Section Three – Silence
If it had been any other reason for meeting Tom Harry would have felt rude but as it was he was not sulking just really disappointed at everyone. He sat in silence for the entire fifty five minuets it took to reach Jubelea house. Harry hadn't paid much attention to the signs whizzing past so wasn't sure where he was, he didn't even understand why he had to be taken to here. The best he could come up with was his aunt didn't want him back and Sirius had abandoned him for some reason again and Harry was sure he hadn't been too horrible to Sirius. Harry did try his best not to hate him but by the time they got to where ever it was they were going he did.
"We're here Harry; I hope you find it comfortable." They were pulling into a long gravel drive that looked like a cross between a big house and a small old fashioned school. Later Harry discovered that it was.
Getting out of the car and following Tom at a much slower pace Harry was led up the front steps to the main entrance which he slipped on and fell clumsily to the floor. Tom stepped back from the door and helped Harry up despite Harry's mumbles of not needing and noticed this time Harry's failed attempt to cover the blood up he had started coughing.
As they made there way past the various rooms down a long corridor Harry caught a few glimpses of other kids wandering round quiet happy and chatting. He hoped some day he could be as care free as that but knew it would probably never happen. One or two of them said hello but Harry merely shrugged and moved on quickly behind Tom.
"Come in here Harry I want you to meet my colleague. This way Harry.' They entered into a room with a sign on the door that he could only guess said office as he was only guessing the way in front of him. Harry hadn't noticed the two kids staring at him from the stairs.
'Harry this is Jeremy and he works here full time, lives under the stairs and everything." Harry must have looked shocked as he thought back to the hours he spent locked under the stairs with out any food. Everything just seemed more painful now he couldn't understand it never used to affect him before. He just laughed it off but now it felt like salt in re opened wounds.
"What's the matter Harry you've suddenly gone pale." Tom asked sitting down next to Harry.
"My uncle used to lock me in the cupboard under the stairs for hours when he was fed up of me." Harry croaked staring at the floor.
"Oh I'm sorry it was only a joke I didn't realise." Tom quickly added annoyed that he had been so insensitive. He usually tried his best not to make jokes that conjured up bad memories. Harry however stared at the floor remembering Hermione's face of horror when Harry told her how he was treated. He had laughed it off but she was mortified on his behalf.
Jeremy and Tom exchanged worried looks before Tom carried on.
"Yes well this is Jeremy and if you have any problems feel free to talk to him he's always about." He explained as Harry looked up and squinted slightly at the man in front of him.
"Hello Harry. Do you have any clothes or anything with you?" Harry shook his head and really whished he hadn't because his eye's stared to water with the pain it created. All he wanted to do was lie on his bed a t Hogwarts in the dark and rest in silence.
"Never mind we can dig some out from somewhere for you. Now let's sit down in the living room and I'll tell you a little about us." Harry was led into a comfortable looking room with lots of big squashy chairs and sofa's. They sat at one end Harry careful not to be to close to anyone and at the other end was a girl a little older than Harry and two boy's a little younger than Harry talking. The eldest boy upon seeing Harry jumped up to come say hello.
"So is this Harry. To share a room with me? I'm James by the way, don't worry it isn't that bad here. I hope your stay is short and sweet." Harry tried to say hello but started coughing and when he looked back up James was gone.
"Yes well James is quiet right, your to share a room with him and I'm sure he's be happy to show you but first I have to explain some rules." James it seemed hadn't wondered far and was reading a comic at the other side of the room listening.
Harry was told how most the people here had either one or two parents that were for whatever reason they couldn't take care of them. Harry upon hearing this had the horrible feeling he mite be the only orphan in the building but he couldn't understand why he felt so selfish.
Harry sat and listened as he was told about the rules, you have to be in your bedroom by ten and lights go out at eleven. Breakfast is at seven thirty and tea is at six also it was frowned upon to skip meals for any reason and although Harry was listening and he must of looked it Harry still had a dreadful feeling in the pit of his stomach that something important was missing and it wouldn't go away.
