Severus closed the bedroom door gently behind him. His eyes narrowed and his jaw clenched catching sight of the Dursley boy standing in the corner.

After administering a calming draught to a panic stricken Potter he had used the strongest bruise salve in his arsenal to heal the small boy. However, while a calming draught doesn't normally put one to sleep, it can cause an underweight, physically and emotionally exhausted little boy to practically collapse in exhaustion. Severus had been forced to levitate Harry to the top bunk, before ensuring he was securely under the bedcovers then leaving to deal with Dudley.

"Dursley!" Snape barked.

As soon as Dudley's eyes moved towards him he jerked his head towards the stairs, signaling that Dudley should follow him.

Severus silently led the boy down the stairs, through the living room, and into the kitchen.

"Sit."

Dudley inelegantly sat at the small kitchen table without protest. Apparently, all his false bravado had worn off and he was displaying his true colors as a simpering yellow-bellied coward.

"Please, Mr. Dursley, explain to me the logic behind shoving your cousin in the wardrobe." Severus crossed his arms, but allowed his fingers to tap impatiently against his bicep.

"I already told you." For someone practically vibrating in fear Dudley still managed to sound cocky.

"No, you told me what happened, not the reasoning behind the decision. What I wish to know is why, of all the other things you could have done, did you shove him in a wardrobe?"

Dudley shrugged, studying a water ring on the old oak table. "His room before he went to that freaky school was a cupboard. That's were Mum and Dad used to keep him."

"Your father, Mr. Dursley, is an abusive, ignorant ass who beat your mother to death."

Dudley's face scrunched up and for a horrifying moment Snape thought the child might burst into tears.

"Your mother allowed her husband to abuse her nephew and didn't lift a finger to stop him."

Dudley traced the water ring with his finger, idly wondering how long it had been there. Perhaps if he ignored the professor he'd go away and leave him alone. Then a callused hand slammed down in front of him causing him to jump and look up at the professor.

"These are hardly people you should emulate."

Severus stood up straight once more, looking down across the table at the child. Severus had a feeling that most of Dudley's behavior was a result of bad parenting, not some genetic mutation that made him horrid. The boy would be twelve in about a month, with a firm hand there may be hope for him.

"Do you know why what you did was wrong, Dursley?" Snape's voice was quite and controlled.

Dudley shrugged. Severus didn't know if it was because Dudley didn't understand or was too ashamed to say it aloud.

"Does it not bother you, child, that you hurt your cousin? You caused him to bleed- not to mention the bruises. Why does your cousin deserve to be treated like that? Did he hurt you first? Did he say something to you?"

Dudley looked up from the table his eyebrows raised as though saying 'are you serious'.

"He's a freak of nature…." Dudley began but was interrupted as suds began to fill his mouth. He quickly stood up knocking his chair over in the process and ran towards the kitchen sink.

Snape tucked his wand back into his sleeve while he watched, vaguely amused, as the boy attempted to spit out all the bubbles that had suddenly appeared in his mouth. The spell would last exactly one minute unless Severus intervened.

Soon enough the bubbles stopped forming in Dudley's mouth and he turned the tap on intending to rinse the soap taste from his palate.

Snape moved up behind him, and allowed him just one mouth full of water to rinse with before turning the tap off.

"That's enough, boy. Now, sit back down, and unless you like the taste of bubbles never use that word again."

"But he's not like normal people." Dudley mumbled as he righted his chair and took a seat, tears forming in his eyes. He folded his arms on the table and rested his cheek on top of them.

Severus gritted his teeth. At this rate he'd need dentures by the end of the month.

"Normality is relative."

Dudley lifted his head, his mouth hung open slightly. "Huh?"

Snape huffed in annoyance before sitting down at the table across from the large child.

"In the magical community, little boys like you are considered abnormal. You have no magic; therefore, to us, you are not usual. In this house you are the only one unable to do magic, which makes you abnormal."

Severus paused to allow what he was saying to sink in. Dudley sat still, his eyes growing wide in fear. Snape hoped he was imagining himself stuck in a too small closet inhaling musty air.

"Despite your…abnormality, boy, I have yet to shove you in a closet, beat you, call you obscene names, or hex you." Dudley was trembling so hard in his chair, Snape was surprised the legs hadn't given way.

"Do you know why?" Snape asked as though speaking to a small child.

Dudley quickly jerked his head from side to side.

"Because it would cause you lasting, permanent harm." Snape spoke slowly and quietly. "Even if the bruises and welts eventually faded, the abuse would still affect you mentally. You'd have a difficult time trusting others for the rest of your life. You may even abuse your own children one day. The worst sort of people in the world are the ones that abuse their children or anyone less powerful than themselves. And I will not tolerate one in this house."

Dudley still looked scared, and Snape couldn't tell if his message had sunk in or if the child was just terrified of him. At least he hadn't flinched as Potter had. Severus continued speaking his voice firm and unyielding.

"Your behavior is inexcusable, Dursley. You will write an apology letter to your cousin while I prepare lunch. Afterwards, we will collect some of your and your cousin's belongings. When we return, you will spend the rest of the day sitting at this table writing an essay explaining why what you did was wrong. Tomorrow I will have a list of extra chores for you to do for the next two days. Understood?"

Dursley nodded his head fervently.

"I don't think I heard you correctly, Mr. Dursley, did you say you wanted to be on restriction longer?" Severus asked in a naively sweet voice.

"No! I…I mean…yes, I understand." Dudley's eyes were so wide Snape thought they may fall out of their sockets.

"Yes, sir! Boy! You will learn respect before the end of this summer if it's the last thing I do!"

"Y-y-yes, sir," Dudley stammered.

Snape stood from the table silently summoning pen and paper. He spoke evenly as he placed the objects in front of the child.

"Rest assured, Mr. Dursley, if you ever, ever, shove someone, anyone, in a closet or cupboard again or act abusively towards someone either physically or verbally I will take you over my knee and thrash you silly."

Snape turned away from the child and began moving around the kitchen; leaving Dudley to shakily pick up the pen and begin the apology letter to his cousin. Whether Dudley's complacency was due to fear or if Snape's words had sunk in he couldn't say.