A loud cry echoed into the field around the burrow as they apparated. Arthur looked down at the boy in his arms in a panic and saw Harry's eyes blown wide open, looking up to the sky with his face contorted in pure agony. He panted breathlessly as if he had just run a mile; the air leaving his lungs with a strangled sound.

"Harry! Oh Mer- Harry I'm so sorry!"

He realized Harry must have been too weak for the apparition and gotten hurt in some way. He was clutching tightly around his side as he attempted to take deep breaths and Arthur went to inspect where he was holding instinctually. Harry pushed his hand away, mumbling something Arthur couldn't understand. He tried his best to make out what he was saying but couldn't- it sounded like gibberish.

He began to soothe the teen with idle words as he walked up to The Burrow and looked down at him in surprise when Harry bent his head back and looked up towards the towering house; letting out what sounded like a relived laugh and forming a small smile. Arthur frowned in worry; making note to tell Severus to check for a head injury.

Once they were a few feet away from the front door, Molly stepped out in panic while her messy curls flew over her face in the summer wind. She didn't say anything- just rushed over to the pair in bare feet and put a hand on Harry's mop of greasy black hair.

"Harry- Oh, Harry dear-" She breathed out with tears falling down her cheeks in a steady stream.

"Is Severus here yet?" Arthur asked hurriedly as he walked up to the porch.

Molly nodded, following suite with his hasty stride.

"Just got here." She responded, not taking her hand off of Harry's head.

Harry was looking up at the pair with a tired, disorientated look; his smile faltering slightly. The older wizard could tell Harry couldn't see them even with how close they were to his face- his eyesight, as he's heard many times from Ron, was complete rubbish. Arthur raised his head up as they walked inside and swore under his breath. Every one of his children besides Charlie were standing in the kitchen with nervous, terrified, confused and panicked expressions on their faces- all still in their pajamas.

"Harry!" Ron cried, turning from where he was standing with Percy, Fred and George; who all wore perplexed expressions as they stared at Harry.

He ran over to his best friend and Harry's head fell in his direction.

"Harry, I'm sorry I had to tell Dad, b-but- but you're here now! Snape will fix you up and you'll be just fine!" He said, putting his hands on his friend's shoulders as he lay in Arthur's arms.

Harry furrowed his eyebrows, actually seeming to register who was speaking to him and mumbled out a reply that sounded close to 'thank you'.

"Step aside Mr. Weasley."

The deep voice of Severus Snape echoed through the kitchen and Ron moved ever so slightly- clearly not wanting to leave Harry's side.

The potions professor walked swiftly up to Arthur and took in the sight of Harry with a deep look Arthur couldn't read. He looked concentrated but also… overwhelmed in some way. He took a sharp breath in and looked to Molly.

"Move the coffee table and put a sheet down on the couch." He said curtly, taking out his wand.

Molly obliged and rushed into the living room.

"Thank you for coming Severus." Arthur breathed out, clutching Harry desperately as he continued.

"It's bad… those muggles… they did unspeakable things to him Severus." He said in a thick whisper; hoping he understood what he meant.

Harry seemed to not even register what they were saying and just looked around the room in a daze.

"He's bleeding! Why's he bleeding?!" Ginny cried, looking up at George.

He just pulled her close, swallowing thickly as he stared at the almost lifeless body in his father's arms.

Arthur looked to his children guiltily. Fred and George were both holding Ginny protectively while the older boys were standing with their hands on their mouths in shock. None of them should have to see this- not even Bill. He felt so stupid for letting Ron come for the trip knowing how traumatized he would be from seeing his friend in such a state. His son would have nightmares for months. Arthur knew him and Molly would soon be spending countless night comforting him not from his usual perplexing fear of spiders, but instead from his nightmarish memories of his best friend dying on a broom cupboard floor.

"Bring him here." Severus said quietly, holding out his arms.

Arthur handed Harry to Severus willingly but his heart ached upon watching the boy in his arms grab onto his shirt desperately with a small cry. He didn't even think Harry knew it was him, he was probably just attached to the comfort he rarely ever received, if ever.

