A/n: Sorry for the wait, but this chapter refused to be written, sorry for any mistakes found. Thank you so much for the reviews, favs and follows! you guys are magical. Enjoy the chapter~!
Warnings: Bullying, Suicidal Thoughts, Butchering of both fictional and real history.
Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or Batman
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"Bullying builds character like nuclear waste creates superheroes. It's a rare occurrence and often does much more damage than endowment."
― Zack W. Van
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Chapter Six
Harry should've known that once it begins, it never really stops. He never experienced it but he supposes from their point of view, the feeling of inflicting pain and hurt upon another must feel pretty amazing if they do it consistently. Harry rubbed at his arm and he knew that within a few hours it would be a pretty bruise. Another bruise and cut that he would have to hide from Alfred and Ms. Robins. His falls were becoming something of legends around the manor and everyone just thought he was just a particularly clumsy child who bruised like a peach at any given time. They weren't wrong, he did bruise easily but it wasn't because he was so clumsy that he tripped over his two feet on flat ground, but more of the fact that he had a shadow who pushed him down the stairs or into the edges of the tables or against the doors and walls. Bruce was his new personal hell.
Smiling was easy, just a sweet smile for his grandfather and Agatha seemed to wipe all worries and fears from their very beings and so he continued even though it hurt him to do so. He was still happy that he was not in the 'orphanage' any longer, that he had a warm bed to sleep in, warm showers and baths to take, that he had someone to tell him that they loved him and they meant it. That he got hugs whenever he wanted and he could read books from all sorts of genres without the page's been used for fire fodder or being eaten by bookworms and moths. He still got three meals a day, give or take if Bruce decided that his food was better thrown out the window than it was inside of Harry's stomach, but he wouldn't complain.
He couldn't complain.
Because if he complained then Alfred would be upset. The man who pulled him from that hell would become upset about the events going on under his very nose and Harry still did not want to test the strength of his grandfather's love if it meant that the older man would choose Bruce and not him. He wouldn't blame him if Alfred took Bruce's side and tossed Harry out, but he was afraid it would happen. Bruce was Alfred's life when the late master and mistress of Wayne Manor died. The boy along with his parents were Alfred's responsibility to care for before he even know Harry existed and a bond like that was powerful. Harry was just his grandchild that popped up because of sheer luck, compared to Bruce, his worth to Alfred wasn't even a comparison.
He was hiding in the library, wedged between a small nook at the very back in case Bruce decided to come and look for him. The book he was reading was interesting enough, since it was a detailed book about the Salem Witch Trials, it left out no gore and described each brutal murders with the names of the women and girls who were hanged or burned alive, a brief family tree for each along with the dates and places where they were murdered. The library was his haven. It had all of the worlds he wished he could disappear off too, the adventures he wanted to have, the friendships he yearned for and the peace of mind he only dreamed of.
He traced a coal drawn picture of a young woman whose hands were bound but her face was peaceful. 'Luna Lovegood' it read in the corner, age sixteen. Even though she was about to be burned at the stake she was at peace. Maybe there was a special sort of peace that came with death, a peace that you had to accept because you had no choice. A peace that wiped away all the bad in the world and only gave the good when your life was snuffed away…
Harry wanted that peace. He wanted it so badly, but if it was a peace that came after death then Harry couldn't do it because then Alfred wouldn't be there. As much as he hated what Bruce was doing to him, every night Alfred would come and tuck him in and place a kiss on his head before telling him those three words he had only dreamed of back in the days of the orphanage and while he was staying at his relatives. The very same relatives he had yet to tell Alfred about in any way or form or description.
"Accipio te in amplexu semper tacet, aeternum est." Harry repeated the phrase until he no longer stumbled over the words and pronunciations. Those were the last words she had said.
I take thee into my embrace, forever silent, forever mine.
He wanted to be like the woman in the book, peaceful even when faced with death.
If he could stay in his little hideaway forever he would but he knew the time and schedule like clockwork now. The hours memorized by his body and he sighed playing with the pages of the book gently. It was almost time for his math lessons.
Another day, another memory, so he wouldn't complain. He couldn't. Any life with Bruce to torment him was better than a minute within that place. He could take the beatings, and the pushing and even the name calling, all for the sake of food and a warm bed. Looking back down to the book, he turned the page and flinched at the image which stared back at him with angry crazed eyes. The woman could have been said to be beautiful, and as he traced her features with a careful fingertip Harry would agree that she was.
