Title:
Twenty-one days

Prequel to:
A few days more

Author:
evil minded

Date:
November, 19th 2009

Timeframe:
Fourth year at Hogwarts

Summary:
AU / Death Eaters besiege Hogwarts. A spell from Dumbledore is going astray. A cauldron explodes during potions class. And the old castle enfolds its own magic. Can some students survive for the next twenty-one days?

Disclaimer:
Did you see Severus alive at the end of 'The deathly hallows'? no?
Do you think I would have had him died if I had written those books? no?
Then you know that 'Harry Potter' does not belong to me … nor does Severus … regrettably …

Rating:
M – Not suitable for children or teens below the age of 16

Author's Notes:
Uhm … alright … I have to admit … English is not my language by birth … so … please do not kill me while reading … neither for the – perhaps – sad language, nor for the subject of my writing …
Also, this is a story written for NaNo, a story written within thirty days only and even though I go over the chapters before uploading them – I do apologize if it might not have the same quality at one point or another than those stories of mine you are used to by now … thank you …

Warning:
Story contains bad language and swearing.
Don't ever use such, it's neither good manners nor proper use of language and never mind how 'cool' it might sound, it surely isn't a sign of intelligence. It won't get you anywhere and people will think less of you if you are unable articulating properly.
Story contains references to child neglect.
Child neglect is a really, really serious thing, and there are a lot of children in our world that are neglected, children that lack food, clothing, often love, and perhaps even a roof over their head – and closing our eyes, and pretending it does not exist – is no solution …
Story contains references to child abuse.
Child abuse is one of the most evil things, and there are a lot of children in our world that really would need help but have to live without hope – and again, closing our eyes and pretending it does not exist – is no solution … instead show sympathy, and understanding … and handle people, children as well as adults, which are showing any signs – whichever – of once having been abused … with understanding and with help …
What does not mean I am not as evil as I pretend to be … ^.~ … believe me – I am …

Breåk· … ·~†~*~*~*~*~*~†~· … ·Łine

Previously in twenty-one days

"There are no buts, Harry, this is final." Severus growled darkly. "And it is not up for discussion. You will choose a partner for taking a shower. You boys can ask for my assistance, but you won't go alone. I have to apologize to the girls that we have no female teacher down here right now. You will have to pair with another girl. I don't want to see one of you taking a shower alone. Did I make myself clear?"
"Yes, sir." Came the answers from the children, and he looked at Harry who bit his lower lip at his words.
"Harry?" He asked, his black eyes piercing the boy.
"Yes, sir." The boy answered and he gave a satisfied nod.
"Good." He said. "Whomever I find disobeying this particular rule, will find him- or herself writing a three parchment essay about responsibility."

Chapter nineteen
Day thirteen - Saturday, fourteenth of September
Poison and history

They didn't have anything left to eat, and it was their fourth day now that they didn't have anything left to eat. He had spared a bit of the tea, so they had been able to drink half a cup during the past two days here and there, but that as well – they didn't have anymore. Well, at least they had water for all eternity, as it seemed. Or at least until they died.

Gritting his teeth and forcing himself to not think about that right now, he entered the laboratory to get a jar of grempyard powder from one of the shelves. He had taken the powder from his stocks in his laboratory two weeks earlier and placed it in the students' cupboard for the seventh year students to brew the antidote for snake poison. But right now, he needed the highly poisonous powder to mix it with the herbals for some kind of anti-cramping potion.

He had only a few vials of the relaxing potion left, but some of the children, and Harry being one of them, needed something to ease the cramps in their stomachs and in their limps. He had only four vials of dreamless sleep potion left either, but there was nothing he could use for brewing another batch. He had nutrient potions left for five days, including today, and after that – well, after that he could only hope, something that did not sit well with him.

But well, right now, he would have to brew a new batch of the anti-cramping potion, and he would have to improvise with this one as he didn't have all of the herbs, he would need to use in this potion left. And some of the herbs he would have to use instead of the original ones – were quite poisonous, what was the reason he needed the grempyard powder for, to function as an antidote as it was poisonous alone but not only lost its poison if mixed together with other poisonous ingredients but cleared the poison of the other ingredients as well.

