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Heir to the Throne	By : Kaya_Winn Category: Harry Potter > Slash - Male/Male > Harry/Draco Views: 12341 -:- Recommendations : 1 -:- Currently Reading : 4
Disclaimer: i do not own Harry Potter or any of J.K.Rowlings works. i do not make any money, or income off of this fanfiction.

Chapter List
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Heir to the Throne

CH 27

Pain and Healing

Harry whined as he felt someone shaking his shoulder, rolling over so that he could ignore them. He had been up late charting a course to Merlin's grave, where the staff was hidden. It was harder than he'd expected, the map that led the way was centuries old and many of the land marks where missing or had changed, so he had to use a new map and try to map out using the old map and it was more than Harry, with his limited geographical abilities could handle.

“Harry, I need you to wake up.” Harry knew that voice, that voice wasn't supposed to be there, that voice was.... “Harry please! It's important!” Tom's voice was frantic, and Harry snapped awake in an instant, sitting up and rubbing his eyes looking Tom over.

“What's happened? What's with the panic?” Harry demanded, shaking his head as he tried to wake up feeling the panic from the day before welling up inside of him, getting to his feet. “Has something happened to Terrance or Draco!?” he demanded, wide eyed as he stared at Tom who shook his head.

“No Harry it's your family, I found them.” he explained, swallowing thickly. “They're sick Harry, really sick... I don't know enough healing Magic to help them and I couldn't apparate them both here. I need your help.” Harry wasted no time trying to get dressed, he just leaped out of bed, bare chested and wearing golden snitch pajama bottoms to follow Tom to where his family was, the man grabbing his arm and apparating them both to a Dungeon, and a filthy one at that.

Harry gagged as the stink of rotting flesh hit his nose, clapping his hand over his face as Tom shook his head. “Sorry Harry I know but I couldn't find Devlin and you would have shot me if I'd brought anyone else down here.” Harry had to admit he was right. He accepted a scented cloth from Tom and pressed it to his nose as he moved deeper into the room, his eyes flicking around as he tried to discover exactly where his family was,panting through the rag as he came upon the first cell.

The body was half decayed, and there where rats crawling all over it but Harry was able to recognize him anyway...it was Vernon... before Tom could drag him away Harry turned, dropped to his knees and puked, trembling violently as he witnessed the horrific carnage of the little that was left of his uncle. He was triply glad that Tom had not brought someone else down there, they would have freaked out. Harry was used to death at least, used to disgusting things, he shook his head and got to his feet with Tom's help, swallowing thickly.

“Sorry Harry.. I was hoping you wouldn't look, come on your aunt is in the next cell, and your cousin in the one after that.”

“I'll take Dudley.” Harry wheezed. “we'll take them back to the house, my house, Devlin is a healing specialist, he should be able to help them.” he hoped anyway, he staggered past his aunts cell, the woman as pale as snow, a blue undertone to her flesh and her eyes closed and as thin as a rake. Dudley wasn't much better. He had clearly lost all of his fat weight, he was nothing but skin and bones, a lot of skin. He was pale and covered in bruises and small cuts that bled sluggishly from rat bites and beatings. The boy stirred however, when Harry forced the cell door open, a small whimper falling from his lips as he forced his eyes open, gasping in astonishment as he spotted Harry.

“Hold on Big D.” Harry ordered, panting through the stench as he settled onto the floor to help Dudley sit up. “I'll get you out of here, just sit tight... I need you to close your eyes and prepare yourself alright? It's going to feel as if your being squeezed all over but you need to hold still alright?” Dudley just swallowed and nodded lightly as he closed his eyes, letting Harry Apparate them. The poor exhausted muggle didn't even cry out in fear as Harry moved Dudley straight into Harry's room. Now that Harry got a real look at Dudley, Harry realized with a growing horror that it wasn't just starvation and abuse that was wrong with Dudley. Tiny red dots covered all of him, they didn't look like much, like someone had taken a red pen and dotted him all over, but Harry recognized the signs.

