Harry ran out of the Infirmary. It was all over. It was no longer a secret. Everyone will know he’s a freak, and they’ll send him back to his Aunt and Uncle. He can’t go back. He won’t go back. He remembered how hard it was to get to the train station. All the begging and bargaining he had to do. One of his promises was that he would not come back. Once he exited the car, it would be the last time he would be welcomed.

Harry ran as fast as he could towards the dormitories. He was happy he didn’t run into anyone. When he got to the room, he flopped on the bed, letting muffled sobs escape him. 

___000___000___000

Poppy couldn’t believe what she was seeing. It had been a while since she’d seen a diagnostic list with this many ailments. The last time was when she was doing her residence at St. Mungo’s. Poppy knew she had to contact Albus, Minerva, and Severus. 

She finished gathering the potions and salves needed to help the too-small child. When she walked back to the main part of the Infirmary, it was empty. Dropping everything in her arms on the nearest cot, Poppy rushed to the fireplace and floo’ed to the Headmaster’s chambers. 

___000___000___000

Harry sat up on the bed, wiping the tear streaks from his face. He had to leave. It would be better than waiting to be kicked out. He didn’t want to see the disdainful look on his safety’s face. 

Going to his trunk, Harry started packing a few items in his backpack satchel. He removed the books and parchment. He wouldn’t be needed those anymore. He was used to having few clothes, so he didn’t want to take too many. At the bottom of his trunk, Harry had a few items of food. Even though he couldn’t eat that much, he learned early on that it was important to hold your food because you didn’t know if you could eat again. Harry was happy that he had the presents of mind to save some food. That should last him until he got back to Gringotts. 

The last thing Harry searched for was his small pouch that held his money. When Hagrid took him to get his supplies, he was shocked to learn how much money he had. Hagrid told him that this was from his parents. 

After gathering everything he felt he needed, Harry took one last look at his bed. He will never forget how comfortable his first real bed was. He will always treasure his stay. Harry walked out of the dorms and made his way to the portrait. Harry was used to sneaking everywhere while he was with his relatives. So, he knew he would have no problem getting out of the castle. As he walked down the stairs, he thought about Hedwig. He would love to take her but felt she would like it here better. There wasn’t anything he could offer her now. He had nowhere to go and no way to care for her properly. 

Harry walked out of the castle, happy he wasn’t seen, his years of sneaking around his relatives or hiding from Dudley and his gang paid off. 

He was glad he packed his coat. It was starting to get cool. He headed for his first destination: the Hogwarts Express. He would take the train back to London and go to the Leaky Cauldron. He hoped with the money he had; he could get a room. When Harry got to the huge gate at the perimeter, he turned back and took one last look at the magical castle he once believed could be his home. He was going to miss his safety. 

___000___000___000

Severus left his office after Potter left from his office. That child puzzled him. There was something about that boy. Not wanting to deal with Albus or Minerva, Severus oped to eat his breakfast in his chambers. But since his mind of on the child with the lightning bolt scar, he found he didn’t have much of an appetite.  

Severus figured since he wasn’t going to eat, he might as well get some work finished. He knocked on his table to send the food back to the kitchen. When he got back to his office, he was met by a phoenix Patronus. 

Heaving a big sigh, Severus turned back to his chambers and floo’ed to the Headmaster’s chambers. 

When Severus stepped through the hearth, he was met with a panicked medi-witch and a flustered Deputy Headmistress.

“What’s going on?” Severus asked as he walked closer to Albus’ desk. 

“Harry’s missing,” Minerva said. 

“What? What do you mean he’s missing?” Severus demanded. 

___000___000___000

Harry reached the small town of Hogsmeade. He was surprised it didn’t take him as long as he thought. Harry saw the sign to the train station and headed in that direction. He hoped he had enough money to pay for a ticket. Harry patted his pants pocket, feeling the jingle of the coins. 

