Author's Note: My first HP fanfic series! I hope you all like it! Please review if you read this fic! I would greatly appreciate it! All ideas, comments and constructive criticisms are welcomed!

Disclaimer: Does my name say J.K. Rowling? No? I didn't think so. Her's, not mine

Rating: PG13, too be safe maybe later R rating as well for violence, and child abuse

Summary: Leaves off after the 5th book so Ootp Spoilers beware! It is the summer before 6th year and Harry spends his summer spiraling into a slump of depression, hatred and neglect. Can the savior of the wizarding world be saved from himself? Not slash.

Harry Potter and The Power the Dark Lord Knows Not

Prologue: Of Barmy Old Men

Severus Snape, Potions Master of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, twice Ex-death eater turned spy, Bane of all Gryffindor's, and slimy git extraordinaire strode out of the school's halls with his black robes billowing dramatically behind him, a dark scowl marring his features. Severus was beyond furious. He was royally pissed. Not only was his treachery of the Dark Lord recently revealed causing him to be on Voldemort's Most Wanted list, he was also rendered almost useless by this event. Well, not completely useless. Severus thought to himself with a grimace as his thoughts turned darkly to the office he had just vacated.

flashback

"Ah Severus! Would you care for a lemon drop?" Albus Dumbledore offered as his potions master stalked ominously into his room.

"No thank you, headmaster." The dark man declined as he scowled at the offensive sweet. He had never understood the older man's insistence of the sweet every time he came here even if the old wizard knew full well he would never take one willingly. He wondered faintly if the great wizard was indeed slowly loosing his touch as many of their colleagues have mildly suggested.

"I know that this past week hasn't been easy for you, my boy." Albus said quietly, breaking into the dark man's thoughts of barmy old men. "And that it has made you restless being cooped up in this old castle which in truth reminds me of an old schoolmate of yours who was under the same situation you find yourself in now, albeit for several different reasons." His tone had gone soft as if to indicate his thoughts were far away, focused on a dark haired wizard with a playful canine smile and a teasing glint in his eye.

"I am nothing like Black! I would never be so foolhardy as to rush into unknown danger like he did! After all I am no Gryffindor." Severus said wryly as he realized who Dumbledore was comparing him to.

"Of course, Severus. Nobody is accusing you of that." Dumbledore offered him a smile to placate him although the usual twinkle in his eyes was conspicuously absent. "Be that as it may, I will not take any more risks than I already have. As I am not eager to make the same mistakes like before, I am going to send you on a mission."

At the mention of a mission Severus straightened in his chair as his thoughts involuntarily turned to the last operation he was on. He had returned to the Dark Lord hoping to not only once again take his place in the Inner Circle but to also regain his spy for the light role. Voldemort, however, had other ideas which the potions master quickly realized when the Dark Lord himself had greeted him with the words, "Ah the one who I thought has left me forever has returned. Foolish traitor, you think you can fool me twice by the same stunt? You shall be killed… but not yet." Voldemort had smiled maniacally then and his cackles had filled the dank room, promising him a torturous death to come. Severus still cringed when he thought of it.

"Severus? Severus? Are you alright?" Albus asked him, worry evident in his voice as he looked at the pale man who had not even reacted to the news of his new task. He had waited for an explosion of anger and an array of curses from the young man when he heard about his new role in the war but hadn't even received any indication of complaint.

"I'm sorry, headmaster. My thoughts had drifted." Severus said quickly berating himself for loosing his train of thought in front of the headmaster like an errant daydreaming schoolboy.

Albus frowned, concern still evident in his eyes as he surveyed the young man. Perhaps he has not yet recovered from Voldemort's tortures? After all it was quite sometime before Severus was rescued from the Dark Lord's clutches and nobody escapes his wrath unscathed. Maybe he should give the potions master a few more days to recuperate…

"You were saying?" Severus pressed him on.

"I was giving you details of your new assignment. But maybe it is best if I give you this mission in a few days. It seems prudent to me that you might need a few more days rest." Dumbledore said carefully, not wanting to encroach on the irate man's pride but also spurred on by his fatherly concern for him.

Severus snorted. "Nonsense, I am fine. My potions have helped me heal quite nicely." He grimaced as he noticed that the headmaster still wore a look of unappeased anxiety. "I have just barely escaped Poppy's mollycoddling, Albus, tell me I won't have to suffer yours?"

Albus chuckled at that as he shook his head. "If Poppy has given you a clean bill of health I suppose it would be alright to send you on this mission."

Severus slightly frowned over Albus' words. It was true he had left the infirmary but that didn't mean he was released by the fussy nurse who ran the ward. Actually Pomfrey had wanted to keep him for an extra two days to make sure his wounds would heal completely but Severus who had always hated spending time in the infirmary had taken the matter into his own hands. Deeming he was good enough to go as he was standing upright and he had could fairly walk without assistance for short distances; he had escaped his sterile prison and had avoided the overprotective nurse since. It was a wonder Albus hadn't heard of his antics.

"I want you to guard over Mr. Potter during the summer." Albus said softly and sat back as he awaited once again the angry outburst that was sure to follow his instruction.

And Severus Snape did not disappoint.

His pale face was drained of all its color as the headmaster's words permeated his brain. He simply couldn't fathom what the old man was thinking! It's bad enough that he couldn't fight the Dark side with his usual skill of covert spying this time around but to be reduced to Potter's guard dog?! The old man was clearly off his rocker!

"ALBUS! You simply can't expect me to- I will not waste my whole summer babysitting that brat!" Severus exploded at the old wizard. Professional courtesy be damned! This was too much! "Are having hordes of devout fans not enough for him? He now needs a personal bodyguard too?"

