A/N: YAY! SO EXCITED! I've gotten like 15 reviews in like 4 days you guys are AWSOME! Ok...4th chapter

Chapter 4

Harry could hear his father's voice, "Lilly, take Harry and go!"

Then he heard his mother screaming, "NO! Not Harry, kill me instead!"

"Get out of the way you silly girl," Voldemort's cold voice hissed in the dim light.

"NO!"

His mother's last scream woke Harry up with a start, drenched in cold sweat. The same nightmare again, and he knew he could never fall asleep after he had that dream. He tossed around in his bed, trying to find a cool spot on his pillow, but not being able to. He couldn't help but think of the dream, and of Quirrell, and Voldemort, and of the Dursleys. He sighed, knowing he'd be exhausted when morning came, but not caring. He grabbed a Quidditch book he'd gotten from the library and headed out to the Common Room.

HPSSHPSSHPSSHPSS

That afternoon:

Severus watched as his 1st year Gryffindors and Slytherins walked into his dungeon. Among them was Harry Potter, looking very exhausted indeed. He had them make another difficult potion; Dreamless Sleep, and took off quite a number of points (50) from Gryffindor when he heard Ron exclaim, "Bloody hell!"

As he walked around the classroom, he took several more points from Gryffindor. "Mr. Longbottom, your potion looks purple. Next time, wait at least ten minutes before stirring it. It's a waste; throw it out and start again. Five more points from Gryffindor. Mr. Weasley, yours is black; clearly, you didn't stir it at all before adding your rat tail. Throw it out and start over. Another five points from Gryffindor."

Ron gave him a very nasty glare as soon as his back was turned. "Bloody git," he muttered to Hermione.

"I heard that, Mr. Weasley. Just for that, it's another ten points from Gryffindor and a detention with me for the rest of the week. You'll be cleaning out this whole classroom with no magic. Meet me tonight at seven," Severus replied sharply. He stopped at Harry's cauldron and saw that Harry's was not perfect as it had been the day before; instead it was a mixture between green and orange.

"Potter-" Severus started, but stopped when the boy looked up at him. He noted that the boy looked extremely exhausted, and there were bags under his eyes. It was a wonder the boy had stayed awake this long.

Severus leaned in closer and whispered, "See me after class, Mr. Potter." Then he strode back to his desk.

Harry could feel eyes watching him. He turned and saw Draco Malfoy smirking smugly at him. Bloody prat. Harry thought angrily as he glared back at Malfoy.

HPSSHPSSHPSSHPSS

The last of the students had left, all except Harry of course.

"Tell me, Mr. Potter, did you sleep at all last night?" Severus asked, gazing anxiously at Harry. He really did care about the boy.

"No, sir, not really. I had…well…I had nightmares last night, sir," Harry replied sheepishly. He didn't want Snape to think he was being childish.

"What about?" Severus asked, his voice growing more anxious with each word.

"I…I dreamt that…that Voldemort killed my parents. It's like seeing them die all over again. I've had the same dream for as long as I can remember," Harry replied, embarrassed. Now Snape would really think he was acting like a child.

"I know how you feel, Harry. My mother died when I was ten, and I was left with my bloody excuse for a father," Severus said bitterly.

"Professor Snape, I-"

"Call me Severus, Harry," Severus interrupted, a small smile on his face. "Only when we're alone, though. I can't have my frightening reputation ruined."

"Allright then, Severus. I…I don't mean to be pushy…I mean you don't have to tell me if you don't want to, but, did your father ever abuse you?" Harry asked, quietly.

Severus was reminded of all the childhood flashbacks, but he fought to maintain control of his emotions. "Yes, yes he did. And my mother died when I was ten, so I had nowhere else to go. My father was a lot like your uncle; he hated wizards and didn't want me doing any kind of magic and using any of my 'freaky powers' unless I was at school."

"That's what my uncle does," Harry said. And then he quickly realized what he'd said and shut up, because he didn't want uncle Vernon to ever find out.

"Harry-" Severus began, seeing how the boy had quickly closed himself up.

"No, forget it; it's nothing, really," Harry said, but Severus could see the look of fear in Harry's eyes. He knew that feeling; that fear of his father was what had kept him from telling anybody all those years until he was sixteen.

"Harry-" Severus tried again, but it was all in vain.

"No, nevermind, really, I've said too much," Harry said, and quickly hurried out of the dungeons before Severus could call him back.