DISCLAIMER: I do not own any of it, JK Rowling and associates own all rights, no infringement intended, no money is being made, unfortunately.

WARNING; Pre-slash if you do not like do not read remember you have freedom of choice. Reviews appreciated but no flames please.

PAIRINGS: HP/SS, GW/NL, RW/HrG

Chapter 14 I have a plan

§§ Harry knew he was dreaming but he could not seem to wake up. He was back in the Dursley's home watching the events of the last week unfold. He could see himself painting the door leading to the cellar, it was late in the evening, and he was exhausted. He had not eaten since a bowl of cereal that morning. He knew what was going to happen to his dream self and was afraid to keep looking but was too afraid to shut his eyes.

Harry watched helplessly as Vernon appeared, a letter clutched in one piggy hand, behind the figure kneeling on the floor oblivious to the danger approaching; suddenly Vernon kicked out at him catching him in the kidneys. Harry fell to the ground moaning in pain as he curled up and tried to avoid the kicks that followed.

Vernon shouted, "Not so brave now freak are you? Your murdering godfather is dead and it is your entire fault. No one cares about a freak like you." Vernon tried to catch his breath as he eyed the half conscious boy on the floor, "you had better watch your step freak; if you look like your putting my family in danger I will toss your arse out I don't care what anyone says. If you want to continue living here, you had better keep writing those abnormal friends of yours. It is not as if anyone else wants you; your more trouble then your worth." Vernon looked in disgust at the blood dripping from Harry's mouth, "Finish the painting, I want this area finished by supper and clean up this mess" Vernon stormed off.

Harry watched the scene unfold wrapping his arms around himself, unable to stop the tears falling as he remembered the pain. He saw himself rise shaking to his feet and head for the kitchen cabinet and the cleaning supplies. He knew deep down that Vernon was right it was his fault; he was dangerous to other people. If they got too close to him they died, his parents, Cedric, Sirius; others were in constant danger because of him like Remus, Ron, and Hermione even that bastard Snape. He had seen the way he came back from the meetings in pain. He knew what went on at those meetings thanks to his visions. No one deserved that not even Snape. He deserved to be punished for the pain he caused others. If no one else would do it then he would have to do it himself. He would send the owls, he would not give them a reason to pull him out of here and put someone else in danger.

The dream changed suddenly to a familiar graveyard turning he saw Cedric's pale form glaring at him. He stepped back shaking his head as Cedric's hands reached out to him. §§

Remus had fallen asleep on the chair next to Harry's bed. Snape had told him that he would be monitoring Harry through the night but Remus had felt better being there. At the sound of soft sobs, he woke instantly. He could see Harry turning his head restlessly from side to side, as tears streamed down his face. Rising to his feet, he placed on hand on Harry's shoulder intending to wake him. At the first touch, Harry slapped his hand away with a scream, punching and fighting he scrambled away from him to the corner of the bed near the wall, "Leave me alone" he screamed his eyes wide open but unseeing, "I'm sorry! It's my fault! I'm sorry! Please leave me alone!"

Remus froze in shock not so much from the blow to the face as not being sure what to do, reaching out he grabbed Harry by the shoulders and holding the struggling young man called to him, "Harry its Remus, you need to wake up, it's only a dream." Harry continued to struggle in his grip not wakening, Remus was afraid he was going to hurt himself and tried to force his hands down pushing him back into the mattress.

Snape flung open the door and rushed into the room. Analysing what was happening he came to a quick decision. Pulling Lupin away from Harry and throwing him to the side, he transfigured a mug on the side table into a pail of icy water and flung it into Harry's face. Harry gasped in shock as he was jerked from the nightmare, for a minute he lay there staring in surprise up at Snape.

Lupin sprang from the ground where he had landed intending to knock Snape on his arse; how dare he do that to Harry. He stopped when he heard Harry's voice.

"Professor what happened? Why are you here?" Harry asked in a trembling voice while raising himself into a sitting position. Realising that he was shivering he reached down and pulled the soaked pyjamas away from his chest, he stared in confusion for a minute then looking back at Snape with a puzzled frown asked, "Why am I all wet?"

Lupin watched in shock wondering what was happening, Harry sounded like he had woken up from a peaceful nap and not from a screaming nightmare. Realising that Harry still had not looked at him interrupted, "Harry, are you okay?" he asked in concern.

"Remus what happened, why..." Harry looked around confusedly trying to get a grip on the situation. 'Why was Remus staring at him, what happened' he wondered, once again he found himself looking at Snape as he waited for some answers? He watched as Snape grabbed a vial from the nightstand and loomed over him.

"Drink this Potter", with a wave of his wand Harry and the bed were dry, "we will talk about it in the morning", his voice was rough but free from malice, he almost sounded caring.

"Sir, I don't understand what happened," not taking the potion vial figuring that it was probably a sleeping potion. He was tired of no one giving him answers damnit. He was not a child, obviously, something happened, or he would not have been soaked to the skin. Frowning he looked at Remus when he got a good look at his face he asked suspiciously, "Why is your lip bleeding?"

"It was nothing Harry, Snape is right we can talk about it in the morning you need some sleep."

'Okay it was the end of the world again; Remus just agreed with Snape.' "I will take the potion as soon as someone tells me what happened."

Snape glared at him for a minute then with a resigned shrug, "you had a nightmare, a bad one evidently; when Lupin tried to wake you he couldn't. You began to scream and fight him that is where the bloody lip came in I am assuming you did that. Next time Lupin will not attempt to wake you in that fashion. When I came in the room I could see that more was needed to wake you so I tossed a bucket of ice water over you." Correctly interpreting the look on Harry's face, "now is not the time for guilty protestations or self flagellation over something you have no control over. Enough of this melodrama, I would like to return to my bed. This will guarantee no more dreams tonight," thrusting the vial into Harry's hand, he commanded, "Drink."

