CHAPTER THREE-THE UNHAPPY REUNION
When Sirius reappeared he was standing in the middle of Harry's room at 4 Privet Drive.
"Harry, Harry guess..." but Sirius was stopped as he looked around Harry's room. It was completely empty. Neither Harry nor any of his things were there. Sirius was starting to get worried," Maybe they moved and Harry hasn't sent me an owl yet." But Sirius was proved wrong when he heard Vernon's voice coming from downstairs.
"What was that noise"?
"I don't know", replied Petunia," It sounded like it came from the guest room."
"I'll go check", Vernon replied. Sirius listened as he heard loud footsteps coming up the stairs, and down the hall. Suddenly the door burst open.
Vernon just stood there starring at Sirius for a moment before asking, "Who are you and what are you doing here?"
"I'm Harry's godfather. Where is he?"
"I don't know and I don't care."
"What do you mean you don't know?" Sirius demanded.
"I got rid of that disgusting freak."
"Tell me where he is now or you'll regret ever being born!" Sirius shouted as he whipped out his wand and pointed it at Vernon.
Vernon slightly cowered, and replied in a shaky voice, "A-alright I-I sent him to St. Lucifer's prison for the criminally insane."
"What!?" Sirius shouted.
But Vernon stopped him, "Don't bother, he's probably already dead." Sirius had a look of sheer terror on his face.
"I'll be back to deal with you." And with that Sirius disappeared with a pop.
When Sirius reappeared he was standing just outside of St. Lucifer's prison for the criminally insane. Sirius raced up to the building and through the door. He ran up to the secretary's desk. "Where's my godson Harry?"
"I'm sorry", the lady replied, "but all residents are here on life terms and there are no guests permitted." Sirius whipped out his wand. With one wave of it the vase on the table shattered sending glass everywhere. The woman screamed. "Alright, alright!"
"Harry Potter where is he, now!?" Sirius repeated. The woman began typing lightning fast on the computer.
"Room 703", she replied in a shaky voice. Sirius raced off. "7th floor", the woman shouted after him. Sirius sprinted up the stairs as fast as he could go.
Thoughts were racing through his head. 'Harry please be alright.' 'Hang on Harry, I'm coming.' 'Almost there Harry.' Sirius finally reached the seventh floor. The third door on the right was open. 'That must be it.' Sirius raced to the door and looked inside. What he saw horrified him.
Harry was tied to a blood soaked bed and lying in a puddle of blood. He wasn't conscious. A man was standing over Harry laughing as he repeatedly hit Harry with a metal rod. Sirius who still had his wand out immediately pointed it at the man. A loud band was heard and the man flew across the tiny room and smacked into the wall knocking him unconscious. Sirius ran over to Harry's bed. He waved his wand and Harry was untied. Sirius picked Harry's limp body up. Sirius nearly screamed when he realized that the bloody body in his arms wasn't breathing.
"Hang on Harry, please don't die!" With that Sirius disappeared with Harry in his arms.
When they reappeared they were in front of Mundal's Magic Hospital. Sirius burst through the door.
"Somebody, somebody, please help, he's not breathing." Immediately three nurses raced up to Sirius. One of them conjured up a stretcher. Sirius placed Harry on the stretcher. The nurses immediately went flying down the hall as fast as possible and into a room that had a sign above it. The sign said E.R. Sirius tried to follow them, but one of the nurses stopped him.
"I'm sorry but no one is allowed beyond this point", the nurse told him. Suddenly a look of terror spread across the nurse's face. "Wait a minute...you're...you're Sirius Black", she shouted.
Immediately every head in the hospital turned and was starring at him. Everyone was completely terrified. Suddenly a bunch of wizards came up from behind him, and before Sirius could say anything at all, he felt himself fall to the ground. He had been completely bound from head to toe. He tried to explain but couldn't since he was gagged. The wizards pulled him into an empty hospital room and locked the door. Sirius was so worried. All he could think about was Harry. Harry had been so light, as if he hadn't eaten anything in at least a month. Sirius began to cry silently.
'Harry you can't die.' 'Please don't leave me.' 'I can't live without you.' 'We were supposed to become a family.' 'Harry don't do this to me.' ' I love you Harry.' He closed his eyes for a moment trying to remember Harry when he had been happy and smiling and carefree, but it was hard. The image of Harry's limp, bloody body was forever etched in his mind.
About 15 minutes had passed, even though to Sirius it felt like hours, when suddenly he heard the door unlock and slowly open. A young wizard walked over to him. Sirius expected the worse, but was surprised when the wizard waved his wand and the ropes disappeared.
