The following morning at breakfast, Harry could not stop staring at Snape as he fed himself, thinking about the scars he had seen on his back. Snape's back had been covered in white marks he recognized all too well, and Harry could not stop wondering whether Snape had received them the same way he had received his. Had Snape's family tried to beat the freakiness out if him too?

When he and Snape moved to the living room for their usual after-breakfast talk, Snape tried to ask Harry about his dream the night before. Harry was tight-lipped and quiet, shifting uncomfortably, but after a long moment of silence, he finally opened his mouth.

"Sir?" he asked. "How did you... Did you... Your back..." Harry paused and took a breath. "Did your parents take the belt to you too?" he finally spit out his question, the words coming out in a rush.

Snape examined his hands for a moment, then answered calmly, "Yes, Harry. My father did take the belt to me at times, particularly when he was drunk. Did your uncle or aunt abuse you that way as well?"

Harry flinched a bit at the word abuse. "I'm not abused," he muttered. "But yeah, Uncle Vernon took the belt to me a few times.” He paused, then asked, “Did you ever tell anyone when you were at school?”

Snape met his eyes, and answered, “No, I did not, I did not have the courage to. However, I do find myself wishing at times that someone else had discovered it back then.”

The two sat in silence for a while, each lost in their own thoughts, until Snape finally spoke up.

“Harry, would you be ok with me telling the Headmaster a brief overview of your treatment at the Dursleys? I am mandated to report such issues when I find out about it, so I have already told him that your treatment there is not acceptable, but it will help, I believe, for him to have a bit of a clearer picture.”

Harry reddened a bit, and looked uncomfortable. “Does he have to know?” he asked quietly.

“No,” Snape answered, “at least not right now. However he may have to know eventually, and I believe it will simplify things in the long run. He will likely also wish to speak with you personally.”

Harry sighed and nodded, acquiescing.

xxXxx

Their lunch later that afternoon was unusually quiet. Harry had forgone his usual writing session while Snape had been at his lab that morning, and he was feeling oddly guilty over it, although he had spent the time studying instead. Deciding that he was being silly, he addressed Snape as they were nearing the end of the meal.

“Sir? Would it be all right if I went flying this afternoon? I already worked on my homework.”

Snape nodded his head slightly. “That would be fine. Just keep your hands on the broom -- no reckless stunts today.” He silently wondered whether Harry had spent any time writing, but deciding not to push him about it that morning.

Harry nodded and grinned. He had not spent much time outside of Snape’s quarters since that rather disastrous first attempt, and he was looking forward to flying. The existence of brooms was probably one of his favorite things about the magical world.

Thirty minutes later, he was soaring over the quidditch pitch, the cold wind whipping his hair and stinging his eyes. It was amazing how clear-headed he felt; he had not even realized how much everything with Snape and the Dursleys had been weighing on him until now, when he felt weightless and calm. And now, as he thought about it, holding back information from Snape just did not seem to make sense. The man already knew so much -- he might as well just tell all. Snape had been surprisingly gentle and understanding so far. Even though part of him was still scared of the idea, he had really begun to trust Snape. He actually believed that Snape would take him away from the Dursleys, and for whatever reason he did not believe that Snape would tell anyone but Dumbledore any details that he shared. And he had realized that although it was difficult and nerve-racking, there was some amount of relief in finally telling his secrets and allowing someone else to worry about them. Harry smiled slightly as he pulled another hairpin turn. Maybe this Christmas break had not been so bad after all.

Meanwhile, Snape was standing stiffly in the Headmaster’s office, explaining what he had learned about Harry’s home life to Dumbledore.

“...They would tie him up, Headmaster. And I believe there are still details that Harry has not shared. He has barely even admitted to being given the belt, although he has touched on it briefly.”

Dumbledore gazed at the man before him, who he could tell was only barely containing his anger, with a mixture of sadness and hope. As his long tirade wound down, he spoke up, saying, “I do believe we have enough details from Harry at this point to begin moving for a change of custody. We have physical evidence as well as his tale, and the combination should be enough. Although you should take Harry to Poppy tomorrow, as she will be back by then, to have everything officially documented. We will have to ask Harry how he wants everything handled, also. Fortunately, Wizarding Family Services is discreet enough to keep word from getting out, to the Ministry or to the Wizarding world in general.”

Snape nodded. “I was planning on bringing him to Madam Pomfrey to have his eyes examined anyway. Should I bring him here tomorrow evening to discuss with you custody details and such?”

