Author's Note: Who knew that a one scene addition/rewrite would cause me such trouble. Thanks to all who have reviewed or helped me with this story.

This chapter was revised and re-uploaded on July 30, 2018


Chapter Two

Molly Weasley watched her daughter staggered into the kitchen, her eyes half closed. She had looked in on her daughter at dawn and seen the poor girl laying in her bed, her eyes wide open, unable to sleep. A quick sleeping charm had closed her eyes, but even with that, she was sure that Ginny had not slept much at all. She had seen Ginny tossing and turning an hour later, moaning about Harry not being able to rescue her.

"Finally up, Ginny?" Molly said, trying to sound as normal as possible. "I know I let everyone sleep in the first day back from Hogwarts, but quarter till eleven is a little bit excessive."

"I didn't close my eyes until dawn," Ginny mumbled, barely able to stumble into a seat. Molly put a plate front of her. "Sill had nightmares." She picked up her fork and took a bite.

Molly doubted that her daughter was tasting it her food at all. She seemed to be going through the motions. "The same nightmares that you've had since Harry rescued you?" her mother asked. "The ones that required Poppy to dose you with dreamless sleep potion, twice."

"Worse," Ginny said, her words coming out in a flood. "I see him die, over and over when he comes to save me. And I know he would have really died to save me. He got bit by a basilisk! If it wasn't for the Headmaster's phoenix, he'd be dead. And it would have been all my fault! My fault my classmates were petrified. Colin was my bestest friend in Gryffindor and I can't even look at him any more, I feel so guilty. And Percy is going to kill me when he realizes that I was responsible for Penelope, his girlfriend. Then Ron may be the brother who likes me the best, but I still did it to Hermione ..."

Ginny trailed off into sobs. She looked completely exhausted, as tears continued to run down her cheeks. The words of Madam Pomfrey came back to her as her daughter cried, 'No one gets over the trauma of possession without some help.'

She wanted her daughter to be with her family, to recover in her arms. She wanted Ginny to be back to normal, to be her little firecracker. Her little girl looked worse than she had when she'd visited at Hogwarts. Ginny had begged to stay at Hogwarts through the end of term, and she'd looked so much better when she got off the train. Now though, Molly could tell that being home wasn't helping Ginny. Her daughter needed help, and after less than a single day, it was clear to Molly that being home wasn't helping her do that.

Molly put her arms around her daughter from behind, feeling her body tremble as the sobs continued. She had to say something. She had to give her daughter hope. "Professor Dumbledore contacted me this morning."

Those words immediately affected her daughter, as she sniffed and brought her sobbing under control.

"He's found someone to help you," Molly continued. "He believes that she will be able to help you recover and sleep, but there is one draw back that you need to consider."

"What?" Ginny asked, her eyes catching Molly's, pleading with her silently.

"You'll have to spend the summer living in disguise in the neighborhood at Professor Snape's house," Molly told her daughter. "You won't be alone though, as Harry will be joining you."

Molly watched as her daughter's expression turned from exhaustion to determination the moment the word Harry left her mouth. She was well aware of Professor Snape's reputation. She was also quite aware of just how different the man was when you got to a private conference with him. None of her children liked Professor Snape. Professor Snape, on the other hand actually thought that a few of her children had some talent, if they'd just use it in class. His bemoaning about Fred and George had been particularly interesting when she'd been up at Hogwarts last. Still, she knew that her daughter found the Potions Professor to rank somewhere between sitting next to her Great Aunt Muriel and You-Know-Who.

"Mum," Ginny said, her gaze latching to her mothers. "I'm not letting Harry do this alone, and I need it."

Molly's eyes met Ginny's and she enfolded her in a warm hug. There was no substitute for the comfort of a mother's hug, and for a long time let her daughter basked in it's warmth. Eventually, though, Ginny pulled away and looked up at her mum with pleading eyes.

"Okay, we'll get you packed back up after you finish eating," her mother ordered. Ginny picked up her fork and started to eat again. "We'll take my stag, since your father is still looking for a new car."

Ginny dropped her fork. "No one rides in the stag," her daughter whispered.

