Disclaimer: How many time must I tell you?!! IT'S NOT MINE!!!!!

Rating: R, Harry angst and abuse, slash (eventually)

Author's Notes: I'm SO sorry that it took so long to get out that chapter. With the combination of writer's block, and summer projects, this is all I've come up with. Hope you enjoy!! R&R!!

Trouble at Home

Chapter 5

Severus skillfully landed in Hogwarts' Great Hall with the not-so-heavy load wrapped in his arms. Ha- Potter had slipped into unconsciousness on the trip. Severus regained his equilibrium quickly, and rushed to the hospital wing.

"POMFREY! GET IN HERE, NOW!!" Severus set the small boy onto the nearest bed with a gentleness he showed very rarely. Not that anyone would actually see him being nice to Har- Dumbledore's Golden Boy. Madame Pomfrey came in looking thoroughly harassed, until she caught sight of the broken body in her infirmary.

"What in Merlin's name happened?!" Poppy exclaimed, rushing over to Harry's side. She immediately went into nurse-mode, jotting down all the injuries the boy had. Dumbledore came down very shortly after Severus arrived in the hospital wing with a grave look on his normally happy face.

While Poppy healed Harry, Severus explained to both of them the events that occurred at the Dursley residence. He could not contain the hatred and disgust that leaked into his account. Severus still could not believe the condition he had found the boy in. It was utterly despicable. The day before, Severus would have happily said that a world that lacked Potter would be a better one. But now, he was not so sure. When he had looked into that cupboard and seen the crumpled figure of the defiant boy he despised, something changed inside of him. Now, Severus had to make a conscious effort to think of the boy the same way he had before summer; before all this had happened.

//Would it be so bad to think of the boy as Harry, a normal young boy, instead of Potter, the wizarding world's savior?\\ the little voice in his head, which sounded suspiciously like Dumbledore, asked. //Of course it would. We've always had a hate-hate relationship. There's no use in doing anything that might change it. That might make us become.friends or something.\\ Severus quelled the rebellious conscience in his head, but continued to think about Har-- //Dammit!\\

~*~

Harry floated around in a numb, black emptiness. He was extremely grateful that he could feel nothing. Harry knew that his body was broken, and that if he could feel anything at all, he would just be in terrible pain. So he decided to enjoy the feeling of nothingness for as long as he could, and thought about some.pressing matters.

//Greasy, slimy, Professor Snape saved me. again. He's always doing that. I get into trouble, and he gets me out of it. I wonder --\\ Harry was quickly pulled from his musings by a sharp pain in his scar. His hand flew up to it before he even had a chance to realize where he now was.

When Harry uncovered his forehead, he gazed dazedly at his current surroundings. Death Eaters everywhere. They formed a circle around another figure, who was writhing on the ground, screaming in agony. Knowing that this must be a dream- //Or a vision\\ -Harry walked over to the circle. Voldemort stood proud and erect in the circle, his wand pointing at the howling man in the center.

Harry stepped forward, through the Death Eaters and to the suffering man's side. No one seemed to notice him. Voldemort stopped the curse, long enough for the man to look up through pain-hazed eyes.

It was Snape.

Harry stumbled backwards, away from his professor, and into the waiting arms of numerous Death Eaters. Voldemort looked directly at Harry and said, "Now I think I know what will cause you pain. Enjoy the torment on your dear Professor Snape, Harry m'boy!" And with that, Voldemort hit Snape with the Cruciatus again. Only this time, Harry fell to the ground, feeling the same pain as his professor.

With a jolt, Harry came back to the world of consciousness.

~*~

A/N: I know. I'm evil. I know. It was short. But it took me forever to finally finish this damn chapter. I wanted to get something out, as I've done nothing for quite a while. Please, read and review!! ::hopeful eyes::

Forgot this the first time .;;.

Thanks to all my reviewers, including: Lunaceress, Kateri, selua, Unable To Cry, athenakitty, Wolf Lupin, and any others that I forgot. Thank you so much. The reviews are really inspiring!