Unwanted Memories

Chapter 5

Disclaimer: I do not own any characters used in this story, all recognizable names, locations, and characters are property of the wonderful JK Rowling, who was lovely enough to bless us with the Harry Potter books to become obsessed with as I have.

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Unwanted Memories

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Chapter 5

The following day went by fairly quickly for Snape. He yelled at a first year for blowing up a vanishing potion and making her friend disappear, he took 5 points from Neville Longbottom for melting yet another cauldron, and he to deal with the usual dunderheads from Hufflepuff. Surprisingly, though, he wasn't in a foul mood at dinner, and was actually excited to pay a visit to Privet Drive, though he wouldn't show it.

After dinner, he went into his office to grade some fourth year essays until midnight, when he was meeting McGonagall and Dumbledore in the Headmaster's office. He made it halfway through the dismal essays before he heard a small knock at his door.

"Enter." He called toward the door coldly. He heard the office door creak open, but didn't look up from the essay he was grading until he had written a spiky green P on the top and set it on the finished pile.

"What do you want..." He started to snap, but looked up in time to see Harry sitting across from him. "Harry? What is it?" He asked.

"You're going to Privet Drive tonight aren't you?" Harry asked.

"Yes, we are. Why?" Snape answered. He tried to arrange the way he was sitting and his facial expressions so he didn't look cruel and intimidating, but it had become habit, so he wasn't sure if he was succeeding.

"I don't want any of you to get into legal trouble on my account, Professor." Harry answered in a whisper.

Snape sighed. "We'll be careful, Harry. We won't get into trouble, I promise."

"I'm worried, Professor." Harry replied.

"Oh, Harry..." Snape got up and moved over to kneel beside Harry's chair. "We'll be alright. I won't let anything bad happen."

"I'm not worth it, Professor." Harry whispered to his lap.

"Harry, you're worth this and so much more. I understand that you're not used to people actually caring about you, but you deserve to be happy and healthy, and you aren't getting that with your relatives. We want to help you, which means we have to get evidence to show in front of a court."

"I thought you wanted to hurt them?" Harry asked, finally looking up from his lap to look Snape in the eyes.

"Well, we do. But the real reason we want to go there tonight is for evidence. We want to make sure they don't get custody of you, Harry." Snape answered.

"Don't hurt them. I don't want you three to get into trouble." Harry whispered.

"Harry, they abused you. They deserve retribution." Snape whispered in exasperation.

"Nothing I didn't deserve." Harry replied with a tear in his eye.

Snape had had enough. He pulled Harry out of his chair and pressed him to his chest. He felt Harry wrap his arms around his waist. Snape was still crouching next to the chair, so his legs were in agony, but he didn't care. He hugged Harry tightly for a long time before he finally talked.

"You didn't deserve anything they did to you, Harry. You are worth so much more than they lead you to believe. Professors McGonagall, Dumbledore, and I just want to help you be safe, and never have to go back there again." He whispered in Harry's ear.