Dragon Pox, Dudley had Dragon pox. Harry swallowed thickly as he stared at the tiny red dots as he heard Tom apparate into the guest room with Petunia. He turned to the doorway, yelling for Devlin to hurry up and get his ass in there, yelling for Tiny to come with a nutrient potion and some water, drinking and bath for both bedrooms. Devlin rushed to Harry's side and gasped as he saw the state that Dudley was in, running his hands over Dudley's body, trying to find the cause of the Dragon Pox. Normally, non magic folk could not catch such a disease, not naturally. So what in the world was Dudley doing with a case of severe Dragon pox?

“This doesn't make any sense!” Devlin finally burst out. “whatever strain of Dragon Pox this is, I've never come across it.” he explained with a small scowl, “harry I can't heal this...” he finally explained, Harry swallowing hard.

“That's ok... I'll.. I'll...think of something...” Harry muttered, gently touching Dudley's arm, carefully waking his cousin up to feed him a nutrition potion, hoping to keep him from starving to death. “talk to Terrance, he had a case right? Maybe he knows what they did to heal him... and look at my aunt in the guest room would you? I have a bad feeling that she has it too...” Devlin nodded and vanished, leaving Harry with his cousin, who coughed and sputtered on the potion, shaking his head a little.

“I know, their totally nasty.” Harry agreed. “but it will keep you from starving to death alright? I have water for you after you've drunk it all, and then I'll find something solid for you to eat.”

“No.” Terrance stated coming in, grimacing and setting his hand over his face. “give him an oatmeal bath, it helps with the itching. Solid food won't stay down, try soup broth or really soft noodles.” Terrance looked confused though. “I thought your family were muggles?”

“whats...muggle?” Dudley asked softly, blinking at them all Harry chuckling a little.

“Muggle is a term wizards use for people who don't have magic that's all. It's strange for you to have this disease without having magic, that's all. Get some rest.”

“No..need to...'pologize.” Dudley stated calmly, gripping Harry's wrist as tightly as he could, but he could barley even lift his hand so his grip wasn't all that tight at all. “I was horrible...to you...”

“Dudley you need to rest.” Harry said, feeling terror welling up inside of him again, that bad feeling from last night coming back threefold.

“No time to rest.” Dudley complained closing his eyes a little, 'resting' so that Harry would leave him alone about it. “you never, did nothin to deserve, what we did to you.” Terrance was looking a little too interested for Harry's liking.

“So I got smacked around once and a while, its no worse than anyone else went through.” Harry complained, scowling a little. “Dudley really, you where only following Vernon, it's what any kid would have done, I don't blame you for anything.” he promised smiling at Dudley, fighting the urge to beg Dudley to stop talking like that. It was bad for his big brother image.

“Doesn't matter...I still, regret it... I could have..been your friend and instead I.. was your hell...” he mumbled, sighing softly. “I'm sorry Harry...” he coughed a little and weakly scratched his arm, Harry carefully smacking Dudley's hand.

“Don't scratch.” he ordered, gripping Dudley's hand tightly. “and I forgave you a while ago dud...please, just hang in there and I'll help you get better. Then we can spend a lot of time forgiving each other all over the place how's that sound?” Dudley just smiled a little and shook his head.

“We both know, I'm already dead.” he whispered softly, closing his eyes a little. “I'm not going to make it Harry and we both know it.” he muttered slowly, releasing Harry's wrist and sighing softly. “I'm not...strong enough.” Dudley muttered, falling limp on the bed, struggling to stay awake long enough to properly tell Harry good bye. “I was a terrible cousin.” he muttered softly, “but, maybe in the next life, I can be a better person hmm?” he asked smiling at Harry who swallowed hard and nodded.

“You're already a better person Dud, your one of the best people I know.” he admitted pressing his face into his cousin's hand, feeding his cousin his magic, but Dudley was a muggle, and Harry's magic had nothing to flow into, Dudley sighed a little and smiled as he relaxed into the bed, falling into sleep.

“Harry...what was he talking about?” Terrance demanded softly, looking worried, Harry sighing a little as he smiled at his adopted little brother.

