SO. this chapter is a little late, eh? heh. Well, i really thought this chapter was already posted, most of it has been written for so long, and then occasionally i'd get a review and be like, wtf, haven't you read the last chapter? and i realized no, they hadn't, because it wasn't posted... heh. whoops? and then when i finally sent it off to the AMAZING EL-GILLIATH, she was busy... so that's why this is late.
The Daily Prophet
The first time it was only a scream. A woman's desperate scream and a chilling voice chanting the killing curse. And then silence. Dead silence.
But soon it began to elaborate. Begging. A woman was begging, 'please don't hurt my son! Please! He's only an infant!'. And then sobbing and choked up hushes of 'Harry, Harry, I'll make it all right'. Evil laughter rang out, a cruel voice taunted about James Potter's dead body lying at the stairs. And then the scream again. A flash of green. Silence.
Harry curled in on himself in his cot. Tears streaked down his face. The only memory he had of his mother was her death.
Other things haunted him too. Lifeless eyes stared up at him accusingly. 'You killed me' they screamed. Quirrell's lifeless body. He landed on his arm and his dead weight snapped it so it lie at an abnormal angle. 'You killed me' 'you killed me' 'you killed me' swirled around him. Screamed, shouted, accused, and it was true. Harry was guilty. He killed a man. Harry. It was his fault. Noone told him to do it; it wasn't an order. He did it.
He remembered the aftermath. The sadness that ate away inside of him. The pain. The horror. His friends tried to understand, they really did. But they couldn't take it away. No. So he shunned them. Mandy would cry, Tracey would glare, Roger would huff, and Neville would offer him a piece of chocolate. He locked his pain deep inside of him. Deep in the darkness. But not deep enough, the Dementors clawed at it daily. Oh yes, they took away all his good feelings. And they wanted this darkness to consume him. Consume him to madness. But they wouldn't win. Harry was strong. He'd endure. He'd come out of this punishment stronger than before. He'd show them.
One time, He, Mandy and Neville were hiking in some woods in Eastern Europe. It was autumn, cold and blustery. But they were having fun playing tag and being in the outdoors. Until Mandy tripped over a tree root and fell down into a thirty-foot ravine. Harry remembered looking down and seeing her broken body. Limbs bent at funny angles. Blood everywhere. It didn't seem like she was breathing. Neville went for help while Harry crawled down into the ravine and held her hand. It was before he knew proper, strong healing spells. All he could do was watch in fear as more blood covered him and Mandy.
But even that memory wasn't as bad as his mother's last scream.
Harry could cast a Patronus spell. He'd always been very good at it. Sirius had seen it a few months ago and wept with joy. Apparently the stag looked exactly like his father's animagus form. But he didn't have his wand, and he didn't want to explain to Moody and Scrimgeour how he wandlessly cast such a difficult spell. No, Roger was right. Best keep certain things hidden from them. Especially after the huge reaction to Harry's Celtic ritual which landed him in Azkaban for a week.
Roger. Technically, it was his entire fault Harry and the others were getting punished. He found the book on ancient Celtic rituals. He suggested Harry try it. He went over it again and again with Harry so that if he was ever trapped with Voldemort again he could use it without any mistakes. But it wasn't Roger's fault. Scrimgeour was ecstatic the first time he killed a man, but he was furious when Harry gave himself more power? Maybe Tracey was right. Scrimgeour was scared of Harry. Scared of him getting too powerful. He was trying to beat Harry into submission with potent punishments.
But Harry would play his game, for now. He'd play the dutiful soldier. He'd follow orders mindlessly, for now. But soon, he and his Myrmidons wouldn't stand for this treatment. Soon. Soon, they'd break free. Soon. But for now, he'd deal with the Dementors of Azkaban. He'd remember his Mother's last moments of life.
oOo
"Malfoy? What are you doing out here?" Hermione look at Draco sitting in the Hogwarts courtyard and. He was moodily staring out towards the Quidditch Pitch. He knew that's where Harry was receiving his punishment.
"What do you want Mudblood?" He growled moodily.
Hermione rolled her eyes and knocked him in the head with her book bag. Malfoy nearly fell off his perch and turned to her clutching his head. "What in Merlin's name was that for?" He seethed. "Dumb broad." He muttered.
"Draco Malfoy! You just called me a Mudblood!" Hermione huffed.
Draco shrugged, "did I? I didn't even notice. Must be a reflex."
