The Silvanimus by Star Polaris
Summary: Long before Harry goes to Hogwarts he makes a decision that will change his whole existence.
Categories: Master Snape > Apprentice Harry Main Characters: .Snape and Harry (required)
Snape Flavour: None
Genres: General
Media Type: None
Tags: Alternate Universe
Takes Place: 0 - Pre Hogwarts (before Harry is 11)
Warnings: Physical Punishment Spanking
Challenges: None
Series: None
Chapters: 10 Completed: Yes Word count: 30098 Read: 73226 Published: 01 Sep 2007 Updated: 01 Sep 2007
Deep fears by Star Polaris

Winter 1988

Harry frowned as he tried to concentrate on his homework. It was five o'clock in the evening and he was still at school, he and his teacher were the only ones in the whole building. He had told her he could wait outside for Severus to show up, but she had adamantly refused stating she could work on correcting the children's work there as well as at home. Knowing it was no use arguing with his teacher, Harry had sat down, hoping Severus would not take much longer. A small part of him was afraid that the man had finally grown tired of him and had just abandoned him there. It had been nearly six months since he had gone to live with the Silvanimus, and while the man was bad tempered and demanding, Harry never had had such a good time. He was well cared for, had food every day and was allowed to sleep in his own bedroom. All this made any of the small downsides of living with Severus more than worth it and Harry dreaded seeing it come to an end.

Shaking his head, he tried to return his attention to his work. Severus would be cross with him if he wasted his time while he could be working. The man had taught him that he always needed to distribute his time well so that he would be able to enjoy his evenings as he saw fit, in turn allowing Severus to do as he pleased instead of having to give him the remaining lessons.

Harry had been engrossed in his work for another twenty minutes when the door to the classroom finally opened. Severus' tall form occupied the whole entrance as his dark eyes took in the scene in front of him. Turning to Miss Moran, he saw she had stood up, a question clear in her eyes.

“I apologise for being so late. A personal incident came up and I was needed elsewhere. Harry and I will be away for a few days, don't expect him back till Monday. I would really appreciate it if you could collect the work he'll have to make up.”

The woman frowned slightly. “Of course I will Mr. Snape. If there's anything else I might help you with?”

Severus shook his head slightly. “No, thank you.”

Turning, he nodded to Harry. “Come on, child, get your things, we need to get going.”

Seeing that the other man looked paler than he normally did, the boy gathered his things without question. A small part of him was still worried that Severus would take him back to the Dursley. Once they left the building, Severus lead them to a black car that was waiting close to the school's entrance. He stepped in and motioned for Harry to do the same. Once he had closed the door, the man that had been waiting for them started the car. Turning towards the Silvanimus with a deep frown on his face, Harry vacillated for a moment before speaking.

“Professor?”

The man driving the car snorted, making Harry turn to look at the back of his head. Severus' voice was ice cold when he spoke, making Harry shiver in dread.

“Is there a problem Aaron?”

The man riding the car looked at the tall Silvanimus through the mirror. “I wasn't aware you allowed your apprentices such disrespect, it amazes me, Severus.”

The other man glared at him. “Keep to your own business, what I have my apprentices call me is between them and I.”

Deciding it was better to just remain quiet, Harry settled against the car's pillows and returned his gaze outside. He was confused on what was going on, but he was not about to talk again with the other man sitting there, listening to him and making fun of him. He felt Severus' eyes on him, but the other man also remained silent.

The ride stretched out for Harry, he was uncomfortable, feeling the spotting eyes of the driver on him from time to time. He wished he was somewhere else, the whole situation made him feel nervous and out of place. Twenty minutes later, they stopped in front of a large building and stepped out. Aaron also stepped out and walked towards the back of the car where he took two suitcases out. Once those had been placed next to Severus, he nodded towards the car.

“Will you need me for something else?”

The older man glared slightly at the smirking face. “No, Aaron.”

The man's face changed to a slight pout. “Not even planing on thanking me?”

“No. Leave.”