"Now, now Severus. It is my suggestion that Mr. Potter be guarded this summer. He needs the extra protection now more than ever. With Voldemort now openly attacking the wizarding world, it is of great importance that we must take all the necessary steps to protect Harry. He doesn't even need to know you are there. Actually it would be best if he never saw you at all." Albus chided him softly as he looked down his crooked nose at the furious potions professor with maddeningly twinkling eyes behind his half mooned spectacles. The old wizard was clearly amused by his outburst which infuriated the incensed man even more.

"Then why, pray tell, do I have the dubious honor of being Potter's protector? Surely there are others more suited than me? Minerva is his head of house! She should be in charge of his care! Or perhaps even Lupin! They, at least, like the damn boy!" Severus argued stubbornly. He will not let himself be saddled with the Potter brat!

Albus shook his head and explained patiently, "Minerva, I'm afraid, has too much on her hands already. I have left her in charge of the preparation of the school for the next semester and she is also busy with overseeing the strengthening of the school's wards. Now that he is back we cannot take any chances. As for Remus, he is away on a secret mission for me and I do not think calling him back is an option. He needs to be away from here right now so he can deal with his own grief. They cannot take this mission."

Severus snorted and muttered something that suspiciously sounded like "stupid over sentimental werewolf"

"And so naturally the next best choice is an ex-death eater turned spy who is on the top of the Dark Lord's hit list!" Severus sneered.

"No." Albus said with a smile that still held the same twinkle in his eyes. "The best choice is actually my Potions Master whom I trust with my own life and has never failed me once." His statement filled with sincerity and faith, so softly spoken was almost Severus' undoing. Almost.

"Merlin Albus! You don't know what you ask of me! Has your age finally caught up with you that you have completely forgotten the events of last year?" Severus said in exasperation as he recalled Potter's failed attempts at occlumency. He tried very hard not to think about the Pensieve incident if he did, he'd probably loose it even more and his wounds cannot be stand to be aggravated. Despite Poppy's best efforts some of his wounds, he knew, would not heal anytime soon if they even did at all. Some wounds run too deep for the healing. Severus thought with a sneer. And this little statement goes for this mission as well.

Albus frowned and he seemed to age right in front of the young man's eyes. Albus sighed, "I know. I fear it is my faut that both of you were put under that predicament and for that I must apologize."

Severus snorted, slightly mollified by Albus' guilt. "You shouldn't, Albus, you couldn't have possibly known what might have happened and you cannot control people's reactions. I, myself, could have done things differently." He said begrudgingly if only to erase the sad guilt-ridden tone his mentor had taken when he had spoken. He didn't want the headmaster to blame himself. Most of that blame should be put squarely on Potter himself. And a little bit on you too, Snape. His conscience chided as it reared its ugly head which Severus promptly ignored.

"Wonderful! Then you could take this opportunity to do just that when you guard Mr. Potter this summer! It's good to see that you want to do things differently this time as I am sure past mistakes would certainly be avoided that way." Albus exclaimed as he walked over to his stunned Potions Master who was gaping at him like a fish out of water.

end of flashback

"Bloody everlasting hell!" Severus cursed viciously to no one in particular as he continued to stomp his way out of Hogwarts' grounds. He knew he wouldn't stand a chance against the old man's meddling! That man was a genius when it came to manipulating people, him especially. There he was reassuring the old coot that he shouldn't be feeling guilty about last year's events (to think he was actually trying to make the man feel better!) when Albus all but threw his words back in his face and brightly thanked him for "wanting to do things differently" and continued to babble on about how this Potter-guarding would be a wonderful opportunity for that. And worst of all, Severus who prided himself of being a witty and sarcastic man, just gawked at the old man like an idiot. Well, in his defense, he was still caught up in a suspended state of 'What the hell?' when it all happened. Actually he really shouldn't be all that surprised. He had done things he never knew he would even think of doing just because it was Albus who had requested it of him. Heck! He even tried to teach the insufferable whelp occlumency last year for all the good that did! And here he was yet again, off to another assignment which involved watching over Potter no less!

At least he didn't have to interact with the whelp! He muttered to himself. And that was a very good thing because the last time he and the boy had been in the same room alone together he had just barely restrained himself from killing Albus' Golden Boy.

As he reached the apparition point, he quickly steeled himself and apparated to a house in Surrey that belonged to one Arabella Figg.

…and at least fifty furry mangy cats. Severus gaped for the second time in the day at the sight of the old house that was being quickly overrun by its feline occupants.

"Bloody hell! I'm going to kill Albus!" Severus swore heartily and he had an ominous feeling it wouldn't be the last time he would find himself doing so that day.

It's going to be a long summer.

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Please review! Since I am very open towards the direction this series is going to take I am receptive to all suggestions. I also need a beta for my works if you're interested and you qualify please leave me a note in your review! Thank you!

Sneak-Peak at Chapter 1:

Severus had been patrolling the neighborhood disguised as a muggle for three whole days now and he had yet to see hide or hair of Harry Potter. He had seen a horse faced woman emerge from no. 4 a number of times, often followed by what looked like a miniature killer whale trying to disguise himself as a muggle boy and sometimes he would even see a large red faced man, obviously the whale's father, with them; but no Potter. How curious. Where was the Potter brat? And why didn't he seem to be a part of the family at no. 4?

FUN FACT: On September 1, students always board the Hogwarts Express to go to school and the next day (first day of classes) is always Monday. So in the HP universe, September 2 is always Monday.