Chapter one

From Harry Potter's first year at Hogwarts he learned about his parents, he learned about Voldemort. He learned his father was a pureblood from a very old family, and he learned his mother was a muggleborn. He learned that his godfather was in Azkaban for betraying his parents. Harry learned so much, but the most important thing he learned was that Albus Dumbledore, who was supposed to be the most powerful and wise wizard alive today. He decided that Harry would live with his abusive muggles. The old wizard decided that Harry would know nothing about his parents or the fact he was a wizard, not until he was eleven.

Harry also found out that it was thanks to Albus Dumbledore that the Dursley's mistreated him. The old wizard paid the muggles to make sure Harry had no self-confidence, was scared of his own shadow, and he was downtrodden. He wanted Harry ready to believe anything the old wizard said, he wanted someone that was easy to manipulate. He wanted Harry to see the old man as the hero that rescued him.

When Harry arrived at Hogwarts and realised who he was and who left him with those people, Harry knew then what he had to do. Harry acted like the old man expected, he kept his true self hidden from the old man and anyone that supported him.

During his first two years at Hogwarts he would use his skill to spy and learn, a skill he learned living with the Dursley's. That skill kept him alive, which allowed him to sneak food into his cupboard, and allowed him to escape a lot of beatings.

Harry would learn in secret so Albus Dumbledore never realised that Harry was learning advanced magic. When he received his father's invisibility cloak that is when Harry really started to learn, and to spy.

He was learning about wards and enchantments, he was learning runic magic that would protect him from attack, whether physical or mentally. He learned how to close his mind to unwanted intrusion but he made sure the powerful walls he built around his mind seemed natural, that he had no idea how he had them. If anyone found out about his ability to block intrusions he would play dumb. The dumb boy raised by muggles that had no idea what type of magic was around or even existed.

Harry was planning his revenge and he had been planning it from the very first week as a first year student at Hogwarts. He had a list of names that grew over time. At the top was Albus Dumbledore, next was Sirius Black, Remus Lupin, Mad-eye Moody, Ron Weasley, Ginny Weasley, Molly Weasley, Hermione Granger, and many others.

It took Harry to the end of his second year to find out exactly how many were in with Albus Dumbledore's plans to manipulate him. A few subtle suggestions, a chance to leave the muggles for a few weeks and a few potions to make sure Harry would agree to anything suggested by Albus and Molly. Harry made them believe that the potions worked, but thanks to some help, he was able to brush off the affects and to get the information he needed. At first Harry acted like the scared submissive kid even if he was anything but scared or submissive, now though, things would change.

Harry had taken the chance and spoken with Severus Snape during his first year, and he only did that as he found a letter from his mother the first time he went to his vault when he was eleven. In the letter his mother wrote that she never trusted Albus Dumbledore, but if her son survived where she didn't, the one person she trusted above all others was Severus Snape.

Lily also wrote that within months of marrying James he showed his true and violent self. She admitted that James scared her, more than anyone else did. James would hit her constantly, he would often threaten to keep her prisoner, but a few simple spells by James made sure lily could never leave him. Sirius Black, James Potter's best friend and Harry's godfather knew exactly what was going on.

When Harry was born James used the simple threat of taking her son from her where she would never see her son again. Lily wrote that if Harry ever needed an ally or even someone to talk to he could go to Severus Snape.

Once he showed the letter to his potions professor, he agreed to help Harry. So they sat and talked, Harry explained what he knew and how everyone believed they could manipulate him into doing whatever they wanted. Harry explained there was talk of a potion, Severus, being the potions master of Hogwarts and a world renowned master came up with a few potions that would help Harry. One to fight off any type of mind control potion, then he had to teach Harry how to act innocent as if he had no idea what was going on. Severus explained that there was the odd person that these type's potions just didn't work on so it would not seem far-fetched that Harry was one of them. He defeated the dark lord as a baby, who was to say he didn't have a lot of hidden power.

One thing Harry and Severus planned was that when Harry left Hogwarts he would go to the Dursley's where he would wait for Severus to arrive. Once Harry stepped into the house, he just sat on the bottom step. He explained to the Dursley's that he would not be staying with them anymore, that he had a very powerful and dark wizard who was going to take him. If they tried to stop Harry from leaving he would easily kill them without a second thought, but he might decide to torture them first, depending on how they acted.

