Please note that Remus' illness doesn't have a name. I couldn't think of anything specific and my research turned up nothing. All that is really important is that it's a complication due to his lycanthropy.
This is my first work of Harry Potter fan-fiction so please forgive any mistakes or out of character behaviours.
Thank you so much for reading.
I'm sorry for any mistakes.
Bitten
"I know you're scared, Remus. It's okay to be scared. But you're going to be fine." Sirius surged forwards and squeezed Remus' hand tightly as the other man stared up at him from his place on the stretcher. There were medi-witches and –wizards all around him, running diagnostic spells and trying all sorts of potions and treatments to try and help relieve him of his worrying symptoms.
Remus had come down days earlier with Merlin-only-knows-what. He'd come home from a mission Dumbledore had sent him on, fallen into a deep sleep on the sofa and was woken only when he begun violently vomiting. He had agonising stomach pain, a nauseating headache, and was finding it extremely difficult to stay awake.
Sirius, Harry, and Hermione had been trying to treat him at home. Until pain relieving potions, calming draughts and anti-nausea potions stopped working. Hermione got in touch with Professor Dumbledore and Madam Pomfrey as Sirius and Harry attempted to comfort Remus and make him as comfortable as possible.
Madam Pomfrey had travelled in by floo, taken one look at Remus and demanded that Hermione make an emergency floo-call to St Mungo's. They could be counted on to keep Sirius' presence a secret, Madam Pomfrey would make certain of it. She had explained, as Sirius attempted to soothe Remus, that Remus' lycanthropy was causing complications. This was well beyond her ability.
Remus needed high level medical care, and he needed it now.
She had no doubt that without specialist care, Remus wouldn't survive.
"I have to stay here, Remus, but Hermione's going to come with you, okay? You're not going to be alone."
Hermione had been the best choice. She was young, yes. But she was very mature and could be relied on to keep Remus company, keep them up to date and keep herself sane in the process.
Sirius allowed Hermione to squash her way between them and relinquished Remus' hand to her.
"Hermione will keep you company and make sure they're taking good care of you. She'll keep us updated, okay? Oh, Remus, no," Sirius stepped forwards and then embraced him – awkwardly thanks to the stretcher – "don't cry. Listen," He broke the embrace and took Remus' face between his hands using the pads of his thumbs to try and wipe away his friend's tears. In the rush of the moment, he only really succeeded in spreading the tears across his friend's cheeks. "Listen to me, Remus. The sooner you go, the sooner you'll be on the mend and can come home. Let them help you."
Giving Remus' arm another reassuring squeeze, Sirius stepped back and nodded towards the medi-witches and –wizards to take his friend to St Mungo's.
"I promise I'll keep you updated." Hermione called as she rushed alongside the healers, Remus' hand still held in her own.
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Hours passed following Remus' admittance to St Mungo's hospital and Sirius had finally fallen into bed, his own stomach turning uncomfortably, wanting to rebel the food he had forced into it in an attempt to reassure Harry. But Sirius was worried. He had known for a long time that Remus was at risk of severe illness. Lycanthropy was one hell of an illness. After all, Remus' werewolfry was the result of a lycanthropy infection.
Not for the first time, Sirius cursed Fenrir Greyback.
He had promised Remus that he wouldn't go after the werewolf who had made his friend's life a living hell but every so often he questioned his own promise.
"Remus is going to be okay?" Sirius blinked in the darkness, turning his head towards where the voice had come from. Sirius had left his bedroom door slightly ajar. Harry had been rather subdued following Remus being taken to the hospital, and Sirius wanted to make sure he knew he was welcome to come to him if he needed anything. Sitting himself up, Sirius reached over to flick on the touch lamp Hermione had provided him with.
As expected, Harry was standing in the gap of the door. Sirius beckoned him in with a wave of the hand and gestured towards his bed. Harry took a seat beside him and Sirius looped an arm around his shoulders.