High cheek bones, symmetrical lips and wide dark eyes. Her hair was curly and thick and it fell down her face and obstructed part of her view in black waves. To be frank if Harry was to meet a woman like the one drawn in the book he would be frightened. Even from the coal drawn features, her eyes held so much anger to the point that it looked maddening.
"Bellatrix Lestrange…" he murmured. For some reason he had no problem believing that the frightening beautiful woman was a witch, but not because of the madness, but from the aura and presence she created. His fingernail tapped the chained cuff that was around her neck, partially hidden by the dark curls. She seemed oddly dignified even though she was collared like a dog.
"A rebellion faction leader, said to be the left hand of the forces of the dark, the dark lord Voldemort… what?" he flipped backwards to the previous page and re-read the information on it, from the calm woman who was about to be killed, to the family trees and then flipped back to the page he had been on.
"This doesn't make sense… is this a fictional book?" turning the other pages he saw other coal drawn images of men and women, all collared with a tattoo of sorts on their neck peeking out above the metal collar. Carefully returning back to the page with the woman named Bellatrix he took a deep breath and sighed. There was no symmetry between the two pages, seeing as how the very first twelve pages of the book detailed the salem witch hunts and its victims, but from page thirteen it seemed to have taken a totally different route.
"Death Eaters." The word was bold and underlined several times. " The followers of the dark lord Voldemort who wrecked havoc upon the masses of magical britain. Lord Voldemort himself was said to be the most powerful wizard of all time, his only adversary was the light lord Albus Dumbledore." Harry snorted and raised an eyebrow. This was definitely a fictional book. Perhaps two books had accidently gotten placed together during manufacturing since the entire book was done in charcoal with the same penmanship.
The next page held a man whose hair had been left unshaded, presumably he was blond and Harry had never seen a more dignified man than the blond staring back at him with cold clear eyes. His head was held high, showing off the collar and tattoo on the side not with pride in them but with brimming pride for himself. He was named "Lucius Malfoy, the right hand of the dark lord."
He skipped a few pages, each with a face of another chained and collared person, with two more Lestranges, both men and others. The last page with a drawn face was with a middle aged man, handsome in every way with slanted eyes and thin lips. "Tom Marvolo Riddle the dark lord of magical britain"
He traced the man's features from his hair to his lips. "The dark lord's aim was to completely separate and then eradicate muggles (non magical humans) from within magical britain. He had Im.. Imperi...used. Imperiused three muggle girls from a village who then told villagers that witches had made them do the acts they had committed. The women that had been accused were jailed and a woman, known as a slave from the distant caribbean lands had confessed. She is also believed to have been imperiused. This then caused a wave of murders, those who were accused of being witches, mostly women were hanged and burned at the stake. The dark lord's plan was to show the wizarding world how the muggles would react to such knowledge, and despite the outcome he had succeeded in doing so when some two hundred people accused of being witches and dabbling is the craft were killed."
Harry turned the page, feeling unsettled. He didn't understand this book, was this an author's interpretation of the Salem Trials or - he shook his head. This wasn't real.
"Even though the wizarding world now saw how the muggles would react to their presence Albus Dumbledore convinced many that because of use of such magic, an Unforgivable, the dark magic clouded the minds of the good people causing them to act in such a way. And so the war amongst the magicals of Britain continued"
Harry tapped the word 'Unforgivables' and turned back several pages, just after Bellatrix's profile.
"The Unforgivables of the Wizarding World, known as the darkest of magic. The killing curse, a bright green light that once the victim is touched they are instantly killed. Avada Kedavra. The Imperius Curse, the ability to control a person's thoughts, actions and words, prolonged use may result in brain damaged upon the victim. The Cruciatus Curse, a dark curse that causes immense pain upon the victim. Incantations are Crucio, Imperio and Avada Kedavra" Harry murmured. He repeated the short paragraph again and again, letting the fictional words wash over him. The ability to control, cause pain and kill. He swallowed and returned back to his previous page.
