Chapter twenty-nine - 'No it was more like brimstone or something.'
"Sirius no, make it stop, make it stop!" Harry shouted twisting and turning in his sleep again.
"Shussh Harry's, it's only a dream." He soothed holding tightly on to Harry's shoulders as he twisted and turned attempting to get free of some invisible barrier around him.
"Arrgh, leave me alone, leave me alone. Don't touch me!" Harry continued to cry out shivering and hot as clammy sweat poured down his face and back.
"Harry wake up, it's Sirius. Wake up Harry, it's just a nightmare, that's all!" Sirius tried to shake Harry a bit to wake him but it only added to Harry's already struggling little body.
"Arrh. No don't die. Don't leave me alone!" Harry shouted fighting again against Sirius as he tried to stop Harry from banging his head against the wall any harder than he already was.
"I won't leave you alone Harry.' Sirius tried to reassure him.
'Dam Harry, why won't you wake up?' Sirius grumbled to himself, grabbing the glass of water off the side and splashing it across Harry's already wet face.
At this Harry finally woke and screaming loudly bolted up right on the bed sweaty and panting away as the wardrobe split in two and tumbled in on it's self. The entire room was shaking as Harry heaved his breath in rocking back and forth with his cold sweaty body shivering. Sirius merely held his wet back up to stop him from toppling over and watched on in fear as Harry struggled to remember where he was.
'Harry its ok, it was just a dream. It's ok." Sirius tried to explain softly, holding Harry still as the room stopped shaking and he finally turned to see Sirius.
"No, I don't know." Harry replied breathlessly but obviously himself despite the shaking and white face.
"What was happening to you? You were shaking about and shouting again." Sirius asked suddenly worried that this might have been more than something from Harry's extensive repertoire of possible nightmares.
"I, I was in the department of mysteries near that archway.' He heaved out heavily.
'No it was somewhere else. Somewhere similar, it was a long corridor underground with a rough stone floor and black walls.' He explained rubbing his head as he searched his brain for that strange place he'd been dreaming he was in. He couldn't remember why it had been so frightening for him but his sense had been overloaded with an un-usual smell.
'It smelt horrible like something had died or... no, no it was more like brimstone or something manky like that. The smell was awful and so strong I couldn't think of anything and then I was in my cot again with mum and she was crying again. It was horrible.' Harry explained beginning to feel a little bit better now he knew for sure he wasn't in that horrible long dark corridor but was actually here in his bed with his over protective worried godfather that had suddenly let all the colour drop out of his face for no clear reason.
Turning with a confused look at him Harry, brought a skinny shaky hand up and touched him lightly on the shoulder to bring him back from his living nightmare memory.
'Are you ok Sirius? You look pale.' Harry whispered still breathless then thinking he was worried about him Harry tried to comfort his godfather a bit.
'I'm ok now Sirius, like you said, it was just a nightmare. But I'm awake now so it's ok, and your here!"
"Yes Harry just a nightmare. Are you ok, do you want anything?" He asked trying to force his mind back to Harry and away from that corridor.
"Can I have a drink of water?" Harry asked politely wiping the wet from his forehead just as a little knock was heard at the door. It was Lupin and he looked rather worried in his old long brown dressing gown.
"Did you feel the shaking?" He asked leaning around the door confused by how Harry looked the frightened shaky one yet he seemed normal and Sirius looked the normal one but seemed frightened and shaky, yet to notice the crumpled wardrobe hiding in the shadowy corner.
"Yeah do you know what it was?" Sirius asked in his dry horse voice as he carefully poured Harry a glass of water.
"No, it was coming from in here?" Lupin explained softly.
"Are you ok Sirius? You seem ever so odd." Harry added quickly.
"Yes I'm fine, I'm fine just a bit tired that's all?" He replied looking around at the floor half expecting the rooms to shrink in on him and turn blacker than coal as they did.
"Oh well. Are you ok Harry?" Lupin continued looking at Harry's panting chest as he steadily calmed down.