Later Harry not really interested in much found himself being shown by James their room, the bathroom and more basic things like where to put your washing and when it was his turn to help out with the chores. It wasn't much compared to what he was made to do at the Dursley's but James and Terry the other boy Harry had first met seemed to think it was a big deal. Things continued like this until tea time when Harry finally saw all fifteen of the other kids currently staying and a young women who also worked with Jeremy and Tom called Liza.
Harry thought she seemed rather nice and friendly but that may have been because all she asked him about was the weather and how he liked his toast. She didn't look at his scar either like the other kids and didn't try to jolly him along like Jeremy and James.
AS he sat down at the table though next to James the other kids staired at him as the new kid and he really wished they wouldn't talk to him.
"What's your second name Harry or do you not know?" A skinny looking blonde girl asked.
"Potter." Harry replied not looking up.
"Do you have a middle name Harry Potter." Harry didn't look up he hated that name now not because of any dislike to his father or anything, he just hated all the baggage that came with it, like his scar.
"James." Harry replied not thinking about what he was saying much, he wished he had a father like him, like Ron does. Harry was trying consciously to be friendly but he must have come across more interested in his beans than anything else.
"So is it a temporary stay for you or what?" The skinny girl continued neglecting her food.
"I don't know probably go back to school in September." Harry replied thinking about weather or not these muggles would let him after all he could hardly tell them he wanted to go to a wizarding school where you could only really get to if you went through a solid brick wall to platform nine and three quarters.
"You might not get in round here it's really full." Another boy explained.
"I go to a privert school. I live there through the year." Everyone in the room seemed really surprised to here this and some even staired open mouthed at him.
"Is it a good school or a bad school for bully's?" Another girl asked about Harry's age but Harry didn't pay much attention.
"It's a good school very exclusive. My father was a close friend of the headmaster." Harry replied thinking about sneaking off quick to be alone.
"Yeah really! Why would you be here if your father was that well connected and that rich to send you to posh boy school? I think you're a lying Pom. So where are you really from?" She asked sarcastically. Harry just ignored her and finished his toast. He caught a sight of the other kids faces when he took a sip of water and couldn't understand it.
"Harry you don't have to listen to here say stuff like that. Why don't you defend yourself?" James whispered.
"What's the point she's just an insecure little brat that's being dumped here?" He repilied normally for the first time.
"You don't know what a Pom is do you? You've never been in care before have you?" Terry asked from his other side.
"No. Like I said I spend most my time at school." Harry stopped speaking then he wasn't interested he just wanted to go away and be by himself. Harry's head felt like it was about to crack open and his scar kept prickling like mad almost making his eyes water as he rubbed them.
"What's that on your forehead?" A boy called Matt asked. Harry looked at him he couldn't be more than thirteen so he just flattened his scruff hair down and ignored him.
"Leave him alone it's only his first day." A girl complained from the far end of the table. She was much older than the others making them be quiet for a while but it didn't last, Matt and the blonde girl apparently call Amy wanted to know more.
"What happened to your parents Harry, how come you ended up here?" She asked but Harry wouldn't look at her he merely stared at his legs holding back water from his eyes last thing he needed was them to water from pain weather it was emotional or physical.
"Leave him alone Amy, he doesn't have to answer to you." James argued.
"Shut up squirt I'm curious, we don't have secrets here. What happened to your family Harry? I hear you got taken into hospital after you were beat up real bad." Harry ignored her she was a nosy cow and he had more important things to worry about like Hedwig, Hermione and Ron. Another boy however decided to join in who Harry later found out was Andrew, Amy's little brother.
"You look it face bashed up like that. I mean look you can hardly sit up straight and your arms all bandaged up." He reached across the table to tug on Harry's sleeve. But Harry was quicker and although thin it was his wand arm and Harry's fingers grasped tightly around the boy's wrist squeezing tightly until the boy's eye's watered and Harry caught sight of James and let go.
Harry wasn't overly fond of James he seemed a bit weird but growing up with the Dudley well adapt at getting along with people who were odd. After all not many could say they were friends with a girl like Luna.
