Severus couldn't help but feel like he cheated the child a chance at happiness as he took in the expression on his face, but that can't be helped. Every single teacher at Hogwarts including himself had failed this child; and all because they all saw what they wanted to see. He himself was to blame most of all.

He didn't see the abuse because he was ignoring it. All he saw was a rich spoiled boy who basked in the attention. He kept mistaking Harry for James Potter. Because of the grudge against the boy's father he had been blinded by his hatred. He knew he should have seen it sooner.

And now that child who everyone had seen be so strong has shown them all along that he is still just a child. One who just one who had to grow up way too early, this could have all been prevented. What was Dumbledore thinking letting those monsters raise Lily's child? He himself knew how Petunia was as a child and could guess how Harry was treated by her. He wasn't even referring to the bruises on the child which he knew came from Vernon Dursely himself.

It's a wonder the child didn't break sooner; he guessed the loss of his mutt of a Godfather was just too much. He couldn't stop the guilt that was making his insides churn, here he had made a promise to protect this child and it was all moot. Harry was a great actor and had all of them fooled for 5 years, it's a wonder he wasn't sorted into Slytherin.

Severus snorted at the thought of the Gryffindor golden boy in Slytherin, the press would have a field day. He quickly sobered up when he realized that was probably what took the boy's sorting so long and what that represented. He knew no matter his cover for being a spy might possibly be blown because of this one particular thing.

He couldn't and he wouldn't treat this child like he had been all along, he didn't want to be the one responsible for the child to completely slip over the edge instead of hanging in the balance like he was now. 

Harry drifted in and out of conciousness and he stifled a groan. He couldn't catch a break, he had finally been at a place where people understood him and loved him for being him instead of what he represents; when his stupid Potions Professor had to find him. Just his luck that Snape had to be the one to find him bruised and battered body.

He sighed quietly, and he could swear he could already hear the taunts he would receive from the horrible Slytherins after Snape told them.

The Boy-who-lived who couldn't even defend himself against a mere muggle, Prophecy or not they would never believe that he could defeat Voldemort. Yeah it was better if he could just die, but now he couldn't even do that thanks to Snape.

He had to wonder about the ulterior motive the man had, as he couldn't believe he did it out of care. The man who probably just couldn't wait to throw this in his face as soon as everything died down again. Snape would probably say this was another ploy for attention, the git.

He couldn't stop the thoughts as they flew across his brain on ways where he could end his life the quickest way possible without anyone finding out until it was too late. As he thought about each suggestion he couldn't stop the guilt that rose up in his heart that his mother's sacrifice would have been in vain. Not to mention how much Ron and Hermione and his other friends would mourn for him but he couldn't bring himself to care in that moment. He had seen the life he could have had and would have had if Snape hadn't gotten in the way.

He was persistent and he would make it happen and no one would be able to stop him. Harry was so tired of living his life this way. He felt like he was living a lie and he didn't want to hide who he was. He was tired of living in the shadows of whom he really was and who he portrayed to people. So deep in his thoughts he didn't notice the change in Snape's posture nor his expression that no longer had an air of loathing in it.

Harry was too caught up to see that but for once in his life Snape was feeling concerned for his well being instead of feeling like it was an obligation. Harry listened as the adults talked about him as if he wasn't here, but for once he didn't care. He felt himself being lifted up off the ground by Snape and was then set on a floating stretcher that took him to his least favorite place; the infirmary.

He was then placed on a bed while they listed his new injuries. He listened in morbid fascination as they described in detail what the damage was: 4 broken ribs, 1 broken wrist, a punctured lung (that nearly resulted in his death), along with some internal bleeding, and infected welts on his back and numerous bruises all over his body.

He laid in a catatonic state as they took over and started tending to them. Harry felt his eyes closing of their own accord as he drifted into a surprising calming dream. Madame Pomprey shook him awake to drink some potions to speed up his healing process. He took all of this without a word of his usual grumbling, which put both his Professor and the Medic-Witch on alert. 

The child who was the most vocal about having to stay in the infirmary just stared unseeingly at them. They hadn't failed to notice that he had yet to say a word to anyone since asking Severus to let him go. They gave him some dreamless sleep to ward off his nightmares (at least that's what they told him) and he also took that without a sound.

They watched as the once vibrant green eyes now dull, closed. After dozing him with the dreamless sleep, Poppy scanned him for every injury he ever had. It was easier to do when he was sleeping because they knew he couldn't complain nor deny a thing. But they soon realized that Harry had yet to grimace at the taste of the potions let alone protest at the treatment of healing his body.

It seemed like all the fight in the child had gone, and that didn't bode well for them. They had exchanged a look earlier when they saw his easily able to read face was for once blank. And instead of the bright green eyes of a child full of life, all they saw were the dull green eyes of someone who had seen too much and who had finally had enough.

That expression was so similar to Snape's that it put him on edge to see it in a face so young. In all truth the 16 year old could pass for a small 2nd year when he was indeed a 6th year. Once again Snape could curse himself and his colleagues for not noticing how tiny he was when neither Lily nor James had been small in stature. After making sure that Poppy had everything under control Severus took off. He immediately headed in the direction of the Headmaster's office.

