Chapter Thirteen

The sun was truly in the sky when he next awoke and the chair beside his bed abandoned. He sat up and swung his legs over the side of the bed, not certain what he was doing, but not wanting to just lie there.

He didn't get to move any further though as Madame Pomfrey came bustling out of her office and moved directly over to him.

"Lie back down, please, Mr Potter." she told him and placed a hand on his shoulder to gently encourage him to obey. "You will not going anywhere for a while yet, I should think."

Harry scowled but did as he was told, making sure to bring the blanket back up over his naked shoulders. He had no idea where his clothes had gone and neither had he been given any pyjamas.

Madame Pomfrey smiled at him like she knew what he was thinking and used her wand to summon a pair

"It was decided that you were less likely to attempt escape if you had no clothing, although from the looks of things when I first got here you'd decided that issue wasn't going to stop you." Harry blushed and then frowned at her and Madame Pomfrey gave him a small smile.

"You may get dressed and then I would like you to eat some lunch," she told him.

Harry stood up off the bed, fighting back a wave of dizziness and hastily pulled the pants and shirt on, frowning at Madame Pomfrey as she continued to stand by the bed. When he moved off to go to the bathroom she followed just behind him and he turned to look at her, confused.

"I'm just going to the loo, not running away." he told her.

"I know Harry, but after the revelations of last night, and considering we have yet to fully discuss them, you are officially on 'suicide watch'."

"What the hell?" Harry exclaimed loudly, then looked around glad to see that the occupied beds from last night were now empty. "I'm not fucking suicidal! I would've done it by now if I was!"

"See now, Harry, that declaration just there is not comforting," Madame Pomfrey pointed out. "However, regardless of whether you are suicidal or not, you are still at risk of causing harm to yourself. You cannot be alone, and I believe it may be a long while yet when you will be left to your own devices."

Harry groaned and considered not using the bathroom, but it had been many hours since he'd last gone so instead, cheeks flaming with heat he stuck his chin out and continued his way to the bathroom.

"I will not come in Harry, but the door will remain open and I will wait in the doorway with my back turned. If I call you and you fail to respond, or if you are taking longer than necessary, I will enter." Madame Pomfrey warned him.

"Whatever," he replied sullenly.

Minutes later he was back in his bed, cheeks still red and completely ignoring the medi-witch as she bustled around the room. A house elf popped in quietly with a tray containing a glass of juice and several types of sandwiches, and after placing the tray on Harry's bedside table, she sat down.

Harry disregarded her attention and picked a sandwich at random. It tasted like saw dust in his mouth but he knew if he didn't eat something, Madame Pomfrey would make a big issue about it and it just wasn't worth it.

He only managed the one, so that by the time Dumbledore and Snape traipsed into the hospital wing he was sitting with his arms across his chest and frowning at the wall opposite his bed.

"How are you this afternoon, my boy" Dumbledore asked as he reached the bed and before Harry could give an acerbic remark, Professor Snape snorted.

"Really, Albus, how do you think he is?" he asked causing Harry to let out a snort of his own.

"Yes, well, I suppose that is what we are here to assess." Dumbledore responded and summoned two more chairs to place beside the one already next to Harry's bed. All three adults sat down and looked at Harry, causing him to blush once again and fight the urge to hide under the blankets wrapped around his shoulders.

"I'm fine," he answered causing Snape to growl.

"I will take ten points for every time you use that as a descriptor from now on, Mr Potter," he said and Harry turned to smile at him bitterly.

"From which house, Professor?" he asked innocently and Madame Pomfrey let out a small cough.

"That's enough," Dumbledore interrupted before tempers could fray any further. "We don't think that is very true Harry," Dumbledore spoke gently, "and yet we can't help you if you do not allow us to."

Harry shrugged his shoulders, "I don't know if I want help," he admitted honestly and Dumbledore seemed to deflate before he sat up straighter.

"Well that is something we will work on then, my dear boy, until then there are just a few questions we would like answered."

Harry shrugged his shoulders again and allowed himself to nestle further into his blanket, attempting to use it like a shield.

"Who?" Snape asked succinctly and Harry didn't even bother to pretend to not understand.

"My uncle," he explained, but refrained from going into detail. He would answer their questions if he felt like it would get him out of the hospital wing faster, but he wasn't going to offer up information they didn't need.

"Why?" Snape asked just as shortly and Harry struggled for a moment to come up with an answer.

"He hates me," he finally explained and when all the adults continued to look at him without asking more questions he rolled his eyes but continued.

"He hates my parentage, and my magic, and me."

"So he whipped you?" Dumbledore pushed and Harry looked down at his hands for a moment.

"Since I returned home after first year." he whispered. "He was so angry with me for having come here to learn magic, and then having dared come back there."

