Corruption Within
Corruption. She had Corruption within her halls. It was sour, agitating her magic and disturbing the founder’s peaceful rest. Shifting walls, stairs, and whole rooms restlessly she tried to ignore it. After all, she had tried to remove it before only to lose awareness for a period of time she roughly guessed as years.
Even now she was a bit fuzzy and was no longer able to watch the students that inhabited her halls as she has been able to in the past. Unfortunately, as distressing as that was, she couldn’t do anything about it. Though her magic was great she needed someone to channel it for it to be of any use for fine work. It had been years since anyone had listened to her, let alone been worthy enough to channel her power.
Strong emotion drew her attention to her 7th floor corridor, it held the one room she still had in her complete control. Someone wanted in. She waited for the request and was surprised by the simple thought of ‘Safety’ that floated to her from a shaky mind. Without hesitation she changed the room and manifested the door; again she waited, her full awareness focused on the room and who was about to step through the door.
A scrawny, raven haired boy with dull green eyes stumbled into the room and collapsed onto the white plush rug she had manifested. The boy was littered in cuts and bruises, his glasses were bent and cracked, and he absolutely reeked of the Corruption.
The Corruption that filled her halls.
The Corruption that endangered her students.
The Corruption that had effectively blinded her to what happened within her own boundaries!
Anger filled her, making her foundations quake and the willow within her wards thrashed furiously. The Founders woke at the absolute fury she exuded and drew their attention to the 7th floor room as she drew her power into the room to eradicate the Corruption, only to stop and watch the boy once again.
As her power had gathered tangibly above him to wipe him out of existence the boy had curled into himself and whimpered, “Please no more!” he trembled in the ball he had become, “I promise I won’t fail again! I’m sorry!”
Stunned and feeling the concern from the Founders she examined him closer, he didn’t reek of the Corruption because he was the source as she’d originally assumed but he was covered with the taint of it. His own magic was locked deep within him in an effort to get away from it. She softened her magic and caressed the boy who had continued his pleas, ‘Hush Child.’ She whispered into his mind. The boy flinched and went quiet instantly but his shaking increased. ‘Relax little one, you asked for safety and so shall you have it.’
“Promise?” he stuttered.
‘Promise.’ She responded. With a sigh the boy passed out, his blood seeping into the carpet.
‘A bed would not go amiss old girl.’ Came the gruff voice of a founder, she manifested a bed in response.
‘The boy is gravely injured.’ A light female voice said as she used her magic to lift the boy onto the bed. ‘We must get him help.’
‘I cannot Mistress Ravenclaw.’ She said, making minute adjustments to the boy’s position to make him comfortable.
‘Why in Magic’s name can’t you!’ hissed another founder, ‘The boy needs help and someone to protect him, from the looks of it.’
‘I don’t know who to trust Master Slytherin.’ She said hesitantly, ‘There is Corruption in my halls. I cannot pinpoint it and my last attempt to expel it was disastrous.’
‘What do you mean dear? Are you well?’ the gentle but worried voice of the final founder asked.
‘Mistress Hufflepuff I can only feel my being. I cannot see the students and can barely feel them unless they are here.’ Her magic swirled around the room to indicate the space. ‘I can feel the Corruption because it is so strong.’
‘And when you attempted to expel it?’ the gruff voice asked again.
‘I lost consciousness Master Gryffindor.’ She said meekly, ‘For many years.’
‘What!’ Slytherin hissed, ‘That’s impossible! Who is Headmaster? How could they let Corruption into the school? How don’t they notice?’
‘I don’t know any of that!’ she wailed, her magic fluttering in distress and her pipes rattling.
‘Darling the Headmaster is supposed to commune with you.’ Hufflepuff said softly.
‘No one had heard me for a couple centuries.’ She said miserably.
‘And you didn’t wake us when that started happening?!’ Slytherin said incredulously.
‘There was no danger to me or the students then! I didn’t want to disturb you!’ she cried.
