Harry's Saviour

A rather tall man completely encompassed in large billowing sheets of cloth walked up the steps to Number 4, Privet Drive, seething. He couldn't understand how he had – once again – been manipulated into doing the old man's work. He couldn't understand how he was always suckered into this nonsense. A small voice in his head reminded him of the debt he owed the man. He almost set the two hideous potted plants that were taking up space on the front porch on fire. He couldn't stand plants and trees… not after the incident in fifth year with that blasted Willow. Stupid Potter and his band of misfits….

And now he was going to check on the spawn of the very man that ruined his entire life and took away the one thing that he had positive feeling for in his life. Lily.

Severus had been told that the boy's eyes were just as gorgeous as hers had been… however nothing or no one could contest ANYTHING about Lily Evans. Just thinking about the one person who had ever cared about him brought tears to his eyes.

Three years, he thought to himself. Three years and it still pains me as much as the day it happened. Severus sighed out loud and brushed away the few drops of salt water that had managed to escape from his eyes with irritation. He hated seeming weak. He took a few deep breaths, calming himself, before pressing the little white button beside the door. He heard the distant sound of a bell and some undecipherable yelling in response; a loud bang followed it.

Severus heard the sound of the lock turning before the door opened widely, revealing a very large young boy with very pudgy features. A sudden rage took over Severus' mind and he saw red. How could that stupid, coddling old fool come to send him to check on this? All Severus needed was to see confirmation of the little devil's happiness despite the two murders on his head. That moron knew how he felt about the boy's mother, and yet he still sent him to confirm his hatred? Well I hope you're happy, Old Fool, Severus thought, vehemently.

Severus looked into the very large boy's dirty brown eyes and – wait, what? Severus closely examined the boy's face with a start – this boy looked nothing like James or Lily, now that he thought about it. Instead of the gorgeous green eyes that the boy was supposed to possess, he had muddy brown ones with a round, pig-like nose and ears that stuck out like an elephant's to match it.

Before Severus could even contemplate what was in front of him, he heard the voice of someone he wished he would never have to face again: Petunia – or Tuney – Dursley.

"Who's at the door, Dudders?" a very falsely sweet voice called out. That one question answered many of Severus'.

"Some man in a dress, mum," the impertinent boy called back. Severus could have put the stupid child back in his place, but before he could do anything he was faced with one of the worst people he had ever had the misfortune of meeting in his entire life.

"Sweetums, I don't think that – "

The only satisfaction that Severus had seemed to get out of this entire escapade thus fur was the expression on Petunia Dursley's face at seeing her dead sister's childhood friend.

"Why hello, Tuney. It's been a while," Severus said with the slight incline of his head.

Petunia's horse-like features were transformed to mirror what was obviously shock, her skin ashen.

"What are you doing here?" she finally managed to choke out.

"Tsk tsk, Tuney, treating one of your old friends with such distaste? Why, I wonder what ever happened?" Severus mocked, clearly taking some of his frustration with the headmaster out on the woman in front of him. "Won't you invite me in?" he asked, a glint in his eye.

When it looked like the woman was just going to close the door on Severus' face, Severus wracked his brains for something that would convince the terrible woman to let him inside her precious home. Petunia bit her lip, looking around at the surrounding homes, clearly worried. Something clicked in Severus' head, thanks to a few memories he had with the person in front of him and his precious Lily.

"The longer you delay, the higher chance is of someone seeing, Tuney," Severus said, sneering. "You wouldn't want that, now would you? All the talk… the gossip about the strange men that come to Petunia Dursley's home during the day when her husband isn't home…."

That's all it took for Petunia to open her door and usher Severus quickly inside.

"What do you want, Snape?" Petunia spat, clearly infuriated with Severus' effortless manipulation. Severus inclined his head again.

"I would like to speak with your nephew. If you would be so kind as to summon him…."

"BOY!" Petunia yelled with contempt.

Petunia's disgusted expression was all it took for Severus to confirm to himself that Potter's spawn was clearly a reincarnation of him. Therefore when a small boy, that looked no more 2 or 3 years old, poked his head around a pearly white doorframe that clearly led into the kitchen nervously, Severus had to hide his surprise. Severus was surprised to an even further degree when he saw the boy's entire profile as he began inching down the long hallway with his head down to where his aunt was standing, tapping her foot impatiently as if she couldn't wait for Severus' job to be done so she could kick him out of her precious, strictly magic/freak-free home: he was wearing clothes that were at least 3 sizes too big, there was tape wrapped around the middle of his glasses that also had very obvious cracks in both of the lenses, and he was limping.

The child continued to keep his gaze on the ground even when he reached his aunt which surprised Severus to no end. The boy's father had had no trouble looking every single person he came across in the eye – even the one responsible for his own demise –, almost like he was challenging them.

"Well, ask away!" Petunia suddenly snapped, brining Severus out of his reverie. He cleared his throat.

"Well, Pot – Harry, my name is Professor Snape, and I just want to ask you a few questions, alright?" Severus strained to keep his voice uncharacteristically gentle and even forced himself to add the alright in the end – the closest to a "please" a Potter was ever going to get, Severus silently vowed.

