Birth of a Phoenix
Chapter 13; At the lowest
The next day – Great Hall
Harry was sitting sleepily next to Benjamin in the Great Hall for breakfast. Damien was on his other side like at every meal, guarding him, and Ron and Hermione were on the other side of the table. Hermione reading a Daily Prophet while Ron scoffed down breakfast at a speed that had Harry feeling rather ill and put him off his own meagre food. He had his head propped up on his right arm, with his elbow on the table, and was pushing the cereal around in the bowl.
"You have to eat something, Harry." Ben whispered to him.
"I might be able to if Ronald over there didn't have the ability to inhale food and air at the same time." Harry grumbled making Ron freeze up and look at him in horror as if mentioning his inhaling of food was somehow a topic that shouldn't be brought up. Hermione snorted in amusement and Harry saw her eyes flicker up and take in Ben, Harry and then Damien.
"I don't inhale food." Ron argued spraying food across the table.
"Ron." Hermione huffed in disgust before passing the newspaper across the table.
"Maybe you should read this, Ben." Hermione suggested. "Before you start hearing people talking about it."
"Not about him then?" Harry asked her taking her by surprise. Harry didn't normally talk to people other than his brothers.
She shook her head and Harry leant across to see what Ben was reading. The headline read 'Mass breakout from Azkaban'. "Well that explains last night then." Harry grumbled.
"Yeah, Voldemort was happy." Ben frowned and put the paper down on the table top, clearly going off his food.
"It says that they think an old Death Eater is rallying them." Hermione sighed. "It's not like he can admit that Voldemort... don't hiss Ronald!... is back."
Harry raised an eyebrow but then shrugged. "The question is how did they get around the Dementors?"
"Well isn't that obvious?" Ron looked superior. "They've gone over to You-Know-Who!"
"Then who was it that set the Dementor on Damien and Ben during the summer?" Harry muttered almost to himself.
"You mean the one that somebody ran off?" Hermione asked. "Did you find out who....? Wait, was that you?"
Harry nodded bluntly but Ron interrupted. "Well isn't that just peachy. You have the nerve to hide around for half a year before you told anyone, did Ben and Damien even know you were there?"
"Yes we did, Ron." Ben growled. "Now, shut up."
"Ben." Harry soothed cutting across any argument.
"You said you don't know who sent the Dementors after them during the summer." Hermione prompted. "Don't you think it was Voldemort?"
"Voldemort wants Ben and Damien dead, not expelled." Harry said bluntly.
"You don't think it was there to kill them?" Hermione frowned but she leant forwards, eager to hear Harry's opinion.
"If you want to kill someone you send more than just one Dementor." Harry pointed out. "If you want them to use magic so you can pick it up outside their home and therefore expel them then you send just one Dementor. Enough so that they can cast magic to defend themselves."
"You have a point but who do you..." Hermione started but Ben cut her off with a sigh and by standing up.
"Come on guys, let's not talk about this. I've got a headache enough as it is."
"You do?" Harry stood up with Ben's help. "How come I can't feel it?"
Ben blushed slightly and Damien laughed. "Now who's hiding pain?" Damien asked in amusement."
XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX
As normal Ben and Harry were sitting down when everyone else started arriving for Charms class, their first since Christmas. It was actually one of the few lectures that Gryffindor and Ravenclaw were together for so it meant Harry wouldn't be getting in an argument with the professor over his presence. It was clear that some of the professors saw that Harry should be with Ben at all times but there were others that Harry had argued with. Yesterday they'd had the detentions given to them from Snape but that was because Harry had answered back and because Snape had wanted them in detention anyway. After that they'd had Care of Magical Creatures which was with a rather subdued Hagrid who had barely noticed that Harry was present. They'd had History of Magic as well but... well that was History of Magic.
Ben had Charms this morning followed by Transfiguration with Slytherin and then finally a double Defence Class that afternoon with Ravenclaw which was a god send since Harry would at least be in the right class when they dealt with Umbridge for the first time. Already yesterday Harry and Ben have dived into a secret passageway to avoid her in the hallway trying to prolong the argument they knew was coming.
The class all filtered into the room in twos and threes and Hermione sat on Ben's other side with Ron on the far end. That left Harry between Ben and the wall along the bench and that was fine by Harry. Professor Flitwick came in last and made his way to his overly large pile of books so that he could stand and take in the classroom. His eyes locked with Harry's for a moment before he smiled.
"Firstly, let's welcome our new student to the classroom." Flitwick announced and everyone looked at Harry. Harry glanced at the Ravenclaws sitting across the room and while a few seemed annoyed that he'd ignored his entry into their house the rest seemed to either not care or realised that he was only bothered with being at Ben's side. "I'm going to use this class to go over what we all know. Not just for the benefit of the younger Mr. Potter but to refresh you all after your holiday."
There was a general groan around the room but Harry spotted Hermione straighten up with a smile, eager to begin. He spotted a few Ravenclaw students like that too and he grinned a grim smile. "How about we start with you, Miss Granger?" Flitwick offered. "The Aguamenti charm please? Just a small one, we don't all want to be drenched."
