Harry woke the next morning with a pounding in his head and he groaned. Cracking an eye open he saw that through the gap in the curtains it was light outside and he groaned again before sitting bolt upright and realizing he wasn't in his own bed. Shit, shit, shit, he thought. His relatives would have guessed that he wasn't there by now. Oh he wasn't looking forward to going back. He looked down at himself and noted that he was still fully dressed, even though his jeans were halfway down his legs and he briefly wondered what had happened that night. It was a little hazy.
He looked to his right and saw Tony and Mags wrapped up in each other and he smiled. Oh, that's right, he remembered as he was kissed and sucked off at the same time. He couldn't actually believe that he'd done that with complete strangers and idly wondered what was wrong with him, they could be anyone from the wizarding world trying to con him into the Dark Lords hands. Although as he looked at them he highly doubted it. He ran a hand through his hair and made to move off the bed, his stomach was churning and he clapped a hand over his bruised mouth as he walked towards the door. There was a bathroom two doors down and he was grateful as he shoved his head in the toilet bowl and emptied the contents of his stomach.
He felt a little better after that, but his head was protesting at the bright light. He washed his mouth out and then his hands before he walked into the hall and down to the living area where he found Peter who was laying on the couch, a guy stretched out on top of him and he frowned. He hadn't realized that Peter way gay, well now that he thought about it, from what happened last night was he gay himself? He heard movement and Peter stirred, turning his head to look at Harry and he smiled.
"Have a good night?" He smirked and Harry nodded.
"I think so, I can't really remember that much." He said honestly and rubbed the back of his neck.
"Good, that was the intention." He replied moving so he could stand and looked around for his tee that would be on the floor somewhere.
Harry took that time to look at his bare torso, he couldn't help it, it was just something out it that fascinated him and his stomach knotted a little so he looked away. A blush however crept across his face and when Peter looked at him after finding his tee, it amused him.
"I do hope I'm not getting you into trouble right now though Harry. What's your family going to say when you arrive?"
Harry knew exactly what was going to be coming but he couldn't bring himself to verbalize it in front of his friend. He lied and said 'just a talking to' but considering his recent abuse, he doubted Peter would believe it. And he was right, he didn't.
"Come on." He whispered and dragged Harry outside. "You don't have to tell me, I get it. I also get the feeling you don't really have someone to talk to, am I right?" He asked, knitting his brows together and Harry shook his head.
"Well, just remember that you have us now." He said with a bright smile and patted Harry on the shoulder.
"I appreciate it. Thank you, but please don't be offended I don't really trust… that easily. Especially with my feelings."
"That's okay. Like I said, I get it. You tell me what ever you want. But anything you do tell me will stay with me okay?"
"Yeah, I'll keep that in mind."
"Great, now just let me find someone's keys and I'll drive you back." Harry nodded and waited for Peter to come back outside and they jumped into the car that had brought him to this place.
This time he took note of where he was going, it was about a fifteen minute drive, so quite a way to walk but it was doable and he now knew how to get there. They arrived outside Privet Drive and Harry sighed. It's been nice knowing you, he thought as he looked at Peter and the boy put a hand on Harry's chin, looking at him seriously.
"If you need to get out of there, I live at 59 Privet Drive." He said seriously and Harry nodded before getting out of the car and making his way to the front door.
"Vernon." The strict voice of his Aunt meant that they were indeed waiting for him to get back.
"Potter!" He roared from the kitchen and Harry swallowed before he slowly pushed open the door.
They looked at him oddly when he did and then he realized why, his clothes. Well they weren't his per say but he guessed he was now in possession of them. His Uncle sneered at him and pointed a finger demanding to know were he'd gone.
"He probably snuck out to bum his boyfriend." Dudley snickered but earned a gentle slap to the back of the head by his Aunt as soon as he made the comment.
"Well? Where were you?" Vernon hissed and Harry's anger for once started to bubble.
"Why do you suddenly care? I was out of your hair, out of your house no less and now I'm getting in trouble?" Harry's voice was strong but the look on Vernon's face told him he wasn't amused.
"There were chores that needed doing this morning, like breakfast." He emphasized and Harry shrugged.