Dumbledore inclined his head. “That should be fine. I will see the both of you tomorrow then.”

xxXxx

Originally, Snape had thought that he would bring Harry to the hospital wing after breakfast the next morning. However, that plan changed when Harry walked out of his room holding a piece of parchment, handing it to Snape silently before beginning to eat his breakfast. Snape eyed the boy, who was determinedly staring at his plate, for a moment before slowly unfolding the note and beginning to read.

Dear Professor Snape,

I’m really kind of scared to tell you these last things, but I think I feel like I need to, and I think some part of me almost wants to. I’m not exactly sure why, but maybe I’ve grown tired of keeping secrets.

The Dursleys stopped ever sending me to Mrs. Figg once my Hogwarts letter came. They actually got a lot better that summer though. They gave me Dudley’s bedroom, and they didn’t punish me as much or give me quite as many chores. I think they were afraid someone was watching and that they would get in trouble.

But the summer after my first year, I guess they realized that either no one knew or no one cared. They locked me in my room for a while and put bars in the window and a cat flap in the door so they could just slide in some food, and they let me out twice a day to use the bathroom. But Uncle Vernon started coming, usually on Friday nights, and he would just beat me up a little. Usually it just left some bruises, though he did take the belt to me a couple of times.

The next summer, at first he went back to just beating me up when I messed up chores or something, and cuffing me when they left the house, but now they started cuffing me to a pipe in the basement along the wall, usually with my hands behind me. But then after the whole incident with Aunt Marge, once Fudge found me and brought me back, he started taking me down to the basement on Friday morning and leaving me there till Sunday night. He would just put my hands behind my back and leave me some water in a bowl until Sunday night. Sometimes, if Dudley was particularly nasty, he’d come down on Saturday and leave me some food just out of reach, or he’d knock my water bowl farther away. They liked to have company on the weekends, that was usually their excuse for putting me down there, and if Uncle Vernon thought I made any noise while they were there, he’d use the belt on me before he let me go on Sunday night. He’d move my hands up to a higher pipe so he could reach my back. It was never anything too awful though, I never passed out or anything, I think he just did it to remind me who was in control.

So ever since then, it’s been something like that with the Dursleys.

The letter ended rather abruptly, and Snape looked up, trying to swallow around the lump in his throat, to see Harry was still staring at his plate. He cleared his throat and said, “Thank you for sharing this, Harry. Do you feel ready to talk about it yet?”

Harry mutely shook his head, still not meeting Snape’s gaze, and Snape nodded, understanding. He stood up, and then hesitantly walked over to the boy, awkwardly wrapping an arm around his hunched shoulders. He had no idea where such a gesture had come from, or why he was suddenly embracing -- hugging, even! -- Harry Potter, but he knew that it somehow felt right. Harry stiffened for a moment beneath his touch, then relaxed slightly. Snape only held the position for a moment before releasing Harry.

“Now,” he began, composing himself hastily, “I was planning on taking you to the hospital wing this morning to have Madam Pomfrey check your eyes. Are you amenable to that?”

Harry nodded, his eyes wide as he stared at his professor. Snape nodded slightly.

“Good. Ready yourself then -- I’ll not have you traipsing about the halls barefoot -- and we’ll go.”

xxXxx

Several minutes later, Snape looked on as Harry sat on a bed, Madam Pomfrey having him look this way and that, peering into his eyes and taking measurements with her wand. She frowned.

“Mr. Potter, when did you last have your eyes checked?” she asked.

Harry blushed and mumbled, “I don’t remember.”

The matron tutted for a moment, then spoke. “Well your current prescription is nowhere near strong enough. Goodness, it’s a wonder you can see the board in class! And how you ever find the Snitch in that infernal game…” She trailed off for a moment, shaking her head, before adding, “I can send your new prescription down to Hogsmeade, they can fill it within a few days. Would you like to pick out a new frame as well? These look like they’ve been through the mill.” She clucked as she held up Harry’s spectacles, and Harry’s blush deepened.

Several minutes later, once a frame had been chosen from a catalog and Madam Pomfrey had left the room to send the order to Hogsmeade, Harry began stuttering protestations.

“Sir… really, sir -- I can pay! -- I can pay you back… You don’t need to…” He finally stopped when his professor turned to face him and shot him an icy glare.

“I am perfectly capable of paying for a pair of spectacles, Mr. Potter,” he snapped.

Harry gulped, but rushed to explain, “It’s not that sir, really, it’s just that… You don’t need to sir, I have money, I don’t want to be a… a burden…” he trailed off under Snape’s withering stare.

