Spring 1987

Calm green eyes peered from behind a thick branch. The bus he should have been on was moving away and yet the child remained hidden by the thick bushes. He knew he was going to be in a lot of trouble. He had known it the moment he decided to not return to the bus with his class mates. And yet for the first time in his whole life he felt at peace. From the instant he had stepped from the bus into the forest's ground he had known that he was at home in a way he had never been at his Aunt's house.

Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon had allowed him to go to this field trip mainly because they wanted a day on their own and Miss Figg was not there to take care of him. So, for the first time in his short life, Harry had boarded a school bus that would take him and his class mates to a nearby forest so that they could see the different kinds of plants they had been studying in class. Harry had been excited about the journey, even though it would last only one day, it would be the first time he had been allowed to go to a field trip. Thanks to Dudley's pushing, he was the last child to walk out of the bus, so no one noticed when he stopped short, eyes shinning brightly in surprise. He couldn't explain how he was feeling, it was too weird. For the first time he felt alive and from that moment he knew he was not going to leave this forest when his class returned to the city. After all, what did he have there? Nothing but relatives who didn't want him and bullies who liked to chase after him.

As soon as no one was looking at him, he walked away from the group, disappearing between thick bushes and green leaves. He remained close to the place the bus had come while the other children played around the forest so that he could know for sure when they were going to leave. And later, when it was time to eat, he remained hidden, despite the hunger that consumed his little body, he refused to move from his hiding place. And so he waited for hours until finally the other children boarded the bus and with a lurch the bus disappeared leaving him behind and happy.

Once the last bit of smoke disappeared, Harry raised from the bushes. He didn't think anyone would notice he had disappeared before they arrived to Surrey, but he didn't want to remain there when someone came to look for him. Somehow he knew that while his relatives wouldn't move a finger to get him back into their care, someone would be coming, and he was going to make sure he was not there when that happened. Leaving the clearing where the other children had been playing he walked deeper into the forest. He had heard many stories about how dangerous forests were, and how many dangerous animals could pray onto small children. But instinctively he knew that they wouldn't hurt him. That for some reason he was safe while he walked this forest. He had been wandering for an hour when his stomach rumbled once again in hunger. He had not been fed the day before because the Dursley said he would receive more than enough food during the trip. Looking around for something to eat, he saw some big berries growing in a bush close to him. His mouth already salivating at the thought, he approached the berries and he was about to take one when a stern voice sounded behind him.

"Don't touch those, boy!"

Harry immediately stepped away and sank into the floor, covering his head with his thin arms. When no slap fell after a few moments, he finally dared to look up. In front of him stood the most intimidating man he had ever seen. He was much taller than Uncle Vernon and just as thin as his Uncle was fat. His black eyes were looking at him intently, a frown etched on his pallid face. His deep voice spoke again, in a much softer tone.

"There's no need to be so scared, child, I'm not going to hurt you." Taking a few steps closer to the berries he motioned to them. "These berries on the other side would have killed you in a few minutes. You didn't eat any, did you?"

Harry shook his head slightly making the man frown. "A verbal answer, please."

The child gulped. "No, sir, I didn't eat any."

The man nodded and finally approached him. Harry had to fight every learned instinct to stay where he was. Experience had taught him that running didn't really help unless he could outrun his tormentor and while it sometimes worked with his Uncle, he somehow didn't think this stranger would let him get away. Harry blinked in surprise when the man sat down on the floor just in front of him.

"So, tell me child. Why did you remain behind when all the others left? You did it on purpose, there's no doubt of that, but I would like to know why."

Harry bit his lip. "I don't know, sir."

The dark-haired man raised an eyebrow. "You'll have to do much better than that, boy."

The man noticed as once again the child was not able to repress a flinch, but he decided that was something they would have to discuss later on.

Harry knew he would have to answer, but it was just so difficult to put into words what he was feeling. "I felt good here, safe. It felt warm and like I think a home should feel. It was like I never wanted to go back."

The tall man looked at the boy intently, and seeing as he was struggling to find the right words to express himself, he decided on a faster approach. He had a suspicion on what was going on, but he needed to be sure.

"Look at me, child."

Deep green eyes obeyed him hesitantly and became fixed into his dark pools. The world disappeared around them as the man allowed the child's feelings to fill him. On the other hand, and only for the briefest of moments, Harry felt like he had known this man for his whole life and not only that, but he also knew that he was safe to be with. The connection was broken just as quick as it had been initiated and the man had to repress a sigh. The tall man sighed, he had been right after all. The boy belonged here just like his kind had always belonged in the forest. It was a few years earlier than he had expected as younglings usually were drawn to the forest when they were nine or ten and the child was not even seven, but it was not unheard off. A sudden awareness crossed his mind and dissipated his thoughts, someone had just trespassed the forest's border and was there to take the child away.

Standing up he reached down and took the surprised boy into his strong arms. Harry tensed in surprise and immediately began to trash, afraid of what the man would do to him. The strong arms didn't release him, instead they just tightened around him.

"Calm down at once."

The deep voice had been lowered to a rumble and, to his own surprise, Harry obeyed immediately and remained panting in the strangers arms. The panic that had been raising within him subsided and yet he remained tense.

"There are people here looking for you. They have crossed the forest's borders and are fast approaching. Unless you say the contrary I'm going to take you with me to a safe place."

Harry looked up into the stranger's eyes which were looking back at him serenely. He didn't know how he felt about this man who was promising to take him away, but it couldn't be worse than facing his uncle. Remembering the feeling he had had a few moments ago, when the man had made him look at him, he knew that his decision was made.

"I don't want to go back."

