Speak to Me

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter, nor anything associated with him. He's property of J. K. Rowling and Warner Brothers.

Summary: Hogwarts is has closed for a year, and Harry is thrown in his room, locked from the outside world, forbidden to speak. What happens when he forgets he has a voice? When school starts up again, who's going to teach him to speak?

Warning: Possibly A/U, Mentions of Abuse. OotP Spoilers, HP/SS SLASH (Will be slash later on, much later, because I prefer to work it in, not just jump in. So don't pressure me.), Some bad language. Possible Strong prejudice against Gays, as well as Apathy towards them and nasty remarks.


Ch. 5 - Trust


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Dinner didn't truly start until the group was joined by Dumbledore and Remus. As the meal started, Harry would occasionally sit back and watch everyone chatter, since he hadn't anyone to distract him.

Dumbledore sat at the head of the table, Snape to his left and Remus to his right. Harry was next to Remus, and was followed by Tonks, Ron, Hermione, and Ginny. The seat next to Snape was empty, but the one next to that had Moody, then George, Fred, and Molly. Arthur Weasley sat at the other head of the table.

Dumbledore and Remus were engaged in conversation. Harry supposed it was to do with the Order. He noted that Snape would elegantly add little comments to their conversation, but never really joined in. It seemed to Harry that he wanted to, though.

Tonks was talking excitedly to Moody, who would nod every so often and comment. Harry noticed a bit of flirtation between the two once in a while. Harry also noticed that once in a while Moody's fake eyeball would stare at him.

Hermione and Ginny would giggle randomly, and Ron was talking to Fred and George about their newest trick, or at least, Harry suspected he was.

Harry also noticed that besides Moody, he would earn worried glances from Mr. and Mrs. Weasley, an ominous look from Dumbledore, and a smirk from Snape. Whenever there was a pause in conversation, Remus would glance at Harry like he wanted to say something, but fidget nervously and speak to Dumbledore again.

He was barely spoken to the entire meal, except for when Tonks asked him how he was. Time seemed to slow down for Harry, and he felt like everyone was looking at him. So he had slowly withdrew his enchanted pad and let it scribble, "I've been great, thanks, yourself?"

Tonks had smiled warmly, said she was great, looked awkward, and started talking to Moody again.

When the meal finally ended, the new house elf, Trigol, came in and removed everything.

The Weasleys ushered their children out, including Hermione who wasn't really theirs. Moody and Tonks excused themselves, glancing at Dumbledore, and followed the Weasleys out.

Harry pushed his chair back, not having been asked to stay, but not being told to leave.

"No, no, my dear boy. Sit, relax." Dumbledore smiled warmly.

Harry nodded slightly and shuffled his chair back to where it was.

"Did you get the information required from Mason, Severus?" Dumbledore asked softly, turning his attention to him. Remus fidgeted again, casting a nervous look to Harry.

"Yes, I tried to have it sent to you but Yvette could not find you, and naturally the staff didn't know where you were."

"For my protection, of course. What do you think of the man? Is he Order material?"

"I hardly think I'm the right person to ask."

"Ah, but Severus, you're the only person to ask."

Harry's eyes widened and he stared at Severus, the wheel in his head slowly turning. Snape met with Mason because Mason wanted to join the Order.

"Very well. I feel Mason has enough to offer to the Order, such as lodging and secret keeping. His Inn has been protected by his magic for years, stopping evil from even seeing it. He is also stupid and irritating, of course."

"Is his heart in it, Severus?" Dumbledore leaned back, twinkling blue orbs boring into Snape's.

The spy stiffened in his chair slightly and was silent, his hand moving to his chin and his head lowing slightly, causing his black hair to fall only slightly around his face, as he thought.

Remus slowly pushed to his feet. "I'm going to get tea. I'll be back in a few minutes." He said softly, and walked into the kitchen.

Dumbledore's eyes twinkled madly as he watched Snape. Harry was also watching Snape, not noticing the swift lustful thoughts that passed through his mind.

If he did notice the thoughts, he quickly wrote them off. Snape was his professor, and any thoughts he had about him were strictly because he rather enjoyed the dark, intimidating, men with strong personalities. Jackel had a very strong personality. The only reason he was considering Snape like that was because the Professor emited the same aura. Yes, that was it.

"He is sincerely against the dark side." Snape said softly, "He has a small passion for it, although his passion for his Inn overrides it. His heart is in it, yes."

"Than we shall instate him. If you'll excuse me a moment, I think I'll get some of the tea with Remus. Anything for you two?"

