If you recognize it, I don't own it. I do apologize for taking so long with this chapter, but I hope it was worth the wait.
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The fireplace cast the room in a soft orange glow. To say that professor Severus Snape is a confused man would be an understatement. The source of his current predicament is currently asleep, in the next room.
He didn't want to bring the child back to Hogwarts. If this had been any other child, he would have taken him to Saint Mungo's and alerted the authorities. But this is different. Severus Snape is too much of a Slytherin to know how the magical world would react if they found out that their "Boy Who Lived" had been systematically abused and tortured at the hands of his muggle relatives.
What confused Severus Snape was just how different young Harry was from the preconceived notions he had about the child. It's easy to demonize those who have wronged you in the past, and to prepare yourself for it again in the future. It's hard to admit that the demon you have prepared yourself for may just be between your own ears. This is something that the potions master has had to accept in what little time the child has been asleep.
With a sigh and a flick of his wrist, a bottle of Ogden's Finest and a glass float down to a small table. As the amber liquid hits the glass, Severus Snape starts to organize his memories of the day. At the same time in a dark room in the same apartment, a young child is reliving the happiest day of his life.
[][][][][] 12 hours earlier, [][][][][]
Something is wrong. He has done something wrong and everyone is staring at him. A tear starts to trace it's way down his face as he looks up at the young professor who has taken him on his trip today. Something is wrong and they are angry. The only time anyone looks at the boy is when they are mad and want to punish him. "Stand up straight, these people aren't going to hurt you. Given the chance, they would worship you as the God you will be. If you show them that they should respect you, they will." the little voice speaks up for the first time in what feels like forever. It's never given him bad advice before...shaking his head and blinking to clear the tear, he follows the black haired professor down the street.
Severus Snape glances down as he watches the fear slip away, to be replaced with a look of determination. "We are heading towards the bank, keep close, I don't want to have to go looking for you if you get lost"
[][][][][] 2 hours later, [][][][][]
"I will leave you to get fitted for your new clothes. While you are here, I will be gathering your supplies from the apothecary. I trust you to handle yourself as a respectable young man while I'm gone." Spinning on his heels, the young professor leaves.
"Wow, he's kinda scary." A voice breaks the silence. A young black haired girl is standing beside a rack of fabric samples. Outwardly she looks to be between twelve and thirteen, a bit pudgy, but a healthy weight for a growing child. She looks over at the smaller boy. "Are you starting school this year too?" He looks up, shocked that someone would be talking to him, his face reddens when he realizes it's a girl. He nods and looks down trying to hide the blush. Fighting a giggle at his reaction; "My name's Millie, what's your name?"
"H-harry," he looks up as if he's trying to remember a lesson "no wait, I'm now Lord Peverell" he sighs as he rubs his nose, this is going to take some getting used to.
She blinks a few times, having grown up with the stories of the three Peverell brothers, now to have one of their descendants in the room was a bit much for the young girl. "Can I just call you Harry?" she relaxes as he nods. "Do you like sports? I can't wait to see quidditch in person!"
Harry looks around, not used to talking about himself at all. When he looks up and realizes she is expecting an answer he tenses up "I like gardening." It was true, since his aunt would leave him alone outside with the plants it was his one release. "knowing that you help bring something new in to this world is amazing. Your hands tear into the earth and what was once soil and stone, is transformed into the essence of beauty. It's...bliss" he didn't know where the words came from, but he meant it. She was dumbfounded. Most boys her age only cared about sports, bugs, and getting in trouble. Young Millicent Bullstrode did not expect to hear someone so devoted to something as mundane as gardening.
"I'm sure you can't wait for herbology then! Whole class about nothing but plants." As she is about to continue, Harry is waved over to begin the process of getting measured. It's at about this same point a larger man pokes his head in the door looking for his daughter. Before they can part, she offers her hand "Meet up early on the train? It'd be nice to have a friend to sit with"
Blinking a few times he takes her hand and nods "A...friend? that would be great. I'll be there extra early" for the first time today, he smiles.
[][][][][] 1 hour later, [][][][][]
"We have to be back in 4 hours to pick your clothes up, that should give us enough time to get a meal, your books, and your wand." Looking down at the boy "If you can behave yourself, after we are finished, there may be other stops to be had before the day ends, understood?" With a nod, the pair enter a small cafe for a bit of lunch. As they sit down at a table, the young child looks up.
"How did you know my aunt, sir?" Harry asks, his eyes not leaving his plate,.
Raising an eyebrow, "What gives you reason to think I know your aunt?"
"You called her 'Tuney' only Uncle calls her that." Harry said, his voice barely above a whisper.
The young professor replied "I grew up near your aunt and mother. I got to know both of them rather well." Internally he sighed, remembering days gone by when the three would play in the garden. Petunia making bouquets of dandelions, himself and Lilly swinging on the Evans' swing-set. Memories he kept locked down, but that have been swimming to the surface of his thoughts since he met this child. Harry nodded, wanting to ask more questions, but questions usually ended with bruises. He kept quiet, hoping Mr Snape would continue. He looked up and for a brief moment saw sadness wash over the professor's face. He decided not to risk it.
