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Lunch was a silent affair, Harry ate just a little, and he didn't even acknowledge Sirius and Remus when they tried to get him to eat more. Both men were relieved that Minerva had promised to tell Poppy Pomfrey to come see Harry because they didn't know how to deal with the boy's depression. Harry was once again laying on his bed when the nurse arrived. Sirius brought her upstairs and then left her alone with Harry at her request.
Madam Pomfrey was glad Minerva had warned her of the state the boy was in, it was hard to think the lively boy Harry had once been was the same than the silent kid laying in the bed. He had only glanced at her once while she had been looking him over physically, she was relieved to see he was relatively well in that aspect. Apart from the lack of sleep and being to thin there were no other apparent injuries. After an half hour she had seen all she needed and headed downstairs. Sirius and Remus were silently seated in the kitchen, drinking some tea and waiting for her to come down. They looked up when they heard her and smiled slightly. She sat down in front of both men and accepted the tea cup Remus gave her. After a few silent moments she looked up from the cup and began to talk.
"I'm not going to lie to you, the Harry's condition isn't so great. Physically he's better of than I expected, I think those muggles forced him to eat, and even if he needs to gain some weight it could be fairly worse. The other thing he lacks is sleep, or at least a long lasting sleep, I think he has been doing a lot of dozing of, but that is not enough to fully rest. I'm going to leave some sleeping potions here, I want you to give them to him when he goes to sleep, at least for the first week." Both men nodded, but they seemed anxious, waiting for the more concerning matters of Harry's depression. Madam Pomfrey understood it and looked at them, her expression growing more serious. "Minerva was right in her assessment, the boy has had a nervous breakdown, and you will have to pull him out of it. I know from Dumbledore that Harry trusts both of you very much and even if he hasn't known you for long he loves you. That will be very important if we want to pull him out of this. He needs stability, someone to look after him constantly, the last thing he needs is staying upstairs sinking further in depression as he has been doing because then it may very easily become to much for him and he could do something harsh." By the paling of the men's faces she knew they had understood her. She hatted to have to tell them this, but by the looks of it they needed to be warned that the possibility of suicide was very real at that moment. Sirius was the one who broke the silence.
"What do we need to do?" The nurse sighed, this was going to be hard for all three of them, but she was fairly certain they could do it if both men took her words seriously.
"I know both of you don't have any parental experience, but that's what Harry needs right now. Not the love of a parent, which I'm sure you will give him plenty, but also the guidance. You need to entertain him, make him do things constantly, not very stressful things, just keep him out of his room as long as you can and don't let him be alone to much. Also make him eat and sleep at regular hours, make him study something, do his homework, I think you know what I mean." Both men nodded. "The hard part will be making sure he does, meaning you'll have to be on him all the time." Sirius sighed but nodded, he knew Harry wouldn't like this one bit, but if Madam Pomfrey was sure it was the best, they would have to do it. The nurse emptied her cup and stood up. "I'll be by in a few days, you know where to find me if you need me." Remus walked her to the door leaving Sirius alone with his thoughts.
Half an hour later Remus and Sirius had decided to go buy some food and some other suplies for the next few days. Sirius went up the stairs and went into Harry's room. The boy was awake but hadn't moved since Madam Pomfrey left.
"Harry, go have a shower and put on some clean clothes, we are going to buy some things." Sirius left the room leaving Harry alone. After having changed clothes and put on his shoes he returned to his godson's room and was not very surprised to see Harry hadn't moved. Without a word he headed to the boy's trunk and picked out some clean clothes, he brought them to the bathroom and began to run a bath. When it was ready he went to Harry's room and this time went to the bed.
