Similarities by EnchantedUnicorn

Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter.

"Down, boy," Tobias growled.

Severus obeyed shakily as he lowered himself, protectively curling up into a ball. He heard the clinking of the belt and cringed, knowing all too well about the pain that was soon to come.

"Freak," his father hissed, bringing down the belt with a loud whoosh.

Severus jerked uncontrollably as the belt buckle hit him. Dozens more landed on his arms, legs, and back as he curled up even tighter and began sobbing softly. Finally, Tobias stopped.

"Boy," Tobias demanded threateningly. When Severus didn't budge, he kicked the chin of the boy up. "Listen to me when I'm speaking, boy!"

Severus nodded in fear, and flinched when his father slapped him on his face. "Maybe I should just put an end to you." He strode to the kitchen and grasped a knife, promising death.

A frantic woman burst into the room. "No! Tobias, please stop!" Eileen cried helplessly as a knife was raised towards her seven-year-old son. "He is but a boy!"

The man turned to her. "You want it? Then here!" He menacingly slashed the knife as his wife, creating a deep cut in her throat. Dark blood instantly leaked out, while Eileen slowly slumped to the ground, her eyes rolling to the back of her head.

"No!" Severus cried.

Severus's eyes snapped open in the darkness as he breathed heavily. Straining his ears, he heard the sound of heavy footsteps heading towards his room. Oh no. His father was coming. Severus scrambled off his mattress and scampered to the furthest corner, bringing his legs to his body to protect his inner organs and ribs, and buried his head between his bony knees. He stiffened when the door slammed open.

"What is the meaning of this, freak?" Tobias shouted. "You waked me up from a perfectly good night's sleep!" He spotted Severus and walked over, kicking him on the head, before pulling him up with his long, silky hair.

"I'm s-s-sorry, s-sir," Severus stammered fearfully, wincing at how pathetic he sounded. "P-please, I'll…. I'll never do it again. I-I'm sorry!"

The belt buckle slammed onto his cheekbone, creating a large scratch. Lashes rained upon his arms. Feet and fists pounded on his stomach as he finally collapsed. He was slowly losing consciousness… it felt so good… so welcoming…

When he woke up, the sun just peaked out of the lush, green hills. Severus sorely stood up, heading to the bathroom to wash up. It was his routine. After a thrashing, he always took a shower, making sure to wash off all evidence of his punishment. His father did not object, for he wanted to keep the beatings as secretive as possible.

Severus gingerly rubbed his face, noticing in the shower mirror how a deep scratch formed along a dark bruise. He would never be able to hide that. But for the time being, he gently washed off the rest his body in the cool water, noticing the liquid on the floor held some yellow and red in it.

Severus gently dabbed himself with his towel, which had many light red stains, before folding it neatly again and placing it in an unused cabinet. He dressed into his baggy, old clothes, which hid most of his bruises sufficiently.

Grabbing his backpack and a piece of bread on his way to the front door, he silently exited the house. It was hot, almost unbearable in his long clothing, but he refused to change. Keeping his head down, he quickly walked to school, avoiding eye contact with anyone else who might have been outside at five in the morning.

He arrived at school thirty minutes later. Thankfully, no one was there. Severus headed towards the playground and squeezed himself in a small corner. Taking out a book to read, the words gradually became fuzzier as he found his eyelids slowly closing against their will.

Someone was shaking him. His father… Severus eye's immediately opened, and he jumped up and winced. "I'm sorry sir, what do want? I'll get you your bottles, sir, I'm sor..." Severus trailed off as he realized he was not babbling incoherently to his father, but to his teacher, Ms. Mina.

"Oh… err… Ms. Mina? I'm sorry," Severus cringed at his own stupidity, while ducking his head. He would be in big trouble if Ms. Mina suspected anything. "Am I late?"

"As a matter of fact, you are," Ms. Mina said sternly. "You missed first block."

