Wanted: Love
Ch5: Dementus Enhanent
"Ron! Ron, wake up!" shouted Fred shaking his brother roughly out of the dream he had been having. Ron rolled over onto his stomach and muttered something incomprehensible.
"Ron, you lazy prat, get up!" said George conjuring a bucket of frigid water and tipping it over Ron.
"Ahhhhh! What did you do that for!?" asked Ron angrily.
"Ron, its Harry, something's wrong with him!" said George.
"What? What's wrong with him?" asked Ron, suddenly wide awake.
"Don't know. Everyone's already down in the hospital wing." said Fred. Ron jumped out of bed, grabbed his cloak and ran out of the room, throwing on his cloak on over his pajamas.
Fred and George were right behind him and by the time the three reached the corridor leading to the hospital wing they could hear a loud commotion echoing out of the room. Entering the room was like entering a war zone. Ron couldn't see Harry but he could see just about everything else. His mom and Ginny were being held by Mr. Weasley, both crying. Sirius was yelling at Madame Pomfrey to do something and she was yelling back that she was doing all she could and for him to just calm down. Hagrid was blubbering by himself in a corner chair while Dumbledore, the only real composed one, was trying to console him.
Hermione and Lavender were out of sight but he could hear them pleading with Harry, "Harry, come on! Snap out of it!" Their panicked voices were rapidly getting louder.
Ron followed Hermione and Lavender's cries until he came upon a very disturbing scene. Lavender was standing next to Harry's bed, sobbing, but still managing to talk to Harry. Hermione was on her knees, shaking Harry's arm rather roughly, trying to get him to wake up. Harry, who was very pale and drenched in sweat, was having severe convulsions and gasping for breath every few seconds which made a very raspy sound. His face was contorted into one of that displaying great pain or agony.
"What the hell's going on?" asked Ron as he hurried over to them.
Hermione was too concentrated on Harry to notice that Ron had come but Lavender, who was only just barely more composed than Hermione, answered him, "Oh Ron! It's terrible! We don't know! He was fine one minute and then the next he just started to go crazy!"
With that said, Lavender threw herself into Ron's arms and cried on his shoulder.
"Can't you wake him up!?" asked Ron.
"No! We've been trying to ever since he started. He won't!" said Lavender.
Harry suddenly a very violent convulsion. His back arched a good three feet off the mattress and as he started to fall back down he gave another one which knocked him off the bed. As he hit the ground, Hermione gave a shriek and rushed over to him. She turned him over as Madame Pomfrey and the other adults hurried over. Pomfrey picked Harry up and put him back in the bed. Another convulsion and a gasp for breath, accompanied by a cough, forced some blood out of his mouth. Everyone immediately turned on Madame Pomfrey demanding that she do something. She shook her head, saying that there was nothing she could do.
"I don't know what's wrong with him. I've never seen this before." she said. Harry gave another convulsion, this time crying out a blood curtailing scream as if someone had just cast Crucio on him.
Twenty minutes later Harry had yet to get any better. His screams, which were now constant, echoed out of the hospital wing and into the corridor, attracting many students who were passing by. It was with great difficulty that those present in the wing managed to keep them out. Harry's chin was now drenched in blood that he continually coughed up.
Madame Pomfrey was beginning to panic, "His lungs may be filling with blood. If something's not done he could drown in it."
As they heard this, their pleas with Harry for him to wake up doubled. Hermione, Lavender, Ginny, and Molly were all hysterical at this point. They were all screaming at Harry to stop and Sirius and Arthur had to physically carry Hermione, Lavender, and Ginny away from Harry so they wouldn't accidentally harm him anymore by shaking him. Ron, Fred, and George quickly replaced them, however, and though they weren't quite as bad as the girls, they weren't much better.
"Harry, get-up-now!" shouted Ron shaking him. In response, Harry went through another set of convulsions, gasps, and coughs.
"Headmaster, I think it would be best if they children left." said Madame Pomfrey.
"I'm not going anywhere!" said Hermione, fighting against Sirius' grip, trying to get back to Harry. Her sentiments were quickly agreed with by the rest of the students.
"I believe you are right. There is nothing you can do. It would be best if you left and tried to calm down a bit." said Dumbledore.
"I'm not going!" shouted all of them.
