PRONGSLET AND THE CERYNEIAN GUARDIAN

Chapter Seventy-Eight

However, Dumbledore seemed to catch onto the fact that the boy was watching him intently before he brought the entire scene to notice Milo's neck and the bloody state he was in. He insisted that Milo head to the Hospital Wing where Ron, Harry, Hermione, and Cedric were already there with quite the tale to tell him. 

Milo didn't want to leave the scene, fearful that something would go wrong in his absence, but Elspeth and Sirius both offered him winks to reassure him that if anything did go wrong that they would be able to handle it. Both Minerva and Sprout were going to escort Milo up to the Hospital Wing, knowing that Milo's wound was already healed but it was going to take a team to explain things to Madam Pomfrey.  

Of course, what explanation was there to give right away when as soon as Milo walked into the Hospital Wings, there were screams. The blood certainly wasn't helping the scenario as Hermione let out the scream that alerted everyone. No one knew what had become of Milo because even during their own adventures they couldn't come to the group as they all seemed to vanish. Yet everything seemed to be sorted while they were frantically attempting to help. The only thing they had been able to do was free Buckbeak and spare the Hippogriff's life.

Although judging by Milo's expression it was like that was the best news he had received all night. 

But as Harry and Cedric made their way over to Milo, he had to stop them as they were trying to figure out if he had been bitten.

"Relax, relax," Milo said blocking their hands from touching him, " it was a scratch. Just a scratch, I'm going to be fine, it was already sealed with silver and dittany."

However, while he had gotten Cedric and Harry to start breathing properly, it was Madam Pomfrey who grabbed the boy by his head to examine his neck. "Who did this healing work?" Madam Pomfrey demanded to know. She didn't seem upset but rather impressed.

Milo glanced over in his mother's direction. "Um...my mother?" He said causing Madam Pomfrey's eyes to flicker over at Minerva. 

"Poppy, I can explain everything," Minerva said in a steady voice, " will you step outside with me to speak in private."

As the women left the area, Harry was about to demand Milo to tell him everything had happened since Milo went racing off after Peter, but Cedric moved Harry aside for a moment. Both Potter boys were confused until Cedric pointed in the direction where Milo saw Paden racing towards him.

"Paden!" The boy shrieked in happiness as the bowtruckle launched himself at the bow and latched onto his owner's arm. Milo quickly grabbed him as the two embraced in a gentle hug as he was careful not to squish him. Paden began chirping frantically at the sight of the dried blood on Milo's neck including the new scar that had appeared. 

It seemed the bowtruckle was tending to his boy at the time as Milo smiled and looked to everyone else.

"I guess you're all wondering what the hell is going on, huh?" He asked quietly.

"Yes!" Ron, Hermione, and Harry chimed in together.

"No," came Cedric's response right after. "I want to know if you're alright. I want to know if you're hurt right now. I want you to sit down...I want...I want..."

Cedric didn't say anything else as he pulled Milo into a hug, careful not to hurt Paden but just wanting to hold Milo close to him. "Milo, I can't...I can't stand when you do this stupid stuff that puts you in danger. I know they say that we're unafraid of toil, but really, you don't have to prove it with risking your life."

"I know, I know," Milo replied softly, wrapping his arms around Cedric in return, " I don't do it to put myself in danger. I do it for good reason and it paid off tonight. Peter was caught, he was caught by the Ministry. Elspeth turned him in and that means that Sirius' name will be cleared by the Ministry. If all that good can come from risking my life...well, I hate to say it but it's worth it in my head."

"But what am I supposed to do if something happens to you that...that you can't recover from?"

Milo fell silent for a few moments, unable to come up with a response except for an apology but Cedric didn't want him to say sorry. He was just thankful that he had Milo back and despite the injury to his neck, Milo was going to be alright.

Harry cleared his throat, requesting to speak with his brother for a moment as there was a lot left unsaid between the two. Cedric offered the privacy along with Ron and Hermione as the brothers moved to the other side of the Hospital Wing. 

Milo didn't dare speak first.

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"I don't know why, but whenever there is the first sign of something going wrong, I automatically turn to blame you," Harry confessed. "I hate myself for it but it's almost like it's automatic in my head. Tonight, after everything we had been through over the recent years, I was ready to deem you a traitor along with Remus and Sirius. Even though you've always been there for me and helping me. I've already said it before, but I honestly don't deserve you as my brother-"

"That's where you're wrong, Harry, " Milo informed him as he sat down, desperately wanting sleep, but he knew he needed to talk to Harry. "Listen, the fact that you think you don't deserve me as a brother is the same reason you are quick to turn against me. It's your way of pushing me away every chance you get because in saying that you don't deserve me, Harry, you think you don't deserve happiness."

He patted the spot beside him on the empty bed requesting Harry sit next to him. He could see Harry's eyes lingering on the long scar that trailed down Milo's neck to his shoulder. 

"The Dursleys have just ruined your mind in ways that you're not going to recover from overnight and that's alright. You might piss me off royally but I still love you dearly. You're my little brother and nothing will ever change that. These past three years have been the most troubling but possibly the most exciting of my life, while I personally don't enjoy near-death experiences, I don't regret anything that has happened because something good has happened from all of it."

"How do I get better?" Harry asked him quietly. "How do I get past this so I don't keep hurting you?"

"It's all based on trust, Harry. You clearly don't trust me yet and that's okay, it'll happen, it will develop over time. I'm patient, don't worry about it. We'll just keep getting into trouble, yell at each other, have our stupid fights, but at the end of the day, you proved it tonight when you stood up to Snape for me. Deep down, I know you want to trust me, it's just going to take some time because our surviving bloodlines have done nothing but hurt you. But I promise I won't hurt you, Harry, not intentionally and at least, not without a proper cause."

"The way he looked at you, I thought Snape was going to kill you."

"Trust me I thought the same thing."

The two started laughing until the laughter suddenly died down and the two exchanged quick glances with one another.

"Snape!"

They had completely forgotten that the man was left wherever Elspeth had placed him during the evening. If they thought he was pissed before, there was no telling how angry he was going to be when he returned. 

The two decided that they would let Elspeth handle that for the time being as she was fully capable of doing so. However, there was one question that came to Milo's mind as he looked out the window.

"What happened to Remus? Do you know where he ended up?"

"I don't know," Harry whispered, " we couldn't find him. I might have frightened him off with my patronus. It certainly scared off all the dementors that came after us in the forest."

"What?!"

Harry turned to him with a grin. "I was able to perform a full patronus, Milo, and you know what it form was?"

Milo smiled, he had a sneaking suspicion. "No, what was it?"

"A stag."