Harry Potter & the Journey Into Isolation
By The Short Fat Fag
Chapter Twelve: Back to Class
Early Monday morning Harry woke up in his bed and stared up at the ceiling. Would he get out of bed and live or would he stay there forever and wallow in self pity? 'Never getting out of bed again wouldn't be that bad would it?' Harry thought to himself, before deciding that his bladder really wanted him to use the bathroom and couldn't stay in bed forever.
Just then Harry heard a popping sound, "Harry Potter is you's getting out of bed today?"
"Yeah, I think that I am Dobby," Harry said somewhere between resigned and defeated. Then he got out of bed, collected what he was going to wear that day and went off to the bathroom to get ready for the new day. After getting the relief he needed for is rather full bladder, Harry hopped into the shower. While standing under the spray of water Harry was suddenly wracked with memories that he wanted to not think about, but still they came to him.
- - - FLASHBACK - - -
Harry had been asleep when suddenly a harsh spray of freezing cold water hit him.
"Wake up Potter!" said that voice that he hated so much, "Its time for another lesson for you."
Harry braced himself waiting for the torture to begin once again. However, this time he wasn't hit with multiple curses. Instead this time he felt the hands as they began to caress his body. He felt the horror of knowing that his body began to respond to those hands against his will. He felt the unwanted tingle in his flesh to the touching and he felt so dirty.
"What a good little boy you are, you've learned your lessons well so far. I didn't even have to hit you with the curse and your flesh is already willing to be taken isn't it?" the voice taunted him, as humiliation filled Harry's soul. Worse yet, Harry knew it was true, as he felt his traitorous organ stiffening at the touch.
"However," the voice continued, "You've not finished with these lessons yet." Then the voice laughed at him and then he heard the one word that he hated above all others leave the lips of his captor.
"Exoplasitus"
- - - END OF FLASHBACK - - -
Harry slid slowly down against the wall of the shower stall, pulled his legs up to his chest and wrapped his arms around himself and he began to shiver coldly in the spray of the hot water.
- - - - -
Shortly before they would appear at the staff table for breakfast, both Professor McGonagall and Professor Snape found themselves in front of the stone gargoyle that hid the entrance to the Headmaster's office.
"Severus," she said curtly to the potions master.
"Minerva," he replied formally before he gave the password and they went up the spiral staircase to the office where Dumbledore was.
Dumbledore had been speaking with the portraits on the wall when they entered the office. He turned to them and said, "Ah, Severus, Minerva, welcome. What can I do for you this morning?"
"While I have no idea why Severus is here, I was hoping to speak with you about your plan to tell the other members of the Order about what you saw in the pensieve yesterday," McGonagall said.
"I wanted to talk to you about that as well Albus," Snape said.
"Yes, I image you both would," Dumbledore said as he took his seat behind his desk and then offered the two a "Lemon drop?" They both declined.
"As you know Headmaster, I was with the Dark Lord yesterday and we had a very interesting conversation concerning Potter," Severus began. "He thinks Potter knows who held him hostage this summer."
"Really?" asked a shocked Professor McGonagall. "Albus, did you recognize anyone from his memories?"
"No, it was too dark at times to see who was there with him, though I suspect it was one person while at others several people were with him. However, I will admit, that the voice I heard was oddly familiar which is why I want the Order to hear the voice for themselves," Dumbledore answered.
"That, however, may be a very bad idea," Snape said coldly. "The dark lord actually wants me to encourage you to do this. He wants Potter to feel betrayed by you and break off all communications with you as much as possible. To isolate him from everyone who would give him the support he needs."
Dumbledore sighed, "Then what would you both suggest?"
McGonagall took a deep breath and said, "I was speaking with Poppy last night and she would only tell me bits and pieces of what she saw, but from what I gather, there were a few moments when the voices seemed to float in the darkness taunting him with out actually having an image to go along with it. Is that correct?"
"Yes," Dumbledore said as he nodded his head.
"Perhaps it is possible to convince Harry to place only those memories into the pensieve for the others to see or rather hear in a meeting. Some phrases that aren't too revealing about his ordeal as it were," she suggested.
"The idea does have merit and it would enable me to convey to the dark lord that you have once again broken your word to Potter. That should please him," Snape said in thought.
"Yes," Dumbledore said, "I'm sure it would make Tom very happy."
- - - - -
On shaking legs, a fully dressed Harry emerges from the bathroom almost an hour later. His eyes are half glazed over and he is walking slowly to his room. The only thought on his mind was to be alone, he wanted to be alone. No one could hurt him when he was alone.
However, Harry did not make it to his room before he was stopped by Madame Pomfrey. "Potter?" she said as she walked up to him, "Are you going to class this morning?" He was about to respond when she laid her hand on his shoulder and unknown to the nurse, but his body responded to the touch.
Then Harry Potter screamed.
