Penny walked towards Cutie Pie's bedroom. It was strange, nearly 9:00am and she hadn't seen Y/N yet. He was always up early, always doing his workout. Penny hadn't seen or heard him though. She knocked on the door and heard Hermione call to come in.

Penny entered and looked at the bed with a smile. Y/N was on his back, his arm around Hermione who was leaning up and smiling.

"Morning Penny" Hermione smiled.

"Morning you two. Decent? Everything covered up?" Penny asked with a chuckle as she walked in.

"Unfortunately" Hermione snickered back as both witches giggled.

"I can hear you both you know" Y/N answered with a smirk without opening his eyes. Hermione leant down and kissed her boyfriend gently on the lips.

"Morning sweetheart" Y/N said with a smile as they parted.

"Morning love" she smiled back.

"Just made a pot of tea and wanted to know if you two wanted some. Dean had to, uh leave early for work but I'm off today" Penny smiled.

"That's lovely. Thank you, Penny" Hermione smiled. She climbed over Y/N, kissing him on the way over. Y/N stopped her, pulling her into a deeper kiss that Hermione smiled into before Penny cleared her throat. Penny rolled her eyes hearing Y/N chuckle.

Hermione stood and put on one of Penny's dressing gowns over the nighty she was in. She smiled down at her boyfriend and said:

"Come on, up you get."

Y/N tried to pull himself up from his position laying on his back but grunted in pain and fell back to the bed. He tried again with Hermione holding a supportive hand on his back and managed to sit up and swing his legs over the edge of the bed but grimaced heavily.

"It's not better is it?" Hermione asked in a tone mixed with frustration and concern.

"No if anything it's worse" Y/N answered, still grimacing in pain.

"Merlin's beard" Hermione grumbled to herself as she lovingly and supportively rubbed Y/N's large shoulder.

"Um excuse me what was that just now? What's wrong Cutie Pie?" Penny asked in a panicked tone. Hermione sighed, knowing Y/N wasn't going to say anything:

"He hurt his back in the battle with the Basilisk. Apparently, he decided not to tell Madam Pomfrey. It's been hurting since but he keeps dismissing it as 'fine' and now he can hardly get out of bed!"

Hermione's tone told Y/N she was very mad. He glanced up into Penny's eyes.

Oh fuck. He braced himself...

Three...

Two...

One...

"Y/N!!!" Penny shrieked in a terrified/I'm very very VERY worried tone.

"Why would you not get medical help!?!"

Y/N chuckled: "Two parts pride, one part stubbornness?"

He looked up again. Penny didn't see the funny side. Y/N sighed and elaborated:

"Look I'd just been through a massive battle, found out about Grindelwald and nearly died. I figured the Phoenix tears would have worked. Turned out they only hit the poison. And besides. I just couldn't go to the infirmary at the time and see..."

Hermione hugged him instantly and Penny seemed to understand. She asked gently:

"After Hermione was cured, after you had declared your love, why didn't you go see Poppy then?"

Y/N sighed as he stretched uncomfortably:

"Sorry, I'm just not good at... I could never tell her when what she did hurt. The last six years all I've heard is to push pain down, block it out, I'm not good at... at asking for help."

Hermione dropped to her knees in front of her boyfriend and hugged him, dreadfully upset. Penny had tears streaming down her face. Y/N laughed uncomfortably:

"Come on you two, I'm alright. Speaking of the Basilisk, open the front pocket of my trunk, Pens."

Penny did and pulled out a large sealed vial. It contained a bright, almost neon, green liquid.

"Y/N is this...?"

"Basilisk venom. Sev extracted it for me. I got a tooth each for my stores, your stores and his stores."

"Oh thank you so much Cutie Pie. That's so sweet of you!" Penny gushed happily, rushing Y/N and giving him and Hermione a tight hug. When Y/N groaned she stood back and looked at him sadly.

"You need checking out. We need someone we can trust. I'm gonna ask Chiara to come examine you. She has a day off today as well, and she's almost finished her healer training."

Y/N sighed and replied: "Ok thanks Pen"

Penny opened her mouth as if to argue but stopped dead upon realisation of what Y/N had said.

"Well.. that was easier than I thought. You're welcome" she smiled.

—~—

Penny left the room as Y/N struggled to stand. Hermione fussed extremely worried, helping him to put a shirt on and step into some shorts. She dropped to her knees, lifting them up as she looked in front of her briefly and blushed heavily. Y/N fortunately didn't notice as he began to limp out of the room, saying:

"I'll let you get dressed, see you in the kitchen."

