Chapter 2

Life with the Dursley's

Harry closed his eyes as he slid into the back seat of the Dursley's car. His goodbyes at the station had been cut short by Vernon yelling. Harry was thankful that he had heard him first. The rest of the Weasleys and his friends could not hear what his uncle was yelling. Harry had thankfully never had to discuss much about his life outside of school with anyone. No one ever really seemed interested. The most he was questioned was by Fred and George the summer before his second year. While he had been staying at the Burrow.

Fred had dragged him away from Ron that first night after dinner, saying that he was planning a prank and needed Harry. When they reached the twins' bedroom Fred had blocked the door with his arms crossed. George had dragged him over to one of the beds and made him sit down. The conversation he had with them was the most anyone had ever inquired about his home life. At least since he had entered the wizarding world.

-MEMORY-

"We just want to talk to you for a minute." Fred said as he walked over and sat down on the other side of Harry. He now sat sandwiched between the two.

"Ok…About what?" Harry asked cautiously.

Fred and George shared a quick glance of agreement over his head.

"Why…um. Why were there bars on your window? We know Mum thought we were only joking but we know they were there. We saw the locks on the door too." Fred said calmly.

Harry's face flushed and he looked down. He didn't want to talk about that.

"It's okay Harry. We aren't going to judge you. We're teammates remember. We just want to make sure your safe." George said on his other side.

Harry felt a warm glow in his stomach. He knew that this is what friends were for, but to hear them voice their care was different then assuming that they cared…or more honestly hoping that they cared. However, he still feared that they would judge him. If they knew what his life was like. If they really knew him, they wouldn't care anymore. He couldn't lie to them though. He had never been good at lying. He had been very cunning with the Dursley's but only when he knew he could get away with it. He knew better than to lie sometimes. He blew out a long breath.

"My Uncle installed the bars on the window and the locks on the door this summer. It was a punishment." Harry said honestly. He chose not to elaborate.

George nodded.

"Right. How long were you locked in there for?" George asked not letting harry get away with the half answer. He was fourteen after all and was well versed in half truths. Usually, to get out of trouble with their teachers or parents for their pranks.

"What do you mean?" Harry whispered. His hands were starting to sweat. He wiped his palms on his pants and folded his hands together tightly.

"Was the door locked for a couple of hours? Or overnight? Or longer? Fred responded.

Harry just nodded slowly as he felt panic begin to rise in his chest. He gulped in quiet breaths of air. He knew better than to show outward signs of distress.

"I was allowed out to do my chores." Harry answered. He just failed to mention that those were the only times he had seen outside of that room.

"Meals? The loo?" George asked.

Harry only shook his head. It had been a very long summer. He had honestly thought he might starve. He had been sharing his measly rations with Hedwig. And the Dursley's didn't want him in any part of their house that he wasn't actively being used as free labor. Petunia had given him a bucket to use for a toilet. It was his first chore every morning. Wouldn't want the stink to get into the rest of the house.

Harry could feel Fred shaking. Suppressed laughter Harry thought. He couldn't bring himself to look up to see. He didn't want to think they were laughing at him. He was already physically and emotionally hurt from this summer. He didn't think he could take much more right now. He felt the back of his eyes burn. A lump started to form in his throat.

Fred was so angry and sad at that moment he thought he might have a bout of accidental magic. He looked straight at his brother and knew he wasn't doing much better. They needed to wrap this up before something exploded.

George reached out an arm to put around Harry's shoulder. He quickly retracted it at the visible flinch the motion had caused. Now it was George's turn to feel like he was going to explode.

With a long breath he asked Harry. "Are you hurt?" George's voice was soft.

Harry shook his head quickly. He was never one to give away a weakness. He wrapped his arms around his stomach.

There was a long quiet pause. Then Harry nodded. He didn't want to lie. What was the point now. They already knew too much.

There was another long pause.

"Ok." George said with a long exhale.

"Why don't you get your stuff together and go take a shower. Fred and I have a stash of potions and we'll fix you up before you go to bed." George said.

Harry's head shot up and he looked between the twins. They looked so unlike themselves at that moment. There weren't jokes and smiles, they both just looked very serious.

"I'm sorry." Harry said in such a small voice as his head dropped back down.

"For what?" Fred responded. A little of the anger he was feeling melted into his words.

"For upsetting you guys. Really don't worry about it." Harry said as he stood up to head for the door. He didn't know what to do or how to feel about this show of emotion. Were they feeling sorry for him? Were they just upset they had to listen to him. Maybe he hadn't given the right answers.

