Chapter Text
Harry crept into the house almost silently and instantly locked himself up in the cupboard, not daring to turn on the light. As he lay there, he thought of Severus who had saved him and the Malfoy who had treated him so nicely. Why did Harry need to be protected from Voldermolt if he had killed him that night when he was a baby anyway?
Harry lay there for a few days, and none of his relatives noticed his presence thankfully. Despite that, Harry was growing hungry thanks to the frequent and delicious food served at Malfoy Manor. So, when everyone was asleep, Harry tip-toed into the kitchens for food. Nothing noticeable like Dudley’s chocolate. Too obvious. He saw the bowl of fruit on the dining room table which served more as decoration rather than food to the Dursleys. He grabbed an apple and ate it in a matter of seconds and then an orange. After that, he stopped himself, not wanting any signs of his existence to be found.
Unfortunately, he suddenly heard a sound. A creaking from the stairs. Harry tried to hide but before he knew it, Dudley was standing and staring at Harry like he was Aunt Petunia's Christmas cake on Christmas Eve.
“Harry, what are you doing here you freak?” he laughed.
Harry stepped backwards slowly.
“Mum!” he screamed. “DAD!”
“What is it duddykins?” Petunia screeched from upstairs.
“Harry’s back!”
At this, Harry knew he was dead. He sprinted to the front door.
Vernon got in the way.
“YOU VERMIN YOU!” he bellowed. “HOW DARE YOU COME BACK HERE?”
He grabbed the back of Harry’s shirt and swung him in front of him. He pushed him onto the floor and kicked his face until Harry could feel his nose flooding with blood.
“Please-” Harry said, not even bothering to scream. He had stopped screaming a long time ago.
In response, Vernon picked him back up and elbowed him repeatedly in the stomach. Harry could taste blood in his throat.
“Vernon-” Petunia pleaded.
“SHUT IT, WOMAN,” Vernon shouted.
“YOU NEED TO BE TAUGHT A BLOODY LESSON,” Vernon shouted. “DUDLEY GET THE LITTLE DAGGER WE KEEP FOR INTRUDERS.”
Dudley hurried upstairs and came back garnishing a golden dagger, small but effective.
Vernon grasped it for a moment, relishing the power he had over the boy. He started to carve letters onto the boy's open stomach.
F R E A K
Harry wept but still, he did not scream. He thought of the time spent with Severus and the Malfoys and smiled. He was happy then. He thought of his parents and how his mother and father died for him. In that sense, he was once loved. That, in itself, was comforting.
Harry was quite content with his death.
Harry was certain that this time he was going to die. After his relatives left him to bleed out on the floor with the dagger still plunged into his chest, he decided that no life this painful was worth living and he pulled the blade deeper and twisted it hard. He screamed agonizingly.
“Harry! Harry! Can you hear me?” a mysterious voice echoed.
Severus looked painfully at the corpse-like body in front of him
After hearing from the Malfoys that Harry had been sent back, he immediately sought Dumbledore out which took him far too long. Albus was always great at hiding but when, a few days later, he found him in a little cottage off the coast of Brighton, Severus was furious.
“You cannot take him back there,” Severus shouted. “They are abusive, he is not safe there.”
“Severus-”
“NO!” Severus bellowed. “This boy should not endure this any longer.”
After that, he came to Privet Drive and that’s where he found Harry in a pool full of crimson blood.
Severus ran, holding the lifeless body in his arms. Where could he go? St Mungo’s was too far to disapparate, he would die along the way.
Panicked, he remembered an old friend who lived very close. Remus.
Remus had a mastery of healing. He could help.
Severus disapparated to his friend’s home and ran to the door, banging it.
“Severus?” a half-asleep Remus asked.
Then he noticed the boy.
“Good grief, get him inside. I’ll fetch my stuff.” he cried. “Fuck.”
He came back with an old-looking bag filled to the brim with potions and plants.
“What the hell happened?” he asked Severus.
“Just help him please Remus.” Severus cried out.
Remus tore off the cloak that Severus had wrapped him in. The boy’s body was covered in scars and bruises, old and new. Most terrifyingly was the stabbed words, “FREAK” covering his entire abdomen. It was entirely barbaric.
Severus began to pour several different potions whilst Remus conducted a frenzy of charms and spells to clot the blood and heal the wounds the best he could. The child was still unconscious and Remus then remembered to check his pulse.
