He\'s a complicated boy, Harry Potter.

It has been long held that the manner in which a child is regarded shapes their disposition and behavior. For Harry Potter this was a very confusing topic considering his behavior when he met Ronald Weasley on the Hogwarts Express September 1st, 1991. As the enthusiastic red head challenged Harry on his identity and asked to see his scar, Harry promptly spit in his face and left the compartment. Harry was completely livid that someone would think he would lie about who he was, as if being him had been so great.
Harry Potter was considered a savior to most of the wizarding world in Britain. Yes, they were wizards living in the world and there was really magic, however Harry had no idea until a huge giant named Hagrid knocked down the door of his Aunt and Uncle’s home and promptly gave his fat cousin Dudley a pig’s tail. Harry was astonished that something so big could be kept from him. The kicker, however, for Harry, had been to find out that his parents had not in fact died in an accident that his drunkard of a father had caused, but were killed, murdered, snuffed out of his life by a crazed evil wizard. Magic did not look very desirable to Harry, but when he found out he would go to a special school that would keep him away from his family for nine months of the year, his thoughts on magic could be summed up in the crass words of ‘fuck it, why not?’ Anything would be better than living with his abusive family, unloved, unwanted, and combative.
A little background on Harry would let you know some of the hardships he has suffered. At approximately fifteen months old Harry’s happy baby life ended with something called the killing curse, which was willfully bandied about by Lord Voldemort. Lord Voldemort had come into his parent’s home wishing to kill little, helpless Harry. He dueled his father until James Potter fell dead, and then came after Harry and his mother Lily, where he gave the red headed woman a choice: hand Harry over or die. Lily Evans Potter was not a woman to shirk her duty and promptly threw herself in front of Harry to shield him from the megalomaniac. Voldemort did what he did best and cast the green lighted killing curse and Lily Potter was no more. Lord Voldemort raised his wand, a nice deal made of yew wood and a phoenix feather core, and cast the curse once again with every intention on killing poor Harry. However, Lord Voldemort’s curse backfired and killed him instead. He completely vaporized and the world rejoiced.
Little Harry however, was orphaned and at the mercy of whatever powers decided to make decisions for him. The person who decided his fate turned out to be Professor Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore, a trusted friend of his parents. Albus thought that Harry should go somewhere to grow up cared for and out of danger and the public eye. He wanted Harry to be happy and grounded. The grounded part might have been caused by Dumbledore watching Harry’s father grow up with a huge entitlement issues and rather spoilt. Either way, Albus thought is a good idea that Harry be taken to his only living family member, Petunia Dursley. Petunia was Lily Potter’s sister. Dumbledore made his decision based solely on his own opinion of the situation, meaning if someone dropped of his niece or nephew on the doorstep he would gladly love and provide for them. It should be given that Albus Dumbledore was being very naïve in his reasoning.
On the night that Voldemort was vanquished Albus Dumbledore met Minerva McGonagall at number 4 Privet Drive in Surrey, England. Minerva is one of those no nonsense woman who could have been a harsh nun teachers at a parochial school, if she had been muggle and catholic, but she was not; she was a witch and very pagan, if you asked her. She was a teacher at an exclusive boarding school though. She had been watching the muggle family, yes muggle, meaning without magic, all day, because you just don’t place the savior in a home without checking them out. It was a complete surprise when Dumbledore found the woman there; that says a lot about Dumbledore.
Minerva objected soundly to placing Harry with “the worst kind of muggle” and Dumbledore simply overruled her and spoke over her protests. Minerva was cowed by Albus, her chosen leader and boss!. Albus place Harry on his unsuspecting Aunt’s doorstep in the dead of night with a polite note and buggered off back to his hidden world.
That was how Harry came to live with his Aunt Petunia, Uncle Vernon, and cousin Dudley, but it isn’t what made Harry spit in Ron Weasley’s face. What gave Harry the utter audacity to humiliate and emasculate one of his peers can be attributed to how his Aunt and Uncle reacted to finding a baby wizard on their doorstep. Badly, very badly. Utterly cruelly, utterly. And plenty of other synonyms that anyone can find in a good thesaurus.
When Petunia Dursley read the note attached to Harry she closed the door on the basket containing her nephew and went straight to her husband. It is hard to explain to a man who values family as much as Vernon Dursley does why you do not associate with your own sibling, especially when he was so close to his own sister. So when Petunia married Vernon she told him about her freakish sister and magic, and Vernon promptly banished the word and knowledge of magic from their vocabulary. So when Petunia brought him the note to read he was quite livid that the boy was pawned off on them with no by your leave. But Vernon was not a completely heartless man and since he hadn’t ever seen magic, just taking his precious Pet’s word on it, maybe the boy wouldn’t cause too much trouble and family was important. So he agreed to take the freak in, that however, did not entitle little pitiful Harry the same treatment as normal people. Petunia plucked Harry off the doorstep, making sure to glance around that no one saw her, and then placed Harry, basket and all, into the cupboard under the stairs. Out of sight out of mind.
Petunia happened to have a son, Dudley. Dudley personified ill-tempered, unmanageable brat. His behavior being a product of loving parents that didn’t believe in limits to their child and utter stupidity. While Petunia changed Harry’s nappies, to keep the smell from getting to bad, she learned her lesson when Harry went a whole day in his own baby filth, and fed him three times a day; she did not care for him. She left him secluded and neglected. Poor, poor Harry. Vernon Dursley approved heartily that his precious Duddikins wasn’t associating with the freak child.
Eventually, Petunia had to let Harry out to potty train him, because she just couldn’t keep changing two sets of nappies. Dudley and Harry are roughly the same age. Harry took to the pot quickly, while Dudley languished in his curbside service from his Mum. Petunia started letting Harry out of the cupboard to potty and eat, and go to the back garden for sun. Harry was looking sickly and Petunia knew she neither wanted to explain a dead baby or bury one in the back garden, ewww.
So that Harry’s life followed this pattern until he turned four. Harry’s quietness made it quite easy on himself. He took to the routine of living in his cupboard with his basket, blanket, and potty breaks. One day Harry heard a tumble down the stairs and opened his cupboard door for the first time by his own leave. He saw his Aunt Petunia clutching her ankle and sitting on the floor. He made the logical leap that she had fell and hurt herself. So Harry went to the kitchen got a dish cloth, pushed a chair to ice box, and made a cold compress for his Aunt. Harry was a smart boy and observant. He had seen his Aunt do the same, without the need of a chair, numerous times because Dudley had been dissatisfied with something and kicked his mother harshly. Duddy had his little fits sometimes. Harry gave the first aid item to his Aunt and went back to his cupboard. His actions shaped the next years of his life by giving Petunia a grand idea. Harry could do chores!
Petunia ran the idea passed her husband and he staunchly approved of the idea and Harry became undocumented, illegal child labor. Petunia went about teaching Harry to do the cleaning. Harry couldn’t read so Petunia pointed out all the things that did what and Harry remembered. Harry is a very bright boy. Harry started doing all the cleaning and if it was done correctly he did it again until it was right, but not without the proper correction from Vernon. Vernon felt no compunction about beating Harry or berating him. It was good for the freak.
One day Harry did not remember to polish the floor after he mopped and Vernon hit him so hard his ears rang. Vernon raised his hand again and was thrust back by an invisible force. Harry had just committed his first act of accidental magic and he was promptly beat within a centimeter of his life. Harry spent a terribly painful week locked, with a brand new padlock, inside his cupboard. Harry did not know how he got better with no medicine, but he did. Harry has exceptional magic. Harry went back to work when he could walk again. He never forgot to polish the floor again.
One day Petunia burned herself on the stove while cooking eggs and ran to the faucet to run cold water over it, Harry simply picked up where his Aunt left off and finished the eggs. Petunia was flabbergasted and ran to Vernon once more. Harry became the cook. He sported several burns and cuts from his instruction. Petunia gave Harry a cookbook one day and told him to make dinner while watched the telly. Harry told her he couldn’t read and that was the only reason Harry Potter got to go to school.
Harry learned his name the first day of school. He was five. He had really believed that “Boy” and “Freak” was his official moniker. The teacher greeted him in front of his class and introduced him to everyone as Harry Potter. Flabbergasted is too tame a word for how Harry felt to know his own name. If he learned nothing else in school, it was worth it just to know he had a regular name like Dudley did. Harry did very well in school and poorly at home because of it. The teachers praised him and asked for conferences for Dudley. Dudley still had issues with the potty and, like his parents, wasn’t the brightest bulb at the bulb store.
All that Harry did for the Dursley’s made their lives much easier and simpler. Petunia had time to herself, Vernon had an immaculate home, Harry prepared wonderful, savory meals for the family and when they entertained-Harry was locked in the cupboard when he finished the preparations-, and Dudley had a punching bag.
