Every Demon Wants His Pound of Flesh

Round and Round

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Harry's euphoria stemming from his arrival at Grimmauld Place wore off much quicker than anticipated. After attempting to get through a quarter of the food on his plate, his stomach started to rebel. Shortly after that, his leg started to twang, and a dizziness that only accompanied pure exhaustion settled over his head and Harry found himself crying for a completely different reason then he had before. Tears of exhaustion ran down his face slowly. His friends looked at him somewhat alarmed.

“Mate, you alright? Do you want me to get Remus back here?”

The adults had left Ron and Hermione alone with Harry in the kitchen, giving them a few minutes of privacy to catch up. As if hearing his name being mentioned, Remus popped back into the room.

Fortunately, he decided not to make a big deal at the mood change Harry was exhibiting, explaining to Ron and Hermione that Harry still had a long road of recovery ahead of him and this sort of reaction was completely normal. Harry thought that last part was meant more for him than the other two, but he couldn't appreciate it very much at that moment.

“Let's go check out your room, Harry.”

For a moment panic engulfed Harry as an image of his old room popped into his head – a dreary vision of the entrapping four poster bed, dark windows, and menacing corners...then he remembered that Remus and Madam Pomfrey had discussed with him the difficulty he would have maneuvering the stairs and that the Weasley's had turned the sitting room near the door into a bedroom for him, and Harry calmed down.

Ron stood next to him and Harry accepted the hand held out to help him stand, too tired to claim he didn't need help. Had Pomfrey not bound his leg so tightly, he wouldn't have been able to stand – cane or no. He limped slowly and painfully after Remus back down the hallway. Ron and Hermione left them at the stairs after a look from Remus, with promises to come see him after his nap.

“Thanks guys.” Harry smiled bashfully at them.

“No problem. Sleep well, mate.”

Remus directed Harry into the room on the left of the stairway and Harry noticed two beds set up on opposite sides of the room. Before he could ask what for, Remus answered him.

“We thought it would be better not to have you sleep on this floor by yourself, and as there are no other bedrooms down here, I didn't think you'd mind.”

Harry could sense the underlying message Remus was giving him – that Remus was going to sleep with him at night like he had at the Hospital Wing so Harry wouldn't have to be afraid.

“Thank you.”

“Thank you for letting me share you room.” Remus winked at him. “Now, what do you say about that nap?”

Harry sighed deeply in acquiescence and sidled over to one of the beds, flopping down heavily. He lay back against the pillows, not even bothering to raise his legs onto the bed. He lay like that for a minute before the disorientating feeling of his legs being lifted startled him. Remus was taking off his shoes.

“I can do that...” Harry said, slightly embarrassed, leaning forward attempting to sit. Remus pushed him back down gently.

“Let me take care of it. Poppy wants you to sleep without the bandage on your leg, so I'm going to take that off as well.”

“All right.”

Harry nodded in consent as Remus finished pulling off his shoes and socks. He felt too weak to argue anyway – not that he had anything to argue about. He was wearing pants that had snaps going all the way up the side, so all Remus had to do was unsnap them to get to the bandage. He was about to do so when he paused.

“What is it?” Harry asked.

“I think I'm going to give you a pain potion. Taking off the bandage will send all the blood flowing back around your fracture, and it might hurt if you roll over onto it. What do you say?”

Harry thought about it for a second. As long as he was being offered a pain potion, he was going to take it, regardless of the small voice in his head telling him not to. Harry quickly concluded that this voice was not his friend at the moment and grabbed at the bottle Remus held out to him. “Thanks.”

Remus took the empty vial and placed it on the night table next to the bed. “Try and get some sleep.” He looked at the clock hanging on the wall. “I'll wake you up in two hours.”

Harry crossed his arms over his chest and closed his eyes. He felt his body relax into the mattress and soon he was drifting.

Remus tried not to jostle Harry's leg too much as he began unwrapping the bandage. He slowly went around and around, rewrapping the bandage into a roll at the same time so that it would be easier to replace it later. He rolled up the last layer, exposing the mottled skin on Harry's leg. Purple and black had left faint patterns of colour around where the break had been, which Poppy promised would be gone by the end of that day, along with the scar from where the bone had pierced the skin. Remus pulled his hand away quickly as Harry jerked.

“Hey. Relax, it's just me, Pup.”

“I thought...” Harry shook his head, clearing it. “You're going to stay, right?”

“Only if you want me to.”

Harry's nod held a hint of desperation and Remus felt his heart clench in sympathy for him.

“Would you like me to leave the lights on too?” Remus asked gently, trying not to make it sound like he was treating Harry like a baby.

Harry shook his head. “If you're here, it's fine.”

“Alright.” He smoothed a hand over Harry's brow, soothing the boy back to sleep.

