Severus looked around at his Muggle surroundings in disgust.  He really didn't want to be in this place.  The sooner he got the boy, the better. Scowling, the potions master walked into the dilapidated looking building and up to the front desk.

"May I help you?" an old, heavy set man with a beer in his hand asked.  Severus glared at the Muggle.

"I am looking for one Mr Harry Potter.  I was told that he lived here, and I have come to collect him."  Larry Winchester looked at the sinister looking man, and knew that he wasn't one to be messed with.  He tried to smile, but it looked more like a grimace.

"I’m afraid that the boy isn't here at the moment," Mr Winchester said.   Severus was tired of playing games. He wanted answers, and he wanted them now.

"Mr Winchester," Severus said, glancing down at the name tag on the man's shirt, and then back up at the man, "If you do not tell me where Mr. Potter is right this moment, I assure you your life will not be pleasant."  The man took a couple steps back, ensuring himself that Severus could not reach him.  

"Harry Potter is at a doctor’s appointment, and will be here shortly, but I don't think he will be up to hosting visitors.  He is normally too ill from the treatments to comprehend what is going on around him.  I usually put him in his room, and he stays there until he needs to get up to do his chores the next day."  Severus didn't know why the boy was sick, but he really didn't care much.  The only reason he asked Larry Winchester why the boy was sick was because Albus would want a thorough report about the child's condition.

"What is wrong with Mr. Potter?' Severus asked in a brusque tone.

"The boy has leukemia.  He has had it since he arrived here.  They have found a bone marrow donor, however the orphanage doesn't have the funds to pay for the transplant.  The state pays for his chemo-therapy treatments, but they refuse to pay any more."

    Severus was shocked.  Out of all the reasons why Harry Potter was sick, this hadn't been at the top of his list.  Just then, a car pulled up the drive, and a doctor, followed by the thinnest boy that Severus had ever seen, stepped out of the car.  The doctor put an arm around Harry to support the slightly disoriented boy, and helped him walk to the door.

     When Harry walked into the orphanage and saw a man wearing black robes with a scowl on his face, he backed up in fear.  He remembered those looks.  The look that Severus had on his face was making Harry remember the terrifying looks that uncle Vernon would give him. Mr Winchester snapped at the boy.

"Boy, come here."  Harry complied and Mr Winchester glared at the child.  Severus's opinion of the boy was faltering, he realized as he stared at the boy before him.  This boy was sick, frail, needed desperately to be loved, and he wasn't receiving any by living in this place.  Albus was right, if something wasn't done about the child’s living condition, Harry Potter's heart would turn cold.  Severus knew what it was like to burry emotions under several layers of ice, and he didn't want that for this child.  He may not have liked James Potter, but this wasn’t James Potter.  This was Harry Potter, the savior of the Wizarding world, this was a boy who needed love, and for some reason he felt compelled to give it to him.  Severus tried to make his expression turn softer, but it took him a moment.  Too many years of putting up a mask, made him forget what it was like to smile.  The potions master stepped forward.

"Hello Harry," Severus said in a voice that sounded calmer than he felt.  The boy glanced up at the man and tried to smile.

"Hello," he said in a soft voice.  Severus sighed; this was going to be a lot more difficult than he had thought.

"How would you like to leave this place?" Severus asked.  Harry's eyes lit up.

"Forever?" he asked, with a look of hope in his eyes.  Severus took a look around at the dilapidated building before responding.

"I promise you that you would never have to come back here if you come with me."  Harry left Mr Winchester's side and ran over to Severus.

"I need to go get my things," Harry said."  Severus laid a hand on the boy's shoulder, and noticed the small flinch.  ”What have these Muggles done to him?” Severus wondered, leaving the question for later.

"You go pack your things and I am going to talk to your doctor."  Harry nodded and walked out of the room.  Doctor Peterson, who had been silent up until now, stepped forward.

