The week passed quickly. Harry wsas reliefed that Severus was back to full health, and that Draco and Ron weren't arguing as much. But he soon found that he had another problem: visions. Every night, he saw Voldemort, heard the evil Dark Lord's tortues and wicked schemes. Yes, he could block out the nightmares with Occlumency (Salazar had taught him all he needed to know on the subject) if he wanted to, but he refused. He and Severus were one of the few and only sources with information on of the Dark Lord. Harry did not want to refuse Dumbledore what little he could do.

As a result, he was constantly tired and in pain. For whatever Voldemort did to his prisoners, Harry felt the pain, felt it as if it was happening to him. Fresh scars and cuts marred his pale complexion, though Harry was always careful to use concealing charms. The only problem was that he was so tired that he barely had the energy to maintain those charms.

He learned to move gracefully no matter how he really felt; his face was always cheerful, though if you looked carefully enough, you could see the glint of weariness in those icy blue eyes. So far, no one had seen through his disguise yet, for which he was reliefed.

"Sebastien! Come on!"

Harry turned away from his breakfast to face Draco. "What's wrong?"

"Have you forgotten?" The blond asked. "We have potions first thing."

Harry groaned, barely noticing the fact that the other had left out the fact that they had the class with the Gryffindors.

"Sebastien? Are you okay?" He heard Draco ask, worry evident in his voice.

"I'm fine," he said brightly, plastering a cheerful smile on his face. "Come on!" Grabbing his books, he headed out towards the potions dungeon.

Potions was fairly uneventful. At the end of class, Snape said, "Mr. Frostpine, please come see me tonight at eight."

Harry nodded, curiously wondering what was going on.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

The rest of the day passed quickly. Finally, after Charms, which happened to be the last class of the day, Harry headed to dinner. He was exhausted, but he carefully kept up his facade.

After eating a few bites of chicken, he quickly excused himself and headed towards the Potions dungeons.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Severus sat in his desk, waiting for Sebastien to arrive. The reason he had requested this was simple: Sebastien truly had talent in potions. His hands were percise, never hesitating or mistakening. The boy was, so far, the best student he had ever had in potions. Severus often wondered what master had taught the boy, for only a Potions Master could teach the subject so well.

But there was something else about the boy... Severus could tell that something was wrong. Although Sebastien was as polite as ever and moved gracefully, there was something about his actions that was forced, almost as if he was in pain. Severus could tell, for he had often come back injured from the Death Eater meetings, forcing to go on and pretend that he was fine.

Severus was startled out of his daydreams for at percisely that moment, there was a knock on the door. A second later, Sebastien walked in.

"Professor?" the boy asked. "You wanted to see me?"

Severus allowed a small smile to grace his lips. "Yes, Mr. Frostpine," he said. "I was wondering if you wanted to take up and become a Potions apprentice."

Sebastien seemed startled for a moment. "Potions apprentice?"

"Yes, Mr. Frostpine. I must say, your Potions skill exceeds expectations and are better than any others I have seen. I believe you have the talent to be one. I could give you Advanced lessons in the evenings. So, do you agree?"

Sebastien seemed to think for a few minutes before nodding. "Alright, thank you, sir. When do we meet?"

"Tuesdays and Thursdays, starting tomorrow."

"Yes, sir. Thank you, Professor."

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

The next evening, Harry quickly finished dinner and raced towards the dungeons. He stopped outside the door, knocking. After a few seconds, he realized that there was no one in the room.

He stopped, wondering what he could do. His left hand went up and subconciously rubbed his aching shoulder where the Cruciatus Curse had hit in his latest 'Voldemort visions'.

"Mr. Frostpine?"

He was startled out of his thoughts by the sound of his professor's voice. He quickly dropped his left hand.

"I--" he began, but stopped when he realized he didn't know what to say.

"Come on inside," The Potions Master said, motioning.

Severus looked thoughtfully at the boy as they walked into the Potions dungeon, Severus pondering on how the child had been behaving. "Sit down," he said, pointing to a chair.

"First of all," he began. "We'll be making a potion of your choice today to begin with. Take your pick."

Harry looked up and grinned slightly. "Wolfsbane Potion," he decided.

Severus looked at Sebastien, shocked. "Mr. Frostpine," he said. "There is no way you will be able to do that potion. No matter how skilled you may be, it is virtuely impossible for anyone that is not a Potions Master."

Harry shrugged. "You said I could pick," he said softly.

Severus hated to hear the disappointment in his apprentice's voice. "Alright," he agreed finally. "But I do not guarantee you be able to make it. In fact, I would be shocked if you DID make it. However, you may try if you wish."

Harry let out a silent cheer inside him as he began setting up his cauldron and ingrediants.

Two hours later, he stopped. "Professor," he said. "I'm finished the first procedures. The potion needs to simmer for two days before I can continue."

Severus inspected the potion carefully and was stunned to see that it was faultless. "Well done," he said quietly. "You can come back on Thursday to finish. Now, clean up."

Harry began to put away his ingrediants. His movements were slower, more fatigued. He was starting to feel drained for the sleepless night from the day before was starting to catch up to him. His shoulder was also beginning to ache again.

Severus watched as the boy put away his ingrediants slowly. There was no doubt about it now, Sebastien's movements were slower and more tired than ever. "Mr. Frostpine," he said. "Come here, please."

The boy moved towards him submissively. "Yes, professor?"

"What's wrong with your shoulder?"

Harry stiffened. "Nothing, sir."

"Show me."

Harry had no choice. He quickly put on several layers of Concealing Charms before pulling the neck of his robes down, showing is shoulder.

Severus inspected the shoulder carefully, although there seemed to be nothing wrong with it. "Fine," he said finally. "You may go.

