Harry yawned tiredly and stretched painfully. It was the first Wednesday morning of the first week at Hogwarts. The first week was the worst; the teachers were very eager to begin assigning homework to the returning third years. He had only two classes today, Divination and Potions. As Harry got up from his bed, he made his way to the bathroom to get ready. Ron, Neville and the other boys were still sleeping.

As Harry entered into the bathroom, sunlight was just starting to peak above the many trees that surrounded the huge school of Hogwarts. The sky was turning a dull orange and small clouds were visible, lined in a purple hue dotting the vast space. It was still warm outside and only the first hints of fall were beginning to make an appearance.

The bathroom Harry was in was quiet and every movement Harry made proceeded to create an echo in the vast stone walls. This was how he liked it. No one would be able to bother him or possibly see what Harry was trying so hard to hide. As he shed his pajama shirt, it took a lot of willpower to look in the mirror. Harry held his breath as he observed the dark purple fading bruises that spotted his body. His right arm sported a particularly obvious one, in the shape of a large hand right before the wrist. That one had given Harry the most trouble to hide. Luckily the school robes had long sleeves that could hide it. A nasty one lined his left side of his collarbone that was now starting to turn yellow. It traced from his neck to his shoulder. There were various other bruises on his back and his stomach, the worst being the five huge purple markings around another five long injuries that looked very much like scratches, but Harry knew had come from a belt. Harry let himself breathe again as he noticed the scratch marks had scabbed up much more than when he came three days ago. The bruises around them were fading just a bit, but he was still extremely sore on his back. Heck, his whole body was still sore.

Uncle Vernon had no mercy on him this thrashing. He had been very upset that Harry got his letter for this year when an important visitor was in the house. The owl had startled her so badly, she fainted and broke one of Vernon's artifacts he had lying on a table. Harry knew he was in for it. Vernon simmered for a long time and the day before Harry left, Vernon grabbed him by the arm and dragged him upstairs, where he gave him quite a few good whacks and five nasty lashings. The next day Harry boarded the Hogwarts Express, still extremely sore and went back into the steady routine of magical schooling. So far, Harry had been able to avoid telling anyone the truth by getting up early for his showers. He had one close call with Hermione almost seeing his arm bruise in Transfiguration when Neville accidentally turned a teacup into a crow and the breeze from the flying bird blew his sleeve up. Harry said it was just a shadow on his arm and thankfully, Hermione had accepted that explanation and went back to her work.

Harry jumped into the shower and let the warm water soothe his hurts. It felt so good to take a long shower, something he was denied at the Dursley's. When Harry got out, he let his hair air dry. By now, the sun was visible above the trees and Harry knew that the others would be waking soon. He snuck back into the common room and sat on the red sofa in front of the couch, reviewing for Potions class in hopes that Snape wouldn't have any reason to insult him for being so completely stupid just because Harry didn't know everything. Within about fifteen minutes, the rest of the boys emerged as well as the girls, and soon the common room was filled with Gryffindor students. He met up with Hermione and Ron and the three of them studied together until breakfast was called. Breakfast went off with no problems, save for when Ron's owl, Errol fell into his goblet and splashed pumpkin juice three feet down the table. On the way to Divination, Ron grumbled about how much everyone was laughing at his owl and he wished they could afford a younger one.

When they reached Divination, Professor Trelawney began predicting Harry's death. After a good while, Harry began to get annoyed and just stared out the windows, daydreaming as the sickly sweetness of the fire slowly lulled him to sleep. The next thing he knew was Ron shaking him awake and the three of them made their way to the dungeons for Potions class.

All the students filed in and Hermione, Ron, and Harry took a seat near the back of the classroom. Snape strode in minutes later, his long robes billowing out behind him and his voice cutting through the thick tension that was rolling off of the many students.

