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-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Dark Times Part ii Sixth Year
I nervously sat on the bench in the Ministry of Magic waiting to tell the Ministry about my sixth year at Hogwarts. I looked over towards Marcus Flint, who was just shown inside the room and felt another wave of anxieties wash over me. I hated reliving the events from my fifth year at Hogwarts and now I got to relive my sixth year, which was even worse.
I take a sip of water from the clear glass sitting to my right, and lick the small traces of water from my lips. I could already feel the sweat beading from my brow in this overly muggy room, but I just sat there as still as can be waiting patiently for my turn to talk.
I watched as the head of the Ministry walks in, with his deep purple robes on and takes a seat. It wasn't a pleasant feeling that entered the pit of my gut, if anything it was a bit of urgency to get this session over with.
"Would Mr. Oliver Wood, take a seat?" The Minister asked, and I did as I was told, taking a seat in the wooden chair that was directly in front of that intimidating panel of ministry judges.
"Please, Mr. Wood, continue from where you left off yesterday," they spoke to me very clearly and calmly.
I cleared my throat and began my tale of my summer and sixth year at Hogwarts.
-
I went home to my family, and put on a happy face. I was truly happy after all. My older brother had just gotten himself a new fire-breathing puppy, and was showing it off to the rest of our family. He called it Fido which I think is a hideously muggle name for a dog that is anything but ordinary, but it was his dog and he could name it what he wished.
By the end of my summer vacation I was ready to return to Hogwarts. I had all but forgotten everything that happened last year, thanks to a potion my mom concocted for me to drink so I could sleep at ease. She had complained several times to me at the beginning of the holidays that I was uneasy in my sleep, and gave me the potion to ease my dreams, which I was very thankful for, because the last thing I wanted was to see that asshole in my dreams.
That all changed though the instant that I stepped onto platform nine and three-quarters though, when Marcus Flint was standing near the entrance to the second to last car of the train. His look went straight through me and chilled my bones. I had never felt anything like it before in my life. I gulped and walked up with Katie Bell who was all excited about this year's Quidditch cup. And I had to admit, this subject I found to be much appreciated as we talked excitedly about drills we could do to enhance our already stellar performances.
We talked for a while, even long after the trains speed was increased to full twisting and turning through the British countryside. I always adored Katie Bell; she was a fine Quidditch player, and even a finer Gryffindor. I would go out with her if it weren't for her boyfriend that I can't remember the name of.
We finally arrived at the castle that I have long since called home for the past five years, and was looking forward to my sixth year.
Ridding back to the castle with a group of my friends all telling about the finer points of their summers. I told them of course about Fido the fire-breathing puppy dog, and they laughed of that tale, as they all were wondering who broke one of the laws of the Ministry. I didn't say, even though I knew it was my uncle who did it. He has a wild sense of humor like that.
The first years were introduced like normal, and Hermione Granger was again instructing on yet another thing she learned over the summer vacation, which was amazing she even needs Hogwarts to begin with, she is so brilliant I bet she would have learned all her lessons from the books in the Library.
I pay her little attention and go back to eating, the delicious food at the feast. Professor Dumbledore shared a few words, and a few more directed intentionally at the Weasley twins Fred and George, who again looked at each other through their red eyebrows smirking widely at each other letting all who watched them know that they had no intentions of letting Peeves get away with that little prank he pulled at the end of last year.
I must say I would rat them out to Percy, but I enjoy their pranks too much, and they are after all two fine beaters that I would have robbed myself of if I told Percy, and I can't have that. Not if I want to win the Quidditch cup again this year.
I look down the table and notice that Harry Potter isn't there. I find that odd, but figure, that he has just excused himself to the bathroom or something.
When I could eat no more, I go quite hastily down the familiar corridors making my way past lost first-years just sorted into their houses, directly towards the fat lady portrait. I speak the password that I read on Percy's letter he handed to me on the train and go right up to my familiar room now with sixth years written on the door instead of fifth years.
Finally, I'm home.
But it was that night was the first in many nights that I was not granted a sound night sleep. I tossed and turned; I couldn't find any peace in my mind, or dreams that night. I spent a good portion of the night looking out of the windows, trying to force my mind back into some ease, but I couldn't not without the potion my mom kept feeding me.
I now wish that she hadn't that she had let me resolve my issues with Marcus Flint, but I was not afforded that luxury, so I continue watching the wind sweeping off of the tall grass in the hills right outside the castle walls.
