Harry was happy. He was back where he truly belonged. Hogwarts castle. True he had to put up with Snape and the ever odious Malfoy, but neither of them could hold a candle to his cousin Dudley for pure spite. The first day's classes had ended and he was so intent on getting to the great hall for supper that he didn't look where he was going, ran smack into someone and fell to the floor with a crash.

"Why don't you ever look where you're going Potter."

After collecting his thoughts he looked round at who had spoken. Malfoy. Great, just great. "Sorry Malfoy I didn't see you," he tried to stand only to find that his legs wouldn't support him. What was going on? What sort of hex had Malfoy put on him? Even the jelly legs curse didn't do this to you. "Alright Malfoy what hex did you use?"

"What are you talking about Potter. I was just walking along and you crashed into me. I didn't have the chance to hex you."

"Well why can't I get up then?"

"I haven't a clue Potter and I don't have all night to chat. It's dinner time. See you in the great hall." With that Draco walked silently away.

Harry lay on the floor for what seemed like hours til Mr. Filch, the school caretaker, found him and summoned the school nurse Madame Pomfrey.

"Hmm, looks bad. Still we'll have to chance moving him. Just lie still Mr. Potter and let us do the work. All together now, and remember don't joggle him if you can help it. One, two, three."

Suddenly he was being lifted onto a stretcher by people who seemed to be just out of his view, there was a sharp screaming pain in his back, and then everything went black.

When he revived he was in what was almost certainly a hospital bed, but where? This definitly wasn't the schools hospital wing.

"Ah, you're awake. Good, we've been worried."

He turned his head toward the voice, and found himself looking into the kindly eyes of a healer.

"Where am I? And why am I here?"

"You're in St. Mungo's my boy. As for why you're here, well your injuries were quite serious, and the Hogwarts nurse thought you would be in better hands here."

Harry was puzzled. Quite serious? What exactly did that mean?

"Wha..."

"We can discuss it later my boy. Right now you need rest. Here, drink this, it will help you sleep. Sleep." Harry slept.

When he opened his eyes again sunlight was streaming in through his window, and Professor Dumbledore was sitting by his bedside.

"Good morning Harry. How are you feeling?"

"Morning professor." He tried to sit up, but his body wouldn't obey him for some reason. "Professor what's going on. Why can't I sit up?"

"I'm afraid Harry that you've had a very nasty accident. When you fell you fractured several vertabra in your back and damaged your spinal cord. You're paralized from the waist down."

Harry looked at him in disbelieve. No, it couldn't be. All he'd done was to run into Malfoy. He couldn't be paralized. He couldn't be.

"So what potion do I have to drink?"

"There is no potion Harry. No cure. You will be this way for the rest of your life."

No, it couldn't be true, it couldn't be, but then he saw the tears in Dumbledors eyes, and knew it was true.