Pain and Heartbreak

Chapter 2

Albus Dumbledore was sitting at his desk, head in his hands. He had never been so worried. Harry Potter, was lying immobile in the hospital wing. He had no idea what was causing the pain to continue. From what Severus had told him Voldemort had probably used the Cruciatus curse. But, the Cruciatus curse wasn’t supposed to hurt three weeks after. Dumbledore had sent for the most experienced doctor at St Mungos to help find out. He could see no hope at all though. If Harry had mental damage, then, there was nothing or very little that he could do.

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Hermione was crying up in her dormitory. She, Ron and Harry were very close. She knew Ron was crushed but he wouldn’t let his feelings show. Wiping away a tear she reached down to her drawer. She pulled out a photo of her best friends. It had been taken the previous year. They had all been laughing, never thinking something like this could happen. Not one person had thought that Harry Potter, the Boy Who Lived, could be facing a lifetime in St Mungos Hospital for Magical Maladies. Hermione put the picture back and decided she needed to see him. To see if there was any chance of finding out anything about the attack.

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Harry looked around. It was so bright, it hurt his eyes. Laughter. He could hear laughter. Not the cold, high pitched laughter of Lord Voldemort, but happy laughter. Two people came into focus.

“Ron? Hermione?” The figures nodded and he walked over to them. As Harry drew nearer the laughter started to grow high pitched and before Harry knew what was happening Voldemort was standing right in front of him. Voldemort stopped laughing and pulled out his wand.

“Crucio!”

Harry was screaming and all grew black as he was falling into reality.

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The Christmas holidays were fast approaching, yet there was no sign of change in Harry’s condition. The awakenings were becoming less frequent as the spell to sedate him became more powerful each time. Ron and Hermione were frequent visitors to the Hospital Wing. They brought gifts and decorations as Christmas drew closer, hoping that Harry would wake up and be fine, but also have some festive cheer.

Dumbledore had also visited Harry, although he could not visit as frequently, as the rest of Hogwarts needed to keep running. He was giving up hope. Harry was falling deeper into his illness. Dumbledore thought he was wasting away. The already thin young man had lost a lot of weight, and his muscles were wasting. Dumbledore was sitting on a chair beside Harry’s bed. He was starting to wonder if he should tell the Dursleys. He doubted that they would care very much but they were his family. As he pondered this thought he heard slow footsteps drawing closer.

“Professor?”

“Yes Severus?”

“Sir, I have been working on a... a potion. I believe that it could awaken Mr Potter long enough so that he could-”

Dumbledore cut Snape off, “I have a feeling that you are doing this to relieve some guilt, Severus. I must tell you that you have nothing to feel guilty about.” Snape started to shake and his hand was threatening to let go of the vile in it.

“I do.”

Dumbledore looked up, interested, “You do?”

“Harry, had just left potions. I have a feeling, had I not ... not-”

“Not done what, Severus?”

The old man was looking more serious than Snape had seen him in a while, “I, I’m so ashamed. I spoke ill of his father and I always have given him a hard time.” Before Snape realised what he was doing he was spilling out all the injustices he had ever done to Harry.

“It is still no reason to feel guilty Severus. I, however, cannot give you the forgiveness you need. Only young Mr. Potter can do that.” With that Dumbledore stood up and started to walk out of the Hospital Wing, “I can say however, even if you hadn’t done what you said you have, it would not have made a difference. Harry would have left the castle after Potions anyway,” he paused, “He had Quidditch practice.” With that, he left.

Snape looked at the potion in his hand, then out of the window. He turned round and swept out, unable to look at the innocent looking face of Harry Potter.

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Harry was sitting in the common room watching all of the Gryffindors walk about him. It was just like a normal day. Sunlight was spilling onto the round table in front of the chair Harry was sitting in. He looked at the paper that was spread onto of it. It was a collection of photographs. Harry picked up the first one he saw. There were three people smiling up at him. The photograph was moving, as always in the wizarding world. Harry looked closer and realised that the three people were himself, Ron and Hermione. He smiled. The next one was of Ginny and himself. He closed his eyes. Harry felt a hand on his shoulder. He turned to look and the person. His eyes widened. He dropped the photographs as Lord Voldemort raised his wand.

“Time to wake up! Crucio!”

Harry was screaming. Voldemort was laughing and in the Hospital Wing of Hogwarts, Harry Potter’s eyes snapped open.