Disclaimer: JK Rowling owns everything I am about to write. I am doing this for entertainment purposes only and I am not getting paid for this.
Enjoy the second chapter!
Dudley Dursley.
How convenient, Harry thought miserably. Dudley's pink face grinned tauntingly, he opened his mouth slowly teasing as if he was going to shout for his dad. Harry got there first.
Quickly, acting upon his intuition, even though it usually failed. He swiped the wand that was tucked into his waistband and watched as Dudley's malicious grin warped into a frown, his eyebrows twitched but he tried to keep cool.
"You wouldn't." He jeered, a hand reaching out for Harry's wand. Dudley's gaze was fixed upon the wand, he seemed to falter as he almost reached the tip with his fingertips. Harry raised the wand, and as he flipped it back down, he pointed it into Dudley's chest, saying the incantation in his head. His cousin toppled backwards onto the regal print rug, straight as an ironing board, lying there, rigid. Harry was breathing heavily.
What would the ministry do? Shaking his head as to mentally stop himself thinking of the consequence, he turned away from the scene and opening the door, a cool breeze filled his nostrils and Harry smiled elated. Here we go, he thought happily and he placed a foot over the door, the second one following suit.
Harry, his trunk and his now happy mind continued to walk hurriedly down the drive, he kicked the street sign that read 'Privet Drive' and felt as though a weight had been lifted from his chest. Feeling lost, Harry looked both ways, and decided to take the busiest road he didn't fancy being alone down the winding roads.
Walking down Wisteria Lane, Harry thought about the next day hopefully sat in a room with a comfortable bed, a view of the train station and food delivered whenever he felt hungry. The Leaky Cauldron was always there when Harry needed it.
With no sense of direction, or any inkling of how to get to London, Harry sighed heavily, before out of the corner of his eye he noticed a flash of purple coming up the road. The Knight Bus, not all hope was lost.
---
Dumbledore was perched behind his desk, his half-moon spectacles placed by the end of this crooked nose, his shook his head wearily.
"You wished to see me, Albus." Severus Snape was stood at the door, a bored expression was etched into the corners of his mouth. He sighed.
"I have things to be preparing," Snape pressed on, trying to hurry Albus along, what did he want to say? Couldn't he just spit it out? Snape couldn't help but feel annoyance at Dumbledore who had yet again denied his application to become Defense Against The Dark Arts teacher. Hadn't Snape shown nothing but loyalty, commitment and what had Dumbledore given him in return? Nothing.
"What is it?" Snape tapped his foot impatiently and Dumbledore looked up at the black haired man through the top of his glasses.
"I have just received a letter from Mrs Figg, the woman who keeps an eye on Harry during the-"
"I know who she is and what she does. If you haven't forgotten I am in the Order, Albus." Snape hissed. Dumbledore calmly smiled, this irritated Snape. So what had the brat done now?
"Yes, well it seems," Dumbledore continued, talking as though he had ignored the tone in Snape's voice. "That young Harry has ran away from his aunt and uncle's house." Dumbledore sighed, and Snape raised an eyebrow.
"What does this have to do with me?"
Dumbledore placed the letter onto the desk and looked back towards Snape. His hands met below his chin, fingertips tapping into each other.
"Go and find him. He can't have gone far. Try London, perhaps the Leaky Cauldron."
Snape glared, the corner of his mouth twitched angrily.
"You'd have me fetch Potter and bring him back to his aunt and uncle's?" Snape questioned. "Is that all you think of me? Why should I make the effort to go and find Potter when it was him who put himself in this mess anyway!" Snape exploded, he had moved into the office now, Dumbledore was still looking at him softly.
"I feel that there are some things going on, Severus." Dumbledore sighed. "Things that neither you or I had thought would happen. What was it that we agreed? Or rather you agreed… to keep Lily's son safe. And that is what you have to do."
Snape couldn't argue with that, he took a deep breath in and calmed himself. Dumbledore smiled.