"Remus is very sick, Harry." Sirius explained. "But St Mungo's is the best place for him right now."
A moment of silence passed. "You don't know."
"No, Harry," Sirius admitted. "I can't say for certain. But I choose to believe that the healers will fix him up and he'll be back with us soon." Sirius used his thumb to rub gentle circles on Harry's shoulder. "Hermione will be coming home at some point tomorrow," They'd received a letter delivered by owl after dinner that evening. It was brief.
S+H,
R is being cared for. He's still very sick. I'll tell you more when I return tomorrow for a change of clothes.
HG.
"When she goes back, you're more than welcome to go with her and see him. I'm sure he'll appreciate seeing you."
Harry shrugged. Sirius knew he was trying to appear nonchalant, but he could see in the dull light that Harry's hands were shaking.
"Lie down." Sirius ordered gently and waited until they were both comfortably beneath the duvet of Sirius' double bed before he reached over to his lamp and, with a tap, plunged them back into darkness. "I know you're worried, Harry. I am, too. But we need to keep ourselves healthy for Remus' sake. It's time to try and sleep."
Closing his eyes, Sirius wrapped an arm around Harry, who had only recently started being comfortable with prolonged physical contact, and allowed him to rest his head on his shoulder.
Slowly, the pair fell into an uneasy sleep.
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"How is he?!"
Sirius gently reprimanded Harry, telling him to give the exhausted looking Hermione a moment to breathe before bombarding her with questions. Truth be told, however, Sirius was just as anxious to know how his friend was doing. After providing Hermione with a cup of tea and a couple of biscuits, Sirius couldn't help but ask about Remus, too.
"He's still very sick." Hermione began and Sirius felt his heart drop into his stomach. For some reason he had been hoping for better news. "But the healers are confident he's going to make a full recovery." Draining her cup, Hermione stood. "I'm sorry, I need to go back. I promised I'd be back before they wake him for his next round of potions."
"Take some food, Hermione," Sirius ordered, standing up and wrapping up some of the finger foods from the dining table in a napkin. Sirius didn't feel like cooking, and Harry didn't feel much like eating so Sirius had provided something along the lines of a buffet. The dining table was covered in dishes of snack foods. "Share it with Remus if he's up to eating."
"Of course." Hermione took a moment to embrace Sirius, promising that she'd keep them updated and would let them know if anything important happened. No news is good news, as the Muggles say. "Do you want to come and see him, Harry? I'm sure he'd be happy to see you."
Sirius wasn't surprised when Harry shook his head.
"I'll send your love on, shall I?" At Harry's nod, Hermione smiled. "Don't worry, Harry. He's in good hands."
Hermione stepped into the fireplace, throwing a handful of floo-powder and stating St Mungo's as her destination.
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"He's doing very well,"
Hermione nodded. She squeezed Remus' hand reassuringly as the medi-witch fed Remus his most recent doses of medicine. She fought back a yawn as she comforted the man. Her eyes were stinging with tiredness. Her neck and her back were sore from attempting to sleep on the uncomfortable hospital chair. But compared to what Remus was going through…
"He is still very sick." Again, Hermione nodded.
"So he still has a while before he can go home." It wasn't a question, but the medi-witch answered anyway. "Can I bring him something from home? Something to comfort him while he's here, perhaps?"
The medi-witch thought for a moment and Hermione could almost see the cogs turning. Remus was sick, but he had no open wounds, no cause for concern of contamination.
"I don't see why not."
"Thank you so much."
Hermione stood as the medi-witch took her leave. She reached out to gently comb her fingers through Remus' hair. It was a habit she'd picked up while she'd been here with him. Remus was always distressed when he was woken up. He spent most of his time sleeping. It was the only time he wasn't in conscious pain.
Hermione had been concerned by the amount of time that Remus slept but had been reassured that it was normal. Remus' body was working while he slept and it was slowly fixing itself. He was getting better.
Hermione met Remus' watery gaze.
"You're okay, Remus. I know you're tired. Go back to sleep."
