Disclaimer - I don't own Harry Potter... yadda, yadda, yadda...
A/N - Not too much of a delayI hope. I actually only finished writing this chapter today, soI hope it is fine! Be warned though, the delays in my writing are nothing compared to what they will be when school year starts, especially as I'm entering yr 11, and am told I will have a mountain of homework to endure... nightmare...
Chapter Four
Illness
Potions, unsurprisingly, was the worst lesson to have with the changed Harry. But, surprising enough, Harry was not perturbed by any of the insults thrown at him.
"Quiet," Snape snapped the moment he swept through the door, his black robes billowing behind him, and the little chatter there was stopped completely.
Harry was sitting on the seat between Ron and Hermione, his cauldron before him, because there had not been any playpen to put him in.
"Mr Potter will contribute to this lesson," said Snape with a sneer, making Ron and Hermione exchange alarmed looks over Harry's head. "As instructed I have provided a number of liquid, non-harmful ingredients which are beside his cauldron. The rest of you are now to make the antidote to the ageing potion. Begin."
Harry smiled and picked up one of the vials beside his cauldron, which contained a blue liquid. Hermione and Ron exchanged one last look before taking turns to get what they needed. When Hermione returned Harry was smiling at a bubbling brown liquid, even though there was no fire, which had a horrendous smell.
"We just need to keep an eye on him," Hermione murmured and Ron nodded.
Harry didn't seem to need to have an eye kept on him, however. In fact he looked like he knew exactly what he was doing, stirring the contents of the cauldron happily, ignoring everyone else, including Snape and Malfoy, and pouring the liquids in.
By the time there was fifteen minutes to the end of the lesson Harry had poured the last liquid in the cauldron and was stirring it with small yawns.
Suddenly the liquid went clear and Harry smiled.
"Very good Harry," Hermione praised wearily, collecting the vials and taking them back to the front desk.
"Harry, stop!"
Hermione whipped around at Ron's cry and everyone else froze, wondering what had now befallen the unfortunate boy.
Harry had picked up a knife, but it slipped through his fingers, cutting his hand. Harry put a hand over it, but he didn't cry. Instead he sidled closer to his cauldron and, before anyone could stop him, plunged his hand into the liquid.
They all waited with bated breath, even Snape, wondering what would happen now. But when Harry pulled his hand out of the cauldron his hand was completely injury-free and the liquid was still the same.
Snape sidled closed and peered at the cauldron. When he looked up he looked surprised.
"This is a mild healing potion Potter," he snapped. "It was made a few months before your parents died! How did you make it?"
Harry only laughed at him.
Seeing that Snape did not take well to being laughed at Hermione snatched up Harry and they hurried out of the class as the bell went, Ron behind them.
"That was brilliant Harry!" laughed Ron as they went up to the common room.
It seemed Harry was not thinking of the lesson though.
"Black?" he asked Hermione, using his new pet's name.
"Yes, we're going to see Black," Hermione agreed, automatically heading up to the boy's dormitories where the puppy was waiting.
"I think that Black has stolen Harry's heart," said Ron in amusement.
"Same as Harry took ours?" inquired Hermione, making Ron smiled sheepishly.
It was true. Harry had stolen the hearts of every student not a Slytherin and every teacher that wasn't Snape, and it was only his first full week of being a toddler. Harry and his puppy had become quite a familiar sight around Hogwarts now.
That didn't mean that being babysitters of an innocent child, who was sweet in every way was easy. Sometimes it seemed Harry just got tired of being overly good and did something to lighten the mood.
The last trick had been hiding all of Ron's books in Dean's drawer. How Harry achieved that without anyone noticing he was missing for awhile halfway through the day they had yet to figure out.
"Black! Black!" Harry called happily as they entered the dormitory.
The puppy yipped excitedly and raced over to them. Obviously he had been bored during his stay in the dormitory.
Hermione set Harry down on the ground and, to their surprise, Harry crawled over to the puppy. Ron and Hermione stared for a moment, surprised at seeing this. Harry always preferred to walk and this was the first time they had seen him down on his hands and knees.
They watched as Harry and Black mucked around, but when the bell went Hermione had to pull the reluctant Harry out of the dormitory, leaving a forlorn puppy.
"See him at dinner?" Harry asked, reminding Ron that they did not attend lunch.
"After dinner," Hermione corrected. "You must be hungry after missing lunch."
"Nah," said Harry. "See Black."
