This chapter is DARK (towards the end at least) there are many parts of which I am most unhappy with and are subject for a re-write.
CHAPTER 2
Harry was taken to a reasonably comfortable room, if you overlooked a few things. The walls were blue and the furniture of good quality. There wasn't a wardrobe though, just a coat hanger with some dark coloured clothing on it. Then there were the metal cuffs on one of the chairs and a chain hung off the wall. The four poster bed had straps hanging from it and railings that could be bought up, like a cage.
Dumbledore placed Harry on the bed, snapped his fingers so that the bounds disappeared - but the bed straps came to life and pinned Harry down instead. For a few minutes he struggled against them, but they just got tighter. So instead he let out babble of swearwords, starting in English, sliding into French (he'd got these off the Weasleys twins), slipping into Latin (he'd learnt them from the drunk hag in the table next to him and his friend's at the Three Broomsticks) and finally (Dumbledore seemed slightly surprised at this) parseltongue. However in doing this he was soon left out of breath and slowly trailed off.
"Have you quite finished?" Professor Dumbledore questioned? He was standing at the end of the bed, staring at Harry.
Quite a number of retorts came to Harry's mind, all of which would shock Hermione and impress Ron. None were quite suitable to say to a Headmaster, he picked one of the more milder ones.
"Well?! Explain!" Harry demanded.
"Which part?"
Harry stared at him in fury.
"Why the hell have you bought be here? Why've you tied me up and, and-" Harry
was shaking so hard he felt incredibly stupid.
"Harry, please calm down. I will explain in due time, but you must relax," Dumbledore told him seriously, "would you like a calming potion?"
"No! How can you expect me to relax?"
Dumbledore said nothing and in the next couple of minutes Harry slowly
managed to even his breathing as he stared fixedly at the top of the four poster.
"Tell me," he whispered.
"Harry, I'm afraid there are some things that I have not seen fit to tell you until now," Dumbledore began. Harry wanted to snort at this, but deemed that Dumbledore was liable to stop if he did.
"When you were a baby I immediately saw how powerful you are," (continued Dumbledore) "and of course the prophesy made this even more important. In fact you were having strong incidents of wandless magic after only two weeks of going home from St Mungo's Maternity Ward with your parents. This is most remarkable in only a baby, in fact I believe you are just the ninth person in the history of the Wizarding World to do so. It became necessary to control these bursts of magic, lest you should harm yourself or others.
You can't feel or touch it, but there is a strap around your wrist that controls your magic. Soon it became apparent that you are an extremely strong wizard and I admit to setting it higher than I needed to. You see with your extent of power it will be necessary to tutor you privately. I decided you would have five years of living as a normal wizard - or as normal as the Boy-Who-Lived can be - with the usual amount of magic most people have.
However, now the time has come for me to give you back your power and for you to
learn under me... in preparation for the things we will do together - with others - for the world."
Harry stared dumbly at him.
"What things?" he asked quietly, voicing the first thing that came to mind,
"Voldemort?"
"Partly," Dumbledore nodded, "but as I'm sure you'll agree the ministry is flawed in many ways - I intend to correct this... once I finished training you."
"You, you," Harry could barely get his words out he was maddened, "you want to turn me into some puppet? Your perfect little tool?!"
"Of course not, dear boy," Dumbledore shook his head, "but I do want absolute obedience."
Harry thrust himself against the bonds, he wasn't sure what he wanted most - to attack Dumbledore or run. However the straps tightened and he slumped down in their grip.
"Harry," Dumbledore warned.
The boy snarled at his professor.
"Control yourself," Dumbledore ordered, "I know this is a lot to take in and at the moment you neither like or appreciate it, but you will... in time."
"I won't," Harry hissed, "why are you doing this to me? Besides, what about my friends - you can't keep me here; they'll notice. You have to let me go back!"
"Harry," Dumbledore looked slightly sympathetic, "to the wizarding world it will be announced that you are becoming my apprentice, which is almost true. I will on occasion allow you to eat at the Head table with me, however everyone will understand that you are under private tutelage and due to certain circumstances unable to have visitors."
Harry looked around the room wildly, there were two doors - once he was out of the bed...
But Dumbledore followed his gaze and guessed what he was thinking.
"You are locked in, Harry," he revealed, "my quarters are next doors and there are many enchantments and wards to keep you here. I will leave you awhile to think on this."