"Yeah, I was just dreaming that was all. I'll go back to sleep now I think." He decided firmly shuffling down a bit and laying his head gently on the slightly sweaty pillow. He was sure he'd gone to sleep as a cat. It was several minuets though before Sirius could pull himself together and take a sip of water.
"Err, go back to bed Remus I'll see you in the morning." He mumbled laying down next to Harry.
"Sure. If you want!" Lupin replied before going back to Tonks who was as Lupin predicted totally asleep and completely unaware that half the house was shaking just a few minuets ago. When he climbed back into bed though she automatically curled up around him and despite her heavy soft breaths Remus couldn't doze. He'd seen that look on Sirius before. It had something to do with being in Azkaban and Lupin knew better than to ask, but this was different, this was worse and however much he hated it, he was going to have to ask Sirius about it tomorrow before he had chance to wiggle out of it.
"Sirius, are you awake?" Harry asked softly rocking Sirius's dozing form gently.
"Hmm. Oh Harry are you ok?" He asked suddenly wondering that he needed to do something for his godchild.
"Yeah I just wanted to get up that's all and you're laid on the sheets." Harry explained as Sirius started to rub his eyes and sit up properly. As he did Harry finally got himself untangled from the sheets and climbed half over Sirius to go to the toilet.
When he made it into the bathroom, Harry decided he wanted a bit of a wash and started filling the sink with fresh water. He hadn't worked out yet that it was in fact Christmas day, Sirius had forgotten, having intended to leave Harry's presents out. Remus however having woken up several hours ago to find the house fast to sleep, figured he do it for his friend.
Pulling the tree out a bit and adding a few odd touches he piled up all the presents he could find and fished around in Sirius's room for half an hour before Tonks got up, rapping herself in Remus's dressing gown whispered that he'd hidden them under Tonks bed.
Low and behold, Sirius had quiet a bunch, for Tonks, Remus, Harry and even a dodgy looking one for Kresher hidden under there. When Tonks had finally agreed to stop teasing Lupin with kisses and gone off to get washed and dressed it was nearly dinner time and still no sign of Sirius or Harry.
Figuring it wouldn't matter and it seemed ever so quiet, Lupin started laying the table out nicely for Christmas dinner. He was yet to realise the full extent of this but some how, Sirius had pre-planned the meal completely and digging around found that everything was all waiting in a cooled storage bubble, plucked, stuffed and garnished just waiting to be heated up with magic on the day.
After rolling his eyes and realising this was probably the sort of thing any respectable, organised house wife would do, Lupin set about making breakfast for everyone.
"So no sign of them being awake yet?" Tonks asked sliding into the room in her thick pink slipper socks and enjoying how smooth the floor was as she half crashed, half stopped into Lupin with about as much grace as a bull in a china shop.
"No, well, best not wake them even if it is Christmas!" Lupin decided quickly putting his pan down aware Tonks was perfectly capable of knocking anything over, even the cooker!
"Good, well why don't you come sit with me and I'll give you a special little Christmas present early before Sirius has chance to see." She teased, dragging him by the neck over on to the sofa for a long kiss before producing a little carefully rapped present from under her special cushion.
"What's this?"
"You'll see! Open it!"
"Ok." Carefully Lupin started at one end and unwrapped the present carefully to find a little plain wooden box.
"Go on open it!" Tonks urged cuddling up to him and taking the rapping paper from him to toss it on the floor. Pulling the lid off and pushing the little velvet cloth back Lupin was shocked to see the most remarkable unexpected thing he'd ever seen. His dad's old cufflinks.
Little silver, insignificant balls, with no remarkable shape or character expect to Lupin himself. He got them years ago from his dad, the first ever cufflinks he'd ever received, an old, spare pair his dad had laying around and given to him when he struggled to use the button's on his cuffs after having a particularly difficult month as a werewolf. He'd got 35 gallons in the pawn shop for them and was convinced he would never see them ever again.
