Ron was pacing up and down the carriage, running his hands through his already unruly shock of ginger hair.

"Where is he, 'Mione?"

Hermione sighed.

"Ron, you're making me dizzy. Sit down, for goodness sake. He's probably been held up in the traffic." Ron brightened visibly.

"So you think he's ok then?"

"Yes" lied Hermione "I'm sure he's fine. And even if he does miss the train, he can owl Hogwarts and they'll probably send a teacher to pick him up. Don't worry - Dumbledore never misses a trick."

Inwardly, she was worried. She knew she hadn't imagined the increased strain on Harry's face over the last few weeks of term. From what she could tell, the ton-tongue toffee had been a severely bad idea. Trust the Weasleys. They seemed to have no idea of the trouble they could get into, pulling a prank like that. Inwardly she tutted as she absently fingered her new prefects badge.

"I'm starving, 'Mione!" whinged Ron.

"Well get something off the bloody trolley!" Snapped Hermione, surprising herself as much as Ron. In an uncharacteristic moment of sensitivity, he put a hand on her forearm.

"You don't think Harry's alright, do you?"

Silently, Hermione shook her head.

"What are we going to do?"

"Well, if he misses the train, he'll get to Hogwarts some other way. If he's not in the common room after the feast then we'll go to McGonagall and if she doesn't know what it is then we'll see Dumbledore. I'm sure we're just overreacting. It'll be fine."

Ron nodded dubiously and they settled into an uneasy silence, Ron popping bubbles of Droobles Best Blowing gum loudly and Hermione reading a book on charms. After 5 minutes, the train started and there was still no sign of Harry. However, someone came. Someone who neither Hermione nor Ron particularly wanted to ever see again, let alone while they were worried about Harry.

"What did you want, Malfoy?" asked Ron roughly. Hermione didn't bother looking up, though she had her wand in her hand hidden behind her robes.

Malfoy didn't reply for a moment. Hermione looked up and noticed how pale he looked.

"Where's Ha - Potter?"

{odd} thought Hermione {it was like he was going to say Harry}

"I don't know. He probably missed the train. What did you want?"

Draco shifted. "I. . .I. . .I wanted to. . .uh. . .I mean. . ."

"Spit it out, ferret face!" exclaimed Ron, and the Slytherin flushed, but refrained from insulting Ron.

"I wanted to apologise for the way I've treated you in the past. Certain. . .things. . .happened this summer, and I am not joining the Death Eaters. I. . .I don't know how I'm going to manage at school."

He suddenly looked very young and lost. {But he could be faking it!} Hermione told herself.

"And. . .may I call you Ron and Hermione?"

Ron was gaping like a hairy, oversized goldfish.

"Yes, you may" said Hermione. "But. . .any Mudblood comments and I will hex you so hard your ancestors will feel it."

"Couldn't you just hex my ancestors instead?" muttered Draco, and Hermione laughed.

"Oh do shut your mouth, Ron!" she exclaimed.

Draco smiled awkwardly.

"So. . .where's Harry. . .Potter. . .whatever I should call him?"

"I honestly don't know" said Hermione with a sigh. "He hasn't replied to our letters all of this holiday, and he's not on the train."

"Well, Professor Dumbledore will get him if he's missed the train."

"Yes, that's what we thought."

Hermione regarded the blond boy before her, and finally asked what she had been dying to know ever since he'd spoken civilly to her.

"What the hell happened with you?"

************************************

Harry curled up into a ball, pain exploding down his every limb. It wasn't just him; Vernon had started to realise Harry could be his own personal punching bag and no rabid axe wielding Godfather was going to come and kill them. Harry was no doctor; he didn't even know any healing charms. But he did know he was starving to death, and, with a few more beatings, the boy who lived. . .would not.

*****************************************

Snape was in his office, steeling himself to face all the nasty little Slytherin Death Eater's children. Merlin, but he hated having to pander to their every whim. It just added insult to the injury of the Mark which burned every so often. But then again, something worse could happen. Just like. . .

*Knock Knock*

"Come in" he snapped. Quite frankly he didn't give a damn if it was even Albus, he didn't want to be disturbed.

"Lupin. How lovely to see you" disdain dripped from his every word.

"Snape, we need to talk"

"Oh, really? How nice. Have a pleasant day. Please close the door behind you"

Lupin glared at Snape, his eyes glowing ferociously.

"We need to talk and we need to talk NOW."

Snape sighed, trying to stop himself from being nervous of the fully grown werewolf.

"Why?"

"Because I got a very interesting letter by magically delayed owl yesterday and you need to read it."

"Well let me read it then, Lupin, and stop breathing over my neck!"

"No."

Snape didn't argue. He picked up the parchment, and began reading as Lupin waited. Finally he put it down.

"If this is some sort of sick joke, Lupin, I don't find it remotely funny."

"It isn't. And I'm none too amused, either."

"Get out" ordered Snape tersely, and Lupin complied, a sad look on his face. As he left the room, he said softly,

"Don't push him away, Severus. He needs a family as much as you do" and left Snape to ponder these words.

********************************

Draco sighed and rubbed his nose absently.

"My father decided I should be marked. I watched the Death Eaters torture and rape a little muggle girl. I. . .just felt sick, I couldn't stand it. My father was livid. He put the Cruciatus on me, and then held me down so I could be marked. He promised me I'd be beaten to within an inch of my life when I got home. But I don't think any of them expected me to disapparate. I ended up on top of some person in muggle London and ran. And. . .I just kept running."

