Severus feels demoted
Severus Snape didn't know why he had been chosen for this particular assignment, surely Lupin or even Black would have been a better choice. Collecting Henrietta 'Harry' Potter felt like a demotion of some sort. To make the venture more vexing, Potter wasn't even at the muggle's residence when he arrived.
"Gone?" he drawled slowly, staring down at the beefy red-faced man with a walrus mustache with obvious boredom and annoyance. "Gone where?"
The oaf of a man scoffed, "Little bitch ran off nearly a week ago."
The term the man had used for his niece had been startling, the fact that she'd been absent for a week and it had been unreported was alarming. "A week?"
"She's always been ungrateful and lazy." the man bemoaned angrily and Severus let out a long breath to contain his frustration. Hexing people over inconveniences rarely bore fruitful results. His head jerked in confusion at the next thing the muggle said, "That's after she turns up this summer and starts... changing..."
--
Severus couldn't believe what he was looking at.
The girl had dyed half of her black waist length hair dark green, it was currently in a mass of braids that mixed the colors - the lower half was green. Her dark makeup, her eyeliner had 'wings' as many girls did these days, and black lipstick had made her nearly unrecognizable. Severus had to keep glancing to the girls forehead randomly to reaffirm that this was, in fact, Harry Potter. She had some black converse, fishnet tights and a pair of faded short-shorts. Her entire midriff was bared beneath her black cut off shirt, exposing a basilisk tattoo on her lower back - its jaws opened and poised to strike.
More fishnets were on her arms along with an inordinate amount of bracelets - some sort of half sleeve with clocks was partially visible on her upper right arm. Then there was the sheer amount of piercings the girl had gotten - some clearly new, the skin red and angry around the metal. Her ears seemed a mess of metal, an eyebrow piercing, a nose ring and septum piercing, two snakebite studs, a navel piercing and... Severus shook his head as he realized the exceptionally well endowed girl didn't have a bra on but had obviously pierced nipples through the tight shirt.
He wasn't sure if all that shocked him more or the fact that she was making out with someone, their hips grinding against each other as their tongues mixed and the lad tugging aggressively on her hair.
The music wasn't bad in the club. He couldn't be sure of the artist or song but they were singing about 'aqua regia' and he did enjoy chemistry. Focusing on almost anything other than the display before him. Finally he stiffened himself up and decided to approach this as he would if they were at Hogwarts. He sent a mild stinging hex at Harry, though he nearly left in horror when the girl only bucked up more against the guy and moaned loudly which made the lad respond by gripping her ass firmly and smacking a cheek - making her giggle.
Harry pulled back and opened her mouth to say something, but glanced around first - her head whipping back in a double-take and staring at him in shock. "P-professor?" she blinked, as if she were having a hallucination... Severus guessed she was likely stoned and drunk.
"Pot-" he didn't get to finish before the girl had darted away, leaving a dumbfounded looking boy with bright purple hair in her wake. "-ter." Severus finished with an annoyed sigh.
"Who's Potter?" the lad asked Severus and he couldn't help the growl of disgust that erupted from his chest as he trailed after the girl, sending a hex to give the muggle a charlie-horse. It kept the muggle from following but, mostly, it was because he had wanted to.
He found her just outside the backdoor, between two stacks of pallets that seemed due for pickup.
She was pointedly looking at the ground, refusing to meet his gaze - clearly uncomfortable with how he'd discovered her. Running though she knew she couldn't hide. "What were you thinking?"
She shrugged, still not looking up, mumbling, "Seemed nice."
Severus was horror-struck, spitting out, "What would your mother think if she saw you now?" It had been impulsive, something that he rarely fell victim to. It was milder than what he could have said: that any man in that club could have raped her or worse, and she'd been climbing all over a stranger who didn't even know her last name. He doubted that the boy had known her first name, or even her nickname.
To his surprise a snarl came from Harry, "If she were alive and could say anything," she snapped back, raising her head to look at him finally, "I imagine I wouldn't even be here." Her tone had a definite 'fuck you' feel to it. "So what is it Professor Snape? I'm to return to my uncle or the Professor feels it's time for me to rejoin the rest of my kind again?"
On reflex from hearing much the same repeated time and again by Dumbledore, he began, "We are all human-" It was a speech that Harry would be familiar with.
