FicWad

Chapter Four- Reality


~~I do not own Harry Potter and that I do not intend to make any money from writing this fan fiction. ~~


Harry awoke sitting in a strange room, he felt cold like a dementor was nearby but he didn’t see one. He felt nothing. No pain, just normal, and confused.

The room was dark and quiet. Harry knew it was a handsome chair he was sitting in but couldn’t see himself it was so dark. A knock was heard on the door and suddenly candles were lit, illuminating the room. It was an enormous room; it had huge intricate tapestries hanging on the walls. The walls and floor were both made of old stone. A snake sat on the chair next to Harry’s pale arm.


“Enter.” Harry apparently said, he heard the voice and felt his mouth move but hadn’t made the choice to. When he had spoken, it had been a cold authoritative voice.


The old wooden door opened with a creak and a woman appeared, she had wild dark hair and an extreme colourless dress.

“My lord” She said bowing so low her nose nearly reached Harry’s feet.

“Yes, Bellatrix?” Harry asked in an icy commanding nonchalant voice.

“It has been done, Azkaban has been cleared as you ordered” She replied immediately in a proud voice and looked eager for praise.

“And Lucius?”

She looked momentarily taken aback for the lack of interest but answered instantly “He is outside, My Lord, Shall I get hi-”

“No, you may go.”

“Yes, my Lor-”

“Wormtail!” Harry asked inpatient now, Bellatrix left and Wormtail arrived in the room and bowed his head silently, waiting to be given an order.

“Bring me Severes.”

Seconds later, Harry’s potions professor arrived and kneeled at Harry’s robes. In the man’s eyes Harry saw his reflection; he had blood red eyes and slits where his nose should be, in fact he looked the mirror image of Voldemort, in fact that was because he was.

“The boy?”


“He was found unconscious and remains to be so; he is not going to be allowed to leave until he goes to Hogwarts, so you will not be able to get to him presently, my lord.”

“Hmm. yes…I didn’t expect to be able to. Very well, you may go.”


“He’s very weak, my lord, forgive me, but I have never seen him so frail, how is this so?”

Voldemort was momentarily stunned at being interrupted or questioned but hid it well. Snape was...brave?

Voldemort considered him for a moment. “When he is emotionally weak, it makes it easy to access his mind and then make him see things that make him worse; I can effectively control him using this means, so predictable. Now leave.” Voldemort ordered.


Snape left hurriedly and wormtail entered though looked as though he would rather be anywhere but in that room.


“Bring me… Lucius” Harry felt Voldemort’s pleasure and excitement.



Then a man with long blonde hair entered, it was usually sleek and shinny but was now greasy and un-brushed. He had large circles under his eyes. He must not have had much sleep.
He had arrived so quickly Harry could only assume he had been waiting outside the room to be called. The man rushed forwards and kissed the robes at Voldemort’s feet and begged for forgiveness. Harry briefly thought he saw a figure, in the doorway, with a similar shade a hair but the boy then was gone, Voldemort appeared not to notice.


“Since I am a merciful lord, I shall forgive you, Lucius”
The man then smiled a crooked relieved smile and thanked him, “but” Voldemort continued, “One more mistake and you shall truly wish you were dead, now go” Lucius rose and hurried towards the door as he reached out to twist the knob, Voldemort said wickedly “Oh and Lucius, Crucio”

Harry felt himself being pushed back into his own mind as he felt an unimaginable pain in his body, he could feel his mouth open and his throat scream in pain, he had been completely unaware of his body recently but now he could feel it when he wished most of all he couldn’t, he knew where ever he was now, he was unquestionably thrashing in pain even though the movement worsened his agony further.



