The tension in the air was so thick you could cut it with a knife, Harry sipped his tea and focused on the Headmaster. Never in all the time Harry had known him had the Headmaster looked so angry. Even after Fudge had given Barty Crouch Jr the kiss, Dumbledore looked serene compared to this.
Finally Moody broke the tension with a gruff voice, "What news did you receive Albus?"
Dumbledore opened his mouth then closed it abruptly, he opened it a second time but no words came out. Fierce eyes looked up from the parchment and to Harry, "I'm sorry to do this Harry."
"Do what?" Harry asked in a quiet voice, what were they going to do now.
"This information is too delicate for your ears, Severus." Dumbledore nodded to Snape and a wisp of blue light surrounded Harry before disappearing. Harry curiously looked at himself and found nothing different. He looked up at Dumbledore, but he had looked away and was speaking again. Silence surrounded him, Harry couldn't hear anything being said. Even Dumbledores mouth was blurry so Harry couldn't read his lips. A mild anger rose up in Harrys mind, but it barely reached the surface. Of course Harry shouldn't' know everything in case he was captured and tortured for information.
Harry wasn't a member of the Order yet, and couldn't' know everything they knew. They would tell him what he needed to know and everything would work out .Harry looked down at the table and sipped some of his tea. It was luke warm and not very satisfying, but it gave Harry something to do. The table was made of thick oak slabs that were polished on the top. Harry ran his hand over the smooth surface a couple of times before pausing. Lightly Harry drummed his fingers on the table. It was a strange feeling because of the tingling in his body made everything slightly numb.
A warm hand covered Harrys drumming fingers and he looked up at Mrs. Weasley. She shook her head and removed her hand. Harry placed the tea on the table and clasped his hands in his lap. A feathery touch made him look up at the Phoenix perched on the back of his chair. Fawkes looked sad, even for a bird, and tears welled up in his eyes. Cocking his head to the right he let one fat tear fall onto Harrys cheek. The tear was cool on Harrys cheek and ran down his face as if he had cried it himself, however he did not soak it up like a normal phoenix tear would do. It simply fell onto his shirt and with a shimmer of magic, disappeared. Unbeknownst to Harry Fawkes sang a soft tune above him, Harry closed his eyes and waited. Everything around him seemed dull and his body was numb. The sensation only served to be an annoyance that wouldn't' go away. But it was a side effect from the potion and soon enough it would leave. It was for a greater good, and Harry had endured worse that a tingle that lasted for too long.
A commotion at the opposite end of the table barely registered with Harry. He looked on as Shacklebolt pounded his fist into the table, and as Moody shook a gnarled finger towards him. What they were debating Harry didn't know, even his infamous curiosity wasn't peaked. Dull eyes watched on and everything seemed to haze over, his limbs went lax, and then suddenly it was over and Harry straightened up again. Brow furrowing Harry acquainted at the scene playing before him. Moodys magical eye swivelled over to Harry, but he kept yelling at Shacklebolt.
Harry splayed his hand on the table top and looked down at them. They twitched slightly before a hot flame went through his veins and the world sharpened into focus. Still he couldn't hear what was going on around him, but it was as if a veil had been lifted and his thought were clearer than before.
A sharp intake of breath and Harry stood suddenly sending his chair crashing to the floor. Fawkes trilled and took to the air settling back down on an empty seat. Harry was shaking with rage, but thankfully his magic wasn't running wild. "Take this off of me!" Harry demanded, his own voice falling on deaf ears.
A yellow light surrounded his ears then he could hear again, Moody and Shacklebolt were paused in mid-debate, their eyes glued to Harry. "You forced me!" Harrys voice shook as he spoke.
"I didn't force you to do anything Harry." Dumbledore said calmly.
"You put me under a spell! You took away my choice!"
"I only helped you rationalize the situation." Dumbledore looked briefly at Snape before returning his gaze to Harry,
" You would have started to deteriorate if it wasn't completed. You must understand–"
"I mustn't understand anything!" Harry shouted, "Everything you say is a farce, I can't even trust you anymore!" Wildly Harry looked around at the room, his eyes lingering on Remus a second longer than the others. " I can't trust any of you." Harry broke for the door, but per usual it was locked. Not bothering to ask for it to be opened Harry yelled out, "Tilly!" Not a second later did the house elf appear by his side.