Molly smiled. The stag had been a gift to her from Gideon and Fabian the Christmas after Charlie was born. It had been tuned to perfection, and was kept under a stasis spell in a shed just past the pond with a cobblestone drive of its own reaching out to a much bigger road than the one into town. "None of your brothers have," she acknowledged. "Your father and I do manage to take a little spin every once in awhile. Though it has been a while. Your father is convinced that the stag is responsible for you. "

Molly smiled as her daughter suddenly shuddered. She was sure that Arthur was right about that. It was a tradition for them to take a spin on November Second, and they had spent a rather nice interlude after the picnic, and this year they'd managed to do on September Second too. With everyone away again this autumn, Molly was sure that another picnic could be arranged, right after everyone left King's Cross.

An hour later, Molly pulled out of the shed with her daughter seated beside her in her Triumph Stag. Ginny seemed to be a bit uncomfortable in the slacks and top that Molly had put out for her. The top in particular seemed just a bit too tight. Molly made a note to see about getting her daughter her first brassiere.

"Turn the radio on, dear," Molly said, hoping that her daughter might loosen up with a little music. "Ginny, you're not going to hurt my car. Anything you do, I can fix. I put the new radio in myself when they moved Radio Three to FM radio."

Ginny gingerly turned on the radio.

"Now let's hear a bit of Igor Stranvisky's The Firebird, as played by the Vienna Philharmonic conducted by Carlos Klieber," the voice came from the radio.

"I know it's traditional to put on some sort of popular music on a journey like this, but it's rare that I have the opportunity to listen to Composer of the Week," Molly said. "Not since George ruined my charm on the wireless last summer."

"You mean we were listening to muggle broadcasts last year?" Ginny said, looking at her mother with an incredulous expression. It was nice to catch such an expression on her daughter after the fear and exhaustion.

"Not just last year, dear," Molly said, as the car accelerated onto a larger motorway than what they'd been driving on. A road sign proclaimed 'M5.' "Since you were conceived. You didn't really think that I didn't share your father's love for at least some things muggle. Now, I know you don't want to talk about all the bad events at school, but perhaps you can tell me about the good parts?"

Ginny remained silent for a moment, thinking, in Molly's judgement."Well, I guess I can tell about Valentine's Day. It wasn't too horrible, just embarrassing..."


Harry limped back into Number Four Privit Drive. His first day back from Hogwarts was murder. There was no breakfast. No, he had to start with mowing the lawn, then clipping the hedge, followed by prying up the slate path to the back garden and putting it back down on the opposite side. He wasn't even allowed to use the wheel barrow.

There had been no lunch. It wasn't for the likes of him, apparently. Harry knew this was because of his uncle's fall into the bush ... a bush he had to replace after when he should have had lunch ... from Harry's once barred window. He'd had to paint the gutter, and wash the BMW, twice. Harry cursed the fact that the BMW was black, showing every speck of dirt, and Vernon could find the smallest speck, that he was sure hadn't been there when he'd finished.

He was supposed to cook dinner. That meant he would at least get to take a shower. It wouldn't be hot though. A hot shower was too good for the likes of him.

"Shower, boy," Uncle Vernon ordered. "Use plenty of soap and water. I don't want to smell you while I eat."

Harry climbed the stairs. He wasn't used to all this work after spending most of the year at Hogwarts. He'd get used to it though. He had before. An old towel grabbed from his room, he wasn't good enough to use one of the new ones, and discarded the clothes he'd gotten from Dudley and climbed into the shower.

Vernon had left the hot water on. That usually meant that he'd turn it off in the middle, but for now, Harry enjoyed the feeling of the water on his sore muscles as he scrubbed the sweat of a hard day's work off his body. Harry loved hot water showers. It wasn't something he'd got often until he had left for Hogwarts. At Hogwarts he was known for steaming up the bath with his showers.

...

Severus Snape approached the Dursley's with resignation. Molly Weasley had already delivered Ginny Weasley, and that had ended Snape's procrastination. So he'd put on his best muggle dress, a deep brown sport coat, pale yellow shirt, and brown trousers, and picked up his black potions case. He'd ditched the tie. The outfit was the one he wore when he wanted no one to associate him with his Hogwarts Professorial persona. He'd owned it since his last year at Hogwarts. Lily had helped him buy it.

As he reached the house, he noted that the car was freshly washed, and the grass cut. The house gave the impression of a well maintained middle class abode. Something, though, was giving Severus the feeling that there was something wrong. It was a feeling that he'd actually received and pushed away several times when in the presence of Potter.

He stepped up and rang the door bell. It didn't take long for the door to open. It was Petunia. The last time he'd seen Lilly's sister, she'd been a tall teen, taller than Severus. Now he met her green eyes, framed by the same washed out blond hair that he remembered from his youth. He'd last seen her the summer after his fifth year, when he'd tried to get Lily to forgive him.