"Inbred snot." She muttered to herself before sitting next to him.
Draco raised an eyebrow at her. "Well? Muggle-born, what do you want?"
"Sheesh, call me Granger, or I'll hex you to next Tuesday and NOT tell you what Harry's punishment is." Hermione hmphed.
Draco gaped at her. "How do YOU know what his punishment is?" He asked.
"Roger told me," she replied.
Draco smirked, "You two are quite cosy then?"
Hermione shrugged teasingly, "Maybe."
"Right. So, what is this grand punishment?" Draco asked.
Hermione sighed. "It's awful, really. Inhumane. The other four Myrmidons are attacking Harry. That's the punishment."
Draco stared at her in disbelief. "What?" he hissed.
oOo
"Damn, it's a good thing Pomfrey tightened my teeth up, or else I don't think I'd have anymore." Harry laughed. Neville was helping him back to the castle in classic arm around the shoulder, comrade form.
Neville joined in for a quiet chuckle, "You know I'm really sorry about that, right?"
Harry looked up at his best friend with a sincere smile. "Of course Nev. We were all just following orders, no harm done."
"No harm? Harry, you were stabbed through your lung. That usually means death isn't far behind."
"Please, I'd take a missing lung over remembering my parents death for ten hours a day." Harry shuddered. "Trust me Nev, this was a piece of cake for me."
"Wow, our life sucks." Neville laughed and shook his head. He readjusted Harry's weight and kept walking.
Harry smirked. "Yeah, sometimes it does." They were silent for a few moments as both of them concentrated on walking towards the castle with their unhealed injuries. "I don't suppose you fancy a mutiny?" Harry asked, his tone was half joking, but Neville could sense the underlying seriousness.
Neville sighed. "I'm sure Roger has one planned out for us. He's always picking on you, Scrimgeour. He's an ass hat."
"An ass hat?" Harry chuckled. They were near the castle now, close to entering the courtyard that was unusually empty today. But two figures could be seen sitting on a low stone wall.
Neville grinned. "Yup. Hey, look at whose waiting for you. Lover boy. I bet he'll pamper and nurse you back to health." He joked.
"Mm, one can only hope." Harry grinned like a lecher. Neville chuckled in amusement.
"Harry!" Draco gasped as he and Hermione noticed the approaching duo. Draco leaped off the stone wall he'd been sitting on and rushed to his side. "What did they do to you? You look dreadful!"
Harry laughed dryly. "Don't worry about it. My worst injuries were healed."
"Worst? Oh Merlin." Draco dotted on Harry. Harry grinned adoringly down at the blonde. "Can we go to your room?" He asked.
Draco nodded, "Of course. Let's go. Granger, we'll see you later." Draco nodded curtly and marched off, with Neville still helping Harry along on Draco's heels. Hermione sighed and sat back down. Roger had to be coming up soon too. She sat to wait.
oOo
Mandy was still sitting on the Quidditch pitch. Pomfrey had healed Harry first and then Neville so he could help Harry back up to the castle to rest. 'Healer's orders' she declared before Scrimgeour could say a thing. Mandy was healed next, and now Pomfrey was over Roger and Tracey was assisting where she could. Mandy winced slightly as she rotated her sore shoulder. Damn that hurt.
"Careful Mandy, your shoulder is still sensitive. Too much movement could rip the healing muscles and bone." Shacklebolt knelt next to her and gently touched her shoulder.
Mandy looked up into Shacklebolt's intense dark eyes and felt her heart flutter. "Don't worry." She shrugged nonchalantly. "'Tis only a flesh wound." She joked lightly.
"Flesh wound? Mandy, Roger cut through your bone. Your arm was hanging on by skin and a few muscles." He told her seriously. "You and Harry, always joking around about serious things. You're gonna give me heart failure in my old age."
Old? Shacklebolt wasn't old! Mandy huffed. "You're not old Shacklebolt, you're hardly thirty."
Shacklebolt chuckled lightly. "Compared to you five, I'm ancient. Sometimes I wish I was still as spry as you."
Mandy smiled up at him. "I think you're still spry. Besides, you aren't even married. Once you're married with kids, then you're old."
He laughed at that. "So, does that make Moody young and spry too?" He joked.
Mandy giggled. "Well... Moody is classified differently. You have the looks to snag a young bride... Moody... Moody scares everything that isn't blind and death." She whispered loudly. She could see Moody's magical eye swirl to look at her, but she knew he couldn't hear her. Fortunately.
