Author's note: This story is completely noncannon after The Goblet of Fire. There are no horcruxes, no long drawn out struggles and no dead Dumbledore. There is also a fair bit of adult content in this, (i.e. child abuse, both non-con and consensual sex, torture and Snape making kissy faces, which may cause deep emotional scarring,) so please be warned. That said, I own none of these characters… I'm just borrowing with intent to keep. Note that I said borrowing… all characters and settings that you recognize aren't mine. Don't sue my butt. Ok? Mmmka

FYI: I know a fair bit about horses from personal experience and have researched elephant and tiger behavior rather extensively before writing this. So yes, as far as I understand, this is how these animals behave. Bridleless riding is also possible, by the way, with a little training and the right horse. I'm not an expert, (actually, I'm a dressage rider… kind of the opposite,) but I have ridden a horse trained that way and it is possible. Anyway, that's enough of my blabbing. Enjoy.

Chapter 1: A Visit to the Circus

This summer would be just like every other one, Harry decided. Scratch that, this one looked a bit worse.

Vernon was still a bit peeved about the Aunt Marge incident and so, upon arriving home had proceeded to beat the living piss out of Harry with his belt. This was a fairly standard welcome home for the boy, but this year, Harry also had the dubious honor of being banned from the house as well.

Crouching in the little garden shed, he sent a silent 'thank you' up to whoever was listening that he had had the good sense to send Hedwig with Ron for the summer. She hated the shed almost as much as he did. The thought of Molly and Ginny fussing over the beautiful white bird, feeding her all sorts of tidbits owls probably shouldn't have and generally spoiling her cheered Harry a great deal as he quietly cleaned his bloodied back and nursed a hungry stomach, empty for the first time since fall, with water from the spigot. Yes, Hedwig was safe and loved and just thinking of that brought the boy great happiness.

SSCC

Cassie had only been to England twice and it was quickly becoming her favorite place in the world. It was a beautifully sunny July day, the tents were all up and the animals all seen to and now, the woman found herself with a bit of free time, something unusual for a young star of a traveling circus. Hugging the big white tiger and scratching him behind the ears, she walked him into his cage. Latching the door, she headed over past the elephants to where the horses grazed happily inside their temp-fencing.

"How's Charlie doin'?" A handsome twenty-something boy asked, setting down a bale of hay he carried. "He seemed pretty ticked off when we unloaded him."

"He's settled some." Cassie replied, green eyes sparkling with mischief, "We went and scared the pants off the sound and lights crew and now he feels better."

"Cass… you're almost as nutty as that damn tiger. Anyway… you going out? Cheyenne's getting pretty antsy and just might jump the fence if you don't." The boy nodded toward a sturdy, albeit short, bay horse with strange white symbols on its neck pacing the fence line.

"What are you anyway Carl… my mother?" Cassie laughed, pulling her long red hair into a ponytail. At a withering look from the boy Cassie grinned, "Alright… alright… I'm going. I just hope I find my way back by show time tonight. How come I don't get to nag you about Santi, anyway?"

"Because," he shot back, "Santi is an elephant. A well trained, lazy, SLOW elephant. Not a half-wild thing that likes to jump over electric fences and terrorize people. Cassie, just take the freakin' horse out soon so you can be back in time for tonight."

"You just don't like horses… they move too fast." Cassie smiled sweetly.

Rolling his eyes, the boy picked up the hay bale and walked off. Cassie whistled and the horse hopped the fence without any real effort. Touching her boot to the horse's front hoof, she had Cheyenne kneel and swung a leg over her mare's back.

"Alright girl, let's have a look around." Cassie grinned, tangling her fingers in the long ebony mane and clucking with her tongue. With that, the pair set off quietly down the road.

SSCC

Lucius was acting strangely again. Draco assumed the enigmatically cruel bastard was probably on the down swing of his manic cycle again. Either that, or there would be one of those "meetings" again tonight. The boy knew and understood what was going on far more than the adults assumed he did, but he didn't want to tip his hand and let them know that.

At dinner, therefore, he politely wished his father a pleasant evening at work while doing his level best not to cringe in terror. Death Eater meeting nights were always uniquely awful in the Malfoy house, his father coming back up from the "basement" in a sadistic fury and invariably venting his lust for violence on his family. Draco only prayed his father would come after him and leave his mother alone for once. She had already ticked him off earlier and he had used the cruciatus on her for it. Yes, Draco thought grimly, I'll just have to piss him off tonight and earn Mom a break.

SSCC

Three weeks into his summer, Harry still hadn't eaten anything but scraps he fished out of the trash or whatever small bites he could steal. He also still hadn't been allowed inside for anything other than laundry, cleaning or using the loo. They wouldn't even let him cook now that Petunia had caught him sneaking a piece of potato.

His days now seemed to consist entirely of chores, savage beatings from his uncle and drinking as much water as he could. His nights were terrible dreams of Cedric, tending his wounds as best he could and simply holding on. If he could just get by, just last through summer, he would be back at Hogwarts before he knew it, back to where he had plenty of food and friends, back to where he was relatively safe. And so, the Savior of the Wizarding World, the beloved Boy-Who-Lived did what he always did. He managed. He got by. He lived.

Going over a particularly difficult Quidditch play mentally, he barely looked up from the flowerbed he was weeding as his uncle approached. The man roared his name and Harry instantly stood, eyes down.

