The New Me

Disclaimer: I don't own it. You know I don't.

Warnings: Yeah, gonna have some flashbacks and stuff.

A/N: I know, I know...shame on me. This chapter is really quite long, but I couldn't come up with how I wanted to end it, so I cut it in half instead. And even then, it's 12 pages long. Hopefully, I'll manage to get around to writing the end of the next part soon and have it up for you.
Without further ado - here's chapter 17 (part 1)!

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Chapter 17

“Harry!” Remus slid down beside his Godson, shaking his shoulder to rouse him. Getting no reaction at all, Remus turned towards Snape, eyes pleading for him to help.

“Let’s carry him to the bedroom where he will be sleeping, and then we can fire-call Madam Pomfrey so she can have a look.” Snape said quietly as he bent down to take hold under Harry’s legs. It didn’t occur to either of the men that they could just use a levitation spell to move the unconscious young man, so they trudged along, hoping that none of the other Slytherins would come out of their rooms while they were walking passed.

When they finally arrived in the dark blue bedroom suite and placed their burden on the king size bed, Harry had started mumbling in his sleep and tossing his head too and fro.

“I’ll go get Madam Pomfrey. Stay here, Lupin, we’ll be back shortly.” Snape walked over to the large fireplace, grabbed a handful of Floo-powder from an urn on the mantelpiece, and was gone in a flurry of green flames before Remus had time to react to his instructions.

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“Poppy! Damn it all, woman – where are you?!” Poppy Pomfrey rushed out of her office at the agitated shout of Severus Snape.

“What on earth is the matter, Severus?” She asked a bit out of breath, getting a scowl in return.

“I need you to come with me to Snape Manor. Something has happened to make Potter collapse, and he is now unconscious in one of my guestrooms.”

“Dear Merlin! I’ll get my bag straight away, oh that poor, poor boy! Will he ever find peace?” She bustled away, grabbing her bag and stuffing it full with different potions and creams, remembering to get her wand before shooing Snape to the fireplace he had arrived through.

“Blue Room, Snape Manor!” A second year Hufflepuff with bubbles coming out of her ears arrived in the Infirmary just in time to see her Potions Professor and school’s Nurse disappear in a wall of green flames.

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Remus was almost wringing his hands in despair by the time Snape and Madam Pomfrey showed up. Harry had become more and more restless since the Potions Master had left, and he was now tossing and turning, whimpering in his sleep, stuck in a nightmare he couldn’t wake from.

“Remus! Tell me what happened when Mr Potter collapsed so that I have some background before I start treating him.” Casting diagnostic spells as fast as she possibly could, Madam Pomfrey was shocked at what she found when the parchment appeared next to her.

“Well, he Apparated in right in front of us, and he seemed fine at first, but then he paled a lot and then he just fainted!” Remus said nervously, his eyes staying glued to the form of his Godson.

“Well, according to my scans he’s got signs of years of abuse! How could this possibly have not shown up before? Who did this to him?” The Mediwitch ranted as she turned to the two men.

“We know. He only told me after he was Sorted into my House, and only after he made me swear an Unbreakable Vow to never tell anyone.” Snape said quietly before he turned around abruptly, muttering something about seeing to the other students and that Lupin should stay where he was most needed for now.

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“I wonder where they are, didn’t they say that we should meet back out here in fifteen minutes?” Hermione said as she and the rest of the Slytherins gathered on the large stone stairs outside.

“Yeah, I’m sure they’ll be here in a minute though. Otherwise Snape will probably send a house elf to tell us if something’s happened. Don’t worry.” Pansy said reassuringly.

“Shouldn’t Harry have arrived by now? I mean, where is he?”

“Probably off somewhere exercising his rights as a ‘hero’, bloody Potter who thinks he’s someone…” Greengrass sneered, not catching the telltale signs of Draco’s rage as she continued to rack on the man he loved.

“Now you listen here, Greengrass. Shut your mouth about Harry, or I’ll do it for you. Permanently. You got that?” He hissed icily as he leaned in closer, getting in her face, his eyes cold and hard like diamonds.

“Oh, yeah? You and what army, Malfoy?”

“Shut it you stupid little girl, you’re only trying to stir trouble and no one cares.” Hermione said haughtily as she looked down her nose at the shorter girl.

“Don’t you dare speak to me, you filthy little Mudblood!”

“That will be quite enough, Miss Greengrass. You will have detention with Mr Filch when we return to Hogwarts, and 50 points will be taken from Slytherin.” The students turned as one at the cold voice of their Head of House, relief on most of their faces.

