Ok, this chap is probably PG-13 for brief mentions of child abuse and hints
at other things. I will not write slash, so if that's what you want, stop
now. I think I'm gonna wrap it up soon (how many times have I said that
now?) so I'd like to take this opportunity to thank all readers, both those
who review and those who remain silent.
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He really didn't know what to do. When it came to caring for children, especially emotionally distraught children, Severus Snape was the last person to call. Curse Dumbledore for putting him in this situation. Merlin, Lockhart would probably have a better chance consoling Harry than he did.
Being the insufferable git he was, he just sat there as Harry sobbed into his pillow. Then from somewhere deep inside his head, he heard Albus Dumbledore talking to him.
*Do try, Severus. He has no one now. Try to imagine what it would be like.*
How could he? How could he possible know what this boy had been through? What gave him the right to possibly offer comfort? Suddenly, as if in answer, his mind filled with images of an immense man bringing down repeated blows upon a frail body, the child crying out in pain for him to stop, and the blows increasing in intensity. Severus moved to Harry's side, and he laid a hand on the boy's shoulder. He flinched under the touch, and in that instant, Severus vowed revenge on the beasts, for no one who does these things is human.
"Harry, you will not return to the Dursleys' *care,*" he spat the last word with all the loathing and hatred in his heart. "The Headmaster will hear of this, and he will take action."
Harry looked up, the pain in his eyes now accompanied by fear, "If they take me from the Dursleys, they'll put me in an orphanage."
"But you will be away from those people," he tried to reason; but of course, Harry was in no state to reason logically.
"No! I'd rather live under the stairs than go to an orphanage. I've seen them; I know what they're like!" His eyes were red from crying, and his tear-soaked cheeks shone in the low light.
"When have you ever seen an orphanage?" Severus' hand was still on Harry's shoulder, and he did not move it as the boy sat up.
"When I was eight. They went on a family trip to the Americas and they dumped me in an orphanage for a few weeks. It was horrible," he shut his eyes tight, trying to block out the images of sleeping on mattresses, urinating on the wall because there were no lavatories, and getting no food because the older boys took it all.
Severus was so intent on Harry that he didn't hear Dumbledore enter behind him. The Headmaster watched as the two sat in silence. He quietly strode up behind them, and Harry's eyes grew wide at the older wizard's approach. Severus whirled around, expecting Fudge, and let out a sigh when he saw his mentor.
"Albus, you startled me," he looked to Harry, "We have something to discuss." Harry's eyes shot up to his potions professor in fear, and Severus squeezed his shoulder reassuringly.
"Yes, we do." His eyes shown with knowledge the two before him could never comprehend.
"Albus, if you knew, why..." he was cut off by Dumbledore's wave.
"I only recently found out. That, Harry, is why you returned to Hogwarts so soon." He turned to his young friend. "Come Severus. Let Harry rest, and we will talk." Harry laid back down, and as Severus removed his hand, he felt the cold air strike him. All his crying had exhausted him, and he fell asleep immediately. Severus paused for a moment, drawing the sheet up over the boy's shoulders, and he left with the Headmaster's hand clamped on his elbow.
Elves brought them each a goblet of pumpkin juice as they sat in a small room reserved for visitors of patients. Once they were alone, Severus put his head in his hands. Dumbledore placed his hand upon the younger man's shoulder, and when he looked up, there was pain in Snape's black eyes.
"I saw it, Albus; I saw what they do to him. It was appalling."
"You saw because I allowed you to see. It is a complex spell that functions somewhat like a pensieve, but on a person-to-person level. What you saw was only a small part of the whole. They have done much worse to the lad; things of which I cannot speak." The pain morphed to anger, and Dumbledore could see the rage building behind his friend's eyes. Only once had he seen Severus truly angry, and he never wished to see it again. He pressed his hand onto Severus' shoulder, and began to speak softly for him to calm down
They were interrupted by a knock on the door. Remus Lupin edged in, but only Dumbledore looked up. He nodded to the younger man, and Remus sat down next to Severus. Snape didn't acknowledge his presence, but he was grateful for another friendly face. It seemed as if his friends were dwindling. He placed his head in his hands again and the Headmaster looked at the werewolf.
"Remus, if you wish to see Harry, he is in the Hospital Wing."
"Actually, I came to see how Severus was holding up. It has been a stressful week for him, and I was worried."
"Must you talk of me as if I'm not in the room?" He barely mumbled it, but they understood.
"Severus, you must rest. And you cannot possibly expect me to believe that you are fine, so don't start with me." He stood and clasped onto Severus' arm. "Come, I have already spoken with Sara. She has prepared a bed for you in the Hospital Wing." Even if he could resist, he wouldn't have, and he let Lupin lead him away. Dumbledore shot the man an expression of gratitude, and soon Snape was lying in the bed next to Harry, dreaming of beatings and crying children.
