(A/N Thanks for the reviews! Makes me feel all tingly. I'm glad some people are enjoying this. It's just something I have always wanted to write. I'm borrowing different things from different stories, so thank you all for inspiration! If I would like to use something specific, I will of course ask the author first and give credit, but others are just ideas. I love reading stories like this... A bit depressing, yes, but they are interesting. Well, keep reading! I will upload new chapters as often as possible, but I warn you, I'm kindof lazy...)


Chapter 3

Severus Snape had never seen a sight like this. Blood covered the boy. One eye was swollen shut and bruises and cuts littered the face. What is that smell? Oh dear god… That is the smell of stale sex! What have they done to the boy? He quickly approached the bed and spelled the cuffs open.

Harry opened his eyes and looked up wearily. "Professor Snape? Is that you?"

"Yes Harry."

"I'm sorry sir. I haven't done my homework…" The tone of the boy's voice nearly broke the professor's heart. It was so… broken. Blood… There is so much blood, thought the professor. He picked up the now unconscious boy and brought him downstairs.

"Where's the boy's things?" He asked the man he now assumed to be Vernon Dursley in a deathly cold tone of voice.

"Burnt."

"WHAT?"

"We burnt the boy's things. I will not stand that abnormality in this house!"

It took all of Snape's control not to avada kedavra the man right there on the spot. "You will pay Dursley. When I get the chance, believe me, you will pay." And he apparated away to the gates of Hogwarts.


Snape hurried in a very un-Snape-like manner up the grass to the doors of the

castle. He shouldered his way through them and cast the sonorous charm on himself. "Albus! Poppy! Hospital Wing NOW!" He then undid the charm and sprinted as fast as he could to the wing. The boy was bleeding freely and was as white as a ghost. He had already lost so much blood. No time could be spared. When the professor reached the hospital wing, the headmaster and Madame Pomfrey were already waiting for him.

"Severus, what is the hurry my young man?" Albus enquired good-naturedly, oblivious to the bundle in the man's arms.

"It's Ha- Potter, sir," Snape quickly explained and deposited the child, no, man, he was never a child, on the bed.

Madame Pomfrey gasped. "Severus, what…?"

"Heal now, questions later," gasped Severus.

Madame Pomfrey nodded her head and quickly got to work. She spelled off the boy's shirt to get a better look at the damage and gasped. There was a gaping wound in his stomach. She quickly attempted to heal the wound with magic, but the difference it made was almost unnoticeable.

"Severus, my boy, what happened?" questioned Albus.

"His relatives. That's what happened. You sent the child to live with a goddamn child abuser Albus!" exclaimed the Potions Master.

"Severus, I'm going to need a blood replenishing potion as soon as possible."

Severus quickly ran out of the room toward his room and private stores. He had been so wrong. He, Severus Snape, had misjudged a person. Why hadn't Harry said anything when he had called him spoiled? Before he knew it he had grabbed the potion and returned to the hospital wing.

"Albus, I have never seen a boy in such poor condition!" exclaimed Madame

Pomfrey. "He's been shot! Do you know what that means Albus? A metal bullet, fired at very high velocity right into his stomach! I almost guarantee that it was meant to kill! KILL Albus, KILL!"

"Poppy, how is Ha- Potter?" questioned Severus.

"The injuries are astounding. 5 broken ribs, a punctured lung, gashes covering his entire back, the word 'FREAK' is carved into his back also, bruises almost completely covering his body, dislocated jaw, his left arm is broken in three different places, his left ankle is completely shattered, the gun-shot wound, astounding blood-loss… and… he was raped! How could anyone do such a thing to a child?" Poppy exclaimed before breaking down completely. Severus quickly administered the potion to the unconscious boy laying on the bed.

"Poppy. Poppy!" Albus attempted to get the medi-witch's attention. "Poppy! Will Harry be alright?"

"Sorry headmaster. Yes, I believe he will be alright. There was a point there that I wasn't sure, but I believe him to be nearly stable. Mental health is another issue altogether though…"

"Severus, I believe that when Harry is stable that it will be best for him to live with you for the rest of the summer in your chambers. You do have the expertise in dealing with abuse victims. I believe it would be good for both of you if you too were to overcome your… differences… and learn to work together," suggested the Headmaster.

"But headmaster, surely experience with one child does not constitute expertise. And young Rowe's situation was not as serious as this."

"All the same Severus, you must admit that you do have the most experience in this matter. You are the best option that we have and I have the utmost confidence in you."

"Yes headmaster," Severus complied.


The next day, Severus was watching Harry when he woke up. The only noticeable change in the boy's demeanor was silent tears flowing down his cheeks. Severus placed his hand on the boy's shoulder to try to calm him. All that occurred was that the boy flinched a mile and moved away. Severus quickly withdrew his hand and tried another tactic.

"Harry, Harry are you alright?"

"Pro-Professor Snape?"

"Yes Harry. Why are you crying?"

"I'm sorry, sir. I don't mean to cry. It won't happen again."

"Harry, there is nothing wrong with crying."

"Yes, sir. Sorry, sir."

Severus sighed. The boy apologizes for apologizing! How am I supposed to help this boy? No. He's a man. No child should have gone through what Harry has. Wait a minute, how long have I been calling him Harry?

"HARRY!" Severus shook himself back to reality as a cloud of bushy hair ran past him and threw itself at Harry. A tuft of red hair was behind it, standing at the foot of the bed. A piercing scream filled the air. When Severus looked over, Harry's mouth was wide open in terror. A mere split second later, his face became completely blank, with dead, emotionless, unseeing eyes. Hermione, the owner of the bushy hair backed up and looked at Harry.

"YOU FOOLS!" screamed the professor. He quickly pushed her aside and called, "Poppy! Poppy come quick! Something has happened!"

"Professor?" ventured the bushy-haired witch. "What's wrong with Harry?"

"You! Do you know what you've done? What made you think you could come in here and just run at him like that? Do you not think at all? I thought someone as 'overly-intelligent' as you would have more sense than that!"

"Severus, it was not her fault. I did not inform them of what has befallen young Harry," the Headmaster interrupted.

"Everyone out now!" screamed the medi-witch. All occupants of the room quickly left, scared of the witch's wrath, barring Severus. He grabbed Harry's hand and refused to let go, although he decided not to examine too closely his reasons for staying. He knew something was terribly wrong. Madame Pomfrey quickly evaluated Harry and sighed.

"Poppy! Poppy what is it? What is wrong with him?"

"He's gone catatonic Severus. Completely unresponsive. It must have been the shock of being rushed by that Ms. Granger. It is a response to distance oneself from something. In this case, he is probably afraid of being abused anymore and, although unconsciously, decided to distance himself from the world. I really don't know what to do for him. I have never seen this happen, only learned about it. I guess all we can do is wait and talk to him, let him know that we won't hurt him."

"Oh god…" muttered Severus.

"Careful Severus. Someone might start to think you care," the medi-witch teased.

"Oh just shut up Poppy."