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SIYE Time:19:41 on 28th March 2024
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Normalcy
By notadryeeye

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Category: Alternate Universe, Post-HBP
Characters:None
Genres: Tragedy
Warnings: Dark Fiction, Death, Sexual Situations, Violence
Story is Complete
Rating: R
Reviews: 1174
Summary: Harry gets one night that gives him a glimpse into what life could be like with the Dursley's. But events turn for the worse and both Harry and the wizarding world are left wondering what it's consquences mean for the future of the world.
Hitcount: Story Total: 500790; Chapter Total: 17096
Awards: View Trophy Room




Author's Notes:
I don't own anything. JK Rowling owns the universe...I just am choosing to play in it. No Copyright infringement intended.




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Chapter 6: Planning and Preparing

Remus, Arthur, Fred and George all sat silently on the Underground train, swaying slightly as the train whisked along. They were about five minutes from the stop that would leave them two blocks from St. Thomas's and nobody had spoken a word since they boarded the train. They had met at Grimmauld Place and had talked briefly about how they were getting there and what to say when they reached the hospital, but now there were no questions, only unbridled anticipation and fear.

The train came to a halt and Remus looked up from his self-induced trance and nodded to the other men, standing up and allowing them to follow him out the door and into the station. The four wizards made their way up the stairs and into the bright sunlight and the hustle and bustle of a busy London morning. The quartet made their way through the crowds quickly, Arthur supressing his need and want to stop and wonder at everything Muggle, and found themselves standing in front of the welcoming and brightly lit entrance to St. Thomas's Hospital of London.

"He's up on the eighth floor," Remus told the Weasleys. "We'll need to check in at the front desk and wait for someone to take us up there."

The Weasley men nodded in unison and followed Remus as he entered the hospital. They approached the Information and Patient Check-in desk that Remus had went to his other time here and found the same girl, this time in a red blouse sitting and typing away at her computer. She turned to the group of men and smiled at the twins before addressing Remus.

"Oh hello again. You were here yesterday for...a Dursley?" she said smiling and typing away at her computer. "Oh, I'm sorry...He was released this morning..."

"Actually I'm here to see a Potter, Harry James Potter actually. He's Dudley's cousin and is up in the Trauma Ward. I visited him yesterday and was told we needed a staff member to escort us to the ward," Remus corrected her. She gave a small nod and continued to type, pulling up Harry's information.

"Yes...he's still there. I'll page someone from the floor to meet you up there. Just take the elevator...." the young receptionist offered.

"Up to the eighth floor." finished Remus. She gave him a small smile and printed out four badges that said visitor on them.

"Put these on and have a good day," she replied, handing the badges to each person and smiling at each of the twins, who were giving each other knowing grins.

The four men clambored into the empty lift, the twins still smiling to themselves.

"Did you catch her name?" Fred asked.

"Pretty good looking...she'd be quite a catch for a Muggle," George said to himself.

"She was smiling at me," Fred said indignantly.

"She was clearly interested in...."

"Boys." Mr. Weasley stated firmly, causing them to halt their argument, but he had a small smirk on his face.

The lift halted and a small ding signaled that they had arrived on the eighth floor. The doors opened and they stepped out into a silent hall. It was deserted except for a few medical staff who were paying no attention to the newest arrivals.

"Are Muggle hospitals all this lively?" George asked offhand.

"No...just this floor," Remus whispered darkly.

Remus made his way down the familiar, stark white hall towards the glass doors marked Trauma Ward. In the distance they could see a small nurse standing outside the door, clearly waiting for their arrival. Halfway down the hall Remus halted and looked solemly at the others, who had come to abrupt stops themselves.

"I...." Remus tried to talk, but stood there, at a loss for words, his mouth opening and closing trying desperatly to find them. He tried to steel himself and took a deep breath.

"I didn't want to say anything in front of everybody else because...well I didn't want to worry them more than they already are. But since your going in there," He said, pointing down the hall toward the ward, "I just wanted to warn...to let you know that things are going to look pretty bad when you go in. It's going to be shocking seeing him hurt like he is...but..."

"We figured that by the way you sounded last night Professor," Fred said quietly. "We saw the crash site...and we knew it was bad."

"But we're here for Harry," finished George.

"Alright then...looks like they're awaiting our arrival," Remus said as he turned back down the hall toward those glass doors.He didn't think that any of them were really prepared for what they were going to see.

As they approached, Remus saw that it was the same nurse that had been tending to Harry when he had visited last night.

"Oh hello....Mr. Lupin?" She greeted them, hoping she remembered Remus's name alright. He nodded in recognition. "I guess you're here to see young Mr. Potter then this morning? I'm not sure if he's awake yet, he was still sound asleep during my rounds around midnight...so he still might be a bit groggy from the medication last night," She said referring to the pain medication that they had administered after the ventilator incident. "But I can take you in and you can see him anyway, he might be awake now," said with a smile, eyeing the group of red-haired men behind Lupin.

