The pain takes away the loneliness that no one realizes exists, they all see me as a tool, as this great savior destined to stop a terror...why do I even bother trying to get them to see the real me?

Harry stood glaring at the clock, he had come as instructed his trunk as well as Hedwig's cage were at his feet and he found himself in an empty room. He turned and began to pace debating if he should just leave. He sighed again then froze, remembering that Snape would probably still have the enchanted parchment, he cursed and rushed to Snape's desk and began to sift through the papers on it.

"Just what pray tell is it that you think you are doing at my desk Mr. Potter?" Harry froze.

"I that is, I well...the parchment, did you...err that is destroy it sir?" he asked shuffling his feet as he walked around the desk refusing to meet Snape's eyes.

"And which parchment would that be Potter?" he asked eying Harry, he glanced at the boy's belongings. "At least you know how to listen."

"Of course I know how to listen! And the one that I was writing on before, when I was trying to take the blasted exam." He snapped. Snape smirked as he walked up to Harry.

"I am afraid that document I have already sent to Healer Dumbledore." He stated as he continued on his way to his desk then turned back. "You'll be surprised to know despite your emotional trauma that day you got an O on your test."

"I...you..Why would you do something like that?" he shouted. Snape folded his arms and leaned on his desk facing Harry.

"Why would I send a document that had your inner most feelings to someone who would be able to give more input as well as give that individual an idea with what he is going to have to be dealing with? Calm down Potter he isn't going to send that to the daily prophet." he said when Harry continued to look at him with a panicked look in his eyes. Harry folded his arms glaring at him.

"You know that I hate you even more." he snapped. Snape nodded.

"My goal in life, Potter, is of course to make you loath me more than any other person and it seems I am succeeding. Have you said your goodbyes to your friends?" Snape questioned turning as he began to shuffling his papers back into order.

"Yes. But why did I have to bring my stuff here today if we aren't leaving until tomorrow?" he asked grumpily going over to sit on one of the chairs grumbling underneath his breath as he did so.

"Actually I figured we'd leave early, if I had told you we were leaving today you wouldn't have come and then I would have had to spend the entire day searching for you." He stated and turned back around seeing Harry glaring at him hatefully. "Can you deny that you wouldn't do something as childish as that?" he asked. Harry sighed and shook his head.

"No..." he hated that Snape had an actual point. Snape nodded satisfied with his student's honesty and then shrunk his items slipping them into his pocket.

"Your owl will be able to find us. Now hold onto me." he commanded and waited until Harry reluctantly did so. With a pop they were gone...

Harry moaned as he fell to his knees moments later. Snape simply swept passed him and walked to the door unlocking it.

"If you are quite done with the melodramatics then you can come inside." he said dryly. Harry stood his legs shaking as he stumbled towards him.

"Easy for you to say you don't feel like puking every time someone does that to you." he snapped angrily. Snape turned and narrowed his eyes at Harry.

"Is a weak stomach something I need to add to one of your ever growing lists of illnesses?" he stated as he ushered Harry into the door.

Harry stared at the hallway; it was to put it simply astonishing, the wall was covered in a beautiful wallpaper with designs twisting and turning flowing into one and another, the furniture was obviously antiques. The dust that covered everything was evidence that no one had lived there in a while. Though something actually smelled good, he glanced at Snape but the man didn't say word just motioned for him to follow him once more. Rolling his eyes and feeling more like a dog than a student he followed his professor to what turned out to be the kitchen. A man sat at the table a plate of cookies in front of him and a steaming cup of tea. His light tan hair was long and tied back into a pony tail, he looked up and Harry knew that it had to be Dumbledore's nephew because the man had the same annoying twinkle in his eye.

"Severus you're earlier than you told me you would be. I just brewed some tea would you and Harry care for some? I can promise you Harry I won't offer you lemon drops." He said kindly. Harry rolled his eyes as he slouched down into a chair sending both men in the room glares. The man sighed shaking his head. "Can't we just get along?"

"Potter, you're being rude." Snape snapped. The man laughed.

"Actually I am, I know his name but he doesn't even know mine, Takishi Dumbledore at your service, and please don't make fun of my first name. I had very odd parents I am afraid. You can call me Taki of course." He said smiling. Harry scowled.

"Whatever...can I please leave the room?" he asked. Snape glared at him.

