Once the couple realizes that Hadrian is not getting better after a restless nap and a few sips of water they barely got him to drink Severus is contacted to come over. It is not long before he shows and the parents give him the run down while he runs a short diagnostic charm on the child.
"I suspect that his body is having a hard time digesting the potions. Give it until morning and if he is still in pain we can go back to the healers." The dour man sets himself up in his usual room and checks on Draco who promptly drags his uncle into a game of wizarding chess as Narcissa and Lucius take turns sitting with Hadrian.
By dinner the situation is not better and Hadrian has thrown up three more times. Narcissa is beside herself and suggests every stomach soother she can think of but Severus explains that introducing more potions will just make the child feel worse. It is not until 4 a.m. when Hadrian wakes up screaming in pain as he clutches both his new toy and stomach that Narcissa insists that the family leaves right then and there.
Both children are carried through the floo as the small group rush to get help. The parents are ushered out of the room during Hadrian's assessment while Severus speaks with the healers about his earlier finding. In short order, Emerson is both contacted, arrives on scene and is brought up to speed.
"Unfortunately Professor Snape is correct in his assessment that Hadrian's body is not processing the potions as he should and we will have to do another complete cleansing before we can try another tactic," Emerson explains as Severus prepares the short ritual. "We can start it shortly with no problem but I also have some good news tonight."
"Good news?" The couple looks at each other. "What sort of good news?"
"Hadrian's foot is completely healed and his arm is far more advanced than we predicted. I believe that Hadrian's magic has spent so long trying to keep him functioning without added help that it started attacking the potions as a foreign entity while it worked to heal his most pressing issue."
"Why would his foot be the most pressing issue? Are the potions not supposed to bind to magic and help it along with the healing process? How could it be a hindrance?"
"I believe that we introduced too many potions at once to heal him. He was raised as a muggle with absolutely no exposure to magic. I suspect he caught a mild case of magical poisoning which exacerbated his problems. We must understand that while Hadrian was at his previous residence his magic was the only thing keeping him going some days," Emerson tries to explain delicately. "It only makes sense that it would choose to focus all his energy on the brakes as he can not defend himself well in such a condition."
The parents are shocked and angry. They wish that this could have been caught before they left only days ago but Severus joins them and informs the group that Hadrian is prepared and ready. The ritual takes no more than two hours. During the time Narcissa is able to coax her oldest into going back to sleep on her lap knowing there is no way she can have one child in the hospital and one at home.
Once the ritual is done, Severus comes to gather the parents.
"He's still unconscious and will most likely sleep for the rest of the night."
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Hadrian wakes slowly the next morning surprised that he feels absolutely no pain. The small child can not remember the last time not even his fingers ached from hard work. Haddy allows himself to wake slowly especially when he notices the very family texture of cloth he's laying on. Even after just a few days he'd recognize his mummy anywhere.
"Is my darling still sleepy? I believe Uncle Severus is bringing you something soon and then you can go back to resting, my love." Haddy snuggles into his mother until he hears the door creak open and his mother starts gentle shifting him into a more upright position.
"This will determine next steps but we don't have to worry too much," he catches the last of what his uncle says to his parents as he wakes himself. "Are you hungry, Hadrian?"
Harry nods as a tray is wheeled in front of him. He tries to wiggle off Narcissa but she only holds him tighter while situated them both. In the end he's placed with his back to her front with the tray in front of them both. It's filled with fruit, waffles, eggs and bacon. Before going to Howarts, Harry had never seen so much food a plate meant for himself. Despite all the months he has spent eating as much as he wants he knows that there is no way he will finish even half of it.
"Dray?" Harry looks around for his brother only to find the boy asleep in a chair across the room.
"He's asleep right now, sweetheart. You just eat as much as you can and we can talk about how to get you better after, alright?" his father answers. Haddy starts on the fruit and waffles but only gets a few bites in before leaning back onto his mother.
"Do you want just a few more bites, baby? Here just a little more," Narcissa tries to spoon eggs into the boy's mouth but he resists. She persists but Harry squirms before reaching for the closest adult, Severus. The man is surprised but quickly takes the child off his mother.
"It's fine, Narcissa. He's eaten as much as he can."
"But he's so close. Just a few more bites and…" Narcissa is frantic.
"It's going to be okay, Cissa. Hadrian won't like it but he will be okay," Severus says this as he bounces the youngest Malfoy child.
"I need to get the rest of the equipment. Why don't you try the bottle one last time?" Severus deposits the boy in his father's arms before leaving with the rest of the food. Barely a moment passes before a bottle appears on the table which Narcissa grabs.
Once Harry sees what is in his mother's hand he shakes his head sadly. "Daddy says I can't have that. I'm not a baby." He turns his face into his father's robes but Lucius sits Harry back so that they are facing one another.
"Daddy's sorry Hadrian. I should not have been opposed to your treatment. Your mother is right, your health is and will always be our number one priority no matter how unorthodox the treatment may be." The couple rearranges themselves with Narcissa sitting on the bed and Harry curled in her lap with Lucius sitting on a chair next to them. This time when Narcissa tries to introduce the nipple Haddy hesitantly latches on. When he sucks on it he allows the warmth to wash over and relaxes his muscles.
Severus enters as Harry is finishing up with a cart filled with various medical supplies Haddy can't get a good look at. Instead his mother places him over her shoulder and gives his back a few good thumps before a satisfying burp leaves the boy.
Hadrian blushes as he's sat back on Narcissa's lap but Severus gets his attention by conjuring another chair to sit with everyone. Draco continues to sleep as Hadrian's world is once again turned upside down.
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"Do you understand everything, Uncle Severus said, Hadrian?" Lucius asks after his son remains silent from the big revelation.
"I'm still sick?"
"That's right, sweetheart," Narcissa reassures. "Daddy and I want you to understand that you're still healing and the healers think that you need a little extra help."
"I can eat more. I'm so sorry," Harry buries his face in his hands as he feels tears building up. "I-I'm so sorry for.." his breath hitches as he feels someone gather him in their arms.
"You have nothing to be sorry for. This is not your fault and it is not forever," his father tries to be comforting. "The feeding tube is just to help get your weight up and stop you from being so sick after each meal."
"But I don't want a feeding tube," the child cries. "I can be better. Please don't."
"This isn't anything you did. You are not well and this is going to make everything so much easier."
Severus instructs Lucius to sit and as a trained healer preps and sets up the tube himself with little to no difficulty. The end is taped to the side of Haddy's face but the child wants to immediately scratch at the area.
"Let's try not touching the tube. I do not wish for it to move and cause you harm."
"I don't like it!" the cry wakes Draco who blinks a few times before going over to see what's the matter. "Dray!" Haddy immediately reaches for his brother when he sees that he's finally awake. The older boy wastes no time climbing on the bed and sliding his younger brother onto him lap.
"It's okay, Haddy. Sometimes we have to do things we don't like to eventually feel better. Don't you want to go home and curl up in my cozy corner? We can't do that here." Hadrian nods along with his brother's words before turning back to the adults and agreeing to do whatever it takes to leave as quickly as possible.
"Alright Hadrian. I need you to listen carefully and do what I say. Do you understand?" Severus waiting for the boy to confirm before measuring out the tube and slowly feeding it in his nose and down his throat. Once it's placed properly, Severus calls for a pole and a bag with strange mush in it. Haddy quickly realizes that this mush is going down the tube.
This is not going to be fun.