A month passed and yet no sleep found me. My roommates question me on it from time to time, asking about why I can't find any sleep, and I just shrug them off, normally telling them I was studying for potions so I could pass Snape's examinations.
Potions were the worst part of the day, as the Slytherin's didn't get any easier for me to deal with. And if that wasn't enough Snape was exceedingly vile to us Gryffindors on top of everything else. I swear he puts the two of us together just because we hate each other so damn much. Maybe that is his favorite part of the day, teasing the likes of us Gryffindor's by being in the same room with them.
I was gathering my stuff up getting ready to leave potions when Marcus cornered me outside of Potions.
"Well, well if it isn't little Oliver Wood. Are you ready for tonight?" Flint snickered as I walked by him.
'That fucking creep' I walk off giving him not another thought.
I quickly pace back to the Gryffindor tower, give the password, the fat lady swings open and I quickly walk up the stairs. I didn't realize how extremely pissed off I really was until my roommate mentioned on how I threw my caldron still wet with the potion I concocted that day, incorrectly by the way.
I didn't have time to explain anything as I hastily pulled my broom from my closet, and quickly walked out to the quidditch pitch where the rest of the Gryffindor's had gathered including my little star player himself Harry Potter. We were just about ready to kick off of the ground for our practice when the Slytherin's showed with their new Nimbus two thousand and ones, that Draco Malfoy bought them, so he could be their new seeker.
As if that wasn't bad enough they are using Draco as an excuse to kick us out of the Quidditch practice we scheduled a month ago.
Once again proving they can get anything they want when they want to do it. As if things couldn't get any worse this day I heard Flint say, "I will be seeing you later."
I don't stop to answer him, for I know perfectly well what he meant by that. I get back to the Gryffindor common room, and sit down, as I watch Ginny Weasley writing down something in an old diary, probably a hand-me-down like everything else the Weasley family owns.
There is little going on, so I crack open my Transfiguration book trying to focus as I try to turn my bunny rabbit to a cat. Unfortunately the closest I got was a rat, that Ron promptly called Scabbers. This only means, that my bunny hopped away and Scabbers was hiding underneath my chair, until Ron came into the room. I watched as Ginny quickly hide the diary she was writing in, not that Ron was giving her much attention either.
In fact both him and Harry seemed rather distracted by something.
I didn't stay to find out what was going on with the second-years, I just gathered my stuff, and pushed it to a corner and headed to the great hall for dinner. I ate alone for dinner, my body tensed, jumping at every fork that hit the stone floor of the room. I was scared shitless that Flint would be coming around the corner at any moment.
But it never came.
I walked briskly up the stairs to the Gryffindor tower, and just as I feared there he was, waiting for me, right beside the fat lady. I closed my eyes, as I readied my wand, but before I had a chance to say the disarming charm I learned in last weeks Wizard Duel class with Professor Gilderoy Lockhart, but he said it to me first. I again found myself petrified and powerless to resist following him to the owlry this time.
He released me finally pushing mo to the filthy straw-covered floor beneath the hundreds of owls. I feel my breath shorten, as I try not to fight it, but I can't help but want to get up from this filthy place.
I try, and he slaps me with another charm. It feels like fire is encircling my entire body, it burns. I try to keep quiet I do, but it is impossible as I scream.
He laughs foully in the distance, as he hits me with another of the same curse. I can't help but wince in pain, this time silently.
"Roll over!" He commanded, I tell him, "no!" forcing him to roll me over magically.
"Sit you filthy mudblood and suck." He commands me, I shake my head as my eyes are drawn to what he wants sucked.
He aims his wand at me, and I close my eyes tightly gritting my teeth together readying myself for the next curse that emerges from his wand. But none came.
Instead he shoves a glass in my face forcing me to drink its contents. Whatever the potion was it tasted gross and I tried desperately to spit it out, but he just laughed and said it was useless to fight.
That didn't stop me though, I tried with all my might to fight him, even thought it was perfectly clear to me the potion he gave me was one that forced me to do anything he said. And I found myself sucking him hating every moment of it as he released into my mouth, and told me to swallow.
I fought it with all my might and for a fleeting moment I could feel myself regain some self control back. It was just enough to spit his release out to the filthy floor.
Knowing what was coming for disobeying him, I braced myself for his curse.
He said a few words that I have never heard and at the conclusion of these words a bolt of electricity emerged from the tip of his wand. It was even worse than the feeling of fire sweeping over my body. I can't explain it very well, but it burned and stung my entire body until I was gasping for air on the floor no longer able to hold up my own weight.
"That will teach you Gryffindor to disobey me." He growled hitting me once again with the same curse.
