Scarlet Pain

A/N: Okay hey everyone, I apologize for taking so long to update. Finals and final projects are coming up so things have been really really hectic.

Random question for all you slashers out there: What is it about slash that you enjoy? I\'m really curious. I mean, I know why I like slash, and why my friends say they like slash, but I was wondering about everyone else in our oh so wonderful community. Anyways, I would love to hear some responses, either in review or emailed to me.

Again, thanks to all you wonderful reviewers. I really appreciate the support and encouragement.

Warning: There is non-con in this scene. It is not graphic, but it is there, and it is not meant to be ambiguous consent, or non-con that turnes consensual. It is rape. You have been forewarned.

And now, enough of my blathering, and onto the next chapter!

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Scarlet Pain
Chapter 23


Harry gave an almost inaudible whimper in his sleep, his hands twitching, his breath speeding up ever so slightly. Had anyone been watching, they would have seen his usually dull scar flare to life. The connection between the young Gryffindor and the Dark Lord, ever present, had been activated, though whether through Harry\'s unconscious fear or Voldemort\'s will neither was certain. All the Dark Lord knew was that here was yet another chance to continue his work.

Soon, so very, sweetly soon, his one true enemy would fall. His plan was in motion, all it needed was care. Voldemort grinned sadistically as he closed his own eyes, concentrating on the link that bound the two beings together. Yes, Potter would soon be his.

It was dark and cold and it smelled horrible. Harry shivered in the corner. He knew where he was; he was in that space. The space that hold him in constant fear and turmoil till it shoved him out into a nightmare. It had been a while since Harry had found himself in that space, usually the nightmares did were enough to send the terror surging through him. He never could control it, no matter how hard he tried. It was as if something was blocking him, feeding the despair while it held all hope prisoner in this room. This empty room with nothing but that blackness that filled the senses.

Harry cringed a bit in his sleep, arms twitching against whatever was in his dreams. His heart-rate sped up, and he shifted, his entire body locked in sleep even as his mind struggled to escape.

The voice was back. Oozing, sticky, cold, and utterly gleefull. Harry curled in on himself, trying to pull away from the voice, but the walls of his dream cell seemed to cling to him, holding him in painfull stillness.

\"Ah, you have returned. And what\'s this? With a spark of defiance...Tut tut, I thought you had learned your lesson boy. You are nothing, and everytime you think otherwise your punishment will only get worse,\" the voiced hissed in his ear.

The cell seemed to close in on him, even if he could not see the walls. The darkness clung to his skin, like thousands of little claws, and the sticky, oozing feeling that had originated from the voice seemed to crawl down his throat even as he attempted to scream.

Harry shuddered, and this time his panicked whimper sounded odd in his throat, choked and scratchy. Again his body shifted, desperate to escape the bonds of sleep. Next to him Snape stirred, and when Harry\'s arm twitched and hit the Potions Master on the hip, he awoke fully.

\"Now,\" the voiced hissed again in his other ear. \"Now you will be reminded.\"

And Harry was plunged once again into his nightmares. This time it was first time he had realized living at the Dursleys was not only unpleasant, but downright dangerous to his health. He had accidently broken one of Petunia\'s vauses. Vernon had been furious, but he couldn\'t do anything because his business associate had just pulled up in the driveway. It was Mr. Collins.

Harry cringed inwardly. He had never liked the man, though he had no real reason not to. That was, until later that night.

\"Stupid boy!\" Vernon yelled at him that evening, after shoving his nephew into his room. It was amazing, how furious he was. Harry took a startled step back, but his uncle just grabbed him by the shirt and threw him roughly against the wall, sneering when the boy slid to the ground.

Shock, anger. Harry glared, and his face met with the back of Vernon\'s hand.

\"You will behave in this household or you won\'t be living here anymore.\"

Shock, anger, and this time, denial. His uncle had just backhanded him. Vernon had just smacked him. True, he\'d done it before, but that had been years ago, before Hogwarts, after a particularly bad day at work and four tumblers of vodka. This...he...

He felt a hand grab him by the hair.

\"Answer me boy.\"

\"Really Vernon, such a way to discipline a young teen.\" Both heads snapped to look at the doorway, where Mr. Collins was standing. Vernon dropped his nephew.

\"Sometimes these young delinquints need a good shaking,\" he muttered before storming out of the room.

Mr. Collins helped him, gave him some salve for the growing bruise. Then his hands started to wander. Harry balked, confused and not a little pissed.

