Dangers in the past:
In the Great Hall, all the teachers were waiting for the arrival of the new staff member. Ethan had told them Ryan would be coming but that he would probably be somewhat late. They just had decided to start without him when Sirius entered the room. He took one of the free seats that was between Ethan and a woman he remember as being the potions mistress of that time.
Dumbledore stood up and all attention turned towards him. "My friends, I would like to introduce to you Professor Ryan Desclair, our new DADA teacher. We hope you'll stay a long time with us, Ryan, and that it will be a happy year for you."
"Thank you, headmaster, I hope it too."
Dumbledore nodded but still didn't sit down. "Ryan has brought his godson Harry Danton with him, and he will be joining the student body. He will be in fifth year and will be sorted with the first years. Now, you may notice the boy looks a little ill; he was injured in a Death Eater's attack last month at his old school and still is recovering. That's why he will be staying with his godfather until we think he's ready to join his house in the dorms." All teachers nodded in understanding and some of them sent Sirius sympathetic looks that he met with a small smile. Dumbledore sat down once again and motioned for everyone to start eating. The teachers readily did so and they began to talk between them.
Ethan turned to Ryan. "Where's Harry?"
"He ate in our room and now he's sleeping again; he was very tired." Seeing the worried look in the redheads face, he added, "don't worry, Ethan, he'll be fine."
"I don't know, don't you think being here will be too much for him to cope with? I mean, in a few days, all students will return, including certain Griffindors we're supposed to protect."
"I know, but it was his choice; we just will have to help him as much as possible." Ethan nodded in acceptance and changed the topic.
They were all having desert when a dark blue streak of light flew into the Great Hall. All the teachers looked up curiously at the little being that had just landed before Ryan.
The man looked at the fairy and frowned. "Echo? Is something wrong?"
The little fairy nodded her head vigorously; she took a flock of his hair and began to fly towards the door, nearly knocking him out of the chair.
" Ow, wait! Is there something wrong with Harry?" Echo turned to him once again and rolled her eyes as if saying he was being really dense, why else would she be there? "Ok, ok, stupid question, I'm coming would you please let go of my hair?" The little being looked slightly annoyed, but did as he had asked and flew away without waiting for him. Sirius shook his head mildly amused and stood up; he turned to the teachers, who wore looks of amusement and surprise, and said, "excuse me, I better go see what's wrong. I'll see you tomorrow."
The teachers nodded and some of them mumbled goodbye, but they were all still slightly dazed from what they had just seen. After Sirius had left, Professor Thunder, the teacher of Care of Magical Creatures, turned to Dumbledore. "You hadn't told us Ryan had a pet fairy, Headmaster."
Charlie beat the headmaster and replied, "that's because he doesn't; Echo belongs to Harry."
"That is not possible; you know as well as I do that fairies don't trust grown up wizards, let along a young boy."
Ethan's answer was simple. "You have not met Harry yet; you'll understand when you do." Then Ethan stood up and smiled to them. "If you'll excuse me, it's been a long day." And he walked out of the room.
Once Sirius had left the Great Hall he nearly ran to the room he and Harry were sharing. The moment he entered the room, he heard the sound of muffled sobs coming from Harry's room. Quickly, he entered and saw his godson sitting up in bed with his knees drawn to his chest, crying with his head on his arms. Behind him, on a perch beside the bed were Godric and Hedwig; they looked at him with concerned from their vantage point, Godric singing softly trying to comfort the young boy. Derek had claimed a place at the foot of the bed while Echo hovered in front of Harry, petting his head now and then. When Sirius entered the room, they all looked at him except for Harry, who didn't seem to notice his presence. Echo moved aside, sitting next to Godric and giving him space to comfort his godson. With two strides, Sirius was at the boy's side, sat down on the bed, and put his arms around the crying boy. He could feel Harry shivering and shaking, and he noticed for the first time that it was very cold in the room, and the blankets that had been covering the boy was on the floor. Quickly deciding what to do, he took a light blanket and wrapped it tightly around the boy's shoulders; then he lifted the child out of the bed and carried him to the common room, where a large fire was still blazing. He sat down in one of the armchairs with Harry sitting on his lap and began to comfort him.
"Harry? Hush, Kid, everything is all right; I'm here. Please, tell me what's wrong, or else I can't help you." Harry didn't answer; he just buried his head in Sirius's shoulder and continued to sob while Sirius whispered reassuring words. Finally, ten minutes later, Harry stopped crying and just rested in his godfather's arms looking at the fire. The older man waited patiently for a while, stroking his head as he gently rocking back and forth; finally he spoke again, "tell me, Harry, what's wrong?" His voice was still gentle and comforting, but there was an edge that let Harry know his godfather wanted an answer.