Hermione smiled and said "You can stay."

Y/N nodded but averted his eyes out of respect.

—~—

The couple headed out to the kitchen to wait for Chiara. Y/N was shuffling rather than walking, struggling over with Hermione's help to a kitchen stool he slowly lowered himself onto. He had managed to hide the pain, no one but Hermione noticing, but something the previous day must have caused further damage.

Hermione kissed Y/N on the temple before sitting across from him, pulling the Daily Prophet in front of her. She looked down, no visible emotion, as she read the headline out loud:

"Slaughter in Knockturn Alley- Ministry paralysed in fear- Who is The Punisher?"

Y/N smirked as she read the story to him.

—~—

Dean was sat behind his desk, tears fell from his eyes onto the copy of the magic paper in front of him. A photo of a screaming skull dominated the page:

There was chaos yesterday evening as The Punisher returned with a vengeance.

He unleashed a fury not seen since the darkest days of the Wizarding War- one member of the Ministry speaking under the condition of anonymity saying the cruelty and sickening violence was worse than even the Dark Lord. The Ministry last night confirmed that they had removed at least thirty bodies from Knockturn Alley, although the exact number is not known- many many pieces were removed and the jigsaw puzzle of corpses is still being placed back together.

Although the Ministry wouldn't release the names of any victims, they did confirm all that who could be identified were either wanted by the Ministry or had existing criminal records. As with the three other attacks assigned to the Punisher, all victims were missing their wands.

Five victims survived the attack, four unidentified men who were found impaled on meathooks and one woman. None could remember their ordeal.

Omar Abasi, the Head of Magical Maladies at St Mungoes, made the following statement:

"Five people were brought into St Mungo's yesterday having suffered some sort of attack. The four men were all impaled through the front and back of their torsos with a cursed object of some sort. They are currently in magically induced comas in critical condition. The woman who was brought in had been brutally tortured but is stable. All five are under Auror supervision and I have been informed they have been placed under arrest. We are confident this will not impact day to day activities of the hospital."

The Ministry has no leads on the identity of this vigilante, this Punisher. But has asked for anyone with any information to step forward as soon as possible. For the witch or wizard on the street through opinions are divided:

"All this Punisher has done is bring sickos to justice where the Ministry couldn't or wouldn't. He's a bloody hero" said one Jacob Eyre. Another witch, Erin Bell, didn't share these opinions:

"This Punisher vigilante is no better than the criminals he's supposed to be stopping. His brutal methods are not how a civilised society handles things. I hope he is caught and locked away forever."

The death toll is rising and the Ministry is unable to act. When will this vigilante strike again?

- Rita Skeeter

Dean had left for work early, unable to face his younger brother. How could he do this? How could his sweet little brother be a monster?

He needed to get away. Clear his head. He wiped his eyes and knocked on the door next to his office.

"Come in" a friendly voice called out. Dean walked in: "Hey Bill. Still got room for one more on the trip to Egypt?"

—~—

The kitchen was quiet after Hermione had finished the story. She looked up at her boyfriend and smiled bravely, reaching out and squeezing his hand:

"I know they were bad people but you can't do that again babe. What if you were caught? Fudge would have sent you to Azkaban and thrown away the key."

"Fudge is the reason The Punisher was born babe. Every single one of those pricks was a Pure Blood. You think Muggleborns would have been released with such light sentences?"

Before Hermione could answer there was a knock at the door. Penny rushed to open it and Chiara walked in, smiling and hugging Penny as she did.

She walked towards the kitchen bench and Y/N smiled:

"Chiara always lovely to see you."

He grimaced as he stood. She smiled and gently hugged Y/N, saying: "You've gotten big."

Chiara chuckled looking at him. She was fairly small, standing at only 5'2". Even the girl she recognised from Penny and Dean's wedding stood several inches taller than her. She looked up at Y/N. He had grown handsome, his face had matured. He had a rough dark stubble beard. His eyes were the same beautiful green as always but looked like they had a hardness to them. She could feel it off him. She was a natural empath.

She couldn't believe how tall he was now. He was only 13 yet was standing at roughly 5'11" she thought. And he was muscular. His shirt hugged his body and she could see how defined his chest and abs were, especially for a boy his age. His whole appearance made her.... sad. Penny said Jacob pushed the boy too hard. The man's body standing in front of her instead of a boy's one told Chiara she was right. She was pulled from her thoughts when he spoke.

