Disclaimer: See chapter 1

Chapter 4: Portkey's and Rules

Severus headed towards the park with Harry trailing reluctantly behind. Harry didn't bother trying to keep up with Snape's long strides. He was not at all happy with having to go with Snape. He couldn't figure out what Dumbledore was up to having him go with Snape. He knew that they couldn't stand each other but he had stuck them together for the summer. Hopefully they wouldn't have to be in each other's company much.

"Potter, hurry up. I don't have all day." Severus snapped.

Harry sighed heavily and picked up his pace to catch up. Severus had stop next to a large tree and was waiting impatiently for him. As Harry came up beside him, Severus grabbed his upper arm in a hard grip. Harry tried not to cry out at the tight hold. He knew he'd have bruises from it. Severus pulled him behind the tree and then took out a green sock from his robe. Without a word to Harry, he activated the portkey. Harry felt the familiar tug behind his belly button and tried not to panic. He saw flashes of the graveyard and of Cedric's dead, cold eyes staring at him in horror. When they landed, Harry would have fallen to the ground if Snape didn't still have a tight grip on his arm. Severus started walking, pulling Harry behind him.

"Where are we going, sir?" Harry asked, looking around. They had ended up at the edge of some woods. Snape was pulling him towards a small group of houses.

"Be quite!" Severus hissed at him.

They came to a house with light green paint that was peeling off. The windows had dark green shutters that were falling off. Severus pulled Harry up the steps, which didn't look like they would hold them, and pushed him through the door that opened of it's own accord as they came to it. The door slammed shut behind them, making Harry jump.

"Stay here." Severus snapped before letting him go and going into a door on the left. Harry took this time to look around while rubbing his sore arm. He was in the foyer of what appeared to be a mansion. It was defiantly much bigger then it had looked. There were three doors on the right and two on the left. A set of winding stairs was directly in front of him.

"Potter!" Severus said sharply. Harry jumped, not noticing when Snape came back. "Tina will take you to your room. You may unpack your things. Give Tina your things and she'll enlarge them for you. When you are finished she will bring you to my study. We'll discuss the rules then." With that, Severus turned from him sharply and went in a door on the right. After Snape left, Harry noticed a house elf standing where Snape had been. She was wearing a black pillowcase that looked new.

"This way, Master Potter." She squeaked at him. Harry followed her up the stairs. She went to the left and opened the second door they came to. Harry went in and looked around. It was much bigger then his room at the Dursley's. There was a queen-sized bed on one side of the room. In a corner next to a window was a small desk. A chest of drawers was in the opposite corner. There was a small table next to it with a perch beside it. Hedwig would be happy not to have to stay in her cage all the time. It was much more then he had expected from Snape.

"Tina, Professor Snape said you could enlarge my things for me." Harry said, still looking around.

"Of course, Master Potter." Tina said bowing a little to him. Harry reached into his pocket and pulled out his trunk and the empty cage. He set them on the floor at the foot of the bed and moved back. Tina quickly enlarged them. Harry opened his trunk and started putting his few belongings away. It didn't take long seeing that he didn't have much. He put Hedwig's cage on the small table. A short few minutes later, Harry was following Tina back down the stairs and to the door that Snape had went through before they went upstairs. She left him at the door. Reluctantly, he knocked softly on the door. It opened to him and he entered a little nervously. Severus was sitting behind a desk made of some sort of dark, reddish wood. There was a chair in front of the desk made of what looked like black leather. In the corner behind the desk was a perch with a black raven on it. The raven glared at Harry as he sat in the chair. Snape was writing something so Harry looked around. There were bookshelves lining one wall. The rest of the room was empty. Severus stood up and went over to the raven. He tied the letter to its leg and said something softly to it. It nipped his finger lightly, glared at Harry again, than flew out the door. Severus went back and sat down. He sat there just watching Harry for awhile. Harry was getting even more nervous and stared at the desk in front of him.

"It seems that a few of your friends didn't like the way your relatives were treating you. They decided that you would be better off somewhere else. Unfortunately for me, Professor Dumbledore felt you would be safer here. What was going through his mind when he decided on that I'll never know." Severus said coldly. "While you are here you will do as I say with none of your insolence. Is that clear, Potter?"

"Yes, sir." Harry said without looking up.

"Professor Dumbledore wants you to resume the Occlumency lessons. He feels that you are capable of it. I don't hold much hope for you though. If, by the end of the summer, you still haven't gotten it you will not be returning--"

"What?" Harry interrupted, looking up quickly.