Shacklebolt laughed again. "I don't have time to snag a girl, your five take up all my time." He grinned down at her, eyes twinkling.
Mandy frowned at that. "I'm sorry we're such a burden."
He shook his head with a grin. "Not a burden. I'd rather have you five then a nagging wife."
Mandy's heart fluttered again in hope. She eyed him slyly, "What if one of us was your nagging wife?"
Shacklebolt sobered instantly. He quietly started, "Mandy, now is not the time-"
"I know, I know." She sighed before pulling herself off the ground. "There never is a time." She shrugged trying to look nonchalant, but Shacklebolt could still see the hurt in her eyes. He watched her trudge over to Tracey and Roger, Pomfrey was looking over them each one more time before releasing them with only their minor injuries. He sighed in frustration before heading over to talk with Black.
oOo
Half of the Slytherin house watched in shock as Draco, and Neville helping the exhausted Harry came through the entrance. Harry looked horrible. He had a black eye just starting to bruise darkly, along with the small bandage over his healing nose and his face was red and swollen as well. His shirt was dirty and ripped and bandages were peaking out of his sleeves.
"I didn't realize the Basilisk messed him up that bad" one slytherin whispered.
"He didn't look that bad earlier," his friend responded.
"Nothing to see here, you all should be studying you lazy sods." Draco glared in true Malfoy fashion. The Slytherins in the common room quickly busied themselves with books and parchment. Draco nodded in satisfaction before opening his door and ushering Neville and Harry in.
Harry sunk gratefully into Draco's warm bed. "Thanks Neville for helping me" Harry thanked as he adjusted himself to a comfortable position.
"Any time Harry. Now I'm gonna go crash. Draco, make sure he doesn't do anything for awhile. He can be a stubborn ass so if you need to bind him to the bed go ahead." Neville warned Draco.
"Kinky," Harry winked as Neville slowly left the room. Neville flipped him a bird before the door shut behind him.
In an instant Draco was on the bed hovering out Harry. "Do you need anything? Water? Food? A book of assorted hexes for revenge?"
"As lovely as that sounds, I just want you." Harry smiled.
Draco laughed, "Harry, I really don't think you're well enough for that."
"No, Merlin, I just want to hold you. Ya know. You. Warmth. Nap." Harry gestured.
Draco smiled down at Harry before gently snuggling up against his side.
oOo
Hermione only had to wait about fifteen more minutes before she saw Roger, Tracey, and Mandy walking towards her. She stood up and waited eagerly as they approached. "Are you all alright?" She called as soon as they were in speaking range.
"Oy Hermione, just a little sore, but all in one piece." Mandy called back.
"Well you look terrible." She nodded to Roger.
Roger grinned back, "Harry and I had a bit of a tussle."
"Just a bit?" Hermione frowned.
"We'll leave you two in peace. Tracey, come raid the kitchens with me. I need some ice cream." Mandy dragged the sullen girl away to the front door of the school.
"I was so worried about you, especially after Harry came limping by." Hermione spoke quietly.
Roger smiled softly and took one of her hands into his. "It's nice to be worried about. It's comforting."
"Well, I'll have you know that I'm very good at worrying. If there was a contest, I'd be the champion." Hermione joked in attempt to lighten the mood.
"And then I can boast that my girlfriend is the Champion of Worrying."
Hermione took a sharp breath, "girlfriend?" She asked cautiously.
Roger moved another step closer and took her other hand as well. "Please, Hermione Granger, will you honor me by becoming my girlfriend and worrying over me constantly?" He asked.
Hermione's eyes filled with tears. She had never been asked out before. Not by anyone for anything. And now a man that could easily fill any girl's dream of a fairy tale prince was asking her, the 'brown nosing know-it-all, to be his girlfriend. "Yes." She whispered excitedly and leaned up for a kiss.
Roger let out a laugh of relief; he rarely ever put himself on the line like this, or even tried for a relationship. Relationships weren't practical for Myrmidons, but Hermione, she was cute, intelligent, witty, and put up with him and his smart-ass attitude. He crushed her to his frame as he kissed her back.
oOo
Harry woke up extra early the next morning, Pomfrey wanted a quick check-up to make sure nothing was infected and everything was on the right path to healing. It only took a few moments, but still Draco had insisted on coming along. Afterwards they headed to the Great Hall for an early breakfast. The Hall was almost empty. There were a few Ravenclaws, Hermione, and the other Myrmidons. Roger sat with Hermione, and they were talking quietly. Tracey sat across from Harry and Draco looking over some file or another but Harry wasn't paying any attention. His sole focus was his food. He hadn't really eaten properly since before he fought the basilisk. He sure hoped the house elves refilled dishes or else there wouldn't be much breakfast for the other Slytherins.
