A/N: Charlie Weasley does work in Romania, but the Dragon Reserve is up in the mountains and he doesn't know the south forested part of Romania at all. He could be helpful if they ran into locals, but again they are isolated in the forest so all he can do is help look, just like the others.
A/N2: This is a Warning! There is violence and blood in the following chapter. But don't worry. The good guys win!
A/N3: The boys will speak more maturely and act more maturely. I apologize for the discrepancy in age and maturity level.
Chapter Twenty
Harry could hardly breathe. He had felt the magic about half-an-hour ago and he wasn't going to make it much longer. His head was fuzzy and he no longer felt the cold. His legs burned and kept threatening to give out. Draco was pulling him along by the hand and the blonde wasn't fairing much better.
Draco was breathing hard and stumbled over roots and rocks every few minutes. Harry opened his mouth to beg for a rest, but no sound escaped. Closing his eyes tight, he swallowed hard. The little saliva he could work up felt like glass going down his throat. He grimaced and collapsed, almost pulling Draco down with him.
"Harry!" Draco cried out hoarsely. He knelt by Harry and rolled him onto his back.
Harry's face was white and it looked like he was struggling to breathe. Draco quickly propped him up and rubbed his back. Harry wheezed, his arms limp and head hanging. Frightened by the panic and disorientation growing through their link, Draco gently put his hand on his friend's forehead and tilted it back on his shoulder. He gasped. Harry's head was hot!
"Baby, what hurts?" He croaked worriedly.
Harry's mouth worked, but nothing came out. Tears burned his eyes, feeling helpless and afraid. The pressure against the barrier was still there, unchanging. The Death Eaters would find them, but he literally couldn't move. He couldn't even breathe at the moment.
"Shhh, just rest for now…" Draco stared behind them. "Is someone still using magic?"
Harry nodded weakly and pointed.
"Alright… Get on my back. I'll find a stream and we'll stop there."
Draco groaned as he stood. Harry wasn't heavy, but any added weight was torture to his abused body. The plus side was within minutes he was sweating. He hadn't felt truly warm since they had been abducted (was it really only a day ago? It felt like weeks!), but Harry was radiating heat. Draco trudged on, panting and gasping, desperately looking for water.
…
The first report was due in from the Order and Dumbledore waited by the fireplace in his office. Green fire flared up and Arthur's head appeared. He reported that Severus was leading them through the eastern section and they had found nothing as of yet. From Remus' team, Minerva's face appeared and reported a similar lack of findings in the north section.
Sturgis Podmore was the chosen messenger for Kingsley's team. He was a square-jawed wizard with thick straw-colored hair and was about two years older than Severus. He reported they had found nothing so far in the west section. From Narcissa's team, Hestia Jones, a pink-cheeked and black-haired witch, reported the same from the south section.
Albus thanked them for their reports and again repeated they should be careful. When they were released from the fire, the four men and women exchanged a more thorough report about terrain and local muggles and wizards before heading back out to their teams. Once they got outside the city boarders, they would apparate back to their teams.
…
Draco had slowed to a staggering walk. He was exhausted and Harry seemed to get heavier and heavier on his back. Just when he thought he'd have to stop, Harry tapped his shoulder. Sighing with relief, he knelt and allowed his friend to slip off. Harry fell with a thump and grimaced as it jarred his painful headache.
Draco turned to face him and ran his shaking hands over Harry's fevered face. "Are you alright?" He rasped.
Harry nodded and croaked painfully, "The magic is gone."
"It is?" Draco perked up. "Thank Merlin." He fell over onto his back and stared dully up at the forest canopy. "I'm so hungry." He moaned, curling up around his empty middle. "And I could sleep for a year."
"Hear that?" Harry groaned, sitting stiffly, and ignoring his friend's complaints. He couldn't do anything about them.
Draco sat up with a frown, "Tell me that wasn't thunder."
Harry nodded and climbed slowly to his feet. "We need shelter."
Draco hurried to support him and Harry took his arm thankfully. Crying with frustration, Draco guided Harry as he began to walk once more. His feet were throbbing. Dirt was caked on his exposed skin; hands, neck, face. His hair was still braided, but twigs and leaves were stuck in it and a few strands had fallen free. Harry looked as bad as him, maybe worse, since his face was flushed and his eyes were shinny with illness. He'd never been more desperate or frightened or hopeless. Why go on? Where were they even going? If things didn't change soon, they'd die without the help of the Death Eaters.
"Water." Harry croaked and fell to his knees.
Draco's head snapped up and he saw the stream up ahead. He felt like jumping for joy. This time if they had to run away again, he'd follow the damn thing. He wasn't about to go without it ever again. Draco dragged Harry a few feet and the smaller boy managed to crawl a bit. Both fell on the water with hungry mouths.
They drank frantically. Harry drank too fast and had to throw himself away as he vomited. Draco winced and rubbed at his back sympathetically. His stomach felt a bit rebellious as well. After returning to the stream and drinking a bit more slowly, Harry curled up on his side with a moan.
"Harry…" Draco bit his lip worriedly. He took off his sweater and dipped the sleeve in the cold stream water. Shivering, he pulled Harry's head in his lap and soothed Harry's forehead and cheeks with the cold, wet cloth. Harry's eyes didn't even flicker. "Don't be sick. Please, Baby." Draco rocked and cried. He didn't know what to do.
Not ten minutes later, thunder cracked loudly and the sky darkened. Harry jerked awake and screamed with terror. Draco wrapped him in his arms and calmed him. Blinking blurred and fevered eyes, Harry knew they had to find shelter or at least try. The rain was going to be cold.
"Need shelter." He said weakly and used Draco to climb to his feet.
The blonde didn't argue and slipped his damp sweater back on. His teeth were chattering and he his fear of the storm gave him sufficient motivation to keep moving. He remembered his promise, though, and followed the stream. They hadn't gone very far when it began to rain. Just as they predicted, the water was cold. In minutes, they were soaked through. There was no shelter in sight; just trees and more trees. Draco bit his lip hard to keep from crying and continued to walk.
