Fighting Darkness

1.0 (EDITED)

WARNING! This chapter deals with dark subjects that may not be suitable for all ages. Read at your own risk.

(( * * around words means thinking/thoughts))

"Welcome to the Gryffindor common room! This is where you will work and hang out after curfew!" Percy, the third oldest Weasley and Gryffindor perfect, called to the new students in his annoyingly pompous voice.

"Up the left staircase is the boys dormitory's and to the right, the girls. Now, no one is allowed in the dorm of the opposite gender after nine pm, although boy are never allowed into the girls dormitories. Any questions?"

Harry nudged Ron, whispering in his ear quickly. Ron looked at him and nodded, putting up his hand. Not waiting to be called on, he shouted out, "What if we're going to see our sibling in the opposite genders dorm and it's really important?"

Percy glared at his brother before replying, "After nine, no. If it's really that important you can take it up with professor Dumbledore."

Harry and Alice shared look, this would be the first time they wouldn't be able to see each other at night after their night terrors, which happened nearly nightly. And it didn't help that they were in a new and unfamiliar place.

"Now, I am sure you're all very tired! Off the bed with you!"

Harry turned to Alice. "We-We'll be okay. I'll see you tomorrow yeah?"

Alice nodded, hugging Harry tightly. She didn't like being separated from her brother, ever. At the Dursley's she'd stayed close to her brother. He'd protected her at all cost, even when she said she didn't want it. "Yeah, tomorrow."

Harry's pale lips curved up slightly as he smiled crookedly at her, his green eyes haunted. "Night Ali." He whispered, kissing her cheek.

"Night Rye." She answered, ruffling his messy black hair, smiling as he batted her hands away.

Harry turned away first, following Ron up the spiraling staircase up into the firsts years dormitory which was last year 7th years dormitory, so it was at the very top of the tower.

Alice turned away soon after, convincing her self they- she- would be fine, following Max Light up to the very last door in the tower.
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Harry woke up at three A.M, his chest heaving, sweat trickled down his neck and back, curling the ends of his hair. As the details from the dream slipped from his consciousness, he found him self feeling dirty, long forgotten pain of leather slashing across his back ricocheted through his consciousness.

Alice's agonising screams echoed in his mind, the slash of a belt, the flash of silver, the sicking sound of leather and metal hitting skin, the splashes of blood that coated the floors and walls.

He could still hear his uncle evil laugh as he begged for him to stop, to hit him instead. *Not Alice, please not Alice.*

Memories hit him hard, flashes of pain, leering faces and the cold metal, the groping hands. His small diner was churning in his nauseated stomach, threatening to come out.

Harry gagged, tasting bile in his mouth. Scrambling from his bed he staggered to the bathroom, barley making it to the basin before he emptied the contents of his stomach into the cold red marble sink. He retched a few times, chocking when nothing came out.

A pitiful sob ripped from his throat as he collapsed onto the rock floor, his knees pulled tight to his chest reminding him of lonely nights when Alice never came back to the cupboard at night, reminding him of finding her small body sprawled across the floor in front of the cupboard door, or maybe in the living room. Reminding him of having to clean her wounds, praying she stayed unconscious as he lifted her baggy shirt off her back, wrapping them in strips of clean cloths that had been dunked in vodka that he'd stolen from the kitchen.

Harry didn't remeber getting back to his sweat drenched bed or falling asleep again, the only thought on his mind was that Alice wasn't there.