It was cold, as it always is down in the dungeons.
In the potions classroom, Severus Snape, the feared professor who sent shivers down the children's spines, was lecturing. The mere sight of him was enough to make the children tremble and avoid eye contact. Despite their fear, they listened intently as he spoke.
“You will be brewing the reviewed potion today, you will not leave until it is of expected standards.”
And swiftly after releasing the information, the children did not fail to immediately raise from their seats and spring into action.
Students roll their robes to avoid getting them dirty. Some choose against doing this and prefer to take them off entirely, however due to the decreased temperature causing shivering (which you must be incredibly careful and accurate when dealing with ingredients otherwise you could make a fatal mistake) again means most students opt to roll their robe sleeves up
This was no different to Harry, he also rolled his robes up, however it was not the same as other students, while others had clean, smooth skin, layers of fresh, unharmed surface area. Harry’s skin was cut into, torn apart, broken in numeral self inflicted marks littering which would be tanned, beautiful skin, all over up to his shoulders.
Other students quickly took notice of the increasing number of lines appearing on their fellow students arms, taking indefinite notice, however not one had ever spoken up about what they see, what they know hides beneath those Gryffindor robes.
And while believing, in doing so it was showing respect and understanding he did not want people to say anything, it could not be further from it. Harry was practically screaming for help, it was a plead for someone to take notice and stop it. But no one ever did. No one until a certain professed noticed during a class.
Severus Snape noticed much of his classes attention directing away from their intended work, and onto another student, none other then Harry Potter. ‘Unable to keep attention away from him for more than an hour.’ A thought sprung into his head.
“Unless you want your face burnt off and sufferable pain I suppose you all better direct your focus back to your own potions which lay in-front of you.”
Severus turned to the student who was drawing focus away, and quickly scanned the boy for what could be causing the classes uproar, which he quickly took notice to. Face draining of any colour which was left in it, almost distraught released the other students from the class at a rapid rate.
“Mr Potter would you care to explain why your forearms up to your shoulders are covered in wounds? Which are uncared for”
Harry stayed silent, but realising someone noticed, someone.. cared? He let out a laugh. A laugh..
This did not go down well with the older.
“Do you think this is a laughing matter? What is so funny to you?”
Harry slowly turned to face the professor who stood ahead of him.
“You noticed.”
This caught Severus off guard expecting any response but the one he received
“What do you mean?”
“It’s been going on for years, I supposed you knew by now.. Everyone else does, they don’t care though, they all just give me strange stares, all the more reason to keep adding more”
Severus was left speechless by the statement. He didn't know what to say to a boy who was so deep in the cold side. He felt powerless to help him.
“Now can I go? Seeing as nothings going to change either way”
“No. You will stay, you’re not going to do that anymore”
Harry looked up at his professor in confusion
“Um.. I think you’re mistaken professor, like I said nothing is going to change, if you think I’m going to stop I’ll just remind you I’ve been doing this since I was a child. You can’t fix me”
You can’t fix me
The boy's words remained in the professor's head, circling again and again. Severus couldn't shake them from his mind.
Severus arose from his spot kneeled down In front of Harry and calmly moved throughout the room into a cupboard, coming back with several items, confusing Harry even further.
“What is that Sir?”
“Potter, do be quiet, I’m going to heal your arms, stay still for me please”
Before Harry could object Snape had already started applying the items to Harry’s broken skin. This lead Harry to ask the question he had been thinking .
“Why are you helping me Sir?”
“What?”
“Why are you helping me?”
Harry repeated again
Silence, as Snape began to speak up again
“Because, you’re a child, and no child should have to go through something like this alone.”
Harry didn't know how to respond to that, but he had a newfound sense of trust in the man he previously despised.
Snape worked around the rest of Harry’s injuries he had obtained on his arm before speaking again, asking Harry:
“Have you got any more injuries you wish to tell me about?”
“No..”
“Let me say it again, where are the rest?”
“I said there’s nothing else”
God this child was difficult, Snape had to come up with something and quickly decided to give him an option.
