" Reality is the only thing that's real."
That was the driving force of the High 5. They wanted to encourage people to get out, into the real world, and return to the days of trying to save the planet.
They spent over 100 billion dollars, just in research of ways to clean up the worlds pollution levels, and fix the ozone... then another 200 billion, in funding the procedures, themselves.
Then spent another 150 billion in reestablishing real world jobs. Hiring a number of people to work in everything from factories, to desk jobs, and even the Sciences and arts. That last one managed to get them a few more monopolies under their control, getting them a good 10 billion credits a year, for each additional company.
They even found a way for people to spend their waking hours, out and about in the real world, without compromising their time in the Oasis.
'The Dreamscape Helmet' was a marvel of modern technology. Built by Ogden Morrow, the same specialist that invented the hardware for the Oasis (although he had little to do with the programming side of things).
This helmet caused anyone whom wore it, to have their dreams directed by the Oasis. They still entered RIM sleep, but instead of chaotic dreams of random thoughts, they would have their minds guided in a virtual world.
The players could feel everything going on around them, and to them. They could even taste foods. But it was all simulations their brain was interpreting, through programs.
Children would go to school, in their sleep, and then go to a "Community Center"... at least... normal kids did.
His Cousin was always boasting about what fun, he and his friends, got up to. There were sports teams. Where kids would compete against other community centers. Dojos, to learn real world self defense. Even rigs setup, to play on a private server of the Oasis. Especially made for kids...
"The Boy" had never even been to the Oasis. Had never been to any school, of any kind... he didn't even know how to read, much less basic math... he didn't even have a name.
The Boy's only purpose was to "do chores" around the house... things like the Community center "wasn't for ungrateful freaks" as the boy's Uncle said.
There was no evidence, The Boy even lived in the house. There were no pictures of him, not even a bedroom to call his own.
The Boy... was not an ordinary boy. His relatives were ordinary, and prided themselves on their quaint lives... however... The Boy was not. He was a "Freak", a "lazy good for nothing"... although, The Boy didn't know how he could possibly be lazy, when he was never allowed a moment of free time to himself.
He was always doing chores around the house. Everything from cooking, to weeding the garden... to painting the house and cleaning the gutters... he was 3 when his relatives put him to work.
If he failed to complete all the "chores" on time, he would receive a harsh beating, and denied any food for the next few days.
His relatives never lifted a finger around the house, not even the other boy his age. Of course, that kid was their son. It was his place to be pampered... The Boy was just the orphan they took pity on... that meant he had to work to earn his keep...
Whenever his relatives had company over, The Boy was shoved into the cupboard under the stairs. This doubled as his bedroom, and storage for cleaning supplies (like The Boy).
Today, The Boy's relatives, were having a big birthday party for their son, His Cousin... The Boy once made the mistake of asking if he had a birthday... his Uncle's response was to beat him bloody. Saying things like "Freaks don't deserve birthdays" and how ungrateful the abomination was.
Regardless, the party was in full swing, and The Boy could hear the sounds of laughter from children and adults alike.
The Boy jumped, as he heard a sudden banging on the cupboard door.
"Freak!" It was His Cousin, "Come out here! I want to introduce you to my friends."
The Boy's eyes widened. He was never allowed out of his cupboard when guests were around. The Boy gulped, getting excited as he heard a key insert into the lock. He would really be allowed to meet other kids?
The door was suddenly opened... and The Boy's life changed forever.
"Severus Snape"... was not his name. Rather it was his primary Avatar. Avatars, of Canon characters, were cheaper then custom made ones. His real name was "Stanly Steven Stewart", as his parents thought giving him a name like Parzival's alliteration, would be good luck.
Regardless, he'd woren this generic Avatar for so long, trained to respond only to the character's name, for security reasons... he thought of himself as "Severus Snape". It helped he shared so much in common with the character.
He did not consider himself a patient man... nor was he particularly fond of children. Never the less. He worked in a school, a rather prestigious one at that.
Physical schools had long since gone out of fashion. Nowadays, students spent their nocturnal emissions, inside a private Oasis Server. Thanks to the Dreamscape helmets, built a little over 30 years ago... then spent their waking hours, at the local community center. That way they couldn't get up to too much mischief, while their parents were at work.
