NOTE: I don't own any of these characters, nor probably ever will, they still belong to the mind of J.K.Rowling
Ps. Sorry to those who read this earlier and was wrong chapter. Here is the real chap. 6 ï
Innovo Adorior
A New Rise
CHAPTER 6 'Out and Safe'
Harry took it, it was from Albus. Harry looked up and smiled at Albus wondering what the long lender thing was. Then he unwrapped it and blinked. It was a staff, and it had every imaginable animal carved up the smooth dark cherry red wood ending with a stone set on top that seemed to be made of light like the substance in pensives. It was strong and Harry could feel power emanating from it in vast quantities. He looked up at Albus questioningly, and again received another mental 'we need to talk later' from Albus, Harry smiled and set the staff that was nearly a foot taller than him against the wall next to the book from Sirius and Remus. He smiled when he noticed the next gift was from the Order. He took the small package. It was very light and gently unwrapped it and gasped at what he saw. A small red and gold pin in the shape of a Phoenix in flight. He looked up to the group that was the Order, wondering if it was what he thought it was. They smiled and Tonks stepped forward.
"Harry welcome to the order should you choose to accept." Harry's eyes widened and nodded his head quickly and an enormous smile played his face. Everyone laughed at this display and patted him on the back and welcomed him to the order. Harry pinned it to the inside of the cloak he was wearing and looked around proudly. Then his father stepped forward. Some of the occupants, mainly those from Gryfindor and Professor McGonagall quieted and watched him. Harry beamed at his father and accepted the gift.
Thank you father. Harry thought to him. Severus smiled and the Gryfindor group that quieted started whispering. Harry could hear them thinking things like 'oh no it's a trap, Harry can't open that, he wouldn't would he?' and 'what is wrong with Snape? Is he smiling?' Harry grinned at them and started opening his present. Harry opened the small box and revealed a ring. It wasn't just any ring though, it had the Snape family crest on it, which was snake in the shape of an S and a sword crossed with a wand behind it. Harry gaped at the gift then back up to his father who was standing there looking at him with pride. Harry felt that if he didn't have skin, he would be bouncing over all the walls of the castle with joy. His father trusted him with the Snape family signet ring. His father had one made especially for him! Harry gave a huge smile back to his father. Before he knew it he was out of his seat and squeezing Severus as if his life depended on it. Then realized what he was doing and stepped back biting his lip in terror. Opps...Harry looked around at the people in the room. They just stood in shock and stared at them. Harry tried to shrink as best he could then looked up to his father. He no longer had that prideful look and instead looked wide eyed and nervous, then a brief moment something passed through his eyes that reminded Harry of Uncle Vernon when he was about to punish Harry when he was angry. Harry still had some pretty livid scars from those times. Harry winced and looked down to the floor.
"Harry? Mate...are you alright...what's going on?" Asked Ron who was staring at him as if he had lost his mind. Harry looked up at him then nodded.
I have to go to err...I'll be back. And with that message sent to everyone in the room he fled out the doors and onto the grounds and changed into a cheetah and ran as fast as he could over the grounds and through the Forest. He didn't notice the dog or the raven that were right behind him. Harry finally stopped when he felt he was far enough away and in a new clearing. Harry changed back and sat against a tree. He pulled his knees up to his chin and wrapped his arms around his legs and cried. He didn't like that look from his father. He had seen it so many times from Vernon right before he was punished, which was quite a few times so he had that look memorized. It was a look of hate and anger, one that Harry was sure could have challenged Voldemorts own glare. Harry pulled off the cloak he was wearing to reveal a t-shirt he was wearing, his bare arms shown with light lines crisscrossing and weaving their way over his lightly tanned flesh. Then he fingered the larger scars that had come from deeper blows from the dull blade Vernon had once. Harry winced at the memory that had been only last summer. It seemed like so long ago and Harry tried to forget about it, but here it was back in full force. Harry couldn't hold it back anymore and silently cried away his grief as sleep took him in embracing arms and he curled up on the cloak he had just taken off. Silently then a large black dog came out and curled itself up next to Harry and let out soft whimpers. Soon the raven also came out from where it had been watching with Albus close behind it. Albus looked sadly down at the young man that had cried himself to sleep on his sixteenth birthday. The raven was gone silently replaced by Severus and the dog also stood but as Sirius. The three men looked at each other and Severus bent down and gently retrieved his son and they headed back to the castle slowly.