"Aguamenti!" Hermione intoned perfectly and a small torrent of water flowed out of her wand and onto the floor. She beamed at her success.
"Now, Miss Patil, kindly cast a charm capable of clearing up the water?" He prompted and within a few seconds Patil, from Ravenclaw, had done just that.
"How about you, Mr. Potter?" Flitwick paused and blinked. "Benjamin," He amended. "The banishing charm."
Without warning Flitwick flicked his wand over his shoulder and a pillow launched itself across the room at Ben who flicked his own wand and spoke the incantation smoothly. "Excellent, Mr. Potter." Flitwick beamed as the cushion flew right back to where it had started.
"Perhaps something a little simpler to start with, Harry Potter?" Flitwick offered.
"Professor Flitwick, Sir." Ben straightened up, almost shielding Harry. "I don't think it's a good idea for Harry to use magic."
"Why not, Mr. Potter?" Flitwick asked.
"Uh..." Ben paused as Harry touched him on the arm, neither of them really wanted the truth about Harry's illness out becoming rumour though if he had to do too much magic that might cause a problem.
"I promise only a small charm." Flitwick promised.
"Size isn't going to matter at this level, Professor." Harry told him simply. "Only seventh year advanced spells cause an appreciable problem."
"The Headmaster did mention that you had had tutoring." Flitwick prompted. "Perhaps something we haven't covered this year yet? How about you make this cushion hard to the touch? Not transfiguration mind you."
Harry winced knowing that this would hurt and even as the cushion hovered in the centre of the classroom he just gritted his teeth and swirled his wand in front of him as he cast the spell, forgetting to speak the charm as well as think it. His silent spell turned the cushion as hard as granite even if was still made of cloth and stuffing.
"Oh, excellently done, Mr. Potter." Flitwick announced with a clap. "Silent casting as well and flawlessly done."
"Not bad for the first time." Harry grunted as he leaned into Ben's arm who turned to him as Harry straightened up and pressed a hand into his chest as his breathe caught. Ben could feel it too and clearly Flitwick had seen it as well. Harry fumbled with one of the bottles in his pocket and downed it quickly, hiding what the bottle looked like from the rest of the students. The pain ebbed but was replaced by a dull tightness rooted deeply in his chest.
"Harry, you can't take those so often." Ben grumbled. Harry had already taken two last night and another one this morning, and that was barely an hour ago.
"Mr. Potter?" Flitwick asked. "Is everything alright?"
"Fine, Professor." Harry told him. He'd let the whole thing slide without comment in the hopes that he wouldn't be called upon to cast magic again in that class. He was hoping that he wouldn't have to turn to one of the Professors, like his head of house or Minerva McGonagall to tell the rest of his professors not to ask him to cast magic. He didn't want Dumbledore thinking he was weaker than he was or he'd never let him off his leash. He itched under the manacle around his wrist as he thought about it and Ben touched his hand to show he'd noticed Harry's fidgeting.
XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX
The rest of that day went on as it started. Transfiguration was a little easier on Harry because McGonagall didn't single Harry out of the class and miraculously Harry wasn't bothered by Umbridge in Defence, presumably because she refused to acknowledge Harry's presence in her classroom, his lack of uniform didn't seem to be enough to warrant a reaction from her and although Harry caught her watching him a few times she didn't speak to him. He didn't delude himself into thinking he could get away with anything though and over the next few weeks she never reacted to him. Perhaps she'd been warned off of getting to into Harry's face as it were by the Minister. Perhaps he didn't want Harry, who was so far neither being disgraced or praised in the papers, to be alienated from the Ministry. Granted there were still the odd stories about Harry being a plot by the Potters to attract attention but the rumours around the school were close to the truth, that Harry had run away to spare his family the pain of losing him and it seemed the Wizarding World felt pity for him and the Ministry couldn't be seen to publicly be causing him more pain. And not only were the students beginning to believe that Harry was really ill, especially with his obvious bouts of pain in most of his classes, but their points and whispers in the corridors seemed to be in Ben's favour and not at his expense.
In all though there wasn't much of an improvement, in fact as time drew on Harry and Ben started to feel like they were in the solitary ward in a prison. The Professors hardly ever even acknowledged students in the corridors, it was always quiet anywhere but in the common rooms and to make matters worse for Ben, Umbridge was personally supervising both Hagrid's and Trelawney's classes and it was clear she was drawing it out as painfully as possible until she could decided which to get rid of first. Everything except for his brothers had been taken away from Ben. He could no longer risk sending mail to his parents, Sirius or Remus or even his little sisters knowing that Hedwig could be attacked again and his mail read. He couldn't even think about using the floo system knowing that Umbridge was watching it carefully. Then there was the Quidditch situation which while Ben's lifetime ban hadn't bothered him that much last year because he'd had Harry to distract him, it was really starting to eat into him now that Harry was getting weaker every day.