Harry couldn't repress the shiver he felt. He had never seen the older Silvanimus like that. It was as if an ice cold mask had descended over his features. His voice was like a whip and Harry didn't doubt he was using his voice magic to make him even more intimidating. No matter how many times Severus had been angry at him for doing something wrong or not doing his best, Harry had never been afraid of him. That changed now, he had to fight the need to step away from the older man as intent black eyes looked down at him.

“Come.”

The man took both suitcases and turned towards the large building which turned out to be a hotel. Once Severus had arranged their accommodations they were led to a large set of rooms. Not sure what he was supposed to do, Harry remained standing next to the room's entrance as the older man checked out the two rooms, small living room and kitchen, checking that everything was in order. Once he was satisfied, he turned to the child, who was still watching him with wariness. He wished he had been able to control his temper better, he had not meant for the boy to start fearing him, but Aaron had a special gift when it came to annoying him.

“The room on the left is yours, Harry. Why don't you go wash up? We'll talk after you have settled in.”

The boy anxiously gripped his bag. “I've not finished my homework yet.”

Severus' black eyes softened. “That's quite all right, child, don't worry about it now. You did well on starting with it when I was late. Go now.”

Nodding, Harry went to the room Severus had pointed out. He was surprised to see it had its own bathroom. One of the suitcases was there and Harry guessed his clothes where in there. He quickly put them away in the closet, a bit surprised when he saw that Severus had not packed any of his books. He quickly took a shower and dressed in some of the clothes the older man had brought. He was a bit surprised to see that they were some of his best clothes, those that Severus had bought for special occasions.

He hesitated for a long moment before deciding there was nothing else he could do. Taking a deep breath, he left the room only to find the living room empty. Assuming that Severus was in his own room, Harry took a seat next to the window. He was surprised to see that the window didn't look out to the street but to a large garden that stretched as far as he could see. Frowning slightly, he tried to sense the garden's energy just as Severus had told him, it was much fainter than the forest' presence, but it filled him with a slight warm as he finally managed to make the connection. Severus had assured him that he would manage to do it almost automatically with enough practice, but it was still hard for him.

“It's good to see you practising so diligently.”

Harry turned slightly to look at Severus that was entering the room at that same moment, not coming from his room but from the hall. The man went to the couch and sat down with a tired sigh.

“Ask away, Harry.”

The boy bit his lip. He was never sure what questions he could ask when the man told him that. It would be much easier if Severus just told him things, but the other man had once told him he would only get the right answers if he learned to ask the right questions.

“Why were you so late?”

Almost as soon as the question left his mouth, Harry regretted it. While it was a valid question, he had not meant for it to sound so plaintive. “Sorry, I mean...”

Severus raised a hand while his dark eyes looked at him intently. “Why did you believe I was so late, Harry?”

For several long moments Harry considered whether a lie would be warranted now. He didn't want the other man to know how unsure he still felt from time to time despite the many reassurances from the older man that he would stay with him until he could live on his own.

“Harry, the truth.”

The boy flinched slightly as the man's voice held a stern edge. “I thought maybe you had grown tired of me, that you realised how much of a bother I am, and that you were better of without me.”

Severus groaned and looked at him warily, his gaze both annoyed and sad. “Will it help if I reiterate that I have no intention of abandoning you?”

Harry shook his head slightly. “I know it.”

“But you don't believe it.”

The boy shifted slightly, clearly uncomfortable. “I do.” At the man's disbelieving gaze he was forced to add: “Most of the time at least.”

Knowing there was no way he could make the child believe his words besides just being there, Severus got to the question. “Anyway. I was about to come get you when I got a message from the hospital. Alice died a few hours ago.”

Harry shot him a stunned look which quickly changed to sadness. Severus had, from time to time, told him about his former apprentices and he had always felt bad for the woman that had lost her mind in such a brutal way.

“I am so sorry, sir.”