In Grimmauld place, the should be sleeping house was fully awake. Five minutes ago the reasonably peaceful slumber of the occupants had been disturbed by a heart wrenching, pathetic shriek from Ron’s room. When Ron suddenly awoke he was Harry’s unseeing eyes fly open and Harry scream uncontrollably and his limbs fly out in all directions. Ron jumped out of bed over to his friend’s side, Arthur was next followed by Remus then Mad-eye then Molly, who was wearing a pink dressing gown and sobbing hysterically.
Hermione had also managed to squeeze into the room and had made in next to the window by Ron’s side. Ginny was at the door being held back by the twins who both wore unusually serious expressions, which looked out of place on the duo’s faces.
Dumbledore, McGonagall, Bill, Madam Pomfrey and Snape pushed past into the room. She momentarily looked round, as if looking for the perpetrator of the curse. All the adults in the room knew the cruciatus curse when they saw one.


“Help… hold him… down, he is hurting himself, I do not think it would do to magically restrain him: it would only delay his recovery.” She said as she and Snape went through various potions and she poured them one by one into his mouth, which as he was screaming, was easier said than done.

Remus, Arthur, mad-eye, Bill, and Ron all struggled to restrain Harry whose eyes where still open but out of focus. After a further four minutes of agony endured by the whole room-minus Snape who wasn’t glaring but looked more shocked than upset, Harry stopped screaming and thrashing and fell limply down onto the bed, still held back by the men and Ron.
Madam Pomfrey then worked on Harry for a couple of minutes before standing up straight and looking at Dumbledore, she had noticeably paled.


“Nine minutes under the Cruciatus curse, the boy’s an idol. How? Who?” Everyone else in the room was looking at Harry, lying still on the bed; someone had shut his eyes for him, while they were all listening intently for an answer.

Dumbledore looked back over at Harry directly and then replied simply “Voldemort” to the room.


“Headmaster, an unforgivable curse can only be used physically; both the perpetrator and victim have to be in each others presence.” Snape interrupted darkly. Several flinched when he said victim, Ginny and Hermione included.



“There is an exception to every rule” Dumbledore responded aloofly. “I would like to hold a meeting of the order of the phoenix without delay”, looking over his spectacles. “However, until such time Harry has awakened I would like him to not be left alone” He told everyone, slowly, the twinkle still absent from his eyes.


“Who is to stay with him while-" Molly said without missing a beat.


“I believe…yes… Ron, Hermione and Ginny will be more than efficient.” Looking at Ginny in particular, who was still in the doorway with Fred in front blocking her from rushing to Harry and George who had a hand on her shoulder. Ginny felt odd being included.


The adults all filed out of the room, Remus dawdled still looking at Harry but after he became aware he was being watch by the others, hurriedly and slightly shakily left the room.


Ron, Hermione and Ginny were the only ones left in the room now. The first rays of light were now streaming through the window. Everyone was silently looking at Harry, Ginny was the first to move, and she had noticed Harry’s right arm was lying over the edge of the bed, dangling freely and so without even acknowledging the eyes of the other two dwellers she reached down and took his hand, she squeezed it lightly and then carefully placed in on the bed by his side although she well and truly knew her hand had lingered on his longer than would have looked just friendly.

Without looking at Ron or Hermione she sat back onto the window sill, crossed her legs and pulled out a book which she had hidden previously behind the curtain. Ron glanced at Hermione and raised his eyebrows giving a look which clearly said “She does really like him again, doesn’t she?” Hermione nodded and smiled and then whispered so quietly Ron wasn’t sure if he had actually heard it “She never stopped, she just won’t admit it.”


The following week past by without much importance. Ginny celebrated her birthday and the order and Ron, Hermione and Ginny took it in turns to watch over Harry, Remus volunteered the most.

On the 14th of August Harry began to stir slightly but wouldn’t wake everyday Molly had been and given him numerous potions, some on the hour every hour. Madam Pomfrey had had to up the dosage on most of them because Harry was having them so much he was becoming slightly immune. She had also said it would be better if he wasn’t surrounded by people when he woke up as he may get confused or stressed.


By the 17th he had begun to mutter inanely occasionally and when Ginny was in there alone, his hand had twitched and so she had taken his hand and squeezed it reassuringly and was sure she had felt him squeeze back, although she hadn’t shared this with anyone yet.

