Next day at the burrow
"Harry dear, are you ready? It's almost time." Mrs. Weasley looked him over and found him acceptable. "Good, now promise us you'll try to get along with him, okay Harry?"
"Yes mom. I'll try, it's not like I have any other choice." Harry looked out in the garden where Ron and Hermione sat talking. '... not even saying goodbye.'
"Now, just to warn you, you'll be flooing to Severus' room, so don't be surprised to find yourself in an unfamiliar place." Mrs. Weasley walked him over to the fireplace and kissed him in the cheek. "We will see you soon Harry. Don't linger in the fireplace when you get there, I'll be sending your trunk after you leave." ´
"Yes mom, see you soon." Harry walked in to the fireplace and threw floo powder. "Hogwarts, Severus Snape's Rooms!" The last thing he saw was Mrs. Weasley waving at him. Harry tumbled out of the fireplace without any grace causing Severus to look up; He barely made it out of the way before what looked to be his things came through. Harry got up and started to take his trunk but as he bent down to lift it, he noticed Severus sitting in a chair studying him. "Hey." He went back to take the trunk from the floor. "Where can I put my things?"
'He's different,' Severus thought to himself. "This way," Severus stood up and walked over to a door, which he opened for Harry. "This is your private room, like my work room is private; I will not enter unless I have your permission. I expect the same of you." Harry walked into "his" room. There was a bookcase, a desk with a chair, a mirror, a sofa, a table and a closet, but no bed. The room was decorated in blue and green colours.
"Thanks, it's wonderful." Harry walked over to the closet to put his belonging in place. "You didn't have to do all this… I don't have that many things anyway." Harry turned and saw Severus stand in the doorway, as if waiting for something. "You can come in if you want to..." Harry went over to put his books on the bookcase; categorizing them in year order.
"Thank you." Severus sat himself down on the sofa and watched Harry walk around putting his things away.
"Why are you looking at me like I have two heads?" Harry leaned against the wall, looking at his soon-to-be-husband. "Is something wrong?"
"I just expected a hysterical teen, destroying my room. Instead I receive a calm one and I'm just wondering why that is?" Severus watched the boy continue to unpack his things.
"Because I figured that I could either be hysterical or I could just accept this and try getting the best out of it. As you can see, I choose the last one. Even if I chose the first one, what would I get out of that? Besides, I promised mom to at least try to make it work before I say it didn't ... So there's your reason." Harry looked behind him to see Severus somewhat surprised.
'This can't be the Potter I know…' Severus shook himself. "And here I thought I would need a calming draught. It appears that I was wrong." Severus still looked at Harry as if he had multiple heads.
"Yeah well, it's been a long summer; many things have happened, people change... I've changed. Now, where did I put that packet…hmm…?" Harry walked over to his trunk and started to roam through it. "Ah ha! Here it is." Harry stood up, walked over to the bookcase, and laid it on the shelf. "Dobby!"
"Master Harry, so good to see you, Dobby has taking good care of Master's packets like Master asked Dobby to. Is there a packet more for Dobby to take care of?" Dobby looked at Harry with his big eyes full of admiration and trust.
"Yes Dobby, over there on the bookcase, just put it with the others. Remember I need them back in two to three months."
"Yes Master Harry, Dobby will holds them for you, Dobby will do all for Master Harry. Is there anything else Dobby can do for Master?" Dobby looked hopefully at his Master.
"Yeah, some of your lovely pancakes would be wonderful Dobby; I didn't eat this morning."
"Dobby will come with some in a moment!"
"Oh, Dobby, don't forget, not too much. I don't eat much this early in the start of school." Harry looked at the sad looking elf.
"Yes, master, Dobby do remember, Dobby will be here with three pancakes." Dobby bowed for them both and was gone, Harry chuckled then looked at Severus; he had completely forgotten he was there. Severus raised an eyebrow,
"And that was?"
"Oh…nothing, just Dobby." Harry said trying to get out of having to answer the question.
"I could see that, however, I was referring to the packets and the fact about you not eating." Severus eyes bore into Harry like steal.
"Ohm…the packets are Christmas gifts that Dobby's holding for me ..." Harry returned to his unpacking.
"Why is it necessary for Dobby to hold them for you? You also have yet to answer my first question of why you have not eaten."
"Dobby is keeping them safe for me because my relatives would throw them out or something like that and I don't eat much because ... well, let's just say I'm not used to eating."
"You always ate here at school. I have also seen you eat when Molly places food in front of you at Headquarters. Which leaves the question, why so reluctant now?"
"Because my uncle won't let me eat while I'm in their house ... There, now you know; is there anything else you wanna know?" Harry's voice dripped with sarcasm.
