Harry briefly woke up a few times, but for no longer than five minuets before he promptly passed out once more. Each time he awoke the first thing he saw was the Headmaster sitting next to him. Sometimes other people were in the room talking about some matter or another, and other times he would just be sitting there watching Harry.
There was a look of deep concern on his face for the first couple moments before he noticed Harrys awakening, this his face would soften and he would softly smile at Harry. Always he tried to make some sort of small talk with harry, but no matter what the Headmaster said Harry didn't' reply. Whether harry actually wanted to answer or not, he just couldn't force himself to form the words. It was like there was a dense fog inside of his head. And just before he passed out again the fog would thicken and over come Harrys senses.
Finally Harry awoke once again, but as he turned to look at the Headmaster, he noticed that he wasn't there. The chair previously occupied was empty and cold. Obviously he had other things to do than sit next to Harry, but it made him feel saddened that the headmaster would just leave like that. There wasn't any fog in his head this time, which Harry took as a good sign. Slowly he pushed himself up and looked around the room. Everything was blurry and for a couple moments harry was disoriented. In a moment of embarrassment Harry reached over to the side of his makeshift bed and put on his glasses. Quickly everything came into focus and the empty room came into view. It was completely silent, Harry couldn't even hear any noise coming from outside of the closed room.
Harry laid back down and closed his eyes briefly, sleeping would be much better at the moment and maybe next time the Headmaster would be there to give him some direction. But why did Harry want direction from the Headmaster? Wasn't it his goal to separate himself from the others, taking direction from him would directly go against his self imposed rules. He hoped the Headmaster wasn't there when he awoke again. Harry took off his glasses and set them next to his pillow. He waited several minuets before sighing heavily. Sleep, it seemed, was finished with him for now.
Roughly he put his glasses back on and sat up. Still the Headmaster hadn't come back, but Harry, feeling petulant, told himself he was glad. Turning on the bed so his feet were on the ground Harry slowly chanced standing up. For a few wobbly moments harry stood there with his arms out to the side of him to gain balance. After a couple deep breaths he straightened up and let his arms down. The door was only a couple yards away, but after taking two very small shaky steps it, he knew it would be a long journey back to his room.
Gripping on the things about him as he went Harry finally reached the door. Holding onto the handle firmly he opened it. Almost losing balance Harry grabbed onto the door frame. Why was his body so drained? The last thing Harry remembered was fighting with Remus then having the Headmaster sit down next to him. He started to get a headache trying to figure it out and decided to think upon it later. The front foyer was just as empty as the room was, but it was lit up by candles surrounding the corners of the room in clusters, and still no sounds were heard. Leaning heavily on the wall Harry shut the door and slowly started walking towards the front door.
He was concentrating so hard on his movements that when he gripped the painting on the wall he didn't realize anyone was in it. And to his immense surprise fell down when it spoke to him.
"Hello young man." The obviously female voice said to him.
Harry, who was now crumpled on the floor, looked up at the painting. It was an old fashion picture of a middle aged woman. She stood proudly holding a large staff in one hand and her wand in the other. "Hello." Harry replied softly. His voice was scratching and now imposing upon him his need of water.
"Not fairing so well I see, are you ill?" The woman asked looking down at him.
"Um... no, I don't believe so. Just... feeling weak." Harry frowned at the woman. "Who are you?"
The woman lead back and her eye brows rose in surprise, "Who are you I should ask! But seeing as that you are in such a position, I will tell you." She smiled and winked. "Really I shouldn't be even talking to you. The portraits have taken a vow of silence." Harry frowned deeper. "But, I've always been a free sprit. I am Magdelena Clarice Potter." She puffed out her chest a moment then laughed at herself. "And now, pray tell, who might you be?"
Harry was dumbfounded, the portraits have taken a vow of silence, and Harry just now realized that all the people that were hanging on the walls, were related to him. Cautiously and shakily Harry got to his feet. He stood in front of Magdelena Clarice Potter and just looked at her for a moment. Her hair was pulled back from her face, in a similar fashion to McGonagalls, and it was almost completely gray except for a few streaks of black. She had brown eyes and a petit frame. There were laugh lines in her face and a joyful smile on her lips. But it was a smile that Harry couldn't return. "My name is Harry Potter."
