Disclaimer: I own nothing but Reanna and anything else you don't find
familiar.
Chapter 3
Remus stepped hurriedly out of his friend's house, thanking her for letting him use her fire.
The witch told him it was no problem at all, and he was welcome to come back when he was done.
Remus thanked her again and hurried down the sidewalk toward Privet Drive.
Anyone who stood outside the house and looked at it would never suspect anything like
what had happened would ever take place, Remus thought. The garden was cute with flowers,
although he did notice a few bloody handprints around the flowers. He grimaced as he realized that
the Dursleys must have made Harry do them, even though he was injured. He gritted his teeth and
forced the thought out of his mind. He was not here for revenge, but to help Harry. There was
nothing else that could be done about the Dursleys until Harry was well again. He quickly went up
the steps and knocked on the door. A skinny blond woman answered she started to glare at Remus,
but then it turned to a mixture of surprise.
"Remus Lupin! What are you doing here?" She gasped.
Remus had met her on several occasions over the summer when he and the others were visiting Lily.
They had never liked her much as she was always bossy and bullying. The only thing that they liked
was that although she was rather mean to her sister, everyone could see that she had a soft spot for
her. She was most likely afraid of what all the other children in her neighborhood would think.
"How nice to see you too, Petunia." Remus said, forcing a smile. Her expression turned to a
worried one.
"If you're here to see Vernon about the boy, he's at work." She said, starting to glare again.
"It is most likely a good thing that your husband is at work, I do not think I want to cross
him at this moment." Remus said. "Now, may I come in, I have a few questions for you." Petunia
glared.
"All right, I suppose." She snapped.
"Thank you." Remus said walking by her as she held the door open.
"Now then, what is it? Make it snappy." Petunia said, sitting down and not offering him a
seat. He sat anyway.
"It is about Harry." Remus said. "First of all, have you noticed that he has been sick lately?"
"Sick?" Petunia asked, looking as though she could not believe her ears. "The boy was faking
it. Trying to get out of his fair share of work."
"But he did say he was sick?" Remus asked.
"Yes. The last day he was with us only." Petunia said, looking impatient.
"Right then, what did he eat before that?" Remus asked patiently.
"Same thing he always eats. He said he was not hungry that morning, so I did not give him
anything. The night before he got his usual celery stick and a cookie. The cookie was extra of
course." She said hastily.
"A cookie?" Remus asked. "Were these homemade?"
"No." Petunia snapped. "A man stopped by and insisted that I give one of the cookies to
every person in the household." Her eyes softened slightly. "I did promise, and I did feel sorry for the
boy, a little. Not much, though."
"What did this man look like?" Remus asked.
"He was in a robe, like your folk wear, but it completely covered him. I did see his eyes
though, they were a cold grey. Made me shiver right down to the bone." Petunia shivered at the
memory. "It was as though he forced me to promise, then the memory of those eyes kept me from
breaking it." She shivered again.
"A cold grey?" Remus was instantly alert.
"Yes." Was her reply. "And a bit of blond hair poked out of the hood. Why do you need to
know, anyway?" Her tone turned snappish again.
"You'll never need to know." Remus said. A car was suddenly heard in the doorway.
"Oh dear, Vernon's home." Petunia said, getting up. "Watch yourself as you go out." She
said as Remus went to leave. "We've had a rat infestation. I think I cleared most of them out but
you never know." Remus thanked her and headed to the living room.
He was met by a beefy man with a large moustache and brown hair. He was cruel looking,
with strong muscles and a cold sneer. Remus recognized him as Vernon Dursley. He immediately
felt anger boiling up inside him at this man. He was the one who made Harry in so much pain. He
was the one that should be suffering.
"What are you doing here?" His voice was gruff, and Remus' eyes flashed at the sound.
"I was just leaving." Remus tried to be as polite as he could.
"Good." Vernon was about to walk away, but then he stopped and sneered at him. "Aren't
you one of those people that came to pick the boy up?"
"I am." Remus said, holding back his anger.
"Well, I want to tell you that whatever that boy says is a lie. He deserved what he got, he
deserved every bit of it. He'll lie to you, say he was sick when I told him to work, but he was faking
it. If he wanted to not do his chores, then he would have to face the consequences. I'm just warning
you, that freak." Vernon was cut off by a loud SMACK!
Remus stood, shaking with fury, with his fist raised. Vernon looked at him, surprised and
hurt. His jaw was broken, and he gaped a bit at him. Realizing what he had done, Remus swept out
of the room. Before he went he turned.
"Never call Harry a freak. He's not the liar, you are." He hissed. "You're the freak, for
abusing him like you did. He never did anything wrong." With that he swept out of the room and
towards his friend's house. Realizing he had found something he hurriedly thanked his friend once
more, and stepped in the flames, spinning through the fire back to his house.
"Harry, Harry wake up. Come on kiddo, please don't do this to me." Harry could hear a
voice coming from far away. He tried to push it away and fall back into the blackness, but his body
would not let him. "Please Harry, you've been asleep too long."
Harry moaned and pulled himself toward the voice. He felt himself waking completely and
the usual heat and pain greeted him. He felt hotter then before, and he realized he had not taken his
potion last time he awoke. He could still hear the voice pleading with him, and he recognized it as
Sirius'. Moaning, he opened his eyes.
Sirius was bending over him, looking frantic and worried. He relaxed as Harry opened his
eyes. "Thank god. I thought I had lost you. I've been trying to wake you for ten minutes." Harry
frowned, he had only been hearing him for about five. "You need your potion."
Harry groaned as Sirius helped him sit up. He had given up on talking when he was so hot a
long time ago. Sometimes he could barely understand himself, and half the time the others could
not understand him. Sirius arranged the pillows so he could sit up and Harry gratefully leaned his
head against them. Sirius smiled grimly and picked up the steaming potion from beside his bedside.
Harry allowed him to help him drink it, he had gotten used to this by now, and he was not feeling
up to protesting it.
