Well…I haven't updated in a long time. My fault, I've been really busy. But since the summer is coming, I'll be able to update more frequently. Promise. Again, thanks to everyone that reviews. Honestly, it would probably be a lot longer if you guys didn't take the time to write to me.
KimSpiritTalks- Thanks for reviewing! This will probably be a long (ish) story, filled with good plot twists.
charl1e- Thanks so much for reviewing!
carmade- Thanks for reviewing!
eurogirl14- I'm hurrying now! Thanks for reviewing!
Hagen5690- That's a good point, but I don't know if it really is faster to unlock padlocks by hand, when you could just do it with a wand. But I suppose to us Muggles, it does seem like they're a bit lazy. Thanks for reviewing!
Gale Frost- lol Thanks for reviewing!
Severus Snape's Bitch- Thanks so much for reviewing!
Shekina666- More coming your way! Thanks for reviewing!
snapehermionelover- Don't worry, you'll find out soon! Thanks for reviewing!
Spiorad- I know what you mean! I hate it when writers brush it of like nothing ever happened. I will try not to do that. If you think I'm going too fast, please tell me, so I can slow it down. As for the whole 'Minnie' thing…that's for me to know and you to find out. Thanks for reviewing!
Enemywithin7- Thanks for reviewing!
DebsTheSnapeFan- Thanks for reviewing!
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"Mrs. Granger, Mr. Weasley, please come in," said Dumbledore.
"Hi Headmaster," Hermione greeted and sat down with Ron.
Immediately, Hermione knew that something was wrong. The Headmaster looked pale and had no twinkle left in his eyes. "Headmaster, where's Harry?"
The Headmaster took a deep breath and began, "Harry is in the Infirmary, currently. He is in a slight coma, but he should come out in a few days."
Hermione and Ron both looked relieved. Obviously, they were fearing the worst. "So, what happened to him, Headmaster?" Ron asked curiously.
"Harry was abused by his relatives-"
Ron jumped up. "I KNEW IT! I KNEW WE SHOULDN'T HAVE LET HARRY STAY THERE!" shouted Ron angrily. Realizing that he interrupted the Headmaster, Ron sat down immediately and apologized.
"That's quite alright, Mr. Weasley. You're right, Mr. Potter should not have been left there," admitted Albus with remorse. In fact, the Headmaster was feeling quite guilty at the recent turn of events. He simply did not believe that the Dursleys would ever harm Harry. In hindsight, however, he realized that Harry gave them all clues about the abuse. The way he stiffened when anybody came near him. The way he never wanted to go home during the holidays and the way he pleaded, no begged, to not go back to the Dursleys every summer. Yes indeed, Albus Dumbledore felt quite guilty.
"I never imagined the Dursleys would harm Harry," Dumbledore told the two teenagers.
"We didn't either, Headmaster," Hermione said in shock. "I can't believe this, can we see Harry now?"
"Yes, of course."
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Meanwhile, Snape was walking down the lane towards Number Four Pivet Drive. As he was walking, the Potions Master began to get tired of the unimaginative, ho-hum architectural layout. He didn't understand why Muggles couldn't design something more interesting. Did they not get bored of seeing the same bland houses, white picket fences, and perfectly cut lawns day after day?
Severus shook his head. "Muggles," he sneered.
He stepped up to the Dursleys house and slipped in. Snape looked down at the pathetic excuse for Muggles that were the Dursleys. He was going to enjoy torturing them before the Aurors came. Severus quickly put up a silencing spell around the house so none of the neighbors would hear.
First he unbound Vernon and looked down at him maliciously. "Get away from me you freak!" Dursley hissed.
"Oh, contraire Mr. Dursley. I'm not leaving until you and I have a little…chat," Snape informed him. Snape was pleased to see a spark of fear in the fat man's eyes. "First, I'm going to crucio you. Do you know what that is? It's a spell that makes your whole body feel like there are pins being pushed into it. It makes you want to die. And when you beg for mercy, as I am sure Potter did, I'm going to laugh. Because you Mr. Dursley, are by far the most foul creature I have ever set my eyes upon. You stripped a boy of his innocence, brutally. You were Potter's family," he sneered the last part, "and you betrayed him. I wonder if you would've done the same if you knew that he is the most famous wizard in all the world. The entire wizarding community hates you now. They will come after you. If you think what I'm about to do to you is painful, you just wait and see.
Snape decided to ere on the side of caution and he bound Dursley before he said, "Crucio!"
