The steady down pour of rain had washed away most of the fallen autumn leaves. Muddy puddles had formed on the grounds and they leaked in streams into the lake where the giant squid was resting on the surface.
Harry was wandering the halls, his feet making little sound on the stone floor and his breath catching in puffs of air. He stopped to stare aimlessly out of a dark window that was flooded with droplets.
"Harry?" In the glass Harry could see the reflection of Draco Malfoy, watching him carefully.
"H-Hi…" Harry winced and fell quiet.
Draco's brow creased and a look of concern flickered across his grey eyes.
"Harry, what's wrong?" When Harry didn't answer Draco grabbed his arm lightly and spun him around so they faced each other.
There was a bruise forming around his left eyes and his bottom lip was swollen and cut. There were tear stains and a smear of blood on his chin.
"What happened?" Draco demanded, cradling Harry's face in his hands and turning it to the side for a better look.
Harry just shook his head and willed the tears away.
"Baby, you have to tell me." Draco whispered, pressing a kiss to his temple.
Harry whimpered and looked away from Draco.
"Harry, tell me what happened, who did this to you?" Draco demanded softly.
"So what?" Harry whispered. "You can go hex them? Beat them to a bloody pulp maybe? What good will it do?"
Discover moreCommunity forumsBeta reading serviceMobile app promotionBooksBooks & LiteratureDraco looked hurt by the words and Harry regretted them.
"I need to protect you." Draco whispered.
"You can't always protect me." Harry murmured.
"You're wrong." Draco half-smirked, kissing the corner of Harry's mouth softly.
Harry stood and took his seat where Hope and Truth had sat moments before. Blaise gave him an 'are you ready?' look and Harry nodded solemnly.
"Mr Potter has requested Veritaserum." Blaise informed the council.
Draco threw a look of confusion to Harry who avoided his look. Veritaserum was bought and Harry took two drops. His eyes took on a glossy look.
"What is your name?" Blaise asked.
"Harry James Potter." Harry answered automatically.
"Harry, do you swear to tell the whole truth and nothing but the truth?"
"Yes."
Blaise cleared his throat; his stomach was knotted as he tried avoiding Draco's questioning gaze. "Is it true that you have avoided telling the whole truth about your encounter with Mr Ruth?"
"Yes." Harry's voice stayed flat and emotionless.
"Would you like to share the whole truth? How you met Mr Ruth and what exactly happened?" Blaise asked.
"Well I went to this party that one of my friends from training had invited me to. I was upset of what I had seen before so I decided to go and well get drunk. I can just remember Ruth handing me a drink and after that everything goes black. I woke up the next morning in his apartment."
Discover morePublishing resourcesTV show guidesAnime streaming serviceWriting contestsWriting workshopsThere were collective gasps and a few angry glares pointed at Ruth and his lawyer who was fuming.
"So you were raped?" Blaise asked, trying to keep emotion out of his voice.
"Yes." Harry answered.
"What does raped mean?" Hope whispered to Isabella who shushed her, tears gathering in the corner of her eyes.
Draco had a stony look on his face but his eyes flashed dangerously.
"Then what happened?" Blaise prompted.
"Two weeks later I found out I was pregnant so I packed up my life and left to Australia." Harry answered promptly.
"Are you positive that the twins are Ruth's?" Blaise asked.
"No."
"I think that is enough questioning." Blaise nodded to the council and he and Harry took their seats once more.
There was uproar of talk that filled the court room. Even the council was whispering furiously amongst them, all except Draco who sat stone still, his gaze fixed on Harry.
"Silence!" McKenzie bellowed, gaining the attention of the room. "In light of this new information the council will retire early to discus the issue-"
"Wait!" Jonathon yelled. "I want to call forth a whiteness!"
There were a few words exchanged before McKenzie answered. "Alright, but be quick!"
Jonathon stood up and called forth Constance. She agreed to the oath before Jonathon started his questions.
"Constance, how would you describe your father?" Jonathon gave her a pointed look and Constance's eyes drifted between Harry and her fuming father.
"I…" She bit her lip, fear ebbing in her mind. "He's…he's a horrible man!" She blurted. "Mr Potter isn't the first person he's raped! He raped my mum and killed her when she told him she was going to tell!"
There was further uproar and a lot of abuse thrown at Ruth. Harry was torn between happiness and fear. Jonathon growled at Constance to go.