Sirius stood up and dusted himself off as the wizard began to speak in a trembling voice, "I am so sorry Mr. Black, we only just got notice that you were freed. Please except our deepest apologies."
"It's alright", Sirius replied," but what about Harry"?
"Follow me", the wizard replied as he motioned Sirius to the door," I'm afraid Harry is in a coma". Sirius stopped with a horrified expression on his face.
"What"?
"He is hooked up to a bunch of machines, they're the only thing keeping him alive I'm afraid."
"But isn't there a potion or a spell or something", Sirius asked with tears in his eyes?
"None of our potions are that strong and even if they were they don't work if the person is in a coma." Sirius turned as pale as snow. "The only thing we can do", the wizard continued," is try and heal him the muggle way, but things really don't look good. Not only is he severely injured, but he also has pneumonia and is nearly starved to death. He has no strength left." Sirius once again began following the wizard. He was led down the hall and up a single staircase to a hall marked critical care unit. The wizard led him to the second door on the left. Sirius started crying with all his might when he saw Harry.
Harry was covered from head to toe in bandages and gauze and other wraps, most of which were soaked in blood. Harry had a cast on his left arm and right leg, and his left knee was swollen. His head was also bandaged and it too was soaked with blood. Harry had two black eyes, a swollen lip, and even a neck brace. He had a tube down his throat, and a needle in each arm, that were attached to bags of some sort of clear fluid. He was hooked up to half a dozen machines, and there was a single nurse standing over Harry. She was holding a damp cloth and was trying to clean the blood off Harry's face. Sirius walked over to Harry's bed and sat down in a chair next to him. When the nurse saw him, she left the room to give them some privacy. The young wizard on the other hand stood in the doorway watching as Sirius grasped Harry's hand and brushed the hair out of Harry's eyes.
Suddenly the young wizard spoke, "All you have to do is say the word and we'll unplug him."
Sirius looked up at the wizard with anger in his eyes," NEVER! Harry is going to pull through this", Sirius shouted as tears poured down his face. He turned back to Harry wishing he would open his eyes. The young wizard turned and left. Sirius didn't leave Harry's side once the whole day. It was around midnight, and Sirius, who was extremely tired, laid his head down beside Harry and fell asleep. A few hours later Sirius felt himself being shaken awake. Sirius eyes popped open," Harry!?" Sirius looked at Harry but he was still unconscious. Suddenly Sirius heard a voice coming from behind him.
"It's me, Remus. We just got word of what happened and came as fast as we could." Sirius turned around and standing there looking horrified were Remus, Dumbledore, Snape, McGonagall, Mr. Weasley, and Ron.
"How is he?" Remus asked timidly.
"He's dying and there's nothing I can do", Sirius sobbed," It's all my fault."
"No it's not, there's no way you could have known", Remus replied trying to console his old friend.
"I should have been there sooner, I should have known something was wrong when I didn't receive any owls from him", Sirius sobbed.
Ron walked up to Surius, "L-look, I-I know Harry. H-he's going to pull through this, I-I know it." Ron's eyes began to water.
"You're right Ron. He's going to be fine", Sirius replied wiping his eyes. Beep...Beep...Beep...Beep...Beeeeeeeeep. Harry's heart had stopped.
"Someone get the nurse", Sirius yelled. Dumbledore left and no sooner had he left, than he returned with two nurses. One of the nurses wheeled in a strange machine. The other one approached Harry's bed, pushed the hysterical Sirius out of the way, and ripped Harry's hospital shirt open. The other nurse took two metal paddles from the machine, rubbed them together, and placed them on Harry's bandaged chest. Harry's small limp body gave a jolt, but there was no change. The nurse proceeded in trying again but there was still no change in Harry's heart rate. The small group looked on in horror.
The nurse tried one more time and suddenly, Beeeeeeeeeep...Beep...Beep...Beep. His heart was starting to beat steadily.
The nurse turned to the group and said in a serious and yet sorrowful tone," I'm afraid he has lost a lot of blood. He's going to need a blood transfusion now or he is going to die. I don't think we'll be able to bring him back next time. He has type O...we need to find a donor and fast."
Suddenly the hysterical Sirius stopped crying. He stood up, looked at Harry, then at the nurse, and replied," I have type O blood. Take it from me."
"Alright sit down", the nurse motioned Sirius to the chair he had been just sitting in. Sirius sat down and stuck out his left arm. The nurse rolled up his sleeve and stuck a needle in his arm. The needle was hooked up to a tube that led to a little plastic bag that was hanging on a tall metal pole. The blood slowly began filling up the bag. After it was full the nurse hooked him up to another bag. "Like I said, he lost a lot of blood."
