AN: this next chapter will contain the mentions of child abuse and terrorist acts… well if you can call them terrorist. If you do not like them then do no read any farther. I will not tolerate flames about the abuse and terrorist or slash content! You have been warned

I also I might not update as fast because I am thinking of writing the whole story out on paper first so that way I know how many chapter I am looking at and that way I can also just steal this front computer at one time. And just do a mass typing, so prepare for a big time gap between postings. But then you get the rest basically all at once so it makes up for it.

Disclaimer: yada yada yada we all know who own Harry Potter. And it aint ME!

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Chapter 3: THIS IS HOGWARTS!

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Dudley cowered in the corner of the guest bedroom. He could still hear in his mind Harry's shrill cries, and heard each sickening crack of bones as his father beat his cousin.

It had been close to a hour since the house had fallen into silence, his aunt and uncle were once again packing to head back off up to Aunt Marge's.

" It seems she tripped over one of her dogs and broke her leg, we'll be staying with her for another week, by then our guest should be gone."

The underlying threat was there, it didn't matter if he was scared of hospitals or not he was to be out of the house before they returned.

Dudley was just thankful they didn't know that the man was a Wizard and one of Harry's Professors nonetheless. He wanted to go make sure his cousin was alright but knew he couldn't do anything until his father and mother left, which should hopefully be some time soon.

As if to answer his prayers he heard the front door open and his mom popped her head into the room.

" We're leaving Dudders, are you gonna be alright with that man?"

Dudley nodded not trusting his voice at the moment. His mom smiled at him.

"Don't let that freak out of his room, he got his just for being in this room with a wounded normal person."

"Yes, mum."

Smiling again she walked from the room, he listened for several minutes as the car pulled out and down the street.

He didn't dare rescue his cousin right away in case his parents had forgotten something. The minutes ticked by, and finally he was sure it was safe enough to rescues Harry.

Racing from the room he skidded to a halt out side Harry's door, well more liked skid hopped. Making fast work of the locks he flung the door open, and was relieved to see Harry sitting up on the bed. He looked worse for wear, but Dudley had been expecting 100x worse.

"I heard they left." It was more a statement then anything else.

Dudley felt his stomach roll as he saw the huge bruises around Harry's eyes; blood trickled down from the corner of his mouth. He clutched his left arm close to his body.

" I took a minimal healing potion I stole from the infirmary at school. Vernon did nothing but blows so that would have healed it, have to wait till I get to Hogwarts to have the broken arm and ribs fixed." He said answering Dudley's unvoiced question.

" I thought you said you couldn't get a hold of anyone from your world, to risky."

A slow evil grind spread across Harry's face, his now crimson and emerald eyes sparkling.

" When was the last time I sent a letter to the order?"

Realization hit Dudley like a freight train. " Three day's ago, and you haven't written them yet!"

Harry shook his head. " Nope and I don't plan to, so expect a few guest here tonight."

Dudley shook his head, " your pretty cunning for a prat."

"Well the sorting hat at school did say I would be great in Slytherin, where cunning is there greatest strength."

They stood, or in Harry's case sat in awkward silence.

" Can you get my trunk from the cupboard under the stairs, I'm not staying here"

Dudley nodded and watched as Harry ambled back into the guest bedroom, still clutching his broken arm.

Harry sat gently down next to Snape, the man still had not moved an inch and he hopped against all odds that Snape was really all right. He was still wondering what had caused most of these wounds on him. He knew Voldemort had used the Crusiatus cruse on the poor man. That was his favorite curse, and had no qualms using it.

I just hope that brilliant mind is still intact.

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It was some time later that Dudley reentered the room, trunk in one hand, a huge duffle in the other.

He looked up to see Harry sitting watching him, he had placed the mask on his face which concealed all the bruises on his face. His eyes were freaky now, they were emerald until right around the pupil, and then they turned a vivid crimson.

" What's with the duffle?"

Dudley shrugged, " I'm coming with you."

