Chapter 11 - Revelations

Harry awoke well rested and still in yesterdays school uniform. Harry got up and changed his uniform expecting the now clean bandage wrapped around his arm while he got ready. He then went down to the great hall for some breakfast. He couldn't eat much but tried something, he was still in the middle of his bowl of fruit when Ron and Hermione joined him with Fred and George. Ron and Hermione sat either side of him whilst the twins sat opposite. No one wanted to say anything, they were all still a bit shocked from the previous night finally Hermione decided to speak.

"Harry, do you want to talk about last night?"

"I'm sorry you had to see that. Can we just forget about it?" everyone nodded and it was if someone had turned the sun on because everyone started to act all normal again. Fred and George told jokes and pulled pranks until it was time to go to their first lesson. The lessons were easier today, it was all lectures and written work. Everyone seemed to stare at him; it made him feel uneasy like everyone knew about his meltdown, the whole school. Harry missed lunch and hung out in the common room. The lessons were a bit easier today maybe it was because he had that meeting with Snape later, something about that man made him safe like Gareth did. Afternoon lessons went much like the morning classes but Harry was glad when it was all over and he could make his way down to the dungeons.

Harry was standing outside the office feeling nervous, five minutes before the scheduled time. After about a minute of encouraging himself to knock he did. Snapes voice echoed through the door and Harry opened it and walked into the classroom and then into the office. The room ws set up miuch like it was last week with Snape siting on one of the armchairs and gesturing to Harry to have a seat.

"Evening Mr Potter"

"Evening Professor" Harry replied nervously

"nothing to be worried about Harry. How have you been since we last talked?"

"Okay"

"Harry there is no point in telling me you are okay when clearly the incident yesterday shows otherwise. I do not like it when I am lied to and giving up time"

"sorry Professor. It's hard to talk, it's wrong to talk"

"Why do you say it's wrong to talk? You have every right to talk and have your opinion and voice heard. Who has got that image in your head that you don't deserve a voice?"

"Freaks should be quiet, freaks stay hidden, freaks do as they are told" Harry said in monotone

"Harry look at me" asked Severus Snape, concern plaguing his voice. Harry looked up at his professor "You are no freak, you deserve to have a voice, you deserve to have your own opinions and life" Harry shook his head knowing that it wasn't true. His aunt and Uncle always made him say it every morning and every night before he went to bed. "Harry, whoever has said this to you they are lying." Snape continued as he thought who could possibly tell the boy in front of him that he was worthless?

"It can't be Granger of Weasley?"

"No, its not them"

"Then who?" Snape suddenly recalled a conversation he had with the headmaster after the events of the philosophers' stone last summer.

*Snape's Flashback*

"So, the stone had been destroyed?" asked Snape

"Yes Severus. After what happened down in those chambers and the desire and risk for Voldemort to come back both Nicholas and I thought it was best" replied Dumbledore

"And Potter the lasting effects of the dark Lord won't affect him?"

"Poppy has made sure of that. Though there was one thing that Harry asked that took me by surprise"

"Go on"

"He asked if there was any way he could stay at Hogwarts over the summer, but yes I told him, he has to go back because the blood wards won't work unless he is there for at least one month of the year. He must still consider it his home"

"Did you question why?"

"No, I didn't think it was necessary. Say Severus why do you care so much about that boy?"

*End Flashback*

"Harry, where do you consider home?"

"Hogwarts is my home"

"Do you not like it with your relatives?"

"We don't get on"

"What if we set up a meeting with your relatives to see if we can sort things out?" Snape was testing the boy seeing his reaction, which might reveal his suspicions. Harry started to panic they couldn't come to Hogwarts. If they found out anything his Uncle would kill him, he said just the other day in the alleyway, it couldn't happen, what could Harry say to stop this, he couldn't reveal anything his uncle would find out. "Whoa Harry take a deep breath, in and out." Snape wanted this reaction though he didn't expect anything this bad. Slowly he was able to calm Harry down.

"Please Sir, anything but that. I'll do detention every day until I finish at school. Anything but that!" harry gasped through breaths.

"Why Harry? What do they do to you?" Harry burst out in tears, gone was his shields now it was all too much. Severus had never seen a child so distraught in his life. He had suspicions that the boys relatives didn't only put him down and mentally abuse him but must do something more, to make anyone this scared to tell. Severus gently picked up the boy he had never done this with anyone except Draco but it was necessary letting the boy cry into him. "Did they hurt you Harry?" Severus tried but knew it was no use; he had pushed the boy too far this day. So he let the boy tire himself out told him he was safe here, told him "No one is going to hurt you here, you are safe, you are with me" Only when the boy had tried himself out did he put him back down. "You may go now if you like Harry, I will see you on Thursday in potions." Said Severus gently. As the boy left stuttering his thanks he sighed and vowed that the Dursleys would pay for whatever they had done to Lily's son and his first point of call was Albus Dumbledore.

Harry didn't know what to think, why had he just completely lost it in front of his potion's professor? He didn't mean it, he couldn't tell him about the Dursleys though. Harry got back to the common room, told everyone he was tired and crashed out on his bead, his head all fuzzy with everything that had been said.

As soon as Harry had left his office Severus cleaned up his office before walking in a rage to the headmaster's office. Thinking about exactly what he was going to say to the old man. How dare he leave harry with them and not go to check on him. How dare he not investigate the boys living conditions after the boy asked to stay at Hogwarts last summer. Before he knew it he was standing by the gargoyle and walking up the stairs around it. The3 gargoyle didn't even ask for the password and just jumped aside when it saw Severus.

"Ah Severus what do I owe this pleasure to have you in my office this evening."

"Harry Potter's relatives" Snape spat at the headmaster. "They treat the boy like DIRT, he is convinced he is a FREAK and not worthy of anything. And there is more, I am almost certain they are physically abusing him. NEVER in my life have I seen a twelve year old boy so DISTRAUGHT at the thought of his relatives. People YOU said would treat him like their own SON! How DARE you not check on him! How DARE you let him suffer! He may be your pawn Albus but no living creature should be treated the way that boy has. You need to do something!"

"Now, now Severus I am sure the boy is overreacting and there must be a reason behind this attention seeking behaviour"

"Attention seeking behaviour? Albus you saw him struggle to say two words to Healer Richards last week, you have hardly seen him eat at mealtimes let alone turn up to them. You saw yesterday the boy hid himself at the thought of doing something in front of people. You have seen the empty eyes just as I have. No child could ever make that up. See some sense headmaster!"

"Has he actually told you they hit him? Has Harry told you they say those things to him?"

"Well no but you think of it this way, if someone hit you would you walk around and say straight to peoples face that they did?"

"We need more evidence Severus"

"More evidence, fine, Healer Richards will get to the root cause of this poor boys problems, you will. Then hopefully see something. For now all I can say is I am glad the boy is here at Hogwarts and safe from the fiends. Good evening Headmaster" Severus finished swishing his cloak and storming back to his office. If the Headmaster wasn't going to do anything to help Harry, he would he will make sure he is safe and healed by the summer with a safe place to go. He swore to lily he would protect her son, he hadn't done a good job so far but he was not going to hurt him anymore.