Disclaimer: I own NOTHING! And that includes Harry Potter and Gollum's Song.
"I don't have PMS I have CMS, the C standing for constant," My English Teacher
By Ankha
Prologue
Harry hunched in the corner of his cupboard, pressing the dirty piece of his school robe to his cheek. Upon reaching Privet Drive a week ago, he had been thrown in the cupboard and locked in. Heaven only knew what had happened to his school things. 'At least Hedwig's safe,' he thought. He had felt that it would be prudent to leave his familiar with his best friend Ron, thinking only of her safety. Something had told him that the Dursleys had not forgotten what had happened the summer before. The second he had gotten 'home' he found out just how right he was. The beating had been bad and they were progressively getting worse. Gently he took the bloody rag away from his cheek to change the position of his arm. The large gash had been Uncle Vernon's latest present to him via a sharp hunting knife. Repositioning himself, he closed his eyes, hoping to catch a few hours of dreamless sleep.
"Hedwig what's wrong?" Ron asked the agitated bird. The owl hooted desperately, beating her wings against the cage.
"She wants to be let out Ron." Ginny unlocked the cage, almost being knocked to the floor as the bird flew out the window.
"Well that was certainly a nice thank you," Ginny grumbled, straightening up.
"She must be going to Harry. I hope he's okay," Ron's voice sounded worried.
Harry, however, was not okay. Along with the cut cheek, he now nursed a broken leg. He lay stock still on his bed, any movement caused him excruciating pain. Night was now his favorite time of the day, the only time that the Dursleys left him alone. The rush of wings and a soft hoot made him sit up. Stifling a gasp of pain, he peered through the vent at a pair of sharp yellow eyes.
"Hedwig!" he whispered, flooded with overwhelming joy and fear at the same time. Joy to see his familiar and fear that Uncle Vernon might her. If he did, she would most certainly die.
"Hang on Hedwig." He searched the cupboard as best he could for a scrap of paper. Finding an old magazine, he ripped out a mostly white page and grabbed one of the pens the Dursleys kept stored there. His hands were shaking so badly he only managed "HELP!" and his initials. Folding the paper in half, he carefully slid it out the vent to Hedwig. She clamped her beak on it securely, waiting for further instructions.
"Take this to a Hogwarts professor, I don't care which! Just the closest one," he commanded. Another rush of beating wings told him she was gone. He sat back and prepared himself for the wait. He knew it would take Hedwig a full day to get to Hogwarts, maybe longer if she had trouble finding a professor. He sighed miserably, hoping the Dursleys forgot he was in here.
The dark clocked figure, one that would have made Death himself shudder, smiled as the snowy owl emerged from the darkened house, note clamped in her beak. With a snap of his wand the bird froze in mid-flight, falling like a stone from the sky. He wathced it hit the ground before moving to pick it up. It wasn't dead, merely severly injured. He waved his yew wand over the owl, ensuring it lived (he would perhaps have use for it later) and snatched the note from its beak, scanning it. A smile settled over those thin lips and a soft chuckle escaped him. Well, it seemed as though Potter was having a bad summer. And there was no need to stop it, the man thought as he crumpled the note. Red, serpentine eyes gleamed; no need indeed.
A/N: *smirks* Now the stage is set. As there will be a lull in my other story of torture, I need to let those tendancies out somewhere else. What better way than here? About the song, just consider it a theme for Harry all through this story. Believe, I thought it fit him very well by the time I'm through with him. *smirks and walks calmly out of the room, Slytherin robes swishing ominously behind her*