Disclaimer: again... not mine and wishing it was.
Chapter 2:
Recovery
Harry felt like he was living in a land of fog. His head was all cloudy, he could not think of where he was, or what had happened. Was he dead? The last thing he remembered his uncle had tied him out in the back yard with only one bowl of water a day, and the same bowl of sickening rancid meat. Harry refused to eat the meat knowing it would just make him sick. By this time it had mold and maggots all over it. He was surprised that the other stray animals hadn't tried to eat it. He guessed by the shape he was in he must have been a real life scarecrow.
His uncle came out back and hosed him off daily, but also kicked and beat him more upon seeing the meat untouched.
"You'll eat that or nothing boy!" He told him each time.
By the fourth day of laying out back with nothing to keep him alive but water, and all the beatings, he lost consciousness and soiled himself thereafter.
Lying there, Harry thought he must be dead. Though if he was dead why was he still in pain? 'Surely dead people don't feel pain,' he thought. He lay there longer trying to figure out what had happened when he started to hear voices that sounded far off through his foggy brain.
Snape entered the hospital wing to deliver the potions that Madam Pomfrey had asked him to brew. He did not see the matron anywhere.
"Poppy! I have you're potions." He called. "Where are you woman?!"
He checked her office and did not find her. He saw Potter lying over on the hospital bed and became confused. How could he have been so wrong about the boy's upbringing? How could Potter after being raised like that still be the arrogant, self-centered carbon copy of his father?
"You have not made it any easier on him have you?" A voice inside his head asked.
"If you hadn't of always been the snarky greasy git of a potions master to him then maybe he'd show you more respect and you'd see the real Harry Potter and not the image of James." The voice said again.
Snape shook his head to clear it of these thoughts. Where were they coming from anyways? He didn't like that brat because of his know it all, 'I'm better than everyone else' attitude, not just because of his father, he constantly told himself.
After not seeing Pomfrey he turned to the potions cabinet to put away the vials of potions when he heard a groan and noticed movement out of the corner of his eye.
He turned and noticed Potter trying to move his arms. They were bandaged up from where the medi-witch could only heal them so far with potions because of the boys' horrid condition. He set down the vials of potions and walked over to the boys' bed. He noticed Potter's hitched breaths as if he was in pain and noticed his heart rate increase. Suddenly the boy started seizing.
"POPPY!!" He yelled, hoping that the matron could hear him. After a moment he heard her bustling out of a back room somewhere.
"POPPY!! COME QUICK!!" He called again.
"Severus! What in Merlin's name...OH!!" She stopped mid sentence upon seeing him trying to hold the boy still and keep him from damaging himself further.
She quickly ran over to the potions cabinet and grabbed three vials, a bright blue one, a red one, and a murky green one.
"Hold him still Severus; I have to get these in him." She informed the man.
"His temperature is way too high and is causing him to seizure, which is in turn causing the pain to worsen and his temperature to rise." She informed Snape. "I'm giving him a potion to stop the seizure, a fever reducer, and a mild pain potion. We can only hope they work."
They finished giving the boy his potions and the potions master asked "When do you think he will wake Poppy?"
"I'm not sure, hopefully not until the day after tomorrow at least. His body needs this time to try to heal. If I know Mr. Potter he will be trying to leave the minute he wakes up! Sounds like a professor I know."
Snape scoffed and scowled at the reference to himself.
"Some of us Madam, have more important things to do than to waste time lying around in a hospital bed!" He snapped.
She patted him lightly on the shoulder.
"I know, I know Severus, but I can't help but worry about my patients."
A couple of days later, sometime just before lunch, Harry started to wake. Pomfrey called the headmaster and told him the boy was waking. Moments later he entered through the floo in the infirmary and walked over to Harry's bedside.
Harry felt his head starting to clear a little, and then he noticed that he could feel his body; every aching inch of it. His head felt like it had been trampled by a heard of hippogriffs. He tried to move but it felt like his arms and legs were being weighed down. He started to panic. He heard a calm and familiar voice, one that he was glad to hear at the moment above all others; the voice of the headmaster, Albus Dumbledore.
"Relax Harry, you will be fine. You are at Hogwarts now. You are safe." came the calm soothing voice.
"Can you open your eyes for us dear boy?" The Professor asked.
