The Collapse of Hope

Harry looked on in horror at what was happening. He desperately tried to will it to stop, but the memories wouldn't obey him. Worse, the more memories he saw, the more he remembered.

There was an image of Harry being thrown into a cupboard with a dingy mattress by a shouting red-faced Uncle Vernon yelling "You'll be lucky if you get out of there this week!"

Another of Harry being chased by his cousin and his gang of bullies while Dudley yelled "We're going to get you freak," and another of being chased up a tree by a bulldog while Aunt Marge looked on laughing.

Image after image of the abuse Harry suffered at the hands of his relatives materialized. Harry hated the idea of Fleur and Gabrielle seeing the memories, but they just wouldn't stop. He knew they would now regret who they had chosen.

After what felt like an eternity of struggling against his own memories betraying him, he finally gave up. As he continued to stare at the memories, he tried to explain.

"I always dreamed of a home like my parents had," Harry started as he tried to prevent any emotions from his voice. It didn't work.

Fleur and Gabrielle heard the pain and sadness and could see it in his face.

"I don't know what their house looked like so I built this place in my mind. I would imagine I lived here and my parents would be alive; I would celebrate Christmas and...and I just wanted to leave that.." Harry gestured to where the memories where now slowing. His voice cracked.

"I'm...I'm sorry, I'm not who you think I am. I...I don't...I..."

"You think zat is who you are?" Fleur asked as her eyes flashed in anger at what she'd seen. "Look at me 'Arry," She said and when Harry did so she continued as she pointed at the memories. "Zat is not you, zose are people who are no better zan ze dirt beneath your shoes."

Harry couldn't hold the eye contact and looked away.

Gabrielle and Fleur looked at each other. They each had an expression of anger at what they'd seen and the desire to give their bondmate the happiness he desired and deserved.

"Zat is not you," Fleur said again, more gently this time. "Take us to your 'eart and let us prove eet. Show us your 'eart. Let us give you our love."

Harry could feel the pull of the Veela magic urging him to go toward the house. A voice flitting though his consciousness, "Just walk in the house and it will all be better," He nodded at Fleur.

He looked around again then stepped toward the house. He'd only walked two steps though when an image of Uncle Vernon appeared directly in front of Harry, blocking his way.

The large walrus like man waved his fist in Harry's face and yelled. "Where do you think you're going? Get back in your cupboard!" Harry flinched but tried to move past him. Aunt Petunia appeared this time blocking his way.

"LOVE?" She scoffed.

"Who'd ever love you FREAK? You're not worth the food you eat," Gabrielle tried to pull Harry around the long necked woman. It was Dudley who appeared next.

"FREAK! Nobody'll every love a freak like you."

Harry stumbled back. He barely heard Fleur's voice as she said. "Zey're not real 'Arry, ignore zem. We do love you," She pulled him forward, toward the house, toward his love.

The effort was futile though. Every path, every step was blocked by another image. Aunt Marge was there with a snarling bulldog, another Vernon and another Dudley all repeating the word

"FREAK!"

The more Fleur and Gabrielle tried to help Harry fight, the more figures appeared. Finally Harry stood still, unable to move, but the torment never ceased.

The images that surrounded him continued their verbal abuse until he collapsed onto the sidewalk. Slowly the house and all that surrounded them crumbled like dust, leaving only darkness and that too faded. Fleur and Gabrielle blinked at the sudden onslaught of bright lights, only to find themselves surrounded by their parents and others in the hospital wing.

Fleur and Gabrielle looked at each other, first in confusion but then they realized what had happened and what it meant to them. They both looked at Harry. His eyes were closed and he wasn't moving. Fleur then looked at her mother and father who had a hopeful look on their face that soon was dashed as she said. "We could not bond."

Those words set off a verbal pandemonium all around the bed. Finally Dumbledore's voice cut through the verbal clatter. "Quiet everyone. Madam Pomfrey, how is Harry?"

"He's unconscious Albus, I think he's in shock," The school nurse responded. "I would like to administer a sleeping potion."

"No, not yet. With so little time left we need to consider other possibilities. We will need him awake as soon as possible, is there anything else you can do?" Professor Dumbledore asked sadly.

"I'll give him a calming draught as soon as he comes around," She said but her look gave a much deeper meaning to Dumbledore.

"Very well Poppy. Miss Delacour," Professor Dumbledore said addressing Fleur, "could you tell us what happened?"

"Oui," Fleur replied. She took a deep breath and then spent a few seconds to recollect what she had witnessed. Finally she was ready. "Ze bonding started out fine. We were at a 'ouse, but it wasn't a real place. It was something 'Arry said 'e dreamed up to escape to when 'e 'ad difficulties when 'e was younger. We saw images of 'im being abused and…"

Professor Dumbledore made a sound as if to say something but decided against it and said. "Sorry, please continue."

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