Chapter 3 - Complications and Solutions
Albus Dumbledore's portrait was already awake when three of his former students walked into his office. In spite of himself, Dumbledore's eyes widened. He saw the timid little boy whom he recognised immediately clutching both of his companion's hands.
Luckily, he gathered himself quite swiftly and proceeded by greeting them.
"Good morning, you three, why I haven't spoken to you in days." He said cheerfully "May I offer you a Sherbet Lemon?" he said gesturing to a wooden bowl on the desk. Ron and Hermione shook there heads, smiling, but little Harry bit his lip and then glanced toward the jar nervously.
"Do you want a sweet, Harry?" Hermione asked kneeling down again. Harry smiled nervously and gave a small nod. He liked it when his friends came down to his level because it felt like they were accepting him rather than looking down there noses at him. (Super Nanny, BOOH YAH!)
"Do help yourself, Harry." Dumbledore offered, chuckling as Harry cautiously took one sweet and popped it in his mouth. Ron put his hand on Harry's head and looked back up at Dumbledore.
"We have no idea what happened, sir." said Ron.
"Well, then I think you should just tell me exactly what you know and go the hospital wing for a quick exam for Harry." Dumbledore said still smiling.
Together Harry's best, and oldest, friends told the picture what happened when they awoke. And to Harry's deep gratitude they left out the parts where he had cried and other such unimportant details. Harry decided that he liked the portrait of Dumbledore very, very much because his eyes twinkled even when he wasn't smiling and he continued to offer Harry sweets whenever he noticed Harry had nothing in his mouth. After the full run down of the morning given by Hermione and Ron, Dumbledore was contemplative for a minute or two, except for when he offered Harry another round of Sherbet Lemon.
"It seems to be the workings of a potion, I think. As most spells usually can't penetrate the mind such as this…they tend to prefer the physical form of people." He explained, frowning slightly while Hermione nodded, obviously already knowing this. He peered down at the three people in his office and noticed that Harry seemed unhappy about something.
"Does that mean that something's wrong with my mind?" he said anxiously, to which Hermione and Ron looked at there former headmaster with stricken faces.
"No, I'm quite sure that you are a normal, healthy, yet slightly underfed six-year-old." Dumbledore said with amusement. "Now Miss Granger and Mr Weasely, I trust you will want to take care of Harry while a potion is brewed for his recovery?" He asked them.
"Of, course!" Ron said indignantly, who, to Dumbledore's pride, seemed shocked at the idea of not taking care of his friend. It was almost a wonder that at least one of the Weasely's weren't put in Hufflepuff, loyal to the core.
"We love him." Hermione added to the white haired painting who nodded, smiling. Harry looked up at Hermione and Ron with an odd expression on his face.
"You – you love me?" he asked in a small voice. It sounded as if Hermione had just spoken his fondest wish aloud and she and Ron were making it come true. They both stared down at him, and then kneeled for a big group hug.
"'course we love you mate." Ron said, his voice sounding thick with emotion.
"I-" Harry started, his voice sounded like it were of the verge of a very huge sob. "I love you too." He whispered as if the words could be tasted on his tongue just like the sherbet lemons he'd just swallowed.
Dumbledore watched the small group cling to each other. Impressively enough, both of the older students, unlike Harry, were winning the battle of tears.
"Love is your greatest strength, Harry. Good day to you." He said a smile plastered on his face as they waved him goodbye and left the room. He was just about positive that this smile would last until lunch time.
Harry sniffed all the way the Hospital Wing, feeling as though he could scream with happiness, but he didn't as it would startle Ron and Hermione. Harry trotted happily holding both Hermione's and Ron's hand and they made there way down through this amazing place. Harry stared at portraits and statues, gawking at suites of armour, nearly passing out when peeves started pelting the three of them with water balloons. The only reason Ron wasn't loudly cursing the meddlesome peeves at the top of his lungs as they sprinted away was because of Harry, he was very protective of their friend, six years old or otherwise.
When they were nearly there, Harry began to lag behind and his friends were dragging him along before Ron picked Harry up and placed him on his back. Harry soon fell asleep with his arms wrapped around Rons neck and quietly whispered his thanks before drifting off.
Madam Pomfrey was very disturbed when a six year old was brought to her. She woke him up and introduced herself. She tried to speak very gently to Harry after the two students in his company told her he was very easily scared. She checked him with her wand, and was shocked to find that he had ingested a potion that was supposed to turn him back into infanthood with a full memory. Who ever had made the potion had brewed it perfectly but, for some reason, it resulted in memory drained six year old child.
