"You are a festering sore, you ungrateful whelp" Master sneered as he threw his meaty fist again into Harry's face. He felt his lip split open as the pain washed over his body again. He tried to crawl away from the man, but his small tired knees could only take him so far in a short time. Master caught up quickly, even angrier that the child had tried to get away from him. The man kicked the boy in the stomach as he tried to stand. Immediately all the wind was knocked out of him as he laid flat in the deserted hull, except for Master. "Get up!" he bellowed, dwarfing the figure in rags at his feet, "I am not done with you yet, you worthless speck of dirt." Harry tried but his arms could no longer support his weight. Master rolled the child over onto his back with his boot not too gently. "Get out of my sight, scum."

"Harry, wake up." Harry knew that voice. Someone was gently shaking his shoulder. Harry slowly shook his head as if trying to get the memory to leave. No matter what he did, they always came back. He opened his eyes and was looking directly into the black eyes of the captain. Harry was confused. It looked like there was actually concern in the other man's face. He could not remember the last time someone actually looked at him the way the man looked at him now. He was even more surprised when the captain lifted him and put him on his hip like one would a toddler.

Severus looked at the boy as he spoke, "Food I think and then maybe some talking." Severus was already heading toward the galley. Harry nodded, not quite sure that he had a choice even as a few crew men watched. He buried his head in the capton's shoulder.

The door opened with a creak. Two windows on the side of the room gave the only light. It was slightly dim and it took his eyes a while to adjust. Harry wondered if he would always be like this. Severus sat him on a long bench next to an equally long table. "Stay put for a second, I'm going to see what I can find," and just as quick was gone, rummaging through a few cabinets.

Harry sat on the bench once again confused by the turn of events. Every time that he thought something fell into a pattern it…didn't. It would stay just the same long enough for him to think it would always be like this but then it would change on him again. He never knew what to expect anymore.

Severus finally seemed content with his scavenging. He put a tumbler of water and a plate of hard tack in front of Harry. Hard tack was like a thick piece of brittle bread. Many people preferred to moisten it with water to soften it up before they ate it. It wasn't the most palatable, but for Harry it would work well. It was something he could nibble on. Harry gulped down half of the contents of the tumbler immediately.

"Calm down there. Plenty more where it came from." Severus said as he watched the boy almost choke on the contents. Harry broke off a tiny piece of the hard tack and started to nibble on it.

"So, what are these dreams that you have?" Severus questioned. Harry shrugged. It was a subject he did NOT want to broach.

Severus would not let the subject drop despite Harry's seeming lack of interest. "Oh come on now. Every time you drift off, which by the way seems to be happening more and more, you act like someone is hurting you." Harry continued to nibble on his food, and act like the Captain had said nothing.

"Well?" Severus asked getting a little more annoyed by each passing second. Harry continued to ignore the question. Minutes passed. Only when Severus stood up did Harry look at him. "Find me when you are ready to tell me," was all he said as he strode back into the light.

Harry barely managed to make it to the other side of the ship where the room was. He knew this place was too good to be true; he knew that the captain would want something in return. It was how people worked. How could Harry tell him? No. No matter how much the Captain wanted to know the truth it was not something he could proudly display. His skin showed scars, but those were above the surface. If the Captain knew what lurked below then the man would think him crazy. Maybe if he just gave the barest truth it would be enough. That is what he would do; give him the skull instead of the face. One fact came across his mind before he tumbled into the pit; What if it isn't enough?

Severus walked into his room surprised to see the kid passed out at his desk. He expected the boy to be sleeping, but in bed not bent half way over his desk with his hand holding a quill stopped after one sentence. The Captain thought he had been too hard on Harry earlier after he had let his temper grow tepid. He came to apologize. He decided to not wake the kid though. He lifted the too light body and placed him in bed where he could be more comfortable.

Severus looked at the parchment that Harry had written on. "'They are not dreams, just memories,'" Severus mumbled as he read over the sentence again. 'This situation becomes worse the more I look into it' Severus decided. That child seemed to be put through hell on that ship. It was the one message that became clearer every day.

He heard someone coming down the stairs. "Captain, we are in port." It was his first mate.

"Alright, I'll be right up." Severus didn't know why he cared for this boy so much. It was like he didn't even have to think about it. It was like someone finally depended on him for more than just a few material things. He walked out, still trying to think that the child in the bed was just another person.

Harry woke up to absolute quiet. 'Where is everyone?' he thought; even on that other ship there had been noise. Nothing but the dull lap of waves penetrated the air. He got over to the door and tried to open it but it was locked. He raised his fist against the door again and again, but no one came. Harry finally slumped to the floor, defeated.

A/N:won't be long till it's complete!