Chapter 2: The Boy Who Lived - Alive!
The silence in the room was deafening, not a single person daring to move as all eyes settled on the figure sleeping soundly in bed. As if coming out of a trance, one of the cloaked figure finally stalked forward, bending over the bed to peer at the child that lay soundly asleep.
"It's only a toddler!" They hissed quietly to the others, shock clear in their voice. With a wave of his wand the man quickly insured that the child would remain asleep.
"What do you mean it's only a toddler? No child should know that traitor's name!" Snarled another cloaked man, his feet quickly guiding him forward as they no longer had to be as quiet as before. "Search the premises for others, go!" He ordered to the two men that had remained in the shadows.
Once he was satisfied that they had disappeared, the man turned back to the bed. "He looks familiar, doesn't he?"
The man leaning over the boy hummed in agreement, hand reaching out and brushing through unruly black locks. "Should we take him? After all, it is the law…"
"Yes," murmured the other man. "If anything, he should not be among muggles. If the child knows of the traitor, chances are that he is one of our kind. If we're wrong, we can obliviate the boy and return him."
With a nod of agreement, the cloaked figure curled both arms under the little boy and lifted, chuckling softly when the sleeping child clutched his stuffed lion as he snuggled into the stranger's chest.
"No one, sir." The other two had returned.
"That's fine," the male turned glaring eyes back on the small boy. "I think we have what we needed." And with that, all four men disappeared from the room.
With a quiet hum of content, a hand reached forward and flipped the page of an ancient book. Dark red eyes focused on the ink in front of him, comforted by the sounds of a quill scratching across paper. A fireplace crackled softly beside the two men, filling the room with warmth. One sat on an old leather armchair, and while some of the leather had cracked it had obviously been polished and kept, dark black color fitting in the room of dark reds and coal. A large maroon rug stretched in front of the brick fireplace, a large snake curled atop in what appeared to be a calming sleep.
An oak desk had been set to the side of the room, its top filled with papers and quills, ink bottles strewn about the edge. It sat directly behind the arm chair, leaving room in front of the fireplace, but behind the carpet, for a large black sofa that looked as if one would sink if they sat in it. Gold and red wallpaper gave the room an older feeling, helped only by the immense bookshelves lined with old books that covered every wall. It was obviously a room to relax in or study, a library of sorts.
Sitting at the desk, a raven haired man finally stopped writing, his hand having started to cramp. He turned eyes that were almost black in their darkness towards the only other man in the room. His aristocratic nose slightly downturned as he peered at his lover.
Without having to look up, the brunette sitting comfortably in the chair spoke gently. "Yes, Severus? What is it?"
A smile lifted the corner of Severus Snape's lips, a smirk more so than an actual smile. "I do believe we should head to our room soon, don't you?" He had slowly lifted himself from the chair, making his way around the armchair to peer at the bemused man.
"Oh?" Brown brows lifted over red eyes. "And what should we do in this room of ours?" Teasing Severus was always fun, his book already forgotten in his lap.
"We should-" Severus began to speak before he was interrupted, the sound of hurried steps running towards the room startling. "What in the name of Merlin?" Growled the black haired man, stepping away from the chair and pulling out his wand to ward off attackers.
"My lord!" It was the cry that made the other man stand from the armchair, spinning to glare at their intruder. "My lord, we've found him! He's alive!"
The screaming man had not opened the study door, knowing far well the consequences that would follow if he had done so without permission. Severus had frozen beside him, his back stiff as he stared at the door wide eyed. The look quickly turned into a snarl, "I'll kill that bastard!"
Without waiting for a reaction from the dark lord, the former professor stalked to the door of the study. He did not sense as Voldemort joined him, did not notice as people stepped out of his way. Dumbledore had been found. It only made sense.
Several years prior, it had been revealed to the man just how manipulative the old coot had been. After the attack on the department of mysteries, he had disappeared with the boy-who-lived and it had been widely accepted that the child had been killed. This had been after the old coot had revealed to Severus that the boy had not belonged to James Potter, but that the child was his. The revelation had turned the war against the headmaster, who had successfully disappeared from their society.
Lord Voldemort had set a curse on his name, that anyone who dared utter the traitor's name would instantly be tracked by his men. They had won the war, and closed off their world from that of the muggles. If a child was found to be magical, they would be taken in by a wizarding family and raised in their society. It was for the safety of both worlds that they remained separated.
Putting a calming hand on Severus' arm, the dark lord stopped him inches from the door where several raised voices could be heard. "We cannot kill him right away, love." Tom squeezed the man's arm in emphasis, knowing what was going through his mind at the time.
"He kept my child from me. He killed him, Tom." Those black eyes focused on the man next to him, somber.
"I know," he frowned. "But we can't kill him. We have to make sure the old fool didn't do anything to aid his small resistance."
Turning back to the door, they both set themselves to face the man that had perpetually ruined so many people's lives. Tom Riddle quickly became Lord Voldemort, his expression turning to one that would frighten even the mightiest of warriors. Severus Snape easily scowled, his expression dark and ready to hurt the man that had taken so much from him.
Slamming open the door, both men froze.
"Get away from me!" The scream wasn't that of an old man, but a child. A little boy thrashed in the hands of one of the death eaters, who was failing miserably in calming the child. Another death eater was also trying to calm him down, but his screaming to be heard over the little one only seemed to panic the room.
