Section two - Not So rock bottom
It was a week now since Harry had left his friends and Hogwarts behind in London and he was currently sitting under a tree watching the sun go down as he munched on four slices of bread, two crackers and a sliver of cheese.
Earlier on in the afternoon Vernon Dursley had come out the back door threatened Harry a bit and then left on business for a few days. Wondering if his aunt would take pity on him and let him inside for a bit or at least give him some clean dry clothes, Harry soon discovered he wasn't the only one.
Watching the house out of sheer boredom Dudley suddenly appeared in the kitchen apparently wanting something more to eat. It looked as if he might just get some at first as his aunt opened the refrigerator door, but Petunia had either said no, or worse, offered him a salad because Dudley was shouting and banging about the place before slamming the door and left not long after his farther.
Harry had the feeling that tonight would be the same as all the others and it would be better to try his luck tomorrow. Harry is never quiet sure why it happens but tonight in his dreams he knew they wouldn't be favourable. It was just that feeling you get, a sort of dread or fear of what will come next. Maybe it was the lack of food recently or the fact he was chained to a tree, it could even be the cheese he had, but Harry as he suspected in some point in the bleak darkness drifted into an uneasy dream filled with Dementors and his parents.
He woke with a start. Feeling crackling in his ears and the residue sounds of his mothers screams before she died vibrating in his head Harry knew something bad must be happening. There was a grumbling, roaring noise that echoed right around him forcing Harry bolt up right and soon on his feet, but as he looked Harry quickly stood back in horror of the sight before him.
Looking up in to the blinding darkness Harry saw the entire left hand side of the roof ablaze with flames, the living room window was poring out so much black smoke that Harry guessed it wasn't long before the glass busted open with the rooms consumed with flames.
He could still here his mother screams inside his head but he couldn't understand why it was almost as if they were a warning reminding him of danger. But Harry was ok he was out in the garden not trapped in the house. His mind dropped with his heart to the floor that wasn't his mother screaming for her life.
In seconds Harry was franticly pulling at the chain his ankle trying to get free of the tree when all of a sudden he was, he was running to the back fence to get away. Adrenalin running through his veins Harry stopped couldn't run he couldn't leave. That screaming was filling his soul and they were going to die he knew it was his aunt trapped upstairs but it took several minuets to realize the implications of it and by then he was already pulling at the back door trying to get it open.
He couldn't the door was burnt or bolted shut. Giving in he ran round to the front of the house dodging the flames and pushing the front door down to get in.
Harry was oblivious at this point to the row of neighbours in the street shouting at the house trying to stop Harry from doing such an impossible task. They had come out to see what all the noise was and phone the firemen.
He wasn't even aware of Dudley cowering round the corner with tears on his face and a huge amount of guilt in his heart, so much so that he could barely breath. Harry couldn't here the screeching ambulance and fire engine only a few streets away he had a one track mind and nothing else.
The young man almost adult was now fighting his way into a burning he had only one thing on his set and determined mind, he was running into a burning house to save one of the two only living blood family members he had with no regard for his own life. While his cousin sat cowered behind a wall crying for his own skin.
Upon climbing into the house Harry felt his skin livid with heat as the flames and smoke tickled his flesh and lungs. Harry could here her screaming upstairs she was trapped in her bedroom and he knew if he didn't find a way to get to her she would die and he would most likely die trying. In situations like this Harry could never think straight he just acted as his bold heart dictated and that was that.
With dreadful thoughts of death out of his mind he made his way up the burnt and broken stairs, Harry could feel the air thicken with every breath and burn in his chest. Coughing violently Harry could get to his aunt he knew he could, he had too, not far now he thought, nearly there, he knew he couldn't be far as above the noise of the crumbling house around him Harry could clearly here his aunts voice him above the flames.
It was a dreadful noise and as it was real he knew it would haunt him the rest of his life weather that was 50seconds longer or 50years. Later Harry could never really work out what happened it was as if his mind already filled with pain and aguish couldn't cope with any more he was blank.
When he reached her room and banged the crumbling door down he found here screaming loudly trying to put her flammable dressing down out. Harry not thinking rolled her in the nearest blanket and tried to put the flames out.
Next thing he found himself falling down the stairs with his aunt in his arms, looking at her burnt and ashen face he was trying to work out why she had gone so quiet and still having struggled so much at the top of the stairs.
He was looking at her face and for the first time ever could see so much of his mother in her that he just sat there before he must of finally passed out.
