Fever

by antea-aevum

[Year 1] A contagious flulike virus hits Hogwarts, and its victims aren't getting better. Can the professors find the root of this problem and a cure or does Harry manage to stop it and risk his life, definitely without any approval from his guardians ?

7. Water's the Cure

FEVER

Author's Note:
Eep! Just scraped through the exams, please hope and pray for me that I don't 'F' any of them! :) Sorry for the delay, and since I wrote this as fast as I could once I came back from school (free and wild, haha!) I didn't really read it through to check the characterization. Anyway, happy reading, hope this one meets your standard!

Me-Love-You Owls with Vanilla Chocolate and Sliced Nuts and Rainbow Sprinkles to:
EmeraldKatsEye

Chapter 7: Water's the Cure

Much to the chagrin of the energized Gryffindors, excited Hufflepuffs, worried Ravenclaws and the depressed Slytherins, classes were to be carried on as usual in in the afternoon. After receiving many thumps and praises from Gryffindors, congratulations from Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs, Harry had taken too running and hiding from any potential back thumper.

"I can't believe it!" Ron was saying as he and Harry hid behind a knight waiting for Oliver and Angelina who were both beaming to pass. They slipped out. "Wham! Just like that! Did you see Malfoy's face when you caught the Snitch? Priceless! He lost five galleons to me, just like that!"

"To you?" asked Harry, amused. "Since when?"

Ron flushed a deep red. "I uh, met him halfway through the stadium, he bet five galleons on Slytherin and I on Gryffindor."

"And if I lost?"

"Well, you didn't, mate so thank you for saving my life!" laughed Ron, clapping a hand on Harry's shoulder.

Harry just smiled. He was not feeling well, to be exact. After the adrenaline rush had passed, and the joy of winning gradually lessened, he was feeling rather feverish. He hoped it was just the exercise that made him feel this way, for he was not happy to fall sick right now.

"Harry! Ron!"

They paused to let Neville catch up with them.

"WOW!" Neville cried.

"Thank you," said Harry before he could say anything else.

"This is the time I feel so proud to be in Gryffindor," he spluttered.

"Why, you felt ashamed you were in Gryffindor?" Ron lifted an eyebrow.

"No! I mean, you know what I mean," blundered Neville. "With all those things Malfoy was telling me, I thought Gryffindor would never win."

"I've learned ages ago not to listen to Malfoy," said Ron.

They turned the bend that led them to the Potions' Classroom.

"Professor Snape must be furious right now," said Ron.

They almost bumped into Malfoy and his faithful followers as they rounded the bend. "Draco!" cried Ron as if greeting an old friend.

"Go 'way," muttered Draco. His usually pale complexion seemed even paler, if possible and he looked sick. Casting a half venomous glare at them (it obviously took some effort) he entered the class without another word.

Shrugging, they entered the room, and were met with a mixture of beaming and scowling faces. Despite feeling queasy, Harry managed to smile again when he saw the pride radiating from his fellow Gryffindors. He sat down and propped open his books.

"Turn to page eighteen, read and I will explain later," Professor Snape started as soon as the last student slipped into his class. He turned towards the blackboard and tapped it, this week's topic appearing in wisps and then settling down on the board to form the words: Unchained Melody Juice.

"I shall call a name randomly," he continued. (all the Gryffindors immediately touched their noses to their books knowing from experience it'll be one of them) "And if you don't know the answer, please don't expect me to be...nice."

Pages were hurriedly turned, and the class fell silent. After five minutes of reading, Harry found that it was becoming harder to concentrate. He felt cold and the words on the book seemed to be twirling in circles and leaping off the pages. He blinked and the paragraphs shrunk back to its normal size, then started to twist and turn again.

Slapping his forehead softly trying to clear the stupid vision of his, he noticed Draco was shifting uneasily, rubbing his eyes. Was he sick too? Harry shook his head again in an attempt to clear the headache he was slowly starting to develop and turned back to his book.

Another minute made his head heavier and he had to rest his head on his arm beside the thick book. His head spun dizzily and Harry was about to think he was dreaming. Perhaps he would wake up any second in his bed and realize that the Quidditch match hadn't even started...yikes, not good.

