Disclaimer: No matter how hard I wish I will never own the rights to Harry Potter.

Chapter 7: old and new friends

James pushed open the doors to the hospital wing and strode in confidently with a tentative Harry following. The first thing Harry noticed about the room was that it was white. The floors, the beds and walls, with the exception of the colorful vials decorating the shelves, everything was the same dull color.

There was a lady who had been arranging shelves in the corner who turned upon the swishing sound of the door. "Mr. Potter while I appreciate your visit I am busy at the moment and can not have you disrupting my patients." The stern woman scolded while pointing to various curtains, undoubtedly hiding beds.

James smiled and motioned Harry to come forward. "I feel honored that you remember me. You get so many students in here every day."

"Don't try and charm me Mr. Potter you know perfectly well you spent more time in this ward then all those 'many students' put together. In fact, I am very curious as to when your initials appeared on that", she pointed with her wand to a bed in the far corner, "Bed."

Harry backed away nervously, this woman did not seem nice, but he was reassured by James's laugh.

"Well you said so yourself Poppy I practically lived here. I was simply marking my territory."

She huffed and dropped her arms at her sides. "Why are you here, you look to be in one piece…although I'm not sure something isn't broken in that head of yours."

"Actually," said James turning serious again "I was told by Albus to bring Harry here." James gave Harry a gentle shove and he stumbled forward into madam Pomfrey's line of vision to be taken in for inspection.

Harry felt the feeling of unease come over him again as her eyes bore into him. He stared at the floor nervously kicking his feet and playing with his hands. Was he supposed to say something? Had he done something wrong? Surely she should have said something by now?

Just as Harry opened his mouth to introduce himself the nurse spoke. "Yes Albus has informed me of his visit. Go sit over there."

James nodded and grabbed Harry by the arm pulling the confused boy in the direction of the bed with his initials on it. He pick Harry up, placed him on the bed and kneeled in front of the boy so they where eye to eye.

"Look Harry, I need to go for a little while." James said calmly smiling reassuringly unknowingly spreading panic through his young charge. Of course Harry had known he could not stay with James, Lily and Sirius and that he had to eventually go back to the Dursleys, but couldn't he stay a little longer? Uncle Vernon would be so mad when he found out Harry had used magic. How long would Harry be in his cupboard this time? He liked being here. Why couldn't he stay? Then a horrible thought struck him: the Dursleys would love to get rid of Harry (Didn't they tell him that every day?) If He couldn't stay it was because James, Lily and Sirius didn't want him.

Harry could feel the tears welling up in his eyes. Why didn't anyone want him? Uncle Vernon was right, he was a worthless freak.

Desperately James's future son leaned forward and hugged him. "Please don't go. Please don't make me go. I promise I'll be good. Don't send me back."

Harry felt the low rumble of James's chest as he laughed. "Where'd you get that Idea? I'll be back in a while."

Harry pulled back suddenly embarrassed. "Oh."

"Look I know madam Pomfey's a little rough around the edges but her hearts in the right place, okay? Trust her she might do a small check up on you." James' s eyes where sincere and kind. "I'll be back within the hour to get you." James stood and ruffled Harry's hair before leaving.

The nurse came forward with several jars of liquids and mumbling about being 'rough around the edges.' She placed something's on the bedside table and turned to the little boy. "Well then Harry, I am madam Pomfey and I'm going to be giving you check up today."

Harry nodded. He had never really liked the doctors but James had said she was all right. "Okay."

"Right then." She pulled out her stick, everyone seemed to have one, and turned to the boy. Harry examined it carefully. Could something so unremarkable be magic?

The nurse tapped him on the head like a conductor tapping their music stand. A tickling sensation ran through Harry starting at his head and going all the way to his toes. Harry giggled at the feeling.

The lady eyed him carefully before giving him an audible tisk. "Please remove your shirt Harry."

Harry did as he was told, throwing his shirt to the side. There was a gasp form the nurse.

"This won't due." She said as she pulled put a small jar of cream. "No this will not due at all." She dipped her fingers in the cream and brought her hand up.

