A new home

Chapter 8

After 10 minutes, Harry calmed down, only sniffled occasionally. His eyes started to droop.

"Harry, go and take a nap, I have to talk to the Headmaster"

Harry nodded softly and stood up, walking towards the stairs.

"If you need me or anything, call Toppy. He can come to get me if need to"

"yes, sir"

As soon as the boy was out of sight, Severus pulled his wand and extracted a few memories, and put them in a vial. Then he flooed directly to the Headmaster's office.

Dumbledore looked up surprised as the floo flared. His adopted son stepped out looking  serious.

"Severus ! To what do I owe this pleasure ?"

"Albus !" - Severus hissed.

"My boy, what's wrong ? You look troubled"

Severus took deep breaths and forced himself to calm down.

"Don't 'my boy' me ! You asked me to get to know about Harry's home life, right?"

Dumbledore nodded. In a normal situation, he would like to mention Severus' slip but right now it didn't seem like a good time to do.
"Well, I've been taking notes of strange things about the boy." - Severus said throwing a piece of parchment on Dumbledore's desk. His eyes scanned the parchment for a few seconds. Then he looked up, looking serious
"Please, don't tell me"
"That he's been abused ? Unfortunately, that's what I'm about to show you, Albus"
Dumbledore looked very old, every single year of his life shows in his eyes.
Severus put a vial on the table "See for yourself, how dare you put him in that place !"
Albus took out his Pensieve, poured Severus' memories in, and stepped in it.
Severus sat down on a chair, trying to calm down.

After nearly half an hour, Albus stepped , looking sad and old, but the anger was clear in his eyes as is he could only barely control it.
"Albus, he can't go back there. They..." - Severus started
"I know, Severus !" - Albus snapped
The older wizard then took deep breaths and sat down behind his desk. He looked at Severus.
"Forgive me, Severus, but I'll never let him go back. This is too serious. I didn't think it was this bad."
"Albus, you have to make them pay for what they've done" - Severus stated.
"Of course, son, I'll go to them now. I have nothing to do at the moment. Can I come to meet the boy in the afternoon ?"
"As if you haven't made my Manor you home. You give yourself a room there" - Severus said sarcastically- "Yes, and I'll have Mark to give the boy a check-up this afternoon"
Snape flooed back home and walked up to Harry's room. It was now 11 am. He knocked on the door and stepped in. The boy was asleep curling up in a fetal position. He looked so small. His arms wrapped around his small torso. Severus needed to wake the boy up for lunch.
When he came close to the bed, he smelled something. It was not strong but recognizable. Harry had wet his bed. Severus had thought that the boy only had accidents in the night, especially when he had a nightmare. But it seemed the boy lost control whenever he fell asleep. He would make sure to mention it to Mark.
He shook the boy's shoulders gently.
"Harry, it's lunchtime. And we need to get you cleaned up."
Harry's eyes opened slowly and he sat up, rubbing his eyes cutely with his little fists. But then he realized something. He was wet. Oh no. His eyes started to fill with tears again. He felt like a baby, having an accident in his professor's house.
Severus sighed. He knew it was coming. It's not a kid's fault that he had an accident, but to be honest, it is normal that he felt embarrassed. But in Harry's case, it probably had been inflicted in his head that having an accident is something very bad.
"Harry, look at me."
He waited until the boy looked up, his cheeks were wet with tears.
"It's not your fault" - He said slowly to let it sink into the boy's head - " It was an accident and I do not blame you and I am not mad at you for that"
Harry just sniffled softly and nodded his head to show that he understood. But Severus knew he didn't believe it. But he would repeat it to the boy until he finally believed.
"For now, let's get you cleaned up and eat lunch, alright ?"
Severus led the boy into the bathroom and then came back out to ask Toppy to clean Harry's bed and prepare lunch.
Harry stepped out of the shower and found a set of black clothes waiting for him. Professor Snape had probably sunk them down for him again.
He came down to the kitchen and sat down on his usual seat. Snape had already sat at the table. For lunch, they had mac and cheese and boiled broccoli, fruits, and some crackers. Snape reminded him to drink his milk first so he would not throw up.
"Harry, after lunch, we will go get you some clothes and other necessities, ok ?"
Harry was stunned. His professor would take him shopping! Since when had the man cared for him. He nodded nonetheless.
Harry only managed one-third of his mac and cheese and half of his fruits and broccoli. Then Snape handed Harry a pair of robes.
"Ok, I'm going to place a charm on you to make you look different. You're going to be my distant nephew who is visiting me here"
Harry felt something and then looked in the mirror. He looked completely different, his hair was browner and his scar was no longer there.
"Have you ever traveled by floo before ?"
"Uh, no sir "
"It seems like we have to go together then"
Snape led him into the floo and hold his arm.
He took a handful of Floo powder and shouted "The leaky cauldron"