"Chiara Lobosca I'd like you to meet Hermione Granger. My girlfriend"

She looked at the young witch whose eyes lit up with that word. Chiara surprised Hermione by hugging her.

"You two have a profound emotional bond. A far deeper and purer love than I would expect for ones your age."

The two teens look at her slightly puzzled.

"Sorry" she chuckled. "I'm an empath. I feel the emotions of those around me."

Y/N smiled and looked at his equally happy girlfriend.

"It's ok Chiara, and it's true. We love each other very much."

Y/N reached out and took Hermione's hand as he spoke, lifting it to his mouth and kissing it gently. Hermione blushed as she replied: "yes we do."

They heard Penny choking up in the corner and all three looked at her.

"Sorry" she said while laugh/crying. "Hopeless romantic."

—~—

Hermione had gone to sit with Penny while Y/N talked Chiara through what had happened in the Chamber. Chiara nodded:

"So you first felt the pain when you were thrown into the rocks?"

"Yeah" Y/N grimaced as she pressed gently on his back.

"Ok I think we start with a full physical. See exactly what's going on and go from there. If you could take your shirt off and sit on the stool we can begin."

Y/N turned to Hermione and smiled awkwardly:

"Uh... little help?"

Hermione nodded and walked up to him. She maintained eye contact as she gently lifted the hem of his shirt up and over his arms and head. She gently rubbed a hand over his abs, still looking right into his eyes. He whispered to her:

"I need to sit down quick. Parchments and quills parchments and quills."

Her eyes widened and she smiled and blushed slightly at the inference. He limped back and sat on the stool as Hermione folded his shirt and held it in her lap as she sat with Penny.

Hermione couldn't help but stare at her boyfriend. He had a defined muscular chest, large defined arms and shoulders. And those abs. She loved his abs. They were her weakness. His hard work was definitely paying off.

Chiara looked at his scar. Penny had told her at work about the Leviathan attack. She touched it softly with her fingertips:

"That still bothers you doesn't it?" Chiara asked. Y/N looked down at it.

"Yeah it does, but what can you do?" She shook her head at the boy's bravado.

Chiara began by examining his eyes, ears mouth and throat. She ran a hand through his hair and looked into it.

Penny surprised Hermione by grabbing her hand. "I know it's hard" she smiled sweetly at the teen.

"I know she is helping but..." Hermione started before Penny interrupted:

"It's hard seeing someone else touching your boyfriend. I know, trust me."

The two smiled again before they turned back to Chiara who was doing a vision test on Y/N.

She then continued with various procedures. Soft/sharp, measuring his arms chest and waist; and testing his resistance strength. She then started to touch areas of his chest and stomach asking if it hurts. He was ok on the front and she asked him to turn round. He did, but was very slow and cumbersome doing so.

She saw his back and her face turned serious as she motioned to the two observers:

"Yeah see these marks here, they are remnants of curses. He tortured you down there, didn't he."

Hermione and Penny gasped as Y/N nodded.

"Why didn't you tell me Y/N?" Hermione asked sadly.

"It was just part of the fight. I won, didn't want to worry you. I've been tortured before, probably will be again. It wasn't a big deal."

"Y/N!" Penny exclaims.

"While I'm genuinely saddened to hear he has been tortured and thinks it is somehow normal, he is telling you the truth. His aura shows he isn't lying. He genuinely didn't think it was an important detail." Chiara said as she read Y/N's aura.

The two witches nodded sadly and Chiara heard Y/N in her head:

Thank you.

She smiled as she started tracing her fingers along his back. She stopped midway down and started diverting to the left:

"Yeah look at this, curvature of the spine, displaced pelvis. You're in agony aren't you? Even you, as strong as you think you are and as much pain as you think you can take you're suffering badly. You have been for weeks. How have you kept from crying out?"

"Y/N... and what you did yesterday. In so much pain. How?" Penny started to tear up.

"I grit my teeth and don't complain" Y/N answered honestly.

"Yep, that's your Spartan ancestry in you"
Chiara said shaking her head.

"I forgot about that" Hermione said. "Professor Khanna said you and Dean are descendants of King Leonidas. Back in first year."

"Really?" Penny asks shocked. "The Spartan aurors were known for their toughness, their strength and their bravery."

"As enlightening as this was we need to focus on easing his suffering" Chiara interrupts. This instantly got the attention of the two witches again.

"I need to get rid of these surface curses off your back first and then work on the anatomical injuries. Penny can you quickly brew a pain relieving potion?"

