Title:
The boy that forgot to die
Author:
evil minded
Date:
November, 18th 2011
Timeframe:
Second year at Hogwarts
Summary:
AU / Harry Potter comes back for his second year at Hogwarts, but something is not the way it should be, and Severus Snape seems the only one able to help the boy that forgot to die … will he manage to really help the Gryffindor before it is too late?
Disclaimer:
I don't really care about Lockhart, Quirrel or Umbridge, nor about most of the other characters in HP … I, however, would like to own one particular Severus Snape – regrettably I do not, Rowling does … but well – I'm borrowing him for a while … just to torture him a bit … I am evil minded after all …
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 …
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Previously in "The boy that forgot to die"
In other words – those students he wanted here, were here, namely the second, and third year students who – except for the first years – would have the most contact with the boy, and his first year students, he would have a word with them separately tomorrow. He also wanted the seventh years, including his prefects here at the present time, seeing that they were his oldest and therefore would keep an eye on any future situation to prevent anything that might arose during the next few days, until Harry and his snakes had gotten used to each other, while at the same time not all his students were present so that the common room wasn't crowded but rather comfortable at the moment.
"A word please." He quietly said, while leading Harry over to the second year students near the fire and waving the other present Slytherins, the third and seventh years over.
The boy that forgot to die
Chapter eighteen
Come here, Harry
Or – it made me going all green
Flashback
"Sit down, please. Now – I am sure that many of you already have noticed some changes this year and not all of them are pleasant. One of those unpleasant changes is, that Harry has – to some extend at least – died, and his ghost has left his body. A good change at the other hand is, that this way I have learned that, actually, he is not only my son, but a Slytherin as well, as the sorting hat has placed him in both houses, Slytherin as well as Gryffindor. Any questions so far?"
There was a silent pause for some time, his Slytherins looking at him in shock before looking at Harry in just as much shock and then looking at each other while their expressions changed into curious faces.
"Yes, sir." Marcus Flint then said, frowning and he inclined his head at the boy. "How can you be sure that the sorting hat has sorted Potter – I mean … Harry … into Slytherin as well as into Gryffindor?" The boy then asked, and he again inclined his head.
"A very good question, Marcus." He then said, calmly, noticing Harry looking up at him startled at his use of the boy's given name. "Of course, I have had a conversation with the sorting hat just moments ago. And yes, Harry, I do call my students by their given names in privacy. Be assured, Marcus – Harry is as much a Slytherin as are you."
"So, what will happen now, uncle Severus?" Draco asked, looking from him to Harry and then back at him.
"And here, we come to the second unpleasant change, Draco." He said, noticing the boy ghost beside him stiffening at Draco's use of "uncle Severus" and he placed a calming hand onto the boy's shoulder. "I am sure that, all of you remember what took place, only two days ago, during your second year's potions class." He said, addressing his second years. "And so, I am sure that you do know, also, what had occurred in the Gryffindor tower at the beginning of this school year."
They all nodded their heads, even the fourth and seventh years. Well, of course, they had heard of it, and he knew that they all had been disgusted by what Weasley, Finnigan and Thomas had done. He hadn't been present during the following two or three days as Harry had needed him desperately back then, but not only had he heard many of what had happened during this time in the great hall, as well as in the hallways, but also had he seen his snakes' looks thrown towards the tables of the lions. They were disgusted.
"I am sure that all of you can imagine, that I won't allow Harry being bullied and mistreated by his own house any longer, and therefore I have demanded a re-sorting by the headmaster." He answered. "What had led to the understanding of Harry having been sorted into both houses already, therefore being a Slytherin as well as a Gryffindor."
"So, he'll stay here then?" Draco had asked, eying the black haired boy curiously, and he could detect some mistrust there even.
"No." He simply said. "For one – Harry surely is not ready for living in yet another place where he is a stranger. There had been too much going on in his life, what however is private until Harry is ready to tell you himself, and I won't leave him alone in a strange place now. He will sleep in his room in my quarters."
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"Will Harry sit at the Slytherin table?" Marcus asked, knowing exactly what his head of house had not been saying and he tried to act as a mediator, asking questions the second years did not seem to dare asking while using Potter's given name so that they could follow his lead and find a way to handle the new situation.
