Stolen Wings

This is the first true chapter. I know it's kind of sort, and the first few will be. Will try to make them longer once I start writing more chapters to this.

Let me know what you think of this story, since it may influence whether or not I will actually finish this one. Any input is greatly appreciated.

Once again, I do not own anything that is Harry Potter or that belongs in the Harry Potter world. I own nothing, therefore I can give you nothing... save for the big shiny rock that sits by my desk.


*********************


Things had been arranged down to the smallest details. A letter was sent to the new Headmaster, explaining that he had been summoned away due to extenuating circumstance. If such a letter had been presented to Dumbledor, it would have been presented with respect. However, the new Headmaster was nowhere near the caliber, and thus highly intimidated by the Potions master. So the requisition had been accepted with trepidation, but was not challenged.

Taking time away from Hogwarts was the easy part, it had helped that it was close to Christmas break. The hard part was venturing into Azkaban. This he accomplished by calling in a few favors that members of the Ministry of Magic owed him. No names were used, only the prisoner’s cell number; 713.

The irony of this was not lost on the professor; though it the circumstances had been different, he would have found it amusing. Now, it was only another twist in this sick joke that had become Harry’s life.

He didn’t know when he’d stopped calling him Potter. It might have been sometime during the Final Battle; that point when all had seemed lost. Battered and beaten, laying near lifeless at Lord Voldemort’s feet, as he proclaimed victory over the boy. That had been his downfall. Instead of killing the boy right away, and ensuring victory, the Dark Lord had chosen the dramatic route. Making a short speech before the survivors of both sides, thus giving Harry the last chance to strike him down. When all thought hope was lost, Harry did the impossible, and struck the Dark Lord down again; for the final time. Voldemorte was no more, and Harry was near taken with him as well.

Perhaps it had been the weeks after, when Harry’s life hung by a thread. He should have been dead many times over, yet he clung to life. Whether it was Griffendor stubbornness, or Slithering survival, it was hard to tell. Snape believed it was both, since he had come to accepts, in the final year of school, that Harry showed qualities that were considered the best of both houses.

Though most likely, the turning point for Snape, was when Harry had been captured that fateful night. Betrayed by his ‘best friends’, a trap was set for the Golden Boy. Lured to the Weasley’s, trusting them to hide him, that he would be safe with them. He was asleep when the others came that night. He had tried to fight, to scream, kick, lash out in anyway to escape the binds placed on him; but it was all in vain. A heartbeat and it was all over. Immobilized, he was carried out of the house and to Azkaban. It was that moment, that his best friends were dead to him. The people that he trusted the most, that were the closest he ever had to family, were the ones betrayed him the greatest.

One most people would think that the Potions master would have been overjoyed by this. Since he had hated the boy with a passion that surpassed his contempt for the Dark Lord. Even Snape thought that he would have been enjoying this more, to see the son of the man he despised, punished. But that wasn’t the case here. After hearing of Harry’s plight, and how things had happened, his first thoughts where how if Dumbledor where still around, he never would have let this happen. Sadly, the old Headmaster wasn’t here to step in this time, to gently manipulate things to his liking. Since nobody else seemed to be wanting to help Harry in his greatest hour of need, then he would.

For many reasons of his own, Severus decided that he would step in where nobody else wanted to. He realized, that no matter how much he had wanted Harry to suffer for the sins of his father, he did not deserve this. The boy has risked his life, had given up so much, had become what everybody else wanted him to be, just so he could save their lives. Then when he had fulfilled their dreams for him, when he was no longer needed, they had no qualms about labeling him dangerous. After all, why should Harry be punished for something the wizarding world had created him to be?