Harry was having to visit Madam Pomfrey every few days because the pain in his chest was growing worse with every week that went past with the manacle on his wrist and even with the help of the Weasley twins and even a less enthusiastic Hermione and Ron they hadn't been able to so much as dent it. Harry imagined that every spell he could think of had been cast at it without any effect.
To make it all the worse Snape was still pulling Ben into detentions three times a week and baring Harry from being able to assist him. Harry had put a permanent block of his own power around the deepest part of Ben's mind, the part that held all of their personal secrets, and while they were sure Snape could sense the bit of Harry's magic within his twin he couldn't do anything about it. It burnt his mind whenever he so much as got near it. Dumbledore had told Ben personally that it was too dangerous for them to play with their core magic in such a way and that he should allow Snape to teach him in the best way that he knew. Ben had been so angry at that conversation he'd smashed the window in the fifth year boys' dorm.
And Harry wasn't all that convinced that Snape's lessons were doing Ben any good at all since almost every night Ben was waking up with nightmares, either about a long black corridor or some painful memory about Harry and his young childhood that Snape had dredged up from the depths of Ben's mind. Every time Harry found himself stuck up in the common room while Ben was at one of those sessions he found himself getting angrier and angrier at the injustice of it. Ben was his twin, his mind belonged to Ben first of all and to Harry second just as Harry's mind belonged to Harry and Ben in the same measures. Snape had no right snooping around inside of Ben's mind but without causing more trouble for them they couldn't shout out about it. As it was Harry was having to focus all day on not losing his mind to the almost constant sense of pain that haunted his every movement.
XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX
February 14th
Harry stared across the room rather morosely as he watched Ben getting changed to go to Hogsmeade for Valentine's day. Somebody had finally gotten to Ben regardless of Ben's rather one track mind but he'd only agreed to take Cho Chang into Hogsmeade on a date because she'd happened to ask when Ben, Harry and Damien had been walking through the school together. To start with Ben had denied her saying that he had to stay to look after Harry but Damien had leapt in with the assurance that he would look after his big brother.
Harry thought that Ben had only agreed because Harry had said he should. He hated the fact that Ben was once again giving up his own life for him and Ben needed to relax for the day and honestly he needed to get away from always caring for Harry at every moment.
Damien was sitting beside Harry on the bed. He'd announced last week to his friends that he wasn't going to be going into Hogsmeade for the day and when they realised it was because Harry wasn't 'permitted' they didn't mention it again. Gryffindor had gotten used to him being around and they accepted him and even sided with him in the corridors. Especially when it came to Umbridge's Inquisitorial Squad who seemed to delight in tripping Harry up in the corridors. The first time that had happened the Slytherin who had done it had been cursed so badly by Ben that he'd ended up in the Hospital Wing. Ben had then gotten a week's worth of detentions with Umbridge to add to the thrice weekly ones with Snape. The good thing was that the other Professors had realised the strain that Ben was under and although they never made it obvious they never called on him with questions they knew he might not know and even though his work was definitely slipping in class his grades remained the same. They were pulling him up and keeping him afloat academically and Harry was grateful.
"It's like he's going on a first date." Damien whispered to Harry though it was loud enough for Ben to hear. Harry laughed and that prevented Ben from retaliation.
"Ben, you're twenty minutes late already. If you don't leave now I'm going to forbid you from using me as an excuse for why." Harry warned.
Ben huffed, hugged him quickly and ran from the room, probably to avoid further teasing from his younger brothers. "So what are we going to do today? Us being the only ones remaining in the school above my year?"
"Work on your Panther." Harry announced with a grin. They'd finally gotten around to brewing the Animagus potion and Ben and Damien had both taken it. Ben had told Hermione and Ron and although Ben and Ron had argued over the fact that Ron and Hermione hadn't been given the chance they finally made up when Ben explained that it was something the three brothers really had to do together. Ben had promised Ron that when this all got better he would show them how to do it. Hermione, surprisingly, had understood Ben's desire to do this alone with his brothers straightaway and had been vital in keeping Ron and Ben from hitting one another. Damien had seen his form, a Black Panther, just like Nicolas' form and Harry's Protonus. Ben's was a Golden Eagle which had made Ben grin for weeks after finding out, just thinking about flying with Harry once they got the manacle off of him.
Damien didn't say it as he sat cross-legged on Harry's bed as Harry sat against his pillows but he knew that this choice wasn't just because Damien needed the practice but also because Harry was feeling much weaker today compared to the last few weeks and was looking sicker than he ever had when he wasn't having an attack. Harry hadn't told them but his chest was hurting so much he was having trouble not crying out in pain. He'd had to almost completely block Ben and his bond to hide it so that Ben would go on his date.
Damien was relaxing himself and focusing on learning about his form and how it linked into his own mind and body and Harry was reading Ben's advanced magic book where it talked about using magic cores to counter alien spells on the body when it happened. Harry felt numb throughout his chest and then his face went cold as the blood drained from it. His throat closed up a moment before a shooting pain shot through his upper torso and most dangerously his left arm. He gasped out and Damien snapped out of his meditation and scrambled over him looking for his vials of Aphet's potion.
