Chapter four

After Minerva left, Harry ended up in London again but then he turned around and headed straight back home. Even though it was early, he poured a large glass of Firewhiskey before sitting down on the sofa, his head back, his eyes closed but he knew tonight he would relive his life through violent nightmares. So he hoped getting drunk might just be what he needed. As he sipped his drink he remembered the letter he never opened, so he summoned it and read.

"Harry, we thought we would give you time, but it seems you have cut yourself off. So we decided to tell you why Ginny seemed to give you more attention than was necessary. Albus Dumbledore made us a promise Harry, he promised you and Ginny would marry in a purity bonding on Ginny's seventeenth birthday, so you have time to fulfil that promise that was made to us. It is the main reason we allowed you to stay so often, so you would get to know Ginny. Please write back so we can organise this for the day before you all return to Hogwarts, Molly Weasley."

Harry scoffed, but he had an idea, he wasn't sure it would stop them trying, but as far as he was concerned he never made a promise and even if he did he wouldn't go through with it.

Harry summoned a self-inking quill and replied, "Firstly…Molly, no one makes decisions about my life anymore, if Dumbledore promised you something then he cannot delivery it. I will not fucking marry her, I do not like her in any way, her unwanted attention turned me off her completely until I ended up hating her. Another thing, a purity bonding, I am not a virgin, I haven't been in a long time, I know that daughter of yours isn't either, considering how many times I saw her name on my map with different boys in very secluded locations. If you don't know about the map ask Ron or the twins, but their dots stayed on top of each other which could only mean they were on top of each other.

"Now I'm saying this so you will understand, I do not want Ginny in anyway, not even as a friend anymore. So you will not be getting the saviour as your son-in-law, I will marry when I love someone and that will not happen for a long time, after I've finished travelling the world. Lord Potter, use my title if you address me from now on because you pissed me off and if you don't use my title then I'm going to ignore your letters."

Harry folded the letter then handed it to Oscar who seemed to know he had to deliver another letter.

'Take that to the Burrow, to Molly Weasley.'

Harry downed his drink and poured another making it larger than his first one was, 'So Albus Dumbledore manipulated them, I wonder what he wanted from them for them to agree to this and when did he do this, it must have been after Ginny was born.' Harry kept thinking about what Albus Dumbledore said to them but what he asked for in returned. Dumbledore always had plans, so something he needed and only the Weasley's could give it to him.

Harry ended up finishing his third drink and just as he was about to pour himself another drink, already feeling the effects of such a strong alcohol, a patronus appeared, one he recognised.

'Mr. Potter, I was hoping for a word with you and I believe it's time I gave you some details regarding your mother. I am outside right now, if you do not want to see me, send me you're patronus and I will leave, Severus Snape.'

'Fuck, what does he want,' Harry was about to conjure his patronus but then he thought about his words, his mother, Snape knew his mother. There was no one left alive that knew her, apart from the Longbottom's and they were in the mind damaged ward at St Mungo's. Harry sighed but pushed himself up and went to the door, he wobbled a bit but managed to yanked the door open, 'Snape.'

'Potter, may I come in?'

'I need to add your magical signature first, I don't want you to believe I'm going to curse you.'

'Minerva already explained about your wards, very advanced.'

'Yes, they are,' Harry struggled to pull his wand from his sleeve before he cast his charms, 'Well it's you and you're officially invited,' Harry stood back then watched as Snape and his black robes strolled into his home.

'Have you been drinking?'

'Yes, would you like one?'

'No thank you, maybe a cup of coffee, for both of us.'

'I'll stick to my drink,' Harry poured another large drink then went to make Snape his coffee, he ended up dropping the cup twice before Snape's hands covered his making him jump, then he pressed himself against the doorframe leading to the laundry.

'I did not mean to startle you Potter, I just noticed you were having difficulties and thought you might burn yourself,' Severus gazed at Harry and he actually saw fear on the young man's face before he was able to get his emotions under control.

'Help yourself,' Harry said then moved around Snape to the other side of the table, but he did take another long drink, then he just stared down into the glass. When Snape sat down Harry flinched then mentally scolded himself for acting this way in front of a man like Snape, who had been a spy for years.

'You mentioned my mother.'

'I did, but there is a catch Potter. I am not the type of man that will give up information without receiving something in return.'

Harry pushed himself to his feet, flattening himself against the wall behind him, his eyes were wide, his wand was in his hand which was shaking uncontrollably.

'Get out.'

'Harry, I'm not going to hurt you, what is wrong with you?'

'What you want, you're not getting it, not again, get out,' Harry shouted as he tried to keep his hand steady.

'I have no idea what you believe I want, so I will tell you.'

'Nooooo,' Harry screamed as his hands went over his ears.

'To talk, I want you to talk to me, that's all,' Severus had to shout to be heard over Harry's screams and his hands covering his ears, 'Harry, talk, talk to me,' he said calmly and his voice was soft, gently.

Harry's eyes opened as his hands slowly feel from his ears, 'Talk, that's all.'

'Yes, talk, what did you think I meant?' Severus saw Harry shaking but then he shook his head, 'Why don't you sit, you can barely stand.'

'You…you won't come near me?'

'No, I will stay on this side of the table, you have my word.'

Harry swallowed before summoning the bottle of Firewhiskey, filling his glass to full, he took a long drink before he almost feel into the chair. He kept thinking about how he acted, would Snape ask, would he guess, was he lying, would he do something when Harry let his guard down. He knew Snape had protected him for years, at least from Voldemort, but that didn't mean Harry trusted him, he didn't trust anyone, not anymore. He knew he had to look up, so he took another drink before darkness claimed him.

Severus watched as Harry slowly passed out, he casted a cushioning charm under Harry's head before he hit the table.

'What in the name of Merlin is wrong with you Potter,' Severus stared at Harry's head, he knew he couldn't leave him like that, so Severus walked around the table, put Harry's wand in his pocket then gently slipped his arms around him, lifting him into his arms, 'Your too light.'

Severus shook his head then carried Harry through the house and up the stairs, he found what he believed was Harry's bedroom, using one hand he pulled the covered down, gently lowered Harry onto the sheets before removing his shoes. He didn't dare undress the boy, not after the way he acted in the kitchen.

'No, that can't be the reason, not Albus,' Severus covered Harry, placed his wand on the small bedside cupboard then sat down on the sofa on the far wall, he thought about what he needed to say then sent his patronus off to Minerva.

Severus did not want to believe what his mind had come up with, but he could find no other explanation to Harry's behaviour. Again, he could not believe Albus would ever hurt the boy, so if it wasn't Albus, who did hurt him and when, before Hogwarts, during his years there, did it happen recently?

Severus needed answers and his hope that when Harry woke to see him sitting there yet he had not touched him apart from placing him fully clothed in his bed, then he hoped that would make Harry trust him enough to talk and explain what was going on because Severus was determined to find out exactly what was going on and who was involved.