It was the day that the students would be arriving back to Hogwarts for another school year. To say that the teachers were nervous was an understatement. They all knew that the children would want to try and get a better look at Harry, they would point at him, they would whisper behind their hands and one of them might even reveal his past. So far, he didn’t know how his parents really died. No one wanted to tell an abused child that his parents had been murdered and he’d come close to that same fate, especially one who thought his name was Freak.

Albus had sent a letter to each of the children explaining that yes, Harry Potter was at Hogwarts but he knew nothing about his past. Of course the Muggleborn first year students didn’t know anything about him, or about the abuse, so they had a brief explanation. The rest of the students’ parents likely got the Daily Prophet, so they would know all about what had happened at the Dursley’s.

This was all on Madam Pomfrey’s mind while she gave Harry a check up. She knew that people would be excited because he was there. Everyone in the wizarding world knew his name, and they all wanted to thank him. In the past, she had heard some students talk about whether or not he would remember that night when he was older. What if some of them asked?

She noticed something different that day with the boy. He had grown an inch! This was exciting since everyone had hoped he would start to grow into what should be his height.

“Harry!” she gasped! “You grew! You are an inch taller!”

She picked him up and planted kisses all over his face and hugged him tightly.

“Good boy! You’ve been eating, haven’t you? You sweet precious boy! You’re a very good boy aren’t you? You will be taller than me soon I bet!”

Harry started to laugh. Most people would think that she was going overboard, but in this child’s case she wasn’t. A woman in the ministry who worked with abuse cases told them that they needed to praise him and compliment him as much as they could. In the beginning, Harry hadn’t responded to anyone’s cuddling, but now he did. She had never met a child who craved affection as much as he did.

He was worried that it would all end soon though. Severus had used leglimence on him and found out that even though he seemed happier, he was scared that they would find out that he was evil. Every member on the staff team, even Professor Trelawney explained to him that he wasn’t evil.

“Severus!” Harry suddenly shouted. “Freak is inch taller!”

“He’s finally grown?” Severus asked.

He kept his face emotionless, he liked to pretend to everyone else that he didn’t care as much as they did, but they knew he did. They all knew he was very angry at the muggles for how they had treated Harry. He had even admitted that he’d wanted to curse them.

“Yes, he has grown an inch, but he hasn’t gained too much weight yet. I suppose that is a good thing in a way. We don’t want him to get fat.”

“I’d rather him be fat then be in the shape he was in when he first came, although I can’t see it. His rib bones still stick out too much,” Severus answered. “If you are done with him Poppy, I’d like to get him ready for the feast. I just bought him his own set of Hogwarts robes to wear tonight.”

Madam Pomfrey gave Harry a final kiss and handed him to Severus.

---
Harry was never sure what to think about his new life at Hogwarts. Everyone seemed to love him, he was never hit, they told him he didn’t have to do chores and he got to eat.

He had a vague memory of being able to eat what he wanted at his aunt and uncles at one time, but then it had changed after one Christmas morning, and he didn’t understand why. He barely remembered that day, except it was the first time he had ever been beaten. After that, they started to call him evil and the devils spawn, and he had to say awful stuff about himself everyday.

Now everyone told him that he was a very good boy and they gave him a lot of treats. They also seemed to forget that he could walk by himself, they carried him everywhere. He liked the fact that everyone always hugged and kissed him, but he wanted to walk on his own as well. He was worried that soon he might forget.

He was also allowed to use the toilet there. He had always known how to use it, unknown to his aunt and uncle he had used it if he remembered to. He forgot most of the time and made a mess but sometimes he remembered. His uncle had told him that since he was evil, he had to live in own filth, but that had always disgusted Harry. He hated that he couldn’t bathe or wear clean clothes. He didn’t like the fact that he could only use a smelly old cloth to clean himself up with.

Now everything was different, he had so many outfits, he was sure he’d be a very big boy before he even got to wear them all. Someone else washed his clothes for him, he got to have a real bath everyday and he was praised for bathing and using the toilet.

Severus didn’t cuddle with him the same as everyone else did, and Harry wished he would. He was the one who had stopped his uncle from spanking him and had taken him away, he would never forget that. He wondered if the electricity man who had talked to Dudley had sent him.

“You have your fathers messy hair, you know that Harry?” Severus asked as he combed his hair.

He had just finished a bath and had changed into new clothes. These new clothes were very strange, they were more like a dress, but Severus had assured him that they weren’t. He decided the man was telling the truth since he was also wearing them. People at Hogwarts sure did dress differently than his relatives and others he had met.

