Author's Note:

This is just a story that's been on my mind since I first started reading Harry Potter Fanfiction. I know, this isn't the first time a Severus-adopts-Harry story has been written, but I hope to make this one stand out amongst its peers. Please enjoy the first chapter of Snake's Miracle!

Chapter One: The Visit

Severus' P.O.V.

"Please Severus," Minerva said, "I need someone to make sure he's okay and you know Albus, he'll just brush it off as nothing and the boy will just continue being abused!

I spun around and looked Minerva straight in the eye. "I will not check on the Potter brat!" I growled, "The boy is just fine. Being pampered by his relatives and not having a single worry in the world. If you really need to check up on the brat, why did you not do it when you saw him? Why ask me to do it now, instead of checking him when you had the chance?"

"They wouldn't let me near him!" she exclaimed, "They kept insisting that I would not go near their precious 'Dudley' and contaminate him!"

"So ask me to do it instead?" I asked, becoming more infuriated as the conversation continued. "I have to brew potions for Poppy, go over the exams, and make sure none of my Slytherins left any surprises in the dorms!"

"I have my Headmistress duties to attend too, Severus," she said, "I must also make sure my dorms are in order, go over my own exams, and keep an eye on Peeves. Before you even ask, Filius and Pomona are on holiday, Aurora is on business, I can't send Binns, Trelwany isn't, as you say, in the best mind set, and Hagrid is taking care of Hogwarts business for Albus. As for Albus, he has a meeting at the Ministry within the hour and I am not sure when he'll return. Plus there is the fact that he'll just turn away me pleads again! Please, all I am asking is for you to do is check up on him. I know Albus hasn't been doing so,"

Minerva's argument strangely made sense. Her hunch about Albus not checking up on the brat were probably true. Every time I asked him about the child, no matter what the question, it was always the same response. He's fine and happy with his relatives. "I'll check up on him," I said, "But I am fairly sure nothing is wrong with the child,"

"Thank you Severus," Minerva said, "I will wait for you to return. It's probably just the worries of an old woman, but I just want to be sure,"

I left the office quickly. Why does she pick me, the greasy git of the dungeons, to check on my worse rival's son? I know she could have easily asked the wolf or one of the Weasleys, but she had to choose me to check on a brat who's probably eating supper by now! But, I rather it be Minerva asking me then Albus. He would have brought Lily into the conversation, no doubt about it.

I quickly grabbed my cloak and left the castle. This summer had turned out to be quite rainy and cold and Pomona believed it wouldn't let up, thus her reason to go on holiday. I might have joined her, if she hadn't decided to go to the western hemisphere to warm up. Besides, I had no other place to enjoy, not since Lily…

I Apparated to Surrey, as Albus had told me that was where Potter and his family were living. The street I popped onto was flooded with water and a cat was trying to take shelter beneath a nearby bench. Number Four was, thankfully, on the side of the street I was on. I could see a large man walk into the house. 'Must be Potter's uncle,' I thought as I approached the house.

Rapping on the door, I waited for Petunia to answer. Something wasn't right about this picture though. I could see through the living room window and there was an obese boy who was obviously Potter's cousin. It was hard to believe the boy was five, like his cousin. But the pictures I could see didn't have Potter in any of them. Before Petunia answered the door, I heard her shout, "Dudley, Vernon, dinner's ready!"

What about Potter? Why wasn't she calling him to dinner as well? Something wasn't right, and I have a horrible superstition that Minerva's rumor is anything but a rumor.

Petunia opened the door and paled at the sight of me. "Hello Tuney," I said, trying to hide any disgust in my voice for the moment, "May I come in?"

She took a moment to answer. "No!" she screamed, "The little freak isn't here and hasn't been here for three days! He turned Dudley's yo-yo into a snake and Vernon chased him off! Potter's probably dead by now, so get off my property!"

She slammed the door in my face before I could react and all I wanted to do was hex her, but I had to find Potter. It's been raining all week and three days shivering in the cold isn't good for a five year old. His aunt calling him 'freak' proposes that he's been, at least, verbally abused.

I walked off the stairs and started the search for the missing five-year-old. As much as I don't like the boy, I won't be able to live with myself if I let the last part of Lily die, especially a little child. I just hope I can contact Minerva if needed. I really don't think I can locate the boy by myself.

Harry's P.O.V.

So cold. It's so cold! I wonder if Aunt Tunia will let me back in. I didn't mean to make a snake out of the yo-yo. I just wanted Dudley to stop hitting me with it! I don't care if Uncle Vernon beats me if I go back, I just want to go home and get warm again!

I shivered under the bush I always hide from Dudley under. The rain was still coming through the leaves and it's getting harder to breath. It was sorta like that time Dudley sat on my chest. I wasn't getting any air and I know that's real bad for me.

I coughed and sneezed as a man in black came walking down the sidewalk. He looked familiar, but I don't remember ever seeing at Aunt Tunia's house. Maybe he can help me breath. Aunt Tunia and Uncle Vernon definitely won't. "Damn it!" the man shouted, "Where can a small child be hiding?"

