I'm really reluctant about hurting poor Harry. I feel sorry for the poor guy! This is my first fic ever so don't hate me for getting way attached to the characters. Also, expect the Slytherin's to be acting like jackasses for a while.

This is the Golden Boy?

The Slytherin's camped out that night in the Dursley's backyard. The students couldn't stop talking about it. Harry Potter did not lead a perfect life.

"Who would have ever thought?"

Draco didn't try to hide the amusement in his voice while everyone laughed with him. Pansy sighed dramatically.

"Almost makes me feel sorry for him...nah!"

Millicent gave her a high five.

"The angel child finally got his glimpse of hell!"

Draco crossed his arms over his chest and smirked clearly satisfied.

"This will make the school year very amusing. I'm glad I came."

It almost took Severus by surprise that the Slytherin's showed no compassion...almost. What could be amusing about seeing someone getting beat by his only family relations? Especially after having gone through so much not even a few weeks ago.

He pushed all thoughts away and got back to his meal forcing his mind into a blank. About an hour later the chatter was still on full swing until he eventually got annoyed.

"Bed. Now."

"But-"

Severus glowered at Millicent and she went to the girl's tent wordlessly. The rest followed. The next day they would begin their studies. Early in the morning it was Blaise's turn to follow Harry's every move.

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Harry had been at the Dursley's for less than two weeks. Still he already had more bruises all over his arms and legs than Voldemort could have ever provided him in a lifetime. Most of them came from being pushed down the stairs and beat by his uncle Vernon. To make things worse, he had been having nightmares about Voldemort's return and the triwizard tournament since the day he left Hogwarts. He had nightmares about Cedric Diggory's death and seeing his eyes once so full of life now dim and listless. Harry was hiding behind a bush in the backyard at the moment, the only place he felt he could get away, his battered hands massaging his bruises, which seemed to finally feel relief in the cool darkness. He hadn't eaten for a day and a half and felt his stomach growl ferociously. Harry remembered the first day he arrived at the Dursley's that summer.

They had reached the house and Vernon was acting seemingly decent for the first day after he picked him up. He had even allowed Harry to do some of his schoolwork. But as soon as Harry had let his guard down his uncle had called him over to talk to him.

"I want you to write to your Godfather and tell him how you're doing."

Harry was a bit surprised but happily wrote the letter telling Sirius the Muggles where treating him great and that he shouldn't expect to hear from him very often.

'Big mistake.'

That had been Vernon's tactic to get him cut off from his Godfather. After he had sent his letter Vernon called him over again and told him to do the same to the Hermione and then to the Weasley's. By this time Harry had gotten a bit suspicious and told Ron to keep in touch with him over the summer. Vernon was furious he had spoken in a low voice that had sent chills running down Harry's spine.

"What did I tell you to write?"

"I just wanted to-"

"What. Did. I. Tell. You. To write?!?!"

Vernon heaved repeatedly and got to his feet. He tore the Post Script from the letter and sent it off. Then he turned back to Harry and pulled him by the arm to Dudley's second bedroom. He showed Harry into the room and he saw that his window was nonexistent. It had been covered in cement. The room was pitch black, his bed had been stripped bare of anything but a thin blanket, and his school things were gone. A loud noise alerted him back into reality cutting his recollections short.

'A shot.'

"I know you're hiding boy."

Harry froze and his breath caught in his chest. Harry saw Vernon approach the bush a riffle ready at his side. Vernon lowered the riffle slowly into the bush and Harry felt the cold metal touch his chin.

"Out. Now!"

Harry jumped out from behind the bush and kept his eyes on the ground. His eyes were hurting from the sudden change of shade to the hot afternoon sun.

"Hiding huh? Trying to get away from your duties? Left Dudley to do the work for you huh?"

'Dudley? I'm the one that does everything.'

He played a scared look for all it was worth.

'As long as he thinks I'm broken. I'm safe...'

Vernon looked pleased and hurled him by the neck to the kitchen.

"Petunia! Where's the wash water?"

"Coming Vernon."

Despite what her husband thought those 'games' that he played were in her mind wrong, for fear, she played along. Dudley, however, couldn't care less. Harry watched as she poured the boiling water into the washbasin. Then Harry understood.

