Chapter 30
Ron took a deep breath and stepped into the little cell. He spotted Harry curled up and apparently asleep on the floor in the far corner. He looked around, trying not to cringe as the door clanked shut loudly behind him. There was a sleeping pallet, but it didn't look like it had been touched... and somehow he doubted it was just because the house elves had been in to spruce up recently.
He eyed Harry's sleeping form. Though little time had passed, he already looked like he'd lost a bit of weight, and Ron couldn't help but notice how pale and drawn his face was, even in sleep. There were dark smudges under his eyes as well, indicating that this nap was probably a very rare occurrence.
He took a deep breath. Despite the reassurances that Harry was 'back to normal' and the knowledge that it hadn't really been him attacking him... he still couldn't stop seeing Harry on top of him, ripping at his clothing. He unconsciously rubbed at the light scars on his chest through his shirt. He took a couple more deep breaths, bracing himself, then cleared his throat loudly, not willing to go over and shake him awake.
Harry jerked at the sound, his head darting up. When he saw who it was, he scrambled to his feet. "Ron..." He said, his voice a bit hoarse with emotion.
"Hi Harry..." Ron said, shifting uneasily.
Harry crossed the room, wrapping his arms around Ron. It took all of Ron's will not to back away from him, but he couldn't keep his heart from pounding with apprehension as an involuntary shudder of fear went through him.
Harry felt the shudder and the tension in him and immediately backed off a pace, looking him over. When he saw the fear in Ron's eyes, a look of pain crossed his eyes that ran so deep it cut into Ron's heart. Harry immediately retreated back to his corner, huddling down in it with his knees clutched to his chest once again.
"They made you come." Harry said in a soft, aching voice, not meeting Ron's eyes. It wasn't a question.
Ron sighed, his chest aching. He took a step closer, trying hard not to look apprehensive. "I'm sorry Harry... I just... I mean I know it wasn't you... I just..."
"It's ok, Ron." Harry said, all the life and emotion having drained out of his voice. "I don't expect you to forgive me. From what they say happened... I don't deserve to be forgiven..."
"It was a demon." Ron said softly.
"I should have been able to fight it! How could I let it hurt the people I cared about most?" Harry said achingly.
Ron took a couple more steps forward, then crouched down a few feet from Harry. "You can't fight a demon, Harry. They're too strong. No one could have stopped it."
Harry just shook his head, glaring at the floor, obviously not believing a word of it.
Ron let his gaze drop sadly. He had no idea where to even begin trying to convince him. Something on Harry's arm caught his eye. "What's that?"
Harry followed his gaze, lifting his arm and pulling up the sleeve. There was a series of over a dozen angry red welts at evenly placed intervals on the underside of his forearm, each about three inches long and from a quarter of an inch wide to one that was almost half an inch. Harry just shrugged and let his arm drop. "Tests." He said in a dull voice.
Ron's eyes went wide. "My dad did that to you?"
Harry shook his head. "Dumbledore and your dad did tests that didn't even hurt or leave any marks... but when they didn't find anything, Fudge insisted they try... less conventional methods. He had his people look up every test I think they've ever used... You're dad refused after the first couple, so Fudge just brought in someone else."
"Are those... all of the marks?" Ron asked, spying something peeking out from the other sleeve as well.
Harry just shrugged. "There's a couple more..." He said evasively.
Ron got the definite feeling that there was more than just a couple... "Won't they let Pomfrey fix them up?"
Harry just gave a little impassive shrug. "She already took care of the ones she could. They said most of them should go away eventually."
"That's just bang out of order!" Ron said, shocked, "That Fudge thinks he can just do as he pleases... I'm surprised Dumbledore didn't..."
"What did I do to you, Ron?" Harry asked in a whisper, breaking into Ron's tirade.
Ron sighed. He really didn't want to go into it, but Harry's eyes silently begged not to be lied to. It was obvious they had been hedging with him and he knew it. He settled down tailor fashion on the floor, and reluctantly began, "I... was going to Slytherin Dungeon for protection... Snape actually offered it, if you can believe that!" Ron said with a little smile, but it fell away as he saw Harry's intent expression. It was obvious he wouldn't be sidetracked from the subject. "You... got there before I could... we had a sort of wizards duel... after a fashion at least... and then... you got me with the Cruciatus curse. The Slytherins came out and held you off, took me back into the Dungeon and sealed it..."
