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Harry wasn't quite sure what it was that woke from the dream less dose he was in that evening, but he was fairly certain it wasn't the distinctive sound of retching echoing through the doorway that he heard a second later. A few heartbeats after gazing at the blank ceiling, he remembered he wasn't at Hogwarts, but rather was staying in the Burrow with Ron's family for holiday.

Pop!

He saw that the twins were at the bannister already by the time he was halfway to the door; and with a blearly glance to the side, he nearly tripped over Ron in a clumsy rush to see what the adults, once again, were up to below.

He heard the front door bang, and more clearly heard the sound of sick. He leaned closer to the end piece of the twin's extendable ear, already deployed and dangling down to the ground floor.

He could make out Lupin's speak in a soothing way,

"..I assure you that both of your reactions are completely normal given this is the first time either of you.."

He heard something unintelligible, yet familiar: a foreign tongue he knew the rhythm of. Only the speaker was a mystery- the voice did sound young. A boy? With a look he saw the twins grin mischievously at one another.

George whispered, "..give it a go?" And withdrew his wand.

Fred replied "..why not..?"

"What are you.." Harry whispered as he shivered from a cold draft billowing up his pajamas.

"..translation spell.." Whispered one. "... Bit dodgy.." Whispered the other.

"Brother.." Came the unfamiliar voice, worriedly. "You ok?"

"Coming.. coming.." Harry heard Ron's mother call out distantly. Then, after few moments of hearing rustling cloth. "Oh..Whatever happened..?"

"Just a first time sidelong apparation." Moody said gruffly and as if it explained everything. Harry furrowed his brow. "Where do you want the ..things..?"

"In the back.. By Arthur's..um.. go through the second door." Molly said distractedly. Scraping sounds of what sounded much like a heavy trunk being dragged along the ground receded along with the uneven footsteps of Moody.

As the others leaned over the rails, Harry realized that he had stupidly left his glasses back on the side table. Though he longed to glimpse what was happening in the blurry fuzz below, he instead leaned closer to the ear, nearly cupping it with both hands in an effort to make out what else was said.

He could have sworn he heard the boy's voice plead,

"Pleaze.. Brodder.. Vreally.. Not vell. Needs vrest."

"Oh.. My..he's burning up...!" Mrs. Weasley exclaimed, loud enough that the ear was entirely unnecessary. "This way..it's the closest.."

"Mum..!" Ron said in warning.

Suddenly, Harry found that he was gripping the ear as Fred, George, AND Ron frantically took turns drawing up the extension from below; the long fleshy string soon tangled itself hopelessly about both his hands. Ron hooked his elbow; half-shoved and half-towed him back to the bedroom as both twins vanished with a "pop!"

He backpedalled to his bed and somehow slipped under the quilt without the use of his hands. He quickly worked his digits free of the fleshy mess and roughly shoved the bundle under his pillow. He laid his head neatly in place just as the door to Ron's room opened, and the light came on.

"Ron, Harry dear.. Sorry to disturb you." Mrs. Weasley said gently, and Harry lifted his head off the pillow, hoping he still looked bleary eyed. "Ed and (Alphonse is it..?) Are our guests, and will be sharing your room for the holiday."

Harry managed a smile and a wave; however, even without his glasses he could tell that the blur he knew was Ed had his right shoulder oddly slumped, and the long sleeve looked empty.

His friend was most definitely missing his right arm.

Harry watched Ed mutely walk.. No, stagger.. past him his bed. He reached for his glasses as the other blur.. Alphonse, his mind supplied belatedly..rushed past Mrs. Weasley to Ed's left.

He glanced to Ron by long habit. Ron's eyes were wide as he, too, watched his guests. His face held a potent mix of surprise and horror, and he worked his mouth as he swallowed before finally squeaking out a weak, "N-nice to see you again, mate.."

Ed grunted and barely lifted a finger on his gloved left hand, which was now draped over Alphonse's shoulders.

Mrs. Weasley waved her wand vaguely towards the far wall, and Harry did not miss a small startled gasp, nor the slight stiffening of the boy's back, before a pair of beds popped into existence there.

"Is everything all.."

The boy smiled over at Mrs. Weasley.

"Zorry.. Zorry. I am not uzed to.. Um.. Zuch tings." Alphonse said sweetly. "You are greatly skilled.. Dey are very vell made...Tank you greatly."

Edward slumped onto the nearest bed. Once free from Alphonse, Ed laid down wordlessly, and faced away towards the wall. Though Ed was fully clothed, Alphonse carefully draped Ed with a quilt.

"Uh.. T-thank you." Mrs. Weasley replied. "Edward..dear.. I know you're not feeling well from the.. Uh.. trip, but I do have.. would you care for some broth or something? Perhaps a potion to bring down that fever..?"