"Do not interrupt me, Potter. You will not be returning unless I feel you have gotten sufficient enough to block the Dark Lord. I am hoping that you do get it because I really don't want to have to stay here and baby-sit you throughout the school year, too. It is bad enough I'm stuck with you for the summer. Professor Dumbledore will be testing you to see if you are ready to return. You are to practice clearing your mind throughout the day on your own. Lesson's will be every few day's. If you have any homework to do you will do it on your own time. Is that understood, Potter?" Severus said, glaring at Harry.

"Yes, sir!" Harry said through clenched teeth.

"Now for the rules. Meals are at 7am, 12pm, and 5pm. You are to be on time to each one or you don't eat. You are to stay out of any rooms that are closed. They are closed for a reason. If you need anything from the library ask for it. You are not to leave the house for any reason unless I am with you. Try to stay out of my way when you have no need to be. Don't let me catch you doing anything you shouldn't be. I will not tolerate it in my house and Professor Dumbledore and Professor McGonagall are not here to help you. Is that clear, Potter?" Severus said softly, his eyes never leaving Harry's.

"Yes, sir!" Harry said trying not to lose his temper. They glared at each other for a few minutes.

"You may go." Severus said, going back to the papers on his desk. Harry sat there glaring at Snape.

"Was there something you needed, Potter." Severus said without looking up.

"Why can't Professor Dumbledore teach me, sir?" Harry said angrily.

"He is busy and doesn't have the time. Unfortunately, he feels that you need to learn to master it before the new school year. As I am the only other one that can teach you it as fallen to me." Severus said bitterly, glaring at Harry.

"I can't use magic during the summer. How am I supposed to learn if I can't use magic, sir?" Harry said, trying to stay calm.

" Professor Dumbledore made arrangements for you to be able to while you are learning. Only for a few weeks. Then you will have to do it without. If I catch you doing magic anywhere else in the house, you will be punished" Severus spat at him. "Now leave me. I have work to do."

"Yes, sir" Harry said, getting up and hurrying out the door. He went upstairs to his room and sat down on the bed. How am I supposed to keep Snape out of my mind without my wand. I couldn't even do it when I had my wand. Harry thought angrily. I know I have to learn it. I don't want anyone else to die because of me. I just wish it could be someone else to teach me. Snape never tells me how to do anything. He just assumes I should know. Harry leaned up against the headboard and closed his eyes. Maybe Hermione can send me a book on it. If Snape won't tell me how to do it I'll find out on my own. I really don't want to stay here with Snape during the school year. It's bad enough I'm stuck here for the summer. Sighing, Harry got up and went to get some parchment and a quill from his trunk. He sat down at the desk and started to write to Hermione. He didn't tell her where he was, just that he wasn't at the Dursley's anymore. When he had finished he went and layed down on the bed to wait for Hedwig to find him. After awhile, he fell asleep.

Severus sat back and closed his eyes. Why did Dumbledore insist the boy stay here? There had to be somewhere else he could have gone. Don't I have enough to worry about without adding to it? he thought bitterly. This is definitely going to be a bad summer. He leaned forward and massaged his temples lightly. Sighing, he stood up and went over to a hidden door in the wall that led down to the dungeons. Making potions always helped him to relax and he had to make some for Poppy and the Dark Lord. That would help keep his mind off of Potter.

"Master Potter, sir. You must be getting up now. You'll be late for lunch. Wake up, Master Potter." Tina said, sounding a little worried as she shook Harry.

"I'm up. I'm up. What is wrong?" Harry said groggily, sitting up slowly and rubbing his eyes.

"You mustn't be late, sir. Master Snape will not like it. Please hurry, sir." Tina said anxiously.

"Yeah, right. We mustn't make him mad now, should we." Harry said sarcastically under his breath, getting up and following Tina slowly out the door. He really wasn't looking forward to having to see Snape again so soon.

Xoxoxoxo

I really never thought I'd get such a good response with this story. I really appreciate everyone's reviews. I am trying to update as quickly as I can. I realized as I was writing this chapter that I forgot to mention Hedwig in the last chapter. I have gone back and fixed that. I don't know how soon I'll get the next chapter out because I am going back to work tomorrow. I'll try to keep updating as often as I have been. Thanx for all the comments. I'll have a few more clues in the next few chapters before I let you know what is going on. I'm trying to get to a good spot to tell it. Obviously, Severus and Petunia used to know each other. I'll tell you how soon. I hope that Harry and Severus are at least a little in character. If not, oh well. I tried. Thanx again!

Rhi