Chapter nine

Over the next few weeks two more death eaters had been found dead in their cells, Walden McNair and Rabastan Lestrange, but there was still no evidence on who killed them and how they got passed the guards. Again Harry felt something wasn't right when he read these stories, but he was not sure why.

Severus would drop in every evening, he would make sure Harry ate then listen as Harry explained what had taken place from the time he was six up until Albus Dumbledore died. Severus would then tell him about his time as a death eater, the constant rapes they were all put through, how Voldemort would take him whenever he wanted. If he was pleased with them then he was just two people having sex, if he was in anyway displeased with them then he made sure the experience was long and painful.

But Severus also kept his other promise, he told Harry something about his mother. So their conversations started off on the traumatic events before they would finish with something nice about Lily Potter which usually brought a small smile to Harry's face.

'Have you been out at all?'

Harry shook his head, 'Not in the last two weeks.'

'You're waiting until they are at Hogwarts, aren't you?'

Harry nodded, 'Yeah, I wouldn't put it past Ginny to curse me after that article and what you told me about her not being able to play quidditch, she will be pissed. I know my power lets me handle a lot, but I just don't want to deal with it.'

'Then in two days' time they will be there and I want you to get out of the house occasionally. Go into muggle towns if you are more comfortable there, just get out. It's not good for you to stay cooped up all the time.'

'I know, I just don't want to face them, they know the truth. Has he been back in his portrait?'

'No, Minerva and I believe he will never return, not now.'

'I was just curious as to how he got them to agree to that, what did he want from them?'

'I believe he wanted them in the order of the phoenix. It was around that time he had a few of us out working, keeping an eye on known death eaters. It wasn't official at the time, but he was recruiting. There is nothing else he would need from the Weasley's apart from their support.'

'Maybe he explained that my family was rich. But do you think you'll find out who the other boys were?'

'I have been doing some checking on the orphans around the same age as you. I do need to ask, the men, did you recognise any of them?'

'No, when we were facing them they had hoods covering their faces, but they were wizards, they all had wands. I don't know if they removed their hoods when….'

'It's fine, I understand. Now if I was able to discover who they were and find out that they were walking around free probably still raping young boys, would you consider charging them so they can go to trial?'

'But I couldn't face them, not again, I'm barely hanging on now.'

'Yes, I know, what if I found out you would not need to face them, I'm not sure how it works, but I will find out. So if you don't have to then would you consider it?'

'I don't know, it would come out and everyone would know. I don't think I could take the talk or the stares. Now it would be worse that everyone knows I'm gay, they will think…' Harry shrugged.

'Let me do some checking without bringing your name into it. I still need to find out where that house is though. So even if you do not want to come forward one of the other boys might so I will need to find those films.'

'I remember smelling the ocean, the sea air, the air was always fresh as well. Sometimes I remember storms, it sounded like waves crashing close to the house. One of the boys used to cry thinking we were going to be swept out into by the water, he was younger than I was and petrified of water.'

'That will help in my search, if it's a muggle town a few spells to reveal if there is a home which is warded. If it does not show any types of enchantments I can find out if magic was used. Now, have you heard from any of your other friends?'

'Neville and Luna wrote to me, they want to see me before returning to Hogwarts.'

'I believe you should see them, they are loyal friends and you need them.'

'I'm not sure what I need right now. Did he choose me because I had no parents or was it something else? It's like he had the perfect opportunity when my parents died and Sirius was sent away.'

'Did Black ever tell you whose idea it was to use Pettigrew?'

'He said it was Dumbledore's idea, do you think he knew?'

'Yes, maybe he did, if he was interested in you for his perverted reason what better way than to make sure the dark lord could access your home. That is just speculation as you should have died that night.'

'But he told me that he spoke to my parents about the magic of love and how it can protect especially if there is someone willing to sacrifice themselves for another.'

'Then maybe he did plan it, using the fact you were the boy mentioned in the prophecy. It does make me curious about how the other boys parents died. I assumed they were killed by the dark lord before he disappeared or some of the death eaters after he disappeared. I was mainly used to make him certain potions, I did torture, but I never killed, others had no such qualms about it. Albus may be responsible for some of the deaths back then, especially if the parents were muggles and the boys were magical.'

'That would be hard to prove, one way or another.'

'Unless I could go into the boys mind and find out, they may have seen how their parents died. But that could cause those boys a lot of emotional trauma, I do not want to cause them anymore.'

'Right now they don't remember. Even though I know it was my power that was unleased, but can something trigger an obliviated memory?'

'In some instances it can, it depends on how strong of a memory charm he used. Being small boys he probably would not have used a powerful memory charm, just a basic one, so yes, there is a possibility their memories could be triggered. You mentioned it was a couple of weeks later, did something happen at that time?'

'I went into Diagon Alley, to go to Gringotts, I had to organise to pay for the damage the dragon caused then this house. There were a crowd of people waiting for me when I came out.'

'You were surrounded, some probably hugged you.'

'They did, it was that night I woke up screaming. At first I thought it was just some sick nightmare, but then I started to remember all of it. Before you return to Hogwarts I wanted to ask about these deaths in Azkaban.'

'It is a mystery, so far even with extra guards they are still being killed. They thought it was the killing curse, now they are not so sure. There is still no evidence or marks anywhere on the outside of the body. The only thing they did find was when they performed an autopsy, their insides were burned. It was like they were burnt from the inside out yet it never touched their skin, so they looked perfectly normal, in death. The killing curse does not do that to someone's insides.'

'Do you think there could be another dark witch or wizard rising that could be doing this?'

'That is one idea floating around, but as I said, there is no proof that anyone got inside Azkaban. Now I must be going, I will let you know what I find out, then if you can keep your identity a secret you can decide what you want to do.'

'Thank you Severus, for the first time in a while I feel there is someone I can depend on and trust.'

'You can trust me and depend on me, whether we find the men or boys you will be fine, in time, I will make sure of it. Remember, two days' time then go out for the day, go visit your godson.'

'I plan to, I explained to Andromeda when I will be back, but I did lie, saying I hadn't been feeling well and I didn't want to make Teddy sick.'

'Sometimes small lies like that are necessary,' Severus gave Harry a smile before he stepped into the fireplace, heading back to his office and his research.