Dark Beginnings

Chapter One.

Jenna Litworth yawned as she tightened her dressing gown and shuffled downstairs. It was early still – she wouldn’t have to floo into work for another three hours yet – but a recurring dream had disturbed her sleep again this morning and so she had decided to get up and fix herself a proper breakfast.

Ordinarily, breakfast would consist of an apple snatched on her way out the door or some form of hideously sticky, highly calorific pastry from the nice old witch who delivered to all the local businesses – both magical and Muggle.

But not today! Today, with plenty of time, Jenna was going to fix herself a proper breakfast. Drawing out her wand from her dressing gown pocket, she tapped the kettle and dropped a tea bag into a tall mug.

Some witches, she knew, disapproved of such Muggle things as tea bags and even more so of making tea in a mug. They insisted that tea should be made with tea leaves, in a teapot and then served in a china cup and saucer. Jenna, however, took the best and most convenient of her mother’s Muggle background and was quite happy with tea in any shape or form, so long as it was sweet and strong in the mornings!

As she poured the boiling water into the mug and sent the bread into the toaster with a wave of her wand, an owl tapped politely at the kitchen window.

Arezz, her beloved barn owl, twisted his head around and blinked at the visiting owl.

“Okay,” Jenna yawned, opening the window. “G’morning.” She then greeted the small brown owl as it fluttered onto the draining board. As soon as she’d taken the envelope, it clicked its beak politely and flew back out the window.

The envelope was thick and cream-coloured with a purple wax seal, bearing the easily recognisable coat of arms; a lion, an eagle, a badger and a snake surrounding a large letter ‘H’.

The address was written in the same emerald-green ink that she remembered from her school days and Jenna felt a flutter of remembered excitement in her stomach as she stared at the envelope.

Arezz made a tiny querulous sound and she nodded, “You’re right. The envelope isn’t going to tell me anything, is it?”

Her tea and breakfast momentarily forgotten, Jenna ripped open the seal and pulled the letter out:

‘30 September 1996

Dear Dr Litworth,

Further to advice from St Mungo’s Hospital for Magical Maladies, I require your assistance with a rather sensitive matter.

As you have no doubt heard, Mr Harry Potter – a student at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry - was abducted in July this year and was held by Lucius Malfoy until such time that Mr Potter’s location was finally revealed to us.

The matter was, unfortunately, headline news and so little has escaped public scrutiny. However, we have managed to keep certain truths from the media and, needless to say, anything within this letter must remain secret. I hereby invoke the power of a full Confidentiality charm and advise you to read no further if you do not wish to be bound by it.

To all intents and purposes, Harry appears to have suffered little from his abduction. With the exception of several slight contusions, he shows no sign of any abuse.

However, there is something – I hate to say it – unnerving about the young man now. Something fundamental has altered within him; he has somehow lost his innocence and seems to view the world with a somewhat darker view. There is only one person who can possibly advise us of what Harry was subjected to and that is Draco Malfoy.

Draco, however, has been in no physical condition to bear questioning and I doubt if he would reveal very much, in any case. But that is another matter.

So, Dr Litworth, I am humbly requesting that you help Harry. I’m not entirely certain what he needs as I cannot ascertain what has been done to him. All I can say is that we need Harry back.

The Dark Lord’s forces grow stronger every day and I regret to say that Harry Potter is the link to ending Voldemort’s reign of terror.

If you are available to assist us, I would be eternally grateful.

Please respond as soon as possible.

Yours sincerely,

Prof. Albus Dumbledore
Headmaster
Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.’

*~*~*

“Kyra? Kyra, where are -? Oh, you’re there!” Jenna smiled, staring up at her secretary from within the office fireplace. “Kyra, something’s come up. I’m not going to be in for the rest of this week. Could you cancel today’s appointments – there were only three, I think – and book them in for sometime next week, please?”

Her secretary nodded and scribbled notes on a roll of parchment.

“I’m seeing Mr Kadje tomorrow morning, but he still won’t come indoors so I’ll just contact him and meet him in the park as usual.” Jenna went on, frowning in concentration. “As for the others, well I’ll play it by ear and let you know if I need to cancel any of them. Mr and Mrs Davies are still refusing to be separated so I think I’ll see them here at home – there’s more room and you know they have problems getting up the steps to the office.”

“All right, I’ll call them.” Kyra nodded, still scribbling. She looked up then, “Are you alright, Dr Litworth? Can I do anything?” Kyra enquired, looking slightly anxious.

