Catalyst

Door slams open and Professor Snape, with cape and hair flying out behind him giving him the appearance of a creature of the night, walks into the potions classroom.

"There will be no foolish wand waving or silly incantations in this class." Snape states rapidly as he enters the classroom. When he goes up the stairs and reaches his desk at the front of the class he turns around, hands folded in front of him.

"As such I do not expect many of you to appreciate.... the subtle science and exact art that is potion making. But for those select few..." He raises his right thumb and looks at Malfoy. "...who possess the predisposition..."

Snape gathered his outer black teacher's robes into his hands and crossed his arms in front of his chest. He started to look actively around the classroom at his new students. "... I can teach you to bewitch the mind.... and ensnare the senses. I can teach you how to bottle fame... brew glory, and even put a stopper in death."

Upon noticing Harry writing something on his parchment in front of him, he turns his full glare on the child. "Then again, maybe some of you have to Hogwarts in possession of abilities... so formidable that you feel confident enough... to not pay attention." His silky voice filled with irritation and unspoken anger.

'So this boy is going to be like his idiotic father, pity. A child of Lily's should amount to much more than what that ingrate seems to have produced.'

Hermione elbowed him hard and turns the young boy's attention back to Snape who was busy glaring daggers at him.

" Mr. Potter. Our new celebrity." Snape is now standing with his left arm bracing himself against the wall to keep him from attempting to shake some sense into the young boy in front of him. "Tell me what would I get if I added root of asphodel to an infusion of wormwood?"

Hermione raises hand wildly in a desperate attempt to answer the question, causing Harry to look over at the girl. Harry shakes his head not knowing what would be the result.

"You don't know?" Snape says dispassionately. "Well, let's try again. Where would you look if I asked you to find a bezoar?"

Same reaction. "I... I don't know sir." Harry manages to get out.

"And what is the difference between monkshood and wolfsbane?"

"I don't know sir." Harry states as he looks first over at Ms. Granger and then back at Professor Snape.

"Pity." Snape said with almost a sneer. "Clearly, fame isn't everything, is it Mr. Potter."

Harry is finally fed up with being treated like dirt. He got enough of that when he was at home with the Dursleys.

"Clearly, Hermione knows. Seems a pity not to ask her," Harry states with a sneer and a tone that borders on insolence.

Everyone in the classroom giggles.

"Silence." Professor Snape silkily but firmly calls to the students from the front of the classroom.

He then turns his attention back to Potter in front of him. After a moment's pause, Snape moves quickly down the stairs from where his desk enters the row in front of the table where Hermione and Harry are sitting.

Hermione still has her hand raised and as Snape passes her, he calmly states, "Put your hand down, you silly girl."

He then proceeds to sit down in front of Harry.

"For your information Potter... asphodel and wormwood make a potion so powerful it is known as the Draught of the Living Dead. A bezoar is a stone taken from a goat's stomach and will save you from most poisons. As for monkshood and wolfbane, they are the same plant, which also goes by aconite."

He stares deeply into the boy's eyes before glancing down briefly at the parchment in front of him to see what Potter had been so intent on scribbling down. His speech! That was what was written on the parchment in front of Potter. That had been what Pott... no Lily's child had been working so hard on that it had seemed like he had not been paying attention to him. Quickly Snape looked up and caught the child's eyes.

The boy gave him a puzzled look, although he still seemed to be frustrated, if not angry over getting into trouble for writing notes. Snape just slightly nodded his head down and flicked his eyes down and met the boys glance. Even the nosey child next to Lily's son noticed the movement, but what was important was that the boy had. Without pausing for a second after meeting the boy's eyes, and once more acting as if he didn't really notice the words written on the parchment, his eyes dart to the side to look at the rest of the class.

"Well... why aren't you all copying this down?" He states somewhat angrily.

Everyone rushes to copy down what Snape had said. As Snape got up, he glanced down once more to make sure what he had believed to have seen written on the parchment had really been written down.

Now that the boy was attempting to copy down notes, the handwriting was extremely messy and the boy's hand coordination poor.

'That is why he was so focused on writing. He was attempting to write clearly....'

Snape moved steadily through the tangle of benches and seats to the walkway between the dungeon desks. All the while, his quick mind was racing with thoughts.