“Fine, you don’t want to tell me? Alright, but you will be telling someone, weather that’s your head of house of Madame Pomfrey.”
“No.”
“Potter”
“My names Harry.”
“Harry. You will tell me where the rest are or you will tell another teacher, it’s your choice, but you will tell someone. I’m not going to judge you, I simply want to help you.”
…
“Why?”
..
“Why what?”
“Why do you want to..”
“To what? Help a child who’s suffering, physically and mentally rather then leaving them to deteriorate their own body further?”
“That I suppose..”
“I think you know the answer to that already.. Harry.”
..
“Now are you going to tell me where the rest of your injuries are, considering your lack of willingness to speak to any other teachers”
“Well.. um they’re kind of..”
Harry couldn’t say it, it hurt, it hurt all over, but he had to say it.
“They’re kind of everywhere.?”
“Elaborate?”
“Well they’re on my arms, as you know..”
- “ and they’re on my legs.. and stomach and well, yeah kind of everywhere”
If Severus hadn’t been shocked before he definitely was now. He was almost sick before he gained his composure and asked the question he needed to know.
“May I see?”
Harry stunted momentarily, before turning back to the elder and replying:
“I guess- but they’re pretty gruesome to look at, kind of worse than my arms”
“May I?”
Severus asked as he reached out to grab Harry’s shirt rim.
Harry nodded in approval
As he lifted the shirt up his face turned a sickly colour of green.
Harry had some self inflicted wounds on his frontal stomach, however majority of the wounds were scars from the previous years, or recent injuries obtained from none other then Vernon Dursley at number 4 Privet Drive, one of which was the word ‘Freak’ carved in bold on Harry’s back, looking like it had been a repeated wound, which was years of build up, as if it had happened every year.
“Oh my..”
Harry didn’t know what to say, he’d never felt so exposed, let alone told or shown anyone anything he’d ever had under his shirt.
“M’sorry I can go n-“
“Don’t move.”
Severus began to move around the youngest back, making sure to be as careful as possible, as to not agitate the cuts, paying specific care to the repeated scarring.
“I’m sorry”
Did Severus Snape just apologise? To Harry Potter?!
“Huh, what for..?”
Severus hesitated before he spoke up again
“For this- I didn’t realise you had been going through so much, and I was extremely harsh on you being blinding by a rivalry I had years ago, and for that I apologise, I do not wish to force your forgiveness upon me, but I want you to know I am sorry.”
“It’s not your fault..”
Harry responded, as his eyes glossed over, and for the first time in a while, he let the tears fall.
And they weren’t even necessarily bad tears, some were happiness and joy, happiness from his pain finally being noticed, by none other then the teacher who hates- hated him.
“Thank you..”
“You need not to thank me Harry, you should not have had to deal with this, however I am inclined to ask whether you are being abused by your guardians or not.”
Silence
“I know it is a very difficult subject to talk about but it’s the only way I can help you.”
Snape finished his sentence by stepping back from the boy, finishing his healing process.
“I.. why is this so hard- yeah. Yes they do..”
Tears did not stop falling from the youngers eyes, Severus was again hit with a wave of sympathy and stepped closer to Harry, he proceeded to kneel down in front of him, and cupped his chin with his bony, cold fingers.
He tilted Harry’s head to fix eye contact with the elder.
“Listen to me, none of this is your fault, ok? And you shouldn’t have to deal with any of this, I’m going to protect you from them, you’re never going back there.”
Harry couldn’t help but stare deep into the eyes which showed, sympathy and care, for the first time, he was shown that not all adults stand by and let things happen, even if it was by the most unlikely person it could have been from, he was grateful nonetheless. Within the spur of the moment he left forward and wrapped his arms around the dark clad man in-front of him, stunning Severus, yet he still hugged Harry back, setting his emotions to rest; Harry felt calm and seen, he felt at home.
The tears kept falling, no sign of stopping, only worsening.
The hug lasted for what felt like forever but in reality was only a couple minutes.
They pulled away from each-others grasp and stayed silent until Severus placed his hand gently on the boys face and wiped away his tears.
“Shh little one, it’s ok.”