Chapter 7 – In Darkest Night
(A.N. Scenes of violence and child abuse ahead. I'll try and keep further descriptions out of the rest of this story. CC)
November 3rd , 1980
I've taken two days to think about what I'm going to write next about the rest of that day that Hermione Granger met Harry Potter. And what specifically happened after she lost sight of the confused and frightened boy. Mum, although not happy to go through her memories again, will write her account later as I was not very aware of my location or circumstances during part of the following hours.
August 5, 1988
Although it was my intention to flee the Zoo and its parking lot once I ran away from the Reptile House, I ended up being too scared to completely abandon the only 'family' I had ever known. Fearing that the Dursleys might launch a missing person report or panicked that they might not, I simply hung around Uncle Vernon's car in the hope I would just be shuttled quickly back to my cupboard under the stairs and forgot about until my relatives might eventually calm down.
I sat on the ground next to the rear door of the car trying to hide myself from prying or curious eyes. Although it was nice to meet Hermione and her mum, I certainly didn't want to have the Grangers to have any other confrontations with my relatives.
It was almost a half hour after coming back to the car that I finally saw my cousin and his friend Piers. They each had a pair of towels, one around their necks and another tied around their waists to help dry off their pants. The Zoo logo was on all of the towels so I suspected that the people working at the Zoo had given the towels from their on-hand stock, instead of from the Zoo store we had passed on our way in. Likewise, Uncle Vernon was similarly equipped although he was being walked to the car with a couple of Zoo officials and one annoyed looking bobby. Aunt Petunia was staring ahead as if to say she wasn't involved with anything or anyone – relative or not. For once, I didn't blame her.
When I stood up, instead of rushing at me like I expected Dudley and his friend only grinned and began snickering. I moved to the front of the car so I could evade them if they decided to try and surround me. There were also a couple of nearby cars I could try to hide behind if I needed to.
"You are so getting it Freak," Dudley sneered, " Dad had to pay out 150 quid to help pay for the damages and toward the capture of that snake. You are in SO MUCH trouble, I don't expect to see you out of your 'room' for the rest of the summer."
"I'm staying over tonight, so I can watch your punishment" Piers cackled with apparent glee. Looking up again, I saw that Aunt Petunia was again glaring at me in a most unhealthy way. Uncle Vernon was still busy talking to the three officials. I suspected he was trying to get his money back and/or blaming the glass enclosure of the snake exhibit of being defective. I didn't think he was upset enough to try and blame me but you could never tell if/when Vernon lost his temper.
I backed up cautiously around the next car as all the adults arrived at the Dursley's car. Aunt Petunia got in the front seat with her head held rigidly and steadfastly staring forward. The policeman escorted Vernon to his door and he (Uncle Vernon) only glowered at me and barked out for me to "Get in the back!"
Piers stood aside to let me have the middle again but was surprised when he was asked to sit in the middle next to my cousin. I'm sure I looked surprised at that but Uncle Vernon said loudly that I was "holding up those fine gentlemen from their duties by dawdling". I jumped into the car as fast as I could.
The two zoo people and Officer MacGyver stood by watching Uncle Vernon back out of his parking space and drive toward the exit. Vernon kept a careful on them until they quit watching us and walked back to the zoo proper. He turned left after a few minutes of driving and parked behind a Tesco. The backhand fist to my head caught me by surprise as I was expecting him to open my door before attacking me.
Slightly stunned, I was leaning against the door to avoid Piers anticipated attack when the door was suddenly opened behind me. I tumbled out all the way to the ground, hitting the other side of my head. I had no chance to move as Uncle Vernon grabbed me up by the collar, slightly choking me off from breathing. I was quickly carried to the rear of the car and it was Dudley who laughingly opened up the boot with the car keys that Aunt Petunia had given him.
"Don't think this is over boy! You'll be punished properly when we get home. Don't go beating on the boot as NO ONE will come to your rescue. No one thinks you're worth the effort. Get in there!"
While Vernon was saying that, I was flung headlong into the boot, among the empty bottles, bags of trash, spare tire and other miscellaneous items. When I tried to regain my senses, I realized I had just made a horrible mistake. Barely able to breathe again I wasn't totally aware if my surroundings and had the boot lid slammed down hard on the top of my head! I passed out from that blow before I felt the Dursley's car start moving again.
I lay unconscious for a while in the boot. I came to when I felt the car rock as people opened the doors and climbed in. I had a horrible headache and had blood in my mouth that had ran down my face from where the boot lid had crowned me. I was dizzy but fought off the nausea and urge to throw up as the car drove on. I wasn't sure where I (or the car) was as I listened to the Dursleys and Piers discussing their supper and day at the zoo.
I was half awake when the car made a final turn and then stopped. I heard the engine shut off and heard 4 doors slam as Uncle Vernon, Aunt Petunia, Dudley and Piers headed inside. I missed the sound of the front door of the house opening or closing and the silence in that boot grew pretty loud. In fact the only sounds I heard for a while were a few passing cars and the lonely bark of the McCain's Bassett Hound two streets over.