"Welcome back, you slimy children." He drawled. "Today we will be reviewing a simple potion that even the most…unintelligent of you lot should be able to do." He glared at Harry as he said this. "We will be making a fever reducer and should you succeed, it will be given to Madam Pomfrey for her use. If you fail, you will be punished appropriately. Begin!" the ingredients appeared on the board and the three set off to work. Ron almost messed up cutting the unicorn grass and Hermione kept hissing at him to stop being so careless. Harry gently stoked the fire underneath the cauldron with his wand, letting the small flames grow. The liquid within began to bubble thickly. Hermione continued adding little tidbits of ingredients into the cauldron and Harry became aware of Snape lingering behind him.

"Roll your sleeves up, Potter, unless you wish to catch on fire." The Potions master snapped. Harry froze. He had not expected this at all.

"Yes sir." He said, hoping that saying that would make Snape leave. But he continued to stand there so Harry rolled his left sleeve up slowly.

"Are you trying to take all day or do you just not know how to roll up your own sleeves?" Snape spat. Harry gulped and proceeded to lift his right sleeve. His heart was thundering in his ears as he frantically tried to come up with an excuse for what had caused the bruise. Just as the first two fingers became visible, a loud explosion rocked the room and Harry had never been so glad to be in the same class as Neville. With a loud sigh of relief, Harry let his sleeve drop. As Snape left to yell at Neville, Harry heard him thunder out,

"Detention tonight Potter, at eight sharp. You obviously need a lesson on sleeve rolling."

Harry cringed. The bell rang and he was free to go. Ron was trying to get Harry riled up by insulting Snape, but Harry was too worried to really do much except agree with his friend. When they reached the common room, Harry escaped to the bathroom with his wand. He decided to try out some glamour charms and see if he could hide the bruise from Snape, provided he really would make Harry have a lesson in sleeve rolling. Eventually, he found one that was able to cover his bruises. With a sigh of relief, he joined his fellow students in the great hall for dinner. After they all ate, he headed to the dungeons, nerves tingling with anticipation and fear.

SNAPE POV

The first thing Snape noticed was the glamour charm. Harry had walked into his room, a smug look on his face and Snape could see it. Only adept wizards were able to see such a thing, and Snape could tell he had one on as if Harry had written it on his forehead. Snape frowned nastily, wondering why the golden boy would do such a thing. What was he trying to hide? Or who was he trying to impress? That must be it, Snape reasoned. The boy wants to try to impress someone so he made himself look better with the charm. It took every bit of willpower to stop himself from laughing. The golden boy, trying to impress someone and using a glamour charm. As if he really needed such a thing to get attention. Snape strode over to the boy, facing him, no more than three feet away.

"Alright, Potter. Since you obviously have no idea how to roll up your sleeves, you will learn now. Roll them up." He stared as Harry rolled up his left sleeve first. When it reached past his elbow, he hesitated for a long moment. Snape glowered at Harry and Harry swallowed, moving on to the next arm, praying his glamour charm would work. He rolled up this sleeve much slower than the first, and let out a small sigh of relief when he couldn't see the bruise. Snape noticed this little sound and shifted his feet.

"Do it again, quicker this time." He commanded. The boy muttered a "yes sir" and dropped his sleeves. He again started on the left side. Snape began to think that maybe there was something he was trying to hide on his arm. He boy still hesitated a little bit when he moved just above the wrist and again sighed in relief when he got past a certain point. Snape also noticed how he always started with the other side.

"One more time, Potter." He said. This time he raised his wand and dropped the concealing spell. "And this time without the glamour charm." Snape noticed how the boy paled and his breathing shortened. Potter looked up at him with wide eyes.

"W-what glamour charm, sir?" he queried, trying to act unknowledgeable about it.

"You know what I am talking about, boy."

Harry took a deep breath and willed himself not to cry. He would think of something. So he slowly lifted his left sleeve. He paused when he got to his right. Snape noticed how the boy's hand was shaking slightly. Harry lifted the sleeve up and his bare arm was now visible to his most hated teacher. And so was his secret.