“No, thank you.” Jenna shook her head with a smile, “There’s just something that I need to take care of. I might have to travel, so if you can’t reach me at home, send an owl. Is that okay?”

Kyra nodded and once again Jenna was enormously grateful for finally finding a competent secretary that she could leave in charge. Some of the ones she’d employed in the past…

“Okay, I’m out of here!” she grinned, “Don’t hesitate to contact me if anything comes up!”

*~*~*

‘30th September 1996

Dear Professor Dumbledore,

Thank you for your letter concerning Mr Potter.

I was most concerned by your description and would like to meet the young man in person, if you are agreeable. I will, of course, treat any disclosed information with absolute confidentiality and would have, even without the charm in place.

I will be free to visit Hogwarts this Friday, if that is convenient. In the meantime, I wonder if you could write and let me know the full history of this case. Whilst, like countless others within the wizarding community, I was kept up to date via the Daily Prophet, it would appear, from what you’ve told me, that there is more to Harry’s story than meets the eye.

Also, perhaps you could tell me more about Draco Malfoy. Is he Lucius Malfoy’s son?

Please advise if Friday would be convenient. My owl, Arrez, will wait for your reply.

With regards,

Dr Jenna Litworth
Magical Psychologist’

*~*~*

‘2nd October 1996

Dear Dr Litworth,

Thank you for your prompt response. I understand that a professional such as yourself must have a very full schedule and so I very much appreciate the time you have given to this case already.

Friday will be fine. Despite the trauma of recent events, Harry has chosen to resume a normal study timetable but I’m sure he will be available for when you visit.

As requested, please see the following description of events as of the 23 July:

At the end of his fifth year at Hogwarts, Harry Potter was taken to King’s Cross Station by the Hogwarts Express, as normal.

He was met at the station by his muggle relatives, as well as several of my associates.

Shortly after leaving the station with his aunt, uncle and cousin, Harry was abducted by several masked men. We later deduced, from muggle descriptions, that the masked men were Death Eaters, loyal to Lord Voldemort.

Harry’s relatives (Vernon and Petunia Dursley and their son, Dudley) were all murdered at the scene of the abduction.

From 23 July to 18 September, there was nothing to indicate that Harry was still alive. There were no demands for ransom and no clue to his whereabouts. To the entire wizarding world, it appeared that Harry Potter had dropped off the face of the planet.

Then, two weeks after the start of school in September, Lucius Malfoy’s son, Draco, approached his Head of House, Professor Severus Snape. The young man confessed that he knew where Harry was being held and requested protection in exchange for the information.
This was of course agreed at once and Harry was rescued less than a day later.

Unfortunately, whist all attention was fixed on Harry, Draco was somehow taken out of school and he was punished for his betrayal. More information concerning Draco Malfoy’s case is available upon request.

Since his rescue, Harry has been quiet and reserved but appears physically unharmed. As I said in my previous letter, however, there are one or two startling differences in him.

His professors have noticed the changes in him, as have his peers. Severus Snape, in particular, has noticed these changes and, considering his history, I am inclined to believe him when he advises that Harry has a Dark aura surrounding him. There is only one other student who has ever shown such darkness at such a tender age and that was Tom Riddle.

I hope that this information gives you at least something with which to prepare. However, should you require any further information before your visit, please don’t hesitate to contact me.

With regards,

Albus Dumbledore.’

*~*~*

Jenna stumbled very slightly as she Apparated into the lane running between Hogsmeade and Hogwarts. The folder full of notes slipped from her hands and she groaned in dismay as each carefully sorted paper floated gently to ground.

With a hastily muttered spell, Jenna collected each one and shoved them haphazardly into the folder once more, determining to sort them out once she reached the school.

It had been a long time since she’d been here, she thought as she made her way up the driveway. The autumn air was cold and brisk; the wind bringing the scent of wood smoke and fallen leaves.

“Can I ‘elp yeh?” a voice enquired loudly from her right.

Turning, Jenna stopped and stared.

“Hagrid?” she smiled in amazement, “My God, you’re still here?”

“Jenna Adams!” Hagrid exclaimed and then hurried towards her.

She flushed a little; “Actually, I’m Jenna Litworth now. I married…and then divorced.” She added, making a little face.

But Hagrid didn’t seem to have noticed her embarrassment. He was too busy beaming at her and asking her what she’d been doing since leaving Hogwarts seventeen years ago.