"Oh...This is Arthur Weasley," Remus said pointing to Arthur. "And this is Fred and George, Arthur's sons."

"We went to school with Harry," Fred piped in.

"And my youngest son, Ron, is his best friend. Harry stays with us most summers before school starts," Arthur added.

Kara gave them a small smile, "Well it's nice to meet all of you and I'm sure Harry'll be happy to see you guys again. I'm just going to ask you to all keep things down in the ward and be consious of the equipment." They all nodded in recognition and Kara turned to swipe her card in the scanner and the doors hissed open to the soft beeping and humming of the various machines of the Trauma Ward.

They followed her through the ward, the Weasley's turning their heads in all directions and looking around amazed at all the different sounds and blinking lights emenating from the various beds on the open part of the ward. There was a feeling dread and uncertaintly that went along with amazement though. This place was not one of happiness, but one where lives hung in the balance and on the brink.

Slowly the group followed the nurse to the far end of the ward to a door that was cracked partially open. There was a sound of a television set coming from the room and the nurse looked back at the group with a confused look on her face. She opened the door to find an older nurse standing next to the bed, looking up at the television and back towards the bed.

"Hello Marie," Kara greeted the other nurse. "What's this?" she asked as she looked from the television, to Marie, and to Harry.

"Oh, he woke up earlier this morning when I was cleaning the machines and seemed pretty bored, who wouldn't just staring at the ceiling. Doctor Harris said it'd be alright for him to watch television and keep his mind occupied. Dr. Harris also stopped administering the paralysis medications, so he's starting to move his hand and arm a bit." She said as she used the controller to flip through the channels. "Can't seem to find a channel he likes," she chuckled, looking down at Harry, who was blinking 'no'.

"Well, that's alright. He's got visitors," Kara responded, motioning to the wizards standing in the doorway. The older nurse nodded and pointed the remote towards the television, turning it off and set it down on one of the tables near the bed.

"We'll be back in a while to check on him," Kara said as she followed the other nurse out of the room.

Remus and Arthur started to make their way across the room to Harry's bed, but the twins stayed rooted to the spot, staring with mouth's wide open at the figure on the bed. Remus went around to the left side of the bed and took Harry's hand. Arthur went to the right side, looking down at the bed and taking in the broken boy before him.

"Have a good night's sleep there Harry?" asked Remus, smiling down at Harry, who for the first time, squeezed back against Remus's hand. "I brought Mr. Weasley and the twins to help figure out how we're going to get you home. We're going to take back your records and go over the twins plans and then we just have to wait for Madam Pomfrey to arrive before we take you back to Grimmauld Place." Harry blinked in understanding as his old professor told him about the plan and the timeframe of getting him out of this god-forsaken place.

Remus looked over at Arthur who was still staring at Harry's injuries: his amputated arm, the tubes and wires coming out of everywhere, the breathing tube in his mouth. Arthur knew that it was going to be bad beforehand....but this was horrible, horrible beyong imagination. Arthur couldn't fathom how much pain and agony Harry must be going through, and his own heart was breaking as if he was staring down at one of his own children. Hell...Harry was one of his own.

Remus cleared his throat and continued to stare at Arthur as he broke out of his trance. Harry shifted his eyes over to the left side of his bed and caught Mr. Weasley's eye, who just smile sadly back at him.

"Hello Harry," he said quietly, raising his hand and touching the boy's bruised cheek. Harry's eyes clenched shut in an effort to keep tears from falling. He couldn't stand the way that Mr. Weasley looked at him, sad and defeated, the twinkle in his eye replaced by tears.

Remus turned his attention back to the twins as Mr. Weasley spoke softly to Harry. The twins were still standing in the middle of the room, not moving and looking around desperately at all the contraptions and machines and looking anywhere but the bed.

"Boys, why don't you come over here," Remus said, causing Fred and George to jump. "Come on," he said as he motioned them over towards him. They slowly made their way over to the bed. "One of you can hold his hand," Remus whispered,"I need to start looking for his charts."

The twins looked at each other, each hoping the other would make the first move. Finally Fred stepped forward and reluctantly grasped Harry's limp left hand, carefully not trying to disturb anything, which was obscured by the various I.V.'s and wires coming from the back of it. Remus left Harry's bedside and proceeded to search around the room, looking at and turning over any spare bit of paper or clipboard.

"Hell Harry, if you wanted to get out of going to Bill's wedding, George and I coulda come up with a lot less painful way than this," Fred sniggered, turning to the one thing that made him comfortable, his sense of humor. He wasn't sure if making jokes was the most appropriate think to do in this situation, but it was all he had to combat his nervousness and shock.