Severus eyes widened. "P-Please don't tell my father, ma'am! Please!" he pleaded. His father would find any excuse to punish him.

"I am tempted to," Ms. Mina started, wondering what could have caused so much fear in a child. Severus tensed. "But I won't. Be sure not to repeat this mistake."

"I won't, ma'am, thank you, thank you very much," Severus repeated gratefully. "Thank you, ma'am."

Ms. Mina's gaze softened. "Your welcome, Severus. You have Science, now don't you?" she questioned.

Severus nodded energetically. They were learning about plants in Science, which he loved. "Yes ma'am." He stiffly gathered his things and waited for Ms. Mina to go. When he realized that she was not budging until he did, he reluctantly stood up, keeping his eyes fixed on the pavement.

Ms. Mina noticed something was off, and cleared her throat. "Severus. Look at me," she said. When the boy did not reply, she softly tilted Severus chin up.

Severus cowered back and raised his hands instinctively. Ms. Mina frowned as she saw a dark bruise on the boy's cheek, along with a scratch. She was also puzzled by the boy's reaction. "Where did you get that bruise?"

Severus's heart raced. "M-My fa… fall."

Ms. Mina stared at the nervous boy before her. "Go now," she said kindly, patting the boy on his back.

Severus tensed and hissed in pain, before hurrying off to Mr. Howl, a teacher that he slightly cautious with because he reminded Severus intensely of his father.

Ms. Mina was both confused and worried as she paced around her empty classroom. What was Severus doing, sleeping near the playground? He must have come to school very early to fall asleep again. And his reactions. She hadn't missed that she had assumed her to be her father or uncle, and his flinching and afraid-like behavior too. Severus's fear of his father was also obvious.

But what really frightened her was his bruises. The one on his face showed her that he was hit. She had caught his slip. Severus was about to say father, but corrected himself at the last second. And there were presumably bruises on his back, too.

One more piece of evidence, and she will take action.

During recess, Severus sat alone on a wooden bench, grimacing each time he shifted his body. He was not too far from Ms. Mina, who was on yard duty, but not too close either. Watching wistfully as the boys around him played rugby, he didn't notice that the obese bully snuck up to him when his back was turned.

Severus felt a hand on his shoulder and tensed, turning around with cold eyes.

"Aw… little baby scared?" Joe Lee sneered distastefully.

Severus stiffened. "No. Now go before we both get in trouble."

"And why should I?" Joe Lee sneered. "After all, that girl that is even stronger than you is not here to save you." With a shove, he roughly pushed Severus off the bench.

Severus landed on the hard ground and rolled to his side, biting back a yelp as his wounds reopened and his bruises started throbbing. Curling up, he waited for the kick that was about to come.

Severus didn't have to wait long, for the heel of the stronger boy's boot scraped his back, before starting to kick any place possible. His back and stomach hurt like hell, and he could taste blood in his mouth. Unaware of what was happening around him, all he felt was pain. Severus snapped back to reality when a hand started tapping his shoulder.

"Severus," Ms. Mina urged to the battered boy. "Are you alright?"

Severus almost smiled at the caring tone. Of course he wasn't alright! "I-I'll live, ma'am," he said hoarsely. It was not a straightforward lie. He had worse from his father.

"Let's get you to the nurse," Ms. Mina said worriedly. He did not look fine to her.

Severus's eyes widened. If the school nurse found out, he would get the beating his father always threatened him with. "N-N-No, it's f-fine," Severus stammered anxiously.

"Nonsense," Ms. Mina dismissed. "You will go to the nurse." She held out her hand for Severus to take.

Severus tensed, assuming that his teacher was going to hit him. "I-I'm sorry," he said instinctively, while unwillingly standing up.

For what? Ms. Mina thought as she led Severus down the hallway and to the nurse. "Nurse Tag!" she called loudly.

Severus shrank away from his teacher. "M-ma'a-am? I-It's r-really f-fine," Severus assured her.

