Gold - Part 5

By: Mikee

This story is the product of my own mind (muddled though it may be). The characters are, sadly, not mine. They belong to J. K. Rowling. I just play with them, and bend them to my will occasionally. Occasionally they see fit to take over the story, and then I am at the mercy of their will.

Warning: Child abuse.

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Severus awoke and saw the glow begin to grow around Harry. It was getting bigger and brighter, but it was going around Albus, and not drawing him in. As it grew it approached Severus, engulfing him. It drew him to Harry just as it had done in the dungeon. Severus rose from his bed wishing he could refuse the pull, but at the same time wanting to do whatever he could to help the boy.

Just as the glow closed around Severus, Harry sat up with an almighty scream. He was pushing Albus and Severus away from him. The gold glow parted and allowed Albus to step away, but it closed around Severus trapping him.

Harry began to plead for Severus to go away. He said he didn't want Severus to be hurt, and there was no way for him not to be hurt if he went with Harry.

"Harry, where are you going."

"Back."

"Child," Albus asked, "why?"

"It's my … I just must."

Albus and Severus just looked at each other for a long second before Severus asked, "Harry, why am I…?"

"Please, Se… Professor, please don't come with me, please get away. Save yourself."

With that the gold glow let Severus exit, and Harry cried as he laid back down. The room became almost unbearably hot as the glow grew. Albus and Severus stepped back, and Severus heard Harry's voice in his head telling him to "go, leave, go away." As Severus turned to leave he heard Harry's voice softly in his head say, 'I'm sorry, Professor."

Severus turned toward Harry's bed as he went through the door, and although Harry's eyes were closed, nodded once to the boy in acknowledgement of the apology.

Severus exited the Hospital Wing and made his way to the library. He hoped to find the books Harry had been reading. He wondered if Harry knew what was happening, and hope against hope, maybe the boy had seen fit to research it. Severus also wondered if this was something, some spell, Harry had cast on himself for some reason. He searched the shelves time and time again, but could not figure out what books Harry had been reading. After returning every day for four days he gave up.

In the weeks that followed Harry was inexplicably quite. He went to his classes and was excelling at his studies. He even exceeded Hermione's grades, but he wasn't talking to anyone. He had spoken to Hermione the first few days after he was released from the Hospital Wing, but that was all.

Severus asked Hermione to stay after class the first day of February and asked what Harry had told her. Her answer was disappointing to say the least. She said she had asked him what was wrong and all Harry had told her was that he was "healing himself for his bond-mate-to-be.' Both Hermione and Ron had decided to give him space. They still walked with him, but didn't try to engage him in conversation. Severus thanked her for her time and released her to her next class.

Whispers followed Harry wherever he went in the castle except when he was in Gryffindor Tower. The other children teased him about being the newest ghost in the castle as he was seen and not heard. And sometimes he wasn't even seen. Harry didn't act as if he heard any of the taunting. He made no response, neither physical nor vocal. Severus thought Harry was using an Obscuro charm to make himself unnoticeable and allow himself to blend in with his surroundings.

Just before Easter break Albus received a letter from Harry's uncle Vernon demanding Harry be sent home for the holidays. Before calling Harry to his office to see if Harry wanted to go Albus summoned Severus to his office, "Severus, do you remember your time in the gold glow with Harry?"

The younger wizard's eyes grew distant as he answered, "It's something I'll never forget, Albus."

"Harry's Uncle has demanded I send him home for the holidays, and I was wondering if you would put the memories from your encounter in a pensive for me. I need to know what he has endured. I don't want to send him there, but I need concrete reasons for denying his Uncle's demands."

"Albus, I will do as you ask, but you need to think before you view the memories. You need to be prepared for the worst. His uncle's 'punishments' rival the cruelty of Voldemort himself."

"I will consider your advice, Severus. I'll expect the pensive by the end of the day. Thank you."

Albus did consider Severus' words, but decided that for Harry's safety he was obligated to view the Potion Master's memories of Harry's childhood. He took his wand and instructed the pensive to start at the beginning. Feeling the familiar pull of a pensive, Albus fell into Harry's life. He didn't hear his office door open, nor did he hear the footsteps as they grew closer. Suddenly, he didn't know how long he'd been in Harry's life, but suddenly he was standing behind his desk again. Strong arms held him up as he collapsed to his knees sobbing as a crushing grief engulfed him.

"I didn't know… I just didn't know. I knew he didn't like going to his relative's, but I didn't know…" Albus sobbed.

Severus helped the older wizard to his feet and over to his chair. "Albus, you can't permit Harry to go back there… again."

"Of course you are right, but I fear his uncle will have something to say about that."

"And so shall we, Albus, so shall we."

"Severus, what are you saying?"

"What I'm saying is that we need to press charges against the bastards who have been torturing the boy. We can have him tried in a Magical-Muggle court, that way my pensive will be permitted as evidence. You know Harry won't want to testify, and without the pensive, his uncle will get off. I will also offer to submit to Veriterisium if it will help."

"Severus, are you sure you want to relive the memories?"

"If there is a chance we can relieve Harry of just one fear in his life, isn't it my duty to do so. Besides, I know the memories I have of his life are a mere fraction of what he's been through. He has so many more, I can surely deal with reliving the few I have. Can you please arrange for the arrest of his uncle?"

"Old Moody has taken a liking to Harry. I'll ask him to arrange the arrest and trial."

"Very well. Would you like me to inform Harry?"

"I think it would be best, but I'd like to be there."

"As you wish."

Severus and Albus did tell Harry, but they didn't get the reaction they expected. Harry sat unblinking as he listened to them. When they were finished explaining the process, Harry began to glow again. This time both Albus and Severus were pulled into the scene.

"Damn you, boy. I told you we were having ham steaks for breakfast, not bacon." Screamed Uncle Vernon. As he was yelling he raised the red-hot frying pan and swung it at Harry's head. Both Albus and Severus screamed in pain as the pan connected with Harry's head. Harry fell to the floor unconscious. His condition didn't deter Vernon. Vernon began to kick the downed boy, and Albus and Severus felt each kick and screamed in pain as each blow connected with the boy.

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