Severus' impatience grew when the almost five-year-old child did not respond. Severus forced himself to keep calm.

"Harry, I am speaking with you." Still no response. Severus decided to try a different tactic, cursing himself and Albus Dumbledore all the while.

Severus – hiding a grimace – crouched down so that he was now the boy's height.

"Harry?" Severus asked, his voice no more than a whisper this time. "Harry, I am talking to you," Severus slightly chastised. Suddenly the boy's head shot up, a look of astonishment on his face.

"Oh, are you talking to me, Sir?" the child ask, his voice hoarse, as if he hadn't used it in days. A warning nagged at Severus' core; something was not right here. When Severus looked up he noticed that Petunia had suspiciously slipped away, taking her severely over-weight son with her. Severus turned back to the curious small boy who's emerald green eyes were searching his face, so much like Lily's….

"Yes, as a matter of fact, I was," Severus responded. Harry nodded as if he had understood something that had eluded the austere professor.

"Sorry, Sir, but I think you have the wrong person," Harry said, as a matter-of-factly, still nodding his head making his entire frame shake slightly. Severus hid his surprise and sudden fear by just raising his eyebrows.

"Oh…? And why do you say that?"

"Cause my name isn't Harry, Sir, it's Freak cause I'm a freak. Oh, and Boy when I am not being too bad. But I'm not good enough to have a name, Sir, not like Harry for sure! I hope you find the Harry you're lookin' for, Sir!"

Shock froze the usually sullen professor. For a minute or so he could not even choke out a couple of words. Get a hold of yourself, Snape, he scolded himself.

"Harry, who told you this? First of all, your name IS Harry, and do not let anyone tell you otherwise. Second of all, you are NOT freak. Third of all, I – " but Harry never got to find out what Severus was about to say because at that moment the front door of number 4, Privet Drive flew open to reveal a stout man that clearly was 3 or 4 times larger than he should be, his face purple with fury. Petunia must have called him home, Severus realized with dread. The tall, slim professor knew that his intimidation act would only work on Petunia, forget about Dursley. He would have to physically take out his wand to intimidate this man, he knew.

The overly large man stormed through the door, slamming it behind him, his face turning a shade darker as his eyes fell upon Severus and Harry. Harry must have known that puce didn't mean anything good for him as he began trembling.

"WHAT ARE ONE OF YOU LOT DOING IN MY HOME?" Dursley roared at Severus. He then turned to Harry.

"YOU FREAK! IT WAS YOU, WASN'T IT? YOU CONTACTED ONE OF YOUR LOT, ANOTHER FREAK, AND TOLD HIM TO COME HERE, DID YOU? TO COME AND SAVE YOU LIKE IN YOUR DREAMS, DID YOU? WELL. YOU CAN BE SURE THAT YOU'RE NEVER LEAVING, YOU UNGRATEFUL LITTLE FRE – "

But Vernon Dursley never finished his sentence. Severus decided that he refused to hear anymore bullshit from this arrogant, ignorant, selfish bastard, and so he casted a Silencio on him. Dursley continued to rant, even more-so when he realized that the furious professor had taken away his ability to speak.

Severus stood up to his full height and walked up to Dursley whose rant had begun to falter now that the strange man was actually getting closer to him. Coward, Severus thought to himself. When the wizard and the muggle were standing face to face, Severus found himself casting Ligillimens without even thinking about it. He instantly found himself in the throes of Dursley's vile mind, and he began to sift through his memories automatically, realizing with a start that he was searching for memories of Harry in the man's mind.

What Severus saw sickened him to the bone; he had to swallow bile more times than he could count. He saw beatings with fists, with whips, and with objects lying around, burns, hair-pulling, neglect, starvation, bone-breaking, spitting, slapping, kicking, encouraged beatings from Dursley's obese offspring, cooking, cleaning with harmful chemicals, attempted poisoning, being thrown into his cupboard for days on end –

And then Severus just could not watch anymore. He pulled out of Dursley's mind with such force that left him unmoving on the ground, bleeding from his eyes, ears, and nose. The powerful professor stood panting, still seeing red. Breathe in, breath out, breath in, breath out. It would not do for the boy to have to be sent back here if I am carted off to Azkaban.

The direction of the professor's own thoughts startled him. When had he decided to take in the boy? He shook his head, none of that mattered now. What mattered was getting this clearly abused child away from this madman and his equally mad wife.

He turned back around to face Harry, only to his dismay the child was no longer standing where he was previously. For a moment Severus grew scared that maybe Petunia had taken him while he wasn't looking and was hurting him now. Who knew what that mad woman was capable in such circumstances? Knowing the nature

"Harry? Harry! HARRY!" Severus grew frantic for a moment until he heard some muffled sobs coming from the stairs… or the cupboard under the stairs.

Severus cautiously approached the cupboard and opened it as slow as possible, trying to ignore the 8 locks that had been drilled into the outside of the door.

