Hello yet again! :)

This is chapter 11 already, getting close to the half time here lol

Hope you enjoy the chapter! :)

Where…where am I?

He slowly stood up, everything around him dark. It was so dark he was unable to see where he was, where Dumbledore had taken him. He was somewhat surprised that he was not in any pain or that he was not bound or tied up- he was able to move freely, and he still had his wand, which he was clutching tightly now.

"Hello? What's going on?", he yelled into the darkness, "fucking fight me like a man, Dumbledore!"

There was a silence, but then suddenly, the darkness faded- not much though, but enough to see that he was in some kind of hallway, walls left and right from him.

"Show yourself, Dumbledore!", Tom demanded, forcing his voice to be firm. He was unsure if he actually wanted Dumbledore to show up, especially after he had called him a pretty boy, but the silence and half- darkness around him were a torture of their own.

"You will meet me at the end, Voldemort", Dumbledore was actually giggling now, "go ahead and start running, pretty boy- and you better run fast", he cackled, seemingly very amused by what was happening, "let the game begin."

Game? Whatthefuck?

Tom felt cold sweat forming on his back again, and he held onto his wand like it was a lifeline, hastily scanning everything around him- but he did not see or hear anyone.

He took a tentative step into the hallway, just one, and that must have been some kind of signal because suddenly there were footsteps behind him- hurrying footsteps, and small, hissing sounds.

Clearly, anything that was coming there was bad news- so he started to run down the hallway, pressing his teeth tightly together when he heard Dumbledore cackle again in the background, "yes, keep running, Lord Voldemort- keep running!"

He ran down the hallway, the footsteps behind him finally sounding like they were losing distance, and he exhaled in relief. Tom had expected to find some door or a room at the end of the hallway, but to his astonishment, the hallway just turned into another one- identical to the one he had just run down.

This is stupid. Where am I?

There were no doors, no pictures, no rugs, no windows, no nothing- just walls to his left and right, and an open hallway behind him and in front of him. He had no choice but to keep walking, biting his lips in frustration when the hallway suddenly made a sharp left turn, leading to yet another hallway.

There were footsteps behind him again, determined ones, so he picked up his pace and started to run again, and then run down another hallway, finally stopping to catch his breath when he came to some kind of strange intersection which split the hallway into two identical looking ones.

Is this a trap? Which way do I go?

The footsteps coming closer forced him to make a decision- but he had taken too long, and suddenly, there was a pain in his back, comparable to getting an electric shock.

"Aaaaarrhhh!"

"I told you to run fast, didn't I?", Dumbledore's smug laugh echoed from the walls around him, "now run boy, run to your prize!"

"What prize? What the fuck is this here?", Tom yelled at him, the pain in his back fading as quickly as it had gotten there, "just…tell me what you want, Dumbledore!"

"That's an easy one- I want you, pretty boy", Dumbledore cackled again, "I want you on your knees, screaming and wailing while I am standing behind you, thrusting into you…all the way in…all…the…way…can you feel it? Can you feel how I am breaching you for my pleasure, my little bitch boy? Can you feel…"

Tom started to run, covering his ears with his hands. He was shaking, barely able to see anything anymore, his eyes blinded by tears.

This is not happening. This is not happening. He's just trying to scare you, he won't do that. No one would ever do that.

He had chosen the hallway to the right, which ended up splitting into another hallway, and he sobbed in frustration and defeat when he realized what this really was: A maze. He was stuck in some kind of sick maze like a lab rat, running around helplessly without knowing the way out.

"Keep…running, bitch boy", Dumbledore panted, clearly aroused now, "keep…running to me…claim your prize…"

"Shut up! Shut up!", Tom screamed back, tears streaming down his face, "shut up and let me out of here! I am done playing!"

He howled in agony when he got another shock, the footsteps hurrying closer to him, "fuck! Fuck this shit!", he had to start running again, his lungs begging for air when he finally allowed himself to take another break.

