Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters.
Dangers in the past.
Madam Pomfrey covered Harry with a light blanket and joined the others on the other side of the room. Everyone was looking at her expectantly, but it was the headmaster, who questioned her first.
"How is he doing, Poppy?"
The nurse sat down next to Minerva and looked them pensively. "For someone that's supposed to be dead, he's very well. He has slipped out of unconsciousness and is sleeping now. I think his body was in shock from the curse. I don't know what's going to happen now. I have never seen anything like this… Oh, and he has a little scar on his chest, it's in the form of..."
Before she could end, the people of the future said: "Lightning."
The nurse shook her head wearily and turned her gaze to the headmaster who was watching the others, somewhat amused.
"I'm not sure what I should be doing, or even if I can do something to help him."
Dumbledore looked around as though searching for an answer. He didn't know what they could do either. It was the first time he had seen anything like this.
Daniel leaned back in his seat, having sent Hedwig away with the letter and calmly, he spoke. "I just sent a letter to our headmaster. The only thing we can do now is make Harry as comfortable as we can and await his answer."
Madam Pomfrey nodded, feeling a more than a little helpless with the situation. Knowing there was nothing else she could do she left, followed shortly thereafter by Minerva, Ethan and the children.
Not knowing what the future Dumbledore would want to do, it had been decided that no one would tell the students that Harry was still alive. The explanation, if needed, could come later.
Dumbledore stayed for a while longer, talking quietly with Daniel, who was telling him about the other times Harry had survived the curse. Meanwhile, Ryan had moved once again to Harry's side. He was gently caressing the boy's hair when he heard the door close, indicating Dumbledore's departure. Remus walked to Ryan's side and looked down at his friend's concerned face. Putting a comforting arm on the other man's shoulders, he broke the silence. "He'll be fine, Padfoot."
Ryan sighed. "I know, I know, but I can't help but worry. What if the day comes when he doesn't survive it?"
"I don't know. I prefer not to think about it."
"Me neither, but this happens far too often for my peace of mind. I wish I could just lock him up somewhere where he's safe."
Daniel laughed softly. "Sirius, I might want to remind you of all the trouble you have just keeping him in bed when he is ill. It would be impossible to lock him up without him blowing up the place."
Ryan shook his head and sighed, knowing his friend was right. Even if there was a way to keep Harry locked up, Ryan wanted his godson to be happy and knew he never would be if he had to stay somewhere away from everyone, even if it was for his own protection.
The two men stayed silent, just watching Harry sleep. After a while, Ryan lifted Harry carefully in his arms and took the boy to his room, where he would be able to sleep undisturbed and more comfortably. Leaving the door ajar, so they could hear Harry if he woke up, Ryan and Daniel sat down on the table with some essays the students had written and began to mark them.
*~*~*~*
A sharp pain in his chest woke Harry up from his peaceful sleep. It took some time before he realised he was back to his room. His mind was still numb from sleep, exhaustion and pain, but the flash of green light that kept replaying itself across his closed eyelids was enough to give him some idea of what had happened. Carefully, Harry opened his eyes, and was relieved to see the light in the room had dimmed, meaning it was probably a little after supper. Slowly, the boy tried to sit up and nearly cried out when a stab of pain went through his body. He sank back into his pillow, breathing hard, with his eyes firmly closed. He heard hurried steps approaching his bed, it seemed someone had heard him moving. A cool hand pressed against his feverish forehead and through the pain he could hear someone curse. His lips twitched a little when he recognised his godfather's voice, and he tried to relax as the hand began to stroke his too warm cheek.
"Remus!"
Harry heard soft footsteps entering the room. "What is it, Padfoot?"
"He's burning up! We need to do something."
"Ok, calm down. I'm going to get Madam Pomfrey. Try to cool him down while I'm away."