"Does he hit you with anything else, an object or his hand, or does he stick with the belt?" Snape asked and Harry looked over at him before turning back to his hands.

"Before Hogwarts, it was more of them just letting Dudley beat me up. Aunt Petunia would aim at me with the frying pan or wooden spoon or something, but mostly back then it was time in my cupboard or more chores or something." Harry explained then went pale when he realised he had just shared more information with them that he had intended.

"Cupboard?" Dumbledore asked and Harry shook his head rapidly before pulling the blanket completely over his head.

"Mr Potter," he heard Snape drawl before his blanket was pulled from his fists and placed back around his shoulders. "You cannot run from this conversation. It is one that we are going to have, must have, if you wish to stay within the school and not be confined to a ward in St Mungo's," when receiving confirming nods from both Madame Pomfrey and Dumbledore, Harry paled.

"Fine," fighting to stay angry with them so the fear and uncertainty wouldn't overwhelm him, he sat up and crossing his arms across his chest he glared at all of them before he continued.

"Before my letter, my bedroom was the cupboard under the stairs. I believed for a long time that you were aware of this, as my letter was addressed there and it wasn't really until last year that I learnt the letters are addressed by magic." He took a deep breath before going on.

"Dudley had a second bedroom, and there was a guest room for Aunt Marge, but I was delegated to the storage space under the stairs. I was put there whenever my Aunt or Uncle didn't want me around, or when all my chores were done."

"It wasn't too bad though," he tried to lighten the icy atmosphere in the room, "Dudley couldn't get to me in there by the time he was six, he was too big to fit through the door." Harry tried to smile but it fell flat and instead just waited for the next question.

"Why didn't you say something to someone?" Madame Pomfrey asked and Harry grunted out a small incredulous laugh.

"I did!" he exclaimed, "when I was in primary school I told a teacher that I was made to sleep in the cupboard and I wasn't given enough food to eat, but she talked with the Dursleys and they told her I was lying, then kept me home and in the cupboard for a week afterwards as punishment."

"Then," Harry's voice broke, "I get here and think you all know about it but don't care. Ron and the Weasley twins literally broke me out of my room second year, and no one cared about that, and McGonagall never listens when I go to her for ANYTHING. What more do you want from me?" he screamed the last sentence then threw himself down on his bed to hide his face in his pillow.

"I take it then, that your issues with food this year stem from long term food withholding and malnutrition.?" He heard Snape ask and just nodded his head.

"I'm done now," his voice was muffled by his pillow, "no more fucking questions."

The adults, after realising they would get nothing more from Harry right now all stood from their seats and moved away from the bed to talk quietly. Harry pulled the blanket from his head to listen in.

"I think it may be necessary to invoke the contract Severus." He heard Dumbledore mumble and Snape growled before answering.

"I am not a miracle worker, Albus, the boy needs far more than I can give him. Furthermore, you cannot expect me to be there every minute of the day!" Snape snarled his response and Harry heard them move off further.

"Be that as it may, we must try." Harry heard footsteps storm from the room before another set of footsteps approached his bed.

"You will remain here for now, Mr Potter. Your friends have been alerted as to your presence here so they would not incite a riot when it was discovered you were missing. They have also been advised to leave you alone." Harry snorted, figuring he'd have a few more hours of peace before Hermione and Ron tried to sneak in and see him.

"I will return later this evening when it has been decided what needs to be done with your best interests in mind." Dumbledore pet Harry's ankle briefly before he too left the infirmary and Madame Pomfrey approached.

"Rest, Harry. It has been a difficult morning for all."

Harry didn't bother responding, only made sure the blanket covered his head again and closed his eyes against the world..

He was unable to sleep however, so when he heard the sound of whispering approach his bed, he sat up and scowled at Ron and Hermione as they approached his bed.

"Oh Harry," Hermione mumbled when he sat up and she hesitated mid-step for a moment before coming closer to the bed, taking one of the abandoned chairs from earlier. Ron stopped at the foot of his bed and just stared at him with an unreadable expression on his face.

"What?" Harry snarled at his friends and both of them flinched.

"Is it true?" Ron finally asked after several awkward moments.

"What?" Harry finally barked and both of his friends flinched again before Hermione leant forward to lay a reassuring hand on Harry's arm. He fought the urge to snatch it back, knowing that would only hurt her unnecessarily and instead just continued to frown at them.

"There's a rumour going around the school from a second year Hufflepuff who was in here last night when you came in." Hermione explained gently, like she was afraid Harry would shatter and so he did snatch his arm away from her, crossing both across his chest defensively.

"What rumour?" he demanded, although panic was already starting to build up and he felt the edges of his vision blur even as his heart rate sped up.