He was exhausted, and hot, and thirsty, and he had never been more terrified in his whole life- knowing where this maze was leading him to now. The adrenaline and the fear gave him enough energy to start running again, away from the footsteps, but closer to Dumbledore.

I should never have attacked him. I should have stayed home. I should have just drank my fucking bourbon. I should have just drank myself to death. I should…I should…

There was another intersection coming closer now, and Tom sobbed in despair, not knowing which of the four ways to choose. He feared that one of them would lead him straight to Dumbledore.

He suddenly realized that Dumbledore had been suspiciously quiet since some time now- maybe he was already here? Waiting for him around the corner?

"I…I don't know what to do", he whispered to himself, "I don't know. I don't know…", he ended up choosing the second hallway from the left, not being able to run fast anymore- he was simply too drained for that, and he was hot…everything was so damn hot.

I want to die. I want this to be over. I want…I want…

He suddenly remembered Gryffindor holding him again, rocking him, telling him what a sweet boy he was- and he started to cry. He was certainly never going to be Gryffindor's sweet boy again, now all he was was Dumbledore's bitch boy, and it was all his own fault. He should never have attacked him.

The hallway turned to another one, and when he entered it, he suddenly heard some noise. No footsteps, but…yelling. Sounds like…fighting?

What's going on now? More of his thugs coming after me?

He tried to run a little faster, and now the sounds were getting louder, and he could hear Dumbledore again- but now he sounded angry, he was screaming something, something he was unable to understand.

"This is crazy. This is all…insane. I should have stayed home."

"That you should have, Thomas."

And there he was- right around the corner, looking at him with a grave expression on his face- Godric Gryffindor.

I am hallucinating. This…this can't be.

Tom stood frozen to the spot in the dimly lit hallway, and then Gryffindor came closer, walking up to him, "let's go, Thomas- we don't have much time", he grabbed him by the shoulder, confirming that he was indeed real, and then he dragged him over to the wall, "come on, it's already spreading."

"What…what's spreading?", Tom stuttered, still not certain that this was not some whiskey infused nightmare he was having, "what…what's going on?"

"The fire, Thomas", Gryffindor simply said, and now that he had said it, Tom could smell it- the smoke, the ashes, and he could feel the heat increasing- the heat which had been there the whole time, which he had blamed on his exhaustion.

Gryffindor dragged him right through the wall, which appeared to be some secret hallway to…

"This…wait. This is…my park. My…we are at…my Mansion", Tom did not understand anything anymore, he had just been in this weird maze, how the fuck was it possible that he was standing in the cold night right outside his Mansion now?

And then he saw it. It was a flicker at first, but it became bigger within seconds- and he realized with another dose of horror that his house, the place he had stayed the last months in, was on fire.

"It's…there's a fire! We need to cast some water spells!", Tom blurted out, still under shock, "my…I need to go inside, I need…"

"It's too late for that, Thomas", Gryffindor said, his voice strangely calm, "the fire is everywhere- and the house will soon collapse."

Before Tom could protest, he heard something- a scream, a loud, terrified wail, "help! Help! Let me out! Let me out!"

"That's Pettigrew!", Tom wanted to run inside, acting purely on instinct now, "he…the fire…"

"You will stay here, Thomas."

"What?", all he could do was stare at the Founder, "he's gonna die! He'll burn to death!"

More screams now, and Tom was able to also identify the voices of Rosier and Yaxley- it sounded like they were at least a dozen men begging for help now, begging to be saved from the flames.

"They are all inside! We need to save them! Do something, they…the house, you need to fucking do something!", he was screaming at Gryffindor now, the terror becoming too much, "don't just fucking stand there…"

"As I said, it is too late for that, Thomas", Gryffindor easily picked him up, "I was able to get you out, but I cannot save them- I am sorry."