Harry closed his eyes gratefully, and Remus waited until his breathing evened out and deepened before he grabbed the extra pillow at the foot of the bed and placed it under Harry's leg, as per Madam Pomfrey's instructions.

It was almost exactly two hours later when Harry began to stir. He opened his eyes, slowly accustoming them to the afternoon light pouring in through the window.

“Perfect timing.”

Harry heard pages rustling form the corner over by the window. Remus stood, book in hand, and came over to the bed. Harry blinked a few times and rubbed his eyes with his fists, getting rid of the last remnants of sleep.

“I was going to give you five more minutes before waking you. How did you sleep?”

“I think fine.”

“You think?” Remus raised an eyebrow.

Harry shrugged. “I don't remember sleeping, so I guess it was good. Better than the alternative.”

Remus helped him sit up and swing his leg over the edge of the bed. A muffled sound echoed through the wall and Harry looked at it suspiciously. Remus chuckled as he bent down to push Harry's shoes onto his feet.

“As you can tell, the walls are not quite soundproof. Your friends have been sitting outside on the stairs waiting for you for the last twenty minutes. Not too quietly, I might add.” He raised his voice during this last sentence and Harry laughed as he heard a sharp gasp quickly followed by Ron's angry tone.

“Ow- Mione! I'm not the one being all fidgety. Ow! Stop that!”

A soft, sharp knock at the door followed this statement and after an ok from Harry, Remus went to open it.

“Hello, Professor.” Hermione stood there, looking rather sheepish.

“Hermione, it's been two years since I've been your professor, and it's summer time. Call me 'Remus'.”

“Sorry Profe-- Remus.” She craned her neck into the room a bit. “We were wondering if Harry was awake yet. We'd like to spend some time with him if he's up for it, of course.”

Her somewhat pushy tone made Harry smile and he found himself wondering why he had thought it would be too hard to be around them.

“Hey Hermione.” He called to her. He grabbed the cane from where it was propped against the bed's foot board and pushed himself to his feet, placing all his weight on his 'strong' leg.

Remus moved towards him a few feet, looking to help, but Harry held a hand out to stop him. He had to work on his own recovery, and in order to gain the strength back in his leg, he needed to use it. After taking about five steps forward, Harry could already feel the pain starting to blossom deep in his leg, but he pushed past it. He was determined to at least reach the other room before asking for help. He had to compromise and ask Ron for a hand when he reached the hallway. Together, they made their way across the hall into the library. Remus came into the room behind them with Hermione and frowned at Harry's panting.

“Maybe we should consider asking Poppy for crutches instead of the cane. At least for a few days while you’re getting used to be up and about.”

“If you really think I need it, but I'm partial to the cane.” Harry raised it in the air. “It makes me seem dignified.”

Yes, it was hard to maneuver around with his relatively bum leg, but the pain was a good pain; it told Harry his leg would be back to normal eventually. So he had to strain himself for a few days. It would be worth it when he was up and moving again like normal soon.

“Madam Pomfrey told us it'd be hard at first. And it's not too bad.” Harry added honestly.

“Alright.” Remus didn't look a hundred percent satisfied, but he would go along with it as long as Harry wasn't straining himself too hard. “I'm going to go check with Molly what time we're having lunch. I'll also go grab your bandage and be back in a few minutes.”

Ron looked confused at the mention of a bandage and Harry pointed to his leg with a smile as Hermione shook her head at Ron.

Silence reigned for a few seconds after Remus left.

“So.” Harry started awkwardly. “How was your summer?”

That was probably not the best question he could have come up with, but Harry hated the silence. He had had too much of it.

“Honestly?” Ron and Hermione exchanged sidelong glances. Hermione leaned forward on the couch, extending a hand towards the armchair Harry sat in. he reached out and took her hand in his, squeezing gently. “It sucked.”

As the three of them laughed, albeit a little uncomfortably, the tension dissipated.

“We missed you, mate.”

“I was only gone for a couple of days.”

Ron shook his head. “Not just then. We didn't get to spend a lot of time with you even when you were here, and when we did, it was....”

“Was I horrible?' They exchanged glances again. “Come on, guys. Tell me. I can take it.”

“Well,” Hermione started and Harry braced himself for whatever they wanted to throw at him. “You--”

She was cut off by the sound of muted shouts from the next room. They all looked towards the doorway as the sounds moved closer to the library. Somebody was stampeding down the hall, and they didn't sound happy.

“Where is he?!”

“Blimey, is that Snape?”

“Professor Snape, Ron.”

He shrugged Hermione's correction off as he stood and went over to the door, looking out into the hallway. A second later he was shoved roughly out of the way as said Potions Professor stormed into the room. “Hey!”

