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When Love and Death Embrace	By : SpeedyTomato Category: Harry Potter > Slash - Male/Male > Harry/Sirius Views: 12070 -:- Recommendations : 2 -:- Currently Reading : 6
Disclaimer: I don’t own Harry Potter and make no money off this story

Chapter List
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Chapter 2

Temporary custody papers in hand, Remus and Alastor strode towards the Infirmary, both looking determined. Thankfully, most everything was already in place or handled, so they just had to collect Harry then leave. They were going to ensure no one knew Harry was gone for many reasons. Albus would handle Harry’s friends later. The rest—well, they were content to let Albus take on answering questions or whatever and just focus on Harry.

Though he only had temporary custody, the real thing would come in about a week unless serious spanners ended up tossed into the works, something no one anticipated. The Dursleys had been more than happy to sign over custody to him, probably relieved to be rid of the burden which came with Harry and the poor young man himself. Dobby and Winky were already at Grimmauld Place with all Harry’s belongings. Though Dobby and Winky would tend to the rest of the house in the coming days, they had already cleaned rooms for them on the top floor. The rooms looked new to him and very nice. When he left early that morning, they were working on the kitchen then planned to tackle the downstairs.

Those were important steps, of course, but the worst was to come; persuading Harry to take the potions. He and Alastor hoped they could talk him into it, but weren’t sure. If they couldn’t, they had to wait for the full custody to compel him. It was not a step he wanted to take, if at all possible, as it would end up detrimental to the relationship with Harry and St. Mungos would get involved. No, it was best handled by him and Alastor. Once on the Potions, he would get Harry to talk. It was the talking which would help the most. While it would take time, he was certain he could manage. If not, Alastor would be a huge help.

Despite his gruff exterior and how he spoke, Alastor knew those areas so he could relate in such a way to help. With how they set this up, Alastor was the one who would be the secondary with custody because of his lycanthropy. They had a plan for this which involved both of them always being around. Their hope was they could nudge Harry gently forward and bring him out of the depression over the summer. If not, it was an issue they would tackle later.

With a tired sigh, Remus sank down on the bench at the kitchen table. He said a grateful ‘ta’ to Dobby when a beaker of tea appeared in front of him and Alastor, who had just seated himself across the table with a grunt. Well, Harry was here and upstairs in bed.

Harry—it took some talking, but they managed to get him up under his own power, though a bit unsteady. By the time they walked down to the front entrance, he was almost done for and the two of them had to help him. Thankfully Albus made sure the coast was clear and they didn’t encounter anyone who asked questions or made snide remarks. One carriage ride later and they were beyond the wards where they Apparated him to Grimmauld Place.

Once here, he was shaking so badly from weakness he could barely stand. They helped him up the stairs, of course. Despite the cleaning charms, you could tell he hadn’t bathed in a while, so after a nap Remus had been able to persuade him into the tub. It wasn’t easy, but he finally talked him into it. Once done and dressed in clean clothes, Remus managed to get him to eat just a little. It wasn’t much, but some. Then he went to sleep, obviously exhausted.

Since they had time, it was now to the point of working out how to go about this. By tonight Remus hoped to have more than the barest of bones of a plan in place. While they both had the basics of what they needed, they required more.

“First thing first; we’re getting the lad some new clothes. Dobby can get his measurements for us. We’re then throwing those rags out,” Alastor snorted. “Why anyone let him continue to wear those rags is beyond me!”

“We will,” Remus nodded, ignoring the last part, though curious about it as well. “We need some strong nutrient potions as well. He’s not lost a lot of weight yet, but will if he doesn’t eat more than he is.”

“Will pick them up,” Alastor assured him. “I’m going to say I stay out of whatever for a couple of days unless you need help. Once everything is settled, I’ll take a more active role.”

When Remus nodded, he pressed on, “Starting tonight, work on him about the potions. You know the lad better than I do and might manage. Lay everything out for him so he knows what’s coming if he doesn’t agree. If you can’t manage, I’ll help.”

“Will do,” Remus nodded, a determined thread in his voice. “We don’t want it coming down to us forcing him to take them, for many reasons.”

“No, we don’t,” Alastor agreed. Pressing on, he said, “Then we get the lad to talk.”

“Of all of this, that may end up the hardest,” Remus sighed, shaking his head sadly. “Harry just doesn’t talk about plenty and never has that I can determine.”