"How did you know? Where the hell did you find them?" Lupin asked completely shocked having been expecting naughty underwear or something along those lines from Tonks.
"Well, I happened across them and well, never mind, I knew you'd sold them and sort of got them back for you. It doesn't really matter Remus, but do you like them, I hoped you would, you always seem over affectionate towards your dad's old books." Tonks explained softly and sensibly.
"Oh they're wonderful Tonks, I won't pawn them again! I promise!" He explained glad to suddenly find warm lips kissing him and wasn't so interested in the little present any more.
"Harry?' Sirius grumbled waking up again after sleeping on for nearly another hour after moving to let Harry past.
'Harry.' He called again sitting up and rubbing his eyes to suddenly see the wardrobe. This didn't worry him too much straight away, but still, getting out of bed he quickly strode across to the bathroom to carefully open the door and see if Harry was washing or something. He couldn't hear the water running but he might just be getting dressed.
'HARRY!" He bellowed yanking the door wider and rushing to kneel down next to him. Harry was half dressed, still a little damp from washing and laying flat on his back completely unconscious on the floor. The only thing missing was the sign of any blood which Sirius was extreamly grateful for as Lupin appeared looking a little ruffled behind him.
"What happened?"
"I dunno, he got up for a wash and I fell asleep!" Sirius hurried back lifting Harry's head up above on to his knees to try and bring him round a bit.
"Err, Sirius look at the sink?" Lupin suddenly explained.
"The sink?" Sirius snapped, sure no sink was ever going to be more important than the health of James's little boy.
"Sirius, the water is levitating three foot out of it! Look at the sodding sink!" Lupin replied a little sarcastically as Sirius finally looked.
The water was indeed levitating out of the sink but Lupin really hadn't done the situation justice. The water was a mucky brown colour and currently twisting and turning it's shape into a large rose, then a stag, then a dog, then a fish, then a stag again, then a house, before finally it shaped itself into a plane and started to sore around the room a bit.
But suddenly it collapsed in on it self and dropped out the air to splash all over Lupin, at this Harry gave a little giggle to himself and immediately woke up completely oblivious to why he was laid on the floor in Sirius's worried arms. After a few seconds though the shock of finding Harry unconscious past from Sirius and he helped Harry sit up properly and started to fuss to see if he was ok.
"Harry, what happened?" He asked suddenly pulling his mouth back into use.
"Dunno, I woke up and shifted you, then I went for a wee and I don't really remember after that...' Harry explained rubbing his forehead a little roughly to try and remember but nothing striking seemed to occur to it so he simply decided nothing striking had happened and that he felt a little hungry.
'Is it dinner time yet Sirius, I fancy bangers and mash!' Harry asked plainly, oblivious to any of the emotions the two men around him were feeling as he carefully pulled himself up to his feet.
'Why are you all wet Lupin?" Harry now wondered as Sirius got to his feet and looking hopefully at Lupin for an answer who merely shrugged slightly.
"Err, it was an accident Harry, I'm gonna go get changed, why don't you and Sirius get dressed and we can have some breakfast with Tonks." Sirius seemed to think this was fine for the time being and soon fixed Harry's wardrobe back together. He barely left Harry to get dressed and comb his hair in his room while Sirius had a shave in Harry's bathroom, leaving the door open to watch Harry.
He was laid out on the rug flicking two marbles at each other he'd found under the bed and giggling when he heard them crack into one another. Sirius was sure this was weird behaviour for a boy of Harry's age but judging by what Sirius used to get up to at sixteen, he much preferred the safety of Harry's choice of amusement however odd.
Not long later, Harry, Sirius, Lupin and Tonks were all sat around the nicely dressed dinning table eating pancakes, sossages, mash and honey along with a variety of odd breakfast food's Lupin had cobbled together. Harry seemed to be in an eating mood, despite refusing anything milky and Sirius was quiet keen to see Harry filling up a bit on anything even honey dribbled over mashed potatoes.
