Shifted memories: Intermission

By broken smiles

Later, a year, an hour, a day, a minute, a second. Some time, when Harry woke, he was in a new place. A new location and a new life, he just didn't know it yet.

The last memory harry would have of his world for many years was fuzzy empty pain. Like half his soul was missing, like ice was poured down his back, under his skin, seeping slowly out to his fingers and toes.

Somehow, he knew Tom could make it better. Tom always made everything better. He would ask Tom to fix this.

When Harry woke up, he hurt. That's all he think about. All he knew. That was all the thought process he could handle at the time. Dizzy, disoriented, and felling like he just got squished and crushed, he went to ask Tom why it felt like he got hit by a train. Harry became more aware when he realized, with a sinking feeling on top of pain, Tom wasn't there. When his mother came in with a stranger in a suit and doctor with a face mask, the sinking feeling made him suffocate. When she told him Tom died in the train accident Harry couldn't breathe. When she continued telling Harry he would be leaving with the stranger to a place that could help him deal with the loss Harry started screaming. And when the stranger gave him a shot and some pills Harry stopped thinking…

And somewhere, Tom popped out of existence…

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Dudley sat on his bed watching without anyone realizing he was awake or aware. Dudley would later reflect that Harry was never hit by a train and the fall wasn't all that high. How did Harry end up in the hospital with broken ribs and a punctured leg? The injuries, the medicine, all the medical doctor "experts" that came to see his brother did not make sense for a kid who fell off a bridge. He wished he could ask Tom what was going on.

He would also recall the whole thing was his fault. He would remember that Tom took most of Harry's attention and that he, Dudley, was a bit jealous but most of all he would remember that Tom was Harry's twin brother and he never wanted Tom dead and he never wanted to hurt Harry. As he watched Harry wake up and find out Tom was dead (how his mother knew Dudley would later wonder). As he watched the pain and sadness spread across Harry's face Dudley couldn't help but wonder if Harry would feel that way if Dudley had died instead of Tom. As he watched Harry scream about not wanting to leave home Dudley concluded that yes Harry would miss him but Harry would have had Tom to help him grieve, he would still have a brother who cared about him.

Then it hit him, Dudley was still there! He was still Harry's brother and he could still help Harry through this because Dudley was Harry's big brother and even if Harry listened to Tom all the time, he still listened to Dudley! Wasn't the whole bridge thing evidence enough? And even if Tom did all that… magic stuff didn't Dudley beat up the bullies and make sure Harry was included at lunch, recess, and PE? Wasn't Dudley the one who helped Harry with chores and getting into or out of trouble? Dudley stood up ready o comfort Harry something Tom usually did but now that he wasn't here Dudley decided it would be his job from now on. He would have to be a better brother now that Harry was in trouble.

Mr. Stranger gave Harry some pills and stuck a needle in Harry's arm and then he was out. Harry fell asleep and Dudley felt cold. Petunia looked at them both with tears in her eyes. Never meeting Dudley's eyes she told him Harry would be leaving for a little while but everything would be okay. She left the "I hope" silent. There was no need to frighten Dudley, Harry would be fine, and if he wasn't... but Dudley read her body language and heard it any way. He wasn't afraid, he wasn't sad, he wasn't even cold anymore. He was angry. How dare she give up on Harry, how dare she send him away from the family especially now that Tom couldn't be there for him.

Dudley didn't yell, he didn't cry, he didn't even fight or argue with his mother and that hurt her more then he would ever know.

Instead Dudley just walked over and held Harry's hand. He decided that he would never be able to change his mothers mind so he would be here for Harry even if it was only for a little while. Dudley was still angry with his mother but when you know there is nothing you could do, what did you do? Nothing. So Dudley would do nothing until Harry was back. Dudley would not say anything to his mother! Until Harry was back he would acknowledge her, respect her, love her, and hug her but he wouldn't talk, not until he saw Harry again, then maybe after talking to Harry he would end his vow of silence against his mother.

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Dudley wouldn't speak to his mother for four years.

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BS out