Written for Writer's Month 2022. Prompt #8: Heat.

TW/CW: Child neglect/abuse.

Happy reading!

It was a hot day in July. Harry was in the front yard, weeding the lawn. He had been working in the yard for the past few hours, and he was getting exhausted – the heat was unbearable, and he was just so thirsty. He figured the Dursleys preferred him outside so they could pretend he wasn't there at all. If it weren't for the heat the feeling would be mutual – he had no more wish to be near them than they did to be near him. However, he was beginning to think even their company would be better than the infernal temperature that he was forced to withstand outside.

The sun was coming down, and the day was nearing its end. If everything went as it usually did, Aunt Petunia would soon come and tell him to get inside. Harry was looking forward to it – he was already feeling a bit woozy from the heat and the tiring work he had been doing, and his movements were getting more and more sluggish.

Just as he had predicted, the front door opened not five minutes later, and his aunt stuck her head outside.

- Boy! Come inside now – you'll continue working on that tomorrow!

Standing up from the grass, Harry walked to the door and followed his Aunt inside.

- So? What are you waiting for? Go to your room, boy!

He went up the staircase, and she followed him two steps behind. Once he was in the room she locked the door and pulled the bolt on it so he couldn't get out. Steps could be heard once more, signalling her descent to the kitchen.

Harry sat on the floor next to the window, trying to get some fresh air – of course, it was hard to do, seeing as the smallest breeze couldn't be felt. His relatives were having dinner downstairs; his stomach grumbled at the thought. Well, I guess I'll get something once they're done...

About a half an hour later Aunt Petunia did come up to the door of his room once again. She opened the cat flap Uncle Vernon had installed a few weeks earlier and slid a plate of cold soup inside. It wasn't much, but it would have to do.

Harry took the soup and went back to his place next to the window. He ate a little over a half of it, and then gave the rest to Hedwig – after all, she was being kept in her cage all the time, so she couldn't hunt for food like she did when he was at Hogwarts.

He slowly rose from the floor and headed for his bed. His head was throbbing, and he was feeling dizzy. The room wasn't very brightly lit, but he felt his sight was a bit blurred as well. Moving slowly he reached his bed and lowered himself onto it. The mattress was lumpy and uncomfortable, but he wasn't really in the position to complain, now was he?

He looked at the ceiling, trying to calm down his breathing. His heart was thumping way faster than normal, and he felt like there wasn't nearly enough air in the room. He tossed and turned, trying to feel a bit better, and after some time he fell into an uneasy sleep.

He'd been sleeping for barely an hour when a sound awakened him. He realised it was a voice – multiple voices – coming from the window. He slowly turned around and saw Ron and his twin brothers Fred and George – flying in a car next to his window? Either he was even more out of it than he had thought, or he had even more reason to adore magic.

- Hi, Harry! We're getting you out! Come tie this rope to these bars so we can take them off.

Still confused with the peculiar way his night was unfolding, he stumbled over to the window and tied the rope to the bars. A few seconds later the bars were down on the lawn and Ron was in his room.

- Come on, mate, get your stuff and we'll go!

Harry tried to say they needed to go to the cupboard downstairs to take them, but he couldn't quite form the words. He swayed a little, and Ron caught him by the shoulders, a worried expression on his face.

- Are you alright, Harry? George, can you come inside and help me – he's unsteady on his feet. And he's burning up!

Soon enough, George was in Harry's room as well, and he and Ron helped Harry get into the Ford Anglia hovering next to his window. Harry's stuff long forgotten, they turned the car and headed for the Burrow as quickly as possible.

The trip to the Weasley home was quick, but not without difficulties. Harry threw up twice during the ride, and became even less coherent. Once they reached the Burrow, the twins helped Harry get out of the car. He swayed a bit, not capable of staying on his feet unassisted, and then promptly fainted.

Seeing that, Ron ran to the house as quickly as possible. Opening the door and rushing inside, he yelled as loudly as he could.

- Mum! Mum! Help! Quick!

Molly Weasley came running, worry etched on her face.

- It's Harry, mum! We just brought him here, and he fainted! He wasn't feeling well – he was hot, and confused, and he threw up twice, and now he's unconscious. Fred and George are bringing him in.

Just as Ron finished telling his mother what was wrong with Harry the twins came in carrying him between themselves.

- Bring him here! Yes, there, Fred – put him there, right on the couch...

The twins put the skinny teen on the couch, and their mother cast a diagnostic spell, touching his forehead at the same time to check on his temperature.

- He's way too hot! And dehydrated. We need to cool him down and get some water in him, quick!

Together they brought him to the bathroom and put him in the bathtub, filling it with cool water. At the same time, Molly slowly poured some water into his mouth, massaging his throat in order to make him swallow. After some time she checked his temperature once again and, seeing it wasn't dangerously high anymore, pulled him out of the tub and dried his clothes. They took him back to the couch, and he regained consciousness shortly afterwards.

- W-What's going on? Mrs Weasley?

He was clearly confused – probably didn't even remember the trip to their house all that well. She caressed his forehead, looking at him gently.

- Yes, Harry, dear. You're at the Burrow, our home. Fred, George and Ron brought you here – and we've yet to talk about that, don't think I've forgotten!

She said the last part of the sentence sternly, turning to look at her sons.

- I remember – I remember being so hot, and there wasn't enough air...

He tried to piece together his memory, attempting to recall the trip to the Weasley home.

- You were dangerously close to heatstroke, Harry – your body was overheated and dehydrated. Luckily the boys got you here in time – it could have been dangerous.

Harry looked away at the intense worry in her eyes.

- What happened, Harry? Why were you so hot and not taking enough water?

She looked at him, wishing to find out how he got so unwell. A few seconds later Harry started talking.

- I was in the yard, weeding and mowing the lawn all day, like I did almost every day since I went back to the Dursleys for the summer. They only let me inside once the sun came down, and they gave me a plate of soup which I shared with Hedwig. I didn't really get much water – I think Aunt Petunia gave me a glass somewhere around two, but I'm not...

-WHAT? Those... Your family did that to you?!

Molly was astonished. She wasn't sure what explanation she expected to hear, but this definitely wasn't it.

- Yeah. They... Well, they're not really the nicest of people.

Molly couldn't believe it. She patted Harry's hand in a comforting way and rose from her spot next to him.

- I'll talk to Dumbledore, Harry, dear – that's outrageous! I can't believe... Well, for now, you just relax – you're safe here, with us, and you'll be just fine.

And Harry, believing her and enjoying the rest and care he received, relaxed and fell asleep once more.

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I wish you all the best, and hope you have a great day! All my love!