All these things did not lead up to why Harry would result to spitting in Ronal Weasley’s face, what caused Harry to commit such an act happened on Harry’s eighth birthday. Coincidentally, he had discovered his birth date because Vernon was feeling particularly cruel one day and hand Harry and apple core and shouted “Happy Brithday”. The day had been going as well as can be expected for Harry. He being a quiet, observant, and cautious child had stayed out of the way, because if the Dursley’s forgot he was there then he could do anything he wanted, as long as he got all the chores and meals done. Harry had decided to be selfish and make himself a cake for his birthday. It was a confectioner’s dream. It was chocolate with royal icing of several colors and his family had been away all day. As Harry put the final touches on his cake, his family returned from their outing. Vernon looked at the delicious dessert and swiped a finger through Harry’s painstaking work. Harry talked back for the first time ever and declared the cake his. Vernon slapped the cake to the ground and asked Harry why he thought he deserved something that good? Harry said that he did the all the housework well and no one really complained, he should be rewarded like at school when he did well.
Vernon made a statement that changed Harry’s passive outlook on life and the people he served daily, “You could do everything right and we still wouldn’t treat a freak like you nicely. We would still beat you and stick you in your cupboard at night.”
Harry digested that statement and left the kitchen to go to his cupboard and lie down. Now any regular abused child would probably continue on as he had, but a few things about Harry created something that the Dursley’s had not anticipated when they decided to turn an innocent child into a servant, nay slave.
Harry was intelligent. Harry was observant. Harry was a child with nothing to lose. That is a harsh statement for an eight year old to adhere to, but Harry was far beyond his years because of the Dursley’s treatment. Harry resolved that if doing what he’s told didn’t get him loved, or just fair treatment, then he would not do it any longer.
A new Harry emerged from the cupboard the next morning. He only emerged from the small space when the door was banged open by Vernon when breakfast wasn’t ready,
“Boy, why isn’t the table set and food on it?” Vernon’s double chin quivered as he shook with rage. Harry stood eyeing the rotund man with a jaundiced eye, but made no comment. Harry thought about how he had contributed to this man’s unhealthy size. His corpulence offended Harry for the first time ever.
“You’re fat enough as you are, you could stand to miss a meal. I’m having a lie in today.” The blow to Harry’s head caused him to collide with the molding above the door to his cupboard. Harry analyzed that the pain felt no different than when he had breakfast on the table and Vernon just felt like hitting him. Harry smiled and Vernon drew back shocked.
“What’s the matter with you, boy?”
“I’ve had an epiphany Uncle Vernon. I don’t think I shall do anything else in this house unless I feel like it.” Vernon was more than shocked; he couldn’t comprehend that the boy would refuse to work any longer. He hit the boy again and Harry still refused. Vernon was at a loss, when the boy was bleeding and barely conscious and still refused to do his work. They left Harry where he lay in the downstairs foyer and Petunia, out of practice and not very good to begin with, cooked a substandard, barely edible breakfast for her family. Harry healed miraculously in a day. Everyday Vernon told him to do the work that piled up in the house and Harry told him “I don’t feel like it.” For a two weeks Harry took beatings and refused to work and Petunia did a bad job covering for him.
One morning the Dursley’s woke to the smell of what could only be ambrosia. The filed down the stairs in their bedclothes and peeped into the dining area to see a feast fit for a king laid out on the table. They fell on the food like savages. Harry came through the connecting door from the kitchen and took a seat with them. He loaded a plate with food and began to eat. He stopped after a few bites when he noticed his family staring at him like they were seeing a ghost. Vernon jumped to his feet looking thinner since he didn’t each as much of Petunia’s food as he would Harry’s.
“What in the blazes do you think you are doing? Sitting at the table with decent folk. And you know you only get the scraps.” Vernon took the fork from Harry’s hand.
Harry stood, “But I cooked it. I was hungry so I cooked. I didn’t have to cook enough for you too.”
Vernon was enflamed by Harry’s cheek, “How dare you speak to me like that?”
“I certainly don’t have to dare anything, I can and will speak to you as I please, because it would not matter if I didn’t.”
Vernon just look confused for a moment before he rallied his senses again, “You will go wait in your cupboard until we are done and clean the mess up and the rest of the house too!”
Harry nodded his head at Vernon and eyed the man. Vernon took an involuntary step back at the look in Harry’s eyes. Harry fingered the table cloth and replied to his Uncle. “I’ll go back to my cupboard, but you’ll be cleaning up this horrid mess.”
“What horrid mess? We aren’t even done yet.” Vernon asked.
“This one” and Harry pulled the table cloth off the table making all the food tumble to the floor in a great mess of delightful fair. Harry exited the dining room and returned to his cupboard. Vernon didn’t bother to beat him.
It was weeks again before Harry cooked another meal, this time it was dinner. When Harry sat to the table and fixed a plate he was ignored. The Dursley’s got the idea. So Harry began to cook again, but not every meal because Vernon still felt the need to cuff him about the head or Dudley would be particularly mean with his gang of bullies at school and the neighborhood. Vernon tried locking Harry in his room, but swift, hard kicks to the door bust the hinges loose. It was only a cupboard door after all.
Harry did his laundry and his alone. Petunia floundered in that department and Vernon constantly berated Harry for his laziness, when he thought the boy couldn’t hear, but Harry was good at going unnoticed. So most of the time Vernon spoke out Harry was standing or sitting in range of his comments. Harry poured bleach over all of Vernon’s suits and shredded his shirts. It had cost close to a thousand pounds to replace his clothing. When he beat Harry for doing it Dudley’s clothing went next. Vernon didn’t get a clue before Petunia was reduced to going shopping for clothing in chemise and bleach stained black skirt. Petunia had begged Vernon to leave the boy alone and watch his tongue, and the man agreed because Harry had stopped cooking again.
The new free time Harry had after his change of attitude gave Harry the urge to explore outside his home. If he needed funds he simply stole them from Dudley. He always had plenty. Harry went to the library, arcade, cinema, and various other things that he had not been able to before. He even made friends, but they weren’t just any youth about. Harry fell in with a rather rough set. He learned to fight (dirty), use foul language, adult themes, and generally be a real malcontent. The Dursley’s knew they had a problem but they felt stuck. Harry had put himself in a place of power by simply not caring either way. They had lost what power they had the day Vernon had made it clear that Harry would be abused no matter what and Harry turned their needs against them.
On a sunny June day Harry lay in the front garden lying about just for the hell of it. His curiosity peaked when a shadow swooped across his field of vision. An owl flying in broad daylight simply wasn’t a usual occurrence. When said owl flew low and dropped a letter unto Harry’s stomach. He sat up and looked at the missive. It looked to be made of heavy paper, much like the parchment Harry had used to make place cards for one of his Uncle entertainment. The envelope read ‘Harry Potter, 4 Privet Drive (cupboard under the stairs), Surrey’. Harry looked incredulously at the thing. It had to be a cruel joke, but who was clever enough to do something like this, certainly not the Dursley’s, who were the only people who knew where he slept in the house.
Harry heard a hooting from above, noticing the owl perched on the roof edge. It flapped its wings in a fashion like it was saying get on with it. Harry looked back down at the letter and opened it. He read it over several times, and then looked at the waiting bird, “Are you bloody serious?”
And the bird flapped it wings and nodded it head in a parody of an affirmative indication. Harry jumped to his feet and stormed into the house. He presented the letter to his Aunt Petunia, and she fainted dead away. Harry felt obligated to attend her, especially if he was to get any answer as to why he got the letter. He had never heard mention of magic, Hogwarts, any of the like in the Dursley home.
Harry did not get any answers from his Aunt. What he got was a beating after so long a time from his Uncle when Petunia showed him the letter. Harry gleaned that the letter might be on the up and up when Vernon vaguely referred to its contents by forbidding Harry from the freakish school and not having such in his house. It was the first time Harry thought that there was something far larger going on with his family dynamic than just the Dursley’s being utter bastards, and it might have something to do with his parent’s death. Harry came to that conclusion when Vernon threw him in the cupboard and he overheard Petunia mention her freaky sister. Harry asked himself, was he ready to believe that magic existed in a world where the Dursley’s existed as well? Not bloody likely!
A week later another letter arrived, but was intercepted by Petunia. She burned it immediately. She wasn’t happy anyway, because Harry had refused to cook for the last week and Vernon was being a right bear. Two days later another came and was burned again. Harry ignored the letters as well as his family, because if this school wanted him so bad, why’s this the first he’s heard of it? The letter’s kept coming for month. In mid-July, two weeks before Harry’s eleventh birthday, the letters increased exponentially, it seemed. The house was bombarded with the parchment letters. Vernon Dursley decided that his family needed an immediate holiday and they took the help with.
Vernon had taken his family on holiday many times before, sans Harry, but Harry felt if this was a Dursley holiday, then they could have it. Vernon rented a cabin in the middle of nowhere for over a month. They did not return to Privet Drive until the last week of August. When they got home there were no weird letters lying about, just their peaceful normal home. Harry went to his cupboard and everyone else went to their bed. First thing the next morning when harry laid out breakfast, there came a banging on the front door. Harry ignored the visitor, because he knew it wasn’t for him. Nobody ever came to see him. He heard the clamor of hurried feet storming down the stairs and a great crash in the front hall. Harry peeked around the corner from the kitchen and saw the biggest man he had ever seen in his life carrying an umbrella and looking quite scruffy.
“I be lookin’ for ‘arry Potter.” He stated as Petunia fainted and Vernon turned purple with outrage. “Ah, there ya are lad!” He spotted Harry and Harry wanted to hide, but the man seemed jovial, not sinister. Harry still clutched a butcher knife behind his back, cautious as ever. The giant’s hands looked like a single swipe would take his head off.
