Chapter 4: A violent reaction

Warning - Violence included

"When you've finished mowing the lawn come in here and we need to... talk" called Petunia to Harry, who was just finishing up the gardening and mowing. "And don't forget to put everything back where it belongs" she called as an after thought.

'It's not as though you're ever going to miss it' Harry wanted to shout. He was boiling with rage, it was his 11th birthday and he was doing bloody housework for people who hated him! He was also sore, as Uncle Vernon had pushed him in the bath and whipped him with his belt the night before because Harry had forgotten to pour Vernon's nightly beers. He kept being reminded about it each time his shirt rubbed his back.

Harry walked into the living room and saw Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia sitting on the main couch, facing a wooden seat opposite. 'shit' Harry thought sighing. He knew this wouldn't be good. He knew for a fact, that whenever they were sitting like this, it was going to be bad.

He sat down on the chair he knew was for him and waited for one of the adults to start speaking. "You got a letter" Growled Vernon. Harry stared at him, mouth agape. "p..pardon?" Stuttered Harry in shock. He was glad he was sitting because he knew he would've collapsed. 'I never get letters' He thought 'Ever'.

He didn't notice Vernon disappear into the lounge but he did notice him walk back into the living room. "Harry, have you ever got letters?" asked Vernon

"No" Harry responded while wondered where this was going. Vernon held the letter up and Harry saw that it had been stamped shut with... Wax? Harry never knew people still did that.

"Do you know why you never get letters Harry?" Asked Vernon, Harry thought he heard a smirk behind the tone.

"No sir" he whispered

"Because FREAKS don't get letters do they? They should NEVER get letters" He spat and stood up. "And when you do get letters, this is what will happen to them" he walked over and threw it into the fire. Harry watched it burn, tears prickling his eyes.

Vernon walked up to Harry and went to slap him, Harry got his arms up quicker and Vernon caught his arm instead. "Why did you block my backhand?" hissed Vernon, grabbing Harry's arms and pulling him off the chair. "Petunia, dear, can you please get the tape?" he asked sweetly. She got off the couch and left the room. While she was searching for the tape, Vernon was walking Harry up into the Master bedroom and pushed him to his knees.

Once his knees hit the ground, Harry started to tremble viciously. 'This is the night they're gonna kill me' he thought as he tried to pull his arms free of Vernon. Vernon moved behind his back and pulled his arms behind him as well.

Petunia must have walked into the room as well because he could hear and feel tape wrapping his wrists together. They did the same to his ankles. Harry saw tape coming over his eyes and before he could move his head out of the way, he was in darkness. He felt tape put over his mouth and ears. That's when his panic attack started, his breathing got more rapid, he felt trembling more than he ever had and all noise was blocked out.

Without warning, a something sharp and painful was dragged across his back legs and he felt warm liquid dribble down them. He thought that they were going to make him bleed out so he tried to curl into a ball but was picked up by who he thought was Vernon. His arms were pulled under his legs and hung in front of him. Harry felt wind rush past him before he slammed into a wall. Pain shot through his body as Vernon did it thrice more. He felt himself dropped to the floor, paralysed in fear but still able to whimper and moan in pain. When nothing happened for a few minutes, he thought it was over and started moving. He was stopped short by something that felt like burning on his neck, and his screams of anguish were muffled by the tape. More and more of the burning burning prods attacked his body. When it stopped, Harry thought that he'd been burnt all over his body. His thoughts were attacked by more pain when he felt someone push something cold against his arms. But the cold things didn't stop at his skin, they were pushed deeper and harder until the skin, on both arms, broke and then they were dragged across, creating deep cuts. His mind was a mess and he was crying silent but hysterical tears. 'Knife' was the only thing that came to mind when they split more of his skin a bit further down. He tried to move his arms away when the knives came out but he was plucked off the ground and held up. Harry was lifted over something and then dropped. He landed on the ground below the stairs with a dull thud.

Once Petunia threw him into his cupboard she turned around to face Dudley and Vernon. She looked at them before walking into the living room and collapsing on a couch. Dudley spoke first "Wow" he laughed, "Did you see the way he was shaking dad?" he asked. Vernon turned to look at him then back to Petunia and said "How long do you think? How long 'till they come?" He asked Petunia with a growl. She looked up.

"They've never come before so they should come now" she pointed out. Vernon grinned and sat down next to her, Dudley sat on the other side of him. What they didn't know was that at that moment a meeting had begun

Severus walked into the headmaster's office and saw Minerva, Filius, Poppy and Pomona were already there. "What do you want?" He snapped at Albus. The headmaster looked amused by his question

"I merely wanted to talk to you 5 about our, ah, lets say, special student" He said in a voice full of laughter. Severus sat down and glared at the old man "So Potter is getting his very own meeting and he hasn't even arrived yet?" He growled. Minerva looked at him a snapped back, "He hasn't been seen in the wizarding world for 10 years Severus, we have been talking about two of us going down and talking him about the wizarding world as there is a chance he doesn't know about it". Severus looked surprised by her outburst before slipping his emotionless mask back on. Filius spoke up before he could say something, "You and Minerva will do it". Snap stared at the 5 other people in shock.

"I'm not going" He said simply

"Yes you are" Albus replied. Snap looked at him with a look that could kill. He sighed, 'you can't argue with the headmaster of the school where you work' He told himself before he could lash out.

With that the meeting was over and Minerva and Severus proceeded to the fire. "PRINCE MANOR" they both called and they each walked through the fire and out into the corridor of Prince Manor. They left the house, walking out of the wards and apparated outside 4 Privet Drive, Little Whinging Surrey.

They walked up the porch and knocked on the door. Petunia answered it, when she saw who and what they were her smile dropped, she tried to slam the door in their faces but Severus had already started walking in.

"What are YOU doing here?" She asked with a thunderous look on her face.

"We are here to collect Harry Potter, Mrs Dursley" Minerva answered calmly.

Petunia's face paled immediately, "b..but.. you..never.. what?" She stuttered. Severus had been watching her the moment they walked in and by her reaction he knew something was wrong.

"Where. is. Mr. Potter?" He growled and she broke into a minor sweat.

"I.. I don't.. don't know?" She squeaked. Severus glared at her, she went to run but he shot an immobulus charm at her, causing her to freeze. Minerva looked surprised.

"Why did you do that?" She asked angrily. Snape shot her a look to say shut up so she did.

"Harry is here somewhere but he's in trouble, we have to search the house and if you come across him then call me... If you come across another Dursley then cast an immobulus charm at them" Minerva just stood there and Severus sighed again as he ordered her to hurry up and look up stairs while he looked down.

Severus walked through the kitchen and spotted some dried up blood stains, he cursed as he walked past it. He didn't find any signs of Harry in any of the rooms on the bottom floor. He walked along the corridor and gasped when he saw a small trail of blood coming out from under a cupboard door. "MINERVA" He shouted "I NEED YOU DOWN HERE NOW!". Minerva hurried down the stairs and saw what Severus was look at, she let out a small gasp too, "It can't be his" she whispered. Severus looked at her before unlocking it and opening it.

What sounded like a moan came from his lips and a tear trickled down his face. Minerva walked behind him to see what had made the emotionless man cry. When she looked down and saw it, she too let out a small moan and her legs dropped from underneath her. How could anyone do this to a child?' she wondered.