'He's more like Lily than I had supposed. And now he will already start to hate me, just like his father.'

He thought quickly as he walked up to his desk and sat down behind his desk. He took up his quill in his right hand, dipped it in ink and prepared to take points off of Gryffindor for insolence. Something in that thought statement made his heart drop. He consciously had to admit upon realizing that Harry had so much of his mother in him that he had wanted to be able to connect with the child more. However, his own arrogance and blind hatred towards everything that reminded him of James Potter seemed to have won out over his logic.

'Perhaps, though I can re-win his affections.' Severus thought suddenly as he brought the quill down onto the parchment in front of him. 'Perhaps there is a way that I can foster the inside that is Lily's gentle personality to keep out James bloody Potter. Perhaps I can get my revenge and protect Lily's Henry to the best of my ability without losing the child to blind hatred.'

"And Gryffindors... note that five points will be taken from your house... for your classmate's cheek." He wanted to make sure that Henry realized that he was not in trouble for copying his speech down, but for his talking back to Snape, who was his teacher.

"And Mr. Potter," Snape called out to the young boy catching his attention once more. He looked in to Henry's eyes, softening his gaze just enough to be noticeable to Henry. "You will be staying after class for a few minutes."

A red head seated behind Henry started to put up a fuss. Severus heard murmurings from the Gryffindors about how unfair the 'greasy git' was being towards the half-blood. 'That is another thing I am going to have to counter act; the Gryffindor self-righteous bias. It might take some time but I'll instill enough Slytherin reasoning into the boy to help him question the blind, unquestioning nature that seems to rot most Gryffindors' brains. I will not let that be Henry's fate. Lily's son will be raised to question authority's right to make decisions for him and be an independent person, just as she was.'

Henry. Severus had not even realized how quickly he had taken to using the name in his mind. Granted it helped him separate the young boy with Lily's eyes and spirit from the sadistic git that had humiliated him so many times and stolen his best friend, but the name served another purpose. It was then that Snape realized that Harry Potter ceased to be Potter or even Harry in the potion master's mind. He had become Lily's Henry. It had been the name that Lily had secretly told him that she had placed as the boy's first full name.

Flashback

"I named my son Henry James Servatius Potter." Lily whispered to her best friend Severus Snape as they ducked into the hallway to the kitchen to grab some tea and coffee for themselves. The Order meeting was lasting longer than either of them had anticipated.

Severus raised his eyebrow and bitterly stated, "I thought Potter and you had settled on Harold 'Harry' James Potter. Why is it that you have altered the name?"

Lily laughed, realizing what her best friend was truly asking her. In reality Severus was asking, 'What did you have to do for the bastard to allow the name Henry and a name similar to my own in your son's name?'

"James doesn't know Sev. Nor will he ever, he is too blind in that way." She grabbed her friend's hands. They had just rekindled their friendship a few months before Henry was born and she wanted him to know that she valued it. "I wanted a piece of my best friend to be in my son's name."

She grinned when Snape offered her a half smile. It always had made her happy when he smiled.

Then she continued, "Plus I've always like the name Henry. I figured I could get away with my dream names since James wasn't present at his birth nor has he ever looked at Henry's birth certificate."

Snape stared at her blankly for a few minutes before his half-smile bloomed into a fully fledged grin. "My dear Lils, are you sure you were not supposed to be in Slytherin."

Lily just laughed and grinned before coyly asking, "Who says I was not supposed to be?"

Snape stared blankly before laughing himself.

End of Flashback

Henry just gave Hermione a side glance and a look of apology and then turned back to his work. However, the boy glanced up at the man once more and nodded.

Severus smiled inwardly, Henry had understood. Not completely, Severus knew, but the boy understood. Henry would be Lily's and his pride, Severus Snape resolved firmly to himself. Snape would foster the cunning that Lily was known for and instill some of his own. First thing to do would to get him out of the Evans hands, who were probably spoiling the boy rotten.

Harry watched the man in the front of the room. This man, this professor, had changed his demeanor once he had glanced down at his parchment. It was not noticeable to anyone else in the room. Hermione, who had noticed the change, appeared to be unaware of the full extent of the change.