"Good. I figure that you will do all that you can to find somewhere for Harry to stay during the remainder of the Summer. The Burrow would be a fine option." Dumbledore stood, and placed a hand onto Snape's shoulder, Snape watched him suspiciously.
"You know how it feels. You remember."
Snape avoided Dumbledore's intent look and suddenly understood everything. Was Potter going through the same things that Snape had done when he was at Hogwarts?
---
"The Leaky Cauldron."
Harry's heart was beating quickly, he smiled at Stan Shunpike, who patted his back as he stepped off the bus and it instantly disappeared around the corner. Harry had been left in the backstreets of London, the darkness was powerful and frightened Harry a little. Now where to go? He dragged him trunk with him as he walked towards the high street, a streetlight wavered and Harry squinted up at it. A full moon was apparent in the black sky, Harry shivered, a tremble of fear was creeping up his spine and his head jerked backwards as a crack was heard.
A crack?
Who was there?
That was definitely an apparition, paranoid Harry continued to walk faster, the weight of the trunk behind him was weighing him down so in any dangerous situation Harry would just have to abandon his belongings and run.
A hand touched his shoulder.
Gasping, Harry turned and instantly pulled out his wand.
The stranger was Severus Snape. What was Snape doing in the backstreets of London in the middle of the night? Unless…
"Dumbledore sent me." Snape's lip curled, Harry was absorbed in darkness and Snape couldn't see anything but the reflection from his glasses and the emerald green eyes behind them.
"What are you playing at, Potter?" Snape scoffed, "Thought you would run away for the attention? Has Potter not been having enough glory back at his aunt and uncles?" Snape knew that he had hit a nerve because Harry was glaring into Snape's taunting face. Cursing under his breath, Harry walked past Snape in the opposite direction. Snape rolled his eyes, he couldn't be bothered dealing with immature teenage issues.
Harry stood in the light from the streetlight and turned to face Snape.
"Don't bother following me."
Snape narrowed his eyes. Harry was looking unusually thin, dark circles were prominent under his eyes and he had a sort of limp when he walked. Perhaps, Dumbledore was right. Harry definitely looked as if someone had been into him. He sported a bruise under his chin and a cut below his lip.
"How did you cut your lip, Potter?" Snape asked casually. Harry touched the cut and looked into Snape's eyes.
"I bit it." He replied truthfully, Snape would be able to tell whether he was lying. Sighing, the Potions Master walked towards Harry, holding out his arm.
"I'm taking you to the Burrow." Snape spoke attentively, and watched as Harry's expression surprisingly changed, he frowned.
"I'm not going." Harry put his foot down like a spoilt child and Snape moved closer to him. Harry thought of how Hermione and Ron would react to his appearance… he couldn't be dealing with their fussing.
"You're going." Snape glowered. "That's final."
He grabbed Harry's arm hard and was surprised as Harry winced, drawing a sharp intake of breath. Pretending to dismiss this, Snape apparated with Harry. Harry was kicking himself for making a noise when Snape pressed onto his cut. How stupid, now Snape would know. Feeling the usual sensation of being sucked through a rubber rube, Harry felt a little nauseous.
He stumbled as they landed on the Burrow's doorstep. Snape let go of Harry and Harry rubbed his arm.
"The entire Order is here tonight so I shall be staying. First I will be speaking to Molly." Snape looked at Harry through the corner of his eye and Harry knew what he would be saying to Mrs Weasley. Snape knocked twice. Harry's heart was beating fast.
Snape had a small emotion of pity for Harry as he looked at the skinny boy stood beside him, Harry reminded Snape of himself… Snape had been through it all too.
Clearing his throat he heard footsteps in the hall, Snape stood up straight and looked in the direction of the broom shed.
"You're safe now, Potter. Thank Dumbledore for that."
A/N I was scared I was making Snape a little too OOC on the last line, but he added that it was Dumbledore's idea so that kinda made up for the nice comment. (:
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