Chapter 2

Both wizards grimaced as an ear splitting shriek shattered the early morning peace and quiet. "Vernon!"

A moustachioed, obese man lumbered over to the doorway, followed by a podgy toddler who had cereal plastered all over his face. "What on earth is the matter my sweet?"

"It's…it's…" All the horse faced woman could do was stammer and point at the bundle that lay on their doorstep. "I came out to get the milk and found this."

Vernon Dursley bent over, his brows knitted together as he peered into the bundle. "Bloody hell Petunia, we had better ring the police."

"There's a note." Petunia pulled out the piece of parchment that was tucked just inside the blanket and her eyes darted over the words. With trembling hands she stayed her husband's arm as he turned to go back inside. "No, it's my sister's child – she's dead, Vernon."

Severus folded his arms over his chest. It had been on his lips to make a scathing remark about how the family had just realised the precious gift they had been given that was the wonder of the wizarding world; Harry Potter, but he held his tongue as an unsettling thought drifted into his mind. They are not supposed to react like this.

Petunia picked up the young child and hushed her husband and son quickly into the house and after a cursory glance up and down the street to see if anyone was around to witness the proceedings, slammed the door.

A few seconds later a man's voice exploded. "We are not taking that freak in Petunia!"

"But Vernon, it says here that we will be given protection from those evil monsters who killed Lily if we do and it says, a financial remuneration will be given to cover costs of bringing up the child."

Albus glanced at Severus. The younger wizard's face was a dark mask as he regarded the proceedings. "This reaction – was not what I expected," the younger man muttered.

Albus shook his head sadly. "No – I don't suppose it was Severus, my boy."

"Then why – those muggles – of all people?"

"It was the only way, Severus." Albus said softly. Instead of the usual twinkle, his blue-eyed gaze were now reflected with sadness.

The scene dissolved and was replaced by another. Both wizards found themselves inside the Dursley's house. Severus sneered in disdain at the generic, middle class soft furnishings. They could hear the anguished cries of a child crying. "Mama! Dada!" it appeared to be coming from the cupboard under the stairs.

Vernon Dursley banged a meaty fist on the cupboard door and hissed. "Be quiet you little freak! Do you want the whole street to hear you? If you don't be quiet you'll be off to the children's home!"

Severus and Albus exchanged horrified glances. "It was much worse than I thought," the older wizard said gravely.

Severus snarled in fury. "How dare they lock Lily's child in cupboard!"

The two wizards watched as the scenery changed to a slightly older Harry, being pinched by his pudgy cousin, then stared in disbelief as Harry was blamed for causing trouble and not playing nicely with Duddykins and thrown roughly into the cupboard under the stairs. In another scene, five year old Harry was standing on tiptoe on a stool, his arms deep in soap suds as he washed a pile of dirty dishes. Dudley spitefully kicked the stool from under him and Harry fell on the floor whilst the peevish boy sat down laughing at him. As the young Harry lay nursing a sore knee, Dudley's chair suddenly flew out from under him and he ended up on the floor on his backside. He wailed loudly and Petunia dashed into the kitchen.

"Oh my poor Dudums, what happened?" Dudley pointed, sobbing loudly to Harry, who was still sitting on the floor, wearing a shocked expression. The think woman grabbed Harry, pulling him roughly from the floor and dragged him towards the cupboard. "Just wait till your uncle hears about this, boy!" She shrieked. "You won't be able to sit down for a week."

Severus noticed that just like himself, the child was never referred to by his christian name. But he had been the teacher - these muggles were his relations. His job had been to teach, guide and command respect. They were supposed to love him and care for him.

The scene faded and was replaced by another, in which Harry was standing in front of the stove, struggling to carry a frying pan full of sausages to the table where Petunia, Vernon and Dudley were sitting. Dudley started banging his knife and fork on the table impatiently. "Tell him to hurry up mum!"

The little boy that was Harry Potter served up sausages to his relatives then watched, wide eyed and hopeful that there would be some left for himself,, but the hope faded in his eyes as the last sausage was forked onto Dudley's plate. He took the empty pan with a sigh back to the cooker. As usual, he was allowed to eat one piece of toast whilst the rest of the family tucked into a cooked, English breakfast.

"They are treating him like a house elf!" Severus exclaimed.

"Treated, Severus." Albus corrected him. "This is in the past, remember."

"So am I to assume that things got any better for the boy at home?"

