Chapter 6 – Silent and not so silent conclusions.

Laura had not said a word during the trip to the Great Hall. Not that Dumbledore hadn't tried to start a conversation but there was only so much you could say when someone merely nodded or shook their head in reply.

"Well we have arrived." Dumbledore said with a rather weary and relieved tone.

What could have possibly been done to this child to make her not want to answer even simple basic questions. Dumbledore had made certain that before he had approached the girl in the tower to wake her that he had been sending out a calm and soothing energy.  Even with the help of calm energy she still had not relaxed her shoulders or kept from glancing around quickly. He had however been rather startled when she had shoved him away from her in the tower, he couldn't really blame her. He could have tried a softer more gentle approach than shaking her awake. Dumbledore had been quite shocked to find her in the Astrum tower. Dumbledore himself was the only one who ever really went there and he only ever went there rarely. The energy the room gave off was simply to odd for his liking and he only made routine checks to make sure nothing had been damaged in the tower. Dumbledore sat at the table which had been laid  out with food for the both of them. The teachers had gone home and those that were still around had eaten earlier.

"Well take whatever you wish to eat." Dumbledore said in a slightly better mood.

The Great Hall always managed to awe even the oddest or worst of people.

Laura nodded, knowing that she wouldn't take much in any case because she would most likely just toss it up again. Her digestive system just wasn't used to large solid meals. But what really got to her was the beauty of the Great Hall and all the emotions that had passed through this very place. Fear, hate, happiness, sadness, joy and many more. Laura took a seat at the table and looked wearily at the food on the table. What if it had been poisoned like most her meals had been? What better way to keep her from fighting back or running away if she was so sick from the poison that was mostly always running through her system. Laura watched carefully what Dumbledore took and ate and making sure that the toast was safe she took a slice and when Dumbledore finally took some of the liquid that was in the pitcher, she tried some to. Not bad really. Wonder what it is? I wonder why the man insists on sending strong waves of calm and soothing energy.   Doe he hope to sooth himself or maybe me. Surely he wouldn't want to calm me down? I shoved him really hard to the floor and all I seem to do is cause problems. I really shouldn't have spoken to him when I pushed him over. Stupid. Things would have been better if she had just kept quite. If she had kept quiet then they would have thought she couldn't talk and they would have left her alone but now they knew she could talk and they'd insist that she tell them about who she is. Which in itself is a rather large problem considering the fact that she didn't even know who her parents were and what her last name was. Laura had been quite startled to hear how soft and tired her voice had sounded when she had spoken. She hadn't really used it in the all her life to speak mostly to scream as some other object was used to beat her or some other poison racked havoc with her body. She had spoken in the office but she had felt obligated to speak to explain to Harry what her name was and what she was doing here. She wouldn't talk to anyone else until she was certain that she could trust them. Well maybe the one man with the greying hair. He'd seemed different to them and maybe he would understand what was going on with her transformations.  Well at least I got to Harry. In the hell that had been her life the only thing that had kept her going were dreams of a boy with startling green eyes and messy black hair. Laura had never understood why she had dreamed of him but all she knew was that the dreams had given her hope because she wasn't the only one who was suffering. She didn't know if he had dreamed of her but she was glad that he had helped her get through all the beatings. Laura hoped that she would be able to talk or at least see Harry again.

Dumbledore looked at the girl with concern. She had barely eaten a thing and she didn't really have anything to spare. She was merely skin and bone. Her cheek bones stood out clearly on her drawn and dirty face. He also noticed that even  though she was slightly more relaxed than she had been she still sat stiffly in her chair and would have enough room and space to bolt from her seat if need be. Dumbledore took the time to study the girl better. Her hair and clothing were an utter and total mess. Her hair was matted and looked as if it hadn't been brushed in ages and the clothing she wore, if you could call it clothing looked worse than her hair. What used to be a pair of pants and a top were now a bunch of dirty rags that barely provided enough warmth and coverage. Dumbledore cleared his throat softly to catch the girls attention and Laura slowly looked up at him with a blank and closed expression.

"I thought that maybe you would like a bath or at least a change of clothing seeing that the ones you are wearing are nothing more than rags at the moment."

Laura looked at him and then at herself. She could use a bath and clothing would be rather helpful. She had wearing hardly any clothing. It mad her uncomfortable and with a slight nod towards Dumbldore she  showed her approval of his idea.

Dumbledore smiled at her his eyes twinkling in a way that only his eyes could.

"Well then. I think the prefects baths will do. However I don't know about clothing. It's summer vacation so we can't borrow something from the students. I'll ask the house elves and see what they can do."

Dumbledore stood and gestured for Laura to follow, Laura stood carefully not to make any sudden movements because even though the injuries were gone and couldn't en seen she was still stiff and in discomfort. They walked until they came to a portrait and Dumbledore gave the password and the portrait swung open to reveal a beautiful bathroom with a large bath tub in the middle.

"Towels are in the cupboards and I'll send someone up with something for you to wear while we organize you some clothing but in the mean time you can just wear one of the bath robes in the cupboard on the right. Just ring the bell there if you need anything and enjoy your bath. Oh and take your time there's no rush at all."

Dumbldore left leaving Laura to gaze around the room. The room was stunning with the most beautiful carvings on the tiles. Laura walked to the bath and started running the water, after that she walked to the cupboards and took out what she'd all need.  Laura got rid of her rags and making sure no one was around she stepped into the bath with a pleased sigh.

