Harry opened his eyes slowly, his head pounding severely. He couldn't remember quite why he felt so bad, only that he was hurting and that he felt like he was in an uncomfortable position. He realized, after a few moments, that his arms were over his head, and that he was hanging by his wrists. He finally glanced upward to see a thick heavy chain hanging down from the top of the cupboard, and then he noticed that his wrists had been bound with some kind of wire. It cut cruelly into his wrists, causing him more pain than he had ever known.

He groaned, only to notice that the sound was muffled. He then realized that he was gagged rather cruelly as well. He couldn't close his mouth at all: there was a washcloth stuffed into it, with another cloth tied tightly around his face to prevent him from spitting the washcloth out. Harry noticed how dry his throat had become at the realization that he had no way to swallow or call for help.

He turned his head down slowly and saw that his feet had been bound together with that wire, and there was some kind of chain that hooked him to the floor. He couldn't move or kick out. He noticed that his hands were no longer hurting him, and he glanced up to see why. His hands were a nasty shade of purplish blue. Tears welled up in his eyes as he thought about his friends, and his godfather, wishing someone would come save him from this nightmare. He heard the door to the cupboard open, and then felt the hot breath of his uncle on his check.

"So, you're awake now, eh? It won't do you any good, freak. You're going to hang in here until those freaks come to get you in September. If you're still alive then, I might let you leave with them. I don't think you will be. Let's see how you like this..."

Vernon began laughing that demented laugh that had frightened Harry in the car on the way back to Privet Drive. He began shaking all over, his mind no longer registering what was going on. Vernon noticed his nephew trembling and laughed even harder.

He then took a coil of wire, wrapped it around Harry's neck, then hooked the other end up on the hook with the other wire that held the boy's wrists. The only problem was that this wire was a tiny bit shorter than the other, so Harry would either have to hold his weight on his wrists, or chock himself. Vernon chuckled at his slight mistake, now congratulating himself with his ingenuity.

"Now boy, let's see you survive this overnight," he growled. Harry whimpered pitifully as he felt that wire tighten on his windpipe. He pulled his weight up a little to loosen it, but it didn't loosen up very much. He quickly realized that he was going to die in this cupboard by himself. He felt his uncle's fist slam into his head, causing him to loose his grip and he collapsed, his full weight now supported on that wire. Harry couldn't breath at that point. He barely heard the cupboard door slam shut, or the locks click into place.

His vision was rapidly fading...he had to try to survive. He pushed out with all of might with his magic, hoping that someone would feel it and come help him before it was too late. His magic did help to loosen the wire around his neck somewhat. How, Harry had no idea. He was just grateful that it did. He breathed deeply and slowly to replace his oxygen, but he was getting tired and he knew that he wouldn't be able to keep this up for too much longer. He concentrated on the one human that he knew would save him, if he could get there without getting caught first. He started silently chanting, Sirius, I need you. Sirius, help me.

He felt his arms go numb; he couldn't feel them to hold up his weight to prevent himself from strangling. He felt the wire get tight again, knowing he didn't have the strength to loosen it again. Daylight was fading quickly outside, and so was Harry. Finally after a brave attempt, Harry passed out, his full weight hanging by his wrists, the other wire pulled tight and deeply into the boy's tender neck. All that could be heard was the short gasping breaths of a child that was slowly and painfully dying.

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About the same time as Harry has begun to chant his silent plea for help, Severus and Sirius had just received a mind jolting shock from Fawkes' appearance. As the phoenix trilled and trilled, more memories kept flooding back into both Severus's and Sirius's minds. They both sank to the ground, as they both realized just what had happened to the them both, all courtesy of Albus Dumbledore.

Sirius scowled and clenched his fists. "Blast it all, Dumbledore, how could you." he growled, ripping up grass.

"Black," Snape said, looking equally irate. "The boy, now; Dumbledore later."

"Right.." Sirius said, standing up, and looking quite menacing in his own right. "We need to get to Little Whinging, Surrey. That's where he lives. Wait a second...do you hear that?"

Severus listened for a moment, and sure enough, he heard the barely whispered call for help, and it was in Harry's voice.

