-Somewhere I Am Loved-

Authors note: Hi guys- this is my first story on this site and my first fanfiction story. Please be patient with me, I don't really know what I'm doing!

Warning: There will most likely be slightly explicit language throughout this story. There will be mentions of child abuse in this, and future chapters. There may also be mentions of adult themes in later chapters, so be warned!

Pairings: Severus Shape and Oliver Perry

Disclaimer: I do not, nor will I ever, own Harry Potter. I am not J.K Rowling, much to my dismay. I own none of the characters, except for Oliver Perry, whom I made up (no connection to the long-dead Navy guy…). This disclaimer is true for all of the chapters to come.

This story takes place when Harry is five years old. Harry runs away from his aunt and uncle's house and Hogwarts staff must look for him. What will happen to poor Harry? Will they find him in time? This features a grandfatherly, understanding Dumbledore as well as a motherly McGonagall. And yes, as you might have guessed, Severus Snaps is gay. If you don't live these themes or are uncomfortable with the concept then don't read this story. This story will also develop into a Snap/Harry mentor/father son relationship fanfic.

Severus Snape, the snarky, sarcastic, git of the dungeons lay in his large, messy bed in a restless sleep, tossing and turning in an unconscious attempt to shrug off the nightmares. Images flash to the front of his mind as the nightmares taunt him. He groans and hollers, thankful, even in his half-conscious state, that no one can hear through the thick, dungeon walls.

Dumbledore, angry and disappointed, looks down on him as Snape lay at his former headmaster's feet quivering, the dark-mark sticking out plainly against his pale skin, with red, raw flesh outlining the black ink.

The Dark Lord raising his wand to point between Snape's eyes, the killing curse on the tip of his tongue, upon finding out Snape's little spying game.

Lily, as beautiful as ever, standing next to James Potter, his greatest enemy, with the infant Harry, Sirius Black, Remus Lupin, Albus Dumbledore, and Peter Pettigrew all pointing and laughing at him as he faced the Dementor's Kiss.

Lily, reaching out with tears in her eyes as she begged The Dark Lord to spare her beloved child. And begging Severus to save them.

Snape sat bold upright at the last image and sat gasping for breath while trying, in vain, to forget the dreams that were burned into his memory. "Why?" He groaned.

Snape slowly and stiffly made his way into his small kitchenette and made himself a cup of tea to calm his nerves. After a quick pause he added a finely-made calming draft, brewed by the very best potions master in all of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Just as he was starting to calm down once more, a sharp, loud, erratic knock came from his door. Sneering to himself he moved swiftly to the door, prepared to give the person that dared get him stressed and riled up once more a good tongue lashing. He threw open the old, black door with such force, with his magic surging around him, that the hinges whined with protest and broke free from the doorframe. His visitor, a now alarmed looking Flitwick, who was dressed in a night gown partially covered with a teacher's robe and a rather large night cap slipping off of his head, jumped back in fright. "S-Severus! I'm so sorry to wake you, b-but we have a bit of an emergency on our hands!" Flitwick, though a champion dueler and more than four times the age of Snape, quivered and tried to make himself even smaller, if that were possible, in a failed attempt to hide from Snape's wrath.

"And just what sort of emergency could not wait until morning?" His deep voice rumbled. He refused to mention to his colleague and former professor that he had been up for a while and had no desire to go back to sleep in fear that the accursed nightmares would return once more. It's a good thing its winter break, he thought grumpily, no classes to teach and only a few brats to deal with in the morning.

"W-well, I actually have no idea. Albus just told me to wake everyone up and tell them to go to his office so he can explain properly. They're just waiting on us now. And we'd best hurry, Albus looked frightened and worried."

"Very well." He sighed. Me might as well go, seeing as he wouldn't get anymore sleep tonight anyhow. He stepped into the hallway and, with a quick Reparo, closed the door and set off, leaving Flitwick to sprint to keep up with is hurried pace and significantly longer stride.

He heard huffing and puffing coming from slightly behind him and to the right. Realizing Flitwick was much older than he looked, he slowed is pace slightly

"Really now Severus! There's no reason to storm off all sullenly. Just calm yourself. If it was really that big of an emergency Albus would have Floo'd us. Besides, with You-Know-Who gone, what could possibly be happening?" Flitwick admonished. The charms professor had finally caught up and was jogging beside the taller man. "You really ought not to be so short-tempered. It's unbecoming." That man can be really aggravating sometimes, Flitwick thought.

The two men soon found themselves outside of Dumbledore's office. Snape barked the password to the gargoyles guarding the headmaster's chambers and office, and they sprang out of the way. He marched up the stairs with Flitwick following as fast as his little, old legs would carry him. Upon reaching the massive doors, Snape flung them wide and stormed inside. What he saw was enough to give anyone heart failure. Dumbledore was pacing the floor with a look of anguish and rage on his old, wrinkled face.

Dumbledore's head snapped in the direction of his door when he heard Severus and Filius had entered his office at last. Severus wore a mask of annoyance but one glance at his ebony eyes told him he was worried and scared.

"Severus! Thank Merlin you're here! Something horrible has happened, Harry Potter has gone missing!"

