Chapter 7: Avoidance Creates Questions-Sometimes you going to have to Answer.

The next day appeared to start in the same vein as the previous for Severus. When the brat who lived to annoy him did not show for breakfast once more. The boy could not last with the lack of nutrition that he was currently intaking. Potter was already the smallest in his year, his height rivalling that of a first year. He felt his anger flare, how dare the brat disobey him, did Prince Potter not realise that Severus was only trying to help him. He had the brat for potions last period today, today he would get his answers and the boy would heed him.

He found himself discreetly watching the boy after his first lesson (History of Magic, Severus himself having the morning periods free), the class walked out in looking half asleep but after two hours with Professor Binns any student would be. The boy though looked utterly exhausted. Bags were present under his once brilliant eyes which once again. His eyes themselves had taken a haunted look.

He watched from the shadows as Potter took a hidden study nook in the library, once more forgoing a meal. He saw as the boy took out his potions text (a rather shocking shock to Severus) and became engrossed in the material. His tongue stuck out ever so slightly as Lily's had done when she was reading a difficult passage. Occasionally Harry paused to survey the surrounding area, listening to see if anyone was encroaching his territory. His head tilting with his brow furrowed, in a way that reminded the dour Potions Master fondly of the boys mother when she was listening intently. Severus felt his heart ache at the sight, how had he never noticed those small traits before?

The still taken aback man stood at a distance as Harry walked to his charms lesson. He watched as the boy was confronted by his friends, as he brushed them off angrily. The Longbottom boy seemed to try and placate him also earning Potter ere. The boy was isolating himself, and Severus was unsure on how detrimental this would be on the small Gryffindor.

As the third year lions and snakes made their way into his classroom, Severus noted that the golden boy did not walk in with the remainder of the golden trio. Apparently the rift caused by last weeks lesson had not been breached. Nor did the boy sit with the rest of his house, surprisingly electing to sit with Draco. If the boy thought his new sitting arrangement would prevent him from getting the detention his teacher was planning, then he was wrong.

As this was a theory lesson rather than a practical Severus had decided to give a little pop quiz. He could easily accuse Potter of cheating of Draco, the perfect excuse to give the boy detention, meaning he could finally seek the answers from the boy.

The groans from the majority of the class made the Potions Master glare at his students, abruptly cutting off their protests. Did they forget who their teacher was? With a wave of his wand the questions on the previous weeks lesson appeared on the board. "You have thirty minutes. When you finish place your test on my desk and then read the chapter on the confundus solution" he informed them. When no one moved he barked out "BEGIN!"

To his continued surprise Potter looked unfazed by the impromptu test. A slight smile of the brats mouth, had him appear almost confident on his results. Normally Severus would accuse the boy of arrogance, but with his doubt over the boy he believed the boy was truly sure he knew the material. This constant upheaval of his prior beliefs on the boy were making his head hurt.

Throughout the lesson he kept his eyes on Potter, his body turned away from the Malfoy heir, quill scribbling non stop. The boy looked focused and determined, Severus could not remember seeing such a look so sure on the child's' face off the Quidditch pitch before. It was not so surprising when the boy finished before the rest of his peers. A satisfied glint in his emerald eyes as he placed his test on Severus' desk. Soon after Malfoy and Granger finished. At the thirty minute mark he collected the remaining tests of those who had not finished. Unsurprised that Crabbe and Goyle had not gotten past their names.

He instructed them to read in silence as he graded, covertly watching them through his long hair. The usual Gryffindor airheads tried to discreetly pass there notes, his snakes at least succeeding in not being obvious with theirs. He did not miss the looks of concern and wariness that Weasley and Granger shot at Potter as they tried to gainer his attention to pass a note to him. Longbottom kept glancing between the trio and their teacher with a look of apprehension, obvious fear if the pairs actions was discovered. The boy in question though was wilfully ignoring their attempts at gaining his attention. The boy was apparently determined not to be on the receiving end of any negative attention from his teacher. Severus was almost reluctant to go through with his plan. But as the hour was almost up, he knew he must act if he was unravel the puzzle that has Harry Potter.

"Well, well what do we have here," He spoke, his voice smooth as silk, but to his students of the last three years they could hear the deadly under tone. The entire class froze as they stared at their teacher, fear evident on all their faces. "Not only is the boy who lived a cheat but he feels he is above the rules of my class and is passing notes." He watched carefully as the colour on Potter rose to the tip of his ears as he glared at his professor. "Just because Draco has allowed you to sit next to him, did you think that you could copy his work and I would not notice." He waved Harrys essay in front of the class. To his amazement the boy had achieved a higher mark than both Draco and Granger.