The Silvanimus shook his head slightly. “It was long coming, Harry, it had been many years since she really died, her body just continued breathing but her essence was long gone. It is better that way. Her mother in law called me, knowing she had been close to me. I need to attend her funeral. You can either come with me or I'll try an make other arrangements for you since I'll not be able to pay you much attention. Alice didn't have any other living relatives so her mother in law and I will be arranging everything.”

“It's all right, sir, I'll stay out of your way.”

Not liking the sound of those words, Severus looked at him sternly. “Unless you promise me that you'll come to me if you have any problem, I'll get someone else to watch you for the next few days.”

Harry frowned. “But you said you needed to do things, and I don't want to go stay with some stranger.”

“I will be busy, and while I will appreciate if you keep busy on your own, it does not mean I will not be available if there is a problem. Now promise me you'll inform me if you have a problem.”

Harry sighed and nodded. “All right, sir.”

“All right, what?”

Rolling his eyes slightly, Harry repeated. “I promise I'll ask for your help if I need it.”

Severus relaxed slightly against the couch. “Very well, next question.”

“Mmh, who was that man?”

The man's face adopted an irritated air. “Aaron was one of Alice's childhood friends. Suffice to say we didn't see eye to eye on many things and I hope that after the burial I will never have to see him again. Mrs. Longbottom, Alice's mother in law, more or less forced him to come with me to retrieve you.”

“And what did he mean when he said I was being disrespectful? I didn't mean to be.”

Severus shook his head. “You were not, your behaviour was more appropriate than his.” Seeing that the vague answer didn't sit well with the child, he leaned forward slightly. “There are certain forms that our people hold in relation to the behaviour an apprentice has to display. I have told you those I consider important, like you being honest with me and always answering verbally. There are some which I consider unnecessary. You'll learn them when we get to that, but there is no need for you to contemplate them now.”

Harry knew that tone of voice, it meant Severus would answer if he questioned him but that he preferred to not broach the subject. Assuming it was not very important right now and that he would be able to look it up when they were home, he didn't press the man and instead asked something else.

“How comes Aaron knows so much about us?”

The older man snorted, disdain clear in his face. “That boy is too curious for his own good, and Alice indulged him and explained everything he wished to know. Personally I think he was hoping to find some proof that he was one of the protectors.”

Harry frowned in thought, remembering his lessons. “But there's no way he could be. I mean, even if his mentor had not gone to retrieve him, the elders would have checked on him, and if that hadn't happened any protector would sense him when he reached his twelfth anniversary and he remained without a mentor.”

Severus looked pleased. “That's exactly my point, but Aaron refused to acknowledge it. Anyway, he is not important. As I said I hope I'll never see him again after this week.”

Once Severus made sure Harry had no more questions he asked for their evening meal. The meal was silent, Severus was obviously not in the mood for small talk and Harry respected his need for privacy even though the silence was starting to get to his nerves. Once they were done, he retired to his room, not willing to face a whole evening filled with the same tense and pressing silence. Realising he didn't have anything to do, he turned to his only distraction which happened to be his school books. With a sigh, he opened his history book and got comfortable on the bed. It was sad, he mused, that he had come to depend so much on lessons to distract him. At home, the few hours he had to himself were spent mostly reviewing what he had learned that day, as Severus was a harsh taskmaster and threw a fit every time he had to repeat himself. Harry had soon learned that if he wished to keep up he needed to keep working when Severus finally dismissed him. He didn't know if the man realised that, but he hadn't mentioned it for fear of looking stupid. On the other hand, it really paid off at school, work was much easier now that he was told to do his best and given the tools to do so.

Three hours later, Severus softly knocked on the door. Not receiving any response, he silently opened the door and looked inside. He had to repress a small chuckle when he saw Harry spread out on the bed, books and papers surrounding him. The Silvanimus stepped into the room, making sure he did not wake the boy. With a wave of his wand, all the boy's materials flew over to the small desk that occupied a corner of the room. A second wave ensured that Harry was dressed in his pyjamas before Severus tucked him in tightly under the blankets.

