Disclaimer: I don't own anything you recognize.
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Sunday, February 13, 1994-London
Severus, Draco, Harry, Hermione, and Ginny were dressed in Muggle clothes, so that they wouldn't attract too much attention from Muggles as they wandered the streets of London. Severus, Draco, and Ginny didn't know much about Muggle ways, so they were relying on Harry and Hermione to know what was going on. They'd decided that Hermione should come with them because she probably knew the most about Muggle ways out of all of them, as Harry hadn't been allowed out much.
"Where do you kids want to go?" Severus asked.
"There's a park down that way," Hermione said, pointing at a park with a lake. "We've been walking for a while. Maybe we should sit down and take a break."
Everyone agreed, and they went down to sit by the lake. Severus sat on a bench, while Harry and Ginny sat on another together. Draco and Hermione sat on the ground, at the edge of the lake. A few ducks came out of the water to greet them.
"Oh, I wish we had some bread or something," Hermione said. "We could feed the ducks."
Severus glanced around, then quickly conjured up a loaf of bread, handing it to Hermione. She broke the bread into pieces, and the four kids took some, letting the ducks eat out of their hands. One of the ducks went after every handful of bread he saw, trying to get it before the others.
"This one's greedy," Ginny giggled. She tossed a bit of bread to the duck, who caught it. "There, now go away!" Ginny sat back on the bench with Harry, who took her hand and stood up.
"Let's go for a walk," he said, softly. She nodded, and the two began to walk around the large lake. "I'm sorry I scared you last night, Gin."
"It's all right," Ginny assured him, squeezing his hand. "I was just worried about you... How are you feeling now?"
"Better," Harry replied. "I slept better last night; Draco stayed with me, and he woke me up when I had nightmares."
"He really cares about you," Ginny said. "All three of you really care about each other. It's obvious."
"I love them," Harry said, simply. "They're really the only family I've ever known. I don't remember Mum and James, and the Dursleys--"
Suddenly, Harry's grip on Ginny's hand tightened, and he stopped walking. He stared about fifty feet to his right, at a group of three large people.
"They're here," Harry whispered. "The Dursleys are here..."
"Shh, Harry, it's all right. They won't recognize you; you look completely different." Ginny winced as she heard Draco calling Harry's name.
"Harry!" he shouted. "Harry Potter-Snape, get your arse over here!"
-Draco, shut up! Don't call my name like that!
"Oh, Merlin, it's too late," Harry whispered as Vernon Dursley spotted him.
The man came closer, wondering if this really was Harry Potter. Then he saw the scar. Ginny and Harry were frozen with terror as Vernon turned purple with rage. He grabbed Harry by his neck and pushed him up against a tree.
"What the bloody hell are you doing here, you freak?!" Vernon hissed. "Shouldn't you be off at your freak school? Or did you like your punishments so much that you wanted to come back for more?" He pressed his hand tighter around Harry's neck, causing the boy to gasp for air.
Suddenly, Harry fell to the ground, no longer held up by Vernon's hand. The man had been pulled back and turned around, and he found himself facing Severus, who was seething with anger.
"Dursley, it would do you well to keep your hands off of my son," Severus warned him, pulling the Muggle off the ground by the collar of his shirt.
"Harry?" Ginny said, quietly, as she, Draco, and Hermione knelt down next to him. He was breathing heavily as he slowly opened his eyes. He almost instantly closed them again, whimpering as he still felt the pain of Vernon's thumb pressing into his neck, blocking his airway.
"Harry, open your eyes," Draco said, softly. "Keep them open, so we know you're awake."
"Do you know what the Dark Arts are, Dursley?" Severus said in a low, steady voice. "The Dark Arts are the most evil kinds of magic. Spells, charms, curses--all intended to cause pain. I could demonstrate for you, if you'd like; I'd most certainly enjoy it, though it wouldn't come close to paying you back for all the torture that you've put Harry through."