"They told me that much." Harry said softly, "They wouldn't tell me why you were running from me in the first place... what did I do to you Ron?"
Ron swallowed hard. At Snape's urging, he had told the entire story... but it wasn't too surprising that they hadn't relayed the more disturbing bits to Harry. "I... got back to the Tower after everyone had gone to bed... I went to bed... and when I woke up... you were there..."
Harry blinked, "I attacked you in your bed?"
Ron shifted uneasily, "Um... ya... when I said no..."
"No to what?" Harry asked uncomprehendingly.
Ron shifted around again, by now completely disconcerted. "You wanted to..." He blushed bright red and dropped his eyes.
Harry connected the dots, his eyes widening, "But... but you're a boy..." he said, obviously shocked and confused.
Ron flashed him a little fleeting smirk, "Ya.... well some boys... like other boys..."
Harry's eyes went a little wider as he caught a bit of deeper significance to Ron's words. "Do... you like boys?"
Ron's blushed deepened. "Some..." He grudgingly admitted. It wasn't as if Harry wouldn't find out when he got out of there and talked to Dean. "But girls too..." He added quickly.
Harry scrubbed his hands over his face roughly, then dropped them. "So I found out and tried to molest you, and when you wouldn't let me I tried to kill you... that sum it up?" Harry asked emotionlessly.
Ron dropped his eyes, giving a little reluctant nod.
"God! How many people did I rape?" Harry practically yelled, pounding his fist against the wall as tears of anger and self-loathing crept out of his eyes.
Ron looked up at him, shocked. "None... I got away..."
Harry took a breath and let it out with a shudder, his voice dropping to a barely audible whisper, "There was at least one..."
Ron's eyes went wide. "What are you talking about?"
Harry wouldn't look at him. "I... I think... I'm pretty sure I raped Hermione..." He said, sounding wretched.
"What?" Ron asked in shock.
Harry scrubbed his fingers through his hair. "I... I keep getting little flashes... we're in my bed... and... I'm..." He swallowed hard, looking away, "And... she's telling me I'm hurting her..." He let out a little sob of grief, seeming to curl in on himself a bit more, pressing his face to his knees. "How can I ever face her again? I wish the Slytherins had just finished me off..." He said in anguish.
Ron's heart felt ready to burst. He couldn't stand seeing Harry in such pain... he felt years of friendship fighting it's way to the surface. He crawled forward and settled beside him, pulling him over and holding him. Harry sagged against him, sobs wracking him.
Ron sighed, holding him and stroking his hair soothingly. At this point he was beginning to fear it was going to take a strong Obliviate spell to get Harry out of this room voluntarily. Why hadn't Hermione said anything to him? Or to anyone? He was sure he would have heard about it if she had. Maybe the demon was just messing about with Harry's head?
"Harry..." He said gently after a minute. He didn't reply, but his sobbing dropped off until it finally subsided, though his breath still shuddered in his chest. "Harry... you have to talk to her..."
Harry pulled away from him, pressing back against the wall and staring at him in horror at the suggestion.
Ron sighed. "You don't know for sure you really did do that... she hasn't said you did... you have to talk to her... if nothing else, give her a chance to forgive you for whatever you might have done..."
Harry just shook his head vehemently, mute with shock at the suggestion.
Ron took Harry's head between his hands to stop him from shaking it, and looked him in the eyes. "Don't you think she has the right to hear you apologize if there is anything for you to apologize for? She's all alone now, Harry. I can't be there for her... and now you're refusing to be there for her... I'm not sure she can handle this alone... especially if something did happened. She needs at least one of her friends to be there to help her through this..." he said, releasing his hold on him.
Harry stared at his hands for a long moment, riddled with guilt. Slowly, he nodded. "Ok..." He said in a hoarse whisper.
Ron gave him a little smile. "Right then... I expect to see you in the Great Hall at lunch. But... um... first take a bath... you smell like a troll." Ron said with a little smirk.
Harry looked up at him, a little, reluctant smile tugging at the corner of his mouth.
