The Broken Lullaby

by Lady Ioli

Nearly silent hums sounded gently from the cupboard beneath the stairs, It was the last lullaby from a broken boy who held the name and title of the boy who lived, he was none other than Harry Potter.

Warning: Abuse of a child. In no way do I approve of child abuse being a victim myself. I simply thought this needed to be written and went along with my muse.

A Broken Lullaby

"Hum"

*Huff huff*

"Hum hum hum"

*huff huff *

"hummm hum hum hum hummmmm"

A soft whisper of a broken lullaby was the only comfort to a small boy of the young age of five. The haggard breath was the only sound that interrupted the sad melody. One would probably think it was tragic that the only thing this child had to comfort himself was his little broken song.

If people knew that this child's pain existed perhaps they would have done something about it. However no one close by knew of this child. This child was locked away in the depths of house number fours stairs. Locked away in pain and completely unaware of what was going on beyond the four walls of the "normal" home of the Dursley's.

Now like every story it has a protagonist. This particular character was little Harry Potter. However he didn't know this to be his name. Poor little innocent Harry only knew the word freak as his calling. The five-lettered word that tore his little heart every time it was uttered by his so called relatives. Yes it was the first word little Harry learned. It was the first word little Harry knew was meant for him. He didn't remember the sweet coos of adoration his mother gave him or the strong complements of praise his father bestowed upon him. He only knew the word. That one word…

FREAK …

He breathed and hummed. He wasn't sure why but it somehow helped. He knew his lullaby wasn't real and no one would ever sing it to him. Heck it probably didn't even exist. He knew his aunt sang to his cousin when he was littler. He use to wish so hard that she would come to his cubby door and hum a small tune for him. Just one single note would have done. Just one.

That note never came. He knew it wouldn't. It never would. Like his Aunt and Uncle said, "Lullaby's, stories and toys are Dudley's. They belonged to good boys and you're just a Freak. You don't get them." He never was sure what made him a freak but he knew he was one. Perhaps it was like how a Dudley was a Dudley and how an Aunt was an Aunt. They just were. He had tried to be a good boy he did. It never worked. He never was good enough.

He tried to turn his body slightly. He hoped he could breathe a small breath of fresh air. Just one. Perhaps a small draft would give him relief. It was too much to hope for though. He knew it was. His Uncle had closed his vent. He would get no relief. It would remain stuffy and hot until it was opened. He laid himself back on his back only to whimper as he put more pressure on his lashes. He was being punished for being a little freak. He was a little bad freak and there was nothing he could do about it.

A steam of tears rolled down his dry purple cheek. He knew crying never did anything for him but the tears wouldn't stop. He silently sobbed. He knew if his Uncle heard he would be punished again.

He didn't want to be punished. He didn't want to hurt anymore. He didn't want to be a freak. He didn't want to.

His eyes snapped open as his cubby's door was thrown open. He looked up to see his Uncles purple face and his furious beady eyes. He knew he was in trouble. He did something again. He always did. He whimpered. He knew what was coming. He knew what was going to happen. He always knew.

He did something freaky and he was to be punished. He closed his eyes and waited. It came, as he knew it would. A blinding pain and that was all he knew.

"YOU LITTLE FREAK DO YOU KNOW WHAT YOU DID. I GOT DEMOTED. IT IS ALL YOUR FALT. YOU WILL PAY."

And with that his world was only pain and anguish. He cried, screamed and begged for it to end. It didn't. Before he knew it the world disappeared and he entered the wonderful black space that only promised painless peace.

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.

This was a horrible day. It always was now a day. Ever since his wife's damn nephew came to their abode his days got worse and worse. Before the freak came his day was filled with his son's coos and his wife's complements. Everything ended when the abomination cursed his doorstep. It was the entire freaks fault. It was his fault that Dudley was denied the access to a good nursery school. It was the freaks fault his wife was cheating on him. It was the freaks fault he was losing his bosses favor. It was the freaks fault it stormed, blizzard, and for every other misfortune that occurred since he arrived on his doorstep.

Deep down way deep down beneath all his blubber he kind of knew it was wrong to take his frustrations out on the little beast. He knew it wasn't fair to gain up on such a pathetic creature. A thing that never and would never stand a chance against him. He had tried to keep calm around the boy but things would happen and he couldn't help it anymore. He was addicted. Today however was different he could feel it. He snapped.