[][][][][] 30 minutes later, [][][][][]
The book store was, to be honest, overwhelming for the eleven year old. He had never seen so many books in one place before. While he did enjoy reading, he never really was allowed to read anything except the cookbooks he was told to learn from in order to feed his relatives. For most children, cookbooks would be boring instruction manuals for foods they wouldn't like. But for Harry, they were the one bit of power he could hold over those who made his life harder than it should have been. It was up to him to know when to add the seasonings, up to him to know when the meat would be just the right temperature, up to him to know just how long to let the pot simmer before it would thicken. After spending some time hunting for the cookbook section of the store, he finally gave up and asked for some help.
"Excuse me, miss?" He asked a young girl in her early twenties who was stocking a shelf, "Do you sell and books with recipes in them?" He held his breath as she looked up, thinking a moment.
"I think we do, back by the potions books. Let me show you" She sat her stack of books back on her cart and walked with the little boy to the section of books under the sign with a mortar and pestle. She turned back to her work and laughed as he almost ran to one of the lower shelves and started looking at the books.
He had opened a pleasant looking book with a green cover 'A Beginners Guide to Brewing' it said in bright yellow lettering. It was amazing. He was so enthralled by the book that he was not paying attention where he was going, only that he had seen a chair somewhere in the general vicinity.
It was in this chair that he was found by Severus Snape. "I have been looking for you, where...have...you...been?" he said it slow enough to make it clear that he was not pleased.
Harry looked up, aghast. "I'm s-sorry, sir. I was just reading this book and I guess..." he looked down in shame "I got distracted." He held the book up to show him that he wasn't lieing.
It's at this point that the young professor would be on the receiving end of yet another shock. Not only was Lill's child distracted by a book, it was his book that he had published shortly after becoming a potions master. His one feeble attempt at trying to teach the masses before he was stuck in the dungeons, teaching dunderheads and cauldron-melters. The publisher felt that the book went far above the heads of most who would be buying a beginners book, but not into enough details for those who were wanting something a bit more substantial. Severus Snape was, yet again, left with a complete lack of words. After regaining his composure he cleared his throat and with a turn looked over his shoulder "Bring it with you, they will need to ring it up with the rest of your books. I expect you to have it read by the time classes start."
[][][][][] Break [][][][][]
Olivander was a weird old man with a weird little shop. There's no two ways around that. Even for someone as experienced in this world as Severus Snape, a man with an eidetic memory for wants was rather, unnerving.
"Ahh Mister Snape! I didn't think I'd be seeing you again any time soon. Birch, fourteen inches, with a heart-string from a Chinese fire-bolt, very good for charms." The old wand smith said as he came out of the back, hands stained from years of working with wood. "Are you needing it to be refinished again? I have warned you about the potion fumes in the past."
With a grimace "That, will not be necessary. I am here on Hogwarts Business with young Mister...Harry." he motions to the child standing beside him.
"Ahhhh, Mister Potter. I have been expecting you for quite some time." His smile wasn't the most reassuring for the small child. "I have been asking the wands about you and there's one that almost moves when your name gets mentioned." He disappears in to the back, leaving a very confused little boy and his concerned escort. "Holly and phoenix, eleven inches. Take it and tell me what you feel"
Opening the box, Harry pulls the wand out and just stares. "This is the missing piece to the puzzle. With this, we will change the world" the ever present voice whispers in his ear. He fights it, but he can't help but smiling at the thought.
"Well? Tell me, boy, what do you feel when you hold the wand?" Olivander is almost bouncing as he watches the boy, wringing his hands in anticipation.
"I feel..." he focuses a bit on the end of the wand as it starts to almost glow "I feel power, sir." he finally says. His eyes were glowing as he looked up at the old man "Can I keep it?" he asks, trying not to sound too eager. Almost as if a ghost passes though him, the child slouches "I don't think I'll be able to keep it, sir."
Snape cocks an eyebrow, "And why not?"
"Uncle Vernon would just make me give it to Dudley, and I'd rather him not have access to another weapon" he mumbles as tears start to form, a few hitting the ground at his feet. In one movement he stuffs the wand back into the box and tries to put the box on a nearby counter before moving towards the door. A gentle hand on his shoulder stops him and turns him around.
"Why do you think I would let him do that?" The normally crass potions master asks in a soft tone as he bends down.
Sniffling "Because a freak doesn't get nice things. A freak does what a freak is told or a freak gets punished. A freak knows his limits and does not question them. A freak doesn't...doesn't..." He can't continue, he loses what little self control he has and is sobbing into the young professor's shoulder. It only lasts a second before a look of abject horror spreads and he cradles himself into a protective ball, knowing what will come from crying. The stress of the moment takes it's toll and he is soon asleep on the shop's floor.
"My word! What has been done to the boy?" Olivander stands aghast, having lost the joyful mood.
"I...do not know." The words fall like a death sentence. "...yet"
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AN: I thought I would end this here. This is a chapter that would never end for me. I know it's been a long time coming and for those who are still with me, I thank you. I've laid some serious groundwork for the future chapters here and I can only hope that it won't take me nearly as long to put out chapter 4.