"Harry, come on Kido, you need to have a bath and then we'll leave." Still Harry didn't move, suppressing a sigh, Sirius picked Harry out of the bed, not minding the way the boy had started to squirm, and put him on his feet. Harry made a movement to return to the bed, but Sirius saw it and put a strong arm around the boy's slim waist, preventing him from going that way. Slowly but surely he began to lead Harry out of the room and to the bathroom. Harry was still struggling a little when they arrived. Sirius locked the door after him, making sure Harry couldn't get out and let go of the boy's waist. He looked down at his godson and saw his eyes were fixed on the floor.
"Harry, please, get into the bath."
His voice was still gentle but it contained a firm resolution and some part of Harry's mind knew he wasn't going to get away from this. Still he didn't move, a little spark of interest had been lit, he wanted to know what Sirius would do next, wondering if the man would let him alone if he ignored him long enough. Unluckily for him Sirius was a very stubborn man, that and the words of Madam Pomfrey were enough to make him stay firm with his decision. When five minutes later Harry still hadn't moved, Sirius approached him again, with firm hands and a set face he began to undress his godson. Harry was slightly shocked, he hadn't thought Sirius would go so far. Harry began to move out of the way of his godfather's hands and Sirius was forced to grip one of his shoulders tightly while he struggled to get his pants down.
"Harry, stop it, you are going to take this bath, no matter how long it takes. If you don't want to undress on your own and I can't do it I'll just put you in dressed." Those words were enough to let Harry shocked for a few moments. Sirius used his chance and finally put his pants and boxers down, then in a swift motion he lifted Harry from the floor and pushed the pants and boxers from his legs. Seeing what was happening Harry began to struggle again but it was hopeless, Sirius was much stronger. The man was beginning to get flustered, trying to get his godson to cooperate with him while not hurting him was beginning to work on his nerves. What had been a simple way to get Harry cleaned up had become a battle of wills, one Sirius was not about to lose. He moved the struggling body of his godson to the bath and, as gently as he could, he lowered him in it. The water was now cold and Harry started to shiver in it, finally giving up he just laid against Sirius's arms while the other man began to clean him up.
To be continued...
Author's notes: Thanks for all reviews.
Free.
Lunch was a silent affair, Harry ate just a little, and he didn't even acknowledge Sirius and Remus when they tried to get him to eat more. Both men were relieved that Minerva had promised to tell Poppy Pomfrey to come see Harry because they didn't know how to deal with the boy's depression. Harry was once again laying on his bed when the nurse arrived. Sirius brought her upstairs and then left her alone with Harry at her request.
Madam Pomfrey was glad Minerva had warned her of the state the boy was in, it was hard to think the lively boy Harry had once been was the same than the silent kid laying in the bed. He had only glanced at her once while she had been looking him over physically, she was relieved to see he was relatively well in that aspect. Apart from the lack of sleep and being to thin there were no other apparent injuries. After an half hour she had seen all she needed and headed downstairs. Sirius and Remus were silently seated in the kitchen, drinking some tea and waiting for her to come down. They looked up when they heard her and smiled slightly. She sat down in front of both men and accepted the tea cup Remus gave her. After a few silent moments she looked up from the cup and began to talk.
"I'm not going to lie to you, the Harry's condition isn't so great. Physically he's better of than I expected, I think those muggles forced him to eat, and even if he needs to gain some weight it could be fairly worse. The other thing he lacks is sleep, or at least a long lasting sleep, I think he has been doing a lot of dozing of, but that is not enough to fully rest. I'm going to leave some sleeping potions here, I want you to give them to him when he goes to sleep, at least for the first week." Both men nodded, but they seemed anxious, waiting for the more concerning matters of Harry's depression. Madam Pomfrey understood it and looked at them, her expression growing more serious. "Minerva was right in her assessment, the boy has had a nervous breakdown, and you will have to pull him out of it. I know from Dumbledore that Harry trusts both of you very much and even if he hasn't known you for long he loves you. That will be very important if we want to pull him out of this. He needs stability, someone to look after him constantly, the last thing he needs is staying upstairs sinking further in depression as he has been doing because then it may very easily become to much for him and he could do something harsh." By the paling of the men's faces she knew they had understood her. She hatted to have to tell them this, but by the looks of it they needed to be warned that the possibility of suicide was very real at that moment. Sirius was the one who broke the silence.