Much later after I had fallen into an uneasy and uncomfortable sleep, I was unceremoniously woke up. The boot lid was unlocked, raised up and Uncle Vernon's pudgy hand reached in and hauled me out of the boot. He then….
.. Sorry, I need a small break…
(It took two weeks after I physically recovered from that night until I finally remembered some of what happened to me. I relived the memory, fainted and came to crying on someone's shoulder. It was my new guardian and she held me until I cried myself back to sleep. A couple of hours later she was sitting in a chair by my bed and handed me a Calming Draught first off. I was never pressured to tell anyone what happened but I eventually did over an afternoon tea with my new Mum and Aunt Andie.)
Vernon (I can't really call him Uncle anymore!) dragged/pushed me into the house. I briefly noticed the outside and hallway lights were both turned off before I was struck in the back with what I believe was Dudley's cricket bat. Stunned from behind, I seemed to have bit my lip (or the inside of the mouth?) as I fell. But I was laying down in front of my cupboard. It was too late to get away from my Uncle. He dragged me to my feet again and tied my hands together behind my back with some cord he had found. He was almost gleeful as he boasted that he was finally going to get 'the freakiness out of me'. I expected then to be thrown into the cupboard under the stairs but was fearfully mistaken.
I was dragged over to another door; this one leading to stairs to the cellar. I was pushed forward by a shove to my back and heard Uncle Vernon yelling to Dudley and Piers. He was telling them to go back upstairs and resume their gameplaying.
I lost my balance again and tumbled almost the entire length of the stairs. Sprawled across the concrete floor, I had just managed to turn over and get to my knees before…
A pudgy fist hit me right between the eyes…
…
( Bitty just arrived with a big cup of her marvelous hot chocolate. I've not figured out yet how she knows when I'm upset and need a pick-me-up.
….
… Much better now. I can continue)
… …
When I became aware of my surroundings again, I found I was standing sort of upright with the cord binding my hands over my head and hung over a nail that was in one of the beams in the ceiling. I could just barely stand on my toes to relieve the pressure on my arms!
Vernon dragged my chin up until I was staring him in the face. His face was a mixture of gloating and madness and I suddenly feared what might happen to me next.
"This is the end of your freakishness for once and for all boy. I've reached the end of my patience and generosity toward you with what happened today. You will never insult, embarrass, or cost my family any more with your unholy and evil behavior any longer. We've fed you and put a roof over your head and this was your response? Not a sign of gratitude but having the officials of the Zoo and that Bobby threaten criminal charges over what you did? Your family was good-for-nothings and you have certainly followed them in spite of how we have cared for you!"
Vernon took off his belt (which surprisingly didn't cause his trousers to fall down). He coiled it up in his right hand so that the two-pronged buckle was hanging at the end of a length of thirty inches of 2 inch wide black leather. He casually reached out and ripped the oversized shirt I was wearing and threw it on the ground.
"You will regret ever showing up on our doorstep and bringing that freakiness into a proper English home." That was the last thing he said as he began whipping me. Vernon did 5 lashes on my back and then stepped to my other side to begin again. I refused to utter a word; this had happened before and I was pretty used to a certain level of pain.
But then, unlike before, he didn't stop! The strap hit my front, my sides, my legs, my neck. Vernon began to cackle as he saw the buckle did into my flesh and blood began to run down my body and drip onto the floor.
I soon lost count of the blows that I had received and the pain became even too much for me to handle and I began to try and move out of the way of that belt. It didn't help. My uncle began striking me harder (if that was possible) and deliberately reached for unmarked area on my body to hit. One between my shoulderblades finally broke my resolve and I began crying out in pain and begging for mercy or for the punishment to end!
It didn't. Not to my knowledge anyway. The pain finally drove me under and I slump down to the relief of unconsciousness
I don't know how long the beating continued. I only knew it had stopped when I was lifted off that nail and fell to the floor in a heap. That jolt forced my eyes open for a second and I saw Vernon drop the leather belt as he turned off the lights and headed back up the stairs.
I couldn't move, I daren't move. Every joint, every piece of my flayed skin hurt and I could feel the blood continue to pool under where my body lay. I was wondering if this were the last time I would be dealing with my uncle. Whether I would finally rejoin my missing mother and father - if there was a hereafter to meet them in
I couldn't concentrate on anything; my thoughts and emotions scattered and fled against the pain and the terrible effort to even continue breathing.
'I should move out of the blood…'
'I… should…move… out…'
'I …. sho .. uld… mo…'
'I…I.. shou…'
'I… GOD IT HURTS!…'
'I… .… … .'
************** DPC ****************
(Vernon Dursley had to wash his hands twice in the kitchen sink to get them clean. Looking down at his outfit, he grimaced and then sneered! His shoes, parts, and forearms of his shirt were speckled with the freak's blood. It may not be able to get cleaned properly, all due to that boy. 'It would be his fault that I have to spend good well-earned money to replace my own clothes.'
