A/N I am truly sorry, for being such a hypocrite, I always criticise people who don't update, and put fics on 'Hiatus' I know I have been gone a long time but, I am refusing to leave this story or to put it on hiatus. However I have exams at the moment so I am not quite sure how often I will update, but they are over by June 17th so after that I expect to get back into updating once a week, also I must say that my computer broke, and it took a while to fix so I really could not update, anyway for now I will try my best to update as much as possible! A big sorry to my beta, but I really wanted to put this up and I just couldn't wait for your reply. Anyway, reviews…
an angels reflection: hope you enjoy this as this chapter as much as the last, and does not disappoint you.
Lil Lupin: thank you my most loyal reviewer, hope you stick around for the rest!
Starlette: glad you enjoy my story, always good to hear. I'll try to update more often!!!
When The Worst Is Coming
Chapter eleven
When the going gets tough, the tough runs away
"Will he be okay?" Sirius asked sick with worry.
"Be patient, Black," Snape snapped. They all were gathered around Harry, who was unconscious and looked in pretty bad shape, he had some serious burns, and had inhaled lots of smoke.
Madam Pomfrey was bent over Harry's form muttering spells, and flicking her wand.
"How do you feel now Remus?" Dumbledore asked.
"Much better thanks, I just hope Harry will be, what happened? I mean why…" Remus trailed off.
"There are many explanations, I'm afraid Remus, now that the fire has been extinguished I feel it would be good to take a look around in his room and find out," Dumbledore looked at Snape, who nodded, and walked out of the room.
After a few minutes Snape stepped into the room an odd expression on his face, holding a strange looking charred old book. Dumbledore looked at it and gasped, "surely, it can't be?" he said.
"It is," was Snape's answer.
"What is it?" Sirius asked.
"A book full of dark curses," Snape's words hung in the air for a few seconds.
The silence was broken by the, sound of Harry awakening.
Every stared at Harry as he coughed, "What h-happened?" Harry said coughing.
"Harry," Sirius said softly, "why do you have a book of the dark arts in your room?"
Harry's eyes went wide as they rested on the book Snape had in his hands, Harry stood shakily then backed up to the wall "Mr Potter you need rest you have not recovered," Madam Pomfrey said.
"Yeah, come on Harry, don't do this," Sirius said stepping towards Harry.
"I wouldn't touch me if I was you," Harry said in a dangerously low voice.
"Come on Harry," Remus said.
"Stay a-away," Harry said between coughs.
Harry then concentrated all of his new found dark powers and disappeared with a loud 'pop'.
Harry left behind was some very concerned looking adults, "How long has Potter been like this?" Snape said coldly to a shocked Sirius.
"Umm, god I don't know, he has been weird for a while, now but how on earth did he just app-"
"You fool the boy is clearly under the influence of a strong dark poison. It's a good job I remembered to take a blood sample, shame I was looking forwards to scaring the evil child." Snape interrupted.
Sirius looked like he wanted to punch Snape.
"That's enough you two. We must all work together if we want to find out what he has been poisoned with, and how to cure it," Dumbledore said in a voice of authority.
"How am I supposed to know? I would never poison him; it was probably one of those stupid Muggles," Sirius snapped.
"Calm down Sirius, no one suspects you did, but you do have a point about the Dursleys, was there anything Harry ate or drunk often which he has had since being there?" Dumbledore asked Remus and Sirius.
Sirius hadn't a clue; he looked at Remus and found that he also had no idea. 'God we haven't really looked after him have we?' he thought. After realising this he vowed to himself that he would try to spend more time with him.
Sirius couldn't help but feel like a complete failure, and there was no way to tell what that poison was doing to him, he felt sick just thinking about it, 'please be okay Harry' he hoped to himself, though he couldn't help but feel that it was in vain, he pushed these horrible thoughts to the side, trying to concentrate on being positive.
"That's it, I'm going after him," Sirius said suddenly.
"It's a bad idea, you saw what mood he was in, he would probably curse you into next week," Remus said.
"I agree, it is not wise just at the moment," Dumbledore stepped in looking at Sirius.
"But I can't just sit around doing nothing while he is out there, he is ill and crazy right now, I have to do something."
"I know but be patient, give it an hour at least I feel it would do more harm than good while he is so mad," Dumbledore tried to reason with Sirius.
Madam Pomfrey then stepped in. "But he is unwell in many ways, I have healed his burns, but his lungs can't take much, not to mention that dreadful poison,"
"Oh, god," Sirius put his head in his hands.
"The headmaster is right the Boy will survive, and anyway by trying to save him now you will probably end up damaging him more. All who want that to happen say so now……good," Severus said as he re-entered the room, no one had noticed him leave, Severus then showed everyone the box of empty bottles of Butterbeer from Hagrid.
"I found this, in his room after using a good cleaning spell to get rid of the black…it's a shame cleaning spells don't get rid of Sirius Black," he said looking pointedly at Sirius.
Sirius growled at him then said "it's a shame cleaning spells bounce off your hair."
"Why you think this contains the poison?" Madam Pomfrey asked stopping an argument from breaking out again.
"Because I know for a fact that Hagrid has something horrible to give Harry for his birthday, he left for 'His trip' early just so he can be back in time to give it to him, unfortunately I had the misfortune to have sedate the beast for him."
"What is it?" Sirius said from where he was pacing.
"That, is something I will enjoy keeping to myself," Snape said cruelly.
Sirius was too concerned for Harry's illness to bother retorting.
"We had better get back to Hogwarts, so Severus here can start seeing if he can deciphering what the poison is, and doing some tests on Harry's blood. Severus do you think you can manage on the little left in those bottles?" Dumbledore asked
"Do I have any choice?" Snape replied. Everyone ignored the fact that Snape was being quite rude for Harry's sake they needed him.
"When he is back, please get me," Madam Pomfrey said to Remus who was a bit calmer than Sirius.
"I will Poppy, thank you," Remus replied
Just before everyone left Sirius asked Dumbledore if now he could go and find his Godson. Dumbledore thought for a second.
"Yes, but please be calm, he will be completely unreasonable and irrational, do not loose your temper if you do he could severely hurt either you or himself. Those powers of his are not to be messed with, I would take Remus to be on the safe side."
"Okay, thank you," Sirius said meaning it.
"Good luck, tell me once he is back safely," Dumbledore said before leaving
Once they had gone Sirius turned to Remus "I'm going after Harry, don't follow me."
"No wait, what about what you said to Dumbledore? I need to come with you."
"Screw what I said to Dumbledore, you still need to recover from the fire, I'll be fine, you stay here in case he comes back."
"No way, I feel fine, and you know as well as I do he wont come back tonight, plus there is nothing you can do about it being as your current wand is one Dumbledore got for you, your magic won't be as strong as mine," Remus smiled knowing Sirius had no choice.
"Okay, fine you made your point, wait do you really think we will need to use magic against him?" Sirius asked worriedly.
"I am not entirely sure, but the way he was earlier…I wouldn't put it past him…," Remus trailed off at the expression on Sirius' face
"Look Harry's going to be fine, even slimy Snape reluctantly admitted he was a survivor."
"God Remus I really, really hope you are right."
"Me too." Sirius said as they left the house in search of his Godson.
A/N sorry it wasn't really long but PLEASE review, let me know what you think, Thank you!
