Chapter- 2 : Wrath Part - 2
If you're eager to delve deeper into the story, consider joining my Patreon for exclusive content and early access to new chapters
30+Advanced Chapters there.
(P).(A).(T).(R).(E).(O).(N)
patreon.com/Kun_Blig
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
In a single smooth movement he rolled onto his back and followed through by swinging the arm cradling Teddy, bodily throwing the boy at the Grangers. With both hands free, he reached for the wand up his sleeve and pointed it at the flying boy. "Depulso!"
The Banishing Charm hit and his godson went rocketing towards the doorway. Emma caught him and staggered backwards into Dan's open arms from the force of the impact.
A sense of satisfaction bloomed in Harry's chest and he grinned viciously. Take that you miserable piece of-
The cloud sucked him into the broiling dark.
The sensation of being forcefully sucked through a straw was much like Apparition. There was no light or sound or smell. Instead, it was pitch black and silent as the grave.
The squeezing, however, was supremely uncomfortable but all the same familiar. Harry held his breath, knowing he had to wait it out. And wait. And wait.
That's when the differences from Apparition made themselves known.
A twitching of the straw by his left arm felt like it suddenly formed a cheese grater on the spot. His elbow burned as a strip of skin was sliced to ribbons in less than a second. As they were torn off by the friction, Harry could feel the cold of the void around him soothe the burning for a split-second before blood welled up, making it just feel sticky and wet.
That's when the pain hit in full force.
The first slice was followed by another and another. His clothing tore and blood streaked in rivulets down his shirt and pants. The pain built and built.
Harry's mouth opened wide, muscles drew taut in his neck and his hands balled into fists. His back arched until it felt like he was putting his entire body behind the intent of screaming.
But just like Apparition there was no air to draw breath with, so the scream never came.
More than anything else that inability to do something as basic and primal as screaming in pain drove down how truly helpless he was. Manically, Harry flailed his arms and kicked his legs, flinching from every new cut and slice. His body contorted hideously, desperately trying to get away from the torment.
The squeezing just got tighter and tighter as if the straw was shrinking, until there was a bump, like crossing from a hose into a hydrant.
Unlike the straw, the hydrant didn't give and Harry felt himself being physically forced into a too narrow tube.
He didn't fit.
There was a tearing feeling as his right shoulder dislocated, but the sharp pain when his left clavicle broke came only moments after. Like an egg being squeezed in a fist Harry felt he was on the verge of violently imploding. First one rib snapped, then another and had any sound reached his ears the wet snaps alone would have made him retch.
But there was no sound and other than blood, tears and bits of shredded skin and clothing nothing else to mark his passage.
The final difference from Apparition was that it was not over quickly. The sucking and grating and popping continued on and on and on...
Something in Harry gave.
When he had learned he was a horcrux Harry had resignedly set out to die. When Voldemort tortured him in the bowels of the Ministry Harry had wished for Dumbledore to finish it, to take the monster with him when he died. But here, in this void, where never-ending pain was all he could feel and dream of for the future, where there was no reason or adversary to outwit, Harry's wished for death to take him for himself.
In possibly the most cruel twist of fate imaginable, the moment he truly gave up the vortex spat him out. The bloody mess that was left of him impacted a hard surface with a splat.
While the sound registered in his ears, the bone-jarring impact didn't even rate a raised eyebrow compared to the pain he was already in. Instead, Harry reflexively tried to finally unleash the scream he had so longed for, the scream that he was due.
Instead of sound, a torrent of bloody chunks exited his mouth and cramps and tremors wracked his body. His muscles clamped so tight that he was unable to even expel a breath and was left with his mouth forced open as wide as it could go, muscles corded in his neck and a terror-struck expression on his face.
Unable to cope he felt unconsciousness beckon and he grabbed onto it with desperation born of terror.
Harry awoke to the sound of his own moans. Conscious thought was a while in coming, but when it finally did return after an indeterminate amount of minutes, the fact that he cried out so loud that he woke himself out of unconsciousness worried him a great deal.
Then he remembered the pain and while his worry did not lessen, he at least felt justified in his behaviour.
He was in a bed. The linens were soft, the sheets slightly coarse wherever it reached his bare skin, which was in odd places on his torso and legs and they smelled familiar...
"Finally waking up, are we?" came the familiar voice of Madam Pomfrey from beside the bed.
Oh. He was in the Hogwarts Infirmary. Again.
His throat burned and as Harry tried to answer all he produced was a croak.
A harsh cough caused his muscles to clench painfully. Instead of speaking he just moaned miserably.
"It would be unwise to speak for the moment," the nurse said in her oh so adorable bedside manner.
Harry weakly glared at her as he violently repressed the urge to yell at her not to ask any bloody questions then.
"In fact, I'm sure you would be quite better off asleep just now."
Instinctively Harry shook his head, causing a tearing sensation in the skin his stiff neck and he winced. Still, he was adamant he didn't want to immediately go to sleep again. Sleep would make him remember the pain...
If you're eager to delve deeper into the story, consider joining my Patreon for exclusive content and early access to new chapters
30+Advanced Chapters there.
(P).(A).(T).(R).(E).(O).(N)
patreon.com/Kun_Blig
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~