"What was that all about? You don't think... Dursley wouldn't have hurt him do you think?" Sirius asked frowning at the scars etched all over the boy's arms. Albus who had heard Harry's thoughts and memories from his childhood also looked down at the boy sadly, then into Severus' eyes.
"Yes, I am afraid that is so. Young Harry was abused while he stayed there. I saw him remembering it before he fell asleep and briefly as he left the great hall. We will need to check him over when we return to the hospital wing. I shall have Madam Pomfrey have a private room ready. Then he disappeared. Sirius looked shocked. Harry had been abused? And no one even noticed? Why would Harry keep it a secret? They could have helped him? Severus though knew why the boy hadn't old anyone. As a child his father was abusive as well. That explains the reasons for when Harry would flinch from him when he thought he was in trouble. If only he had read the signs correctly, he felt terrible now for all the previous years when he had thought Harry was a spoiled child who was always pampered and favored by everyone. He had been so wrong. He was always right about people. What had happened? Harry was really good at hiding it, he thought, He even hid it from Albus. Albus had at that time reappeared holding a portkey for them and they all took it and with a jerk behind their navels found themselves in a white room that was just off the main hospital ward. Severus set his son down on the bed and took his shoes off him. He proceeded to Harry's robes and paused. He turned to Albus who already held out a vial for him. A dreamless sleep draught. Severus smiled weakly and administered it to Harry. Then continued to remove his robes for his inspection. Soon he had Harry in just his undergarments and gasped at what he saw. The light traces of scars continued from his arms and over his shoulders, back, chest and legs. Harry had an especially dark scar across his stomach where it appeared he had been slashed deeply with a knife. Severus winced and looked away from his sons damaged body. Sirius couldn't move he felt so helpless. He wished he could have been there for Harry, but he couldn't change the past so promised himself he would always be there for him in the future. There was a gentle knock on the door and Remus entered cautiously, his werewolf senses picking up the sad and angry mood that filled the room. He then knew why as he searched Harry over with sorrowful eyes. He didn't know what to say so just sat Sirius and Severus down in the chairs beside the bed and went to get Pomfrey.
The sleep was slowly fading away and Harry could hear people around him. He was in a bed? He couldn't figure out what was going on he thought he was in the forest. They must have found him. Harry felt the people around him. His father, Sirius, Remus, Albus, and Madam Pomfrey were there. Was he out too long and got sick? Or what?
"...They look to have been done by knives and he has fractured bones that were healed by someone who didn't know how to get rid of the scars. Albus who would do such a thing to anyone let alone such a sweet boy. And some of the scars are pretty old, probably since before he came to Hogwarts." Harry heard the upset and very angry voice of Madam Pomfrey. She knew, they have seen the scars. He quickly put up a charm to hide them again. He heard Pomfrey gasp.
"Harry, please do put that charm back down we need to help you with these some aren't correctly healed. Harry who did you have heal them for you? We may need to talk to them." Said a soft voice that was Remus. Harry slowly opened his eyes to look at those surrounding him, all with concern for him written all over their faces. He sighed and put the charm off, they had seen them already anyway, he figured.
"I healed them myself Remus." Harry said quietly to the werewolf, "I never really learned how to heal so I just did what I could I thought they turned out well enough, I could do most everything normal afterwards." Remus looked at him strange then back up at Pomfrey.
"Harry, you did your self? That could have been very dangerous you know. Without any training! You could have done serious damage! Thank goodness that you hadn't." Madam Pomfrey ranted. And started just muttering to herself now, something about hanging around too many marauders for too long. Harry grinned to himself.
"Harry who did this to you? You need to tell us." His father said very concerned. Harry looked up to him beside his bed and bit his lip. Vernon had warned him if he ever told...but he was never going back there was he. This calmed Harry down a bit.
"Vernon." He said in a barely audible whisper. They all heard him though and they sported angry faces and the sudden fierce protectiveness from them all, even Pomfrey startled Harry. He still couldn't believe so many cared so much about him.