"Lemon Lollies," Severus stated with a grimace. Stepping onto the moving stairs Severus started climbing up. He took a breath to calm himself down before knocking on the door in front of him.

"Enter Severus," Albus answered quietly.

He entered the Headmaster's office and noticed how many of the trinkets that covered his office in the past were gone.  He had heard about Potter's meltdown when Albus told him of the Prophecy directly after the death of his Godfather. The Headmaster was blind to so many emotions when it came to people.Severus didn't think he did it on purpose but he thought the old man could be going a bit senile. 

This was the start of Harry breaking down but once again no one noticed anything out of the ordinary. They all thought it was just an act of being a teenager.  How many other children had slipped through the cracks because they simply weren't paying attention to each student?

How long could each child hold on too? Before he launched on the tirade of how they all neglected to watch out for Lily's child, he observed the worn out expression on Albus's face. Severus had never seen him look this old before and was forcibly reminded of Albus's age.

 "Before you say anything Severus, I know I failed him. I didn't know they treated Harry liked that. Arabella never hinted at seeing any marks ever on his body. All I know is that they made him do a lot of chores when their own child did none. I regret now for never checking on him, this could have been prevented if I had only taken time to visit him." Albus replied gravely.

"I ‘m to blame as well, I have taken my hatred and jealousy out on an innocent child for 5 years. I have belittled and embarrassed him for no reason other than because I felt like he deserved it. I was fighting a fight that started with his father a man he never even got to know. A man whose been dead for 16 years," Severus said regretfully, what had they done?

"I know Severus," Albus replied wearily.

"Do you know what he said to me Albus; when I finally was able to revive him? He asked me why he couldn't stay in a place where he wasn't hated and where they loved him for being just him and not the boy-who-lived. " Severus replied quietly, as he occluded his feelings away.

"My dear boys," Albus replied sorrowfully but Severus wasn't done.

"He wanted me to let him go Albus, a mere child asked me to let him die. Knowing that I am a part of the reason why he hates life, I cannot treat him as I once did. I don't want to be the one that puts him over the edge to destroy himself. I already have his mother's death on my slate; I don't want her son's; no matter how much I despised his father." Severus finished with a sigh as he took a seat. His body sagged, and he had never felt as old as he did in that moment.

"I wouldn't ask that of you Severus, I apologize if I ever gave you the impression that I did. You are in fact going to have to help him come back to himself, for I fear that he has seen the dark side of life and he might be tempted by what he sees." Albus said mournfully.

"You think that there is a chance of Potter going dark?" Severus was horrified at the thought, the last thing he needed was another Dark Lord.

"No; not the dark side as in evil; But the dark side of life. When you saved his life you took away a chance to be with his deceased loved ones. Even if it wasn't his time he won't see it that way. That's probably the best he ever felt. Who's to say he won't attempt to take his own life so he can be with them again?" Albus replied thoughtfully, he could only imagine the type of pain the child was going through.

"He's the Gryffindor golden boy; he would never do anything that selfish." Severus said in disbelief, he refused to believe that Potter would be capable of something like this. The boy he knew(as much as he didn't want to admit) wasn't selfish.

"Of course Severus", the Headmaster said placating him. "Just promise me you'll watch him."

Severus shook his head in annoyance; he was going to do that anyway. "Of course Headmaster, I have to go back and check-in with my snakes," he murmured his thoughts still trying to figure out how quickly things had already changed.

"Goodnight my boy." Albus replied with a sigh.

"Goodnight Headmaster," Severus replied as he walked out the man's office and headed to the dungeons.

As he gave his yearly speech for his first years he decided tomorrow instead of tonight they would visit the infirmary for a check-up. When he dismissed them he was stopped by Draco Malfoy who insisted on speaking with him. Truth is; all Severus wanted to do was check on Potter, get a drink, and go to bed.

This had been an emotional and stressful day; that had crushed his beliefs about one of his student's home life into non-existent. But since he was a Head of house he had a responsibility to the students and he didn't want to fail another. So he walked into his office with Draco behind him. He put up the privacy spells and waited for him to start speaking.

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

Harry stifled a scream, lest he wake up Uncle Vernon again. As he waited for his heart to still, he smelled the familiar smell of antiseptic and remembered that he was in the infirmary at Hogwarts. They had given him dreamless sleep unaware that it tended to lock him in his dreams instead of giving him none.

He looked at the clock to see it read 2:48am; he sighed as he was now unable to get back to sleep. He sat there thinking unpleasant thoughts until about 4:30am where he once again dozed off. When he awoke again it was to Madame Pompfrey bringing him breakfast and an assortment of potions to take. 

Harry ate almost half of it when he felt like he would throw it all it back up so he stopped.  He took off his glasses to lay back down when he noticed a man in black walking toward him. He felt his heart stop then pick backed up over time; and it suddenly became hard to breath.

