CHAPTER ONE

Harry Potter had only been at the Dursley's for a week and he was already wishing he was back at Hogwarts. The week started like it did last summer when he came to the Dursley's from Hogwarts, his Uncle Vernon took all his school belongings and locked them in the cupboard under the stairs and then sent him to his room, the smallest room in the house. The first two days they ignored Harry and on the third they gave him a list of chores that he had to complete by the end of the day. On the fourth his uncle reminded him that he couldn't let Hedwig out to send letters to his friends, but by that time Hedwig was restless and wanted to be let out to stretch her wings and hunt, so restless that she wouldn't stop fluttering and sometimes screeching in her cage. When his uncle told him to 'shut that damn bird up' Harry had got defensive, it earned him a punch to the face.

It was on the sixth night back from Hogwarts that everything came to its peak.

The night before none of the residents of Number 4 Privet Drive were able to sleep due to Hedwig's restlessness, making every one, especially his uncle, cranky. Harry, hopeful in calming his Uncles ire, had opened his window in the hopes that it would pacify the owl. It only made her more tense.

Through Hedwig's flapping, screeching and Harry trying to sooth her with quiet words, Harry faintly heard his uncle's heavy footsteps make its way to his room. His door burst open.

"I'm going to strangle that damn bird!" His uncle bellowed, face almost purple, before heading to Hedwig's cage by throwing Harry out of his way. Harry groaned as pain raced down back as he hit the edge of his bed. His uncle had made it to Hedwig's cage and ripped it open, taking the owl by her neck in his red meaty hands and started to strangle the bird. Harry stood up off the floor in a rush to stop his uncle, get a minute glimpse of his aunt and cousin, before putting his two skinny arms on the arm his uncle used to strangle his owl.

"No," Harry cried. "You can't. Let her go. She just wants to stretch her wings."

His uncle had let go of Hedwig in surprise because of Harry's actions, the bird went in for a scratch to Vernons face in retaliation of being throttled and she left through the window. Harry sighed in relief as his owl left, getting away from his uncle's rath. Unfortunately for Harry said rath was now directed at him. Pain seared his face as his uncle punched him, Harry fell to the floor, hitting his head against the corner of his bed in surprise. Before he could even try standing up a kick was aimed at him, hitting him square in the belly. He didn't know how long but it felt like hours that he was subjected to the assault. Soon enough, as he lay in a pool of his own blood, Harry slipped into an uneasy unconsciousness due to the torture. The last thing he heard before all his senses went out was 'It's going to be okay Harry, I'm giving you to a trusted friend.'

Severus Snape was relaxing, well as much as someone can relax in their childhood house that was filled with trauma, as he'd only been back in Spinner's End for the day. That morning, the minute he had gotten back from Hogwarts, he had automatically started to clean, like he does every time he comes back to the house from the school, all the dust and dirt that accumulated while he was away for the school term. He did not clean the house by magic, quite liking the physical work and mental distraction it provided.

By the time he was done he was soaked in sweat and absolutely exhausted from the gurling hours of cleaning. Severus had hopped into the shower, letting the hot water wash away the strain on his muscles. After his shower, and once he had changed to a baggy black shirt and gray lounge pants, he made himself a steaming cup of tea; picked up a book and sat on a comfy chair in his living room.

So Severus Snape was relaxing, with his cup of tea and a good book, when he heard a thump at his door. Which confused him because one he didn't get visitors, only Dumbledore and the Malfoys knew where he lived and the Malfoys would never be caught in a muggle place let alone a poor muggle area, and two it was in the middle of the night. Curious of who could possibly be at his door at this ungodly hour, Severus got up from his seat and carefully ambled his way to the door. When Severus looked through the doorway a shiver raced down his spine, the air scented like metal, at the sight of a familiar looking boy on his front porch step, unconscious, covered in blood and looking like a human bruise. Hurriedly picking up the boy, Severus brought the boy to his living room and gently placed him on the couch.

Flicking his wand from its holster Severus did a quick diagnostic spell and winced at the results, he quickly got to work. He sealed the cuts and bruises with an episkey before going to grab a blood replenishing potion and a potion to heal internal bleeding. He then forced the potion down the boy's throat. Any other injuries the kid had could only be healed when he awoke.

Sighing, Severus sank into the comfy chair he had abandoned just moments before.

"What in the world happened to you Potter?" He whispered to himself prior to shutting his eyes.

Word Count: 978