I pushed my soul in a deep dark hole and then I followed it in

I watched myself crawlin' out as I was a-crawlin' in

I got up so tight I couldn't unwind

I saw so much I broke my mind

I just dropped in to see what condition my condition was in

Just Dropped In (To See What Condition My Condition Was In) by Kenny Rogers

Chapter Two: Early Rising

There was no sound. He couldn't hear his own breath, nor the beating of his heart. It was like he was stuck in some sort of vacuum, lying on his back on an endless, shining white floor. But there was one sense that was still alive, one thing that he could smell. It was sweet and warm. He wanted to open his arms in welcome and deeply breath it's comforting scent.

He felt it then, something softly, gently landing on his face and sliding down his cheeks and his forehead and into his black hair. It fell onto his arms, his legs, his stomach- everywhere. It was blurry at first, but his vision eventually cleared and he could see them. Small, light blue petals were falling from seemingly nowhere, twisting and swirling their way to the ground. He felt his lips pull back, the sides of his eyes crinkle, and a small, almost inaudible laugh push out of from his stomach.

He returned to his childhood, distant memories of snow and laughter dancing before his eyes. He remembers standing with his head thrown back and his tongue sticking out, catching as many of the delicate wonders as he could. He remembers how he and his cousin had built a snowman, a small moment of peace settling between the two. They had been so young then… it was almost surreal, how much his cousin had changed.

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Slowly, dazedly he opened his eyes, the memory of his dream slipping away. The room was silent and a harsh white- Harry nearly groaned when he recognized his surroundings. He took a deep breath and rubbed at his eyes, slowly pushing himself into a sitting position.

His eyes locked with another's- they were unusually large and open. She smiled then; a small grin- but it didn't reach her eyes. Harry tried to return the favor, but it faltered, feeling oddly disturbed by the young child. He opened his mouth to speak, but found no words. So they silently stared at one another, the same creepy smile disrupting the girl's innocent facade.

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Remus had woken a few moments earlier, watching his former student in wonder. He was staring at nothing, all of his attention focused on thin air. With shock his eyes studied Harry, noticing the lack of former wounds. Gone were the deep, bleeding gashes, the strange patterns of missing skin, and the mangled, unrecognizable face. It was all gone… He definitely wasn't supposed to be awake this early…

"Harry?" He didn't hear him. "Harry?" Remus waved his hand in front of Harry's eyes, but he still garnered no response. Slightly worried, he shook the dog at his side and pointed to the young Potter. With a yelp the canine morphed into a man and hugged his godson.

"Harry! We were so worried about you!" Remus watched closely as Harry once again didn't respond. "… Harry?" The others had woken as well, staring at their friend in worried confusion.

"Remus? What's wrong with Harry? How did he-" Hermione looked at him, bewildered.

"Get the headmaster…"

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"I know who you are." Her voice seemed oddly distant, like an echo.

"Do you? And who would that be?" She tilted her head and rubbed her nose, her plait of hair falling to the side.

"You're the one- the son of Yu-huang."

"What?" Harry frowned and scrutinized the girl.

"The… son… of… Yu-huang. Don't you listen?" Her grin warped and became sinister. She unfurled her legs and slowly walked to Harry's bed, eventually standing before the footboard. "You're a guide. A protector." She nearly spit the last word. For a moment she stood quietly, almost serene, before suddenly leaping onto the bed and straddling Harry's chest, her hands wrapping around his neck. "He thinks you can fulfill this destiny!" Her shape began to transform- she seemed to grow older, stronger, and deadlier. It looked as if ink was leaking into her eyes, filling it with it's murky black. "But just know you cretin. " Harry fought to knock her off of him, but he found that he was immobile, unable to breath. "You will FAIL!"

Harry felt his anger build, deep in his stomach. Suddenly she began to scream, releasing her tight hold of his neck and lurching back. Her cries grew louder, forcing Harry to shield his ears.

"Harry! Harry snap out of it!"

