Chance Meeting at the Ink Pot
by Healer Teddylonglong
All recognizable characters belong to J. K. Rowling, and I am not earning anything by writing this story.
I am not a native speaker of English. Please excuse my mistakes.
COMPLETELY AU! Partly OOC!
It is my story, and I intend to write it the way I want it. If you don't like it, don't read it.
Reviews are very welcome, as they inspire my muse.
Minerva unobtrusively transfigured the parchment into a handwritten potions recipe, before she quickly explained, "Oh sorry Albus, we were planning to play a prank on the students."
"In order to make another, certainly useless, attempt at achieving a certain degree of understanding between the houses," Severus supplied, sounding extremely bored.
"Oh, what a wonderful idea," the Headmaster said appraisingly, slowly unwrapping a lemon drop that made him remember the reason for his visit. "Ah, Severus, I was wondering if you could brew a batch of lemon drops for me. Fawkes must have hidden all my remaining drops. I can't find a single one except for the small stock in my robe pocket."
"Yes, I'll brew a batch for you later tonight," Severus replied calmly, inwardly sighing in annoyance, while his female colleagues chuckled with amusement.
"Very well, thank you Severus. I'll be on my way then and won't disturb you any longer." With that the headmaster stepped back into the fireplace and vanished in the flames.
"Well, Severus, I believe it's time for us to leave as well. I'm sure Harry will be eagerly awaiting your response by now," Minerva said gently. "Please keep us informed about his progress."
"I'll do that, and you're right. I'll send him my booklet," Severus replied thoughtfully. "Thank you for being on Harry's and my side in this matter, Minerva and Poppy."
The Mediwitch let out a long sigh. "Severus, I must tell you something. I am of course on your side; however, if we ever get information about the boy being abused other than verbally, I have to report the matter to the Ministry of Magic. It's my obligation as a healer, if Albus likes it or not."
"I fully agree," Severus replied sincerely. "I do not intend to leave the boy in an abusive home if there is any evidence that goes beyond the verbal abuse he is already enduring."
本屋さんでの偶然の出会い
During the following months, Severus and Harry continued their daily conversations through the wiz2wiz connection, and Severus showed Harry's letters to his two colleagues on a regular basis. He provided Harry with books about various topics of the magical world, and Harry spent every free minute eagerly reading what Severus sent him.
Harry slowly became used to having someone who cared about him, and little by little he began to open up and tell the man when something special or strange happened at home or at school. However, he was always very careful not to sound too whiny, knowing from his aunt's words that he was enough of a nuisance as he was, even if he didn't complain about anything.
One day in spring, he wrote an excited letter into his book.
'Dear Severus,
Today somefing very strange happened. Dudley and his friends tryed to take my book away. They don't understand that they can't. Dudley is a bit stoopid anyway because I aways have to do my tests badly in order not to be beter than him. Anyway I ran away from them and sudenly I was on the roof of the school. I don't know how I got there. Do you think that was magic? My relatives were very angry and scolded me for doing freky things as they call it.
Yours Harry'
A few minutes later, an answer arrived.
'Dear Harry,
Yes, that was magic. You must be a very powerful wizard if you managed to apparate onto the roof. Well done. Nevertheless, you should be careful to not let other children anger you enough to do such strong magic, because you might hurt yourself or others.
Why do you have to do your tests badly? You should do them as well as you can. It's no problem if you're better than your cousin, or do your relatives give you a hard time about it then?
Take care, SS.'
Harry sighed. 'Of course he can't understand that,' he mused. However, knowing that he could trust the nice wizard, he decided to explain the matter to him.
'Sir, I can't be beter than Dudley in anything, because my aunt and uncle told me to not be beter than him if I new what was good for me. But it's all right because I now that I'm not as stoopid as him, and you know that too, don't you, sir?
Oh, I have a question. Is moon fern and moan fern the same or is it somefing different?
I love the book. Harry.'
Harry loved all the books Severus sent him. Most of them were easy introductions to the magical world as well as novels written by magical as well as muggle authors. However, after Harry had read the introductory books, he begged him for more books about the magical world, and Severus sent him Hogwarts: A History, followed by the first year Potions book as well as an easy introduction to magical potions ingredients. By the beginning of the summer holidays, he had already read most of the books the Hogwarts students had to read in their first year, and the professor apparently decided he needed a break and sent him an introductory book on Quidditch.
'It must be much fun to fly on a broom,' Harry mused, pondering if he should try it out on one of Petunia's broomsticks. 'I have to wait until it's dark though,' he thought, but decided to ask the professor beforehand if it would be possible to fly on any kind of broom.
'No Harry; it might be possible, but it would be very dangerous at the same time. Please do not do such a thing. In four years' time, you're going to come to Hogwarts, and then you'll be allowed to fly as much as you want,' the professor replied immediately.
'All right; I promise that I won't try,' Harry replied, not wanting to make the professor regret that he had sent him such an interesting book.
