Chapter Two

A Childhood of Learning

"What! No Albus, I won't stand for it!" Severus yelled once Dumbledore told him what they had decided to do.

"I am sorry Severus, but it is for the best. Harry will be sent to live with Lily's sister. We need to train his siblings and we can't do that with him around sulking or flying into jealous rages." Dumbledore then fixed his cerulean blue eyes onto the startling green eyes of Harry. "Plus, we cannot take the risk of someone tracking Rose and Diarmid down by tracing the Mark."

Severus knew that even though the headmaster had said that in a kind voice, it was not out of kindness that Dumbledore was doing this; he just wanted the extra child out of the way. Severus rounded on Lily and James who were sitting next to Rose and Diarmid's beds, "And what do you think of this?"

"We can't take him; he would get in the way of training our little heroes," Lily said.

"Besides, there is no way I would raise a child who is marked. It would ruin the Potter name and the Mark will probably make him go Dark," James avowed.

Severus was shocked. He didn't let it show, but he was shocked nonetheless. He expected something like that from Potter, but he thought Lily had better sense. "So you are just going to abandon him. What will happen when he comes to Hogwarts and finds his brother and sister on pedestals while he dwells in their shadow? How do you think he will react to being abandoned?"

"He will get over it. Children are forgiving and I won't put my other children in danger just to appease some sense of obligation. Petunia and her husband will care for him and everything will be explained to him when it comes time for him to go to Hogwarts. This is the best plan for everyone," Lily said, then turned around to face Rose.

"Everyone except Harry," Severus murmured as he watched the raven haired child sleep. The only thing Pomfrey had been able to do for him was a pain potion and a sleeping draught. Magic couldn't heal either the cut on his forehead or the Dark Mark. Severus knew he was becoming too attached for his own good, but he was also aware that this child would need all the help he could get.

Dumbledore interrupted his thoughts by saying "I think it would be best to send Harry to his relatives while he is asleep. I will take him to the Dursleys now."

"Headmaster, I will take him. I need to see for myself that he will be cared for. His parents might be willing to abandon and forget about him, but I will not. My instincts are telling me that Harry is just as important or more so to the future as his siblings," Severus told the Headmaster.

Dumbledore's eyes widened a bit in shock. He had not counted on Severus getting attached to the boy. Dumbledore was the only living person that knew the last three lines of the prophecy. He knew this child could be a danger. His plan was to get him as far away from his siblings as possible and if he showed signs of becoming dark disposing of him before the warning came to fruition. The Headmaster thought about a couple options and finally settled on letting Severus take the boy, but contacting the Dursleys himself as soon as possible.

All his thinking had taken but a few moments and he was so deep in thought that he didn't realize his thoughts were not his alone anymore. He even missed Severus's rapid intake of breath when he stumbled across exactly what Dumbledore was planning on having the Dursleys do. Finally Dumbledore broke the tense silence. "Alright Severus you may take the boy, but I will be sending a letter to the Dursleys myself."

"Thank you, Albus," Severus replied fighting to keep his voice neutral. He wasn't a former spy for nothing; he knew that Dumbledore could not be aware that he knew what Dumbledore was planning.

The Headmaster wrote the letter to the Dursleys in Pomfrey's office then handed it to his potions professor. "Go swiftly and don't be seen," he ordered.

Severus didn't trust himself to speak so he just went over to the bed where Harry was sleeping and picked up the small boy. Harry shivered a little and clung to Severus's warm robes. Severus conjured up a dark green blanket and wrapped up the cold child. He grabbed the letter the Headmaster held out to him and walked out of the hospital wing towards the entrance hall. He left Hogwarts through the front doors and started walking down the path to the apparition point then apparated himself and Harry to Privet Drive.

The discomfort of apparition woke the toddler up and he looked around fearfully at the unfamiliar surroundings. He got spooked and tried to burrow deeper into the robes of the person holding him, the warmth of the green blanket a welcome comfort from both the cold and his fear.

