A Child in a Cupboard
By: Rohynn
AN: I know I really shouldn't be writing anything else but rest assured, this is only a oneshot. I am not starting another story. I was browsing through some angsty!Harry stories and thought of this. This is set in third year, I don't have the book so all I have for reference is the movie. Excuse any errors please.
Warnings: Mentions of abuse, Hurt/Comfort! Trio, pre-slash Ron/Harry, mentions of pre-RHr and HrH, pre-HHrR
Disclaimer: I do not, nor shall I ever, own Harry Potter. It is the product of an absolute genius, which while I may be considered a genius I do not have the imagination required to create an entire world.
The music from the record player started and Professor Lupin motioned the next student up. Harry patted Neville's back as he walked by, congratulating him on his spectacular defacing of Snape's snarky image. Harry laughed with the rest of the class as Ron's Boggart, an Acromatula, gained skates and slid around on the wood floors before collapsing. Pavarti's Boggart turned into a jack-in-the-box and the class laughed, but Harry couldn't help but fear what his Boggart might become, surely it wouldn't….no best not to think like that, it'd probably be a Dementor.
Harry stepped up and before Professor Lupin could step in front of him the Boggart shifted through various shapes and forms before finally settling on his Uncle.
Harry shrank back in fear as his Uncle towered over him.
"BOY!!! Why haven't you painted the fence yet? No food for a week!!! Get into the Cupboard. You'll not speak to any of you freaky friends again if I have anything to say about it!! That ruddy bird is not coming in this house again!! You're nothing but a worthless waste of space, eating Dudley's food, taking his second bedroom, no thanks for all that we've done for you, we even gave you Dudley's hand-me downs."
Harry huddled on the floor as his Uncle yelled at him.
"Please Sir, don't hurt Hedwig. I'll keep her outside. I'll paint the fence right now, please don't hurt me." Harry whimpered, eyes screwed shut, braced for a blow that never came.
Instead warm arms wrapped around him as Ron and Hermione shielded him from the Boggart that changed in to a full moon hidden behind clouds as Professor Lupin stepped forward. Harry quieted but still shivered and clutched tightly to Ron and Hermione's arms.
"Class is over. Go back to your common rooms. Read the next chapter in your text." Lupin commanded as the shocked students left the room, looking over their shoulders at the Golden Trio, still on the floor.
"Mr. Weasley, please carry Harry to the Hospital Wing, I believe he feels safest around you and Miss Granger. I'll follow in a moment; I just need to notify the Headmaster."
"Yes sir." Replied Ron as he stood Harry's fragile, shaking form in his arms. Hermione looked at Harry worriedly.
Hermione followed Ron out of the room as Lupin went to the fireplace at the other end of the classroom.
Taking a handful of Floo powder he stepped in the fireplace and called out, "Headmasters Office!" He was swept away in green flames.
Stepping in to Dumbledore's office he found the Headmaster seated behind his desk.
"Why hello Remus, what brings you here, don't you have a class?"
"I did but Harry has just had a breakdown. His Boggart turned into his Uncle, who then proceeded to degrade him. Harry was terrified, Albus!! What has been going on at that place? Did you never check up on Harry? Why was he allowed to live with those despicable people?" Remus questioned angrily.
Dumbledore's previously twinkling eyes dimmed and he wilted, looking old and weary.
"I had suspected something was amiss, but when Harry did not express any problems, I assumed it was just an old man's worry. I cannot explain the rest at the moment Remus, we must see to Mr. Potter first, then I will pay a visit to the Dursleys. I believe Harry will not be returning to their home next summer."
Dumbledore stood, a fire burning in his eyes, promising vengeance on those who had caused pain to an innocent child.
"Come; let us see to Mr. Potter."
Ron and Hermione hurried through the halls, ignoring their classmate's inquiries, Harry's wellbeing being the most important thing to them.
They rushed into the Hospital Wing where Madame Pomfrey was removing the last of a First Years green fur.
"Go on, back to class with you." She said as she ushered the student to the door. When she saw the Ron carrying Harry she sighed and motioned to Harry's customary bed.
"What's happened to Mr. Potter now? It wasn't the Dementors was it?" She questioned as she scanned Harry's shaking form with multiple diagnostic spells.
"No Madame, it was his Boggart." Hermione replied as she helped Ron arrange Harry comfortably on the bed.
"His Boggart? How unusual, no matter what it became it shouldn't have been able to physically affect him. What was it?" She questioned.
