Potions and Snitches
Snape and Harry Gen Fanfiction Archive

Author's Chapter Notes:
For those of you who have already read chapter 3, I apologize. I have rewritten it, because it wasn't working with the story line I have decided to go with. Please be patient with me.
Chapter Three
 

Severus looked at the boy with disbelief. 'He remembers me? How? Dear Merlin, he doesn't remember that day does he? The day that his parents...., no...he must be confusing me with someone else. He was far too young to remember what happened at Godric's Hollow.' “Harry, I can say with authority that we have met, however, the chances of you actually remembering me are slim. Perhaps, I simply resemble someone you have met more recently.”

Harry looked thoughtful for a moment, then shook his head. “No...I'm pretty sure it's you I remember. It's confusing though, 'cause it's almost like something is stopping me from grasping it. Like there is...I don't know... a...a...roadblock, I guess.”

'A roadblock? Interesting terminology, I can't help but wonder if the child has been obliviated or memory charmed,' Severus thought, his mind beginning to churn. 'His description certainly approximates some of the cases of obliviation where the caster missed part of what was being hidden and the 'victim' had flashes of the memory when certain events happened. Suddenly, Severus began to become quite nervous and wonder if perhaps his own memory might have been messed with. Perhaps they had met more recently and someone didn't want either them to remember it. There was only one way to be certain, he would have to check. “Harry, this is difficult to explain, but I can tell if anyone has....tampered with your mind. If you wish me too, I can ascertain whether this has happened.”

“Ascertain? What does that mean?” Harry asked looking a little confused.

“Ascertain means to check, Harry. I can go into your mind and look to see if anyone has done something to make you not remember clearly.” Severus explained.

“You mean like read my mind? Is that even possible?” Harry exclaimed, his eyes widening with amazement. The idea that such things could actually be real was incredible to him and he was beginning to wonder what else might be possible. 'Wow. This is so exciting!' He couldn't help but smile and bounce a little.

Severus allowed himself a brief smile at the boy's obvious excitement. “Yes, Harry, it is possible to read minds if you have the ability, however, in this case that isn't what I will be doing. Legilimancy isn't quite the same as telepathy, which is the ability to read minds. Legilimancy only allows me to view memories, not what you are or were thinking. I'm merely an observer. It's complicated to explain and perhaps someday I will teach you the way of it, but for now I require your answer. May I look?”

Harry swallowed with a sudden burst of nervousness, but nodded. He wanted, no needed to know. “Yes, I think you should. I'm scared, but I know that it's important to know the truth.”

Arabella gasped as she realized what Severus suspected. “Severus can we speak in the other room, before you proceed with this?”

Severus looked over at her startled. “Of course, Arabella. Harry, stay here and drink your cocoa. Please remain seated and stay away from the windows and doors. We will return shortly.” At Harry nod, Severus motioned to Arabella to proceed to the other room and followed. Once they had, he shut the door and cast privacy spells to ensure that they weren't overheard. “It is safe to confer now.”

“Do you suppose that I may have been as well, Severus? I have always felt that it was odd that Albus didn't send anyone to check on Harry's well-being. I think that you have been sent before, perhaps even several times. Once Albus was certain that Harry wasn't going to die from the level of abuse, he simply erased our memories. He couldn't remove too much of mine if he wanted me to still be effective at watching Harry, so he only took the parts involving you. It's the only thing that makes sense. I would like you to check me as well, but it is perhaps better if you do so away from Harry. We wouldn't want to scare him.”

Severus took a deep breath. “Very well. Try to remain relaxed. If you fight me, this could become painful. Look into my eyes, Arabella.” When their eyes met, Severus raised his wand and cast the spell. “Legilimens.”

Severus carefully began to search through Arabella's memories for voids, paying little attention to anything else. Her memories were her business, he was only interested in finding the obvious signs of obliviation. When he came upon one, he very gently prodded at it, testing the strength of the blockage. “Arabella, I've found a memory that might be obliviated. I can break through it if you wish, but it might cause you some discomfort.”

“A little discomfort is worthwhile if it will help Harry.” Arabella whispered mostly to herself. She was determined that Harry would be safe. If that meant that she needed to suffer a little pain, well then, she would accept it with open arms and heart. She was confident that she could trust Severus to be as gentle as possible. “Do it, Severus,” she said with conviction.

Severus smiled grimly and began to prod at the memory more firmly, searching for an exploitable weak spot. Finding one he began to chip away at it with fervor, causing Arabella to gasp slightly in pain. Finally, he broke through the blockage and slipped into the memory, pulling her consciousness in along with him.


Severus and Arabella stood silently in a corner of the room watching the events hidden in the memory pass by.

Arabella was sitting in her parlor drinking tea, when the flames in her fireplace suddenly turned green. Moments later a man dressed in dark robes stepped into the room. At first it was clear that she was unsure as to who it was, but then recognized him. “Severus? Is that really you? It's been such a long time.”

Severus turned and grimaced slightly with annoyance. “Far too long, Arabella. I wish I could say I was just here for a social visit, but Albus has persuaded me that I should check on young Harry Potter.”

