Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter

Chapter 2

Snape arrived at Privet Drive furious. Why did Albus send him here when there were so many other people who would be happy to visit the Golden boy? He had disliked the boy ever since Potter's first day in Potions class. He had been sitting there an exact copy of his father, James, right down to those ridiculous glasses. James Potter had been a spoiled, arrogant bully who had made Snape's life hell, and from what Snape had seen Harry Potter was just like his father. He was arrogant and probably even more spoiled than James due to his 'celebrity' status. This is a complete waste of time, he thought. This is probably one of Potter's stupid pranks. He allowed himself a menacing smile. Well, if it is he would make Potter's first five years seem like a picnic compared to the last two.

He walked up to number four with a fierce scowl and knocked on the door. A horse faced woman he assumed was Potter's aunt answered the door.

"What do you want?" She asked, her eyes widening in fear.

Snape sneered, "I just need to see Potter and then I will leave. Believe me, this is the last place I want to be."

She hesitated for a moment before speaking, "I don't know who you are talking about. He's not here."

Snape forced the door wider, strode in and quickly closed the door behind him. He turned his fiercest glare on her and growled, "Do not lie to me. Now, tell me. Where. Is. He?"

She cowered back against the door. "In his room, upstairs," she whispered. As Snape climbed the stairs, he heard noises coming from the room at the far end of the hall. He approached the door and noticed that there were several locks on the outside of it. He cautiously opened the door and stared in shock at the sight that met him.

There was a small figure lying curled up on the bed. Most of the child was blocked from view by the large man who was viciously beating him. Memories of his childhood came flooding back as Snape's shock drained away, replaced by an intense fury. Snape strode forward, grabbed the man, and bodily threw him against the far wall. By the time Vernon Dursley raised his head and started to get up, there was a wand pointing directly between his eyes.

"Go on, try something, Dursley, please," Snape snarled, his eyes filled with rage.

Vernon looked from Snape's face to his wand and sat back against the wall. Snape conjured ropes to bind Vernon's wrists and ankles before turning to the child. It was Harry Potter.

Potter was a mess. He was wearing rags that would have been too large even when they were new. His skin, where it could be seen, was pale with blood loss and he obviously hadn't eaten in many days. Much of his body was covered in blood or bruises. Snape touched his neck to check for a pulse and breathed a sigh of relief when he found one. Snape reached into his robes and pulled out a couple of potions that he always kept on hand for emergencies. He reached down and shook Potter gently.

"Potter," he said. No reaction

"Potter," slightly louder this time. Still no reaction.

"POTTER," he flinched violently and curled up tighter. Damn, Serverus you're trying to wake him up not scar him for life, he thought. He kneeled down beside the bed.

"Harry, open your eyes, " he said gently. Potter slowly raised his head and looked at Snape.

"P-professor?" Potter said, his voice rough from screaming.

"Yes, I'm going to get you out of here, but I need you to drink these potions first. There is a blood replenishing potion and a pain relieving potion. Can you do that?" Potter nodded and allowed Snape to give him the potions. As the potions started working, Potter smiled and laid his head back down on the bed. Severus looked around the room until he spotted Potter's trunk in the corner. He hurriedly grabbed the few items Potter had left out and packed them in the trunk. He then used a shrinking charm on both the trunk and Potter's owl cage and put both items in his pocket. Snape went back to the bed, removed his cloak, and wrapped Potter in it. He then lifted Potter carefully to avoid injuring him further and headed to the door. When he reached the door Vernon Dursley spoke up.

"What do you think you are doing?" He yelled.

Snape turned toward him and Vernon cowered at the fierce anger in his gaze. "Not that it's any of your business, but I am taking him far away from you." Snape stepped closer, his voice low and menacing. "You had better pray that he survives or you will regret what you did to him for the rest of your short life."

Snape turned and left quickly before he did something that would land him in Azkaban. He swept past a stunned Petunia Dursley and out the door. Snape walked towards the edge of the wards, still fuming about what he had seen. How could he do that, to any child let alone their own nephew? Potter's aunt was no better. She had known what was happening and didn't even try to help. She had let that bastard beat her sister's child almost to death. I wonder how long this has been going on. And here he had thought Potter had been pampered and spoiled all his life because he was the Boy Who Lived. He had always believed Potter was just like his father. Now he realized he knew nothing about the real Harry Potter. He resolved to get to know him instead of judging him based on his father's actions. He breathed a sigh of relief when he finally reached the edge of the wards and apparated.

Snape arrived at the gates to Hogwarts and ran the rest of the way to the castle and up to the infirmary. He kicked open the doors and yelled for Poppy. As she walked in he was gently laying Potter on the bed. She hurried over and gasped when she saw Potter.

"What happened?" she asked as she began to examine him.

"Albus received a note from Potter asking for help and he sent me to check on him. When I arrived his . . .uncle was beating him."

Poppy looked up, shocked. "His family did this?"

Snape nodded grimly. "And I don't think this was an isolated incident. Several of his injuries are a few days old." He turned toward the doors. "I must tell Albus what happened." He looked at Harry once more before leaving the infirmary.

Poppy watched him leave astounded by the look in his eyes. Was Severus Snape concerned about Harry Potter? No, no, it couldn't be. Their hatred of each other was practically a legend. She decided she must be imagining things as she shook her head and went back to work.

A/N First of all I want to say thanks to everyone who has reviewed so far. I also wanted to thanks my wonderful sister, Shannon, for catching my many typing mistakes. I'm going to try to post at least one chapter each week as long as my personal life doesn't get in the way. Thanks again for reading this, and please, please review. I'd like to know what everyone thinks of the story so far.