Shattered Souls • Hedric

Chapter Three

Albus, Severus, and Kingsley were on a boat out in the ocean, heading to Azkaban Island. It was the beginning of January, and the water was rough and frozen.

 Severus, what kind of shape do you think he is in." asked Dumbledore with dread.

"I think . . . it's a miracle that the boy is even alive. He should have been dead within the first month. Let's not forget whatever horrors Amos subjected him too." Severus wanted to strangle Amos. Harry had already been sentenced to life in Azkaban, the Ministry had no right letting Amos 'visit' him.

"There were whispers," said Kingsley. "That Fudge granted Amos free rein over Harry. There were some guards who refused to monitor Amos with Harry, they said it was to . . .bloody."

A visitor was never allowed alone with a prisoner, every visit had to monitored. If Fudge had granted Amos free rein, then he was allowed to do whatever he wanted to Harry, and the guards couldn't interfere.

All three men didn't speak after that revelation. They were lost in their own thoughts about Harry, and what they condemned him to.

-a- -a- -a- -a- -a- -a- -a- -a- -a- -a-

Dumbledore pulled his cloak tighter around him as he followed the guard to the worst cells of Azkaban. He was surprised to see the relief on the guards face when he handed over Harry's release papers.

"Never thought he was guilty." Muttered the surly guard. "Never gave us problems, did he? Never even talked, not even to beg Diggory to stop. Sick bastard that one. He belongs in that cell, not the boy."

"What did he do to Potter?" Asked Severus, feeling ice run through his veins.

"Can't say, now can I? Forced to an oath, wasn't I? Made You Know Who, look like a kitten. At least he would just up and kill ya, didn't like getting his hands dirty, did he? Not Diggory, no, he liked to hear the boy scream, he liked to get the boys blood on him. Boy has strong magic to keep him alive all this time. Been more humane to have had him kissed."

The guard stopped outside a thick stone door with a few bars running up it. "Fraid there's not much left of the boy. Dementors love feeding off him, have to force them to move on."

The three men dreaded that cell door being opened. Everything the guard said, chilled them to the bone. Holding their breath, they peered over the guards shoulder as he swung the heavy door open.

The smell was so bad, that they almost lost their stomach's. The cell reeked of urine, faeces, sweat, blood, and they didn't want to contemplate what else.

"Did Diggory ever rape the boy?" Severus asked the guard. He didn't like the smells his vampire was scenting.

The guard just stared at the potions master, unblinking. "Can't say now can I? Good you came today, bastard was due tomorrow."

Severus carefully slipped into the mans mind, but had to retreat almost instantly. The visions he got was worse then anything he had ever witnessed by Bellatrix and Macnair.

"Severus?" asked Dumbledore.

Severus couldn't open his mouth, afraid of losing his dinner. He just looked at Dumbledore and nodded.

"Bout time you wizards came for the pup." Came a deep, raspy voice from the next cell over.

The three men looked to see Fenrir Greyback standing with his arms through his bars. "Treating an innocent pup like that, and you call us werewolves monsters."

The men turned back to Harry's cell. If Greyback, the notorious werewolf was speaking up for Harry, then this had to be really bad.

"I could take some lessons from that Diggory man." Cackled Bellatrix from the opposite side of the hall. "He would have even disgusted the Dark Lord."