A/N: Once again, sorry it took so long for the last chapter. I'm going to get to work and begin working on this chapter as soon as possible, and I will be working on it until I feel like it is done and up to my level of work.

Chapter 14 - The Road to Recovery

(Harry's POV)

My eyes slowly creak open to a stark white room, the only bit of colour to be found on an abstract painting placed on the wall and a plant residing in the corner. I make an attempt to sit up, only to feel a sharp stab of searing heat wreck my body. I fall back onto the clinic white bed, body convulsing. My fists find a handful of the bedsheets and hold on, needing something to hold onto before I fall off the bed from the shaking. I toss over to the side and bury my face into the pillow. A soft, soothing touch places itself on my back, the pain subsiding. I turn around while panting, my breath returning ever-so-slowly. A lady with soft blue eyes and a gentle smile looks down at me.

"All better Harry?"

I rub my temples, a headache spurning out of nowhere. "Yeah. Thank you… Sorry, but what is your name miss?"

"My name would be Jessica. I've been taking care of you this past couple of weeks. How are you feeling?" Jessica smiles at me. If it wasn't for her blonde hair and discoloured eyes, I might have confused her for Mum. She certainly seems to be as sweet as her.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Jessica. I'm exhausted. It feels as if I have been hit by the Hogwarts Express, multiple times over." I pause and catch my breath, fleeting and strangled through the labours of pain. "How long have I been out, exactly?"

"Hmm…" She pulls her sleeve back slightly and looks at her expensive watch. "You've been out exactly two weeks and six days, as the current time is 12:07 am."

A bead of sweat falls off my forehead. "Nearly three weeks? What happened?" My head shifts, my headache getting worse suddenly.

"I'm really sorry Harry, but I don't know. The doctors won't tell anyone what happened. All I'm at liberty to say is that you needed a large transfusion of blood. You've been having bad nightmares and bursts of pain since you got treated by the doctors." She smiles sadly at me. "I wish I could tell you. I'm sure it would help you in your recovery to know what happened."

"Couldn't you get a doctor to come in and tell me what happened? Would that be allowed?" I fix up a pillow to brace my back, to ease sitting up straight. I want to try to appear that my entire body isn't causing me significant pain to move in the slightest.

"I already asked if they would. They said they won't tell you what happened. I don't understand why they won't tell, but if they think you shouldn't know, then I guess you won't get to know."

I close my eyes and take a deep breath. I reopen my eyes, I see her looking at me with curiosity. "Sorry. I'm getting really tired. Can I get some food?"

"Of course. What would you like?"

"What's on the menu?"

She grabs a sheet off a table on the side of the room and passes it to me with care in even such a simple action. "My personal favourite thing to have when I'm sick is the soup. For you, I might recommend getting one of everything. You'll need the food since you haven't had anything to eat."

I nod my head at her while looking at the menu. Of course, there is practically nothing there that would be enjoyable. Hospital food always sucks. PB&J, soup, salad, ice pops, grilled cheese, jello, and the only thing you can drink is water. "I think the soup will do. If I like it I will get a second bowl."

"I'll get it delivered to you right away," she says with a smile. She turns to leave the room, taking the menu with her.

Before she can leave the room I manage to speak. "Thank you for caring for me."

She faces me and smiles a motherly smile once more. "It was my pleasure to do so Harry." She opens the door and leaves, the door remaining open.

I look at my right hand. I try to feel the ring resting there, but everything feels numb. I focus on it, trying to will it to appear. Five seconds pass. The ring remains hidden. I try again. Another ten seconds pass by. No ring. I focus on the details I can remember, the purple veins against the ivory, the golden gem centred and shining as if a portion of the sun resided inside. I close my eyes, the picture fresh in my mind, and will the ring to reveal itself. My eyes remain closed for what feels like two minutes before I feel the familiar weight on my finger. I open my eyes, my ring proudly resting upon my finger.

I rotate my hand at a snail's pace, properly examining the small piece of jewellery. I'm not entirely sure what it is, but the ring feels awake. Like it is prepared to pounce, a leopard crouched in the under-brush waiting for something to pass in front of its reach. I will it to hide and this time it quickly disappears. The only difference is that I can now feel that it is still there.

Aventance, are you there?

I was wondering when you would wake Harry. It's been too long, my friend. You owe a lot of thanks to your sister. She saved your life.

What do you mean? You said she saved my life? What happened?

You don't remember? I'll restore your memory of what happened if you wish. I know you wish to have that clarity in your life.

I do want to know. But later. First, I need to eat. I feel like I am about to collapse at any moment if I don't get any food in my system.

I understand. Shall I tell Via that you are awake?

Yes, please. If she saved me, then she should know immediately.

And what of your family?

I feel bad saying this, but I think we should let the hospital tell them. I'm not sure I should reveal you yet. Not to them.

I figured as much. When will you tell your friends? They have been dying to know what happened to you.

I'll tell them once they know Occlumency. That way I'll know that they will be safe from unwanted trespassers in their mind, and you will be protected.

That is very wise. I must say, I am impressed. I have to be honest, I wasn't expecting you to wake so quickly. Most that have been hit with the spell in the past and have survived took two months just to wake. Even those that did have powerful blood rushing through their veins.

Yeah well, I still feel like shit. My head keeps pounding, and my back is in excruciating pain. Thanks for being here, buddy. I just wish that I knew what happened.

You will later. The nurse is approaching. Enjoy your soup. I've heard it is reinvigorating.

I'll believe it when I taste it. I'll talk to you after I eat.

I hear a knock on the door, and sure enough, Jess is there with a bowl of soup and a glass of water. She walks across the room up to my bed. "Your meal has arrived."

"Thank you so much." I sniff the air, the smell coming from the soup wafting up my nose. My stomach growls, almost reverberating through the room. "I guess I really was hungry," I chuckle.

