Regarding Harry
by Tsujton
Disclaimer: Anything recognizable from the Harry Potter Universe belongs to J.K. Rowling et al. I make no profit (story of my life…).
Summary: Harry destroys the last Horcrux and defeats Voldemort – but in doing so, winds up back where he started the night he got his scar: with the mind of a fifteen month old – big baby!Harry. But the Death Eaters are out for revenge… Slightly slashy. Some abuse and violence, so rated: M
Chapter 4: Lucius
Ginny slid her leg out from under Harry and gently laid him back on the pillow. His face still held a slight frown and Ginny couldn't stop the rush of thoughts: What if he can't be cured? What if he doesn't remember me? What if he doesn't love me anymore? What if he di-
She heard a sudden scuffling in the leaves outside. It did not sound right. Ginny froze for but a second and then leapt into action. She dashed to the table and grabbed the knife Hermione had been using, just as the door burst open.
It was Lucius Malfoy. He looked very different. His robes were dirty and burnt on one side, his hair was disheveled and he was missing a boot. His eyes were the same, though. Narrowed and haughty and malevolent. He snorted contemptuously at the sight of Ginny holding the vegetable knife. "You repugnant little blood-traitor," he hissed. "What, exactly, do you think you can do with that?" He eyed the knife with a look of amused derision.
"Where's Hermione? If you –"
"If I? The mudblood won't be bothering us anytime soon, Ms. Weasley, and if you don't want similar treatment, I'd advise you to put that down."
Ginny held the knife steady as she inched sideways so that she was between Malfoy and Hagrid's bed. Her mind was racing. She couldn't see Malfoy's hands, but he clearly had no wand or he would have hexed her already. She knew she could not hope to win in hand-to-hand combat with the large man. Even with the advantage of her weapon, Ginny had little doubt that Malfoy could easily wrest it from her.
Malfoy cleared his throat pointedly. "Well, Ms. Weasley? I'm waiting. But I warn you," and here he lowered his voice darkly, "I'm-not-feeling-particularly-patient."
"CRUCIO!" Ginny shouted and hurled the knife toward Malfoy's heart like a deadly quaffle. His eyes widened in fear as he threw up his arms in vain reflex against the curse. The knife sank into his forearm and he screamed in pain as Ginny raced back to the table to grab the tongs out of the cauldron.
Malfoy, realizing the curse was a hoax, pulled the knife out of his arm and it clattered to the floor, just as Ginny let out her own anguished cry. She hadn't thought of that the tong handles would be so hot. The thin bandage on her already blistered hand was not enough to protect her skin from further damage. She dropped the tongs and grasped her wrist, hissing. That's when she discovered what had happened to Malfoy's other boot. It came crashing into her face, knocking her on her side. Before she could regain herself, Malfoy struck again, hitting Ginny just over the eye with the boot's heel. Ginny's vision was spotty and she was too dazed to dodge the next blow. Her last thought was that she'd failed Harry in every way, and then there was nothing.
"Disgusting," sniffed Malfoy, eyeing Ginny's crumpled form and bending to pull his boot on. He straightened his robes and swept to the bed where Harry was, eyes closed and oblivious. "And more disgusting, still," he wrinkled his nose as he surveyed the half-prone boy and the faded quilt under which he lay. Leaning over, Lucius roughly pulled the bandages from Harry's hand and used them to bind his wrists together tightly.
Harry's stirred at this and his eyes opened halfway. Who?
"You want to be more careful with your temper around your house elf, Potter," said Lucius, haughtily.
Harry regarded the new stranger for a moment and furrowed his brow before passing into oblivion once again.
Lucius hoisted Harry's limp form over his shoulder and turned to leave. He paused as he came to the bloody knife, and bent awkwardly under Harry's unwieldy form to retrieve it before exiting the hut.
Deep in the Forbidden Forest, Lucius, panting indignantly with the effort of the trek, unceremoniously dropped his burden to the ground.
