Undiscovered by Alexis18
Summary: Dumbledore has requested Snape retrieve something valuable for the Order and stop Voldemort from getting his hands on it. Unfortunately Snape is also required to take Harry as they need a Parselmouth. Along the way, both learn more about each other and Snape's ideas and assumptions are proven incorrect.
Categories: Healer Snape, Teacher Snape > Trusted Mentor Snape, Teacher Snape > Professor Snape, Parental Snape > Guardian Snape, Teacher Snape > Unofficially teaching Snape Main Characters: .Snape and Harry (required), Dumbledore
Snape Flavour: Snape is Angry, Canon Snape, Snape Comforts, Snape is Kind, Overly-protective Snape, Snape is Secretive
Genres: Action/Adventure, Angst, Hurt/Comfort
Media Type: None
Tags: Injured!Harry, Kidnapped!Harry
Takes Place: 5th summer
Warnings: Abusive Dursleys, Bullying, Torture, Violence
Challenges: None
Series: None
Chapters: 17 Completed: No Word count: 80694 Read: 63757 Published: 17 Jan 2018 Updated: 27 Jan 2019
Unnecessary, But Establishes Power by Alexis18
Author's Notes:
Welllll....... I really wanted to work on this for so long, but life got in the way. I'm sorry to any of the poor souls who waited for an update although I assume most of them are gone by now. At least, well, heres the next chapter? and comments as usual still mean the world to me so if you feel like saying anything, please do!
Severus was highly irritated that yet again, he was in the hospital wing.

“Severus, what exactly happened to you?” Madam Pomfrey and Albus both looked curious and wary. Both, no doubt, having partly figured out where he’d been.

Before giving time for him to answer, she explained her own escapades. “Albus and I where both questioned for ages in the ministry. We were there for days! we only really just got out properly a few hours ago. We were here talking about where you might be when…. well, you show up! More pale than usual and shaking like a leaf. What in merlins name happened?”

It was interesting that both Pomfrey and Albus had been detained for so long despite doing nothing. What had Fudge really gained from that?

He begun recounting his tale explaining his own confinement and eventual release by Lucius and finally his ‘punishment’. Pomfrey had turned a little greener at the mention the Cruciatus curse but didn’t interject.

Albus showed no sign of any other emotion besides some concern. His intelligent eyes and crooked nose taking in every detail and storing it in that brilliant mind of his.

“I think we all require a bit of rest after our various ordeals, wouldn’t you agree?”

Pomfrey as usual, had a small objection. “Yes I think that would be much appreciated, but I best visit Harry to examine him Albus. That shoulder was pretty badly broken and that leg needs checking to make sure an infection doesn’t set in. ”

Dumbledore gave a small laugh in amusement. “I’ve always been glad I chose you as our healer Poppy. However, I would be wary. Disturb Harry to much and you may find he won’t willing come back to the hospital wing when there is trouble. It is late and I think you should sleep, Harry is smart enough to come here if something is wrong.”

“He never should have left; I told him to stay. ” Pomfrey grumbled, although it was a bit half-hearted.

Severus did have to agree with Pomfrey. That boy was trouble, always. He didn’t quite believe Dumbledore’s statement about the boy being smart enough to come here either. Potter was more the suffer in silence type. It seemed practical to keep the boy within eye sight as a general rule. Although he had to admit, the kid was 15 and needed some space. Perhaps it would be best to let him rest a little longer. He would go find the brat in the morning.

As he scanned the beds of the hospital wing, his eyes traveled to the bed Potter had been on. On the bedside table something mottled grey caught his attention. Of course; the cloak he had given him. He would happily admonish the boy later for not taking care of it and leaving it here.

Finally he could take his leave before the crisp white bedsheets of the hospital wing started suffocating him further. The smell of medicinal potions and bandages alone had him longing for his own quarters.

He bid Pomfrey and Albus goodnight and settled in his chambers with a lit fire, a few biscuits and a book. For one of the first times in a long while, he felt it was justified. Before going to bed, he had a quick look through his cabinets and found what he was searching for almost immediately. A soft pink potion with a scrawled fraying label and a cork stopper. Back in the caves he had promised to give Potter something to be rid of his scars. He didn’t intend on breaking his word.