Harry tried but there was a stabbing pain in his head from the bright white of the hospital wing.
"Too...bright..." He managed to croak out.
"Poppy would you mind turning the lights down please?" Dumbledore asked. He waited a moment while she complied.
"Ok now, try again Harry." He coaxed.
Harry opened his eyes to see the bright blue orbs of a concerned Albus Dumbledore.
"P'-fs-er'?" He asked.
"Yes Harry, you gave us quite a scare. Professor Snape went to check on you at your relatives and found you in grave condition and brought you straight here." He told the young boy.
If Harry had of been healthy enough he would have flushed with embarrassment over being found the way he was, however grateful he was, it was still embarrassing! 'Oh no,' he thought 'Snape found me and now he's going to announce it to the whole school that I can't even protect myself from my muggle uncle...great I can see it now. "Boy who lived afraid of muggle relatives!" just bloody wonderful' he thought.
As if sensing his thoughts the headmaster replied "No need to worry Harry, what happened to you will stay between you, Professor Snape, Madam Pomfrey and myself."
"So...ry sir...I..." but he was cut off by Dumbledore.
"Here Harry have some water first."
Harry accepted the water greedily gulped it down.
"Whoa there Mr. Potter, slow down so you don't make yourself sick." Madam Pomfrey warned.
"Thank you sir, for everything." Harry said. "So. When do you think I can get out of here?"
Dumbledore chuckled.
"Harry my boy, you have just woken up, it is up to Madam Pomfrey however..." He started to say only to be cut off by the medi-witch herself.
"ABSOLUTELY NOT Mr. Potter! I forbid you to live that bed for the next two days at the least. You were brought to us half dead you know?" Harry cringed "I'm sorry dear, I just get so worried, I think you end up here more than any student at this school." She sighed.
"Ma'am I thought you were able to mend bones, what's wrong with my arms and leg? Why do I have to wear these?" He asked nodding his head to indicate the splints.
"Well Mr. Potter..." She began "when you were brought here you had several broken bones, a punctured lung, concussions, a severely high fever from infection, you were extremely dehydrated and had lost a lot of blood. We thought we might lose you at first."
Harry looked up to see that the matron had tears in her eyes.
"I'm sorry, didn't mean to worry any one or to cause trouble..." He was stopped by a hand on his shoulder, and flinched lightly at the touch
"Nonsense my dear boy.." came the headmasters voice, "none of it was your fault, you have nothing to be sorry for."
Although his voice was gentle, it was stern, letting Harry know that he truly believed what he said.
"Well back to your question Mr. Potter, when you came to us there was so much going on that we were - and still are, afraid to use too many potions on you at one time, lest your body stop responding to so much help. We gave you half a dose of skele-grow, so that the bones went back together but are still not mended all the way through, hence the muggle splints. With the pain potion, it sometimes interferes with the others we have you on so we gave you a low dose to ease it some but not enough to interfere with the other potions." She explained.
By this time exhaustion had set in on Harry's body.
"Professor? What day and time is it?" He asked.
The twinkle dulled some in the old man's eyes. "It is 11:46 am on July 23rd Mr. Potter. You were brought here on the 19th."
Harry yawned.
"Sir, when I get out of the hospital wing, where will I stay? I thought students weren't allowed to stay at Hogwarts during the summer. Will I have to go back to my Aunt and Uncles?" He asked with a slight tremor in his voice.
"Ahh you seem to be rather exhausted my boy, why don't you lay back and rest and we will figure things out tomorrow." It wasn't a question it was more of an 'end of discussion'. Harry didn't mind. By that time his eyes were already drifting closed anyways.
That afternoon Madam Pomfrey woke Harry to give him a dreamless sleeping drought. He had been tossing and turning in his sleep obviously in the throes of a nightmare.
Harry was thankful for the dreamless sleep that the bothersome medi-witch supplied him with. He had been having these awful nightmares. The first was about a woman by the name of Bertha Jorkins. Harry was forced to watch as she was tortured for information and killed after she was of no more use.