"I can't just let them all die! I fucking can't!", he was struggling with all his might, crying out loud when Gryffindor slowly started to walk with him in his arms, away from the now heavily burning house, "no! No, stop! I need…to save them, and…my house, this is my fucking house!", he kicked and struggled as much as he could, but it was of no use- Gryffindor simply kept walking, carrying him across the grass towards the woods, forcing him to watch his Mansion, his pride and joy, collapse behind him seconds later.

"Let me goooo! Let me fucking go!", Tom was crying again, cursing and screaming, "I want to fight Dumbledore! I want to kill him! I want…"

"You are in no position to make demands anymore, Thomas", Gryffindor now said, his voice still very calm, "do you have any idea what risks we all took to get you out of there alive? Dumbledore set up a trap for you, Thomas- he bribed Rosier and Peter to convince you to attack him tonight, and then he transformed your hallways into some maze with a spell, and his plan was to rape you while you were forced to watch all of your Death Eaters burn to death at the same time."

Tom felt like throwing up, his head whirling with all the information, "but…you…you saved me", he finally croaked out, "and…I…I help you now, the…the truce…"

For some reason, that made Gryffindor laugh, "oh, Tommybear…you really think I would still want a truce with you? After what you did tonight?"

"You…you gonna…spank me again?", he sounded confused, and helpless, "you…you are mad, right?"

"Not mad, Thomas- I am disappointed."

Tom was staring at him now, Gryffindor's last word cutting right through his heart, "but…but…you'll spank me, and then…you…you forgive me", he whispered hoarsely, "and…and then…I can…I can be…your sweet boy again", there was utter despair in his words now, and his stomach clenched when Gryffindor slowly shook his head, "that's not how this is going to work, I am afraid", his voice was soft, "we need to make sure you understand how to be a sweet boy first, hmm? But don't worry- he will turn you into the sweetest boy there is in no time."

"H…he?"

And then Aurelius appeared out of nowhere- not like this night could have gotten any more bizarre anyways, "hello there, Thomas", his voice was calm, calm and even, "ready to go?"

Tom was too stunned to speak, but Gryffindor smiled, "he's all yours, Aurelius", and just like that, everything changed.

"No! No, wait!", he started to kick harder again, and then Aurelius lifted his wand, and pain exploded behind his eyes, and the last thing he suddenly remembered before everything turned black were Aurelius' words, words he had said to him what now felt like a lifetime ago.

I am not as lenient as my father, Thomas.

It had gotten cold, but Harry did not mind the weather. He kept staring at the water of the small lake close to Hagrid's Hut, watching the wind turn the water into little waves.

He knew he was being cowardly by sitting out here instead of attending class, or lunch, or study time, but he had not been able to help himself. Again, he had lied to his friends telling them he was not feeling well, and this time, Ron and Hermione had been a lot more suspicious. It could not have been helped, though, he just couldn't face Snape again- he had not been able to after Snape had spanked him, and now he was certainly not able to after he had been snuggling into Snape like a needy child, drooling onto his robes.

The headspace he had been in had been amazing, though- and Harry was irritated by the fact that he already craved that feeling again. It was ridiculous to think that Snape would ever let him come close to him again.

They had not been talking much after he had come back to reality the day before- and Snape had seemed embarrassed, too, so Harry had just grabbed his bag and got out as fast as he could.

And now he was sitting by the lake, the only place he had thought of where he would really be alone, where no one would bother…

"I was not aware sitting in the cold in nothing but a shirt and jeans would be an appropriate way of recovering from an illness, Potter", Snape did not sound quite as sarcastic as he usually did when he came to stand right next to him, "your friend Weasley informed me you are…how should I say it- compromised?"

Harry bit his lips, "I…I am already feeling a lot…better", he mumbled, "and…I thought fresh air…would be good."

"Fresh air- the most effective medication. Who needs potions, right?"

"Are you…making fun of me?"

"Of you? A boy burdened by an illness so severe he cannot attend classes all day? Certainly not, Potter."

Even though he did not want to, Harry's lips curled into a smile, "fine. I am not sick."