Draco himself seemed taken aback about the accusation, he had seen Potter diligently working, not once did the boy look up from his paper till he had completed it. Smartly his godson kept his mouth shut, not that he would have defended his rival anyway. The Malfoy heir gave a questioning look to his godfather, but received no look of acknowledgment.

"20 POINTS! For your underhandedness, your father would be so proud." He let his words drip like venom. Lily's eye glared up at him, unshed tears of anger and frustration just beneath the surface. He felt guilt for putting such a look in those green depths, as he did each time. But the horrid spectacles shielding him let him quickly move past such an emotion. Back to the loathing he had to project to the world.

"But sir." The know it all friend spoke. "Harry was…"

"Do not try to cover up for Potter, Granger!" he quickly cut her off. "Last time I checked I am the teacher here, not an insufferable know it all" He watched as Potter bristled as he berated his friend. Weasley much quicker to anger, already red in the face went to defend the girl, but the Potions Master cut him down to size too.

"LEAVE THEM ALONE!" Potter yelled. His chair toppling back as he stood to face his professor.

"Detention Potter and another 10 points a piece for each of your indolent friends." He bit out. He hoped that the information he sought was worth the berating he would get from Minerva for the unjust docking of points.

The bell to end class tolled from above, but not a student moved. "Get out all of you," the sea of crimson and green hurried to comply. "Save you Potter, you remain." He shot the boy a look demanding he stay rooted to the spot he stood. From the corner of his eye he saw Potter friends shooting the boy sympathetic looks, the Weasley glaring at him in unadulterated loathing. "I said OUT" the final bellow sent them scampering on their way.

He strode to the door, slamming it shut. He set privacy wards over the door and a charm to alert him if anyone lingered outside. Turning back to the front of the class he watched as Potter tried to reign in his anger. The small frame slightly trembling with suppressed rage.

"Sit Potter," he spoke calmly, causing the boy to jump at the unexpected tone, but the boy did not sit. He stormed to stand in front of Potter. "I SAID SIT BOY!" He barked out, he watched the fear in the evergreen eyes as he startled into compliance. He did not miss the flinch from the boy.

"You have not kept up with your end of the deal Potter," He spoke calmly once more. Confusion danced in the boys eyes as he obviously racked his feeble mind to recall what his teacher spoke of. Realisation dawned in the emerald depths.

"I've been eating in the kitchen sir," Harry quickly lied. Severus would have been proud of the quick thinking if Potter wasn't such a bad liar.

"Really Potter?" He cocked his eye brow at the boy, feeling some amusement at the look of apprehension on the boys face. The boy knew his lie would not hold. "Tell me, how does one enter the kitchens." At the blank look on Potters face he continued. "No? Perhaps even the location of the kitchens?" colour began to rise to the boys ears. "Lets try this again Potter, have you been eating? For I know you haven't been in the hall to eat." Sarcasm dripped from his smooth voice. "Perhaps I should renege on my end of the deal and go to Madam Pomfrey and your Head of House? I am sure they would be more sympathetic to your delicate nature."

The boy looked ready to bolt, his eyes glancing at the two doors to the room. Both warded shut, barring his escape.

"Please sir, don't I'll do anything, I'll do whatever you want." The boy begged. Severus felt his eyebrow quirk.

"You lie Potter, you have already broken your word, What makes you think I'd be fool to believe you twice."

"I won't sir, please I swear it to you. On whatever you want, my magic even. I swear to do whatever you ask of me if you just; please don't tell them." As the boy spoke a slight glow appeared around him. Shining momentarily before dissipating. "What wha..."

"You idiot boy!" Severus hissed. His anger and voice raising for real. "Have you learnt NOTHING you never swear anything on your magic you are not certain to keep." His black eyes bore into Potters' green. The fear of what he had done shinning brightly. He let out a sigh. "Fine" he snapped. He mutter under his breath about stupid Gryffindors and having to save their necks.

