Silence

Warnings: Language, angst, corporal punishment, ABUSE, OOC of Severus and other characters, AU, sexual relations, depression and anxiety.

Pairings: Severus/Remus, Albus/Minerva,

*Read!* Key facts: Severus was adopted by Minerva and Albus when he was younger. Sirius was in Godric's Hollow and died with Lily and James.

Chapter One:

A New Guardian

Panicked, Harry watched as Albus Dumbledore, the man of whom he looks up to, disappeared out of the court room. How could he leave me here? Why isn't he fighting this? What about the blood wards?

Harry tensed as he felt a hand land on his shoulder. He slowly turned to look at the toad-faced woman - his new guardian.

"Mr. Potter," Her voice made chills run up and down Harry's spine. "My name is Dolores Umbridge."

Harry pulled away from her touch and eyed her nervously. This bitch wanted me expelled - why would they give her my guardianship?

When she realized the boy wasn't going to speak, she grabbed his shoulder again and, with a tight grip, led him out of the court room and to her office.

Harry stared around the pink office with disgust. He felt his stomach twist with nausea.

She firmly pushed him into a fluffy chair and then took her seat behind her desk. She eyed him closely with her beady eyes, "Do you know why I demanded your guardianship, Mr. Potter?"

Harry tried to ignore the pictures of the cats as he looked anywhere but at his new guardian. Harry shook his head, "No, ma'am." Because you couldn't get me expelled? Harry knowingly kept that comment inside his head.

She sat up straighter and gave him a deadly glare, "You will look at me when we converse!"

Jumping slightly, Harry snapped his eyes to her and forced himself not to gulp. He refused to show his fear as he daringly leveled his eyes with hers. "No, I do not know why you took my guardianship." He barely kept the attitude out of his tone. He could feel his anger starting to boil inside him. Why does everything awful happen to me? Why didn't Dumbledore speak to me?!

She clenched her jaw and gave him an angry glare, "Is that a tone I hear?"

Harry barely stopped himself from rolling his eyes at the lady's insanity. He kept his tone even as he replied, "Well, ma'am, a tone tends to appear when speaking. Surely you-" His eyes went wide and he quickly covered his stinging cheek. He stared at her in fear before quickly putting a mask on and he dropped his hand from his cheek. He hadn't expected to be slapped, it's never happened to him before.

Dolores roughly grabbed Harry's chin and jerked his head so he was staring at her again, "You will speak to me with respect, Mr. Potter! I am your guardian and I will keep you in line!"

Harry tried to pull out of her grip but the grip only tightened, making him flinch in pain. He kept his mouth closed though, unwilling to show his fear or pain.

When he didn't say anything she gave his chin an angry jerk, "Respond to me when I speak to you!"

Harry closed his eyes to stop the hot tears that were filling his emerald eyes from spilling. "You're hurting me," he managed to whisper.

She snarled at him, "Oh I'm hurting you? I could do so much worse, Mr. Potter. As I am your guardian I have the right to punish you as I see fit."

Harry finally pulled free from her painful grip. His eyes were no longer sparkling with fresh tears but were hard with anger, "Not if it's abusive!"

She smirked at him. The smirk made Harry's insides twist and turn. "And who would believe you if I abused you? No one, Mr. Potter. I am a respectable lady in the Ministry of Magic - I have higher people on my side. No one would believe you. Besides, you are a known chronic liar."

Harry struggled with hiding his fear, "Dumbledore would believe me!"

She laughed at him, "Would he? From what it looked like in the court room, he doesn't care. He didn't even fight my guardianship of you."

Harry felt his heart clench and he dropped his eyes, She's right.

Seeing him slowly giving up, she added with a sickening smile, "You would only cause yourself more trouble than good if you fought me. Whoever you tell, I can destroy them financially and destroy their reputation. Do you really want to be responsible for that? You are already responsible for your classmate's death - surely you don't want to add to your evil deeds?" She smiled as she watched his shoulders slump. The last of the fight in his eyes died out. "Now that we are on the same page, Mr. Potter, I expect you to be on your best behavior at all times. If you are not, I promise you, there will be dire consequences to pay."

Harry forced himself not to cringe at the idea. He didn't even want to think about what kind of consequences she is speaking of. He knew he had to play along - if only to save himself. She's right, no one would believe him. Hell, Dumbledore doesn't even care. He kept his tone even and respectable as he said quietly, "Yes ma'am."

Dolores felt like she could squeal in delight. She expected him to fight more but apparently the boy's guilt for the death of Cedric Diggory was still strong. "That's a good boy." She reached across her desk so she could gently cup the pink cheek she slapped earlier, "If it is the last thing I do, you will become a good boy. I will break your lying, deceiving, and disobedience." She let out a tired sigh and dropped her hand, she briefly noticed Harry's flinch and hid her satisfied smile. "That's right, Mr. Potter, you have every right to fear me. Unlike the rest of the adults who have failed you, I will hold you accountable for your actions. In my care, you will become the respectable adult that I know, deep down, you can become."

She's bloody insane.

When he didn't reply, she returned to their previous conversation, "I took your guardianship so I could mold you into what I know you can be. If I have to, I will beat the bad out of you." She noticed the flash of fear in Harry's eyes, "You heard me right, Mr. Potter. I will not hesitate to snap a belt over your bare backside if that is what is needed. Too many adults have allowed your disobedience to slide - not I, Mr. Potter. I will hold you accountable!"

Nauseous, Harry fought with the urge to run away. Where would he go anyway? She's right about everything - Dumbledore doesn't care about him and if he ran to the Weasleys, she would destroy them. I wouldn't be able to live with myself if I hurt the Weasleys.

She watched as his emotions flew across his face - he's like an open book! This is going to be easy.

Standing from her desk, she walked over to the fireplace and grabbed a handful of floo powder, "Come, Mr. Potter, I will show you our home."

On rubber legs, Harry made his way to her side. He felt her pull him against her. He closed his eyes and tried to even out his breathing.

"Umbridge Manor," she dropped the floo powder and they disappeared in a flash of green flames.

Stumbling out of the fireplace, Harry found himself standing in a pink living room. He frowned, is everything she owns pink?!

Dolores patted the ash off herself and casually stepped out of the fireplace. "Come, Mr. Potter. I will show you to your room."

Seeing no other choice, Harry slowly followed her up a spiral staircase.

She pointed to a door on the left, "That is my bedroom. If you ever enter my bedroom I will make sure you cannot sit for a month. Am I quite clear?" At Harry's hurried nod, she smiled and let out a small, girly laugh, "That's a good boy." She pointed to another door, "That is the loo. The door on the left is your bedroom." She walked to the said door and opened it, stepping inside. "You will keep this room spotless if you know what is good for you." She eyed him dangerously for a second before stepping back out of the room, "Get acquainted with your bedroom, Mr. Potter. I have some paperwork to finish. Do not leave this room until six o'clock. That is when supper is. Do not be late! If you are late you will eat your meal standing up." She flashed him a smile and then closed the door and returned downstairs.

Harry stared at the room and let out a sudden, dry sob. How could this day turn out like this? He made his way to the twin sized bed and laid down, pulling a white pillow over his face.

He finally allowed his barriers to fall. His body trembled as he cried into the pillow. She's right, no one will save me - it's my fault Cedric died.

A/N: Thanks for reading! I know it's short but I just wanted to introduce it.

Savoren.