As strong as we are united.
Chapter 4 - Yes sir, No sir, What ever you say sir!
In a small thatched cottage, on the highlands of Scotland, a small boy stirred as the sun coming through the window, whose curtains had not been drawn the night before, which had been creeping slowly up the boy's face for the last half hour or so, reached his eyes. The boy, who was a few moments later wide awake, dared not open his eyes in case what he thought had happened yesterday turned out to be nothing but a dream.
He eventually collected a sufficient amount of his courage to be able to open his eyes, and after doing so was delighted to find him self in a room that bore no resemblance to the cupboard where he normally spent his nights. A smile of delight escaped his normally solemn face, and his eyes lost the aged, shadowed look they had had for months now.
As he sat in bed with a smile on his face, he looked around, taking in the details he had missed the night before. One of the room's walls was actually the sloped, thatched roof, but the others were painted a light blue. The floor, door and window frame were all made of unpainted wood, as was the furniture. There was a desk, a cupboard and some empty shelves, as well as the bedside table he had seen the night before. The un drawn curtains and matching blanket that covered the bed were a darker blue. Harry couldn't have thought of a nicer room if he had tried.
But then two thoughts crept into his mind unbidden. Firstly, he was in bed, and he had definitely not gotten into bed himself last night, so someone, must have tucked him in. He was angry at himself that he hadn't been awake to enjoy being tucked into bed fort he first time in eight years. Secondly, and much more importantly, he was not wearing Dudley's old clothes anymore, but a huge white shirt with the sleeves rolled up. Harry could have cried, the man, Severus Snape he remembered, must have seen his back whilst putting this shirt on, he would know that Harry was a freak and would send him away again! Maybe back to the Dursley's! He had promised he wouldn't, but that was before he knew.
Having reached the decision that there was very little he could do about, that the damage had already been done; Harry consoled himself by jumping out of bed as quietly as possible, and tiptoeing to the window. He slowly slipped back the latch, and opened the window. What he saw took his breath away; rolling green hills, and valleys filled with the mornings mist, streams and sheltered lochs without a single ripple on the surface, hundreds of grazing sheep and ponies. Harry could practically taste the goodness in the air. He took a deep breath a fell a cool breeze brush across his forehead.
"Like it do you?" the voice from the door caught Harry totally unaware, he jumped like he had been given an electric shock, and whirled around so fast Snape would have sworn he had heard the boy's neck creak. "Steady boy, I'm not going to hurt you." Snape said in what he hope was a reassuring voice, slightly alarmed. He made a mental note not to sneak up on the boy again.
"Did you sleep well?" Snape enquired after a moment's silence.
"Yes mister."
"You didn't wake up at all?"
"No mister."
"Are you hungry?"
"No, I mean, yes mister." Harry changed his answer midway through when Snape raised his eyebrows.
"I see." There was an uncomfortable pause. "Well, come downstairs, it's time for breakfast," then with a hint of sarcasm he added "whether you are hungry or not."
Harry winced at the tone of his voice, but obeyed when Snape left the room. He stumbled slightly on the hem of the shirt when he tried to catch up with Snape whilst coming down the stairs, but Snape was there to steady him, albeit with a sneer. "We're not in a race boy, be careful. I don't fancy a trip to St. Mungo's today." Where on earth, or indeed what on earth is St. Mungo's Harry wondered? Snape. As if he had read Harry's thoughts added "a hospital".
When they reached the kitchen/eating room, there were two places laid on the table at either end, or a saucepan on the aga. Snape gestured for Harry to sit down and ladled what looked like porridge into two bowls, placing one in front of Harry, and sitting down to attack the other himself. When he paused between bites, and glanced up, he sighed. Harry was perched on the edge of his chair, his back ramrod straight, with his eyes darting from the bowl in front of his to Snape's face.
Snape stood up once more, and selected a jar from a cupboard, adding several spoonfuls of honey to Harry's meal. He then pushed the bowl closer to Harry and gave him a spoon, saying "Eat it, it's for you."
"Really and truly?" Harry asked.
"Really" replied Snape, rolling his eyes, and wondering if the boy had any normal tendencies.
"Yes mister" Harry agreed.
Then Snape added "All of it."
Harry gulped, his eyes wide and nodded. Snape sat down again with a long- suffering sigh.
Notes
Wow, nearly 900 words, that's bloody good for me, and that's the second chapter I have written today! But you won't get this until tomorrow and I've had a few reviews. Hope this is okay, and its not too much quantity, too little quality. Thanks for any reviews. Emma.