Harry found himself in some sort of odd dream world he could see people carrying him out into the garden and see his aunt but he was dizzy and everything seemed still and silent despite the deafening noise in his ear. It was magical he felt so fuzzy and warm like his mother was tucking him up in his bed and singing him a lovely song to sleep. Everything was quiet and peaceful and all he wanted to do was lay there on the glass and look at the stars.
But it wasn't to be as the cold reality of pain shuddered through his body and Harry felt sharp daggers in his shoulder and a pulse sating pain in his leg. Wishing his neck would stop hurting Harry just laid there ignoring the noise and panic around him.
Later Harry realised that this pulse sating pain in his leg was the dog collar sending and electric current through his body as he was carried into the street. Harry was twitching violently and shouting out to leave him alone. This sudden out burst shocked the trainee-paramedic so much he almost dropped Harry worried that he was having some sort of fit that they had trigger by moving him.
"What is this? Why have you stopped? He clearly needs to go to a hospital!" A busy looking officer came running over shouting at the two paramedics.
"We can't move him until we've checked him over. The last thing we want to do is make more damage." He shouted back over the sudden crash as a burning house's interior wall finally gave way.
"This is no time for arguments you two. Now officer tell me what do you know of this boy his name?" An older more experienced paramedic asked as he started checking Harry's vitals for more anomalies and strapping a much needed oxygen mask over his face. Finally pulling himself back together the officer started reeling off information.
"All we've got of a name is Harry from the neighbours. He's some sort of relative that lives with the family. Spends a lot of time away at school and seems to get knocked about a lot by the man of the house."
"Hmm that explains his ribs they looked bad and I bet he hasn't had them checked over either." The paramedic replied feeling Harry's chest with a few stifled moans from under the mast.
"Yeah one of the neighbours said they had a big scuffle a few nights ago when both boys got picked up from the police station. Apparently he's spent the last few nights out in the rain chained to the tree according to number six." The officer sighed.
"Yeah and I bet number six never thought to phone the authorities or anything did they. I, I. What have we here?" He was feeling up Harry's legs checking for breaks when he came across the remains of a metal god chain.
"What you found?"
"Smithy, get him some pain relief and one of those firemen." Smithy the younger paramedic quickly rushed off and came back with both.
"Hmm. Two cracked ribs very low that's good not to close to his lungs.' He injected something into Harry's arm and Harry suddenly felt numb. 'Pass us the scissors. Let us get these off."
He did and they were soon cutting up both of Harry's muddy trousers.
"What's that?" Smithy exclaimed rapping Harry's chest in a blanket.
"Don't know. What do you think? It seems to be pulse sating though I bet this is what's causing the twitches. What do you think?" Both the fireman and the police officer were peering over the paramedics shoulder.
"That's an electric dog collar that is! Illegal in this country don't know how he got it on his leg but no wonder he can't get it off!" The man bent over and sliding a knife under soon manages to get it off with very little damage to Harry's leg a bit of a cut but not much worse than he already was.
"I'll take that." He passed it over and Dursleys favourite method of torturing Harry was shoved in an evidence bag.
"I can't do nought about that here, best take him to the hospital and get it off there." He explained standing up and heading back to the fire engine.
"Get him strapped back down then."
Harry had been in some sort of blacked out state was strapped down onto a bed speeding along in an ambulance was coming to senses mumbling about missing his mother.
"What was that?" The paramedic asked reading Harry's heart monitor.
"Where's Sirius?" Harry croaked.
"Who's Sirius?" He replied trying to keep his mind off what was happening to him.
"Where am I?" Harry croaked again.
"You are in an ambulance young lad try to lay still. Can you tell me young name?" He replied feeling Harry's pulse, at first he thought Harry had fallen back unconscious but Harry just blurted his name out.
"Harry." He moaned feeling his chest tighten again.
"Try to lay still Harry. You're a bit ill at the moment so we're taking you to a hospital you'll be ok though. I'm going to give you an injection now so you go back to sleep ok." Harry nodded slightly under his mask but he felt his neck hurt a lot and moaned slightly to draw attention.
"Yeah try and stay still Harry you'll only cause more pain in your neck. I've strapped it up just as a precaution. Now Harry I'd like you to close your eyes and relax. Think of a happy place and let your muscles relax."
Harry tried to do as he was told an eventually drifted off in to sleep. He wasn't aware of how long he'd been asleep but eventually woke up in a hospital and getting up he wondered off to find a toilet. Felling much better he wondered back to find a very cross nurse.
