Severus watched Harry move about the kitchen as the boy prepared dinner for the family that was yet to properly acknowledge him.

At first, Severus had been worried about their lack of greetings and fussing, but as he thought about it more, he realized that they were probably punishing the boy for his dangerous actions in the past few months as they had likely been informed of the goings-on. And the boy had no doubt eaten himself sick with the sweets on the train and that was why he had chosen not to eat now, since it had been Potter who got the three plates out of the kitchen cupboard instead of four.

Severus scowled at himself for reading too much into the situation just because his childhood had been one of great misery. Even so, he wasn't entirely convinced of either possibility and decided to pay close attention for at least a week before he made any decisions. There was no point in jumping to conclusions if it was all for nothing.

After all, this was the Gryffindor golden Potter brat in which he was tolerating.

As convinced as Severus was, he still could not deny the look of absolute longing on the boy's face as he placed the plates of food onto the table and watched his family eat.

'I think it's time you went to bed.' Vernon narrowed his eyes at Harry, who had been lingering hopefully near the doorway with the cat a few feet from his ankles.

'Yes, Uncle Vernon.' Harry sighed and turned to head upstairs to his room.

Severus frowned as he followed and prepared himself to climb the stairs again. He was not at all used to being a cat and loathed the falsehood in McGonagall's words when she'd said it was rather easy to get used to. It had been simple for her to say that, seeing as it was her animagus form whereas this wasn't his; merely an art of transfiguration forced upon him.

'Do you need help, Seven?' Harry stared down at him from the top step. Determined not to be defeated by the brat, Severus shook his head. Shrugging, Harry disappeared around the corner and left the stubborn cat to make his own way up each step on its own.

--

By the time an enraged and tired Severus entered the smallest bedroom, Harry was sitting upright on the bed with his back resting against the wall for support. He appeared to be flipping through some sort of book although he glanced up when the cat entered but paid “Seven” little notice.

Curious, Severus jumped up to join the boy and peered at what had captivated the brat's attention. He deeply regretted it when the smiling face of Lily Evans shone back at him. Cringing away from it, Severus moved to sit at the end of the bed and categorized potions in his head in effort to distract his thoughts from such memories and to be rid of the ache he felt in his chest.

'These are my parents.' Harry told him, because naturally this was just a cat in which he was talking to who knew nothing of him or his past.

Severus turned to look elsewhere as he rolled his eyes and mutely sighed.

'I don't know much about them, though.' Harry said softly.

There was a thundering on the stairs outside the room as though a small elephant was running up them in a hurry; then Dudley burst into view with a grin on his face.

'Hey, Potter!' He said in an obviously spoiled tone that Severus already despised and began to move away from the boy.

'What happened to your owl? Did the snake eat it?'

Severus didn't know if he truly could stand a whole summer of this; and there was no doubt that the brat's cousin wanted to hear all of Potter's adventurous tales at his magical school.

'No.' Harry scowled at the other boy. 'She's staying with a friend. Sod off, Dudley.'

'Me and the boys are going to the park tomorrow.' Dudley smirked. 'I suppose we'll see you there, huh?'

'Maybe.' Harry knew his cousin wanted to beat him up again with his gang, but also if Dudley as going to be at the park and he wasn't, than some other (mostly younger) kid would suffer in Harry’s place.

As Dudley left, Severus frowned at Potter's rudeness and considered him to be just as spoiled as the other boy. Honesty, he could expect nothing less from Petunia. Although, while the boy's cousin seemed nicer, he wondered why Potter didn’t want anything to do with him - two boys around the same age growing up together like this should be as close as any pair of brothers could be.

Not up to Potter’s standards, probably.

Leaving Potter to his photo album, Severus curled up at the end of the bed and mused to himself until it was clear that the boy was getting ready for bed.

Slipping underneath his light covers, Harry glanced at the distant cat and sighed. It seemed to be less friendly the more time he spent with it and briefly Harry wondered if he was doing something wrong. Gasping, he tossed off his sheets and went to his wardrobe for the bag of food he had been given.

