"Do you need any help?"
Harry turned, leaning heavily on his crutch. Two identical ginger boys stood before him, both looking to be two or three years older than him. "Yes, please." Harry replied, giving the older boys a shy smile.
Harry followed the twins as they lifted his trunk, and Hedwig, onto the Hogwarts Express and into the closest compartment. Harry thanked the twins as they left to say 'goodbye' to their parents before sitting down by the window and looking around the compartment, feeling immensely thankful that his wheelchair was waiting for him at Hogwarts. He wouldn't have managed to get the wheelchair onto the train.
Harry stared out the window and watched at the redheaded boys reached their family again - all of whom had vivid ginger hair. A ghost of a smile appeared on Harry's face as he watched the children be fussed over by their mother - his heart warmed to see such love.
The train sounded its horn and the volume of the station rose to a crescendo as farewells were shouted across the station. Soon, all of the students were on the train and the station disappeared from sight. Harry sighed and leaned his head on the window, hoping that he'd make friends in his new school.
A knock came from the compartment door. Harry turned, and saw a ginger boy stood on the other side of the door. Harry gestured for him to enter the compartment.
"Can I join you?" The boy asked. Harry nodded upon recognising the boy as part of the same family as the identical twins were. "I'm Ron, Ron Weasley."
"Harry, Harry Potter." Harry replied, smiling at the kindly boy.
However, Harry felt his fondness for the boy vanish as Ron's eyes popped open in surprise. He'd only found out about his fame just over a month ago but already he'd come to despise it. His fame, along with his disability, really gave people something to stare at.
"You're Harry Potter?" Ron asked in awe. "Do you remember what He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named looks like?"
Harry shook his head. "I don't remember anything really.
"Oh." Ron looked at Harry's crutch. "What's wrong with your leg?"
Harry felt affronted but reminded himself that he was going to school with this boy - Ron should probably be told about his disability. "I have Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome." Harry replied. "In your body you have collagen that is basically the glue that holds you together. Mine is faulty so it means that I'm too flexible and bendy - my joints dislocate a lot and I have a lot of stomach problems and heart problems." Harry had rehearsed this speech ready for Hogwarts - he knew that he'd be explaining it frequently when he first started.
Ron winced. "I dislocated my shoulder last year, I can't imagine that happening all the time. Does it hurt?"
"Yeah, loads. I talked to Hagrid about it and he said to go see Madam Pomfrey after the feast."
Eventually the train reached Hogwarts. Ron had told Harry all about his family on the train and hadn't even been annoyed when Harry had fallen asleep while he had been talking - he said when he'd hurt his shoulder he slept a lot too.
Harry had grabbed his other crutch before getting off the train. His pain levels had soured during the journey to such an extent that he felt as though he was being stabbed and his legs were twitching because of the pain.
"Are you okay? Do you need me to get help?" Ron asked.
Harry hesitated for a moment, but quickly shook his head, determined to do what all the other first years would be doing.
To Harry's utter dismay, they walked down an uneven path to some boats. By this point his legs were visibly shaking, as were his arms.
"Ev'ryone into a boa'. 'Arry wit' me." Hagrid ordered.
Harry swung himself over to Hagrid and let Hagrid help him into the boat. Soon the flock of boats set off and Hogwarts became visible. Lights shone out of every window, making the castle glow against the dusk sky. Harry gasped at the beauty.
"Profess'r McGonnagal'll be waitin' wit' yer chair."
"Thank you." Harry replied. "I'm in a lot of pain. Does everyone know about my condition?"
"All o' the teachers do." Hagrid responded. "Jus' incase anythin' happened to yer." Hagrid ruffled Harry's hair. "Duck!" Hagrid yelled to all of the first years.
Harry ducked and soon found himself to be in a dock of sorts. The boats lined up against a stone path and they all scrambled out. Hagrid led the group up some steps, after putting Harry in Ron and Hermione's care (he'd briefly met Hermione on the train where she'd promised to research Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome upon realising she knew nothing about it).
Hagrid knocked several times on a heavy open door, which was thrust open by a stern looking woman. The first years were ushered up the rest of the chairs and into a large chamber. By this point Harry was certain his legs were going to give out or he was going to faint. His heart was pounding and he felt dizzy.
"I need my chair, now."
Hermione pushed to the front of the crowd of students and spoke to Professor McGonnagal quietly. Before Harry could fully process what was happening, he was sat in his chair and McGonagall was asking him if he needed to see Madam Pomfrey.
"I'm fine, honestly." Harry reassured.
"Hm. Well I will make sure she sees you afterwards." The professor then left to stand at the front of the crowd of students.
After the ghosts payed the group a visit, and a stern speech from Professor McGonnagal, they were lead into the Great Hall.
Harry had never seen anything so wondrous as the enchanted ceiling, it captivated Harry so much that he almost drove his chair into one of the tables. Harry righted himself and forced himself to look where he was going until the group stopped.
Professor McGonagall strode to the front of the hall and picked an old hat off of the stool at the front of the hall and a scroll. She cleared her throat.
"Hannah Abbot!"
"Harry Potter!"
Harry gulped and moved his chair forwards using the joystick. When he approached the steps that lead to the stool turned into a ramp. He rolled up the ramp and stopped next to the stool. The hat was placed on his head and slipped over his eyes.