Harry climbed the set of stairs that led to the office. Because the window and counter were shoulder length, Harry got on his toes to see inside. His heart dropped when he saw that it was closed. What was he going to do now? How was he supposed to get to London? 

“Hey, kid!”

Harry was startled by the brash-sounding voice. The child turned around to find a slovenly-dressed man standing behind him. Harry was frozen in fear. 

The man was tall. He had a ragged scar that marred his face. His clothes were ragged and bedraggled. He reached for Harry, gripping the satchel. Harry was able to free himself of the straps. Harry could hear the man continue to yell after him. But Harry’s time with his cousin made getting away from the scary man easy. Harry was good at running. 

An owl screech broke through Harry’s panic, causing him to stop. Harry turned around when he heard the man trying to shoo away something. 

Even though Harry was running away, he couldn’t keep the smile off his face when he saw his first friend.

“Hedwig,” Harry called out. 

The snowy owl stopped pecking and clawing at the unkempt man and flew towards his familiar. The owl landed on a nearby post, looking at Harry.

“I’m sorry, girl,” Harry said, walking towards the owl. “You’ll be safe here. I can’t stay. They know the truth now. I’m a freak.” Harry absently rubbed his fingers on Hedwig’s feathers. “I would love for you to come with me, but I’m a freak. I’m not supposed to have nice things, and I don’t have any way to feed you. I’m sorry.”

Harry turned and walked away from the post, further into the small town. “Go back to Hogwarts,” Harry said, looking over his shoulder at Hedwig. 

Harry watched as Hedwig spread her wings and flew away. Harry tried to swallow the lump growing in his throat. He was a freak. Freaks weren’t supposed to have nice things. Freaks weren’t supposed to have an owl. Freaks didn’t deserve safety. Freaks didn’t deserve to go to a school with regular people. Harry Potter was nothing more than a freak. 

Harry walked over to the side of a building. He didn’t see that man anymore. But it didn’t matter. He didn’t have his stuff. He lost his satchel with his money, clothes, and even the small amount of food he packed. 

___000___000___000

Hogwarts wasn’t just an old castle that housed magical children and teachers. Hogwarts, herself, was magical. The stairs moving. The subjects of the portrait's ability to go into other paintings. All because of Hogwarts. Many people could come and go at will through the gates of Hogwarts. 

Today was different. Hogwarts was in an uproar. The school went into lockdown. The gates at the entrance to the castle were closed. The stairs stopped moving. The owls were restless and left the owlery; the posts and branches the owls rested on disappeared.

Hagrid walked out of his hut to check on Fang. He had let his dog out as he usually does during certain times of the day. Sometimes Harry would come by and play with Fang if he wasn’t in class. 

“Fang,” Hagrid hollered when he saw Fang running towards the school entrance. Closing his door, Hagrid took off after his Napoleon mastiff. 

Hagrid caught up to Fang, who was sitting by the front gate, howling.

“What’s wrong with you?” Hagrid groused when he got to the dog’s side. Hearing the sad howls broke Hagrid’s heart because he didn’t know what upset him.

___000___000___000

The Headmaster’s office was filled with most of the Professors. The Head of House Professors and the Medi-witch. 

“What happened?” Severus asked. 

“Harry came by to apologize for leaving before he was dismissed,” Poppy stated. “I had him sit down on the bed so that I could run a diagnostic scan. The poor child.”

“Why?” Pomona asked. “What’s wrong?”

Poppy didn’t answer. She continued, “When I returned from my potion’s cupboard, he was gone.” 

“Ronald Weasley came to me,” Minerva said, “telling me that Harry never came to breakfast. Later, Oliver said he never came to practice.”

“He couldn’t have gotten far,” Albus said. 

“How can you be so sure?” Severus asked. “There’s no way of knowing how long the boy’s been gone.”

“It hadn’t been too long,” Albus said. “Hogwarts just lockdown moments ago.”

“Let me out,” Minerva said. “I’ll check Hogsmeade. It’s the closest he could’ve gone to.”

“I agree,” Albus said. “But I think it would be best if Severus goes.”

