Author's Note: Guess what, people! Surprising LAST chapter. I managed to squeeze the ending into one chapter. I hope you all love it!

CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE

He had been having a good few days. He was even more coherent than usual. Severus had been visiting with him to check on his progress when searing pained raced through his veins. It took the combined efforts of Severus and Dr. MacGregor to keep him from flailing off the bed. Harry could feel the pain resonating from deep within his magical core.

Dr. MacGregor detected the pain was from the Kizal's and had nothing that could ease the pain.

It took nearly twenty minutes before the pain finally subsided. They helped him to sit up before Dr. MacGregor could start looking over him.

"One to ten, Harry. How bad was the pain?" Dr. MacGregor asked.

Harry winced. "Eleven."

Dr. MacGregor shared his wince as he wrote notes on his clipboard. Severus squeezed Harry's shoulder. Harry shot him a small, grateful smile.

"What did the pain feel like?" Dr. MacGregor questioned.

Harry had to sit back and think. He had been too much in pain to really notice what it felt like. He tried to think of when it was burning through his veins.

"Burning. It felt like my blood was just…burning," Harry explained.

It didn't escape his notice or Severus' that Harry's gaze seemed to be to the left of the good doctor. Dr. MacGregor finished checking him over before giving Harry something to help him sleep. They remained by his side until he fell asleep. Severus waited until they stepped out of the room to speak.

"Is there anything you can give him the next time the pain comes through? Morphine maybe?" Severus suggested.

Dr. MaGregor sighed.

"At this point, I'm afraid to give him anything. How are the experiments coming along?"

Severus ran a hand across his face from his eyes down his cheek.

"We're making progress. We have to space out the potions now or they'll wreck his body more than the Kizal's is," Severus explained.

MacGregor nodded.

"I understand. Will you be staying for the evening with him? I can have some dinner sent up," MacGregor told him, smiling.

Severus shook his head. "I need only stay a little longer. Arthur, Molly, and Kingsley are going to sit with him for a while."

"How is Hermione?"

"Good. She checked on Harry's familiars and took them home with her. She's spending the evening with her family and will return tomorrow morning."

"At the crack of dawn, I'm sure."

"I'm sure, too."

The two shared a chuckle before MacGregor departed for the evening. Severus didn't have to wait long for Harry's next visitors to arrive. He greeted each of them, speaking softly so as not to disturb the slumbering patient. He told them of things to watch for and when they should call for one of the hospital staff.

When he returned home, Severus found Draco and Nico fast asleep on the master bed. He could tell by the tear streaks on Nico's face, his son had had a nightmare. Rather than join them, Severus came downstairs to try and relax for the evening. He had a small snack and attempted to read. He gave up after he read the same sentence six times.

You know the importance of balancing research and break time…but this is different. You know you can't focus unless you're focusing on the cure for Harry, Severus thought.

Severus put his book aside and closed his eyes. He started running formulas through his head.

"Can't relax, huh?"

He startled badly and his eyes flew open while his hand went to his wand. He relaxed when he saw Hermione wiping soot off her robes in front of the fireplace. He hadn't even heard the floo activate.

"I sent you home to be with your family," Severus said.

Hermione glared. "I am not a student out after curfew, Professor. Besides, you and I both know we have the same problem. We can't focus on anything, even our families."

Severus stood, sighing. They walked down to the lab while Severus updated Hermione on what had happened with Harry. Upon reaching the lab, Severus looked over his ingredients while running formulas through his head. Hermione picked up the notes, going back over everything for the millionth time.

Hermione glanced up as Severus strolled back through with a special box in hand. He set it down on a lab table and opened it to reveal special ingredients. Hermione smiled.

"Are those the basilisk ingredients?" Eyebrow raise. "Harry talked about his Christmas gift idea with me and Ron. I'm glad you liked it."

Severus smiled. "Thank you. I have used only a little so far. I am hoping some of this may be of use to us."

Hermione stood with the notes and joined him at the table. They went over the basilisk ingredients he had, brainstorming ideas together aloud. As Severus voiced ideas, Hermione wrote notes in shorthand understandable by the two Potions Masters.

"Severus? How did Harry describe the pain he had before?" Hermione asked.

"He said it felt like his blood was burning," Severus said.