His boss brought him in his office. He had hoped for a promotion but he was wrong. While he wasn't laid off like some of his co-workers were, he was demoted and his pay was cut. He was furious. He was hard worker. He put everything he had into his jobs. He raised his son with excellent care in his opinion. He loved his wife completely and he worked hard at his job. In his opinion he was perfect.

According to his boss he was looking for a family man for the job the wife, son, daughter and dog kind of package. He was looking for a new company image. An image he didn't have because of the freak. He could have had more children. But he didn't because of the freak. It was all because of the freak.

He drove home in a rage. He couldn't stop himself. He came home in furious rage and nothing would console him until he beat the freak. It was how it was lately. Even his wife knew not to cross him when he was angry now. She simply took their son to do an activity. He threw open the door. He knew deep down this was the end when he saw the hopelessness in the dark green eyes of the child. He could tell by the child's tears and the still poster that the child had given up. He couldn't fight and he wouldn't try.

The look on the freaks face didn't stop him. He knew it wouldn't. He grabbed the pathetic creature and yelled his frustration out. They boy said nothing until he began his assault. He begged for him to stop but to never to forgive him never to let him go. He snarled and with one uncontrolled movement he threw the boy down and with the sickening crack all was silent.

He looked at his hands in shock. On the floor in front of him was a still motionless body of a five-year-old freak. What had he done? Oh god what had he done. He quivered and sat his oversized bottom on the floor a few meters away in horror. He hated the freak he knew that. But to kill him that was never his intention. What would his wife say? What would the other freaks say? He was doomed he knew it. He was about to run grab the body and hide it before he saw a small twitch. A tiny one. Perhaps he imagined it but if he didn't what then. He decided to wait it out.

He shuffled him self-forward and pushed the small broken body inside the dark depths it had come from. The freak would be all right he decided. He was after all a freak.

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.

An old man was sitting filling out his normal stack of paper work when a gadget on his desk slowed down and slowed rolled about on the wooden surface. His face paled and he rushed to the floo. He screamed for Poppy his School Healer and for his Potions Master Severus Snape. Both quickly emerged. His potions professor looked annoyed but waited for an explanation while Poppy huffed as she quickly spouted out a million questions all at once. He ignored her and merely said, "Follow me."

He quickly went into his floo and shouter "Kneezle Figg." He felt himself wisp away until he stumbled in a rush into an old dusty living room. He ignored the surprised women as his medi nurse and potions master stepped through. Both had serious looks on their faces. He knew they knew this was an emergency. He stalked to the front door and opened it quickly to only run to a house a little away.

He ran to the Dursley's as quickly as his old legs would take him. He rushed to the door and rapidity knocked. He knew his colleagues were behind him, as he heard them both huffing and puffing after him. Perhaps he should make physical exercise part of his curriculum he absently thought. No one was answering. He knew someone was in there because he could hear them shuffle about.

He flicked his wand and the door blasted open. His employees gasped at his aggressiveness but he cared little about their shock. All he cared about was saving the boy who lived. Their savior. He saw a fat muggle look at them in shock. It took a moment more for his face to redden in rage.

"WHO THE HELL DO YOU THINK YOU ARE BARGING INTO MY HOUSE YOU FREAKS. GET OUT NOW. OUT! OUT! OUT!"

He couldn't control his anger. If this muggle did anything to the child he would make sure he suffered. In a controlled voice he managed to speak, which was surprising considering he was filled with a million emotions.

"Where is HARRY POTTER?"

He watched the man pale and absently look behind him to a storage space. He quickly bound the fat man before facing the cubby. He could hear the nervous shuffling of his nurse as well and the stiff movements of his potions professor.

Dread filled him as he slowly reached for the cubby's latch. He took a deep breath before opening the door to hell. What he opened and what he saw it was a sight no one could ever prepare for. It was a sight that would make the hardest hearted men bloom sadness.

He wanted to sob when he saw the little broken body of the little wizard in the dark space. He heard Severus walk behind and heard him in take a sharp breath. He could tell he too was shocked. Who wouldn't be?

Severus Snape entered a common muggles home quickly following his employer, his mentor and dare he say father figure. He knew they were in a hurry and saved his questions for later. He was surprised the old man barged in with a blasting hex after a few rapid knocks. Where was he? Why were they here?

He listened to Albus's next words carefully. They were at Harry Potters home. Why?

The child was most likely a spoiled prince. Just like his father. He watched carefully as the fat muggle made a subtle glance at a storage unit. He was confused. He watched the headmaster rush to open the door after binding the obese muggle only to pause briefly before opening. He shifted beside his co-worker Poppy Pomphrey. He heard the old man gasp in horror and dread flooded threw him. Whatever was in that cubby was bad…

He walked up hesitantly and peered into the cubby. What he saw he couldn't describe the feeling of utter defeat.