The child was not breathing.
Remus began to resuscitate the body and panicked. It wasn’t working.
“Let me try to start his pulse with electricity,” Severus said frantically.
He shot lightning streaks at Harry’s chest, sending silver streaks into Harry’s body that looked like twisted branches.
Thankfully, Harry gasped for air desperately.
Moments later, he fell back into an uncomfortable slumber and the two men sighed in relief.
“He died,” Remus said.
Severus nodded, barely keeping himself together with the fury he held for Albus fucking Dumbledore and the Dursleys.
“Who is he?” Remus asked.
Severus had forgotten. He had forgotten that Remus was almost the godfather of this child.
“It’s Harry,” Severus said, looking at Remus with pain in his eyes.
“Harry. Harry. No- Harry Potter?” Remus asked, tears streaming down his face.
“Yes,” Severus said, swallowing the lump in his throat.
“No.” Remus pleaded. “How could this happen? Who did this?”
“His only living relatives. The Dursleys.”
“I never knew. I assumed he had been adopted and was under the care of some loving family. Not this.”
“I know-” Severus sighed. “I had got him out of the house once before and took him to the Malfoys just for Albus fucking Dumbledore to put him right back there again.”
“Dumbledore? There’s no way.”
“I know.”
Both men stood there in silence, staring at the boy with a mixture of disbelief and fury.
A few days later, Harry woke up and looked cautiously around at his surroundings. In front of him, in this small and dusty cottage, lay a table filled with all manners of strange sweets which Harry had never seen before and handmade cards which mainly said “Get well soon” in funny letters that seemed to move. Fresh clothes were too laid out on a chair next to him which pleased Harry as his clothes still seemed a bit sticky with blood.
He also found almost immediately, that he could not sit up and the pain in his stomach was almost unbearable despite the weird-looking creams which seemed to have crusted onto the wounds.
Who had saved him?
About a minute later, a tired but unconventionally handsome man with ragged clothing stepped in not noticing Harry being awake.
“Who are you?”Harry asked quietly.
The man looked up suddenly, “Harry, I’m Remus. I was a friend of your parents.”
“Really? What were they like?” Harry asked, excitedly.
“Lily was the epitome of kindness and James was a bit of a troublemaker, to say the least.” Remus gleamed as if remembering them.
The boy looked entirely too fragile but not lacking in strength. The fact Harry survived portrayed his resilience perfectly. He already felt proud of the boy.
“Aunt Petunia says I’m a troublemaker but I’ve never been called kind,” Harry remarked.
“Right, well I’m sure you are very kind. However, I need to fetch Severus as he’ll be wanting to see you.” Remus said looking as if he wanted to say more.
“Sev, Harry’s up!” he shouted.
Instantly, Severus hurried down the stairs and greeted Harry, “You look better Harry.”
Harry gleamed in response, “I missed you, Severus!”
“Me too Harry, me too.”
Remus then picked up a large glass of water, “Water Harry?”
“Yes please,” Harry replied.
Harry gulped down the water in seconds.
“Slowly Harry. Wow, that’s impressive.” Remus remarked.
“Had to be quick if I didn't want to die of thirst,” Harry mumbled to himself.
“Would you like anything at all to eat?” Severus asked. “I can whisk up some pancakes?”
Remus laughed at Severus. Never would he imagine, Severus wanting to make pancakes for a little boy, James’s son even.
“What? I told you he turned me soft,” Severus grunted.
“I don’t mind,” he said. “But I can’t sit up, so it might be difficult.”
“Ah, would you like me to give you some more painkilling ointment and potion? It might help.” Remus suggested.
Harry nodded contentedly.
Severus managed to get out a few words, “I’m so sorry Harry.’
“Severus, you saved me, what do you need to be sorry about?” Harry asked.
“Not saving you sooner,” Severus said seriously.
“It’s okay.”
“I had no idea,” Severus said.
“I know,” Harry said sympathetically.
“And not getting you as soon as I heard you’d gone back,” he said. “I was blinded by fury at Dumbledore.”
Harry nodded, “I know.”
“It’s okay.”
