Title: Lusus Naturae

Chapter: Chapter Seventeen

Rating: M for Marrow

Warnings: Abuse, Death, Injuries

It was nearing four-o'clock on Christmas Eve.

Severus Snape noted this from the chiming of the clock hanging on the wall in his study - meant to chime at a quarter to the hour, every hour, to prevent one from being late to class. He had all but wasted the day absorbed in a textbook about the elicit subject of Sanguine Magic. He had barely stepped away to take tea - the elves having delivered a cuppa to his office at noon.

The illegalities surrounding the possession of such a record were not lost on him when he remembered himself at the chime of the clock. He carefully hid the book back in its rightful place - a well secured drawer at the back of his stores - and set about righting himself to join his ward at dinner.

While he would never dare to practice the forbidden magic held in that book, Severus was nearing the end of a thorough search for answers to Harry Potter's curious condition and his research had taken a turn for the desperate, though he was loathe to admit that even to himself. Without knowing what had caused the curse that had overtaken the boy's body he had little hope of reversing the damage it had already done, let alone what awful effects it might have in the future.

Severus thought long and hard about Nicholas Flamel's word on the matter and every time he reached a deadend in his studying he was plagued by nightmares of Harry Potter in the body of the Dark Lord: fully grown, frighteningly powerful, and monstrous. Whereas Albus Dumbledore seemed unconcerned about that possible outcome, Severus planned to use every resource available to him to prevent it.

He exited his office in the dungeons at precisely three-forty-eight that evening. His feet carried him on a familiar path through the castle: up the stone spiral of stairs that led from the dungeons, along the passageways that would take him to his private quarters. He considered as he walked the nature of the gift he had prepared for Potter.

It felt improper to hold off on bestowing the newly enchanted glasses to the boy until Christmas, but he and Madame Pomfrey had only finished them a day ago. He truly hoped they served Potter better than the first. It had been a difficult task instituting some form normalcy in the boy's life since the start of term. Severus found himself powerless to stop the deterioration of Potter's body. A pair of working spectacles was the least they could offer.

"Ssss."

Severus paused as he made his way up the Grand Staircase. He peered into the empty corridor that branched off onto the third floor and perceived nothing lurking beyond the arched doorway. He was above such a thing as calling out to ghosts and therefore made to continue on, but was stopped again when he heard someone, quietly, calling his name.

"Sssnape."

His wand was in his hand faster than most men could blink. He spun, cloak ripping through the air around his feet, and trained it on the doorway.

"Come out," he ordered lowly.

"Snnnape."

Severus descended the few steps he had previously cleared and returned to the platform that connected to the corridor. He proceeded wand-first into the space.

"Harry," the voice cried to him.

He checked the corners and peered down into the shadowed hall - finding nothing.

"Show yourself."

The impact was unexpected. Severus was thrown against the wall between two suits of armor upon pedestals. His attacker pressed against him. The stench that invaded his sinuses was eye-watering.

"Stupefy!" Severus hissed, jabbing his wand into the stiff cloth pressed up against him.

Before the resulting flash of light, the pressure upon him ceased as the other leapt away. When Severus' eyes adjusted he found the person huddled in a trembling ball against the far wall.

"Lumos."

The end of his wand flared with a bright white light illuminating the passageway. Severus recognized the fearful mass in an instant and had a far worse spell at the tip of his tongue.

"Haaarry!" Sirius Black cried, waving his hands in the air, pleading for mercy. "Harry is in trouble!"

The air in Severus' lungs was stolen and with it the incantation died on his lips. He closed the space between them in two short strides and stuck the tip of his wand into the jugular of the collapsed mongrel.

"Say that again," Severus growled. "I'll kill you where you stand, Black."

Black whimpered, but made no moves to escape. "Moony. Remus hurt him."

Severus did not think himself capable of fear after all these years. When Lily Potter died so too did Severus' concern for himself or any other living soul. The Dark Lord himself could have Severus at wand-point and not a bead of sweat would have formed on his brow. Now, though, Severus' gut clenched in an uncomfortable, unfamiliar manner.

"Where is Harry Potter," Severus shouted. "Tell me!"

"The willow, the willow, Lupin."

"Incarcerous," Severus intoned. He hauled Black to his feet as a binding white rope encircled the reeking man's limbs. Stabbing the tip of his wand into Black's back, he ordered, "Show me."

