A/N: Thank you all for the great comments, suggestions and theories! Keep them coming - they sometimes inspire me to write something totally different than what I had planned ;)
ThePhoenixandtheDragon: Pretty good evaluation of my characters, I have to say :) Although Severus will not kill him because it would hurt Harry very much - that is the only reason keeping him from strangling the mutt...
randomplotbunny: Hahahahaha :D The idea of Sirius as a newt is hilarious ;) But no he will stay alive...maybe he will have to spend the day as snuffles but I guess that would not be a real hardship for him...
tefe203: Oh I'm sure he will... at lest Sirius will be hiding in another part of the manor for some time ;) All the teachers are on holiday right now but I'm sure they will come back in time for Dumbles trial :D
JasminSky: Yeah... I mean one will be rather direct and shout at Sirius and all that but the other will be more slytherin and just tell him things to make Sirius feel really bad... Who will be who? ;)
mizzrazz72: If he manages to read the news at some point before being killed by a papa bear Severus ;)
Dixie.f.9: Yeah that sums it up quite nicely ;) Not good...he will not react good...
Zoysite: Wir haben zwar Ideen für lauter solche kleinen Geschichten, aber die wird es wenn dann eher in einer One shot serie geben. Wir haben schon ein paar zusammen getragen, die einfach nicht in diese storyline hineinpassen, wir uns aber trotzdem überlegt haben um hier die richtigen Reaktionen zu haben. Mal sehen, ob sie es jemals auf Papier schaffen oder immer nur in unseren Köpfen bleiben ;)
Disclaimer: Harry Potter belongs to J.K. Rowling - I just played a bit in her universe.
Thanks to miu-sama95 for prereading, betaing and helping with the storyline ;)
Chapter 39: Difficult Patients
Words: 3340
This was not how he had imagined the morning after their vow renewal would be. While he had not thought that they would spend the whole day in bed he had at least hoped for a lie in. Especially since Harry was old enough to entertain himself and the mutt spelt late anyway.
Despite all his dreams and hopes they had been woken up by a frantic house elf that nearly ordered them to the downstairs library because their son wasn't well. That bit of information had spurred them both into action and mere moments later they sprinted into the library together.
When they burst through the door they found Harry being violently sick into a bucket and the mutt doing his best to sooth the distraught teen.
Severus quickly strode to the couch his son was lying on while he stayed back to assess the situation. One didn't need to be Sherlock Holmes to deduce what had happened and what he deduced made him a very angry Dark Lord.
Both Sirius and Harry were still wearing yesterday's robes but their dishevelled hair indicated that they had slept at least for a bit. Slept in here to be exact. The whole room smelled stale and although the unpleasant odor of vomit was strong there was also the rich smoky smell of firewhiskey.
Not to mention the empty bottles on the coffee table and the floor. It appeared the food for nothing animagus had decided to introduce his son to alcohol. His fourteen year old son! That was not acceptable! Of course Harry would be sick after emptying three… no four whole bottles with his godfather.
Marvolo strode forward and before he could control himself he took the nearest book and hit Sirius on the back of his head with it. This caused Black to flinch violently, partly because he already had a murder headache and partly because he had been so worried about Harry that he had failed to notice the Dark Lord was even there.
"What in Merlin's name gave you the impression it would be a good idea to give a fourteen year old firewhiskey?!" Marvolo demanded.
"At the time it seemed like a fun idea but I lost track of the amount he drank." Sirius admitted in a tiny voice. He felt horrible for what he was putting his cub through and he knew he had messed up big time.
"Maybe you should have thought about the consequences before doing what you did!"
"I'm sorry. I didn't think…- "
"It's clear that you didn't! You could have killed him! Not only could his magic lash out at both of you but do you have any idea what alcohol poisoning can do?"
"Alcohol poisoning?!" Sirius asked shocked. He had never heard of something like this.
"If you drink too much alcohol you get alcohol poisoning. Depending on the amount drunk and your body's physical condition as well as its ability to process it the symptoms can range from headaches and feeling unwell to vomiting and circulatory collapses. In the worst cases your body can't deal with it anymore and your system shuts down completely meaning you die. That usually happens during sleep. There is also the possibility of choking on your own vomit if you sick up while asleep."
