63
Harry suddenly awoke, feeling as if something was terribly wrong. He rolled over and realized he was in his bed in the apartment at Hogwarts. With a heart retching realization everything came rushing back to him. He looked down at his wrists and saw the dreaded magical bracelets that stoppered his magic and siphoned out dark magic. He could feel something deep within his soul being pulled apart and it hurt.
He suddenly remembered throwing his dad against the wall and scrambled out of the bed to find him. He threw his door open and ran down the hall, only to stop in his tracks when he saw Severus sitting at the dining room table with a huge stack of books spread out on the table.
"Dad?" Harry called out, "Are you alright?"
Severus looked up, then strode over to his son so he could asses his current condition.
"I am fine, Harry," Severus said as he put his hands on Harry's shoulders. He tilted the boy's face up to him and could see the swollen eye was nearly black now. "I'm so sorry, son." He pulled Harry's head towards him to inspect the back where the shards of glass had left tiny cuts. "I wanted to heal you but I know how much pain that would cause you with the bands that you are wearing.
"Do you really think I need to wear these," Harry asked, taking a step back. "I don't think I'll do anything like that again. I promise." Harry pleaded. His dad looked away making Harry think that he wouldn't relent.
"Harry, please don't make this any harder than it has to be."
"But … I can't wear these again, dad. Please don't make me wear them. I swear I'll do anything you say if I don't have to wear them.
Severus put a hand up to stop the boy from begging. "It is not up for debate. They will stay put until I find a solution. Besides, they seem to be pulling more dark magic." He reached out and took Harry's wrist in his hand. "See how the silver appears darker on the edges?"
Harry ripped his wrist away, stepping back with a scowl. "I don't care what they're doing, I just want them the fuck off of me!"
"No," Severus said in a tired voice.
"If you only knew how these make me feel, you wouldn't make me wear them."
"If there was any other solution I wouldn't make you wear them. Perhaps you can help me research how to tamp down the dark magic without effecting your own magic."
Harry looked towards the books on the table with a groan. He touched his swollen eye. "My eye hurts," he said, "and I don't think I could concentrate right now. I feel sort of foggy brained."
Severus inclined his head. "That is due to the potion I gave you to keep the pain the castle and magic in the castle would cause you. It will make you drowsy."
"So are we leaving the castle then? Going back to the cabin?" Harry asked.
"No, I need the tombs in the unrestricted section to research. In addiction Albus is helping me. At this point I am desperate enough to ask Ms. Grainger to help."
"She would probably love that," Harry said in a tired voice. "So am I stuck down here then?"
"No, you are permitted to go out but you must always be escorted."
"I don't need babysitters again. Bloody hell! I can't go through this again! Don't you bloody well understand that I can't do it!"
Severus put a hand around Harry's neck and pulled him close. "I'll help you."
Harry pushed his head into his dad's chest. His emotions were on edge and he felt as if he wanted to sob but he fought against the urge. A sudden jolt to the magical bands caused him to scream and pull his wrists to his chest. He pushed his dad's hands away when the man tried to hold him again.
"Don't," He said, stepping back. "Just don't touch me. Take the fucking bands off!"
When Severus shook his head, Harry turned around and seeing the only thing that would make his dad angry he strode to the table and threw book after book against the wall until the entire table was empty. Somehow that quelled his surging rage. He stood huffing out as his anger built again as he watched his dad calmly pick each book up and stack them back on the table. He had to fight the urge to go back over there and throw the books once more.
"I fucking hate you," Harry screamed, before heading back to his bedroom. He slammed the door, immediately regretting the words he had just spoken. He couldn't stop himself from feeling so bloody hurt. His dad knew how much these bands bothered him and yet he'd forced them on him.
It was several hours later when he heard a knock on the door. His dad walked in with a cup of something steaming.
"We need to talk," Severus said as he sat on the edge of the bed. He handed Harry the tea and watched as the boy took a sip.
"I'm sorry," Harry said. "You know I don't hate you, right?"
Severus inclined his head, "I didn't take it personally but nevertheless it stings to hear it said."
Harry put the cup down then leaned forward to give his dad a hug. "I'm sorry okay? I hate myself and you're just here so you get the overflow."