"No, Potter, you can not leave the room, there are going to be rules while you stay under my roof." he began.

"I never wanted to be under your roof." Harry said picking at the table. Taki remained silent sipping his tea as he studied Harry carefully, taking in each and every detail of the young Gryffindor.

"And I never said you had a choice in the matter." Snape countered. Harry rolled his eyes and banged his head onto the table.

"I hate my life." he muttered underneath his breath.

"Yes you have already stated that on several occasions and we shall deal with that later. First of all you are not allowed to leave the house without myself or Healer Dumbledore with you? You cannot be trusted at this time to not go and run off." Snape began earning himself another thud on the table. Taki coughed slightly as he set his tea cup aside his eyes narrowing.

"Secondly, your bedtime-"

"Bedtime?!" Harry shrieked raising his head to glare properly at his professor, who smirked at him.

"Yes, Potter, bedtime is eight o'clock." he finished with a satisfied smirk. Taki coughed and Snape turned.

"You have something to add to that one?" he asked the Taki who nodded.

"Before you go to bed you have to write in a journal, just as every morning you get up you have to write in it. I don't care what you write just that you do." The healer said leaning back in his chair. Harry groaned and lowered his head with another bang onto the table.

"Why me?" he asked.

"Because you were lucky enough that I caught onto you, so here we are. Be happy that I am being nice." Snape snapped.

"Nice! This is you being nice!" Harry shrieked.

"Both of you stop it!" Taki commanded glaring at the two of them.

Harry shut up blinking surprised, the man was already proving how Un-Dumbledore like he truly was. Snape merely subsided into silence his face was a mask of no emotion.

"I apologize Heal-"

"Severus...stop being such a prat! You have never called me Healer to my face before! Do not start now. You bring me in when you need help with your snakes so deal with it!" Taki snapped. Then he turned to stare at Harry. "And as for you! I do not take to people harming themselves, so stop trying to give yourself a concussion! And let me see your hands." Taki said standing and kneeling in front of Harry holding out his own hands expecting Harry to listen to him.

Harry slowly put his hands on the man's. Taki turned them over and held them up so he could see them better, then he looked directly into Harry's eyes.

"What?" Harry grumbled. Taki shook his head and stood.

"Finish outlining the rules Severus. Well, I need to go get something from the room you told me was mine." he said and left the room. Severus nodded.

"You will eat every meal in the presence of either myself or Takishi. You also will eat whatever is placed on your plate and in the cup. You will not give either myself or Takishi an attitude for any reason. If we tell you to do something then that is what you will do. You will receive punishments if you disobey us or disrespect us. Mostly lines or helping me clean the labs here in this house as they have not been used for some time. They are quite...covered in filth. Is all of this clear to you Potter?" Snape questioned Harry groaned and moved to bang his head again onto the table, however hands snaked from behind and held his head still.

"I told you to stop that." Taki reprimanded before glancing at Snape. "Are you done with the rules?"

"At the moment, the ones that I feel are needed have been set in place, but knowing Potter we will have to implement even more within a week." Snape replied as he stood glancing between Taki and Harry. "I will leave you to place Potter's stuff in his room, then to place mine in my own." He stated and swept from the room. Taki looked down at Harry's head which he still held.

"Are you going to stop banging your head or do I have to make you?" he asked softly of the teen. Harry sighed.

"I'll stop..."

"Good." He stated and released Harry's head with a frown as he pulled one of the chairs to sit directly in front of Harry, he sat down gauze, another jar, a vial and what almost looked to be hand braces. "Now...give me one of your hands again." He commanded.

Harry rolled his eyes as the man sat down and held out his left hand slouching in his chair. Taki took the hand in one of his own and grabbed one of the pieces of gauze and poured the vial onto it, setting the vial down he began to dab at Harry's hand. Harry yelped in surprised and tried to pull his hand back.

"What is that stuff?" Harry snapped still trying to reclaim his hand but was having no success.

"A little of this and that. It's basically cleaning the cuts out and helping prevent and destroy infection." Taki answered not looking up from his work. "You certainly did quite the number on these." Harry groaned and gave up trying to get free.

"Yeah well it wasn't entirely on purpose." he muttered.

"Yes it was. You just don't realize that's the case yet." Taki countered as he set the gauze aside and uncapped the jar.