Remus glared at Snape, 'damn the man didn't he have any sense of tact at all', "Harry I am fine, please drink the potion and get some rest, everything will look better tomorrow." He resumed glaring at Snape when he heard the snort of derision. As soon as Harry was asleep, they were going to have a long talk about his treatment of him.

Harry looked a Snape and could not help smiling a little in gratitude, Snape at least was one constant in his world, a number one prime bastard. Putting the vial to his lips he drank deciding that sleep was preferred to sitting there listening to the two of them argue. Besides he figured knowing Snape he would just shove it down his throat if he did not drink it. Handing the empty vial back he saw a flash of approval in those dark eyes and felt warmth spread through him. Laying down he watched as Snape waved his wand once more and the bedclothes straightened around him and tucked him in; it was nice he thought sleepily, this feeling of safety; still looking at Snape out of drooping eyes he whispered, "Stay". Satisfied with the curt nod he drifted off to sleep not afraid of dreaming, if Snape said he would sleep without dreams then he knew he would. Snape might be a bastard but he never lied.

Snape watched as the brat drifted off to sleep, he had been alerted by the charms that something was wrong with him. Even before the charms went off, he had begun to feel uneasy and had actually been on the verge of going to the mirror to check on him when they alerted him; he had rushed here only to find his charge being manhandled by that idiot. He turned to glare at Lupin; stupid werewolf did not have the common sense to realise that you do not try and forcibly restrain someone having a nightmare especially someone that has been abused. Stupid werewolves, stupid Gryffindors, stupid Dumbledore, stupid…'

"Severus I want to talk to you outside please." Remus said in a harsh whisper. Not wanting to disturb Harry, he began walking to the door expecting Snape to follow him.

Pausing at the open door, he realised that Snape had not followed him. "Well?"

"I am not leaving, in case you did not notice the brat requested that I stay and I intend to. Go away we will discuss your behaviour tomorrow." With a wave of his hand, the door closed in Lupin's face as he began to reply. Snape could hear Lupin trying the handle and knocking quietly. After a few minutes, he gave up not wanting to take a chance and awakening Harry. Snape could hear a whispered "This isn't over" then there were footsteps walking away.

Frowning Snape settled down in the chair for what was left of the night wondering if it was too late to take that job at the potions lab in Africa and leave everyone here behind.

At breakfast the next morning Ron waited for Hermione to finish eating so he could get her alone. With a slight nod to Ginny and the twins, he and Hermione got up and went into the drawing room. Shortly afterwards the other three eased into the room. Hermione put up a silencing spell and then began unloading books from her backpack.

Ron couldn't help the laugh though he tried to disguise it as a cough when Hermione glared at him.

"Now then Harry is going to need a lot of help and as much as the order members would like to help they are not as close to him as we are. Neville will be joining us later this week as well as Luna. Professor Lupin is very attached to Harry and means well but does not have a clue as to how to behave. He seems to think that Harry needs to be treated like delicate china and that is the wrong way to go. I have already spoken to Professor Snape about Harry's treatments and he informed me of what happened last night so..."

Fred spoke up "Damn Hermione, its only 7:30 what did you do anyway, collar the man before anyone else was awake."

George grinned, "You got to admire that kind of dedication"

"Determination"

"Bravery"

"Stubbornness"

"Brass balls"

Together they said, "Hermione Granger we salute you!"

Hermione just gave them one of her glares and muttered "Men, can't hex them, can't ignore them." Passing out the books, she continued as if there had been no interruption. "Harry had a nightmare last night," at these words the others sobered up immediately, "Ron you need to instruct Lupin and the rest of us in the right way to wake Harry up without further traumatizing him. Ginny, Harry will need a friendly ear something that I know he depends on you for just don't give him too much sympathy. Fred & George I want you two to keep him entertained, peacefully entertained because you know that as soon as he has some of his strength back he is going to be trying to get out of bed and according to Snape it is essential that he stay put. I know that none of us like Snape but he is doing everything in his power to get him healed and on his feet. Frankly, I think the fact that he still treats Harry the same is excellent therapy for him. So stay of his way and if he tells you to change something about the way you are handling Harry then do so. He has a lot of experience with abused children."

Ron groaned a little, "No surprise there since I'm sure that I've come out of his class severely traumatised several times." At Hermione's glare, he held up his hands peacefully, "I know, I know, he is on our side and I guess I do trust him with Harry so I will keep my opinions of the greasy git to myself."

"He needs to know that we still love him and no matter what he thinks he did not deserve the treatment he experienced at the hands of his family. Ginny why don't you go up and sit with him for a while if he wants to talk let him if not just keep to general subjects but remember no babying."

Ginny nodded and left the room. The twins left too as they had to escort Mr. and Mrs. Granger to work. Hermione looked at Ron for a minute with a troubled expression on her face.

"What's wrong Mione?" Ron asked sliding an arm around her shoulders.

"I don't know but do you get the impression that there is something going on that we don't know about. I mean between Snape and Harry. There was just something about Dumbledore's expression yesterday when he sent them here and this morning I overheard Lupin talking to your mom about Snape and promises. They shut up quickly when they noticed me."

"There is always something going on that we don't know about. I am sure that you will figure it out soon then we will see what needs to be done. Harry is safe and we will keep him that way regardless of what adult gets in our way. Right!"

"Right" Hermione sighed gratefully going back to the table and the books spread out there. "Why don't you go talk to Lupin about how to wake Harry up from now on? According to Snape he had him pinned to the bed while he tried to shake him out of the nightmare."

"WHAT, Merlin what goes through these peoples minds." Ron said as he hurried out the door.

TBC