Cruel Protective Devil

Chapter 3. Cruel Protective Devil

Harry was sitting cross-legged on the floor of the astronomy tower. The cold night wind ruffled his hair affectionately. A rare serene smile played upon his lips.

It was 2:00 in the morning. The dark night was speckled with clear twinkling stars. The moon was sparkling with silver light, overpowering the shine of the distant stars.

'How insignificant we all are in the universe. We are nothing compared to the uncountable gigantic stars and innumerable galaxies. Our life means nothing in the grand scheme of things. We are not even a speck of dust in comparison with the colossal stars.' he thought morosely.

Running his hand through his hair, he stood up. 'Let's finish this.'

He closed his eyes, golden dust began seeping out from his skin like trickling water. It soaked his face and covered every part of his skin. It even enveloped his clothes. The golden colour started changing. It faded into grey and then into midnight black, just like the sky. It turned different again and now he was invisible.

He ambled through the corridors silently, slipping inside the hospital wing and moving towards the only occupied bed in the room.

The sixth-year was sleeping peacefully.

'How insignificant he is, so unimportant that I don't even know his name.'

Harry sat on the stool beside the slumbering boy. He touched the sixth-year Slytherin's forehead with his forefinger. A black tendril of magic jumped out of his nail and entered into the boy's head.

'Welcome to hell.'

The boy would be forced to see the worst things he could ever imagine in his life, which would probably make him insane. Sufficient punishment...for now.

Harry left the hospital wing and went to his dorm room and had a nice peaceful sleep. Not feeling even a tiny bit of guilt for what would happen next to the sixth-year Slytherin boy.

~xXxXx~

Harry left his room and stepped into the common room.

Tracey and Daphne were standing in a corner, talking to each other in hushed whispers. They noticed his presence and waved at him.

Harry greeted them.

"Good morning, girls." Harry smiled, embracing them.

"Good morning, Harry." They chorused together. Again.

"Let's go." he said and they left the Slytherin common room.

"Did you have any nightmares?" he asked Tracey as they walked, hoping it wasn't weird to ask that.

Tracey shook her head.

"That is good, Tracey." Daphne said kindly, taking her hand and squeezing it.

"Let's not talk about it. I just want to ignore that vile memory." Their friend requested.

Harry and Daphne nodded.

"So Harry, when are you going to teach us your secret methods for performing so well in class?" Daphne enquired with an eager look.

Harry rolled his eyes at her.

"I did not use my method of magic if that's what you are asking. I just followed the Professor's instructions." He answered.

"Say that again?" Daphne blurted in surprise. She had assumed that he used his strange magic to perform that well, but here he was denying that.

Harry's lips twitched, a joke forming in his mind.

"Tracey, is Daphne deaf?" Harry questioned, suppressing his smile.

"... yes. I usually call her Daph, but how do you know that?" Tracey asked, quickly catching onto what he was up to.

"That's rude. Calling your friend deaf." Harry finished and started laughing. Daphne just gave him a bland look while Tracey herself was hiding a smile.

"Come on, that was funny." He whined when they didn't join in his laughter.

"That was witty, but not that funny. Besides, I'd already used that joke a few years earlier and got a lecture in return about how that joke didn't actually work since deaf and Daph sounded so different." Tracey smiled sympathetically, patting his shoulder.

"Daphne, am I allowed to address you as Daph?" Harry asked in an amused voice, quickly springing up from his failed attempt.

"No." Daphne replied succinctly, quickening her pace.

Harry and Tracey also started walking faster to keep up with her.

"Please. I won't ever use that as a joke." Harry requested in his most earnest voice, his wide emerald eyes brimming with innocence.

Daphne paused in her step and looked at him mirthfully. She suppressed a laugh seeing Harry's good imitation of a cute puppy. She had to concede it was extremely cute.

Tracey cooed as she pinched his cheeks. "How can you resist this, Daph? He's so adorable."

