Chapter 38: Prongs

In the end, Dumbledore thought he couldn't take a chance on the explosive results of adding Remus Lupin to the mix. The First Prophecy spoke of hostility. Perhaps this was what it meant. Perhaps he should allow things to take the course they were meant to and avoid any intervention.

Harry rolled restlessly in his sleep. As he slept, his mind muttered responses to images of an angry Vernon Dursley, fist raised. The dream Harry cowered in a dark cupboard, hoping desperately that the man would vent his anger only verbally this time. He had a fist between his teeth to stifle any sounds that might attract attention …

Dobby stood beside the closed bed curtains, wringing his hands. Harry Potter's nightmares were getting worse. Dobby saw more abuse than had ever been heaped upon his own head. He considered his options. Professor Dumbledore would calm him and tell him to do the best he could to comfort Harry. Harry needed Professor Snape. But Dobby did not want to venture into the dungeons, oh no. The Professor had been only a step away from kicking Dobby when he had dared to try his own hand at convincing the Potions Master to talk to Harry.

He stood there for a few moments more. The wrenching cries of a beaten child made him snap his fingers and pop into place beside the armchair of Snape.

Snape hardly showed a response to the Elf's intrusion, but his eyes were aflame with irritation as he looked down at Dobby. He held a full glass of amber liquid in his hand, the almost empty bottle at his elbow on a low table.

Dobby bowed low. "Please Master Snape, please don't kick Dobby before Dobby tells you about Harry Potter! Harry Potter is needing you!"

Snape glared at the elf. "Are you not supposed to be taking care of what he needs? Leave me." He took a long sip from the glass and then fixed the elf with bloodshot black eyes.

Dobby shook down to his toes and great tears leaked from his eyes. "Harry Potter is crying! Dobby has never seen Harry Potter cry!" He covered his face with trembling hands. "Dobby is not knowing what to do when Harry Potter is dreaming of being treated worse than a bad house elf."

Snape narrowed his eyes and sat up. In a low growl, he asked, "What do you mean?"

Dobby looked up at him from between his fingers. In a squeaky voice he answered, "His dreams are when he was beaten and worse. He isn't a student Harry Potter … he is a little boy." Dobby let out a loud wail. "Oh, Dobby didn't know how Harry Potter's family treated him or Dobby would never have tried to keep him from Hogwarts two years ago!"

Snape rose to his feet. The elf clapped a hand over his mouth to stop his own cries. He looked up at the dark expression on Snape's face. Snape seemed to be considering something before he strode to the fireplace. His fists opened and closed a few times before he finally reached for the Floo powder. After throwing it, he called for the Gryffindor Common Room. Dobby popped up beside him when he stepped out onto the rug.

He turned baleful eyes on the elf and snarled, "You will not tell him I was here." He barely waited for Dobby's nod before stalking up the stairs to the dormitory.

He stood beside the bed, listening to the soft whimpers coming from inside the curtains. Closing his eyes, he took a deep breath. Quietly opening the curtains, he stared down at Harry. He was curled up on his side, clutching the blankets close around himself. His face was tear-streaked, with more rolling down the cheeks.

Snape reached down a hesitant hand and softly smoothed the hair of the boy. Just that one motion seemed to cause a slight relaxation of Harry's features. Snape withdrew his hand and reached into his robe.

In his hand was Prongs, the stuffed deer, still in its miniaturized form. He muttered a spell and the toy resumed its full size. Harry had never mentioned it after the incident at the school. When Harry had seemed less a child, Snape had assumed he no longer needed it, or he had forgotten it. Tonks had brought it to Hogwarts when she came to give a follow-up report.

Snape rubbed the soft fuzzy material as he thought. He had taken to carrying Prongs in his own pocket during the last week. It reminded him that Harry was pure, and he was not. It made him keep his determination to be separate, to keep the promise he had made to a dead Lily to keep her son safe this time. It made him remember that his own youthful bitterness towards James should not have been carried over to his son. He could think of all that Harry had been through, and the toy symbolized a childhood that Harry had never had, and had needed, but not at Snape's hand.

As he stared down at him, he could barely restrain himself from putting a firm hand on Harry's head, to stop the nightmare he was having. But Harry needed someone who could mentor him without all the darkness that was in Snape. He had thought a lot about it. As much as he hated the werewolf Lupin, Dumbledore would have to call him back from his mission. Harry would be his new mission.

He held the toy up to his face. He would make one last gesture of help to Harry before he totally washed his hands of him. Almost silently, he breathed some whispered charms over the deer. Finishing, he laid it in the crook of Harry's arm.

Almost immediately, Harry pulled Prongs close to his chest, his face pressed into its softness. At his side, Snape noted that Dobby relaxed, and he took that to mean that Harry was resting better now.

