Description: Harry Potter runs away from home at the age of 7 and ends up in the rundown neighborhood of Spinner's End. Severus Snape takes his nightly walk as usual, and finds a boy cold and alone. He takes him in, and sets off a chain reaction that will affect the entire wizarding world.

Author's Note: So my first story published on here in three years is basically a rewrite of an old story. Great start. Hope you guys enjoy the prologue! More to come!

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Prologue: Second Chances

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Run.

That was the running thought through his head in that moment. When he looked back on the moment he decided to uproot his entire life, he remembered that he just wanted to get away. It was a Sunday evening, a night that was usually peaceful for Harry as the Dursleys were usually enthralled in some game show on the television. It wasn't peaceful tonight, however, as Harry had apparently made the bacon a little too crispy for their liking.

So that was how he ended up lying on the living room carpet, looking into his uncle's eyes with fear, as his uncle towered over him with a belt. He shouted hateful things. One of the ones that always stuck out most to Harry was: "Now we know why your parents got into that car wreck! It was the only way to get away from you!"

The other Dursleys, his aunt and cousin, both simply sat in their chairs watching the television, every once in a while looking over to see what Vernon was doing. It was as if Harry was just a dog that got punished for pooping in the wrong spot.

Harry would usually just take it. Because what else was he supposed to do? He wasn't nearly old enough to stand up to his uncle, and it's not as if he had somewhere to go. He had no friends. Nobody cared about him, and the only reason he wasn't dead or worse was because his uncle couldn't get away with murder.

But this night was different.

He didn't know where he found the courage, but as the belt was about to strike down once more, Harry lifted up his leg as quick as he could. The attack hit it's intended target and knocked Uncle Vernon to the floor, clutching his groin. His Aunt tried to get up and do something, and Dudley went directly to his father to make sure he was alright, but Harry was already opening the door and running.

The shouts of his name followed him for the first few blocks.

Then, it became silent.

Harry was now becoming aware of the fact that he had no socks or shoes on, and was wearing a short-sleeved shirt and shorts in the dead of winter. Yet, he kept running. If he stopped, he was susceptible to being taken back to that place, where he could be beaten again, or even possibly injured to the point of true pain. All of this kept Harry going for as long as he could.

He took notice of a sign that said he was going into a town called Cokeworth. He kept going, hoping he could find somewhere to stop and stay for a while.

It seemed he was out of luck for the evening. No stores were open, no cafes and everybody's homes were either dark, or you could tell they were getting ready to go to sleep. And yet, he kept going for as long as he could.

Finally, he had to slow down. If he didn't, something drastic could happen, which wouldn't help anybody - least of all, himself. As he slowed, the cold started to get to him. He felt it deep in his bones. He didn't know what to do, so he simply walked.

After a few minutes of searching, he found the back alley of a restaurant and found trash bags around the dumpster. He didn't think it would be the cleanest place, but at least he would be safe and slightly warmer. As he got comfortable, or as comfortable as you could be in a situation like that, he wondered what it would be like if he had just one person.

Just one person to care about him.

But, then again, that wonder was just another dream in his silly head. It didn't mean anything.

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The Christmas holidays were Severus's favorite time of the school year.

For one thing, he was able to drink freely and get black out drunk, and nobody would be there to stop him. He only had to sober up slightly for Christmas so that Dumbledore wouldn't suspect anything. Otherwise, he was free to lose himself in a nice buzz that kept him from remembering all the pain from his past.

Looking around as he walked, he wondered not for the first time why he hadn't just left Spinner's End. He could have cleaned up the house quickly, and then sold it and got a much nicer place elsewhere. But, perhaps he wanted to live there. Just to keep remembering all the things that had happened - his parents, Lily, and the countless school days all had some part of his hatred for that home.

He couldn't bring himself to leave.

It was three days before Christmas. Everybody else had put up Christmas lights and had their trees up - he could see them through the thinly veiled curtains as he walked. He didn't think of doing such things, especially considering that he didn't celebrate Christmas.

And why would he?

It's not like anybody gave a shit about him or giving him any gifts. Nobody from the school, except for Dumbledore, had given him any gifts in the five or six years he had worked there. The first year, he did try to do something nice for the staff, but he got nothing in return, so that was the end of it.

He almost didn't hear the whimpering coming from the alley with how wrapped up in his thoughts he was.

When he did, he stopped in his tracks. He listened, and realized that it was a child, and quickly walked into the alley.

Without being too loud, he asked, "Hello?"

The whimpering stopped and he didn't hear anything else. Severus knew he wasn't hearing things, and so he walked further into the alley until he saw it: a bundle of trash bags that looked conveniently placed enough to hide a small child's body. He walked towards the bags and stopped, waiting for something to happen.

When nothing did, he spoke. "I'm gonna walk to you, slowly, please don't run away or anything, I don't bite."

Slowly, but surely, as promised, he walked towards the bundle of trash bags. He would have believed he was mistaken if he hadn't seen the tiniest of movements as he moved closer. He finally made it, and started moving the trash bags, all the while trying to console the child with whispers of: "Please don't be afraid," and "I'm not here to hurt you."

Finally, he revealed the child and was quite frankly appalled with what he saw before him.

The child's clothes were almost in pieces and his back looked like an abstract art piece, from what looked like repeated hits from a belt. He looked as if he had worn those clothes for several days, and his hair was a mess, as if he hadn't seen a shower for a week. It was a clear-cut sign of something bad, and if Severus had to guess it from the visual cues, he figured that it was abuse.

He crouched down, and put his hand out to the child. It was something he had learned, if you wanted someone to trust you, you first offer up something of yours as a peace offer, or a middle ground. He waited for what seemed like forever, before the child's hand touched Severus's.

Severus then said, "I have a house not far from here. How about I take you there and we get you cleaned up?"

The child sat there for a few moments, hand still on Severus's, before his hand moved closer and grabbed hold of Severus's. Severus gently grabbed the boy around his waist, and lifted him up so he was carrying him like a baby. As he did, his hair parted slightly, and Severus saw it. The lightning bolt scar. This child, this abuse victim, was Harry Potter.

He kept his composure, but inside his mind was racing. He considered all the possibilities, and realized that Dumbledore was lying to him. Dumbledore had told the staff after the Halloween incident that Harry had gone with relatives, and nothing more. He realized that he made assumptions that led to him already wanting to hate the boy. He expected Harry to get pampered and treated with respect the way he never had, but now he knew the truth.

And, now, what was he supposed to do?

As he started to walk back towards home, a light snow began to fall and he began to think of ways to keep Harry safe. After all, he really didn't have any options anymore.

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Author's Note: I'd love to hear any feedback you guys have, and I promise Chapter One will be out soon! Stay great, y'all.

-Olarst