Disclaimer – Isn't mine.

Chapter 2 – A Wizard's Oath

It was late. The sun had gone down hours before, leaving the hospital wing in shadows as Ron and Hermione sat quietly in the corner. They had moved into Poppy's office after it became clear Harry wouldn't fall asleep with anyone still in the same room, only coming out when they could see he had finally dozed off.

'How could anyone do that to him?' Hermione murmured causing Ron to lift his head and open his eyes from the chair he had been sitting in. 'He's never intentionally hurt anyone in his whole life. It's just not fair.' Hermione went on.

'Hermione, listen to yourself.' Ron said softly. 'When has anything in Harry's life been fair? Why should it be any different now?' he added bitterly.

Hermione fell silent again, her eyes peering across the gloomy wing to the restless figure by the single candle. Both had refused to leave before dinner even though Harry wouldn't eat until he had been reassured several times over that they didn't want anything from him and he was left alone.

The two Gryffindors had watched their friend from Poppy's office, eating half heartedly, their own meals balanced in their laps. Harry stared at the food for an indeterminable amount of time before picking up a spoonful and swallowing it. He would then look around nervously as if expecting someone before finally taking another spoonful. It would take him almost an hour to eat half a bowlful of soup.

Poppy had told them a little bit about what had happened to their friend. About how he would be visited four times a day everyday. About some of the things she had guessed from his injuries they had done to him, watered down of course, and, from years of knowing and listening to Severus Snape, about just how easy it was for Voldemort to break somebody.

A whimper from across the wing roused Hermione from her thoughts and the sixteen year old quickly but silently moved closer to the bed, not noticing Ron on her heels.

'No.' Harry whispered. 'Please don't.' Hermione stuffed her fingers in her mouth to stop her from crying out as Harry began thrashing wildly as if someone was attacking him.

'No! Stop, please!' Harry screamed. 'No. I promise I won't. Please don't! No!'

'Harry?' Hermione said softly.

'Noooooo!' Harry screamed again as his back arched up off the bed, his legs kicking and arm flailing. 'Please no!'

Hermione went to move closer but found her shoulders grasped in firm hands. 'Stay back.' Ron said firmly.

Hermione spun to face him. 'Look at him. He's going to hurt himself.'

'You'll only make it worse. I just sent Dobby for Dumbledore and the others, they'll be here any minute.' Ron insisted, keeping his head even if he also wanted to rush forward and help his friend.

Just then Harry let out a bone chilling scream, shocking Ron and Hermione both, before laying limp and pale.

'Is he dead?' Ron asked hesitantly.

Don't be ridiculous.' Hermione scoffed but her voice shook slightly. 'Harry?' she said softly. 'Harry?' a little louder.

Nothing.

Tentatively Hermione crept closer, trying to discern by the dim light whether Harry was in fact breathing.

'Don't you know the diagnostic spell?' Ron whispered.

'No. Do you?' Hermione hissed back.

'No.' Ron snapped. 'But you know everything else.'

Hermione glared at him before slowly reaching forward.

'What are you doing?' Ron hissed.'

'Checking his pulse. The muggle way.'

'I wouldn't do that.' The red head warned.

'Just shut up Ron.' Hermione bit out turning back to Harry.

'Where the hell is Dumbledore.' Ron pleaded to thin air.

Hermione ignored him and with a slightly shaking hand moved to press two fingers against Harry's jugular. She almost died when his eyes snapped open.

'No.' he whispered. 'No!' The scream practically deafened her before Harry some how rolled off the bed and onto the floor scuttling across the bare stone into the darkest corner which happened to be where the bathroom was. The resounding slam of the door by wandless magic in response to Harry's panic echoed loudly through the room.

It was at that point that the four teachers joined them once again. The Order meeting hurriedly concluded before they had rushed down stairs.

'What happened? Where's Mr Potter?' Poppy asked looking at the empty bed.

Reluctantly Hermione lifted her arm and pointed to the closed bathroom door. 'He's in there.' She whispered sheepishly.

The medi-witch's eyes narrowed. 'And just what is he doing in there?'

'I…I scared him again.' She said sadly.

Seeing Poppy about to launch into a full blown tirade Albus thought he should intervene. 'What happened, Miss Granger?' he asked calmly.