***

His dizziness in the hot sun was getting harder and harder to fight. His knees were scratched and bleeding as he worked on the flowerbeds in the backyard. Yanking weeds from their pre-made homes and displacing them into a bucket.

His face was most likely covered in dirt, he knew the rest of him was. At some point in the near future he would need food and water, or else he’d faint. It was a matter of fact. Once he finished the garden beds, he would pluck up the courage to tell his Aunt this; in a polite manner of course. Any disrespect would be met with sneers and punishment.

So, as he pulled the last gangly green weed from the back edge he’d missed before, he went inside. For a Gryffindor the task seemed stupidly fear inducing.

His Aunt took the bucket without comment, checking that he’d pulled up a decent amount of weeds. She turned her sooty nose up at him, handing him back the plastic handle, and went to leave.

“Wait! Can I please eat something? I can’t work if I don’t have enough energy to do anything.”

She looked him up and down, assessing him.

“Fine, a glass of water and a sandwich. But make it fast!”

He nodded and dashed to kitchen. The water felt like liquid heaven trickling down his throat and the sandwich didn’t quite cure the ache in his stomach but it helped a fair bit. He was watched by a pair of beady eyes the entire time, tracking his every move. The moment he was finished the plate was yanked away from him.

“You’ve had your fill! go outside, I don’t want you in the house anymore. You’re covered in dirt and stink. And don’t come back till sundown!”

Again he nodded but his stomach dropped. Being here meant at least avoiding the wrath of Dudley and his boyband-gang. His cousin had been going to great efforts to introduce them to what ‘Harry Hunting’ was and his wanderings outside where now filled with fear.

He wished for his wand badly, a few spells and he would have sent them all running. They wouldn’t dream of coming near him again after copping a few jelly-leg curses.

He almost missed Malfoy, the boy was a prick but at least he could defend himself in their fights. Plus, it was generally one on one. There was no humiliation as he stood there and took punches.

It was during a particular stroll down a large alleyway due to boredom, when he was spotted. Of course he began sprinting immediately.

Feeling a sense of fear he hadn’t felt since before Hogwarts. There taunts echoed down the alley way

“Come back Pansy Potter!”

“Running to mummy and daddy? oh, wait!”

“Fight you piece of crap!”

The instant he was out of their sight he ducked into a small nook. It didn’t provide much protection but he hoped the group would run straight past him. He held his breath as the expensive trainers swept past, each one belonging to a douche bag in low hanging jeans.

He was safe – until he knocked over the broom next to him.

His panic spiked and the slowest boy at the back with a partly shaved head turned and made eye contact.

“Boys! he’s here! ”

The rest of the group turned around and he was quickly trapped against the wall; leaving him absolutely no where to go. Dudley stepped forward, obviously trying to be the leader.

“Hey Potty. Not sure why you left, we haven’t caught up properly for ages

He didn’t reply.

“I’ve heard you, at night you know. Screaming from your big scary dreams. Cedric this, Cedric that. Crying like the baby you are. You’re a coward you know…… probably got it from mum and dad. I don’t know why they even let you stay at that freak school of yours, maybe they just don’t know how pathetic….”

That was enough, he pushed Dudley backwards forcing him to stagger, “Pathetic? well Dudders if i’m pathetic why are you hear facing me six on one? If I’m pathetic why don’t I need mummy coming to pick me after every time I stub a toe? You think you would’ve learned how to live by yourself you pathetic lub of fat. ”

He had gone to far, a humiliation in front of friends. The first few seconds were a stunned silence, no one had really hear Harry talk back to Dudley much. Certainly never imagined he would do it to this extent.

Then Dudley reclaimed what little words he had left. “You’re gonna pay for that Potty.”

He shoved Harry, to which Harry shoved back. Next was a fist to the edge of his forehead which he felt the sting of pretty quickly. The rest of the boys stayed back, apparently interested to see how this played out.

Harry managed to side step most blows with a few exceptions. He actually had to give Dudley credit for being smarter than he imagined when the blonde went for his swollen shoulder and pushed his fingers in firmly. Eliciting a pained shout from Harry.