She laughs, something like that of a very light yet cheerful sound. "Told you that you needed food." She places the bowl on the side of the table by the bed. "Would it be okay if I sit down here with you? I can pull up a chair."

I give a curt nod while carefully picking up the bowl of soup. I take a sip while she does as she said, grabbing a chair from near the side and pulling up to the bed. I give a double take as I take a second sip to reaffirm what my taste buds initially said. Hospital food should not be this good. Hospital food should be disgusting and exist purely for the purpose of giving you nutrients. It shouldn't be so enjoyable. I collect another spoonful on the soup and slurp on it, the heat quickly making its way through my system. "Wow. You weren't kidding when you recommended the soup. This is delicious!"

"It's called cock-a-leekie. It's made of prunes, chicken, and leeks. I went ahead and took the liberty to add a pinch of salt and some pepper. I assumed you wouldn't mind, so I also added in some beef and some carrots. I can ask them to write out the recipe and I'll add my additions to it. That way you can make it at home."

"That sounds like a plan then." I pause, deciding to ask a question that I had been pondering for a short while. "When will I be able to move without pain?"

Her smile dwindles into a faint one. "That's a bit of a tricky question to answer Harry. I'm not entirely sure when you can. The spell that hit you caused some damage to your nervous system. I'm not quite sure the extent of the damage. If you would like, I can take you for a walk around the halls, so you can get a feeling for where your own body is in terms of healing."

"That would be nice. If I've been out for three weeks, then I need to get up and move. I'm sure I need to." I take another spoonful of the soup. While my exposure to soups is very limited, I would say that this is the best soup around. I make a mental note to explore soup possibilities in London. "So, Jessica, how long have you been working here?"

"I've been working here as a nurse for about a year now. It's been a journey, to say the least. Are you excited for your next school year?"

I pause, the soup spoon falling out of my hand and clattering against the bowl. "Wait, did school end?"

"It ended last week. It's the first of July. Dumbledore stopped by. He wanted me to inform you that because of you and Hermione and your combined bravery, you won Emrys the House Cup." She gestures to the corner of the room, where I finally notice a huge cart full of sweets. "He also brought that in. Apparently the students had been making donations of sweets to you, so that you can recover in fashion. In most cases, it wouldn't be allowed for candy to come into the hospital, especially so to those that were needing a blood transfusion. We decided that for you, we would allow it."

I feel the savoury heat and taste of the soup pour down my throat as I drink some more. "Well, thanks. Has there been any word from my friends and my family?"

"Of course. Your family has been coming in every other day to see you. In fact, it will be later today that they will be stopping by. As for your friends, they stopped by the weekend you showed up in the hospital. One girl, someone named Hermione, ended up sleeping in your room once in a chair. She didn't want to leave you. She wanted to stay until you woke, but she had to leave with her parents when they came to take her home. I believe that your sister wanted me to give you this." She moves over to the window and picks up a thick envelope, bringing it back to me.

I look up at her as she hands it to me, before reading the front. I see Via's pretty signature written in large print. I wish I could write as nice as that. Instead, whenever I try to sign something it looks like I'm only just learning cursive. I tear open the seal, pulling out many different items.

The first of which is a picture of my family. Everyone is smiling and happy. Except for Via. Her smile isn't nearly as large as the others, and her eyes don't seem to possess the same light that I had once seen. The red streak in her hair is braided out into other strands of her hair, causing it to almost have an eerie appearance. I can't quite point out exactly what makes it so different. It almost causes it to look like she is bleeding. Or like she is trying to hide some of herself. I divert my attention just in time to notice Padfoot run his hands through Uncle Moony's hair. Only to watch it quickly turn into them shoving each other and laughing. The picture shows everyone begin to fall forward, causing Via to laugh as she goes down with the rest of them.

The second picture is more relaxed. Everyone is on the couch, but they are doing their own thing. While the picture is more sombre in mood, I find it to be more comfortable with the lack of chaos.

The third of the pictures is a simple one. All there is to see is Via singing into her brush in the mirror, only to break out into laughter at realizing she was caught by whoever it was that took the picture. Seeing her smile and be relaxed brings a smile to my face.

I put aside the three pictures, this time turning my attention to the letters. I smile, seeing one from each member of my family, with Dreki even having one letter in the mix. I look inside the envelope again, to see if I had missed anything. At the bottom lies a home-made bracelet. I pick it up and examine it. Made of green, red, and gold string, it is woven through a black strip of leather. In what I assume is meant to be the centre is a small silver button. I slip it onto my wrist that is normally unoccupied by my wand holster, a comfort even though I'm not sure who it is from.

I shift my body a bit, attempting to move off the bed. "I'm ready to take a walk around the halls." I get my hands behind me and push against the bed. A ripple moves through my back, impeding my movement. Jessica walks over and rests a hand on my back, pulling the covers off of me.

"Don't worry, you're dressed. It wasn't necessary to give you a hospital gown. But you are wearing borrowed clothes." She pulls the covers off fully and helps me move my legs so that they dangle off the edge. I sit up straight, my breath laboured through working through the pain. I take a deep breath and gently lower myself to the ground.

The only way I could really explain the feeling I had would be to compare it to an accordion, but more like the actual part that is meant to be pushed and pulled apart, but only in the ripples. I swear under my breath. I hear Jessica chuckle behind me. Ballocks. Guess she heard that curse.

I notice out of the corner of my eyes Jessica's brows furrowed with concern as I stay standing. I'm going to guess that she is wanting to tell me to go and lay back down. I silently thank her for not saying anything. I have to. I have to move and walk and know that I can still be on my own.