"Something happened, but you panicked and hid in some closet. They also mentioned seeing numerus scars on your body. Everyone is saying there was another attack, only there must have been a mental attack as well because you'd clearly gone crazy attempting to hide in a closet." Ron explained and then rubbed the back of his neck as his cheeks pinked up.

"Seriously?!" Harry asked and then started laughing as the panic lessened up and his heart started to slow down. "Of all the possible rumours..." he trailed off and his friends looked at him expectantly.

"So you weren't hurt?" Hermione asked. "Then why are you in the hospital wing?" she was clearly confused and Harry laughed again, this one sounding more hollow than the one before.

"Doesn't fucking matter," he replied moodily and his friends looked confused.

"I don't understand?" Hermione pushed and Harry saw red yet again.

"Maybe it's not for you to understand!" he shouted and saw Ron puff up in indignation. "Dumbledore and Pomfrey finally discovered just how loving my relatives have been to me over the years, and just how well I've treated myself."

When Hermione opened her mouth to speak again, Harry sat up straight to poke a finger at her roughly.

"No, just no, Hermione. In this, you don't need to know everything, and I don't need to tell you!" he exclaimed and Ron finally reacted.

"Hey," he snapped, "I don't bloody well know what's going on right now, but you don't get to speak to her that way. She's done nothing to you!" He stepped forward to stand in front of Hermione where she sat, shocked still.

"Whatever, Ron, just fuck off," Harry said quietly and laying down he turned his back on the both of them and squeezed his eyes shut.

"Come on, 'Mione." he heard Ron mutter quietly. Hearing Hermione's sniffles he almost sat up and apologised, but an apology would mean an explanation and enough people knew his secrets, he wasn't sure he wanted to share them with more, even if they were so called friends.

Madame Pomfrey's office door opened and he scowled at the witch as she approached his bed.

"You could have stopped that whenever you wanted," he grumped at her and she gave him an apologetic smile.

"I thought they would be good for you, Mr Potter, thought I am angry to hear the students from last night are sharing information even if it is incorrect." Harry shrugged his shoulders the best he could laying down and then proceeded to ignore her as she moved about the room.

Harry was just beginning to grow bored with just lying there and was about to request a magazine or book when the doors opened once more and Snape strode inside, his usual trademark scowl deeper than normal.

He approached Madame Pomfrey and spoke with her for several long minutes before she nodded her head and moved back into her office, leaving Harry and Snape alone. Snape moved over toward Harry's bed and Harry watched him apprehensively.

"Up, Potter, you will be following me." as he spoked his scowl deepened even further and Harry resisted the urge to shrink away from the man.

"Why?" he asked and saw Snape clench his jaw.

"Because," he spat out between clenched teeth, "you are free to leave the infirmary, but you will still be staying where a close eye can be kept on you."

"But I was supposed to go back to the tower tonight, where am I going to go?" Harry asked in alarm.

"Albus, in all his wisdom, wished to have an official house re-sort, with you being moved to Slytherin. I, for your sake and mine, managed to convince him to keep things less official. Regardless of the facts, you will be moved into quarters far safer than the ones you have been in." he explained and Harry frowned and crossed his arms once more.

"What the bloody hell are you on about?" he demanded.

"Detention, Potter, tonight at seven for your insistence in continuing to use such language." Snape snapped out and Harry glared at him, refusing to move.

"You will dress and follow me, or I will stun you and levitate you as you are." Snape ground out and Harry observed him for a moment before realising he was serious. Reluctantly, he stood up and snatched the robes Snape offered, intending to move into the bathroom to change.

"There is no point, Potter, I will have to watch you whether you are in there or out here," Snape explained and Harry blushed a deep red and spluttered a bit before realising it was useless and just dressed himself as quickly as he could. Snape stood by, one eye brow raised the entire time and Harry did the best he could to ignore the man's presence.

"Follow me," he said and moved towards the door in a fast stride, forcing Harry to run to keep up with his long legs. Harry followed him this way all the way down to the dungeons, while several people stopped to stare at him in the halls. When they reached the section of wall that would reveal the Slytherin common room however, they moved further down the dank hall to a different section of wall. When Harry questioned what they were doing, Snape merely paused in his stride long enough to direct his scowl at Harry before moving on.

He spoke a password too quietly for Harry to hear, and the wall formed into a doorway leading to a lavishly decorated sitting room, surrounded by bookshelves. Snape pushed Harry in ahead of him and as he stepped through he closed the door.

"Where are we?" Harry asked.

"My quarters, Mr Potter and I expect you to treat them as you should."

"What?" Harry spluttered, "why am I here?"

"For the foreseeable future, you will reside in my spare bedroom." Snape told him shortly and moved off down a passage, forcing Harry to follow him. He pointed out doors as they passed.