Fred stood up quickly and blocked Harry once again.

Harry's heart jumped a little. He didn't like the feeling of being trapped.

"We're upset because it's wrong Harry. Your family shouldn't be treating you like that." Fred said firmly.

"You know what they are doing is wrong, Right Harry?" George asked as he stepped next to his brother.

All Harry could do in that moment was nod. He knew it wasn't right. He also knew that it wouldn't change. He had tried everything to get them to change. He had been happy and kind and forgiving. He had worked hard and tried to always follow the rules. And when that didn't work, he tried to act as if he didn't exist so he wouldn't be in the way.

He had tried to ask for help before and that had only made things worse. They had called the Dursley's. Petunia had just told the teacher that Harry was a liar and that they would handle it. The teacher never believed anything else he ever told her. Things had become much harder for Harry at school and at home after that.

He had talked to someone without the expectation of help just to have someone to talk to. That had been the worst. He had turned out to be worse than the Dursley's. Harry shuttered at the intrusive memory that popped up at that thought.

He had even begged to stay at Hogwarts only a few weeks ago and was told no. He had to stay with his relatives for his own safety. That had been the final nail in the coffin. His hope of ever leaving was crushed. He was never going to be able to stay anywhere but there. Not really. He would return there each summer until he was seventeen, Dumbledore had informed him.

"Please don't tell anyone. It won't help. It will make things worse. Dumbledore already knows that things aren't good. He told me at the end of the year that I have to stay there because of some kind of wards." Harry said. His voice was soft with slight desperation to it. He didn't want people to know. Especially since nothing could change it.

Fred and George shared a look. With a quick nod they turned back to Harry.

"Okay Harry. We won't tell anyone, but you must promise us something." Fred said, meeting Harry's bright green eyes.

Harry bit his lip but nodded. He would promise almost anything to keep this private.

"You will tell us when you need help. If things get too out of hand we will come rescue you, like we did today. Or if you need anything, food, potions, a good joke." George said with a half smirk.

Harry thought this over for only a moment. It would be nice to have someone he could owl if he needed help.

"Alright." Was all Harry could say.

Fred and George gave him tight nods.

-END MEMORY-

Fred and George had kept their word. They had helped Harry every year since then. They would always pull him aside sometime after he would join the Weasley's in the summer. Third year they had been at the Leaky Cauldron. Fourth year it had been at the Burrow before they went to the world cup. And last year…Last year had been at Grimmald place.

Harry sighed and opened his eyes.

"Quiet boy!" Vernon barked from the front seat.

"You're lucky we collected you at all after what you did to Dudley last summer." Vernon yelled.

Harry bit down on his tongue. Trying to explain anything had never worked. He had tried last summer to explain about the dementors. Although now he knew that it hadn't been an accident, not that it seemed likely last summer.

Harry only nodded.

"You won't be doing any of that freakish stuff this summer. I want all of it. You hear me boy! All of it! The stick too!" Vernon continued to yell.

Harry couldn't imagine not having his wand. He wouldn't allow his brut of an uncle to make him powerless like that. Not again.

"I don't have my trunk. I sent it off with my friends. Hedwig too." Harry said flatly.

Harry had honestly just kept his trunk shrunk. He had enlarged it when everyone had gotten off the train. He had pulled his rucksack out and filled it with just two outfits. Then he placed his wand in his trunk and had a passing seventh year shrink it for him. He had tucked the shrunken trunk into the bottom of the bag. It would expand again in a few hours, and he'd have to figure out something else. For now, it was secure.

Vernon huffed. Harry caught sight of him glaring in the rearview mirror. His beady eyes held so much hate. Harry turned away and looked out the window. He knew he deserved the hate. He deserved everything he got this summer.

The drive back to Little Whinging had been a long one. Uncle Vernon had huffed and grumbled and occasionally yelled. Aunt Petunia had sniffed and tsked the whole way. Harry was only thankful that Dudley hadn't been along for the ride. He hoped at least tonight he would be allowed to just go in and go to bed.

Harry walked to the front door of the house with his bag over his shoulder. He needed a shower and a long sleep. Both of which he doubts he would get. Harry stepped into the house behind his aunt and uncle and gently closed the door behind himself.

As he turned around his face felt like it exploded in pain. His whole body slammed into the door. His brain was slow to understand what was happening.

"You nearly get my son killed!" Vernon screamed as another punched slammed into his face knocking his glasses to the ground.