I take a shaky step forward, and then another. I get a sense of warmth from my hand, feeling strength return to me in that second. I begin taking another couple of steps forward, the sensation of walking quickly consuming my pain that has been destroying my back since I have been awake. I relax and let go of the breath I hadn't realized I had been holding. A single tear rolls down my cheek. I stumble forward, feeling an arm catch around my chest.

"I've got you. I won't let you fall over. It may take a short period of time for you to be able to walk on your own again, minus the pain."

"I'm not done. It won't be far. If you insist then just follow me to make sure I don't fall down." I push myself out of her reach and stumble down the hall, my legs refusing to remember the sensation of walking. I take more steps, slowly, my feet planting themselves on the floor, the sound echoing off the tile. I rest my hand on the bar residing on the wall, giving myself a boost of leverage as I walk along in a shuffle. Soon the world gets drowned out by the pain in my back again, the war of the cold of the pain and the warmth of the ring battling for dominance over my body. The pain becomes null, the halls completely silent, as I hear a massive pop loud in my ear.

My steps turn normal, all strength returning in a rush, flood waters bursting through the dam that was constructed in a fruitless effort to keep the river at bay. My strides turn fluid as I carry forward. I pause and look back at a wide-eyed and open-mouthed Jessica staring at me. I turn my head to the side, curious as to why she is looking at me like that? "What?" I shout down the hall.

She takes quick strides to approach, stopping a couple of meters away. "You… you…" she manages to stammer out.

I look down at myself, noticing a faint but still fairly noticeable golden orb surrounding me, petite ribbons shimmering as ruby and aquamarine sparks come cascading down, a brilliant white light illuminating the already stark white hallway. "What is this? What's happening?!" Panic swells as I make an attempt to bury it deep down, desperate to show none of the fear that has consumed me.

"Just relax, I'm sure everything is fine. No need to panic. It doesn't appear to be hurting you. It seems to be helping you, even. Harry, can you stay calm for me? I can try to help, but I need you to know that I won't hurt you. Can you understand that?" She sticks her arms out, slowly bobbing up and down and shaking as she tries to talk to me.

"I can. I can trust you." I look on in fear. What could possibly happen that would cause me to have to say that I trust her?

She takes a cautious step forward, foot passing through the bubble of light. I notice a flinch, her next steps more laboured than they were before. At a snail's pace, she crawls her way through toward me. Her hand begins to glow as she gently places it above my heart, beating so hard it feels like it might do a pop of its own and go flying out of my chest. Warm, comforting heat envelops my chest, similar to that of my ring, which has been spreading throughout the early early morning, in the wee hours of the new day.

Sounds return, individually, ambience turning into an orchestra, the everyday noises sounding more like an instrument, before making the circle back into their original form. Colours turn briefly vibrant, the world appearing like a psychedelic trip, then making a roundabout back to their boring state. The sphere around me collapses, shrinking until it goes back to its origin. Me.

I sigh, expecting for the sudden burst of strength to leave. Instead, my legs remain sturdy, like the legs of a giant, or like the giant pines outside the family house. The stinging in my back remains but is lessened than before, a constant companion for the rest of my days. Still, I collapse on the ground, waves upon waves of exhaustion crashing over me, like the waves of an ocean storm crashing against the rocks of a great pillar of stone. "Jessica. What just happened to me?"

"I don't know Harry. I'm really sorry. I wish I could explain what that was."

"If you will, Harry, I would be more than happy to explain all to you." I look over to an old man smiling at me, a phoenix resting on top of his shoulder. "Allow me to introduce myself. I am Nicolas Flamel, creator of the Philosopher's Stone. Dumbledore informed me that you were the one to destroy it when you were attempting to save yourself and the world from Voldemort. I am extremely proud of you, young man. I had been meaning to destroy it myself for some time now, I think maybe around 107 years. It has been too long since I have first thought of destroying it. Thankfully for you, I was able to have plenty of the Elixir saved up in many bottles before you destroyed the Stone." Nicolas continues talking, blabbering on about something, slowly turning into static in my ears.

"I'm sorry to interrupt, sir, but I thought you said you were going to explain what happened just now?"

He looks back at me with shock. "Oh dear, I did it again, now didn't I? I am so sorry. I have a tendency to do that, so please forgive me when I do so. Anyway, onto why I am here today, and not tomorrow or yesterday. My phoenix here went and fetched me after receiving a notion that you would have your first proper summon of your aura. I will answer any questions you may have, but on a later date in private. For now, the most I can offer you is an explanation for the sudden ability for you to bring forth the aura that resides in you.

"What you brought forth just now can be explained as a manifestation of your soul. Now, I am sure you are aware of one piece of your soul, but the other piece is one I can't necessarily explain readily. I can't quite put my finger on it, not yet. What I do know is that you need to begin training, and soon. I have also scheduled an appointment for you to meet with the goblins. Once that is done, I would like to meet with both you and Dumbledore, have a quick chat over a cup of tea, and then I'll talk to you mono-y-mono." He chuckles to himself. "So sorry. I have to go now, I bet my wife is worried sick over my sudden absence from our home. I must be on my way unless I want to sleep on the couch tonight. I'll see you later. Take care, Harry." He grabs onto the tail of the phoenix and he gets whisked away in a veil of flame.

I stare at the empty spot where Nicolas stood moments before. "Well, that was weird."

"Agreed."

"I think I may be hallucinating. I'm just going to try to sleep it off." I get up off the ground with help from my nurse and walk back, on my own, to my room.

We say our goodbyes and she leaves, giving me space to go and try to "sleep". I lay down in the bed, only now realizing just how uncomfortable it is to lay down on. Alright Aventance, I'm ready for the memory. But once that is over I have some questions for you.

I figured you would Harry. You have had an eventful morning. I'll share the memory with you now. Just know that you will be looking through my eyes as I watched over you.

A quick burst of light flashes before my eyes, knocking me out as the memory plays.

