Disclaimer: I own nothing except the plot

Disclaimer: I own nothing except the plot. J.K Rowling owns all characters.

A/N: I know a lot of you have been asking for longer chapters. Hopefully part 4 was longer for you. I know this chapter I will try to make a long one. Thanks to all of my great and continuing reviewers.

Also special thanks to my boyfriend for listening endlessly to my ramblings about the story. Also a special shout out of thanks to Xanthia Morgan for offering to beta read this for me. You're the best.

Now with out further ado since you've all been so wonderful while waiting chapter 5…

Last time in chapter 4….

"Hedwig are you up to doing a favor for me?" In answer to Sirius' question, the snowy owl jumped over to the desk and hooted softly while sticking out her leg. Sirius tied the letter and whispered to Hedwig. She took off out of the window and into the night. Sirius then turned his attention back to his godson. He watched once again as Harry twisted and turned back and forth in his bed plagued by another nightmare.

"My boy, my poor boy," Hedwig lamented as she soared above the treetops. "I can't believe I actually took off so quickly while he is back there all alone. He needs to see someone who cares about him when he awakens afraid…wait he's not alone. That man Sirius is with him. My boy trusts him with his life and that is good enough for me. Still I want to get back to them as soon as I can.

"I know my boy has nightmares. Ever since I have been his post owl he has awoken many nights. Never quite as severe as this summer however, I have never seen him sleep while at school. I am with the other post owls in the owlery.

"They always talk of him as the boy who lived… I often question in my mind the boy who lived through what? What kind of life does he have now? I know he is fine while at school but here during the summer… the only one close enough for him to touch is myself. His family hates everything he stands for. It's hard enough with what is on his shoulders without them making it worse for him. They don't care. They let him go on the way he is for weeks…then again so have I. I am supposed to be his friend in this lonely time and yet all I did was return from my hunting early when I realized there was a problem. I'll never forget that first night I came back early since the fog had gotten too thick for me to see my prey through."

FLASH BACK

"Noooooooooooo." Harry cried out as he woke from a nightmare. He was shaking and he was covered in sweat. He placed his head on his arms. He didn't realize the eyes of his snowy white owl were on him. He just stayed where he was in the bed rocking himself back and forth trying to shake the images from his mind. The eyes followed every move. They were watching for the sign that meant trouble but that sign of the boy's hand moving to the lightning shaped scar on his forehead never came. So she just watched silently ready to fly out with a message if needed. She heard him talking to himself….

"I'm sorry Cedric…I'm so sorry. If I had known what would've happened. I wouldn't have let you touch that cup. I'm sorry."

END FLASH BACK

" It was that night that I resolved to come back early every night. I'm just glad that he finally asked me if it was a dream or not and that I didn't have to nip him hard to get my point across to write to someone. At least it wasn't a fight. All I had to do was fly there and wait for him to go to his desk. Once he picked up his quill I knew that he would finish it and send me to someone. I was relieved when he wrote that letter. I knew that some form of help would come to him. It's better even than I had expected. I thought for sure it would just be a reply strapped to my leg but it was more. When I landed back at the Dursley's, Harry was not in his room but as soon as he heard the tapping I'll never forget the look of relief that came to his face. It was like the weight he had been carrying for so long had been lifted from his shoulders somewhat. Then when he read it he relaxed some more but he seemed to be nervous but happy at the same time. I was happy that the reply had been something good for him.

"I know I may sound repetitious but the sooner this letter gets to it's addressee the sooner I can get a reply and even more help for my boy. I hope he is all right. Sirius seems to make him go to sleep I don't like him forcing my boy to sleep just so that man can see what is going on. I'm glad to have something to do though, if I had to sit there I would surely have started losing my feathers from pulling them out because I worry so.

"Now it's starting to get foggy. Oh please be kind to me tonight! I want to deliver this message as soon as possible but if the fog gets much worse I am going to have to land and wait it out. It wouldn't do to get myself killed. Not when my boy needs me. I'll try flying for a bit more, at least get a quarter of the way to my destination. I must! Oh, please, powers that be, let the fog not be so dense. My boy needs me to get this through, don't you even care? No, of course you don't. Otherwise his life would be much different. Or would it? Listen to me, I sound like my mother… or is that everybody's mother? That aunt of his is a prime example of a mother when it comes to her own son. She does it naturally. But when it comes to my boy she couldn't care if he was raging with fever. I mean she let him go on like this with out so much as an 'are you all right?'. Really people can be so cruel.

"Oh no! The fog is getting so dense! Maybe just a few more minutes…think Hedwig you stupid girl! You can't even see three feet in front of your own beak. There is a tree over there. I'm so sorry, my boy, but I am going to have to land here and wait out the fog. I don't like doing this but I don't have a choice and you are in good hands. I won't stay longer than I have to… I hope you are alright my boy."

