Chapter 8:
Finally snapping out of his stupor, Harry looked up at them men that were waiting on something more than an "Oh" from the boy. He wasn't sure what he was suppose to do, how he was suppose to act. Was he suppose to be elated that there was someone who cared? Terrified at the idea that he may never see the forest again? Angry that they didn't try harder to find him? He just didn't know. Getting up off the floor he had sat himself on, Harry dusted himself off and left the room. The two men were so stunned by this course of action that they failed to follow.
"Well, uh, not quite the reaction I was hoping for," Sirius said while he ran his hand through his hair in a sign of frustration.
"No. I'd say that it wasn't. I mean, I was expected a warmer reception, or at least some anger and resentment for not being there," shrugging in an indifferent manner, Remus pondered this odd turn of events. "Maybe he just needs time to let it sink in. We did just kind of dump it in his lap. This is completely new information for him."
Looking at Remus with renewed hope, Sirius could only pray that the other man was right. He desperately wanted to be part of his godson's life. He didn't know what he'd do if the boy would have nothing to do with him, if he turned him down, or turned him away. He wanted to make Harry his life, like he should have been when James and Lily died. He owed it to them, to the boy, and most of all to himself. He wanted to be there for him, to be the parent he needed. He knew he could never replace Harry's true parents, but he could substitute for them, hopefully.
Harry, on the other hand, was firmly making his mind up to ignore the man in hopes that he would go away. He wasn't ready for an adult to be let back in his life, no matter how much they acted like a child. He just couldn't accept the man or anything he stood for. It would bring his entire world crashing down around him, something he didn't want happening. He was quite happy living on his own, thank you very much, and he didn't need some pompous adult trying to ruin his life. He didn't need anybody, and he was going to prove as much.
Running swiftly to the Gryffindor Tower, Harry barked out the password, bypassing all the students calling out to him, and flinging himself on his bed in the dorm rooms. Ignoring the other students who came in, Harry drifted into a fitful sleep, full of bad memories.
*Dream Sequence*
"Boy! Look what you've done!" A large, purple faced man was reprimanding a small, fragile looking boy with raven black hair and large emerald green eyes. The boy looked to be no older than four years of age, but his eyes held more pain and wisdom in them than any child's eyes ever should have. Sniffling back tears, Harry turned misty, fearful eyes onto his hulking uncle, knowing not to say anything in his defense. Trying to defend himself would only lead to a more serious punishment. "Damn brat. Think you're too good to answer for your mistakes. Well, I'll teach you!" Watching his uncle in bewilderment, Harry didn't understand what was happening. They had always told him not to speak to them unless given explicit permission, and none was given in this case. Cringing fearfully from the man, Harry cried out in pain as he was quickly cuffed upside the head, effectively knocking his glasses from his face.
Whimpering in pain, Harry said, "Please, Uncle Vernon. What is it that I did?"
"You little...HOW DARE YOU TALK TO ME! WHAT HAVE WE TOLD YOU ABOUT TALKING?" Watching the spit flying from his enraged uncle, Harry cowered as far away from the obese man as he could. He didn't understand, everything was wrong. The man had said he wanted him to answer for his 'mistakes', but Harry needed to know what they were in order to apologize.
Jerking in pain as his uncle backhanded him, Harry allowed more tears to flow from his emerald eyes. When his uncle roughly twisted his arm behind his back, the young boy screamed out in pain and terror as he heard a sickening crack.
*End of Dream Sequence*
Bolting into a sitting position, Harry stifled a scream that was aching to be released from his throat. No. I will never go back with adults. They can't make me. They can't be trusted. Making up his firm resolve, Harry drew his legs to his chest to await for the dawning of the new day. He knew that he would not be able to sleep any more that nigh, lest the dreams return.