“Oi! Who are you? My Dad’s going to beat for busting our door. Right Dad?” Dudley yelled at the giant. Dudley was still not the brightest bulb. He didn’t notice his Father’s paralysis due to fear of the larger man
The giant pointed the umbrella at Dudley and a strange colored light erupted from it and hit Dudley. Dudley’s nose morphed into that of a pig and protrusion could be seen growing from the area of his bum. The seam of his trousers split and a curly tail popped free. It was Vernon’s turn to faint.
The giant hunched and moved through the door, “Ya like that do ya, ‘arry?” Harry couldn’t stop the giggles erupting from him, even if he wanted to.
“Who are you? What are you?” Harry asked.
“Name’s Rebeus Hagrid and I’m a half giant on me mum’s side.” He nodded in pride like it was a badge of honor. Harry simply nodded.
“What do you want?”
“The ‘eadmaster sent me to escort you to Diagon Alley for your school supplies and such. I’m ta take ya and bring ya back. He’s had a bugger of a time getting in touch, since your ‘ogwarts letter went unanswered. He figured you’d need someone to escort ya, but I’ve been comin’ for days and ya weren’t here.”
“We were on holiday.” Harry told the giant. He put the knife on the hall table and looked the giant up and down. “So, this Hogwarts really exists? Witches and Wizards, and Magic too?” Harry asked.
“Aye, it does. But you should know that, you’re ‘arry Potter.” Hagrid chuckled and seemed utterly oblivious of Harry’s turmoil. “Are ya ready to go? You should probably change out of those play clothes and put somethin’ more presentable on.”
Harry looked down at himself and felt a bit of shame at always having worn Dudley’s cast offs, which were far too big. The clothes were in decent shape, because Harry took care of them properly, but they were visibly worn and baggy.
“I haven’t got any funds to buy supplies of new school clothes. I think I remember that letter saying something about a uniform. They’re not going to give me anything for this school,” Harry indicated his unconscious guardians.
“Dumbledore sent your vault key along. Your parent left ya plenty for school and such.” Hagrid reached out and patted Harry on the back, making him stumble forward a bit.
“I’ve got money? How come I am just finding out about this?”
“Well it’s a trust vault for when you go to school and upkeep. Dumbledore said he’s been send funds since he placed you here when your parents were killed.”
“This Dumbledore was the one who put me here?” Harry felt a kind of rage he had never felt for his Aunt and Uncle well up in him. “Why has he never come to see me?”
“He wanted you to be happy and protected. He’s a very famous wizard so people take notice of his whereabouts, ya know.”
“No I don’t know!” Harry stomped his foot. “You mean to tell me that they’ve been getting money for taking care of me this whole time? And this Dumbledore bloke was the one to put me here?”
“Aye, tha’s true. I brought ye meself the night You-know-who killed your Mum and Da.”
“Wait one bloody minute! My parents were killed, as in murdered, not killed in an accident?” Harry felt faint and braced himself against the hall table. “What the bugger is going on?”
“I’m no’ sure you should he usin’ such language ‘arry.” Hagrid looked worried about chastising him, but Harry wanted to run someone through at the moment.
“Well, how would you feel if someone just burst into your life and told you that everything, I mean everything, was a complete and utter lie? And who is You-know-who?”
“You-know-who is the Dark Lord Voldemort. He gave ya that scar on your for’ead. When he killed your parents and tried to kill you, he died, just up and vanished and blew up half the house. You were the only one ta survive, ‘arry.’
Harry pushed back his fringe and fingered his odd scar. “Shut up! I don’t want to hear anymore.” Harry stood straight up and looked at the worried Hagrid. “Where is this place you’re supposed to be taking me?”
“Ah, Diagon Alley, where wizards go to shop; it’s in London. Come on, if yer not changin’.” Hagrid motioned for Harry to follow him out to a motorbike sitting on the drive. They mounted the bike and Hagrid drove off out of the suburb towards London.

Diagon Alley was almost a sensory overload for Harry. The trip to Gringotts and Flourish and Blotts, and Madam Malkin’s Robe shop, where ran into a very snobbish, blond ponce talking about a place called Slytherin at Hogwarts. Harry didn’t know what to make of him so he just ignored him. Harry was totally weirded out when he got his wand from Ollivander, but he loved the snowy owl that Hagrid presented him with. Harry left Diagon Alley with money in his pocket, his own possessions, and a deep seeded hatred for every magical person who knew who he was when he didn’t.”
All these things led to Harry’s spittle splashing into Ron Weasley’s face when he challenged Harry about who he was. Harry slammed out of the compartment and bumped into a bushy, brown haired girl his age. She apologized and asked him about a missing toad. He informed her that he had not seen any amphibians wandering around and went off to find another compartment. He found one with a boy his age that looked rather timid and frightened. Harry thought it would be safe to sit with him.
“Hello, May I join you?” Harry asked.
“Umm, sure. I’m Neville, Neville Longbottom.”
Harry laughed at the absurd name, “Longbottom is rather comical isn’t it?”
Neville looked down and away, “I’m not sure my Gran doesn’t think it’s a funny name. She doesn’t think very much is funny.” He didn’t look at Harry when he spoke.
“Sorry, mate, I shouldn’t talk about names when mine makes me sound like an unshaven gardener. My name’s Harry Potter, it nice to meet you Neville Longbottom.” Harry stuck out his hand and Neville took it looking a bit awed and sneaking a peek at Harry’s forehead. Harry didn’t mind Neville looking, but it was just one more person that knew more about him than he knew of himself. Why have a name if he knew nothing of who he was supposed to be?
Hogwarts castle made Harry believe in magic, more than going through a wall into Diagon Alley, more than when he first felt the pulse of magic when he held his holly wand, and definitely more than seeing Hagrid give his cousin a snout and pig tail. Hogwarts was simply magnificent. The austere woman, Professor McGonagall told them of the point system and the sorting, but the Great Hall did it simply for Harry. Magic was real and he was a wizard. Harry was special, not a freak.
Harry sat on the little stool when his name was called, and the hall went silent. All eyes glued on him as the hat sunk onto his head, covering his eyes a bit, but it made him feel more at ease with his vision obscured.
‘Well, Harry Potter has come to Hogwarts! Oh you don’t like that do you? People knowing your name and you didn’t know until you were six, and you thought you were a nobody then.’ The sorting hat laughed in Harry’s head. Harry thought some very choice things to the ruddy piece of cloth. ‘A foul mouth, willfulness, cunning, manipulative, and vengeful, all wrapped in a very intelligent mind. There are two choices for you Gryffindor or Slytherin? Do you have a preference?’
‘Not really, but it’s your choice.’
‘If you insist.’ “Slytherin!” The hat called out and nobody clapped, Harry thought, nobody took a breath. Harry went to the table he had seen other kids go to when the hat called that name and sat down. Finally the old white haired man in the middle of the head table started to clap and everyone else reluctantly clapped along.
Harry Potter had been placed in Slytherin House, had the world gone mad. Albus Dumbledore paced his office in a tizzy at this momentous development. He thought sure the boy would be a Gryffindor like his parents. The boy needed to be brave and surrounded by the right people. Albus moved over to the sorting hat, “Tell me why you put Harry Potter in slytherin?”
“Headmaster, I am solemnly bound not to reveal anything too personal about the students I sort. I can tell you that Harry Potter belongs with the snakes and it will be to his benefit.” The hat settled down to silence and Albus turned away from it.
He had made plans to test the boy and see what he was made of, but this just did not work. Albus could work with an unexpected Hufflepuff or Ravenclaw, but not in his wildest dreams had Slytherin been in his plans. The headmaster sat in his comfy chair and stroked his phoenix, and plotted a new course.

Harry had a face to go with the man that ruined his childhood. Albus Dumbledore had been a disappointment to him. He was rather old and decrepit. The man looked like a stiff wind could blow him over. He would have thought that the dark haired Professor with the cruel mouth and eyes would fit the profile of careless abandoner. The sweet old man had to be a façade, but Harry hated him just the same. Harry’d been trying to cram as much knowledge as he could in the few days he had gotten since Hagrid beat the door down on Privet Drive. Albus Dumbledore was a serious name in this new world and would be cautious about the man.
Harry ignored his gawking dorm mates as he settled into the first bed he had ever slept in. Harry fell asleep before the other first year boys stopped looking at him.

The first days of classes presented Harry with a new outlook on how to deal with adults, particularly Professor Severus Snape. Harry did not know what a potion was and, apparently, Snape had a problem with Harry’s ignorance.
“Mr. Potter, what would happen if you combined essence of Dittany and eye of newt?” Snape sneered at the blank look of Harry’s face.
“I’ve no idea, sir, isn’t that what you are supposed to be teaching us?” Harry replied after the Professor waited for his answer.
“Somehow it does not surprise me that our illustrious celebrity, Mr. Potter would be insolent and impertinent enough to give cheek to an authority figure. Or, to be so sunk in his own lavish ignorance that he feels no shame over not knowing the simplest potion. If you had read the first chapter of your book, you would know. Your celebrity will not bring you an O in my class, Mr. Potter, and you will be smart to heed that fact.” Snape loomed over Harry and stared the boy down, but what shocked him was he looked away first. No student had ever had that amount of audacity. Snape was sorely tempted to take house points, but Potter belonged to his house, so it wasn’t an option. “Congratulations Mr. Potter you have earned the first detention of the school year.”