Harry quickly stood up, and because of his hurried movements, he accidentally banged into the table. He gritted his teeth to keep himself from crying out as his fresh scars smashed agaisnt the protruding wood. He gripped the table tightly, trying to regain his balance.

Severus watched in alarm as his student grabbed the table, his knuckles almost turning white, holding on to keep himself from collapsing. He rushed over and immediately picked up the boy in his arms. He roughly grabbed Sebastien's arms only to hear the child gasp in pain.

Harry bit down on his lips to keep from screaming when the Potions Master grabbed one of his cuts. He quickly wiggled out of the older man's grasp, trying to leave the room. He had to go quickly, for one of his newest scars were starting to bleed again. He rushed towards the door, hoping to get away.

No such luck.

Harry saw his professor step in front of him, blocking his exit. He knew there was no way he could fight any longer: he was so damn tired, and his whole body hurt so much... With a shudder, he collapsed onto the ground.

Severus watched as Sebastien fell helplessly to the ground. He was about to ask what was wrong when he realized with a gasp that the back of the boy's robes was soaked. In blood.

He quickly strided towards the fallen boy, picking him up and placing him on the desk. Despite the weak protesting, he quickly pulled off the child's robes.

And gasped. Sebastien's back was covered with scars, most of them bleeding. There were brusies on his pale torse, cuts covered his arms.

"Sebastien," he growled, deciding that he had to be menacing if he wanted an answer. "What happened to you?"

Harry was suddenly reminded of Uncle Vernon, ready to kick him. "I'm sorry..." he whispered almost inaudibly. "Don't hurt me..." He curled up into a ball.

Severus had had enough. He reached down and roughly grabbed Sebastien's arm. "What happened?" Hearing no reply, he tightened his grip.

Harry bit down on his lips, drawing blood, to keep from crying out when he felt his professor grip his already injured arms. "Professor..." he whispered.

Severus did not reply. "WHAT HAPPENED?" he yelled this time. The boy flinched away from him. After a moment of silence, a small voice sobbed, "Please, let go of me. Severus, you're hurting me."

Severus froze as the impact of the words hit him. He hadn't realized that he had been holding the boy in a deathly grip. He immediately let go, looking down in time to see a large, blue-black bruise starting to form on the already battered arm.

"Oh Merlin," he whispered quietly. "God, I didn't mean to-- I didn't realize... I'm so sorry, Sebastien."

The boy didn't reply, but a single tear fell from his blue eyes.

Severus immediately summoned a healing lotion. Rubbing some onto his hands to warm it, he said softly, "Here, give me your hand." When the boy obeyed, Severus gently rubbed the lotion onto the child's arms.

Harry sighed, feeling strangly soothed as the Potions Master applied the lotion. The pain from the bruise eased slightly, but the rest of him was still in pain.

Severus rubbed on more lotion. He suddenly realized that Sebastien had called him by his given name. He was surprised to realize that he didn't mind.

"Sebastien," he asked gently. "Can you tell me where you got the injuries now?"

The boy looked at him as another silent tear dropped from his eyes. "Professor, I--" he began only to get cut off.

"Severus." Seeing the other's confused look, the Potions Master said, "Call me Severus, Sebastien."

Harry looked at the professor for a moment before nodding. "Severus," he whispered, the name rolling off his lips. "I..." Suddenly, he flung himself at the older man, burying his head into the other's robes, crying helplessly. He let out his sorrow for Cedric and Sirius, his anger at Voldemort, his pain and despair.

Severus awkwardly patted the shoulder of the boy. He began to rub comforting circles on the child's back. "It's alright..." he said softly.

Harry finally looked up again, his blue orbs meeting the obsidian ones. "Severus," he said sorrowfully. "I wish I could tell you, but you'll hate me if you knew. I couldn't bear it if you hate me, especially when you've started to matter to me. I don't want to be looked upon as someone you would hate."

Severus looked at his student. "Sebastien," he said softly. "It's alright. You can tell me. I'ld never hate you."

He was surprised when the boy let out a bitter laugh. "Never hate me, Severus? You've always hated me, always. You've only started to act decently towards me a few months ago. I can't lose you when I've just known you."

Severus looked down at Sebastien. "Does the headmaster know?"

The boy nodded. "Yes, he does. You can ask him and see what he tells you."

Severus nodded. "Sebastien," he said. "You're in no condition to move. Come on, let's go see Madam Pomfrey."

"NO."

The reply was so ferocious Severus paused for a moment. "Well," he sighed finally. "It's either that, or you stay here for the night and let me heal you."

"You?"

Severus allowed a small smile to grace his lips. "I DO know how to heal, you know. Being a potions master, I have to. So?"

The child smiled also. "I'll stay."

Severus nodded and leviatated the boy out of the room and headed towards his private quarters. He placed the boy in the spare room and handed him several potions. "Drink them and go to sleep," he said. "See you in the morning."

Sebastien obediantely drank the contents. He yawned. "'Night, Severus," he said, falling asleep immediately.

Long after Sebastien fell asleep, Severus sat, looking at the sleeping boy. The child looked so vulnerable, so helpless, lying there, asleep. The thin scars stood out on his already-pale skin. He felt a strange feeling in his heart and suddenly realized that it was protectiveness. The boy looked so... small and defenseless, his heart clenched painfully, thinking about what the child must have gone through...

He smiled grimly, determined to treat the boy more carefully from then on. He had never been more sorry than when he had realize that he had hurt the younger boy. The child was so sweet, who could ever want to hurt him?

Albus' voice echoed in his mind.

/Remember, Severus, some child can turn the coldest hearts into jelly./

Severus smiled, realizing how right the Headmaster was. And speaking of him... It was time to pay a visit to Dumbledore.