Snape crooked his finger at the elf and left the dormitory. Down in the common room, he said, "I will tell you again, Harry is not to know I was here. You may tell him that the toy came from Tonks." With that, he disappeared into the flames in the fireplace. Dobby cocked his head as he considered what he had witnessed. Then he went back up to stand guard beside Harry.

Harry woke up, feeling the tiredness that lingered after a night spent in sleep that was not restful. He rolled over and his attention was immediately on the stuffed animal beside him. He sat up and held it with a frown. Where had it come from? Images struggled to form themselves in his mind; he saw this toy flying through the air, he saw himself holding it tightly as he slept, he felt the fuzz against his face as he hid under a desk … he had left it there when William attacked … he had forgotten …

He rubbed the fuzzy antlers. 'Prongs. Your name is Prongs. How did you get here?' He buried his face in the animal and felt a calming sensation wash through him. It was warm and safe. Prongs was an anchor. He sat there for a long time, basking in the feeling of security.

Then he frowned. 'Where did you come from? Dobby?'

Dobby popped onto the bed. "Harry is needing something, sir? Breakfast is being served. Harry should go down and eat."

'How did this get here?' he asked, holding up the deer.

Dobby looked down at his feet. "I am told that Tonks brought it."

Harry studied the elf for a minute. He brought the deer back up to his face. Closing his eyes, he inhaled deeply. This did not smell of Tonks. Harry remembered her; she was pretty, with a bright smile; he thought that she must have helped him at some time in the past, because his feelings for her were fairly trusting.

No. The scent here was familiar; giving him that secure feeling. Herbal, an earthy, tangy smell … Snape. It was Snape that he felt and smelled when he held Prongs. His eyes felt hot and he squeezed them shut tighter. He had been here, right beside him, and he hadn't talked to him. Holding the toy close to himself, he bent over with his head almost on the bed. 'Severus, please …'

The link was still closed.

"Harry should come down to breakfast now." Dobby had a hand on his shoulder.

Harry shrugged him off. 'I'm not going anymore unless Severus comes and makes me.' He thought that even if Snape came up her in anger at Harry's childishness, it would be better than this overwhelming emptiness, At least he would see him and be able to try and get him to talk to him again. He looked at Dobby, his face set in stubborn lines. 'You tell them that I will not eat anymore; I won't leave Gryffindor Tower; unless he comes and makes me.'

Dobby snapped his fingers and a plate of fragrant scrambled eggs with a side of toast and jam appeared in front of Harry. "Harry Potter must eat. Harry will be making himself ill if he is not eating."

'Exactly.' Harry got up and left the room, closing the door to the bathroom as he washed his face. He looked at himself in the mirror. There were circles under his eyes and even he could see that he had the look of an animal waiting to see if its owner had a mind to feed it or kick it. Would this work? Maybe Snape knew some spell to put food directly into his stomach without Harry having to eat. Maybe Dumbledore would have Pomfrey sedate him so they could make sure he didn't starve himself. He set his mouth in a tight line. They better think before they do that. Harry felt a sudden deep determination that he would not be forced to eat. Somehow, he knew that he had gone without food in the past. This would not be hard for him to do now …

Dumbledore looked at the elf that had appeared at his side. He was seated with the other teachers in the Great Hall. Only Snape was absent, along with Harry. "Is Harry on his way, Dobby?"

Dobby's ears were folded down close to his head as he answered. He knew that Dumbledore would never kick him, but he was not looking forward to telling him what Harry had said. He looked around at the other teachers before saying, "Harry Potter is not coming, sir. Harry Potter says to tell you he will not eat unless Professor Snape comes and makes him eat."

Dumbledore had wondered if Harry would think of a way to try and get a response from Snape. He wasn't angry at Harry, and he smiled a sad smile down at Dobby to show him that he wasn't angry at him either. "What happened to precipitate this turn of events?"

McGonagall was leaning forward to listen in as Dobby said softly, "Harry Potter is having terrible bad dreams. Dobby is not knowing what to do to help him, but Dobby thinks that Harry is really needing his Professor Snape. Professor Snape told Dobby not to tell Harry Potter that he came, but Harry guessed. The toy Professor Snape took to him smelled like the Professor and Harry Potter knew." Dobby looked very sad. "Now Harry Potter says that he will not eat unless Professor Snape comes himself." Twin tears rolled down the elven cheeks. "Harry Potter would not be tempted by his favorite eggs, Harry is thinking that he has gone hungry before and he could do it again if it would get him his Professor."

Dumbledore laid a gentle hand on Dobby's shoulder. "Watch over him closely, Dobby. If he becomes ill, I need to know at once. Keep trying to entice his appetite, but don't make him angry with you. He needs you."

Dobby pulled himself up a little straighter and nodded, his ears perking up. He snapped his fingers and was gone.