“B-but sir…” Greengrass whined, shutting up at the glare Snape sent her way, before he turned around and walked back in the house, clearly expecting them to follow him.

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Back in the Blue Room of Snape Manor, both Madam Pomfrey and Remus were mystified as to what had happened to Harry to make him pass out.

“I just don’t understand it. We’ve found absolutely nothing to suggest what could have happened to make him collapse like that. Frankly, I’m at my wits end!” Madam Pomfrey exclaimed as she sank down in one of the chairs next to the bed.

“Well…we didn’t check for any Dark Curses, did we?” Remus said slowly, an idea forming in his head.

“No…I don’t think we did. Do you have an idea, Remus?”

“Well, I’d have to ask Severus, but if I’m not mistaken, there is a Dark Curse that will trap you inside your own mind and make you relive your very worst memories. We saw it a few times during the first war, but I had completely forgotten about it.”

“It’s certainly worth a try. Do you know how to detect it?”

“I think you need a potion to detect it actually, and if I remember correctly, the ingredients are quite difficult to come by. But I’m sure that Severus has them in his stock or in his garden.”

“Let us hope so, Remus. Let us hope so.”

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There was darkness surrounding him, pressing in on him, making it difficult to breathe. He felt pressure on his back, a familiar weight that should not have been known to him at all.

“You like that don’t you, freak? Such a good little slut, begging for it.” The voice grunted in his ear, making him shiver with fright. He didn’t want to hear, didn’t want to know, wanted it to stop.

Stop! Stop! Stop!

Please, make it stop…
The surroundings shifted, he was back in the cellar, forced to please yet another man as his so called Uncle watched and collected on the cash. He was only twelve years old, and this was his ‘present’ for the year. Something he ‘should be grateful for’.

Stop! Stop! Stop!

It shifted once again – summer after fifth year. Bleeding, broken, sobbing quietly while clutching his blanket tightly around him. Make the pain go away, please make it stop, can’t take this anymore, want to die, want it to stop, stop, stop, stop…so tired, so damaged, no point anymore, want to fall asleep and never wake up ever again. New pain shooting up his spine, the feeling of a branding iron on his skin – make it STOP! No more, no more, no more.

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A strong magical energy could be felt radiating from behind one of the doors that they passed on their way towards the room that would serve as their study the time that they were at Snape Manor.

“What’s in there, Professor?” Hermione asked as they came to an abrupt halt in front of the door.

“It is one of the guestrooms, now come along we have work to do.” Snape answered curtly. Both Hermione and Draco seemed transfixed by the energy that was now washing over them, and as one, they moved towards the door, reaching to open it.

“Draco, Miss Granger, come along.” Getting no reaction what so ever from his two students, Snape placed himself in front of the door to block their way.

“He’s so sad… Why is he so sad?” Hermione murmured quietly, her eyes unfocused and glazed over.

“He wants it to stop, that’s what he keeps saying, stop, stop, stop. What is it?” Draco said, his eyes just as unfocused as Hermione’s.

Suddenly the door opened behind Snape and Remus stuck out his head.

“Severus, good. Ah, we could use your help in here if you have the time. What’s wrong with those two?” He said, spotting Draco and Hermione standing in front of Snape like two zombies.

“I have no idea what so ever what is wrong with them. They seem to be channelling Mr Potter in there.”

“Really? Well, this just keeps getting better and better. Poppy, we have another symptom! Bring them in here, and send the other students away, we need to fix this as soon as possible, and the fact that he’s already chosen two people to broadcast to is really good.”

After dismissing the remaining students to their rooms until dinner, Snape ushered his Godson and Potter’s sister through the door.

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What was happening to him? Why was it so dark? The darkness was pressing in on him again, making him remember the narrow box that had been one of his punishments until his eighth birthday, when he couldn’t fit in it anymore.

“Not a sound from you, boy, or you’ll have ten more lashes!”

No more, please not the box! Don’t want to, please, please, please, don’t make me! Somebody please help me!

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The two students didn’t seem to react at all when Remus asked them to sit down on the two quickly conjured chairs next to the bed. Placing a hand on each of their shoulders, he gently led them over and pushed them down in the chairs.

“Hermione, what can you feel from Harry? It’s important that we know so that we can help your brother.” He asked carefully as he sat down next to Madam Pomfrey again, Snape standing behind them.

“He’s scared, so scared, feeling suffocated. Sad, lonely and hopeless.”