Inside was an unmoving child. An unmoving copy of James and his precious Lily. An unmoving beaten child. A child. A little child.

He took in a sharp breath before moving closer. He brought his hand to the small fragile neck to check for a pulse. It was there. It was small. It felt like a flutter or a brush. It was there barely though.

He looked at the leader of the light. "He's alive." He muttered.

He then felt himself quickly being shoved aside. He watched his co-worker work until she sighed and shook her head sadly. "There is nothing I can do. I'm sorry Albus but he won't make it. He is internally decapitated. The only thing that is keeping him alive is his nerve connection. That won't hold out long either. He has minuets. I'm sorry."

He felt a weight settle on his chest. Lily's child was going to die. The child he had sworn to protect was going to die. He took a deep breath before he looked at his employer. He looked grief stricken. He swallowed a lump in his throat before speaking. "Can we move him?"

The nurse sadly shook her head. "No its best not to. He is extremely fragile. There is only so much magic can do." He watched a lone tear trail down her aged cheek.

He watched Albus slump to the floor in what he assumed was grief as he began to mutter rapidly. He sighed once more before cautiously walking up to the child that lay in the cupboard.

He gently brought his finger to trace a line down a dry cool cheek. His body was already cold. He watched him for any sign until he saw it, the small twitch. The little childlike finger moved.

He, for the first time felt the urge to cry. He was a hard man. He had lived through hell and back and never cried then, but now he wanted to sob for the innocent he never cared about. The innocent he hated for his parentage. He took a deep breath and exhaled slowly.

Inside the child was all-alone. Inside the child was in pain. He knew what he had to do what he needed to do. The one thing that could ease his conscience in the smallest way. He gently brushed the oily hair away from the famous lightning scar. He smiled a bitter smile as he whispered the one spell he was famous for. "Legilimens."

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.

He was inside the child's mind and it was blank except for the child sitting on his knees and bottom. He was humming a tune. One he didn't recognize.

'Harry' he whispered quietly. The child heard him as his voice echoed off invisible walls. The child looked at him curiously as he continued to hum to himself. He swallowed before walking forward.

He crouched down low and gently traced the youthful cheek. The boy stopped his humming immediately and whimpered.

"Hush Harry. Little one I am not going to harm you." He looked at the blank untrusting gaze of the child. "I am a friend." He stated afterwards. He felt foolish saying so to a child.

The boy whimpered again before wheezing. The world around him flickered briefly before straightening out once more. He knew he was running out of time. He didn't know what he could say to comfort such a young tortured soul. What could he do to help ease the passing of his enemy's son what could he do to help his first loves only child. He could do nothing. He knew he couldn't.

The child looked down and began to hum again before wrapping his too thin arms around himself. He rocked himself as his obvious pain increased. He knew the poor child was in pain and was doing what he could to ease his own anguish. He wasn't sure if this was just instinctual but he shuffled closer and picked the child up and brought him into his arms. Frightened green eyes flashed up at him and he simply wanted to end everything then and there. That look Lily's eyes held was a look he never wanted to see in them.

He held him tightly before cradling him and rocking him back and forth in an attempt to soothe. The struggling stopped and the world around him flickered again. The boy wheezed and breathed with difficulty. Nothing he said now could make a difference. He knew this child's tortured soul could gain no solace from any words he could pronounce.

He did the only thing he could think of. He hummed. A small lullaby that he had heard once upon a time. He rocked and cradled the small body to his. The world flickered and began to fade on the edges. He knew the boy's time was coming to end. He looked down after he gathered the last of his courage and almost cried. On the boy's face was a small ever so small soft smile. His eyed were still filled with pain but that small smile ripped his heart. Tears rolled down his pale face. There was no stopping it now. "Oh Harry." And with that the world disappeared.

He gasped as he was ripped away from the little boys mind space. He looked down and froze. On the still body was an ever so soft smile.

He felt a hand on his shoulder and saw his co-worker gently bring him up. It was then he noticed the flood of tears roll down his face. It was then he heard the sobs of his headmaster and it was then he realized his reason for staying was gone.

All gone just like the soft smile just like the soft little hum of the broken lullaby.

END

A/N: I had to write this I don't know why, it was hard but I'm proud of it. Please read and review. I would like to know what you think.