The party had been down stairs last night and although he'd tided up a bit, and cleared most of the food away, Charlie was still fast to sleep on the sofa snoring quiet loudly. Lupin had been down to check on him a few times but he seemed ok so left Charlie to it. They weren't quiet in a presents mood yet but this was partly because Harry hadn't instigated it yet. Unbeknown to Sirius who was waiting for Harry to bring it up, Harry had forgotten where he'd put his presents and didn't want the embarrassment of having to admit it if he could just take half an hour or so to eat breakfast and remember.
"So then Sirius?" Tonks asked brightly scooting away from Lupin slightly and closer to Sirius while Harry munched on a the rest of his lumpy mashed potatoes.
"So?"
"I found where you hid my presents!" She grinned.
"No you didn't!" Sirius grinned smugly.
"Yes I did! You hid them under my bed!" She cried giggly unaware by just how difficult Harry had been feeling last night.
"No I didn't!"
"Yes you did!"
"No I didn't!" Sirius argued stubbornly.
"Yes you did!" Tonks put back crossly. Lupin however seeing this might go just a bit further than a friendly banter with the stubbornness around thought he'd better put something in before it got out of hand.
"Yes you did Sirius, we found them and put them under the tree!"
"Those were de-coy's!" Sirius finally put in smugly.
"I just rapped up some empty boxes for you to find Tonks and hid your presents somewhere else."
"Err, I had a good poke at one of em Sirius, it looked pretty real to me!" Remus added sure this was going to get a bit difficult with so many stubborn people in the house.
"Ah well yours are! I only made fake Tonks presents because Harry wasn't around to poke at em and you don't ever want to!" Sirius continued still looking rather smug with himself at Tonks.
"Well I suppose that is true, I don't like poking prezzie's early."
"What you fake present-ed me!" Tonks squealed hitting Sirius's smug look on the arm crossly.
"Well what did you expect me to do! Your bloody annoying when it comes to looking for your presents. I remember one year you even crashed through the back door at half two in the morning trying to find your presents in the hopes your dear mother had hidden them in her greenhouse."
"No I didn't I just got a bit lost on me way up to bed and she didn't lock it properly and I fell through by accident!" Tonks snapped back defensively.
"Oo, Ooo, I remembered where I put them!" Harry suddenly jumped, springing off his chair and rushing out the room, out into the hall and down the stairs. Curious to know what he'd remembered Lupin followed leaving Sirius to continue looking smugly while Tonks whacked him repeatedly with a cushion.
"Harry what did you forget?" Lupin asked following Harry into the old living room where Charlie was still snoring loudly. Harry had to check it wasn't Ron, when he was satisfied he wasn't, he pulled back the cloth off the coat cupboard in the corner of the room and yanked the doors wide open. Bending over he retrieved a medium sized box carefully rapped up with spell-o-tape.
"I hid them in there because I didn't think Sirius would look on the second day, I think, but then I forgot where I put them. And I was supposed to give Ron and Ginny's there's last night. But I couldn't remember so I told them I'd do it later but I never saw them again." Harry explained looking a little confused. Lupin wasn't sure if this was the look Sirius had described to him before, it didn't seem quiet right but still, it was odd enough to un-nerve him a little bit when he saw two very blank pale green eyes looking back at him despite the half hearted smile he was being shown.
Leading the way past Charlie Harry headed through the room over to where the table was still half dressed with plates and rubbish from last night. Lupin followed expecting him to head back up stairs but he didn't. Harry stopped, put the box down and started to rub his eyes eventually pulling his glasses off and dropping them on the table.
"Harry what's the matter?" Lupin asked carefully not standing too close to Harry after last night.
"I'm just feeling a bit..." Harry tried to explained but then toppled forward and slumped to the floor. Grabbing hold of his head as best he could Lupin laid him down flat then hollered up the stairs for Sirius, despite setting him mother off and rushed back.
This time Lupin was quiet sure it was Harry shaking things as he watched it start on the table next to him then move to the walls surrounding him and finally to the ceiling above just as Sirius came rushing in to find Lupin about to be knocked out by a passing candle stick.