"Yes, just one thing."
"What's that?"
"Why does your uncle keep you from eating?" Severus found it odd; He always pictured Potter being adored at home.
"Because he thinks I'm a freak. Always has, properly always will ... Though, this summer have been more … peaceful somehow …" Harry shrugged his shoulders.
*Crack*
"Here Master Harry, your pancakes, anything else Dobby can do for you?"
"No Dobby, I'm fine, thanks." Harry sat on the floor and started to eat his pancakes in small bits.
*Crack*
"I gather this is why Molly complains about your weight or lack thereof? I have wondered about that for a while now."
"Yeah well… mom would still think I was too thin even if I put on ten pounds, not that I ever will.
"And why is that?"
"I never change. Even my hair won't grow, never in my life have I had shorter or longer hair… when my aunt tried to get me a haircut it would be the same next day. It is the same with my weight; I haven't put on weight or grown in height in almost two years."
"That's absurd! Humans normally stop growing around twenty-one years of age. Even so, you should be much taller than you are..."
"I know, but most people don't live in a cupboard under the stairs for eleven years, now did they?"
"You resided in a cupboard under the stair until you reached eleven …? Does Dumbledore know any of this?"
"Some of it, he knows about the cupboard, because my Hogwarts letter was addressed there." Harry went back to eating his last pancake.
"Yet he never knew that they have starved you?"
"No and he never will, you should be glad I even told you this much, not even Ron and Hermione know. Dobby knows so he makes sure to give me food that my stomach can handle till I can eat normally again."
"I'm honoured to be informed of this." Severus said with sarcasm.
"You should…"
"May I ask as to why you are sitting on the floor when there's a perfectly good chair next to you?"
"Huh?" Harry looked at the chair. "Oh… sorry." Harry sat on the chair, while muttering to himself. "What time is it?"
"Around dinner time, I believe, but as you have just had pancakes I take it that you're not hungry?"
"Nope not hungry…" he went back to put his last things in place. "And I won't be till tomorrow." As Harry bent down to take his jacket, his new necklace fell out from his shirt.
"What's that around your neck?"
"Nothing…" Harry tucked it inside his shirt so fast; Severus didn't have a close look at it. "And get out of my head, if you please… I don't like to have you in there anymore than I like my uncle." Harry said calmly as if he were talking about the weather.
"How did you…" Severus looked at him in wonder.
"Just something I learned in the battle… I had to find some way to get Voldemort out of my head when we were fighting…" Harry looked at Severus and smiled. "You can close your mouth now… if you keep it open birds will make a nest in there."
Severus glared at him, "How is it that you couldn't get it right when I tried to teach you?"
"Ever thought that maybe it was because you were simply attacking me instead of teaching me? You made me so mad that every time I so much as thought about you I had to take fifteen minutes to cool off, trying not to breaking everything in the dorm?"
"What do you mean?" Severus looked puzzled.
"I have to have mental shields up all the time, or else my magic leaks out…but when I get really mad I can't hold them." Harry sat down again.
"Shields? Show me."
"First, promise you'll to repair anything that breaks." Severus nodded. "Fine, just sit still and don't say a word… I need to concentrate." Harry closed his eyes and suddenly the things in the room started to shake, the plate on the table broke in two pieces before the things went still and Harry opened his eyes. "Sorry…it's hard to remove only some of the shields and still hold the others…"
"I see…reparo. And what would happen if all your shields went down…?"
"Well… it only happened once and it was not a pretty sight. It was the reason that Voldemort didn't have a body… my shields went down when I cast the killing curse at him and all my magic went with the spell, destroying his body. It was a good way to make sure he didn't come back ..." Harry smiled nervously at Severus. "Your mouth is open again…"
Severus closed it, staring at Harry in more wonder than before. "Why did your shields collapse?"
"Because he went inside my head while casting spells at me… I couldn't concentrate on the shields…but with this, I could because it was the only thing I had to concentrate on. So don't worry."
"I see…" Severus stood up and was on his way out the door when he heard Harry whisper something. "Excuse me?"
"I know I'm a freak…" Harry looked down his lap, trying to fight back tears.
"No…you're not a freak! Are you certain you wouldn't want anything else to eat?"
"Yeah I'm sure…actually…where's the bathroom?"
"Door next to yours…" Severus barely managed to finish answering before Harry flew out the room and into the bathroom to throw up. "Potter? Are you alright?" Severus walked over to the boy on the floor. He placed a hand on Harry's forehead. "You don't have a fever…"
"No I'm fine… just didn't think my stomach was that small…."
"How long haven't you eaten?"
