Aries Rising

Harry leaned back on the couch, letting his eyes drift closed as he settled into the comforting warmth of the room. The lingering nausea from earlier had subsided, leaving him with a sense of calm he wasn’t eager to disturb. Still, something tugged at his attention—an annoying ache in his foot that he’d been ignoring since he woke up in the barn.

“Papa,” Harry mumbled, cracking one eye open. “Can you rub my feet for me? I think there’s a piece of wood stuck in my shoe.”

Regulus, who had been seated in the armchair nearby, raised an eyebrow at the request but stood nonetheless. “A piece of wood?” he repeated, walking over to kneel beside Harry. “Why didn’t you say something earlier?”

Harry shrugged lazily, propping his foot up on Regulus’s lap. “I didn’t really notice until now. My foot’s been kind of numb since I woke up in the field.”

Regulus frowned, carefully removing Harry’s shoe. As he turned it over, his eyes widened. “Merlin, Harry! There are thorns stuck in here.” He set the shoe down and gently peeled Harry’s sock off, revealing a series of small, sharp thorns embedded in the sole of his foot. “How did you not feel this?”

Harry sat up slightly, peering down at his foot with mild curiosity. “I dunno. I guess I just didn’t notice.”

Regulus sighed, exasperated, and grabbed a pair of tweezers from the first aid kit James had brought earlier. “Unbelievable,” he muttered, shaking his head as he inspected the thorns. “There are at least ten of them. How on earth were you walking around like this?”

Harry winced as Regulus ran a gentle finger over his foot. “I told you, my foot’s been numb. I didn’t even realize anything was wrong until just now.”

Regulus looked up, his sharp gray eyes filled with a mix of concern and frustration. “Harry, this is exactly why you need to be more careful. What if it gets infected? Or what if—”

“Papa,” Harry interrupted, his voice soft but firm. “I don’t want you to do it. Let Uncle Harrison take care of it. I want you to hold my hand instead.”

Regulus blinked, his expression softening at Harry’s request. He set the tweezers aside and nodded. “Alright,” he said, moving to sit beside Harry on the couch. “If that’s what you want.”

Harrison, who had been quietly observing from the armchair, stood and rolled up his sleeves. “Of course, Harry,” he said, his tone gentle. “Let’s take a look and get those thorns out.”

As Harrison knelt in front of him, Harry reached out for Regulus’s hand, squeezing it tightly. “Thanks, Uncle Harrison,” he said, his voice wavering slightly. “And sorry if this is gross.”

“It’s not gross,” Harrison assured him, carefully gripping the first thorn with the tweezers. “But I have to ask—do you often find thorns in your shoes?”

Harry thought for a moment, his brows furrowing. “Not really,” he said slowly. “I mean, sometimes, if I’m running around in the pasture. But this is the worst it’s ever been.”

Harrison hummed thoughtfully as he pulled the first thorn free, setting it aside on a piece of gauze. “Well, I’d say it’s a good idea to start checking your shoes before putting them on. Especially since you spend so much time outside.”

Harry winced as the second thorn came out, gripping Regulus’s hand tighter. “Yeah, that’s probably a good idea,” he admitted.

Regulus ran his free hand through Harry’s hair, his touch soothing. “It’s more than a good idea. It’s necessary. You can’t keep ignoring things like this, Harry. Your body’s already under enough stress without you adding to it.”

“I know, Papa,” Harry said, his voice small. “I’ll do better. I promise.”

Harrison worked quickly and efficiently, his hands steady as he removed each thorn. “Good,” he said, offering Harry a reassuring smile. “Because the last thing we need is an infection or something worse.”

By the time the final thorn was out, Harry was visibly relieved. He leaned back against the couch, his grip on Regulus’s hand loosening. “That was awful,” he said, his tone half-joking. “But thanks, Uncle Harrison. You’re a lifesaver.”

“Anytime, kiddo,” Harrison said, applying a bit of antiseptic to the small punctures on Harry’s foot. “You’re all set. Just take it easy for the rest of the day, alright?”

Harry nodded, letting out a tired sigh. “Alright. No more pastures for me today.”

“Good,” Regulus said, his tone firm but affectionate. “Because if I catch you running around barefoot again, you’ll be hearing another lecture.”

Harry groaned, leaning his head against Regulus’s shoulder. “I get it, Papa. No more lectures, please.”

James walked in just as the scene was winding down, his hazel eyes flicking between Harry, Regulus, and Harrison. “What did I miss?” he asked, holding a glass of water and a fresh plate of crackers.

“Thorns,” Sirius said from the doorway, smirking. “Lots of them. And apparently Harry’s foot was numb, so he didn’t even notice.”

James’s eyes widened. “Thorns? How many?”

“Ten,” Harrison said, standing and stretching. “But they’re all out now, and Harry’s fine.”

James let out a low whistle, setting the water and crackers on the coffee table. “You’ve got to be more careful, Harry.”

“I know,” Harry said for what felt like the hundredth time that day. “I’ll check my shoes from now on, okay?”

“Good,” James said, sitting down on Harry’s other side. “Because the last thing we need is another scare.”

As the family settled back into their routine, Harry felt a sense of gratitude wash over him. Despite their lectures and worry, he knew they only wanted the best for him. And while he wasn’t thrilled about the thorns—or the fuss they’d caused—he couldn’t deny that having his family by his side made everything a little easier to handle.