Harry swore somewhat before turning on his side and staring at the wall. Wandering.
* * *
"The potion," Snape announced, dumping the crate on Dumbledore's desk and staring fiercely at the man.
"Thank you Severus, I am most grateful for you help," Dumbledore looked up from his quill and paper.
"So, have you moved the boy?" Snape questioned, his hair was slightly more greasy than usual, Dumbledore noted absently.
"Yes, if a little forcefully... Severus is there something wrong?"
Snape sighed heavily.
"There is something of which I should have informed you, perhaps much sooner than now."
"Indeed?"
"For the last sixteen years I have been making double of the potion you use on the boy, for the last five I have been applying it."
"Not to Harry I hope, a double dose would-"
"I know what a double dose would do!" Severus snapped angrily, "no. I have been making it - and giving it - to Draco Malfoy. Under the orders of Lucius Malfoy, whose orders undoubtedly come from Voldemort. And Voldemort's orders are never good! Then last meeting I heard that they are to remove Draco from Hogwarts - seemingly into the tuition of Voldemort! It seems Voldemort has a similar plan to yours!"
"I see," Dumbledore nodded, but seemed unfazed, "is Mr Malfoy as powerful as Harry?"
"No, the potion for him is a slightly diluted one."
"Well," Dumbledore seemed to be thinking things through very quickly, "then we must act before Voldemort and remove Draco to our care. It seems Harry will have a companion, even if their time together must be restricted. I need to get through to him and release some of his power before they interact. I trust Draco is restrained in a similar manner?"
"Yes."
"Very well, Severus do you think you keep Draco in your accommodations for now, if I make the necessary arrangements?"
"I suppose so."
The two men talked long into the day discussing their plans and how Draco might fit into them. When lunch came Severus departed and Dumbledore realised that Harry must be extremely hungry by now. Pleased with his successes so far he went to see what sort of state Harry was in.
"Harry?"
Dumbledore stood watching from the door (now closed firmly behind him), but Harry, still staring at the wall, refused to respond. He wouldn't even move.
"What are you up to, Harry?" Dumbledore slowly walked over, stopping by the bed,
"are you refusing to talk to me now?"
Harry kept his mouth firmly closed and kept his eyes in the same spot, barely blinking.
"I'll take that as a yes, how childish."
Harry continued to ignore him.
"Would you like some food, something to drink?"
Dumbledore sighed when Harry still remained motionless, "you'll have to talk to me sometime. I know the situation is difficult, but you will come round to it eventually. Besides, how to you ever expect to get out of that bed of your do not cooperate?"
Whilst Harry still did not move, Dumbledore could tell by the way his eyes were suddenly much more alert that he was listening.
"I will release the straps if you promise not to attack me."
Slowly Harry turned to look at the Headmaster. Dumbledore smiled his triumph.
"What do you want?" he asked, his voice quiet and full of hatred.
"You should eat Harry, and try not feel so down. This is all for the better good in the end."
Harry clenched his fists beneath the straps. Dumbledore noticed it and spoke;
"That sort of reaction and your tone of voice will get you nowhere."
Harry sneered at him, "you may as well let me go. You'll get nothing out of me here, nothing. So what's the point in trying?"
"Harry-"
The boy in question suddenly looked at Dumbledore with hurt in his eyes.
"I thought - for the stuff you did last year - that you were a good wizard, I thought you were kind and descent. I thought you were a light wizard. Why are you doing this? Do you hate me so much? I thought you liked me."
The straps were released. Harry sat up, rubbing the sore parts on his arms where the straps had dug in too much. Dumbledore came and sat beside him. He tried to put his arm around Harry, but he flinched away.
"I am, Harry and I do. In fact I care for you a great deal. Surely you'd rather be here than the Dursleys? I have made Hogwarts your home, I have protected you, advised you... looked after you."
"But now you're taking it all away," Harry accused.
"No, I am merely changing it, in fact Harry I am giving you now. You now have my full attention and -"
"-And for the rest of my life I'll be chained up like a dog," Harry muttered miserably.
"Not at all, once you have overcome this spout of rebelliousness you will be treated as you deserve."
"Why does that not enthral me?"