He turned to leave but heard his Uncle bellowing after him, he knew either was he was going to be hit but he didn't care and went to his room. A belting later, Harry found himself out in the front yard again. Oddly enough it was of his own accord as he lay on the soft grass looking up at the sky. He shifted though and looked out onto the street as he thought he felt a presence there but he couldn't see anything.
Snape on the other hand could see everything from where he was standing, only a couple of meters away from where Harry was stretched out on the lawn. He looked the boy over and saw the still bruised eye and noted the split lip he now sported. He saw Harry sit up but this time it was to roll over onto his front and Snape could see red stains on the back of his baggy shirt.
"Potter!" They both heard from inside and Harry sighed, moving over and seeing the man come outside.
"You little freak where is my bloody lunch?"
"But you – "
"I don't want to hear excuses, my lunch is not on the table, make it. NOW!" He roared and turned to go back inside.
Snape ventured closer and looked through the window as Harry begrudgingly followed his Uncle. There was a slapping sound and Snape saw Harry being slapped across the face before he was pushed in the direction of the kitchen. Snape had a flashback from his own childhood before he pushed it firmly to the back of his mind. He had seen enough.
That night, Harry was sitting by his window looking out into the dark sky. There were so many stars on this clear night and he took a deep breath and closed his eyes as he thought about being free to do what he wanted. It was a fruitless task though as there was no chance he'd be allowed to do what he wanted and it made him sad. He looked away and tucked himself into bed, stomach growling and he tossed and turned. He was woken however a few hours later with a clinking sound on his window and he frowned before standing and looking out the window. He saw someone standing just outside his window and he carefully opened it and looked closer to see Peter.
Harry wondered why he was there until he saw Tony jump out of the car and make his way over. Being a Saturday night he assumed there was another party on so holding up a finger, Harry tried his door but it was locked. He sighed, it was going to be another hard fall to the ground. Shuffling around his room he found the clothes he'd worn the night before and hastily chucked them on before climbing out the window and dropping with a thud.
"Hey." Peter and Tony whispered and Harry smiled before jumping in the back seat of the car.
"We off to another party tonight?" Harry asked, there was excitement in his voice.
"Woo, look at you, party animal." Tony joked and it made Harry laugh but then he got a little self-conscious and he looked into his lap.
"You can laugh you know, we won't hurt you." Tony whispered, putting a finger on Harry's chin and Harry looked deep into his eyes, nodding.
They arrived at different house tonight but the same sort of thing was happening, loud music, lots of drinking, and Harry spotted some people smoking on the front porch. They made their way inside and Harry followed Tony over to a table that looked to have copious amounts of alcohol lined up and soon Harry found himself with a cup full of something he wasn't too sure he should even ask and took a tentative sip. It tasted a lot better than what he'd had the night before and he was grateful so he chugged it back and held his cup out for another.
"Shouldn't you take it easy?" Tony said with a little frown.
"Next one, I promise." Harry said sweetly and Tony just shook his head in amusement.
Harry put aside the fact that he had a beaten up face and tried his best to not look like a scrawny little kid who was scared and he felt that the alcohol helped with that. Harry felt a hand on his lower back and Tony led him over to a group of people who were standing by the door. He introduced Harry to them and they all greeted Harry in a friendly way and one even shook his hand. He found out that they all went to school together and spent most of their time together, it made Harry a little sad that he couldn't have this himself. I mean sure he had Ron and Hermione but that was during the school year, when it came to the holidays Hermione spent it with her family and the Weasley's only took him when something was wrong.
Harry stood with Tony as they all talked about school days and the latest gossip and Harry idly wondered where Peter had got off to but he didn't worry about it too much. Tony put his arm around Harry's waist as a casual gesture as he continued to talk with his friends and Harry's insides started to do weird things and he knew that it wasn't because of the alcohol. There was something oddly comforting with the way he was being held and when he thought back to what he could remember from the night before, it was the same feeling.
He felt himself being led outside and they came out into a large backyard where people were drinking and talking, some were even smoking and Harry ended up coughing as he walked past someone who puffed right in his face. It wasn't the best feeling in the world, thinking that you're going to choke on the smoke but he didn't let it get to him. He was a little surprised though when something rolled in a whiteish paper was produced and then lit with a cigarette lighter; it was passed round and soon the group was surrounded in light smoke. Harry watched as Tony took a long puff of the cigarette and the boy closed his eyes before exhaling and smiling as he passed it to Harry. He didn't really know what to do with it so he went on to pass it to the next person when Tony grabbed his wrist.
