Severus didn’t sleep well that night. How could he? All this time he had believed Harry Potter had been a spoiled little brat. But after what he had just experienced…such abuse. How could anyone sleep?

There in the darkness, he began to really reassess his view of his pupil. The boy had seemed more then a little stressed when he had arrived. Severus was beginning to wonder if Vernon’s mistreatment was partially to blame.

What was that Vernon had said?

What had Harry done? How could Harry have driven him loopy? The boy was bound by the Decree for the Reasonable Restriction Of Underage Sorcery.

Like lightening, Severus recalled the dementor accident. Dumbledore had told him that Harry and his cousin Dudley had been attacked by dementors. Harry had cast his patronus to drive them away. And he had almost been expelled from Hogwarts.

In that brief stint they had been guarding the school. Severus had almost run into them. What kind of effect could they have on Muggles? Their mere presence caused Potter to faint. So of course Dudley had been through the same thing…of course that could definitely caused madness in a muggle.

This thought led to another

Severus shivered at the thought. Losing one’s soul was worse then dieing. He couldn’t bear the thought of living like a dead man walking.

Then he had a realization. Maybe if he talked…reasoned with Vernon…no that would be no good. I had not even spoken to him before being dragged and manhandled up here. Severus grimaced as he felt the small bump on the back of his head.

He was so glad that he could at least use magic. He only looked like Harry. He was not Harry. He could lawfully use magic though he would not let any one see him using magic. He silently waved a wand over the bump causing the swelling to go down.

As he did he got a look around Harry’s room. It was pretty much bare. And then for the first time he caught that dog door.

* * *

His question was soon answered the next morning.

He had been sleeping better when he the lights came on with out warning and he was roughly pushed off his bed. “Wake up you ungrateful bastard! I will not have you sleeping the day away!”

Severus groaned. Then he was roughly kicked in the backside.

“Come on boy! Get off your ass and get to work!”

Severus rolled onto his back. “What am I do to today?”

“Is that an ungrateful tone of voice?”

Severus was quick to appease the man. “No of course not!”

The man huffed. You will work on this garage. Until it is spotless. Then you will weed the garden. And if it is not done perfectly, then believe me boy, you will regret it!”

“Yes sir. I will get to it immediately.”

Severus tried to get to his knees but was quickly kicked in the stomach causing him to crumple to the floor.

Severus groaned again.

* * *

Quickly Severus healed himself and hurried down the stairs. He saw a portly young man sitting at the table feasting on sausages and toast.

Severus eyed the food hungrily.

“No food for you! Not until the work is done! Now get out side!”

Severus’ stomach growled loudly as he watched the fat boy shovel the food in his mouth. Then he was roughly shoved out the door.

* * *

The garage was in disarray…boxes everywhere, a broken bicycle was leaning against the way with the chain missing. To Severus, this did not make sense to him. The Muggle’s kitchen was spotless with not a single thing out of place and yet the had a messy garage.

With anger, Severus realized that the garage had been messed up on purpose. With anger Severus began to work.

Soon he began to realize just how hot it was in the garage. And to make matters worse, mosquitoes were everywhere. He was already itching from the bites. He was really beginning to miss his potions! So with a new fervor he hurried to finish the garage.

By the time he finished his shirt clung to his skin. He was very thirsty and his back was beginning to ache.

He was just heading to the kitchen hoping to get some water to sooth his dry mouth and throat.

“Where do you think you are going boy?” Severus spun around to see a girl he vaguely remembered…Petunia. He had not seen her since he and Lilly were children.

“I was just hoping to get a glass of water.”

“No water…not until you are finished! No I believe you were told to weed the garden. Get to it!”

Severus gave her a look of disdain but he did as he was asked and headed out to the garden.

Petunia kept quite a nice garden (being a potions master he could always appreciate a garden) however there were weeds there.

As Severus worked he thought back to his days as a child. There were the hard times when he faced the incredible wrath of his father who was even worse then Vernon. But there was a silver lining in those days…Lilly. He loved spending time with her even with Petunia around.

His heart twisted in pain as he recalled all the time they shared talking about all things magical. She was his first best friend. Even then he loved her and now…her son Harry who could have very well been his had they stayed a couple had he not so royally screwed up…was subjected to abuse from her sister and her awful bastard of a husband.

He sat back on his haunches. The sun was now beating down on him… he was beginning to feel the effects of dehydration. He really needed to go to the bathroom and damn he was thirsty.

Just at that minute he heard a gentle mewing. He looked up searching for the animal who had made the sound. He felt soft fur brush against him. He looked down to see a tabby cat with markings around its eyes that looked very familiar.

“Minerva?” the cat purred. Severus looked around. No one was there.

He wasn’t able to do anything as he heard a couple footsteps approach him.

“What’s this Potter? Have you made a new friend?” Severus glanced up to see the portly teenager surrounded by a few friends…eating ice cream. Severus’ mouth watered. But he instead shoved his hunger pains aside and focused on the cousin that was speaking to him.

“What do you care?”

Dudley kicked him in groin causing Severus to grasp himself and roll over on to his stomach.

“That was for showing me attitude.” Severus found he couldn’t answer.

The cat planted herself in front of him and hissed at boy who had dared to hit him.

Moments later, he heard a screech as Dudley picked the cat roughly up by the scruff of the neck and hurtled her over the fence.

“Minerva!” Severus yelled as he heard a thud on the other side.

Rage filled Severus as he pushed himself to his feet and launched himself at Dudley bringing the teenager to the ground.

“Get off me pervert.” yelled Dudley as Severus pinned him to the ground.

“What are you doing to my son. Get off him!” came a shrill voice as Petunia ran into the back yard, Severus came to himself and rolled off Dudley.

Dudley was immediately began his whining. And Petunia of course began to tend to her son saying things like. “It’s alright Dudders…we’ll get you a new ice cream. She pulled her son to his feet and led her him to the door. Over her shoulder, she glared at him and said. “Boy get to your room. I’ll let Vernon deal with you when he gets home.”

Severus glared at the retreating couple and hastily made his way to the room.

* * *

That night Vernon beat the boy he thought to be Harry to a pulp. The beating seemed to go on forever. For the first time Severus didn’t fight back.

Soon after the beatings he heard a gentle mewing. Severus turned his head. The same cat was sitting on his window ledge. The cat looked at him steadily then left.

Severus burned with anger…damn it all! If he could just take a wand to the bastard instead of having to play the role of helpless teenager. He lay there for a few minutes trying to formulate a plan…the cat… he had seen that cat before that was obviously Minerva…she was an animagus. He was willing to bet all of his galleons that she was on her way to Dumbledore’s office.

He hoped that she would send someone soon or he was running away. In the meantime He would let the wounds remain. That way when he got out of here he would have proof of the abuse that Harry had been forced to endure…one way or another Potter would never be coming here again if he had anything to do with it.

With those thoughts, he changed clothes and climbed into the bed and soon fell asleep.