Hey ya'll! I wanted to say that I still don't own Harry Potter or the very sexy Severus Snape; I do however own this version Isabella Rose Potter. This story is definitely AU. I forgot to mention that. Read on . . .

Chapter Three

Albus Dumbledore, Minerva McGonagall and Severus Snape arrived at Number 4 Private Drive shortly after the twins were disrobed in their room. As they knocked on the door, Harry was tied to the chair and Bella was bitch-slapped onto the tiny bed. As they waited for some one to open the door the first goon began his brutal rape of Bella. As Vernon screamed "GET OUT OF MY HOUSE YOU FREAKS!!!" Harry realized a wizard had entered the house. He just didn't know if it was a good wizard or a bad.

"Mr. Dursley, we are here to collect your nephew and niece. They are needed back at school today. Were can we find them?" Albus asked the very obese man.

"Those two are NEVER going back to that crackpot school. They are here with family and I want you out of my house!!!!!"

As soon as Harry heard Hogwarts being mentioned, he decided to take a risk: "HELP!!! WE'RE UP HERE! PROFESSOR??"

Severus Snape looked up toward the stairs and began to climb them. He paid attention to the different doors and sounds he passed. When he came to a door the obviously had been bolted shut at some point he heard a whimpering sound coming from the rooms occupant. He also heard the tale told sounds of a man having sex coming from the same room. Since all of the Dursleys were downstairs, he knew it could only be a Potter in the room. He had no idea what he was about to stumble upon. As he stealthily opened the door his eyes opened in shock. He immediately saw Harry tied up on the chair and then he saw Bella on the bed. His eyes took an unnatural hue to them and he quickly stupefied the two vile men. Crossing to Harry's chair he untied the frightened teen and watched as Harry ran to his sister. "Bella, it's over. Let's get you dressed again. Professor Snape is here and I think he's taking us back to school today. Let's get you dressed." Harry continued to talk softly to her as they dressed. Severus decided to help them along and made their overgrown clothes fit the two and transfigured Bella's into a comfortable dress.

"If you will come downstairs, Professor Dumbledore will explain everything. You never have to return here again. I promise." Severus waited while Harry helped his sister down the stairs and quickly allowed Dumbledore to look into his mind to see what he had discovered. As Dumbledore looked into the memories, he felt sick. He knew he had failed the Potters in protecting the children, but he wouldn't dwell on it right now. He had to break it to the young girl that she was getting married this afternoon.

Minerva watched as the twins came down the stairs following their Potions Professor and hid the gasp she wanted to escape. The Transfiguration professor couldn't believe the bruises on the children's faces. Her heart melted as she watched Harry support his sister down the steps and the wince in Bella's face. She watched Bella try to alleviate the pain between her legs by shuffling like an old woman and wished she could take the pain away, but knew they had to get to the castle first. Dumbledore clearing his throat broke Minerva's musing and she waited for him to speak.

"Well, Harry and Bella, we are taking you from here today and you won't have to come back. However, I have some rather difficult to discuss with you. In order to protect you from the Ministry of Magic, we have to have you married or betrothed by the end of the day. Harry, you were already taken care of by your parents will. They had requested that you were to marry the Weasley daughter when she is of age. The Ministry can't touch that agreement. But no such agreement was made for you, Bella. We received word from a contact inside the Ministry that Minister Fudge is going to collect you at the end of the week and marry you off to Lucius Malfoy. I have come to a solution to remedy this problem. I had to think quickly."

"Albus, please let me continue. Bella, I know that I am a harsh man, but I am the only one who can help you right now. I promise that I will never harm you as those two buffoons upstairs. I will work as hard as I can to help you through everything. Will you do me the honor of becoming my bride? I know I'm not the man you envisioned yourself with, but I will do what I can to remedy this." During his impromptu speech, Severus Snape gently fell to one knee and pulled the ring out of his pocket. "It's not much, I admit, and this is not the situation you want, this isn't the proposal you've dreamed of and I know I am not the man you want to marry, but I will be there to protect you for as long as I live and that is a promise."

Bella looked down at her Potions Professor and saw the truth in his eyes and knew he would be the perfect man for her with the circumstances she was facing. Harry looked at his sister and knew that his wretched potions master was going to become his brother-in-law and there was nothing he could do. He knew that Snape would protect the both of them and help this damn war to end.

"Before my sister answers your crazy proposal, I need to know a few things. Will you ever force my sister to have sex with you? Will you beat her into submission? Will you treat her worse than a house elf? Will you stop spying?

"To answer all your questions: NO, NO NO and yes."

"Harry, it's okay. I know what I need to do. Severus Snape, I will marry and bond with you. I know you will protect me and my brother to the best of your ability. And I thank you for all you are about to give up for me." Severus Snape gave her a very rare smile and opened the box that contained Bella's beautiful Claddagh ring. Grasping her hand, he gently placed the ring on Bella's left ring finger with the heart turned outward—a symbol that she was engaged. Later that afternoon, that ring would be turned the other way with the heart pointed at her heart to tell the world she was a married woman. "Let's head home."