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Harry didn't make it to lunch that day, but Snape pulled Ron aside and told him the Ministry had just held him up with some paperwork and that kind of bureaucratic rubbish, but he would be returning to Gryffindor Tower shortly after lunch. He was greatly relieved. Hermione had still had that haunted look in her eyes whenever he looked over at her. She was sitting alone again as well. With the fewer number of students and the other Gryffindors' apparent reluctance to be around her, she usually had a good meter or two open to either side of her and no one across from her. It looked as if she had some kind of invisible shield around her that kept everyone else at bay. He didn't see her at all the whole time they were outside, finally catching one last glimpse of her as she stood near the other Gryffindors as they waited for the rest of their Housemates to make it back. He gave her one last look as he started down the stairs to the dungeons, just hoping it would do more good than harm to have Harry back at her side.
"This curse is bollocks of course, but... I think I could get used to this whole blind thing..." Blaise said smirkingly as they made their way towards Slytherin Dungeon arm in arm. "Did you see that? I bumped into Professor Oblique when I was getting up... I pretty much groped her... accidentally of course... right there in front of everyone and she didn't even get mad... She actually apologized..." He said, chuckling. "Anything that makes touching everyone ok can't be all bad in my book..."
Pansy giggled and Ron couldn't stifle a chuckle.
"You're wretched, Blaise." Pansy said, swatting his arm playfully.
"How you so sure it was Professor Oblique? Might have been Madam Hooch for all you know..." Ron said mischievously.
Blaise let out a snort of laughter. "Oh please... I've been studying those bristols diligently for over three years now. You think I take her class just to learn or something? Of course I am getting pretty brilliant in that subject if I do say so myself... the better I do, the longer she leans over looking at my work! Now that's what I call motivation!"
Ron just shook his head ruefully.
They slowed and stopped as they reached the long line waiting for entrance to Slytherin Dungeon. "I'm surprised more students haven't left already..." Ron said contemplatively. There had been a growing number of gaps along the four tables, even a few members of their own house having left, but it had been less than a quarter of the total number of students so far. "I would think more parents would be insisting their children return home until it was safe..."
Pansy snorted. "That'd be like taking your kids out of a school that had an undetectable plague ravaging it. They want their children safe, but most of them are more afraid of bringing them home and finding out they brought the problem home with them! If they are honest with themselves, few parents will risk their entire families just to safeguard one child."
Ron thought about it. It made sense, though he doubted his own parents would see it that way. They had already tried to talk him into leaving actually. He'd thought about him and Ginny leaving... that way at least it wouldn't focus it's attack on Slytherin house... but then again it had to be taken care of... who knows what it might do if left to roam at Hogwarts... and Ron seemed to be the most likely to draw it out and leave it vulnerable. He didn't like the risk... he just hoped it would be worth it in the end. Besides, Ginny would have none of it, and she wasn't one to push when she got set.
He looked over, noticing Blaise sniffing the air curiously. "What?"
Blaise leaned over towards Pansy, sniffing her, then did the same to Ron. Then he just lifted his head and looked puzzled. "Just caught a whiff of something metallic... I swear, I've never noticed just how many smells there are around here..." He said ruefully. "Probably just from the repair work..."
Draco overheard Blaise's comment from where he stood several feet up in the line. He made sure Ginny was good and distracted talking to one of the girls, then sighed and leaned up against a reasonably intact portion of the wall, folding his arms across his chest and looking utterly bored with the whole process. This position also happened to give him a better view of them. He combed the line around them, very glad now for the dark glasses that obscured his eyes. After a moment, he noticed that there was a third year boy who hung back when the line moved, putting a bit more distance between himself and Blaise.
Draco focused his attention on the boy, watching him intently as he drew slowly closer. As the line drew forward, the boy craned around, trying to see what was taking so long. He froze as he saw Snape casting at the front of the line. The line inched forward, but he stayed rooted to the spot. Then his gaze fell on Ron's back contemplatively.
Draco shifted slightly. The movement caught the boy's eye and he looked over. Draco reached up and pushed his glasses down the bridge of his nose a bit, staring openly at the boy over the rims as a little smirk slid across his lips.
The boy watched him curiously.
Draco let his eyes travel the length of the boy's body, his smirk widening, then let his eyes drift back up to his face. A little smirk worked across the boy's mouth as well and he let his own eyes travel over Draco.
Draco suddenly looked down the hall towards the Great Hall, straightening as the smirk fled his mouth. The boy spun around, looking to see what Draco had seen. Draco had his wand out and hurled a curse at the boy's back in the blink of an eye.
