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In the Midst of the Night

Chapter 2 – It's Like Magic

Severus suppressed the urge to scream in frustration and vowed that he would take off one hundred points for being unbearably dim from the house that Harry Potter was sorted into in four years. "Yes, unfit," he repeated. "Now go on and collect your things. I'm a busy wizard, Potter, and have other chores to attend to."

Bewildered as he was at the mention of the word 'wizard', Harry didn't ask questions, but simply did as he was told. That was how life was at St. Mary's – do what is asked of you and don't ask questions. It was the orphanage's motto. He ran into his room and saw Aden walk in after him. "Where are you going?"

"I don't know," said Harry, his green eyes bright and intent on packing what little things he possessed.

It didn't pass unnoticed that the boy was favoring his left arm and Aden frowned in concern. How could his friend go off with an unfamiliar person like this? He knew that Harry was naïve, even for a street urchin, but Aden didn't know the other was so thick! He just couldn't let his friend wander off into unknown territory without complaint – and he wouldn't. "Well, you aren't going off with that strange man are you? He lifted me up by my collar! He must be the strongest man on the earth! He's dangerous!" he argued convincingly.

"Then I must go, don't you understand?" When Aden shook his head, Harry had to agree with the negative answer – he didn't understand a thing either! "He said – he said he was a teacher from – from Hoggerts School of Crafts and Wizardry," repeated the seven-year-old, the strange words difficultly slipping off his tongue.

"Hoggerts School of…." Aden shook his head in disbelief. "Bloody hell! He's a kidnapper! I never heard of a school called Hoggerts!"


Harry looked pained as he slung on his backpack. "I -," but he cut himself off when he saw Severus step in.

"Are you ready yet, Potter?" wondered the elder man, impatience laced in every word. And Harry, with a feeling of despondency, nodded.

Aden bit down on his lip. "May I say goodbye first?" he asked timidly, his earlier ferocious demeanor gone.

Snape scowled and glanced at the two boys who looked up at him with large pathetic eyes. Blasted children, he thought and curtly nodded once before turning and walking out. Somehow, despite his abhorrence of kids, he seemed unable to refuse certain things – especially when they used those cocker spaniel looking eyes that they have. The man growled at a young boy that stepped in his way and felt a feeling of satisfaction sweep through him.

"Since – since you're leaving, I suppose I should tell you that I'm – I'm going off with a family," he said quietly. Harry's eyes widened. "They came yesterday afternoon and Mr. McKinnon signed the papers."

"Well – well that's wonderful, Aden! Maybe we'll see each other again!" he said with a falsely cheerful voice.

The other boy nodded, but his face was solemn and scared. "I don't know what they're like, really," he whispered, looking down. When he looked up again, he said, "I'll miss you, Harry." He then grinned. "This won't be the last time you see me!" Aden pushed his friend towards the door and before slamming it, the word, "Hopefully," was heard.

Harry looked at the closed door, and then turned to see the professor looking his way with an unreadable expression.

Severus turned without a word and led the way to the head of the desk. He muttered a quick, "Finite incantatem," and with a flick of his wand, Mr. McKinnon was unbound. The man stared mutely at the wizard with large eyes and a widely gaping mouth before his gaze drifted towards Harry. The boy winced and stumbled backwards as the McKinnon's features hardened with anger.

"You," he spat out, fury burning in his eyes. He took a step forward, but Severus intervened with a frown.

"We will be leaving now," he said, and pointed his wand between the man's eyes. "Obliviate." He watched as the man's eyes crossed and rolled, then turned towards the boy who glanced up at him briefly before flushing and looking down at his shoes. "Come," ordered Professor Snape, and Harry followed.

~*~

It was only moments after they had stepped out of the orphanage that Harry began to wonder what exactly he had gotten himself into. The miracle that the strange man before him did could only be something supernatural – something magical, and it frightened him to no end. The man in his dreams did such things…though those scared him more than the things that the professor did. They both held those wooden sticks and hurt people with them…and he didn't know what to think, on account of the man called Severus Snape stepping in between him and Mr. McKinnon.

