Return Of The Father (Harry Potter fanfiction) **COMPLETED**

:: Chapter 21: An agonizing wait ::

James's blood ran cold when he heard those words. The first attack. These three words reigned havoc in his mind as it tried to comprehend the true meaning of the statement.

"First attack?" He whispered, his breaths coming quicker.

"I am afraid so. Harry will hold on."

Suddenly, Harry gave another pained yelp. James's hand hovered helplessly around Harry's face, wiping the sweat away.

"Do something, Albus," He whispered. "Please... I'm begging you..."

Dumbledore got up abruptly.

"I will fix this, James. Right now, you have to go to Grimmauld place. Sirius needs you. I will bring Harry there in some time."

"Are-you-demented?" James asked incredulously, emphasising every word.

"Please, James. Harry will be alright."

James turned away and got up from the floor, his pain filled eyes flickering over Harry's body.

"Please...fix this..."

"I will. Now listen to me, James. The floo networks are being watched, except the one in your guest room. That fireplace was never registered, no one else knows about it, so it is safe to go that way. I'll bring Harry later."

James nodded slowly. With a last, worried glance towards his son, he cast a disillusionment charm on himself and sped to his room, regretting it almost immediately.

***

Sirius had never been so helpless.

First of all, Phineas Nigellus had come back to his portrait lazily saying something about Arthur being injured and his kids, Harry and coming over. He had just promptly walked away from his portrait without a backward glance, leaving Sirius very anxious and confused.

At that moment, there was a flash of light and the Weasley kids appeared in a heap on the floor.

"Useless blood traitors tarnishing the house of Black-"

"KREACHER GET OUT! OUT!" Sirius barked. The house elf walked away muttering to himself and Sirius turned to the kids.

"What's going on?" He asked anxiously, helping Ginny up from the
floor. "Where's Harry? And James?''

"Harry had this kind of vision," Ron said shakily. "He saw dad get injured and at the moment he's ...unwell."

"Unwell?" Sirius asked quickly. Ron was about to explain when he heard a whoosh from the next room.

"Stay here," He ordered and sprinted to the room. He saw James there, motionless and distraught. Sirius's
throat constricted in horror, seeing his best friend so broken. He knew that there was only one person who could provoke such an effect on him. Harry.

"James?" Sirius whispered. "What happened?"

James shook his head and dropped into a chair holding his head in his hands. Sirius drew up another chair and sat across from him.

"Jimmy, what happened? Ron says that Harry is unwell...?"

James removed his head from his hands and raised his pain filled eyes to meet Sirius's worried grey ones.

"Harry-" A huge lump rose in his throat. "Oh, Merlin, I don't know how to start."

"Why not at the beginning?" Sirius asked gently.

James took a deep breath and told him everything from the start, and how Voldemort attacked Harry's mind for the first time. He stared at his hands, his breaths coming heavily.