A Change In Perspective

Seven

Nobody precisely knew what had happened. Madame Pomphrey was inconsolable. It only took one fierce look and hissed death threat before the woman crumbled and ended up being shipped to St. Mungo's to avoid Professor Snape's wrath. Without the healer there to bear the brunt of his frustrations, Snape had contented himself with organizing the Hospital Wing to his satisfaction and offering scathing comments about how the woman had obviously been a Hufflepuff. Or bought her degree from a shady doctor in Knockturn Alley. Whatever. Hermione had woken up briefly, mumbled something about ice cream and bears, complimented Tonks on her hair - now a shocking lime green - and passed out again. Snape ordered her to remain in the Hospital Wing until he had the opportunity to scan her for residual side effects from the explosion.

"Residual side effects?" Kingsley Shacklebolt sounded alarmed as he gazed at the unmoving form on the bed.

Snape rolled his eyes, secretly grateful to lapse into impatient professor mode to avoid dwelling on the happily burning purple flame near the back of the room. "Yes," he snapped out. "As an Auror, I presume you have had basic training in chemicals?" At Kingsley's nod, he continued. "By themselves, oxidizers and chemicals," he sent the Headmaster a nasty look, "are fine. However, for example, were a little boy to become inundated with a particular chemical like Glycerine, the properties alter. Mixing these two substances together turns them into reactive hazards."

Tonks surveyed the scene, hands on hips. "And that's why Harry is cooking?" Blaise snorted out a laugh edged in hysteria. Professor McGonagall wordlessly offered a Calming Draught, offering one to the other children as well. Only the Gryffindor students accepted. Pansy silently toasted the teacher with one of the bottles of Firewhiskey she had somehow managed to produce on a moments notice.

"Correct," Snape answered tiredly. He took the proffered bottle and took a healthy drink before handing it back to his student. "The term reactive hazard is used to refer to a substance that undergoes a violent or abnormal reaction in the presence of water or under normal ambient atmospheric conditions." Neville's hand twitched slightly, as though wondering why he wasn't taking notes. Tonks snorted at the reaction, accepting her turn with the bottle before passing it to a pale faced Draco. "In the right setting," the professor continued, openly ignoring McGonagall's pursed lip disapproval, "the gases produced can travel faster than the speed of sound. This creates both a shock wave and noise." He sighed, eyes dwelling pensively on Hermione's still form. "If she was in contact with Harry when the blast occurred, it is only normal her reaction would be more extreme than that vile woman's."

"How could she give him an oxidizer?" Draco demanded hoarsely.

"I'm afraid it is because I agreed to let her." The shock in the room was palpable, all eyes turning to Professor Dumbledore. The old man sighed. "She was asked to give the potion only after ensuring the nutrients had been adequately absorbed in Harry's body. It never occurred to me that Madame Pomphrey would not test his body's chemical level, or take a blood sample before administering the potion." Weary blue eyes lingered on the dancing purple flame. "Whatever can we do now, Severus?"

Black eyes lingered in a poisonous glare before turning to where Harry's body was visible beneath the cheerfully burning flames. Now was not the time to verbally slay the Headmaster, uplifting though the though may be. "Now," he said tiredly, "we wait."

Ron chirped dolefully from amongst his rotting feathers.

- MONDAY - DAY TWO -

As was always the case with situations best left alone, the whole school was aware of the fact that Harry was in the Hospital Wing before breakfast. No one commented when the Head Girl was left in charge of Potions class; teaching a practical assignment. Left unsaid, as well, were the missing group of Slytherins and one know-it-all Gryffindor from classes. Ron went to his classes; carried around encased in an altered Bubble-Head Charm by loyal Neville after Snape had removed twenty points from Gryffindor when Ron's feathers began to smell.