Shaking his head, Harry shook off those old memories. His voice was quiet and lacking any emotion when he said, "I got a clothes hanger."
He never trusted anything they promised him, after that.
TBC . . .
A/N: Happy New Year, y'all! Thank you to everyone who reads and reviews! Donations are accepted here for the Hug-a-Harry fund. Just drop off your hugs for that most huggable (and needing of hugs) wizard-boy, Harry, and they will be delivered directly to his door as soon as possible. Be the first on your (ISP) block to give!
*Chapter 34*: Chapter 34
Better Be Slytherin! – Chapter 34
By jharad17
Disclaimer: Waaaah! None of this is mine!
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Previously:
Shaking his head, Harry shook off those old memories. His voice was quiet and lacking any emotion when he said, "I got a clothes hanger."
He never trusted anything they promised him, after that.
Severus watched the play of emotions over Harry's face -- far fewer than he may have expected from an average child, but far more than he was growing to expect from Harry; the boy had a better blank face than almost anyone else he knew -- and he considered what the boy was not saying. There was obviously a lot more to that story, than, 'I got a present once, it was a hanger.' The pause between his two statements, for one thing, and the bright, brief glint of grief in his expressive green eyes.
Not to mention the question that had led up to this admission. As Head of Slytherin, he had at least one or two children a year who did not want to go home for holidays, as Harry obviously did not. The reason they gave was almost universal at its core, that they were not wanted at home.
Neglect was one of the more insidious forms of abuse he came up against, and one of the most difficult for him to combat in children who were already age eleven when they first reached his demense. The main problem, of course, was that children subjected since infancy to such profound neglect often grew up believing there was nothing wrong with the treatment they endured in their homes. Because they were not being hit, usually, it was easier for these children to believe their lives were not so bad, or that their guardians treated them normally, since they were taught they did not deserve to be noticed, cared for, or loved by those who were supposed to do so.
Harry had all the classic signs of this kind of neglect, but while the aunt and uncle had not abused him physically, seemingly content to pretend he did not exist at all, when they weren't telling him he was useless and worthless, he had just as obviously been routinely assaulted by his slug of a cousin and the slug's cohort at their school. The boy had the worst of both worlds.
For instance, Harry's simple statement about his one Christmas present told Severus far more about his home environment than the boy could possibly know. Severus did not know what his pregnant pause had been about -- there was much more to that story, for certain -- and he could ask for clarification now and get the whole story if he wanted. He still had one question, after all.
But Harry was currently staring back at him, holding his gaze unashamedly, to Severus' surprise. These kinds of questions about one's home-life -- and this was by no means the first deal Severus had made with a Slytherin to get those questions answered -- usually resulted in a lot of head hanging and averted gazes. Yet, he had known for some while that this boy had less fear, as well as less of a sense of self-worth, than most others he had dealt with recently. It was troubling. How far had his guardians worn him down that he could continue to maintain his cool, blank mask about this particular episode, the memory of which would have reduced most children to tears?
Severus pursed his lips. What should he ask? Harry opened his mouth, but before the Brat Who Lived to Interrupt could get a word out, Severus said, "Next question."
As he hoped, the boy subsided and sat back in his chair, his expression still contained in that blank mask. "Yes, sir?"
Severus almost smiled. Harry was also almost unfailingly polite. Not that such an attitude would have done him much good at his relatives' house, but such manners had likely been drilled in him since infancy. Only its lack would have drawn attention, and not any good attention. But Severus did not smile. Instead, he kept his tone perfectly level as he said, "How are you getting along in our House?"
"All of it, sir? Or just with Firsties?"
"How much contact do you have with the upper years?" He would wager Harry had far more contact with Slytherin Uppers than most other Firsties, because of whose curse he had survived when he was fifteen months old, among other reasons.
"Not much." The boy's forehead wrinkled as he considered. "Quidditch team . . . mostly . . ."
Obviously, Severus knew, as Harry averted his gaze after his hesitation, he was recalling at least one other interaction. But Severus did not call him on it, and merely waved at him to continue.
"I get along okay."
If the Brat thought he'd get away with that, he must have been Confunded. "Elaborate."
"Me and Teddy and Millicent are good friends."
"Mm." Severus had been bowled over to learn as much, in fact. But since then, he had seen the three students growing closer, spending much of their free -- and study -- time together. Not the trusting sort, he was keeping a close eye on the Nott boy, for obvious reasons. He doubted any son of Hiram Nott's would stand idly by -- or even less likely, attend -- while the Brat Who Sent the Dark Lord Scurrying continued to live and learn in the den of Snakes. So far, he had seen nothing incriminating, but he would not stop watching. Over a dozen years as a spy had ingrained that habit in him.
As had his promise to keep the boy safe.
As if he had gleaned some disbelief in Severus' expression, Harry defended his statement with an almost petulant, "They are. Teddy helped me figure out my Frogs weren't cursed. And Millie's always standing up for me against the upper years."
Severus raised one eyebrow. "Cursed frogs?"
Without objecting to the additional question, Harry smiled wryly. "Well, they weren't cursed, were they. Was nice, really, Hermione -- from Gryffindor -- she gave me some Chocolate Frogs when I went to hospital." Another wry look. "Both times. But she didn't sign the card, so I didn't trust to try them."
Severus nodded, though he was surprised. Not many children would be so suspicious of sweets. If he let it, the fact that Harry was so suspicious, at his age, would have distressed him. "What did you try?" He managed to put a note of admiration in his tone, which often worked wonders with children who had rarely, if ever, been praised in their lives.
Harry grinned, looking pleased. Severus suppressed an answering smile, but he was glad to see one on the boy; they were rare enough. "First, of course, we tried Revelio and Finite Incantatem, which I'd read about before, but then Teddy taught me Ostendo Virum, the one where you look for poisons, and then one for specific curses. We did some research--"