Chapter 7

They entered the pensive and watched the proceedings in mutual horror.

Harry was dragged in, James holding him by the hair because Harry was kicking and screaming for James to let him go. However, James did not. James had just lost another child; he was blaming it on his other child. That was not the only other reason; he hated Harry for clinging onto Severus and not him.

Dragging him, he chucked him into the room and locked it, walking away. He was going to check on Lily. Harry used wandless magic and opened the door; he started to run from the manor. He went to open the main door only to go flying back with a bang.

Cracking a rib after landing on his side, James Potter was there within minutes dragging him back, wondering how he got out. This time Harry fought; he swore he would get out of that house as soon as he could.

Within minutes he had James on the floor, beaten, he was making a run for it, only to find himself stunned thanks to Lily. Running over to James she asked him if he was ok, getting out of the stupefy. He was about to run again when...'SMACK' his head was cracked against the wall, blood dribbling down his head he fell unconscious.

Harry woke up groaning. He tried to sit up only to find himself not able to, unlocking them he got up, quietly, saying to himself, but the people in the pensive heard him, 'need to get to Sev or Dumbledore they will help'. They both looked away in guilt not that they had not tried but they had not tried for ages.

Before he could get out of the room, the door opened. He tried to run for it but before he could, James was on top of him, opening his jaw, making him swallow a potion. Harry tried in vain not to swallow the potion, the potion he left was soaking up his magic, Harry began to panic, James and Lily left the room, and Harry began to get dizzy and cold.

Going to the corner of the room wrapping his arms around his body to get some heat, his magic no longer protecting him, shivering he fell unconscious.

The two wizards shuddering at what it was like to loose his magic, both shuddering in pain at losing magic and the pain on Harry's face when he realised what was happening, before they knew it they were in a different memory.

Harry woke up again to find himself in the shackles that had held him before, trying to get them off, but nothing happened. He felt tears come to his eyes falling into a huddle heap on the floor, crying his heart out and said bitterly 'Why did I think he would be able to help me, I wished my mum was here,' was his last words before blanking out, not thinking about anything or anyone.

He woke up too freezing cold water being poured over him, he gasped opening his eyes, he shut them tightly again and said, "What the fuck have I ever done to you, I'm glad she had a miscarriage, you would probably treat it like me, I'm glad you gave me away."

Before he knew it James Potter descended on him, beating him, punching him, not having his wand on him or forgetting was anyone's guess. Harry soon fell unconscious never hearing James Potter and his wife talking.

Dumbledore and Snape both winched and groaned in emotional pain when Harry was beaten unconscious watching everything. Each of them closing their eyes, and looking away trying to stop the other seeing the tears, that were running freely down their eyes.

"What if we get in trouble for hitting him?" she said shakily.

"We wont Lily, even Dumbledore won't find us here, you know that this place is under Fidelus and he can't leave without my permission so the brat will never get away," said James as he waked away.

Not seeing Lily's sorrow filled eyes land on Harry before she too shakily walked away with James, she knew if she tried to get away James would either kill her or beat her like her son, she did not want that. As much as she loved her only child, she would not risk her life for someone who was a stranger to her and he was that.

James Potter as he went on got more creative; first, he started with whips.

Walking into the room Harry was in; he let him see the whip. When he did, he went whiter than Snape on a normal day, he tried to get away only to whimper when he came closer to him. Stuck in the shackles he fought them, slumping when he realised it was useless.

He was shocked when the whip came over his back, making him even forget to breathe. Inhaling sharply, it hurt, but was determined not to cry out, and all the he could think was 'think happy thoughts' which was getting harder every blow, his back was soaked in blood. He screamed not being able to stop it coming out.

After James was finished, he walked over, grabbing his 'sons' hair, he hissed, "You deserve everything you get, and you killed twelve people. Do you see anyone trying to save you, any mail here? No they do not give a shit, just be grateful I am not giving you over to the Ministry. What I do will be gentle compared to what they do to you." Slamming his son's head against the wall Harry let out a whimper and welcomed the darkness that closed over him.

