Happy holidays, curia_regis! -- Another Brick in the Wall
Title: Another Brick in the Wall
Recipient: curia_regis
Fandom: Harry Potter
Author: alisanne
Word count: 100 x 13
Characters or Pairing: Harry Potter, Severus Snape, Hermione Granger, Draco Malfoy, Lord Voldemort, others mentioned.
Rating: PG
Warnings: Mild horror/dystopia.
Summary: Harry wakes up to a changed world.
Notes: I’ve been meaning to try this story format for a while, so thank you curia_regis for affording me the opportunity to do this. Thanks to my beta readers, who shall remain nameless for now, and to celandineb for hosting the fest again this year.
***
Another Brick in the Wall
***
Harry’s first clue that he was alive was the pain. Heaven’s not supposed to hurt, is it? He moaned softly, but it was loud enough to attract attention.
“Ah, you’re awake,” a cheerful voice said. “You must be hurting; take this.”
Something was pressed to his lips, and Harry reflexively opened his mouth and swallowed, immediately feeling better. “Thanks.”
“You’re welcome.”
Sitting up, Harry smiled at Madam Pomfrey. “So, who won?” he asked.
She blinked. “Don’t you know?” She patted his head. “We all did.”
Harry relaxed.
“Now that our Lord rules.”
Harry blanched. “What?”
The mediwitch smiled. “Wonderful, no?”
***
“No!” Harry jumped when Snape walked in. “Snape? I thought...”
“That I’d expired?” Snape smirked. “Thought? Or hoped?”
“I...”
Snape sneered. “Spare me.” He looked over at Madam Pomfrey. “Our Lord has summoned his guest.”
Pomfrey nodded. “He’s fine. He’ll need to take these tonics.” After handing a parchment to Snape, Pomfrey smiled serenely at Harry. “You’re so lucky! Off to see our Lord...”
“Come,” Snape said coolly.
Reluctant, Harry nevertheless followed Snape down the hallway. “I’m fucked, aren’t I?” he muttered.
“Our Lord hasn’t mentioned his specific plans for you, but I’m sure he’s open to suggestions,” Snape deadpanned.
***
“I trust my invitation didn’t make you nervous.”
Harry almost laughed. Voldemort, surrounded by his toadies, was in the Great Hall, and things seemed almost pleasant. Harry knew better, however. “Er, yeah, actually.”
“Understandable.” Voldemort chuckled. “How can I reassure you?”
“Where are my friends?”
“Mmm.” Voldemort gestured at someone behind Harry. “Take Mr. Potter to his friends, Severus. And, Harry?”
Harry’s eyes widened, his wand hand twitching. “Yes?”
“I’m afraid you shall have to repeat the year at Hogwarts.” Voldemort inclined his head. “Education is very important, don’t you agree?”
Harry was very confused as Snape led him away.
***
“Where are you taking me?”
“To see your friends, Potter.” Snape lengthened his stride. “Do keep up.”
Harry shook his head. “But, but...” He skidded to a stop. “Just tell me what’s going on!”
Snape slowed before swirling to face him. “I am doing as our Lord ordered.”
“I thought...” Harry struggled for words. “I always wondered whose side you were on. All these years...”
Snape narrowed his eyes. “Shut up.” Glancing around, he gestured towards a door. “In here.”
Once the door shut, Snape rounded on him. “Idiot. The walls have ears.”
“Tell me!”
Snape sighed. “Very well. Sit.”
***
“When you collapsed during the battle, we thought you’d died.” Snape sighed. “The Dark Lord sent Narcissa to check; she confirmed that you were dead.”
“But I wasn’t.”
“You were,” Snape corrected. “Our Lord believes you were, so you were.”
“Then how am I here?”
“You returned.” Snape spun to face him. “He believes it was fate that you died and returned. And a lot of people died. He won’t touch you.”
“But...”
“Don’t you see?” Snape hissed. “Our Lord is very practical, Potter. He realises that half-bloods are smart, resilient. He wishes to use that.”
“Use--?”
“Us,” Snape confirmed.
***
Harry, subdued after Snape’s revelations, numbly followed him to meet his friends. “Who’ll be there?” he asked.
Snape sneered. “Who do you think?”
“I...”
“Harry?”
Harry barely had time to process who he was seeing before he was bowled over by a brown-haired blur. “Hermione?”
“Of course!” She looked fine, and Harry exhaled before pulling her into a hug once more.
“I was worried,” he whispered.