- - - - -
Up in Gryffindor Tower Ron, Hermione and Neville were leaving the common room to go down to the Great Hall to have breakfast.
"Do you think Harry will come to class today?" Neville asked as they walked through the corridors.
"Not this morning," Hermione said. "Since he dropped potions class he has his Monday mornings free."
"I still can't believe that greasy git did that to Harry," Ron said in disgust. "At least it proves that I was right all these years when I said he hated Harry."
Neville snorted in agreement while Hermione shot Ron a look that said, 'Snape is still a teacher.'
However, all conversations between them immediately stopped when the halls were filled with the sound of Harry screaming. All four froze in their tracks.
"That's Harry," Neville said as he turned around and started to run down the hallway towards the infirmary, followed closely by the other two.
- - - - -
In the hallway outside the Headmaster's office Professors Dumbledore, McGonagall and Snape were making their way towards the Great Hall to have breakfast when they too heard the sounds of Harry screaming.
For a moment they all looked at one another before Dumbledore said, "That sounds like Harry." Then the three teachers started down the corridor towards the infirmary.
- - - - -
As Draco Malfoy and his two Slytherin cronies, Crabbe and Goyle, were walking up from their dungeon common room on their way up the stairs to breakfast, they were stopped by a sound they had never heard before.
"What was that?" Goyle asked confused as usual.
"I dunno," Crabbe answered equally confused.
"Idiots," Malfoy snarled at them, "That was Potter. Come on I want to see why he is in agony and I'm not the one doing it to him."
The three then ran up the stairs past the entrance to the Great Hall and towards the infirmary.
- - - - -
In the Great Hall students and teachers alike were sitting down to have their breakfast. Several of the students were still pouring into the hall as well as a few teachers. However, each and every one of them stopped when they heard the sounds of screaming coming from the direction of the hospital wing.
"What was that?" asked a started Wymer Toft, the new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher.
Professor Sprout gave Professor Flitwick a worried look before she answered the man. "Nothing to worry about, it happens from time to time. Would you mind helping the other teachers get the students back under control while Filius and I check out what made that noise?"
"Oh course, Pomona, it's my job to help as I can," he replied as the heads of Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw went scurrying out of the hall.
- - - - -
Back in the infirmary Harry was still screaming. He had also fallen to the floor and had crawled away from the school nurse as fast as he could until he literally backed himself up into a corner with a wild look in his eyes. It was then that he frantically searched for his wand and upon finding it began a barrage of curses and hexes at anything that moved in the room.
"Harry, stop it! It's me, Poppy Pomfrey!" screamed the school nurse trying to get him to snap out of his trance. It was obvious to her that he didn't know who she was and was reacting out of pure terror. Thankfully a moment later she heard a popping sound as she was dodging a new curse that came her way.
"Harry Potter, Harry Potter, why is you's screaming?" Dobby asked worriedly.
Harry didn't respond to the elf either and began to send curses in his direction, which scared Dobby to no end. However, the elf erected a shield that managed to deflect every Harry threw at it and protected the elf and school nurse for a moment in order to have a conversation.
"Madame Poppy, what is being wrong with Harry Potter?"
"I think I triggered this Dobby. When he came out of the bathroom I asked him a question and touched his shoulder and when I did he screamed," she admitted sadly.
"Bad wizards is doing this to Harry Potter, not Madame Poppy."
- - - - -
However at that moment, Professors Dumbledore, McGonagall and Snape reached the outer doors of the infirmary and heard the sounds of wand fire coming from the inside. Peeking inside the teachers find that Harry was in the corner of the room sending curse after curse towards Dobby and Madame Pomfrey, who were pinned down under the magical barrier the elf had erected.
"Albus," Professor McGonagall asked, "What do you think happened?"
"I don't know Minerva, but we need to help them."
"Potter has gone insane," Snape sneered. "We should have sent him to St. Mungo's."
"Severus," McGonagall warned in a strictest voice.
"That was not a viable option and you know it Severus," Dumbledore said to him. "When I go in there I'm going to try to draw Harry's attention as you two get Poppy and Dobby out of there."
The other two nodded as they came rushing in to the infirmary. However, the plan did not work as the Headmaster had hoped, for not only was he met with several curses and hexes, but so were the two other teachers that came in with him. Any movement whatsoever a curse was thrown at them by a frantic seventh year student.
"Harry!" Dumbledore yelled and began to return spells back to the frantic student.
Professor McGonagall reached the safety of the barrier where she found the other two had not been harmed at all. "What happened?" McGonagall asked.
"I'm not sure Minerva, but I think while he was taking his shower, he began to relive his experiences from over the summer. He was fine until I touched him and when I did he reacted and has been throwing curses ever since," answered the school nurse.
"Harry Potter is needing calming down," Dobby said as he watched Dumbledore and Snape both dueling with Harry and losing. "We needs more wizards and witches to be distracting him so's I's can be getting near him."
