AN- I'm very sorry but I wont be able to post as often the next few weeks. My sisters (not mine) mother died earlier this week and I have been looking after her so I haven't been able to write as much. I will post at least once a week but maybe not every day as I have been.

Thanks to everyone who reviewed I appreciate it so much

Also there may be a slight trigger warning on this. Please proceed with a little caution just in case.

Enjoy.


Chapter 12

"Harry! Harry!" Harry woke to being shook by Hermione.

"Hermione?" He asked as she loomed over him. There was a look of pure horror on her face.

"Oh Thank Merlin." Ron tuned with a huge sigh; his face dropping in relief.

"Why are you here; it's the boy's dorm?"

"You cat dragged me out of bed- you were screaming your bloody head off."

"Was I?" Harry was blinking in the light of six lumos wands.

"Yes!" Ron glared at him. He was not angry with Harry but was worried about his strange friend. "There is something wrong with you- seriously wrong."

"And if you don't tell us what it is we," Draco pointed to everyone around him. "Will drag you to Madam Pomphrey."

"I don't remember." He lied; he could still feel his uncles face glaring down at him from the memory.

"Dragon shit you don't!"

"Draco." Neville spoke softly and nudged past the blond. "You brought me a Herbology book for Christmas. You're the only person who knows how much I love that class. Harry you take the time to learn everything about people; to help them and make us better people. Don't you trust us enough to help you back?"

Harry closed his eyes at the emotion. "There are some things I j-"

Draco cut in already knowing what his friend was going to say. "My father once used black magic on me because I got a stain on a painting in my house. It was a painting of my Great grandmother. Everyone has secrets Harry; don't bare them alone you idiot."

"Harry. I only brush my teeth once a day- it may only be a small thing but it's the only way I have to be my own person- at least until I found out I could do magic." Hermione admitted her own secret; having dentists for parents made that a big thing for Hermione.

"I used to pee on Ginny's bed to embarrass her."

"Dude." Seamus turned to look at the red head; a horrified look on his face.

"What- I was the baby before she came along. Come on Harry, your turn."

"Please guys." Harry begged from his- now sitting- position on the bed.

"Harry." Hermione sat down; changing tactics. "We'll bring the twins down if we have to- maybe even Oliver. This isn't healthy. You were shrieking."

"I'm glad you care..."

"Yup." Dean nodded. "Now what is it mate? It's something bad. Was it you-know-who?" Harry just blinked. "Your Gran, your aunt and uncle. Was it-"

"Harry you flinched." Hermione put her hand on his shoulder. "What is it?"

"I know you weren't expecting presents from them?" Ron asked.

"Did they hurt you?" Draco pressed.

"Can't you all leave me to my privacy?" Harry shook Hermione off. "The whole world knows who I am, can't I have one secret- can you leave me to that?!"

"Right we're taking you to McGonagall."

"No Hermione." Harry moved to fight them but Hermione cast a spell binding his body.

They carried him out of the common room. Harry was Livid; he was being carried towards the hospital wing because of a stupid nightmare about his uncle.

"What is going on here?" A cold voice came from behind them.

"Professor Snape; we're taking Harry to Madam Pomphrey." Draco explained to the teacher.

"Is he hurt?"

"Not exactly."

"Sick?"

"He was screaming in his sleep sir." Ron explained as Harry was fighting against his bonds.

"And you want to wake the matron up because of a nightmare."

"He told me he has them every night." Ron defended. "Tonight it took all of us to wake him up; he looked terrified."

"I think it has to do with his aunt and uncle sir." Hermione explained quickly. "Muggles are taught to look out for signs like this. I think they abuse him. Sir."

There was a moment of pure silence; not even Peeves in the distance. "Let Mr Evens go." Snape asked looking carefully at the boy.

"They're wrong. They're jumping to conclusions." Harry explained quickly as his body slumped.

"Okay then. Look me in the eye… Harry." Harry did so and Snape held him for a second. "Have your aunt and uncle ever hit you?" He asked.

"No."

"Have they ever withheld food from you?"

"No."

"Made you cry?"

"No."

"Said unpleasant things- called you names that aren't yours?"

"No sir."

"Have they ever made you do lots of work, like cleaning or gardening when they are doing nothing?"

"I said no, sir."

"Okay then- we are going to the headmaster."

"Why?"

"You just lied right to my face Mr Evens; Right to my face. Every single question. I will not have Lily Evans son living in a place like that. Especially if he feels he needs to lie about it. And to my face at that."

"Sir."

"Harry-" Professor Snapes voice lowered with his own sadness. "I was friends with your mother. I was her best friend and she was mine. If it wasn't for your father's brother I would be your god father. Now you have a choice you are either going to come with me to the head master's office. Or I will go without you. Either way he'll find out."

"He already knows." Harry hung his head he couldn't lie to the man; he would know. He deserved to know.

"Sorry?"

"Arabella Figg wrote him letters; the Professor dismissed her."

"What?!" The professors hand was shaking slightly. "Right…" He stood up straighter. "Children can I implore you to get Harry to the medical wing."

"Professor." Harry complained about to disagree with the potions professor.

Hermione cast the spell at Harry back. "Yes sir."

"You would have made a fair Slytherin Miss Granger."

