Bathing with a Mermaid

Later on in that evening after Harry had agreed to go to the Yule Ball with George Weasley of all people Harry was sitting in the common room. Harry had told Ron about his suspicions about the egg and attending the Yule Ball with George as friends. Ron was actually very happy about that but Harry was quick to point out that both Harry and George had boyfriends outside of school.

Harry only gave vague descriptions of his lover – or ex lover at least. He was tall dark haired and slightly older than Harry, at least by Wizarding standards. He was currently travelling, seeing the world. Hermione had presumed it was a gap year after finishing school. She had said that she hoped they weren't having sex because an eighteen year and a fourteen year old could get into trouble. Harry hadn't replied to this comment.

He had checked out the details about his Lordship training or whatever and had wrote to the Ministry asking for details on his magical guardian. Harry hoped it would arrive soon. Harry might be able to get emancipated or something earlier.

Then the Fat Lady's portrait swung open with a crying Ginny hanging on the arms of one of her third year friends – a fair girl with thin curly black hair and small dark eyes. Harry was concerned. He may not have romantic feelings towards Ginny. But Harry hated to see anyone upset. It wasn't in his nature to be vindictive.

Hell he felt guilty about Quirrell's death. And Quirrell had tried to kill him. The only way he got through was by telling him that it was Voldemort's fault! If Voldemort hadn't left Quirrell the teacher would have survived.

It was why Harry couldn't see himself as an Auror. Aurors had to kill when it was kill or be killed, or when a civilian's life was in danger. And that wasn't Harry at all. Harry had thought of being a teacher. He'd get to stay in Hogwarts all year long! Hogwarts was Harry's first home since his parents had died. He would also be able to look out for children like him. Maybe save them like he had always wanted to be saved. U

nlike all Harry's teachers who had so severely let Harry down again and again whether by listening to the Dursleys, refusing to help when he needed it, not seeing a problem, or being too biased to see a problem. Harry didn't judge people by their families. Look at him and Sirius there families were let downs but they were decent enough people. But Snape wouldn't even see Harry apart from the son of James Potter. If it weren't for that Harry would quite respect him. There weren't many men who would face a werewolf for Harry.

'Hey, Ginny, what's wrong?' asked Harry frowning.

Ginny's chocolate brown, red stained eyes glowered at Harry, 'I knew you were gay!'

There were gasps from the surrounding girls in the Common Room. Harry winced knowing that soon he would be receiving comments about his sexuality. Harry knew that Ginny was upset with the fact that she'd never be Mrs Boy Who Lived but did she really have to act like this!

'Ginny,' hissed Harry. 'That's no one's business but mine!'

'And my brother's,' snarled Ginny.

Harry blinked confused. Harry knew that the Weasley boys all knew but hadn't said anything. George and Charlie were both gay so all the Weasleys bar Ginny were okay with it. Only Ginny had to deal with the fact that she'd never be Harry's life partner.

'What does it have to do with your brother?' demanded Harry.

'Your going with George to the Yule Ball,' Ginny pointed out.

Harry laughed at this, 'as friends!' snapped Harry. 'Maybe you should speak to George about who he's dating! I don't like red heads! You just ousted me as gay out of misspent jealously! Stay away from me!'

Harry stormed off at this point not wanting to be in the same vicinity of Ginny Weasley at the moment. He had never got on with Ginny that much because of her stupid obsessive crush on him but he cared too much about the rest of the Weasleys to say anything!

He decided that now was as good a time as any to head up to the Prefects Bathroom. He needed to work out the clue so he may as well do it when he wanted to avoid the general population of Hogwarts who were sure to be gossiping about the revelations of Harry's sexuality.

Harry arrived on the fifth floor corridor where he entered the Prefects Bathroom luckily at this time in the afternoon none of the fifth to seventh years would be bathing. It worked exactly as George had said opening with the password "pine fresh".