Right at that moment, Ron, Hermione and Neville showed up at the open infirmary doors and watched as Harry was dueling with the other two wizards. When McGonagall spotted them, she and Pomfrey made a dash out from behind the barrier and pulled the students out of the doorway.
"Children, what are you doing here?" Pomfrey questioned them.
"We heard Harry screaming," Neville answered quickly. "What happened to him?"
"That's not important now," McGonagall said, "What we need is now is more people in there dueling with him. The more people he has to contend with the easier it is for Dobby to get closer to him." So as McGonagall and the three Gryffindors were about to join Dumbledore and Snape when they were joined by the Malfoy and his cronies and Professors Sprout and Flitwick.
"Minerva?" Pomona Sprout asked, "What's going on?" Quickly they were told the story and then all but the three Slytherins entered the infirmary again to try to help Harry.
As Harry battled the entire group, he began to become fatigued, but he was still holding his own against them. It wasn't until the faint pop behind him and then the feeling of his face being covered with a cloth that was wet with a calming potion that he finally allowed himself to relax again. As Harry felt his arms lower from their defensive positions, Dobby took the opportunity and poured the remainder of the vial of Calming Potion down his throat.
"Well, Harry," Dumbledore said wearily, "That was an impressive amount of dueling there."
Harry however did not answer.
- - - - -
As the morning bell rang signaling the beginning of the first class of the day, Professor Wymer Toft enters his classroom in the same manner he had every morning since he started teaching at Hogwarts and takes to his podium in the front of the class.
"Good morning sixth years," Professor Toft addresses them and then he begins his lecture he has prepared for them. "Today we will be discussing the tactics taken by the Death Eaters during the reign of terror of You-Know-Who. What can anyone tell me about them after You-Know-You was defeated by Harry Potter all those years ago?"
At the mention of Harry's name, Professor Toft's gaze quickly went to Colin Creevey, who was sitting beside Ginny Weasley in the second row and his eyes sparkled and a small smile came to his lips. Toft made a mental note of this as he called on Luna Lovegood to answer his question.
The remainder of the class period went on in this same thread, they discussed how the Death Eaters were either captured or somehow managed to escaped capture through lies, deceit, bribery or whatever other method they could think of.
During the last twenty minutes of class, Professor Toft allows the class to read the text as they prepare to write the essay he assigned them which covered today's topics. While the students are reading, Toft uses legimency on Colin when he gains the young man's attention to hand him a book from one of the shelves near him. While Toft is scanning Colin's mind, he learns quite a bit about him. Toft finds out about Colin's homosexuality and his feeling towards Harry Potter. He also learns that Colin is dying to be able to talk to someone about it.
When the bell rings to end class, Professor Toft holds Colin back for a moment and asks, "Mr. Creevey may I ask you a personal question?" The question confused Colin, but he nods his head in acceptance and Toft asks, "Please forgive me if I embarrass you, but are you in love with Harry Potter?"
Colin looked a little scared by the question and Toft thought for a moment that he might bolt from the classroom. However, Colin was a Gryffindor and Gryffindors were brave. Also Harry had taught him what true bravery was in the past two years of D.A. meetings. So Colin answered, "Yes sir, I am."
Toft smiled at his luck. "That was very brave of you Mr. Creevey. When I was your age I would never have had the courage to say that. I wish I had." Then the Defense teacher smiled at the student. "Does Mr. Potter know about it?"
"No sir, I'm not that brave," Colin answered truthfully. "What did you not have the courage to do when you were my age?"
"To tell the handsome young man I loved, that I loved him. I'll always regret that," Toft lied perfectly to him. "I haven't met Mr. Potter yet, so I only know him from his publicity, but from what I know of him, I'd say he values honesty above most things. Maybe you should tell him so."
"Well," Colin said trying to think of something to stall for time, "he's been in the hospital wing since term began and I don't think he would be very receptive at the moment."
"Is e alright?" Toft asked even though he knew from the other teachers that Harry had been excused from classes for the time being.
"I think so, but I haven't seen him yet this year," Colin said with a hint of sadness.
"Maybe you should go see him, just to see for yourself if he is fine or not. From the look in your eyes right now, I'd say that you are greatly worried about him. Knowing will set your mind to rest," Toft advised the boy silkily.
"Maybe your right sir, thanks for the help."
"It's been my pleasure to help Mr. Creevey."
- - - - -
Sitting in his room in the infirmary Harry sat a little table eating something that Dobby brought him from the kitchens. Harry still felt very ashamed of himself from his morning's outburst. At first when the elf had brought the food in he had refused it, not feeling that he was worthy of eating good food, but a good scolding from Dobby changed things around fast enough.
