Disclaimer: Don't own.

A/N: Short chapter. Sorry, but if it makes you feel any better, I have up until and through chapter 22 outlined, and there will be a LOT more after that. Here is where everything starts to change from the basic cannon line, though. Hope you'll enjoy it!

Thanks to: Helkardowengrey-shadow-horse, Arica, Princess of Rivendell, Cartergal131Dredaline FrostGoddessMoonLadyShadowface, Alexis8907, amanda burkeEzmereldaHecateDeMortCatti6661derland pixieSelene Malfoy LupinLady Lily3bandgeekforlifeuknowhoBeth5572momocoladyHeksieSerpent91SailorHecateMerry SparrowJuMiKuleggylover03, and ILoveFlitwick for the reviews. Sorry if I missed anyone.

Enjoy!

Chapter 13 - Abandon

"Headmaster Dumbledore, what may I do for you?" Fudge asked from behind his desk, sorting through papers.

"I wish to speak with you about recent events," Dumbledore said seriously.

"I believe we already have, Dumbledore, and I still won't believe you. You put way too much trust into that boy, and you allow that Death Eater to adopt him! You are corrupting the hero!"

"Severus is not a Death Eater, he was a spy for me . . ."

"Is he continuing 'spying', now that you say You Know You is back?"

"So you admit that he is back," Dumbledore stated.

"Of course not, because he isn't. How do you know that Potter didn't kill the kid himself? Just to win? He is an attention seeking brat."

"He is not. I see there is not talking with you, Cornelius, so I will be going. Good day," Dumbledore said, showing himself out of the office.

The Boy Who Lived, Insane

Minister Fudge has announced that Harry Potter, the Boy Who Lived, is mad, and says that Headmaster Dumbledore refuses to allow medical attention for the boy.

Severus stopped reading after that. It was pointless to read on, knowing that nothing in there would be the truth, and for once in his life, Severus opted for ignorance.

Earlier that morning, Severus was able to get all the details of Harry's vision. The way the vision itself happened greatly worried him. In the last one, Harry was just a bystander, watching without being seen, but this time, Harry was in the Dark Lord's head. If this continued to happen, it would be possible for the Dark Lord to realize what was happening and hurt Harry through the connection. If Harry is able to get into the Dark Lord's mind, the Dark Lord would be able to get into his.

Which meant that Severus had to teach Harry occlumency. It was a topic that Severus never thought he would have to teach, so he really had no idea how to teach it. I'll stop at a bookstore after meeting with Albus, Severus thought. Not wanting to bother with the rest of the Prophet, he threw it down.

"Harry!" he called from the outside of the boy's door.

"Yes?" he heard the muffled answer.

"I am going to speak with the headmaster and then to Hogsmede. I should be back by lunch, and if not, find go to the Great Hall. Make sure you eat something," Severus said. Harry's eating habits annoyed Severus with no doubt. If Severus wasn't there to remind him to eat, or if Severus would forget to tell the house elves to force Harry to the kitchen, he simply would forget to eat.

"Okay," Harry answered after a pause, and Severus figured he was doing something with Anzee. Earlier in the school year, Severus bought Harry a set of games in order for him to work on his logic, and it wasn't long before the boy set them to two players and did them with Anzee. Unfortunately, Anzee's logic was often better than Harry's, which surprised him. The snake was smart, Severus knew that, but he didn't realize he was that smart.

"How did you figure that out?" Harry asked Anzee, after he won another round, and Harry could have sworn he rolled his eyes.

"I started with the ones I knew were not correct, then I went on from there. Honestly, you call yourself a human."

"I am a human, Anzee."

"Really? Because I'm beginning to think you are a field mouse with how much logic you have."

"Hey!" Harry said, and Anzee let out a hiss that translated as a laugh.

"Now, you promised to tell me about this Voldemort," Anzee said, serious again. "How could the one who died be back again? He is the one who killed your parents, correct?"

"Yes," Harry answered, not wanting to talk about it, but knew that Anzee would not let up if he didn't. "And, he wasn't really dead, just kind of in a spirit form. He has a body now," he said with a small shiver. "And that I don't want to talk about."

"So, he still wants you dead?"

"Well, yeah. He . . . already tried to kill me several times before, you know that, and he tried this time . . ." Harry trailed off.

"Sorry, I'll stop asking questions," Anzee answered, sensing how uncomfortable Harry was, and Harry answered by shaking his head. "But dad is going to talk to the old man about your dream? Is it really that important?"

"He called it a vision, actually. And I think it really happened. I know my other one were real . . ."

"The one where that rat was talking to a weird looking Voldemort? I should have eaten him when I first saw him."

"Yeah. This one was different; I wasn't actually watching it. I was Voldemort? And if you ate him, there would be no proof to prove Sirius innocent."

"Sounds like a dream to me, but I guess dad would know, right?"

"Yeah." Ever since Harry started calling Severus 'Dad', Anzee did too. Dumbledore teased the potions master about it when Harry told them. Anzee never quite got the humor in it.