‘I understand dearest but the Headmaster is supposed to be able to hear you at the very least. You should have woken us so we could fix that.’ Ravenclaw said, ‘Now we must rectify this and deal with the Corruption.’
‘How Mistress? No one hears me! All of your lines have died off except for Master Slytherin’s and I can’t expel the Corruption without losing several years!” she lamented.
‘The boy heard you.’ Lord Gryffindor said.
She focused her magic and awareness back on the small child in the bed, ‘He did didn’t he?’ she said with slight awe.
‘Well wake him then!’ Slytherin demanded, ‘We need answers!’
‘Salazar!’ Ravenclaw scolded, ‘That child is injured! You leave him be.’
‘If we don’t know what’s going on we won’t know who can help him!’ Salazar hissed.
‘Sweetheart surround him with your magic before you wake him.’ Hufflepuff said told her gently, ‘While you don’t have fine enough control to heal him, you can keep him calm and numb enough to not make his injuries worse.’
The other three remained silent and she took that as their agreement to the plan. She surround the boy with soothing magic before nudging his mind into wakefulness. His eyes opened and he looked around the empty room warily, “Hello?” he asked cautiously.
‘Hello little one.’ She said, ‘May I ask who you are?’
He sat up and drew his knees in close, “I’m Harry Potter.” He stuttered, “Who are you?”
‘I am the school.’ She said, her walls giving a prideful rumble.
“You’re Hogwarts.” He deadpanned, looking unconvinced.
‘I know.’ She sighed, “My name sounds male.’
He shook himself, “No sorry, some people told me you were alive but I just didn’t expect you to be able to talk or to sound so human.”
‘I quiet like talking if I’m not the only one part of the conversation.’ She huffed, ‘And of course I sound human! I grew up with a bunch of you running through my halls. I was bound to pick up your mannerisms.’
Harry gave a small unsure smile, his eyes still darting around the room, “I guess that makes sense.”
“Of course it does.” Hogwarts said, “I said it. Wisdom comes with age. What are you? Three? Can’t be too wise.” She tried to joke.
Harry didn’t laugh, just settled his head on his knees, “I suppose I’m not.” He said, “I’m fifteen by the way. Not three.”
‘No way he’s fifteen!’ Salazar hissed.
Harry flinched at the noise before looking slightly annoyed, “I am fifteen!” Harry said, “I think I’d know my own age!” his eyes darted toward the door but then jumped back to a wall, “Leave it to a castle to have Multiple Personality Disorder.” He grumbled.
‘You heard me?’ Salazar asked doubtfully.
Harry rolled his eyes, “Yes. Why wouldn’t I be able to hear the voices in my own head?”
‘We are not in your head boy!’ Salazar growled, Harry flinched at the address, ‘I am Salazar Slytherin. You should not be able to hear me unless you are a descendent of mine.’
Harry drew himself tighter, “Sorry sir.” He said timidly.
‘Stop Salazar you’re scaring him.’ Hufflepuff said, ‘Let Hogwarts ask our questions.’
“What questions?” Harry asked, wary again.
‘You heard me?’ Hufflepuff said in wonder.
Harry nodded and buried his face in his knees, “Sorry.”
‘There is nothing to apologize for little one.’ Hufflepuff soothed, ‘We are both surprised for the same reason. You are not a descendent of any of us. We would have recognized you. We have never been heard by any other than out descendants so this is a bit of a surprise.’
‘Can you hear me?’ Gryffindor said excitedly, Harry nodded again.
‘Me as well?’ Ravenclaw asked.
“Yes.” Harry said hesitantly.
‘How very unusual.’ Ravenclaw said, ‘No one has heard all five of us since we all died.’
“Died?” Harry said looking up with wide eyes, “But we’re talking. Unless I’m dead.” His face morphed in a strange mix of joy and worry.