The bathroom was huge with several toilet stalls on one side of the room and a huge bath on the other side of it. Harry thought it looked the size of a small swimming pool that had been a part of the holiday home they had wanted to buy with the Masons contract until Dobby and the Ministry owl had ruined it.

Harry closed his eyes trying to shake the terrible images that he associated with his Uncle's terrible retribution. Harry clutched the egg closer to him trying not to think about what had happened that night. But it was of no use the memories came.

***FLASHBACK STARTS (CONTAINS OFFENSIVE LANGUAGE, RAPE, CHILD SEXUAL AND PHYSICAL ABUSE***

Harry was in his room shaking from head to toe. He knew what was going to happen now. Uncle Vernon was going to come in and beat the living shit out of him. The only reason he had refrained beforehand was that Harry kept threatening him with magic whenever he made a move to raise a hand against him Harry would raise his hand and close his eyes as though concentrating very hard. Then he would begin to speak. By the time that he had finished whoever was threatening Harry had fled the scene.

But now thanks to that bloody house elf that protection was gone!

You'd think that Dobby of all creatures could understand. The house elf had pretty much the same life with his family as Harry did with the Dursleys. But no he'd be safe with the Dursleys, Harry mentally sneered, at this idea. Harry was as safe with the Dursleys as a rabbit was in a foxes den.

Harry didn't know how long it had been that Harry had stood shaking in his room in terror. It could have been a few minutes or it could have been an hour. Time always ran funny when you dreaded something to happen.

But not long after Harry heard Vernon thundering up the stairs. Harry knew that sawdust would be falling in the cupboard. The Dursleys had taken special pleasure in making sawdust go into Harry's eyes. There was a reason Harry had always preferred sleeping on his front.

Harry's bedroom door slammed open. Harry was surprised that it didn't come off it's hinges completely. His Uncle had hit it hard enough in his rage. Harry was shaking like a leaf now all thoughts of magic and power going out of his head in his pure fear.

'U-U-U-Uncle, p-p-p-please,' begged Harry sounding too like Quirnius Quirrell for Harry's liking.

But it was clear that Uncle Vernon wasn't going to listen. His red skin, dilated pupils that didn't seem to be able to focus on anything and the way he had staggered. Vernon Dursley was drunk, very drunk.

Harry's Uncle hadn't been drunk since Harry had come back thank goodness. Vernon Dursley had a violent temper on a good day but he had some sense of reasoning. Add even a small amount of alcohol to his system and he becomes horrific.

Harry's reaction was natural and instinctive; he curled himself into the foetal position pulling his knees up to his chest and ducking his head down and wrapping his arms around them. It was the only way he knew to survive if not unhurt.

Uncle Vernon began with brutal kicks and punches to Harry's body battering the small twelve year old black and blue. He didn't notice the silent tears that fell down the boy's pale cheeks. If he had it would only have caused a sense of satisfaction one that Harry had tried for too long not to give his abusive uncle.

Not long after Harry could hear Uncle Vernon getting wheezy. This meant he was tiring out. Beating up his young nephew was exercise to Uncle Vernon, the most exercise that Vernon Dursley ever got. It could mean one of two things.

One he was getting tired and he would head off to bed soon. This is the option that Harry hoped for but doubted with the amount of alcohol that Uncle Vernon had drunk since the Masons had left he would be allowed today.

The second was that Uncle Vernon would undo his belt, pull off Harry's ruined shirt and whip him with the belt end of the buckle. This was the most common response and the one that Harry hated. Uncle Vernon was no idiot he never left marks on Harry's face where it would be obvious to a blind man what was happening.

It was this option that Uncle Vernon chose tonight. Harry felt himself be lifted up and flung bodily onto the bed for better access. This was the way that it had always been growing up. Harry would always get beaten in this room. They didn't want their innocent little angel to see or hear his cousin beaten and Uncle Vernon couldn't fit in the cupboard. Dudley's second bedroom which had pretty much become the junk room was the best place for beatings when Dudley was in the house. After a neighbour had asked if everything was okay Uncle Vernon had got the room sound proofed claiming that Dudley had watched a horror movie and got scared which was the source of the screams.

