I'm sorry this took so long! I had intended to have it up earlier, but then life happened. I've gone back to work, but maternity leave seems to have reawakened my creative juices, so hopefully that will help with this story. Please review.

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Vernon's purple face turned ashen. "I...I don't know what you're talking about, Mr. Snape," Vernon said in a forced polite tone. "Dudley here doesn't go to Hogwarts, and as you can clearly see, he's certainly not starving."

"Save it, Dursley," Snape hissed. "You know full well that I am talking about Harry Potter. Now, explain to me why you are starving my student."

"He's being punished."

"For giving his address to a friend? And last I checked, not feeding a boy for two weeks is considered abuse, at the very least." Vernon didn't reply. "And while you're at it, tell me why you have bars on only one second floor window? Or why you screamed bloody murder at a twelve year old girl who simply asked about a friend?"

"What I do in my home is none of your business."

"When it concerns my student, it becomes my business. Am I to presume that that window is Mr. Potter's window?" Vernon was silent. "Right then. I will check on Mr. Potter while I am here." He rose.

"There will be no magic in my house!" Vernon shouted, turning purple again.

Snape ignored him. He strode up the stairs with Hermione at his heels, almost jogging to keep up. In the second story hallway, there was a door with multiple locks and a catflap. Rage momentarily flooded Snape's features. He pointed his wand at the door. "Alohomora." The locks clicked open, and Snape walked through the door, wrinkling his nose at the sweat stench in the room.

"Professor Snape!" Harry exclaimed, jumping off the bed. An owl in a cage opened one eye and then closed it, seemingly unimpressed by the drama.

"Harry!" Hermione cried, running out and engulfing him in a hug.

"Hermione," he breathed, hugging her back. "I thought you'd forgotten about me, but then Dobby came and he had all my letters from over the summer."

"I thought you'd forgotten about me."

"As much as I hate to interrupt this adorable reunion," Snape drawled, "I need to speak with Mr. Potter. Hermione, please wait in the hall." She nodded and stepped out, closing the door behind her.

"Now, Potter," Snape asked, "what's with all of the locks and the catflap?" Harry explained about Dobby and the pudding. "And why are you being punished with no meals for two weeks?"

Harry stared at the floor. "Because I gave Ron and Hermione my address so they could write."

"Is this how your relatives usually punish you?" Harry nodded, scraping the toe of his sneaker against the floor. Snape felt his rage bubbling up again. "Pack your things, Potter. You will not stay another night here."

Harry looked up at his professor incredulously. "What do you mean?"

"I did not stutter. Go pack your things. You're coming with me." Harry still didn't move. "What are you waiting for? Go!"

"I can't, sir," Harry said softly.

Snape pinched the bridge of his nose. "Why not?"

"Because Uncle Vernon locked all of my things in the cupboard under the stairs."

"Do you have anything up here?"

"Hedwig and some clothes." Snape assumed that Hedwig was the owl.

"Very well. Get them ready to go and I will be back shortly." He turned and walked out. "Hermione, with me!" Hermione followed him downstairs. He unlocked the cupboard under the stairs and pulled Harry's trunk and broomstick out, hardly noticing the mattress on the floor. "Wait here," he said to Hermione. He deposited the trunk on the floor of his bedroom. Harry tossed his clothes in it and shoved his wand in his pocket, before they heard a scuffle and a shriek from downstairs and went running down.

"You burned me, you little bitch!" Vernon screamed at Hermione, drawing back his hand.

"No!" Snape shouted, a red light emitting from his wand and sending Vernon flying. Snape and Harry ran over to Hermione. "Are you all right?"

"Y-Yes, Uncle Sev," Hermione replied, shaken. Harry stared at Hermione with wide eyes.

Snape nodded and turned to Harry. "I'll be down in a moment with your trunk."

Harry turned to Hermione. "Uncle Sev?" he asked.

Hermione nodded. "I'll explain later."

Snape came back downstairs.

"My trunk, Professor?" Harry asked.

"I shrunk it," he replied. "It's in my pocket." He strode over to where Dudley stood over Vernon. "Move, boy," Snape said to Dudley, who was standing over him.

Dudley shrank back. "P-p-please don't hurt me," he sniveled, his eyes wide and fearful.

Snape scowled, but softened his tone slightly. "I'm just going to heal him, you imbecile. I don't hurt children." Dudley scrambled out of Snape's way. "Episkey." Vernon's nose righted itself, and Snape pointed his wand at him again. "Ennervate." As Vernon came to, Snape leaned over him and spoke softly, "If you ever attempt to strike my child again, I will not be responsible for my actions. Am I clear?" Vernon nodded. Snape stood up and walked over to Harry and Hermione. He took their hands. "Don't let go." And with a crack, they were gone.

oOo

They arrived just outside Hogwarts' gates. Harry dropped to his knees, a green tinge to his face. Snape rolled his eyes, but gave him a few moments to recover. "If you're finished with the dramatics, Potter," he said, "we can continue up to the castle." Harry glared at him, but stood up and followed them up to the castle.

When they got to the entrance hall, Harry turned to go in the opposite direction. "Where are you going, Potter?" Snape asked.

"To Gryffindor Tower," he replied.

"No, Mr. Potter, students aren't allowed in the dorms during the summer."

"Then where will I stay?"

"You will stay in my quarters for now," Snape replied. "From there, we will see what else can be done." Harry stood there, mouth opening and closing, but no sound coming out.

"Relax, Harry," Hermione said, rolling her eyes. "It's not that bad."

The trio walked down to the dungeons and into Snape's quarters. He unshrunk Harry's trunk in the living room. "Hermione, why don't you take Mr. Potter into your room and tell him about your summer? I'm going to go speak with Professor McGonagall and Professor Dumbledore."

Snape flooed to Professor McGonagall's quarters, and explained what had happened when he went to the Dursleys'.

"I knew I shouldn't've let Albus leave him with those people," Professor McGonagall fretted, pacing back and forth and wringing her hands. "I told him they were the worst kind of muggles." She paused for a moment. "Are you absolutely sure that he's been abused?"

"Minerva, there were five locks on his door and a catflap. That's hardly normal. But I will talk with the boy and get a better idea as to what's going on in that house." He grimaced.

"I will speak with Albus then. At the very least, he will not be returning there this summer."

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