The Contract

Chapter 44

Corvus made his way to his wards room, having been informed by the House-elves that Harry was still awake. He had asked them to keep an eye on Harry due to Harry's sheer inability to disturb him when he needed him. It was fast approaching midnight, and Harry was rarely awake after nine or ten o'clock. 'Ironic' he thought, since Harry had been born probably near enough this very moment twelve-years-ago.

Once he reached Harry's room, he noticed the light still on. Knocking lightly, just in case he had dozed off in the time it took him to get there.

"Come in," came Harry's voice, clear as a bell, and not sleepy at all.

Corvus opened the door, and entered Harry's bedroom, he wasn't even in bed. No, he was wrapped in a cover, doors open, staring up at the sky from his balcony. The bed hadn't even been slept in by the looks of it. How strange. "Are you feeling well?" he asked, making his way towards the teen, pressing his hand against Harry's forehead, concerned for his welfare. He didn't seem hot, perhaps not a fever then.

"I'm fine, I promise," Harry said staring up at Corvus, giving him an apologetic smile. "I didn't mean to disturb you." He really hadn't, he'd just continued on with his lonely tradition...despite things having changed so drastically. It was now an entire year since he'd found out about the magical world, and since he had found freedom.

"You didn't," Corvus chided him gently, transfiguring a chair, so that he could join Harry. "You are never a bother, Harry, the sooner you realize that the better." He could wake him in the middle of the night if need be, there would be no consequences.

Harry smiled sweetly up at Corvus, before gazing back out into the vastness of Lestrange Manor. Unable to see anything, except for what the shadowed light that still blazed in the firepits and lamps at the entrance of their home.

"Would you like some Dreamless sleep draught?" Corvus asked, following Harry's gaze. Despite the darkness, he knew where every single thing was on the manor grounds. Everything was asleep, all the animals, except of course the owls, they were notoriously nocturnal.

"I'll go to bed soon, I promise," Harry declared, glancing at his watch yet again, soon.

"Harry?" Corvus asked, frowning lightly, this was entirely unusual behaviour. "Is there something bothering you?" glancing at his watch...it was almost as if the boy didn't want him there. Which was highly unusual on its own.

"It's nearly midnight," Harry said absently, glancing up at Corvus, before he decided to reveal it. "I found out my birthdate when I was in school, after I could read, July 31st, ever since then...I've stayed up until midnight and wished myself a happy birthday and made a wish."

"I see," Corvus said, sadness overwhelming him at the thought of such a young child, so alone, lonely, wishing for something better and it never coming. He wondered how Dumbledore could live with himself, he was worse than Tom could ever hope to be. Children were to be cherished.

"The Dursley's never got me anything...and used to give me more chores insisting that I was a burden to 'good and decent' people." Harry revealed, "Marge got me dog biscuits once." It was added as an afterthought. Chest tight just remembering that undiluted hope he'd felt at that moment. Too young and stupid to realize they'd never change their mind.

Corvus' mouth tightened noticeably, disgusted to the very core. Merlin, help him, death truly was too good for the likes of them. He vowed right there and then...that his sons would get to know where those despicable things were. They would deserve everything they got. "They are as far from good and decent people as one can get." He said, doing nothing to hide the censure in his voice. "They're definitely getting what they deserve now." Which in his opinion not accurate, but when his sons were released? Well, let's just say he would help them safely capture the Dursley's and let them have their way, in a safe manner of course, he definitely didn't want his sons to end up back in that dreadful place...regardless of how far along it was coming in regards to the law and regulations of what a prison was meant to be.