Disclaimer: Oh my! I didn't put one in last chapter. I wish Harry Potter
was mine. Instead, Harry and all the characters in this story belong to
the esteemed J.K. Rowling. I'm not making any money off it, and after all
isn't imitation the best flattery anyway?
Lindsay: I'll explain in more depth, but the principle reason Sirius and Remus were able to get to Harry at all was because of Arthur Weasley. Nope, Sirius isn't free, poor man. BTW, thank you!
Lily, Phoenix, Otaku freak, Prongs, and ten: Thank you so much for the reviews. You are all my first (as this is my first post). I can certainly see how this becomes addictive!
Lady of Arundel: I'm dying for the next installment to your own piece! I'm thoroughly enjoying your story and look forward to see your version of how to tackle Severitus' Challenge.
Lady FoxFire: I read your story while I was at work (you don't know my name, and I'll never tell… bwah hah hah hah!) ahem, so you can imagine my surprise to have to hide tears while reading Harry's letters! I'm definitely anxious for your next chapter as well.
Nicky: G That's a reference to my day job, BTW, as well as my favorite movie! Yes, Harry definitely needs the TLC, doesn't he?
On to Chapter Two...
"Harry? Harry!" Sirius said urgently as he watched the boy lose unconsciousness. He weighed next to nothing in Sirius' arms. Sirius fought the panic rising in his throat as he watched Harry's chest still rise and fall. He was still breathing, thank Merlin.
"I found it, Sirius," Remus said, pulling out some books and a small box from some pried up floorboards underneath Harry's bed.
Remus tucked Harry's things underneath his arms and looked at Sirius with a nearly expressionless face, his body completely still. Sirius knew that look. That was when the wolf was closest to the surface.
Sirius held Harry closely to him as he headed downstairs. There was no time to waste. By the look of Harry, they'd nearly been too late. They still might be. Remus followed closely behind. Arthur had already thrown the floo powder into the fireplace, the fire illuminating the living room eerily. Arthur's eyes widened as he saw Harry in Sirius' arms.
"Go last, or Remus might kill them," Sirius said to Arthur, who nodded as his eyes stared at Harry's still form. Besides, Sirius intended to do that later himself. "Not that I don't want them dead. But Harry won't," Sirius explained. He nearly snorted as he realized he felt he had to explain himself for not killing those… animals. "The Burrow," Sirius said aloud and stepped through the fireplace.
Remus paused for a moment. Arthur waited silently for him. Remus' eyes glowed eerily in the firelight as he looked behind him, back up the stairs towards the sleeping Dursley's bedchambers, then at Arthur, and finally towards the fireplace. Arthur could have sworn he heard a growl moments before Remus said, "The Burrow," and followed Sirius.
Arthur's eyes took in the tidy Dursley home for a moment, amazed at what monsters they really were, suppressing his own rage. Harry was as dear to Molly and himself as one of their own children. How anyone could abuse such a soft spoken, gentle, and loving boy…? Arthur shook his head, ending his own reverie before he marched upstairs and killed those Dursleys himself.
"Never again," he swore to the empty room. "I don't care what Dumbledore says. Never again does Harry Potter have to live in this… place," Arthur vowed and stepped into the fireplace as well, calling out for home.
******************************
Sirius was greeted with a cacophony of voices and bright lights as he stepped into the Weasley living room.
"Oh no," Molly Weasley said, tears instantly springing into her eyes as she took in the sight of Harry in Sirius' arms. "Set him here for now, we need to take a look at him," Molly instructed, who tenderly lay Harry on the couch. Ron, Fred, George, and Ginny had all been waiting for them to return, and now stood staring in shock at the sight of their friend.
"Ginny, get a wash cloth and some warm water in a basin. Fred, get some blankets and a pillow. George, contact Dumbledore and let him know we'll need Madam Pomfrey's expertise," Molly instructed and her children leaped up to obey her. "Fetch me my wand, Ron," Molly said gently to her son, who nodded meekly and reluctantly left the room for a moment to get it.
Remus and Arthur had returned as well and stood at the foot of the couch, watching as Molly quickly took charge of the chaos. Sirius settled beside Harry, holding Harry's pale limp hand close to his chest as tears ran down his face unnoticed. Ron returned, handing his mother her wand and stood behind the couch watching Harry closely, his eyes wide.
"Sirius, let me get him settled first, alright?" Molly said gently, her hand on Sirius' shoulder. He nodded and stood up, backing away, his hand reluctantly releasing Harry's. He walked around to stand beside Ron, who reached over and hugged him, much to Sirius' surprise.