“Always so sad…he wants somebody to save him.” Draco mumbled, his eyes transfixed on Harry’s face as it contorted in pain and he whimpered.

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Draco and Hermione were still acting a bit dazed when Severus finally asked Remus just what the bloody hell was going on.

“We think that Harry has been cursed with the Nightmare Curse. You know, the one where you’re trapped in your worst memories or your worst nightmares, and seeing as Harry has quite a few bad memories…”

“I see your point, Lupin. Do you know how to break it? I’ve only come across one reference to it in my studies, but that was several years ago, and I don’t think that they actually put the counter in the text.”

“I believe we must brew quite a complicated potion to give to him.” Madam Pomfrey put in.

“Yes, it consists of Dragon Blood from a Swedish Short Snout, dew collected on the night of a full moon in the Elven Realm, three hairs from a werewolf, two feathers from a purple winged Fenris and one drop of blood from the victim of the curse.” Severus sat silently thinking over the list of ingredients. Most of them were going to be difficult to obtain, for sure, but fortunately he – as one of the world’s leading Potions Masters – had quite a few contacts.

“It won’t be a problem. I’ll have the ingredients within two days at the most. If you’ll excuse me, I’ll go place the orders.” With a curt nod, Severus walked out of the room, heading for his private study.

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Hermione was the first to break out of the daze.

When she was aware of her surroundings once more, she was shocked to see her brother lying on a bed in front of her, brow furrowed and glistening with sweat as he whimpered quietly in his sleep.

“My God, what happened to him?!” She exclaimed startled.

“He’s been hit with the Nightmare Curse. We don’t know who did it yet.” The soft voice of Remus Lupin was heard from behind her, making her jump with fright.

“Professor Lupin! What do you mean, he’s been hit with the Nightmare Curse? It hasn’t been used in almost forty years, almost nobody remembers it anymore, and you can barely find any information about it.”

“Quite true, but we think that someone who saw it – or used it – during the first war with Grindewald is responsible. We just don’t know who it is yet. Professor Snape is getting all the ingredients for the antidote as fast as he can, but they’re really rare.”

“Isn’t that just typical? Nothing is ever simple when it comes to dealing with Harry. What’s wrong with Draco?” Hermione asked, having finally noticed the dazed blonde beside her.

“He’s channelling Harry, as were you until you came out of it a few minutes ago.”

“What do you mean ‘channelling’?”

“When someone is cursed with the Nightmare Curse they can, if their will and magic is strong enough, manage to project their thoughts or emotions to someone they trust that is in close proximity to them. Apparently Harry trusts you and Mr Malfoy very much.”

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He was at the cemetery. This shouldn’t be possible.

Voldemort should not be standing in front of him, Voldemort was dead!

“Oh, no Harry. I’ll always continue to exist in your darkest nightmares. You’ll never really be rid of me.” Voldemort chuckled evilly as he paced in front of Harry.

“No, I killed you. You’ve been dead almost six months. I know you died!”

“Poor, innocent Harry Potter. But you’re not so innocent after all, are you? Wouldn’t you say, Lucius?” Harry paled as he almost went into shock at seeing the elder Malfoy step forward. His first rapist.

Lucius smirked at him before answering his Master.

“Definitely, My Lord. As I recall, he was quite accomplished for someone so young. Are you still as tight, Potter?!” He sneered, clearly enjoying the pain he was putting Harry through.

Harry whimpered as the image of the graveyard faded away, only to be replaced by the memory of his seventh birthday.

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Tears were pouring down Draco’s cheeks as he was dragged further into Harry’s memories. He felt slightly shocked at his father’s and Voldemort’s words, and the feeling changed to nausea as the memories changed to a scene he wished he didn’t have to witness.

He watched as his father and Walden McNair took turns raping and torturing a very young Harry Potter, until he just couldn’t stand it anymore.

This was what had happened to his Harry?

No wonder then, that he didn’t want anybody touching him – especially not Draco.
He wept as the scene changed again to a large obese man with a bushy moustache whipping Harry with a cow hide whip until he was completely bloodied and raw on his back and on his legs.

“Oh, Harry – why didn’t you tell anyone? They could’ve gotten you out of there years ago and you wouldn’t have had to go through all this. I promise I’m going to do my best to make you see just how beautiful and worthwhile you are. No one is going to hurt you ever again.” Draco said to Harry’s image as the young boy cried pitifully on the floor in front of him.

Suddenly the image started to fade, and Draco became aware that he was waking up.

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“Oh, Merlin, my head hurts.” Draco groaned as he closed his eyes against the light in the room.