"What happened?"
"He came down here to fetch his presents and then he just sort of collapsed! Next thing we know half the rooms rattling." Lupin explained quickly as Sirius tried to bring Harry around by talking to him.
"Harry, Harry wake up! Your having funny dreams again!" Sirius explained as Tonks whacked the flying candle stick with a book as it repeatedly tried to swoop and dive at her. All of a sudden though just like earlier it stopped and crashed to the floor as Harry work up panting with a start.
"Sirius!" He gasped sitting up quickly and after looking around slightly blankly, found his glasses from Lupin and put them on.
"Harry what was happening?" Sirius asked aware that if Harry had one more faint like this he was going to try and get hold of Dumbledore regardless of how busy he was.
"I, I, I don't know I was saying something about homework to Ron and then now I'm here!" Harry wondered sure more must have happened as he looked around the room.
"Harry what's the last thing you remember, where were you?" Sirius asked carefully trying to bight back his overwhelming worry.
"Err, dunno, err, Ron was saying something about, something in the library, it might have been about Ginny. I think we were arguing again."
"Were you in the library Harry, at Hogwarts?" Lupin asked eventually seen as Sirius had fused his own lips together in worry again.
"Yeah, err, what am I doing here?' Harry suddenly wondered when all of a sudden they heard the distinct sound of something Weasley-like Snoring.
'Ron!' Harry suddenly called getting up moving past Lupin and heading over to where Charlie was still asleep.
'No, not Ron, err, is that Charlie?" Harry asked as the other three followed over to see Harry suddenly rocking Charlie's shoulders to wake him up.
"Hmm. What, err, what?" Charlie grumbled opening his eyes and rubbing them quickly as he tried to work out why on earth his head hurt so much and if he could remember going to sleep or not.
"Err, what are you doing here?" Harry asked blankly.
"Sleeping, after last night Harry. Err, what time is it?" He asked pushing the blanket back a bit and sitting up half-heartedly as steadily his eyes focused and he became aware as to where and why he was here.
"Err, half past one!"
"Oh crap, I'll miss Christmas dinner!" He grumbled sitting up properly now and pulling his jumper on started doing his boots up as best he could without squashing his stomach too much.
"It's Christmas?" Harry asked blankly looking to Sirius to reassure him like he did in Ron's absence.
"Christmas day Harry!"
"Never!" Harry replied in clear disbelief as Charlie got to his feet.
"Did I bring a coat with me or owt?" He asked looking to Sirius more than anyone else.
"Seriously it's Christmas day?" Harry continued to wonder.
"Yes Harry, and I think it's in the hallway Charlie." Sirius explained as Charlie suddenly remembered and went to find it. Tonks followed and then Remus leaving Harry to sway a bit as he got dizzy again and Sirius made him sit down.
"I'll be fine Sirius I was feeling a bit dizzy that was all."
"Harry your not right." Sirius persisted looking worryingly at Harry, what else might he be keeping from his godfather.
"I know but I'll be ok. It'll pass in a second or two. Now err, what were we doing, just to err, jog me memory!"
"We were gonna do presents Harry, if you want." Sirius explained wearily looking at Harry.
"Oh err, don't remember that but ok sounds good." Harry decided brightly annoyed by how closely he was being watched and hoped to cheer Sirius up a bit.
"Harry I'm not sure about this, you've really not being acting yourself recently. I'm worried about you, you hardly eat, you can't sleep properly, half the time you don't exactly make a lot of sense Harry, and now I know for sure you get dizzy and faint and you don't tell me when!"
"Well what do you expect me to say I can't help any of it? It's just the way I am. It never bothered you before!" Harry snapped crossly.
"Harry I'm not cross, I'm just worried about you, and it has bothered me before but this isn't normal you Harry. Don't you see that? You can't even remember what we were doing a few minuets ago never mind a few days."
"So! You get confused sometimes." Harry sulked crossing his arms over his stomach again as it started to ache.