"It's okay Harry- Professor Snape is here to help you." He said as he detached his thin fingers from his nightshirt.

Harry seemed to understand even in his dazed state and grabbed onto Severus's dark black robes in place of Arthur's shirt.

"It's alright Potter. You're safe now." Severus whispered in a soft tone rarely heard by any of the Weasleys.

He began walking into the living room and Arthur followed- as did the rest of his children; acting as if they were lost ducklings. Arthur grimaced, turning. What he was about to say was not going to sit well with Ron. He looked at them all with a serious expression.

"Kids, I need you to stay upstairs for a while and not disturb us."

Ron was about to retort but Arthur put his hand up and gave him a stern look.

"Harry is in a very critical state and we need the utmost concentration to help him- Do you all understand?" He explained sternly and earned six frantic nods in response.

Bill kept his eyes on his father intently while Percy kept trying to look behind the stone pillar that separated the living room and kitchen; Fred and George were both looking to the ground seeming to try and process what was going on and Ron and Ginny were both crying at different levels. Arthur looked up at Bill.

"Stay with your brother and sister, will you?"

Bill nodded, knowing the exact brother his father meant. He started to lead his siblings away, and Arthur turned to go and tend to Harry.

"Dad, wait!" Ron called.

Arthur turned back.

Ron nervously played with his fingers as he looked up at his father desperately.

"Y-You'll come get me when I'm allowed to see him?" He croaked out, pushing the tears away from his eyes.

Arthur nodded, and walked over to Ron. He knew Harry was going through a lot but so was Ron- no child should have to see what he just saw. He hugged his son tightly, and caressed the back of his daughter's head as she looked up at him with teary bright brown eyes. Everyone in the house knew Ginny had some sort of crush on Harry- it was probably very hard for her too; seeing him in such a state as this.

"Yes, I promise." He said softly, kissing both of his youngest children on the tops of their heads.

He turned and rushed into the living room, joining Molly and Severus as Bill led the kids upstairs. As he reached their old fashioned sofa in the right side of the living room he felt his emotions begin to bubble up. Harry looked to be unconscious again and Arthur's robes lay on the ground below the sofa, leaving him fully naked. Molly stood at the end of the couch with her hand on her mouth in horror; tears continuing to flow past her hazel eyes as she stared at the thick wounds littering his pale skin.

Meanwhile, Severus was moving his wand above Harry's battered body slowly and muttering incantations Arthur didn't know. A floating quill wrote down words on a piece of parchment that made him want to puke and it was in that moment in proper lighting that he noticed the discoloration of Harry's skin and what he guessed was cold sweat dripping down his body and around his deep red cuts.

'Four broken ribs'

'Urinary tract infection'

'Ruptured spleen'

'Fractured collar bone'

'Severe malnutrition'

'Third stage of sepsis'

The piece of parchment was scribbled on quickly by a floating quill and Arthur gulped while reading it; knowing fully well that sepsis could be fatal. He looked away from the parchment as it kept writing and focused on Harry. He couldn't even begin to comprehend why anyone would hurt a child like this. Hell, he felt overwhelmingly guilty just giving his kids a quick spanking when they were young- he couldn't imagine doing this sort of damage to an innocent child.

"Why didn't Ron tell us this was happening?! How could he keep something like this private?!" Molly cried, walking over to Arthur and leaning her head on his shoulder as she let out a cry.

Arthur wrapped an arm around his wife comfortingly as he watched Severus work. His first incantations seemed to be examining charms and once the parchment was done writing (it ended up being almost five feet long) he read it over hastily; a grim expression forming on his hardened face. The potions master then began rummaging through a large black case that sat on the coffee table which had been moved away to the head of the couch. It had many different levels, with hinges that made it so it could sit compact in the case and be pull out to reveal each level.

Severus kept to the top row at first; opening Harry's mouth and pouring potion after potion down his throat despite the slight mumbled and protests from the disorientated teen. He then went on to grab two vials from the second level and looked up to Molly and Arthur. One was a swampy color the other a pale yellow.