Harry's sixth sense, the one thing many abused and neglected children developed in an effort to protect themselves, gave him the feeling that Professor Snape had not been expecting to see his speech written down on Harry's paper. It appeared to the boy that Snape had been expecting someone or behavior that was opposite of Harry's own. As he listen to his friends (were they his friends?) complaints about Snape, Harry could not help wonder if that was part of the reason why the professor was not fond of Gryffindors. The constant prattling and jumping to conclusions could be unnerving, especially in a class where explosions were likely, if the lecture that Snape was currently giving was any indication.

Harry did not know why he was feeling this way nor why he was questioning his fellow Gryffindors' reactions. He was sure that if he had not seen that look in the professor's eyes or that meaningful look, he would most likely be like his noisy "friends." Somehow being here, in potions now that he had seen that something in the professor's eyes, helped him feel safe. He felt like he could be.... Well himself.

Class ended rather quickly for the pair. Snape watched as his Slytherins filed out after the rapidly escaping Gryffindors, particularly the Longbottom boy who had managed to blow up a cauldron on the first day. Snape saw his godson look back briefly towards Henry.

'It appears the boy really does want Lily's son's friendship.' Snape mused to himself. He had heard from Draco that he had attempted to become friends with Henry. His godson had been unsure why Henry had rejected him, but Snape had a feeling it had to do with Draco's attitude and the influence of a few choice Gryffindors, one who was present in the room.

'Damn you Dumbledore! Can you not leave well enough alone?' As he watched Henry turn to see Draco go, he saw the boy display curiosity and uncertainty. 'Perhaps, Draco's desire for friendship with the boy is not as wrecked as it seems....'

The only Gryffindors left in the room, beside Lily's Henry, were the Weasley and the know-it-all. The girl really was not that bad, she appeared to only be making sure that Henry was alright, the Weasley boy on the other hand was beleaguering Snape right in from of him.

Snape glanced at his best friend's son and realized how uncomfortable he looked as Weasley continued with his tirade. 'Honestly is the boy stupid? Can he not see he is upsetting his friend?' Snape thought to himself as he quickly rose from his desk and moved towards the trio.

"Mr. Weasley and Miss. Granger, I do not remember inviting you to stay after class." Snape stated dryly. "Perhaps it would behoove you to continue on to your next class."

"I just wanted to make sure Harry knew where to go for our next class professor." Hermione replied politely, abet rather shyly.

Severus acknowledged that this child would be a good friend for his love's Henry. She was loyal and saw the truth in matters which Weasley did not. Weasley on the other hand.

"He did not do anything wrong Professor, why are you punishing him?" The boy cried out in indignation.

"I will make sure that Mr. Potter arrives to his next class with a pass, Miss. Granger." Snape said silkily. "As for you Mr. Weasley, it would be to your benefit not to question a professor's motives. You are dismissed. I strongly suggest you leave before I start taking points."

Weasley's mouth opened like a fish's multiple times. It would have been amusing to the professor if it had not appeared to upset Henry and if he himself wanted to talk to Henry as soon as possible.

"You better go Ron." Henry commented quietly. "I will be alright. I will see you at our next class Hermione."

Snape was slightly surprised at Henry's soft dismissal of the Weasley boy, but proud that he had acknowledge his smart, little muggle-born friend. 'Perhaps they will become closer as time goes on.'

Weasley seemed surprised as well and even a bit angry. He had apparently never suspected that Henry would dismiss him and was opening his mouth probably to release a sharp retort. Miss. Granger, Hermione was it, appeared to understand the true intent of the boy's words.

"Come on Ron, I think Harry and the professor have some things they want to discuss." The girl almost literally dragged the red head out of the room.

Now it was only the two of them. Henry was still seated at his desk, abet backed up so he could leave for his next class. He looked slightly confused as Snape seated himself in front of Henry once more.

'This is going to be hard. How does one admit a personal failure to an eleven year?' Snape thought as he stared briefly into the boy's green eyes that were so much like his mother's. 'Do it Severus, it will be a greater failure if you do not.'

"I wanted to apologize, Henry, for my unjust accusations and behavior during class today." Severus stated bluntly but as kindly as he could. He remembered using a similar voice with Lily. He watched as the boy began to look even more confused. Severus wondered what brought that on.