Hermione looked as if she was about to cry so Ron spoke. 'Harry was having a nightmare. Bloody bad one too.' Ron swore, ignoring the glare from his Head of House. 'He was thrashing about in the bed. We thought he might hurt himself so we moved a little closer to check on him. Suddenly he screamed and then everything stopped. He fainted I think. We couldn't tell if he was breathing or not so Hermione went to check his pulse. He hadn't fainted and, well, you can probably guess the rest.'

Snape rolled his eyes and followed Poppy over to the bathroom door.

'Severus, your robes.' Dumbledore gestured to the black protective robes the man had changed into earlier that day to brew some potions.

The potions master stopped and glared before stalking back towards the door. 'You do it then.' He hissed. The indignity of having to be civil to Harry Potter in front of his friends more than once had obviously hit a nerve as, without even a by your leave, he stalked out of the room.

Even Dumbledore looked stunned but obligingly, albeit tentatively, crossed to stand beside Poppy.

'Harry. Harry, it's Madame Pomfrey, please can you open the door.' She pleaded quietly. 'I promise no one wants to hurt you here. We just want to help you.'

There was silence from the other side of the door.

'Please Harry. Just open the door and come out. We'll stand over on the other side of the room if you want.' The medi-witch went on.

Still nothing.

Poppy turned to Albus and shrugged, gesturing for him to go on before stepping back to stand beside Hermione.

'Harry, dear boy, please open the door.' Albus said softly. 'I know you don't trust me to keep you safe but I know you know I would never hurt you intentionally. Please Harry, can you just let me in so we can talk. I know you have more you want to talk about. Please.'

Ron and Hermione exchanged glances as the headmaster voice took on a pleading tone that neither ever thought they would have heard from the man.

'Please Harry.' Dumbledore begged again and suddenly the door clicked open and light flooded out of the room illuminating the headmaster's face enabling the two Gryffindors to clearly see his tear stained cheeks.

Albus, quickly shaking himself out of the shock he was in that Harry had actually opened the door, did something he hadn't done since he was just a baby. He got down on his knees and crawled into the room; Hermione and Ron would work out later it was in order not to frighten their friend. Moments later the door snapped shut plunging the wing into darkness once more and leaving three very curious people to just sit and wait.

'Harry, are you alright?' Dumbledore asked gently.

'Not really.' Harry whispered.

'I wish I could take it all away from you Harry.'

'I know.' Harry shifted slightly from his ball in the corner of the room. 'But you can't.'

Dumbledore sighed. 'Talk to me Harry. Tell what you're feeling. Scream at me, swear at me, hit me even, I don't care, you just need to let your feelings out.'

Harry's head raised slightly and Dumbledore gasped at the pain that radiated from the green eyes. 'Why did you leave me with the Dursleys?' Harry whispered.

The old wizard's eyes widened. That hadn't been quite the question he had been expecting. 'I…' Dumbledore trailed off. 'The blood magic. It was the only thing that could protect you, and I thought you could grow up normally there, not as a hero, not as the boy-who-lived but as just Harry.'

Harry snorted. 'But I wasn't just Harry was I?' he said sarcastically, dropping his head back onto his knees. 'I was the Freak.'

Albus heart clenched. 'I'm sorry Harry. I should have checked. No one should ever have to grow up the way you did.'

Harry was silent for sometime and the headmaster thought he might have fallen asleep but he suddenly looked up again.

'Did you know about Quirrell?' he blurted out.

Again Albus' eyes widened. 'No.' he said adamantly. 'I knew someone or something was after the Stone but I didn't know it was him.'

'What about Moody?'

'No.' Albus again shook his head. This wasn't quite how he'd expected this conversation to go.

Harry was silent for several minutes. 'Why didn't you stop them from making me compete?' The question was cryptic but Albus knew exactly what he meant.

'At the time, I didn't really think about it. I figured it might be good experience.'

'What doesn't kill us makes us stronger.' Harry muttered.

'Something like that. It was wrong. I see that now.'

'Hindsight is a bitch, isn't it.' Harry stated.

'Quite.' Dumbledore smiled inwardly as Harry leaned his head back against the wall. He didn't close his eyes though as the old Harry would have but at least he didn't look as if he was about to try and shrink to the size of a snitch or flee at the first possible opportunity.