But he was too late, as Nurse Tag came hustling out, dressed in her white gown. "Ms. Mina? What may I do for you and that young man?" she inquired.

Ms. Mina sighed. "Please check over Severus. Joe Lee…." She trailed off, knowing that the nurse got the idea.

"That brat!" Nurse Tag swore. "He should be kicked out from this school!"

Severus eyed the school nurse warily. Why were they sticking up for him? He was nothing but a freak, especially in his father's eyes.

"Yes, I admit I have to agree with you," Ms. Mina said sadly. She had brought multiple children to the school nurse just because of that one boy. "But, I apologize, I must go now." She smiled warmly at Severus before walking away.

Severus gulped, and looked up at the tall school nurse, before hastily lowering his head. It would do no good if she saw his bruise.

Nurse Tag cleared her throat. "Ahem. I trust we have to check on you?" she questioned the timid child.

Severus nodded hesitantly. "Yes ma'am," he stated softly.

Nurse Tag frowned. "Please get on," she gestured to the bed.

Severus shuffled over to it and pushed himself on, keeping his head lowered the whole time.

The nurse got out her clipboard and pencil. "Now, I need to examine you face," she explained.

Severus breath was taken away. She was surely going to find out now. Reluctantly, he met the nurse's concerned gaze.

Nurse Tag gasped as she noticed the dark mark on her patient's cheek. "Severus, where did you get that bruise?"

Severus bit his lip, debating of whether to tell her the truth or not. Finally, he said, "From the fight."

"Today?"

"Yes ma'am," Severus lied. He hated doing so… but it was the only path he could take.

The nurse sighed, and rubbed her temples. "Severus… bruises don't form in a matter of minutes."

Realization hit Severus as he paled. He should have thought of that, having experienced it way too many times before. "I-I-It… was is the morning, ma'am," Severus muttered guiltily.

Nurse Tag's frown deepened. There was only one way to find out if that was true or not. "Severus, please give me your wrist."

Severus immediately drew back. "No, please, don't!" he cried, knowing that she was going to see his bruises if he did.

"Now, Severus," Nurse Tag said sternly. She was beginning to get suspicious that something was wrong…

Severus took a few deep breaths, squeezed his eyes shut, and held out his left hand, which was trembling uncontrollably. God… please…

The women gently rolled up Severus's sleeves, revealing a few old bruises and layers of new ones. Her eyes narrowed, and she quickly jotted down notes about his arm and face, before taking out an instrument and estimating his skin sensitivity with it. It was a little high, meaning that it usually took about twelve hours for a bruise to show. And judging by the new bruises, it meant that he had somehow been hit sometime during the night.

"Severus..." Nurse Tag said. "I need to check your back."

Severus shrank back. There was no way he was letting a nurse see his scarred back. It would be too humiliating. And then she would surely know.

"Please, Severus," Nurse Tag pleaded. The child was definitely hurt in his home. "Or do I need to call you father?"

That did the trick. Severus, who had no intention of getting his father involved in this mess and receive a thrashing, hiked up his shirttail, wincing as the fabric painfully dragged over his skin.

Nurse Tag stared at the abused skin before her. "Did Joe Lee do this to you?" she hissed.

Severus shrugged, but then regretting it as his shoulders protested painfully. If she was talking about the wounds reopening… "Yes ma'am," he said.

"The bruises, I mean," she corrected herself hastily.

"I apologize, ma'am." Severus cowered back at his mistake. He couldn't admit it was his father… but he couldn't imply that it was Joe Lee either.

"Who created the fresh bruises?" Nurse Tag urged, glancing down at her paper. So far, it showed only warning signs of abuse.

"I-I-I can't say, ma'am," Severus whispered, stiffening. Would she slap him for such disobedience?

Gears were spinning rapidly in Nurse Tag's head. Flinching. Bruises. Nervousness. Abuse. "Let me put some salve on your back, then you may go," she said, hurrying off, and returning with a jar with white contents.