The cat jumped off the bed and joined his side as Harry put down a sheet of newspaper and tipped some food onto it, since he didn't have a bowl to use instead - not even Petunia's oldest one would be offered up for a cat to eat out of.

'There you go.' Harry leaned back as he watched the cat eat the strange food, which wasn't exactly cat chow but something similar.

'That's better, isn't it?'

He moved to climb back into bed and watched the black creature eat all of the food until the boy’s eyelids began to feel heavy. Reaching out to switch off his desk lamp, Harry removed his glasses and lay against his pillow, his mind full of dread for the next day but also a few ideas for bonding with the cat a little more so it didn't dislike him so much.

Severus swallowed the last of the food, thankful that it was potion-modified so that he didn't have to force down actual cat food. This was a nutrition substitute for cereal and was perfectly consumable for people. He looked around for some water and spotted a small container nearby with such liquid, no doubt having previously belonged to the boy's owl.

He just hoped it was clean.

Gulping some water, Severus turned and approached the bed as he felt content and ready to rest; one more long sleep and his energy should be back up to functionality. He paused on the sheets and was tempted to sleep at the end of the bed but wasn't sure if the boy kicked in his sleep and had no intention of finding out. He inched closer to the pillow and halted as the moonlight lit up the boy's slumbering face. Without those glasses, the twelve-year-old looked far less like a Potter and for a split second…Harry looked like an Evans.

Severus curled up in the space above the pillow and closed his eyes. The only real good thing he could find about being a cat was how when he slept, his mind was no longer his own and therefore none of his previous nightmares or terrible memories could plague him.

The charm in place to alert Severus every morning the moment the boy awoke was unnecessary as a cat needed less rest than a human and therefore he was already stretching uncomfortably at sunrise.

He jumped from the bed to the desk and walked carefully along it until he reached the window. Peering outside, there wasn't much to see so he took a well-aimed leap onto the drawers opposite the bed and was pleased to notice that the window there overlooked the street of Privet Drive. Not that were was anything at all interesting to see, however it did provide an excellent lookout post should he need it.

Tap! Tap! Tap!

Severus turned towards the bedroom door and frowned, surely Petunia (he could tell it was her by the fact that with the weight of other two household members, the pounding would be much rougher and louder), wouldn't be so foolish to think that a boy Potter's age and attitude would get up so early? And what possible reason would he have for doing so?

Tap! Tap! Tap!

'Up!' Her screeching voice caused Severus to cringe, although he did not miss the way the boy instantly startled awake.

'Get up! Now!'

Harry groaned and sipped his glasses over his face as he did as he was told and quickly dressed into the most horribly loose clothes that Severus felt polite in labeling as rags. No doubt this was an act of rebellion towards his aunt getting him up so early; because of course her pampered nephew wouldn't be allowed to leave the house dressed in such a way.

Following the boy downstairs, Severus wondered what was going on that had Petunia getting Potter up so early whereas Dudley was permitted to continue snoring. Surely she didn't play favourites with her nephew over her own son? It was also strange how the bespectacled boy never asked any questions nor appeared at all surprised by the early awakening.

'I expect there to be no weeds in my garden and for the plants to be properly watered.' Petunia frowned at Harry. 'You've got one hour to finish. Go!'

'Yes, Aunt Petunia.' Harry headed outside into the backyard, glancing around once to see if the cat was still with him.

'At least I've got you to keep me company.' He said to the creature, who merely stared back at him with a rather curious expression.

'And you'll get a chance to run around now, since I'm not usually allowed outside.'

I'm not a dog, Potter! I do not respond to “come” and I don't need to “run around”. Although, I am surprised that Tuney has taken such measures to keep you safe, if she only lets you outside occasionally.

Perhaps I had underestimated her.

As Harry worked away at weeding the garden, Severus sprawled out in the morning sun nearby and lazily watched the boy. He was alert enough to not forget his primary mission of keeping the brat protected, but he wasn't all too worried; it was so quiet, no spelled alerts were going off, and Petunia kept glancing through the window to check on her nephew.