At those words, Ed made a soft groan and pulled up his legs up, balling himself into an mound.

"Mrs. Veasley.. Tank you, but I vreally tink.. more quilts vould be much better.." Alphonse said as he ran his gloved fingers over the top of Ed's scalp and through the unruly bangs. " Ant.. Maybe a small cloth widh bowl of vater..?"

Mrs. Weasley nodded, and left.. Harry assumed to retrieve the requested items.

"Alphonse..? What wron.." Harry blurted out. Worried, and weary, gold eyes focused on him He found he forgot what he was going to ask, and closed his mouth.

"Harry vright..? I am zorry but.." Alphonse glanced over to Ron, and smiled apologetically. "Brodher iz... Far too tiret. Ant. My english is not..ennuff.. to tell you."

"Blimey.." Ron muttered, and with a glance to Harry, rolled onto his side to face away from their guests. ".. hope we don't catch it.. doesn't scream at night anymore, does he?"

Instead of answering, Alphonse smiled thinly, and turned back to Ed.

-ooooo-

It wasn't quite a scream from Ed that night which pulled Harry from his dreams, but it was loud enough to do the trick.

"Al..?" Ed's voiced called out. Across from him, Harry heard Ron mutter something that sounded suspiciously like, "bloody hell..!".

"I'm here brother.. I'm here..shh... Quiet.."

Harry looked over by the door, and, although a blurry shadow, Ron was most definitely pounding various pillows into submission. He glanced over to Ed, the cause of the whole disturbance, only to see the dark blur that was Alphonse hovering over the bundled mass.

"I'm sorry I'm sorry... All my fault...So much blood.. And.."
"Shhh.. nothing to apologize for.. We're safe now. Shh.."

He heard Alphonse speaking softly in that odd language, and Ed replying just as softly..only Harry found he could understand it. Every word.

Somehow.

Harry was not one to really question such a thing, and as he was very curious about this most secretive friend, he decided to take advantage of his good fortune. He could pretend to be asleep. It was quite easy in the dark.

"..succeeded..? You're really...all you...?" Ed said worriedly.

"Yes brother.. I'm me." Came an laughing reply. "I'm here.."

"Uh.. Al? Wh-where am I..?"

"Don't you remember? We're staying with the Weasley family."

"Wha.. Weasley..? What hap..?"

"You have a fever. A bad one that's down a bit..again. Brother.. I'm worried. It's almost like.."

"What..?"

"What if.. What if it's rejection..? A fever that lasts weeks and cycling along like this is a classic.."

"No."

"But..Brother.."

"One symptom after..? What. Five years? I don't think so..." Ed said soothingly. "I'm fine. Here.."

The shadows seemed to merge. Harry lowered his brows. Was Al doing what he thought he was doing over there..?

Sharing a bed..? With Ed of all people? But. Harry well knew that Ed never liked to be touched by anyone, and always kept people at a respectful distance from his body. He even refused the courtesy of shaking hands.

"You...did this for me.. after mom died.."

"..so you do remember..?"

"..The closeness.. This.. feeling... She.. You.."

"Shh.."

"Brother, I missed this.. A lot."

"I know.." Ed yawned.

"Stop it, Brother. Just. Stop blaming yourself.." Al's voice sounded both sleepy and muffled. "If not for you, I wouldn't be alive.."

"I was an idiot. You wouldn't have lost it in the first place..and to have be that tin can for.."

"Stop it. Just. Stop."

Someone snorted. Harry wasn't entirely sure if it was Al or Ed, but he suspected it was the latter.

"Al..?"

"Yes Brother..?"

"Last thing I remember is getting my shoulder worked on..and something like an explosion. Um.. What happened to Jon..?"

"He's..here too. Mr. Moody took him to set up somewhere. "

"Now I remember.." Ed exhaled. "Fever or not ..wanna to get this done and over with. Did he say how long it'll be to..?"

"No. Brother." Al said "I was more worried about you. You push things so fast and.."

"Shh.. Al. I'm fine." Ed said, "'Sides, with my nerves getting messed with like that.. Figure I'll be sick anyway."

There wasn't anything else to hear for a while. Harry didn't realize he too drifted off into dreams until Ron shook him awake for breakfast. It wasn't until Hermione arrived, later that morning, that Harry could find the space from Ed and Al to fill his best friends in on what he'd heard.
-ooooo-

A/N- Part of my new year resolution is to write a story everyday..yep, I'm taking the 'stephan king' approach to writing...

Anyhow, the doctor who- hp crossover I'm doing shook loose some ideas to play with. No guarantees on how much or little I will do, as this crossover is a bit drawn out as it is.

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