“My uncle was abusive.” he explained simply. “it wasn't anything too bad, but it made it hard for me to connect with people and trust people when I first went to Hogwarts.” Harry admitted shaking his head. “It's in the past, and it's not something that bothers me anymore.” he admitted shaking his head as he looked at Dudley. “Dudley used to help, but he didn't know any better.” he admitted biting his lip a little. Terrance setting his hand on Harry's shoulder.

“I'm sorry that happened to you... if you want, I'll sit here with him so you can check on your aunt?” Harry had to feel grateful for Terrance's thoughtfulness. He just nodded and got up, moving into the guest room to check on his aunt, Devlin shaking his head at Harry's unasked question.

“I can't heal her either harry, but it's the most amazing thing!” he admitted. “she's not a muggle Harry! She's a squib!” he explained, Harry's jaw dropping open. “her residual magic is keeping her alive.” he explained shaking his head a little. “I'm not worried about her at all really. Her own body is staving off the worst if the disease, but it won't be enough to cure her, and eventually the little bit of magic she has is going to run out. I doubt it will be before the Dragon Pox has run it's course... Harry we have to do something fast.” Harry nodded as he took a deep breath, trying to calm himself so he could think.

“I need Draco, or Snape.” he decided licking his lips a little, nodding as he raced into his bedroom, grabbing his suitcase and yanking out the silver mirror, setting it to Draco's mirror, hoping to god that the other was in the hallway or in his room or somewhere where he could pick up right away.

“Harry?” he was! Draco's face filled the mirror and Harry sighed in relief, beaming at him a little.

“Draco! I need your help, can you get to Bill's house?” he asked hopefully, feeling a little panicked as Draco hesitated, checking a clock in the hallway before nodding.

“Give me an hour alright Harry?” Draco asked blinking at the other. “what's wrong?”

“I'll explain when we won't be overheard alright. It's.. it's kind of personal.. I just.. I really need you right now.”if Dumbledore, or anyone unsavory was listening in, they would think that Harry was just having a mental breakdown again, he'd had two before Dumbledore had agreed to send Harry away, to make it seam cruel to not let Harry go have a relax with a nice safe family member. It made Harry laugh really, how easy it was to manipulate Dumbledore.

“I'll slip my next class then and be right there.” Draco decided, Harry giving him a small smile, looking very relieved as he cut off the connection and sent Tiny to bring Draco to Harry, Harry didn't want to leave his sick family, wouldn't leave his sick family. Devlin was moving from Petunia to Dudley, struggling to keep them from slipping into the darkness, where even a cure would not be able to save them. Harry was terrified that death had already claimed them. Harry would never be able to forgive himself if they died.

“Harry?” Draco asked, Tiny having teleported him into Harry's new house 'the fox den', looking shocked as he caught sight of Dudley his eyes wide. “Harry is that your muggle cousin?” Harry nodded. “with a case of Dragon Pox!?” Harry nodded again and glanced at Draco.

“Your the smartest potion person I know, can... can you make a cure for them? I think their dying...” Harry admitted swallowing hard as Dudley groaned and shifted on the bed, begging softly for water, Tiny obediently helping Dudley to sit up as best she could while she gently gave him something to drink. Draco felt very amused, because Harry had clearly forgotten what a Seraphim was capable of.

“I need to make a healing potion.” he admitted, spreading flaming wings wide and passing them carefully along Dudley. “I have to warn you Harry... I might not be able to save them. They are muggles after all, they might reject the potions.” Draco admitted softly, gently gripping Harry's shoulder. “but I will do my best, now, I need you to pull out a feather.” Draco ordered, offering a wing to Harry. “your the only one besides me who will be able to touch my wings.” he admitted. “and it will be more potent with your will imbedded into the feather.”

“E... Embed? What?” Harry asked confused, Draco smiling a little.

