Chapter one

I'm Wishing

Once upon a time in a land far far away, there lived a young prince by the name of Harry, who had been living with his evil aunt and uncle, since his parents had died when he was a baby. His Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon had a son of their own named Dudley, who they loved and doted on, while Harry was forced to be a servant in his own home. He was given only rags to wear and crusts of bread to eat, while Dudley was given all of the finest silks and delicacies in the land. They treated Harry so poorly because they were jealous of the magical abilities he possessed. Just like the queen and king before him, Harry was a wizard.

One day, just after Harry's sixteenth birthday,he was trimming the ivy that wound around the castle walls, while singing softly under his breath. He finished cutting, and walked towards the old well in the far corner of the courtyard, his bare feet lightly slapping on the stone as he went. Reaching into the well, he grabbed the rope and pull up some water, when he suddenly stopped and peered around, looking to see if anyone was watching him. No one was. He smiled softly and began to whisper into the well. He did this everyday, making sure no one was around, and then he would whisper his heart's greatest wish into its depths. He wished that somehow he would be able to get his kingdom back and help bring his beloved subjects out of poverty, he wished that he would meet his true love and live happily ever after. He wished. But sadly it seemed to him as though his wishes never came true. Or so he thought.

Harry had finished wishing and resumed his singing, as he slowly carried the heavy bucket of water up the courtyard steps to wash them. Some of the water slopped over the side of the bucket and he began to slip, his head about to crack open on the stone floor beneath him. Strong arms caught him before he could hit the stone. Harry gasped. The arms released him once he was steady on his feet, and Harry whirled around to see who had saved him, his green eyes widening behind his glasses..

'Th-thank you' Harry stuttered. He was stunned that someone had helped him, no one had ever really helped him before.

'Yes well next time you should be more careful, someone won't always be there to save you' The man's baritone voice sneered. He looked to be a few years older than him. He was taller than Harry and had a large hooked nose and smooth, greasy black hair hanging in curtains around his long face. The man wore a beautiful dark blue doublet jacket and breeches lined with silver. A cloak that looked like it was made of the night sky was draped over his shoulders. Harry blushed in embarrassment as he looked down at his oversized, dirty, and heavily patched shirt and trousers.

'As such, I did not mean to impose. I had merely been riding by on my horse, when I heard someone singing and, out of natural curiosity, went to investigate who it was. I had just peeked over the wall to see where the voice came from when I saw you clumsily spill the water. I knew such a careless simpleton would fall, so I hopped over the wall and caught you. No need to thank me.' The man waved a hand as if in farewell, and spun on his heel stalking off, his dark cloak billowing behind him.

'Wait!' Harry yelled. He didn't want the man to go, he was the only person who had ever talked to him, and not at him, even if he was acting like a greasy git.

The man stopped walking and slowly turned around, one slim eyebrow raised.

'I...I..My name is Harry.' Harry walked over to the man and held out his hand.

The man's thin lips pursed and he looked at Harry calculatingly. He took a step forward and brought his hand up sharply.

'Lord Severus.'

Harry smiled up at Severus and ran a hand through his unruly black hair.

'Sooo….. where are you from Lord Severus?' Harry asked sweetly.

'I am from the next kingdom over.' He replied curtly.

'Oh..well I'm from here.'

Severus sneered. 'I've gathered as much.'

Harry smiled at that. Severus seemed to be extremely sarcastic but Harry liked the honesty behind it. He asked Severus if he would mind sitting on the steps with him, who said that he could "spare but a few moments", and they sat. Harry did most of the talking, with Severus making a snide remark here or there, but listening to him all the ended up talking for hours. Harry kept asking what had brought Severus over to his kingdom and after much badgering he finally told Harry all about how his parents, the king and queen of the neighbouring kingdom, were forcing him to find a partner by his twenty-first birthday, which was in one year, or else they would choose one for him. And how he, of course, thought that such a request was ludicrous, but he had to obey all the same. So Severus had been riding through the kingdom on his way to another, to meet their prince. Harry listened intently to everything Severus told him, liking the sound of his voice.