Harry gulped down the painkiller (he thought it was like fancy paracetamol that Dudley took when he felt poorly) and instantly felt better. He still couldn’t sit up but he didn’t mind that much because Remus started to read Harry all manners of interesting stories. At first, he thought them fiction but according to Remus, they were not.
As great as Remus was at storytelling, Harry couldn’t wait to read all these books for himself. On the occasion that the Dursleys went out, Harry would often read every book Mrs Figg owned- many were very similar to Remus’s. Books were Harry’s means to escape.
After a week of pancakes, books and laughter, Harry could not only sit up but walk around without too much pain.
“Do you think that Draco could come over for a bit?” Harry asked.
Severus looked at Remus and he nodded, “Yes, but only for a bit. You’ve still got a while to go.”
Remus had realised a few days earlier that Harry had been healing himself and it was very effective. His recovery was shocking, his wounds were now scars and none were infected. Harry was already proving himself to be a very talented eleven-year-old wizard.
The next day, Harry could not contain his excitement.
“Could I make pancakes?” Harry asked hurriedly. “Draco loves pancakes, he said so.”
“Of course, I could teach you,” Remus smiled.
“I already know, don’t worry.” Harry giggled.
“Can I at least help out?” Remus asked.
“Maybe,” Harry beamed.
Remus grinned and followed the almost-skipping Harry to the kitchen.
“You can crack the eggs, it’s my favourite part,” Harry said.
“Thank you, I’m honoured.”
Harry laughed, “I cannot believe I have a real friend to cook pancakes for.”
“Did your friends not like pancakes?” Remus asked, confused.
“I didn’t have friends,” Harry muttered.
“Not any?” Remus asked.
“Well, Dudley didn’t let anyone be my friend.”
“How?”
“This girl, Sophia Winters, tried to talk to me once about homework and he took away her lunch every day for a year and cut all her hair off,” Harry said, thinking hard.
“That’s horrible Harry.” Remus grimaced.
“Yeah-” Harry said. “But I’ve got a friend now!”
“Yes, you do and in Hogwarts, I’m sure everyone would love to be your friend,” Remus said kindly.
“That’s only because it’s a school for freaks.” Harry giggled.
“Harry that’s rude. We aren’t freaks. We’re just special.” Remus said sternly.
“Vernon said special is another word for weird,” Harry said, thinking aloud.
“Vernon doesn’t know what he’s talking about,” Remus said.
Harry laughed loudly.
Draco walked in curiously, “Hello Harry,”
“Draco!” Harry smiled, running up to hug him.
Severus watched from the corner, was that Harry’s first hug?
“I’m so glad you're okay, I was worried,” Draco said.
“I’m fine, don’t worry.” Harry smiled.
Debatable, Severus thought.
Harry shoved a couple of pancakes into Draco’s mouth and a few more into his own, ecatatic at the presense of his friend .
The next few hours consisted of frantic conversation and a lot of demanded book recommendations from Harry to Draco and both adults seemed quite amused at their unmatchable and relentless energy.
“I’m very sorry boys, but I’m afraid I must bring Draco home,” Remus said caringly.
“Okay, bye Draco. Tell your parents that I miss them.” Harry said, half-heartedly.
“Bye Harry, see you at Hogwarts. I cannot wait!” Draco beamed before stepping into a fireplace and being whisked away to the Malfoy Manor.
That night, Harry went to bed smiling to himself. He felt so surreal but so lucky. Remus and Severus were like proper parents but less strict- well Remus was less strict.
The day before Hogwarts
Severus and Remus had decided Diagon Alley would be far too much for the boy to handle but he needed to get a wand.
“Could Olliviander come here?” asked Lupin.
“On the busiest day of the year? Surely not.” Severus said.
“I wonder if we could floo to him?” Remus said curiously.
“That may be possible,” Severus replied curtly “I’ll owl him.”
Harry, suddenly appeared at the doorway.
“Harry, how’d you sneak up on us like that?” asked Remus, amused.
“I disapparated,” he said proudly.
“Impossible,” Severus remarked.
“This was only my 3rd time. The first two times, I was escaping Dudley and his gang and found myself on the roof of our school!” he said, excitedly.
“Fascinating,” Remus uttered.
“Perhaps,” Severus thought aloud. “You could show us?”
“Certainly,” Harry smiled before disappearing with a ‘pop’.
“This boy never ceases to amaze me,” Remus says in awe.