"What do we need to do?" The nurse sighed, this was going to be hard for all three of them, but she was fairly certain they could do it if both men took her words seriously.
"I know both of you don't have any parental experience, but that's what Harry needs right now. Not the love of a parent, which I'm sure you will give him plenty, but also the guidance. You need to entertain him, make him do things constantly, not very stressful things, just keep him out of his room as long as you can and don't let him be alone to much. Also make him eat and sleep at regular hours, make him study something, do his homework, I think you know what I mean." Both men nodded. "The hard part will be making sure he does, meaning you'll have to be on him all the time." Sirius sighed but nodded, he knew Harry wouldn't like this one bit, but if Madam Pomfrey was sure it was the best, they would have to do it. The nurse emptied her cup and stood up. "I'll be by in a few days, you know where to find me if you need me." Remus walked her to the door leaving Sirius alone with his thoughts.
Half an hour later Remus and Sirius had decided to go buy some food and some other suplies for the next few days. Sirius went up the stairs and went into Harry's room. The boy was awake but hadn't moved since Madam Pomfrey left.
"Harry, go have a shower and put on some clean clothes, we are going to buy some things." Sirius left the room leaving Harry alone. After having changed clothes and put on his shoes he returned to his godson's room and was not very surprised to see Harry hadn't moved. Without a word he headed to the boy's trunk and picked out some clean clothes, he brought them to the bathroom and began to run a bath. When it was ready he went to Harry's room and this time went to the bed.
"Harry, come on Kido, you need to have a bath and then we'll leave." Still Harry didn't move, suppressing a sigh, Sirius picked Harry out of the bed, not minding the way the boy had started to squirm, and put him on his feet. Harry made a movement to return to the bed, but Sirius saw it and put a strong arm around the boy's slim waist, preventing him from going that way. Slowly but surely he began to lead Harry out of the room and to the bathroom. Harry was still struggling a little when they arrived. Sirius locked the door after him, making sure Harry couldn't get out and let go of the boy's waist. He looked down at his godson and saw his eyes were fixed on the floor.
"Harry, please, get into the bath."
His voice was still gentle but it contained a firm resolution and some part of Harry's mind knew he wasn't going to get away from this. Still he didn't move, a little spark of interest had been lit, he wanted to know what Sirius would do next, wondering if the man would let him alone if he ignored him long enough. Unluckily for him Sirius was a very stubborn man, that and the words of Madam Pomfrey were enough to make him stay firm with his decision. When five minutes later Harry still hadn't moved, Sirius approached him again, with firm hands and a set face he began to undress his godson. Harry was slightly shocked, he hadn't thought Sirius would go so far. Harry began to move out of the way of his godfather's hands and Sirius was forced to grip one of his shoulders tightly while he struggled to get his pants down.
"Harry, stop it, you are going to take this bath, no matter how long it takes. If you don't want to undress on your own and I can't do it I'll just put you in dressed." Those words were enough to let Harry shocked for a few moments. Sirius used his chance and finally put his pants and boxers down, then in a swift motion he lifted Harry from the floor and pushed the pants and boxers from his legs. Seeing what was happening Harry began to struggle again but it was hopeless, Sirius was much stronger. The man was beginning to get flustered, trying to get his godson to cooperate with him while not hurting him was beginning to work on his nerves. What had been a simple way to get Harry cleaned up had become a battle of wills, one Sirius was not about to lose. He moved the struggling body of his godson to the bath and, as gently as he could, he lowered him in it. The water was now cold and Harry started to shiver in it, finally giving up he just laid against Sirius's arms while the other man began to clean him up.
To be continued...
Author's notes: Thanks for all reviews.