Chapter Two: Carry Me

Chapter Two: Carry Me

Remus slowly walked up the stairs, hoping to delay the inevitable confrontation between Harry and Snape for as long as possible. "Hurry up Lupin, I don't have all day," Snape sneered. Remus scathingly replied, "What's your hurry you greaseball? Off to wash your hair?" Snape ignored the last comment and simply sneered at Remus as he passed him on the stairs. He barged into Harry's room without knocking. Remus yelled, "Wait! Don't go in yet…" He trailed off but it was to late. Remus had intended to give Harry some warning as to what was coming but to no avail. He sighed, "This could be interesting."

Harry was in terrible condition and hurting all over. He was just about to call for Remus when his door banged open. He glanced up with tears of pain dripping down is face but his expression turned stony when he saw who it was. "Professor Snape," he gasped trying unsuccessfully to hide his tears. Snape sneered unpleasantly, "I do not have time for this BOY!" The last of the words was a shout. "Drink these now!" When Harry did not move Snape began stuffing the potion down his throat. "REMUS!" Harry screamed.

Remus heard Harry's shout and ran in to find Harry being half strangled by Snape. He was angry. No, forget angry, he was livid. He ran into the room and dragged Snape off of his son. "What are you doing," asked Remus stepping in front of Harry protectively. "How DARE you touch Harry?!"

Severus straightened. "The insolent boy refused to take his potions. I expedited the process. I do not apologize for my actions."

Remus pursed his lips at the comment and quietly spoke, "Leave. Now. I do not tolerate that sort of behavior in my house. I will give Harry the potions myself. If you so require I will observe him also; but, you are not to set one foot in this house and especially not this room. Do we understand each other Sniv—Severus?" The slip of the tongue was obviously intentional.

Severus curtly nodded and strode out of the room with his black robe billowing behind him. However as he left he couldn't resist a parting shot, "Be careful Lupin, insulting the wrong people may send you the same way as that lazy mutt."

Lupin looked like he wanted to respond for a moment but a gasp from Harry caught his attention. He was lying on the bed with tears of pain in his eyes and looked as if he were beginning to hyperventilate. Remus quickly walked over and took Harry's hand. "Breathe Harry," he said quietly, "I assure you that you are not in any danger whatsoever. Just take these potions and you can go back to sleep."

Harry grinned weakly, "I guess Snape wouldn't dare to poison these huh?" An undertone of nervousness lined his voice.

Remus smiled. "I swear to you Harry that I would never allow Snape to harm you by doing that. You are perfectly safe drinking these potions. You'll certainly be up and about in no time at all."

Harry nodded and willingly gulped down the potions. "I'm holding you to that Remus," he murmured as sleep began to overtake him. Remus sighed as he looked down at Harry's peaceful posture. He gently pulled the covers up to Harry's chin and backed away slowly as not to wake him. As he left the room he couldn't help but wonder, 'Oh Harry, how could we have failed you so greatly?'

Remus also retired to bed and closed his eyes hoping for a long sleep. The full moon was only a week ago and he was still quite tired. However barely a hour passed before he was awakened by an earth-shattering scream. He sat bolt upright, "Harry!" he breathed panicked as he rushed down the hallway.

"Murderer, Murderer, Murderer, Murderer," chanted the voices all around Harry. They stood in a circle around Harry, all of his friends and loved ones. First the Dursleys stepped forward, "You're nothing but a worthless burden Harry Potter! You've made our lives miserable from the second that you were dropped by our door. We wish you were never born!" They slowly walked through the veil that was in the center of the circle, next to Harry.

Then the Weasleys, minus Ron, stepped forward. "we took you into our home Harry. We cared for you like one of us. How could you betray us like this? Maybe you're relatives are right." Then all of the Weasleys stepped behind the veil, ignoring Harry's pleas for them to stop.

By now tears were streaming down Harry's face. His parents, Lily and James, stepped forward. "If you hadn't been born we wouldn't have been killed." They yelled to him, "Why did you let us die? Was your life worth ours?" They also stepped through the veil, leaving Harry crushed. The circle was significantly smaller now.

