Don't Save Me

Chapter 18: Uncle Dearest

TW: Description of Torture and Abuse

The train pulled into King's Cross Station. I grabbed my belongings and stepped off the train, searching the station for my uncle. His eyes locked with mine and a smile spread across his features.

"Y/n! My darling niece! I've missed you!" He ran over to me and pulled me into a hug. My body stiffened and he pulled away. "Come along, dear. The car is waiting." He took my trunk and carried it to the car, placing it in the trunk. I sat in the backseat and we made the drive home.

The silence was deafening as we pulled into the driveway. My uncle silently stepped out of the car and walked into the house without a word. I grabbed my trunk and walked through the door of the house. The smell of cigarette smoke hit my nose as I crossed the threshold of the house. My uncle was nowhere to be seen. I felt a pit form in my stomach in anticipation of what was to come. The door slammed behind me and I turned to see my uncle standing there, cigarette in hand, grinning madly.

"I've been hearing some interesting things about your days at school, young lady."

"What do you mean?"

"You know perfectly well what I mean!" he shouted, moving closer to me. "I am a school governor! Did you really think I wouldn't find out who you've been hanging out with!?" I took a step back as he stepped forward. Bits of ash fell from the cigarette as he moved closer to me.

"I don't- I don't know what you mean..." I quivered.

"You have been hanging out with Slytherins!" he screamed as he shoved me backwards toward the basement door.

"No, I-"

"Shut up!" He moved behind me and opened the basement door. "You know the drill. Get downstairs, now!" I immediately moved toward the door and walked down the stairs. There wasn't a drop of light in the basement as I walked down the steps. When I reached the bottom of the stairs, I turned just in time to hear the basement door slam and I was left in complete darkness.

Hours passed before my uncle opened the door to the basement and stepped inside. He switched on the light from outside the basement and a single light bulb above my head flickered to life. He walked down the steps and stood in front of me.

"What you did was wrong, young lady. You need to be taught that you cannot disobey me," he said as he raised his wand.

"Please... don't..." I stood and backed myself toward the stairs, trying to make a run for it.

"Impedimenta!" he shouted and I fell to the ground. My stomach hit the floor and my arm crashed into the bottom step. I quickly turned over as my uncle stood over me. "CRUCIO!" he shouted. Searing pain burned through every muscle in my body. I screamed for relief but no one could hear me... no one ever heard me.

"Will you ever hang out with Slytherins again?" I didn't answer, knowing that I would never stop spending time with my friends. I didn't care what he did to me. I pictured Severus's face in my mind, his arms holding me, soothing my panic attack. I pictured his smile as he told me about his favorite book and his success in potions.

"Answer me!" he screamed.

"No!" I lied, just needing the pain to be over. My muscles contracted and my body contorted in pain as the curse continued, the nerves in my body feeling as if they were on fire.

"It makes us look bad when you hang out with them. Your aunt would be so disappointed in you! I'll be damned if you end up like your father!" I watched as his face contorted in horror, realizing what he had just said.

"M-my father?" I asked in a small voice as the curse finally let up.

"Shut up!" my uncle screamed before raising his wand once more. "Incarcerous!" he shouted. I felt ropes wrap around my body and I felt myself rise into the air, his wand still pointed at me. The ropes attached themselves to the ceiling and my body hung upside down, the ropes wrapped around my ankles. My uncle turned and walked up the stairs, turning the light off on his way out. It didn't take long before the blood rushed to my head and I felt my body go limp, my eyes closing. I'm not sure how long I was out but when I woke up my uncle was untying the ropes and my body fell to the ground in a heap.

"You will never ask me about your father again. Am I clear?" he asked. I nodded dizzily trying to wake up. He nodded and kicked me a tray before leaving the basement once more. I grabbed the tray and quickly gobbled up the bread and water he had left me. When I finished eating, I crawled to the corner of the basement and curled up against the wall, my knees to my chest. I silently sobbed as my body slowly fell asleep.

The next few days were a blur of the cruciatus curse and beatings. The pain was unbearable but I focused on Hogwarts... I focused on going home. By the end of the week, I was badly bruised. Scars and bloody cuts littered my arms as my uncle led me upstairs. I pulled my still-packed trunk from the kitchen where it hadn't been touched and brought it to the car. I quickly grabbed a long sleeve sweater and pulled it over my head as I climbed into the car. We pulled out of the driveway, heading for King's Cross Station. Tears slipped down my cheeks as the relief of going home washed over me. When we finally pulled into the station, I prepared to jump out of the car but my uncle quickly locked the doors. Fear washed over me as I tried to open the door.

"Look at me," my uncle said, menacingly. I turned to face him and he plastered on a smile. "Remember, not a word of this to anyone... or your friends will die. Am I clear?" I quickly nodded and he unlocked the doors. I jumped out of the car, grabbing my trunk and heading for Platform 9 ¾.

As I crossed the threshold of Platform 9 ¾, relief washed over me. I climbed onto the train and chose an empty compartment. The train pulled out of King's Cross Station and I breathed a sigh of relief. Just until I turn 18, I reminded myself as I fell into a deep sleep.

...

The train arrived at Hogwarts and I rushed out, excited to see my friends. While in my compartment I had muttered my concealment charm, hiding any evidence of the wounds my uncle had left, as well as several charms to make myself more presentable.

I walked into the Great Hall and was immediately surrounded by Severus, Regulus, and Rodolphus. Severus pulled me into a hug, resting his chin on top of my head, his arm just barely missing the bruises on my arms.

"I missed you, Y/n. Hogwarts isn't the same without you," he whispered. I pulled away and smiled at him. Regulus pulled me into a hug and I winced as his arm brushed against a bruise.

"Y/n, are you alright?" he asked me as he touched the place his arm had been. I forced a smile as the bruise ached and focused on keeping calm.

"Yeah, Reggie, I'm great. I'm just super hungry," I laughed. We took a seat and began eating. James, Lily, Remus, Peter, and Sirius looked over at me from the Gryffindor table. I smiled and waved at them and they returned the gesture. I returned to my plate and began eating. My stomach rumbled as the diet of bread and water had made me extremely hungry and weak.

"Geez, Y/n. Is that you?" Rodolphus laughed as he heard my stomach rumble.

"What can I say?" I laughed. "A girl's gotta eat." Laughter surrounded me and we continued eating. Throughout the meal we conversed about classes and what happened over break, though I had to be extremely vague. Severus could sense something wasn't right with me when I discussed my break but he didn't push the matter and I was grateful.

When we finished the meal Severus walked me to the Gryffindor common room. I stepped through the portrait hole and entered the common room. James, Sirius, Lily, Peter, and Remus greeted me with warm embraces and smiles as we all took a seat to discuss our Spring Break. Once again, I kept my answers vague and my smile plastered, not letting anyone know anything was wrong, knowing I needed to protect my friends from my uncle's wrath. I just had to last a few more years and I could escape.

By the end of the conversation we were all tired and split off to go to bed.