Remus held her gaze for a moment and then he did as he was told and allowed his heavy lidded eyes to close.
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"He's getting better." Hermione informed them as she slipped through the floo and into the living room of Number 12 Grimmauld Place where Harry and Sirius were sat waiting. "He's still very poorly, but he's getting better. He sent me back here to shower, eat and sleep. I promised him I'd bring him a blanket."
Sirius' look of confusion amused her for a moment.
"He wants to come home, but they want him to stay a little longer. I'm hoping a blanket will comfort him some."
Hermione dropped into a seat at the kitchen table, holding her head in her hand for a moment, attempting to blink away the almost overwhelming tiredness she was feeling. She only looked up when a plate of food was placed in front of her. Sausages, mashed potato, and garden peas. For a moment she did nothing but inhale the scent of the delicious smelling food and then she picked up her fork and tucked in. After a hot-enough-to-boil-her-skin shower, Hermione all but fell into her bed and slept soundly until the next morning.
When she woke, she shovelled down a rushed breakfast cooked by Harry, threw her arms around Sirius and, after inviting Harry along – he refused – she floo-travelled back to Remus' hospital room. As expected, Remus was still sleeping when Hermione arrived and so she gently draped his blanket over him and settled herself down into the hospital chair beside his bed, opening up her textbook.
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"How long before I can go home?"
Hermione's attention was pulled away from her reading book at Remus' rough rasp. She marked her page and clumsily put the book onto her seat as she rose to greet him. "H'mione?"
"I'm not sure, Remus." Hermione admitted. "You're making good progress but you're still very poorly. I imagine they'll want you to stay here a while longer."
As per her habit, Hermione absently combed her fingers through his hair. It needed washing, but she wouldn't say that to him. It was the last thing he needed to worry about right now.
"I have to get out of here before the full moon," Remus grunted, closing his eyes in response to the contact.
"You're in here because of your lycanthropy, Remus. I'm certain they'll have preparations in place. You've no reason to worry."
There was a silence and for a moment, Hermione thought that Remus had gone back to sleep. Then he spoke again.
"How are they, Hermione? Sirius and Harry?"
"They're worried." Hermione answered honestly. She took her hand from Remus' hair and perched on the edge of Remus' mattress, careful not to jostle him. "Sirius is taking good care of Harry. He's making sure he does his homework, and making him eat healthily. Relatively healthily." Hermione amended at Remus' slightly raised eyebrow. "They're managing." She promised. "But they're missing you. So focus on getting better."
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The next time Hermione stumbled out of the fireplace at Number 12 Grimmauld Place, Sirius was ecstatic to hear that Remus wanted a book or two from his bedroom. Sirius took it as a very positive sign. If Remus was feeling well enough to read, if he was able to stay awake long enough to do so, then he was most certainly on the mend.
Sirius' joy only grew stronger when Hermione told him that Remus had been asking about them.
"Go with her, Harry,"
Harry's attention was torn away from the potions textbook he was reading. Sirius saw an expression flash across Harry's face as he looked up at him from his position on the floor but he couldn't quite place it. He thought that visiting Remus in the hospital would do Harry some good, to see him getting better, getting back to his old self.
He knew that Harry wasn't exactly jumping for joy at the idea, but he really did think it was a good idea. Hermione was sleeping soundly upstairs. Sirius knew he had a few hours to try and talk Harry into joining her when she went back to the hospital.
"Go with her to see Remus. You can come back here as soon as visiting hours are over. I think it'll be nice for both you and Remus to spend some time together."
Harry didn't respond and Sirius continued attempting to prompt him, only giving up when he realised that he wasn't getting anywhere. Harry's mind had been made up, and there was no way he was changing it.
Sirius heart felt heavy when Harry excused himself and disappeared upstairs. Sirius didn't see him again before Hermione left for the hospital, Muggle novels from Remus' bedroom in her hands. It wasn't until later that evening when Harry, dressed in his worn bed clothes, came downstairs to say goodnight.
