Updated! Go back and read the last chapter, I changed Harry's thoughts on Snape just a tad
Harry cracked open an emerald eye to find he was in his room again, splayed carelessly on the broken down cot. Uncle Vernon's loud snores thundered down the hallway confirmed his suspicions that the Dursley family was sound asleep. Painfully he tried to move, but a shock wave immediately shot up his spine and he gave a small pitiful cry. He was dimly aware that blood caked his threadbare shirt, and matted his black hair.
The shades on his barred window were open, letting the streaming moonbeams splash across the bare floor, ominously silhouetting the cast iron bars that seemed to leer at him. Daring him to escape. He could hear the incessant high-pitched yapping of the Yorkie down the street, and cringed. Stupid dog. He shifted a little and looked out the window at the millions of stars winking at him somewhat loathingly. Above anything else that moment, all he wanted was freedom. Even if he was broken, torn and on the verge of death, the one thing he would ask for would be to be free. But as the stars were eclipsed by the shadow of a dark and ominous cloud, so were his dreams. If this was how the beginning of his summer would be, how would the rest turn out? He craned his neck to look at an old, worn clock. Almost midnight. In about seven to eight hours, Aunt Petunia would be bustling about the kitchen, humming to herself. Soon after Vernon would stumble down along with Dudley, searching to put his ever-ravenous stomach to rest. And Harry would listen to it all, vaguely aware when someone chucked cold, burnt bacon at him from the doorway around noon. The whole cycle ending only when they left for Germany. Harry had no doubt that they would opt to leave him behind now, he was much too marred to be presentable.
Fighting against the blackness that slowly blurred his vision he thought he saw the flicker of something flying in the night sky. He intently watched for it a second time, but seeing nothing he brushed it off as a night owl searching for dinner. His head pounded with a white-hot fever and he didn't feel it when drops of sweat rolled into his glassy green eyes. Giving into the darkness, he knew that at least then he wouldn't have to feel anything. Wouldn't have to know anything. Wouldn't have to fight anything.
*~*~*~*~*
Remus Lupin bent low over the broom as he navigated across the night sky, keeping a look out for Privet Drive. His companion, Mad-Eye Moody, sat behind him on the exceptionally long broom poked him, and muttered something motioning to one of the various houses. Sweeping low he was about to remove the spell that kept them disguised when Moody leaned forward whispering.
"When we're on the ground" Lupin nodded, immediately catching sight of a drunk wandering about below, singing and hiccuping, giggling to himself occasionally.
Easily steering the broom toward where Moody had motioned, he landed it behind a few of Aunt Petunia's rose bushes, grinning when he noticed a few squashed, under the weight of his almost invisible friend. Quickly muttering the counter spell, he followed his companion eagerly up the steps. It had been far to long since his last rescue mission.
Moody took out his wand and pointing at the knob whispering, "Lumos", before hastily entering.
"Where is he?" Nearly jumping out of his skin he cast his werewolf friend a glare before motioning to the stairs.
"Upstairs, second door on the left" he mouthed. The pair crept silently up the stairs, cringing when it creaked under their combined weight.
"Silencio!" Moody hissed at the stairs before continuing the assent. The deep snores of all three members of the Dursley family filled the hallway and both wizards looked at each other, smirking.
Moody almost wanted to snicker, but something quickly grabbed his attention. Remus was standing stock still, not a muscle twitching, his eyes staring at Harry's bedroom door intently. At first he thought his friend had been hit with some kind of spell, but then he too heard it. Incredibly slow, shallow breathing was coming through the door, beckoning them to come in, but then something else happened causing his heart to hammer against his chest.
The breathing ceased.
Lupine seemed to burst into action, bowling over his companion, he threw the door open and was at the bedside before Moody even began to comprehend what had happened. When he finally came to his senses, he too was at the cot, anxiously looking from Lupin to the motionless Harry.
Remus was digging in his robes for something, after only a few moments that seemed to stretch for hours he revealed a small glass vial. Pulling the stopper he lifted Harry's head, carefully pouring the contents down his throat, all the while cursing the Dursley's into oblivion. Moody looked on with more than just a little trepidation, likewise mulling over every curse he knew that could inflict damage upon those who had done this.
"He's lost a lot of blood, but I think we got here just in time" Remus pulled his hand away from where he had just finished searching for a pulse.
Moody, still weighing the pros and cons of using the Cruciatus Curse on a muggle family, nodded his head absently while Remus scooped Harry up in his arms. Coming, somewhat to his senses, Mad-Eye stormed out of the room, following Lupin as he carried Harry outside to the broom, still hovering by the rose bushes. Seizing his opportunity he grinned evilly while flicking his wand and muttering a spell under his breath.
As the threesome departed, Lupin looked over his shoulder wondering what Moody had done before chuckling, his eyes clearly showing his amusement. Where once a few rose bushes grew, a patch of vines that suspiciously resembled Banshee Branch (a mutated form of Screeching Weed that let out an ear splitting cry when touched by human hands) seemed to be steadily creeping toward the Dursley residence.
*~*~*~*~*
Hermione Green: Is Banshee Branch sufficient?
Ginny Lorina Fireseerer: Oi! The only Harry Potter book I own in the latest one, And I guess I mistook Lupin with Lupine which has to do with wolves. And since Rowling has an uncanny ability to do things like that I kinda guessed. Ah well, I do try. Dumbledore I just flat out wasn't sure how to spell! Also I went back and re-read OotP last night and found out Mad Eye has a dash inbetween the Mad and the Eye thus, Mad-Eye
Angeleus: this one will not be slash
Thanks for the reviews!