Both Severus and Albus watched it in horror, saying that to a nine-year-old child that was beyond anything they could comprehend, it was making them more and angrier promising more revenge for later Severus calmed down as they fell into the other memories.

Getting more creative, he started using a belt, by that time Harry was hardly ever awake and not getting any bigger.

Harry had been in the shackles for how long he did not know, when James came in, a glee full expression on his face, Harry did not scream as he usually did. His face contorted in pain but he did not let out a sound each time it was brought down.

Which became harder and harder every time he did not hear Harry make a sound he brought it down even harder. When he was totally exhausted he stopped, panting he waked over and said, "You deserve everything you get you selfish brat."

And was surprised when Harry said, "I know," he said hoarsely.

Dumbledore and Severus both inhaled in shock, the look in Harry's eyes and the words was enough to make them gag, not only was it a look of defeat in Harry's eyes, but Harry believed him, that was what made them so shocked.

However, they both looked at each other and came to an understanding, he was only nine years old, and had been beaten beyond their comprehending, shaking their heads in despair.

A much looking older Harry still tied to the shackles, still as small as he was when he arrived there. James walked over as if he had been doing it for years, in a way he had, forcing Harry's mouth open, Harry did not resist, the green orbs that were once bright and sparkling now dimmed and looked jaded.

And Severus recognised them, telling Dumbledore what potions they were as he poured them down the conscious boy's throat.

"Growth potion, (make ya taller)"

"Nutrition potion"

He then left. Not even giving Harry a second glance shouting over his shoulder, "Your mother is pregnant again. You will have a brother soon, not that you will ever see him." Said James, "And he will be called Harry Potter."

Dumbledore and Snape could only watch in anguish at the scenes played, repeatedly, the pensive full of memories.

An enraged James walked into the room with potions in his hand, not any potions, but potions Severus knew, only because he had had to brew them to satisfy the Dark Lord running over trying to stop the scene-taking place to only fall over through the transparent Harry and James.

James again grabbed Harry's head and flung the potion in. Harry was soon in the world of pain, it was worse than he had ever experienced, he screamed himself hoarse, withering on the stone cold dungeon floor and lay still as night when it stopped.

James was still not satisfied; he poured another down his throat. Harry screamed and screamed, his fingernails dug in drawing blood from his palms blood came out of his nose and his head as he thrashed about on the floor. Harry did not fall unconscious yet.

James gave him another one; Harry screamed and screamed until he had no longer a voice. Still withering in pain Harry was quiet, tears streaming down his face, he wanted the pain to stop and eventually it did, but the thankfulness didn't last long, before he knew it, James shoved another one down Harry's throat. Harry just lay there twitching occasionally he then yelled at him saying, "You made your mum loose her baby, you selfish boy, totally ungrateful boy. I might just put you in an orphanage, I'm sure they would go easy on you." Harry did not answer he was already unconscious.

Again, Severus was only able to cry at what James Potter did to his own son, feeling regretful they fell back out into Dumbledore's office, the pensive being finished. Severus shakily took the cup of tea that was cold and sipped it knowing there was a calming potion, as soon as he swallowed it he relaxed and said to Dumbledore,

"He thought we would help him, I should have looked more." said Snape hoarsely

"Severus, son it's not your fault. You heard him they were hiding under the Fidelus we could have been right there and we would have still not seen them, please let it go, you can look after him now and it looks like he needs your help to get over what has happened. Make him strong again," said Dumbledore putting a hand on Severus' shoulder comfortingly.

Severus shuddered and nodded in agreement, he then said, "Excuse me, Albus I have a boy to take care of, he is under dreamless sleeping potion, but it won't last forever." Robes not billowing around him like normal, shoulders slumped he left.

As Dumbledore watched him go, face grim, but a sparkle there too knowing he would be alright with Severus looking after him saying to himself as he got a lemon drop 'I have waited ages to see you leave the room, robes not billowing but it doesn't cheer me up like it usually would'.