Harry felt angry, but he eyed Snape with a critical eye, nodded his head in acknowledgment, and took notes once Snape got on with his lecture.
Later, that night, Harry made his way down to the dungeons to his first detention with Professor Snape. He knocked on the classroom door.
“Enter.”
“Sir, I’m here for my undeserved detention,” Harry announced when he entered the room. Snape grew a little flush with indignation. He stood up, approaching Harry with pure menace.
“What makes you think that arriving in my classroom unprepared does not warrant punishment?”
“Well, how was I supposed to know to be prepared?”
“Your Hogwarts letter with the supply list had initial assignments; did you think they were optional?”
“Oh!” Harry stood down and smiled at Snape, “Well, my Aunt burned most of them and the rest just disappeared. Hagrid told me what I needed to get earlier this week. He didn’t tell me about any assignments. That’s typical of you people.”
“What’s so typical?” Snape’s curiosity was piqued.
“You magic folk know all about me, but couldn’t be bothered to tell me. I mean you talk of arrogance and impertinence, but I was left with people who hated me and no one came to see me. If I am so special, how come I didn’t even know who I was until that giant knocked down the front door?”
Snape wanted to fall down, but he just pulled a stool out and sat heavily. “What do you mean?”
“I mean that I thought until four days ago that my parents were drunkards that got themselves killed in a car accident, but they were murdered. I hadn’t even heard the word magic growing up. The bloody Headmaster dropped me off like a package on a door step and never came back. I grew up unwanted and hated. Then I find out that I’m some bloody famous person and I have money, but I’ve been living in a buggering cupboard for ten years!”
Snape looked appalled at what the boy was saying, “This can’t be true. Albus said you were safe and being cared for lovingly by Petunia. I found it suspicious that Petunia, of all people, would take you in so willingly. She hated that Lily had magic.” Snape sat gob smacked that Albus had been lying all these years, especially after all the promises he made Severus take toward protecting the boy.
“I don’t need that look from any of you people. What I want is to learn if magic can keep me safe? Can I fight back with it?” Harry stared hard at Snape, telling him that pity would only make Harry more hostile.
“You cannot use magic outside of Hogwarts until you turn seventeen.” Snape looked to Harry for a reaction, and was surprised when the boy nodded his head like he had made a decision. “What is going on in that head of your, Mr. Potter?” Snape surprised himself when he asked the question, not just Harry.
“You’re a teacher and you’re supposed to help, right?”
“That is correct.”
“Then, how can I get removed from my Aunt and Uncle’s care? I won’t go back if I can’t fight back. I’m too tired and my body hurts all the time. One day I won’t heal overnight or at all.”
Snape stood suddenly, grabbing Harry’s hand he pulled the boy behind him as he exited the classroom. Harry simply followed in the man’s wake. Snape took Harry directly to the infirmary, where he met Madam Pomfrey, the mediwitch.
“Severus, what brings you here? Did a student injure themselves in your class today?”
Snape pushed Harry forward, “Mr. Potter needs a full medical scan for past injuries immediately.”
Madame Pomfrey looked confused and skeptical that this would be worth her time, but it was her job, nonetheless. She directed Harry to a bed and commenced her scans. She made several gasps as her wand waved over Harry. Harry just sat and waited hoping that this was worth opening up to his Professor.
“What is it, Poppy?” She handed him a list that appeared in thin air. After Snape read it he looked murderous. “This isn’t possible. He shouldn’t even be alive. Wait here.” Snape fled the medical ward, leaving the mediwitch and Harry behind.
Severus Snape was an intimidating man at the best of times, but when in a snit he was terrifying. The few students inhabiting the hallways fled in the wake of his rage. Snape reached the entrance to the Headmaster’s tower in a much shorter time than ever before. Severus had not been this mad since Sirius Black got off the hook for trying to kill Severus in his sixth year. Severus snapped out the password and the gargoyle guardian leapt aside to reveal a spiral stair case. Severus didn’t storm, he hurricaned up the steps to the Headmaster’s office. Right before he burst in he collected himself, knowing Albus had to be handled, if Harry was going to get any action.
He opened the door to the office and saw Dumbledore sitting behind his desk looking the part of kindly grandfather, when he was all calculating bastard. Severus slapped the paper down on the man’s desk and waited. Albus picked up the piece of parchment and perused its contents. He stood slowly and looked at Severus hard.
“Who does this analysis belong to Severus?”
“Answer me a question first?” Albus nodded his head in agreement. “If a student with these past injuries, you would immediately remove them from their guardians care, correct?”
“Of course, Severus, my boy. Who is the child?”
“Harry Potter.” Severus wanted to feel smug by being one of only a few people who had ever shocked the great wizard, but he was more concerned that Harry gets help.
“That cannot be Severus. He lives with his Aunt and Uncle.”
“I will not deny that fact, but Poppy’s scans do not lie. What will you do?”
“Did the boy say that his guardians did this to him?” Severus nodded in the affirmative. “But they are his family, they love him. I cannot believe this is truth.”
Severus never felt shocked at anything that came out of Albus Dumbledore’s mouth. “You said he was safe Albus. You said he was being loved and cared for. Look at that parchment and tell me you visited, that you actually met Petunia and talk to her about taking Harry in. Tell me you did not just leave him at their door and walk away.”
“The boy needed to be safe and hidden away until the trials. You saw what happened to the Longbottoms after Voldemort vanished. I could not visit the boy, there was too much to do, to rebuild afterwards. I left him with family. I placed wards to keep him safe from any wizards wanting to do him harm. This cannot be.”
“But it is, Albus. He must be removed from their care. Another home must be found.”
“Severus, Voldemort is not gone. I suspect he is only bidding his time. Sources have told me that inquiries have been made about the stone and someone had tested the wards on the third floor. Those blood wards are the only safety Harry has outside this school. He must return to his Aunt’s home to renew them in the summer and remain there.”
“You cannot be serious! The list of injuries speaks for itself. That child is lucky to be alive. How is he protected?”
“Severus, he has survived thus far, he will remain. That is my final decision. Tell Poppy to patch him up and send him back to his dorm.” Albus sat back in his chair and Severus was summarily dismissed.
When Snape returned to the infirmary, he sat down next to Harry heavily. “I have informed the Headmaster of your injuries and abuse and he sees no reason you cannot return in the summer. He feels it imperative that you reside with your Aunt until he deems it safe.” Snape looked at Harry and wanted to collapse at the betrayed look on the boy’s face. “However, the Headmaster is full of shite. I will do whatever I can to keep you from returning to that house. I need you to trust me, as I am sure there has not been any before, to work on your behalf.”
“What do you need from me Professor?”
“I need you to apply yourself in all classes and learn all you can. If I free you from his power, you will have to be able to fight and protect yourself, do you understand?” Severus looked at the boy next to him. Harry had another one of those moments where he made a decision that would change his life.
“I understand and I will trust you, but Professor if you let me down, I will have my vengeance.”
“I would not think you belonged in my house had you felt otherwise.”

Harry did exactly as he said he would, learned. He applied himself to his studies and supplemental materials as suggested by Professor Snape. He quickly became the top of his year, much to Hermione Granger’s consternation. Harry had also struck up an odd friendship with Neville Longbottom. The two had been simply cordial until their first flying lesson. Draco Malfoy, the blond boy Harry remembered from Madame Malkin’s, took Neville’s remembrall and threw it into the air. Harry had flown, very daringly and brave, to catch the small glass object right before it hit the window that Professor McGonagall was passing. She was astonished by the dexterity and envy vied with her since of honor. She informed Severus of what she had seen at dinner in an offhand comment, hoping that he would ignore her and pass the knowledge by and she could assuage her senses. Severus always listened to Minerva, he liked her, but would not let it be public knowledge, so he internalized the information and went on with his dinner. Severus summoned Harry to the Quidditch pitch later that week and showed him his first snitch. Snape released the gold ball and tasked Harry to catch it. Harry did it within fifteen minutes, giving the flitting object a merry chase. Harry was then made seeker for the Slytherin house team. Draco Malfoy protested greatly because an abundance of Slytherin house instantly warmed to Harry and turned cold shoulders to Draco’s influence.
Harry and Neville formed a tentative friendship from those events. They could often be found in the library studying. They partnered each other in potions and herbology. Harry had a rather black thumb and Neville was deathly afraid of Professor Snape. It was a very symbiotic relationship. Halloween brought wonder into Harry as the Great Hall was decorated in elaborate celebration. Harry sat next to Neville for the feast. During the time they recieved furtive glances from the other Gryffindors, but ignored them and distracted Neville when he couldn’t do the same.
Towards the end of the feast their defense teacher Professor Quirrell burst into the hall stuttering about a troll loose in the castle. The Headmaster ordered everyone back to their dorms. Harry headed to the Slytherin table, but stopped when Neville grabbed his arm.
“That girl Hermione Granger ran off crying earlier, Harry. She hasn’t come back, should we tell the teachers?”
“Why do you care?”
Neville looked shy, but answered, “She helps me in the tower when others make fun of me. She’s my friend too.” Harry huffed and took Neville’s hand and they went to look around.
