James Potter woke to a world of pain. “Sev…” He whispered in a hoarse voice. “Oh Sev…I’m sorry but I can’t let you heal me. If I do they’ll just hurt me more and take the few hours of peace I have away from me.” James was lying on the cold stone floor of his Aunt Mary and Uncle Don’s dungeon, he shivered from the cold.
His clothes long ago having had been ripped to shreds. He slowly, painfully pulled himself into a corner and curled up. A soft whimper of pain slipped through his cracked and bloody lips. Hunger burned and gnawed at his stomach but he didn’t dare ask for food in fear of his aunt and uncle’s wrath or abuse even knowing his weaken and broken body so desperately needed it. He knew that he had at least six broken ribs, that his right shoulder was dislocated, that his left arm was broken in at least two paces, and that his left knee the one that had been shattered the night he almost lost his son and his goddaughter was in bad shape he doubted that he’d ever walk on it again it hurt so bad.
He looked around the room where he had been kept in for the past six years. It was barren except for the dog kennel shoved into one corner that served as his bed, the chains that hung on the wall and were piled on the floor, and the litter box on the far side of the room that served as the toilet. Footsteps sounded on the stairs. James’s gaze flew to the heavy metal door that led into the room from the stairs. He heard the bolt unlatch, before the door slowly opened and his aunt walked into the room carrying a coiled whip in her hand. James shuttered with fear, he hated that whip; it was the same whip she’d been using on him for years.Mary walked over to the wall where a set of chains hung, “You’ve been a very bad doggie, Jamesi. You’ve been talking to that leech Severus again haven’t you?” Mary sneered. James just nodded, knowing that if he tried to hide the fact he’d just pay for it later. “Come here.” James painfully crawled over to his Aunt, pain searing though his body at the movement. “Stand up, arms out.” Mary snapped.
James slowly pushed himself to his feet, whimpering softly from the pain. His left knee, the one that was shattered in a fight with Death Eaters when James was twenty, buckled sending him back to his knees with a scream of agony. His uncle, who he hadn’t heard enter the room grabbed him and dragged him to his feet holding him in place by his broken arm as his aunt chained his arms above his head. Both ignored his cries of pain and the tears that he couldn’t hold back.
“Now, I know you had to have told him something Jamesi. What?” Mary said softly as walked into the middle of room and uncoiled the leather whip she had been carrying in her hand.
“Nothing, I told him nothing.” James said softly.
“Lair!” Mary yelled her eyes flashing. She raised the whip and sent it flying down so that it cracked right above James’ head. He shuttered in terror, he couldn’t help it he been terrorized by that whip or of any whip. They scared him to the bone because of the memories and pain they had brought to the front of his mind. Memories of Jenny and the nights he’d spent waiting in the dark chained to his bed. “Tell me what you told him?” demanded his aunt.
“Nothing, he guessed.” James sobbed. The whip cracked in the air above his head once more.
“Guessed, guessed what?” Mary sneered cracking the whip in air above her nephew’s head once more.
“That you had me.” James whimpered know he was going to get it for Sev finding out that his Aunt and Uncle were the ones that were holding him prisoner.
“What!!! He knows.” Mary screamed in fury. James stayed silent knowing that nothing he said would change his situation. His Aunt raised the whip again and brought it flying down onto James exposed chest. James closed his eyes fighting the tears and the urge to scream, he knew it would be hours before he got any relief. Sev, his Sev. James knew that Sev would find him even if he was move somewhere else Sev would find him sooner or later. He just prayed did would be sooner rather than later.