A/N: Thanks for all the reviews. As a warning: characters may be OOC, and again this is AU 6th year, so the HBP never happened (and isn't going to happen here).

Disclaimer: no Harry Potter isn't mine.

Beta: redneckpatriot. (thanks once more). Enjoy the chapter you all, and please read additional notes at the bottom.


Chapter Two: Bad News

When Harry awoke, it was to the nice warm feeling of a soft bed. As he and his aunt had put more thought into finding jobs and a decent place to live, they hadn't had much money left to buy good furniture (Harry had told his aunt he didn't mind and he really didn't), but his bed in Gryffindor Tower really was great.

For a while he listened to the soft sounds of his still sleeping dorm mates. Then he decided he'd better get up before he would fall back asleep again, even though it sounded very tempting indeed.

Trudging to the bathroom, he turned on the shower, glad to have warm water. After standing under the shower for quite a while, he heard the other boys waking up, and decided it was probably time for him to actually get out of the shower. He dressed himself in his new school robes, as the other ones had gotten too small (not that he had grown so much, just a few inches). Then he walked back into the dorm, to be greeted by sleepy "Hellos" and "Good mornings." When he had ensured himself of the fact that Ron was indeed awake and up, he packed some of his books and left for the common room.

As expected, he found Hermione there sitting on the couch with a book in her hands. She smiled up at him, and they gave each other good mornings, while waiting for Ron, so they could go to breakfast. He came down not even ten minutes later, which must have been a new record. Of course, they teased him about it until they arrived in the Great Hall, where they quickly seated themselves, to get started on breakfast.

McGonagall handed out the time schedules, and Harry was curious as to what the day would bring. His schedule was as followed:

Monday:

1. DADA

2. DADA

3. Politics

4. Transfiguration

5. Transfiguration

Lunch

6. Free Hour

7. Charms

Tuesday:

1. Herbology

2. Herbology

3. Free Hour

4. DADA

5. DADA

Lunch

6. Healing

7. Healing

8. Politics

Wednesday:

1. COMC

2. COMC

3. Transfiguration

4. Politics

5. Healing

Lunch

6. DADA Theory

7. Free Hour

Thursday:

1. Charms

2. Charms

3. Free Hour

4. Herbology

5. Herbology

Lunch

6. Transfiguration

7. Transfiguration

8. COMC

Friday:

1. Charms

2. Charms

3. Free Hour

4. Transfiguration

5. Transfiguration

Lunch

6. DADA

7. DADA

As it was a Thursday today, he would be quite busy. He also wondered how COMC Theory would work out with Hagrid's passion for quite dangerous creatures. Would the man be able to keep himself from actually turning it into a practical lesson? He sure hoped not.

Just as he was seeing if he had all the required books with him, he heard the sound of many owls coming into the Great Hall. He looked up, spotting Hedwig nearly straight away. She was carrying the results of his tests. Slightly apprehensive (as he was every year), he waited for her to land, a piece of bacon already in his hands. She hooted softly at him, while he untied the letter. He gave her the piece of bacon, while stuffing the envelope in his pockets. His friends didn't notice, as they had gotten letters from home as well. He kept stroking Hedwig until she had finished eating the bacon and made ready to fly away again. Then he mumbled something to his friends about having to get another book, and quickly left. But he made sure not be too quick as that would draw unwanted attention.

Harry dived into the nearest abandoned bathroom, and fished the letter out of his pocket. He quickly opened it, reading the letter his aunt had sent him.

Dear Harry,

I shall be short about it. I had hoped to bring you good news once more, but it appears luck isn't with us this year. Yes my dear little one, the cancer is back. You have leukaemia once more. The doctor wants you back in the hospital as soon as possible, preferably this weekend. He wants to run some more tests, and possibly start treatment right away, for as you know, a returning cancer is that much harder to treat and to cure as it is the first time around. But I'm sure I don't have to remind you of that period. I am sorry dear, I wish it was better news, but it's not. I can't make it any better. I have included the results from the hospital in this letter. Also I have added another letter, which will help you get away from Hogwarts. Please burn or otherwise destroy this letter as soon as you have read it, as it won't give us away that way.

