Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter and Co.

Chapter 3: Rescued Soul

The first thing that assailed Harry's senses as he fought to open his eyes two days later was the stench in the cupboard, followed quickly by the searing pain throughout his body. The cupboard was a mingled scent of sweat and dried blood. The smell causing Harry to roll over and vomit violently onto the floor. As he tried to move away from the new mess he bit down hard on his lip to avoid calling out from the pain, drawing blood. His back felt like it was on fire, his Uncle has thrown him into the cupboard unceremoniously where he lie on his back until now, the glass shards from the vase finding their way deeper into his flesh. The shirt he had on Tuesday, now ripped to shreds from the belt, stuck to the ripped flesh of his back along with dirt and debris from the cupboard floor.

He slowly and painfully made his way to lay on his side leaning up with his one good arm and squinted at the red numbers of the clock he had brought down from his bedroom. It was late evening, Thursday, by the date on the clock. It took Harry a moment for his thoughts to catch up to him from the brutality of Tuesday. As they surfaced to the front of his mind, he groaned at how stupid he has been. Why had he goaded Aunt Marge and Uncle Vernon? At least Marge would be gone now.

Ever since Harry had returned to Number Four Privet Drive for the summer, he had been fighting with emotions that weren't his own. It took him a week or so to realize where they were coming from and he had struggled to ignore them each time. His first week home he had been working in the garden when he felt a surge of unfiltered happiness, which conflicted greatly with the heavy rock of grief that had been sitting in his stomach every second since Sirius passed through the veil. He found himself laughing uncontrollably as he was pulling weeds, which earned himself a cuff in the head from Uncle Vernon for making too much noise.

In fact, the only thing that seemed to bring him back to himself, other than Voldemort's waning emotions, was pain; a cuff in the head, a rough kick to the shin, or a fist yanking him by the hair. As twisted as he knew it was, he couldn't help but be grateful for the relief a smack to the head brought from the invading feelings. What would normally equal a summer of abuses at the Dursley's hands, had only taken two weeks to wrack up. But the pain he was in now, it didn't compare to anything they had done to him yet.

Harry squinted his eyes against the headache that was building, opening his eyes again the numbers blurred on his clock until they were unreadable. Another wave of nausea blanketed him and he turned his head as best as he could to relieve himself, but with the little bit of food from days prior already expunged from his system, nothing but bile made it's way out. His ears began to ring and before he passed out again, falling harshly onto his back, he wondered why the Order had yet to appear.

The next morning, Harry woke to the Dursley's coming down the stairs. Dudley jumping on each stair causing dust to flutter down onto Harry. Harry coughed weakly, but could not focus on his surroundings, he couldn't remember where he was or why.

"Boy," he heard Uncle Vernon roar. "Where's our breakfast? You've been enough of a laze this week!" The lock on Harry's cupboard was unlocked and Vernon stuck his big beefy head in. He pulled Harry out by his long hair and threw him against the wall.

"We want our breakfast. Get in there and cook it now!" Uncle Vernon bellowed spittle hitting Harry in the process. Harry tried to struggle to his feet. Vernon realizing the state Harry was in made to throw him back into the cupboard, more than happy to forget about him, when Petunia came down the stairs. She gasped and her hands came up to cover her mouth.

"Vernon! They will find out about this. You know I have no love for the boy, but they can't find him like this."

"Just leave him Tuney, if they haven't shown up yet they're not coming. They don't care for the boy, why should we?" Petunia pinched her horsey face, but didn't argue. Instead she turned for the bathroom, grabbed a bottle of hydrogen peroxide and poured it over Harry's back. He screamed, not remembering why he was hurt to begin with and the peroxide fizzed in his wounds.

"Put him back in the cupboard Vernon, I can't stand to look at him." As Vernon made to grab Harry by the hair again the front door flew open, hitting the wall with a loud "thwack!"

Harry's vision cleared long enough to see, standing in the broken doorway, people in robes. His vision focused long enough for him to make out who they were. It was Remus Lupin, Nymphadora Tonks, and to his surprise, the one and only, Severus Snape. Snape and Harry locked eyes briefly before Harry's head hit the floor, giving in to the blackness that called for him once again.