"Burning," Hermione repeated as she made a note.

Severus paused. The word kept ringing in his head.

Burning…burning…burning!

"That's it!"

Hermione jumped at Severus' explanation. He put down what he was doing and dashed to the door.

"Where are you going?!" Hermione shouted.

"Hogwarts!"

/…/

"I'm afraid I don't understand, Severus."

Minerva stood in the Headmistress Office with Severus.

"I don't have time to explain, Minerva. I need Fawkes. Is he here?" Severus asked.

Minerva gestured to the empty perch resting in a corner of the room.

"He comes and goes. I wouldn't even know how to summon him. Remember, he was Albus' familiar, not mine."

Severus released a heavy sigh. He knew Harry's egg had yet to hatch. Fawkes was the only phoenix he knew of that could help them. He apologized to Minerva for waking her at the late hour and departed. Instead of leaving Hogwarts, Severus walked down to the lake where a small yet sizeable weeping willow was. It had been planted in Albus' memory.

He reached out to press his hand against the cool bark.

"I'm lost, Albus. He's slipping away from us. The Golden Boy…the Savior who survived his own personal Apocalypse…Harry…I don't know what to do. This isn't an easy fix. He's getting worse. The body pains and seizures have increased." Pause. Choke. "And I think his vision is starting to go."

Severus started murmuring a soft prayer in Latin. He was thrown off balance when he heard an equally soft trilling sound accompany him. His head snapped open, frantically searching for the source. Perched on a high branch in the willow sat a softly singing phoenix.

"Fawkes."

It didn't take much to convince Fawkes to provide tears to help Harry. It took Severus and Hermione three hours, finishing around six in the morning, to produce what they hope was the cure. Severus left a note for Draco before they departed.

The hospital was eerily quiet when they arrived. The only people in the halls were hospital staff. They were walking down the hallway at a fast pace when the windows suddenly glowed blue. Severus came to a dead stop, causing Hermione to jerk to a stop just ahead of him.

"What is it?" she asked, her gaze darting to the windows.

Severus frowned deeply at the windows.

"A lockdown. It allows people in…" Severus slowly turned his gaze to Hermione. "…but not out."

Hermione gasped.

"Harry."

They flew down the hallway, only to find a bunch of Healers and Healers-in-Training around Dr. MacGregor outside Harry's room. MacGregor was giving them all instructions and sent them off when he spotted the two Potions Masters.

"Where's Harry?" Hermione demanded before taking in a big gulping breath.

Dr. MacGregor shook his head. "I don't know."

Severus took a moment to catch his breath before questioning him on what he meant.

"He's been under careful watch since he's been here. He hasn't been left alone…not for a second. But our new Healer-in-Training – Roxy – there was maybe a five, six minute window between her leaving to get his breakfast and me arriving. Soon as I found out, I locked down St. Mungo's," MacGregor explained.

Severus' hand shot out to his shoulder. He squeezed it hard.

"Is he still here? In the building?" Severus asked.

Hermione's breath caught in her throat. Her nerves were on end and her heart beating rapidly. She breathed again when MacGregor answered in the affirmative.

"Yes. My monitoring spell on Harry's vitals is still active. If he had left the hospital, then the spell would have deactivated. I have Healers and Healers-in-Training searching the hospital," MacGregor answered.

"How are his vitals?" Severus questioned.

Thankfully, MacGregor said Harry's heartbeat hadn't waned from the levels it had been at. It was still weakening, but that could be due to the disease.

"We believe we figured out a cure," Severus told him point blank.

MacGregor startled. "You're certain?"

"More certain that I have been."

MacGregor shook his head. "Then it's imperative we find him. I've already sent for the Aurors, but we don't want to panic the rest of the hospital. The staff are searching quickly and quietly as they can."

MacGregor left them with a walkie talkie that several teams throughout the hospital had a channel to. Hermione kept a hold of it. The good doctor went one direction and they went the other. They looked for over an hour, leaving no room untouched, but came up empty handed. Kingsley had arrived with three Aurors to aid in the search.

Things were getting frustrated and they were brainstorming ideas in Harry's room when Draco and Lucius arrived with Nico. Hermione stared at the family with horror. Neither of them had sent a Patronus to tell Draco or Lucius and it was evident when little Nico opened his mouth.

