Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters.
Free.
The first thing Harry noticed was the warmth and comfort that surrounded him. The last thing he remembered was sitting next to Sirius in the kitchen, listening to Remus and Dumbledore talk. He supposed he had fallen asleep after that. He had to fight down the blush that threatened to overtake him when he thought about Sirius putting him to bed, again. He really shouldn't have fallen asleep and bothered his godfather so much. Sighing slightly, he rolled to his side, trying to curl up like he used to do when he was smaller. Now, with his much larger body, he had some problems, but finally, he managed to curl up as much as possible. He was feeling strangely sleepy but he didn't want to go back to sleep, Harry felt he needed to think. How was he supposed to act now? Should he revert to closing himself up? No, that probably wouldn't be very smart. Besides, he had become much closer to Sirius and Remus and he didn't know if he would be able to shut them out now that he had finally let them in. On the other hand, he couldn't keep acting like a five-year-old since he wasn't one anymore. So, what should he do? Sighing, Harry rolled onto his other side and bumped into something large. Sighing, he opened his eyes slightly and came face to face with his godfather's animagus form. The large dog jumped out of the bed and quietly transformed back into Sirius. The older man looked down at the boy with worry clearly written in his eyes. Sitting down on the bed next to his son, he put a gentle hand on Harry's head.
"What are you doing awake, Harry? You should still be sleeping. It's barely six o'clock."
Harry shrugged slightly. "I'm not tired."
But at the same time he said that, Harry closed his eyes and moved a bit closer to Sirius, suppressing the small voice that told him he shouldn't act like that. The man smiled softly down at the boy, seeing he was about to fall asleep. Gently he rearranged the blankets so Harry was once again snuggled warmly in his bed and once he was sure his godson was completely asleep he turned back into Padfoot, ready to sleep for a few more hours.
Gentle hands were shaking him, but he didn't want to wake up, he was feeling so tired. Finally, with a small moan, Harry opened his eyes a bit, just enough to see Remus bending over him.
"Harry, it's time to wake up, come on."
Harry sighed and opened his eyes fully. "Still tired."
He moved away from the hands looking for the comforting form of his godfather, only to find him gone. His mind woke up a bit more, quickly trying to come up for a reason why Sirius would have left. He just knew he shouldn't have snuggled against Sirius, he shouldn't have behaved like a small kid, he shouldn't.
"Good morning, Harry."
Looking up, he came face to face with his godfather, who had just returned from taking a shower. Sirius was watching him with concerned eyes, much like he had done earlier that morning. Harry sighed relieved and closed his eyes again, he really needed some more sleep. Remus' warm hands had moved from his shoulders and were now caressing his cheek. He felt the bed go down at one of the sides and realised Sirius had sat down next to him.
"Harry? Is something wrong?"
But Harry was too sleepy to properly give an answer. Dimly he felt someone take his hand, squeezing it gently.
"Moony, what's wrong with him?"
The voices came from far away and finally disappeared and only blackness remained.
In the room, Sirius and Remus were getting very worried. Harry had been sleeping for nearly fifteen hours, he shouldn't be so tired. Seeing there was not much they could do, Remus went to the fireplace and contacted Dumbledore. The old headmaster's face grew worried and he promised he would be at their house with Poppy in a few minutes. Sirius, on the other hand, refused to leave Harry's side, his worry increasing with the minute.
Once Madam Pomfrey entered the room, she made everyone go out, even if she had a hard time with getting Sirius out of the room. Once she was alone, she went over to Harry and began to check him up. On the other side of the door, Dumbledore had taken care of the two distraught guardians and brought them to the kitchen where he forced some food into them. Sirius, being as stubborn as ever, barely ate anything, trying to listen for the sounds coming from upstairs. When Remus had finally forced a slice of toast down his throat, Madam Pomfrey came back down, a concerned look on her face. Immediately the men's attention turned to her. Sighing, the nurse sat down and looked at them seriously.
"It's complicated." Accepting the tea Remus offered her, she continued. "The headmaster told me what happened yesterday, and while I don't doubt Harry saw Lily, I can assure that the boy changed on his own, his mother only convinced him it was necessary. The potion is still in his body and its effects haven't diminished yet. Harry is using all his magical energy to keep his body as it is and therefor he's feeling very tired."
Everyone stayed silent for a few moments before Sirius spoke again. "Is there something we can do?" Poppy put her cup down and looked over seriously. "We could try to force him back into his younger body, but I don't think that's the best option, whatever his mother told him has deeply convinced him that this is the best option and it'll be very difficult to force him back, it might even be worse. On the other hand, we could give him a potion to counteract the de- aging one, but seeing as his magic is interacting with his body, I don't know what would happen if we did that." She sighed and spoke again. "I think the best we can do is give him a strengthening potion so he doesn't feel that tired all the time and actually be able to stay awake for more than a few minutes. Of course, as his guardians it's your decision."
Remus immediately spoke for both of them. "I'm sure that whatever you say is best will be ok, anything else you want us to do?"
Madam Pomfrey shrugged slightly. "Just keep an eye on him, make sure he doesn't get too confused, God knows what a mess his mind must be right now. I'll be coming back in a few days to check on him, ok?"
Both men nodded and they all stood up. Dumbledore smiled at them. "If you need someone to help you with Harry make sure to tell me, I'm positive Minerva would love to help you out."
Both Marauders nodded and led them to the door. After they left, Remus went back to the kitchen to clean out the tools they had used for breakfast and Sirius went back to Harry's room, to make sure he was still sleeping.
To be continued.
A/N: Thanks for all reviews. And thanks to my beta reader Vinnie.