Harry sputtered, " Your not serious are you?"

Dudley glared at Harry, which still needed some mass work.

" I'm not staying here when Mum and dad get home. Dad would beat me almost as bad as he beat you!

Harry flinched.

"I'm not staying and nothing you or this.. Order can change my mind!"

Dudley gave a small 'humph' and sat down in his chair. Harry couldn't help but snicker.

"So when will they get here to you think?"

Harry shook his head.

" I have no clue, last time they came in the dead of night."

" So in other words we're gonna be here a while."

Chuckling Harry nodded, "best sit back and hope there's a good movie on."

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A sound from down stairs caused Harry to jerk awake. Straining he heard another sound.

"Dudley!" he whispered furiously trying to get his wale of a cousin up.

Dudley jolted awake; clapping a hand over Dudley's mouth Harry motioned for him to keep quiet.

Both listened, as there was a crashing sound from downstairs.

" Burglars?" Dudley whispered when Harry removed his hand.

" Either that or Tonks. Or one hell of a clumsy death eater."

Taking out his wand, he motioned for Dudley to get on the other side of the bed.

Footsteps could be heard walking up the stairs and both boys held their breath.

A small light could be seen bobbing down the hallway. The feet stopped at what would have been Harry's room.

" Harry?"

Harry instantly recognized the voice,

"Lupin." He mouthed to Dudley, though he did not relax his wand.

" Harry? Where are you?"

The guest room door was closed and so Lupin obviously didn't think to look there.

There was a slow clunking up stairs the eventually came to stop next to where the suspected Lupin stood.

" He's not here Moody."

" Where else could Potter be, the wards have not been breeched and no one has seen potter leave the house in the past 4 days."

"What are you going to do Harry, you can't let them leave."

Harry nodded and moved closer to the door, wand still held at the ready.

" Professor Lupin?"

the two voices out side quieted and walked slowly towards the guest room.

" Harry?"

" What is the key to opening the map?"

There was a pause out side and Harry felt his heart sinking.

"Security question Lupin, he making sure we're not death eaters!" Harry chuckled at that biting growl of Moody's

" Oh duh!"

" I solemnly swear that I am up to no good. Always told James that was a stupid password."

Harry grinned at Dudley and swung open the door.

" MOONY!"

His jump into Remus' arms was stopped dead as two wands met him full in the face.

"What the hell."

It was then that he remembered the mask on his face. "Remus, it's me Harry."

Both wizards looked doubtful.

" Where did you get that mask then?"

Harry motioned towards the bed; he saw Lupin and Moody's eyes go wide.

" SEVERUS!"

Moody clunked loudly into the room and began examining the prone figure on the bed.

" He's hurt bad, we need to get him back to Hogwarts, and fast." He conjured a stretcher and levitated the still figure onto it.

" And I can see why you where that mask Potter, I'll have Albus speak to you later on that matter." Growled Moody as he made past them with Snape.

Harry ducked his head, he forgot completely about Moody's eye.

Remus knelt down in front of Harry, he could see not only the new color in Harry's eye but could see the discoloration of bruises under the mask.

" Harry I won't ask what happened, not right now. We need to get you to Hogwarts I'm sure you have a lot to tell Dumbledore. Have you got your things ready, or would you like me to call Tonk's up here to do it for you." Harry couldn't help but smile as he remembered the last time the young Auror had packed his things.

" No me and Dudley got all our things ready."

Lupin looked up surprised, " Dudley? Your cousin?"

Harry nodded and Dudley moved out from his hiding spot behind the bed.

" I'm coming with Harry, no way I am staying here."

Remus looked up at Harry as if to confirm this.

" What happened to me tonight will happen to him if he remains here, and he helped me with the greasy git."

Remus nodded, "Come here Dudley."

Dudley did as he was told all the time eyeing the wand still giving off light in Remus' hand.

" Dudley this is Remus Lupin, he was my Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher my 3rd year, and one of my dad's friends."