"Harry Potter, eh." The hat crooned, making Harry jump. "I sense bravery, loyalty, cunningness and a thirst for knowledge. My my, where shall I put you?"
"Not Slytherin." Harry whispered, having spoken to Draco Malfoy earlier on the train.
"Not Slytherin, eh? You could be great, you know. Well, if you so wish, better be Gryffindor!"
The Gryffindor table erupted in cheers and Harry joined them, noticing that as he rolled up part of the bench disappeared.
Soon the sorting was over and Harry found himself delighted that Ron had also been sorted into Gryffindor.
"Attention!" Professor Dumbledore, the headmaster, called from the front of the hall. "I welcome all of the first years and implore you all to help them find their way around Hogwarts. A few changes to the castle have been made this year - the doorways are wider and the desks can be adjusted. Please be patient. I would like to remind you that the forbidden forest still remains forbidden," Harry noted that Dumbledore's eyes flickered over to the Weasley twins, "and a list of all banned items can be found outside of Mr Filch's office. Now enough chit chat, eat!"
And with that, food appeared on the table. Harry dug in, feeling his stomach grumble at the sight of so much food.
Before Harry knew it, the feast was over and everyone was standing from the tables. Harry, remembering he had to see Madam Pomfrey, waved goodbye to Ron and headed to the teacher's table.
"Ah, Potter, meet Madam Pomfrey." McGonagall smiled. "Is it okay if, as your head of house, I sit in on the meeting?"
Harry nodded and allowed himself to be guided to the hospital wing as he attempted to memorise the route. Soon they arrived at the hospital wing and Harry was shown to a bed. He sat down on top of the covers and leant against the headboard feeling utterly exhausted from the long day.
"Harry, please could you tell us more about your illness?" Madam Pomfrey asked, quill at the ready.
"I have a condition called Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome, which causes my joints to dislocate easily and I damage my tendons and ligaments easily. It can affect every part of my body, including my heart, as the collagen in my body is faulty. I also have Postural orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome, Irritable Bowel Syndrome, epilepsy, chronic pain, chronic fatigue, and I don't heal as quickly as the average person." Harry explained. He rubbed at his faced tiredly. "Oh, I also have TMJ disorder from my jaw dislocating too much. I have some leaflets on Postural orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome, Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome and a letter from my doctor about my epilepsy if you want to read them."
"Thank you, that'd be very helpful." Madam Pomfrey smiled. "I've heard about EDS and PoTS, but I've never seen them before, but the others we have had cases of in Hogwarts."
Harry rummaged around in his bag and brought out the leaflets and the letter. Professor McGonagall cleared her throat and Harry turned to look at her.
"So how does this affect you every day?"
"I struggle with walking and when the pain and fatigue get too bad I can struggle to answer questions. With the PoTS if I'm standing for too long I can faint and I have to make sure I drink a lot in a day. I also struggle with sleeping due to the pain. I normally just put my own joints back in place if they dislocate."
Madam Pomfrey shivered and winced at that, before turning to Harry with a severe expression on her face. "You, young man, shall not be doing that in Hogwarts. You will come to me for all dislocations. You could trap a nerve doing that!"
Harry knew it was best not to argue, so he nodded his head. That was one rule he'd be breaking within the first day.
"Now, Harry, do you mind if I just do a quick check up on you? I want to make sure the journey wasn't too hard on you." Madam Pomfrey queried, reaching for her wand.
Harry nodded in consent. From his experiences in the hospital he knew it was best to play the good patient. He watched, thoroughly intrigued by the intricate movements Madam Pomfrey's wand was moving in. He looked at Professor McGonagall who smiled and moved closer to the bed.
"If you need anything, you can come to me at all hours." She began as Madam Pomfrey ended the charms. "Is it okay if I inform your housemates in the morning, not of everything, just that you're ill and that if anything happens someone needs to find a professor or Madam Pomfrey urgently."
Harry nodded and quirked a smile. "I'll try to keep that to a minimum, Professor."
"Harry, what's your normal heart rate?" Madam Pomfrey asked, her brow creased in confusion.
"One hundred and ten." Harry replied, dread forming in the pit of his stomach. He'd really wanted to sleep in his own dormitory on his first night of Hogwarts.
"I'm afraid I'm going to have to keep you in. Your heart rate is at one hundred and ninety, what's the normal protocol for this?" Madam Pomfrey asked.
"To be let out of hospital?" Harry joked tentatively. At both Madam Pomfrey's and McGonagall's stern expression he conceded. "An IV bag of fluids. Do you do those here?"
"Oh we most certainly do." Madam Pomfrey replied before getting up. She soon returned with an IV kit. "Arms, please."
Harry gave her his arms and soon he was hooked up to an IV. He sighed, wishing that he was in his dorm with the rest of his house mates.
"Don't worry too much, everyone just falls straight to sleep on the first night." McGonagall assured him.
Harry simply smiled in return. He was tired and miserable. He leant his head back against the wall, noticing how his eyes were drooping from exhaustion. He let his eyes close and soon he was half asleep, his head lolling out of his own control. He felt arms under his legs and on his back and he pried his eyes open to find Professor McGonagall holding him.
"We're just putting you under the covers." She explained softly.
Harry gave a small smile and let his eyes slip shut once more. He felt himself being placed on the bed and then knew no more.
A/N
PoTS - Postural orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome
EDS - Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome