Chapter Twenty-nine

When Harry opened his eyes, he expected Snape to be sitting on the edge of the bed in the morning like always. And he did—although, this time, he looked different in a way that Harry couldn't describe.

"Good morning, Harry," Snape said with an odd tone to his voice. "You're looking so much better. Your scar isn't bleeding anymore."

Harry frowned. "I know," he said cautiously. "You feeling okay, Severus? You sound... weird."

"Oh, no no, I'm fine."

Shifting his position, Snape still kept that odd expression on his face. "You seem very tired, Harry, why don't you go back to sleep?"

"Where's Slyther?" Harry asked, blinking his eyes a few times, and just noticed that his vision was blurry. Snape seemed to notice that he noticed, too, because he reached out and placed his glasses gently on his nose.

"Why do you want to know?" he questioned. "Well, that doesn't matter anyways. He's away. For good."

Harry said nothing, but took what Snape said in. "I—I—what? How can he be gone?"

"He found... another snake," Snape said uneasily. "Wanted me to tell you bye, and that he could possibly see you in the future... but then again, who knows?"

"What are talking about?" Harry felt his mouth go dry. "Why are you acting so weird, Severus?"

Snape leaned in closer, causing Harry to frown and move back a little. "I'll tell you why," Snape said in a low voice. "We have to go Harry. Right now. It's not safe here anymore."

"How is it not safe?" Harry asked quietly. "I thought it was safe here. With you."

"You are safe with me, Harry. That's why you and I need to leave. It's Topaz Aureus, you should know—she's got something planned that involves you. That's why it's not safe here."

Harry paused. "Why don't you tell Dumbledore, Severus? He could do something!"

"No. It's... too dangerous. Come on Harry, you can trust me." Snape picked Harry up and brusquely began a fast pace out of the Hospital Wing.

"Where's Madame Pomfrey?" Harry questioned. "Shouldn't you get permission to take me out?"

"I did," Snape replied hastily. "I have permission, now we go."

"Is everybody in the Great Hall?" Harry questioned again as Snape continued through the corridors. "Is that where Aureus is?"

"Yes Harry."

Harry frowned, beginning to squirm. "Why does your voice sound different? Let me... let me go." Harry started to squirm out of Snape's arms.

With a heavy sigh, Snape let go of Harry, who fell on the ground, wincing in pain.

"I didn't want to have to come to this. I thought we could just leave without any trouble, but with you, there always has to be trouble!"

And Harry was succumbed to darkness as he felt an excruciating pain fill his head.

-

Harry didn't remember that much as he woke, but realized he had a throbbing headache. Then there was Severus, looking at him with that same odd expression as before.

"You're awake," he said. "I was beginning to think I gave you a pretty bad concussion."

Then it all came back to him. "What did you do? Why did you—something's wrong," Harry said immediately. "It's your voice, I knew—"

"Come now, Harry love. I'm surprised you didn't realize sooner! Do I really pull off a good Severus Snape? Hm—should I take that as a compliment or no?"

"You went through all this trouble just to capture him?" Harry turned around and saw a girl, around his age that had an odd resemblance to Topaz Aureus. "Oh, please!"

"Caoimhe," Snape (who Harry realized from the voice was actually Aureus) said calmly. "Go to your room like I told you to."

"Why?" Caoimhe cried. "You can't boss me around, since I'm not your daughter! You want him to be!" Caoimhe stopped, faltering. "Well… not your daughter, since he's a boy, but—ARGH!" Stomping her foot, Caoimhe left the small room.

Harry shook his head, turning back to Aureus. He tried to struggle through the ropes that bound him, hoping that Aureus didn't tie them tight enough. But she did, and he couldn't get free.

"Stop struggling, dear," Aureus said, pouring herself some water. "It's quite useless. I thought I could get you to choose me by me just telling you things, but obviously it didn't work as well as I hoped. So I had to take the appearance of your dear Professor—though, of course he's not really your Professor yet, is he?—Snape. Really, though—" Aureus stopped to sip on her water. "—I was too eager to get you to come here and live with me. Usually Defence Against The Dark Arts Professors only usually last a year—I only lasted three days!" She chuckled.

"How did you—?" Harry studied Snape's look-a-like.

"It's called a potion, love. I've been working on it a while, and it does seem it's payed off!" Aureus said.

Harry scowled. "Where are we?"

Aureus chuckled, picking up a cup that sat on a nearby table and sipped on it. "My home, Harry."

Harry sighed, struggling with the ropes, but they were tied tightly.

"I want Severus."

Again, another chuckle from Aureus. "I am Severus!"

Another scowl from Harry. "The real one."

"And why would you possibly want Snape, Harry? The mean old grumpy git? Wouldn't you rather somebody adopt you that can actually care for you and love you? Sometimes you confuse me," Aureus said with a shake of her head. "But don't worry, love. I'm here, I can take care of you and love you like a mother should."

"I don't want you!" Harry exclaimed, trying to fight against the ropes. "I want Severus! He's nice to me! He sat by my bed when I was in the hospital wing!"

"Oh, he sat by my bed when I was in the hospital wing," Aureus mocked. "Oh, wah wah wah!"

Harry scowled. "Shut up."

Aureus looked surprised. "What did you say to me?" The glass cup in her hand smashed to the floor, smashing into a thousand tiny pieces.

"I told you to shut up," Harry said more confidently. "Take me back to Hogwarts!"

"You ungrateful brat!" Aureus cried, her hand connecting with Harry's cheek.

"Stop it!" Caoimhe's voice cried. Aureus and Harry glanced up, and Caoimhe stood in the doorway with her fists clenched. "Don't slap people in my presence, thank you!" She exclaimed. "It should be us telling you that you're an ungrateful brat!" She scowled, her chin held high. "Why don't you just let him go? His adoptive father is probably going to find you and put you away anyway."

Aureus clenched her teeth. "Didn't I tell you to go to your room?"

Caoimhe shrugged her shoulders. "Yeah. What 'bout it?" She leaned against the door frame.

"When I tell you to go to your room I mean it," Aureus said angrily. "Now GET TO YOUR ROOM!"

Caoimhe shrugged again, and scowled before straightening up and stalking down the narrow hallway.

"They'll all find me," Harry said warningly. "Your daughter's right. My dad will find me, and then he'll put you away!"

Aureus raised her eyebrows. "When did 'Severus' become 'dad'?"

Harry turned his head away, blushing furiously.

Aureus bent down and put her fingers underneath Harry's chin, turning his head around so he had to look at her in the eye. "Don't worry, dear," she said softly. "Sooner or later your 'dad' will become a dear deceased dad, just like your real father." Aureus finished softly before standing up and leaving the small room, slamming the door on her way out.

-

Harry's stomach, where Quirrel had stabbed him, was becoming more and more painful by the minute. He moaned, hopefully loudly, so Aureus would come in and most likely try to help the pain go away. She wanted him for a son, didn't she? She possibly couldn't let her 'soon-to-be-son' be in pain.

But he was wrong. Absolutely wrong. Aureus never came as he moaned loudly. Instead, all she yelled was, 'Shut up!' and that was it.

Harry knew he was becoming weak, too. He was losing a lot of blood, and his bandages were already soaked right through with blood that seeped from his wound that he needed healed. He needed new bandages, as well.

"Stop your whining," Caoimhe muttered as she crept into the room. "It's becoming bloody annoying."

"Where's your mother?" Harry snapped. "Getting her precious little girl a sundae?"

Caoimhe snorted. "You better watch your mouth, Potter," she threatened. "I'm the one here to free you, aren't I? I can very well change my mind any time I please."

Harry widened his eyes. "Free? Why could you possibly want to free me?"

"Oh, please," Caoimhe said, pulling out a pocketknife. "I'm not doing it because I'm good. I'm doing it because I want to piss my mother off."

Harry's eyebrows arched, and he started to wonder if anybody even noticed that he was gone at Hogwarts. Somebody at least would have to!

"Caoimhe, Caoimhe," Aureus's voice said. Both looked up. In the doorway stood Aureus, her hands on her hips and shaking her head. The appearance of Snape had worn off. "What's gotten into you? Freeing Harry Potter? I wouldn't have expected it from your jealousy."

Caoimhe blushed. "What? Jealousy? You're crazy, woman. I'm only freeing Potter because I want to look innocent for when his adoptive father comes. You know, 'I helped try to free Harry from my mothers clutches! S—she has tortured me for so long—' You know," Caoimhe shrugged, "the innocent act. So I won't be put in Azkaban along with you."

"Such confidence," Aureus said, stepping forward. "Put the knife down, sweetie. Let's talk this over lunch!"

Caoimhe snorted loudly. "Sweetie? Lunch? You really are crazy."

"Put the knife down," Aureus drawled, "so nobody will get hurt."

Caoimhe didn't listen. Instead, she swung the knife towards Harry, and Harry squeezed his eyes shut, thinking that she was going to slash him across the face with it. Instead, Harry felt the ropes loosen and fall.

"Caoimhe!" Aureus cried angrily. "Why did you do that?"

"Because I don't like you," Caoimhe said simply, her eyes glinting with malevolence. "Never have, and most likely never will."

Aureus howled in anger and lunged forward. Harry, clutching his stomach, moved backward as Aureus jumped down on Caoimhe.

"Get—off—you—oaf!" Caoimhe cried, waving her arms frantically. The knife flew across the room and out the window, smashing the glass in the process.

Harry didn't know what to do. Should he go help Caoimhe, since Caoimhe helped him? Or should he run while he could?

He was lost in his own thoughts to do anything, but Caoimhe helped him decide.

"Go, you numskull!" She cried, trying to throw the woman off of her. "Just bloody run! Oh, and—oomph—whatever you do, say that I'm innocent!"

"As if," Aureus growled. "You're just as innocent as I am, you brat!"

