#4 Privet Dr.

It was well passed dinner time when the peace of the neighborhood was disturbed. Snape was lividly banging on the door. He was fit to be tied!

Behind him, Albus Dumbledore stood calmly, perfectly willing to turn a blind eye to what his employee was about to do. It was time to (as the muggles said) pay the piper. Though he didn’t show it. He was really, very angry with Petunia. He’d entrusted her with Harry’s care and she had ignored him. He had no doubt that she’d used the monthly stipend he sent every month for anything and everything but the care of her…of Harry.

Oh yes, Petunia Dursley had much to repay.

Vernon opened the door and seeing who it was, attempted to slam the door in his face. But Snape was having none of it. He knew what was coming and immediately put out a hand and then threw all his weight into it, pushing the door open.

“Get out of my house! This is breaking and entering! Petunia!” Vernon was immediately silenced with a right hook that sent the fat walrus to the floor. The full fury of the father’s wrath was unleashed.

Petunia, on the other hand, was looking at Dumbledore with unmasked fear in her eyes. Behind them, Dudley was hurrying for the phone. With another pass of the wand, the portly teenager was frozen to the spot and unable to scream for help.

With another sweep of his wand the door was closed and locked.

“Petunia, you knew this would eventually happen. I have to wonder, did you think I was making a jest when I asked you to look after your nephew?”

“He’s alive and clothed isn’t he?”

Snape looked up at her having completely knocked Vernon out. Now, the fat man had identical injuries to the ones that Harry had received. For now, he was out.

Snape now addressed his best friend’s sister.

“Do you call oversized clothes and starvation 'looking after Harry'? You certainly take care of your own don’t you? Your child is nice and plump, and very well clothed.”

Petunia gave him a scathing look. “My son, is a normal teenager, not like that freak Dumbledore saddled us with."

Snape made to lunge at Petunia but Dumbledore grabbed his employee from behind. “No Severus, we mustn’t hit women. Not even vile creatures like this one.”

“She called my son a freak!” Severus raged as he struggled with the headmaster’s grip on him.

“It doesn’t matter, Severus. She’s getting her comeuppance anyway.”

"Comeuppance? You mean for all my years putting up that unnatural creature? He got more then he deserved! Had I had the choice, I’d have sent him straight to the orphanage. Do you have any idea what that freak did to my Duddy?! He beat him up and threatened to kill him if he told anyone! But my Duddy’s so brave and he told us everything! It’s good that the freak is gone! He’s the devil‘s son!”

Severus struggled harder Albus’ arms. “No he’s not the devil’s son. He’s my son!”

Petunia gave him a look of surprise. “That demon is your son?”

Dumbdore gave his employee a a dark look. “Severus don’t make me put you in a body bind. I know you’re angry, but we don’t want to sink down to these Muggle’s level.”

Severus continued to glare at Petunia but kept silent.

He turned back to the horse lady and with a flick of his wand, levitated Vernon over to the couch. Dumbledore grimaced and revived the walrus man. He still couldn’t move, but now he was listening to every word.

“As it turns out, by strange circumstances, James Potter switched out babies in the hospital. So, you see, it’s been Aubrey Snape that you’ve been ’taking care of’.

“Vernon Dursley, you are coming with us tonight. Child abuse is a very serious offence in the wizard world. I have a very important seat in the Wizengamut, therefore, I have the authority to dish out punishments. For yours, you will be spending 14 days in Azkeban for your abuse of Harry potter. One for every miserable year the boy had to endure because of you and your family. Be grateful its not 14 years. You’d never see your wife ever again."

He then turned to Petunia.

“As for your comeuppance, you’ve got much to repay. Every month I sent you 300 pounds for his care. Now that I know how you used it for your own proposes, I’ll be expecting you to repay every shilling and pence. I don’t care how long it takes. That was not free money, and now you owe me 54,000 pounds to be paid immediately.”

Petunia gaped at him. “We don’t have that much money!”

Dumbledore shrugged. “That’s your problem. Luckily I have the solution.” Petunia looked like she was about to protest but the headmaster cut her off.

“He pointed his wand at her and said, "Imperio!" Then he continued. "Tomorrow, you will go to the real estate agent and tell her you’ve decided to sell your house, you will not let her talk you out of it. Then you will sell all your belongings save your clothes and food. Once you have sold your house, you will send me all 54,000 pounds and then you will use the rest of the money to move as far away from England as you can.

