Harrowing Emptiness
Auburn among gold and crimson, no dull to peek through the leaves. Not an uttered silence was heard, yet laughter of joy. Swirls of entwining colours sped as they turned, orange flickering through the midst of autumn.
Green eyes swivelled into hazel ones and lips beamed to extend their happiness. But then it faded and dream is lost in the whirl and a scorn crosses his handsome face.
That was but a haze of a made up memory, never having an actual place in his life. Sixteen years to the day had passed, since they had gone lost in eternity of light and darkness.
The rake scratched against the pavement as the leaves rustled into a growing pile.
What a great birthday he was having, his relatives giving him a long list of chores then locking him outside to do them.
Bitter breath caught in his throat and a sour gaze possessed his face. Long since the smile had left his body and never returned. His chest felt constricted around his heart, as trying to suffocate it.
Blackness filed his mind and negativeness took over. A hole in his chest still remained if ever to heal when the day would come.
The sun dissolved down below its peak on the Britain horizon and his small flame of glee went with it.
"Boy get in here now and finish that racket!" Uncle Vernon's voice echoed dimly down the driveway and Harry scorned. He dragged the old rake to the shed and shuffled inside. His uncle's eye was minuscule eyeing the driveway then he bellowed menace singly,
"I told you to rake up all the leaves boy!" And he pointed his fat finger at Harry, whose eyes had begun to widen in fear slowly. He backed away and his pride sunk back into the shadows of his heart. His uncle clambered towards him and Harry turned, he was trapped! He sank to against the wall and put his arms over his head.
Great pounding fists smashed into the sides of his face and head and he could hear his uncle,
"You freak of a boy! I even wonder whether those people are your real friends! Stupid stupid boy! You can't do your ruddy damn jobs properly" He bellowed and Harry weakened and he fell to the ground as a kick aimed at his gut came. Then his Uncle's voice was faint and he was being dragged by the collar to the stairs, no, please not there…..
The door slammed shut and a padlock clicked, Vernon's face disappeared with a terrorizing look.
The cupboard was cramped and Harry's breath was ragged and the darkness enveloped him and he let it.
"Sirius your not a hound at the moment so stop acting like it!" Remus said laughing lightly as his friend scraped at the door. Sirius whipped around and his eyes looked like daggers,
"Well Moony if you haven't had fresh air in months you would be acting like a hound too!" He said sarcastically but then smiled too,
"Sorry…." He mumbled and looked at the tiled floor of the kitchen, then sat at the table.
"Hey mate the Order's keeping everyone busy at the moment but why don't you write to Harry? I'm sure he'd like that I'll help you"
Sirius nodded and flicked his wand, parchment and ink came whizzing to the table, Dear Harry.
Loud hooting echoed around the hall near the stairs and this woke Harry alert. He could see his uncle's feet by the cupboard door then he heard a horrifying crack.
His uncle bent down slightly and something white, feathery and limp obscured his vision of the hall.
Harry sobbed for the next hour then the door flung open and a bulging hand reached in and grabbed him.
He was thrown out into the hall and he quickly wiped away his tears, and then looked up at Uncle Vernon.
In his hand he held a letter and Harry stood up and reached to grab it. He knew it was his but he was violently shoved back to the ground.
"Write back boy and tell them nothing!" His uncle growled and threw a pen at him, eyeing him carefully as he wrote.
Dear Sirius and Remus,
Everything is fine; I'm having heaps of fun here actually. Don't worry about me and I sent Hedwig on a holiday…
Harry stopped and furiously wiped the tear away hoping his uncle wouldn't see it.
So don't bother writing back hopefully I will get to see you guys,
Harry
He watched as his uncle read it and seal it up and tying it to the bird by the window. Harry went to get up but was backhanded and his uncle said harshly,
"You actually did something right boy, but I still despise you!"
And Harry was once again flung into the cupboard.
Sirius's eyes travelled over the parchment and he looked up at Remus and exclaimed,
"He's having fun?!" Remus also looked up then read the letter,
"Something is amiss here; I think we should go over there tomorrow and check on him. That letter was quite delayed, three days…" He said quietly and paced the kitchen in thought.
Five days, five days since he had eaten, drunk or had fresh air. His head always seemed a daze and his right eye's vision was obscured by a crack in his glasses.
His uncle had sealed the filter in the cupboard door with putty two days previous to shut him out and deprive him of fresh air.
He felt as if his lungs were going to collapse as he gasped for air daily. He could feel his rib bones prodding out and sometimes he just sat there and laughed.
The three apparated with a crack onto the street and walked firmly down the street. They had brought Kingsley with them and Sirius wore an invisibility cloak.
The doorbell resounded and Petunia came to the door, her eyes narrowing,
"Can I help you?" She held the door open only centimetres so her eyes could swivel around just enough to see them.
"We would like to see Harry please" Remus said politely and Vernon Dursley came to the door. He opened it only a little wider and he said,
"Oh it's his type, he's not home at the moment….he's gone for a walk" Remus eyed him precautiously and stepped into the door. Him and Kingsley slightly shoving the muggles out of the way.
They looked immediately at the cupboard under the stair, where Harry had said he lived for most of his life. They unlocked the door with their wands and pried it open carefully,
"Lumos" Kingsley said and they looked inside, a small hunched figure could be seen.
"Harry!" Exclaimed Remus and reached in for him, he was unconscious and black bruises covered his face and he was sporting a bleeding lip and broken nose.
"Get out of my house you freaks! Why do you even care about the stupid boy?" Bellowed Vernon and tried to shove them out of the way.
Remus whirled around supporting Harry with Kingsley in his arms,
"We care about Harry very much and he is no where near stupid Dursley!" He yelled then with a crack and they all apparated. Sirius still angrily enraged under the cloak.
Once outside Grimmauld place, not caring that they were in broad daylight they put him down. Sirius anxiously whined, infuriated and checked his godson over.
"Ye gods, he looks like he's been kissed by a dementor!" Remus blurted out and shook Harry lolling shoulder slightly.
"His soul, it's been dissolved" Sirius said in disbelief and his eyes widened.
"A Dursley has stolen the soul of a child-I'll murder them!"
I wrote this story around four months ago, I dunno whether I should continue it. Yes I know, yet another angsty, tragic, Harry-abused fic.
Tell me what you think.