Hogwarts radiated concern and the Founders felt confused, ‘Explain your look little one.’ Hogwarts said haltingly.
Harry put a hand to his face, “What look?”
‘The one you put on at the mention of being dead.’ Gryffindor said, ‘The one filled with joy and worry.’
Harry shifted and paled, “Oh, um, well, being dead would mean that I was free but if I was I am unsure if the plans to harm my family would continue or not. They could be hurt if I die.”
‘You claim to be fifteen.’ Salazar said, ‘Even alive how are you to protect them?’
Harry trembled, “I take the punishment and train to take down the Dark Lord and they are not harmed. If I’m dead can’t do either and they might be harmed. Thought they might just leave my family alone if I’m dead.” Harry said shifting between emotions.
‘Who does this to you?’ Gryffindor asked with horror in his voice, ‘Tell us and we will get the Headmaster to……’
He didn’t get any further because at the mention of the Headmaster Harry threw himself from the bed and free of Hogwarts tangible magic to curl up in the corner of the room shaking, “You promised! You said I was safe!” he cried, his wounds were pulling and his bleeding picked up again.
‘This reaction.’ Salazar said slowly, ‘Child are you saying the Headmaster has done this to you?!’ horror and revulsion came to Hogwarts from the Founders, she just curled her magic back around the child to stem the blood and lessen the pain. Harry barely seemed to notice.
‘Hush little one. You are safe. My promise stands. If the Headmaster was the one to do this then he will never get through the doors.’ Hogwarts reassured, Harry was still trembling in her magic.
“You don’t believe me.” Harry stammered, he slumped onto his side and stared unseeingly at the carpet, “No one believes me. Not even the voices in my head. This is another dream. I’m going to wake up in training again.” He muttered.
‘Masters, Mistresses, please.’ Hogwarts pleaded, her foundations ached and her magic was still trying to calm Harry.
The Founders only hesitated a second before manifesting into ghost like forms in the room. The shortest, a thick woman with brown waist length hair knelt close to Harry, “We believe you little one. We believe you. Just take deep breaths for us.” Harry’s eyes slowly focused on the woman who smiled, “That’s it. Your safe here and see, we aren’t in your head.” Harry stopped shaking, “Good, there you go. Hello there Harry. Nice to meet you properly, I’m Helga Hufflepuff. You can call me Helga.”
“Hi.” Harry said softly.
“How about we get you back to bed? Your very hurt.” She said gently.
Harry frowned and looked down at himself, “This is okay.”
“I think not!” the other woman exclaimed, she had long black hair and high cheek bones that sat below deep blue eyes, “You could have bled out! Some of those are very deep.”
Harry shook his head, “This is okay. Today’s training was mostly curses, the wounds aren’t that bad.”
A pale black haired man with bright green eyes looked down at Harry, “Are you saying you’ve had worse?”
Harry bowed his head in shame, “Yes Lord Slytherin.” He said timidly, recognizing Salazar’s voice.
Salazar frowned and the other male, one with short blond hair and warm brown eyes stepped forward, “And what do you mean ‘today’s training was mostly curses’?”
Harry flinched, “I was being trained to endure the Cruciatus and Blood Boiling curses today.”
“The Headmaster inflicted torture spells on you?!” The black haired woman exclaimed.
Helga waved a hand at them, “We will deal with this after you get back into bed.” She motioned and Hogwarts picked up Harry who yelped in surprise, he was deposited gently on the bed and the Founders gathered at the foot. “Harry do you trust anyone in the school who can heal you?”
Harry shifted uncertainly then said, “Dobby.” With a faint pop a house elf appeared on the foot of the bed to the surprise of the Founders.
“How may Dobby serve Master Harry Potter?” the little House Elf said with a bow.
“Out of the entire school you only trust a house elf!” The blond man exclaimed.
Dobby turned and took in the four Founders with wide eyes before alighting on the man who had spoken, “Master Gryffindor be needin Dobby?”