"Stop." Harry staggered. He couldn't see. Everything was swimming around him. His feet were numb and so were his hands, and even though he couldn't remember why that was bad, he knew it was. His chest hurt and his throat itched. He'd start coughing soon, he knew. He couldn't go on. It was hard to walk on the muddy ground and Draco was shivering violently now. Harry had stopped shivering long ago; he was too numb to be cold.
"H-h-har-rr-rry?" Draco stuttered through chattering teeth.
Oh, yeah. He had an idea, didn't he? What was he going to say? Harry swayed. Lightening flashed and he saw the old tree again. "There's shelter." He pointed and stumbled over to it. He weaved, but eventually he made it. It was still raining under the branches, but not quite so hard. He sat with his back against the trunk and gestured for Draco to sit by him. The blonde did so clumsily. "Take sweater off." Harry managed to say. He was so tired. He just wanted to sleep. Why wasn't he sleeping?
Draco didn't see why he shouldn't take off his sweater. He would be just as cold without it. So he listened to his friend and took it off. Harry did the same to his and came and sat in Draco's lap. Their bare chests were pressed tight together. Draco wrapped his hands around his friend and held him close. Merlin, this felt so good…
"Wring them out and… put them… on both of us…" Harry croaked.
Understanding what Harry meant, Draco wrung out the shirts as best he could and then put them on so that each was encircling both of them and Harry's bare chest was still pressed up against his. Draco pulled his legs up to try and capture more body heat while Harry straddled his waist. The brunette passed out in minutes and Draco soon followed.
Unfortunately, he was only asleep for a few hours when Harry woke him with his weak coughing. Draco frowned as he felt the fluid in Harry's lungs with each ragged breath Harry took. He was also very hot, keeping them both warm. Curling more tightly around Harry, Draco bowed his head.
He was too tired and too numb to cry, but despair welled in his heart. They were absolutely lost. Death Eaters were after them and they had no food or shelter or help of any kind. With every hour, Harry was getting worse and sitting in the rain (which was now a cold drizzle) in November wasn't helping anything. What could he do? He had to do something! He couldn't let Harry die! He didn't want to die either! It wasn't fair!
…
Arthur waited for everyone to get done reporting to Albus before passing out the energy potion Severus had made and brought along with him. He wondered just how many potions the man had on him, hidden and shrunken in his billowing black robes. Sturgis took several and handed Hestia her portion. Minerva gathered the rest.
"And you've found no clues whatsoever?" She asked with a despairing sigh.
"Nothing." Arthur shook his head and the other two mimicked his action.
"How far out have you gotten?" She questioned the others.
"About thirteen miles." Sturgis answered grimly.
"Ten." Hestia sighed, running her hands through her short hair tiredly.
"Fourteen." Minerva frowned.
"Thirteen." Remus added.
"Do you think my team is moving too fast?" Minerva asked the others.
"We could be going too slowly." Hestia shrugged. "Narcissa is determined not to miss anything."
"We'll just have to do our best." Arthur smiled encouragingly. "We will find them. It's only a matter of time."
Sturgis shook his head and left the hotel room. Hestia followed with a single nod of her head. Minerva smiled and gripped Arthur by the shoulder before taking her leave as well. Arthur's smile fell when he was left alone. His hands clinched. He couldn't loose Harry. The poor boy was like a son to him and he had already lost one too many of his children. Shaking his head, he hurried from the room, careful to lock the door behind him.
…
The rain had stopped, but now it was night; cold and dark. The stream was thicker and faster after the storm and it sounded like it was right next to him, though Draco knew it was a good twenty feet away. He wasn't sure what had woken him. It could have been many things. His body was stiff, cold, and in pain. He was weak and hungry. Harry was trembling against him and every wet gasp of air sounded like it may be his last. The fever was even higher now, making Draco's front way too warm and his back, legs, and head were freezing cold. He was amazed he had slept at all.
"Ray…" Harry groaned. "More… magic… back… that… way…" He tilted his head to point. The magic was directly in front of Draco and behind Harry.
He bit his lip. The stream was running toward it, so if they walked up stream, they'd be getting away, but… But he really didn't think he could carry Harry any further and Harry certainly wouldn't be able to walk. He groaned and let his head drop so that his cheek rested against Harry's damp hair.
"Thank you, Harry." He whispered. "Rest. I'll watch over you."
Harry nodded weakly and dropped back into a restless sleep. Draco held him close. They couldn't go anywhere. Not now. Not like this. He'd have to wait. Wait until morning or the Death Eaters found them. Damn those bastards! He thought viciously. If he could kill every single one of them, he would. He was sick of running, sick of being afraid and helpless!
He took a deep, calming breath and made himself plan. When the sun came up, when things warmed up a bit, he'd get Harry to the stream and make him drink. Then he'd get them further away. Maybe they'd find a cave or a town or find the end to this damn forest… But for now… for now, he'd close his eyes again. All he could do was rest. He'd need to be strong tomorrow.
…
They made their third report of no news to Albus, but this time they weren't alone. Each team had sent two members back to get a few hours rest. They'd switch off at the next shift. This would make the searching slower, but they couldn't function on potions alone and remain clear headed.
…
Draco had kept to his plan. He had gotten Harry over to the stream and made the delirious boy drink as much as he could before doing the same himself. They put their still faintly damp sweaters on and Draco hefted Harry onto his back before making his way upstream. Harry had informed him the magic was still there behind them. Draco gritted his teeth and walked. The pain in his feet and legs was getting worse and he was feeling lightheaded, but that didn't matter anymore. All that mattered was that he kept moving.
Time passed surprisingly quickly as he drifted in and out of confused daydreams. He was pulled fully awake however when Harry went ridged on his back and his loud breathing stopped. Draco was just easing him to the ground when the pain hit and the familiar wave of vertigo that signaled the start of a vision swarmed up behind his eyes. He had just enough time to scream "Occlude!" at the top of his lungs before he passed out.