Sirius felt immensely guilty when he realised that Harry was clearly anxious.
He patted the seat beside him, inviting Harry to sit.
"I'm not upset with you, Harry." He promised once the teenager was seated beside him. "If you're not comfortable visiting Remus, no-one is going to force you."
He expected Harry to relax a little, but his stiff posture remained and he was silent. It took a moment for Sirius to realise that the boy was crying. The second he registered the tears, he embraced the teenager, holding him close.
"Harry," Sirius pulled back from the embrace and rested his hands on Harry's shoulders, holding him at arms length so he could take a good look at him. "What is it? Why are you crying?"
Harry didn't reply, so Sirius decided to give him a moment to gather himself. He allowed Harry to flop against him, his arms wrapping tightly around Sirius' waist. Slowly, Sirius rocked back and forth, making soothing sounds until Harry began to settle himself down.
"I miss Remus." Harry spoke finally. His voice was muffled slightly since his face was pressed again Sirius' jacket, but Sirius heard him regardless. "I want to see him. But I don't. What if… what if he's not… Remus?"
"You're scared of what you're going to find." Sirius surmised. "He's getting better, Harry. It's taking it's time but he is getting better. He's asking for books. He's having conversations with Hermione. He's getting better."
Harry reached up to wipe his eyes beneath his glasses.
Sirius continued to hold Harry, not letting go until Harry excused himself to go to bed.
Harry said he was tired, but Sirius wasn't entirely convinced.
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"How was it?" Hermione asked, taking the glass of water from Remus and setting on the bedside table. She didn't need to elaborate; she knew that Remus knew she was referring to his first full moon in the hospital. It had been playing on Remus' mind for a while, a great source of anxiety for the poor man. But, despite being off-colour, he didn't appear to be any worse for wear. His recovery didn't appear to have been interrupted.
"Better than expected." Remus, who was always tired around the full moon, seemed to be in much higher spirits than he had been leading up to his change. "They kept me topped up on Wolfsbane and very effective pain relief. I just curled up in the corner," He gestured towards a small carpeted area near the radiator. Hermione hadn't noticed it until then, focused entirely on Remus.
"How do you feel today?"
"Better."
"I'm glad to hear that." Hermione placed her hand on Remus' arm, squeezing gently. "You're on the mend. I don't suppose you'll be in here much longer. Are you looking forward to going home?"
Remus nodded. "I'm looking forward to sleeping in my own bed. And eating something other than hospital food."
"You're worried, though." It wasn't a question.
Remus let out a slow breath, nodding his head.
"You'll be fine, Remus. You're going to have follow-up appointments and medicine to take home. Are you concerned you'll get ill again?"
Hermione saw Remus' eyes fill with tears.
"I was so scared," Remus admitted, his eyes flickering to the side, attempting to avoid her gaze as he tried to contain his tears. "I thought I was going to die."
"But you're okay now, Remus." Hermione kept her tone gentle, but made certain that Remus understood she wasn't simply trying to placate him. "The medicine is doing its job. You're going to be just fine. You don't need to be scared."
Hermione gently embraced Remus, allowing her old teacher to cry into her shoulder. She knew it had been brewing. She was surprised he'd managed to hold out for so long.
She just held him, rubbing soothing circles on his back. She knew better than to try and calm him. He needed to cry. She could only hope that shedding some pent up emotion would help ease his anxiety about returning to Number 12 Grimmauld Place.
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"Go back to Padfoot's, Hermione."
This had become a daily conversation. Remus was getting restless, and he was feeling guilty that Hermione had been by his bedside for the majority of her school holiday. But Hermione was adamant. She had promised him that she'd stay by his side until he was well enough to leave and she had no intentions of breaking that promise.
"I'll be leaving in a few days. You should go and settle back down with Harry. Focus on doing your homework…"
"I've completed all my assignments."
Remus shot her a disbelieving look and Hermione just smiled in response.
