The Great War

Chapter 3: Never again

Dobby the house elf had apparated excitedly in the number 4 of Privet Drive after Harry Potter, the only wizard (apart from Dumbledore) who had been nice to him, called him. But he was not prepared for what he found. The boy who lived was on the floor, his back covered in blood and almost half his face was bruised. He had ordered Dobby to 'Take him' but he didn't say where, so Dobby took him to the place he remembered Harry Potter had called home: Hogwarts.

Minerva McGonagall was, along with the rest of professors, at their table in the Great Hall, they were chatting and eating happily when the doors of hall burst open. It was a house elf, but that was not the weirdest part. There was a boy levitating behind him, it was difficult to recognize him since half his face was bloodied and brused.

But when the elf spoke, she felt as if her heart had stopped beating. "It's Harry Potter" he yelled. "Help Harry Potter please help him." the elf was nearly in tears, it was really something rare to see an elf get so emotional for someone who wasn't his master.

Poppy Pomfrey ran to the boy asking the house elf to quickly take him to the emfermary. Half the professors were frozen in their place trying to process what they just saw. Harry Potter, a boy who had demonstrated to be selfless, kind, brave and smart, the boy who had taken a special place in most of the professors' hearts was hanging on for dear life by a thread so thin some believed it wasn't even there. "Severus, I'll need your assistance." The potions's master quickly nodded and run to the infirmary.

The two were with Harry for hours until the managed to stabilize the boy. Madam Pomfrey added a few sleeping spells on him before leaving the infirmary to inform the other professors.

Minerva was distraught and in tears, something not many had seen from her. And Snape, who was naturally pale, looked green and ready to throw up. "What happend?" Dumbledore asked, Poppy sighed but began explaining. "He had a fractured cheekbone; a few broken ribs, it's a miracle they didn't puncture a lung, I'm guessing his magic was the only thing that prevented it, he wouldn't have survived if they had; he had--" her voice shook slightly, "he had whipp marks, some are new, but most look years old." At this McGonagall let out a sob and many gasps were heard. "And he also had second and third degree burns on his back. I healed his injuries, but he also suffers from severe malnourishment, and I recommend he sees a mind healer, since his physical scars aren't the only ones we should worry about. He's very lucky to be alive."

"I doubt he feels that way." Said Miverva having calmed down a bit.

"Is there something else?" Dumbledore asked, noticing Snape's uneasiness.

"There were no traces of magic on his wounds." Poppy said.

"Muggles" said Snape with disdain on his face.

The healer nodded. "Based on his previous injuries his relatives have been--- abusing him for years." Realization dawn on Dumbledore and Minerva, even though she didn't want to leave Harry there, she didn't do much to persuade the Headmaster, so Harry had to pay the terrible consecuences. And for that Minerva McGonagall will never forgive herself.

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Harry woke up disoriented and with a painful headache; he could see blurry images around him, but he didn't have the energy to panic, then he heard voices that sounded as if they were miles away, yet so close and familiar to him.

"Harry." Someone called. It was a delicate voice, so there was no way he was with the Dursleys anymore-- Then he rememberd... Dobby, he had called Dobby. But where had the elf taken him? "Harry can you hear me?" the voice asked again, things were still blurry until he felt someone put his glasses on his face.

"Professor?" he answered doubtfully. Did that mean he was in Hogwarts? Not knowing where he was made him very uneasy. He looked around the room and it took him a couple of minutes to identify his surroundings. The young wizard managed to calm down when he realized he was in Hogwarts' infirmary.

"Yes Harry. It's professor McGonagall." She spoke softly. "You're in Hogwarts."

"What happened?"

Minerva looked apprehensive, but a moment later she spoke. "What's the last thing you remember?"

Harry closed his eyed trying to fight back the tears, yet one managed to slip through. "My uncle... he--" But he couldn't finish his sentence as his voice broke and he felt a lump in his throat preventing him from speaking.

He felt so weak, so useless, so powerless... that moment he vowed to never feel like that again. Never again would he allow someone to treat him like he was worthless. Never again would he allow himself to feel weak or powerless. Never again...

"It's okay Harry. You don't have to talk about it now." The professor said, grabbing the boy's hand for support, which only caused him to flinch but he didn't remove it. "Your friend Dobby brought you here. He was very worried."

"Can I see him? I want to thank him." Harry asked. "I don't think I would be alive if it weren't for him."

McGonagall smiled softly. "I'll tell him you want to talk to him, but for now it's best you rest." Harry nodded. "And if you need anything, just ask okay. You are safe here. He won't lay hand on you ever agian."

"Thank you." he whispered. As Minerva was leaving she heard Harry speak in a barely audible voice. "Could-- Could you please stay until I fall asleep?" he was red from shame and embarrassment, but the professor simply smiled and sat next to the boy. "Thank you." he whispered again as sleep consumed him.

The next time Harry woke up, he felt a lot better. He told Madam Pomfrey that he felt fine, but she didn't belive him. That's when the infirmary doors burst open and Professors Dumbledor and McGonagall walked in.

"Harry! How are you feeling?" he asked.

"Much better, thank you sir."

"I'm gald, I'm glad"

There was a brief moment of awkward silence when Harry decided to speak. It wasn't something he wanted to talk about at the moment, but he needed to know. "What's gonna happen to my Aunt, Uncle and cousin?"

The two professors looked at each other like they had been expecting him to ask that question. "Your uncle will be prosecuted in muggle court for child abuse. Your aunt will be charged for aiding and abetting. And Dudley will enter the foster system." He explained. "There are very few people that knew about your relation to them, so the wizarding world will never know about what they did, unless of course you want them to."

Harry quickly shook his head, that was the last thing he needed: more attention. "And what will happen to me? I have nowhere to go." Again the porfessors looked at each other and Miverva sat down next to the boy.

"You have a few options on that subject." she started. "You could go to the Weasley's--" Harry shook his head.

"I love the Weasleys but I don't want to be an extra burden to them." he said.

"You won't be a burden Harry. But if you don't want to go to the Weasleys you still have a few other opitions." Harry looked at her expectantly. "You can go to another magical family, but that would require some investigation since you don't know the family and they don't know you so it would have to be supervised by the ministry. Which will attract a lot of attention... Or--" she hesitated.

"Or?" asked Harry.

"Or you could come with me."