Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter

Right here it is, the next chapter. Sorry for the wait but you know me by now. Never seem to get round to writing despite saying I will. Again sorry for the wait and despite that please review.

To be honest there isn't much in this chapter, but seeing as it took me almost 5000 words to do two bullet points on my plan and the chapter was meant to contain eight I decided to cut it off here.

Many thanks to my beta who gracefully puts up with me and is a huge help.

Don't know when ill get around to writing the next chapter so please be patient. Other than that please,

Enjoy.

Chapter 13

First thing the next morning while the sun was still struggling to break through the early morning fog as it climbs over the horizon, Professor Snape was awake and sweeping his way through the halls and up the many winding staircases to the owlery.

Most teachers had a personal owl but Snape had never been one to have close friends or much need for correspondence and had found that any needs he may have for the messenger birds could be fulfilled by the school owls.

Bringing a quill and small bottle of ink out from one of the many pockets in his billowing robe, the onyx eyed man quickly but neatly penned a short, to-the-point message on thick creamy parchment before tying it to the nearest alert looking bird.

"Deliver this to Harry Potter" he commanded. The owl looked at him drowsily and Snape briefly wondered if a younger more alert looking bird would be a better choice of carrier. He did not wish to have to enter the owlrey again, never having a liking for animals and definitely not fond of breathing the air thick with the smell of feathers, small animal carcasses and feed.

Not a second after the thought occurred to the potions professor, that the decision to find another bird was taken out of his hands. At the mentioning of his student's name, a snowy owl with magnificent white feathers speckled with black and sharp golden eyes had swopped upon the other duller looking bird and in a quick scuffle of scratching talons and biting beaks had acquired the letter, no worse for wear and was holding it securely in her beak.

Her head turned at a right angle to her shoulder to regard Snape with an unnerving stare. The potions master found himself in a match of wills with the bird, wondering at its behaviour before realising that even his most quelling glare would have no effect on the glowing golden eyes.

Finding himself angry at his loss, Snape broke the gaze and almost tried to strangle the bird when it tipped its head imperiously and chirped sharply in arrogant triumph. Not wanting to resort to animal cruelty though and reminding himself that the snowy owl was just a piece of dull poultry, he swept quickly back down the icy steps to the relative warmth of the inner castle. Assuming, that his letter would be delivered anyway.

Behind him, Hedwig perched securely on a window ledge and held onto her cargo securely. Her boy had been kind to her, giving her treats and stroking her just right that she was starting to regret not seeming to be of any service to him. Her boy was such a small little chick that he obviously needed some care. Now that she finally had a task she could do for him, despite it being given to her by the dour tall man, she would not fail.

So still as a statue, the snowy owl waited for the rays of the growing sun to break through the fog; a truly (true) start (to) the day. When it had, she flapped her wings once and glided effortlessly in silence into the light, ready to find her boy.

XXX

Harry shuffled quickly through the doors of the great hall during breakfast the very same day. Sitting nervously on the end of the Slytherin table as he always did, the green eyed boy glanced to the head table and ducked his head upon seeing his imposing head of house staring in his direction. The professor had said he could eat what he wished from now on if it meant he would not be sick but his professor still frowned at him when he only nibbled on toast.

Harry didn't know what was going on in his head of house's head. He had seen his scars but hadn't done anything to punish him for being an ungrateful freak like he knew the professor should. Now, he was telling him to eat what he wanted while before he had been forcing him to eat so much, even though normally he was told to eat nothing at all. Harry didn't know why the potions professor was being so kind to a freak like him but could only think that it was a cruel trick like Aunt Petunia sometimes liked to play. Telling him he could have a sweets and forcing him to take them before cruelly snatching them away before he could get the slightest taste of the sweet candy. All the green eyed boy could do was wait for the second shoe to drop and punishment to be bestowed upon him.

It was while hesitantly reaching for a second piece of toast under his head of house's watchful gaze that the post started to arrive. Harry hunched his shoulders and couldn't repress a flinch at all the owls flying around him. He still remembered all the large feathered raptors sweeping down on him and delivering the smoking howling red letters that almost deafened him and the other, more terrible hate messages. Strangely, Harry hadn't received any more of the letters since the first barrage. The small boy had no idea why but he was immensely relived to not have to read any more of those cruel words.