He scooped some of the cream into his free hand and began to lather generously Harry's hand until it was completely covered, then he took the gauze and began to wrap it around the hand sealing the cream in tightly. He glanced up at Harry then nodded to himself picking up one of the braces he slid it over the gauze tightening the straps into place, then he took out his wand and tapped it muttering underneath his breath before he at last released Harry's hand.

"What is this?!" Harry demanded in anger as Taki took his other hand and began to do the same as he had with the first.

"It's called a brace, it'll allow for some mobility but not much. It is there for two reasons, to let your hands heal properly without outside interference and to prevent a repeat of how those hands were injured." Taki said.

Harry glared as Taki finished with his other hand, releasing it only after he whispered whatever spell he had placed on the first one.

"And the spell?" Harry growled.

"You can't harm the braces nor take them off." Taki said leaning back in his chair after he piled the supplies neatly and banished the used ones.

"Great, just great, first I'm stuck with Snape all summer and now this." Harry grumbled he yelped as Taki reached out and pulled him upright by the arm with a firm but gentle grip.

"You should be grateful to him." Taki said quietly forcing Harry to listen carefully in order to hear him.

"Yeah, yeah, I know." Harry said he heard just as much from the Dursley's.

Taki shook his head tilting it as he watched Harry for a few minutes.

"No I don't think that you do actually understand it. And that is one of your problems." He commented as he led Harry out of the room and down the hall.

"I don't have any problems, don't you know that by now? I'm the freaking savior of the Wizarding world." Harry said laughing.

Taki pushed him into a room that was completely decked in green and silver, wonderful Harry thought as he saw his things already in the room.

"Of course you don't have problems Harry, it's just the rest of us who do." Taki said calmly as he pushed Harry to sit on the bed as he closed the door.

He walked over to the side of the bed and handed Harry a thick red journal. "I know you know what that is for, and I intend for you to follow through with writing in it. I do have an additional rule to those that Severus has already set in place."

"What is that?" Harry said rolling his eyes.

"No self harm in any shape manner or way. If I find you have harmed yourself again, you will be given a complete medical examination by the nearest doctor or healer, and I don't mean myself because as I have some talents in that area but my skill lies with the mind. And to add to that, you will then be forced to stay in bed for an entire week for each cut no matter how small you have inflicted on yourself. And cut can mean anything even a simple bruise, and I will know when it is that you have done something to yourself." Taki said sternly. Harry groaned and glared at the man.

"I didn't ask for you or Snape to stick your nose where it obviously isn't wanted." He said softly. Taki smiled sadly at the boy as he walked to the door.

"I know...get some rest. You are not to leave this room." he said and shut the door.

Harry groaned shaking his head as he stood and began to wander around the room. The room was elaborate, and he had to admit the finest bedroom he had ever seen much less stayed in. Harry walked over to his trunk and opened it only finding it was empty as he continued to look around he found that Snape had obviously put everything away expect Harry's normal clothes, the one's Dudley had given him... Those were no where to be found, in their place were clothes that looked like they had never once been worn, in fact as Harry picked up a gray pair of jeans he found the tags were still on them. He blinked...Snape...bought clothes? He thought with a shock then shook his head, they were probably just left over... or something... Harry thought walking over to the large bed. He stared at it and wondered if just this once his body would let him sleep without nightmares... and if he did have them would it be worth seeing the looks on both Snape's and Takishi's faces when they heard his screams. But the lack of sleep was getting on his nerves, he walked around and pulled the blankets back and slid his shoes, worn as they were off and climbed into the bed curling up into a tight ball and grumbled at not being able to ball his hands into fists. He was asleep in no time at all and in such a deep one that he didn't hear the door open again. Taki walked in and folded his arms giving Snape a glare.

"You do realize I want to strangle my Uncle right? He had to have known Harry was this bad off." Taki said shaking his head.

"Your Uncle did not realize it either, so do not be angry with him..." Snape said frowning down at his student.

He turned and held his breath as Taki moved forward and removed Harry's glasses and set them on the end table by the bed and pulled the blankets higher on the boy. He let out a breath when Harry didn't stir and motioned for Taki to follow him outside.

"I never understand how you never wake any of the children you work with when you do that." Snape said as they made their way to the kitchen shaking his head.

