Author's Note; This is a Reboot of my most popular story, When we are lost. This is a Snarry Fanfic, so if you do not like, do not read. This story is in an AU were Serious did not die, Snape was never forced to Kill Dumbledore, and Harry still, technically, gets to finish his last school year. I admit there is likely to be some OOCness here, but that's okay, it's just a story for fun

WARNING; This story contains the following; Reference to Rape, Reference to Abuse, Male/Male Romance, Violence, Sexual Content, ETC. If these are things that you cannot read, please, make a pass on this story.

I would like to offer a huge thanks to CupcakeSev23, who assisted me with being able to start up this story again. Thank you so much, and I hope you enjoy this reboot.

Chapter 1; Blood in the cupboard

It was a warm and windy night, a few leaves blew across the dark pavement, trees rustling in an eerie symphony along with deep howls of the wind. The street was darker than usual, the thick storm clouds that had been gathering blocked out any of the light the moon may have granted Privet Drive. All of the houses had lights on inside of them, but it did little to light the dark streets, or to illuminate the solitary figure which currently walked down the middle of the pavement, a dark shadow skulking through seemingly unnoticed.

July rainstorms had left the street seeming damp, the pavement glistened underneath black shoes as black eyes scanned the numbers on building searching for the correct house in which his charge was currently staying. Severus Snape walked slowly, silently cursing the boy who he was here to pick up.

Why couldn't the Weasleys come and pick up the brat? Severus thought bitterly as he counted down the even numbers on one side of the road. If Potter is being forced to stay with me for the rest of summer, we will murder each other.

A heavy sigh escaped Severus' throat as he saw number four approaching slowly. It was Potters seventeenth birthday, making him an adult, and Lily's protection would no longer be there to keep him safe, and so he had to be put in the care of the one wizard Dumbledore trusted enough to protect "The Chosen One". None other than the triple agent, Severus Snape.

When Albus had made the suggestion to the order, many of them had firmly objected, Black especially, the old geezer had, unfortunately, insisted that even Grimmauld Place would not be anywhere near safe enough. So, it was a sacrifice, and an extremely dangerous one at that, giving up a spy, for the protection of Potter.

Severus couldn't help but feel bitter about the situation. He had been putting himself in such great danger, going back and forth, enduring harsh punishments and torment, to gather crucial information, all to give it up to PROTECT the brat who didn't even care. He felt almost hurt. Yes this was a sign of just how much Albus trusted Severus, but it felt as if all he had endured up until now had been pointless.

Sadly, this was the reality, and Severus could no longer put off picking up the boy. He pulled the pocket-watch out of his robes and looked at it, nearly nine, he had sent a letter ahead, so if the boy was not ready to go, they would leave his stuff behind. He put the watch away and briskly walked up the front step and rapped on the door with his knuckles, waiting as he saw a shadow move quickly pass the window.

It was only a moment later when the door opened, a short round man standing in the doorway, his wiry mustache speckled with food, piggy little eyes staring up at Severus, clearly angry. Severus watched with a raised eyebrow as the man examined him in his robes, clearly taking in who he was.

"What do you want?" Vernon, Severus suspected, asked with a deep growling tone. Severus sneered at him and folded his arms impatiently.

"I am here to pick up Potter." He said coldly, smirking slightly as he saw the fat man shiver. "If he did not inform you that I was picking him up, reprimand him. Other than that fetch the boy so we may be off."

The man shuffled slightly, looking away from Snape for a moment before speaking again, his voice much less confident now that the potions master was bearing down on him with cold eyes.

"The F-boy is already gone…" Severus frowned, looking at the man refusing to meet his eyes. He was lying, but why…

"Mind if I double check that?" Severus said coldly as he began to step forward. Vernon fixed his hand on the doorframe, blocking the entrance.

"You have no right to enter my house!" Vernon said, quite loudly. Severus raised an eyebrow again, feeling ever so slightly more suspicious and...concerned. He silently looked at the man and pressed his mind forward, picking up on the thoughts running across the surface of his mind.

If the freak sees he'll kill me. Have to keep him out, can't let them see Potter….

Severus snarled and pulled out his wand, putting it right up to the man's face. Vernon yelped and instantly stepped away, allowing Severus to step in and silently close the door behind him.

"Where is Potter!?" Severus growled, his voice projected, though not yelling. It was only a moment later that another figure entered into Severus' view, a tall, thin woman with a long face, a familiar face, entered into the hallway and gasped as she saw Snape with his wand on her husband.

"You…" She gasped at him, one bony hand covering her mouth, the other grasping at her heart, as if she was about to keel over. Severus sneered at Lilly's sister, the old loathing he had felt for her boiling up again.

"Petunia. It's been some time." He hissed slightly. "No time for pleasantries however. Tell me where is Potter?"

She stared at Snape, then to her husband, who was sweating and turning bright red. She seemed to be at a loss of words, shocked by the entire situation. Severus was about to ask again when a voice he had not expected spoke from above him, drawing his attention to a large boy, around the same age as Potter, in sleep clothes.

"Harry's in the cupboard!" The boy said, looking rather scared. Severus frowned and looked at Vernon, who had a look of defeat and fear in his eyes. Severus looked over at the stairs, were there was a cupboard with several locks on it, all latched. He shoved past the large Dursley and unlocked the latches without a word before swinging the door open.

The sight shook Severus to the very core. Pale and ungodly thin, Harry Potter; The-Boy-Who-Lived, The Chosen One, was hanging from a bar suspended above what looked like had once been a bed. His arms were twisted so unnaturally, holding him up above the ground as a small pool of blood was starting to congeal underneath his feet, dripping from somewhere between his legs.

Severus managed to shake off the shock and quickly snapped the rope with but a quick swish of his wand, catching the young man as he fell, his unconscious body limp and cold. Severus checked the boys pulse, he was still alive, before quickly unbinding his hands and wrapping him in a blanket that was draped over the old bed. He picked Potter up bridal style and stepped out of the room, his eyes angry daggers at the Dursleys, who had began to cower in a corner the moment Snape opened that door.

"I suspect you will hear from Dumbledore very shortly." He hissed at them. "Someone else will be here to take his things, if I hear that you sabotage any of them, you will answer to ME."

And without a glance back he was out the door, a dark shadow moving down the street once again, a dark specter in the drizzle of rain that had begun to fall. He moved much faster than he had while arriving, causing his cloak to billow out behind him just slightly more, creating the appearance of a bat like shadow.

Severus arrived at the portkey within only a couple of moments, shifting the all too thin body in his arms just enough to take ahold of the rusty can, before the two of them were whisked away into the night.