Author's note at the end.
"So you're telling me that I have to check up on Potter because Arabella Figg is currently in Hawaii?" Severus Snape said, looking at Headmaster Dumbledore with contempt.
"I can't find anyone else to do it. Rubeus is out of the country, Minerva is currently on a mission for the Order, and I'm up to my knees in paperwork," Dumbledore stated, his blue eyes twinkling. He was unfazed by the glare sent from Severus.
"And you seem to think that I'm not busy?"
"Precisely," Dumbledore said, "You spend too much time making Potions in your lab."
"Well I clearly have people that want to be around me-" Severus started to say before Dumbledore interrupted.
"I need it done Severus. And I'm having a hard time finding someone to do it."
"Fine, I'll do it then!" Severus snapped but calmed down quickly, "Where do I go to do it? I want to get it over with as quickly as I can."
Dumbledore dipped a Phoenix-feather quill into glittery purple ink and proceeded to write Four Privet Drive, Little Whinging, Surrey, on a piece of parchment.
"The ink will only be readable to the two of us. To anyone else, it will appear to be gibberish," Dumbledore said.
"And what will I be doing exactly?" Severus asked.
"You'll just be checking up on Heather to make sure she's doing okay. I hope Vernon and Petunia have been taking good care of her." Dumbledore said, his eyes twinkling once again, "Good luck on your mission and if need be, bring her back."
"Well I'll be on my way then," Severus said, leaving Dumbledore's office.
Potter's probably spoiled rotten and gets everything she wants. She's probably going to be as arrogant as her father. She'll never be abused like I was. In fact, she'll likely be the one who abuses people. Severus thought as he swiftly walked down the hallway, his black robes drifting behind him. He made quick work of leaving the school once he was outside. Rainy weather truly annoyed him. Once Severus was far enough, he apparated, knowing that no one could apparate into or out of the school grounds.
He apparated into an uninhabited alleyway. Trusting that no muggles were nearby, he changed his black robes into something more sensible with his wand; a white t-shirt, an emerald green jumper, and jeans. Despite the summertime season, it was cold and he wanted nothing more than to feel the heat of a flame underneath a cauldron.
Rain kept on hitting him directly in the face as he walked towards the Dursley residence. Severus didn't care. The sooner he got this over, the better it would be for anyone. His "okay" mood was steadily dropping, especially after one muggle had the audacity to splash him with their automobile. After a quick glare, the driver thankfully apologized and
When he walked into Petunia's neighbourhood, Severus was disgusted by the monotony of the homes and how similar they appeared to be. He quickly found number four and walked up the steps, hardly noticing the near-perfect garden that stood out. The only thing he focused on was checking on Harriet and going home.
As soon as he knocked on the door, a grossly obese boy answered. "Mum, there's a stranger at the door," he whined.
There were quick footsteps and before he knew it, he was standing face-to-face with Petunia Dursley.
"I'm here to check up on Potter. Can I see her?" Severus said, clearly annoyed with the task he was asked to do.
Petunia visibly appeared nervous and quivered a little bit. She changed the subject. "You. Never thought I'd see you again, Snape."
"Same goes for you, Petunia," Snape demeaned, noticing the woman's attempts to change the subject. However, he didn't let that stop him. "Now where is she?
"She's not here. I don't know where she is, but she left this morning to go to a friends house," she said as she fidgeted a bit.
Severus stared at her horse-like face and could hear the lies in her voice, "No really, where is she?" He asked.
"I said she wasn't here! Now leave before the neighbours will notice."
"Isn't the freak in her cupboard?" the obese boy said, his mouth full of chocolate.
Petunia looked absolutely livid at her son but managed to keep her voice at a kind level. "Dudley, why don't you go play in your room for a bit. This man and I need to have a conversation."
"Yes Mum," Dudley said as he ran up the stairs, purposely stomping on them.
"I hope you don't mind if I search the house then," Severus demanded, stepping inside.
"You won't find anything," Petunia said as she tried to hold the man back. She clearly did not want Severus in her house.
Severus broke through her grip, "Then why are you holding me back?" he asked.
Petunia looked absolutely ashamed as she moved her arms back to her sides. "Fine, you can search the house."
Severus took this as a sign to look for the cupboard which Dudley had mentioned Potter was in. He highly doubted that she was in there as a punishment. She probably chose to go in there willingly, he thought, but I'll need to check on her to make sure that she's okay. Only to satisfy Dumbledore. It's not like I'd ever do this on purpose.
He opened the door of the cupboard of the door and the overpowering odour of blood hit him. He looked and he saw Potter, curled up in a little ball. Luckily she wasn't covered in her own blood, but there was dried blood on the sheets. Both of her ankles were swollen to twice the size they should be and she barely looked like she was five, despite being nine. And she looks so much like Lily, Severus thought.
"Who are you," the child whispered, her emerald eyes clouded with fear.
"I'm Severus Snape, Potions Master at Hogwarts School for Witchcraft and Wizardry," Severus reassured, not wanting to scare the fragile child.
