Disclaimer: I don't own H.P.

I reposted this chapter as i did a bit of editing of the grammar and punctuation. Hopefully it read a little better now.

Severus Snape stalked through the corridors, his robes billowing out behind him. He hated patrolling the corridors at night; it was a hideous waste of his time and not something he should be bothered with. He wouldn't deny that he relished the idea of catching out Potter roaming the corridors at night 'like his Father before him' he thought angrily to himself, 'disregarding the rules put in place for his and others' safety.'

Tonight he was in a slightly better mood than usual, it was the last night of term and he would be free from the students for the summer. This was the last patrol he would be required to perform for the year and it was with that thought in mind that he continued to prowl through the dark corridors. He didn't dare hope to catch any wandering students tonight of all nights as they were all eagerly awaiting the summer, even the Weasley twins wouldn't cause mischief tonight, there's just no use if there isn't an audience.

However, Severus Snape was in luck tonight; there was a Potter out of Gryffindor tower. Harry had patiently waited for the snores of his roommates to fill the dormitory before slipping on his Father's invisibility cloak, creeping out of his four-poster and slipping down the stairs. He wanted to have one night of freedom before he was sent back to the Dursleys. So, at 01:30 in the morning he was to be found in a disused classroom on the fourth floor sitting on the floor, invisibility cloak discarded; he had checked the map when he chose the room and the coast had been clear- Filch had long since gone to bed but Mrs Norris was in the dungeons, probably looking for a spider to eat. Snape was on the fifth floor but Harry figured he was heading for Gryffindor tower, probably hoping to lose the house some points before the next year started.

With that thought in mind he settled himself down for a moment alone. He just had to get out by himself, he had spent all day pretending to be excited for the summer with his housemates and though Ron and Hermione knew how he really felt about the summer and the Dursleys, they just didn't understand this summer, they didn't understand why it was so much worse.

It was outside this particular abandoned room that Snape found himself pausing. The door was ever so slightly ajar which should not be the case, he noticed the little things- he was a spy after all. There was also the small fact that he had walked past this particular classroom on his way to the fifth floor and the door had been firmly shut and now on his way back down to the dungeons this was no longer the case- it didn't take a genius.

He crept closer as a quiet voice met his ears, 'Potter!' He thought triumphantly as he recognised the student. He could just catch what he was saying and edged closer to the door, after all it couldn't hurt to hear what he was plotting, he'd most likely brought his side-kicks, it was too good an opportunity to miss. After Black's escape which he knew was down to that insufferable child he would take any opportunity to give Potter what he deserved.

Harry just needed someone to talk to, someone who would listen to how he felt. "Hey, Mum," Harry breathed. "I don't know if you're listening or anything… but if you're around up there you might be, especially considering what happened this year," he cleared his throat.

Snape frowned outside the door, apparently the child was alone and he was talking to Lily. The reminder that the brat was not only the child of Potter but of Lily, his Lily, hit him full force. He had promised to protect Potter for her and he was- he had to stop the child from breaking the rules, parading about the castle as if he owned the place, and so what if he got a little pleasure from his small revenge? After tonight he'd be back with his relatives who no doubt coddled him and spoilt him rotten and good riddance, but beforehand he'd learn something! Curiosity held him in place; he wanted to hear what the child would say to Lily. He brought his attention back to Harry as he heard his voice again.

"I almost had it, Mum," he whispered sadly, "I wished for this for thirteen years, that someone would rescue me from the Dursleys - and yeah, Hagrid did in a way and now I'm here at Hogwarts and I'm grateful I really, really am Mum."

Rescue from the Dursleys? What drivel was the child spouting now?

"It's just that I thought this would be it. I have Hogwarts and Ron, Hermione, the rest of the Weasleys. It's really good and compared to how it was, well, a summer with the Dursleys isn't too horrific- I've not even been in the cupboard for three years!" He gave a sad little laugh.

"Anyway I… I just wanted… I met Sirius, Mum." He paused before continuing as if thinking about how he wanted to go on. "It was going to be perfect, you know. I should have known it was too good to be true the minute he offered but it was all I've ever wanted."

Severus was getting confused, what's this about a cupboard? And what had that Mutt offered the boy? Probably something stupid, what did precious Potter not have?

"It would have been so good. He'd have let me ask about you and Dad, I bet he'd just tell me things too. There's so much I didn't know, so much I still don't. Three years ago I thought you died in a car crash, for Merlin's sake! Aaah Hagrid's face when I said that, it was funny- well not at the time..."

Why would the child think that Lily was killed in a car crash of all things? He didn't have time to ponder it as Harry feverishly continued.

"And I know I don't know Sirius but he can't be worse than the Dursleys, can he? He was Dad's best friend and he actually wants me. That must count for something." Harry's voice picked up volume; it felt so good to talk about everything that had happened. "I mean lets compare things, I could live with someone I don't know but who was my Dad's best friend and actually offered to take me in or I could live with my relatives who don't want me, who actually despise me as much as Snape does! It's just not fair!" He punctuated the final word with a kick to a nearby chair.

So the boy was unhappy with his relatives, and the dog had offered him somewhere else to live, stupid thing for him to do really, nothing was set in stone, why get the child's hopes up? He was particularly struck by Harry's comment that his relatives' hatred of him matched Snape's own. Severus was under no illusion that his treatment of Harry was fair or even kind, he knew that he hated the child, he was the image of his Father… he knew that he showed it, he was cruel, harsh and spiteful. He didn't regret it, the arrogant child needed to be taken down a peg or two and he's coddled enough by others to suffer too much from it. But is he? It was odd; he'd heard children complain that they hated their parents or siblings in anger but to suggest that they hated him and that they didn't want him… He had to admit that he was perplexed.

"It's not fair," Another kick, "It's." Kick, "not." kick, "fair." he sat down wearily staring moodily at the wall, "It was just so close," he whispered sadly. "I know you can't fix this even if you can hear me, I mean the whole cupboard thing wouldn't have happened, or the whole bars on the window fiasco but maybe you could pull a few strings up there, Ron said something about the Quidditch World Cup…" He grinned to himself. "I should really go to bed shouldn't I?"

Severus Snape stood outside the classroom with a very confused look upon his face. The Potter he knew, the arrogant, rule breaking, cheeky brat wasn't the same boy who was in that classroom. It didn't fit, nothing he said made sense and it was all wrong. What was worse was that he knew that Lily would be crushed if she could hear what her son had said; she would move mountains to make sure he was safe and happy. Could her relatives really hate the boy? He couldn't blame them if they did… but he owed her, and he swore to protect the child… If she knew he had heard… He owed it to her… He'd made a promise…

He heard Harry stand up and walk towards the door. Severus Snape turned on his heel and left.