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Notes: Due to the encouraging response, I decided to post this a little earlier than I had originally planned. Don�t expect this frequent of an update every time, though! =) Thanks a lot to everyone who left a review. I decided not to individually name the reviewers, you know who you are, but I did want to address a few questions. First, I do agree with most of you that it seems unlikely that Sirius, if not the rest of the crowd, would be easily convinced of Harry�s guilt. It seems much more likely that Sirius would just head off to Azkaban to bust him out, with Remus following on behind trying to make him at least come up with a plan. (Hmmm, I might need to write that idea sometime.) However, this fic is an AU, and for the rest of it to work, I need things to stay the way that they are. Voldemort just came up with a really good plan to fool everyone and it worked perfectly. Everyone makes mistakes, Harry�s friends just really messed up this time. Plus, remorseful Sirius is fun to write. Second, Harry�s state of mind (as in good/evil) is still up in the air for the next few chapters, but I do know where I�m headed. Be patient! Jump to no conclusions! Also, someone brought up the fact that Harry was unconscious when first put in a cell. The idea there was that it was some kind of ministry holding cell and he was later moved to Azkaban. Sorry if that wasn�t clear. So, yes, Harry is aware of what happened and what he was accused of. However, he was not given a chance to tell his side of the story. Last, I think that I explain things OK, but I realize that I already know what I�m trying to say and that it might not always be as clear to you. Some things I�m leaving vague on purpose, for later on in the story, but if you have a question, leave it in a review. If it doesn�t clash with my story timeline, I�ll either add in the info into the next chapter or so or I�ll write an author�s note about it. I�d rather have someone tell me so I can fix it, than have readers confused. With that, I�ll just echo my earlier thanks to everyone who was kind enough to review, and leave you to it. DISCLAIMER IN CHAPTER 1
CHAPTER 2 Disappointments The Weasley household was in utter turmoil. Not that that was all that unusual, but this spate of activity seemed even more frantic and hurried than normal. Nearly all the Weasley�s and associated significant others were present. Missing were Percy and Penelope, due to Percy�s ministry job, he now lived in London and rarely returned home, and Charlie, who had been unable to get away from his dragons until the following day. The house had been cleaned top to bottom at least three times, due to the nervous energy that abounded in the house, and Molly was now polishing the clock for the fourth time. Ron was so uptight that he was in the process of losing a game of chess to Hermione, who hadn�t even noticed that she was winning yet. Both of Harry�s former best friends, now romantically involved with each other, were nervous to the point of being near tears. They knew that the next weeks would be difficult no matter what condition Harry was in. Guiltily, Ron suppressed the thought that it might be easier if Harry was insane, then no one would have to deal with the anger a sane Harry was sure to hold for them all. Hermione could only focus on the fact that the boy that she had once thought of as a brother and best friend almost certainly hated her now. The fact that he had due cause to do so only made the situation worse. Suddenly, a series of popping sounds penetrated the bustle and like magic the room became dead still. The four new occupants of the living room found themselves the center of attention. Only three of them seemed to notice at all. Harry, still in between and being supported by Sirius and Remus, stared only at the floor. Ron was the first to find his voice. "Harry?" Hermione bit back a sob at the utter lack of response. Ron continued, a note of desperation entering his voice. "Hello?" Turning to Sirius, he was horrified at the look of helplessness in Harry�s godfather�s eyes. "Has he said� anything?" Dumbledore answered for the still stricken Sirius. "No. There has been no response. He doesn�t seem to even recognize us. All of you should try to talk to him over the next couple of days. Who knows what will spark his mind into remembering?" Arthur Weasley stepped forward resolutely. "We�ll do whatever he needs. Should we floo in a mediwizard?" Remus slowly lowered Harry into a sitting position on the couch. His head raised slightly in the process and everyone held their breath, hoping for a reaction to his surroundings. None came, and Harry settled his gaze on a knot in the wood floor and showed no sign of moving his eyes any time soon. Dumbledore looked sadly at the broken man. "No, it is better to keep this among people who know him. I spoke with Madam Pomfrey and her suggestion is that he never be alone at any time, and that you try to treat him as normally as possible. School is out in two weeks, and if at that time there is no improvement, I shall take him to Hogwarts and show him some of the sites there that he may remember fondly. Other than that, we can only hope." Bill looked unsure. "Maybe St. Mungo�s would be better�" Sirius shook his head violently. "If this is mental, and it looks like it is, there�s no potion for it. What he needs is familiar surroundings." His voice trailed off and he added softly, "I should know." The room fell silent again, heartbroken that this could happen not once, but twice. Remus spoke up for the first time, trying to direct attention away from his friend. "His body seems to be in decent shape, considering. Better than you were, Padfoot." Sirius moved closer and looked his godson over for a while. "You�re right, Moony, he�s in good condition. I think that a good meal or two will help him a lot, but he could be much worse off." Sirius grimaced and faced the assembled group. "We are going to get him back. I will do whatever it takes." Determination was evident in every line of his body. Murmurs of assent echoed around the circle. "Arthur, Molly, are you sure you