"Are you a relative of Harry's? As far as anyone knew he didn't have any still living."  Severus tried not to glare at this man.  He needed information about Harry's condition.  It wouldn't be advantageous of him to infuriate the man when he was trying to get information from him.

"I need to know about Mr Potter's condition," Severus said in a matter of fact tone.

"I can't give information out about my patient; it is confidential unless you are his guardian."  Severus scowled.  He turned around and withdrew his wand from his pocket. Pulling a peace of parchment out of his pocket and waving his wand over it, he had the proper Muggle documents that he would need to be considered Harry's guardian.  Sure, they were a fake, any good lawyer would notice that, but this doctor wouldn't be able to tell the difference.  He faced the doctor again and presented the paper to him.  The doctor smiled.  He wasn't sure if he liked the man, but anywhere the boy could live, except for the Dursleys, was better than the orphanage.

"Mr Potter has leukemia.  Over the last couple of years we have treated him with chemo-therapy regularly and radiation once.  He is in need of a bone marrow transplant, but he didn't have any health coverage.  He is a very sick little boy.  He has his good days and bad days, but lately they have all been bad.  His white blood cell count was down today, and he hasn't been able to keep down food for any lengthy period of time.  I fear it won't be too much longer before Mr Potter is no longer with us.”  Severus didn't know what to think.  He knew that the boy's condition was bad; he just didn't realize how grave it really was.

"Thank you," Severus said.  Doctor Peterson looked at Severus, a serious expression on his face.

"Harry is a good kid.  He didn't ask for most of the shit that he has had to deal with.  Just promise me that you will take care of him."  Severus looked at the doctor, and he found that the promise wasn't as difficult to make as he thought it would be.

”I will make sure that Mr Potter is taken care of ."  Doctor Peterson nodded.

"I suppose I should go to say goodbye to Harry.  You will bring him by to the hospital for his treatments, won't you?" Severus didn't tell the doctor that he would be spending the next week trying to find a cure for this disease, he just nodded.  The doctor walked down the hall to Harry's room, Severus following close behind him.  What Severus saw when he arrived at the child's room shocked him to the core.  There were six beds shoved into this small, bare room.  There was a shelf for all of the kids to put in their clothing, and any other personal items, but that was all.  The bed linens looked like they hadn't been washed in months and Severus wondered how the children slept in this room, with all the bugs crawling on the floor.  

   The potions master spotted Harry on a bed in the far corner, holding a bundle in his hand.  Doctor Peterson walked up to Harry and reached out for the child.  Harry, seeing that it was someone he was familiar with, reached out his hand and put it into the doctor’s.  What kind of boy had been traumatized so badly, that he didn't even know how to show the slightest bit of affection?  What exactly had happened to the child?  Whatever it was, Severus intended to find out.

"I will see you next week, Harry," Doctor Peterson said.  Harry smiled.

"Kay," he said.  The doctor smiled and turned to leave.

"Be good to this man, Harry.  He will take good care of you."  Harry nodded and the doctor left the room, leaving Harry and Severus alone in the room.  

"Do you have everything you need, Harry?" Severus asked.  Harry nodded and Severus took the boy’s hand. The pair walked out of the room and, before leaving the orphanage, Severus cast a modified memory charm on Mr Winchester, so that he would think Harry was adopted if he was questioned by the authorities.

After leaving the orphanage, Severus led Harry to an alley, away from prying eyes.  He knelt down so as not to frighten Harry and spoke.

"You probably aren't going to understand what we are going to do, but I promise you, all will be explained in due time."  Harry just nodded.

"I need you to take my hand, and do not let go, no matter what. We are going to apparate to the school where I teach, and I don't want anything to happen to you along the way."  Harry nodded, still remaining silent.  Severus took the boy's silence as a sign that the child understood what he was saying, and took his hand.  With a pop, both were gone from the alley, only to appear seconds later outside the gates of Hogwarts.