Snape took pleasure in watching the fat man lay there, motionless, when he was still in so much pain. He looked over at Petunia and was delighted to see the horror etched into her eyes. Suddenly, Severus heard the doorknob turning. The Aurors couldn't be here already could they? Then a massive boy came waddling into view.
"MOM! DAD!" he screeched, "What have you done to my parents?" Catching sight of Snape's wand, he said, "You're, you're one of those freaks! Get away from them!" Dudley Dursley ran at Severus.
Severus was surprised when he felt something ram him into the wall. Dudley started to kick and punch him with all his might. He gave one punch to the Potions Master's gut and Snape doubled over. Then the fat teen kicked Severus in the nose. With one hand on his aching stomach and one on his bleeding nose, Snape shook himself. I'm not going to be beat up by a Muggle, he thought. Dudley grabbed him around the waist and tried to flip him to the ground, but Snape stood his ground. The raven haired man may have been thin, but he was lean and wiry. Snape made one punch to the child's fat belly and stepped back as the child struggled to get his breath back.
"Crucio," Snape hissed.
Dudley fell to the ground and his body began to twist and turn at violent angles because of the pain. Severus kept the spell on him a while longer until he came up with a brilliant idea. He stopped the crucio on Vernon Dursley and looked at him, laying there motionless. He was probably half-dead by now, but who the hell cares anyway. Severus decided to leave both of the Dursley men with a lasting impression of this day. Snape stopped the crucio on Dudley and bound him before he had the chance to get up. The Potions Master muttered a spell and took pleasure in watching their eyes when they both realized that they were no longer…male.
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The Headmaster lead Ron and Hermione towards the Infirmary. They opened the door and walked to Harry's bed. Dumbledore opened the curtain. At the sight of Harry's still figure, covered in welts and bruises, with his skin and bones frame, Hermione broke down and started to cry. Dumbledore left to give them some privacy and intercepted Madam Pomfrey, who looked like she wanted to intervene.
"Let them be for a while Poppy," Albus whispered to the nursemaid, who nodded in understanding.
"Oh, Harry," Hermione sobbed, "Why didn't you tell us?" She leaned into Ron, who wrapped his arms around her. Hermione had tears steaming down her face and was uncontrollably shaking.
"Mate, we would've helped you," Ron said in tight voice, trying to control his own tears. The teen's face was as white as a ghost, with his freckles standing out, at the sight of his best mate lying there in a coma. He held on tightly to the shaking girl in his arms, as she did to him.
"I knew it. I always suspected something was off. God, I'm such an idiot, I should've told someone sooner. If I did, maybe he wouldn't be…" Ron concluded, unable to finish his sentence.
The two friends held onto each other tightly, both lost in their own thoughts. Dumbledore walked over and lead the crying Hermione and shaken up Ron out of the Infirmary. "He needs rest, you can come and visit him tomorrow, if you like. But, right now, we need to let him heal," the Headmaster told them softly. They both nodded and walked back to Dumbledore's office, so they could flew to the Burrow. Just before they were about to leave, Hermione turned, "Tell us if anything changes."
"I will," he said solemnly.
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Severus heard the Aurors apparating outside the house, so he slipped out back. Before going back to Hogwarts, he healed his broken nose. As he was walking past the anti-apparation wards, he snickered at the thought of the three females in Number Four Pivet Drive.
"Severus, how did it go?" the Headmaster asked as Snape walked into his office.
"Fine Albus." Severus controlled his face to make sure Albus didn't see anything. It was like a blank mask.
Dumbledore peered over his moon shaped spectacles and said, "Good, good."
The raven haired man sat down, exhausted. "Did you talk to Granger and Weasley?"
"Yes, they were understandably, shaken up. But I believe they'll make it through."
"Gryffindors through and through," Snape muttered, leaning back in his chair.
"What was that, Severus?" he asked, smiling slightly.
"Nothing, Albus. How's Potter?" Snape asked nonchalantly. Or tried to. Severus wouldn't admit it, but he was actually, maybe, a teensy bit concerned for the Boy-Who-Lived. He didn't like to see Potter lying in the hospital bed in a coma. He was supposed to save the wizarding world, and now he has to work through his abusive past. It's a lot to deal with. Severus knew it, but that didn't mean he had to show it. Still, he wanted Potter to get better.
Seeing through Severus's act, the Headmaster smiled and said, "Same as before."
"Alright," Snape said, getting up. "I'm tired. I think I'll retire now."
"Of course Severus. Thank you for all of your help."
The Potions Master grunted in response and left Dumbledore's office. "It will be an interesting year, Fawkes. Interesting, indeed," Albus said, stroking the phoenixes feathers and thinking of Severus's recent behavior.
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