"Dad!" The little child screamed desperately. "I want my dad!"
"Release him!" Severus howled, watching as the death eater quickly released the child.
Immediately, the little boy dropped to the floor. His arms circling his knees as he rocked back in forth in an attempt to comfort himself. A stuffed lion lay a few feet from him, dirty from the dungeon floor. Severus could see that the child had begun to cry, his little shoulders rocking up and down as sobs wracked across his body.
"Chi-" he had to stop himself, clear his throat. "Child?" Severus quickly holstered his wand, taking a step forward. "Child, are you alright?"
The little boy didn't seem to want to answer, still caught in his own fear. With a glare thrown at the men around him, Severus stepped forward, knowing the men would not interfere. He easily crouched in front of the boy, hand slowly reaching up to touch the child's hand. However, as soon as he did so he was thrown backwards violently, landing on his back several feet away.
"I want my dad," the child cried again. His little broken voice hoarse from screaming in his fear. Severus slowly stood again, this time when he crouched in front of the child he knew better than to touch him. How had they kept someone so powerful hidden in the muggle world?
"Little one, can you tell me your name?" Severus reached to the side and picked up the stuffed lion. "Do you want your lion, he's right here for you."
The mention of the toy seemed to peek the boy's interest, as he finally looked up from where he had buried his face in his knees. "Kit!"
Severus froze, his eyes stuck on the face of the boy in front of him. It couldn't be! But the evidence in front of his eyes was unavoidable. The scar, the beautiful avada kedavra eyes, the unruly black hair that stuck out at all angles. Harry Potter was alive. And he was a child! But something was unnerving, because while the boy sat in front of him, his eyes didn't seem to focus on anything at all.
"Harry?" Severus asked as the child snatched the stuffed lion from his hands.
With a shy nod of his head the little boy seemed a bit braver with the lion in his hands.
A strangled sound came from Severus, hands wanting to embrace the little boy in front of him. "Do you want me to take you to your dad, little one?" He spoke softly, trying to keep the fact that tears were fighting to the surface a secret.
The little boy nodded again.
"I'm going to pick you up, okay?" When he got another nod, Severus picked up the little child and hugged him to his chest, unable to resist the urge. For the first time in several years, he had hope. Harry was alive!
Standing the black haired man faced the Dark Lord, his lover. The brunette seemed to be in shock, although it was well hidden as he motioned Severus out of the room. "I'll catch up in a moment, I want to find out what happened."
With a nod of affirmation, Snape spun from the room, holding the child securely in his arms. Harry was still sniffling, but his sobs had subsided as the stranger had promised to take him to his father.
Making his way to the study without a break in his stride, Severus set the small boy on the sofa and settled in front of him, a hand resting on the child's knee. "Harry, I'm going to take you to your… dad… but it might take a while, okay?" The little boy nodded.
"Are you hungry? Would you like some hot chocolate?"
"Dad…" The boy paused to sniffle. "Dad says I shouldn't take things from strangers." Harry was fiddling with a hole in his pajama pants.
"Well, I'm Severus, so now we're not strangers, right?" His tone was soft, motioning for a house elf to quietly deliver the drink and leave. He also took a moment to slip a small dose of sleeping potion into the drink.
"Sev'us?" Harry tried, his childish voice filled with wonder.
"Yes, now how about some hot chocolate?" He asked.
When he received a nod, Severus grabbed the drink and gingerly helped the little boy uncurl and sit up on the sofa. When he held out the cup, Severus slowly came to the horrifying conclusion of what he was seeing. Harry was blind.
"Here child," he handed the drink to the boy who started to take small sips. "How old are you Harry?"
The little boy set down the cup in his lap, "six. But dad say's I'm a big boy."
Severus nodded out of habit, taking the cup from the lax grip as he noticed the child's eyes start to droop shut. "Well Harry, I'll take good care of you for a while okay. I'll even make sure Kit stays clean." He cast a quick scourgify on the toy, cleaning it of the grime from the other room. "Before you go back I'll introduce you to your cousins, how about that?" He asked, hoping the quickly tiring boy would agree. Even through the potion the child seemed excited.
"Cousin? I didn't know I had a cousin! Thank you mister Sev'us…" He was trailing, already falling slowly to his side in sleep.
"Sleep now, Harry. It'll be okay when you wake up." The man watched as the child sunk into the couch, conjuring a blanket and tucking the little boy in.
How had this happened? How was Harry alive after all these years? Blind and young?
"They found him in the muggle world." Tom had entered the room, his features relaxed even though the anger behind his eyes was evident. "Murmured the old coot's name. I don't know how he was hiding him, but he'll never touch him again."
Moving into the study, Tom leaned over the couch to glance down at the sleeping child. "How was he?"
"Scared and confused, but I think it'll be easy to make him forget… Tom," Severus looked up. "He's blind."
Tom scowled, red eyes never leaving the child. "He won't touch him again, Severus. Your son will never suffer at the hands of that incompetent fool again, I promise."
Severus nodded, eyes going back to the child on the couch. Neither would get any sleep that night, both content to watch the child everyone had thought was dead.
*** I started to write this story on a whim, so hopefully you like it ;)