"You going to go back to sleep?" Sirius asked gently. Harry shook his head.
"I'm not tired." He mumbled, his words jumbling themselves as usual. "Where are Remus
and Reanna?" He asked as Sirius sent a worried glance at him.
"Trying to find something that will make you better." Sirius soothed.
"Something about the poison?" Harry mumbled before he knew what he was saying. Sirius
froze.
"How did you know about that?" He asked, caressing his hair gently.
"I was awake when you were talking about it." Harry said. His eyes tried to flutter closed,
but he forced them open. Sirius swallowed.
"Yes, their asking the Dursleys and the ministry about anything that could help." He said
gently. Even when Harry was injured and delirious he was too smart for his own good.
It was at that moment that two people came bursting out of the fire upstairs. Neither
noticed each other, and rushed up to where Sirius and Harry were. They still looked worried, yet
hopeful.
"I found something!" They chorused. It was then they noticed each other.
"Oh." Reanna said.
"Sorry Reanna, please continue." Remus said. Reanna was about to continue when she
noticed Harry.
"Oh! Harry, you're awake!" She exclaimed. He smiled at her and scooted over a bit so she
could climb up. Reanna turned to the others. "Could we talk for a bit, please? Remus, why do you
not tell Sirius about what you found while you're at it?" Sirius and Remus smiled but did not say
anything. They simply left the room in silence.
"Thanks, Reanna." Harry said weakly. Reanna smiled softly at him.
"For what?" She asked gently.
"For everything you've done for me, especially what you just did. That must have taken a lot
of courage. I don't know why you did it for me." Harry smiled at her, but it came out more like a
grimace.
"You know I would do anything for you." Reanna said softly. "And you're right that did take
a lot of courage, but each time I talked to someone I just had to think of you and I would find my
voice." She looked away suddenly. "God, I don't know what I'm going to do if Remus and I are not
right about our suspects. I don't want to lose you Harry."
"You won't." Harry said softly, trying to make his words clear. "Believe me, I don't want to
die." He sounded even more tired as he spoke, and more faint.
"All right, Remus told me what he suspects." Sirius said, coming into the room with Remus.
His expression softened when he looked at Harry. "Are you still awake, kiddo? Why don't you try to
get some rest?" Harry shook his head.
"That's alright, I'm fine." Harry said hoarsely.
Sirius still looked concerned but decided that what they were talking about was more
important. Reanna maintained her position on the bed while Sirius and Remus came over to sit on
the chairs.
"I told Sirius what I found out." Remus said to Reanna and Harry. "Before I state what my
view is though, Reanna why don't you explain yours."
Reanna sighed and started to explain what had happened at the ministry. She put some of
the things that the others had said in the story, but said they were most likely not important. She
liked most everyone there, all except one man.
"This man, he was just, weird." Reanna explained. "He had cold grey eyes, and long blond
hair. He was rather pale as well. I did not like him, and he flat out refused to answer any
questions."
"Malfoy." Harry muttered.
Reanna looked at him in surprise. "You know him?"
"Everyone knows Malfoy." Sirius said in disgust. His eyes were blazing. "He's rich, in the
ministry, and powerful. I do not believe anyone likes him, but he has too much power to be defied.
He knows that if he does something, most likely he can get away with it. What makes him even
more suspicious, though, is the fact that he's a death eater."
"A death eater?" Reanna questioned.
"Servants to Voldemort." Remus explained. "Voldemort is the dark lord in our world."
"And he wants Harry dead this badly?" Reanna asked. Harry, Sirius, and Remus all flinched.
"Oh." Reanna said quietly. "Some grudge thing?"
"I'll tell you about it later, Rea." Harry said quietly.
"Anyway, Remus came up with the same thing." Sirius said, frowning worriedly. "Harry, are
you sure you don't want to go back to sleep? You've been up for an awfully long time. You don't
want to wear yourself out."
"I'm fine, Sirius." Harry muttered. He felt like he did not want to talk again. He might
have to sleep whether he wanted to or not.
"Right then, we have to find some way to get Malfoy to either tell what the poison is, or give
the antidote." Remus said.
"How about we knock it out of him?" Sirius growled, clenching his hand into a fist.
"Although for once I agree with you that is nearly impossible." Remus said frowning.
Harry fought to keep himself awake. He did not want to go back to sleep now, he wanted to
help. It was his life they were trying to save, and it did not seem right for them to do all the work.
If he just thought about it he was sure he could think of a way to get Malfoy to give the antidote
willingly. He just had to think. Distantly, he felt someone gently laying him down completely, and
he drifted off to sleep.
Harry awoke slowly, keeping himself partly in sleep. He liked the feeling of the gentle lull
around him. If he awoke he would have to feel pain and heat. Here though, he was safe. Someone
was calling his name again. They sounded frantic. He pulled himself a little farther toward
consciousness, and quickly found the pain. He immediately tried to jerk himself back into the
blackness, but something stopped him. Forcing himself to pull farther toward the voice, he bit back
the pain and recognized the voice as Reanna's. Heat overwhelmed him, but now he refused to drift
back off. Reanna sounded upset; he needed to find out what was wrong. He slowly pulled himself
toward the voice, until it was almost completely clear. The pain and the heat were almost
unbearable, but he ignored them. Painfully, he forced his eyes open.
Reanna was above him. Her face wavered in and out of view, but he could see the tears on
her cheeks. Her green eyes were full of worry. She gasped when he opened his eyes and hugged
him. "Oh god! You scared me to death. You weren't answering! I tried and tried."
"Reanna?" A voice came from behind them. "Can I look at him now, please?" Reanna slowly
got up and sat near the edge of the bed. "Out of the room, all of you please." Reanna hesitated but
then followed the woman's orders.
Harry did not recognize this new voice, or the person who was coming up. She had long
strawberry blond hair which was pulled back into a pony tail. Her grayish blue eyes held worry in
them as she approached Harry. If she had been smiling Harry was sure she would have dimples and
straight white teeth.