"Harry, be reasonable," Dumbledore said, "when I ever mislead you or done you wrong? I made a few mistakes last year I admit. But you have slowly been
deteriorating. You have never had a parental or authoritative figure and have never been given proper care or tutelage you need and deserve."
"You don't know what's right for me and you can't replace my parents or Sirius!" Harry shouted, leaping to his feet. Dumbledore got up too and towered over the exceptionally skinny and small boy.
"As I told you last June Harry I have watched you more closely than anyone," Dumbledore replied in his most imposing manner, "every movement you make I know of, everything you do, everyone you have mingled with I have seen. I know you very well, and I know what's right for you. I have know intention of replacing anyone, however by wizarding law - as your nearest pastoral carer and by your parents will I am now also you guardian. Nothing you do, or think you can do will change anything."
"Bastard," Harry muttered.
"Scourgify," Dumbledore answered. Harry spluttered at the soap and water in his mouth and tried to bolt, but Dumbledore grabbed hold of his arms. Dumbledore was impressively strong, especially for his age, and Harry was too preoccupied to try kicking him.
"I will not tolerate that kind of language," Dumbledore told him, lifting the charm, "now - what do you intend to do?"
"What?" Harry asked dumbly.
"Are you going to do as I say? Or continue with your... rather unfortunate protests."
"I am not your toy."
"I didn't say you were, Harry."
"And I'm not powerful at all."
"As I said, this has been restricted from you. Gradually I will release it back."
"I don't want it."
"You will in the end."
"Fuck off."
* * *
Harry could only watch the bottom of the door and wait tensely while lying as still as possible under the bed, one sweaty hand fidgeting on the dusty floor boards. He didn't have much hope, he knew how foolish his idea was - but trying to escape felt like the only thing keeping him going. As if giving up and submitting to this new side of Dumbledore would leave him empty and lifeless.
He hoped he was doing what Sirius would have done.
Harry swore inside his head when the door slowly opened, immediately an image of Hermione reprimanding him for his language filled his mind. He blinked it away, stomach twisting painfully - partly with fear - at the thought of loosing his best friends.
Professors Dumbledore and Snape looked around the seemingly empty room. Wordlessly Snape strode over to the bathroom. Upon checking, and finding it devoid of the unruly boy they were looking for, he turned back to Dumbledore.
"Harry, I know you're still here," Albus Dumbledore called, "the wards would have alerted me had you escaped - which you won't, and once you start thinking clearly, won't need or want to. Be sensible and come out... You need to eat."
Harry did feel terribly hungry actually. But he wasn't coming and nor would he eat anything Dumbledore gave him. Besides, the old man could just be bluffing. Harry doubted it, but he had to hope.
"Ok Harry," Dumbledore continued when there was no response, "let's prove we know where you are then."
Harry heard a muttered incantatem, then quite suddenly the room was filled with amplified sounds of breathing.
"This charm magnifies the breathing of the room's inhabitants," Dumbledore explained before uttering another spell. The breathing seemed to hem in slightly, till only one person could be heard. The inhalations were slow and calm.
"That is my breathing pattern, Harry," Dumbledore said. Harry closed his eyes momentarily as he heard Dumbledore's breathing, it was quite similar - if slightly more heavy.
"And that is professor Snape's."
Harry quickly realised what Dumbledore was going to do. He took a deep breath and prepared to hold it... maybe he would manage to convince them he wasn't there if they couldn't hear his breathing.
"And now..." Dumbledore waved his wand once more.
Silence. But Harry could feel his chest heaving, pleading for air. He didn't know how long it was before he was gasping for breath. The sounds of a third person's breathing filled the room. Short, panicked gasps. Harry tired to slow it down, but it remained shaky and so obviously his.
"And now this is yours, Harry," Dumbledore paused, "you sound very angry - and frightened." His tone was full of mild interest, and it made Harry shudder. He watched someone's feet approach the bed. They hadn't taken the breathing spell off and he could hear his own breath getting quicker and quicker.
"Hello Harry."
Harry jolted with alarm and turned to see that Dumbledore had knelt down by the bed so much that his face was level with Harry's, staring out at him through the gap between the bed and the floor. Dumbledore was certainly very agile for his age. quite amazingly so.
"Will you come out Harry, or do I need to force you?"
Harry turned away from Dumbledore, but nodded slowly. He wriggled and pushed his way from under the bed, back into the light of the room. Feeling decidedly sick he pushed himself to his feet and stared at the floor. He could still hear his shallow breathing, whether from the spell or not he did not know.
