Just a little dribble to pass the nights away. If you don't like... oh well!

Disclaimer: J. owns, not me!

Chapter 1

"But, Professor! I can't go back!" A scared voice shouts.

"My boy, you must go back to your relative's house. It is the only way to keep you alive." A elder man answers.

"But sir, I told you, they are..." The small child begins.

"I don't want to hear it! You will go back to their home, you ungrateful brat. They fed you, clothed you and housed you for years while they could have sent you away. You will go back and do what you are told. Do you understand me?" He looms menacingly over the overly small, frightened boy.

"Y...yes, sir." The raven-haired young boy lowers his head in defeat. The end of term is only a few days away and Harry doesn't want to go back to his abusive relatives.

"Good. Get back to your dorm." A twinkle appears in Dunbledore's eyes as he watches the defeated boy drag his feet out the door.

Out in the corridir outside the Headmaster's office, Harry Potter lowers his head and begins to weep softly into his hands. It's not fair! They said they would kill me if I went back to them, especially if I learned any 'freaky' stuff! What can I do? I know! I will just run away! I have loads of galleons in that vault thingie of mine; that should let somewhere in the magical world. With his thought sorted, Harry swipes at his face quickly and begins back to Gryffindor Tower. Too bad luck wasn't on his side that night.

"Mister Potter... out of bed... past curfew. Just because you are the boy who lived.. does not mean you can do what you wish." Severus Snape drawls as he comes upon Harry. Harry starts at the cold cruel voice; he doesn't want Snape to know that he was crying!

"I.. I'm sorry, sir. I was talking t..to P..professor Dumbledore and I.. lost track of time." Harry explains as he hiccups through the last of his tears.

"Master Potter... are you.. crying? I assure you, the worst I will do is take fiflt points from your house. Now, show me a note from HEADMASTER Dumbledore adn we shall be on our way." He puts an emphasis on the fact that Dumbledore is the headmaster, not just a professor.

"He... he didn't give m.. me... one. And I'm no.. not crying because of y...you, sir."

"Why then why are you cryng?"

"Be.. because Headmaster D.. dumbledore is forcing me to go back to my relative's house for the s... summer."

"And why is it such a bad thing for you, Potter, to be pampered over the summer?"

"Pampered, sir? Where did you get that idea from?!" Harry exclaims incredulously.

"Dumbledore has assured everyone that you are in a loving home, being catered to twenty-four/seven. Is that not the case? And don't think of lying to me boy?"

Harry winces when Snape calls him boy, which Snape notices that reaction to the name. "My relatives, sir, hate me and magic. They keep me stuffed in the cupboard under the stairs, and I'm only allowed out to do chores and sometimes once a day to use the loo. Other then that, I stay in there. I'm put in there for puniskment too. If I don't do something perfectly, they beat me and then throw me into the cupboard without food; they usually forget I'm in there for several days too, the longest was fivedays. I am not pampered sir. Not at all." Harry gazes into obsidian eyes, emerald eye gleaming in remembered pain.

"That's not true! Don't lie to me Potter! I know your grandparents must love you to death!" Snape spits at Harry, making him cringe.

"I... I have... grandparents?" He looked up in shock as his eyes grew wide. "I was told that all my grandparents are dead. Aunt Petunia..." Harry was interrupted.

"Petunia? Petunia Evans? Who married Vernon Dursley?" Snape demands to know if that's who Harry means.

"Yea, I guess. I live with Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon and their son Dudley. They are where I have to go to for summer."

"He put you with TUNEY? She hates anything magic related!" Snape looks at Harry in a brand new light. Have I been wrong the whole time? Has Harry really been abused like he claims? Merlin, how could Dumbledore lie to us like that! He promised that Lily's son would be safe! Looking into Harry's eyes, he can see the truth for himself.

"I know Professor. That's why I asked the headmaster to let me stay at the castle over the summer. Or the Weasley's they like me and I could pay them from my vault Hagrid took me to this past summer."

Snape stares disbelieving at the Potter heir. "Potter, you are the heir to an Ancient and Noble House.. you have enough money to buy the Weasley's home hundreds of thousands of times over. You shouldn't be so trusting of that family without first finding out what they really want from you. And how do you not know about you paternal grandparents? You should have gone directly to them... unless someone interfered..." Snape pinches the bridge of his nose as he began to understand.

"Sir? You.. you mean I should have been living with my father's parents instead of mum's sister? Why would someone put me with magic hating muggles?" Harry cocks his head to the side, trying to understand everything Snape has been telling him.

"Listen to me, Potter, and listen well... I shall only say this one time. Draco Malfoy is my godson and I will take him home with me the night after everyone has left the castle; when it's time for everyone to leave, hide somewhere until I come find you. You must tell me where you've hidden beforehand, obviously, but this way we can try to figure out what has led to this."

"Sir? Why don't I just hide under my Invisibility Cloak? I was given it this Christmas. Apparently it was my dad's cloak before me."

"An Invisibility Cloak... of course, that is how he... Nevermind yes hide in the potions classroom while everyone else gets on the train, then Draco and I will come find you. And before you object, Draco is much different then you may think."

"Yes sir. I'll do just like you asked." Harry is determined to get away form the Dursleys.

"Good. I will have to tell Draco what the plan is, but no one else is to know. No one. Do you understand Potter?" Harry nods his head quickly. "Good. Now, let's get you back to your dorm." They walk back to the tower in silance, Harry lost in thought about why Snape would want to help him. He's always seemed to hate him, so there's no real reason to help him out now. Harry fidgets in front of the portrait guarding the tower for a moment, wanting to ask a question, but not wanting to be yelled at. Snape just sighs at him. "What is it Potter?"

"Well, sir, I was.. j..just wondering why you... want to help.. me?" Harry asks meekly, staring down at his too-large shoes; they are on old pair of Dudley's, but they fit anymore so Harry got them even though they fit him less.

"I am helping you because it is the right thing to do. Any abused child should be helped. But, I am also helping because I owed your father a Life Debt, and I promised your mother once she was dead that I would look after you. I can see that I haven't done a well enough job, but I will... try more in the future."

"Thank you sir." Harry whispers before giving him a quick hug, he's just happy that someone cares about him.

As the portrait of the Fat Lady closes, Severus answers. "You're welcome Harry. I swear to do better by you." A white glow envelops the man, who was expecting it and even welcomes it a little. It meas he must do anything to protect Harry, even going against his controlling master.

Harry enters the common room to see that most people are already in bed, save the older years who are studing for test and his sort of? friend, Hermione Granger. "There you are Harry! I was wondering when you would get back from talking to Dumbledore. Did you get everything situated?" The bushy-haired girl asks.

"Yes Hermione, I got it all taken care of. I'm reall tired though, so I'm gonna head to bed. G'night Hermione." Harry smiled before hugging her then walked right on through the common room, wanting to just collaspe in his bed

"O..okay Harry. See you in the morning." Hermione says after him.