Severus laid down on the bed, his eyes closed and clutching the sheets tightly. Slender fingers began soothingly rubbing his back. Before he knew it, it was over.

"Thank you, ma'am," Severus said quietly as he jumped off the bed.

"You're welcome, dear," Nurse Tag acknowledged. "Do you hurt anywhere else?"

Severus bit his lip. His legs did hurt, but he didn't want her seeing those also. "No ma'am."

Nurse Tag raised an eyebrow at him disbelievingly. "Are you sure?"

Severus fidgeted uncomfortably. "Yes ma'am, I am sure," he assured her. "Good day, ma'am." After looking at the clock, he quickly strode to the lunch room.

"Here are my reports for Severus," Nurse Tag said grimly. Usually, she wouldn't share her observations with anyone, but she knew that Ms. Mina cared strongly for the boy.

Ms. Mina accepted the paper and scanned over it, her face darkening every second. "I had my suspicions," she growled. "And this is more than enough proof."

Nurse Tag nodded in agreement. "Bastard," she hissed furiously, her calmness that she had faked gone.

"Severus does not deserve that," Ms. Mina glared to no one in particular. "But I have some research to do, so please excuse me."

"Yes, yes, have a nice day," Nurse Tag said, inclining her head politely.

"You too," Ms. Mina said, already taking out a stack of papers that had the location of each of her student's house.

Dialing the numbers on the telephone, it wasn't long before she was talking rapidly.

"Apparently, an eight-year-old boy who lives at Number 9 Spinner's End is abused. Beaten," the police officer informed two agents. "I need you two to go there and investigate."

The two agents, Agent Charles and Agent Rory, exchanged worried glances. They both did not enjoy dealing with abuse cases, for it took a while to obtain information from the child. And they did not find happiness in seeing an innocent child so broken.

"Well?" the police officer snapped impatiently, tapping his foot on the ground.

Agent Charles and Agent Rory quickly turned back to the officer. "Yes sir," they chorused.

"Good. Now go! A car is there for you." He handed them the keys, before returning to his office.

Agent Charles instantly became more serious. "Let's go."

They strode to the car and with Agent Rory driving, they both wondered what their next case was going to be like.

Severus heard a knock on the door and was alert in a nanosecond. Surely his father couldn't have come home this early, at seven? No, it definitely wasn't his father. His father would never knock.

He peered through the peephole. There were two men who looked very professional at the door. Behind them, there was a police car.

Severus's eyes widened. A police car. A police car! Two police officers or whatever were knocking on his door? What did he do wrong? Nothing illegal that he remembered. Perhaps they had found out that he was actually a magical freak? There was only one way to find out.

Cautiously, he turned the door knob, at the last millisecond remembering to keep his head down. "S-Sir? M-May I ask what do you want, sir?" Severus asked, his eyes darting wildly on the ground.

"I am Agent Rory, he is Agent Charles. I assume you are Severus?" Agent Rory asked. After the boy's nod, he answered, "We need to talk with your father."

Severus tensed and his fists clenched. Did he do something wrong? Or did his father do something wrong? Probably him. His father, a normal person as he called himself, would never do something bad and get caught. "I-I-I apologize… m-my f-f-f-father isn't home." Severus bit his lip, waiting for the slap to come after he denied the demand.

It never came. Instead, Agent Rory replied, "We'll wait for him then."

Severus gulped. He did not want these insisting agents to stay and find out what they wanted to. "M-My f-father comes home very late, sir," Severus whispered. "I believe you should go." He shut his eyes then, knowing that he was certainly going to get hit for telling an elder to do something.

"We'll stay," Agent Charles's voice cut through. "In the car, until your father comes home."

Severus took a deep breath. His father would be extremely mad when he comes back. "Very well, sir, if you have to. But please come in." The truth was, he didn't want them to enter his house. But if he didn't offer so, it would be counted as disrespect to adults, something his father never tolerated.

