Title:
The boy that forgot to die

Author:
evil minded

Date:
November, 23rd 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 …

Breåk· … ·~†~*~*~*~*~*~†~· … ·Łine

Previously in "The boy that forgot to die"
Not to mention that he'd been so very startled and scared, fearing he might be late that he had forgotten about that.
So – should he stay here for an hour and wait until the class started?
Surely not!
So, turning around he left the office and went along the dungeons corridor that – as he thought – went towards the upper level and the entrance hall. He'd gone this corridor a few times by now, in the evenings for dinner at the great hall with his father and in the morning with either his father or Draco and Theodore for classes.
"You're early." He heard a voice coming from behind and whirling around he for a moment reached for his wand – just to remember that he didn't have it.

The boy that forgot to die
Chapter twenty-three
He's really creepy sometimes
Or he started to understand

"You're early." He heard a voice coming from behind and whirling around he for a moment reached for his wand – just to remember that he didn't have it, the wand still laying on the nightstand where his father had placed it weeks ago. He hadn't been able to bring himself to touch it since and he – but well, if he was reaching for it now, instinctively, in a situation that could be dangerous – then surely that was a good sign? Then maybe he was ready to accept his magic again? Then maybe he would … he didn't know.

Snape had explained it to him, that he'd been punished for his accidental magic too often, that the last summer and him – kind of dying, being killed because he was a wizard, had made him wishing that he weren't a wizard at all and so he was blocking his own magic – or at least something along those lines, he wasn't completely sure what the older man had meant.

However, seeing that it was only Draco and Theodore on their way to most likely breakfast – he didn't want to think about it either.

"Know." He answered. "I thought I'd go to the lake for a few minutes before classes."

"And forget yourself and get late." Theodore chuckled. "Just come to the great hall, it's still pretty early, you know, and there won't be more than a few dozen of the students in the great hall, if that even."

Quickly he shook his head.

"I don't think that I could face the Gryffindors right now." He said, taking a deep breath. "Not so early in the morning."

"You're not sitting with them, remember?" Draco reminded him. "You're sitting at the Slytherin table anyway?"

"I know." He growled exasperated while he scowled at the blond boy. "But I have to face them nevertheless."

"You know, you just look like your father when you're doing this." Draco laughed at him, and he took a deep breath. It really was scary, having Draco Malfoy of all people laughing at him. And yes, he still was not used to the fact that Malfoy was friendly with him to begin with, not to mention the other Slytherins.

"You will have to face them one day anyway." Draco said, shrugging his shoulders. "You see them every day in classes! And you have faced us all the time last year!"

Without an answer but giving away a depressed sigh Harry found himself following them into the great hall without knowing why he did so. But well, at least they were right and there weren't that many people in there.

He even got a pretty warm welcome from most of the Slytherins though as he sat with Draco at the breakfast table, the Slytherins being used to his presence at their table only for dinner so far, when Snape took him there, but they didn't seem to mind him being at their table without Snape around. The lions though shot him nasty looks, especially Ron when he came in later, his hair mused and his eyes still sleepy.

"How about actually eating breakfast, young man?" Snape's voice from behind drawled down at him and gulping heavily he turned to look up at the man standing behind his bench, like he so often had suddenly stood behind him last year at the Gryffindor table and he guessed that there were some things that would never change when it came to this particular Professor that happened to be his father – namely that he could scare the hell out of him in such moments.

Breåk· … ·~†~*~*~*~*~*~†~· … ·Łine

He had hurried back to his quarters, hoping that he would find Harry sitting at the breakfast table still as it wasn't too late yet, but the small ghost child had not been there and with a scowl on his face he had entered his son's room – just to find it empty. He had hurried through his quarters searching the child, but again – without success and finally he had left them even, had hurried towards the Slytherin common room.

Harry hadn't been there either, not that he would have thought that the boy really had gone there, he never had since he had shown him to his new common room a few days ago, but well, he'd had to try. After that he had gone to the great hall, seeing that Draco and Theodore had not been in the common room either and upon entering he took a deep and calming breath. There the boy was sitting together with the other second years.

Taking his own seat on the head table he scowled at Minerva who looked over at him with a smile on her face and a "good morning, Severus, nice to see you for breakfast for a chance" on her lips. As if it were his fault that he wasn't present for breakfast lately, but he couldn't leave Harry on his own! The boy had been neglected by the adults around him for long enough and it would end here, he had sworn this, and he would see it through.