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He really didn't know what to do. When it came to caring for children, especially emotionally distraught children, Severus Snape was the last person to call. Curse Dumbledore for putting him in this situation. Merlin, Lockhart would probably have a better chance consoling Harry than he did.
Being the insufferable git he was, he just sat there as Harry sobbed into his pillow. Then from somewhere deep inside his head, he heard Albus Dumbledore talking to him.
*Do try, Severus. He has no one now. Try to imagine what it would be like.*
How could he? How could he possible know what this boy had been through? What gave him the right to possibly offer comfort? Suddenly, as if in answer, his mind filled with images of an immense man bringing down repeated blows upon a frail body, the child crying out in pain for him to stop, and the blows increasing in intensity. Severus moved to Harry's side, and he laid a hand on the boy's shoulder. He flinched under the touch, and in that instant, Severus vowed revenge on the beasts, for no one who does these things is human.
"Harry, you will not return to the Dursleys' *care,*" he spat the last word with all the loathing and hatred in his heart. "The Headmaster will hear of this, and he will take action."
Harry looked up, the pain in his eyes now accompanied by fear, "If they take me from the Dursleys, they'll put me in an orphanage."
"But you will be away from those people," he tried to reason; but of course, Harry was in no state to reason logically.
"No! I'd rather live under the stairs than go to an orphanage. I've seen them; I know what they're like!" His eyes were red from crying, and his tear-soaked cheeks shone in the low light.
"When have you ever seen an orphanage?" Severus' hand was still on Harry's shoulder, and he did not move it as the boy sat up.
"When I was eight. They went on a family trip to the Americas and they dumped me in an orphanage for a few weeks. It was horrible," he shut his eyes tight, trying to block out the images of sleeping on mattresses, urinating on the wall because there were no lavatories, and getting no food because the older boys took it all.
Severus was so intent on Harry that he didn't hear Dumbledore enter behind him. The Headmaster watched as the two sat in silence. He quietly strode up behind them, and Harry's eyes grew wide at the older wizard's approach. Severus whirled around, expecting Fudge, and let out a sigh when he saw his mentor.
"Albus, you startled me," he looked to Harry, "We have something to discuss." Harry's eyes shot up to his potions professor in fear, and Severus squeezed his shoulder reassuringly.
"Yes, we do." His eyes shown with knowledge the two before him could never comprehend.
"Albus, if you knew, why..." he was cut off by Dumbledore's wave.
"I only recently found out. That, Harry, is why you returned to Hogwarts so soon." He turned to his young friend. "Come Severus. Let Harry rest, and we will talk." Harry laid back down, and as Severus removed his hand, he felt the cold air strike him. All his crying had exhausted him, and he fell asleep immediately. Severus paused for a moment, drawing the sheet up over the boy's shoulders, and he left with the Headmaster's hand clamped on his elbow.
Elves brought them each a goblet of pumpkin juice as they sat in a small room reserved for visitors of patients. Once they were alone, Severus put his head in his hands. Dumbledore placed his hand upon the younger man's shoulder, and when he looked up, there was pain in Snape's black eyes.
"I saw it, Albus; I saw what they do to him. It was appalling."
"You saw because I allowed you to see. It is a complex spell that functions somewhat like a pensieve, but on a person-to-person level. What you saw was only a small part of the whole. They have done much worse to the lad; things of which I cannot speak." The pain morphed to anger, and Dumbledore could see the rage building behind his friend's eyes. Only once had he seen Severus truly angry, and he never wished to see it again. He pressed his hand onto Severus' shoulder, and began to speak softly for him to calm down
They were interrupted by a knock on the door. Remus Lupin edged in, but only Dumbledore looked up. He nodded to the younger man, and Remus sat down next to Severus. Snape didn't acknowledge his presence, but he was grateful for another friendly face. It seemed as if his friends were dwindling. He placed his head in his hands again and the Headmaster looked at the werewolf.
"Remus, if you wish to see Harry, he is in the Hospital Wing."
"Actually, I came to see how Severus was holding up. It has been a stressful week for him, and I was worried."
"Must you talk of me as if I'm not in the room?" He barely mumbled it, but they understood.
"Severus, you must rest. And you cannot possibly expect me to believe that you are fine, so don't start with me." He stood and clasped onto Severus' arm. "Come, I have already spoken with Sara. She has prepared a bed for you in the Hospital Wing." Even if he could resist, he wouldn't have, and he let Lupin lead him away. Dumbledore shot the man an expression of gratitude, and soon Snape was lying in the bed next to Harry, dreaming of beatings and crying children.