"The war lasted several years, hundreds of wizards and witches perished at the hands of the dark lord and the light lord, and soon the wizarding numbers on britain dwindled. In the end both the dark lord and the light lord each delivered the killing curse to one another, each dying at the hands of their enemy… " wrinkling his nose at such an anticlimactic ending Harry turned the page and at the top read 'Curses, Spells and Incantations'. Just as he was about to begin reading just about the most far fetched historical fiction he had ever come across the familiar voice of Mrs. Robins caught his ears. Harry tsked and wiggled his way out of the tight space, looking left and right to make sure no one was around he tucked the book behind his back and inside the band of his pants where it was hidden by his sweater and undershirt.
He would keep the book not because he believed in magic, but because he had another world he could escape to.
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Bruce's eyes narrowed when he heard Alfred ask Mr. Higgins his and the orphanage rat's mutual tutor. The man sounded much too happy for someone that had to teach a thing like Harry.
"That child is delightful Alfred. His mind… for such a young child he may very well be close Bruce's intellectual level. He understands so much for someone of his… ah… unfortunate antecedent situation. He is a quick learner and by all means he should be leagues below his current age level but… that boy's mind is to simply put it like a sponge. I had made a foolish mistake and gave him a worksheet for algorithms for another client and he handed it back in completed save for two or so mistakes. I believe he can be taken off of the training wheels now Alfred. He's sure to give Bruce a run for his money if he continues like this" the man laughed loud and jovial, while Alfred joined in. Bruce sneered and walked away from the door before one of the older men could notice his presence, even though it was his home and property, Alfred frowned on eavesdropping.
Why couldn't the little rat just stay in his station? Stay where he belonged? Was it so hard to just be nothing when you already knew how?
He growled and stormed inside of his room, slamming the door as soon as he entered. Grabbing the cell phone, the newest and latest model that was on the market he quickly swiped down in his contacts until he found one of his closest friends. Gregory Quentin had been his friend since diapers, and even though his parents had disapproved of the boy many times over Alfred wouldn't dare deny him his happiness. It wasn't that Gregory was a bad kid, he just had a mean streak which got a bit too aggressive at times, but it was all play.
"Hello?"
"Tell your mother I'm coming over and I'm bringing the thing that's been smooching off my money along"
"Aw man, do you really have to bring it. What if it gives my baby sister something with its germs?"
"Don't be an idiot, Alfred had it checked over for any nasty stuff."
"Mhmm, I still don't want it over here. Why are you bringing it?"
"Because Greg, Alfred wants Harry, to fit in and be friend with me. My friends are his friends, we have to make him feel welcome don't we?"
Over the line Gregory cackled and Bruce smirked before hanging up. Tucking his cell inside of his pants he retraced his steps until he found Alfred who was now leaving the study room, his expression one of happiness and pure joy. Bruce had to school his features carefully not to sneer at the fact the rat had caused such joyful bliss on the butler's face. So what if it could read and write, he could too but he never received any acknowledgement over it.
"Alfred." baby blue eyes peered down at him and the excitement on his face tempered down quite a bit until his expression was more neutral than anything else.
"Yes young master?" Alfred straightened his jacket and brushed away imaginary dust from the middle.
"Can I go over to Gregory's today? I had promised him I would come swimming after the pool finally got cleaned, his mother also said Harry could come along as well" normally Alfred would be leery of letting Bruce go off in the middle of the week during his lesson period but by including Harry. Alfred pursed his lips and Bruce felt a moment of doubt that the man would refuse but then the butler nodded even if he looked a bit reluctant. Holding back from rolling his eyes she placed a bright smile on his face. Like he said Greg was harmless, adults were just stupid at times.
Lunch was a quiet affair with Alfred gently telling Harry that Bruce had invited him to his friend's home, and Bruce had delighted in seeing the look of horror in those green eyes before the little rat forced a smile on his face and thanked Bruce with shaky words. He simply nodded back, a smile on his face as well that Alfred took in with a warm look on his face.
"Anytime Harry, we are friends aren't we?" he watched as Harry chewed on his bottom lip, his head jerking in a parody of an affirmative nod.
Bruce looked to Alfred again and if the man only knew what he had in store for his dear Harry he would wipe that look of joyful bliss straight from his face. But he wouldn't know because Bruce would never tell him and Harry as much as a pain he was to look at, had brains behind that messy hair and skittish eyes. He would never tell, not even if Bruce decided to hold him underwater and count to one hundred and fifty.