He could just hope that this potion would help as well as the original anti cramping potion had, he didn't know yet.

The moment he entered his laboratory he halted mid-step, one hand still resting on the door handle and slowly his face started to darken with anger after the first moments of shock and disbelief.

The Gryffindor at the same time licked his suddenly dry lips, watching his teacher's face closely. Snape appeared shocked, unable to come to terms with what he was seeing. One hand was still resting on the door handle and Snape had frozen – but then he finally released the door handle and came over, quicker than he liked the man coming close and from one moment to the other he was grabbed by the collar of his shirt and yanked from the cupboard that held all the potions ingredients.

"Have you ingested anything from this cupboard yet, Mr. Longbottom?" Snape asked, his voice dangerously low, the moment he had the stupid Gryffindor standing in front of him and he grabbed his chin, turned his head upwards so that he could look at the pale face closely. He wasn't entirely sure if the idiot boy was pale because he was down here for two weeks now, without food, if he was pale because he really had taken some potions ingredients, or if he only had paled because he had to face a very angry Potions Master.

The boy shook his head quickly, and Snape narrowed his eyes at him, turning his head again to have a closer look at the boy's eyes. They looked hungry, as hungry as …

Gritting his teeth, Snape's anger lessened a bit and he sighed. The child had acted foolish, yes, but he was just hungry, as hungry as they all were. But honestly, Longbottom! Of all people it had been Longbottom who had tried such a foolish move, the one student that wouldn't be able to differentiate between poisonous and not poisonous ingredients, even if he still had some left in his laboratory that were not poisonous.

The boy's frightened brown eyes were alright at least, as was the pale skin and his breathing, apart from the fact that it was too quick, what probably just was because of his fear, and without releasing the boy's chin he grabbed the small wrist with his other hand, searching for a pulse and noticing that it was – even if slow and not as strong as he would have liked – steady.

Wordlessly he made sure the boy had nothing in his hands, and then shoved his own hand into the boy's pockets of his Jeans, just to make sure that the idiot child had not taken something for later. Finding nothing he nearly sighed with relief.

"Sit at this desk, Mr. Longbottom." He darkly said, pointing to one of the desks the students normally would be brewing at. He followed the boy with his eyes, ensuring that he really sat down before he turned towards the cupboard.

He quickly went over the ingredients he had stocked here, and he breathed another sigh of relief when he noticed that – as far as he knew at least – nothing was missing. As it seemed, he had been quick enough to catch the boy before he could have done something irreversible and ended up dead.

In the end he probably would end up dead anyway, but not yet, and there still was the chance that …

As minimal as this chance was by now.

Grabbing the ingredients he needed, he went to his own workstation and laid them out, pushing his troubling thoughts out of his mind. He had a potion to brew, a potion they needed, and he had to keep his mind clear. As clear as possible in their current situation at least.

"Come over here, Mr. Longbottom." He growled, and once more he refused to think of what could have happened if the idiot child had eaten any of the available ingredients.

Slowly the boy came over, stood at the other side of the workstation, and watched him warily.

"I'm sorry, sir." He quietly said and the Potions Master looked up at him momentarily. "Really. I just … I mean …"

"Shut up, you idiot child!" He couldn't help growling. "Cut these roots into slices and lay them aside in a jar." He said, concentrating on grinding the beetle carapaces. He only watched over to the boy every now and then, noticing how nervously he moved – yet again, and he suppressed a frustrated sigh. But surely, he wouldn't let the boy go back into the classroom and out of his sight yet. If he had eaten any ingredient from that cupboard, he would have to observe the boy for any signs of poisoning that might develop later.

Not that there was much he could do if the boy had eaten anything, but not having him within eyesight right now would be irresponsible and negligent.