Severus hugged him back tighter.
"What's going to happen to me?" Harry asked. He leaned back against his pillows and looked up at his dad.
Severus shook his head, "I don't know exactly but I need to stay here until I find one. The library has an extensive selection of books that I need to access and I need the help of Albus. I'm afraid we can't leave until I'm closer to a solution."
"So I can't go home?"
Severus shook his head.
"I'm so stupid. Why the bloody hell did I let that happen!"
"I don't think you did let it happen," Severus said, "I think the dark magic is multiplying and it is becoming increasingly harder for you to control it. Hence the magical bands will stay put until we can come up with a solution."
Harry rolled to his side, facing away from his father as tears pricked at his eyes. He couldn't help but to feel as if Voldemort would forever be a part of his life. He felt his dad grip his shoulder before rubbing his back.
"It's not forever, Harry. I promise to come up with a solution."
"Enough!" Harry said as that awful rage bubbled up again, "You've fucking said that before. My life is never going to be my life. It's always going to belong to someone else. I hate it!"
"We're going to get out of here soon. Until then," Severus stopped talking when the doorbell rang. Severus cast a spell to see that Draco was standing at the door. "It's Draco."
"I don't want to see anyone," Harry said, still looking away.
"I need to see Albus, so Draco can stay with you." He ignored Harry's protest and released the latch with another spell. Draco eventually came into the bedroom.
The Slytherin stood looking from Harry to Severus and then back again. "Is this a bad time?"
Severus squeezed Harry's shoulder then indicated for Draco to follow him out into the hallway.
Harry laid on the bed, as that defeated feeling overwhelmed him. He couldn't believe he had to wear the bracelets again. He pushed at one of them but the more he pushed the tighter the band got. The band got so tight that his hand was starting to turn blue. He waited for the band to loosen but it never did. He finally rolled over and got off the bed to get Severus.
"Dad," he said, walking down the hallway. His dad wasn't in the room but Draco was.
Draco looked up from reading one of the books that had been on the table. "He'll be back in a few minutes."
Harry knew this might be his only chance. He held up his hands. "Do you think you could take these off?"
Draco gave him a skeptical look. "What are they?"
"Just some stupid joke shop bracelets that got stuck. They're broken so you better just take it off."
"I wouldn't even know how to do that, Potter," Draco said as he closed the book. He walked over and took hold of Harry's blue hand. "It looks bad though. Does it hurt?"
Harry could feel Draco's magic cause electric sparks in his wrist with the touch. It hurt but he knew he only had a few minutes to get Draco to help him before Severus came back.
"Yes," he said in a pained tone. "Something is wrong with them. You just need to say, 'evanescet' and then flick your wand at the band with a tap. It's stupid, really." Harry said, "I was just playing around and got them stuck."
Draco pulled his wand out of his robe pocket. With a flick of his wand he repeated the spell and the first wrist band expanded.
A second later the next band was loosened and Harry slipped them off.
The sudden rush of magic that filled Harry from deep inside was almost overwhelming. He staggered back and hit the sofa, dropping one of the bands onto the floor. The clear sound reverberated throughout the room with an eery bong as black smoke splattered the surrounding area.
"What the bloody hell was that?" Draco said, backing away from the band.
Harry shook his head but then acted as if it wasn't making his heart race with fear. "Just part of the trick I suppose. I have to get rid of these in the room of requirement before someone else gets stuck. Do you want to come?"
On the long walk to the room of requirement, Harry could feel his magic pulse with a powerful surge. It felt so good to be free again. He vowed never to let his dad mess with his magic again.
They stood in the large room of requirement and looked around at the vast piles of junk. There were so many towering piles of various items that Harry knew they would be able to be rid of the bracelets once and for all.
"I bet I could throw this further than you," Harry challenged Draco. He chucked the silver band as far as he could into the giant piles of junk. A black plume of spoke puffed out and rose to the ceiling when the band landed.
"Wicked!" Draco said, taking the second band from Harry and then throwing it as far as he could.
Another black plume of smoke could be seen in the far off distance. Both boys claimed themselves the victor for having thrown the furthest. Harry relented and said that Draco had won but deep down he knew that he was the true winner for never having to see the goblin made bands again.