She was annoyed that he had taken to wondering off by himself in the night. Harry said he was very sorry and got back into bed. He must have had some sort of affect on her as she seemed very sweet after that and told him he had been asleep nearly two days now. He couldn't really get back to sleep and merely listened to the odd noises of the hospital until he was brought some breakfast.
"Sirius I'm sorry, I got called from my post for summet. I was only gone 10 minuets or so but where…" He trailed off. It was one of the hardest things he'd ever had to do give Sirius bad news that was his fault. All Sirius could think about was how something had gone dreadfully wrong for Harry and this lack of information and been trapped in such a hateful house did nothing for Sirius's temper.
"What do you mean you left your post? At a time like this all you had to do was watch for wizards that came near him. Why I ought to …" Sirius roared lunging forward at the five foot five weasel of a man in front of him. Luckily Lupin jumped in the way in an attempt to hold an outraged godfather back.
"Sirius no, stop it! Sirius hurting him will do no good calm down! Harry probably saw trouble coming and did a runner. That, that's.' Lupin was struggling with the force of Sirius but he seemed to be listening about Harry. 'That's better than if he stayed put he is probably on his way to the burro to Ron. He wouldn't do owt daft he's not like you!" At this Sirius stopped trying to get at the little man and eyed Lupin oddly.
"What's that supposed to mean?" He questioned.
"You do have a habit of letting your temper run away with you these days." Lupin replied still holding Sirius's arms down before letting go.
"How can you be so sure he'd run? He's like his father." Sirius replied finally calmed.
"He's more like his mother sometimes. And she wouldn't, she.. She was always' far more sensible than you two wasn't she."
"Suppose." Sirius mumbled.
"I can't be sure he's gone to the burro but lets just listen to what Bertrand's got to say and then we can go look for him." Lupin seemed to be incredibly calm in these sort of situations and could usually keep a lid on his temper which Harry always found surprising considering every month he became a full grown rampaging werewolf.
"I wasn't gone long but I'm sure it wasn't you-know-who. It's not his style pre-say. Mrs Figg's been doing the nosy neighbour bit and most the street recon it was the son who did it!" Bertrand explained.
"Did what?" Sirius grumbled eyeing Bertrand with increasing dislike. He sighed.
"Set fire to the house. He must have realised what he'd done and did a runner.' He paused as the information sank into Sirius like a lead weight. You could see the force of it hitting the pit of his stomach and leave Sirius with a dreadful sense of emptiness inside.
'But its ok Harry's bin chained up to a tree outside the past few days he wasn't in the house." He finished hoping it would help his situation some how.
"What chained up out side you never told me that!" Sirius bellowed grabbing Bertrand's flabby arms and shaking them violently.
"It wasn't… wasn't my… decision… Dumb… ledore said we… weren't to… get involved… until Harry had… been there… long enough…He was… ok… he paced… around… a lot like you do!" Bertrand finally spat out before Sirius was forced by Lupin to let go with an inching charm.
"Calm down Sirius Dumbledore wouldn't have left him there if he was worried about Harry's safety." Lupin explained trying to keep between Bertrand's cowering and Sirius's movement to get nearer.
"Wait there's more." Lupin and Sirius both stared Bertrand down Lupin worried he wouldn't be able to keep Sirius at bay for much longer and Sirius seriously wondering about throttling this little bugger before him.
"Speak and make it quick." Sirius spat, not unlike Snape often did but he wouldn't have noticed.
"You know Harry he's got a heroic streak in him hasn't he. Just like James he wouldn't abandon anyone. It seems despite the way his aunt hates him Harry ran into the burning building to try and rescue her.' This was getting to much for Sirius he had to sit down and as Lupin was still keeping between the two men Sirius had to content himself with cracking his knuckles.
'I got hold of one of those muggle law enforces and he told me how they muggle healers had brought out two bodies and man and a women. And, and…" He trailed off knowing what he was about to say would seriously damage his chances of leaving the house in one piece.
"And what?" Sirius snapped.
"One of them was a dead on arrival and the other had so much smoke in their lungs that they nearly collapsed."
"Explaine collapsed they passed out what's so odd about that?" Lupin asked naively.
"There lungs stopped working and nearly deflate. You know these muggles they don't know much about fixing stuff like that. They were both taken to St. Hughes apparently, but I don't know where they would have taken the body of the…" He trailed off again as Sirius's face lost all colour and feeling.
"At least we know where to start looking." Lupin injected trying somehow to stop Sirius from thinking the worst.