"These carapaces are highly poisonous." He started to explain. "If you had ingested them, if you had just licked your fingers after touching them, you would be dead within seconds. I normally keep this cupboard locked when not present at the laboratory, but without the ability of using magic, it is just not possible right now and I have to trust that you follow my instructions."

"Is this the reason you grind them yourself?" The boy asked.

"Exactly." Snape answered. "Potions can be a really interesting and important subject. A potion can heal, and a potion can save your life. But a potion can just as well kill you. The same is true with plants, Neville. A plant can have healing effects, a plant even can save your life, but a simple plant as can just as well kill you. I am sure you do know that, child. There is no big difference between herbology and potions, aside from the fact that for potions you do not only need plants but animals as well."

"And then all the stirring and heating." The boy said while continuing to slice the roots.

"Yes, I did notice that you had most problems with that." The Potions Master smirked. "It is, however, rather easy if you know that a stir clockwise will only mix the ingredients, while a stir counterclockwise will add your magical signature to the potion, making it more potent or working at all in the first place."

Breåk· … ·~†~*~*~*~*~*~†~· … ·Łine

"Potter!" Snape snapped upon entering the kitchen. Did none of them use their brains before acting today? What was wrong with them today? Or what was wrong with today in the first place? "Come here!"

Harry at the same time cringed.

Whenever the Potions Master called him by his surname, he felt his heart stop. He expected Snape would come to his senses and begin to hate him again at any moment, and when he called him 'Potter', then he always thought that the moment had finally come.

Slowly he went over to the man.

Severus stood in the entrance door to the kitchen, his hands held behind his back, straight – despite the weakness he, too, started to feel – and he watched his son moving towards him, slowly, hesitantly, nearly scared, and he tried to soften his looks a bit. The boy had only tried to get his mind off his worries.

"If I remember correctly, and I am sure that I do, then I have forbidden you to do kitchen duty." He said.

"I haven't done." The boy quietly answered. "I only bid company to Gregory and Vincent."

"I am sure that those two would have managed the task without you, child." He said, his voice gentler. "I do not know why in Merlin's name kitchen duty is done only if you are present."

"Because he's fun." Gregory said and he couldn't help lifting his eyebrow.

"Without him it's boring." Vincent added. "Dunno why."

"That might be." The Potions Master sternly said. "But your health is more important to me, than is kitchen duty or entertainment. And your health, young man, is worse than the health of the others. I would rather not have you out of the classroom, my office or the rest room at all."

Extending his hand, he placed his arm around the Gryffindor's shoulders and led him out of the kitchen and along the corridor to his office and from there back into the classroom.

Breåk· … ·~†~*~*~*~*~*~†~· … ·Łine

"Why is it that in the books there are more subjects than the goblin wars while Professor Binns never gets past them?" Harry asked, shaking his head. He had led the boy back into the classroom and Harry had gone to their 'common table' and had taken out his history book.

They had started to choose one class each day, and today it was history. He surely wouldn't force any student to actually partake in their – well, classes. Some of them were sleeping and he wouldn't wake them for a lesson that could be their last anyway. But he also knew that it was important for them to have something to do if they so wished. And so, he at least offered those classes to them. Whoever wanted to partake, could do so. They could just read their textbooks and they could discuss the subjects afterwards if they so wished.

"The goblin wars had been the last subject Professor Binns had taught before dying and so he is unable to get past them." Severus answered. "What subject would be the next in your books?"

"The second world war and the role wizards played in it." Granger, Hermione, answered.

"May I have a look, Hermione?" He asked, startling the girl with his easy use of her given name and he nearly smirked when the girl blinked at him in shock while he extended his hand. Slowly the Gryffindor girl got off the chair and came over, nearly looking warily at him as if she feared he would destroy her book.

He took a quick look at the subject and then handed the book back to the girl. The subject was known to him. As a head of house, he had each book of each class and year in his office as well. But he was no history teacher, and to substitute for one, he wanted a look at the current subject, just to get it right.

"Well, then read the chapter and afterwards we may discuss it." He said, getting off the chair and getting his own copy of the book to read.