Severus, sensing the child's distress, spoke softly to the child even as he was walking up to number 4. "Harry calm down, you're safe for now. I am Severus Snape, a professor at Hogwarts. Dumbledore wanted you to be placed with your aunt and uncle and that is where we are now." He finally made it to the right house and walked up the path. It was a little late at night so Severus thanked his lucky stars there was a light on in the house.

Harry was trying to understand what he had been told. Harry was a very unusual two-year old in the fact that he was already a brilliant thinker. The problem came from combining the intelligence of an older child with the emotions of a toddler. This was one of the times those two sides clashed. His intelligent mind told him there had to be a good reason for this, but his two-year old emotions were screaming that he was being abandoned. He got the courage to speak just as Severus was knocking on the door. "Sever'us, did I do something bad to make mummy and daddy not want me anymore?" he asked in his sweet young voice.

The innocence in that question shocked Severus and he didn't know what to say. Finally he just said, "Harry, you did nothing wrong. Your parents are just frightened by what they don't understand. I know it hurts to be left like this, but remember you have many people who care a great deal about you." Severus was interrupted by the front door opening to reveal a tall woman with a long neck.

"May I help you?" she asked Severus, eyeing the green blanket that concealed Harry from view.

"I am Severus Snape. Are you Petunia Dursley?" he asked quietly.

"Yes I am. You must be from my sister's world."

"Yes I am. Can we step inside? It is better if I am not seen by the neighbors."

"Very well, come on in," Petunia said as she stepped aside to let them in. As Severus walked past her, Harry lifted his head out of the blanket looking around curiously at his new surroundings. Petunia caught sight of the brilliant emerald eyes that sparkled with innocence, yet were haunted by a great deal of pain, and gasped.

"Who is this child why are you two here?" she asked.

"This child is your nephew Harry Potter and we are here because he needs your help. His family was attacked by a Dark wizard, but his siblings stopped him. Now they have to train and Harry would be in the way according to his parents," Severus explained.

"How is Lily taking it? She is quite attached to her children; it must be hard for her to leave behind one of her own," Petunia asked. A light scan of her thoughts revealed to Severus that she didn't like her sister much, but even she didn't think Lily was capable of abandoning her child. This was going to be harder than Severus thought.

"Lily was one of the people who suggested he go elsewhere. Lily wants him away from her other children, afraid he will draw more Dark wizards to them. James wants him gone because of a cruel trick the Dark Lord has pulled. I hate to shatter any illusions, but they have basically abandoned him," Severus explained.

Petunia sat quietly for awhile trying to understand what she had been told. The more she thought about it the less trouble she had believing Lily would do a thing like this. Lily had left her family in the dust after being accepted at that school. At first, Petunia blamed magic and hated anything that had to do with it. Only now did she realize it wasn't the fault of magic; it was just how Lily was. "What do you need us to do?" Petunia asked.

"You need to take in Harry. I will cast wards around this house that will protect him and anyone else inside. I will come to check on him regularly and, when he is old enough, I will explain everything to him and tutor him in magic. Will you do this not for your sister but for your nephew?" he entreated.

Petunia looked over to the beautiful child that her sister had abandoned. She looked into those huge innocent eyes. "I will take him. He didn't ask his family to give him up." She looked at Severus and saw the shadow cross his face. "There is more isn't there, something you are not telling me?" she asked.

"Yes there is more; a prophecy was made about his family. Most know the first part, but only two people including myself know the last part. It tells about the Dark child being powerful, but he has a choice; he can use that power to fight for the side of Light or the Dark. The headmaster of Hogwarts wants the boy as far away from his siblings as possible and, at the same time, he wants to keep Harry under his control. He is planning on watching Harry and if Harry shows signs of going Dark I would not put it past him to slay the child. He sent you a letter; I know the general idea of it but not what it says exactly." With that Severus slipped the heavy parchment letter out of his robes and handed it to Petunia.

She took the letter with a slightly trembling hand and started to read. It only took her a few seconds, but by the shocked gasps every now and then Severus knew it was not a kind letter. She went completely white by the end of the letter and handed it back to Severus so he could see what the Headmaster had told her.