"Yeah Harry, I agree with Fred on that one. But I do have to admit...there are some very nice looking nurses and staff running around. That girl at the front desk...probably haven't met her yet...but she was quite the looker, am I right Fred?" added George in his humourus bravado, turning to his brother and winking.

"Oh yes. You couldn't introduce us or anything could ya Harry? Don't tell me you haven't been looking...and I'm sure you've enjoyed that young nurse that was just here taking care of you night and day. I know I would." replied Fred in an amusing tone.

The corners of Harry's mouth curled around the breathing tube and it was obvious that he was trying to stifle a chuckle and a smile.

"Well kid, Fred and I have to take a peek around and see if we can't devise something to get you out of here...not that I'd wanna leave behind all these beautiful women if I were you, " chuckled George, winking this time at Harry. The twins left the bedside and started poking around, and looking through windows at the outside ward. They had dropped the happy masks they had just put on and were seriously trying to come up with some way to get him out without using magic. Seeing him and all the stuff he was hooked up to, made their task that much more daunting and difficult.

After about twenty or so minutes of searching and talking with each other, the twins returned to the bedside where Remus and Arthur were talking to Harry in hushed tones.

"I think we've gathered as much mental info as we can," George said tapping the side of his head. "Did you get the records?"

Remus held up a tan folder at George's question.

"Where'd you get that?" Fred asked with slightly amused.

"I snuck into the file office and photocopied it," Remus said proudly.

"You...you stole it?" George said with a huge smile on his face.

"I didn't steal it," Remus informed them, "I merely found the file and made some copies. They'll never need to know. No harm done."

"Wow...I never thought I'd see the day where Remus Lupin would stoop to the level of petty thievery," chuckled Fred.

"I'm so proud!" George cried in a tone reminisant of his own mother and attempted to wrap his arms around Remus, who backed out of his reach.

"I was best friends with Sirius Black and James Potter remember. And I do believe it was a map of our creation that aided you in many of your rule breaking excersions. I'm shocked that you would consider me incapable of a little mischieve," Remus answered affronted, trying to sound offended, but failing miserably when a smile broke out across his face.

"Well, if we're all set then...we should get back to Headquarters and put some things together with the rest of the group," George said seriously.

"Yeah," answered Remus, nodding his head. He then turned back to Harry who was watching them all with an unreadable expression on his face. "Harry, we have to go again for a while. It shouldn't be too long and you should be out of here sometime today. I hate to leave you here alone...."

"I'll stay here," Arthur interupted Remus. "You three have information that the Order needs and can handle getting everyone else ready. I can sit with him and make sure things stay the way they are on this end."

"Alright. I think that's a good idea," Remus said in agreement. He bent down closer to Harry's bed, "See ya later Harry."

"Bye Harry," said George as they made their way across the room and out the door.

"See ya mate. We'll be back with the flying car and crow bar to break you out!" joked Fred.
--------------------------------- ---------------------------------------- --
The three of them made their way out of the ward and back down the hall into the lift. No one had said a word since leaving the room and now where standing in the lift, staring blankly at the floor.

"Wow..." offered Fred, letting out a deep breath. His twin shook his head in the same sentiment.

"You boys did fine," Remus assured them. "We got done what we needed to and we're getting him out of here."

"I know...but I really wasn't prepared to see him like that," gulped Fred.

"We're not going to be able to fix everything are we?" asked George cautiously as the lift came to a halt on the main floor.

"I don't know...we need to give these to Madam Pomfrey before we assume anything," Remus answered hesitantly, brandishing the file.

"I guess I'm more worried about Mum and the others and how they'll react," George said sadly.

"Ron, Hermione, and Gin especially," added Fred equally as glum.

"It'll be hard on them...and I'd prefer to keep them at the Burrow while we transport him..." replied Remus.

"They won't go for that," Said the twins in unison.

"Exactly. So we need to be there for each other and know that we'll get through this," said Remus roughly as his voice cracked with emotion. "And we need to remember that no matter what he looks like...he's still the same Harry."

With that, the three of them were out into the bright, busy street outside St. Thomas's, where they hurried to the nearest alley and Apparated just outside London, in the neighborhood that housed Number 12 Grimmauld Place.

------------------------------ ---------------------------------------- ------------------------

An hour later, the three of them, along with Professor McGonogall, Tonks, and Mad-Eye Moody were sitting around the great big oak table in the basement kitchen of Grimmauld Place casting glances at Madam Pomfrey, who was sitting at the head of the table going over the pieces of paper in her hands with a furrowed brow. Every once in a while, she would pick up her quill and make notes on a piece of parchment, writing down a list of things she would need, spells she might need to remember.At last she set down the stack of papers and looked up gravely at the others at the table, taking off her reading glasses.