Harry's shirt was ripped off him so that there was no protection from the belt buckle. Harry pressed himself into the wafer thin pillow where he bit into it and grabbed hold of the bed so as not to give his Uncle the satisfaction of screaming, begging and writhing in pain. He always did in the end. No matter how hard he tried not to.

You would think that would make the pain end but he realised that his Uncle enjoyed his pain. The more he screamed the more he was hurt. It wasn't until Harry would be hoarse from screams unable to do more than whimper would Uncle Vernon finally leave.

Harry heard behind him the sound of the belt buckle being undone. Harry screwed his eyes shut bracing himself for the pain that would come scarring him for life, both physically and mentally. He wished that Dumbledore the one person he had told the truth to would regret thinking it was safer for him here and come and save him. Dumbledore never did!

Harry heard the belt wish through the air and slam into his back causing him to bite into the pillow. This went on and on and on. Harry didn't know how long it was until he was sobbing. Harry knew that it wouldn't be long until Harry began screaming.

It would be a while until it ended after that considering how long it had been since Harry had lost his voice – a year. Only then would it stop. Harry knew this. It was the same as it always had been. Harry knew that the Dursleys had always been physically abusive but it wasn't until Harry was six or seven were the beltings added onto the beatings.

But something surprising happened today. Uncle Vernon lowered the belt at the first scream Harry had made. Merlin knew how many lashings that had been. Harry couldn't believe his good luck. Maybe something had finally gone right for the Boy Who Lived.

Harry tensed as Harry heard his Uncle approach him. He didn't know what was going on. He could hear his Uncle panting weirdly; not tiredly, not exactly. Harry couldn't place what precisely the sound of his Uncle's breath meant. But he soon would.

Harry felt his Uncle's thick, meaty hands brush along his spine pressing down so firmly that Harry was sure they would leave bruises. They continued right down to his tail bone to the spot where his bare back met Dudley's baggy, holey old trousers.

Feeling scared, more scared than Harry had ever been in his life, Harry tensed up. He didn't know why he was so scared. It couldn't be any worse than meeting Voldemort or the lashings and beatings Harry had grown up with.

Could it?

Yet somehow Harry knew instinctively that what was about to happen was worse than anything that had ever happened in his life. Harry was just too young to understand exactly what was going on, the line that was not only going to be crossed but broken forever.

'Uncle Vernon?' Harry's voice came out as a whisper. 'Please.'

'You bloody freak,' snarled Uncle Vernon. 'You have cursed me to be unnatural as you are.'

Harry didn't know what his Uncle was talking about. Surely he realised from today's events that Harry couldn't so much as unlock a door, never mind curse his Uncle. Not that Harry wouldn't if he could!

'I'll show you, you bloody freak,' Uncle Vernon snarled sounding quite mad. 'You wanted this! I'll give you exactly what you want!'

Harry heard the sound of the belt fall to the floor with a thunk as the metal hit the carpet. This was followed by the sounds a zip being undone and the rustling of clothes. Then Harry felt Uncle Vernon reach over and grab Harry's arse ripping both trousers and pants from him.

Harry's eyes widened. He thought he understood what was going on. Harry had had basic sex education at St. Grogory's. They had been warned that if they thought anyone was touching you inappropriately to tell the teachers at one.

Harry knew that for all the abuse Uncle Vernon would never touch him in that way – or thought he knew. Harry had never even feared it! Harry knew of all people how much Uncle Vernon hated queers. He considered them as bad as wizards. In fact Harry thought Uncle Vernon saw them the same as wizards. The amount of times Harry was called a queer, fag, and various other offensive terms for homosexuals. Harry hadn't understood at that point what they meant.