"Except for one toast three times a day all summer, nothing…and a lot of water. I did manage to eat a little at the Borrow." Harry stood up to flush the toilet then rinsed out his mouth in the sink.
"Lift your shirt." Harry looked stupidly at him. "Just do it." Harry shook his head. "Why not Potter?"
"Just because… and its Harry…"
"Fine, Harry… just lift up your shirt." Harry looked away as he did it; Severus understood why he didn't want to do it. All over his torso he could see scar's, some really old and some new. "Pott-Harry what is this? Why do you have scars all over your body?" Harry put his shirt down again, turning away his head to hide his tears.
"My uncle…" Harry whispered and Severus gasped while taking a step back, a hand to his chest like it was hurting.
"Do you mean to tell me your uncle did that to you?" He saw Harry nodding. "How long?" Severus sneered when he didn't answered, he grasped Harry's shirt and pulled him closer, noses almost touching. "How ... Long …?" He starred hard into the green, sad eyes... Feeling his guts tighten harshly at the broken voice in which Harry whispered his answer.
"…As long as I can remember... Dumbledore knows; so does Ron and Dobby …." Harry lost the battle with his tears, they ran slowly down his cheeks and Severus released his shirt as he stepped back, going into shock. Severus stood looking at the boy. The one he had so long believed to be the Golden Boy, whom had no worries in life. Now here he was, crying, with proof of years of abuse etched into his body and on top of that, Dumbledore knew but did not see fit to do anything! Severus took the crying young man into his arms. "Hush now… it is over. You don't have to go back ever again."
"I know; would it be okay if I took a bath?" Harry looked up at Severus, not all that happy to be this close to the man he thought he loved and was being forced to marry.
"Of course you can take a bath. It is not necessary to even have to ask, let me find you a towel." Severus walked over to a cabinet where he took out two towels and laid them by the sink. "There, would you like some tea when you're done?"
"Yeah, that would be nice, thank you ..." Harry got up from the floor and walked to his room to get some clothes while Severus walked out to the kitchen to make some tea. 'How could Albus know about the abuse and still send him back every year? … I need to floo Remus.' Severus went to the fireplace to place a fire call. "Remus I need you, this instant!" Out of the fireplace came Remus, wand at the ready and looking around, He looked like he had been on his way to change clothes, as the shirt were open and his pants hung low on his hips. "What is it? What's wrong?"
"Calm yourself Wolf; I simply needed to speak with you." Severus smirked at the werewolf who was looking back dumbfounded.
"Speak! You sounded like something had happened! Don't bloody scare me like that again. You nearly gave me a heart attack!" Remus sank into a chair. "What is it there is so important that you had to scare the hell out of me to do so?" he started doing the bottoms while glaring hard at Severus.
"It's about Potter…what do you know of his life at his relatives?" Severus sat in his chair while Remus thought for a moment
"Only that he didn't like going back… Albus never said why, now that I think about it…why?" He looked over at the man, who had a grim expression.
"It came to my attention earlier today that his relations starved him all his life as well as having beaten the hell out of him. The boy has scars all over his body! Worst of all…Albus knew! Yet he still sent Potter back every year!" Without realizing, Severus began pacing the room. Remus looked at him for a moment; trying to comprehend what was just said.
"WHAT!" Remus stood up and started pacing the room as well, opposite of Severus. "How could he do that?"
"I had hoped you knew something…" Severus walked over to get them some brandy. "Here we need it."
"Thanks… what should we do?" Remus looked over at Severus. "Is there even anything we can do?"
"No, I don't believe there is." At that moment, the door to the bathroom opened and Harry came out with only a towel wrapped around his waist, hair dripping down his chest.
"Oh, hey Remus, I thought I heard you. What are you doing here?" Harry walked over and hugged his dad. "Shouldn't you be home with Tonks?" Harry smiled when Remus blushed.
"Yes, but someone called me; nearly giving me a heart attack." Remus looked at Severus, who smirked.
"And I enjoyed it greatly." Severus could not stop himself from looking at the young man who only had a towel on.
"Yeah I'm sure you did, but stop it." Harry walked to his room with his dirty clothes then walked to the kitchen. "Thought you said you would make tea?" Harry said with a laugh.
"I meant to, but forgot it. Will you please dry off and put some clothes on… your dripping all over my carpet."
"Oh…sorry." Harry went to his room and after a moment, he remerged, dressed this time. "Have you had something to eat yet?" Harry walked into the kitchen while asking.
"No, I meant to call for a house elf." Severus looked out to the kitchen. "Why?"
"What would you ask for?" Harry stuck his head through the door.
"Just something to eat, may I get an answer as to why you're asking?"