The second one was in a medium sized room in what looked like an old abandoned home and involved an old man dying. He couldn't really make out the form that killed him but Harry had an idea that it was Voldemort. He was the only one that made Harry's scar hurt. The creature was small, about the size of a baby or small toddler and wrapped in black robes. Wormtail, who was indeed back at Voldemorts side, after betraying his parents and framing his godfather years ago, turned the chair around. Harry had a pain erupt so sharp in his scar that it blurred his vision too much for him to make out a face. He turned to the old man and yelled "RUN!! HE'LL KILL YOU!!" but the man just stood there looking dumbfounded. Harry already knew what was coming next. Voldemort pointed his wand at the old man near the door and hissed in a strained high pitch voice "AVADA KADEVRA!" The green light shot out of the monsters wand aimed straight for the old man. Before the man even registered what was happening he dropped to the floor dead...a mask of utter terror on his face. Harry woke with his scar throbbing painfully. So he was utterly thankful to the overprotective medi-witch for waking him (even if the dream may have been about over).
Later that evening when Harry woke, his stomach started growling and he realized it had probably been almost two weeks since he had eaten real food. So far his stay at Hogwarts had consisted of a diet of water, nutrient potions, and restorative droughts. When Madam Pomfrey came by and heard his stomach growling she told him "I will get you another nutrient potion and some water, and you can try to eat a light breakfast in the morning." She left and soon returned with a vial of turquoise potion and a goblet of water.
"Drink that up and lay back and rest and I will be back later to give you some more sleeping drought to help you sleep through the night. Then in the morning we'll see about those splints and see about getting you started eating again." she informed her patient.
He laid back and relaxed thinking of everything that had happened so far this summer. He wondered if his friends were ok. It's not like them not to write. He hadn't gotten a letter from Ron or Hermione all summer. Sirius and Remus promised to write him as well, but he hadn't received any letters from them either.
The lack of letters, plus being left at his relatives' house in the first place, Harry was truly beginning to wonder if anyone other than the headmaster truly cared for him. Was what the Dursley's always told him true, was he really a 'freak that no one could care about'?
He rested and thought about his friends for a while, and then another thought struck his mind. 'I wonder what the greasy git thinks about me now. Now that he knows I'm not some spoiled and pampered little brat like he thought I was. Would he be nicer? Ha! Fat chance! Just because he may have realized he was wrong doesn't mean the cold git has a heart. Not that I would want him to pity me or anything anyways. It would just be nice if her were civil, and quit treating all Gryffindors like scum.'
Harry thought about this for a couple of more minutes and then decided to direct his thinking to more important thoughts...like where would he go when he was better? He couldn't go to the Weasley's. He was sure they wouldn't mind but he felt he would be intruding. On top of that, there was talk about some of Voldemorts old crowd getting bored and starting trouble. He was afraid that if he stayed with them he be making them a target. Professor Dumbledore wouldn't send him back to the Dursley's would he?! Surely not after the way they found him. He couldn't stay at Hogwarts, the ministry wouldn't allow that. Harry was beginning to become depressed with these thoughts when Madam Pomfrey bustled back in with sleeping drought for him.
Harry was glad to be able to get rid of these thoughts, and downed the potion in one gulp. As soon as he handed the vial back his eyes were already drifting shut. The medi-witch promptly tucked the covers in around him and ran a diagnostic spell to see how he was recovering.
His bones were almost mended, his fever was down to a more tolerable level, and his lung had healed nicely. Satisfied with the results, she turned and strode back to her office to inform the headmaster that Mr. Potter will make a full recovery and may possibly be released the next afternoon.
Severus Snape knew he was considered the snarky, greasy git of a potions master among all the students (except for a few of his slytherins). He didn't really mind. This allowed him to get from place to place quickly, and most students feared him which kept them disciplined in his presence.
Anyone who knew them, or had seen Severus Snape and Harry Potter together, knew that those two detested each other. Severus always saw Harry as a spoiled and pampered, arrogant, self-centered carbon copy of his father; James Potter. In turn Harry saw the professor as a cold hearted, greasy haired, death eater. Harry knew that Dumbledore trusted him but the Potions master was just not a pleasant person.
Severus heard the floo chime. He had warded the floo so people could not step through without his permission or without a password. The only person at this time that knew his password was the headmaster. He walked in the sitting room to find Albus stepping out of the floo and applying a cleaning charm to remove the soot from his robes.
Severus scowled. The headmaster in his living quarters, this was never a good sign.
"Something I can help you with Headmaster?" He asked through clinched teeth, in the most patient voice he could muster, although he did leave his trademark scowl in place.
