Severus Snape stalked through the dim corridors of Hogwarts in a foul mood, muttering softly under his breath. Reaching the Headmaster's door he snarled the current password "Cockroach Cluster" and swiftly climbed the steps to Dumbledore's office. "Albus, couldn't this have waited? I still have preparations to make before the students return next week."

"Severus, why don't you take a seat. I think you'll find that this matter is indeed important..besides, when have you not had plans for all your classes completed at least a term ahead of time? Confess it now, you just wanted to lurk awhile longer in your dungeons!" Albus said with a grin.

"Humph." Snape snorted disgustedly.

"We'll just wait for Minerva and our other guest before we start." The headmaster said leaning back in his desk chair. "How was your summer Severus?"

"Quiet and uneventful except for the times Voldemort called." Snape shuddered involuntarily as his mind returned to the dark happenings of the summer. No, he decided, I definitely don't want to go there. The opening of the office door provided a welcome distraction. As expected, Minerva McGonagall entered, but the person who followed her in was a shock. At least to one person in the room!

"You!" he spat as he started to rise from his chair

"Good heavens Severus, haven't you gotten over that silly rivalry yet? Remus was the best Defense Against the Dark Arts professor we've had in a long time. Don't you think it's fitting that he return now with You-Know- Who on the loose again?"

"Minerva, are you EVER going to say Voldemort's name? Don't you think it's a bit childish not to use it?" Severus commented while he struggled to get his emotions under control.

Dumbledore, sensing the tension in the room decided to get the meeting underway. "Please, sit down so that we can get started. I asked you, Severus, and you, Minerva, here today to listen to Remus' latest report. As you know he has spent this summer contacting our old group. What you may not know is that I asked him to stop by the Dursley's house to check on Harry before he returned here to take up his teaching duties. Remus, the floor is yours."

"Thank you, head master. I am assuming that what I have to tell you will remain confidential, for the moment at least." Remus paused as the others murmured their assent. "Two days ago I was able to get fairly close to the Dursley's house by posing as a repairman inspecting the local phone service. In that guise I was able to remain near the house for several hours, and during that time I saw both Harry's Uncle and his Aunt, and a rather large boy I assume is his cousin. What puzzled me was the lack of any indication that Harry was living there. In fact, I was beginning to wonder if you had sent me to the wrong address, Headmaster."

"Well, get on with it!" Severus pushed. Why on earth am I sitting here listening to them go on about Potter? Am I never to be rid of him, he thought to himself.

"I am Severus, I'm just setting the stage for what happened next. After five hours of seeing the family coming and going and seeing no sign of Harry, I decided that I'd better check out the house itself. So I knocked on the door..

"You didn't!"

"Well why ever not? After all Minerva, I was dressed as a muggle repairman..how would they know that I wasn't what I seemed. Harry's Aunt let me in, by the way, she looks nothing like Lily, it rather shocked me. She's got this scrunched up little mouth that looks like she smiles about as often as Severus here does. Sorry Sev. Anyway, I was able to get a good look around the house without the muggles realizing what I was doing. Headmaster, we can't let Harry go back there again. In fact, if he weren't leaving for the Weasley's in the next few days I would recommend that he be removed now."

"What could be that bad Remus?" Dumbledore asked with a concerned look around his eyes.

"I covered the ground floor pretty carefully, telling the family I was checking for problems in the 'line'. The only trace of Harry I found was an empty owl cage and his Hogwarts trunk in a small cupboard under the stairs. As I went upstairs to start my hunt there, I heard the woman pounding on a door and saying 'You've got 10 minutes boy before I send your Uncle in to get you, and you know what happened the last time I had to do that" in the coldest tone possible. I managed to get into that room, it was locked, and what I found was shocking. Harry was huddled on a small cot in a corner of a tiny room. He was wearing nothing but a pair of old, dingy pants that looked like they were going to fall right off him. His back was turned to me, and I could see every one of his ribs standing out. It didn't look as though he'd had a good meal in a long time. There were numerous cuts and welts across his back, and I would guess that his Uncle has been beating him for quite some time. Unfortunately, Harry must have heard the door opening, because he turned to face me. Luckily, I had a hat on, and disguised my voice, I don't think he figured out who was at his door." Remus Lupin sat down with a sigh as he finished his report.

"Albus, this is dreadful, you can't possibly leave him with those muggles any longer! You'll recall that I had reservations about their suitability when we left Harry with them."

"Yes Minerva, I remember. If Harry is in fact being mistreated as Remus has indicated, then we'll just have to figure out another option for him. The problem with moving him away from the Dursley's is the protections we've woven around that block in the last 14 years. As you all know, the charms we used are based around Harry's blood kin, and unfortunately, there is no other living relation to Harry that we could use." The Headmaster paused to contemplate his hands, clasped before him on the desk. It was obvious that he was deep in thought, deciding what the next step should be.

"Erm, Headmaster"

"Yes Severus"

"If you don't mind my asking, why am I here? Potter is not in my house, and I am certainly not a relative."

"Remus asked that you be present."

"I'll get to that in a minute. Headmaster, I suggest that the four of us visit the Weasley's after Harry gets there so that you can see for yourselves what condition he's in. We should talk to Harry and find out what has been going on before we make a decision about his future, shouldn't we?"

"Just what I was about to suggest! I believe he should have arrived there this afternoon, I'll just warn Molly that we'll be popping by for a bit this evening."