Don't Own.

Please R&R

It's weird; I always get ideas for this story when I'm trying to write chapters for other stories.

Well anyways, Enjoy!

…

Hermione walked out of the Library after putting her book away "What are you doing Ben?" she asked when she saw that Ron wasn't making his way downstairs, "Where's Gabe?"

"I'm trying to…" Ron panted as he pulled at the doorknob of the closet "get this door open!"

"Door…" Hermione stated, coming to stand beside him "This door wasn't here before."

Ron shot her an annoyed look "I know that. Gabe went in to see what was in it and the door closed behind him. Now I can't get it open."

Hermione looked annoyed now too "Didn't dad tell us to stay out of trouble? Why would he walk into some unknown room?"

Ron shrugged "I don't know."

"Ben!" they heard Harry yell from the closet "It's locked from the inside, can you open it?"

"We're trying Gabe," Ron yelled back "It's locked on this side too."

"Let me try," Hermione stated, she raised her wand arm up, her bracelet hanging from her wrist and said "Alohomora." Then she tried the door handle but it was still locked, "Hmm," she stated "that should have worked."

"Ben!" Harry called again, and they could hear pounding on the door "Riley? Please someone open the door!"

"We're here Gabe," Hermione called back "Don't worry we'll get you out of there as soon as we can."

"What should we do?" Ron asked.

"I know a few other spells," Hermione said, again raising her wand arm, she tried all the unlocking charms she knew, none of them worked.

Then the banging on the door got more intense and Harry began screaming "Please let me out of here! Please! I'm sorry…please, please let me out!"

"We're trying Gabe" Hermione repeated.

"I promise I'll be good! I'm sorry please let me out! I don't want to be in here!" Harry was screaming. There was a loud thud, like Harry had thrown himself against the door.

Hermione shot Ron a worried look "Gabe just try to calm down, we'll get you out of there, just try to stay calm."

"What's wrong with him?" Ron asked.

"I don't know," Hermione said "maybe he's claustrophobic."

"How are we going to get him out of there?" Ron asked.

"I don't know," Hermione said, biting her lip "but we need to get him out soon, before he hurts himself."

Harry's screaming and pleading continued, until it began to sound like nonsense and then Harry fell silent all together.

"Gabe?" Hermione called "Are you all right?"

There was no response.

"Maybe we would find something to cut the door open with?" Ron suggested.

"Ron!" Hermione said angrily and then shook her head "Ben…if we were to that, there would be a chance of hurting Harry. For whatever reason, whether he can't actually hear us or his panic is making it so that he can't, we can't communicate with him and what you're suggesting could be dangerous."

"Sorry," Ron said looking away "I just want to get him out of there."

"I know," Hermione said and her tone softened "maybe…maybe we could ask one of the house elves. They know the house right? Not to mention they have their own powers."

"Yeah," Ron nodded "let's try that."

"Minnie!" Hermione called out, and the little elf appeared beside them.

"Yes?" squeaked the elf.

"Gabe walked into that room and now the door is locked and we can't get him out," Hermione said, gesturing to the door "can you help us?"

Minnie looked to where Hermione was pointing and her eyes widened "That is the door to the naughty room; you'll have to wait until Master Snape comes home."

"The naughty room?" Hermione asked.

"Yes," Minnie said "were the naughty children go."

Hermione shook her head "Why do have to wait until dad comes home? We think Gabe is claustrophobic and we need to get him out now."

The elf shook her head "Only an adult can let a naughty child out of the naughty room."

"But Gabe wasn't being naughty!" Hermione insisted.

The elf shook her head "The naughty room only appears when a child is being naughty. We will have to wait for Master Snape to come back and then he can decide when the punishment should be over."

"But, that's ridiculous; Gabe didn't do anything bad and he needs out of there now!" Hermione cried at the elf, trying to make her see reason.

But Minnie was bound by the rules of the Manor and there was nothing she could do.

"Master Snape should be home soon, you must waits" Minnie said and then with a pop she was gone.

"Oh Harry," Hermione said quietly as she placed her hand against the door "we'll get you out of there as soon as we can."

Ron and Hermione shared a worried look as all they heard in response was a soft sob; they both hoped that Snape would hurry back, now more than ever.

…

Severus groaned as he walked into the Manor. The Dark Lord's meeting had lasted longer than he had expected and he had been in a fouler mood than normal.

Severus' body was aching from the cruciatus curse that had been cast on him. None of the Dark Lord's followers had been spared of his wrath that day.

The Dark Lord was angry that the Golden Trio had seemed to disappear into thin air. After their attack on Potter's family's home had failed, the Dark Lord didn't have a clue where the three Gryffindors had been moved to.

Thankfully though he had no suspicion about Severus or his 'children.' The only thing he had said to Severus before he had left was that he wanted to meet them so that he could welcome the future members of his ranks.

