A/N: Thank you to my reviewers

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Ms. Padfoot - Detention just for you.

Jaded Angel8 - Yes, he is. But not much DA in this story.

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Englishgirl - Don't worry about it. I just have no life.

alastriona - I agree. I suppose it depends on the reasons given. Some are just silly others are good.

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Disclaimer: Not Mine.

Tangled Relations

Chapter 11 - Detention in more ways than one

Most of the week went by in a blur. Harry found himself eagerly awaiting his detention with Professor Snape. So Friday evening found him standing outside the potions classroom a full fifteen minutes early.

The door swung open to reveal an equally anxious potions master. "Early Mr. Potter? I believe that's a first for you. Follow me."

Harry followed him once again down the hall to the professor's private quarters.

~Welcome back fellow parselmouth~

~You can call me Harry sir.~

~And you may call me Salazar~

"Harry, I don't have all night." Snape glared. "Salazar's pride"

He entered quickly and heard the familiar silencing spells being enacted.

"Well, Harry, I'm glad you decided on being late to class to earn your detention rather than destroying my classroom. It appears that you are slightly more intelligent than I realized."

Harry cheekily grinned back at him, realizing that the remarks were not accompanied by the usual scathing tone. "Of course Professor Snape, I wouldn't dare ruin your classroom. I have such fond memories of it."

The potions master allowed himself a small smile as he carefully considered his next words.

"I've been thinking alot this past week about my past treatment of you. I've led you to believe that it was because of the pranks that your father pulled on me. It was more than that. Your mother..."

Harry held up a hand to stop the professor. "I know what happened sir. In my mother's diary she wrote about it. She loved you very much sir. She was devastated when she found out the truth. I can read you the passages if you'd like."

"That won't be necessary Harry. I had convinced myself that she never loved me, that it was all a joke. Now I know the truth. I wish I could have been there for her, to welcome her into the family. But my mother is right; my father would have killed them both."

"Professor, what's done is done I suppose. You believed what she wanted you to believe in order to save lives."

Professor Snape nodded in agreement and changed the subject. "Harry, I have been owling my mother frequently this past week and we have come to a decision regarding your heritage. Although I haven't told her who you are, she would like you to be part of the family. I explained to her that you were an insufferable Gryffindor but she insisted that blood was more important than the house you're in."

The professor took a long breath and stared into Harry's eyes before continuing,

"Harry, I would like to officially welcome you to the Snape family and as my nephew."

Harry's breath caught in his throat. He could become part of a real family that actually wanted him. Maybe the Snapes wouldn't starve or neglect him, and they certainly wouldn't consider his magic freakish. He realized that he had been keeping his professor waiting so he quickly pulled the professor into a fierce hug. "Thank you Professor. This means the world to me. It really does. You won't be disappointed." Grinning ear to ear he added, "And I'm really a slytherin at heart anyway."

The professor was shocked at the open display of affection, not being used to such things, but returned the gesture. "Harry, you may call me Uncle Severus now, but only in private or in the presence of those who know already." After saying this, the rest of what Harry said kicked in. "What do you mean your a slytherin at heart?"

Harry chuckled. "Well, when I was sorted, the hat wanted to put me in slytherin. He said I would do well there. I didn't know much about the wizarding world other than Voldemort was in slytherin and that Draco Malfoy, who made a bad first impression, wanted to go there. So, I begged the hat not to put me in slytherin. The rest is history."

Snape found himself chuckling now as well. "I believe I might have done the same in your situation."

Harry sat back into the plush sofa and tried to gather his courage to say his next statement. "Uncle Severus, I'm sorry about the way my parents treated you. I know now that my father wasn't a very nice person. He was rather much like my cousin Dudley. And I know my mother wasn't..."

He didn't get to finish as Severus cut him off. "Harry, no need to apologize for them. It's my turn to apologize for treating you the way I did. You never did anything to me other than remind me of your parents and I treated you as though you were your father. Lily would be biting my head off if she knew how I treated her son."

Harry swallowed hard before replying. "Sir, you may have treated me harshly, but you have always protected me. You have done more for me than the Dursleys would ever do. They truly hate me."

Severus let his mask drop as his face filled with concern. "Harry, I will make sure that those beasts never get near you again. To treat a child like that. Did they really keep you in a cupboard?"

Harry was quickly starting to feel uncomfortable. He wasn't sure he was ready to talk about everything with his newfound uncle. "Yes, they did. It wasn't so bad. I mean, I was small anyway. At least they took me in."

Snape brought his hands to his forehead and began rubbing circles over his temples. "Harry, if I had known how you lived, I would have taken you from there myself, relative or not. Lily wouldn't have wanted you growing up with those muggles. Did they do anything else to you? Did they ever hit you?"