Harry grunted at the jarring landing; he was slowly coming round. There was dirt irritating his eyes and nose and mouth and he coughed reflexively to clear his airway. Hurts.
Lucius viciously pushed on Harry's shoulder with his foot, rolling the boy over onto his back. Harry blinked and squinted; the sun was high overhead, peeking through the trees in patches of sporadic brightness. His eyes came into some semblance of focus, and he saw an angry-looking man with long, pale hair towering over him.
Lucius suddenly flew down at Harry, shaking him violently by the shoulders and shouting. "What did you do, Potter?" Harry just shook his head, making a garbled sound. "You have-ru-ined-ev-ry-thing," ground out Lucius, punctuating each syllable by shaking Harry so that his head banged on the ground. Tears were streaming down the sides of Harry's face now, as he looked up at his attacker in abject terror. Malfoy pulled the bandage down over Harry's eyes, revealing the still-oozing scar. "Is it there? Is it still there?" he hissed, wildly. He pulled the knife out of his belt and without warning pressed its tip into the wound, widening the opening by twisting the flat of the blade.
Harry gasped until his breath caught and blindly raised his bound hands instinctively toward the source of this new tearing pain.
Lucius shoved them back down and pressed his knee onto Harry's arm and chest, effectively immobilizing him. His face in a grimace, Lucius stuck his thumb and forefingers into the cut. "I have it!" he laughed triumphantly, and pulled a small, dark object from the wound.
Just then, something came barreling through the trees, shoving Lucius away from Harry.
Harry's arms flew up to press on his forehead. He was still having trouble catching his breath, his mouth gaping soundlessly with the effort.
"POTTER?"
The blindfold was pulled down to his neck, and Harry opened his eyes to see another pale-haired stranger leaning over him and staring him in the face.
Draco froze when he met Harry's terrified eyes. Then, impulsively, he cupped Harry's cheek in his hand. "It's okay, Potter," he said kindly, "I'll help y–"
In the next moment the new stranger disappeared from Harry's view as he was knocked aside by the first. Harry tried to raise his head to relocate him, but shrank back when the first man yelled.
"BOY! How dare you!" Lucius stood over his son, right fist clenched and blood-smeared.
"I 'dare', Father," returned Draco softly, and slightly dazed. He pushed whatever that had been from his mind and spoke with muted vehemence as he rose. "It's over. What the hell are you doing?"
"You foolish boy! I have retrieved the last Horcrux. We can bring our Lord back!"
"Why? Father, why would you want to do that? He was mad. He killed Mother –"
"Silence! Impudent ingrate. You have shamed me in the eyes of the Dark Lord, but I, I will redeem myself with this." Lucius opened his fist, his look of triumph swiftly fading as he beheld his ruined prize. It was a charred, shriveled thing – dead and powerless. Useless. He let it fall from his hand; it landed with a dull sound in the leaves.
A rage welled up in Lucius Malfoy like none he had ever felt before. "YOU!" He tore at Harry and threw himself on top of the boy, grabbing Harry's neck in both hands.
"FATHER! NO! Let him alone!" Draco pulled Lucius back, freeing Harry.
Harry drew in deep lungfuls of air and watched as the two men struggled.
Lucius succeeded in elbowing Draco in the gut. Draco fell to his knees clutching his stomach and Lucius lunged for Harry again.
Harry tried to roll away. "Nooo-" He found his voice, but it was quickly cut off along with his airflow as the longhaired stranger squeezed his neck tighter and tighter – and then he met the man's brutish eyes. Unexpectedly, the strangling hands at his throat went slack as the angry man's face turned aghast. At that very moment the kind boy – who had by this time gained his feet – pulled the first man off of Harry yet again. Harry closed his eyes, wheezing in great, ragged breaths. He wanted to be away, away, AWAY–
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Next up, Chapter 5: Reunions Part I