"I could get used to this." Laura said softly.

~*~

Harry woke up slowly and blinked in confusion. The bed and blanket were simply to comfortable for him to be at Privet Drive. Slowly his memory of what happened yesterday came back to him. The wolf that came into the garden and then going to Hogwarts. He was living with Sirius now and he had been given his own room with his own bed and everything else that was meant to be in a bedroom. Harry rolled onto his back and bit back a cry of pain. The whip lashes that he's Uncle had given him were far from healed. Harry sat up slowly so as not to aggravate the wounds anymore and swung his feet onto the floor being careful not to put to much weight on his right ankle. The swollen ankle hadn't been that bad in the beginning but was now purple and not looking to healthy. The quick flight down the stairs thanks to Dudley had caused it and Harry had no way to try fix it or even give it some type of wrapping. Maybe if he asked Sirius he could heal it or take him to doctor to get it fixed. No. That wouldn't work. Sirius would want to know how he got it and then he would question him about the bruising on his face and that couldn't happen Sirius would never want to talk or see him again if he knew that half of the things that had been done to him. He felt dirty and cleansed at the same time. Dirty because of all the innocence that had been taken from him over and over and cleansed because it was his way of being punished for all the deaths he had caused. Harry sighed, he knew that Sirius was going to ask him anyway where he got the bruise and part of Harry wanted to tell him and be comforted by someone that truly cared for him but the other half told him he deserved it and that he shouldn't be a burden to Sirius. Harry slipped on some clothes he found in the closet and made his way down the stairs where he heard a radio and the sounds of someone cooking. Sucking in a great breath he entered the kitchen and was shocked at what he saw. There was Sirius looking quite comfortable in the kitchen cooking up what seemed to be type of feast.

Sirius knew that Harry was staring at him and he decided last night that he was going to talk to Harry about the Dursleys today but not before he had got some food into him and wasn't as tense.

"Umm Sirius?" Harry asked softly.

"Oh morning Harry. Why don't you have a seat breakfast will be ready in a bit."

Harry sat down slowly and looked at the table covered in all sorts of breakfast like meals. What he did notice was that all the food types that were there weren't heavy and chunky but light and Harry had never been so grateful. This way he could eat with out feeling to sick afterwards.

"So did you sleep alright?" Sirius asked setting down the last dish of food.

Harry nodded.

"I hope the room is okay. I wasn't sure what you liked so I left it a bit plain but we can change it into something you want."

"The room is great, Sirius."

Harry meant every word he had said. The room was way better than anything he had stayed. Even the dorms at Hogwarts didn't compare.

"Good. Well what are you waiting for dig in." Sirius gestured to the mountains of food.

Harry and Sirius ate in a uncomfortable silence. Both knew for themselves what was going to have to be discussed and neither of them were looking forward to it.

Sirius sighed and with a flick of his wand the dishes were cleaned and packed away.

"Harry, you know what I'm going to ask you and I would like the truth. I know I haven't been here for you when I should have and I can't apologize enough for it. I can promise that I love you and no matter what I'll be here for you."

Harry looked at his hands. He couldn't look Sirius in the eyes cause he knew once that when he knew what he was and what he had done they would have hate and disgust in them.

"How did you get the bruise on your face?" Sirius asked concern leaking in his voice.

"I walked into a door." Harry replied a bit coldly.

"Harry." A warning underlined that one name.

" Oh alright if you really want to know." Harry said getting angry.

Why couldn't he leave him alone? He was impure and not worthy of any love or caring he received from anyone and he should just be killed or locked away somewhere. Why couldn't he see that.

"My 'Uncle' hit me. Oh and the limp comes because I got shoved down the stairs by my 'cousin'. OH and if you want to know why I'm not leaning back it's because I have so many welts on my back it looks like the London Underground. There's also the fact that I'm not sitting to comfortably is because my 'Uncle' and 'cousin' rather enjoyed shoving things or themselves into me. There happy?" Harry yelled standing up and running/limping to his room.

Sirius sat there for a minute and ran after Harry. Opening Harry's door he found him sitting on his bed rocking himself back and forth with a hand over his mouth to stifle sobs.

Sirius sat next to him and put his hand on Harry's shoulder hoping to offer him comfort, Harry flinched a bit but did not move away. Sirius taking this as a good sign put his arms around the youth but Harry fought to get out of his arms but Sirius refused holding him tightly while being mindful of his injuries. Harry sagged against him and started to let out all the abuse and shame he felt. Sirius moved Harry into his lap and leaned back against the headboard not loosening his hold on him while softly speaking words of kindness and comfort into Harry's ear.

Sirius looked down and saw that Harry had cried himself into exhaustion and that he had fallen asleep with his head resting on Sirius's chest. Adjusting his hold on his godson he settled himself into a comfortable position and decided then and there that the Dursleys would pay and he would do everything possible to help his godson.

A/N Ok well that's chapter 6. Nobody reviewed chapter 5 but I decided that I was writing the story more for myself so that's why I'm still writing.. Reviews are nice and appreciated but if I don't get any I'm not going to stop writing my story or poems. I would however like some reviews on this chapter because I want to know what people think of it because I put more time into the planning.

~*~

LauraBlade