Harry shook his head slightly. "They never hit me. Not directly anyway. They just didn't love me." Harry could feel a tear running down his cheek. He quickly wiped it away; he didn't want to seem weak. "The worst thing they did was not giving me food. Sometimes I had to sneak food while I was cooking. And then there was Dudley and his gang, which was the closest I had to physical danger. Dudley used to hit me sometimes or push me into things. He'd blame me for everything he did and then I'd get locked in the cupboard again. It was always so dark in the cupboard."

By the end his face was streaked with tears and the potions master had gotten out of his chair and sat next to Harry on the sofa, putting an arm around him. Harry leaned into the comforting gesture and let the tears go. He couldn't really hear the soothing words his uncle was saying, but they calmed him considerably.

"Harry I'm so sorry. I can't believe those muggles. They're lucky you didn't blow up their house. You must have remarkable control over your magic because you are a very powerful wizard."

Harry sat up after he was calmed down and tried to change the subject. "Sir, did you talk to the headmaster?"

Severus smiled, "Yes, I did Harry. He said it would be fine for you to come with me over the Christmas holidays. Also, since my mother and I are your blood relatives he can add the same protections he had put at the Dursley's on our houses so you will be safe there."

Harry's face lit up with a genuine smile, "I want to thank you for everything. For the several times you've saved my life and for excepting me into your family. I can't wait to meet your mom."

"You're welcome Harry. It's almost curfew so you should head back. Be careful, and no wondering around. Go strait up to your tower."

Harry stood up along with the professor and they hugged again briefly. "Goodnight Uncle Severus."

"Goodnight Harry"

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Harry quietly climbed into bed. Everyone else was already asleep. As Harry began to drift off, he could see the connection to Voldemort in his mind. It felt like a lifeline in the darkness and Harry realized that if he tried he could probably get into Voldemorts mind tonight. He concentrated on the connection as he drifted to sleep.

~~Harry opened his eyes to find himself in a lavishly decorated entrance hall of a large mansion. His eyes were searching the room for someone. The door opened to reveal several death eaters.

"Master, you summoned?"

A high pitch voice replied "Yes, I have reached a decision. I want all of your heirs to be initiated as soon as possible. I will summon each of you individually over the next few weeks. You will be given enough time to reach me by slower means as most of your sons are not old enough to apparate."

After looking around the room his eyes settled on a pair of black eyes in the back. "Severus" "Yes my lord" He stated as he kissed the snakes robes. "You are one of my only followers to not have an heir. This is unacceptable. Crucio." Severus was rolling around on the ground, his arms and legs twitching madly. Harry could feel the intense pain in his own limbs as he fought just like his uncle not to scream out. After almost a full minute the curse was lifted and the potions master and his nephew lay twitching in their respective places.

"Severus, if it weren't for your mastery of potion making you would be useless to me. You would do well to remember that. Why don't the rest of you teach him a little lesson. Just don't maim him. We still need him to make potions. You are all dismissed."

The vision faded as the death eaters walked out the doors carrying a still twitching Severus.~~

Harry sat up at once when the vision ended. He found it difficult to drink the potion he had been given as his hands were shaking so badly. He finally managed to drink a quarter of what was in the bottle before getting out of bed to get dressed. He wanted to make sure his uncle was alright. He threw the invisibility cloak over himself and quickly made his way down to the entrance hall to wait. Almost an hour later he heard the professor's ragged breath outside the doors. He removed the cloak and ran out the doors to help his uncle into the castle.

"Professor? Let me help you inside. It will be okay."

Harry couldn't help but notice the blood around him as he dragged him into the hall and carefully laid him down.

"Harry" cough "Get the headmaster" was all the raspy voice managed before the professor passed out.

Harry ran to the gargoyle and started naming various sweets and then started banging loudly. The gargoyle jumped aside to reveal the headmaster. He followed Harry to where Severus was laying and quickly healed the wounds that were currently bleeding before levitating him. Harry followed his levitated uncle to the hospital ward where he watched as Madam Pomphrey and the headmaster worked to heal the rest of the injuries. There were several gashes on his back and chest, but his hands were untouched. 'At least the death eaters followed the no-maiming rule.' Once they were done Dumbledore approached Harry.

"I'm assuming that since your up that you had a vision?" Harry just nodded a reply. "Did you see what all was done to him?" Harry shook his head and proceeded to tell the headmaster what he did see and that he took his potion.

"Thank you Harry. I know you probably want to stay with him so I will allow you to sleep here in the next bed over. Just be sure to sleep. You need it."

Harry watched the headmaster leave before walking up to his uncle and sitting in the chair beside him so he could hold his hand. That is how he fell asleep.

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