“Mr. Potter, you are certainly not a burden. It is, in fact, considered normal for adults to pay for children’s needs, particularly if they are currently under their care.” Snape continued to glare at the shrinking Harry for a moment before sighing and saying in a softer tone, “Consider it your Christmas gift, if you must.”

Harry finally nodded in acquiescence, though he still looked a bit troubled, but Snape steered the conversation away from the topic.

“When did your relatives last take you to have your eyes examined?” he queried.

Harry flushed a bit. “They didn’t, sir,” he answered quietly. “The school told them I was having trouble seeing the board, so Aunt Petunia took me to the drugstore one day and told me to pick a pair.” He shrugged.

Snape nodded, a bit surprised although the information was not completely unexpected. “And what about other doctor visits? How often did they take you to a physician?”

Harry shrugged again. “I saw the school nurse, like the other kids in my class, I guess. Dudley went to the doctor, but I never did, not that I remember.” He looked down, embarrassed.

Snape nodded again. “I would like to have Madam Pomfrey check you over fully, when she returns. It is common practice, in cases like these, to have documented physical evidence, and the Headmaster should have already informed her he would like it done. However, it is particularly important in light of what you just told me.”

Harry looked a bit wary, but nodded his acceptance as the matron bustled back into the room. Once Snape and Madam Pomfrey had conversed quietly, the nurse had Harry lie back in the bed, telling him she would be running a ‘deep scan’ diagnostic on him.

For several minutes, she slowly traced her wand over his body, a parchment she had set on the bedside table filling with writing as she went. When she finished, she looked determinedly impassive as she said in somewhat clipped tones, “I’ll just send this to the Headmaster, then.” She and Snape shared a look before she headed towards the Floo.

Snape beckoned to Harry, and the two left the wing.

xxXxx

That night, Snape led a rather wide-eyed Harry up to the Headmaster’s office. Dumbledore was waiting for them when Snape opened the door, standing just to the side of his desk and smiling pleasantly, but without his customary twinkle.

“Ah, Harry, Severus, do have a seat please,” he said to them, taking his seat behind his desk as they sat in the two small armchairs in front of it. Harry glanced at Snape, feeling rather uncomfortable under the Headmaster’s keen gaze.

“Well, I suppose it is best to be direct.” Snape nearly snorted to hear that statement coming from Dumbledore, but contained it. “Harry, Professor Snape has informed me of some of what you have told him regarding your relatives’ treatment of you. Could you please tell me just a little bit of what it has been like for you there?”

Harry tried to swallow, his mouth dry. “Er, well… they, er, locked me up sometimes. And, er… they didn’t like feeding me… And… sometimes they would hit me.” He looked away, squirming slightly in his seat.

“That’s fine, Harry, you don’t need to say anything more right now,” Dumbledore told him in a surprisingly gentle voice. “I just needed to hear it from you directly. I am so very sorry, Harry.”

Harry looked up at the Headmaster, a bit surprised, and saw that Dumbledore’s eyes looked sad and old. He suddenly realized that the Headmaster was in fact old, over a hundred, he thought.

The Headmaster continued to address Harry. “I am so sorry that you were treated that way, Harry, and that I was the one who chose to leave you with your aunt and uncle. And I am so very sorry that I did not think of more than Death Eaters when I considered your safety. It is likely one of my greatest mistakes, and I hope that one day you might forgive me for it, and that you might heal from it.”

Harry only nodded, a bit bemused at all that he was hearing. He was not actually sure that he blamed the Headmaster, but he also was not sure whether he was ready to forgive him, either. So he said nothing.

Dumbledore looked at him sadly for another minute before speaking again. “We are working on finding a place for you to stay, Harry. I want you to be able to have as much input as possible on that, although we unfortunately need to take into consideration some factors such as your safety. I imagine you have probably thought of the Weasleys, or if you have not you probably would soon,” Dumbledore’s eyes sparkled just a little at this, “and I know they would love to have you, but I do not believe the Burrow would be secure enough, nor would it easily be made secure enough. Professor Snape and I are working on coming up with a list of possibilities, but I want this discussion to be as open as possible with you, so please let me or Professor Snape know if you have any suggestions or any issues with our ideas. Can you do that, Harry?”

Harry nodded again, although Snape thought he looked slightly sad when he turned to look at his professor and met his eyes. But he dismissed it as the child being disappointed that he could not live with the Weasleys and refocused on the conversation.

