The Gulag

Chapter 2 The Gulag

“Ron, what do you mean that you’re the warden?” Harry’s mouth hung slightly opened in amazement.

Ron’s eyes flashed with anger, only calming down when Hermione placed a soothing hand on his knee.

“Harry, you must understand that the Slytherins were the backbone to our economic structure. Once they were imprisoned, everything started to fall apart. Businesses closed, unemployment was rampant, and homelessness increased. . The enormous amount of money the government confiscated after the war was pittance compared what the Slytherins produced in revenue. No longer able to make payroll, the administrations had to let go most of their employees. Jobs were nowhere to be found. Ron was lucky to find this job,” Hermione explained.

“The pay stinks,” Ron said, blinking back his tears.

“It keeps a roof over our head and food on our table. Be thankful,” Hermione reprimanded.

In frustration Ron stood and charged across the room, “Be thankful? Be thankful that I sit and do nothing and watch thousand of innocent people suffer? Be thankful that I don’t have enough money to buy food for them? Be thankful that, even if we had the money, they are denied the basic things needed to survive? How many Healers are out of jobs right now? Even if they wanted to help they wouldn’t be allowed to do so,” Ron was nearly screaming by the time he was through his tirade.

“What if we don’t ask?” Harry was mixing a calming draught in a glass of water for Ron.

“What? I don’t understand,” Ron was momentarily confused.

“I’m a Healer with nothing to do,” he handed his best friend the potion. Without much thought Ron downed the concoction. Instantly his nerves began to relax.


“You mean…you? Even if I agreed to it there just no way it would work,” Ron told him.

“Why?” Hermione asked before Harry had the chance.

“We have no supplies,” Ron explained.

“What I can’t get legitimately I can get on the black market,” Harry supplied.

“And who is going to pay for it?” Ron asked.

“I was blessed with two parents that were smart enough to invest my money wisely. I have more than enough money to help out, at least for awhile,” Harry said.

“I couldn’t let you use your own money.”

“Why not? I have more money than I’ll ever need and I want to help. I became a Healer because I was tired of all the pain and death that surrounded me. I want to be known for more than being the man that killed Voldemort. Let me help these people Ron. It’s more than likely my fault that they are interned,” Harry passionately stated.

Ron was going to argue that they were in the gulag because of their own actions but knew that wasn’t true. At the beginning it may have been true, when the Death Eaters were imprisoned but things changed once they started to inter the children. No matter how much he had hated the Slytherins when he was in school, he never wanted the innocent to be hurt.

“It’s not your fault Harry. It’s our fault for letting it get out of control. The war had taken so much out of us that we just didn’t want any more confrontations,” Ron stood a little straighter. “Maybe its time we took a stand. I’ll do it.”

There was a conviction in his voice that hadn’t been there for a very long time,“Tomorrow, I’ll sneak you in. You’re on your own Harry. There is nothing that I can give you to help.”

“That’s alright Ron, getting me in is more than enough. Should I meet you here in the morning?” Harry asked.

“Harry, aren’t you staying for dinner?” Hermione asked before Harry could rush out of the door.

“Tomorrow, if it’s okay with you. I want to make a few potions and buy some supplies for tomorrow,” he explained.

Hermione stood on her tiptoes and gave his cheek a small kiss, “You’re a good man Harry Potter. I’m keeping you to your word, tomorrow for dinner then.”


“I promise. Should I meet you here or at Malfoy’s?” Harry asked Ron.

“Here. You wouldn’t be able to get pass the wards without my assistance,” Ron slipped his arm around his wife’s waist and drew her near his side.

“Six?” Harry questioned, wanting to make sure he arrived in plenty of time.

“Yeah, you can be here at six if you want but I’m not leaving till eight,” Ron teased.

Harry smiled, “Eight it is.” He turned on his heels and left.

“Do you think Harry can make a difference?” Ron asked as the watched Harry disappear down the road.

“If anyone can, it will be Harry Potter, Savior of the Wizarding world.” Hermione leaned into her husband, her head lying on his chest.

“He saved us once. I just hope he can do it again,” Ron leaned down and kissed the top of her bushy hair.

She took her husband’s hand and led him to their bedroom, “Little Harry is sound asleep and the rest of the children won’t be home for another hour. Can’t possibly think of anything the two of us can do for the next hour…can you?” There was a twinkle in her eyes that hadn’t been there for a long time.

“An hour? It’s been so long we’ve been together I don’t think I can last that long,” he swept her into his arms, “but I sure as hell plan to find out.”

Ron kicked the door open to their bedroom. Hermione spelled the door locked as her husband shut the door behind them.

SSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS

At a quarter to eight, Harry showed up with bags and bags of supplies.

Ron stepped out of his cottage barefoot and still in his pajamas, “Did you leave anything in town?”

He had walked down the steps and pulled one of the bags opened with his finger to peek in, “Where did you get all of this? The shelves in town are bare.”

“I didn’t want to arouse suspicion, so I went to the mainland to purchase my supplies. Food, blankets, penicillin—anything I can use that won’t be considered magic. I won’t be able to help everyone but I hope I can take a look at the most critically ill,” Harry explained.