Harry watched himself as Collins pinned him to the floor, one hand covering his mouth, whispered words of fake comfort. He would take care of him, he wouldn\'t hit him. He would heal all his wounds. Harry tried to turn away, to not watch and experience that first time. He had struggled, but a sudden unbidden fear that he had no control over had prevented him from screaming. Harry could feel the man rip into him, even as he watched himself be taken.

The hissing voice was back.

\"See? Even the kindest person can and will turn on you. You are nothing.\"

Harry gasped in his sleep, whimpering, small and quiet cries leaving his lips as his body gave small twists and jerks. Severus shook the boys arm, with no change.

The cell. The dark. The stink. The cold. The fear.

\"Please,\" Harry begged in a small crying voice. \"Please no.\"

\"Please. Please no.\" The small voice sounded like a five-year olds and the professor was at a loss. He hadn\'t missed the change in Harry\'s scar. It was glowing even brighter, angrier.

\"Potter, snap out of it,\" Snape shook his arm again. \"Potter wake up.\"

\"Oh yes, little one. You must be reminded of your place...Crucio.\"

Harry screamed, his body going ridged as it spasmed under the spells curse. Snape recognized it immediately. He cursed softly as blood began to pour from Harry\'s scar. The professor looked around desperately. He needed to get something in Harry\'s mouth to keep him from biting his tongue or choking. As if called the Room produced a small cylindrical piece of wood. Snape pryed Harry\'s jaw open and pushed it in, then for the second time, pulled his student into his lap.

\"Potter, listen to me. You have to wake up. Block him out, like you\'ve been practicing,\" Snape sighed. The boy was still screaming around the piece of wood and writhing in pain. \"Ride it out Potter. You\'re going to be fine.\"

As quickly as it started, the curse stopped, and Harry collapsed with a whimper. He barely noticed when Severus carefully removed the wood and got up to grab some potions from the first aid chest.

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An hour later, Harry was sipping on a cup of hot chocolate, a blanket firmly wrapped around him as he stared blankly at the table. Snape was watching him carefully, unsure of how to continue, but knowing that the war, his spy duties, and his dislike of the boy aside, something had to be done. He pinched the bridge of his nose and took a deep breath. What he was about to do went against all his instincts, and inner voices that were screaming at him to just leave the situation be and not get himself more involved.

\"Potter, I will probably never fully understand what it is you are going through, but whatever it is, it needs to stop.\"

\"Sir?\" Harry didn\'t look. He just continued to stare at his cup, a blank look on his face.

\"When was the last time you had a full peacefull night\'s sleep that didn\'t occur as a result of extreme exhaustion or potions?\"

Silence.

\"It is obvious the Dark Lord is becoming more aware of how far your connection goes. Tonight has made it clear to me just how much he is tormenting you through your scar. I can make a guess that I probably only know about half of what happened at your relative\'s house.\" Harry looked at the floor, but continued to remain silent.

\"What you need is someplace you can go where you are safe, with an adult you feel safe with.\"

\"I don\'t need a shrink, sir.\" From anyone else the words would have sounded petulant, or angry. From Harry just tired.

\"I am not saying that. What I am saying is you need some security so you can get passed the demons that are holding you back. You can\'t keep dealing with this alone, Potter,\" the professor glared, though less harshly than he\'d ever glared before. \"Or it will eat you away from the inside. What happened, what is happening is not your fault.\"

\"I don\'t understand what your offering.\" For the first time since he\'d woken up, Harry looked up into his professor\'s face.

Snape gave a quiet irritated sigh and refrained from rolling his eyes with frustration.

\"I told you about the grove. What I\'m offering is something similar, but more easily accessed. What I\'m offering is access to my private office when you find yourself in need of it.\"

Harry\'s eyes widened in shock. Snape was giving him access to his private space...to his personal space...even after he\'d violated his privacy in fifth year. He didn\'t know how to respond, what to say.

\"Professor...sir...I....\" His attempts at a response were interrupted when the door to the Room of Requirement swung open of it\'s own accord. Snape stood up in one graceful movement.

\"The entrance is the painting of Slytherin\'s grey dragon. Just state your name and the password \'The Grey Lady.\'\" He strode to the open door. \"And Potter, I\'m sure I don\'t need to tell you not to abuse this priviledge.\" Harry shook his head, still unable to come up with a reply. For a split second, Snape\'s gaze seemed to soften imperceptibly, then he was gone.

After a few minutes of just staring, Harry shook his head, grabbed his bag, and headed out. He figured he should go to Dumbledore\'s office then changed his mind and went to the Gryffindor Tower. Snape was probably already going there anyways.

And despite Hufflepuff\'s attempts, the unread letter remained safely tucked in Harry\'s bag...



TBC