Silent Suffering

Many had always assumed that Harry Potter, The Boy Who Lived, the Chosen One, had an easy and pampered life. They believed that this boy who was a legend in their world for defeating the Dark Lord lived a life where he wanted for nothing. After all, why wouldn't he? Hardly anybody even suspected as to what really went on at 4 Private Drive when 'Prince Potter' went home for the summers. The entire Wizarding World, From Severus Snape to Rita Skeeter to Molly Weasley believed that Harry Potter lived, at least, an acceptable life at his home. Only 7 people had any hint or knowledge as to the horrors of what went on in the Dursley household, excluding the Dursley family: the man who was to blame for his treatment, twins who never questioned him, an elf who worshiped him, the man who kept his true magic secret, the friend who always knew too much, and  the seer who never spoke enough.

Of these 7 people, Harry only knew of 5 who had a suspicion of how he was treated. He knew nothing of the man who knew everything that happened and encouraged it to happen, nor did he have knowledge of the seer who always managed to hit him with concealed healing spells throughout the first month of every Hogwarts year. 

Every year it would take Harry, at least, the first month to adjust into life at Hogwarts again. By the beginning of October, he was typically fully healed, stopped flinching at all loud sounds and touches, and could act like the foolish Gryffindor everybody expected him to be. Though all of this was helped along with his self-brewed pain potions, healing balms, and pepper up potions. Nightmares and panic attacks still occurred throughout the year but Harry didn't believe that those would ever really stop. 

Harry Potter was practiced with hiding the signs of his treatment at the Dursley's and had most people fooled, believing he was a foolhardy, brave, though average magically, kid. On September 1st, ever since his first year, Harry would put on makeup to cover up any visible marks and then once on the train he would put up a strong glamour. He was an expert at reading people- he wouldn't have survived if he hadn't learned to recognize when Vernon was in a particularly nasty mood. Wandless and Wordless magic came easy to him but he was taught to never excel and that it would be punished so Harry learned all he could but never showed others and performed on average in all of his classes, except for Defense Against the Dark Arts, which he knew people expected him to excel at. Harry played his part perfectly, but always had difficulty adjusting from life at the Dursleys to life at Hogwarts or Grimmauld Place.

In the smallest bedroom, kneeling in the center of the room in only an old pair of Dudley's way too large jeans, bleeding from the open wounds on his back, was a 16-year-old Harry Potter. 

Vernon Dursley circled the bloody child with his belt in his hand. "You know what you did boy. You knew this would happen. That was Petunia's favorite china, and you BROKE IT," Vernon roared, bringing down his back once again on the young teen.

Earlier that night, when Harry was setting the table for dinner for the Dursley's guests that would be arriving, Dudley hit the table and sent three plates crashing to the ground. No matter what he said, Harry knew that he would be blamed for it, not Dudley. When Dudley had screamed that Harry broke the plates, Vernon came storming down the stairs. He grabbed Harry by his hair and dragged him up the stairs, tossing him into his bedroom until he could punish him later, but not without a few bruising kicks to his ribs.

Vernon spoke again as he circled Harry, "Huh, BOY!? Do you know you deserve this?" The belt came down again.

Harry knew it was almost over. That Vernon would be getting tired after already doing this for an hour. "Yes, master. I am sorry, sir. It was all my fault," the small voice came from the boy. 

Vernon hit him four more times and punched him in the face once before finally leaving the room. Slowly, Harry stood and swayed a little from the lack of food and blood loss. As he walked over to his cot he winced at the sharp pains coming from his ribs. He lied down and tried to catalog all his bones: A broken nose, at least 4 fractured ribs, a dislocated shoulder, and a sprained ankle. Thankfully, there would be people coming tomorrow to pick him up and bring him to Grimmauld Place to spend the last two weeks of his summer. He hoped that he could even brew some potions and hopefully have Fred and George set his shoulder. Slowly, Harry drifted into an uneasy sleep. 

The next day, Harry woke up to Petunia banging on the door. "Get up freak. We are going out and won't be back until late tonight. There's a list of what you need to do. And don't even think about stealing any of our food," she yelled through the door. When Harry heard the car leave the driveway, he finally got up. 

The letter Sirius had sent him said that they would show up at 7 o'clock at night, that way it was dark. Moving around slowly, Harry got the bag he had hidden under the floorboards out and changed into a pair of  smaller jeans that actually fit and a baggy sweatshirt that easily went over his head and didn't jostle him too much. The bag had a parseltongue password, a feather-light charm, and an undetectable extension charm on it, so it was perfect to keep everything he didn't want locked away in his trunk with him. He also pulled out a pair of dragon-hide boots and his wand. After he put them on, Harry stuck his wand in his right boot and made his way down to the cupboard under the stairs. He picked the lock and retrieved his trunk easily, putting it by the front door.

Slowly making his way back up the stairs, Harry went into the bathroom and put on some makeup to cover the bruises on his face. By the time he was done, you could only notice a bit of swelling near his cheek and eye but his black-eye was completely covered. His nose was crooked from the brake, but there was nothing he could do at the moment. "Merlin, everything hurts," Harry groaned as he walked back to his room.

After making sure that everything was either in his bag or his trunk, Harry decided he would nap for a couple hours and hopefully get some restful sleep. Unfortunately, Harry slept for hours, plagued by nightmares up until the sound of apparition outside startled him awake.

He stood up, wand in hand, and waited for someone he knew to get to his door, hoping for it to be Tonks or Moody, someone who would fix his nose with little question. Harry heard multiple voices downstairs and as soon as he put his bag in his sweatshirt pocket, his door opened to reveal two people he could not have been more excited to see. 

"Hiya Harry,-"

"Bet you didn't-"

"Expect us!" Fred and George spoke as they came in. 

Harry breathed a sigh of relief and tucked his wand back into his boot. "Merlin, am I glad to see you two," Harry said softly, now staring at the floor. He loved the Weasley twins and they always took good care of him, but he still couldn't help but feel a bit nervous seeing them. They both walked up to him and gave him a gentle hug. 

"Don't worry Little Brother,-"

"We're here to bring-"

"You back," they finished together with small grins. 

"Thanks, guys, but err-" Harry hesitated, "could one of you hit my nose with an episkey?"

The twins shared a look that Harry missed but agreed easily enough. After, they made their way down where Tonks, Shacklebolt, and Remus were all standing. 

"Hey there Harry! Good to see you!" Tonks said as she rushed over and gave him a quick hug, not noticing his flinch. As she moved away Harry smiled at her, "It's good to see all of you too." 

Quickly, the six of them all made their way outside, Fred carrying Harry's trunk and George with his arm wrapped around Harry's waist.  "Just hold your breath real tight until we are there, little brother," George whispered to Harry before they all apparated away with George bringing Harry by side-along.