'The Philosopher's Stone, Sirius, the Chamber of Secrets, the Ministry. Where they just all tests too?' Harry finally asked, his voice betraying him.

Albus looked thoughtfully at him. 'I won't lie to you Harry, not anymore. I didn't plan on them being, but when the pieces began to fall into place and I worked out what was going on, I should have stepped in and I didn't.' he said honestly.

Harry looked piercingly at him for quite some time before he stood and trembling fiercely crossed to stand in the middle of the room and crouched down. Albus realised that it was to get a better look in his eyes. Obviously the next question was going to be important and he opened his mind, allowing the young man to see anything he wanted.

'Did you…..' Harry took a deep breath. 'Did you let them in?' It took several moments before the meaning of what Harry was asking dawned on him, but when it did, the look of absolute horror on the headmaster's face would have convinced Harry even without seeing the memories of the night Ron and the others burst into the Headmaster's office.

'Oh Merlin, no, Harry. You have to believe me.'

Harry ended the legilimens and nodded. 'I do.' He said hoarsely before curling back up into his ball and crying softly.

Albus didn't know what to do. He wanted to cross the room and hold the damaged child but he couldn't. We watched helplessly as Harry began rocking backwards and forwards. 'Harry?' he said quietly. 'Please talk to me, tell me what you are feeling.'

'I want you to hold me, but I can't.' Harry sobbed. 'I can only feel their hands. Their hands all over me. Hitting and cutting and crushing and holding. I want them to stop but they won't. I can't feel anything else anymore.'

Albus made a decision and slowly, so not to alarm the poor child, pulled his wand out of his robes and rolled it across the floor to where Harry sat before shifting slightly closer and reaching out his hand. Harry looked up at the clattering noise to find the headmaster's wand at his feet and the old man's hand only feet from him, palm up.

'Trust me, Harry. Please. I won't hurt you.' Albus said gently, allowing his concern to shine in his eyes.

Harry glanced down at the wand, picking it up with one hand before looking at the pale hand only feet away. Albus could see the desperation warring with the fear and waited patiently. It took almost ten minutes but just as Albus was thinking he should move away Harry's hand poked out of its hiding place in the sleeve of his pyjamas and shakingly reached out towards the headmaster's.

'You can do it, Harry.' Albus whispered encouragingly. Harry glanced up to lock with blue eyes, his green eyes, still bright with tears but also sparkling with need. 'Come on my dear boy. I won't hurt you. I promise you're safe with me.'

Harry's eyes never left the older wizard's as his trembling hand landed in the others. Albus could see the boy struggling not to panic and didn't move, not squeezing the hand, not smiling, nothing.

Albus couldn't have told you how long they sat there, it could have been ten minutes, it could have been two hours. His entire world was condensed into the small figure in front of him and the trembling hand clasped in his.

'P…p…professor?' Harry stammered. 'Will you stay here with me?' Harry whispered.

Albus smiled, his eyes twinkling blindingly. 'Of course, dear boy. I will stay with you for as long as you need me.' Harry gave him a small smile and they sat in silence.

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As light began to filter in from the window, Harry looked up. They had sat in comfortable silence for many hours, content just to sit beside each other. Harry hadn't moved any closer but he had allowed Dumbledore to rub soothing circles with his thumb on the back of his hand and in those hours a bridge of need and trust had been built. Albus realised that Harry needed someone he could rely on now more than ever and knew that without it, the boy would be lost to them forever. He spent that time thinking of ways to bring Harry back to them and the best one finally hit him just as the sun began to peek over the horizon and he gave the hand in his a small squeeze.

'Are you hungry, Harry?' Albus asked softly. Harry shook his head.

'I'm tired.' He said nervously.

Dumbledore smiled. 'We should get you into bed then, shouldn't we?' Harry eyes widened and he clasped Dumbledore's wand tightly in his hand. 'I have to get up now, Harry. Do you want to stand up first?'

Harry looked torn and seemed unable to decide so Albus tried to loosen his hand but Harry wouldn't let him, clasping onto it for dear life. Albus knew that Harry had anchored himself to him because he had finally been honest with the boy and Harry needed that more than anything at the moment. He just wished he had done it years ago.

'Please don't leave.' Harry begged softly.

