Thoughts: 'Blah. Blah. Blah.'
Flashback: Blah. Blah. Blah. ( [END]FLASHBACK before/after them)
Hedwig: "Blah. Blah. Blah."
Parseltongue: {Blah. Blah. Blah.}
Letters/Articles/Writing: Blah. Blah. Blah.
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Chapter 14
A frustrated sigh is followed by the sound of a book snapping shut. Harry pushes the book, almost knocking it off the table. Draco and Harry have been in the library looking for this "Flamel" guy for weeks.
"Are you okay?" Draco asks, closing his own book as he looks up to Harry. While Draco is frustrated as well, he's a lot better at hiding it. Harry glares at him.
"No, I'm not okay. We have been looking for this 'Flamel' guy forever. How he isn't mentioned in any of the dozens of books we have already looked through, I'll never know. Seriously is he really that obscure that we can't find him in any of these books. Honestly!" Harry rants to Draco.
Hermione, who had been walking by, suddenly sits at the table saying, "Are you guys talking about Flamel? Nicholas Flamel? He was a french wizard born in the fourteenth century, supposedly immortal because of the Elixir of Life produced by the Philosopher's Stone. He also worked with Dumbledore on the 12 uses of dragon's blood, which include antiviral, fever redu-"
"Wait, wait wait. Back up. The Philosopher's Stone? Maybe the size of a small rock? Fit in a pocket-sized package?" Harry interrupted. At Hermione's confused nod Harry jumps up, "That's it! It's the only thing that could have been in the vault. Hermione you're a genius!"
"How does she know that?" Draco whispers to himself before turning to Hermione, "How do you know that?"
Hermione pulls a giant tomb out of her bag, it had to have been enchanted like the boy's bags because there was no way that book would have fit otherwise. "I read about it here, I had checked it out for a bit of light reading." She continued on, ignoring the incredulous whisper of 'light reading?' from Draco as she opened to the correct page, "See it says here that he is 'the only known maker of the Philosopher's Stone, said to make the Elixir of Life and grant immortality."
"Thank you Hermione!" Harry yells as he drags Draco out of his seat and out to the hallway. "So, who would be desperate enough to try and get past a Cerberus to get to the Philosopher's Stone?"
"I don't know Harry but we will find out." Draco says pulling Harry to a stop. "Right now, we need to go finish our charms essay, our grades are more important than our investigation."
"But..." Harry starts to protest but stops at Draco's stern look. "Fine we can go do our homework."
The boys head to their dorm to find Blaise and Theo already doing theirs, joining them with a quick hello.
~~~~~Time Skip~~~~~
The passing of a few hours finds the boys walking through the dungeons talking about their childhoods...
Well really it's Draco talking and Harry avoiding the topic as much as possible.
"Harry," Draco starts hesitantly as they enter an abandoned classroom, apparently surprising Harry if the look on his face is any indication "Will you tell me about your relatives?"
Draco had obviously said something wrong, Harry's steps falter and his face has closed off.
"Why?"
"Well... you never talk about them, and I was curious. I don't want to assume anything but you act like Theo and I know he doesn't have the best home life." Draco explains nervously. Harry stares at Draco for a moment, before deciding it would be nice to have someone to talk too. And either way, he has made a promise to Theo that he plans on keeping, even if it may be uncomfortable.
"I was apparently placed on their doorstep with just a note. They reluctantly took me in, but they weren't really given a choice, and they never let me forget it. I was forced to do chores since I was three, occasionally getting more as I got older; I was 5 when I started cooking." Harry starts to explain. He gets a far off look in his eyes as he's drawn into memories he'd rather forget. He took a deep breath before shakily saying, "I have four rules at the Dursleys: Don't ask questions, don't talk back, don't do better than Dudley and NEVER mention magic. Breaking any of these rules has consequences, no food, being locked in my cupboard, or a beating; I learned that the hard way. My uncle first hit me when I was 3, he slapped me for something my cousin did. It got worse from there. A beating could be with hands or with a belt. My aunt usually yells at me but she does use a pan sometimes. My cousin plays a game with his friends, 'Harry Hunting', they would chase me and when they finally caught me, they beat me up. Nobody bothered to help me because of the rumors my aunt and uncle spread around. Anyone who did help usually disappeared, I learned to stop asking for help. I didn't know my name until primary, thinking it was 'boy' or 'freak' before that. I was only ever given Dudley's old clothes and I never had a friend." By the time Harry was finished with his explanation, he was crying. Although he was upset, he also felt as if weight had been lifted off his shoulders.
Draco was horrified by what he was hearing. How his friend had survived that, he didn't know. He hesitantly reached over and hugged Harry. He flinched before leaning into the hug, burying his head into Draco's shoulder as he cried.
"Harry, you need to tell Severus, he can help you."