“Lord Gryffindor.” Harry choked, looking at the man with wide eyes.
Gryffindor sighed, “I forgot I had not introduced myself properly. I am Godric Gryffindor. If Helga is going to let you call her by her first name then you may call me by mine as well.” Harry nodded with wide eyes.
The black hair lady smiled, “I’m Rowena Ravenclaw. You may also call me by my first name.” Harry nodded again, “Don’t expect Salazar to let you call him by his though he’s a stickler for that sort of thing.”
Harry smiled, “Much of his house is the same. I understand.” He said with a bit more confidence.
“Now.” Godric said, “You really only trust this house elf out of the entire school?”
“Well to heal me.” Harry said, “I’m not positive if Luna knows healing charms and the twins are hiding from the Headmaster at the moment. I wouldn’t risk them to heal me. But the house elves are usually ignored and Dobby has helped before.”
Still Godric frowned, “Only four people in the entire school?”
Harry shrunk back into the pillows, “I can’t be sure who the Headmaster has gotten to.”
Godric was still frowning but motioned to Dobby, “Dobby, please heal Harry as much as you can.”
“Dobby will do best he can.” The elf turned to Harry, “Master Harry be wanting his dinner after?”
‘It’s eleven at night!’ Hogwarts exclaimed, ‘You haven’t eaten!?’
Harry blushed, “Yes please Dobby.” The elf nodded and bent over Harry to focus on his first task.
“Harry I think you need to tell us what has been going on in our school.” Salazar said seriously.
Harry fidgeted, “I don’t know a lot.”
“Start with your life. What has led you to this moment?” Rowena said easily.
Harry drew in a shaky breath and began. He told them about his parents being killed by Voldemort and him surviving the killing curse. He told them of living with the Dursely’s and their abuse and absolute hatred of magic. He told of his first year at Hogwarts, how he had made friends for the first time in his life and how they helped him defeat the Dark Lord who was inhabiting his Defense teacher. Then on to his second year when he had found out he was a parselmouth, how everyone had thought he had opened the chamber and was sending the basilisk to petrify people, and how he had eventually saved Ginny from the memory of the Dark Lord.
As Dobby finished his healing and brought Harry his small dinner of cold steak pieces and flakey croissants, the tale began to change. Starting with how at the start of his third year he had found out that his very first friends were being paid to be friends with him by the Headmaster. How the Headmaster started to change how he was treated and mostly how the punishments and training had begun that year. He told them of the first day he had the Cruciatus cast on him and the reason the Headmaster gave. Harry shuddered through the explanation of his so called friends starting to help the Headmaster with his punishments.
Harry felt a little better describing his discovery of his long lost godfather and his godfather’s werewolf mate. However the happiness was short lived when he told them how he was banned from seeing them and how the Headmaster threatened them when he failed training. He told them of the next year when he was forced to participate in the TriWizard Tournament and the trials he went through, from out flying the dragon to rescuing Luna from the merpeople in Black Lake before telling them of the last trial. How he had made it through the maze only to be whisked away to help resurrect the Dark Lord.
Starting to yawn he told them of this year. How he was getting visions from the Dark Lord and how he wanted to run but didn’t want to abandon his friends or put his Godfather and his mate in danger. How the training was getting worse and he was starting to lose his resolve to resist the curses that might kill him. Finally telling them of the last training session where he had broken and ran to the 7th floor wanting somewhere where he would be safe from everything.
“And that’s when I met you.” Harry yawned, blinking at the Founders sleepily.
‘Oh little one you’ve been through so much.’ Hogwarts cried, all the bathrooms were currently flooding.
The Founders were staring at Harry in shock, Godric shook himself, “You are incredibly strong Harry.”
“Yes.” Helga said, “Why don’t you go to sleep. Your safe here and we will be here when you wake. In the morning we will have thought of a plan.”
Harry nodded, “Alright. Good night.” He murmured, drifting in his first peaceful sleep in ages.