"No thank you." Snape said simply.

Harry just shook his head. Dumbledore smiled and stood, exiting the room.

Harry stared at the countertop, and jumped a little at Snape's voice, not expecting it.

"Yes, Potter. That is why I was there. Mason never said a word to you about it?"

Harry glanced up at Snape, and the pad wrote slowly, in a black, neutral color. "I hadn't the slightest clue that you would be there, and he never mentioned you once, or the Order."

"As it is expected," Snape murmured softly.

Harry shifted uneasily in his chair, wondering when Snape was going to tell the Headmaster, or what. He stopped shifting once he felt Snape's cold gaze upon him.

"Did he know who you were?"

"No, sir."

"How did you get the concealment charms on if you couldn't talk, Potter?"

"The Headmaster sent me a book on Silent Magic."

"I'm amazed that you were capable to comprehend it." Snape said with a smirk, "Or the time to bother with it."

"Being locked in an attic with nothing to do does tend to free up a persons time."

The older man raised his eyebrows questioningly, "How did you loose your voice, anyway, Potter? Magical accident?" He said, rather smugly, as Dumbledore and Remus entered the dining room.

Dumbledore took his seat, but Remus moved to the other door.

"I'm off. I have some business I need to take care of. Have a goodnight, Harry."

"Goodnight, Remus." The paid wrote slowly. Remus, after studying the pad, gave Harry a nervous half smile.

"I was slightly curious about that." Dumbledore said with a smile to Harry, and Remus left.

Harry stared down at the table top, thinking. He knew what Dumbledore was referring to. He couldn't very well tell them about the Dursleys, how he hadn't talked for a year. They wouldn't believe him. They'd be more apt to believe the sort of line Snape suggested, more ready to believe he's an idiot.

Harry stared guiltily at his hands as the enchanted pad wrote, in a purple color.

"Professor Snape is right. It was a magical accident. I was being irresponsible, trying to frighten my cousin, and my spell backfired."

Snape smirked in a very satisfied manner, and Dumbledore leaned forward in his seat and looked disapprovingly at Harry.

"Magic is not a game, Harry. It is not to be used to frighten muggles, either. I'll have Poppy come and look at you soon, perhaps she can find a way to reverse the accident. Do you, by chance, remember what spell you used?"

Harry shook his head.

Dumbledore peered through his glasses, and Harry forced himself to look back, and not fidget.

"Very well." Albus turned his attention to Severus, "Was there something either of you wanted to share with me?"

Harry didn't move, except to drop his gaze to the table top, waiting for Snape to tell the Headmaster all about what happened.

Severus threw a small glance at Harry, then smirked.

"I have some news regarding our young Harry Potter." Snape said calmly, dark orbs resting on the younger man. Harry forced himself not to fidget, once again.

"And what would that be, my dear Severus?"

"It appears our Golden Boy has been lying to us, endangering his life, and that of our prospective order member."

Dumbledore frowned, "How so?"

"I'm not sure how long he has been doing it, but the day I went to The Unicorn's Horn to speak with Mason, Harry here was tending the bar. He was under dozens of charms, and wore a bandana to cover up his scar."

"How did you realize it was him, and why did you not notify me immediately?"

"I didn't realize it was him until today. He had that pad, and that bandana."

Dumbledore's gaze leveled on Harry, watching him carefully.

"Harry... Is this true?"

Harry looked at the table still, as if it were the most interesting thing in the world. True, Snape didn't have enough proof it was him, but all he had to do was ask around. He had also learned a long time ago that lying to the Headmaster never helped.

"Yes, Sir." Harry raised his eyes, guiltily, to meet the Headmaster's.

"Perhaps you would offer an explanation as to why you would do this?"

Harry's gaze moved to Snape as the pad wrote, "If he leaves."

"Severus has just as much right to know why as I do, Harry. Compared to him, my work no where near amounts to his."

"You flatter me." Severus said, smirking slightly at Harry.

Harry shifted uncomfortably, not wanting to give in but knowing if he didn't, then the possibility that he'd be sent back to the Dursley's was increased.

The pad began to write slow and plain, in a dark blue, "When I turned 17, I packed all my things and managed to escape the Dursley's home. I called for the Knight Bus, and had them bring me to Gringotts. While on the bus, I met Jackel, who told me of a great place I could stay, since I mentioned I was looking. He brought me to the Unicorn's Horn and Mason gave me a job. Neither of them knew who I was. I went under the alias of 'Ishmael O'Leary."