Snape stared at the boy on the floor. What on earth had he just walked in on? Harry was a pampered little prat, all the evidence pointed to it. So then, why was he on the floor looking as though he had just been on the receiving end of a very dark curse? This couldn't be the mighty Potter that strutted around the corridors at Hogwarts. They must have gotten the wrong house, it certainly didn't look like Potter lying there on the floor. Beaten body aside, the hair and the face were all wrong. How and why would Albus allow Harry to return here during the summer if these atrocities were going on.

Did Albus even know about this for that matter? He certainly didn't care for the boy, but seeing him lying crumpled and broken on the floor brought back such horrible memories from his own past. One's he had successfully repressed for many years.

Remus swept down to Harry's level on the floor and carefully inspected him, healing was not his strong suit, he turned to Snape.

"Severus, please." Remus pleaded turning worried eyes to the Potions Master.

Severus stepped forward, indicating harshly for Remus to move out of the way. The Dursley's only concern was trying to replace the door that was off the hinges so no one saw the freaks that were in their home. Snape moved his wand in a few quick complicated motions to surmise the extent of the damage. He turned from his spot crouched on the floor to address Remus and Tonks briefly.

"Concussion, broken ribs, dislocated arm, multiple lacerations to the back with infection setting in." Snape rattled off in a clinical tone. "Poppy will need to tend to him immediately if we are to avoid any further damage." Without bothering to explain, he uncorked a grass colored potion from his robes and poured it over the broken child's back. It hissed as the dirt and debris dissolved from the deep lashes in his back, the glass and shirt shreds still lingering.

"Severus, he cannot apparate in this condition, we need to get him to Arabella's house and through the Floo." Remus stepped forward, cast a Petrificus Totalus to avoid jostling the boy any and conjured up a stretcher to set the injured wizard on. Finally having gotten the door back in the frame, Vernon imprudently addressed the three fully grown wizards in his home.

"OUT! OUT NOW! You have your freak, now get out of my home and leave my family be!" Vernon bellowed shooing them with his hands.

"You dare tell us what to do? After the atrocities you have committed here?" Out of all the things Snape expected doing this summer sticking up for Potter was not one of them. He had expected being called to Death Eater meetings and being badgered by Albus to lighten up and have an occasional lemon drop but certainly not this. Although he also never imagined that the almighty Harry Potter would be beaten to within an inch of his life by his Aunt and Uncle. With the evidence in front of him he could no longer deny it.

He still didn't like the boy. But he should have noticed the signs before. He knew that Potter didn't like attention, (despite the fact Snape tried to rub it in that he was an attention-seeking prat) noticed how he quivered under Snape's glares, and flinched when he called him 'boy', he even saw him flinch a few time when people had run into him in the corridors.

"GET OUT!" Uncle Vernon bellowed. Remus looked at Snape from the corner of his eye. His typical impassive, bored expression now graced his face, as though he had not spoken at all. He was taken aback that Snape had opened his mouth. With a steely glint in his eye he turned to address the Dursley's.

"I must advise you Mr. and Mrs. Dursley, that you will be hearing from us again. We cannot allow this barbaric behavior to go unaddressed. Now, if you will point me in the direction of Harry's school things, we can then depart from your home that gives me no pleasure to be in."

With death glares from the senior Dursleys, Petunia pointed a bony finger at the cupboard under the stairs. Tonks moved forward to help Remus gather the belongings. As they opened the cupboard the sight and smell that met them was overwhelming. And tears threatened both of their eyes.

Amongst a pile of old tattered blankets was a mix of dried blood and vomit, it was obvious this was where Harry had been sleeping. Remus looked up and noticed the drawing on the ceiling, as Tonks quickly packed up and shrunk Harry's belongings. Remus reached up to grab the picture taped to the ceiling, folded it gently and placed it in his pocket.