"From you Mr. Potter I require the truth on some matters." It was not how he had envisioned finding his answers, but he was not one to look a gift horse in the mouth. "You will answer my questions till I am satisfied." He pierced the boy with his most fearsome glare. "Only then will I keep my end of this deal. In return for answers to my questions I do solemnly swear not to go to Madam Pomfrey or Professor McGonagall about what I discovered beneath your glamour. This I do to swear. So mote it be." With those words a similar glow engulfed the Potions Master sending a tingle down his spine.

"…Sir what just…" Potter tried to stammer out.

"You have just made your first Wizards' pact Potter, you our now bound to my demands. Failure to do so will result in worse than Madam Pomfrey or Professor McGonagall finding out your secret." He paused as he watched Potters mouth fall open in consternation. "In short failure to comply with my terms and you will be stripped of your magic." Absolute terror radiated from the boy, if it wasn't for the answers he sought, and that it might teach the idiot to think before he speaks, Severus might have felt sorry for him.

"How do I know you won't go against your word, sir" The boy bit out

"To begin," He spoke gently "How did you truly acquire those scars I saw? Remember that you have to answer truthfully and to my satisfaction!" He reminded the boy who looked as though he was trying to circumnavigate the question.

The child let out a sigh, knowing he could not avoid the question, nor avoid it. "Some of what I told you the other night sir," The child's green globes looking everywhere but at his teacher. "But, mostly from my Uncle sir." Harrys' breathing seemed to quicken with the simple admission. "I've gotten the majority from his punishments." The child hung his head in shame.

Severus felt the unease in his chest as he watched Harry. He did not like the answer. Why would Lily's' parents allow this? He needed more answers. "Why would your Grandparents allow your Uncle to punish you, when you are in their care? And in such a way to leave scars?"

The boy looked bewildered at him. "I don't live with my Grandparents sir," Unease apparent in the young child's voice. "I haven't even met them, they died before I was born. Aunt Petunia says they died of shame of my mother."(*) His eyes danced with tears that would not fall.

The admission and the sight of Pot… No Harry had Severus' temper flare once more, sending a tremor through the classroom. The meddling old bastard of a coot had, had him believe that Pot… Harry had been under the loving care of his maternal grandparents for twelve years. And all this time he had been under the spiteful reign of Petunia! Severus knew how much Lily would have detested her child to grow up in that woman's care. Petunia had been vindictive in her resentment of Lily and all things magical. He feared to see the damage done to the child in front of him living with such a spiteful cow. He reigned in his anger, noticing a glass beaker tumble from its shelf, shattering on the floor. He needed all the facts before jumping to what was clearly the answer.

"How were you punished? Specifically what was used and for what infractions?" He sent up a silent prayer that perhaps the marks had been justified. Even if they weren't he knew nothing justified that type of abuse. He would know.

"He uh, well when I ah," The boy truly began to tremble now. The magic of the pact would compel him to answer the questions, there was no avoiding them, or twisting them. "Sometimes ahh!" Harry's breaths were laboured and hoarse. Harrys' face flushed with colour. "I can't sir, isn't there another way?" The child's' face pinched together in pain as he twisted in what appeared to be agony.

"There is a way, but it is intrusive," Severus took sympathy on his best friends child. He hated seeing those evergreen eyes in distress. "I will require me to enter your mind, you must not resist Harry" His voice trembling with unnamed emotion as he watched the boy wretched in pain. The child stained to nod. "Legilimens!"

...

Images flew past Severus as his mind touched the child before his. The pressure of the raging emotions pushed in on the Potions Masters conscious. He was growing disorientated as fragments of swirled around him. There was nothing but chaos as Harry's mind tried to adjust to the foreign presence. Severus tried to latch onto one of the child's memories. Finally succeeding he was pulled into it rather forcibly. The accomplished Legilimens feared what this brutal force would do to the already fragile boy.

He watched as a smaller version of Po..Harry stood over a hot stove as he cooked breakfast. The child in front of him looked to be barely five. His tiny frame barely reaching the top of the cooker. If it was not for the rickety step he stood on Severus doubted his arms would reach the frying pan. Harry stood trembling as he tried to turn the bacon in front of him. He noted the finger shaped bruises on the boys neck of the deepest purple. For how long had this abuse been going on? The entire memory was tainted with the taste of fear and nervousness.