Breåk· … ·~†~*~*~*~*~*~†~· … ·Łine

Somehow, he didn't know what to make of the man.

Sometimes Snape could be so gentle, while at other times he was back to his snarky self.

Neville had come out of the laboratory, together with Snape earlier, and he had told them what had happened, and that Snape hadn't even skinned him alive for trying to find something – anything edible in his ingredients cupboard. He only had kept him for watching him, and he had him cutting roots. And Neville had told them that he had even enjoyed the task, that Snape had explained things to him.

And at other times he could be so – back to … something …

Like when he called him – Potter.

He stopped thinking about the Professor and went back to reading, but still he had a hard time focusing on his history text. Something was bugging him too much and unable to stay quiet any longer he looked over at the man again. Professor Snape was reading, like they all were. But he looked comfortable. Not as stiff and as reserved as he used to, but really comfortable, nearly relaxed, and that alone was a fact that nearly startled him.

"Uhm … Professor?" He quietly asked, waiting until the older wizard looked over at him. "I just wanted to ask … well, you know, when you talk to me … uhm … if you're happy – I mean, not angry …" He quickly added. "… well, then you call me Harry, or foolish child. But … well, when you get annoyed, I turn into 'Mr. Potter' and then, when you're really mad, I even become 'Potter'."

"I see." The older wizard said, a thoughtful look on his face.

Severus was well aware that not only Harry watched him, but Hermione, Ronald, Neville, and some of his Slytherins as well, but knowing that this was important, he laid the book aside and gave his attention to the boy fully.

"And now you fear that each time I use your surname, you would revert back to a person I used to dislike whenever I am angry." He simply stated.

When the boy didn't respond but looked down instead, he walked up to him and pulled a chair from the table, sitting close to him. But Harry still averted his eyes and so he simply took hold of the chair the boy sat in and turned it, so that he had the teenager facing him. Gently he took the boy's trembling hands into his own and studied them for a while, the thing fingers that always had been slender, the numerous cuts that covered them and he could only guess that they were from cooking for his blasted relatives while he himself had not been allowed to eat any of what he had prepared for them.

It really was no wonder that the boy did not value himself, that he thought so low of himself, that he was as unsure as he was – because no one so far had valued the child's health or even his life.

"I do think, you foolish child, that it is time we put my earlier thought into action, and you become Harry Snape." He said, ignoring the startled gasps from the other children around them. Harry looked up at him sharply, so – he had at least gotten a reaction out of the child. "You are my son now, Harry, definitely, and no one can change that. Not you, not me, not the headmaster – even if I highly doubt that he would even try to change that, knowing him, this damnable twinkling in his blue eyes would only increase if he knew – and not even the ministry. You are my son, and therefore you have the right to take on my family name – if this is amenable to you."

"If this … amenable … but … of course it is!" The boy stuttered before nearly shouting the last words and – in his foolish Gryffindor rash – throwing his arms around his neck.

"Then be it, Mr. Snape." He growled darkly but folded his arms around the skeletal body, nevertheless, pulling the child close. "I however would prefer it, if you would not strangle me, you foolish child."

"Sorry." The boy said, releasing him, but it was plain that he was not sorry, not in the slightest, because he was grinning at him from ear to ear and it was strange that the sight of this happy face was one, he wanted to burn deeply into his own mind, so deep that he would remember it, never mind what, that he would never ever forget it.

And he – he, Severus Snape, evil Dungeons Bat, the Potions Bastard of Hogwarts, he had caused that happy face. It was a thought that nearly robbed his breath for a moment.

"Cool." Was heard from Draco and from Theodore while others smiled as well, or at least nodded their heads. The only one of the present children who did not look so happy was Ronald Weasley, but he did not really care about that. Weasley would have to accept it.

Breåk· … ·~†~*~*~*~*~*~†~· … ·Łine

They were back to reading, and the classroom was silent, all of them concentrating on the text in front of them – or sleeping, and therefore he was not really prepared for Hermione grabbing her history book and starting to hit his son with it. Harry tried to fight off the attack by holding up his arms to block her blows, but the girl only redirected her hitting.