Drying his hands finally, Vernon considered if taking the family out to breakfast before he headed out to work might be a good idea. 'The freak certainly won't recover from that correction until at least dinner time.'
Climbing the stairs, Vernon poked his head into Dudley's room to caution the two boys about the time and to try and remain quiet. He waddled into the main bedroom, stripped off his soiled clothes, and donned some silk pajamas Petunia laid out for him. Looking at the clock, he found it coming up on 9:30. He shook his head slowly and then reached up to massage his right shoulder for a moment or two. He thought it might ache in the morning but it was really satisfying to finally get even with the freak and beat him!)
************ DPC ****************
[ Repressed Memory … (recovered 3 months(!) further along)
Something woke me. I knew it was bad ( or was it I was in bad) shape? I hurt everywhere ! My toes were, I think, the only think that felt normal. I had blood in my mouth, and the breathing through my nose was suspiciously fluid – maybe a broken nose or inhaled blood. I knew not and cared less.
I felt my body dripping from various locations but I didn't dare move a finger to explore or try to stop the blood loss. I somehow knew it would cause more pain and might banish the barely-there awareness I had come to.
I tried opening my eyes. One worked and the other failed to respond. I didn't know if it was either blood-clotted or swollen shut from injury(s?). The cellar was dark and I could see the outline of the stairs because of the streetlight that came through the two cellar windows that faced the street.
The reason for awaking soon flared. My forehead; specifically, my scar. It throbbed, it felt like it was moving. Pulsing, reaching, subsiding- all at the same time.
The pressure grew, retreated a bit but then continued to grow. Ever larger. The movement of my head to the pressure from the scar threw my pain levels dangerously high and I felt weak. Almost to the point of passing out again. I couldn't stop it; I couldn't reach for it.
With a scream out that I didn't think I could still make, the scar burst open! Blood and a black-feeling evilness ran down my face and I was tossed sideways in response to the force of the ejection. My eyes (even the clotted one) opened in shock even as I cried from the agony of the movement. I saw a black cloud of particles, vapors, or something rising over my body as another wave of pain hit me.
It was strange however as the feelings faded as if I had gained something better in the horrible departure. The pain returned in force then and I passed out once again. I wondered as I faded back under if I would be joining my parents. Or laying on that floor until the Dursley's found a way to get rid of the body.
… End of Repressed Memory ]
I hope I never have to write or talk about that particular memory again. It sickens me to even think about it.
It was poised to me that whatever evil had lain in my cursed scar had grabbed whatever magic I might have possessed to enable itself to flee. That was a horrible thought – that something had enough awareness to steal magic from me. Or whomever had laid magic on me.
That discussion will take place at another time. It's too late tonight for Mum to contribute her part! Maybe her next night home?
************ DPC ****************
*************** Ministry of Magic **************
Classified Document – Ministerial Eyes Only
Subj: Class V Incident Report
Office of Magical Misuse
Date: August 5, 1988
Time: 9:57 PM
Report by: Auror 1st Class Amelia S. Bones
To: Millicent Bagnold, Minister of Magic,
Constance Bennett, Head of DMLE
I had been on duty to the Misuse of Magic Office for three hours before the event happened. A blinding flare of light issued from the magical map of Great Britain and the alarm went off for the Class V incident. The three Department employees snapped to worked verifying the amount of magical use and began the process of triangulating the exact coordinates the flare of magic occurred at.
I called for the two other Aurors assigned for tonight's duty (Auror Samuel Simpson, Auror Shacklebolt) to stand ready for deployment. Two stationed Obliviators (Unspeakables Destry and Waylings) moved to the portkey station with wands deployed. I called for an additional backup of a squad of Aurors and team of Obliviators as per regulations concerning Class V incidents. It was a matter of two minutes for the coordinates of the outlash were turned into a portkey.
The two Obliviators and we three Aurors raised shields and Disillusionment Charms as is standard procedure for all reports in a muggle neighborhood. With all preparations finished, I activated the newly made portkey to transfer us to the village of Little Whining.
Arriving at our destination, we barely beat the regular response of Policemen and Fire Department vehicles to the location:
Privet Drive, suburb of London, thirty some miles from the Ministry of Magic.
Specifically #4 from seeing the addresses of the surrounding houses. The house is question was destroyed by an immense power of unknown origin or unknown person! The top floor and roof of the building were simply gone and the 1st floor had been blasted outward for a radius of 50 meters in all directions. A muggle car had been flipped over on its side in the driveway of the house.
Auror Shacklebolt started to record the magical signatures of the area and immediately said there were two fading signatures but he hoped to record them for tracing when the crisis had settled. The Obliviators were moving toward the gathering crowd of neighbors and official responders with the idea of modifying the memories of the cause of the destruction.
I hoped the backup I had called for arrived soon. As I cautiously approached the site under disillusionment, I saw that there were four (4) bodies unmoving amongst the wreckage!
The sound of other Ministry people appearing around me set me to assigning …..