"Yes Master Harry?" her nervous eyes looked around the room.
"Please open this door!" Harry tried to control his voice so as not to frighten the elf.
"Master, the door is warded against it." she squeaked.
"Unlock it please."
Frantic eyes looked at the Headmaster, "Master Harry, the Headmaster has warded it shut.'
"Undo his magic Tilly, let met out of here!" Harry voice raised a little at the end.
"There are things to discuss Harry." Dumbledore said softly.
"I have nothing more to say to you! Tilly open this door immediately!"
"Potter," Snapes snarkey voice barked from the table, "listen to the Headmaster."
"Tilly open it: Harry said ignoring Snape.
"Don't open the door Tilly, " Dumbledore said, his voice strong.
"He is not your Master Tilly, now open this door!" the house elf looked about ready to cry, "Tilly, he does not have
any say in this house, now OPEN THE DOOR!"
With a flick of the house elfs wrists the doors swung open, "Thank you Tilly, you may go." Harrys voice was drawn and hard as he stalked out of the room. So focused on getting out he didn't notice Ron, Hermione, or Ginny sitting on the far wall.
Dumbledores powerful voice rang out after him, "Harry Potter, be reasonable! Listen to us!"
Harry turned on his heel and sent a withering glare at the Headmaster. "You can't make choices for me anymore.
This is my life!"
"It was–"
"No! It wasn't the only way, It was your way! You're nothing by a manipulating old man!"
"Potter!" Snape snarled standing from his seat and coming towards Harry.
Harry didn't care about Snape anymore, " I don't want to ever see you again: I don't want to hear your name, I don't want to even think about you, EVER AGAIN!"
"Hold you tongue Potter!" Snape grabbed Harrys arm roughly, but Harrys anger won through. Reaching back with his free arm, Harry balled his hand into a fist and squarely punched Snape in this already crooked nose.
"Get off of me: Harry yelled as he punched Snape.
Snape took a shocked step back covering his nose with one hand as the other tightly gripped his wand. Feral eyes looked at Harry.
"SIRIUS WOULD HAVE NEVER LET THIS HAPPEN!" Anger and tear filled eye looked at the Headmaster,
"You wont make choices for ;me anymore, this is my life, and if you think that you can run it for me then you're just as bad as VOLDEMORT!"
Snapes hand tightened around Harrys throat and he lifted Harry off of the ground, "Severus!" A series of voiced yelled, and Snape had dropped Harry, but instead grabbed his shirt cuff and bodily hauled him out of the building. Snape was stronger than Harry and easily forced him into his bedroom, threw him into a chair viciously and sent ropes to hind him to it.
Blood ran out of both nostrils of Snapes nose and he was only centimeters way from Harrys red face, "if you ever speak in such a way to the Headmaster again, you will severely regret it!" Snape took a step back and sent a stunning curse at Harry before he could retort.
Harry awoke from the spell still bound to the Chair, Snape was sitting at his desk in the corner of the room, Harrys awakening went unnoticed. Harry looked down at the ropes holding him to the Chair. Nothing around him looked usable for aiding in an escape. Twisting his arms against the rope did nothing but chafe his arms and make the bonds tighten.
"Stop struggling Potter." Snape growled from his corner.
"Untie me." Harry demanded. Snape remained silent as he scratched away with his quill. "You have no right to keep me here!"
"We must stay together for the duration of one week, so I do Potter."
Harry glared daggers at the greasy head, "one wall away isn't going to make much difference Snape."
"Unless you want to repeat out actions earlier, then it will make a large difference." Snap still hadn't looked at
Harry.
Harry struggled against he bonds, "Please Snape let me out."
Snape took a deep breath, "no."
"Why do you have me tied up? What if I promise to stay in this room?" Harry made a face at the mere thought.