"Oh nothing but don't call for one, I will make it." Harry went back into the kitchen. From the living room, he could be heard rummaging through the cabinets.
"Don't you dare! I've seen you in my classes and I like my kitchen very much!" Severus looked at Remus, who had a smile on his face. "What are you smiling at Wolf?"
"Oh do shut up Severus, making dinner has absolutely nothing to do with making potions. Beside all that was Malfoy's doing not mine. Now stay out of the kitchen or I'll make you. Remus, do you want some?" Harry called from the kitchen.
"That would be lovely Harry, but don't overdo yourself this time, last time I could barely move." Severus looked at the werewolf in surprise.
"What do you mean? He can cook?" He looked back at the kitchen.
"He not only can cook, but he's a master. Come to think of it he never told me where he learned it."
The two men looked at the other with the same thought in mind. 'The Dursleys.'
BREAK
As they sat down by the dinner table they were looking at Harry; who looked like he's façade could break anytime. Before they could ask anything though Harry looked up and looking all fine.
"So Remus, how is it going?" Harry looked at him and smiled.
"Fine Harry, I'm just beginning at my new job tomorrow, and before you ask, I wanted to see you in person when I told you." Remus smiled and soon had a very happy Harry in his arms.
"You evil bastard, I have been so worried all summer! And then you say it as if it had no special meaning at all! "Harry looked ready to burst but then he smiled. "I hope you all well in the future." he all but ran into the arms of his dad again.
"Sorry cub I just thought it would be more special if I told you in person instead by owl, don't you think?" Remus looked down at his cub and saw a big grin.
"Yes it makes sense, I hadn't thought of that. Sorry?" Harry looked up at his dad with a mischievous grin.
"Always Cub, now I must be of… Tonks can deliverer any moment now." Remus shook hands with Severus and hugged his son.
"Bye Remus, come back soon." Harry went back to the table where he started to take out the food and clean up.
"Whoever said I want that Wolf inside my home?" Severus looked at his soon to be husband, and suddenly got nervous about the sleeping plans. "Harry, I have a little problem and would like to know what you say to sleeping in the same bed as me? You see, it's your choice I could always put a bed in your rooms ..."
"To say the truth, I would rather sleep beside you than alone. We are to get married so I don't see the problem in sleeping in the same bed ... But if you mean it is unwise then we won't." Harry started to wash up, his back to Severus who thought he were rather harsh in his washing.
"Then I better enlarges the bed… I heard a little bird sing, that you like to toss in bed…" Severus couldn't decide if it was fear or relief in the boy's face when he glanced over his shoulder. "Harry? You okay?"
"Yeah, but I need to tell you why I toss and turn in bed… it's my dreams… Tom sends me horrible vision all my life, think it's because I kept him up, he told me that last time we fought…" Harry washed his hands and sat down by the table, head down.
"What do you mean?" Severus sat beside him and looked at him, silently telling him to continue.
"He told me that when I slept or he did the link we shared activate… when he was awake I got vision, when I slept he got vision. I don't know how but I send happy visions from my life here, he send death and despair. So I didn't sleep much and neither did he."
"What about…"
"Tried… didn't work… Hermione made me go to Poppy after 3 days without sleep, she gave me a dreamless one." Severus didn't know what to say; after all it wasn't every day that a strong dreamless portion didn't work.
"Would it be okay if I go to my room? I have cleaned after dinner." Harry asked, looking up from his lap.
"Of course, don't ask about that, and I could have cleaned up." Severus thought it would take some time before Harry could forget how he had lived at the Dursleys.
"Thanks." Harry went to his room, and sat down in the sofa with a book about new powers, he had bought it when he bought his new school books the day before he took off to Ron, his Aunt had an errant in the town and said he could come with her, as long as he were ready two hours later.
Severus sat in his chair and thought about the day, nothing had gone as he had thought it would. Pott-Harry was calm and civil; he had said he would rather sleep in bed with him than alone, He struggled with himself as he didn't wanted to put too much meaning into the words … but he couldn't help feeling warm around his otherwise cold heart.
Around nine Harry came out from his room, he went to the kitchen and took some water and went in to the room where Severus sat in his chair, sleeping. Harry smiled at the sight; the most feared teacher, sleeping in his arm chair, curled a little over the side. Harry gave him a blanket and looked around the room.
There was a bookcase with a lot of books. A fireplace where the fire was dying, he saw no photos at all, but when he thought about it, it just didn't fit Severus personality at all. He saw a painting of Salazar and went over to him with a smirk in his face.
/good evening, founder of Hogwartsss/ Harry hissed while looking close at the man's reaction to him speaking to him in parsltougue.