"Thank you Harry."
Harry snorted with contempt, and without thinking, showed his thoughts by spitting at the ground in disgust. Not a second later he felt a sharp slap across the cheek from Snape. Harry lifted a hand to the burning mark it left, gritted his teeth, and imagined all the things he would like to do to his least favourite teacher.
Harry felt the bony hand of Snape forcing his head up, making him looking into Dumbledore's eyes.
"The house elves have bought you some dinner, Harry," Dumbledore told him, "just soup for the moment I'm afraid. You haven't eaten for a day and I don't want to give you anything more until tomorrow."
"I don't want anything."
"It's not your choice."
"I won't eat."
"Oh I think you will, Potter," Snape spat, "whether by your own free will or not."
Harry just glared at them both, his jaw clamped shut.
Dumbledore sighed. "Get on the bed Harry."
Images of the straps holding him down while someone else shoved food into his mouth ran through Harry's head at alarming speed.
"No."
Dumbledore raised his wand and Harry, flailing furiously, was levitated onto the bed. As he had imagined, the straps placed themselves over him in barely five seconds.
Never again did Harry ever want that humiliation of being force fed. Snape used one hand to hold his nose and pull his jaw open and the other to slosh the soup down. Harry tried to struggle, but he couldn't move. He couldn't spit the soup out, it was coming in such fast quantities and as much as he tried, couldn't fight Snape's hold on his jaw. All he could do was swallow, choking a little, but even then Snape didn't relent. Harry wanted to scream - to do anything!
And then it was over. Harry was shaking, even in the grasp of the straps. His face was covered in sweat, mingled with tears from when his eyes had watered. Harry felt like if he said anything it could come out a whimper or sob, so he didn't dare speak. He closed his eyes as if he hoped he might wake up somewhere else.
Someone was tenderly wiping Harry's face with a wet flannel. Still, Harry didn't open his eyes. He fell into a trouble sleep. Harry's only disturbance came at midnight when the same old potion was forced down his throat too.
But Harry didn't remember that.
_________________________________________________________________
A/N
Ok, the wait for this was terrible even by my standards. I'm very sorry. I have a few half days this week so I'll try and get the next update up sooner. I have no excuses. However this one is extra long to try and make up.
I understand that Dumbledore's explanation was awful. He is holding many things back and telling a lot of half truths. More will be revealed in time.
All those who reviewed - thank you so much!!! You are too good to me!! If there is anything you don't like or think I could improve on - just tell me! I need criticism.
Fate - Thank you! Dumbledore's creepy already? *evil grin* and it hasn't even properly started... mwhahaha!
Amy - thanks! You will eventually find out what the potion is.
avalon princess - am doing so, I hope you continue to like what happens.
Hold Me Up - oh, thank you! Dumbledore join Voldemort? Never, it's much, much worse (think back to what I said about more than Dumbledore wanting control). Dumbledore is going to be extremely mean and manipulative at points (ok, most of the time). I know it's not canon, but it suits my purposes.
sama007uk - wow! Thank you! I'll try to update a lot.
Dreamer-3041 - thanks! I do have a problem with giving up fics, but I've never really enjoyed writing a fanfic so much, and I have a lot of ideas for this one so I hope it will be finished. I'm worried that Dumbledore's motives may have disappointed you in the way he displayed them in this chapter. I will rewrite this if you want me to. There will be added parts of how Dumbledore ...interferes... *coughtheordercough*. Anyway, thanks so much for the compliments. I know this chapter has been a bit pongoey, but I'll post up chapter 3 soon and that might be a little better.
Ice Sphinx - same here! Mwhaha!
Momma-dar - thank you! I'm trying.
Evil-Slasher - SWM is on Hiatus, I have several major problems with it (like Harry appeared to have no brain). But don't worry, this one is going to be VERY dark.
HAZZAGRIFF - *smirks* I am a very confusing person. If there's anything particularly confusing just say and I'll try to explain it more thoroughly.
Ms Issues - Aww! Thank you so much! The Bio came from a very.... serious, philosophical moment *coughcough*.
If I've missed anyone out I apologise profusely. But thank you to all of you!
Reviews of any legnth and form (even flames) are most welcome, but if you don't want to that's fine too.