A Long Summer

Disclaimer: Harry Potter and friends are still not mine.

Authors Note: Here's chapter 11, hope you enjoy. Thanks very much for all of your reviews.

A Long Summer
By Eve

Chapter Eleven
Social Worker

The sun was shining brightly through the large window when Harry next woke up, he squinted to block the offending light. Remus must have taken his glasses off and put the oxygen mask back once he was asleep as his vision was blurry and he could feel the mask on his face.

He took the oxygen mask off again, he assumed he was allowed as he had taken it off before and it had also been taken off for him.

Remus wasn't in his room and he suddenly felt very worried, why was he on his own? Where was Remus? His uncle could walk through the door any moment, ok, now his imagination was carrying away with itself, he wasn't scared of his uncle. It was a lie, he had been scared when he saw the cup of water but he would never admit that to anyone. He was Harry Potter, The Boy Who Lived and The Boy Who Certainly Was Not Afraid of His Uncle.

Spotting the blurry image of glasses on the bedside table as he strained his eyes he went to pick them as the door opened.

"Harry, good timing, there's someone here to see you," Remus walked over to Harry and handed him his glasses, "here."

Harry's eyes went to the door where a woman in white shirt and smart black skirt walked in; she was holding a file and Harry only assumed she was a social worker. He wished he hadn't woken up. It certainly wasn't 'good timing,' and he had probably woken because of a knock on the door from the social worker or Remus going to greet her.

"Hi there, Harry, I'm Susan, I'm one of the hospitals social workers, how are you feeling?" She asked pleasantly.

"Fine," Harry replied quickly.

"There's nothing to worry about, this is all standard stuff," she said to both Remus and Harry, though Harry thought she would have already explained the situation to Remus, he was just being kept in the dark again. "Now, Harry, your friend Remus is going to leave the room for a little bit whilst we have a chat," sensing Harry might get worried without someone familiar she added, "He's going to waiting just outside, ok?"

Harry didn't want to be left alone but he didn't want to admit it, he didn't want to be weak but it was and "Why?" slipped out of his mouth.

"Because our chat needs to be private and confidential and he's not your guardian or a relative. It won't take long."

Resigned to his fate Harry looked to Remus who took it as his cue to leave.

The social worker, Susan, pulled a plastic chair from the corner of the room so that she could sit to the left end of Harry's bed. "Ok, Harry, I'm just going to ask you a few simple questions to begin with. You live with your aunt, uncle and cousin don't you?"

So far, it wasn't too bad, though that had only been the first question, Harry thought and the replied, "Yeah."

Susan smiled. "And you're sixteen in a few days?"

"Yeah."

"What school do you go to at the moment?"

What school? What on earth should he answer with? Hogwarts? Or lie?

"A boarding school, in Scotland," he knew as soon as he said it that it wasn't going to be a sufficient answer.

"What's it called so we can contact them if we need to?"

He was going to have to say it; he would just have to mention it to Remus, "Hogwarts."

"Hogwarts," she repeated, "How's that spelt?"

"Hog, warts," he replied with a pause between the two words. "Remus used to work there so you could just ask him," Harry suggested.

"Ok, well, that's that bit done. Now some questions involving some of your injuries."

Great.

"Remus mentioned to me that you'd told him you tripped over and that that's one of the last things you remember before the accident, is that true?" She asked gently again. Susan didn't want to sound to Harry as if she was accusing him of lying.

"Y-yes," Harry replied unconvincingly. He was now looking away from the social worker. He wanted her to leave.

"Harry, the bruises can't have been caused by tripping over, did someone hit you?"

Harry had become fascinated with the painting on the wall behind the social worker.

"Harry?"

He looked back at her, "I," he hesitated, "I got into a fight."

"A fight? A fight with who?"

"Just," Harry hesitated again, "just some people who live near me."

"Do you know them?"

Harry didn't respond, he wanted to sink in his bed covers and hide from the world.

The social worker continued, "If you know them, you can press charges, or if not give a description to the police."

"I don't know them."