"Yes, sir?"

"We're taking Dudley to the circus. You'd better have your list done by the time we get back or you'll be sorry. You hear me freak?" Vernon menaced.

He doesn't menace very well, Harry thought to himself, mentally comparing the great fat lout bellowing at him to Snape. Yes, the greasy potions master could menace. Voldemort could menace. Vernon Dursley could not menace to save his life.

"Yes, sir."

"Good. Back to work you lazy git." Vernon growled and left.

The circus? Why on earth would a teenager want to go to a circus? Harry didn't dwell on this too much as whatever Dudley wanted, Dudley got. Instead, he put all his effort into getting his chores completed quickly. Maybe he'd have time to sneak in for a shower, he thought gleefully. He might even raid the medicine cabinet, if he felt particularly brave. Antiseptic, he knew, would do wonders for his itching, weeping back and sides which he knew were badly infected. Thoughts of being clean and comfortable danced happily in his head and he tore into his assigned tasks with delight, turning over the idea of seeing what he could steal out of the fridge. Merlin, he thought, I bet I don't look like a hero right now.

SSCC

"Are you sure this is worth it?" Nott whined yet again.

"Yes you imbecile. They'll be here. Dursley is meeting with an acquaintance from work and both are bringing their families along. We have an hour until we move in. Patience." Severus growled at the idiot beside him at the meeting point. They were in a meadow complete with butterflies and, was that a rabbit… in the middle of bloody nowhere wearing disillusionment charms and waiting to attack a muggle circus. Of all the ridiculous situations he could find himself in, it just had to be this, didn't it? The potions master just hoped that the Order would show up on time.

Just then a pretty young woman on a reddish-looking horse came quietly trotting up the narrow dirt road. The horse wore no bridle, nor did there appear to be a saddle and yet the woman aboard seemed completely at ease and in control of her mount. This seemed an odd feat for a muggle, Severus mused to himself, watching the beautiful redhead turn the horse around the clearing and send up a wave of butterflies with minimal effort. The dour, brooding man watched silently as horse and rider soared around the meadow in what looked like such carefree, easy harmony. Of course… as if the meadow and butterflies weren't ridiculous enough, his mind spat. Now, there's a bloody pony as well.

She looks like Lilly, he thought sadly. Actually, she looks nothing like her but for the damn hair and eyes. This one is bigger… taller and more muscular. Yes, she looks absolutely nothing like Lilly. Get a hold of yourself and don't go all bloody nostalgic.

The horse spotted them suddenly and skidded to a stop a few feet from them, nostrils flaring as the beast observed them cautiously. They were so close, only a few feet away, that Severus could see the whites of the confused animal's eyes as it anxiously tried to see past the charm with partial success, dancing about and snorting. Marvelous…I'm going to be trampled now, he thought, just a tad concerned and backing up a couple of steps.

"What is it Shy-girl?" The rider asked gently, her accent unmistakably American, "You smell a snake or something? Don't worry, this isn't back home. There's no rattlers here. It's ok, honey, come on."

Your horse is more right than you could know, Severus thought humorlessly after the beautiful woman gently guiding the animal away, it did smell a snake. He tried to steel himself for what he would have to do later, silently hoping that no one would be killed tonight. Please don't let that woman's blood be on my hands too, he thought wretchedly, unsure if he could handle hurting more innocent people and knowing that he must, if only to keep up this absurd charade.

"Damn, that's a nice piece of ass." Nott put in. Severus rolled his eyes.

That would be the last bit of conversation between the two until the remaining Death Eaters arrived, at which point the group headed off, each knowing exactly where they would be and what they would be doing. Walking through the rows of tents, Severus stopped briefly to wait for Lucius and Nott to catch up. In the meantime, he watched a sandy-haired young man putting some sort of cloth mask on an elephant to match the creature's fellows.

The horse and rider from earlier came walking past him as Severus sidled out of the way. As the lovely redhead dismounted, the potions master could tell the young man was quite unhappy with her.

"Hiya Carl!" The woman gushed with feigned innocence, pulling a twig and several leaves out of her hair as she sauntered up to him.

"Where the heck have you been?" He snapped, "Margali wanted you back an hour ago for costuming! Cassie, you can't just breeze in when you feel like it! You've got two acts tonight… one of them is the opener for God's sake! And now you come wandering in covered in all kinds of crap! Margali's gonna tweak out on us!"

"Oh give it a rest. I've still got a few minutes, I'm good. Margali isn't going to tweak and hey, now Cheyenne is warmed up! See, I've got this… it's all good." Cassie grinned impishly, turning to walk away, "See you and your ladies in the ring."

"Yeah, yeah, whatever." He said, clipping the last buckle and patting the elephant affectionately, "I'm not sure who's wilder… you or that damned nutty horse."

"Heard that!" Cassie tossed back over her shoulder, grinning.

Young people, Severus thought irritably, so completely irresponsible. Lucius came up then with a quietly whispered, "Dursley's here," and Severus headed to the back of the big top. Casting a quick Tempus, he gave a sigh of relief. Yes, the Order would get here in time.

"Now, " Lucius drawled to the dozen or so assembled Death Eaters, "Remember where you're each supposed to be. Don't you dare move until my signal, understood? Good."