Embracing His True Self

Chapter 13

I bet you're all wondering why chapter 13 has been posted again, you're all probably going to get annoyed to learn that I've edited the story, BUT before you worry absolutely nothing has changed, I just gave it a quick edit and made it less choppy it was all over the place, and of course sorted the timeline which was all timey whimy even Dr. Who would get dizzy trying to make sense of it :P lol. Oh and added Harry getting clothes and his wand holster instead of it just merely being mentioned in the last chapter. (chapter 12 instead of 23 now). I really am sorry guys but the way it was - was an utter mess I mean a real mess, much like My Dark Hunter. Now you've not lost anything, and you wont have to put up with waiting for the chapters to be posted since they're all still there, everything you've read is still within these chapters and anything you're seeing now IS brand new.

Suggestions and Slytherins

Harry wandered around the manor, wondering about trying to leave the compound just to see what would happen, but he nixed the idea. He didn't want to disturb the status quo. He still couldn't believe Voldemort had actually given him a gift so to speak, he'd never mentioned it but had given him an approving nod when he saw him dressed in a 'proper wizarding attire' although Harry had to admit he did look good in them. He wasn't by any means vain, he didn't care about his looks, but it was nice being in clothes that fitted him and it helped by the fact he didn't look like an idiot in clothes five or six sizes too big. Voldemort wasn't here anyway, he was slightly surprised he hadn't been confined to one room but that happened when someone came, not when he left at least to his knowledge.

Opening the door to the dining hall, he froze when he saw Grant and Barty sitting there, by the look of things they were discussing something heavily, parchment littered the table. He was still annoyed at Grant for spelling that potion into his stomach without his consent, although it had probably saved himself from being cursed with a Crucio.

"Harry," Grant said, nodding his head respectfully, "You look considerably better," especially for only three weeks of proper nutrition and the potions, they shouldn't have worked so quickly. Perhaps it was something to do with him being in actual fitting clothes? But no, it wasn't possible he could see Harry actually had meat on his bones now, he wasn't just skin and bone. Perhaps having Harry in on this conversation would benefit Bartemius.

"For a prisoner you mean?" Harry stated with a wry smirk on his face, finding amusement in the stricken look on his face, it was hard to tell what emotion it was though.

Grant cleared his throat awkwardly, while Barty just chuckled in amusement, the boy knew damn well he wasn't a prisoner, the real prisoners were under this very manor he did like his attitude. The Dark Lord had obviously decided to turn Harry Potter to their side, he had seen them duelling and actually sitting having conversations of all things it was surreal really.

"How have you recovered so quickly?" Grant enquired, "Please sit, I'm going to run a diagnosis over you."

"I don't think so," Harry said narrowing his eyes, still smarting from the first time they met.

"Our Lord demands it," Grant added seriously, he obviously wanted to make sure Harry was recovering fully.

"Your Lord," Harry amended, Voldemort wasn't his Lord, he had no master and he didn't want one, it had been bad enough dealing with Dumbledore for years he wouldn't allow anyone else to manipulate him or tell him what to do. Nonetheless he wandered over and sat down, he was bored and that was the only reason he thought resolutely to himself.

"Very well, My Lord," Grant conceded, still waiting expectantly for permission.

"What happens if you don't get a diagnosis?" Harry asked shrewdly, green eyes gleaming eerily, he already knew the answer to that but got enjoyment out of making Grant pale.

"Ease up," Barty said shaking his head, Grant was one of the most decent wizards around, wouldn't hurt a fly, well except if his family was threatened but they could all say they were the same in that regard. "He doesn't deserve your attitude, nor does he really do well with sarcasm."

"Fine," Harry muttered pouting just slightly at having his fun taken away, "Only if you help me have some fun later," he didn't know if Crouch would help, after all it was thanks to Pettigrew that he got out of his fathers hold and back to Voldemort. He might feel some sort of loyalty to him, just like Voldemort did since the rat had brought him back - he was sure it was the only reason Pettigrew was still alive - he was useful.

Barty startled at that pronouncement, giving him a curious look, "Fine," it wasn't as if he was going to be anywhere else, he was homeless, nowhere to go and wanted. He also wanted to see what his Lord saw in him, surely he must see something to consider him worthy? There was no denying he was very good with magic, and if he applied himself he would have been a prodigy, he'd heard the boy had cast a fully fledged patronus last year. He wondered if it was true, and made a mental note to ask him.

"You can do the spell, if you answer a couple of questions," Harry decided, turning his attention back to Grant.

"Ask away," Grant said, tensing in his chair, wondering what the teenager could possibly want answering.

"Why were you so surprised I didn't know what the potion did?" Harry questioned, his gaze intense as he stared into Grant's blue eyes as if gauging his truthfulness.