Harry watched as the smile faded from her lips and she stepped closer to the frame, "that is not something to go about saying, jokes about that are not taken lightly here." Her voice was stern now and she gripped her staff harder.
"Its not a joke." Harry, not wanting to upset the woman further started to continue his journey to the front doors. He was stopped however after a few shaky steps had been taken.
"Are you really Harry Potter?" Magdelena asked.
"Yes." Harry replied then took another step.
Magdelena laughed and then her joyful mood came back, well hopefully you'll regain your strength and come back for another chat! However I must inform the others that 'officially' we may speak again!" Harry turned his head to ask why they couldn't speak in the first place but she had dashed off already.
As Harry moved along his legs seemed to gain a little more of their strength and he reached the front doors. Pushing it open it revealed a very calm yard. It was almost completely dark outside but Harry could make out a small group of people huddled just between the main house and the house across from the one he was staying in. As quickly as he could harry shut the front door so the light didn't catch their attention. However Harry could not tell if it did or not, so slowly as and quietly as he could he made his way across the deck.
Harry gripped the rickety banister and took the steps on as a time. Even though they were worn from the weather and drooping in the middle, they didn't make a sound as he crossed over them. The huddled group hadn't moved from their spot and Harry decided that they hadn't seen him. Taking deep breaths Harry ventured out away from the steeps and the house. Now he had nothing to lean upon and his legs were starting to shake. Pausing, then looking quickly to the
group Harry slowly sank to his knees.
He felt immensely ridiculous doing this, but he had no other way of getting to his house. Crawling on all fours deemed to be a difficult task at the moment, but it was much faster than his unstable walking had been. Just to the edge of the circular gravel path was a lining of dead grass. Harry kept to the grass because the gravel might make too much noise and catch the attention of the others, however the grass was brittle under his hands and knees and still made slight noises now and then.
At his agonizingly slow pace it was wonder that Harry ever made it to the next house. However he did, and the group had remained in their spot the entire time. Sweat had started to form on Harrys brow and his back. His hands had small cuts on them from particularly hard spots and his knees were aching. Harry speculated at why he was so weak, and he tried to remember that blank gap, but it was all to no avail.
Harry leaned against the steps as he worked up the strength to stand up again. Breathing heavily now Harry used his arms to heave himself up. After each step Harry took he had to wait a couple moments before trying the other. Thinking of only getting to his room pushed on and headed for the door. He took short quick steps to get there and practically broke the hinges off the door when he slammed into it. There was a light coming out from under the door and Harry finally heard voices. He was quiet a moment listening to them before he chanced opening the door.
Light spilled out onto the deck and Harry entered the building; he shut the door behind him wiped his brow. The voices were louder now and Harry looked in their direction. He saw the backs of about a dozen or more people bending over something and talking very quickly. Obviously, Harry decided, that he hadn't hit the door that hard and he must have opened it pretty quietly if they hadn't noticed his entrance. Not bothering to announce his arrival Harry looked up to his bed room door. He could see it just above the balcony railing, and his eyes followed the railing all the way down the many, many stairs to just in front of him.
Bloody hell, why did their have to be so many stairs? Someone was trying to punish him for something, Harry knew it. There was no need for this many stairs! Harry sighed and settled in for the long haul before him. Getting to the stairwell proved easy compared to the first couple steps. His concentration was completely on his task at hand, in fact Harry had almost filtered out the constant talking of the people to the left of him. Until suddenly someone slammed their hand down the table and breaking harry of his concentration. For the second time in the past half hour Harry lost his balance and started to fall. He teetered on the edge of the step for a moment, his arms swinging at his sides trying to right himself, but it didn't help. After all of Harrys work he fell down the steps and with a loud crash hit the floor. A winded 'oof' escaped his lips.
Harry groaned and closed his eyes, he had only gone up about five steps so the fall wasn't that long, but now he was completely drained and had nothing left to pick himself back up. Because of the loud thud he made when he hit the ground, the group had instantly seized their debating and turned towards the noise. It took them a moment to register that Harry was laying sprawled on the floor covered in sweat, when he was supposed to be asleep in the main building.
"Harry!" Finally someone exclaimed and the rest went into action. Dumbledore, who it seemed was apart of the group, came quickly to his side.