Part of me wished right then that I was dead that Flint would just finish me off right here. 'Why doesn't he kill me?' I think as I feel him removing my robes and I am helpless to stop him.
Once again I feel him invade me. It was just as rough as the first time he had invaded me, but it was different this time. His movements weren't frantic as in past invasions of my body. It was smoother movements; not that it felt any better, as he takes hold of me from around my waist.
I don't know when I blacked out, or even how long I have been up here in the owlry. And personally I don't really think it matters too much, as I finally wake up to Ginny Weasley shaking me desperately saying something.
I opened my eyes to blurrily see the red-haired girl leaning over me, her face was covered in her own tears, and at that moment my heart just sank. I looked down at my battered body that was now black and blue from Flint's abuse.
"Are you alright?" She asked me desperately and all I can do is just go limp back into the soiled hay.
I hear her frantically start to cry again, as she moves to cradle my head. I shake my head, and manage to bring myself to a sitting potion.
"Just," I say trying not to let my pain enter my voice. "Leave me alone, just, just l-leave me alone." I say getting up and grabbing my charred cloak pulling it over my shoulders to attempt to hide my nudeness.
I was so ashamed, embarrassed, and even all that I really did want and need her help. I stumbled down the rickety ladder, and then back to the Gryffindor dormitory, only to realize that the password had been changed on me.
"Great," I mumbled to myself, as I wrap my burned cloak tighter around my body fearing that someone might see me.
To my ever-lasting shame, someone did.
"Oliver Wood, what on earth have you done to your cloak?" a shrill voice said behind me. I jumped and saw professor McGonagall as I turned my head around.
'God why did she have to see me like this?' I ask myself. It was worse enough I was locked out of the dormitory, but Professor McGonagall had to see me in this condition of all people.
"Come with me," she said, and I reluctantly follow. It hadn't dawned on me at this time what time it really was. I had no clue that lights out was hours earlier, but was soon informed by the head of Gryffindor house nonetheless.
"I am very disappointed in you Wood, I thought a sixth year student would have known better than to walk around the castle corridors after dark." She said.
And while I heard her take points away from her own house, I couldn't pay any attention to it as I just hold my achy gut, trying to hold back from hurling all over the floor.
"Wood are you, feeling alright?" She asks, and I cannot hold back any longer as I fall out of the chair onto the floor on my hands and knees puking on the stone floor of her office.
Along with the contents of my stomach being emptied, so was my energy as I collapsed onto the floor.
I woke up sometime later in the infirmary being sobbed with a wet cloth by Madam Pomfrey. At that moment I knew she knew everything. Her face looked saddened, almost hurt. It was as if she knew exactly how I was feeling.
She stopped sobbing me down and looked into my hazel eyes looking at me with concern.
"My dear boy," she whispered getting up from my bed like it was too hard for her to even lay her eyes upon me just knowing what I have suffered through. I felt a tear roll down the side of my face as I turn to sleep some more.
The next time I woke up there was a set of curtains around me, and professor McGonagall sitting in the corner looking at me. I didn't want to talk to her. I didn't see anything more that I needed to say. Madam Pomfrey probably as told her everything, and I really didn't want to say.
"How are you feeling Wood?" She asked me, her eyes were full of concern for me, and all I wanted to do at that moment was just fly away so I could sleep in peace.
"Better," I lied; my stomach still hurts almost worse than it had that night. I did although look down to notice that much of the bruising had faded.
"How… how long have I been in here?" I ask her.
"Almost five weeks now." She answered with the same look on her face.
"Do they… Do they know?" I ask nervously.
"Do they know what Mr. Wood?" She asked looking at me with questioning eyes, like she didn't know as well.
"What, what happened… to… to me? Do they know?" I ask desperately.
"What happened to you? Oliver, is there something you are not telling me?" She asked me, and I couldn't help but feel like a fucking moron at this moment. I swallow and reply, "N-n-nothing."
She cocks an eyebrow at me, but doesn't ask again. I couldn't help but feel miserable that I have missed so much of the quidditch cup, and I just wonder what they knew of my absence.
She finally leaves and I sleep for a bit more before to wake up to find Ginny Weasley sitting in the chair that Professor McGonagall was sitting in last time. Her face was white just as before deep with fear, but I didn't question her on it.
"Are you… are you feeling alright?" She asked nervously.
"Yeah, I'm fine." I said with a weak smile.