"Ah," Grant murmured, relaxing, that he could answer quite happily. "Each student at Hogwarts is given that potion their first night at Hogwarts with the exception of the students whose medical files are up to date, they would have had to visit St. Mungo's at least a year before the start of Hogwarts to be exempt from it. You see the healers have to know your medical history, its important if they ever needed to treat you. Any prior or ongoing illnesses, potions you are taking, and more importantly if you are allergic to anything. The purpose of the potion wasn't for that particular reason solely, but it also identified students who are being abused. It was something put into practice sixty years ago."

"Sixty years?" Harry said surprised, "I wasn't aware the laws on abuse existed then,"

"In the magical world they do and did, something we actually started first for a change." Grant nodded briefly, before continuing in a grim tone, "It all started when the magical world got wind of students failing to return to Hogwarts, when they did investigating they realized that they weren't just missing but they were being killed, by their own families, with the abuse either going too far…or the fear causing them to kill their child outright especially in the case of religious parents. Armando Dippet was horrified and ensured such a practice was put into affect, to safeguard the next generation. In fact it was one of the last things he did as a Headmaster before he retired and Dumbledore took over."

Harry felt the first stirrings of actually feeling sick to his stomach, his lip unconsciously curled at the words.

"You must understand with us being such a small community each magical child is a blessing, there is nothing more important than children to pass on our legacies. It might seem stupid to some…but to have a child to pass on the name, their fortune, their work, and a child to continue the family name and keep their speciality when it comes to magic alive…to make the magical world thrive is…is all that matters." Grant said seriously, "Specialties like the ability to spell cast, ward weave even parselmouth, they are extremely rare now our world is getting even more smaller soon they'll be gone if something isn't done."

"Please," Harry scoffed, "Don't tell me abuse doesn't happen to those who live in the magical world with magical parents,"

"Ah, but nine time out of ten abuse cases are with Muggle-born's, that is a cold hard fact," Grant stated, "I'm not saying all magical parents are perfect, far from it, but children aren't abused."

Harry frowned, not sure what to make of the conversation, "Alright, but I'd never visited St. Mungo's before so why wasn't I given the potion?"

"I think you already know that answer," Grant said sympathetically, but without pity, he had a feeling the wizard would get extremely pissed off if he did pity him.

"No, I get that Dumbledore would try and circumvent me getting checked, although I'd like to know how, but I'm quite often in the hospital wing, why wasn't it done then?" Harry said, his hands clenched into fists, "You said healers take oaths,"

"Healers do, I am one, your Madam Pomfrey is merely a Medi-witch, which is someone that can cure colds and hand out some potions but she's in no way capable of the things I am. You can become a Medi-witch is six months albeit if you complete the course and pass which even a simpleton can do. The course is mind-numbingly tedious but if you want to go on the healers course you have to take the first step which is the Medi course." Grant waved dismissively, "It's something you would have to find out from her yourself."

Harry just grunted a slight pensive look on his face.

"May I?" Grant asked, his wand out.

Harry just shrugged, he didn't care anymore, "Go on then," as vindictive as he felt sometimes, Grant really hadn't done anything so there was no point to getting him into trouble with Voldemort.

Grant didn't wait for further permission, as soon as Harry gave the go ahead he was murmuring Latin so quietly that Harry couldn't hear him. Then a large glow of white spat from Grants want and into Harry, causing tingling all over from head to foot before it stopped leaving a warm feeling behind as if the magic was reassuring him he would be alright, Pomfrey's magic didn't feel like that.

"Just as I suspected, you are recovering really well," Grant said reading over the results, his eyesight was perfect, his bones corrected, the nutrients he needed were definitely being absorbed. "Perhaps a bit too well, what have you been doing?" Grant's blue eyes unconsciously begged Harry to tell him, not in that pathetic way but in a way someone pleaded when they desired information.

"I created a potion," Harry told him smugly, "It helps you bulk up, nothing too drastic, but enough to make someone like me healthy, although I wouldn't know I've not taken the potion long enough…nor will I after a while." the prospect of being very muscular and bulky didn't appeal to him whatsoever. He would leave finding out until someone actually wanted to be that way then he'd offer them the potion.

Barty perked up at that, he'd half zoned out listening to the conversation happening in front of him. He liked the sound of that potion, but he knew the boy wouldn't just hand it over - call it sixth sense or whatever he just knew. He had to have it though, this would help him, and in turn he would be useful to his lord so much sooner. He hated feeling useless, he'd felt it for too damn long, he just wanted to be back to his old self again. Not constantly exhausted, sick or having to sleep to regain strength. "What would you ask for if I wanted two weeks worth?" Barty asked speculatively.

"Hmm," Harry mused thoughtfully, he couldn't think of anything right now, it wasn't as if Barty could give him anything right now anyway. "A boon I suppose, there's nothing I want right now." and he wasn't just going to hand them over, not when he might think of something later and have to kick himself for being so foolish.

"Bloody Slytherins," Barty grumbled, he swore he would like nothing more than to kill whoever started the boon nonsense in Slytherin.

"You weren't in Slytherin?" Harry asked taken aback.

"No," Barty smirked, "I was a Ravenclaw, graduated with twelve O.W.L's,"

"I know," Harry claimed, "Well the O.W.L part." he amended.