"Hold him down." He said quickly, and Molly and Arthur obliged.

"Why?" Arthur asked nervously as he put his hands on Harry's arms.

"Just do as I say." Severus said lowly, twisting the cork off of the first vial.

*thunk*

Severus began pouring the vial full of swampy green liquid down Harry's throat quickly. Arthur held his arms with slight pressure while Molly held his legs and both of them gasped in surprise as the teen's green eyes flew open in pain. He arched his back and let out a high pitched anguished scream that echoed into the house loudly.

"You're hurting him!" Arthur cried, looking up at Severus in panic while trying his best to hold down Harry's flailing arms.

"His body is going severely septic- If I don't do this he will die!" Severus yelled, and Molly let out a cry as Harry kicked and thrashed.

"-'m sorry! I-I'm sorry sir! N' more!" He suddenly croaked making Arthur lose it right there.

Tears flowed past the eldest Weasley's eyes and down his cheeks steadily. He pushed them away while choking back a sob, trying his best to focus on the task at hand. It seemed to be Harry was in some sort of flashback and Arthur wanted so badly to get him out of it.

Mental illness was very prevalent in the magic community just like it was in the muggle one and boy, did Arthur know a lot about the demons that people fought in their heads. The war had changed him in ways he didn't care to think about; as it did with so many others that had fought in the terrifying battles years previous.

"It will feel better soon, Harry! I'm so sorry it hurts, I'm so sorry son." He placed his lips on Harry's hot clammy forehead as he often did with his own children when they were upset. To his surprise, Harry stopped thrashing.

The teen panted breathlessly, looking up at the older man with heavy lidded eyes. Arthur tried his best to give him a smile but it came out in more of a grimace- not that Harry could see him anyway. Severus paused for a moment to let Harry catch his breath but then swiftly uncorked the next potion and poured it down his throat; all the while holding Harry's mouth open with his fingers tightly on his chin.

Harry let out a blood-curdling scream and arched his back high again; tears pouring down his cheeks. Arthur held his shoulder's down and took a deep breath as he heard Ron yell loudly upstairs- likely at Bill for not letting him come downstairs. He felt extremely bad for what his son was going through and desperately wanted to comfort him but he needed to focus on Harry.

"Shhh, shhh, it's alright. Just take a deep breath. Deep breaths now, lad." He said to Harry softly, his voice wavering from the sight of the tortured look on the teen's face.

A memory flashed past his mind quickly of Harry when he was eleven- smiling at them from the Hogwarts Express's window as he sat beside his son who was waving at them excitedly. He was so happy and healthy then- or so it seemed. The contrast of then and now was unbelievably grim. His mind quickly snapped back to the present and he watched as Harry contorted and whined while the potions made their way through his sickened body. He eventually let his head fall towards Arthur's chest; attempting to burrow into it.

"I'm here Harry, Molly and I are here." He rubbed the back of his head soothingly and looked up at his wife who was holding a very similar expression that he was as she held his legs down.

"Keep holding him while I heal his cuts, Arthur- I don't know how much pain this will cause him."

Arthur nodded up at him then looked back to Molly.

"Molly, can you go make sure the kids are alright?" He asked desperately; feeling the overwhelming urge to hug each and every one of them; Ron especially.

She looked to Harry solemnly for a moment but nodded.

"Thank you dear- I will call if I need you back down here." He said softly, beginning to run his fingers through Harry's sweaty bangs as Moly took off upstairs to deal with the kids.

Severus began healing Harry with slight waves of his wand, pausing momentarily after each spell. The deep wounds on his body began clearing up somewhat, but still remained in gashes across his chest that were susceptible to infection. Even Severus's magic couldn't fully heal what those disgusting muggles had done to him, apparently. The only cuts Severus was able to fully cure were the ones on his legs which were clearly the end lashes of various belt wounds. Harry moaned randomly as Severus continued his spells but didn't seem to be in any extreme pain from the additional healing; which relieved both Arthur and the potions professor.