"Where's Mr. Harry?" Nico asked.

From over his son's shoulder, Draco shot Hermione a confused look. Lucius stared at his best friend with growing horror on his face. Severus dropped to a knee in front of his son.

"We don't know, son. Harry's gone missing and we don't know why or where he is. We're trying to find him," Severus explained.

Severus heard the barely concealed sob from his husband. He caught a brief glimpse of Lucius grabbing his son by the arm to steady him. Severus turned his attention back to Nico whom he was surprised to find smiling.

"I can find him, Papa."

Everyone's gaze shot to the little boy. Severus reached out to place his hands on his son's shoulders.

"How would you do that, Nico?"

Was there something special in being an Aura Reader that Nico could use to locate Harry? Nico grinned big.

"Cooper can find Harry!" Nico exclaimed.

Hermione gasped. "He's right! Cooper should be able to find Harry. He's one of Harry's familiars. He would be able to find Harry's scent."

Unfortunately, there was no one outside of the hospital that could get to the canine as Ron was one of the Aurors searching the hospital. They didn't dare risk lowering the shields, lest whoever may have taken Harry be able to escape with or without him.

Nico, apparently, had an answer for that, too. He cupped his hands together and called, "Cooper!" Not a minute later, coming through the wall as if he were a ghost, the white canine came bounding into the room with a bark. Nico beamed happily while all the adults appeared shocked.

"Cooper, find Mr. Harry!" Nico commanded.

Cooper's nose went to the now cold bed where Harry had been sleeping. He took off out of the room with Severus, Draco, and Lucius right behind him. Hermione remained behind with Nico. He turned to Hermione with his small, secretive smile.

"Cooper will find Mr. Harry," he said.

Hermione smiled. "I hope you're right, Nico."

/…/

His eyes were closed, but he was conscious. He wasn't sure where he was. Harry knew he was still in the hospital, but he definitely wasn't in his room. Taking note of all his senses, he could tell he was sitting up in a corner on the floor and his magical vitals nosepiece was still in place. His head was throbbing and his chest burned with painful aches.

"It was only a matter of time until I got you alone. Who knew how easy it would be?"

With a small groan, Harry slowly peeked his eyes open. He lifted his gaze to a familiar smirking face. Narcissa Malfoy stood several feet away with a shark-like grin playing across her face. His vision was a little blurry, but that face was undeniably the exiled witch. She had her wand out, but was twirling it mindlessly.

"Imagine my surprise to hear the poor little savior was dying. Now I just couldn't pass up the opportunity to see up close for myself," Narciss smirked.

The joy in her voice grated on his nerves and he let his opinion be known.

"Go to Hell," he rasped in a rough voice.

She slowly walked to him and leaned down. She put her wand under his chin, forcing his head up to look at her.

Narcissa sneered. "You first, Potter."

A floor above them, Cooper led the three wizards down the hall. He passed a surprised Healer-in-Training in the stairwell doorway. He jogged down the steps with them close behind. Cooper jumped up and pushed the ground floor door open.

The canine paused at the reception desk to jump up and sniff at the Welcoming Witch. He moved on behind the desk, pushing his way through double doors that led back to where the hospital staff were only ones allowed. Cooper turned left, then right, then another left. They almost couldn't keep up with the dog.

Cooper came to a stop in front of a room they almost passed. It was out of the way and the lights in the hall were out, throwing the thick door into the shroud of darkness. Cooper lifted a paw and started scratching at the door.

From inside, Narcissa was still going on about how her family would be "cleaned of his filthy blood" once he died and how Nico would become "the perfect little Pureblood of the new world." Harry's vision was blurred so bad by now that she was just one big blob of ugly. Despite his deteriorating vision, Harry could hear a familiar quiet sound coming from somewhere behind the crazed witch.

When he felt a warmth in his body, he realized what the sound was. Somehow, Cooper was at the hospital and he had found Harry. Knowing about the canine's strange abilities, Harry's cloudy mind managed to conclude the door was locked. Ignoring Narcissa prattling on about her almost perfect world, Harry slipped his wand from a hidden holster to his hand. Not even MacGregor knew it had been on him since Maisy had snuck it to him at the beginning of his hospital stay.