Harry tried to remain in character, but Tracey's pinching was making it difficult to.

"Fine. But if you ever joke about it, I'll never ever hug you." She sighed, caving in.

Harry stumbled back in shock.

"No hugs? You're so cruel." He glared at her exaggeratedly.

"That I am. But you'll get your hugs if you don't joke about my name. So, honestly, it's really fair." she said smugly, patting his head.

Tracey snickered as she and Daphne resumed walking.

Harry's plan to annoy Daphne, now being abandoned, he joined the two as they entered the Great Hall.

~xXxXx~

Harry along with Tracey and Daphne, got into their first potions class.

The room was dark and gloomy. The Gryffindors had already taken their seat on one side. The three went to the front on the other side of the room where the Slytherins were assigned to sit. This created an interesting situation.

"How are we going to sit together? We have to pair up." Tracey noted.

"You both, sit together. I'll find a seat." Harry waved at them to take their seats.

"Are you sure?" Daphne mumbled in concern.

Harry smiled.

"Don't flatter yourself. I won't be lost without you." he chuckled.

They both nodded and sat.

Harry searched the classroom and found an unoccupied seat beside a girl in Gryffindor robes.

"Is this seat occupied?" Harry asked the girl.

The girl looked up and met Harry's eyes with her silver eyes. Her silky black hair was done in a side ponytail, which suited her oval face.

'Is it even possible to have silver eyes?' A part of him asked himself.

The girl shook her head and smiled serenely.

"Is it okay if I sit here then?" Harry enquired.

The girl nodded.

Harry smiled back and sat with her.

"Harry Potter." He extended his hand for a handshake.

She clasped his hand in hers.

"Lily Moon." she replied in a soft voice. Before their conversation could start properly, they were interrupted by the opening of the door.

When the bell rang, the class door was shoved open as Professor Snape entered the room and walked to the front.

"There will be no foolish wand waving in this class, nor will there be any silly incantations or other such nonsense that you brats appear to enjoy." Professor Snape said as he stopped at the front and turned around to look at everyone. He sneered at the Gryffindors before continuing his monologue. "I don't expect many of you to truly grasp the beautiful and magical process of potions making, but for those willing to learn… I can teach you how to bewitch the mind and ensnare the senses. I can tell you how to bottle fame, brew glory, and even put a stopper in death."

Harry was amused by the speech. 'Stopper on death? Bullcrap. If this man could do that, he wouldn't have been here.'

After his speech, he proceeded with a roll call. Harry was a little confused when the professor sneered at his name.

"Harry Potter. Our newest celebrity." The professor mocked.

Harry stood up and waved at everybody.

"That's me. Don't be shy and come to me if you want my autograph." He grinned. If the Professor wanted to act like a bitch then Harry had no problem showing his attitude.

"Sit down, Potter." Professor Snape snapped. Harry with a last wave sat, a satisfied grin on his face.

"Quiz time. Weasley." Snape announced suddenly, his black eyes locking onto Ron. "What would I get if I added powdered root of asphodel to an infusion of wormwood?"

The other Gryffindors looked perplexed, apart from Hermione Granger who had raised her hand.

Ron's ears turned red as he looked down and mumbled something.

"Speak up, boy!" Snape ordered.

"I don't know, sir." Ron said in a quiet voice.

"You don't know?" Professor Snape asked mockingly. "How disappointing, five points from Gryffindor. Let's try again, where would you look if I asked you to find me a bezoar?"

Hermione began waving her hand to try and catch Professor Snape's attention, it was clear she hadn't realised yet that he was ignoring her.

Jasmine tugged her friend's hand in a clear gesture to stop her from raising her hand but Hermione ignored her.

"You don't know?" Professor Snape repeated when Ron didn't respond, Draco and his friends sniggered. Snape either didn't notice or didn't care. "One last question, Weasley, try not to totally embarrass yourself, what is the difference between Monkshood and Wolfsbane?"