"Look at that- it's a miracle", Snape exclaimed mockingly, and Harry had to laugh, the feeling of dread and worry slowly dissolving, "I needed some time…alone", he eventually told Snape, hesitance in his voice, "and…I wasn't sure…if you…still…you know."

"I do not know, Potter."

Harry sighed, "if you still allow me to attend Potion's", he said after a long pause.

"Potion's is a prerequisite for fourth graders, Potter."

Harry blinked, realizing that Snape had avoided to answer his question, "but…yesterday, I mean…I thought…you were mad."

"I am not…mad, Potter. I knew beforehand that you might be able to get into a certain headspace if I spanked you, I just did not…expect it to happen, since it usually requires a lot of trust."

"Then…why…did it…happen, Sir?", Harry asked quietly, sounding embarrassed, "I mean, I did not…try anything, I just…it just…happened."

Now Snape definitely looked as uncomfortable as Harry felt, "I do not believe I am an expert in that, Potter", he sounded reserved again, the mocking playfulness from earlier gone, "this is something…to discuss with Lupin, perhaps."

Harry bit his lips so hard they almost started to bleed, understanding Snape's message loud and clear- he did not want to be bothered by his nonsense anymore, he most likely regretted that he had ever spanked him in the first place.

"Yeah, I guess so", Harry tried to sound nonchalant and failed miserably, and he could hear Snape sigh, the sound of it tired, "look, Potter, we both know that what happened yesterday cannot happen again- I can't be…I cannot…you know the mere idea of it is utterly ridiculous."

"I…I understand, Sir", Harry forced a grin, not wanting to admit how much Snape's words hurt, "I should…probably go back inside. It's really getting cold", he slowly stood up, avoiding to look at Snape.

"I am still expecting you to do your homework for tomorrow, Potter", Snape finally said, "let Granger help you."

Harry nodded, not even surprised anymore by the fact that Snape had openly admitted for the first time that Hermione was smart, "okay, I'll do it tonight."

"Good."

It's all good…all good, boy…good boy…

Snape seemed to have remembered his words exactly at the same time Harry did, because they both stiffened, and Harry flushed, "uhm…I see you…in class, Professor", he hastily turned around and ran back to the school, not daring to look at Snape again.

He ran all the way to the Common Room where students were standing in groups, loudly discussing the latest events- Voldemort's attack on Dumbledore and his capture. Dumbledore had just announced that the Dark Order was history and that all Death Eaters had been sent to Azkaban without a trial, but no one knew if that was the truth or not. Voldemort was suspected to be at one of the camps now, even though there were rumors that he had somehow been able to escape.

Harry did not care much for it- he was surprised to realize how less he really cared that his archenemy and his Order of destruction were not a threat anymore.

"Harry, there you are!", Ron, Neville and Hermione came storming over to him, all starting to talk at the same time.

"Where were you? Are you feeling better?"

"Remus wants us to have an emergency meeting because of what happened last night!"

"How are you? You look like you are freezing in that shirt!"

"I'm feeling good", Harry lied, "was just getting some fresh air. When's the meeting?"

"Tonight, in his office", Hermione replied, best informed as always, "I cannot believe Dumbledore really captured Voldemort! What do you think about that, Harry?"

"I…uhm…", he was saved by Ginny who joined them just that second, "have you guys heard? Remus wants us to meet…"

"We know, Ginny", Ron interrupted his sister not very kindly, "did you tell Luna?"

"I am going to do that right now", Ginny replied, her tone showing her annoyance with Ron, "see you all later", she turned around to go find Luna, and Fred and George came to join them, starting a discussion about what really happened with the Dark Order and Voldemort, which got quite heated after a few minutes.

Harry pretended to listen, nodding here and then, and again, Hermione seemed to be the only one noticing that his mind was somewhere else.

"What did you think about earlier, Harry?", she asked him quietly when they walked to the library to get some homework done before the meeting with Remus, "what's bothering you?"