Meanwhile, back on Privet Drive Harry had woken yet again. But since it wasn't light out yet Sirius had him try to go back to sleep after telling him about the dream. Sirius had taken a leaf out of Dumbledore's book by letting Harry talk about it before anything else. It helped calm him down and let Sirius know exactly what was going on. Sirius had sat by in the chair all night and dozed while Harry was sleeping. He had been woken five times by Harry's waking up shaking and even crying sometimes. Even though Harry knew by Sirius's telling him over and over again that Cedric's death was not his fault, the dreams still had not ceased. Harry was starting to feel horrible, but this he kept to himself. Sirius didn't need to know that right now. He had enough to worry about.

Harry awoke again but this time from a shrill yell from downstairs.

" Harry Potter you lazy boy get up and down here this instant." Harry groaned as he got out of bed. Sirius's head had popped out from thin air and looked groggily at his godson.

" Aunt Petunia, if I don't get down there now I don't want to think about what might happen. You can stay here if you want. Under my bed there is a loose floorboard with cake in it from my birthday. Help yourself." Harry said quickly and in a hushed voice.

" Harry Potter do you hear me? Get down here NOW!!" his aunt's voice had gone up a few notches and was very shrill. Harry turned back to look at Sirius.

" Don't worry about me, thanks. I'll be fine. Besides even when I leave the room they won't see me." His godfather answered tiredly. After Harry left the room and closed the door Sirius looked in the mirror. 'Good thing this is a muggle mirror otherwise it would have had a screaming fit' he thought amusedly. Then his thoughts turned to the boy who had just left the room. ' Oh James…he's so like you. He never wants anyone to worry about him. I'm just glad the good sense that must have come from his mother finally kicked in.' He thought turning away from the mirror. He sat down on the floor to stick his hand under the bed for the loose floorboard. Finding it he pulled it up and peeked in. He took a chunk of cake from its hiding place and put the floorboard back.

At that moment his godson was downstairs just looking at the breakfast before him. His stomach gave a small lurch he just couldn't bring himself to eat this morning. After all the dreams last night he just didn't have the stomach to eat this morning. Dudley's piggy eyes were darting over at his cousin's plate. Harry didn't make a move and as quick as Dudley's piggy hands could stole Harry's breakfast. Aunt Petunia said nothing.

" Well boy, since you are done eating why don't you get started on your chores for today." His uncle Vernon said not as a question but as a statement. He then looked at Harry as if daring him to say something smart-alecky back to him. A moment passed and since Harry said nothing Vernon continued one of his normal complaints about his nephew " Well don't just sit there and stare boy get to it."

Harry went over to the fridge where his daily chores were listed and tore the piece of paper from the fridge. It read as follows.

Harry's list of chores for today and they better be done to perfection or else…

1. Mow the lawn

2. Trim the hedges

3. Weed then water the garden

4. Paint the fence

Harry folded the list and headed out the door. He went to the shed that just hours before he had first talked with his godfather to get out the mower. He started the mowing. Even though Sirius was there he couldn't do anything really to help Harry out of this, Harry knew he wanted to or at least would want to when he found out.

The mowing didn't take that long, it never did. He was also able to trim the hedges before Dudley could come out and bother him. His cousin was one of the biggest couch potatoes that Harry knew. He was busy cleaning up the branches when someone goosed him under the arms. Harry jumped and turned around but found no one there. The look of momentary confusion on his face sent the cloaked form into hysterical laughter. Realization dawned on Harry.

"Ha..ha very funny." Harry said a bit grumpily but with a small smile on his face. He was answered by thin air that said while still laughing

" Oh Harry it was hysterical just to see your face that way." Harry just looked to where the voice came from and grinned.

" Okay you got me. Don't expect for it to happen again." Harry said still with a smile as he turned back to finish picking up the fallen branches from his cuttings.

" You need any help?" Sirius asked from behind him. Harry would've loved to have some help especially with how he was feeling at the moment.

" Sirius you know as well as I do that if anyone saw things moving without anyone behind it they would find it odd. Not to mention that if Aunt Petunia or Dudley saw it they would have a conniption fit and tell Uncle Vernon. But you can keep me company." Harry said looking around to the possible place where his godfather was. He then turned again to dump the branches in the bin. Harry was now sitting down to weed the garden.

" You know I don't really understand why she wants the garden weeded twice a week. I mean really how fast can weeds grow?" Harry complained. Sirius had opened his mouth to reply when they heard the screen door slam and they both saw Dudley waddling out.