The nurse proceeded in taking one of the bags of clear fluids off the hook and replacing it with the bag of Sirius's blood. The blood slowly began to enter Harry's body. Soon Sirius had filled up a second bag. The nurse unhooked him and handed him a glass of butter beer.
"Here, you're going to feel really weak, but this should help." She was right. Sirius was feeling very light headed. Sirius along with the others watched as the second bag was hooked up to Harry. Harry was just starting to regain some of his color. Sirius forced a smile. He was glad Harry was looking better, but it was a slow improvement since Harry's pneumonia was still making him slightly pale.
It was now around two in the morning. Ron was fast asleep in a chair on the opposite side of the bed from Sirius.
Mr. Weasley picked up Ron," I think it's time we got home. I didn't tell Mrs. Weasley where we were going. She's probably worried sick. I hope the next time we see Harry, he's up and well." Then with a pop they were both gone. Dumbledore, Snape, McGonagall, and Remus slowly got up.
"I'm afraid we also must take our leave", Dumbledore told Sirius, "we have much work to take care of. One being the Dursley's." And then one by one they each disappeared until only Sirius was left.
He was still grasping Harry's hand when tears began to fall down his face.
"I'm so sorry Harry. I failed you. I should have been there from the start. I never should have let them give you to those horrible muggles. What would James say if he were here? He'd probably hate me for letting his son get this way. Please Harry don't leave me. I promise I'll make it up to you. I promise I'll never leave you again. I'll do my best to protect you, I promise. Just don't die. I beg you." With that Sirius once again laid his head down next to Harry and fell asleep.
After that first night things seemed to be getting better. Harry now had a light blue potion being slowly emptied into his arm along with the clear liquid being emptied into his other arm. Sirius was told that the clear liquid was to supply Harry with nutrients, and the light blue potion was to try and bring down the fever caused by the pneumonia. Each day one of the nurses would come in and check Harry over, then inspect the machines supplying Harry with his only source of life, write a few notes on her clip board, tell Sirius Harry's looking much better, which for some reason didn't make Sirius feel any better, and then promptly leave. This continued on for two weeks, in which Sirius never left Harry's side and hardly touched the food that the nurses brought him each day.
When Sirius reappeared he was standing in the middle of Harry's room at 4 Privet Drive.
"Harry, Harry guess..." but Sirius was stopped as he looked around Harry's room. It was completely empty. Neither Harry nor any of his things were there. Sirius was starting to get worried," Maybe they moved and Harry hasn't sent me an owl yet." But Sirius was proved wrong when he heard Vernon's voice coming from downstairs.
"What was that noise"?
"I don't know", replied Petunia," It sounded like it came from the guest room."
"I'll go check", Vernon replied. Sirius listened as he heard loud footsteps coming up the stairs, and down the hall. Suddenly the door burst open.
Vernon just stood there starring at Sirius for a moment before asking, "Who are you and what are you doing here?"
"I'm Harry's godfather. Where is he?"
"I don't know and I don't care."
"What do you mean you don't know?" Sirius demanded.
"I got rid of that disgusting freak."
"Tell me where he is now or you'll regret ever being born!" Sirius shouted as he whipped out his wand and pointed it at Vernon.
Vernon slightly cowered, and replied in a shaky voice, "A-alright I-I sent him to St. Lucifer's prison for the criminally insane."
"What!?" Sirius shouted.
But Vernon stopped him, "Don't bother, he's probably already dead." Sirius had a look of sheer terror on his face.
"I'll be back to deal with you." And with that Sirius disappeared with a pop.
When Sirius reappeared he was standing just outside of St. Lucifer's prison for the criminally insane. Sirius raced up to the building and through the door. He ran up to the secretary's desk. "Where's my godson Harry?"
"I'm sorry", the lady replied, "but all residents are here on life terms and there are no guests permitted." Sirius whipped out his wand. With one wave of it the vase on the table shattered sending glass everywhere. The woman screamed. "Alright, alright!"
"Harry Potter where is he, now!?" Sirius repeated. The woman began typing lightning fast on the computer.
"Room 703", she replied in a shaky voice. Sirius raced off. "7th floor", the woman shouted after him. Sirius sprinted up the stairs as fast as he could go.
Thoughts were racing through his head. 'Harry please be alright.' 'Hang on Harry, I'm coming.' 'Almost there Harry.' Sirius finally reached the seventh floor. The third door on the right was open. 'That must be it.' Sirius raced to the door and looked inside. What he saw horrified him.
