Chapter 13, part 1
Chapter thirteen part I
The next morning passed fairly quickly as Harry and Snape practised using the spells that would read Harry's texts to him and charm his quills to write for him. His first attempts to use the spells were dreadful but after a few hours of solid practice, his books were reading to him and his quills were doing a good job of keeping up with his dictation. Every now and then, something went wrong with the spell, or Harry's cast missed its mark, but he would grow better with practice. Harry didn't know what Snape thought of his attempts but, since he didn't say anything, Harry assumed that Snape thought he must have been doing well.
As for what Draco was doing, Harry didn't know for sure, but he was outside enjoying the warm sunshine. If he had to guess, he would say that Draco was flying on his broom or riding his horse, or whatever else he did when he was outside.
Snape was seated at his desk, monitoring Harry's progress and catching up on a little paperwork of his own. Actually, having to do paperwork was only an excuse to take a break from the heat and enjoy the morning breeze, which was blowing through the open window next to his desk.
"You can stop now. I just remembered that I have yet to give you your OWL results." Snape said to him a few hours later. Harry lifted the spells he had just cast and put his wand away. Then he stood up and walked slowly and a little unsteadily to Snape's desk, keeping his hands out in front of him so that he wouldn't bump into anything. He had been staying with Snape for more than a week now but he still did not feel entirely comfortable in his surroundings even though he had come to know them a little by now.
Harry still felt like he might walk into something at any moment, or that the ground might give way from under his feet. And he was as unsteady and uncertain as he had been during the time that he had spent wandering about in the wilderness just days after he had lost his sight.
Harry took a seat at Snape's desk and turned his attention to the Professor and the letter.
"Will you read it to me, sir? Or shall I try the spell on it?" Harry asked, not caring either way. He just wanted to hear the results.
"Very well." Said Snape, sighing dramatically and unfolding the parchment. "Here it comes.
>> Dear Mr Potter,
You have attained the following results in your OWL exams.
Transfiguration: A
Charms: E
Potions: O
History of Magic: D
Astronomy: P
Defence against the Dark Arts: O
Care of Magical Creatures: E
Herbology: E
Divination: T
Please consider the subjects you wish to study this year. Take notice of the academic requirements of the subject and, once you have made your selection, complete the attached form and return it to us.
Sincerely, Mrs Marlow
Head of School Concerns <<
"Well. I must say I am surprised. Was your examiner so blinded by your fame that they overlooked your obvious ineptitude?" Snape spat, quite annoyed that Harry had done so well in the exam when he was almost always getting his potion wrong in class.
"No, I did not." Harry replied forcefully. He could stand a lot of insults about him and his parents or about his fame, but this was too much. He did not use his fame to cheat on his exams.
"Well, it doesn't matter now, anyway." Snape went on, ignoring Harry's reply. "Speaking of your schooling needs, hurry up and choose the subjects you want to take this year. I must speak with the Headmaster and explain the situation to him."
"Why would you need to do that? The Ministry sends a copy of a student's OWL results to their school, don't they? So the Headmaster would already know how I did, wouldn't he?" Harry asked, feeling confused.
"Of course he would. The Headmaster and I have much to discuss regarding your schooling and certain changes that will need to be made now that you no longer have the use of your sight."
"I realise that he must be told that I'm blind, sir." Harry agreed. "But I thought about it for a bit and it would be far less dangerous if I were to go back in a disguise, especially since the Slytherins would love to have their go at me." Harry confessed.
Snape cocked his head and thought about that suggestion. Begrudgingly he had to admit that the boy's argument had a certain merit. It would certainly make the situation easier for all of them to deal with if he wasn't the center of attention all the time. Though he would probably still be the centre of attention, since blind wizards were quite rare.
"How do you want to do this?" he inquired curiously.