"It's not my disease!" Harry gasped grabbing at a panicking Damien and holding him still in front of him with surprising strength. "Get Pomfrey!" Harry snapped knowing that that was his only hope. Damien launched himself from the room, almost hitting the wall beside the door in his haste to get out. He yelled at the top of his lungs for help on the way but Harry doubted there was anyone else left in the tower. It was a nice, snow covered, day today and any of the first and second years would be out in the grounds in the snow.
Harry knew there was no hiding this pain from Ben but he did try for a while to soften the blow he knew his twin would get but as the seconds trickled into a minute and then two minutes he couldn't prevent it and he'd be surprised if Ben could get himself back to the castle without help.
Damien slammed back into the room only half a minute after he'd left and he leapt up onto the bed with Harry begging to be told what to do. Harry just turned into him letting him hold him as his heart struggled to beat. He couldn't speak over the pain and he could feel Damien really starting to panic. He gripped Damien's hands in his own and soon realised that Damien was crying into Harry's hair in his desperation to do something useful. Harry knew that the most painful thing for him wasn't watching Harry like this but failing to be able to do anything useful.
The door slammed open again a few minutes later and Poppy Pomfrey was at his side trying to make Harry lie back on the bed. Other people rushed into the room but all Harry could see was a blurred and glittering top to his bed and Damien's chin where he was sitting against the headboard with Harry's head in his lap.
Harry drifted off about five minutes after Poppy Pomfrey had arrived and her spells had quickly lessened the pain and soothed his body and he was simply exhausted.
He wasn't sure how long he slept, all he knew was that he woken up to voices inside his room. He was too weak to move so his awakening wasn't obvious although he was in someone's arms and when they tightened slightly as he moved he knew that Ben, for that was who it was, knew he was awake though he didn't say anything.
Harry was lying on his right side, carefully propped up with pillows against his back and his left arm draped across Ben's green shirt that he'd worn out for his date. He had a blanket over him but somebody had removed his own shirt.
"What he needs right now is peace and quiet." He recognised Poppy Pomfrey's stern voice clearly reprimanding whoever had spoken loud enough to wake him.
"Lily and James have a right to be with their son, Poppy." That was Dumbledore and Harry felt Ben tense up at the words but Ben didn't argue knowing that Harry wanted peace.
"And we have a right to know what happened to him." His father's voice this time. "Is this a new stage to his illness?"
"His illness is already final stage when you compare it to any other illness. His body is weakening beyond the point where nutritional potions can help." Poppy told them rather sharply. "He was already in the final stages when I first gave him a check up during the Christmas holidays."
"So why did the illness cause such an effect?" His mother asked worriedly.
"Because you took his medication from him!" Damien's angry hiss made Harry flinch slightly and Ben instantly rubbed his back to soothe him. Ben definitely knew he was awake now.
"Now, Damien." Dumbledore tried to soothe. "There's no proof of that..."
"Actually Headmaster, there is plenty of proof." Poppy said in the same sharp tone. "Damien has it dead on. This attack isn't medically related to his illness at all. There are none of the same symptoms. This was heart failure caused by overuse of Aphet's potion. Just as I warned you would happen sooner or later."
"You assured us that he wouldn't be in danger of damage to his heart until at least April!" James gasped.
"I said that based on normal dosages!" Poppy almost shouted. "And I revised that several times when the brothers made me aware of the higher dosages he was taking. Ben has been keeping a highly detailed log of all of Harry's symptoms and what he takes for it."
"Then why didn't you make them cut down on the dosages?" James was clearly glaring at the woman.
"Harry was only taking it for the worst pain." Damien snapped angrily. "He's spent so much of the last month in pain and nobody listened to us. He knew he was taking too much so he took only what he needed to take to remain on his feet taking pain instead of the damage but he warned you this would happen and asked you, begged you, to get him his muggle medicine but we all knew you weren't even trying and look what you've done."
"Damien..." Ben tried to cut him off knowing that Harry could hear his brother's words.
"I will not calm down!" Damien shouted. "These three almost killed him because they haven't even been trying to help him. They chain him to the school and don't even check on him. Harry could have died weeks ago and I doubt they would have noticed except that we would have burned down the school to prove a point!"
"Damien! Calm down!" James ordered.
Harry shoot up in bed at the distinct sound of a fist connecting. He was petrified for a split second that James had struck his little brother but it was the other way around. Damien had broken his father's nose. "Get out." Ben hissed dangerously, his aura flickering around him and Harry. Harry shuddered and began feeling cold again. People shouldn't sit up so fast after having a round of heart failure.
"It's best that..." Dumbledore started.
Harry's magic flared up even as Ben's did and flames melded with blue light and flashed out around them, ignoring Poppy and Damien and slamming into Dumbledore, Lily and James. Lily and James, unprepared were sent flying into the wall rather painfully but Dumbledore weathered the attack in a bubble of his own magic.
