Chapter 9 - Black Magic
Aunt Vespa was furious! How could Severus cancel her dinner party because that disgusting brat had a fever. The nerve of her nephew. If it was up to her she would have dragged that brat downstairs after a thorough whipping and made him join them for supper. Severus was turning out to be a worse father than she had imagined he would. He was spoiling that boy rotten!
Oh yes, she had passed by Potter's bedroom door earlier and had seen Severus sitting by the bed holding that brat's hand as if he were a king. Severus had changed so much since she had last seen him and not for the better. She couldn't believe her plan was failing.
The plan that she had spent years tending to and building, all in the hopes of making her life immortal. And now the Potter boy was going to ruin everything. If Severus adopted him the inheritance from Snape Manor would be gone for good. She had worked too hard and too long to let that happen.
She thought back to Severus' father when he was a boy. Vespa had loved Severus' father as if he were her own son and had planned to leave him everything she had. When Severus had been born he had used a firm hand with the sickly child and didn't hesitate to beat him. Severus had been such a disappointment to them both. No matter how much he beat him he still didn't turn out right. When Severus' father Sebastian passed away Vespa had decided to look for another heir to her mighty fortune. Finally coming up with a plan that would benefit her greatly. But in order for her plan to work she knew she had to find a young healthy heir.
The day she met Charlet she knew she had found one. Charlet had walked into the room like such a little princess, demanding to know who interrupted her playtime. When she walked over to Vespa she actually stuck her hand out to be kissed! Vespa loved it, the girl reminded her of herself as a child. Vespa forcedthe girl'sparents into handing over custody of the child by discrediting them and using her "connections" in the ministry. Charlet came with a smile and didn't even give her weepy parents a backward glance. Lovely child, Vespa thought again. So much like her own self.
Now her soft nephew was threatening to ruin everything. She knew Severus was a Death Eater, and that was fine with her. She knew he would most likely die before her and then Sebastian's estate would come to her and she could pass it on to Charlet. If Severus adopted that good for nothing beggar of a boy then the estate would go to him and that was not acceptable in Vespa's eyes. Bloody mud blood boy!
She had already used her connections in the ministry to try and get that boy sent back to his own family, but Dumbledore "the do gooder" had stepped in and ruined that plan. She wasn't sure what spells were put on this house but the ministry couldn't find the estate anymore. There was so much heat coming from the public for the Dursley's to stand trial that it was getting harder and harder for her plan to work and the boy to be returned to his family.
She knew she had to find a way to break the barrier on the house so she could inform the ministry as to where Potter was. She had even tried to floo them in but there was some sort of magic that continued to stop them from entering. A password maybe? Hmmm
Severus is so stupid, he will never figure out it was me who set the wheels in motion to get that boy sent back to where he belongs. How dare he adopt a child without permission! He probably didn't even wonder why I would make a surprise visit after 8 years.
Maybe she would have to get Potter to leave the estate on his own free will, without Severus finding out. Then once he was past the barrier she could call her friends. Yes, that just might work. She would get Charlet to help Harry see why he must leave and soon. Charlet was a very conniving girl and could make any man do her bidding.
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Harry woke up feeling tired but very hungry. He thought back to the previous night and how every time he woke up Severus was sitting right there next to him, putting cold towels to his head. So this is what it feels like to have a father he thought. He liked it and even though he was still afraid of Severus when he was angry he was sure that the Professor really did care for him. It was so odd how just months before they couldn't stand each other and now he felt a need to be his family.
Snape had told him to come down for breakfast at eight o'clock. Then after breakfast the Potion Master wanted to test his magical abilities. Apparently when you've been through the sort of trauma that Harry had been through, there was a possibility it could effect your reflexes to cast spells.
As Harry showered and dressed he thought back to the conversation he had had with Professor Dumbledore in the hospital regarding Hedwig. He was told that the Aurors were still trying to locate Hedwig and had not been able to find her. Harry's heart sunk at the thought of losing his companion. Snape had told him that they were still looking and not to give up hope. He wished he could search for Hedwig himself. He just had a sixth sense about her locations usually and would know if she were anywhere close by. But there was no way that Snape was going to let him get anywhere near Privet Drive.