"I thought I could tell everyone the same story you told Draco. But I think Dumbledore should be told the truth. This could all be very difficult to manage if the Headmaster doesn't know what's going on. A lot has happened since I left the school last year. I look so different to the way I did back then. I don't think anyone would recognise me. You didn't recognise me when you found me wandering around on your property. But I have a feeling Dumbledore would recognise me. If I went back to school as 'Harry Potter', I'd draw a lot of unwanted attention to both of us if I turned up with you. Come to think of it, I'd draw a lot of attention if I showed up with you - disguise or not.
Then there are the other students. They'd want to know why I changed so much over the summer. The newspapers would harass me even more than they already do. I don't think I can handle all of that, so I want to go back to Hogwarts as Laures Evans, the home-tutored wizard who decided that he'd like to complete his education at Hogwarts, the finest school for witches and wizards in the entire world. Laures Evans is a common enough Muggle name, so it shouldn't raise any suspicion." Harry explained all of his concerns.
'He seemed to have thought about this for quite some time.' Snape realised amazed that the boy had given so much consideration to the whole situation. He noticed that Harry had found some courage and sounded more like the old Harry. He hadn't heard him sound this energetic and courageous since he found him after his uncle dumped him.
"Well, have you decided on your subjects?" he asked a little impatiently as he caught his train of thoughts. It wasn't like him to think this way about the annoying boy.
Harry thought for a moment about which subjects to drop. He didn't need to think twice about dropping Divination and History of Magic. He would NOT take them any longer than he absolutely had to and now that he was allowed to drop them, he couldn't get rid of them fast enough.
Sixth year students were required to study five core subjects and one elective.
Harry didn't know what wanted to be when he finished school, but Transfiguration, Charms, Defence, Herbology and Potions were basic requirements for most of jobs.
He was sure Ron would drop Potions in a heartbeat though, even if he scored the highest possible grade on his exam. He hated Snape to the bone.
Harry couldn't say that anymore. Snape was not so bad once you got to know him. He would never be an open and cheerful person, but Snape wouldn't be Snape if he wasn't silent and sullen. In the time Harry had spent living in Snape's house, he had come to know a slightly less sullen and moody side of him and, by Harry's reckoning, this is about as friendly as Snape got.
"I will take Transfiguration, Charms, Defence, Herbology, Care of Magical Creatures and Potions." He finally announced.
"Very well. I will inform the headmaster of your choice. You can practise a bit more and if you want to you can ask the house-elf to bring you outside. I think Draco is already out there." Snape suggested, before he took the parchments and walked to the fireplace.
"Albus Dumbledore's Office," he shouted loudly and clearly before he disappeared from sight. Harry sighed and went back to practicing the two spells he'd learned that morning.
++
Severus stepped out of the fireplace and into Dumbledore's office. The Headmaster was sitting at his desk, attending to some very important-looking documents. Snape seated himself quietly in one of the squashy leather chairs in front of the large, and very cluttered, desk. The sun was shining brightly into the room, illuminating everything and the silver and glass contraptions, that were scattered about the room, twinkled and glistened in the sunlight. Most of the portraits that hung along the walls were sleeping, but some were looking at him out of the corners of their eyes, as though they were doing their best not to look interested. Others ignored him, just as the Headmaster was doing. Snape was sure that Dumbledore was making him wait deliberately, to test Snape's patience and see how long it would take for him to say something. But Snape was a man of endless patience in certain cases. He could wait a long time. Dumbledore wouldn't win this battle of wills.
He put down his quill and peered over his half-moon spectacles at his Potions Master. Snape shifted comfortably back in his chair and stared back at the old man. After some time, he sighed quietly.
"What brings you to me, my dear Severus? I hope not another summon from Voldemort." He inquired softly. Severus shook his head and leaned forwards, handing the Headmaster the papers he had brought with him.
"No, but I have found your precious Golden Boy." Snape said quietly, too quietly.
"You.. what? Where did you find him? Is he okay?" Dumbledore actually seemed to be shocked. It was quite a surprise, since the old many rarely showed any emotion to the world other than his carefully chosen one of mild curiosity. Severus laughed mirthlessly.
