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Things continued as usual for a couple more months, Harry cleaned the house, as he wasn't trusted to work outside, Robert did the yard work and everything else that could be done outside, and Mackenzie... Harry couldn't figure out what Mackenzie did, although the boy carried just as many bruises as the rest of them. Yes, Harry had been punished several more times. As unthinkable it is for a young boy, now six years old, to clean a whole house on his own, the Prewetts expected it. They didn't deserve to live in a dirty house and why should they pay a maid? He should have been happy to serve them! At least that was the way they felt and punished Harry severely for any mistake. The only thing they didn't make him clean was the blood off the wooden floor after whipping him; Robert had to do it so the floor wouldn't stain in the time it took Harry to regain consciousness.
Harry liked Robert, he was the only one nice to him.
Harry's birthday was one of the worst days, although not because anything special happened. Harry was too terrified to ask about his birthday, even if he hoped for a present. So he said nothing and the day passed by as usual; that was when it began to occur to him that they really didn't care.
Harry grew more sad and withdraw until he spoke to no one, not even Robert. Not that he could talk to the other boy often.
Harry did get to go to primary school this year, as Madeline had promised, along with Robert and Mackenzie, who both had already started. He was starting a year late, but the Prewetts explain his situation and the school was happy to accept him. Harry did enjoy it, but his teachers noticed almost immediately that he seemed more reserved than most of the other students. However, they had decided that the cause was being left in an orphanage and the deaths of his parents. No one thought to question him home life.
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At least nothing changed until he was nine and the school got a new teacher to replace one that had retired. Nymphadora Tonks had taken notice of Harry right away. The first thing she noticed was that the boy seemed to have no friends; which was odd for a child his age. The other thing she noticed was that he always sat in front, diligently working, until one day. He had arrived to her class late and all the seats close to the board were taken, forcing him to the back. For the rest of the class he did nothing but lay him head on the desk and appear to go to sleep.
Nymphadora was mildly irritated, but decided that he might have have been feeling sick and told him to stay after class.
"Mr. Prewett," she stated, using the name she had on her role, noticed that the young boy had winced as she did so. "Mr. Prewett, I'm sure that you know students aren't allowed to sleep in class."
Harry nodded, although he hated being referred to as 'Mr. Prewett'. It wasn't his name.
"I'm sorry, but I'm going to give you a detention and call your parents." She him mutter something in response but didn't quite hear him. "Please repeat, I didn't quite get that." Nymphadora asked.
"I couldn't see the board, professor." He said said quietly, staring at his shoes.
She was taken back for a moment. Couldn't see the board? She didn't see how no one else had noticed. Was he lying to her? Nymphadora liked to be nice to her students, however, she hated being lied to. "I've heard nothing of this from your parents or your other professors. Are you lying to me, Mr. Prewett?"
"No, Professor. I try to stay in the front."
Nymphadora wasn't sure if she believed him, but decided it was best to send him to the nurse, then question some of his other teachers later during the lunch break.
She quickly wrote him a pass to get a check-up and sent him on his way so she could get ready for the next class.
When lunch time came around Nymphadora went to the teachers cafeteria, as usual. Truthfully, many of the other teachers despised or hated her, being that she was both younger than the majority of them and they felt she was trying to take the place of the teacher who let. Nymphadora knew this, but had decided early on she wasn't going to let the glares stop her from having lunch; she had every right to be there.
However, instead of sitting alone, like usual, she placed herself next to someone she knew had Harry Prewett as a student, Catherine Martin. Catherine Martin, a sixty year old woman, definitely fell into category of those to despise her.
"Why, hello Nymphadora, dear." And the woman knew she hated to be referred to as Nymphadora.
"Please call me Tonks, ma'am," Tonks asked, like she had several times before.
"Nonsense! Nymphadora is such a pretty name. Now, was there something you wanted?"
Tonks knew it was a lost cause, so dropped the subject. "I would like to ask about Harry Potter."
"Oh, the orphan boy." Catherine did not appear to be interested.
"Orphan boy?" She knew nothing of this.
"Yes, it's all in the boy's report. His family put him up for adoption; I can only guess he was a little menace. Anyway, the Prewetts were kind enough to take him in. There's something shifty about that boy, I say. Way too quiet!" The older woman exclaimed.
"I see." Tonks stopped to think for a moment. "But this isn't what I wanted to talk about; it's his eyesight. I just sent him to the nurses office."
"Eyesight? Why would I care about his eyes?"
"Well, he told me today he can't see the board."
"Yes, he's told me the same thing. It's all lies. I've asked his parents about it; I'm a friend of the family, you see. They tell me he can see just fine, he's acting out. It's best just to ignore the boy, my dear. Now, I think I've eaten enough, and you should maybe think about that, Nymphadora. You've got a little extra meat on your bones." With that, the woman patted Tonks, who was silently fuming, on the head and left the room.