"Harry?" he called softly as he heard a bloodcurdling scream and loud crying in the background. The man just heard a few sniffles in response. "Harry it's alright – you are safe now. I promise you. And I promise you that you will never be hurt again. It's alright Harry, you can come out now," Severus called in the end, still unsure of where his best friend's son was hidden. Suddenly in the corner of the cupboard, a pile of rags that was clearly used for Harry's bedding – Severus had to swallow bile for what seemed like 857th million time that day – shifted a little and Severus almost smiled. What child doesn't like hiding under their bed? "Harry?" Severus called again.

"You killed Uncle Vernon!" the young boy called out and Severus could have slapped himself. Of course he fears you now that you so blatantly ripped apart that bastard's mind and left him bleeding on the ground.

"Harry, listen to me, I did not kill," Severus had to force the words out of his mouth, "you're Uncle V-Vernon." He practically felt his mouth burn as he said that vile excuse of a human being's name. It was worth it though, because after a minute or so the rag pile (Severus refused to think of it as the boy's bed) moved again and he could now see the child's innately messy tuft of black hair and his startlingly emerald green eyes.

"You… you didn't?" a muffled voice asked, clearly afraid. Severus continued to mentally berate himself for putting a rift between the trust he needed Harry to have on him.

"No, you're Uncle is very much alive, child. Can you help me and come on out here where I can see you, Harry?" Harry seemed to contemplate that for a minute, his eyes darting around his cupboard as if he was trying to find an escape route. In the meantime Severus heard loud thumping noises right above the both of them, assuming that that bitch was dragging her bastard of a husband up the stairs. Severus felt a huge satisfaction in knowing that aside from the potential brain injury caused by Severus, there was a high chance that that fat arse would have a lot of heavy bruising on his back and on that overly large arse of his.

Finally, after what seemed like ages, Harry wriggled out of the pile of rags, stood up, swaying slightly, and slowly limped over to Severus.
Harry looked up at the strange man through his bangs and asked, "Were you lookin' for Freak to come do chores, Sir?" Severus felt something tug at heart – a feeling that not many things gave him.

"No, Harry, I was looking for a little boy to be my son. Would you be my son?" Severus asked, being completely honest with his request of the boy.

Harry's eyes widened at the request… and then they filled with tears. Harry began to sob, his arms wrapped around his middle. He knew he wasn't supposed to cry, and if he did he was supposed to get a few whips with Uncle Vernon's favourite whip, and then he was supposed to be locked in his cupboard for at least three days without food. It's what every Freak deserved! Especially since Harry didn't die like he was supposed to with his parents. That's why Harry knew the man had the wrong boy, and once he realized that he did he wouldn't be looking for Harry anymore, and Harry would still be a lonely Freak.

Severus did not know how to respond to the likes of a sobbing child, so, he just did what felt right to him: he reached his arms out to pull the boy into a hug only to have the boy jump a foot away.

Harry knew that he was supposed to "get a good whippin'" for crying, according to Uncle Vernon, but he still didn't want to. Harry knew that he was in even more trouble when he jumped away from the strange man who had come looking for a "Harry".

"Please don't gimme a good whippin', Sir! I know I'm not a Harry, but I know I can do whatever chores you wanted a "Harry" to do! Please jus don't gimme a good whippin'!" Harry opened his mouth to beg some more but Severus didn't give him a chance to as he scooped the hysterical child in his arms before the child could notice and held him close. It was a little awkward at first as he had never done this before, but then some internal skill seemed to kick in and his arms wrapped tighter around the trembling body of snot and tears, pulling him a little down his body so that Harry's ear was against Severus' heart. Severus seemed to recall that trick from his younger days; when he could not stop crying about something, his mother used to do that to him and it used to send him straight to sleep. There must be some universal similarity in children, for Harry fell straight asleep.

Severus did a once-over of the cupboard and deciding that nothing was worth taking, except for the blue blanket that Harry had been wrapped in as a baby, Severus stepped out of Harry's bedroom and to his utter satisfaction, there was still pools of blood all over the wood floor and even some on those pearly white walls of their. That will teach them a lesson, the austere professor thought to himself, satisfied. Even if they were not dead, they would be shit-scared for many years to come. Severus revelled in that fact.

Severus Snape walked out of number 4 Privet Drive with a young Harry James Potter in his arms, already making plans for the major changes that would have to occur in his life if he wanted to keep his young charge, and keep him safe.

Severus took out the coin portkey that would take him back to the Headmaster's office and said, "Lemon Drops," with a sour expression. He had always hated those infernal treats that Dumbledore tried to force down everyone's throats. With a small quirk of his lips he thought of the new sweet tooth he was likely to acquire with his new charge.

As Severus felt himself being transported to the place that he had once considered home, he came to the startling revelation that he had not only seen Lily in those beautiful emerald green eyes, but he had also seen himself in those eyes, and he refused to let the birth of another Severus Snape and the death of another Lily Evans take place.

Hey this is a little one-shot that I did for a class project. Tell me what you guys think!