It was with great surprise then that Harry saw Hedwig, easy to distinguish amongst the other brown birds, swooping towards him silently. She landed in front of him and nudges him affectionately to take the letter that was grasped in her beak. Harry could feel some of the Slytherins glancing at him and Hedwig curiously. Harry hid himself behind his messy bangs while the snowy owl lifted herself haughtily and blinked at the rest of the table slowly once before helping herself to a dish full of bacon. Making sure to keep an eye on her boy.

Keeping his head bowed, Harry saw the spidery script of his head of house across the front of the folded parchment and felt his stomach drop. Fingers shaking, he opened the letter under the table and quickly read the short note, his shaking increasing as each word soaked in as terror welled up within him and lodged itself in his throat.

Mr. Potter, I will see you in my office this evening at six for a long overdue meeting. You shall be punctual and detention will be given if you dare not arrive.

Professor Snape.

Hedwig glanced towards her boy and hopped over to him. She could feel the fear coming of the boy in waves and knew it was because of the letter. She would have taken the note from the boy's hands had he not been holding it under the table. How dare the dark tall man send something that hurt her boy? The snowy owl briefly thought about flying over to where the dark man sat and ripping at him with her talons in retribution but decided her boy needed her more.

Preening the dark hair from his eyes, she chirped and nipped at his ears affectionately. A small skinny hand came up slowly to stroke her back and tickle her chin. A few moments later when Harry had managed to swallow the lump of anxiety and fear back down and calm his shaking, he stood slowly and left the hall. Not daring to look towards his head of house in case he shows any weakness.

He was sure now that the punishment he had been waiting for was coming and could only pray that his professor would show some mercy. Hedwig watched her boy leave and turned her head to glare at the man to give her the terrible note that hurt her boy. He was already standing and striding out of the hall by the side door so she had no time to punish him for harming her boy.

With one more imperious ruffle of her feathers, she took off once again on her silent wings. Heading back to the owlery and hoping her boy would be ok. Behind her, she left many curious Slytherins, a clean platter of bacon and an abandon half slice of toast.

XXX

Almost to spite him, the terror and anxiety over the dreaded meeting with his head of house that evening seemed to make the time fly by for the young Slytherin. To Harry, he barely blinked an eye after leaving the great hall that day at breakfast before he was standing outside the imposing wood and iron worth door. Belatedly, Harry noticed that a few of Salazar's smaller snakes were slipping in and out of the shadows along the stone by his feet, no doubt keeping an eye on him but they did little to stop his stomach from churning in fear.

The eleven year old just couldn't bring himself to knock on the door. He knew that professor said to be punctual and that by loitering he was only making his punishment worse but he was trembling far too much to lift his hand and he doubted any knock he gave in his current state would sound through the thick wood.

The professor had promised not to send him to the Dursleys. Even been kind to him and offered gentle words but Harry knew he could not trust the word of adults. To many betrayals, to many broken promises and false hopes for mercy squashed ruthlessly by his relatives until; he dare not hope at all.

As he was, Harry worried that the physical effort it would take to bring his hand to the door and knock would cause him to faint. Just the thought of his professor grading essays behind his desk in the office beyond was enough to have him near hyperventilating.

The thought of knocking need not have troubled the young boy though for only seconds after he had arrived at the imposing door was it swung open before him by Professor Snape. The scowl on his face and normal black bellowing robes doing nothing to calm the small boy's nerves and only served to make his frame seize up in fright. Snape gave him a long stare before motioning silently into the room, indicating the chair set facing the desk where Harry was meant to sit.

Harry wondered if the professor wanted him to bend over the chair and deliver the thrashing he was sure was coming. He didn't know what rules he had broken but he had gone so long without his usual punishments, he was sure that by now he may have broken half a dozen. There were just so many he didn't know!

Snape had heard the small 'ting!' that alerted him to someone approaching his office door a few seconds before the clock on the far wall struck six. When after several moments no knock came, the potions professor decided to just let Potter in himself.

Opening the door, Snape briefly considered giving the boy a lecture about being on time and the general use of knocking when he saw the boy almost paralyzed and decided against it. He watched the boy freeze, his shoulders hunched and hands clenched at his sides. A classic sign of a well ingrained flight or fight response.