The headmaster chuckled, he never was affected by any of Severus' faces but they were enough to send the students running in the opposite direction.
"Yes actually, I have come to request that you attend a meeting at my office tomorrow to help decide what should be done with Mr. Potter for the remainder of the summer."
"And why Headmaster would I want to go to this meeting, what is the importance of me being there?" He asked the old man.
"Well my boy, it will consist of Professor McGonagall, Remus Lupin, Madam Pomfrey, Mr. Potter, you and myself. I may need you there to attest to what you saw when you found Mr. Potter. We will also need to appoint a temporary guardian so that we can get control away from the Dursley's without the ministry hearing that Harry needs a new guardian. I believe Minister Fudge would do anything to get control of the 'boy who lived'. We can't allow that to happen Severus." He explained.
Severus sighed, "As much as I dislike the boy Albus...I have to agree. He simply cannot go back to his relatives, and for him to be turned over to the Minister would be just as bad if not worse. I will attend this meeting per your request Albus. Just let me know what time."
"Of course, I will let you know as soon as I have contacted the others." With that he disappeared back into the green flames through which he came.
Harry woke the next morning feeling somewhat better than he had in a while. He was still pretty sore and extremely hungry, but at least he wasn't half dead anymore.
He sat up and put his glasses on wondering how long it would be before Madam Pomfrey came to see how he was and allow him to eat. He looked over to the table beside his bed and found his wand and his invisibility cloak, and the spare parchment he knew to be the Marauder's Map. He felt himself smiling. He had been worried since he woke the first time about if he would ever see those items again. He was sure if his uncle had found them they would have been burned.
He reached over and grabbed his wand, sighing in contentment at the warm feeling he always had when holding it in his hand. He knew it was meant for him and no one else. Even if it was the brother to Voldemort's wand, as Mr. Olivander had told him this when he first purchased it, Harry was glad of the light and happy feeling he received when holding it.
Just then Madam Pomfrey bustled over to his bed.
"Well Mr. Potter, let's see how your bones have healed shall we?"
The Medi-witch took out her wand and cast a diagnostic charm on him. A bright blue light formed around Harry's body, darker on the bones that were healed properly or had never been broken (which wasn't many), and a lighter blue around the splints.
"It seems Mr. Potter; that the bones have healed nicely. However the lighter blue indicates that although they are healed they are still weak, so you will have to be careful not to put too much pressure on them." She instructed.
"Ma'am?..." Harry asked. "I thought that since they were in splints that they had to heal the muggle way, but it takes bones at least six weeks to heal themselves that way. So how are mine are healed in only a week?"
"You see Mr. Potter.." She began, "you are partially correct. The bones did need the splints to stay still and in place to heal as the muggles do. However, even though we were not able to give you enough Skele-Grow to completely heal them in one night. We were able to give you enough to speed up the healing process. You must be a strong young man Mr. Potter." She told him. "Even with the partial dose, I was still expecting it to take around two weeks to mend. I wonder if there are any healing abilities in you."
Harry didn't know how to answer. True he had somehow managed to heal himself once before when he was about seven. His cousin had pushed him down the stairs and he was sure his ankle was broken. He knew that his uncle would be furious if he wasn't able to complete the chores he was assigned that day, and there was no possible way they would take him to a medical center.
"Freaks don't go to Doctors, no need to waste that good money on you!" His uncle always told him.
So he had sat there, holding his ankle and crying for a couple of minutes begging whatever God was in charge to please not let it be broken. When he had sat down his ankle was swelling rapidly and turning blue. Not to mention that he could clearly see a bone almost sticking out of his skin.
Young Harry sat there squeezing his eyes shut thinking in his head and repeating to himself "Please God don't let it be broken, please, please, please. It's not broken! It's not broken! It's NOT broken!"
Knowing it wasn't going to help, he opened his eyes and almost fainted of shock. His formally swollen, blue, and broken ankle looked just as it did before he fell. Was it just his mind playing tricks on him? He tried to stand to see how it felt. There was no pain! His ankle was healed again! He could have jumped for joy, (if he didn't think he would be heard by his family).
Harry came out of this memory hearing, "Mr. Potter? Mr. Potter? MR. POTTER! Can you hear me??" Harry quickly shook his head to clear his thoughts.