Not sparing one more glance for the Dursley's, afraid that he would not leave them unharmed if he did, Remus cast a disillusionment charm over himself and Harry. Snape and Tonks quickly mimicked his movement and they walked swiftly to Arabella Figg's house, a snowy white owl trailing them through the floo.

XxXxXx

The trio stepped through the floo to the infirmary, Harry and Hedwig in tow.

"Poppy!" Remus called making his way to the medi-witches office as Tonks levitated Harry gently to a clean bed and canceled the spell keeping him immobile. He opened the door to her office as she was lifting a cup of tea to her pursed lips.

"What on earth, Remus? Are you alright?" She asked gently setting her cup onto her floral pink saucer.

"It's Harry, come quick." Wasting no time she stood up from her desk, nearly knocking her tea over onto her supply order forms.

"Oh, Potter, what have you gotten yourself into this time?" She followed Remus over to the bed furthest to the hospital wing door. She allowed a brief look of shock to pass over her face before going into full medi-witch mode.

"Details Remus." She commanded as she waved her hand over the boys injured form ascertaining all his injuries. Remus feeling the weight of the situation finally sink into him, stuttered to form words.

"Well, you see, it...it appears his relatives have no love for the boy. I knew his home life was difficult, but nothing of this magnitude ever crossed my mind as a possibility. He never said..." He trailed off, covering his face with a scarred hand. Snape stepped forward casting a disgusted glare at Remus for his emotional display.

"If I may, Madame. My assessment at his home," Snape couldn't help but to sneer at this word, "revealed a grade three concussion, four broken ribs, a dislocated arm and multiple lacerations to the back with infection setting in. I administered a solvent to the boy's back to help with the infection and rid him of the dirt and debris. However, the potion is not made for items of a more solid nature, such as glass and cotton as you can well see."

"Yes, very good Severus. My scan reveals as much as well. If you would all leave me to work I am afraid this may take a while. Severus if you would be kind enough to bring me the potions you were brewing for this years stock, I fear I may have need for a great many of them."

"Of course." He turned on his heel and left the infirmary. Tonks had already flooed back to headquarters and only Remus remained. Taking in the condition of his best friends only son and shaking his head.

"I failed them. James, Lily and Harry..."

"Remus, please. I understand you are upset, but I must attend to the boy with no distractions." She turned to him a little more kindly and said. "I will alert you as soon as I am through treating him. If you could kindly inform the headmaster of the events of today."

"Yes, of course, Poppy. You're right, of course. Thank you." He gave her a grim smile and headed to inform the headmaster of this most unsettling development.

XxXxXxXx

Harry slowly opened his eyes, blinking rapidly as they adjusted to the incoming light from the tall windows. Looking around he knew exactly where he was, he just couldn't remember why. He was in the Infirmary at Hogwarts. He had been there more than enough times to recognize it, if only by the sterile smell that made him cringe.

He tried to prop himself up, but his arms were too shaky to hold his own weight. Groaning he settled down into the bed and resolved himself to staring at the ceiling. Madame Pomfrey heard him rustling and bustled over to him, her medi-witch robes swishing around her.

"Oh Mr. Potter, you're up! Here take this, quickly now, it'll help the pain." She said handing Harry a goblet with a warm yellowish colored liquid in it. Harry reached for it carefully feeling sluggish and trying not to spill the goblet onto the crisp white hospital linens.

"Madame Pomfrey, what happened? Last I remember..." He searched his mind for the last thing that he remembered and came up blank. "Umm, last thing I remember..." He was saved by Madame Pomfrey who stepped in.

"Mr. Potter, you were the victim of horrible abuse at the hands of your relatives. It is not surprising that the events are not jumping to the forefront of your mind, you suffered quite a severe concussion, amongst other damage ." She looked at him kindly and then tilted her head, "That potion should have kicked in by now. How are you feeling, Mr. Potter?"

Harry shook out his limbs experimentally. They felt tight, but nothing to how they had when he woke up. He turned and stretched from side to side and almost took in a breath from the raw feeling of his back.

"I feel fine, Madame." He replied. She surveyed him not looking entirely convinced, but continued all the same.