"Ok, if you wanted to talk to the police I can arrange that," she smiled encouragingly

"No, I don't need to," Harry stuttered, "I-I mean I don't want to."

"Ok, just few more questions, how old do you think they were?"

"I don't know."

"Did they all hurt you?"

"I don't know."

"What was the fight about? Did they want something?"

"I don't know."

"Did you tell you aunt and uncle?"

"I don't," Harry paused realising he couldn't continue with his now stock response, "Err, y-yes."

"Did they take you to doctor?" She knew the answer; Harry had never been taken to a doctor.

"No, my aunt said I was fine, that I should stay out of their way," he'd said too much.

"Your aunt knew they lived near by?"

"I don't know."

"Ok, well, I'll need to speak to your aunt and uncle as well but I'll leave you now; I believe it's nearly dinner time. If you want to speak to me again just ask. It was nice meeting you, Harry," Harry hadn't wanted to speak to her in the first place and he certainly didn't think it had been nice meeting him.

She left and closed the door behind herself. Harry was alone. Remus was only outside the door.

A few moments later, Harry assumed the social had been speaking to Remus, the door opened again and Remus walked in along with the nurse from earlier.

"Hey there," he smiled, "How'd it go?"

"Didn't she tell you?" it came out more harshly than Harry had intended.

The nurse checked up on Harry whilst he and Remus spoke.

"No, she can't really say anything to me can she? It's all confidential."

"Well, I lied to you," Harry stated simply.

Remus' brain went into overload, was Harry going to admit what he suspected? Is that why the social worker seemed so down when Remus has spoken to her briefly?

Harry saw Remus' questioning look and responded, simply again, "I got into a fight," In brief moment after the social worker had left and Remus had entered he thought this was a very good lie, it covered everything. Although he hoped that when the social worker spoke to Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon they say the same.

It wasn't what Remus had been expecting and he wasn't entirely convinced it was true, if it was just a fight then why would Harry lie about it? He spoke anyway, ignoring his doubts, "It's nothing to be ashamed of, Harry, nothing at all."

Seeing that Harry wasn't going to say anything Remus looked to the nurse to show that they had finished there conversation.

"Harry, how are you feeling? Any pain?"

"No, I'm fine," Harry responded.

"Good, would you like some dinner?" the nurse asked and then she continued, "There's choice of sausages and mash, fish sticks and chips or leak pie with some jelly and ice cream or a slice sponge cake for desert."

Harry was about to say 'No, I'm not hungry,' but he wanted to make Remus happy and so he changed his mind, "Ok."

"Which would you like dear?" the nurse asked kindly.

He looked to Remus.

"How about sausages and mash?" Remus suggested.

"Kay."

"Excellent choice. Any desert?" Harry responded negatively, "Ok, it'll be along shortly. I'll be back later."

She left the room and soon enough a steaming plate of sausages and mash appeared.

Once Harry had finished, he hadn't eat a lot though Remus was thankful he'd eaten some, Remus asked, "Do you want to get some sleep? It's been a long day."

Harry smiled in response and closed his eyes as Remus took his glasses off and slipped the oxygen mask on. It didn't take him long to fall into a deep sleep and Remus sprawled himself on his chair so he could get a bit of sleep as well.

Susan was writing up her notes on Harry Potter when she remembered something she had read.

Rummaging through who notes she find one given to her by a nurse, Laura Manning, stating that when she had mentioned the unexplained injuries to Harrys aunt she had brushed it off saying 'He's a clumsy boy, always has been.'

It didn't fit with Harry's story at all, unless his aunt hadn't known that Harry had been in a fight. She was going to speak to Petunia and Vernon Dursley tomorrow morning, she had called them earlier on in the day. She thought it was very odd that they hadn't been in to see Harry or even called to see how he was since he's been taken out of surgery. Remus had also told her that Harry hadn't even mentioned them.

It was all very odd.

To Be Continued

I'd love to know what you think so review if you like, or don't like. Reviews are good. Chapter 12 will be up soon.