Ron shared a look with Hermione before she replied with, "I believe that the Headmaster is coming, I think I should tell him first."
"Alright then, sit over there I need to give Mr. Potter some potions to help him calm down." She replied, motioning to two hard backed chairs next to Harry's bed.
When the two 3rd Years made to release their friend he gripped whatever he could reach on them in his near catatonic state, refusing to let go when they tried to pry his hands away.
"It seems he doesn't want us to move Madame." Ron said motioning to his shirt which Harry had fisted his hand in.
She frowned and said, "Alright then sit on the bed with him, it will expand by itself to fit you all comfortably, let me go get the potions."
As she walked away Ron shrugged and slid on the bed and Harry immediately curled himself around Ron, unconsciously seeking warmth and comfort. Hermione sat on the bed behind Harry, and Ron helped her shift him so that he was resting comfortably curled in Hermione's lap with his head resting on Ron's chest. Hermione rubbed a Harry's back soothing the emerald-eyed wizard. Ron carded his fingers through Harry's tangled, raven black mop of hair.
Ron looked up when he heard robes rustling. Dumbledore and Lupin had come in to the Hospital Wing and were standing at the end of the bed, watching the Trio.
Madame Pomfrey came bustling back and Ron pulled Harry up so the Nurse could get Harry to drink.
Pomfrey tilted the potion to Harry's lips and rubbed his throat so he would swallow. As soon as the last of the potion went down Harry curled up again, wrapping himself around his friend's warm bodies.
"Mr. Potter is refusing to let go of Miss Granger and Mr. Weasley so they had to sit with him. Since they keep him calm I saw no problem with it." Pomfrey said, addressing the Headmaster.
"Thank you Poppy." He replied still watching Harry's still form.
The Nurse nodded and went to her office.
"Now, do you two have any idea as to why Mr. Potter reacted the way he did to his Boggart, or why said Boggart was his Uncle?" Dumbledore questioned the two conscious Gryffindors.
The two friends shared a look before Hermione began with, "We knew something was wrong in first year when Harry flinched the first time I hugged him. Little things like that kept cropping up. He wouldn't let Ron help him up once when he tripped on the trick step. I noticed at the leaving Feast he hid as much food as he could in his pockets and ate as much as he could. He was shaking like a leaf and when I asked him what was wrong he just looked at me with dead eyes and lied, saying nothing was wrong."
Ron took up the story when Hermione motioned to him.
"When he wasn't replying to our letters summer before 2nd year, I got the twins to take me in Dad's Anglia to get Harry. He had bars on his windows and there was a catflap on his door for food! Harry was so thin to. He barely had to energy to climb into the car. He had bruises on his wrists and arms, I only saw them because his sleeves had ridden up but when he saw that he tugged his sleeves down and wouldn't say a word when I asked him about it. He was so pale too, like he hadn't been outside in weeks. I had to leave some Bruise Balm in a convenient place just so I could be sure he got some medical attention. Every time 'Mione or I have seen him just after he got out of That Place he wasn't Harry, he was a shell, he spoke like Harry, he moved like Harry, but he just had a dead look in his eyes. If you would've paid attention to him more you would've notice he was being abused!!! But he's the Boy-Who-Lived isn't he? He can't be anything but perfect, can he?" Ron finished bitterly.
Dumbledore's eyes were two chips of blue ice. He gazed at Harry's huddled form and nodded to himself.
"I will see to it that he never returns and the Dursleys are…punished for their transgressions against such a selfless person." The Headmaster said, sweeping out of the room, leaving behind 2 stunned staff members and 2 stunned students.
When Harry woke up his vision was blurry and he could smell the familiar smell of the Hospital Wing. Two warm things surrounded and comforted him. A hand placed his glasses on his face and he saw the familiar face of Hermione.
"You're finally awake!! We were so worried!!" Hermione exclaimed, wrapping her arms around him tightly. Harry flinched and hesitantly returned the hug. He felt another pair of arms wrap around him from behind.
"Don't do that again Harry. Please..." Ron whispered in his ear, sending tingles down his spine.
"I-I'll t-try not too." Harry stuttered, face heating up.
Harry relaxed into his friends arms a bit more, knowing they wouldn't hurt him.
Harry sat at the Gryffindor table, Hermione and Ron on either side of him, keeping the curious at bay with Snape's speak-one-word-an-die glare™. He threw down the Prophet in disgust.