"My personal laboratory, which you may never enter, my bedroom, the shared bathroom, and your room," he drawled before opening the last door at the end of the narrow hall. Harry moved in and took in the simple bed and desk in the otherwise empty room.

"What the bloody hell is going on?" he asked.

"You will receive another detention if you are not careful, Potter," Snape pointed out and Harry bit his tongue to avoid telling Snape where he could shove his detentions.

"I don't understand, Professor," he managed to ground out.

"I don't imagine you would, Mr Potter, though one would think you would be used to such an outcome by now." Harry bit his tongue again, this time grimacing at the sharp sting and Snape narrowed his eyes.

"You are here, because you cannot be trusted," Snape began and turned to walk back down the hall. By the time Harry got himself under control and followed his teacher back to the main area, Snape was sitting in a chair with a small glass tumbler of whisky in his hand.

"Sit," Snape barked out and Harry sat gingerly on the edge of the seat furthest away from the professor.

"It has been decided that you are a danger to yourself, Mr Potter. As such, you have lost certain privileges and rights, privacy being a big one of those losses. The rooms here are spelled against intentional harm and as such are the best way to keep you safe," at the word safe, Snape sneered and took a small sip from his glass.

"You will also be required to wear a charm around your wrist or ankle, your choice as to which, that will monitor you at all times. It will let us know if you come to harm or if you go outside the areas in which you are allowed to go."

Harry opened his mouth to argue and Snape help his hand up. "No, you will not speak. You will allow me to explain, and then you may ask your questions." Harry snapped his mouth shut and moved further back into his seat to sit sullenly.

"You will be allowed in these rooms; your classrooms, the great hall, the Slytherin common room and the library. You are not allowed in the Gryffindor tower, as it has been shown that Minerva does not monitor her lions as well as she should."

"That's not fair!" Harry blurted out angrily, "Gryffindor is my home! You can't keep me from there."

"You will find, Mr Potter, that I can." Snape pointed out and took another small sip from his drink before standing and pulling a small braid of leather with runes etched within its surface.

"Your wrist or your ankle?" he asked as he approached Harry, who shook his head.

"Neither, I won't wear it," he answered grumpily, attempting to move away from the man as he approached.

"Then you will go to St Mungo's where you will be treated by a mind-healer, and will most likely be outed to the public within hours of your admittance." Snape told him and Harry fought back tears of frustration.

"This is not fair," he moaned and Snape laughed drily before holding the cuff up again.

"Wrist or ankle?" he inquired shortly.

"Wrist," Harry finally decided, and then continued to pout while Snape tied the thing around his wrist then pulled out his wand to chant quietly over it for several moments. It flared white, then settled back down and Snape moved back over to his seat.

"You will be unable to remove that, Mr Potter, and I will be alerted if you even attempt to do so." Harry just growled and muttered obscenities under his breath, causing Snape to raise an eyebrow.

"You are also required to choose myself, or Madame Pomfrey as a counsellor of sorts, who will work through the contents of your nightmares in place of a trained Mind Healer." Snape finished and Harry frowned deeper while he thought on that.

"You," he finally decided. Madame Pomfrey would only pity him, and he wouldn't be able to handle that. Snape would not, could not, show pity for someone he hated.

"Very well, we are done for now, I suggest you shower and then perhaps work on some schoolwork." Snape told him and rose to exit the room gracefully, the now empty glass left to sit on the coffee table between Harry's seat and his.

A house elf popped into view, startling Harry, who almost fell off his seat in surprise. The elf apologised profusely, ears hanging low over its head and snatched up the glass before once again popping out of view.

Harry finally stood and headed back down the hall to where his bedroom was, and after finding his trunk, he removed some clean clothing and a towel and walked back toward the bathroom.

His glamours had not been replaced, so while he washed, each cut and scar were clearly visible. Wondering just how this monitoring bracelet worked, and how far, if at all, he could go with hurting himself, Harry ran his nails over his skin until small welts appeared but no blood.

When Snape did not appear in the bathroom, he found a recent cut and pressed on it until pain blossomed outwards and he hissed. A sudden bang on the bathroom door had him jumping and almost slipping on the wet stones of the shower floor.

"I will assume you are testing the limits of the charms, Potter, so I will refrain from entering this once. This will be the only time however; the next test will have me barging in there to the embarrassment of the both of us. Cease your current activities at once."

"Fuck," Harry swore quietly under his breath and stopped pushing on the cuts immediately. His shower ruined now, he finished cleaning as quickly as he could then stepped out and dressed. He went straight to his room afterward, though his stomach rumbled with hunger, and pulled out a text book.

He sat down on his new bed and attempted to read as his thoughts flew around his head and his heart rate sped.