"Harry Potter is not to being ashamed! You's is just getting better from bad wizards, you's is! Now Harry Potter is stting down and eating his food and is taking his potion, so he's is feeling better."
However, Harry's eyes filled with tears and he fell to his knees and did something he never had done before, he hugged the little elf. Dobby's eyes filled with tears as well and his lower lip trembled from the wonderful feeling in his heart by being hugged by Harry.
"I'm sorry I scared you Dobby. I didn't mean it."
"Dobby is knowing Harry Potter, Dobby is knowing. Now you's is eating or you's is getting sick," Dobby said and pulled Harry into a chair and pulled up a plate for him. Dobby was happy that Harry obediently ate his lunch, as he wasn't sure how else to make him.
Now Harry was finished with his meal and he was getting his things ready to go to Defense Against the Dark Arts. He had felt that he had missed enough classes and needed to start living again. Of course the last time he thought that he punched Snape in the gut, tried to kill himself and ended up sleeping for three solid days.
"Come on Dobby, let's go to class," Harry said and the elf followed along faithfully.
"Harry?" Poppy asked him as he walked out of his room with his rucksack flung over one arm. He stopped when she spoke to him and listened to her continue. "Where are you off to?"
"I thought I might go to class," he replied while looking at his shoes.
"Alright, but don't over extend yourself," she said sympathetically. "You have my permission to leave class if things become to rough for you."
Harry nodded his head still not looking at her in the eye and muttered another apology to her before leaving her domain.
- - - - -
After lunch when the bell rang to announce that the afternoon classes were to begin, Professor Wymer Toft strode into the class room and announced to the class, "Good afternoon, seventh years."
A few students returned the greeting, but not many. Unlike the other years, the seventh year students, for the most part did not like Professor Toft. Most of them thought he was a braggart and was teaching them very little. In fact most of them had learned more from Harry in the previous year.
Harry, who was sitting in between Ron and Hermione in the fourth row near the door in case he felt the need to leave class early for some reason, watched as his new teacher came into the class room. There was something about his man that Harry didn't like, but honestly had no idea what it could be.
"Now today class, we are going to continue on our discussion of curses you should avoid due to the fact that counter curses are not always effective on them," the teacher said as almost everyone took notes, including Harry. "Today and for the rest of the week, we are going to focus on curses that are not only legal but in small doses are not harmful, but when taking several hits can be … well that can hurt and be very uncomfortable."
Looking around to make sure everyone was ready for him to continue, he said, "Can anyone tell me about the Kajuris curse?"
Hermione and several of the Ravenclaws in the room raised their hands. Toft called on Hermione.
"Actually sir, it is a healing charm to heal cuts and damage to the skin," she replied.
"Excellent Ms. Granger, three points to Gryffindor. However, it is classified as a curse rather than as a charm. Now can you tell me what would happen if a person was hit with that curse multiple times?"
Hermione continued, "Well sir a person could have any opening in the skin permanently sealed shut, including their eyes, ears, nose and mouths. Such a person would suffocate to death in a few minutes."
Toft nodded at her and gave her two more points, as the class continued taking notes. In fact he went through several more curses in this same manner, allowing students to answer while others took notes. It wasn't until he came to the last curse on his list that Harry froze.
"Can anyone explain to me about the Exoplasitus curse?" he asked innocently.
No one in the room raised their hand to answer, they had never heard of it before. The minute Harry heard him say that hated word he recognized the man's voice.
'No it can't be,' Harry reasoned with himself. 'This man can't be the one, he can't be.'
Toft looked around the room and said, "You mean to tell me I've found a curse that no one in this room knows about?"
However, Harry raises his hand and says, "It's the pleasure curse. Being hit with it once or twice won't do any lasting harm, as it was once used for sexual arousal, however, multiple hits of it can cause its victim to have uncontrollable bouts of pleasure to the point of it becoming torture. It is also known as the raping curse sir."
Everyone looked at the Gryffindor wondering how he knew that, especially Hermione. However, she had a suspicion she already knew that answer to that question and truly did not want it confirmed.
"I suppose that is a working explanation of the curse Potter, but do try to wait to be called upon next time," Toft said with obvious distaste for Harry.
Harry swallowed and looked back down to his notes and began writing something about the curse he just described, as Toft began describing the curse with a more definite text book description. Toft's description, which was almost identical to Harry's, annoyed Ron to no end for the way he had just treated his best mate.
Dobby popped into the classroom and tugged on Harry's sleeve and whispered to him, "Is Harry Potter needing to be going now?"
Harry shook his head 'no' and returned to his note taking as the elf popped away again.
To Be Continued … Please Read and Review
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
I would like to thank Benjis VIP, Bluetattingman, Fangalla and Uber for reviewing my story.
Fangalla, You kinda have the Exoplasitus curse figured out. Also Harry may yet try to initiate human contact again.
Uber, what do you mean your too lazy to read the whole thing, there aren't that many chapters!
