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(P).(A).(T).(R).(E).(O).(N)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Bam!
Harry dropped the bat and ran for all it was worth. He slid across the base and hearing the yells of his team to keep going hit second base, third base, and skid across home.
"Safe!"
Harry grinned as he climbed to his feet and brushed the dust off his clothes. His team all pat him on the back and grinned widely at him.
"Next to bat!"
Harry watched as Loraine sashayed over, helmet on and bat in hand.
"I have never played muggle baseball before." Harold grinned. "But it is amusing."
A sharp crack and Loraine was running, skirts flying. Harold waved off the offered helmet held out to him and pulled his top hat on tighter, grabbing a metal bat and headed for the home base. Harry chuckled at the picture he made. He was still dressed in his eighteen century noblemen clothes. Everyone had just accepted that he was a bit off his rocker and didn't ask questions. Harry was more then amused by it.
Dante yelled from outside the diamond that Harold had to get Loraine home and win the game. The two demons had declined joining in the friendly game as they had been concerned they might show off their unnatural agility and strength without meaning to. Valentine had declined for the same reason and was lazily sitting at a table with Dorothy sipping from the tea set the old woman had brought and listening to her stories. Most of those who had not joined the baseball game were sitting in lawn chairs watching the game or at the picnic tables snacking and talking.
Harry himself flopped down on the grass under a tree after excusing himself from the game. A moment later Harold joined him, watching the dying sunlight. For a moment they shared silence. Harry breathed softly enjoying the peace.
"Did you know that you go to bed every night completely exhausted?" Harold asked softly.
Harry blinked and ran the question over in his mind. Now that he did think of it, he did fall into bed completely exhausted every day.
"It's a good kind of exhausted." Harry remarked. "My days are satisfying and I find joy in my life."
Harold snorted. Harry raised a hand and looked at the rings on his fingers idly.
"What was it I once heard?…'Dream as if you'll live forever, live as if you'll die tomorrow'." He smiled.With a sharp crack they were gone. Harry stumbled and looked up. Terror sent his heart into overdrive. He was on Privet Drive number four. His magic rose to the surface, bubbling with his fright. Then something cold clamped around his neck and his magic vanished. Harry screamed as he felt his magic suck into his core and locked. He couldn't feel his magic! There was just a void that throbbed painfully!
He felt hollow as he frantically tugged at the metal band around his neck. Why wasn't their a seam!? A lock!? A hinge?! He couldn't even get his fingernails between the band and his neck. His breathing became erratic in his panic and hollow pain.
"Calm down Harry." Dumbledore said soothingly, kneeling beside him, hands on his shoulder. "That necklace will just make sure no accidental magic occurs. I will remove it when you return to Hogwarts. I worried about you getting another warning from the ministry like second year and third year."
Dumbledore gave him a reassuring squeeze and patted his shoulder as he stood again.
"Not the most fashionable thing for a boy your age but you won't even notice it I'm sure. It'll help keep you and your family safe my boy. Now, there are about two weeks till school, but it should be enough to get the shields fully charged for the year again. I know you don't enjoy it here my boy, but for yours and their safety, you just need to put up with it for the next while."
Harry moaned in terror and a pain that made him feel hollow. He felt so incomplete. He frantically tried to pull his magic past the barrier keeping it caged. He shuddered as hot fire burned through his veins, obviously from the attempts. He stopped and felt his magic roar and swirl beyond the barrier. It hurt so much. He couldn't feel his precious magic. He felt like something had been ripped away cruelly and hidden just out of sight. He shut down for a few minutes and only blindly followed the headmaster who had a hold on his arm. Harry wanted to collapse and scream.
A knock and the next thing Harry knew he was facing Vernon.
"I found him in Diagon." Dumbledore said good naturedly. "The necklace will stop his magic and I've put a ward around your house. He will not be able to leave the property. An extra ward will keep out any owls so not to bother you as you requested. Now Harry, you be good. Don't worry your family like that again. Have a good summer."
