A/N: Thank you all for the reviews.
Harry Potter is not mine, this is a story of a fan.
(BSC 1) C24 Christmas holidays part three.
A night like this took a lot out of Harry and Bella. This was also one of the reasons they were left lying in their bed until they woke up naturally.
It was eleven o'clock in the morning when Bella and Harry finally came down.
Astoria immediately ran to those two just like Daphne did.
"How are you two" Daphne asked as she took them both into a hug. Harry still had an occasional convulsion.
The convulsions were the remains of the Cruciatus Curse that Harry had suffered through out that night. That was what Minerva had told him, it was also something that could take a day or two. After lunch, something they were forced to eat by the adults. It was now time to go en prepare for the afternoon.
Minerva took Harry into another room. There, she showed him how to put his memories into the Pensieve.
As they stood beside it, she told him it was still his choice. And also what memories they were allowed to see. She herself took one memory of her own and put it on a side table in a jar.
Even Harry looked surprised when she did it, it was something he did not expect her to do.
"This is a very important memory for me, Harry. And now that I know I'm your grandmother, it has become more and more valuable to me. And I think you will find it something you would like to see for yourself".
After Harry had finished sorting his memories, he went to get Bella from the other room. Together they left the room and three hours later they came back out. Minerva and Bella had tears in their eyes. That they had been crying was not a surprise. It was something they had expected after having read a few pieces from the red book. But Minerva also had a small smile on her lips.
Harry on the other hand was walking with a wide grin on his face into the room. He was as they say up in the clouds. He was holding the hand of Bella and was looking at his grandmother with that same smile.
Minerva strode toward David and picked up his glass that was filled with fire whiskey from his hands. Well actually, she jerked it almost out of his hand. And with one big sip she emptied it at one gulp. "It will be better if you would take two bottles of that stuff with us to the room David, we will need them." She said with a glance at David.
Daphne, Hermione, Neville and Susan were allowed inside to see the memories.
The wait was now for Amelia and Augusta. But also for Isabella, she was in fact bringing Astoria to one of her friends, because Astoria did not have to see the memories according to the adults. And also to keep it a secret, for as long as possible.
At first Minerva did not want the kids to see any of the memories. But Augusta and Isabella insisted on it. It was after all the children who had seen the scars for the first time, and who had brought the adults together. And also because the children would be together in the magical world after this, that's why they had to know everything about Harry. Only in this way they could make their friendship stronger. Their friendship was more important than anything else. And it would also help them to protect Harry. Was what Daphne had told them. (None of the adults would understand at the time how important those words would be.)
Together they left for the room. Bella sat down next to Harry and grabbed his hand and gently rub the back of it with her thumb.
Harry looked at her and asked. "What do you think Bella will they still look at me an not blame me or judge me".
"Harry I love you, you know that. Now please stop asking those questions, you are not to blame for any of it. Those things were done to you by your aunt and uncle. You did not asked for it. Our friends and their parents who are now in that room will only love you more. I know I have. And I also know Grandma Mini does" Bella told him urgently.
Harry laughed a little but he knew it was true.
* # *
Minerva had brought others into the room and let them stand around a Pensieve.
"Before we start, I first want to say something. What you will soon see is not one of the nicest things you will ever see. We will take a short break after every memory. It will be something that we will need to do. It has not been easy for Harry, actually his life has been a hell for him. The only good thing he had in his life was Bella.
The memories will speak for themselves. Although I know it's not the worst memories that he allows us to see. I myself found them bad enough".
She looked at the young people in their midst. Astoria was with a friend so they had no worries about her when this was over. "If any of you do not want to see another memory you may sit the next one out or leave the room. We will not hold it against you. I also will tell after every memory why it happened. We will begin with a soft memory that was what Harry told me".
All together, they nodded and stood closer to the Pensieve. Then Minerva threw the first memory in the Pensieve. This is the sleeping cupboard of Harry, they just had a party. And Harry here is six years old, "she said. Everyone put a finger into the Pensieve and closed their eyes. Through sort of a dream state they were sucked into the memory at the same time.
It was late at night, and it was very dark. Harry sat in a corner and was shivering from the cold. He had a thin pants and a t-shirt.
His aunt came out and shouted. "Boy, the guests are gone you can come inside now. Or you can stay outside, you have a minute."
Harry scrambled up and raced into the kitchen while he was still shivering from the cold.