With every word Marvolo flung at him Sirius' face grew paler and paler. He had never know that alcohol could do this to a person. And he had given it to his godson! Before he could control himself his still frail emotions overtook him and he started sobbing into his hands after nearly falling down on the couch behind him.
"I had no idea that could happen!" He choked out between sobs.
Although Marvolo was still furious with the man he also knew that his mind had deteriorated massively during his stay in Azkaban and he was not completely in control of his decisions and emotions. They really needed to get him to a mind healer.
He knew that all this knowledge about alcohol had not been public knowledge back then – especially not in the wizarding world. So while he was still angry he also understood that the mutt was not completely at fault (no matter how much he loathed to admit this).
"He'll be alright. At least you were awake enough to call for us." Marvolo refused to be any nicer to Black. He was still a Dark Lord and still had his pride.
"Will he? Really?"
"I'm sure he will. Severus would never let anything happen to Harry if he could help it."
In the meantime Severus had tended to his son. Of course he knew what the mutt had done and he would deal with him later but now his son needed him.
Severus had cast his diagnostics and quickly sent the house elf to get his emergency potions bag (he really needed to build up a stock here). Harry was still vomiting so there was no possibility that he would be able to keep a stomach soother down long enough for it to work. After the elf brought his bag he had it fetch a bowl with warm water and a cloth so he could sooth Harry.
The boy's temperature was slightly elevated and his breathing was also a bit labored. The cool cloth Severus put to his forehead felt wonderful in Harry's miserable mind. Severus knew that while the symptoms were those of a cold they also occurred during the taxing activity that vomiting was. Usually they occurred together with at least a partial circulatory collapse which was his main concern right now.
Harry had finally stooped dry heaving long enough to look up through his bands. Severus could see tears running down his son's cheeks and his heart hurt at the thought of his though son hurting enough to cry.
"I don't feel good, Daddy." He rasped out, shocking the Potions Master with the use of the childish form of Dad. He must be feeling really bad.
"I know, Snitch. I'll do my best to make you better again. Let's get you upright and maybe up to bed."
Severus carefully helped Harry into an upright position before sitting down next to him and pulling him against his side. Harry had closed his eyes once everything started spinning when he got upright. It wasn't the spinning – vomiting but more the spinning – faint sensation. He couldn't decide which one he hated more.
"Everything is spinning, Daddy." He croaked and hid his face as best as he could in his father's shoulder.
"I know. Do you think you can wash out your mouth and maybe swallow a sip or two of water?"
Harry thought about it and after a moment he gave a tiny nod. He pried his eyes open again and was thankful to find the room had stopped spinning for the moment. His Dad handed him a glass of water and placed the – now empty – bucket from before in his lap. Harry used it to spit out the water after rinsing his mouth.
After bracing himself he drank tiny sips of water. The cool liquid felt wonderful in his sore throat but he was acutely aware when it hit his stomach. Harry quickly passed the glass back to his Dad before leaning over the bucket and spitting it plus some all out again.
"That is what I feared." The Potions Master murmured while rubbing circles on his son's back with one hand and pressing another cool cloth to his forehead with the other.
Once it passed Severus decided it would be best to get Harry into his own bed. There was not a lot they could do while he couldn't keep anything down except for waiting it out.
"Do you think you can stand?" He asked. It was another test to find out if Harry was suffering from strength loss due to a circulatory collapse or not.
"I think so."
Severus stood up and Marvolo moved to Harry's other side so they could catch him should he fall. The teen managed to stand on his own for all of five seconds before his legs gave out beneath him and his parents had to catch him. Since Marvolo was the stronger of the two he picked Harry up and started the trek up to the boy's rooms with the other two men following closely behind.
Sirius felt miserable but he knew he deserved it. Not only the hangover but also the guilt that clawed at his heart. He was the only one at fault for Harry's current situation.
Once they reached the boy's room Severus pulled the sheets aside so Marvolo could put Harry down carefully in his bed. Then he pulled out his wand and changed the teen's clothes into pyjamas before tucking him in.
Severus put another glass of water and a stomach soother on the nightstand before conjuring a new bucket which he put next to the bed.
