BANG!

Harry was jolted awake by a loud crash. His body was tense and his head was throbbing. He has been having these recurring nightmares all summer. The dreams would start in the graveyard and then play through that nights horrible events. When the nightmare was over, it would just start over again.

Lying in bed sticky from sweat and unnerved from his dream, Harry reached over and slung on his glasses. Flopping his legs over the lumpy mattress, he noiselessly shuffled his way to the bedroom door. Harry wiggled the door knob.

"Ugh, its locked." Harry mumbled.

He let out a small snort.

"When is it not locked?" he grunted.

Sucking in a breath of stagnant musty air, Harry let out a short agitated sigh.

BANG!

The noise echoed through the house and he could hear his relatives' bedroom doors creaking open.

"Dad! What's that noise?" whispered Dudley.

"Shh! It could be a thief! Or even worse, one of that boy's kind!" hissed Vernon.

Petunia's face filled with panic.

" Duddykins get over here by mummy!" she pleaded.

She tried to wrap her arms around Dudley's girth and guide him back into her master bedroom.

Over her shoulder she whispered," Send the boy down to investigate."

Vernon grunted in agreement.

Harry stood still staring at the door, jumping slightly when he heard the loud bangs and thuds.

Wait. If they're in the hallway, whose downstairs? What could it be? Oh no, maybe death eaters?

Harry swallowed and started to tremble. The third task had not been that long ago. He definitely didn't want another run-in with them.

Turning to grab his wand under the secret, loose floor board, the locks on the door slid. The door opened.A huge hand grabbed him by the scruff of his ill-fitting pajamas. Dragging Harry into the hall, Vernon threw him at the head of the stairs. Stumbling slightly, Harry gained control of his footing and glared back at his uncle.

BANG!

Harry jumped.

"Go boy!" hissed Vernon, while making a shooing motion with his exceedingly large hands.

"But Uncle Vernon! I need my wand! What if its dark wizards?" pleaded Harry.

Vernon squinted his eyes, his mustache twitching while he pondered this. He reached out and grabbed Harry by his shirt pulling him close to his face,"You better not do magic in front of me boy!" he replied in a deadly whisper, "Well? What are you waiting for! Go fetch it!" Vernon barked, while yanking Harry by his shirt and throwing him toward his door.

As Harry went to his own room, he could hear the waddling sounds of his uncle's massive frame entering the master bedroom.

Harry obliged to every rule Vernon enforced so he could he keep his wand and trunk this summer. The price was small compared to needing his wand in case of an emergency, quite like this. After prying at the floorboard, he retrieved his wand and reentered the hall. Harry gulped and then slowly descended down the stairs.

BANG!

Harry, wide eyed looking for anything that could be making such a racket, got down to the bottom of the stairs and noticed the front door was still locked.

Harry tip-toed down the dimly lit hall.

Filled with fear and anxiety, he shakily reached for the door knob to the kitchen.

He could hear the muffled sounds of something beyond the door tearing and clawing.

Harry peaked in the crack of the door and looked around wildly. The only light being cast was from the unlatched refrigerator door.

The kitchen was a complete mess.

The window stood slightly ajar with the hem of the curtain ripped and hanging. The chairs from the kitchen table were knocked over unceremoniously. Cabinet doors were open, and food littered the floor from open containers and snack bags. There was a trail of chips leading from the kitchen into the dining room.

Harry strained his eyes to find something, anything that could of caused the mess. Suddenly he saw two white eyes, gleaming in the dark, staring, baring into his.

Harry swallowed.

Reaching to flip on the light, his eyes never wavered from the glowing orbs that seemed to float in the darkness. After quickly turning on the light, Harry saw what was in the room with him.

Sitting on the kitchen counter top, looking at Harry, was a plump raccoon.

Harry let out a long breath he didn't know he was holding.

The raccoon stared into Harry's eyes never faltering, and slowly took his hand and reached down to grab a few more handfuls of rations. He put them into his mouth chewing slowly, waiting to see if Harry would react. After watching Harry for a few moments, the raccoon grabbed another handful of food and stuffed it into his mouth.

Harry heard his uncle from behind the kitchen door.

"What is it boy?" harshly whispered Vernon.

"Raccoon," Harry replied quite amused.

Vernon then emerged with a 12-gauge shotgun, a small-bore weapon commonly used for hunting birds.

"Uncle Vernon I don't think that's necessary," replied Harry looking afraid.

"Hmmpph. I'll decide what's necessary in this house boy," replied Vernon.

The raccoon looked away from Harry and glared at Vernon.

Petunia then entered the room and saw the raccoon. Her eyes widened as she gasped.

"Get that THING out of my kitchen!" she screeched. "Out! Now!"

As if she even laid a finger in here Harry thought to himself.

I spent all day in here cleaning this kitchen. I spent hours on the stove itself, scrapping and scrubbing. The mess inside it was horrible.What in the world did they spill in there while I was away at school?. All that work just for Aunt Marge could see the house in a immaculate state. Now its totally trashed. Great, Im not going to get any more sleep tonight Harry fretted.

Harry reached for the broom and started to shoo the raccoon off the counter.

It let out a throaty growl and attacked the broom.

Harry retracted the broom and showed the damage to his aunt and uncle.

"Now what?" Harry asked.

Vernon glanced at the broom then at Harry.

"Give me that damn thing." hissed Vernon while reaching out and yanking the broom from Harry's grasp.

"Petunia darling, leave the kitchen, I don't want you to get hurt." Vernon stated courtly.

Petunia left the kitchen and now was on the other side of the door screeching about the mess.

"You better get that THING out of my kitchen! This instant! Do you HEAR me..."