"I don't suppose you would remember me." She said gently as she approached. "I'm your
doctor, Trinity Bayer. You've been either unconscious or delirious every time I came to see you, and
of course you would not remember me from when you were a baby."
"What - What happened?" Harry tried to ask, but his voice would not respond. Trinity
shushed him.
"I just need to look you over and see if I can do anything to keep what has been happening
from happening." She said gently. A few minutes later she stood up. "All right, I'll be leaving now."
She left the room and immediately Reanna came racing in.
Harry had already settled himself back on the pillows, still exhausted. He wanted to drift
back off into the blackness once more, but he was sure Sirius, Remus, and Reanna would not be
happy about that. Besides, he wanted to find out what had happened. Reanna had already attached
herself to Harry, but pulled away and settled for sitting by him. She still sent him worried glances
every now and again though.
Sirius and Remus came in a few minutes later both looking grim and worried. They settled
themselves on the chairs beside Harry's bedside. Reanna gently helped Harry sit up, and Harry did
not protest. He had gotten the idea that they did not want him drifting off to sleep again until they
talked to him. For comfort reasons, Reanna gently took his hand.
"We thought we should explain to you what is going on, just so you can be aware." Sirius
said grimly, looking at Harry through worried eyes. "First of all, we're trying to find out a way of
making Malfoy confess, but we cannot think of any. The important thing though, is what just
happened."
"What did happen?" Harry asked, finally finding his voice. It was weaker and scratchier then
it had been since he was taken from the Dursleys. Sirius swallowed.
"Do you remember us calling you?" He asked gently. Harry frowned.
"I remember Reanna calling me about ten or fifteen minutes before I woke up, but that's
all." He said hoarsely.
"Nothing else?" Sirius prompted desperately. Harry thought harder.
"Only that I liked the feeling of being asleep more then usual, I did not want to wake up."
He said slowly. Sirius' frown deepened.
"You don't remember me calling you at all?" He asked. Harry shook his head.
"Did you?" He asked.
"We did not think you were responding, Trinity insisted we find out." Remus explained
gently. "We had thought you finally slipped into a coma." Reanna grimaced as he said this, and
Harry squeezed her hand gently in reassurance.
"We cannot insure that it does not happen again." Sirius said. He looked at his godson with
love, but with the heightening worry. "Harry, you'll have to make sure that if you here anyone
calling you when you're asleep, you do your best to answer them." His eyes were pleading.
"Right." Harry croaked.
"Now, about getting Malfoy to tell what the poison is." Remus said, his lips straightening
tightly. He looked nearly as worried as Sirius, his gray eyes swirling with a mixture of anger at
Malfoy and worry while he said this.
"Are you sure that giving him a few hard knocks would not make him tell us?" Sirius asked.
Harry leaned on Reanna for support as he felt himself become tired, but he once again refused to fall
asleep.
"We would get in trouble, you know that." Remus reprimanded his friend.
"Don't you have some truth spell or something that you can use?" Reanna asked. Remus
shook his head.
"It would not work. We could not go beating up on Ministry officials. Nothing but a
potion of some kind would do, but."
"Veratism?" Harry asked. Reanna looked confused, but Remus smiled slightly and Harry
could see Sirius' hopes lifting.
"A truth serum," Sirius explained to Reanna.
"It just might work." Remus said. "Now the problem is getting him here."
"We don't have to." Reanna said, looking thoughtful. "If one of us can slip it in his drink
then ask to speak to him in his office, that should be all we need."
"Brilliant." Remus said. "Reanna, would you slip it in his coffee?"
"Of course." Reanna said, her green eyes burning with hatred toward the victim.
"Then it is settled." Remus said. "I'll wait outside with Arthur, then once you give the sign
we'll come in. Everyone else will just think it is a meeting and will not disturb us. Sirius, you will of
course stay here." Sirius nodded to show he understood. Remus got up. "Harry, stay awake. I'm
going to get another dose of fever reducer. How do you feel?"
"Hot." Harry admitted. He usually would have denied it, but he was feeling quite drained of
energy and in quite a bit of pain to argue with himself. Remus frowned in worry.
"That'll be an extra strong one." He said. He briskly went out of the room.
Harry tried to obey his former professor, but it was hard. He was now barely supporting
himself, but Reanna seemed not to mind his weight. When his eyes tried to flutter close, however,
she became more worried.
"Please don't fall asleep Harry." She begged gently. "If you're fever rises any higher, you
won't be able to force yourself to wake up."
"Sorry." He muttered.
"Talk." He heard Sirius say. "It will help to keep you awake."
"What about?" Harry's words were coming more slurred. Gently, Reanna shook him
slightly.
"Anything, just don't fall asleep." Sirius' voice came from a long ways off.
It was no use; the terrible heat that was building overpowered everything. Harry had a
feeling that the poison was taking one of its worse throws, and coming closer to the end of its job.
He shook himself so he stayed slightly awake, but he could not stay that way for long. Distantly, he \ heard Reanna curse.
"Remus! Hurry up, please!" The words were muffled, as though there was a block of some
kind between his ears and the sound, but he could still hear the desperate worry in her voice. "His
temperature is rising faster then it has been!"
Someone lifted his head slightly, coaxing him to help. Too weak to protest, Harry allowed
the person to do so. Something cooling was put to his lips, but he could not swallow. The same
person helping him sit up rubbed his throat gently and whatever it was slipped down. The
unbearable heat around him lessened and the liquid cooled his throat. Some of his strength was
brought back and he swallowed what was put in his mouth. Things cleared slightly, but Harry did
not have the energy to open his eyes. He heard Reanna's voice, now clearer, soothing him gently.
He lay down with her help and drifted off to sleep.
"Harry, wake up." Harry heard Sirius whisper. "Reanna and Remus will be back in no time."
