a/n (11/29/07): I have made major changes to this chapter. I decided I needed Petunia to remember the facts of the day, as well as receive a lecture from Snape. I have made these changes because it will help develop the character Petunia. The changes are minor overall and do not affect the plotline
Chapter 6
Harry sat curled in the farthest corner of his cupboard where his uncle couldn't reach him. His heart soared as he heard the voice of the professor.
His uncle retreated from the door of his cupboard, and Harry heard him holler, "What the ruddy hell are you doing here?"
Harry heard a thump, then he heard his aunt scream and there was another thump.
He heard his cousin shout, "Mummy!", but then all he could hear was the professor talking. He inched his way to the door, and peeked out the slats. His cousin was sitting quietly on the couch!
After Severus stupefied the adults, and subdued Potter's cousin with the imperio spell, he said loudly, "Potter, it's safe. Come here."
He watched as the boy opened the door carefully, and peered out, his eyes widening as he saw the crumpled figures of his aunt and uncle. "Are they...dead?" he asked.
"No, merely sleeping. Now come here."
Potter had the small dragon clutched to his chest as he came to stand in front of the potions master. Severus knelt down to get a good look at the boy. One ear of the boy's glasses seemed almost imbedded in his skin. Severus removed them gently, repairing them and placing an unbreakable spell on them for good measure. Setting them to the side, he retrieved a potion from his robes.
"Close your eyes," he ordered softly.
He applied the potion to the boy's reddened skin before asking, "Are you hurt anywhere else?"
Potter pointed to his shoulder, ribs and stomach on the same side. Snape corked the potion for the moment before removing the boy's shirt. He then applied the potion to the rest of Harry's injuries. He tapped the dragon with his wand to enlarge it, before leading the child over to a large overstuffed chair.
He sat down, pulling the boy up into his lap. "What happened?" he asked grimly.
Harry found himself leaning against the man's chest. "Uncle Vernon was really mad," he said softly.
"Is he the one that hit you?"
"No, he shook me really hard, and threw me in the car. Dudley hit me."
Snape cursed. Stupid muggles! Did they not realize shaking a child could cause permanent harm? He cast a diagnostic spell on Potter to insure there were no further injuries. Luckily there seemed to be none. He noticed the boy no longer flinched when he brought out his wand. In fact the wretched child was snuggling into him! He said, "Do not go to sleep. We have much to discuss."
"Am I in trouble?" Harry asked fearfully.
"No," said Snape. "I merely wish for you to understand a few things. When your uncle and cousin wake tomorrow they will remember nothing of what happened at the restaurant or what is about to occur here. You are not to speak of it. I am going to use magic so that they can no longer harm you. This does not mean that you may take advantage of this. I will be here throughout the weekend to ensure your safety, and then I will have someone watching you. You may not be able to see either me or them. Since your uncle will no longer be able to touch you, if you misbehave I will deal with you myself. Do you understand?"
"Yessir."
Snape retrieved a knife from his robes, saying, "I need a few of your hairs. Stay still and this will not hurt."
Harry's eyes widened at the sight of the knife, but he held very still. He felt the professor holding a few pieces of hair as he cut them off. Then the man said, "Now you will go prepare for bed and wait for me in that blasted cupboard."
Harry slid off the professor's lap, and hurried to obey.
When the boy had disappeared into his 'room', Snape rose and made his way to his first victim, the boy's cousin. He used the knife to make a cut on the boy's arm, and procured a vial of the boy's blood. He tapped the vial with his wand, labeling it, and then reached into his robes for one of the vials of the haud-contineo potion. He added three drops of the boy's blood, and then one of the hairs he had gotten off Potter. The potion bubbled for a few moments before turning puce. He held the vial out to the child and ordered him to drink. Afterwards, he used legillimancy to enter the boy's mind and obliviate and adjust the needed memories. He ordered the boy to go to bed, grinning at the thought of what would happen to the child the next time he so much as tried to lay a finger on Potter.
After Potter's cousin had gone up the stairs, he moved to repeat the procedure with Potter's lard of an uncle, the only change being he had to ennervate the man before casting another imperius curse and forcing him to drink the potion. He obliviated his memories in much the same way, then sent him off to bed.
Snape sneered at the woman on the floor. He had something special planned for her. He had considered just obliviating her, but decided it would be much more effective to force Petunia to retain the memories knowing that no one would believe her. In addition, he wanted to have a long talk with her to ensure Potter's continued safety and force her to treat the boy better.
He knelt down and secured a vial of her blood, and was about to ennervate Petunia when Potter slipped out of the door to his cupboard. "Where do you think you're going?" growled Severus.
"I have to put my clothes in the laundry or Aunt Petunia will be mad," said Potter.
Snape motioned for the boy to lead the way. Potter moved into the kitchen and toward the door to the basement. As he still had that damned dinosaur clutched in one hand, and his clothing in the other, he was having problems opening the door. Severus reached over to open it for the child. At the boy's hesitation, Snape muttered a soft, "lumos," so they could see their way down into the darkened room.
