Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter. Though, I, like almost everyone else, probably wishes I did.

Harry Snape

Chapter Nine

December came and Harry was still at odds. He still wouldn't willingly talk with his dad, and he hadn't gone to anyone else. His friends and siblings knew something was bothering him, they just didn't know what. They had asked but he wouldn't tell them; and it was driving them mad.

Harry hadn't skipped Defense class since his mother had demanded he go.

Currently he was in potions class working on veritaserum. It was a rather difficult potion that he had little experience with, but he was enjoying it. It was a good distraction.

"I want everyone to hand in their homework with a bottled sample of their potion," said Professor Cage.

About twenty minutes later it was time to get their potions bottled up and workspaces clean so they could go to their next class.

After Harry completed all of this he began rummaging through his school bag for his homework. He knew it was here. It had to be – but he couldn't find it.

"Bring your potions and homework to me," Professor Cage spoke. Harry sighed. His homework wasn't here. He didn't understand why because he remembered putting it in his bag the night before.

"Where is your homework, Mr. Snape?" Professor Cage asked as Harry handed in his completed potion.

"I can't find it."

"So you didn't do it?"

"No, sir, I did do it. And I had it in my bag. It's just not there now. I don't -"

"So it just sprouted legs and walked off?" Mocked the professor. Harry frowned.

"No sir."

"Detention, Mr. Snape. Eight o'clock tonight."

Harry sighed. "Yes sir."

"What was that all about?" Hermione asked as they left the classroom. "You did your homework with us."

"I know." Harry hissed at her. "I don't know what happened."

"Maybe I should go tell him that you did do your homework. He has to…" Hermione began.

"No," Harry said frustrated. He was grateful that she wanted to help him but he didn't think it would help any. "I'll serve the detention."

"But that's not fair!" Ron cried angrily.

"I agree," answered Harry calmly. "But it's okay."

"He was acting weird," Hermione said thoughtfully.

"Yeah, he's in a bad mood," Ron grumbled.

"Let's just get to class," Harry interrupted them, not wanting to stay on the subject of his professor.

Five minutes before eight Harry went to his detention. He hoped Professor Cage was in a better mood. He had spent an hour looking for his homework but was unable to find it. He didn't understand where it could possibly be.

Knocking on the door he waited before hearing 'Enter.'

Once inside the room he found Professor Cage standing in front of his desk.

"I'm here for my detention, sir."

Professor Cage nodded. "Did you complete your homework?"

Harry frowned, his professor hadn't told him to complete it and turn it in to him during detention. He'd just been told he had detention.

"No, sir. I already did it. I just can't find it."

"I told you to do it and bring it to me during detention." Professor Cage said seriously.

"No, sir, you didn't."

"Are you calling me a liar?" Professor Cage stepped closer to him and Harry had the urge to step back but quashed the feeling. This was not going well.

"No, sir. Just mistaken." Harry swallowed nervously. He didn't like this at all and he suddenly wished he had had Hermione come down with him and explain that this was all a misunderstanding.

It happened so fast; he didn't even have the time to move out of the way or defend himself. He fell to the ground and hit his head on the side of the desk behind him. He was dazed for several moments as he tried to process what had just happened. His professor had just hit him. He barely registered Professor Cage kneeling down next to him with a shocked expression of his own and reaching out to examine the cut on his head. Harry pulled away.

"I'm sorry… I didn't mean to…" Professor Cage stammered out.

Harry stood abruptly and backed away. He knew it was wrong for someone to hit anyone.

"Mr. Snape," Professor Cage tried again but Harry quickly left the room.

His mind was racing. He didn't know what to think about the situation he found himself in.

Harry made his way quickly to the library. He knew his friends would all still be awake for at least another hour and a half and he didn't want them to see that he'd been hurt and ask questions that he didn't want to answer.

Finding a table he pulled out a transfiguration book he had been reading in class. It wasn't the most fun of things to do but it was a distraction. His thoughts kept going back to what had happened in detention though.

"Harry?" A voice behind him startled him enough to make him jump. He recognized the voice immediately; it was Draco.

"You skiving detention or something?" Draco continued moving around to face Harry. He gasped in surprise at seeing the gash on his friend's forehead and bruise on his cheek. "What happened?" He breathed.

"What?" Another voice said. Harry cursed his luck. It was Ron.

Ron too came around to see what was wrong and his reaction mirrored Draco's.

"What happened, Harry?" asked Ron.

"It's nothing."

"Then why aren't you in detention?" Draco asked.