Harry groaned slightly. The potion that they had given him earlier must have been quite
strong indeed. It had kept his fever down until now, and he was sure he had been asleep for quite a
while. He felt Sirius shake him slightly, and he opened his eyes. They were heavy, and as soon as he
pushed himself to full consciousness the pain returned. He moaned and tried to go back to sleep.
"No Harry, you have to take another dose of the potion." Sirius whispered.
Obediently, Harry let him gently help him to sit up. He looked around, still exhausted and
saw that Sirius and he were the only ones in the room. Confused, he tried to ask where Reanna and
Remus were. All that came out however, was a hoarse cough and a strange sound. His condition
was getting worse.
"Shh." Sirius said gently. He handed him his potion, and helped him to drink it. When he
was finished Sirius explained, "Reanna and Remus went to the ministry, they should be back soon."
As though on cue, footsteps were heard on the stairs. Sirius got up hopefully as the two
rushed in. He looked much like a dog who was waiting for a treat. However, when he saw the look
on both of their faces, his own face fell. Harry could tell that they had gotten nothing, or almost
nothing, out of Malfoy.
"Nothing." Remus sighed, plopping into a chair.
"We gave him the Veratism, but he said he did not do it." Reanna said, making herself
comfortable on the bed next to Harry.
"Great, just great." Sirius groaned.
"So we've got another dead end." Reanna said quietly. She sent worried eyes over to Harry,
who barely noticed.
Harry was deep in thought. If Malfoy did not put the poison in either things, then who
had? Remus described the man Aunt Petunia had described, and it certainly sounded like him. He
was a death eater, and worked at the ministry. It all led back to him. Harry shook his head slightly
absentmindedly. He thought more about what both Remus and Reanna had said. Wait a second!
"Remus, Aunt Petunia said there was a rat infestation?" Harry asked, his voice coming out
weak and hoarse. He coughed slightly from the effort. The room tilted then righted itself as a wave
of dizziness came over him, but he ignored it.
"Yes." Remus said. "But what does that have to do with anything?"
Sirius however had caught on. "Arthur Weasley said the same thing in the ministry!" He
exclaimed. Realization dawned on Remus' face.
"How could we be so stupid?" He muttered. "Malfoy was only a decoy, the whole time it
was."
"Wormtail." Sirius finished for him in a snarl.
Harry nodded slightly, making his head pound. Wormtail was another name for Peter
Pettigrew, the man who betrayed his parents. He had rejoined last year with his master Voldemort,
and helped bring him back to power with Harry's blood.
"Wormtail?" Reanna questioned.
"He's another death eater." Remus explained patiently.
"And how do you know him so well?" Reanna asked, puzzled. "And what is up with the rat
thing?"
"He used to be a friend of ours." Remus said. "We went to school together, but he went over
to the dark side who knows when,"
"And he can turn himself into a rat at will." Sirius said.
"I told you about him, er, sort of anyway." Harry said to Reanna quietly. The room was
positively spinning now, but he did his best to focus.
"Ohhh, that one." Reanna said. "How do we catch him now?"
"My best guess would be that he is somewhere around here." Remus said. Sirius and Reanna
looked at him in puzzlement. "He's already hit the Ministry and the Dursleys, he'll hit here next."
He explained.
"Of course, he'll want to sneak it into something else." Reanna breathed. Suddenly the color
drained dramatically from her face.
"What is it?" Sirius asked her, concerned.
"Like a potion?" She whispered.
"My god, the basement." Remus breathed, and jumped up and ran out of the room. Sirius
and Reanna exchanged worried looks. Five or ten minutes later they heard footsteps on the stairs
and panicked squeaks.
"He found him!" Sirius said, looking relieved.
Remus marched in, and threw what looked like a man to the ground. Harry's view was
blurry from dizziness, but he could still make out the features of Peter Pettigrew. He was a small
man, about Harry's height. He had small watery eyes not unlike a rat, and was balding. The most
noticing feature was a silver hand in place of his left arm, which was a 'gift' from Voldemort last
year. He was plump, and was now cowering slightly at Remus' feet. Sirius got up in anger.
"He was in the basement behind the shelves." Remus snarled. "Reanna, do you have the
Veratism?" Reanna nodded and brought it out.
"He's not a Ministry official, I don't see why a few knocks his way couldn't do him some
good." Sirius growled.
"Stay away! I-I won't say a thing!" Wormtail shouted suddenly, standing and backing up
slowly.
"Just tell us what the antidote is, Peter." Remus said, his voice still icy cold but softer. "Just
tell us and all we will do is turn you in." Sirius looked as though he might disagree, but Remus sent
him a swift look.
"I-I wouldn't tell you if I knew!" Wormtail shrieked, although trembling. Harry flinched;
the high pitch made his head ring. He was having trouble drawing each breath for some reason. "V-
Voldemort keeps us in the dark about what he does, we just run errands!"
"Liar." Sirius hissed. "You know what the antidote is, because he probably tested the poison
on you first. And you know very well that whoever uses a poison must know an antidote, or the
poison becomes useless." Wormtail shook his head, although the way he looked made Harry be
suspicious of whether this was not just a wild guess.
"Just tell us what it is." Remus said firmly, his voice getting a bit louder. "And be thankful
that I caught you before you put the poison in the potion." Wormtail suddenly quieted.
"Ah, now that's where you're wrong." He said, suddenly becoming less nervous. "That last
cupful you gave him, Sirius, was almost completely poison. Isn't it nice, knowing you've killed your
own godson?" He looked at Harry, who was fighting to stay awake.
Sirius, enraged, moved forward but Reanna beat him to it. Twisting out of Harry's grasp
easily, she leapt forward at the man. Harry sluggishly tried to grab her before she jumped, but he
was weakening greatly. Before he could do anything she was on top of Wormtail. The man blinked
once in surprise, before realizing what was happening. His eyes hardened and a light suddenly
showed around Reanna. She was thrown back into the wall behind her. Harry tried to cry out and
move forward, but he found he could not. All he wanted to do was fall asleep, fall deep into sleep.
The last thing he was aware of was Remus and Sirius moving forward onto Wormtail, and then he
knew no more.
