Nowdays even an innocent flower would get him depressed and overwhelmed by guilt. A simple lily would remind him of her…his ethereal best friend, his other half. Her beautiful flaming hair would put
phoenix fire to shame, her avada eyes, more precious than jewels, more important to Severus than the status he had tried so hard to gain for himself in his foolish teenage years.

She was like a goddess back then, his only refuge against a drunk bastard of a father and a compliant, wallflower of a mother, in the destitute and seedy town called Spinner's End.
She was a fierce defender, a shoulder to cry on, his only true companion who did not mind his hideous beak-like nose or his emaciated body, who considered his dark humour wit.

And they were thick as thieves back then, stealing Tunie's make-up and applying it on themselves, reading forbidden books at night when Severus stayed over at the Evans's, discovering magic together in foolish experiments that could have ended rather unfortunately…there was also fighting for their rights, plotting against the marauders, riding Tobias's truck and almost crashing into a tree.

There was little he wouldn't have done for Lily…Which is why the bespeckled child in a man's body, Dumbledore decided to rid him of his peace and ask him for a favour.

"Severus, my boy, I was wondering if you could check on Harry this summer"

"Check on Potter, what for? He's probably getting coddled by his relatives as we speak, Albus"

"Please, my boy, there is no one else I trust as much as you. If not for me, do it for Lilly..."

"Fine, you manipulative old coot, I will visit your precious golden boy, if only to prove that nothing is wrong with him"

"Splendid, Severus"

And so the Potions Master went to the destination where the resident boy hero was residing, desperately hoping for an outing of this dreadful situation. Ignoring the cookie-cutter houses he finally found his location number four, Privet Drive, where that wretch Petunia lived yet maybe, by some miracle, no one will and up scathered. He could hear Lily's voice in his head saying Take the leap of faith, Sev.

He rang the doorbell and waited patiently. From inside shouts could be heard "Freak, get the door! "

"You get it!"

This was becoming aggravating by the second, Severus though.
Harry opens the door, his eyes widening in horror and mouth agape.

"Snape?"

"Close your trap Potter, before mosquitoes happen to fly in" Snape said annoyed.

Harry mind was in overdrive, his senses overwhelmed by life's cruel strike. Two minuts ago he was the unfortunate victim of Dudley's salty caramelized popcorn attack while innocently sweeping the living room and now he was met with a sight that would surely give Neville nightmares to come, his stern potions professor showing up at their door like unwanted lice.

His hands were deathly white like a ghoul's and his eyes like coals burned with a fire of a million stars, they sung an ode of hatred. His aquiline nose only accentuating his harsh features as his mouth tightened in a gesture of pure disdain, his oily hair oozing dark pearls of cyanide…

Harry didn't care that he just lightened rose scented candles in the living room, he was sure Snape brought with himself a sulfur-like smell. As of now, he had yet to prove Snape had cloven hoofs …

"Going to stare all day Mr Potter? Not going to invite in your 'favourite professor'? Snape said, his voice dripping with sarcasm.

"I…"

" Of course I shouldn't have expected the golden boy to have any hospitality towards mere mortals like myself…"

"What do you want Snape? Why do you want to get in? Is it an Order mission?" Harry demanded curiously.

"The purpose of my visit does not concern you Potter. Just know that Dumbledore is aware of my location so you needn't send an SOS missive to him…yet"

They glared at each other for a couple seconds, Snape raising an eyebrow. After that Harry grudgingly let his professor in.

Just after he stept inside Snape noticed Harry's wrist was adorned with purple bruises that he was trying adamantly to hide. Snape suddenly grabbed Harry's hand in his.

"Pray tell, Potter, from where did our precious savior acquire such injuries? Did you perhaps get into rowdy fights with other rule-breaking hooligans like yourself? Just like your idiot father"

"Shut up about my father! You don't know anything about him, you horrible, greasy…"

A cry of terror could be heard from downstairs from the living. Harry and Snape rushed there and saw Dudley, popcorn spawled all over him, screaming his head off at something not that particularly frightening.

"Scary movie to scary Dud?" Harry asked with a smirk
Snape inspected the popcorn.

"Child you are aware that you are one step away from a heart attack, aren't you?" Severus addressed Dudley, cutting straight to the point.

"Mom! The freak brought a stranger in the house!" Dudley screamed

An anorexic looking woman came into the room.

"Dinky Duddydums, what is the problem?" Petunia asked then her eyes fixed on Snape.

"You! I remember you!"she spat

"A pleasure as always Tuney" Severus said sarcastically.

"Get out of my house! Out!" Petunia said waving her trusty frypan into the air and stomping her feet like a five year old.

"I would like nothing more I assure you, however Dumbledore has seen fit to send me in this madhouse, to analyse your 'parenting skills'.So far you have a morbidly obese son and a daredevil nephew who courts death. Exemplary child rearing abilities, Tuney" Severus says.

While they were arguing Harry went outside to deal with the weeds in the garden, not wanting to be blamed by his aunt for Snape being there. Just why did she recognize him anyway? Did they frequent the same How to be a terrible person to Harry club?

Meanwhile Vernon arrived from work, red faced and fuming . His beady eyes were staring soullessly at Harry, like a wolf ready to tear to shreds a fragile lamb. And he must have been picturing the image and treasuring the implications, the evil skunk.

"Boy, come here! "

Harry approached warily.

"Why did you not finish all your chores?!" Vernon asked and backhanded him so hard blood was coming out of his nose, his cheek starting to swell.

What they didn't know is that Snape had witnessed the scene from the window, forever shattering his misconceptions. When the fat demon of a man struck his student it reminded him of Tobias ready to beat him and his mother to an almost coma. What's worse Petunia didn't seem at all affected by the abuse her husband was dishing on an innocent yet usually aggravating child.

Head pulsing, heart racing he to ran the scene of the crime and stood protectively in front of the Griffindor.

"Not one more step Dursley, unless you wish to be acquainted with the Cruciatus curse!" Snape threatened fervently.

"Professor no! He didn't mean to…" Harry said trying to defend his uncle.

Snape snarled then after casting Immobulus on Vernon, and ignoring Petunia's anguished shriek, he knelt down to Harry's level to inspect the damage.

"You people deserve worse than Azkaban" he whispered.