Dear Petunia Dursley,

As I am sure Severus has informed you, we need your assistance in caring for one Harry Potter. I am writing this letter to ask for your assistance in another matter. Harry has the potential to be incredibly powerful, so I need you to keep him humble. I don't care how you do it, but he simply cannot believe he is anything special. We ask you to try and keep physical violence to a minimum simply because he needs to be able to fight and he can't do that if he is afraid of his own shadow. We will come and check on the boy once every three months, but if anything unusual happens you are to inform us immediately. Again I thank you for your compliance. I'll see you in three months.

Albus Dumbledore

Headmaster of Hogwarts

Severus looked up at Petunia after he finished reading the letter. "We are going to have to be careful about this. Dumbledore cannot know about my visits. He is basically telling you to neglect Harry to the point that he loses his spirit. I don't want to see that happen and I doubt you do. I think we are going to have to raise him very carefully. I know you have a child of your own and the only way this will work without you hurting Harry is to treat the two boys exactly alike. Can you treat Harry like a second son?"

"Yes I can. That plan sounds like it will work for when he is younger, but what about when he grows up?" Petunia asked.

"When he grows up we will tell him everything; from what I have seen of him he is an extraordinarily bright child. We can give him options and let him decide for himself," Severus said after a moments thought. "I need to return to Hogwarts. If I stay much longer the Headmaster will get suspicious. Be careful and take good care of Harry; I will try to come once a month, maybe more often as he gets older." Severus explained.

Petunia rose from her seat on the couch and led him to the door. "You have my word that I will care for him like my own. I can't believe what Lily has done, but I will make it up to the child." With these words she let him leave and she closed the door behind him.

She turned around and walked back to the living room and the waiting child. His eyes were drooping with exhaustion and the effects of the sleeping draught Pomfrey had given him. She went over to the child and picked him up blanket and all. She carried him up the stairs, his slight weight making the task easier, and into her son's room. Dudley Dursley was only a few months older than Harry, but he was a bigger boy. She found one set of pajamas that he had outgrown and proceeded to help Harry dress. She saw the mark burned into his flesh and knew this was what Severus had meant when he said the Dark wizard had done something cruel. She finished dressing the small boy and laid him at the other end of Dudley's bed. She would need to go shopping in the morning to buy necessities for Harry. She quietly left the room and went into her bedroom. She explained what had happened to Vernon and he surprisingly went along with her thinking, accepting Harry without even seeing the child.

Meanwhile Severus Snape lay awake in his quarters at Hogwarts, his mind haunted by those beautiful emerald eyes. He made an oath to always look after the child and make sure he was raised with care and love. He knew Petunia would be good for him; he was no good with small children, but when Harry got older that would be a whole different story.

Harry stayed awake for a few moments thinking over what he learned that night. He thought his aunt was a nice lady and he realized this might not be such a bad place. With that thought he rolled over and went to sleep, snuggling deeper into the green blanket the Severus had given him.

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Harry grew up quickly. True to Severus's observations, he was an extremely bright child. By the time he was three he was talking in complete sentences and already beginning to read. Despite his intelligence, he remained a modest child. He enjoyed the compliments, but he didn't let them go to his head. He and his cousin Dudley had become good friends and Harry helped Dudley with whatever he could.

By the time the pair was four, they were practically inseparable. Harry was still extremely advanced for his age now easily reading books meant for advanced 8 year olds. He still helped his cousin and Dudley, though not as advanced as Harry, was doing better then most four year olds. This was also the year that Harry's bouts of accidental magic became less accidental and more controlled. When Severus saw him on his monthly visit in November, he could have sworn it was wandless magic. He wasn't convinced yet. After all, the power required for wandless magic was almost unheard of. He and the headmaster had limited wandless abilities, but for a child to have more control then the Headmaster was staggering. He knew it was unheard of, but it certainly didn't look like any accidental magic that Severus had ever seen so he had to start thinking about other possibilities. That year Harry got some very interesting Christmas presents including books on magical history and magical theory, the first step in his training.

