(A/N: Alright so I know that I have other stories that I am working on, and I do still plan to do those too, but this work bit my muse and I have to get it out there before I lose the inspiration for it. Anyway, I hope that you like it.)

"Sir? Professor?" Harry asked hesitantly, one hand holding his school bag over his shoulder, the other nervously clenched in the material of his robes. The rest of the class had filed out of the room and into the hallway, leaving him alone with the rather imposing man seated at the desk. And he truly was alone, when he had told Ron what he was about to do, the other boy had laughed at him to his face.

"Yes Mister Potter?" Severus Snape questioned, eyes briefly flicking up to observe the child that stood before him, all the while continuing to write.

"I just wanted to apologize. For taking notes and mouthing off. I really didn't mean it," Harry took a wheezing gasp for breath and Snape's hand stilled. "In Muggle School I had to take notes to give to my cousin or else my Aunt would get angry. And I guess I was excited to take them for myself for once and I got carried away," Harry's voice shrank as he spoke and his hands clenched until his knuckles turned stark white. At last he had Snape's complete attention as dark eyes focused on hunched and shaking shoulders.

"Relax Mister Potter. It is perfectly acceptable to take notes when the situation calls for it. Important even. But there are times when it isn't necessary or it is more important to pay attention to a practical demonstration," the Professor explained softly, his voice remaining measured and calm though it lacked the coldness of the tone that he had used in the classroom.

"I understand. Thank you sir," Harry wheezed, his hands remained clenched, his shoulders hunched and head bowed.

"Tell me something Mister Potter. Is there some deficiency that prevents your cousin from taking his own notes?" the Professor inquired, watching intently as Harry's posture stiffened. The boy, who was far smaller than anyone in his class, gasped raggedly for air and wobbled on his feet.

"He doesn't like to pay attention, sir. But if he doesn't do well, or have his notes I get blamed for it. I'm not allowed to be better than he is at school anyway so I never bothered to take my own notes for class," Harry admitted in a rush of breath as tears rolled down his cheeks and his entire body trembled. He didn't know why he was saying these things to the dour Professor, if his family found out that he had said them then he wouldn't have a home to stay in any longer. But something about the man's dark eyes beckoned him to explain himself fully.

Severus rose from his desk, frowning deeply when Harry flinched and shrank into himself; it was not a normal response for a healthy 11 year old child. Slowly he came around his desk and laid a hand on one shaking shoulder, not pulling away when Harry closed his eyes in fear. Gently, and carefully, he directed the boy back to one of the work tables and pulled out a chair for him to take a seat in.

"Not allowed to do better? What sort of nonsense is that? Why are you not being permitted to excel at your studies?" the Professor asked quietly in a non-accusing tone of voice. Not one inch of him felt guilty as he poured his magic into the conversation. Who needed Veritaserum when you were able to compel the truth from someone in a far less obtrusive manner? He had used it to help students before and it seemed that he had no choice but to do so again.

"Freaks aren't allowed to be smarter than normal people," Harry said and his eyes went wide, hands clasping over his mouth in shock. "I'm sorry sir I shouldn't have said that" he added in a horrified whisper and Snape silenced him with a gentle hand gesture.

"Firstly you're not a freak. You are a boy, a Wizard at that. Not being a muggle doesn't make you a freak," Severus began and pulled out a second chair, sitting across the desk from Harry so that there was some space between them and he wasn't crowding the child with his presence. "Secondly, you did the right thing just now by telling me," he explained calmly to the boy. Tears rolled fast and hot down Harry's cheeks and his lips quivered with repressed sobs.

"What?" Harry asked somewhat dumbfounded by the revelation. He was still clutching at his book bag and his robes as if his life depended on it.

"I understand that it may be difficult to believe, especially coming from me when I was just unkind to you. But if you are being mistreated, you should tell someone, an adult who can help you. Now, are you willing to talk to me about what happened to you?" Snape said and leaned forward, conjuring a tissue and offering it to the boy as he continued to cry. He was shocked to find himself actually concerned with what had been done to the impossibly tiny child of his worst rival.

"It's nothing much really. Just little things, like if I don't finish my chores then I don't get anything to eat, I get a few smacks, and I get locked in my cupboard. Or if I get in the way I only get one bathroom break and have to hold it until the next day. Sometimes I still burn breakfast and then the light gets taken away from my cupboard. If I do anything freakish then I get beaten a lot and have to stay in my cupboard for a few days with no food," Harry explained in a rush, his eyes remaining down, fixed on his clenched hands. He still didn't know what it was that compelled him to say such things to the Professor, but he felt relieved now that he had said them aloud, so he was thankful for whatever had given him the courage to speak.

Severus quietly eased back on his magic, whatever happened now, he had the memory of what Harry had said, and there would be no going back on what had been presented to him. Sitting in silence he could hear the wheezing and irregular breaths that the boy was taking. He knew that he needed to speak soon, Harry was obviously beginning to panic, but he didn't quite know what to say to the revelation that Potter was not a pampered Prince of a child.

"I see. Well I am very glad that you told me," Severus kept his voice as neutral as possible. "Would you be comfortable with the idea of coming to the Hospital Wing with me? I would like very much for Madam Pomfrey to take a listen to your breathing and check you over to make sure you're doing alright," he said softly with his focus entirely devoted to the badly abused boy sitting across from him.

He sighed in relief and felt some tension bleed out of his body, when after several long seconds of thought, Harry nodded. Taking the chance to help the boy before he changed his mind, Snape got to his feet, ignoring the flinch that Harry gave him. Despite his apparent fears, Harry followed his movements wordlessly. The boy seemed to struggle with the weight of his school bag; it seemed that he had carried his entire school library with him to class. Snape motioned for the boy to follow and set a very slow and sedate pace as they made their way to see Madam Pomfrey.

(A/N: Well that's it for now. I know it wasn't the longest first chapter I've ever done, but I hope that you liked it all the same. If you liked it will you please consider leaving a review or a comment to let me know what you thought? Thanks for reading!)