"You do when you do the same thing to your snakes." Taki said walking over to his seat and glared at his cold tea he held it out to Snape.

"Fix it." he commanded with a pout. Snape smirked at him.

"You never could do spells regarding food." He said and charmed the tea warm again as he did with his own cup as well.

The two men sat in silence staring at the table before Snape spoke up.

"Why in Merlin's name did I fight to take Harry Potter into my keeping?" he blurted out as if he was just coming to his senses. Taki smirked.

"Because you can't resist the injured, abused students, especially the suicidal ones, and just have to get involved in every aspect of their lives and become a solid ground or wall on which they can lean on?" he asked. Snape glared at him.

"Keep it up Dumbledore and I'll kick you out." He threatened.

Taki leaned back in his chair the annoying trademark gleam in his eyes.

"You can't because then that leaves you alone to tend a boy after his nightmares...hold him tell hi-"

"Enough! I get the point!" Snape snapped.

Taki smirked over his cup of tea.

"Come now Severus haven't you learned never to fight with a Dumbledore? We always have something up our selves."

"Yes, yes....what were those things on Potter's hands?" Snape asked curious as he conjured some crackers to the table.

"Oh just something that will ensure his hands heal properly and that they won't be injured again nor can he use them to injure anything else on his person. He can however eat and pick up a pen with them." Taki explained stealing one of Snape's crackers. Snape snorted and smacked his hand as he went for another.

"Manners. You're how old?" he snapped.

"Hmm? At this point in time, three." Taki said grinning at him. Snape scowled.

"What exactly do you intend to do, and which of us should watch Potter to start with?" he said his tone of voice telling Taki just how happy he was to be dealing with him.

Taki frowned and waved his wand, a piece of parchment appeared on the table.

"Remember this?" he said softly. Snape sighed and set his cup down rubbing his temples.

"Yes. Point again taken. You are the expert here." He said with a sigh.

"Yes and you are the one that is going to provide Harry with stability. You are one thing that wont change, once Harry learns that you do care, wipe that sneer off your face, then he will accept how you choose to show it." Taki said, when Snape still sneered at him he reached over and cuffed him on the ear. Snape glared but nodded gruffly.

"Yes, I understand...but I am not sure the boy should get used to me." He said shaking his head.

"I think he should, Severus...you are the only teacher who has paid enough attention to Harry to notice that something is indeed wrong. The only one who not only noticed but did something about it. At this point and time you're the only thing that is going to be able to keep Harry from entirely breaking more than he has already." Taki went on.

"And just how am I supposed to do that?" He growled. Taki sighed.

"By being the hard hearted, stern looking, no nonsense man that I've come to know and...well we'll leave the rest for another day." Taki said smirking when Snape stared at him. The potion's professor coughed and stood.

"I have potions that need brewing." He stated and turned to leave.

"Stock up on calming draughts, because I have a feeling that we are going to go through quite a few of those." Taki said helping himself to the entire plate of crackers.

Snape sneered and stormed to one of the lab's.

I don't understand what's happening...why is he acting like this? Why are they arguing about something as stupid as pain?...what's the point in all of this anyway!

Harry woke with a start to hands shaking him awake.

"Easy, breathe easy, it's just me Taki, come on open your eyes look at me." A soothing voice said, Harry opened his eyes confused he was pretty sure he didn't have any nightmares. Taki smiled and smoothed some of Harry's hair from his forehead.

"S'thing wrong?" Harry asked confused.

"No, but it's time for supper, come on up. All the way now Harry." Taki continued coaxing the still half asleep boy out of the bed. Harry whimpered.

"It's warm!" He protested as he was dragged from the bed, that he decided was a dream come true. One just sank into the mattress like a pile of jell-o. Harry adored that bed. He whined slightly as he was pulled down the hall and back into the kitchen and sat down in one of the chairs. He heard a chuckle and frowned when he realized it hadn't come from Taki. He turned to see Snape in muggle attire of blue jeans and a t-shirt standing at the stove.

"You can laugh?!" Harry yelped in shock which caused Taki to laugh hard as he began to set the table.

"Of course Severus can laugh, he just chooses not to." He commented as he set a glass in front of Harry filling it with milk.

When Harry opened his mouth to argue Taki tapped him on the nose.

"Don't even bother, your drinking it." He said brightly as Snape brought over a pot that smelled different.