"Here is your sandwich, which will be your supper and now into your cupboard" Petunia said with a snarl.
Harry took the sandwich and looked at his aunt. In his eyes you could see the disbelief and grief he felt.
The clock on the wall showed that it was half past two in the morning.
His uncle grabbed Harry by the collar of his shirt and dragged him behind him down the hallway; he stopped at the cupboard under the stairs.
When he opened the door, everyone could see that there was a mattress inside the cupboard. Harry was pushed roughly into the cupboard. On the outside you could hear his uncle close the door with a padlock. The only light in the cupboard came from the grille on the door.
Inside the cabinet everyone again saw the mattress, a dilapidated and dirty blanket, a saggy pillow, and on the left there were a few small books and an empty milk bottle. and a small Harry, with a dry sandwich still in his hands.
The memory faded and everyone came out of their dream state. David looked questioningly at Minerva.
she sighed deeply and began to tell what they had seen.
"It was the first day of Christmas, earlier that day, Harry had to make all the snacks for the guests those were to come in the evening, and he himself had to go outside after he was finish with the snacks. It was at six o clock when he went outside and he was not allowed inside or to show himself. When it was two thirty in the night he was allowed to come in. That cupboard was his bedroom until he came to Hogwarts. That was also the place where he was imprisoned. His dinner often consisted of a piece of dry bread, and a glass of water. And the empty bottle that was there, that was his toilet. That blanket and pillow were with him the day me and Albus brought him there".
It was the first memory and the anger was clearly felt in the air.
Everyone went back to standing around the Pensieve. Minerva threw the second memory in the Pensieve and said. "This is a memory of Marge Dursley, she is the sister of his uncle" together they reappeared in the dream state.
Harry sat in a corner of the room. His uncle and aunt sat on the bench and were talking. In the chair near the window sat a fat woman. She was almost as fat as his uncle.
Harry was doing everything to be as quiet as possible.
"Boy, come here and bring us our Coffee".
"Yes, Aunt Petunia" Harry said in a friendly tone. In his face you could see a few bruises. Also on his bare arms you could see a few bruises and red welts.
Slowly there was a beginning of a conversation between his uncle and the sister of his uncle. "That disgusting boy has to be extremely grateful that you have taken him into your home like that. What did his mother actually do?" Marge said and asked.
"Not a lot she was unemployed" his uncle said.
"That's something you can see in that boy. Look how slowly he brings our Coffee" Marge Dursley snapped.
Harry was no more than five years old in that memory.
"And what did his father do exactly" Marge asked his uncle.
"He was also unemployed. And always looking for work," he answers.
"Yes I can see it all now. His father was definitely an alcoholic, one who does not know what he's doing, and someone whose children have to take care of themselves, because he is too drunk to do it. Someone who does not even know what a job really is. Yes you can see it all in that boy of them. He is lazy, probably not good at school, always in trouble for this or that. And then he has two parents who just killed themselves. Misfortune my ass they have just committed suicide, and dumped their layabout of a boy on your doorstep. I would have left him outside. But then again my heart is not as good as yours Petunia "Marge said in a slimy way.
Harry put the coffee down on the table and spilled a little of it on the table. From out of nowhere Marge took a swing at Harry. "Can you not look what you're doing you ungrateful dog" she yelled out.
Harry came down a meter away against another chair. On that chair sat his cousin Dudley Dursley. Harry had fallen against his chair and was now looking dazed out of his eyes. His cousin looked at Harry and literally kicked him away from his chair.
"This often happened when Harry accidentally spilled or dropped something" Minerva said when they were back outside the Pensieve. "The next memory I will show you is one of Harry where he was punished for accidental Magic. There was a letter that came from his school. He had accidentally turned the hair of a teacher a beautiful shade of blue.
Harry came home from school. His aunt stood at the window and pointed angrily at him, he had to come around the back of the house. In the garden she was waving a letter in his face.
"Look here" she snapped. "This is a letter I received from your school. Can't you do anything normal, even at school you have to behave as a freak? What will they be thinking of us" she told him.
Harry looked at her, you could clearly see that he did not understand what was happening.
She took a broom out of the shed and was now standing in front of him with the broom in her hand. From out of nowhere she pushed him hard with the broom and he fell to the ground. "I want you to take out all the nettles and thistles from the garden. When you're finished you can go to bed without supper. Sunday evening you can come out of your cupboard, and that's only if you behave" she snapped.