"Yeah and remember it could have been his uncle and not Harry, Harry could still of done a runner when he saw his aunt had been taken to hospital. I couldn't get any names and I never saw his uncle leave."
"But you never saw the house catch fire or Harry run into a burning building coz you left you post. You left your post and now your going to try and cover your tracks Dumbledore is going to be furious." Lupin now losing his temper as well looked down on Bertrand who could merely stare at the floor like a naughty pupil about to get his punishment handed out from the headmaster.
Both however turned and looked at Sirius who had now sank very low and off his chair in a state of utter disbelief. He'd bin telling himself all summer that Harry had to go to his aunt and uncles for his own safety but now he felt that he had failed utterly an completely as a godfather. He was thinking the worst that Harry had died and he could of prevented it by insisting Harry came to stay with him after all it was the order's secret headquarters he would be very safe here. Sirius wanted to believe that this was all some mistake and that they would find Harry safe and well stuffing his face at the Burro with Rona and laughing about his fat cousin but he was to logical to think that and all he could image was Harry's burnt and distorted face lying in some muggle morgue with other dead bodies. Sirius had his hands in his face trying to block out images of Harry as Lupin put a steady hand on Sirius's shoulder which he merely shook off.
"Look we can do nothing good here lets just head on to Little Whinging and meet the others they probably have more information than this idiot." At the promise of more information the three wizards were soon apperateing and walking out of the shoulders to see the after mouth of number four Privet Drive.
Bertrand, Lupin and Sirius as the big shaggy dog he usually resembled were soon faced with an empty dark street, clearly with one house missing and a huge pile of black and charred rubble that once resemble a perfect house. It was taped off with danger do not pass tape but no one seemed to be taking any notice of it tonight. Although the fire was out the once perfect house had been totally obliterated by the fire and the result reminded Sirius far too much of the Potter's
home once Voldermort had finished with it. Sirius hated the memory brought to him as he had hoped never to see another house like it unless it was his own.
"You three, over here." Came a slightly raised voice of Tonks from in the darkness. The three shadows moved over to what would of being the back garden but now resembled a charred fireplace. Sirius still a dog ran ahead of the three and was soon scrambling around in the debris looking for any trace of Harry.
"There's no point. We found his school trunk over there but apart from that there's not much sign he even lived here. That boy wasn't liked here no wonder he hated coming home." Moody grumbled as Sirius came back to the corner turning into his usual form.
"Any idea where he might have gone?" Lupin asked hoping for a good answer for Sirius's sake.
"No not yet, we've looked through the muggle records but his name doesn't appear anywhere. Barry and Matthew are checking the root to the Weasley's everyone along the way has got there eyes out but Dumbledore doesn't want too much attention drawing to the boy in case he gets some unfriendly help. He hasn't turned up there yet though we aren't sure how successful he is moving about in the muggle world." Tonks explain walking over to Sirius who was now looking back at the house.
"What about his other friend, Hermione? Have you checked hers?" Sirius asked now looking at the case which being magical was merely mucky and not damaged.
"No he's not there we checked straight after we went to the Burro. It seems Mr Granger doesn't take too kindly to wizards trooping around his house uninvited in the middle of the night." Tonks sniggered slightly.
"You'd think we were trying to murder them in their sleep. It's lucky the girl was still up. Must be difficult coming from a muggle background sometimes, what with all their funny attitudes. He had hardly a clue about Voldermort or owt." Moody grumbled having long since lost any connection with the muggle world and their ways.
"She never thought so." Lupin muttered to Sirius who was now pacing around before finally kicking a broken piece of wood across the rubble.
"I hate this standing around being so useless he should have come to me this summer." He roared more to himself than anyone else, but no one dare go near him now till he'd kicked his way through a few more bits of rubble.
"Don't you know of any one else he might go to that's nearer?" Tonks asked carefully having known Sirius all his life.
"No we don't talk much. I've never had the chance to get to know him properly.' Another chuck flew across the grass. 'He could be anywhere by now he might have muggle friends to go to, I don't know we… don't… he doesn't like me very much, always keeps his distance." And now a much heavier piece went the furthest yet. He was ashamed of his poor guardianship and refused to look at anyone.
"He won't have got far that's his blood on the floor and he was in the burning house. Seems his uncle buggered off the other day and hasn't come home yet probably got no idea.
"So it was definitely Harry and his aunt that was in the fire. Why can't we find him though the hospital or what ever it's called?"
"We thought that but there's no record of him and they were over filled and a bunch of people got moved somewhere else and we don't know where." Tonks explained.