Draco barely acknowledged the flutter of a few early owls as he poked at his runny eggs. He didn't understand how Harry was gulping them down so fast. Especially with eggs that were better suited for a race than his stomach.
One of the early owls carried a copy of the prophet to Roger. Roger gave the bird a bit of bacon and grabbed the paper in disinterest. Until he saw the front page. "Aw fuck."
Ten seconds later he slammed his paper down in front of Harry and Tracey.
"Well, good morning Rog." Harry greeted through a mouth full of toast. Draco slapped his arm for talking with his mouth full before leaning over to look at the paper Roger slammed down. His eyes bugged.
"Mandy, Neville!" Roger waved the other two over.
"Oh Merlin." Tracey gasped as she saw the full color, animated photos on the front page of the Daily Prophet. Harry followed her gaze and nearly choked on his breakfast.
"What's the fuss?" Neville asked as he and Mandy jogged up.
"'Harry Potter's Savage Punishment for Killing Hogwarts' Monster'" Tracey read the title of the article.
"What?" Mandy gasped.
"With photos." Harry added.
"Photos?" Neville leaned over to get a better look. Sure enough, the bolded title screamed across the front page and the following article rambled on about the punishment among unedited photos.
"I can't believe someone took pictures and nobody noticed." Mandy frowned and studied the newspaper. "But I guess everyone was a little too busy watching us beat the crap out of each other to notice someone snapping away."
"Merlin!" Draco gaped. He knew that the fight was bad, but watching Harry in the photos fighting was... horrific, but incredible all at once.
"Hey Nev, looking good here," Harry grinned and pointed to one of the photographs.
"Thanks Harry... that was a good move in this one." Neville complimented in return.
"I can't believe you guys are so casual about this." Tracey said darkly.
"It's only natural," Harry frowned.
"To be casual about nearly killing your family?" She hissed.
"Only natural after sixteen years of the desensitising we went through in our training." Harry replied.
Tracey stood abruptly from the table and glared at Harry before storming off.
"I'll take care of this." Harry sighed and stood as well. The others nodded in understanding as Harry took off after the black haired girl.
Harry caught up with Tracey just as she was about to enter the dungeons. "Tracey, Tracey please!" Harry urgently called after her.
She whirled around with a glare on her face. "Merlin Harry, how can you be so insensitive? And don't you dare say it's because of your training. I know you better than that." She hissed as Harry stepped in front of her.
He sighed and scratched at the back of his head. He wasn't proud of his actions, and he knew Tracey was more sensitive than the others. When they were younger she used to be terrified of spiders, and she'd cry if she saw one, but if any of the others tried to kill the spider she'd try to save it. Harry looked at the floor as he began, "It's because... I don't want to think about it. I don't want to see that as more than a game, I don't want to confront the fact I was ordered to hurt my only family-and I did. So I deal with it through humor. If I can laugh at it, it's not serious, right?"
Tracey sighed and stepped into Harry's arms for a hug. He pulled her up against his chest and rested his chin on the top of her head. "I know it's a fucked up way to deal with it. But we've had a fucked up life."
"I know. I hate it." She murmured. "Sometimes I wish we were normal."
"But I don't regret how we grew up. If it weren't for this program, I'd be living with my aunt and you'd be raise by your cousin... we'd never have met." Harry looked down at her. She smiled back up at him.
"Or if we did we probably wouldn't have become friends." Tracey agreed. They were two completely different people. Harry was loud, extroverted, and loved people. But Tracy was introverted, and preferred a good book then talking to someone. He loved fighting and direct confrontation, while she preferred more cunning and manipulative techniques. But they loved each other unconditionally.
Harry grinned and whirled them around in the hallway until they faced they way them came. "Now c'mon. Let's go back to the Great Hall. I, personally, can't wait to see how the Wizarding World reacts to this one. And how many shades of purple Scrimgeour will reach."
"Four." Tracey replied with a lighthearted smile.
