Hopes and Wishes

Chapter 4: He Had Teddy


The small group paused outside the door to number 4 Privet Drive. Severus closed his eyes for a moment and took several deep, calming breaths.

“Sorry. I had to get out of there before I did something truly horrendous. It’s going to do Harry no good if I get us all thrown into Azkaban for murdering muggles. Blanket, Harry needs a blanket. It’s too cold out here for him to only be dressed in his underclothes.”

Flicking his wand once more Severus conjured a soft, white fleecy blanket and tucked it carefully around the still child. “We need to get to Hogwarts. Where’s the best place to apparate from Arabella?”

“There’s an alley just next to the house. Here take his things Severus. You will let me know how he is won’t you...? I can’t believe I didn’t spot this. It’s all my fault. I was supposed to be wat…” Arabella began speaking faster in her panic and self-recrimination. She had stood and watched throughout the episode in the kitchen and the true horror of the situation was only just starting to sink in.

“Thank you ‘Bella. We’ll let you know. Send you an owl from Hogwarts. Don’t worry. Not your fault…” This last was called from over Remus’ shoulder as Severus hurried him along towards the alley.

Remus cradled his precious burden gently as Severus wrapped his arms around them both and apparated them to the main gates of Hogwarts. Barely pausing to re-orientate himself Severus started to usher Remus up the long path to the castle.

“Sev, run on ahead and let Poppy know we’re coming. I don’t want to jostle Harry too much by hurrying or levitating him.” Remus urged.

It was a mark of how concerned he was that the young potions master didn’t even hesitate to do something as undignified as running across school grounds. He slammed open the main doors and positively snarled at a group of first years who were wrapped up warm in their scarves and obviously on their out of the door. Taking two and sometimes three steps at a time Severus rushed to the infirmary. For once the staircases co-operated as if they too could sense the urgency of the moment.

By the time Severus had reached the infirmary he was panting and out of breath. He pushed open the door and called desperately for Poppy.

“Yes, yes, I’m here what’s the… Severus? What has happened? Are you hurt? Come and sit down quickly.” The mediwitch was already pressing him into a chair and beginning to wave her wand before Severus could gasp out “Harry… hurt…”

“Harry? I didn’t think we had a Harry on role. Where is he Severus?”

“Harry Potter… Remus and I rescued… high fever… infection… Remus coming…” words poured out sporadically as he continued to try and catch his breath.

“Remus is bringing Harry Potter here? Now? And Harry’s got a high temperature and an infection?” Poppy questioned.

Severus nodded; relieved that he had been understood. He let his head fall back in the chair and his eyes close and he heard Poppy begin to gather her supplies together. He tried to regulate his breathing and regain his equilibrium, knowing that Poppy would need to be told what spells had already been used.

It was a scant few minutes later when Remus entered the hospital wing; his delicate burden still cradled to his chest. “Put him on the bed here.” Poppy called, indicating a neatly turned down hospital bed.

Remus deposited Harry as gently as possible and took a step back as Severus, once again in charge of his body, began to regale Poppy with the story. Remus took the opportunity to gaze at the petit, elfin face of his best friends’ child. Harry’s eyes blinked open groggily and his tiny hands began fluttering on the bed as if searching for something. A small frown marred his perfect little face and his mouth moved slightly, trying to speak. Remus moved his head closer, straining to hear, even with his impressive lycanthropic senses.

“T…teddy?” The tiny voice whispered in a barely perceptible murmur.

Remus reached carefully into the pocket of his coat where Severus had stashed Harry’s possessions. He pulled out the tattered teddy and carefully placed it next to Harry’s face on the bed. Harry’s frown smoothed, his face relaxed and his eyes fluttered closed once more.


