Chapter 2 – Truths revealed

When Harry woke up the next morning, he didn't know where he was at first. He lifted his head up and looked around the room. It looked oddly like the infirmary at Hogwarts. But that didn't make any sense, did it? School wasn't supposed to start for another two weeks, it had been his birthday yesterday, hadn't it? Suddenly all his memories of yesterday came rushing back, and he let out a soft sob as he remembered what his uncle had done to him.

"Oh, Harry, you're awake!" At the sound of Hermione's voice, he turned around to look at his best friend. He gave her a small smile that didn't reach his eyes.

"Hi, Mione. How come we're at Hogwarts? I thought school didn't start for another two weeks?" That's odd. His voice was a lot deeper than he remembered it.

"We brought you here this morning, after we picked you up in Surrey last night. Don't you remember? Charlie, Ron and I found you tied to your bed in agony, when we came to pick you up for your birthday. Happy birthday, by the way." She smiled at him and reached out to touch him, but he flinched and pulled away. She looked stunned, hurt, then…understanding.

"It's ok, Harry. I won't touch you unless you want me to. I can only imagine how your back must be hurting right now." She looked down at her hands before meeting his eyes again.

"He whipped you, didn't he?" She whispered softly. Harry scoffed, but it turned into a sob.

"Not only did he whip and beat me – he raped me as well." Harry cried into his pillow and felt so ashamed of himself. He heard Hermione's soft gasp and it only made him cry harder.

"You hate me now, don't you? How could you not?"

"Oh, Harry, of course I don't hate you. You're like my brother, and I love you. Nothing that happens or what you may do, could change that. This is not your fault, and don't you go telling yourself that. This was all his fault, and he will pay for it, don't you worry about that. Now, do you want me to go and get Madam Pomfrey so she can get you something for the pain, and start healing you?" Harry nodded, thankful for her words, and watched her get up from the chair where he suspected she had been sleeping all night. He wondered where Ron might be, but then he figured Hermione had probably sent him off to bed to get some sleep.

"Ah, mr Potter, I see that you're awake. Now lets see if we can't heal those wounds for you." Madam Pomfrey said with a brisk tone to her voice.

"You will always have the scars, there's nothing to be done about that, but at least I can heal them and stop them from hurting."

When he put his head down on the pillow so she could heal his back, his hair fell in to his eyes. That's weird, it seemed longer than it had been yesterday. Finally the hurt in his back and thighs stopped, and was replaced by a cooling sensation. He was finally able to relax a bit and turned around to lie on his back. He saw that Hermione was still sitting in the chair next to his bed, smiling reassuringly at him.

"You know, Harry, you've changed quite a bit since we last saw you two months ago. Physically, I mean." At her statement he just stared at her with an unspoken question in his eyes. Hermione sighed when she realized that he didn't have the first clue to what she was on about.

"Harry, didn't you realize that your hair has grown about 20 centimetres in two months? And that you've grown at least 2 inches yourself. You must be 6'1" now, and did you know that your eyes are jade coloured now?"

"What? But…it wasn't like this yesterday! I was just me yesterday, what could have happened to me, Mione?" A small hint of fear could be heard in his voice, and he was starting to look panic-y so Hermione hurried to reassure him.

"Don't worry, Harry. I'll ask Madam Pomfrey to get professor McGonagall down here, ok? She's Headmistress now, and I'm sure that she'll know what's happened. I'll be right back, ok?" She looked at Harry, and when he nodded she got up and walked into Madam Pomfrey's office. She came back a minute later with Madam Pomfrey and professor McGonagall.

"Mr Potter, how are you feeling today? Yes, miss Granger. I can see what you were talking about, he has changed. And you are quite sure that it happened just last night?" McGonagall looked him over and got an understanding look in her eyes.

"I'm better, thanks, and yes, I wasn't like this last night. When the clock struck midnight, it felt like I was being torn apart. Do you know what's happened to me? Please tell me if you do."

"It seems that miss Granger was correct in her estimation. Mr Potter, I believe that the reason you have changed is because you came into your inheritance last night when you turned 17."

"What do you mean? My inheritance? What inheritance?" Harry was confused as he looked from McGonagall to Hermione to get one of them to tell him what was bloody well going on.

"Harry…we think that the reason you've changed, is because you're a Veela."