"You spent a lot of time sleeping, Remus. I used the time to my advantage."
"You should go and spend some time with Harry. Make sure Padfoot hasn't corrupted him."
Hermione knew that Harry was far from corrupted. Harry had been using his time with Sirius to focus on getting his homework done. He'd needed something to occupy his mind. Otherwise he found himself falling down rabbit holes filled with anxiety about Remus' condition.
Hermione had learned from Sirius that Harry had finally confided in him. Her friend had been concerned that Remus was heading in the same direction as his parents. He had been too scared to see him because he thought Remus might just croak there and then. That had been a very rough night.
"I promised I'd stay, Remus." Hermione answered. "I'm staying until you're well enough to leave."
Remus didn't argue. Hermione knew it wasn't over though. She knew that this wasn't the last time she'd hear those words before Remus was released.
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"He's coming home?"
Hermione answered Harry's question with a nod. She knew Harry had overheard her conversation with Sirius.
"When?"
"He'll be back some time in the next few days. Listen, Harry," Hermione took her friend over to the nearby sofa, taking a seat beside him and turning herself slightly so she was facing him. "Remus is a lot better than he was when the healers took him to St Mungo's, but he's still very unwell. He's going to need a lot of rest and he's going to have a lot of medicine. But he's told me he's looking forward to seeing you."
Hermione looked towards the direction of Remus' bedroom. Sirius had situated him on the lowest floor so that he wouldn't have far to walk when he was in pain following the full moon. But that was still up a staircase and Hermione knew that he would find walking up the stairs exhausting. Unfortunately he was too weak to apparate.
"Why don't you help me sort his room out for him? He's going to need fresh bedding and…" Hermione trailed off. She was going to suggest tidying Remus' bedroom up so he wouldn't have to worry about it, but she couldn't help but notice the expression on Harry's face.
He looked grief stricken.
"He is better, Harry." Hermione promised. "He's just not completely well, yet. He needs a little more time to fully recover. Come on," She reached out and tapped Harry's knee before standing and heading in the direction of the stairs. "Give me a hand to prepare Remus' bedroom."
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Remus held his head for a moment as it swam uncomfortably. He worried that he was going to vomit, but his head and his stomach settled and he allowed Hermione to help him over to the sofa which Remus noticed had been moved so it was closer to the fireplace.
He couldn't help but smile at Harry when he saw him standing by the small cocoon that had been made on the sofa, holding an extra blanket.
Remus had just managed to sit on the sofa when he found himself engulfed in Harry's tight embrace.
He hugged the boy back, knowing that Harry needed this. Hermione had spoken to him about Harry's fears.
"It's okay, Harry," Remus soothed. He noticed out of the corner of his eye that Sirius and Hermione had left the room to give them some privacy. "I'm okay."
"I missed you."
"I missed you, too. You and Sirius. But Hermione's been keeping me updated on everything. I hear Sirius has had you studying."
He felt Harry nod against his chest. "All my work is done. The rest of the holiday is mine."
"That's fantastic." Remus congratulated him. He tried, and failed, to stifle a yawn. "If you'd like, I'll read through it. Tomorrow, though. I'm very tired."
Remus bit back a smile as Harry sprang into action, ordering him to lie down and waiting until he did as he was told to cover him with the blanket. After Harry tucked him in, Remus fell asleep almost immediately.
Sirius found Harry later that day, fast asleep on the floor in front of the sofa, cuddling Remus' cardigan.
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It took some time, and there were a few setbacks, but Remus finally made a full recovery.
Harry knew Remus was back to his usual self the moment he reprimanded Sirius for calling Professor Snape 'Snivellus' following a meeting with the Order.
So, the ending is rather lame. Sorry about that.
Thank you for reading if you made it to the end. I know this story was rather long, but the sections weren't long enough to make each one a separate chapter.
Also, I know that Sirius should have made more of an appearance in Remus' return, but I felt I needed to focus more on Harry.
Please review and let me know what you think.
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