Harry Potter 1. Chapter 1

Bruised and Scarred

The blows rained down hard and fast as he lay there, his arms curled around his head, desperately trying to prevent HIM from hitting his head. He didn't understand why he was doing this, he had tried to be good he really had but sometimes things happened that he couldn't control. He cried out as his foster father punched him in the ribs, there was a sickening crack and an immense pain went stabbing through his chest. He desperately gasped for breath trying to push the pain to the back of his mind like he always did but this time it just wasn't working.  
'I'm going to die this time' he thought sadly 'and I never even got to make a friend' black spots began to dance in front of his eyes as he heard the click of the man's belt undoing and he shuddered, as he heard the whoosh of it travelling through the air, the last thought in his aching head before he finally lost consciousness was, 'someone please... Help'

Severus Snape strode down the corridors of Hogwarts dungeons, black robes billowing out behind with a look on his face of pure hatred and fury. If looks could kill, this one was a mass murderer.  
"Damn you Albus", he hissed, "I trusted you but this will not stand" He marched up to the stone gargoyle that guarded the entrance to the headmasters office and viciously whipped out his wand. Pointing it straight at the stone gargoyle he growled menacingly,  
"I don't know the password but I don't really care, if you don't want to end up as rubble at my feet you will move.. NOW!" A light chuckle sounded from behind him and his shoulders tensed as he gritted his teeth, "now now Severus my dear boy, what on earth could warrant my poor gargoyle being reduced to death hey?" 

Severus gritted his teeth and took slow deep breaths to calm down and get his magic under control for fear of accidently transfiguring the headmaster into an old sock!  
"Your office now Albus" he ground out "we have much to discuss" The headmaster shrugged his shoulders lightly and walked up the stairs to his office, with Severus a couple of paces behind. Once they had entered his office and settled themselves into the squashy chintz armchairs that occupied the majority of space near the fire, and Albus had plied him with tea and lemon drops, Severus took a breath to begin. 

He regained consciousness to a vicious pounding in his head and an excruciating agony in his neck and immediately wished he hadn't. He pushed himself up on shaky arms, slipping on the shiny linoleum of the kitchen floor, he quickly lost the battle as his exhausted limbs trembled and gave out, and he found himself face down on the floor once more. Just then he heard the door slam open on its hinges and he cringed, doing his best to protect any soft places he lay on the floor waiting and praying for it to be over soon, at least then he could be with his parents, people who loves him. He closed his eyes... and waited to die.

Severus stormed across the castle grounds, desperate to get to the apparition point as fast as possible without resorting to a full on sprint, he would not give Albus the pleasure of that. God damn, the nerve of that man, by the time he had finished explaining to the headmaster that he knew what he had done, he claimed absolute denial and then claimed it was 'all for the greater good'  
"greater good my ass", he hissed. "He took my son from me and put him with that, that... That MONSTER! He will pay, no doubt about it he will pay!" He screamed no longer able to contain his rage. "Hold on Edward please, hold on"

As soon as he reached the apparition point he twisted on the spot and disappeared with a harsh 'pop' resounding in the night sky. On a lonely street in Kingsland, an identical 'pop' rang out in the gloom and a figure dressed entirely in black appeared, striding purposefully towards number 14, completely disregarding the fact that he had just appeared out of thin air. Severus slowly approached the front door of number 14 Hollow Close, a horrible sense of apprehension and dread welling up inside of him, something on the other side of this door did not feel right. Silently he cast alohomora on the door and it swung open with an almost inaudible 'click', he immediately knew something was wrong, the entire house reeked of the stench of fear and blood. 