"Just…you know", Harry shrugged, uncomfortable with lying to Hermione, "the…meeting and stuff."

"Harry…", it was only one word, but it made him wince, "you know you can tell me everything, right? You…you have been actingkind of strange lately, ever since you had that detention with Snape. What did Snape do to you?"

Harry tried a false laugh, "you know, scrubbing cauldrons and stuff like that", they were at the library now, which was surprisingly empty for this time of day- but then, the Slytherins were prohibited from using the library, so only three of the houses still had access to it.

Hermione stayed silent for several minutes, obviously trying to connect the dots in her brain, while Harry hastily got his books out, fervently hoping she would not…

"He spanked you, didn't he?", Hermione eventually said, her voice still very quiet, "Snape- he spanked you, that's why you did not want to go to class today and that last time, and that's why you listened to Gryffindor's conversation with Aurelius, why you asked me those questions the other day, and why you seem so…absent lately."

Harry had gotten pale, which was answer enough for Hermione.

"Harry?"

"Ye…yeah?", he croaked out, expecting her to tell him to go to Dumbledore and report Snape, or to comfort him, calling Snape out for humiliating him like this.

"It's okay if you liked it", Hermione now said, which was so unexpected that Harry's eyes widened in stunned shock, "wh…what? I didn't…I did not like it!"

Hermione shot him a sad smile, "you never had anyone to really parent you, Harry- and…I know it hurts you that Sirius…"

"I really…please…", Harry realized with growing horror he had to blink back tears. He was not going to cry about this, not here, not in front of Hermione…

"It's okay, Harry", Hermione repeated quietly, slowly pulling him into a hug- and that was the last straw- he started to cry, and once he had started, he did not seem to be able to stop, and he cried, and cried, while Hermione simply hugged him, providing him the comfort he so desperately needed, the comfort he had wanted from Sirius, from Remus, and now, most of all, from Snape.

And he knew he was not going to get it from either one of them.

Sirius gave a quick nod to a group of Thompson's friends by the bar, and then he went over to Thompson, carefully balancing his glass, filled to the rim with bourbon.

"Orion! Good to see you!", Thompson grinned at him, holding up his own glass in a mock salute, "heard about your fight the other night- heard you broke every single finger of that guy."

"Yeah", Sirius took a sip, "he cried like a baby once I got to the middle finger. Pissed himself, too."

It had been the first fight after the debacle with Malfoy- and it had supposed to be the last one, but…well, here he was again. Thompson had actually asked him to come over, and Sirius expected him to talk about the next guy- because there was always a next guy.

"I have…a proposition for you", Thompson now said, looking nervous for some reason, "you know, like…a job."

Sirius laughed, "I thought this here is my job. Pays well enough for sure."

"The other thing is going to pay double."

"Double?", Sirius stopped laughing, leaning closer, he was definitely interested now, "what kind of job are we talking here?"

"Oh, well, basically the same thing you are doing now- just at a different…location."

"You mean, another bar?", Sirius frowned, "you want to expand the business, Thompson?", it was meant as a joke, but Thompson did not smile, he still looked strangely tense, "no, not a bar…it's more like…like a…uhm…actually, why don't we discuss this in my office? Gives us more privacy."

That should have been a red flag for Sirius- he had never discussed anything with Thompson in his office, hell, he had not even been aware until now the guy even had an office, but he just shrugged, emptying his bourbon, "fine. Lead the way, Thompson."

They went to a small hallway with doors on both sides, and Thompson opened the second one on the left, ushering him inside, "have a seat, Orion."

Sirius blinked, taken aback by the fact that there were already two bulky, mean looking men with bald heads inside the office- and both of them did not look like they were here for a business discussion, they looked more like some hired thugs who were just waiting for a signal to beat someone up. Neither one of the thugs said a word when he sat down, but Sirius did not miss the fact that they both silently went to the door, blocking the exit.

Fuck. What is this here?