"Have you come up with a way to bring him here?" She asked looking around at the table.

"We were kind of waiting for your input before we finalized or brought anything up. George and I have a general idea, but we're not healers or medi-wizards...so we weren't sure if it was for the best," Fred stammered.

"What were you thinking of?" she asked concernedly.

"Well...the place is too open and there are too many people around to do any major healing there, if we're trying to avoid using magical methods and detection. We'd have to perform dozens of Oblivate charms...set up silencing and disillusionment charms. It's just too much to do magically without detection," George offered.

"And we sort of had an idea from when Remus told us about Dudley being transfered to St. Thomas's," Fred added.

"Yes?" Madam Pomfrey inquired, pushing them to keep revealing their thoughts.

"And we thought if we somehow made it appear that we were transferring him to another hospital, Muggle fashion, we could bring him here instead," George continued.

"All we'd need is some phoney paperwork....which shouldn't be too hard. And we'd have to get a hold of some mode of Muggle transport...like an ambluwence..." Fred chimed in.

"Ambulance," Professor McGonogall corrected him.

"Yeah...that. I know it's not the best of plans...but since we're trying to be as descreet as possible....we figured it might work," Fred finished, afraid of what the others thought.

"That's actually probably the best course of action," Madam Pomfrey replied, fingering the papers in her hands and looking down at thim with an exhausted and worried face. "I couldn't heal him at the hospital even if we weren't trying to avoid Ministry detection. Once Muggle medicine intervines and treatment is started...it's dangerous to start wizarding treatment and considering his injuries and the amount of treatment and work they've already done on him...yes...that'll work," Madam Pomfrey said trailing off and whispering to herself.

"So what do you need us to do Poppy?" asked Tonks from the far end of the table.

"Arrange for an ambulance to be brought to the hospital emergency bay, my sister's husband is a Muggle paramedic so we can figure something out there...Fred, George can take care of the paperwork and the logistics of it. We'll need probably four or five people to accompany me to the ward, disguised of course...." she answered as she fired away her thoughts.The twins nodded in response and started chatting between themselves on how to achieve these things.

"Before we head out I need to go to Hogwarts to pick up some things we'll need," she said to herself again...eyeing the papers and sighing deeply. "There are just some things we'll have to do without...there's just so...I'm not going to be able to take care of everything. Some things I doubt even St. Mungo's could help," She said, looking sadly at Remus who nodded in understanding.

"Like what?" Moody asked in a gruff voice. Madam Pomfrey looked at Remus with a questioning look on her face. She wasn't sure if she could divulge Harry's physical status to them.

"They might as well be prepared and know," Remus conceeded. "They're going to help and we need every member to be informed and ready."

Madam Pomfrey picked up the medical records again and began paging through them, shaking her head.

"Well...his internal injuries are...staggering to stay the least. Sufice it to say that when he...he was pinned between the car and tree his right side was literally...ripped open. They did extensive repair during surgery. They removed part of his liver, his spleen and a good length of small intestine. Most of that damage will have to wait until it begins to heal for me to begin work on it. It's too messy, too many stitches and repair to work around and there is too much that can go wrong. We'd need to let it start to heal on it's own, we can speed up the healing process a bit, but we'd have to wait until things start to heal before I can do anything," she continued flipping through the pages, shaking her head over and over at the long list of injuries. "They repaired a rip in the wall of his heart caused by broken ribs. That'll be the same as his other internal injuries...we'll just have to wait to do anything magically...," she continued but paused when she got to one of the last pages and then turned to Remus.

"How was his mental status when you saw him? Was he awake...did it seem like he understood things and was focusing on people?" she asked quietly.

Remus nodded. "Yeah...he definetely knew we were there and he communicated through blinking and squeezing our hands. He even laughed..well smiled at Fred and George's antics."

"Good...from this...well I was just a bit worried when I saw that they had to...but if he's concsious and responding we can only take that as a good sign...but'll have to wait to see if there aren't any unforseen problems," she replied darkly.

"What sort of problems?" asked Tonks.

"The brain is a very tricky and dangerous thing to mess with. Though their scans show things appear normal...there could be memory loss, speech impairment, or other motor problems...but from what Remus said...we might not have to worry about that," she assured the people at the table who were looking at her horrified.

"And his arm?" asked Fred.

"No...even the Healers at St. Mungo's wouldn't be able to do anything for him," she replied as she lowered her eyes to the table.

"What about his arm?" asked Professor McGonogall nervously.

Remus was the first to answer.

"He...he lost his right arm in the accident...from the shoulder," he said, staring at the table and holding back his anguish once more. There was complete silence in the room as everyone took in the information and tried to process the severity of Harry's injuries

"Nothing can be done?" asked George.