Hermione jumped up from the couch and moved to stand next to Harry's chair as he made a beeline for their side of the room. Arthur and Molly had been drawn by the commotion as well, following him into the room. They were making sounds of protests as Snape advanced on Harry who found himself suddenly frozen in his chair in fear.

Snape was angry. In fact, Harry thought, he looked down right pissed off and the way he was coming toward Harry made it seem like it was his fault. Harry felt himself attempting to scoot backwards, but there was nowhere left to go. Suddenly Snape was bearing down on him. He couldn't have screamed even if he wanted to, he was so scared. The look in his professor's eye was sheer madness, directed upon Harry in full force.

The older man gripped Harry by the upper arms, dragging him into a standing position and slamming him against the wall.

Hermione and Mrs. Weasley both shouted in anger as the cane that had been leaning against Harry's leg clattered noisily to the floor. Harry didn't cry out from the pain in his leg or from the impact of his back hitting the wall sharply as Snape shook him. He closed his eyes in terror as adrenaline rushed through his body, along with the fear his professor was currently pouring into him. Angry shouts tore through the air.

“What do you think you’re doing!”

“Unhand him right now, Severus!”

“Think of what you're doing!”

“What's your problem, you big git!” - that was Ron.

Snape's responses were lost to Harry as Remus suddenly popped up next to them, one hand on Harry's shoulder, the other tightly planted on Snape's forearm.

“Severus, what's going on? What are you doing?”

Snape seemed too angry to even bother answering. He shook Harry again sharply, fury boiling in his gaze. Harry's leg was buckling underneath him and he could feel himself falling. Snape's tight grip was the only thing holding him up and a scary sense of deja vu ripped through him. Harry whimpered.

“You're hurting him, Severus.”

Remus' voice seemed calm, but Harry could hear the anger brewing underneath. Snape however, seemed unperturbed by the shouts and demands for Harry's release being thrown at his back, and just hardened his gaze on Harry's face. His hands squeezed sharply and Harry gasped, forced to stare straight into the dark obsidian eyes boring into him. Suddenly Snape began to ramble angrily and Harry had about a second to recognize a spell being uttered before his eyes widened in surprise and pain exploded in his head.

“Legilimens!”

Snape crashed into Harry's mind, ripping through memories as if they were tissue paper. Harry cried out sharply and Snape withdrew. With another sharp jolt of his shoulders, Snape snapped at him.

“Show me! Legilimens!” and once again he was storming through Harry's brain, leaving shreds of pain-filled memories to patch themselves together.

When he pulled out again, Harry could feel his body shaking. He was no longer holding himself up; instead he sagged forward onto his professor, who was currently letting lose a string of curses that would have made a sailor blush. He was suddenly jerked backwards to lean against Remus.

Tears flowed down Harry's face, whether as a result of pain or embarrassment/being taken advantage of, he couldn't tell and the angry words lobbed over his head weren't helping. People were yelling at Snape, and he was yelling back.

“What the hell do you think you're doing?!”

“We've been played!”

“What do you mean? Honestly Severus, what were you thinking?” Remus tightened his grip on Harry. He felt the whip of Snape's robes as he marched away angrily.

“That-- fool!”

“What are you talking about?”

Harry could hear sobs over the voices and he recognized Hermione.

“It's not gone.”

“What's not gone?”

Harry could feel the vibrations of Remus' chest as he panted heavily, obviously ready to pounce on Snape in annoyance.

“He --” suddenly Harry was grabbed back out of Remus' arms and pulled against Snape's cold chest “Is still a danger! See this?” He whipped Harry's head up sharply and painfully grabbing his bangs, exposing his scar. “It's still there.”

“So what?” Remus sounded furious but Harry couldn't see his face. Tears blurred his vision so horribly. At this point his entire body throbbed and his leg was positively pulsing in agony. He whimpered again as Snape let go of his head, letting it lob forward uncomfortably as Harry had no strength to hold it up.

“Severus --” Arthur's voice joined the mix.

“If the Horcrux was gone, that scar would be as well.”

“Let him go, Severus.”

Harry felt the grip on him tighten. “Do you not get it? Potter is still a threat. It's still there.”

Hermione was openly sobbing by now. Harry wanted to comfort her so badly, but he had absolutely no strength left to even open his mouth. The adrenaline that had fueled him when Snape first stormed into the room had long since dissipated. His leg didn't even hurt anymore, he was so tired.

“Hand him over, Severus. Now.” Remus sounded dangerous.

Harry's body began inching backwards. He assumed it was Snape moving, dragging him along. He struggled to open his eyes to see what was going on. A wand was extended in front of him, presumably attached to Snape's arm, pointing towards the other occupants of the room as he shuffled backwards.

“Severus.”

Remus' voice was a low growl. It was the last thing Harry heard before the fire flared behind him. Snape hissed their destination and the two of them were spinning, painfully knocking into one another. Then Harry passed out.

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