(Aventance's POV)

I quickly play the memory of Harry battling the professor, with Voldemort playing through. I show Harry the spell that Quirrell used against him, and how Harry begged for the pain to end. I show Harry his defeat of Quirrell, with him turning into dust as the power of the ring activates and protects him from further harm. I show Harry how the cloud of smoke Voldemort turned into flew into his body and then out. I show him Via rushing into the room and clearing a path for herself. Then how Via saved Hermione from the poison.

Via enters the hospital in a calm walk, carrying a blood-soaked Harry in her arms, her clothes permanently stained in with a deep crimson. "Someone! I need help! My friend is in desperate need of help!" Doctors cut her off from my field of vision. A doctor takes Harry and starts rushing down the hall while levitating his body in the air. I flap my wings and fly after them, refusing to let Harry out of my sight any longer than I have had to do. I fly past doctors and nurses alike, directly tailing the doctor carrying my friend.

He ducks down a hall, making sharp turns while navigating the confusing halls. He shouts out the opening spell, the door to the head doctor's office flinging open as he rushes inside. I flash inside the room, nearly missing the doors closing behind the man almost as quickly as they had flung open.

I witness a brief exchange before the doctor that was carrying Harry pass him over to the head doctor. The new one carries Harry away into a new room directly attached to his office, bare except for a pentagram residing in the centre of the circular room. He gently lays Harry on the ground and goes over to a wall that, at first glance, appears to host nothing on it. He pushes on it, revealing a hidden compartment that holds a sacrificial knife. Gently caressing the handle of the dagger, he brings it over to Harry, lighting an unseen candle.

He takes the knife and slices his palm open, fresh blood sticking like jelly to the blade, the entire dagger transforming into a sickly red colour, dark like the blood residing on it. Passing it over the fire, bright red and yellow of the flame contrasting with the deep shades of the blood and knife. The red on the dagger heats up, literally and figuratively, slowly blending in to match the flame. I realize that the flame turns dark now, shades transferring from one to another in an act of dark magic.

"In hoc sacrificium sanguinis, Theseu, ista maledictio damnum!" he shouts about the room, the once inky darkness turning into an explosion of white, slowly circling above his head like a tornado, but tame, calm, even. The light rotates, spiralling down into a single thread of light, Harry's wounds being covered in a blanket of warm, soothing light as it all comes down to a single point. I look closely, his wounds knitting themselves together, jagged, half determined to refuse to do as the magic commands it to. I hear a moan escape Harry's lips, the pain that would come with these scars fresh and deadly, a poison to the body that will never leave, already having arrived as soon as the incantation was spoken and the shredded skin first came to touch together.

More of the light covers his torso, the wounds knitted together at last. Instead of looking like a professional did it, the fresh scars looked like an adrenaline-filled soldier quickly trying to suture a wound together in an effort to block the bleeding. Many hours, time blending together like paint poured down onto canvas to make an acrylic pour. I spend my time staring in at one spot, the wounds slowly coming together. I look over to see the candle fully melted, the wax slowly proceeding from its position.

When the light fades from the room, plunging it back into darkness, Harry makes a sharp gasp. I yearn to act, to land beside him and use my tears to ease the transition out of the healing. I hold myself still, hating myself for doing nothing. Harry begins to scream in agony as the pain finally catches him, only to pass out on the floor in his own blood. The head healer takes a bottle out of his robes, tips it into Harry's mouth, and once again stores it in his pocket. He stands up, lifting Harry off the ground and carries him over to a bed. He draws a wand, waves it over Harry, causing him to disappear.

I teleport to Harry, finding him already being strapped to a set of tubes that would be transferring a potion that was designed to copy the blood of the person it was entering and create new blood for that person. I sigh, closing my eyes. Weeks pass, more and more of the potion entering his system. Harry remains ever quiet all day, all night, nearly an entire month spent silent and asleep.

(Harry's POV)

I was dead, wasn't I? Or at least would have been.

You probably would have, if not for your sister. It is only through our intervention that we are able to have this conversation right now.

Why is it me that is selected for this torture? What did I ever do to deserve this?

Absolutely nothing, Harry. That is why we are going to fight this. Together. You and me. All your friends. All your mates. Your family. Nothing is going to stop us from protecting you and this world.

Thanks. What time is it?

Around seven. I went ahead and made sure that you would actually be sleeping. No quick memories for the night. I've been thinking that we start to train. Fully. You took too much time slacking off when it comes to pulling memories out in little time. You should also go and speak to that Flamel when you get the chance.

What was he talking about, when he talked of my inheritance? Did something happen to my family?

No no Harry, your family is perfectly safe, healthy, and happy. Rather, it is you who have found yourself in a unique and rare type of situation. Shall I explain it to you? Or would you like to hear about it from the Flamel gentleman?

As long as nothing happened to Mum, Dad, or Padfoot and Moony then I can wait. As nice as it is to have such a well of information available to me at my disposal that you provide, sometimes it's necessary to learn from some other for a change. It's a nice change of pace.

Is it about time to start your day?

Yeah, I'm ready. You coming with?

I don't see why not. It could be fun. I'll just rest on your shoulder.

I feel a weight press down onto my right shoulder. I sit up and dangle my legs over the edge. I hop off the bed, excited to feel my legs not give way under me. I begin my slow progression into the hall and down, nurses faces' a blur as I almost strut. I feel a presence behind me, and I know that it is Jessica, already doing her job.

"It is strange to me how much we don't value the ability to walk. Or run." I speak my thoughts out loud.

"I'm going to assume that's due to you struggling to walk for a brief period of time?" Jessica responds.

"Indeed. Although I don't think I'm actually healed. My legs wobble every so often, even in this short distance I've travelled."

"Do you need help?"

"No, I'm good. But thanks anyway, it's appreciated. Is my family going to show up today?"

