Saving Harry

Chapter 1-

Harry sighed deeply as he looked down at his cauldron; it was not the colour it was supposed to be and this was his last chance to get it right else, he would have to serve catch up lessons with Snape at the weekend. That was not an option.

Harry was about to look to Hermione for help when Snape called him to show his potion. Harry did not have the courage to look Snape in the eye let alone bottle his potion and show him. Harry just stared into his lap hoping he could just disappear, but of course, that did not happen; it never happened.

"Mr Potter am I right in thinking you are not willing to show your potion?" Snape smirked but Harry didn't answer or rise to it. "Very well, remedial class it is. Stay behind after class."

Harry heard the rest of the Slytherins sniggering away in the back but he just remained as still as a statue, staring at his hands whilst Snape picked on Neville Longbottom. Harry felt the burning stares of confusion coming from Hermione to his right and Ron from behind him. After all, he should know this.

As the bell signalling class had ended rang, everyone packed away their things but Harry remained in his seat not making eye contact with anyone. Hermione gave him a sympathetic look as she left the classroom but it was never received as Ron pushed her out of the classroom so that he could get to lunch.

Harry sighed deeply and wished not to think of what was to come. Snape approached him a glared down at him. "Why do you think you have to right to disobey me Potter?" He snarled.

However, Harry did not answer.

"Answer me boy!" Snape banged his fist down on the desk causing Harry to jump.

"Sorry sir." Harry stuttered

"What is wrong with you Potter? You should be able to complete this potion and all the others you have idiotically got wrong during this term, even Longbottom is making a passable attempt compared to you! Your essays are, dare I say it, outstanding. Nevertheless, you appear to be completely handicapped when making said potions! Why Potter? Does Granger do your essays for you?" Snape accused but once again, Harry did not respond.

"Look at me Potter!" Snape snapped, infuriated. "But then again this would be the exact thing your father would do. He'd get Lily to do his essays for him. The fool..."

"I am not my father." Harry muttered.

"What was that?"

"I said I am not my father." Harry snapped and then stormed out of Professor Snape's classroom and charged his way down the corridor.

Harry frantically searched for a place for him to get away from everyone but failed miserably. 'It's cold outside Harry' a voice inside his head reminded him and all of a sudden Harry spun around on his heels and headed out towards the entrance hall and outside.

Harry quickly made his way down to the lake where he huddled against a nearby tree and stared out onto the lake. The surface of the Black Lake had a glass like shine to it and Harry desperately wanted to capture the undisturbed peace that resided on the surface, he wanted to apply it to his own mind for it was far from calm at present.

It was December, barely a week before the students went home for Christmas. Harry was supposed to be going back to Grimmauld Place with Ron and Hermione but he could not bring himself to do so, he couldn't bear to see everybody's smiling faces and to see the desperate look on Moony's face as he tried to hold onto the last few things he had left.

He, Harry Potter, had caused Remus Lupin to lose everything he ever loved; first his parents and most recently Sirius Black, Harry's godfather. If Harry had never been born and that stupid prophecy had never been made then none of this would ever have happened.

'For one can't survive whilst the other lives.'

Well that hardly screamed happy days did it? However, no aspect of Harry's life enabled him to be happy, it was as he himself were a dementor and sucked the life out of everything he touched. He was poison and a freak. Why should he believe he was any different? He had always been that and would forever remain the same, a leopard can't change his spots remember.

Harry closed his eyes softly to try to rid his head of all conspiring thoughts, but it was no good. Those thoughts were the only left in his head these days, those and the images. Yes the images. How Harry loathed sleeping at night, everyday was becoming an increasing struggle to keep a tight grip on reality after what he saw in his dreams, death and destruction were just a few things that plagued Harry's dreams, which showed themselves in the grey circles underneath his eyes.

Soon he found himself drifting, drifting off into an unwanted slumber. The darkness was first to take him over and then came the nightmare of images that even haunted his waking hour. First Cedric, then his parents and then last but not least Sirius.

"Potter?" Someone said in disbelief as Harry tossed and turned against the tree he had taken shelter.

"Potter wake up!" Snape leaned down and shook the lad and found that he was stone cold.

"Get up Potter you are freezing!" Snape repeated forcibly and watched as Harry's eyes shot open and he recoiled back from Snape. Snape looked into Harry's startled eyes and found not the usual sparkling green but a new darkness and misery in the eyes that once belonged to Lily Evans.

"Potter" Snape said in a calmer tone. "I am not going to hurt you." He said and hoped that would get the boy to at least stand up.

"We need to get you back up to the castle." Snape said as he saw just how blue Harry was.

"No." Harry tried to protest but Snape wasn't going to listen as he bent down and picked up Harry. Harry began to protest but it was short lived as his limited energy drained from him, Snape began the trek back up to the castle begrudging the fact that he was carrying his dead enemy's son. But then again it was also his best friends son so it made it a little easier; only a little.

"Severus, have you found him?" Professor McGonagall cried as she saw Snape emerge up the path coming into the open grounds. Snape only nodded.

"He's freezing." Snape stated dryly. "I found him sleeping leaning against a tree."

"Oh my." McGonagall gasped as she placed a hand on Harry's cheek.

"I'm fine." Harry groaned.

"Harry Potter you are far from fine. You are freezing and if Severus hadn't found you then I don't even want to think what might have happened to you." She chastised

"I'm fine." Harry repeated.

"Take him up to the Hospital Wing if you will Severus." McGonagall ignored Harry.

"Why can't you do it?" Snape growled.

"I have not the physical strength to carry a lad of his age." McGonagall snapped, "Plus I am debating whether or not I should tell Albus."

"What for?" Snape snarled, "So our little boy hero left the castle and skipped a lesson. Big deal."

"But why?" McGonagall persisted.

"Leave it Minerva." Snape warned and then strode off with Harry in his arms.

As Snape strode through the castle doors and up towards the Hospital wing he ignored the stares and whispers being said as he glided past students of all ages and houses. As he neared the hospital wing Snape realised actually how light Harry was to carry, he barely weighed more than Snape's owl or heaviest book.

"Severus, what in Merlin's name..." Poppy Pomfrey gasped as Snape brought Harry into the Hospital Wing.

"Ge'off, i'm fine." Harry slurred as he teeth started to chatter.

"HARRY JAMES POTTER! Only you would say something as foolish as that!" Pomfrey scoffed and pointed for Snape to place Harry down on a nearby bed. "Now what is it this time? You've barely been here three months!"

"I found him out by the lake; he's freezing." Snape stated dryly before Harry could make another comment about how fine he was.

Pomfrey went about her work at the speed of light, she quickly prescribed him a number of potions and a day's bed rest. Harry didn't complain he just stared out of the window not muttering a single word; thankful she'd just waved her wand over him.