“Just picture your family Harry, focus on them getting better, and think of them while you pick the feather and pluck it, that's all you have to do.” Harry hesitated, and then pictured his family and them getting better before he reached out, gripped a feather and yanked it out as fast as he could, waiting for his fingers to burn, or for Draco to cry out in pain but neither happened. Draco just took the feather, and headed out the door to make use of the Potions kit that he had given to Terrance when the boy had expressed an interest. For an hour Harry paced back and forth between his Aunt's room and his cousins room, frantic that they where going to pass before Draco could come up with the cure. Not even Terrance's incessant questions about why Draco had grown massive flaming wings distracted Harry.

It soon became obvious that it was not Petunia who was in danger, half an hour after Draco arrived Dudley started burning with an intense fever, and was babbling about water and how he had to apologize. Harry wasn't sure how many times Dudley apologized to him, each time about a different thing, informing Tom, Devlin and Terrance about far more than Harry would have liked about his home life. Harry for the moment didn't care as he constantly cast cooling Charms on Dudley, fighting to keep himself from crying as his Cousin slipped further and further into the illness.

Finally, Draco was there, hovering like a guardian angel as he held out the potion that was as red as his wings. Handing the potion to the distraught brunette, he watched with a worried expression. As if the Seraphim had had a glance to the future, and the future looked grim. Even Terrance seemed to realize that Dudley wasn't going to make it, even as Harry clung stubbornly to the slim chance he would heal with the special healing potion. The potion that, according to the legend of Seraphim book, could heal anything.

and yet...it was not strong enough to bring a muggle back from the land of the dead, for death had already laid its claim on Dudley, even if he still breathed. The only thing that was a blessing, was that the potion managed to impart a peaceful awareness instead of raging delirium.

Dudley smiled gently at his cousin, the emerald eyed boy began to cry as he finally felt the world being yanked out from under his feet. Harry had always thought Dudley would be there, hovering on the edges of his existence. "Harry listen to me. I need you to listen."Dudley swallowed hard, "No matter what, this wasn't your fault. Don't blame yourself, okay? this, me dying, me being sick. IS NOT YOUR FAULT."

Harry shook his head hard, brunette locks of hair smacking his face, eyes bringing tears to his eyes, as they fell. This WAS his fault. If they hadn't been his family, this would have never happened. This was all his fault.

"Take care of my mom will you?I know she wasn't very nice, but she really cares about you now. And you're the only family she has left."Dudley smiled, raising a hand and gently tugging on Harry's hair."Promise me that you'll be happy. Take care of your blond, find peace and....just be happy."

Harry swallowed hard around his tears, nodding because he couldn't force even a squeak of noise out of his throat. After that, neither spoke. It was a long time before Harry had realized that the silence he heard was the absence of Dudley's breathing. The peace that had settled over his cousin was one that had never graced him in life.

"Harry?"

Lifting his head he looked at Draco, dipping his head in acknowledgment. Not needing to hear the question that had been asked, not really. Opening his arms Draco waited until the brunette had crept over to him, closing arms and wings around him. "I'm sorry Harry."

They both wept, wept for a life that would never show the changes it had made. Things laid between them, things that needed to be said and decided....and yet, when Harry turned his grief stricken face to Draco's, his mouth the blond's, his arms closing around him like he was a starving man, and Draco was the only raft for miles.

Pain and delight was present, even as they stumbled from the room. Even with the shadow of guilt hovering between them, for them both, for blame was equally shared for not being able to save him. Pain and delight, they learned that one cannot find one without the other.

Poets don't write that, how death will gift the urge towards life. And yet it was a gift, because for a moment, blame laid lightly on them.

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

The days that followed were filled with guilt, for finding love, for not being able to stop this. Blame for not finding him sooner, or even help looking. After that first hour or two, not even Draco could reach and console the despondent Harry. All he could do was hold Harry as tightly as he could, to keep him calm and passively drugged, because otherwise he raged.

Draco could only hope that once the first grief stricken days past, his mate wouldn't find him buried under even more depression after this. He could only hope. And wonder...

Would grief be the hammer that broke Harry, or would it be the forge that created the rage they needed to face Dumbledore?
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Heir to the Throne