Sirius stared at his friend with wide eyes, shaking slightly with anger and frustration at hearing his godson calling for help. He looked at Severus and said, "Please Severus, let's go now."

"Exactly where, Black, so we can apparate?" Snape asked, his face expressionless, betraying no emotions. It was at that moment that Fawkes trilled softly, and flew up, hovering slightly over the two mens heads.

Sirius looked at the bird, and considered what he remembered from his days in Care of Magical Creatures.

"I think he wants us to grab hold.." he said, and Fawkes offered a bright trill in response.

Both men grabbed hold of Fawkes tail feathers and in a burst of flame they disappeared from the Forbidden Forest, only to reappear seconds later on a Muggle street. A quick glance at a street sign told the men that they were at Privet Drive.

"Which house?" Snape asked his companion.

"Number Four. Let's hurry, I'm getting a very bad feeling..." Sirius replied and took off at a dead run towards the second house on the left, knowing that the Potions Master was right behind him, robes probably billowing out menacingly.

Upon reaching the door, Snape, having never been one for manners when in a temper, opened the door with a silent spell and walked in the Dursley's home as if he owned the place, with Sirius right behind him.

Sirius looked around. "Dear Merlin, you'd think he didn't live here. There's not a single picture of him...not alone, not with his cousin or his aunt or uncle..."

"Are you positive this is the correct house then, Black?" Snape asked.

Sirius shifted forms and put his canine nose to good use, sniffing and snuffling about the room. It only took seconds for the scent of blood and Harry to reach his nostrils. With a strangled whine he followed the scent to a door under the stairs. He was about to switch back to his human form when the sound of elephants stampeding made him look up.

Vernon Dursley had not been pleased when he heard voices coming from his parlor, and if there were any freaks in his house, he would show them what for. Stomping down the stairs in an attempt to make things worse for the boy under them, he pulled out a pistol and aimed it right for Snape's head.

"Get out of my house, you freaks! Out! You are breaking and entering! Nobody messes with a Dursley! Get out!" he spat, his fat face purple with rage.

Snape rolled his eyes at the obscene Muggle and carelessly flicked his wand his wand toward him as he snapped vehemently, "Stupify!"

"Apparently, Mr. Dursley, you were wrong, as I am absolutely not a nobody," he growled as the stupified body of Vernon Dursley tumbled noisily down the stairs.

Sirius shifted forms and whispered "Alohomora" in front of the cupboard door, then pulled it open.

"Harry..." he whispered, darting in and gently lifting his godson up so that his airway wasn't constricted anymore. The boy's sudden, if weak, gasp for air told him they hadn't been too late, but with that cloth still stuffed in his mouth, he wasn't sure if the boy was still breathing or not.

"Snape, cut the wire, for the love of Merlin!"

A quick spell severed the wire and the two gently pulled the boy out of the cupboard.

"What did that muggle do to you, Potter?" Snape muttered as he carefully charmed the wire around the boys wrists to simply disappear, figuring it would cause less damage than to pull it off manually. A simple Evanesce did the trick.

He then tapped his wand on the cloth stuffed into the unconscious boy's mouth and repeated the spell. There was dried blood on the corners of the child's mouth, as well as some bruising on his face. Severus had to hold back a grimace as he watched his friend cradling the boy in his arms, willing him to breath and wake up.

"Let's get him out of here, we can finish healing him at Grimmauld Place." Sirius said, gently lifting the tiny unconscious boy. With a loud pop of air displacement, the three unlikely companions disappeared.

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Hi everyone! We're sorry for the long wait for this chapter. Real life just got in the way! Anyway, please don't forget to review, especially if you're a new reader. And for those who have already reviewed, thank you so much! Crystal and I really do appreciate it!

Here's this post's recommended story: Twists of Fate by LaninDu'Undarian

http/ Bitten by a Vampire the night Voldemort attacked, Harry Potter is believed dead. So what happens when Remus shows up at Hogwarts with a fifth year son bearing the lighting scar and the name of Lupin 14 years later? Rated T, WIP

Thanks for reading and we'll see you next time! CrystalLupin and NitaPotter