Harry Potter - Series Fan Fiction ❯ To Live A Forgotten Dream ❯ Chapter 3

[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]

Disclaimer: I DO NOT OWN HARRY POTTER!

Blah thoughts

“Blah” speech

/blah/ Parseltongue

IXIXIXIXIX

Hell and High Water: Explanations, Plans and Inner Torment

Everyone in the room was shocked and appalled at the life the young man in front of them had lead. His friends and teachers felt horrified at not noticing and doing nothing. No one's eyes were completely dry.

Ron had his arms around a sobbing Hermione, who was crying at the injustice of the world, tears trailing down his own cheeks. “Why the hell didn't he tell us? We could have helped him, could have taken him away from those vile bastards!” The adults remained silent, each coming to their own conclusions of the broken boy in front of them.

Severus sighed and stood up; going over to his potions cabinet he retrieved several powerful healing potions, and then walked back over to the boy on the couch. He stared at the face of the young man, contemplating this change of appearances. The normally strong willful man was now a broken shell of what he had been.

Dumbledore bowed his head and addressed the Potions Master, “Severus, let me unbind his magic before you begin.” Everyone stared at the Headmaster in shock and anger.

“I didn't know. I didn't know he needed it to heal or he wouldn't have needed it in the first place. I bound his magic over the last two summers because I feared a magical outburst. He's amazingly strong and powerful. His power has been bound at least partially since he came to Hogwarts. I couldn't risk him blowing up the school.” The old man looked regretful and sorrowed as he revealed this information.

Hermione gasped, “You mean he has never felt all of his power?” Dumbledore nodded and looked away. Minerva looked outraged and Severus and Remus were furious. Before things could get out of hand the Headmaster took out his wand and muttered long string of Latin, waving his wand in intricate motions overtop of Harry.

A brilliant white light filled the room and everyone was blinded. After a good ten minutes the light died and hey could all see again. They looked over at the young man on the couch and let out gasps of surprise. Where a short scrawny broken boy once was, now lay a tall, firmly muscled, handsome, fully healed young man.

His hair now came to just past his shoulder blades and had a silver streak on one side. He was now about 6' 3” and had lean but firm muscles. The only scar on his body was the lightning bolt on his forehead and it was now white. His features had become more defined and aristocratic as he had lost his remaining baby fat.

Around his neck lay a silver chain and on the silver chain was a round silver amulet with runes around the edges and a lightning bolt intertwined with two serpents, one with onyx eyes, and one with startling silver. If you were to turn the amulet over you would see several more runes carved on to the back.

Harry's eyes fluttered open and gasps were once more heard from the group. Harry's normally apple green eyes were now a deep emerald with silver undertones. He glanced at the occupants of the room and searched his memory for anything to indicate his predicament and reveling in the magic singing in his veins.

“What are all of you, not to mention myself, doing here? Exactly where is here?” he and the others were shocked at the rich tenor that came out of his mouth. He looked himself over and groaned, “What happened now?”

Severus stepped forward and began explaining. First, Harry was livid at the invasion of privacy. Then, he was horrified to learn of the events they witnessed. Finally, he was deeply ashamed at his inability to hide his condition and the events themselves. Hermione noticed the barely veiled emotions and immediately engulfed him in a hug.

Startled and caught off guard, he flinched violently, causing everyone to look on in sympathy. He mentally berated himself as Hermione began to withdraw, and then wrapped his arms tighter around her, drawing comfort from the embrace. He didn't notice the pride filled looks on the faces of his professors.

Hermione slowly withdrew and grasped his chin gently before lifting so their eyes met, “Harry, you are not to blame for the way they treated you. It was wrong. You don't believe anything they said do you?” Harry ducked his head and murmured a negative. Knowing that Harry was lying, Mione began crying once more.

“You can't believe the things he said, mate. He's not right. You're a wonderful generous person, despite your background and we all love you for that.” Ron put in, one of the rare times he showed not to be completely dense and to have some insight. Harry just looked away, ashamed.

Remus walked over and engulfed Harry in a tight hug, telling him how proud of him he was for being so strong. Harry just shook his head, “Moony, if I was strong, I wouldn't have let him do those things to me. I would have been able to fight back. But I couldn't because I'm too weak to defend myself from my bastard of an uncle and his demon spawn.”

“Mr. Potter,” Severus drawled. Harry looked up, “I've seen people go insane, plead for death, and break under less pain and torment. In our world, rape is a crime punishable by death without trial. It is so vile that even the worst Death Eaters will not commit it and you have endured it repeatedly since you were six. If that's not strength, I don't know what is.”

Harry looked at him oddly, Snape had just astounded him. Severus seemed to know what was going through his head, “Mr. Potter, I haven't hated you since your Fourth Year. You proved yourself to be stronger than, I admit, I previously believed. I allowed the image of my view of your father to crowd my judgment. As for the way I've treated you since then, it was necessary for my role as spy.”