"Is there a problem with the apology, Henry?"

Harry was surprised when Professor Snape apologized to him. Ron had stated that the man was a class one git and evil. 'But evil people don't apologize!' Harry thought, 'An adult has never apologized to me before! Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia just scream and lock me in my cupboard.'

Then another thought occurred to him. 'Why is he calling me Henry? I'm Harry. Is he uncertain of my name?'

The student heard his professor ask if something was wrong with the apology. Harry realized he would have to do some damage control before the professor became angry and started to use that deadly voice he had used during class once more.

"No sir. There was nothing wrong with the apology. I just...." Harry paused for a moment unsure what to say without telling the man about his home life and the first rule was not to speak to anyone about it. He heard a voice in his head urging him to tell the man plainly what was on his mind. That was the voice that had kept him alive all his life, he was not going to doubt it now.

"No adult has ever apologized to me before, sir. And I'm confused.... Why are you calling me Henry? I'm just Harry."

He watched as the corners of his professor's mouth curled into what could be considered a smile. If Harry had been in Hogwarts longer, he would have realized what an odd and foreign occurrence that was; and how the very sight of Professor Snape exhibiting any emotion beside disdain and anger towards someone outside of his own house, was cause to wonder if the world was going to end and if hell had frozen over.

Severus felt the corners of his lips turn up into the beginnings of a smile. 'Ah, so it is the name and the fact that he is being apologized to that is confusing him. Thought I wonder why Mr. and Mrs. Evans never apologized to the child before.' This caused Severus to pause. 'Surely they have not grown to be intolerant in their old age.'

"As rare as an occurrence it may be, Henry, I am capable of apologizing when I am at fault. It is for that reason that you have received an apology, despite the somewhat rude behavior on your part. Never the less, you have already been punished for that and I find it is obligation to admit my fault in the entire affray." Severus stated calmly as he looked into the boy's eyes. The boy was having difficulty keeping their eyes locked but every time he faltered he would recover.

"As for the name, that was the name your mother gave you when you were born." Severus stated lightly when he saw Henry's head go down for the fifth time. With those words, the boy's head shot up and his eyes were searching Severus'.

"You... you knew my mother sir?" Henry managed to stammer out after trying a few times.

Snape could not help chuckling a little, the boy was so enthusiastic! "Yes I did. She was my best friend before and for most of our time at Hogwarts."

Pausing a moment and deciding what else he wanted to tell the boy, who was staring at him with rampant fascination. "We had a bit of a falling out our fifth year due to a failure on my part, but before you were born, we had mended our fences and were the best of friends once more."

He watched the emotions crossing the boy's face, he was startled to see hope and desperation cross that young boy's face. 'Why....'

Then the boy spoke. Rather he begged. "Please sir, could you tell me about my mother. I only know the little that Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon told me and Hagrid only mentioned her in passing in reference to my father. Please sir could you tell me about my mum?"

'He knew my mom! He can tell me about her!' Harry did not even care now what the professor called him as long as the man told him about his mother. In fact, for some odd reason he found the name Henry slightly soothing and almost familiar. 'He did say that mum named me that, so it is quite plausible that was what she called me.'

Snape was more than surprised. 'Why would the Evans not talk about Lily. She was... wait... did he say that Petunia told him about his mother... Why would Petunia and her husband... I remember the man, Lily hated him and stated that 'he was the worst kind of muggle'... tell the boy about his parents if he is living with the Evans?'

Severus felt an unpleasant knot growing in his stomach as he quickly mentally reviewed the boy's behavior and what he had seen during the feast. 'Please let me be jumping to unreasonable conclusions....'

"Of course I can. Later this evening, you can feel free to come down to my office and I will show you some pictures and tell you more about her." Snape replied gently to the boy. "Could you tell me what your grandmother and grandfather told you about your mother?"

Severus felt the knot grow when he watched Henry's face grow confused once more. 'Please, please tell me that Dumbledore did not lie to me about where the child was placed.

"Grandmother and grandfather sir?"

"Yes, the people you live with Henry." Snape replied as the knot in his stomach grew larger.

"I live with my Aunt and Uncle, sir. I did not even know I had other relatives." The boy replied earnestly and sadly. That only caused the knot to fester further in the professor's stomach.