"Harry not so much, well at least not since before the summer. But I've got an excuse, your supposed to be young and healthy Harry. Not like me!"
"There's nothing wrong with you Sirius, it's just Tonks winding you up." Harry grumbled back defensively clutching his stomach harder.
"Fine, but there is something wrong with you!"
"No there's not!" Harry continued to protest stubbornly.
"Harry, stop being so bleeding stubborn." Sirius sighed trying not to sound too cross.
"I'm gonna be sick!" Harry suddenly muttered slouching forward. Sirius just managed to make another bucket appear before Harry's head had sunk forward and he started to throw up. It didn't make Sirius feel ill like Lupin, who'd come into the room all of a sudden then quickly gone out of it. But he didn't like to see Harry ill and if he wouldn't admit there was a problem how on earth was Sirius supposed to help him.
After Harry had finished, Sirius emptied the bucket and gave Harry some water to sup then helped him back up stairs with the box under one arm and Harry's shoulders under the other. He did seem to stagger a bit but once Sirius had sat him down on the sofa he seemed to brighten up more.
Filtering through his box, Harry found the gifts for Ron, Hermione and Ginny and pushed them aside then past out his own before accepting one from Sirius. There was a bit of a mad unwrap as each was a little child at heart before they all had something to look at and poke and play with. Lupin had a new book, Tonks had a new weird sisters jacket and t-shirt, Sirius had a duplicate of Harry's photo-album rapped in a comical muggle t-shirt and Harry had the selection of Montey Phython and the Flying Circus DVD's.
After they'd had a few more rounds of presents and Sirius had fitted them all out with weird paper hats, Tonks pulled out three very suspicious looking packets. Harry could tell by the shape and size that it could be a home knitted Weasley jumper. This he quickly realised must be impossible. A because he'd already received his jumper and had laid it out on the floor to stop the books from Lupin (and probably Sirius) from getting dusty. B it was highly unlikely Molly Weasley would have knitted a jumper for Lupin and certainly not for Sirius, who was highly tempted to get hold of one from one of the Weasley boys just to annoy Mrs Weasley as he wore it in a meeting and finally. C why on earth did Tonks have such a stupid smug look on her face when she past them out?
"Go on open them, you three!" She commanded as with a little shrug all three started to quickly unwrap the bundle in front of them.
"Err, thanks Tonks." Sirius mumbled as he found a dark red knitted jumper in his hands.
"Open it out properly and don't you dare be sarcastic either, it took me forever to find them!" She added firmly as Harry, quiet pleased his was a blue for once, seriously, when were people going to stop commenting on his sodding green eyes, he can't even see green properly without his special glasses on.
"Err, Tonks is that a, umm..." Lupin began but it was clear he wasn't sure what to say. He didn't want to be offensive to Tonks and he didn't want to set himself up to a teasing from Sirius but most of all, he wasn't even sure if he liked it enough to wear it.
"Honestly you three put them on! It's not that warm today!" Tonks decided moving over and half forcing Sirius into his satisfied that Lupin and Harry were capable and happy enough to put it on themselves.
"Oh nice, a snowman!" Harry grinned looking over at Lupin who was trying to work out that it was in fact a green jumper he had on with a picture of a reindeer on the front.
"Sirius what's yours of?" Lupin asked as Tonks finally moved away. Lupin however burst out laughing when he saw it, Sirius was not happy to be wearing it but there was no way Tonks was letting him out of it. His was maroon, and not unlike what Ron was often given to wear except rather than an S for Sirius he had a little puppy, with droopy ears and a big pink tongue sticking out.
"That. That looks very nice Sirius!" Harry managed to get out before bursting into tears of laughter with Lupin as Tonks took a picture of him still in a bit of shock and Harry fell off the side of his seat.
"Honestly the balance trouble you have sometimes Harry!" Tonks sighed helping Harry back onto his chair while Sirius through dangerous looks to Lupin who'd merely accepted his fate while Sirius struggled to rearrange the neck so it wasn't quiet so tickly.