"You should be asleep, what are you doing here?" Gently he wiped Harrys forehead and laid a cool hand upon his cheek. "You're burning up!"
"I just...... wanted..... to get to..... my room." Harry said out of breath. "But I'm so weak... barely could.... make it here..... got startled on the stairs..... fell down....."
McGonagall helped Dumbledore get Harry to a sitting position then transfigured a cool rag and pressed it to his forehead. "Lets get him upstairs, have the house elves gathered his stuff?"
Dumbledore nodded in return, and counted off for them to bring Harry to a standing position. Immediately Harrys knees buckled and they staggered under the weight. Charlie Weasley took McGonagalls position and another unknown person took Dumbledores.
Harry raised his head as much as he could and sought out Dumbledores eyes, "why am I like this?"
"In a moment Harry, first we want you upstairs." Harry nodded and let the two men lead him their. McGonagall hurried ahead and had his door open and waiting for him. Inside his room had been furnished with a bed and a dresser. There was a small desk in the corner next to his trunk and backpack that he had made for his first attempted run away.
They set him on the bed and put him into a laying position. A third person, again unrecognizable, lifted him up and put the covers over him. Harry felt awkward for them having to do this, but they didn't look mockingly at him or sneer, but they smiled weakly and then left the room. Dumbledore and McGonagall remained with him, sitting on either side. Harry lay limply on the bed, propped up by pillows, but completely aware of his surroundings.
"You've been through a very draining process Harry, that's why you are so weak." Dumbledore said, "you've been given several different potions and actually should still be asleep."
"I woke up," Harry said, with a little more breath, "and I couldn't go back to sleep. Nobody was around so I came here, but... it was like my legs had no bones or something."
"That's just an effect of the potions, you've awoken prematurely and they are still working on your body." McGonagall added.
"But I remember waking up several different times before, if only for a short while."
Dumbledore smiled, "you were going in and out of consciousness, finally Poppy gave you a sleeping draught."
"But....." Harry paused, wondering if he should tell the Headmaster that he couldn't remember anything before that. He could try and get it back on his own, but it was really quite annoying not being able to remember what he should. So he decided just this once he would ask the Headmaster. "I can't remember what happened before that. All I remember is fighting with Remus, then you putting me in that bed. Everything else is... gone...like it was erased."
The Headmasters face fell a little but he quickly covered it up, his voice was grave, "you had another vision of sorts. However Voldemort somehow pushed it back on you and you crept into other peoples minds. If you don't remember this Harry, I might say it was for the better."
But Harry didn't hear that last part, as soon as he said the name 'Voldemort' it all came rushing back to him in such a force that he gasped and almost was sick. He remembered the strange Voldemort vision, and running from the werewolf. Dumbledore looking down at him with his wand on his forehead, Mrs. Weasley crying. He remembered everything.
Looking at Dumbledore with a strange expression on his face Harry wrapped his arms around himself. Dumbledore shared a look with McGonagall and a sadness over came his face that Harry had never seen on him before. "It seems you do remember now."
Harry looked away from him and only nodded. McGonagall placed a comforting hand on his leg, but harry cringed, all of those bad memories, about all those good people. With the exception of Voldemort, he would have never expected to witness such horrible memories. Harry closed his eyes tightly and hugged himself tighter. "I don't want to talk about them, if that's what you're going to ask." Harry said lowly.
"No Harry." Dumbledore whispered to him, "we wont ask unless you want to speak about them. They are all tender subjects that you've witnessed, and I'm terribly sorry that you even had to see apart of them."
Harry continued to look down, after a couple tense moments of silence, where McGonagall didn't move her hand from Harrys leg and he could feel both of their eyes upon himself, the door to his room finally opened. And in came a livid Poppy Pomfrey. In retrospect Harry believed that she was probably more scary than Voldemort himself. Even McGonagall looked slightly startled by her sudden entrance and emotion.
"Mr. Potter! Just what did you think you were doing in a state such as yours?!" She looked between the two professors. "Out, the both of you, I do not need interruptions while I'm fixing this."
The Headmaster looked taken aback at the nurse, "Poppy, I do not believe he needs much more fixing, just a bit weak from the walk."