Once downstairs, Snape watched impassively as the boy expertly divided his clothing into the correct piles. What was a seven year old boy doing with the knowledge of how to sort laundry?
Snape was brought out of his musings when Potter returned to his side and softly thanked him. "Why were you frightened?" he asked as he lifted the boy into his arms for the return journey.
"I don't like the dark," admitted Harry.
"I would think that cupboard of your is quite dark," noted Snape.
"That's different," said Harry.
"And why is that?"
The boy shrugged and said, "I'm safe there."
"Meaning?"
"Uncle Vernon can't get in at all, and Dudley can barely fit through the door. The last time he tried he got stuck!"
"What about your aunt? I'm sure she can fit through the door."
Harry said, "She doesn't come in. She just tells Uncle Vernon to leave me in there."
"Do they lock you in?"
"Uh-huh."
"For how long?"
The boy shrugged and said, "When they're really mad, all day."
By that time they had reached the top of the stairs. Snape put the boy down, closed the door, and pushed him towards his cupboard. When Harry got to his aunt, he turned to Severus and said, "What are you going to do to her?"
"I will merely speak with her to ensure you recieve adequate care in the future," he lied smoothly. "You need not worry about it. Now to your room."
Once Harry entered the cramped space, Snape followed, having to bend almost in half to enter it himself. Harry climbed into the cot, and covered himself up. Severus had reached into his robes to pull out the shrunken books. After enlarging them he handed them to the boy.
"What if someone sees them?" asked Harry.
"The muggles won't notice," Snape assured the boy.
"W-would you read me a story?" Harry asked softly.
Snape sighed. "What would you like a story about?"
"Dragons."
Of course. Dragons. Snape was going to curse McGonagall when next he saw her. With nowhere else to sit, he sat on the floor and proceeded to read the boy his wanted story. If someone had told him a week ago he would be reading a bedtime story to the bloody boy-who-lived, he would have taken their heads off. But the boy was growing on him. Snape glanced up halfway through to notice that the child was fast asleep. He rose quietly and left the cupboard
Once back in the living room, Snape ennervated Petunia and used a mild imperio to force her to stand and move to the couch. He then handed her a potion to drink. Once the woman downed the potion, he bound her with magical ropes and removed the imperio spell. Petunia glared at him, and attempted to speak. Severus waited patiently for her discover that she could not.
When she finally closed her mouth, he spoke. "I have given you a tongue-tying beverage. You will not be able to speak for the next hour. I have several topics I wish to speak with you about, and don't wish to endure your incessant whining. First of all, I have removed the memories of your altercations with me from your son and husband. Potter has been ordered not to speak of it, and I assure you he will obey me in this matter. Of course, you could try and tell someone, but who would believe you?"
Snape smirked at the woman's affronted look and then continued. "You will change your attitude and treatment of Potter beginning immediately. First, you will move the boy out of that blasted cupboard. The smallest bedroom upstairs will be adequate so long as all those broken toys are removed. You will provide a decent bed with appropriate bedding. A wardrobe, desk, chair, and bookcase will also be provided. I and others who care about the boy will provide Potter with toys and books. We will ensure that none of the toys will be overtly magical, although the boy will receive books that teach him about his magical heritage. I would suggest that if you don't want your husband and son to be aware of the nature of the toys and books that you prevent them from entering the boys room."
"Next on the agenda. You will feed the boy three nutritious meals each and every day. You will provide him with decent fitting clothing in good repair. He will do no more than half an hour worth of chores each day. You will not lock the boy in his room. You will not punish him for his magical outbursts. Magical children tend to have accidental magic outbursts when they are very frightened or angry. I suggest you take that into consideration."
"The behavior your husband and son display to Potter will end immediately. To that end I have given them both a potion that will cause unwanted effects if they so much as lay a finger on the boy. If this happens, you will not discipline Potter. I assure you if you do not stop the 'harry-hunting' games your brat and his friends play with Harry, and do not stop him from taking and eating they boy's lunch at school I will step in." Severus smiled nastily at her and said, "I'm sure you don't want that to happen."
"I will be spending the weekend here until I have arrangements in place to ensure the boy's health and well-being are being monitored. You need not worry about your husband and son seeing me. I shall be discreet. Now, I imagine you are quite tired. Tomorrow will most like prove to be a long and interesting day."
Snape flicked his wand and the ropes holding Petunia disappeared. Petunia gave him a furious glare, but rose from the couch and headed towards the stairs. Snape waited for half an hour, then sent a patronus message to McGonagall to let her know of his progress and needs. Afterwards, he went upstairs to the spare bedroom he had seen earlier. He disillusioned himself and put a charm on the door to inform him if anyone was trying to enter, before laying down himself to get some rest. By the looks of it, it was going to be a long weekend.