“Be sure you check on Snape. He doesn’t look too bad but the pressure of keeping the rest of the Slytherins sane in taking it toll,” Ron mentioned.

“Snape’s there?” Harry asked, astonished.

Ron looked at Harry as if he had lost his mind, “Where else would he be?”

“Long gone. Maybe on an island in the Pacific,” Harry shook his head. “Thought after the end of the war that he would take his accolades and leave Hogwarts and start his life over again.”

“Bet every day for the last seven years he wishes he had done that. If I don’t want to be late I better get dressed. I’ll be back in a few. Hermione has breakfast ready if you’re hungry,” He scurried back into the house to dress.

“Thanks I will,” Harry answered to a retreating Ron.


Harry met Ron and Hermione’s other boys at breakfast. There was red haired and freckled face Fred and George that looked much like their namesakes and Remus Albus Weasley. Remus got the honor of having a child named after him after he saved Hermione’s life during the final battle, leaving the werewolf a nasty limp.

Just before eight Ron and Harry apparated to what use to be Malfoy Manor. There was an electrically charged magical fence surrounding the estate preventing, with the threat of death, of anyone leaving. From where Harry stood, from the outside of the gate, he could smell not only the disease and filth but the lingering, sickening smell of death.

“They say you get use to the smell. I’ve been here three years and I still can’t get use to it,” Ron led Harry through the front gate and into his small office. “Go ahead Harry, walk around. They won’t be able to hurt you, it part of the spell that has been cast on them. I’ll have some of the guards put your supplied in what use to be the foyer. I’ll be leaving at five. I would appreciate if you meet me back here. I use to go and talk to them but I can’t, in good conscious, look them in the face and act as though nothing is wrong.”

“Maybe one day soon you’ll be able to take that walk,” Harry grabbed two of the bags and headed towards the decrepit mansion. The children were to be his first concern. He even managed to bring a few toys--balls, yo-yos, and bubbles that the children could blow, toys that were not gender specific.

“Hello,” Harry said to a child who couldn’t have been born at the end of the war.

“Hi,” She looked up at Harry. Her dull blue eyes were surrounded by dark circles.

“Would you like something to eat?” he asked quietly.

“Yes please,” she answered in a whisper.

Harry pulled out a piece of cake. Not very nutritious but right now he thought she needed the calories more.

“Would you like some pumpkin juice to go along with that?” he whispered.

Her dirty, little fingers and face were already covered with chocolate. She paused only a moment to ask, “What pumpkin juice?”

She licked her fingers of the gooey chocolate, “Good, can I have more please?”

“After, you drink some juice,” he filled a cup full of juice that was fortified with vitamins.

She took a cautious sip before gulping down the whole glass full.

“That was the best thing I ever ate,” She beamed. At least her teeth were brushed.

Word spread fast of the stranger that was giving food away. Harry was surrounded by more and more children as the news was spread. He was sure that every child received a piece of cake and juice before he pulled out the toys from one of the bags. There was a collective gasp. He handed the toys out to the older children so they could teach the younger one what to do with them.

“Mister?” the little girl he had first met pulled on his robe. “Are you Santa Clause?”

“No, Esmeralda, he is not St. Nick but the Savior of the Wizard World, Harry Potter.”

Harry turned and for an instant he saw his Professor, tall, dark and foreboding. He blinked twice and looked again at the man who had saved him more than once. No longer did he stand like an oak but that of a sapling that had been battered by the weather.

“Good morning Professor Snape,” Harry said.

“I have not been a Professor for sometime now,” he looked weary. His shoulders slumped forward, no longer the teacher that terrified him for so many years.

“What should I call you then?” Harry asked.

“Snape’s fine. That what they call me around here,” Snape turned his attention to the girl that still had a handful of Harry’s robe. “Esmeralda, go wash your face and hands, then join the others in play.”

“Yes sir,” she said, looking at Harry and grinning. “Thank you for the pumpkin juice. I found it very refreshing.” She trotted off to a nearby stream to clean her face.

“Mr. Potter, what are you up to this time?” There was an accusation in Severus’s baritone voice.

“I’ve come to see if I can help,” Harry simply stated.

“Why now? Why not a year ago or better, seven years ago when they started tossing undesirables into this…” he sneered, “place?”

“I’ve been gone and only returned yesterday.”

“Seven years too late. Take your cake and pumpkin juice and leave. We have survived without the great Harry Potter coming to our rescue. Now leave us in our misery,” Snape commanded.

“I came for the children…not you,” There was a time when their relationship could have been something more than adversaries.

It was just before the final battle when the two found themselves enjoying each other’s company. He never did understand what happened between the two of them, one day it was simply…over.

“No, Mister Potter, I never thought you would be here for me,” sneered Snape.

“What, the fuck does that mean?” Harry demanded.

Before Severus could answer their conversation was interrupted. Draco came up caring a small boy that had collapsed while playing kick ball with the other children.

“Severus, Todd is barely breathing,” Draco was out of breath as he handed the skinny little boy to Severus. Before Severus could take him into his arms Harry took the boy.

“Just don’t stand there. Bring my bags and follow me,” he ordered. Picking up the bags the two men followed the Healer into the mansion.