“Do you want me to get you a pain relieving potion, Draco?” Hermione’s voice sounded worried. Draco turned around to look at her, sadness and rage mixed in his eyes.

“No, thank you, Mione. I’m going to kill Harry’s uncle.” Remus and Hermione gasped at his remark.

“What? Why?” Hermione asked panicked.

“Because I’ve just seen some of the things the bastard did to him, that’s why. Merlin, I’m surprised Harry even considered becoming my friend after what my father did to him. It’s a good thing the bastard’s already dead or I would’ve killed him myself.” Draco said passionately.

“What do you mean? Draco? What did your father do to Harry?”

“He raped him, Mione. My father and Walden McNair raped Harry when he was just seven years old. His uncle sold his body to them to do as they pleased with.”

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Far away in the Castle that was Hogwarts the portraits of Godric Gryffindor, Salazar Slytherin, Rowena Rawenclaw and Helga Hufflepuff had just awoken for the first time in a thousand years.

In an instant, the Castle had updated them on what had happened at the school since they had died.

It would have been an understatement to say that they were pleased.

In fact, it would be more accurate to say that they were down right pissed.

Especially when they heard what the current Headmaster had done to their only Heir.

“The old coot must be taken from the place he has so abused. Never did we have the desire to see such happen to our beloved school.” Godric said.

“Aye, the scoundrel hath nearly done away with all we sought to create. He hath sorely abused the only Heir to our names.” Salazar continued, scowling fiercely.

The two witches stayed quiet as their two comrades grumbled, Rowena’s mind moving through different scenarios at the speed of lightening.

“Hold, my friends. This is not a simple matter to solve. We must use all the cunning and intelligence we possess to remove the false Headmaster from his post. Then we must contact our Heir so that we may help him heal his mind, body and spirit.”

“What should we do first, Ena?” Helga asked.

“Hogwarts, is our Heir currently in the Castle?”

“Nay, My Lady, he is not. He has left with the other seventh year Slytherins to the home of the Potions Master – Severus Snape. He managed to Apparate away after the Headmaster hit him with the Nightmare Curse.” The Castle answered, being able to speak to her founders with words out loud.

“They still use that curse?” Godric asked stunned.

“Aye, My Lord. But not many know of it.”

“This is not very good, considering what you have told us of our Heir. What did you say his name was?”

“He is called Harry James Potter, My Lord, and he is the last of his line. He has an adopted sister, but they do not share any blood, as she is a Muggleborn witch.”

“He has no parents or bloodsiblings?”

“Nay, My Lady, his parents were slew sixteen years passed, by Lord Slytherin’s other heir – he called himself Lord Voldemort – and Harry destroyed him at the end of the last term.”

“One of my descendants, you say? I am deeply shamed at what has happened to our world since our deaths. Come my comrades, we must try and find our Heir.” Salazar turned around and walked out of the frame of the portrait, appearing in the portrait of Phinneas Black located at Number 12, Grimmauld Place.

“I say, who are you?” Phinneas asked as a strange quartet appeared in his portrait. The man with the black hair and grey eyes nodded his head in greeting before answering. The red haired, green eyed man extended his hand and the two women stood silently behind them.

“We are the founders of Hogwarts, and you are…?”

“Phinneas Black, My Lord.”

“Ah, the Ancient and most Noble House of Black. Do you still have Heirs?” Salazar asked curiously.

“The only by blood is Draco Malfoy, as his mother was a Black by birth, but Lord of the Black Family by adoption is Harry Potter. Nice boy, my great-great-great-great-great grandson Sirius Black, was his Godfather.”

“You have met Harry? We are trying to find him. Have you any idea where the House of Severus Snape is?”

“As a matter of fact I do, and I know that he has a portrait of you, My Lord, as he is the Head of Slytherin House at Hogwarts.”

“Very good. Come, let us go.” With that the four founders walked out, leaving Phinneas alone.

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The Daily Prophet can, as the first newspaper, report that our Saviour, Harry Potter, has been subjected to the Nightmare Curse.

How this has come to happen is yet unknown, but our source has informed us that the boy-hero was hit with the curse shortly before he Apparated to the home of Professor Severus Snape, where he is now under treatment.

Our hearts go out to Harry, and we wish him a speedy recovery.

Written by Verie Nosey.

“Verie Nosey, indeed. She definitely live up to her name.” Hermione grumbled as she finished the article. Harry had now been in the curse induced sleep for two days, and they could tell it was getting worse by the minute.