"I'm sorry Ma'am, what did you say?" He asked.
Madam Pomfrey sighed "I asked if you've ever healed yourself before Mr. Potter? Maybe, if you were scared or upset?"
Harry nodded his head "Once when I was about seven, I'm pretty sure I had broken my ankle, I was worried I would get into trouble for not finishing my chores. So I grabbed my ankle and remember thinking in my head that it couldn't be broken, and begging for it not to be. When I looked down again, it was completely normal."
"Very well then, it seems you may have some healing magic Mr. Potter, the fact that they surfaced twice already leads me to believe that one day you will be a very powerful wizard indeed. These powers don't normally begin to show themselves until a witch or wizard turns 15." She informed her stunned patient.
"All right Harry. Let's see about getting these splints off and getting you a light breakfast. What is the name of that house elf that has taken to you? Diddy? Doby?" she asked while removing the splints with a wave of her wand.
"Dobby." Harry replied with a smile. He really liked Dobby, even if he did get a little over excited sometimes.
"Ah yes, right then. Dobby!" the Matron called.
Within a moment a house elf with big green tennis ball sized eyes popped in.
"Oh Harry Potter sir! Dobby missed his Master Harry Potter! Poor Master Harry Potter has been sick? Ooohhhh what can Dobby do for his Master Harry Potter sir?"
The Matron smiled at Harry's discomfort and said to the over excited house elf who was bouncing on his feet "Dobby, please bring Mr. Potter a light breakfast, he is not used to eating yet so please make it as light as possible."
"Right! Dobby will do anything for Missus Nurse Pomfrey Ma'am; she fixes up his Harry Potter! Dobby will get Master Harry Potter breakfast!" and in a blink of an eye, he was gone.
A moment later a tray appeared floating in front of Harry. On it there was dry toast, some apple slices, a sliced up boiled egg, and a goblet of what looked like water. Harry's stomach growled in appreciation.
He took a bite of the dry toast, which reminded him of just how hungry he was. He took a sip of the beverage.
"Mmm apple juice flavored, Dobby remembered!" He stated. "I wonder how pumpkin juice flavored water would taste?"
He continued to eat a few bites of his breakfast, and took another sip. Harry sputtered and choked spraying his water everywhere.
Hearing her patient choking the medi-witch came over and slapped him lightly on the back a few times
"Slow down Mr. Potter, the food is not going anywhere."
Thoroughly embarrassed he apologized "Sorry Ma'am, the water just surprised me is all the first sip was apple juice flavored, then I was wondering what pumpkin juice flavored would taste like. I wasn't it expecting it to change, so it kind of...um... surprised me and I got strangled."
Much to Harry's surprise Poppy Pomfrey laughed.
"That's all right dear; I bet it was a bit of a shock if you're not used to magic flavored water." She amended.
"Magic flavored?" The dark haired boy inquired.
"Oh yes, you see it's not really flavored at all, it is just spelled to taste like whatever the drinker would like to taste. You must have had apple juice on your mind the first time."
Now he understood.
"I guess I did subconsciously, at first I just thought Dobby remembered my liking of apple juice." He laughed.
Harry turned his head towards the entrance to the hospital ward when he heard the creek of the doors opening. As he watched the form of the headmaster entered the wing.
"Ahh Harry my boy, how good to see you laughing and doing well." He greeted.
"Good morning Professor! How are you?" Harry greeted him back.
"I am fine my boy. Better now that you are well. Nothing raises the spirits like the laughter of a child!" He stated.
"Poppy? Will Harry here be well enough to be released this afternoon? I would like to meet with a few of you in my office to discuss where Mr. Potter will remain for the rest of the summer. We also, if I'm not mistaken, have a party to plan in honor of someone's birthday!" He inquired.
"Mr. Potter may be released this afternoon only on the condition that he gets plenty of bed rest and does not over exert himself. Although he is well enough not to need round the clock medical attention he is still recovering. His bones are healed but are still weak, and any major impact may break them again." She stated.
"Yes well then we'll just have to make sure that he is looked after properly then." He stated as he gave Harry a pointed look.
Just then a questioning look dawned on the ebony haired boys face.
"Professor?" he asked "Who's birthday are we going to be celebrating? So I know who to buy a gift for."