"Just a bit weak!" Poppy exclaimed coming over to Harry and roughly pulling out potions bottles. "By exerting himself he has just set us back! That induced sleep was supposed to be for three hours, its only been one and a half! He is under nourished from being captured! Physically and mentally strained and now he has to take more potions to fix what should have been taken after the sleep." Poppy took a shaky breath, "Out of this room immediately before you cause him anymore stress!"
McGonagall and Dumbledore both looked perplexed at being ordered around by the nurse until she turned around and glared at them with her hands on her hips. "If Mr. Potter wants to be in top condition by morning this will have to be taken care of now, you two," she said pointing between the two professors, "will only be a hindrance."
Dumbledore smiled at Poppy then slowly stood from the bed, he smiled at Harry then headed for the door. McGonagall followed his lead and gave harry a sympathetic look before going through the door Dumbledore held open for her. The frazzled witch stopped her unpacking suddenly and turned to the headmaster. "Albus. Severus has just returned and is in the next room, he is unscathed but wishes to speak with you."
Dumbledore nodded, "Thank you for informing me."
By the time the Headmaster had replied Poppy had already turned back around and just waved off his reply. Finally she turned her mad eyes to Harry. "You Mr. Potter have a lot of potions to take. I hope your thirsty."
Ironically he was.
He had been so stuffed full of potions the last night that he felt he could survive without another drink for the rest of his life. Madame Pomfrey had ranted and rebuked Harry practically the whole time she was in there. But just before she was finished and thoroughly satisfied with Harrys health she placed a hand on his shoulder and told him that she was glad he was still alright.
Harry decided that Madame Pomfrey might have a multiple personality disorder and should have that looked at. However, today he was feeling as fit as ever and completely regained his strength.
Dumbledore came early that morning to collect him, as promised, and they performed the charm to protect the Order. Then, almost immediately after it was completed, everyone quickly hurried off to perform some task or another. Ron and Hermione had tried to talk to him after the process, but Poppy pulled him away saying that he was still under her care and shouldn't have even performed the spell today.
So now Harry sat at his desk staring into space. He had been mulling over each of his visions, except for the last one, and decided that they had to come because Harry had gotten over emotional not Voldemort. This answer seemed logical to Harry, the first time it happened was when he had just been taken back to Grimmuald place. That was very emotional for Harry considering, one he didn't want to even be with those people, and two that was the house that Sirius had lived in, and it was defiantly the last place he wanted to be.
His second vision was right after Hans had... whipped him, and he had been stuck full of burning poison by the Minister. That would obviously be very emotional for anyone in that situation. And the last time was when he had been fighting with Professor Snape. He had gotten so angry with the man, and now to think that he had even seen that vison along with Harry. That's when his visions changed though. Everything had more detail to them, and at the end.... somebody had shouted a curse at him, us, Voldemort. Shouted a curse at Voldemort.
If indeed this was why Harry kept getting visions he made it another rule not to get over emotional about anything. For a fact he knew that Voldemort could get into his mind when he got extremely over emotional, and that was an obvious circumstance that he didn't want to happen again. Harry knew it would be a very difficult task to stay neutral with this group of people. Everyone was high stung because of their circumstances, and people could get especially angry reactions from him with little effort. Harry had a lot of touchy subjects that would trigger his emotions to overdrive, and it seemed that they always hit the spot.
A 'pop' was heard in his room and harry quickly spun around. A small fragile looking house elf stood near the foot of his bed, and it bowed low to the ground. "I is sent to tells you Master Harry, that lunch is been served."
Harry looked at the house elf for several moments in silence until it briefly looked up at him then quickly looked back down, still bowing. Harry returned to himself, "oh yes, thanks... um...sorry what's your name?"
"Tilly, Master Harry."
"You can stand up you know Tilly, you needn't bow like that." Instantly the House elf stood up straighter than before.
"Sorrys, Master Harry, I didn't know hows long yous wanted me to be bowing sir. I shall punish myself immediately sir." Tilly squeaked out its reply.
"Oh no! Don't punish yourself. Please don't, I just meant that you don't have to bow to me. Or call me Master Harry. Just relax Tilly, you haven't done anything wrong." Harry was quick to reassure her.
"Oh but I must call you Master Harry, Master Harry, yous the Master of these houses. It would be very bad if I didn't call you Master, yous might give me clothes!" The House elf seemed fearful of the thought of receiving clothes.