"Professor, Malfoy's sleeping," a gleeful voice called out. It was a Gryffindor, Timothy Landbark, who was waiting hungrily for a moment to tell on Malfoy since the day Draco told on him in the Transfiguration class (he was sleeping too).

Not a good move, Harry observed. Telling Professor Snape about one of this Slytherin students never proved successful. By the minimum, Timothy would score a week's detention. He waited for the usual sneering tone Severus often used but it never came. Not even realizing he had closed his eyes, he heard Draco call out and felt Ron's desperate prodding in his ribs.

"So is Potter!"

He was? He shifted a bit and with difficulty, lifted a heavy eye. He was about to lift his other eye when he felt someone lift him up.

Snape watched the boy closely throughout his Potions' lesson although he didn't make any move to go near him. Harry was a little pale for his liking and looked extremely exhausted. Turning to Brown to snap at her for twirling her quill aimlessly, he didn't notice Harry had stopped reading and was resting his head in his hands until Landbark ratted on Malfoy and Malfoy on Harry.

Severus turned around quickly, and realized that Harry didn't even lift his head when Malfoy called out. Sweeping over to Harry's table he felt the back of Harry's neck and hissed at the amount of heat radiating from the child. Without a word, he lifted Harry up ignoring the feeble protests coming from the boy. He could feel the tremors running through Harry's body, and the unnatural warmth burning his entire body.

"Shut up," he barked as the class started to talk among themselves and gawk at the sight of their professor carrying a student. "If I hear a word when I come back, you'll have enough detentions to last you until your seventh year!"

He strode out of the classroom, still clutching the burning child in his arms tightly. Harry stirred and pushed weakly against Severus' hold.

"Professor..."

"Hush, Harry," said Severus softly. "You are running a fever."

Either he didn't hear what Severus said or fell asleep, Severus didn't stop to find out. Fearing that the boy had contracted whatever disease the school was having, he quickened his pace towards the floor where all the sick students were housed.

* * * * * * *

"He's not coughing up any of those black particles," said Poppy to Sirius who was hovering over Harry's bed a worried frown on his face. "But he's running a very high fever. Maybe it's just a normal flu, or it can turn into that 'flu'."

"Well, until it is certified it is that 'flu'," said Sirius. "I'm not letting him stay here with all the others. If he really doesn't have that 'flu', he would have it sooner or later, what with this contaminated air." He waved his arms around trying to emphasize his meaning. "I'm taking him up to my chambers."

"Sirius..." said Poppy impatiently. But Sirius could see the old woman was weakening.

"I'm not taking any risks with my Godson," he geared up for the kill. "I can't lose him, not when we were so close to last month."

Poppy shifted her weight to her other foot uneasily. "Oh, alright. But I want him down here if the fever worsens or any other symptoms crops up."

"You have my word," Sirius promised, scooping up the sleeping child.

"Medication every three hours!" Poppy called after Sirius' departing form. "Cool him down with wet cloths!"

Sirius kicked open the door to his room after the password and closed the door behind him, quickly lying his Godson on the bed, tucking him into the soft blankets. Coming out from the bathroom with a thin, wet towel and a cloth, he sat by the bed and proceeded to tie the towel gently over Harry's eyes to avoid his eyes from getting too warm from the fever.

Brushing the raven hair out of Harry's face, he wiped Harry's forehead and cheeks, then settled the cloth on Harry's neck. Harry stirred slightly prompting Sirius to coax him back to sleep. It didn't take long and soon, Sirius was lying beside the boy, hand gently laid over Harry's stomach which steadily rose and fell. He was asleep after watching Harry tentatively for quite a long time, protectively curling against his young charge.

* * * * * * *

Harry awoke to a nipping pain in his fingers and realized he couldn't see a thing. Groping to his face, he discovered a cloth bound against his eyes and tugged it down. He opened his eyes and blinked rapidly, glad that it was dark. He looked to his right and saw his Godfather, asleep beside him, a hand on his stomach.