Dumbledore chuckled. "Why, yours of course my dear boy! You will be fourteen at the end of the month if I'm not mistaken."
Awe and excitement graced the boy's features this time. As well as a slight tinge of pink.
"You...you don't have to throw me a party sir. I've never had one before anyways, so it's ok. I don't want to take up anyone's time."
"Harry...nonsense my boy, everyone deserves a party! We will have it in the Great Hall. Would you be happy for me to invite the Weasley's and Grangers? I may be able to arrange the attendance of Mr. Lupin as well." He asked.
"Yes sir! That would be great. Wow...a party...for me!" He whispered, still in awe.
"Well then, we will just have to make sure your first party is a moment you'll never forget then! Now if you will, meet me in my office around three pm. We still need to discuss where you will stay for the remainder of the holidays."He told the boy.
"Also I know that you are worried about who all knows of the incident at the Dursley's however I feel that it may be beneficial if you allow me to inform Professor McGonagall and Remus Lupin as well. They too have your best interests at heart and could help us come to a decision."
Harry lowered his head and looked down at this. He knew that the headmaster was right, however he still did not wish for anyone else to know what was done to him over the summer so far.
Sensing his unease Dumbledore insured the boy "I know that you wish no one else to know Harry, however this information will go no further than the people at the meeting."
"Who all will be at the meeting sir?" He asked.
"Madam Pomfrey, Professor Snape, Professor McGonagall, Remus Lupin, me, and of course you will be attending."
Sighing, Harry knew he had no other choice. It was for the best after all.
He nodded his head to notify the headmaster that he could tell those involved in the meeting.
"Sir what about my friends, I haven't heard from them all summer. Is everything all right?" He asked.
"Yes my dear boy, It seems you're uncle has been intercepting your letters and destroying them. I had to inform young Mr. Weasley's family that you were safe here at Hogwarts. It seems they were closer to the truth about how your relatives treated you than the rest of us." He confided.
"It seems that the three youngest of the Weasley boys saw fit to inform their mother that if someone did not find you and ensure your safety soon that they would go on another rescue attempt." He told Harry with his eyes twinkling like mad. "When she fire called yesterday evening and informed me of this, I thought it best to ease their worry by telling them that you were indeed here, safe at the castle. You received a letter last night from Mr. Weasley."
He reached in his pocket and a moment later pulled out a sealed piece of parchment. He handed it over to the eager boy and with that he turned to leave.
"I will see you in my office at three pm Harry, the password is 'laffy taffy'." With that he left the hospital wing.
After the headmaster departed, Harry hastily opened the letter from Ron.
Harry,
Hey Mate! I'm glad you're safe. Hermione and I were really worried about you. We wrote you about five times each and you never wrote back so we knew something was up. Was it something that bloody uncle of yours did? After the fifth letter, when you didn't write back, Hermione and I wrote Professor Lupin. Well I guess he's not a Professor anymore after that greasy git went and told the whole wizarding world that he was a werewolf. Blimey that was low. He was the best Defense teacher we've had so far. Anyways he wrote us back saying that he would talk to Dumbledore.
A few days ago, Fred and George and I, threatened to go get you ourselves if nobody would do anything. That's when mum fire called Dumbledore earlier and he said that you were at Hogwarts.
What's it like there with the castle to yourself? Snape's not being a git to you I hope. I'll get Fred and George to send you some prank stuff to get him back with if he is. What are the Professors like when nobody's around? Do they go around trying to get you to study extra? That would be horrible.
The Cannons are doing well this year. If they keep it up they might make it to the finals! They have a good seeker, not as brilliant as that Krum fellow from Bulgaria but he's still pretty good. Their chasers aren't bad either. They could use a new keeper though. He tries but he's just not that good.
Oh yeah I can't believe I almost forgot Mate! Dad got us tickets to the World Cup Finals!! I'm going to see if you can come too. Do you know where you'll be staying?
Well Mate, I hope that you are doing all right. I guess I'm going to write 'Mione now and let her know that you are at Hogwarts and that you are ok.
Your Best Mate
Ron
Harry was glad that Ron and his family were doing well. He knew that he would eventually have to tell them about his summer at the Dursley's but he dreaded that conversation and planned to put it off as long as possible.
