How Albus Dumbledore managed to rope him into things he had no desire to do, he had no idea. He had just left his safe lab in the dungeons to get an estimate of the incoming first year, so that he could plan around the muggleborns' lack of experience. Dumbledore hadn't made a personal house call since the 1950's. He knew it had something to do with the Potter brat. He could feel it in his bones the moment Dumbledore mentioned it.

Severus had pointedly refused at first. There was no way he was going to take time off his Wednesday to visit Wool's Orphanage. The Potter brat would already be in his class; he could meet him then. Albus was a grown wizard, and he could show the brat around Diagon Alley all by himself. So, of course, here he was in a tight suit surrounded by the worst muggle children he could happen to imagine. The headmistress had taken an instant liking to him, and Severus wanted to Obliviate himself of her terrifying fantasies of the pair together.

"You have an opening for the Potter boy? You are sure? We have many other children to pick from." Headmistress Dye said carefully. She wanted the boy gone, but shoving him on these nice respectable men would be cruel. She didn't want them to judge her on the little demon's actions.

"Mr. Potter has had his name down ever since he was born. His parents were alumni before they died. We are a very close-knit school and nothing you say will deter us from inviting him. May I ask why you are so reluctant to let us meet him?" Dumbledore manipulated easily. Severus had to hold back a sneer. He didn't know why so many trusted a man who could lie this smoothly.

"He is a troubled child. He was brought to us as a toddler badly abused. We don't usually take in abuse victims, but he was a sweet boy. I didn't want him to have to sleep in the police station until they found another place for him. It was supposed to be temporary but then the matrons got attached and a child got adopted. We had a sudden opening and decided to keep him." The headmistress started. It was a long story and she wasn't sure just what all she could say without the men second guessing their choice of taking her.

"He doesn't cause trouble per say; he attracts it. The children seem to hate him no matter what. He is brilliant, and gets along very well with the adults. I think that makes him a threat to the other children. They seem to single him out among all the rest." She continued. Severus couldn't really think of a Potter in that position. Potter always put him in that position. He wouldn't wish that on any child. Dumbledore had an unreadable expression. He didn't like this. The situation was too similar. He had made the same mistake before. He had to fix this quickly.

"Minor bullying isn't a reason for the aversion you have for the boy. There must have been something else." Albus pressed for more information. The headmistress suddenly got uncomfortable. She hadn't spoke about the rest of the story ever. She promised she wouldn't. It made her look crazy. The more religious matrons believed the boy was a demon.

Severus felt the magic roll off Dumbledore as he cast a mild suggestion charm on the headmistress. He didn't like the feeling of his magic. His magic had a sickly-sweet feel to it. It felt terrible against Severus' dark core.

"He's a little fallen angel. He never does anything wrong in front of people, but there are things that happen around here when he is angry or hurt. If he is wronged, you better believe that the person will feel his wrath. I don't know how he does it, but it isn't possible to have so many coincidences. The boys always picked on him, but that stopped instantly when he turned five years old." She admitted. Dumbledore felt a chill go down his spine. This was déjà vu. The same orphanage. The same background. He had created another monster.

"When he turned five, he was a very quiet child. I believed that either his relatives didn't teach him to speak, or they punished him for it. He answered basic yes or no questions, but he wouldn't speak. He just nodded or shook his head. Michael, one of the other boys here, took to bullying him for being 'mute'. Harry spoke that day. He spoke about things he couldn't have known. He told the other children about Michael's past which only I knew about. I hadn't even told the other matrons." She explained.

Severus didn't know what to think about the Potter boy. He defended himself against bullies better than he ever did. He couldn't fault the boy for fighting back. He couldn't fault the boy for any of this. He knew Dumbledore wouldn't see it that way. Dumbledore would fault the boy for the other boy's actions.

##FLASHBACK##

Harry was sat on the floor of the small sitting room with a thick book on his lap. He was suddenly rudely interrupted by a rough foot to the side of his head. Harry bit his lip to keep from crying out in pain. He glared up at the tall blonde kid of thirteen.

"Who the hell do you think your fooling? You can't read! You can't even talk." Michael taunted putting his foot on Harry's knee pressing on it harshly. Harry glared harder. He was fed up with people like Michael never getting what they deserved.

"Why should I talk to lowlife like you? You aren't worth the air it takes to acknowledge your existence. You got dropped off at this orphanage, not because your parents were unfit, but because you almost killed your younger sister in a fit of anger." Harry said his voice firm like he used it regularly. Michael's cheeks flushed in embarrassed anger. He hadn't admitted that to anyone much less Harry James Potter. He grabbed Harry by the throat. He wanted to hurt Harry. He couldn't possibly know the things he had said. He liked to believe he was the most popular boy here. That would all go away if the others figured out that he had been given up because of his anger.

"Shut your inbred, demented mouth about things you know nothing about!" Michael shouted punching the wall directly beside Harry's head. He wasn't strong enough to do any damage to the wood, but the occupants of the room gasped anyway. Harry just chuckled softly as if looking at a small child throwing a temper tantrum.