Looking for the source that had awakened him, he discovered Hedwig who was nudging a parchment against his fingers. She must had jabbed him with her feet. He ruffled her feathers and she hopped onto his chest, mere inches away from Sirius' hand and Harry untied the parchment softly, trying not to awaken his Godfather.

Hedwig gave him a loving nip on his finger then took off out of the open window, soaring into the night sky. Harry opened the parchment, wincing as it elicited a loud crack. He glanced towards Sirius to make sure he was still asleep and then squinted slightly to read the letter.

Are you feeling alright? I think you should stay where you are, I will carry out tonight's plan myself. I'm going now, probably out by the time Hedwig's given you this letter. Wish me luck, and get better soon.

Ron

What was Ron thinking? If there was something dangerous in those waters, and he got injured or worse, no one would be there to save him. Coughing suddenly, Harry slapped his hand to stifle the sound and removed it to see the dreaded blackness against his palm. Dang.

Then it struck him, he could be the guinea pig! If the cure really was there, they could try it on him. Plus, letting Ron go alone would be too dangerous, there'll be no one to go for help if he needed it. Taking Sirius' hand gingerly and lifting it, Harry slipped out silently and lay down his Godfather's hand onto the sheets. Suddenly dizzy, Harry blinked a few times before putting his feet down unsteadily onto the floor.

He walked to the door and opened it, slipping out quietly. He headed towards the second floor, where he stopped at a large portrait of a stern old man, currently snoozing on a plush plum pillow. He gently jabbed at the man's navel, prompting a squeak of ticklishness from the old fellow then the portrait swung to a side, revealing a gaping hole.

Climbing into the hole quickly, the portrait slid back into place, plunging Harry into darkness. Wiping hand on his forehead, Harry felt his way through the darkness, until he turned a bend and saw a tiny star of light far away.

Catching up his pace, he finally reached the hole where he emerged beside the castle, a ten minutes walk to the sea. He rubbed his eyes and scanned the area, catching sight of a figure hurrying down past rocks and sand.

Climbing down from the rocky ledge, Harry painstakingly made his way past the large rocks and stones, slipping twice and nearly twisting his ankle. The rocks were sharp and they cut into his hands as he held onto them for support.

He was almost near the figure, who had stopped for a moment, seemingly to figure out what to do next.

"Ron!" Harry called softly.

The figure turned at it stepped into the moonlight, illuminating Ron's surprised face. "Harry! What are you doing here?"

"I got your letter," Harry scrambled past the last of the rocks and finally touched the sandy edge. "How could you go alone? If you needed any help, who would go for it?"

"Haven't thought about that," admitted Ron. He moved closed to Harry but Harry stopped him immediately.

"I got it, Ron," said Harry backing away from his friend. "Don't come too close."

"You have?" Ron said in dismay. "Are you feeling alright?"

"Not really, but I can hold out," confessed Harry. "Look, I was thinking if we ever find a cure like Hermione suggested, we could try it out on me."

"No way!" said Ron. "What if it's the wrong antidote or something."

"It can't kill," said Harry. "Not as long as it isn't some kind of starfish or some weird creature."

Ron grinned. "No, but you can come closer and breathe on me, so we can both die together."

"Very funny," said Harry. "Let's move."

"Honestly," said Ron as Harry tailed him at a reasonable distance. "I rather I take a chance at catching it than turning my head now and then to talk to you."

"Honestly," answered Harry. "I rather you turn your head now and then to talk to me than taking a chance at catching it."

"You are rephrasing my sentence," accused Ron stopping at the edge of the waters.

"I have?" asked Harry innocently. He knelt down beside the water and swept at it with his hands. "What could that black cloud come from?"

"Maybe Hermione was imagining it," said Ron as he played with the crystal clear water, which was lapping gently at his hand, reflecting slivers of moonlight.

"Maybe," said Harry. "But this is our only chance. Unless dentists have something to do with this."

"This is crazy," said Ron. "The waters are perfectly normal."

Harry leant forwards, something catching his eye. Something like a face... "Ron..."

A gnarled hand suddenly emerged out from the water and grasped Harry's neck tightly, water splashing. "R-Ron!"

Ron jumped up in shock as the sea water sprayed in all directions, a figure rising with it, whose hand was held tightly around Harry's neck.