The living room was quiet now, the earlier chaos of the day finally settling. Harry sat on the couch, his foot propped up on a cushion as he absently picked at the hem of his shirt. His eyes flitted to Regulus and Harrison, who were talking quietly at the dining table.

“Papa? Uncle Harrison?” Harry asked, his voice tentative.

Both men turned to look at him, their expressions immediately shifting to focus on him.

“Can I please go sit in the barn with Rodeo?” Harry continued, his green eyes wide and pleading.

Regulus frowned slightly, glancing at Harrison as if for backup. “Harry, you just had thorns pulled from your foot, and you’re still recovering from fainting earlier. Do you really think the barn is the best place to rest right now?”

Harry huffed, folding his arms over his chest. “I won’t do anything, I promise. I just want to sit with her. She calms me down.”

Harrison tilted his head, considering the request. “If he stays seated and doesn’t try to do anything strenuous, I don’t see the harm,” he said, his tone measured.

Regulus sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. “Fine,” he said at last. “But you’re to call us if you need anything. No wandering off, no lifting, and no overexerting yourself. Understood?”

“Understood,” Harry said quickly, already swinging his legs off the couch.

“And wear your shoes this time,” Regulus added sharply, earning a sheepish nod from Harry.

The barn was cool and quiet as Harry stepped inside, the familiar scent of hay and horses filling the air. Rodeo greeted him with a soft whinny, her dark eyes following him as he made his way to her stall.

“Hey, girl,” Harry murmured, stroking her nose through the bars. “Miss me?”

Rodeo nickered softly, nudging his hand with her muzzle. Smiling, Harry grabbed a nearby stool and settled into the stall beside her. He leaned back against the wall, letting out a contented sigh as the mare’s steady presence worked its calming magic.

He didn’t notice the movement beneath the hay at first, too focused on Rodeo. But then something flickered at the edge of his vision—a subtle ripple in the straw that made him freeze.

Before he could fully register what was happening, a sharp pain lanced through his leg, followed by an intense burning sensation.

“What the hell!” Harry cried out, jerking his leg away as his eyes darted downward. That’s when he saw it—a venomous snake, its sleek, scaled body coiled defensively, its fangs glistening with venom.

“Papa! Dad!” Harry yelled, his voice cracking with panic.

The snake hissed, rearing back as if preparing to strike again. Harry scrambled backward, his heart pounding wildly in his chest.

Footsteps thundered outside, and within moments, James burst into the barn, his wand already drawn. He spotted the snake immediately, his face twisting into a mask of anger and urgency.

“Don’t move!” James barked, aiming his wand at the snake. “Diffindo!”

The spell hit its mark, slicing cleanly through the snake and killing it instantly. The lifeless body slumped to the floor, but James’s attention was already on Harry.

“Shit,” James muttered, rushing to his son’s side. “Harry, are you okay? Where did it bite you?”

Harry pointed shakily to his leg, tears streaming down his face. “It—it bit me right here.”

By then, Regulus and Harrison had arrived, their expressions shifting from confusion to alarm as they took in the scene.

“What happened?” Regulus demanded, dropping to his knees beside Harry.

“A snake,” James said grimly, gesturing to the dead reptile. “It was hiding under the hay. It bit him.”

Harrison knelt on Harry’s other side, already pulling supplies from the emergency kit he always carried. “Let me see,” he said, his voice calm but firm.

Harry whimpered as Harrison gently rolled up his pant leg, revealing two puncture marks surrounded by red, swollen skin.

“It’s venomous,” Harrison said, his tone grave. “We need to act fast.”

Regulus grabbed Harry’s hand, squeezing it tightly as his face went pale. “What do we need to do?” he asked, his voice trembling.

“I’ve got this,” Harrison said, pulling out a small vial of anti-venom and a syringe. “This will neutralize the venom, but he’s going to need rest and fluids. Keep him calm while I work.”

Harry winced as Harrison cleaned the bite and administered the anti-venom, his grip on Regulus’s hand tightening. “Papa, I’m scared,” he whispered.

“I know, sweetheart,” Regulus said softly, stroking Harry’s hair. “But you’re going to be okay. Harrison knows what he’s doing.”

James crouched on Harry’s other side, his hand resting on Harry’s shoulder. “You’re brave, kiddo. Just hang in there.”

Harrison finished his work quickly, applying a bandage to the bite before sitting back with a sigh of relief. “The anti-venom should start working soon. We’ll need to keep an eye on him for the next 24 hours, but he should be fine.”

Regulus let out a shaky breath, pulling Harry into a gentle hug. “Thank Merlin,” he murmured.

Harry leaned into the embrace, his body trembling as the adrenaline began to fade. “That was terrifying,” he admitted, his voice muffled against Regulus’s chest.

“It’s over now,” Regulus said, his voice steady. “You’re safe.”

James stood, his expression dark as he kicked the snake’s lifeless body aside. “We’re clearing out this barn tomorrow,” he said firmly. “I’m not taking any chances with something like this happening again.”

Harrison nodded, packing up his supplies. “Good idea. In the meantime, let’s get Harry back to the house. He needs to rest.”

Sirius, who had arrived just in time to hear the tail end of the conversation, crossed his arms and grinned faintly. “You’re officially banned from barns for a while, Harry.”

Harry managed a weak chuckle, wiping his eyes. “Yeah, no arguments there.”

As they carried Harry back to the house, the family’s earlier worries seemed trivial in comparison. But despite the day’s events, one thing was clear: they would do whatever it took to keep Harry safe, no matter the obstacles.