Snape had to stop himself from cringing when he saw an all-too familiar sight on the boy's arm. Dark purple bruises in the shape of a hand were visible right above the wrist. They were starting to fade, but it was obvious that they were made by a very large and very adult hand. Harry looked down at his feet and tried to hide his arm by pushing it into his side. Snape reached out and grabbed it, gently, but with enough conviction to make the child flinch away slightly, as if an automatic reflex were triggered. He made note of this as he brought the arm closer to his face. As he turned it over in his hands, Snape asked the boy,

"How did this happen, Potter?" Even though it was entirely obvious.

"I…I fell sir. And…And I…was grabbed by Ron. He helped me up."

It was a terrible attempt at a lie. Snape could tell even without Legillimency. Ron's hands were tiny. This was an adult's marking.

"I know you lie." Snape hissed dangerously. "Who?"

The boy looked so frightened; Snape softened his face just a little in the hopes that it would calm him. To his surprise, Harry jerked his arm away from Snape's grasp. And Snape was surprised, really. In the Slytherin house, abuse was not uncommon. He knew what these types of markings meant because it wasn't unusual to find a Slytherin here and there with nasty bruises or cuts from the family supposed to care for the child. The Slytherins mostly became were in that house because a Slytherin personality usually resulted from abuse. Occasionally, a Hufflepuff would be found suffering with such a thing, or a Ravenclaw or two, but never a Gryffindor, let alone the Golden boy himself.

Snape watched, in almost fascination the way the boy reacted. He was angry. Potter straightened up and tried to become level with Snape's eyes. Snape noted that this must be his way of dealing with it, of hiding it. He had triggered his protection mode.

"No one. It was an accident." Harry growled at his most hated teacher who had now found out his most hated secret. The boy stomped out of the room and slammed the door behind him. Snape said nothing at all, for what was he to say?

HARRY POV

Harry sunk down the wall in one of the deserted hallways and buried his face in his hands. He was surely in trouble now, for disrespecting a teacher and leaving detention. And for letting his secret out. He clenched his jaw and squeezed his eyes, trying to stop the tears from flowing. Harry took a shaky breath and started at his arm.

Snape knew.

He knew Harry's deepest secret.

He'd probably tell the Slytherins, who would be laughing at his expense. Or worse, Dumbledore. And then Dumbledore would only be able to look upon him with pity. Pity was worse than ridicule.

As upset and embarrassed Harry was about the situation, he still couldn't help feeling the strangest thing: relief. He at least didn't have to hide it any longer, even if it was from one person. And now that he thought on it, Snape didn't have pity in his eyes. It was more like anger. Anger was so much better than pity.

SNAPE POV

So anger it was. Snape was very angry; not at Harry, no, but at who did it. Even though he was supposed to dislike the boy, he couldn't help but relate to him and his situation. Snape had suffered much abuse at the hands of his father, and still suffered from the effects of it all this time later. Not to mention all of the students he had helped through such a thing. He wanted to help Potter. Make him better so that Snape could go back to hating him. Then everything would be normal and the boy would be okay. Lilly's boy. Oh, she would be really upset if she knew this was happening to her own son. Snape decided not to tell anyone unless the boy consented; after all, he had not consented to Snape discovering it and it was not fair to him. The boy needed to feel like he had control over the situation so that he would be able to heal. But only some control. Snape would help him in any way he saw fit.

Looking around his secret potions store, he found what he was looking for. A small, creamy potion that was formulated special for bruises. Tucking it into his robes, he stalked out of the dungeons and into the large corridors of Hogwarts School, in search of Harry Potter.

Snape didn't have to look far. Harry had slid into an abandoned corridor that was often unused by students and was sitting down, back to the wall and head in his hands. Snape could see the bruise on his arm. Approaching as quietly as he could, he knelt down next to the boy. Either he hadn't heard him, or he had no intention of acknowledging his professor's presence, because the boy did not stir. At least it was better than having the boy flee.

He took the vial out of his robes and uncorked the top. At this sound, Harry looked up, the remnants of tears evident in his emerald eyes.