"He is well, no thanks to you. I told you that, some weeks ago, I happened to stumble upon a young boy, did I not? That boy is Potter. My property is unplottable and undetectable, which would explain why you could not have discovered his whereabouts. The fact that it only took you two weeks to discover that he had even left the home of his relatives is simply astounding." Snape replied in a sour tone.
"I was staying with my brother, but when I returned, he was gone. I immediately directed everybody to look for him, but no one has been able to find him. If you remember, I also asked you if you had seen the boy." He looked at Severus disapprovingly.
"Yes, you did, but he introduced himself to me as Laures. It was only recently that I learned the truth about his identity." Snape said lightly. "Besides, Potter wouldn't have wanted me to tell you."
"Why would he not?" Dumbledore asked, hiding his confusion.
"Potter wants to come back to Hogwarts under a different name." Snape said, deliberately avoiding the subject of Harry's mistreatment.
"But you should have recognised him, despite the different name, should you not?" Dumbledore commented.
"Yes, well. He was hardly himself when he arrived. And except for the eyes and his scar, which was unrecognisable anyway, he looks like any ordinary boy." Snape went right on. "He has chosen 'Laures Evans' as his assumed name. He seems to think, as do I, that it would be better - and safer - if everybody simply assumed that 'Harry Potter' has gone into hiding.
While everybody's attention is on the disappearance of your golden boy, nobody will notice Laures, sixth year student who, up until now, has been home-schooled by his parents and who wants nothing more than the chance to improve his skills at the world's leading school of witchcraft and wizardry."
"I will think of something to tell the press," Albus said, "Your plan has the added advantage that it will confuse Voldemort. He will know that Harry is alive somewhere, but he will not know where. I imagine that this thought will infuriate him more than anything else."
"Perhaps," Snape agreed. "He will be re-sorted and inserted into his classes without any further fuss being made. You will notice that his choice of subjects is very standard. He will draw no attention to himself in that way." He made a vague gesture towards the desk.
"I notice that Harry has decided to continue to study Potions. It is very sensible, though a small part of me thought he might have leapt at the chance to drop the subject. Are you sure you will be able to maintain your objectivity whilst teaching him, Severus?" Dumbledore asked, with a sidelong glance at the Potions Master.
"Of course I can. It is ridiculous that you would suggest otherwise," Severus replied defensively.
"Well, is there anything else?" the headmaster inquired, sensing Severus' growing bad mood. Something ugly was about to come, he was sure.
"You will never again return him to the care of his relatives." Snape said in a tone that left no room for argument.
"The wards around his aunt's house will protect him from being detected from Voldemort," Dumbledore argued.
"They will not, however, protect him from his own relatives." Snape replied hotly. "When I found Harry he had been beaten to within an inch of his life. Aside from the extensive scarring and some mild physical impairments he will be left with, he will be blind for the rest of his life."
"What?!" Albus cried, outraged.
"He is completely blind. He cannot see even the brightest light. He has been beaten and raped. He has been so thoroughly traumatised by his experiences that, often, he cannot bear to be touched and he does not cope well when surrounded by many people, or people he is not familiar with. I could barely touch him to treat his injuries."
There was moment of shocked silence, before the headmaster visibly composed himself.
"I see. School will indeed be a very trying experience for him," Dumbledore said understandingly.
"Although I would like to know how it could come to this."
"Ask them, maybe he will tell you. I do not understand why you left him in the care of those...animals," Snape almost yelled.
"I knew that they didn't give him the best treatment, but he didn't complain too much so I didn't think things were so bad," explained Dumbledore.
"Of course he didn't say anything. If the press found out that his relatives were abusing the boy-who-lived, they would have a field day. Besides, I am sure he has tried to tell you, in his own way, but you probably brushed him off and told him that he should not exaggerate. ...I am right, aren't I?" he stated confidently.
"Well, I may have said something like that, but..." Dumbledore said, trying to shift the blame away from him.