After an hour, Severus had to admit he was rather impressed with the boy's work. Petunia called the brat inside to make breakfast and then handed him a list of chores. Severus wasn't sure what to think of that and once again all of his assumptions were re-arranged. When would Potter be getting his own breakfast? What was the reasoning behind all of these tasks? Were they punishment for his dangerous and idiotic actions over the past year?

No doubt, the Dursleys must have had quite a fright when their darling nephew was almost killed for a second year in a row.

--

By late afternoon, Potter had eaten only two slices of toast, a piece of cheese and a small apple, throughout the entire course of the day. It would certainly explain why the boy was so skinny; much like Severus had been as a child. Shoving those thoughts aside, Severus continued to trail around after the boy as he did chores. He wondered what the brat was planning on doing next because he had that defiant expression in which indicated he was about to do something Gryffindor-ish.

Severus loathed that look with every fiber of his being.

As the sun began to set, Harry was seen sitting in his room pouring over his photo album once again. His defiant expression was gone and for that Severus was immeasurably relieved.

'I should've done it.' Harry muttered to himself, not really focusing on the pictures any more. 'If I'd gone to the park, then maybe I could've helped.' He sighed miserably.

'Dudley's probably still beating up those kids right now.'

Scowling so deeply that he almost broke the sound spells preventing him from making a noise, Severus eyed the boy with renewed loathing. He wanted to help his cousin beat up other kids? The foul, Potter-like bully of a brat!

'What's with you?' Harry glanced over at saw that this cat company appeared to be rather livid with him. 'I know I haven't given you much attention lately, and I'm sorry...but it's hard here.' He sighed.

'But I promise I'll make it up to you, Sev.'

Ignoring the nickname, Severus was tempted to stalk out of the house right then and leave the boy relatively unprotected from Black. The pair deserved each other! Why was he wasting his summer for a pest that was possibly even worse than James Potter had been?

'I always wanted a cat.' Harry revealed as Severus continued to glare at him, his eyes almost dark brown slits as he did so.

'But Hagrid bought me Hedwig for my birthday that first day in Diagon Alley. I never had a birthday present before.'

That stopped Severus. What...Never? Impossible!

'I really like Hedwig; she was my first friend before Ron.' Harry glanced back at his album.

Talking about seemingly random things to the cat was assisting him in easing away the guilt he felt for not going to the park to take the place of the poor kids who Dudley ganged up on. He hadn't been allowed to leave the house, anyway.

'I miss them already.' Harry sighed heavily. 'Ron and Hermione. And Hogwarts, of course.' He glanced at the cat. 'I wonder what you thought of Hogwarts; its big though, isn't it?'

Obviously.

'I was so nervous when I first walked through those doors, I'll never forget it though.' Harry smiled at the memory. 'I wish my sorting hadn't taken so long though. That was scary for a moment, especially when the hat couldn't pick at first.'

Couldn't pick? As if you'd ever end up anywhere but in Gryffindor!

'Sorry, I'm probably boring you.' Harry smirked at the cat and placed his album beside his bed as he thought about what to do next. He would no doubt be called down to make dinner soon and yet he was bored, which was to be expected when all he had to do every day was dull, repetitive chores.

‘You can understand what I’m saying, but I wish you could answer me or something.’ Harry sighed.

Believe me, Potter, when I think your ears would not be able to withstand what I long to tell you! You spoiled, troublesome and bullying-!

‘It’s like that snake I accidentally set on Dudley before I got my Hogwarts letter.’ Harry recalled. ‘It spoke back to me, but that was just because I could speak to snakes, which I didn’t know then.’ He sighed.

‘I wish I could speak to cats instead. I’d prefer it, actually.’

Harry fell silent for a moment as he looked around the room and sighed heavily. He returned his photo album to his bedside table although he wanted to conceal it under his floorboards, just in case. He hadn’t minded the task Dumbledore had given him except that the cat constantly had the look of holding some sort of grudge against him.