"Thank you for getting him," Ron said, his voice trembling as he fought back tears.
"I should have come sooner…" Sirius said, his own voice thick with grief. "Look what they did to him! To Harry!" he said, and ran a trembling hand through his unkempt black hair. He squeezed Ron's shoulders and turned again to Harry's still form, his hands clenched into fists which he savagely tucked into his robes. He ground his teeth in anger at his own delays, however justifiable they might seem to someone else. He'd taken too long. He'd left him to this…
Molly quickly cast a spell to remove Harry's unsightly hand-me-down clothes. They were filthy. She glared at the torn and bloody pile and said with a snarl, "Comburo." The clothes flashed with fire and in an instant were nothing but ash.
Sirius watched her eyes as she desperately took in the extent of damage, trying to determine if she thought Harry would be okay. The bruising along Harry's torso stood out starkly against his protruding ribs and nearly transluscent skin. He was cool to the touch and clammy. His face was filthy, but there also seemed to be swelling around his eye and there were clear bruises in the shape of fingers around Harry's neck. Molly looked up at Arthur, her eyes nearly black with rage.
Fred had returned with some blankets, which he still held close to his chest as he stumbled to a halt beside Remus and stared at Harry. Molly nearly sobbed as she shook her head, looking at the injuries, both old and new, and Harry's nearly skeletal frame. She reached out for the blankets, which Fred handed to her, taking the other end and between the two of them wrapping Harry warmly.
The normally noisy Weasley household was silent except for the popping of the wood in the fireplace as they waited for Mrs. Weasley's assessment of Harry's condition.
"Professor Dumbledore and Madame Pomfrey will be here within the half hour," George said as he rushed back into the room and stood next to Fred. Molly nodded.
"Thank you, George. I think he'll be okay until then," she said, although she didn't sound certain.
"You hope," Sirius thought with dread as he realized Molly wasn't sure.
Ginny came downstairs next, carefully balancing the basin so as not to spill any water and setting it on the coffee table beside the couch. As she stepped away, she registered Harry's bruised face and neck, her eyes huge. She looked at Harry for a moment, then at Ron with tears in her eyes.
"You were right. I couldn't imagine this, but you were right…" Ginny said softly to him. Ron looked at Ginny as tears began to spill down his face. He shook his head angrily.
"I wish I hadn't been. How could Dumbledore keep Harry there?" Ron asked the silent room. No one had an answer. "Did you know he didn't even get Christmas presents until he came to Hogwarts?" Ron demanded of the room in anger.
"Ron, that's not going to do any good right now," Arthur Weasley said and reached out, taking Ron into his arms. Ron didn't resist. Instead, he turned to continue watching Harry from within the protection of Arthur's embrace.
"Thank you, dear," Molly said to Ginny and took the washcloth, dipped it into the water, and squeezed it out a little as she began to gently wash Harry's face. "We've all met them, Ron. We've seen how skinny he is normally, especially at the beginning of the year. He's so small for his age. But has he talked about this? With anyone?" she asked the room in general. No one said anything.
"Right now let's just worry about him getting better, okay?" she said, locking eyes with Ron for a moment before turning all her attention back to Harry. Sirius watched her battle her own emotions as she tried to clean off Harry's face, only to discover most of what she thought was dirt and filth was in fact nearly all bruising. Sirius had to force himself not to begin pacing back and forth, his anxiety nearly overriding everything else. Harry was too still. He could barely see the rise and fall of his chest. He was so pale, so... Merlin, he could die!
"Well?" Arthur asked Molly for an update as she sighed, breaking the silence. She stood up and arched her back wearily. Fred and George both jumped at their father's voice.
"I'm not an expert, Arthur. Some broken ribs, strains, malnourishment… those are the obvious. You can see he was clearly strangled at some point. I won't know the true extent of his injuries until Madame Pomfrey gets here," she said. She looked intently at her husband for a moment, then glanced at the rest of the family.
"Dumbledore will be here shortly. We don't have enough room for everyone. Upstairs with you. Once Madame Pomfrey is done with Harry and we've got him settled, I'll bring you all back down," Molly announced to her children. They all went upstairs except for Ron.
"I'm not leaving," Ron said. Molly's eyes flashed for a moment, then she nodded. She knew a losing battle when she saw one.
"I understand. You can stay then, but quietly," she instructed. Ron nodded gratefully and stayed where he was, his eyes never leaving Harry.