Hermione nodded, her eyes sad.

"Harry would know about that"

"How?" asked Draco, puzzled. Hermione sighed and looked Draco in the eye.

"His link with Voldemort shows him whatever happens whenever Voldemort is feeling particularly vicious. He has terrible nightmares."

Draco looked shocked, and was silent all the way up to the school.

********************************

Harry had no idea what day it was. He had lost all track of time. And he didn't care what day it was. Nobody was coming to save him. He was going to die, beaten, bloodied and emaciated, in this cupboard under the stairs, all alone. Nothing could stop it.

********************************

20 minutes later Snape was still staring at the letter in his hand. It couldn't be true, it just couldn't. Not when he looked so much like James; how cruel could Remus be? Had it been anyone else, Snape would have burnt the letter, but Remus. . .was not that sort of person.

Suddenly Snape realised he was late for the feast. Disappearing through a tapestry, he emerged right next to the teachers table in the Great Hall. Dumbledore looked at him sharply, and motioned him to a place next to him. Snape glided over and sat down.

"Good evening, Severus. Nice of you to join us" said McGonagall disapprovingly. Snape merely glared at her. He could feel Lupin's eyes burning into the back of his neck.

Dumbledore looked piercingly at Snape.

"Headmaster, I need to talk to you after dinner. It is, ah, a matter of great urgency. . ."

Dumbledore nodded gravely, and then turned to talk to Professor Sinastra, leaving Snape to stare at his plate with great distaste and wonder what the hell was going to happen now.

After dinner, he followed Dumbledore to his study. Before the old man could ask him any questions, Snape thrust the parchment into his hands. The headmaster scanned it, his eyes growing imperceptibly wider.

"well well, Severus. This is a bit of a surprise, eh?" Snape merely glared.

"I must admit, I had never imagined the possibility, but this letter is definitely genuine. . ."

"You are sure?"

"Oh yes, Severus, completely. And Harry must be told immediately. However, there is one small problem. . ."

"Which is?"

Suddenly there was a banging on the door.

"Come in, Miss Granger, Mr Weasley" said Dumbledore, carefully ignoring Snape's angry hiss.

"Professor. . .sir. . .we can't find Harry. . .wasn't on train. . .or at feast. . ."

"Now now, my dear girl, calm yourself. What is this?"

" Harry wasn't on the train. He hasn't replied to any of our letters, and we thought he might have missed the Express so we waited but he still isn't here!"

Dumbledore turned to Snape.

"Well, that seems to be our second problem."

"Sir - you don't know where he is?" Hemione's voice was shrill and her eyes panicked.

"No, Miss Granger, I am afraid I don't. However, we must get in touch with his relatives as quickly as possible. Severus, would you? I must remain here, and it will take a while to inform Minerva."

Snape nodded quickly, and swept down to his quarters, picking up a thick cloak and his broom. He virtually ran to the apparition point, and apparated to the edge of the wards outside Harry's house. It looked perfect, and for a moment Snape was annoyed. Stupid boy had probably just forgotten the day. He transfigured his robes into a muggle suit (black, of course) and knocked of the door. A bony faced woman opened the door.

"Not interested, whatever you're selling."

"Excuse me, madam" he said stiffly, "I am here to see a Mr Harry Potter."

The woman looked confused, momentarily, and anger flashed over her face.

"There is no Harry Potter here" she said sharply. "Good evening."

Snape looked at the door which had just been slammed in his face. He must have got the wrong number. But. . .the woman did have Lily's eyes. Definitely.

Reluctantly he cast an invisibility charm on himself and levitated up to the 2nd floor of the house. He opened the window with 'alohomora' and climbed in softly. He could hear several voices shouting, and thumps coming from the staircase.

oh Merlin, Severus, this is probably the wrong house. How stupid will you look when the ministry accuses you of attacking muggles?

Ignoring his inner voice, Snape walked down the stairs. Funny, the noises seemed to be coming from beneath the staircase. When he reached the bottom, he saw the door was open, and a massive bulk was in the door, hitting something. From the grunts the thing emitted, it could have been a human, but it was much too small. In a grotesque way, it looked like Voldemort; like a blackened baby, curled up in a foetal position.

Snape moved around the bulk of the man, and nearly threw up. The grotesque bundle of bones and bruises was a child. And not just any child. Potter.

"Stupefy" he hissed, furiously. Very furiously, as the spell froze even the man's eyes. Reluctantly Snape loosened the spell a bit, so the man could breathe. He quickly stunned the bony woman and whale-sized boy, and crawled into the cupboard. It smelled of blood, urine and sweat. He imagined the boy had been left in here for the whole summer holidays.

With a swish, he levitated Harry and after making them both invisible, apparated back to Hogwarts. Poppy was in the Infirmary and nearly screamed at the state of Harry. She began to heal him as well as she could, finally looking up at Snape.

"What are you doing here? You're the last person he needs around. He needs people who care for him; now, please, go and fetch Minerva and Albus."

Snape's throat constricted briefly as he walked out of the Infirmary to Dumbledore's office. Poppy was right; he and Potter could never be father and son. After all, the hated each other; Potter would probably kill himself before accepting Snape, and vice-versa.

So why did Snape feel so disappointed?