Not to mention that he wanted the boy close for as long as he could have him close – for as long as the boy lived still.

Noticing that – said boy – did not eat he frowned and got off the staff table, went down to the Slytherin table, approaching his son.

For a moment he remembered all those times when he had approached the boy on the Gryffindor table, accusing him of one thing or another and mentally enjoying the boy paling more and more each time he had approached him, and he also remembered the one time he had approached the boy without blaming him for anything, the first time he had done so and the last time he had approached him on the Gryffindor table at all, on September first, when he had come back to Hogwarts as a ghost.

"How about actually eating breakfast, young man?" He asked.

The boy turning and looking up at him, startled, the half-translucent face paling like it always had done in the past when he had approached him, and – it wasn't a feeling he liked at all.

"I've had breakfast, sir." The boy said and he frowned down at the imp. He'd already had breakfast? Already? At half past seven in the morning? Lifting his eyebrow at the boy he looked down sceptically.

Breåk· … ·~†~*~*~*~*~*~†~· … ·Łine

Harry took a deep breath before releasing it in frustration.

It was clear that the Potions Master didn't believe him, he knew this eyebrow and this sceptical look, but he'd had breakfast and he surely wouldn't be able eating anything more now.

"At least drink another cup of hot chocolate." He heard his father's voice and looking back up at the man he could see the man's always so hard face soften, and he nodded quickly. He could feel the man standing behind him for a few moments longer, watching him sternly, but when he had poured some of the hot chocolate into a cup and then turned, his father was gone and already sitting back at the head table.

"He's really creepy, sometimes." Draco beside him murmured and he couldn't help agreeing. "And since you're changed, you sometimes just look as creepy as him!" The blond boy then said, clearly intending on sounding accusingly and he quietly laughed.

"Well, seeing that I'm his son, I guess some similarities are inevitable." He scowled.

"Definitely." Draco agreed and he shook his head with a huff. Draco of all people agreeing with him while sitting together over breakfast and having a civil conversation, that was just as strange as – as strange as Snape being nice to begin with, what wasn't so strange anymore lately.

"So, today's your big day." Draco then suddenly said, turning on the bench so that he sat with one foot on either side of the bench, facing him while he held his own cup of hot chocolate in his hands and he couldn't help but looking down at the table, not turning towards the blond boy. "Will you be a Snape at the end of it or a Potter still?" Draco then asked, frowning at him and for a moment he frowned back at the blond boy.

Not because it was Draco who asked such a personal question of him that would hold Ron's place, and it definitely was a personal question, but because – well, earlier he had not even thought about this particular question. In the past, surely, he would have been totally sure about keeping his name, but now, after living with Snape for the last weeks and already feeling so close to the Professor, feeling that he needed the man, that he even liked him – he wasn't sure any longer. He would be proud to be a Snape, and he would do anything to live up to this name. He also feared he would never really feel as if he belonged to the man if he remained a Potter. On the other hand, he didn't know if he was allowed to, if it would be alright for the Potions Master if he took his family name, he didn't want to take too much, didn't want to take anything that wasn't his. He had no right to get as far as …

"You have to tell him, Severus!" He heard McGonagall's voice and looking over at the head table he could see the Transfiguration Professor looking at the Potions Master in pure shock while the dark wizard only lifted his eyebrow at her in his typical Snape manner, a sight that actually was – kind of amusing, Snape looking at McGonagall like he always looked at them, the students.

Breåk· … ·~†~*~*~*~*~*~†~· … ·Łine

Watching Harry, Draco Malfoy frowned, wondering how it had come to that, a Potter sitting beside him at the Slytherin table for breakfast and he didn't even mind the other boy that had been his – his what? His enemy? His Gryffindor counterpart? His what? He wasn't so sure, not anymore, not since the train ride and definitely not since the past few potions lessons and uncle Severus' visit with the Gryffindor ghost in the Slytherin common room.

On the train ride, already, he had known that there was something really wrong. He had seen Harry being a ghost, and of course, he had seen the bruises, he was a Slytherin after all and so of course, he looked for such things, and found them if they were there, and knew what they meant. Harry Potter had been beaten and seeing that he was a ghost and only dead persons could become ghosts – well, he had been beaten to death. And seeing that it had happened during the summer holidays, it was also clear that it had been his relatives.

It was a logical conclusion.

However, Potter or not Potter, it had been that moment when his animosity had started crumbling, because no one, and especially no child, deserved that, being beaten to death.