"So who knocked you about then Harry, I bet it was your dad. Yeah you have the look of a drunkard father." Amy put in with a snide face and a hissing voice. She must be the equal to Malfoy Harry wondered looking up into her face from behind his long dark hair and pale skin. Harry stared her down he wasn't going to be violenmt he didn't want to he was better than the feelings of hate surging through his veins. Harry could feel the room suddenly go cold it was like a Dementor was seeping in past the window the room had become much darker and Harry's eyes were shinning out red from under his fringe he could feel anything that possible resembled happiness seeping away from his body his very soul was dark and bleak soon there would be nothing left but dark hateful pain left in him. He knew this and he didn't care he was watching every sign that Amy's body was nervous.
"Why, why are you looking at me you freak? Look some where else your creeping me out!" Amy half shouted.
"Leave her alone." Andrew put suddenly put in.
"Why I'm not doing anything!" Harry hissed like a snake. If it wasn't for the reply from Andrew Harry would of half expected Parsltouge to come from him.
"Look just coz you got beat up by your drunkard father doesn't give you any right to be horrible to us." Andrew had no idea what sort of nerve he had stood on then and he probably never would but Harry's ears were pounding red hot. He took his eyes away from Amy and gently closed them, he could feel magic surging through him there was something there something primal that could do anything he wanted it was unstoppable and it wanted out!
Harry suddenly found himself on his feet and electric magic surging through his fingers he didn't have his wand he didn't need it he could make this whole room float and who would be able to stop him. Harry could still hear 'drunkard father' ringing though his ears and everything he had ever herd from Snape, his uncle, Marge about how arrogant and useless his father was, James couldn't even protect his mother, a better wizard could of but no his father had a bad choice in arrogant friends that easily abandon Harry to save themselves. What right does Sirius have walking back into Harry's life like nothing had happened in twelve years, expecting a medal for his efforts?
Harry was over heating he pulled his jumper off still standing aware everyone was looking at him.
"Look at his chest it is true. I no fist marks when I see them. You've been roughed up bad haven't you!" Amy jumped in as her confidence resurfaced.
"What's it to you? Why are you hear if you've got such loving and devoted parents? Hay? You don't look so special to me." Harry muttered sitting down he could feel his fingers itching for a wand but perhaps his body couldn't stay on edge for so long Harry felt tired. His arms were heavy and his mind was weak he was fed up he didn't want to feel angry anymore he wanted to be happy or something, anything but this.
Only a few seconds ago Harry wanted nothing more than to kill everything in sight but now he wanted out he wanted to be on his Firebolt free. Harry's mood had changed so quickly his magic couldn't keep up with him resulting in the television down at the end of the room exploding in blue sparks. Several of the girls at that end of the table screamed loudly and Harry couldn't help it the tension had gone and he was soon filled with panic he had just blown something up in a muggle place the wizards will be down on him soon he'll be expelled.
Harry did the only thing he felt he could he got out of their and quick, to quick for James who fell aside easily as Harry pushed his way out the room into the hall. Out into the hall, onto the steps, sprinting down the drive. Harry didn't care he couldn't stay where he was this was too much how could anybody expect him to stay there after what he'd been put through! It was weeks since he had gone deep down into the department of mysteries for something he didn't know even existed he had escaped along with his friends none the wiser about anything and Sirius furious Harry had lied to him. Harry had done it for his own good at the time but later he couldn't even remember what had driven him to do something so foolish. Sirius had narrowly escaped capture after surviving a hefty batch of the curius? Curse from his own cousin.
With memories of agonising pain watching his friends and godfather go through so much Harry wondered if any of them would want him back after this. He was totally alone in the world and currently running towards a drive entrance with no where to go.
He stopped. Where could he go? Nowhere. Harry had nowhere to go he was alone. Adreniline finally failing him Harry was swelled over him, a dark empty sadness as he fell to his knees and looked down at the gravel, this was what his life had finally come to he was alone in some horrid dumping ground for unwanted kids. Harry couldn't understand why but some of the words Voldermort had said to him over the years had come to him. He was left in an orphanage after his mother had died, he hated going home and when Harry thought about it at school Tom Riddle was probably very lonely and sad.