Harry still had his eyes closed, but he could almost see his godfather nod while quick steps could be heard leaving the room. The comforting hand disappeared from his face and was replaced by a cold, wet washcloth. Harry began to shiver and tried to move away from the cold, but Sirius wouldn't let him. His godfather gripped one of his shoulders firmly, before moving the cloth to his chest, bathing his hot skin with cold water. Harry struggled weakly against the hand that held him in place, still trying to get away from the cold.
"Lay still, Harry. Stop fighting me. You're only hurting yourself. I know it's cold, but that's what you need right now."
Ryan's voice was gentle but commanding, and he expected to be obeyed. Not wanting his godfather mad at him, Harry did as he was told and remained still, allowing Sirius to bathe him more easily. Some time later, Ryan finally stopped and placed the washcloth on Harry's forehead, covering him up with the blanket and taking one of his hands.
Harry felt his godfather sit down next to him on the bed and scooted closer to the man. They remained that way for a while, Sirius stroking his head while sleep started to fill the boy. Harry was all but dozing when Remus came back. The boy frowned; he knew there was someone with Remus, but he wasn't sure it was Madam Pomfrey. Before he could open his eyes to confirm his thoughts, Sirius let out a surprised cry.
"Albus! When did you arrive?"
The old wizard's calm voice rang throughout the small room. "Just now. I got your message and came back immediately." Harry felt Sirius stand up and then a gentle hand rested against his check.
"Child?"
Slowly, Harry opened his eyes and saw the blurred form of his headmaster kneeling next to him. "Harry, I'm going to bring you back to the future with me, there you will have enough time to recuperate and our Madam Pomfrey will be much more equipped to deal with your illness. Is that ok?"
The boy closed his eyes again, knowing it wasn't really a question. He nodded tiredly after receiving a squeeze from Sirius's hand. The last things he felt before sleep claimed him once more, was someone lifting him into a warm embrace, and then a rush of wind.
To be continued…
A/N: Sorry it took so long. Thanks for all reviews and thanks to my beta readers, Tanya and Gates.
Dangers in the past.
Madam Pomfrey covered Harry with a light blanket and joined the others on the other side of the room. Everyone was looking at her expectantly, but it was the headmaster, who questioned her first.
"How is he doing, Poppy?"
The nurse sat down next to Minerva and looked them pensively. "For someone that's supposed to be dead, he's very well. He has slipped out of unconsciousness and is sleeping now. I think his body was in shock from the curse. I don't know what's going to happen now. I have never seen anything like this… Oh, and he has a little scar on his chest, it's in the form of..."
Before she could end, the people of the future said: "Lightning."
The nurse shook her head wearily and turned her gaze to the headmaster who was watching the others, somewhat amused.
"I'm not sure what I should be doing, or even if I can do something to help him."
Dumbledore looked around as though searching for an answer. He didn't know what they could do either. It was the first time he had seen anything like this.
Daniel leaned back in his seat, having sent Hedwig away with the letter and calmly, he spoke. "I just sent a letter to our headmaster. The only thing we can do now is make Harry as comfortable as we can and await his answer."
Madam Pomfrey nodded, feeling a more than a little helpless with the situation. Knowing there was nothing else she could do she left, followed shortly thereafter by Minerva, Ethan and the children.
Not knowing what the future Dumbledore would want to do, it had been decided that no one would tell the students that Harry was still alive. The explanation, if needed, could come later.
Dumbledore stayed for a while longer, talking quietly with Daniel, who was telling him about the other times Harry had survived the curse. Meanwhile, Ryan had moved once again to Harry's side. He was gently caressing the boy's hair when he heard the door close, indicating Dumbledore's departure. Remus walked to Ryan's side and looked down at his friend's concerned face. Putting a comforting arm on the other man's shoulders, he broke the silence. "He'll be fine, Padfoot."
Ryan sighed. "I know, I know, but I can't help but worry. What if the day comes when he doesn't survive it?"
"I don't know. I prefer not to think about it."
