AN: I do not own Harry Potter.
Chapter 4: Limb Regrowth
Harry stared at the slip of parchment that was hidden under his half-eaten bowl of soup.
"I can get to you at any time, Harry. You can't hide from me."
The mediwitch who'd delivered his food looked perfectly normal. She didn't have jerky, awkward movements. Her eyes weren't glazed over or stared off into space. If anything, she looked like she'd rather be anywhere other than giving him a tray of food. His hand shook as he tried to suck in a deep breath. How many times could someone have poisoned him in the twelve days since arriving at St. Mungo? If he was so easy to get to, why hadn't they?
Harry felt sure he knew who was behind the attacks. It all came back to one person. Voldemort. Sirius and Madam Pomfrey tried to hide the other two attacks from him, but the one that morning caused too much commotion. Muggles with guns. Military weapons that were difficult to get in Muggle London, no less. Sirius said it was only the swift action of the Greeter Witch that saved people's lives.
Now, Harry would have to show his godfather the parchment. It was a threat and a bait of some kind. He knew it, but what could he do? Until Madam Pomfrey healed his arm, he couldn't just leave. He couldn't stay there forever, hiding in a public area with a link to the Floo Network less than two hundred paces away from his room. Madam Pomfrey claimed preparing the potion might take another five or six days. Harry privately suspected that she probably had the potion ready and had it on hand for a while, but he couldn't complain too much. She allowed him to use magic in her presence and helped him work on healing his wounds.
"Practice by doing," she instructed as she sat beside Harry that morning.
Working together, Madam Pomfrey slowly directed Harry to heal the internal damage in his mostly healed thigh. It would take several more treatments because of the extensive damage, but he would have a full range of motion and strength again. Using her magic, she could watch him put what he'd learned into practice. It was beyond gratifying for Harry to actually do something other than sit there and try and copy out diagrams of his leg. In the end, after finally starting to heal his leg, he realized that if he hadn't taken the time to study as much as he had, he could have damaged his leg further.
Madam Pomfrey hugged him and whispered, "sometimes, taking it slow is important, even when we want to rush. Well done, Harry." That had been minutes before five children, and a wizard almost died in the lobby.
Sirius swept into the room and closed the door, his wand drawn. Harry nodded to his godfather and lowered his wand. "We have a problem," he stated before Sirius could speak.
"Yeah, the country is going ballistic trying to find this guy. Oh… something other than what happened?" Sirius asked as his eyes flicked over Harry's face. They fell to the parchment in his hand. With a frown, he walked over and took it from Harry's outstretched fingers. "Merlin's bloody saggy testicles," he breathed and closed his eyes. "When did you get this?" he asked quickly.
"About twenty minutes ago. Mediwitch Rosa? Rosalin? I can't remember her name. Blonde with long hair and brown eyes. Always has the pink clip in her hair."
"I know the one," Sirius said as he pointed his wand at the tray on Harry's lap. It vanished. "I'm getting you your food from now on. Are you feeling unwell? Was it poison? I shouldn't have vanished it if it was," he babbled.
"I'm fine, for now," Harry reported. "We need a plan, Sirius."
Sirius looked around and waved his wand in an arc over his head. Harry felt the wave of magic bloom out from where his godfather stood like an itch on his numb skin. "We're warded. Remus and I have a plan. Just as soon as you get your arm back," he promised.
"There is a linked fireplace, not a Quaffle throw from my room," Harry grumbled. "The attacker is using the Floo Network."
"That one only goes to the Ministry," Sirius argued. He paused. "The Ministry we know has been infiltrated by Voldemort's people. I'm an idiot," he sighed.
"You haven't been sleeping," Harry said softly. "Thank you. For everything."
Sirius waved his hand. "I'll talk to Madam Pomfrey. We'll go to her with this first. There… are some things I need to tell you that have happened over the last few days, but we can't safely talk here. Even under this ward."
Harry frowned. "I thought it would block sound leaving the room."
"Yes, but what about what's already inside the room? House-elves, listening tubes, vents… well, maybe not vents," he muttered as he looked around. "The window? It could just be a viewing mirror for the Healers. No one really talks about what goes on at St. Mungo."
"Who's paranoid now?" Harry muttered, but he, too, looked around.