"Help me roll him on his back. The parchment says there's additional wounds on it and on his…" Severus paused.

"-behind." He said quietly, and Arthur quickly obliged.

The two of them gently turned Harry over to reveal even worse belt wounds than what was on his chest. They were large and deeper than the previous ones and had puss leaking out of them.

"My God." Severus stated in shock; using a muggle phrase he likely knew from his father.

He swallowed to compose himself and began using the same spells he had before. This time, though, Harry cried brokenly from the obvious pain the spells were causing.

"I'm sorry Harry. I'm trying to be as quick as I possibly can." Severus said quietly, using the teen's first name for the first time this evening.

It took about five minutes for the potions professor to successfully heal the wounds on his back and on his behind (well, as successful as he could make it) and once he was done he looked to Arthur solemnly.

"He has tearing in his rectum and around his outer ring. I'm going to heal it as quick as possible but if he starts to panic try and reassure him." Severus stated while gently pulling one of Harry's cheeks to the side.

Harry whined in protest, trying to turn around.

"Shh, shh, were not trying to hurt you Harry. We're trying to make the pain go away." Arthur explained through tears.

Watching someone he cared for so much go through this type of procedure killed his soul in a way. Severus worked on him for a couple minutes- Harry crying the whole time and Arthur trying his best to calm him- and sighed in exasperation once he was done.

"All done, Harry. Were all done with that. You did very good." Severus said gently; earning a inaudible whisper from Harry in response.

They turned him back over and Severus muttered the same spell he started with, and the parchment that listed his injuries disappeared and was replaced by a newer shorter one. Severus read it quickly.

"The sepsis is beginning to leave his body- I need to focus on his bones, spleen and malnutrition now. You need to hold him down tight if he thrashes. This will be painful." Severus said while taking a breath.

Arthur looked up at him and saw an expression he was very familiar with. A lot of wizards in the various departments held the same look after a long long day at work. Exhaust of magic. His eyes were heavier and he blinked extra to try and keep the fatigue away. Arthur prayed Severus was able to continue as he was the only wizard he trusted to heal his family. And even though Harry didn't share their blood, he was family.

"Harry, if you can hear me I need you to try and stay still, alright?" Arthur bent his head to Harry's as he spoke in a soft tone.

Severus took out a familiar bottle of 'skelegro' from the first level of his black potions case and another two potions that Arthur wasn't privy to; placing them both on the coffee table for easy reach. He opened Harry's mouth while ignoring the boy's quiet protest and tipped the vile yellow liquid down his throat. Light smoke emitted from the liquid and Harry gagged, turning his head and trying to retch it out of his mouth.

"Down, potter- that's it." Severus encouraged, pointing his wand at his throat and muttering a spell that forced him to swallow.

"Relevium." He whispered; trying to ease Harry's pain somewhat as the teen began to groan in discomfort.

His eyes were clenched in pain and his eyebrows furrowed tightly as he continued to writhe. Arthur put more pressure on his shoulders to hold him down but avoided the area around his collar bone as it regrew.

"Please…" Harry croaked hoarsely, clearly not understanding why he was in pain or what was going on.

Arthur's heart broke at his desperate tone. He thought of putting his glasses on him so he could see them but knew it was useless due to the fact he kept thrashing around so much.

"You're being healed, Harry. We aren't trying to hurt you." Severus reassured; picking up one of the two potion's from the coffee table and pouring the blue liquid down his throat.

Harry tried with all his strength to shake Severus's hand off of his chin to no avail. He gulped it down unwillingly while frowning in disgust. Arthur was about to whisper words of praise but the second the potion coated his throat Harry began having some sort of seizure; his legs and arms jerking dangerously. Arthur gasped with pure fear.

"Severus?!" He exclaimed, looking up at the younger wizard in panic.

"Fuck!" Severus cursed, shifting hastily through his potions case.

"Severus what's happening?!" Arthur yelled while looking between Harry and him repeatedly.