When the boys were five they started school; both boys were placed in advanced classes and were passing with flying colors. Harry continued to receive magic books for his birthday and Christmas. He always looked forward to the visits from Severus as the two had a gratifying relationship. Harry worked hard to please Severus and Severus was a somewhat strict but good teacher. He and Harry would get into debates and discussions on the wizarding world and Severus used these discussions to teach Harry how to act in aristocratic society. Harry was taught how to be the perfect pureblood heir; even if he was a half blood in wizarding society appearance was everything.

The boys turned six and they started to grow apart little by little. They were still friends, but their interests started to diverge. Dudley had a group of friends that he started hanging around with and Harry had his books and lessons with Severus. Harry's wandless magic was now completely controlled. Severus now had no doubt whatsoever that it was wandless magic because he had Harry try some simple spells and they all worked. Harry didn't even seem to need a spell; usually his wish was strong enough to get something done.

At seven the walls of Harry's room were plastered with academic achievement awards. He was the top of his class, with Dudley a close second. The boys had settled in to being just good friends; the brother-like relationship they had shared had faded. Harry's magic lessons were coming along wonderfully. He could now do any spell wandlessly and he was almost as proficient at wordless magic. Severus was extremely proud of his progress. At the same time, Dumbledore thought his plan was coming along nicely. All he saw on his visits was a kind humble child since, thanks to a spell from Severus, the Dursleys and Harry were all immune to Legilimency.

The boys turned eight and they had a quite year. Harry's magic was growing exponentially. When he got angry or frustrated he could shake every glass object in the house and when he was proud of himself or determined his emerald eyes sparkled with power like they had been lit by a fire from the inside. Dudley grew interested in athletics; he played t-ball and football. Both boys still were top of their classes in school.

When the boys turned nine, Harry's innate innocence became tempered with intelligence and cunning. Severus was shocked at how much influence he had on the boy; the boy was obviously acting like a Slytherin. Thankfully when Dumbledore questioned Harry on his visits, he didn't delve deep enough to discover this or Harry's life could be in jeopardy.

On Harry's tenth birthday Severus came to visit and he finally told Harry the whole story about why he was at the Dursley's. Harry remembered his hurt from when he was two and finally learned why he had been abandoned. That hurt changed to anger for a while, but then he realized that anger wouldn't get him anywhere. He started to look at what they did to him objectively. It still hurt and he knew he had the right to be angry, but he also knew if it hadn't had happened he would never have met his aunt and uncle or his cousin. Even though he and Dudley had grown apart, he remembered the years of close friendship between them fondly. He didn't think he could forgive his parents for what they had done, but he remembered his Uncle Severus's words the night he left him with the Dursleys, 'remember Harry you have people that care for you very much.' He chuckled a bit at the memory of the first time he had called Severus uncle; he had been seven and had mastered a particularly hard spell. Severus had stood shocked for a few moments then treated Harry to a rare smile. Harry was looking forward to what would happen next year when he started Hogwarts.

His tenth year passed incredibly slowly to Harry who was waiting impatiently for his letter from school. He almost couldn't believe it on the morning of his eleventh birthday when he went to get the mail and there it was written on heavy parchment in emerald green ink

Mr. H. Potter

The Smallest Bedroom

4 Privet Drive

Little Whinging

Surrey

On the back of the letter was the Hogwarts seal which consisted of a lion, a badger, a raven and a snake all curled around a letter H. He opened and read the acceptance letter and the instructions which stated the start of term was September 1st and to take the Hogwart's Express which would leave King's Cross station at eleven from platform 9 ¾.

He let out a loud whoop of joy and ran to show his family the letter. He couldn't wait to see his Uncle Severus who would be coming the next day to take him to Diagon Alley. His birthday that year was happy and loud with presents and cake. He went to bed happy, his thoughts filled with joy at the thought of Hogwarts.

A/N thank you to beta proftlb anyone putting this story on alert please review at least once and let me know why you liked it. It helps me tailor the story to what you all like.