0.0 Promise Severitus One-Shot
(Not Related To The Story)
AUTHOR
Severus walked toward the Headmaster's office with his usual scowl on his face, his cloak billowing behind him. As he climbed the stone staircase and entered the room, he was offered a lemon drop, which he politely refused.
"Severus, we have a matter that needs to be taken care of," the Headmaster said.
Severus nodded, signaling that he was listening, so the Headmaster continued.
"I am informed that Harry Potter's relatives are not treating him properly," Albus informed him with a sad expression on his face.
"What, pray tell, Albus, does this information have to do with me?" Severus spat angrily.
"My boy, I want you to go and check on him," Albus said, sighing heavily, knowing all too well what was about to come.
"Absolutely not," Severus replied, standing up abruptly and sending his chair to the floor with a loud thud.
"But--" the Headmaster started, but was cut off by Severus.
"No, Albus. I am not going to check on Potter's spawn, who might have thrown a temper tantrum for not getting his favorite toy..." Severus continued shouting, pacing back and forth.
"Severus, don't forget he is Lily's son as well," Albus said calmly.
Severus stopped dead in his tracks as if he had seen a ghost. It had been three years since her death, but her name still sent chills down his spine. No matter how much he denied it, he had always loved her, even when she chose Potter over him.
Albus knew his work was done, so he moved around his desk, handing the parchment with the address scribbled on it to the still stunned Potions Master.
Two hours later...
Severus stood in front of the Dursleys' house, debating his options. Assuming he didn't have much time, he cast a Notice-Me-Not charm on himself and got in with a simple Alohomora. He was met with thousands of photos in the hallway showcasing a pig of a child, a horse-faced woman, and a walrus of a man.
But aren't there four members in the family? He thought.
He searched the photos, looking at each one very carefully, but found none of the boy he had come looking for.
"Must have a whole room filled with his photos, spoiled brat. Just like his father."
Severus made his way to what looked like a living room. The same child he had seen in the photos was sprawled on the sofa watching television while munching on some chips.
Spoiled brat, he thought. He was about to make his way out of the living room to check the rest of the house when a small child, looking not more than two, entered the living room wearing clothes that were far too loose for his small frame and carrying a tray filled with food. The small boy walked up to the other one, who snatched the tray from his hand, sending some food to the floor. The small boy was about to bend down to pick up the food, but as soon as he reached for it, the bigger one got up, only to step on his hand and sit back down as if it were nothing.
From where Severus was standing, he could see the swelling on the boy's hand. He waved his wand and performed a simple spell that made the pain vanish.
He almost smiled to himself when the boy's eyes widened in shock, and he looked at his hand, utterly confused, but that smile vanished when those green eyes of none other than Lily Potter looked his way.
He was brought out of his musings by the high-pitched voice of a woman shouting behind him.
"Freak, why did you not clean the floor? Go clean it up right now, or no dinner tonight," she shouted. Severus turned around to come face-to-face with none other than Petunia Evans. He looked over to the boy who had come back into the room, mop in hand, as he picked up the pieces of food from the floor.
To say Severus was angry was an understatement, he was outraged.
How could she do such a thing to a four-year-old? Merlin, save me, he doesn't even look more than two, he thought angrily.
He watched the boy running around the house, struggling to complete the never-ending list of chores, with his cousin Dudley bullying him all the time and Petunia shouting at him time and again. Harry made breakfast, lunch, watered the plants, cut the grass, cleaned the whole house, mopped it, and all that without even a single glass of water.
Severus was losing his temper as the day passed, with Petunia ordering the little child around like a house-elf. Severus was disturbed from his task by the walrus of a man entering the house, who he recognized as Petunia's husband. The man ordered the child to make dinner, and he willingly obliged, with Severus helping with little magic as he had done the whole day.
The family sat down for dinner as Harry stood in the corner, looking at them longingly. Severus's heart ached for the child. Harry had not spoken a single word the whole day, and that didn't go unnoticed by Severus.