"Stay close to me, Potter," Severus commanded, and Harry nodded. The elder man walked into an empty alley way and raised his wand hand. There was a loud 'BANG' and Harry jumped in surprise. Before them, a large bus gurgled and shook to a stop. His eyes were wide with amazement and shock, and Severus had to prod the boy forward onto the bus after silencing the conductor's introduction with an impatient wave of his hand.

He was surprised to find that the boy scurried away from his touch as if he was being burnt. After seeming to comprehend what he had done, Harry bit down on his lip and averted his gaze from the piercing one of the elder. Severus found himself frowning yet again, but shook his head slightly and entered the bus, the child following him on.

They both took separate beds and Harry sat with his knees up, head resting on them, and arms folded around them. His eyes stared vacantly out the window and the only movement he made until they arrived at Diagon Alley was a jump at the second 'BANG' of the bus – this one on its rusty start. Severus took note of the small rucksack, seemingly filled with next to nothing, sitting idly by the boy's side, but didn't comment. He continued surveying the child, but when Harry glanced curiously at him, he turned away. His thoughts drifted back to the potion at his manor, waiting to be made, and he sighed at what a waste of time this errand was.

It seemed like hours on end until the bus slowed to a stop, and Severus stood quickly, relishing the feeling of being grounded once more. Brooms and buses were two very different things and broom rides, to him, were the only way to go. He didn't check to see if the Potter boy was following him off the flying vehicle, but hastily stepped off. That done, he reclaimed what dignity he had left and brushed off his robes as if he was as undaunted as always. He looked back to see Harry looking at him with that blasted curious look again and scowled at the boy. The child flinched and took an instinctive step backwards, and Severus felt another moment of satisfaction rush through him.

They walked down the alley, Severus walking swiftly and Harry half running to try and keep up with the elder man's long strides. His sides were beginning to hurt with the effort and he felt the unseen bruises and welts aching with the exertion. The professor soon stopped before a strange looking building and Harry tried to control his spastic breathing.

Severus looked for a moment at Gringotts, and then pulled a key from his pocket. He next checked on the boy behind him to see the child grasping his shirt at the chest in a tight fist. "What's wrong, Potter?" he asked, trying to make his voice cold, but his curiosity was showing through anyway.

Harry looked up, then down again quickly after he shook his head. "N-nothing, sir," he replied almost inaudibly. And the elder noticed that he was breathing rapidly, as if having run a long way. He rolled his eyes and bade heaven to save him from imbeciles before making himself remember to walk at a slower pace.

Snape was glaring at him reproachfully, but the boy was looking at his god-awful looking shoes. Note, stop by the tailor shop, he thought, and made sure to remember to have the boy sent to the infirmary once they arrived at the castle – just in case. "Just so you know, the headmaster has also ordered me to take you to get some supplies – clothes…shoes, and the such," he informed the child.

The raven haired boy looked up cautiously. "But, I – I haven't got any money…sir," he stammered uncertainly.

The latter repressed a growl of annoyance. "Of course you have money, Potter, did you think your parent left you nothing – bothersome as they were?" he asked, and he saw the emerald green orbs light up despite the scathing remark.

"My parents?" wondered the boy, his voice escalating with surprise.

Severus didn't answer, but went on into the wizarding bank. "Harry Potter's vault," he said upon greeting and handed the goblin the key. The creature looked down at the filthy child with scrutinizing eyes before accepting the key, calling upon another called Splurge.

Splurge took the key from the first goblin, then led the way to a trolley. They later arrived at the vault and Harry watched hesitantly as the professor stood and walked into the dark and sinister looking room. His insides squirmed with butterflies and he heard the chink of metal on metal. The elder man came out from the room carrying a hand sized purple velvet pouch. He stuffed it into an inner cloak pocket and it wasn't long until they were back in the sunlight in Diagon Alley.