Severus did arrive back in time for lunch, just in time to see a flock of owls fly toward the dungeons. Oh, no. What's going on now? he wondered. As he followed the birds at a slow pace, he thought back on the discussion with Albus. The old man suggested that Harry take the final two weeks off from school, in order to concentrate on Occlumency. Severus didn't think the boy needed it, that he needed to stay with his friends at this time, but the old man insisted, and Severus finally gave in.

Severus made a mental note to contact the Jones and Lakes families for the kids to get together. The first summer Harry stayed at Prince Manor, the boy was over at one of their houses several times a week. Last summer they didn't get together so much because two of them helped their dad at some business, and the other one went to a summer school.

The Jones and Lakes families were all muggle, which Severus thought was good for Harry because they didn't know Harry for his fame. The few times Severus asked Harry what he did with his muggle friends, he usually answered "games" or "movies" or "skating".

When he got back to his rooms, Harry was sitting in front of a pile of letters, and a few howlers which were about to go off, staring blankly at the pile, one of the letters in his hand. Almost all at once, the howlers went off, none of them understandable in the noise. From all the noise coming from the few howlers, Severus was grateful none of them were understandable.

Finally, they all burst into flames, one at a time, and Severus went and sat down next to Harry.

"The headmaster suggested that you take the last two weeks off of school, Harry," Severus started, wondering what to say about the letters. "Are you alright?"

"The few I picked up say that I belong in St. Mungo's. Was . . . was there something in the Prophet today?" Harry asked, and Severus nodded.

"Yes, but is appeared to just be another of Skeeter's works. I didn't realize reactions would be this large. I will talk to the Headmaster to have your mail redirected and checked by the house elves."

"O-okay. Why does he want me to take off school? And were would I go?"

"Well, I still have to be here to teach, so I was thinking of contacting your muggle friends. Their school has ended already, I believe?"

"Yeah, it would have finished a week ago, but . . ."

"If not, you'll probably stay here, just not attend classes. I don't believe Albus thought this through when he suggested it. For what you will miss, we will work on during the summer. I planned on tutoring you some anyway . . ."

"What? But, it will be summer!"

"And O.W.L.'s are next school year, and you need to be ready. Which reminds me, I will be teaching you occlumency after I finish teaching here, so read these before then," Severus said, taking the few books out of a bag and handing them to his son.

"What's occlumency?"

"It's . . ." Severus started, trying to think of a way to describe it. "It's the art of protecting your mind. It should help keep your mind out of the Dark Lord's and his out of your's."

"Wait . . . he can get into mine?"

"He might be able to, which is why these lessons will be important. I will be back shortly, once again so I can tell the headmaster about the letters. Just . . . throw them out. I highly doubt there will be anything useful in any of them." Severus left, and Harry looked at the three books that his dad handed him.

"What is it?" Anzee asked.

"Dad wants me to learn how to protect my mind," Harry answered, opening the front cover of one of the books, Protect Your Mind. Original title, Harry thought.

"Well, that's a good thing, right? But I meant about all that noise. It woke me up."

"All you do is sleep, Anzee, so it doesn't really matter."

"Doesn't matter! Of course it matters! Can't be tired, you know."

"What can't you be tired for? You don't do anything!" Anzee let out a low, irritated hiss. "The noise was howlers people sent me. They are mad at me for some article Skeeter wrote. I'd like to know how she gets her information."

"We went over this already," Anzee said, slithering off, probably to go back to sleep.

"Oh, shut up," Harry said, then looked suddenly at the page of the book he just turned to. That picture . . . that creature. It looked familiar. Like . . . he knew it. Like he met it before.

The slantim is a dangerous creature. With it's half snake, half human appearance, it looks as evil as it is. The slantim is capable of mental attacks, and often uses the energy of the person it hooks on to for it's own purposes. It is capable of speech, to some degree, and can become invisible to whom it wishes, expect for the latched.

It often latches itself onto children, both magical and nonmagical, because of their unused energies, their innocence, and most adults would pass it off as an imaginary friend.

Imaginary friend . . . that's why he looks so familiar! Suddenly Harry because worried. Wanting to know how dangerous the creature could be, he read on.

When a slantim latches on to a person, they often stay with that person for the person's entire life. Often times, the creature will stay hidden when in the persons presence, unless it is a child. Unfortunately, it is nearly impossible to rid yourself of one of these creatures, especially if it has been feeding off of you for many years.

Being a latched of a slantim usually means a shorter life and lower magical capabilities.

Harry stopped reading. I have to tell dad! he thought, looking around to see if a slantim was visable. If that creature, the one Harry thought he made up to keep him company, was a slantim, it was probably still hanging around.

Severus walked into his rooms about half an hour later to Harry pacing the main room.

"What is wrong?" Harry stopped pacing when Severus spoke up. He didn't say anything, though, just picked up a book from the table and handed it to him. Severus skimmed the page and gave Harry a confused look.

"And what does this have to do with anything?"

"I've met him!"