By The Short Fat Fag
Chapter Twelve: Back to Class
Early Monday morning Harry woke up in his bed and stared up at the ceiling. Would he get out of bed and live or would he stay there forever and wallow in self pity? 'Never getting out of bed again wouldn't be that bad would it?' Harry thought to himself, before deciding that his bladder really wanted him to use the bathroom and couldn't stay in bed forever.
Just then Harry heard a popping sound, "Harry Potter is you's getting out of bed today?"
"Yeah, I think that I am Dobby," Harry said somewhere between resigned and defeated. Then he got out of bed, collected what he was going to wear that day and went off to the bathroom to get ready for the new day. After getting the relief he needed for is rather full bladder, Harry hopped into the shower. While standing under the spray of water Harry was suddenly wracked with memories that he wanted to not think about, but still they came to him.
- - - FLASHBACK - - -
Harry had been asleep when suddenly a harsh spray of freezing cold water hit him.
"Wake up Potter!" said that voice that he hated so much, "Its time for another lesson for you."
Harry braced himself waiting for the torture to begin once again. However, this time he wasn't hit with multiple curses. Instead this time he felt the hands as they began to caress his body. He felt the horror of knowing that his body began to respond to those hands against his will. He felt the unwanted tingle in his flesh to the touching and he felt so dirty.
"What a good little boy you are, you've learned your lessons well so far. I didn't even have to hit you with the curse and your flesh is already willing to be taken isn't it?" the voice taunted him, as humiliation filled Harry's soul. Worse yet, Harry knew it was true, as he felt his traitorous organ stiffening at the touch.
"However," the voice continued, "You've not finished with these lessons yet." Then the voice laughed at him and then he heard the one word that he hated above all others leave the lips of his captor.
"Exoplasitus"
- - - END OF FLASHBACK - - -
Harry slid slowly down against the wall of the shower stall, pulled his legs up to his chest and wrapped his arms around himself and he began to shiver coldly in the spray of the hot water.
- - - - -
Shortly before they would appear at the staff table for breakfast, both Professor McGonagall and Professor Snape found themselves in front of the stone gargoyle that hid the entrance to the Headmaster's office.
"Severus," she said curtly to the potions master.
"Minerva," he replied formally before he gave the password and they went up the spiral staircase to the office where Dumbledore was.
Dumbledore had been speaking with the portraits on the wall when they entered the office. He turned to them and said, "Ah, Severus, Minerva, welcome. What can I do for you this morning?"
"While I have no idea why Severus is here, I was hoping to speak with you about your plan to tell the other members of the Order about what you saw in the pensieve yesterday," McGonagall said.
"I wanted to talk to you about that as well Albus," Snape said.
"Yes, I image you both would," Dumbledore said as he took his seat behind his desk and then offered the two a "Lemon drop?" They both declined.
"As you know Headmaster, I was with the Dark Lord yesterday and we had a very interesting conversation concerning Potter," Severus began. "He thinks Potter knows who held him hostage this summer."
"Really?" asked a shocked Professor McGonagall. "Albus, did you recognize anyone from his memories?"
"No, it was too dark at times to see who was there with him, though I suspect it was one person while at others several people were with him. However, I will admit, that the voice I heard was oddly familiar which is why I want the Order to hear the voice for themselves," Dumbledore answered.
"That, however, may be a very bad idea," Snape said coldly. "The dark lord actually wants me to encourage you to do this. He wants Potter to feel betrayed by you and break off all communications with you as much as possible. To isolate him from everyone who would give him the support he needs."
Dumbledore sighed, "Then what would you both suggest?"
McGonagall took a deep breath and said, "I was speaking with Poppy last night and she would only tell me bits and pieces of what she saw, but from what I gather, there were a few moments when the voices seemed to float in the darkness taunting him with out actually having an image to go along with it. Is that correct?"
"Yes," Dumbledore said as he nodded his head.
"Perhaps it is possible to convince Harry to place only those memories into the pensieve for the others to see or rather hear in a meeting. Some phrases that aren't too revealing about his ordeal as it were," she suggested.
"The idea does have merit and it would enable me to convey to the dark lord that you have once again broken your word to Potter. That should please him," Snape said in thought.
"Yes," Dumbledore said, "I'm sure it would make Tom very happy."
- - - - -
On shaking legs, a fully dressed Harry emerges from the bathroom almost an hour later. His eyes are half glazed over and he is walking slowly to his room. The only thought on his mind was to be alone, he wanted to be alone. No one could hurt him when he was alone.
However, Harry did not make it to his room before he was stopped by Madame Pomfrey. "Potter?" she said as she walked up to him, "Are you going to class this morning?" He was about to respond when she laid her hand on his shoulder and unknown to the nurse, but his body responded to the touch.
Then Harry Potter screamed.