"You can't do Harry any good right now. Madame Pomfrey needs quiet so she can try to figure out what's wrong with him. I assure you that you will be alerted the instant Harry awakens." said Dumbledore. The students still all argued with him and it took every adult in the room to get them out, using quite a few calming spells in the process.
Once peace, or as close to it as possible, was settled the adults gathered around Harry's bed.
"Don't you have any idea what's wrong with him?" asked Sirius.
"If I did then I would be doing something, wouldn't I?" asked Madame Pomfrey irritably. Hagrid was staring at the side of Harry's bed intently.
"What's that?" he asked pointing to an empty bottle lying next to Harry's pillow. Pomfrey picked it up and looked it over. Bringing it up to her nose she sniffed it then quickly brought it away with a look of disgust on her face.
"What is it?" asked Arthur.
"I'm not sure. It's certainly nothing of mine. The smell is awful." said Pomfrey.
"Arthur, I'm going to ask you to go to the Great Hall and fetch Severus. I'm certain that he'll be able to help us." said Dumbledore.
Arthur nodded and immediately took off, coming back a few minutes later followed by Severus Snape. When the two entered the hospital wing they were greeted by a loud piercing scream.
"What is it you wished to see me about, Professor?" Snape asked Dumbledore while casting a curious glance at Harry.
"Severus, we believe that Harry might have ingested some kind of potion. We need you to tell us what it is." said Dumbledore handing Snape the bottle. Snape took the bottle and sniffed it his eyes widened slightly but he kept his usual cold look about him. He poured the last few drops into the palm of his hand.
After staring at it for a moment he narrowed his eyes and looked up, "Voldemort." (AN: Snape says his name, right?) Everyone in the room stared at him.
"What?" croaked out Molly.
"This is Dementus Enhanent. It acts as a replacement for Dementors. It forces the victim to relive all their worst memories. Voldemort is the only one who has ever been capable of brewing it." explained Snape.
"So why is Harry in so much pain?" asked Sirius.
"Knowing Mr. Potter, I'd say that more bad memories than good ones. His bad ones are also probably both mentally and physically painful. Voldemort probably knew that and since Dementus Enhanent causes the memories to be realistic. . .He won't wake up until he lives through all of them. It is possible for him to die from the pain." said Snape.
"Die!?!?" shouted Molly, Arthur, Hagrid, and Sirius.
"Stop it! It wasn't my fault!" Harry shouted in his unconscious. Everyone in the room went silent as Harry yelled in his sleep.
"Uncle-" Harry was cut off and suddenly stopped all movement, falling limply back onto the bed.
Madame Pomfrey quickly felt for a pulse, "He won't last much longer."
_~_~_~_~
It was a very odd feeling, watching yourself get beaten up and pushed around. That was exactly what Harry was doing. He couldn't explain it really. He also couldn't find his voice. If he tried to speak nothing would come out. All he could do was watch the horrible memories of the past fifteen years flash before his eyes. Every time he faced Voldemort, every fight he had ever had with his friends, every time he had let someone down, each and every one of his conversations with Draco Malfoy and especially Professor Lockheart. And then there were the memories of his life with the Dursleys. Him being forced to do work while his miserable relatives sat around the television, him going to bed on an empty stomach or with cuts and bruises, being left at Mrs. Figg's while they went out to some party or for a day of shopping. But worst of all were the beatings given to him by his uncle. With every punch and every kick Harry could feel the pain not only being freshly pressed into his mind but inflicted onto his body.
In all honesty, Harry wish that he would just die. It was all proof of how no one really cared for him. He had always been alone and he would never be loved. He would just have to accept it. Why did his mother have to save him from Voldemort sixteen years ago? It would have just been kinder to let him die. Another pain in his stomach. Reverting his attention back to the scene playing before him he noticed that his uncle had just knocked the wind out of him. He didn't remember this ever happening.
'When was this?' Harry asked himself.
'Does it really matter?' asked another voice in his head.
'No, I guess it doesn't.' Harry responded mentally as the scene blacked out and a new one replaced it.
This one Harry instantly recognized. It had just happened during the summer after his fourth year at Hogwarts.
