Rat

Plot: At five, Harry committed his first crime. At ten, he was a notorious thief living in Diagon Alley. Severus finds Harry Potter and comes to learn Harry isn't his father's son.

Disclaimer: Nup, don't own

The hustle and bustle of Diagon Alley greatly annoyed Severus, who preferred the quiet of his office. The sky was dark with glooming clouds threatening to rain at any moment. With the school year coming up, parents along with their children were flooding the streets in an effort to buy this year's school supplies. Severus walked down the street, an ugly scowl on his face, trying to be as inconspicuous as possible. The most feared professor in Hogwarts clad in black robes, he thought.

He walked on straight ahead, not looking down like he did in his younger years at Hogwarts, his black robes billowing out behind him. Severus however failed to notice a child running straight into him. Severus stumbled backwards, regaining his footing quickly while the child bounced off of him and onto the cobble stoned floor. Severus let out a loud groan of annoyance at the child. Was this how lax parents had become? To let their children run to who knows where?

"Oh! I'm very sorry sir!" the child quickly got up to his feet.

"As you should be!" Severus barked right back. The child flinched at his tone. Severus took in the child's appearance. Messy black hair with his eyes hidden from view, grime touching his skin here and there as well as an all-black attire with a scarf draped around his shoulders. The boy looked severely skinny for someone his age. "Where are your parents?"

"At Flourish and Blotts, getting my books they said it would be okay if I went down to Eeylop's to see what pet I would want for Hogwarts." The boy told him, his head down so Severus couldn't see his face. Severus could sense a false tone to the boy's voice. Years at Hogwarts in a classroom full of children who would often lie taught Severus to call out on their falsehoods. The boy probably wasn't going to Eeylop's, probably to the infernal joke store down the street.

"Very well then." Severus crossed his arms, sneering down at the boy. The boy brushed past Severus, running down to Gambol and Japes Wizarding Jokes Shop. I knew it. All children are the same, he thought. Severus walked down towards Flourish and Blotts. The store was already flooding with soon-to-be First Years trying to get their hands on a copy of this year's booklist. The racket they were making was making Severus' ears bleed. Severus wished he came at a more later hour so he wouldn't put up with this ruckus everyone was making. Severus' face darkened. He made his way over to the counter where a fair brunette soon noticed him.

"Can I help you?" she spoke with a faint Australian accent.

"You may. I placed an order on a book earlier this week. The Grimmson's book of Forgotten Potions under the name of Professor Severus Snape." He told her, looking intensely at her. The brunette paid no mind to his stare.

"Oh yes! We should have it…' the brunette disappeared beneath the counter. The sound of things being moved and shuffled around agitated Severus. 'Here it is!' she appeared with a small book wrapped in brown wrapping paper. Severus took the book from her hands.

"That will be 1 galleon and 17 knuts please.' She added with a saleswoman smile. Severus scowled at her for that. Severus reached into his pocket to pull out his pouch when…he could feel nothing. He couldn't feel the fabric of velvet rubbing against his fingers neither could he hear the jingling of gold and copper. He couldn't even feel the ring Lily had given him.

A look of shock reached his skin as his skin paled. The bookshop assistant seemed to have known what just happened.

"Let me guess? 'Oh no! I can't find my pouch! Oh where is it? Have I dropped it?'" She mocked him in a high-pitched voice. Severus glared at her hotly at her tone. "It seems as though Rat has struck again!"

"Rat?"

"The infamous outlaw of Diagon Alley! Everyone here knows him, I'm surprised you don't. He's a thief, he'll strike when you're least expecting it and take what you have. Everyone calls him Rat because well, he's like a rat – dirty, sneaky, slippery, and quiet.' Severus did not look at all amused at what the woman said. He looked like the opposite. Severus was seething, not only had someone taken his gold but one of the very few things he had left of Lily.

"That little shit took my things! He shall pay dearly for this!' he uttered under his breath. The bookshop assistant did look quite entertained at Severus' display especially at what he just said.

"Well good luck finding him. Rat knows Diagon Alley like the back of his hand!' she singed. 'Oh yes, the book. I'm afraid, no money, no book."

Severus slammed the book on the counter, alerting people passing by before storming out the door. He tried to recall who could have it been taking the ring. Wait, of course! The boy! Severus knew he detected a lie, he just misinterpreted it! Of all the blind, careless things, he let the boy take his most prized possession! Severus tore down to the direction the boy was going – the joke shop. People walking by moved out of his way of the Potions Master who looked ready to murder someone.

It only took him a few mere minutes to reach the store. He ignored the laughter and squeals coming from inside as he looked around to see where the slippery rat –ha! - went. A dark alley was next to the store, littered with trash and dirt. A foul repugnant smell emanated from it. He cringed in disgust, covering his nose. Severus walked into the alley, his hand gripping his wand in his pocket, ready to fire if any danger came. He wandered into the gloomy-as-always Knockturn Alley.

Severus figured that the boy wouldn't be here seeing as how no child would want to be here. But then Severus recalled a battle mantra from long ago…never underestimate your enemies. Severus noticed a silhouette, the same figure as that of the boy from earlier, slipping into a dark lane behind Borgin and Bork's. He started toward the lane, making it just in time to catch the boy standing idle in the middle of the shady narrow road. It was the same boy all right. The same messy hair, scarf and figure. Severus felt very strongly against child abuse but no one took what was precious from him. He drew out his wand from his pockets when he accidentally stepped over a stone, making a grunt loud enough to echo through the lane. The child noticed his presence, letting out a small gasp.

Well that confirms the identity of Rat. A mere child, he thought bitterly. Not wasting any time, Severus threw a leg-locker curse to Rat. The thief threw himself to the side, using several trash cans as his cover. Severus levitated the trash cans to reveal a figure crouching against them. Rat started towards him in a blur, the trash cans dropped from the air as Severus focused his aim to Rat. The boy zoomed under his arms like a shadow. The boy ironically like a cat jumped over a forgotten cabinet reaching out to the second floor balcony of a nearby store. He dropped a mysterious black rubber ball which as soon as it hit the ground let out a thick heavy smoke-like substance.

"Damn." Severus cursed himself, coughing the smoke out of his lungs. Severus cleared the fog with his wand, losing sight of Rat. Severus strained his ears to hear any movement when he heard rushed footsteps on rooftops. He followed the sound to another dark path alight with streetlamps. He noticed the black shadow zipping through the rooftops with ease. Severus ran after it for several minutes. It was hard to keep track of the black blur in a dark place like Knockturn Alley. He was soon unfit and weary from running because of the magic privileged life he lived.

Severus casted a very well-aimed tripping jinx at the shadow before it disappeared down a corner. A loud yelp followed by a thud and sickening crack was music to his ears. He immediately stopped running going back to a comfortable walk towards the sound. The sight of a boy crumpled on the ground in pain greeted him. A small smirk rose to his lips.

"Well, well, well,' Severus stalked towards Rat. "If you don't mind, I'll have my things back." Severus positioned himself so the rat could be at his feet. A small twinge of guilt pierced his chest. Severus was always one against child abuse but this was an exception. The boy looked straight into his cold eyes. Severus could see Rat's face now. A face that taunted him when he was younger welcomed him. The spitting image of James Potter when he was younger, Green piercing eyes looked wildly at him with teeth bared the same eyes as Lily.

Could it? No, it can't.

Severus kneeled down towards the boy, his hand reaching out for him. The boy recoiled from his hand. Severus gripped the boy's wild fringe forcing it up to reveal a lightning bolt shaped scar on his forehead. What in the name of Merlin?

THANK JORDAN CROSS FOR BETA-ING THIS!

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