Chapter 1
"You useless, good-for-nothing leech!" CRACK! "We should have gotten rid of you when we had the chance!" SLAP! "What the hell do you think you were doing giving my son burnt bacon!" CRUNCH!
This was an everyday occurrence for Harry Potter. Wake up, make breakfast, do something wrong, get 'in trouble'. Of course being 'in trouble' is a little bit of an understatement…
Harry's uncle hit him. Regularly. Not just a slap here or there, but true beatings. True, vicious beatings. Belts, whips, knives… Anything within reach was fair game for use on Harry Potter.
"You will DO as I SAY! Do I make myself clear?"
Harry's jaw was so sore he could barely form his answer. "Ye uuma ver…"
"WHAT did you say Boy?"
"I said yes Uncle Vernon," said Harry with a great deal of effort.
"Now, I am going to work and when I get home, I expect that entire list of chores to be done. Understood?"
"Yes"
"Excuse me?"
"Yes sir."
"Much better."
Harry looked to the doorway. Both his Aunt Petunia and his cousin Dudley were standing, leaning against the wall smirking at him. Harry had decided that they enjoyed Harry's torment. How can someone do this to their own flesh and blood? Harry asked himself. Not that I don't deserve it… After all that I have done…
"Freak," his uncle spat and walked out of the room.
"What? What did you just ask me to do headmaster? I am sure I heard you wrong."
"I asked you to go and check on Harry for me."
Severus Snape was beside himself. The headmaster wanted HIM to check on POTTER. The two of them couldn't be in the same room for half an hour without screaming at each other, and he was supposed to go and make sure he was okay?
"Headmaster, may I ask why you feel it is necessary to check on Potter? After all, you have never sent anyone to check on him in years past. What is different about this year?"
"Well Severus, it appears that Harry's letters, while coming every three days, are short and uninformative. The only information they contain is that the Dursleys are treating him fine and that he is getting his homework done. His friends, Sirius, and Remus are all very worried about him. They say something is wrong."
"Now Albus, really. The spoiled brat is probably just on a pity trip about his 'oh so terrible life'. Either that, or he has absolutely no consideration for those who might worry about him."
"All the same Severus, I would appreciate it if you would make sure that he is alright."
"Headmaster, surely there is someone else you can ask this of? How about Lupin? Or another teacher? Or the Weasleys? I'm sure they would love to help precious Potter. Or even Black?"
"Now Severus, you and I both know that Remus, Sirius, and the Weasleys are on a mission for the order. And most of the teachers from this school are on vacation over seas. And before you ask, I have important meetings with the ministry that cannot be avoided."
Severus could see that he was trapped. How was he supposed to get out of this one? Dumbledore was always a step ahead of the game… And that damned twinkle in his eyes!
"But Albus…"
"Severus, I have made up my mind. You will go and check on Harry. And just so you know, you are starting to sound like a whiny first year."
That shut Snape up. He must be spending too much time around the students. He really was sounding like a first year complaining about something so trivial. But it was that Potter brat! The bane of his existence! Grin and bear it Severus. This is nothing. Just knock on the door, see Potter, yell at him for a few minutes about making everyone worry, and then come back to school and enjoy the rest of vacation in peace.
"Yes headmaster… I will do as you ask." There he goes again! With that damned twinkle! I wish I could take a knife and just carve out his eyes to get rid of that twinkle…
"Very good Severus. I would appreciate it if you would do this sometime today. Thank you."
Severus left the office wondering what he had got himself into…
