Adult-FanFiction.org : Harry Potter

Gillyflower, Heliotrope and Hemlock.	By : Kimmimaru Category: Harry Potter > Slash - Male/Male > Harry/Sirius Views: 9034 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 2
Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or any characters or settings by JK Rowling. I make no profit from this story.

Chapter List
- 17
- 18
- 19
Chapter Seventeen

There's so many different worlds

So many different suns

And we have just one world

But we live in different ones. – ‘Brother’s in Arms’ Dire Straits
Severus sat in the cold kitchen with a steaming mug of tea before him on the counter, he stared absently out the window while his fingers stroked the leather binding of an old book. He was frowning as he was lost inside his own head, his hair dangling limply into his dreamy, beetle-black eyes. After a moment he picked up his tea and took a sip, being careful to avoid the chip on the lip of the mug. He had been pleasantly surprised by how easy it had been to gain entrance to Malfoy Manor, Lucius had been away on some mission or other and only his pregnant wife remained behind. Narcissa had been gracious and welcoming as Severus had asked her to use her library, she had guided him to the huge room and left him there to go have some refreshments made. The book had been tucked carelessly away on one of the many shelves and it had taken Severus an hour of searching to find it, Malfoy had neglected to place any enchantments upon it or even really bothered to look after it at all. So Severus had taken it down and slipped it into his pocket before taking another book on potions and settling down to read, when Narcissa had returned they had spent the late afternoon discussing the advantages of Asphodel in the Wiggenweld Potion. Once finished, Severus had returned the book and said farewell to Narcissa who had appeared delighted to have some kind of company, it seemed her husband had been very neglectful of late.
Severus slowly stirred his tea, his eyes lingering on the blank cover of the book before him. It appeared to be relatively harmless, just a simple old diary that was mysteriously blank. But he knew Harry Potter wouldn’t have asked him to get it if it wasn’t important. Slowly he straightened and pulled the book to himself, he opened it and began flicking through its pages. No matter what he did it remained stubbornly blank. The only sign that it had belonged to someone was the fact that it was inscribed with a name. “T.M. Riddle…” Severus whispered, running a finger nail over the words slowly. “So that is your real name. I wonder, why did you change it?” He sighed and made to close the book but before his fingers had so much as brushed the cover there was a loud pop and a crash, Severus jumped, spilling tea all over the work top and whipping out his wand as he dashed through the house. Behind him the spilled drink ran towards the innocuous diary and the liquid was slowly sucked into the crackling parchment, there was a moment where the tea stained the pages but slowly the diary absorbed the liquid leaving no trace behind.
Severus ran into the living room where the noise had come from and lifted his wand threateningly, he froze as his eyes caught up with his brain and he surveyed the scene before him. He saw James on all fours, panting heavily, his hands were stained crimson as he leaned over the unconscious from of his son. Beside him lay Sirius Black, apparently also senseless. James raised his head, his shaking hands twitching towards his wand where it lay by his side. “Help me.” He gasped, panting heavily and gazing pleadingly at Severus through cracked glasses. “They’re hurt.”
Slowly Severus lowered his wand and raised an eyebrow. “My, what a mess you’ve got yourself into Potter.” He said calmly and moved closer to the unconscious boy. “Explain what happened.”
“We…we were…caught…By Lucius and Bellatrix…” James panted as he began checking his son’s pulse. “They…they tortured Sirius…then…then Harry broke through the barrier we’d put up to prevent him from getting caught, he threatened them but…but before we could do anything Belltrix c-called Voldemort…” James ignored Severus’ twitch at the use of the name. “I managed to break free of Lucius’ binding spell and Harry lost consciousness, I don’t know why. I grabbed him and Sirius b-but..but…” He took a shaking breath and gritted his teeth, pushing his bloodied hands into his hair so he looked as if he’d been electrocuted. “Remus was…was too f-far away…I…I had no choice…I had to…to leave him behind…I…I…”
“I see.” Severus ran a few diagnostic charms over Harry’s limp body until he was satisfied. “The boy is fine, just unconscious.” He said and pointed his wand at Harry. “Renovate.” He muttered and watched as he gasped in a breath and opened his green eyes. Once Harry was conscious and sitting up Severus stood and put away his wand.
“Where are you going?” James said suddenly, stopping Severus from leaving.
Snape turned and raised an eyebrow. “Why, I’m going to make myself some more tea, I spilt my last cup when you made your rather noisy entrance.”
“What about Sirius?” Harry asked softly, turning those green eyes to Snape.
Snape sneered as he turned away from Harry. “What about him?” He snapped.
“Help him.” Harry asked simply.
Severus made an impatient noise and knelt beside Sirius’ body, as he began silently running his wand over him Harry noticed who was missing.