Harry didn't need to be told twice. With his right arm still wrapped around his bloody bandages, he left the room, and hopefully he had enough strength to get as far away from that house as possible.

-

Harry slumped against a tree trunk. He didn't know how far away he was from Aureus's house, but he didn't care. He was too tired to go on.

"What are you doing?" Caoimhe's voice demanded. "Taking a break? Are you crazy? That bloody woman will be after us anytime soon."

Harry looked up. Caoimhe's face was a bit scratched and bloody, with a few bruises across her cheek. She had a triumphant smile on her face.

"I've been wanting to do that to Aureus for as long as I could remember." She brought her right fist down on her outstretched palm on the other hand. "Wham! Right across the head. She'll be out for a couple minutes at least, so we better get a move on, Potter."

"I can't," Harry said. "It hurts."

"Aw, is the poor baby hurt?" Caoimhe said in a babyish voice. "Aw, boo hoo." She narrowed her eyes. "I don't care if you die or not, Potter. To tell you the truth, I'm not your biggest fan. Not as big as Aureus was. So, you can stay here and rot, and eventually Aureus will find you, or you can suck it up and be a big boy and follow me!"

"Can't I just rest for a minute?" Harry whined, frowning. Caoimhe shrugged and started walking again.

Harry groaned. "Can you at least help me up?" Caoimhe ignored him, and kept walking. Slowly, Harry got up to his feet and slowly started to follow her.

"Finally," Caoimhe said in annoyance as Harry caught up. "You could be a little more faster you know!"

"Do you even know where you're going?" Harry asked.

Caoimhe shrugged. "I know these woods like the back of my hand. We're going into Hogsmeade now. You live there in Hogwarts, right?"

"Yeah," Harry said, his arm still around his stomach. He couldn't wait to go back to Hogwarts so he could get new bandages, and get his wound healed.

"Shut up," Caoimhe said. "I've had enough of your moaning. You're bleeding, deal with it! I've bled too, but I suck it up like a right man should!"

Harry raised his eyebrows and looked at Caoimhe oddly. He really didn't like her that much; she was too bossy. And loud.

"Just remember, I helped you escape," Caoimhe reminded Harry. "I'm innocent. I had nothing to do with what Aureus did."

"Did you have anything to do with what Topaz Aureus did?" Harry asked.

"And I'd tell you that why?" Caoimhe shook her head. "Just—I'm innocent. If people come to take Aureus away or something, and they find me there, well… I'm innocent, anyway." Caoimhe stopped. "I reckon you know your way? Or does ickle Harry Potter need a tour guide?"

Harry scowled. "I think I can find my own way, thanks."

Caoimhe shrugged. "I offered." Without another word, Caoimhe turned around and raced back, though Harry hadn't a clue where she was going.

Harry walked back up to the castle, his whole body aching. He was half expecting Snape to be in his armchair calmly, reading another Potions book when Harry started towards Snape's chambers. He had a whole scene played out in his head:

Harry would come into Snape's chambers, and Snape would be there in the chair, reading another potions book.

"Oh, you're home," Snape would say distractedly. "Have a nice time? It's nearly dark, too. You should've came home sooner."

Then, Harry would walk into his room, where Slyther would be curled up on the edge of the bed.

I've decided that I don't like you, Slyther would say. I've decided that I'd rather hang out with the Slytherins!

Harry shook his head,trying to get the scene out of his head. He took his right hand off of the bandages and grimaced as he saw warm blood covering his hand.

He let out a low moan, heading towards the hospital wing. He really needed Poppy Pomfrey to heal the wound.

"Harry!"

Harry looked up in surprise as he felt arms wrap around him. He wasn't expecting that from Snape—especially Snape.

"Er—" Harry stayed in the spot, unable to say anything, except, "Can you please take these bandages off? They're all… bloody."

"Of course," Snape said quickly, helping Harry into the hospital wing where Poppy hustled him into a bed.

"Are you all right?" Snape asked, checking Harry over with his eyes. "Did she hurt you?"

"Actually, yeah," Harry admitted truthfully. "But I escaped. With the help of her daughter."

Snape raised his eyebrows. "Daughter?"

"Mmm," Harry said, nodding his head and taking off his shirt as Poppy searched for more bandages. "Caoimhe."

Snape shook his head. "Did Aureus hurt you badly?"

"Well, no." Harry tilted his head to the side. "You noticed that I was gone?"

Snape gave Harry a look. "Of course I noticed. Everybody did. Everything fell together when Aureus was missing too. It's lucky you were only gone for that short while or else it would've reached the Daily Prophet. Harry, where is she now?" Snape asked, and Harry gave him the specific details of the unkempt house in the clearing of trees.

"I'm just glad you're safe," Snape said after a while. "I'll be keeping a better eye on you from now on as well."

Somehow, deep in his gut, Harry knew that this wasn't the end of the dangers that lay ahead of him. Instead, he knew that it was just beginning—but at least he had Severus Snape to look out for him.

-

A/N: Thanks to everybody who answered my question, and to everybody who reviewed!