Everything was going to fast! He couldn't comprehend every action. He was only half aware of himself in his silent panic. His magic was gone! Anger wanted to erupt into white hot rage at those who had done this to him, but the fear and the pain kept the anger subdued for now. He half gasped half gagged as he felt his heart skip a beat and continue on erratically. His fingers and toes had gone numb and the world was far to tilted.
And then Dumbledore was gone.
Harry looked up through bleary eyes and saw his life flash by as he saw the anger in Vernon's.
.-.
Harry shivered as he lay on the floor. He took some comfort in the solidness of the wood floor beneath him, fingers gripping at the wood till splinters were in them. He was so sore. His body was battered and he was quite sure his right wrist was broken. Vernon didn't quite understand that Harry's body was as fragile as it looked, even more so against his own considerable weight.
Harry staggered into a sitting position and held his hand close to his body and tried to stop his trembling with will power alone. It didn't work. He was too conditioned to the fear that Vernon would return at any moment and hit him again. And there was still that empty void that was taking all his feeling away, he didn't feel at all fine, or normal, or okay. Everything was absolutely wrong.
He checked over his injuries in the silence of his dust coated room. Bloody belt marks marred his back and bruises littered his chest. When he breathed it hurt and some prodding led him to believe he had bruised or cracked some ribs. His right wrist was broken and one of his ankles felt sprained. His glasses were long since broken and his clothes were now bloody and torn. Even his hair was now tangled, and he hadn't regretted the length before Vernon decided it was a very good grip hold. Luckily he had not been carrying much on his person besides his satchel and that had been dropped when Dumbledore had grabbed him in the alley. With luck Valentine would have it.
Vernon had shook him pretty good to before kicking him around and even now Harry felt dizzy.
But he didn't quite find himself caring about anything but the hollowness. The bruises and bones felt like nothing compared to the emptiness he felt. He had this strange disconnected feeling that was so bad he sometimes forgot to breathe until he stuttered and gasped. It was as if he was far too small for his body now and his life support was gone. He could barely think of anything for longer then a few seconds before he zoned out.
He felt at the barrier around his magic and prodded it again; the familiar burst of fiery pain showed it was still strong. Harry whimpered. He prodded again. Fiery, glass-in-his-veins, red-hot pain. He couldn't get past the barrier. He tried to turn his thoughts away from the empty pain that had filled in for his magic.
Vernon had gone easy on him this time. The man had to go back to work and had only come home for a while as Dumbledore had contacted him. He would be back tonight though and Harry knew he would be in for a world of pain. The man had threatened to kill him if he was brought back. He'd been brought back and while Harry doubted the man would ever actually kill him, he might do so unintentionally when beating him. Vernon had a temper and his temper had always been focused at Harry. Harry had always had magic to make him more durable though.
Harry drifted back to his magic and took a breath before slamming into the barrier. Pain so intense rocked his body that his vision went white and when it cleared he was convulsing on the floor in agony, his body quivering without his numb mind to notice.
Harry looked to the heavy wardrobe but knew he would not be able to move. He pulled himself to his feet, limping and shaking badly from the effort and the pain (physically, mental, and magically). He grabbed the desk chair and jammed it under the door knob and hoped to god it would hold until someone could save him.
Then he collapsed and dragged himself under his bed to the far corner, feeling safer in the small space, before falling into a cross between unconsciousness and sleep.
.-.
I would also like to say for any who may have thought of it, I'm not making a stereotypical evil Dumbledore. I merely made him an old man who may make mistakes. He is unaware of the abuse or pain Harry is suffering. More will be talked about it later.
Loving the story so far? There's a whole world of magic and mystery waiting for you with over 85+ chapters still to come! By supporting my Patreon.
You not only get early access to new chapters but also exclusive content, behind-the-scenes insights, and special perks just for fans like you.
Join us on this enchanted journey and help shape the future of the tale. Your support makes all the difference—discover more and become part of the adventure today!
http//patreon.com/BLAKE025
(P).(A).(T).(R).(E).(O).(N)
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