Agent Rory looked surprised at the offer. "Are you sure? We wouldn't want to disturb you," he said hesitantly.

Severus's mind was screaming No! No! No! but his words were out before he could. "I-It's fine with m-me, sir," he assured them absentmindedly.

Agent Rory shrugged, though Severus couldn't see him. "Thank you very much, then," he said.

"Yes, thank you," Agent Charles agreed.

Severus inclined his head in acknowledgement and stepped away from the door, allowing them to enter.

The two agents quickly stepped in, noting how the house strongly reeked of alcohol. "Does your father drink?" Agent Charles asked, frowning.

Severus decided it was best not to lie. After all, drinking itself wasn't that bad, only the drunken rages were. "Yes sir… Please sit. I-I'm afraid we only have a couch… I apologize," Severus said softly, backing away from the two men, while keeping his gaze fixed on the ground. "C-Can I get you something, sir?" He risked a glance at Agent Rory and Charles.

"We're fine," Agent Rory said. "Thank you though."

Agent Charles noticed something awfully suspicious on Severus's face. "Boy," Agent Charles said. "Look at me."

Severus winced, the term reminding him intensely of his father. "P-P-Please… d-don't, sir," he whispered fearfully.

"Severus. Look. At. Me," Agent Charles commanded. He could already see the signs of abuse reported.

Severus had no choice but to obey the directive tone. Wringing his trembling hands, he raised his head. He observed the two agents. Their faces were calm and serious, yet behind Agent Rory's mask, there was some sort of warmness.

At the agents' shocked looks, he stammered, "S-Sir. I-I-I… I can explain."

"Do so," Agent Charles said dryly.

Severus gulped nervously. "I… I got into a fight," he explained quietly. It wasn't necessarily a lie, after all, the bruise was caused by a fight. With his father.

"With your father?" Agent Charles guessed.

Severus paled. How had he known? If his father found out…

The expression on Severus's face was enough for Agent Charles and Rory to decipher the message. Indistinctly, they shared the same, knowing glance, in silence.

Finally, Agent Rory spoke up. "B- Severus… are you happy here?"

Severus turned to Agent Rory with emotionless eyes. "Happy?" he questioned.

Those eyes chilled both professional agents to the bone. "Yes, happy," Agent Rory said, confused.

"I-I d-don't kn-know, sir," Severus stuttered. How did happy feel like?

"What don't you get?" Agent Charles asked kindly.

"Wh-What does happiness feel like?" Immediately, Severus cowered back to the wall. He had just asked a straight question. He braced himself for the blow that was sure to come.

Instead, Agent Charles raised his hands to show that he was not going to harm the boy. Severus flinched. So now the agent was going to hit him. Probably finally realizing that he was bad.

"Severus. It's alright. I just raised my hands to show that I was not going to hurt you," Agent Charles assured the frightened boy.

Severus's brow furrowed. Not going to hurt him? Didn't raising your hands mean you are going to hit someone? "I-I'm sorry, sir."

"It's fine," Agent Rory interjected through the conversation. "You can go back to your room if you would like now."

"Thank you sir," Severus muttered, rapidly excusing himself to his room.

In the living room, the two adults talked to each other gravely in low voices between long, silent intervals.

"Should we report it now?" Agent Rory questioned.

Agent Charles shook his head. "Let's gather more evidence," he said knowingly, his mouth set into a firm line.

Minutes turned into hours as the seconds ticked by silently. Agent Rory and Charles were busy writing down all their suspicions and evidence of abuse before the door creaked open. Instantly, they both sprang up onto their feet, pocketing their notepads.

Tobias, who was not expecting anyone to be in the living room, slumped in and cried, "Boy!" His gaze suddenly fell on the two agents, and he hissed, "Wh' are you?"

Agent Charles raised an eyebrow. "We are here to ask you some questions about you and your son," he said.

A/N: What do you think? This is my own imagination, so I'm sorry if it's kind of disbelieving to some of you.

Please review!