"Come on, I'll heat the dinner with Lupin while you two, pile all the rapping paper in the middle of the room so we can kick it about later."
"Oh, do we have to eat again, I'm sure I ate recently!" Harry complained getting up with Sirius who struggled to contain his sigh. He however didn't rise and remained calm.
"Yes, Harry it's time to eat and besides, it was ages since you last ate and it'll take me a bit to warm the turkey up!"
"Oh. Well I like turkey." Harry decided helping Tonks now.
"Which bit most?" Sirius asked carefully.
"Breast, can't be doing with legs and bones and stuff!" Harry explained kicking a pile of paper then checking nothing was still mixed up in it. This worked well as Lupin certainly wasn't going to give up a leg and Sirius was loathed to give his up to anyone even Harry if could help it. Tonks however was quiet happy to eat a bit of anything anyway.
"Harry are you sure you've had enough?" Sirius asked before taking the dinner plate from Harry.
"Yes I'm full Sirius!" He sighed pulling his paper hat off and slumping down in his chair a bit.
"Fine, ya want any Christmas pudding?" He continued to ask.
"In a bit Sirius, we aint all used to eating that much in one go!" Tonks put in slowly, she'd tried to keep up with the other two and there quantity but failed miserably and was now struggling to keep her eyes open.
"Fine, just let me get rid of these then." Sirius explained pilling the plates up and taking them through to the sink where he placed them in the soapy water and came back for the serving dishes.
"I'm going to the bog." Harry finally decided sliding off his chair and wondering out the room. Lupin hardly batted an eyelid as Tonks was suspicious he might just fall asleep soon. Tonight wasn't going to be the first night of the full moon, he'd got his dates mixed up and was just so pleased to have Christmas day first but he'd forgotten to tell Tonks she was going to have to sleep in her old room at home soon.
Fortunately she'd guessed by the potions he'd been taking and how drowsy he felt after them, so had given her mother heads up and promised to hang around a few days doing family things until she went back to work.
"Harry's taking a long time isn't he?" Sirius wondered, coming to sit back down and noticing he wasn't back. Lupin and Tonks didn't think so but given Harry's oddness so far today they agreed Sirius should go and check on him.
Harry was face down in his room shaking so violently the rug had already moved to a rather squew-if angle. Harry wasn't shivering because of the cold, his entire body shock and crunched as he rattled around inside his own shell. He was having a fit but it was yet to register in his head anything was happening. His mouth was foaming, his bladder was just about to go and leak out into his trousers, his eyes had rolled back into his head slightly and no matter how much Sirius shouted and held on to Harry tightly to get him to stop, gently trying to roll him on to his side he couldn't get Harry calm again.
In the end Lupin had come rushing in but it was only Tonks who knew to lift his head up, keeping his back straight and hold his neck steady so he didn't hurt his head and wait for it to stop. She hoped rather than knew this to be the best thing, wait for him to stop, but neither Lupin nor Sirius had even seen someone do this never mind help them.
Sirius was utterly useless he felt and Harry had no intention of stopping until all of a sudden the wardrobe, the chest of draws, the bed, both doors, the desk and the mirror's out in the hallway smashed to pieces. Just as the loud crashes happened one after another, Harry's body fell limp in Sirius's arms and he started to hum a barely audio tune. It sounded like a lullaby as Sirius pushed the wet sweaty hair off Harry's face and looked to the other two helplessly.
"Is he hot, or cold?" Lupin asked, thinking a blanket or water may help.
"Not particularly either, he's sweaty though and I think he wet himself. Maybe, we should..." Sirius began but he didn't know what they should. But just then Harry started crunching from his stomach and gasping for air shaking slightly as his body tried to sit up.
"No Stop, No More, Stop!" Harry gasped as Sirius struggled to hold Harry's head still.
"Harry, Harry it's ok it's just a dream!"
"Argggh!" He shouted bolting up-right wide awake and gasping for breath.