Arabella looked positively relieved. “I had wondered if he was going to ever respond to my letter. The Dursleys asked me to watch the poor boy earlier this week and I was shocked at his condition. He had an incredibly bad case of diaper rash and was quite thin. To be honest, I couldn't help but feel that he was showing signs of neglect. I was hoping that he would come and check, just to make sure.”

“Neglect? Surely they would take care of their own flesh and blood...” Severus was obviously disturbed by the notion that anyone would harm such a young child. “He didn't mention your letter to me, so I cannot comment upon it. However, since I am here, I will attempt to discern if he has been neglected.”

“Good. As luck would have it, the Dursleys are supposed to drop little Harry off soon. Apparently, they are going to visit Vernon Dursley's relatives and will be gone overnight. I'm not quite sure why they are not taking him with them, but am tickled to have the opportunity to watch him again. He is such a sweet child.”

Realizing that there would be a short wait before more relevant information would be available, Severus sped up the memory until the point where the Dursleys arrived. There was little point in spending more time than was necessary waiting to see what was so important to hide. By his reckoning, just over an hour had past.

At precisely 3 pm, a loud banging noise came from the front door. Arabella turned to Severus, “Perhaps it would be best if they didn't see you. Go into the kitchen while I answer the door.” After Severus nodded his acquiescence and walked noiselessly to the kitchen, Arabella straightened her dress and walked over to the door. Upon opening it, she looked at the thin woman standing before her holding the hand of a small child. “Good evening, Mrs. Dursley. Thank you for allowing me to watch Harry.”

“It's about time. I was beginning to think that you would never answer the door. We will be gone until tomorrow afternoon. I would stay and chitchat with you,” the woman sneered, obviously stretching the truth. “but if we are to arrive at our destination before dinner we must leave now.” Having said her piece, Petunia Dursley roughly pushed the child toward Arabella causing him to stumble. “Here is the boy.” She turned abruptly and walk down to where her husband was impatiently waiting for her in their car with their own child safely strapped into his child seat.

Severus was shocked at the sight of the child before him. He couldn't have been much more than 2 years old, and yet had yellowing bruises on both arms and was far too thin, showing none of the normal chubbiness he had shown last he'd seen him. At this point in time, his family couldn't have had custody of him for more than a few months, six at most, so his condition was rather horrifying in its implications.

Arabella took little Harry's hand and led him into the parlor. “Severus, it's safe to come out now. Harry, I'm going to introduce you to a very good friend of mine. He might look a little scary, but he is really quite nice.” When Severus entered the room, Harry tensed at first but relaxed slightly when the man didn't try to approach him immediately.

“Is this the boy, Arabella? Dear Merlin, what have they been doing to him. I saw him the day his parents were killed and he surely weighed more then than he does now. He is far too thin.” Severus walked slowly over to the child and knelt in front of him. “Hello, Harry. I'm sure you don't remember me, but my name is Severus Snape and your mummy was my best friend. I'm sorry that I haven't visited before.”

Harry looked into his black eyes, smiled sweetly, and touched his face. It was clear that he was trying to remember where he'd seen this man before. Then the boy's eyes suddenly filled with tears and he began to sob softly. “I's saw yoo after boogieman comed an' hurted Mummy an' Papa. Yoo's were cry'in an' tellin' her t' wake up, but she didn't. Yoo's pick me up and taked me to big man on bike and we flied away.”

Severus watched as his past self pulled the child into his arms, comforting him and whispered, a tear running down his face, “I'm sorry that I wasn't able to arrive in time to save them, Harry.” Arabella put her hand on his shoulder in silent support.

Severus stood up and stalked over to Arabella. “Arabella, you are right. There is little doubt that those muggles are at the very least neglecting him. I fear that they might be abusing him physically as well. We need to tell Albus right away, so that arrangements can be made.” He made his way over to the fireplace and tossing a pinch of floo power into the flames, which turned green, and said. “Hogwart's Headmaster Dumbledore's office.” He knelt in front of the fireplace and stuck his head in. A few minutes later, he pulled his head back out and quickly got out of the way.

Albus Dumbledore stepped out of the flames with a benevolent smile on his face. To the obvious shock of both the other adults in the room he quickly stunned them and walking over to their bodies said, “I'm sorry to do this to both of you, but Harry Potter must remain with his relatives.” He walked over to little Harry and gazed into his eyes and whispered, “Legilimens.” After learning what he wished, he obliviated the child and both adults. Albus then moved Arabella and Harry to the couch and arranged them to look as if they had fallen asleep while she read to the child. He then cast mobliocorpus on Severus and after reactivating the floo left Arabella's home with him floating behind.


Severus pulled out of Arabella's mind, dismayed at the evidence that he had found. “Dear Merlin,” he breathed, “he knew that early that Harry was being mistreated. He deliberately left him there, even knowing the horrible truth.”

Arabella was in tears. “How could he?! My poor Harry might have been saved so much hurt if that man hadn't done this. Severus, what are we going to do?” She was terrified at the prospect of going against the powerful Headmaster of Hogwart's but she knew that protecting Harry was of utmost importance. “I never thought that I would ever have to say this, but we must protect Harry from Albus Dumbledore.”

 

 

Chapter End Notes:
Thank you for reading my story. I hope that you will enjoy it.

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