"Go on."

Vernon pulled up a chair and sat with a nasty grin on his face. Harry dipped his hands into the scalding hot water and watched as his skin turned red and the pain shot through his fingertips and up his arms. He pulled his hands out of the water instantly but felt the heat of Vernon's stare on his back and dipped them back in wincing.

'If they could only see the great Harry Potter now.'

He was surprised by his own sarcasm and that only fueled him to finish the dishes faster.

'His amazing sleeping quarters, his trademark clothing, his perfect life! Oh yeah, the perfect scoop for Rita Scooter.'

The water was beginning to cool off and that allowed him to move his sore hands faster. By the time he was done his hands had gone numb. He stood before his uncle his eyes downcast.

"You start school tomorrow."

'School? I'm going to a Muggle school again?'

He remembered all the times he had been picked on in those Muggle schools. How he never had any friends and was always the bullies' favorite target.

"Did you hear me boy?!"

Harry nodded quickly as his stomach growled loudly Vernon heard it and sneered.

"If you tell anyone about your abnormality...about that school..."

"I won't."

Vernon gave him a look as if he expected Harry to fall on the floor and start twitching in pain.

"You better not, if you know what's good for you...you won't say a thing."

Vernon fixed Harry with a vicious glare and shoved a plate at into his hands. His dinner that night would be a piece of old hard bread with cheese and a glass of water. Harry reached for the bread and saw his hands where red and bloated. He was hungrier than anything and ignored the pain while he ate quickly just in case his uncle changed his mind.

Blaise Zabini reported back to the corner of the yard where the Slytherin's had made their campsite. The rest all waited for a new bit of news about Harry.

"He was hind behind a bush and his uncle came out with a weird wand thing and scared him out of hiding. He dragged him inside the house and he made him do the dishes."

Blaise had a strange expression on her face as if she didn't want to say anymore. Severus picked up on it.

"Is there something you aren't telling us?"

"Yeah. Boiling water. He burnt his hands pretty badly. Then his uncle told him he'd start school the next day and gave him food to eat. It was a piece of old bread and hard cheese with water."

She looked pleadingly at the Potions Master

"Can't we help-?"

"NO! I warned you not to get attached! You will not interfere in anyway. You will not have contact with the subject. No contact! Have I made myself clear Zabini?!"

Blaise took a frightened step back. No one had ever heard Severus yell at a student from him own house.

"Yes Professor Snape. Very clear."

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Late in the night a shadow stirred from one of the tents. The figure made it's way out of the tent and moved slowly towards the backdoor of the house.

"Alohomora."

The back door opened with a soft click and the figured entered the house. It moved around in the darkness and stood before a door. It had five locks running down the side. Instead of bothering with a unlocking charm it apparated inside the room.

"Lumos."

It neared the foot of the bed then looked down on the boy sleeping on the bed. The shadow figure waved a long thin stick in the air and muttered a few words. The swelling in Harry's hands began to diminish slowly.

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Harry woke up in a cold sweat and realized he was not alone.

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Crydwyn: Illogical? How so? I just write it.

JDY: You have no idea how much that little line hurt me! Poor baby!

Hippy Flower=Voldie's kid: Thanks. They're actually laughing at the fact that he's well, you'll read in in the next chapter. Hope that explains it better.

Moonlight: Thanx! Yeah I have a few interesting events in mind.

Fin-Phoenix: Thanx!

Nicky: I will...but not just yet.

Lady FoxFire: You don't know the half of it! As I said: I have a few interesting events in mind.

Elektra Joradees Gamblin: I'm right along with you!

Envy Greeneyed: Thanks. I try.

Lei Dumbledore: Wow! Me brilliant??? That's a first! j/k

callas-and-ivy: Basically! That whole laughing out loud is just the kind of thing I would expect from them!

Drafica: Ya! I get it! j/k! lol. thanks for your review. Believe me Draco will become my special project along with Snape.

Thanks to all of you who reviewed. I'm feeling a bit rushed but I love the challenge. I might begin to take a while. But I update pretty often.

Liyah