“Why?” Hermione drew back. “Silly. I’m fine. Look, we’re all fine!”
She gestured and Harry’s eyes widened. “What the--?”
Pansy Parkinson smiled at him. “Good to see you, Harry,” she said. “We missed you.”
***
Harry’s mind was still reeling from Hermione’s revelations -- she and Parkinson were best friends? -- when Snape finally interrupted. “As touching as this reunion is, it’s over. You’re to report to class. Our Lord’s orders.”
“But where’s Ron?” Harry asked, looking about.
“He probably already there,” Hermione said, getting to her feet. “Let’s go.”
Hermione seemed the same, Harry ruminated as they walked. He hadn’t really known Parkinson, but even she seemed nice enough. What the fuck is going on?
As they approached the classroom, someone called to Harry. “Oi!”
Harry turned, then froze. Draco Malfoy was walking towards him. Smiling.
***
“What do you mean we’re friends?” Harry hissed at Malfoy.
“I mean exactly that,” Malfoy said. “Have been since first year. What the hell’s wrong with you?” he asked.
Harry groaned. “I don’t believe this!”
“Mother said you hit your head.” Malfoy looked Harry over. “Maybe you need to go to the infirmary.”
“I’m fine,” Harry gritted out.
“You don’t seem fine,” Ron said from the other side. “Even Blaise noticed.”
Harry bit his lip. The fact that he was apparently best friends with Malfoy sort of paled in comparison to the fact that Ron was best friends with Zabini.
***
For the rest of the day Harry was silent, and when his classmates invited him to visit Hogsmeade, he declined. After checking that the way was clear, he slipped into the library. Surely he could find information there.
His search was fruitless, however, and by the time his friends found him, he’d given up.
“The library, Harry?” Hermione said, sitting across from him. “Why?”
Harry shrugged and, exasperated, the rest all wandered away. Except Hermione, who just stared at him.
Finally, Harry looked at her. “What about the other Muggle-borns?” he whispered. “Where are they?”
Hermione sneered. “Mudbloods? Here? Please.”
***
“What the fuck have you done to Hermione?”
Snape looked up calmly. “Do come in, Potter,” he said dryly.
Harry growled. “Cut the bullshit! What the fuck has happened to the world?”
“I already told you, Potter,” Snape replied. “Our Lord is clever. He knows the wizarding world needs new blood, but given his...previously stated views on the topic, he knows that to change now is to invite criticism.”
“So?”
Snape smirked. “He has ‘re-educated’ everyone. No one remembers.”
“But I remember--”
“Indeed. As do I. This was deliberate.” Snape smiled. “After all, someone must remember what actually happened.”
***
It took Harry weeks to locate it. Weeks in which he pretended to be Malfoy’s best friend, in which he watched as Hermione and Parkinson flirted with Zabini, in which no one but he flinched when the occasional ‘Mudblood’ was caught and publicly executed.
When he finally stumbled across the Half-Blood Prince’s Potions text, Harry hid it in his trunk. He practiced the Memory-Reversal Charm until he knew he had it right, then, he invited Hermione to Hogsmeade.
He cast it with confidence and waited.
“Oh, Harry...” Hermione’s eyes widened, then filled with realization and tears. “What have you done?”
***
“Idiot!” Snape raged. “Her life was spared by her lack of memory! Were you thinking at all?”
Harry flushed. “I thought--”
“What?” Snape thundered. “You could spend the rest of your lives camping, being hunted as fugitives? Somehow mount a revolt? Imbecile!”
“But--”
“Shut up and let me think.” As Snape paced, Harry looked back and forth between him and Hermione.
“Do you think Vol--” Hermione paled at her slip, then continued, “He’ll kill me?”
“Not if we recast the spell.” Snape glared at Harry. “You’ve made this unavoidable, I’m afraid.” Pointing his wand at Harry, he said, “Goodnight, Potter.”
***
Vision returned slowly, and as Harry blinked, faces came into focus. Startled, Harry tried to sit up.
“Relax,” Hermione said. “You’re safe.” A fierce look crossed her face. “And that Mudblood is dead.”
“Killed him slowly,” Ron added as everyone, Blaise, Pansy, even Snape, nodded firmly.
“You shouldn’t have been alone,” Snape said.
But Harry, staring at Voldemort, remained silent.
“Never again,” the Dark Lord hissed.
Looking down, Harry felt and saw the Dark Mark. He paled. “My Lord--”
As his friends congratulated him, Harry smiled, and if a small part of him was screaming, no one would ever know.