Harry threw as much force as he could into a punch that landed squarely underneath Dudley’s eye. He regretted it the moment it made contact. Dudley walked backwards howling in pain and clutching his face. Already blood was dripping from it as Harry’s fingernails had scratched the skin.

He stuck a shaky finger at him; “You’ll pay for that you will. Just you wait. You’ll wish you never even looked at me wrong!”

Harry backed away from what felt like a crime scene. Breaking into a sprint that would take him far away from there.

He ran until his lungs heaved and he felt like throwing up (not that there would be anything much in his stomach to throw up). He gave himself a minute of heaving breaths where he sucked as much air in as he could; like oxygen would somehow give him strength. When he finished collapsing, he stood up and brushed himself off.

Swiftly walking he was surprised to find a wetness on his cheeks and a salty tang in his mouth. He hadn’t cried for days, it had felt like he wasn’t even able too anymore. A quick glance in the reflection of a shop window confirmed his blotchy face and hazy red eyes. He wasn’t even sure why he was teary and furiously scrubbed at his nose.

For a moment he felt a fiery flare of anger at everyone. His aunt and uncle, who had no right to treat him like this, like he was less than human. And Dudley, for having an ego the size of a hot air balloon and a head thicker than wood.

All those at Hogwarts definitely deserved a mention, Ron and Hermione hadn’t written at all. Did he even pass their mind once? Dumbledore who he had once held in such high regard, never seemed to intervene when it was Harry’s welfare on the line.

Sirius, his last living family member. Not even an owl…. nothing.

Lastly Snape. The man who had made a promise and broken it without so much as a second thought. Just when he was beginning to understand the man… he thought Snape deep deep down was beginning to develop somewhat of a grudging tolerance to him. He thought somewhere, in those grisly caves, there had been a flicker of compassion.

All at once, his anger was snuffed out. He stopped for a moment against a brick wall and closed his eyes. Leaning his head back against it. He couldn’t find any actual anger within himself anymore, it was not up to the people listed to watch him. He was the one who kept falling prey to muggles, he was the one who was simply not strong enough.

He bit his lip and summoned what courage he had to return home, knowing what awaited him. A dusty pink sky made for a nice backdrop and at least he found reason to sadly smile at that.

He had actually covered more distance than he expected. The walk was quite long, although not unpleasant. The though of actually just staying outside for the night crossed his mind a few times. It was certainly warm enough. He knew that it was a stupid idea, his safety was already in jeopardy every time he took a step outside of the house. Or maybe it was the street; who knew how those wards worked. Justifying risking his life just to avoid a punishment didn’t quite seem to add up, god knows what Snape or Dumbledore would say. Not that he considered that priority number one.

He hesitated at the door knob. Maybe he could just change his name and appearance and somehow…. No, he would take this. Cedric had suffered a worse fate, the least he could do was will the courage to approach his uncle.

He walked in before he over-thought it.

It didn’t take long for his aunt’s sharp cheekbones and pointed nose to come face to face with him.

“You really are a horrible thing aren’t you? My son. You attacked MY SON. Dudley just got back from the hospital you know, thanks from the pain you put him through. If it wasn’t for those freaky people, I would throw you out. Right here, right now, like the scum you are.”

He kept his head low and bowed during her rant. It was a little hard to here that the only reason he had a place to stay was thanks to the threat of Dumbledore. She didn’t stop there however,

“You know, sometimes I intervene if he got a bit out of hand. Step in for your sorry sake. Tonight you went too far, I won’t help you. Not anymore. You’re on your own.”

She walked upstairs leaving him in the hallway. He didn’t want to walk into the living room but his feet took him there regardless.

Dudley sat on the couch eating from a large tub of ice cream and had a pale bandaid underneath his eye. There were hints of a yellowing bruise, Harry had actually had managed to make a bit of a mark. When Dudley saw him he grinned broadly and got up, walking back towards the stairs. As he passed he tapped Harry with the spoon he’d been using to eat, causing Harry to wince.

“Oh just you wait freak. You should never have come back.”

Harry stayed stoically silent. That is what he would he’d do for the entire night he’d decided, stay stoically silent.

“Boy!”

He gave a proper flinch this time. His Uncle entered in from the backyard pulsing with anger. However much Harry had seemed to grow up vanished. In that instant, he was right back to his defenceless six year old self and all that tactics he’d used then, came flooding back. Don’t talk, don’t try to run, don’t make eye contact, think of something happy.