Harry narrowed his eyes and pushed himself to focus. For a split few seconds, his vision cleared and he could see the door beyond Narcissa. Blood started dripping down his nose as he forced his magic to the surface. For the first time since leaving Hogwarts, he cast a nonverbal spell.

A…Alo…Alohomora, Harry said in his mind.

A soft click emitted from the door, causing Narcissa to pause in her one-sided conversation. Suddenly, everything happened all at once. Cooper leapt through the door, catching Narcissa's arm in his mouth as she turned to fire a spell. Screaming, she fell backwards to the side and out of sight as the three wizards burst into the room.

Lucius followed after Cooper while Severus and Draco ran to Harry. Severus cast a shield around them as they dropped to their knees.

"He's barely breathing," Severus murmured as he reached his robes.

"Sev, his heartbeat's slowing down!" Draco gasped.

"Tilt his head back," Severus commanded, pulling out and uncorking several potions.

Draco pulled Harry against him and pulled his head back. Severus poured the potions down Harry's throat, massaging it to help him swallow. Harry coughed roughly, spilling up a little potion over his bottom lip.

In the background, Cooper had released Narcissa to allow Lucius to cast several spells at once. The first spell snapped her limbs together to her sides. The second spell threw her against the wall. The third spell stuck her to the wall. The fourth spell sent a Patronus notice to Kingsley.

"THAT FILTHY MUDBLOOD DESERVES TO DIE! EVERYTHING IS HIS FAULT!"

Narcissa would have said more except Lucius' last spell silenced her. He got up close to her with Cooper growling beside him.

"You will never lay a hand on him again as long as I breathe," he snarled in her face.

/…/

"How long?"

Hermione shook her head at her husband.

"We don't know. Harry's still breathing, but his heart rate is still low. We don't even know if we brewed the cure," Hermione murmured.

Ron grasped her hand and squeezed.

"You did. I know you did. He's gonna be okay, you'll see," Ron told her.

Hermione smiled weakly. She wished she had the same strong beliefs as her husband. They were sitting at home awaiting word from Saint Mungo's. It had been five hours since Harry had been found in a hidden room and he had yet to wake up. Dr. MacGregor didn't even know if he would.

Don't do this to us, Harry. Don't leave us, Hermione thought.

The two tried to go through normal routines, but found themselves constantly thinking of their best friend. It was after ten when the floo call came.

/…/

[9:45PM]

Nico popped his eyes open. He was sitting up on a bench seat between his fathers. Both were fast asleep. Nico squeezed his way out and slid down to his feet. Rubbing at his eyes, he stepped carefully over a sleeping Cooper. He passed his grandfather who was slumped down in his own chair dozing.

The young boy walked over to Harry's bedside. He gently took Harry's hands in his tiny grip and squeezed. He smiled down at the older wizard. His smile grew as Harry's eyelids slowly slipped back to reveal bright emerald.

"Hi, Mr. Harry," Nico whispered.

The sides of Harry's mouth quirked up.

"Hi, Nico," he whispered back.

"Are you feeling better?" Nico asked.

Harry coughed out a small chuckle.

"Much better."

Nico, not sure of Harry's honesty, focused his energy on Harry. His smile grew as he saw the purple aura lightening and the green returning.

"You look better," Nico whispered excitedly, barely able to hold himself back.

Harry chuckled again, a little stronger than the first time.

"I guess you're stuck with me then," Harry whispered back.

Dr. MacGregor was walking in the room when Nico squeezed Harry's hand tightly and screamed excitedly. He made the poor doctor jump and his fathers fly up, but tangle and tumble to the ground. Lucius snapped away and groaned when he sat up too fast. The little boy scrambled up onto the bed, throwing his arms around Harry in a tight embrace.

"MR. HARRY'S GONNA STAY! HE'S GONNA STAY!" Nico shrieked.

Harry brought his arm up to loosely hug the young boy back. Dr. MacGregor lifted his head and started murmuring a small prayer. Draco threw his owns arms around his husband as tears of joy fell from his face. Lucius chuckled himself, shaking his head.

Our family is whole, he thought.

THE END

Author's Note: I hope you all have enjoyed this story as much as I've enjoyed writing it. I am happy to say I am considering writing a sequel.