Free.
The first thing Harry noticed was the warmth and comfort that surrounded him. The last thing he remembered was sitting next to Sirius in the kitchen, listening to Remus and Dumbledore talk. He supposed he had fallen asleep after that. He had to fight down the blush that threatened to overtake him when he thought about Sirius putting him to bed, again. He really shouldn't have fallen asleep and bothered his godfather so much. Sighing slightly, he rolled to his side, trying to curl up like he used to do when he was smaller. Now, with his much larger body, he had some problems, but finally, he managed to curl up as much as possible. He was feeling strangely sleepy but he didn't want to go back to sleep, Harry felt he needed to think. How was he supposed to act now? Should he revert to closing himself up? No, that probably wouldn't be very smart. Besides, he had become much closer to Sirius and Remus and he didn't know if he would be able to shut them out now that he had finally let them in. On the other hand, he couldn't keep acting like a five-year-old since he wasn't one anymore. So, what should he do? Sighing, Harry rolled onto his other side and bumped into something large. Sighing, he opened his eyes slightly and came face to face with his godfather's animagus form. The large dog jumped out of the bed and quietly transformed back into Sirius. The older man looked down at the boy with worry clearly written in his eyes. Sitting down on the bed next to his son, he put a gentle hand on Harry's head.
"What are you doing awake, Harry? You should still be sleeping. It's barely six o'clock."
Harry shrugged slightly. "I'm not tired."
But at the same time he said that, Harry closed his eyes and moved a bit closer to Sirius, suppressing the small voice that told him he shouldn't act like that. The man smiled softly down at the boy, seeing he was about to fall asleep. Gently he rearranged the blankets so Harry was once again snuggled warmly in his bed and once he was sure his godson was completely asleep he turned back into Padfoot, ready to sleep for a few more hours.
Gentle hands were shaking him, but he didn't want to wake up, he was feeling so tired. Finally, with a small moan, Harry opened his eyes a bit, just enough to see Remus bending over him.
"Harry, it's time to wake up, come on."
Harry sighed and opened his eyes fully. "Still tired."
He moved away from the hands looking for the comforting form of his godfather, only to find him gone. His mind woke up a bit more, quickly trying to come up for a reason why Sirius would have left. He just knew he shouldn't have snuggled against Sirius, he shouldn't have behaved like a small kid, he shouldn't.
"Good morning, Harry."
Looking up, he came face to face with his godfather, who had just returned from taking a shower. Sirius was watching him with concerned eyes, much like he had done earlier that morning. Harry sighed relieved and closed his eyes again, he really needed some more sleep. Remus' warm hands had moved from his shoulders and were now caressing his cheek. He felt the bed go down at one of the sides and realised Sirius had sat down next to him.
"Harry? Is something wrong?"
But Harry was too sleepy to properly give an answer. Dimly he felt someone take his hand, squeezing it gently.
"Moony, what's wrong with him?"
The voices came from far away and finally disappeared and only blackness remained.
In the room, Sirius and Remus were getting very worried. Harry had been sleeping for nearly fifteen hours, he shouldn't be so tired. Seeing there was not much they could do, Remus went to the fireplace and contacted Dumbledore. The old headmaster's face grew worried and he promised he would be at their house with Poppy in a few minutes. Sirius, on the other hand, refused to leave Harry's side, his worry increasing with the minute.
Once Madam Pomfrey entered the room, she made everyone go out, even if she had a hard time with getting Sirius out of the room. Once she was alone, she went over to Harry and began to check him up. On the other side of the door, Dumbledore had taken care of the two distraught guardians and brought them to the kitchen where he forced some food into them. Sirius, being as stubborn as ever, barely ate anything, trying to listen for the sounds coming from upstairs. When Remus had finally forced a slice of toast down his throat, Madam Pomfrey came back down, a concerned look on her face. Immediately the men's attention turned to her. Sighing, the nurse sat down and looked at them seriously.
"It's complicated." Accepting the tea Remus offered her, she continued. "The headmaster told me what happened yesterday, and while I don't doubt Harry saw Lily, I can assure that the boy changed on his own, his mother only convinced him it was necessary. The potion is still in his body and its effects haven't diminished yet. Harry is using all his magical energy to keep his body as it is and therefor he's feeling very tired."
Everyone stayed silent for a few moments before Sirius spoke again. "Is there something we can do?" Poppy put her cup down and looked over seriously. "We could try to force him back into his younger body, but I don't think that's the best option, whatever his mother told him has deeply convinced him that this is the best option and it'll be very difficult to force him back, it might even be worse. On the other hand, we could give him a potion to counteract the de- aging one, but seeing as his magic is interacting with his body, I don't know what would happen if we did that." She sighed and spoke again. "I think the best we can do is give him a strengthening potion so he doesn't feel that tired all the time and actually be able to stay awake for more than a few minutes. Of course, as his guardians it's your decision."
Remus immediately spoke for both of them. "I'm sure that whatever you say is best will be ok, anything else you want us to do?"
Madam Pomfrey shrugged slightly. "Just keep an eye on him, make sure he doesn't get too confused, God knows what a mess his mind must be right now. I'll be coming back in a few days to check on him, ok?"
Both men nodded and they all stood up. Dumbledore smiled at them. "If you need someone to help you with Harry make sure to tell me, I'm positive Minerva would love to help you out."
Both Marauders nodded and led them to the door. After they left, Remus went back to the kitchen to clean out the tools they had used for breakfast and Sirius went back to Harry's room, to make sure he was still sleeping.
To be continued.
A/N: Thanks for all reviews. And thanks to my beta reader Vinnie.