REGRET (the aftermath of the 5th year)
Chapter 10
All day, witches and wizards had gone in and out of the Cauldron, but none had been Harry. Lupin and Kingsley had no choice but to be patient and wait. But as night fell along with the temperature, their patience wore thin, and the hope that they would even see Harry began to fade.
"What if he used that invisibility cloak you were telling me about," said Kingsley, "he could have just left and we wouldn't have seen him."
Lupin had thought about this, but ruled it out as an option for Harry, "Even if he had used it, we would see the door open. And besides, he's not a little kid anymore; I doubt he would be able to fit himself and his trunk under the cloak." He said, looking at the Cauldron's front door.
"Well, I tired of waiting here," said Kingsley, sounding very aggravated, "we've been here for hours, and we haven't seen him. What makes you think he's gonna suddenly decide to appear the second we leave?"
"Well, we can't risk it," argued Lupin, "I mean, what if he does show up when we leave. That could happen. Harry's not exactly the most predictable person. If he was, we wouldn't be here would we?" He had made his point and they both stood in silence having run out if things to say to each other, but Lupin's mind continued to race. What if he had left already; what if they'd missed him and all this waiting had been for nothing. Then he heard it, they both did, the sound of a door opening.
Once again Lupin looked around the crate at the door, which had only shown strangers to see the familiar face of Harry.
"Is it him?" asked Kingsley, but Lupin didn't answer. His eyes were fixated on Harry, as if looking away would make him disappear. Harry was looking up and down the street, probably deciding on a direction, when suddenly his eyes were on the alley they were hiding in, looking straight at Lupin.
He shot backwards, trying to avoid being seen be Harry. "Is it him?" asked Kingsley again.
Lupin nodded, took a breath, then said, "I think he saw me." Cautiously he looked around the crate again at where Harry was, only to see him walking down the street. "Come on," he told Kingsley, "He's leaving, we have to follow him." They quietly walked across the street, but it seemed that Harry had still heard them since he had quickened his pace.
"Now. Stun him now." Said Lupin urgently, quickening his pace as well to keep up with Harry, who was probably 25 feet in front of them.
"Now?"
"Yes, now."
Kingsley raised his wand and pointed it at Harry's back, then yelled "Stupefy!" As the red light emitted from his wand, Harry dropped his trunk and began to run, but only got a few feet before the spell struck his in the back and he slammed into the ground. They both cringed because the fall had looked painful, then slowly made their way over to him. Though they knew he was of no danger to them, they still felt the need to be cautious.
Lupin stopped when they got to the Trunk. "I'll set up the portkey with this," he said, giving the trunk a small kick, "you get him." Kingsley nodded and walked over to Harry, Lupin knelt down next to the trunk and opened it. He needed to find something before they left, something that Harry could use to escape, and after searching for only a moment he found it. The knife that Sirius had given Harry to unlock doors, any doors, even magically locked ones. He put it in his cloak pocket, and then snapped the trunk shut again, before Kingsley had noticed. He took out his own wand now, pointed it at the trunk and said "Portus." He stood up and took a step back, being careful now to activate the newly created Portkey.
"Um, how does he look, Kingsley?" Asked Lupin, but when he looked over at where Harry was, he noticed Kingsley was walking in circles a few feet from Harry, looking at the ground.
"Well," he replied, "From what I could see," then he stopped and picked something up off the ground, "ah, found them." He said, then looked up at Lupin, who had a questioning look on his face, "oh, um his, his glasses fell off, and well, I found them." He said holding up the glasses so Lupin could see them. "Yes, well, anyway," he continued, walking back over to Harry and kneeling down, "from what I could tell, he's fine, except," he pushed Harry onto his back and turned his head so the right side of his face was showing, "for that" There were long thin cuts all down the right side of Harry's face and each one was bleeding, covering that side of his face with blood. "Molly's not gonna be happy with that." Kingsley said, looking away from Harry at Lupin.
"We'll deal with her after we get him back. The Portkey's all set up so lets get him back to headquarters before he comes out of it."
"Right." Kingsley said, and then he carefully picked Harry up, one arm holding him across his back, the other under his knees. Harry's head and arms fell what seemed lifelessly as he was lifted off the ground. It was hard for both of them to see him like this, especially Lupin, who felt like he had betrayed Harry, broken his trust, he only hoped he would forgive him for this one day.
"Remus!"
"What?"
"I said, are you ready?" Kingsley was holding Harry's and his own hand over the trunk, ready to leave.
"Yes," he replied, then knelt down and held his hand over the trunk, "on the count of three. 1-2-3." Then they dropped their hands down. The felt the sensation of being pulled for a moment until they found themselves inside the Order headquarters. "Let's get him upstairs." Said Lupin, and Kingsley replied but picking Harry up again as he had before.
"Oh, you're back!" they both jumped when they heard the voice, and turned to see Mrs. Weasley come out of the kitchen. "You've got him then?" she said, taking a step towards them, "let me see him." Kingsley was still slightly turned away from her and looked at Lupin questioningly as for what to do, Lupin just nodded. So he turned so that Mrs. Weasley could see Harry completely. She gasped and her hands shot up to cover he mouth. If you didn't know any better, at first glance Harry looked dead, and from her response, Lupin could tell this is what Mrs. Weasley thought as well.