"I don't trust a promise made by a Potter, and because this is the best way of dealing with a petulant child."
"I am not a child!" Harry demanded, for the first time Snape looked up, a slight smirk appeared on his face and one eye brow was raised, mocking Harrys words.
Harry glowered at Snape, "well then if I'm a child, that must make you a pedophile, right?"
Snapes eyes narrowed, "it would behoove you Potter to watch what you say."
Harry smirked at Snape, "Why, because you don't want to hear the truth! If only everyone told the truth all the time, then we wouldn't be in this mess!"
Snape settled back in his chair, "how so Potter?"
"If Dumbledore had told me about the Prophecy when I was first in Hogwarts, then we could have killed Voldemort when he was weak." Harry sneered at Snape twisting gin his bonds once again.
"An eleven year old could hardly have defeated the Dark Lord." Snape intoned lacing his fingers together.
"I've done it every year since then, and he's only gotten stronger."
"I wouldn't' call near fatal escapes, defeat Potter." Snape smirked, "each encounter you've had with the Dark Lord only resulted in escape. Too bad though Potter, your ego might take a beating from that little bit of.. Truth."
Harry didn't defend himself against Snapes remarks, he didn't' have to poove himself to the slimy git. "However you look at it, I am the only one who can defeat Voldemort—"
"Do not speak his name Potter!" Snape growled eyes flashing intensely.
"Why not snape?" Harry acquired in the chair, " I see you flinch everything anyone says it. Are you afraid of his name?" Harry barked out a laugh, "Voldemorts name can't hurt you, of course you are probably too weak to say his
name."
Snapes face had gone completely black, his eye were narrowed into slits, but he didn't' speak. Taking advantage of snapes silence Harry continued.
"I bet none of your mates say his name either, don't have time to I guess, between all the bootlicking and groveling. Too busy saying my Lord, and Master." Harry sneered pathetically at Snape, "am I getting warmer Snape?"
"The sheer arrogance in what you just said is astounding." Snape picked up his quill once more and returned to his work.
Smiling at this triumph Harry put in the last word. "Like I said Snape, truth hurts."
Snape didn't retort and Harry felt smug for having out witted him. However he was still bound to the chair and didn't see himself getting out in the near future. Lolling his head back Harry closed his eyes, a week of this was going to be worse than Hell.
Harry stared up at the ceiling, it was curious to find that a small burned mark was neatly placed in the corner of the room. There was something written on the ceiling but from Harrys angle he couldn't read it. Harry tilted his head to the side and acquainted his eye. Just a bit further and harry couldn't make out what it said. Leaning more to the side and Harry could just make out a 'J' before his chair went crashing to the floor.
Harrys glasses were knocked off his ace and the room went blurry. "That was brilliant Potter."
"There is something written on the ceiling." Harry said still curious.
"And pray tell, why that would matter to me?" Snape asked sounding bored.
"Because it could be that curse that making your hair so greasy, oh wait sorry it was like that before we got here." Harry snapped sarcastically.
"Ingenious Potter."
Eventually Harry fell asleep in the same position he fell to the ground in. Snape didn't bother to right his chair or place Harrys glasses back on so the only thing left to do was sleep. At some point during Harrys slumber Snape had grown a small heart and placed him onto the bed, unbound but warded so that be couldn't' leave the bed.
That night was the first night that Harry had gone to sleep and not woken up until mid-morning the next day. Snape was still at his desk looking worse for wear, but he vaguely gestured in Harrys direction and said, "you're breakfast is on the night stand."
Harry found his glasses next to a plate full of food, but all of it looked grotesque to Harry. Sleep had calmed Harry a bit, but there was an ever present simmering anger that did not agree with harrys stomach. Harry threw the covers off of himself and planted his feet on the ground. Yawning Harry tried to stand up but there was and invisible force holding him down, "Hey!" Harry exclaimed in surprise.
"Would you rather be bound to the chair Potter?" Snape asked, his voice sounding harsh and tired.
"No," harry tried to stand up again, "but I have to use the loo."