"What did you cook, boy?" Petunia asked, spitting the perfectly cooked rice out. But before Harry could answer, she took him by the hand to the kitchen. Turning the stove top flame on, she held his tiny hand over it. The child didn't make a single noise, but closed his eyes as tears streamed down his face.
Severus's hand twitched for his wand, but he stopped himself seconds away from hexing the two, who were just sitting there enjoying the scene in front of them with glee in their eyes. He wanted to know the extent of the abuse, and his instincts told him there was more of what he had seen the whole day.
They all went to bed without giving Harry even a bite, even throwing the leftovers in the trash can and then leaving him to clean the dishes. As Harry was about the pick out the food from the trash can, Vernon entered the room. Seeing what Harry was doing, he unbuckled his belt in a swift movement and started hitting Harry with great force. Harry stood there, enduring the beating without a single noise, as his so-called uncle shouted insult after insult at him.
After half an hour, the beating was over, with Vernon telling Harry to go to his room. Harry limped to his room. Severus followed him, only to find out that Harry's so-called room was actually a broom cupboard under the stairs. Anger boiled inside him.
After making sure Vernon had gone to his room, Severus canceled the charm on himself and knelt down in front of the cupboard, opening the door. Severus's heart broke at the sight before him. Harry was curled up into a tight ball, sobbing as softly as possible. His shirt was soaked in blood, and seeing the wetness between his legs, it was evident that the child had had an accident.
Severus performed a charm that would relieve the child of the pain for some time and change his clothes. Harry looked up at the dark man who had made his pain go away, but he was frightened, so he moved as far from the man as possible. Severus, seeing the fear in the child's eyes, slowly opened his arms.
"Come here, child, I will not hurt you. I will take you to a very nice place."
Harry knew that it was dangerous talking to strangers, but for some reason, the man looked very nice to him, so he latched onto him, crying softly on his shoulder.
Severus caught the child in his arms and rocked back and forth until Harry went limp in his arms. How can someone hate such a precious child? He thought before again bending down to find something Harry would like to take with him. All he saw was a torn blanket. He stood up, wrapping his cloak around the sleeping child to protect him from the outside cold. He exited the house to apparate to Hogwarts, but not before giving his wand a slight wave, pointing it toward the place in which he had spent his day. Smirking to himself, he apparated away to Hogwarts, where he was met by a very worried Headmaster waiting for him in his chambers.
He entered his rooms and laid the child down on the sofa. He Accio'ed the potions he needed and started to undress the child as smoothly and gently as possible, not willing to hurt him nor wake him up.
Severus applied the balms and spelled the potions into the child's stomach. He then redressed him before running his hand through the child's hair, brushing it away from his eyes.
Severus looked over to Albus, looking at the small child with a saddened expression on his face. He had not spoken a word in the last half hour.
"He is fine, Albus, don't worry. But you need to worry about the Dursleys," he added, answering the question he knew Albus was about to ask.
"I feel so guilty, Severus. It's my fault that he is in this condition. I am sorry."
"Albus, please don't blame yourself. You took action as soon as you knew."
The Headmaster nodded.
They were interrupted by a whimper coming from the boy. Severus was immediately by his side.
Harry remembered the dark man taking him away from the Dursleys. He was so comfortable. Who is he? He thought to himself.
He is your daddy, Harry, a voice said to him.
Really?
Yes, Harry. Always listen to him, his angel with red hair replied. She always came when he was in pain. Harry nodded. He slowly opened his eyes to find his dark... daddy looking at him.
"Daddy," he said so softly that Severus almost missed it.
Severus looked at the child, stunned, but then composed himself and smiled down at Harry, which earned him a small smile in return. Severus's heart melted and was filled with love for the small boy. He was delighted after a long time.
He picked up Harry, tossing him into the air and catching him, small giggles escaping the boy.