"Professor Cage cancelled," was the only excuse Harry could come up with.

"Did he do this to you?" continued Ron.

"No. I tripped."

"Even your not that clumsy," retorted Draco. "He did do this didn't he?"

"No," Harry repeated cursing himself for his pathetic lying.

"Come on," Draco grabbed his arm and Harry tried to pull free, but the grasp was too strong, not strong enough to hurt him though.

"Where?" Harry asked panicked. If they told someone then his 'Dad' would find out.

"To your Dad's." Ron answered. Harry bit back a retort that he wasn't his Dad.

"No."

"You're coming whether you like it or not. Either we go tell your Dad without you and he comes searching for you or you come with us." Draco answered still pulling Harry toward the door.

The trip to the dungeons was much too short in Harry's opinion. He dreaded the inevitable conversation with his Dad. Draco said the password to the portrait and ushered Harry and Ron inside once it opened.

A moment later they heard foot steps and Severus appeared with a curious look on his face. He glanced at each of them before they heard an intake of breath; they knew he had seen Harry's injuries.

"What happened, Harry?" He asked as he grasped Harry's chin. He was relieved when Harry didn't pull away.

"It was – " began Harry but was interrupted by Ron.

"Professor Cage."

Severus gasped. "What happened?" His voice was dangerously low and they knew he was angry.

Harry sighed knowing there was no way to back out of this now. "I had detention with him and we kind of argued."

Severus led Harry toward the couch in the living room. "Thank you," he said turning toward Ron and Draco. They both nodded and said good night before leaving the rooms. Severus left the living room to retrieve some healing supplies from his laboratory.

Entering the living room he set them on the center table in front of the couch before going to the fire place and getting some floo powder off the mantle.

"Who are you fire calling?" asked Harry.

"The Headmaster."

"Why can't you just let it go?" Harry asked angered. Yes, he understood that something should be done about it. And he knew it was wrong for his Professor Cage to have hit him. But he really didn't want to deal with any of this right now. He just wanted to go to his dormitory and crawl into bed.

Severus turned abruptly to face Harry. "I can't 'just let it go,' Harry. He had no right to lay a hand on you or any of his students. If I don't do something to resolve this now it may happen again; and I'm not willing to allow that."

He was surprised when Harry only nodded. Turning back to the fire place he threw the floo powder in the fire turning the flames green and called for the Headmaster. A moment later Dumbledore's head was floating in the fire.

"Severus, is everything okay?"

"No, Albus, it is not. Could you please come to my rooms now?"

"Of course," his head disappeared from the fire before the flames erupted again and he stepped through into the room. He took one glance around the room before noticing Harry and asking what had happened.

Severus turned to his son with an inquiring look. Harry knew he wanted to know that himself.

"Professor Cage gave me a detention for not having my homework. He accused me of not doing it and gave me detention. I did do my homework; I just couldn't find it in my bag. I don't know what happened to it." Harry sighed knowing he was getting slightly off track and rambling. "I went to detention tonight and he asked where my homework was. I told him I couldn't find it and he told me that was part of my detention – to have it done by detention and turn it in then. I reminded him that I was only told to arrive for detention; not redo my homework and turn it in. He got angry and accused me of calling him a liar and he hit me."

"I will speak with Professor Cage," Professor Dumbledore said seriously. Severus moved to protest and he held his hand up to halt him. "This will be resolved. Harry, I am sorry you had to endure this."

All Harry could do was nod.

"Good night."

Good night headmaster," Severus said before Dumbledore flooed back to his office.

Severus moved to Harry and picked up the healing supplies and applied a salve to a cloth before touching it to the cut on Harry's forehead.

Harry winced as it touched it. The salve stung. Once he finished applying the slave Severus blew onto the cut to help alleviate the sting.

Ten minutes later he had finished cleaning the cut on Harry's forehead and had healed the large bruise on his cheek.

"You weren't going to come to me, where you?" he asked quietly. When Harry didn't answer he nodded, knowing the answer. He grasped Harry's shoulders tightly, though not enough to hurt him. "I know your upset with me now; but I want you to come to me when you're hurt." He paused to let Harry digest that. "Why don't you lie down for a while?" He asked. Harry nodded and laid on the couch. He really didn't want to go back to the tower and deal with Ron and Hermione's questioning. It didn't take him long to fall asleep.

End of Chapter Nine

A/N: Hello again everyone! (Even though its only been about three days). I hope you like this chapter! It's a little bit longer then most of the chapters to this story. Please review and tell me what you think!