Hermione laughed as they went down to Charms. Luckily they weren't too late and Professor Flitwick merely smiled at them and told them to sit. Flitwick had been one of the professors very taken with Harry. He liked to watch the young boy to see if he displayed any signs of magic not unlike in transfiguration. Harry had yet to do so.
"Today will just be a fun lesson," said Flitwick excitedly. "I have set up a number of targets around the room and I would like to see you all shoot a steady stream of bubbles at them. The more bubbles in a row that hits the bullseye the more points you get. The person with the most points at the end of the lesson will receive house points."
Hermione and Ron laughed along with everyone else at Flitwick's enthusiasm for this exercise. Harry laughed too, but it was quite obvious that he didn't know what was so funny; he was laughing just because everyone else was.
Looking around the room Hermione noticed for the first time the seemingly muggle targets set up around the walls of the room. It was strange seeing them there, but as no one else seemed perturbed she shrugged the feeling off and got to her feet with the rest of the class.
Harry was delighted by all the bubbles, but stayed strangely silent, only smiling with the occasional burst of laughter. He seemed more intent on watching them. It took Hermione awhile to realise what he was doing.
He was trying to find out how to shoot the bubbles.
Hermione just grinned, shook her head, and returned to the targets.
By the end of class she was just as flabbergasted as everyone else, except perhaps Professor Flitwick, who was exclaiming happily.
Harry had not only figured out how to make bubbles and shoot them – without the use of a wand – but had also beaten everyone in the class hands down with extraordinary aim. In other words he hit the middle of the target every time.
"Unreal," Ron said in shock as they watched Flitwick give the innocent child a suspiciously muggle looking lollipop. "How did he…?"
Ron shook his head with a small smile.
"Probably better not to ask," he murmured.
The bell rang loudly for the end of class and Ron grinned.
"Defense Against the Dark Arts!" he said, the frowned at Harry. "Are you okay Harry?"
Harry nodded his head in true Harry Potter fashion, even though they could see Harry was not well at all. The class gathered around them as Hermione pressed a hand to Harry's forehead.
"You're warm Harry," she said with a small frown. "You aren't feeling well?"
"Yeah!" Harry said earnestly. "Feel well!"
"I think we should get you checked just in case," Hermione said, nodding.
"NO!" Harry said, his eyes widening. "Feel well 'Mione!"
"Obviously not well if he's on the verge of a tantrum," Ron muttered, earning a glare from Harry and Hermione.
"We're going to go to the hospital wing Harry," Hermione decided.
"No, no, no!" Harry said, shaking his head so violently Ron was surprised Harry didn't get somewhat dizzy.
Hermione resisted the urge to blink and stare in shock and tightened her grip on Harry.
"You are sick Harry," she said firmly. "You must go see Madam Pomfrey."
"Not sick!" Harry said, looking up at her pleadingly.
Hermione and Ron almost gave in then, and if it hadn't been for Lavender they would have done.
Lavender plucked the frantic boy out of Hermione's arms, letting her blink in surprise. She firmly sat Harry on her hip and looked down at him sternly, not being taken in by his large green eyes for once.
"Harry Potter," she said sternly. "You can't do anything if you are sick, did you know that?"
Harry soundlessly shook his head.
"You can play," Lavender continued, and Harry's eyes widened. "You have to be carried everywhere, and you have to spend all day in bed. Do you want that?"
Harry shook his head again.
"So, will you go up to the hospital wing?" Lavender asked gently.
Harry nodded his head and Lavender smiled down at him, making his relax considerable.
"You go with Hermione and Ron," she said, handing him back to Hermione, who was staring with an open mouth. "And see Madam Pomfrey. And make sure to tell her how long you've been feeling sick!"
"Yes Lav'der," Harry murmured, staring at his feet.
Lavender winked at Hermione and Ron and ushered the rest of the class out of the door.
"That was something I never expected to see in my life," Ron said when they were alone.
Hermione nodded and walked out of the classroom, heading to the hospital wing.
"He was developing the flu," Hermione told the Gryffindors at dinner as an extremely grumpy Harry Potter refused to take the food Ron was pleading with him to eat. "A really nasty bout too. Madam Pomfrey gave him some medicine, but it won't come into effect until tomorrow morning."
"Why?" asked Parvati.
"Apparently Harry hasn't been feeling well for the past three days," said Hermione with a scowl. "And he hid it well too."
