Our Corrupted Souls

Part VIII: Finding an Ally.

"It is curious that so many offer loyalty to people they shall never meet but never make allies with many they do."
                       ~ C.A.A. Savastano

The next day began with Harry in bed. His pillow had been moved to his feet and he himself had slept with head hanging from the very end of the bed. Death was no longer there, the entity had left once the boy had drifted off to attend its eternal duties.

A house-elf, Nori, popped into the room. She saw the small boy peacefully asleep, almost grimacing having to wake him up. He looked much better now. Although his skin was still pale (which would not gain color until a couple of days later), the bags under his eyes were almost unnoticeable and the potion which he'd drank yesterday had helped him gain a little bit of mass overnight. Nori forced herself to snap from her thoughts, clearing her throat.

Harry frowned in his sleep.

"Mister Potter?"

Harry remained asleep.

Nori forced her gentle voice to become louder. "Mister Potter!"

Harry only yawned.

Nori tapped his shoulder and shook him, but the boy was still in his slumber, so she snapped her fingers and made a bucket of water appear over the head of the boy. She snapped her fingers again for little droplets of water to fall on the boy's face.

Harry's eyes snapped open, revealing those haunting glowing deadly eyes that terrified Nori to the bone. "Merlin-!" Out of fear, she lost her concentration and let the whole bucket fall on Harry. He jumped off the bed, screaming a variety of curses. Nori immediately realized what she had done and began to panic. "Mister Potter, N-Nori's so-sorry! Nori sorry. Nori sorry!" The house-elf was now crying out of the distress, attempting to dry the boy that processed terrifying eyes reminding anyone who came across him of the killing curse.

As Nori dried him up, Harry took notice of her shaking voice and trembling body. When he was no longer damped in ice cold water, he placed a hand on her shoulder, causing her eyes to widen and her to yelp.

"Hey, Nori, right?"

"Please, it was an accident!"

"I know," said Harry with a polite smile. "I know, Nori. It's alright. You had me there for a bit, I thought it was April Fool's!" Harry laughed, being brought back to the days at the Burrow.

Clearly Nori did not follow, but she would not say a thing, being terrified of being beaten up for her mistakes, like her previous master had done.

"You're okay, Nori. Just, next time you wake me up like this, don't use water so cold, got it?"

"Y-yes." The fear in the young elf's eyes was gone now, being washed over by amusement. "Nori will see to that, Mister Potter."

Harry yawned and nodded. 

Nori hopped, her pointy ears rising high. "Oh, Mr Potter!" She called out as Harry was walking towards the window. He turned around to look at her. "Madame Chattox requests your presence in the dining room by the first wing, would you like Nori to take you?"

"Can you apparate me out?" 

"Madame Chattox ordered Nori to not do that."

Harry kicked the air. "Of course she did," he muttered bitterly.

Nori giggled before clearing her throat and bowing slightly. "Madame Chattox also requested for Mr Potter to be dressed with proper attire."

"Apart from being her prisoner, I'm also her doll. How lovely."