Harry nodded, he understood he importance of the information that Snape gathered from the Death Eater ranks and their `Lord'. It didn't make him any happier, though.

Minerva gathered the adults over in a corner, discussing something quietly, while Hermione and Ron talked with Harry.

“Why didn't you tell us, mate?”

“Ron, do you really think I was proud of the fact that my uncle could beat the shit out of me and accomplish something even Voldemort couldn't? Do you really think that I wanted the pity or more fame that this will bring with it? My uncle raped me, Ron. Do you really think I want everyone to know it?”

Ron blushed, “Right, sorry. You still could have told us though.”

Harry sighed, “I know that now, but I didn't even an hour ago now did I? I was afraid you would think I'm even more of a freak than my uncle does. I'm ashamed, Ron. I'm ashamed I couldn't do anything to stop it, and ashamed that it happened in the first place. I mean, I obviously must have done something to deserve it.”

“HARRY JAMES POTTER! You did nothing to deserve that, and if it takes me the next twenty years to pound that into your head, I'll do it!” Hermione screeched, causing Harry to flinch slightly and pale. She quickly apologized, “I'm sorry, Harry, I didn't mean to scare you.”

“I know, Mione, I'm just used to pain after loud voices.” His friends looked at him sympathetically and he scowled.

The Professors came back over and sat down. Dumbledore looked at Harry and took of his half moon glasses, cleaning them on his robes. He looked every bit his 150 some-odd years, “Harry, I'm afraid we'll have to press charges.” Harry paled drastically

“No! If I do that, then everyone in the Wizarding World will know, Voldemort will try to use it against me and Merlin knows what will happen to Vernon and Dudley.” he protested vehemently.

Remus sighed, but knew they had to press the point, “Harry, they need to be punished for what they did to you. No one, I repeat, NO ONE, gets away with rape or child abuse in our world.”

“But they don't live in our world; they live in their world, the muggle world.”

“Yes,” Snape interjected, “but they did these things to a Wizarding child.”

“I haven't been a child in a long time.” Everyone sighed again.

Snape started once more, “Think of it this way, what would you do if Hermione had the same things happen to her?”

“Honestly?” he asked. Everyone nodded.

“Honestly, I would find those who did it and torture them for what they did to her, before getting them a Dementor's Kiss and throwing their arses in the middle of a Death Eater Meeting to be tortured and played with to the pleasure of Voldemort's minions.” Everyone flinched, but looked thoughtful.

Harry saw the looks and added to what he said, “But, I'm not Hermione.” No one looked fazed and continued their thoughts, Harry silently cursing his big mouth. Soon, Remus gathered everyone up and they left the room to talk together. Harry groaned and put his head in his hands.

Ten minutes later, everyone was back. Severus looked at Harry before stating, “We've taken your suggestion to heart and are planning a little excursion for tonight. Care to join us?”

Harry shook his head and groaned again, “No, if I start enjoying other people's suffering, I'll wind up the next Voldemort, torturing everyone for fun and killing to feel the power. I know I'll laugh and smile if I go and I strongly ask you to not do this.”

Everyone looked at him shocked. First, because he could admit that he'd enjoy it so easily, and see that it was possible for him to turn and was keeping it from happening. Second, because this young man deserved revenge more than anyone else and he's denying it. Last, because he felt it was wrong to hurt the Dursleys' but apparently fine for them to hurt him.

“Harry, there's a difference between torturing for pleasure and fun than exacting rightful retribution.” Dumbledore somberly told the younger man. Everyone then turned to look at the Headmaster, in shock that the “Pillar of Light” Albus Dumbledore was saying such things. “You are also conscious of the risk of turning and trying to prevent it. That alone prevents you from turning to Dark Magick. You, of all people; deserve revenge for what you had to endure there.”

“No,” Harry whispered, “No, I don't. Think about it…why did Voldemort come after my parents? To get to me. Why did Ginny get taken into the Chamber of Secrets? Because Tom Riddle heard about me through Ginny and my so-called `great' feats and wanted to kill me. Why did Pettigrew escape in my Third Year? Because I prevented Remus and Sirius from killing him. How did Voldemort come back? Because I let Pettigrew escape and he used my blood in that god-forsaken ritual. Why did Cedric die? Because I told him we could tie and to take the cup at the same time as me. Why is Sirius dead? Because I followed a false vision to the Department of Mysteries and he came to rescue me. Not to mention the numerous people who have been killed or tortured because Old Voldie was pissed off at me, or the many times my friends have gotten hurt or almost killed because I drug them into a dangerous situation. No, if I deserve anything, it was what happened to me.”