All of the gathered Slytherins jumped back as the boy crumpled, looking over at Draco as if he'd gone mad. Suddenly and inhuman shriek of rage filled the corridor as something moved over the boy. It looked like nothing more than a shadow pulling away and floating up... and then it solidified...
The jet black creature was gnarled and horrifying. It looked like a thin, elongated, slumped over and utterly perverse imitation of a person with blood red eyes and two twisted horns protruding from it's overly small skull. It shrieked again, displaying a great number of needle-like teeth that appeared to be stuck in in a completely random, haphazard fashion. It swung it's long, skeletal arm at Draco. The back of it's wickedly taloned 'hand' caught Draco upside the head, cracking him back against the wall with bone jarring force.
As soon as Draco was down, it swung around and lunged towards Ron. Ron shoved Blaise and Pansy away and drew his wand. He opened his mouth and a spell seemed to emerge from it unbidden. In a brilliant flash, sunlight burst forth from the tip of his wand.
The light seemed to hit the creature like a hammer, knocking it back a good ten feet and leaving it's flesh steaming. It let out a shriek of rage and pain. Ron, emboldened by the spell's success, advanced on it, wielding his still beaming wand before him.
It let out a cry of fear and flipped back over, tearing off down the corridor on all fours.
Ron ran after it, barely pausing to pull Draco to his feet as he passed. They both took off after it, but it was already disappearing up the stairs. As they emerged from the staircase they stared around in dismay. Both Gryffindor and Hufflepuff were still in the entrance hall, and from the lack of disturbance, it was obvious it had gone insubstantial and slipped into a new host. It could be in anyone, nearly anywhere already.
One of the Ministry Aurors spotted them, noting the blood that was starting to matt the hair on the side of Draco's head, and hurried over. "Is there a problem?" He asked in a businesslike tone.
"It just came this way. It was trying to get into Slytherin." Draco said, scanning the crowd for any suspicious activity.
The Auror turned, quickly scanning the crowd as well, then looked back at them. "Return to your House. We'll search up here." He said briskly, motioning another Auror over.
Draco sighed and nodded, and he and Ron made their way back down the stairs. There was really nothing more they could do.
"Where did you learn that spell?" Draco asked curiously, looking over at Ron.
"Hermione used it to free me from some Devil's Snare first year... I'd all but forgotten about it... when it came at me, what you said about sunlight just clicked I guess... I had no idea I even remembered the words..." He said with a shrug.
"Well we definitely need to teach everyone that spell. I don't know if it'll work while it's in a body, but it's a good one to know apparently." Draco said, clapping him on the back.
Neither of them noticed the glare of pure loathing the Auror gave them as they left...
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A/N - Hermione used a spell that made her wand emit sunlight to break up the Devil's snare in the movie. "Devil's Snare, Devil's Snare, It's deadly fun, but will sulk in the sun." :) Nice how they get their students to remember stuff eh? Unfortunately, since it was only spoken I didn't have the spelling and I didn't want to look like an idiot trying my attempt at spelling latin based words. In the book she used fire I believe.
A/N 2 - about Blaise and Draco's friendship (in response to a question in reviews)... yes, the friendship between Draco and Blaise was previously established, but only by Blaise. Draco hasn't been all that open about how he feels... obviously... and half the time acted like he found Blaise annoying and was just putting up with Blaise's presence because he wouldn't go away even when point blank told to... Darien said that Blaise was Draco's best friend, but that was while Draco was asleep and Blaise was not present. Draco himself had never even admitted that he saw him as a friend, let alone his best friend. Blaise, of course, told Draco to his face in Chapter 6, "You may not care for me, Draco... but I count you as a friend... probably my ONLY real friend..." So basically it was just the first time Draco actually admitted it out loud.
Before you ask, the reason Blaise felt free to tell Ron how he felt about Draco, and later didn't want to admit he had feelings for Ron... well, saying someone is a close and cherished friend, and saying you're in love with someone (especially someone of the same gender!) are two very different things. Blaise was ok with having a one-sided friendship... He didn't see that as making himself vulnerable because he didn't require Draco's affection in return to be content with the relationship (Though he was obviously thrilled to receive it)... but admitting to being in love with someone and risking them rejecting you is a whole other ball game. Especially if you've been hurt before. (I'm not saying Blaise has been in love before, but rejection is painful in any kind of intimate relationship)