“Um…studying, working.” Jenna replied. “I trained at St Mungo’s Medical College for four years and then specialised in Magical Psychology for another three. Since then I’ve been running my own practice in the south of England.”

“Oh.” Hagrid’s face fell all of a sudden. “Then you’re ‘ere to see ‘arry? Or is it Draco?”

Jenna blinked, wondering again about this Draco Malfoy. Dumbledore had said little about him, save for the fact that the young man had been punished for revealing Harry’s location.

“Er…” she looked uncertainly at Hagrid, feeling torn, “I’m sorry, Hagrid, but I can’t say. I’m bound by a Confidentiality charm.” She added by way of explanation.

However, if Hagrid was disappointed, he didn’t show it and perhaps, Jenna said to herself, the fact that she was bound by the Confidentiality spell, told him exactly whom she was here to see.

“Well, I’m happy knowin’ it’s you comin’ to see ‘em.” Hagrid smiled genuinely, “Coz no one ‘ad the patience yeh did wi’ the animals in Professor Kettleburn’s Care o’ Magical Creatures class. And anyone good wi’ animals, is good wi’ kids. Merlin knows, those two kids need gentle ‘andlin’!”

Jenna returned his smile and then, realising the time, bid him farewell and hurried on up to the school.

*~*~*

“Harry,” Dumbledore began with a warm smile, “I’d like to introduce you to Dr Litworth. You remember I mentioned to you that she would be visiting?”

Harry lifted his head and regarded Jenna calmly. They were sitting in Dumbledore’s office with cups of untouched tea in front of them on the Headmaster’s desk.

“Please,” she said then, “call me Jenna.”

Something flickered behind Harry’s gaze for a second and then he looked coolly at Dumbledore.

“Jenna was once a student at Hogwarts, too.” Dumbledore said then, “She was here at the same time as your parents.”

At this, Harry looked quickly at Jenna and she gave an involuntary smile at the look of intense curiosity in his very green eyes. Lily’s eyes, she thought with a remembered pang.

“You don’t look that old,” Harry said and then flushed, realising that that sounded rude.

But Jenna was still smiling at him. “Actually, I was a couple of years below James and Lily. As for not looking that old, you should see me first thing in the morning, with no make up!”

Now Harry smiled and Jenna found herself marvelling at how it lightened his whole countenance.

“You know,” she said, turning in her chair to face him properly, “it was your mum who got me thinking about psychology.”

“My mum?” Harry raised his eyebrows, “Why, was she going to be a psychologist too?”

“Well,” Jenna looked a little doubtful, “she might have been thinking about it. But, no, what I meant was that she once rescued me from some being bullied and, with some careful coaching, she taught me how to stand up for myself, to have a bit of self esteem.” She shrugged, “You know, that kind of thing.”

Harry looked inordinately pleased and proud.

“Did it work?” he asked, “I mean, did the bullying stop?”

“Er…yes,” Jenna replied, looking a little uncomfortable. “Although I didn’t really get the chance to do anything for myself. Your father and Sirius Black heard about it and took care of the bullies for me…” she paused then, shocked at how white Harry had suddenly turned. “Wha -?” she looked to Dumbledore.

The Headmaster sighed and looked sadly first at Harry and then at Jenna. “Sirius Black died at the end of last term.” He said gravely. Then, seeing Harry freeze, he added, “It was an accident and no one’s fault.”

Jenna, however, quietly noted the way that Harry flinched and his eyes grew hot and intense.

“I’m sorry,” she said quietly, not quite reaching out to touch the young man beside her. “I know that he was your godfather.”

Harry made a small, noncommittal sound and just stared at the floor.

Making a decision there and then, Jenna looked at the Headmaster. “Professor, if Harry is agreeable, I think it would be rather nice if he and I could perhaps go for a walk – just around the grounds. What do you think, Harry?”

The young man shrugged, seeming to have withdrawn into his shell, and Jenna deeply regretted mentioning Sirius’ name. The shock of his death hadn’t yet fully sunk in for her but she resolved to face her own feelings later. Right now, Harry needed all her attention.

Dumbledore was standing then and opening the door for them to leave. Jenna stood up and extended her arm in an encompassing gesture to indicate for Harry to go ahead of her. As they passed the Headmaster, she looked up into his trouble blue eyes and smiled.

“Thank you for the tea,” she said, aware that she hadn’t drunk it. “I’ll be in touch in a few days.”