Please keep strong little one, and I will see you soon. I want you to come home on Friday evening. You will return on Tuesday morning, as the test may take a while. Take some homework with you. I know you will get bored otherwise.

Love,

Petunia

Harry didn't know how to react, just as he hadn't known how to react all those years ago. Damn it. Damn it! That was the only thing his mind was able to come up with. He didn't like it, so he forced his brain into some action, while his eyes once more flew over the letter, hoping it was some sort of dream, a sick one at that but a dream, nonetheless. But no, it wasn't. He took out his wand and set fire to the letter. Then he washed the ashes away in the toilet.

He took out the results from the hospital, but knew that looking at them wouldn't change a thing for him. His body was working against him once more; he was going to have to face a harder battle than against Voldemort. He would have to fight himself.

Sighing, Harry transfigured the letter from the hospital into an innocent looking piece of paper, and then opened the other letter his aunt had sent along.

Dear Harry,

As you know I went to the doctor this summer, as I kept feeling ill. Unfortunately the news I got back wasn't good. It appears I have leukaemia and one of the worst kinds, too. The doctors at the hospital wanted to start treatment as soon as they found out, but I persuaded them I wanted you with me, and so I will begin treatment this weekend. Please ask your Headmaster if you can visit with me from Friday evening until Tuesday morning. I am sure they can provide you with homework to make while we're in the hospital.

Please come, Harry. I really need you now.

Aunt Petunia

Harry nearly laughed. His aunt could be quite cunning when she wanted to be. After all they had been able to practice this ever since he was nine and got leukaemia. She used truths and half-truths in this letter, just as he did when telling stories of his life to his friends.

Sighing, he rumpled his hair some more, squeezed some tears out of his eyes (which wasn't hard, as he felt close to crying anyway) and rumpled up the letter some more, to make sure he looked like a properly upset boy.

Then he walked towards McGonagall's office, figuring she would be there before classes would start. She would need to know about this and would be able to get him into the Headmaster's Office.

Luckily most students were still eating breakfast and so he quickly arrived at McGonagall's door. Knocking, he waited until she bade him to enter. When she did, he hesitantly opened the door, prompting McGonagall to turn her attention towards him completely.

She took in his appearance and asked, "Mr. Potter is everything alright? You didn't manage to get into trouble this soon, I hope."

Harry shook his head, letting a few tears fall again. Inside he felt quite bad for tricking people like this, but he really didn't want to tell anyone about having leukaemia. It would only reach Voldemort's ears, somehow and than the man would just wait until he was weakened until he would strike.

"No Ma'am. It's just that I got a letter from my aunt this morning and the news isn't good. I was wondering if I could talk to the Headmaster, as it's urgent."

She took a good look at him again, before nodding and saying, "Very well, Mr. Potter. As I am very glad you finally decided to come to me first for something like this, I shall call the Headmaster, to see if we can come by now."

She turned towards the fireplace and flooed shortly with the Headmaster. When she stood up again, Harry knew they could come. "Mr. Potter, please follow me. I will be also present at your meeting with the Headmaster, as it concerns your family."

So they walked the hallways towards the Headmaster's office. Harry got a bit nervous, wondering if he could pull this off as well before the Headmaster himself. He was a rather difficult man to trick after all. But on the other hand his father and his friends had managed to do a lot of things without the Headmaster knowing about it, so he should be able to pull this off as well. He managed to pull himself from his mind wandering just in time, as they were now in front of the office doors, which opened before they were able to knock on them.

Harry timidly walked in, remembering the last time, when he had practically destroyed the office. Luckily, he noticed, all things seemed to be in their original place again.

At a gesture of the Headmaster he seated himself in a soft comfortable chair. He declined the lemon drops and the tea, while Professor McGonagall accepted the tea.

"Well young man, I believe you got a letter from your aunt. As you asked to see me, could you tell me what information it contained?"