“We’ll check the bathrooms and if she isn’t there we find a Professor, okay?” Harry saw Neville hesitantly nod and they headed to the nearest bathrooms. They checked those and moved on. Harry was annoyed with the girl to have run so far, hurt feelings or not.
They found Hermione in the next girl’s loo and told her about the troll, but it was too late. Hermione screamed looking over Harry and Neville’s shoulders. Neville turned around and blanched, “Tr-tr-troll!”
Harry turned as well, “Bloody hell!” The creature was huge. He had hunched to get through the door and was straightening again. He carried a large club and Harry thought about how a buggering troll found its way into a school full of kids and protective wards around it. He had no real time to ponder that problem in logic, because the troll roared and the kids all scrambled into a stall to hide. An impact sound and subsequent clattering told Harry they needed to vacate their hiding spot before it crashed down upon them. He pulled Hermione and Neville out of the stall right as the walls collapsed. Harry pulled his wand and tried to remember anything that he had learned so far to help them. Nothing was forthcoming to his mind. The troll lifted its club and made to bring it down on them but missed because Harry dodged bringing the other two with him. He thought that the club needed to go. They were small enough to out maneuver the troll otherwise. He pointed his wand, yelled the levitating charm and the club lifted out of the troll’s reach. The creature tried for its weapon and Harry saw their opening. It reminded him much of trying to avoid Vernon in a rage, but a bit more life threatening. Harry pulled everyone around the distracted trolls. The broken concentration caused his charm to fail and the club fell. The troll shook it head after the club thumped him hard, and then he went still falling forward. The trio looked upon the unconscious creature in amazement. A group of Professors arrived at that moment with wands pointed. They looked surprised and angry.
“Mr. Potter, Ms. Granger, and Mr. Longbottom you were all ordered back to your respective dorms, what in Merlin are you doing next to an unconscious mountain troll?” McGonagall looked very cross, but that was her usual demeanor.
“Neville informed me that his friend was missing from the hall. We came to warn her, because we saw that the staff was too busy to do an immediate head count. We assume and I would say correctly,” Harry looked at the troll. “That by the time Granger was accounted missing it would be too late to recover her safely.”
Harry’s matter of fact tone took the Professors back, but again McGonagall’s sense of honor kicked in, “You are correct in that Ms. Granger would be terribly injured or dead had you not come looking for her. However, you did not follow the rules as ordered and that could have cause three injuries, instead of one. Ten points from Slytherin and twenty from Gryffindor. Return to your dorms.”
Snape had not thought that this could have been any more amusing, but to see Minerva had to take twice as many points from her own house were fitting. “I shall escort Mr. Potter back to the dungeons, and twenty points to Slytherin for going above and beyond for a peer.”
Harry gasped as he looked at the approaching Professor, “Sir, you’re injured. Shouldn’t you go to the infirmary? I can get myself to the dungeons directly.”
“Mr. Potter I am a potions master. I will not submit to that woman’s wand waving, when I am perfectly capable of taking care of myself.” They started away from the other group handling the troll and headed towards the dungeons.
After a few minutes, Harry spoke, “Are you sure you are alright?”
“Harry, your concern is appreciated, but I assure you that I will live.”
“That’s how I felt about the beatings from my Uncle. Afterwards, even if I was bleeding and couldn’t move, I was still breathing; I knew I would live. It’s something about the pain, if you’re still feeling it; you know that it’s not over yet.”
“You are far too young to have come to that realization. I wonder what Albus had been thinking when he left you with Petunia. He knew how she felt about Lily.”
“Sir? You’ve used my aunt’s name and my mum, did you know them?”
“We grew up in the same neighborhood. Lily was my friend, but it’s in the past.” Snape stopped in front of a portrait that Harry had never noticed in the dungeons before. Snape leaned near it and whispered something and it opened for the pair. “These are my personal quarters. You will tell no one where they are located or that you possess this knowledge. Is that clear?”
“I have no idea where your quarters are,” Harry stated.
Snape nodded and escorted Harry into his inner sanctum. It was far warmer than Harry thought it would be. Snape was so stoic and closed off, despite his concern for Harry. The sitting room possessed two arm chairs near the hearth and a matching leather couch and table. In the corner there was a dark wood desk covered in scrolls and stacks of parchments. The walls were covered with book shelves filled to overflow. Snape went to a door off the common room and came back with a set of potion vials and bandages. Snape left his outer robe behind in the room; Harry assumed it was his bedroom.
Snape ripped the pants leg near his ankle and revealed a very nasty bite. It looked very familiar to Harry. He knelt down and stopped Snape’s hand from tending the wound with a cloth.
“You don’t treat a dog bite like other wounds. My Aunt Marge, Vernon’s sister, has dogs. She would set the little blighters on me anytime she visited. Although, this dog is much larger I think. You have to wash it thoroughly and then bind it tight so the skin heals whole.”
“That is the muggle way, but we are wizards Harry.” Snape uncorked a couple vials; he drank one and poured the other over the broken skin of his leg. It healed right before Harry’s eyes and he was further amazed by magic than before. “See I will definitely live, whole, if not happy.”
Harry smiled up at the man, “Will you tell me about my mum? Just a little would be nice, please sir?” The look in Harry’s eyes shifted something in Severus’ chest. He gestured for Harry to sit on the couch beside him.
“Your Mother was a force of nature. When I first met her she was making a flower float in the air. I was hidden behind a hedge. Petunia was calling her vile names when I emerged and took up your mother’s defense. Petunia ran off and I made my first friend.” A nudge on his thigh brought Severus from his memories to see Harry place his head on his lap.
“What did she look like? Sometimes I dream of a woman with red hair, but I have never seen a picture of her. I don’t know whether I am right or not.”
Severus placed a comforting hand on Harry’s head. “She did indeed have hair of fire. She had green eyes like yours. Her face was round and she had a smile like the sun. She made me feel happy every time she smiled.”
“Did you love her?”
“Yes, but not romantically. I was jealous when she married your father but I didn’t get along with him.”
“Why not?”
“He was a bully and liked your mother, but she liked me more. He made my life miserable. I hate him even to this day. I was prepared to hate you as well.” Severus took a deep breath, “Its late Harry. Return to your dorm, directly, understood?”
“Yes, sir. Thank you.” Harry returned to the boys’ dorm and slept.

It was Christmas day and Harry had not expected anything under the tree that graced the Slytherin common room. He had been the only one left in his house for the holiday break. The surprise on his face when he saw several presents under the tree would have been amusing if there had been a witness. There were presents from Neville, Professor Snape, Hermione, and the Headmaster. Harry opened the present from the Headmaster first because he had no idea why the man would bother to try to curry his favor. He pulled a shimmering fabric from the loud wrapping paper boasting flying brooms and bludgers. It was a cloak of very fine fabric. He stood with the cloak spread and didn’t feel any particular excitement about it. He wrapped it around himself and he disappeared from his own sight. He saw a piece of paper in the midst of the torn paper and picked it up. –Harry, This was your father’s and I thought you would like to have it. I have kept it safe thus far and wish that you have fun. Albus-
Harry crumpled the note and threw it to the fire. Harry turned feeling like he was being watched and saw Professor Snape. “You didn’t like what it said?”
“He couched it as if he was giving me something he picked for me, but it has belonged to me since my father’s death. It is disturbing that I have things that I should have inherited already and know nothing about. Can you help me, Professor?”
“Help you what, exactly?” Severus eyed the child before him as he bent back to his small pile of presents. He especially paid attention when the boy reached for the present Severus had purchased.
“I want to know about my family and what provisions my parents left for me. Somehow I think that the Headmaster is not telling everyone what he has done with me all these years. I want to make a plan. I think the Headmaster made a mistake letting me know I had a vault full of gold.”
“I can tell you how to contact a legal wizard, I have a friend that I trust as far as what information you need.” Severus sat down in an arm chair next to Harry’s knelling form. Harry looked up at his Professor and smiled. Severus sat back suddenly struck by the child at his feet. He felt a tug in the pit of his stomach that was highly inappropriate for a Head of House and adult towards a child. Harry seemed to notice Severus’ withdrawal and frowned at the man.
“Professor? Did I say something wrong? I haven’t really been able to curb my tongue for the last few years. I realized that no matter what I did or said, no matter how submissive I was that I would be treated poorly. I am not used to a positive environment.”
Severus zeroed in on a word uttered from the boy’s lips, “submissive?”
“Yes, I did anything my Uncle and Aunt asked, sir. I cooked, cleaned, stayed out of sight for company, and pleased my Uncle, but it was never enough.”
Severus leaned in again, “Harry, what do you mean by ‘please your uncle’?” Severus watched several emotions cross the young boy’s face, but it was shame that settled last and stayed. The boy was fiddling with the potion orb that Severus had gotten him. He decided to give the boy more time if he were to answer. “It’s a recipe orb for potions. It is used to store important or secret formulas. I thought you might like it since you do so well with improvisation on class potions.”
“Thank you, Professor. I haven’t ever gotten a present before today and I keep feeling like I owe the three of you something. My Uncle would make me do things when Aunt Petunia was out, but I started it. Some people that hung around my neighborhood told me once that if I could do certain things that my Uncle would be nicer to me. There was this girl named Pippa and she taught me how to please my Uncle so that he would leave me alone, but it didn’t work. Uncle Vernon would hit me harder than ever, even as I got better at it.” Harry looked up at his Professor and saw a familiar look in his eye.