"How?" Barty's smirk disappeared and a confused look plastered over his face.

"Your father, when he got to Hogwarts he was muttering to the tree about how you'd graduated with twelve O.W.L's, he might have been delirious but he sounded proud." Harry answered, he would have done anything for someone to be proud of him - genuinely.

"It was the only time he actually spent more than a few seconds of his time talking to me," Barty admitted bitterly, an ugly look on his face, how he loathed his father. For ignoring him all his life, for ignoring his mother, especially when she was dying, that he'd never been able to forgive. "He was more concerned about his career, of becoming the Minister of magic, he abandoned both me and my mother," it was guilt that had enabled Mrs. Crouch to convince her husband to let their son out even if he had ended up regretting it more than anything else.

Harry was surprised that Barty didn't go completely nuts that he'd mentioned him, he hated his name with a vengeance never mind his actually mentioning the man himself.

"If you take the additional potions, this will need changed before I go," Grant spoke after a few moment of silence.

"Alright, a boon," Barty grudgingly agreed, "I want a months worth of potions though," if he was going to have a boon over his head he wanted to make it worthwhile.

"Done, I'll brew them for you tonight," Harry said wryly, stretching himself out feeling very pleased.

"I'll just change this," Grant said, scribbling parts out and adding writing here and there to the plan to get Barty back to good health. "Might be a good idea to hang on to it for when the others get here, they'll need it as well." he certainly would be busy trying to get them to anything remotely resembling normal health. He would be rushed of his feet, he would be tending to at least thirty people. He didn't even think he'd get home the first few days after they were all brought here, after all those years in Azkaban they couldn't be in good shape.

Harry arched an eyebrow, he knew by 'others' it meant the other Azkaban Death Eaters, even during the resurrection it had been one of his plans to get them out. He couldn't help but wonder if Voldemort was actually going to go in half cocked or if he was taking his advice…the thought of him actually taking his advice was laughable, but he hoped it was at least considered. It was definitely the plan he would put into action if he had ever considered it. Not that he wanted to rule over the magical world, he'd much rather just fade into the background thank you very much. He was so deep in thought he didn't see the look Grant sent him, the healer was wondering if he had done the wrong thing in mentioning something like that in front of him.

The window being tapped caused them all to turn as one, Harry jumped to his feet, joy thrumming through him. She was alive, she'd survived, she was alright. Quickly jogging over, he unlatched the window and held his arm out for her to hop on. A wide grin splitting his face in two, now she was the only thing he truly cared about, she'd been there for him for years, even if it was just a mostly silent presence, she was his familiar and he shouldn't be surprised she'd found him but he was. He stroked at her head and neck as she hooted a few times.

"Its good to see you too, girl," Harry said just standing there petting her. Oh, he'd missed her more than he had even realized.

"That shouldn't have been possible, only the birds that live here should have been able to bypass the wards," Barty said cautiously.

"Its nice to see you have full confidence in my wards," the smooth voice of Voldemort causing them all to startle once more. Truth was, Hedwig had gotten all but passed the wards, she'd been flying into them as he returned from Azkaban, determined to get to her Master. To have gotten this far he realized the owl wasn't just any ordinary owl but a familiar, they were bonded, and he didn't want to risk the owl leaving and returning but with people trailing it. He did not want his hideout found, it was imperative that it remained secure and unknown.

"My Lord," both Grant and Crouch said, bowing in respect, Harry didn't do anything, he just stood there petting at his owl. Grant and Barty tensed, waiting for something to happen, anything, surely the Dark Lord wouldn't like that? Yet he did nothing, merely moved over to the table and situated himself at the head of it and food appeared almost immediately.

Harry stared at Voldemort, why let his owl in at all? Why would he risk him writing to anyone? Remaining thoughtful he took his usual seat, not even needing to wait for Voldemort to glare this time, he simply just took the potions with a 'there I've done it' look on his face. What if he had done something to her? That made Hedwig to go to Voldemort instead of wherever he sent the letter? Shrugging it off, not that it really mattered, who would he write to? Hermione and Ron had made their allegiance clear, he would never forgive them for keeping him in the dark, even if he'd only been in the dark for really a fortnight before he'd been kidnapped and brought here. They would have kept it up the entire summer, no, they'd chosen Dumbledore over him and that was it, their friendship if it ever had been one, was done.

There we go, now comes the hard part, actually writing out the training scenes, maybe even a few potion scenes for the next month before Harry goes back to Hogwarts :) will there be a potion invented that makes Harry feel loyal to Dumbledore? Will Severus make sure its swapped out for a safe potion so Harry doesn't end up drugged now that they're on the same side :P would you like to see Severus and Harry actually sitting down and talking? Will it make Voldemort jealous? hmm i'm going to have so much fun! oh yes, will a dementor come at Harry only to have Voldemort save him or Harry save himself and they see his magnificent stag patronus? or will Umbridge not send them due to him being missing? will the other Slytherins be told to protect him or will they learn too late they should never have messed with him?