“I got picture of my father,” Harry told him.

“Yes, I know Harry. You’ve shown me those pictures a lot. You haven’t had that album for a week and I think I have it memorized,” Severus answered in a dry voice.

“You don’t like pictures?” Harry asked him.

“I don’t mind them, sit up straighter, I need to fix your tie.”

He wondered why he had to wear a tie. He was a little boy, he didn’t need one. He’d only seen his uncle wear them. He told this to Severus, who seemed to ignore him.

“All right, there you go Harry, don’t mess your clothes up please and if you have to go to the bathroom, let me know.”

He wondered why they all kept calling him Harry. He knew that it was his real name now. He just didn’t deserve to use it. The evil wasn’t allowed to have a name. His uncle had told him that since he was so evil, he had to be named Freak, which wasn’t a real name, but it was his.

“If you ever try to use a real name, you’ll regret it. The evil can’t use a real name, they don’t deserve it. You are nothing but devils spawn and should be in Hell.”

He didn’t know what Hell was, but it didn’t sound too good. He wasn’t to sure about devils spawn either, but he understood that it was evil… and he knew what evil was. His uncle had made sure he knew what that meant.

But his uncle had also told him that if he talked about the abuse, his fingers would fall off, and they hadn’t yet. The teachers had tricked him a couple of times into talking about the Dursley’s. He also wasn’t locked up. His uncle had told him that if anyone found out about the abuse, he would have to be locked up forever, but he wasn’t. Did that mean he could use his name as well?

---

Harry seemed to behave for the night. Severus was glad that he kept himself clean, and if he had to go to the bathroom, he remembered. If it was any ordinary five-year-old, the new robes would likely be ruined because he would have gotten into something. This child however sat and read letters out loud from books. He didn’t know how to read, but he knew his alphabet from watching educational shows on the strange contraption that only muggles owned.

“We’re going to go down to the feast soon,” Severus told Harry. “But first, we are going to do something.”

It was something he had been debating about doing with Harry for a while now. He was worried it would upset the child, and if it did, they wouldn’t do it again. He patted his lap, and beckoned for Harry to come over. He saw the boy’s shoulders droop, and he stared at the floor sadly before getting to his feet. Severus didn’t understand what was wrong until the boy was lying over his lap.

“No, no, you’re not getting a spanking,” Severus said quickly and picked him up. “I’m sorry; I should have told you I want you to sit on my lap. I already told you that I was never going to hit you.”

Harry looked relieved; he smiled up at him before giving Severus a tight hug. He normally didn’t cuddle the boy, he was too embarrassed to.

“Olay, I want you to repeat after me,” he began and Harry froze but he quickly continued. “My name is Harry James Potter.”

The boy didn’t say anything, he just stared at Severus.

“Go on, I want you to say, my name is Harry James Potter.”

“My- my name is-” but he froze.

“It’s all right, you can say it. You deserve your name Harry. Since you won’t say it, I’ll have to make you.”

He pointed his wand at the child and put the tickling charm on him. Harry started to laugh and pleaded for him to stop.

“Will you tell me what your name is?” Severus asked.

“Yes, yes!” Harry shouted. “Stop tickle Severus stop!”

He quickly removed the tickling charm and repeated what he wanted Harry to say.

“My name is Harry James Potter,” Harry said and his eyes widened after he said.

“I deserve my name,” Severus continued.

It took a few tries, but soon Harry was saying:

“My name is Harry James Potter. I deserve my name. I am a very good boy. I have a lot of people who care about me. I am not a freak and I will not call myself that anymore.”

“Good boy! Now, what is your name?”

Harry hesitated for a moment. “F- Harry James Potter.”

“Are you a good boy?”

“Yes!”

“Do you deserve your name?”

“Yes!”

“Do you have to do chores before you can eat?”

“No.”

“What is your name?”

“HARRY JAMES POTTER!”

Severus laughed. “Well, there was no need to shout, but I am glad you are enthusiastic about it anyway.”

Something told him it wouldn’t always be this easy, that they still had a long way to go, but at least he had gotten him to say his name.

---

The teachers usually went to the staff room to have a last minute meeting before the students arrived. They wanted to go over everything that needed to be addressed, introduce themselves to the new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, and have a last minute break before they lost their freedoms for another school year.