Ten minutes later, Harry was sitting in the garden and was taking the nettles from the garden. His little hands were red from irritation and were covered with bumps. Every time he had taken a nettle out of the garden he had to scratch himself.
His aunt was sitting in a lawn chair, and was watching him with a small smile. Beside her chair there was a small table. And on that table were two garden gloves, which he was not allowed to use. When his uncle came home, he was told all about the letter and its punishment. His uncle grabbed him roughly and literally threw him into his cupboard.
Harry came hard with his shoulder against the wall. Rubbing his sore shoulder, he saw the door closed again. He also heard how the padlock was again placed on the outside of the cupboard door.
The memory was over.
David walked away and roughly grabbed a glass of fire whiskey, this he drank at once and growls when he placed it back on the table. Then he filled a glass for everyone and passed them around.
Daphne went to sit in a corner and began to cry softly.
Isabella sat down next to her daughter and listen to what she was saying.
"Why has all of this happened to Harry?" She asked. "He was our hero, he saved us all. Everything we know about him from the books is a lie," she screamed.
It took Isabella almost ten minutes to calm Daphne down a bit. Isabella gently asked if she wanted to skip the next memory.
"No" Daphne snapped at her mother. "I want to know everything about Harry. Soon we have to go back to school, there we have to help him. There for I want to know what I have to do to help him," she cried out with determination in her voice.
Isabella and the others looked at her with admiration.
Neville, Susan and Hermione all nodded, they all agreed with Daphne.
"This is one of the memories why Harry was so afraid in the kitchen" Minerva said when she took out the next memory. And together they went back into the Pensieve.
It was early in the morning. Harry was about seven years old. He was preparing breakfast for his family. His aunt and uncle sat at the table and growled that he had to hurry up. Harry took one pan full of sausages to the table and was already preparing another one. There already was a pile of scrambled eggs on the table, and his Cousin shoveled everything inside without breathing. His uncle screamed that he had to bring another pan with bacon to the table for his Cousin.
Little Harry could keep up the demands with great difficulty. Harry was now bringing the last pan that was full of bacon to the table. All the food had placed on the plates was already gone. With only two steps to go, Harry accidentally grabbed the hot pan with his bare hand. It was so hot that you could hear his hand hissing. Harry dropped the pan out of fear and pain. His aunt jumped and grabbed the pan from the floor. With a big wave she took the pan that was now in her hand, and slammed Harry full on his back. Less than a minute later he was again thrown into his closet, his hand red from the burn and his back hurting from the pan that had hit him.
Nobody dared to say anything after that memory. They were all furious. Amelia was writing something down in a notebook. In addition, she growled again and again. "Oooo I will get for this Albus, this time you will not get away with just a warning".
It was clear to the children, the adults were not really happy with what they saw. the children were just sad about Harry.
Minerva had again filled a glass of fire whiskey and was now looking a little sad.
"The next memory is one of three parts. This is one of those Memories where we will see where the scars on his body came from. If they're coming into the basement, I would ask you to think about what you want to do. What you will see are the reasons for the scars. You may watch, but it is not pleasant to look at. You are also allowed to leave the memory" Minerva said.
It was a beautiful summer day. Harry was running away quickly. In the background you could hear screams from some guys who were chasing him. They were insulting him while they were running after him. He was a monster, a freak, a monstrosity that was not worth the air that he was breathing. Harry got pushed from behind and rolled on the ground. The boy's that were chasing him were his cousin and four of his friends. They gathered around him and began beating him at random.
Harry struggled against his cousin and found a way to get loose. He scrambled to his feet and made a run for it. Behind a wall, he crouched down and looked around him. In the distance he saw a girl about his age.
"That's Bella" Daphne exclaimed.
Minerva nodded and everyone saw that Bella had a few red scratches on her arms and her face just like Harry had, but they said nothing about it.
Harry immediately ran away. A little further on he was overtaken again. He was pushed against a wall and got another hit. Dudley stood over him and pulled his fist back and brought it back to Harry. Harry ducked and Dudley hit the wall hard. Screaming in pain Dudley let go of Harry and Harry made another run for it.
The memory changed into another.