“This I know,” Alastor answered, sounding plenty sour. “You work on those and I’m going to nosy around some to get background. We all know what his family is like, but I want to know more. The whole relationship with his relatives is dung smelling, if you ask me, and learning more can only help us.”

“It can,” Remus agreed, pleased Alastor had a plan for this.

After that, Alastor went over some other suggestion to start them out, hoping they would work.

For once since he took to his bed, Harry actually had his eyes open and was paying attention to what Remus was saying. At first, he just tuned it out like he had so much up to now, but he learned quickly this was something he needed to hear. So, he opened his eyes and listened.

As he took in what Remus said, he gave a mental sigh over it. Part of him, a very large part, the segment that held all the blame for Sirius’ death and felt he deserved all the misery he felt over it, wanted to ignore what Remus said. He didn’t deserve to feel better. The torture he was going through was payment for his screw up and he earned every bit of what he felt. However, an almost tiny part of him lobbied to take the potions. Not so he felt better or pulled out of the funk, but so he could function. It pointed out that if he took the potions, he could function slightly better, then find out what Sirius meant by what he said, especially the part about bringing him back. He couldn’t manage if he was in this state. While that part of himself was tiny, almost miniscule, it was loud enough that he paid attention to it.

The more Remus spoke and explained what could come of the matter if they compelled him to take the potions, the more Harry realized he needed to. No, not to fix the problem, but so no one stepped in and forced it. He just needed to feel a tad better to start figuring out so much. Besides, from what he had seen on the telly, he could probably fake taking them once he accomplished what he wanted. All he had to do was make this look good so people left him alone. Once he figured out part of it, he’d stop taking them. If he couldn’t figure it out, he’d stop as well.

When Remus seemed to have stopped, like he was waiting for an answer, Harry gave a heavy sigh then just nodded. He didn’t like this and didn’t want to take anything, but he would. Besides, it would get him left alone and no one would look at him as closely. And, well, he was willing to listen to Remus more than anyone else. After all, he was Sirius’ best friend and Harry knew he was probably hurting plenty bad himself though the two drifted apart after Sirius’ stint in Azkaban.

With a relieved smile, Remus scooted over closer to the bed and put a hand on Harry’s head, rubbing it. With a soft smile, he told the younger wizard, “You made the right choice, Harry. I don’t want to put it in motion for us to compel you to take them. While you won’t feel better right away, it’ll come. As we wait, we’ll talk it all over and work through what you’re feeling about so much.” Seeing Harry look at him, brow furrowed, Remus knew what the problem was then held up his other hand. “Not the whole Mind Healer bit, just to talk it out a little. I promise not to use the phrase ‘how does that make you feel’ or anything like it. While it’ll help you plenty with all you’re dealing with, it’ll help me as well.”

“I hurt just like you do, Harry,” he then admitted, voice lowered. “Just in a different way. Sirius was like the last of my family dying. I was closer to him and your father than I was anyone else in the world. After I lost my family, they became my family. It hurts plenty. Together we’ll feel better about it and be able to move on.”

Harry doubted he would feel better until Sirius was back, as he said could happen, or he joined him, but nodded, saying nothing. The faster they got on with this, the more people would leave him alone. He needed and wanted left alone, more than anyone could ever know. While there was a twinge of guilt over deceiving Remus, someone who was genuinely trying to help him and was concerned, he pushed it aside. This was better. Get them off track and then deal with everything his way.

Still stroking Harry’s hair, Remus smiled down at him. Though it had taken quite a while to get here, he had, all that mattered. “I’ll send the note off and the potions will be here today then you can start taking them. I’m sure they’ll have some side effects you’ll have to deal with, like being tired, but they’ll wane as you grow used to them.”

Once more Harry nodded, eyes sliding shut. He didn’t care about that, honestly. The more he slept, the better off he’d be. If he never woke up again he’d be even better off, was his thought.

As Remus continued to talk, Harry began to drift again. No, he didn’t fall asleep or anything, just tuned Remus out and his mind began to wander, though he paid enough attention that he could nod in appropriate places if needed. When his mind wandered away, the thought that the potions could be used in another way came to him. While he didn’t know much about the potions for these sorts of things, he did know some about Muggle drugs and what they could do. If it came down to him not being able to bring Sirius back, he could probably hoard the potions and use them to join him on the other side. Part of him was horrified by the thought, but he shoved that aside, not willing to listen to it. Yes, this could work, in plenty of ways. He’d just play the game and do what he needed when the time came.