“Sir, I don’t feel a simple thank you would suffice for all you have done and said you would. Can I—”
Severus cut the boy’s words off and reached for him. His smaller frame let Severus cradle him to his chest and Harry happily curled into the man. “Harry, I am an adult who takes my duties as Head of House seriously. Payment is never needed to do what is right, but I would never turn down a rare ingredient now and then.” Severus chuckled into Harry’s mop of hair.
Harry looked up and gazed at his Professor, he leaned up and placed a kiss on the man’s mouth softly and pulled back. Harry curled back in on himself and soon fell asleep. Severus didn’t know how to take this particular development. He just sat and cradled the child of his closest friend.

Harry walked stealthily through Hogwarts in the dead of night. He was exploring the huge mysterious castle. A staircase moved while he was midway up and deposited him on a third floor landing. Harry shrugged his shoulders and padded down the corridor, he tried a few doors but they were locked tight until he got to the end of the hall and found an open one. He strolled inside and saw a gilded standing mirror. He approached it slowly staring at his reflection. He stood in front of the mirror for some minutes until the image reflected was no longer true to life. He saw an older version himself walking by the Great Lake with Professor Snape holding him around the waist. It morphed into another scene of them cuddled in front of a fire, and then it turned more serious with Harry knelling between his Professor’s spread legs and his head bobbing up and down. Harry’s breath caught and his heart speeded up at the thought of doing such a thing. He wanted all those scenes to happen so badly, but he knew it was wrong to want that. He was a child, no one wants a mere child.
Harry soon left the room with the mirror and continued his wanderings for a while longer. He headed back down to the dungeons, finding himself in front of his Head of House’s quarters. He knocked timidly and waited. It felt like forever to Harry as he waited for whether the man would answer his door at this time of night. When the door did open it was to a scowling sleepy eyed man.
“I expect this is an absolute emergency, Mr. Potter?”
“Not particularly, but I felt a great need to come to see you. Can I come in?” Harry made sure to keep his voice low and gentle, like he was afraid his Professor would spook like a horse.
Severus looked down at the waif at his door and waved him in. He steered them to the two chairs before the fire and waved his wand to summon a tea service from his kitchenette. “Why are you not in bed?”
“I was having very inappropriate dreams about you sir. I wanted to clear my head, but I found a mirror on the third floor that just made everything worse. Can you help me, Professor?”
Severus was flabbergasted by the total honesty within the boy next to him. “What do you suppose I could do to help you?”
“Can you hold me again, sir? I feel safe with you and I…I have never been safe.” Severus nodded his head and Harry scrambled into his lap. His squirming brought Harry dangerously close to Severus’ barely clothed cock. Especially when Harry finally settled in his lap and his small bum was fixed right over Severus’ groin. Severus looked down at the Lolita in his arms and noticed the expanse of bare leg exposed by the ruched robes above his trainers.
“Harry what are you wearing under your robes?”
Harry lifted his head for his chest and addressed Severus, “I was reading about wizarding culture and the tradition of no undergarments underneath, and thought that I could try it. I like it. It’s airy.” He smiled and laid his head back upon the older man’s chest. “Can I please you, Professor? I really want to. I feel it in my belly sometimes and I feel hot and breathless. What is that?”
“It’s something called arousal. Does your penis get hard as well?” Severus cursed himself for having this conversation. “You might be going through the early stages of puberty.”
“What’s that?”
“It is when your body starts changing into an adult. You become sexually mature to procreate and your body grows rapidly. One of the signs is an erection with your arousal.”
“It’s hard now, am I changing now?” Harry placed his hand in his lap and Severus followed the appendage. He saw the slight tent of the boy’s robes. Harry rubbed himself and made a choking sound that was more frustration than any satisfaction. Severus removed Harry’s hand from his member and turned him to face forward. Harry’s back now rested on the front of Severus and his legs straddled the outside of the Professor’s.
He raised the loose and now free robes up until Harry’s little cock was exposed and took Harry’s hand and replaced it between his legs. Harry touched himself cautiously, guided by Severus’ hand on his.
“You must find your own rhythm to your pleasure. You start slow and touch lightly.” Severus’ voice ran over the boy in his lap and Harry shuddered more from that than his own touch to his sensitive flesh. “Use your fingers individually to tease your flesh. When you know where you feel the most you can stimulate those areas with harder contact.”
“How Professor?”
Severus did not speak, but just guided the smaller hand over the pinked flesh of the first year. Harry gasped as his fingers grazed over the head of his cock and moved away again to touch his shaft. He panted as Severus moved his hand up and down with light touches. Harry’s breath caught and he shook as Severus let his hand go and touched Harry himself. Harry felt like he was going to black out as his world came crashing in on him as he shook. Severus just wrapped the boy in his arms and cradled him until the boy fell asleep.
There was no ejaculate to clean and Severus was relieved that Harry was still too immature to be capable of that particular action. There was no evidence that Severus had just touched a student in his care that had already been abused by horrible magic hating muggles and now he was taking advantage of a broken boy.

Albus Dumbledore wished he knew what Harry had seen to make his bolt like that. He covered the Mirror of Eris and left the third floor. He would leave it here for a short while longer until the final preparations were made. He headed back to his tower and a bowl of sweets.

Near the end of the school year Hermione Granger had cemented her place as a member of the Tarnished Trio. The two Gryffindors and Slytherin were inseparable. It was nearing the end of the year; they studied diligently for their exams. Harry managed to keep his extra study to himself so that no one was the wiser. Hermione had even told him about the restricted section and Harry had snuck in and ‘borrowed’ some much needed books, mainly on warding and finding ways to protect himself magically at the Dursley’s.
Dumbledore paced his office trying to find a way to cause a confrontation between Harry and Quirell/Voldemort. The boy acted as if he were not affected by the parasitic soul that was a part of his defense professor. He had tried several methods to stoke the boy’s curiosity in the professor and even manipulated Hagrid into letting crucial information reach Harry’s ears, but the boy did not bite. He was tempted to just lock the two men in a room and see who came out. He needed to destroy Tom while he was here in the school, but he couldn’t do that without the boy. He thought about being a little more direct and making Voldemort go after the boy directly instead. A plan started to form in the man’s head as he sat at his desk.
Snape had just given floo access to Lucius Malfoy and prayed to merlin he had made the right decision. He watched the blond aristocrat stride out the green flames like he was born of them. Lucius turned a predatory smile on Severus.
“It has been too long since I have received an invitation to be entertained by you, Severus. What do I owe the honor?” He strode towards the Potion Master and Snape stepped back out of reach of the blonde’s advances.
“Lucius, I have called on you for a favor. I am need of your expertise.” Severus lowered his head to an appropriate angle that showed submission, but only temporarily. Lucius had always been too Slytherin to deal with like a human being.
“You are aware of the cost correct?”
“I wish to open negotiations.” Severus replied with a hint of steel.
“There is no negotiation needed. You know my price for you is always the same.” Lucius looked at Severus quizzically over the man’s coy behavior. When Severus did not comment immediately he said, “Very well, offer me a drink. You should not treat your elders so.”
“Lucius, you only three years older than I, we are peers.”
“No we were peers when you had access to the Prince vaults, but now you are a school teacher.” The sneer had him look far older than he liked people to think he was, but he was in limited company so he let himself do as he wished. “What do you need?”
“I need guardianship papers signed that will stand against the Dumbledore’s meddling, and even the Minister himself. You are the only one who could possibly complete this task to my satisfaction.”
Lucius narrowed his eyes at Severus while plotting in his head. Lucius was known for his strategic planning. It is one of the ways that he escaped being imprisoned after the fall of Voldemort. His father had forced him to be marked, but Lucius had plans in place for his salvation if his father’s plans for him came to naught. Harry Potter had forced him to use them. Now he was in a position to hold his success over Severus’ head.
“That can be done, but why would Fudge or Dumbledore care who you want guardianship over?”
Severus sat down in an armchair across from where Lucius perched, forgetting about the drink that the man asked after. “Harry Potter.” Severus dropped the name into the room like lit firecracker.
The fuse was short before Lucius went off. “You have got to be out of your half-blood mind! Even in I, and it pains me greatly to say so, cannot abscond with the Boy-who-lived from up under Dumbledore’s nose.” A knock on the door forced Lucius to compose himself and retake his seat.
“Enter.” A hissed warning from Lucius made Severus smirk at the man’s panicked state. “Lucius, I know who is at my door.”
The door opened cautiously and Harry walked in to see Lucius and Severus sitting across from each other. He studied the blond man for long moments and turned to Severus. “This is your friend?”
Severus nodded and beckoned Harry over to the seating area. “Harry, this is Lucius Malfoy. I have asked him to help us figure out a way to transfer your guardianship.” Severus turned to spy Lucius with a very uncharacteristic emotional expression, shock.
Harry turned to Lucius and smiled shyly. “Draco looks like you, are you his Father? It’s nice to meet you.” Harry took a couple of steps towards the man and extended his hand. Lucius took it, because he honestly could not think of anything else to do.