How dare that woman call her fat!
On the other hand, Tonks was more sure that Harry probably was telling the truth. Now she just had to talk to Pomfrey, the school nurse, and then his adoptive parents.
Luckily for Tonks, she had a planning period after lunch, something she was grateful for.
"Madam Pomfrey, are you in?" She said as she knocked on the door to the infirmary. It was locked. Odd...
"Coming!" the matronly came and unlocked the door, a dower expression on her face.
"I sent Harry Prewett to see you earlier, he needed to have his eyesight tested."
"Eyesight?" The women seemed extremely puzzled. "Please close the door and come with me."
The two entered her office and Pomfrey asked her to sit down. "Dear, you didn't write on his pass that he needed to have his sight tested."
"I thought he would tell you." /Did I make a mistake?/ Tonks was still a new teacher.
"No, Mr. Prewett has said nothing since he arrived here."
"He's still here?" For what reason could he still be in the infirmary?
"Yes, now if you don't mind, would you let me finish?" Tonks nodded. "Now, since the boy wouldn't say a word, just handed me his pass, I thought he had been in a fight. I had to check his body over for injuries. Was he in a fight?"
"No, I would have taken him here personally if that had happened!" Tonks really hoped not everyone in this place thought she was completely irresponsible. She was only 24, but she wasn't stupid.
"Then this is puzzling. There's bruises and scratches all over the boy, mostly fresh. But there's something else that bothers me..." Madam Pomfrey trail off.
"What is it?" Tonks honestly was curious.
"Well... Maybe I could show you." Both women silently moved from the office to the infirmary.
Harry was sitting on one of the beds, staring at the white wall in front of him. Tonks wondered if he was lost in thought, but she didn't understand what could be so thought provoking for a nine year-old.
"Harry, I need you to remove your shirt for me again." The boy didn't move. "Harry, please remove your shirt." This time he shook his head. Instead of asking again, the Matron moved towards to boy, who suddenly dove off the bed and ran for the door. Luckily, a startled Tonks managed to catch Harry around his waist, preventing him from getting far. The boy did put a struggle for a few moments, but it didn't last long; he seemed to run out of energy. She glanced at his face, to see if he was crying, but to her surprise there were no tears. He looked extremely upset, but no tears.
"Did he do this before?" Tonks asked quietly, still holding him.
"Yes, now quick, help me get off his shirt." Harry didn't have the energy to stop them. He knew if Madam Pomfrey, or Professor Tonks called the Prewetts he would be in deep trouble.
"Are these what I think they are?" Tonks stared Harry's body after he was once again sitting on the bed; suddenly glad she hadn't eaten her whole lunch, to busy talking to Catherine. There were scars all over his body. It looked like he had been cut. Or whipped.
"I'm afraid so. I thought at first maybe it just a bit of discipline but what type of parent would scar their child like this." Disgust shown clearly on the nurses face. "I haven't had the chance to contact the front office, he's been a bit of a hand-full. Luckily, he didn't put up as much of a fuss this time."
Tonks just nodded shocked. "Didn't the Prewetts have another child here?"
"Yes, Mackenzie. There was another, Robert, but it was reported that distant relatives tracked him down and the Prewetts gave him up. A good thing, from what I see. I need to check Mackenzie after I contact the office. But, while we are here I might as well have him look at the chart." The nurse recovered the silent boy, before having him step down.
"Now Harry, I'm going to check your eyes. I just need you to look at a chart. Is that alright?" The boy just nodded and followed her to the chart.
"Now," she said after she stood him at the line, "I need you to read the line I'm pointing at and tell me what letters you see." Pomfrey pointed to the first line. Harry was silent. "Harry you're going to have to speak, so I can find out how well you see. What is the first letter."
"A." She could barely hear him, but it was good enough and she smiled at the boy to show he was doing a good job. Pomfrey pointed to the next line and still he got it right. Soon, however, it became apparent that Harry was indeed nearsighted and needed glasses.
"Thank you, Harry." The matron took a risk and hugged the boy; he went completely stiff and his breathing deepened. Pomfrey pulled away and noticed he was hyper-ventilating. It took Pomfrey a moment to calm Harry down while Tonks watched, saddened by the situation.
"I'll go to the office; you make sure Harry's alright." Tonks nearly ran from the room. She just couldn't take it anymore; she was so disgusted! These people didn't deserve to live, much less be able to adopt children!
Her next class was to start soon, but she didn't care. After calming down, Tonks approached the office. These people were going to rot in jail, if it was the last thing she did.