Two hours later found them packed into the family car which was now considered a joke since his family was buried six feet under. Close to forty five minutes later found them on the other side of the city in one of the richest neighborhoods in Gotham. Each house pristine and painted with fresh coats of paint, front yards flawless with giant trees and rose bushes decorating the front gates that had a path of smooth stones leading straight to the front door. The maid was already waiting and she waved at Alfred who smiled back. He gave them both a look to be on their best behavior before the driver drove away and his promise to be back in a few hours for them to arrive back home in time for dinner. The maid let them in and took their bags with extra a change of clothing before leading them to the pool house where Gregory and two other boys sat on lounge chairs with the newest swimwear shorts on.
Bruce walked over to them and the boy immediately like flies to honey launched themselves at him, clapping his back and grinning. His other two good friends Alex Stanway and Francis Delaware had been filled in by Gregory, each boy a year older than Bruce but all of them were roughly the same height. For at least an hour or so he forgot about the little slimy leech that was using his home, money and food like it was his own until they heard a splash at the corner furthest from their end of the pool. Looking up he saw what looked to be the new pair of sneakers Alfred had bought the leech to be the cause of the sound with one of them bobbing up and down in the clear water. Harry caught his eyes from where he had been trying to reach it without going into the water and Bruce grinned turning away from the pathetic sight in such a lovely place. Stains came in every shape and size it seemed.
"Let's play a game boys. It's called guppy" the boys gave him a confused look and he rolled his eyes good naturedly.
"Let's see how well the little guppy over there can hold his breath. I mean he is a pretty useless and inbred fish. We should make it our mission to help him reach his full potential shouldn't we? Afterall we're his friends" he grinned when the three others burst out laughing and slowly they separated, two going left and the next going right so that Harry could escape.
"Is that the new pair of converse Alfred bought you recently Harry? He'll be mad if he realizes that you ruined them so quickly. Water damages shoes you know" Harry jumped almost slipping in the deep end of the pool from where he was laying flat on his stomach one hand reach out to grab the bobbing shoe that was beginning to get waterlogged and sink. Bruce watched him stand, and from where they had him boxed in all it would take would be two steps back for him to fall in.
"Want me to help you get it back Harry? I promise I won't tell Alfred that you're an ungrateful leech who wastes my money and his which is… you know what it's still mine." Harry cringed and his cheeks splashed with colour even if his eyes were defiant.
"I'm not ungrateful! I was trying to take them off b-but it slipped from my hand and then I tried to reach it but then it fell into the pool but I can't-" he bit his lip and swallowed but Bruce already caught on and as quick as lightning he reached out and grabbed the front of the tee-shirt, folding his hand around the neck of the shirt.
"Can't you swim dear Harry? Such a shame them, but of course this might be the first time you've ever seen a pool up close. It's been a first time for so many time for you hasn't it Harry. First three meals a day, first time of having your own bed, first time in having new clothes, first time swimming" Harry didn't have time to try to remove Bruce's hand from the collar of his shirt when he found himself being pushed backwards and he yelped only to be pulled forward again.
Bruce laughed and pushed him again, the collar of the shirt stretching from the constant push and pull movements. He stepped forward causing Harry who was now gaining more and more fear in his eyes to step backwards.
"Do you want me to teach you how to swim Harry? Our friends will help you as well. Don't you want to get back your shoe?" said shoe was sinking now and Harry whimpered, his hand tugging at his shirt trying to get it out of Bruce's grip. Bruce pushed him again and Harry screamed when the older boy leaned forward with him to push him closer to the water.
"Stop! Stop!" Bruce and the other boys laughed. "Stop what Harry?" every time his name passed from Bruce's lips it was as if the boy was tasting a nasty medicine, his name sounding vile and horrible enough that it had to be spat out.
"We're your friends, all we're trying to do is help you get your shoe back, but we don't want to get in the water yet so you'll have to let us give you a helping hand!" he pushed Harry again and stepped forward until the only reason Harry was still standing on the white tiles was because of the hand around his shirt collar.
"I can't swim! Please Bruce stop it! I can't swim!" the boys laughed, their voices bouncing off the walls of the pool house as soon as Harry began to cry, his pleas and tugs being drowned out in place of laughter.