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Greeting the streaming sunlight with a glare that would have made Professor Snape proud, Harry grumbled about the evils of dreaming, and watched the waking students arise from their peaceful slumberings, feeling jealousy over their ease with sleeping. Growling menacingly, the other boy's heads jerked in the direction of Harry's bed, a mixture of fear of the growling boy and dawning joy that he was already awake washed over their faces, making them far too easy to read. Rolling his eyes towards the heavens, Harry rose, already dressed for the day, and descended into the common room. Picking up Shadow from where he laid curled near the fire, Harry thought more on what he had learned last night.
Forget it. I don't need to hang out here. I'll never be able to get away from these adults who think they know what is best for me. Making his way swiftly through the portrait hole and out into the hall, Harry started his descent to the main chamber of Hogwarts to leave the school.
'Harry...where isss we going?' Shadow hissed softly at the boy, smelling his growing agitation.
'We iss leaving. We iss not ssstaying here anysss longer.' Making a quick secessions of steps out of the school, Harry sighed in exasperation as he saw a black burr making its way towards him. Attempting to quicken his pace, Harry cringed as he realized that he was not going to get away from who he know identified as Professor Severus Snape.
"And where, Mr. Potter, do you think you are going? Hmm?" Quirking one elegant eyebrow over his obsidian eyes, Severus sneered at Harry. "Don't tell me that the 'celebrity' thinks that he can get away with anything he wants. Come now, surely you don't fancy yourself that above everyone else."
Sighing, Harry attempted to look down trodden as he attempted to lie to the overly observant man. "I was simply trying to get near the forest, nostalgia." Smirking up in what he hoped to an apologetic manner, Harry was sad to see that it didn't seem to be working. "I just wanted to see some of my friends."
"Friends? Yeah right. Now tell me the real reason, or you'll regret ever coming out of the forest in the first place," Professor Snape snarled, nearly missing the barely whispered 'I already do' that Harry said.
'Who'ss thisss, Harry?'
'It'sss Professor Ssnape. Hess don't likess me.' Looking down at the serpent coiled around his torso, Harry wished that the man would just mind his own business.
'Iss don't agreess. Iss thinkss he likess youss,' Shadow hissed as he flicked his tongue out, tasting the air around him. 'Hess smellss trusst worthy.'
'Youss thinkss ssoo? Hmm...' Harry looked over at Professor Snape, wondering if Shadow could possibly be right. 'Hess alwayss trying to getss me expelled.'
'Iss don't thinkss hess meanss it,' Shadow said, laying his head back down onto Harry's chest, signifying the end of their conversation. Thinking over everything that Shadow had said, Harry inhaled deeply, exhaled, and decided that maybe, just maybe, he could try trusting this one adult. Just this once though, and if it didn't work, never again.
"I-I'm sorry, sir. I just...well...I just don't trust adults too much. Those two dog men were expecting too much of me."
Furrowing his eyebrows in confusion, Professor Snape said, "What do you mean? Hold on, wait. Follow me to my office, we can speak privately there."
Biting his bottom lip in nervous anticipation, Harry wondered if his decision was such a sound one. Following the man down winding corridors, Harry brought his arms up around himself. It wasn't that he was cold, but he wasn't used to being so deep into Slytherin territory. Well, unless one counted the time he went into the Slytherin dormitories to play the prank on Malfoy. Continuously gnawing on his lip, Harry was shocked to discover a metallic taste slowing pervading his taste buds. Realizing he had chewed his lip raw, he quickly pulled it out from in between his teeth, opting instead to stroke Shadow. Feeling Shadow's cool, smooth scales under his hands helped to calm his raging emotions. They felt like tidal waves attempting to engulf him, pulling him under, causing him to drown in the unforgiving under currents of the harsh waters.
"We're here." Holding the door open to his student, Professor Snape watched as the young boy gulped before a determined look crossed his face, and he stepped through the door way into the professor's private office.
TBC
AH!!!! I haven't updated in nearly two months! What's wrong with me?! Please, please don't skin me. I try, really I do. And skinning me means that there will be no more of this story, ever. Well, I guess that technically someone could steal it, thus taking it over and probably churning out chapters faster than me. Oh well. They better not, or I'll send my demon minions after them.
Anywho, review!!! Please? Pretty please? With hugs and kisses? Review!!!!!!!