/Who are you? And when did you get here little sssnake/ the man smirked at him, clearly knowing who he was.
/Harry, I got here earlier and I'm going to ssstay/ Harry sat down on the floor, ignoring the chair beside him.
Salazar looked at the boy again /isss there anything in particular you wanted? / Harry looked over at Severus and back at the man.
/yeah, you sssee I'm forced to marry Ssseverusss, by the Headmassster/ Harry looked down at his hands.
/go on childe, I'll help if I can/ Harry looked up at the man with sparkle in his eyes
/well you sssee I have an sssecrete that I can't tell anyone unlessss they take an unbreakable vow, and I know that asss sssoon asss Ssseverusss thinksss I'm hiding sssomething, he'll try to read my mind. And I don't know what to do/
/ I sssee…and your asssking for advissse? / Salazar looked at the boy.
/Yesss pleassse/ Severus had woke up as soon as the hissing noise had started, he pretended to sleep as he wanted to hear the hissing noise there came out of the boys mouth, as if Harry had talked it his whole life.
/well… you could asssk if he would take the vow…or work on your mental ssshieldsss/ Salazar knew Severus was awake but didn't say so to the boy.
/Ssseverusss isss a man who sssay yesss to anything he doesn't know what isss exactly/ Harry removed his calm mask and Salazar could see that the boy was on the edge to cry from frustration.
/I know what you mean, hmm…I think he'll trussstsss you, he might be willing to/ Salazar knew that Severus loved the boy, but it was not his place to tell something like that.
/I don't know what to do, I lossst my bessst friendsss, my freedom, my life and ssstill they expected me to kill Tom…sigh…and I don't know what I feel for Ssseverusss/ Harry couldn't hold back the tears anymore and slowly they ran down his cheek, He tried to brushed them away but still they came.
/thisss Tom wasss the Dark Lord, am I right? /
/yesss, people don't like me sssaying hisss name, ssso I sssay hisss real name inssstead/
/I thought ssso…now dry your eyesss and go to bed, let me think till tomorrow and I may come up with a way, could you tell me of your powersss sssome day, I'm willing to take the vow/
/of courssse Founder, but a day Ssseverusss isss away/
/of courssse childe, now I think sssomeone isss awake/ Harry looked at Severus so fast that you could hear his neck complaining.
"Hey you're awake."
"Have been for a while now, but you two nearly lulled me back to sleep." Severus smirked when Harry's cheek got red.
"Sorry…bedtime?" Harry stood up from the floor and went over to fold the blanked and put it back in its place. But when he was about to take the blanket from Severus body, Severus took his hand and looked him in the eyes or rather tried to, there still was a little red.
"Harry is there something wrong? I saw you cry before." Harry shook his head but his eyes said something else.
"No, well yes but not something I can talk to you about…sorry." Harry took the blanket and folded it perfectly and put it on the back of the couch. Severus tried not to show his hurt but knew that Salazar saw it.
"Harry you can talk to me about everything, I want to help you."
"You can't help… not this time…" Harry looked over at Salazar.
/tell him childe, he'sss your sssoon to be hussband, he needsss to know/
"Severus…I… can we do this tomorrow? I'm tired." Harry looked back at Severus.
"Of course Harry, we need our sleep, tomorrow is going to be a trying day, and we'll see if I can keep myself from strangling the Headmaster." Severus smirked at his joke. Harry was trying not to bend over and laughs his head off.
"You said a joke! The world must be ending!" Harry looked at Severus who himself was laughing softly.
"Nope, it must be your imaginations, I don't tell jokes. And don't you dare tell anyone." Severus went to the bedroom with a laughing Harry on his heels.
"Don't worry; nobody would believe me even if I told them …." Harry went on the opposite side of the bed, the side he thought was he's as the bed table were empty.
"The Headmaster would." Severus went into his closet to put pajamas pants on. When he came out, Harry was already in bed.
"The Headmaster will believe almost anything you tell him." Harry couldn't take his eyes away from the beautiful body in front of him. Severus had a pale body but not deathly pale. There was muscle in arm and legs, He had long slender hands, flat abs and hairless. 'All those years, hiding under his robes' Severus knew Harry was looking at him; and was practical drooling from what he saw. Severus went under the blankets, intending in reading a little, KEY words 'intending'. After 5 min. where Harry had looked at him none stop, Severus looked at the boy.
"Yes?"
"Nothing… just like to look at you reading." Harry looked up from his pillow.
"And why is that? I can't be 'that' interesting?" Severus looked down at Harry, who was lying down.
"Yes, don't know why. Sleep tight Sev." Harry closed his eyes.
"Night … Harry."