Albus simply raised his brows as another scene developed. Harry at school, being chased by Dudley. Harry hiding his report card so that he wouldn't get in trouble for doing better than his cousin. A visit from Vernon's sister – Severus recognised her from the memories in the pensieve and realised that the incident in which the dog was chasing Harry up a tree was not an isolated one. More and more scene's played out – Harry's birthday not being acknowledged, whilst his cousin was spoilt and overindulged. Harry receiving nothing for Christmas, then forced to cook dinner which his greedy cousin and uncle devoured, leaving him only scraps of food. Vernon threatening to not feed Harry, Harry locked in his cupboard. Harry doing accidental magic to get away from Dudley and his gang and ending up on the school roof – then being thrown in the cupboard by his hair and starved for two days afterwards.

Severus screwed his eyes up tight. "I've seen enough Albus." He said through clenched teeth. "Merlin, how could I have been so wrong?"

Then, the owls began to arrive. The first letter bearing the famous Hogwarts seal - addressed to Mr H Potter, the Cupboard Under the Stairs, was destroyed by Vernon Dursely. More owls arrived, bringing more letters. Every time, Harry was denied the chance to read them. Soon, the quiet suburban street was invaded by owls. Owls perched on every lampost, fence and hedge in the street, waiting faithfully for the reply. Then came the eventful Sunday morning when the peace at Number four Privet Drive, was shattered as, with a loud rumble, hundreds of letters came flying down the chimney. Severus and Albus watched as ten year old Harry, leapt up in excitement and grabbed one of the charmed letters. Once again, it was wrestled from him by his uncle. The scene changed and Severus and Albus now found themselves inside a draft, isolated, primitive cottage on a remote island. It was almost midnight and Harry drew a birthday cake with candles in the dust, whilst trying to get comfortable on his hard bed on the floor. Of course his spoiled cousin had claimed the sofa. Vernon and Petunia were upstairs in the only bed. With a boom, the giant, Hagrid knocked down the door and the moment Harry was told that he was a wizard, unfolded in front of two former Professors. They watched as Harry was taken to the Leaky Cauldren and with a shock, discovered that he was actually famous in the wizarding world. It was suddenly time for Harry to go to Hogwarts and Severus and Albus found themselves on Platform 9/¾. Harry met his first real friends that day – Ron and Hermione. Even though, he had found them annoying bloody Griffindors, Severus was surprised to discover that he felt relieved that the poor child had some companions at last. He raised one brow as he watched the scene where Harry refused to shake Draco's hand. So that's what that was all about!

Harry sat under the sorting hat. Severus stared wide eyed in shock as the hat told Harry Potter that he would do well in Slytherin. The realisation of what was to come next hit him and he turned to his companion.

"Albus! He growled, "I do not want to see this any longer, but their surroundings changed again. He watched in shame, as his younger self berated Harry for not paying attention in his first potions lesson.

"Can you see what he was writing Severus?" The grey haired old man said softly.

"It – he was making notes." The dark wizard hung his head. "He was only making notes, he was paying attention and I jumped to conclusions that he was like his father." Severus watched as his younger self subjected Harry to humiliation in front of his peers. He observed how harsh and unfair his treatment had been and he was horrified. "I've become a bully, just like my father," he murmured. He held his head in his hands, obscuring his features, then combed his hands through his hair, grasping several strands at the roots in anguish. He felt quite sick at the thought of how cruel he had been to the boy.

"Enough!" He snapped.

Albus waved his wand and the memories disappeared, leaving the two wizards in the afterlife impression of the Hogwarts dungeon. Severus screwed his eyes shut. His mind was reeling. "How could I have been so blinded by my resentment, Albus?" He turned to the older wizard, his face growing darker. "And You! You were the one who put him there, with those – those disgusting excuses for muggles!" He bellowed.

Albus placed his hand on the other man's shoulder. "Severus calm down."

Severus shrugged off the touch. "I will not calm down, Albus! I had at least hoped that when my time came, I should have peace at last, but no, it would appear that Death himself has had the last laugh as I am to be tormented by images of Harry bloody Potter being abused by his relatives and then a stark reminder that I was no bloody better, myself! Lead me to the River Styx and I'll pay the Ferryman to take me to Hades!"

"Always had a flair for the dramatics didn't you Snivellus."

Severus whirled around. The former potion's master's eyes grew in size when he heard the voice and recognised the speaker. "Merlin's beard, it appears that I am already there!"

"Sirius!" A female voice admonished. "I thought we'd discussed this."

Severus gasped and his jaw almost hit the floor. The venomous words he was intending to spit at his former adversary, Sirius Black, forgotten in an instance. "Lily!"