Just then two dark figures appeared from behind the fence and came into view.
"Oh, hello Bill?" Lupin called out still hoping for good news.
"We had to get out the house because, well, you know our mother she can get a bit touchy at times." Charlie explained pulling his cloak better around him.
"Well it seems Harry doesn't have his broom or his father's cloak so he can't of gone too far. It seems he sent them to Ron at the beginning of the summer."
"Your right he can't have gone that far he hasn't got any money either." Moody grumbled shoving his thumb over his shoulder to Harry's case.
"Mother's worried because his wand and his photo album turned up with Hedwig just after you left." Bill explained.
"Which brings us back to square one he's somewhere in the muggle world and could be any where. Why is it so hard to track him?" Sirius asked seeming a little less violent but still kicking house bricks.
"Well it worked once. The muggle world is a perfect place to lose your self in. You can lie and change your name and everything very easily why do you think we had so much trouble catching you Sirius? It'd easy to blend in with a world of idiots that don't notice anything." Another voice added that had been silent in the shadows until now.
There was some whispering between the two Weasley's they seemed to be arguing quietly over something.
"What's the matter?" Lupin asked satisfied that Sirius had sufficiently calmed down to his usual wound up self.
"There's a photo missing from the album." Charlie blurted out.
"There's no need to tell them it could be nothing." Bill replied.
"Yeah well Ron seems to think there's something in it."
"Yeah well Ron's just a kid what would he no." Bill argued back but the others were now interested and wanted to know what the problem is.
"He's knows Harry better than any one and besides if Ron's such a kid then so's Harry. You don't give our kid bro enough credit!" Charlie replied annoyed that he was always the youngest.
"What's the matter?" Sirius asked finally facing them.
"Ron say's the only picture that's missing is the wedding photo."
"What's so odd about that?" Tonks asked.
"It's the only on with a picture of Wormtail in it." Bill explained slightly half hearted so as not to cause alarm.
"Ron thinks he's gone after him." Lupin asked with a slight worry in his voice.
"He's not sure Harry never talks to him about stuff like that. He never mentions his parents any more."
"But he talks in his sleep. And it worry's Hermione." Charlie finished.
"What does he talk about?" Sirius asked.
"Ron wouldn't say he's never asked Harry he daren't touch the subject with a fifty foot barge pole. Can you blame him Harry's as volatile as him sometimes." Charlie explained gesturing towards Sirius.
"I'm not volatile!" Sirius replied slightly annoyed any one could think he was.
From behind Moody though Bertrand gave a little snort and Lupin grinned.
"I'm not! I could be far worse." Sirius said too defensively.
"You are but yes you could be worse." Lupin explained trying his best not to smirk to much.
There was silence for a while each thinking and waiting for another to speak.
"What are we going to do then?" Charlie finally asked impatient and slightly cold.
"Well you may as well head home we can keep looking and lets hope Dumbledore has come up with something." Moody growled.
"Where is he any way?" Sirius asked slightly annoyed that Dumbledore wouldn't be panicking about Harry along with the rest of them.
"He's at the ministry keeping the news out the paper and talking to Arthur and Rockwood I think."
"Well, we should go try the Longbottom's. Keep out the house a bit longer. He may well turn up somewhere perfectly fine." Bill explained before turning to leave with his brother.
"We may as well go too it'll be light soon you know your not meant to be out the house." Lupin told Sirius who merely glared and popped away.
Later that day the doctor came and checked Harry over asking him lots of questions that Harry barely answered but it didn't really seem to matter. Despite his not wanting to talk he was deemed much better after food and rest and with a bit more he would probably be ok.
That evening a social worker came to see Harry and explained that eh would have to go in to a temporary care home until a better situation arrived. Harry wasn't listening properly he was trying not to think of his mother but he still felt uncomfortable going to a strange place he didn't know. Harry seemed to be in a state of shock and although the lady tried her best to help Harry see things would be ok she also knew that it was unlikely to change for a while the system was swamped he was probably going somewhere with no friends or family for quiet a while.
The following morning Harry felt a bit better having finally slept half of the night and eaten most of his breakfast. However he decided that this new found strength did him no good as now he was forced to wonder what must have happened to land him in some sort of orphanage. He could only remember horrible story's of these places having never truly believed his friends would let it come to that. Harry in his heart knew Mrs Weasley would probably have him even if no one else would she was just that sort of mother.