##END##

"So you see, he may be a bit sharp tongued, but he never caused any problems. The other children didn't associate with Michael after that. A few weeks later we found the young boy dead in his room. His roommate insisted Harry did it, but the police ruled it a suicide. Nothing ever came of these claims, but the children began to fear him." She finished. Severus' jaw clenched. It reminded him so much of the young Riddle boy.

"It's best we not let childrens' delusions alienate one child from the group. I am sure that was all just a misunderstanding. May we meet young Potter?" Dumbledore asked his voice as calm and unchanged as ever. Severus looked up at Dumbledore in surprise. He expected Dumbledore to be more impacted by the obvious similarities between Harry and Tom Riddle.

"Yes, of course. He should be just finishing up his violin lesson with Madam Oswald." Headmistress Dye said standing and leading the men to a room down the pristine corridor. They opened the door where a boy at the age of eleven stood on a podium playing Tchaikovsky Violin Concerto. He paused once he noticed the newcomers in the room.

"My apologies, I was lost in the music. May I help you?" Harry asked warmly. His hair was a dark auburn and done up in a low ponytail. A few strands had escaped framing his slim face. Severus had to force his emotionless mask in place to keep from gasping. He looked just like Lily, except with a more aristocracy shining through from his father's side.

"Yes, Harry, these men are here to talk to you about an offer to their prestigious school in Scotland." The head mistress said kindly. Harry smiled warmly and stepped off the podium. He opened his violin case putting it up quickly. His emerald eyes finally steadied on Dumbledore and Snape.

"Apologies for the wait, I am Hadrian Potter. It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance." Harry offered a hand out to Dumbledore first. He shook it with a grandfatherly smile. Harry pleasantly offered his hand to Severus who denied it with a sneer. Harry took the obvious snub with a smile.

"Hello, Mr. Potter, I am Headmaster Dumbledore, and this is my colleague Professor Severus Snape. We are here to discuss your placement at our school. It is an elite school for special children." Dumbledore said professionally. He gave Harry his Hogwarts letter. Harry took it opening it with a blank look.

"Indeed. Excuse me if this is a bit hard for me to believe, but is this a joke?" Harry asked with an incredulous look after he finished reading the letter twice through. Harry always knew he was different than the other kids, but he had just put it down as his brain being an adaptation of evolution. Magic wasn't possible. This wasn't some fairy tale where magical wizards carried him away from his horrible life.

"No, Harry, this is not a joke. Your mother was a witch. Your father was a wizard." Dumbledore said carefully as if expecting Harry to get angry and accuse him of lying to him. Harry stayed a blank slate. It was if nothing bothered the young man. Severus sneered.

"Do you really think two grown men have time to go around pulling pranks on unimportant children?" he barked harshly. Harry smiled up at him his eyes alight with agitation and controlled rage. Behind his relaxed and calm exterior he was enraged at Severus' actions and attitude.

"I'm sorry for implying you are untruthful, but this is hard to believe, and I am not as naive to believe anything a man in a suit tells me." He said his tone falsely contrite. It was obvious to anyone with any knowledge of sarcasm that it was scathing. Severus restrained himself from snapping at the impudent boy.

Dumbledore transfigured the violin into a cello. Harry's eyes lit up in controlled excitement. He moved up to it running his finger over the beautiful craftsmanship. He played a long list of instruments, but he had never got his hands on a cello.

"Is there a fund or scholarship I can apply for? I don't have any money." Harry asked hesitantly. He wouldn't get his hopes up yet. He couldn't do anything this grand. All he could do was influence people to do what he wanted and read people's minds.

"Your parents left you a small fortune when they passed. It is all in our currency, however, so it resides in our world." Dumbledore assured Harry who barely contained the urge to jump with joy at the thought. Severus sneered. He was nothing like his Lily, even if he looked so much like her.

"If it is open still, I would like to accept you offer. Would you be able to show me which bank the money resides in, and where I can purchase the needed equipment?" Harry asked politely. He didn't want to push his luck. He still couldn't believe this was real. He truly was better than all these idiot kids.

"Yes, I will send Severus to come tomorrow morning at nine sharp to take you to get your things; unfortunately, we must be on our way. I look forward to seeing you again on September first." Dumbledore said in farewell. He and Severus made their leave.

"Why must I take the brat?" Severus demanded once they were outside the building. Dumbledore gave him a grave look. Severus knew he was scheming. He hated being a pawn in the Headmasters chessboard.

"I need someone he can't manipulate." Dumbledore said simply before apperating away. Severus sighed before following. This was going to be an interesting year. He needed to prepare himself mentally. There was no lying to himself. Harry was nothing like either of his parents. He needed to reevaluate his mannerisms.

Harry smiled softly as he started playing the large cello. He would be the best at this school, too. He was behind, but that was because he had been left in a world with people so much below him. He would catch up. He wouldn't let Uncle Vernon be right. He wasn't worthless or stupid. He was great. He was a wizard.

Dumbledore moved to the large basin holding all the memories he often looked over. Things had gone so wildly off track. He had to reevaluate all his plans and try and make them work for the boy he had just met. He had to atone for the mistakes he made with Tom. He was still furious that Petunia let herself be caught abusing the boy. That is what put everything so off track.