*~*~*

They walked in silence for several minutes and Jenna took the time to read Harry’s body language. He walked with rounded shoulders, head down a little and his hands in his pockets. There was something blatantly aloof about his entire stance and clearly the subject of Sirius’ death had made him distant and reluctant to interact.

But there was something else; an air of darkness and she recalled Dumbledore’s words in the letter. Harry’s teachers had noticed it too, this indefinable suggestion that the young man was dangerous. No, Jenna corrected herself: he wasn’t dangerous exactly, but he had the potential to be dangerous – just as an extremely sharp knife has the potential to be dangerous.

“I used to love walking round this lake,” she began, pulling her mind away back to the here and now. “In the summer term, we used to sit on that bank over there,” she gestured, “and we’d dangle our feet in the water. It was always icy cold – even on the hottest days – but some of the boys used to actually swim in it.” She glanced at Harry then, “Do they do that now?”

After a pause in which Harry made no indication that he’d heard her, Jenna went on, “Maybe they stopped it when the merpeople moved into the lake. I always wondered what it was like to swim in there, though.”

“Cold.” Harry said and for a moment, she thought that he was commenting on the fact that he felt cold now. A moment later, though, and she saw that he was looking at the lake too.

“Have you swum in it then?” she asked, her eyes widening slightly with quiet admiration mixed with mild surprise.

Harry nodded curtly but said nothing for several minutes. Then, perhaps feeling that he should fill in the silence, he said, “I was in the Tri-Wizard Tournament; we had to swim down to the bottom of the lake to – to retrieve some-someone.” His explanation was short and to the point and another person might have left it at that or might have asked him about the Tournament itself.

Jenna didn’t. She knew Harry had been in the Tri-Wizard Tournament and she knew just about everything that had happened to him during and afterwards. Her research of the past few days had been extremely thorough. What intrigued her, however, was the boy’s hesitation over this task and the person he’d had to save.

“You had to rescue someone?” she asked and noted the tiny flinch – nothing more than a tightening around Harry’s eyes.

“Was it someone you were friends with?” she asked, knowing that it had been Ron Weasley.

The Yule Ball that Hogwarts had thrown had been an opportunity for the champions to find themselves partners. These partners were then to be ‘abducted’ and placed within the lake for the champions to come and rescue. However, Harry had only been fourteen and a little young for forming romantic relationships. Therefore, he and his friend Ron had ‘lost’ their dates for the evening and had been seen wandering the grounds while the other champions had been getting to know their partners.

So, when the time came for the champions loved ones to be ‘abducted’, it had been Harry’s best friend that had been taken.

Harry nodded now and glanced briefly at her. When she said nothing, he explained, “I had to go and rescue Ron.” He said in a low voice.

“He’s your friend?” Another nod. “What was it like under there?”

Harry took a deep breath, puffing out his cheeks as he exhaled. He kept his eyes on the surface of the lake, watching the way that the breeze rippled the surface.

“It was…cold…icy. I used Gillyweed – it gave me gills so I could breathe underwater – and then it was all right.”

“Could you see very much?” Jenna asked, watching his face as if interested in the task itself.

Harry wrinkled his nose, “Sometimes. It was kind of foggy and cloudy so I couldn’t see a long way in front but I could see creatures under there when they got up close. You know,” he glanced at her, “Grindylows and merpeople.”

“You saw merpeople?” Jenna stared at him, looking as if she didn’t already know this.

He nodded again, starting to relax a little. “There’s like a whole city under there. Anyway, they had – um – they had all the hostages tied up. Ron was there – and Hermione, Cho and Fleur’s little sister, Gabrielle.”

Something had caused his face to tighten again, Jenna saw, and she wondered what was going on in his head. What was it about that task that was causing him such a problem?

“So you were the first to reach them, then?” she asked quietly, “If they were all still there?”

“Yeah.” Harry nodded, his voice soft.

Seizing something almost intuitive, Jenna then said, “It must have been hard just taking Ron when Hermione was there too, huh?”

Those wide green eyes snapped round at her with something like anger or suspicion in them.

“Hermione’s my best friend too.” He said, almost defensively.

Jenna nodded, “I know. So what did you do?”

