Severus walked out of the parlor after Harry fell back asleep. Walking aimlessly, Severus was deep in thought. He thought back to everything that has happened in the past three weeks. Albus told him that he was ideal to watch over Harry. Was he really? He was still having ill thoughts about the child and now for not taking the small amount of time to check and see where Harry was, he was tortured for the entire time.

Turning into his study, Severus walked behind his desk to where he had a decanter of fire whiskey. Pouring himself some of the amber liquid, he slumped down in his desk chair. Severus was taking a sip of the drink when the floo flared.

“Severus, are you there?”

“Come through, Albus,” Severus called out, not getting up from his chair.

Seconds later, Albus walked through the fire.

“Ah, my boy,” Albus called out when he saw Severus behind his desk. Albus walked over towards the desk and sat down across from the Potions Master. “I was informed that Harry wasn't with you.”

Severus said nothing. He just looked at the Headmaster.

“What happened? He was suppose to be with you,” Albus said.

“When I arrived at Kings Cross Station,” Severus began after setting the glass of whiskey on his desk, “only Malfoy was there. He told me that Harry had left with the Weasley clan. I believed him.” Severus shook his head at his own foolishness.

“Molly fire-called me asking where Harry was a couple of days ago. I informed her that he should've been with you.”

Severus nodded. “She called me after speaking with you. That's when I learned that Harry never left Kings Cross with them.”

“Harry had not been with you?” Albus asked. His voice was a little more stern.

Severus shook his head. He was about to reply when he felt the warding that he placed over Harry going off. He stood up in a rush and headed for the parlor. Albus, wanting answers, followed behind the potion master.

Albus stopped at the end of the sofa where Harry was laying, shocked at the dismal appearance of the child.

Severus was sitting on the edge of the sofa. One of his hands was over the still warm flannel over Harry's eyes and the other was on the child's chest, slightly rubbing and patting it in a soothing motion.

“It's okay,” Severus murmured to the child. “You're safe now. No one will hurt you. Just rest.”

Harry felt the soothing pats and rubs on his chest as he began to regain consciousness. This particular nightmare scared him more. Even though Harry knew that the bastard was dead, he could still feel the phantom touches all over him. Those beefy fingers carding through his hair. The thick pads on the man's thumbs wiping the stray tears away. Harry could even feel the bastard's breath on his cheek and neck when he would lay on top of him.

Once Harry began to wake up, the phantom feels began to dissipate and he could feel the warmth of the covers that surrounded him, the heat of the flannel over his eyes, and the voice of his Professor soothingly talking to him.

Severus stopped talking when he felt Harry turning his head towards him. Severus knew Harry was awake now. Severus leaned down until he was closer to the child's ear, but not too close to startled the child.

“Professor Dumbledore is here, Harry,” Severus' voice was low and soothing. He could feel the boy tensing under his hands. “It's fine, Harry. Albus won't hurt you.”

Albus was completely dumbstruck to what he was witnessing. Albus knew that Harry was upset and depressed about the passing of Sirius, but never would he think to see the child in the state he is in now. Albus didn't stay in the room. He turned and left. Harry, still feeling his Professor next to him, hearing the receding footsteps, knew that the extra person was gone from the room.

“Professor.” Harry's voice was still weak and feeble.

“Yes, child,” answered Severus, his full attention on the boy on his sofa. He knew he would have to talk to Albus later. Right now, Harry needed him beside him.

“Please don't send me away.”

“Never, child.” Harry sighed. “Are you hungry? Do you think you can eat something?”

Harry thought about it. He knew he hadn't eaten since the other man came in and fed him. He really would like to try and eat something. Harry nodded his head in response.

“I'll be back.”

Severus got up and headed for his kitchen. Albus, seeing Severus walk pass the study, followed Severus into the kitchen.

“What happened?” Albus all but growled out.

Severus, having his back to Albus, sighed and turned to face his mentor. He then did the horrible task of informing the man of everything that he had learned in the past couple of days. When Severus was finished, Albus was sitting at the small table in the middle of the room truly looking his age.

“He sold him?” Albus just couldn't believe that the young Malfoy could do something so evil.

Severus had long since had a pot of soup on the stove heating up for Harry. He was now sitting down across from Albus.

“I'm sure Poppy has been here to look after Harry?” Albus asked.

“She's done a partial scan of the child.”

“Why a partial?” Albus interrupted.

“Harry was extremely cold when Arthur and I got to him. Once I got him here, I placed him inside two blankets and put an advance warming charm on the blankets. When Poppy came she cast a diagnostic on the child, but only got the basic problems. It showed that he was malnourished, underweight, and was raped.” The last thing was said so low Albus almost didn't hear him.

“Once the shock of what we saw on the parchment, Poppy tried to remove the blankets to get a better look at the boy. She, and later I, were met with resistance. It turned out that Harry's magic placed a cocoon of sorts around the blankets and will not let anyone touch him.”

“But I saw you touching him just now.”

“Yes,” Severus got up and ladled the now warm soup into the awaiting bowl on the counter. “It seems that he only will allow me to come near him.” Severus shook his head. “My ability to touch Harry began when he learned that it was I who was near him. He won't let Poppy near him.”

“Where is Poppy, now?” Albus asked.

“She left for Hogwarts and then St. Mungo's,” Severus answered. “She needed to get a rape kit together.”