And then there had been the one particular potions lesson, one of the first potions lessons of the year and well, it had been a startling potions lesson, one that had made him considering a few things.

Flashback

"Harry, you are next, come here please."

Blinking in shock he looked up, his eyes searching out the dark eyes of uncle Severus, but his godfather had them locked with the green ones of Potter, leaving him, Draco, to wonder how it was that not only had the Slytherin head of house called the Gryffindor by his given name, and in a tone, he normally only used with his Slytherins no less.

He knew however better than trying to gain his teacher's attention, knowing that if Severus acted like this, then he had a reason, whatever reason it was he suddenly handled Potter like if he were one of his snakes. And well, Potter himself didn't seem so sure himself either, because he watched the Potions Master carefully, clearly not trusting him.

"Just trust me." Uncle Severus said and his frown deepened while he watched Potter's fingers that took the vial with the truth serum trembling. "I won't hurt you." Uncle Severus then added, causing his frown to deepen, because he knew – while his Godfather never would actually hurt a child, not really, it was a completely different thing hearing him stating just that, but well Potter finally and actually took a sip of the potion.

The teacher's next words however startled him more than anything else.

"Well done, Harry." Uncle Severus gently said, in a tone of voice that really, really, really only was reserved for the Slytherins – and for a moment anger welled up in him, anger and jealousy, because what right did Potter have, stealing the caring side of their head of house?

Well, if he had thought he was dreaming so far, then he now was sure that it was some kind of hallucination or uncle Severus being under the imperious curse – at least he would think so if his godfather weren't the best when it came to defence against the dark arts. So – no, he was sure that it wasn't the imperious, and therefore it had to be a hallucination.

But then a quick glance at the other Slytherins showed him that no, it was not a hallucination, or they had a collective hallucination and he doubted that such a thing was even possible, because as well as they hid it, they too were startled, he knew what he had to look for and he could see behind the masks his house mates displayed.

"I do thank you, Harry." He heard his godfather saying, just as gently, and looking up at the front of the classroom he scowled. Now he had missed the question!

End flashback

Well, yes – he'd had missed the question, but not only had Theo told him later, but also had the small smile Potter had given uncle Severus been just the more startling than any question could have been.

"As for what will happen now, Miss Granger – this depends on you." His godfather later had said to Granger and if he had not learned some self-control, then he would have gaped at the man because never before had he thought that his godfather would give a well meant advice to a Gryffindor, and in a gentle tone no less. "You may continue with avoiding Harry, what surely will destroy the last remnants of your friendship, or you might try to overcome the – 'creepy feeling' and try to make the best of the situation in simply – approaching a ghost child. Think of how you would feel, and I am sure you will manage. You may go back to your seat. Misters Weasley, Finnigan and Thomas, please."

Well, he hadn't known what this was about except that Granger apparently had breached the privacy of someone – he had guessed Potter – and some of the Gryffindors having been interested in Granger's doing. But well – he hadn't known why McGonagall wouldn't handle the situation.

Of course, there had been transfiguration, just the day before the last potions class, during which they had brewed the truth serum, and of course he had immediately known that McGonagall had been angry, and for once at some of the Gryffindors. He even had been frowning when McGonagall had mentioned incontinence, wondering how it was that one of the lions had wet his or her bed, not to mention wondering why McGonagall would bring it up in a class, Severus never would do such a thing after all.

He knew that there were one or two of the Slytherins who had wet their beds upon having a nightmare and he also knew that Severus always had been there then to calm them down and then to help them, but he just as well knew that the man never, absolutely never, would bring this up in class and not even in a meeting he had with his Slytherins.

But well, the thought had been gone quickly, seeing that he had been looking forwards to Weasley being questioned and Severus stance had promised nothing well, it had been different than it had been with the others before.

Flashback

"A sip please, each of you." Severus said, holding out three vials with the truth serum and the three idiots actually downed them completely, nearly causing him to chuckle at their idiocy. Well, the look that uncle Severus cast at him for a moment definitely kept him from doing so, but well, he knew what would happen.

"Hmm." The potions teacher huffed, and he knew that the man was obviously amused. "A sip clearly would have been enough, but well, the entire vial won't harm you either. It only will increase the time, and will take effect for longer than the hour a truth serum normally works … for – two or three days, I guess. But be it."

Well, he had known that it would have a prolonged effect, but of course the Gryffindors hadn't known that, especially not Weasley. Apparently, none of them had done some extra reading on that particular potion, how stupid, really.