The normal headline of-late (Sirius Black's Escape: How Did He Do It?) had been replaced with, 'Boy-Who-Lived: Attention Seeker or Abused Child?'
"I wonder who blabbed." Ron muttered, glaring at Malfoy. The Slytherin was currently making a mockery of Harry's collapse in DADA.
"Ignore him Ron; you'll just give him more incentive to do something worse." Hermione said, not looking up from her task of piling more food on Harry's plate.
Harry didn't notice her current activity and was instead looking at the Head Table. Professor Dumbledore wasn't there this morning and neither were Snape, nor Professor Lupin. McGonagall was presiding over the Great Hall today.
Ron noticed the direction of Harry's gaze and sighed.
"You know he'll want to talk to you as soon as he get's back, you can wait a few more hours, can't you?"
Harry nodded reluctantly and looked down at his plate, expecting there to be only a slice of toast with jam and some sausage. Instead there were three pieces of toast, five pieces of bacon, six sausages, and some mixed fruit consisting of strawberries, blueberries, grapes, raspberries, apple, melon and cantaloupe. He had a goblet of pumpkin juice, some water and a mug of tea, sitting next to his plate. The tea, he suspected, had some calming properties, most likely it was Chamomile. He eyed an innocent looking Hermione. She just smiled at him and went back to her book on Ancient Runes. Sighing he began to eat, knowing it was useless to argue. Hermione always got her way when it came to Harry's health. Ron usually backed her up, the traitor.
Albus Dumbledore had never been so disgusted in his life.
The Dursley family was squished on a couch going through their own unique motions of fear. Vernon was a pasty white, Petunia was shaking and Dudley was sitting on his hands, protecting his fat bottom.
Albus chuckled darkly in his head, suspecting their fear had something to do with Severus' batlike appearance and Glare # 123: You-Are-Scum-Beneath-My-Cauldron-and-You-Should-Feel-Lucky-To-Be-There™ or perhaps it was Remus' glowing Amber eyes and animal like rage that was getting to them.
"You people are the worst example of humanity I have ever had the displeasure to meet. You should feel lucky that I have forbidden Remus and Severus from cursing you to their satisfaction. They are some of the most powerful Wizards in their chosen fields, Defense Against the Dark Arts and Potions. I'm sure they could find someway to take out their displeasure on you. Enough of that, on to business; you will repay every Pound that you were to have spent on Harry and instead spent on that overly-spoiled son of yours, a spell will be placed on you that will prevent you from hurting another innocent person, you will also experience every last bit of pain you have inflicted on every innocent person you've encountered, including Harry, and you will never have to see anyone from the Wizarding world again." Dumbledore finished, glaring Vernon into silence when he opened his mouth.
The elderly Wizard stood and took out his wand. Glaring the Dursley's into silence he waved his wanted and chanted a long incantation, binding the Dursley's to their punishment.
The Headmaster stepped past the trembling forms on the floor and swept out of Number Four Privet Drive, Remus and Severus following, smirks of satisfaction gracing their gleeful faces. Never would a Magical Being grace Privet Drive again.
"Harry my boy; I am sorry I was so neglectful, and ignorant, of the problems going on in Privet Drive. The Dursley's have been punished and you will be repaid every Galleon they were to have spent on you. The Weasley's have expressed a wish to House but I believe I have a better option, Professor Lupin as you know was a friend of you parents, their was stipulation in their will that if something were to happen to them or your Godfather, you were to be placed with him. You were not placed with him before as he did not have steady employ nor housing arrangements. I have a Cottage that I am giving to Remus for your use this summer, and the summers to come, along with any holidays you do not wish to spend here. What do you think?" Dumbledore questioned, twinkling at the stunned Gryffindor.
"I-I don't know what to say! Thank you Professor! I thought I might have had to go back to the Dursley's…" He trailed off quietly.
Ron and Hermione wrapped their friend in a tight hug, reassuring the shaking boy.
"Harry, you will never have to see them again." Dumbledore said, gazing at the shaking boy.
Harry nodded, thinking, with no small amount of relief that he wouldn't be a child in a cupboard any longer.
Whew!! It's done!! I've just sat up straight for two hours writing this. My back is in extreme pain because I fell down the stairs yesterday, as is my shoulder and knee. I also drove for two hours today which has contributed to my current back spasms. Now, you know the drill, review, review, review!!! I need a reward for this!!!