Severus did not concern himself with stealth. When a passing fifth year caught sight of them as they exited the castle he barely paused to order them to retrieve the Headmaster. He led Sirius Black across the ice-packed lawn of Hogwarts at wand-point. When the man fell to the ground out of exhaustion, Severus hauled him kicking and shouting to his feet and the pair marched on.

When they arrived at the Whomping Willow Severus was unsure if he could stay his own hand. Peering down at the scene laid out before him, thoughts of a life sentence in Azkaban or the kiss of death from a Dementor barely registered as a homicidal rage pulsed through his body on a tide of heated blood. He stunned Black at the top of the hill and bothered to boot his unconscious figure down it before he made his own way down the treacherous slope.

Remus Lupin was knelt in the ice, petrified, likely dead. Several yards away was a half naked, crumpled boy with pale skin and glittering scales collapsed at the foot of the willow tree.

"Harry," Severus shouted as he rounded Lupin's petrified corpse.

He paused only briefly to observe the rage frozen on the normally demure man's face and the outstretched wand pointed towards where Harry laid prone. Severus reached Harry mere seconds later.

"Harry," he called softly, reaching out to turn the boy over.

Potter's skin was cold to the touch, but his body was not trembling. Severus had the foresight to reach beneath his turned head and place a hand over his eyes to block the deathly stare that could very well be exposed given Lupin's state.

"Harry, can you hear me?"

There was no response. He flipped Potter onto his back, delicately wrapping the fabric of his own cloak under the child to protect him from the ice. He noticed several things at once. The necklace that held the glamour Harry wore was absent. So too were the glasses. His clothes looked to have been ripped from his body by - if Severus' experience was to be trusted - a Cutting Curse. Indelicate jagged - fortunately shallow - lines carved into the pristine white flesh of his chest and upper arms seemed to match the tears in the cloth that hung in tatters around his waist.

"Innervate," Severus cast.

Harry awoke with a keening cry in his arms. The boy struggled to push him away.

"It's alright, Harry. Keep your eyes closed."

Severus held his hand firm over Harry's eyes, repeating the sentiment until the boy finally relaxed into his chest.

"Keep your eyes closed, do you understand? I need to find your glasses."

Harry nodded, the movement carrying Severus' hand up and down as his head moved. Slowly, he removed his hand. The area around Potter's eyes was bright red and puffy as if he had been crying. He was trembling now from the cold or the pain - Severus couldn't tell which. Bluish-red blood streaked down in rivulets from the slashes across his chest as he sat upright. Harry kept the promise to keep his leaking eyes shut.

Severus took a steadying breath and summoned the boy's glasses. What flew into his hand were glass shards and warped metal wiring - evidence the glasses had been crushed. Severus swore. He looked back over his shoulder towards the castle where the newest version of the things were sitting boxed in his office and cursed again.

"Where is he?" Harry whispered.

Severus hadn't needed to summon the necklace. It was discarded nearby, having melted through the ice where it fell. He picked it up and rubbed it between his hands to warm it before lowering it over Harry's head.

"You're alright," Severus said, reassuring himself more than the boy.

"Professor Lupin," Harry cried lowly. "He- I didn't mean to. He attacked me!"

"He got what he deserved," Severus hissed. "Tell me. Tell me what happened."

He began removing the scraps of bloodied cloth from Harry's waist and discarding them to the side. Belatedly he thought to cast a spell to assist in warming the cloak and the boy.

"H-he asked me to take a walk."

Tears were falling down Harry's cheeks. He buried his face in his hands.

"I was trying to be polite, I don't know what happened. He tried to grab my necklace, like he knew what it was. It burnt his hand and he got so angry," Harry spat. "I tried to run, but he cursed me. I fell down. Then the dog came."

Severus turned to the incapacitated form of Sirus Black. He knew well of the animagus capabilities of the man. Had seen it first hand when he was but a Hogwarts student himself - right here at the Whomping Willow.

"It attacked Professor Lupin. Stood in front of me and protected me. He pointed his wand at us. I don't remember what he said. Something about getting rid of the evidence?"

That's when Severus noticed the second body, fallen several yards away. He detached his cloak and left it with Harry. Keeping his wand trained on Lupin and Black as though they might come back to life, he rose and moved to inspect the third wizard fallen in the clearing. It was a squat, round man, covered in hair. He kicked the body over and sneered.

Peter Pettigrew. Much older than when Severus had last had the displeasure of laying eyes on the man and missing a finger. The ramifications were...

At the top of the hill, the Headmaster appeared with McGonagall and Pomfrey in tow. A glittering barrier grew around the area, birthed at the insistence of the Headmaster's incantation. Severus holstered his wand and returned to Harry, scooping his ward into his arms.

