Disclaimer: Harry Potter, associated Characters and Locations (c) J.K. Rowling.

Summary: When the Dursley's find out Sirius is dead, they take their long awaited punishement on Harry. What happens if those who promised to protect him never came? What if your sworn enemy was the only soul who would? Takes place summer after OotP.

Warning: Abuse is a serious crime, and should not be made light of in any situation. If you are being abused, or know of someone who is, tell an authority figure immediately. There is never just cause for any person to physically harm a minor.

Rated: M for Violence, Language and Vengeance.

August 23rd 2008- REWRITE IS IN PROCESS: I know y'all have been sticking with me on this, and I'm awfully sorry about having to do this when y'all are so into Vengeance, but I'm really no good with the sexual abuse angle. So I've changed it to be physical abuse. Also, I've gotten a mite better at writing since I started this, and reading it makes me cringe. So I'm rewriting and revamping Vengeance. I hope that you like it as much as you did before, but if not, I completely understand.

The land of dreams was fickle and often unpredictable. Many seek a world of fantasy and impossible hopes within the dreamscape. In one's dreams a world of possibilities is opened up. One may fly without aide of broom or airplane. One may live under the water without the aide of gills or bubblehead charms. One may dream of magic, and those who have magic may dream of a life without.

However, not all dreams are the kind to lose one's self in. For every wondrous flight of imagination that exists in the realm of dreams exists terrors beyond the imagination. These are the nightmares of the mind. Where dreams lay in the sunlight along the lakeshore in the middle of summer, nightmares are the cold rain seeping into one's bones in the dead of winter.

Of course, there are those who live either in dreams or nightmares. For some, life is no more taxing than Quidditch during the daytime and a large family dinner around the table with the ones you love. For others, life is filled with misery and pain, sorrow and loss.

The saddest part of this world of dreams and nightmares is that too often, those who rarely taste the darkest side of life forget that it does exist. The only thing worse is when the ones who dwell in nightmares forget what it is to live their dreams.

It was beyond the witching hour when a flash of fire and light alerted the man to a presence within his chambers. As he was not expecting said sudden presence, the ebony wand was pointed at the firebird which had suddenly appeared, perched on the back of the chaise near the fireplace. With a long suffering sigh, the wand was lowered, and a quick motion of the hand had the bird delivering his message.

Severus,

I would admonish you on your nocturnal tendencies if I thought it would do any good. However, as you are adamant to being awake, I would very much enjoy it if you were to join me for a nightcap in my office.

Albus

Knowing that the request was anything but, Severus raised himself from his usual position, and set aside the Potions Journal he had been attempting to follow, but had been far too tempted to take out a quill and correct the obvious mistakes. The Phoenix tilted his plumed head in question, and Severus bristled.

"I am not about to grasp your tailfeathers. Merlin knows where they've been. Thank you, but I'll take the Floo."

Quite used to the man's surly attitude, Fawkes trilled a happy reply and promptly burst into flames, disappearing as he was oft to do. Severus strode to the fireplace and took down the black marble box which held the Floo powder. He muttered under his breath something which sounded suspiciously like "flaming chicken", before throwing down the powder and setting his destination.

"Headmaster Dumbledore's Office, Hogwarts."

In a torrent of green flame, the tall man stepped gracefully out of the fireplace, careful to not tread ash onto the garish purple carpet adorning the floor of the Headmaster's office. The man himself was sitting behind his overly ornate desk as usual; the gnarled fingers were perched together, steepled as a Cathedral ceiling.

"Ah, Severus. How good of you to join me. Please, sit."

Once settled, Albus gestured towards the tea service sitting on a side table nearby.

"Tea, Severus?"

Severus merely cleared his throat.

"I do not wish to play these games tonight, Headmaster. What did you wish to discuss?"

Albus just nodded, as used to the aggressive attitude as his familiar. He poured himself a cup of tea, putting in one of his favored Lemon Drops, and stirred it absently.

"As you know, after last summer, the Order has been keeping watch over Number Four Privet Drive."

Severus pushed a strand of lanky hair behind one ear.

"Of course. I assume that they lined up to cater to the precious Golden Boy."

Albus looked over the top rim of his glasses at the young potions master. It was no secret that the man harbored an ill will towards Harry Potter. In fact, it was the only certain thing in the professor's life, as his loyalties were often subject to doubt and questioning. If nothing else was sure, it was that Severus detested the special treatment that often was bestowed onto Harry. Not for the first time, Albus doubted the logic of what he was about to ask of Severus. Surely, had there been any other Order member free, it would not be an issue, but as the other members were tied up in their own missions, this was the final option.

"Dolores Umbridge admitted to sending those Dementors to Little Whinging the summer previously. With the Ministry's plans to control Hogwarts so thoroughly dampened, there is no telling what sort of trouble Madame Umbridge wishes to cause for Harry. We would like to keep a finger on things, perhaps to prevent any such trouble. Also, the Order members who were sent to retrieve Harry from Number Four last summer insisted on keeping an eye on Harry's Muggle relatives. Alastor did not tell me the full reasoning behind his distrust of them, but I trust him implicitly, and if he felt it is necessary, then it must be so."

Severus did not reply to this, but merely snorted, thinking that Moody would be paranoid of his own shadow, if he didn't have enough dark detectors to prove that it was not out to kill him.