"What do you want?" He demanded.

"Do not address your professor in such a manner." Snape growled at the boy. "Give me your arm."

Harry hesitated.

"I will not repeat myself, Potter. Do as I say."

With obvious reluctance and dread, Harry lifted his arm. To his surprise, Snape took his arm very gently. Then, he started putting something strange on his bruise. He began to pull away, very startled. Snape peered upwards at him and met his eyes, his fingers hovering over the dark purple marks. For once, Harry saw something other than malice. He relaxed his arm slowly, and without a word, his professor spread the cream on his bruise. It faded instantly. When he was done, Harry turned his arm over, examining it.

"What is that stuff?" He said to break the silence. "Sir?"

"It's my special formula. Just for bruises, as you can obviously see." Snape drawled. He was still on his knees at Harry's side. "Show me the others."

Harry froze.

"Others? I have no others; like I said, when I fell, Ron grabbed me."

"And like I said, do not lie to me, boy!"

Harry closed his eyes and leaned his head on the wall, swallowing hard.

"Sir, please. Don't do this to me." He pleaded.

But Snape was not going to give up. He took out his wand and waved it over the boy. The diagnostic spell produced a piece of parchment that read what other injuries Harry had. There was a detailed drawing as well of the long gashes on his back and a short description of how the injuries came to be. Snape studied it and Harry noticed that he raised an eyebrow.

"Stand up." Snape commanded. Harry knew he was cornered. He had no way out now.

So Harry stood up and followed Snape back into the classroom where Snape promptly shut the door behind him.

When he turned around to face Harry, he was taken aback by the tears cascading down the child's cheeks.

"D-don't tell anyone?" he both asked and stated. Snape curtly nodded.

"It is not for me to tell. That is for you to do, if you wish to do so."

Harry sighed in relief and the tears stopped flowing.

"Let me see your injuries." Snape said softly.

Harry took off his robes and unbuttoned his shirt. He gently took it off, trying not to hurt his back. Snape stared, a seemingly indifferent expression on his face as the various purple marks made a grand appearance. His thoughts were not so calm and collected, however. Actually seeing it, not on parchment, made him very angry as to who would do something like this to a child. He did not allow his anger to show through though, and walked forward with the cream, carefully spreading it on the yellowing mark lining the boy's collarbone. He then proceeded to clean the cuts on his back and making nasty bruising around them disappear. As soon as the cuts started disappearing, Harry sighed in relief, the pain fading. There were really light scars where the marks had been; unfortunately the cream didn't work on scars.

Snape put the cork back in the vial and put it back into his robes. Harry slowly put on his shirt and his robes. He looked down at the floor, facing his professor and shuffling his feet slightly. Snape heard him mumble something he didn't understand.

"Speak up, boy." He said.

"Th-thank you sir." Harry said louder.

Snape was a bit shocked and barely managed to say "You're welcome." There was a long silence.

"I know it was your uncle."

Harry nodded.

"Does this happen often?"

Harry nodded again. He couldn't seem to look Snape in the eyes.

"I know I cannot make you tell anyone, but I will advise you that it would be best to inform the Headmaster of this…unfortunate situation."

"I would prefer not to, sir." Harry said quietly.

"Very well then. But provided you need anything, please do not hesitate to see me. My doors will remain open for your presence at any hour if you are experiencing an emergency of some sort. If it is not an emergency, you may come between classes or evenings and weekends."

"Yes sir, thank you very much sir." Harry said, floored at this change in his hated professor's demeanor.

"Now, I believe you must need to be getting back to your dorm."

Snape held out the vial of bruise cream.

"Just in case you…fall again." He whispered.

Harry nodded, not knowing what to say and proceeded to leave the dungeon. He felt as though he were walking through a fog, not quite believing what had just happened. He suddenly realized how tired he was and just managed to make it to his bed before he fell over in exhaustion. For the first time since he came to Hogwarts, he slept without a nightmare.