He knew something bad must have happened most likely to his aunt as she was afraid of going against Dumbledore. Harry tried not to think about what could have happened to her. He barely remember being in the fire with her still covered in burns and a chesty cough that hurt every rib. He was miserable, how could Sirius allow him to go into a home, how could he abandon Harry a second time, what was his excuse this time?
The more Harry thought about his godfather the more upset he got and as he pulled on some one else's, clean, clothes Harry wished more than ever before that he had never known Sirius. Thinking about everything he had missed in life, a loving mother, a father figure, a home. Sirius had promised two out of the three but never delivered making the pain of missing something he nearly had although more unbearable. Harry started trying to do up the shoes he'd been given but without his glasses he couldn't see properly to tie them tightly. The result was he was in badly fitting shoes and not capable of walking in a straight he felt he look a right mess as he bumped into things and people.
Harry felt like a clumsy idiot wondering down a corridor and then another with this young porter, he kept stumbling and even fell over once, he could almost see his feet but that was about it. He must have had miserable all over his face when he finally met the man who was to take him somewhere and yet he didn't care he couldn't see the disappointment of having another thug under his wing so it never bothered Harry.
"Being through the mill this one has." The porter explained checking he was handing Harry over to the right man.
"Well I can see that.' Turning to Harry who was still staring at the floor he asked. 'Hello Harry. I'm Mr Davis but you can call me Tom like everyone else, do you have a second name Harry?" Harry looked up but couldn't see the man's face it could have been Malfoy and Harry wouldn't have been able to tell.
Tom was a middle aged do-gooder. He enjoyed his job and although it was demanding he liked the feeling of gratification he got from many of the kids he helped having never had any himself. He was a bright and friendly man who always tried to bring the best out in people especially kids. Tom was a strong believer that kids only misbehave and have problems because of their environment so change there environment and you can steadily change there problems nine times out of ten.
Harry however was feeling abandoned and uncomfortable, a prime example of the people Tom was used best at helping. A poor background and upbringing, lack of love and usually a feeling of inadequacy, Harry didn't know it but Tom was one of the best men to help him given the chance. Harry with his lack of confidence, inability to see properly and smoke damaged thought didn't want to speak and so refused too.
"He's a quiet one this one been no trouble to anyone. Doesn't ask for anything and apparently it's just Harry for now. Hope you put him somewhere nice. Well I'll be off then. Bye."
"Bye.' Tom replied. Tom not feeling at all put off by Harry's silence continued as he always did when meeting new lads acted perfectly normal and treated them as if nothing was wrong.
'Well I'm afraid it's a bit of a drive to Jubelea House where we're going. I hope you don't mind car's. Personally I think it's nicer where we're going than here, they do seem to be over crowded round here. Did anyone tell you what's going to happen you or why you've been sent to me?" Tom asked in his bright manner pulling his red raincoat on as they left to walk to the car. Harry had been told but he shook his head all the same hoping it would keep this jolly man talking about anything but him.
"That's not what I expected but never mind. I'll explain, sometimes Harry, upsetting as it is, family's break up for whatever reason and often young people like yourself get caught in the middle and can sometimes have a lot of problems.'
They had reached a rather old looking Volvo estate and Harry was invited to sit in the front. He immediately kept him self busy putting his seatbelt on trying his best not to look at anything but his lap or his shoes. Tom however merely sat there trying to work Harry out, see if he was a good kid a heart or not.
'Anyway when things get to difficult at home or there ceases to be a home young people often have to go somewhere else. Jubelea house is really a temporary place for people like your self to be looked after until another member of the family is found to take care of them." Harry's heart sank, he had no family.
"That's why I had to go to my aunt's." Harry croaked quietly still refusing to look up it only gave him a headache.
"Well I'm sure we can find somewhere for you. Doesn't have to be someone from the family but that is usually best." Harry wanted to tell that man that he really didn't have any family but as he opened his mouth he started coughing violently into a tissue. Harry was a couple of minuets before he stopped and quickly shoved the tissue in his pocket so Tom wouldn't see the blood.
Tom with the patience of a saint merely sat and waited Harry to finish before continuing.
"I'd like you to tell me if that gets any worse that's a nasty cough you've got and I'd rather keep an eye on it." Harry was sure it was nothing much and was also sure he wouldn't tell Tom if he got any worse the man would probably think he was a nutter.
Tom started up the engine and allowed Harry the comfort of sitting in silence all the way to his new home. Harry merely kept his eyes shut and wiped them quickly if he could feel them water his head was really pounding and the noise of the Volvo made things worse.
