Harry heard Snape calling him telling him to stop but he was to far gone to listen. He just kept on running he had to get away. He had made a mistake trusting that man he needed to get away to think.

As the forbidden forest came closer he thought he could hear Snape behind him.

He couldn’t stop he needed to hide.

He did not stop as Hagrids hut came into view he knew the half giant was still away.

He ran until he crossed the boundary of the forest, the trees still fairly far apart he couldn’t stop; he needed to get further in where there was more cover.

He kept running tripping over roots, he fell. Getting back up he started to run again. He kept going until he was deep into the forest, until no daylight penetrated through the canopy.

He had grazes on his hands from falling, the knees of his jeans torn, blood trickling down his legs from cuts his shirt torn.

He tripped again and landed sprawled on the forest floor. He had no more breath in him; he could not run any more.

He pulled himself up into a sitting position and leant against a tree.

Taking deep gasping breaths he began to take stock of where he was.

He recognized the clearing. Memories of last year and the detention he had

when he first saw Voldemort leaning over the body of a unicorn. 

What was he going to now? He knew he wouldn’t be able to stay in here.

Maybe he would be able to go to Ron’s, if he could get hold of him. Hedwig was back in the school owlery perhaps she could get a message to him.

Harry began to calm down he knew he could manage without food for a while he had gone without before, as long as he could get something to drink he would have to find a stream or a something.  

Thankfully the weather was still warm so he wouldn’t freeze, but it was cooler in amongst the trees and he shivered slightly.

‘He would stay out here, for tonight and then early tomorrow he would make his way out of the forest, get Hedwig and send a message.’

He knew he was in for a long wait it was only just lunchtime when Snape had brought them back to the school.

Snape, he had really thought he was going to be different how stupid was he?

How many times in the past with his aunt and uncle had they played this game?

When someone was coming to the house Harry would have decent clothes and they would treat him like he was a real member of the family only to have it all go back to normal the next day.

The never-ending chores that made his back hurt and his muscles ache.

And the beatings, for being Harry, for being different.

And he thought that because of a promise made long ago things were going to change. But he knew different now.

That look on Snapes face when he grabbed him. Things were still the same and Harry could not hold back the pain he felt any longer and great rasping sobs broke from him he curled up into a ball and cried loud bitter tears he was scared and alone in a forest full of danger and no one cared.

And he cried until he felt like his heart would break.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Snape was running after Harry he called out,

“HARRY PLEASE STOP!”

He did not listen; the boy kept going straight toward the forest.

Hoping that he would not go in too far, Snape thought that he might catch up with him just inside. By the time he reached the trees there was no sign of Harry

He stood there and called

“Harry, I’m sorry please come out, Harry please lets go up to the castle and talk about it let me explain.”

Nothing, Snape knew he was talking to thin air. He tried a point me spell with his wand, there was too much interference with the trees and magic beings that lived in here for that particular spell to work effectively and Snapes’ wand just wobbled slightly in his hand.

Starting to panic now Snape yelled “HARRY! HARRY!”       

Snape knew the forest well as he came in here often to gather ingredients for his potions there were too many places Harry could hide.

He left the trees and sent his patronus up to the castle for help.

After sending the message, telling the Headmaster where to meet him, Snape went back into the forest to see if there was any sign of which way Harry had gone.

He could see some snapped twigs but anything could have caused it. He went a little further, nothing. He turned and went in the other direction. The same snapped twigs and trampled ground. But then he saw something that looked like a piece of torn material caught on one of the branches.

It was the same colour as the shirt Harry was wearing; maybe they should follow this path?

“Severus where are you?”

He heard Dumbledore call. He went to join him.

Standing by his side glaring at him, was the deputy Headmistress and Harry’s head of house, Minerva McGonagall.

“What happened Severus, why did he run off?” Dumbledore asked.

“I lost my temper replied Snape

“Did you strike him?” McGonagall asked angrily pointing her wand at him.

“No I would never hit Harry, he knows that. It’s just that I grabbed him. Something happened and I lost my temper and I grabbed him.

He looked at Dumbledore, his deep, black eyes filled with emotion.

“Oh dear God Albus, what have I done to my boy?

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Harry could feel the eyes of the forest on him he knew he would have to move from here. Maybe he should make his way back to the forest boundary where the trees were thinner and then he would be able to decide when to go and get a message to Ron.

But then again what good would that really do? Snape was his guardian and whether he liked it or not he would have to go back to him.

He got up off the floor he was aching all over his hands and knees were stinging from the cuts and grazes.

He heard something behind him,

“Who’s there?” He called spinning around pulling his wand out.

Maybe it was time to move. Which way left or right? Another noise to his left made up his mind for him, he went right.

He began to walk faster there was definitely something behind him, it couldn’t be one of the dark creatures that the forest was home to, it would have attacked him by now if it was, wouldn’t it?

He could hear what sounded like paws walking through the undergrowth. Harry began running slowly; he could hear something running along side him. He stopped what ever was following him stopped he began moving again, it began moving, he couldn’t see anything perhaps it was invisible.

Harry began running again he stumbled over a root and fell. Scrambling to his feet he took off running again, faster this time, he was still being followed.

Maybe he should climb a tree, but what if the creature could climb trees?

It was keeping up with him.

He heard a growl; he began to run even faster.

Too fast he caught his foot and twisted his ankle and fell again, this time he couldn’t get up his ankle beginning to swell immediately.

 What ever was chasing him had stopped but Harry could hear it panting.

He lit his wand he would rather see what was about to attack him.

The light caught a glint of amber eyes.

He crawled as fast as he could the cuts on his hands bleeding, his ankle throbbing and sending shooting pains up his leg.

He came to large fallen tree, he tried to get a hold of something to hoist himself over. A vine or something he could use as a rope to pull himself over the obstruction. There was nothing. His wand went out.

He sat down and lent back against the tree, he could hear the creature to the left of him coming closer, lumos he lit his wand again.

This time in the light of his wand he could see two amber eyes and a set of large white fangs. And they were coming right towards him.

“AARRGG!” Harry yelled before he dropped his wand and flung his arms over his face.

 And the light went out.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Snape, Dumbledore and McGonagall had been searching for Harry for well over an hour, they had take the path that Snape had seen the piece of torn shirt, hoping they were going the right way.

“Maybe we should have called for reinforcements,” Snape said, “The forest is too big for the three of us to search alone.”

“Have faith Severus we will find him” replied Dumbledore.

They walked on in silence all three of them with their wands drawn and illuminated.

“Am I going to be able to fix this? Snape asked no one in particular. “I’ve really messed up this time. I need to stop making promises because I’m no bloody good at keeping them.”

McGonagall patted his arm.

“I am really annoyed with you at the moment Severus but contrary to belief you are exactly what that boy needs. I think you will make a good parent to Harry”

“Yes so good that after our first outing he goes running into the forbidden forest.”

They kept on walking until they eventually arrived at the clearing.

There was evidence that something had been there by the flattened grass.

Dumbledore waved his wand and did a complex spell, a faint outline appeared.

“Harry was here,” he said walking on. And he is not alone something is following him,” and Dumbledore quickened the pace.

Snapes stomach dropped

“What is it, what’s following him?

“I can’t make it out the spell only picks up human signatures”

Snape felt sick, not only was Harry lost in here something was stalking him and it was his entire fault, if anything happened to him he’d put himself in Azkaban.

“I don’t think we are that far behind him now.” Dumbledore said.

As a scream ripped through the air.