“The boy has disappeared, Albus,” Severus spat.

Shadowed blue eyes stared back at him in shock.

“And what of Voldemort?”  

Severus flinched in pain at the sound of the accursed name.

“The Dark Lord is every bit as flummoxed by this as you are.” 

“Do you think that Harry is responsible for his relatives’ deaths?”  Albus wondered aloud.

Severus scowled.  

“If he is, then I feel certain that he was justified.”

He swirled and made to stride from the room.

“You believe that he was mistreated?”

Severus scowled, but dutifully floated over a copy of the letter he had received at the beginning of the week.

Albus read it and was shocked.  

“He refers to himself as, ‘The Freak,’” Severus stated matter-of-factly.  “I feel certain that he did not come up with the name on his own. So yes,” He snarled.  “I believe he was mistreated.”

“The Order will watch the usual places, my boy.  If you receive further correspondence from him, you will send it to me immediately, understand?”  Albus’ eyes were glinty with resolve.

Severus sneered but then nodded and left.  

. . .

He threw back the glass of firewhiskey and shuddered at the burn.

On his lap lay the latest letter from Potter--the one he had conveniently forgotten to mention to Dumbledore.

Dear Professor Snakey,

Severus rolled his eyes at the idiocy but managed to control the hysterical laugh that threatened to bubble forth.

I’m staying with the goblins for a bit while I get on my feet.

“Only you, Potter.”

They seem to like me.  I think it’s because I treat them like equals.  I can’t imagine why someone would be cruel to the one who holds their money, but apparently the wizarding world is stupider than I thought.

“You have no idea,” Severus whispered, thinking in particular of a certain twinkly eyed bastard.

I’m learning a lot more than I would during a normal summer.  And eating a lot. The goblins seem to think I should be a bit bigger than I am.  They keep pushing nutrition potions at me.

Severus’ stomach clenched at the unspoken meaning of the boy’s words.

I never knew that pomegranates were something to be eaten.  I just thought they were used in potions.

He closed his eyes against a wave of sudden vertigo.  His world view was shifting rapidly, enough that his stomach was rolling against the changes.

Every time I come into a room, the goblins tell me to sit.  To read. To eat. To do all of these things that I’ve never been allowed to do in peace.  

Perhaps he would move in with the goblins as well.  He snorted and returned to the ridiculous letter.

I shaved my head.  And the goblins fixed my eyes.  They also gave me some jewelry that helps with going undetected.  Just thought you should know.

Oh, and I’m going to meet with Mr Dark Lord at his manor tomorrow.  Feel free to come. 10:14, sharp. Haha. No, really.

Severus silently summoned a calming draught and downed it without shuddering.  The vial fell from unfeeling fingers and shattered on the floor with a tiny tinkling sound.  

The letter was signed the same as before.  

Sincerely,

The Freak