"Harry, Harry.' Sirius quickly sat Harry up like he wanted and holding his back looked on wearily into Harry's face.
'How do you feel now Harry?" Sirius continued so worried his mind was going blank every few seconds as to what to say or what to do.
"Humm." Harry mumbled suddenly aware by how wet he felt and uncomfortable with all three of them looking at him. He hated being looked at, especially when he felt uncomfortable and exhausted.
"I'm gonna see what broke out there?" Lupin decided getting up and leaving the room with Tonks. It was just to get Sirius a chance to talk to Harry on his own because judging by the way Harry had shrunk into himself and the smell already producing from his trousers, he was probably going to be very embarrassed and his trade mark lack of confidence would kick in very soon for no reason.
"Harry has this happened before?' Sirius asked firmly leaning his head next to Harry's and continuing to hold on to his opposite shoulder for support.
'Harry, you can't keep this from me!' He added firmer than before. But Harry didn't want to answer, he didn't want Sirius to know, he didn't want him to worry. In the end though with Sirius's dark eyes watching him intently, he nodded.
'Oh Harry, why didn't you tell me? When?" Sirius continued as Harry's eye's filled with tears again and he found his head slumping forward into Sirius's chest, which soon became his hugging arm as Harry sobbed as quietly as he could.
"At school, it wasn't as bad though, so I made Dobby clean me up so I could get to bed easier without anyone asking. But this was worse, I couldn't move from it. It frightened me and I couldn't make it stop, everything went so blank for such a long time and I could hear you but I couldn't do anything!"
"It's ok Harry, to be honest it frightens me too. Have there been other things like this Harry that you haven't told me about?"
"I didn't want you to worry, I didn't want you to come to the school and get caught. I'd miss you!"
"Harry I wouldn't do anything so daft as get caught. I'd send Remus anyway.' Sirius sighed, always really rather annoyed by the lack of confidence people had in his convict ability's, he escaped Azkaban for goodness sake, surely breaking into a school, with inside help as a dog and sneaking around wasn't going to be outside his abilities. He did it all the time when he was young, he did it when he first got out and even slashed a few pictures, why would now be any different? But he was sure it was Remus's fault and that he was making Sirius far tamer these days, despite the moodiness.
'Did you tell anyone else about it?"
"No, I made Dobby keep quiet and I don't think he saw me anyway, he just found me laying on the floor and wanted to help."
"What did Dumbledore say?"
"I never said anything. I don't want him to know. He'll get cross because I lied. He asked if there was anything making me feel ill and I lied and I don't want him to be cross with me!"
"Harry he won't get cross."
"He will, he'll get cross with me and I don't want him too! I don't want him to know!"
"Harry he won't, he'll be worried about you and he'll want to make you better. Even if he did get cross it's not so bad, at worst he might shout at you a bit but that's all. Now tell me what else has happened and I'll stay with you. He won't shout while your ill, and I know you want to be better again because I can see how much hate being sick."
"I hate being shouted at more!"
"Harry that's enough, now tell me. Don't worry about Dumbledore, I'll tell him if you won't, but he has to know about this, can't you see something must be wrong to make this happen."
"NO he doesn't! You keep loads of things from him! Why can't you keep this? It's all I'm asking you to do. I never ask for anything off you!"
"I know you don't Harry, but I still can't keep this from him. What are you going to do anyway? If it's happened more than once already it'll happen again, next time it might be much more worse and if your at school, someone other than Dobby is going to find out. Hermione and Ron wouldn't keep it quiet, which is the only reason why I know they haven't found out yet. Ginny would panic or something wouldn't she. You wouldn't want her to be upset, and what about everyone else at the school Harry, you hate people talking about you. And in any case, wouldn't you rather stop it from happening again rather than scare all your friends if it happens at school."
"I suppose, but I'm still not telling him!" Harry grumbled slouching down on his side and firmly closing his eyes. Just as he did, the ornaments in the room started to shake and Sirius had to hug up close next to Harry to avoid getting hit by some unknown flying object.