The Darkness Within

Chapter Sixteen - At the Headquarters

Chapter Sixteen

James and Harry landed with a painful thud on the floor of the drawing room, the fall knocking the breath out of both of them. James didn't waste a second and pushed himself onto his hands and knees, his mind focused only on one thing; Harry.

He saw him, lying flat out on his back, his breathing harsh and haggard. Even so, Harry was trying to roll over to his front so he could push himself onto his feet. James didn't give him the chance, he grabbed Harry from the collar of his robes and pulled him roughly to face him.

"What the hell did you think you were you doing?" he screamed at him. "You were trying to go back? Back to him?" The fear of almost losing his son again pulsed through James, making him almost hysterical with panic "Do you know what you've done?" James continued, roughly shaking Harry. "It's over! They're not going to give you another chance! You tried to to run, it's over! You've just signed your life away!" James thundered, breaking at the knowledge that now, there wasn't going to be a trial. The Ministry wouldn't grant Harry another chance, not after he tried to escape. They will sentence him without a trial and there was only one sentence for Harry; the Dementor's Kiss.

At the realisation that his son was now as good as dead, James sagged, completely broken. One of his hands loosened from around Harry's robes, intended to brush through his hair, a habit of his when extremely upset or angry. As James pulled his hand up, Harry flinched, closing his eyes and jolting away from him. One of his hands came up, in reflex, protecting his face.

James paused, staring wide eyed at Harry and his reaction.

'He thinks I'm going to hit him!' he realised.

It was then that James stopped, realising his behaviour with his son was so rough that it was no wonder Harry thought he was about to hit him. James looked down at his hand to see it was still gripping at Harry's collars, he had just yelled and screamed at him and even shook him violently. He met his son's pained eyes and saw the wary look in them, the expectation of a blow coming his way. James loosened his grip on Harry completely and pushed himself away. He was both physically and emotionally drained and at the moment all he could do was move away from Harry to show he meant no harm.

Harry fell back against the floor, breathing heavily. He just lay there, defeated and clearly in pain. He closed his eyes, taking in deep breaths to calm down. One of his hands reached across to his side, just under his ribs, and he pressed against it, stifling a groan.

James moved towards him when suddenly members of the Order portkeyed into the room. James stopped and glanced up from the floor as Moody, Kingsley, Tonks and Sturgis appeared. Moody met James' pained eyes for a brief moment before focusing his attention on the boy. He motioned at Kingsley and Sturgis, and the three Order members went over to Harry. Tonks hurried over to James, checking him for injuries. But James barely noticed her, his eyes were fixed on Harry.

Kingsley and Sturgis took a firm grip of Harry's arms and pulled him to stand up. A stifled, painful gasp escaped Harry as he was hoisted to his feet. Moody moved to stand before him. The heavily scarred Auror didn't speak a word but started searching Harry, his gnarled fingers poked and prodded at Harry's torso, picking at the pockets of Ferguson's robes. He pulled out Ferguson's stolen wand and what was left of Harry's blades and weapons.

Harry could barely stand without the two Aurors holding him up but he still glared at Moody, his hands struggling uselessly in the Aurors' grips, trying instinctively to stop Moody from disarming him. He grit his teeth as Moody patted down his torso, checking for anymore hidden weapons. Once satisfied that there were no more weapons on him, Moody stepped back, staring hatefully at the boy.