Agitated Snape flicked his wand at Harry and stood up from the chair. He roughly grabbed Harrys are and led him though a door that connected them to the master bathroom. Snape shut the door behind them and crossed his arms.
"Can't you wait outside Snape?"
"No." Snape diverted his eyes away from Harry and tapped his foot impatiently.
Soon enough, although the awkwardness made thing situation seemed much longer, Harry was finished and they were back in the room.
Before Snape could push him onto the bed, Harry stopped, "I need something from my room."
Sighing heavily as if this imparted some horrific effort on Snapes part, Snape threw Harrys bedroom door open. "Be quick about it."
Harry walked slowly over to his desk started searching for his Old Magic book, to the left Harrys window was open a crack, letting in the morning breeze. Snape huffed in the background, an obvious sign that Harrys time was running out. Harry looked over at Snape and shot him a dirty look. He was still standing by the door frame looking very ominous. Harry turned back to his desk but his eyes darted to the window. If he could just push open the window, the jump to the ground wouldn't be that far. Harry stalled a little longer and moved closer to the window pretending to search through his drawers.
Quickly glancing at Snape who was picking something off of his robes, Harry took the opportunity to dash towards the window. Pushing it open as fast as possible and Harry was through it. As Harry turned to jump down the last thing he saw of his room was Snapes irate face running as fast as he could towards Harry. "POTTER!"
Letting go of window sill Harry hit the ground with his feet quickly sending him to his keens. Pain shot up through his feet jarring him for a second however Harry quickly rolled from the spot he was previously in and narrowly missed a well aimed spell. Jumping to his Feet Harry ran as fast as he could away from the house. Snapes yells followed him and he heard the tell tale 'Pop' of someone Apperating. The overgrowth of the bushes protected Harry and he dashed madly around them.
Always changing his corse caused Snape to be unable to hit him, others had arrived and were now yelling in the back ground. It was pure fury that drove Harry away from them now, not the need to protect them, though that was in the back of his mind, but the injustice that they had put upon him was too much for now. Making a sharp turn around a fairly large bush gave Harry a free brake and he the could see the fence that kept Godrics Hollow surround. If only he could make it twenty more yards and over the fence and he would be home free.
For some reason, a fairly large number of people were coming after him and yet none of them could hit their target. Stunners and other spells whizzed over his head and on his left, they were trying to keep him away from the fence. They had no right to even try and keep him here, this wasn't their life, they shouldn't, couldn't, make choices for him anymore. Harry dived low to the ground on his left and rolled into a thick of bushes. Wasting no time Harry shot back up and continued running, Snapes angry yells died down and everything went silent except for the pounding of feet.
Harry didn't care what they were planned he was so close the fence he could almost taste the rusted metal, he could clearly see that there was enough space between the bars for his skinny body to easily slip through, but the others who were much larger would not be able to fit. A sudden loud noise to Harrys right made Harry glance over and see that Tonks, Shacklebolt, and Bill were running full tilt towards Harry, they weren't sending stunners at him anymore, but Harry didn't notice. Out of the corner of his eye Harry saw a flash of black and Snape was coming towards him from the fence. His face was wild and spit was formed at the edges of his mouth, Snapes wand was raised and he shouted something unintelligible, but the force of the spell was strong and Harry barley got out of the way. Dropping bodily to the ground sent the curse harmlessly over his head and hitting a bush. It shriveled up and blew away in the slight breeze. Harry didn't sit and ponder what spell Snape had almost hit him with, but a sudden idea sprung into his mind. Harry jumped up and ran intensely towards the other group, the three of them slowed a bit, believing that Harry was now just running away from Snape, however in a flurry of movement Harry spun on one foot and turned 90 degrees right towards the fence. Snape was close but Harry was even closer to the fence.
Harry Slammed into the metal fence knocking the breath out of him, but it didn't matter, Harry was free, free from manipulation, and the others were free from him. Shoving half of his body through the bars as quickly as possible proved to be and easy task. The outer world beyond Godrics Hollow was surround Harry and he was out, for about ten seconds.