The man didn't wait for more. In long strides he walked to a thick trunk. Harry's eyes widened as the tall man didn't make a move to stop or dodge the large tree. The moment he was sure they were going to collide, he buried his head into the man's shoulder and so he didn't see a bright light encompassing them. A few moments later, realising he was still safely in the man's arms and that he was not hurting, Harry raised his eyes and saw that they were just at the forest's border. The feelings that had been with him all day had diminished but didn't leave completely. The man kept moving in those large strides. Harry considered telling him he was able to walk on his own but one glance at the forbidding face and he desisted. A minute later they entered a garden. It was the largest and most beautiful garden Harry had ever seen. Flowers were growing everywhere around the path they were walking. A small river crossed the garden providing with water the beautiful plants and the trees that grew neatly in the garden. A minute later they arrived to a large porch. Harry was finally lowered to the ground and he turned at once to look at the building that loomed over them. It was completely made of stone and somehow it felt cold. Harry frowned, sure that he didn't want to enter the building. His companion noticed his reluctance and didn't wait for him to protest, he simply took his hand and pushed him inside, closing the the door firmly behind them.

Harry let out a deep moan. The feeling of the forest had disappeared completely, leaving him bereft and cold. Trembling, he sank to the floor and softly started to cry. His mind was telling him he had gone insane. He had not cried since he was a baby, soon learning that tears were of no use and only served to annoy his Uncle even more. But even those thoughts didn't serve to stop the torrent that was spilling from his eyes.

The man sighed. It had been a long time since he had had a youngling in his care and didn't know if he would be able to dredge up the patience needed to take care of this one. Shaking his head he leaned down and took the child into his arms again. Knowing that his presence would help a bit.

Harry buried his head into the dark shoulder, soaking the comfort coming from the man that simply held him.

"I'm sorry."

And yet the tears refused to halt. He felt so cold. "Don't worry, it is normal, you will get used to it."

"I don't understand why..."

The man stroked his back gently. "Don't try to understand now, everything will be explained, don't worry."

They remained in the same position for nearly half an hour before the terrible feeling of loss that Harry had been feeling subsided. Hiccuping slightly, the child rubbed his eyes to dry his tears and finally detached his head from the man's shoulder.

"Better now?"

Harry nodded silently making the man raise an eyebrow. "What did I say about answers?"

The child looked up quickly, a bit of fear in his eyes. "Sorry, sir. I'm better now."

The man nodded. "I assume you're hungry?"

Harry doubted about how to answer that question. On one side he was really hungry but on the other one he didn't want to force the man to feed him. He had hesitated a moment too long as the stern voice interrupted his thoughts.

"First rule, you will never lie to me. As long as you live here you will answer any question I ask truthfully. You won't like the consequences if you don't."

Harry looked at him with big eyes. Not because of the threat, he was more than used to being threatened. But the man had said he was going to live there. When had that been decided? Not that he thought he had much of a choice in the matter, but it would have been nice to ask if he wanted to live here in the first place. A small voice reminded him that the man had asked, even if it had been in a very roundabout way.

Before Harry had the chance to voice his thoughts, his small hand was taken once again in the man's larger one and he was lead through a door to a hall that opened into a beautiful kitchen. Now that the feelings of loss had lessened, Harry looked around him curiously. The walls were made of stone, and looked just like the outside of the house, but beautiful paintings were decorating them, giving them a lively look. The furniture that decorated the hall and the kitchen was made of dark wood and showed signs of having been around for many years. The kitchen had many large windows that showed an impressive view of the garden flowering behind them. At the man's prompt, Harry took a seat at the circular table and looked as the older man started making some sandwiches.

After a few moments of silence, Harry gathered his nerve and finally asked one of the many questions he had on his mind.

"Sir?"

The dark-haired man glanced briefly to him before returning his attention to the bread he was cutting. "Yes?"

Harry bit his lip slightly. The man's tone of voice was not angry but it was not inviting either. "Can I ask you a question?"

"I doubt it's only one." When the child didn't proceed with his questions, the tall man turned around and leaned against the counter. "I can't promise I'll answer everything, but you can ask your questions."

Harry gulped slightly and looked up to the man's dark eyes. "Who are you, sir?"

A very small smile curled on the man's lips before he turned around. "Ah, the big question, but shouldn't you have asked that before coming with me?"

Harry fidgeted nervously on his seat, suddenly not feeling so safe as he had been feeling. "I didn't want to go back to the Dursley."

And that was actually the crux of the matter, to avoid going back to his relatives he would have done much more than allow a stranger that made him feel safe to take him away.

"And who are the Dursley?"

Harry shook his head. "My aunt and Uncle. I live with them."

"I see." The man turned slightly and glanced at the much too thin boy. "My name is Severus Snape, you may call me either sir as you have been doing, or Professor."

Harry blinked at the last one. "Are you a teacher?"

Snape shook his head slightly. "I've been known to teach before, yes, but I don't last long in any position. Mostly because I don't like teaching dunderheads."

The child cringed slightly. His teachers had called him that often enough, mostly because his aunt and uncle didn't allow him to do better than Dudley in class and so his grades had to remain below those of his cousin, which was nearly impossible. Severus though continued without taking notice.

"I mostly live here, do research and take care of the forest."

Harry blinked slightly, all thoughts about the Dursley forgotten for the moment. "You take care of the forest? Is it yours?"

Snape turned with a plate of finished sandwiches and walked up to the table, putting them just in the middle. "Not exactly. We'll talk about it later on."

Harry ignored the food. "Will you also tell me why I was feeling so weird, sir?"

Snape put two glasses filled with clear, fresh water on the table. "It's a big part of it, so yes, it will come up. Eat now, we still have much to do today."