SUMMARY: Whoever said Love was sweets and roses? Not me. Here's the sequal to Etacol Ron where the love between two best friends is put to the test. Will they pass it or will they flunk? HarryRon SLASH! R&R please. I beg of you!

Chapter 4

Lost in Memories

It was quiet.

A little too quiet.

snore

That was much better.

Harry smiled into his lovers flaming red hair. Closing his eyes he tried to will himself to sleep but nothing. He couldn't sleep no matter how much he tried. His mind was whizzing with thoughts and he understood why. Tomorrow would be the day he would start the new treatment that left everyone else loudly and physically disagreeing with. Pressing a gentle kiss to the top of his lovers head Harry couldn't help but remember his godfather's attempt on snatching him from the hospital so Tomorrow wouldn't happen. Remus was in on it as well along with McGonagall who turned a blind eye to Harry being carried away and Ron being slipped a fast acting sleeping tonic.

It was quite amusing how both Sirius and Remus never made it to the elevator several doors down when a bunch of interns cornered the three. He could remember Sirius trying to bribe his way though raised wands with Remus muttering under his breath a spell that had the sloes of the shoes sticking to the ground so they could all make a break for it. The Great Escape could have worked if it weren't for Dumbledore and Molly rounding the corner and Molly's scolding which was now infamous among the staff who were in a three mile radius.

"There has to be another way!" Ron shouted from where he rested on the bed alongside a very pale Harry who was looking from the broken chair that had been flung at the wall to Sirius who was being calmed by Remus.

"I'm sorry Mr. Weasley," The medi-witch spoke in deep sincerity. "Mr. Potter's nerves along the spine have been too severely damaged for regular treatment. There might be a very slim chance for him to regain full use of his legs with extensive physical therapy and elixirs but that would mostly take years."

"Can you please explain what the Crucius Therapy entails. I want to better prepare myself before I agree." Harry spoke calmly, he gripped Ron's hand as if it was the only thing keeping him from drowning in depression.

The silence in the room was thick and the medi-witch was a bit afraid of THE Sirius Black who was glaring at the floor as tears tracked down, she remember clearly how easily it was for the man to snap at the mere mention of the Crucius Therapy imagine when she explained it! She prayed she didn't become the chair. "To start, medi-wizard Johnson will be performing the procedure. He's the top of his field and specializes in extreme cases as yourself with the use of the Unforgivable. I have it on good authority that Mr. Snape will brew the necessary elixirs and you will consume several minutes before hand. medi-wizard Johnson will put a numbing charm on you so the pain will be bearable so you wont bite off your tongue." Remus growled. The medi-witch licked her lips and continued, staring into green eyes that had yet to waver. "For thirty seconds medi-wizard Johnson will place the curse onto your legs, concentrating to where the most damage would be. There would be a two minute rest period between each curse ary eleven hours for two weeks. The Cruciatus Curse will hopefully shock your system into jumpstarting and your nerves along with whatever is dead to begin to heal with the help of the elixir Mr. Snape will produce."

"Bloody Hell." Ron closed his eyes and allowed his head to hit the headboard with a thump.

"What are the side effects?" Harry asked as he swallowed the lump in his throat he knew was bile.

"There is a 20 percent chance you would, if you slip into a coma, will not wake up. 5 percent chance for irreparable brain damage even if it does or does not work. 12 percent chance for the Crutius Therapy to not work."

"Mr. Potter, stop your dawdling and drink the elixir!" Snape snapped ignoring the paleness of the thorn on his side and the labor breathing, it was clear that the young man laying on the white sheets was petrified.

"Sorry Professor." Harry gave a shaky breath and propped himself up with an elbow as his other arm reached out for the glass that had swirls of dark pink moving around.

A black man wearing royal blue mediware attire entered the room followed by several medi-witches and medi-wizard. "Hello Mr. Potter, I'm medi-wizard Johnson and this is my staff who will assist me."

"Hello." Harry rested back on the bed, he could feel the potion coursing through him as if ice water was running through his veins, occasionally a small jolt would go through him when the potion hit a block.

"I'll give you another minute for the elixir to take full effect. You'll feel jolts of cold as the elixir stops at a dead nerve, it'll pool around the dead nerve and muscle so when I cast the Cruciatus curse the curse will concentrate on those parts. Do you understand?"

"Excruciating pain, got it." Harry summarized as he tried not to flinch as hands grabbed at his ankles and wrists to tie down with charmed leather straps to keep him from flaying about - what a comforting thought.

"Are you sure you don't want anyone here along side you?" medi-wizard Johnson asked once again.

Harry remembered the fit his boyfriend threw when Harry ordered him to leave along with everyone who wanted to be supportive; Sirius had to be given a tranquilizer slipped in a drink while Remus bound and gagged by Dumbledore. "Yes."

"Fine. We'll start with a quick numbing charm and we'll begin treatment." medi-wizard Johnson pulled out his wand.

"Severus?" Harry licked his lips.

"Yes, Harry." Snape sat in a seat by the bed with a tray next to him with small bottles filled with the elixir needed to be given.

"The Pensive, promise me if I don't make it out of this in one piece." Harry couldn't wipe away at the tear that fell but he felt slightly warm fingers reach forward and wipe them away. "Promise me."

"I promise."

The stone floor was like ice. The smell of salt water wafted from the single barred window and the sounds of the waves hitting against the rocks below soothed him in a way nothing else would. The sun was barely creeping up from the horizon but he didn't acknowledge the pinkness in the sky. Dead eyes hiding hours of pain and torture stared unseeingly up at the stone ceiling.

x

"Say thank you."

"I kept them from fucking you and all you can do is ignore me?"

"Answer me!"

"... let me go."

"Let me go!"

"Your tears taste sweet - mmm - I'm a kid in a candy shop."

"What the fuck do you want?"

"You, but I already have you don't I. I'll make a deal with you my sweet Sweet. I had planned on getting rid of the Weasel that took you away from me but he'll live if you agree to my task."

"Anything."

"Four lives for the price of one."

"... what?"

"Your four relatives for the Weasel... but you have to murder them by your own hand, is it a deal?"

x

"Please don't."

"Shh my Sweet. Lay down, that's it, I promised I wouldn't force myself on you and I wont. I just want to hold you close to my heart."

x

Blood, so much blood.

Soft taps smacked his cheeks, Harry's eyes fluttered open then closed again. It felt like cotton was stuffed in his mouth and ears, muffling the shouts around him and the keeping him from the sweet darkness. Couldn't they leave him alone?

"Harry?"

There was a white light, pretty light, so pretty.

"Come to me Harry."

"Mom? Dad?" the brightness receded and a beautiful garden took its place.

"Yes, it's us. My baby, you've grown so much my darling Harry."

"Knew you'd make the team. Didn't I tell you Lily, a fine Seeker you are Little Prongs.

"We're so proud of you Harry. Come, we have a few people for you to meet then we'll sit down and have a nice long discussion. Merlin knows you aren't keeping those piercings' young man. Molly had the right idea of...."

End of Chapter 4

A/N:Truth be told I was tempted to end the fic here but It would be heartless for me to do such a thing so yes, Harry will live. The ending was a bit of a shock to myself, I never intended to write Lilly and James in but my fingers decided other wise - I blame it on the music that had my attention elsewhere oh well.

Teaser: Once again I'm unsure how to go along with the next chapter... but don't be surprised if there is a frantic Ron, crying Molly, consoling Snape and probably another time leep. There should be a few chapter left, maybe three more but I'm still uncertain about that.