The following evening found Remus was alone in Ron’s and Harry’s room, Harry began moving more and his eyes moved under his eyelids. And then as quickly as Remus had leaning in to watch him closely, his eyelids fluttered open.

Harry lay still his body felt numb and sore, his throat dry and torn and his scar positively singeing. He felt his glasses being carefully put on his face. The room he was in was bright his bed lay against the wall on one side and the familiar picture of an old headmaster, Phineas was still in the same place, nothing had changed really, apart from one thing Harry thought sickeningly. Harry stiffly turned his head to see the face of Remus Lupin. The face was pale and worry lined his features, his hair was greying at the top.


“Hey.” Harry muttered softly, the sound burned his throat.

“Harry.” Remus said almost in disbelief but smiled in relief.

“Professor, what happen…” he began but stopped and said slowly “I don’t want to be here” He finished as he tried to get up but a hand stopped him.

“Harry firstly I am not your professor and hadn’t been for two years so call me Remus please, and secondly I know you don’t want to be here, I didn’t either but it’s safe here so please stop struggling or you’ll hurt yourself.”

“What…happened…how’d I get here?”

“Don’t you remember?”

“Er …and…hmmmm...Erm... You? …where there…I think… and Tonks?”

“Yes Harry, What do you remember before that?”

Harry’s head was throbbing and he felt ever so tired, his brain felt like it was thinking too much.

“Errrrrrrrrrr… hmmmm … the…Dursleys...and … Voldemort? Yea...them?” Harry garbled, dragging the words out. His eyelids threatening to close.

Remus smiled a smile that didn’t reach his eyes and then whispered in Harry’s ear “Go to sleep, Harry”

Harry was close to falling asleep when he suddenly thought of what he would see and sat bolt upright in bed, then regretted it instantly.

“Oww” He said in surprise, Remus pushed Harry back down gently.

“What is it? Harry?”

“No, I’ll dream…nightmare…Voldemort…No…Don’t make me.” He said pleadingly and slurred.

Remus looked on the chest of drawers and unstopper-ed a potion labelled dreamless sleep and leant in to Harry to get his full attention.

“It’s a dreamless sleep potion, would you like some?”

Harry nodded and closed his eyes but didn’t have the energy to raise his hands or move at all for that matter instead he opened his mouth slightly and vaguely heard Remus give a hard frustrated laugh as he felt some warm potion run down his throat and the door click shut.




Tonks, Mundungus, Molly, Ron, Hermione and Ginny were sat in the kitchen when Remus arrived.

“He’s awake, or he was” He said quietly as Molly pushed a bowl of supper in front of him. Everyone in the room stopped what they were doing and listened.

“He was very tired and dozy. His speech was slurred as well and he was slow at thinking and talking, well everything really. He didn’t want go to sleep said he would have a nightmare and muttered something about Voldemort, I gave him some dreamless sleep potion.”

“Who is with him now?” Molly asked quickly.

“He seemed pretty out of it but I thought someone else might want to watch him in case he wakes up again.” Glancing over at the eager faces of the teenagers.

“I will” They said simultaneously before all running out of the room before anyone could say otherwise. Hermione even left the copy of Hogwarts; A history she had been reading behind.


Although it was now well past their bed times no one seemed to care. Ginny and Hermione both stayed and would until Harry woke. Ron was playing a game of wizard chess by himself which involved moving around to the opposite side every go so he had to play it in the middle of the room. Hermione was happily reading Hogwarts, which Bill had brought up, a history on Ron’s bed and Ginny was sat on the floor leaning against Harry’s bed while reading an article about the Holyhead harpies, who were her favourite quidditch team.