Harry scoffed and cut him off, "And capable of cruelty." she told him icily, altering Dumbledore's sermon that began 'we are all humans and capable of kindness' - they'd all heard it multiple times. There was also an underlying spite to it. "So... are you going to tell on me?" Harry asked curiously, cocking her head, her eyes portrayed a dark worry.
He couldn't think of a simpler way to ask, any more detail to the questions made impossible as Lily's eyes looked at him from Harry's decidedly Potter face. "Are you a virgin?"
She let out a small puff of a laugh that grew to near hysterical, tears actually lining her eyes and he glared as she stomped one of her feet while clutching her ribs with one hand. The laughter subsided somewhat as she gasped out, "I...hahaha... I haven't been a... a-a... hahaha...a virgin since before Hogwarts!" she exclaimed, looking at him like he was stupid and shaking her head as she staggered slightly.
He felt very stupid at the words of the intoxicated girl. Severus had no idea that since he had met her the girl again in her first year that she had been sexually active, and so young... "W-what?" was all he could managed.
More tears formed in her eyes, "Traded my virginity for a ride to King's Cross the day before I left." She crossed her arms across herself defensively, as if she could protect herself from her past.
"To who?" he blurted incredulously, picturing some sick next-door neighbor or a sweaty cabby.
"Doesn't matter." Harry shook her head, looking down at her feet once more - looking ashamed and broken.
Severus was not willing to let it go, "Who was it?" Given how she was reacting it was someone she had known, possibly still knew and saw - they were probably continuing to 'trade' with Harry.
"It's not your business." she hissed, though it was more like she was reminding herself than actually talking to him as she folded in around herself more.
Not having enough time, he had a meeting in less than an hour and needed to get her to the Headmaster beforehand, he drew his wand and cast a silent Legilmens at the girls side-turned face.
Harry was sat in a tiny, sparsely furbished room on a bed that seemed too small even for her. From her face and slighter form and the brand new trunk at the end of the bed, Severus knew that it was just before her first year at Hogwarts. She looked even smaller, younger, in the looming shadow of the man he'd seen at the residence when he'd stopped there looking for Harry.
Her uncle, Vernon Dursely.
Harry had tears quietly slipping down her face and her hands trembled as she reached towards the large man's belt, fumbling with the buckle. Once the leather strap was undone, she'd looked up, "I-I'm scared... please, uncle Vernon, I don't want-"
The beefy man landed a harsh smack across the girls face, she'd fallen back on the too small mattress and immediately began sobbing in terror. Vernon undid his own pants entirely before grabbing the frightened girls ankle and dragging her toward him as she pulled up on the waistband of her pants futilely. They were quickly yanked from her screaming form as she flailed and kicked, ineffectually, at the larger man; before her uncle began to slather himself with lube from his pants pocket...
Harry hadn't moved or reacted, likely already having the memory hauntingly on replay at the moment - no digging required.
--
Severus was a naturally suspicious man, it was what made him such a good spy, so he'd covered Harry with his cloak - which had a small onyx pin on it. It made it easy, simply laying his cloak down in a room where private conversations would be had in his absence and watching either later or in real-time. The muggle not having been caught was suspicious... too suspicious. Besides which her attire had made him distinctly uncomfortable, especially after witnessing her memory - she'd likely always be a child in his mind, though that image was somewhat ruined now.
Harry had let out a groan when they arrived in Hogsmeade and he began to pull her by her elbow towards the castle.
Dumbledore was in his office waiting for them, "Harry, dear girl, you had us worried." the man said, spreading his arms as if offering a hug from afar, a soft smile on his lips.
Harry wouldn't look at him, her head off to the side as she stared at something, "Sorry, Professor." she mumbled, sounding more sorry for herself. Severus was more curious about her behavior and inside his own mind, he didn't notice the portraits were all empty or frozen in their frames.
Harry had.
"Where was she, Severus?" Dumbledore asked casually as he stood up from his seat behind his desk.
"Just a muggle party, seemed to be enjoying the music." Severus said easily.
Dumbledore paused as he came around the desk, looking almost surprised, "Was there a boy?"
"She was only talking to him, Headmaster." He noted that Harry stiffened at the answer, though Dumbledore only smiled understandingly.
"Thank you, Severus, my boy. She had us quite concerned." Severus assumed that he meant Black, Lupin and maybe the Weasleys - though he'd been unaware of Harry's 'disappearance'. The subject had not popped up at the Order meeting two days ago, while she'd missing for a week.
