Harry Potter screamed, the knife pressed into his neck let a steady flow of warm crimson flow down, further staining his once white Hogwarts uniform shirt. For days he had screamed himself hoarse, not a single inch of his exposed skin showed to be free of cuts, burns, or bruises. A chuckle of what had once been laughter followed by the snap of a camera shutter documented in perfect detail the gruesome sight that had become Harry Potter. Hours and hours of hard work had gone into preparing Harry for his media debut in Wizarding Britain; it wouldn't do to keep his adoring public in suspense any longer. It had been 2 months since Harry had been kidnapped from the grounds of Hogwarts. The papers had run non stop stories filled with every scrap of information they ever speculated on regarding Harry Potter.
(1 month, 2 weeks prior)
Headmaster Albus Dumbledor feared the worst. Harry Potter had been missing for 2 weeks with no word. An envelope lay on his desk opened and showed several muggle pictures and Albus knew he had feared the wrong worst. Harry Potter was shown bound in chains. His body bloody and bruised, deep jagged cuts crossed his torso and blackened charred skin showed through what remained of his Hogwarts uniform, complete with house tie and trim on his cloak. The note that accompanied the pictures promised that he wasn't the only ones to receive such a package, the head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement (DMLE) and the editor of the Daily Prophet would also be receiving a copy of the pictures, along with the promise of more to come each week.
Unknown to Albus Dumbledor the packet had been sent the previous evening to the editor of the Daily Prophet and many of the less gruesome pictures would be featured in this morning's paper. The more detailed and bloody pictures would never be published, even the Prophet had some standards.
Boy-Who-Lived Pictures Show Gruesome Fate for Boy Hero
The pictures that shocked the world tell a story that could only be true if the pictures were as well, and nobody hopes for such a thing. There are few things in this world worse than kidnapping a child, but to kidnap and torture the boy who lived is a new low even for dark lords. As seen in the pictures below Harry Potter was certainly still alive when they were taken, though in extreme pain he clearly has been tortured for the two weeks since his kidnapping from Hogwarts school of witchcraft and wizardry. Included with the pictures was a note made from clipping from newspapers claiming that the chief warlock Albus Dumbledor and head of the DMLE Amelia Bones would be receiving similar envelopes showing the fate of our boy hero. We must ask now who would do such a thing and what's being done to find them and Harry Potter should he still be alive? We at the prophet will follow up with any lead we can to assist in the rescue of Harry Potter and the pursuit of truth.
Harry Potter screamed and a chuckle was joined by a giggle
Amelia Bones was at her wits end, nobody could figure out how Harry Potter had been kidnapped, who had taken him, where he was, or anything. About the only solid fact she had about the boy was his age and Hogwarts grades. Now a packet of pictures and a letter claiming that more would follow sat on her desk and she fought to not be ill. He was the same age as her Susan, she forbade even the thought of imagining Susan in his position. Her eyes glistened as she forced herself to look at each picture in detail for any clues or information that may be hidden. The burn of Firewhiskey accompanied her third inspection. She had come in early as she had every day since the abduction. Three hours later the door to Amelia's office burst open slamming into the wall and shaking the floor, Minister Cornelius Fudge stormed in swinging a copy of the Daily Prophet and shouting incoherently to find the hardest woman, no the hardest Auror to ever sit the office sobbing, she cradled a framed photo to her chest with one hand, in the other a glass half full. On her desk a spread of pictures far more gruesome than the ones he had seen. Without a word he collected a glass and joined her at her desk, he may be an incompetent and corrupt minister, but even he had a heart that could break, he knew the story of Madam Bones family and the age of her niece, he had seen her picture on the womans desk plenty enough times.
Harry Potter screamed and a chuckle turned into a full laugh
At an ordinary house on a most ordinary street a very extraordinary conversation was taking place. Number 4 Privet drive looked perfectly normal from the street but inside a dozen red robed Aurors searched every inch with spells and eyes, the venomous looks cast at the family currently petrified on their own couch was largely due to the smallest bedroom in the house and the numerous modification that had been made to the door and window. When the cupboard under the stairs was opened and inspected the dursleys were moved to a ministry holding cell for their own protection. Some things were beyond even hardened veterans to tolerate with professional detachment. Though the search of the house and interrogation of the Dursley family under truth serum provided no clues as to Harry Potter's present location it did raise quite a few questions about his mysterious past that would need to be answered.
Through one of her former students, an Auror that had risen rapidly through the ranks, one of a small handful of favorites that included Lily Potter and Hermione Granger, Minerva McGonagall learned of Harry Potter's past. When it was revealed that his first Hogwarts letter was addressed to the cupboard under the stairs Minerva was furious, she had warned Albus that they were the worst sort, she had asked after Harry's well being year after year and was told that he was "doing splendidly, a very spirited boy, but well mannered". He had lied straight to her face and smiled while doing so. He wouldnt be smiling when she was through with him. He may not even be alive. How many times had she expressed her concern for Harry through his school years only to be told that he must learn to forgive and to handle his own problems. Her mind flashed back to all the times she had seen him flinch from a touch, or hoard food. She winced internally for everytime she was concerned but did nothing. She had failed, she failed the memory of her friends, she failed their son, she failed, her student and she had failed the school. How could she be allowed to be around children when she had failed so badly. She reached for her quill and sat extra straight in her hard backed chair. It was time for a change.
With immediate resignation in hand Professor Minerva Mcgonagall brushed past the gargoyle at the base of the stairs, it seems the statue knew what was good for it and leapt aside quickly without a word uttered. Only one educator would be descending the stairs soon, with the plethora of extremely poor decisions ranging from the philosopher's stone to the recent revelation of Harry Potter's home life, she could not in good conscious continue to work for the man. Either Albus Dumbledor stepped down from his position as headmaster or she would resign and take her story straight to the DMLE with a follow up to the Daily Prophet. But first she wanted answers.
Harry Potter screamed and then broke
A/N i know what i tagged it as
sneak peak of chapter 2
The chains holding Harry Potter to the ceiling of the grim and grimy dungeon vanished dropping him to the cold stone floor, he curled into himself, a ball that struggled to breath. Around him laughter could be heard from the two others in the cell. Tears streamed down his face as he struggled to breath and force words to form at the same time. "Her… Her.. Hermione. Ron he did. He screamed when the acromantula got him." he finally forced the words out and continued to shake on the floor. Across the room tears streamed down the face of his best friend Hermione Granger.