Dudley nodded and both him and Remus shook hands. Giving Dudley his normal gentle smile he help up his want. " It's a pleasure to meet you Dudley, now I'm just going to cast a spell that will allow you to see everything in our world. I promise that is all I am doing."

Dudley looked at Harry fearfully but puffed out his chest when Harry nodded.

With a complicated wave of his wand Remus recited a spell Harry had never heard before. Blinking Dudley looked around the room.

" I don't see anything different."

Remus and Harry both chuckled, " you won't Dudley not until we get to Hogwarts. Let's go, Moody is already probly up at the castle with Snape, now I won't ask how you got a hold of Severus, I'll wait for you to explain it to Albus."

Nodding Remus shrunk both the duffle and Harry's trunk and stuffed them in his pocket.

" Dudley you'll be sidelong aperariting with Tonk's. Don't worry she dose better with side longs then she dose walking around."

Here he winked at Harry who began chuckling.

" Let's go."

Quickly the trio made their way down and out of the house and began walking towards the corner of Privet drive.

"Why are we going all the way out here?"

" Because Dudley the wards surrounding your house do not allow anyone to apparit with in 1 block of the house."

A woman in shocking Blue hair stood on the corner, she smiled and greeted them.

" 'allo 'arry, I saw Moody taking off like a bat out of hell with our missing resident bat, would guess that's where you stole the mask from."

Tonk's cheerful as always,

" Tonk's you'll be tanking Dudley here, we're going to the boundary of Hogwarts."

"Right then, come here Dudley, grab my arm and hold on tight, don't want to leave parts of you behind."

Dudley looked fearful but gripped Tonk's arm in a death grip and with a 'CRACK' they were gone.

" Come on Harry our turn."

Grabbing hold of Remus' arm Harry held on for dear life. He closed his eyes as the sensation of being squeezed through a tube took over.

He felt like he could no longer breathe, when he felt he was going to pass out the feeling was gone and when he looked up he stood at the gates of Hogwarts. Shaking his head he looked and saw Dudley standing next to him. He looked probly how Harry felt.

" What ever that was I am never doing it again."

Harry chuckled, " Hey Dudley look." Harry pointed towards the, what he imagined was quiet a site for Dudley.

" Bloody hell!" Dudley's eyes were the size of dinner plates as he stared up at the magnificent castle that stood on the cliff over looking the huge lake.

" Welcome to Hogwarts School of witchcraft and wizardry." Remus said beaming.

Dudley looked as if all of them had grown another head, " THAT'S HOGWARTS!"

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I could be mean and leave it there but I'm not

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The trek up to the castle was a slow one, as none of the normal carriages were there to greet them. Thankfully Dudley had lost a lot of weight thanks to his boxing and so they didn't have to stop for what would have been his normal breather.

He couldn't seem to stop staring at the castle, well neither could Harry. It felt good to be home, but mainly he just wanted to get in and make sure that his Professor was alright.

They came to the front massive front doors of the school where none other then Albus Dumbledore stood waiting to greet them.

" Professor Dumbledore."

Harry couldn't help it, he ran up and gave the man he considered his Grandfather a hug. The elderly wizard laughed and returned the hug, his blue eyes twinkling like mad.

" Harry, Alastor told me that you had been the one to find and take care of our missing Head of Slytherin. For that I am grateful."

He released Harry and stood beaming at the small group.

" Ah I see that we have an unexpected visitor. Dudley I presume."

Dudley nodded looking up at the man in front of him.

The man looked to be over 100 years old and was dressed in a deep purple nightgown with gold embroidered stars and moons that MOVED! His beard was as long as his buckle and so was his hair, his blue eyes seemed to sparkle behind half moon spectacles and to Dudley it seemed as if he was staring into your very soul.

"Welcome to Hogwarts, I am Albus Dumbledore, the Headmaster."

Dudley stared at the old man.

" This is Dumbledore." He mouthed to Harry.