"I know what you're about to say and no! It's not okay," Snape interrupted harshly. "It was your recklessness that led to this. If you had kept a closer check on him, he would never have been injured like he has. He has lost far more than just his sight." Snape shouted enraged at so much irresponsibility.
"What do you intent to do now?" Dumbledore asked Severus wearily, looking every bit his age. He felt guilty, but anger was seething in him under the surface, too. He intended to have a little nice chat with the Dursleys later. He hid the emotions under a sorrowful expression, however.
"I already told you what is going to happen. He may stay with me for the time being, but you will need to make other arrangements for him." Severus advised him bluntly.
Regardless of what he'd just said though, he was not so sure that he could trust Dumbledore to make any more arrangements for Harry. He might just take the task on himself to make sure that it's been done properly. Then he turned on his heel and rushed to the fireplace to floo back home.
++
Harry was bored. Casting the spells over and over again was mind-numbing, though he had to admit that he needed the practise. He cast the spells a few more times, but he just couldn't bring himself to carry on any longer. He called the house-elf and asked to be led to Malfoy.
He smiled faintly to himself as he remembered what had happened when Malfoy had woken up next to him, slightly more entangled with Harry as he had fallen asleep. He was furious to say the least. Screaming and yelling, he accused Harry of setting him up in that position. Well, Harry had, but he didn't have another choice, did he? Draco had fallen asleep in Harry's bed after all. So what was he to do?
Freaked and completely frightened, Harry had buried himself in the blankets. When he had calmed his pounding heart, he realized that it was Draco and not his uncle who was yelling. Draco had not noticed his fear, though, and stomped into his own room, slamming the door behind him.
Harry was walking down the corridor when his legs suddenly brushed something soft. Frozen to the spot, he concentrated on what was before him. There couldn't or at least shouldn't be anything.
The soft item rounded his legs and was purring loudly.
Harry recognized it. It was Snape's cat that he had met on his second or third day here. Now that he thought about it he wondered where it had been all the time. He picked Socrates up and cradled him against his chest, before he followed the house-elf once more.
They left the manor and walked along a path until they reached a small paddock. Harry could hear hoof beats and they reminded him of Snape who had also been riding when he'd found him.
"Mr Malfoy sir." the house elf squeaked loudly. The horse came near and stopped. Satisfied that he had fulfilled his task, the house elf vanished, leaving Harry and Draco in an uncomfortable silence.
"What do you want?" Draco asked a little awkwardly, breaking the silence.
"I.. er... I..." Harry realized he didn't actually know what he wanted from Draco at all.
Embarrassed he lowered his head and berated himself for his stupidity. He should not have come here, he thought miserably, he was only disturbing Draco.
"I'm sorry, I'll go." He mumbled and turned to leave. He hugged the cat more tightly and was about to walk away when Draco called him back. Bewildered he turned back around.
"What is it?" he asked hopefully.
"In contrast to you, I know what I want. Snape said we are to have some fun and we are just going to do that. Come here." Draco said directly.
Harry carefully sat Socrates down and slowly walked towards Draco's voice.
Suddenly he bumped into something hard. God, that hurt. He cursed, rubbing his painfully throbbing shin. While he was nursing his injured shin, Draco was laughing which made Harry scowl heavily at him. He wished that he had one of those guiding sticks blind Muggles used to avoid accidents like this.
It was awful walking on such uneven ground. But he had reached the fence, for that must have been what he had bumped into. He climbed over it awkwardly, making sure that he really had solid ground under his feet. Draco was helping by telling Harry where to put his feet.
Harry was sure that Draco was trying to be helpful, but his imprecise directions were rather painfully unhelpful.
"Give me your hand, please." Draco said when Harry caught up with him.
"Why?" Harry asked suspiciously.
"Just give me your hand already. I'm not going to hurt you." Draco repeated impatiently.
