Love Is A Four Letter Word

Chapter 1

Noticed

RINGGGG! The bell sounded loudly in the halls of Hogwarts School. The once silent halls burst with life as children walked out of the classrooms they had been previously studying in. Today was the last day of school before summer break; they had just finished their last lesson. Every child was happy and exited for the holiday. Except one. A short, slender boy walked with his head down, the only sad person among the rest. His hair was black and stubbornly untidy and his eyes were almond-shaped, bright green and bespectacled. A lightening-shaped scar was just visible on his forehead, close to his hairline. Harry Potter finally had to leave Hogwarts and go home to the male and female tyrants he was forced to call Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia. They had a son, Harry's cousin Dudley. While they absolutely doted on Dudley, the only had neglect and abuse for Harry.

"Hey, hey HARRY!" called an exited voice. The eleven-year-old turned, to see a tall, figure running toward him. It had red hair and freckles everywhere. It was Harry's best friend, Ron Weasley.

"Harry," said Ron again, now gasping for a breath. "Harry, aren't you exited? We made it through our first year at Hogwarts! Now we can go home to our families! Hey, why don't you seem exited? We did it, Mate, we did it!" Harry shook his head.

"I'm not a summer fan. Anyway, I'll miss seeing you and Hermione. I won't be able to owl, because I'll be busy." Harry thought fondly of the bright, golden-brown haired witch he befriended of the course of the school year. Harry regretfully could not tell Ron, Hermione or any wizard, for that matter about what horrors lied in wait for him on his summer holidays. That would only get him more punishment from the Dursleys. The next morning, Harry would be on a train going straight towards them. He glumly followed Ron to the Great Hall to have dinner and talk excitedly to Hermione about the summer's plans. Harry pretended that his low mood was because he would miss his two best friends over the summer. Harry did his best to look happy to be with his family again, and he seemed to have succeeded, as Hermione and Ron did not question his sad behaviour. On the inside, however, Harry was radiating fear and sadness waves so powerful; he was surprised that Ron and Hermione did not pick up on them. Tomorrow would be a horrible day.

While Harry was fighting to keep his inner turmoil to himself, he attracted the attention of a professor. The man was tall, lean, and hard-muscled. His, black hair was over-long and reached mid-neck. His eyes were of the purest obsidian in colour. He was wearing a black cloak and a scowl. Severus Snape, the Potions Master. He carefully watched Harry Potter. He saw through the mask Potter was trying to push out to his friends. The depression that the eleven-year-old boy was going through was second only Severus's own, when he was Potter's age. Severus was immediately concerned for the boy. What was going on in his short life to invoke that reaction? A small part of Severus's brain told him that this was James Potter's spawn, why should he care about the little brat of his childhood enemy? Severus's heart told him that this was the son of Lily Evans, how could he let his childhood love's son suffer? Severus decided to follow his heart and help Potter. Somehow he would find out what was ailing the boy and kill it.

Far away from Hogwarts, four people stood in the living area of a magnificent manor. The first man was tall with hair like spun gold. He wore a dazzling if ignorant smile. His baby blue eyes were large, puppyish, and vacant of all intelligence.

"Bella, do I look alright?" asked Gilderoy Lockhart for the millionth time in the past three minutes. The dark woman he was addressing was shorter than he was, but of a stronger build. She had obvious beauty. Her hair was long and black. It rippled down her back with an easy grace. Her eyes were a dark brown, any darker and they would be back. Her eyes were heavily lidded. Bellatrix Lestrange sighed at the consistent babble of her fellow Death Eater. He really was an idiot. She did not want to tell him he looked fine, so she settled with snark.

"You look like a stupid, Muggle toy." A man standing next to Bellatrix smirked. He was taller than Gilderoy and Bellatrix. He was very pale. His hair was white-blonde and fell just past his shoulders. His eyes were a light grey. Bellatrix shot her brother-in-law, Lucius Malfoy a half glance that egged him on.

"Quiet!" barked the tallest of all the people in the room. He looked more like a snake than a human. He was so pale he seemed to emit a white glow. His eyes were blood-red with cat-like slits for pupils. He had no nose only two snake-like slits for nostrils. His mouth was lipless.

"My Lord," said Bellatrix, and immediately and dipped her head respectfully. The other two men in the room did the same.

"We are not here to discuss how you look today, Lockhart." said the Dark Lord, Voldemort "we are here to discuss Harry Potter. We need him on our side. He needs to understand what that old, wart of a man Dumbledore did to him. How can we tell him the truth if we are thought to be a group of mindless killers? I need ideas!"

"I haven't even seen what Harry Potter looks like." complained Gilderoy. Lucius sighed, while Bellatrix rolled her eyes. Voldemort conjured a recent picture of the boy, given to him by Severus Snape. He held it out for Gilderoy's inspection.

"Oh. OH WOW!" the man shouted, much to everyone else's annoyance. "He's handsome! I don't like those robes though. Maybe, if we get him on our side, he and I could go shopping! Then maybe we could go to a party together! Oh, I wonder if he likes me! We could go on dinner dates and…"

"NO!" snarled Bellatrix. "Shut UP, you moron! He doesn't even know who you are! How on earth can he like you?!" Gilderoy gave the vexed witch a pouty face and poked her in the arm.

"Get him out of here." Bellatrix breathed with her eyes closed "If I see him in here, I swear, I will Crucio him."

"There will be no need for that." said Voldemort coolly. "This meeting is adjourned. I'll have Severus work on the boy." and with that, the Dark Lord left his followers to bicker amongst themselves, while he contacted Severus. It had been a long day.