Everyone was already there when Severus and Harry arrived. Immediately, everyone hurried over to greet them. It was the first time he remembered every member of the staff coming over to say hello, or even anyone, for that matter. Normally people weren’t excited to see him. He had to remind himself it was because he had The-Boy-Who-Lived in his arms.

“Tell them what your name is,” Severus told Harry.

He knew it was going to cause excited shouting, but he figured it was best to get it over with now.

“Harry James Potter!” Harry answered.

Everyone was quiet for a moment, than all mayhem broke loose. They all wanted to hold Harry in their arms. He felt the child ripped from his arms, it was Madam Pomfrey who had grabbed him, but Professors Sprout, McGonagall, Burbage and Flitwick were trying to get in on the excitement. The rest of the teachers congratulated him on finally getting Harry to say his name.

“My dear boy, how did you do it?” Dumbledore asked. “We’ve been trying to get him to say it for a month.”

“Just pulled a trick from Dursley’s book and had him repeat after me,” Severus answered. “From the way they’re all acting, you’d think he had just said his first word.”

“Well, this is a beginning in a way… although Harry is far from being cured. I wish it were this easy,” Dumbledore said. “I’m surprised you had him repeat after you though. You do know he can have a relapse if he is reminded too much of his aunt and uncle?”

“Well, we tried everything else and it didn’t work. Besides, we’re supposed to let him confront the abuse, if we don’t it will be a lot worse for him if he doesn’t,” Severus answered. “After he realized what I was doing, he relaxed and I’m sure he won’t be able to eat a lot of dinner tonight after all the treats he had. Watch this. Harry, tell everyone what you told me!”

Harry was now in Professor Sprouts arms. He hesitated for a moment then said:

“My name is Harry James Potter. I deserve my name. I am a very good boy. I have a lot of people who care about me. I am not a freak and I will not call myself that anymore.”

Usually when he repeated the words his uncle had wanted him to say, he would say it in a dull robotic way, but not this time. He said the words excitedly and grew even more excited when the teachers began to congratulate him again.

“Do you think this will work?” Professor McGonagall asked anxiously. “The woman from the Ministry said that he might act like he has gotten over the abuse, but he really isn’t. She said it could take years…”

“No, I think we still have a long way to go,” Severus told her honestly. “But as long as we can get him to continue to say his name, he will get used to it and really believe he deserves a name. Right now I think he says it because he knows it makes us happy, and if we’re happy with his progress he will get treats or cuddled. He has to say it because he truly believes that he isn’t evil or a freak. We have four years of brainwashing to get past.”

McGonagall nodded. They watched as Hagrid tried to get Harry to come over to him. Professor Sprout held his hand as they approached the half giant slowly.

“It’s all righ’ Harry,” Hagrid said in a low voice. “I knew you when you was just a baby. I knew your mum and dad too.”

“You did?” Harry asked.

“Oh yea, good friends of mine. You used to be able to fit in one hand,” and he waved a hand the size of a dust pan around. “Come, see if you still can.”

Harry hesitated, and then slowly walked into Hagrid’s open arms.

“He is accomplishing a lot today,” Dumbledore said as they watched Hagrid toss a laughing Harry into the air. “We have to be careful about not spoiling him too much. We must remember what happens when fame gets to a boys head.”

“But we aren’t treating him this way because of his fame. We are treating him this way because he was an abused child who needs to understand he deserves love. He knows nothing about that yet, Albus. If he was any other child that we had taken into custody, we would be treating him the same way," McGonagall said.

“If he was any other child, we would not have to raise him here,” Dumbledore answered.

“While I agree we shouldn’t spoil him too much, you heard what the woman from the Ministry said. At this point, he needs this. I don’t want him to grow up arrogant either, but I don’t want him to grow up as a mute who thinks he deserves to be beaten for being alive. As long as we teach him properly, he’ll grow up fine… but he needs this,” Severus said.

He would see to it that Harry didn’t grow up arrogant like his father, but he knew right now it didn’t hurt that they spoiled him. It’s what he needed at the moment, and as Minerva rightly put it, they weren’t treating him this way because of his fame. When the time came to tell him about his background, Severus would teach him to be a respectful boy and not let his fame get to his head.

Somehow, in this child’s case he didn’t think it would. Just how would he react when he found out his parents had been murdered and he’d come close to it as well? How would he react when he found out that the Dark Lord had been after him and wanted him dead? He had been abused and brainwashed to believe that he was an evil freak who didn’t deserve a name. Severus didn’t think he would take the news too well. It might send him into a relapse.