Chapter 3
Remus stepped hurriedly out of his friend's house, thanking her for letting him use her fire.
The witch told him it was no problem at all, and he was welcome to come back when he was done.
Remus thanked her again and hurried down the sidewalk toward Privet Drive.
Anyone who stood outside the house and looked at it would never suspect anything like
what had happened would ever take place, Remus thought. The garden was cute with flowers,
although he did notice a few bloody handprints around the flowers. He grimaced as he realized that
the Dursleys must have made Harry do them, even though he was injured. He gritted his teeth and
forced the thought out of his mind. He was not here for revenge, but to help Harry. There was
nothing else that could be done about the Dursleys until Harry was well again. He quickly went up
the steps and knocked on the door. A skinny blond woman answered she started to glare at Remus,
but then it turned to a mixture of surprise.
"Remus Lupin! What are you doing here?" She gasped.
Remus had met her on several occasions over the summer when he and the others were visiting Lily.
They had never liked her much as she was always bossy and bullying. The only thing that they liked
was that although she was rather mean to her sister, everyone could see that she had a soft spot for
her. She was most likely afraid of what all the other children in her neighborhood would think.
"How nice to see you too, Petunia." Remus said, forcing a smile. Her expression turned to a
worried one.
"If you're here to see Vernon about the boy, he's at work." She said, starting to glare again.
"It is most likely a good thing that your husband is at work, I do not think I want to cross
him at this moment." Remus said. "Now, may I come in, I have a few questions for you." Petunia
glared.
"All right, I suppose." She snapped.
"Thank you." Remus said walking by her as she held the door open.
"Now then, what is it? Make it snappy." Petunia said, sitting down and not offering him a
seat. He sat anyway.
"It is about Harry." Remus said. "First of all, have you noticed that he has been sick lately?"
"Sick?" Petunia asked, looking as though she could not believe her ears. "The boy was faking
it. Trying to get out of his fair share of work."
"But he did say he was sick?" Remus asked.
"Yes. The last day he was with us only." Petunia said, looking impatient.
"Right then, what did he eat before that?" Remus asked patiently.
"Same thing he always eats. He said he was not hungry that morning, so I did not give him
anything. The night before he got his usual celery stick and a cookie. The cookie was extra of
course." She said hastily.
"A cookie?" Remus asked. "Were these homemade?"
"No." Petunia snapped. "A man stopped by and insisted that I give one of the cookies to
every person in the household." Her eyes softened slightly. "I did promise, and I did feel sorry for the
boy, a little. Not much, though."
"What did this man look like?" Remus asked.
"He was in a robe, like your folk wear, but it completely covered him. I did see his eyes
though, they were a cold grey. Made me shiver right down to the bone." Petunia shivered at the
memory. "It was as though he forced me to promise, then the memory of those eyes kept me from
breaking it." She shivered again.
"A cold grey?" Remus was instantly alert.
"Yes." Was her reply. "And a bit of blond hair poked out of the hood. Why do you need to
know, anyway?" Her tone turned snappish again.
"You'll never need to know." Remus said. A car was suddenly heard in the doorway.
"Oh dear, Vernon's home." Petunia said, getting up. "Watch yourself as you go out." She
said as Remus went to leave. "We've had a rat infestation. I think I cleared most of them out but
you never know." Remus thanked her and headed to the living room.
He was met by a beefy man with a large moustache and brown hair. He was cruel looking,
with strong muscles and a cold sneer. Remus recognized him as Vernon Dursley. He immediately
felt anger boiling up inside him at this man. He was the one who made Harry in so much pain. He
was the one that should be suffering.
"What are you doing here?" His voice was gruff, and Remus' eyes flashed at the sound.
"I was just leaving." Remus tried to be as polite as he could.
"Good." Vernon was about to walk away, but then he stopped and sneered at him. "Aren't
you one of those people that came to pick the boy up?"
"I am." Remus said, holding back his anger.
"Well, I want to tell you that whatever that boy says is a lie. He deserved what he got, he
deserved every bit of it. He'll lie to you, say he was sick when I told him to work, but he was faking
it. If he wanted to not do his chores, then he would have to face the consequences. I'm just warning
you, that freak." Vernon was cut off by a loud SMACK!
Remus stood, shaking with fury, with his fist raised. Vernon looked at him, surprised and
hurt. His jaw was broken, and he gaped a bit at him. Realizing what he had done, Remus swept out
of the room. Before he went he turned.
"Never call Harry a freak. He's not the liar, you are." He hissed. "You're the freak, for
abusing him like you did. He never did anything wrong." With that he swept out of the room and
towards his friend's house. Realizing he had found something he hurriedly thanked his friend once
more, and stepped in the flames, spinning through the fire back to his house.
"Harry, Harry wake up. Come on kiddo, please don't do this to me." Harry could hear a
voice coming from far away. He tried to push it away and fall back into the blackness, but his body
would not let him. "Please Harry, you've been asleep too long."
Harry moaned and pulled himself toward the voice. He felt himself waking completely and
the usual heat and pain greeted him. He felt hotter then before, and he realized he had not taken his
potion last time he awoke. He could still hear the voice pleading with him, and he recognized it as
Sirius'. Moaning, he opened his eyes.
Sirius was bending over him, looking frantic and worried. He relaxed as Harry opened his
eyes. "Thank god. I thought I had lost you. I've been trying to wake you for ten minutes." Harry
frowned, he had only been hearing him for about five. "You need your potion."
Harry groaned as Sirius helped him sit up. He had given up on talking when he was so hot a
long time ago. Sometimes he could barely understand himself, and half the time the others could
not understand him. Sirius arranged the pillows so he could sit up and Harry gratefully leaned his
head against them. Sirius smiled grimly and picked up the steaming potion from beside his bedside.
Harry allowed him to help him drink it, he had gotten used to this by now, and he was not feeling
up to protesting it.
"You going to go back to sleep?" Sirius asked gently. Harry shook his head.