…
Voldemort glared down at his quivering followers with rage burning in his veins. Yesterday afternoon one of his prized pets had been found dead a mile outside of their camp. He had ordered Mulciber, Avery, and Nott to find out what had happened. Late that night, Avery returned to report.
Zabini had been killed by being hit in the head with a fairly heavy rock and looked mildly beaten. The Death Eaters had gone to Hogwarts to see if the little brother knew what Zabini had been involved in lately and found Blaise was missing. They had been lucky when they had gone into Hogsmeade and been approached by Nott's son.
It seemed he and Blaise were hiding in town because they had kidnapped the Potter and Malfoy boys and didn't want to be interrogated until it was too late for anyone to save the brats. After hearing this, Nott and Mulciber returned to Devon's body and began searching for the missing children (Blaise had informed them of their de-aged states) while Avery came to report to Voldemort.
Voldemort had been furious that Devon had acted without telling him and then had the gall to be almost successful. To think The-Boy-Who-Lived was twelve once more and within his bloody reach! He had tortured Avery for a few hours to vent his fury, then called his Inner Circle to him and ordered them to go with Avery and help find the two boys and bring them back alive!
An hour after dawn, Avery returned again and reported the brats were being elusive. It seemed that Devon put powerful dark artifacts on the children to keep them from being able to use magic and these also interfered with their searching spells. They had to look manually. Voldemort had raged at his followers' incompetence and tortured Avery for a while until he could think clearly once again.
When he had calmed, he called a general summons (it was these that pulled the boys into visions; they didn't have visions when Voldemort only called a select number of his followers) and ordered all two hundred Death Eaters to scour Romania for the two boys. He threatened them all with death should the sun set with the two fugitives not found.
…
Draco woke with a groan. This time he had been behind Voldemort's eyes, just like how Harry described the last vision, and he was terrified by what he had learned. Hundreds of Death Eaters were now searching for them. And they were to be brought to the Dark Lord alive.
Draco shuddered as he remembered feeling Voldemort's deep fury and maddening blood-lust. He scrambled to Harry's side. The brunette was hacking weakly and gasping for air. Draco quickly sat him up so that he could breathe easier. Harry moaned through another cough and opened his eyes. They were glassy and dilated. Draco winced as Harry's fear and confusion and desperate need cut into him.
"Harry… Hold on to me… We have to keep moving."
Harry pointed behind them and to the left. "…magic…"
"I know, Baby…" Draco pulled him onto his back. "Please, hold on. Harry, hold onto my neck!"
The brunette groaned and weakly wrapped his arms around the blonde's neck. He coughed violently and choked as he tried to get in enough air. Draco began to trot, though he could only keep the pace for a few minutes before he was reduced back to a steady walk. He forced his body to obey him. They were being hunted and the predators were gaining on them and coming from two different sides now! Panting, Draco stumbled on, his eye wide and terrified.
…
Narcissa crouched close to the ground as she watched a pack of three Death Eaters walk by. Dung, her sister Andromeda, and Hestia were fanned out around her and had stilled when she did. The unsuspecting Death Eaters were surrounded. But she wasn't sure what her next move should be.
If she attacked them, she'd alert Voldemort that there were Order members around and that could mean their deaths and the deaths of her son and Harry. Then she remembered something. Her sister… Andromeda was excellent at Memory Charms. If they captured them and questioned them, her sister could weave a spell so subtle no one would be the wiser.
…
The four Order members gathered in the hotel and shared news. Hestia quickly told them about running into the Death Eaters and finding out that the boys had escaped and were being hunted by every available member. They were running out of time. They needed to find the boys. Luckily, they also received a clue.
The boys had run from an area in Narcissa's section and from what she could gather had fled north, which would lead them eventually into Severus' section. So they no longer had to search the north or west, and Shacklebolt and Remus could join the others. After a quiet debate it was decided that Shacklebolt's team would join Severus and Remus would join Narcissa.
…
Draco fell with a ragged scream of pain. Harry tumbled from his back and rolled away. His green eyes opened and he stared dumbly. His rattling cough resounded in his ears and his head hurt so badly. What would their father say to him lying on the ground? He hoped Ron was okay, though he didn't know why he was worried about the redhead.
Wait… Where was Draco? He got to his hands and knees and looked around. It was really leafy here. Maybe he should sweep? Aunt Petunia would be so upset everything was so dirty. White blonde hair caught his attention and he crawled toward it with a smile. That disappeared instantly when he realized Draco was crying.
A high pitched whine of pain escaped the blonde's throat and Harry frowned. That was not good. Not good at all. He felt his head clear and coughed hard. When he could breathe again, he looked his best friend over. He looked fine, if dirty. Draco will be so mad his clothes were ruined, his thoughts cut off as he saw Draco's foot and ankle.
There was a metal circle of teeth clamped into the blonde's flesh. Harry could see the white of bone and tendons. Strips of bloody skin were hanging through the ragged hole the teeth had made. Blood was pouring out; it smelled hot and tangy. "Draco…" Harry moaned. "Oh, no… oh, god, Ray, be okay…"
Draco couldn't answer. He was mute with pain. Harry's head snapped around as he heard something coming. It was faint, but he knew they were close. Harry coughed and spat out the mucus that rose in the back of his throat. Draco was hyperventilating. His eyes were wide with shock.
Harry remembered the blonde cooling his face with his own sweater. He had carried him all this way because he was so weak and now the Death Eaters were coming and they'd make Draco bleed some more. They'd make him scream. Harry closed his eyes as nausea built in him. He was weak. He was already lightheaded.
The sounds of someone coming were getting louder. If he squinted hard, he could make out shadows moving among the trees. He wouldn't let them hurt Draco. He looked down at his friend and he felt love overwhelm him. Draco had done everything he could to save him. He had gotten hurt because of him.