She clucked her tongue when she saw him flinch when she held his face gently for an eye test and conjured up a pair of smaller glasses to fit little Harry's face. He looked nervously at her wand as she waved it around his body, checking hat he was healthy. Who ever his guardians were, she would diffidently like to give them a good taking to. As she hurried back from the medicinal cupboard with a jar of bright purple mixture, she wondered who had given him this potion in the first place.
"Alright then, Mr Potter," the nurse said not unkindly but still business-like "Shirt off so I can rub this on your back to ensure no nasty side affects on your internal organs from the potion." She noticed with very well hidden amusement that Harry had gone bright red and bit his lip.
"Harry," Hermione said "Remember what I told you?" she asked him gently. He looked up at her with miserable, pleading eyes. He was obviously easily embarrassed even when he was six as well as seventeen.
"I – I don't want to do it." He mumbled weakly looking down and his hands knowing that his say didn't have and weight in the matter. Grown ups always got their way but to Harry's surprise, Ron took sympathy on his friend.
"C'mon Hermione, don't make him do if he doesn't want to." He said fairly, earning him stern look from Madam Pomfrey. "Harry?" he asked the red faced child "Would it be better if me or Hermione did it with our eyes closed?" he asked. Harry gave a small vigorous nod and whispered "You please."
Madam Pomfrey and Hermione sighed but said nothing. Hermione hated seeing Harry like this, especially at this age and she was sure Madam Pomfrey wasn't used to crying six years olds either.
An hour later, Harry, Hermione and Ron were eating sandwich after sandwich in the common room, as they had missed breakfast. Harry noted happily many times that these were the best sandwiches he'd ever eaten and Ron and Hermione laughed when he took his third piece and sniffed at it, his eyes rolling in pleasure, before taking a huge bite of the bread, ham and cheese. They were quite confused when at first Harry had looked at the sandwiches with a hungry and pained expression. He backed away and watched the plate as if waiting. Hermione handed him a sandwich to his great surprise and wondered why she was offering it to him. He always had to wait for leftovers and usually with Dudley they were scarce. About ten minutes after they had finished eating and Harry had gotten the idea that he was in fact allowed to eat, he had fallen asleep curled up on couch facing the fire, snoring softly.
Ron and Hermione were starting their homework and every so often they took a glance and the deeply asleep Harry. Well, Hermione was doing home work and ron was writing to his family, playing with his deluminator and reading the Daily Prophet. It was past lunchtime when Ron began to complain that he was hungry but soon his prayers were answered. Suddenly Kreacher appeared with a large tray filled with delicious food.
"Hello Sir and Miss, friends of young Master Potter." The elf squeaked smiling at them. The moment he had appeared, Ron and Hermione began smiling too, as they noted that Kreacher was still on good terms with them. "Kreacher has been sent to bring food to Harry Potter and his friends. But Kreacher is sad Harry Potter had this happen to him. Oh, yes." He said glancing at the sleeping boy. Then he placed the tray on a table, made a short bow, and disappeared with a large crack.
They had been working and eating until late afternoon in quiet whispers the whole time and giggled between themselves. They were perfectly content until Ron cast a worried glance at Harry and said. "I was worried for him today." He said tearing his eyes away from the sleeping angel. Hermione was looking at him curiously and raised her eyebrows to urge him to continue. Ron looked a little guilty and said, "I could feel sores on his back after I had closed my eyes. They were scars and scabs and everything, but he just saud they were tiny scratches from playing with his cousin. He wouldn't even let me look at them" He said as Hermione looked horrified with her mouth open. "Yeah, I know. He wouldn't tell me how he's actually got them but made me promise I wouldn't tell anyone."
"But…why?" Hermione asked him in a whisper, her eyes wide.
"He said he didn't want to see any one sad - or mad." Ron said gazing at their little friend with pity. "And also, I think that some things, really, never change." Ron added with a small grin.
When Hermione sent him a questioning look he just shrugged and said "Harry had his pride even when he was young because, I guess, it was the only thing he had that no one could take away. He was used to his dignity and he didn't want 'girls to see him'." Ron quoted grimly.
"He's six" objected Hermione.
"No," said Ron "He's Harry."
Ooh! A little bit of depth into Harry's past and character. Cool theory from Ron at the end…I just sort of made it up as I was writing, I think it turned out pretty well. I've decided to make Dumbledore the headmaster even though it's just a portrait. Oh gosh! Please don't rub it in…I know Dumbledore's last sentence is so corny! I couldn't think of what else to make him say! I was a little mean to Harry in this chapter with the Hospital wing and all that embarrassment. I think I'm going to pick on Harry quite a bit this story! OMG I know, I'm so mean! Don't lie…you think it makes the story good, too. I can't be the only one.
P.S. When I originally wrote this it had Dobby as the elf but I remembered that he died *tear* and so I changed it to Kreacher so it would make sense. I'm so sad about Dobby 'cause I loved him so much. :'-(