‘You remind me of Snape.’ Harry mused. ‘Not by the tail and ears, of course. But because you’re all black and you’ve got the same sort of eye colour.’

Interesting, my cat eyes are clearly brown and yet one would assume me actual eyes are black. I care nothing for such facts but how would you notice such a little detail, although I suppose you’re used to me glaring at you by now.

‘He dresses in black, has that same sort of stare you’re giving me as though I’ve done something unforgiveable and you’ll always hold me against it.’ Harry hunched his shoulders and lowered his gaze.

 ‘It’s so stupid! He hates me for…I don’t know what exactly. I heard he doesn’t like my father but I can’t help that and whatever he thinks my dad did, there’s nothing I can bloody do about it, is there?’ He frowned. ‘And he calls me spoiled, a celebrity, and all that rubbish. I doubt he’d believe me if I told him how I lived in a cupboard under the stairs until I got my letter, or how these clothes are the most fitting I’ve had in years – Dudley’s old cast-offs, and of course-‘

‘HARRY POTTER!’

Vernon’s bellow carried up the stairs along with the beefy man’s pounding footsteps. The door burst open and the man stood there glaring at his nephew. Both cat and child alike jumped back in surprise and caution.

‘What did I tell you about the ruddy neighbors?’ Vernon lowered his tone as his eyes narrowed to be even smaller than usual.

‘But I didn’t-‘ Harry protested and clenched his fists as he was certain that Dudley had something to do with this. His cousin loved getting him in trouble but if he couldn’t catch Harry doing something or cause an incident than the large boy would simply make something up.

‘I was doing chores all day and weeded the garden.’ Harry lifted his chin bravely. Severus was very familiar with that look from the boy and yet he was unable to deny the truth behind the brat’s words.

That IS all he’d been doing all day.

‘Than why is Mrs Bletchy from across the street asking about you?’

‘Asking about me?’ Harry was confused. ‘Who is she? I don’t know her!’ He insisted when Vernon growled and approached him, although the man seemed to hesitate.

‘Big nose, disgusting shade of red hair, glasses.’ Vernon noted the recognition in the boy’s face.

‘Ha! So you know of her, eh boy?’

‘I’ve seen her around.’ Harry whispered. ‘But I swear, I never said anything! Dudley must’ve-‘

‘Don’t you dare blame Dudley!’ Vernon roared. Harry shook from where he sat pressed against the wall his bed was resting against while Severus sat very still at the end of the bed and glowered up at the intrusive, obnoxious man.

‘After everything we have done for you! Given you a roof over your head, fed you food off of our table, and even given your Dudley’s second bedroom.’ Vernon said in a rather reciting manner.

‘We tolerate your freakishness, and this is how you repay us? Spreading lies to the neighbors and than blaming Dudley who had the decency to warn us in case more questions were asked about your…situation.’

Harry bore his eyes into the sheets of his bed and shook with anger although he fought quite hard against exploding either verbally or magically towards the man.

‘Sorry, sir,’ was all he could deliver through his clenched teeth.

Severus paused and glanced back at the boy, risking exposing his neck to the large man for a brief moment. He could feel the magic and rage elevating from the child and yet despite the false accusations against him, Potter had merely become submissive and struggled to contain himself as though worst things would happen if he didn’t.

Harry didn’t know what to do to get Vernon to just leave him alone, not that he could ever stop Dudley (who was no doubt annoyed that Harry hadn’t shown up at the park), and yet he didn’t have to when his uncle suddenly let out a yell of pain. Fearing the use of accidental magic, Harry quickly jumped off his bed and glanced at the man only to just catch a glimpse of a black blur.

Seven had lunged forward and bitten onto one of Vernon’s fat fingers with all his might; and he had done so in Harry’s defense.

‘Curse that ruddy fur ball!’ Vernon shouted as Petunia’s hurried footsteps were heard on the stairs before she burst into view, fussing over her husband and glaring at Harry. Unable to spot the creature that had dived under the bed, Vernon turned to the only other person he could blame and punish for his bloody finger. He reached out and grasped Harry by the boy’s hair and snarled at him.