"No. Fingers...toes...they can be regrown. But arms, legs...much like a head or whole body...are too large and hard to regrow through healing or Wizarding medicine," answered Moody in an unusually soft voice. Everyone knew Moody was speaking from experience, having suffered scarring and disfiguring injuries and losing his own leg.

"Let's not concentrate on that right now...let's just get things ready to bring him here. Poppy please arrange for that ambulance to be at St. Thomas's and get things you need from Hogwarts. Fred and George...do what you need to to make up those documents and map out a path from the eighth floor to the entrance hall. Tonks...you can accompany us...you'll be easiest to disguise as a Metamorphmagus. I'll pop in at the Burrow and get Bill and Charlie and the others. Let's try and be ready to move out in an hour or two," Remus said, bringing their plan together and into action. "Alastor...you can accompany the transport for some protection and Minerva...if you could stay here with Molly and the others...try and keep them occupied..." he addressed Professor McGonogall, who nodded her head in understanding.

"Ron's not gonna go for staying here with the girls....we've already made him stay away and not allowed him to help. He'll go absolutely beserk if we tell him he has to stay behind again," George told the room at large. "You saw how he got when we told him Harry was going to spend the night at that Muggle hospital," George turned to his twin.

"Yeah...my little bro can get downright scary when he's pissed off...he'll want to come and we won't be able to stop him," added Fred.

"I figured that. We need another person anyway to help and Harry'd like Ron there," said Remus. "We'll fill him in when they arrive and then we'll go from there. Ok...let's get things moving."

All of the members of the Order that had a specific job to do went off to make preparations. Remus Lupin stepped up towards the fire and threw a handful in as he said "The Burrow" for the third time in a span of a few days and was off in a torrent of green flame.


---------------------------- ---------------------------------------- ---------------------------


Two hours later Madam Pomfrey, Remus, Bill, Tonks, the twins and Ron were standing in the long hallway leading to the front door, waiting for Lupin to add the last transfiguration charms to Bill's hair. Mrs. Weasley, Ginny, Hermione, and Professor McGonogall were all standing near the foot of the stairs, watching anxiously and interestingly at the different looks everyone was now sporting.

All of them were dressed in some sort of hospital staff uniform that had been conjured by Madam Pomfrey and each of them were now sporting a different hair color and had had small transfiguing charms done to their noses, chins, or eyes. When the last bit of change was complete, a now blonde-haired, green-eyed Remus Lupin turned to address the party.

"We shouldn't be too long. We'll apparate to the alley that I told you about and then walk the few blocks to St. Thomas's. The transport, along with Moody and Charlie are going to be in the bay outside the entrance and Arthur is already up in the ward, ready and waiting for us. Fred and George said the transfer orders are in place so all we should need to do is go up to the ward and wait for a nurse to escort us in....from there you take over Poppy," Remus finalized their plans one last time.

"Molly, if you and the rest of the ladies would please clear out the sitting room. You can move all the furniture into the attic or basement...just as long as it's cleared," Molly smiled a watery acknowledgment and stepped forward towards Remus.

"Bring him back safe Remus," she whispered to him and he nodded in return and enfolded her in his arms in a reassuring embrace.

When they broke apart, Remus turned to the others who were watching the exchange.

"Alright...let's go get Harry."

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Ro n walked slowly behind the gurney that was being pushed along a dark and quiet hallway by his brothers. He looked from side to side at the transfigured and solemn faces of Madam Pomfrey and Remus as they walked towards the ward Harry was on. He'd never been to a Muggle Hospital before, and he'd only been to St. Mungo's a handful of occasions, and already he was feeling as if he'd prefer the hustle and bustle of the wizarding hospital to the grave and desolate feeling he got from this place.

He had arrived at the Order Headquarters at the call of Lupin and had been told that he would be allowed to go with them to get Harry. Ron had been suprised that he was going to be included, but had been ready to put up a fight and protest if they had told him to "stay and be strong for his mum and gin." He had been filled in on the plan as soon as he got there, but had only been told that Harry was pretty hurt and they were going to need to be careful in getting him out of the hospital safely.

Ron followed the group slowly, lost in thought until they reached the end of the hallway, where glass doors stood in their way.

"Can I help you?" asked a stocky nurse from behind a desk to the side of the doors. Madam Pomfrey stepped forward to address the nurse.

"We are here to transfer one of your patients to a private hospital," the matron answered politely.

"Name?" grunted the nurse, looking over a list in her hands.

"Potter, Harry James," replied Madam Pomfrey. The nurse scanned her list and looked up at the group.

