Chapter 7
Harry hummed as he checked the pot that was happily bubbling away on the fire, it was his turn to cook and most people were running around grabbing bowls as the children sat down next to the fire eagerly waiting for it to be done. Harry smiled as he gave out some freshly baked bread, it amazed him how everyone had adapted how they could make fresh bread underground, still it was nice having them back for food. It was the only time that they did stop fighting, even if it was only because they were filling their mouths with food.
"Is it done yet?"
Harry looked down at the small little girl that was hugging his leg; her dark eyes were wide as she looked up at him her bottom lip sticking out in a pout.
"Not yet, but it will be done soon."
Her bottom lip quivered as Harry stirred the pot, he turned around as spotted Clopin he smiled at the other but quickly lost his smile and he noticed the others expression, he looked stern but there was anger in his eyes as he looked at Harry.
"Can I help you Clopin?"
Clopin looked at Harry his expression stern, Harry could see the silent fury in his eyes, he had thought that it was anger but it looked like he had been wrong.
"Can I speak to you in private?"
Harry grew worried as he wondered what Clopin could want to speak to him about, had he done something wrong? Had he some how upset the other?
"Yeah sure."
Harry pulled the pot off the heat as he looked at everyone, the children didn't notice that something was wrong but the adults did many of them traded glances with each other.
"Its all good so go ahead and eat."
The children cheered as they as they grabbed their bowls and began filling them, none of them noticed the way that the adults looked at Harry and Clopin, Clopin gestured for Harry to follow him. Harry followed Clopin with a sedated pace, he could see that Clopin was angry about something; he could see it in his eyes and the way that he looked at him. Which made Harry wonder just what had he done wrong?
"Through here."
Harry winced at the tone that Clopin used, he knew that he was in deep trouble and he had no idea what he had done wrong. Clopin closed the door and gestured for Harry to follow him, Harry followed Clopin with his shoulders hunched.
"Sit."
Harry sat down and looked at the floor, he couldn't bring himself to meet Clopin's eyes. He stared at the floor as he waited for Clopin to begin speaking after a few minutes the silence was tense and very uncomfortable.
"Is there something you need to tell me?"
Harry went through everything that he could think of, but he couldn't find anything that would have set Clopin off like this.
"No."
Clopin leaned forwards in his seat, as he looked at Harry his dark eyes hard, as he gripped Harry's chin and forced him to look at him.
"You can't think of anything at all?"
Harry shook his head, he really couldn't think of anything, but given the moment he found that it was hard to think at all. The way that Clopin was looking at him was making him feel fear, something that he hadn't felt since he was 12 years old and in the chamber of secrets.
"Then let me refresh you memory for you, you ran into someone the other day."
Harry froze as he looked at Clopin, his eyes wide as his breath began to come out in quick pants, his vision slowly began to turn black around the edges, he could feel his heart trying to beat it's way out his ribcage.
"You ran into Frollo, and came back white as a sheet. You wouldn't respond to anyone or anything for nearly an hour, so do you have something that you need to say?"
Harry could hear his blood racing through his veins and arteries; he could feel it moving around him as he tried to get his breathing back under control.
"Do you have anything to say?"
Harry heard the way that Clopin had hissed the question but it sounded so dull over the roaring of his blood, the pounding of his heart that was echoing in his ears.
"Answer me!"
He would if he could, but Clopin seemed so far away that he couldn't really see him, why he standing so far away? He felt someone grab his arms and the grip was painful, no no no!
"Please I am sorry, I didn't do anything!"
He was shaking he could feel it, he could see his hands shaking in front of him why was he shaking? He could feel someone gripping the top of his arms, oh god what had he done wrong?
"I'm sorry uncle, I didn't do it. Please, please, please."
He broke down into sobs, he could feel someone holding him, the grip was gone but the damage had already been done. Before anyone had noticed Harry had ran out of the caravan and began running through the middle of the court.
"Stop him!"
He ducked and weaved; he couldn't let them catch him! If they did it would make it worse, he needed to run. He couldn't let his uncle get him, if he did then he would get a worse beating, he needed to run to hide. He felt someone grab him and he bit down on the hand.
"Argh! He bit me!"
Harry ran, fear coursing through him as he ran out of the court and down through the passageway that led to the cathedral, he didn't even feel the pain that was coursing through him from where people had grabbed hold of him, his legs were screaming in pain as he kept on running. He didn't even stop as he ran into people; he paid them no notice as they shouted after him.
"Hey!"
"Watch it!"
"Look where you are going!"
Harry continued to run he kept running until he ran to the cathedral, he looked up at the building.
"Child what is wrong?"
Harry turned around and looked at the old Archdeacon, tears fell from his eyes; the old man hurried towards Harry and helped him inside of the cathedral. Harry held onto the old man that reminded him of Dumbledore in way, he felt a warm hand rub circles on his back.
"Hush child, you are safe here."
