SUMMARY: Harry can't take the pains and stresses of life. But when he finds an unconventional way of coping his plan backfires and he finds himself under Snape's protection. HPSS NotSlash Mentor Snape

ANTIMAGUS ME

Prologue

It was by far the hottest night of the summer at number 4 privet drive. It certainly seemed that way for Harry Potter. He had suffered worse heat waves during his summers with the Dursleys. This one just seemed so much more stifling. Perhaps it had something to do with the fact that Harry was particularly anxious. It was his last night at his relative's place and by this time tomorrow night he would be on his way to the dorm room with his friends, his belly saturated with good food and good ideas…

Harry paced, his shirt sticking to him like a bologna on white bread. His hair was plastered to his forehead and his glasses had fogged up so badly that he had simply exiled them to sit on his desk. Hedwig gave an annoyed hoot from her cage where she had been sitting since the morning. Harry wanted to be sure that Hedwig was with him so that he wouldn't waste time waiting for her.

In fact it was the first time since…well, ever, that Harry had finished packing his trunk the night before. Harry frequently glanced at the rickety alarm clock to check the time and sighed exasperatedly when the time elapsed was too short for his liking.

For any witch or wizard to see the boy who lived waltzing back and forth like a stir crazy gerbil would have been surprised. For Harry Potter was supposed to be an accomplished wizard. After all, he did defeat Vol…er..He-who-must-not-be-named. So naturally one is to expect nothing but blatant stoicism from such an accomplished person. Only Mr. Potter is not a pretender. He is, like most his age, a troubled and confused teenager, perhaps even more so than most. Because while the wizarding world sat by and picked their noses Harry was busy defeating Volde…He-who-must-not-be-named, year after year. And finally, after such valiant efforts, which were conveniently ignored by the wizarding community, Harry was faced with life's most difficult challenge: death. His godfather, Sirius black, former marauder, tormentor of Slytherins, heir to the Black throne (yet not happily so), died at the hands of his death eater cousin.

Of course, Harry took it harder than being clubbed by a drunken mountain troll. He spent the better part of his summer in a depression, ignoring all letters from his friends. The lack of sunlight had made his skin the colour of vanilla pudding. And he was tinted green, so one would assume it was vanilla pistachio pudding. But Harry would have been lucky to see anything so decadent as vanilla pistachio pudding. His Aunt and Uncle underfed him and that made poor Harry's depression even worse. So after several heated arguments with his Uncle, Harry locked himself away in his room for the last two weeks of summer. All he could think of was how to get out of his miserably situation. If only he could forget that he was the boy-who-lived. If only he could throw the prophecy and expectations into the nearest fire. He would give anything, ANYTHING, just to feel normal, like he wasn't someone special or divine. Anything to forget the pain of losing Sirius.

As crazy ideas go they come in epiphanies of great enlightenment, often surprising the thinker with his own intelligence. And so it was that Harry lay in bed looking to the ceiling with twinkling eyes and an idea floating in his brain. It was an idea worthy of a Slytherin, and just as dangerous. It wasn't something a young wizard like he should attempt. But in Harry's opinion he had nothing left to risk. And besides, if he managed to defeat Voldem-thingy, then he could certainly succeed at this. His books were with him upstairs and he spent every waking moment reading through them. Between his school books and all the books Hermione had given him over the years he was nothing short of busy. Harry took notes, read between the lines and put his thoughts on paper and drawing. Two weeks of meticulous planning and careful consideration left the boy-who lived eagerly awaiting his return to school. There resided the last piece of information that would secure him success.

AU: Plz R&R! I can't know how you feel about my story if you don't! Thanks for reading!