It stood to reason if Uncle Vernon wanted … if he wanted … to …. Harry couldn't bear to think what he thought was going on. But he knew that Uncle Vernon would blame Harry for his unnatural feelings towards another male.

Vernon Dursleys feelings were, of course, undoubtedly unnatural. Not because they were towards someone of the same gender. No it was because they were towards a small child not even into his teenage years.

Harry could feel the tip of Vernon's shirt and tie against the small of his back and something big and hard pressing up against his arse hole. Harry couldn't bare to name what he knew it was. Harry was sobbing.

'Please, please, please,' begged Harry. 'Don't, please Uncle Vernon. I'll do anything. Just not that, not that,' Harry begs descended into gibberish.

'You want this,' snarled Uncle Vernon.

'No, no, no,' Harry sobbed.

Harry screamed out loud as the feeling of Uncle Vernon's penis breached him. There was no lubrication apart from the blood that poured from the wounds as Vernon tore his way into Harry. No preparation as Harry's virginity was taken.

Harry didn't take in anymore apart from the horrific pain and humiliation. Harry knew he screamed and begged at first. But he stopped just shuddering as he sobbed as Uncle Vernon hammered, harder and harder into him.

Finally after what felt like hours but was in reality only minutes Uncle Vernon came in hot spurts that burned the rips in Harry's arse. Uncle Vernon lay on top of – in – the small boy catching his breath as though he had just won a marathon.

Vernon reached up to stroke Harry's face holding it tight as Harry instinctively flinched back even if they were still joined together. The expression on Uncle Vernon's face was pure lust. It was then that Harry knew that Uncle Vernon would do this again and again and again until he was satisfied. He would probably be doing a repeat right now if he had the stamina for it.

It was then that Harry swore to himself that despite what Dumbledore said he was leaving. He didn't think he could cope with even one repeat of this. If that meant he would run away to the streets then so be it!

Harry shuddered as Uncle Vernon pulled out of him. Uncle Vernon stood up pulling on his trousers, shoes and belt not looking at the twelve year old birthday boy who lay unmoving face down on the bed.

Uncle Vernon flung Harry's pyjamas to him. They fell on top of him. Harry was too disorientated to even remember what they were for. Never mind put them on. He would later realise he had been understandably in shock.

'Never tell anyone about what happened here or I swear I'll let every queer freak fuck you like the whore you are,' Uncle Vernon hissed. 'I'll be back tomorrow.'

Just as Uncle Vernon was about to leave standing in the doorway his thick form framed by a yellow halo he turned back to his nephew with what one could only describe as an evil smile. Harry shivered at the lust in those beady black eyes.

'Happy Birthday,' Uncle Vernon said ruining what should be a special day forever.

Harry didn't move from where he was where he lay tears streaming down his face as sobs shook his body. That night Harry wished for someone to save him. Or to kill him. Until finally blessed darkness overtook Harry as unconsciousness claimed him.

Harry barely moved at all for the next forty eight hours. Only when Uncle Vernon paid him a midnight visit did Harry move to try and escape his Uncle's clutches. It never worked, ever! Harry was too broken to think about escaping.

On what would be the third night that Uncle Vernon would rape him Harry lay on his bed arms wrapped around his legs praying for a miracle to save him. And a miracle did save him. Three red headed miracles in fact.

***FLASHBACK ENDS***

There were comments on the smell of his room and the fact that Harry slept naked but Ron hadn't started masturbating and the twins thought he started young. They had made enough comments over the summer until in September Harry had snapped and cursed them silly.

They never mentioned it again!

Harry spent the whole summer suppressing flinches whenever Mr Weasley wanted to talk to him. Harry knew it hurt Mr Weasley the fact that the quiet, best friend of his youngest son who happened to be the Boy Who Lived seemed to have taken an instant dislike to him but Harry couldn't help the fear of men he had learned that summer.