"I'm not tired." He mumbled, his words jumbling themselves as usual. "Where are Remus
and Reanna?" He asked as Sirius sent a worried glance at him.
"Trying to find something that will make you better." Sirius soothed.
"Something about the poison?" Harry mumbled before he knew what he was saying. Sirius
froze.
"How did you know about that?" He asked, caressing his hair gently.
"I was awake when you were talking about it." Harry said. His eyes tried to flutter closed,
but he forced them open. Sirius swallowed.
"Yes, their asking the Dursleys and the ministry about anything that could help." He said
gently. Even when Harry was injured and delirious he was too smart for his own good.
It was at that moment that two people came bursting out of the fire upstairs. Neither
noticed each other, and rushed up to where Sirius and Harry were. They still looked worried, yet
hopeful.
"I found something!" They chorused. It was then they noticed each other.
"Oh." Reanna said.
"Sorry Reanna, please continue." Remus said. Reanna was about to continue when she
noticed Harry.
"Oh! Harry, you're awake!" She exclaimed. He smiled at her and scooted over a bit so she
could climb up. Reanna turned to the others. "Could we talk for a bit, please? Remus, why do you
not tell Sirius about what you found while you're at it?" Sirius and Remus smiled but did not say
anything. They simply left the room in silence.
"Thanks, Reanna." Harry said weakly. Reanna smiled softly at him.
"For what?" She asked gently.
"For everything you've done for me, especially what you just did. That must have taken a lot
of courage. I don't know why you did it for me." Harry smiled at her, but it came out more like a
grimace.
"You know I would do anything for you." Reanna said softly. "And you're right that did take
a lot of courage, but each time I talked to someone I just had to think of you and I would find my
voice." She looked away suddenly. "God, I don't know what I'm going to do if Remus and I are not
right about our suspects. I don't want to lose you Harry."
"You won't." Harry said softly, trying to make his words clear. "Believe me, I don't want to
die." He sounded even more tired as he spoke, and more faint.
"All right, Remus told me what he suspects." Sirius said, coming into the room with Remus.
His expression softened when he looked at Harry. "Are you still awake, kiddo? Why don't you try to
get some rest?" Harry shook his head.
"That's alright, I'm fine." Harry said hoarsely.
Sirius still looked concerned but decided that what they were talking about was more
important. Reanna maintained her position on the bed while Sirius and Remus came over to sit on
the chairs.
"I told Sirius what I found out." Remus said to Reanna and Harry. "Before I state what my
view is though, Reanna why don't you explain yours."
Reanna sighed and started to explain what had happened at the ministry. She put some of
the things that the others had said in the story, but said they were most likely not important. She
liked most everyone there, all except one man.
"This man, he was just, weird." Reanna explained. "He had cold grey eyes, and long blond
hair. He was rather pale as well. I did not like him, and he flat out refused to answer any
questions."
"Malfoy." Harry muttered.
Reanna looked at him in surprise. "You know him?"
"Everyone knows Malfoy." Sirius said in disgust. His eyes were blazing. "He's rich, in the
ministry, and powerful. I do not believe anyone likes him, but he has too much power to be defied.
He knows that if he does something, most likely he can get away with it. What makes him even
more suspicious, though, is the fact that he's a death eater."
"A death eater?" Reanna questioned.
"Servants to Voldemort." Remus explained. "Voldemort is the dark lord in our world."
"And he wants Harry dead this badly?" Reanna asked. Harry, Sirius, and Remus all flinched.
"Oh." Reanna said quietly. "Some grudge thing?"
"I'll tell you about it later, Rea." Harry said quietly.
"Anyway, Remus came up with the same thing." Sirius said, frowning worriedly. "Harry, are
you sure you don't want to go back to sleep? You've been up for an awfully long time. You don't
want to wear yourself out."
"I'm fine, Sirius." Harry muttered. He felt like he did not want to talk again. He might
have to sleep whether he wanted to or not.
"Right then, we have to find some way to get Malfoy to either tell what the poison is, or give
the antidote." Remus said.
"How about we knock it out of him?" Sirius growled, clenching his hand into a fist.
"Although for once I agree with you that is nearly impossible." Remus said frowning.
Harry fought to keep himself awake. He did not want to go back to sleep now, he wanted to
help. It was his life they were trying to save, and it did not seem right for them to do all the work.
If he just thought about it he was sure he could think of a way to get Malfoy to give the antidote
willingly. He just had to think. Distantly, he felt someone gently laying him down completely, and
he drifted off to sleep.
Harry awoke slowly, keeping himself partly in sleep. He liked the feeling of the gentle lull
around him. If he awoke he would have to feel pain and heat. Here though, he was safe. Someone
was calling his name again. They sounded frantic. He pulled himself a little farther toward
consciousness, and quickly found the pain. He immediately tried to jerk himself back into the
blackness, but something stopped him. Forcing himself to pull farther toward the voice, he bit back
the pain and recognized the voice as Reanna's. Heat overwhelmed him, but now he refused to drift
back off. Reanna sounded upset; he needed to find out what was wrong. He slowly pulled himself
toward the voice, until it was almost completely clear. The pain and the heat were almost
unbearable, but he ignored them. Painfully, he forced his eyes open.
Reanna was above him. Her face wavered in and out of view, but he could see the tears on
her cheeks. Her green eyes were full of worry. She gasped when he opened his eyes and hugged
him. "Oh god! You scared me to death. You weren't answering! I tried and tried."
"Reanna?" A voice came from behind them. "Can I look at him now, please?" Reanna slowly
got up and sat near the edge of the bed. "Out of the room, all of you please." Reanna hesitated but
then followed the woman's orders.
Harry did not recognize this new voice, or the person who was coming up. She had long
strawberry blond hair which was pulled back into a pony tail. Her grayish blue eyes held worry in
them as she approached Harry. If she had been smiling Harry was sure she would have dimples and
straight white teeth.