"This," Sirius said slowly, "feels like they're trying to lure you out. Which… you can't stay here forever. The bill alone would destroy even a Most Ancient and Noble House's Gringotts vault. For another, they won't keep you once you're healed. Leaving through the Ministry exit is just as dangerous, especially if someone is watching the Floo," he muttered.
Harry nodded. "Cloak?" he whispered, just in case.
Sirius nodded once. "With some other things, yes. It's probably the best shot we have. We're already trapped as it is, but maybe Madam Pomfrey knows something we don't. Stay here, I'm going to bar the door… no… if there is another entrance into this room, then that'll put you in danger. Keep your wand out. I'll be back as soon as possible."
Harry sat there as his godfather rushed out of the room. It wasn't like he could put much weight on his injured leg if he had to run out of there anyway. He wanted to work on healing his leg immediately but remembered Madam Pomfrey's warning about rushing through healing. To occupy his time, he reviewed what he had in his mind and what little he knew about St. Mungo. How could he escape out the front door?
Nothing came to him when the door opened again. Harry was ready with his wand, but it was Sirius, Healer Light, and Madam Pomfrey. They looked troubled. "Harry, we're going to keep you in this room for the time being, but I'm making plans to have you move rooms," Madam Pomfrey said quickly as the door shut.
"One of us will bring your food. We should have thought about this. The Imperious Curse alone is a danger to getting past our security measures," Healer Light grumbled. Her eyes flicked back and forth as she tapped her index finger on the elbow of her crossed arms.
"Can I stay with him in his room now?" Sirius asked with a huff. Harry could tell it was an old argument between Madam Pomfrey and him. It was the first time he'd heard it, though.
"No, Mr. Black, there is still the issue of the security sweeps every night. If more than one occupant is found in a room, then it sets off the charms. This is a secure wing for a reason. The orderly's dormitory will have to suffice. You're less than three minutes away if something goes wrong."
"Could I move to a different wing? To throw someone off if they come looking for me?" Harry asked.
"That's something that I need to figure out. Alastor Moody, through Madam Bones, still has this unit reserved. We don't have secure rooms at the moment, with the emergency order from Scrimgeour. Moving you to a less secure wing means more people have access to you."
Harry felt uncomfortable in his skin. The feeling of being cornered again in the graveyard scratched at the corners of his thoughts. He took a deep breath and tried to calm his hammering heart.
"Breathe," Sirius said softly. It was then Harry realized the others were around him. He hadn't heard or seen them approach. His right arm jerked as if he wanted to block an invisible incoming spell.
"Take slow, deep breaths," Madam Pomfrey reiterated.
Harry tried to do so, and with his fifth and sixth deep breaths, his racing heart calmed, and his thoughts cleared. "Sorry," he found himself saying without really knowing why.
"Trauma comes in many forms," Healer Light said gently as she waved her wand over him.
"I don't need a charm to feel better," he said as he tried to wave her wand away. It was awkward as she sat on his right side.
"I'm checking your vitals, not enchanting you. Please, trust us to look after you for a little longer."
Harry found himself nodding, not knowing what else to say. He took a deep breath and looked up, fearing what his godfather might say. Sirius clapped him on his uninjured leg and nodded before moving toward the door. That simple action meant more to Harry than he could ever express aloud.
"I'm going to recommend you take partial doses of Dr. Ubbly's Oblivious Unction. It won't make you forget what happened, but it will dull the sensation. Would you like that?" Madam Pomfrey asked as she looked him over.
When Harry didn't immediately respond, Healer Light added, "Occlumancy will also help organize your thoughts. I know you have some skill in it, from Mr. Black. I believe I might be able to find the book we used for training," she said as she looked across at her mentor.
"A wise option. It will give you more control over your thoughts and help you heal as well."
Harry mulled it over. "Please," he said to Healer Light. Right then, anything to help him feel like he was doing something other than sitting in a trap.
"I've got permission to move around, more or less, freely. Is there anything you'd like?" Sirius asked from the door.
"I'm honestly not hungry at the moment," Harry said, but Madam Pomfrey shook her head. "You'll feel hungry again in a little bit. I promise. Is there anything you don't want on a sandwich?"
"Pickles."
Healer Light snorted. "That's the best part," she winked at him. "I need to go to the Potion Stores anyway to check up on your potion."
Harry nodded and looked to Madam Pomfrey. He didn't want to say what just came to mind. However, she seemed to read his thoughts. "Only Healers and Master Healers can enter that room. Even if they could, the potion is too far along for someone to tamper with."