Vernon was inching his way toward the raccoon when the raccoon growled and arched its back in a defensive stance.

Vernon tried to shoo it away but it just bared its teeth.

Vernon huffed and grabbed his gun.

"Thats it!" Vernon yelled while quickly going berserk. "Nobody makes me a prisoner in my own home!"

Harry realized the best course of action was to leave the kitchen and get away from his crazed uncle.

He quickly darted for the door.

Either the sudden movement from Harry or the trapped feeling the raccoon was getting from Vernon, or both, caused the raccoon to lurch towards Mr. Dursley. Out of pure defense and bad judgment, Vernon shot the raccoon.

The raccoon got hit by most of the bird shot, but some pellets ricocheted off of the counter and hit Harry.

Harry gasped.

--------------

Albus Dumbledore was sound asleep in his king-sized, mahogany bed. Snoring softly, the only movement in the room was that of his mustache quivering from soft puffs of air that escaped his lips.

He was jolted awake by his fireplace bursting into flames. Arabella Figg's head was protruding from his fireplace.

"Albus! I'm sorry to wake you. Could you come check on Harry? I think he might be in trouble." she nearly screeched.

Dumbledore's face went pallid.

"Yes Arabella. Let me get Severus." Dumbledore quickly replied.

Arabella gave one last look of worry then disappeared from the fireplace.

---------------------------

Severus was sleeping soundly for once in his cool dungeon quarters. He had been up late researching a potion for Albus and had fallen asleep in his chair by the fireplace. How days seemed to get better when Severus could sit in his oversized dark maroon leather chair.....

He was startled awake by Albus yelling through his Floo.

"Severus! Severus, wake up!" hollered Albus.

"Albus? What is the matter?" asked Severus in a worried tone.

"Nothing Severus. I'm fine." hastily replied Dumbledore.

"I think Harry's been hurt. Could you please assist me to his home?" requested Dumbledore.

Severus knew he was the only other capable wizard to go with Dumbledore. Since Minerva, Filius, and Pomona had left for the summer for various reasons. He knew Albus was the most brilliant and talented wizard alive, so Severus didn't doubt his reasoning for a backup. Apparently something bad happened, and he wasn't going to argue.

Severus nodded and jumped up from his chair, still dressed for never going to bed properly in the first place. With a murderous scowl he snatched up his floo powder and swirled away to Ms. Figg's.

Albus and Severus almost landed in the floo at the same time. Thankfully, Albus was a few moments faster than Severus, other wise they would have landed on top of each other.

Ms.Figg paced the threadbare carpet in front of the fireplace, wringing her hands as she anxiously awaited Severus and Dumbledore

"Albus! I'm so glad you got here so quickly! Mundungus Fletcher heard a gun shot while watching the Dursley's. Would you mind checking on him? I'm worried sick!" Arabella shouted.

"Albus this is absurd! We don't even know if the boy is even hurt!" scowled Severus.

Albus peered over his half-moon spectacles at Snape.

"That noise could of been anything. Why isn't Fletcher checking in on the boy?" grunted the very annoyed potions master.

"Severus..." Albus replied in an authoritative tone.

"Well? Where's Fletcher?" grunted Snape.

Crossing his arms Snape shot a glare at Ms. Figg.

"I'm not sure where Fletcher is. He disappeared after telling me about the gun shot." Ms. Figg responded looking worried as she then began fidgeting with her apron.

"That's enough interrogating Severus," sternly replied Albus.

As Dumbledore swiftly left Ms. Figgs, Snape threw him a nasty glare behind his back.

--------------------------

Albus and Severus were now striding in step towards Number Four Privet Drive.

Severus looked as menacing as ever, his black robes billowing at his feet.

"This better be serious Albus. As you well know my sleep is very important to me since I don't get much of it," scowled Snape.

"Yes I understand, Severus. However I didn't want to go alone. Just in case." Dumbledore replied.

Reaching the well-manicured lawn, they could hear the commotion from outside.

Albus wrenched the door open and followed the noise. He could see from the hall the devastated kitchen. Wand in hand Severus was ready for the attack. They entered the kitchen and saw it. A bloody mess on the floor.

Harry Potter was bleeding and moaning on the floor while his uncle was holding the boy's wand with a pot holder smacking Harry in the face with it.

"Use this damn wand and mend yourself boy! We are not taking you to the doctor!" Vernon hissed.

Vernon was terrified, beads of sweat began rolling down his neck as he began to ponder the situation.

He didn't want to pay for Harry's treatment. But he also knew he couldn't let him bleed like this while under his care.

Not noticing he had an audience, Vernon was pulled out of his thoughts when two infuriated wizards came barging into the room.

Snape was on top of Vernon, his wand embedded into his multiple chins.

"What happened, muggle?" hissed Snape.

"It was an accident! The boy got in the way when the raccoon started to attack me!" Vernon shakily replied.

"You shot a gun inside a home? Are you completely daft?" Snape hissed. He was starting to wonder that maybe muggles were as dumb as he thought.

"It could've been rabid!" stammered Vernon, cringing away from Snape who had pinned him to the wall next to the cupboard.

Severus Snape twirled on his heels whipping his cape around him quickly with a loud snap causing the now quivering Vernon to shriek. Sidestepping the overturned garbage of dripping coffee filters, old orange peels and cellophane wrappers, Severus surveyed his strange surroundings with a sneer of distaste, his eyes barely glancing at Harry and Dumbledore.

"What's HE doing here?" hissed Harry his face pulled in grimace of pain. It was bad enough Uncle Vernon shot him, now seeming to add to his pain was the presence of his loathed potions teacher.

With a stoic expression Severus turned and locked eyes with Harry.

"Albus I think its time we leave."