Harry never had the chance to look around the strange street because he had earlier just focused on trying to follow the elder man. Now, his emerald green eyes widened with astonishment at the amount of people that bustled along, each concentrated on doing different chores and errands. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Severus start walking to the right and he quickly trotted to catch up. This time, he noticed that he didn't have to run to keep up with the latter and relished the slow pace.

He felt out of place in the busy alley – he had never been exposed to so many people at once and he felt a tinge of fear creep up his spine. The boy stepped closer to the adult and Severus pretended not to notice. This being his first time in a crowd, Harry surveyed the strange clothes that the people wore. They looked much the same as the professor's and the child looked down at his own in wonder. Why did these people dress wrong? Or perhaps it was he and all the other boys at St. Mary's that didn't dress right? He shook his head as if to dispel the confusion and looked around at the shops and various objects that each sold. They soon arrived at Madam Malkin's and walked in. The owner strolled up to them with a smile and Harry stepped behind Professor Snape as if to hide.

Madam Malkin's eyebrows rose in surprise as she saw the tiny creature scurry behind his father as if in fear and she turned a curious gaze upon the elder man. Oh, the child could not be this man's son – most definitely not! Many knew about the infamous Severus Snape and his awful past – one had to be sorry for the young man, really. Yet her stomach churned in anxiety at what the teeny little boy was doing with such a person.

"Hello, Professor," she greeted amiably. Her smile was perfected with practice and hours upon hours of use for disagreeable customers.

He curtly nodded once. "I need a set of black robes for Mr. Potter," he said, and ignored her double take. He stepped to the side and Harry felt oddly bare without the protection of the more familiar adult in front of him. The child dropped his gaze and scuffed his feet nervously.

The woman smiled gently, putting aside her initial shock in favor of comforting the poor child who was with such an intimidating figure. "Come, Harry," she said tenderly, "let's find you some descent robes, huh?" She held her hand out to take hold of his, but he jumped back and scampered behind Severus once more.

The man pursed his lips and glanced at Madam Malkin with a sour expression. She covered a grin – amazed as she was – behind her hand. Professor Snape turned around and looked at the young Potter boy who looked everywhere except at him. "Potter, I need to pick up a few ingredients…elsewhere," he said, not wishing to mention Knockturn Alley in front of the woman. "Make sure that I don't hear one complaint from Madam Malkin when I return," he told the boy sternly. He saw the child's shoulders tense as if a defense mechanism and Harry stepped back a few paces, looking up at him with large green eyes. He resisted the urge to sigh in irritation at how easily the boy was unsettled. He directed his gaze upon the woman and saw that she was looking at him with disapproval written across her face. Ignoring it, he said, "I will return in half an hour. Please make sure everything is ready by then – I'm on orders to return to Hogwarts within an hour and don't wish to be late."

With that, he turned and left the store without a backward glance.

~*~

Harry watched the only person he knew in this strange place walk out without him and felt the familiar feeling of despair well within him. He bit down on his lip and stepped further away from the woman that he had earlier heard was named Madam Malkin.

"It's all right, child," said she in what seemed like a comforting tone. "We're just going to get you some new clothes." Harry chanced a look up and saw a warm hue in her eyes.

Perhaps…

When he took a step forward, he felt the tension leave the room and she smiled brightly. "This way, Harry," she told him and led the way. He followed her further into the shop – and farther way from Professor Severus Snape, 'wizard' sent by the headmaster of Hoggerts School of Crafts and Wizardry.

~*~

Author's Note: (sorry, the rest of this chapter is full of my notes and responses to reviewers.)

Hey, everyone! Thanks so much for your reviews! You don't know how surprised I was when I checked my email and saw how many reviews were forwarded to me from fanfictoin.net! I have never gotten 22 reviews after a single chapter! Therefore, in compensation, I've finished this chapter extra quick! I'm sorry it's short but I was just too excited to post!