- - - - -
Up in Gryffindor Tower Ron, Hermione and Neville were leaving the common room to go down to the Great Hall to have breakfast.
"Do you think Harry will come to class today?" Neville asked as they walked through the corridors.
"Not this morning," Hermione said. "Since he dropped potions class he has his Monday mornings free."
"I still can't believe that greasy git did that to Harry," Ron said in disgust. "At least it proves that I was right all these years when I said he hated Harry."
Neville snorted in agreement while Hermione shot Ron a look that said, 'Snape is still a teacher.'
However, all conversations between them immediately stopped when the halls were filled with the sound of Harry screaming. All four froze in their tracks.
"That's Harry," Neville said as he turned around and started to run down the hallway towards the infirmary, followed closely by the other two.
- - - - -
In the hallway outside the Headmaster's office Professors Dumbledore, McGonagall and Snape were making their way towards the Great Hall to have breakfast when they too heard the sounds of Harry screaming.
For a moment they all looked at one another before Dumbledore said, "That sounds like Harry." Then the three teachers started down the corridor towards the infirmary.
- - - - -
As Draco Malfoy and his two Slytherin cronies, Crabbe and Goyle, were walking up from their dungeon common room on their way up the stairs to breakfast, they were stopped by a sound they had never heard before.
"What was that?" Goyle asked confused as usual.
"I dunno," Crabbe answered equally confused.
"Idiots," Malfoy snarled at them, "That was Potter. Come on I want to see why he is in agony and I'm not the one doing it to him."
The three then ran up the stairs past the entrance to the Great Hall and towards the infirmary.
- - - - -
In the Great Hall students and teachers alike were sitting down to have their breakfast. Several of the students were still pouring into the hall as well as a few teachers. However, each and every one of them stopped when they heard the sounds of screaming coming from the direction of the hospital wing.
"What was that?" asked a started Wymer Toft, the new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher.
Professor Sprout gave Professor Flitwick a worried look before she answered the man. "Nothing to worry about, it happens from time to time. Would you mind helping the other teachers get the students back under control while Filius and I check out what made that noise?"
"Oh course, Pomona, it's my job to help as I can," he replied as the heads of Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw went scurrying out of the hall.
- - - - -
Back in the infirmary Harry was still screaming. He had also fallen to the floor and had crawled away from the school nurse as fast as he could until he literally backed himself up into a corner with a wild look in his eyes. It was then that he frantically searched for his wand and upon finding it began a barrage of curses and hexes at anything that moved in the room.
"Harry, stop it! It's me, Poppy Pomfrey!" screamed the school nurse trying to get him to snap out of his trance. It was obvious to her that he didn't know who she was and was reacting out of pure terror. Thankfully a moment later she heard a popping sound as she was dodging a new curse that came her way.
"Harry Potter, Harry Potter, why is you's screaming?" Dobby asked worriedly.
Harry didn't respond to the elf either and began to send curses in his direction, which scared Dobby to no end. However, the elf erected a shield that managed to deflect every Harry threw at it and protected the elf and school nurse for a moment in order to have a conversation.
"Madame Poppy, what is being wrong with Harry Potter?"
"I think I triggered this Dobby. When he came out of the bathroom I asked him a question and touched his shoulder and when I did he screamed," she admitted sadly.
"Bad wizards is doing this to Harry Potter, not Madame Poppy."
- - - - -
However at that moment, Professors Dumbledore, McGonagall and Snape reached the outer doors of the infirmary and heard the sounds of wand fire coming from the inside. Peeking inside the teachers find that Harry was in the corner of the room sending curse after curse towards Dobby and Madame Pomfrey, who were pinned down under the magical barrier the elf had erected.
"Albus," Professor McGonagall asked, "What do you think happened?"
"I don't know Minerva, but we need to help them."
"Potter has gone insane," Snape sneered. "We should have sent him to St. Mungo's."
"Severus," McGonagall warned in a strictest voice.
"That was not a viable option and you know it Severus," Dumbledore said to him. "When I go in there I'm going to try to draw Harry's attention as you two get Poppy and Dobby out of there."
The other two nodded as they came rushing in to the infirmary. However, the plan did not work as the Headmaster had hoped, for not only was he met with several curses and hexes, but so were the two other teachers that came in with him. Any movement whatsoever a curse was thrown at them by a frantic seventh year student.
"Harry!" Dumbledore yelled and began to return spells back to the frantic student.
Professor McGonagall reached the safety of the barrier where she found the other two had not been harmed at all. "What happened?" McGonagall asked.
"I'm not sure Minerva, but I think while he was taking his shower, he began to relive his experiences from over the summer. He was fine until I touched him and when I did he reacted and has been throwing curses ever since," answered the school nurse.
"Harry Potter is needing calming down," Dobby said as he watched Dumbledore and Snape both dueling with Harry and losing. "We needs more wizards and witches to be distracting him so's I's can be getting near him."