***
Recipient: curia_regis
Fandom: Harry Potter
Author: alisanne
Word count: 100 x 13
Characters or Pairing: Harry Potter, Severus Snape, Hermione Granger, Draco Malfoy, Lord Voldemort, others mentioned.
Rating: PG
Warnings: Mild horror/dystopia.
Summary: Harry wakes up to a changed world.
Notes: I’ve been meaning to try this story format for a while, so thank you curia_regis for affording me the opportunity to do this. Thanks to my beta readers, who shall remain nameless for now, and to celandineb for hosting the fest again this year.
***
Another Brick in the Wall
***
Harry’s first clue that he was alive was the pain. Heaven’s not supposed to hurt, is it? He moaned softly, but it was loud enough to attract attention.
“Ah, you’re awake,” a cheerful voice said. “You must be hurting; take this.”
Something was pressed to his lips, and Harry reflexively opened his mouth and swallowed, immediately feeling better. “Thanks.”
“You’re welcome.”
Sitting up, Harry smiled at Madam Pomfrey. “So, who won?” he asked.
She blinked. “Don’t you know?” She patted his head. “We all did.”
Harry relaxed.
“Now that our Lord rules.”
Harry blanched. “What?”
The mediwitch smiled. “Wonderful, no?”
***
“No!” Harry jumped when Snape walked in. “Snape? I thought...”
“That I’d expired?” Snape smirked. “Thought? Or hoped?”
“I...”
Snape sneered. “Spare me.” He looked over at Madam Pomfrey. “Our Lord has summoned his guest.”
Pomfrey nodded. “He’s fine. He’ll need to take these tonics.” After handing a parchment to Snape, Pomfrey smiled serenely at Harry. “You’re so lucky! Off to see our Lord...”
“Come,” Snape said coolly.
Reluctant, Harry nevertheless followed Snape down the hallway. “I’m fucked, aren’t I?” he muttered.
“Our Lord hasn’t mentioned his specific plans for you, but I’m sure he’s open to suggestions,” Snape deadpanned.
***
“I trust my invitation didn’t make you nervous.”
Harry almost laughed. Voldemort, surrounded by his toadies, was in the Great Hall, and things seemed almost pleasant. Harry knew better, however. “Er, yeah, actually.”
“Understandable.” Voldemort chuckled. “How can I reassure you?”
“Where are my friends?”
“Mmm.” Voldemort gestured at someone behind Harry. “Take Mr. Potter to his friends, Severus. And, Harry?”
Harry’s eyes widened, his wand hand twitching. “Yes?”
“I’m afraid you shall have to repeat the year at Hogwarts.” Voldemort inclined his head. “Education is very important, don’t you agree?”
Harry was very confused as Snape led him away.
***
“Where are you taking me?”
“To see your friends, Potter.” Snape lengthened his stride. “Do keep up.”
Harry shook his head. “But, but...” He skidded to a stop. “Just tell me what’s going on!”
Snape slowed before swirling to face him. “I am doing as our Lord ordered.”
“I thought...” Harry struggled for words. “I always wondered whose side you were on. All these years...”
Snape narrowed his eyes. “Shut up.” Glancing around, he gestured towards a door. “In here.”
Once the door shut, Snape rounded on him. “Idiot. The walls have ears.”
“Tell me!”
Snape sighed. “Very well. Sit.”
***
“When you collapsed during the battle, we thought you’d died.” Snape sighed. “The Dark Lord sent Narcissa to check; she confirmed that you were dead.”
“But I wasn’t.”
“You were,” Snape corrected. “Our Lord believes you were, so you were.”
“Then how am I here?”
“You returned.” Snape spun to face him. “He believes it was fate that you died and returned. And a lot of people died. He won’t touch you.”
“But...”
“Don’t you see?” Snape hissed. “Our Lord is very practical, Potter. He realises that half-bloods are smart, resilient. He wishes to use that.”
“Use--?”
“Us,” Snape confirmed.
***
Harry, subdued after Snape’s revelations, numbly followed him to meet his friends. “Who’ll be there?” he asked.
Snape sneered. “Who do you think?”
“I...”
“Harry?”
Harry barely had time to process who he was seeing before he was bowled over by a brown-haired blur. “Hermione?”
“Of course!” She looked fine, and Harry exhaled before pulling her into a hug once more.
“I was worried,” he whispered.
“Why?” Hermione drew back. “Silly. I’m fine. Look, we’re all fine!”