"So – how is it, that three pre-teenagers at the age of twelve, feel the need of – urinating on the bed of one of their classmates?" his godfather asked and this time he wasn't able keeping himself from gasping – and he was not the only one. They had – what? Surely, uncle Severus had …

Surely, they had not done such a thing, because even if the Gryffindors were stupid idiots and bullies, they surely would not do such a thing, no one would …

"Ron told us to." Finnigan said, before Weasley hissed an angry "shut up, you idiot" at him. "He'd said, that a ghost wouldn't sleep in a bed anyway, and that he wanted to know if a ghost would mind a wet bed to begin with. I'm sorry, really, I've only thought about it later, when Harry had been laying on the floor beside the bed to sleep on the floor. I didn't want that but … what should I have done? I …"

Potter? Weasley had – pissed on Potter's bed because he was a ghost?

Surely that was a mistake, because it wasn't Potter's fault that he was a ghost?

He definitely started seeing why uncle Severus would address this in class – and suddenly he understood why McGonagall had been so angry, too, during transfiguration.

"You, for once, could have shown this Gryffindor bravery you are so well known for and you could have gone against Mr. Weasley's – 'order' – as it not only is revolting and sickening, urinating on someone else's bed, and that with twelve years of age! You should be ashamed of yourselves! All of you three! I definitely am ashamed of such beastly imbeciles as you and were you in my house, be assured that you would have been punished in a more severe way than you already are. Your actions towards one of your own classmates are unspeakable!"

He definitely agreed to that.

"So what!" Weasley shouted and he really gasped now, shocked, holding his breath. "What's it to you? You're not our head of house!" He knew that the Lions with their idiotic Gryffindor bravery were – well, just idiotic, but this here – this was unbelievable! This was …

"No, I am not, Mr. Weasley, luckily for you." Severus calmly drawled at the boy, and he wondered how his godfather could be so calm – he knew that if Weasley were a Slytherin, then uncle Severus would ignore it for now, but after class he would take him to his office to punish him and he knew from own experiences that a punishment from his own head of house was anything than pleasant. "And nevertheless, I am a teacher here at Hogwarts and so you are a student of mine as well as is Mr. Potter, and as your teacher it is in my hand to punish you as well, as it is in my hand to protect Mr. Potter from further abuse and bullying his own house is bestowing upon him. But if you are so sure that you have done nothing wrong – we also can address your mother with what you have done, Mr. Weasley, I am sure that Molly will be very pleased with your actions, do you not think so?"

Merlin!

How was it that uncle Severus suddenly was so very protective of Potter? So caring? What had happened from the time span between last school year and this school year?

And yes, he suddenly knew that it was caring, because he had seen his godfather placing his hand on Potter's shoulder last lesson, and even if he hadn't questioned his godfather over it back then, knowing that the only answer he would get from the dark man would be a "that surely is none of your business, Mr. Malfoy" he nevertheless had been curious about it.

He started to understand, however.

"So what?" Weasley screamed, getting to his feet, causing the entire class to look from Severus to Weasley and back to Severus. "I don't care! I …"

Except of Potter as it seemed, because a soft sob drew his attention to the back of the Gryffindor side, followed by something he could barely make out as a softly uttered "please" by Potter, the ghost looking deathly pale, alright, he was dead and so he of course looked deathly – but well, he just looked startled out of his pants and suddenly he knew that he couldn't leave the other boy in his misery, that surely uncle Severus had not started defending Potter to have him now suffering a heart attack or something like that, that …

"You better keep a grip …" He barely recognized from his head of house mixed with the second "please …" coming from Potter and for a second he didn't know what to do.

"Uncle Severus …"

End flashback

Well, everything had been so fast back then, Weasley's comment, uncle Severus' warning, Potter's second plea – he hadn't even realized that he had called his godfather "uncle Severus" in class, in front of the Gryffindors, but well, the man had not minded, as it seemed. Well, he guessed that the man hadn't had much sense to really think much of it, because he himself had paled after he had cast a look at Potter and he had told Weasley that surely the other students would like asking them a lot of questions during the next few days before he had dismissed the class, sending Weasley, Finnigan and Thomas away without giving them the counter potion.

Well, he always had known that his godfather had a wicked sense of humour.

But then – had it really been humour? He wasn't sure, and with the knowledge he now had … he guessed that the man had had more worries than Weasley at that moment, because he definitely had been worried about Potter who had been close to a breakdown.