Once Alastor moved a couple of cats off the chair Arabella gestured to, he took a seat with a tired groan. This was his next to the last stop for the day before returning to Grimmauld Place. He had talked to Molly and the twins then a few others about what they knew when it came to the Dursleys, but they didn’t have much for him. Arabella would though and he planned to get it out of her. Not at all a subtle being, he would try to temper his normal to wheedle what he could then go from there.

Even though he hadn’t gathered much information, what he did shored up his feeling that anything to do with the Dursleys was dung smelling. Every tidbit he heard made the stench grow, in fact. While this didn’t directly relate to Sirius’ death and what the lad was dealing with, he was sure it factored in.

Bustling back in with her tea set, Arabella offered Alastor some tea, but didn’t take it personally when he declined. With what she knew of him, it was expected. Once she settled back in her chair then put the biscuits out, she asked, leaning back and holding her own cup, “What did you want to know about, Alastor?” She assumed it had to do with Harry, of course, as she knew what was going on, but wasn’t sure how it would relate. Now she had to wait and see.

“Wanted some information on the Dursleys and Harry’s upbringing with them. Betting it factors into plenty here.” He told her bluntly, getting comfortable. “As much as you can give me, in fact. The more we know, the better we can work with what’s going on. You do know what’s going on, yes?” He then asked, eying her.

“I’ve heard,” she told him with a sad shake of her head. “People have been fiddling with the wards on the house and I was told to keep a closer watch for the ones from the other side because those Blood Wards are gone.”

“Good,” Alastor nodded then waited for her to continue on.

“How far back do you want me to start?” Arabella asked, settling in and getting comfortable, assuming this would be a long do.

“From the beginning,” Alastor told her. “I know you moved here not long after the lad was left with them, so you can give me a fairly good history of the whole time the boy was here.”

“Oh, I can,” Arabella nodded. “So I don’t have to go into all of it, is there anything in particular you want to hear about or just all of it? If it’s all, we’ll be here for hours, Alastor.”

After considering what she said, Alastor gave a nod then quantified, “Give me the major landmarks and anything you think I need to know, but mostly cover what you know about how the family treated him.”

Arabella was relieved it was cut down to a less daunting task then launched in from the beginning right after she moved in.

“Bloody hell,” Alastor muttered before taking a sip from his flask. Arabella had just finished talking and answering his questions. Now he knew plenty he was damned sure no one else did, other than probably Albus.

“Let me ask this,” Alastor started, gazing at her after he leaned forward and braced his elbows on his knees. “Did anyone know about the abuse? Sorry, but there is no other term for what the lad suffered. I know there was never a hint about abuse allegations to the Ministry.”

In a quandary, Arabella looked down, wringing her hands as she thought over what he asked. After a couple minutes of internal debate, she sighed then answered, voice low and soft, “Albus did. I detailed everything I knew to him over the years. At times, I wanted to go to the authorities myself, but he didn’t want me to, saying those wards were needed so badly that it was best poor Harry stay there. I didn’t like it or agree, but I did as he said. Then, after his first year and the bars on the window bit, I once more said something. Again, he said the wards were needed, more than ever. However, he did promise to not force Harry to stay there all summer anymore. That he did.”

Alastor grunted at that, refusing to actually say anything because what would come out of his mouth wasn’t fit to say around someone like Arabella. After he had himself under control, he nodded to her. “I think that’s all I need and am thankful for your help. What you told me is something that will assist us as we help the lad.”

After standing and smoothing down her house dress, she smiled and nodded. “Glad to give a hand.” Then she lowered her voice and added, “And I won’t tell Albus we talked.”

“Much appreciated,” Alastor admitted with a nod. Then he took his leave. While he had a couple other matters to tend to, he had plenty to think about as well.

Though not planned, Alastor decided after buying what they needed in Diagon Alley to stop and talk to Arthur alone. If he caught him before he left the Ministry, he could manage. He had already talked to the others not in school, but he wanted to not only hear Arthur’s version about several areas, but pick his brain about what he might suspect.

Plan firmly in place, he shrunk the purchases then headed toward the Ministry.

After sending a message to Molly about him being late so she didn’t worry, since she would with times how they were now, Arthur settled down in the chair across from Alastor at the Leaky. After he took a sip of his drink, He asked, “What do you want to discuss? I assume it’s about Harry, with what’s going on and your role.”