"Harry…" Draco sobbed. "Baby…"
Draco's heartbreaking cries broke Harry completely and suddenly everything exploded in a concussion of sound and light. Then he was yanked violently away from all sensation, like an accelerated portkey into a black hole. He ceased to exist. All was nothingness. Eternal echoes of nothingness.
…
Draco could hardly think past the pain. It consumed him and he would be screaming if he weren't so weak. Hyperventilating, his head spun, and he was sure he was going to throw-up. The waves of agony came and he was helpless. Eventually, he could see again and he saw his baby crying and swaying on his knees next to him. He saw the despair and fear, though he couldn't feel because all he could feel was pain. He begged him for help, even though he knew he wouldn't get it.
Harry went ridged and head tipped back so his eyes stared at the canopy above their heads. Draco gasped and shielded his eyes as the collar around Harry's throat glowed red hot and began to crumble apart. He gasped as he felt his own doing the same. They were liquefying. Magic surged around him and he could feel it again.
He was beat to the ground by the force pounding from his friend. He screamed, afraid for himself and afraid for Harry. Without warning the pain began to lessen and he looked down to see the metal horror melting away and his leg beginning to heal. It was only about halfway through when the magic disappeared like a snuffed candle. Draco gasped and his head snapped around to see Harry crumple bonelessly to the ground.
"Harry!" He cried hoarsely and crawled over to the smaller boy. He wasn't breathing. "No! Baby! Don't die! You can't leave me!"
He slammed his hands on Harry's chest over and over again. He screamed at the top of his lungs, but Harry didn't wake. He didn't draw breath. Hands grabbed him and flung him away. He screamed again as he saw a stranger in a black cloak kneel by his baby. Draco saw red and lashed out.
The man holding him yelled and dropped him. He launched himself at the man by Harry, but was tackled to the ground. His magic snapped around him, flinging leaves and the Death Eaters away from him. He snarled and ran at the man over Harry and this time connected. They both went down in a tangle of limbs. The other Death Eaters were firing spells, not caring who they hit.
Draco couldn't avoid them forever and was hit. His muscles went limp and he was roughly slapped and the punched in the gut. He lay gasping and wild with grief and panic. His eyes fell on Harry and saw the smaller boy was breathing and his lungs sounded clearer. He didn't understand at first, but his stomach dropped as realization came. Voldemort wanted them alive. That was why the Death Eater saved Harry.
"You bloody brat!" The Death Eater he had tackled spat. Draco grimaced as the glob of saliva dripped down his cheek. With an evil grin of anticipation, the man began to flick his wand, the gestures getting more violent as the complex spell spilled from his lips. "Paricreo tactus flagello excrucius!"
Draco screamed as a line of fire burned across his chest and side. Another lash and he screamed again. He could feel blood flowing down his stomach. The Death Eaters laughed and the two watching lifted him to his feet and held him up by the arms. Another lash and this time it was across his back. He arched with a weak whine of agony. Tears were streaming down his cheeks and he twitched and spasmed. They taunted him as he wept and more lashes fell slowly. Each one slicing into his skin and muscle, drawing screams from his tortured throat.
Without warning, the man holding his left arm collapsed. Thrown off balance the other Death Eater let him go and he crumbled the ground. His vision was fading in and out. The sound of fighting and spells was swallowed by the roaring in his ears. He only knew one thing that that was he wanted his baby. He crawled blindly until he hit a body and a blurry figure of Harry came clear for a moment before everything went black and he passed out. He fell on top of the smaller boy, shielding him with half his body.
…
Severus fought ferociously. His spells were violent and were fired with deadly accuracy. Icy cold rage governed his thoughts. How dare these pathetic weaklings whip his son? And was Harry alive? The boy hadn't moved since they had arrived. A spell fired by Podmore skimmed his shoulder and he spun to see a Death Eater who was creeping up behind him fall. He grinned fiercely and continued to fight.
Moody and Shacklebolt fought side-by-side and cursed as more Death Eaters apperated in. The three who they had originally attacked must have called for help. They had to get to the boys and get out of there. They couldn't afford fighting like this, not when the numbers were growing against them. And the boys needed medical attention. Growling, as one, the two men forced their way toward the downed twelve-year-olds.
Tonks fought two Death Eaters and was loosing ground. She cursed and cast binding spells and impeding spells. One went down and she cried out in triumph, but two more appeared in his place. She cursed again and continued to fight. Just when she thought she was going down, Diggle stepped up behind the Death Eaters ringing her and made them split their forces to confront him. The fight was on!
Emmeline Vance fell to a bone breaking curse. Her legs were both broken, but that didn't stop her from firing from the ground. Several Death Eaters fell and she screamed with pain as she fired at more. A blasting curse threw her in the air and she fell like a rag doll. Someone screamed her name, but she didn't know who. Everything went black when she landed and jarred her legs.
Arthur watched in horror as Emmeline went limp and a Death Eater sent a vicious cutting curse her way. He shouted out a shield spell, but was too late. Blood bloomed in the air as her throat was cut to the bone. With her windpipe severed, she suffocated in minutes. Arthur screamed in denial and horror, but was forced to concentrate as another wave of spells was aimed at him.
Narcissa and Remus' teams ran onto the scene, drawn there by the huge concentration of magic. They leapt into battle and hurried to their comrades' assistance. Andromeda got to her daughter just in time. Tonks was coughing up blood, her ribs were shattered on the right side and another blasting curse would have been the end of her. Narcissa and Remus slammed into the four Death Eaters keeping Severus from the children and the Potion's Master slipped through. He dropped to his knees and with a quick spell that amplified his voice roared for the Order members to retreat.
There were a dozen sounds of apperateing and the Death Eaters desperately tried to follow. Unfortunately, tag-along apparating is chancy at best and only about seven of them actually ended up outside the front of the right hotel. They stormed in and cursed Muggles until they got the right room number. They stormed up the stairs and burst into the room to see the Order members portkey away. They cursed loudly and began to set fire to the hotel. The boys had gotten away and they knew their Master would not be pleased with them at all.