"What?"

"When I was younger, at the Dursley's! I used to make up friends because no one ever wanted to play with me. I thought I made him up. He seemed so nice . . ."

"Perhaps you are mistaken," Severus suggested.

"I . . . don't think so. The picture looks exactly as I remember him."

"Have you seen this slantim recently?" Harry shook his head. "Well, I'll look into it, but we really can't do anything about it now," Severus said, feeling disturbed. Whatever it was, it couldn't be good.

"Okay," Harry reluctantly agreed. If Severus said there wasn't anything they could do immediately, Harry believed him.

"I spoke with the Jones, and they agreed you could stay there until I'm back at the manor. I told them one of your friends was recently killed, and that you don't wish to talk about it, but you are taking time off of school."

"Okay," Harry said again, ambivalent.

"What?"

"It's just . . . it's stupid," Harry finally answered. What it was, really, was that he hadn't spent that much time away from his dad since . . . well, since that first summer with him.

"It probably isn't. What is it?"

"I won't see you for two weeks!" Harry nearly yelled, then looked down at the ground, embarrassed.

"I see," Severus said, half smirking, half worried. Fourteen year old boys usually don't have separation anxiety. "It's not that long of a time, and you'll be with your friends. Other students at Hogwarts don't see their parents for months at a time," Severus said, and Harry didn't answer. "Harry?" he wondered if he said something wrong.

"I'm sorry, I . . . just . . . the longest we've gone without seeing each other is a few days."

"You'll be fine, Harry. I'll write, alright?"

"I guess."

"Harry . . ."

"Yeah, I know. I'm just being a freak."

"Harry, you are not a freak. I've told you that many times."

"Yeah, well, then why don't I want to go? I'm acting like a little kid who is afraid of his parents leaving."

"Well, you are, are you not?"

"I'm not a little kid!" Harry said defensively.

"I meant that it is the first time you will be away from me for a prolonged period of time. Normally, children are younger during this stage, but . . ."

"You're only proving the point that I'm a freak!" Harry said, then ran to his room, slamming the door. Severus shook his head. Is this a stage? he wondered. Severus didn't know whether to go talk to him or just let him cool down. In the end, he just decided to wait.

Two days later, and not much talking between Harry and Severus, Severus started to get worried. Harry had never acted like this before. Albus' and Minerva's suggestion was to talk with him, but still have him go to his friend's house. Minerva had said that it was possible that because of the abuse when he was younger, he might not be fully emotionally developed, and Severus saw the truth in that. Harry was pretty much unpredictable in that aspect.

So, about two hours before Severus was going to bring Harry to the Jones, he was outside Harry's door, waiting for him to open it. It took about two minutes.

"Harry, may we speak?"

"About what? How you're trying to get rid of me?" Harry spat.

"Harry," Severus sighed, "I'm not trying to get rid of you. Think of it as a vacation. You've told me several times how you've always wanted to stay overnight at someone's house." Harry didn't answer, so Severus led him to his bed and sat down. Harry shortly followed suit.

"I love you, Harry. What don't you understand about that?" he asked quietly. Harry still didn't answer.

"Fine," Harry finally answered, then moved to get up. Severus held his shoulder with one hand, and Harry's chin in the other, forcing the boy to look at him.

"Harry? You'll have fun. Nothing will change between us."

Two hours later, a long talk over tea ("Tea, again?", Harry had asked. It was an annoying quirk, to Harry anyway, to drink tea for every little occasion), a trip through the floo and a walk to the neighbor's, Harry was feeling a little better, but still slightly abandoned. He knew it wasn't logical, but it felt like Severus didn't want him around, despite what the man kept saying.

Now that he was at the Jones' house, he was starting to get excited, though. He hadn't seen any of his friends from this area since last summer, and he was beginning to think that perhaps his dad was correct in saying that it would be fun.

It was Jamee that opened the door.

"Harry! Hi! Oh, it's so good to see you!" she said, jumping around a little. Jesse is currently stuck in front of the video games. Mom and Dad bought us a game set for the game room. It's nearly impossible to get him off now. Have you ever played any video games?" Jamee asked, and Harry shook his head. "Oh, well, we'll have to get you some playing time." Jesse and Jamee were twins, and were nearly exactly alike, despite the fact of Jamee being a girl, and Jesse a boy. For most cases, if one liked something, the other one liked it. The only exceptions Harry had crossed was what food they liked. "You'll be staying in Jesse's room. Oh, hi, Mr. Snape."

"Hello, Miss Jones. If it's alright with you, I'd like to say goodbye to my son," Severus replied. Jamee nodded and went into the next room, which Harry remembered was the kitchen. "You'll be alright, Harry?"

"Yeah, I think so. Sorry I've been such a prat for the past two days, I just . . ."

"No need to apologize. Now, go off and have fun, and don't get into any trouble. I will see you in about two weeks."

"Okay. Bye, dad," Harry said, giving Severus a small hug, and took his small, unmagical trunk to put in Jesse's room.