Harry hiccupped as the archdeacon sat Harry down onto a seat, he put a quilt over Harry's shoulders Harry pulled the quilt tighter to him as he looked at the old Archdeacon with a tear stained face.
"Thank you."
The Archdeacon gave him a smile as he gently clasped Harry's hand as he gave him a soft smile, Harry felt grateful for the warmth that the other man was giving him. The Archdeacon's hand made him feel grounded helped him to realize that he was here and not back at his uncles.
"What has you so frightened child?"
Harry ducked his head and began biting his bottom lip as he looked down at the floor.
"I had a fight with a friend and they reminded me of my uncle."
Shame began to fill Harry as he looked at the window that was off to the side of him; since he was looking away he missed the archdeacons frown that was on his face.
"Did your uncle hit you?"
Harry froze and went to take his hand away, how did he figure it out? What gave him away? Harry's breathing began to quicken as began to think over everything that could have gave himself away.
"Child calm yourself!"
Harry felt some one gently grab hold of him; he felt a sob break free as someone held him close. He gripped the fabric that was in front of him as he began to sob into it, he felt soothing hands rub circles on his back.
"That is it child let it all out, you will feel better after."
Harry broke down and began to cry in earnest into the Archdeacon's robs as the old man held him, as Harry cried like a small child. He didn't realize that he slowly began to cry himself raw. Slowly his eyes dropped feeling heavy; he was so tired and in less than a minute he was asleep.
***** Some time later ****
Harry stretched as he slowly woke up, his body hurt and he ached all over he had no idea what had happened. Harry sat up and looked around the room he noticed that he was on a soft bed one that he didn't know was in the cathedral to begin with, how had he gotten here? Where was here?
"Hello?"
Harry sat up and swung his legs off the bed, he looked around and noticed that he was in the bell tower how had he gotten here?
"Is anyone there?"
Harry got up off the bed and began walking around even though his legs ached and every step he took sent jolts of pain through his body, his muscles felt like they were on fire. Harry turned around and caught movement out of the corner of his eye.
"Hello? Is someone there?"
Harry heard deep breathing as he stopped, he knew that someone was up here with him but he didn't know how he had got to the bell tower or who had brought him to the bell tower either, Harry took a step forwards and cried out in shock as his legs gave out underneath him. He didn't even hit the floor as a muscular arm wrapped around him; Harry had screwed his eyes shut as he waited for the floor to meet him.
"It's okay I got you."
Harry carefully opened his eyes as he looked around, he tilted his head backwards to see if he could see the face of his rescuer but found that the man had his face in the shadows make it near impossible for Harry to see what he looked like.
"Thank you, I'm not too heavy am I?"
The man shook his head, but still Harry couldn't see what he looked like he could feel the muscle of the man's arms, he could feel the strength in them and knew that they could easily kill him should the owner wanted to. Harry looked around and noticed a small replica of Paris in the sun; he turned to his savior as he asked.
"Did you make that?"
The arms tightened around him in warning, but Harry had been known for jumping into things headfirst he wiggled until he was set down on the ground as he walked over to the small replica.
"It is beautiful, you have a talent."
Harry gave a smile in the direction of his savior, he did want to see the man but first he would try and find out his name.
"I didn't give you my name, it's Harry."
Harry gave a smile in the general direction of the man who he knew lived up here, it hadn't taken him long to figure it out but it did make some sense, the bed that he had been asleep in was his which meant that he had brought Harry up here and hadn't left him where ever it was that he had been put.
"Quasimodo."
A bright smile light up Harry's face as he looked in the general direction that Quasimodo was in.
"It is a pleasure to meet you Quasi."
Quasimodo gave a tentative smile even though he knew that Harry wouldn't be able to see the smile, was this what it was like to have a friend?
~~~~ Clopin ~~~~~
The entire court was in panic, no one had seen Harry since he had ran away the day before many of them had just assumed that he would come back on his own but now they were worried. There had been no rumors of anyone being caught or thrown into a cell so they knew that he hadn't been captured, but where was he?
Had he some how been hurt? What if he was lying in a ditch dead? Clopin didn't know what to do, he could see those life filled emerald eyes cold and dead and the red liquid that gave Harry life slowly drain out of him, he was terrified and for the first time in his life he didn't know what to do.
"Has anyone heard from Harry?"
People shook their heads as Clopin became more worried, what if something had happened to him? He would never be able to say sorry for what he had done, he wasn't blind he knew that Harry had been abused the way he had reacted to him losing his temper told him as much, then there was the begging.
Clopin knew that for as long as he lived he would never forget the sight of it, he wouldn't of minded it had it been in different circumstances but it hadn't been and the sheer terror in Harry's eyes had hurt him, in ways he hadn't know. So he would look for Harry and when he found him he would apologies to the other and show him just how sorry he was, even if he had to get down on his knees and beg he would do it for Harry.
Because one way or another he would find Harry and bring him back home.