“Where’s Remus?!” He said and turned wide eyes onto his father who gazed back at him with a haunted expression.
James shook his head slowly feeling a gaping numb hole where Remus had been. “We had no choice, Harry.” He whispered brokenly. “We had to leave him behind.”
Harry opened and closed his mouth a few times before taking a shuddering breath. “Will…will they do what they threatened him with?” He whispered, terrified of the answer he already knew.
James pushed both hands into his hair again and lowered his head. “Yeah.” He said softly and closed his eyes. “He’ll be torn apart at the next full moon…for…for entertainment…” He sounded sick as he spoke and his voice had a rough catch to it as he fought tears.
Harry looked away, his eyes moving to Sirius’ unconscious form. Severus was intent on his spell work but it wasn’t long before he finished and looked up at them. “His body has gone into severe shock from prolonged cruciatus, he has minor internal damage which I can fix with the right potions but I honestly cannot say what his mental state will be when he comes around.” He stood and brushed his robes off. “He could be a complete vegetable.” His voice was cold and he left the room quickly. “I will make up the relevant potions but I will not nurse him.” He said before he left the room.
Harry swallowed and slowly got to his feet, his hands shook as he smoothed down the folds of his robes and held out his hand to James. “Come on, let’s get him into a bedroom.” He said croakily. James stood in silence, declining his son’s proffered hand. He avoided those green eyes as he bent and lifted Sirius off of the floor, Harry slipped beneath his other arm and together they dragged him into the hall.
XXX
Slowly Sirius opened his eyes. He found himself gazing up at a damp stained ceiling, the bed he was on was warm but lumpy and he could smell mildew from the old blankets that covered his body. Slowly he blinked, his eyes slipped in and out of focus and it took him a moment to realise his body ached. It wasn’t just his muscles, his very bones seemed to be throbbing. He had a headache that felt as if a man was pounding inside his skull, his body occasionally went through random, violent shudders that he had no control over and his thoughts were foggy and difficult to decipher. The next thing he realised was that he was thirsty. Ravenously thirsty. His throat felt as if someone had tried to feed him sandpaper and his tongue felt too big for his mouth, slowly he licked at his dry lips and achieved nothing but causing himself more pain. He tried to remember how he had got where he was but he was coming up with huge dark patches, all he could remember was a dark shadow looming over him and flashes of crimson light. He could still taste his own blood, it was like he had been sucking on copper piping. He groaned and it came out sounding like a scratched record, when he tried to move his hands he felt a spasm of intense, bright agony sear his spine and shoulders. He cried out weakly and bit back the myriad of curses that threatened to spill from his sore lips. As he lay still he could hear the soft creaking as the house settled around him, slowly he caught odd snatches of conversation that seeped beneath the half-open door. He strained his ears and listened.
“I cannot say what the effects of the curses will be, Potter. I’ve already explained that.”
“But…but you know more Dark Magic than any of us! Please, Snape, can’t you help him recover if he’s…if he’s…you know…”
“Insane? No. I’m not a Healer and you know it. I know how to use the curses not reverse the damage done by them, unless something can be cured by potions I am useless to him.”
It was James and Snape. Sirius tried once again to move his hand, this time he achieved a slight twitch in his ring finger but that sent his body into a violent convulsion. When it was over he lay still, panting and sweating and feeling a slow creeping dread crawl into his stomach like worms. If he couldn’t move his finger, how was he supposed to get out of bed? If he couldn’t get out of bed how would he ever walk again? If he could never walk again what use would he be to James, Remus and Harry? Tears stood in his eyes and felt like acid as he once again attempted to move. Each time he dared even twitch his body rebelled and before long he was too exhausted to continue. The tears fell slowly down his cheeks, he lay still and helpless like a baby. Wrapped in stinking old blankets and surrounded by bottles of potions like an old man. “Fuck, James.” He rasped, choking on his words. “Why didn’t you let me die?”
XXX
Harry stood outside Sirius’ room levitating a tray before him, slowly he used his free hand to open the door and moved the tray through before him. He entered and saw Sirius with his eyes open glaring at the ceiling as if it had insulted him, Harry felt a smile on his face and moved the tray to the bedside table. “Sirius!” He said gladly and moved to the bed, Sirius turned his eyes in Harry’s direction and Harry almost recoiled in horror at what he saw in them. “What’s wrong?”