Harry chuckled, " Yes" he mouthed back, Dumbledore did not miss this exchange between the two and began to chuckle softly.

"We're going to head back to head quarters Albus, keep us informed of Severus' progress."

" Why he is awake right now, and as nasty as ever." Relief flooded Harry, Snape was awake and as Dumbledore said his normal snarky self. Which meant his mind was intact.

" In that case." Remus said laughing. " I defiantly do not want to be here. Good night Albus, Harry, Dudley." With that Remus and Tonks left, " Hey Remus can me and Dudley have our stuff at least!" Remus stopped dead and smacked his head.

" Almost forgot, here." He handed Albus the trunk and duffle. Waving Remus disappeared up the drive.

Quickly ushering the two boys inside Dumbledore started towards the staircases.

" Now as much as that mask looks quiet nice on you Harry I feel that we should fix what ever it is hiding, and Severus refused to say a word until he hears what happened to him after he went missing."

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Okay I don't know where the hospital wing is so I'm putting it on the first floor

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The trek to the hospital wing was a short one, but full of surprised cry's from Dudley as he caught sight of the suits of armor moving along with the paintings.

The entered the hospital wing to the cries of none other then Madam Pomfey.

"What have you done now Potter!"

Harry winced and grinned back at Dudley, "I'm in here a lot."

" You most certainly are, I should just carve your name over your normal bed."

Harry chuckled and aloud the nurse to steer him towards his normal bed. But he stopped dead in his tracks as he caught sight of two cold black eyes staring back into his own.

They held none of the normal loathing and vindictiveness they normal did.

" Are you alright professor?"

Snape's eyes narrowed into their normal glare. " I've been better, Potter." His voice was still as silky and smooth as venom coated milk and honey. And it sent a shiver up Harry's spine.

He turned back to his cousin; he couldn't help but grin as the boy stared back horrified at Snape.

"Come on Potter." He was pushed down onto the bed, and Pomfry went to work on him. She gasped when she took the mask off of him.

Dumbledore was sat on the edge of Severus' bed while Dudley had taken up on the edge of Harry's.

" Potter what happened!"

Ashamed Harry looked away from the 4 pairs of eyes, the pair that made him feels the most ashamed was the pair of black ones burning a hole in his skull.

" My dad beat him when he found out we were taking care of him." Dudley said pointing at Snape who in turn sent his most deadly glare at Dudley. Dudley shrieked and took off to the other side of the bed.

" Severus." Dumbledore growled in warning.

" Dudley convinced my uncle that Professor Snape was a muggle that had gotten beaten up by thugs, and had a fear of hospitals, why he was at our house. My uncle beat me saying that I was going to contaminate Snape with my freakishness."

Glaring at Pomfry he ripped the mask from her hand and put it back on. He chanced a look and saw that Snape was now staring down at his sheets, a haunted look on his face. And Dumbledore was staring at him sadly all twinkle gone from his eyes.

" Vernon will be dealt with accordingly, and I am safe to assume that, that is also the reason you are here Dudley."

Dudley nodded though he was still looking at Snape in horror.

" Harry please tell us what happened when you found Severus."

Fifteen minutes later and with the help of Dudley he retold them exactly what happened. Dumbledore was smiling happily at the two of them.

"Now Severus, can you tell me how you ended up in that state."

Snape who had been staring at his sheet began to shake. Dumbledore reached out and gripped the man shoulders.

"Severus?"

A deep baritone laugh escaped from Severus, the sound made Harry melt where he sat, it was a deep rich sound.

Severus looked up his black eyes sparkling brighter then Dumbledore's ever did, a evil grin spread across his face.

" You know I'm a pyromaniac right?"

Dumbledore nodded remembering the many times Severus had lit Something on fire during his school days.

"Never let a pyromaniac have explosives."

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AN: well there we go chapter 3 done, it's longer then the rest and will be the last update for a while. Hope you all liked it please R/R I need to go to bed. Night all