Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter!
A/N: Part of a challenge.
If You Dare: 293. Between the Rock and a Hard Place
Are You Crazy Enough?: 568: (title) We All Bleed Red
6 July 1995
Dear Help,
When I woke up the next day, there were two big blue eyes staring at me, concerned. "Harry?" I heard a voice say, "Can you get up, my boy?" I blinked several times and reached for my glasses. The man with the big blue eyes handed them to me and I immediately recognized Dumbledore. I nodded in response to his question, and swing my legs over the side of the bed.
My mouth felt oddly empty. That's when I remembered the sickening act from the night before. I doubled over and moaned. Dumbledore put his hand on my back and asked, "What's wrong, lad?" I thought about what I should do. Should I show him my mouth? Or should I do what it was meant to do and keep quiet? I was leaning toward the latter when I looked at the doorway and saw Uncle Vernon standing there nervous, yet threatening. I shook my head and stood up.
As I looked around the room, I saw all my things at the foot of my bed packed nicely and neatly in my trunk along with Hedwig in her cage. Aunt Petunia must have packed everything for me. My wand was even on my nightstand. I walked slowly toward my stuff and see a little corner of a note under one of my books. I knew they must have written something to me and decided it might be best to look at it later.
I looked at Dumbledore, a little shyly and saw him smiling broadly at me. "Are you ready to go, Harry?" he asked in a beaming voice. I nodded my head fervently. Dumbledore flicked his wand and my things disappear. "I have just transported your belongings to where you will be spending the rest of the summer with Sirius and the Weasley's," Dumbledore said cheerily and put out his arm. I looked at him strangely and he said, "Well, grab on!"
I did and found myself being spun around and constricted so I couldn't breathe. As soon as it started, however, it stopped and find my feet planted firmly on the ground of an old tile floor and Dumbledore's steady hand on my shoulder to support me. I looked around the spinning room and saw the happy faces of Sirius, all the Weasley's, Hermione, Lupin and some other faces I didn't know. Hermione runs up to me and hugs me tightly. "Oh, Harry! It's so great to see you!" she said. I hugged her back and when she stepped away, I was hugging people and shaking hands with everyone in the room.
Dumbledore's hand remained on my shoulder until Sirius came into view and I ran into his open arms. I felt tears start falling down my face as the heavy reality of never speaking again comes crashing down at that moment. I would never be able to tell Sirius how much he meant to me, how much I loved him and thought of him as family. I would never be able to express myself when I'm sad or-
I felt my air catch in my throat and the tears came heavier as I continued to cling to Sirius. He was murmuring comforting words under his breath and patting my back. I could vaguely hear in the background people shuffling around to leave and Disapparating out of the small kitchen. I didn't make any noises as I cried- the fact my back moved as though it were being shaken with sobs and the tears on my face were the only signs that I was actually crying.
When my tears finally subsided, Sirius led me into what looked like a living room with a fireplace and some couches. He sat down with me on one of the big soft sofas and turned to face me. "Harry, what's wrong?" Anxiety was etched on his face as he waited for me to tell him what was wrong. I knew he thought that I didn't want to be there, but, really, the exact opposite was true. I didn't want to be anywhere else. I wanted to tell him it had nothing to do with him but could only stare back brokenly. I urged him with my eyes to realize what was wrong.
But he wasn't even looking at me. He was looking everywhere but me as he waited for me to reject him.
Hermione, who I had completely forgotten was in the room, finally caved from the tension. "Say something, Harry!" she all but yelled. I snapped my gaze to her knowing- no, hoping- she would catch on.
We stared at each other for at least another two minutes before she finally realized. She threw her hands to cover her mouth and gasped, tears instantly springing to get eyes. Everyone looked at her in surprise. She didn't take her eyes off me. "Did he really...?" Her question hung in the air and I nodded.
Ron, who had been standing restlessly, spoke up at last. "Did he really what, Hermione?"
Hermione merely shook her head and said in a voice just above a whisper, "He c-can't talk. He's mute."
"How?" Run asked, immediately skeptical. He narrowed his eyes at me.
Hermione sobbed even harder and spluttered, "It- he- it's g-gone!" She hiccuped. "His u-uncle c-cut it out!"
Everyone then turned to look at me in equal looks of horror. My bottom lip trembled slightly as I reached my chin in a somewhat defiant way and nodded in confirmation.
I turned to look at Sirius who had overcome his initial shock and now had a murderous look in his eyes. "I'll kill him!" he growled viciously. He jumped to his feet add though he were going to the Dursley's right then. I stood up and stepped in front of him, palms facing him in a gesture that was meant to calm him down. Dumbledore also placed a hand on Sirius's shoulder and gently pushed him back on the sofa. Sirius put his head in his hands and his shoulders slumped. He looked at me with pity and opened his mouth to say something but only managed to shake his head and sigh in defeat.
I looked around the rest of the room. Hermione was crying into Ron's chest and he kept throwing me glances torn between pity and confusion. Mrs. Weasley's eyes held nothing but pure sympathy, Dumbledore simply looked guilty. I could never have guessed why he would be guilty.
No sooner after I had sunk back onto the couch did I feel an excruciating pain flare across my forehead. I opened my mouth to scream, but nothing came out because I had fallen into a dark abyss.
This chapter is a bit longer. I apologize in advance for any errors. I wrote about half of this on my phone. Sirius got the most votes (from me), so Sirius it is! But dint worry. I'll find a way to give Sev a bit of the limelight! Please review and let me know what you think! And thanks to all the great reviews I got! BTW: I'm still looking for more ideas of people to help with Harry's recovery. So keep throwing out ideas!.
Lily Potter-Chan - I will definitely be doing something along the lines of that! I will make sure to show some of the half-blood prince royally pissed of tirade. Get it? Half-blood prince? Royally pissed off?
Bookwormkat1 -McGonagall did have a lot of compassion toward all of her little lions. :3 I will definitely (hopefully) write a fanfic for her and Harry. ;)
ADivergentPotterhead -You win! Sirius will be the main support in this fanfiction! I am very grateful that someone adores the idea of Harry and Sirius in a platonic kind of way. x3 please keep reviewing and letting me know what you do and don't like!