"I don't suppose you would remember me." She said gently as she approached. "I'm your
doctor, Trinity Bayer. You've been either unconscious or delirious every time I came to see you, and
of course you would not remember me from when you were a baby."
"What - What happened?" Harry tried to ask, but his voice would not respond. Trinity
shushed him.
"I just need to look you over and see if I can do anything to keep what has been happening
from happening." She said gently. A few minutes later she stood up. "All right, I'll be leaving now."
She left the room and immediately Reanna came racing in.
Harry had already settled himself back on the pillows, still exhausted. He wanted to drift
back off into the blackness once more, but he was sure Sirius, Remus, and Reanna would not be
happy about that. Besides, he wanted to find out what had happened. Reanna had already attached
herself to Harry, but pulled away and settled for sitting by him. She still sent him worried glances
every now and again though.
Sirius and Remus came in a few minutes later both looking grim and worried. They settled
themselves on the chairs beside Harry's bedside. Reanna gently helped Harry sit up, and Harry did
not protest. He had gotten the idea that they did not want him drifting off to sleep again until they
talked to him. For comfort reasons, Reanna gently took his hand.
"We thought we should explain to you what is going on, just so you can be aware." Sirius
said grimly, looking at Harry through worried eyes. "First of all, we're trying to find out a way of
making Malfoy confess, but we cannot think of any. The important thing though, is what just
happened."
"What did happen?" Harry asked, finally finding his voice. It was weaker and scratchier then
it had been since he was taken from the Dursleys. Sirius swallowed.
"Do you remember us calling you?" He asked gently. Harry frowned.
"I remember Reanna calling me about ten or fifteen minutes before I woke up, but that's
all." He said hoarsely.
"Nothing else?" Sirius prompted desperately. Harry thought harder.
"Only that I liked the feeling of being asleep more then usual, I did not want to wake up."
He said slowly. Sirius' frown deepened.
"You don't remember me calling you at all?" He asked. Harry shook his head.
"Did you?" He asked.
"We did not think you were responding, Trinity insisted we find out." Remus explained
gently. "We had thought you finally slipped into a coma." Reanna grimaced as he said this, and
Harry squeezed her hand gently in reassurance.
"We cannot insure that it does not happen again." Sirius said. He looked at his godson with
love, but with the heightening worry. "Harry, you'll have to make sure that if you here anyone
calling you when you're asleep, you do your best to answer them." His eyes were pleading.
"Right." Harry croaked.
"Now, about getting Malfoy to tell what the poison is." Remus said, his lips straightening
tightly. He looked nearly as worried as Sirius, his gray eyes swirling with a mixture of anger at
Malfoy and worry while he said this.
"Are you sure that giving him a few hard knocks would not make him tell us?" Sirius asked.
Harry leaned on Reanna for support as he felt himself become tired, but he once again refused to fall
asleep.
"We would get in trouble, you know that." Remus reprimanded his friend.
"Don't you have some truth spell or something that you can use?" Reanna asked. Remus
shook his head.
"It would not work. We could not go beating up on Ministry officials. Nothing but a
potion of some kind would do, but."
"Veratism?" Harry asked. Reanna looked confused, but Remus smiled slightly and Harry
could see Sirius' hopes lifting.
"A truth serum," Sirius explained to Reanna.
"It just might work." Remus said. "Now the problem is getting him here."
"We don't have to." Reanna said, looking thoughtful. "If one of us can slip it in his drink
then ask to speak to him in his office, that should be all we need."
"Brilliant." Remus said. "Reanna, would you slip it in his coffee?"
"Of course." Reanna said, her green eyes burning with hatred toward the victim.
"Then it is settled." Remus said. "I'll wait outside with Arthur, then once you give the sign
we'll come in. Everyone else will just think it is a meeting and will not disturb us. Sirius, you will of
course stay here." Sirius nodded to show he understood. Remus got up. "Harry, stay awake. I'm
going to get another dose of fever reducer. How do you feel?"
"Hot." Harry admitted. He usually would have denied it, but he was feeling quite drained of
energy and in quite a bit of pain to argue with himself. Remus frowned in worry.
"That'll be an extra strong one." He said. He briskly went out of the room.
Harry tried to obey his former professor, but it was hard. He was now barely supporting
himself, but Reanna seemed not to mind his weight. When his eyes tried to flutter close, however,
she became more worried.
"Please don't fall asleep Harry." She begged gently. "If you're fever rises any higher, you
won't be able to force yourself to wake up."
"Sorry." He muttered.
"Talk." He heard Sirius say. "It will help to keep you awake."
"What about?" Harry's words were coming more slurred. Gently, Reanna shook him
slightly.
"Anything, just don't fall asleep." Sirius' voice came from a long ways off.
It was no use; the terrible heat that was building overpowered everything. Harry had a
feeling that the poison was taking one of its worse throws, and coming closer to the end of its job.
He shook himself so he stayed slightly awake, but he could not stay that way for long. Distantly, he \ heard Reanna curse.
"Remus! Hurry up, please!" The words were muffled, as though there was a block of some
kind between his ears and the sound, but he could still hear the desperate worry in her voice. "His
temperature is rising faster then it has been!"
Someone lifted his head slightly, coaxing him to help. Too weak to protest, Harry allowed
the person to do so. Something cooling was put to his lips, but he could not swallow. The same
person helping him sit up rubbed his throat gently and whatever it was slipped down. The
unbearable heat around him lessened and the liquid cooled his throat. Some of his strength was
brought back and he swallowed what was put in his mouth. Things cleared slightly, but Harry did
not have the energy to open his eyes. He heard Reanna's voice, now clearer, soothing him gently.
He lay down with her help and drifted off to sleep.
"Harry, wake up." Harry heard Sirius whisper. "Reanna and Remus will be back in no time."
Harry groaned slightly. The potion that they had given him earlier must have been quite
strong indeed. It had kept his fever down until now, and he was sure he had been asleep for quite a
while. He felt Sirius shake him slightly, and he opened his eyes. They were heavy, and as soon as he
pushed himself to full consciousness the pain returned. He moaned and tried to go back to sleep.