Harry trudged out of the garage of number 4 Privet Drive with a heavy box in his arms. His aunt and uncle had been working him doubly hard that summer though he couldn't really explain. Not that he cared. It was probably a punishment from God for leading Cedric to his death. So it was with no complaints that he did all the work he was told to do. Exactly what was in the box Harry didn't know. All he did know was that his aunt had told him to put it into the car and to be careful as its contents were very fragile. Still a bit sore from being knocked down the stairs that morning by Dudley, Harry was not in any mood to have to endure anything from his uncle so he was mindful as he could be. But the heavens were out to punish him as he had decided long ago and nothing ever worked out for him. It was then that Dudley and his new friends from Smeltings decided to show up and throw rocks at him. After a particularly large one hit him square in the back of his head, Harry lost his balance. Somehow his feet managed to get themselves tangled with the garden hose and it was that that started his downfall. As he started to fall he instinctively dropped the box in an attempt to brace himself for the impact with the ground.
He and the box hit the ground at the same time. And, although, Harry walked away with nothing more than a few scrapes, the items inside the box were not nearly as lucky. It turned out that a bunch of Petunia's good dinnerware was in it, Vernon was taking it to work for a company party. With the noise that he had made, Petunia rushed out of the house.
Far from caring that Harry had injured himself, not that she ever did to begin with, she started yelling at him about the dishes, "Those were my best dishes! How could you break them!?"
As she fumed she grabbed Harry by the ear and dragged him back inside the house. Once they were safe from the neighbors' eyes, in the kitchen, Petunia slapped him hard across the face. Harry didn't say anything but instead just brought a hand up to his cheek.
"You did that on purpose didn't you!? They cost me a fortune and you go and break them!" she shouted. Vernon, who had been sitting at the table, jumped at this.
"He did what!?" he yelled.
Harry tried to avert his eyes, he knew what was coming. It was bad enough that he had to relive the pain but he couldn't watch. He just couldn't. It was no use, though; his eyes were glued to the scene. All he could do was watch and wait.
Petunia, having completed her job, took her husband's place at the table and settled in to watch.
Vernon was in Harry's face, spraying him with spit as he spoke, "Can't you do anything right, you good for nothing little freak!?"
Harry stood there and faced him. He had been through enough of these to know what speaking would only get you in deeper and trying to run away was suicide. Vernon kept raving on about how Harry could never do anything right and how he was nothing but a burden and how he should have just dropped him off in an orphanage when they first got him and how he must have less brains than an slug if he couldn't even do something as simple as putting a box of dishes into the car. Harry, who usually would use some sort of retort to try to maintain some dignity, still said nothing. He kept his eyes on the floor, not daring to look up at his uncle and let fear get to him.
Vernon, who had finally stopped his verbal abuse, started with the physical. Balling up his fist, he punched Harry with such force that it sent him flying across the room and into the wall. Harry grabbed him stomach and coughed a couple of times, trying to regain his breath. Vernon had now crossed the room and standing in front of his nephew.
"Get up!" he shouted, kicking Harry in his side.
Harry wanted to obey, it was always worse when he didn't, but the message seemed to have gotten lost somewhere between his brain and his legs. So Harry braced himself, knowing that he likely wouldn't be able to do much else. Vernon seemed outraged, as Harry knew he would be, at the fact that Harry "disobeyed" him. He kicked Harry several more times before going to the other side of the kitchen for a minute then returning. Harry had lost his glasses and consequentially couldn't see anything. But from what he could make out, Vernon was carrying something long, pointy, and shiny.
'Oh god!' he mind screamed, 'It's a knife!' Vernon bent down to him and put the knife right under his chin.
"Think you can get away with wasting money and not get punished?" he said this menacingly and there was no denying the fear in Harry's eyes now. Vernon started to push the knife into his neck but Petunia quickly grabbed it away before it could kill him.
"What are you crazy!? Do you have any idea what they would do if you killed the boy?" Petunia asked.
Vernon glared at for a moment then nodded. She was right. He could hurt the boy all he wanted, just not kill. So instead, Vernon punched Harry across the face.
"Stop it! It wasn't my fault! Uncle-" Harry was cut short by Vernon grabbing his neck and beginning to choke him.
"Don't you tell me what to do? Of course it was your fault! How dare you lie to me!" he roared. Harry gagged and tried to respond but finally passed out from lack of air.
The scene faded and was replaced by another one which was then replaced by another and another and another. Scene after scene after scene replayed to him. After an eternity, however, the last scene of misery faded away but this time wasn't replaced by another one.
Instead, a voice echoed through the darkness, "Interesting, no one has ever made it this far before." The voice sounded so familiar. Where had he heard it before?
