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Harry clutched Collin's lifeless body to his chest and screamed,
"NO…NO…COLLIN…NO…COME BACK!"
How could Collin just die? How could he just leave him like this? Harry only held him tighter and wept his heart out. His cries resounded around the room. Their conversation from last night resounded in his ears. He wished he hadn't asked him to sleep last night. He wished he'd just talked to him, comforted him more, assured him a little more. If he'd known…If he'd known this would happen, he would have done something, anything to get Collin out last night,
"I'm so sorry, Collin…I'm so sorry…"
He'd failed to keep his promise. He'd failed, and Collin had left him. Tears streamed down his cheeks and he checked Collin's pulse once again, hoping against hope that was just asleep rather than…No, there was no hope. Collin really was gone. He closed his eyes and buried his face in Collin's hair as he screamed louder. The pain was too much. Collin had trusted him, and he'd let him down. He'd depended on him to save him and protect him, and he'd disappointed him.
He cried hoping the ferocity of it might bring him back; as if by the sheer force of his grief, Collin's demise would be undone, and time would reverse itself. His screaming sobs reverberated around the room and resonated deep inside his soul. Collin couldn't be gone…he just couldn't be gone…
And then he was being dragged away by his hair and he cried out louder and struggled with everything he had in him,
"You killed him…all of you killed him…"
He was tossed roughly against the wall and his vision went black for a split second. It took him a moment to regain his sight and find his uncle and Mr. Harrison standing over Collin's limp form,
"Leave him alone…Get away from him…You're monsters…"
His uncle sneered,
"Good riddance."
Harry was about to crawl towards where Collin was laying when Mr. Harrison pinned him back against the floor and straddled him,
"He's gone now, Boy, so, you'd better get your wits about you."
Harry turned his head away as tears streamed down his temples,
"You're wrong if you think that I'll still help you after this. I'd rather die than help you monsters. You killed him…you…"
A hand was clamped over his mouth and nose muffling the rest of his sentence along with his air supply,
"Listen very closely because I will not repeat myself. You are going to get us the gold otherwise Collin here, doesn't get a proper burial and his corpse will rot in this room."
He kicked his legs as he struggled to inhale some much-needed air. His uncle finally spoke,
"Let him breathe."
The hand was removed, and he drew air greedily into his oxygen deprived lungs,
"Do you understand who things will go from here?"
Harry shook his head defiantly as his vision blinked in and out of focus. He felt so utterly and completely broken. No way in hell would he help these monsters get into the castle. He would never let them anywhere near Voldemort's gold. His uncle glared at him for a moment before speaking,
"Lock him up with the corpse. He'll understand in a few hours."
He watched as Mr. Harrison walked out of the room followed by his uncle and then the door was slammed shut. He forced himself to his hands and knees and crawled towards Collin. He sat up supported by the wall and pulled Collin into his arms again.
All he could do now was mourn. He held onto him tight and screamed out at the injustice of it all. Collin wasn't supposed to die. He was so young…so pure…He'd had just a bright future ahead of him. How could they take that away? How could they simple snuff out Collin's light and feel no remorse and regret?
He had no idea how many hours he'd held Collin into his arms but he could feel that his body had gone stiff. His mind and heart were utterly numb as he stared at Collin's lifeless face. Somewhere between those hours, some part of his brain had provided the idea that he leave Collin and escape but he'd shot it down as soon as it had emerged. Leaving Collin here with those monsters was unthinkable. He would never find peace if he left Collin and ran. Taking a deep breath, he screamed at the top of his lungs,
"I'LL DO IT!"
A moment later, the door was opened and his uncle's grinning face came into view. He looked away because he couldn't stand the sight of him and repeated emotionlessly,
"I'll do it...I'll do it…"
His uncle laughed and Harry wanted to cover his ears,
"I knew you would understand the situation, Boy."
Mr. Harrison came into sight, holding a shovel,
"The grave's ready."
His uncle stepped into the room and took Collin's stiff form away from his arms and into his own. He was pulled to his feet roughly by Mr. Harrison and shoved out of the room and downstairs where a small wooden box lay. It was bare…without any cushioning and the sight of it nearly brought him down to his knees. Collin didn't deserve that…he didn't deserve this….
Mr. Harrison wrapped an arm around his waist and held him still as his uncle approached the coffin. But instead of laying Collin down into gently, he dropped him into it roughly and Harry cried out and struggled in Mr. Harrison's hold. A gag was forced into his mouth, muffling his screams and his wrists were chained behind his back. When his uncle started nailing the lid on the coffin, he sagged against Mr. Harrison's chest and wept silently.
The small coffin was hauled out by his uncle and Mr. Harrison began pushing him out behind him. He was led down the hill towards the trees that lined the river. It was extremely dark, and the only light was from the lantern that preceded them, held by Mrs. Harrison. They reached a spot in the dense cover of the trees and Harry saw the hole that had been dug which was meant to be Collin's final resting place. His knees gave out and he fell on the damp ground.
Mr. Harrison walked towards his uncle and Harry watched powerlessly as the coffin was lowered into the grave. He was half unconscious by the time the grave had been filled. He wanted to die. He just wanted to die.
But death wasn't on the cards because Mrs. Harrison fed him water and a piece of bread. An oversized coat was wrapped around his shoulders and a hat was forced atop his head, before he was roughly pulled to his feet again,
"Time to get to work, Boy. Lead the way."