Harry swallowed and blinked a few times with his eyes. He rumpled up the paper some more. "Well, my aunt hadn't been feeling so good this summer, so she went to the doctor for some tests. She sent me the letter with the results today, and they're not... not very good sir," Harry swallowed. "She's got leukaemia and a bad form at that too. I just... I just wish to be there for her now. She asked if I could please come over tomorrow evening as she is to start treatment during the weekend. I would be returning on Tuesday morning. Please sir, she really wants me there with her, and I'd like to be there for her too."

Dumbledore thought it over carefully, "Would you mind if I had a look at that letter, Mr. Potter?" Harry shook his head and handed over the letter. Dumbledore smoothed it out and peered at it. Fawkes gave a little comforting thrill, although his gaze seemed to pierce through Harry. Harry hoped he was just imaging this.

Dumbledore seemed to have read it, and was now trying out revealing charms over the letter. When he had tried several, he handed the note back to Harry, and nodded. "It seems the note really is sent and written by your aunt. I will arrange for a portkey, as well as an escort. I will only take someone from the Order. The escort would only make sure you arrived safely at your aunt's and that you get back here safely. The rest of the time the wards are strong enough to warn us if something bad should happen. You'll be quite safe, my boy."

Harry smiled, slightly. "Mr. Potter, do you think you are good enough to go to classes today?" McGonagall surprised him with this question. He hadn't thought she would react like that.

"Yes, Professor, I don't want to miss anything, and I'm sure classes will be a good way to distract myself from this."

"Very well then; I shall write a note to Professor Flitwick, to explain why you are late for Charms. I expect you in top form at Transfiguration, later this day."

Harry nodded, and accepted the note. He walked out of the Office alone, deep in thought. When he entered the Charms classroom, he gave the note to the professor and proceeded to distract himself by emerging himself in the lesson.

The rest of the day passed by with his friends asking questions about why he was late for Charms. When he told them his aunt was ill, Hermione was most shocked, since she knew about leukaemia. After explaining a few things to Ron, he too seemed shocked by the news. Harry was glad they didn't know it was really him who was going to need treatment. For now they behaved odd as it was.

Friday seemed to fly by for Harry, who really hoped the day could have lasted a bit longer. But before he knew it, it was nearly 7 o 'clock and he was walking towards the Headmaster's Office. There his escort would be waiting for him, and he sincerely hoped it wasn't Snape. Luck seemed to be with him this night, as he found Remus waiting for him, when he opened the door. At least the trip to London would be spent in pleasant company.

After the portkey had dumped them in a small alley, the walked the remaining minutes towards the flat were Petunia and Harry now lived. Remus quietly looked around, wondering at the differences in the area from Privet Drive. He did notice how many of the younger children greeted Harry and how older people would try to have a bit of a talk with him. But Harry politely told them he had no time, and needed to see his aunt. Remus was pleasantly surprised when the people would actually back off as well.

When Petunia opened the door of their home, Remus had trouble hiding his surprise. He had seen Petunia at the train station last year of course, but she had changed. She didn't look that uptight anymore, and wore her hair in some sort of informal style. Also she had gained a slightly healthier look, which he found surprising as she seemed to be very sick. He supposed she would look worse when the treatment would start. He had met a few Muggles who had been ill so he knew what he was talking about. With a friendly handshake with Petunia and a quick hug to Harry he left, hoping everything would turn out alright for Harry and his aunt.

Petunia closed the door behind Harry, hugging him close. "Oh God, Harry. I'm so sorry. I just couldn't believe it at first when Dr. Romanov called. But we will have to try. Try and fool others, and make sure you get better."

Harry smiled up at her, and embraced her again. "Yes Aunt, we will just have to make sure we're going to keep up the act, while arranging everything for my treatment. I'm sure it will work out. The only thing we have to worry about now is the test that comes up this weekend."

Petunia smiled at him, and then took out her own travelling bag. "Let's go then, or we'll miss the bus to the hospital."

Together they walked out of the door, towards what would become a very tiring weekend.


A/N: I use the treatment my aunt was given when she got lungcancer. As she died, I sincerely hope none of you will start in on me not using the right treatment for someone with leukeamia. the rest of the information I got out of several other books. so I hope most of it is correct. But allow me some artistic freedom!