Here's chapter 5 guys, enjoy and don't forget to review! ;)
Remus arrived
in the middle of Hogwarts' hospital wing, still clutching the side
of the stretcher upon which Harry lay.
'Madam Pomfrey!' Remus
called. He used the levitation charm to carefully move Harry from the
stretcher to the nearest bed.
'Madam Pomfrey!'
Remus
placed a calloused hand upon Harry's forehead. He was running a
high fever, yet shaking.
'Yes Remus, I'm here. What seems to
be the prob- Oh my merlin! What on earth happened to him!' shrieked
Madam Pomfrey, obviously unaware of what had transpired over the past
few hours.
'Voldemort,' Remus answered simply, to which Madam
Pomfrey gasped before heading off to her supplies cupboard.
Remus
turned back to Harry, he seemed to be slipping in and out of
consciousness.
'Harry? Can you hear me?' Remus asked
tentatively. There was no reply, Remus sighed.
'Here, tilt
his head back while I administer this potion,' ordered Madam
Pomfrey, as she stepped back into the room, revealing a yellow
coloured potion.
Remus did as he was told. He carefully lifted
Harry's head and gently parted his lips, allowing Madam Pomfrey to
give him the potion.
'What is it?' Remus asked as he placed
Harry's head back against the pillows.
'A potion to help the
effects of the Cruciatus curse,' replied Madam Pomfrey.
'Oh,'
was all Remus could reply. He had forgotten about the Cruciatus
curse, after being so worried over Harry's physical state.'That's
probably why he's shaking so badly,'thought Remus.
After
about an hour of potions, charms to heal his broken bones and a few
failed attempts to heal Harry's jaw. Harry lay immobile upon the
hospital bed with Remus sat at his side. Madam Pomfrey had retired to
her quarters saying that she would check back throughout the night,
and only to ask if she was needed. She had even offered Remus to take
a bed and when he refused to she instead offered him a calming
draught.
'You really should you know. You look like you could
use it,' she had said.
Remus had declined at first, but soon
found himself swigging back a calming draught, under Madam Pomfrey's
watchful eye.
Harry awoke feeling warm,
he felt so tired that he didn't want to open his eyes. He went to
yawn and that's when it hit him.
A searing pain shot through his
jaw. The pain was so intense that it made his eyes sting as tears
stained his bruised cheeks. A hand swiftly reached out for his own,
and he found himself squeezing it like his life depended on it.
He
didn't know who's hand it was, but at that moment he didn't
care, he was only grateful that whoever it was, was there.
Soon
the person began to speak, but although they sounded familiar, Harry
just couldn't place who it was.
'Harry? Lie still, ok? And
don't try to talk; you won't be able to,' the person let out a
sigh. 'I know it hurts, but you have to lie still, if you don't,
it will only make your injuries worse, just try to relax.'
Harry continued to squeeze the unknown person's hand. Everything was a blur, and the person's voice sounded muffled, like his hearing was constricted. He decided to do as he was told though and after being administered a potion, he soon drifted off into a dreamless sleep.
Remus had spent the better part of
the night in Hogwarts hospital wing. He struggled to stay awake, his
tired, grey eyes remained fixed upon the beaten and bruised form of
Harry, who held his hand in a death grip.
He wanted to remain
strong for Harry, he knew he had to. He dare not let Harry see him
cry, he desperately needed someone, now more than ever, and Remus had
decided that, that person would be him.
Flashback:
'…Harry will need a new Guardian. Now that he has lost both
his parents and now Sirius…' Dumbledore looked to the weary
werewolf who held his head in his hands, whilst perched upon a stiff
wooden chair of the kitchen at number 12 Grimmauld Place. It was only
a week after Sirius had fallen through the veil.
'…he will
undoubtedly be upset…'
'Upset? UPSET! Of course
he'll be bloody upset! We all are! After James and Lily; Sirius was
like a brother, a father even, to Harry. Of course he's upset,'
burst the enraged werewolf.
Dumbledore surveyed his
ex-student. He looked haggard and worn, and soon it would be the
full-moon. He sighed in resignation, thinking that the conversation
he had planned would be best left to another time.
Just as he was
about to leave however, he was called back.
'Wait. I want to,'
came the voice of Lupin.
Dumbledore must have given him a
bewildered look because the man started again.
'I mean, I'd
love to be Harry's new Guardian…if I could?'
Now that he thought about it, Remus knew that it would be what his fallen friends would want; for him to become Harry's new Guardian.
Dumbledore's eyes sparkled in the candlelit
room.
'Of course, would you like me to tell Harry, or would you
rather..'
'No. I'd rather tell him myself Albus. It might
sound better coming from me,' answered Remus.
'Very well, I
shall see you soon Remus. Good day,' and with that Dumbledore left
Remus pondering over the best way to break the news to Harry.
End
of Flashback
'Don't worry Harry, I'm here for you,' Remus whispered whilst wiping a few stray bangs out of the boy's eyes.
The next morning Harry was again
awoken by the pain in his jaw.
'Bloody Bellatrix! She's
going to pay for this!' Harry thought.
Just as Harry had
said this however he felt someone jump awake. It was Lupin.
'Harry,
did you just say something?'
Harry just stared at his ex-professor annoyed. He knew he was incapable of talking to anyone at the moment, of course he hadn't spoken!
His expression softened however when he realised that his hand was being tightly held by the werewolf. 'So it was Lupin that held my hand all night? But why? Why was Lupin so worried about me?'Harry thought.
Remus looked at Harry bemused. He could have sworn that he had just heard Harry speak, and then again just after he had asked him, but his mouth hadn't moved, and he couldn't if he tried. Madam Pomfrey had strapped it up along with the rest of the boy's head. Seemingly, Harry was yet to realise.
As if on
cue with Remus' thoughts, Harry raised his free hand and felt his
hand connect with a foam-type box that surrounded his head and
covered his jaw, completely immobilising it from movement.
He
narrowed his eyes in annoyance, the only real part of his face that
he was certain Lupin could see.
Remus shook off his thoughts,
putting it down to stress and exhaustion.
'Harry, this -er- box,
is only for your protection. We couldn't have you moving about,
making things worse than they already are,' offered Remus
carefully.
'Yeah, everyone has to protect
'the-boy-who-lived', sometimes I just wish I'd never been
born,'thought Harry glumly.
Harry was surprised when he
felt the hand wrapped in his own let go, as if it had been stung. He
looked into Lupin's eyes and saw a mixture of emotions. He couldn't
understand why, but he saw confusion and concern. However, he was
even more surprised to see his only company leave and dash toward the
hospital doors without even a glance back at him.
Harry sighed and
soon he fell into an uneasy slumber.
Remus didn't know what was happening. He was now certain that he had heard Harry's voice inside his own head. However, it seemed as though Harry hadn't noticed this; Remus was sure that Harry wouldn't have said what he had heard him say, if he had known he could hear him.
'Maybe I'm going insane?' Remus thought drastically, but quickly shook the idea from his thoughts. 'No. Not insane, but something is wrong. Something's going on, and I know just the person to ask.'
Soon Remus found himself in front
of the stone gargoyle that led to the headmaster's office. 'Ice
Mice,' Remus sounded to the gargoyle as it sprung to life and moved
a side. He jumped aboard the revolving staircase until he found
himself at the top. Before he could even knock however, he heard the
calm voice of Albus Dumbledore say, 'Come in Remus.'
Remus
took a steadying breath before turning the handle to the wooden door
and entering. He took the chair in front of the desk, of which sat
the ancient professor, eyeing him patiently, waiting for him to
speak.