For a second he thought it was Uncle Vernon and he was thrown back into Privet Drive. He couldn't catch his breath, he felt like he was drowning on air and things started to blur in front of him. He was so scared that he screamed when he felt the man touch his shoulder and nearly fell off the bed in an attempt to get away but the man held tight.

He heard the man's soft silky voice and a vial at his lips while he told him to drink; it was a calming potion. He knew immediately who it was once the figure started talking. Harry was so embarrassed, he hadn't had a panic attack in front of someone since he was 11, and now he just had one in front of Snape of all people.

Why do these things keep happening in his presence, he hated that he was unfortunately giving him more information he could use to hurt him with.

Harry shuddered at the things Snape could blackmail him into doing, and he was extremely grateful for the calming draught already in his stomach. He could see Snape looking at him but his eyes remain firmly on his blankets unable and unwilling to look him in the eyes.

Severus stared at the meek child with his eyes on the floor in front of him. What had those damn muggles done to him? What happened to the defiant teenager with that spark in his emerald eyes? Why had he suddenly been replaced him with this scared, timid child afraid to give eye contact?

Severus knew only Albus could stop him from making a trip to Surrey to the muggles. And by the time he got through with them, they would be begging they got prison. What kind of monsters would do this to child for merely existing? He stopped his musings so he could question the boy, hoping that the calming potion stayed in effect the entire conversation.

"Potter, do you want to tell me how you got your injuries?" Severus asked quietly, not really expecting an answer but a shake of the head would do. But he didn't even get that, and he sighed. This was usually the hardest part for abused children to deal with, talking about the abuse they had long guarded. It unhinged them, he understood why after all he had been there.

"Potter, you have to talk to about this some time. I know it hurts and it's unpleasant, but you must do it ok?" Severus said trying again, trying not to let his irritation show at being ignored. It was hard to control his emotions around this particular child, especially when the boy blatantly was ignoring him.

"Potter, answer me dammit! I saved your life boy. The least you could be doing is thanking me by talking to me!" He said in a dangerous voice that bordered on yelling. He regretted the words the instant they came out, but he could not take them back.

Severus knew the minute the child flinched at the tone and level of his voice he knew he had made a grave mistake. The reaction he was hoping to get was an attitude remark laced with rebellion that he usually got when he dealt with Potter but he should have known given their current situation that it wasn't to be. In the saddest voice he had ever heard; Potter replied in a hoarse voice.

"I never asked you to save me, matter fact I asked you to let me stay. But for some sick joke you brought me back from the brink of death and I hate you for it.  I want to be with my family instead of suffering here for people who turn on me in a drop of a hat if something goes wrong." Harry replied softly.

"I'm sorry Harry that you felt that I took that chance away from you but I don't regret doing it, not now nor will I ever. It wasn't your time to go yet." Severus explained gently.

"It sure felt like it, I had never felt so much love towards me before. I'm tired of being the boy-who-lived, why couldn't I just bloody die like normal people? I'm just so tired of being that image, I just want to be me, the one I kept hidden from the world, the real me. But the wizarding world isn't ready for that." Harry replied with a frown. Didn't the man get it? Why couldn't he see?

"I won't apologize for saving your life Potter, but I do see your point. Either way if I had a chance to do it over I would still save you. You're parents died for you; Lily gave up her life for yours. Do you really want her sacrifice to be in vain?" Severus asked, his dark gaze piercing as he stared into the emeralds one.

"I just want a choice in my life is all," Harry replied with a sigh.

Severus nodded, pocketing what the boy said for later. He had something much more important to discuss with him. This was the first step in allowing the boy to heal, plus the more evidence they had against the muggles the better.

"So can you tell me about the Durselys?" Severus asked casually as he took a seat.

"How come you want to know so badly? Are you going to use my answers in anyway against me in the future?" Harry asked skeptically.

"No! Why...how could you think that?" Severus asked in disbelief.

"Because up until yesterday you hated my guts and would use this to taunt me." Harry pointed out with a shrug.

"You have my word; I would never use anything I learned about your home life against you." Severus said firmly, to show the boy he meant it.

"Can you swear it? Like an oath?" Harry asked after a moment, if the man couldn't swear it then he couldn't trust him.          

Severus shook his head as he heard the request. What type of child was so afraid that everyone is going to hurt him that he is afraid to trust, lest he get hurt? It saddened him to think on it, especially the fact that Lily's child was the one who was hurt. He sighed though, because sadly he had been there.

"I Severus Snape do swear on my magic that I will never use the information that Harry Potter tells me about his home life to hurt him in anyway. So mote it be," Severus stated.

Harry watched as the bright light of Snape's magic surround his Professor as he bounded the oath. There really was no going back now was it? He wondered how much Snape wanted to know about the Durselys. He guessed that he did owe the man by telling him the story since he had saved his life, even if it was unwarranted. There was a period of silence as they each gathered their thoughts together.

"So what did you want to know?" Harry couldn't help but ask.

"All of it", was Snape's casual answer.

"You have to be a bit simpler than that," Harry said trying to stall.

"When did the Abuse start?" Severus asked bluntly.