"I had a nightmare, about that day. I saw it all again, Voldemort trying to kill Ron, and then me fighting him." Sirius nodded in understanding; for the last few weeks, Harry had been having recurring dreams about that terrible night. Harry told Sirius about the dreams before, but never with any details. Even though he spared the details, Sirius knew the dreams had to be horrible, for they terrified Harry. Sirius knew that the only thing he could do when this happened was to sit with him till he felt asleep again, so that's what he did. For nearly an hour, they sat in silence, watching the fire and taking comfort in each other's presence. When Sirius noticed that Harry's breath had slowed down and that he had finally fallen asleep, he carefully stood up, with Harry still nestled in his arms. Sirius carefully stepped over Derek, who had fallen asleep next to the chair, and carried Harry to his room.
When he returned, Sirius was very surprised to see the familiar figure of the headmaster standing in front of the fire. He quickly put a silencing charm around the room that would allow him to hear Harry, but not vise- versa, and then walked closer to Dumbledore.
"Headmaster?" The old man turned and smiled. "How long have you been here, sir?"
"I've been here for a while, I didn't want to intrude, just make sure Harry was alright."
Sirius sank into the couch with a sigh. "Don't worry; he's ok for now. Maybe it's better you knew about the nightmares."
"Does he have them often?"
"Nearly every night, it's one of the reasons I want to keep him with me."
"Understandable, are they from that attack?"
Sirius nodded.
They stayed in silence for a few moments, when finally Dumbledore turned and walked to the door. "Tell me if I can help you with anything, Ryan."
"I will, thanks, sir."
Dumbledore nodded and walked out of the door, a faint goodnight was heard through the closed door. Sirius stayed a few more minutes, looking at the fire that was beginning to go out. He finally decided he couldn't do anything else and went to bed, leaving Derek sprawled in front of the fire. Godric and Hedwig had gone out after Harry had fallen asleep once again and Echo was now sleeping next to the boy as she usually does.
To be continued...
Author's note: I really hope you liked this chapter, thanks for all reviews. Thanks to my beta reader Vinnie.
In the Great Hall, all the teachers were waiting for the arrival of the new staff member. Ethan had told them Ryan would be coming but that he would probably be somewhat late. They just had decided to start without him when Sirius entered the room. He took one of the free seats that was between Ethan and a woman he remember as being the potions mistress of that time.
Dumbledore stood up and all attention turned towards him. "My friends, I would like to introduce to you Professor Ryan Desclair, our new DADA teacher. We hope you'll stay a long time with us, Ryan, and that it will be a happy year for you."
"Thank you, headmaster, I hope it too."
Dumbledore nodded but still didn't sit down. "Ryan has brought his godson Harry Danton with him, and he will be joining the student body. He will be in fifth year and will be sorted with the first years. Now, you may notice the boy looks a little ill; he was injured in a Death Eater's attack last month at his old school and still is recovering. That's why he will be staying with his godfather until we think he's ready to join his house in the dorms." All teachers nodded in understanding and some of them sent Sirius sympathetic looks that he met with a small smile. Dumbledore sat down once again and motioned for everyone to start eating. The teachers readily did so and they began to talk between them.
Ethan turned to Ryan. "Where's Harry?"
"He ate in our room and now he's sleeping again; he was very tired." Seeing the worried look in the redheads face, he added, "don't worry, Ethan, he'll be fine."
"I don't know, don't you think being here will be too much for him to cope with? I mean, in a few days, all students will return, including certain Griffindors we're supposed to protect."
"I know, but it was his choice; we just will have to help him as much as possible." Ethan nodded in acceptance and changed the topic.
They were all having desert when a dark blue streak of light flew into the Great Hall. All the teachers looked up curiously at the little being that had just landed before Ryan.
The man looked at the fairy and frowned. "Echo? Is something wrong?"
The little fairy nodded her head vigorously; she took a flock of his hair and began to fly towards the door, nearly knocking him out of the chair.
" Ow, wait! Is there something wrong with Harry?" Echo turned to him once again and rolled her eyes as if saying he was being really dense, why else would she be there? "Ok, ok, stupid question, I'm coming would you please let go of my hair?" The little being looked slightly annoyed, but did as he had asked and flew away without waiting for him. Sirius shook his head mildly amused and stood up; he turned to the teachers, who wore looks of amusement and surprise, and said, "excuse me, I better go see what's wrong. I'll see you tomorrow."