"Hermione knows, why don't you ask her?" Ron growled mulishly, gesturing to Hermione who had actually stood up and was wildly waving her hand.

"Sit down, you foolish girl!" Snape snapped at Hermione.

Hermione quickly dropped her hand and sat into her seat, her cheeks were now bright crimson. Jasmine gave her 'I told you so' look which she again ignored.

"Mr Weasley." Snape said as he turned his attention back to Ron, "that is twenty points you have lost for Gryffindor and a detention for your disrespect, along with a further five points for not being prepared enough to read a book. Potter!" Snape said suddenly as he turned to Harry. "Perhaps you can answer the questions."

Harry lazily stood up and said. "If you add the powdered root of asphodel to an infusion of wormwood, you would get the Draught of Living Death. The bezoar can be found in the stomach of a goat. There is no difference between Monkshood and Wolfsbane."

Harry could have said more about the answers, but knew it wouldn't have been appreciated. Snape sneered and turned his back on him. He waved his wand at the board. Instructions started appearing on it to brew the potion to cure boils.

"Follow the instructions on board." he said and sat on his desk, actively ignoring everybody.

"What a prick." Harry mumbled under his breath. Lily beside him chuckled.

"Let's finish this." he said and with the help of Lily they finished the potion among one of the firsts.

He checked the colour of the potion. 'It is perfect.'

Professor Snape walked towards their desk and peered at their potion.

"Acceptable." he muttered and went ahead without another glance at them.

Harry looked at Lily and then at the potion then again at Lily.

"I hope my eyes are working alright. It's been years since I wore glasses, but I think I may need them again." He said sarcastically.

"Your eyes are perfect. He's just very prejudiced against you." She shrugged.

"I am sorry. Because of me you also had to suffer his partiality." He apologised. She waved it away.

"It's fine. Without you I may even haven't finished brewing the potion." she smiled. "You were serious when you said you would give autographs, right?"

Harry chuckled as he signed on a parchment and gave it to her.

~xXxXx~

"I hate potions." Harry grumbled when his two friends joined him in the hallway.

"It sucks to be in your shoes. Did you kill his wife or something?" Tracey joked, bumping her shoulder against his.

"As far as I am aware, I haven't killed anybody." ' Yet' Harry replied.

"Maybe he has a crush on you and this is his unique way of showing it to you." Daphne grinned mischievously.

Harry stopped short and made a gagging sound. The two girls laughed at his expense.

"Thanks, Daph, for making me imagine such gruesome images." He glared at her.

"Usually it is 'I will kiss it and make it better' but I'll hug you and make it better." Daphne smirked, capturing him in a tight hug, finding the way he said her nickname too adorable.

Harry chuckled as he hugged her back. This slowly turned into a competition of 'who can squeeze tighter' which he won when Daphne pushed away and hunched over, trying to catch her breath.

"That was the one of a kind hug which I'll avoid from now on." she muttered, standing up and rubbing her aching sides.

Harry grinned at his victory and patted Daphne's cheek mock condescendingly.

"You have finally found your place. No one shall beat Harry Potter at hugging."

"Was that supposed to sound cool or something?" The blonde arched her eyebrow, slapping away his hand.

"Spoilsport." he muttered, turning to Tracey who was laughing at their antics.

"Do you wish to give it a try?" He asked her.

She shook her head.

"No thanks. I'll take the normal one." she smiled, hugging him and snuggling at his chest.

Daphne cleared her throat dramatically.

"You are again doing the lovey dovey thing which is so sweet that it's sickening." she said, scrunching her nose.

Tracey and Harry exchanged exasperated looks and nodded at each other. In a swift move, they both sandwiched Daphne between them. Again.

Daphne yelped as she felt Harry pressing his body from behind while Tracey squeezed her from front.

"Not again." Daphne whined, making Harry and Tracey laugh.

"Harry! Why are you pressing your hips against my arse?"

"If you don't know, it is called full-body hugging." Harry said in her ears.