Surprisingly, Harry found that his voice did work, "Who are you?"
"That is not of importance. You have a decision to make." said the voice.
"What kind of decision?" asked Harry. "Wouldn't it be nice to be free of all that?" asked the voice. Without even thinking, Harry responded, "Yeah."
"I can help you." said the voice.
"How?" asked Harry.
"Choose a path." said the voice. Instantly two tunnels appeared in front of him.
"Which one?" Harry asked.
"The one to the left will end all your pain forever. But the one to your right will take you back to the real world, the world of pain and agony. There is no joy in that world. There is only one logical choice for you to make." said the voice.
It was apparent which one the voice thought Harry should take and for a moment, Harry completely agreed with it. It would be wonderful to be free of pain, to never have to face another day in the world where no one loved him. To be lost forever in complete and utter silence and oblivion sounded perfect. Harry took a few steps toward the left tunnel then hesitated. Something wasn't right. Whoever the voice was, it wasn't telling him something.
"I keep nothing from you." said the voice. Harry's eyes widened, could it read his mind?
"Yes, I can. Trust me. There is nothing for you down the right tunnel. You won't be happy there." said the voice. Harry nodded; there wasn't anything for him in the real world. It would only be subjecting himself once again to his personal hell. With that thought in mind, Harry started down the left tunnel.
Author's Note: I did it again, didn't I? Well, haha! I love writing cliffhangers! It seems to be the best way to get reviews! So go ahead! If you wanna find out what happens you have to do a little work. Review please!
LittleEar BigEar's sis: Well as you can see, he didn't exactly hurt Harry. . .he kind of did, though. But don't worry, there's plenty more Wormtail to come!
Katzztar: Alas, I know exactly how I'm gonna get them together. It's still a few chapters away but don't worry! It'll be worth it! I promise! Look for chapter 10!
Otaku Freak: K, I admit it, I love writing cliffhangers! But I'll promise you this, whenever I write one I promise to get the next chapter out within. . .let's say four days. Is that okay?
Dabbler: Yes, the lack of letters will be explained but probably not until the later chapters so you're just gonna have to wait, okay?
Zol: Thanks for reviewing! I really appreciate everyone I get!
Ch5: Dementus Enhanent
"Ron! Ron, wake up!" shouted Fred shaking his brother roughly out of the dream he had been having. Ron rolled over onto his stomach and muttered something incomprehensible.
"Ron, you lazy prat, get up!" said George conjuring a bucket of frigid water and tipping it over Ron.
"Ahhhhh! What did you do that for!?" asked Ron angrily.
"Ron, its Harry, something's wrong with him!" said George.
"What? What's wrong with him?" asked Ron, suddenly wide awake.
"Don't know. Everyone's already down in the hospital wing." said Fred. Ron jumped out of bed, grabbed his cloak and ran out of the room, throwing on his cloak on over his pajamas.
Fred and George were right behind him and by the time the three reached the corridor leading to the hospital wing they could hear a loud commotion echoing out of the room. Entering the room was like entering a war zone. Ron couldn't see Harry but he could see just about everything else. His mom and Ginny were being held by Mr. Weasley, both crying. Sirius was yelling at Madame Pomfrey to do something and she was yelling back that she was doing all she could and for him to just calm down. Hagrid was blubbering by himself in a corner chair while Dumbledore, the only real composed one, was trying to console him.
Hermione and Lavender were out of sight but he could hear them pleading with Harry, "Harry, come on! Snap out of it!" Their panicked voices were rapidly getting louder.
Ron followed Hermione and Lavender's cries until he came upon a very disturbing scene. Lavender was standing next to Harry's bed, sobbing, but still managing to talk to Harry. Hermione was on her knees, shaking Harry's arm rather roughly, trying to get him to wake up. Harry, who was very pale and drenched in sweat, was having severe convulsions and gasping for breath every few seconds which made a very raspy sound. His face was contorted into one of that displaying great pain or agony.
"What the hell's going on?" asked Ron as he hurried over to them.
Hermione was too concentrated on Harry to notice that Ron had come but Lavender, who was only just barely more composed than Hermione, answered him, "Oh Ron! It's terrible! We don't know! He was fine one minute and then the next he just started to go crazy!"
With that said, Lavender threw herself into Ron's arms and cried on his shoulder.
"Can't you wake him up!?" asked Ron.