Glancing down he took in the blood stains on the carpet and the belt discarded halfway down the hallway with bits of shredded skin still stuck in the belt buckle. It all lead to the dark mahogany door of the kitchen ahead of him. All caution was thrown to the wind, he knew it was his son who was in that kitchen, knew it was his sons skin on that belt buckle but most of all, he knew it was his sons fear that he smelt, he slammed open the door to the kitchen and his heart broke at the tiny choked whimper the tiny figure on the floor let out at the sudden noise. Even worse was the desperate shuffling into a defensive position, the sleek dark hair flopping over his shoulders as he lay on the floor curled up on himself, and the tiny noises he made every other second as he waited for something to happen to him.  
Severus' heart broke and he slowly and gently knelt down next to the tiny, broken child and scooped him up into his arms, holding him tightly against him and brushing his fringe off his forehead. "Edward, baby boy, it's alright ive got you, I won't let anyone hurt you ever again.  
Shhh shh its alright" he gently rocked the boy in his arms until the sobs died down to whimpers and the exhausted 5year old fell asleep in his arms, little fist clutching his robes tightly. Severus gazed down at the peaceful, sleeping face of his 5 year old son, tear tracks still clear upon his face and he smiled, "I love you Edward" he whispered softly, his son was extremely hurt and was going to need him. At that moment he swore that he would never let Edward go, he would protect him and make sure he was never hurt again. He was his son and he loved him.

He stood up, careful not to jostle or wake up the small boy sleeping in his arms and walked over to the fireplace where he set up a floo link to the infirmary at Hogwarts and, checking that his son was safely positioned in his arms, covered warmly with his robes, he flooed back to Hogwarts, to Madame Pomfrey who he would need to help his son.


	2. Chapter 2

Bruised and Scarred Chapter 2

Madame Pomfrey was just about to get into bed when Severus came rushing out of the fireplace and yelled her name.  
"Poppy! I need your help" she watched as he ran to the nearest bed, and as soon as she saw the broken little boy in his arms she rushed off to get her medical bag. Severus gently laid Edward down on the bed and transfigured his clothes away until he was dressed only in his boxers. Tears welled up in his eyes as he took in the concave stomach, the hollows between his ribs and the many bruises, scars and lacerations that covered his body. Covering his mouth with his hand he turned away and closed his eyes, shoulders shaking softly, his little boy, his poor little boy how could anyone do this to such a sweet little child.  
A soft hand landed gently on his shoulder, "Severus" Poppy whispered to him "I know it hurts and I know you are confused, but right now we need to help him or he won't make it" Dark eyes snapped up to meet light green, wide with shock, then they narrowed with determination and he nodded "let's do it"

Poppy smiled gently at the grim determination on his face and waved her wand in the air, simultaneously summoning blood replenishing, fever reducing and dreamless sleep potions and casting a diagnostic spell on the boy. Severus quickly spelled the potions into the young boys stomach and stiffened as Poppy let out a small stifled gasp, "oh Severus, how could they?" She choked out.  
"What? Poppy what is it?" He whirled round to face her but she just shook her head softly and handed him the piece of parchment that had sprouted from the tip of her wand.  
6 broken ribs  
Dislocated shoulder  
Multiple lacerations  
Sprained ankle  
Shattered kneecap  
Broken legs  
Fractured hip

Severus lookes up from the parchment and met Poppy's eyes, unnoticed tears rolling down his cheeks, his hands shook at the devastated look she gave him, "there's something else isn't there" he asked softly not looking her in the eyes.  
"Oh Severus, im so sorry, he may never walk again" she sobbed, "the damage to his legs and leg muscles is too much for even magic to fix" He shook his head numbly,  
"no" he muttered, "he will be fine, i'll make sure of it no matter what" he raised his head to look at her, "how do I help him?" he asked. Poppy smiled and explained about physical therapy and what he would have to do to get Edward walking, while Edward was sleeping peacefully, or so they thought.

He wandered around in the dark, confused as to where he was, the last thing he remembered was his foster father beating him and the kitchen door slamming open, then soft, gentle arms had enclosed him and held him tightly and he had felt safe. He began to cry as he noticed his unfamiliar surroundings and the absence of the comforting presence, then he heard his father's voice from behind him, and began to scream into the strange dark void he was stuck in.  
'Why did this happen I don't understand!" He cried.