"Harry, how long has he been doing this to you? And why didn't you tell anyone?" Asked an upset Sirius Black. Harry looked at him, and thought back to when it had first started.
"When I first showed magical abilities, Vernon said he would 'beat' it out of me. That was when I was probably about two." Harry replied. "Err... can I leave? Or do I have to stay here? Is everyone else still here? Can I see them?" Harry continued trying to change the subject and get out of his least favorite place in the world as he had figured out he was in the infirmary. He watched as they all looked at each other.
"We sent them all home except those we thought were closest to you. Mr. Weasley, and Mr. Longbottom, and Miss's Weasley, Granger, and Lovegood are still here. A few of the Order members insisted on staying as well. You had them all quite frightened when you ran off like that." Said Albus. Harry looked down at the blankets in front of him.
"I know, I'm sorry. I just..." Harry cut himself off and looked up at his father looking for any anger or disgust and was relieved when he found nothing but concern and care.
Severus looked down at his son who was studying him, looking probably for anger like he had before. He felt awful that he had thought he was spoiled and pampered when he was at his aunt and uncles. It had turned out quite the opposite. He wished he had seen it and could have stopped it sooner. No one deserved to go through what Harry had, especially on top of everything with the prophecy and Voldemort. He seems so invincible, like nothing could ever touch him, and yet here was the proof proving it otherwise all over the small boys body. He smiled down to assure Harry there was no ill will from him and received a small smile in return.
"Yes, Harry you may go, after Madam Pomfrey deals with a few minor things that you didn't quite heal all the way. Alright?" Severus told Harry, and then looked up to see Madam Pomfrey just finishing up.
"You may go Harry." She told him and aloud him to get up and he gave a great smile to everyone and ran out the door to go find his friends before they could call him back. The others left in the room looked at each other then went to a meeting room; they all knew they had something to talk about.
Harry went to the Great Hall but they had long since left from there so sent his magic to search for them in the castle but soon found they were outside near the lake. Harry went to meet them beneath the tree they normally hung out at. And was glad to see they were behaving normal. He smiled and ran up to them. They turned and smiled when they saw him.
"Harry, mate! Where ya been? Come on we were just going to play a game of exploding snap, care to join?" Ron asked enthusiastically, he saw Luna and Ginny perched on a branch in the tree, while Neville sat below them on the ground and Ron went to sit next to Hermione on a root that was above ground, they were having fun and enjoying themselves. Harry joined in the game and soon night fell but no one cared they just carried on inside and went up to Gryfindor Tower. Harry thought this was the best way he could ever have spent his birthday. He completely forgot about earlier events as he drifted off on the couch by the fire, listening to his friends chatter away about the rest of their summer plans. Harry was awoken the next morning by a twittering owl near his head. He opened his eyes and felt someone next to him. He looked down next to him and realized he was not the only one on the couch. The brilliant red hair fanned out over the face of the person he knew as Ginny to be sleeping cuddled to him on the couch. Harry's eyes widened and he tried to scoot further back but met the back of the couch and Ginny's arm tightened around his waist. He took his arm out from beneath her and started shaking her gently to not startle her.
"Ginny, hey Gin. Ya gotta get up. Hey wake up Gin." Harry said starting to realize how close they actually were and wondered when she had shown up next to him. Ginny moaned and moved closer mumbling something about ten more minutes mum. Harry chuckled and her eyes flew open to look straight into his. Her eyes widened as she realized where she was and let out a little shriek and flew backwards onto the floor. Harry leaned over the edge and looked at her.
"You okay Gin?" Harry asked her. She looked up at him still startled and nodded, blushing to the roots of her hair. "When'd you get here, well I mean on the couch anyway." Harry asked her. She just shrugged and looked around.
"I didn't. I thought I fell asleep over there on that chair." She explained pointing to a chair that now Hermione and Ron shared. Harry grinned at the two, as did Ginny. Neville and Luna were sitting leaning against each other asleep on the couch next to the one Harry and Ginny were on. "You were talking in your sleep last night, did you know?" Ginny asked him quietly. Harry looked at her, and remembered his dream, He was glad he hadn't called out telepathically this time other wise he might have had some explaining to do for his friends on why he had just killed them all last night. Harry hated his dreams, no they were nightmares, he just wanted them to go away, but even dreamless sleep potion didn't work as he and his father had tried earlier that summer. He just gave her a small smile.