"Do you have to transfer order and signed doctor's document?" she asked. Madam Pomfrey turned to Lupin, who handed her the forged and phoney set of documents the twins had come up with. Madam Pomfrey handed the nurse behind the desk the documents, holding her breath as the woman looked over the papers.

"Ok, I just have to go and get approval from the attending, Dr. Harris, and then there will be a nurse sent to open the ward and see that you find everything alright," she said eyeing the group who were looking back at her anxiously.

They all watched the nurse walk into a back room and disappear from view, then let out a collective sigh of relief that their plan was so far working. Ron took the opportunity to look around and through the glass doors into the ward before him. His heart sank as he saw the dozens of beds scattered about the ward. Patients were lying there, some asleep, others in varying states of consciousness, all were hooked up to various wires and tubes, looking scared or tired or totally out of it.

Ron suddenly felt sick to his stomach as he stared inside the glass doors. Harry was in there. Harry was one of those people hooked up to machines, one of those people who looked as though they were hanging onto life by a thread.The looks on his brother's faces after they had returned to Grimmauld Place after visiting here earlier in the day had conveyed to Ron that Harry's situation was a dire one. He had told himself then, that no matter what, he would be there for Harry and put aside his worries and fears. But now that he was here and he was standing so close to where his best friend lay hurt and suffering, all the bravery and courage he had mustered to come here to rescue him, was now replaced with fear and aprehension.

Fred caught Ron staring blankly and apprehensively at the room beyond the thick glass doors.

"Ron," he asked softly. Ron continued to stare, not hearing his brother's calling.

"Ron..." Fred said a bit louder, shaking Ron out of his stupor.

"Wha...?" Ron choked, as his mouth had gone dry and talking was becoming difficult.

"Are you okay mate? You know you don't have to do this, ya know? We'll take care of him... you can wait for us..." Fred told his younger brother soothingly.

"No," Ron said quickly. "I'll be alright. If he can go through this...than so can I. I mean...it can't be that bad can it...nothing Madam Pomfrey can't heal," Ron said unconvincingly, looking at his brother, who in turn had his head down.

"What?" Ron cried. "You're all acting as though he's horribly disfigured or only has half a brain or something! He's my best friend and you're acting as though I'll go all looney or something just by looking at him. I'm not a freaking baby...quit treating me as if i'm going to have an emotional breakdown or something!"

Fred took Ron by the shoulders and spun him around to face him. He had to look up, but he looked Ron straight in the eye.

"Ron calm down!" Fred hissed through clenched teeth. "It's not that we think you're some pathetic mental case, but I've seen him Ron and it hurts looking at the kid and seeing how much pain he must be in or what he's gone through. We let you come along because we know how much you and Harry mean to each other and we couldn't bear to keep you in the dark for so long.We don't think that you're going to go all nutters or have a breakdown on us...we just wanted to keep you from feeling the same feeling of helplessness that the rest of us have, the feeling of standing there watching someone close to you suffer and not being able to do a thing about it. I'm sorry for that Ron."

"You think I don't feel helpless already?" asked Ron seriously. "Do you know how helpless someone feels when they lose their best friend? Do you know what it feels to wonder whether your best friend suffered and was lying in the dirt, cold and alone, knowing he was dying? To wish that his death had been quick? To have the only things going through your mind be things you never told them or how horrible it feels trying to recall the way their voice sounds...all the while being so afraid that one day, you'll forget? I'm no stranger to feeling helpless and lost Fred. I get my best friend back...and I don't care if he's blind or crippled or can't remember my name...as long as Harry's alive...anything else won't matter," Ron spoke defiently and maturely.

Fred nodded his head in understanding and pulled his brother into a quick embrace. They broke apart when a small, blonde nurse appeared on the other side of the glass and swiped her card, causing the doors to hiss open and allow them entrance into the ward.

"Please follow me, she said curtly, leading them through a maze of beds and machines, glancing back cautiously as they navigated the gurney through them. She led them to what the twins and Remus knew to be the separate room that Harry was currently in. She turned to Madam Pomfrey.

"I'm going to go check the bay and see if Moody is here yet," whispered Tonks as she turned back down the hall.


"We got notice of the transfer a while ago when the papers came in...so we've readied most of the equipment for travel. If you need anything, the charge nurse will be out on the floor. I don't think there will be anything else you'll be needing...but don't hesitate to ask," she told them sweetly and then opened the door to allow Bill, Fred, and George to push the bed through the door and into the room. Remus, Madam Pomfrey, and Ron all followed closely behind and the nurse closed the door in their wake.


As soon as the door had opened, Arthur had stood up from his chair at Harry's bedside and stared cautiously at the people who had just entered the room. He had drawn himself up to his full height and his hand was resting inside his jacket pocket, no doubt upon his wand...ready to strike if anyone dared go for Harry.