Harry was tied to a blood soaked bed and lying in a puddle of blood. He wasn't conscious. A man was standing over Harry laughing as he repeatedly hit Harry with a metal rod. Sirius who still had his wand out immediately pointed it at the man. A loud band was heard and the man flew across the tiny room and smacked into the wall knocking him unconscious. Sirius ran over to Harry's bed. He waved his wand and Harry was untied. Sirius picked Harry's limp body up. Sirius nearly screamed when he realized that the bloody body in his arms wasn't breathing.
"Hang on Harry, please don't die!" With that Sirius disappeared with Harry in his arms.
When they reappeared they were in front of Mundal's Magic Hospital. Sirius burst through the door.
"Somebody, somebody, please help, he's not breathing." Immediately three nurses raced up to Sirius. One of them conjured up a stretcher. Sirius placed Harry on the stretcher. The nurses immediately went flying down the hall as fast as possible and into a room that had a sign above it. The sign said E.R. Sirius tried to follow them, but one of the nurses stopped him.
"I'm sorry but no one is allowed beyond this point", the nurse told him. Suddenly a look of terror spread across the nurse's face. "Wait a minute...you're...you're Sirius Black", she shouted.
Immediately every head in the hospital turned and was starring at him. Everyone was completely terrified. Suddenly a bunch of wizards came up from behind him, and before Sirius could say anything at all, he felt himself fall to the ground. He had been completely bound from head to toe. He tried to explain but couldn't since he was gagged. The wizards pulled him into an empty hospital room and locked the door. Sirius was so worried. All he could think about was Harry. Harry had been so light, as if he hadn't eaten anything in at least a month. Sirius began to cry silently.
'Harry you can't die.' 'Please don't leave me.' 'I can't live without you.' 'We were supposed to become a family.' 'Harry don't do this to me.' ' I love you Harry.' He closed his eyes for a moment trying to remember Harry when he had been happy and smiling and carefree, but it was hard. The image of Harry's limp, bloody body was forever etched in his mind.
About 15 minutes had passed, even though to Sirius it felt like hours, when suddenly he heard the door unlock and slowly open. A young wizard walked over to him. Sirius expected the worse, but was surprised when the wizard waved his wand and the ropes disappeared.
Sirius stood up and dusted himself off as the wizard began to speak in a trembling voice, "I am so sorry Mr. Black, we only just got notice that you were freed. Please except our deepest apologies."
"It's alright", Sirius replied," but what about Harry"?
"Follow me", the wizard replied as he motioned Sirius to the door," I'm afraid Harry is in a coma". Sirius stopped with a horrified expression on his face.
"What"?
"He is hooked up to a bunch of machines, they're the only thing keeping him alive I'm afraid."
"But isn't there a potion or a spell or something", Sirius asked with tears in his eyes?
"None of our potions are that strong and even if they were they don't work if the person is in a coma." Sirius turned as pale as snow. "The only thing we can do", the wizard continued," is try and heal him the muggle way, but things really don't look good. Not only is he severely injured, but he also has pneumonia and is nearly starved to death. He has no strength left." Sirius once again began following the wizard. He was led down the hall and up a single staircase to a hall marked critical care unit. The wizard led him to the second door on the left. Sirius started crying with all his might when he saw Harry.
Harry was covered from head to toe in bandages and gauze and other wraps, most of which were soaked in blood. Harry had a cast on his left arm and right leg, and his left knee was swollen. His head was also bandaged and it too was soaked with blood. Harry had two black eyes, a swollen lip, and even a neck brace. He had a tube down his throat, and a needle in each arm, that were attached to bags of some sort of clear fluid. He was hooked up to half a dozen machines, and there was a single nurse standing over Harry. She was holding a damp cloth and was trying to clean the blood off Harry's face. Sirius walked over to Harry's bed and sat down in a chair next to him. When the nurse saw him, she left the room to give them some privacy. The young wizard on the other hand stood in the doorway watching as Sirius grasped Harry's hand and brushed the hair out of Harry's eyes.
Suddenly the young wizard spoke, "All you have to do is say the word and we'll unplug him."
Sirius looked up at the wizard with anger in his eyes," NEVER! Harry is going to pull through this", Sirius shouted as tears poured down his face. He turned back to Harry wishing he would open his eyes. The young wizard turned and left. Sirius didn't leave Harry's side once the whole day. It was around midnight, and Sirius, who was extremely tired, laid his head down beside Harry and fell asleep. A few hours later Sirius felt himself being shaken awake. Sirius eyes popped open," Harry!?" Sirius looked at Harry but he was still unconscious. Suddenly Sirius heard a voice coming from behind him.