"What did I say?" He asked hoping he didn't say anything to awful.
"Well, you didn't really say it I think you were telepathically sending them out but no one else heard you just me. I think you were having a nightmare Harry, you sounded so scared and angry, what was going on? Maybe I can help you?" Ginny told him. Harry sat up and she sat next to him looking for an answer that might show on his face but he had his mask up quite well. He looked back at her, wondering if he could tell her. He decided he should, as they probably weren't going to go away.
"Ginny, can I trust you not to tell anyone else what I tell you?" He asked looking at her studying her reaction. She looked at him surprised he would put trust in her and only her like this. She nodded. Harry continued, "Well, I've been having these...dreams lately, and they won't go away, no matter what we do, father even gave me a dreamless sleep potion but all it did was make me dream of it even longer. Well, anyways, you see in these dreams I see everyone I care about, and last night I saw all you guys," he motioned to everyone sitting in the room at the moment, "and you all...you all are tortured and murdered in my dreams, and I try to stop but some one seems to be controlling me. I just...I tried, its like there is a wall there or something and I can't fight it..." Harry started talking really fast and jabbering on when a concerned Ginny put a finger to his lips to quiet him. Harry closed his eyes expecting her to be afraid or angry with him, and was startled when none came. Ginny looked at Harry, who still had his eyes closed with fear and anger with himself written all over his face. She put her hand lightly on his shoulder.
"Harry, it's okay, it was just a dream, and you tried to fight it that means you didn't really want to kill us, don't beat yourself up about it okay." She said hoping to encourage him to smile, which she did and received one full force.
"Yeah" Harry said in a small voice, laying a hand on Ginny's to let her know he was fine which caused her to blush more so they both retreated their hands, Harry joining Ginny in a blush. Ginny then started to think back on what he had said. He said his father had given him a dreamless sleep potion, but wasn't he dead?
"Harry...You said your father gave you the potion? But I don't understand..." She implored gently hoping he wouldn't cut himself off again and put up that emotionless mask. Harry stared at her wide eyed for a minute then decided that she was going to find out sooner or later and he might as well get it over with.
"Ginny, that's another thing...you see only you and 'Mione know about this right now. James wasn't my father Gin. I just found out who my real father was after the battle. He did too." Harry sighed as he finished and looked into her longing gaze as she asked who his real father is. "Severus." He stated simply and she looked confused a minute then a dawning expression crossed her face and her eyes widened as she looked back into the green eyes that were studying her every action.
"Snape! And all this time he was so awful to you! So that explains what happened after he gave you that gift yesterday. I'm sorry Harry, I shouldn't be surprised, you've changed quite a bit this past month or so, you look a bit like him, but not in a bad way... I mean..." Ginny rambled on, 'boy I'm not to good at this am I?' Harry heard her and grinned.
sure you are Gin. Harry told her. Ginny grinned shyly. It's all right Gin. Don't worry about it. I know how you feel I felt the same way when I found out but now it is all alright. Grinning they both jumped when they heard a throat being cleared across from them. The others were waking, and Hermione was grinning impishly at them. They both realized how close they had moved together when they were talking and instantly sprang apart just as Ron opened his eyes. Ron looked confused at them for a moment then just shook his head and headed up to the dormitories to get cleaned up.
They all mainly just wandered the halls of the castle that day seeing all the new places Harry had found. They were all mesmerized by the armor that would bow and salute them as they passed, except Hermione who had walked the halls with him before. Apparently they had never done that before for any of the others yet either. They had to leave that day though to Harry's disappointment. He waved sadly as the thestral pulled carriages pulled them off to the station in Hogsmead. Then he realized he still had a headmaster and a couple of Marauders to see about their gifts to him. He retrieved the book from Remus and Sirius first and headed to their rooms, glad to see that that is where they were. He grinned and knocked on the door.
A/N
well, I hope that went alright for ya all. More soon.....
R&R pleaz. ï