"It was bad, wasn't it?" Molly asked the three men. Arthur nodded. Molly closed her eyes. "I just pray we were in time," she said. Sirius added his own 'amen' to that.
Lindsay: I'll explain in more depth, but the principle reason Sirius and Remus were able to get to Harry at all was because of Arthur Weasley. Nope, Sirius isn't free, poor man. BTW, thank you!
Lily, Phoenix, Otaku freak, Prongs, and ten: Thank you so much for the reviews. You are all my first (as this is my first post). I can certainly see how this becomes addictive!
Lady of Arundel: I'm dying for the next installment to your own piece! I'm thoroughly enjoying your story and look forward to see your version of how to tackle Severitus' Challenge.
Lady FoxFire: I read your story while I was at work (you don't know my name, and I'll never tell… bwah hah hah hah!) ahem, so you can imagine my surprise to have to hide tears while reading Harry's letters! I'm definitely anxious for your next chapter as well.
Nicky: G That's a reference to my day job, BTW, as well as my favorite movie! Yes, Harry definitely needs the TLC, doesn't he?
On to Chapter Two...
"Harry? Harry!" Sirius said urgently as he watched the boy lose unconsciousness. He weighed next to nothing in Sirius' arms. Sirius fought the panic rising in his throat as he watched Harry's chest still rise and fall. He was still breathing, thank Merlin.
"I found it, Sirius," Remus said, pulling out some books and a small box from some pried up floorboards underneath Harry's bed.
Remus tucked Harry's things underneath his arms and looked at Sirius with a nearly expressionless face, his body completely still. Sirius knew that look. That was when the wolf was closest to the surface.
Sirius held Harry closely to him as he headed downstairs. There was no time to waste. By the look of Harry, they'd nearly been too late. They still might be. Remus followed closely behind. Arthur had already thrown the floo powder into the fireplace, the fire illuminating the living room eerily. Arthur's eyes widened as he saw Harry in Sirius' arms.
"Go last, or Remus might kill them," Sirius said to Arthur, who nodded as his eyes stared at Harry's still form. Besides, Sirius intended to do that later himself. "Not that I don't want them dead. But Harry won't," Sirius explained. He nearly snorted as he realized he felt he had to explain himself for not killing those… animals. "The Burrow," Sirius said aloud and stepped through the fireplace.
Remus paused for a moment. Arthur waited silently for him. Remus' eyes glowed eerily in the firelight as he looked behind him, back up the stairs towards the sleeping Dursley's bedchambers, then at Arthur, and finally towards the fireplace. Arthur could have sworn he heard a growl moments before Remus said, "The Burrow," and followed Sirius.
Arthur's eyes took in the tidy Dursley home for a moment, amazed at what monsters they really were, suppressing his own rage. Harry was as dear to Molly and himself as one of their own children. How anyone could abuse such a soft spoken, gentle, and loving boy…? Arthur shook his head, ending his own reverie before he marched upstairs and killed those Dursleys himself.
"Never again," he swore to the empty room. "I don't care what Dumbledore says. Never again does Harry Potter have to live in this… place," Arthur vowed and stepped into the fireplace as well, calling out for home.
******************************
Sirius was greeted with a cacophony of voices and bright lights as he stepped into the Weasley living room.
"Oh no," Molly Weasley said, tears instantly springing into her eyes as she took in the sight of Harry in Sirius' arms. "Set him here for now, we need to take a look at him," Molly instructed, who tenderly lay Harry on the couch. Ron, Fred, George, and Ginny had all been waiting for them to return, and now stood staring in shock at the sight of their friend.
"Ginny, get a wash cloth and some warm water in a basin. Fred, get some blankets and a pillow. George, contact Dumbledore and let him know we'll need Madam Pomfrey's expertise," Molly instructed and her children leaped up to obey her. "Fetch me my wand, Ron," Molly said gently to her son, who nodded meekly and reluctantly left the room for a moment to get it.
Remus and Arthur had returned as well and stood at the foot of the couch, watching as Molly quickly took charge of the chaos. Sirius settled beside Harry, holding Harry's pale limp hand close to his chest as tears ran down his face unnoticed. Ron returned, handing his mother her wand and stood behind the couch watching Harry closely, his eyes wide.
"Sirius, let me get him settled first, alright?" Molly said gently, her hand on Sirius' shoulder. He nodded and stood up, backing away, his hand reluctantly releasing Harry's. He walked around to stand beside Ron, who reached over and hugged him, much to Sirius' surprise.
"Thank you for getting him," Ron said, his voice trembling as he fought back tears.