The three of them sat there long into the night until Hermione fell asleep and Ginny had to take her book off her and then Ron sat on the edge of his bed and fell asleep as well. It was about 3am when Harry started to stir again and 10 minutes later his eyelids fluttered open again. Ginny had been watching him intently and as soon as he opened his eyes she came over and carefully as not to shake the bed she leaned in and slowly put his repaired glasses on him, she could feel his strangely fresh breath on her hands as he watched her as she came into focus. She stayed on the edge of his bed until he stopped blinking excessively then as she made to move she heard a whisper, “Ginny?”


“Harry, how do you feel?” She asked carefully not moving so not to frighten him, or move the bed to much.

“Fine.” He said without thinking. Ginny gave him a defiant glare and he changed tune “Ok, fine… like I got hit… by a herd of raging hippogriffs… then ran over repeatedly by the Hogwarts… express and like I fell of the top of the astronomy tower, all at the same time” he finished lamely in a hushed voice.

“You have a lot of experience of that, do you?” She said quietly fighting smile, but still not moving.

“You know anyone else would be upset when I told them that whereas you’re just smiling that I didn’t say fine.”


She chortled quietly, glancing over to make sure they hadn’t woken Hermione or Ron, who was lying unusually still. Seeing where she was looking, Harry turned his stiff neck slightly to look.

“Give them a couple of months and you never know” She spoke softly.

Harry was getting uncomfortable now, he felt as though he hadn’t moved in hours, he probably hadn’t. He made to sit up but his hands couldn’t support his body and he fell back down.

Ginny spoke quietly in Harry’s direction “Should I…” get help or help or what? Ginny thought wildly.

“No, gimme a minute.” He murmured as he tried and failed again. On the third try Ginny moved closer to him still and readjusted his pillows so that he could land in a sitting position.

“Thanks” He whispered quietly, “So what’s been happening? How long was I unconscious for? What happened to me? When is it? What- Oww” He stopped talking as he winced; he had been trying to look down at the bandages on his arms and torso.


“Harry? What is it?” She said almost instantly, catching his hand as he tried to reach out to the table on which stood numerous potions. She reassuringly stroked his arm as she waited for him to speak.

“The …table…one for the pain” He mumbled quietly.

She reached over with her free hand and went through reading the labels until she picked one up and looked at him.
“Are you sure it’s-”

“Look, I honestly… couldn’t give a damn right now if it’s perfectly 100% safe…just…anything…please” Ginny’s indecision. If she could help him, she would, she couldn’t say no to that plea…or to him. He made to move his hand and take it but she chuckled.


“If you can’t even turn your head properly, how exactly do you expect to lift the potion?”

His eyebrow knitted together and he looked like he was thinking hard, she signed and leant forwards, she could feel his soft breath caressing her skin. She put a careful hand beneath his chin and tilted his head upwards.

“Open wide” She whispered playfully into his ear.

He momentarily froze then did so and she poured the potion tenderly into his mouth. Ginny heard –and felt him sigh in relief. She went to get off the bed and sit on the floor, when Harry gave her a questioning look and she said softly “Giving you more room.”

“It’s not as though I can move, can I?” He answered sadly. Ginny felt very warm inside when she sat beside Harry leaning on the edge of his pillow.

“So in answer to your questions Harry. Not much has been happening, really. You have been unconscious for nearly two weeks. Apparently all this was either the Dursleys or Vol-Voldemort. And its Wednesday 19th of August and its about half three in the morning"

“How bad am I?”He asked, though Ginny was sure he hadn’t taken in much of what she had just said.

“Your body’s weak, your really thin, your pale, your broke a rib but madam Pomfrey fixed it, you have a lot of bruising on your face, arms and legs and apparently more on your chest, your very pale as well.”

Harry considered this, then realising, he very probably wouldn’t remember this by tomorrow…or at a more reasonable hour, he said “Do you have a mirror?”

She smiled worryingly at him and then reached into the chest of drawers beside her and pulled out a small mirror and held it up to him at preciously the right angle and he looked at his reflection. “How could the bruising be worse than that? He asked quietly looking down at where his torso was buried beneath his thick duvet. Ginny wasn’t quite sure what he expected to see, after all he didn’t even have the strength to move his arms properly never mind unbutton his pyjama top. The girl inside secretly hoped Harry would ask the unthinkable request and then she stopped herself and took an erratic breath and thought ‘No!’


