Harry brushed his teeth while Alastor sat on the closed toilet. He was not looking forward to showering with Alastor in the room. Finally, he could not avoid it any longer and turned to the old man. He could not say anything and just started to blush.

Alastor stood up without saying anything and went over to the chair near the door. He sat down, facing the wall. "Come on, lad, you know I won't turn around." His wand was in his hand to even out the slowness of his wooden leg. Poppy had warned him that taking a shower would drain Harry. Therefore, they decided to let him have it in the morning when he has the most energy.

Harry quickly used the loo and stripped off his clothes. The warm water felt good, but he could also feel that he was getting weaker and started to become dizzy. He tried to be quick, but was not quick enough. Oh, please no, Harry thought desperately. What should he do? Fall down and worsen his condition or call Alastor for help? Both possibilities were damn embarrassing, but one would cost him valuable time for training. Harry tried to steady himself on the wall of the shower cabin. His stomach protested. Oh, Merlin. The water was still raining down on him. "Alastor," Harry whispered while already feeling his legs become jelly. Harry was not sure if Alastor could hear his whisper, but he did not have the courage to call louder for help. His legs gave in, and he felt a spell hold him upwards. Seconds later, the water stopped and strong arms lifted him out of the shower. "I have to...oh, Merlin...I...." Harry stuttered while fighting against his stomach. He was tilted forward over the shower.

"Just let go, lad. You will feel better afterwards," Alastor said calmly near his ear.

Tears were running down Harry's cheeks. He felt so embarrassed, and he hated himself for being so weak.

"Stop fighting it, Harry. You'll just make it worse," Alastor said a bit sterner.

Harry lost the fight and threw up heavily. There was not much in his stomach, and most of the time he choked dryly. When he was finished, he felt a Cleaning Spell in his mouth and he was sat down on the toilet. A hand was still steadying him, and he was dried by a spell a moment later. Another moment and he was magically dressed.

"Back to bed with you, lad, until Poppy has a look at you," Alastor said and lifted Harry in his arms.

Harry felt as if a troll had hit him on the head. Everything was a blur, and he felt so embarrassed. When he was placed on the soft cushions of his bed, he sighed, relieved.

__________________

The next time he woke up, Poppy was sitting on his bed. She smiled at him and stroked his hair. "We let you sleep because you were very exhausted. I gave you a few more potions, and you should feel much better now."

"Yes, I do," Harry said, cursing himself for wasting time that could have been used for reading. "I would like to rest more."

Poppy eyed him, worried. "Of course you can rest, but first it is time for lunch, Harry. You need food to get more energy."

"Will Severus eat with us?" Harry asked hopefully.

"No, he is still recovering, Harry. Maybe in a few days." Poppy looked old and worried while she told him this. He also felt a little guilty for knowing that Severus was sneaking out at night to meet him. And then Severus' request came back to his mind. He should take care of Poppy and Alastor. That sounded so weird at the moment because he was under their care. He remembered why Severus wanted him to take care of them and felt his heart skip a beat. I have to find a solution for this. Severus mustn't die.

After breakfast, Harry quickly went back to his room and pulled the books out. He forced himself to put the Animagus book aside and picked the red one instead. Harry tried hard to understand what he read, but it was so damn boring he could hardly stay awake. He understood that the twilight was something like another dimension that lay above this one. Some wizards learned to move in it and could vanish from the view of others and appear somewhere else. For normal wizards, it would look as if they were Apparating, but a person in the twilight could see the others around him while moving in it. He could easily kill them with a weapon. However, magic could not be used in the twilight. That was all Harry thought he understood. He laid the book aside and grabbed the handwritten one.

He first tried to speak the spells out correctly, and then he tried to make the wand movements. Some were very complex. Harry decided to try ten today, and then he would study the Animagus book again. Said book lay tempting across from Harry.

In the late afternoon, Poppy and Alastor came to check on him. Harry quickly had shuffled the books under the mattress. "How are you, Harry?" Poppy asked while drawing her wand.

"A bit better. Resting was a good idea." The prick of conscience was troubling him, but it was for a good cause. Poppy's worried expression made Harry wish he could tell them that he was fine and what he was doing. He looked at Alastor and remembered Severus' warning. Merlin, I wish I could at least tell Alastor. Why does Severus think he wouldn't help us? Harry was feeling very guilty by betraying the two adults who did so much for him lately.

