Birthday Surprises Chapter Nine

Usual disclaimer: Not mine, don't sue. Please. Wish it were mine though. Ah, if only… Lolly, xxx.

Thank you to Wadeki and BferBear for reviewing - I'm really glad that you're enjoying my story. Wadeki, you may or may not be right - you'll have to wait and see. I was beginning to wonder if anyone liked my story at all, but you two (and you, persephone106) have made my day (and month, probably). Thank you thank you thank you!!!! ;-D

"Minerva, Professor Dumbledore would like to see you in his office - it's about Potter."

"Harry did that?" Minerva asked in dismay, pointing to Vernon.

"He did - but there's more to it than that." Severus said.

"How do you mean?"

"I mean that Potter is currently in the hospital wing with a broken nose after his Uncle punched him. The boy had good reason to hex him - it seems that we have found the Muggle equivalent of Voldemort - at least where Potter's concerned."

"Oh my." Minerva gasped. "Thank you Severus, I shall go right up."

"Very well."

Harry was so angry that he hardly felt the pain of his broken nose. He was aware of the pouring blood, but paid little attention to it. It wasn't as bad as when he was younger - the beatings would last longer then, but now Harry could use magic, and how dare he even try to make him feel useless in Hogwarts! He pushed open the door to the Hospital wing and walked in, accompanied by a steady drip-drip of his blood on the linoleum floor. "Madam Pomfrey?" He called through a stream of blood.

"Oh my goodness! What happened to you?" The nurse asked, staring at him in shock.

"Broken nose." Harry mumbled.

"I'd gathered that much - sit down. Try not to get blood all over the bed. What happened?"

"I was punched." Harry replied.

"By whom? That awful cousin of yours? The boy is a brute, I swear."

"It wasn't Dudley." Harry said, his voice carefully kept even.

"Then who? He's the only…..no! Your Uncle did this?"

"Yup." Harry replied, feeling a hot surge of anger again. Madam Pomfrey had gone as white as a sheet, and looked positively ill.

"Let's get you fixed up, then we're going to the headmaster - this is an outrage!"

"The headmaster knows." Snape had entered, and was floating Vernon in front of him. He was still unconscious.

"Let me guess - you had to retaliate?" The nurse said, though she didn't look quite as disapproving as her tone suggested.

"Too damn right." Harry muttered.

"The headmaster wishes to see you in your office when you're finished here, Potter."

"Fine." Harry said.

"I will escort you - will this take very long Poppy?"

"A few minutes." The nurse replied. "Really, that man should be…..put down! Has he done this before?"

"Erm…..yeah." Harry said, his voice hardly above a whisper. "Not for a while though."

"Severus, can't you poison him?"

"I would love too, but I have nothing that would have an awful enough effect."

"Pity - still, it seems that Potter is more than capable of seeking revenge."

"Thanks. Just practicing for the next run in with Malfoy." He said, Professor Snape looked sour, and Harry smiled sweetly. "Just kidding - possibly."

"Mr Potter, you need to stay still." Harry flinched in pain as the nurse mended his nose, but didn't cry out. Moments later, the pain subsided, and the blood had stopped. Harry looked down at his blood soaked robes in disgust. He muttered a spell to make them as good as new, before hopping from the bed and heading towards the cot that lay in the corner of the room. He picked up Andrew as he was just waking.

"Hey there." He murmured. He was calming down rapidly, and no longer felt the need to punch something very hard. After a few minutes, Snape grew impatient.

"Hurry up Potter, the headmaster is waiting." He snapped.

"Yes Professor." Harry said through gritted teeth. He placed Andrew back into the cot, tucking the blankets around him.

The journey up to the headmaster's office was quiet and tense. Harry looked at his feet, his mind running through what to say when the headmaster asked him about the beatings - he supposed he should tell the truth, but…..it was embarrassing and horrible. He shuddered involuntarily. "Three?" Snape mused aloud.

"What?"

"Your Uncle started abusing you when you were three?" Harry gulped. How had he known?

"Yeah." He muttered. "How did you know?"

"Your Aunt told Professor Dumbledore."

"What else did she say?" Harry asked, stopping dead in the hall. Snape looked at him, trying to understand why there seemed to be a hint of panic in the boy's voice.

"That your Uncle would beat you if you did anything wrong - that he beat you frequently."

"Right." Harry said, walking again, his eyes down as he silently relived every beating he had ever taken. He didn't even realise that they had arrived until he heard Snape give the password - his voice seemed to be very far away. Shaking his head, Harry pulled himself back into the present with another shudder. Would he have to tell the headmaster everything? It took Harry a moment, and a strange look from Snape, to realise that he was shaking slightly.