"Too right." She muttered with a hint or sarcasm. "Now! I told the headmaster and Remus Lupin that I would let them know as soon as you were awake. If you'll excuse me Potter."

"Madame Pomfrey," Harry called out as she made for the floo in her office, "How long was I asleep for?"

"Here? Three days dear." She called back from her office door.

Three days...he had been out for three whole days. He still didn't have half as many answers as he would like as to why he was here and in this state. Catching the calendar on the wall, he had an image of a red clock with the date 3rd August, 1996 flash into his minds eye. With that image followed a scent that nearly caused him to vomit over the side of the bed, of blood...and bile. He squinched his eyes tightly, trying to think back over the last few days. As he forced his stomach to settle, images from the past week started to float through his brain.

Aunt Marge's unpleasant arrival, the foolhardy feeling that had curled into his gut as he egged Aunt Marge and Uncle Vernon on, the sear of pain as glass pressed through his flesh into his back, the sound of his Uncle's belt as it made it's way through the air, waking up in the cupboard wondering where the Order was and why they hadn't come for him yet, Snape and Lupin and Tonks, and then...nothing...Nothing but a white hot anger that stirred in him. This time the anger was entirely his own.

And it was that anger Albus Dumbledore was met with when he crossed the threshold of Madame Pomfrey's office, Lupin in tow, to inquire upon Harry's state from the boy himself. If he was taken aback by the rage that now filled the changed boys face he made no mention of it. Simply settled into a chair at his bedside and fixed Harry with a twinkly gaze, purple starry robes gathered about him.

"Harry, my dear boy, how do you find yourself today? A might bit better now that our esteemed medi-witch and Potions professor have patched you up I imagine."

"Better?! Better than what?! The three days I lay on the floor of that cupboard waiting for the Order to show up? Better than how I was when I was forced to go back to the Dursley's after my Godfather's death? Where were you, why were you late? You should have been there the first night. I didn't write!" Harry's head dropped to look at his lap and Lupin made his way to his side, resting a hand on the distraught boys back. "I didn't write." He muttered again quieter this time, trying to keep his tears in check.

"Harry, I am aware that the Order was not timely in their recovery of you and for that I can only offer you my deepest apologies." Albus lowered his head in a show of remorse. "I am afraid that there have been more raids as of late, on muggle and wizard villages a like, and our resources have been sparse. As I am only human myself, I made a mistake in the way I positioned our people that left you susceptible. I blame no one but myself for this lapse and only hope that you can find it within you to forgive me."

At this Dumbledore looked up and Harry surveyed the man in front of him. He hated it when the Professor played the human card! And the way he talked about the Order as resources? He seemed remorseful, but it was always so damn hard to tell with Dumbledore. He was what? One hundred years old or so? How do you stay mad at a one hundred year old man? Harry ran a hand through his hair in frustration, was he being manipulated or was he sincere. He had been seriously hurt and no one had been there for him. He looked up through a part in his hair to the old wizard in front of him and sighed. What was that saying? 'Don't burn a bridge you may want to cross again?' Moody's words 'Constant Vigilence," rang through his head and he looked Albus straight in the eyes.

"Alright, Professor, but I don't want to go back to that house again."

Albus just surveyed Harry with a look that seemed to say 'we will see,' but instead said, "We will cross that bridge when we come to it, Harry. After all your mothers protection is of great importance to you and we can always increase the watch on your home."

Harry grit his teeth, but resisted a come-back when he felt Remus squeeze his shoulder affectionately. He couldn't help thinking, maybe he should have burned that bridge anyway. He was torn from his musings as Albus turned to the newest occupant of the room.

"Ah, Severus!"

"You wished to see me, Headmaster." Snape stated hoping Albus would simply get to the point, he had been kept very busy by all the potions he had to brew to restock everything the Potter brat had needed.

"Yes, this bring me to the next part of our conversation. Harry I must ask you, have you had any visions this summer. From Voldemort, I should say."

"No, professor. Not since..." He broke off and swallowed around the lump in his throat. "Not since Sirius, Sir."