"Why did you run away, Harry? Were you aware that you were endangering your life, and then those of which were in the Inn?"

Snape leaned back, smirking smugly at Harry, waiting for the answer, his eyes glancing at the pad every few moments.

"Yes, sir. I was well aware.," Harry's eyes watched Snape intensely,"They locked me in the attic, made me use a port-a-potty, and every 3 day's they had me empty it, and only then was I allowed to shower. They generally only gave me bread and water to eat and drink, when they remembered. I wasn't allowed to make a noise, because they put devices around the room that let them know when I did. I think perhaps they were afraid I was going to say a spell of some sort. I couldn't stay there. I'm sick of living like that."

"Why didn't you write to us, to tell us?"

Severus's brows creased, black orbs flaring up in anger. He still said nothing.

Harry was looking at Dumbledore now, who seemed to find Severus's anger amusing. "My Uncle Vernon leaned over my shoulder while I wrote to you, every three days. I couldn't say anything. I hoped that Ron her Hermione or someone would noticed that they were shorter.."

"Ron mentioned it, but we thought that perhaps you really were occupied. We had hoped the Order members had scared them straight."

Snape slammed his hand down on the table and stood up in anger, his chair falling over, eyes full of rage. "How could you believe this nonsense, Albus?" His voice was low, calm, and dangerous. Harry would have preferred it if he was loud and yelling, but the man seemed to be forcing himself not to. At least he didn't tip the table over. "Port-A-Potty? Bread and water? Reading his letters over the shoulder? He's clearly had a long time to think about a good story for leaving! They wouldn't treat their precious Harry that way-" His voice was rising, louder and louder, and he snatched up Harry's paper pad and pegged it at a picture, causing it to shake and fall to the floor. "He probably left because they tried to ground him for that stupid stunt he pulled on his cousins! Don't be fooled by his pitiful act, Albus-"

"SIT DOWN, Severus!" Dumbledore cut him off, eyes blazing up. Harry remained silently fuming, burning with anger really, but having no way to vent it except on the paper, which was presently on the floor under a picture. Harry slowly stood and started to the picture. Severus stood still for a moment, staring relentlessly at Albus, the anger dying down to disappointment. He started pacing back in forth near Albus, not too far in any direction.

"I believe Harry."

"You didn't believe me. You never had. When will you ever trust me?" He stopped, turning to the Headmaster.

Albus looked sorrowfully at Snape. "I do trust you, Severus, on any subject but this one. You've created some world for Harry that doesn't exist, your view of him is clouded by his father-"

"You know nothing of the misery that child has put me in. Nothing of either of the Potters. Nothing." He said softly.

"It is you that knows nothing, Severus."

"You trust them more than you do I."

Harry was kneeling by the picture, watching the scene with wide eyes. He looked away quickly when he felt Snape's cold gaze on him, then moved and lifted the picture.

"I do not. I have my reasons for doing the things I do, Severus,-"

"When, Albus," Snape moved close to Albus, dropping his voice so low Harry couldn't make out what he said, "Will I ever be good enough to measure up to the Potters? What do I have to do?" Before the older man could answer, Snape, turned on his heel and stormed out of the kitchen, robes billowing behind him threateningly.

Harry re-hung the picture and picked up his pad, moving back over near the headmaster.

Dumbledore nodded solemnly, and slowly stood, "You mustn't repeat this conversation Harry, to anyone. Never mention it, never ask about it. It's best you forget about it."

"Yes, Sir." Harry handed the pad to the Headmaster. He had no intention of repeating it; nor did he have intentions of forgetting it.

"I have business to take care of, I wont see you until you're back in school next week. You'll be staying here. Remus has something he needs to speak with you about, and Moody, Tonks, and Professor Snape art going to be teaching you each day this coming week to prepare you for the war to come."

"Thank you, sir."

Albus smiled, "I think it's time for an old man like myself to get some shut eye. I will show you where your room is first. I'll have Mason bring your belongings here tomorrow."

"He's going to be told who I am?"

"Yes, Harry." Albus said with a smile, and moved to the kitchen door after handing Harry his writing pad back. "Shall we?"

Harry nodded and followed.


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Hope you enjoyed the chapter, please report any mistakes. ^^ And I made you wait for it too, but I've still been really busy. But I have vacation this week, so maybe ill write another chapter soon, if I get bored. Don't expect it though.
I still haven't given up on the story. Next chapter I'm probably going to give a showing of the lessons he's taking with Moody, Tonks, and Snape..
Review! I'd love to hear what you have to say!