"The concussion is almost completely healed. I think I will stop giving you the potions. We will see how your body reacts. Maybe the potion is making you tired. The risk that you will feel dizzy or even faint is still high, Harry. I don't want you to go anywhere alone," Poppy said strictly.

Harry glanced at Alastor and blushed.

"It was good that Alastor was with you while you took a shower. Who knows how bad you would have hit your head otherwise," Poppy explained while feeling his pulse.

"Your heartbeat is very high. That's unusual," Poppy mused. "Do you feel unwell?" She moved the bed covers aside and unbuttoned Harry's pajama top.

"No, I feel fine, really," Harry said while shrugging away a bit from the probing hands of the Mediwitch.

Poppy felt around Harry's ribs and chest for unusual sweat or rash. When she did not find anything unusual, she let him button the pajama top up again. "If you still have such a high heartbeat in the morning, I'll have to do a few tests, Harry."

Merlin, my heartbeat is this high because I have to lie to you. I hope I can keep it down tomorrow. Tests are the last thing I want to let her do on me right now, Harry thought desperately.

______________________

It was already midnight. Where is Severus? Harry thought worriedly. Maybe Poppy was not falling asleep this time, and Severus could not cast the Sleeping Spell. Harry's wand was lit, and he was reading the Animagus book. He was almost finished with it and could not wait to try it out. Finally, he fell asleep with the book still in his hand.

"Wake up, Harry," Severus ordered impatiently.

Harry sat up. The Animagus book slipped off his bed, and he fumbled for his wand.

"Merlin, Potter, sometimes I think we are lost with you," Severus said while patting Harry on his head with his own wand.

"You are late," Harry said sullenly and grabbed his wand out of Severus' hand.

"Yes, Poppy was probably too worried to fall asleep. Are you okay, Harry?" Severus asked.

"Yes, I'm fine. I hate to lie, and I had to do it while she examined me. My heartbeat was too high, and she thinks it's something serious," Harry explained and jumped in surprised when Severus grabbed his wrist. "What are you doing?"

"What does it look like?" Severus' glare could be seen because of the full moon that was shining into the room. "Your pulse is still very high. Maybe you are ill."

Harry tried to bat the hand that was placed on his forehead away without success. "You scared me and woke me up abruptly. Your heart would beat like hell as well in this situation."

"I don't think so. I have heard Poppy and Alastor talking about you. You fainted in the shower."

"Poppy said it's normal."

"Poppy told you that so you would not worry," Severus said dryly.

"You don't know."

Severus rolled his eyes. "We are wasting time. I will check your pulse before I leave."

Harry just groaned.

"Did you read the books? Beside this one?" Severus held up the Animagus book that had fallen on the floor.

"Yes, I did, but I hardly understood anything in the red book, and from the spell book I already learned ten spells."

"What didn't you understand in the red book?"

"Err...why do you want me to learn about this?"

"Because the Dark Lord can move in the twilight, and that gives him a great advantage if you cannot. If you learn to move in it, you can make him concentrate on you completely. It's difficult to learn and only a few are capable of it. I can move in it for a short time. Albus and the Dark Lord can stay in it as long as they want without loosing energy. It's a good place to regain power if your enemy is not capable. And if you have no morals, you can use it to kill by sneaking up on your victim without a possibility for him to fight back. You cannot use magic in the twilight, but you can use Muggle weapons. Albus will train you as soon as Poppy gives her okay for you to leave the quarters."

"She will never let me leave. Can't the Headmaster come and train me here?"

"Alastor and Poppy would get suspicious if he visited you so long. Alastor mustn't find out about this, Harry."

"But why? I feel so guilty around him and Poppy."

"He has this strange expression lately, Harry. I cannot describe it. I believe he is really considering holding us back from the war. He is very protective. In fact, he is quite overprotective when it comes to you and me."

Harry sighed. "I hope this will all be over soon."

"The last battle will come sooner than you wish, Harry. The Dark Lord is getting desperate. When the protective wards of your relatives wears off, he will attack," Severus said tiredly.

"Will you teach me the Killing Curse?" Harry asked eagerly.

"No!" Severus almost shouted and quickly looked over to the door.

"Why not?" Harry asked, confused. "I have to kill Voldemort."

Severus shuddered. "Don't call him that in my presence, Harry!"

"Sorry, but how shall I kill the Dark Lord if you don't teach me the Killing Curse?"

"Simple. You will not kill the Dark Lord."