A shiver ran through her body. Tracey caught that and watched them with amusement.

"Don't worry, Daph, next time I will be behind and Harry will be in front if you are so uncomfortable." Tracey said.

"There will be a next time?" Daphne asked in mock horror.

"Of course. Do you really think we are going to stop this?" Harry grinned, nuzzling the nape of her neck.

Daphne sighed in an exaggerated manner.

"Fine! But let me go now. I've assignments to finish." she grumbled but contrarily was very happy inside.

She just loved being with Harry and Tracey. The trio just seemed to click with each other as if they had known one another for decades. There was no need to be on guard around them. They would never harm her or try to use her.

They disentangled and made their way back to the Slytherin common room.

~xXxXx~

Jake was having the worst day of his life. First, the plan to fuck that half-blood bitch failed. Second, Potter sent him to the hospital wing with the use of a Levitation charm. For the fuck sake, the LEVITATION charm.

How was he going to show his face to the other sixth-year Slytherins after getting beaten by a first-year?

Shame. Utter shame was the feeling which he was experiencing.

These were the thoughts racing through his mind after waking up in the hospital wing.

About half an hour later, Headmaster Dumbledore and Professor Snape arrived to interrogate him.

Dumbledore showed his deep disappointment and deducted 100 points from Slytherin. Professor Snape just glared at him, most probably because he lost points for the house. After they went away, Jake was advised to stay in the bed for the whole day by the matron.

Madam Pomfrey had some work in Saint Mungo's so she put some essential potions on his bedside table and went out of Hogwarts.

Jake agreed about the full day rest, he could still feel a little pain in his hands and legs.

'I am going to fuck that Potter brat so hard, he wouldn't be able to stand.' he thought maliciously.

He was about to lay down when he saw a sight he never thought he would ever see.

On his right, chained to the wall was his mother. Her hands were raised above her head and tied with a dirty cloth. The cloth was then suspended by a rope stuck to the ceiling.

She was stark naked. Her pale bountiful breasts hung over her chest. Her eyes were closed. Her mouth was gagged by a ball gag.

Suddenly, a figure appeared out of nowhere. Jake couldn't make out his face but could see his naked form approaching his mother. Jake's heart clenched from fear and apprehension. He tried to scream but couldn't. He couldn't even move. He couldn't open his mouth. With a deep sense of dread he saw the male figure stop in front of his mother.

The figure choked his mother with one hand while with his other he fondled her breast, his finger sinking into her flesh and his thumb pressing against her nipple.

Jake screamed silently, seeing his mother's eyes brimming with helpless tears. The male figure released his hold on her neck to clasp her mousy hair. He pulled her hair violently and her muffled scream filled Jake's ears.

'NO. Please not her. No, not her.' Jake sobbed.

'She is just a woman. Born to serve us.' Jake heard a gruff voice in his head.

'Yes. It is true but not her. I love her. Please spare her.' Jake pleaded to the strange voice.

The gruff man just laughed as he slapped her extra hard for his amusement.

The brutal punishment continued for an hour. After this time period, his mother's face became unrecognisable, beaten and swollen. Red, black and purple.

'Don't worry. I will obliviate her. So she won't remember this.' The strange voice replied with mirth.

When the sun finally went down, Jake was wrecked. He was mentally unstable. His eyes were red from crying, his throat was raw from screaming. He had seen his mother suffer the worst fate. She had been raped by the unknown male figure from the morning in every humiliating and painful way. And this all happened right in front of his eyes.

Her body was red and blue from bruises. There were empty patches on her head where her hair had fallen after too much abuse. Her face was bloodied. Her chest was deep red from all the violent groping and pinching. Her legs were motionless. There was disgusting semen pooling around her feet, between her legs.

'She is of no use now. I had promised to obliviate her, but I don't really think I can do that. I want to see some more blood. It's been ages since I saw an ample amount of blood.'

Jake just stared. He didn't have energy to scream. He had been doing that since the morning.

