Scarlet Pain

WARNING: This chapter has a non-explicit scene that insinuates sexual abuse by a non-family member, and another attempt made by said character. Don\'t like, don\'t read.

Disclaimer: I\'m just borrowing the characters for my own tortu...er, enjoyment *grin*

A/N: I know some of you out there want teh smex, but I\'m a plot person (at least some of the time). Don\'t worry, this IS a Sev/Harry slash fic, but I want to get them to that point first in way that seems probable (at least in the wonderful slash universe). Anyways, hope you enjoy this chapter.

Scarlet Pain
Chapter Sixteen


Hermione, Ron and Ginny watched Harry bolt from Hall as if there were Dementors on his tail. For a few seconds the three of them looked around in confusion before slowly getting up and following him out. On the other side of the Hall, Draco\'s eyes narrowed. He had seen the look of sheer panic on Potter\'s face as he left. A glance at the Gryffindor table told him nothing, as they all looked just as confused as he was. Waiting a few minutes after the three had left, the blonde quietly slipped out behind him. None of them saw the worried looks from the professor\'s table, or the almost concerned expression on one Potions Master\'s face. Professor McGonagall and the Headmaster exchanged a few hurried words before she too, got up and left.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Harry ran, not really caring where he went. A few times he stumbled on the moving stairs, or came across another student, but he ignored them. A long one word chant was all that filled his mind. Nononononononono... He didn\'t realize he was even close to the Infirmary until he nearly crashed headlong into Madam Pomfrey. Trying to skid to a sudden halt a fell backwards onto the floor.

\"Really Mr. Potter,\" Poppy exclaimed, somewhat startled. Her expression changed when she realized just what kind of state her patient was in. \"Harry?\"

\"I\'m not going back.\" He shook his head, and glared up at her as if daring her to contradict him. \"You can\'t make me go back.\"

\"Maybe we should continue this in a more private location,\" Poppy reached down to help him to his feel but Harry scooted back in a flash of panic.

\"I won\'t! I won\'t go back!\"

\"Harry, please, let\'s take this out of the Hallway.\" At that moment, McGonagall came around the corner.

\"What exactly is going on here?\" she asked quietly, unsure as to how to approach the scene before her. Harry scrambled to his feet and back away from the two adults.

\"I don\'t care what you say, I refuse to go back there!\" Pomfrey glanced at the other professor before looking back at Harry. He didn\'t even seem to notice. \"I\'m of age now. I\'m a legal adult. I don\'t have to go back there. You can\'t make me go back there!\" Harry was nearly screaming at this point, unaware or uncaring of the fact that he was in the middle of the Hallway where people could see him.

\"Back where Harry?\" Poppy\'s voice was quiet but it carried well enough to get through Harry\'s rant. As if suddenly coming back to himself he straightened up and glanced at the two professors. His mask went up and Pomfrey had a feeling they wouldn\'t be getting any more out of him. McGonagall took a cautious step forward.

\"Harry, are you all right?\"

\"I\'m fine. I...apologize for causing a disturbance. It was nothing.\" Without waiting for a response Harry fled, this time heading straight for his room. He would not be going to any classes today, though he couldn\'t see how that would affect his grade any. It would be the first time he\'d missed class this year and it was almost Halloween.

Poppy glanced at the other professor, taking in the thoughtful and somewhat disturbed look on her face. McGonagall abruptly turned around, her face hardening into a look of displeasure.

\"Poppy, would you please come with me to the Headmaster\'s office? There is something that needs to be discussed. Right now.\" Madam Pomfrey nodded and after locking her office door, followed the Deputy Headmistress to go see Albus. He was waiting for them when they arrived.

\"Lemon drop?\"

\"No,\" Minerva\'s voice had a colder edge to it. \"What is going on with Mr. Potter? I can tell that both of you know something, and I have my own suspicions but if there is something concrete going on I need to know about it.\" Albus sighed and gestured for the two women to sit down before beginning to speak.

\"Harry\'s friends approached Poppy earlier this semester because they were worried that something had happened to him over the summer.\"

\"What kind of something?\" The Headmaster drooped visibly and for the first time in a long time, looked his age. \"Albus?\"

\"Abuse. They are worried that Harry was being abused.\" Minerva pinched the brdge of her nose.

\"I can\'t say that I\'m all that shocked, surprised maybe, but it doesn\'t seem that far a stretch when I think about it.\" She paused. The air had grown heavy and all three adults were lost in their own brooding thoughts. \"Why was I not told?\" Poppy answered her question this time.

\"Nothing official has occured yet. Though at this point, I don\'t know what we can do. Harry refuses to tell anyone, all physical evidence has most likely healed, and filing a report and requesting an investigation would only cause this to become a public scandal, which I can assure you Harry will react badly to.\"

\"Who else among the staff knows?\"

\"Severus.\" Albus supplied. Minerva looked incensed.

\"You told him before talking to me? I\'m his Head of House?\" Poppy rushed to respond.

\"Actually, Harry\'s friends requested that he be told. They were worried that Severus\'...stricter treatment of the students may cause him to have a breakdown.\"

\"A breakdown? I know how harsh Severus can seem, but Harry has never seemed like the type of student to have a breakdown. Get angry, hex something or someone, but that...How bad abuse are we talking about?\" Neither of the other professors responded and Minerva paled noticeably. \"Dear sweet Merlin, how could this have happened without us knowing? Albus?\" The Headmaster shook his head sadly and when he looked up, both women were shocked that the twinkly in eye was not from joy, but from unshed tears.