"No! We've been trying to ever since he started. He won't!" said Lavender.
Harry suddenly a very violent convulsion. His back arched a good three feet off the mattress and as he started to fall back down he gave another one which knocked him off the bed. As he hit the ground, Hermione gave a shriek and rushed over to him. She turned him over as Madame Pomfrey and the other adults hurried over. Pomfrey picked Harry up and put him back in the bed. Another convulsion and a gasp for breath, accompanied by a cough, forced some blood out of his mouth. Everyone immediately turned on Madame Pomfrey demanding that she do something. She shook her head, saying that there was nothing she could do.
"I don't know what's wrong with him. I've never seen this before." she said. Harry gave another convulsion, this time crying out a blood curtailing scream as if someone had just cast Crucio on him.
Twenty minutes later Harry had yet to get any better. His screams, which were now constant, echoed out of the hospital wing and into the corridor, attracting many students who were passing by. It was with great difficulty that those present in the wing managed to keep them out. Harry's chin was now drenched in blood that he continually coughed up.
Madame Pomfrey was beginning to panic, "His lungs may be filling with blood. If something's not done he could drown in it."
As they heard this, their pleas with Harry for him to wake up doubled. Hermione, Lavender, Ginny, and Molly were all hysterical at this point. They were all screaming at Harry to stop and Sirius and Arthur had to physically carry Hermione, Lavender, and Ginny away from Harry so they wouldn't accidentally harm him anymore by shaking him. Ron, Fred, and George quickly replaced them, however, and though they weren't quite as bad as the girls, they weren't much better.
"Harry, get-up-now!" shouted Ron shaking him. In response, Harry went through another set of convulsions, gasps, and coughs.
"Headmaster, I think it would be best if they children left." said Madame Pomfrey.
"I'm not going anywhere!" said Hermione, fighting against Sirius' grip, trying to get back to Harry. Her sentiments were quickly agreed with by the rest of the students.
"I believe you are right. There is nothing you can do. It would be best if you left and tried to calm down a bit." said Dumbledore.
"I'm not going!" shouted all of them.
"You can't do Harry any good right now. Madame Pomfrey needs quiet so she can try to figure out what's wrong with him. I assure you that you will be alerted the instant Harry awakens." said Dumbledore. The students still all argued with him and it took every adult in the room to get them out, using quite a few calming spells in the process.
Once peace, or as close to it as possible, was settled the adults gathered around Harry's bed.
"Don't you have any idea what's wrong with him?" asked Sirius.
"If I did then I would be doing something, wouldn't I?" asked Madame Pomfrey irritably. Hagrid was staring at the side of Harry's bed intently.
"What's that?" he asked pointing to an empty bottle lying next to Harry's pillow. Pomfrey picked it up and looked it over. Bringing it up to her nose she sniffed it then quickly brought it away with a look of disgust on her face.
"What is it?" asked Arthur.
"I'm not sure. It's certainly nothing of mine. The smell is awful." said Pomfrey.
"Arthur, I'm going to ask you to go to the Great Hall and fetch Severus. I'm certain that he'll be able to help us." said Dumbledore.
Arthur nodded and immediately took off, coming back a few minutes later followed by Severus Snape. When the two entered the hospital wing they were greeted by a loud piercing scream.
"What is it you wished to see me about, Professor?" Snape asked Dumbledore while casting a curious glance at Harry.
"Severus, we believe that Harry might have ingested some kind of potion. We need you to tell us what it is." said Dumbledore handing Snape the bottle. Snape took the bottle and sniffed it his eyes widened slightly but he kept his usual cold look about him. He poured the last few drops into the palm of his hand.
After staring at it for a moment he narrowed his eyes and looked up, "Voldemort." (AN: Snape says his name, right?) Everyone in the room stared at him.
"What?" croaked out Molly.
"This is Dementus Enhanent. It acts as a replacement for Dementors. It forces the victim to relive all their worst memories. Voldemort is the only one who has ever been capable of brewing it." explained Snape.
"So why is Harry in so much pain?" asked Sirius.
"Knowing Mr. Potter, I'd say that more bad memories than good ones. His bad ones are also probably both mentally and physically painful. Voldemort probably knew that and since Dementus Enhanent causes the memories to be realistic. . .He won't wake up until he lives through all of them. It is possible for him to die from the pain." said Snape.