He didn't respond.

"Don't you dare die on me, Harry Potter!" He shouted along with the sounds of clinking vials.

Arthur let go of Harry and covered his mouth in terror as the teen began to foam at the mouth through clenched teeth; all the while continuing to violently shake. His eyes went into the back of his head and Severus pushed Arthur out of the way roughly so he could lean over Harry; kneeling somewhat on the sofa.

"Patentibus!" He shouted while pointing his wand at Harry's mouth.

Arthur sat with his behind on the floor; watching the scene unfold in absolute horror.

'Please don't die, Harry. For the love of Merlin don't die!' He thought pleadingly.

Harry's teeth unclenched momentarily and Severus quickly poured a colorless potion down his throat. He then pointed his wand to Harry's temple and began muttering incantations.

"What are-" Arthur was sharply cut off by Severus.

"Quiet!" He hissed angrily.

Arthur shut his mouth, and watched as Severus loomed over Harry with his eyes closed and lips moving rapidly. He had seen seizures before- seen death up close and personal- but watching Harry experience such things set his brain on overdrive. It felt like the world was spinning and Arthur struggled to breathe as he watched the events playing out before him.

After about two minutes, Harry's body calmed down and his eyes went back to being half open. Severus took a deep sigh and went to get up from where he was kneeling on one of the cushions. But upon going to move off the sofa, he stumbled in disorientation and Arthur stood to catch him.

"Severu-"

"I'm fine." He said in annoyance, brushing Arthur off with a shake of his shoulder.

He took a deep breath and turned to dig through his case once more.

"He had a reaction to the organ draught but it's over now. Just one more potion to fix the dire state of his malnutrition then I can do another assessment to see where his health is at." Severus said as he took a vial of pink liquid from the coffee table.

Harry was breathing better now- more steady and paced. He was still sweating profusely though, but that was likely due to the pain and seizure he just went through. His eyes were beginning to open wider, (slowly but surely) and Arthur noticed his bright green eyes orbs were less glazed as he shifted close to him. Severus pulled his mouth open once more and Harry didn't fight him as the pink liquid oozed out of the vial. It was thicker than the others and Arthur raised his head with a questioning look.

"What are you giving him?" He asked.

Severus put the vial on the coffee table with all the other liquid-less ones once it emptied and raised his wand over Harry's body again.

"A potion with the nutrients needed to counteract malnutrition. It's going to be needed every day until he is able to keep substantial food down." He said flatly, a sort of grim expression forming on his face as another parchment paper was created in the air beside him.

It began writing down a few things for a moment, and Severus grabbed it harshly once it was done. He sighed in relief.

"He's going to survive this." He stated, and swallowed.

"Physically, at least." He added with a deep frown.

Severus's voice was quieter and darker than Arthur had ever heard it before. He seemed lost in thought as he read the piece of parchment and his eyes became glazed; much to his surprise.

"Thank you Severus. Thank you so much for helping him." Arthur said quietly, beginning to rub the top of Harry's head lovingly.

"I… knew his mother. If I let him die I think she would probably haunt me for eternity." He said, trying to lighten the mood with a light tug of his lips.

It failed, though, and he went back to frowning.

"The only thing that needs to be fixed is his urinary tract infection, but that can be ailed with muggle remedies. He will need to be monitored and taken care of closely for the rest of the summer, which I am happy to participate in but for now- I need to rest Arthur." Severus said in a tired voice; his eyes almost closing right then and there.

Arthur nodded quickly.

"Of course, of course! Use the top floor's bedroom- it's empty now that Charlie's moved out."

Severus nodded and swiftly walked upstairs, not even bothering to put his potions case away.

Harry mumbled something inaudible and began to try and open his eyes but failed miserably. Arthur shushed him gently and continued to rub his head, pushing away a new bout of tears from hos own eyes.

"You're going to be okay, Harry. Were here now and you are never going back to those muggles. Never." He kissed his clammy forehead again and that was all it took for Harry to drift into a (hopefully) painless sleep.