Harry lay on his back in his cupboard. Oh how he missed Hogwarts. His stomach growled and he cringed at the sudden cramp. He knew he wouldn’t get food for a long time. Even though he was locked in his cupboard, life with the Dursleys was better than what it used to be. At least his uncle did not hit him so much now. It was probably because he thought that Harry would use magic on him. Harry had wisely refrained from telling him about the no magic rule.

He picked up the broken pencil that lay on his bed... and began to draw. It was the only thing that kept him from losing his head some days. Why did he feel so weak? He licked his lips. He was so thirsty... and hungry. He felt a sudden wave of dizziness engulf him. He could not fight it any longer and let himself be drawn into the blackness and fell unconscious.

Severus put down the Daily Prophet as Dumbledore’s head popped into the Floo .

“Severus my boy, I need to speak with you. Is Lily around?”

Severus looked at his mentor suspiciously. What was he up to now?

“No, she is still in bed.” Severus answered slowly. “Why?”

“No reason. I called to inform you that you may go retrieve Harry today”

Severus narrowed his eyes knowing that Albus meant that it would be Severus alone who would have the task of fetching Potter. “I may?”

“I do not think it wise to let Lily see Petunia so soon. She may do something that she will later regret. She does have a fiery temper”

“Meaning you want me to go get Pot—Harry?”

“Precisely. You have no emotional attachments to the boy yet.” Albus held up his hand as Severus opened his mouth to argue. “I am sure that you strongly disapprove of their actions. But you will not let anger cloud your judgement.”

Severus grudgingly agreed. The old man did have a point. Although Lily still harboured a love for her sister, she was furious how Petunia and her whale of a husband treated her son. “How do you intend to convince Lily of this?”

“Convince me of what?”

Severus jumped and looked behind to find Lily eyeing him suspiciously. At the same time Dumbledore’s head disappeared and Severus inwardly cursed the man for leaving him alone to deal with the situation.

“ Albus told me I am to go get your son today”

“Oh great! Finally I get to see Harry. Lets go right now...Wait a minute, What do you mean you are to go get him. “

Severus sighed. “ Dumbledore does not find it prudent for you to see Petunia so soon. And quite frankly, I agree with him.”

“What? He is my son and she is my sister who has some serious answers to give, and you want me to stay behind?”

Severus winced as Lily gave voice to her ire, her voice rising to just below a shout. If Lily was this furious now who knew what she might do to the Dursleys if she went there. Severus tried to make Lily see reason.

“I know you want answers. I know you want revenge. But this is not the way to go about it. Petunia doesn’t even know of your return. How will it seem if you suddenly appear at her doorstep, take your son “  Severus paused and smiled wanly “and hex her into oblivion, as I have no doubt that you will indeed.”

Despite her frustration, Lily’s lips twitched.
“Fine” she huffed. “ You know me too well. If I agree to stay behind now, you promise me that I will see her later. When the time is right and all that i mean”

Severus smirked inwardly. Lily sounded like a five year old girl who had been denied a trip to the toy shop. Severus held up his hand and said solemnly “I promise.”

Lily pouted and hit him with a cushion. “Not funny” she mumbled. Then suddenly, “Well what are you waiting for? Go get him. I wonder how he will react? Oh I know! Let’s surprise him. Don’t tell him about me! Oh I can’t wait….”

It never ceased to amaze Severus how Lily seemed to go from angry to disappointed to excited all with a minute.

Soon Severus was standing at the doorstep of Number four, Privet Drive, Little Whinging, Surrey. The house was plain, but in tip top condition. The garden was well kept in unnatural uniformity. Severus did not like he feel of the place at all. He rang the doorbell. Soon a pudding-faced boy answered the door. His eyes widened in fear. “Who are you?”

Severus looked at the boy, who was obviously Petunia’s son with more than a little disgust. Did she teach no manners to this child?

“I am Professor Snape and have come regarding Harry Potter.” He stated simply.

“MUM!”

Severus already felt a headache coming on.

“Who is it Diddy darling?” Severus heard Petunia shrieking.

“Someone from the freak school for the freak boy!” the Lump shouted back.

Severus heard sudden scrambling and suddenly he was nose to nose with none other than Petunia Dursley.

“What do you want?” she spat.

“It is proper etiquette to invite your guest inside first, is it not?”

Petunia glared at him with pursed lips and stood aside. Severus took this as leave to enter the house.

“I wish to withdraw Mr Potter. It is for school business.””

“School,” she said as if (she pronounced) a rather disgusting word “does not start for another two months.”

“Nevertheless, Mr Potter’s abominable performance has deemed it necessary for him to receive additional tutoring. I doubt you want wizards popping into your home everyday, therefore, Mr Potter has to go.”

“You can teach him the freak stuff when he goes back. I will not have you take him away now!”

“You are testing my patience, Tuney,” Severus snarled as he drew his wand. “Either you give him over willingly or I assure you I will take him away by force.”