"Why were you up in the owlry?" She asks and I wished that she hadn't. I stay silent fighting the urge to tell her everything. I really do not want to tell, even though I am sure that Madam Pomfrey is quite aware of my injuries, and where they are and what caused them.
I still find myself wanting to tell her and I fight it, just like I was earlier with McGonagall and before with Pomfrey, who was giving me weird looks every time I went to say something.
"Oliver please," she begged. "Who did that to you?"
"Marcus Flint," I say obediently without wanting to, and I realize that the potion he gave me was still yet lingering in my system. Her face was in a type of shock and horrorstruck. I felt horrible; no one should have ever been burdened with the information I just gave out.
"Don't worry I won't tell if you don't want me to." She says meekly. "I haven't told anyone that the person playing Keeper on the team isn't you either." She whispered, and I could only smile.
"Thank you," is all I can manage to say to her, hoping she would leave, but she didn't.
Thank god for Madam Pomfrey always wanting her patients to sleep rather than have guests pestering them, she came in and quickly ushered Ginny away. I was at that time also thankful, for I really did not wish to be seen by anyone.
But no later than Ginny Weasley left the hospital wing, did Madam Pomfrey sit down next to me in that same chair. She stares at me for a while, her face still upset looking, but better.
"Oliver, I need to know who did this to you, and what all did they do." Her face was stern looking and I know, that even if I had the strength to fight the potion she would get it out of me regardless.
I looked down and softly said, "Marcus Flint, did this to me. He… he… he r-r-raped me. This hasn't been the first time either," I choke out, and her face was horrorstruck at my every word that came out of my mouth.
And even though her face said to just quit, I kept going, at this point if she was going to know she was going to know everything. "He put curses on me along with charms, and, and after that he, he f-forced me to drink a potion." I said.
"What type of potion?" She asked urgently.
"I don't, I don't know." I confess.
"Alrighty, thank you Wood," she said rushing off to her office.
I was there for another month or so later as a potion was brewing in her office. During that time, Colin Creevy along with others were also in the hospital wing petrified. It disturbed me, and was grateful they had me behind curtains.
I was happy though when Madam Pomfrey came by with a potion.
"Here this will cure any potion's effects." She said and I smiled, I couldn't wait to be free of the potion Flint put on me. "Sorry for the delay, Hermione Granger needed the one I was brewing for you, she had a mishap with some polyjuice potion."
I quickly drank the potion she cooked for me. As I swallowed the glasses contents I couldn't help but notice my stomach ache disappear, along with a warming sensation throughout my entire body. It was like I was being granted a new life. I felt almost a hundred and thirty percent better than I did just seconds before drinking it.
Madam Pomfrey bid me a farewell, after saying that I was one of her best patients ever, as I went skipping down the corridors just as happy as I could be until I saw Professor McGonagall standing strict and stern by the portrait of the fat lady at the entrance of the Gryffindor tower.
"Come with me Oliver." She said and I couldn't help but gulp.
I followed her to her office, and sat down in that chair.
"I'm sorry for before, I have replaced the points I docked form Gryffindor, and took them away from Slytherin. Madam Pomfrey told me everything."
"She, she did?" I gulped.
She only nodded though. "I informed Professor Snape, who was quite upset that Marcus Flint his best potions student, had made that forbidden potion wrong and docked Slytherin's fifty points for his stupidity."
I couldn't help but smile, as I could only picture what Flint must have looked like when Snape found out he made his potion incorrectly.
And with that information fresh in my mind, I went upstairs to my dormitory room in the first time in months to find a pile of Christmas presents at the foot of my bed. I smile as I begin to unwrap them, as one of my dorm mates came into the room and asked where I had been. I just smiled and tossed him a sweater my mom gave me for Christmas.
But Professor McGonagall gave the best present to me and hers was the most helpful. She gave me a small pendent that put a barrier around me when I needed it. I thanked her for it, because between her gift, and Snape keeping close tabs on Flint, I had no trouble the rest of the year. But she did make me promise to go seek help if I needed it. I agreed to at least appease her, but it was because of her that made those dark times that much bearable.
But at that time, I had to sleep so I could get caught up in all my courses that would start the very next day.
-
I sit there in the courtroom looking out at the people in the audience including many of my ex-classmates, and then to the jury, to have their faces look exactly how Madam Pomfrey's looked when I told her.
I wasn't ashamed this time, though when I told, and I wasn't under some potion, or spell forcing me to do so. I know now, after many years of self doubt that it was not my fault, that I did nothing wrong, and I want to make sure that everyone else knows that Marcus Flint is to blame.
-The End of Part II-
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