Albus seemed to ponder this only briefly.

"As I thought. I imagine since he has forayed into your mind, however briefly, and felt the raw power of love there, he would want to stay as far away from it as possible. He may in fact, now be employing Occlumency against you." The headmaster fixed Harry with a piercing stare. "But there is something else you wish to tell me, isn't there Mr. Potter."

Harry sighed and dropped the piece of blanket he had been picking at with his fingers.

"I don't think that can be true, Sir." He said lifting his gaze to the headmasters. "You see, I have these..moments, where I can feel his emotions. It's like..it feels like they are my emotions. I know they're not, but I can't seem to stop them from taking me over. Unless..."

"Unless what, Harry." Albus encouraged kindly.

"Unless I feel pain, that seems to knock them right out of my system." He looked back down ashamed. He could see Snape growing impatient out of the corner of his eye. He knew where this was headed and was not happy about it. Sure enough.

"I believe it would be wise for you and Professor Snape to resume Occlumency lessons once again Harry. I think they could only be beneficial to you, it would be unfortunate if we had such incidences during the school year."

"Headmaster, surely last year's display should be enough to show you that Potter has no interest in learning what-so-ever." He fixed Harry with a level gaze and, unless Harry was very much mistaken, it had a little less bite than usual to it. The headmaster continued on as though he did not hear this statement.

"In fact, I think it best if he was provided with some additional Defense lessons as well this summer, Severus."

"Headmaster, surely you can't be serious. If we could take about this, alone." He ground out, indicating towards the solace of Madame Pomfrey's office.

"Nonsense, Severus. What is there to discuss?" He said with that annoying twinkle in his eye.

"I have potions to brew, lessons to teach and meetings to attend Albus, you seem to be laboring under some delusion that I have nothing but time on my hands. Let me break that fantasy for you. I do not have time to teach some brat who has no inclination to learn how to defend himself, mentally or otherwise!"

"Headmaster, if I may, I would be more than happy to help Harry with extra defense lessons." Remus piped up from the side of Harry's bed. Harry perked up with the idea, defense with Lupin, now that he could do!

"I do appreciate the offer Remus, but I am afraid I have some Order business that will need your attention until the school year resumes, perhaps at that time lessons could be handed to you. However no one knows better what to prepare Harry for than Severus given his history."

"I cannot teach someone who does not want to learn!" Severus ground out one more time. "It is impossible."

"Oh, come now, Severus! I'm sure Harry would have every intention of learning should you put the time and effort into it. Isn't that right, Mr. Potter."

Harry had been silent until this moment, but had been mulling it all over. He did need to learn and fast. He would be entering his sixth year and the more he could learn to protect himself, and more importantly, his friends, the better. And he couldn't risk exploding on his friends again like he had so many times last year. He really needed to get his emotions under control and as much as it pained him to admit it, there was no better than Severus Snape to teach him. He didn't have to like it, but he did need to prepare himself.

" I would, Professor's. I promise I will work harder this year." He said pointedly, addressing Snape directly. "The stakes are high and I don't have time to be a child about it anymore."

Snape couldn't hide the shock that briefly flitted across his face at Potter's new found responsibility, but recovered quickly.

"Hmph. We'll see how long that attitude lasts." He surveyed Harry a moment longer and then concluded. "Very well, as soon as Madame Pomfrey clears you we will set up a time schedule for lessons. I expect you to be on time, show the proper deference to the subjects and to me."

With that he turned on his heel and made to leave the infirmary for the cool temperatures of his dungeons.

"Oh, Severus," Albus called after him. "Mr. Potter will be needing a room to stay, as it would make no sense for him to lodge in Gryffindor tower by himself. Meeting with you for multiple lessons a week I believe the guest quarters across from your rooms would suffice. If you could prepare them?"

The only response the Headmaster received was a simultaneous groan from both the Potions Professor and Harry. With a smile to himself he turned to Harry and offered, "Lemon drop?"

XxXxXxXxXx

Reviews, questions, suggestions and comments always welcome. See you all soon! ~BriaSnape