"Headmaster, I insist that you leave and take his parents with you." Poppy rounded on the old man. "If you stress him any further you could kill him."
That seemed to be enough for Dumbledore, Lily and James who quickly left the rooms though Lily and James looked rather shaken. Harry went completely limp and Ben cradled him as Poppy rushed to his side with her wand out sending spells at him.
"Way to go with the right hook, bro." Harry laughed weakly, politely ignoring the fact that Damien was shaking in anger and crying at the same time. Ben wasn't in any better state but he was calming himself because it helped to calm Harry.
"I'm sorry, Mr. Potter." Poppy sighed. "The Headmaster informed your parents as soon as he heard the news and I was unable to head them off. I realised they would not aid the situation. I didn't, however, expect your brother here to by so physically violent."
"He had it coming." Damien grumbled.
"I'm also sorry to say that I can't allow you take any more doses of Aphet's potion." She sighed. "You will have to weather the attacks until I can get you your muggle medicine."
Harry frowned at her. "What did Damien mean by them not trying to help?"
"The Headmaster has several friends who are Governor's of the School and also at St. Mungo's where the medication would have been tested." She sighed. "Although St. Mungo's has cleared the medication for use, partly with a few favours I was owed, and the issue has gone before the Governors Albus has not attempted to speak to any of his friends in respect to getting it cleared. I'm sorry to say that if he had been trying you could have already had your medicine and this entire episode could have been avoided. As it is I'm going to have to move you to the Hospital Wing to monitor you more carefully until we get you your medicine and you'll be out of classes for the next week or so until you recover from this attack."
"If..." Harry sighed knowing the truth. His body was already too weak and this hadn't helped. "You know it's all backwards, right?"
"What is?" She asked.
"Nothing magical can help me even relieve the pain but the muggle doctors found something to help with the pain and symptoms." Harry explained. "What else could muggle medicine help with that the Wizarding World refuses to even consider through sheer ignorance?"
"You may be right." She nodded. "But my job isn't to answer that but to ensure that I keep you alive for as long as possible."
"Then get this ruddy thing off of me." Harry gasped out shaking his hand tiredly making the manacle rattle on his thin wrists.
"I don't see how that would help, Mr. Potter." She shook her head. "But even if I thought it would I do not have the ability to do it. Only the Headmaster can remove that."
"My body can heal itself and give me more time with my brothers but it can't do that because of the spells on this thing." Harry admitted to her. "This is rapidly hastening my death."
"I don't see..." She started.
"Why would he lie to you?" Damien asked harshly. "Can't you just listen to him? You're the only person here trying to listen to us. Don't stop now. Please, give us at least that chance."
"I will try to convince the Headmaster to remove it but we do need a way to track you in case of another attack." She pointed out.
Harry actually laughed and she frowned at him. Harry fell into Ben who laid back and cradled Harry to his chest while Damien explained why he was laughing. "We haven't left Harry alone for even a minute since the start of term."
"Get some sleep, Mr. Potter." Poppy told him. "We'll move you into the Hospital room this evening and I'll arrange with the Headmaster for either of your brothers to remain with you each night."
Harry buried his head into Ben's t-shirt and listened as she left the room. He could hear Dumbledore and his parents out on the stairs until the door shut. "How did your date go?" Harry asked sleepily.
"Ugh!" Ben groaned. "Terrible. All she wanted to know was what had happened to Cedric, that's all she was interested in. I was with Ron and Hermione in the Three Broomsticks when I felt it. We were getting Rita Skeeter to write an article in the Quibbler about everything that is happening. She's probably a bit confused by what happened to me seeing that Ron had to half carry me back to school."
"I'm sorry." Harry grumbled but didn't hear Ben telling him off for apologising because he was already drifting back off into sleep, hating himself once again for destroying Ben's life.
XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX
The next day
Harry woke up and realised quickly that he was no longer in the Gryffindor common room and was now in the Hospital Wing, alone. He sat up tiredly feeling a little better than the night before but his chest still ached but it wasn't the normal ache, at least that wasn't the major problem. The door opened just as Harry was trying to reach for a glass of water on the side table. The sound of the door slamming open made him flinch and he knocked the glass off the table and it shattered on the stone flooring. He sat back with a sigh of irritation hating feeling weak.
"Don't worry about it, Harry." Ben's voice made him look up as his big brother approached with Damien behind him and to his surprised his two sisters holding Damien's hand. Harry grinned in spite of everything, happy just to see the two girls. Ben pulled out his wand and flicked it at the floor with a muttered incantation causing the water and the glass to vanish. Ben was particularly good at transfiguration. As soon as Damien let go of Acacia and Crisanta's hands they ran over and leapt onto the bed, hugging him at the same time.
Harry laughed as he hugged them back. "You know you're big brother, Damien, used to do this when he was a little boy." Harry told them with a smirk up at Damien.
"I'd do it now but 'Cacia and Crissy beat me to it." Damien laughed. "How are you feeling?"
"Benji said you were sick." Acacia looked up at Harry with big eyes.