"Of course be right back" Penny said, hopping up and rushing to her lab.

Chiara circled each curse mark with her wand before muttering incantations and burning them off. She had waited for Y/N to groan or moan in pain. When he didn't even flinch at the holy fire singeing and purifying his flesh she chuckled:

"I knew you were tough but to not even react...wow"

Y/N responded:

"Hmm? Sorry I was miles away. Are you gonna start in a minute?"

Chiara turned to Hermione with an 'are you serious?' face and the young witch just giggled and shook her head.

Penny re-entered with a glass full of a purple liquid, saying happily: "Here it is!"

"Good I've finished with the curse marks. Y/N down it now before we get started on your anatomical injuries."

He shrugged his shoulders before downing the brew in one chug. Chiara turned to Hermione:

"Hermione do you want to leave the room? This is going to be very painful even for him. Most adult wizards couldn't tolerate the pain, let alone a child."

"No I'm staying for my boyfriend."

"What do you mean child?" Y/N asked offended. Before Chiara could continue he had directed his speech to Hermione:

"Are you sure baby, I don't want-"

"I'm staying for you love. Please.."

"Okay, okay" Y/N relented.

"Well now that that's settled" Chiara added as she pulled a rubber tube out of her bag. "Bite on this. Will stop you biting through-

"My tongue" Y/N finished her sentence. "Last time I had one of these was when I was whipped. This means this is really gonna suck isn't it?"

Chiara nodded as Y/N opened his mouth to bite across the object.

Penny and Chiara laid Y/N down on his stomach before Chiara muttered something and a sickening crack was heard.

"Mmmmhhh hhmmm mmmhhhg!!!"

Y/N's muffled screams could be heard loudly as Penny and Hermione started crying and hugging onto each other. Chiara leant down, genuine hurt in her voice as she stroked his head:

"I know brave boy, I know I know. One more brave boy, just one more."

Y/N nodded, bracing himself as another sickening crack was heard.

"Mmmhhhf mmmm ahhhhh!!!" he cried in even fiercer pain than the first one.

"It's all done it's all done" Chiara said as she rubbed his head, emotionally overwhelmed from the procedure. Y/N was trembling, his breathing was laboured as tears built up in his eyes.

He had endured one of the most painful experiences in his life, and for him, that was saying something.

—~—

Five minutes passed. Y/N had quietened but his breathing was still laboured. Hermione was crying and leaning down kissing and hugging his head, whispering how brave he was.

"Will he be ok?" Penny asked, still with tears in her eyes.

"Yes he will fully recover. Needs to keep this pack on his back until it is empty though" Chiara said as she magicked a package about 14 inches by 16 inches and magically attached it to Y/N's back with clear wrapping.

"Should be gone within 24 hours. Can you stand Y/N?"

He nodded and Hermione helped him get to his feet. Chiara chuckled. Now his issue had been fixed he appeared closer to 6'

"You're even bigger than I thought you were."

They thanked Chiara and just as she was leaving the phone rang. Penny answered. It was Hermione's mum and her grandparents were there to visit so she had to go home. She whispered sadly: "I don't want to leave you, Y/N"

"I know. Chiara can I travel like this?"

"Not far no."

"What about apparition, can I do that?"

"Yes that's fine, as long as you have someone who knows how to do it."

Y/N smiled: "No worries. Thanks for everything."

She smiled back as she flooed out.

"Alright Penny back soonish- you know where I'll be."

"Ok, stay safe" the blonde witch smiled.

"No promises" Y/N smirked as he and Hermione disappeared with a small crack.

—~—

The couple appeared at Hermione's front door and she opened it, calling out:

"Mum, Dad we're here."

She held Y/N's hand and guided him into the lounge. Monica walked in from the kitchen.

"Oh honey glad you're back- what happened?" She asked in shock. Hermione was puzzled and followed her mother's gaze to look at Y/N. It suddenly dawned on her. Y/N was stood in the lounge shoeless and topless with a clear wrapping around his abdomen.

"Oh no mum, I didn't think. Y/N had a bad injury he hadn't told us about from the incident at school. He's just had a magical healing but it was pretty rough. He has a magical bag on his back healing the injury for the next day or so."

"Oh my goodness Y/N how do you feel?" Mum asked with concern.

"Honestly?" He looked at Hermione and she nodded.

"Like ten pounds of shit in a five pound sack" Y/N replied with a cheeky grin. Hermione gently slapped his arm, giggling:

"Language"

"Sorry 'Mione" Y/N replied as Monica chuckled:

"It's quite alright. Can you put a top on?"