Instead of lecturing him, he simply moved aside to allow the first year entrance and indicated the chair opposite his own on the other side of the desk. Snape had thought that Potter may prefer a more informal setting and it had occurred to him to invite him through to his personal quarters but his instinctive protectiveness of his privacy and unease with the situation had over ruled the urge.

If nothing else, Potter should be slightly reassured with the solid presence of the desk between them. Especially seeing as the boy was as petrified of him now as he was when he first entered Hogwarts halls, despite all his reassurances. He had told Poppy he wasn't the right man for this job. Better to have the boy talk to her or even Minarva, people who know how to offer comfort and would have no qualms coddling the boy rather that the snappish ways of his boarish head of house.

Sitting at his desk, Snape pretended to busy himself with the papers there. Fifth years essays that he had already liberally corrected and marked with red ink but the illusion of disinterest worked in allowing the young Slytherin to calm himself and shuffle across the room. From beneath his lashes, Snape watched the boy as he made his way across the room and this time really looked at him.

The first thing he noticed was his clothing. Hanging of the boy like drapes, far too big for his lanky frame and his robe in constant danger of tripping him. The muggle trainers poking out from underneath his feet were woefully too big and split in more that one place. Snape was surprised the boy could even walk in them without falling constantly on his face.

So the muggles did not provide him with adequate clothing as well as starving and beating the child as he found out earlier. The picture of abuse was getting darker and darker by the minute.

Secondly, he observed the boys posture. His entire stance screamed submission. No doubt he had had the urge to defend himself beaten out of him. He jumped at the slightest rustling of parchment and his shoulders were constantly hunched in an effort to hide his face and protect him from the blows his short life had reined upon him. Finally, he seemed to have constant tremors running through him, though he tried to hide it by clenching his fists in his over sized robes and every slight movement was hesitant, waiting for a blow to reign down upon him at any moment in reprimand for a perceived wrong.

Snape sneered as Potter finally acquired his seat and the potions master finished his observations for the time being in preparations for trying to talk to the boy. No doubt, Potter view everything as a perceived wrong. Such as being alive!

The meeting had only just started and already Severus' last illusions of Harry being James were shattered, bringing up worse memories of a too tall lanky haired youth who had shown all too similar signs at the time but coped in a much different way. He had been clinging, clawing at his denial, willing himself to hold onto it. To not acknowledge the truth in front of him. An insistent wish that everything was not as it seemed, but he could no longer fool his own conscious.

Harry was not and never would be James. Right now, he was an abused child to afraid to even breathe in the presence of adults and it was his duty to help him. Severus felt woefully inadequate.

People don't often see what they don't want to. Other times, the truth is forced upon them, whether they wish it or not.

XXX

Snape levelled his gaze at the boy across from him and Harry shrunk into himself further. It was obvious to even the most dim-witted observer that the boy held no trust for the potions master and was in fact terrified of the imposing man. Snape knew this and cursed himself for his own pettiness and stupidity. Tormenting the boy with sarcastic comments and harsh detention during the first few weeks of school had been fun when he could view the boy as James Potter's clone; doing so while viewing the boy as the abused eleven year old, he was left a heavy feeling of guilt in his stomach.

His own actions of punishing the boy for minor infractions must mean that the young Slytherin viewed him as little better than his guardians even without the physical abuse. Severus had no idea why Poppy thought he was the best person for the job of helping an emotionally scared child. He himself was damaged and had little patience. Overcoming his previous treatment and winning the boy's trust was going to be a test in patience if nothing else. Getting Harry to open up about the abuse he suffered wasn't even an issue at this point in time. Just looking at the bent head of messy hair, Snape knew that if he asked he would receive only denials as his answer.

Small, he reminded himself. He had to start small with Potter, inconsequential things to begin with then the abuse.

"Potter," the boy visibly started in his chair and his thin fingers grabbed the armrests in a white knuckled grip. "What would I get if I added powdered root of mandrake, crushed werewolf fangs and essence of nightshade and what procedures would I follow in the brewing?"

Finally, that messy head of hair rose to look at him and he made contact with the boy's eyes. The temptation just to use surface legilimens was a strong temptation. He could begin to feel himself slipping into the boy's mind even as he railed in his self control. No! The point of these chats was to gain the boy's trust. Violating that trust by illegally plundering the boy's mind was not the way to go about it. Even if the person in question would have no idea he had been violated in such away.