…
The portkey landed the group in an empty hall in Grimmauld Place. Their entrance signaled alarms that would have both Dumbledore and Poppy arriving in seconds. Arthur collapsed to his knees under the weight of Emmeline's dead body. Andromeda guided her daughter against the wall and Tonks let out a scream as her shattered ribs tore into her lung. Blood gurgled up her throat and over her lips. Shacklebolt rushed to their aid.
Charlie went to help his father, who was bleeding from wounds he didn't seem to know he had. Hestia and Hagrid ran from the room to get medical supplies and healing potions. Mundungus was sniveling in a corner with a broken arm. He fought viciously like a cornered rat during battles, but he was always useless after them. Dedalus was blind due to a spell, but was holding Minerva and staunching the wound in her shoulder. Sturgis and Narcissa stood stiffly by Remus and Severus as the two began working on the boys.
Severus quickly removed the boys from their clothes. They only got in the way and hid possible injuries. Narcissa's hands clinched as she witnessed her son's lacerated skin. Severus quickly cast a spell to slow the bleeding of the lashes, knowing Draco couldn't take much more blood loss. He then switched with Remus, who had been casting general healing spells. The Wolf did so now on Draco as Severus worked to help specific damage.
Poppy and Dumbledore arrived and for a moment stood shocked as the moans, sobs, and death rattles reached their ears. Neither had seen anything like it since the end of the First War. Poppy recovered first and ordered Dumbledore to obtain more doctors. She couldn't handle all this on her own. He disappeared immediately.
Hestia and Hagrid arrived and added to her supplies. She ordered Hagrid to inform the house elves that ten guest rooms needed to be ready for use and that once that was seen to he needed to return to the school and help wherever he could while the headmaster was away. Hestia was made into her nurse and she quickly went around the room evaluating which patients needed to be seen to first.
Tonks was the one most in need and she snapped out orders to those around her. They rushed to obey and soon the young Metamorphagus was on a conjured stretcher and was being spelled and fed potions. It was delicate work and would take a good hour. Poppy laid the ground work for the healing spells and let Andromeda and Shacklebolt supply the magic and energy for the finish. Then she rushed over to the boys. By this time the second healer had been brought in and he could handle the others with Dumbledore's help.
She conjured two stretchers and cast extensive diagnostic spells. The readouts began to scroll and she set her mouth grimly. The boys had been gone a little over forty-nine hours and had been exposed to horrible weather conditions and stress. On top of that, they suffered abuse from enemies and emotional damage. This was going to take time to fix. She set to work; Narcissa, Severus, and Remus helped by offering their magic, strength, and hands.
…
Most of the rescue party had been tended to and were now tucked into bed in the upstairs rooms to sleep and heal. The Tonks women were sharing a room. Charlie and Arthur had opted to return home. Molly would be worried, otherwise, but they wanted to be informed of the boys' progress.
Minerva had returned to the school to sleep in her own bed. Her shoulder still required a bandage, but should be better in a week, sooner if her magic worked to expel the dark residue from the curse. Dedalus, Hestia, and Sturgis all opted to stay even though they weren't severely wounded. Should an attack occur at Grimmauld Place, they would be here to defend it and the wounded inside. Mundungus chose to return home and no one tried to convince him to stay. Shacklebolt wanted to remain, but had to return to home. He had to return to work the next day.
Severus, Narcissa, and Remus were the only ones from the rescue party that were awake and they sat in the kitchen with Poppy and Dumbledore, waiting to be told about their sons' condition. It was well past midnight and Severus was so tired that he didn't even protest when Remus leaned against him, helping to keep them both sitting up straight. Narcissa was a bit better off, having just gotten onto the scene before they apparated out.
"Well?" She demanded. "What is their condition?"
Poppy sighed and shook her head. "It's not good, but they will heal with time. They both had severe blisters on their feet; Draco more than Harry. Both suffer from illness from long exposure to wet and cold; Harry more so than Draco. Both have circular burns on their throats that resist magical healing, but are beginning to respond, albeit slowly, to treatment. Severe exhaustion and fatigue has depleted them both and they are suffering from the first signs of starvation. Also, the flesh of Draco's ankle was severely torn, but will be fairly simple to fix.
"More seriously, Draco shows evidence of suffering under Crucio, as well as being whipped. He suffers nerve damage and major blood loss. Both are being addressed, but treatment will be a slow process. Harry shows signs of nerve damage as well, but not from Crucio. It looks like a normal seizure. I can only guess they had a vision while they were on the run. He has also depleted his magical and physical reserve. We can't really do anything about that except wait and keep him well fed and watered.
"What is most concerning is that he has developed pneumonia and bronchitis. His condition was delicate before he left and the stress, exposure, and starvation has weakened him completely. I have put him in a healing coma, but the illness is festering. The long fever has created damage in his brain and that will take time and intricate healing spells, and his lungs are suffering. There may be permanent scaring that will result in permanent asthma.
"We are doing everything we can to strengthen them and heal the damage done. Normally, I would say with certainty that they would both be fine, but due to their situation with their aging, I am not so sure. It will take a good two weeks for Draco to be returned to full health and Harry will need at least a month. But in just three days the boys will be at the mercy of powerful magic and their bodies will be put under great stress during the change.
"We already know that the injuries they obtain can hinder their health due to Harry being smaller than he was in Second Year. I can only imagine what will happen when they undergo the change in these conditions. They could be kept in the same condition and continue with the healing as if the growth didn't happen, or their bodies could give out and their organs fail due to stress and weakness. I just don't know. The best we can do is get them as strong as we can."
"What about a Time Turner?" Narcissa asked grimly. "We can give them more time to heal."
