Pain and Heartbreak

Pain and Heartbreak

Chapter 1

Darkness. Eternal darkness. That was all Harry could see. It was cold and the air was damp. He could feel something moving about him but he had no chance of fighting it when he couldn’t see. He could hear voices around him. Whispers. Light was starting to penetrate the inner corners of his eyes and the voices were more audible.

“Poor boy. Do we know his condition yet?” Snape?

“Not yet Severus. It seems it is very serious though. The pain may have effected him mentally.” Dumbledore's voice was sad and Harry wondered why. Pain was starting to tingle at the tips of his toes.

“How long has he been like this?”

“Three weeks.” Harry heard a thump. It sounded as if Snape had hit the bedside table with his fist. The pain was started to climb up his legs.

“Severus, don’t blame yourself. You did all you could! If it wasn’t for you he might have-” Dumbledore broke off. Harry’s breathing was quickening. He heard footsteps coming closer.

“Professor Dumbledore?” Hermione. “How is he?”

“We don’t know yet Miss Granger, Mr Weasley.” Hermione let out a dry sob. The pain was becoming unbearable. Harry started to scream. His eyes snapped open and everyone looked at him.

He kept screaming. Long piercing screams that filled the hospital wing. “Harry! Harry, please stop screaming!” shouted Hermione. Harry couldn’t hear her and even if he could it was doubtful that he could stop. “Please stop!” Hermione was starting to cry. She couldn’t bear seeing one of her best friends in so much pain. Ron pulled her into a hug so she couldn’t see him. Ron looked at his best friend and he went stiff. The seventeen year old boy with jet black hair and emerald eyes had been so happy just three weeks ago. He had just been offered a job at the Ministry and a position on the Puddlemere United and Chudley Canons first squad quidditch teams. He had also found love in Ginny Weasley. Now he was in so much pain that he couldn’t stop screaming. Ron looked to Dumbledore, who looked shocked and frightened,

“Help him! “ he shouted. Harry was now flailing and Ron wanted him to stop.

“Madam Pomfrey!” shouted Dumbledore. The matron was already running down the ward.

“Please stop!” Harry was pleading. He started to cry and scream at the same time.

“Stupefy!” cried Madam Pomfrey. Harry stopped screaming and fell silent, his eyes closed. The scream still seemed to be ringing through the hospital wing.

“What’s wrong with him?” whispered Hermione, now looking sadly at Harry’s still face.

“We don’t know Miss Granger. I know this must be terribly hard.” Hermione looked at Dumbledore and realised he was finding this hard too. “Maybe it would be best if you go back to the Gryffindor Common Room. Take a break. We will contact you a soon as we know....” Dumbledore trailed off.

“Professor? Would it be okay if I wrote to my family to say?” Ron looked hopeful.

“Of course Mr. Weasley. I would also like you to tell Miss Weasley. She will need to know.” Ron nodded and led Hermione out of the hospital wing. Snape had remained silent through all of this. He suddenly sat down on the bed next to Harry’s. He put his head in his hands and his shoulders started to shake. Dumbledore sat next to him and looked at Harry’s still and silent form.

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Ron sat down heavily on a chair in the common room. He just sat and stared at the fire. Harry had looked in so much pain. Why had he let Harry go out alone. He might not have been in this state. Poor Ginny. He dreaded having to tell her. It had been hard enough writing the letter home. Hermione had run straight up to the girls dormitory as soon as they arrived at the common room. At that moment Ginny walked into the room. She wasn’t as cheery as normal but she was happier than she had been a few weeks ago.

“Ginny?”

“Hi, Ron.” Ginny saw the look on Ron’s face and her smile vanished, “What’s wrong?” Ron looked very upset and he wasn’t sure how to say this without absolutely crushing her.

“Ginny, Harry woke up today.”

Ginny looked like she was about to scream with joy, “And?”

“Ginny, he..” Ron held her hands, “He may be seriously mentally damaged. He was in so much pain he.. he doesn’t seem to know where he is.”

Ginny just looked. Her eyes were wide and staring. “No...” she whispered, “you’re lying. He’s fine, he’s fine.”

“Ginny, I know this is hard I..”

“You’re lying!” she screamed. Tears were pouring down her face. She put her head in her hands and fell to her knees. “Your lying.” She whispered between sobs.

Ron knelt on the floor and pulled her into a tight hug.

Back in the Hospital wing Harry lay motionless on his bed.