Hi there! I'm sorry for this very late update. Unfortunately it will be long until next chapter as well…

Thank you so much for the reviews everyone! Hope you're all having a great summer!

Barbarataku: Thanks for those compliments! smiling

That-Fresh-Rain-Smell: Thanks, and have a fab summer! So nice of you to offer to be my beta.. the problem is that these days I'm only at home for one day at a time, and therefore if I would send the chapter to someone instead of posting it directly, it would probably be delayed for 3 weeks (at least this chapter)… If youre still interested in being my beta after the summer I would be terribly grateful, and I could contact you then…and yes, ive read light on the dark side of me, and I love it, but thanks anyway for telling me about it! Oh I'd love fanart of harry n snape… ill send you an e-mail!

Alex Wheaton: Omg, thank you so much for those reviews. Also many thanks for the suggestions… I'll consider them! Have a nice summer!

"Are you ready?" Severus called into Harry's room.

"Yeah." Harry exited the room with a small bag on his shoulder.

Severus sat down on the sofa and motioned for Harry to do the same.

"I have a meeting with the headmaster tonight. He will most surely ask me about your summer. If I have your permission, I will tell you what occurred. I could refrain from telling him about yesterday's occurrence if you want me to."

"I guess that's okay. Please don't tell him any details though." Harry said slowly.

"Agreed. Also, I must ask you to prepare yourself for witnessing against your uncle. It is most probable that we will go to court with this. I know that you are not comfortable with this, and that I respect. However, I am of the opinion that men like your uncle deserve to go to prison. Who knows what he might do to other children?" The professor said carefully.

"I…understand. It's…embarrassing though. Well, we can talk about this later, right?"

"Of course." Severus said reassuringly.

-----

As Severus entered the headmaster's office that same evening, he found that things were as they always had been. Albus would always be the superior one, despite how much Severus tried to change that. In spite of these tries, he knew he cared deeply for the old man, though he would never admit it to him.

The office was full of light, as always. The old man sat behind his desk, his eyes twinkling behind his glasses.

"Good evening, Severus. How are you?" Albus said cheerily.

Severus took his usual seat in front of the headmaster.

"Albus." He nodded. "I am fine, thank you."

"Lemon drop? Tea?" The headmaster offered.

The younger man shook his head.

"Coffee then? Black as usual?"

"Yes, please."

"Very well." He sipped on his tea. "I have noticed Harry has faith in you. Well done, son. I do believe he has told you what happened to him during the summer, am I right?"

"Yes, indeed he has." Severus tried to relax in the uncomfortable chair.

"Will you tell me?" Albus asked curiously.

"If you want me to. I specifically asked for his permission to tell you." He inhaled deeply. "He was neglected, Albus. Abused. Beaten. Neglected. Whatever you wish to call it. He wasn't fed properly, mostly once a day. Also, he was beaten on a regular basis. No wonder he wasn't able to walk properly. The last day of the summer holidays, he was raped. By his uncle and his friends." Severus spat out the words. "The boy was devastated, Albus, devastated!"

"I can't put in words how sorry I am." The headmaster said regrettably.

"I wish to sue him. You know how I feel about child abuse." He said bitterly.

"I do." The old man seemed to replay a memory inside his head.

"He also suffers from eating disorders."

"I am glad he told you. He needs to have faith in someone. You seem rather protective of him, Severus. I would even dare to say that you are fond of him. I am proud of you, Severus." He smiled at the younger man.

The potions professor remained quiet.

"I will take care of the court details. Please prepare Harry for it, as I gather he is not very happy about it."
"Excellent."

"I wanted discuss another matter with you. I wish for you to stop working as a spy for us."

"But I can still be of use, I could…" Severus objected loudly.

"It is not a request, Severus, it is an order." Albus said firmly.

"I see." He replied coldly. "Is there anything else you wish to discuss with me?" That was simply another way of putting 'am I free to leave now'.

"How I wish you would not take it like that. The reason I wish you to stop spying is that I care too deeply for you. I don't want to put you in that kind of danger because I care about you, son. I was hoping you would understand."

Severus could not help but feel used. "Are you insinuating that I was worth nothing until now? The only reason I am worth your care now is because I am taking care of Mr Potter, isn't that so? What a fool you've made out of me." He muttered bitterly.

"Severus, you know I didn't mean it like that." Albus sounded dejected.

"I know nothing of you. I will leave for a few days. Don't try to find me. After all, I am on holidays. Though that doesn't exactly mean that I am free to leave when I wish, does it? You have had me in an iron grip and you know it, Albus. I have just been too blind to notice how you have been using it." Severus said sarcastically. "If Mr Potter wishes to accompany me, I will have no objections, whatsoever. Don't expect us back before New Year's. I will do as I am told; I won't attend any meetings. That will be all, I suppose." He rose dramatically and left the room.

-----

Severus was not surprised at finding Harry in his quarters. The boy was sitting on the floor, leaning at the wall.

"Harry." He acknowledged the boy. "I am off to London for a few days. If you wish you may join me. The headmaster has no objections." The professor had to make a real effort to make sure his voice remained calm.

"I would love to. I've never actually been to central London, except for King's Cross and the Leaky Cauldron." Harry beamed but his smile faded when he looked at his professor. He could tell Severus was upset, by looking at his face.

"Very well. Come down here when you have packed. Don't be long." Severus said shortly and watched the boy leave.

-----

It did not take long until Harry returned to the dungeons, holding a small bag in his hands. Just when Harry sat down in the couch to wait for Severus, said man entered the room.

"Is that all you need for three days?" The professor raised an eyebrow questioningly.

"Um…well, you see, I haven't got that much clothes that fit me. The only clothes I have are the ones that I have inherited from my cousin. And he's, well, he's five sizes bigger than me. These are the only clothes that I would wear in public." Harry gestured at his clothes.

"Then we have some shopping to do tomorrow. Right now I think we should concentrate on getting to the hotel." Severus' lips curled into a tiny smile.

"Which hotel? Where in London is it?" The boy said excitedly.

"It is called Duke's hotel and is located in Mayfair, St James' Place. I have been a regular customer there for the last ten years. Sometimes I sleep there during weekends. There is a wizard who is working there who has permitted me to have a portkey that goes directly to Duke's. That is how we will go there tonight. I wrote my friend a letter about our arrival."

"Why is a wizard working at a muggle hotel? Or is it a wizard hotel? Cool!"

"No, it is a muggle hotel. My friend decided, ten years ago that he wanted to do something different. Therefore he decided to work in the muggle world."