"So…the job", Sirius reminded Thompson, forcing his voice to be firm, "I am definitely interested. Very interested", it could not hurt to assure Thompson of his loyalty, and the other man grinned, exposing once more his yellowish, rotten teeth, courtesy of decades of alcohol abuse, "that's good to know- because the guy really wants you, and he's paying a pretty price for it, too."

"For me to…fight someone?", Sirius clarified, "or what exactly is this job?"

"As I said, similar to what you do here- but your opponents won't bring any weapons."

"Wait, a fight without weapons? Just our hands and muscles?"

For some reason, that made the thugs snicker, but when Thompson sent them an ugly glance, they shut up, "nah, you can still bring any weapon you want- just they won't. It's a little more…extreme than what we are doing here."

Sirius swallowed, his heart starting to beat faster, "so…the other guy has no weapons, but I do? Sounds hardly fair."

"It's not supposed to be fair", Thompson said the last word like it was an insult, "it's more of a life or death thing."

Oh shit! Shit shit shit!

His heart was beating so loud now he was sure Thompson must hear it, "uhm…I am not…sure of I am the right guy for that job", he tried, forcing himself to grin, "I mean…you know I like my guys to have some fighting spirit."

"They'll have plenty of spirit", Thompson cackled, even though Sirius had no idea what the joke was, "and they'll have a nice incentive not to lose, too. You'll see."

"I…I really don't think…"

On cue, Thug One and Thug Two came closer, and then they each grabbed one arm, pulling him up, "hey! What the fuck, let go off me, what is…"

"Shut up, Sirius", Thompson interrupted, and now his voice was cold, "this is a good deal- for both of us. I got a nice big check for helping to secure the transaction, and you get to beat up some worthless criminals for money- and that's still better than being on the other side, eh?"

Sirius froze.

He called me Sirius. Sirius- not Orion…

"What are you talking about?", he hissed, not understanding anything anymore, struggling against the grip of the muscled thugs, "and my name's Orion! Why the…"

Thompson snorted, "you really think I am that dumb, eh? I know you are Sirius Black- Dumbledore paid me a pretty penny to let that Evans guy or whatever his name was in here to fuck you over, but once he heard you beat his little killer, he changed his tactics- and now he wants you."

"Dum…Dumbledore? Dumbledore is behind all this? And you knew that guy was sent here to kill me?"

Thompson shrugged, not even pretending to feel guilty, "I have bills to pay- liquor is not getting any cheaper, you know. Dumbledore pays well, you'll see."

"I am not going to…", he stopped, gasping for air when Thug One wordlessly punched him in the stomach, hard.

"You'll do whatever Dumbledore asks you to- I am not letting you ruin this for me, Black!", Thompson hissed at him, his eyes showing nothing but cold calculation, "and since you look like you need some assistance getting to your new job location, I've arranged a travel guide for you- two actually", he gave Thug One and Thug Two a wink with his hand, and before Sirius could protest any further, they dragged him over to the door, and then Thug Two touched something on the shelf that must have been a portkey, because the next thing he knew, Thompson's office disappeared, and he was spinning, moving around in a strange, unfamiliar environment full of very bright, glary colors, and after what felt like forever, when in reality it was probably less than a minute, he landed on the ground, hard.

Thug One and Thug Two instantly disappeared again, leaving Sirius alone at…

Where the hell am I?

He slowly stood up, looking around the strange place. He was in a hallway, and the first thing he noticed was the horrible smell- it smelled like blood, and vomit, and piss- and like fear. There were some noises, too- screams and howls and whimpers, and when Sirius walked around the corner, coming face to face with a whole row of prison cells with thin, pitiful looking prisoners inside them, most of them bleeding from several wounds, he suddenly understood where he was, where his new job would be.

The camp. I am at Dumbledore's torture camp.

yep...we are reaching the climax of the story lol. Warning ahead for the next chap: Aurelius won't be kind, and Tom will have to suffer a little (but he will be okay in the end, I promise)

I'd love some feeback from you all! :)

xoxo,

Antonie :)