‘Did you use your freakishness to tell the thing to do that?’

‘No, I swear I didn’t!’

Severus tensed in the shadow of the bed and quickly checked the situation. He froze and stared at the scene, waiting for a fist to collide with the boy or for any other form of violence or visible mistreatment.

Nothing happened.

The boy was shoved away and the two Dursleys left the room, slamming the door behind them as they muttered and growled about the insufferable whelp they had been forced to take in and how they’d love to be rid of him.

‘Thanks, Sev.’ Harry whispered shakily as he sat on his bed and curled into a ball, wrapping his arms around his knees as he sat there with his chin resting against them.

Severus jumped onto the bed and stared at the boy for the entire duration in which Harry sat there, staring into space. He was shouted at to make dinner and Severus dutifully followed him downstairs and was pleased to see that the moment the Dursleys saw him they back away and ignored the presence of their nephew once again. Dinner was prepared, made and cooked by the Gryffindor while his cat companion glared at the Dursleys the entire time as though guard duty was involved.

Once the plates had touched the tables, Harry had dashed out of the room and waited at the bottom steps of the stairs to see what the cat was going to do. It sat beside him and watched him as though giving silent permission to be carried up the mountainous ascension.

Harry and Severus sat on the bed in silence, neither doing anything as they resumed their previous positions; Severus staring at the childe before him while Harry’s gaze drifted aimlessly. Unable to withstand it any longer, Severus approached the boy and placed a paw against his ankle to get his attention. Harry glanced over at him with surprise, as thought he had forgotten the animal was there.

They locked eyes for approximately forty seconds and than a small smile creased the boy’s face.

‘I’m glad you’re here, Sev.’ He whispered and seemed more relaxed as he reached for his treasured photo album once again.

I am not. I saw those images flicker across your mind right now.

They really did stash you in the cupboard like common luggage, didn’t they? Never feeding you enough, clothing you poorly, and otherwise doing the exact opposite of what Dumbledore had requested of them. I am only relieved that the mistreatment was minimal. Had they raised a hand to you as my father had to me, I’d have snatched you from their care before they could blink.

And suddenly an odd sensation filled his throat, as though he had drank a bowl of thick, warm water. Coughing once, Severus’ eyes widened as the sound broke the silence of the room.

‘Meow.’ He said.

What such an undignified sound! Blast, I wish I could remain mute if this is how I am to speak in this form. No matter, at least now the sound spells have broken due to my new understandings. McGonagall planned this all along, no doubt. I couldn’t hiss and snarl at the brat and now that I understand how wrong my judgments of the boy’s life seem to be, than now I may purr and meow? I think not!

I shall merely redirect my hissing and snarling, yes, take that Minerva!

‘You can talk again!’ Harry smiled. ‘Well, like a cat, I mean.’ He corrected.

No, I don’t want this. I prefer the silence that was agreed upon!

And at his thoughts, the sensation returned and his voice was once again removed. In answer to Harry’s words, Severus shook his head and moved to curl up behind the boy’s pillow once again.

‘Oh, well…’ Harry didn’t know what to say so he merely sighed and lay down to stare up at the dull ceiling.

‘You really shouldn’t have bitten Uncle Vernon.’ He added. ‘It just makes him madder, but at least now he’ll leave me alone if you’re with me.’

Indeed. And I have no intention to leave you, Potter. I promise those muggles won’t dare come near you when I’m around. I hope you can understand my apologies for the assumptions I made earlier that turned out to be as incorrect as I had feared.

You are not the spoiled brat I thought you to be, I merely hope that someday soon you shall see that I am not the cold git you believe me to be.

Severus paused as he glanced down at the sleepy child and felt a pang of further realization that caused him to back away and wince. No, the boy would never know nor suspect of who he truly was. Harry would spent time with a cat - a feline companion, but Professor Severus Snape would always be that heartless Slytherin professor who unreasonably hated him.

‘Good night, Sev.’ Harry mumbled as he yawned and rolled over to his side, completely forgetting about his glasses.

Good night…Harry.