PP21

## Summary

Professor Snape clears the remaining Sleeping Sickness out of Rigel's mind, seeing everything in it except her Space Room, and she returns to consciousness, two days after entering her meditation.

With the Malfoys, Professors Snape, McGonagall, and Dumbledore, and Madam Pomfrey present, she explains what happened when she went into the Hospital Wing the Thursday afternoon. She is forced to reveal her secret about studying Occlumancy, saying that Snape was the one to give her the idea, arranging the truth to fit her. Then, she explains how she was able to pass through Draco's core into his mind and help him to clear a path; however, while Dumbledore thinks it's possible in theory, Snape insists that entering another's mind through their magical core is impossible, except by forcefully breaching the core and permanently damaging it, which has not happened to Draco. Mr. Malfoy puts in that if she is able to do what she does, it can mean a lot of bad things for another person's core, like attacking it directly instead of using magic. She repeats the process for Pansy, with Dumbledore using a spell to show where the consciousness is, and they are able to confirm her account, though they are unable to explain how it is possible for her and not for anyone else. Rigel will be the only one able to wake every single child, but Pomfrey only authorizes her to do it until the next day's afternoon. After everyone leave except the Malfoys, for saving Draco's life, they inform Rigel that they owe her a blood debt, and that they will consider her an honorary member of their family until it is repaid. She accepts it, knowing full well of the use that she could have of it with her position.

Rigel writes a letter to Sirius to explain the situation, downplaying her role, the life-debt and the sickness. Several older Slytherins notice Pansy's return, and question Rigel about it. She confirms that the sickness has been cured, but decides to give most of the credit to Professor Snape, concealing her own involvement. Flint reminds her of his assignments, offering her to not do them, but Rigel insists on getting them, and she does them during the rest of the day.

The following day, while on enforced rest, Rigel shows her reluctance to be considered a hero, and then she introduces Draco and Pansy to the kitchens, after missing lunch. Having recovered her magic, she then begins the laborious process of freeing more students from the sickness, which takes two weeks and a half, and by the end of it, word of her involvement has unavoidably spread widely. She starts to really want to go home and be Harry again.

Sirius sends a letter near the end of April, to let her know that he's disappointed that "Archie" wasn't more forthcoming with information about the sickness, though he still loves him very much, and will put a good word about Dumbledore in the Prophet, and Harry realises that she has failed to act as Archie would have done and has hurt their relationship. She resolves to talk to both Sirius and Archie and try to mend things. Before she can, Cho Chang corners her in the library, recognising that her "Reggie" identity doesn't exist, and demanding answers about who "he" really is; she's mollified when she realises that she's talking to her saviour.

Rigel's involvement in curing the sickness makes the newspaper the sixth of May, with public opinion swinging firmly in favour of Dumbledore. Selwyn, Rookwood, Rosier, and Flint make her understand that the SOW Party, in response, tables their marriage legislation, instead of pushing for a vote that they would likely lose. The threat is still there for her. Rigel's friend push her to tell them the truth about the sickness and her Healing abilities, without explaining the cure itself.

As the year draws to a close, Slytherin wins the Quidditch cup, Rigel studies for the exams, does Flint's homework, and studies Healing so her parents won't find it strange that she can't do any healing once home. The first of June, she can heal minor bone fracture. She also sends letters back and forth to Archie. First Wednesday of June, she writes a letter to Archie, using for the first time a handwriting charm. Theo asks her to help him with his trunk.

Draco notices that Rigel's handwriting on a letter to Archie looks different from Rigel's usual notes. However, he's unsure what to make of it, and just puts it down to another of Rigel's quirks. He then remembers his year with Rigel and Pansy, and contemplates their friendship.

On the trip home, a lot of people not from Slytherin come visit Rigel in her compartment. Before the train arrives in King's Cross, Rigel says quick goodbyes and flees into the bathroom, eager to be home and be only Harry again. She uses Polyjuice to become Archie and goes to meet Sirius, putting up a show in order to mend his relationship with his son.

On the other hand, Professor Snape does his own packing, putting aside Rigel's still imbued medi-minis in a box, and reflects on how attached he has become to Rigel, including the fact that he lied and concealed his secret supply of ginseng, which he had set aside in case Draco needed it. By letting Rigel and the Malfoys believe that Draco's life was in danger, he permitted the life debt to be formed, astonishing even himself with how he behaved toward Sirius Black's son. Leaving his office, he wonders about how things changed, how he had changed. Only time will tell him if the world can change for the better.

## Characters (by order of appearance)

* Harry Potter & Rigel Black
* Severus Snape
* Draco Malfoy
* Narcissa Malfoy
* Lucius Malfoy
* Albus Dumbledore
* Minerva McGonagall
* Poppy Pomfrey
* Pansy Parkinson
* Marcus Flint
* Adrian Pucey
* Lucian Bole
* Binny
* Cho Chang
* Alesana Selwyn
* Edmund Rookwood
* Aldon Rosier
* Theodore Nott
* Sirius Black

## Settings

### Mental planes

* Harry's mind
* Pansy's mind
* Different minds, including Ron's and Neville's

### Hogwarts

* Hospital Wing
* Slytherin common room
* Outside
* Kitchens
* Library
* Dorms
* Snape's office

### Other

* Hogwart's Express
* King's Cross

## Potions

* Pepper-up
* Snowhit
* Aurora's Breath

## Deep foreshadow

* Snape still has Rigel's medi-minis, which are still imbued with her magic (FF15)

## Other POV (by order of appearance)

* Draco Malfoy
* Severus Snape

## Inconsistencies

* When Rigel-as-Archie tells Sirius all about her year, she mentions a "Avery Pucey" instead of "Adrian Pucey".

## See also

* Magical core
* The Sleeping Sickness
* The Marriage Law