Chapter 1 I See Your True Colours
Chapter 1
I See Your True Colours
It had been 7 years since Minerva McGonagall had left Harry Potter on the doorstep of his Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon’s house, at number 4 Privet drive. She had defied Albus multiple times and gone to check on Harry in her cat form, but there was very little she could garner from outside the window, and the Dursleys rarely were outside with Harry while he was caring for the garden. At the moment Minerva was sitting in her classroom, staring out the window and wondering how he was doing.
“Minerva,” Severus Snape called, as he poked his head into her classroom. “The students are about to board the train for summer break. Don’t you wish to see them off?”
Minerva shook herself and nodded, smoothing her grey hair back up into the bun on top of her head.
“Minerva?” Severus asked, now a little concerned. “Are you alright?”
“I was just thinking about little Harry Potter, and contemplating checking on him,” she told him.
“He is probably being spoiled rotten right now, just like his prat of a father was,” Severus sneered.
Minerva’s eyes looked deep into Severus’s. “Are you sure about that?”
Severus tried to scoff, but he knew Petunia all too well. Minerva’s concern was starting to plant a seed of worry in the back of his head, also. “Let’s get these kids onto the train home, then you and I can go check on him together. You’ll see how sickeningly spoiled that boy is growing to be.”
“I hope you’re right, Severus,” Minerva sighed, and followed him to the great hall to say goodbye to the students.
As Severu watched Minerva walk down the hallway toward the great hall, Severu felt a stabbing in his chest. Was that concern? For that dreadful Potter boy? Curse Minerva for making him feel for that brat!
~l~
Once they were both packed, Severus and Minerva walked together to her house in Hogsmeade. It was small but comfortable, and provided them a place to talk freely about their concerns without fear of anyone overhearing them.
“What made you suddenly worried about Potter?” Severus asked.
“I don’t know,” she admitted. “Maybe it’s just the lack of any information on how he’s doing.”
“Is no one checking in on him?” Severus asked, his brow furling as he side-eyed her.
“I try to check on him at least once every break, twice during the summer, but I do so in my cat form, not my human form, and he’s rarely outside unless the weather’s nice.” She then smiled. “I caught him while he was taking out the garbage the last time I visited. It was raining, but I walked over to him, and he sat and petted me for several minutes, telling me what a pretty kitty I was,” she laughed. “He was adorable, and quite pleasant. He appears far more like Lily than James, although he seems to be growing into the spitting image of James.”
“Great,” Severus groaned.
“Oh, grow up,” she scolded. “He’s nothing like James in anything but looks. Probably because it’s Lily’s sister who’s raising him.”
Severus found himself tensing up. If Harry was showing any sign of being magic, he was sure that Petunia would do everything in her power to discipline it out of him. Perhaps it was time to pay “Tunie” a visit, even if he wasn’t welcome.
How did he get himself into these things?
“Well… if we’re going to check on Potter, I should probably change into some muggle clothes,” Severus sighed. “Unlike you, I have to put forth effort to blend in.”
“True,” Minerva chuckled. “I’ll see you in a few minutes, and we can apparate there together.”
“Sounds like a plan,” Severus nodded, and disapparated.
~l~
When Severus returned he was dressed in a plaid button-up and jeans, with his long black hair stuffed into a flat cap, making it look like his hair was short.
“You spend your summers with muggles, don’t you?” Minerva asked.
Severus nodded. “I live in the house I grew up in, now that both of my parents are gone.”
“Have you ever been to the Dursleys’?” she asked.
“No. And I’m sure that Petunia will be none too pleased to see me. But too bad. Once I’ve seen that Harry is being well cared for, I probably won’t be back for a few years, if ever.”
“And if he’s not being well cared for?” Minerva asked. “If they are mistreating him? What then?”
“They had better hope I never find out that they hurt the boy,” Severus growled. “If they have, I won’t need magic for what I’ll do to them.”
Minerva flinched back at his vitriol and threw him a nervous look, but nodded and disapparated.
~l~
Severus found himself chuckling as they walked up Privet drive, Minerva in her cat form weaving in and out of his legs like a real cat.
“You’re going to end up getting kicked if you’re not careful,” he snorted. “And I won’t even feel guilty. Must you trip me?”
Minerva only answered with a soft meow, but he could swear she was smiling.
Petunia was longing across a chair on the lawn while Harry was in the flower garden, planting her namesake. Meanwhile, Vernon waxed his car. There was also a very round boy with short cropped blond hair and beady blue eyes, who was playing on the lawn. He was skulking around, hitting things and people. Severus instantly recognized Harry, as he was the spitting image of James, only quite small and skinny, but with the same messy black hair. He was sitting on the edge of the flowerbed, quietly planting the flowers that were lined up beside him, when the round boy ran up to him and hit him on the head. He then took one of the flowers that Harry hadn’t yet planted, and ran off with it. Harry just silently watched him run away, then looked sadly at the empty space beside him, shrinking down in fear as tears came to his eyes.
Severus felt the anger rise up in him, indignant at Harry’s mistreatment. He expected one of the two adults to go over to Harry and comfort him, or at least scold the round boy, but both just ignored what had just happened.
Perhaps they didn’t see it, Severus told himself. Afterall, they are both busy.
As the round boy ran by Petunia, he threw the flower at her. He then tripped on who knew what, probably his own feet, and face planted into the lawn. Before the boy could even register what had happened, Petunia jumped up and ran over to him, fussing over him being hurt and scolding Harry.
