Disclaimer: If you recognize it I do not own it… if you don't recognize it then I probably stole… er borrowed it… and on the off chance that it really is mine then please enjoy as that is the only payment I shall ever receive.
Summary: Harry Potter is found guilty of murder, attempted murder, aiding and abetting a known Dark Wizard, and being in the company of Death Eaters. He is sentenced to life in Azkaban. He avoids the Dementer's Kiss, but is put into solitary where he receives no visitors except Dementers and prison medical staff. It is now 10 years later. The war is at a stale mate… neither side having the power to win and not willing to risk losing. The people responsible for the crimes Harry Potter was accused of are captured and Harry Potter will be released. What remains of the kind, responsible, charismatic leader that Harry was becoming? How much of the young man that commanded respect… even from his hated potions teacher has lasted 10 years in hell? SLASH DM/HP Mpreg mentioned.
Chapter One: Prisoner of Circumstance
Severus Snape was not a happy man. In fact he was a very very unhappy man. Although he recognized the necessity of him being the one to retrieve … save … rescue … whatever term he tried to use they all fail to represent the goal of his mission today. Today Severus Snape was going to be the first person to see Harry Potter in just over 10 years. The last time he saw the young man he was almost 18 years old and still weak and rather ill from the ordeals he had endured. Now Harry would be a 28 year old man… but he would not be anything like the young man Severus Snape remembered. Harry Potter was most likely suffering some sort of mental illness. Although it was likely he was kept sane because of his innocence… the actual state of his mind would have to be evaluated and a course to aid him in returning to some semblance of mental health would be determined.
The dark and foreboding Potions Master, former Spy, and Professor at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry shuddered as he entered the most feared prison in all of the wizarding world. He hated this place. He had spent 6 months here at the end of the first war. How ironic that the very reason the first war ended was now interred here. He wished again that one of the other DA or Order members were able to be here… but it was determined that his ability to restrain himself both physically and emotionally made him the perfect person for this retrieval.
Almost an hour later he approaches the highest security cell in Azkaban. Deep within its walls, no sunlight or fresh air. It is dank and dark. The air smells putrid. It is cold and rather dark. As he inserts the key into the door he braces himself for what he may find.
The door squeaks as it opens and a shaft of light pierces the darkness of the cell. Snape leans in and looks around. A muttered spell causes a soft light to brighten the small 10 x 12' space. What he sees causes his breath to catch. The walls are covered in graffiti. 'My name is Harry' 'I am innocent' 'Remember Love' 'Must Win War'. The words appear to have been scratched into the stone and then filled with some sort of ink… only as Snape leans close to examine the 'ink' he realizes with a gasp that it is in fact blood that has been used to paint the walls. A bucket of water and another for waste along with a small cot are the only furniture in the cell. As Snape turns full circle he sees a small figure huddled in the corner.
"Harry? It is Professor Snape. Do you remember me?" Snape asks in gentle voice.
"No no no no no no no no no. Potter 50 points and detention… spy he is a spy… crucio… no no no stop stop…" a rough raspy voice comes from the corner and then the small body shakes and cries. " I can't help I don't know how."
"Harry… Potter! Listen to me, I am here to take you home… you can leave. You have been proven innocent." Snape tries to reason but has no idea how much if any the young man understands.
"Harry… I am Harry… I am Harry… I am innocent… What is innocent? I don't remember… I remember Love… but I don't know who it is any more… are you Love? Home home home home… what is home? Is Love there? I am Harry," Green eyes, once so full of life, defiant joy, fierce determination, and (yes even Snape must admit it) great intelligence, no lift up and try to focus on the tall person who has entered his cell. But now Snape almost flinches at the dull gray orbs that squint at him. "I remember… I remember you… you were mean… but but but were good, I think… I punished you for being good… no, that doesn't make any sense… but I know you. Are you here serve? I don't like those dreams… when you bow… they hurt and I try to tell you to stop… finally you did… but others, so many others… they cry and I share their tears… but you are not what you were… why are you here?"
Snape swallows and his shoulders sag in both relief and defeat. Although it is apparent that Harry has retained at least some intelligence… it is very obvious that his memories and therefore his identity have been greatly damaged.
"I am here to take you home. Your friends and family are waiting for you… you don't remember them, but they remember you and are very eager to see you again. Would you like to leave this place? Will you come with me?"
"I don't know 'home' but I don't like it here… I think, yes, I will go with you… but please don't bow and scream… I don't like that very much. Okay?"
So much pain shines through those dull eyes… weary eyes that make you want to weep just for gazing at them. "I agree, Harry. I will not bow and I will not scream. Can you walk?"
"I don't think so… my legs have not worked in a long time. They don't move so good. I can move on my belly though."
Before Harry can demonstrate his belly crawling skills, Snape walks over and gently takes the young man's hands. They are covered in filth and blood. His fingers are scraped raw where he has had to drag himself across the floor of his cell.
"Well, as soon as we get home, we can have someone look at you and maybe make you feel better." Snape wraps Harry in his cloak and picks him up. The young man was entirely too light and he snuggled into the warmth offered by Snape's body like a small child.
"Okay, I would like that… better is good… better is nice… better is warm… love is better… will I see love when we get there?"
"I think that will be arranged, Harry"
"Okay… I would like that… yawn, I remember love… but I can't remember what he looks like… but I wrote it so I could remember… I am Harry and I am innocent and I must win the war." Harry's voice got softer and softer as he drifted off to sleep. The little bit of interaction had exhausted him.
Severus Snape walks too the boat waiting to carry him to shore. He ignores the Aurors who look at him strangely. He ignores the wind and spray that buffet his face. And as he focuses on the broken man who willingly gave of himself so that others may be safe, he ignored the tears streaming down his face.
I am in need of a Beta for this story. If you are interested in the job, please email me or include your email address in your review.
Please review… I hope that there is interest in my story… Thank you for reading.
DrarrySev