Disclaimer: I do not own anything recognisably Harry Potter-ish

Any mention of Draconis is by the permission of Lady Mandara Snake (go read her stuff!) and that goes for all chapters!

Chapter 16

Harry avoided Moody for the rest of the evening, he talked to his friends about the upcoming year and realised that he hadn't even started his homework, he looked guiltily at Hermione she waved if off

"I think we can let it slip this year, but you should try and finish it before the start of term" Harry nodded and reframed from telling her that the only difference between this year and the last few had been that they had found out about it. Soon people started to leave, it was getting late and even Harry wanted to go to sleep. He looked around the room and noticed that while his father was pretending to have a conversation with Mr. Weasley he was glaring daggers a Remus across the room. Harry inwardly sighed, he still didn't think that Remus wanted to hurt him, but that didn't make him feel any better or cleaner. Harry wondered over to Severus and Mr. Weasley

"Hello Harry how are you feeling?" Mr Weasley said as he came nearer

"Better thank you, it was nice seeing everyone", Harry turned his attention to the potions teacher.

"Sir, is there any chance of getting a dreamless sleep draught for tonight?" Mr. Weasley looked concerned

"Harry, you really should ask Madame Pomfrey if you need medication" Harry was about to respond but Severus beat him to it

"It's quite alright Arthur; Madame Pomfrey's stocks have been diminished, so she sent Harry to me rest assured she knows what he's taking" Severus managed to keep his voice calm, when all he wanted to do was scream at the man to leave his son alone. He took a deep breath before addressing Harry

"I have some in my office, if you would like to follow me" he turned and left the hall in suitable dramatic fashion that everyone noticed. Harry said his goodnights and followed.

Severus waited at the end of the corridor for Harry, he didn't have to wait long. Harry was walking quickly and not paying much attention, he walked straight into his father, he jumped back startled.

"You really should watch where you're going" Harry stared at the floor

"Yes sir I know sorry" Severus put his hand under Harry's chin, Harry tried to move away from the touch, but Severus didn't let go, he gently lifted his sons head until he could see straight into him emerald green eyes,

"You're not in any trouble Harry, and you don't need to call me sir in private" he let Harry's face go and engulfed the boy in a hug, Severus could still feel his bones through the layers of clothing, Harry was still dangerously thin. He held him for a long moment before Harry got uncomfortable and pulled away; Severus let him go without a fuss

"Come on, lets get you home" Harry nodded and followed him back to the dungeons in silence. Back in the private quarters Harry sat down in the kitchen resting his head on his hand, he was falling asleep where he sat; Severus smiled at him and received a puzzling look from his son. He waved it off, Harry obviously didn't know how endearing he looked doing that.

"Harry, go upstairs and get ready for bed, I'll bring the potion up to you ok?" Harry nodded gratefully and dragged himself upstairs. His trunk and belongings had appeared in the room, with what took a great effort he pulled his pyjamas free and changed, he went into the bathroom and cleaned his teeth. Slowly he crawled back into the room, just as Severus knocked

"Come in" he yawned, his father entered the room with a goblet

"Get into bed" he said placing the potion on the bedside table, Harry nodded and crawled beneath the covers, he took his glasses off and put them on the side. Severus handed him the goblet and Harry drank it, he was almost asleep before he'd finished it. Severus took the empty goblet out of his sleeping sons hand, brushing the hair away from his eyes he bent down and kissed him lightly on the forehead,

"Sleep well" he whispered and then left.

Harry woke late the next morning to the smell of toast and coffee. He smiled to himself, he was exactly where he was when he had gone to sleep, and that was definitely an improvement. He got up, noticing that he was desperately thirsty he went into the bathroom and drank several cups of water before heading into the shower. He studied his arms, he had done quite a bit of damage last night, he shrugged it off they would heal they always did. The bruise on his face was already so light it was barely noticeable, and the ones on his chest were scabbing over and not bleeding anymore, on the whole he was physically making good progress. He shut the was off and got dry, he put on a pair of jeans and a grey t-shirt, both of which were several sizes too big and went downstairs for breakfast. Severus looked up as he heard the bedroom door open; Harry appeared on the stairs wearing obviously the muggle clothes his family had provided him with.

"Harry I think I'm going to have to take you shopping" Severus said looking disdainfully at what his son had on, Harry looked embarrassed

"Sorry, I wasn't thinking, I can change of the muggle clothes" he turned to go back up the stairs

"No, if you want to wear that it's up to you; besides I think you could use some breakfast" Harry was stunned to say the least, he had expected to be yelled at when Severus made it clear he didn't like what he was wearing, but he sat down at the table anyway.

"Toast?" Harry nodded and took two slices out of the pile that was offered, he was about to eat them dry when he noticed the look from his father, he glanced at the table, there was butter and several varieties of jam laying around, Harry blushed oh yeah I'm allowed to eat here he thought. Severus tried to look neutral, but inside was scratching out his last idea as to what to do to Dursley and replacing it with something much nastier. He sighed and bought up the subject of shopping again

"So Harry, did you have anything planned for the day or can I take you into Diagon Alley to get some decent apparel" He shrugged

"I haven't start my homework yet I should get on with it" Severus rolled his eyes

"Harry, do you really think that any staff member is going to be requesting homework off you?" Harry hadn't really thought about it

"Why wouldn't they?" He was confused, Severus ran his hands through his hair, he kept forgetting that Harry had been abused since before he started here, it was only new news to the rest of them, he released a pent up breath, trying not to let his anger resonate on to the boy

"Harry, I promise you no one is expecting you to come back here with your homework. Honestly we are just glad we will have you back at all" Severus's gaze came to rest on the faint scar around Harry's neck. Harry shifted uncomfortably, bringing his knees to his chest

"Oh, I hadn't thought of it like that" he said quietly he tried to shake off the feeling of depression that was settling on him.

