TSS: Chapter 2: Morbid Thoughts

> *"Touch him again, and I swear to Merlin and Morgana, I will boil your wife and child over a cauldron and force you to watch!"*
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— Daphne Greengrass having a pleasant conversation with Vernon Dursley.

## Summary:

Harry Potter is depressed at The Dursley's due to the conditions he is in. Daphne Greengrass is concerned for him, and Charlus Potter gets his first lesson with the enigmatic and cruel Mister Bellona.

## Plot:

**June 24th, 1992:** Harry Potter is locked in his room away from his school work and his magical supplies. He is fed once or twice a day, and has read most of the books that were in the room already. They put bars on his windows as well. He stews in hatred for Albus Dumbledore and James Potter for putting him into this horrid situation. While he hopes that someone will come for him, he doesn't think it is likely. He contemplates the process for losing his heirship and the possible subsequent disinheritance, and that while it is difficult, if he leaves Privet Drive, it would help build a case against him and if anyone were to sheltered him, they could get their homes searched on pretense of kidnapping. He contemplates the hurdles of being disinherited and cast out of the family, thus becoming a 'no-name'. In such an unfortunate eventuality, one could expect to be systematically discriminated against as nobody would want to associated with them.

He is finally bored enough to start corresponding via the linked diary with Emily Riddle, thus deciding to see what he could learn from her that does not require the use of a wand. She responds, and suggests that he learns Occlumency claiming that the Ministry will be unable to pick on such studies. She offers to teach him using her advanced methods.

**June 26th, 1992:** Charlus Potter swears a magical vow to not reveal the name of his tutor, Mister Bellona, or anything pertaining to his fighting lessons, including their occurring. After that, Peter Pettigrew takes him via Portkey to Mister Bellona for his first session of combat training. Mister Bellona uses the Muscle Spasm Curse on Charlus when he interrupts, and demands Charlus accept his philosophy about magic. Charlus is disgusted of learning dark magic, but decides that he won't use it, though he will learn it if it means learning from 'the best of the best'.

**July 6th, 1992:** At Greengrass Manor, Daphne Greengrass, Tracey Davis, and Blaise Zabini meet for a get together. After formalities are exchanged, they cut to the case and discuss their concern over Harry's living arrangements and his lack of contact with any of them thus far over the summer. Blaise asks what the plan of action to rescue him is, having picked up on what Harry's situation is, and Daphne responds that if she hasn't heard anything in a week, she would put together a rescue plan.

**July 12th, 1992:** After a dinner with the Weasley family, Charlus returns to Potter Manor to find a house elf, Dobby, demanding that he does not return to Hogwarts this year due to dangerous plots that are about to unfold. Charlus refuses, and Dobby, the house elf, leaves, after revealing that he had stolen Charlus's mail and that they do not plan to return it.

**July 17th, 1992:** At Privet Drive, the Dursley's are hosting an important client when Dobby, the house elf arrives. The elf informs Harry that plots are about to unfold at Hogwarts in the upcoming year, and then demands that he stays away from the magical school. Dobby doesn't get a promise from Harry that he won't return to Hogwarts, and so, the elf runs away to trigger the Trace with a hovering pudding. Vernon Dursley, upon seeing the ruined pudding, and Harry in the kitchen — who had ran after Dobby to stop them — attacks Harry by trying to strange him. He is torn off of him by his guests, those being Daphne Greengrass and her family. Then he is subsequently threatened with a most horrendous death by Daphne if he ever touches Harry again.