Severus Snape stood brooding on the doorstep of Number 4 Privet Drive. He glared pointedly sat the small round button he was expected to push. If the doorbell had been one of his students, it would already be mumbling excuses and apologies, before running off in a random direction. But sadly, a doorbell is an inanimate object, and it held his glare without wavering. Disgusted with himself, he allowed one slender finger to reach out and press the button, before pulling back quickly, as if it was poison.

He went over his cover story in his head as he waited for one of the house's inhabitants to open the door. Of course, he also contemplated his purpose on being here. He may have done horrible things in his past, but he was sure he had not done something so terrible as to give him this punishment. What a terrible fate he had received! Surely, Merlin had some sort of grudge against him, to make him check up on the Potter boy, and have him eat a meal with him and his family.

His thoughts were interrupted when a certain whale of a boy opened the door and greeted him.

"Hello, Mr. Caulfield. Please, come in." Dudley Dursley said, moving out of the way to let the new neighbor through. He had rehearsed his lines well before Mr. Caulfield had come over, along with the rest of his family.

"Thank you, Mr. Dursley." Severus replied as he squeezed past the boy and into the creepily spotless house. The obviously rehearsed lines did not get past him, but he ignored them when the next Dursley came to introduce herself.

"Why, hello Mr. Caulfield, it is nice to meet you! You may call me Petunia." She said with a false cheer that made Severus want to puke.

Petunia was just as he remembered her. Apparently that horse-faced little girl had changed into a horse-faced woman. He could see it in her eyes, the way she truly was behind this cheerful mask. She was still that fake, hateful, judgmental person she used to be.

"Then you may call me Dominic." He was sickened with himself when he replied in such a manner, but reminded himself that it was only an act. After all, he was no Dominic Caulfield.

"Alright, Dominic, why don't you take a seat? It seems like my husband is coming in with the rest of the meal."

"Ok, Petunia." He replied, taking the seat offered. The table was, of course, just as spotless as the rest of the house, almost as though they polished the table after every use. Ridiculous, in his own general opinion.

Then in sauntered, or more like waddled in an arrogant manner, the largest man Severus Snape had ever seen. And he and Hagrid were great friends!

"The name's Vernon." He said gruffly, maybe putting on a tough guy act? Severus wasn't sure, but it sounded stupid to him either way.

"Dominic Caulfield, it is a pleasure to meet you." Severus replied, even though he vomited a little in his mouth as he said it. He stood up and gave out his hand to shake.

Dursley returned his gesture, and wrapped his disgusting pudgy fingers around Severus's slender ones. It took all of Severus's will power not to twist up his face in disgust, which was usually something he did not have to mask. He however, could not bring up whatever willpower he had left and make himself smile. So instead he just stared into Vernon Dursley's watery blue eyes, with his own, sapphire blue ones.

Even if he was Glamoured, he was still a Snape, and an unnerving stare a Snape has. Their hands still clasped between them, Severus could feel Dursley beginning to quiver and quake. Which made him all the more unappealing, the way his fat jiggled, and the way he was easily frightened in the presence of a mere new neighbor made Severus want to laugh. But he only allowed himself a small smirk before turning away.

Which immediately faded away when he realized his mission was going to be a failure. Where the hell was Potter? Surely he wasn't so arrogant he ignored the present company in his house? Of course, he wouldn't put it past him.

"Um… food's ready!" Petunia said, intervening in the awkward silence. (A/N One gay baby is born! Therefore making my day happier! Or was it gayer… 8D)

They sat down to a pleasant meal, or so it would seem to someone watching the scene. Unless, of course, that person was an experienced Leglimens. Then said observer would know that Petunia was cursing the boy in the room upstairs for making something so simple, Vernon was stuffing his face, Dudley was stuffing his face, and Severus, he was thinking only one thing.

Where the hell was Potter?

8D8D8D8D8D8D8D8D8D8D8D8D8D8D8D8D8D8D8D8D8D8D8D8D8D8D8D8D8D

Assessing the burn on his hand, Harry knew it had to be a 3rd degree burn, due to the amount of blistering. He had long ago dried his bout of tears, and now it was down to business. Kneeling on his bed, he used his good hand to rip a piece of the thin sheet that covered it off, and gently wrapped it around his hand. He knew he had to wait for the blisters to pop, which was a long and painful process. He had learned not to pop them himself the hard way. He had no water, so he knew there would be remnants of the burn on his hand forever. A permanent scar.

A loud tone echoed throughout the house. Harry knew it could only be one person. After all, it was not often some fool entered the abode of the obnoxiously normal Dursley's. He after hearing some incoherent conversation, which was not understandable from his room, he heard what was a slightly familiar, but silky, strong, and comforting.

"Dominic Caulfield, it is a pleasure to meet you." He heard the visitor say. The man stood up to Uncle Vernon, he could tell by Aunt Petunia's sudden anxious outburst after a few moments of silence.

The small talk at the dinner table was mundane. They spoke of everything and nothing and he could tell Aunt Petunia was running out of small talk questions.

Apparently, this Dominic Caulfield character came from America, and was a pharmacist in Michigan. He winced in pain as the first blister popped. He bit his lip, drawing a little blood as he tried not to cry out. When one of the largest ones met its end, he cried out in time with the audible pop that came with it.

"What was that?" He heard Dominic say, the man's voice having a strange edge to it.

"What? I heard nothing, did you hear something Pet?" Uncle Vernon asked nervously. Nice cover up Uncle, that really shook him off…

"Nothing dear…" She replied. Harry could just imagine her shifty eyes as she said this, glancing nervously around the house, cursing him for all he was worth. Which wasn't much, in their eyes.

"Oh okay, maybe I'm just hearing things." Dominic said, giving a short nervous laugh. He didn't believe them at all, Harry could tell. His tone of voice was way too suspicious.

Dinner was finished quickly soon after, he assumed by the clinking of plates being moved to the sink for him to deal with tomorrow.

He heard the door slammed shut quickly behind the heels of a Mister Dominic Caulfield. He would imagine that man was smart enough to never ever come back.

Thundering footsteps pelted the stairway as Uncle Vernon ascended towards Harry's room. The doorway was yanked open, and a piece of sheet was ripped off a burned, blistered hand. Meaty fingers gripped said hand in an iron grip, popping every blister.

Harry screamed.

8D8D8D8D8D8D8D8D8D8D8D8D8D8D8D8D8D8D8D8D8D8D8D8D8D8D8D8D8D

Reviews and other stuff!!!!!!

WOOT!

Thank you to all you reviewers! I love you!

You get a virtual cookie. It has all the greatness of a real cookie, except you can't eat it! 8D

I apologize for me taking soooooooo long….

I was real busy these past few weeks…

Even worse, the next one your gonna have to wait again…

I have a massive vacation coming down on me….

SOWWY!