"Arthur...calm down," came the voice of Remus Lupin from the mouth of a blonde haired man, now slowly walking carefully toward him.

Arthur didn't take his hand from his jacket and was about to draw it if this man got any closer.

"Dad...it's us. It's Fred, George, Bill, Remus, Madam Pomfrey and me," came his youngest son's voice from behind the face of a tall, black haired man.

"Ron?" asked Arthur questioningly.

"Yeah Dad, now put your wand down and let us get Harry out of here," he said relieved that his father was starting to believe it was them, and not some polyjuiced Death Eaters in disguise.

Aruthur lowered his hand from inside his jacket pocket and nodded aprehensivley, staring into the faces of the transfigured people in front of him.

"Alright," he said, turning is attention back to Harry. "How are we planning to get him back to Headquarters anyway," asked Arthur. He had been at the hospital the entire time and had yet been filled into the plan. Remus stepped forward and told him of the plans to fake a Muggle transport to get him back to Grimmauld Place.

"He's asleep, so don't jostle him too much," replied Arthur, looking down at Harry again, who's chest was rising and falling with the hissing coming from the ventilator.

"We'll take care of him Arthur," soothed a tall brown haired woman, who he assumed, since she was the only woman present, that it was Madam Pomfrey. She stepped up next to him and started to survey Harry's broken body, laying amongst the wires and sheets. She turned and beckoned for the gurney to be brought alongside Harry's bed.

Ron followed as his brothers pulled the stretcher close and caught his first glimpse of his best friend.

"Bloody Hell," Ron said tonelessly, staring helplessly at Harry's pale face and bruised body. He took a deep breathe and looked pleadingly at Madam Pomfrey. "He's not in any pain is he?"

"No," she said simply. "He's asleep and they've got him on medication that numbs the pain." Ron nodded and swallowed.

"Let's just get him home," he said bravely, though his face had visibly paled, glancing around at everyone who in turn, were watching Ron's face for his reaction.

"Alright," said Madam Pomfrey, her matronly instincts taking charge. "Before we can move him, we need to unhook the ventilator."

Remus's face paled. "If we do that...he can't breathe."

She fiddled around inside of a bag that had been placed on the empty stretcher and pulled out a tube that had a large plastic bulb on one end.

"We breathe for him," she said simply. She looked around at the wizard's confused expression. "This attatches to the breathing tube in his mouth and someone squeezes it so the air enters his lungs. This will have to do until we can get him back to where we can perform magic to heal his lungs." She reached toward the place where the ventilator met the tube coming from Harry's mouth and stopped. "Perhaps we should wake him. I can't imagine it would be to pleasant to be woken up by the sensation of not being able to breathe. He could panic and he could injure himself more."

Arthur leaned over and said Harry's name softly into his ear. Harry's head moved a bit, but he stayed in his peaceful sleep.

"Harry," said Bill softly, gently shaking his left, uninjured shoulder, careful not to hurt him.

Harry's eyes fluttered open for a bit and he furrowed his face, but fell back into his slumber.

"Harry mate, get up. Don't make me write Bill or Charlie and tell them what I caught you and Gin doing yesterday in that passageway! Once they find out, I can't protect you anymore. I'm serious Harry get your lazy ass out of bed." Ron said firmly from the side of the bed. Harry's eyes shot open in confusion and he looked around blearily at the blurry figures leaning over his bed.

Once they focused, Harry's eyes darted around frantically at the strange faces. They then locked on the only familiar face in the bunch, the red hair and glasses of Mr. Weasley.

Mr. Weasley noticed Harry's confusion and the hint of fear in his eyes as he looked around at the strange faces.

"Harry. It's ok, Bill, Remus, Madam Pomfrey, the Twins, and Ron all transfigured themselves so they could come get you disguised. Its them Harry," He said reassuringly.

"Yeah mate," said the now black haired, blue-eyed Ron leaning over the bedrail. "Sorry about scaring you there...and don't worry, my brothers won't beat you up till your healthy enough."

The group around the bed chuckled a little bit and Harry surveyed their faces, awaiting their next move. Madam Pomfrey leaned over Harry.

"We need to move you to a gurney. But before we do...we are going to have to take you off the ventilator and breathe for you manually. When unattach the machine you might not be able to breathe for a few seconds, but once we bag you and start pumping this," she said holding up the bulb and tubing, "you'll breathe much easier. Ok Harry?" Harry blinked once and Remus spoke up.

"That means yes," he told the room at large.

"Alright Harry. I'm going to unattatch you now. Try to stay calm," She said as she reached toward the connection and there was a faint hiss as the excess air escaped.

Harry's chest seized up as he fought for air. His hand tightened painfully around Bill's who was holding it for support.