Pulling his mind once again into his own head with great effort, Snape waited with mounting impatience of the answer. Maybe the boy really didn't know.

"Errr, eerr y-you'd get t-the potion sedo volatilis u-used a-as a s-strong p-p-pain reliever or c-cure f-for petrifaction. U-ummmm, y-you w-would have to h-harvest the m-mandrake during the f-full moon s-so it could r-react with the werewolf c-claws and…and, um a-add p-poppy seeds w-while heating s-strongly to n-n-neutralise the p-poison of the n-nightshade…I t-think, s-sir."

Harry stumbled through his answer unsure as to how he should react and what the professor expected of him. Snape's gaze had not left his since he had asked the question and with a start, Harry realised he had been staring into the professor's eyes rudely for some time now. He immediately ducked his head once again upon this discovery, gripping the arms of his chair even tighter. Harry cursed himself for his own stupidity, sure that he had only made the punishment he was going to receive worse by his disrespect. He was vaguely surprised the professor hadn't walloped him one already. Uncle Vernon would have thrashed him at even thinking of looking him in the eye.

Snape nodded, though he realised a moment later that the boy would not see the gesture as he had once again returned to staring pointedly at his feet. Irritation coursed through him and the wish to snap at the boy for his disrespect rose within him. The potions master almost bit his tongue in an effort to stop the scathing reprimand he wished to bestow upon the Slytherin.

"That is correct Potter. Though, you failed to mention the time needed to heat the potion to burn off all impurities and the need to stir once every hour counter clockwise as needed." Snape was nit picking and he knew it but woe betided his eternal optimism to actually succeed in imparting some knowledge of his art into dunderhead brains. It did appear though that Granger's assessment that the boy was holding back in class was accurate. It wasn't the most pressing of issues to address but getting the boy to improve in his school work and encouraging his academic prowess conformed to his need to start things small.

If it also happened to be the only subject the potions master was comfortable talking about with Potter; that was just an added boon.

Panic raced through his small frame. Rushing through his blood and causing his stomach to flip as the cold hand of terror griped his heart. He had got something wrong! The professor said so! Now there was no doubt that his head of house knew just how stupid and how much of a freak he was. Oh, he was going to get such a walloping or maybe Snape would just break his promise and send him packing back to the Dursleys, never to even speak of magic again. Heavy sadness settled in him alongside his fear. Mortified, Harry could feel the prick of tears gathering in his eyes and squeezed them shut in an effort to stop the flow. Bending his head further away from the man in front of him.

"Overall, your answer was correct Potter" Snape rushed out, in a clumsy attempt to reassure the small Slytherin. He had seen the shoulders beginning to shake once again as they had done when the boy first entered the room and worried that if the conversation continued along the same vain as before, Potter would succumb to another panic attack. His nerves still hadn't recovered from the first one. He so wasn't cut out for this. He would prefer to go back to spying for the dark lord!

"Now, tell me Potter why it is you have no trouble answering a third year question in my office but have trouble answering a first year one in my classroom?" Snape raised one questioning eyebrow in a masterful movement born of practice but once again it was lost on Potter as he still refused to meet his gaze.

The question threw Harry, as did the admission of him being correct. Hadn't the professor just told him he got the question wrong? In his surprise, his shaking stopped and the panic receded, making him feel calmer but no less bemused.

"Ummmm, ummmm…" what could he say. He held back because his relatives beat him if he got scores better that Dudley. That he was a stupid freak and it was just a fluke others could do much better. Dudley wasn't here, so it was impossible for him to get better marks than him and it didn't seem as if Snape was concerned with other people at the moment. Feeling ignorant and small, all Harry could do was shake his head and shrug despondently.

Snape deplored shrugging, preferring people to give a more eloquent verbal answer to his questions but with difficulty, he let it slide this once. It was obvious the boy was thrown for a loop but he answered his question honestly…sort of, no need to take one step forward and two steps back by being sharp with Potter now.

"Well, seeing as you can not think of a reasonable answer for your actions, I am telling you that I expect a dramatic improvement in your lessons and quality of your essays and not only in my class but your others as well. I will not have you bringing down Slytherin house by pretending ignorance in your lessons. Is that understood?"

Surprise caused Harry to raise his head and release the arms of his chair. Instead, leaning forward to grip the edge of the desk in much the same way and peer up at Snape in a combination of shock, fear, hope and something close to awe. All of it made the dark man most uncomfortable, emotions were not his forte.