"I'm not sure that would be wise." Albus shook his head. "They are already at odds with time in this condition. It may only put added stress on them. You know using a Time Turner makes use of the wizard or witch's magic, and it is a constant drain to maintain the placement out of sync with your natural timeline. I don't think the boys can handle that."
"We must do something to guard their lives." She demanded.
"And we will." Albus answered calmly. "I have faith that the spell will not kill them; none-the-less, we will get them as strong as we can with very thorough care. You three need to rest. Sleep for a few hours. We will wake you should anything change."
Narcissa looked mutinous, and so did Severus. Remus saw the wisdom in resting, however, and managed to talk them both into retiring for the night.
…
Poppy and the other medi-wizard, a David Lauren, worked every minute of every day on the two boys. They timed the potions by the second and got as many in the two boys as they could in the seventy-two hour time span without overdosing them. Neither boy woke once. Harry because he couldn't, and Draco because he was that fatigued. They were fed by delicately force-apparating food in their stomachs every three hours. They began to put on weight and look healthier, but were by no means up to par when it came time for the spell to activate and return a year to their minds and bodies.
…
As soon as the magic of the transformation turned aged them a year in the space of seven hours released the now thirteen-year-old children, the two doctors rushed to their patients' sides. Severus, Remus, Narcissa, and Dumbledore were on their heels, but kept out of the way as they watched for any sign of life or injury on their boys. Draco woke first. He looked around the room in confusion.
It took a few minutes for his eyes to clear. When they did, he began to hyperventilate with shock. It was just too overwhelming. Poppy quickly spelled him into a gentle sleep. He'd be released as soon as they were done and could give the poor child some space. She wanted to order the others from the room, but knew that would be futile. In ten minutes, she had the test results and after glancing at them, formed a plan. She carefully lifted the sleep spell and strode from the room gesturing the others after her.
They followed reluctantly. They wanted to be with the children, but desperately needed to hear the results of her tests as well. She knew it wasn't a good idea to crowd a trauma patient. They needed time to come to grips with what happened and the reality that it was over. And as their doctor, the least she could do is maneuver for them a few minutes alone.
…
Draco woke for the second time and was glad to find himself alone in the room. It was quiet and the curtains on the window were pulled tightly shut. He didn't know where he was, but that didn't much matter at the moment. He knew he wasn't with Voldemort since he remembered Madam Poppy, his mother, father, and Remus there the last time he was awake. And he felt warm and full, and that was much better than where he had been.
Once his heart calmed and he came to terms with not being on the run, he looked for Harry. His friend was in a second bed and was just stirring awake. Draco slowly sat up and dropped to the floor. He felt himself sway, feeling lightheaded, but quickly found his balance. He was crawling into bed with Harry by the time the green eyes were beginning to open.
Harry stared at his best friend. His mind was clogged with nightmarish memories of their kidnapping and the… days?... of running for their lives. Side-by-side with those, Harry found himself remembering a godfather, a rat, and a hippogriff. He could feel and taste the memories as if they were really happening, as if he were really there.
It was as if he were three people. Each one as real as the others. One Harry was still in the woods, terrified and weak. Another was trying to solve the mystery of who killed his parents. Then there was yet another Harry lying weak in a bed with a Draco Malfoy that didn't match his new memories at all.
Draco didn't comment on the numb dissociation he felt from his friend. He felt the same. Apathy rose up and he just lay there, staring. He couldn't find any motivation inside to speak, move, or think. The only urge he had was the reflex to keep running. That they couldn't stop or they'd be captured and… and he didn't really want to think about the next part. But then he'd look around and know he was safe, so he tried to lay back and relax, but inside he was still running.
…
"What are the test results?" Narcissa demanded of Poppy as soon as they reached the kitchen.
"It is better than I could have hoped." She smiled. "The boys' injuries and illnesses are gone. They are as well as they would be if they were left to heal naturally for a year. Draco suffers minimal scarring from his physical wounds, but that can be treated with an ointment. His cold is gone completely. His strength and weight is only just below normal. He will need two days of quiet and rest, but he is fine.
"Harry's illness is gone as well, but there is scarring in his lungs. He will have asthma. I will give you the recipe for the inhalant he will need for his attacks, Severus. They will be random at first, but some of the damage can be healed and then the attacks will only happen when he is over-emotional or fatigued. The minor damage to his brain is gone completely. He will still tire easily and will need to continue to nap during the day. His weight…" Here she shook her head. "It is dangerously low. He will be confined to bed for the rest of this week and our main goal will be to get him to eat as much as he can."
Severus didn't wait for any more information, nor did he bother to thank the woman for all her care. He turned and strode quickly back up the stairs toward the boys' room. Narcissa gave a short bow and hurried after him. The nurse snorted at them and Dumbledore smiled with his eyes twinkling brightly.
"Thank you, Poppy." Remus smiled.
The nurse smiled back as she took a seat tiredly, "You are welcome. I care about those boys as much as anyone else."
"I know." Remus assured her and went to the stove to prepare her a cup of tea. "We are still grateful."
"I don't know what you see in that man, Remus." She sighed as she took the cup. "I'd think you two wouldn't get along. You're both so different."
"Who else would have the tolerance and patience to put up with him?" Remus laughed.
"Now that you put it that way…" She grinned. "You're perfect for each other!"
…
Severus entered the room and wasn't surprised to see Draco had climbed into his Harry's bed. His face hardened with worry as he really looked at the young teens. They both had a vacant, shell-shocked look to their glazed eyes that he didn't like. And he could already tell by the thinness of Harry's wrist and gauntness of his face that the boy was skeletal.
"Harry? Draco?" He put gently placed his hands on their head and stroked their hair.
"Are you alright? Can we get you anything?" Narcissa added, coming up and holding her son's hand.
"No." Draco answered softly. His voice was dull and lifeless.