"Die!?!?" shouted Molly, Arthur, Hagrid, and Sirius.
"Stop it! It wasn't my fault!" Harry shouted in his unconscious. Everyone in the room went silent as Harry yelled in his sleep.
"Uncle-" Harry was cut off and suddenly stopped all movement, falling limply back onto the bed.
Madame Pomfrey quickly felt for a pulse, "He won't last much longer."
_~_~_~_~
It was a very odd feeling, watching yourself get beaten up and pushed around. That was exactly what Harry was doing. He couldn't explain it really. He also couldn't find his voice. If he tried to speak nothing would come out. All he could do was watch the horrible memories of the past fifteen years flash before his eyes. Every time he faced Voldemort, every fight he had ever had with his friends, every time he had let someone down, each and every one of his conversations with Draco Malfoy and especially Professor Lockheart. And then there were the memories of his life with the Dursleys. Him being forced to do work while his miserable relatives sat around the television, him going to bed on an empty stomach or with cuts and bruises, being left at Mrs. Figg's while they went out to some party or for a day of shopping. But worst of all were the beatings given to him by his uncle. With every punch and every kick Harry could feel the pain not only being freshly pressed into his mind but inflicted onto his body.
In all honesty, Harry wish that he would just die. It was all proof of how no one really cared for him. He had always been alone and he would never be loved. He would just have to accept it. Why did his mother have to save him from Voldemort sixteen years ago? It would have just been kinder to let him die. Another pain in his stomach. Reverting his attention back to the scene playing before him he noticed that his uncle had just knocked the wind out of him. He didn't remember this ever happening.
'When was this?' Harry asked himself.
'Does it really matter?' asked another voice in his head.
'No, I guess it doesn't.' Harry responded mentally as the scene blacked out and a new one replaced it.
This one Harry instantly recognized. It had just happened during the summer after his fourth year at Hogwarts.
Harry trudged out of the garage of number 4 Privet Drive with a heavy box in his arms. His aunt and uncle had been working him doubly hard that summer though he couldn't really explain. Not that he cared. It was probably a punishment from God for leading Cedric to his death. So it was with no complaints that he did all the work he was told to do. Exactly what was in the box Harry didn't know. All he did know was that his aunt had told him to put it into the car and to be careful as its contents were very fragile. Still a bit sore from being knocked down the stairs that morning by Dudley, Harry was not in any mood to have to endure anything from his uncle so he was mindful as he could be. But the heavens were out to punish him as he had decided long ago and nothing ever worked out for him. It was then that Dudley and his new friends from Smeltings decided to show up and throw rocks at him. After a particularly large one hit him square in the back of his head, Harry lost his balance. Somehow his feet managed to get themselves tangled with the garden hose and it was that that started his downfall. As he started to fall he instinctively dropped the box in an attempt to brace himself for the impact with the ground.
He and the box hit the ground at the same time. And, although, Harry walked away with nothing more than a few scrapes, the items inside the box were not nearly as lucky. It turned out that a bunch of Petunia's good dinnerware was in it, Vernon was taking it to work for a company party. With the noise that he had made, Petunia rushed out of the house.
Far from caring that Harry had injured himself, not that she ever did to begin with, she started yelling at him about the dishes, "Those were my best dishes! How could you break them!?"
As she fumed she grabbed Harry by the ear and dragged him back inside the house. Once they were safe from the neighbors' eyes, in the kitchen, Petunia slapped him hard across the face. Harry didn't say anything but instead just brought a hand up to his cheek.
"You did that on purpose didn't you!? They cost me a fortune and you go and break them!" she shouted. Vernon, who had been sitting at the table, jumped at this.
"He did what!?" he yelled.
Harry tried to avert his eyes, he knew what was coming. It was bad enough that he had to relive the pain but he couldn't watch. He just couldn't. It was no use, though; his eyes were glued to the scene. All he could do was watch and wait.
Petunia, having completed her job, took her husband's place at the table and settled in to watch.
Vernon was in Harry's face, spraying him with spit as he spoke, "Can't you do anything right, you good for nothing little freak!?"
Harry stood there and faced him. He had been through enough of these to know what speaking would only get you in deeper and trying to run away was suicide. Vernon kept raving on about how Harry could never do anything right and how he was nothing but a burden and how he should have just dropped him off in an orphanage when they first got him and how he must have less brains than an slug if he couldn't even do something as simple as putting a box of dishes into the car. Harry, who usually would use some sort of retort to try to maintain some dignity, still said nothing. He kept his eyes on the floor, not daring to look up at his uncle and let fear get to him.