can put up with us here?" Molly looked absolutely horrified at the thought of Harry anywhere else. "As Albus said, this is the place that he was at the most, next to Hogwarts. Since he can�t be adequately watched there, this is the best place for him. We certainly have room for all of you, yes, you too, Remus, and there will be nothing more said on the issue. Now, Ginny, Ron, Hermione, go fix him a nutritional potion. Arthur, you and I will get his room fixed to Dumbledore�s specifications, Remus, you and Sirius see that he gets cleaned up. The rest of you redheads clear out until tomorrow." Molly�s take charge attitude was a relief in the tension filled atmosphere. "Well, what are you waiting for? Go on!" They went. Ginny was pale, but moved determinedly towards the kitchen. Hermione was in tears and Ron carefully tried to comfort her while dealing with his own horror at seeing his once best friend with nothing but blankness in his eyes. Dumbledore led the way to a central bedroom, and informed Molly that the room should be emptied of everything but necessities and objects that couldn�t be harmful. He also suggested that a comfortable chair or two be placed in the room for those who would be sitting up with Harry in the night. The aged headmaster then left, needing to get back to the school. Bill, Fleur, Fred, Angelina and George, the only other Weasleys still in the room, moved out the front door, murmuring quietly about Harry�s condition. Sirius sat down next to Harry and gently placed a hand on his back. "Harry, can you get up for me?" Harry continued to stare at the wood knot in silence, seemingly mesmerized by the grain of the wood. Really not wanting to have to force him, Sirius tried again. "Harry, please. Get up." At the direct order, Harry slowly stood to his feet. Remus stepped back in surprise and exchanged glances with the stunned Sirius. Remus decided to try his luck. "Harry, sit down." Once again, Harry blindly obeyed. "Yes, well, this is nice, I suppose." Sirius nodded, not exactly sure what this meant as to the state of Harry�s mind. But at least there was some kind of brain function going on. "Harry, get up again, please." Harry did as he was commanded, swaying slightly as he stood. "Follow me." Sirius supported Harry as they moved slowly up the stairs and into the spacious bathroom, where the two friends managed, using commands and a lot of spells, to get Harry clean and into new robes. The nutritional potion followed, delivered by Ginny, and then the two men headed their charge towards the bedroom. The bedroom was pleasantly bright and comfortably furnished. Molly was still fluffing the pillows and fixing random things around the room when Remus, followed obediently by Harry, with Sirius bringing up the rear, entered the room. Remus exchanged glances with the other adults in the room and then he and Molly exited silently. Sirius would have went right through the roof had it been suggested than anyone but him take the first shift of Harry-sitting. Sirius sat down in one of the chairs, and waited, curious to see what Harry would do in a strange room without orders. He was feeling a little more hopeful ever since Harry had responded to his command in the living room. It seemed like Harry was still in there somewhere, and Sirius� fears of Harry being mentally blank were almost totally gone. If he was still with it enough to understand what �Take a bath.� meant, his mind couldn�t be totally ruined. Harry just stood in the center of the room for a while, looking at nothing in particular. When he finally did move, Sirius had to stop himself from jumping out of the chair in surprise. Harry didn�t seem to notice his start of surprise, though, and Sirius continued to watch with bated breath as he moved slowly towards the corner of the room. Sirius frowned slightly, what could possibly be attracting his attention there? Then his eyes slid shut in defeat and sadness as Harry sank down into a ball on the floor and leaned his head up against the wall. The bed either hadn�t appealed to him, he hadn�t noticed it, or worse, he thought that it wasn�t for him. "You can sleep in the bed if you want to, Harry." Since this wasn�t an order, there was once again absolutely no response from the huddled figure on the floor. Sirius decided not to force him to move to the bed, perhaps it was better to let him adjust on his own. "I�m really sorry about� about everything, Harry. I�" Sirius ran a hand through his shoulder length hair, unsure of what to say or even if Harry was hearing him. "�I really just seem to foul everything up. So, I don�t know if you can even understand what I�m saying, but I think that you should know that I�m sorry, and if you�re in there and want to talk to me, I�d be glad to listen, but if you don�t that�s fine too, and I just wish� I just hope your going to be OK, Harry. Your father would have killed me� Lily would have tortured me� Merlin, I�m rambling." Sirius� voice subsided into nothingness and he glanced over at Harry to find his eyes closed. Sirius settled in for a long night of watching Harry sleep and praying to anybody who would listen that his godson would be fine. His godson, not nearly as asleep as Sirius thought he was, wondered what the next day would hold. He also fiercely resisted the urge to get up and punch his godfather in the nose. Being sorry was nice and all, but really didn�t change anything. Nothing could do that. After a little contemplation on how enjoyable it would be to literally throw Sirius out of the room, Harry decided that, tempting though it may be, it was not the best course of action. He did file the idea away for later, though. COMING SOON: Our favorite dark lord learns of Harry�s whereabouts, and� Harry finally speaks? Reviews, comments, encouragement and criticisms are appreciated. THANKS! NOTE: Because of this fic, I am interested in other similar stories. If you happen to be leaving a review, and know of a Harry-in-Azkaban type fic that you can recommend, let me know. I also really like to read well-done Powerful! Harry fics. (this might be a clue as to the future of this fic� or not� who knows? ;> ) Thanks! -krtshadow