"Then you run off with those freaks." Vernon continued. Hitting Harry in the chest this time.

Harry's arms had come up reflexively though it was doing him little good.

"We never wanted you here. You're going to earn your keep here. Do as we say and if you step out of line, I'll kill you!" Vernon screamed in Harry's face. This pronouncement was made with several punches to Harry's abdomen.

Vernon's meaty hand reached up and grabbed a handful of Harry's slightly shaggy hair.

"Do you understand me boy?!" Vernon growled as spittle hit Harry in the face making him gag.

"Yes, sir." Harry Whispered.

Vernon shoved him to the ground and kicked him hard in the ribs. He was huffing from the exertion as he stood over Harry.

"Good. Clean up this mess and get to making dinner." Vernon said almost nonchalantly as he wandered into the parlor and planted himself on the sofa in front of the TV next to Dudley.

Harry stayed down for a moment sucking in painful breaths. He saw his glasses close to the edge of the stairs. He grabbed them and slipped them back on his face. Thankfully they hadn't broken this time. He didn't want to have to go the whole summer with them broken like normal.

Some home coming Harry thought to himself. He stood and slowly climbed the stairs. He had only left a little blood on the floor. He had wiped it up quickly with his sleeve.

When Harry reached his room, he dropped his bag on his bed and made his way back out. He used the bathroom quickly and addressed his bleeding nose. He wasn't sure if it was broken or not. His lip was split and his eye was going to be black. He took a deep breath. His ribs were bruised he was sure, but they didn't seem broken. He'd had enough to know.

Harry sighed, He looked into his own eyes in the mirror.

"I deserve this." He muttered.

Heading back downstairs he started to prepare the evening meal that he was sure he wouldn't be getting any of.

Later that night he lay in bed, bruised and tired. The Dursley's had him working on the house until nearly midnight. He had cooked dinner and then scrubbed all the floors to get any trace of his 'filth' off of them. He had done the dishes and then he had been put to work cleaning out the chimney, and then the shed. Most of which he wasn't even sure was done right. It had mostly been dark as he worked. He was filthy now. Covered in blood and soot and dirt and grime and sweat. His skin was crawling. He hated being dirty.

His uncle had announced minutes before midnight that Harry couldn't be trusted and that since the family was going to bed, he needed to be in his room now. He had climbed the stairs quickly and carefully. He didn't want to dirty anything he had already cleaned. As soon as he heard the heavy footsteps approach his door, he held his breath. He hoped his uncle would not come into his room. Harry didn't think he could take anymore tonight.

Harry waited for a long moment. Then he heard something outside his door. He closed his eyes. Then he heard the sound of the locks being slid into place. He was being locked in. Like a dog in a crate. Or more accurately like a prisoner. That was what he felt like here. That's what he was here.

Harry lay staring at the ceiling. His body was throbbing, and he smelt terrible. He sighed and closed his eyes. That was short-lived however as Sirius' last moments flashed in front of his eyes. His eyes opened again. He had hardly slept since that moment. His heart ached for a moment and then it began to race. He felt the emotions overwhelm him. The guilt was only the beginning. His mind quickly supplied the hatred that had filling him as he had tried to curse Bellatrix. Then the slimy feeling of Voldemort's possession. The fear and helplessness he had felt at that moment as he lost control of his own body. The feeling of Voldemort in his mind. Harry sat up and began to hyperventilate. He felt like he would be sick. He had nothing in his stomach but dry heaved all the same. All of this in silence. He had learned long ago to stay as quiet as possible.

Harry worked to clear his mind. He needed to bury these emotions. He slowly felt the first real breath fill his lungs. He sucked in several more deep breaths. He slid to the floor next to his bed. His back firm against the old rickety frame. He hugged his knees close to his chest. His eyes tight.

Harry felt sick as he remembered it all. It was even more upsetting when he thought about the day after Sirius death. It had finally clicked how to clear his mind. He had no idea if he had finally understood occlumency to little to late or if his mind had finally snapped. Perhaps it was a side effect of having Voldemort in his head. Harry breathed out again.

His mind slowly filled with the trees of the Forbidden Forest. He quickly attached the overwhelming feelings to different things creeping in the forest. The guilt and grief he attached to a thestral. If felt fitting. He gave the hatred to a butterfly. Hoping it would leave his mind. He gave his fear to a large acromantula. They would hold those feelings and the attached memories for him. At least for now.

Harry sighed again and opened his eyes. He felt numb once again. He climbed back into bed without more thought. He closed his eyes and fell quickly to sleep.