A mortal grip wrapped around Harrys ankle that Hadn't gotten through the fence yet, it caused Harry to fall to the ground and in his disorientation pull him back through the fence. Harry grabbed clumps of dead grass and tried to pull away, he kicked his legs and screamed something very fowl. But the grip was not released and Harry was soon back into Godricks Hollow and in very big trouble.
Harry had never in all his life seen Snape look so furious, his eyes were flashing black, and his yellow teeth were bared in a snarl. Harry lashed out with his hands and continued to kick, Tonks soon grabbed one of his hands, as did Bill, Shacklebolt grabbed his other kicking leg and they lifted him up. Harrys body thrashed even in the air, and he twisted and fought all the way back towards the house.
"LET ME GO!" Harry screamed, "LET ME GO!"
No one said anything in return, but Snapes face told harry that he wouldn't be going back into bed. Harry turned his head throwing it back and screamed bloody murder, it wasn't because they were hurting Harry or because a vision was coming upon him, but because his frustrations were finally coming out. Everything that Harry had bottled up before was suddenly raging through him. His arms thrashed violently and his legs bent and straitened, his torso twisted and caused Tonks to stumble and fall to the ground. Harry turned up on his side and swung out with his free hand before Tonks regained herself and grabbed him once more.
"Put him down!" Bill yelled over Harry. In unison they dropped Harry to the ground and pounced on his flailing body. "Can't you give him anything Severus?"
"Nothing strong enough that wouldn't cause him harm, though" Snape said through clenched teeth, "Maybe That's what he needs."
"GET OFF OF ME!" Harry screamed at the top of his lungs, "GET OFF, I HATE YOU! STOP IT, LET ME GO, LET ME GOOOO!"
People were starting to come out of the houses to see what was going on, from across the drive way Ron, and Hermione came dashing out of the house and towards the group. "Let him go you're hurting him!" Hermione shouted.
"He's only hurting himself," Tonks replied and she tried to keep control of Harrys wild body parts.
"NO!" Ron shouted, "Just let him go! What are you doing Bill." Harry looked up as Ron tried to force his brother off, something clenched in Harrys heart as Ron tried to protect him. Even though he was ignoring them and acting like a prat, his friends still were there from him.
Remus appeared above Harrys head, his cool hands shook and he placed them both in the sides of Harrys face, "Harry calm down." His voice was soothing, but his eyes were worried as they flickered up towards Snape.
Harry took a couple shuttering breaths and lay still, "Please just let me leave." Harry said in a pleading voice as he close his eyes tightly. No body lessened their grip on him and someone placed their hand on Harrys chest. It was a constant pressure, but it wasn't too hard only steady. Harry opened his eyes and followed the arm up the its face. Kneeling between Shacklebolt and Bill was the gaunt face of Sirius Black.
Harry whimpered, this was a dream, wasn't it. Sirius's hand pressed down harder on Harrys chest, and Harry looked at him again. His heart ached even looking at him. "Never give up Harry." came Sirius distorted voice, and then he disappeared.
"NO!" Harry shouted looking and the empty space where Sirius just was. "Sirius! Sirius come back." Harrys muscles tensed up and he thrashed around once again.
Worried whispers went around the group, "Sirius?" They said, Snape growled lowly, "Enough of this, Lift him back up!"
"We can't hold him Severus!" Bill yelled over Harrys resumed screaming.
"Harry!" Hermiones frantic voice was near by. "Stop it, you're hurting him! Can't you see you're hurting him!" Hermiones screamed mingled with Harrys and she started sobbing but her face was close to Harrys. "Its okay Harry. Its okay!" She tried to sooth.
Ron also resumed trying to get his brother off, until one of his many other brothers came and forced Ron away.
"What are you doing to him?" Ron yelled as they dragged him away.
Hermione gripped Harrys shirt front, "don't worry Harry, you're okay!"
Harry coughed his throat going already starting to go raw, "I'm not okay." he said "you don't know what they're doing!"
"What are they doing Harry?" Her voice was frenetic and her grip tightened on his front. "Let us help you Harry, Ron and I, we're you're friends!"