Next Snape walked up to Harry. "As much as it pains me to agree with you're father on anything," he spat, "you are, as I have always said, an ignorant brat. If you had tried harder in lessons all of this could have been prevented." He straightened and walked through the veil more slowly than the others with a certain dignity.

Next up was Dumbledore, "I am very disappointed, my boy." That was all he whispered as he walked through the veil. There were only four people left now in the circle.

One of them stepped forward. Harry recognized the lifeless eyes of Cedric Diggory. "You killed me Harry. If Voldemort hadn't been after you I would have been safe. I would have won the Tournament and have been celebrating happily with my friends instead of dying in a graveyard." He also walked away from Harry and into the veil.

Now two of the three people left stepped forward. "We were you best friends Harry," Ron and Hermione cried, "How could you betray us by becoming a murderer?" Harry tried to call out and tell them that he wasn't a murderer but he found himself frozen in horror as they also disappeared behind the veil of death.

Now there was only one person left. Harry turned to face the one person who had been the most dear to him. "Sirius," he whispered, "I didn't know, I swear." He noticed Sirius was wearing a hood that obscured his face. "It doesn't matter Harry," he said softly, "Nothing can be changed with apologies. You see, I'm already dead." With that he removed his hood and Harry caught a glimpse of a terribly emaciated face. It looked like something right out of a horror movie. Sirius looked at him one last time and stepped into the veil, "Goodbye Harry," echoed around the field.

Suddenly the veil disappeared. Harry was completely alone. He couldn't hold it in any longer. He fell to the ground and began to scream. He couldn't seem to stop.

Remus burst into Harry's new bedroom looking terrified, "HARRY!" he shouted, "WAKE UP!"

Harry felt himself being pulled from his dream with a start. He awoke to find a terrified Remus hovering above him holding a glass of water. When he saw that Harry was conscious he quickly handed it to him. "What happened Harry?" he managed to ask.

Harry blushed crimson, "Nightmare," he murmured with his head facing the bed sheet. "Don't worry, it happens all of the time. It's usually what gets Uncle Vernon mad." Remus nodded slowly appearing to be taking this in. "Well here you won't be punished for a nightmare, okay Harry? In fact how about I go downstairs and get us some hot chocolate. It always makes me feel better after a nightmare."

Harry was embarrassed to admit it but the offer sounded very tempting. He loved the thought of staying awake for just a little while longer. He tentatively nodded his head. Remus smiled and went downstairs to make the hot cocoa. 'Maybe things will turn out okay.' He thought, 'After all, he isn't shutting me out completely.'

Harry waited patiently for his hot chocolate and was very pleased when Remus arrived with it floating in front of him. He was less pleased, however, when Remus started a conversation, "What was your nightmare about Harry?"

Harry shrugged neutrally. "This and that. I guess it was just the unfamiliarity of the house. I'm pretty sure that it won't happen again."

Remus paused for a moment and decided that it wouldn't hurt to press a little further, "You implied that it occurs often at the Dursleys." He left the statement open-ended hoping that it would push Harry into a response.

It actually worked. Harry appeared to be slightly teary eyed. "I sometimes just feel so alone Remus." He wasn't looking at Remus but instead fiddled with his cup of cocoa. "I just can't take it. Everything's my fault." Tears were sliding down Harry's face in rapid succession. "I can't kill Voldemort by myself Remus! I'm just not strong enough!"

Remus blinked back tears himself as Harry began to sob. "It's okay Harry," he whispered quietly, "You don't have to face anything alone anymore. I will be by your side forever." He held Harry for the rest of the night as Harry fell into a semi-peaceful sleep. Remus fell asleep against Harry's headboard just as dawn broke. Even while sleeping he didn't let go of his young cub.

A/N I hope you liked the chapter!! I threw in a lot of Harry angst. I hope you all approve. I'll be posting rather frequently for the rest of the summer. Once school starts things will probably begin to slow down though. Also, I hope that you will forgive any errors you might see in this. Grammar isn't my forte.  Thanks for reading!! I KNOW that you want to review!! Go ahead…… push the button…