"Let him go!" Ron searched the sandy area for any weapons, then his eyes falling on a sharp rock, picked it up and advanced, hitting the figure again and again with his newfound weapon. "Let him go!"

Harry kicked at the 'thing' holding him, he needed a breath, NOW and his fingers desperately clawed at the hand holding him.

"ARGH!" Ron's rock finally accomplished its mission as the creature finally threw Harry off, landing the boy hard on the edges of the water.

"Harry!" Ron turned towards his friend but Harry lifted a shaking hand.

"R-Ron! Behind y-you!"

Ron turned, trembling and finally saw the creature up close as it ventured onto him, its eyes glinting madly in the moonlight, water dripping off its matted hair. It opened its mouth, snarling as a lump on its stomach pulsed with life.

It lifted a strong arm and hit Ron squarely in his face, and he landed hard into the water. It picked up the stone Ron had dropped earlier and held it up, preparing to smash it into Ron's head. It was just bringing it down when Harry ploughed into the stunned Ron, sending them skidding away from the creature's target. The rock bounced off the back of Harry's leg and Harry winced in pain as he drew his legs up, Ron sitting up behind him, both trembling with fear.

"You..." it hissed.

"It can talk," Ron said fearfully.

"She!" it snarled. "SHE! I am a girl, you dirty boy!"

"SHE can talk!" Ron yelled just as her arm found his side of his face again and sent him sprawling into the shallow waters again. Harry coughed as he shivered in the cold waters and the black particles fell onto the water. They floated around for a split second, then dissolved quickly.

Harry blinked. Could it be? Could it be that easy? The magical waters surrounding Hogwarts was the cure? Before he could do anything, he felt himself being lifted out of the waters by his legs, and was now dangling above the waters.

"Let me go!" he shouted, trying to free himself.

She complied, and threw him deeper towards the inner waters and he splashed onto the waters, hitting his back painfully as he sank towards the bottom. He quickly stood up; the waters were now up to his waist. Trying to wade back, he was stopped when the creature hit him again on his face, smacking him back further into the sea.

Momentarily under the water, Harry gasped as the water entered his lungs and throat, swallowing healthy mouthfuls before surfacing again. The waters were now up to his chest, and he felt panic settling in. If she hit him with that force once again, he would be drinking all the waters for good.

"Harry!"

Harry turned to see Ron trying to wade deeper into the sea where the creature and Harry was.

"Stupid boy..." she snarled then with astonishing speed, she moved between the waters and grabbed Ron by his head, pushing it into the water, trying to drown him.

"Ron!" Harry ignored the spasms shooting up his bruised back and half swam and waded towards Ron. He jumped onto the creature's back and winced when the wiry hair covering her body scratched his skin, past his torn pajamas.

She turned with an angry look on her hairy face, plucked Harry from her back with ease and threw him towards shore where he collided partially with a huge rock, further injuring his back. As he fell to the sand, he coughed, and expecting the black particles to come out once more, he was surprised when none did. It was the water!

"R-Ron!" he cried with a shaking voice.

Ron had taken the opportunity offered when the creature was throwing Harry off and was now scrambling towards shore. Harry moved his gaze to the creature, expecting her to attack them again but she was standing motionless in the waters.

"You..." she hissed.

Ron reached Harry's side and tried to help him up. "Are you alright?"

Harry winced. "Probably broke my back," he joked feebly. Blood was running down Ron's battered face and he knew he didn't look any better either.

A splash of water told Ron that she was coming for them again. Desperate to escape, he tried lifting Harry's slight body in his arms when she reached them, touching a long finger to Harry's forehead.

"This..."

Harry tensed under her touch as he felt her trace his scar with her finger.

"Tom Marvolo Riddle," she spat out. Then she yanked her finger back, striding towards the sea with uneven steps, then delving into the dark waters, disappearing.

"What just happened?" Ron asked breathlessly. He had ditched his attempts in lifting his friend, and was now leaning against the rock, Harry beside him.

"Ron..." Harry said. "I think I found the cure."

"What?" Ron was alert as he sat up and stared at his friend, touching his left cheek gently where a large wound was.