The figure placed a final kiss on her unresponsive lips and slit her throat with a dagger.

Jake didn't know how he was able to scream, but scream he did, like he had never done before.

There was so much pain in his chest, he just wanted it to end. He wanted to feel numb.

'Worthless? Isn't it. Life. You have to work hard for the future, you invest your childhood and work for the future but there is a chance that it is all for nothing. A single stray spell can take your life. A single mistake is all that it takes to end your life. Was it worth it to live that long painful arduous life? You feel pain everyday, hoping that it will go away somehow but it doesn't. Pain is eternal, it never goes away. Only way to free yourself from the clutch of pain is to offer yourself to oblivion. A peaceful place without life, a place where there is no pain. A place of eternal happiness. Don't you want that? Don't you want to stop the pain?' The gruff man asked, his tone hypnotic.

Jake nodded dumbly. It was true, he wanted happiness, he wanted to stop the ache in his chest. He wanted oblivion. He wanted the unending darkness.

'Good. You know now the truth of life. It isn't about living, it is about dying. Won't you share this discovery with the world? Go now, tell them the ultimate truth.' the gruff voice cajoled darkly.

Jake's wand was suddenly in his hand. He was finally able to move. He took a last look at his dead naked, his violated mother and left the hospital wing. 'Don't worry, mother, I am coming to join you soon.'

He didn't see the illusion shattering as he left the room.

~xXxXx~

Everybody was eating dinner in the Great Hall when a figure stumbled inside. Jake looked at everybody condescendingly.

He raised his wand and casted a sonorous spell at himself.

"Pathetic." he said coldly.

Everyone's attention snapped towards Jake. The Professors and students looked on dubiously, not understanding why he was there.

Harry suppressed his feral grin. Even though he didn't know what was going to happen, he at least knew that something interesting was in store. He was absolutely going to enjoy this.

His gaze settled on Tracey who looked uneasy and afraid at seeing her assailant again. He grabbed her hand and clasped it between the palms of his both hands. Daphne too put a hand on her shoulder.

"Life is worthless. Death is the goal. Follow me to eternal peace. Follow me to oblivion." Jake laughed maniacally, gone totally mad from the psychological torture.

He pressed his wand at his own neck. Every professor jumped on their feet and pointed their wands at him to cast the stunning spell, but they were too late.

Harry grabbed Tracey's head and buried it on his shoulder. Daphne didn't need to be a seer to know what was going to happen next, so she also averted her gaze.

"Reducto." Jake yelled with an unsettling grin.

Children started screaming as they saw his head blasted from his neck with a crunch. His severed head landed a few feet behind him. His vacant stare directed at the entrance, his disturbing grin still on. His body stumbled a little and went down bonelessly.

There was blood. There was a pool of immense blood colouring the floor of the Great Hall. The spasming headless body finally stilled.

The teachers were staring in horror. The children had turned their backs on the grotesque scene. Some were emptying the food on the table from their stomach.

Harry's eyes were gleaming in satisfaction. If there was a place to laugh like a stereotypical villain, it was here, but unfortunately he didn't want to be held in a negative light. Not yet. He held his laughter inside and buried his face in Tracey's warm neck, hiding his sadistic smile.

'You are too good, Tracey. But I am not. If you are a pure angel then I am the most cruel devil.'

~xXxXx~

The three of them were standing at their usual corner, in the common room.

Daphne was nervous and Tracey looked bewildered.

Thankfully they didn't see the dead body. Dumbledore had instantly created a white cube of cloth around the scene to stop people from staring at the horrendous sight. Still, most of the children saw what happened.

Many were given a calming draught.

"What happened there?" Tracey asked, still not knowing how to feel about Jake's death.

Harry shrugged nonchalantly.

"It seems he got a heavy head injury while I blasted him to the ceiling which made him mad and so he took his life. How tragic." Harry said in an indifferent tone.

Tracey looked at him, followed by Daphne.

