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Chapter Two

When Sylvester woke the next morning. He sat up and looked around his room. He put his face in his hands and sighed.

"You're finally up." Sylvester heard. His head shot up and he looked towards the noise. "What do you want?" Sylvester asked and looked away after he saw Snape in the doorway.

"I want to know why you reacted how you did when I grabbed your yesterday," Snape said and walked in. Sylvester glared at Snape as the man sat on the edge of the boys' bed. "I already told you," Sylvester growled. "That's not the real reason," Snape said. "What's the real reason?" He asked. "Why does that matter to you?" Sylvester asked. Snape looked at the boy. "Because I know something happened and you are refusing to say anything." Snape pointed out.

"My life is none of your business!" Sylvester said quietly. "Now, Parker, if it affects your work in my classroom, it is my business," Snape said to the boy. "Well, the school year is over so you can get over it." Sylvester sassed. Snape furrowed his eyebrows together as he looked at the boy.

"What happened at home, Sylvester," Snape asked and stared into the boys' eyes to try and find an answer. "Nothing, Severus." Sylvester glared back. Snape glared at the boy. "I tried doing it the easy way." He said and pulled his wand out. Sylvester's eyes widened as he saw. "I'll do it the hard way then," Snape said and pointed the wand at him.

"I was abused!" Sylvester shouted and hid under his blanket. Snape watched as the boy hid away. "And no," the boy added and let out a sigh; "not like Harry Potter!" He finished. Snape was now confused.

"How so then?" Snape asked. He heard the boy groan before going silent. Snape glared at the lump under the covers. "Hey!" Sylvester yelled and sat up as Snape yanked the covers off of him. "Answer my question boy!" Snape growled. Sylvester looked at him with a glare. Sylvester stayed silent. Snape held up his wand again and the boy looked at it before looking back at Snape. Once they made eye contact Snape saw tears in the boys' eyes.

"I wasn't locked under a staircase, I was locked in a shed. I wasn't given food every day or every other day, I had to find my own. I wasn't beaten for doing something wrong, I was beating because they were bored. I was abused way, way, way worse than Harry Potter!" Sylvester told him. "How was it way, way, way worse?" Snape asked. Sylvester looked away and let out a shaky breath. Snape watched the boy with concern. He's never seen Sylvester like this before.

"I don't wanna talk about it," Sylvester muttered. Snape wasn't seeming to like that answer. "I didn't ask if you wanted to talk about it," Snape said stern. Sylvester let out another shaky breath and kept his gaze away.

"I was abused worse because my abuse wasn't just emotional, verbal or physical. Mine was," the boy stopped and squeezed his eyes shut. "No!" Sylvester said and grabbed the sides of his head. "No!" He yelled. "I can't say! I can't say! He'll do it again!" The boy broke down. "He'll do it again!" He sobbed. "He'll do it again!" His voice cracked as he sobbed. Something snapped inside of Snape, causing the man to pull him into a hug.

"No! No! Let me go!" The boy screamed. "I'll be good I swear!" He sobbed. "Shh, Sylvester, you're okay! You're safe!" Snape said softly and rubbed the boys back. Sylvester stopped struggling and just sobbed. Not giving any care anymore.

About ten minutes later the boy finally stopped. Sylvester realized where he was and pushed away. He looked at Snape before looking away and wiping his eyes with his sleeves. "You wanna know why I had it worse than Potter?" Sylvester asked, already knowing the answer. "It's because I was raped," Sylvester said. "At least three times a week." The boy spilled his secret to his potions professor. After Sylvester said what he said he started crying again. Snape looked at the broken boy and couldn't help but feel heartbroken for him. For some reason, Snape felt he needed to protect the boy.

"Listen to me," Snape said to the crying boy. Sylvester didn't listen and kept his face hidden away. "Sylvester, listen to me," Snape said again. Sylvester shook his head. He felt a hand grabbed his knee gently. The boy immediately tried to swat the hand away. "Look, Sylvester!" Snape said. The boy finally looked at him. "You are safe now. They can't get you. I will do everything in my power to protect you! I promise you, Sylvester Finn Parker, I will keep you safe!" Snape said.

"Why?" Sylvester asked. "Why would you care for someone like me?" Snape looked at him. "Because, believe it or not, I see you a son to me," Snape told him. Sylvester smiled softly. "Can-can you please not tell anyone... about any of this?" Sylvester asked. Snape held up his right hand. "You have my word," Snape told him. But what neither of them knew, was that the other teachers were listening if from Dumbledores office with a spell. McGonagall looked at Dumbledore with a frown. The poor boy held this in and no one knew about all the pain he endured while at home.

"Make a promise with me," Dumbledore said to the two professors. They looked at him. "Promise me you will protect this boy no matter what!" McGonagall and Lupin nodded and said; "of course, sir."

It was coming up on lunchtime and Sylvester hasn't left his room all day.

"Sylvester, come and eat lunch," Snape shouted from the Slytherin common room. "Not hungry!" The boy just shouted back. Snape frowned. He's too skinny and from what he's told me, he isn't used to eating much. I'll fix that! Snape thought to himself.

"Wasn't an option!" Snape yells back. He heard a groan and some footsteps stomping down the stairs. "That's a good boy," Snape said and motioned to the door. "Whatever," Sylvester grumbled as he stormed past. Attitude hasn't changed at all. Snape thought. Something else we'll have to fix. He thought before following the boy out of the Slytherin dormitory. They went to the great hall and as the entered, Dumbledore, McGonagall, and Remus Lupin where already in there.

"Why hello Sylvester!" Lupin smiled. Sylvester just looked at him before sitting down silently with Snape sitting next to him. Food appeared on the table and the teachers started eating. Sylvester just sat there. "Eat, Sylvester, you must be hungry!" Lupin said. "I'm not hungry," Sylvester said. "Not an option!" Snape said again. Sylvester glared at Snape. "No!" He said through his gritted teeth. The other professors looked at him in shock. Snape raised his eyebrows at the boy. "Yes." Snape glared back. Sylvester just glared, not moving at all. "Am I going to have to force you to eat?" Snape asked him. Sylvester glared at him. Snape just raised his eyebrows once again. Sylvester huffed and grabbed a sandwich and started to eat.

The other professors looked at Snape in amazement. No one has been able to get the boy to eat! "Well don't Severus! I believe you will be a great father to him." Dumbledore said. "What?" Sylvester asked and looked up. "Oh well. Uh, you see, Sylvester. We have decided that Severus here is going to adopt you." Dumbledore told the boy. Sylvester immediately stopped eating and stood up. "No!" Sylvester whispered and started to back away. "Sylvester, sit down and talk," Lupin said. Sylvester shook his head and ran out of the great hall. "Sylvester!" Snape called after him.