"Hermione," said Ron in a strained voice. "A little help please?"
Hermione looked first at Harry's plate – the food on the plate was half-gone – then at Harry – who was stubbornly turning his head away from the food – and lastly to Ron – who was covered in half of Harry's dinner, clutching a small fork. She couldn't help it… she giggled.
"Glad to see you find it funny," Ron growled. "But can you tell me how Harry is supposed to eat his dinner when I am wearing it?"
Hermione swallowed the rest of her giggles and sat up straighter.
"Harry is now recovering from the flu Ron," she said sternly. "So he may not feel hungry. And if he doesn't eat anything then he will just have to go straight to bed after dinner because he is obviously very sick."
Harry's eyes widened impossibly and he moved forwards, eating the mashed potato on the end of the fork. Hermione grinned and turned back to her own dinner.
Harry ate only a quater of his dinner and no dessert, even though it was put in front of him. Everything that he didn't eat ended up on Ron when he tried to get him to eat more of it. Not even the threat of bedtime got Harry to eat more.
"Not hungry," Harry said.
Finally, as the hall was nearly empty, Hermione picked Harry up and followed Ron back to Gryffindor Tower. Once there Ron stalked upstairs to have a shower without a word, ignoring his grinning sister. Ginny came over and smiled brightly at Harry and Hermione.
"Hi Hermione!" she said cheerfully. "Hi Harry!"
"Gin-Gin!" Harry squealed happily, looking more alive then he had the past few days, making Hermione wonder how she had missed the illness.
"I'm not going to get out of that nickname, am I?" Ginny asked ruefully with a small smile. "And Ron will tease me about it for the rest of my days!"
"I think it's cute," Hermione grinning, sitting Harry comfortably on her lap. "It will be funny to see if Harry calls you that when we've found the cure.
Ginny laughed, and Harry did too, finding her laughter contagious.
"I'd love to see that," she said, grinning mischievously. "I can see it now. Harry will accidentally call me 'Gin-Gin' and then get horribly flustered, wondering where that came from and apologising all the way."
Hermione smiled brightly as Harry leaned back more against her, yawning slightly.
"I think someone is tired," she said with a smile down at Harry.
"Not sleepy," Harry murmured, forcing his eyes open and looking up at her.
"You can stay up a little while longer," Hermione gave in, knowing Harry would be a sleep in a minute or two anyway.
The two girls fell silent for a moment, watching as Harry fought sleep. Ginny broke it with a thoughtful expression on her face.
"It's strange, seeing him like this," she said. "The youngest any of us have ever seen him was when he was eleven, and now suddenly he's two years old!"
"I know," said Hermione. "Even stranger is that he is depending on us for everything now when he was so independent before, never needing help." Hermione thought for a moment then smiled wryly. "Well, almost everything now anyway."
Ginny laughed and looked down at Harry.
"He's asleep," she said quietly.
"I'll tell you something told me," Hermione said quietly, motioning for Ginny to move in. "She told me not to tell Ron, because he wouldn't take it too well. Madam Pomfrey thinks that because Harry is in an environment where he can test the boundaries without the fear of getting locked up like at the Dursleys he will be entering his two-year-old stage."
"The Terrible Twos," whispered Ginny, her eyes widening in comprehension and horror. "Oh no."
"It's not that bad," said Hermione with a frown.
"It is," said Ginny. "If you thought the Terrible Twos were bad for muggle children… well, they're even worse for magical children."
Hermione blanched at the thought, remembering quite clearly looking after one of her cousins when the child was in the midst of the Terrible Twos. Then she thought about what Harry was starting to be like now and what he was like as a teenage. She groaned and put her head in her hands.
"We're not going to survive," she moaned.
A/N - I don't really have much else constructive to say so... reviews!
Heather - You have hit the nail on the head and I wish you could hear my applause! It is one of the main focus points of my story and will become more and more important asI continue to write.
lildevil425 - Again, on the Snape issue, I don't have much time for him right now, but it will come. The girls... well, as a hint, I have a scene all planned out. I'm going to give them credit for subtelty though. Finally, that is one of my alternate endings. I have to figure out which one to use. Either that, or I'll go down a completely different track!
Thanks also to;
imgonnadie, Black's Phoenix, FairyQilan, DracoisHot906 and fudgebaby.
Small note... I just recently released that I had to click a button to allow anonymous reviewers. Sorry to those who wanted to review anonymously before.