Running. That's all he could think to do. So he ran. It wasn't until he reached the gates that he stopped. He couldn't stay here. it wasn't safe. he had to go. As he was about to push open the gate, he hesitated. Hogwarts was the first home he'd ever known, and now, he was leaving.

What would the dursleys say if he turned up, halfway through the school year, and begged to stay?

Laugh, more likely than not. But that was all he had. where else could he go? To sirius's place?

He pushed that thought out of his head. Of course not. Sirius would get caught, and shipped back to Azkaban if He told him anything.

That's if Sirius believed him at all.

Mrs. Figg liked him well enough. Maybe he could get used to stale cakes and cat stories. Maybe she'd take him in.

Anywhere but here. And so, with this in mind, Harry walked out of the boundary, and flew on his broom. He flew high, so no one would spot him. He kept flying, all through the night. He didn't stop until he reached the familiar street.

He shuddered against the cold. Surely the Dursleys would take him in. They had to let him stay. He landed on the street, and opened hedwig's cage. "I want you to go to the Weasleys. Stay with them for a while, okay? You know the Dursleys don't like you. I want you to be happy." Harry whispered. With a huff, Hedwig took off.

His hopes went with her.

Harry then looked at his broom. He hadn't brought his spell books, cauldrons, or anything other than his muggle clothes, his wand, and his broom. What could he do with it? He thought for a moment. He'd figure it out. It felt wrong to consider throwing it away. Besides, wouldn't the Dursleys want to know how he got here?

Harry sat on the doorstep. It was way too early to knock. Too early to ring the doorbell, and so he decided he'd wait until morning.

Vernon Dursley started his morning as he usually did. No one ever mentioned Harry, or that School. Dudley was happy, and his wife was cooking his breakfast, before she went to spy on the neighbors. Suddenly, the door opened, and there was scuffling. Vernon went to see what was going on.

Dudley had a struggling Harry by the arm.

"He was sleeping on the doorstep." He said, pointing at Harry.

"Let me go!" Harry replied.

"What are you doing here?" Vernon demanded, as Dudley pushed harry to the floor.

"I can't go back. Please, you can't send me back. Those, people, are awful." Harry said. This confused Vernon. "What?" He asked.

"I don't want to talk about it. I got rid of all my supplies, and I'm sending off my broom first chance I get. I want nothing to do with that world. I even sent off my owl." Harry said.

Vernon was speechless. All this time, he tried to squash it out of him, and here the boy was, trying to escape it.

"I tried to warn you boy." Vernon replied.

"Please, let me stay here. I'll go to whatever school you send me to, without complaint. I have my actual clothes, not the ridiculous uniform, and no contact with any of that lot." Harry pleaded.

"Fine. But no more mention of this abnormality." He replied.

It had not gone unnoticed that the most famous student at hogwarts had gone missing. The professors noticed he wasn't attending classes. No one had seen him on the quidditch pitch. He never came to meals, and his bed was constantly empty.

It soon became clear he no longer was at Hogwarts. Professor Dumbledore could not have this. He sent for Professor Snape.

Severus walked to the headmaster's office in a very foul mood. The weasley twins had once again interfered with his class. He was sick and tired of their meddling.

His thoughts were brought to a halt as he saw the Headmaster waiting for him at the foot of the stairs.

"You called for me, Albus?" He said.

"yes. Harry Potter has run away. I am unsure why. I need you to go an bring him back." Albus said. Severus so badly wanted to roll his eyes. He resisted.

"Why? If he's left, clearly he doesn't want to be here." Severus replied.

"To protect him. You promised, Severus." Albus said. Severus growled. He had sworn to protect Harry. That didn't mean he wanted to.

Even still, he was a man of his word, and so, he set off. He'd go to the boy's home first. Maybe he'd run off there.....


Harry woke early that morning, and went downstairs. The Dursley's had been much nicer to him since he rebuked magic. Much fairer. Even Dudley didn't mind him so much.