Petunia had poured salt on the wound of the estrangement between him and Lily. It was Petunia who had slammed the door in his face. To make matters worse, it was Petunia who had discovered Snape's mother, dead, just after he'd returned to Hogwarts for his last year. It was hard to look at her, knowing what she thought of him, and how she'd been right about him being destined to kill Lily.

He didn't let it show though. "Good Afternoon, Petunia, I believe it's Dursley now?" Severus said, his foot moving to keep Petunia from slamming the door on his face again. "I'm one of Potter's professors now, and we need to talk."

Petunia stepped back allowing Severus to enter. She closed the door behind him, and then introduced him to the rotund man standing at the entrance to the parlor. "Vernon, this is Professor Severus Snape, a childhood friend of Lily's and now at Harry's school. Professor Snape, my husband Vernon Dursley."

Vernon looked ready to scream at Severus. He'd been warned that Potter's uncle was abrasive to witches and wizards when he'd stopped by Widow Fig on his way in. "Mister Dursley, I've come on behalf of the Headmaster to take Mister Potter for the summer, early, as well as to notify you that he and a couple members of the staff will be by later this month so that the wards on this house may be strengthened. Potter will, of course, return next year."


Somehow he managed to finish the shower before Vernon shut off the hot water. He dried off, and placing the towel around his waist headed back to his room. He didn't bother combing his hair. That never worked, or helped. He put on a more presentable outfit.

"Boy! Come down here now." Uncle Vernon shouted up the stairs before Harry could get his socks and trainers on.

"Coming, Uncle Vernon!" Harry replied. He judged that there was no way that he'd be able to arrive on time if he put his shoes on, and Vernon wouldn't care about that anyway. So he left his room and headed downstairs.


Severus could tell the glee that Vernon had at the idea that Potter was leaving. The shouting match that Severus had foreseen no longer threatened. Clearly the man detested Potter, and that shifted Severus's opinion of the man to more unfavorable one.

Potter came down the stairs in his usual, worn, ill fitting clothes. He hadn't put on his shoes, but given the potion that Dumbledore had given Severus, it was likely that none of what Potter was wearing was going to fit him.

"Boy, you'll be spending the summer with Professor Snape."

The expression on Potter's face as his uncle said that was one that Severus was sure that he'd be looking back with fondness every day. He took great pride in the fact that he was the most feared Professor at Hogwarts. "Indeed," he said, as Potter trembled. "However, we shall have to disguise you before we head to my home. Collect your trunk, and come back down."

As Potter headed back up the stairs, Severus was directed to the parlor. He could see the Dursley boy through the door to the kitchen, consuming some sort of sugary cereal and watching the telly. He stepped into the parlor. The drapes were already closed, Severus noted. One less thing to do. "As Potter's guardians, it would be a good time to discuss my observations on his progress at Hogwarts. Now!"

The Dursleys followed Severus into the room, and took seats on the sofa. Snape remained standing in front of the covered window. His firm words had just as much effect as they did when one of his students was awaiting detention under his supervision. Few disobeyed him then.

"I have been your nephew's Potions Professor for the past two years," Severus said. "I find him with a total lack of respect for my authority. He is often quick with the comeback. That being said, he is usually well prepared for class. His ingredient preparation is his strength in potions. Potter does seem to take good notes, but his essays seem to be gauged to only cover the minimum necessary. In class, his potions had a disturbing tendency to end explosively at the worst possible time.

"I shall, of course, be remedying these issues while he is under my charge this summer," Severus said as Potter returned to the room, dragging his trunk. "We will be leaving from here. The Headmaster has provided Potter with a potion that will disguise his identity. Potter, strip."

Potter looked like he was going to object to stripping, but Severus kept his glare on him. Out of the corner of his eye, Severus noticed that Vernon had a particular expression of glee in his face, as if he was enjoying seeing Potter strip. It was a red flag to the Head of Slytherin.

Potter's head dropped with resignation. He took off his shoes and socks first, turning around before dropping his trousers. Potter bent down to pick up his trousers to fold them up, and Severus noticed the first scar, right across his bottom. Potter had been whipped with a belt so long and hard that it had bled and scared. As Potter pulled his shirt over his head, Severus noticed the scars cris-crossing his back.

He was familiar with all of the types, there were burn scars, and whipping scars. Scars caused by belts and scars caused by rods, he identified them all on the boy-who-lived. Potter folded up his shirt, still facing away. The folds were neat and precise, even though it was obvious that Potter didn't want to remove his clothes.