“The only other thing we need to speak about tonight, Harry, is how you want this situation handled. I know that this will be difficult for you to think about, and difficult to decide, but I want you to consider this carefully before making a decision. You need to decide whether you would like to press charges against the Dursleys, which would lead to a trial.” Harry looked horrified at this idea, and Dumbledore hurried to finish his explanation. “It would be discreet, Harry, Wizarding Family Services is quite good at that, although there is always a small chance that it could become known, I cannot deny that. Usually a trial is necessary in abuse cases; however, given your circumstances, I believe it could be handled more quietly. A trial would be held in a small room with you and a trusted adult or two, Mr. and Mrs. Dursley, a judge and two lawyers.” Harry trembled a bit at this prospect. “The more quiet version would simply involve signing some paperwork and an interview in the Wizarding Family Services office of the Ministry.” Dumbledore looked very kind, although a bit concerned, as he watched Harry try to gather himself.

“I don’t want a trial, sir, I want to handle it the other way,” Harry said, his voice quiet.

“Are you sure, Harry? This does not need to be decided now, it is a big decision so you may take a few days to think about it,” Dumbledore cautioned him.

Harry nodded. “I’m sure. I don’t want to face them. I just don’t want to see them again.” He trembled a bit for a second before getting himself under control again, and Snape had a strange urge to wrap him in a hug, which he contained.

Dumbledore’s eyes regained their sad and old look. “Very well,” he said.

With that, Harry and Snape stood and left, heading back towards the dungeons.

xxXxx

The next day, Snape noticed that Harry looked particularly mopey. He was trying to spend as much time in the lab as possible, attempting to finish the antidote before Harry had to resume classes, but he was still returning for meals, and he took some time after breakfast to go over the initial list that he and Dumbledore had come up with. Finally, after dinner, Snape grew tired of waiting for the boy to come to him (given his track record, he never would), and decided to ask him about it. He brought Harry out into the living room and sat him in his usual place.

“Harry,” he began, sitting across from him, “what is wrong? You have seemed unusually… upset all day. Is there something you need to tell me, is there something more? Or did something happen?”

Looking down, Harry shook his head.

Snape sighed. “Harry, I do not believe that there is nothing. I cannot help you unless you tell me. I realize that it is difficult for you to trust, but it may be possible for me to help you. But I can only help you if you tell me.”

Harry’s shoulders hunched slightly, but after a moment he spoke. “I just thought… maybe I could stay with you?” He looked up and met Snape’s eyes with his own green ones, large and hopeful. At Snape’s confused expression he looked back down and mumbled, “It’s ok if you don’t want me, I understand, it’s not a big deal.”

Snape shook himself mentally, trying to wrap his mind around what Harry was saying. Then it finally clicked. “You want me to be your new guardian?” he asked, a bit dumbfounded.

Harry reddened and began mumbling again, “It’s ok, it’s not a big deal…”

Snape was speechless for a moment, but then his brain kicked back into gear. "Harry, it is not that I would not want to, but I have a past, I'm not sure the Ministry would ever approve..." His heart nearly broke when he saw Harry's crestfallen expression, the one the child was trying so hard to hide.

"It's ok, it's fine really, it's not a big deal, one of the ones on the list would be fine." Harry was mumbling again, looking at his feet.

Snape's heart swelled as he looked at the lost teenager before him. He suddenly realized he would do anything for this child, and it was a frightening but surprisingly wonderful feeling.

xxXxx

"Albus he wants me, ME, as his guardian. What child would ever want me?” Snape was pacing in the Headmaster’s office before the hearth.

Dumbledore had a twinkle in his eyes as he answered, “I believe you two have grown to care for each other. Both of you.”

Snape stopped and looked at Dumbledore. “I cannot disappoint him in this, Albus. That child has known too much disappointment in his life. He hardly could work up the courage to tell me that he wanted me as his guardian. But what Ministry official in their right mind would ever grant me custody?” He sank into an armchair, his head in his hands.

Dumbledore looked thoughtful as he stood before Snape, examining him. “I believe we may be able to convince them.”

Snape looked up, hope and surprise in his uncharacteristically unguarded eyes.

Dumbledore smiled at him. “Perhaps if we had someone else -- Minerva, for example -- take over primary custody, and have them appoint you as secondary guardian. The Ministry would have less reason to complain if both I and Minerva blessed it, and if you were only secondary guardian. Once the legalities are out of the way, for practical purposes you could be the unofficial primary guardian while Minerva would take on a more secondary role. It would not seem so unusual for his Head of House to take over guardianship along with another teacher, not at a school such as Hogwarts.”

Snape nodded slowly, mulling over the idea in his mind. “It might work.”

“Do you think Harry would agree to it?” Dumbledore asked. Underlying his question was the unspoken one of whether Harry would feel secure in the situation, or feel unwanted and shifted about.