-1Chapter 11 A Message From Voldemort

Harry's scar began to burn. He was sitting at a formal dinner with the nasty Aunt Vespa and three giggling girls and he knew this was not going to go over well.

Charlet continued to throw him contemptuous looks as her friends fought for his attentions. The other girls sat staring at him the entire time. It was hard to hide the pain he was in under such scrutiny.

He rubbed his scar, pressing his fingers down on it, hoping that would stop the inevitable pain, hoping that this time it would pass quickly. The pain made his eyes water, and he began to feel dizzy. He took deep breaths trying to remain silent as the searing pain intensified. Images not his own began to float about in his head. He knew he wouldn't last much longer before the pain became too much to hide.

Severus observed Potter's odd behaviour, suddenly comprehending that the boy was in the throes of an attack from the Dark Lord. He saw Potter rubbing at his scar and tears in his eyes. Oh Merlin! Not now Harry. The boy was doing a fairly decent job of hiding his pain but Severus knew it was escalating. He could feel the tingle on the dark mark on his own arm beginning to intensify.

"Harry, I require your help immediately in the dungeons. I overlooked a potion I had started earlier. Please excuse us for a few moments," Snape said to the ladies. He quickly walked over to Harry and pulled his chair back and grabbed his arm. Which was a good thing as Harry began to lose sight from the blinding pain.

"Severus, you sit down now! How unacceptable to do this to our guests!" Vespa growled.

Severus ignored her and pushed Harry out the door. He could hear her snarls from behind his back and the whispering from the young ladies.

Severus pushed Harry through the door leading to the dungeons and shut it quickly. He no sooner turned back around then saw Potter fall down to his knees and grab his head. There was nothing he could do for this boy but watch as Potter bit his lip to hold the screams in. Severus pulled his wand out and cast a silencing spell.

"A silencing spell is in effect. There is no need to hold back your cries," Severus said in a guarded tone. These attacks on the boy were unnerving to witness.

Harry could see through Voldemort's eyes. Voldemort was so angry, he was ripping apart a room and throwing curses at all the Death Eaters standing around watching. 'Snape, Snape Snape … Voldemort was angry at Severus!' Harry could feel it. The pain started to ebb away and he let himself fall the rest of the way to the floor, taking in big gulps of air as he felt the cold stone ground under his cheek.

Voldemort was angry at Snape because of him. Another person would be in danger because of him.

Severus stood watching, before he knelt down by Harry and touched his arm, "Better now?" he asked as he took the silencing spells off.

"Severus, he knows, he knows, Voldemort knows!" Harry alleged as he lifted his face from the ground clearly panicking at the new information he had gleaned.

"Get control of yourself Potter!" Severus snapped, completely lacking the art of comfort.

"What exactly does the Dark Lord know?"

"About you Severus. About you and helping me and living here and protecting me. He knows everything. You're not safe Professor!" Harry panted with pain in his eyes.

A slight sneer spread across the potion master's face, "Of course he knows Potter. Every newspaper in the wizarding world has your story plastered across the front page. My name happens to appear as well. This was inevitable since I am planning on adopting you."

Harry leaned up against the wall, looking up at his guardian with shock, "You don't care that you're going to have to stop spying?"

Snape spread out his long arms and shrugged, "There are more important ways to help the light side then to spy."

"You mean looking after me, don't you?" Harry said bleakly. He loathed the idea of Snape having to change his whole life around just for him, only to be put in more danger than he was in before.

"Everyone will find out soon enough. I was hoping it wasn't go….." Severus stopped talking and grabbed his arm. He bent his head down and began to block out the pain radiating from the dark mark.

"Professor! What's happening?" Harry asked with fear over the way his guardian was looking.

"He's calling me." It took a minute but Harry understood exactly who it was calling Severus back. He watched the professor compose himself.

"Are you improved?" Severus asked, realizing he was more concerned for the boy than from any threat Voldemort posed.

"I-I just need to lie down for a few minutes. How do you feel? Is he still calling you?" Harry asked as he looked at the arm Severus was guarding. He wanted to see the dark mark but was afraid it would hurt just to look at.

"I am fine, as a matter of fact I believe I will walk the grounds and strengthen the protective spells. I do not presume I will be quite so popular with my Death Eater friends any longer," he sneered. "Go down to the dungeons and lie down on the sofa. I will be back as soon as possible."

Harry nodded, wishing he hadn't put the professor in such a precarious position. He held onto the wall as he descended down into the dungeon, loosening his tie and taking his dress robe off. He threw them on the bench and walked over to the sofa. As soon as his head hit the pillow he felt better and relaxed. He was taken aback that Severus hadn't seemed bothered by Voldemort finding out about them.

His head still reeled with the knowledge that Snape actually found him worthy enough to consider adopting him. What was in it for the professor? He couldn't come up with any good reason why the professor would benefit from this relationship. His mind drifted off to sleep with thoughts of being sent back to the Dursley's when Snape discovered this was all a big mistake.

Severus came back a half hour later and threw his dress robe on the bench next to Harry's. He looked down at the sleeping boy feeling new emotions he had never felt before. His heart twisted a little over the thought of this boy being sent to save the Wizarding World from darkness. Potter would pay a heavy price for the rest of them. He already had paid a heavy price with the loss of his parents and Godfather.

After much thought Severus knew it would be up to him, as the boy's father, to give Harry some good memories to take with him into this blasted war. He owed it to the boy, he owed it to Lily.

He pulled a chair over to the sofa and sat down by the worn down Gryffindor. Within minutes he fell asleep too. They didn't mean to sleep through supper and into the early morning but it seemed they both needed it.

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TBC