'Magic is just fantastic,' he mused, looking at his book that still had the same size as it had when Severus had bought it for him, although it already contained at least thirty books, which he had read during the last six months.
One day during the summer holidays, he just returned to his cupboard from making breakfast, when his book began to vibrate. Harry happily opened it and looked at the new message.
'Happy Birthday Harry,' it read.
'We'll talk again tonight; I just wanted to wish you all the best and attach my present. It's just a book for fun reading about a little boy, who wants to become a Potions Master and has to undergo a lot of funny mishaps on his way. I liked it very much when I was your age.
Enjoy your birthday. SS.'
'Birthday?' Harry mused in surprise. 'I don't have a birthday.' However, the professor's message refused to be pushed from the front of his mind, and while he prepared dinner, Harry decided to ask his aunt.
"Aunt Petunia," he asked hesitantly, leaving his eyes firmly on the pot he was using to boil carrots, "do I have a birthday like every other child?"
"Why would you? Freaks don't have birthdays," his aunt scoffed and immediately told her husband about the matter when he chose that moment to enter the kitchen.
From the corners of his eyes, Harry could see that his uncle's cheeks turned into a deeply red tone, and Vernon approached him, pulling him by the ears. "You ungrateful little urchin. Is it not enough that we took you in and feed and clothe you out of the goodness of our hearts? You. Are. A. Freak!"
With every word Harry could feel the man's huge fists on his cheeks.
"And freaks don't have any special days, nor do they earn presents. Do you understand me?" Vernon roared, forcefully pushing Harry out into the garden. "Paint the fence and earn your keep, you good for nothing urchin."
It was nearly midnight when Harry returned to his cupboard, and he was completely exhausted. 'I have to ask Severus about this birthday thing,' he mused, 'however, my face hurts where Uncle Vernon hit me earlier. I'll just go to bed. I can still ask him tomorrow.' With that he placed his book under his pillow as usual and lay down.
When Harry woke up in the morning, his cheeks along with his eyes felt strangely swollen, and he could hardly see anything. When his aunt saw him, she sent him back into the cupboard, afraid that the neighbours could see Harry and begin to ask questions.
'Thank God,' Harry mused, not feeling up to anything but lying in bed and closing his achy eyes. A few hours later, he noticed his book vibrate; apparently, there were several new messages; however, his eyes were so swollen that he couldn't read them. 'What am I going to do? I can't write like this,' he thought, slightly beginning to panic.
All of a sudden, Severus began to think to him. 'Harry, I'm a bit worried, because you didn't reply to my messages last night and today. Is everything all right? If you can, please write an answer on your parchment; otherwise, I'll come and check on you during the night.'
'Oh no, I can't have him come to check on me. That would be too much of a bother,' Harry mused, terrified, and fetched his pencil.
'Severus,' he wrote,
'I'm sory for not writing, but my eyes are swolen and I can't see where I'm writig. I'm alright thou. I write again tomorow. Harry.'
'Harry,' he once more heard the professor's voice in his head, 'I'll come to check on you tonight. Don't wait for me; just go to bed. I'll wake you up during the night.'
A happy smile played on Harry's lips as he went to bed that evening. Although his eyes were still sore and he could hardly see anything, he knew that there was someone who cared for him and that person was coming to see him during the night.
Severus let out a long sigh. He had already been concerned when Harry didn't send a message the previous evening; however, his two female colleagues had drivelled on about the Dursleys having a birthday party for the child. 'I better inform them in advance,' he thought, 'it's time to head to the Great Hall for dinner anyway.'
After dinner, McGonagall and Pomfrey accompanied Severus to his quarters, and the three friends spent the following two hours discussing Harry and what could have happened to him.
"Shall I accompany you?" McGonagall offered gently, knowing that her younger colleague was not feeling well at the thought of breaking into the Muggles' residence.
"I'm coming too," Pomfrey announced. "Maybe he'll need my help."
Severus rolled his eyes. "I appreciate your offers, but do you expect me to ring the bell and ask the Dursleys nicely to let me in?" he sneered. "I'm going to transform into my snake form and enter the house through some kind of opening I'm sure to find in the wall. How would you be able to enter the house in your cat and bird forms? If we go in as three persons, we can be sure the Dursleys will wake up."
"Very well, then we're going to wait out in the garden," McGonagall said in determination. "When are we going to leave?"
"At midnight?" Severus suggested, knowing that he wasn't able to prevent the two eager witches from travelling together with him.
In the middle of the night, the three colleagues walked down to the Apparition border, from where they apparated into a corner of Mrs. Figg's garden.
"We better turn into our Animagus forms right away," Severus suggested and changed into a black snake with a beautiful green pattern on his back. Followed by a tabby cat and a dove, he made his way to the Dursleys' residence that looked as peacefully asleep as all the other houses of the seemingly boring neighbourhood.