She gestured and Harry’s eyes widened. “What the--?”
Pansy Parkinson smiled at him. “Good to see you, Harry,” she said. “We missed you.”
***
Harry’s mind was still reeling from Hermione’s revelations -- she and Parkinson were best friends? -- when Snape finally interrupted. “As touching as this reunion is, it’s over. You’re to report to class. Our Lord’s orders.”
“But where’s Ron?” Harry asked, looking about.
“He probably already there,” Hermione said, getting to her feet. “Let’s go.”
Hermione seemed the same, Harry ruminated as they walked. He hadn’t really known Parkinson, but even she seemed nice enough. What the fuck is going on?
As they approached the classroom, someone called to Harry. “Oi!”
Harry turned, then froze. Draco Malfoy was walking towards him. Smiling.
***
“What do you mean we’re friends?” Harry hissed at Malfoy.
“I mean exactly that,” Malfoy said. “Have been since first year. What the hell’s wrong with you?” he asked.
Harry groaned. “I don’t believe this!”
“Mother said you hit your head.” Malfoy looked Harry over. “Maybe you need to go to the infirmary.”
“I’m fine,” Harry gritted out.
“You don’t seem fine,” Ron said from the other side. “Even Blaise noticed.”
Harry bit his lip. The fact that he was apparently best friends with Malfoy sort of paled in comparison to the fact that Ron was best friends with Zabini.
***
For the rest of the day Harry was silent, and when his classmates invited him to visit Hogsmeade, he declined. After checking that the way was clear, he slipped into the library. Surely he could find information there.
His search was fruitless, however, and by the time his friends found him, he’d given up.
“The library, Harry?” Hermione said, sitting across from him. “Why?”
Harry shrugged and, exasperated, the rest all wandered away. Except Hermione, who just stared at him.
Finally, Harry looked at her. “What about the other Muggle-borns?” he whispered. “Where are they?”
Hermione sneered. “Mudbloods? Here? Please.”
***
“What the fuck have you done to Hermione?”
Snape looked up calmly. “Do come in, Potter,” he said dryly.
Harry growled. “Cut the bullshit! What the fuck has happened to the world?”
“I already told you, Potter,” Snape replied. “Our Lord is clever. He knows the wizarding world needs new blood, but given his...previously stated views on the topic, he knows that to change now is to invite criticism.”
“So?”
Snape smirked. “He has ‘re-educated’ everyone. No one remembers.”
“But I remember--”
“Indeed. As do I. This was deliberate.” Snape smiled. “After all, someone must remember what actually happened.”
***
It took Harry weeks to locate it. Weeks in which he pretended to be Malfoy’s best friend, in which he watched as Hermione and Parkinson flirted with Zabini, in which no one but he flinched when the occasional ‘Mudblood’ was caught and publicly executed.
When he finally stumbled across the Half-Blood Prince’s Potions text, Harry hid it in his trunk. He practiced the Memory-Reversal Charm until he knew he had it right, then, he invited Hermione to Hogsmeade.
He cast it with confidence and waited.
“Oh, Harry...” Hermione’s eyes widened, then filled with realization and tears. “What have you done?”
***
“Idiot!” Snape raged. “Her life was spared by her lack of memory! Were you thinking at all?”
Harry flushed. “I thought--”
“What?” Snape thundered. “You could spend the rest of your lives camping, being hunted as fugitives? Somehow mount a revolt? Imbecile!”
“But--”
“Shut up and let me think.” As Snape paced, Harry looked back and forth between him and Hermione.
“Do you think Vol--” Hermione paled at her slip, then continued, “He’ll kill me?”
“Not if we recast the spell.” Snape glared at Harry. “You’ve made this unavoidable, I’m afraid.” Pointing his wand at Harry, he said, “Goodnight, Potter.”
***
Vision returned slowly, and as Harry blinked, faces came into focus. Startled, Harry tried to sit up.
“Relax,” Hermione said. “You’re safe.” A fierce look crossed her face. “And that Mudblood is dead.”
“Killed him slowly,” Ron added as everyone, Blaise, Pansy, even Snape, nodded firmly.
“You shouldn’t have been alone,” Snape said.
But Harry, staring at Voldemort, remained silent.
“Never again,” the Dark Lord hissed.
Looking down, Harry felt and saw the Dark Mark. He paled. “My Lord--”
As his friends congratulated him, Harry smiled, and if a small part of him was screaming, no one would ever know.
***