Severus had just finished telling Harry about all the potions he made, and their uses, when Harry noticed that the sun had gone down, and he had not completed any of his chores. He hurriedly jumped up, and was just about to run and grab a fresh bucket of water to finally wash the stone steps, when an arm around his bicep stopped him.

'It's rude to run away in the middle of a conversation you know. Am I that boring?' Severus asked his tone sarcastic. He let go of Harry's arm.

Harry blushed. 'No, you're not boring Severus...it's just that I haven't finished my chores and Aunt Petunia won't let me eat unless I've finished everything.' he said looking down at his bare toes. Of course, Harry wasn't about to tell the man how he almost never finished his endless list of tasks, and therefore almost never really got to eat.

Severus's brows furrowed as he thought about what he had just heard. He stood up straight and turned around, pulling something long, thin, and black out of the folds of his cloak. He waved it around, muttering under breath as he did so. Suddenly the steps gleamed, as if Harry had spent hours scrubbing each one, and the stone courtyard floor also shone. The Ivy on the castle walls was trimmed perfectly, just the way his aunt liked it. Harry was shocked. How had Severus done that?

'How did you do that?' Harry gasped, his jaw dropping.

Severus let out a low chuckle. He tucked the black stick into his cloak and turned around to face Harry again.

'I am a wizard Harry.' he stated as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

'Oh.' was all Harry could think of to say. He didn't know what to think, his aunt and uncle had always punished him severely for doing anything remotely abnormal, and Severus had just done real magic, the polar opposite of normal. He had always thought his magic was awful and something to be ashamed of, and yet Severus acted like it was something completely natural.

'What is it Harry? Do stop gawping, I don't have all evening to stand around.' Severus sounded impatient, but Harry could hear something else in his voice that he couldn't quite identify- was it concern?

'Well, the thing is.. you just did magic, and since I was little I've been able to do all of these freaky things, but I've always been told they were bad. And now you come along and do magic like it's normal and a good thing.' Harry looked into Severus's deep, black eyes as he said this.

He watched as Severus's eyebrows came lower and lower, until they met in an angry line over his forehead. His mouth thinned.

'You've been punished for magic that you couldn't control?' His voice sounded dangerously soft. Harry took a step away from Severus, cautiously. He knew what that kind anger could lead to.

'Y-yes' Harry whispered. He felt a hand underneath his chin, forcing him to stare into Severus's endless, black eyes.

'Harry,' Severus sighed sadly. 'never think that your magic is an evil thing. It is a gift, and you should be taught how to use.'

Harry nodded at this. He would rather believe what Severus was telling him, but he knew his aunt and uncle would firmly disagree. Suddenly, there came the sound of a shrill voice yelling for Harry to get over there this instant, accompanied by various threats. Harry quickly jumped to his feet, said goodbye to Severus, and asked him to come by again tomorrow. Then he ran off to his aunt, happier than he had ever been in his life. He would get supper tonight!

The next few weeks went much the same way. Severus would come by every day while Harry was doing his chores, and the two would talk for hours until dusk. Severus also taught him some basic wandless magic so he could clean everything faster and easier. He grew to cherish the days he spent with Severus and, although he would never admit it, Severus enjoyed them too.

Harry knew his aunt and uncle would murder him if they ever found out about this new relationship, which was why he did his best to keep it secret from them. But even they could notice the new sparkle in his eyes, or how he always happily hummed love songs while he worked.

His Aunt Petunia despised her nephew's happiness and vowed to find out what was the cause. The next day she set Harry about his chores as usual, but kept watch over him from the shadows, never letting him leave her sight. However, it was only after lunch when something unusual finally happened. Harry had been standing by that damned well, singing like the freak he was, when a dark figure walked across the courtyard towards him. Harry turned around and, instead of retreating like she thought he would, embraced the stranger as if they were friends. Her face darkened with fury as she saw them smile at each other. Harry had even stopped doing his chores! The audacity the boy had! She watched the pair a while longer and nearly screamed with rage, that idiot stranger was teaching the freak magic! She could not allow this, what if Harry decided to take back his kingdom? She was just starting to think of ways to dispose of the stranger, when an even better idea came to her wicked mind.

Why not just dispose of Harry?