"Y-you mean you w-want me to…try?" Harry was completely in shock by the unimaginable concept. Enough so that he forgot all hesitation about meeting his head of house's eyes. The professor was telling him that he was meant to do well in his lessons. That he wasn't meant to pretend. It was so different from the Dursleys view of life,that he couldn't help but be excited.

Snape cleared his throat gruffly, trying to regain some of his equilibrium. Being stared at like that by such bright green eyes made it surprisingly hard to breathe for some reason.

"Not only do I expect you to try, I expect you to do your very best like all your other peers. You will not get in trouble for doing your best Potter," the boy blinked at him owlishly in surprise, thrown by the concept of no punishment, "but you will be punished, by detention with me," he hurried to clarify, "if you do not try your best. Do I make myself clear? I will not have you bring yourself…or Slytherin house, down." He added Slytherin house almost as an after thought, knowing the boy felt no unity to his house mates but thinking he would be more likely to accept his reasoning if he had an apparent reason for it other than the boy's own welfare.

That Harry could understand though it didn't diminish his wonder at the situation any less. Of course, the professor didn't want him making a fool of his house but that obviously meant that Snape though he could do well and not be a stain on Slytherin's reputation. His wonder was such that for several seconds, Harry did nothing but stare at his head of house.

Snape grew uncomfortable quickly under the bright green eyes and deciding that he had made enough progress for the day and that coming to terms himself with the boy's abuse was enough, stood from behind the desk.

The movement was enough to alert him to the fact he staring at his professor in the eye and he too stood. Though more out of sudden fright than anything else. This was it; what he had been expecting since Hedwig delivered Snape's note this morning. Not sure if he should wait for Snape's demand or bend over the chair in a position for a thrashing himself, Harry shifted his wait nervously. Vernon liked it if he showed eagerness but the professor seemed to do things differently. It was all very confusing for the small boy.

"It is getting late Potter and you still have homework to complete no doubt. I will see you again in potions and at all meals," Snape glared, just to make sure the brat wasn't thinking of skipping meals once again. He had been attending them regularly since his break down in the bathroom but he couldn't tell if the boy was contemplating starving himself again for some imagined infraction.

Again, Harry found himself staring at his professor in both surprise, wonderment and not a small amount of disbelief. That was it! Snape had just wanted to talk. Where was his punishment? And the shouting; Snape hadn't even raised his voice during the whole meeting! All they had discussed was school work and now the professor was telling him to leave.

With great hesitancy, Harry followed his head of house across the room to the door which Snape opened in front of him. This meant that to leave the office, Harry had to pass directly in front of the potions master and well within his reach. The boy stopped dead in his tracks at this realisation and waited for something to happen.

His heart once again squeezed by fear and throat tight on disappointment. Of course, he wouldn't be able to leave without punishment. Harry forced himself to continue towards the door.

Snape watched the boy with sharp eyes and saw his hesitation. He thought of moving and giving the boy room but decided not to. The boy would have to walk past him and it would help to cement his relationship and trust with the boy for him to do so without any punishment befalling him. It may only be a small thing but it would, hopefully, be the start in making the boy feel safe around him.

Harry pressed himself as far away from his head of house as he could while still being able to walk through the door. Head bowed, the young Slytherin almost tripped over his overly long robe in his hurry to pass through the entrance and be out of Snape's reach. Expecting to be pulled back by his robes any moment, Harry didn't dare breath. It was empty, for even the Slytherins did not seek professor Snape out for anything other than an emergency but Harry wasn't concerned with that.

Muscles tense. Ready for pain and reprimand, Harry stumbled in relief when all his head of house did was utter a clipped, "Good Evening Potter" and the sound of the door closing firmly behind him reached his ears.

Disbelief replaced terror rapidly and at the closing of the office. He really hadn't been punished! Snape had really only wanted to talk! About school stuff! He had been told, no commanded, to do his best. He knew he was still stupid but now he could do his best maybe the teachers would be able to see just how hard he was trying and not send him back. He was staying at Hogwarts!

In a daze, Harry stumbled his way down and out the corridor to the Slytherin common room. Still reeling from disbelief and with a growing feeling of wonder blossoming in his chest; causing a silly care free grin, the first he can remember ever wearing to slip onto his face.