"Yes." His head of house said, and he nodded. "At least if Harry is amenable with it – but seeing that on his own table he is shunned – I guess he won't have a problem with sitting at the Slytherin table. Draco, Theodore, I expect you two to take care of his well-being during those meals as well as during classes, are you amenable with that suggestion?"
"Yes, sir." Theodore and Draco both agreed, and he could see Theodore searching Potter's face and neck for bruises – which easily were found. Yes, of course Theodore would do this upon having one of his classmates in front of him as a ghost suddenly.
"Harry?" Snape asked and with a frown he noticed that the Professor's dark eyes went soft while he looked over at Potter. So – his head of house not only had taken in the boy because he was his son, and because Dumbledore had ordered him to, but – Snape really wanted this. He could even feel the protectiveness the professor radiated – as well as the need for protection the boy radiated at the same time.
"Marcus, I expect you to take care of his well-being and especially of his safety within this common room and his dormitory if he ever chooses going there." Snape said and he nodded his head.
"Of course, Professor." He seriously said.
Well, if Potter was Snape's son, and if Snape was alright with the situation and wanted this – then it was alright with him as well. And seeing that Potter seemed to be a Slytherin anyway – so be it then. He would keep an eye on the boy and the situation. He knew that nothing would happen, generally, the Slytherins kept together, always, but he also knew that there were some in his house who were true followers of the Dark Lord and some of them might plan something to harm the Slythindor.
Frowning over his own thoughts he shook his head. He better did not tell Snape about the new name of the two houses forged together he had come up with a moment …
"What is it, Marcus?" The Professor asked with his dark and deep voice, and he lifted his head to look at the man.
"You wouldn't want to know, Professor." He said, knowing that Snape won't accept a "nothing" but that he would know – it had been a silly thought that was not worth mentioning – or simply private – and therefore accept it. Snape could be a very vindictive soul if he needed to be, but he never invaded his student's privacy if it weren't absolutely necessary for their safety and well-being, he always respected their private thoughts without prying deeper.
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The Potions Master at the same time nearly huffed at his prefect's openness, as if he hadn't taught his snakes better than being as open as his seventh year prefect was at the present time, really. But well, he better did not ask what exact silly thought the boy had had in his mind this time. He had asked once and the giggles from the others had been more than just irritating. He had long ago ceased asking what silly thoughts his students had on their minds sometimes – they were open enough with him to tell him of their wishes, of their fears, of their needs, and of anything that might affect the house, classes or the routine within the castle.
"Very well." He said, getting up from the armchair he had been sitting in, and immediately he took in Harry's scared expression, the boy clearly fearing that he would let him here alone now. "I am sure that you all have still work to do – or other things than chatting with your head of house and I myself have yet to colour some of your essays with red ink." He then said, electing groans from his students and smirking at their misery.
"Will – Harry stay here for a while?" Draco asked, unsurely, and he frowned. The boy had followed Marcus' lead in using the boy's given name and it was clearly an offer, for the boy ghost to stay if he so wished, but he had noticed the slight hesitancy before he had used Harry's given name. And now he could feel his son's desperate and pleading look, could feel the green eyes on him, begging him to not leave him here alone, he didn't even have to look over at the boy.
"As much as I would like Harry getting used to this common room and you in general – regrettably I have to say no as I am sure, he won't be ready for being left alone by me yet." He said, his dark eyes piercing his godson. "I am sure that you do understand …"
"But you would rather have me staying here." Soft whisper that came from beside him cut his sentence off and he looked over at his son, the ghostlike face pale, paler than it was normal for the child, the green eyes again – empty and so very sad that he had to take a deep breath for a moment.
Quickly he sat back down onto the armchair and reached out to take the boy's wrist and to pull him closer – just to have his hand going through the ghostlike form, unable to hold him while the boy himself at the same time retreated a step or two, and gritting his teeth in frustration he thought he noticed a pattern of the boy's form being – touchable or not touchable.
