A/N: Hey guys, this is just a little something that has been teasing me for awhile now as I've been working on A New Life. I finally decided just to write it out and see where it takes me, instead of letting it distract me. Let me know what you think!

Obviously don't own Harry Potter...


I am sitting in the closet, where Dad left me just minutes ago. I can see into the room through the slats in the door.

"NO! Please! Just leave us alone, what do you want from us?" I hear Mom's voice call from down the hall. I feel the tears start to well up in my eyes at the pure panic I feel and I cover my mouth with my hand to keep from calling out, I don't want to draw attention to me. I'll be lucky if they don't discover my hiding spot.

Suddenly I hear three consecutive gunshots. I can't help the whimper that escapes as I hear my mom cry out loudly. My brother yelling for help.

"DAD! Please Dad, you have to be ok!" I hear my brother yell, and I know that my dad has been shot.

Before I can even think of what to do now, I hear my brother's bedroom door open and watch as he is pushed into the room by a big, tall man. I hear two more gunshots from down the hall and can only assume that my mother has been shot as well. My brother falls to his knees, crying uncontrollably.


I fall to the floor yelling out, smacking my head on the low shelf next to my bed on the wall. Lights explode behind my eyes as I squeeze them shot. I realize I must have made a lot of noise and I hold my breathe listening for any noise from above me. I hear feet falling heavily down the stairs and I start to shake uncontrollably, but I force the tears away. Tears are a sign of weakness, something I am not allowed to show.

My uncle yanks open the closet door, because that is what my room is, an old supply closet in the basement. He grabs my arms and yanks me up off of the floor.

"How many times must we go over this? You good for nothing brat! Keep your mouth shut and let us sleep! Obviously you cannot get this through that thick skull of yours, so I will have to find another way to get the point across," he says. And with that he starts hitting me. He pays attention to where he hits, ever since he once gave me a black eye and had too many 'uncomfortable questions' to answer.

I curl up on myself trying to protect myself in any way I can. I know better than to beg, begging and crying only causes the beatings to go on longer. I draw my mind away from my body separating myself from the situation. Eventually he stops, being sure to give me one last good kick before he locks me back in.

I hate being locked in. It reminds me too closely of the dream, a very real situation that occurred almost eight months ago. I try not to think about it, and do my best to pull myself onto my bed. It takes more effort than its worth, and the pain forces me to lose consciousness before I can make it to my destination.


"Wake up runt, I have to go to the store and you need to help me carry the things," my aunt says rapping loudly on the door. I know I have slept late, and glancing at my cracked watch, I see that it is almost noon. I am surprised they didn't wake me up to cook them breakfast, but I am not going to complain about it.

"BOY! Get your ass out here!" my uncle hollers just seconds later. I quick throw on some fairly clean clothes that will be acceptable in town and move as quickly as I can out of the door and to my uncle. "Now, you listen to me, and you listen well. You are to listen to your aunt and not give her any grief or you are going to be hearing from me, do you understand?"

"Yes sir, I'll behave sir," I manage to say, his threat is very clear. I don't think I'd be able to survive another beating, my body already feels like it has been torn apart and I feel I could sleep for days.

The ride into town is not very long, I am forced to sit in the backseat because my cousin Kyle has decided to come along as well. He won't have to do anything though, just point out the things he wants, he is a little prince. As soon as we get into the store my aunt sends me off to one end to grab some of the items on her list.

"SEVERUS SNAPE! I have been calling you for ages? I thought you said you were going to go get milk, and here I find you looking at apples?" a middle aged woman exclaims grabbing onto my arm. I try to pull away from the touch but she has a strong grip.

"Wh-what? I'm sorry ma'am but I think you have me mistaken with someone else," I respond trying to shake her arm off, but she has a tight grip.

"Very funny Sev, but I think I would be able to recognize my own son. And while we are here I think we should think about getting your hair cut. Now go grab some milk, we really should be getting back to your dad and brothers. I can only imagine what those poor kids are doing to your father," she responds while moving her hand to grab mine and drag me after her. I quickly turn back trying desperately to find my aunt, but I can't see her anywhere.

"Really ma'am you have me mistaken with someone else. My names not Sev, it's Jamie… and I am pretty sure I would recognize my mom if you were her…" I trail off unsure of what else to say to her to convince her.

We start to head towards the back of the store and as we turn the corner and down an aisle, we almost run into a boy whom I assume is Sev. And I suddenly understand why this woman has mistaken me with him for I feel as if I am looking in a mirror. I feel as if a bucket of cold water has been dumped on my head and feel Goosebumps all over.

"AH! What! Wait who are you!?" The woman exclaims spinning between the two of us, finally setting her eyes on the other boy. "Sev? Is that you?"

"Yes mom, honestly you'd think you would be able to recognize your own child," he responds, and I cannot help but burst into laughter, I was just on the receiving end of a similar claim from the woman. My laughs don't last long though, before they turn to gasps of pain. I clutch my chest and bend over part way.

"Are you alright?" The woman says moving to my side. I am surprised when she rubs my back and places her other hand on my arm trying to steady me.

"Yeah," I gasp out. "Sorry about the misunderstanding ma'am but I really need to go."

"Sh, just wait a second and catch your breath. Don't worry about any of this now, I am not going to hurt you and neither is my son," she responds tightening her hold on me. I slowly start to relax as the pain begins to ebb. I then loosen my grip on my chest and again try to excuse myself from the conversation. "Are you here with your parents? I don't know about you two, but I sure do have a lot of questions about this whole situation. Maybe we can meet for tea?"

"I'm not here with anyone…. Well I mean I'm with my aunt, but I don't know about tea…. I don't know if there's time. Sorry, but I really need to go now," I again try to pull away and as if noticing for the first time that the mother is hindering me, she quick lets go.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to keep you here, and I definitely didn't mean to frighten you so I am sorry if I did. My family and I are only in town for a couple of weeks. We are visiting my family, I am from this area and my parents and siblings still live-"I don't hear the rest of her sentence because now that I am no longer being held in place, my mind tells me to flee and I do not disobey or think twice. I leave and I run all the way back to the house without stopping or slowing down. When I walk into the house, I discover that I am the only one home. I go out back and start to weed the garden, one of my many chores.

"BOY! Get in this house right now!" my uncle yells out at me. I can't help but hesitate, and that is all it takes for my uncle to storm out and yank me up off of the ground. He grabs me by the collar of the shirt and drags me up the back patio steps and into the house. He drags me to my room before he starts in on me again.

"I told you to behave yourself, and you abandon them in town! What were you thinking? You know better than to draw attention to yourself, and your aunt had to handle all of the bags on her own! I have reached the end of my rope boy. It's time you learned your place!" He yells throwing me into the room. It doesn't take long for him to start, and stomp his foot onto my leg to keep me from retreating. I hear my knee pop, and know a lot of damage has been done. I call out unable to stop it, forcing my uncle's anger to a whole new level.

I sit and take the beating praying that the blackness takes me so I know longer feel the pain. When it does, my uncle is still going at it, and I could not be more grateful to fall into the darkness.