"No. Chiara, the healer, said it could disturb the healing elements. I should just go" Y/N replied. Hermione's head dropped.

"No it's ok sweety" Monica said smiling at her daughter.

"I'll explain to my mum and dad in a non-magical... I'll think of something. Just go along with it. Let me do the talking."

The young couple nodded as Monica replied:

"Ok then come out the back and meet Hermione's grandparents."

The young couple walked out the back and an elderly couple sat with Wendell.

Hermione rushed over to them, leaving Y/N somewhat adrift.

"Gran, Grandad" Hermione said excitedly. Y/N smiled but still stood there awkwardly. They turned to see him and their jaws dropped at his appearance. Hermione rushed back:

"Gran, grandad this is Y/N. My boyfriend."

Hermione rushed back to him and held her hand. She happily leant up and kissed him on the cheek. Y/N smiled at the couple:

"Y/N L/N, it's a pleasure to meet you both. Sorry if I look...unusual. Normally I'm pretty uh... normal"

Y/N gingerly walked over and shook both their hands, being introduced to Ray and Peggy. Hermione helped support Y/N as he shuffled to a seat, still in obvious pain. She sat next to Y/N, taking his left hand in both of hers.

Monica appeared at the doorway and headed over to the table with a pot of tea and cups. Wendell leant over shaking Y/N's hand.

"Good to see you again, Wendell" Y/N smiled.

"You too son. What happened?"

Before Y/N could answer Monica chimed in:

"Let me explain dear. Mum, Dad Y/N is a wonderful and brave young man. He is very loving and takes wonderful care of Hermione..." Hermione smiled and squeezed Y/N's hand. He reciprocated "...but there was an incident heading to the train station and they were surrounded by a gang."

Hermione's grandparents gasped in shock.

"Fortunately Y/N is very brave and strong. He fought them all off and protected Hermione. We are very grateful to him" Monica smiled but continued quickly:

"But unfortunately Y/N was badly hurt in the fight. He was thrown against a wall rather savagely. He had a special ice pack that has to stay around him for the next day or so. Doctors orders."

Y/N silently prayed to Merlin.

"Good lord" Ray exclaimed: "Were they big men?"

"Yes" Y/N nodded. "Very big."

"And very dangerous" Hermione said with a smile, leaning up and kissing Y/N's cheek.

"Were you hurt dear?" Peggy asked Hermione concerned. Hermione quickly answered:

"No, they never got near me. I was sort of... stunned in place. Y/N fought them all off. He's my hero."

She smiled at Y/N proudly and he returned it slightly sheepishly at her praise.

"We owe you a debt son." Ray said standing and shaking Y/N's hand again. Y/N answered quickly and sincerely:

"No, you don't. I swore to Monica and Wendell on my honour I would protect Hermione with my life. I wasn't lying"

Hermione hugged into Y/N tightly. He tried not to grimace in pain.

"So that's important to you son, honour?" Ray asked.

"My honour is everything sir. A man without honour.. well it's not a life worth living."

Ray smiled widely:

"I like this boy Flower. You've chosen well. Most boys these days are all about sex and drugs and computer games. Look at him though. I mean look at you son, look at you. Very well built. You work out yeah? you're a fighter?"

"Yes sir I've had a lot of...training"

"Do you box?" Ray asked excitedly.

"Pardon?" Y/N asked.

"You a boxer? Or a martial artist?"

"You'll have to forgive grandad, Y/N. He owns a boxing club" Hermione giggled.

"Oh right" Y/N answered in understanding. "I've done a bit of kickboxing training sir. But it was more mixed-"

"Mixed martial artist hey. That how you could take out those punks who were after my little flower?"

"Yes sir. Trained mostly with a guy named Noel Longbottom up in Liverpool. Good guy."

"You'll have to come down to the ring. My boys can give you some pointers" Ray smiled.

"I'm only in London until tomorrow, but if I'm back down this way in a few weeks I'll ask Hermione-"

"Need the ladies permission first do ya?" Ray chuckled. Y/N answered respectfully:

"Well, Yes sir. If I'm visiting Hermione I'm not just gonna leave her and-"

"Good. It was a trick question. You answered correctly. Hermione won't mind. See you in a few weeks."

He turned and started talking to Wendell again. Y/N leant in to Hermione and whispered: "What the hell just happened?"

Hermione giggled: "He played you. Welcome to the family"

She leant up and kissed him as they began talking to Monica and Peggy.