…
Neither of the boys woke from their numb stupor, but Poppy and Dr. Lauren assured the adults that this was expected and they should just give the young Lord space and time. They all worked hard to get them both completely healthy again. After the second day, Draco was released from bed rest and Narcissa made him return to lessons. He went through them like a robot, answering questions with as few words as possible and never initiated contact, though he didn't like being alone. He made sure someone from his family was with him every minute. And at night, he'd still crawl in bed with Harry.
Harry wasn't allowed to get up unless it was to use the bathroom. Remus and Severus spent the days reading to him or telling him stories. As the days passed and he began to slowly put on weight and regain strength, his eyes began to thaw. He began to smile more and participate in conversations. And as he became more aware and engaged in his surroundings, he began to really worry for his best friend.
He remembered all that Draco went through just to protect him. How the blonde had suffered because Harry couldn't walk on his own or because he had gotten sick. Why had he waited so long to try and break the collars? Why did he just assume he wouldn't be able to? If he had broken the collars sooner, Draco wouldn't have had to struggle so much. And… he forced himself to remember Devon. And Draco had protected him at great cost to himself. He had done that and had made sure Harry couldn't help. And it was all his fault.
…
It was Thursday night and Harry had finally fought through his guilt and fear, and he had promised himself he'd try and talk to Draco. The blonde came to bed and smelled like soap. Harry smiled tearfully and pulled the blonde into a hug. Draco wrapped his arms around him automatically, but there was no warmth in it. Harry began to cry.
"I'm sorry." He whispered. "I'm so sorry. It's all my fault. You have every reason to hate me and I'd understand if you didn't want to be with me anymore. You don't have to pretend anymore, okay? Just tell me, Draco. Tell me to go if you hate me."
Draco blinked slowly, "What are you talking about?"
Harry propped himself up so that he was looking down at his friend. His green eyes were bright and filled with love and remorse. Draco felt something stir in him, but it was far away. He blinked again.
"You got hurt trying to save my life." Harry explained. "I should have tried breaking the collars sooner and given you your back magic. I shouldn't have been so weak and make you carry me. The Death Eaters caught up to us because of me and it's my fault. And I… I should have taken care of Devon with you. You shouldn't have faced that alone, Ray. You did what was needed and I wasn't strong enough to help, and now you're hurt and Madam Pomfrey says there is nothing they can do."
Harry collapsed and cried into his chest. Draco felt something in him crack. His arms tightened around his friend and he was flooded with emotions. It was like someone flipped a switch in him. All the fear, desperation, anger, and horror that had been held at arms length crashed through him and he began to sob. Harry clung to him and rocked him, whispering promises that it would be alright and that he loved him.
"No!" Draco shook his head hard. "No!" He couldn't put it into words, but he felt dirty. He felt so incredibly soiled. He could feel the rock in his hand. He could see Devon's face. This was Blaise's beloved older brother. Blaise had been his friend for a very long time and even though they weren't friends any longer, pulled to different sides in this war by circumstance, he felt horrible.
Harry couldn't feel Draco's emotions the way the blonde could feel his, but he knew what had Draco shivering and shaking in his arms. He stroked the blonde's hair and spoke to him softly. "Draco, you did what you had to. You know from the vision that they didn't find Devon until a lot later that night. It gave us a whole day to get distance between us and the Death Eaters before they started looking for us. You saved our lives."
"I should have found another way." Draco shook his head, but was beginning to really listen to his friend.
"There was no other way. We didn't have magic at the time and we were twelve. How could we force Devon to come with us against his will without alerting the Death Eaters? He chose to kidnap us and he chose to work for the Dark. Dad said this is a war and everyone who fights in it has to be prepared that one day they will not come out as the winner. Devon, and even Blaise, knew what they were doing. We had every right to protect ourselves, Ray." Tears began to spill from Harry's eyes and he hid his face against Draco's neck. "You were strong when I couldn't be. Thank you, Draco, for protecting me… For being my strength…"
Draco was still crying, but as Harry's words sank in he felt himself calming. It was still horrible, but… but maybe it would be alright. Maybe he could forgive himself, if Harry could forgive him. Hands caressed his cheeks and his eyes opened wide as Harry's mouth brushed his. His heart began to beat hard and his breath quickened. Harry's tear stained face looked back at him.
"I love you, Draco. Please forgive me for not helping you more when you needed me. I promise I will do better from now on." Harry pleaded.
"You did the best you could." Draco said hoarsely and reached up to brush his baby's hair from his beautiful face. "You are strong, Harry. You may not be able to carry me, but you brought me back. You kept me moving and you never turned away from me. I would have given up if it weren't for you there with me."
Harry smiled and leaned down again. Draco kissed him back and for the first time he realized that something more than brotherly love was spreading through him. He had always known he loved Harry. He had always known he had to look after the smaller boy, but this… this was something much more. Harry pulled away from the kiss, his eyes wide and his mouth parted slightly with surprise. He had felt it too. Draco hesitated. He knew Harry had been hurt, even if Harry didn't, should they be doing this?
"Ray…" Harry's eyes filled with uncertainty. And if it weren't for the bond that let Draco sense Harry's emotions, he would have pulled away thinking Harry was uncomfortable, but the fear that bloomed in his heart was the fear of rejection. Draco smiled and pulled Harry down for another kiss. There was no way he'd let his baby fear rejection from him. Harry didn't deserve it and kissing felt so good, so right.
Their mouths pressed against each other and unlike the closed-mouth pecks they had shared before, they lingered. Their lips slid across each other and came back, soft as silk. Heat radiated between them and Draco felt as if he was being warmed from the inside out. Wordlessly, Harry surrounded him with his arms and parted his lips slightly to gasp in a shaky breath.
"I love you, Baby." Draco whispered.
Harry smiled in delight and hugged the blonde. He had been shocked by his feelings, but, as was his nature, he accepted them quickly. It had been coming for awhile, he guessed. He had felt jealous of Pansy when she said she and Draco had tried to be in a relationship. And he'd never felt the way he did about Draco for Ron or Hermione.