"They can. I'll have the front desk floo them, tell them that you are up and walking."

"That would be great. I've missed them. A full month… It doesn't feel right."

"I understand. I can take you to the breakfast hall. If you're making so much progress, if you're lucky, you could be getting out today."

I smile widely at the thought of home. "I know I'm ready to leave. No offence, of course."

"None taken." I continue walking forward. Jessica grabs my arm and pulls me to a halt, pointing in the opposite direction. "If you want breakfast, then you need to be going the right way."

"I don't know what you're talking about. I know exactly where I'm going." I say this as I turn in the direction she pointed me to. "I just wanted to make sure you knew where you were going." Aventance pecks my head.

You don't know where you are going, don't lie.

Shush. She doesn't need to know.

A quick knock sounds at the door. "Harry, you have guests."

I glance up from the book I was reading. "Geez, they sure did take forever." I close the book, placing it on the side table where my half empty glass of water resides. I push myself out of the chair just as Via comes running in the room and sweeping me up into a hug.

"Harry, you little bugger! I was wanting to see you the moment you woke, and yet you go and wake when I'm asleep!" She realizes that she is still dangling me in the air. She gently places me down, then messes my hair. "How are you feeling?"

"Still a little tired. My back aches a small bit. Otherwise, I feel really good." I feel my face go from elated to sombre. "Thanks for saving me."

She pulls me into a hug again, gentler this time. "I'm glad you're still alive, you big idiot." I return the hug, knowing that I'm going to be on the receiving end of another tackle, whether it be from my godfather or my father or my mother. Really the only one I know that won't give me such a forceful hug is my uncle.

"Sirius is barrelling down the hall, get ready for a big hug," she whispers into my ear. She pulls away and clears the way. Just as she steps far off to the side, I hear the tiles outside clacking as Padfoot comes running full force. The real question is is he going to be a dog or a human?

Human, I think as I get a giant whiff of his cologne as he pulls me into a bear hug, my face getting buried into his very non-furry chest. Returning the hug, I feel myself start to cry. More arms wrap around me. My family. Everyone retracts, the feeling of multiple sets of arms and bodies leaving me until another comes wrapping around me, much softer than the others. I look up, and through teary eyes, see the blond hair of Dreki.

"Hey, there mate. Thought I would miss seeing you?" I chuckle as I give him a matching hug to the one my family just gave me.

"I thought you had forgotten that you were going to live with us."

"And I would go where? To Ron's family, who probably doesn't trust me at all for simply having been born under the Malfoy name? To Neville's family? Or with the very muggle family of Hermione?"

"Hermione would have accepted you easily enough. I mean, I don't even think that her parents know what that name entails."

"Touché."

I push off of him and stand up again to my full but limited height. Limited for a short time, anyway. "And how has everyone else been? Miss me too much?"

Someone smacks the back of my head. "Don't forget about your best mate, ya selfish bugger." I turn around to see a tidal wave of redheads storming into the door and packing me up into a strong hug.

"Ron? Ginny? You guys are here too?"

"Right you are Harry!"

"We couldn't miss this moment, could we Fred?"

"Not at all Georgie. He's our star seeker!"

"That wouldn't have been good to not come and see him!"

"Imagine having to find a new one!"

"That would be terrible!"

"Would you two stop that? Oh, Harry, we were so worried about you!" Ron's mum, a homely lady named Molly, shushes the twins as she tightens her hug around me.

"Excuse me, Mrs Weasley, you're crushing my ribs…"

"Oh dear! I'm sorry Harry. How are you feeling?"

"I'm feeling elated. How are you?"

"I'm quite wonderful, thank you!"

"Hun, please tell me we didn't just get another kid."

"We did, Arthur. I hope you're keeping track of our children! The family is only going to grow from here!"

"Ballocks. Well, welcome to the family Harry. You're welcome to come to stay with us whenever you want."

"Thank you, Mr Weasley. I appreciate it."

The surge of red collapses and I fall to the floor. "Is that everyone that was coming? Or is there still another group waiting on the other side of the door?"

"There are more coming. I may have told all of your friends that you were up and moving when we had gotten the call from the hospital." Mum shrugs in the corner of the room near Dad, trying to avoid the huge crowd.

"Does this room have a growth charm attached to it or something? I could have sworn that it was smaller when I woke up this morning. So, are we just going to stay here or are we going to stay in the room, or can we move to a courtyard or something, in order to make more room for everyone? I'm getting a little claustrophobic over here.

"I'd be okay with it. What about you Molly?" Dad asks the matriarch of the Weasley family.

"That would be wonderful. Come on kids, we are moving out!" The kids get herded out of the room except for Ron, who stays with me and my family. "You're not getting rid of me that easily mate. I apparently can't let you out of my sight, lest you do something stupid and get yourself hurt."

I smile at my friend. "Fine, I guess I can let you stay. Let's follow them before they get too far away." Mum pulls up beside me and pulls me against her. Together, we walk out and follow the mass of red surging down the hall. Soon, after passing many rooms, patients, and visitors, we come to the courtyard in the centre of the hospital. For a couple of hours, my family, or families now apparently, ask me about what happened. Either that or they just talk and share everything that has happened in the month that I have been out.

"Harry!" Neville comes out of the door and gives me a brief hug. "I was worried about you! You could have gotten yourself killed!"

"Neville, cut the boy some slack. I mean, he did save the school and prevent a powerful stone from falling into the wrong hands." I turn around and find myself staring into Hermione's eyes. "You're still a dead man though. You aren't allowed to do something stupid like that again, got it?"

"Yes, ma'am. It won't be happening again if I don't have at least two with me."

"Harry…!" Her hands fall down to rest on her hips and she gives me the eyebrows of disappointment.

"Three others?" I smirk, knowing full well that I am annoying her.