\"I don\'t know. I have always known he didn\'t like it there, but after his 5th year, he grew very distant. I made a mistake, and he has paid for it.\"

\"Albus, Minerva, I don\'t think right now is the time to be blamin ourselves. If anything, it was my responsibility as the Medi-Witch of this school to catch these things before it got as bad as it did. He was in the Infirmary so often that I most likely assumed whatever residual injuries he had were from his...other confrontations. But for whatever reason, we didn\'t know. What we have to worry about now is how to salvage what we have and see if we can help Harry get better. Whatever happened earlier today has made him seem to believe that he may have to go back. Considering the events of last year, I would assume there was a correlation.\"

\"Now that you mention it, he left just after the mail arrived,\" Minerva added. \"Could it be another summons from his... \'family\' to return for the holidays.\" Albus\' gaze darkened at the thought.

\"If it is, then he will not being going back. I think it is safe to assume that should that be the case, it is another one of Voldemort\'s ploys to capture Harry. However,\" Albus paused, deep in thought. \"If it is a letter from his family, we should also be aware that they may know he would never willingly return.\"

\"What are you saying, Albus?\" Minerva glanced over at Poppy, identical looks of concern on their faces.

\"That it is possible that something else set the boy off, or that if it is a letter from his relatives, they may have compesated for the fact that he wouldn\'t return, and tried to make a more...agressive argument to get him to leave the safetly of this school.\" Dawning looks of horror crossed the professors\' faces. Albus hurried to cut off any questions. \"No reports have come in that anyone Harry is close has been captured, and the wards on Privet Drive have not been breached, though I will send out warnings through the old crowd for everyone to be on their toes.\"

\"Very well,\" Poppy nodded. \"If that is all, I have patients to tend to.\"

\"Yes, of course Poppy. Please let us know if there are any new developements.\" After Poppy had left Minerva and Albus sat in relative quiet. Taking a sip of tea, Minerva reached over and gave Albus\' hand a comforting squeeze. They said no words to each other, just held hands, taking comfort just from each other\'s presence.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Harry sat on his bed, curtains drawn and spelled shut after assuring his friends that he was fine, something in the food hadn\'t sat well with him, yes he was sure he was alright, he just wanted to be alone. He stared at his hands, memories of the last winter holiday washing over him.

Flashback.

Harry had walked into his room, kicking to door closed behind him, a glass of water in his hands. He tried not to keep himself from trembling too badly, but this...Mr. Collins had been over for dinner and was spending the night in the guest bedroom. Mr. Collins was one of Vernon\'s weirder business associates. Creepy, odd, skeezy were all words that could describe him, though he acted nice enough. Nice enough when there were people around, Harry thought with shudder. At least while Collins was here Harry didn\'t have to worry about Vernon. The thought was not comforting.

Harry nearly screamed when Collins appeared out of the darker shadows of his room, and dropped his glass of water, shattering it.

\"Mr. Collins. What are you doing here?\" Harry bent down to pick up the broken glass and flinched hard enough to cut his hands when the man\'s hand descended on his shoulder.

\"You\'re uncle stated that should I need anything I should talk to you. I decided that indeed I am in need of some assistance.\" Harry swallowed hard and tried to ignore the blood pouring from his hands. \"Tsk, tsk. Blood on your hands. That\'s a symbol of a guilty conscious if I ever saw one. Kill anyone recently?\" the question was light, teasing, but it struck deep.

There was a small ache in Harry\'s scar, though he barely noticed it as his pulsed jumped when the man brought his other hand to caress Harry\'s cheek. What was going to do? Mr. Collins was a muggle, he couldn\'t use magic on him, or he could be expelled or put in Azkaban. Harry tried to pull back but the man grabbed him by his hair.

\"Come now boy, you\'ve always been so abliging in the past.\" What bullshit, Harry thought in quiet desperation.

\"Mr. Collins, no,\" Harry tried to pull away again, bringing his hands up to try and push the man away from him. All he got was a tighter grip in his hair, and the sound of a zipper opening. \"No,\" Harry choked out again and began to struggle in earnest. He kicked his leg out, and luckily managed to hit the man\'s knee. When the grip loosed Harry bolted, fleeing down the stairs and out the door. He had barely made it to the curb when he was surrounded by the dark forms of Death Eaters. It was out of reflex that he caught the object tossed in the direction. His last thought as he felt the sickeningly familiar tug at his navel was that he should have just appeased Mr. Collins. At least the man wouldn\'t have killed him. Harry didn\'t see the man in question walk calmly out the front door, a satisfied smile on his face as he donned his own mask and cloak.

Harry squeezed his eyes shut, fighting off the shudder that threatened to shake him apart. His hands were clenched until his nails dug marks into his palms, his breathing harsh and painful. After a few moments, when the clenching feeling in his chest was gone, Harry opened his eyes and glanced at the clock. It was nearly time for his detention with Snape. The entire day had gone by, and Harry had spent in all in his bed staring at the ceiling. He hadn\'t even eaten, not that he really felt all that hungry.

TBC