"It's me, Remus. We just got word of what happened and came as fast as we could." Sirius turned around and standing there looking horrified were Remus, Dumbledore, Snape, McGonagall, Mr. Weasley, and Ron.
"How is he?" Remus asked timidly.
"He's dying and there's nothing I can do", Sirius sobbed," It's all my fault."
"No it's not, there's no way you could have known", Remus replied trying to console his old friend.
"I should have been there sooner, I should have known something was wrong when I didn't receive any owls from him", Sirius sobbed.
Ron walked up to Surius, "L-look, I-I know Harry. H-he's going to pull through this, I-I know it." Ron's eyes began to water.
"You're right Ron. He's going to be fine", Sirius replied wiping his eyes. Beep...Beep...Beep...Beep...Beeeeeeeeep. Harry's heart had stopped.
"Someone get the nurse", Sirius yelled. Dumbledore left and no sooner had he left, than he returned with two nurses. One of the nurses wheeled in a strange machine. The other one approached Harry's bed, pushed the hysterical Sirius out of the way, and ripped Harry's hospital shirt open. The other nurse took two metal paddles from the machine, rubbed them together, and placed them on Harry's bandaged chest. Harry's small limp body gave a jolt, but there was no change. The nurse proceeded in trying again but there was still no change in Harry's heart rate. The small group looked on in horror.
The nurse tried one more time and suddenly, Beeeeeeeeeep...Beep...Beep...Beep. His heart was starting to beat steadily.
The nurse turned to the group and said in a serious and yet sorrowful tone," I'm afraid he has lost a lot of blood. He's going to need a blood transfusion now or he is going to die. I don't think we'll be able to bring him back next time. He has type O...we need to find a donor and fast."
Suddenly the hysterical Sirius stopped crying. He stood up, looked at Harry, then at the nurse, and replied," I have type O blood. Take it from me."
"Alright sit down", the nurse motioned Sirius to the chair he had been just sitting in. Sirius sat down and stuck out his left arm. The nurse rolled up his sleeve and stuck a needle in his arm. The needle was hooked up to a tube that led to a little plastic bag that was hanging on a tall metal pole. The blood slowly began filling up the bag. After it was full the nurse hooked him up to another bag. "Like I said, he lost a lot of blood."
The nurse proceeded in taking one of the bags of clear fluids off the hook and replacing it with the bag of Sirius's blood. The blood slowly began to enter Harry's body. Soon Sirius had filled up a second bag. The nurse unhooked him and handed him a glass of butter beer.
"Here, you're going to feel really weak, but this should help." She was right. Sirius was feeling very light headed. Sirius along with the others watched as the second bag was hooked up to Harry. Harry was just starting to regain some of his color. Sirius forced a smile. He was glad Harry was looking better, but it was a slow improvement since Harry's pneumonia was still making him slightly pale.
It was now around two in the morning. Ron was fast asleep in a chair on the opposite side of the bed from Sirius.
Mr. Weasley picked up Ron," I think it's time we got home. I didn't tell Mrs. Weasley where we were going. She's probably worried sick. I hope the next time we see Harry, he's up and well." Then with a pop they were both gone. Dumbledore, Snape, McGonagall, and Remus slowly got up.
"I'm afraid we also must take our leave", Dumbledore told Sirius, "we have much work to take care of. One being the Dursley's." And then one by one they each disappeared until only Sirius was left.
He was still grasping Harry's hand when tears began to fall down his face.
"I'm so sorry Harry. I failed you. I should have been there from the start. I never should have let them give you to those horrible muggles. What would James say if he were here? He'd probably hate me for letting his son get this way. Please Harry don't leave me. I promise I'll make it up to you. I promise I'll never leave you again. I'll do my best to protect you, I promise. Just don't die. I beg you." With that Sirius once again laid his head down next to Harry and fell asleep.
After that first night things seemed to be getting better. Harry now had a light blue potion being slowly emptied into his arm along with the clear liquid being emptied into his other arm. Sirius was told that the clear liquid was to supply Harry with nutrients, and the light blue potion was to try and bring down the fever caused by the pneumonia. Each day one of the nurses would come in and check Harry over, then inspect the machines supplying Harry with his only source of life, write a few notes on her clip board, tell Sirius Harry's looking much better, which for some reason didn't make Sirius feel any better, and then promptly leave. This continued on for two weeks, in which Sirius never left Harry's side and hardly touched the food that the nurses brought him each day.