Dumbledore looked at McGonagall. Her mouth was set. "Surely you will make Severus go to the boy."

"I have tried, Minerva. He is refusing all contact with Harry." He thought for a moment. "I spoke with him before I came here. He insists that I summon Remus Lupin to deal with Harry."

"Lupin is –" she bent her head closer to Dumbledore to whisper, "He is on a mission for the Order. Will he come back for this?"

'Oh, I am certain that he would, I had considered it myself before Severus thought of it. But upon consideration, I believe that Remus might make matters worse. There is still the old animosity between them. Remus would likely be too emotional to be of real help. I am not even certain Harry has a current memory of him. That, and the fact that the mission he is on is extremely critical. I do not wish to compromise his security by calling him back for this."

"Then what will you do?" she asked.

"I am calling Miss Granger and Mr. Weasley to come back early. I believe we might waive the Hogwarts Express rule for them in this case," he said thoughtfully.

Dubious, she asked, "Just what do you expect them to do that you cannot?"

"They may push Severus to act in a way we can't."

"Push? Albus, surely you can't mean that they will make him go to Harry? To do that, they would have to enrage him …"

"Yes," he said simply. "Their love and friendship for Harry will cause them to confront him. In return, I suspect that he will do whatever it takes to appease them."

"And I suspect that it will get them killed, or at least expelled by Severus," she said dryly.

"Oh, I won't allow that," he assured her. Wiping his mouth with his napkin, he arose. "If you would like to come with me while I contact the Burrow?"

She nodded and joined him as he swept out of the door.

Ron and Hermione walked up to the castle from the Apparition point at the gates. Mr. Weasley had Apparated them individually to this place before heading to work. Dumbledore had told him what was happening, and he felt worried for the two teens walking away from him. But he trusted that Dumbledore knew what he was about and would keep them safe from Snape.

Ron and Hermione held hands as they walked. Their trunks would be brought later and they were unencumbered.

"Isn't it great that Dumbledore is letting us come early to be with Harry? Do you think he remembers more and asked for us?" Ron grinned

"I hope that's what it is." Her voice was worried. "I don't think they would have bent the rules about arriving on the train for a little reason. I think something else might be happening."

"There you go again; getting all worried and suspicious." He sighed.

She cast a sideward glance up at the redhead. "I haven't often been wrong, have I?"

"No." Ron sighed heavily. "What if Harry is still … you know … strange?"

"Well," Hermione started thoughtfully, "Professor Dumbledore was rather unclear about his condition. He just said Harry needed to be with his friends. He knew Harry always spent the end of summer at the Burrow … maybe there's a reason Harry couldn't and he decided to let us come here instead."

"We'll soon find out. Look. Dumbledore and McGonagall are waiting for us," he said.

They got to the castle doors and greeted the Headmaster and his Deputy. Dumbledore smiled. "Welcome, welcome, Miss Granger and Mr. Weasley. So good of you to be willing to come here and be with Harry."

Hermione glanced at Ron before saying, "Yes, you know we care about him, and we'll do anything he needs. But we're not sure we know what to expect. Could you tell us?"

"I was just about to invite you to my office for tea to discuss that very thing."

They followed the two professors up to the gargoyle entrance to Dumbledore's office.

"Cherry cordial." Dumbledore's eyes twinkled at them as he spoke the password. "I do love those particular Muggle chocolates."

He motioned them to sit down while McGonagall conjured up a tray of tea and sandwiches. Peering over his half-moon spectacles, his face took on a serious expression.

"Harry has been through quite a summer. You knew, of course, about his regression following his stay with his uncle and aunt." Ron and Hermione nodded. "Then he became aware of the history between himself and Professor Snape while at the Burrow." They nodded again. Dumbledore took a deep breath. "His summer did not improve. He protected Professor Snape when one of the Muggle students attacked with a knife. Harry was badly injured, yet again."

Hermione gasped and Ron cursed under his breath before looking at McGonagall in apology. Dumbledore continued. "Harry began to get more of his memory back and has become more his own age again." He held up a hand to stop their enthusiastic reception of that news. "However, he still does not speak, and he refuses to do magic, even after that little bit of wandless he did at the Burrow." He looked at McGonagall before adding, "He and Professor have had a difference of opinion and they are no longer linked."

"But what happened?' Hermione asked.

"I cannot share all of it with you. But the fact is, Professor Snape is the one who initiated the split. Harry is quite despondent and is refusing to eat now. He won't come out of Gryffindor Tower. Dobby can hear him and has been his companion. What I need is for you two to draw him out. Perhaps he will even be willing to try magic with you here."

Hermione and Ron looked at each other and then back at Dumbledore. "Whatever it takes, Professor. We'll do whatever it takes," Ron vowed.