And then there had been the visit to the Slytherin common room.

Not that it was a startling thing that Severus visited the Slytherin common room, he nearly every evening did, sometimes at a daily basis, sometimes just a few evenings a week, depending on his time. No, the startling thing had been – he'd had Potter with him, telling them that he not only was a Slytherin – and always had been, by the way – but that he also was Severus' son. So, that made Potter – what? His cousin? His god-brother or something like that? His fellow snake? One of his own? His what? He didn't know.

But well, it had happened, the unthinkable, apparently Potter definitely was the son of his godfather, of his head of house, whatever.

And he had seen that Severus hadn't only taken the other boy in because of his sense of responsibility, or because Dumbledore had ordered it of him, no! He was sure that – Merlin, he was sure that Severus actually wanted Harry Potter. Because he had looked at the other boy like he looked at him, Draco, as if he not only cared but even liked him. And he surely wouldn't dare speaking of love here, because he knew his godfather and he also knew that Severus would kill him if he just thought of something like love when it came to him.

But well, Severus had gone all protective over the small ghost, and caring, had been really, really worried, nearly upset, when his hands suddenly had gone through the translucent form and he had to admit that he'd been startled too, because he had seen that during potions Severus had laid his hand on the other boy's shoulder, had touched him.

Flashback

Ok, it really had been a stupid question of him, but really, he only had tried following Marcus' lead. He knew how things worked in Slytherin after all, and if Marcus started the lead with using Potter's given name and asking questions on what would happen now, then he knew that they should follow, then he knew that they should reach out their hands just as well, and maybe Potter would take one of their hands. He doubted it, honestly. Potter was too much of a Gryffindor and in his eyes all Slytherin things were bad, but on the other hand – Potter seemed to have accepted uncle Severus as his father, or he wouldn't have allowed him touching him during potions a few days ago, nor would he have smiled up at him back then.

The other boy sagging against uncle Severus startled him out of his thoughts and he frowned. Yes, Potter definitely seemed to have accepted Severus as his father.

And seeing that he was a ghost, that he had been killed and Severus – he wasn't stupid after all and he knew that his godfather went against child abuse all the time – had helped him with whatever problems he'd had – or still had – well, he guessed that maybe he could understand now, a bit at least.

If an abused Potter was the same as was any abused Slytherin, then yes, it was definitely understandable. But uncle Severus responding to it and embracing the other boy openly in front of them?

"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." Uncle Severus said while holding Potter close. "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 other boy mumbled. "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 all the time. And therefore, I am sure that – yes, you could die."

"'M not doing this on purpose." Potter said, clearly trying to defend himself but it rather sounded half-heartedly, as if the other boy enjoyed the embrace too much to put up a real fight. Well, he could understand that too well. In Slytherin were too many abused and neglected children and he knew them, he actually was lucky that he was one of the few that were neither of the two, but he definitely knew that even he always enjoyed the moments his godfather wrapped his arms around him, and he knew that those other children in Slytherin enjoyed it just the more, craved for it, sometimes even just sat beside uncle Severus during his visits in the common room to lean against their head of house in the hope that he might pull them close.

"And I did not say you did either. 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 couldn't help snorting at that comment while uncle Severus stood, Potter still in his arms, clinging to him, the man carrying the Gryffindor out of their common room.

End flashback

Well, it had been a strange picture, but one that definitely looked cute, even if he never would tell so in any form, neither with spoken nor with written words, or uncle Severus would kill him. But well, it had looked cute, their head of house that was known as a dark and cold bastard to anyone who was not in Slytherin, carrying a too small Gryffindor that rather looked like a nine or ten year old ghost around and suddenly he had noticed just how small Potter actually was.

"You have to tell him, Severus!" McGonagall's voice got him out of his thoughts and looking over at the head table he could see the Transfiguration Professor looking at the Potions Master in pure shock while the wizard only lifted his eyebrow at the witch in his typical Snape manner, a sight that actually was – kind of amusing, Severus looking at McGonagall like he always looked at the students.

Breåk· … ·~†~*~*~*~*~*~†~· … ·Łine

To be continued

Next time in "The boy that forgot to die"
Please sir, I'm fine

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 done a 'go over' concerning the house points as I have lost track over the years. I have them now saved in a chart where I can keep them easily updated – I have also 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 55
Gryffindor 32
Ravenclaw 25
Hufflepuff 07
Hogwarts 17