Albus shook his head. 'I promised I wouldn't, didn't I? Now, how about we stand together, nice and slowly?' Harry who seemed more fearful that Albus would let go, nodded quickly and Albus, being extremely careful not to get any closer to the boy, stood slowly matching Harry's tense movement.

'There now, that wasn't so bad.' Still moving slowly he edged towards the door and opened it. 'Poppy, can you please take Miss Granger and Mr Weasley into your office and wait for me there.' He called out.

'Albus, what is going on?' Poppy's voice called back from across the wing.

'Just go please, Poppy.' He called again, careful to keep his voice light. He could feel Harry's hand trembling in his own and gave it a gentle tug as he heard three sets of footsteps disappear into the office.

'Come on Harry. Let's get you tucked into bed.' He said soothingly, crossing the room quietly as Harry trailed nervously behind. The young man climbed into bed, never relinquishing his hold on the older wizard's hand.

'Harry, don't you want to go to sleep?' Dumbledore asked. Harry looked fearfully around the room before shaking his head.

'I'm tired.' He admitted in a whisper. 'But I'm scared.'

'There's nothing to be afraid of Harry. I stay with you as long as you need me and I promise I won't let anything happen to you ever again.' Dumbledore promised. Harry again tried to see the sincerity in the headmaster's eyes and was obviously happy with what he saw in the dim light because he reluctantly pulled his hand from inside the bigger one and clasped it over his other which still held Albus' wand in it.

'Thank you.' Harry whispered.

Albus smiled. 'I'll just be in with Madame Pomfrey, but you call out if you need anything, alright?'

Harry nodded and watched the headmaster walk across the room and disappear through the door before he finally let down his guard enough to close his eyes and go to sleep.

Dumbledore chuckled at the shocked expressions from the three faces as he walked into the medi-witch's office.

'What on earth happened?' Poppy finally asked. 'You were in there for more than six hours.'

Albus glanced back through the door, pleased to see that Harry had fallen asleep. 'We talked. He asked me questions and I told him the truth. He cried for a while and I knew he needed comfort so I gave him my wand and he let me hold his hand.'

'For six hours?'

Albus snorted. 'No, it was only about five. The talking took about an hour first.'

Poppy's eyes narrowed. 'And what was all that about staying as long as he needs you?'

Dumbledore glanced at the two Gryffindors. 'Mr Weasley, Miss Granger, why don't you two go and sit with Harry again; but no touching.' He said firmly.

Ron and Hermione nodded and darted quickly from the room.

'Poppy.' Albus said, turning back to the medi-witch. 'I have made a promise to Harry and I plan on keeping it.'

'But Albus, the boy needs round the clock care. You are the headmaster of this school and you have students returning tomorrow. How are you going to fit it in? The school should come first.'

'Not any more Poppy, I failed Harry in the worst possible way. I cared more about a prophecy then I did about the boy and I allowed him to be hurt almost every year by telling myself it would make him stronger.'

'But the students. Albus, I must protest. You can't show such blatant favouritism to one student, even if he is Harry Potter.'

'Harry comes first.' Dumbledore said adamantly.

'The board won't like it when they find out.' Poppy warned.

Dumbledore glanced out into the wing. He could see Ron and Hermione pretending they weren't listening to the rather loud conversation and he thought he could see a slit of green also peering in their direction. 'Then let them find out sooner rather than later.' He said firmly. 'I, Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore, so solemnly swear to protect and nurture one Harry James Potter from this moment on. I swear to honour the memory of his mother and I too would lay my life down for his. I further swear to hold him as the pivotal point in my life. This I swear on my magic as a wizard.' Albus finished, a soft white glow encompassing him before fading.

'Albus, what have you done?' Poppy breathed.

Dumbledore smiled. 'Something I should have done many years ago.' He said firmly. 'Now if you will excuse me, I have some arrangements to make.' Poppy just stared at him in disbelief as he walked out of the office and crossed to Harry's bed, Ron sitting open mouthed on the one next to it and Hermione on a chair nearby, her expression puzzled.

'Harry? Harry my boy, wake up.' Dumbledore said gently. Green eyes opened and Albus could see the hope shining brightly in them. He knew Harry had heard every word as he hadn't flinched away on waking like he normally did. 'I have to go and see to a few things. Ron and Hermione will stay with you and Poppy will be in her office, alright?'