“Water…” Sirius whispered, his voice broken and rasping in his throat. He winced at the rawness and was glad to see Harry already pouring him a glass. Harry held it out but as Sirius’ brain told his arm to move and take it agony once again exploded inside his muscles, his bones, his head. He cried out and felt his muscles contract once again, making his body convulse. Harry gasped, almost dropping the water and leaning over Sirius to look down at him. He was shocked to see a long streak of pure white in Sirius’ hair, it was such a stark contrast to the rest that it was jarring. Sirius had a new scar that ran from the corner of his eye to the top of his cheek bone and somehow he looked diminished, as if he had been starved for a long time. A single tear leaked from Sirius’ eye and Harry looked away in sudden shame, it was as if he was witnessing something indecent. “Yeah…look away from the cripple…” Sirius muttered harshly and Harry turned back to him.
“That’s not what I-”
“Oh come off it.” Sirius snapped, fury making his silver eyes flash dangerously. Without thinking he reached out and grabbed Harry’s forearm so tightly his nails drew blood, Harry winced and tried to pull away but before he could Sirius screamed. He yanked his arm back and curled into a ball on the bed, his sobs were loud in the stillness of the room and slowly Harry backed away a pace. “J-Just…just get…get out…” Sirius muttered, his face buried in the pillow.
“We’ll get you sorted, Sirius.” Harry said quietly. “You’re not going to be like this forever, it’s not like what happened to the Longbottom’s you’re still sane enough to talk to me. I’m sure we can sort out the physical effects of the curse with potions; Severus is the best here at making them. I promise, you’ll be better before you know it.”
“You don’t know that Harry!” Sirius snapped angrily.
Harry sighed and raised an eyebrow. “You’re being pathetic, you know that right?” He said before turning away. “I’m not going to abandon you just because you think you should have died. I’m going to help you get better. Now, are you going to eat or just stare at it? I’m crap at cooking and so it’s just warmed up soup from a can but it’s all I can make.”
Sirius stared at Harry through slightly narrowed eyes until finally grimacing and glaring in the opposite direction. “Fine. Do what you want.”
Harry smiled and picked up the soup spoon. “Right, open wide.”
XXX
The days passed slowly, each day Sirius had to take an assortment of various potions. Each one tasted worse than the last and he fell asleep almost immediately after taking them but even he had noticed the affect it was having on his body. He was in less pain, he could now sit up without screaming and his head wasn’t hurting so much. He still had bouts of the shakes but even that was becoming less and less with each passing day. He ate the food Harry brought him, he drank copious amounts of water and as he began spending more time with Harry he began to get to know him properly. He was a powerful wizard but had no idea of his own abilities, he was quick to smile and laugh and he was relaxed and easy going. Sirius found himself wondering how such a boy could come through what he had and still be sane, he knew he wouldn’t have survived. Harry had a strength that Sirius both envied and admired, his ability to adapt to any situation was impressive. He had many familiar traits from both of his parents that Sirius continued to spot but he also had many of his own, he was kind like his mother and yet had a wicked sense of humour like his father. He was a strange, fascinating man and Sirius found himself enjoying the time they spent together.
Two weeks into Sirius’ convalescence and he suddenly realised he had been missing a visitor. James spent time with him a lot, sitting beside him on his bed and fiddling absently with his wand as they spoke about the past. Even Severus visited to give him his potions, but curing these encounters neither spoke to the other. Finally he asked James where Remus was, James almost dropped the glass he was holding and turned his face away. Sirius felt as if all his organs had abandoned him, without thought he grabbed James by his clothes and forced him to look at him. “Where is he?” He asked, his eyes full of terror. “Oh Merlin…J-James…tell me…tell me he’s not…?”
James took Sirius’ hands in his own and held them tightly, he swallowed the lump of grief that tightened his throat. “N-No…I don’t think so…at least..not…not yet.” He breathed and his face twisted with inexpressible grief. “Sirius…I had to leave him behind.” He whispered, his voice breaking as his eyes filled with tears.
Sirius stared at James for a long time, his eyes like two twin stars surrounded by skin as white as snow, he licked his lips and withdrew his hands from his friends. “N-no…” He muttered, his hands began to shake violently, his fingers curling in on themselves as he placed them upon the covers. “No…No…I-I…I can’t…” He took a sharp breath and somewhere something shattered, Sirius jumped and his head snapped towards the noise. One of the empty potions bottles had broken into jagged shards of glass. Sirius took a breath as the window broke with a noise like a gunshot, he put his hands into his hair and drew his knees close to his chest as an awful, suffocating feeling of emptiness engulfed him. The wind whipped through room, howling and screaming like a banshee as Sirius felt his control slip. His eyes emptied of emotion and he sat perfectly still as he gazed off into space. James leapt off of the bed and ran to the window, waving his wand and fixing the glass in the window. The wind died immediately but he was unable to rouse Sirius from his stupor.
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Gillyflower, Heliotrope and Hemlock.