"Yes, I am your daddy, me," he said, looking at the boy in his arms, but stopped short when he saw that Harry had a small hand clamped over his mouth.
Harry knew what was about to come. A beating. Now his dad was going to beat him for making noises and for being the freak he was. His tiny heart couldn't take the fear that was building up, and he unknowingly let go of his bladder.
Seeing the fear in the child's eyes brought him to his chest, cradling him. He could feel his cloak getting damp, but he couldn't care less. He rocked Harry, whispering assurances to him. After he was sure Harry was calm enough, he held him at arm's length and spoke sternly but gently.
"Harry, you can make as much noise as you want. No one will hurt you here. Do you understand?"
"Hawwy sowwy, no mean wet, no make noises," Harry was saying over and over again, not really listening to Severus. Severus quickly cast a drying charm on both of them and sat down on the sofa with Harry before he could drop him because of the commotion Harry was making.
He lifted Harry's chin and looked him in the eyes. "Harry, you can make as much noise as you want. You can do whatever you want. No one will hurt you here. Do you understand?" he repeated himself.
Harry didn't say anything, just hugged Severus around the waist as tightly as possible.
"Pwomise?" he asked finally, looking at Severus, hopefully.
Severus was bubbling with anger at how uncertain 'his child' was due to those damn Muggles. His child, he repeated in his mind. It felt so natural. He brought his attention back to Harry, who was smiling at him. "Promise," he said before kissing the child's forehead.
A wave of air blew into the room through the window, leaving behind the smell of lilies.
He is yours now, Severus. Take care of him, a voice spoke in his head. It was as if Lily was blessing them and was happy to see them together. He smiled to himself, nodding.
He is mine, Lily. I will love him like my own, he thought, before picking up the child and tossing him in the air again, as small giggles filled the room. After a few minutes, he laid Harry down on the sofa again, tickling him.
Harry laughed. "Daddy," he said between laughs.
Severus smiled, seeing Harry laugh. Merlin knows he needed to smile more. He couldn't remember when he had smiled this genuinely in the past years.
After Harry was out of breath, Severus stopped. He picked him up and went to the kitchen, making funny faces at Harry.
Who knew the dreaded Potions Master could go soft?
"Harry, are you hungry? Because I am. Elephants are jumping in my stomach, telling me to feed myself!"
Harry's eyes went wide. He knew what an elephant was and how big it was. He wondered how his daddy had elephants in his stomach. He frowned in confusion, looking down at his stomach and then at his daddy's.
Severus saw what Harry was doing and chuckled.
"Evephan?" Harry asked in confusion.
Severus had to do everything in his power not to laugh out loud. "Yes, Harry. Now, do you want to eat?" he asked again, knowing the child needed food even if it was six in the morning.
"Hawwy get food?" Harry asked, pointing at himself.
"Let's see, does Harry want food?"
He got a slight nod out of Harry. He knew it would take time for the boy to open up to him, but he also knew the wait would be worth it. He smiled down at Harry, walking up to the counter. Finding two bowls of soup sitting on it, he brought the food back to the table, placing Harry on his lap.
"Let's feed you, my little bird," he said, blowing on a spoonful of soup and giving it to Harry, who opened his tiny mouth, not any bigger than a bird's beat, for Severus to place the spoon into. He swallowed the soup, not letting the spoon go.
"Child, this is all for you. No one will take it away. You needn't eat the spoon," he said, coaxing the child to let go of it.
Albus watched them interact before slipping quietly with a smile on his face. He had a feeling that, for once, he had done the right thing, leaving Harry with Severus.
-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-
In a certain house at Number 4 Privet Drive, Petunia Dursley looked around her still dirty house. No matter how much she cleaned, it didn't change even a bit.
She was missing Harry now that she was left to do all the household work by herself. She didn't know where he had disappeared to, but God only knew how much she wished for him to come back. Not because she loved him, but because now she couldn't spend her leisure time fooling around...
THE END