“Erm… a little help, if you don’t mind” A voice said shyly interrupting her thoughts and even though the room was deadly silent, Ginny was screaming in side. Without even clarifying the question and without looking too eager, she hoped, she knelt close to him and pulled the bed sheet of his middle onto his legs and with great effort of keeping a clear face and steady hands she leant in close to him and un did the first button, as she went her hands lingering on each button she could feel his stomach muscles constrict though assumed it was from the pain, not remembering he had had a pain potion minutes ago. As her hands got to the lowest button she could feel the waistband of his pyjama bottoms through the shirt and tried to stop herself as she knew where her thought were headed. She then pulled open the two pieces and they both stared at his torso.

His chest was covered in black and purple bruising, cuts covered every other part, in fact it were impossible to find a part of him that was normal. His ribs stuck out dramatically, you could have easily counted every single one. Harry was lost in thought staring unseeingly at his upper body and Ginny was trying not to cry, scream, hug him, look anywhere but at the bruising and try unsuccessfully not to blush at her last thought. To distract herself she seized the two lower ends of his shirt to button them up as she held them together, her hands shaking slightly, Harry jumped “Opps…sorry…didn’t realise…never mind” He muttered indistinctly.


Sorry, Ginny mouthed. She knew she was spending to long buttoning it but her fingers seemed to have a mind of their own, in fact as she worked her way up, they would ever so lightly stroke the bit of skin beneath. Even Harry, being Harry noticed she spent a large amount of time doing his shirt but couldn’t place why.


After too soon, in Ginny’s opinion she had finished and gently pulled the sheet back over him and positioned herself beside him so Harry could just look across to see her which meant that she mirrored him and their bodies almost touched.

Harry felt his eyelids droop and tried and failed at hiding a yawn. Ginny reached quietly on to the table beside her.


“Suppose you want a dreamless sleep potion” she whispered teasingly.


Harry vaguely nodded and then Ginny lifted his chin and poured to potion in. As Harry started becoming drowsy-er. She leant in towards him and hugged him, it was the lightest and careful hug she had ever given but felt perfect to her and she was sure she felt his breathing change again and as she pulled away her face brushed his and she, didn’t remember making a decision to but did anyway, kissed him lightly and tenderly on his cheek and may have sighed into his face before pulling away. As she got up his plummeting eyes were watching her and then closed gracefully, a look of confusion plagued his face as she then went to remove his glasses. She rearranged his pillows for him and straightened his blankets and left for her own bed, to return before he woke up.


As the door clicked shut no-one noticed the fact that Ron hadn’t snored the whole while because he had been sound awake listening intently to the conversation so no-one saw the smile that played his lips.

None of the teenagers had noticed that the moment the door had shut; Phineas Nigellus disappeared from his portrait to return to the headmasters study. So none of the children saw him arrive in his other painting and say “He’s awake again”

And then a voice replied “Good…How was he?”

“Quite cosy, talking to a girl.”

“Excellent” The voice replied although his voice gave no indication of emotion and remained nonchalant; a long absent twinkle appeared in his piercing blue eyes.

A.N Hope you enjoyed it, I had to write some of that kinda in Ginny’s pov. Mainly because it’s a lot more fun than going ‘hmmm…Ginny is hugging me…Ahh…what do I do …hmmmm….sleepy…ouch pain.’ I retract my last statement that was actually sort of fun but yeah anyway he is stupid when it comes to girls and I haven’t put if the feeling was mutual. Just read over my A.N wow it sounds so evil and yet mysterious at the same time. Yay. Just went back and deleted a huge chunk because I thought it was too unlike the style J.K. Rowling uses and to be honest a bit like Stephanie Meyer, I hate to think how many people I just offended then. Sorry x.