“Me?” Severus gasped. “Why would—”

“The young child responds better to you,” Albus said, dismissing Severus’ complaint. “You are better suited to finding young Harry.”

Severus couldn’t believe he was getting roped in again with this boy. He could see the underlining twinking the Old Coot’s face. And he didn’t want to look at the old cat’s face. She’d probably be grinning like the cat who ate the canary.

“Fine,” Severus growled. “Let me out.”

“Sure, my boy,” Albus said. “You may want to take Hagrid and Fang with you.”

Severus wanted to argue to the point that he didn’t need to have that drooling behemoth with him, but he felt that would just lead to another headache besides the one he had now.

___000___000___000

Rumbling in his stomach reminded Harry that he hadn’t had anything to eat all day. It usually wasn’t unheard of for Harry to miss meals. He’d gone several days with only water from the hose outside to keep his stomach full. But since he’s been at Hogwarts, Harry’s been eating thrice daily. 

“You have to get yourself back to not eating,” Harry softly chastised himself. “Freaks don’t get food.”

“Who’s out there?” A woman’s voice trailed through the air. “Hello.”

Harry quickly clasped his hand over his mouth while trying to press himself further into the wall. He wanted to stay hidden in the shadows. 

“I see you,” the woman called out. “Come on out.”

Harry shut his eyes, hoping the woman was lying and she couldn’t see him. 

“Come on, now,” she said. “I haven’t got all day. Things to do.”

Harry opened his eyes and saw the woman was looking at him. Sagging his shoulders, knowing he was caught, he walked over to the woman. 

“You’re nothing but a wee child,” she remarked. “How old are you?”

“Eleven,” Harry mumbled, lowering his head.

“Bit small for eleven. Come on in.” The woman stood aside, holding the door open.

Harry walked into the building and first noticed the smell of food. His stomach made another rumbling noise.

“Are you hungry?” the woman asked. She walked around Harry and went into a side pantry cupboard. 

“I’m fine,” Harry said.

“None sense,” She said, walking back out with a small bundle in her arm. “Come with me.”

Harry followed the woman into a small kitchen area. There were a few pots on the stove that were bubbling. Fresh herbs and spices permeated the whole room, causing Harry’s stomach to make angry noises again. 

“Let’s get you something to eat before your stomach caves in on itself,” the woman said, laughing a little as she walked out of a swinging door. 

Harry was hesitant to follow but pushed his way through the door. He was surprised by what he saw. It was a restaurant. A few tables and chairs were in the middle of the room, and booths along the wall. 

People were sitting at a few tables. There was a bar with a couple of men sitting there. 

“Hey, Rosemerta,” one of the men called out. “A refill over here.”

“Give me a minute,” Rosemerta hollered back. “Don’t you see me doing something?” To Harry, she put her hand on his shoulder and guided him to one of the deserted booths. “Sit here. I’ll bring you something to eat.” 

She walked away before Harry could say anything. How could Harry explain that he didn’t have any money for food? Maybe she would let him work it off. Maybe she’ll let him do the dishes. Or even cook some food. Harry knew he was a freak, but he learned how to cook and clean. Harry shrugged his shoulders out of his coat and set it beside him. 

Rosemerta came back to the table with a sandwich and milk. She placed the food in front of Harry and sat across from the child. 

Harry looked at the food, and though it looked delicious, he pushed the plate back to the woman. “Thank you, but I can’t pay for this.”

“Eat,” Rosemerta ordered, sliding the plate back. “Because you’re going to tell me why you are here and not in school.”

“I would like to know the answer to that as well.”

Harry jumped at the voice. The last person he wanted to see. He couldn’t be with him. He was a freak. Freaks don’t have safety. Freaks don’t get anything good. Harry put the sandwich back on the plate.

“Hello, Severus,” Rosemerta cooed, getting up from the table. “Fancy seeing you. Would you like anything?”