Still unsure, he cautiously extended his hand. The other boy gently took hold of it and pressed it against the soft fur of the horse. He didn't let go, but moved their hands together, and Harry had the chance to feel Draco's warm and soft hand over his own. He wasn't sure what to make of it, but he didn't want to scare the other boy away by jerking his hand. The heat Draco emanated was stifling and made him very aware of his own body, tingling his skin. To distract himself, he admired the horse's coat, which was really smooth, but different from Socrates' soft fur.
"Do you want to ride?"
"Huh? But I never have..." Harry protested weakly.
"Doesn't matter, Laures. Come on. Everyone has to have sat on a horse once in his life." He baited Harry in a teasing tone.
"O..okay." He nodded faintly and mounted the horse nervously, helped by Draco.
"Relax, Laures. Horses know what you feel and adopt the feeling to themselves."
Harry nodded jerkily. He didn't feel reassured by that at all. This was his very first time on a horse and it didn't help that he couldn't see what was happening. He would just have to trust that Draco would lead the horse - and him - in the right direction. It was a bit like riding a hippogriff, he supposed, but it was quite different only to feel the movement and not seeing where you were going.
"So, what subjects did you choose?" Draco asked, grabbing the reigns and leading them slowly.
"Uhm.. The normal ones I suppose." Harry answered, shrugging.
"Severus said he found you, right?"
"Huh?" Harry blinked at the sudden change of topic. Then he nodded. Draco must have seen it or didn't care, because he went on talking.
"How did he find you?" Draco asked curiously.
"I was walking down a path and he was riding. He stopped when he saw me and picked me up. I must have passed out right about then. I woke up some time later in a bed with a cat on top of me." Harry said, a faint smile playing on his lips at the memory of the cat.
"Socrates is a strange cat. He disappears for a few days sometimes and then he suddenly shows up again, demanding food. He doesn't like me very much..." Draco commented lightly.
Harry didn't like where the questions were going so he changed the topic:
"Do you like sweets?"
"What?" Draco asked, sounding confused.
Harry ducked his head, thinking that he'd probably be hit for such a stupid question.
"Sorry. I'm just trying to do some small talk." He apologized.
"Oh, alright." Draco conceded, not sounding bothered at all. "Anyway, I do like sweets. Not often, but sometimes. Do you like them?" he returned the question.
"Yeah. Chocolate and gummy bears are the best." Harry said promptly and smiled. Draco laughed lightly, as if he was happy that Harry felt such childish joy for sweets. As a matter of fact, he had had a lot of sweets in the last years. Not from the Dursleys, no, but he bought a lot in Honeydukes in Hogsmeade.
Suddenly a house elf popped into the paddock. He horse seemed to know the elves though, because it walked calmly on as if nothing happened.
"Sirs is to come in. Lunch is being served in the small dining room." The small elf squeaked dutifully.
"Alright, Binka. We'll come in a moment." Draco assured the elf.
Harry dismounted the horse and his blond companion put it back into the stable.
++
Snape came home after lunch quite agitated. He said he wanted to be left alone for he would only get annoyed with Harry and Draco. They didn't understand why but they respected his wish. Neither wanted to make him angry. So they had to occupy themselves with something different than they had planned. Draco had wanted to practise potions and Harry had to learn how to work with potions at least a bit. They were indeed practicing for a while, but soon Draco grew exasperated with the other boy and they stopped.
They were lying on some recliners on the patio now and Draco was both reading out loud and explaining a book about pure blood traditions to Harry. Harry had chosen the book, because he wanted to understand the old families like the Malfoys and the Weasleys better and why they had this dispute for so long.
In the end he wasn't any smarter than before, but he didn't dare asking Draco where the fight had come from. It would be strange as Laures didn't know the Weasleys yet, as well.
Draco went on with some reading on his own and Harry curled up on his side, enjoying the quiet afternoon with only birds chirping and the sun warming his body from the inside, he was quickly falling asleep in his deckchair.
TBC
Hi guys, I'm sorry for the delay, but this time it was entirely not my fault. My beta had RL problems and could not correct the chapter. Thank you for all your reviews.
Cyu as^^