Severus inclined his head even as alarms echoed through it and headed toward the door, when he glanced back he noticed that Harry was nearly vibrating as the Headmaster approached her.
--
After the meeting, his own report being short about the annoyingly tedious and time-consuming potion his Lord had requested - turning magenta and soon pale grey. It was old dark magic and its ingredients rare and expensive - thankfully he wasn't footing the bill. Even if the potion and some ingredients were... dementors kiss illegal.
Severus sighed, cracking his neck and rolling his shoulders before pouring himself a small tumbler of whisky. He'd had a horribly sickening pit growing in his stomach since leaving Harry with Dumbledore, it had only gotten worse as the meeting had wore on. Something was abhorrently wrong about how she'd reacted to even seeing the school. Her reaction as he'd left had seemed like more than her being afraid of a reprimand.
With a sigh, he sat down and took a deep drink - nearly emptying his glass - before waving his wand casually. He saw his days activities and waved past them until he was leaving the Headmaster's office and the 'picture' did become somewhat bouncing and erratic as Harry shook.
The door closed, the noise was registerable, and Dumbledore appeared to be running a hand along her hair which caused her to still somewhat but she was wavering slightly - his arm extended out of view but at her head level. "Harry, Harry, Harry, you had us worried." the Headmaster said casually, leaving the view of the device.
"I'm sorry, Professor." she seemed to blurt automatically.
"Ah." he tutted slightly and the trembling worsened again.
"I'm sorry, sir." It was like a whispered mantra, he could only imagine what Harry's face looked like - her voice sounded thick and terrified. Like she was reminding herself of a life or death fact, repeating it over and over softly. "Sir, sir, sir."
"So, so very worried." the Headmaster's voice continued casually without acknowledgement, and Harry hiccuped to a stop in her mantra. "Meanwhile, you - you - disgusting little bitch," his tone had turned to a snarl and Harry had completely stilled, too frightened to even shiver it seemed, "were off whoring yourself. Vernon was most disappointed, and we both know how well he handles that. He will have something special planned, just for you, when you return in the summer." Dumbledore's voice ended in a frightening hiss.
Harry whimpered, "Sir, please, I didn't-" She let out something between a yelp and a whimper as the view suddenly shifted, Severus realized that Dumbledore must have wrenched her head back.
"Did I give you permission to speak?" a slight whine and shift as she shook her head, "Did I ask you anything?" again the same for when she shook her head again this time without a sound. "Useless whore." the Headmaster said, as if he was recalling to add something to his grocery list - horribly casual, before there was a snap of fingers.
Instantly, Harry dropped to her knees and put her hands on the ground. Severus couldn't tell if it was from a wordless spell or ingrained obedience.
The noise of her knees connecting with the thinly covered stone was jarring and horrible. Severus could see her hands shaking even while pressed against the solid ground covered in some colorful rug, some of her braided hair falling into view. His cloak, and the small pin, suddenly flew through the air. The view was dark but he could hear everything; Dumbledore cursing her out as worthless and vile, demanding that she suck him followed by gagging wet noises, a low order to 'lay down' and then noises that were clearly two bodies fucking and male moans - occasionally cut through with a snarl of abuse from the man or a sobbing cry or whimper from the girl.
At the end, he crooned astonishingly over her piercings and slapped her flesh several times - likely spanking her - until she was loudly sobbing. Severus was surprised when she didn't beg for a reprieve. Dumbledore said she'd asked for this by running away, in a horribly soft voice, before murmuring, "You can damage your pretty packaging all you want, you belong to us." Harry had let out a high whimper at his final statement.
The rest was him fixing her clothes, sniffles and soft commands to 'fix your face' and a, "It's Professor Snape's." when inquired about the cloak.
"Likely couldn't stomach the look of a disgusting cocksleeve such as you." Severus didn't know how but he heard Harry blanch at the harsh words, "No matter, I'll return it at the next meeting." Harry had said nothing but must have looked curious or confused, "Stupid slut can learn." The Headmaster's tone was almost appreciative.
Severus stared blankly at the rug in front of him, he'd always appreciated it before but now he could barely register it. The only thing he did register as he turned his head was that his glass had a less than a gulp in it and that he needed the whole bottle suddenly - he had realized why he'd been chosen for Harry's retrieval...
He wouldn't care.
Dumbledore thought he wouldn't question... anything. Her behavior, the absence of the overly protective mutts... because he wouldn't care enough to notice. Because he hated Harry Potter.