Two days later the funeral took place. Severus was standing in the front row with Harry standing at his side. The child was completely dressed in black, and held his head bowed like everyone else as the priest spoke. But while the rest of the large crowd listened to the man talking, Harry was looking around curiously from under his bangs. He had been introduced to Mrs. Longbottom and her grandson, Neville. The other boy, while sad, had not seemed broken hearted. On Mrs. Longbottom's other side stood an old man. He was probably the oldest man he had ever seen. Harry couldn't help but shift uncomfortably as the man's blue eyes settled on him once again. He had been doing it during the whole funeral and it was starting to grate on his nerves.

Once Alice's body had been buried, the whole congregation moved to Longbottom Manor where a small gathering of Alice's closest friends took place. Harry remained glued to Severus' side. It had been a long time since he had been among such a large group of strangers and even though there was a group of children about his age, he didn't feel the desire to join them. They were just too wild for what he saw, and for their part, they didn't even seem to notice him. Severus had glanced down at him before putting a gentle arm around his shoulder. The Silvanimus was about to speak when the old man approached them.

“Good evening, Severus.”

The younger man's eyes regarded the old man seriously. “Albus, how are you doing?”

Harry watched as the older man's eyes nearly twinkled. “Very well, my boy, very well. It's sad that Alice passed away, but it is for the best.” Severus nodded in agreement but waited till the other man spoke again. Albus for his part turned his gaze to Harry, who had to fight the urge to disappear behind the folds of Severus' robes. “I didn't realise you had taken on a new apprentice, Severus.”

The Silvanimus smirked, a challenge clear in his eyes. “I assumed so, since I didn't have you hanging at my door the moment Harry came to live with me.”

The Headmaster frowned. “Now, Severus, I'm just concerned about the child, it would have been nice to know that you had taken him into your care.”

“If you cared so much about the boy, you would have known much sooner that he was no longer at his relatives. Not only that, but you would hopefully have done something about the appalling situation he lived in.”

The old man frowned. “I'm not sure I understand what you mean.”

Severus sneered. “No? Really? Then maybe I should tell you a few things regarding the proper care of children or the right way to fulfil a will. Because I am quite sure that Lily put a clause in there that said that her son was not to go to her sister.”

“Now, Severus...”

The Silvanimus raised a hand. “I don't really want to know any of your manipulations, Albus. I'm just warning you. Keep away from the child. He is in my care and under my protection. If I suspect for even a moment that you are trying to put him in danger or use him as your figure head I will have you removed from your office and with your reputation destroyed. And remember I don't make empty treats.”

The older man paled under Harry's fascinated gaze. Severus had already told him about how his parents had died and how some people would try to use him. The man had sworn he would protect him, but Harry hadn't realised it would happen so soon.

“I remember.” Taking a deep sigh, Albus continued. “I assume in a few years I'll be having you back as Hogwarts' Potions Master.”

Severus nodded, distaste clear on his features. “Either that or I enrol Harry elsewhere.”

Albus raised his hands. “There's no need to threaten me on this, you know it will be a pleasure to have you back. Maybe you could come sooner?” A deep growl came from the younger man and black eyes flashed menacingly. “Or maybe not. It was a pleasure seeing you again, Severus. Nice to meet you Harry.”

The boy looked as the Headmaster quickly walked away before turning his gaze towards the other Silvanimus. “Professor?”

The older man turned and bent slightly so he could look into the boy's green eyes. “Try to keep away from that man, Harry.”

The boy frowned slightly. “All right, but why? Who was he?”

Severus sighed tiredly. “That, my boy, was Albus Dumbledore, Headmaster of Hogwarts school of witchcraft and wizardry. He is the so called leader of the light, and a born manipulator. He will not hesitate to use you to suit his needs. Juts try and keep away from him and if you don't manage, come to me. Ok?”

Harry shrugged, Hogwarts was still a few years away and he was not going to worry about what might happen yet. “All right.”

“Come then, lets say our goodbyes to the Longbottoms, it's high time we return home.”

The End.


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