"I won't give you clothes Tilly, unless that is what you want but.."
"Oh nos! I never want that, I's a good House elf, I's the Head house elf, I never want clothes ever!"
Harry was surprised by the creature and how it contrasted to Dobby and Winky. He would have to get more used to the fact that he owned these houses, and therefore owned the house elves, actually he had a lot of things to get used to. "Um," Harry started unsure of what to say, "thanks for telling me about lunch, you can... go if you want."
"Thank you Master Harry." And with another 'pop' she left.
Harry couldn't decide if he wanted to get lunch or not, Poppy had given him nourishment potions last night and this morning, but he feared the consequences he might get if he didn't show up for a meal. Poppy really was scary when she wanted to be.
There was a somber silence when Harry entered the kitchen, and his presence only seemed to make it darker. Mrs. Weasley stood at the counter making more sandwiches even though there was another already full plate sitting untouched on the table. She turned towards Harry an attempted smile on her face, but when she saw Harry she let is slip away and silently handed him a new plate and quickly turned back to the counter. Nobody did anything for a couple minuets until Mrs. Weasley sighed heavily and quickly walked out of the room not making eye contact with anyone. Everyone seemed to be looking every except at Harry. Harry opened his mouth to make an excuse for leaving but faltered. Turning on his heel Harry went back to his room to finish his lunch.
Not two steps away from the house when Harry was firmly grabbed by the upper arm and turned around. Ron stood in front of him with a searching look on his face. "Harry what's going on?"
Harry shook his arm out of Rons grasp and stepped away. "I thought Hermione told you."
"What are you thinking mate? You can't just leave us when you want to, if you feel like it, we're here together, stuck together until the end." Ron was being so serious and the hurtful expression on his face was a rare site to Harry that made his stomach hurt.
"Not anymore Ron, we can't be friends anymore." Even his own voice scared Harry, it was so deadly serious and soft.
"Why Harry, what's gotten into you?"
"I've... I've grown out of you Ron, you're too immature and will only get in the way." Harry put a little more heat into his words this time and saw that they stung Ron deeply. "Don't ever talk to me again."
Harry left Rons side before he could be stopped again and fled to his room. Somewhere between the front door and his room Harry had dropped his plate and not bothered to pick it up. Once he shut the door to his room he sank down to the floor leaning heavily against it. However he only got a moments of rest before he was forcibly thrown forward as his door slammed against the wall. Snape glared at Harry as he entered his room and set the floating, now whole, plate onto Harrys desk.
"Get up," Snape barked while kicking the door shut.
Harry got to his feet and sent Snape a withering look, "what do you want?"
With a flick of Snapes wand Harry was stung on the wrist with a hex. Harry rubbed the offending spot while Snape swept around his room, "You will treat me with respect Potter, and as such shall call me Sir or Professor at all times."
"Like hell I will." Harry retorted and was hit with another stinging hex. "I'll treat you with respect when you deserve it."
"Do you not think that being one of your Professors demands respect?" Snape asked glaring.
"Obviously not, and this isn't Hogwarts you're not my professor here."
"Legilimens!" Snape shouted, Harry frantically searched for his wand but the spell was too quick and the room swam before his eyes. Memories instantly came to the surface with hesitation.
The centaurs were surrounding them in the Forbidden Forest, they had their arrows pointed at them... They were in the spinning room and Ginny had just marked the second door... Sirius was laughing at Bellatrix egging her on... Three figures knelt before him all in black cloaks and white masks. A sharp pain went through his knees and Harry looked up at Snape from the floor.
"That wasn't fair, I didn't have my wand!" Harry glared at his sneering Professor.
"You wont be needing your wand anyway Potter, You can't use your magic to defend yourself during the summer." Snape looked down at harry with the utmost loathing, "Get up!"
"How am I supposed to defend myself without my wand?"
"With your brain... however little it is... you should be able to force me back out. Try again. Focus this time, empty yourself of emotion!" Harry stared at Snape and all he could feel was complete hatred towards him. "LEGILIMENS!"
