Chapter Two

Harry found it easy to fail to mention why he had to eat what was on his plate while he and Ron ran to class. He had seen the food just appear to move onto his plate of its own volition and then a force he could not explain pushed him back down into his seat without a hand on him. He had turned to see Professor Snape stalking the center aisle on his way out of the Great Hall without looking his way, but somehow he could tell it was the Professor. He just knew it.

He ate the food, and then he and Ron ran to find the Transfiguration classroom. That class ended up being pretty brilliant, the teacher was his Head of House, and she seemed really good at teaching if a little strict. He was a little put out to be late to the class and make a bad impression, but he knew he had had to eat the food on his plate.

They were walking down the hall when Harry turned to ask Ron where their next class was after lunch. He hit something solid with an 'oof' before falling on his bum, hard enough to bruise he was sure. He had had worse and there was no reason to cry. He heard laughter and looked up to see he'd ran into a large Slytherin boy he was pretty sure was named Gregory. He blushed as he was getting to his feet. The laughter came from the right once more, and he saw it was Malfoy.

Harry blushed harder at the derision in his voice and looked down. He turned in the direction of Gregory and smiled apologetically. "Sorry about that, Gregory. I wasn't looking."

The boy seemed to respond with shock while Malfoy had stopped laughing and was now glaring. The bigger boy just nodded at Harry dazedly. Harry smiled a little more at the acknowledgement before he felt a push to his shoulder. He only stumbled a little this time before he felt Ron grab his arm to steady him as he flinched. "That was a dirty move, Malfoy," Ron shouted.

Harry really wished he wouldn't fight his battles for him. "Why can't you see where you're going, Potter? You have four eyes or is it the lack of brain that has you at a loss or does it make you too stupid to get glasses?"

Harry glared, feeling his cheeks heat up. He couldn't really see out of his glasses, but they were the only ones he had, and it wasn't like it was his choice. "Shut-up, Malfoy," Ron growled, stepping in front of Harry like some older brother.

Harry fought off a blush, feeling like such a baby having his best friend keep sticking up for him. As nice as the gesture was, Harry was eleven, not eight, he was a Gryffindor, he could face Malfoy, but really he didn't want to get in trouble for fighting. He carefully touched Ron's shoulder, still unaccustomed to being allowed to initiate physical contact with anyone, and the boy spun on him quicker than Harry's reflexive flinch appreciated. "What, Harry?"

Harry gestured the other way from the Slytherins. "We should go, Ron. They aren't worth getting in trouble."

The larger boy looked outraged. "They pushed you, Harry, and made fun of you."

Harry sighed aloud. He didn't really mind being pushed around or even taking a few words about himself. He knew what he was and how little of anything that was, and he was used to it, but he could see Ron wasn't and that letting this go would hurt the larger boy's pride, but Harry just didn't pride himself enough for all of that. "It doesn't matter, Ron. Besides, I ran into them, and we could be late to lunch."

The redhead looked confused before seeming to come to a decision. Harry tried not to shake too hard as the boy's arm came to his shoulder, as friendly as it was he was not ready for contact with anyone yet. "Okay, mate, we'll go."

They turned to walk, going around the Slytherin boys, when Harry tripped over the foot Malfoy had stuck out in the last second. Harry tripped and fell hard his whole body unprepared and taking a punishment. His knees and hands scraped the cold stone, and he whimpered as his face smashed the surface. He already felt the thick, acrid blood rolling down his lips.

Snape

Severus was stalking the corridors worried. The Potter boy was late for lunch along with the newest of the Weasley clan, Potter's newest compatriot. He wasn't being pushy, but he knew the boy wasn't well liked by Slytherin house, and it just so happened, un-coincidentally, that the Malfoy scion and the Goyle boy were missing as well.

He stalked toward the path they'd have taken from Minerva's class when he heard a whimper and turned the next corner, finding the Potter boy bleeding on the ground, the Weasley boy with his want out, and his two Slytherins glaring with Malfoy's wand trained on Weasley. He felt his blood pressure rise. "What is going on here?" he hissed.

The two wand wavers jolted, jerking their wands down, while Goyle just stared dumbly. Severus sighed, calling their wands to him for now, before turning to Potter. The poor boy had scraped through his trousers and his hands looked bloody while his nose was pouring blood. The child seemed so unaffected (worryingly so) as he pinched his nose and tilted his head back flawlessly. "Alright, Potter?" he found himself asking.

The boy started to nod but must have realized his folly. "Yes, sir."