I crawled out from under the bush and followed the man to a huge oak where Dudley had broke his arm. He grabbed a stick and muttered some words. Then he wasn't wet and I could tell he was very warm. "How did he do that?" I whispered, not wanting him to hear me.

But he did and the moment he saw me, I tried to run. I managed a few steps before I slipped. I couldn't catch my breath and the man was getting closer. "Please… don't beat… me," I said before he lifted me into his arms.

I wanted nothing more than to run. Uncle Vernon was always telling me about the men who pick up freaks like me and killed them. "Please… don't… kill me," I whispered. His grip was strong and gentle, like he was holding glass. Aren't freaks supposed to be thrown about like rag dolls?

"I'm not going to kill you little one," the man said as he walked away from the tree. "I'm going to take you to a friend of mine. She'll make you nice and warm again, alright?"

"Can she… help… me… breath?" I asked. I felt like a hippo was sitting one me and I was colder than before. The man lifted his hand and I flinched. He was going to hit me for breaking the 'no questions' rule.

"I'm just going to feel your temperature child," he said, putting the back of his hand on my forehead. I remember a lady doing the same thing to me a long time ago, but it was real blurry.

"You're burning up child!" the man exclaimed.

"But I'm not hot!" I said real quickly. "I'm freezing!" I was seeing black spots everywhere.

"Can you tell me your name?" the man asked.

Everything was spinning real fast now and I thought I might throw up. "Harry," I said and everything went black.

Severus' P.O.V.

Potter went limp in my arms as soon as he said his name. The boy probably had pneumonia by now! How could those Muggles treat a child like this? I might not like the boy, but he didn't deserve to die because his relatives are completely shallow creatures.

I popped back to the gates of Hogwarts and ran to the Hospital Wing. The boy's breathing was becoming more and more ragged. I was afraid that he would stop breathing entirely before we got to Poppy. She better be there, I don't think he can wait for me to take him to St. Mungo's. He was probably dying in my arms and I could do nothing about it.

The moment I came into the Hospital Wing, Poppy emerged from her office. "Severus, what in the world...?" she started to asked, before pointing at one of the beds. "Put him down quickly Severus. I'm not sure what's wrong with him, but I can tell its life threatening,"

I quickly put him on the bed and we spent the rest of the day and a good part of the night working on the boy. It was nerve-racking to just watch Poppy give him potions and align bones no five-year-old should ever break. But that wasn't the worst of it. The boy, whenever semi-conscious, would mutter things about his home life and beg us not to beat him. He promised to be good and that we wouldn't have to lock him in the cupboard again. As the night wore on, I saw less and less of James bloody Potter and more of an abused child. It was sickening. I rather Potter over abuse any day.

We finished around four o'clock in the morning. Poppy cast multiple charms to alert her of any change in his condition and strapped an oxygen mask around his mouth and nose before returning her attention to me. "He's not out of the woods yet Severus," she said, "He has a severe case of pneumonia and there are many bones still that healed incorrectly that I'm going to have to break and reset. He's probably suffering from emotional trauma and, due to his pneumonia; I believe he's going to have respiratory problems for the rest of his life. That means asthma and he'll have to carry around an inhaler. Besides that, he's severely malnourished and carries multiple scars that look like belt buckles or knife cuts. There is no doubt in my mind this boy has been abused since the moment he was left on their door step,"

I nodded sullenly, hoping this was all a dream and that I would wake up tomorrow knowing the Potter boy was safe and happy, not this abused child. "I must report to Minerva," I said, "She's probably wondering where I am at the moment. She said she would be waiting for me to return so I can inform her on Harry's condition,"

She nodded. "Get some sleep first Severus," she said, "She is probably asleep and you can inform her what has occurred later in the morning,"

"What has happened, dear Poppy?" We jumped and saw Albus coming into the Hospital Wing. I gave a glance at Potter and Albus automatically looked. The twinkle in his eyes disappeared and he looked to be about the one-hundred and two years he was. But something was off. The twinkle seemed to be replaced with hatred and discomfort when he looked at Potter, but looked at us with worry and sadness. We hadn't told him what had happened. Was he holding that hate for Harry? "This is my fault," Albus said, but I could hear the sarcasm in his voice. "I should have checked on him, at least to see how he was faring in his new environment. I could have stopped this,"

Poppy put a comforting hand on his shoulder. "Do you want to know what is ailing him?" A nod from the headmaster, but I could see he didn't care. She sighed and repeated what she had told me. Albus looked like he was about to faint.

"I'll be in my rooms if you need me," I said, rushing out of the wing before either of them could react. I needed to talk with Cearul. He could calm me down and advise me on how to proceed. I didn't trust Albus to place Potter in a good home, but this crazy idea had popped into my head.

Why couldn't I be Potter's guardian?

Author's Note:

I've gone through the first three chapters to make it flow better with the Evil!Albus thing. I really hope it's better and makes more sense now!