Right at that moment, Ron, Hermione and Neville showed up at the open infirmary doors and watched as Harry was dueling with the other two wizards. When McGonagall spotted them, she and Pomfrey made a dash out from behind the barrier and pulled the students out of the doorway.
"Children, what are you doing here?" Pomfrey questioned them.
"We heard Harry screaming," Neville answered quickly. "What happened to him?"
"That's not important now," McGonagall said, "What we need is now is more people in there dueling with him. The more people he has to contend with the easier it is for Dobby to get closer to him." So as McGonagall and the three Gryffindors were about to join Dumbledore and Snape when they were joined by the Malfoy and his cronies and Professors Sprout and Flitwick.
"Minerva?" Pomona Sprout asked, "What's going on?" Quickly they were told the story and then all but the three Slytherins entered the infirmary again to try to help Harry.
As Harry battled the entire group, he began to become fatigued, but he was still holding his own against them. It wasn't until the faint pop behind him and then the feeling of his face being covered with a cloth that was wet with a calming potion that he finally allowed himself to relax again. As Harry felt his arms lower from their defensive positions, Dobby took the opportunity and poured the remainder of the vial of Calming Potion down his throat.
"Well, Harry," Dumbledore said wearily, "That was an impressive amount of dueling there."
Harry however did not answer.
- - - - -
As the morning bell rang signaling the beginning of the first class of the day, Professor Wymer Toft enters his classroom in the same manner he had every morning since he started teaching at Hogwarts and takes to his podium in the front of the class.
"Good morning sixth years," Professor Toft addresses them and then he begins his lecture he has prepared for them. "Today we will be discussing the tactics taken by the Death Eaters during the reign of terror of You-Know-Who. What can anyone tell me about them after You-Know-You was defeated by Harry Potter all those years ago?"
At the mention of Harry's name, Professor Toft's gaze quickly went to Colin Creevey, who was sitting beside Ginny Weasley in the second row and his eyes sparkled and a small smile came to his lips. Toft made a mental note of this as he called on Luna Lovegood to answer his question.
The remainder of the class period went on in this same thread, they discussed how the Death Eaters were either captured or somehow managed to escaped capture through lies, deceit, bribery or whatever other method they could think of.
During the last twenty minutes of class, Professor Toft allows the class to read the text as they prepare to write the essay he assigned them which covered today's topics. While the students are reading, Toft uses legimency on Colin when he gains the young man's attention to hand him a book from one of the shelves near him. While Toft is scanning Colin's mind, he learns quite a bit about him. Toft finds out about Colin's homosexuality and his feeling towards Harry Potter. He also learns that Colin is dying to be able to talk to someone about it.
When the bell rings to end class, Professor Toft holds Colin back for a moment and asks, "Mr. Creevey may I ask you a personal question?" The question confused Colin, but he nods his head in acceptance and Toft asks, "Please forgive me if I embarrass you, but are you in love with Harry Potter?"
Colin looked a little scared by the question and Toft thought for a moment that he might bolt from the classroom. However, Colin was a Gryffindor and Gryffindors were brave. Also Harry had taught him what true bravery was in the past two years of D.A. meetings. So Colin answered, "Yes sir, I am."
Toft smiled at his luck. "That was very brave of you Mr. Creevey. When I was your age I would never have had the courage to say that. I wish I had." Then the Defense teacher smiled at the student. "Does Mr. Potter know about it?"
"No sir, I'm not that brave," Colin answered truthfully. "What did you not have the courage to do when you were my age?"
"To tell the handsome young man I loved, that I loved him. I'll always regret that," Toft lied perfectly to him. "I haven't met Mr. Potter yet, so I only know him from his publicity, but from what I know of him, I'd say he values honesty above most things. Maybe you should tell him so."
"Well," Colin said trying to think of something to stall for time, "he's been in the hospital wing since term began and I don't think he would be very receptive at the moment."
"Is e alright?" Toft asked even though he knew from the other teachers that Harry had been excused from classes for the time being.
"I think so, but I haven't seen him yet this year," Colin said with a hint of sadness.
"Maybe you should go see him, just to see for yourself if he is fine or not. From the look in your eyes right now, I'd say that you are greatly worried about him. Knowing will set your mind to rest," Toft advised the boy silkily.
"Maybe your right sir, thanks for the help."
"It's been my pleasure to help Mr. Creevey."
- - - - -
Sitting in his room in the infirmary Harry sat a little table eating something that Dobby brought him from the kitchens. Harry still felt very ashamed of himself from his morning's outburst. At first when the elf had brought the food in he had refused it, not feeling that he was worthy of eating good food, but a good scolding from Dobby changed things around fast enough.
"Harry Potter is not to being ashamed! You's is just getting better from bad wizards, you's is! Now Harry Potter is stting down and eating his food and is taking his potion, so he's is feeling better."