"Me neither, but this happens far too often for my peace of mind. I wish I could just lock him up somewhere where he's safe."
Daniel laughed softly. "Sirius, I might want to remind you of all the trouble you have just keeping him in bed when he is ill. It would be impossible to lock him up without him blowing up the place."
Ryan shook his head and sighed, knowing his friend was right. Even if there was a way to keep Harry locked up, Ryan wanted his godson to be happy and knew he never would be if he had to stay somewhere away from everyone, even if it was for his own protection.
The two men stayed silent, just watching Harry sleep. After a while, Ryan lifted Harry carefully in his arms and took the boy to his room, where he would be able to sleep undisturbed and more comfortably. Leaving the door ajar, so they could hear Harry if he woke up, Ryan and Daniel sat down on the table with some essays the students had written and began to mark them.
*~*~*~*
A sharp pain in his chest woke Harry up from his peaceful sleep. It took some time before he realised he was back to his room. His mind was still numb from sleep, exhaustion and pain, but the flash of green light that kept replaying itself across his closed eyelids was enough to give him some idea of what had happened. Carefully, Harry opened his eyes, and was relieved to see the light in the room had dimmed, meaning it was probably a little after supper. Slowly, the boy tried to sit up and nearly cried out when a stab of pain went through his body. He sank back into his pillow, breathing hard, with his eyes firmly closed. He heard hurried steps approaching his bed, it seemed someone had heard him moving. A cool hand pressed against his feverish forehead and through the pain he could hear someone curse. His lips twitched a little when he recognised his godfather's voice, and he tried to relax as the hand began to stroke his too warm cheek.
"Remus!"
Harry heard soft footsteps entering the room. "What is it, Padfoot?"
"He's burning up! We need to do something."
"Ok, calm down. I'm going to get Madam Pomfrey. Try to cool him down while I'm away."
Harry still had his eyes closed, but he could almost see his godfather nod while quick steps could be heard leaving the room. The comforting hand disappeared from his face and was replaced by a cold, wet washcloth. Harry began to shiver and tried to move away from the cold, but Sirius wouldn't let him. His godfather gripped one of his shoulders firmly, before moving the cloth to his chest, bathing his hot skin with cold water. Harry struggled weakly against the hand that held him in place, still trying to get away from the cold.
"Lay still, Harry. Stop fighting me. You're only hurting yourself. I know it's cold, but that's what you need right now."
Ryan's voice was gentle but commanding, and he expected to be obeyed. Not wanting his godfather mad at him, Harry did as he was told and remained still, allowing Sirius to bathe him more easily. Some time later, Ryan finally stopped and placed the washcloth on Harry's forehead, covering him up with the blanket and taking one of his hands.
Harry felt his godfather sit down next to him on the bed and scooted closer to the man. They remained that way for a while, Sirius stroking his head while sleep started to fill the boy. Harry was all but dozing when Remus came back. The boy frowned; he knew there was someone with Remus, but he wasn't sure it was Madam Pomfrey. Before he could open his eyes to confirm his thoughts, Sirius let out a surprised cry.
"Albus! When did you arrive?"
The old wizard's calm voice rang throughout the small room. "Just now. I got your message and came back immediately." Harry felt Sirius stand up and then a gentle hand rested against his check.
"Child?"
Slowly, Harry opened his eyes and saw the blurred form of his headmaster kneeling next to him. "Harry, I'm going to bring you back to the future with me, there you will have enough time to recuperate and our Madam Pomfrey will be much more equipped to deal with your illness. Is that ok?"
The boy closed his eyes again, knowing it wasn't really a question. He nodded tiredly after receiving a squeeze from Sirius's hand. The last things he felt before sleep claimed him once more, was someone lifting him into a warm embrace, and then a rush of wind.
To be continued…
A/N: Sorry it took so long. Thanks for all reviews and thanks to my beta readers, Tanya and Gates.