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Dumbledore watched as a rush of air entered Harry's lungs and his eyes closed. They quickly reopened and he arched his back, clutching his head and screeching in pain. He felt as if someone had beaten his skull in with an aluminum bludger. Dumbledore acted quickly, pinning Harry by the shoulders.

"Poppy! Hurry!" The Medi-Witch rushed forward, a syringe filled with clear liquid in hand. She hurriedly rolled up his sleeve and cast a spell, his vein rising above the rest. She slid the needle into the vein and pressed down on the plunger, the liquid disappearing into Harry's arm.

Many in the room were standing away from the bed, watching in horror as their friend suffered. Fortunately, his cries began to lessen and he seemed to calm, his breath coming in short, ragged gasps. He rolled to his side and wrapped his arms around his stomach, feeling only mild comfort from the hand on his back.

"It's okay Harry- breathe. Calm now, it's okay. Just breathe." Harry's erratic heart was soothed, though silent tears were dripping from his eyes.

"W-what happened? Why am I here?"

"What's the last thing you remember?" Worry flared in the old headmaster's stomach.

"I… I was leaning against a hedge in the maze. I was tired… but then… then I saw something, and it scared me so I began to run… then it grabbed me but… but that's it. I can't remember anything else." Dumbledore leaned back, the same flare now rising.

"I see." He patted Harry on the back and stood, motioning for the newly arrived Weasleys. They followed him from Harry's bed and out into the hall of the infirmary. "Are both of you aware of what happened?" They solemnly nodded. "Of course we don't know everything, far from it, but at the moment Harry knows less. I need one of you to tell him. I'm only his headmaster after all- you on the other hand, are like family." Arthur nodded his head.

"I'll do it." Molly wiped at her eyes and placed a hand on her husband's back. They all returned to Harry's bed, Dumbledore calling all but Arthur and Harry from the room. Harry turned anxious eyes toward the redhead.

"Mr. Weasley? W-What's happened? What am I missing?" Arthur pursed his lips, trying in vain to smile.

"Call me Arthur." He paused, collecting his thoughts. "Harry… you were the first champion to reach the cup. Unfortunately, we were unaware that it had been spelled into a portkey… You grabbed hold of it, and were transported to a location unknown to us. In that time…" His voice faltered. How was he supposed to tell a child such dreadful news? "Harry, Voldemort- he… he's been resurrected. He's back." Harry didn't react at first, though it eventually settled in, drawing more tears from his eyes.

"Oh god… oh god I let that happen, didn't I?" Harry looked up and into Arthur's eyes. "There's something else, isn't there..." He felt butterflies begin to swarm in his stomach, nearly making him ill. "What else?"

"You managed to escape, but when you came back… we hardly recognized you. Your body had been mauled and most of your bones broken. When Poppy ran an assessment of the damage, she found that… Harry you… Harry, you were… you were raped."

"What? But- but I don't…" Arthur didn't know what to say as he watched they boy he considered a son wrap into himself, folding his legs close to his chest and wrapping his arms around his knees. Harry felt violated, dirty- he was so ashamed of himself… not only had he let Voldemort return, but he'd let someone use him. He wanted to take a shower, he wanted to cast a thousand cleansing spells… he wanted to leave. "Oh god…"

"Harry?" Harry sat, totally silent. He didn't feel anything. He couldn't cry. He wanted so bad to remember what happened, but he couldn't dredge up the memory. It was lost somewhere in the dark recess of his mind, unwilling to come forward. "Harry?" His lungs grew tight, all the air releasing itself. He couldn't take another breath… Harry began to shake, trying desperately to breath… god, he was so embarrassed. "Harry! Harry look at me! Look!"

"Why? Why did I let him do that…"

"Harry please, look at me! Please, you have to breathe! Harry! Breathe!" Harry raised his eyes from his legs, watching as the world around him began to blur, twisting into odd, unrealistic shapes.

"Harry!" Arthur's voice was far away as Harry fell, his eyes closing and his world going dark.