“I…” Harry turned back to the lake and sighed, “I tried to take Hermione with me too,” he said quietly, “but the merpeople wouldn’t let me. I tried to tell them – I tried to make them understand!” Suddenly Harry was growing angry as he remembered his frustration.
“The song in the egg had said that if our – our friends weren’t rescued in time, then they’d be lost forever. Well, I didn’t understand – I thought it was real! I mean, the merpeople are pretty bloody scary, you know? And I thought Hermione might die – Hermione or Cho or Fleur’s little sister!”

“So what did you do?” Jenna murmured, watching his animated face.

Harry scowled, angry with himself. “I waited. Ced-Cedric came and rescued Cho and then Krum came next and took Hermione.” Jenna said nothing. “And,” Harry went on, “when Fleur didn’t turn up, I made the merpeople let me take the little girl and I swam back with her and Ron.”

“That’s good, though, isn’t it?” Jenna asked.

Harry made a face, his eyes hard. “If it had been real, it would have been. But it wasn’t and Ron…Ron said I was a prat.”

“For rescuing a little girl when you thought she was going to die?” Jenna looked at him incredulously.

Harry shrugged, “Anyway, I was stupid. I was there first, I should have just taken Ron and then I would have won it. If I’d done that, I might have won the whole Tournament. I wouldn’t have drawn a tie with Cedric.”

Jenna held her breath, watching him. This wasn’t what she had been meant to be discussing with him but it seemed that Harry’s problems were deep-seated and so there was little point in only helping with the problems on the surface when those lower down could cause trouble at any point.

“And if I hadn’t tied with Cedric then…” he sighed, “Cedric died because he took the cup with me.” Harry said, looking over his shoulder at her. “He came with me when the portkey took me to the graveyard where Voldemort was waiting. So if I hadn’t pratted about in the water, I would have won the Tournament. If I’d won the Tournament, only my hand would have touched the portkey and then Cedric would still be alive.” He gave her a long, speculative look, “Is that what you wanted to hear, Doctor?”

And suddenly Jenna realised that she’d been led in by a young man who knew precisely what he was doing. All of what he’d told her was no doubt true but the perfect Guilt Complex, all neatly presented on a silver platter was an obvious ruse.

Sensing again that air of possible danger, she went to take an involuntary step back but then prevented herself and instead, a moment later, she moved forward a step, meeting the hard green gaze.

“No, Harry.” She said in a very soft voice. “That isn’t even close. But I’m not here to threaten you; you don’t have to be afra -” She paused, realising that this was the wrong tack. “I’m not going to pretend to be your friend.” She said then. “Some psychologists or psychoanalysts will attempt to win their patient round by pretending to be their best buddy. Well I don’t. I think it’s nothing but dangerous and ultimately harmful. If we work at it, we might grow to be friends. Otherwise, we might just remain acquaintances, okay?”

Then, not waiting for him to respond, she went on, “Harry, you’re not stupid. And you’re not mad, either, so you can quit trying to make me think you have major psychological problems, okay? But there are things we need to address, if that’s okay with you.”

Harry’s eyes narrowed suspiciously, “What kind of things?”

Jenna shrugged, “Well, when you’re ready, I’d like for you to tell me about this summer.”

Harry regarded her with cool, blank eyes.

“And I’d like for you to talk with me about Sirius sometime.” Jenna continued, bravely facing Harry’s problems head on. After all, this young man was too intelligent to be fooled, she thought. “I liked Sirius, when I was at school – hell, who didn’t? There were plenty of girls and several boys too who would die to call Sirius Black their own!”

Harry’s eyes widened a little at this and she wondered what precisely had provoked his reaction. Was it the mention of boys fancying Sirius?

“I think you probably know him for who he was in later years better than anyone.” She concluded with a little smile.

Harry, however, was shaking his head. “Remus Lupin knew him better. He…” Harry paused and appeared to be thinking. “Remus and Sirius were living together.” He said slowly.

“You mean they shared a house?” Jenna looked interested.

“No,” Harry shook his head slowly, “no, they lived together. I didn’t think of it until you mentioned Sirius and boys at school, but I think he and Remus were lovers.”

Jenna said nothing but watched the young man before her. Was this something else that was going to cause a problem?

“Don’t do that!” Harry suddenly snapped and she jumped a little in surprise. “Stop trying to work me out. If you want to know something, ask me – if I want to tell you, I will. If I don’t, I won’t. But stop trying to read me like an upside-down book!”

A faint smile curved Jenna’s mouth. “Agreed. But, Harry, if you’re a book, not only are you upside-down, but you’re written in Swahili!”

And that drew a startled grin from the young man before her.