"Madame Pomphrey!" Lupin called. He didn't remember getting up to the castle, or even getting in, he just knew he was in the hospital wing. "Madame Pomphrey!"

Madame Pomphrey came bursting out of her office. "Why Remus! What is so important that you come running in here, in the middle of summer mind you, screaming your head off?"

Remus took a deep breath; this wasn't going to be easy. "How well can you keep a secret?" He asked her.

"From who?"

"Dumbledore."

"From Dumbledore! Remus, what on earth is so important that you have to keep something from Albus?!"

"Can you promise not to tell a soul what I am going to tell you? ANY part of it? Because what I'm going to tell you must remain a secret from everyone."

Madame Pomphrey nodded and Remus began his story. He told about Sirius. How Lily and James had switched. He told how Sirius had been framed. He told how they had gone to check on Harry that day. And what shape he was in. Finally when he was done, Madame Pomphrey asked,

"Why are you not telling Dumbledore?"

Because," Remus started. "Sirius doesn't want Dumbledore to take Harry away from him again. He knows that once Dumbledore knows, he'll bring Harry somewhere that Sirius cannot be with him. Sirius wants to stay with Harry and you're the only one we can trust to make that happen. Please, will you come look at Harry?"

"Bring me to him." Madame Pomphrey said, gathering her supplies. But nothing Remus could have said would have prepared her for what she would be tending to.

~*~

Meanwhile, Sirius had not left the position he had been in before.

His attempt to keep Harry conscious had failed. Harry could not be woken up once again and Sirius was panicking.

Harry had a fever now. And a pretty high one as well. Some of the cuts on his face and chest were still slightly bleeding and Sirius was wondering just how much blood had been lost.

"Where's Remus?" He wondered. Remus had gone to fetch Madame Pomphrey a while ago and should have returned long ago. "Maybe Dumbledore found out. What would happen then, Harry?" Sirius had been having a one-sided conversation with Harry since Remus had left. Even if Harry wasn't responding, Sirius knew he could hear every word he was saying.

"I'm so sorry Harry." He said softly, tears once again coming to his eyes. "I should have been there for you, I should have come earlier."

Sirius lapsed into silence once again, which is where he remained, holding Harry when Remus got back an hour later.

~*~

"He's upstairs." Remus said to Madame Pomphrey, beckoning her upstairs. She followed him up to a room where he stopped her. "Wait here." And disappeared into the room.

"Is she here Moony?" Sirius asked.

"Yes, but she's not very sure of you yet Sirius. You're going to have to leave most likely while she's in with Harry." Lupin said softly, as he stroked Harry's hair.

Sirius glanced down at his unconscious godson and slowly shook his head. Once again he had to give up taking care of Harry to someone who could.

"O my!" Madame Pomphrey gasped when she saw the boy in Sirius' arms. "Out! Both of you!" She said while eying Sirius with interest.

Sirius carefully edged his way out from under Harry and slipped out the door after Remus.

~*~

Three hours later...

"What's going on in there Remus? What's happening with my godson?!" Sirius had not sat down since he was kicked out of Harry's room. He was still, 3 hours later, pacing up and down Remus' living room.

"Sirius, relax a little please! Wearing yourself out won't help Harry!" Remus was getting irritated by then. Sirius would just not relax for a minute. He had been pacing the room for 3 hours and Remus was ready to strangle him.

It was then that the door upstairs opened and a pale Madame Pomphrey came out.
"How is he?"

"Is he okay?!"

"Will he be okay?"

"Let me see him!"

Madame Pomphrey had to smile at the last comment. That was Sirius for you.

"He's alive." She said. "For now."

Sirius paled. "What do you mean, for now?"

Madame Pomphrey sighed. "I'm not going to lie to you, Mr. Black. Harry is in critical condition. He's lost a lot of blood, and as you know, unlike muggles, we can't give them more, wizards have to 'grow' it back. And, as you know, any injury made by a muggle to a wizard, unfortunately, cannot be healed by magic, It has to heal itself, so there was not that much I can do for him.
"His eyes are another issue. The one has been cut pretty bad, by a glass of some sort I'd say. His other eye has been burned somehow. I'm pretty sure he won't be able to see ever again." She said quietly.
The house was silent. Finally Sirius asked, "Can I see him? Please?"

Madame Pomphrey nodded and Sirius left and headed upstairs.

~*~

"Harry." He whispered softly, dropping to his godson's side.

Harry didn't look like Harry. His was pale, yet flushed from the fever. His wrist was bandaged tight as was his ankle. His chest was bandaged tight also. There was an eye patch over his eye.

"The eye patch will have to stay on for a while." Madame Pomphrey said, coming up from behind Sirius.

Sirius just nodded. Madame Pomphrey left to talk to Remus about what they could do to help Harry be as comfortable as possible.

~*~

"I'm sorry, Harry. I'm so sorry." Sirius whispered as he lay down beside his godson, prepared to spend the night by Harry's side.

~*~

Harry felt Sirius lay down next to him and snuggled against him, sighing contently, feeling safer than he had for a long time, almost 14 years to be exact.

A/N: Me again! How was it? I'