"You've never smoked a joint before have you?" He whispered and Harry shook his head.
"It's okay, it will feel amazing when the buzz kicks in as well." He smirked and took the joint. "Here, let me help you."
Tony took a long drag from the joint with his right hand and with his left pulled Harry's face towards him, caressing his right cheek and leaned in to kiss him. He exhaled he smoke and Harry inhaled the smoke that was given to him. He couldn't hold it for long and pulled away coughing violently, vaguely aware that people were laughing at him.
"Don't worry, it happens to everyone the first time." He giggled and passed the joint on to the next person.
They passed it round the group a few times until it was all gone and Harry felt like his head was swimming but he also felt happy. He sat there looking up at the clear sky as if in a world of his own and continued to sip his drink. He heard someone from near the door yell 'shots' but he didn't take much notice until he was dragged up and Tony took him inside. Peter sidled up next to Harry and he briefly asked if everything was alright before he handed Harry a shot. He turned to see that Tony was doing one, then he picked up another and chucked that one back too. He guessed he should do the same so he downed the shot that was in his hand and went to fill it up again and took another.
"Boy, Harry. You're really going for it tonight." Peter said laughing and all Harry could do was smile.
"Right, time to dance!" Tony shouted at the two of them, and he took Harry's hand leading him towards where a group were dancing.
It was a couple of hours, although it seemed like minutes to Harry, of dancing and rubbing up against everyone. It seemed though that Tony always seemed to be the one who was there and Harry danced with him quite a bit. That was the weird thing and Harry couldn't work it out; he knew he was supposed to be eyeing up the girls and talking with them, it was after all what guys did, so it confused him that he couldn't stop thinking about Tony or looking at Peter. They just seemed so handsome to Harry and it was confusing for him.
Harry turned around and found hands that wrapped around his waist before a pair of lips landed on his own and he briefly opened his eyes to see Tony kissing him. He let the feelings and the music take over him and he raised his hands to place them on the boy's chest. Feeling a tongue running over his bottom lip, he opened his mouth just a little and the tongue darted in there to map out Harry's mouth. The feeling was unreal and Harry moved his hands down to Tony's hips to pull themselves together, he was getting highly aroused.
"I most certainly have my concerns, Albus. He has new bruises and his Uncle actually slapped him across the face as I stood there." Snape said irritably as he stood in the Headmasters office that night.
"Very well then, he must be moved. I'm sure Harry would be happy to spend the remainder of his summer at the Burrow, wouldn't you think?" It was a rhetorical question but Snape was going to answer it anyway.
"I don't think that would be the best." He replied stiffly.
"Oh, and why is that, Severus?" Dumbledore was curious.
"Tell me, have you even seen Potter at the start of the school year with a single bruise or injury?"
Dumbledore thought about this, he could honestly say that he hadn't. He did however get where Snape was coming from and he frowned as he thought about this.
"Then what are you suggesting we do? Bring him back to the castle till school starts?"
Snape inwardly groaned, he most certainly didn't want that, but there really wasn't really anywhere else that he could go. Black was still in Azkaban and Lupin was missing, so someone would have to stay at Grimmauld place with Harry if he were to go there. There really wasn't anywhere else apart from the Burrow where the Weasley clan was, but from his own experience, he doubted Harry would want them to see him in such a state.
"He needs his injuries tended to. Then perhaps after that, he could go to his friends." Snape suggested and Dumbledore nodded his consent.
"Very well, you may go and collect Harry and bring him back here where Poppy can give him the once over."
"Excuse me?"
"Please, Severus. Don't argue with me."
"I'm the last person he'd want to see, and quite frankly I'm sick of the sight of him already." Snape huffed and folded his arms across his chest.
"There will be no negotiations." The Headmaster said and Snape scowled before turning and leaving to take shelter in his private quarters. He would go and get Harry tomorrow.