5 year old Harry Potter was running as fast as his little legs would carry him. His breath coming in quick gasps, he knew he couldn't run for much longer. But he had to get away. Far away. Away from his nasty uncle and aunt and his mean cousin. And it was dark. So very dark. He had never seen such darkness outside of his cupboard. And it was cold, he had never felt such cold. At least in the winter he had a meager blanket to snuggle up with on his old, thin mattress in his cupboard. He had no idea where he was, he ran blindly, taking random turns and dark streets whenever he could find them. He was scared. Little Harry could tell someone was behind him and he gasped and ran even faster. Up ahead, was a small pizza shop coming into view. Harry was so close he could smell the delicious pizza. He could almost taste it. Harry had never had pizza, his relatives never allowed it, but he could imagine the taste. But he was so hungry, and so tired. He finally reached the door and he bolted inside. The guy at the counter looked annoyed at a five year old coming in and making a mess of his shop. Harry ran up to the counter and, once he caught his breath, he asked the man for help, shivering all the while.

"Will you please help me sir? My auntie tried to lock me in my cupboard again and I ran away. Please sir! I'm so hungry and cold. And Uncle Vernon will find me," he pleaded, his eyes wide with fear. "Please don't let them get me."

The man behind the counter grew more and more worried as he listened to this boy's tale. The poor kid looked like he had never eaten in his life, he was that small and he was sporting a large bruise on his check and had a split lip and tousled hair that looked as if it was matted with blood. Without thinking he went around the counter and grabbed the boy and put him on the tall counter. "Don't move." He told him. He ran into the back and grabbed a small pizza, already made, and his jacket from the hook by the back door. He draped his jacket over the small boy and wrapped it tightly around him. He opened the pizza box and took out a slice. It was cold but it was better than nothing. "What's your name, kid?" he asked as he handed him the pizza.

"Harry." The boy whispered, his big green eyes watching the man's every move. He shyly took the proffered piece of pizza and hesitantly took a bite. As soon as his tiny mouth closed on the slice his eyes grew wide with wonder. "Wow! This is amazing!" he proclaimed, as he tore off another large bite.

"You've never had pizza before?" That was strange. What kid never had pizza? Just then the door opened again and Harry jumped a mile high. He spun around and eyed the door with obvious fear. When the visiter proved to be an elderly old man, who was apparently not his uncle, he calmed down considerably. The man hurried off to the restroom without a second glance.

"No, Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia never let me. But Dudley had it all the time. He's really fat." Harry said with a sad smile.

"Well Harry, do you have any other family I could call? A mum? A dad?" he hoped the poor boy had someone. It just wasn't fair that a sweet innocent boy such as Harry should have to live with the monsters that beat him up.

"No. My mum and dad were drunks who were killed in a car crash. At least, that's what Aunt Petunia always said." He finished sadly. "I've got no one else." As if realizing something for the first time, Harry looked up quickly and dropped the last of his pizza on the floor. "Wait, you're not gonna send me back are you? Please, please, please, please, please don't! I really don't wanna go back with them." He begged. Oh no! He's gonna send me back! Oh no oh no oh no! Harry started shaking with fear and scooted away from the man who had so far only helped him. The man saw this and quickly put all thoughts of calling his family in the back of his mind.

"Harry, I won't call your uncle and aunt, I promise." When the child still didn't calm down he panicked and drew his wand, casting a quick calming spell over the boy. He also added a fresh warming spell to his jacket, which was still wrapped around the now significantly calmer boy in front of him. He quickly stowed his wand away when he heard the elderly man return from the restroom and hurry out the door. To distract the boy from his earlier distresses, he asked him, "Harry, how old are you?" the boy answered that he was five and a half. "When's your birthday Harry?" Harry recited his birthdate to the man. When Harry realized that he didn't know anything about the nice man who was helping him, he asked what his name was. "My name is Oliver, Harry. Oliver Perry. And I am 27 years old. What is your surname Harry?"

"Potter, sir. Harry James Potter."

"Harry Potter!? Harry Potter!? How can this be? You're supposed to be in a secret and safe location!" How can Harry Potter, the Boy-Who-Lived be in Surry?

"H-how do you know who I am? I'm just a nobody. A worthless nobody." Little Harry was so confused. How can a perfect stranger know who he was when he was barely let out of number 4 Privet Drive? The farthest he had ever gone outside of the yard was the small supermarket at the end of the long street. Even then he had only gone twice before the neighbors became suspicious and tried to question him on his walk. Aunt Petunia had noticed, of course, and had forbidden him to go out of the small, fenced in yard. He only even was let out of the house in order to do outside chores for the Dursley's. No one spoke of him. No one except his batty old babysitter knew his name outside the Dursley residence.

When Oliver heard the child say that he was a nobody, he got angry. This was the Boy-Who-Lived after all! This child was the hero of the wizarding world. There was only one thing he could do for this boy. Call Albus Dumbledore. Oliver cast a patronus in the shape of a raccoon and gave it a message to deliver to Dumbledore. When the raccoon was off he turned back to Harry who was watching him with wide eyes and his mouth hanging slightly open. "It's called a patronus. I'm a wizard, Harry. And so are you."

Harry couldn't believe his ears. He? A wizard? That couldn't be right. He was Harry after all. Just Harry.

Well, that's my first chapter! Please let me know what you think and feel free to give me any constructive criticism and ideas, I already have a pretty good idea of where I'm going with this story but I'm open to suggestions. Thanks for reading and please review!