“It is a pleasant surprise to meet you as well,” Lucius answered after rallying his senses. Lucius paused to choose his words carefully. “Why is there a need for Severus to take charge of you?”
Harry straightened his shoulders, but step back until his leg made contact with Severus. “I am under the impression that you are not fond of muggles, correct?”
“Yes.” Lucius answered very cautiously. “But I fail to see what that has to do with this situation.”
“It has everything to do with it, Mr. Malfoy. I have been in the possession of my muggle relatives for the last ten years. I have suffered great abuse from them in that time. When I arrived at Hogwarts I made my Head of House aware of this and he went to the Headmaster. He refused to protect me by removing from their care. Professor Snape has told me you can do amazing things within the Ministry, you power is unmatched. Draco has also informed me of your reach.” Harry wanted to smirk as he saw Lucius Malfoy swell with arrogance at his words. “Can you help us?”
“Nothing this difficult comes for free Mr. Potter.” Lucius’ face took on a calculating look as he looked at the two males across form him. “I know my worth Mr. Potter and I know what this must be worth to you as well as Severus, for you to even have asked me.”
Severus straightened in his seat as he took a deep breath, “A week, no more.”
“A month, this is a very large request.” Lucius replied.
Harry looked between the two men confused as the unspoken words. “What does he mean?” He asked Severus, turning to face the professor.
Severus looked up in glowing green eyes, “Lucius’ price is that I submit to him for a month time in his bed. Two weeks, Lucius.” Severus looked back at the blond across from him.
“Three.”
“Will he hurt you?”
“Undoubtedly,” Severus answered Harry.
“Will you enjoy it?” Harry asked placing a hand against Severus’ face to bring his full attention to him.
Severus met his eyes, “He is very skilled.”
“That is not what I asked.”
“Yes, but my pride will not.”
Harry leaned up to press his lips chastely to Severus, only exert a small amount of pressure, “Is it worth it to save me?” Harry drew back and looked deeply into his Professor’s eyes.
“Agreed three weeks, Lucius, after you have completed the task,” Severus turned his attention back on his guest.
Lucius watched as Harry Potter manipulated Severs Snape far better than he ever hoped he could. He looked at this little slip of a boy and knew that he needed to keep a sharp eye of this child.
“Mr. Malfoy if you succeed then I will have to accompany Professor Snape for the duration of his stay in your care. Can you accommodate my presence as well?”
“Mr. Potter it will be an honor to host you in my home this summer.”
“I thank you Mr. Malfoy. I don’t wish to be rude, but I think that Severus needs some time alone, and you have a task to complete for your prize.” Harry smiled beguilingly and caressed Severus’ face intimately.
Lucius nodded his head as he watched the progress of that small hand against Severus’ face. He swallowed heavily and stood suddenly. “Please give my son greetings for me.” Lucius left through the floo much less gracefully than he arrived.

Harry spoke hesitantly to the Gargoyle guarding the Headmaster’s offices. Harry had thought the idea of a head of a school isolating themselves from the students was rather a bad idea. He stepped onto the bottom of the stair case and it began to move, shocking Harry a bit, but he should have been suspecting it in the first place.
He knocked on the Headmaster’s door and entered when bade by the man’s voice through the door. Harry looked around the office and felt Dumbledore must be a pack rat with all the knick-knacks and things cluttering the office. It did not look professional at all. Harry finally looked at the man that held his welfare and wanted nothing more than to yell and rant. Harry figured there was a serious reason for Dumbledore to have summoned him, after he had avoided an interaction thus far.
“Harry, my boy, come in and have a seat. Tea? Biscuit?” The man gestured to a service on his desk.
“No, thank you Headmaster. May I ask why you have summoned me? I find surprising.”
“Why is that my boy?” His eyes twinkled as he smiled at Harry.
“I had assumed you would fell thoroughly ashamed and feared to face me. It is rather hard to tell someone to their face that you have no regard for the safety and wellbeing. I admire you courage.” Harry felt satisfied to see the sparkle dim in the old man’s eyes.
“Harry, I think that you are too young to understand what is at stake. I am trying to protect your life.”
“Were you or were you not made aware of my previous injuries?”
Dumbledore shifted in his seat, “You have survived thus far.”
“To what end?”
“I do not understand what you are asking, Harry.” Dumbledore fidgeted again under the boy’s gaze.
“If I was placed with my ‘family’ for protection, then what is to protect me from my family?”
“You don’t understand Harry; the wards around your home protect you from Voldemort’s followers. As long as you reside with your Mother’s bloodline you are protected from wizards who would do you harm.”
“And the physical harm I suffered from the muggles?” Harry had an edge to his voice as he continued talking to this man.
“We all have to deal with some pain in our lives, my boy. It is a thing that can define us.”
“I find that an unsatisfactory explanation. Why have you summoned me?”
“I wish for you to keep something safe for me.” Dumbledore reached into a desk drawer and pulled an ornate wooden box, designed with celtic knots and slid it across the desk towards Harry. Harry tentatively picked the box up and placed it in his lap. He opened it and saw a blue, gray veined stone nestled in a bed of satin fabric.
“What is it?” Harry asked.
“It is a very rare stone that I believe only you can keep safe until I can find a way to destroy it.”
“No.” Harry closed the lid and placed it back on the desk and stood. He turned to leave, but was stopped by the stern voice of the Headmaster.
“You must take it. It is imperative that you take possession of that stone.”
Harry turned back to the man across the desk, “Headmaster the only thing that I must do is complete my charms essay by tomorrow.”
“Please Harry. I will see about making other arrangements for you this summer, if you keep the stone safe.”

Severus opened his office door with a fierce scowl on his face at the insistent banging. When he saw Harry on the other side of the threshold his frown only lessened a small amount. Harry stormed passed him into the shadowy office and flopped into one of the student chairs.
“Am I to guess what this snit is about or will you just tell me?” Severus returned to his seat behind his desk and cast a few privacy spells around them.
Harry pulled the ornate box out of his pocket and threw upon the Professor’s desk. Severus picked it up and opened it. After a glance inside he shut the lid carefully and sat back heavily.
“So, he has baited a new trap,” Severus said to his student.
“When do you think Quirell will come for me?” Harry asked.
“It will have to be at the end of term. He will most likely wait so that you can disappear after you leave the castle. Although, if Albus hints that he has found a way to destroy it sooner then, it will most likely be immediately.”
“I saw Quirell arriving as I left the Headmaster’s office as I was leaving. I caught that he was summoned shortly after me. I assume he was there for most of the conversation I had with Dumbledore. I will prepare for an immediate attack.”
“I do not know what Dumbledore could be thinking. You are nowhere near skilled enough to battle Voldemort, even with your extra study, which the Headmaster does not know about. Did he tell you anything while you were there about Voldemort and yourself?”
“He mentioned the reason I needed to stay at the Dursley’s. He spoke of blood wards that kept Voldemort and his followers away from me.”
“That must be it. I do not see Dumbledore risking your very public death within the school without you have some innate protection for Voldemort.”
“I think he is planning on me being hurt, but not dying. He said pain defines us.”
“All emotion defines us, but can twist a soul and cause very bad decisions.” Severus looked as if he were looking into years past as he spoke. Harry rose from his chair and walked to the other side of the desk. He sat heavily in the Severus’ lap, causing the man to snap out of his mind’s eye. “What are you doing?”
“I’m distracting you from maudlin memories. You should distract me from my pain as well. I don’t want to end up twisted.”
“Indeed, Harry, I think you already have.” Severus leant his head down and pressed his lips to Harry’s. It was a closed mouth kiss that did nothing grand to Severus, but made Harry flush and smile. “Now, off to bed with you, before I am forced to take points.”
Harry hopped off his lap and grabbed the box off the desk. He flounced off to the Slytherin dorms planning how to minimize the damage heading his way. He entered the common room and was immediately accosted by Draco Malfoy. The boy grabbed his arm and dragged him up to the first year boys’ dorm. He gave Blaise Zabini and Theodore Nott a hard look that had them scurrying out of the dorm. Wards were immediately put up and Draco rounded on him with a fierce frown.
“Why is my Father using me as owl to communicate with you?” Draco pushed a seal envelope into his chest. Harry grabbed it and felt the pulse of magic that was attached to the missive. He broke the seal and a small stack of paperwork resized in his hands. Harry read the message attached silently.
Dear Mr. Potter and Severus,
I have enclosed the necessary papers needed for the transfer of guardianship. They must be signed and sealed with a drop of blood by all listed parties. After that is completed the papers will duplicate and be filed ‘discretely’ at the Ministry. There will be no way for anyone to contest them, if they find the paperwork at all. I await my payment on July 1st - 21st.
Sincerely,
Lord Lucius Abraxas Malfoy
Harry smiled at the paperwork like a giddy little boy. He almost forgot about Draco, until the boy shoved him. Harry looked up at the spoiled braggart and smirked.
“I have been invited to Malfoy Manor this summer. I am looking forward to it.” Harry grinned at the appalled look on his housemate’s face.
“Why would my Father do this?”
“You can ask him, but I doubt he will tell you.” Harry opened the door to the dorm and fled speedily down the stairs to the common room. He exited the Slytherin house with the papers clutched tightly in his hands. He was practically skipping back to Severus’ office when felt arms grab him from behind. Harry immediately panicked, before he became angry with himself for forgetting that he was an active target.