He admired the blonde and trusted him more deeply than anyone else he'd ever known. He was beautiful and strong. He was just Draco and Harry wanted to be with and close to him always. He wanted him to be happy and wanted to share everything with him. He loved him like their Dad loved Moony. The joy he felt when Draco made it clear he loved him in return made him want to dance around. His cheeks hurt from smiling so much.
"Stop." Draco laughed, getting high off Harry's powerful happiness and his own.
Harry grinned and darted in for another kiss. "Thank you, Ray."
"For what?" Draco smiled back.
"For loving me…. I know Dad loves me, and so does Moony, but…" Harry's joy settled down into a powerful contentment. "You're the one who was always there for me and no one has ever loved me the way you do. Nothing's the same without you."
"Same here." Draco agreed, tucking Harry's head under his chin as Harry lay out on his chest.
"Good night." Harry smiled sleepily. His lips were still warm from being pressed against Draco's. He hoped they would do that again a lot in the future. He sighed happily and cuddled up against Draco's strong, protecting side.
"Night." The blonde whispered with a smile.
…
Severus and Narcissa weren't sure what happened. They woke up Friday morning and found Draco responding to them again. He'd returned from his defensive withdraw from the world and he seemed happier than he had in a long time. Remus took it all in stride and hugged both of the boys. He joked and played with them until Narcissa forced Draco to go with her downstairs to continue their studies. Severus sat with his lover and son and looked questioningly at the brunette.
Harry smiled at him. "We just talked." His face turned serious. "But I think we need to talk to you as well. I haven't really told you… all that happened." He looked at his hands and Remus put an arm around his shoulders lovingly.
"We'll talk after dinner." Severus decided. "Now eat your snack."
"That's all I ever do." Harry laughed, his good mood returning quickly.
Remus laughed and ruffled his hair before tucking the blankets more securely around Harry's tiny legs and waist and setting a tray in his lap. Severus made sure the teen ate everything, though he swore he wasn't hungry. Harry usually pouted, but today he did as he was told. He knew he was too thin. Draco was much bigger than him and was by no means fat. He wanted to get stronger. For Draco and for himself. There was still Voldemort to fight.
"Moony, Dad… Where's Sirius?" He asked, just remembering that he wanted to ask. "Is he still in hiding?"
Both men stilled and went tense. Harry's eyes widened and the fork clattered to the tray. "No." He shook his head. Tear welled in his eyes and Severus quickly hugged him. Harry clung to his robes and sobbed. Draco came into the room at a fast walk and quickly climbed on the bed to wrap Harry in a loving hug from behind.
Remus' eyes widened, distracted from his bad memories. He had spent a lot of time with the boys and was more aware of how the boys acted with each other than either Severus or Narcissa. And though it was normal for Draco to hold Harry, there was a faint difference in the way he did it this time and Remus knew what that was.
The boys were thirteen now and hormones had just begun to influence their relationship as a faint hint of sexuality hung between them. He looked worriedly at Harry, but the small brunette turned from Severus eagerly and calmed as soon as Draco began whispering in his ear. So it was mutual. In fact, from what Remus could tell, Harry may even have been the instigator.
He shook his head again. He wondered how Severus would react. He knew Narcissa would not be happy. Maybe they could keep it from her for a while? He had a faint suspicion that Severus would push the sex talk onto him and he sighed. It was harder being a parent than he had ever guessed.
…
Harry had calmed and accepted the fact that Sirius was dead. It still hurt and he wanted to know how he died, but respected his Dad and Remus and didn't push when they said it was better if he was told at another time. Draco stayed by his side the rest of the day and they read quietly together, curled up and holding hands.
He felt much better with his – boyfriend? The thought made him blush hotly, but he was too shy to ask Draco what exactly they were – by his side. He knew the blonde was sad for him, but from the content expression on his face, Draco was also pleased that he could make Harry feel better. Harry shook his head and kissed the blonde's cheek.
"What was that for?" Draco smiled.
"Just for being cute." Harry grinned.
"Then I expect a lot of those." Draco laughed. His smile gentled, but didn't disappear. "You ready for dinner?"
"Yeah. I told Dad we needed to talk to him afterward." Harry remembered. "I think it would be a good idea if we talked about… Devon and other things."
Draco looked away. "Maybe you're right."
"I'll be there." Harry promised and squeezed his hand.
Draco nodded and helped his friend stand. Last night, Harry had been allowed to go to dinner in the kitchen and Harry was determined to do it again, and this time get there without needing to be carried halfway. They met Severus and Remus in the hall. The two were on the way to come and tell them dinner was ready.
Draco knew by the look on his father's face that he was aware that his relationship with Harry had changed. There was a calculating and evaluating spark in his black eyes. Severus was still deciding if it were a good thing or not. Draco met his gaze without flinching and continued to support Harry as he made it down the stairs.
Harry was halfway there when his lungs decided to protest. He had been breathing a bit heavily from the exertion, but now he was having to gasp in twice as much air, half of it not helping him any. Wheezing, he stopped and fumbled at his clothes. Panic clawed at him, but it was a simple matter to ignore it. His father and Draco were right there. Moony too. They weren't going to let him suffocate.
He placed the mouth-piece to his inhaler at his mouth and sucked deeply three times. His lungs unclenched reluctantly. He smiled at the others to let them know it worked, and they talked softly to each other about lessons and possibly starting to duel again while they waited for him to recover. No one wanted to hurry him. Harry smiled at that and shook his head. He never thought he'd ever find a family that actually would love him. He thought of the Dursleys and Sirius and felt a moment of humbling gratitude that he had any family at all.
Chapter end
A/N: Hey! Another long chapter, but I still couldn't get all of the week in there. So, next chapter will have the weekend and then them growing to be fourteen. Let me know if there is anything you'd like to see, between Harry and Draco, or Severus and Remus, or anyone else really before the war starts breaking out in full.
A/N2: Thank you, my beloved betas: Rosie Girl, Golden Gryffin, Courie, and Ross! And thank you, Staryday!