That didn't give Harry a lot of confidence. If Voldemort could have gotten to Harry at any time in the past few days, then he could have someone sabotaged the potion before the first attack even started. He forced those thoughts down. "Yeah, true," he lied.
The following two days were nerve-wracking for Harry. He tried to use Occlumancy to separate himself mentally from his troubles, but unfortunately, it just seemed to make him dwell on where he was and what hunted him. Sleep offered no escape. Every night, Harry dreamt of the graveyard, Voldemort waiting for him by Riddle Senior's grave. The dreams were too vivid to be real, and Harry knew them for what they were. An attack on his mind through the shared connection of his blood now coursing through Voldemort's veins. It was the only thing that made sense.
Harry's studies with Madam Pomfrey stopped as she worked tirelessly with the St. Mungo's staff. While she was a Master Healer, it didn't mean she could quickly move Harry to a safer room. Sirius tried to distract Harry with conversation and carefully controlled experiments with air and water Elemental Magics. Lupin gave Sirius notes and books for Harry to review while he recovered, but the knowledge that he was still very exposed stayed in the back of his mind.
In the middle of the fourth day after receiving the threat, Harry requested the Dr Ubbly's Oblivious Unction Potion and a Calming Draught. Madam Pomfrey got both and had him take the Calming Draught first. The artificial release of some of his worries helped relieve his strained shoulder muscles. They ached in ways Harry hadn't realized were possible. Sleep took him before he could request the second potion.
After that, Healer Light provided a Dreamless Sleep Potion every night. Harry thought it was the only thing that allowed him to remain sane until Madam Pomfrey said the potion to restore his arm was ready. Sirius, Healer Light, and Madam Pomfrey all sat in his room to explain what would happen.
"Harry, I'm not going to lie to you. Tonight and much of tomorrow will probably be the most painful experiences you will endure. Regrowing an arm is a hard business," Healer Light said with a stony expression.
"Things will start slowly," Madam Pomfrey continued as she put her hands in her lap. "We can't numb the pain, or you might lose some sensation in your regrown arm." Harry didn't see how that would help. The damage from the curse in his first year took away much of the feeling in his torso, back, and extremities. "Sleeping will be difficult during the process, and we can't give you any potions to counter the pain. It could affect the Limb Regrowth Potion."
Harry grunted. "If it gets me my arm back, I'll deal with the pain," he sighed.
"What I can do is put you in a sort of trance," Healer Light said as she stood and put a parchment on the bed in front of Harry. "Read this over and let me know what you think. It isn't Obliviate, but it will help alter your thoughts through the process. The greatest danger to this potion is the pain, but if I can help alleviate that, then I want to do everything I can. This hasn't been tested before."
"So, I could just grit my teeth and regrow the arm without your aid, or I could have you cast a charm on me to help… what cope with the pain?"
"More like diffuse your thoughts. Muddle them a bit. Similar to the Confundus Charm. Have you ever felt dizzy while being sick? How everything moves at different speeds? It works similarly to that. I'm hoping it will help distract your mind from the pain."
"Are you sure that'll work?" Harry frowned.
"I will be here through the entire process. This… well… I can use this toward my Master Healer Certification."
Harry mulled it over. Healer Light had done a lot for him. "How confident are you?" he asked.
"Completely. The preliminary tests I've run on less extreme cases have been successful. Frequently, the patient doesn't even realize they should be in pain. There is a sense of misdirecting the mind involved. If you focus on what I have for you, then your magically distracted mind will forget about the pain in your arm."
Harry looked to Sirius. Sirius looked to Madam Pomfrey. The aging Master Healer smiled and nodded once to both of them. "Alright, we'll give it a go," Harry shrugged.
"Excellent. Now, one last thing. Madam Bones wishes to speak with you tomorrow, just before we start the procedure," Healer Light announced.
Harry blinked and looked at Sirius. He nodded once and said, "she needs to know."
A sudden thought came to him. "Could we use this as a distraction? Tell others I'll take the painful potion in two days?"
Madam Pomfrey stared at him. "You wish to leave here as soon as you have your arm back," she said simply. It didn't sound like she was angry.
"If Voldemort is after me, and if that message was a trap. Then, getting out ahead of more trouble is a good thing. I don't know why he is attacking people in the lobby."