“Nothing for me,” Severus replied. “Eat.” Severus nudged Harry’s shoulder, prompting the child to continue eating. “Please send Harry’s tab to me at the school,” he told Rosemerta.

“Don’t worry about it, sugar,” Rosemerta said as she walked away from the table. 

“Finish eating, and then we’ll talk,” Severus said as he slid into the booth across from Harry.

Harry found that his stomach eased its tension when his Professor sat down. He finished his sandwich and drank half of his milk. He saw a handkerchief dangled in his face. He couldn’t hold back a small upturn of his lips, taking the cloth from Snape.

“Now,” Severus said, waving his hand over the table. “The world doesn’t need to know what we speak about,” Severus answered Harry’s unasked question. “Why did you run?”

Harry started biting his lip. How was he supposed to admit he wasn’t allowed to attend school? How could he make his safety understand that he was just a stupid freak that wasn’t supposed to have anything good happen to him?

“I’m waiting,” Severus said. 

“I’m not supposed to be there,” Harry said.

“Where?” Severus asked, arching an eyebrow. 

“School.”

“Who told you that foolery?” Severus inquired. 

“I never should’ve come,” Harry continued, speaking softly. “My relatives were right. Nothing good goes to freaks. And now everyone will know that I’m a freak. So, I have to leave. It’s been great. I had fun. But now that you know I’m a freak, and I’m not supposed to be with regular people.” 

Severus couldn’t believe what he was hearing. The child was babbling nonsense. So many things needed clarification; Severus didn’t know where to begin. Freak. Regular people. Severus pinched the bridge of his nose as he tried to staunch off the headache he could feel coming. 

“Alright,” Severus started. “Who are you saying is the freak?”

Tears started to pool in Harry’s emerald-green eyes. “Me,” the child squeaked.

Seeing the tears in the child’s eyes, watching one escape and trail down the reddened cheek, made Severus’ anger come to a boil. Who would have a child believe he was a freak? 

Severus had to close his eyes not to scare the child sitting across from him that his anger was geared towards Harry. Severus took a deep breath and held it until his lungs felt like it was burning before he released the air. He needed to ground himself and occlude before he continued with this conversation. 

“Who said you were a freak, Harry?” Severus’ tone was soft. 

When Harry raised his hand to wipe the tears on his cheek, Severus saw the child’s fingers twisted into his coat. Sliding the empty plate and glass of milk to the side, Severus reached over the table, grabbed Harry’s arm, and brought him to stand on his side of the booth.

Severus started to free Harry’s fingers from his coat as he said, “You are not a freak, Harry. Whoever told you that lied.”

“But, Professor Snape–”

“They lied,” Severus said with finality in his tone. “Now,” Severus wrapped the coat around Harry’s shoulders, holding it so the boy could put it on, “we are heading back to the school.”

“But I can’t,” Harry said, backing up a step. He couldn’t back up far since Severus held on to the coat.

“Yes, you can,” Severus argued. “There, you will come to my office for detention. You have had the castle in an uproar all morning.” Severus stood up and escorted him out of the Three Broomsticks with his hand on Harry’s shoulder. “I have a right mind to put you over my knee for the trouble you caused.” 

___000___000___000  

Before Harry could take a step out of the door, he was accosted by a huge bundle of fur. He would have fallen on the ground if Professor Snape wasn’t standing behind him.

“Hagrid, retrieve your behemoth before he suffocates the child.” 

“Fang, you mangy mutt,” Hagrid said, pulling on Fang’s collar. “Heya there, Harry. Had us a bit worried, you did.”

“Yes,” Severus said, wiping the fur off his robes. “Head on back to the school. Let Hogwarts know that we are coming and to open back up.”

Harry’s brow furrowed at Professor Snape’s last sentence. Open up?

Severus and Harry headed back down the main road toward the school.

“Professor,” Harry said. “What do you mean open back up?”

“When you decided to go on this little adventure, Hogwarts sealed its gates.”

Harry stopped walking. “The castle?”

