Title: Chained
Author: Darwick
Summary: Harry returns to Hogwarts for his sixth year more powerful than he left. Dumbledore is seeing frightening similarities between Harry and Tom Riddle. Fearful for Harry's soul, Dumbledore does the unthinkable.
Warnings: HP/SS, Non-Con, Snarry, Slash, Violence and some Swearing. (Not as dire as it sounds. Just be warned I've chosen the M rating for a reason.)
Disclaimer: No money is being made from this fan fiction. All rights are reserved to JKRowling.
--
I'll be the one to protect you from your enemies and all your demons
I'll be the one to protect you from a will to survive and a voice of reason
I'll be the one to protect you from your enemies and your choices son
They're one in the same, I must isolate you…
Isolate and save you from yourself …
A Perfect Circle- Counting bodies like sheep to the rhythm of the war drums
Chapter Three
--
Harry woke groggy and sore. He stumbled out of bed and down to the Great Hall only to discover it was already lunchtime. He rubbed his head tiredly and sat down beside Neville.
He held a fork half way to his mouth and stopped. Looking down at his nearly empty plate, Harry frowned. He couldn't recall filling it, or eating all the food. He finished up and decided to head outside for some fresh air.
He just couldn't seem to clear his head. All of his thoughts were a jumble. Harry sat down on the grassy slope looking over the lake.
"Harry, Harry wake up!" Someone shook his shoulder gently.
Harry opened his eyes. Cho stood over him with a smile on her face.
"You fell asleep Harry." She giggled shyly. "Curfew is almost up. You don't want to get caught out do you?"
"No." Harry sat up and rubbed his eyes. "No, I don't. Thanks Cho."
"No problem. Bye Harry." She waved and skipped over to her friends huddled several yards away. They shook their heads and scolded the girl, but she just shrugged and they walked away.
Harry sat for what felt like a few minutes, but he couldn't be sure. His head did feel a little clearer. Slowly he stood and headed to the castle. Filch was standing at the doors, waiting for the last few stragglers to enter before he locked the doors. Filch didn't even scold Harry for being the last one in. Harry almost wished he would.
Instead of going to the tower, however, Harry decided to go to the infirmary. Maybe he was coming down with something, or more likely Malfoy had hit him with a curse while he wasn't looking.
The hospital wing was empty of patients and Harry knocked on the medi-witches office door. She was sitting at her desk writing in an open file. "Oh it's you. How are you feeling Mr Potter?"
"Fuzzy." Harry answered.
"Well that's normal with these sorts of things." She said. "Take a seat on one of the beds, and I will check you out in a moment."
Harry left the office and sat on the nearest bed. She came out soon after and bustled about before coming over to him. She was spell scanning him when Harry thought of something. "What did you mean?"
"Pardon dear?"
"What did you mean earlier, when you said this was normal for these sorts of things?" Harry clarified, his thoughts were sluggishly slow.
"Feeling tired and weak are side effects of the bonding ceremony."
"What?" Harry asked. "What bonding ceremony?"
"Oh dear," Madam Pomphrey muttered. "You don't remember? That is fairly normal but I'll call the Headmaster, I think perhaps he would like to explain…" She hurried back into her office.
Harry tried to think back. Most of the day was a blur, yesterday had been Friday with classes and Hermione nagging about their homework…no he had met with Snape after dinner…The more he thought about it, Harry realised he didn't remember going to the dungeons or going back to the tower. What had happened in that meeting?
"Harry?"
Harry looked up. The Headmaster was standing a foot away looking worried. Harry hadn't heard him come in, or seen him enter. Nor had he seen Madam Pomphrey return, or seen Snape come in….
Snape… Everything came rushing back to him.
"Harry?!"
"Potter?"
Harry clutched his head and tugged and pulled at his hair. "No." He whispered. His fear bubbled into familiar anger. "No. No. No. NO. NO! What did you do to me?"
"Calm down Potter." Snape said snidely.
"YOU BASTARD! YOU RAPED ME!"
Snape went stiff like he had been struck.
"Harry, the bonding ceremony would not have worked if it was not consensual. It was for the best Harry. Voldemort was luring you away, seducing you for your power." Dumbledore tried to placate, holding his hands up as if to calm the rising tide of anger in Harry's eyes. "I didn't want to make the same mistake I made with Tom. I didn't want to loose you to the darkness."
Harry slid off the bed like a snake. Ever since the school year had started his anger had been growing. But this! This topped the cake! He raised a shaky hand and pointed his wand at Dumbledore. "You had me raped because you thought I was like Voldemort?"