"Try to get some sleep or at least rest a bit. Hopefully you'll be able to take the potion later on." Severus told him and kissed his forehead. "I'll be down in my lab for a bit to start on a potions stock for here. Get a house elf to get me if you need anything."
Harry was able to read between the lines rather easily and knew that his Dad needed some time alone to calm down.
"Mutt! Look after him!" He commanded before marching out of the room.
Harry looked at Marvolo with a question in his eyes causing the Dark Lord to sigh.
"I'll make sure he's alright, Harry. Just don't scare us like that again. If you need anything call me, alright?"
Once only Harry and Sirius were left in the room the older wizard spelled his clothes into pyjamas as well and climbed into bed next to his godson. He gathered the teen in his arms, holding him tightly to assure himself that he was still there.
"I'm so sorry, pup. I never meant for us to drink that much. I'm so sorry."
"It's okay, Sirius. It's not your fault."
"How can it not be? I was the one to bring out the firewhiskey."
"Maybe. But I still decided to drink it for myself."
"Still, I'm really sorry."
"Alright. How are you feeling?" Harry changed the subject.
"Like crap but not as bad as you do. Try to get some sleep, pup. I'll watch over you."
Harry thought about protesting but all the vomiting had exhausted him and he just wanted to close his eyes for a moment. Just for a moment though…
For once it was completely quiet within the Weasley family. This had never happened before but the events of the morning had them all baffled for words.
The whole clan minus Ginny was in a small waiting room while said girl was being examined by the healers of St. Mungo's. Everyone was trying to work out what had happened before talking to the others.
Molly and Arthur were sitting together on one of the couches, his arm wrapped protectively around her while she cried softly into his shoulder. If their children had given it any thought they would have noticed that for the first time in their life their father had taken charge.
He had been the one to stun Ginny and decide that she needed to be seen by healers.
He was the on filling out all the forms once they reached the hospital.
He was their mother's rock when she couldn't be the strong one anymore.
Bill had taken Ron to the emergency department to get his wounds checked over and healed. They had only just returned and quietly taken seats next to their siblings.
Each child was contemplating when their sister's behavior had changed and how none of them had noticed. But they had. She had been different ever since the end of the school term. They had not known what was going on since she refused to talk but all of them had noticed.
The twins were reminded of their outing to Diagon Alley where they had stumbled upon Harry. She had been livelier that day. They had played quidditch together and driven their mother to insanity like old times. Then, once they met Harry she had drawn back into herself completely. All the time while eating their ice creams she hadn't said one word.
Bill was thinking back over every aspect of the conversation he had had with his sister this morning. He tried to find any indication of a third party being involved in Gin's breakdown. The only phrase that always came back to the forefront of his mind was 'He should have been mine'. Although it was a normal phrase for a heartbroken girl it somehow caught his attention.
Ron felt completely guilty for his little sister's breakdown. He had always known of her obsession with Harry Potter but he had always thought it was just a childish crush mixed with hero worship. Ginny had never spent time alone with Harry and even in the presence of others she gotten tongue tied. But it seemed as if his assessment of the situation had been wring.
Charlie and Percy were equally confused by their sister's behavior. They were not living at home anymore and when they had last seen her they had all been excited for the dance and such.
It was a quiet group that waited for news on their youngest. Minutes turned into hours and before they knew it, it was lunch time – at least according to Ron's stomach.
Bill, Charlie and he himself volunteered to get a bite to eat for everyone in the cafeteria. The brought back an assortment of sandwiches and coffee for everyone and the food finally broke their silence. After everyone was finished and just nursing their coffees Molly asked the one question they had all been trying to answer.
"What happened to my little girl?"
"I don't know, love. I don't know and it breaks my heart." Arthur commented quietly.
"I may know." Bill admitted truthfully.
"What do you know?"
"How do you know?"
"Why maybe?"
They all demanded at once so he waited a few moments for them to calm down before telling them about his morning.
"Mum sent me up this morning to fetch her for breakfast and the moment I opened her door I had my hands full with a crying teenage girl. We had a talk about what was going on but I would have never expected her to lose it like this."
"What did you talk about?" Arthur asked interested.
