Deeper Than Blood

Chapter 3

Harry screamed in his sleep. It wasn't the first time that night, either. The whimpering had occurred since they had rescued him, but it started in earnest around midnight. The screaming started shortly after. Narcissa couldn't take it anymore. She turned to the doorway and started yelling at Dumbledore.

"Isn't there anything we can do for him? We can't just watch him suffer like this! Draco wasn't this bad when he got his inheritance! I wasn't this bad with mine! What is happening? You had better tell me now, or so help me Albus..." She got up and threatened him with her eyes. The intent was clear.

"Narcissa, I know your motherly instincts are coming out to play, but if you could just listen to reason-"

"AND WHAT ABOUT HIS SCREAMS? WHY DON'T YOU LISTEN TO THAT FOR A MOMENT?" There was silence, broken only by Harry's screaming and writhing.

"I understand. I don't like it any more than you. Some inheritances, especially when there is no previous history of them in the family, can be extremely painful. Severus has already informed me that if we try to give him potions or ease his pain in any way, the chances of him dying go up exponentially. You have been so kind as to offer him a home here, despite what the male Malfoy's have said. I only wish there was something we could do without risking his death." He paused, looking sadly at the boy whom he had come to love. So much kindness, going through so much torture. It didn't seem fair.

"Albus, I wish I could tell you the extent this boy has been traumatized tonight. Not just with his changing. I can smell it on him, the kind of pain he was forced to suffer through. Why would you not come to us sooner, if the boy was being punished this way? You knew, and yet you ignored it. That is truly unforgivable." Her voice was lowered, a sadness that was overpowered by a dark threatening undertone towards the end.

Her yelling from earlier had summoned the other three men from down the hall, and they had arrived in time to hear her voice change. Lucius was the first to speak.

"Cissa, what's happened? Dumbledore has already admitted to knowing Harry was beaten in recent years, but why the sudden turn of emotion in your voice?" She looked at him, conveying to his mind just what she could smell on the boy. Proof that the uncle was truly a disgusting creature. Lucius's mouth fell open, and he turned on Dumbledore.

"Did you know?" His voice was suddenly very menacing. Albus looked between the two in subtle confusion. "Did you know that that boy in there was starved, beaten senseless, weakened just so his uncle could...could....have his way with him?" He practically hissed the last part, he was so disgusted. Dumbledore's eyes widened, clearly not having any idea that's how far things had progressed over the summer. A great sadness filled his eyes, and he hung his head. Shame radiated from his body, disappointment in himself for not being able to protect Harry from such a brutal situation. The boy had told him about the beatings, but he must have been covering up just how bad they really were.

Lucius and Narcissa seemed to think that wallowing in his own mind was the best punishment for him. Draco and Severus stood there, shell-shocked. The looked at each other, both knowing what the other was thinking. How could they have treated him with such hatred when he had been on the brink of breaking from the stresses and horrors of what was supposed to be home?

Lucius closed the door softly behind him as Narcissa took up her diligent post by the bedside, ready to take Harry's hand once more to attempt to comfort him from reality while he wrestled with the changes happening to his body and the events of the last twenty four hours.

Harry felt like he was swimming in a very dark pool. Memories swirled around him. He was looking in on snippets of his own life. The last run-in he had with Malfoy. Dumbledore's twinkling eyes. The last feast of the year at Hogwarts. Having to say goodbye to his friends. Dudley beating him up, over and over again. His uncle slamming the door open-