"Dad!" Draco shouted, his voice filled with fear and worry. Severus nodded at him, then looked back at Vernon.
"If you do not want that demonstration, Dursley, then I suggest that you get out of my sight." With that, he used the Memory Charm on all three Dursleys, as they were the only Muggles around to witness what had happened. The Dursleys left without question, and Severus rushed over to where Harry lay with his head in Hermione's lap. The skin of Harry's neck was bright red, and finger-shaped bruises were appearing. He kept coughing, and could only manage short, rapid breaths.
"Harry, calm down," Severus murmured, lifting the boy into his arms. To the other kids, he said, "We have to go back to the castle. Merlin, it would be so much faster if I wasn't the only one able to Apparate."
"Dad, I-I know how to Apparate," Draco said in a small voice.
"But we couldn't Apparate into the castle," Hermione protested. "We'd have to go through Hogsmeade, and that would take a while. What we should do is get to The Leaky Cauldron and use the fireplace." Severus nodded his agreement, and looked at Draco.
"You're sure you can Apparate?" Draco nodded and took each of the girls' hands. "Hermione, hold onto me, just in case." Hermione took her free and and held onto Severus's arm. "We'll Apparate into The Leaky Cauldron, and then go through the fireplace. Draco, on the count of three. One...two...three."
With a *pop* the group found themselves in the middle of The Leaky Cauldron. There was hardly anybody in there, aside from Tom, the owner.
"Tom, we need to use your Floo," Severus said before Tom could speak. "It's an emergency."
"Go right ahead, Severus," Tom said. Severus looked at the kids.
"Draco, you go first. Then Hermione, then Ginny, and I'll bring Harry last. Just throw the powder in and say 'Hogwarts hospital wing.'"
Within moments, they were all in the hospital wing, much to Madam Pomfrey's surprise. The kids stood back while Severus came through the fireplace with Harry. He rushed the boy to a bed and put him down, kneeling on the floor by Harry as Madam Pomfrey began to examine him.
"We had a run-in with the Dursleys," Severus explained. "Harry's uncle--if you can call him that anymore--picked Harry up by his neck and threw him up against a tree. He was trying to strangle him; he used his thumb to block off Harry's airway. I pulled Dursley away, and Harry fell to the ground."
"Harry, dear, can you hear me?" Madam Pomfrey asked, softly. Harry nodded, slightly, his eyelids drooping. "I need you to inhale as deeply as you can, all right?" Harry shook his head.
"It hurts..." he whispered. "Make it stop..." Pomfrey looked at the other kids, then at Severus.
"The other children must leave," she said, quietly. "They've already seen enough." Severus nodded and went over to where Draco was holding the girls' hands.
"I need you three to do something for me, all right?" Severus said, gently. "Go to the Headmaster's office and tell him what happened. Ask him to inform Remus, as well. Then Draco, take the girls down to our quarters. I'll be down in a little while."
Draco nodded and led the girls out of the room. First they went to Dumbledore, who thanked them and headed for the hospital wing. Then they went to the first floor, where they were met with the twins. They explained what happened to Fred and George, and those two joined the group as they headed down to the dungeons.
The group sat in silence in the living room while they waited for Severus. Hermione sat in a chair with Draco, and Ginny sat between her brothers on the sofa. George hugged Ginny tightly, whispering to her that things would be all right soon.
Finally, after an hour or so, Severus came into the room. He held Harry's hand in his own as the boy walked slowly beside him. Severus shook his head at the group, and he took Harry to the bedroom, tucking him in under a light blanket. Then the older wizard came out to the main room.
"He'll be just fine," Severus assured them. "As you can imagine, he's a little shaken up and tired, so he'll be resting for the remainder of the day. He'll be sleeping for several hours yet; Madam Pomfrey gave him a Sleeping Potion. But he should be up for supper, if you'd all like to come back down later and eat with us."