All the Dursley's had to do was go with the story Severus and Harry came up with. If someone were asked, which Severus and Harry knew they wouldn't be asked unless someone found out he was gone. No one has ever checked on him before, so they wouldn't bother now. If by miracle someone magical did turn up, then they were to tell them that Harry was staying with a friend but they didn't know who it was, some thug of a kid he met in primary school.

During his time with Severus, Harry learnt a lot. Not just about the magical world but the muggle world. He even learned muggle martial arts so he could defend himself if he couldn't use magic.

During the holidays Severus would teach Harry more. Once Severus removed the potion that suppressed Harry's magic, his ability surprised Severus. They would talk every day, but go through lessons, Severus had also started to take Harry to different magical towns then tell him some of the history surrounding the town. Harry loved to spend time with Severus, they had become good friends, to Harry, his teacher wasn't just a teacher, he was a true friend. But Harry also began to think of Severus as a parental figure, as a father.

Now it was the end of the second year, they ready to put some of their plans into action for Harry's third year.

'At the beginning of the new term is when they will see some changes in you. So instead of the quiet boy you will talk more, just to make them believe you are finally comfortable at Hogwarts. It will be time to stand up for yourself, not just with your so called friends, but with the teachers as well. You will say no to Ron if he tries to talk you into anything or if he tells you to choose divination, care of magical creatures or maybe muggle studies. You know that ancient runes is important, you will need to know more than what you already know.'

'So you really think that old fool will tell me I can go to the Weasley's for a week or so?'

'I believe he will, he will want to keep you compliant by giving you just enough freedom to keep you happy, especially with him. You will suffer for a few weeks at the muggle's hands before you are to be rescued, they expect you to feel grateful. It will also help in his plans for you to believe that you are starting to like Ginny more than just your friends little sister. He will be shocked when you do not answer the letters the Weasley's will send you and when they arrive to pick you up. All they will hear from those muggles is you had plans made and are with your friend. We thwarted his plans with the philosophers stone and with the chamber of secrets, it's just lucky the girl survived.'

'He really expected me to go rescue her, so did Ron. It was amusing to watch Ron try to talk me into helping his sister and all I kept saying it was the teachers job, it had nothing to do with me. I stayed under my cloak so they couldn't find me. For two days they believed I hid until Dumbledore finally went after Ginny himself. I can't believe he would use my grief for my parents to go after the one that murdered them.'

'He will use anything or anyone. He wants you to learn just enough that it looks like he is teaching you to defeat the dark lord for when he returns. It would not look good for Albus if the boy who lived is left ignorant on how to defend himself when the dark lord does return.

'He does believe that I accepted his explanation as to why I can talk to snakes. But I can't believe Dumbledore isn't suspicious when it's known I spend a lot of time in the library and I have been seen studying parseltongue and the magic around parselmouth's.'

'He probably believes you are just researching but will not find anything of importance since those books are in the restricted section. Now as far as you're traitorous godfather goes, when you start saying no to Ron, with you ignoring Ginny he will believe he is losing control over you. Which brings Black into the picture, the loving godfather will try to talk you into living with him.'

'I don't trust strangers and even though you are my godfather I do not know you, but to me you don't look like a very trustworthy person,' Harry smirked making Severus chuckle, 'You've coached me in what to say and how to act. I'll be good if he does turn up, which he probably will the moment they can't find me.'

'Albus will bring him, he believes you will take to him straight away as he was your father's best friend and best man at your parents wedding. He will believe you will want to get close to someone who knew your parents, personally.'

'Even if I didn't know that he supported James treatment of my mother I still would not trust a stranger. Growing up with that lot made me very suspicious. Reading my mother's letter I could feel the truth in her words that's why I knew I could trust you.'

'You can, Albus is confused as to why I do not treat you like the other students who are not in my house. But I believe I have him convinced that it's for my friendship with Lily. We know you probably won't be able to stay with me during the holidays, not if they get Black out. We're not sure when that will happen. It could be these holidays or the next. But we still have our time here.'

'I still want to take that potion, but you still think I should wait for another year?'

'I do, let them see that you look like your father but they will know instantly you are like Lily. Once they are used to your personality then it should not come as a surprise when you decide you would rather look like your mother than your father. I did have another thought though, the Potter ring, it's enchanted with many protection spells. When you need to go buy your new school supplies you can get that out of your vault.'

'I didn't know there was a ring, but I'll get it.'

'Good, now you should return to the tower.'

'Thank you Severus, for everything,' Harry smiled then left the dungeon heading back to Gryffindor tower. He knew he would be asked where he had been but they should be used to him not answering them, since he never does.