Petunia eyed his wand in fear and Severus watched in contempt. She had always been a coward. “Fine! I’ll go fetch him”

Severus quickly performed an invisibility charm upon himself as Petunia turned her back and followed her with stealth well-honed by years of experience as a spy. He gave an inaudible gasp as Petunia stepped in front of a tiny cupboard under the stairs and rapped on its door. Severus recognised it from Lily’s memories. Even he was having trouble controlling his temper. Petunia rapped again seeming a little anxious. Again, there was no sound from inside. Petunia seemed to be weighing her options, shooting surreptitious glances towards the living room. Then she grabbed the cupboard handle and yanked it open. Severus curiously peered inside. There was not much he could see as the cupboard was very dimly lit. On first glance it was full of childish drawings and artwork which no doubt had been Pot—Harry’s way to keep himself amused while locked in here. But where was the boy himself? Petunia seemed to be wondering the same thing as she crouched to have a closer look. Suddenly Severus spotted him. There, in the corner curled up and seemingly unconscious.

Panic seized Severus and he fought to keep his anger at bay. “Stand aside!” He snarled and Petunia started. She looked around to find the source of the disembodied voice. Severus cancelled the charm and gave her a glare that might have killed her if it had the force of a curse behind it..

Severus bent down and gently picked up Harry, marvelling at how light the boy was. He had not seen the boy without his school robes before and now that he did, he was alarmed at how thin the child was. What had they done to Lily’s child?

He spelled some nutrients into the boy to help him gain some strength.  Severus felt numb. He was at a complete loss. He could not Apparate with the boy in this condition. He was already unconscious and very weak. No, he could not risk that. He would have to travel by Muggle transport. But first…

“ Accio Harry Potter’s belongings” All of Harry’s handiwork stacked itself neatly and flew into Severus’s hand. From another room, a battered trunk came in …and an empty cage. Severus wondered where the owl was. He shrunk all of the child’s pitiful possessions and put them in his pocket. At the front door he paused and looked at Petunia’s dumbstruck face.” I will be back to discuss this,” he said vaguely motioning to Harry and then to the cupboard.  He exited the despicable house slamming the door behind him. He then set off with Harry in his arms towards the nearest train station.

Luckily, Severus found an empty compartment. He lay Harry down beside him preparing himself for the long journey. He stared into the young face beside him, for the first time seeing Harry as a child, not a James Potter reincarnation...a mere child. Guilt stabbed him as he remembered the numerous times he had humiliated the child, and belittled him for the simple crime of being James Potter’s son. He had accused him of being a little pampered prince and now he wondered how and why Harry had hid it all. With all his preconceived notions gone, he was unable to muster even a little loathing when he looked at the child of his first love, his only love and his childhood nemesis.

Severus was pulled out of his thoughts as he heard a little whimper. Harry was gaining consciousness.

(Harry’s POV)
His head ache was getting worse; he could not stop himself as a little whimper escaped his lips. Hopefully Uncle Vernon hadn’t heard him. He did not like it when Harry complained.  Strangely though, he did not feel so hungry anymore. When had he eaten? It had been two whole days, hadn’t it?
Now that he thought about it, this did not feel like his cupboard. Surely his battered mattress was not this soft. And… Why was he moving? Was it an earthquake? Harry opened his eyes to stare up in a pair of black eyes. Who…? Recognition hit him and he suddenly said “Professor Snape?”

Harry opened his eyes and recognition flickered in his eyes as he said something like “sor Snape?”

Severus prepared himself for the conversation that was to follow.

“Good afternoon, Mr Potter.” said Severus with a nod. Suddenly he felt very awkward. What was he to say? Lily had wanted to surprise Harry so he had to come up with a believable story.

Harry sat up and began to reach for his glasses. Snape handed them to him.

“Thanks…umm... Where am ... What are you … How did…” A pause as Harry tried to put his question into coherent words.

“Very well phrased Potter” Severus could not keep the sneer out of his voice. He decided to take pity on the boy and said, “I came to pick you up from your relatives”  Snape spat out the word. “on the headmaster’s orders” It was he truth. Let the boy assume what he wanted to.

“Oh” Harry blushed. “Did you ...umm... what I mean is ... Was I sleeping when you came?”
Severus rolled his eyes. “That Potter, is the understatement of the century. You were unconscious and so weak that I feared for your life”

Harry blushed once more and licked his lips. Severus berated himself for not thinking earlier. The boy had to be very thirsty. He conjured up a glass of water and handed it to the boy. He looked surprised but accepted it with a mumbled thanks.

“So” he said between sips. “Aunt Petunia was okay with it? I mean you taking me away?”

“Aunt Petunia” Severus sneered at the appellation  “ had no choice in the matter”

Harry groaned. “I am sooooo dead when I go back” he said to himself

Severus did not let on that he had heard the boy. Instead he decided to question him.

“Tell me Potter, why did you not tell anyone that you were living in a cupboard and that your loving relatives were half starving you?”

Harry froze. He had not anticipated this question at all. He had assumed that Aunt Petunia had retrieved him from the cupboard and given an excuse to Snape as to why he was unconscious. After all that is what she always did. She never let on how she treated him to outsiders. Even that old lady next door, Mrs Figg knew nothing. Once when his elementary teacher had suspected something, Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon had covered it all up nicely with their lies. He knew rule number one of the Dursley household. He remembered Uncle Vernon’s words as clearly as the spittle was that had hit him while his uncle told him off “I’m warning you now boy, if you say one word to anyone, I will not hesitate to take you on with my belt and lock you in your cupboard with no food for a week!”

So now what was Harry supposed to say?