Severus jerked awake on the hospital bed he had fallen asleep on, it took him a second to figure out what had woken him. The tiny figure on the bed next to him was crying out and sobbing desperately, crying out for someone to help and apologising to whatever he was seeing in his mind. He sank to his knees beside the bed and gently began carding his fingers through the silky black hair, whispering softly to him "Edward, Ed honey, it's okay wake up, please wake up you're safe" gradually the sobbing began to ease to quiet whimpers and the ocean blue eyes blinked open, hazy with pain and confusion. Severus heaved a sigh of relief at the sight of those beautiful eyes, he gently took Edwards hand and softly stroked his thumb over the back of it in an attempt to calm him. He flinched back, eyes wide in shock and fear, and began to shake, "who are you?" He asked, voice raw from screaming "why am I here? Im sorry I didn't mean to, please don't hurt me"  
Severus shook his head "I won't hurt you Edward, my name is Severus, i'm your dad" Edward stared up at him with wide hopeful eyes before his head dropped and he stared at his hands,  
"no you're not" he muttered "daddy's are for good boys, a bad boy like me doesn't deserve a daddy"

Severus felt his heart break at the way he uttered those words so matter of factly, he was going to kill those muggles when he got the chance! "Edward" he said gently, "look at me, you are not a bad boy and you definitely did not deserve this. I am your daddy and I am so sorry that I didn't come for you sooner, but I only found out that you were alive a few days ago and then I came to get you" he sighed and shifted closer to the little boy curled up against the headboard of the bed.  
"I love you Edward and I will do anything to protect you, I promise, you will never be hurt like this again, please...trust me" Edward sat still for a moment, this man was who had held him so gently the night before, the man whose presence had been so comforting to him and made him feel so safe, maybe it would be okay to trust him, maybe he wouldn't hurt him. Who was he kidding, they always hurt him, but he wanted to be close to this man so much. He closed his eyes and reached out towards the man as the sobs he had been so desperately containing broke free. Severus immediately scooped him up as soon as he saw him reach for him, cradling him in his arms and gently stroking his head as he sobbed, holding tightly to his robes as if he was afraid that if he let go, Severus would just disappear. "Its okay, your safe now, its okay" eventually Edward fell asleep in his arms, exhausted from crying.

He was reluctant to put him down and even if he had, he suspected that the iron grip on his robes would prevent him from doing so. He quickly transfigured a chair and sank down into it, curling Edward into his body and gently tucking his robes around him, he gently kissed him on the forehead and stroked his head. "Goodnight Edward" he whispered softly.


	3. Chapter 3

Bruised and Scarred Chapter 3

Albus Dumbledore paced around his office angrily, Severus was ruining his plans, and how did the man even find out about his son. He thought he had hidden all evidence of him 5 years ago when he had murdered his mother after she gave birth. Severus had been told that there were complications during labour and both mother and child had perished. It had been important to keep Severus as a spy for the Order, he was the highest ranking spy they had and the only one in Voldemorts inner circle, he was invaluable to them and if he had a son and wife to worry about; he wouldn't be an effective spy anymore.  
He cursed, how? How did he find out?... Lucius that has to be it, he is high ranking in the ministry and practiced as a lawyer in the muggle world. Oh sugar, I forgot to erase the records of the child from Gringotts, his trust fund would still be active because he is alive, he shook his head sadly, it wouldn't take much to trace the child back to that orphanage. Stop stressing Albus, he scolded himself the child could still be of use to you, he is something to use against Severus and he has money.  
Yes Albus, calm down and think about how we can use this to our advantage' he sank down into the chair behind his desk and folded his arms on top, a conspiratorial smirk on his face as he began to plot ways to make his life better.