The teachers nodded and some of them mumbled goodbye, but they were all still slightly dazed from what they had just seen. After Sirius had left, Professor Thunder, the teacher of Care of Magical Creatures, turned to Dumbledore. "You hadn't told us Ryan had a pet fairy, Headmaster."
Charlie beat the headmaster and replied, "that's because he doesn't; Echo belongs to Harry."
"That is not possible; you know as well as I do that fairies don't trust grown up wizards, let along a young boy."
Ethan's answer was simple. "You have not met Harry yet; you'll understand when you do." Then Ethan stood up and smiled to them. "If you'll excuse me, it's been a long day." And he walked out of the room.
Once Sirius had left the Great Hall he nearly ran to the room he and Harry were sharing. The moment he entered the room, he heard the sound of muffled sobs coming from Harry's room. Quickly, he entered and saw his godson sitting up in bed with his knees drawn to his chest, crying with his head on his arms. Behind him, on a perch beside the bed were Godric and Hedwig; they looked at him with concerned from their vantage point, Godric singing softly trying to comfort the young boy. Derek had claimed a place at the foot of the bed while Echo hovered in front of Harry, petting his head now and then. When Sirius entered the room, they all looked at him except for Harry, who didn't seem to notice his presence. Echo moved aside, sitting next to Godric and giving him space to comfort his godson. With two strides, Sirius was at the boy's side, sat down on the bed, and put his arms around the crying boy. He could feel Harry shivering and shaking, and he noticed for the first time that it was very cold in the room, and the blankets that had been covering the boy was on the floor. Quickly deciding what to do, he took a light blanket and wrapped it tightly around the boy's shoulders; then he lifted the child out of the bed and carried him to the common room, where a large fire was still blazing. He sat down in one of the armchairs with Harry sitting on his lap and began to comfort him.
"Harry? Hush, Kid, everything is all right; I'm here. Please, tell me what's wrong, or else I can't help you." Harry didn't answer; he just buried his head in Sirius's shoulder and continued to sob while Sirius whispered reassuring words. Finally, ten minutes later, Harry stopped crying and just rested in his godfather's arms looking at the fire. The older man waited patiently for a while, stroking his head as he gently rocking back and forth; finally he spoke again, "tell me, Harry, what's wrong?" His voice was still gentle and comforting, but there was an edge that let Harry know his godfather wanted an answer.
"I had a nightmare, about that day. I saw it all again, Voldemort trying to kill Ron, and then me fighting him." Sirius nodded in understanding; for the last few weeks, Harry had been having recurring dreams about that terrible night. Harry told Sirius about the dreams before, but never with any details. Even though he spared the details, Sirius knew the dreams had to be horrible, for they terrified Harry. Sirius knew that the only thing he could do when this happened was to sit with him till he felt asleep again, so that's what he did. For nearly an hour, they sat in silence, watching the fire and taking comfort in each other's presence. When Sirius noticed that Harry's breath had slowed down and that he had finally fallen asleep, he carefully stood up, with Harry still nestled in his arms. Sirius carefully stepped over Derek, who had fallen asleep next to the chair, and carried Harry to his room.
When he returned, Sirius was very surprised to see the familiar figure of the headmaster standing in front of the fire. He quickly put a silencing charm around the room that would allow him to hear Harry, but not vise- versa, and then walked closer to Dumbledore.
"Headmaster?" The old man turned and smiled. "How long have you been here, sir?"
"I've been here for a while, I didn't want to intrude, just make sure Harry was alright."
Sirius sank into the couch with a sigh. "Don't worry; he's ok for now. Maybe it's better you knew about the nightmares."
"Does he have them often?"
"Nearly every night, it's one of the reasons I want to keep him with me."
"Understandable, are they from that attack?"
Sirius nodded.
They stayed in silence for a few moments, when finally Dumbledore turned and walked to the door. "Tell me if I can help you with anything, Ryan."
"I will, thanks, sir."
Dumbledore nodded and walked out of the door, a faint goodnight was heard through the closed door. Sirius stayed a few more minutes, looking at the fire that was beginning to go out. He finally decided he couldn't do anything else and went to bed, leaving Derek sprawled in front of the fire. Godric and Hedwig had gone out after Harry had fallen asleep once again and Echo was now sleeping next to the boy as she usually does.
To be continued...
Author's note: I really hope you liked this chapter, thanks for all reviews. Thanks to my beta reader Vinnie.