However, Harry's eyes filled with tears and he fell to his knees and did something he never had done before, he hugged the little elf. Dobby's eyes filled with tears as well and his lower lip trembled from the wonderful feeling in his heart by being hugged by Harry.
"I'm sorry I scared you Dobby. I didn't mean it."
"Dobby is knowing Harry Potter, Dobby is knowing. Now you's is eating or you's is getting sick," Dobby said and pulled Harry into a chair and pulled up a plate for him. Dobby was happy that Harry obediently ate his lunch, as he wasn't sure how else to make him.
Now Harry was finished with his meal and he was getting his things ready to go to Defense Against the Dark Arts. He had felt that he had missed enough classes and needed to start living again. Of course the last time he thought that he punched Snape in the gut, tried to kill himself and ended up sleeping for three solid days.
"Come on Dobby, let's go to class," Harry said and the elf followed along faithfully.
"Harry?" Poppy asked him as he walked out of his room with his rucksack flung over one arm. He stopped when she spoke to him and listened to her continue. "Where are you off to?"
"I thought I might go to class," he replied while looking at his shoes.
"Alright, but don't over extend yourself," she said sympathetically. "You have my permission to leave class if things become to rough for you."
Harry nodded his head still not looking at her in the eye and muttered another apology to her before leaving her domain.
- - - - -
After lunch when the bell rang to announce that the afternoon classes were to begin, Professor Wymer Toft strode into the class room and announced to the class, "Good afternoon, seventh years."
A few students returned the greeting, but not many. Unlike the other years, the seventh year students, for the most part did not like Professor Toft. Most of them thought he was a braggart and was teaching them very little. In fact most of them had learned more from Harry in the previous year.
Harry, who was sitting in between Ron and Hermione in the fourth row near the door in case he felt the need to leave class early for some reason, watched as his new teacher came into the class room. There was something about his man that Harry didn't like, but honestly had no idea what it could be.
"Now today class, we are going to continue on our discussion of curses you should avoid due to the fact that counter curses are not always effective on them," the teacher said as almost everyone took notes, including Harry. "Today and for the rest of the week, we are going to focus on curses that are not only legal but in small doses are not harmful, but when taking several hits can be … well that can hurt and be very uncomfortable."
Looking around to make sure everyone was ready for him to continue, he said, "Can anyone tell me about the Kajuris curse?"
Hermione and several of the Ravenclaws in the room raised their hands. Toft called on Hermione.
"Actually sir, it is a healing charm to heal cuts and damage to the skin," she replied.
"Excellent Ms. Granger, three points to Gryffindor. However, it is classified as a curse rather than as a charm. Now can you tell me what would happen if a person was hit with that curse multiple times?"
Hermione continued, "Well sir a person could have any opening in the skin permanently sealed shut, including their eyes, ears, nose and mouths. Such a person would suffocate to death in a few minutes."
Toft nodded at her and gave her two more points, as the class continued taking notes. In fact he went through several more curses in this same manner, allowing students to answer while others took notes. It wasn't until he came to the last curse on his list that Harry froze.
"Can anyone explain to me about the Exoplasitus curse?" he asked innocently.
No one in the room raised their hand to answer, they had never heard of it before. The minute Harry heard him say that hated word he recognized the man's voice.
'No it can't be,' Harry reasoned with himself. 'This man can't be the one, he can't be.'
Toft looked around the room and said, "You mean to tell me I've found a curse that no one in this room knows about?"
However, Harry raises his hand and says, "It's the pleasure curse. Being hit with it once or twice won't do any lasting harm, as it was once used for sexual arousal, however, multiple hits of it can cause its victim to have uncontrollable bouts of pleasure to the point of it becoming torture. It is also known as the raping curse sir."
Everyone looked at the Gryffindor wondering how he knew that, especially Hermione. However, she had a suspicion she already knew that answer to that question and truly did not want it confirmed.
"I suppose that is a working explanation of the curse Potter, but do try to wait to be called upon next time," Toft said with obvious distaste for Harry.
Harry swallowed and looked back down to his notes and began writing something about the curse he just described, as Toft began describing the curse with a more definite text book description. Toft's description, which was almost identical to Harry's, annoyed Ron to no end for the way he had just treated his best mate.
Dobby popped into the classroom and tugged on Harry's sleeve and whispered to him, "Is Harry Potter needing to be going now?"
Harry shook his head 'no' and returned to his note taking as the elf popped away again.
To Be Continued … Please Read and Review
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I would like to thank Benjis VIP, Bluetattingman, Fangalla and Uber for reviewing my story.
Fangalla, You kinda have the Exoplasitus curse figured out. Also Harry may yet try to initiate human contact again.
Uber, what do you mean your too lazy to read the whole thing, there aren't that many chapters!