Severus rolled his eyes towards the heavens and then turned to face Harry. “You are aware that Hogwarts is a magical castle. The moving stairs. When you stepped out of those gates, it sent an alert, shutting everything down.”

Now Harry really felt bad. He was a freak. He can never do anything right. 

“Come, now,” Severus said, breaking into Harry’s thoughts. “We’ll talk more when we get back to the castle.”

“Yes, sir,” Harry mumbled as he followed his Professor.

___000___000___000

It didn’t take long for the pair to get back to Hogwarts. Everything was back to a semblance of normal. Severus kept a hand on Harry so the child didn’t get it in his mind to run again. The two of them ended at the door to Severus’ office. 

When they got inside, Severus waved his hand, bringing the same wooded chair to the front of his desk. 

Harry's heart started pounding in his chest when he saw the Professor sitting in that chair. The last time he got a spanking. He didn’t want another one, but Professor Snape did say he should get one.

“To me, Mr. Potter,” Severus said. 

Harry knew there was no way around this. He walked over to his Professor. When he was close enough, Severus reached for his arms and pulled him to stand in front of the chair. 

“Now,” Severus said. “Explain to me why you thought it was best for you to run away from the school?”

Harry started wrapping his fingers in his sweater. 

“I couldn’t stay,” Harry replied.

“Yes, you said that nonsense while we were in the Three Broomsticks. Who told you you couldn’t stay? Did one of the Professors?” Severus freed Harry’s fingers from the child’s clothes.

“Well,” Harry shrugged one shoulder, “none of the Professors-”

“So, a student then?” Severus continued. 

Harry’s shoulders sagged. “No. But I couldn’t stay.”

Severus pinched the bridge of his nose. He could feel a headache coming on. “Potter.”

“Yes, sir,” Harry answered quietly. 

“Help me out because I feel we are going around in circles,” Severus said. “You are telling me that neither a professor nor student told you that you had to leave. Am I correct?”

Harry nodded. 

Severus would usually tell the child to respond verbally, but if this would get to the answer quickly, he would allow it.

“So, who told you to leave Hogwarts?”

Harry shook his head as he looked at the Potions professor’s shoes. 

“So, no one within these walls told you to leave?” Severus confirmed.

“No, sir,” Harry whispered. “But I couldn’t stay.”

“Why couldn’t you stay?”

“Because,” Harry started, but both Severus and Harry said, “you’re a freak.”

“Who called you that?”

“Uncle Vernon and Auntie Petunia,” Harry said quietly as if he expected his relatives to jump out from the shadows at any minute. 

“You’re Aunt is a horse-face prude,” Severus snarled. 

Hearing his safety describe his aunt that way; Harry couldn’t help a small snicker to escape. He quickly covered his mouth with his hands. Since Harry tangled his fingers again, it caused his too-big sweater to rise. 

“Listen to me, Harry,” Severus said, reaching out and, once again, untangling the child’s fingers. “You are not a freak. You may drive me to drink with your potion skills and are determined to cause me a heart attack before the end of term with your daredevil antics on a broom, but you are not a freak. Your relatives lied to you.”

“But–”

Severus poked Harry’s forehead lightly with his finger. “Listen to me. You are not a freak.”

Harry opened his mouth to disagree with Snape again, but the Potions Professor cut him off by saying, “The only thing I want to hear out of your mouth is Yes, sir.”

“Yes, sir,” Harry mimicked. 

“Now,” Severus stood up and gripped Harry’s arm, turned him sideways, and gave him a solid swat to his bottom. “Go into the lab and start cleaning the tables. I want them spotless.”

Severus turned to put the chair back when something collided with his side, causing him to stumble. Looking down, he saw his spider monkey, once again, had him in his clutches. 

“What is it now, Potter?” Severus sighed as he righted himself and wrapped his arms around the small child. 

“Thank you,” Harry whispered into his safety’s robes. 

Harry quickly released Severus and rushed into the classroom to begin his detention. 

Severus sighed as he watched the boy leave.  

FINI