Chapter 1

The changes

Harry was annoyed; he knew that one of his friends was telling Dumbledore about him. He would be stupid not too realize it; one first of all, Albus Dumbledore had taken him up to his office and spoken to him. About his duty, and how he had to go back to the Dursley's, and it being for his own safety. He had told Ron and Hermione that he would not go back to the Dursley's and he was not going to try to defeat a mad man. Harry was not stupid; he knew that Voldemort was stronger than he was. Harry knew that up to this point he had escaped their encounters only through luck and he was not as so stupid as to think he would have gotten away otherwise. If it were not for his mother's sacrifice, he knew he would not have survived at all, his mother saved him from the killing curse. Her protection had killed Quirrell, or more rather, turned him into ash, cascaded him. Fourth year, if it were had not been for Priori Incantantem and his parents' appearance, he would again not have survived. He had not knowning about Portkey's, so he had not known he would have been able to get back if he touched it. Fifth year, he hated to admit it that Dumbledore saved him, it turned bile in his throat at the thought of the man as a grandfather.

'Dumbledore is not even trying to train me yet he knows the Prophecy too, I don't understand it. He knew that Snape and I do not get on yet he forced us to work together and together we make more destruction than help. , 'Thinking about his father he grimaced, 'And I cannot help but think I deserve it; I mean my father was horrible to him and nasty. Even I would not do that to Draco Malfoy' he thought. 'I need help I just don't know who I can trust, the only thing I can do is get one of them either Ron or Hermione under veritaserum. And soon, before the leaving feast' said Harry determined.

Nodding to himself, he walked out of Gryffindor common room, ignoring Hermione and Ron's shouting calls to him. He honestly thought it was Ron who was informing on him, so he thought to himself, 'I will do question him first. I really don't want it to be Ron: he was my first friend, and he yet, he did not seem interested in me until I did say my name was Harry Potter! Gods Please, Ron, do not let it be you, I do not want it to be you.' thought Harry.

He was so deep in thought that he did not see Severus Snape following him out narrowed eyes. Severus had stopped being so horrible to Harry since the death of his Godfather. He would be stupid to know Harry's childhood had not been full of pampering. Although he was lucky, he did not know about the beatings nor the cupboard or he would of course tell someone. Severus thought, 'perhaps 'he wears a mask just like me.'

Since that day, he had been watching Harry and he found himself impressed. There was an only small hint that he was wearing a mask. Sometimes his annoyance shows through his masks when Hermione annoys him. He had saw Harry trying to stop himself from rolling his eyes when Ron went on at length about quidditch all the time. Severus realised that to Harry they were just children, and that had stunned him because Harry was the same age as them.His eyes, however are were completely different from theirs; Harry's eyes looked like he had aged ten years each day. His soul was probably old and weary, Severus thought, ' 'just like mine, but that cannot be. He may have not been spoiled but he still had a family and they probably loved him. Perhaps the wizarding world it's doing it to him?' thought Severus.

That had been days ago now, and Severus had hardly seen nor heard of Potter. It being the weekend, he had not even seen Potter at quidditch practice. Ron had told everyone that Harry did not feeling like playing. There was also another thing that Severus had noticed. Hermione Granger, Ronald Weasley and Harry Potter were not as close as they used to be, they had either had a fight or they have just not found the time to talk to each other.

He could see it was mostly Harry who was responsible for the distance between them. He seemed a lot more suspicious around his friends these days. He was acting as though he could not trust his friends at all that totally mystified Severus. He also knew that Harry was not getting as much sleep. as usual. He had heard whispers of people among the students telling their friends that Harry often woke up screaming "Sirius" in his sleep. He seemed to be having nightmares of about the Veil of death that his godfather had fallen through. He could not help but think to himself, 'That boy has been through too much and seen too much death. First his parents, then his friend Cedric Diggory with the killing curse, now his godfather. How much more can a boy that age take?'

So you could imagine how surprised to see Harry coming from Gryffindor common room, and walking down all the way to the Dungeons. Of course by then he had gotten suspicious about were the boy was going. Deciding to follow him, he had quietly taken an invisibility potion and he became invisible. He found Potter raiding his private stores. He had wanted to catch him and take house points, but stopping himself he watched as the boy found what it was that he obviously sought.

His jaw dropped when he saw what Harry had taken out. 'Veritaserum'!' he thought to himself, astonished. 'What would the boy be doing with that?'

"Got ya!" said Harry, slipping the potion into his hand.

Severus had to duck out of the way so Harry did not hit him. He watched as Harry peeked out of the door, making sure no one was coming or would see him coming out. Harry opened the door; Severus swiftly followed before Harry could shut the door on him.

He saw Harry pull out the map he had seen two years ago. The parchment had insulted him and he had been furious. He was not stupid enough to not know what it is; he had seen James Potter and his friends using it. He was not horrible enough to actually take it of from the boy, but he would have liked to have examined it.

He was astonished to actually see what it was for the first time. It was a map of Hogwarts, not just any map but actually a magical map that showed where everyone was. He was in awe; one could even tell where someone was even under invisibility potion, possibly cloaks too. He panicked, thinking he would be seen, but Harry did not seem to look at the part where they were.

"There you are" muttered Harry.

Severus looked at where Harry was pointing at., 'Why do you want Weasley? You're surely not going to use it on your friend are you?' was all the man could think. He barlely heard the muttering of 'mischief managed' before Harry was off down the corridor the map safely back in his pocket.

"Ron! Come here" yelled Harry when he reached the area he had seen Ron in the map. Severus followed still closely but not that close kept himself from being detected. Watching everything that was going on.