"Harry, we've been over this," Madam Pomfrey said softly. "There is nothing linking He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named with what happened last week. Someone has fed those poor people with an old variation of a dark potion that causes hyper-aggressive behavior. Why they've done that, the Aurors aren't sure," she allowed when he gave her a pointed look.
Harry knew she wouldn't listen to him. He'd have to trust Sirius.
Madam Amelia Bones hadn't changed much since he last saw her. Square-jawed, handsome-faced, and wispy, graying hair, the Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement strode into Harry's hospital room with two others. Kingsley Shacklebolt had the air of a wizard ready for combat at any time. The last to enter was Garmond Wainwright. He was a short, unassuming, older wizard wearing a tall cap. His oval-framed glasses peered at Harry with interest.
Harry hadn't expected Madam Bones this early in the morning. He was doing stretches with his leg and slowly working on healing, so he had his pants down around his thighs. Hurriedly, he pulled them up and turned to look at the stern witch. "Good morning," he managed to get out.
"Are you healing well?" Garmond asked with a smile.
Just as before, Harry felt the wizard wasn't as old as he appeared. He knew Garmond worked in intelligence for the Ministry, but his exact role was a mystery. "As well as can be expected, thank you."
Kingsley eyed him up and down before tapping Madam Bones on the shoulder and moving out of the room. Harry supposed it was the least hostile the Auror had ever been with him. "I suppose you're here for our conversation," he said into the silence.
Madam Bones blinked and nodded. "Quite. Mr. Potter… Harry, could you tell us the events surrounding your injuries?" she asked carefully.
He had a feeling Sirius, and possibly Dumbledore, had already told them that Voldemort was back. It was surprising they'd taken so long to ask him themselves. "Do you have Veritaserum?" he asked.
Garmond did something Harry didn't expect. He laughed and fished around in his robes. "I can't believe you'd willingly submit yourself that after the hearings," he muttered, passing Madam Bones a small pouch. It clinked.
Harry blinked and looked between them. Had they bet on what he would say? "I know Mr. Potter. He would rather prove his innocence in the easiest way possible," Amelia Bones said with a smile. She produced a small vial that might have three drops of the Truth Telling Potion. "Harry, you do not have to take this. I will take you at your word."
There was a lot he didn't want to tell either of these people. Yes, Sirius might have a relationship with Madam Bones, but she was a high-ranking Ministry employee. Garmond was a shady individual who worked closely with Madam Bones. They might expose things he'd rather keep hidden with pointed questions.
"How about… I'll tell you a story, and if you need verification, then we can write down the questions to ask," Harry said slowly.
Garmond beamed at him. "Prudent, my boy, prudent. I might just be taking that purse back from you, Amelia," he joked with a wink at Harry.
Madam Bones conjured chairs for herself and Garmond. "Please," she instructed when they were ready with parchment in hand to take notes.
Harry hadn't expected that, but he nodded. "I… suppose I need to start with Hamilton Davies, Ludo Bagman, and Bartemius Crouch Senior and Junior," he said.
Garmond went very still. "That… would be wise," he said with a look to Madam Bones. She showed no reaction to Harry's statement.
It took a little over two hours to recount what happened at Hogwarts, within the Triwizard Tournament, the Third Task, what he saw in the graveyard, and his escape. Garmond hadn't stopped writing, and it was apparent he had to force himself not to ask questions. Madam Bones kept her eyes on Harry, but her quill moved just as fluidly as if she were staring at her parchment. Harry went through two glasses of water, trying to keep his dry mouth moist.
"I… have many questions," Garmond said slowly when it was clear Harry was done.
"I do as well, but we are limited on time. Five questions each?" she asked to her companion.
They asked, and Harry answered. Neither offered their thoughts; they just wrote everything down. Kingsley entered the room and whispered something to Madam Bones. "It seems our ruse has been found out. We must go," she said to Garmond. "Harry, thank you for telling us what happened. You've brought some very troubling news. However, I must caution you to never repeat what you said about a certain high-ranking official. You could be brought up on charges that I wouldn't be able to do anything about. Do you understand?"
Harry and Sirius had spoken about why Dumbledore's attempt to tell the world that Barty Crouch Junior was mascaraing as his father had failed so spectacularly. "That won't be a problem," he simply said.
Garmond looked him over and was about to say something, but Madam Bones quickly stood. "Rest assured, I will take every precaution I have available to me to protect this country. I must remain neutral…" she said slowly before continuing, "in the eyes of the Ministry. There are already factions moving within and without our government that haven't been active in over a decade. The Order of the Phoenix, for one," she said as she stared at Harry.