Vernon, who had finally stopped his verbal abuse, started with the physical. Balling up his fist, he punched Harry with such force that it sent him flying across the room and into the wall. Harry grabbed him stomach and coughed a couple of times, trying to regain his breath. Vernon had now crossed the room and standing in front of his nephew.
"Get up!" he shouted, kicking Harry in his side.
Harry wanted to obey, it was always worse when he didn't, but the message seemed to have gotten lost somewhere between his brain and his legs. So Harry braced himself, knowing that he likely wouldn't be able to do much else. Vernon seemed outraged, as Harry knew he would be, at the fact that Harry "disobeyed" him. He kicked Harry several more times before going to the other side of the kitchen for a minute then returning. Harry had lost his glasses and consequentially couldn't see anything. But from what he could make out, Vernon was carrying something long, pointy, and shiny.
'Oh god!' he mind screamed, 'It's a knife!' Vernon bent down to him and put the knife right under his chin.
"Think you can get away with wasting money and not get punished?" he said this menacingly and there was no denying the fear in Harry's eyes now. Vernon started to push the knife into his neck but Petunia quickly grabbed it away before it could kill him.
"What are you crazy!? Do you have any idea what they would do if you killed the boy?" Petunia asked.
Vernon glared at for a moment then nodded. She was right. He could hurt the boy all he wanted, just not kill. So instead, Vernon punched Harry across the face.
"Stop it! It wasn't my fault! Uncle-" Harry was cut short by Vernon grabbing his neck and beginning to choke him.
"Don't you tell me what to do? Of course it was your fault! How dare you lie to me!" he roared. Harry gagged and tried to respond but finally passed out from lack of air.
The scene faded and was replaced by another one which was then replaced by another and another and another. Scene after scene after scene replayed to him. After an eternity, however, the last scene of misery faded away but this time wasn't replaced by another one.
Instead, a voice echoed through the darkness, "Interesting, no one has ever made it this far before." The voice sounded so familiar. Where had he heard it before?
Surprisingly, Harry found that his voice did work, "Who are you?"
"That is not of importance. You have a decision to make." said the voice.
"What kind of decision?" asked Harry. "Wouldn't it be nice to be free of all that?" asked the voice. Without even thinking, Harry responded, "Yeah."
"I can help you." said the voice.
"How?" asked Harry.
"Choose a path." said the voice. Instantly two tunnels appeared in front of him.
"Which one?" Harry asked.
"The one to the left will end all your pain forever. But the one to your right will take you back to the real world, the world of pain and agony. There is no joy in that world. There is only one logical choice for you to make." said the voice.
It was apparent which one the voice thought Harry should take and for a moment, Harry completely agreed with it. It would be wonderful to be free of pain, to never have to face another day in the world where no one loved him. To be lost forever in complete and utter silence and oblivion sounded perfect. Harry took a few steps toward the left tunnel then hesitated. Something wasn't right. Whoever the voice was, it wasn't telling him something.
"I keep nothing from you." said the voice. Harry's eyes widened, could it read his mind?
"Yes, I can. Trust me. There is nothing for you down the right tunnel. You won't be happy there." said the voice. Harry nodded; there wasn't anything for him in the real world. It would only be subjecting himself once again to his personal hell. With that thought in mind, Harry started down the left tunnel.
Author's Note: I did it again, didn't I? Well, haha! I love writing cliffhangers! It seems to be the best way to get reviews! So go ahead! If you wanna find out what happens you have to do a little work. Review please!
LittleEar BigEar's sis: Well as you can see, he didn't exactly hurt Harry. . .he kind of did, though. But don't worry, there's plenty more Wormtail to come!
Katzztar: Alas, I know exactly how I'm gonna get them together. It's still a few chapters away but don't worry! It'll be worth it! I promise! Look for chapter 10!
Otaku Freak: K, I admit it, I love writing cliffhangers! But I'll promise you this, whenever I write one I promise to get the next chapter out within. . .let's say four days. Is that okay?
Dabbler: Yes, the lack of letters will be explained but probably not until the later chapters so you're just gonna have to wait, okay?
Zol: Thanks for reviewing! I really appreciate everyone I get!