"You want me to stop?" Harry nodded frantically and Bruce plastered a neutral look on his face. "You want me to let go of your shirt?" Harry nodded again but quickly shook his head when he realized where he stood. "N-No! I don't Bruce please don't-" Bruce smiled all of a sudden, a wide stretch of his lips that showed all of his teeth.
"Too late" his hand unfurled from around the stretched shirt and he felt Harry try to grab his hand a moment too late. It was like watching a video in slow motion, he saw the betrayed look on Harry's face that was tripled by the look of fear that clouded his eyes, his scream was loud and long even if the fall was short and his hands reached out before he was engulfed by water, the splash he made wetting Bruce in the face. Watching the newly dubbed guppy break the surface was amusing to watch. His tears mixing with the chloride water and his face red with panic as he tried to hold onto the side of the pool. Everytime he grabbed the sides Bruce stepped on his fingers until he let go and went back under only to break the surface again with a gasp. He was pleading now again, wet pleas that were interrupted when his feet couldn't kick hard enough to hold him up above the surface.
"Want me to help you Harry?" he crouched down and held out his hand but pulled it back when the tips of his fingers brushed against Harry's wet ones. "Oops you missed. Try again" he was taunting the boy and Harry knew it too but the fear of drowning was far greater than any dignity he held onto. After the fifth time he grabbed a hold of the clammy hand but instead of pulling him up he allowed Gregory to replace his helping hand with a hand to the hair.
Harry yelped, though it sounded more of a gurgle and Bruce idly wondered just how much water the idiot of a guppy swallowed. Instead of holding onto the sides of the pool Harry now held onto Greg's hand that was joined by Alex's in his hair. Bruce himself had found a dry spot with a wonderful view nearby on the lounge chair that Francis had brought for him. With the two of them they held Harry above the water by his hair alone and just like that they dunked him with the only support being his hair that Bruce had heard the naids gush about on several occasions and Mrs. Robin fawn over as she was brushing it. He wished they ripped away several chunks from his dirty head.
He watched as the boy was dunked and held underwater for several seconds, the water being so clear that he saw how he struggled underwater, his bony hand grabbing at the two limbs that held him under and each time he was pulled back up his fear had amplified to something that made Bruce shiver. He wanted to make the rat suffer, he was someone no, he was something that had no right in being allowed to take Alfred's time away from Bruce, something that had no right living in the house his father and mother built for him, had no right eating his food, sleeping in his bed in the room that was his, he had no right existing beyond his parameters, he had no right to overstep his boundaries of life! He knew that Alfred would never return back the broken toy to that place since there was nothing to take it back to, but why did Alfred have to pick up such a stray? If the man wanted something to dote on more he could've at least pick up a dog from the shelter. Bruce prefered a dog over a filthy rat anyday.
"Hold him under longer, don't bring him back up until I say so" the two boys waited until Harry gasped in a huge breath of air for his burning lungs and Bruce was able to see how red his eyes were from the pool water and what he assumed were tears. His face was red and splotchy with the effort to hold his breath and his body shook. Bruce stood from his chair and crouched down next to the two older boys who held the struggling rat under, his limbs flailing and bubbles rose up and up until they popped. He was well under for over twenty seconds now and Alex looked at Bruce a bit uncertain.
"Shouldn't we pull him up now?" Bruce stared at the struggling boy and shook his head. "No, not yet"
Francis was manning the door, looking to see if anyone would come and interrupt them and Bruce had no intention of wasting even a second of what he was doing. It was well over thirty seconds now and more bubbles escaped from the boy's mouth. Bruce chuckled. The rat was becoming frantic now.
"Bruce common, I think he's about to drown or something" Alex tried again but Greg snapped at him to shut up, his hand tightening in Harry's hair. Bruce watched as his movements became a bit aborted, jerks of his body and limbs and with an annoyed sigh he told them to pull him up and out of the water. He had such great friends because not once did they move to haul him out by the shirt, instead dragging him up and out then onto the tiled floor by his hair alone. He would give each of them something expensive for christmas. He observed as the bony chest jumped and like the nasty thing he was he vomited up water and parts of the lunch they had just shy of Gregory's foot. Bruce wrinkled his nose in disgust and didn't even stop Gregory when the boy aimed a well placed kick to the heaving chest.