"Vernon says magic isn't real," Heather murmured, her voice sounding hoarse.
"It is, but I'll explain later Pott-Heather. I'm getting you out of here."
"Where am I going?"
"You're going to a magical place where everyone knows who you are."
Severus gently picked up the child, placing his arms under her knees and back. He carefully removed himself from the cupboard. I don't understand how they could have done that to her. If I can't feel comfortable in that cupboard, there's no way that she can, Severus thought. The child flinched but quickly shifted herself in the man's arms, presumably to make herself more comfortable.
"Petunia, how dare you? You call yourself a mother and yet you let this happen to a child. To make it even worse, she looks just like your sister. Why would you do this?" Severus yelled.
"Because she's a freak, that's why. Freaks don't deserve to be called human because they're an abomination of human nature," Petunia
"Well you're never going to see Heather again! And you better expect that you'll be punished! I'm taking her to a place where she'll be loved."
Petunia huffed.
Severus promptly walked outside and slammed the door. The rain was still pouring down and as approached an area suitable to apparate at. Heather began crying. "What's wrong Heather?" Severus asked.
"Hurts," she whined.
"I imagine you do hurt. But if you close your eyes, everything will be alright."
"Promise?"
"I promise."
When the strange man picked me up and took me out of the cupboard, I had never been more thankful in my life. Last night, I had received a terrible beating from Uncle Vernon. He was very drunk, never a good sign, and he pushed me down the stairs, resulting in both of my ankles swelling up. They hurt badly.
Then he proceeded to punch me until I could barely stand up. When my injured ankles couldn't take anymore, I collapsed and he kicked my stomach repeatedly. I didn't dare to cry though.
But the worst part was when he beat me with his belt. I didn't cry out, but I wanted to. Thankfully I passed out but I couldn't do any chores today. Aunt Petunia yelled at me, but she didn't force me to do anything. I was thankful for that.
So when the stranger picked me up in his arms, I couldn't help but to cry. Not only was I in pain, but I was also being removed from the one place that I had never been happy.
When I told the man that everything hurt, he believed me. He told me to close my eyes and I did.
But then I felt a dreadful feeling. I was being pulled through a tube that didn't seem to have an end. My body was being flipped inside-out and it wouldn't stop. I felt a feeling of nausea overwhelm me and I had the sudden urge to vomit and it wouldn't go away.
When the feeling stopped, I looked around and saw a castle in the distance. I wondered where I was, but before I could think about that, my stomach contracted and I threw up all over the man. The man glared at me and I started bawling. "Potter, in my ten years of teaching, I have never had a student throw up on me. This is absolutely vile."
I cried harder out of embarrassment. I couldn't control it. I just closed my eyes and slipped away from the moment. I let the rain drip down my cheeks, hoping it would just wash me away. Then I slipped into the darkness.
I felt absolutely disgusted when Potter- no Heather threw up on me. I had the overwhelming feeling that she purposely did it to anger me. Then I remembered that I had just side-along apparated with her and it made me sick the first time. In fact, it made most people vomit the first time. I wanted to apologize to the kid, but she had closed her eyes once again. And I was thankful for that! I didn't have to listen to her cry and realize how cruel I'd been.
Thankfully, I reached the infirmary in record-time and Poppy was shocked by what she saw. "What is this?"
"It's Heather Potter," I whispered, hoping not to wake the child up.
"This can't be! The child was supposed to be loved. She saved us all from He-Who-Shall-Not-Be-Named! And here she is, covered in her own blood."
Sadly nodding, I set her down on a bed, noticing how Heather didn't make a single sound. I stroked her blood-matted hair as Poppy cast a diagnosis charm on Heather and a quill wrote everything down on Parchment. I sighed, hoping that the injuries weren't too severe, but judging by what I'd seen so far, I could only hope
"Egritudo," Poppy whispered.
A quill began writing everything down on a piece of paper.
Heather Lily Potter
Age: 8 years, 353 days
Height: 37 inches
Weight: 40 pounds
Extremely malnourished
Injuries (listed in order of severity)
Ruptured spleen (must be fixed immediately)
Punctured lung (must be fixed)
Fractured pelvis
Shattered right ulna
Moderate concussion
Second-degree burns on back and hands
Fractured left tibia and fibula
Five broken ribs
Bruised bladder
Broken fingers
Illnesses:
Asthma
Fever
Other notes:
Possible child abuse
URGENT MEDICAL CARE IS REQUIRED
FULL RECOVERY IS NOT GUARANTEED
MENTAL AND EMOTIONAL TRAUMA WILL LIKELY PERSIST
"What happened?" Poppy asked.
"The Dursleys happened," I replied with extreme contempt in my voice.
Hello. I know I haven't written in a little while, but I haven't had very many ideas and I've been rather busy with life in general. However, I'm planning to update this story around 5:00 MST every Tuesday. It's my first time following a strict schedule, but I hope it works out.