Severus spent that night just holding his son tightly, he didn't want to ever let go, he just wanted to make sure he was alright and felt safe.  
The next morning he woke up still sitting in the chair he had transfigured the night before, pain shooting down his back as he straightened up gently adjusting the still sleeping child in his arms. Now that he had the chance to study him when he wasn't covered in blood and bruises, he looked remarkably like himself, straight dark hair, angular cheekbones and long slender fingers.  
He smiled despite himself, he looked so peaceful and happy, a small moan interrupted his musings as Edward began to stir. The ocean blue eyes blinking open once again to stare in surprise at him, Severus smiled and greeted his son warmly. "Good morning Ed" he said softly "how do you feel?" The blue eyes blinked slowly at him and filled up with tears "mister" he whispered sadly "why can't I move my legs?" Severus' heart broke at those six little words.

Edward woke to those same warm and comforting arms holding him once more. His whole body hurt and his back was aching badly but what worried him the most was the fact that he couldn't move his legs properly. He blinked his eyes and the man who had called himself his dad yesterday was there looking down at him.  
"Good morning Ed" he said softly "how do you feel?" He blinked slowly at the man in confusion, why did this man care about him, should he tell him? That man had always told him that he should never tell people what was wrong because he deserved it and no one would care. This man seemed to though so he decided to ask the most pressing question in his mind at that moment.  
"Mister" he whispered sadly "why can't I move my legs?" The man sucked in a sharp breath and he cowered away, he knew it was a bad idea to ask  
"I'm sorry, im sorry, I shouldn't have asked, no asking questions is rule number one, please don't hurt me" he begged crossing his arms over his face since he couldn't get away with the man holding him.

Oh he was going to destroy those muggles, Edward was afraid of even the slightest noise that even hinted of anger or violence. He gently moved his arms away from his face, "Edward listen to me, it is perfectly fine for you to ask questions, the muggles you were with were liars and I will never, ever hurt you!" He said emphatically. The little boy nodded nervously at him, "okay mister"  
"Call me Severus Edward or whatever you are comfortable with" he smiled sadly, "To answer your question, there was considerable damage to the muscles in your legs and you will have to work hard to walk again."  
"Oh" the little boy whispered sadly, "can I though? Will I ever walk again?" the tears overflowing and slowly trailing down his cheeks.  
"Oh Edward darling" he exclaimed pulling him back into his arms, "I will try my hardest to get you walking again and I will be there for you every step of the way" he gently kissed him on the top of his curly head and rocked him back and forth until he dropped back into a peaceful sleep.

He pulled himself to his feet and strode across his spacious quarters after casting a quick monitoring charm on his son, he had some healers to speak to and some documents to draw up. 


	4. Chapter 4

Severus emerged gracefully from the enormous green fireplaces at the ministry, lightly brushing himself free of imaginary dust, it never ceased to amaze him how dirty some people could become when flooing, it wasn't hard to avoid.  
He smirked at the little witch who came stumbling out of the fireplace beside him coughing and choking on the clouds of dust her exit had provoked, robes caked with the substance. That was one thing he always enjoyed about his highly infrequent visits to the Ministry, smirking at others incompetence and misfortune always did make whatever tedious task he was undertaking that much more bearable.

Today was different though, the task he was undertaking today was not tedious or aggravating in the slightest and he did not require finding amusement in others as this task was important, most pressing and close to his heart.  
He was here today for his son, now what department did he need again? Oh yes the department for magical minor care, he was thankful Lucius has connections in every department, it will make this soooo much easier! He slipped into a half empty lift and pressed the button for floor 4.

