As strong as we are untied.
Chapter six - The grave of your mother.
The 'Yes, magic is real' talk lasted longer than Snape had anticipated, and it was midmorning when Harry eventually ran out of questions. Frustrating thought the incessant, often repetitive questions were to Snape, who just about managed to control his temper, only lashing out on two occasions at what he considered to be particularly pointless enquires (such as, for the fifth time "So wizards and witches really do fly on broomsticks, like in stories?"), by the end of it, Harry had become comfortable enough to venture the occasional comment other than his questions and "yes mister" or "no mister". This pleased Snape, as Harry's obvious fear and timid ness had been unnatural and disturbing. It was nice to find that he boy did have a backbone after all.
When they had finished, and Harry had had all of the questions he could think of answered (Snape had decided to indulge the boy), Snape stood up and moved over to the sink "Right then, time to make yourself useful; you dry, I'll wash." Harry nodded and moved over to Snape's side, drying everything carefully after Snape had washed it. When they had finished, there was a small pile of clean, dry dishes in front of Harry. Snape then proceeded to show the boy where everything was kept. Then Harry carefully put all the dishes away in their proper places, using a char to reach the highest cupboard.
Snape just watched, and when Harry had finished, nodded, satisfied. "Well done. From now on, it will be your job to dry up and put all the dishes away after a meal. Understood?"
Snape's tone left no room for argument, but Harry, pleased that Snape was pleased, agreed happily "I'll do a good job mister, I promise."
Snape simply grunted and stated, "You'd better." After a pause, he clapped his hands together in a no-nonsense manner, and marched over to the kitchen table, picking up the bulky package one of the owls had brought. "Now, upstairs." Harry followed him wordlessly.
When they reached the attic, instead of going through the door that led to Harry's room, Snape went across the landing and into another. A bathroom. "You need a bath Potter," Snape declared.
"A bath?"
"Yes boy, a bath. You know, what people take when they are as filthy dirty as you are." Snape lost the battle to keep the biting sarcasm out of his voice.
Harry's voice was very small when he replied "Oh. Sorry mister."
Snape sighed, and there he had frightened the boy again. He turned both of the bath taps on full blast, and added some peppermint bubble bath to it from a corked bottle. Forty-five minutes later, a much cleaner Harry Potter stood on the bathmat, dripping wet, with a towel around his shoulders. The buy had a significantly smaller amount of hair, and his skin was all a flushed pink, tribute to the vigorous scrubbing Snape had given it.
Snape, Harry had concluded after having his teeth roughly but thoroughly brushed for the third time, didn't like dirt. It did feel nice to be clean though, his hair no longer itched, and his nails were cleaner than he could ever remember them.
After the ordeal that was Harry's first bath in a considerable amount of time, Snape led Harry back into his own room, sat him down on the bed, and sat down beside him. He had, up until now, restrained himself from making any comment on the state of the boy's back, but knew he now had to say something. "What happened to your back Harry?" he asked in a calm, unthreatening voice.
Harry, who had after his bath been fairly relaxed, immediately stiffened up, his bony frame once again tense. Realising that Snape wanted an answer, he replied in a shakily innocent tone "n-nothing mister."
Snape scowled, annoyed that the boy would lie so blatantly. Harry quailed. "A truthful answer boy, if you please."
Harry open his mouth to repeat his earlier statement, took one look at Snape's grim face, and gave up. "The night before you came, I, I had a nightmare, and I must have shouted in my sleep. It woke uncle Vernon up, he was angry that I had disturbed him." He spoke to his knees, and had gotten progressively quieter as he told his tale.
Snape was shocked. "Your uncle did that to you for having a nightmare?"
Harry nodded miserably, his voice a whisper "yes mister".
Snape's quiet voice betrayed his fury "Had he beaten you before this happened?"
Harry nodded again. "Yes mister."
"Lots of times?"
"Yes mister."
Snape struggled to control himself. He closed his eyes and slowly counted to ten. "I promised you before Harry, and I swear to you now. You will never, ever go back to those pathetic excuses for human beings. Never."
Harry smiled nervously. "Does that mean you promise, swearing?"
"Yes Harry. I swear it on the grace of your mother."
Answer to people's reviews.
athenakitty - Yes, as you can see, Harry talks to Snape. Obviously Harry will go to Hogwarts as a first year, but if he goes before you'll just have to wait and see. Harry will live with Snape for a bit, again wait and see to find out more. No, Snape will not tell Dumbledore about Harry's abuse, but he might drop a couple of subtle hints.
Emily - This story isn't going to be slash, I'm just not interested in that sort of think I'm afraid. But will see some more of Snape's err original parenting style!
pencil - I'm afraid you'll have to wait a couple of days, Dumbledore won't be appearing until chapter eight which should be out on Sunday. Sorry!
Everyone - Thanks so much for all the reviews, I really appreciate them, especially today when I need cheering up as I was supposed to be going on a expedition to Uganda for three weeks with all my friends (climbing mountains, building schools, that kind of thing), but I went and fractured my bloody ankle so I have to stay at home instead. Basically I'm a bit depressed, but at least I can still write for you lot. Please add any suggestions or comments on any aspect of the story; advice is very welcome. Thanks again. emma.