He was rammed against the wall, carefully, he kept his eyes on the ground.

The fury of an untrained bull radiated off of Vernon. “I have had it with you. Those freaks of yours showing up with you on our doorstep once again. Should’ve left you to freeze to death the first time they did it. I hope you know that this is not your home, it never was and it never will be. You have no home, you have nothing.”

A distance voice in his head yelled that he had Hogwarts but that voice was quickly fading away.

“You know you deserve this punishment, you knew it the minute you took that swing at my boy. So you will take this without complaint, and you will never speak of it.”

His uncle shoved his head in the wall and he briefly saw black. Think of something nice. He tried but each happy memory was tinged with sadness. Laughing with Ron and Hermione was only bringing up questions of why they’d yet to talk to him. Riding a broom gave him a horrible feeling that he’d never ride one again.

His uncle grabbed him by the shoulder and dragged him outside. When he let go, Harry fell to the ground thanks to his already-injured leg.

A foot connected with his his face and the metallic tang of blood swelled in his mouth. He instinctively curled in on himself, not that it did much good; the next few kicks were just as bad. One connecting with his ribs having him gasp for pain. All the time his instincts kept telling him to stay silent.

He stared lifelessly at the grass blade millimeters away from his eyes. Focusing on it even as a fleck of blood discoloured it. One particularly bad hit to his head had him feel nauseous and sleepy, he knew he was supposed to fight the sleep so he did. Carefully clinging on to consciousness with the pain yelling and the blade of grass all spinning around him.

He wasn’t quite sure what the damage was, only that everything hurt. Everything. He bit his lip and was careful not to let his eyes water to the point they would be teary. He managed to keep them just on the verge.

The yelling took a very different tone he curiously glanced up, careful to avoid his Uncle’s face. Someone was standing only meters away in full black robed glory, a look of absolute frenzy on his face and a dangerous glint in his eye. Those coal eye’s flicked to him and his emotions threatened to fully engulf him, he smiled and realised that the kick to the head must have done more damage than he thought because it was impossible that Snape would be standing here.

But his Uncle’s thrashing had stopped, he had to know whether it was a delusion.

“Sn’pe?” his voice sounded slurred even to him.

Disappointingly he never got his answer, his ability to hold out against that sleepy sick feeling he’d gotten since that kick to his temple, claimed him.

***

Severus had begun the day much later than usual. Owing to the fact he’d slept in; a more than unusual occurrence. His chambers at Hogwarts were one of the few places it was even possible.

He only had one task for the day, find Potter. It was almost beginning to irritate him that the little miscreant had alluded him so far. Especially after their discussions, he’d imagined the boy might show a tad more cheerfulness. Perhaps Potter was having second thoughts, perhaps he was writing to the mutt in a dramatic plea about how terrible professor Snape was. Yes, Potter was going to have to face him sooner rather than later.

He started with the hospital wing, assuming Pomfrey had dragged him up from the depths of wherever the boy lurked.

Pomfrey was in a flurry of action, running to and fro stacking supplies, potions, bandages, medicinal books and more. She jumped when she saw him.

“Oh Severus, you scared me. Listen, I’ve told Dumbledore already and you should know too. I’m leaving today, I was never really supposed to be back here this long. St Mungo’s needs all hands on deck, there’s been more dark curses of late than I’ve seen since, well…. You Know Who first rose to power. I’m being sent somewhere remote, places where healers are sorely needed and are in few supply. I’m sorry but you won’t be able to contact me...”

Her words were as flurried as her packing but Severus still caught all of it.

“Sounds like you’re talents are in high demand. I’m sure others will be very thankful for you’re service.”

She beamed at the compliment

“Thank you.”

Something else caught her eye and she accio’ed it into her outstretched hand.

“Before I forget, could you please give this to Potter when you catch a hold of him? I was going to do it last night. Also ask how his leg and shoulder is, I believe you have enough mediwizard training to know what to look for.”

“Yes, I suppose so.”

She took another two minutes putting everything into a bag with an extension charm and finally stepped into the floo.

“Take care of yourself Severus. And do right by that boy, he needs all the friends he can get.”