Frowning, he tried to remember where he'd heard that name before. It clicked. "The secret society Dumbledore created when Voldemort appeared the first time," he breathed.
Garmond frowned. "You… were not aware that they became active the very same night you had your… accident?"
Harry frowned again. Not only at the information but that the Ministry Official called being nearly murdered an accident. "No."
"I believe you. You have remarkably expressive eyes, Mr. Potter. And no, I was not using Legilimens. One last thing, how sure are you of these names?" he asked, his tone slipping into something harder than Harry had ever heard before.
"It's what I remember."
He and Madam Bones stared at each other for several seconds before the spymaster nodded once. "I suppose we all had our parts to play," he sighed. "Sterling Carnall has been missing since the twenty-fourth of June."
Harry had a feeling he knew what Garmond was hinting at. "Maybe it was a different Carnall."
"No… I know my old friend… or thought I did. I would like to be wrong," he said before turning to follow Madam Bones. The Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement looked more troubled than Harry had ever seen her.
It took ten minutes before Sirius came back in. He sat down on one of the chairs the Ministry Officials left. "How did it go?" he asked quietly.
"Well… they didn't force me to take Veritaserum. They took me at my word."
"I told you that they would. So far, I don't think you've lied even once during those inquiries. They noticed that. Your reputation isn't amazing at the moment, not that you've done anything to warrant the kind of… infamy that has surrounded you. However, many within the Ministry have discovered certain truths about Fudge that Barty Crouch is digging up and releasing."
Harry blinked. "Are you serious? A Death Eater… masquerading as his father… is using me to further his goals? The worst part is people are actually listening to him?" he goggled.
"It's a bloody brilliant tactic. Fudge has been using you to further his goals and to get at Dumbledore. By using you this way, Barty is not only eroding Fudge's power base and credibility but also Dumbledore's. You have to realize. The Wizarding World sees Dumbledore as infallible… a powerhouse of knowledge and wisdom. He's taking two Chasers out with one Bludger."
Harry frowned. "Not that I could anything, but if I were to go against Barty…"
"Then people would think Dumbledore put you up to it or that you were actually doing all those things Fudge said you were."
"Well… that's… wonderful news…"
Sirius barked a laugh, the first Harry had heard in a while. "Well… it's not like I can do anything here. Is Healer Light on the way?"
"Madam Pomfrey will be sitting in for the process as well. If you don't mind… I'd like to, too."
"I'm probably going to be screaming a lot," Harry warned.
"I'm… aware. However, if it gets you your arm back, then I'll just have to endure," Sirius muttered.
Harry couldn't fathom why Sirius would have to endure. He was going to be in pain, not him. "I don't see why not," he said with a shrug.
Healer Light came in ten minutes later with a tray of five potions. Harry frowned. She set them on a table she conjured and took a seat beside Harry's bed. "Alright. This is going to be a… long process. First, I will regrow your bone structure. You and Healer Pomfrey have been working on that, yes?"
Harry blinked and nodded. He expected there to be one potion, not five, for this process. Had something changed? "What happened to the Limb Regrowth Potion?"
"It's the large potion in the center. I like to always be prepared for any situation that may occur during the healing process. Three bottles are Blood Renewing Potions of my making, and the last is a Wiggenweld of yours," she grinned. "I must admit, you've made some rather ingenious changes that will stimulate the healing process if something goes wrong."
Harry was surprised and happy to hear her assessment of his potion. "I'm ready whenever you are."
"Just a moment," Madam Pomfrey called from the door. She brought in a stack of parchment and conjured a desk beside his bed. After making a desk for Sirius, she handed him a stack of parchment. "If you're going to stay, then please take notes. It will help Healer Light's research to see things from a non-healer's perspective."
Sirius looked a little green but nodded. Harry wondered what was going on with him. Once Madam Pomfrey got situated, she nodded to Healer Light. "Whenever you'd like to begin, dear."
A blue-white spell hit Harry in the face with no warning. His sense of perception skewed slightly as the world tilted to the left. In slow motion, a hand larger than Harry's face covered his eyes as his world went black for a second. A sense of vertigo swept over him as he knew someone moved his head back against his pillow, but at the same time, it felt like his entire body floated backward. His vision returned as something massive appeared in front of him. Cool, slightly bitter liquid languidly rolled down his tongue. The gelatinous sludge sped up and slowed down. Before the sensation of drowning overwhelmed him, the liquid was gone.