Severus was pretty sure the boy was not hurt when he fell, but with Petunia fussing over him, he screwed up his face and let out the most fake cry Severus had ever heard.
The moment Vernon heard the cry, he rushed over to the scene of the accident. Seeing the dirt on Petunia, he asked, “Did that freak do some freak thing to hurt our Dudykins? Did he do something to both of you? Is that why there’s dirt on you”
The boy looked confused, and Petunia glared at Harry, obviously trying to think up some way to blame Harry for what Dudley had done, but Dudley quickly nodded, yowling like he was dying.
Vernon whipped off his belt and grabbed the small boy by the arm, hitting him two or three times with the belt before tossing him in the direction of the house, yelling, “Get in the house, now, and wait for me! And no dinner tonight! I’ll teach you what happens when you do freak things to my wife and son!” He then turned to the round boy and soothed, “Don’t worry Dudleykins. Daddy will make that mean Harry pay for hurting you.”
The round boy looked slightly confused, but nodded.
Vernon then stomped into the house, his trousers starting to fall down his immense backside as he slammed the door behind him.
Severus stood frozen in shock at what he had just witnessed. Harry’s life was no better than his had been as a child, only Vernon didn’t have the excuse of being drunk.
As Severus shook himself out of his stupor he saw Minerva go racing across the lawn toward the house. He wasn’t sure what she planned on doing, as she was still in her cat form, but she was at least doing something.
Just as Minerva reached the closed door, Dudley leapt at her, trying to grab her. Minerva gave a yowl and scrambled to get away as Petunia aimed a kick at her.
Severus ran across the lawn, shouting, “Oi! Leave’r alone!” and scooped Minerva up, holding her safely to his chest. “I will thank you to refrain from injuring my cat!” he scolded.
“Sev!” Petunia screeched. “Get out of here, you horrid, evil man!”
Severus was already on the verge of tears after what he had just witnessed, but to hear the nickname that Lily had so lovingly called him, being screeched by Petunia, lit a fire in him.
“I came to check on Harry,” he growled. “And it looks like it’s a good thing, too.”
“Figures!” Petunia spat. “The horrid freak come to visit the freak boy. I’ll happily be rid of the both of you!”
“You will?” Severus asked. “Start the paperwork and Harry and I will be gone in two shakes.” At this point Minerva was staring at him but nodded, giving a cat-like smile.
“I’m sorry, Minnie,” he said, putting her down, “but I need to go in and retrieve Harry.”
Minerva nodded and then hissed at Petunia and Dudley as Severus opened the door and ran in the house.
Severus could hear crying and the sound of a belt hitting something, and went for his wand.
“You can’t use magic on us, or you’ll get in trouble!” Petunia shouted, right on his heels.
Severus turned and gave the most menacing look he could muster.
“By the time I get my hands on Vernon, I won’t need magic to tear him limb from limb!” he growled.
Petunia flinched back and her breath caught in fear. The moment his back was turned, though, she hissed at him, “Freak!”
Severus took the stairs two and three at a time, doing his best to get to Harry as quickly as possible. He didn’t care if Harry was James’s kid, Harry was just a kid, and a small one at that.
He burst through the first door, and then the second, only to find empty, cluttered rooms, full of broken toys. Where were they?!
As he burst through the third door he could see Vernon’s beefy frame standing over Harry’s small, slight, bloodied body, his belt raised to strike again. He wanted so badly to Avada him right then and there, but knew that was far too good for Vernon. He instead took hold of the belt in Vernon’s hand and yanked down as hard as he could, behind the brute, sending him sprawling onto his back. He then lept on top of Vernon, pummeling him the good, old fashioned, muggle way.
By the time Minerva came into the room, transfiguring back into her human form, Severus had tears streaking down his cheeks and his hands were bloody and screaming in pain.
“I’m taking him to Hogwarts!” Minerva said, scooping Harry up and disapparating.
Severus stood and pointed at Petunia before leaving. “You are a disgrace to the Evans name!” he growled, and turned on his heel.
Minerva was halfway through the gates when Severus arrived, but he was so panicked it took him no time at all to catch up.
“I should have killed him for what he did to Harry!” Severus barked.
Minerva nodded. “I never thought I’d agree with you about that, but, well…”
Severus scooped Harry out of her arms, running with him. He was bigger and stronger than Minerva, but Harry felt far too light for a boy of eight years. What had Vernon and Petunia done to Harry?
~l~
Madam Pomfrey was still packing up when they arrived in the hospital wing, and immediately dropped everything, running over to help.
They could hear a soft sob escape her as she went to work, Severus and Minerva assisting her.
Severus ran to his lab multiple times to grab a potion or elixir that would help, but even with magic, it would take time for Harry to heal physically, and far longer for him to heal mentally and emotionally.
Who am I kidding, Severus told himself, I still haven’t healed, and my father’s been dead for almost eight years.
He didn’t want to admit to himself, but when he had walked up to that house, he had been right back in his own childhood, trapped in his father’s house, with no escape. But this time he had fought back. This time he had beat the monster bloody. He had gotten Harry out of there, and hopefully this whole situation would be nothing but a brief memory for Harry. Even if it did haunt Severus.
~l~
Harry looked so tiny as he lay on the seemingly huge bed, patched up, medicated and sedated, a miniature copy of James. How many times had he wished to see James like that? But it wasn’t James who was lying there. And Harry didn’t deserve to pay for his father’s sins. Harry was tiny and frail… and innocent. No, this was wrong.