"By the Gods," Minerva gasped as they made their way.

She rounded Remus Lupin as the Headmaster oversaw Madame Pomfrey's examination of Sirius Black. Severus hoisted the sniffling boy higher in his arms, casting a weightless charm to assist him.

"He said he was going to kill me," Harry whispered to him.

"Headmaster," Severus called.

When the old wizard's attention found him he pointed to Pettigrew who remained unmoving, lying on his back away from the rest.

"Pettigrew," he explained with a sneer.

"Sir." Severus turned his face down to Harry who spoke from beneath the folds of the cloak. "That was Scabbers."

"What was that?"

"That man. He wasn't a man before. It was Scabbers... Ron's rat."

"There were four," Severus explained as he set about the task at hand.

From an amber vial he collected a dittany solution into a glass dropper and made careful work of dispersing it across the angry lines carved into Harry's skin by the curse.

"James Potter," he listed, clinking the dropper against the inside of the vial to avoid spilling. "Remus Lupin, Peter Pettigrew, and Sirius Black."

Harry faced the ceiling to avoid any mishaps given his current state of undress. With his eyes unprotected - or rather the ones around him unprotected from his eyes - he would take no chances. He listened in rapt attention, shuddering as his skin tightened around the open wounds.

"Friends," Severus sneered. "From their first day at Hogwarts to the day they graduated. Potter - your father… He was the leader of the group. Sirius Black was his best friend. Remus Lupin and Peter Pettigrew were under their protection."

"You knew them?" Harry asked.

"Everyone in the school knew them, and knew to steer clear. They were…"

Severus set down the vial and waved his wand, summoning a roll of gauze from his supplies across the room. He exhaled, seeming to right himself with the action, and began wrapping the length of Harry's arms.

"I was a target, being a Slytherin with few friends to walk with through the halls. They were not kind."

Harry frowned, moving to pull back the cloak still wrapped around his stomach so that the Professor could reach the slashes on his chest.

"We graduated as the war against the Dark Lord reached its peak. Your mother-" Severus nearly choked on the word, but quickly asked, "Lean forward."

Harry's chin found Severus' shoulder as the man reached behind him to pass the roll of gauze under his arms.

"Your mother was pregnant with you. For safety they went into hiding. They used a Fidellus Charm to hide their location. It's old magic - the strongest illusion that exists today. It was created during the darkest days for our kind. It requires a Secret Keeper who holds the knowledge of the location."

"The Dark Lord found them, though."

"Yes. They were betrayed."

Severus waved his wand to secure the bandages in place and summoned fresh clothing for Harry to change in to. He set them down on the table beside the boy and stepped away as Harry moved to dress.

"Until today, it was believed that they had chosen Sirius Black as their Secret Keeper. Perhaps it is true. Whoever they chose betrayed them to the Dark Lord."

"Why did everyone think it was him?"

Harry pulled the jumper over his head and retook his seat. After a moment Severus returned to the table. The elves were kind enough to deliver dinner which Harry left untouched as he waited for the Professor to finish his story.

"The Black family were staunch supporters of the Dark Lord. Sirius was an outcast among them, but the name followed him. The night of the attack, Black was the first one to arrive to Godric's Hollow. He handed you off to Hagrid and then proceeded to blow up the street. Several muggle onlookers were killed along with - as it was believed - Peter Pettigrew. All they found of Pettigrew was a finger," Severus picked up a tea cup from the dinner set and took a sip.

"Of course, now that we know Pettigrew was not killed… We may only guess at Lupin's involvement. He was a werewolf. The wolves summarily sided with the Dark Lord in the war. I always-" He stopped himself, seeming to remember that Harry was there. "Black was sentenced for Pettigrew's murder to life in Azkaban, but he was never tried. Given new evidence I believe he may get his day in court after all."

Harry stopped playing with the pulled chicken on his plate and fought the urge to look up at Severus. "He was sentenced to life in prison without a trial?"

"Many were," Severus hummed.

Christmas Day arrived with a bitter chill that sent the fireplaces scattered across the castle roaring to life. In their quarters, Severus and Harry shared breakfast seated near enough to the much needed heat to singe the stray fibers of their bed clothes.

Harry had never considered what Professor Snape wore to bed, but he had certainly never imagined a white muggle t-shirt and sweat pants to be the answer to that unasked question. When Severus roused Harry from a rather fitful night of sleep that morning, he had been shocked to discover the man owned clothing in a color other than black. Had they parted on less solemn terms the night before he might have commented on it.

