Quondam – Part Six

Author: Taligator
Disclaimer: I own none of the characters or fictitious locations; they belong to J. K. Rowling. All original plots belong to me.

Summary: He lived in silence and solitude, outcast. Then, fate dropped in and changed his life.

Remus dreaded going back to them to report. He hated them with a passion. Hated what they'd done to him, what they'd done to Harry, and most of all how weak they made him feel. He felt as though he were a useless sort of creature, good for nothing but being their whipping boy.

Severus didn't know whose pool he was pissing in. From the looks of it he was going to try and heal Harry but very little entered that house without them knowing about it – including his potions. They kept him crippled and dependent on them, it was their only measure of control.

They were afraid of Harry. Afraid that he'd use the considerable power they'd helped hone, unto themselves. They feared he would let go of his good mild-mannered nature and take over. What they didn't know kept them in fear of him. He was, despite it all, a good person. He could take over, he certainly had the raw power but he lacked the motivation and interest to do so.

Severus would be both a welcome and unwelcome surprise. On one hand, Remus was happy that Harry would have a companion, even if it was Severus Snape but they wouldn't be pleased. He would help Harry like Remus couldn't and that made him jealous. Again, not that he wanted Severus Snape but he wanted SOMEONE to help him or try to. He'd been a right bastard to Harry and didn't deserve to be helped, he knew that much.

They controlled his Wolfsbane but that wasn't the worst part, it was the collar that was his shame. He was collared and magically neutered. He could do simple magic but he traveled solely by portkey and only by those they gave him.

Every fortnight they sent him at least two keys. One to the Ministry and one back home. If he was lucky that was all. Each was timed precisely so that he couldn't deviate from their schedule and path. He either visited them or Harry, sometimes they sent him to visit other werewolves or Order members but not often.

At first he rebelled, he didn't want to play their games and they punished him. From beatings, being chained in silver, and eventually the mind fucks. It was only when he was truly lucid, mere moments at a time that he realized them for what they were. Mostly he just grieved and felt guilt for crimes he wasn't even sure he'd committed.

They started withholding his Wolfsbane when it appeared the beatings weren't working. They'd place him in a cell to transform and when he woke the next day there would be a chewed up body beside him with eyes open wide in terror. Did they die by his teeth? He couldn't be certain. He mourned them anyway and felt immense guilt at the loss of their life. He'd rather be in their place but knew that wouldn't happen.

They always attacked him at his lowest moments, convincing him that he was a bad person and that Harry wanted to kill him. It was only by their grace and forgiveness that he lived and kept Harry from killing him.

Harry was a murderer and he would selfishly kill to save his own life. He shouldn't care at all that Harry had someone trying to save him. He shouldn't care one bit that Harry had someone to care for him.

But he did and he hated Harry for it.