Harry loved the Hogwarts attics. He'd inadvertently discovered them his first year, and now, when he needed a private place to think, or talk to Sirius in one of the abandoned fireplaces that were still mysteriously connected to the Floo Network, they provided the perfect spot. Making friends with Dobby had actually proved useful in creating his little hideaway, as the elf had endeavoured to provide him with a squashy armchair, a battered table to do his homework at, and plenty of warm food when Harry missed meals or just felt the emptiness of hunger.
Now, he was making his way through the Owlery to the small door hidden away and underneath the breeding stools that the school owls used to both create and nurture their eggs. It was late, too late to be out and about, but his scar was burning badly enough to fill his eyes with tears and he stumbled and slipped on droppings as he made his way by memory to his hidden solace.
A voice startled him as he fell through the door to his knees in agony.
Sirius moved slower than he would have liked to catch his godson, both of them ending up on the wooden floor with a thud as he tried to prevent the teen from whacking his head. "Harry, Harry, what do you see?" the man asked urgently.
He couldn't speak through the pain. Flashes and screams echoed down the link to Voldemort, gleeful hurt inflicted on Muggles and Death Eaters - some sort of revel was going on, and he was once again an unwilling participant in the games of a madman.
Sirius fumbled in his robes for the potion he'd stolen from Snape's stores earlier that evening - Dreamless Sleep. If he couldn't break the connection, he could at least bring peace and silence to both Harry and the attic sanctuary.
The cork flew and he held the vial to Harry's mouth, using his body and his free hand to hold him down and force his jaw open for a few, thick drops of potions inside. The young boy fought, but his throat and glands worked to liquify the potion and get it into his system. A deep sigh escaped Sirius's lips when Harry went still and his eyes cleared, then closed.
Getting him up into the armchair proved less difficult, and when he was finished, he called for Dumbledore.
The old wizard came and frowned down at the sleeping child. "Again, Sirius?"
Sirius nodded silently. He wished Dumbledore thought there was a better way to deal with this, but he was too much in the man's debt to nay say his actions, and he watched helplessly as Dumbledore pulled the vision from Harry's mind and then obliviated him.
He didn't know how many times this had been done outside of his presence, but Albus and the attic walls themselves were silent.