Above Harry and Hermione, the adults were grabbing hold of Harry and getting ready to lift him again. "Its too dangerous for you! You have to stay away from me."
"Not any more Harry, you need us!" Mrs Granger came running up behind them and tried to pull Hermione away and they lifted Harrys body into the air again. She stood with them however and managed to stay by their side.
"What are they doing to you Harry, what's going on!"
Harry turned away from her and weakly fought the people hold him, they were swiftly approaching the front door when a heavy pressure formed on Harrys chest again. Harry gasped and looked over but it was Hermione this time who was holding him, "We're never going to leave you!" Hermione shouted as her mother finally pulled her away. She sobbed and dropped to her knees so distraught over Harrys well being.
Ron came running up to her, having broken away from his other brothers. Letting his head fall back limply Harry looked out the door before it closed and saw Dumbledore standing in the distance, Harry couldn't make his face but knew he wasn't going to do anything to stop them. One last strangled cry came out of Harry mouth, but it sounded more like a pitiful howl than anything else.
A liquid white hot rage filled Harrys chest, "DUMBLEDORE!" Harry screamed at the top of his lungs, he lunged out and fought with all of his might cause the group to stumble and tighten their grips. Harrys vision blurred and he cried out in pain. Before Harry knew what was happening Harry was pulled into another vision, a vision that was supposed to have been stopped. Another unsettling fact that Harry failed to register was that Snape had let go of Harrys leg and was also screaming in pain, it was a horrible sort of scream that made your insides chill and you hair stand on end. Snape was pulled into the vision, even though Harry and he were not touching.
All Harry could hear was screaming, It wasn't his own but he knew for sure it was near by. Looking down in front of him a an writhed on the floor screaming in pain. With a sudden jerky movement for his own arm the man stopped and lay panting on the ground. "See how you are repaid for defying your mater!"
Voldemort shouted and another curse came flying out of their wand. The man on the ground shivered as his robes were ripped off of his body, and only left the white death mask on his face. Sloly thin red lines ran down his body and another hoarse scream escaped his mouth. Thin peices of flsh were magically being pulled away from the body, muscles were exposed and finally the man was silent.
Harry stepped with Voldemort over the lifeless body and up to the second man. "Is this how you want to die?" he hissed out causing the other to flinch. Voldemort reveled in the thought of cleansing his groups, killing the traitors.
"No My Lord," the familiar voice of Kenji spoke, "I am loyal my Lord."
"Is it true, I have made a mistake?" Voldemort gripped Kenji's chin, "I don't make mistakes!" Voldemort pulled down on Kenji and pulled all of his lower jaw off of his face. Instantly he went into shock and would soon slowly die of blood loss.
Voldemort tossed the bloody mess away from him and turned to the remaining man. "Potions Master," he hissed, "I should have caught on sooner, you could not have been that great of a spy to work under Dumbledores nose like that. No, you always were cunning, but you reap what you sew Severus!" In one angry motion downwards a raw bolt of magic was sent hurtling towards Snape.
"Noooooo!" Someone screamed but it was mingled with Voldemorts laughter, he opened his snake like eyes, only to see another burst of light coming towards him. Harry was thrown back by the force of the curse, but left Voldemorts mind before they hit the ground.
The intensity of the vision was stronger by ten fold compared to the others. Harry was physically shaking, everything was spinning around him disorientation taking over. He was unaware of anyone still around him, only the cool comfort of two hands on the sides of his head brought Harry some relief before his blacked out. Snape was on all fours covered in sweat, his breathing was heavy but somehow he managed to retrieve his wand. Pointing in the direction of the door a silver wisp of a bird shot out of the end of his wand and went through the door. Snapes body finally gave out and he crumpled to the floor just moments before Dumbledore came bursting into the room.
I hope everyone enjoyed this chapter! And that Harry isn't really wimping out and becoming submissive! I'm really encouraged by everybody that have left reviews! Thanks so much to everyone! The next chapter will be out by next Friday! And if it isn't then I will die a horrible death... so it will be out by Friday! 10 reviews as always, and everyone have a great rest of the weekend!
Cheers