Harry walked into the breakfast room and came to a stop. Aunt Vespa was pointing her finger in Severus' face.
"If you do not stop coddling that boy he will turn out worse than you!" Vespa hissed out.
"And if you do not remove your finger from my face you will have one less claw to sharpen!" Severus hissed back.
Just then Charlet noticed Harry and said in a falsely sweet tone, "Do you always lurk around spying Harry?"
Everyone stopped and looked at him. He shuffled his feet in embarrassment and stammered, "I-I'm sorry I'm late for breakfast."
"Then you will not eat Mr. Potter!" growled Aunt Vespa, "At Snape Manor you are not a 'hero'. We will not tolerate you acting like a spoiled brat and showing up for meals when you want."
Harry looked towards Snape but the Professor looked away. He had warned the boy about being late, twice.Maybe next time Harry will think twice.
"Sorry," Harry mumbled then turned and walked out to the gardens.
Harry went into the ivy maze thinking about his best friends and what they must be thinking of his relationship with Snape. He was sure Ron must be going mental over the thought of Snape being his father. Hermione on the other hand would just want whatever was best for him.
Charlet quickly excused herself from the table and ran after Potter. She had seen the dejected look on the pathetic boy's face and thought this would be a good opportunity to get him to leave the estate. Vespa had made it quite clear that the Potter boy must not get adopted into the Snape family and Charlet was all too eager to help.
She found Potter roaming the maze and looking like he was deep in thought. "Hey Harry, I was just kidding about you being a spy. I thought you would think it was funny," Charlet pulled a strand of her long black hair forward and began to twist it in a most beguiling way.
Harry didn't like the way she was looking at him and tried to ignore her.
"Harry, would you like to take a walk down by the pond?" Charlet walked as close to Harry as she could, rubbing up against him every chance she had.
"Charlet, I just want to be alone right now, alright?" Harry didn't want to be mean but the girl was obviously wanting to hang out with him and he didn't feel like talking with anyone at the moment.
"Are you sure you don't want to go for a little swim?" Charlet asked as she unbuttoned the top two buttons of her shirt.
Harry quickly averted his eyes and shook his head, "Sorry, not right now."
Charlet quickly changed her tactic, "Fine! Plenty of boys would kill to be in your position right now. But just so you know, my friends are coming over this evening and my Aunt Vespa is planning on making you behave like a gentleman for the whole evening. So you best not embarrass us and act like you're acting right now."
Oh great! A whole evening spent with more girls like Charlet! This day just couldn't get any worse.
Before Harry could respond he heard Severus calling for him to come in. Both teens made their way out of the maze and over to the Potion Master on the veranda.
Charlet stood before Severus with a scowl on her face, "Your son is rude and I'm going to tell Vespa what a horrible addition he will be to the family!"
Severus raised an eyebrow then his gaze traveled to Harry. He watched as the boy looked ill at ease, shoving his hands deep into his pockets and looking down.
"Potter explain," Snape said in a no nonsense tone of voice.
Harry looked at the arrogant girl before looking up at the professor, "She wanted to go for a swim and I just didn't feel like it."
"He has no manners and if you ask me, he should be sent back to that uncle of his for another beating!" Charlet spat, knowing she had struck a nerve when she saw Harry flinch. She turned her back and sauntered back into the breakfast room with a smile on her face.
Harry took in a deep breath and shook his head. The girl was pure evil!
Severus placed an arm around Harry's shoulders and guided him into the Manor.
"Pay no heed to her unkind words."
"I hope her friends are nothing like her. Do you think it would be alright if I didn't go to the dinner tonight?" Harry asked hopefully.
Severus wished neither of them had to go but after canceling out last night he knew they would both need to attend. "Vespa has a rather peculiar decree regarding social gatherings; I fear another absence would put us in rather dire circumstances."
Harry looked up at the Potion Master with confusion, "So you're saying that we'll get in trouble if we don't go?"
"Precisely."
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"I would like to check your magical abilities and see how the past events has effected them. When we are finished you will begin your school studies," Severus said as he unlocked the laboratory doors. The cool air hit them as they made their way down into the dank room.
Severus placed a hand on the top of Harry's head then pulled his wand out and touched the tip to the boy's forehead.