"I'm better today, Princess." Harry told her and kissed her on the forehead gently. With that out of the way Harry settled down to spending his Sunday morning with his siblings, playing cards and laughing together. Pomfrey came through a few times but never said anything to them, letting them have their time together and Harry was happy that she did.
XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX
Two days later
Harry walked into the Great Hall for breakfast on Tuesday having had Monday off of classes in order to recuperate after what had happened to his heart on Saturday afternoon. He was on a mild painkiller at regular intervals in the hopes that it would soothe any attack that he had but it wasn't a good idea to let it build up in his body so he could only take them for three days before letting his body flush them out for a day. They really were running out of options, just like they'd done when he was a young child. It was merely a shame that while they were fumbling around learning the same lessons all over again he was getting close to running out of time. Even if he felt his death was inevitable it didn't mean that he didn't want to postpone it for as long as possible so that he could spend every available moment with his siblings.
Ben and Damien leapt up when they saw him and Ben pulled him down onto the bench and leaned in. "You should have told me you were being released!" Ben hissed in concern.
"Why?" Harry asked. "It's not like you wouldn't be at breakfast."
"You could have collapsed on the way down or something." Ben argued.
"I would have got a portrait to get me help." Harry's logic stumped Ben for a moment before he recovered.
"You still should have told me. What's the point in me worrying if you don't let me follow you around like a big brother should?" Ben complained making Hermione laugh from across the table.
"What's the first lesson?" Harry asked to distract him.
Ben rolled his eyes. "Care of Magical Creatures."
"Cool, I could do with some fresh air." Harry grinned and made to stand up.
"You haven't eaten anything!" Ben complained as he too came to his feet.
"I had an apple in the Hospital Wing." Harry corrected. "Madam Pomfrey made me before she let me leave."
"Are you sure you should be out in the cold?" Damien asked as he got up as well. Ron and Hermione silently moved to follow them out into the entrance hall.
"I'll ask Hagrid to do something warm, how about that?" Harry asked his little brother.
"If it weren't for the fact that Ben is just as protective as I am I wouldn't let you go out there." Damien told him simply before hugging him and heading up the staircase for his first class of the day.
XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX
Later
Care of Magical Creatures was a little on the boring side especially since Umbridge was lurking in the background distracting Hagrid on purpose so that he had even greater trouble concentrating on his class. As soon as Harry and Ben had arrived and Ben had asked if there was anything Hagrid could do to make the class warmer for Harry, Hagrid had beamed at being asked for help and Harry had spent the class wrapped up in a massive fur blanket with Fang lying at his side, though Fang's attention was probably more because Fang adored him.
Umbridge had almost gotten an opportunity to give Ben a detention when she'd said that a cold class like this was no place for a dying child. Ben had gotten so angry at her lack of respect for Harry's condition and was furious for many reasons, chief among them the fact that she blamed Hagrid for allowing Harry to be out in the cold. It had taken Harry ten minutes after the class to assure Hagrid that even if Hagrid had thought to tell Harry to return to the castle, Harry wouldn't have gone anywhere.
They were on their way out of the castle for some peace and quiet at lunch when they ran into a massive crowd of students gathering in the entrance hall. Ben pulled Harry into his front as a couple of Hufflepuffs rushed by to watch the spectacle. Ben swore at them as they almost knocked Harry over which only made Harry laugh.
In the middle of the entrance hall was Professor Trelawney surrounded in bags of rubbish. She was crying and wringing her hands as she faced a very smug looking Professor Umbridge. "What a bitch!" Ben hissed.
"We knew this was going to happen, Benji." Harry replied sadly. "She'll slowly find a reason to kick out every Professor that doesn't agree with her ways."
"And then she'll turn to the students." Ben grumbled. "If she so much as looks at you wrong I'll kill her."
"Don't be stupid, Ben." Harry nudged him even as he leaned back into him for support.
"I mean it, Harry. I won't let her hurt you." Ben promised. "It's bad enough I can't stop Dumbledore doing it. I won't let her do it too."
"This bracelet isn't your fault, Ben." Harry told him quietly but was cut off from proving it somehow when the crowd parted and Dumbledore appeared.
"Professor McGonagall?" Dumbledore requested even as the woman tried to comfort Trelawney. "If you could kindly escort Professor Trelawney back to her rooms?"
"Now see here, Headmaster, under Education Decree Number..." Umbridge started.
"You may dismiss any Professor." Dumbledore told her sharply. "That does not, however, permit you to evict them from the castle. That still remains with the Headmaster."
"We'll see." Umbridge hissed and shoved her way through the crowd trying vainly to ignore the jeers from most of the students. Before Ben could manoeuvre Harry back through the crowd something hard hit Harry in the side taking them both by surprise. Harry went tumbling across the ground, hitting his head on the hard stone floor.
"Malfoy, you little prick!" Ben shouted even as the crowd split apart seeing the anger almost rising off of Ben as he faced off with Malfoy. Harry pushed himself to his knees.
"What can I say?" Malfoy waved a hand dismissively. "He was in my way. Shouldn't be too long until that's no longer a problem."