A year away from Uncle Vernon, time with ignorant friends and a brush with death in the form of Tom Marvolo Riddle made him want to do more than just survive. So that when he spotted his Uncle alone with a perverted smile on his lips as he scanned the crowds for his nephew. Harry slipped away into the crowds never to be seen by Vernon Dursley again, if Harry had anything to do with it!

But Harry wasn't happy. Not really. He was trying to deal with too many things. Yes, he liked fucking people but he never liked them. Sometimes he felt that Uncle Vernon was right he was just a whore. Then he met Sirius Black …

Sirius

Harry focussed on the thoughts of his godfather, his lover, the one that Harry was completely in love with. It may be wrong in so many ways but Harry couldn't so much as think of being with anyone else other than Sirius.

It was Sirius who Harry had told about what his Uncle had done to him. It was Sirius who gave him the escape. It was Sirius who was too moral to even consider sleeping with someone underage even if Harry loved the sex with Sirius. But it was more than that.

It was Sirius who made Harry happier than he had ever been.

Being apart from Sirius with no hope of return hurt Harry more than he had ever suspected it would. Sirius Black, godfather and convict, was the man Harry had given his heart to forever and always. Harry knew what Ron and Hermione would say if he told them what had happened between them. But happened it had and Harry wouldn't change it for the world.

Harry focussed on thoughts of Sirius rather than the thoughts of what Uncle Vernon had done to him. And probably still wanted to do to him Harry calmed down considerably. At least he was calm enough to remove his clothes without expecting to be raped.

Calmer now than he had been Harry turned on some of the taps all of which came in different colours. Harry presumed that they were different types of bubble bath mixed with water. Harry stripped down and got in the bath the water and it was on the hot side of warm but not scalding.

Harry took his time relaxing in the bath/swimming pool. Harry swore there were calming potions or something considering how it felt like his body was just floating away. Harry had never had a bath like this. True Harry's only baths had been almost drowned by Aunt Petunia in freezing cold water.

Harry reached outside the bath taking the golden egg. Harry opened the egg underwater. Harry dived under the water ignoring the stinging of his eyes when coming into contact with the bubble bath. He'd had worse after all.

Come seek us where our voices sound,
We cannot sing above the ground,
And while you're searching ponder this;
We've taken what you'll sorely miss,
An hour long you'll have to look,
And to recover what we took,
But past an hour, the prospect's black,
Too late it's gone, it won't come back

Harry quickly swam up again but he had to repeat it three times. Harry's memories had to have worsened since he had started Hogwarts. He used to be able to remember passages of books Harry read in the library.

After all, Harry had spent many days hiding from the bullies led by Dudley who hunted him in the library. Dudley and his gang of idiots would have died rather than enter a place of learning. The teachers hated Harry for his scruffy appearance and the fact they had been told he was a "trouble maker" by the Dursleys so blamed him whenever the other children said he started it.

Harry frowned wondering what something that could on sing under the water but not above ground. Harry frowned but he caught sight of the mermaid in the stained glass windows that was flicking her hair.

'Mermaids,' murmured Harry.

Fred and George were right. It couldn't be anything else but mermaids. Harry didn't know a lot about mermaids. He'd have to have Hermione read up on them and wondered if there were any way that they knew that allowed Harry to swim under water for an hour. He'd have to ask Hermione. if anyone would know it would be her. If not they'd have to once again hit the books.

It would have to be in the lake. Where else on Hogwarts property could mermaids live? That would mean of course that Harry would be expected to swim under water for an hour in February in the highlands of Scotland.

Harry spent another half an hour in the bath well he needed to learn to swim for the task. Plus the bath was the most wonderful wash he'd ever had. He would become a prefect just for this. Harry wondered who would become prefect next year. Out of the boys none of them were academically gifted across the board. Harry was excellent at Defence and Neville at Herbology. But none of them were studious. Harry had the advantage of being on the Quidditch team which should increase his chances and he had an Award for Services to the School. True Ron did too. So it would probably be Harry or Ron. It wasn't like the Gryffindor girls where Hermione came top of the year repeatedly.