Harry jumped back a little not sure what the professor had planned. He flushed when he realized his fears were unfounded and willed himself to stand still.
"Calm down Potter. I am merely trying to get a feel for your ability to use wandless magic. Now try to push my wand away with your will. You have to really concentrate and ..."
Severus stopped talking as his wand went flying across the room and struck the wall, sparks flying in all directions.
"I-I'm sorry sir. I didn't mean for that to happen!"
"Potter, you must stop apologizing for every little thing you do. I wanted you to do that!"
"Oh" Harry felt stupid. But he was pleased that he had been able to use wandless magic so easily. He had never been able to use wandless magic like that before.
Severus held his wand up once again, "Now let us see how your patronus is."
"I don't have my wand, sir."
"I know, that is why I am going to lend you my father's wand until we get to town and buy you a new one." Severus handed Harry a long black wand with scratches on it.
When Harry lifted it, it felt wrong, like it wasevil. He didn't want to use it.
"Excuse me Professor but I don't feel good about using this. It just doesn't feel right."
Severus raised an eyebrow and pointed out, "Harry when you are in battle with the Dark Lord you may have to pick up any wand and use it, no matter how it feels."
"I know sir, but I don't want to do this right now, if its okay with you?" He carefully laid the wand down on the desk and felt instantly better.
Snape was not pleased, "Potter that is not an excuse I will accept. Pick up that wand without further argument."
Harry just stared at him, not wanting to disobey but not wanting to touch that wand again.
"I will not ask again Potter," came the firm voice, bordering on angry.
Harry looked at the wand on the table with trepidation. He knew the wand felt wrong but maybe he was just overreacting. He touched the wand with his fingertips and pulled his hand back sharply. The wand felt cursed or evil or maybe just dark.
Snape watched the boy, thinking his antics were false. Potter always did overreact to simple tasks in the past. Maybe the boy was just testing his boundaries.
A thread of anger wound its way around Severus until it completely overtook him. The dark magic pushed through him like a lightening bolt, causing an overwhelming anger directed at the boy.
The anger and hate towards Harry spiraled out of his control. The only way Severus knew how to force Harry to make a patronus popped into his head suddenly. He knew it was wrong but couldn't stop himself from holding up his wand and yelling, "Dementors!"
A giant black hooded figure sprang out of his wand and headed for Harry with his ugly mouth open!
Harry was shocked that Severus would do that to him, knowing how afraid he was of those things from the occlumency lessons last year. He began to back up into the shelf behind him, knocking his head hard as bottles and vials came crashing around him. The air was so cold it hurt his lungs to breathe.
The Dementor came closer and was almost upon him when he stuck his hand out and called for the wand. "Accio wand!"
The black wand flew off the table and into his outstretched hand. He lifted the wand but was frozen in fear as the Dementor stuck his slimy hand out and reached for him.
Harry couldn't catch his breath enough to yell out the spell for his patronus but suddenly a giant silver stag came bounding out of the black wand. It reared up on it's hind legs then stabbed the Dementor with his antlers. The Dementor disappeared and the stag circled the room until it dissipated into a silver wisp.
At the precise moment that the stag disappeared Harry felt a searing pain in his hand. He dropped the wand to the floor and grabbed his hand. The pain was beyond anything he had ever felt. His skin was burning away and blood began to drip down to the stone floor. His hand was on fire but there weren't any flames. Harry dropped to his knees, screaming out in agony, rocking back and forth.
Severus was by his side in a flash, holding him when Harry passed out from the intense pain. What the hell had happened?
Severus had stood frozen watching the entire scene play out before his eyes. He was actually motionless with alarm over producing that Dementor to begin with. He couldn't believe that he would do that to anyone, let alone the boy that would one day become his son. Thefeeling of hate towards the boy had left him by that point.He was actually going to step in and get rid of the Dementor not a second before Harry produced the Patronus.
Severus picked Harry up and laid him on the sofa by the wall. He saw all the blood soaking into Harry's robe and saw where it was coming from. He quickly uncurled Harry's fingers and saw with utter horror all the skin missing from his palm. Right before his eyes, more skin was being eaten away, revealing bone and muscle.
What the bloody hell was causing this?
