A/N: Sorry for the wait, their was a death in the family and it took awhile to get back to this. I also must apoligise for this chapter not having Lara in it. I cross my heart she'll be in the next one though.
Disclaimer: See chapter 2.
WARNING: Those with as vivid an imagination as me be cautioned. It's not too descriptive, but better safe than sorry. Now on with the story.
Chapter 4
Upon waking up Harry felt a presence to his immediate left. He looked and saw the still form of the last Marauder, Remus J. Lupin, asleep by his bed in a chair. Even though he was sleeping peacefully, his face showed definite signs of early ageing brought on by his lycanthropy. Harry liked 'Moony', as the other Marauders had taken to calling him because of his condition. He was Harry's last link to his parents left alive. After heaving a heavy sigh, Harry cleared his throat a little to wake the former professor. Lupin stirred and shifted to his other side mumbling "Not now, Dora." The outburst of laughter from Harry was more than enough to wake the older man, causing him to stare around wildly almost falling to the floor. When he realized he was not under attack, he calmed down and looked to the now snickering offspring of his late best friend.
"Good morning sunshine," Harry said with an amused expression in his eyes. "Did you sleep well?" The glare he received from the werewolf would've had more affect, if Harry hadn't noticed the small smile threatening to break out across his face. Harry spoke, breaking up the friendly stare-off with "So what brings you to the infirmary Moony?" "Well if Poppy releases you today, I'm gonna take you to your new residence." Was his reply. Harry cocked his head to the side in confusion before asking "What about the Dursleys?" Remus sighed before saying in a grim voice, "It's like this. If you go back, Voldemort can attack you like last time. If you don't, he will in all probability, kill the Dursley family when the blood wards drop later this month. So, it's basically them or you." As Harry sat flabbergasted, Madame Pomfrey strode up and cast several diagnostic spells on him while he was off in his own world, before snapping him out of his reverie by saying, "Mr. Potter, after I change your bandages you can leave, but you must change them at least once a week for two-to-three weeks, understood?"
After his nod, she removed the bandages with a flick of her wand. The rush of cool air around his chest made him wince. "It'll be very tender for about a week, because of the depth of your injury. You will need to let it breathe for thirty minutes at each changing." As soon as she finished talking a house elf popped into the middle of the room holding a tray of food. The little elf set the tray on Harry's lap and popped away just as quickly as it had come. After Harry had eaten, he was escorted by Remus to the prefect bathroom. He guarded the door from the corridor, while Harry was inside. Upon entering the restroom, Harry paced to the mirror. Then, with eyes closed, he unbuttoned the light hospital jacket he was wearing and let it fall to the floor. Harry was afraid to open his eyes because of what he would see, afraid of the gruesome sight that he would behold. He'd caught the look in Remus's eyes when the bandages had been removed. It was a mixture of looks that never boded well when combined: revulsion and pity.
He took a slow breath and opened his eyes before immediately cringing and looking away. He turned fully away from the mirror trying not to lose his breakfast. He fully understood Moony's reaction now, having seen for himself exactly the damage that was done. The wound started on the left side of his chest, just below the collar bone, and extended at an angle across his sternum, ending right below his right pectoral muscle. It was very crude in shape, looking as if someone had tried to rip his flesh off to get at his heart, or tried to cleave his torso off his body with a dull, misshapen, axe. He walked over to one of the benches that were arranged around the room, sat down, and put his head in his hands.
He was startled a little bit later by a gasp. Snapping his gaze toward the offending sound, he relaxed instantly. The noise had been made by none other than Moaning Myrtle, the spectral form of a Hogwarts student killed about fifty years ago in one of the girls' lavatory. She floated there as if petrified with her hand clasped over her mouth and a horrified look on her face. Harry stood and walked past her, not wanting to explain how he had come to have such a ghastly injury, went to the swimming-pool-sized tub a few meters behind her and started turning some of the knobs located around its edge. When the tub was full, it had warm water and dark indigo bubbles in it. Harry removed his remaining articles of clothing, ignoring Myrtle in hopes she'd go away, and slipped into the shallow end of the enormous tub. He slowly lowered himself down to sit on the stairs, hissing in pain when the warm water came into contact with his injured chest.
When he was all the way seated on the stairs, he closed his eyes and leaned his head back against the rim of tub with a weary sigh. He'd been soaking for around an hour and forty-five minutes and was starting to nod off when he heard a knock at the door. "Harry?" It was Remus. "Harry, you okay in there?" "Yeah, I'll be out in a bit." He replied without opening his eyes. Harry soaked for a few more minutes before heaving himself out of the tub with a grunt of pain. When he was redressed he drained the tub of it's now slightly blood tinged water and made his way to the door. He opened it to find Remus leaning against the opposite wall looking concerned. Harry cut off the questions he knew were coming "So, where to now?" Remus looked peeved for a split second before responding, "Well, we can go back to Pomfrey and let her do your bandages, or take your chances with Tonks." He finished with a half grin and looked at Harry expectantly. Harry looked at him as if he were crazy before shaking his head and heading for the hospital wing with the chuckling werewolf in tow.
After getting his bandages reapplied (which in Harry's opinion were a little tight) the two wizards walked down the path to the edge of Hogwarts' wards before Remus extended to Harry a beat-up ball cap to which grabbed hold and in a swirl of colors they were gone.
A/N: I have aplot bunny in my head that won't die, so the next chapter might be a tad later than what was usual. You might be seeing that bunny soon so keep a lookout.
