Big thanks to Kirby for being my beta!

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Chapter 2: Trust

Harry had fallen asleep not long after they left the Dursley's farm. He fought valiantly at keeping his eyes open, but in the end exhaustion won over. Severus pulled the boy across the seat to keep him from lolling around with the motion of the carriage. Though his face was caked with dirt, Severus saw that Harry had a kind of maturity about his visage that he had not noticed earlier. It made him wonder if his estimation of Harry's age had been correct. He could only guess that perhaps malnutrition played into Harry's small stature. Still sound asleep, the boy had clutched at Severus' clothing and let out only the tiniest sigh of contentment. For one brief moment, Severus felt a pang of compassion. The emotion was quite foreign, and he immediately dismissed it. He did not need this kind of complication in his life.

The carriage's arrival at Spinner's End saw more activity than the place had seen in ages. Severus near burst from the carriage and began shouting orders to every stable boy, gardener, and maid in sight. Servants were running around like mad to do their master's bidding. The three hardiest boys each mounted up and raced to find the magistrate, the doctor, and the locksmith. Maids scurried to prepare a room and a hot meal. It was yet to be revealed exactly what had caused this ruckus, and not one of them dared to ask. Lord Snape was not known for this kind heart.

The lord's aged housekeeper, Mrs. Figg was quite bemused by the time she made it into the fray. She held her hand to her heart as watched the spectacle before her "My lord, what is going on?" she cried.

Severus' coal black eyes paused on the woman for only the briefest second. "Hagrid, take him inside and see if he will eat."

Mrs. Figg watched as the stable master lifted a bundle from the vehicle. "My lord, who is that boy?"

"I mean to find out," Severus muttered. "Mrs. Figg, I want you to oversee the preparations in the East wing. I have a feeling the boy will be staying with us for quite some time. If any of the staff are caught gossiping, they are to be dismissed at once with no references, do I make myself clear?"

"Why yes, my lord," she replied breathlessly.

Severus stormed up to the house with a look that would have sent Roman gladiators running for cover.

As Severus climbed the stairs, he could hear Hagrid's deep voice through the walls. "Now, lad, yer still safe. This is the lord's home."

Severus opened the door to find Harry huddled in the corner of the room. Immediately, Harry's eyes flicked to Severus' face, as if he were expecting him to protect him from this new prison. A change came over him, as it had in the stable: Harry trusted Severus. The revelation was a bit jarring, but not wholly unwelcome.

"Mi'lord, he woke up wi' a nasty start," Hagrid explained.

"Wouldn't you?" Severus muttered absently. His eyes were on the boy. Harry cocked his head at angle as he sat up. The bright green gaze staring back at him was so intent that it was hard to believe the child did not understand, yet… No, he thought sternly, the boy is as dim as a toddler.

A knock at the door put an end to Severus' musings. "Enter," he commanded roughly.

Mrs. Figg came into the room with a tray of stew and hearty bread for the boy. The elderly woman gave Harry a kind smile. "Hello, dear," she greeted him in a soft voice. "You must be hungry. I'm Mrs. Figg."

Harry eyed the tray, but backed away from Mrs. Figg. The hunger in his face was quite plain and so was the fear.

"Oh now, dearie, there's no need to be shy," she coaxed as she set the tray on the bedside table. "Go on. You can eat as much as you'd like."

Harry still made no move toward the tray.

"A word, Mrs. Figg," Severus said firmly as he motioned to the door.

Outside, Mrs. Figg let out a shuddering breath. "Where did you find that sad child?"

"He was locked away in his uncle's stable. Dursley seemed to think that Harry was a danger to himself and to others, and that abusing the boy would help matters. As far as I can tell, the boy does not speak at all and is quite simpleminded," Severus told her.

The tiny woman straightened herself angrily. "Were I a man, I would teach that monster a lesson!"

A frightening look crossed Severus' features. "I assure you, Mrs. Figg, I intend to do just that."

Mrs. Figg clucked her tongue sadly. "That poor thing! What a horrible life he must have led ere now! Well, we'll set it right."

When they returned, Harry was still in the corner staring at the tray. Hagrid's luck with the boy had run out it seemed. This new environment was too much for the boy.

"My lord, I had the cook prepare some stew for you as well. Perhaps you and Hagrid would care to have something to eat yourselves?" Mrs. Figg suggested sweetly.

Severus raised a black brow at her boldness, but did not disagree. It had been years since—not since he was a boy—his housekeeper had taken control as she did that night. He had forgotten how forthright she could be. In fact, it had been many years since anyone had taken charge like that in his home; but, in this case, he was not altogether upset by it. Severus nodded and took his leave.

In his study, Severus took on the look of a caged lion. He moved swiftly as he paced the floor before the fire. The stew Mrs. Figg had offered went untouched. His appetite was sorely lacking after the day's events. However, that did not mean he was not willing to indulge in a bit of brandy. He poured the liquid with a liberal touch without a thought to the headache it would bring him come the morrow.

"My lord?" a young footman called from the doorway.

"What is it?" Severus snapped before downing the last of the brandy.

"The locksmith and the doctor have both arrived."

"And the magistrate?" he demanded.

"No word yet, mi'lord," the footman replied nervously. This particular young man had received several tongue-lashings and did not relish the thought of another. "I am sure he will be here soon."

Severus stormed past the footman on his way to meet the locksmith and doctor. He had known Dr. Lupin for sometime. If there had been another physician within the area, Severus would have sent for him instead. Lupin was not among the lord's favorite people. The pair shared a somewhat dubious history that had ended poorly. The locksmith, Mr. Moody, however, he did not know. He had seen the frightful man in the village once or twice, but had never needed the services he offered. Both men seemed anxious to see what was so important that they had been called out at such a late hour.