“Goodbye Poppy.”

The castle immediately felt a little emptier at her absence.

The next place he looked was Gryffindor tower. He loathed the place but that didn’t mean he didn’t know the password. He expected to see a mess of black hair and a scrawny figure curled up on one of the plush couches, but he was wrong. The fire was not lit, the remaining soot looked like it had been there for days.

He walked to the dormitories, every bed was in the fine state of cleanliness that only a house elf could achieve. One bed however, was adorned with a few extra objects. A picture frame, a broom and a trunk with the golden initials H.P . He did not want to snoop, knowing the value of privacy and he quickly left before he succumbed to the urge.

He walked to the Quidditch grounds, the vacant frames of the stand looming over the grass in the afternoon sun, casting tall shadows. Even from a distance it was easily spotted that there was no Potter flying like a nat in long loops and dives. That map he knew the boy was in possession of would be extremely handy at present.

Walking back into the empty main hall he was forced to do something he’d rather avoid.

“Dobby, the house elf.”

A ‘pop’ like a stopper in a bottle echoed in the vast hall.

“Master Snape sir! Dobby was unware that Master Snape had returned sir! what is Master be needing?”

“You were unaware I was back? meaning you haven’t talked to Potter?”

“Master Potter is here!? I is not being see Master Potter, he has not summoned me….” The elfs ears began to droop slightly.

“Well I need you’re help finding him. Would you be able to do that?”

“Of course sir! that would be my pleasure.”

Great. Now he’d involved the house elf.

At least while Dobby searched he could be rest assured. Potter was probably stirring up trouble somewhere in the mysterious parts of the castle and Dobby would be able to find him most efficiently.

He summoned a Daily Prophet from his rooms to see if there had been any mention of the going on’s in the ministry. As usual Fudge’s smiling happy face was plastered all over the front cover along with a few of his lackey’s. In the background of one of the photo’s Severus was able to spy the blonde hair of one Lucius Malfoy. Fittingly, it was in an article about law enforcement and the dangers prisoners pose to aurors.

He continued reading for perhaps a further two hours before the bottle pop noise was heard again.

This time Dobby appeared distraught and with tears rushing down his face.

“Master Snape! Dobby is so sorry. I cannot find him. Master Potter sir! He is gone. Not in the castle. Dobby searched everywhere! everywhere! he is not in any room in Hogwarts.”

At this point the elf began to cry more intensely.

“Dobby. Are you saying Harry Potter is not at Hogwarts at all?”

“Yes!”

The elf vanished again, apparently out of shame. Severus stood up abrubtly knocking the tea he’d been drinking and the newspaper on the floor.

Where was Potter?

He swiftly walked to the infirmary. Hoping by some miracle the boy would be in there ready to be scolded for sending his house elf with false information.

When he got there it was eerily vacant, with only his footsteps making any noise. Never had he imagined he would lose the boy in Hogwarts of all places. The last time Potter had been here must have been when he was here in the Hospital wing after they’d just returned.

So what happened between then and now?… Fudge’s visit. Now it made sense, yes, Fudge had come after Dumbledore but he’d also come after Harry. That was his intention to keep them seperate and silence them both. Getting him was just an added bonus.

That still left the important question of where was Harry now?

He assumed the Ministry, but was not sure. If Fudge was separating Harry and Dumbledore why take them to the same place?

“Dobby?”

The wide red rimmed eyes appeared before him.

“Yes, Master?”

“I need you to do something to help me find Potter. It will involve breaking some laws, can you do this for me?”

The elf brightened immediately.

“Anything for Master Potter! anything!”

“Good, I need you to break into the Ministry for Magic, specifically the law enforcement division. Now they have plenty of anti-apparation laws, but none that I know of for house elves. I need you to search each cell and tell me if Potter is in any of them. Make sure you’re very thorough and be careful not to get caught.”

Dobby nodded cheerfully and snapped his fingers, vanishing without a trace.

Severus meanwhile had a horrible hunch that he would pursue while he waited. He went to the headmasters office which was vacant just like the rest of the castle. Dumbledore apparently busy with business elsewhere which was fine by Severus.

He found what he was looking for with little searching but struggled to find the surname ‘Potter’ in the unorganised mess of files.