“Little Potter wondering the dungeons, it’s not safe for young boys.”
“What happened to your stutter Professor?”
“Only an effect to make the old man underestimate me.” Harry was shifting through his mind for a way to free himself. Why had Dumbledore thought that he could protect the stone from a fully trained evil wizard?
Quirell’s thrust Harry against the dungeon wall hard, causing him to lose his glasses. Harry’s vision blurred and he felt dizzy.
“Check his pockets,” a raspy voice sounded from behind him as well. Harry’s head began to ache behind his scar and he became dizzier. Quirell shuffled through his robes and then pulled him away from the wall to face him finally. Harry saw Quirell without his turban. The man’s head was bald and misshapen.
“You don’t really have the head shape for that look Professor.” Harry smirked. Quirell slapped him and Harry felt a burning sensation from where their skin connected for the blow. He saw Quirell cradle his hand as well and felt a bone deep relief the Dumbledore wasn’t a complete fool after all.
“Don’t touch him directly you fool!” The raspy voice said again and Harry pinpointed the sound coming from the back of Quirell’s head. Harry quickly ripped his school robes off along with his shirt and dashed towards the suddenly retreating attacker. Harry grabbed a hold of Quirell’s robes and tore at them. He tried to grip them and remove them to get at skin as quickly as possible. He touched the man’s face and felt a jarring pain lance through his head. Quirell screamed. Harry hoped the noise would bring help as soon as possible.
Harry was pushed away into the stone wall hitting his head. He tried to shake it off as he saw Quirell turn to flee. Harry jumped up and gave chase. He got his first glimpse of the Voldemort as he pursued Quirell. Harry was younger and faster despite the difference in leg length and jumped onto the Professor’s back bringing him down to the stone floor. Harry slammed Quirell’s head down as hard as his grip allowed. The pain escalated in his head the longer he touched bare skin. Quirell flailed and screamed as Harry kept his grip. Harry was amazed as Quirell started to blacken and flecks of ash started to choke him, but he kept contact. Harry started to black out when he saw Severus come into view. The last thing he did before losing consciousness was tell the man to go back and pick up the papers Lucius sent.

Harry came back to reality with a jolt. Madame Pomfrey was standing over him arguing with the Headmaster. He lay there staring at the adults that did not notice they had an audience.
“I swear Albus, you grow more senile with age. You cannot force this boy to return to his guardians. His life will be in danger.”
“I have contacted some guards that will keep an eye out for the boy. He will perfectly safe where I placed him. You can be replaced Poppy if you are unwilling to cooperate.”
“You just try Albus Dumbledore and I will hex you myself. I will not allow you to put this boy in more danger. I am honor bound to go to the Ministry.”
Harry saw his chances of saying under radar diminishing if Pomfrey made his situation public. He spoke up in a raspy voice, “Please don’t Madame Pomfrey. If the Headmaster thinks I should go back and he had watchers I trust I’ll be fine.”
“But there’s no guarantee that you will be unharmed. I can’t let you return-
“Obliviate,” the spell hit the medi-witch while she was distracted and Dumbledore smiled at Harry. “I am glad you have come around my boy. Now listen to Poppy’s instructions and feel better. I have excused you from final exams due to your ordeal and your high grades.” Dumbledore popped a candy he fished from his pocket into his mouth and jauntily walked out of the infirmary. It took Harry slightly nudging the medi-witch to break her from her post-memory charm fugue. She shook her head and noticed Harry lying in the bed and started a scan. She did not seem disturbed by his list of injuries past or present, just administered potions and patted him on the head.
“You really must stop rough housing so much Mr. Potter. It’s not good for your body.” Harry knew that Dumbledore had wiped more than his abusive home from the woman’s memory, but he still had a chance to be free. A noise brought his attention away from the retreating nurse. He saw Severus ease from the shadows with a bundle of papers in his hand. He sighed with relief at the sight of his salvation.
“You found them,” he smiled at his Professor.
“You are a silly child to have left the dorm without thought. What if the old coot had been wrong?”
“You don’t know how relieved I was that he wasn’t. Don’t be mad at me. I’m still alive, I know because I hurt like hell.” He grinned at the slight crack in the man’s demeanor.
“I want to call you a brat, but it implies you have been spoiled. I will have to settle for imp, because you are so troublesome.” Severus reached a hand down and ran his fingers through Harry’s tousled hair. “Get some sleep and in a few days we’ll handle this,” he indicated the papers.
Harry settled down into the bed and closed his eyes. Relief took some of the tension from his body and eased his pain. He was sleep moments later.

It was a confident Harry that disembarked from the Hogwarts express at the end of June. He had worn some rather inappropriate muggle clothing that several people commented was bordering on indecent. His tight black shirt was torn in places exposing slashes of pale skin and jeans that showed that he was very skinny, but leanly muscled. Quidditch had helped him gain muscle and Hogwarts feasts made him look a healthy weight.
He looked around the platform for his Uncle. Professor Snape had told him he needed to go home with his relatives to keep Dumbledore from asking any questions. They doubted that Dumbledore would actually put any guards to watch for Harry’s safety. Harry spotted his rotund Uncle lumbering outside the magical gate to the platform. Vernon looked edgy like he was making an illegal deal and needed to keep his guard up for any cops. Harry walked over to his fidgeting Uncle and tapped him on the arm. Vernon jumped, what looked like, several feet in the air and glared down at the boy. He grabbed Harry’s arm harshly and dragged him out toward the car park and shoved him in his vehicle.
Harry winced as he rubbed his arm, but he suppressed the urge to bite out a scathing comment about his treatment. Snape would be waiting for them at Privet Drive and will take him away.
“I can’t believe you would touch me boy! A few months at that blasted school and you think you are worthy of touch good human beings, I knew they would fill your head with false ideas. The nerve! Well, you won’t be going back. Pet was so tired with the cooking and cleaning while you were gone. How could you leave that to my Petunia, boy? The food was awful and the stains set in something awful with the clothes. I had to buy Duddykins a new wardrobe, and it’s your entire fault for leaving!” Vernon ranted for the whole time it took to get back to Privet Drive. Harry just stared at the window and ignored the pompous whale.
When they came close to the house they could see a sleek black luxury car parked at the curb in front of number 4. The high end quality was the only thing that kept Vernon from complaining about curb parking rights and the position in front of the house. Harry scurried after his Uncle to enter the house and be confronted by his Professor and Lucius Malfoy sitting in the lounge with Petunia and Dudley having tea. The two wizards were impeccably dressed in muggle suits of designer quality. Harry couldn’t help but be impressed by how attractive Severus looked in the clothing. Harry stared complete transfixed on his potions professor. He acknowledged Lucius only after the man greeted him.
“Hello Mr. Potter, it is a pleasure to meet you again. I trust your train ride was enjoyable?”
“Yes, Mr. Malfoy, it was very pleasant. Would you like something to with you tea?” Harry asked solicitously.
“I wouldn’t want to impose on your hospitality. You lovely Aunt has offered a us tea, and as any British citizen, tea is the only thing we really need.” Petunia twittered and Harry wanted to gape at the woman as she sat smiling at the two wizards.
“Lucius, you are so clever. Let me introduce you to my husband, Vernon.” She stood and motioned her confused husband over to the couch next to her. “Vernon, this is Severus Snape, he is an old friend from childhood, and Lucius Malfoy, of Malfoy Industries. I believe Grunning’s des business with them, do they not, hon?”
“You are both wizards?” Vernon asked slowly, even more confused. “And you own Malfoy Industries?” Vernon looked rather pale as he slumped further into the couch. Malfoy Industries accounted for a quarter of the yearly orders from his company and they were here about the boy.
“Yes. We have come about the matter of your ward. We wish, rather, Severus wishes to take on his guardianship in your stead. We, of course, know how much you must love your nephew, but he is a very special boy and needs special care. His performance this year has been extraordinary and I can only chalk that up to encouragement and emotional support in the home.” Vernon and Petunia were looking rather ill and pale, and a strong on Dudley’s thigh was the only thing keeping the boy from contradicting Lucius.
“However,” Severus took up the chant. “I believe the Lily would have wanted him to grow up with more advantages in our world than what you can provide with only muggle access.” Harry wanted to roll on the floor laughing from the two elder wizards. “Tuny, I hope you don’t mind me calling you by that old nickname? Harry has said that he would like the opportunity to get to know our world better, and that is essentially impossible while stuck studying books for ten months out of the year. The summer is a time for holidays abroad and socializing in our circles and Harry is very high in our society. He is an heir to a Lordship after all. You understand Tuny, don’t you?”
Petunia looked particularly sick at the Severus last statement. She was seething that the boy was considered so high above them, but the Malfoy character had them backed into a corner being tied to Grunning’s. She looked to her husband and they had a silent conversation between them. “What do we need to do?”
“I knew you would understand, Tuny. You so understood when Lily and I went away to Hogwarts. All you need to do is sign these papers.” Severus pulled a muggle fountain pen out of his suit jacket and handed it to Petunia Dursley. He pointed out the relevant places to affix her signature and then signed himself. He motioned Harry over and Harry bent low, flashing both older wizards even more skin with his movements, to sign his own name where needed. It was done in a flash and he was now under the guardianship of Severus Snape.