" Talking to yourself Harry? Don't you know what that means? No…well it means that you're crazy. But that should be nothing new dad always says you are." Dudley said sitting down eating an ice pop. He just stared at Harry with his greedy eyes daring for Harry to say something. Harry however just continued to weed the lawn. Harry was hoping that by ignoring his humongous cousin that he would get board and go away. Sure enough when Dudley finished his ice pop he looked at Harry and saw that the boy was still weeding and not paying attention to him at all. Dudley proceeded then to get up and started waddling towards the house but saw a rock lying in the dust by his feet. Before Harry knew it he had been hit in the face with a rock. Dudley then ran or rather walked as fast as he could into the house. Just incase Harry should dare complain Dudley could just say that Harry is lying since he was in the house. He knew Petunia would believe him over Harry.

"Harry are you alright?" Sirius said after Dudley was out of view. Harry had brought his hand up to his face rubbing the spot where the rock had hit and just nodded yes. The rock had missed his glasses by mere inches. He only had to pull out one more weed and he'd be finished with it. He then stood and fell back to the ground. Harry felt hands on his shoulders.

" Harry that rock did hurt you didn't it?" The voice said moving his hands from Harry's shoulder to his godson's face. Harry shook his head no and wished he hadn't he was feeling very dizzy.

" No it's not the rock." Harry started to say then he knew he had to tell some of the truth. " It's just that I got dizzy. I'm okay now." He said trying to convince, though he was no longer certain of weather he was trying to convince Sirius or himself.

" Harry…." Sirius started out sternly but Harry cut him off.

" If I don't finish before Uncle Vernon gets home I'm afraid that you might actually become guilty of murder. When Uncle Vernon gets stuck on something especially when it has to do with me it usually winds up…" Harry stopped suddenly he had never mentioned how it could really be before to Sirius and was afraid of a stern talking to later that evening in his room.

"Winds up what? Harry. Please tell me." Sirius said from somewhere next to him.

" Hitting me." Harry answered in almost a whisper. Sirius said nothing but Harry could tell he was mad. " I'm sorry I never said anything before but I didn't want you to worry about me." He added.

"Harry I will always worry about you weather you want me to or not. I am your godfather and believe it or not I do love you. I also want to know immediately if he ever hits you again all right?" Sirius said hugging his godson. Harry returned it and then he stood up again he was still dizzy but it had subsided enough for him to paint the fence. Sirius however saw his godson close his eyes briefly but said nothing. He did however, stay close by encase Harry fell again.

"Harry I'm right here if you need me okay?" Sirius added as Harry dipped the brush into the paint can.

" Okay. Really though I'm all right. Please don't worry." He answered as he started painting the fence. Knowing full well that Sirius would worry but Harry felt like it needed to be said anyway.

Harry was half way finished painting the fence when he had another dizzy spell and he closed his eyes for a moment to make it pass. Sirius put a steadying hand on his godson's shoulder.

"Forget it Harry this is over now." With that Sirius took the wand he had out of his pocket and muttered a few words and the fence finished painting itself. Then they walked into the yard and Sirius muttered another few words and the paint can flew back into the shed. All the while Sirius kept a hand on his godson's shoulder. He then proceeded to lead his godson into the house, up the stairs and into the bedroom.

"Stay here and get into bed." Sirius said and left the room again. Harry didn't feel like arguing and did as he was told. Sirius came back a moment later and handed Harry a glass of water. " Drink it. It'll help you to feel better. The dizziness is probably just from not sleeping well all this time and it's finally catching up with you." Sirius said truthfully. Harry drank the water greedily. " Lie down and try to get some sleep all right?" Sirius asked. Harry complied since he was pretty tired.

He didn't sleep long however, it wasn't a dream that woke him though. It was pain but it wasn't coming from his head. Harry thought for a moment as to when he might have hurt himself. Probably when I was pulling out those darn weeds. He thought idly. He was pulled out of his thoughts by a familiar voice.

" Harry…. was it another dream?" Sirius asked. Harry thought for a quick moment and nodded yes. "Well what was it about?" Harry knew that Sirius was going to ask that and had a story ready.

" You're going to laugh… I thought Aunt Petunia was calling me." Harry answered laughing to himself. Sirius bought it since Harry hadn't woken up with a scream or shaking with fear for once Sirius was relieved he didn't have to tell Harry that the death of Cedric wasn't his fault. But just as Sirius was about to tell Harry to lie down again he heard Uncle Vernon bellow

"BOY GET DOWN HERE NOW!!!!"

" Now what?" Harry half complained to himself but Sirius had heard it and said

" I don't know but we will find out together." And with that Sirius put the invisibility cloak back over his head. They made their way down stairs. Vernon was standing at the foot of the stairs and was already purple in the face.

"Boy I have some important business investors coming over in one hour. You will take your dinner upstairs with you and stay in your room all night. You are not to make a sound. Understand?" Harry just said

" Okay." Harry said.