He ladled some of whatever was in the pot into the bowl in front of each of the three places. Harry stared at it and felt his stomach roll.

"What is this?" he asked as he felt Taki place the spoon in his hand and spread a napkin on his lap. Snape rolled his eyes.

"Beef stew Potter, didn't you ever eat it before?" he said shaking his head.

"No and I'm really glad I didn't." Harry muttered.

"Potter, eat or I will feed you myself." Snape threatened.

Taki snickered as Harry hunkered over his bowl and began to eat though he did grimace after each bite grabbing the milk to wash it down some.

"Harry it really isn't that bad, besides it's extremely good for you." Taki said enjoying it. Snape nodded watching Harry out of the corner of his eye.

"Besides you need to put weight on." Snape said and looked at Taki who nodded.

"No I don't. I just need to tone muscle." Harry countered between bites still making faces at the food as he ate it.

Snape paused and turned to Harry.

"Potter...gaining weight helps build muscle. Muscle weighs more than fat."

"Oh..." Harry said blinking then glanced down glad that the offending food was gone.

He polished off the milk and glanced around not sure what he was supposed to do.

"You may go back to bed Potter if you choose." Snape said not looking up from his food.

Harry nodded and stood, but Taki grabbed his arm and pressed a pen in it.

"Write before you go back to sleep." He commanded then released Harry who pouted as he made his way in the direction he hoped his room.

Sure enough he entered the room and saw the journal waiting open on the end table. He sighed and picked it up and stared down at the blank page. Shrugging he bent over and began to write.

This is most likely one of the most stupidest ideas any adult has ever made me do. What is the point in writing in this? Day and night?...I still don't understand any of this, I don't understand why Snape is trying to help me...he is supposed to want me dead...heck I want me dead....to many lives....to many lost...

Harry slammed the journal shut in anger, he didn't feel like fixing what he wrote, he was to tired, pulling the blankets back again he crawled under and yelped when Taki walked in. The man walked over and took his glasses off setting them on what Harry assumed was the end table and placed two fingers on Harry's forehead.

"I want you to concentrate on how this feels Harry, don't pay attention to anything else, and don't ask any questions just close your eyes." Taki ordered and watched as Harry annoyed, closed his eyes. He waited until he was sure that the boy couldn't see anything, he uncapped a jar and waved it under his nose and smiled as Harry's body relaxed into sleep. Closing it he stood and tucked him in, then made his way out of the room.

Harry opened his eyes slowly, he winced as he stretched still not lifting his head from the pillow, he stared at the blurry wall and debated if he just wanted to go back to sleep he had no clue what time it was. He shifted again and sat up slowly rubbing his eyes he reached out and felt around till he found his glasses. Sliding them on he glared at the note that was on top of his journal reminding him that before he got up he was to write in it. Grumbling he grabbed the pen and opened the book staring down at the page.

Okay I just wrote in this thing! This is soooo beyond stupid! What does he want to do with this anyway, he still has that parchment...I wonder if I can steal it back and destroy it. after all if it's gone then all they have is their own words against mine...and I'll deny ever writing them! And these ‘braces' they need to come off! I can barely hold a pen much less a knife or anything else...

Harry set the book aside with a sigh; he really didn't see a point in it all as he threw the blankets back. He slid from the bed and opened the door sticking his head out in the hallway which was pitch black he felt the wall and froze he could hear voices coming from a room further down. Bracing his hands on the wall he made his way to the voices and listened.

"He certainly has a long way to go, and I will admit I am very worried Severus, I don't think you are going to be able to threaten him into eating every night. In fact with how skinny he is, it wouldn't surprise me if he had an eating disorder to top everything else off." Taki's voice drifted from the room.

Harry fumed. He did not have an eating disorder! Food and him just had arguments from time to time....almost every day....almost every meal. Shaking his head he strained to hear Snape's reply.

"Potter? An eating disorder? That I highly doubt."

"Severus drop that act! Must I point out you were wrong about his childhood?"

"No...it's just hard to believe and before you try to convince me that it's true, I think you might in fact be right. He barely eats enough to stay alive... So what do you propose that we do?"

"Well...the worst..." The voices stopped abruptly and the door was thrown open and Taki smiled down at Harry.

"Good evening Harry, why don't we get you back in bed." He said taking hold of Harry's arm and began to lead him back to the room.