Harry was getting enrolled into smeltings, and he was getting a real uniform. New. His own.

He was also going to have a christmas this year. He was their nephew, so he did expect Dudley to be treated better, but even still, this was a major step up.

If they had told him, and explained to him what he was, maybe this wouldn't have happened. Maybe he'd have decided to be more like them. Normal.

He still couldn't bring himself to think of Hogwarts. Not anymore. It had once felt like home. Like the best place he could be. He was going to miss his friends, quidditch, but he was happy here.

Wasn't he? There was that nagging doubt that built up inside him, every day. He dreamed, longed to go back, but how could he? Not after what he'd seen, what had happened to him.

Harry shook that thought away. The Dursleys liked him now. He was okay. He was safe here.

The doorbell rang. He went to answer it. Uncle Vernon was coming down the stairs at the same time.

"Who is it?" He asked, as Harry opened the door.

Harry's jaw dropped. Standing on the door step was the last person he expected to see. He turned to his uncle.

"He's one of the professors at that dreadful school." Harry said.

Severus was shocked. Dreadful? Didn't this boy like the school? He certainly asked to stay over the summer often enough. What could have changed his mind.

The man He had spoken to had come up behind him, placing his hand on the boy's shoulder.

What do you want?" He demanded.

"I merely wish to speak to Potter. Alone." Severus replied, doing his best to remain polite.

"I don't want to talk to you. I know why you're here. I won't go back. I start in Smeltings next week." Harry said.

"Mr. Potter, do you think these, muggles, can protect you better than hogwarts?" Severus demanded.

"What would Voldemort want with a teenage half-blood? I will never touch my wand again. I've sent it off with Hedwig. You can take my broom back to the school. I won't be needing it." Harry replied.

Severus watched him, bewildered.

"Mr. Potter, He won't care what you do. He wants you dead, and he will have it." Severus snarled.

"Leave my nephew alone. He's said his piece, you've said yours. if he doesn't want to go back, you can't make him." The man snapped.

"Quite the contrary, actually. I can do whatever I want." Severus replied, drawing his wand. He had been sent to do something, and by thunder, he was going to do it.

Potter didn't know how much he was willing to give up.

It was a long tense moment, as Severus tried to determine what to do. He looked at the child's uncle, and then the child in question. Sure, he could stun them both, and drag this boy back to school, but he'd escape again.

Then there was the fact he suddenly hated the school. Something had to have happened. What it was, he couldn't imagine.

"Potter, I am going to ask you this one time. You better answer me honestly. Why did you run?" Severus asked.

"Why do you care?" He asked.

Severus wanted to roll his eyes, but he resisted the urge. This boy was a cheeky brat. He had a point. Why should severus care if this boy leaves? It would make teaching the rest of those imbeciles easier.

However, Dumbledore wants him back, so he must come back.

"I need an answer Potter." Severus growled.

"Actually, you don't. Leave us alone. Using that wand on us, is illegal. The ministry will have you in azkaban before you know it." Harry said smugly.

severus narrowed his eyes. This was true, but he didn't need his wand. If the boy wouldn't tell him, he'd have to find out himself. He looked Harry dead in the eyes, and concentrated on him.

He seemed to know what Severus was doing, and shifted uncomfortably, trying to think of everything except that night. The detention with Umbridge.

It didn't stop, after he'd written his lines. She didn't. She forced him down into the dungeons, where she'd ruthlessly beat him with chains lent to her by Filch.

She'd done other things too. Things Harry could never speak of. She violated him in ways Severus remembered quite vividly, for when he was young, he'd been abused in such ways as well.

Severus look away.

"She'll pay for what she's done to you, Potter. She will never hurt anyone, ever again. But you must come back to Hogwarts." Severus said.

"No. And I'll be reaching out to the ministry. You have no right to do such things." Harry snapped, retreating inside the house. His uncle followed him, with a look of immense satisfaction.