Frowning he got off the chair by his desk and walked over to them.

"Is there a problem, Miss Granger, Mr. Snape?" He drawled in his best silky voice from behind them.

Well, the effect was immediate. The girl ceased her hitting, stopping mid movement, the book hovering in the air above the boy's raised arms and Harry slowly coming forth from behind his arms he had drawn over his head for protection. He just was not sure if it had been his sudden appearance, his drawl, or his use of 'Mr. Snape' that had them stopping their actions so quickly.

"I only said that Voldie had a lot in common with this Hitler guy." Harry said, his tone of voice apolitically.

"It would be wiser if you tried to remember the dates and names instead of going on speculations." Hermione said, the book still hovering midair.

"History is not just names and dates, Hermione." Severus shook his head, sitting onto the edge of the table they were sitting at, facing the students. "What made you doing this analogy, Harry?" He then asked.

"Well, both wanted to overtake power over the world, both did terrible crimes to reach their goal, both were insane, and both were hypocrites." The boy answered and he lowered his head questioningly, encouraging the boy to go on.

"Well, Hitler had a thing with the German race, but he was an Austrian, and Voldie has a thing with the pure bloods while he is a half-blood himself." The boy answered after looking at him unsurely. "Isn't that a bit hypocritical? And both did horrible crimes, killed a lot of innocent people."

"You are right, Harry." Severus said. "You however better never mention this in front of the Dark Lord if you ever have the misfortune to stand in front of him one day. I am sure he would not appreciate it, being compared to a muggle. You, Miss Granger, Hermione, are correct in some ways as well. One should at least remember the dates, names and countries to some point, so they knew what happened when, where and who were involved. But not only the when, where and who are important but the what and why as well. Those are the five w-questions that are important when it comes to history. And while the when, where and who are important, it is from the what and why we can learn from. And only if we learn from the past, then we won't make the same mistakes twice. Our past, our roots, our ancestors and what they did or what happened to them is important. If we do not know our past, then we do not have a past at all, and if we have no past, then we do not really live, we only exist, because we have no present, and if we have no present, then there will be no future for us."

"Well, then maybe Voldie should have paid more attention in history." Harry said darkly.

"I doubt that he would have learned anything from history." He said. "Never mind how many wizards had tried to safe muggles back during the second world war."

"The book mentions only Britain." Hermione frowned. "Has there been other nations who tried to keep the war as bloodless as possible?"

"They have come from all over the world." Severus answered. "From Britain, America, Russia, Germany, France, Spain, China, Japan, India, Africa … and they all tried to keep the second world war from getting out of hands. They tried to safe people, never mind if they were wizards or muggles."

"But why did this war start in the first place?" Draco asked, his brows furrowed, and Snape could see that he didn't understand. He knew why the Dark Lord had started the first wizarding war, but the second world war hadn't been started by a wizard because of a pure blood status.

"Because of the same reason the first wizarding war had started, Draco." He answered. "Prejudices, narrow-mindedness, discrimination and intolerance. Because some people thought themselves better than others. In one point Harry is right – the Dark Lord and – this Hitler guy, as he put it so eloquently, really had a lot in common."

"And why did the Germans follow this guy if he wasn't even German?" Neville asked. "How was he able to come into so much power?"

"The Germans had been desperate." Severus answered. "They didn't have much so close after the first world war, many of them had been without money, without food, and without work, and Hitler promised work to all of them, promised better times for them. And after he really got them work, with for example building the highways in Germany, they believed him. He also had the ability to affect and then to control people – just like the Dark Lord. People noticed too late that the situation got out of hands and that he had been a madman. Why is it that the Dark Lord had been able to get so many followers?" He then asked.

There were many faces that looked uncomfortable at the question. Well – many of them knew that he once had been a Death Eater, some of them, like some of the Slytherins, even believed that he still was one and he was sure that some of them knew the answer but didn't dare to give it, not in his presence at least.