"You're hopeless."

"I know I am. That's why I have you and everyone else that is here." I embrace her and hold her there for a moment longer. I notice the wetness on my cheek as a tear streams down, my soul feeling elevated at her presence, the happiest form of the feeling I have felt since I have woken, coursing through my veins. "I missed you…"

"I missed you too." A wet spot of her own mixes with my tears. I pull away and wipe both mine and hers away. Something within me stirs, but I pass it off as simply being hungry.

The hours continue to pass. I'm introduced to Hermione's parents and Neville's great-uncle and grandmother. Hermione uses me as a pillow for most of the time, Ginny eventually joining in using me as her personal pillow as well. I talk to Via and catch up with her. When the adults aren't paying attention, I tell all of my friends about what happened down in the room with the mirror. I also tell them that when school starts next, I have something extremely important to tell them, that they need to be there.

I see you've made up your mind.

I should have told them earlier. It's only fitting that I tell them now.

It is one of the jolliest times I will probably ever experience, having so many around me that are concerned with my well being. To be in a situation in which all of my friends are surrounding me, my family and their families together, I feel unstoppable. I feel like life, no matter how rough, will work out in the end. Pain, love, happiness, sorrow. All intermix and blend together, the most unlikely match, and form a drink that I always love to consume.

I'm torn out of my thoughts when I notice Ginny run a finger over my forehead. I puzzle at her, trying to find out why she did that. I mean, I'm not complaining, it honestly felt natural, but it was also strange and coming out of the dark, completely unexpected. Her finger moves in random patterns, going straight then zipping over to another place, jagged movements as she moves down my forehead. "What are you tracing Gin?"

Her finger abruptly comes to a halt. "What do you mean?"

"I mean exactly that. You are obviously tracing something up there."

Her hand moves to her side, the life appearing to drain away as it flops onto her lap. "When was the last time you saw yourself?"

"I haven't seen myself since I woke up. Why?"

Her eyes wander around the little courtyard, looking for something. Her gaze stops and remains at something for a second. "Come with me." She takes my hand, dragging me with her as she makes a beeline for her destination. We come to a stop at the pond near to where we were sitting. Pulling me to her side, she pulls my head toward hers.

"Harry. I want you to know that you shouldn't put thought into what you see. It doesn't change how anyone here sees you. You've already seen it." Her hand brushes my cheek as she pulls back away. The distance is only a couple of meters apart, yet it feels like there is a canyon separating us. "Look at your reflection in the water."

I raise an eyebrow at her as I turn. My feet drag as I approach the water's edge. My eyes follow the line of the water before resting on my reflection, a different face staring up at me. My forehead is hidden behind a wall of scars, lightening spreading from the top cascading down around my brow, stray bolts splitting my face. The scar that had left me with a permanent stamp, the small scar that had been there since the beginning has disappeared, replaced by this one. I reach a tender hand up and feel for it. Sensitive to touch, I feel something coursing from the very real scar.

My hand falls to my hip in real life. All I can manage is to stare at me, looking back at me with dead eyes. The reflection grins at me, sinister and malice seeping out of it. I tremble as if my skin itself is trying to rid the feeling of the evil. The image before me shifts back into the real, my face matching the sombre one presented to me in the pond.

Someone's arm loops through mine, extra weight pressing up against my side. I look over, my gaze met with a flood of fiery red hair. Ginny glances at me and sadly smiles, but not after turning her head away to look at the pond with me. No words are exchanged, we simply stand there together in silence, her presence a comfort to my soul weighed down by the events that caused this visit to be necessary.

The stares of the others beat down on my exposed neck. I know Mum and Ginny's mum are especially among the mix, their stare fiercer than the others. I know the looks are curious, some are protective. I blink, clearing the fog that had clouded my vision and mind. Hermione walks behind us and puts her arm around me. "You okay Harry?"

"It's different. But I like it."

"Good. Good." Her head rests on my shoulder as we all continue to stand by the pond. A shiver runs down my spine as day passes into night, the cold air breathing down onto my back.

"Ginny! It's getting late dear, and I still need to cook supper!" Molly shouts from the crowd, having already said her goodbyes to the rest.

"Coming mum!" She glances at me before going to her family to say bye to the others.

"We had better go too, 'Mione. To see them off." I walk over with her arm still draped across my shoulders. I can't even reach the rest of the group before Ron practically tackles me with a hug.

"You get better, you hear? I can't have you hurting yourself if I'm not there to make sure you're okay."

"I will Ron. I promise you. How is Balder, by the way?"

"Oh, he is doing great. Though Mum doesn't know about it yet. Nor does Dad. Charlie does, and he is helping me out from Romania!"

I smile and give him another hug. "Tell the little guy I can't wait to see him again. And that he will be getting a new friend soon."

"I going to pretend I know what you're talking about and just say I will."

I walk over to Neville since he is going to be leaving really soon, his family already beginning to walk out the doors back into the hospital. "Take care buddy. I'll see you at school. And I promise that I won't get into any danger when you aren't there."

He gives me a brief hug before rushing out to join his own family. I stand by and wait for the conga line of Weasley to leave, each giving me a hug from everyone and a pat on the back of my head from Mr and Mrs Weasley. Turning to Hermione, I expect her to give me a farewell hug. "Hermione? Aren't you going to give me a hug before you head out?"

"Oh shoot, I almost forgot! Hang on on second." She briskly walks over to Mum and asks her a question I can't hear. I watch Mum nod her head and then give Hermione a brief yet loving hug before Hermione comes back over to me. "Alright, no hug needed. I'm staying with your family. And they are going to stay longer and talk to you. So I'm going to be staying longer too."

"Alright then. I guess we are all going to talking for a bit longer." I walk over and take a seat next to my family, my legs beginning to feel less strain, of which I hadn't noticed under the revelation that my face now looks like it does.

