Chapter 2 – Confusing Warnings

Machines beeped around Harry, he was drifting in and out of consciousness, maybe this was death, maybe the dementor had been successful but when he became more conscious he realized that the heavy cloud was once over him again as he realized he was alive. Harry opened his eyes to see bright lights above him, a smell of sanitizer and all sorts of wires all over him. The bright light made his head hurt so he closed his eyes again.

"Harry? Can you hear me Harry?" came a gentle female voice that he had never heard before? Harry opened his eyes to see a young nurse in blue uniform looking over him and tapping him gently on the shoulder. "Well done, you are in Surry general hospital, you've had a nasty accident, do you remember what happened?" Harry tried to think, all he could remember was the dementor and a loud crack and glass smashing.

"I only remember crack and glass smashing?"

"Yes, you were run over by a car going much too fast" Harry nodded, he was in Muggle hospital, but why though? There was someone magical there? Why couldn't they do something? "Are you in any pain?" the nurse asked. Harry thought about this for a moment, he had been too befuddled by his thoughts to think about any pain, but as the nurse had said it, his knee decided to shoot pain right up his leg and into his side.

"Not too bad, just my leg"

"on a scale between one and ten, ten being the worst pain you have ever felt?" asked the nurse. Harry thought again for a moment, he remembered being subject to the cruciatus curse from Voldemort, images flashed before his mind, the dementors all laughing in their circle, the grave of Tom Riddle Senior, the flash of green light that killed Cedric, his mum, dad coming out of Voldemort's wand, he really shouldn't have thought of that.

"Um about a five, Harry replied"

"Sure?" asked the nurse concerned

"yeah, five" replied Harry finally coming out of his flashback.

"okay, we are just waiting for your x-rays and CT scan to come back and we will go from there, we will also do a few physical tests so hang in there." Harry nodded and the nurse went away. The next hour went fast, in between small five-minute naps there were physical tests, a concussion test and then some treatment for his injuries. A doctor came to stitch the back of Harrys head and a nurse came to take the shards of glass out of Harrys arm and then wrap it in bandages.

When it came to look at Harrys back and ribs, his magic seemed to have temporarily healed them as his Uncle had many a time told him that if anyone muggle found out he would keep Harry as prisoner, beat him an inch from death and keep him there. Harry wanted death yes, but he knew his uncle was skilled enough to keep Harry alive so he had hoped and wished all his might for the muggle doctors never to find out and therefore that had happened.

The last thing the doctors came to was Harrys leg, the doctor explained that all the ligaments that were keeping his leg together had been injured both is bones in the bottom of his leg were broken and required extensive surgery to fix, and so Harry had been booked in to see a specialist for the operation to be done the next week, allowing the swelling to come down first and time for the rest of his injuries to heal. The doctors had fitted Harry with a removable brace which they explained allowed some movement to occur when he was ready to start walking again, but it was fitted and locked so he couldn't move his leg, they also explained that he wasn't allowed to put any weight on his leg either.

Once Harry was patched up a physiotherapist called Gareth came to see him, he taught and supported Harry as he learnt how to use his crutches, up and down stairs and sitting and standing. Once he was given the all clear and the appointment for the surgery given to his uncle Harry was allowed to go home.

Uncle Vernon managed to keep some sort of a concerned face on him until they went into the carpark and to his uncle car. Once sitting in the car and the doors locked his uncle took off at an almighty speed, his face now beetroot red, the vein on his temple throbbing dangerously. It was a silent affair, neither of them spoke until they went into the living room of number four Privet drive.

Dudley Dursley was sitting lopsided on a chair drooling over the kitchen bowl, his face green as if he had just been sick. His Aunt was beside him rubbing his back soothingly. His uncle had obviously followed Harry in as he pushed Harry down onto the floor and shouted "OWLS, FOUR OF THEM! IN MY LIVING ROOM, I told you, no more owls, its freakishness! He spluttered stamping on Harrys ribs. "And now Dudley he has seen a ghost and is convinced you used your thing!"

"I did'n…." started Harry

"LIAR!" shouted his uncle, slapping him across the face. "You used your thing and made Dudley feel as if he would never be happy again, cold… its all he's been muttering since he came home!"

