Percy Potter

Chapter Four

I sank into the comfy mattress as Gizar prowled on the window sill. "Be careful Gizar, if you wish to leave, just make sure to stay out of trouble and get back here safely. Good night, I'm gonna try to get some peaceful sleeping." I must have jinxed it, because when my mind started drifting, it was immediately claimed by Tartarus.

~Dream~

"Why hello old hero." I winced. Every time I wake up there, that is how he greets me. Pushing back my fear, I prepared myself for harm. "When will you finally explain what that means? It's getting boring trying to figure it out." I was hanging on a wall, bound by chains, and Tartarus was staring at me. "I was so sure that you had already figured it out. By my standards, you're young, but by your standards, you're too old to be alive. Little hero, you are already four thousand, two hundred and sixty-five years old." Tartarus cackled evilly as I grew shocked. That would mean that I spent four thousand, two hundred and forty-nine years in here. I hung my head in sadness, depression, and shame. Now I'll never be on the same line as Harry. I'll always be t- my thoughts were cut off when Tartarus lashed his whip at my face. The whip itself left a red mark across my face, on the bridge of my nose, while the spikes gouged out some flesh, broke my nose, and pierced my left eye. I whimpered, not having seen the hit coming. "Oops, hehe. That was much better than I expected hmm? It caught your attention and gave you extra pain. Let this be a warning. ALWAYS LISTEN TO ME WHEN I TALK! Now, on with this session. Hehehehehehe." He giggled crazily to himself as I readied for the whips, daggers, poison lashes. Never screaming as to not give him the satisfaction. 1, 2, 3, 4, ...............

~Time Skip To Five Hours Later~

11,356, 11,357, 11,358, 11,359, 11,360 whip lashes. "A-are.... Y-yo-you.... D-d-don-ne.... Y-ye-et?" I could barely speak after trying to contain my screams for so long. "No, little hero. I'm just getting started." I groaned, trying to keep my eyes open. I was losing a lot of blood and getting dizzy. "Oh no you don't." Tartarus sprayed water on me, only enough to stop the bleeding, but not heal the cuts. I felt a small jolt of energy flow through me and the smell of the sea. Then a stabbing pain in my gut. I looked down, unwilling to see what I already knew it was. One of Tartarus' favorite toys, a poisoned electrical dagger. He stabbed me, multiple times, in my stomach, legs, and arms. After the fifth one, I stopped trying to control my convulsing. I couldn't take this much electricity, I was getting fried on the inside. I could feel the poison work faster through my system, making my immortal abilities unable to heal me. He laughed, giggled, and cackled at my misery, relishing the sight. I wanted so desperately for this to end, for Gizar to protect me, for Tartarus to get called off, anything. I couldn't take the abuse, my only saving grace was that I couldn't breathe well, so I don't have to try and keep in my screams, as they are silent. He then started carving on my skin. I have no idea what he was writing, but I know that they are degrading. Each slice he took with such precision, it shocked me that he could be so brutal and accurate, almost gentle, at the same time. I shuddered just thinking about it. Luckily, Tartarus was too caught up in his designs to notice. Once he had finished, my chest had been torn to ribbons, deep enough to pierce my broken heart. I couldn't see well anymore, with all of the blood in my vision and my torn left eye, so I had no idea what he grabbed, until he hit me with it. Lava, it was lava. I never knew how he got it, and I still don't. All I know is that it hurts more than Hades, and burns my skin, and my bones. He sprayed it on my chest and face, having it drip down my arms and legs, burning off my clothes. He always does this before he takes me. It's the worst part of it all, and I can't do anything. He sprayed me for a few more minutes, making me burn and char, and then he did it. (I will spare you the details, just think of rape, it's very sad {CURSE YOU TARTARUS!!!! [and myself  because I made this happen as the author]}) After a while of continuous shame, he finally had to let me go, with the parting promise of tomorrow.

~Dream Over~

I woke up, to find Gizar looking at me with worry, and yowling. I tried to tell him that I was ok, but my voice wouldn't work. 'Master! Master! Master, what is wrong?! I don't know how to help you! I can't protect you Master! What happened?!' I unsuccessfully tried to tell him to quiet down. 'It's ok Gizar. I'm fine. Calm down, I just need a few minutes.' He looked at me like I was crazy. 'Master, how can you be ok if you can't even move? You have blood and another substance all over yourself, your left eye is damaged, and your limbs are broken and cut. I can barely even recognize you!' He started to get frantic again, and I thought of how to get out of this. The poison is still in my system so my immortal healing won't work, but if I have water then I'll be fine. 'Gizar, calm down, I have everything under control. You have seen my life, so you know what happened, just calm down and think rationally.' He stopped, curled up, and closed his eyes. I would have thought that he just went to sleep if I didn't feel him trying to access my memories again. I granted him access while I used the water from the plumbing to open the sink tap and have it float under the door and to me. I then asked it to coat me and heal my insides. It slowly leaked through my injuries and to my organs, healing the burns as they went. The water encased my left eyes as it regenerated the mutilated parts, but it soon completely healed my face and I was thankful that it only left minimal scar-age. The water slowly filtered out the poison, and as soon as it was all out, just suspended in the air, my immortal healing kicked in. My muscles, bones, and skin slowly knit back together, sadly, leaving scars because they didn't manage to heal right away. For me, I was fine, except for a slight tickling sensation, but that was ok. I had the water quickly circulate through my body, and I was relieved to find that anything Tartarus could have left behind had been removed. I let the, now dirty, water slip down the drain, and relaxed into my bed. Just as I started to drift off again from the massive power usage and torture, Gizar jumped on the bed and laid in the chest, licking my cheeks. 'Oh Master! I'm so sorry you went through all of that without me there to help you! I'm sorry that I couldn't protect you. I'm just glad that you were able to heal yourself so that your wounds disappeared. Master what is your plan for today? I advise that you lay in bed and rest, after all, you have to leave for Hogwarts tomorrow.' I sighed, gently petting him. 'Yeah. I'll stay in bed. How about we get to know each other better, you know.... Form a bond? We've seen each other's lives, but we haven't talked with one another. I'm too tired to get up either. Let's just stay here.' I yawned, drained from last night. Normally, I would just grab some water and be refreshed and energized, but I had nothing to do today so.... 'Alright Master. That sounds like a plan!'

All day we sat and talked. Every now and then Gizar would change into one of his four animals, and I would keep petting him. I learned that he will pretty much eat anything, but he doesn't have too, he loves red, yellow, blue, and green, he can become any type of cat/lion, snake, badger, or bird (with a little magic, of course). He also loves flying and hates cages. We had decided that he would be a snake that was always with me when we went to Hogwarts, so he could protect me. Near the end of the afternoon, Mother and Father caught my attention when I inspected the locket more closely, and I got to know them better too. Mom was proud of the man I had become, and so was Dad, except they both wish that they could have been the ones to raise me, play catch with me, and all the other things that normal parents do. Sadly, we all had to say goodnight as my weariness finally took over, and in a last attempt to keep Tartarus from catching me again, I set up a magical barrier, four times thick, around my mind. I slowly sunk into blackness, praying that my spells would hold.