"He knows, after the troll incident we talked about it. I just couldn't tell him specifics." Harry raised his head after he had stopped crying before saying, "Will you go with me? Please."
Draco raised his eyebrow before nodding, "Do you want to go now?"
"Uh, yeah. I don't want to lose my nerve." Harry said before standing and leaving the room. They walked in silence to Snape's office, knocking on the door. They entered when called.
"What can I do for you boys?" Severus asked. If the red eyes and tear tracks were any indication, Harry had just been crying, hopefully by his own provocation.
"Harry and I were talking and he wanted to tell you about his relatives." Draco answered, casting a worried look at his timid friend.
Severus immediately understood what was happening and called for Tilly asking her to bring the boys hot chocolate and him a tea. He leads the boys to a small sitting area in the corner of the room waiting for them to settle. He noticed that Harry unconsciously leaned into Draco as they sat on the couch across from him.
"Harry, what did you want to tell me?" Severus, seeing Harry's hesitation says, "I understand that you are reluctant to talk about what you went through, it has been drilled into your head not to tell anyone, but I would like to help you and I can't do that if you won't tell me what happened." Harry looks up from his lap, seemingly studying Severus, before looking back down repeating what he told Draco.
"Have you ever been to see a healer Harry?"
"No, I didn't get my vaccinations either."
"Would you like me to give you an exam." At Harry's tentative nod he pulled out his wand and ran a diagnostic on him.
Harry James Potter
Age: 11
Birthdate: July 31, 1980
Injuries:
Improperly healed break- left arm, right leg
Cracked rib
Scars- back, upper legs, arms, forehead
After studying the results, Severus felt anger rise up in him. 'How is he walking around in a cracked rib. Why would anyone do this to a child? Lily's child.' Severus walked over to his potion cabinet pulling out a healing potion, handing it to Harry. "Take this, it doesn't have the most pleasant taste but it should help with any pain you are experiencing."
Harry grabbed the potion with a soft thank you and knocked it back, cringing at the taste. After about 10 minutes he felt tingles and then slumped in relief, the potion getting rid of pains he didn't even realize he had.
"Good, now you are malnourished and should have been put on a nutrition potion at the beginning of the year. However, the consistent meals have helped so it won't be necessary. You are at a healthy weight now but this may have some long term effects, specifically your height, weight and immune system. Your magic may have helped you fight muggle illnesses but if you were to catch the wizarding flu you may have a harder time fighting it off then other children. Do you understand?" Severus explains the last part in a tone the boys have ever heard, causing them to unconsciously sit straighter as Harry nods. Severus gives a curt nod before continuing, "Now, Harry, would you like to take legal action?"
Harry starts to shake his head frantically, as much as he didnt want to return to the Dursleys, he didn't want his home life in the papers either. As if reading his thoughts Severus states, "given your status as the last Potter Heir you are allowed to request a private hearing, meaning no press and Vows of Silence so no-one can tell anyone, spoken or otherwise."
That gave Harry pause. He could be out of the Dursley household and they could be punished for what they did and nobody had to know, this idea has merit. At least it did until Harry thought of a problem. "Where would I go?"
Draco chimes in quickly, "I could speak to my mother and father. I'm sure they'd be happy to take you in, Harry. That is, if you'd like that." Draco finishes his statement timidly, hoping for Harry to say yes.
"Let us not put too much pressure on him, Draco. He-"
With a courage he never knew he possessed, Harry interrupts Severus, "I want to go with Draco. I feel safer with him than I've ever felt with anyone else. He's my best friend, and if he and his family will have me, then I would be delighted to stay." Harry looks both Draco and Snape in the eye when speaking, his own eyes shining with determination.
"Fantastic!" Draco grins ecstatically.
"Let me write to your father first, Draco. If he is open to the idea we will progress further." Draco nods at Snape's words and a silence falls over the three wizards.
"Would I have to be at the trial?"
"Yes, as the victim you need to testify. Memories can be provided but someone may claim they have been tampered with in which case you will be required to testify, possibly under Veritaserum. Are you okay with that?"
"Yes, as long as I don't have to go back to the Dursleys."
"I will contact a solicitor and we can work out the dates for it. Now, it's late. Go straight to the dorms and to bed."
"Goodnight, professor." both boys said in unison before leaving.
"Are you okay, Harry?" Draco inquires, concerned.
"Yeah, I just don't want everyone to know my business, there is a reason it's called a private life."
The boys enter the common room noticing its almost completely empty except for a few lingering upper years. They head to their room, nodding off after a quiet goodnight. That night, Harry dreams of a better future, away from the Dursleys, and it's the best sleep he's had in years.
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A/N: We would like to give thanks to the heroes of 9/11, fallen or otherwise and a moment of remembrance to the 3000 people who died that day.