"She told me how Ron stole her love and that she and Harry were meant to be together. Looking back now it was a bit creepy how insistent she was on her and Harry belonging together. I told her we would find a solution later on but that for now she needed to put on her poker face and get down to breakfast."
"But she didn't or couldn't any longer." Percy said.
"No she didn't. Maybe talking about it before sent her mind into overdrive or something."
They sunk into silence once more every one contemplating the new information they had received from Bill.
It was another hour and a half before a healer finally came to see them. They had been lucky enough to keep the room to themselves all this time so now the healer could speak freely with them.
"Hello, my name is healer Turner and I have been tending to your daughter for the last few hours."
"Thank you, healer Turner." Arthur said politely while shaking his hand. "Why only the last few hours?"
"I was called in by my colleagues once they found themselves out of their depths."
"What is your field, if I may ask?" Charlie asked curiously.
The whole family had crowded around the healer and he looked at each of them before answering.
"Since telling you my field right now would be too out of context to make any sense I will recap Ginny's situation first."
"Do so then, but quickly! I want to see my baby!" Molly commanded.
"My colleagues woke your daughter up once they had her in a treatment room. They found no physical injuries and neither spells nor potions were altering her mind or system which baffled them. From the moment she woke up she had been going on about how Harry was hers and Ron stole him. If they asked too much she would get really agitated and after a particularly stupid comment from one of the trainees she had to be subdued for a time while the trainee was sent to the head healer."
At this he heard gasps of shock and outrage but before any of them could ask anything he continued.
"That was when they called me in. I work with victims of kidnapping, torture and abuse in both the magical and muggle world."
"What?!" They all shouted in shock.
"There is a way of combining these three things to brainwash your victim into doing anything you want them to. It is a common practice in muggle wars. That way you can destroy the enemy from within if you manage to capture the right people."
"That is awful." Bill commented with distaste.
"It is but it works rather well, especially with children. I came to the conclusion after my assessment of Ginny that in the wake of some kind of traumatic event a person in an authoritarian position started this process. Do you know any such events?"
"The Chamber!" Ron exclaimed after thinking about it for a minute.
"That sounds ominous. What happened?"
So Ron gave the healer a quick recap of the events at the end of his second year, trying to be as exact as possible. Even some of his siblings were hearing parts of this for the first time.
"Oh my!" The healer commented shocked. "Yes that would fit perfectly. Especially since Harry was the one to rescue her. This person must have started the process right after you returned from the Chamber. Otherwise it would not have worked."
"Err… We went to Dumbledore who talked to us all before calling Mum and Dad."
"I thought he called us right away?!" Arthur exclaimed shocked.
"No. I mean we talked at least for ten minutes before you came through the floo."
"Yes! That must have been it. Now that we know how it happened we can work out the proper treatment for her." Healer Turner explained. He once again addressed the whole family.
"I am sorry to say that we had to admit Ginny to the mental health wing here. She cannot be allowed to go home for the time being."
"NO!" Molly cried out before Arthur gathered her in a hug and shushed her sobs.
"I'm sorry. We need to supervise her constantly and the different environment will help as well. You may visit as often as you want and bring her things to make her more comfortable but she can't leave."
"Thank you, healer Turner. Can we see our sister now?" Bill asked.
"Yes, of course. She is in room four, just down the hallway. If it is alright with you I'd like to observe your interactions with her. Also is there a way for me to talk to Harry about the Chamber events?"
"Yes. I can contact him." Ron admitted. He wished his boyfriend was here to support him.
Although he had received a letter with his floo address this morning said letter also stated that Severus and Marvolo would be renewing their vows tonight. It was only afternoon but Ron knew that calling from here would be a huge risk since Harry's whereabouts were still a secret. Ron also had had no idea that Snape of all people was married but it must have been the other bloke from Diagon.
"That would be great!" The healer said before leading them all to Ginny's room.
TBC
I'm sure none of you guessed that miu-sama and I went out for drinks the weekend before I wrote the last chapter... Yes that was how we felt the next day... Poor Harry...
I was in London last weekend and we went to the Harry Potter Studios and OMG! If you ever get the chance to go there DO IT!
I know this was not a very exciting chapter but I promise the next one will be far more interesting ;)
First posted on: 18. February 2018
Next update planned: 04. March2018