Severus-

I would like to speak with you up in my office after supper. It is of the utmost importance.

-Albus

Severus looked at the note one last time before sighing and entering the Headmaster’s office.

“Ah, Severus my boy! Do come in, take a seat. Lemon Drop?”

“Let’s cut the pleasantries. What do you want?”

Dumbledore’s mood seemed to deflate as he sat down in his chair behind his desk.

“Ah yes. About that. I have an important mission I need you to embark on. Normally, I would ask someone else, due to unfortunate history, but everyone else is busy and cannot afford the time to help.”

“And you think I do? I have potions to make, and things to grade. What makes my needs less than others?”

“This will only take an hour or two away from you. Surely your potions can wait.”

Severus just glared.

“Severus, please.”

If there was one thing he hated, it was the word please. Severus had been working at Hogwarts for two years now, but he still wasn’t immune to the headmaster’s pleas.

“Fine Albus. Where do you want me galumphing off to now?”

“I need you to go to Number 4, Privet Drive in Little Whinging. I need someone to check up on Mr. Harry Potter.”

“WHAT? You cannot be serious! Albus, he-“

“Severus.” Albus leveled Severus with a firm glare.

“Fine.”

Severus stood up and, with a whirl of his robes, stormed out of the office.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Severus stood in his office, muttering and pacing. Every once in awhile, the words “potter” and “brat” could be heard. He was just about to complete another circuit when he stopped in the middle of the room.

I’ve been needing some supplies. And Albus can only tell if I’ve left the castle. He cannot know where I end up”

With that last thought, Severus quickly gathered his things and left to inform the headmaster that he was leaving.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Several hours later, Severus was sitting in the Leaky Cauldron enjoying the last sip of his firewhisky. It had been a productive trip and had managed to get the majority of his ingredients at a cheaper price. Downing his last gulp, he quickly stood up and apparated to Hogsmeade, hoping to get his meeting over with fast so he could start experimenting with the new Billywig strings he just purchased.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Ah, Severus my dear boy. Sit, Sit.”

“I cannot stay long. I have a new potion I want to try that will most likely take a month to brew.”

“Ah yes. So tell me. How was young Potter?”

Severus snorted. “What do you expect? He was treated like a king. Spoiled little brat. Relatives of his give him his every need and he treats them rotten in the process. Pretty pathetic people if they can let a three year old rule over them.”

Dumbledore sat, nodding his head.

“Thank you Severus. I’m glad that he is happy. He is in for a tough life and needs as many years of happiness he can get before it is ripped away from him.”

“If that is all Headmaster…?”

“Yes Severus, thank you.”

Severus stood up and walked out the door. He felt a bit guilty about lying to the Headmaster, but it wasn’t as though he had actually needed to visit the Potter brat’s home to know what was going on inside.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Severus, I need you to check up on Mr. Potter.”

He just nodded his head. It had been five years since the first time the Headmaster had asked him to check up on the boy. By this time, Severus just held off re-supplying his potion ingredients until the Headmaster asked him to check up on the Potter brat. Might as well get some use out of the time he spent away from the castle. He had no intention of ever going anywhere near the Potter’s house, so he needed something to distract him for the hours he had to spend away from the castle. It still surprised him, but the Headmaster still thought that he was actually going to the brat’s house and checking up on him once a year, to make sure he was still living a happy life with nothing bothering him. Severus snorted. As if Potter could be anything but happy with the way his relatives undoubtedly pampered him. It made the Headmaster happy to hear how well Harry was doing, and it gave time for him to gather supplies, so really, it worked out for all parties involved.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Let’s go again…on the count of three….one-- two—three--Legilimens!”

Once again, the images raced into his mind.

Potter being standing on top of a chair cooking breakfast.

Potter being thrown into a cupboard.

Potter being chased by an obese kid.

Potter being held under bath water.

Punched by his uncle.

Whipped with a belt.

Belittled.

Starved.

Once again, the images raced into his mind.

And once again, he realized what a huge mistake he had made twelve years ago.