A Ghoul's Warning

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The neighbors heard the blood curdling screams of 'kill the cake' and saw Vernon run around the house with a chocolate covered baseball bat, but everyone thought it was a new diet method and let the family scream ...

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Severus set Harry down on the floor in his house, "Don't worry. We're going somewhere else to live. I'll explain everything when we get there." He said, knowing the boy saw some signs of the battle earlier like dents in the walls and a broken table.

Of course, he immediately wanted to put the boy's mind at ease. There wasn't anything on this planet that would make him stay here with a child anyway. Ignoring the disturbing encounter with some ghoulish creature this was simply a bad neighborhood in general.

Everything upstairs was already being packed away thanks to some wandless magic. Sadly, he couldn't do the same for his potion lab. All the ingredients couldn't be tainted by magic. Each thing had to be packed into a bottomless case by hand.

Severus was just reaching for the first jar when he felt a chill and stiffened ...

'Do you see now, professor?'

With a feeling of dread filling him, Severus clenched his jaw. The urge to run was strong, but he still slowly turned. There, standing disturbingly close to him, was the ghoulish eyeless version of Harry. As incredibly unnerving as the creature was, Severus, at least, believed it had a reason for its actions and it wanted an answer.

The potion master nodded carefully, "I'll keep Harry safe. I refuse to fail Lily again."

A tense moment of silence passed as the ghoulish creature's bloody eyeless sockets watched the potion master. Finally, the being nodded and, as if appeased, it dissolved into dust. Still Severus didn't want to take any chances.

"Harry, why don't you come up here and help me? I should apply more ointment on your cheek too." Severus called out, pretending to be calm.

Hearing the very real feet moving up the steps did give Severus a sense of relief. When the boy hesitantly poked his head in the room Severus gestured to a chair and got the ointment. When Harry sat down the ointment was reapplied.

"Don't wipe it off this time." Severus ordered sounding a little firmer than before, but still nowhere near as harsh as he used to be.

Harry nodded and sat down, "Thank you, professor." He said gratefully as the potion master's fingers applied the cool ointment. By the time he started feeling the last of the bruise leave Harry was shocked to see that his professor had finished packing. "Can I help in any way?" He said before gasping when Severus easily picked him up like a child again.

"Yes, Harry. You can help by breaking any love you have for the headmaster ... Believe me. He doesn't deserve it." Severus said softly as he carried Harry to a shelf.

Green eyes looked at the items on the shelf. Each of the items, which were a few books and a moonstone, seemed innocent enough. Still Severus held everything and Harry as he grabbed the moonstone.

"Plucked Rooster." Severus said without any hesitation.

For a moment Harry was surprised that the stern potions professor would utter such a silly phrase. However, he was immediately distracted by the odd feeling of being pulled and finding that they were suddenly in Gringotts. As the young wizard tried to wrap his head around this sudden change he was carried to the counter.

"I wish to see Goremace right now as well as Griphook. Here's my ID. He will be identified when we're in a secure room." Severus demanded firmly.

The goblin at the counter picked up the moonstone and nodded, "This way."