"I should have come sooner…" Sirius said, his own voice thick with grief. "Look what they did to him! To Harry!" he said, and ran a trembling hand through his unkempt black hair. He squeezed Ron's shoulders and turned again to Harry's still form, his hands clenched into fists which he savagely tucked into his robes. He ground his teeth in anger at his own delays, however justifiable they might seem to someone else. He'd taken too long. He'd left him to this…
Molly quickly cast a spell to remove Harry's unsightly hand-me-down clothes. They were filthy. She glared at the torn and bloody pile and said with a snarl, "Comburo." The clothes flashed with fire and in an instant were nothing but ash.
Sirius watched her eyes as she desperately took in the extent of damage, trying to determine if she thought Harry would be okay. The bruising along Harry's torso stood out starkly against his protruding ribs and nearly transluscent skin. He was cool to the touch and clammy. His face was filthy, but there also seemed to be swelling around his eye and there were clear bruises in the shape of fingers around Harry's neck. Molly looked up at Arthur, her eyes nearly black with rage.
Fred had returned with some blankets, which he still held close to his chest as he stumbled to a halt beside Remus and stared at Harry. Molly nearly sobbed as she shook her head, looking at the injuries, both old and new, and Harry's nearly skeletal frame. She reached out for the blankets, which Fred handed to her, taking the other end and between the two of them wrapping Harry warmly.
The normally noisy Weasley household was silent except for the popping of the wood in the fireplace as they waited for Mrs. Weasley's assessment of Harry's condition.
"Professor Dumbledore and Madame Pomfrey will be here within the half hour," George said as he rushed back into the room and stood next to Fred. Molly nodded.
"Thank you, George. I think he'll be okay until then," she said, although she didn't sound certain.
"You hope," Sirius thought with dread as he realized Molly wasn't sure.
Ginny came downstairs next, carefully balancing the basin so as not to spill any water and setting it on the coffee table beside the couch. As she stepped away, she registered Harry's bruised face and neck, her eyes huge. She looked at Harry for a moment, then at Ron with tears in her eyes.
"You were right. I couldn't imagine this, but you were right…" Ginny said softly to him. Ron looked at Ginny as tears began to spill down his face. He shook his head angrily.
"I wish I hadn't been. How could Dumbledore keep Harry there?" Ron asked the silent room. No one had an answer. "Did you know he didn't even get Christmas presents until he came to Hogwarts?" Ron demanded of the room in anger.
"Ron, that's not going to do any good right now," Arthur Weasley said and reached out, taking Ron into his arms. Ron didn't resist. Instead, he turned to continue watching Harry from within the protection of Arthur's embrace.
"Thank you, dear," Molly said to Ginny and took the washcloth, dipped it into the water, and squeezed it out a little as she began to gently wash Harry's face. "We've all met them, Ron. We've seen how skinny he is normally, especially at the beginning of the year. He's so small for his age. But has he talked about this? With anyone?" she asked the room in general. No one said anything.
"Right now let's just worry about him getting better, okay?" she said, locking eyes with Ron for a moment before turning all her attention back to Harry. Sirius watched her battle her own emotions as she tried to clean off Harry's face, only to discover most of what she thought was dirt and filth was in fact nearly all bruising. Sirius had to force himself not to begin pacing back and forth, his anxiety nearly overriding everything else. Harry was too still. He could barely see the rise and fall of his chest. He was so pale, so... Merlin, he could die!
"Well?" Arthur asked Molly for an update as she sighed, breaking the silence. She stood up and arched her back wearily. Fred and George both jumped at their father's voice.
"I'm not an expert, Arthur. Some broken ribs, strains, malnourishment… those are the obvious. You can see he was clearly strangled at some point. I won't know the true extent of his injuries until Madame Pomfrey gets here," she said. She looked intently at her husband for a moment, then glanced at the rest of the family.
"Dumbledore will be here shortly. We don't have enough room for everyone. Upstairs with you. Once Madame Pomfrey is done with Harry and we've got him settled, I'll bring you all back down," Molly announced to her children. They all went upstairs except for Ron.
"I'm not leaving," Ron said. Molly's eyes flashed for a moment, then she nodded. She knew a losing battle when she saw one.
"I understand. You can stay then, but quietly," she instructed. Ron nodded gratefully and stayed where he was, his eyes never leaving Harry.
"It was bad, wasn't it?" Molly asked the three men. Arthur nodded. Molly closed her eyes. "I just pray we were in time," she said. Sirius added his own 'amen' to that.