"It had been for the same reasons." He finally said. "Prejudices, narrow-mindedness, discrimination and intolerance, because some people thought themselves better than others, and because the Dark Lord, too, had been able to affect people and to control them. And because again – people had noticed too late that the situation had gotten out of their hands and that he had been a madman. The Dark Lord, too, has promised things that would make the wizarding life more comfortable, more safe. And many of the old pure blood wizards had been believing him."

Harry was mesmerized by the Potions Professor. Snape started talking about history as if he never had taught anything else than this class and for the first time since he attended Hogwarts he was not bored to death when it came to history.

"Had there been aurors, too, back then?" He asked. "And do other nations have aurors, too?"

"Yes." The Potions Master answered. "Back then, there were aurors, too, and yes, they have come from all over the world. They had been the wizard that had been trying to keep the second world war under control – unfortunately in vain."

"But why from all over the world?" Ronald Weasley asked. "It was named the second world war, but not all nations were affected."

"That might be, but they knew that they could be affected in one way or another and that the more power Hitler got, the more damage he could cause."

"But why did the wizards even partake in this war?" Theodore asked. "I mean, if the muggles kill each other, well, it didn't affect the wizarding race, no offence."

"Not only did it affect the wizarding world, too, because the wizarding world is deeply intertwined with the muggle world, but also because the wizards knew that it was necessary." Snape answered calmly. "The first world war had been horrible, and it was named the first world war because it simply had been the first world war. The second world war was more than just horrible and nearly destroyed nations, thousands and thousands of people didn't die in the battles even but were just killed, included women and children. But the third world war will be the last one, because it will destroy everything. And the wizards do know that."

"But why weren't they successful then?" Hermione asked. "They were wizards!"

"And what do you think, Hermione, would have happened if they had been found out?"

"Ok, that was a stupid question, I guess." The girl said.

"No, it was not, child." Severus said. "Concerning such a serious subject as this, no question is really stupid. The more you ask, the more you learn of your past, what had happened and why it had happened, and the more you will be able to prevent the same mistakes in future."

"But we are no Germans." Ronald Weasley said. "It can't happen to us."

"It can, Ronald." He said. "The first wizarding war is proof of that. Each nation has its own Hitler at one point or another, each nation has its own dark hour, and each nation makes its own big mistakes. The holy wars from 1100 to nearly 1300, during which the catholic church carried out genocide in the name of God. The French revolution from 1789 to 1799 during which the starving 'common folk' banded together to revolt against the rich. The American Civil war from 1861 to 1865 during which friends fought friends and brothers fought brothers. There is no nation on this earth that does not have made mistakes, and there won't be always a group of aurors at hand to smooth things over."

"Well, I'm sure that as long as Potter's there, there always will be at least one auror." Draco smirked, teasing the black haired boy.

"Actually … I'm not sure if I really want to become an auror." The boy mumbled, blushing.

"Actually … there is no Mr. Potter present in this room, but if you happen to speak of my son, Mr. Malfoy, then it should be Mr. Snape." Severus drawled, lifting his eyebrow at Draco who chuckled lightly. "And yes, I can see why you wouldn't become an auror anymore, Mr. Snape, seeing that you have become my son, I am sure that you would prefer becoming a Potions Master." He then smirked, turning to Harry who lowered his head onto his arms which he had laying atop the table, groaning.

"Definitely not." The boy then growled into his arms. "Whoever would order my potions would be at risk of being poisoned."

"I definitely agree, Harry." Severus said, smiling, startling some of the Gryffindors in the act. "What is it you would like to do after school then?" He seriously asked then.

"Dunno." The boy said, leaning back in his chair. "I would like to become a healer maybe, or working with children. I mean, well … not normal children … uhm … never mind."

"Hmmm …" The Potions Master made. "I see. And it is a good choice you have in your mind."

The child definitely was embarrassed, and he definitely was tired too, he noticed. He would send him to bed soon today if the boy didn't lay down by himself.