"I told you that you shouldn't have brought him! Look what he did to mom's floor! What if he really has something that your stupid butler didn't find!" Bruce shrugged.
"I'm feeling a bit hungry, aren't you guys? Let's go and see if the kitchen has any snacks" he was already walking towards the door, the other two boys following behind him. "What about him Bruce?" Alex asked pointed back towards Harry who was now curled in on himself.
Bruce raised an eyebrow at Alex, a frown on his lips. "What about it?" Alex licked his lips and shook his head.
"Nothing"
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He felt as if he had been dying. Under the water his hearing was muffled, the jeering from up above almost as subdued as he felt. He had been excited about the prospect of a pool, the Wayne manor having it's own but it was down for maintenance for a long time according to Alfred, so to see a pool and be in one was something he looked forward to… just not with Bruce. When he was held under it wasn't just the voices that had been quiet, but aside from the ringing in his ears and the thumping beat of his heart it was almost serene.
All that serenity had faded when his chest burned and he realized they weren't pulling him up, he knew he shouldn't panic, the documentaries and books had said that panicking could quicken the drowning process but he was scared. He wanted to scream, he wanted to be anywhere but under the clear water with people who hated him just because he wasn't born into money. For a moment he even wished he was back inside of the orphanage, at least there he was among his own even if for a small while until he was ousted for being 'too smart' and thinking he was 'too good'.
The urge to breathe outweighed everything else and his body seemingly worked against him when he opened his mouth and exhaled, unintentionally inhaling water. If he could whimper he would, he would cry for Alfred, for Mrs. Robins for someone to help him, but he was under water and they could hear him as much or as little as he could hear the boys holding him below. So when he felt those hands that gripped his hair like a life line haul him up and over the edge he didn't know if he should thank Bruce or nourish that budding dislike that was blossoming in his chest every day.
But instead he vomited and received a kick for his good will.
His chest hurt and breathing only made the pain even more so prominent. He didn't want to move and his body was heavier than he'd ever felt it be before. Curling in on himself Harry cried wet and sobbing tears that rattled his chest and caused his body to shake. Things weren't suppose to happen like this, his life was supposed to be better with new friends and joy. Not with the one person his grandfather hoped he would be friends with nearly ordering his execution and allowing it to happen. He wasn't supposed to be afraid or hurt anymore, all that pain from his time in that mockery called an orphanage was expected to be behind him not shifting from pain stemmed by fear to pain stemmed by whatever it was Bruce had against him.
"I want to go home…" his breath caught in his throat and with a startling realization he had to acknowledge the awful irony of his situation. The manor was not his home. A home he read was a place that you felt loved and were cared for, a place you looked forward to returning to everyday. The manor was just Bruce's playground to torment him behind closed doors and around corners.
To be taken from the orphanage which was the only shelter he knew for years in hopes that the manor would be truly his to call home was such stupid wishful thinking. Such stupid stupid stupid hopes. Harry covered his head and ignored the spike of discomfort that ran through his skull. He was used to pain, but that didn't mean it got any easier, sometimes he wished that he was the bully, the one to make people cry and he laughed a bit before coughing. This wasn't the first time he had entertained such thoughts, the urge to be the one to inflict the pain and not feel any, to not feel the blows of words and abuse, to not feel the deep resentment for yourself after the hits had been dealt but instead being the one to deal them. Laughing again Harry bit his lip. That could never be him.
Somehow he had managed to pull himself upright and over to his extra change of clothes, his other shoe at the very bottom of the pool. It felt like hours before the other boys came back and by then his chest had stopped burning and he was a bit more composed, but that didn't stop the shiver of trepidation that ran it's course when his eyes met the dark blue ones of Bruce. The boys formed a semicircle around him and Harry could see what looked to be frosting on the side of Gregory's mouth. He avoided his eyes as well, the older boy was meaner than Bruce even if the youngest Wayne was the instigator of his pain he could see that Gregory seemed to glow in it.
"We just had cake with a mocha frappe or something. Have you ever had a mocha frappe you little urchin? I bet not" Francis snorted and Gregory sneered down at him.
"You're asking him if he ever had coffee flavored drinks before Delaware? I bet the boxers the butler bought him were the first he ever had. Probably used to wipe his ass with newspaper. What'd you eat for breakfast every morning eh urchin? What flavor garbage?" they all laughed and Harry swallowed knowing better than to give a response.