"No Harry, you have to take another dose of the potion." Sirius whispered.
Obediently, Harry let him gently help him to sit up. He looked around, still exhausted and
saw that Sirius and he were the only ones in the room. Confused, he tried to ask where Reanna and
Remus were. All that came out however, was a hoarse cough and a strange sound. His condition
was getting worse.
"Shh." Sirius said gently. He handed him his potion, and helped him to drink it. When he
was finished Sirius explained, "Reanna and Remus went to the ministry, they should be back soon."
As though on cue, footsteps were heard on the stairs. Sirius got up hopefully as the two
rushed in. He looked much like a dog who was waiting for a treat. However, when he saw the look
on both of their faces, his own face fell. Harry could tell that they had gotten nothing, or almost
nothing, out of Malfoy.
"Nothing." Remus sighed, plopping into a chair.
"We gave him the Veratism, but he said he did not do it." Reanna said, making herself
comfortable on the bed next to Harry.
"Great, just great." Sirius groaned.
"So we've got another dead end." Reanna said quietly. She sent worried eyes over to Harry,
who barely noticed.
Harry was deep in thought. If Malfoy did not put the poison in either things, then who
had? Remus described the man Aunt Petunia had described, and it certainly sounded like him. He
was a death eater, and worked at the ministry. It all led back to him. Harry shook his head slightly
absentmindedly. He thought more about what both Remus and Reanna had said. Wait a second!
"Remus, Aunt Petunia said there was a rat infestation?" Harry asked, his voice coming out
weak and hoarse. He coughed slightly from the effort. The room tilted then righted itself as a wave
of dizziness came over him, but he ignored it.
"Yes." Remus said. "But what does that have to do with anything?"
Sirius however had caught on. "Arthur Weasley said the same thing in the ministry!" He
exclaimed. Realization dawned on Remus' face.
"How could we be so stupid?" He muttered. "Malfoy was only a decoy, the whole time it
was."
"Wormtail." Sirius finished for him in a snarl.
Harry nodded slightly, making his head pound. Wormtail was another name for Peter
Pettigrew, the man who betrayed his parents. He had rejoined last year with his master Voldemort,
and helped bring him back to power with Harry's blood.
"Wormtail?" Reanna questioned.
"He's another death eater." Remus explained patiently.
"And how do you know him so well?" Reanna asked, puzzled. "And what is up with the rat
thing?"
"He used to be a friend of ours." Remus said. "We went to school together, but he went over
to the dark side who knows when,"
"And he can turn himself into a rat at will." Sirius said.
"I told you about him, er, sort of anyway." Harry said to Reanna quietly. The room was
positively spinning now, but he did his best to focus.
"Ohhh, that one." Reanna said. "How do we catch him now?"
"My best guess would be that he is somewhere around here." Remus said. Sirius and Reanna
looked at him in puzzlement. "He's already hit the Ministry and the Dursleys, he'll hit here next."
He explained.
"Of course, he'll want to sneak it into something else." Reanna breathed. Suddenly the color
drained dramatically from her face.
"What is it?" Sirius asked her, concerned.
"Like a potion?" She whispered.
"My god, the basement." Remus breathed, and jumped up and ran out of the room. Sirius
and Reanna exchanged worried looks. Five or ten minutes later they heard footsteps on the stairs
and panicked squeaks.
"He found him!" Sirius said, looking relieved.
Remus marched in, and threw what looked like a man to the ground. Harry's view was
blurry from dizziness, but he could still make out the features of Peter Pettigrew. He was a small
man, about Harry's height. He had small watery eyes not unlike a rat, and was balding. The most
noticing feature was a silver hand in place of his left arm, which was a 'gift' from Voldemort last
year. He was plump, and was now cowering slightly at Remus' feet. Sirius got up in anger.
"He was in the basement behind the shelves." Remus snarled. "Reanna, do you have the
Veratism?" Reanna nodded and brought it out.
"He's not a Ministry official, I don't see why a few knocks his way couldn't do him some
good." Sirius growled.
"Stay away! I-I won't say a thing!" Wormtail shouted suddenly, standing and backing up
slowly.
"Just tell us what the antidote is, Peter." Remus said, his voice still icy cold but softer. "Just
tell us and all we will do is turn you in." Sirius looked as though he might disagree, but Remus sent
him a swift look.
"I-I wouldn't tell you if I knew!" Wormtail shrieked, although trembling. Harry flinched;
the high pitch made his head ring. He was having trouble drawing each breath for some reason. "V-
Voldemort keeps us in the dark about what he does, we just run errands!"
"Liar." Sirius hissed. "You know what the antidote is, because he probably tested the poison
on you first. And you know very well that whoever uses a poison must know an antidote, or the
poison becomes useless." Wormtail shook his head, although the way he looked made Harry be
suspicious of whether this was not just a wild guess.
"Just tell us what it is." Remus said firmly, his voice getting a bit louder. "And be thankful
that I caught you before you put the poison in the potion." Wormtail suddenly quieted.
"Ah, now that's where you're wrong." He said, suddenly becoming less nervous. "That last
cupful you gave him, Sirius, was almost completely poison. Isn't it nice, knowing you've killed your
own godson?" He looked at Harry, who was fighting to stay awake.
Sirius, enraged, moved forward but Reanna beat him to it. Twisting out of Harry's grasp
easily, she leapt forward at the man. Harry sluggishly tried to grab her before she jumped, but he
was weakening greatly. Before he could do anything she was on top of Wormtail. The man blinked
once in surprise, before realizing what was happening. His eyes hardened and a light suddenly
showed around Reanna. She was thrown back into the wall behind her. Harry tried to cry out and
move forward, but he found he could not. All he wanted to do was fall asleep, fall deep into sleep.
The last thing he was aware of was Remus and Sirius moving forward onto Wormtail, and then he
knew no more.