Harry winced involuntarily, she reminded Harry for a second of when Uncle Vernon hit him, not that he did it often. Every few months if Harry was bad he might receive one of his uncles back hands but mostly they liked to lock him in the cupboard, sometimes both. Neither where very pleasant.

Madam Pomfrey raised an eyebrow at his reaction and brought her hand down gently, rubbing the cream into the numerous Dudley bruises.

The cream was cold, comforting and worked almost instantly. "Wow!" He whispered "Magic!"

Madam Pomfrey rolled her eyes. "Of course magic! What where you expecting? Take this." She shoved a goblet into his hand.

Harry tentatively smelt the liquid before drinking it all down. It tasted Horrible, not like some of the raspberry or grape flavored medicines he had taken.

Madam Pomfey ushered Harry into bed demanding he sleep. Harry however was not tired.

He lay in bed for a bit staring at the white ceiling, but it was not long before that grew boring. Harry rolled over in bed every way only to see the boring white every where, that's why Harry decided to get out of bed. Surely there was someone else who wanted to talk.

He stumbled out of the huge bed and pushed past his own white curtains. The nurse was no where in sight. Harry shrugged and walked forward peaking behind the curtains to other patients. The first two where fast asleep, drooling or in positions that looked horribly uncomfortable, but on the third curtain someone was awake.

The bot looked up as his curtain was drawn open. His narrowed as he scanned the area over Harry's head. "Who's there?"

"Hello." Said Harry "I'm Harry."

The adolescent looked down stunned. "Um…Hi, aren't' you a little young to be at Hogwarts?"

Harry shrugged "I don't know."

"Okay well um…what do you want?" He questioned clearly not knowing what to make of the boy in front of him.

"I'm board." Harry replied "are you board?"

The teen smiled lightly. "Yeah I guess I'm kinda board come to think of it." He moved his feet over "you wanna sit down?"

"Sure." Harry wandered over and jumped on to the bed, barley making a dent with his lightweight. "What's your name?"

"Barty. Barty Crouch (Jr.)." the adolescent answered (A/N: Ten bucks says you did not expect that.)

"Hello." Harry repeated swinging his legs What do you want to do?"

Barty shrugged. "Are you sure you're supposed to be here?"

Harry nodded, he felt smart because he knew the answer to all the questions. "That's what James and the Lady said."

"The Lady? Oh madam Pomfrey. Where are your parents kid?"

"Their dead." The little boy said twisting his hands around.

"Oh sorry." Barty said, not sounding so in the least "But they where a wizard and witch right?"

Harry thought for a moment. He didn't really know, but it seemed so important that they where he nodded and replied with an enthusiastic "yes."

"Harry? Harry?" both boys turned at someone calling the name then the curtain slid open. "I found him Poppy!"

Sirius's handsome face was staring back at Harry in concern and relief. He smiled back at Harry for a second before he was pushed aside by the lady.

"I told you to stay in bed!" the nurse screamed yielding a thermometer "you need sleep! Honestly you are in no proper shape to be travelling! And you Mr.Crouch," she turned threateningly towards Barty who wilted at her glare. "I Expected better from you."

"Now, now Poppy" came Sirius voice "Their perfectly fine no need to go nuts on us. Harry was probably board."

Harry nodded nervously. At his aunts house, yelling had been something to run from. Sirius stretched out his hand and took Harry's. The sparkle from his eyes seemed to have dimmed a little but he smiled. "Where gonna go talk to the headmaster a bit then it's time to go home."

I apologize for taking so long on this one. I wanted to clear some stuff up though: James and Lily have not told Harry their his "parents". This is for three reasons 1) A bit of a shock don't you think? 2) Would Harry really believe them? And 3) No they can not keep him (Dumbledore is adamant on that for time changing reasons) and that's just cruel! Also several people have mentioned peter or the lack of. Don't worry he'll be there (I have some plans for that!) but Harry has only really been there 2/3 days, give it time. Also, As much as I would love for the war to stop because of the amazing time travel of the soon to be boy-who-lived so I could keep writing cute chapters, it wouldn't happen. Stay in tuned for some more on that. Ok I think I have successfully babbled too much. Thanks for reading and please review!