Edwards vision slowly cleared as he returned to consciousness, revelling in the strange sensation of a real bed and real bedcovers. Had he ever lain in a bed before, maybe he had once but he didn't remember, although there was something so hauntingly familiar to him that he just couldn't put his finger on.  
A loud crack echoed through the room and he flinched back underneath the protection of the soft, emerald green duvet he was previously ensconced in.  
When he finally gathered the courage to raise his head once more, his mouth dropped open into an 'o' of surprise at the tiny creature wearing a stained, grimy towel as a loincloth.  
It had big pointy ears that stuck out from the side of its head, a bulbous running nose and massive watery eyes, when he met its eyes it let out a surprise squeak and bowed so lowly its nose must have scraped the cold stone floor.  
"Master Edward sir, i's is sorry to be disturbing you, i's is Funguy, Master Severus sir asked me to sit with you, is there anything yous be needing?  
It was asking if he needed anything, him, Edward. Did he not know the rules, did he not know what he was? Where was the man with the safe arms and long black hair, he would tell the thing what it did wrong and then he would go back to his Aunt and that Man. Until then he would just keep out of the way, as his Aunt would say, "Out of sight, out of mind" he slipped out of the bed reluctantly, bare feet freezing at the touch of the icy stone floor. He grabbed the pillow from the bed and hastily crawled underneath, curling up into a tight ball to conserve heat and fell asleep in the darkness, head resting comfortably on a pillow for the first time in his life.  
Well, if he was going to go back he might as well make the most of what the strange man had given him, it's not like the man could do anything that hadn't been done to him before.

The lift doors clattered open as an automated female voice announced 'Floor 4, The Department For Magical Minor Care' Severus scowled at the other occupants of the lift and swept out indignantly, his robes, now decorated with burn marks, billowing dramatically behind him. He would most certainly be billing the Department for Magical Creatures for a new set of robes, I mean who in their right mind brings a fire breathing kneazle into a lift!

He sighed exasperatedly, a scowl marring his delicate features as he strode towards Madame Bones' office, passing through the rows of witches in emerald green robes, the only sound the slight tapping of his boots on the floor and the scratching of their quills, as they signed the documents that magically appeared on their desks. Ranging from reports of abuse, silly children complaining about a tiny, insignificant little spanking to reports of abandoned children who are desperately searching for their parents, inside the rage reached its peak and he snarled at the nearest witch who jerked back in shock and stammered nervously, "M,m,m,m Madame Bones will be with you s,s,shortly sir" he fixed her with his most terrifying glare, said to have stopped charging bulls in their tracks. 

She shot to her feet, tears running down her cheeks and cried out as she ran away down the corridor "Ill get her for you right away sir!" Now Severus Snape is not a patient man so it did not come as a surprise to any of those watching the scene unfold that he straightened his robes and promptly strode after the fleeing witch, presumably to meet Madame Bones halfway down the corridor and speed up the telling of the obviously distressing news as you would never catch Severus Snape having anything to do with children, correction anything more to do with children than was strictly necessary through Hogwarts.

"Severus" Madame Bones greeted jovially as she placed a placating hand on his shoulder, "I am terribly sorry for my assistants disrespect" leaning in close to his ear she whispered conspiratorially "they don't get out much, sad really, they're so intelligent in a fashion."  
She laughed heartily at her own joke and Severus couldn't help the answering twitch at the corner of his own mouth, now here was a woman who understood his kind of humour. To his surprise he found himself being pushed down into a squashy armchair by a crackling fire, the sudden influx of heat brought a flush of pink to his cheeks and Madame Bones smirked slightly, "A bit hot there Severus?" she queried slyly. 

The flush became a full on blush and Severus cursed his traitorous body for betraying him in such an embarrassing way. "Madame Bones" he sighed wearily, "although I must admit I find your humour very amusing, it is not quite as such when it is aimed at me" he gave her a pointed look and she immediately became serious, eyes darkening and smile dropping.  
" Yes Severus, I quite understand, now what is it that has brought you back to my office after all these years, you only ever visit when you find…" she trailed off sadly and shot him a nervous look "you haven't have you?" He nodded sadly and her hand shot to her mouth, great sadness showing in the glistening of her eyes, "who Severus, who is it?"

"My son, Edward Snape"


End file.