"The council will retire and decided upon what to do." They stood,
Draco was nudged to stand and they left through the side door.
"We've won no doubt about it." Blaise smirked, but it was short lived as his face took on a flicker of sympathy. "You OK?"
Harry sighed. "I don't know…"
The door opened once more and they entered again, this time Draco wasn't present. They took their seats and McKenzie stood to make the verdict.
"In light of new information the council has decided that a blood test will be taken and if Mr Ruth isn't the father there will be further consequences." McKenzie's glare fell onto Jonathon. "Court is dismissed."
Discover moreStory writing softwareFan art commissionsMobile app promotionBeta reading serviceManga subscriptionsHarry stood with Blaise and made his way out to where Isabella, Sirius, the twins, Dumbledore and Constance waited.
"Well done Harry." Isabella wrapped her arms around him and chocked back tears.
"Ease up Izzie, you'll strangle him." Sirius joked.
Isabella let go and picked up Hope.
Harry turned to Constance and smiled. "Thank you."
She blushed and shrugged. "I always wanted to say something to him."
Harry gave her a brief hug and was tackled by Truth. "Daddy, where's our presents?"
Everyone laughed at the twins and Dumbledore suggested a celebration Lunch.
"Coming Blaise?" Harry asked.
"Tempting but I have to see Draco." Blaise explained. Harry nodded and followed the others out.
They went to a small restaurant in Diagon Alley and celebrated the very small victory. The twins did their presents and Isabella did dig into Harry about the lying incidence.
Far from the celebrating group Draco was pacing his office when Blaise entered via floo.
"Why didn't you tell me?" Draco seethed, glaring with icy fire at his best friend.
"I was sworn to silence. I wasn't allowed to say anything to anyone."
Blaise sighed. "He didn't say anything to protect you."
"It's my entire fault." Draco whispered, falling into his chair heavily. Blaise shifted uncomfortably. "You know this is the part were your supposed to reassure me it isn't."
Blaise sighed again and let against the fireplace. "Well…"
"What is it?" Draco asked, regretting asking.
"Harry only went to that party and drunk because he saw you kiss Pansy." Blaise blurted waiting for the lash-out, but it didn't come.
"What?" Draco whispered.
"He walked in on you kissing Pansy, did you?"
Draco rubbed his temple. "She came onto me!"
Blaise shrugged. "He saw what he saw." He walked over to the low liquor table and made two drinks, handing one to Draco. "There's something else."
"What?" Draco was dreading the answer.
"He's leaving to Australia as soon as everything is cleared up." Blaise took a sip of the strong alcohol.
"Is he coming back?" Draco asked softly.
"I don't think so." Blaise fixed his eyes on Draco. "He's leaving and this time he's not coming back, there's nothing left."
Draco drowned the drink and winced.
Harry stood before the Healer, knowing nervously at his bottom lip.
Hope and Truth stood beside him, confused about the visit.
"Mr Potter, when you are ready we'll just take some samples of blood and we'll have the result in two days." The Healer was a young woman with short dark hair and a lovely dark skin and her name plate said she was Amanda Temple.
"Yep, are you ready girls?" Harry asked.
"Where are we going?" Hope asked as they followed Amanda.
"Just a little test." Harry smiled. They reached a room and Amanda invited them to sit down.
"Please roll up your right sleeve." They did as she said and she numbed Harry's arm before sticking the needle in.
She did the same to Truth and Hope who yelled in shock.
"All done and for being such brave girls here are some lollypops." She handed two over to the girls.
"Girls can you wait outside?" Harry asked. The girls nodded and ran off. "Um, these tests they are private right?"
"Yes Mr Potter. Only I and my college will know before you and Mr Ruth find out." Amanda reassured him.
"OK, thank you." Harry pulled on his jacket and left the room.
"Daddy, Truth pulled my hair!" Hope wailed, clinging to her dad's leg.
"I didn't!" Truth yelled.
Harry rolled his eyes and fought back a smile. "Tell the truth, Truth."
Truth's eyes swam with tears and she sniffed. "I…I didn't mean to Daddy!" She wailed.
"Oh suck it up." Hope snapped.
"Come on girls; let's go get ice-cream." Harry took their hands and led them away from the hospital room and the samples of DNA that was about to change their life.