Tom came running down the drive to Harry who was still kneeling on the floor with a dark sky above him and a cold floor beneath him.
"Harry why did you run off it was just an accident the telly. Harry, Harry what's the matter with you?" Tom asked but Harry couldn't hear him, he was angry again how his own mother could do this to him Harry wanted to know. How could she die like that and leave him all alone? Tom tried to put an arm on Harry's shoulder but Harry shook it off. He tried again but Harry merely shook it off and stood up moving away from Tom. What did he know about anything to do with Harry? He was just a muggle do-gooder who had a job where he looked after other people's kids Harry was just a job to him just some kid he talked to at work then goes home to his nice house and nice family saying what a pity there are people like Harry in the world.
Pity, Harry hated the very thought of the word. Pity had a lot to answer for in Harry's world.
"Leave me alone." Harry mumbled as Tom tried to come closer to Harry who merely backed further away to the exit.
"No you have to come inside, it's going to start raining soon. Come on Harry where are you going to go?" Tom asked abandoning any attempt to get closer to Harry.
"Anywhere I don't care I just want to be alone." Harry bellowed feeling a splodge of cold water on his neck.
"No I don't think you do. I think your fed up of being alone and abandoned in the world. I think your crying out for someone to notice that you're a person in the world and you don't want to be ignored. Am I right?" Tom asked looking up at the black clouds above them.
"No I want to be alone." Harry mumbled falling back down on his knees in the muck. He ached from head to toe, his arms felt heavy and his eyes felt cold and empty. He could barely see and his head was throbbing all Harry could think about was how nice it would be to lay down and sleep forever in a feather soft bed and be left alone. Somewhere he could just exist in silence with no-one bothering him be they magical on not.
"Come on Harry, come back inside it's starting to rain and your tired. I can see that." Tom asked attempting to get closer to Harry who tried to shrug him off before he even got less than two meters away.
"I want to be left alone." Harry mumbled staggering back up on to his feet and rubbing his knobbly knees.
"Come on Harry come back inside." Tom moved closer to Harry, finally getting a good hold on Harry's shoulder walked him back up into the house.
Harry didn't look where he was going he just held his head down to the floor letting it hang there until he was sat down in a big blue chair with strange red cushions. Pulling his feet up Harry hauled his uncomfortable shoes off and tucked his chin down into his mucky knees.
"Harry, tell me what the matter is and I'll try and fix it for you." Jeremy asked from another blue chair. Harry was in a room he had never come across before it was blue on all the walls and there was nothing but these two chairs and a pile of cushions in it.
"I want to be left alone." Harry mumbled from his knees.
"I know you want to be left alone but that's not possible. I'm not going to give in until you tell me what's bothering you so much. The other kids said you barely opened your mouth at dinner all you did was eat."
"What else do you do at meal times other than eat?" Harry mumbled feeling totally knackered and slightly swaying slightly in his seat.
"Well usually we have conversation at the dinner table. They were trying to get to know you. Don't you want to make friends hear?" Harry didn't reply he just sat their pretending he was stupid. He wanted to be stupid, stupid people get ignored because nobody wants to talk to an idiot.
"Harry, James told us who Amy kept pestering you about your family. That was wrong of her and she's been punished for it but you don't have to take it to heart what she said. You aren't alone in the world if your parent's don't take care of you there are others hear who can help." Tom explained from somewhere to the left of Harry.
"My father wasn't a drunk.' Harry suddenly bellowed. 'He was an arrogant pig-headed pure blood." Harry continued from his knees he hated people looking at him and pitting him like he didn't have enough problems to worry about. Tom was stumped now but at least Harry was talking in a way. They could see he was terrible upset about something and Amy had probably said something foolish to set Harry off but what that was remained a mystery.
Jeremy and Tom tried for over an hour to get Harry to speak again but he merely sat in a determined silence until Tom sent him up to bed early with a glass of water and some clean pyjamas. Climbing in to bed Harry laid on the bottom bunk for a while and quickly pretended to be asleep when James came up. The last thing he wanted was somebody to talk to and although Harry had decided James was probably very nice in his own way Harry didn't want anything to do with anyone at the moment.