Chapter six - The grave of your mother.
The 'Yes, magic is real' talk lasted longer than Snape had anticipated, and it was midmorning when Harry eventually ran out of questions. Frustrating thought the incessant, often repetitive questions were to Snape, who just about managed to control his temper, only lashing out on two occasions at what he considered to be particularly pointless enquires (such as, for the fifth time "So wizards and witches really do fly on broomsticks, like in stories?"), by the end of it, Harry had become comfortable enough to venture the occasional comment other than his questions and "yes mister" or "no mister". This pleased Snape, as Harry's obvious fear and timid ness had been unnatural and disturbing. It was nice to find that he boy did have a backbone after all.
When they had finished, and Harry had had all of the questions he could think of answered (Snape had decided to indulge the boy), Snape stood up and moved over to the sink "Right then, time to make yourself useful; you dry, I'll wash." Harry nodded and moved over to Snape's side, drying everything carefully after Snape had washed it. When they had finished, there was a small pile of clean, dry dishes in front of Harry. Snape then proceeded to show the boy where everything was kept. Then Harry carefully put all the dishes away in their proper places, using a char to reach the highest cupboard.
Snape just watched, and when Harry had finished, nodded, satisfied. "Well done. From now on, it will be your job to dry up and put all the dishes away after a meal. Understood?"
Snape's tone left no room for argument, but Harry, pleased that Snape was pleased, agreed happily "I'll do a good job mister, I promise."
Snape simply grunted and stated, "You'd better." After a pause, he clapped his hands together in a no-nonsense manner, and marched over to the kitchen table, picking up the bulky package one of the owls had brought. "Now, upstairs." Harry followed him wordlessly.
When they reached the attic, instead of going through the door that led to Harry's room, Snape went across the landing and into another. A bathroom. "You need a bath Potter," Snape declared.
"A bath?"
"Yes boy, a bath. You know, what people take when they are as filthy dirty as you are." Snape lost the battle to keep the biting sarcasm out of his voice.
Harry's voice was very small when he replied "Oh. Sorry mister."
Snape sighed, and there he had frightened the boy again. He turned both of the bath taps on full blast, and added some peppermint bubble bath to it from a corked bottle. Forty-five minutes later, a much cleaner Harry Potter stood on the bathmat, dripping wet, with a towel around his shoulders. The buy had a significantly smaller amount of hair, and his skin was all a flushed pink, tribute to the vigorous scrubbing Snape had given it.
Snape, Harry had concluded after having his teeth roughly but thoroughly brushed for the third time, didn't like dirt. It did feel nice to be clean though, his hair no longer itched, and his nails were cleaner than he could ever remember them.
After the ordeal that was Harry's first bath in a considerable amount of time, Snape led Harry back into his own room, sat him down on the bed, and sat down beside him. He had, up until now, restrained himself from making any comment on the state of the boy's back, but knew he now had to say something. "What happened to your back Harry?" he asked in a calm, unthreatening voice.
Harry, who had after his bath been fairly relaxed, immediately stiffened up, his bony frame once again tense. Realising that Snape wanted an answer, he replied in a shakily innocent tone "n-nothing mister."
Snape scowled, annoyed that the boy would lie so blatantly. Harry quailed. "A truthful answer boy, if you please."
Harry open his mouth to repeat his earlier statement, took one look at Snape's grim face, and gave up. "The night before you came, I, I had a nightmare, and I must have shouted in my sleep. It woke uncle Vernon up, he was angry that I had disturbed him." He spoke to his knees, and had gotten progressively quieter as he told his tale.
Snape was shocked. "Your uncle did that to you for having a nightmare?"
Harry nodded miserably, his voice a whisper "yes mister".
Snape's quiet voice betrayed his fury "Had he beaten you before this happened?"
Harry nodded again. "Yes mister."
"Lots of times?"
"Yes mister."
Snape struggled to control himself. He closed his eyes and slowly counted to ten. "I promised you before Harry, and I swear to you now. You will never, ever go back to those pathetic excuses for human beings. Never."
Harry smiled nervously. "Does that mean you promise, swearing?"
"Yes Harry. I swear it on the grace of your mother."
Answer to people's reviews.
athenakitty - Yes, as you can see, Harry talks to Snape. Obviously Harry will go to Hogwarts as a first year, but if he goes before you'll just have to wait and see. Harry will live with Snape for a bit, again wait and see to find out more. No, Snape will not tell Dumbledore about Harry's abuse, but he might drop a couple of subtle hints.
Emily - This story isn't going to be slash, I'm just not interested in that sort of think I'm afraid. But will see some more of Snape's err original parenting style!
pencil - I'm afraid you'll have to wait a couple of days, Dumbledore won't be appearing until chapter eight which should be out on Sunday. Sorry!
Everyone - Thanks so much for all the reviews, I really appreciate them, especially today when I need cheering up as I was supposed to be going on a expedition to Uganda for three weeks with all my friends (climbing mountains, building schools, that kind of thing), but I went and fractured my bloody ankle so I have to stay at home instead. Basically I'm a bit depressed, but at least I can still write for you lot. Please add any suggestions or comments on any aspect of the story; advice is very welcome. Thanks again. emma.