mediwitches take care of her." The walls came back up around Snape, shielding any vulnerability. "There's nothing we can do for her. Longbottom, you're done with your parents? Come along then."

****

Draco hung in the back of the Potions classroom. Professor Grubbly-Planks was in the front, filling in for Snape.

Draco was alone. He found that if he made no comments he was left alone. The Gryffindors despised him. The Slytherins no long bothered to speak to him. Crabbe and Goyle had thrown their lot in with Nott since Draco had ceased ordering them around.

He just couldn't be bothered any longer.

It was all a lie. He made muttered comments to them about having better things to do. They figured he had moved up in the Death Eater hiearchy. That he would be back for them when they proved themselves.

They had no idea. They didn't know what he was really doing. If he had his way, it would remain that way. If he was very lucky, he would remain anonymous until the Dark Lord had been brought down.

Hiding alone in class, no longer making sarcastic barbs with his cronies, Draco was able to listen to the other students. While in the past, he would have found this unbearable, now it gave him some interesting insights.

He was currently listening to the natterings of Brown and Patil. Only, right now, their conversation wasn't that inane.

"I heard McGonagall this morning. She's panicked. She got an owl about Harry and Neville, they're with Hermione. But Ron is just.... Gone. They're worried he's..."

Patil gasped. "Why would someone want to hurt Ron?"

Brown shrugged, leaning in closer. Draco had to strain to hear. "I don't know. But they do. I mean, you see them in the Common Room. Always working together on things. Maybe Ron found out something he shouldn't. And when that man attacked the other day... He headed right towards him! Seamus saw Ron with Kalderasha yesterday. You know, that skinny third year? McGonagall is going to question him."

Draco groaned, slapping his forehead. That dumb Gypo was going to get himself in big trouble. He couldn't figure out exactly why he cared if Derek got in trouble. Yeah, he could stand being around the kid, but why put himself in an awkward position because of it?

Dammit. He had gone for fifteen years without a friend. Why did he have to get one now?

****

"All right," Justin Finch-Fletchley called to the Hufflepuff Quidditch team. Derek jogged to the centre of the pitch, joining the others. He shivered slightly in the cold. He didn't really want to do this, especially after the attack, but the team desperately needed practice. He could almost feel the teachers watching them. They were most likely posted around the field.

"All right, so Gryffindor trounced us last time. We can still beat Ravenclaw. Derek, how are you feeling about going up against Chang?"

"I-I f-feel all--" Derek was cut off as a hand clapped on his shoulder, pulling in out of the circle.

Derek was whirled around, facing the hardened face of Draco Malfoy. Justin was reaching for his wand. "What do you want, Malfoy?"

"Have to borrow your Seeker for a moment, Finch-Fletchley. Don't worry. I won't damage him." Draco kept hauling Derek away.

"C-C-Can't th-this w-w-wait, M-Malfoy?" Derek stammered as he was dragged across the ground.

"No, it can't." Draco fisted the collar of Derek's cloak tighter. Derek stumbled along helplessly, still clutching his broom.

"What's going on, Draco?" Derek asked, his stammer disappearing. He wretched himself away from Draco once they were well away from the pitch. He glanced back at the team. They were watching him closely. "You know they're going to come over here and hex you into oblivion."

Draco snickered, shaking his head. "Yeah, that'll be the day. You have to go talk to Dumbledore."

Derek furrowed his brow, shaking his head. "Why?"

"Finnegan saw you and Ron leave the library. McGonagall's going to question you. Patil and Brown think you killed him." Draco crossed his arms over his chest, arching an eyebrow. "Now, not that I don't think it would be incredibly funny to watch you get hauled off the Azkaban for a murder that didn't happen, but it might be wise to tell them you kidnapped the Weasel for his own protection."

Derek sighed, running a hand through his long, black hair. "I guess I should. Thanks Draco. You're a real fri-- Wait, why are you telling me this?" He furrowed his brow. "This is a very selfless thing to do. What gives?"

Draco snorted derisively. "I already told you that you don't make me want to heave. You also seem to tolerate me. I guess it wouldn't do to have my only ally expelled, now would it?"

A smile came unbidden to Derek's lips. Draco was his friend, wasn't he? He hadn't really had one since Cedric had died. The last person he had expected to take his place was Draco Malfoy. "Wow. Umm... Th-thanks."

"Well, are you going to go?" Draco asked, gesturing to the door of the castle.

Derek looked from Draco, to the Quidditch pitch. "I've got practice."

Draco rolled his eyes. "Yeah, 'cause you're really going to win the cup this year. Just go!"

Derek nodded. Hufflepuff didn't stand a chance at winning the cup. The situation with Ron and the Seers really did take precedence. He dropped his broom on the ground. He took a deep breath, steeling his nerves. Halfway through his first step, he paused. He turned back to Draco. "C-Come w-with me?"

Draco shook his head, following behind Derek. "You're a wimp, Kalderasha."

****

"I don't know what you want me to say," Savori murmured, curling herself up on her bed. Sakura was sitting in the seat beside her bed. Remus stood behind Sakura, his hands on her shoulders. Savori drew herself into a tight ball, her hair masking her face. "I don't know what the Death Eaters want to do with St. Mungo's."

"You must have some idea," Remus pleaded. "You've seen Lucius Malfoy come in. Have you heard him speaking to anyone?"

"He wants to know about our progress," Savori murmured. Her stomach was starting to bother her, twisting inside her gut. She hadn't spoken as much as she had in the last day for years now. "That's all I know."

"Any idea why?" Sakura asked gently.

Savori shook her head. "How is Derek? I miss him."

"We'll tell you about Derek when you tell us what we need to know." Remus stepped towards the bed, putting a hand on Savori's shoulder.

She pulled away, hissing at him. "I don't know what you need to know. I already told you. I'm not some spy you stuck in here. I'm crazy!"

"I don't believe that." Remus shook his head sadly. "I just think you're willing to allow yourself to be cast in that light because its easier than functioning as a person."

Savori looked up, her eyes hardening. "Well then I'm just lazy. Still can't tell you anything."

Remus opened his mouth to speak. He was cut off before a syllable got out. There was an ear-piercing scream. The dim candlelight turned red.

"What's going on?" Sakura asked, leaping to her feet.

Savori leaned back, putting her hands behind her head. "Can't you tell? We're under attack."

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