"I bet rat shit was his favourite. What does it taste like hm urchin. Tell us the flavour you get from your cousins shit" Gregory kicked his foot and Harry remained silent. Bruce he noticed was remaining present but didn't put in his two cents.
"Do you even know who your mum was? Or your dad? Or did you slide out from the sewer? That's where I hear all the unwanted bastards go when no one wants to pay to take care of them"
"Hey Francis what happens when floozy gets nailed by a drunken bastard?" Gregory asked. Francis pretended to think. "I dunno Greg, what happens?"
"A dirty leech slides out from between her legs. That's what your mum was wasn't she. A whore."
Harry looked up for the first time since they came back and he felt anger replace the anxiety.
"What you don't believe me? You don't believe that the only reason you exist is because your mother had as much intelligence a dog in heat? That she opened up her legs for some guy who gave her fifty dollars for her body? That's what they do you know, the cheap ones sell their body for double digits" Gregory laughed and Francis laughed along with him while Alex looked to the side and Bruce just remain impassive.
"She was so stupid she didn't know that the good whores sell for more, just like my dad told my brother. I mean if she wasn't so desperate for money she might've sold for more, but a stupid floozy wouldn't know any better and look what it got her, a leech."
Harry knew that he shouldn't get angry, that whenever he responded their words would be replaced with fists.
"You're nothing but the by product of a floozy and a bastard and since your parents abandoned you, you just had to try and such the money from Bruce here. Blood sucker that you are you probably killed your mother from the inside out, maybe that's why she didn't keep you huh? Because you killed her"
"I didn't and don't you talk about my mother like that! Just shut up!" Harry stood up and in a move that surprised even him, he pushed Gregory. The older boy stumbled back and paused for just a few seconds and then Harry found himself back on his rump staring up into the angry face of the Quentin's middle child. Harry didn't flinch when Gregory's hand balled into a fist, his hand already raised. The hit didn't come though and Bruce glared at Gregory.
"If he goes back to the manor with a bruise on his face, what do you think I'll tell Alfred you idiot" Gregory yanked his arm from Bruce and spat on Harry, the gob of saliva running down his cheek before he could wipe it away.
"How'd you know huh? You never met her! She probably was glad to get rid of you, she didn't want you, your father didn't want you! Worthless disgusting rat!"
"Nothing but a bimbo!"
"She was more tramp than lady!" Harry didn't get the reference but the boys laughed and even Alex cracked a smile.
Just as Gregory was going to say something else the door to the pool opened and the boys dropped to the ground so it looked more like a group discussion than one of torment.
"Bruce, Harry dears, Alfred is here to pick you up. Come alone now." Mrs. Quentin was a round woman, shapely and had a kind face even if she had on a bit too much make up. Gregory glared at Harry as he got up and gathered his bag, feet bare with his lonesome shoe in the backpack.
The ride back to the manor was quiet, even if Alfred asked as many questions as he could about their day. Harry gave the man a smile and said he enjoyed it then afterwards falling silent.
The manor was not his home, and Bruce was not his friend. Alfred was only his grandfather until the man had to choose between him and Bruce and then ultimately he would choose Bruce who was his employer and charge given to him by his late master and mistress. He didn't want Gregory's words to affect him but he already knew the grand scheme of things he was insignificant when compared to Bruce.
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BH
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A/n: Take note that while I'm leery of the dates and ages that pop up in my head when associating characters because my brain is an ever changing little shit, Bruce is roughly maybe about 11-12 years old, his cronies are 12-13 and Harry is 9-10 years of age.
I read all of the reviews and everytime my phone alerted me to a new email it was like christmas in June. You guys are awesome, like rainbows with confetti as innards.
BlueRam: You are a darling, and I'm glad I was at least a little help in the motivation area, god knows I need some more when it comes to exercising.
MadameMcQueen: I'm glad that you liked the approach I took. :D
Cereza101: Ahh so many ideas~! So glad that I have you as a follower!
RaayJay: Haha! You sound like an overprotective mother, no shade, it's just adorable~
The Flightless Girl: You are a super reviewer it seems. Have a cookie you fab-u-lous rainbow.
As always feel free to leave your opinion on the chapter and let me know what you think~!