A timer buzzed from behind memory Harry, sending the child scurrying to over the oven to pull out fresh bread. Severus looked around the perfectly organised kitchen. Every aspect of the room was meticulously clean, eerily so. If it wasn't for the tell tale signs of inhabitant the house could almost be seen as one of those muggle display houses. The Potions Master watched as the child worked to prepare, what could be seen as a feast. Kippers, eggs, toast and beans lined the table. A pot of coffee and tea placed in front of two places set on the table, juice at the third setting. Napkins carefully folded on each plate. He briefly wondered if this was a special occasion that the boy was simply trying to surprise his relations.

But the nervous glances the boy kept shooting at the clock told him differently. A thundering of footsteps and the entrance of a familiar boney figure and a whale of a boy, showed a new fresher sense of fear from Harry.

"Hurry up boy," The familiar shrill sounds of Petunia cut through the air, sending the child scurrying to complete the meal. Harry mumbled a response just as a walrus sized man entered, he sent Harry a glare that started a fresh tremble in the boys movements. Just then the smell of burning assaulted the noses of the occupants of the room.

The severely obese child looked gleeful, piggy eyes darting between the adults in the room and Harry. Petunia's already sour face perched her lips further, She moved over to what Severus guessed was her child, ushering him from the room. The boy protested as his mother half dragged him from the room. "But I want to see the freak being punished!" the boy whinged.

Severus turned to see Harry cowered in a corners arms raised in a protective gesture. The walrus sized man stood in front of his turning an ugly shade of puce. His beefy hands flexing the sausage sized fingers. "You dare burn our food boy." The tone was low, but the anger was clear. "You dare waste our precious food! Don't we waste enough money on you!" The man waddled to the cowering child. His thick fingers locking into the thick black hair of Harry, in one motion the man had yanked the child up by the roots of his hair.

Severus felt himself want to intervene at the sight before him, there was nothing he could do, this was nothing but a memory. He felt his heart tear as the monster before him pressed the boys face a top the burning pan. The smell of burning flesh assaulted him as the boy cried out. A silent force pushed against the Potions Master, sending him tumbling into the tornado of other memories of the poor child.

Images of similar occurrences flashed by before zooming off into a dark crevice in the corner of Harry's mind. The images swirled around faster now. The boy was fighting his presence. But Severus could not leave now, he needed the truth. Flashes of a belt and boot swinging down on a small back. The pain of a beating, the pain of hunger. Shadows all around. Loneliness and desperation, the emotions of the child were overwhelming. So much hurt, mistrust and agony. Years of torture at the hands of those who were meant to care for him. Day after day of no one caring, no one helping him. Lies from everyone who said they would help. How did the child manage to get by day after day still standing, still able to love and care?

The former Death Eater had seen his share of torture and abuse over the years, but the sight of his best friends son being treated in such a manner had his stomach revolting. He wanted to leave but he needed to see more. It felt needed, a sense of penance for not seeing the signs.

One last memory he promised to Harry's turmoiled mind, just one more. He searched for one more, this summer past. The cause of the glamours, he needed to see. He would have to go to Dumbledore. The child was not safe in that house. Harrys mind grew agitated at where Severus thoughts had gone. He could hear the boy shouting "No, no more its private. You promised not to say anything! Stay out!" The movement of the memories picked up speed, hurtling past him. If he had been a solid form he was sure the would have done damage.

"Harry, child you need to calm you mind," he spoke to the child, his tone soft and reassuring. "Why are you so afraid?" The boys mind did the opposite of what he asked. Severus felt assaulted on all sides by an invisible force. He stumbled back into a dark shadow of a memory.

Severus stood in a blacked room, even in the darkness he could just make out the destruction in the room, from the pale moonlight seeping in from the destroyed roof. The splinters of what used to be a door scattered all around. The pale blue paint of the room charred from the magical explosion that had only recently occurred. He could hear the panicked screams of a small child from the broken crib. He had been here before, he watched as a familiar figure draped in black entered baby Harrys nursery. Collapsing in anguish over the lifeless body before it. The figures animalistic cries as it clung the corpse of Lily Evans for dear life.

The frantic cries of the child inaudible over the wails of the figure before him, small arms reaching out through the crib, begging to be noticed, begging for his mother. Confusion, pain, desperation. The room was filled with the emotions. Severus felt the crackle of wild magic in the air threatening to collapse the remainder of the roof above them.

Finally the figure took notice of the child, the dark eyes locking onto the bright green. The same shape and colour of his mothers. The figure swooped to pick up the baby, to calm the wild magic seeping from his tiny form, before it overwhelmed the baby boy. The figure still cast in shadows rocked the boy and humbled an old melody softly in his ears. After a time the child calmed and the room faded to a peaceful void filled with a soothing musky scent.