Severus turned away from Potter and looked right in the eyes of Vernon Dursley. He was no fan of Potter, but now that he'd seen the scars, he couldn't deny the signs he had seen and dismissed at Hogwarts anymore. He didn't even need to say the word to see in Dursley's mind that he was not only responsible, but had taken pleasure in it. Wandlessly and silently he froze Dursley in place. Severus looked in Petunia's eyes, and found fear. Fear of him, of course, but also fear of Vernon. He left her alone.

He looked back at Potter, who had turned back around. Potter was covering himself, trying to give himself a little dignity. Severus almost wished that it hadn't been standard procedure with transformation potions like the one he was about to hand Potter for the subject to strip. With a genetic suppression potion it was important that a Potion Master observe the transformation carefully for any abnormalities. Catching his gaze, Severus suddenly realized that he was letting Potter stand vulnerable to the gaze of his tormentors. He quickly transfigured the end table to a screen that obscured the view of Potter from those seated on the sofa, chastising himself for not realizing that before.

Severus reached into his bag and pulled out the potion, as he turned back towards the Dursley's. "Mr. Dursley, I have been head of Slytherin House since the Autumn of 1982," Severus said, his eyes locked on Potter's uncle. "I have seen many students who have been treated like your nephew by their family. I have not been kind to those responsible for such treatment of my Slytherins. I was one of the Dark Lord's Death Eaters, and you would have been dead before Christmas if I had been your nephew's Head of House."

He then altered his gaze. "Petunia, I suggest that you make sure that the life insurance is paid up." Severus then looked back at Potter. The boy's mouth was open with surprise. "Potter, drink this."

Potter uncorked the vial and swallowed the deep purple liquid. It took maybe three gulps to consume the whole potion, and then Potter began to change.

The first change that Severus noticed was that Potter was getting just a bit taller. His hair started to get longer. Then Potter's stance shifted, and Severus's gaze dropped. It seemed that Potter's privileges were shrinking. Potter trembled, and Severus caught his gaze again. The roots of his hair were turning red, and Potter was growing breasts. A brief glance downward confirmed that Potter would not be cutting a swath through the ladies of Cokeworth this Summer, as instead he'd be worried about someone doing it to him. Potter's body shook, as the transformation completed. Severus circled around Potter once, looking for any abnormalities in the transformation, his wand silently casting to assure he didn't miss anything.

Only once he was done did it fully hit the Potion's Master what was standing before him and his family. No longer was there the embarrassed naked dark haired boy, the spitting image of his father. Now it was a trembling naked flame haired girl, the spitting image of her mother. Severus suppressed a groan. Potter was spending the summer with him, and instead of the hated visage of his father, he was going to be dealing with the daughter who was the spitting image of the only woman he had ever loved.

The image of a Lily through the translucent screen appeared to have a greater effect on Petunia. She had dropped off the couch to her knees. "Lily. I'm sorry Lily. I couldn't do it, Lily. I'm sorry Lily. I should have tried harder. I should have treated him well, Lily."

Tears were running down Petunia's face. At a glance, Severus knew that she thought she was seeing her dead sister, coming back to life. Potter, on the other hand looked in shock. "Petunia!" Snape said sharply, as he grabbed Potter's t-shirt from where the student had placed it on the top of his trunk. He shook it out and transfigured it into a much longer simple dress. "Potter, put this on."

Potter caught the tossed dress, as Severus bent down to help Petunia up. "Severus, why has Lily come back?" the woman asked.

"That's not Lily," Severus said, firmly. "Though you might want to think about what Lily would think about how you treated her son. "

Petunia sat down, and nodded. Only after she had sat down, did Severus notice that Dudley had entered the parlor. "Harry?" The voice was tentative, full of disbelief at what he was seeing. "What happened to you?"

"I don't know," Potter replied, nearly knocking his glasses off as he pushed his head through the top of the dress. "I think the potion turned me into a girl."

"The potion I gave you suppresses a portion of your genetic code," Snape said, as the dress he'd created for Potter settled down to about a foot above Potter's knees. "It would appear that the Headmaster keyed it to suppress your father's contribution. It is reversible, and will require booster doses." Then he turned to the youngest Dursley. "It can be used on others."

Suddenly, Dudley's hands went to cover between his legs.

"Potter, take hold of your trunk," Severus ordered, moving to stand next to him. "Petunia, I will be back to talk."