"It's not morning?" Harry asked shocked and jumped when Snape practically materialized on his other side, they entered the room where Taki tucked Harry back in, Snape stepped forward and held out a vial Harry blinked at it.

"Dreamless sleep Potter, take it of your own will or give me the pleasure of pouring it down your throat." Severus sneered.

Taki sighed rubbing his temple with one of his hands.

"Severus..." He said sighing again.

"I'll take it." Harry said grimly downing the potion and handed it back to Snape.

Taki stepped forward again with an encouraging smile.

"Don't be mad at us for talking about you, we are just concerned about you that is all. Get some sleep." He said taking Harry's glasses off as the boy fell into the arms of the potion induced sleep.

Taki singled for Snape to follow him back out of the room, but stopped as Snape tapped his wand on the door.

"I'm setting up wards; I do not want anymore surprise eavesdropping...why I didn't sense him..." Snape said shaking his head in disbelief. Taki laughed.

"Severus have you even slept in the last two days?" Taki pointed out.

Severus gave the man a glare but when Taki opened his mouth he held his hands up.

"Very well, I will retire and take a dreamless sleep myself." Taki laughed.

"Maybe I should..."

"Do not even attempt such an act. I do not need you putting your nose into my business. Stick to the children." Snape snapped going into his room, he paused on his way to slam the door. "You were saying something before we discovered Potter..."

"Yes, I said we have a worse case scenario, if Harry continues to refuse or give us a hard time...we might have to...install a feeding tube." Taki said frowning shaking his head.

"...I see..."

"That will only be the case should he...should his health become endangered due to lack of nourishment...which means he has about my guess a day or so to start eating right. He's already extremely malnourished." Taki explained.

Snape grimaced and nodded.

"Very well, you should retire as well; it is going to be a long...summer." Snape said grimacing. Taki laughed.

"Of course! But it most certainly will not be dull! Why think of the fun filled days ahead of getting an extremely depressed boy to realize a number of things are not his fault and that he should want to live!" He said brightly but made a hasty walk to his own room when the potion's master looked like was about to kill him.

Snape shook his head slamming his door shut. Why on Earth did he ever agree to take on Potter!

Harry woke again, though he wasn't sure how long he had been asleep, and found himself being woken up again by a hand shaking his shoulder.

"Come on Harry, wake up, just enough to eat some breakfast then you can get more sleep." Taki's soothing voice pulled Harry awake enough to moan.

"No food...want sleep." Harry said rolling over onto his stomach.

Taki sighed and pulled the blankets off and pulled the boy up into his arms ignoring the indignant yelps. He frowned as Harry had yet to change into an actual set of pajamas.

"Yes some food...then bath I think...then more sleeping." Taki said carrying the protesting teen to the kitchen.

Snape looked up from reading the Daily Prophet and raised an eyebrow.

"He didn't want to get up." he explained shaking his head as he placed Harry in the chair.

The teen promptly put his head on the table.

"When are you taking these stupid things off my hands." Harry asked half asleep still.

"Not for a long time Harry." Taki said with a sigh as he walked over and set a bowl of oatmeal in front of him.

"Eat." he commanded.

Harry sat up and looked at the bowl.

"What...?"

"Oatmeal, it's good for you eat it." Taki commanded sitting down with his own bowl.

Harry picked up his spoon and played with it before Snape let out a growl. Sighing he resigned himself to eating it he ate it and blinked...it was actually kind of good. He thought surprised and began to eat slowly, when he paused with having half left, both men at the table glared at him so he resumed eating. Once he was finished he fidgeted until Taki stood and took him by the arm.

"Bath time." He said again cheerful, the man switched moods to often, Harry thought as he was brought to a bathroom.

Taki went to the tub and began drawing the water.

"Can I...?" Harry began but didn't even finish the thought.

"The braces are water proof, they stay on." Taki answered and turned the water off. "I'll bring you a change of clothes in a little while. Try and relax don't think about anything just relax."

Then Taki left the room. Harry sighed stripping off his clothes and stepping into the tub wincing at the water being hot until he sank all the way in. He closed his eyes with a sigh and let the water work out the muscles that he hadn't even been aware of being sore.

What does it matter if I live or if I die? Why does it matter to him? Why did he care enough when others cared not at all...why?