"Come here, Harry." He simply said, waving the boy closer until the ghost stood in front of him and he had to keep himself from reaching out again like he normally would do. "Not in the sense you fear right now. It is important that you get used to your new common room and your new house, and therefore I would like you visiting your house sooner than later – but I also do know that this won't be a possibility right now. It won't be necessary right now either. A few days or weeks won't matter, and I won't leave you here alone before you are not ready for this yourself. I will not abandon you, do you hear? I have given you a room in my quarters and you are always welcome there – as are you, Draco." He added, just to kill any misunderstanding from the beginning on. "This room will stay your room, Harry, yours, never mind if you live there and visiting your common room, or if you are living here in your common room one day and visiting me. Is that clear, Mr. Snape?"
End flashback
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Well, the startled nod he had received from Harry had been satisfying – contraire to the boy throwing himself at him moments later – in front of half the Slytherin house! How typically Gryffindor he couldn't help thinking while he had brought his arms around the small form, not minding the Slytherins watching them as it was his Slytherins to begin with, and they knew this private side of him since long anyways while at the same time he was just glad to being able to suddenly grip the child physically again.
"I do understand your need for distance as well as your need for safety – but your body becoming unseizable whenever you are scared or disappointed is annoying – not to mention dangerous." He had said while holding the child. "I do need the ability to touch my own son. Imagine there is a dangerous situation I need to get you away from!"
"'M a ghost." The boy had murmured into his shoulder. "Can't die 'gain."
"You are not completely dead yet, Harry." He had answered. "Or your body would be dead completely and your ghost form would be translucent and unseizable completely. And therefore, I am sure that – yes, you could die."
"'M not doing this on purpose." The boy then had said, trying to defend himself.
"And I did not say you did either." He had been shaking his head. "But I am sure that you can learn having a bit more control over your form. I take it you are alright now? Seeing that I can touch you and seeing that you are physically clinging to me like a primate?"
He had just stood, the boy still in his arms and with an inclining of his head towards his Slytherins he had left their common room, Harry still clinging to him with a near death like grip, and then he had taken the child home, wondering if perhaps the reason as to why he could touch the child was not because he was his father but because the boy wanted it that way? Even if just unconsciously? But why would Harry want him, him alone, being able to touch him from the beginning? In the beginning the child had had no reason to trust him or to long for any kind of comfort from him!
On the other hand – Harry had known that he had been his father from the beginning, and sighing in defeat he had entered his parlour.
The day after the boy had worried about the Slytherins witnessing his utter childlike behaviour from the evening before, being carried home by Snape, him! A second year! But he had immediately disabused him of that foolish notion, had told him that he wasn't the first of his snakes he carried out of their common room.
"Remember what I have told you." He had said. "Many of them are in a similar situation and none of them will hold it against you."
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Harry, entering their quarters early, got the Potions Master out of his thoughts and he frowned at the boy that trudged into the parlour with his shoulders slumped – a moment later he was out of his seat and over to the ghost, reaching out to brush hair from a bleeding cut on the pale forehead – just to have his son rearing back and his fingers brushing air while the ghost-like form wavered before coming solid again.
"'M sorry." The boy murmured, averting his eyes and he reached out a second time, slower this time.
"There is no need to be, Harry." He softly said. "It is I who has to apologize for startling you. What happened?" He then asked his hand able to touch the boy's face now and he brushed some of the black fringes away to reveal a nasty cut.
"'M fell." The boy said while being led to the sofa.
"Lay down." He said, while already pushing the boy down and then summoning a cloth and wet it with his wand. "Do you feel dizzy?" He then asked.
"No … a bit … maybe." The boy answered – and a moment later already shot up, starting to retch and he was just in time of summoning a bucket when the boy lost what he'd had for breakfast earlier.
"A bit, of course." He drawled while he cleaned the boy's face and then summoned a glass of water. "Drink." He then ordered. "I will give you a potion to calm your stomach, but first I will have to look at this cut on your head and run a diagnostic. How did you fall?" He then asked while cleaning the area around the cut.
The boy shrugged his shoulders.
"You have been in defence, theoretically." He then said. "What happened there?"
"'Ve been hit by a spell." The boy murmured, barely audible. "Then I fell."
