The sat close together. Harry, leaning against her, panted, the sweat cooling on his skin and making him shiver.

"Harry, you've got to go see someone. This is not good. You're sick. C'mon. I'll make sure you get to the hospital." She started to rise, but he grabbed her sleeve.

"Don't."

"But I can't help you," she said, frustration boiling over. "You've got to go. This is serious."

"I can't go to the hospital. I don't have any money here. They can't find out about me. Please."

"This is beyond me," she said with a frown. After a moment, a thought occurred to her. "What about that school of yours. Can they help?"

He dropped his head and nodded. "Will you come too? Let Madam Pomfrey look at you."

"Why would she need to do that?"

"Please? It won't hurt you. I think you might like her."

He was on death's door and he was trying to persuade her to go to the doctor. She pierced him with the look she reserved for such behavior. Hands on hips, she spoke as stiffly as she could. "I have no need of a doctor and I would thank you to stop trying to take me to one. I'm perfectly healthy, unlike some."

"Just once. You don't have to go ever again. Please." He broke off in a cough.

She glared down at him, thinking. She would have to get him there. That was certain. He could barely stand, so she would have to help. She doubted that she would avoid getting caught by this doctor anyway. It was in their nature to poke and prod. At least it would mean a hot meal.

"Fine," she said. "But you're going to have to help me. I don't know how to get there. We should get going."

He nodded again, then called out, "Kreacher!"

She wrinkled her brow, sure she had misunderstood. "Creature? What do you mean? I don't –"

Before her eyes stood a small wrinkled looking, well, creature. She felt sure she was seeing things. Maybe Harry's fever was catching. The creature gave a small bow.

"Harry Potter called for Kreacher? Kreacher is glad to see Harry Potter alive, although he thinks Harry Potter does not look good at the moment."

Harry chuckled. "Fair enough. Anise, this is Kreacher. He is a house elf. He was instrumental in helping me during the war." He turned to the house elf and said, "thank you for coming, Kreacher. I was worried something may have happened to you when we left."

"There were bad men, but Kreacher didn't tell them anything."

"Thank you. You've been wonderful. Regulus would have been proud of you. I know I am."

The elf glowed and stroked an ugly, old-fashioned locket that hug loosely around his neck. "What can Kreacher be doing for Harry Potter?"

"I need to get to Hogwarts, can you take us there? I can't manage at the moment."

"Kreacher can't bring others with him into Hogwarts. The castle won't let him. He can get Harry Potter just beyond the wards though."

"That will be fine. Could you also alert Madam Pomfrey in the Hospital Wing that we are on our way? That would be a huge help."

"Of course." Kreacher strode forward and grabbed Harry's hand then latched on to Anise's. There was an awful moment of feeling as though she was being squeezed through a tiny tube. In the next instant, they were standing in a lane that wound away and towards a quaint village. Just behind them were tall metal gates that stood open.

"This is beautiful," she said.

"Kreacher will alert the healer now," and he was gone.

Harry, who had landed square on his rump levered himself to his feet. He held out an arm to Anise and she grabbed him under the arm, taking some of his weight. "Thanks," he said. "Come on. It's a long walk up to the castle."

They walked, Anise trying to match her pace to Harry's stumbling and wondering just how long the path could be. It seemed as though they walked for ages without even a glimpse of anything resembling a castle. Harry stumbled and barely drug his feet along. She braced him under his arm even more. "No, you don't. I can't carry you very far. If you don't keep walking, we'll never make it."

Harry, looking red and out of breath, shook his head and waved toward the ground. "Just put me down. I have an idea."

She looked him over, skeptical. She was afraid that if she put him down, she would never get him back up. But she could tell he needed the rest. She lowered him onto a low rock beside the path and watched as he pulled out a stick from his jacket. His wand, she realized suddenly.

She knew he was a wizard, since they were little, she had known, but she had never seen him do magic. He concentrated hard for a moment and muttered something under his breath that she didn't catch. A very faint light appeared and shaped itself into the barest shadow of some sort of four-legged animal. It was big, but she could not tell much more from the incorporeal shape. It nuzzled his hair then galloped off up the path they had been following.

"I hope it's strong enough to reach," he said before he dropped his head into his hands and closed his eyes. "That may have been unwise," he said as he began to slide sideways to lay in the dirt.

Anise groaned. What was she supposed to do now? She stared down at the prone boy then sighed. She collected him as best she could and slung him over her shoulder. She noticed he was a lot lighter than he looked, perhaps it was that coat of his that made him look bigger than he was. No time to worry about it now. She would just have to get him as far as she could. She set off on the path hoping that whatever Harry had done would bring them help and soon.