"Don't fight for air Harry, just a bit longer, I promise you," she lifted the bulb and tubing to the connection and placed the end into Harry's breathing tube. She gave the bulb short, quick, squeezes as Harry's chest puffed up allowing air to flow back into his lungs and relieve his panic. His eyes closed in relief, as cool and comforting air flowed through his lungs and eased the fire that had been there a few seconds before as his brain screamed for air.

"Bill can you take this?" Madam Pomfrey asked Bill, who was still holding Harry's hand. Bill looked questioningly at the matron. "It's alright. I need to help the others with getting him on the bed. Just take the bag and squeeze every three seconds. See...1....2....3....squeeze." Her hand closed around the bulb and Harry's chest rose and then slowly fell.

Bill raised his hand and put his next to the matron's, counting silently to three to himself and then squeezing.

"Good Bill...just keep that up. Just remember...every three seconds. I'm sure Mr. Potter wouldn't appreciate it very much if you forgot to breathe for him," Madam Pomfrey said with a smirk as she watched Bill concentrate on counting to three. He looked up startled at her. "Relax Bill...you're doing fine."

Madam Pomfrey then turned to Ron, Arthur, the Twins and Remus, who were standing back and awaiting orders.

"I need someone to take all the I.V. tubing and swing it carefully over to this side of the bed. Remus if you could bring that I.V. stand over to this side of the bed," she said, directing traffic. Within the next five minutes the tubing and machine's necessary for a safe travel were swung over Harry, so that they didn't pull or hurt him, but allowed them to lift him onto the gurney with relative ease.

"Ok," said Madam Pomfrey, making sure every last detail was in place. "Bill I need you to stand up and move to the head of the bed so you can continue and move as we move him. Arthur I need you to hold his head and neck still while we slide him over," she instructed as she showed Arthur how to position his hands. Harry was watching everyone in interest, and he looked up to see a very nervous Mr. Weasley upside down over the top of him, holding his neck and head steady. Harry caught his eye and winked at him to give him a bit of encouragement. Mr. Weasley smiled weakly back and then went back to concentrating on his task.

"Remus and Ron...if you could come over to this side and grab the edge of the sheets tightly, we're going to slowly slide him onto the gurney," she beckoned the two over and let down the bedrails, pushing the gurney tight against Harry's bed. She showed them how to grip the sheets. "Fred and George, I need one of you on each end, and take the sheets like i showed Remus and Ron. There you go....now on the count of three...Remus and Ron very slowly pull up and towards you, Fred and George, lift up so we don't rub his side against the bed. And you two," she said pointing to Bill and Arthur, "Just move with the others and try not to move his head or neck. He didn't have a neck or back injury, but I'm sure it wouldn't be comfortable."

"Ok...ready," she said looking around at the group, who were in deep concentration. "One....two....Three."

With a great effort and concentration, they moved Harry from his bed onto the moveable gurney.

"Alright there Harry?" asked Ron with concern. Harry had had his eyes closed during the move. Harry blinked once as a response.

Madam Pomfrey finished putting I.V.'s and stands back in their rightful places for transport. She reached underneath the Gurney and pulled out a white sheet and placed it gently across his bandaged and naked torso.

"Ok Potter...it's time to get out of here," she smiled down at him.

Ron, Fred, and George stood on either side of the gurney, pushing it along while the Bill walked alongside the right side, continuing to concentrate on the task of keeping Harry breathing. The rest of the party walked alongside or infront of the others, leading the way out of the ward and down the hall into the lift.

They all piled into the lift, pressing the button that would take them down to basement level and out into the bay, where the ambulance was waiting. As the lift started to silently move downward, everyone breathed a sigh of relief that they had made it successfully out and with Harry safe.

In the silence, Harry brought his hand up towards his mouth, where Bill was still consciously concentrating on counting and squeezing on the dot. Harry grabbed his hand and waited three seconds and squeezed his hand around Bill's, slowly, instead of the short bursts Bill had been doing. He then waited until all the air had left his lungs and then squeezed again slowly. Bill nodded down nervously at Harry, and started counting and squeezing the bag the way Harry had shown him. Harry took his hand off Bill's and gave a weak 'thumbs up' sign and relaxed back on the gurney.

"Looks like your patient just showed you how to do your job," said George slyly.

And with that, the lift came to a halt and the doors slid open, revealing a shiny white ambulance waiting to take them back to Grimmauld Place.

A/N: Sorry about the slow pace and the little cliff here. I was going to add more. But I've already kept this chapter from you long enough and it would be even longer. I wasn't sure I liked the way this one came out...but after struggling to write it and get it the way I liked it...I decided to just let it come to me. I promised this last Thursday, but things kept me from writing and every time I sat down to write more...I ended up getting sidetracked.










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