"I was told that there was a matter of some urgency," the physician prompted.

"Yes," Severus answered curtly. "I will ask both of you to keep this matter quiet."

The men nodded, and listened with rapt attention as Severus told the tale once more. By the time he finished, Lupin's face was a deathly pale. "Where is the boy?"

"Upstairs in one of the guest rooms. My housekeeper is trying to get him to eat something."

The locksmith took a deep breath. "Will the lad let me near enough to him?"

That did pose an interesting problem. At the moment, he was unsure if Harry would hurt himself trying to get away. "I don't know. He hasn't let anyone near him since we arrived here," Severus explained wearily. He wasn't looking forward to holding the boy down.

Lupin pulled a bottle from his bag. "Normally, I don't agree with such things, but if your housekeeper can get Harry to drink this, the laudanum would keep him out cold for a while."

Mrs. Figg did not seem to like the idea of drugging the boy, but she relented after only a few moments and did her part. The three men waited until she opened the door to enter. Moody made quick work of the shackles. As he worked, Severus could see similar emotions playing across his face as what he had felt when he'd first seen Harry. The man muttered all manners of curses under his breath as the last chain fell revealing the raw and near blacked flesh beneath the iron. Severus was thankful that Mrs. Figg had left the room for this.

"Only a beast could do such a thing," Lupin said softly. He began to lay out several items from his bag onto the side table. "My lord, would you have some one send for some hot water and brandy?"

Severus gave a curt nod. In the hall, he turned toward the old locksmith. "How much for your services?"

"Nothin'," Moody demurred. "That boy in there deserved to be free. I'll not take payment for such."

"I'll not argue. Again, I must ask for your complete silence until this matter is taken care of." Severus stared hard at Moody. Somehow, he knew the man would keep his tongue.

"And what will you do with the lad afterward?" he asked seriously.

Severus stopped dead in his tracks. In truth, he had given little thought to it. What would he do with Harry? Spinner's End was no hospital. He couldn't very well have the boy underfoot, but then he couldn't have the boy locked away once again. He shook his head. "I don't know quite yet."

"I'm sure you'll think of something," Moody said thoughtfully as he grabbed his coat.

As Moody took his leave, a flushed young groom scurried in. He bowed awkwardly. "Mi'lord, the magistrate weren't home. His housekeeper told me that he went on a holiday to Bath, and that she don't expect him back before the end of the week."

Severus let out a growl. "It would be a shame if Fudge actually did his job for a change. You are dismissed."

It seemed hours passed while Severus waited for Lupin to descend from Harry's room. Though he appeared calm, the servants knew better than to disturb their master in any way. Between the physician above and the missing magistrate, the lord was in a foul humor. The clock stuck midnight before Lupin emerged from Harry's room. He looked—if it were possible—more haggard than he had when he'd gone in.

"Well?" Severus demanded.

Lupin lowered his eyes. "I'm surprised he's lived as long as he has. The proof of what was done to him is written all over his body. He is severely malnourished and his entire body is covered in bruises. The irons nearly tore the flesh from his wrists and ankles. Thankfully, there is no sign of infection. There are also scars from what I can only guess were horrific floggings. I can't imagine the life that young man has lived."

Severus' jaw clenched in fury. The blood in his veins had turned cold, and he contemplated going back to the Dursley's to beat Vernon to a pulp that instant. He could not even fathom the type of derangement that would cause a man to torture an innocent child in such a way. Whatever the boy's shortcomings, no one deserved that kind of pain. Severus pictured the fear in those green eyes, and now he truly understood it. What he did not understand was how easily Harry seemed to come to him. The boy's feeble-mindedness must be to blame, for no one in his right mind could trust so easily after a life that harsh.

"Is Harry still sleeping?" the lord asked quietly.

"Soundly," Lupin replied. "I gave him a rather heavy dose of laudanum. He needs his rest." The doctor shifted uncomfortably. "My lord, if you would allow me, I would be willing to care for the boy."

"Harry stays here." The finality in those words surprised even Severus, yet he could not deny the truth behind them.

Lupin nodded. "I knew you would do the right thing."

Severus cocked a brow. Yes, Remus would know him well enough to assume such a thing. They had been lovers briefly when they were younger. Severus had met the ambitious young physician at Oxford, and respected his intelligence. Though both men had experimented sexually, neither was expecting an affair to blossom between them. In the end, it was over quickly. Remus left him for another—some unknown lover—and they both moved on. It irked Severus to no end that Lupin could still seem to know him so well.

"Will he recover?" Severus asked pushing away the memories.

"I cannot be sure. From what I can tell, Harry has been abused for years. It's hard to say just how much he will be able to heal." Lupin shrugged sadly. "I wish I could give you an answer."

Severus nodded. "It's late. I had the maids prepare a guest room for you. Perhaps in the morning we can discuss Harry's care more."

"Of course, my lord."

When the entire house had gone dark, Severus crept up to Harry's room. He held a single candle in his grasp and moved softly down the hall. From the doorway, he saw that Harry slept in a ball beneath the covers. His face was cleaner now and Severus could see the delicate features that were once hidden beneath the grime. Harry had the look of a woodland sprite. There was something eternaly pure about him. With a sigh, the boy rolled over and cracked his eyes open. Instantly, Severus felt guilty for disturbing him, but Harry only looked at him. He smiled at Severus before promptly falling back into his slumber.

In the morning we will see what you have for us, boy, Severus vowed silently.