"Harry, did you do this?" Tracey asked fearfully.

Harry shook his head.

"I didn't kill him. He killed himself." Harry replied honestly. Tracey accepted his answer immediately while Daphne narrowed her eyes at him.

"Were you involved in it?" Daphne asked.

'Smart girl.'

"Don't ask questions you don't want answers to. Truth's a terrible thing." Harry uttered, staring in her eyes.

Tracey gasped and so did Daphne.

"Do you want to know?" Harry added with a manic grin.

Both of them shook their heads.

Harry smiled and said. "Do you want to play chess? We've some time to kill."

Both nodded in daze. They played for an hour. An hour which was filled with silence.

Finally, the game was over and they decided to retire to their rooms. Harry was pretty sure he wasn't going to get any hugs today. He wanted to pout.

Mean girls.

He started for his room when a hand reached down and grabbed his arm. He turned around and found Tracey looking at him with moist eyes.

His eyes widened and he instantly grabbed her in a hug.

"Tracey, are you alright? Why're you crying?" he asked, not understanding what was the reason for her crying.

The girl chuckled, burying her face on his chest.

"I am alright. I'm just happy to have you as my best friend. I didn't know you'd do something like that for me. I'm not exactly happy about it, but I'm not going to make you change your way. I'll just accept it. You're too precious to let go." Tracey mumbled, hoping that her decision wasn't wrong and she wasn't befriending a back-stabbing snake.

Harry felt a heart warming sensation filling his body. He knew he was precious, but it was for the first time that someone else had said that. This was a new feeling.

Daphne cleared her throat. They both again exchanged exasperated looks and looked at her. She was glaring at them.

"Best friend? Am I being replaced?"

Tracey rolled her eyes at her.

"No, Harry's just joining you in that category."

"Fine. I will-" she was cut off by the feeling of two warm and soft bodies pressing against her from front and back. She groaned when she came face to face with the grinning Harry while Tracey blew air on her neck.

Daphne giggled unwantedly.

"Tracey, stop!" she hissed. Tracey ceased her antics.

Harry was nose to nose with her, his arms at her sides, encompassing both her and Tracey.

"You were saying something?" Harry whispered, his warm breath tingling her lips.

Tracey was trying her best not to laugh at the embarrassed red face of Daphne who was squirming, unintentionally rubbing her body with both Harry and her.

Daphne was so tempted to just lean in and capture Harry's lips, but decency made her control herself. Draco was her potential intended. It was wrong to feel these urges for some other boy. But the temptation was so alluring, his lips just an inch away, his adorable green eyes staring at her with mischief. His warm body pressed against hers. What would it taste like? A part of her mind whispered as she looked at his soft lips.

"Please." Daphne mumbled desperately.

Harry looked confused at her pleading tone, but nodded and stepped back. Tracey did the same.

Daphne smiled and gave them a hug individually.

"Goodnight. I'm going to sleep." she said and quickly fled to her room.

Harry looked at Tracey.

"Did I do something wrong?" He asked with a concerned voice.

Tracey shook her head sadly. She too gave him a hug.

"Goodnight, Harry." she wished gently. Harry smiled at her as she went to her room.

"Girls, even I can't understand everything and everyone." Harry consoled himself as he entered his room and plopped down on his bed.

He smiled as he smelled Daphne and Tracey's perfume on his body. It was so soothing and comforting. And so intimate.

"What I won't do to keep them always happy." Harry mused to himself.

~xXxXx~

"No, not Harry, not him. Please. Take me instead." A pretty red haired woman pleaded in front of a cradle from which a green-eyed boy was looking at the scene.

"Step away, foolish girl." a cold voice said.

"No." the woman yelled.

"Avada Kedavra." The man hissed and the red haired woman dropped on the ground lifeless.

Harry woke up in a cold sweat. He was panting as if he had just run in the Olympics.

"Never again. Never." Harry promised himself and tried to sleep again.