The three animals entered the garden, and while the cat jumped onto a wall and the dove made herself comfortable on the nearby tree, Severus searched the exterior walls of the house for an opening that was large enough for him to enter. Under the watchful eyes of his colleagues, he slithered into the wall, ending up in what seemed to be the Dursleys' living room.
Severus transformed back into his human form in order to be able to open the door, noticing from the corner of his eyes that the room was decorated with hundreds of pictures of the horrible boy he had observed in the bookshop seven months ago. Casting an invisibility charm on himself, Severus stepped out into the hall, taking in the locks at the outside of the cupboard under the stairs with disgust.
"Alohomora." The whispered spell coaxed the door into opening, revealing a small, dark space to the tall wizard, who crouched down to enter the tiniest room in the house on his knees. Casting a Lumos charm, Severus looked over to the small mattress, taking in the boy's swollen cheeks and eyes in shock. 'What have they done to the child?' he thought, terrified, as he cancelled the invisibility charm and proceeded to wake the boy.
"Harry," Severus whispered, gently shaking Harry's shoulder, noticing that the boy flinched back badly at his soft touch. "Harry, it's all right; it's me, Severus," he said soothingly, causing the child to open his eyes just the little bit he was able to, before he hurriedly brought himself into a sitting position.
"Harry, what happened to your eyes?" Severus queried, crouching on the floor next to Harry.
Harry mumbled something incomprehensible, causing Severus to sigh. "Harry, I'll probably be able to help you. However, in order to give you the appropriate potion, I need to know what exactly happened."
"My uncle," Harry whispered, anxiously glancing in the direction of the door. "He was angry when I asked if I had a birthday like every normal child."
"And he beat you?" Severus enquired, looking closely at Harry's eyes.
"Yes," the child whispered in a barely audible voice.
The professor pulled a small phial out of his robe pocket and handed it to Harry. "Harry, this won't be delicious, but it'll help. Don't dwell on the taste; just swallow," he advised the boy, who obediently emptied the phial, shuddering at the foul taste.
Severus observed contentedly, how the boy seemingly relaxed as the swelling in his face slowly receded. He took the phial back, feverishly pondering what to do. 'I don't want to leave the child in this abusive home,' he thought. 'On the other hand, I can't simply take him with me. Albus would be angry enough to throw me into Azkaban.'
"Thank you so much sir," Harry pulled him out of his stupor. "That was amazing. I feel as if nothing has happened at all."
"Potions are indeed amazing," Severus agreed, smiling. "I'm glad I could help you, Harry. Now, tell me one thing," he continued in a much sterner voice. "Does your uncle often beat you?"
"No," Harry replied quietly, "only if he becomes very annoyed, for example if I do accidental magic or such."
Severus let out a long sigh and explained that he'd love to take Harry with him, but that he had to convince the Headmaster first. "If I take you away against his wishes, everything will become worse than it is now, because I won't be able to help you anymore," he sadly finished his explanation.
"It's all right, sir," Harry replied softly. "I fully understand, and I'd be more than happy to go to Hogwarts with you, but since I know that it's only four more years until I'll be able to leave, it's not so bad anymore. Thank you very much for helping me, sir."
"I wished I could help more," Severus sighed. "Promise me that you tell me immediately if you're hurt, sick or just sad. I can come here during the night whenever you need me. Now go back to sleep; we'll talk again tomorrow."
"Thank you," Harry replied gratefully, and Severus watched how the boy lay down, his eyes closed as soon as his head hit the pillow and how he drifted off to sleep with a small smile playing on his lips.
Severus gently tucked the child in and slowly left the cupboard, deep in thought.
本屋さんでの偶然の出会い
The three colleagues returned to Hogwarts, and after getting a few hours of sleep, they met again in Severus' quarters to discuss the small boy's situation. Minerva and Poppy agreed that Severus should better not openly oppose the headmaster, but that they had to take the child away from his abusive home as soon as possible.
"I suggest that Poppy and I speak with Albus," Minerva spoke up thoughtfully. "We'll tell him that I spent some time on the wall next to the Dursleys' house and observed him, noticing that he was being beaten by his uncle."
"If I threaten to report the Dursleys to the Ministry because of child abuse, Albus has to agree to take him away from there; otherwise, he could be accused of tolerating child abuse," Poppy threw in.
"Well, then I'll just stay out of the discussion for the moment. Please come back and inform me of his reaction right afterwards," Severus decided, raising an eyebrow at his colleagues.
None of them expected the headmaster to respond in the way he did after hearing Minerva's story. For once, not even his eyes were twinkling, when he said in a very angry voice, "I forbid everyone to interfere in Harry Potter's matters. If I hear that anyone entered the Dursleys' residence again to check on the boy, watch him or take him away, that person will not only be fired from Hogwarts in case of a teacher, but reported to the Ministry for endangering the magical world. Did I make myself clear?" he asked in a no-nonsense voice. "You're dismissed. I have work to do."
tbc...
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