As Harry sat there going over Ron's letter again, Madam Pomfrey came back out of her office and over to his bed.
"Well Mr. Potter how are you feeling?" She asked.
"I'm feeling better. I'm still a little sore but I don't hurt like I did." He replied.
"Ok Mr. Potter, I can give you a pain potion now that the other problems are taken care of. However I want you to stay in bed and rest until lunch. After lunch you're free to go. Do try to stay out of trouble and take it easy. I don't want to see you back in here any time soon. Is that clear?"
"Yes Ma'am," agreed the young patient.
Just then Harry's snowy owl Hedwig come flying into the infirmary with a letter tied to her leg. She flew over and landed on Harry's bed giving him an affectionate nip as he reached for her. Harry untied the note and noticed it was from Hermione. Ron must have sent her back now that he was safe at Hogwarts. He must have used her to send the letter to Hermione first.
"Sorry girl, I don't have any treats with me." He told the owl. She nipped his fingers affectionately again as if to say it was ok and that she missed him.
"I have a few over here Mr. Potter." Madam Pomfrey told him as she retrieved them and gave the owl a treat.
"Thank you Madam Pomfrey." He smiled as she nodded her head in acceptance.
"Um, do you have supplies I could use to write Ron and Hermione back with? All of mine are in my trunk wherever that is. I'll replace what I use when I can get to my things." He asked the matron.
"Yes Harry, I'll get them." She left for her office and came back with the pain potion, a few sheets of parchment and a never-out quill.
"And don't worry about replacing it, it's no problem." She told the boy.
"Thank you." He replied.
Harry downed the potion and smiled in relief. He waited until the medi-witch went back to her office before sending Hedwig off to sleep in the owlery with the school owls. He then opened Hermione's letter.
Harry,
I hope this letter finds you well. We have been so worried about you! What happened? Why did they take you to Hogwarts? Ron owled me last night and said that after he, Fred and George threatened to go get you themselves, his mum flooed the headmaster and he said that you were safe, and at the school.
I do hope nothing happened, and that you have not gotten yourself into any trouble. (Harry scoffed at that part. Just like Hermione to assume that he was in trouble since he was at Hogwarts.) Ron asked his mum what was going on. He said that she wouldn't tell him. She kept telling them that she doesn't know.
Hedwig is really a smart owl! She came by last night with Ron's letter and took off after I untied it from her leg. The she came back this morning while I was having breakfast and flew up to my room and waited for me to write you! You are so lucky to have her. Don't tell Ron, but Pig is not nearly as smart as she is.
Have you finished your summer homework? I finished all of mine just after the first week back. I couldn't believe Professor Snape. I mean come on, only three feet on the side effects of have the wrong fire temperature while brewing the Drought of Peace?! There are endless possibilities. I can't wait to get back to school. There are so many books in the library I would like to read. It's impossible to read them all during the school year.
Oh yes, remind me to tell you about our trip to America when we return. I can't wait to see you! Do be careful. I must be going now. Mum needs me to go with her to the market.
Love Always,
Hermione
Harry sighed; leave it to Hermione to think that three feet was not long enough. I mean ok there are two choices really; you either have the fire too hot, or not hot enough. That thought made Harry groan. The summer was half over and thanks to his relatives he hadn't even started on his summer work yet. They kept him so busy with chores he wouldn't of had chance even if his things weren't locked in the cupboard.
With these thoughts, Harry wrote out a short note to his friends. He told them that he could not tell much at the moment, but would tell them as much as he could when term started back. He made sure to let them know that he was ok. Though he didn't tell them that he had been confined to the hospital wing, he did tell them he hadn't gotten around the castle much.
After he wrote Ron and Hermione, he thought it would be best if he wrote Sirius and Remus. He started out by telling them both that he was fine. Then he told them that he had been brought to Hogwarts and not to worry, that he was safe. He knew that if Sirius thought that anything was wrong he would come out of hiding -endangering himself, and come straight to Hogwarts. He apologized for not returning their letters, and told them that his uncle had destroyed them. He told them he had sent Hedwig to Ron's for the summer so without receiving the letters he could not write them.
He folded all the letters up and placed them on the side table. He planned to take them up to the owlery to have his owl deliver them before he went to the meeting with the headmaster. He laid back and closed his eyes and decided to have a quick nap before lunch.
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