Severus rolled his eyes. "That doesn't seem likely, Potter. You're bleeding all over the stone floors."

The boy blushed and looked away. "Sorry, sir. I've had worse though, so I'll be fine. I'll even clean it up. I swear…"

Severus held up a hand to stop the little twit from saying anymore foolish promises. He was too angry to get into everything the boy revealed, but for now he could address the group. "Get together your things, all of you, and follow me."

Severus gathered the Potter boy's things with a spell and reached over to help him to his feet when the child flinched away from him. Snape backed off quickly, holding up his hands. The boy was shaking, but he looked more nervous and embarrassed than scared. Severus took that in, deciding it was a reflex. He's have to dissect this interaction later.

He offered a hand this time and helped the hesitant boy to his feet. He turned to look at the other three with a glare, keeping his reputation with them at least and nodded forward as he walked with Potter. He kept watching as the boy glared at him curiously, He didn't acknowledge the attention, but he didn't ignore it either.

They made it to his office, and he ushered them in, spelling two extra chairs for his Slytherins on the other side of the two he left for the Gryffindors. The three not bleeding sat down, and Severus gave each his harshest glare and watched them all gulp before turning to Potter. " , go through that door there and wait for me on the table."

The boy seemed hesitant, but he followed orders easily going to the other room. Severus turned on the others, striding over to them with a glare. "What happened?"

The Slytherins looked pale and confused when his glare included them. The redhead, who was at that moment red faced, looked like his Gryffindor bravery wanted him to speak up."Harry ran into Goyle and fell, and then Malfoy pushed him and made fun of him and his glasses. Then Harry made us leave, but Malfoy tripped him when we walked by making him hurt."

Severus started thinking of innocent, loving green eyes and blood. His veins felt icy. "Mr. Malfoy, is this true?"

The boy looked offended and then smug. "Of course not," foolish young thing was not Slytherin enough to conceal emotions or lies. "Potter did bump into us, but we never hurt him."

Severus could feel the lie in his bones, but the curious thing was Goyle's face. He seemed guilty, and so seeing this opening, Severus turned on him. "Is that your story as well, Mr. Goyle?"

The boy shook his head. "No, sir. Potter did fall after running into me, and Weasley was telling the truth. Draco was teasing Potter and tripped him."

Severus could feel the shock and pride roll through him together. The boy had stood up for good, but why? He would ask after. He turned his glare on Malfoy. "Mr. Malfoy, bullying, lying, and hurting another student. I believe three weeks of detention with me and a thousand lines will make a mark on your misbehavior. Mr. Weasley, a detention tonight for pulling your wand on another student served with Mr. Malfoy for the same."

The two looked ready to argue, but Professor Snape held up a hand and gestured to the door. "You two may go."

The boy's grumbled as they both took their wands and left, the Weasley boy seeming undecided about his friend. "Don't worry, Mr. Weasley, Mr. Potter's wounds will be tended."

The boy nodded confused and followed the blonde Slytherin out. Severus turned again on Goyle. "Mr. Goyle, why did you tell on Mr. Malfoy?"

The boy shrugged, seeming just as unintelligent and slow as ever. "Potter apologized to me and was kind and he tried to leave us alone. Draco is never like that. He even called me Gregory. Potter did. Doesn't mean I like him, but I owed the truth I guess."

Severus nodded and gestured to the door. "You may go, and let me know if Mr. Malfoy gives you trouble, Mr. Goyle."

The boy nodded slowly and left out the door. Severus sighed and rubbed down his face, wondering how long he'd be going over the day's events in his head. He shook away the thoughts and walked to the other door in the room, where he sent Potter. The boy jumped when he entered before looking down guiltily. As much as Severus detested any legilimency without someone's knowledge, he truly wanted to with Harry to see what had happened to him, but the boy made it impossible by always looking down so meekly. He pondered why the child who followed so meekly as he had instructed. "Well, Mr. Potter, why aren't you sitting on the table?"

The boy blushed and hunched up at the shoulders before peering up slowly to meet his eyes. "I'm sorry, sir. I was too short to get up, sir."

Severus raised his eyebrows in displacement before measuring the boy to the table. He shook his head at himself seeing the table only reach above the boy's armpits. (Of course, he couldn't reach, he's small and thin.) He tried to twitch a lip up into a smile to ease the boy, but he hardly succeeded to perform the action. He'd have to practice. "Well, that's fine then, Potter. Would you mind if I picked you up?"