Harry grinned. He knew everything would be better. For now.
oOo
Harry silently slipped back into his seat next to Draco, and Tracey sat across from them again. The Hall was buzzing with gossip and gasps as newspapers were traded around the tables. Harry eyed the staff table. Dumbledore seemed content to let them gossip and carry on instead of making an announcement or refuting some of the exaggerations of the article.
"Harry! Is it true? Where you inches from death?" Pansy turned to him breathless.
Draco snorted. "Please Pans, as if Dumbledore or Scrimgeour would let Harry Potter, the boy-who-will-fight-He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named, be in any danger or dying." Draco spoke in his haughty Malfoy tone before Harry could formulate an answer.
"But this picture shows Tracey stabbing you in the chest!" Daphne spoke up from the other side of Pansy. Tracey flinched as the picture was waved around.
"And you were so beat up last night!" Pansy agreed.
"You still look a little beat up." Blaise spoke up from next to Tracey.
"Yeah, she stabbed me in the chest. And she missed all my vital organs. A muggle trapped in a forest with no medical aide besides a band-aid could have survived that." Harry snorted in a perfect lie.
"And, Harry is just fine now, just a few bruises." Draco poked Harry hard in the shoulder to emphasize his point.
"And feeling a little...randy." Harry winked. "Try poking me again."
"You Pervert." Draco teased.
Harry winked and laughed. Pansy sighed, "I suppose you're right. But why weren't you healed?"
"To get more pampering from Draco." Harry answered with a grin. Draco tossed his aristocratic nose into the air, "Yes, he's like a little lost puppy." Harry loved this, just sitting around with Draco and some friends, teasing and flirting, and being a normal teenager. This was what he was fighting for, for people to be carefree and happy.
Harry turned to the entrance of the Great Hall on instinct to a familiar presence. He paled slightly; whatever was about to come wouldn't be pretty for somebody. Scrimgeour had just arrived.
oOo
To Be Continued!
Thanks to everyone who has reviewed and read and told me what you think! Especially: Nachtwoelfin, Aleta Thuvis, jonadark (and i always update! i promise! i do get slow about them though. thanks for the long, lovely review!), Lucyej, CAP.L, slashslut (ha, love your name), Freak in Corner, you-go-on-my-cookie, Beebs (the best way to get me to update fast is to bother me), draco-sladylove/Deathraven, BSGirl, Kit, sernity1806, LiarDreamerLoverDemon, good morning starshine the..., Admodum ab Altercor, possible-chobit, Jessie237, FluffySmarts, OosparedoO, TanyaPotter, Bleudiablo, Black Phoenix of the Shadow..., Mariana Citlallintlamina (I think your review was cut in half), campchamp21, anime goddes, Sense of Rationality, TheBestOfBothWorlds, darkakane, Kari073, Dragenphly (i'm glad you're involved!), The Group of One, Darkna (I'll try to make them longer... promise!), AchillesMonkey, scarblade, Bornatdawn1992, Soft Willow, Piggister, Thanatos Nemesis, twitchyfingers, starrone21, peachy-kin (good luck iwth your campaign! XD), His Spectacles, Bloody Days of Dust, All-knowing Alien, The Great and Powerful Oz, MAnny2003, like-i'd-tell-you, GoddessMoonLady, HecatedeMort, miz (your cried! -hug-), Silver Dragon1610, Wolven Spirits, From The Dark I will Rise, True Love's First Kiss, Kid Leo, rry (and all of your reivews), AngelOfPastPresentAndFuture, RitaMalfoy, Mattel-chan, luvbug080688, Queixo, Goldensong, KoveAiden, MintaPotter (I hate mary sues and ...gary lues? so that's why i just took barely there characters and ooc'ed them XD), mannal, RavenMistress, brandnewsemester, Asenav, kurako (how many chapters! hmmm. -looks at outline- err, no clue. several more), I'm-a-Psycho-Maniac-For-Cok...(damn and cutting off your name! what are you maniac for?), Ater Phasma, shady gurl, lady Slone, fudgebaby, StarWest45, Draeconin, Iset, HDoBseSsIon (your cried too? -hugs-), MidNite Phoenix, Jujube1, Dark Angel of Fire Ice, DestinyEntwinements, Negs4, DemonRogue, lil ari, Mithros, and lastly (or firstly) Treck. Whew. Damn a lot of people reviewed. i hope i didn't forget anyone!
Everyone's reaction to the fight amused me. i really didn't thinkthe punishmentwas that bad, but all your reactions told me otherwise. I guess Scrimgeour will really have to get His now, eh?
Review Please!