They would play real games together, learning social skills, as well as have a couple hours to play in the Oasis... or rather, in a private server, connected to the community center. That way the kids couldn't lose all their parents money, if their Avatar died.
No... Snape was not a man who had the patience for children... yet here he was... returning from the police station. After filling out papers to claim custody of one.
Flashback:
"No one even knew he was living there." The child services agent spoke with true disgust. This case getting under her jaded skin. "There were no custody papers, no medical records (not even dental), no school records. The boy can't even read!
"We honestly thought the boy had been purchased from overseas. Until we discovered medical nanobots, in the child's bloodstream. Normally that's the type of shit, only millionaires can afford... Good thing to, cuz the boy be dead by now, without them.
"We were able to get the serial number, and used that to track down the Boy's birth certificate.
"That... that... MONSTER... enslaved her own nephew! And the only reason we found out about it, was because their whale of a son, wanted to prove to his friends that he 'really did own a slave'."
She sighed. "Normally, when I have to deal with things like this. It's a direct result of kids, newly freed from human trafficking rings... this kid was actually worse off then them... and he's a British citizen."
Snape gulped, "Worse off?" hoping she wasn't implying what he thought she was.
"One of the ways the boy's uncle got off, was in beating the child..."
Snape did not want to know what the other ways were.
"We uncovered the parents' will. It was sealed as 'a matter of national security', but that lifted some years ago, and it was still never read."
Snape sighed, "James Potter worked for MI6. While his wife was a researcher for MI5... they died in service to their country. Young Harold was placed with his relatives, without a paper trail, to keep him safe."
The woman tilted her head "And you know this, how?"
"I used to work in MI5. Through their Oasis division. Retired." that was a matter of public record... although all his missions were still classified. He even used his generic "Severus Snape" avatar, on all those missions. With the Avatar being so common, no one could trace it back to him.
"... can you tell me who placed the boy in his relatives' care? Thereby ignoring the Potter's will?"
"Classified," Snape dismissed. "Though I can assure you. I will be having words with them... they were supposed to be checking up on the boy."
She sighed, deciding to move on. "The kid has a Godfather, but I can find no evidence of him... more classified, I take it?"
"Not so much," Snape informed, "He's currently in an asylum for criminally insane agents... turns out, her majesty had hired a serial killer." though that had leaked out to the press, and a gag order would have done more harm then good... although Snape imagined they later buried all evidence of the man.
The woman groaned, rubbing her temple.
Snape sighed, himself. "Then Moony is still an active agent, and can't risk taking on a child... leaving only me, as the possible guardian..."
"The courts have decided to treat this as a human trafficking case," informed the social worker. "So you'll have access to specific programs and Doctors, to help little Harold integrate into society."
End Flashback
Snape might teach children, but that certainly didn't mean he understood anything about them... his specialty lay in intimidating the shit out of them, so they take their lessons seriously.
He was one of the "Craftsmen" instructors. Teaching the kids how to make "potions". Which, although a necessity if you wanted to do well in the Oasis... wasn't exactly a fun topic to learn. Few children bothered with any of the "Crafting Electives", and most quit after the first semester.
Snape would have much prefered to teach combat tactics... but that position was rather difficult to get. Given most of Snape's gamer record was classified, he "didn't have the necessary experience to teach such a subject"... most of the people hired into such positions, were champions of multiple tournaments, and victors of many artifact hunts.
As these people couldn't devote all their time to teaching kids (or rather, didn't want to). They had rotating days throughout the school year. Throughout the week, a different teacher would come in, once a day. That way the kids could learn different specialties and styles, and develop their own.
The school, of course, taught all the necessary academics, with Oasis based fields, being electives. It actually taught Primary through University. With children learning their ABCs, just down the hall from older kids (but definitely still kids, in Snape's opinion) working on their doctorates.
The Boy would have to take remedial classes, until he caught up, and probably Summer school as well. It was near the beginning of summer now. So Snape should look into hiring a private tutor. That way the child could join his peers, in a few years... Snape doubted, a boy who couldn't even read, would be able to integrate into a school setting, after one summer of study...
Although... maybe he should look into a nearby community center. That way the boy could learn the necessary social skills.