Harry nodded, glancing over at his two friends. 'Yes.' He whispered. Dumbledore smiled and nodded before winking at the two Gryffindors and walking swiftly from the room.

'Bloody hell.' Ron breathed as the door closed.

'What was that?' Hermione asked and Ron gaped at her.

'Hermione Granger doesn't know something?' he asked incredulously.

'Shut up, you prat.' Hermione snapped, punching him lightly on the shoulder. Harry snickered startling the others before clapping both hands over his mouth, wand and all, his eyes darting wildly around the room.

'Harry, it's okay to laugh; it was funny.' Hermione said quickly. Harry shook his head, his eyes glazing over.

'No, no laughing. Not allowed. Hurts, please don't. No.' Harry whispered, a grimace of pain on his face. 'Please no. I won't do it again. I promise. Please no, it hurts!' Harry screamed loudly and curled up in his ball again, shielding his head with his hands.

'Get Madam Pomfrey.' Ron hissed and Hermione practically leapt off the chair and darted across the room to the office.

'Harry.' Ron said softly. 'It's alright, you're safe here with us.'

'Please no. Don't. Ah!' Harry screamed again and it was at that point that Dumbledore swept back into the wing and straight over to Harry's bed just as Poppy and Hermione joined him.

'Harry.' Albus said softly. 'Harry listen to me, No one is touching you. Make the hands go away. You're in the hospital wing. You're safe. No one is going to hurt you here. Picture the hands disappearing in your mind. You can do it, Harry. Listen to my voice. No one is touching you.'

Harry's pleading voice quieted and his harsh breathing was the only sound to be heard.

'That's it. You're safe here. They're all gone.' Dumbledore said gently.

Harry's trembling hand snaked out from under the covers to grab the headmaster's which had been laying gently on the edge of the bed. It seemed to the others as if he was using it like an anchor to keep himself in the present and to stop himself falling back into the memories of the past. 'Gone?' Harry whispered hoarsely.

'Yes, dear boy. There all gone. I promise.' Dumbledore said soothingly. 'Now, would you take a Dreamless Sleep for me, Harry?' he asked hesitantly. Harry's eyes widened impossibly and he literally froze as if petrified. They had found out several days ago that Harry was loathe to willingly get near a potion. Snape had said the Death Eaters had probably used them on the boy and no one had needed the potions master to explain how they were used. Albus signaled to Poppy who handed him a blue vial.

'How about I take a sip first?' he suggested.

Harry's frozen expression melted slightly and he gave a stiff nod. Albus smiled and took a small sip, almost instantly feeling a fuzziness around the edges of his senses. He held the vial out towards Harry who took it with shaking hands. He sniffed it suspiciously glancing up at the encouraging faces before downing it quickly. They could see him tense as he waited for the usual burning pain that accompanied any other potion he had been made to swallow over the last four months but it never came, instead he felt his eyes droop and his mind start to slow. Just before he dropped off he held out his other hand, the one with the headmaster's wand in it, towards the elderly wizard.

Dumbledore shook his head. 'You keep it dear boy.' he said softly and Harry's eyes finally closed.

Ten minutes later, once Dumbledore was sure Harry was asleep, he finally left and Poppy disappeared back into her office.

'That must have been some talk they had.' Ron murmured.

Hermione shrugged. 'Often after extreme trauma a victim will try and attach themselves to someone they think will protect them. It might not be someone they even know. It can just be someone they sense will not hurt them and is strong enough to stop others from doing so as well.'

'Well Dumbledore will certainly do that now.' Ron breathed.

'What was that anyway? That white glow. And no stupid comments this time.' Hermione said huffily.

Ron stared at his dark haired friend lying in the bed. 'That was a formal Wizard's Oath, Hermione.' He said quietly. 'Magically, by the laws of the wizarding world, the Headmaster has practically adopted Harry. It's never done lightly and it can only be successful if the right intent is there. The meaning behind the words spoken must be the truth otherwise the Oath won't stand.' He finished, sounding a lot like the person he was talking to.

Hermione eyes widened and her jaw dropped. Her mouth opened and closed several times before she gave up and fell silent. It was an eerie quiet that hung in the air as the sun rose and the two Gryffindors watched over their friend.