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Momma-dar

Mikee

Kaelleigh

Furies

Read on!

It was much later that morning when Harry's eyes fluttered open, blinking back the bright light coming from the open windows across the room. A shadowy form leaned over him talking excitedly. Another, deeper, voice said something, and the shadow drifted to the edge of his vision.

Thinking it was Dudley, coming to take him back downstairs he shifted away, a slight whimper escaping his dry lips.

"...Please…" the word felt like sandpaper on his dry throat, and he tried desperately to struggle against the firm hands that held him down.

*~*~*~*~*

Tonks didn't know what to make of Harry's strange behavior as she held him firmly to the hospital bed. When he finally drifted back into unconsciousness she moved a lock of his ebony black hair behind his ear, watching him sleep, before returning to her seat next to Mad-Eye.

Her own bright bubble-gum pink hair was spiked on end, and Moody watched it with his single ice blue eye as the tips magically changed colors with less than half-hearted amusement.

"Best that he rests as much as he can, for now" Lupin said softly, watching the slow, tedious rising and falling of Harry's chest. They nodded numbly, still shocked at the damage inflicted on the boy by his own kin.

"I just can't understand how…" Tonks' voice trailed off into a whisper and Remus could see a couple tears threatening to fall from her usually cheerful eyes. Handing her a handkerchief he smiled reassuringly.

"Harry's pulled through worse situations, he'll get through this one too. Madam Pomfrey's the best in her line of work, she'll fix him up just fine" She quietly wiped at a few stray tears, leaning against his shoulder wearily.

"I wish…"

"Sirius was here? We all do" Somewhat composing herself at the sound of his quiet voice, Tonks straightened up and all three sat motionless, eyes fixed on the still form, each lost in their own thoughts.

They sat like that for some time, watching, waiting, and ever praying. Breakfast and Lunch came and went unheeded, while they each drank tea or nibbled on what the house elves brought them.

*~*~*~*~*

"I just don't understand it Professor; it was never there before when he was in the infirmary I checked and double checked his records! It can't be possible, but I checked the spell myself. Harry Potter is not his father's son." Madam Pomfrey looked baffled beyond reason as she sat in Dumbledore's office, rubbing her temple. Mind reeling at the discovery.

As she finished off, with the news the Headmaster reclined at his desk, mulling over thoughts that were his own. She tried to find some hint in his expression, but it remained blank as a new piece of parchment. His eyes seemed distant as he watched Fawkes preen his feathers by the window, his face serene in some far away place.

Finally he looked up, smiling calmly. "I think I have quite a busy day ahead of me today Madam. You had best return to your Wing, see how Harry is doing. He should be waking up around this time, shouldn't he?"

"Oh Merlin yes! Pardon me Headmaster!… and those three all crowding around him, not giving him a moments breath!… I'll have to beat them back with my wand!…"

Dumbledore's eyes twinkled as she bustled out the door, feeling a small amount of pity for anyone who tried to get in her way. A few minutes later emerald green flames shot up around his deceivingly frail form, sending him miles away, to search for answers, where only questions arise.

*~*~*~*~*

Two days later Harry regained consciousness for the second time since his arrival at Hogwarts. The light wasn't blinding this time, but he was dimly aware that it was late out. Probably passed dinner. He couldn't hear his Uncle's deep, ground shaking snoring though; maybe they left for Germany already...

He blinked a couple times, slowly trying to regain his focus and sure enough, slowly, everything came into perspective. When he reached up to adjust his glasses, he had a vague memory of them being smashed by his Aunt a couple nights ago. But how was he able to see? Perplexed he craned his neck to see if he could see the familiar bars on his window, but instead came face to face with the calm, yet doleful eyes of Remus Lupin.

"Professor?"

"Shhh Harry, you've had a long couple of days there. And I thought we went through this 'professor' rubbish already? I haven't taught a class in almost what's it been now? Three years? I'm hardly qualified to be a professor anymore" Harry's lips quirked into a half-hearted smile at the werewolf's gentle chiding.

"Whatever you say professor" His head throbbed, but the pain had subsided into a dull ache by now. He closed his eyes slowly, savoring the feeling of being within range of a decent human.

Well, almost human. He thought, amused. "I thought it had been a dream," he said quietly, realizing the midnight ride hadn't all been a fantasy, or a trick of the mind.

Lupin sat on the edge of Harry's bed; absently fiddling with a sleeve on his tattered robe, looking down at Harry's closed eyes. He noted how the skin on his arms and face was unnaturally sallow, his eyes that had sunken in had also dimmed their sparkle, his brows creased in subdued pain. A bruise on his right cheek contrasted greatly with his sickly, pale face. Cracked and dry, his voice seemed otherworldly in the large, clean hospital ward.

"I thought I was dreaming…of racing to grasp the snitch, the wind blasting against my cheek so hard I thought it would cut straight through…then my dream shifted and I was above London, racing the wind, time, everything…" unconsciously he shivered, suddenly feeling the familiar frigid coldness arrest his senses.

"Drink this, Harry" Harry was dimly aware of a hand supporting his head as something trickled down his throat, warming him clear down to his toes. "Goodnight, Harry"

"Goodnight Professor Lupin…and thank-you" Harry said groggily.

"Your welcome" the words drifted off into the darkness as the Sleeping Potion began to work through his system, hazily aware of a hand pushing a stubborn lock of hair out of his eyes and behind his ear.