As Vernon was standing there watching his nephew struggling to put his trunk into the boot of the car, he failed to notice a huge, black, shaggy dog hiding in the corner of the parking lot. The dog was watching how the cruel man wouldn't even lift a finger to help the struggling boy to lift that heavy trunk into the car. The dog, who was really Sirius Black, could remember how heavy those trunks could get, with clothes, books, and other supplies from Hogwarts. The dog growled softly, but quickly became quiet again as he noticed the boy was talking to his owl. Sirius's dog ears leaned forward to try to catch what his godson was saying.

"Hedwig, it might not be safe for you at the Dursleys. Maybe you'd better head back to Hogwarts so you'll be safe."

Harry opened the cage and let his beloved owl out so she could fly back to school.

Vernon noticed too late that the owl was in the air, flying away, and turned his anger toward Harry.

"Why did you let that owl go? Don't you need it to send messages to your freaky friends?" he screamed at his cowering nephew.

"I'm sorry Uncle Vernon, I just didn't think you'd want her at your house, so I sent her back to school." Harry was trying so hard to stand his ground, but inside he was terrified of his uncle. He knew that if he displeased his uncle in any way, he'd pay the price.

Vernon grabbed Harry by the arm and dragged him around from the back of the car to the back seat. He shoved the boy violently into the car, and slammed the door. Harry flew into the car with such force, his head hit the window on the other side, which stunned him for several minutes. He lay still, his vision fading in and out, and felt the car start moving. He knew he was in for a horrible, painful summer.

Sirius watched as Vernon grabbed his godson and threw him into the car, and then became increasingly alarmed when he never saw Harry sit up. He stood up and stepped forward just enough to see the child lying half on the seat and half on the floor of the car, with a red mark on his forehead. Before he could change into his human self, the car roared away, and Sirius sat down and howled pitifully, before disapparating away to find some help for his godson.

Sirius apparated to the cave in Hogsmeade, and became human once again. Snarling and scowling in a way that would make Snape proud, he paced the length of the cave.

'Harry's being abused. Harry knew he was going to be abused.' Sirius stopped, a dark look on his face. "Dumbledore put my pup in that house, with that monster!" he snarled aloud.

Transforming into Padfoot again, Sirius bounded down through the village towards Hogwarts, hell-bent on reaching Dumbledore and ripping his throat out. Yet, as he ran he realized that really murdering somebody was the last thing he or Harry needed at the moment. That could come later. Right now he needed help.

When Padfoot came near the steps he hid behind a bush and sat there, his tongue hanging out of his mouth as he panted.

'Ok, I'm here, but who do I go to?' he wondered.

"Black!"

Sirius turned around, crouched down and was about to lunge, when he saw Snape.

"What are you doing here, you mutt? Shouldn't you be with that werewolf of yours?" Snape glared, wrapping his robes about himself, as if warding off disease, or possibly fleas. Sirius wasn't really sure.

Growling lightly, Sirius, crouched down and covered his muzzle with his paws, trying to communicate to Snape that he couldn't talk to him here as he let out a soft whine of distress.

Sighing longsufferingly, Snape, turned around. "Come with me, mutt. But kindly leave your fleas outside," he added bitterly.

Sirius rolled his eyes, but followed the Potions Master into the castle and down into the dungeons.

Sirius trailed along as he was led through a literal maze of corridors when Snape stopped suddenly and, without turning to look at the dog, said "Sit! Stay!" then proceeded to walk several meters ahead where he muttered what appeared to be a very long, complex password.

"Come." Snape snarled.

Had the situation not been so serious, Sirius might've sat down and given himself a nice long scratch, just to spite the dark man, but instead he waited patiently while the room was warded.

Finally Sirius transformed back into a human.

Snape looked at Sirius for a moment, and then responded, "Alright, you reprobate mongrel! What do you want? I have potions to brew for the infirmary, spying to do for Dumbledore, lessons to plan..."

He never got to finish his tirade as Sirius stepped forward and grabbed him by the collar of his robe.

"Snape, for once in your life, shut up! Harry's in trouble. I was just there at King's Cross and I saw it all," he began fervently.

Snape sneered at him for a moment, but then he asked, "Was it Death Eaters? Couldn't be so soon..."

"No, you idiot. It was Dursley. He wouldn't help the kid put that blasted heavy trunk into the boot, and when Harry released his owl, I overheard him telling her to come back to Hogwarts, because it wouldn't be safe at Privet Drive. Then, that muggle threw Harry into the back seat so hard it knocked Harry out cold. He had a lump on his forehead, and I couldn't get to him before that poor excuse for a muggle drove away." Sirius stopped for a moment to compose himself, and noticed that Snape had become very quiet. Too quiet...

Snape appeared to be deep in thought. "Who put the boy into their dubious care?" he asked, almost quietly. "The Minister or the Headmaster?" He knew that it was beyond the matter at the moment, but it seemed very important to him suddenly.

Sirius looked at Snape for a moment. "All I know is that Dumbledore sent my godson to that evil monster Dursley. They're abusing him Severus. Please, help me..." He couldn't continue. He suddenly felt as if there was something important he needed to remember but he couldn't quite put his finger on it.

Snape raised an eyebrow at having been called Severus. "I see..." he said, and, without another word, disappeared into another room.

Sirius watched as Severus walked out of the room, wondering why he had just called his old nemesis by his first name, and why said nemesis seemed to be so concerned about his godson's welfare. He was suddenly brought out of his thoughts as the Potions Master came swiftly back into the room.

Severus walked out the door, leaving the hound to follow him if he wished to. As for himself, he was going to see what kind of trouble Potter had gotten himself into this time. If Black's allegations were true, then there was quite definitely a problem.

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