Panic ensued as a roar of an engine could be heard outside the crumbling house. The dark figure placed the child down and disappeared. The warm cocoon that the child had felt shattered sending him into a frenzied state of panic and fear. He was alone.

The image shifted to Harry sitting alone on the edge of the Astronomy tower, the child looked the same as he did today. The spy realised that it was the previous evening. A look of complete anguish and lose on the child's face. There was no one else in the memory, just Harry looking over the edge of the tower at the ground so far away. Severus felt his heart lurch as he gazed into the almost empty green depths. There was no spark in the emerald, just a haunted look of longing for the pain to stop.

Severus felt the emotions of the years that followed mix into this one. The force of the loneliness and abandonment forcing him out of the boys mind. "I SAID GET OUT!" the child's mind screamed at him. As he spiralled out of Harrys mind he watched as memories flew into the dark crevice a small door slamming as the last one entered.

...

Severus Snape, ex Death Eater, spy for the light and youngest Potions Mater of the last century stumbled back at the force he was ejected from the boys mind. His mind reeling from the images he had seen. The last image on the tower.

His eyes sought out Potter who was slumped on the stone floor, his breathing was ragged and coming in short bursts. The child's eyes purposefully avoiding his, obviously afraid of another intrusion.

"Har…" The Potions Master tried to speak. His voice laced with the unnamed emotions he felt.

"Don't!" Harry cut him off, "You had no right. It was private, all of it. Just leave me alone, all right. You can go have a laugh with your snakes over it all, just let me go." The boy did not sound angry, no his voice was filled with unshed emotion he almost sounded defeated.

"Harry, look at me," He kept his voice calm, a silent plea in its depths. "I am not going to be informing my house about what I saw, I give you my word. But we need to talk about what I have seen." He moved to crouch infant of the child. His long finger unconsciously moving to touch the small child's face, tilting Harry's chin so the boy was looking at him. "I will do whatever I can to intervene and change your circumstances while you are living there, if necessary, remove you from their care Harry. They won't hurt you again."

The emotions the boy felt became clear in his evergreen depths, fear, uncertainty but most prominently; longing to believe. A strangled cry came from the back of the boys throat, the boys began to heave as silent tears wracked the boys frame. Severus felt his arms encircle the child. He was not an emotional man, he did not give physical comfort to people. Not even his abused snakes were given more than a pat on the hand or shoulder. But for Lily's child, so hurt and starved for love it felt right.

He did not know how much time had passed before the silent tears of Harry stilled, as the boy gave into exhaustion. He sat there with his arms full of the broken child. Vowing to make things right. He needed to talk to Dumbledore, the old coot had some explain to do. His alarms that there was someone out side the classroom went off.

A wry smile came across his face, the person on the other side should defiantly be there for that conversation.

AUTHORS NOTE:

Yay second part of this chapter done. It ended up much more Severus centred than planned. But what can you do? ;P More Harry next chapter, also maybe confronting of Dumbledore! Also any guesses of who is out side the door!

(*) I know in the first book Petunia says that the Evans' were proud of having a witch for a daughter, and that Harry heard that. But Petunia has been lying to Harry his entire life; some lies Harry ends up believing because his self worth is for naught when it comes to that family.

So we saw more of the memory of the events after Voldemort's' demise on the night the Potters died. Harry still isn't aware that it was Severus, his baby mind never saw his face. All he remembers is the dark eyes and the smell. Will he figure it out or will Snape tell him? I was in two minds about putting this memory in. I decided that the bulk would just be flashes and emotions tumbling around, using only a few examples. Later I will go through different memories as Harry gets help.

The Wizards Pact is entirely my idea, it is a variation on a Wizards Oath. Harry is the one that promised to do whatever Severus asks, or he will feel incredible pain until he does. Snape exaggerated to Harry about losing his magic. Severus is not bound by it. Meaning he can break it. But if you note the wording he only promised to not reveal what he saw under Harry's glamours. Nothing about what he discovered.

So I hope I covered the key points in this note, any questions or comments either PM me or put it in the reviews.

Thank you for all the review and follows and favourites. It is such an amazing feeling each time I get a notification to inform me.

As always Harry Potter does not belong to me, I just twist his world.

Next chapter 8: Cats, Codgers and Talks.