He turned to Vernon again. “As soon as your sentence in Azkeban is finished, You will sell your business straight away and not keep a even a half penny of it for yourself. You will put all the money  into a trust fund for your son. Once he turns 21 he will be able to access it. Not that you will ever know about it.”

Vernon looked outraged, Dumbledore paid him no mind. 

“From what I’ve seen of your son, you are not fit parents, not by a long shot. You’ve allowed your son to become a bully and you’ve overfed the boy turning him into a greedy and glutinous young man. I’ll be surprised if he’s not gotten some horrible disease because of it. Therefore, he will be taken from your home straightaway and placed in a Muggle child care services. With any luck, he can still be turned around."

Petinua looked ready to cry.

"As a final punishment, whenever a neighbor asks you why you’re moving, you shall tell them all about how you abused your nephew and that you can’t be trusted with anyone’s children. You’ll never be welcomed in anyone’s house ever again."

Petunia was sobbing by now. "Please, Dumbldore, be merciful, leave my son alone!"

Snape sneered at her. “Like you were merciful with my son? He almost died because of your husband and son’s actions! Not that you were any better, wretched woman. You could have stepped in or gotten help.”

Severus stood up and flicked his wand sending a patronus to the auror department. Albus took one final look at them and in disgust, He pointed his wand again. “If you call the police, you will not be able to tell them anything about your punishment. All you will be able to do is turn yourself in for child abuse. You have only yourself to blame, you should never ever mess with wizards. With two words I could have killed you and made it look like an accident.” Then he turned to Dudley.

“Pack your clothes, and say goodbye to your parents. If they straighten up, you may just get to see them again one day.

Dudley had no choice but to obey. While he packed his clothes, Severus took the pleasure of tearing the cubbord door off it’s hinges and pulling his son’s trunk out. (Vernon hadn’t gotten the chance to destroy them yet)

Once the aurors had taken Vernon away, the two wizards took Dudley to the local orphanage. To ensure that he would never be recognized, they changed his looks to that of a big boy with shaggy brown hair and brown eyes. Now he looked nothing like himself, he was a whole other person. They gave him the name Sean Morrison.

They put a memory charm on Dudley just before he went in, he would remember nothing of is former life, except that his parents died in a car crash, and his father was a drunk.

The orphanage was a good place, full of kind hearted people and though Dudley didn’t deserve it, they would treat him with kindness and firmness.

Though it might seem as though he was being unjustly punished, it was actually a blessing. With no memory of his former life, he would get a second chance at a new life. If only he gave it a go, he could really become a decent young man.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~ 

With Dudley safely at the children’s home, they returned back to the hospital. Aubrey was awake now and talking with his brother. When Severus walked in, the former boy who lived looked into his father’s eyes.

Severus held his gaze for a moment before taking a seat that Ambrosias had vacated for him. The potion’s master didn’t try to take his son’s hand but did lean forward. He met his son’s eyes again.

“Harry…Aubrey, I don’t expect you to trust me after the way I’ve treated you. I have no excuse for it, except that I was a bitter man. The night that James switched you out with his still born son, your mother and I were devastated. That was the first night I ever drank. The second night was the night I lost my family. My dreams were ripped away from me and I’ve never been the same since. I am so sorry for the way I treated you.”

“I know I don’t deserve it, but I would like the chance to try to be your father. I know it will be slow going, but I’m willing to give it everything I’ve got.”

Harry gave his father a long look. “What about the Durlseys?”

Severus gave him an evil smirk. “Those….wretches have been dealt with, you’ll never have to see them again. I have a home in Spinner’s end, but its no place to raise two teenagers. As soon as you're well again, we’ll go back to Hogwarts and spend the rest of the summer there.”

Severus turned to Ambrosias. “I know you’ll miss your school with Madame Maxine, but Hogwarts is just as good a school. You’ll be resorted and then we’ll have the rest of the summer to get reacquainted.”

“Also we’ll be making a trip to Diagon alley to get the both of you proper clothing.”

He looked at Aubrey again. "You don’t have to decide tonight but I would at least like to try.”

Harry looked down at his lap and as his brother and father watched, many expressions passed over his face. A few more minutes passed and finally he looked up again.

“I don’t know what it’s like to have a dad…I guess we could give it a try.”

Ambrosias then hugged his father from behind and for the first time in years, Snape smiled.