Ben raised his wand but Malfoy was faster and his spell streaked across at Ben. Ben couldn't react fast enough but Harry was furious at the way that Malfoy had goaded Ben about Harry's imminent death and his magic struck out. It flickered around both Harry and appeared around Ben as if it was his own before it ebbed and struck out from Ben like a ball of flames, hitting Malfoy square in the chest and sending him flying back into this friends.
"Mr. Potter." A voice sneered and suddenly Ben and Harry realised that Umbridge had remained in the area to see what the commotion was about. Dumbledore stood with a frown on his face with Flitwick at his side. "Attacking a student? Tut tut." She shook her head at Ben like he was a little child that had done something stupid.
"Every student here heard what Malfoy said, Professor." Ben growled.
"And I heard no such thing." Umbridge smirked. "You attacked without provocation."
"If you'd been here when it happened you would have realised that it was me that did it, not Ben." Harry hissed as he tried to stand but ended up having to prop himself up on an arm as he fell back to his knees.
"A boy as weak as you are?" Umbridge sneered. "As honourable as I'm sure you think it is, Mr. Potter. You need not attempt to defend your rogue of a brother."
"I don't attempt to defend him. I do defend him." Harry sneered as he rose to his feet, touching his head as he felt something trickling there to go with the pain. He pulled his hand away to find blood there.
"Let's hope he's not contagious." Malfoy mocked.
"Mr. Malfoy, please do not tease Mr. Potter." Umbridge said with a smile on her face.
"Of course, Professor." Malfoy bowed.
"Now I don't see any reason to continue this petty argument." Umbridge leered at Ben and Harry. "Perhaps in the future you will control your temper Mr. Potter." She told Ben directly.
"And perhaps next time I won't blunt the attack." Harry sneered at Umbridge. "What would you tell his father then? People will only take your crap for..."
"Mr. Potter." Dumbledore's voice cut in.
"Insulting a Professor, Mr. Potter?"
"You're no Prof..." Harry started but Dumbledore's hand rested on his shoulder.
"Mr. Potter is clearly in need of a trip to the Hospital Wing." Dumbledore told Umbridge. "Professor Flitwick will escort him and talk to him about his need for respect to a Professor. I see no reason to continue this in the middle of the hallway. Benjamin, go with your brother."
Dumbledore flinched and withdrew his hand when he felt it burn and Harry glared at him before turning towards the crowd, his shoulder was burning with his aura and it had singed Dumbledore quite easily. Ben was at his shoulder in a second, supporting him.
"One last thing, Mr. Potter. Harry." Umbridge sneered the last word. "We can't put up with such lack of respect. You'll serve detention with me every night for the rest of this week."
"Fuck off." Harry hissed under his breath and although half the students around him heard, she didn't. He ignored her as he walked off behind Flitwick with Ben's help and they were barely up the first flight of stairs when his vision began to blur after he'd hit his head on the floor. Ben caught him as he sagged and Harry blearily sat through Madam Pomfrey's care as she healed the bump on his head muttering about children.
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The next evening
Harry stumbled through the Gryffindor common room door at eleven at night holding a handkerchief over the back of his left hand cursing under his breath and didn't notice that both Ben and Damien had been waiting up for them until they both leapt up from the sofa. They'd clearly been doing homework and Harry took in that Ben had a couple of pieces of Harry's homework there too. Only Charms and Transfiguration since only those and Potions were of any interest to Harry. There was no point them reading through Harry's Potions work like they were with Charms and Transfiguration since Harry never got anything wrong in Potions.
Harry knew there was no point hiding his hand from view since the blood had already worked its way through the handkerchief and Ben grabbed it even before Harry could say hello to the two of them. He knew that Ben and Damien had known it was going to happen but not quite so bad.
"How did it get this bad?" Ben gritted his teeth as he gently took Harry's wrist and lifted the bloodied cloth away from the back of his hand, exposing the leaking slits on the back of his wrist. Shaky writing, Harry's handwriting. The effect of Umbridge's blood-quill.
"It was only twenty lines." Harry told him. "It stopped healing after the fifteenth." He winced as he admitted that.
"Why did it stop healing so soon?" Damien frowned. "Yours still heals, right Ben."
"Blood-quills use the person's strength to heal the wound, thus it tires you out." Harry sighed.
"This is going to keep bleeding." Damien told them inspecting the wound. "It's too deep."
"We'll bandage it." Harry announced, wanting to get his head down and sleep. He was exhausted. "If it's still bleeding tomorrow I'll call Fawkes. He should be able to heal it."
"Why not go to Madam Pomfrey?" Damien asked.
Harry just shrugged. "You don't think I spend enough time there already, little brother?" He asked before ruffling Damien's hair with his right hand. Damien hugged him and when Harry made to start towards the stairs Damien put an arm around his waist, helping him walk without needing to be asked.
XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX
The next morning
Harry walked along slowly beside his twin brother, tentatively touching the back of his bandage. He had a free period first thing and Ben was taking him up to the Headmaster's office to ask Fawkes to heal the cuts or else that night he'd only be imprinting it deeper and deeper into the back of his hand. Ben gave the Gargoyle the password and they slowly walked up yet another flight of stairs and knocked on the Headmaster's door getting permission to enter quickly.
The Headmaster was sitting behind his desk rubbing at his nose but he smiled when he saw Ben and then frowned at the sight of Harry's bandage. "My boys, what brings you up here?"
"A lot of stairs brought us up here." Harry grumbled sarcastically letting Ben guide him down into one of the chairs. Fawkes trilled mournfully and glided across the office and settled down on Harry's lap. Harry quickly started to stroke him with his bandaged hand.
"You don't seem so angry today, Harry." Dumbledore pointed out.
"My anger at you is still exactly the same unless you want to remove this little trinket." Harry sneered. "I'm exhausted."
"He's too tired to heal from the blood-quill that you let Umbridge use." Ben almost growled at Dumbledore.
"I have petitioned to the governors against the use of that Quill, boys." Dumbledore sighed. "Unfortunately it is deemed a temporary punishment and it will be time before I can convince them to see my side of it. Unfortunately she is careful not to use it against the family members of the governors or ministry officials."
"That doesn't help Harry." Ben narrowed his eyes at Dumbledore. "He's got detentions all week with her and just one night and twenty lines has left his hand bleeding all night."
"Let me have a look." Dumbledore offered reaching out a hand. Harry didn't offer his hand in return but merely unwrapped the bandage and showed him the writing etched on the back. "How many lines did you do before it stopped healing, Harry?"
"Fifteen." Harry grunted. "I don't have the energy to heal it anymore." Harry leaned sideways in his chair. "I'm tired, Headmaster. I can barely find the energy to be angry at you anymore."
"I appreciate that, Harry." Dumbledore sighed. "But there is little I can do. There is a potion that can be brewed that may boost your body enough to heal but you have to understand that the blood-quill was designed by Salazar Slytherin especially to be used as punishment."
"I know all of that." Harry said. "Nick told me. I can brew the cure from memory but I don't think the school has the necessary ingredients."
"Then why come to me?" Dumbledore asked.
"I didn't." Harry turned to Fawkes. "I came to Fawkes."
Fawkes trilled and lowered his head to eye the cuts before he tilted his head and let a single drop fall against his skin. Harry gasped as a peculiar sensation ran all the way through his body healing the cuts on the back of his hand and soothing the pain in his chest. He felt energy filling him and almost felt as if he'd spent time as Eridanus. He could tell though that it was already beginning to wear off by the time Fawkes pulled his head back. Fawkes couldn't heal him long term but he'd already known that.
"What will you do tomorrow?" Dumbledore asked.
"Take this off of me and I can leave." Harry offered.
"I can't do that, Harry." Dumbledore. "For you own safety we must know where you at all times. What would happen if you were to collapse unexpectedly."
"I managed for quite some time." Harry told him with a glare inspired by his temporary strength. "I'm not going to beg you, Dumbledore. I want you to take this off or you're going to be directly responsible for my death."
"How so, Harry?" Dumbledore asked.
"Can't you just trust him?" Ben snapped.
"There is someone I can go to who can help me." Harry lied.
"How does he do this?" Dumbledore asked intrigued.
"I can't tell you that. I promised him I wouldn't." Harry lied again.
"A promise that may be the death of you, Harry." Dumbledore pointed out.
"If you keep me restrained against my will it will be you that kills me, Dumbledore." Harry pointed out. "Something I'll be sure to make sure the world knows about before I die."
Harry stroked Fawkes putting his head down as Fawkes turned to look at him. Fawkes rubbed his cheek against Harry's and Harry couldn't help but let his head be buried against Fawkes' feathers. Fawkes turned to look at Dumbledore who frowned as he looked back and something told Harry that Fawkes and Dumbledore were speaking together telepathically.
"I'm sorry, my boy." Dumbledore shook his head. "But even if I wished to remove it, I am under direct orders from the Minister of Magic to leave it on. He does not think that a child who has carelessly run away once before at his own risk can be trusted to stay at Hogwarts."
"He didn't run away for that!" Ben leapt to his feet, leaning over the desk at Dumbledore. "He ran away to spare me the pain of watching him die! And if you have your way I'll still have to witness it and so will Damy, Cacia and Crissy and no matter what you say we'll hate you and our parents for it for the rest of our lives. If you can live with killing Harry then I hope you can live with us hating you until you die."
"Ben." Harry whispered and Ben looked at him. Harry shook his head. Fawkes glided off of his lap so that Harry could stand up.
"Dumbledore." Ben warned. "While Harry wears that bracelet, or any form of replacement, I won't help you with this war. I won't learn Occlumency from Snape or magic from any of you. If Harry dies than I leave Hogwarts as soon as I'm seventeen and you'll never see me again and there's nothing you can do to stop that. If Harry isn't there to fight by my side then you'll fight Voldemort on your own."
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End Chapter