Harry looked down at his right hand and grimaced in memory. It has been 2 months since Professors McGonagall, Snape, and Dumbledore had found out about what Umbitc… Umbridge was doing to him during detentions. McGonagall had awarded points back that she had taken in regards to getting detentions with that woman.
The trial of Umbridge was successful. It had lasted a whole 10 minutes, most of that was Harry recounting what had been done to him during the detentions and her acts as High Inquisitor.
Harry starts making his way down to the dungeons for his weekly meetings with Professor Snape. At first it had started when Harry had blown up at them when they had found out. After, it had turned to a session where Harry could say all of his feelings and not be told off for yelling at a teacher.
He knocks on the door and hears a, "Come in," from Severus.
"Hello sir." Harry says politely.
"Hello Harry. Sit down, we have a heavy topic to discuss and it may take a while." Severus says from behind his desk.
"What sir?" Harry asks genuinely confused as it is not often that Professor Snape decides the topic of the night's conversation.
"Your relatives." Severus says simply.
"What about them? There's not that much to tell." Harry says stiffly. Uncomfortable with this topic.
"Well, seeing that you are clearly uncomfortable with this topic I think that I need to set some rules for tonight."
"Sir?"
"Yes. Rules, guidelines that you are given and are expected to follow." Severus says in a voice as if he were explaining it to a 5 year-old.
"Hey! Don't talk to me that way. I will leave." Harry says, despite knowing the fact that Severus is joking,
"If you do we will just talk about this later. So let's get it over with. Firstly, I want you looking at me at all times. Secondly, do not lie. If you don't want to answer a question just say so. But, do not lie about it and say something that you think will appease me. Do you understand?"
"What's in it for me?" Harry asks, ignoring the question.
"What do you mean? You act as if you are making a deal with someone that will give them an unfair outcome." Severus asks, surprised at the Slytherin- like question.
"What is in it for me? Why do I have to talk to anyone about my relatives? They provide Blood Wards that keep me safe. I need to stay there so that they can continue the protection that my mother gave me."
"Yes… they do protect you from outside dangers but not from ones within the home. No one has ever checked on you and some things you said in the office the night we found out are concerning. What were your exact words? Oh yes! 'I would rather stay in the castle with you than go to live with my relatives.' This is of course when you still hated me. Or how about 'A letter home to my relatives? They don't care, I'm your problem now, as they would say.' Harry, those aren't words that someone would say if they were happy with their living conditions. What goes on inside that house?"
"Nothing that I can't handle. I have survived old voldy-shorts twice, not to mention beating the puzzles that concealed the chamber that the Stone was kept in, or killing a basilisk, or fending off about a hundred dementors at once or surviving the tri-wizard and escaping voldy again or what Umbridge has done."
Severus is shocked. Yes he knew that Harry had completed all those tasks at young ages, but never had he heard it said in such a dismissive tone. "Harry, just because you have done all of those things doesn't mean you should have needed to. The adults in your life have failed you, but I want to make it up to you and make sure that everything is okay, starting with your home life. You stay at the castle every holliday possible. You rarely ever get mail besides the Daily Prophet. Did you know that your relatives were informed when you flew the car your Second Year? Do you know what happened? They never responded. It was as if they didn't care."
"They don't. They hate everything about me and the magical world. They saw the Hogwarts crest or even that it was delivered by an owl and they would have just thrown it into the fire. They hate everything to do with magic. Hell, I wasn't even allowed to open my Hogwarts letter until Hagrid came and gave it to me when he took me to Diagon Alley. I don't have access to my school things because they are locked in my old bedroom. I had to send the letters at night to my friends with Hedwig just to make sure that I wasn't caught. So you want to know about my home life professor that basically sums it up. May I leave now?" Harry asks standing up.
"No. Sit down. We are going to talk about this properly." Severus says sharply.
Harry groans but sits back down watching as his potions master is deep in thought.
"Start with your old room. Why would they lock your school things in that?"
"Because it was the cupboard under the stairs. That's how my first letter was addressed as well."
"They locked you in a cupboard?"
"No… not really. I was only locked in at night or when guests were over or when I did what I now know as accidental magic."
"They locked you in there for things beyond your control." Severus said plainly.
Harry shrugs. "I guess. I mean at the time I had no idea why things were happening to me. The
Dursley's made me believe that I deserved it."
Severus's face says how he is feeling. Angry. "They locked you in a cupboard!"
"It was a big cupboard. And most of the time I had food."
"Most of the time? MOST of the time you had food. Not all the time?"
"No sir. I was allowed to eat if I finished all my chores in a timely manner and nothing bad happened."
"What type of chores?"
"Oh the usual. Cleaning, mowing the lawn, weeding the garden, painting the fence, washing the car things like that."
"How many would you do a day?"
"About all of those. Generally a little more, but not always."
"You did all of those in one day?"
"Yes sir. It was hard at first but then I developed a system so it went by much faster."
"You were abused." Severus says in a voice that makes Harry uneasy.
"No. I wasn't… It wasn't that bad." Harry says, unsure as to why he is defending his relatives.
"Harry. Denying a child 3 meals a day is neglect which is a form of abuse. You didn't have a room which is also neglect."
"No… it wasn't bad. I lived didn't I? I'm no worse off."
"That isn't true Harry. You are underweight and you have no respect for your wellbeing. They convinced you that you aren't worth basic human necessities." Seeing Harry's unconvinced look he decides another way. "What if Miss Granger or Mr Weasley lived there in the same conditions that you did?"
"No, I wouldn't allow it."
"Why, if it wasn't that bad why shouldn't they live there?"
"Because they don't deserve that."
"You don't deserve that Harry, no one deserves that."
"Fine.." Harry says, tired of this.
Severus just sighs while watching the young teen in front of him. "I know you are irritated with me now but you are being neglected."
Harry doesn't respond, he knows that his professor is right but he just can't open up to anyone, adults aren't to be trusted, he learned that from an early age. "May I leave now professor?"
Severus doesn't want him to leave now but knows that Harry needs to think about what he has said. "Yes, you may. Just know Harry I will always be here for you. No matter what."
Harry just gives a nod and then goes to the door to leave. "Sir? Thank you. Thank you for all that you do. I know that you do care I just need to focus on defeating Voldemort before I do anything else really. I will protect the ones I love and hope for the best."
Severus just nods and says, "You are welcome Harry. And my door is always open."
"I know sir. I trust you." Harry says before leaving. Knowing how much that last phrase was entirely true. For the first time he completely trusted an adult. An adult that he knows truly cares about Harry and not the Chosen One.
An/ So I know that I said How Did We Miss This was a one shot but it was requested that I write about the aftermath of it. I felt that Severus and Harry's relationship should have grown. That is my take on it and I hope you liked it.