The rescuing

_Come along girl! I don't want to be spotted with you! - Uncle Vernon roared at her as she stepped out of the platform 9 ¾. Sighing dejectedly she let him drag her by the arm, it was the perfect beginning of a perfect summer with her loving family before a lovely marriage.

Lucy felt like crying.

Aunt Petunia was waiting for them with a list full of chores for Lucy. Thankfully Duddley wasn't home, he was out with his "lovely girlfriend", her aunt made a point to announce, and Lucy wondered what kind of girl could possibly date someone like Dudley.

_So, it's your last summer here right girl?- Her uncle asked with glee when she came to serve him yet another sandwich, it seemed that the family had finally ended the damned diet, not that it would make much of a difference for her anyway.

_Yes, uncle Vernon, actually I'll be leaving on my birthday.- She answered, and watched as her uncle narrowed his pig-like eyes at her.

_You'll leave on your own right girl? I won't have any more freaks coming to my house! - He roared.

_ I don't know, but I think someone is going to pick me up…

Before she knew it Vernon had dropped the sandwich and was grabbing her by the hair, she hissed but made a point of not screaming.

_Now listen here you little freak! I won't let you soil my home ever again do you understand me? I don't want any more of your kind coming here, you better tell them that or they won't find you alive to pick you up! - He screamed as he beat her across the face sending her to the ground.

Lucy shut her eyes and concentrated in tuning off the rest of the beating, she lost track of the time as she idly wondered if her married life would be any better than that, probably it'd be worse… she'd be raped too… She bit her lower lip preventing her from crying out when her uncle foot connected with her ribs, staying quiet this time was proving a lot harder than the previous ones, because this time she didn't have the prospect of going back to Hogwarts at the end of summer, nor of a happy life when she finished school, no, this time she had only the promise of a future worst than the present.

When her uncle finally tired of kicking her, she was left bleeding on the living room carpet, unable to move, she thought with a shudder that he might have broken a rib again, breathing was becoming very hard. Her last thought before passing out was that she would have to wash the blood off the damned carpet the next day, and blood stains were so hard to clean…

She was hunched uncomfortably on her own bed when she woke up again, Aunt Petunia probably didn't think that an unconscious freak looked good on her spotless living room and made Uncle Vernon drag her upstairs. Lucy took a deep breath, it still hurt, but it wasn't as bad as it was earlier, she had to be really thankful that she was a witch or she'd have died from one of those beatings as a child without the accidental magic healing the worst damages.

It was a week later that she discovered that Voldemort wasn't as quiet about the upcoming marriage as she had previously thought. It was a very hot afternoon and she had just finished her chores so she decided to take a walk on the nearby park, she idly sat on one of the banks and watched as the people passed by, she was bored, but she was also relieved to be out of the house, it seemed that her uncle and aunt were even more violent this time, she had received beatings from both of them everyday, thankfully none as hard as the first one, but still…

Lucy snapped to attention suddenly as she saw a cloaked figure disappearing between some nearby trees, she blinked and stood, it was weird to have a wizard walking in Surrey, furrowing her brow she went towards the trees, it was probably a stupid thing to do since she wasn't sure she had seen someone, and even if there was somebody there, it could very well be someone who wanted to harm her. But being the Gryffindor she was, Lucy got closer to the trees and before she could react a hand closed over her mouth while another restrained her arms.

_That was a very careless move Potter, it would be expected that you would be more careful. - Said a harsh voice. Soon the hands let go of her and she turned around to face the sneering face of her potions teacher, clad in his usual black attire.

_Uh… Professor? What are you doing here…- Lucy asked taking a step backwards.

_The dark lord seems to think that it's necessary to keep an eye on his future wife. - Snape said obviously being appalled to be the one who had to keep watch. Lucy blinked feeling confused and angry.

_An eye on me? But… How does he even know where I am? - She asked almost growling. Snape lifted an elegant eyebrow at that.

_He's legally betrothed to you, he has a right to know where his own bride lives.

_Well I don't need to be watched, it's not like I can run away or anything… You're the only one who's coming here? - She asked feeling wary with the idea of having death eaters spying on her.

_That's only part the reason the Dark Lord is monitoring you, Potter, he also is worried about your wellbeing… - Lucy sniggered at that, as if Voldemort would worry over anyone. - You certainly have heard of the uproar the treaty have caused among the wizarding community, there are many people who are displeased by the news… And no Potter, I'm not the only one who the Lord gave the duty to watch over you, there are others.

Lucy sighed heavily, no she wasn't aware of what was happening on the wizarding world right now, she wasn't allowed to receive mail, her Uncle hated those disgusting birds on his home, but she wasn't about to tell that to her teacher.

Just then she heard Duddley's voice as he came down the street with a bunch of his delinquent friends, she looked warily at him and watched as he looked at her, his eyes widening when he saw the man dressed in black standing next to her. Before she knew it, he had dismissed his friends and was hurrying home.