Time was a strange thing in his altered state. Sometimes his thoughts bounced and skittered off a barrier and others would vanish like a rising mist. He wanted to focus and concentrate on something, but every idea that came to him was jumbled. A sharp, bone-deep pain shot through him.
Harry instinctively drew in on himself. A pop, like a balloon bursting, echoed in his ears. He found himself staring out of the Entrance Hall of Hogwarts, his thoughts free and clear. It took him several seconds to reorient himself and another several seconds to realize what had happened. He was in the rudimentary mind palace he'd created while studying Occulmency. A radiating pain echoed through his right arm. He blinked and seemed to be aware of everything outside his body.
Madam Pomfrey was looking at him worriedly. Harry knew he must have some strange expression on his face. Sirius looked between him and his arm. The view from the massive Entrance Hall doors changed. Harry could see Healer Light slowly waving her wand over a skeletal appendage. Bleach white bone magically grew from itself as Harry's radius remade itself.
There was pain, but it wasn't debilitating. Harry paused, trying to understand why there would be pain at all. He didn't have a nervous system in his arm for his brain to think it was in pain. That got him thinking. Did his brain expect the pain, and that's why regrowing his bones caused pain? As the bones of Harry's fingers grew, he felt something off. The walls of his illusionary Hogwarts shifted and shook but made no sound. The image before him changed again. Muscles, veins, and nerves began to remake itself slowly.
"Ah…" Harry managed to get out as the echoes of what he was seeing radiated into his right arm. He blinked and looked down. There, unblemished and whole, was his right arm. He lifted it and inspected it as if it were just as illusionary as Hogwarts was around him. There was something important about what he was seeing, but he couldn't figure out what it was.
Harry waited and tried to ignore the process of what he was experiencing. Even closing his eyes, he could feel needles of pain jabbing deep into his arm as new nerves regrew themselves. At some point, he knew Healer Light fed him a Blood Loss Potion, but he didn't open his eyes.
"Harry," a voice called to him that sounded familiar.
It took a few more calls for him to open his eyes. He realized he was no longer in his mind palace but back in the real world. "I'm here," he got out through a sore throat. He wasn't sure why his throat was sore.
"The process is complete, but it'll take some time for you to get used to using your arm again," Healer Light said as he looked around. "The pain will be strong tonight and tomorrow."
Reattached to the stump of his arm was an unblemished right arm. He could see a clear line where his Severing Charm had removed his arm. "How?" he muttered.
"We've been speculating that while you were asleep," Madam Pomfrey said. "There are a few theories, but… well, we need to run some tests. Can you feel this?" she asked softly as she lightly tapped his left arm.
"No."
"How about this?" she said as she tapped his right arm. Feeling like he hadn't felt in years raced up his right arm. It was the simple brush of a finger, but he couldn't help but smile. Crawling ants of pain followed her touch up his arm, but he didn't care.
"Yes… yes, I can," he grinned. "Thank you," he managed to get out as tears welled in his eyes.
Healer Light looked uncomfortable as she said it was no problem. They tested a few things and waved their wand over his arm. If he hadn't known what to look for, he wouldn't have been able to feel their magic coursing through his arm. A breeze he hadn't been able to feel before tickled his hairless arm, and it kept distracting him.
"How about grabbing something?" Madam Pomfrey asked as she placed a red ball in Harry's hand.
He squeezed it and frowned. Only the thumb and forefinger on his hand moved. Focusing, he tried it again. This time, he saw his other fingers twitch.
"We expected that," Healer Light said gently. "It will take a little time before your brain fully reconnects with your hand. Until then, you need to focus on opening and closing your hand. It'll feel like you need to relearn how to do simple tasks."
Harry frowned and brought his arm up like he was going to block a spell. His arm moved, but there was a clunkiness to the movement that he didn't like. There would be more than just relearning how to open and close his hand. Writing would be difficult for a time, too. "Still, thank you both so much," he said softly.
"This is what makes being a healer so rewarding," Madam Pomfrey said. "To bring someone happiness. It's been about five hours since we started."
Harry blinked. "You said there would be more pain for all of today and some of tomorrow," he said slowly. There was a distinct lack of mind-crushing pain they'd warned him about.