"He's only stunned, Molly, and we must get him upstairs before he-"
"What happened to his face?" she interrupted, taking a few steps closer to his so she was right next to Kingsley looking down at Harry's face, "Why is he bleeding like that?"
"He fell pretty hard when the spell hit him," replied Lupin, "it was an accident."
"An Accident!?" she said, anger evident in her voice, then she turned and went back into the kitchen, muttering quietly to herself, "an accident." When she came back out, she had a damp cloth in her hand. She went directly over to Harry and wiped the blood off his face.
"Um, Remus," Said Kingsley, "he's really starting to get heavy, and I think he's coming to." Lupin looked at Harry and saw that his fingers were moving slightly. Lupin's eyes widened, "Get his upstairs, now!!" he yelled urgently, and pulled Mrs. Weasley back out of Kingsley's way, then they both ran up the stairs, Kingsley being careful not to drop Harry. When they had reached the room, he placed Harry on the bed, took the glasses out of his pocket, and placed them in Harry's hand, then left the room. Lupin went over to Harry after Kingsley had left, reached in his pocket and took Harry's wand.
"Nu." He heard Harry mumble, probably trying to say 'no', but he had to take it.
"I'm sorry, Harry, I'm sorry." Lupin said apologetically, "But we had to, I'm sorry." Then he left the room, and closed the door. He then took out his wand and locked to door magically.
Mrs. Weasley and Kingsley were waiting for him at the bottom of the stairs, both with questioning looks on their faces. "Kingsley, I need you to go tell the others we got Harry, alright?" he told his solemnly, not looking either of them in the eye.
"Alright." He replied, then placed his hand on Lupin's shoulder, "hey, don't be to hard on yourself, it had to be done." Lupin nodded, and Kingsley smiled, apprated and was gone. Mrs. Weasley, however, remained where she was; arms folded, staring at Lupin.
"Why do you have Harry's wand?" she demanded. He had forgotten he was holding it and looked at it in his hand.
"I took it from him."
"Why?"
"Because," he said, looking up at her, "I knew he'd only use it against us." He was tired, but didn't feel like going back upstairs to another room to lie down. So he started toward the drawing room, leaving Mrs. Weasley to herself. He stopped at the doorway to the drawing room, and without turning around said, "I'm going to need you to bring Ron down here tomorrow, Hermione as well, please." Then he walked in, closed the doors behind him, sat in the armchair, and fell asleep.
***
Chapter 10
All day, witches and wizards had gone in and out of the Cauldron, but none had been Harry. Lupin and Kingsley had no choice but to be patient and wait. But as night fell along with the temperature, their patience wore thin, and the hope that they would even see Harry began to fade.
"What if he used that invisibility cloak you were telling me about," said Kingsley, "he could have just left and we wouldn't have seen him."
Lupin had thought about this, but ruled it out as an option for Harry, "Even if he had used it, we would see the door open. And besides, he's not a little kid anymore; I doubt he would be able to fit himself and his trunk under the cloak." He said, looking at the Cauldron's front door.
"Well, I tired of waiting here," said Kingsley, sounding very aggravated, "we've been here for hours, and we haven't seen him. What makes you think he's gonna suddenly decide to appear the second we leave?"
"Well, we can't risk it," argued Lupin, "I mean, what if he does show up when we leave. That could happen. Harry's not exactly the most predictable person. If he was, we wouldn't be here would we?" He had made his point and they both stood in silence having run out if things to say to each other, but Lupin's mind continued to race. What if he had left already; what if they'd missed him and all this waiting had been for nothing. Then he heard it, they both did, the sound of a door opening.
Once again Lupin looked around the crate at the door, which had only shown strangers to see the familiar face of Harry.
"Is it him?" asked Kingsley, but Lupin didn't answer. His eyes were fixated on Harry, as if looking away would make him disappear. Harry was looking up and down the street, probably deciding on a direction, when suddenly his eyes were on the alley they were hiding in, looking straight at Lupin.
He shot backwards, trying to avoid being seen be Harry. "Is it him?" asked Kingsley again.
Lupin nodded, took a breath, then said, "I think he saw me." Cautiously he looked around the crate again at where Harry was, only to see him walking down the street. "Come on," he told Kingsley, "He's leaving, we have to follow him." They quietly walked across the street, but it seemed that Harry had still heard them since he had quickened his pace.
"Now. Stun him now." Said Lupin urgently, quickening his pace as well to keep up with Harry, who was probably 25 feet in front of them.
"Now?"
"Yes, now."
Kingsley raised his wand and pointed it at Harry's back, then yelled "Stupefy!" As the red light emitted from his wand, Harry dropped his trunk and began to run, but only got a few feet before the spell struck his in the back and he slammed into the ground. They both cringed because the fall had looked painful, then slowly made their way over to him. Though they knew he was of no danger to them, they still felt the need to be cautious.