Another thirty minutes pass, the courtyard now wonderfully lit by luminous mage lights, special orbs releasing cool light. I try not to notice that Hermione is currently drooling on my leg while she slumbers, but it's noticeable. Like, very noticeable to the point where I am considering pushing her off. I see Jessica enter the courtyard with a doctor, the one who I recognize from the memory my familiar shared with me.

"Excuse us, but I have some good news." The doctor causes us all to fall into silence. "With Mr Potter's miraculous recovery and the level in which he has seemingly healed, we have decided that it would be in his best interest to be released from the hospital and into your care. However, we would still recommend that Mr Potter attend some level of physical therapy sessions, merely for us to be able to monitor his condition and ensure that he is able to return to the world with relative ease."

I feel a smile become plastered across my face. I get to go home. Yet, despite the encouraging words, my gut twists and turns and seemingly tries to yank me away from the man. The feeling is indistinguishable, my brain unable to decipher what it is my intuition is trying to tell me. I try to shove it off to the side, unwilling to compromise my chance to be able to leave the hospital, yet something deep within me tells me that I should listen to it.

"That sounds like it would be okay. I think Harry would be willing to go through it." Snapping back to reality, I realize that Dad had answered.

"Wait! Where would the sessions take place?" I realize I accidentally shouted, and real myself back in before I make another slip-up. I've decided to trust my intuition, so this is going to have to be played carefully because of this situation, whether it be the doctor or the plan, seems off.

"We have a facility in Diagon Alley that will gladly host your therapy."

"Where in Diagon Alley, though? Is it on the main street, or is it in some other district?"

"Main street." His response seems off. It was barely noticeable, but it was there. A slight pause before he answered, and the very slight shift in tone. Like he had to consider what he was going to say. The weight on my finger gets heavier. I dare a quick glance down to make sure that it is still invisible. The ring drags off to the side.

"And where is it on the main street? I've never noticed any sort of building that would be responsible for medicine."

"It is a little past the bank." The ring warms up on my hand, and I feel it slowly shift as if tracking something. So, the person is telling the truth, just not about the right building.

"How many steps would it take to get to this facility when walking on foot from the Leaky Cauldron?"

"Precisely 1,003 steps." It warms up again for the fifth time this conversation, just as I expected it to, and it is now angling itself more harshly, movements much more rapid than before. I only just begin to notice that Jessica has remained silent and still since entering the courtyard. I stare at her, expecting her to at least look over at me, but she stays still, looking straight ahead and at nothing at all.

Just as I begin to open my mouth to ask my next question, the doors behind the doctor and Jessica burst open, with a frantic looking doctor panting. "I am so sorry I'm late, there must have been something wrong with my food, it made me have to sit on the toilet for a while. I must have passed out! I don't remember a thing!"

I glance behind Jessica, trying to see who the doctor is. It is the same doctor as the one standing before us. Same face, same clothes. Everything is the same. I glance over to the first doctor that entered, fury plastered on his face. The newcomer speaks up. "I'm sorry, who is this? I know for a fact that I don't have an identical twin!"

Without saying anything, the original doctor has his wand drawn and pointed at me, Jessica disappearing as the illusion fails. I stand frozen, the world's many sounds drowning out until everything is eerily silent, like an abandoned shopping centre. All I can see is a flash of light as a spell is launched in my direction. My arm lifts on instinct, the right coming to a point right in front of where the spell would have hit. Everything turns into a blur within that moment, my heart racing at the sudden rush of action.

I find myself sitting on the grass, Mum and Dad in front of my face, Mum shouting something. Eventually sound begins to return to my ears. Gradually, her shouting becomes clearer until I can hear her clearly. "Harry!" Mum shouts, before realizing I'm now aware of the situation. "Harry? Are you alright? Did you get hurt?"

"I'm fine Mum. Really. What happened?" I rub my temples trying to clear my mind and restore whatever sense of reality I have.

"The person wasn't a doctor. He tried to hurt you, but we stopped him. The actual doctor said that you are cleared to leave and that you should come back in a week so that they can see your progress, here at the hospital."

I brush away the confusion and manage to form a cohesive sentence. "That man was an assassin. He was here to kill me. You don't have to lie to me."

"I don't know what you are talking about Harry. He wasn't an assassin."

I look up with a glare in my eye. "Don't treat me like an idiot. In case you couldn't tell by my face, I have already had a person try to kill me. He poisoned the head doctor's food to get him out of the way. I have no idea what happened to Jessica. He took a polyjuice potion and made himself appear like the head doctor, and cast an illusion to make the nurse appear to be beside him." I attempt to stand up, struggling to get my feet under me. Dad helps me get off the ground when he notices I can barely move. "I also lied to him. I have noticed the doctor's office in the alley. But it isn't near the bank, its near the tavern. The man couldn't even keep his facade going."

"Wait, where is it? The tavern, you say? I guess I've never noticed it before." I look around to see Padfoot wrestling with the assassin.

"It's an easy building to miss. It's tucked into the corner, the sign too small for you to notice it unless you are actively seeking the building. I only saw it when you, Uncle Moony, and I were walking into the Leaky Cauldron to wait for Mum and Dad back when we first went to get my supplies for school."

I glance around the courtyard. There seems to be a still-smoking scorch mark on the tree. I see Hermione talking to the doctor, doing who knows what, Dreki is sitting on the bench having a casual chat with Moony as if nothing happened. Via is nowhere to be seen.

I walk away from my parents, looking around the pond area. I look through bushes, behind the tree anywhere where she could possibly hide. I almost give up until I hear a sneeze above me. If it weren't for the sneeze, and her streak of red, I never would have noticed her up there. I take a quick look around before scrambling up the tree. My fingers grasp the edge of a limb, and I try to pull myself up. My strength is lacking, and I begin to slip as the pain of holding myself up quickly overcomes my willingness to talk to Via. My grip becomes slack and I fall. I expect myself to go down and land on my butt, but instead, I find myself being hauled up into the tree by a girl's arm. Via plants me onto a nice little seat in the tree, where the limbs begin to branch out in all sorts of directions.

