The Darker Side of Me

Chapter Fourteen

The trek back to the castle was excruciating. Each step brought lightning hot pain across Harry's back and abdomen as his shirt brushed his unbandaged burns. If he could just get to the common room, he knew there was a jar of Murtlap Essence in his bedside table. Madam Pomfrey had given him an additional container for the gashes he had received from Lucius's knife that seemed stubborn to heal. All he had to do was survive the walk.

Much to Harry's luck, there were few people on the road that afternoon and he was able to reach the boundary gates without meeting anyone he knew. Ahead of him, the castle towers came into view, looming over the vacant grounds. Apparently, everyone was either at lunch in the Great Hall or still roaming the village shops. Either way, Harry was grateful that no one was around to see him walking awkwardly up the front steps into the entrance hall.

It took him nearly twice the regular time to reach Gryffindor tower. Gasping for breath, he jerked open the drawer next to his four-poster bed and collected the jar of green puss and two rolls of bandages. He checked the dormitory once more to be sure he was alone before pulling his shirt over his head. His breath caught in his chest as his blistered skin pulled tight with each movement of his arms. Turning to the mirror that hung on the wall opposite his bed, he could see the angry red welts that separated the unharmed skin from the charred flesh that was already beginning to flake away from his body. Lightly, he brought his fingers up to examine the blackened area, only to find that it was numb to the touch. However, as his fingers brushed one of the many blisters, he sucked in a sharp breath through his clenched teeth. Several had burst open on his walk back to the castle, and a mixture of blood and puss was seeping down his stomach. Closing his eyes to the grotesque sight, he steadied himself for the task at hand.

He walked the length of the small room and poured water from the pitcher beside the window into the glass basin. Soaking a rag in the cool water, he brought it up and first began to wipe away the residue around the burn. He rung out the stained cloth and drenched it again, his once clean water now a murky shade of pink. This time he brought it to the blistered flesh. Taking several shaky breaths, he closed his eyes and pressed the icy linen firmly against his torso. The muscles in his face constricted into a tight grimace as an animalistic growl forced itself through his gritted teeth. He was certain that all of his skin was fusing with the rag and once he removed it, it would all pull away from his body. However, once he had worked up the courage to pull it away, he found that despite a few new busted blisters, everything was the same. He let his head roll to his chest as he fought the lightheadedness that now spun the walls around him.

Once he had steadied his vision, he loosened the jar lid and dipped his fingers into the glistening substance. Gently, oh so gently, Harry massaged the thick goo over his pulsing wound. A cool sensation spread over him, sending goose flesh and a shiver across exposed skin. In a strange way, it was a relief.

The burn on his back was a little more difficult to tend to. For the most part, he was able to use his wand to guide the rag but applying the Murtlap proved most tedious. After a few minutes of trial and error, Harry finished up by applying the bandages around his upper half. Exhausted, he collapsed onto his mattress with an exasperated sigh. Immediate regret overtook him as the collision to his burns sent a fresh wave of heat across his entire body.

Footsteps sounded outside the closed door, signaling the approach of someone. Suddenly aware of the horrendous state of the dormitory, Harry scrambled for his wand. With a quick flick, he drained the crimson-stained water basin and hid the blood-covered rag and shirt in his trunk. Leaning back on his pillow, he aimed his wand towards his trunk. "Accio shirt, " he said softly. Catching the jumper, he pulled it over his head just as the door swung wide.

Ron came through the door followed closely by a worried-looking Hermione. Harry had just enough time to register Ron's flushed cheeks before the redhead burst out in anger.