Just recently I've begun reading stories where Severus Snape and Harry Potter (though he's usually the main character anyway) are the protagonists. I love them! So…I've decided to start writing my own.

"In the Midst of the Night" is the result.

I'm glad you guys are enjoying it and a few of you have said that I have good grammar and spelling – THANKS SO MUCH. Lol, that's a huge compliment to me. I can't stand some of the stories that are loaded w/ typos. If anyone needs a beta – you can refer them to me, I don't mind – I love writing and reading and as you can tell am a dork, haha! But I'll beta if anyone needs it – that is, if time allows it.

ALSO: if you find any mistakes in my story (misspelling of names and all else, grammar mistakes, etc...) please tell me. I always end up uploading the same chapter three times after re-reading the blasted thing just in case and can't stand it. It would be nice if someone told me I did something wrong.

Onto the responses!!!!!

Life: You, my friend, are my very first reviewer! Lol, yay! Thank you so much! I was so excited! Here's an update and after only two days! Wahoo!

Mikee: There isn't much development as of yet, but I'm building a plot in my head right now and hope that it builds up well. Thanks for saying it's a unique start! I was worried that it wasn't and didn't want my story to be like the others.

WittchWay: lol, and here is more. I know – I'm sorry it's short and doesn't explain much – hopefully my next chapter will be longer. In my other stories, chapters are usually 21-30 pages each on MWord and I'm not sure if this one will be like that. Maybe when we get to the plot chapters will be longer. :o)

Mooniala: Thanks very much for your review! Don't worry, I don't plan on giving up this story. My other story, Tears In Heaven (my first), is on a hiatus right now and will probably be finished during the summer. This one I plan on continuing even during the school year.

Izean: Hey! Thanks! The story line's pretty small right now, I'm still unsure of where it will go, but it is building up… I hope! Tell me what you think and give me suggestions if you have any! I'd greatly appreciate it!

Katy999: Mil gracias (I'm in Spanish three and tend to use Spanish phrases every now and then for no reason…) for your wonderful review! I'm glad you thought it was a good beginning! This chapter is kind of attached to that one and I hope you like this one!

JessicaKou: Haha! I wasn't sure if I was portraying Harry very well, you've eased my mind w/ that one. Tell me how you think he should act in the future, I'm not sure if he's too shy or what in this chapter.

Lei Dumbledore: Wow! I'm glad you think this is an original story. I didn't want to sound like a copycat or just another ss and hp writer. :o)

Liz: Umm…well, I guess you can kind of tell that Harry's hurt – but as to the extent of his injuries, you'll have to find out I guess. I'm not sure where I'm going with that one…how do you define crazy? :o) Thanks for your review!

Geministarz: Hmm…well, obviously, we see that Aden can't go with them, they just left in this story. Poor Aden! He's going off with an unknown family! Hopefully they're nice to him!

Barbara: Lol, hmm…how is Albus going to convince Snape to take Harry w/ him to Snape manor? Dun, dun, dun…!

Jess the Great: HAHA! That's it! You got it! The billowing of the robes and the educated tongue is my way of portraying Severus. :o) Glad you see that. I like how the phrase 'billowing robes' and 'Snape' go so well in a sentence together, lol. Thanks for your kind review, it's a confidence booster!

Abbey: Aw! That's so kind! I'm not really that well thought out, but I kind of try and plan a chapter before I write. However, sometimes words just fly onto the screen as if by :gasp!: magic and after only twenty seconds I've got a whole paragraph…I love it when that happens :o)

Rayvern: haha! I'm glad u liked the last part too :oD I wasn't sure if that was a good ending, but I liked the phrase so much that I just had to leave it hanging! Lol, thanks!

Well, guys, those are all the reviewers as of now! If I've missed anyone, please tell me, maybe I'm blind or maybe it didn't pop up on the review page. I don't want to leave anyone out so please email me or something!