“What I would like to know is, who is their source? It’s not like we told anybody outside this Manor what’s happened.” Draco sighed as he rubbed his hands over his face.

“That is an interesting question, Draco. Do you think maybe the Headmaster found out somehow and told the press?” Pansy asked quietly as she sipped her tea.
They were currently in one of the dining rooms eating breakfast together.

“I don’t know, Panse. But why would Sev or Professor Lupin tell the Headmaster? They don’t like him very much. Or at least that’s the impression I’ve gotten from them.” Draco said.

“Here’s a wild idea – maybe the Headmaster knew because he’s the one who cursed Harry? I mean, he did try to hit him with that Stupefy a while ago.” Silence greeted Blaise’s idea.

“Actually…that really wouldn’t surprise me at all, come to think of it. It would make perfect sense.” Hermione said slowly as she started running through different scenarios in her mind.

“I would have to agree with you there, Miss Granger.” They all turned, slightly startled (how did he always manage to sneak up on everybody?) at the voice of Severus Snape.

“Sev! How is he? Do you have all the ingredients yet? How long is the potion going to take to make?” Draco fired the questions in rapid succession at his Godfather.

“There has been no change the past two hours, we think his brain might be sleeping for now, and yes, I have received all the ingredients. It will take me five hours to brew the potion.”

“Thank God! I feel so relieved that we are going to be able to cure Harry tonight, maybe he can tell us who it was that cursed him and we can press charges?” Hermione said with relief in her voice.

The others just looked at her, small smiles on their faces. Hermione blushed and shot them a small glare as she asked self-consciously;

“What? Why are you all looking at me like that?”

“It just amazes me, Mione, that you still think like that after seven years in the Wizarding world.” Draco mused.

“Like what?”

“The whole pressing charges bit. No one does that, you have to file a complaint with the Aurors and then they will decide if the matter is to be proceeded with or not.”

“That can’t be right. Harry and I pressed charges against Ron in September, and that worked.”

“Yes, well – that was a special case. And they treated you a bit differently than normal because of who you are.”

“Oh. Well, never mind. I’m sure that everything will work out ok in the end.”

“Probably. Hey, Sev…? Where did he go? When did he leave? Did you see him leave?” Draco asked bewildered as he looked around the room.

“Erm…no?” Blaise said, shrugging his shoulders.

“Not me, I didn’t hear a thing.” Pansy answered.

“Yeah, he left when you started explaining how the process of filing charges is made. He was probably going to start brewing Harry’s potion.” Hermione answered.

“How did you…?”

“Pardon me, but is this Snape Manor?”

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The four of them startled at the sound of the unfamiliar voice. They turned to a large paiting hanging on the wall behind Pansy and Blaise.

In the frame were two men and two women.

The one who had asked the question had black hair and grey eyes and was dressed in a green tunic and grey breeches. Next to him stood a large man with red hair and startling green eyes dressed in a white shirt and leather breeches.

The woman with chestnut hair and hazel eyes wore a blue dress, and the last woman had blonde hair and blue eyes and was wearing a yellow dress. They all looked to have been painted in their late twenties.

“Yes it is, but who are you?” Hermione answered.

“My name is Salazar Slytherin, and these are my fellow founders; Godric Gryffindor, Rowena Ravenclaw and Helga Hufflepuff. And who might you be?”

“Shit, this is just so cool! I’m Blaise Zabini, this is my girlfriend Pansy Parkinson, my best friend Draco Malfoy, and my newest friend, Hermione Granger.”

“Greetings. We are looking for the one called Harry Potter. Do you know him?”

“He’s my brother, but he’s still in the cursed sleep of the Nightmare Curse. Why do you want to see him?”

“Ah, yes. You must be his adopted sister, right?”

“Yes, I am.”

“Good, then you can show us to his room.”

“Why should I?” She asked suspiciously.

“Because we would like to meet our Heir.”

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Remus was tired.

He had been sitting at Harry’s bed almost 24/7 for two days now, only leaving to get a few hours sleep at three in the morning, waking up at seven.

He was relieved that Severus would be able to finish the potion today, he just couldn’t stand worrying any longer, he was getting too old for this.
He turned to the bed again, his eyes widening at the sight that greeted him.

All over Harry’s face and neck, bruises were appearing and fading. Blood started to trickling out of his nose and his right eye was swollen shut.

“Madam Pomfrey!!!”

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A/N2: Well, there it is. Please review and tell me what you think. Also: who do you want to be the top? Draco or Harry? Let me know!
//LoveGD