"No, no. Harry." The Headmaster said sadly. "Severus would never hurt you. I know you're angry but…"
Harry didn't wait to hear the explanations, the reasons…the excuses! He turned his wand onto the person he wanted to hurt most, the person he had hated for six years, the man who taunted, ridiculed and humiliated him. The man who raped him! He didn't hesitate, he just began firing.
But something funny happened. Every spell deflected before hitting his target. Growing angrier Harry started using darker curses; one he wasn't suppose to know, spells only the Dark Lord knew. They too turned away from the Potions Master.
Harry screamed in rage and threw himself at Snape. His fist connected with that big long nose with great satisfaction and Snape reeled back.
Magic wrapped around Harry's arms snapping them to his sides and he flew backwards into the air. He landed roughly and fell to his knees. Ropes were bound tightly around his chest and arms. He glared daggers at Dumbledore as he lowered his wand.
Madam Pomphrey fretted at Snape's side, but he kept pushing her back. "YOU LITTLE BRAT!" Snape roared. "I am going to hex you so badly…"
Harry ground his teeth together in a feral smile. Blood was spilling down Snape's mouth and chin.
"ENOUGH!" Dumbledore shouted. "Severus! Harry! That is enough!"
Dumbledore shouted so rarely both professor and student were stunned into silence. Madam Pomphrey took the opportunity to tend to Snape with a flick of her wand.
Dumbledore walked over to Harry and laid a consoling hand on his shoulder. "Don't you see Harry; your magic is under control now. You can't hurt anyone. I know you are nothing like Voldemort, and you never will be. You don't want to hurt people Harry!"
Harry was so angry his jaw ached. He shrugged the offending hand off and crawled away on his knees.
"Harry please." Dumbledore pleaded. "It was for your own protection."
Harry turned and spat at the Headmaster.
The Medi-witch and Potions Master stopped arguing and the Headmaster stood frozen in surprised horror as spittle oozed off his boot.
Tears spilled down Harry's cheeks. "I AM NOT AN ANIMAL!"
A sob tore from his throat before he could control himself. He choked on it. "How could you do this to me? I trusted you! I am a human being, I'm not a freak. I'm not!"
No one cared about him, he saw that now. Anyone who did died. His parents, Sirius… The others, his friends, the Weasleys, Dumbledore…they didn't care. How could anyone love a freak like him?
"Harry?" Someone called. The voice was distant.
The world was fading away.
Madam Pomphrey abandoned Snape and kneeled beside the boy. "Harry?"
Chained, caged. That was how animals were treated. Harry knew that. He shook his head. But he wasn't an animal, he was a wizard.
Voldemort's face flickered in his mind, the promises and lies he offered…the freedom, fell away. He saw the evil glint in his uncle's eye. He was in for a beating tonight. But no, it was Snape standing in front of him looking down on him, a leer on his face.
Harry didn't notice as arms wrapped around his shoulders and pulled him to soft warm chest. He didn't see the heart broken expression on the Headmaster's face or the guilty horror on the potion masters as Madam Pomphrey shushed him.
He wanted to go home. He wanted to go back to his cupboard.
--
When Harry woke he was in Gryffindor tower again. This time his head was clear and calm. In fact he felt nothing at all. Ron was sitting across from him doing his homework. He looked up and a relieved smile spread across his face.
"You're awake! How are you feeling?"
Harry didn't answer; he just rolled over and closed his eyes.
"Harry?" Ron asked in a small worried voice. "Dumbledore explained what happened to Hermione and me. So you don't have to say anything if you don't want."
Ron fell silent for a while before the silence itched at him to speak again. "Hermione is in the library. She's furious. She's going to find a way to break the binding. I'm reading the books she's already sent up. We'll fix this Harry."
Ron didn't know what else to say. He wasn't good at comforting people that was what mum's were for. His throat felt thick and he swallowed hard as he reminded himself Harry didn't have a mum. He had no one.
Harry felt the bed dip and a warm weight lean against his back. A freckled arm wrapped around him, holding him tightly. "You're not alone Harry. I'm right here."
Ron felt Harry begin to shake and though Harry didn't make a sound, Ron knew his best friend was crying.
--
Author's Note:
I know it's not the longest chapter but it was a good place to stop. So I apologize, but hey there's more to come.
So Harry's had a bit of a break down in this chapter, all upset and distraught with being bound to his most hated male professor.
It seems to be all the bad stuff happens to him. We all know he has a poor home life, and Voldie's always after him and now with his magic spiking and plummeting, he's bound to be hurting. So Harry may be feeling betrayed and hurt right now but it won't last. Soon comes anger…then comes war.
Please leave a review and tell me what you think.
A/N: Just so you know, at the beginning of the chapters I highlight the warnings pertaining to each specific chapter.