Lucy cursed behind her breath and brought her attention back to her teacher who was watching the whole thing with an arched eyebrow.

_Something wrong Potter? - He asked with an almost bored tone.

_Uh… No professor… I… It's better if I head home now my… My aunt may want some help with dinner. - She said hastily and took off before her teacher could answer.

Snape watched her retreating form, he was intrigued, the girl seemed quite scared when she saw her cousin coming up, it was a weird reaction, he wondered if maybe the two of them had fought recently. After some time of wondering he decided to follow the girl, he hadn't found anything weird on the neighborhood and secretly thought it was a waste of time to keep constant watch, but also knew that it wasn't a question of necessity, the Dark Lord only wanted to make a point on his ownership over her by monitoring her every step.

He cast some delusionments charms over himself and stood in front of the house number four, with another simple spying charm he was able to hear everything that was said inside the house.

Lucy was unlucky, when she got home she saw that her uncle's car was already on the garage, and Dudley had probably already told him what he saw… She opened the front door planning on sneaking through the hall and hide in her room. Needless to say that she wasn't all that lucky.

_You! Girl! I told you not to bring another one of those abnormal people here! - Her uncle screamed as he grabbed her roughly by the hair, when she was trying to climb the stairs.

_I didn't bring anyone uncle Vernon…- She said, keeping her voice as cool as possible.

_Liar! I've seen her with one of those freaks! - Dudley said as he came into the hall so he could watch the scene closely, Vernon punched her on the stomach, and she coughed.

_No! I didn't call him here… I… He… Was just passing by. - She said between ragged breaths.

_Ridiculous! Those abnormal people don't wander here! We're in a respectable neighborhood! Of course you called him here! - Aunt Petunia cut in from the door, Vernon punched her again, this time she coughed up a bit of blood.

_You'll learn not to lie and not to bring these freakish friends of yours here! - He snarled as he started to drag her upwards, he shoved her roughly inside her room, she fell on the ground and wind up hitting her head on her trunk that was beside the bed. She felt her uncle kicking her ribs and heard as he took off his belt.

_You… Freak… You… shouldn't have… been… born… You should… have died… with those useless… freaks… of parents that you have!- He said between painful lashes and harsh kicks, the thin well-worn fabric of the huge shirt she was wearing easily tearing with the strength of the strikes. - You'll obey me do you hear me you freak! I Don't… want anymore…. Abnormal… people lurking… in my neighborhood. I'll bloody kill you!… If you dare to spread… Your freakishness… around… Do you hear me… Girl? You'll be locked… In this room… for the rest of the summer… Do you hear me freak? - Her uncle kept screaming and striking. Again she found herself passing out as the pain and blood loss was too much to handle.

Snape stood frozen on the street; it was hard to believe what he was hearing, The-Girl-Who-Lived being beaten by her relatives? The Golden Girl being abused and no one had done anything? And it didn't seem to be the first time either, if her reaction to her cousin and her few protests were anything to go by… he wondered if he should go in and stop the whole thing… But it would be a bad move, some people may see it as an aggressive action of a Death Eater and the whole treaty would be blown to pieces. No, he'd have to warn his master… both of them.

Lucy woke up with a groan, she was still on the ground, lying on a pool of her dried blood, and she could feel the open cuts on her backs, the rag that was now the shirt clinging painfully on her skin. She saw through the window that the sun was already high on the sky, the fact that her aunt hadn't come up yet to force her to go back to her chores meant that her uncle would follow through with his threats and keep her locked on her room for the remainder of the summer.

In some ways it was a good thing, because she wouldn't have to do any chores neither would be around to be beaten all the time by her uncle, but that also meant she'd probably go without food for days… Sighing she tried to stand and move to the bed… As she tried to move though a sharp pain on her ribs and a fit of coughs kept her on the ground. Groaning again she slumped back and closed her eyes, she heard Hedwig hooting from her cage and she looked blearily to the white owl.

_Sorry Hedwig, I think it'll take some more time for me to recover this time…- She mumbled quietly, as she struggled to stand again, she managed to get on her feet swaying slightly, she limped towards her bed and lied on her stomach as to not hurt her back further.

Lucy woke again to the sound of exalted voices downstairs, she could distinguish clearly her uncle voice that sounded strangely high pitched as if he was afraid. She sat up on the bed rubbing her scar that was burning, she wondered briefly what could possibly be happening downstairs, but just then she heard heavy footsteps on the stairs and she panicked both because it could be her uncle to give her another beating and because the closer the steps came to her room the more her scar hurt.

Soon the door burst open, causing Hedwig to hoot startled on her cage, a man dressed in some sort of official uniform came in followed by her uncle who looked petrified.

_What…- Lucy started to ask being more confused by the minute, when another man came into the room, she looked at his crimson eyes for a moment and her scar burst into a searing hot pain, and before she knew it she was unconscious again.