"Your aunt and uncle? Petunia Evans and Vernon Dursley, is that correct?" Warning bells started to go off in Severus head as he stated those names.

"Yes sir." The boy paused, "Do I really have other relatives, sir?"

"Yes... At least I believe you do. I have not been informed that your grandparents had died, so as far as I know you have other relatives." Snape replied to his student. The way the boy had asked about his grandparents caused the Head of Slytherin to slip into his training as a mind healer as he had done so many times for members of his own house."Why is it that you ask?"

Henry paused before answering and for a moment he seemed hesitant before what Snape could only call a mask went up and Henry answered. "For no reason sir. Just curious."

By this time Severus was fully entrenched in the mindset that something was very wrong here. "May I ask how Petunia and Vernon treat you, Henry?"

Again the boy paused and for a brief moment the mask fell and Severus witnessed fear and hesitancy. "Just as well as to be expected sir, being that I was an unexpected burden to them."

If Snape had not been in abuse counselor mode already, he would have been from the boy's phrasing. 'He referred to himself as a burden. He was wearing ratty shoes yesterday. Petunia what have you done?'

"Surely, Petunia would not have found her only nephew to be a burden? You are in fact her only sister's son." Severus stated.

'Why is he asking me this?' Harry thought to himself, as he subconsciously wrapped his hands around his middle. 'No one cares what my life at home is like. Surely they know anyways, don't they?'

'You need to trust him.' A voice called in his mind. 'Lying will only make things worse.'

'So will telling the truth.'

The next reply that Henry gave Severus surprised the older wizard and confirmed his wildest worries.

"I am not supposed to talk about it sir."

Snape felt his illusions and assumptions fall and crash to the floor of his mind. 'No, not Lily's child. Please tell me that he did not have a childhood like my own.'

"Why not, Henry?"

"Because they always find out and they always get mad." Henry said almost subconsciously, "Then there is no food and only the cupboard."

Right after he spoke, Henry's hand came up to his mouth in horror.

'Please tell me I did not just tell my professor what I think I just told him.' Harry thought to himself.

Snape closed his eyes and swallowed. His own mask was slipping and his emotions were starting to run rampant. He needed to get control before he did anything else. Once he felt a semblance of control, he opened his eyes. He knew what he had to do next.

"Come with me Henry." Snape stated as he got up slowly and moved to Henry's side of the table.

"Please don't tell them I told you sir. I promise I will do anything, if you just...."

"You don't need to beg Henry. I am just taking you to the infirmary to make sure that you are physically healthy."

"Why sir, it is not like the Dursleys abused me or anything."

"Neglect, and that is what it sounds like it was Henry, is a form of abuse." Snape said softly, before slowly extending his hand out to his young student. "Come with me, I will inform your next professor once we reach the infirmary that you will be missing your next class."

"Why are you doing this sir?" Henry whispered so softly that Snape barely heard it. "Adults never believe me."

Snape smiled sadly. "I believe you Henry. Come with me child. I have a lot to tell you."

He reached out his hand once more. This time a small, eight-year-old sized hand grasped his own as the boy stood up.

"I should not have told you. Only weak people tell."

"No, only strong people are willing to tell. The weak are the ones who commit the acts." Snape stated softly as they started to walk out of the potions lab. Harry's hand was still within Snape's own.

The child was quiet for most of the walk to the hospital wing, as was Snape. Both had a lot to think about.

'I need to get him out of that house. There is no way that those wards are strong if the child is being neglected.' Snape thought to himself. 'Odd it is to think that earlier today I suspected that the child was a spoiled brat like his father, now my beliefs are totally the opposite.'

When the two of them reached the hospital, Henry seemed hesitant.

"Have you ever been to a doctor before Henry?"

"No sir." There was a pause, "At least, I don't believe so sir."

Snape smiled truly this time. The boy was so polite, while probably have some tendencies of his father, he appeared to be a good boy. "You do not have to call me sir when we are alone and on personal terms Henry, you can call me Severus, but only when we are alone."

"Yes sir... Severus." Henry stumbled a bit over the foreign name.

"Very good, Henry." Severus said with a nod. Henry nodded and stared at the doors in front of them. Snape noticed the nervousness. "It will be alright Henry. I will be with you."