Instead he joined his Professor near the fire in his own pajamas - Severus had gruffly insisted such a thing was tradition - and stuffed himself with candied bacon while the man dispensed gifts. Harry hadn't expected any, but then he never did. His Christmas' at Hogwarts had yet to disappoint, however. There were two parcels from Neville and a box from the Weasleys in addition to a few letters that Professor Snape tucked off to the side, and a box he placed in front of Harry's breakfast plate to be opened first.

It was a plain paper box with no markings or wrappings. Harry lifted the lid to find a pair of glasses within. They weren't exactly like his last pair, which he was quite pleased about upon seeing the shape of them. He had been denied a choice in the style the first time around and the Dursleys weren't keen on taking him back for a second fitting even though the large rounded lenses often dragged the things down his nose. The pair he grabbed and quickly pulled over his eyes were oval shaped with a light metal frame - not the wire-rimmed look he had once had.

"Madame Pomfrey asked me to assure you the form factor can be adjusted to your liking. If you are displeased with the shape or color," the Professor told him, as if reading his mind.

"It's brilliant," Harry said, grinning ear to ear.

He locked eyes with Professor Snape for the first time since his incident with... at the Whomping Willow. Severus couldn't manage a smile but his black eyes reflected warmth in the dancing light of the fire.

"How is your vision?" Severus prompted.

Harry made a show of looking around the room. It was perfect. He was able to read the time on the standing clock in the far corner of the room. He could make out the titles on the backs of the books lining the shelves that had previously been vaguely rectangular shapes that often split into duplicates.

"Perfect," Harry answered earnestly.

Professor Snape nodded his approval. He motioned Harry silently to the rest of the gifts laid out beside him and picked up a fork to spear a breakfast sausage.

Harry looked the parcels over deciding which to open first, but quickly remembered what he was forgetting. With a mumbled apology he excused himself from the table and padded quickly down to his bedroom. At the bottom of his dresser in a paper box he pulled out the gift he had gotten for the man in the next room.

"I didn't have time to wrap it because - well, you know," Harry said when he returned, sheepishly holding the package behind his back. "It's from me and Neville. He helped me pick it out."

He awkwardly made for the table and scooted the box over to the Professor. Severus raised an eyebrow in amused curiosity and it was perhaps the kindest expression he had ever seen on the man's face.

"It's got a stasis charm on it from the store owner," Harry mumbled as Severus flipped open the top of the box.

Harry watched waiting for - something. Perhaps for the Professor to laugh at such a foolish gift or get angry that Harry had even bothered. Severus' thoughts were indecipherable.

"Angel's Trumpet," the man said finally, raising his attention back to Harry. "Rare and quite expensive. That's why it is wilted. Not many bother to spend the money when there are other nightshades for knuts to the galleon. This specimen has been sitting in the dark for a while."

Harry slowly lowered himself back into his seat, wondering if that meant he liked it or not. He wasn't wondering for long.

"A very suitable gift for a Potions Master," Severus said with finality. "Thank you."

Mrs. Weasley had bothered to knit him another sweater, which was a kindness Harry hadn't expected. Neville sent him a miniature quidditch set, meant to be played similar to Wizard's Chess, a handful of blood pops from Honeyduke's, and a book Severus had been tempted to take from him that detailed advanced protection spells - including the Patronus Charm.

The first of two letters was from Hermione and included a cheat sheet for Runes she had written up which she insisted Harry would need for next year when he took the class himself. The second was from the Headmaster.

Harry,

I've enclosed some clippings from the Daily Prophet to better explain the unfortunate turmoil that you became involved in yesterday in hopes it may illuminate the situation better than I ever could.

Sirius Black is at the Ministry awaiting trial. The demise of Remus Lupin has not been publicized and we should hope to keep it that way.

Merry Christmas

Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore

P.S. This letter will transform into a pair of woolen socks when you've finished reading it. May they serve you well.

Indeed the parchment turned fuzzy beneath his fingers and with a 'pop' split into two garish orange socks.

Severus motioned wordlessly for Harry to toss them in the fire. Harry tossed the clippings from the Daily Prophet in after and gave Severus a smirk, which earned him the closest thing to a laugh he had ever heard from the man.

"Merry Christmas, sir."

"Merry Christmas, Harry."

A/N: The next few chapters should swiftly sum up the remainder of third year and hopefully set up some of the tension going into fourth year.

Note that there is no posting schedule, but I haven't forgotten this story.