The Potion Master's Closet
No pairings but beginning hint of SS/HP mentor
Warnings-descriptions of child abuse. OOC for SS and HP.
AN-After reading several well-done SS/HP mentor fics I decided to try my pen hand at this style. Below is what came out. Enjoy. Reviews please. No Flames.
Raiting- K+
As Always I am nowhere the awesome that is JKR
A knock echoed the childless classroom of Severus Snape. He sat at his desk; his quill swiftly slashing incorrect essay answers. "Enter," he unenthusiastically groaned. Harry Potter quietly walked into the classroom and stood in front of his potions professor. "Mr. Potter, I'm accustomed to you bursting through doors unannounced. You arrived in a normal fashion and at eight sharp. I'm in utter shock. Let's get started with your detention. The sooner you finish, the happier I'm sure both of us shall be." Severus quickly stood up from his desk and entered his personal office space. Harry followed unsure what to expect. Severus usually saved the most unpleasant tasks for his least liked students. Harry knew whatever he would be doing tonight had been kept especially for him. Severus pointed towards an unorganized pile of various vials. They were covered, filled, and coated with tar like material. An extremely small wire brush and cup of water lay next to the saturated bottles. "I am a busy man Potter, thus there is little time for me to clean up after my potion brewing sessions. I have provided a cleaning utensil and container of water that will refill when needed. You will sit and clean all these bottles by hand. Once this task is finished, you will organize them into my potions closet, neatly. Are we understood?" Harry nodded his head. Severus went to sit at his desk and continued to grade essays.
A few hours later the last glass was finally clean. Harry's robes were covered in splotches of tar, but at least the most tedious part of the task was complete. Severus noticed the lack of noise and glanced up at his student. He smirked at the mess on Harry, but was satisfied with the overall completion. Severus stood up and motioned for Harry to follow him. Severus pointed to a narrow door barely cracked open. "This is where you shall place all the cleaned vials." Harry stared at the door, his body unable to move. "Potter!" The call of his name startled Harry out of his trance. "Get in that closet, before I throw you in myself!" Harry's body trembled. He wasn't in Snape's office anymore. Instead he was suddenly bracing his feet against the carpeted floor as his vicious uncle's grasp twisted and burned Harry's arms. The small boy squirmed and screamed as he was thrust into the little closet. His arms flamed with redness and his face streaked with tears. A harsh snap ensured the closet wouldn't open for hours, days even. The closet shrouded the boy in darkness. Several times a day the closet door would rattle as harsh words bellowed from the outside. Harry couldn't distinguish the insults anymore. He learned long ago to turn himself inward to a place darker than he already was.
Without warning long fingers clasped Harry's robes and opened the closet door. History was repeating itself in a place Harry once thought void of his past. Harry rammed his feet into the wood floor and screamed phrases Severus recognized as words he once yelled himself. His grasp instantly loosened in shock of the traumatized teenager. Harry withered to the ground in a heap of agonizing memories. His crouched body shivered as he gasped for air between tears. Severus put aside the hatred towards his student and knelt beside Harry. "Potter, calm yourself!" His words did nothing. He placed a hand on Harry and lightly shook him. "Don't touch me! Don't make me go in there. I swear I'll be good. I'll do anything, just don't make me go in that space!" Harry pounded his fists on the floor, sobs escaping between pleas. Severus sighed. Defeated he grabbed Harry and lifted him into his lap. Harry turned his body and latched his arms around the professor he normally feared. "Harry, what happened to make you react in this manner?" Severus placed his arms around Harry, forming a cloaked cocoon over the slowly breathing boy. "I can't…I can't…I'm sorry…please don't make me." Harry left his sentence incomplete too exhausted to finish the words. "It's alright. You're in my office severing a detention that is now void. Something triggered you and now you are here on the floor with me. We'll sit here for as long as you need." Severus stroked Harry's back as he spoke softly to the broken boy in his possession. Severus quietly wondered how he would be able to save Harry from a past he hadn't been able to save himself from.
AN extended- I'm not sure whether or not to turn this into something more. Suggestions as to what to do next? I value your opinions!