Sirius was gracefully falling through the veil... Harry flung himself out from behind the fountain and bellowed, "CURCIO!" Bellatrix screamed, but soon she was on her feet again... Harry was yelling at the Headmaster for not telling him about the Prophecy... Dumbledore was holding his hand and harry was just regained consciousness... The ministers white face was yelling at him trying to get answers as Hans stuck another needle into his arm..
"STOP IT!" Harry yelled from the floor.
"Get up Potter!" Snape yelled at him, "Get up and try again. Clear your mind, fight back! You're being weak!"
"I don't know how to fight back!" Harry yelled back at Snape, "I can't clear my mind."
"You have to Potter!" Roughly Snape pulled Harry to his feet. "Let go of your emotion, empty your mind completely. You're worse than when we first started!"
Harry sent Snape a filthy look, and kept remember all the times Snape had been mean to him, he couldn't stop his thoughts and was soon bubbling with only thoughts of hate. "LEGILIMENS!"
Harry waited for the impact of the spell but he was practically shaking with all of his emotion coursing through his body. The spell rebounded off of Harry and hit Snape squarely in the chest. Snape was kneeling in front of a man about forty with dark hair, the mans wan was pointed at Snape and a jet of red light was sent towards him... Snape was sitting in front of Dumbledore covered in grime and a haunted expression on his face... A young boy was running down a hallway as an older man chased him yelling... Harry felt something push against this chest and he was on the floor again.
Snape was also on the floor, his face white and body shaking with rage. "Get up!"
But Harry couldn't get up the back of his eyes were start to itch and Harry new that he had let his emotions get the better of him. Placing both hands on the side of his face he tried to calm down.
"Potter get up!"
Harry shook his head and took a deep breath, forcing himself to calm down, but Voldemort had gotten a slight hold on harry and was pushing against him trying to take control. In a raspy voice Harry spoke slowly to Snape, "Voldemort his trying to...." But Harry's voice faltered, and Snape had grabbed his shoulders, and pulled his anger out of him, or that's what it felt like to Harry. Instantly the burning was gone and Snape let him go.
"Obviously you can't handle the stress of this session and we will resume tomorrow, practice tonight Potter!" Snape slammed his door on the way out.
Harry stood where Snape had left him and mentally berated himself, it was a rule, do not get over emotional, Harry could not get over emotional or it would be the death of everyone.
Snape returned the next day at the same time after lunch and they went through the same process. This time however Harry did not snap back at the Professor or let anything he said touch a nerve. His progress didn't improve, every time Snape attempted to break into Harrys mind he was successful and not once did Harry throw him off. Of course this irritated Snape to no end and he was verbally berated until Snape felt it was enough. It went like that for days and Harry was not improving in the least. Even though he was trying to clear his mind at night and during the day, nothing was helping.
Harry hardly ate anymore. Of course he would go to the kitchen to get a meal and the retreat back to his rooms but he usually didn't eat any of the contents of the plate. Poppy came to see him a couple times because she noticed that he was becoming thinner and he skin color was reducing to that of a ghost. She would force him to drink nourishment potions and even watch him eat a full plate of food, but Harry couldn't' bring himself to eat something by himself. Harry was starting to get worried for himself and would force down at least some toast and tea. He knew that if he let himself get too far down that he wouldn't be strong enough to face Voldemort or try and protect himself from an invasion of his mind.
Today was another day where Poppy came to visit him and force him to consume a potion and a full plate of food. Even though Harry told her he ate every day she didn't believe him.
"Mr. Potter, if you continue to make me do this I'm going to have to force you to say in the main building where I can watch you at all times!"
Harry sat passively at his desk and slowly ate the second half of a sandwich.
"Harry," Poppy said in a somewhat softer voice, "you are starting to worry everyone else, truly are you not doing well."
"Do not worry, I'm fine." Harry said still staring only at his plate.
Poppy pursed her lips, "You will from now on eat in the Kitchen every meal until I am satisfied with your progress. Don't give me that look Mr. Potter, this is for your own health, I'll see you at dinner." Poppy huffed out of the room leaving Harry to stare at the spot she was just in.
He couldn't eat with everyone, they would, they would hinder his plans and he couldn't let them get close to him again. Not once in a week and a half did Voldemort send him any visions or try and enter his mind, and that was because his self-imposed rules were working. The only thing he now had to figure out was mastering Occulamency and find a way to kill Voldemort.