Henry nodded and took a deep breath. He got ready to fix his mask back in place, when he felt a hand on his shoulder. "Do not. Just be yourself Henry. No masks."

Harry stared at the older wizard briefly. This man was so different and, at the same time, so a like what people said about him it was scary. Harry realized that the man was slightly eccentric, perhaps that explained his slightly greasy appearance, but he was passionate and if not kind, at least noble and good in his own way.

Harry found that he enjoyed the man calling him Henry. The name lacked the harshness that the professor had previously instilled into his last and first name. Perhaps it was best to allow the older man to continue to call him that. For some reason it seemed right when the older wizard called him by that name. Harry had a feeling that his mother, though he did not have any memories of her, would approve Professor Snape's... Severus' use of the name and that he was helping him.

Snape watched the boy as he appeared to be lost in thought. "It is alright to be scared. No matter what your housemates may say, bravery is not the lack of fear but acting despite it."

"I am not scared. I am just thinking about what you call me and how odd it is that you believe me."

Severus looked into the eleven-year-old's eyes. 'Perhaps there is more to this Gryffindor then I have even taken into account up until now.'

"Of course there is," Henry said cheekily, finally feeling comfortable around the professor. "That was not the first house that the hat wanted to sort me into...."

Snape raised his eyebrow at that, "Such cheek. We will discuss that little statement later, after you have seen Madam Pomfry and I have seen the headmaster about where you will live in the future. There is a group I would like you to be a part of in my own house, but it will require some cunning on both of our parts to make it work. Do you understand?"

"I think so sir, but you may need to clarify it for me later." Henry replied respectfully.

"I will do so." Snape swiftly answered.

"Brilliant. Thank you, sir." Henry stated steadily. Upon seeing Severus questioning look, he clarified himself. "For not only believing me, but for helping me and being willing to tell me about my mum."

"I am quite willing to help you Henry, I just ask that you do not lie to me about anything."

Henry looked at Severus and Snape felt as if the boy was evaluating not only his words but also his very soul. "I believe I understand why sir and I will do my best."

Snape nodded. "I am sure you will, as you will do your best in all your other subjects."

"Am I allowed sir?"

"Are you allowed to do what, Henry?"

"Am I allowed to do my best sir?"

"Of course Henry." For what seemed liked the hundredth time today, Snape felt the ice around his heart break as it clutched in commiseration for the boy and his situation. This was not to say that Severus pitied the boy; he didn't. But he could understand and empathize. "Your mother would expect you to do the best that you can do. As do I."

"You weren't fond of my father, were you sir." Upon Snape's startled look, Henry ventured on with his train of thought. "You always mention my mom, but do not discuss my dad."

Snape nodded slowly, surprised at the boy's insight and deduction. 'I suspect I know what house the hat wanted to place him in. Now I must endeavor to foster those traits within the boy, while allowing him to follow his own choice.'

Looking down at the boy, he smirked internally. 'That does not mean that I will not do my best to try and influence him into resorting or becoming more Slytherin like.' Nobility is overrated.

"You are correct Henry... we were not fond of each other." Snape said lightly, "But I cared for your mother very much. As I stated, she was, and still is in my heart, my best friend."

Henry nodded. "It is okay if you call me Henry. It might confuse my friends, but I kinda like it."

Snape realized the boy was attempting to give him a concession for the information he had given his student. He nodded and smirked, "I was planning on it anyways."

"I figured sir... Severus."

"Are you ready to go into the infirmary now at last brat?"

Henry paused for a moment and Severus wondered if he had pushed the boy too far. Then a grin appeared on the boy's face which transformed into his own version of a smirk. "Yes Sev."

"Such cheek." Snape said with a shake of his head, but his eyes were warm and a smirk was on his face reassuring the boy that he was not in trouble. 'And so like his mother, even down to the nickname.'

As they entered, the boy had one more question to ask. "Did she really name me Henry?"

Snape looked down at the boy, "Yes. Your full name, according to your mother, is Henry James Servatius Potter."

As they entered, a peculiar sound was heard by students down the hall from the infirmary, the sound of deep, rich, and baritone laughter after an exclamation of "Hey that sounds like your name!"

The End