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The boy was confused. His head hurt, his leg ached and something heavy pressed his body down. He tried to open his eyes and was almost blinded by the whiteness. He didn’t understand where he was. It was soft. Managing to crack his eyes open a fraction he looked around. There was a pillow and a blanket and sheets. He was in a bed. He started to panic. Boy was not allowed in bed. Beds were for good boys, special boys. Beds were for Dudley and Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon and Aunt Marge. Even Ripper had his own special bed. Beds were not for freaks. Boy wasn’t allowed, he wasn’t allowed! He began to struggle against the heavy blankets. A loud noise sounded. The boy flinched. It hurt his ears and his head. He froze.

Someone touched his head. A lady’s hand brushed his hair away and rested gently on his forehead. The boy stared. The boy didn’t know the lady. She smiled at him. The boy frowned. He was even more confused now. The lady smiled. At boy? She began talking and it took the boy a few moments to work out that it was him she was speaking to so softly. Her voice sounded like Aunt Petunia’s after Dudley had had a nightmare. He frowned some more. Why was the lady talking to boy?


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Poppy carefully brushed her hand against Harry’s head. His fever had broken completely in the night and she had been regularly applying a healing compress to his leg wound. The essence of murtlap seemed to be working and the wound had looked much cleaner and healthier when she had last checked. Harry’s little face was pinched into a frown as he stared up at her.

“Harry sweetheart do you remember what happened?” she queried gently.

He frowned at her again but did not reply. “Do you remember your name?” she tried again. Still nothing. “Does your head feel funny?” again she tried to get a response and again she was met with that same little frown.

She stepped back slightly and flicked her wand. Writing appeared in the air in front of her and she frowned. “Everything is progressing as it should be.” She mumbled to herself. “Maybe he’s scared.”

She turned once more to Harry and perched on the bed next to him. “My name is Poppy. I’m a nurse. You’ve been a bit poorly darling. I’m trying to make you better. Do you hurt anywhere?”

Harry’s head moved fractionally in assent.

“Can you tell me where poppet?” Again Harry frowned slightly but did not speak. Poppy tried a different tactic. “Can you show me Harry?” The frown started to fade but reappeared with full force as Poppy finished her question. “Is it your head?” Again that tiny nod of assent. “Your arms?” A fractional movement to side this time. Breathing a sigh of relief Poppy continued to question him about different parts of his body. She was getting somewhere now.

Discovering that it was just his head and leg that hurt Poppy gave him a small dose of pain reliever potion and checked his wound again. Yes, it was all coming along nicely now.

As she moved around the bed Poppy discovered that the battered old teddy bear had become dislodged in the night and was currently lying on the floor. She picked it up, clucking over the sorry state it was in.

As soon as she moved back into Harry’s line of vision she heard him make a small sound. Looking towards him she saw that his eyes were wide and his gaze was trained fixedly on the bear in her hands. “Would you like Teddy back?” she questioned softly. Again that small noise. So desperate in the silence of the hospital wing. She leaned forward and tucked the tattered bear under the covers with Harry. One tiny hand moved to clutch it tightly and the emerald eyes gleamed under the lights.

Poppy leaned down towards Harry and, out of the corner of her eye, noticed his other hand reach to hold the bear even tighter. Poppy frowned slightly but continued her forward momentum. Planting one soft kiss to the top of Harry’s messy black-haired head.

She straightened then and turned back towards her office. She would need to floo Dumbledore and tell him that Harry had woken up. Severus and Remus would want to know also. It had taken the combined forces of Albus Dumbledore and Minerva McGonagall to persuade both boys to go down to breakfast and leave Harry alone. They would want to know straight away.


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The boy was still confused. He still didn’t know what was happening. He didn’t know where he was or who the lady was or why she had smiled at the boy. But he didn’t care anymore. He was good and he was quiet and he had Teddy. With that thought still circling in his head the boy snuggled into his covers, Teddy clutched tightly to his chest and the lady’s kiss still warm on his head. He slept. He had Teddy.


AN

And another chapter is completed. I’m trying not to rush too quickly through this. Harry has been through a lot and I always think that it takes something of his bravery and resilience away if his problems just disappear in a flash. Having said that; please let me know if this is dragging too much at any time. Reviewers make the world go round!

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Kurai: Thank you. I try my best ;)