“But he needs to be healed,” Albus argued. “From what you are telling me, there may be underlining trauma with the child.”

“There is,” Severus confirmed. “The diagnostic Poppy did was muted by Harry's magic. Until he can trust whomever is near him not to do what that bastard did to him for over two weeks, he won't let you near him.”

Severus, now having the bowl of soup on a tray with some crackers and soft fruit, walked out of the kitchen, leaving the Headmaster alone with his thoughts.

“Harry,” Severus called out, once he was in the parlor. Not wanting to scare the boy, Severus called out his name again. He could see slight movement coming from the couch, letting him know that Harry was still awake.

Severus put the tray down on the side coffee table and sat back down on the edge of the couch.

“Harry, I'm going to have to feed you.”

Harry quickly shook his head. “I want to do it myself,” Harry said with a whispered voice.

Severus nodded, then said, “I'll be back.”

Harry felt his professor move from the sofa and leave. Knowing he would soon be eating, Harry started moving his arms that were still under the warm covers. They felt so weak. In the back of his mind, Harry knew he probably wouldn't be able to hold anything, but he was determined not to be fed, so he moved his arms while flexing his fingers in the limited space.

Severus came back with several pillows under his arms.

“Harry,” Severus said, sitting back down. “I'm going to prop you up so that you can feed yourself, but I'll have to hold the bowl for you.”

Harry nodded his understanding.

“Please, take the flannel off.”

Severus waved his hand over the flannel before removing it. Harry blinked a couple of times to adjust his eyes from being in complete darkness. The room wasn't brightly lit. There were soft shimmering lights coming from the small lamps that were around the room. Harry couldn't see clearly, but his eyes did feel a little better than they did when he first got here.

Severus opened the flannel that was over Harry's eyes and laid it across his chest just under his neck. Propping the child with several pillows so that he was on an incline, Severus brought the bowl closer to Harry.

“Harry,” Severus' voice was low and soothing. “If you are to do this, you are going to have to release your magic around the blanket.”

Harry's brow furrowed. My magic, Harry wondered.

“I'm not doing anything, Professor,” Harry whispered.

Severus slowly reached up, letting his hand be slow and deliberate. Harry watching the professor's hand. Severus took the blanket in his grip and tried to tug at it. Harry could feel the Professor's hand, but saw that the blanket didn't move anywhere.

Harry was surprised at what he was seeing, but before he could say anything, Severus quickly spoke.

“You're magic is protecting you. The only way for it to stop is for you to truly believe that you are safe. Right now, you do not. And that is fine.”

“Sir,” Harry lowered his head. “You saved me.”

“Yes.”

“You stopped him from hurting me,” stated Harry.

“Yes.”

“You killed him,” he stated again. This time Severus said nothing. “You have been protecting me since I started Hogwarts. I know I am safe with you.”

Severus again said nothing. With his hand still gripping the blanket, he began slowly lowering the warm blanket from Harry's chest. Harry slowly brought his hands up, bending his elbows. Severus finally got a good look at the child's wrists. They were bruised and chaffed from the rope that had been around them.

Harry slowly lifted his hand towards the spoon only to drop the spoon the instant his fingers gripped around it. Harry tried again, accomplishing the task of scooping the soup onto the spoon only to spill it on the flannel that Severus placed on the boys chest under his neck. Harry sighed. He didn't want to be fed, but it was looking that if he wanted to eat it would be the only way.

Severus removed the bowl from in front of Harry and replaced it with the bowl of cut up soft fruit. A ghost of a smile came across Harry's lips and he reached for a cut up piece of melon. This time succeeding, popping the fruit into his mouth, Harry gave a contented sigh as he sucked on the sweetness of the melon. It was the first fresh food that he put in his mouth since the end of year feast at Hogwarts. The juices of the melon actually soothed Harry's throat that he was almost grinning.

Severus watched the child as he reached for another piece of fruit and again popped it into his mouth. While holding the fruit bowl in one hand, Severus transfigured Harry's soup bowl into a cup and the spoon into a straw. Severus understood the reasons that Harry wanted to feed himself, seeing what a day consisted of from that bastard's mind. Removing the bowl of fruit from Harry after seeing the child take his fourth piece of fruit, he reached for the now transfigured cup and straw and brought it closer to Harry.

Harry looked at the now cup of soup and back up to his Professor. A true smile came across the boys face. This time with both hands Harry reached for the cup. With Severus' hand still on the cup, Harry brought the cup towards him and moved the straw so that it would be at his lips, and the child leisurely drank the soup from the cup.

The soup had to be the best thing he had tasted. Not only did the warmth of the soup help with his throat, but he could feel the warmth spreading throughout his body. The more he drank the warmer he was feeling from the inside out. By the time he was half way finished, he could truly feel the warmth goodness in his toes.

Severus knew that Harry really needed medical attention and very soon. So breaking the comfortable silence that was between them while Harry ate he said, “Harry, will you allow Poppy to check you?”

Harry was about to protest when Severus continued.

“Harry, there may be underlining damages that he did to you. You need to be checked out.”

Harry was about to say something when again Severus cut him off.

“I will not leave your side. I will be with you during the entire exam.”

Harry, not taking his eyes off of his Professor, swallowed and asked, “Promise?”

“I promise, Harry,” Severus declared.