Chapter 4 - Yes sir, No sir, What ever you say sir!
In a small thatched cottage, on the highlands of Scotland, a small boy stirred as the sun coming through the window, whose curtains had not been drawn the night before, which had been creeping slowly up the boy's face for the last half hour or so, reached his eyes. The boy, who was a few moments later wide awake, dared not open his eyes in case what he thought had happened yesterday turned out to be nothing but a dream.
He eventually collected a sufficient amount of his courage to be able to open his eyes, and after doing so was delighted to find him self in a room that bore no resemblance to the cupboard where he normally spent his nights. A smile of delight escaped his normally solemn face, and his eyes lost the aged, shadowed look they had had for months now.
As he sat in bed with a smile on his face, he looked around, taking in the details he had missed the night before. One of the room's walls was actually the sloped, thatched roof, but the others were painted a light blue. The floor, door and window frame were all made of unpainted wood, as was the furniture. There was a desk, a cupboard and some empty shelves, as well as the bedside table he had seen the night before. The un drawn curtains and matching blanket that covered the bed were a darker blue. Harry couldn't have thought of a nicer room if he had tried.
But then two thoughts crept into his mind unbidden. Firstly, he was in bed, and he had definitely not gotten into bed himself last night, so someone, must have tucked him in. He was angry at himself that he hadn't been awake to enjoy being tucked into bed fort he first time in eight years. Secondly, and much more importantly, he was not wearing Dudley's old clothes anymore, but a huge white shirt with the sleeves rolled up. Harry could have cried, the man, Severus Snape he remembered, must have seen his back whilst putting this shirt on, he would know that Harry was a freak and would send him away again! Maybe back to the Dursley's! He had promised he wouldn't, but that was before he knew.
Having reached the decision that there was very little he could do about, that the damage had already been done; Harry consoled himself by jumping out of bed as quietly as possible, and tiptoeing to the window. He slowly slipped back the latch, and opened the window. What he saw took his breath away; rolling green hills, and valleys filled with the mornings mist, streams and sheltered lochs without a single ripple on the surface, hundreds of grazing sheep and ponies. Harry could practically taste the goodness in the air. He took a deep breath a fell a cool breeze brush across his forehead.
"Like it do you?" the voice from the door caught Harry totally unaware, he jumped like he had been given an electric shock, and whirled around so fast Snape would have sworn he had heard the boy's neck creak. "Steady boy, I'm not going to hurt you." Snape said in what he hope was a reassuring voice, slightly alarmed. He made a mental note not to sneak up on the boy again.
"Did you sleep well?" Snape enquired after a moment's silence.
"Yes mister."
"You didn't wake up at all?"
"No mister."
"Are you hungry?"
"No, I mean, yes mister." Harry changed his answer midway through when Snape raised his eyebrows.
"I see." There was an uncomfortable pause. "Well, come downstairs, it's time for breakfast," then with a hint of sarcasm he added "whether you are hungry or not."
Harry winced at the tone of his voice, but obeyed when Snape left the room. He stumbled slightly on the hem of the shirt when he tried to catch up with Snape whilst coming down the stairs, but Snape was there to steady him, albeit with a sneer. "We're not in a race boy, be careful. I don't fancy a trip to St. Mungo's today." Where on earth, or indeed what on earth is St. Mungo's Harry wondered? Snape. As if he had read Harry's thoughts added "a hospital".
When they reached the kitchen/eating room, there were two places laid on the table at either end, or a saucepan on the aga. Snape gestured for Harry to sit down and ladled what looked like porridge into two bowls, placing one in front of Harry, and sitting down to attack the other himself. When he paused between bites, and glanced up, he sighed. Harry was perched on the edge of his chair, his back ramrod straight, with his eyes darting from the bowl in front of his to Snape's face.
Snape stood up once more, and selected a jar from a cupboard, adding several spoonfuls of honey to Harry's meal. He then pushed the bowl closer to Harry and gave him a spoon, saying "Eat it, it's for you."
"Really and truly?" Harry asked.
"Really" replied Snape, rolling his eyes, and wondering if the boy had any normal tendencies.
"Yes mister" Harry agreed.
Then Snape added "All of it."
Harry gulped, his eyes wide and nodded. Snape sat down again with a long- suffering sigh.
Notes
Wow, nearly 900 words, that's bloody good for me, and that's the second chapter I have written today! But you won't get this until tomorrow and I've had a few reviews. Hope this is okay, and its not too much quantity, too little quality. Thanks for any reviews. Emma.