"You're going to get yourself killed, you absolute bloody wanker. Could you go one week without putting yourself in harm's way, please?" she says, her voice shaky at best, scratchy and ridden with torment at worst. I look at her and see her shaking heavily. She has a tear running down her face. She turns away as if trying to hide the fact, but I saw before she could react. "Please don't get yourself killed," I hear her mutter under her breath.

"Via, are you okay? I'm fine. I'm alive. Why are you upset?"

"Because I already watched you die once, and I almost just watched you die a second time!" She stops herself from continuing by taking a deep breath. "You don't know this, but you got me out of a nasty situation. It is how I'm able to say that I'm your sister now. Aventance showed me your death before it happened in order to save your life. When I got there, I had to pick you up out of your own puddle of blood and rush you to the hospital. I thought that was bad enough. Then you went and almost get yourself killed today, just after you had woken up from almost being killed. You didn't even last a full day before someone tried to end your life." She stops as she gets caught up in a sob. I reach out and rest my hand on her shoulder, simply trying to comfort her while making sure I don't fall out of the tree.

"I'll try to not get killed anymore. How does that sound?" I ignore the holes that appear to be where my full voice should be, instead empty with the vulnerability I wasn't expecting and the recent attempt to see me dead.

Her garnet eyes meet my own. "You know you can't make that promise, right? I don't know if you've noticed, Harry, but your life is changing rapidly. You don't have much choice whether someone is trying to kill you or not. All you can do is train and learn how to avoid your untimely demise."

"Well I'd love to talk about all the ways people will try and kill me, but I'm a little tired from today's events. What do you say we go home and try to sleep, and then we talk about how I can possibly hope to defend myself from my enemies?"

A low chuckle finds its way to the surface. "I suppose we could do that. But don't think you'll get out of talking to me."

"I wouldn't dream of it."

"Lanienis Perpetuum!" She slashes her wand across my torso, criss-crossing the lines repeatedly, back and forth across my chest.

A sob breaks out of my throat as blood begins to gush out of my stomach. I look up to see Hermione cackling over me as I collapse onto the floor, my life slowly draining out of me as my heart shatters.

I wake to Dreki violently shaking me, Via and Hermione watching from behind him. Hermione is biting her nails, the chewing seemingly echoing between my room walls, whereas Via is standing there with an expression of unease. "Wake up! Harry wake up! It's just a bad dream!"

"Would you stop shaking me and yelling! I'm awake now." I brush a hand over my brow, sweat clinging to my burning skin. My heart pounds against my ribs, the sound reverberating and making it sound as if I'm at a rock concert. An uneasy silence permeates the room once my heart begins to calm and return to its resting state. I push myself into a sitting position, my back aching with the motion, like everything has come back around. I unconsciously reach for the ring on my hand. Its warmth seeps into my skin, but instead of heating me up, it seems to regulate my own temperature and cool me down..

A tear stings the back of my eye, ready to escape and breach the dam. I try to force myself to keep it down. I can tell they are still watching, everyone concerned, yet in this moment it feels like I'm alone in a void, the only sound is my own despair. Another wave strikes the dam, and I swallow it. Must not show them. I can't let them know I hurt. I bite my tongue, clamping down on the plea for help that almost escaped my shallow throat. The distance between salvation and desperation seems like it stretches on for eternity, and I'm stuck on the desperation side.

With a clenched fist I swing my legs over the side of the bed. I stand up, but for what I couldn't say. I take a step forward. Then another. I don't know where I am walking, my legs and body are working on their own, separate from my mind. I shut my eyes, as if somehow that could make me take back control over myself.

I open up my eyes again, reluctantly, and I find myself standing in front of Hermione. My heart aches with the memory of the nightmare. I yearn to reach out, to find her comfort, but my arm won't budge. Nothing will. I'm locked in place, an invisible trap sprung as I stand in front of my best friend. I lift my eyes to meet her stare. Something about her causes me to be transfixed.

A silent scream escapes my throat, my soul unable to bottle the weight of my fear without shattering. Would she actually do that to me? Or was that just a nightmare? Tears begin to flow freely, causing Hermione to reach out and pull me into a hug. I can feel myself relax, yet my mind is still spinning and reeling. I feel like my world is unstable. Anything could collapse at any minute. A flash of fire burns into my mind, bringing with it an end to my thoughts. Numb. That is all I can feel as I finally return her embrace. Soon the numbness disappears. I begin to tremble, emotions swelling into a tidal wave. I pull Hermione closer to me, as if somehow her touch would act as a siphon, and my sadness and fear and unease would disappear for an eternity. I breathe in the scent of her hair as she rubs the back of my head, her lavender shampoo causing me to find a moment of reprieve, my worries temporarily alleviated.

The rest of the night passes, and all I can do is lie awake in my bed. Sleep keeps eluding me at every corner and every step of the way. I feel selfish. The others went to bed, but she refused to leave me alone, so she grabbed a book and decided to read until I fell asleep. I want to pretend I am asleep, but I know she isn't stupid. She would always know if I was awake or asleep. I reach behind me and grab her hand, holding it as if it would be the secret to my rest. Yet I know it won't come.

A/N: Alright, that is the end of this chapter. I wanted it to begin with getting better, only for it to reveal that Harry still isn't okay. At all. Sorry this took some time, I wanted this to be good, and I realized that I had a lot to write for this one. I hope you enjoyed it, and I hope to get another chapter out by the end of the summer. Finals are over with so I'll have some good time to work now.