"What kind of spell?" He asked, frowning. So – the child could be hit with spells too. It would have been very advantageously if he had been unaffected by spells as well as by the touch of other persons except of him.
"Dunno, but it made me going all green and it hurt." The boy said and he stopped his movements mid-air for a moment, his dark eyes fixed intently on the boy ghost, on his son, before continuing to clean out the cut, calling for his house elf. A moment later the small creature popped in from his manor, startling Harry who apparently never before had seen a house elf except of the one time at the Dursleys in the cupboard, but back then he'd barely been aware of his surroundings, and surely not of Zilly who'd kept watch over him for a short time.
"I need you to inform Madam Pomfrey of an avada having been cast at Harry's ghost form." He quietly said, trying to keep his voice as calm as possible. "She will have to look after his actual form and watch him during the next hours. I will be there with Harry shortly. Please do inform me immediately of the body's condition."
Zilly quickly nodded his head and then vanished while Harry looked up at him, startled. So – the boy had not known that it had been the killing curse being cast at him, in other words – it had been a silent spell what only left Lockhart as possible caster.
"Who had cast the spell at you, Harry?" He then asked, covering the cut with a healing salve.
"Lock– … Professor Lockhart." The boy answered, quietly, the nearly translucent face being as white as a piece of chalk.
"I thought so." He slowly nodded his head. "I want you to stay flat here for a while, you look like dropping any moment. How came it that Lockhart cast this spell on you?"
"He said he'd had to deal with a ghost once." The boy murmured and he actually could watch the body going penetrably again, his need for being untouchable too overwhelming. "'Nd he said a spell wouldn' work an' to prove it, he had me coming to the front and then cast the spell."
"This bloody incapable and idiot man!" He growled, causing the boy to look up at him startled. "I will have his head for this – casting the killing curse at a student! At my son! And I will have his head for the fact that he had not brought you to the infirmary immediately as well, not to mention leaving you walking here alone. Anything could have happened on your way down here!"
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Harry didn't understand.
He had seen Snape angry before, but never had he seen him so angry! Never had he seen him going so pale and pacing the room like a tiger in a cage and he had the feeling that his father would explode at any moment. Was that what was normal behaviour for a father whose son had been subjected to a spell that could kill? Was this what it felt like, having someone who cared and got all worried and angry on his behalf?
If this was what was normal and what was meant to happen – then this definitely was the best feeling he'd ever had in his life.
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The Potions Master could see the mixture of pure bliss and pure terror radiating from his son and as angry as he was, he could understand the battle that was going on within the child that was savouring the feeling of someone caring enough to get angry on his behalf while at the same time he was scared by him.
Taking a deep breath, he turned towards the boy.
"Are you ready to visit the infirmary?" He then asked. "And yes, it is necessary." He added at the boy that was clearly starting to declare that he was fine and that a visit to the infirmary surely was not necessary. "A lethal spell has been cast at you, one of the unforgivables, and ghost or not ghost, seeing that it is already the second time you have been subjected to this particular spell, I do want you in the infirmary for a closer check-up and for keeping an eye on you during the next forty-eight hours. Not to mention that I need to have an eye on your body just as well. In other words – I need the two of you together for this as I won't be able hurrying to and fro between the infirmary and your room here. I do not even understand how this blasted and incompetent imbecile, that is your defence teacher, could have you running through the castle instead of bringing you to the infirmary immediately!"
Noticing that again he started losing his composure, he closed his eyes and forced himself to calm down again.
"Come now." He said, extending his hand but not even trying to touch the boy and take his arm, knowing that he wouldn't be able to right now. Harry clearly was completely a ghost at the present time, untouchable, while he worried about his son's body, seeing that Zilly had not come back yet to inform him of the condition of his son who was in the infirmary.
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To be continued
Next time in "The boy that forgot to die"
I cannot lose him now again
Added author's note
thank you for reading - and yes, I would appreciate it if you took the time to review this chapter too … thank you …
House Cup:
At the present time it looks like this:
41 Points - Slytherin
07 Points - Gryffindor
27 Points - Ravenclaw
07 Points - Hufflepuff