Severus on the other hand was pleased. He had thought he would have to talk Harry out of being an auror. He had heard Harry, Ronald and Hermione talking about their goals in the halls of Hogwarts on more than one occasion and had seriously worried about how Harry would be an instrument of a corrupt Ministry only.

Breåk· … ·~†~*~*~*~*~*~†~· … ·Łine

"I am glad that you recede from becoming an auror, Harry." Severus said later.

He had taken the boy to the shower, after all the others had been there. He could tell that the teen had not liked it, and he could understand it, but he had refused to back out of his orders yesterday. He would not allow the boy to take a shower alone and drop again.

He had kept his shorts on, and he had allowed the teen to keep on his briefs, and nevertheless the boy's face had been a deep shade of red. Well, he would get used to it, if he didn't die before, that was.

Gritting his teeth at that thought – and not for the first time – he forced his thoughts away from that direction. Right now, Harry was here, and he was alive, laying in his arms after he had massaged the boy's limbs to keep the cramps at a minimum. He had shown all of them how they could massage the limbs of their friends and partners, and now they did so at least every afternoon before they took a nap, and every evening before bed.

"I have enough dark wizards hunting me." The boy said. "I do not need more when I'm grown. And I don't even know if I … I just want to have a peaceful life."

"A worthwhile ambition." The Potions Master admitted. "And working with abused children isn't such a bad job either. That was what you wanted to say, wasn't it?"

"Hmmm …" The boy only made.

"It is what you would have been in need of a very long time ago as well, someone who took care of you." Severus said, running his thumb over the boy's forehead while Harry lay in his arms, his back resting against his chest and he tried to look around the small form to look into the pale face. "But you never had it. You had to deal with all of your abuse alone."

"I wasn't …" The boy said and he could feel him shuddering. "Well, that what you mean …"

"What? Abused?" The Potions Master growled darkly. "You were and you do know it. It was abuse and you know it. You just do not dare to speak it out aloud yet. But it was abuse."

"No, it wasn't!" The boy denied vehemently. "It would have bothered me if it had been. But it never did. It just happened. I mean, I have been in this cupboard for years and it never bothered me. It just started now! But it would have bothered me if it had been … well, that what you said."

"You can't even say the name, Harry." Snape gently said, pulling the boy closer up to his chest. "I do doubt that it really did not bother you, child. It just was that – you could not allow it to bother you. While your – relatives …" Well, he really couldn't bring himself to say 'your aunt and uncle' when addressing those monsters. "While they kept you in that cupboard, you simply had to endure it, never mind what. You had no time to be scared, you could not allow yourself to be scared, because then you would have gone mad a long time ago. And I do guess that protest would only have warranted further punishment. Am I right?"

The boy didn't look up, neither did he make any movement, nor did he give an answer away, he just continued to pick at his blanket and Severus took that as an affirmative.

"So, there was nothing you could have done about it and your mind pushed it away." He continued. "It, however, started bothering you now, because you now have the time to think about it, because now you have the freedom to think about it, and because slowly but surely, you do realize that it was just that – abuse, even if you are not ready to acknowledge it, or to speak out the word yet."

Breåk· … ·~†~*~*~*~*~*~†~· … ·Łine

To be continued

Next time in "twenty-one days"
if we die …

Added author's note
thank you for reading - and yes, I would be glad if you took the time to review this chapter, thank you
also, like in the past, I have installed the house cup – with each review, please state your house, so that your house can get points. There won't be loss of points, only gains … may the best house with the most reviews win …
Please also note that I have installed a new category: Hogwarts, as one reader or another (Jostanos, just for example) prefers to review for Hogwarts itself instead of one of her houses … and who knows, perhaps one day a reader might come from another wizarding school to add their review … thanks to all of you for reading and reviewing …

House Cup:
At the present time it looks like this:

Slytherin 70
Gryffindor 36
Ravenclaw 25
Hufflepuff 09
Hogwarts 21