"It's a little hard to explain," Healer Light said slowly. "I gave you your Wiggenweld Potion to help with the pain, but you'll still have a lot as you use muscles that have never been used before. If you notice, your left arm has muscle definition, whereas your right arm is about thirty percent skinnier. Some of that muscle will come back over the next few hours, and it will be painful."
"Ah," he muttered as he compared his arms. He looked over at Sirius, who looked pale, his eyes sunken. "Are you okay?"
Sirius sucked in a deep breath and let it out. "Yes," he said, but Harry didn't believe him. The process of growing an arm must have been pretty gruesome.
Two mediwizards entered the room without knocking. Sirius had his wand drawn and pointed at them in a flash. "Healer Light, Master Healer Pomfrey. You're needed downstairs," a gruff-voiced witch said as she looked between Harry and Sirius.
Healer Light still had her wand out. "What is the situation, Orderly Harper?" she asked calmly.
"The Mad Potioneer has struck again. This time, there have been deaths."
Madam Pomfrey asked the witch and wizard to leave first. She turned to Sirius. "Orderlies Harper and Woolahan should not have been able to get onto this ward. I believe we'll go with the first of our emergency plans," she said as she rose. "Healer Light," she said with a nod.
"Harry, follow Sirius. I'll come check on you as soon as we figure out whatever happened. You have my permission to take two, and only two, of your Wiggenweld Potions within the next twelve hours. When you take the first, you must wait at least four hours before taking the second. Am I clear?" she said as she looked Harry in the eyes.
"Perfectly," he nodded.
When Madam Pomfrey and Healer Light left, Sirius stood and waved his wand. Harry's trunk appeared next to the bed. "There won't be a lot of time. Madam Pomfrey has a plan to shuffle you around the hospital for a while, but you and I both know things will only get worse. I've scouted a way out but didn't expect… well… Go ahead and get dressed."
Harry wondered what his godfather had planned. "Are we leaving then?" he asked as he tried to get out of his pants.
"Yes, actually, why don't I just use… ah, this will work," Sirius said as he waved his wand over Harry's body. The frumpy large clothes that the hospital gave Harry changed into a rather smart-looking dress robe. "Got it for you the other day," his godfather winked.
"Right, I'm going to vanish your trunk again. Grab your Cloak first," Sirius instructed.
Harry did as he was told. A sudden thought came to him. "Healer Light is going to be upset. She won't be able to study the after-effects of her experiment." A guilty knot of worry settled into Harry's stomach. Healer Light wouldn't be the only one that would be upset.
"I'll remove my own arm so she can do it again… if she needs," Sirius said with a shake of his head. "Your safety is more important at the moment. I think they knew we'd get out of here as soon as you got your arm back anyway. Healer Light got plenty of notes for her research."
That didn't make Harry feel any better as he pulled the Invisibility Cloak over his head. Sirius looked him up and down. "Good, I don't see your feet or legs. Here's the plan. I'm going to lead you back down to the Spare Brooms closet on the first floor. Stay as close behind me as possible. Once you're in the room, I'm going to help with whatever happened downstairs. That might take a while. We'll only get one… maybe two shots at this before they bar me from St. Mungo."
"Alright, then, you're going to escort me out or something?" Harry asked, trying to figure out the rest of the plan.
"No, when I come back through, I'll open the door. That will be your queue to leave through the front door."
Harry blinked at his godfather. "The front door? Do you mean the one where it leads out into Muggle London? I realize I can't use the Floo… but… is this really going to work?"
"Remus is at the Leaky Cauldron. Get there as quickly as you can. I'll leave through the Floo if I can. I've been coming and going that way the last few days just to make sure it's mostly safe. I think someone is just waiting for you to come through."
Harry ran a hand through his hair. His right hand didn't quite work the way he wanted, and he thumped his palm across the crown of his head. With a baleful look at the offending appendage, he looked up at his godfather. "I really think we should have talked about this, but I'll give it a shot. I'll need a cane, one that won't make too much noise. I can't fully trust my leg for long walks," he muttered. At least it had been his left leg that got injured and not his right.
"Good point," Sirius nodded as he conjured a cane with a serpent head. He sneered at the bone-white cane. "It's the first thing that came to mind, and I knew where it was," he sighed as he passed it to Harry.
"Let me guess, a going away present?"
"My brother's cane when he came of age," Sirius grumbled. "Fat lot of good it did him. Alright, let's move quickly. I have an itch down my back that won't go away."