“What do you mean?” Severus asks bluntly.
“He shouldn’t have survived. He healed himself better than any healer could have.” Remus whispered.
“He will do great things,” Severus thought.
“Minerva will love him, as will Dumbledore,” Remus said.
“We must protect him for Albus,” Severus concluded.
Remus nodded in agreement.
“But how? He’s too powerful. He also runs Hogwarts,” Remus said.
“I will protect him there,” Severus said, picking up a pile of books which he had collected from Diagon Alley the previous day; some school books, some books he knew Harry would obsess over.
Severus found Harry gulping down some muggle chocolate Remus had bought the day before and gifted Harry in the masses.
“Harry, I got your school books and a few others,” Severus said attempting a smile.
“Really? Thanks so, so much, Sev,” Harry squealed, as his little arms cradled the large collection of books.
“I think you are definitely Ravenclaw material,” Severus observed.
“Don’t you want me to be in your house?” Harry asked inquisitively.
“I do not care for your house,” Sev reassured him. “But I highly doubt Slytherin will be your house, your parents were both Gryffindors.”
“Cool,” Harry said before running off to his room.
“Harry!” Remus cried up the stairs after him.
“Yes Remus,” Harry answered.
“Come down, we need to get you a wand,”
“Really?” the boy squealed, sprinting back down in a manner of milliseconds.
Both adults marvelled at his speed before leading him to the fireplace.
“You must say Ollivanders, very clearly,” Severus said sternly.
“Be careful Harry,” Remus said, handing the pot of floo powder.
“Ollivanders,” he said clearly.
Both men followed in an instant.
Harry looked around, clearly disquisitive and marvelled by the dusty and old building which looked as if it could crumble in a second.
“I wondered when I’d be seeing you, Mr Potter,” a creepy-looking, old man said, creeping up out of the back of the dark shop.
Harry gulped, “I need a wand, please.”
Severus smirked at his innocence.
“Seems only yesterday that your mother and father were in here buying their first wands,”
Severus silently agreed as he reminisced about Lily and their first trip to Diagon Alley.
Several minutes passed with even more failing wands and Harry grew progressively irritated with the lack of success.
“No matter, the wand chooses the wizard,” Ollivander kept reminding both Harry and himself.
Harry annoyedly picked up yet another wand but this time, it glowed in his presence, sending beams of light to shine proudly in all directions. Outside the shop, passers-by peered through the windows, completely in awe of the power the boy held.
No one noticed, but Severus, the dark shadows lurking underneath the light.
At that, a tall and balding ginger man stepped into the shop, “My gosh, I’ve never seen something so spectacular!” he exclaimed.
A bunch of young boys, presumably his sons, walked in behind him grinning.
“Thanks,” Harry smiled.
“That was you?” a set of unruly twins asked.
“Yes, what are all of your names?” Harry asked, wondering if Remus was right that he would make more friends.
“I’m Fred,” one grinned.
“And I’m George, this is Ron,” another said, matching the same cheeky-looking grin.
The younger one, Ron, stepped out, “Is it your first year too?” he asked.
“Yes,” Harry said. “It’s so exciting, isn’t it!”
“Bit scary though, with the whole sorting thing,” he replied.
“Why’s that scary?” Harry asked.
“Yeah, what is scary? Scared you're going to be a slimy Slytherin snake?” asked Fred.
Severus coughed. “No offense professor,” he added.
“Course not,” Ron grunted defiantly.
“I don’t mind where I go,” Harry said.
“Where’d your parents go?” Ron asked.
“Gryffindor,” Harry answered.
“Same, my whole family is Gryffindor,” Ron said. “Wait, what’s your name?”
“Harry, Harry Potter,” he said formally.
“Bloody hell,” Ron murmured.
“Harry Potter, you say?” the older man asked.
“Yes, nice to meet you,” he said, holding out a hand. “I’m Arthur Weasley.”
Harry took it cautiously, grimacing slightly at contact before smiling pleasantly.
“Right, well we best be off,” Remus said, rubbing his hands together.
“Of course, nice to see you Lupin,” Arthur nodded. “Harry, Snape.”
“Bye George, Fred and Ron,” Harry said.
“Hey, you can tell us apart,” the twins chorused.
“Yeah, it’s easy,” Harry laughed before stepping into the fireplace.