Harry was sitting in the back garden. Dudley came walking into the garden and looked at Harry with a smile. At the kitchen door, he called out for his mother with a sad voice. Petunia came out and Dudley showed her his bloody fist. "Look mummy, look what Harry has done to me" he said with fake tears running from his eyes.
Petunia immediately began yelling at Harry like a mad Hippogriff. Her Dudley could have been killed she Screamed. And it did not matter how many times Harry said that Dudley had hit him first. It was her Dudley that was hurt. She was treating him like he was run over by a car. And all the blood and bruises Harry had was of no importance. Her Dudley was the victim here.
The memory turned into another from later that day.
Harry was pulled roughly from out of his cupboard. His uncle dragged him into the basement. In passing, you could see Dudley sitting in his chair with his hand wrapped up in a bandaged. Harry however still had all his dried blood under his nose and on his clothing. His uncle literally threw him down the stairs and into the basement.
"You dare to hurt my son like that" he cried fiercely. "You could have broken his hand you could have killed him. You don't think I would just leave it at that now did you" his uncle shouted while his spittle flew everywhere and into the face of Harry
His uncle literally pulled the sweater that Harry was wearing from his body. There you could already see that Harry had many scars on his back. While his uncle shouted at Harry he was pulling his belt from his trousers. He slammed Harry to the ground en began hitting him with the belt and the belt buckle.
Five minutes into the third part of the memory.
Daphne could not hold herself any longer. She ran to Harry and tried to protect him. "Stop it, Stop it. Please make him stop" Daphne screamed through her sobs.
But it did not help the memory went on and the belt went through Daphne end hid Harry again and again on his back and torso.
Isabella took Daphne into her arms and looked with horror at the memory which went on and on.
Vernon Dursley just kept hitting Harry again and again. Blood flowed over the back and chest of Harry and here and there on his body he began to turn blue. Harry was still lying on the ground when his uncle put his belt back around his waist. He reached down and grabbed Harry by the arm. Without saying a word he pulled him to the Cupboard and threw him into the cupboard. Vernon locked the door and the memory stopped
The memory disappeared.
Everyone in the room was looking for a chair. Nobody said anything or could say anything.
Hermione had been crying since the second memory and could only cry more. Neville had an arm around her shoulder and held her against his chest, while he himself was crying just as hart.
Susan was crying in the arms of her auntie Amelia.
And Amelia was only swearing a lot. Although she did it gently, the majority could still hear her.
David was just looking at the Pensive with hate in his eyes. "I will go and I will kill him. I don't care anymore, just throw me into Azkaban. But I'm going to kill Albus Bloody Dumbledore".
Isabella did everything she could to calm her husband down.
Augusta had not spoken since the first memory. But now she did take the floor. "Arabella when did you find out that Harry was hit with a belt" was her question.
"I do not know Augusta but I saw the first scars when he was three years old. I do not know if they were from a belt or something else. But that was the first time he came to me" Arabella Said with tears in her eyes.
It took nearly half an hour before they could look at the next memory. The children would not go into this memory; they just could not take another beating like that. Minerva also decided that this would be the last memory from Harry they would watch. She still had seven to go but everyone already knew enough. This was one Harry had asked her to show them. And the last memory was the one from her. All together they went back into the Pensieve, and the children sat in a corner.
Only Daphne went along with the others. She insisted that she knew what it was. Harry had become very important to her and she promised herself to do everything she could for him.
It was early in the morning. Harry was woken up by a banging on the door of the cupboard under the stairs. The door was pulled open with a bang. His uncle pulled him out and pushed him into the kitchen. "Make my breakfast boy and do not dare to let it burn" Vernon snapped.
There little Harry was standing at the counter. The dried blood Showed you that the night before he had another beating like they had just seen. He stood at the sink and his face was contorted with pain. With difficulty he could prepare the food and bring it to the table, and there on the table were now mountains of food. Harry had the bacon eggs and sausages made with pain written all over his face. And then he sat down at the table.
To their surprise, his aunt was filling his plate for him. When they saw what she had put on his plate they got it. Harry had a small piece of bacon. Half eaten sausage where Dudley had eaten the other half of. And a tablespoon of eggs.
"Eat up and get back into your cupboard this is all you get for today. That's your punishment for what you have done to my little Dudley" Petunia snarled at Harry with hatred burning in her eyes.
Harry emptied his plate in four bites and walked painfully to his cupboard. He was halfway inside when his cousin slammed the door against his back. Harry was pushed into his cupboard and fell painfully down on his mattress.