Harry was laying on his bed looking up at the ceiling battered and bruised but he couldn't really focus on anything and he felt like he was slipping in and out of consciousness. After he'd arrived home the next morning he was sent to his room but his Uncle was up the stairs as quickly as his fat body could take him and gave Harry a beating like he'd never had before. Now his whole face was bruised, a slightly healing black eye and a fresh black eye, another split in his lip, heaving and painful chest, a twisted and probably fractured wrist and throbbing shins. What hurt him the most however was the fact that he'd had a taste of a better life with Peter, Tony but now he was back to reality and he hated it. He wanted to forget about it, numb the pain and the alcohol that he'd consumed the night before had done that.
"POTTER!" The thunderous tone echoed upstairs.
Vernon was in the living room and Petunia was white as a ghost standing in the kitchen with her large son taking refuge behind her as they eyed their guest. Vernon narrowed his eyes and bellowed for Harry again but they received no response.
"Blasted brat." Vernon hissed and then looked to their guest in disgust.
"Don't make me come up there, Potter!" He yelled again and started walking towards the corridor and up the stairs.
Snape followed him up the stairs quietly and stopped just to the side as the fat man blast through the door before freezing and turning to look at Snape who pushed him aside as he sensed that something was wrong. He was horrified to see Harry laying on the bed, a little blood covering his face and not moving. It was quite clear what had happened and he went over to the boy on the bed and shook him gently.
"Mr. Potter. Can you hear me?" Snape asked, but there was no response and he growled.
"What have you done to him?" Snape roared and Vernon backed away.
"The freak deserved it! He probably got into a fight last night when he snuck out. Again." He spat and his eyes went wide when a wand was shoved in his face.
"You're a disgrace to the Muggle world." Snape hissed back at him and turned his attention back on Harry.
Yes he loathed the boy, but no one deserved this kind of treatment. He put a hand on Harry's pulse point in his neck and he found a pulse but it was weak so he gathered the boy up in his arms and went to leave the room, his Uncle moving out of the way as he went to go down the stairs.
"Where do you think you're taking him?" Vernon yelled but Snape didn't answer and was about to walk outside when he realized people would see him carrying Harry.
Putting protocol aside, he spun on the spot and apparated back to Hogwarts and walked as fast as he could to the Infirmary. Madame Pomfrey was in her office when she heard the bark from Snape and quickly ran to him and gasping as she saw the battered form of Harry Potter. She shooed him out of the way and waved her wand over the unconscious Harry, pursing her lips as she diagnosed him and briefly shaking her head at the results.
"Severus if you wouldn't mind helping me, I need to take his shirt off." She said hurriedly and Snape hesitated before reaching forward and helping the sleeping Harry up.
Snape wasn't impressed, Harry's back had, by the looks of things, fresh scratches and red welts on his back and his chest was littered with old and new bruises. He stepped back once he laid him back down and turned to see the Headmaster striding through the door, his smile faltering as he came to stand next to Snape and seeing the bruised boy.
"Oh my." Was all he could say and he shook his head. "This is worse than I thought."
"Something has happened since yesterday. He didn't look nearly this bad when I saw him." Snape said stiffly, aware that his sentiment to the boy could be suspicious but fact was he knew exactly how Harry would be feeling right now. He honestly felt terrible as well, if he had of gone to get Harry like the Headmaster had asked yesterday he wouldn't be lying here like this.
"Poppy?" Dumbledore asked.
"Well, it's not too good but he will be physically fine in a day or so." She replied, still looking a little upset when she looked down at Harry.
"When do you think he'll wake up?" The Headmaster inquired.
"I'll give him some pain relief potions now and I think a dreamless sleep wouldn't go a miss, so he should be awake in a few hours." She nodded and left the room to get the appropriate medication.
"Right, well I'll be back before then. In the meantime I need to work out what we are going to do with Harry until school starts." And with that Dumbledore walked out of the Hospital Wing.
Snape stayed where he was until Madame Pomfrey walked back into the room and she saw the look her colleague was giving Harry. She cleared her throat and Snape looked over to her to see a 'tell me what's wrong' look, which made him frown and he turned around to stalk out of the Infirmary. Pomfrey wasn't stupid, she had on many occasions fixed bruises and broken bones on Snape when he was a student there and she guessed that even though he was seen to hate the boy, really felt sorry for him and sympathized.