Severus was in a panic. How could he stop this! He scrambled back to where Harry had dropped the wand and saw the wand glowing a bright red. He was just about to pick it up but the heat coming from it was intense. His bastard of a father must have hexed the wand so no one else could use it.
Severus quickly turned around and began searching for the bright gold vial of potion to stop Harry's hand from continuing to burn away. I can't find it! He looked over at Harry and saw his hand dripping blood down the side of the sofa. Just when he was going to totally lose it, he spotted a lone gold vial that had rolled under the desk. He raced back to Harry and poured it in his open hand. Immediatelythe boy'sskin stopped burning away but the muscle and bone where still a raw open wound.
Harry woke up with a start and grabbed his hand screaming out in pain. Then he suddenly fell silent, holding back his screams as he had been taught.
Severus could see the pain the boy was in and ran to the cabinet, throwing the doors open he seized a cauldron. He grabbed a bottle of silver liquid and quickly poured it in. He ran back to Harry, the liquid sloshing over the top, and stuck Harry's hand in the bowl.
Immediately the burning stopped and Harry soon relaxed a little. It took a few moments for him to get his bearings and realize that he wasn't with Uncle Vernon on Privet Drive. He looked around the room and it all came flooding back to him, the wand, the Dementor and the awful burning in his hand. He sat up quickly and looked at Severus.
"You horrible bastard! You threw a Dementor at me! You stay the hell away from me! I hate you! Send me back to Hogwarts now!" Harry was gulping for air, trying to catch his breath.
He pulled his hand out of the cauldron to see what had happened to it. As soon as his hand left the soothing silver liquid it burned fiercely. He stuck his hand back in feeling trapped and angry over having to stay down in the dungeon with the man who had done this to him. He was so confused and frustrated that this had even happened, just when he thought he found a father.
Severus didn't know what to do. This whole thing was his fault. He knew about Harry's greatest fear from the occlumency lessons last year and he used it against him. He didn't even know how to stop himself from doing it. Maybe Harry should get away from him before he did something worse to him. I can't get my anger under control, someone is attacking me! I must get Harry away before I kill him. There was such sadness in his heart at that thought.
Severus stood up slowly and made his way over to the fire. He threw some floo powder in and called Dumbledore.
"Harry needs to go back Professor." he stated, without any explanation.
Dumbledore knew something was wrong but needed more time to find out who was pulling the strings to get Harry sent back to the Dursley's. The place was crawling with ministry officials and there was no place safe to hide Harry.
"I can't grant that request at this time. I need more time. Please make this work Severus... for Harry's sake."
Before Severus could respond Dumbledore disappeared. Severus knew it was wrong but there was a bit of relief in his heart.
Harry couldn't believe his ears. I have done everything the old man says and Dumbledore can't lift a finger to help me. Harry was hurt and felt totally betrayed, more alone now than ever before. He knew he couldn't stay with Ron or Hermione, the danger to them was too great. Lupin was out and Sirius ... he was gone now too.
An overwhelming feeling of frustration and fear filled Harry making him turn his face into the sofa to hide his tears.
Severus was still kneeling by the fire with his head hanging down when he heard Harry cry. It broke his heart to the very core knowing that he was responsible for that. He had to make it up to him, he had to overcome those feelings he had in anger. He owed it to Harry and deep down he knew if Harry left, he would never change.
He got up slowly and walked over to the sofa. He sat down next to the sad boy, "Harry give me another chance. I need you to give me another chance. Something is happening to me and I am not sure what it is. I did not throw that Dementor at you on purpose. Please Harry, stay."
Snape placed his hand on the boy's shoulder then slowly turned his face to him.
Harry looked up at him with red rimmed eyes, "I don't want to be alone anymore but I don't know what I'm doing to make you so angry at me. If you just tell me I promise I'll try not to do it."
Those words touched Snape deeply. Those words were spoken like a child of abuse. This boy had been so traumatized by his life that he continued to put the blame of the abuse on his own shoulders.
Severus grabbed Harry's shoulders, "Harry, it is not your fault, none of this is your fault."
Harry didn't have any choice but to trust in what the professor claimed. And truth be told, he really didn't want to be sent away. Afterall, Severus was his last hope for family.
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