The memory disappeared. David, who had just calmed down, was again beside himself with rage. There was a lot he wanted to do, but everyone told him it could not and should not be done. But how could he let this happen, how could they let Dumbledore do what he was doing. his thoughts were interrupted by a soft sobbing.
Arabella cried softly in a corner of the room. When asked why she was crying, she looked a little happy. "I'm sorry I'm not happy about all of this. But every year after I had discovered what Harry was undergoing at the hands of the Dursleys. I went to Albus and told him, I said how bad it was. Nobody was allowed to know, he told me, and he did not even believe me not really. And now finally there are people who believe me, Harry finally gets some help". It was a plea from Arabella which eventually had been heard.
Minerva waited before everyone looked at her again. "I will only show you one more memory. This is the memory why Harry came out laughing.
All together they went back standing around the Pensieve. And this time the kids also went along. They were all back in the dream state.
Minerva stood by a large door. It slowly opened, and everyone recognized James Potter standing at that door.
Isabella told the youngsters it was the father of Harry.
"Hey Minerva come inside you'll soon see him. He is so beautiful and he has my hair, and he has the eyes of Lily. Come on come on quickly" James shouted excitedly.
"James take it easy, I'm coming, I'm here and I'm going with you." Minerva smiled at James, who was nearly jumping in front of her with the joy of a child. With difficulty she followed him through the corridors and up the stairs.
James almost ran to a room that was at the top of the stairs. He threw open the door
"Lily she's here, she's finally here." exclaimed James
There in the corner on a rocking chair sat Lily Potter. In her arms was a small bundle of blue cloths. In these cloths was a baby with tousled black hair and green emerald eyes. "Come in Minerva, this is Harry. Harry James Potter. We named him after his grandfather" Lily said with a smile on her face.
There and then Minerva should have known that she was the grandmother of Harry James Potter. The father of James was called Charlus Potter. And the father of Lily Potte / nee Evans was named Arnold Evans. At least she thought that at the time. The husband of Minerva McGonagall was named Harry Henry Augustus McGonagall.
Minerva looked at the little boy who was lying in the arms of his mother.
"Is he not the most beautiful boy you have ever seen Minerva. Look that's my son. My son, I am so happy Minerva. Look how beautiful he is, I love him so much". James almost screamed out with joy.
Lily looked at Minerva and smiled. "He really is very happy with his son Minerva. Last night he spent the whole night at the side of his crib. He just sitting there and watching our Harry with that smile on his face, the same smile he is wearing now" Lily said to Minerva.
James was dancing small circles of joy. "My son, Harry James Potter my son".
Minerva and Lily giggled at the words of James Potter and the joy on his face.
"He's beautiful Minerva. Our little Harry James Potter, I love you so much my little boy, I love you so much" Lily told her little Harry and Minerva with a smiling face. "Here Minerva take Harry on your lap. He is allowed to be pampered by his grandmother".
"This again was such a moment where I should have paid more attention. And again I did not realize what she had just said." Minerva told the rest.
Minerva was sitting there with the baby Harry on her lap, just rocking back and forth in the rocking chair watching the green eyes of Harry.
Harry who was looking up at her, with a little rattle sound coming from his mouth.
James had his arm placed around Lily's shoulder. Both of them had a satisfied smile on their face. And everyone could see how happy Lily and James were with their son Harry.
From out of nowhere Minerva began singing, Oh Danny boy. And baby Harry fell asleep in her arms with the tiniest smile that you could see.
The memory faded again and everyone came out of their dream state. Isabella took Minerva into a hug. "That was very beautiful Minerva. Now Harry at least knows that his parents really loved him, and that they loved him deeply. This has done him a world of good" she whispered in Minerva's ear.
Everyone also understood the smile that Harry had. This was probably the first time he had seen his parents. And the first time he really heard them say that they loved him.
They all came out of the room and looked up in surprise.
Bella and Harry had prepared the evening meal. They had made a delicious stew with potatoes and lots of vegetables. One by one they took Harry in their arms, they all told him they loved him. Then they also hugged Bella. They knew what she had done for Harry over the last two years. The food was eaten with pleasure. And Harry knew that no one was angry or disappointed in him.
Five days later they were back at school and there was a lot they had to keep secret, from a lot of people.