“It is,” Alastor nodded, settling back. “I need to ask you about some areas and pick your brain about others.”

“Anything you need,” Arthur told him sincerely, face now set in determined lines.

“First, I want to talk about the encounter with the lad’s family. Now, I heard the facts from Fred and George, so I don’t need those. What I want are your impressions of them and anything else you feel might relate.”

“Nothing I take issue with,” Arthur assured him. Then he waited for Alastor to start asking about what he wanted to know.

“I know you didn’t have too much interaction with the family, but I want your impressions and how you felt about them.” Then he added, voice lowered, “It’ll stay just between us. Just want to know so Remus and I have an idea what we’re dealing with.”

Completely understanding, Arthur gave a firm nod then launched in. “I didn’t have much interaction with them, of course, but what I did—well, let’s say I don’t like them at all, Alastor. They are nasty people. And they didn’t treat Harry well. They didn’t even say goodbye to him until I confronted them about it. Even then, it was grudgingly, something you could easily tell. It—well, it didn’t sit right with me.”

After taking in what Arthur said, he asked, “Did you feel the family was abusive to the lad in any way? I don’t mean just physical by that either.”

With a sigh, Arthur leaned back then took his glasses off and began to polish them slowly. Then, voice lowered and thoughtful, he explained, “The whole family—it’s not a healthy situation, and I don’t mean just for Harry. Dudley, though hateful and a bully, is abused, in a way, as well. Vernon and Petunia have indulged him to the point it’s not healthy and he’s morbidly obese from it. He’s what they’ve made him, including the hatefulness and prejudice.”

“When it comes to Harry—yes, he was abused. I think it was physical as well as emotional and mental. Albus always makes light of how Molly fusses over him because he’s so thin, like she does with so many, but he truly was, Alastor. When he would come to us, he was so thin. You could tell he hadn’t been fed properly when he was there.”

“It was also obvious his family hates and are disgusted by him. While they said nothing untoward around me, I would bet my wand plenty was said when no one was around.”

Then, with a sigh, he added, “Warning you now that getting anything out of Harry but the minor details won’t be easy. He doesn’t say anything. I’ve dropped a few hints to him over the years to see if he would open up just a tad, but he didn’t. The kids have said he doesn’t talk about it either.”

“I figured it would be a bit like pulling teeth,” Alastor grumbled, shaking his head. Everything Arthur said just shored up plenty for him. It all also had to factor into what Harry was dealing with though the catalyst of Sirius’ death.

“Do you think the two of you can manage?” Arthur asked, looking worried. “We’ll help all we can, of course. Just tell us what you need and we’ll do what we can.”

“In the end, we will,” Alastor assured him. “It’s just going to take time and work. That’s the reason I want as much information as I can get before we really start.”

‘Understandable,” Arthur nodded. “I’ve told you what I can. If I remember more or hear other things, I’ll pass it along. Any tidbit might help you.”

“Much appreciated,” Alastor told him sincerely. Then he began to ask about some minor details, just so he had a full picture before heading to Grimmauld Place.

“He agreed too easily,” Alastor grunted after listening to what Remus had to say. “It means he’s either got a plan or just wants to make it look good. We need to keep a close eye on him so he takes them, Remus. If he isn’t watched, he might stockpile them to use as a suicide attempt.” He was now home and being filled in on what Remus discussed with Harry. While pleased Remus managed to get the lad to agree to take them, it also concerned him as well.

“Oh, I agree,” Remus nodded, hands clasped in front of him and resting on the table. “If I can’t keep an eye on him as we give them, I’ll have Dobby or Winky do so. However, if he even takes them for a little while, it might help. I don’t see much use in trying to get him to talk yet as he won’t. We need time there.”

“I say we give him a week then we delve into that. We’ll try a little, of course, but not too much. And we’ll see about including him. However, with the side effects,” he said, picking up the sheet that was left of what to watch for and such when the potions were delivered and glanced at it, “ it might not do any good. All of these list tired on them. With what I know, they don’t mean just a bit drowsy, but flat out sleeping all the time.”

“More I agree with,” Remus sighed. Then he added, “However, with the time granted because of that, we need to sit down and plan this out. While we have a start of how to go about this, we need more of a plan to keep going and not end up just—lost.”

“Something we can do,” Alastor told him with a firm nod. Grabbing some parchment, he then began to list what they were planning so they could work on it from there.
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When Love and Death Embrace