"This is Gryffindor loyalty; but I'll accept the complement sir." Snape just nodded and strode off.

Harry was still bound on the bed when Professor Snape arrived along with Professor McGonagall and Dumbledore.

"Hello children." Dumbledore greeted them. The children looked at him with a little scepticism.

"Sir." Draco nodded.

"Miss Granger could you tell the Headmaster exactly what you told me."

She nodded. "Harry had nightmares every single night. Tonight Harrys cat Zana came to get me as these guys couldn't get him up. He was screaming the dorm down.

"Sir." Draco began. "He would only wake up when Hermione came in; he flinched in his sleep every time we spoke."

"We interrogated him when he woke up and found out that it was to do with his aunt and uncle." She explained. "We were bringing him here when Professor Snape found us."

"Headmaster I asked him questions. Every answer he gave was a lie. His aunt and uncle, hit him, starve him, treat him little more than dirt."

"That's not true I had him watched."

"By Arabella Figg correct." The headmaster raised an eyebrow. "She wrote you to tell you; you dismissed it."

"That was years ago."

"And yet you left him unchecked." This made Snape worse. "Look If you want those disgusting human beings to stay alive then you get Harry, the hell out of there or I refuse to be held accountable for my actions."

"Severus…"

"Not this time Albus. You forced me to stay away from him once, I will not do it any longer. I won't allow this to go on. I broke promises to Lily because of you; now I will keep them despite of you."

"Severus it's the safest place for him." The headmaster told the potions master.

"There is no reason to leave a child in an abusive home, Albus. NO Reason. Not one." The headmaster tuned his head at those words; clearly ashamed.

"There are wards there to protect him. They need family."

"Albus," Professor McGonagall spoke. "You said to me that Petunias love would give the wards power. She obviously doesn't love him."

"Professors." Neville was the one who spoke. "What about his Gran, he speaks of her so highly? Couldn't he live with her?"

"Longbottom, Petunia if the only blood relation Harry has." Snape told him in the gentlest voice he had ever used with Neville.

Draco put his hand on Nevilles shoulder. "Neville Remember, Harry mentioned they weren't family."

"Who is this Gran?" Snape asked.

"Harry introduced her to my mother." Draco informed them. "I think her last name was Figg. She's a squib."

"I think maybe we should ask Harry." Professor McGonagall pointed to the frozen boy.

"Oh yes." Hermione replaced the spell and Harrys entire body crumpled. "Harry are you okay?"

"I trusted you guys…"

"Sorry mate but we'd rather have you alive than have your trust." Ron told him before flinching when Harry threw his arms around him.

"No one but Gran has even tried to care about me before. She's only been able to do it properly since I got my letter." Harry was holding back tears; it was all a bit much at that late hour. This was not the way things were supposed to go.

"We care about you mate." Draco came closer followed by the rest of the house.

"I have to admit- That is something I admire about Gryffindor's; loyalty barley beaten out by those blasted badgers." Severus Snape admitted.

"Alright Harry- you heard all of that." Professor McGonagall stated.

"Yes ma'am."

"We will take you away from them- I swear it Harry." She knelt on the ground and held his hand as if he was fragile- this was something Harry hadn't wanted.

He looked away from her. "It's a four bedroomed house."

"What do you mean?"

"I sleep in the cupboard." Harry told her. "The one under the stairs."

"I'm going to kill that woman." Snape snarled.

"Dudley had two bedrooms. His Aunt Marge came for a weekend every few months- she had a room too."

"Harry." Hermione hugged him; Harry flinched but quickly settled into her hug. She was the first person he ever considered to be a sister. Ron was his brother, and now so was Draco.

"Gran tried to have me over at her house as much as possible; so that I could have something to eat." Harry explained further. "It only worked if I was asked over to do work. Gran and I worked together on things."

"Arabella Figg is a good woman." Dumbledore admitted.

"She is." Harry agreed.

"Okay you sleep tonight. We'll speak about this more tomorrow." McGonagall promised. "You're going to need to sleep down here though Harry."

Snape had waved Madam Pomphrey over a moment ago. She had damp eyes but stood as a mediwitch.

"Why?"

He didn't get an answer as the professors ushered the children out. "Harry." Madam Pomphrey came closer. "Would you like dreamless sleep? I can prescribe you some for a few days."

"I don't want to rely on medication."

"Tonight then- maybe tomorrow. Just whilst its fresh in your mind." She suggested. "Ready for your talk with the professors."

"Okay- but I can't sleep without Zana?"

"What?"

"My familiar, Zana." He told her. "Gran said not to go to bed without her. She's supposed to protect me." Harry then hung his head. "Or find Gran if I have- one of my fits."

"Your nightmares."

"Yes Ma'am."

"I'm not supposed to allow pets in here." She thought a moment as she looked at the incredibly pale boy. "Here sleep by the door. She may just 'sneak in' without my knowledge."

"Thank you." She nodded and left to retrieve the potion.


AN- Hope you liked this chapter; this is the chapter that changes everything. The next few chapters I have planned out so more will be explained soon.

I'm sorry I wont be able to post as often for a little while. Family before Fanfiction.

Please review though; I love getting reviews. Until next time. ~Tia