"However, the Ministry has recalled Alastor as a Senior Auror. After the events at the Ministry of Magic, Minister Fudge can no longer deny the existence of Voldemort, and has hastened to increase the Auror training. This means that Alastor has been assigned the task of overseeing the Auror division's new recruits. I do wholly approve of this action, but that does put us one Order member short. Nymphadora is seated deeply in the upcoming changes for the Auror division, and Remus is out on his own mission to the werewolf camps. John's time is being manipulated by Fudge now that he has been convinced of the Dark Lord's return. Arthur is under suspicion after the attack by Nagini in the Department of Mysteries."

Severus inclined his head.

"What is it that you are asking of me, Headmaster?"

Albus appeared to think over how best to put it, but was at a loss. Any way he worded his request, Severus would balk and insist that it was none of his concern. With a sigh, he decided to simply state the task at hand.

"The shift rotation on Number Four has Alastor scheduled for the next two weeks. I need you to take over his watch on the Dursley's home until the time comes when he is free of his assignment, or Nymphadora or John can replace you."

The silence that greeted Albus was not what he expected. He had envisioned a spectacular blow up, an insistence that there must be some other member better suited. He did not expect the quiet contemplation that Severus appeared to be in.

"You're asking me to spend two weeks of my time, which could be used to prepare for the new NEWT curriculum, essentially babysitting Potter at his Muggle relatives?"

Albus did one thing that he was very good at: he hedged.

"Now Severus, I wouldn't put it like that—

The younger man held up a hand.

"What am I getting out of this arrangement?"

Ever the Slytherin, Severus was examining the importance of the task and weighing it against what he wished in return.

"What is it you wish for, Severus?"

"The NEWT level potion's class is quite small this term. I know that several of the students would be most interested in attending the annual Potions Compendium in London. I shall become your Order watchdog for the next two weeks, if you grant my NEWT level class permission to attend the Compendium."

Albus fingered his beard. It wasn't too much of a stretch. After all, previous years' NEWT level classes had attended the Compendiums, and they had been in farther away locations. However, there was a war waging in the Magical community, and tensions were very high. It wasn't that he didn't trust Severus' ability to protect the students, but the crowds that flocked to the well known Compendium were large, and it would be easy to misplace a teenager in such a place.

"There are a few conditions to your request, as I am sure you know. The first is the students themselves. They must display the maturity to attend such an event with their actions throughout the year. They must have permission slips signed by their parents or guardians or they will not step foot out of this castle. Also, another Order member will accompany you as a chaperone. You will have work that that needs to be attended to at the Compendium, and it would be beneficial to have another adult to pass responsibility of the students over to during those times. The final condition is, of course, the current state of the war efforts. If there have been outbreaks of Death Eater movements or attacks near the time of the Compendium, I shall have to forbid the students from leaving the castle. As usual, Severus, you are still granted leave during that time, as you are an adult and strong enough magically to withstand an attack, however it is unwise to put students in that situation if unnecessary, even students of such high accountability."

Severus appeared to thinking over these conditions, though Albus knew that he would accept. It had been long since Severus had students in his NEWT class who were actively interested in the subject and not merely passing though on their way to something else. He could already imagine the excitement that Mister Malfoy or Miss Granger would experience with the news.

"What of Potter?"

Albus leaned back in his chair and peered at Severus. There was not even a small amount of hostility in his voice, and Albus wondered where this was leading.

"What of Harry?"

"I know you have already seen his OWL scores."

Indeed, he had. There were a few students who had merited a check-up of sorts, Harry definitely being one of them. He had also looked in on Mister Weasley and Miss Granger, as well as Mister Malfoy and Mister Longbottom.

"I have."

"And?"

Albus fought hard to keep the grin off of his face and out of his voice and he relayed the results of Harry's Potions OWL.

"He received an O in the practical application and an E in the theoretical application, scoring an overall Outstanding."

Severus had a rare moment of sputtering before he calmed himself.

"And should the miraculous happen and Potter perform adequately enough to attend the Compendium?"

Once more, Albus' fingers returned to his beard in thought, though it was a habit he really should try to kick, as he knew it made him seem ever more the doddering old man in others' opinions.

"That would greatly depend on the other Order member attending with yourself, the situation with Voldemort, and of course, your willingness to put aside your differences for the sake of learning."

Severus appeared to be thinking the offer over one final time, before he nodded quickly.

"I shall accept, if it pleases you. When should I be expected to arrive at Number Four?"

Albus smiled, knowing that Severus could not resist the offer of taking his brightest students to the Compendium.

"Nymphadora's shift ends at noon on the 17th of July. Your shift would end at midnight on the 30th, just as Harry turns 16, and can leave the Dursley's for the Burrow for the remainder of the summer."

Severus stood and made towards the fireplace. Before he could enter and return to his chambers, Albus called to him.

"Severus?"

"Was there something else, Headmaster?"

"When you do go to Number Four, keep in mind that Harry is most certainly not James."

Sending one last withering look over his shoulder, Severus intoned blandly, "I shall endeavor to remember," and disappeared in a gust of emerald flames.

Okay then, this is the new first chapter of Vengeance. Like I said, I'll be redoing the entire thing, so be sure to keep watch!