"there were dementors!" exclaimed Harry

"Dementi-whatsits, you conjured them, you attacked my son! I want you OUT!" Uncle Vernon lifted Harry at the scruff of his neck and started carrying him towards the door. Before he could make it out of the living room however an owl swooped in through the open window, Harry was about to grab it out of the air before his uncle could hurt the bird when it flew above Harrys outstretched arm and dropped a red envelope at his aunt's feet before flying back out of the house. "OWLS!" screeched his uncle

"Open it, it will happen anyway" Harry encouraged his Aunt but it was too late the red envelope burst into flames and rose into the air

"Remember my last Petunia" it said in an eerie, cold and scary voice

"The boy has to stay Vernon, we can throw him out when he's in that state, what will the neighbours think?"

"Yes Petunia" his uncle replied and let Harry go. "You will go up to your room, your door will be locked, you will be allowed out three times a day for the bathroom, otherwise it will remain locked, understood?" Harry nodded and managed to get himself up with the use of his crutches. He grabbed the letters that were on the arm of the chair and left the room. He made his way up to his room and his uncle locked him in, Harry sat down on his bed and used his small thin blanket to roll up under his knee to support his leg.

After he was somewhat comfortable Harry reached over to the letters, three with handwriting he didn't recognize and one with Sirius' handwriting. Harry decided to open Sirius' letter first.

'Arthur has just told us what has happened. Do not leave the house again whatever you do.'

Harry frowned; he didn't know what that was all about. So, he decided to read the one Arthur had sent, he decide the one with the different handwriting was Arthur Weasleys. Harry opened that letter which only brought more confusion.

'Harry, Dumbledore's just arrived at the ministry and he's trying to sort it all out. DO NOT LEAVE YOUR AUNT AND UNCLES HOUSE. DO NOT DO ANYMORE MAGIC. DO NOT SURRENDER YOUR WAND. Arthur Weasley'

What on earth was happening? All Harry could remember was the dementor and the noise of the accident. Harry decided to open the other two letters the first read:

'Dear Mr Potter,

We have received intelligence that you performed the Patronus Charm at twenty-three minutes past nine this evening in a Muggle-inhabited area and in the presence of a muggle.

The severity of this breach of the Degree for the Responsible Restriction of Underage Sorcery has resulted in your expulsion from Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Ministry representatives will be calling at your place of residence shortly to destroy your wand.

As you have already received an official warning for a previous offence under section 13 of the International Confederation of Warlocks Statue of Secrecy, we regret to inform you tat your presence is required at a disciplinary hearing at the ministry of magic at 9am on the twelfth of august.

Hoping you are well

Yours Sincerely

Mafalda Hopkirk

Improper Use of Magic Office

Ministry of Magic'

What? He was expelled from Hogwarts. Harry tried to think back, it was slowly coming back. He did not even perform the spell, nothing came out of his wand, it was the other person with magic. If the wizards from the Ministry were coming, they would have been waiting for Harry or would have done something at the hospital. Dumbledore must have sorted something out, Harry decided to read the second letter from the Ministry of Magic.

'Dear Mr Potter,

Further to our previous letter approximately twenty-two minutes ago, the Ministry of Magic has Revised its decision to destroy your wand forthwith. You may retain your wand until your disciplinary hearing on the twelfth of August, at which an official decision will be taken.

Following discussions with the Headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, the Ministry has agreed that the question of your expulsion will also be decided at that time. You should therefore consider yourself suspended from school pending further enquiries.

With Best Wishes

Yours Sincerely

Mafalda Hopkirk

Improper Use of Magic Office

Ministry of Magic'

So, he was suspended from Hogwarts, why was Sirius and Arthur talking to him as if he was a disobedient child, he didn't even perform the spell. Harrys head hurt too much to think about it now, he was tired and needed to go to sleep. Harry looked at his alarm clock, it was almost 2.40 am, the pain relief from the hospital was kicking in again, making him drowsy, Harry decided to lie down and sleep. It didn't take him long to drop off, but now a new nightmare haunted him, combining with the graveyard.