" Okay what?" Uncle Vernon asked.

" Okay I'll stay in my room Uncle Vernon…and I won't cause any trouble." Harry finished before his uncle could say anything. Vernon's color came back to normal he nodded and said.

" Well don't just stand there get in that kitchen and get your dinner. Once that doorbell rings I don't want to hear a peep or otherwise out of you." With that the lecture was over. Harry was happy that no one saw the little escapade that Sirius had done earlier with the fence. Harry went into the kitchen Aunt Petunia had a plate waiting for him with a glass of water. He looked at it and his stomach lurched again. He closed his eyes for a moment. Sirius had seen it. He put a hand on Harry's shoulder and kept it there until they were back up in Harry's room. Harry set it down on the desk and went to the bed.

" Go on Sirius you need it much more then I do." Harry said lying down on the bed. He wasn't feeling well at all. He just wanted to go unconscious so he wouldn't dream but he wouldn't be awake either. Unfortunately that was not an option.

" Come on Harry" Sirius said picking up the plate. "We'll split it. Just because you think I need it. I know you need it as well. The way that your aunt and uncle running you around like that all the time, not to mention that you are thinner than I've ever seen you. Tuck in." Sirius said. Harry just looked at his half for a moment. He had two choices. One tell Sirius how he really felt, or two just eat it and deal with the possible consequences later. He chose the second choice at first. He picked up his half and was about to eat it when his stomach lurched again. He put it down and just put his head in his hands.

" Sirius I'm gonna be sick." Harry said running from the room and to the next door on the left. A moment later Harry came back to the room. Sirius's expression was one of worry.

" Feeling better?" Sirius asked him. Harry lied and shook his head yes. Sirius didn't believe him for an instant but let it slide for the moment. 'Oh Harry when will you stop being so stubborn you really are your father's son.' Sirius thought. " Alright you win you don't have to eat this but you do have to lie down and go to sleep." Sirius said to Harry. Harry knew better than to argue with him so he lied down but said.

" Sirius can I just get a drink please?" Sirius smiled at him waved his wand over an empty glass and water spurted out of the wand tip and into the glass. Harry gulped it all down. " Thanks" he said as he lied down. Sirius smiled as he took Harry's glasses off of his face.

"Goodnight Harry." He said as he watched Harry fall almost instantly asleep. A half hour later Sirius had dosed off but heard movement in the room. He saw Harry getting out of bed. " Where are you going?"

" I shouldn't have drunk that water." Harry said in answer as he walked out of the bedroom. Sirius just laughed a bit. Then he heard footsteps coming up the steps. Then a yell that he knew was Vernon's.

"Boy didn't I tell you something?" Sirius came out of the room in the cloak just in time to see Vernon push Harry hard in the chest. The force of it sent Harry into the wall. This enraged Sirius he stepped up behind Vernon and grabbed the hand that was raised and ready to strike the boy again. Sirius then performed a quick memory charm that he had picked up all those years ago working for the ministry. Vernon forgot about Harry and returned downstairs.

" Harry.." before Sirius could finish his statement Harry interrupted.

"I'm fine. Thanks for the rescue that was great. But I thought only ministry aurors knew that charm."

" Only ministry aurors do. I was one before my time in Azkaban along with your father and mother. Of course your mother became a part time auror when you were born." Sirius had explained in a whisper as they got back into Harry's room. Harry lied down on the bed again before Sirius told him to.

"Maybe tomorrow you can tell me more about them?" Harry asked as his eyes started to droop. Sirius nodded in agreement. About midnight Harry woke up feeling awful. He just couldn't keep it from Sirius any longer.

"Sirius?" Harry asked since his godfather was still in the invisibility cloak. "Sirius" Harry called again.

"Hummph" came a groggy reply.

" Sirius please wake up." Harry said with a pleading in his voice.

"Okay… okay I'm up I'm up." Sirius said. He then took the cloak off his head so Harry could see him. " What is it?"

" Sirius I don't feel so good." Harry answered him. Sirius sat up, took the wand and said

"Lumos" He looked at Harry, the boy was in a cold sweat and he looked pale. Sirius put his hand to his godson's forehead and registered that he was indeed running a temperature. " Where do you hurt?" he asked hoping it was something that could be taken care of with muggle measures since there was no way he could get help from the wizarding world.

A/N Well that was chapter 5… Sorry it took so long. Me and my wanting to get it up fast but like JKR herself I had a change of mind when I thought it could be made better and I hope you agree that it is good. It's also longer like I promised

Thanks goes out to so many wonderful reviewers who have kept with me through the story. I promise to get you all listed next chapter. I just want to get this up so you can enjoy it. ( I hope)

Until next time… stay away from the rock cakes and keep cool in this lovely heat wave - sweets