Lupin stopped when they got to the Trunk. "I'll set up the portkey with this," he said, giving the trunk a small kick, "you get him." Kingsley nodded and walked over to Harry, Lupin knelt down next to the trunk and opened it. He needed to find something before they left, something that Harry could use to escape, and after searching for only a moment he found it. The knife that Sirius had given Harry to unlock doors, any doors, even magically locked ones. He put it in his cloak pocket, and then snapped the trunk shut again, before Kingsley had noticed. He took out his own wand now, pointed it at the trunk and said "Portus." He stood up and took a step back, being careful now to activate the newly created Portkey.
"Um, how does he look, Kingsley?" Asked Lupin, but when he looked over at where Harry was, he noticed Kingsley was walking in circles a few feet from Harry, looking at the ground.
"Well," he replied, "From what I could see," then he stopped and picked something up off the ground, "ah, found them." He said, then looked up at Lupin, who had a questioning look on his face, "oh, um his, his glasses fell off, and well, I found them." He said holding up the glasses so Lupin could see them. "Yes, well, anyway," he continued, walking back over to Harry and kneeling down, "from what I could tell, he's fine, except," he pushed Harry onto his back and turned his head so the right side of his face was showing, "for that" There were long thin cuts all down the right side of Harry's face and each one was bleeding, covering that side of his face with blood. "Molly's not gonna be happy with that." Kingsley said, looking away from Harry at Lupin.
"We'll deal with her after we get him back. The Portkey's all set up so lets get him back to headquarters before he comes out of it."
"Right." Kingsley said, and then he carefully picked Harry up, one arm holding him across his back, the other under his knees. Harry's head and arms fell what seemed lifelessly as he was lifted off the ground. It was hard for both of them to see him like this, especially Lupin, who felt like he had betrayed Harry, broken his trust, he only hoped he would forgive him for this one day.
"Remus!"
"What?"
"I said, are you ready?" Kingsley was holding Harry's and his own hand over the trunk, ready to leave.
"Yes," he replied, then knelt down and held his hand over the trunk, "on the count of three. 1-2-3." Then they dropped their hands down. The felt the sensation of being pulled for a moment until they found themselves inside the Order headquarters. "Let's get him upstairs." Said Lupin, and Kingsley replied but picking Harry up again as he had before.
"Oh, you're back!" they both jumped when they heard the voice, and turned to see Mrs. Weasley come out of the kitchen. "You've got him then?" she said, taking a step towards them, "let me see him." Kingsley was still slightly turned away from her and looked at Lupin questioningly as for what to do, Lupin just nodded. So he turned so that Mrs. Weasley could see Harry completely. She gasped and her hands shot up to cover he mouth. If you didn't know any better, at first glance Harry looked dead, and from her response, Lupin could tell this is what Mrs. Weasley thought as well.
"He's only stunned, Molly, and we must get him upstairs before he-"
"What happened to his face?" she interrupted, taking a few steps closer to his so she was right next to Kingsley looking down at Harry's face, "Why is he bleeding like that?"
"He fell pretty hard when the spell hit him," replied Lupin, "it was an accident."
"An Accident!?" she said, anger evident in her voice, then she turned and went back into the kitchen, muttering quietly to herself, "an accident." When she came back out, she had a damp cloth in her hand. She went directly over to Harry and wiped the blood off his face.
"Um, Remus," Said Kingsley, "he's really starting to get heavy, and I think he's coming to." Lupin looked at Harry and saw that his fingers were moving slightly. Lupin's eyes widened, "Get his upstairs, now!!" he yelled urgently, and pulled Mrs. Weasley back out of Kingsley's way, then they both ran up the stairs, Kingsley being careful not to drop Harry. When they had reached the room, he placed Harry on the bed, took the glasses out of his pocket, and placed them in Harry's hand, then left the room. Lupin went over to Harry after Kingsley had left, reached in his pocket and took Harry's wand.
"Nu." He heard Harry mumble, probably trying to say 'no', but he had to take it.
"I'm sorry, Harry, I'm sorry." Lupin said apologetically, "But we had to, I'm sorry." Then he left the room, and closed the door. He then took out his wand and locked to door magically.
Mrs. Weasley and Kingsley were waiting for him at the bottom of the stairs, both with questioning looks on their faces. "Kingsley, I need you to go tell the others we got Harry, alright?" he told his solemnly, not looking either of them in the eye.
"Alright." He replied, then placed his hand on Lupin's shoulder, "hey, don't be to hard on yourself, it had to be done." Lupin nodded, and Kingsley smiled, apprated and was gone. Mrs. Weasley, however, remained where she was; arms folded, staring at Lupin.
"Why do you have Harry's wand?" she demanded. He had forgotten he was holding it and looked at it in his hand.
"I took it from him."
"Why?"
"Because," he said, looking up at her, "I knew he'd only use it against us." He was tired, but didn't feel like going back upstairs to another room to lie down. So he started toward the drawing room, leaving Mrs. Weasley to herself. He stopped at the doorway to the drawing room, and without turning around said, "I'm going to need you to bring Ron down here tomorrow, Hermione as well, please." Then he walked in, closed the doors behind him, sat in the armchair, and fell asleep.
***