"Ok then yeah we could go shopping, it's a shame I don't know what I need for the start of term yet but never mind" Severus smirked

"Well we will just have to go back, I'm not having you wear that, I mean have you looked in the mirror?" Harry flinched, not sure if it was a rhetorical question. When Severus didn't continue, he thought he was supposed to answer

"I don't like mirrors" Severus was very confused

"Why not?" silence.

"Harry why don't you like mirrors?"  Harry felt a rock hit his stomach, he put down the toast he'd been eating; he noticed how dark the ring was and how heavy it suddenly felt. he looked up, but Severus was no longer sitting opposite him, Harry saw the end of his robe disappearing into the living room. Harry breathed a sigh of relief, he'd been given a reprieve but he would have to answer that question sooner or later. He was just coming up with his third idea when Severus swept back into the kitchen; He put a small shaving mirror down in front of Harry. Harry instinctively moved it away, and glanced up to see Severus looking thoughtfully at him. Harry curled his legs up tighter and suddenly found the floor incredibly interesting.

"Why do you do that?"

"Do what?"

"Move the mirror away?" Harry shrugged, Severus felt the ring on his hand becoming warm, he took a deep breath

"Harry, please you're not in trouble and you're safe, please tell me" Harry looked up over the top of his knees, uncertainty in his eyes

"Promise you won't be cross?"

"I promise, Harry there is nothing you could say that would make me cross at the moment" Harry took this in and nodded;

"I'm evil" He said simply, studying the floor Severus was more then a little confused

"Evil? Harry you're not evil why would you think that" Harry shrugged almost imperceptivity,

"I can talk to snakes, Voldemort marked me, so it makes senses, my uncle says I'm evil and sick and he doesn't want to look at me because I look evil. I don't want to see evil

I've seen enough I don't want to…" Harry couldn't finish the sentence; he wasn't sure when he had started crying but the pain and self loathing wrenching through his small body, Severus wrapped his arms around the trembling body, holding him to his chest

"Harry, you're not evil it's a lie" he grabbed the small mirror and pulled it over to Harry

"Look"

"No" he shut his eyes; Severus wasn't going to be dissuaded that easily

"Harry look, you're not evil, please look" Harry was beginning to calm down, he was still trembling but he took the mirror, he opened his eyes and looked at his father slowly he looked down at the mirror, he wasn't sure what he expected to see but it wasn't what he saw. Harry stared at his reflection; all he saw was a black haired young man, with blood shot eyes and tears on his face. He didn't look like he was bad,

"I'm not evil?" he whispered quietly more to himself then to anyone else, Severus smiled

"No Harry you're not evil, you're the total opposite, trust me I'm around evil a lot I know" Harry nodded, wiping the tears from his eyes he put the mirror back on the table out of habit turned it face down. He was gaining some more courage

"If my uncle lied about that, did he lie about the other stuff too?" He asked, his voice was tinged with hope, Severus snarled

"I don't doubt it, but what in particular?" Harry was already in a ball, but drew himself tighter, the fact he could sit like that on the kitchen chair was testament to how small he was. Severus scooped him up and took him into the living room, he sat on the couch with Harry tucked up next to him, Harry turned so he was facing the wall, and drew his knee back up, wrapping his arms around them. Severus bought his arms round his sons, without thinking he took Harry's wrists in his hands and rubbed them between his fingers and thumbs. Harry relaxed a little leaning back against his father, Severus smiled

"Your mother liked it when people did that too" Harry nodded, Severus pushed his advantage

"What else did you fat muggle uncle tell you then?" Harry stiffened slightly, but then caved,

"He said that it was me making him do…. That to me and that everything that went wrong was my fault and I was bad and had to be punished and I was a freak who sought attention and told lies and I was lazy and should be grateful the he and Aunt Petunia took me in and were teaching me to be normal" Harry spouted out everything that he had come to believe hoping that it wasn't true, he turned to look at Severus

"Is it true?" for the second time that hour, Severus wrapped him up in a hug and rocked him

"Not a single word" he said, deciding not even any death even the Dark Lord could think up would cause this muggle enough pain. He didn't realise how tight he was holding Harry until he heard a muffled whimper, he let go and Harry sat up straight, his glasses had got knocked crocked.

"Are you sure?" Harry still wasn't certain Severus took the boys shoulder struggled to reframe himself from literally trying to shake some sense into him

"Harry I doubt he has ever said an honest word in his life let alone to you. I promise you it is all a lie, and if you don't want to believe me ask anyone" he snorted "even that damn pompous werewolf would tell you it's all a lie" Harry nodded slowly

"Would you be cross if I asked someone else" Severus rolled his eyes

"Harry ask the whole damn school when they are back, it's a lie" Harry looked at the floor

"Why would he do that?"

"Because he's a sick bastard"

"I never asked to be sent there if it wasn't my fault I was sent there why did he do that?"

"What do you mean 'if' Harry? There's no if about it you were one year old when James and Lily…." Realisation hit Severus like a bullet

"Tell me he didn't make you believe that was your fault?" Harry shrugged.

"I'll kill him" Severus growled, he had never hated anyone with the intensity he hated that man.

"Right come on" Harry looked surprised

"Where are we going?"

"To the Order, you need to hear the truth from other people as well" with that he got up and led Harry back to Dumbledore's office.