Accio Harry Potter’s file.”

The paper sprang to his hand and opened over the headmasters desk.

Potter’s results across the years were present in high detail plus comments from teachers, his own scathing ones included. Under the ‘incidents’ section were a long list of Potters escapades, longer than perhaps even those of the Weasley twins. A scan over a few more pages and he found what he was looking for, a home address. The first time he went Dumbledore had given him the address but he paid little mind to it and forgot it quickly. Only when it was given to him in small print in the top right hand corner of the parchment did he remember, #4 Privet Drive, Little Whinging.

He was tempted to leave and dispel his fears but he would wait for Dobby, lest the elf came back with any information.

He sat down and after a few agitated minutes, guilt began to naw at him. He had not sought the boy out and had not even noticed he was missing. How long must Potter been gone and believed he had been forgotten? that he, Dumbledore and Pomfrey had not even noticed the absence.

“Looking a little troubled there Snape.” Phineas Nigel’s portrait was its annoying usual self.

“Keep quiet you or perhaps I will find a nice new location for you to hang.”

“We both know you wouldn’t. What’s got you all bent out of shape anyhow? last time you were this much of a wreck was after that werewolf attack. That one who then got himself hired back his a a professor…”

“I’m deadly serious Phineas, one more word and I will begin casting silencing charms.”

The portrait shrugged but offered no other commentary. Dobby finally returned right at Severus’s feet.

“Master Snape, Master Snape! I is failing again, I checked and checked but Dobby is not be finding Master Potter Sir!”

“Are you completely sure?”

“Most definitely” Dobby squeaked.

Severus wasted no time in rushing to the gates of Hogwarts and outside the bounds of the anti-apparation wards.

He arrived in Little Whinging almost immediately, the sleepy town almost completely dead at night with only a dribble of traffic passing passing.

The cookie-cutter houses dotted the street and only the numbers on the letter boxes proved any indication they were different from one another, he’d arrived at #53.

His anger and rage was quickly bubbling to the surface once again as he remembered the conversations he’d had with Harry and the horrible woman he knew when he was younger. By the time he’d reached number four, he held his wand tightly between his forefingers.

A muttered Alohomora sent the door nearly flying off it’s hinges.

He stepped inside the carpeted house and scanned the surroundings for Harry. He heard noise coming from further down the house and followed them.

When he comprehended the scene of the towering brute standing of the teen curled up on the ground, it was enough to trigger a burst of accidental magic that threw Dursley into a fence like he was no more than a fly.

With teeth bared and wand raised he was ready to descend on the man. He hesitated when he heard a small voice tear through rage. Perhaps the only thing that would’ve been able to stop him in that moment from claiming yet another life,

“Sn’pe?”

And there the boy was, lying like on the grass like an idiot. Blood smeared across his forehead, eyes filled with tears and a broad grin stretching across his face. That was until those green eyes rolled back and his body went limp.

Instantly he was by the boys side with two fingers pressed against a pulse. There were spells that accomplished the same thing but the muggle way always felt more certain. He lifted one of the boys arm behind his neck and dragged the light teen into the house willing to get him back to the safety of Hogwarts. He just needed to get out of the wards first.

A screech stopped him in the halfway and a short boy who was half walrus half boy stared at him with wide eyes. Too stupid to run obviously.

He flicked his wand and the lump was forcefully pushed aside.

Next Petunia and her jutting out jaw blocked his field of view.

“You! I remember you! You’re that creepy little kid who used to play with Lily. What, you think saving him is some kind of penance to her? You’re too late, where were you 15 years ago?”

He stuck the end of his wand underneath her chin and pulled his face close to hers. She went still,

“Ahh so you do know what I can do with this. Perhaps you remember from when we were young, well Petunia, I’ve learnt so many new tricks since then, I dare you to keep going.” by the end he was practically whispering, yet he was certain she caught all of it.

He looked at her and the fat tub of lard quivering in the hallway still. He summoned the voice from his youth, were he’d been drawn into the dark fantasies of being a Death Eater. It came out low and velvety.

“I’ll be coming back later.”

What a menacing silhouette he must look as he stood over the threshold of the wards and vanished in a complex twisting of dimensions.
To be continued...


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