It was just like the Dark Lord to presume that any children of his Death Eaters would at some point join his forces.

Severus took off and vanished his Death Eater robes and mask before vanishing them away.

Then Severus stood for a moment in the foyer and took in the silent Manor, something felt off and he wondered just where the three Gryffindors were.

He didn't have to wonder long though because at that moment Hermione appeared on the first floor landing.

"Oh Thank God Professor!" she practically cried totally forgetting about the name change she was so panicked. "We're so glad you're home. You have to get Harry out of the room, he wasn't doing anything bad but he just walked in there and the door closed on him and he's been screaming and sobbing and throwing himself against the door for an hour." Hermione rushed out not even taking the time to breathe.

"We've tried everything but we can't get him out and the elves won't help us. We think he's claustrophobic."

Severus hurried up the stairs at once, not bothering to correct Hermione at the moment, this wasn't the time.

Severus was up the stairs in no time with Hermione beside him still explaining everything that had happened. How they had been in the Library when Millie had come to get them for lunch. How they had hesitated for a moment but then made their way out of the library, how Hermione had gone to put her book away and when she had come back had found that Harry was already locked behind the door with Ron trying to get him out.

Severus stood outside the door.

Ron who had been slumped against it quickly moved out of the way.

"It's like he can't hear us," Hermione said from behind him "We've been trying to calm him down but nothing helps."

Severus nodded, he knew for a fact that Harry wouldn't be able to hear them. The room, which when he was a boy he had been placed in only twice after misbehaving, was charmed so that you could hear what was going on inside but whoever was inside wouldn't be able to hear what was going on outside. It was supposed to be a worst form of punishment and it worked, Severus had hated the room growing up and with just the threat of being put in there, he would stop whatever he was doing to cause trouble.

Severus could hear a muffled sobbing on the other side and raised his wand; he tapped it against the door knob.

It took a few seconds but after a series of clicks the door sprung open.

Severus held out his arm to stop Hermione and Ron from rushing in there, he doubted Harry would take comfort from that at the moment.

Instead he walked in slowly and then crouched down in front of the boy.

Harry was curled into a tight ball and was rocking back and forth.

"Harry, shh it's okay" Severus whispered softly, deciding for the moment that it was best if he used Harry's real name.

Harry looked up at him slowly, his face was red, his eyes blood shot and there was snot smeared just above his upper lip.

"You're okay now," Severus said gently "nothing is going to hurt you."

Both Hermione and Ron watched quietly from the door, both worried for their friend.

All of the sudden Harry shot forward and wrapped his arms around Severus' neck.

Severus almost lost his balance for a second but then managed to regain it before he could fall backwards. He felt awkward as the boy clung to him but he knew that Harry just needed to be comforted for the moment so he tentatively wrapped his arms around Harry and rubbed soothing circles into his back.

Harry let out a small sob and his grip tightened around Severus' neck.

"Shh…" Severus whispered to him again and shot Hermione and Ron a meaningful look.

Hermione understood, she doubted Harry would want either her or Ron to witness his breakdown, besides it seemed as though the Professor had things under control.

So she gently tugged on Ron's sleeve and whispered to him "Come on Ben, let's go get something to eat."

Ron hesitated for a moment and then followed her.

"I'm sorry," Harry sniffed against Severus' neck after a moment.

"It's okay Harry, you didn't do anything wrong. Sometimes the Manor can be temperamental. The Prince ancestors have always been really strict, when you, Hermione and Ron hesitated when Minnie called you for lunch, the room took that as its cue to appear, and with no parent around to take charge it did what it was designed to do. You just have to be more careful next time; there is ancient magic in these halls."

Harry pulled back and Severus was glad to see that he had stopped crying but his eyes still looked kind of distant and glassy.

It was then that Severus began to wonder if Harry's freak out was just a simple matter of claustrophobia or if there was something more to it than that.

Harry rubbed his eyes and whispered "I'm tired."

Severus nodded and picked him up on instinct, he held him close and carried Harry to his room. Severus set him on his bed and checked him over. He could imagine just how tired Harry was since Hermione said he had been throwing himself against the door and Severus wanted to make sure he was okay.

Once he was sure there was no damage done, he tucked Harry into bed telling him to get some rest and made to leave the room.

A tiny hand reached up and grabbed his own before he could go anywhere though.

Severus looked down at Harry; the boy had fear in his eyes.

"Please don't leave me" his voice whispered and Severus detected a hint of desperation mixed in with what he could only guess was shame.

Severus didn't understand why Harry was acting as he was, sure being in the room tended to be scary but he had never taken it that badly, there seemed to be something bigger going on and it left Severus puzzled.

However he nodded at the boy and conjured a chair so he could sit beside Harry until he fell asleep, all the while pondering the new developments.