"The waters," said Harry. "I drank some of it when she threw me into the waters. When I coughed, none of those black stuff came up."

"The waters?" whispered Ron weakly. "That's the cure?"

"I think so," said Harry, then corrected himself. "No, I know so."

"Well, mate," said Ron as he slumped back towards the rocks. "I'm not going back to try and take some now. I'm just thankful to be alive. Tell the professors and let them do it."

Harry slowly pushed himself up, wincing at the stabbing pains through his battered body. "Are you alright?"

"Very sore, but I think I'll live," said Ron.

"We got to get back," suggested Harry, looking at torn pajamas. How was he going to hide all of this? He doubted he could even walk right, never mind trying to hide tonight's events from his professors.

He was saved from further brainstorms when Severus and Sirius' angry voices cut above them.

"Harry! Weasley! What are you both doing here?" Severus shouted.

Sirius had a mixture of worry and anger on his features and as the two of them advanced on the pair leaning against the rock, their expressions changed drastically as the dim light from the moon finally revealed the bodies of the tired, battered and bleeding boys.

"My God...Harry!" Sirius quickly knelt down beside his Godson.

Severus did the same beside Ron. "Who did this to you? What happened? What are you doing out here?"

"It did," said Ron weakly gesturing at the waters.

"She did," corrected Harry, his voice as weak as his friend's.

Then they fell, unconscious, into both professors' arms.

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|_|_|_|_|_|_|_ GODRIC GRYFFINDOR } LOL!
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Replies to Reviews from:

Sykoticstalker27, candidud-lupus-full Moon, Savoy Truffle, harry+lissa=luv, Ash of Mine, Serebii, Wicked Misty, Hp-Azn, lyss33, centaur219, MikiBaby, Wytil, Kateri1, Musicstarlover, tati1 -- *Trims a lacy heart to each one of you, humming happily* To you, with love!
Rakuril -- *throws herself to the floor just as a fireball shoots past* NO MORE COOKIES! Here, take the candy!
krysalys73 -- Thank you! Hmm, the broom was a gift from Severus, not Sirius, and yes I guess he learned how to fly it but he hadn't flown it before in front of a whole (okay, half) school, right? Beam. Muahaha! Yeah, maybe they will...gah, it's a bother to go edit it saying they have a trash bin in front of them, so let's leave it. We both know I am the laziest among the lazy :)
Lady Pallas -- Oops, missed that. *hides behind the AU sign* Will this protect me? LOL.
Child of the New Dawn -- Ah, it's okay, we are all familiar (and victim to) with those idotic tests!
Lissy -- *sticks this chapter to you* Here's your sick Harry! :)
Invisible Child -- *gasps in return* No, no, we must spare Harry from schoolwork! FALL SICK, HARRY! :o)
Wiccan PussyKat -- Thank you! Hehe, I loved all the Quidditch matches too. Everytime when I come to the Quidditch chapter in the books, I always go: "Here they wins...again." But I am sure if JKR made Gryffindor lose, I will bang my head into the wall and start to wail suicide.
Randomperson619 -- Ah, I don't mind you saying it over and over again!
ChristineLupin01442 -- Happy Florida-ing! (or are you back? lol)
MalletWielderofDoom -- YAY, HE WON! (as if I would make my dear Harry lose...)
kikyogirl021989 -- Thank you and glad it helped!
athenakitty -- Chopped liver? Why should you be chopped liver? *looks around fearfully* I no said you is chop livered, no chopped liver. No, no, you are not chopped liver, you are...you are...baked apple! Nice baked apple pie! LOL.
EmeraldKatsEye -- Oh, dear. I'm so sorry, were you close to him? I'll pray for him tonight! :) Okay, EmeraldKatsEye identified. Beep.
sami1010220 -- Thank you! Well, he won the match for Gryffindor, he's credited to have a godfatherly-godson-clever boy hug. Okay, fine. Now even I think there's something going on...see what you have done! LOL :o)
NICE STORY -- NICE YOU!
DarkFelineHuntress -- First snitch, yay! Dear Harry...*starts cuddling a stuffed Harry toy*