Hallo, lovies

Yes, yes, tis me again! With a Snarry, this time! Hehe.

Let's see how our wonderful Professor Snape wins Harry's guarded heart, shall we? Tehe!

Dear Mr. Potter,

It is my duty to inform you that I will be at Number 4, Privet Drive, at exactly 10 o'clock on the night of July 31st. I expect you to have everything packed and ready to leave before I arrive, to take you to the safe house.

Should you fail to comply, I will be awarding you with more than just negative House Points for Gryffindor, but multiple detentions as well.

Carry on,

Professor Severus T. Snape.

Harry held the letter in shaking hands, his jaw set as anger rode through his form. Malnourished, scrawny and with stinted growth, Harry James Potter was currently being punished for having been caught doing the potions essay Snape, the most hated teacher of all Hogwarts History, had given to them the last day of class. Granted, he was now a 5th year, and too big for the cupboard under the stairs, but did that deter his Aunt and Uncle? Absolutely not! No, they were off codling their only son, Dudley Dursley, who sneered at Harry whenever possible.

Honestly, Harry hadn't thought there would ever be someone he hated more than his mothers' estranged sister, her husband and their oaf of a son.

"Potter!" Vernon roared, the cupboard shaking with each forced stomp of Vernon's foot as he drew nearer, "What are you doing, boy! Do you think Dudders, Petunia and I have all the time in the world to wait for your lazy arse to move? Get the bloody hell out of that cupboard and make us our dinner!"

Grimacing, Harry complied immediately, and then gasped. July 31st. That was tonight! Snape would be here in.. He looked at his watch, in four hours!

Swearing, he went into the kitchen and slaved away for forty-five minutes until the supper was done. He then set the table and hesitantly called for the Dursleys, who only gave him a small roll and one piece of ham as they sat down to enjoy their meal.

This enraged Harry to no end, but then cooled as he climbed inside the cupboard and picked up his fallen letter. Unable to do magic, he groaned and began packing everything up, only to be stopped as he was barrelled into from behind by Uncle Vernon.

"What the devil do you think you're doing, boy?" Vernon growled, grabbing Harry by the scruff of his neck and pushing him up against the wall; Vernon leaned dangerously close, Harry trying to turn his head to the side to escape Vernon's petrifying breath. A whimper escaped Harry, his brilliant emerald eyes closing tightly, waiting for the punch to the stomach he knew he was be receiving, which came seconds afterwards. He let out a cry of pain, as the man who had him pinned continued to punch him, adding in kneeing him in the groin.

(S.T.S)

Severus had apparated to Number 4, Privet Drive, to be greeted with what sounded like a walrus bellowing in anger at another who had challenged him. He also heard a giggle that sounded quite girlish in his opinion, thank you very bloody much, and wondered who could have done that.

Withdrawing his wand, knowing he was early, he cautiously walked up the pavement, hearing what seemed to be cries of pain and low grunts, with the same girlish laughter and the tittering of a female presence.

"Alohamora!" he growled at the door, which unlocked and opened at his demand. Stalking inside, he hissed angrily at the sight which greeted him.

Harry Potter, the spawn of his child-hood rival, lay just before the door with his things damn near crushing him, in a pool of blood. He lay whimpered, shaking and with crooked glasses that seemed unrepairable to a muggle. Tearing his gaze from the boy, he looked up into the face of none other than Vernon Dursley.

(H.J.P)

Harry lay on the ground, as Snape took in the sight of him; all he could do was lay there and whimper, the pain of his crushed ribs and the damage to his member and testis was unbearable. He was grateful when Snape stepped over his form, a loud snarl being directed at Vernon.

He did not hear anything after, as the boy-who-lived-to-be-beaten-by-Vernon-Dursley passed out and missed Severus Snape's most undesireable attitude yet.

(S.T.S)

Severus growled, having heard the soft sigh as Harry lost consciousness. He was nowhere near pleased, as he came nose-to-nose with the fat bastard who had rendered the Potter brat so helpless.

"Tell, Dursley, do you get off when Potter's like this? Does it make you all hot and horny?" He hissed, raising his wand and thrusting the tip to the man's jugular. Petunia, having heard the commotion, came in and shrieked, "You!"

It was all Severus could do not to bark out a laugh at the look of her face. Clearly, she had not forgotten him.

A sneer working its way onto his face, he growled, "Yes, Petunia, b ME /b . Now..where is Potter's stuff?"

The woman only stood there and shook, unaware of how serious Severus was. He had to threaten to cause her husband physical damage before he got what he wanted. Bending to pick the boy up, forcing the boy to let out a yelp of agony even while unconscious, he had to bite back another snarl as he shrunk Potter's things and placed them into his pockets.

Turning to Petunia, who was currently clutching her massive husband's arm, he sneered, the contempt clearly evident in his voice, "If he dies, Petunia, you know I will be back." Before he turned, and disappeared with a loud crack. The Dursley's winced, even Dudley who had been in the living room, having enjoyed the sounds of his cousin's demise.

Returning to the castle gates, Severus gently laid Potter on the ground, and whispered the Patronus charm, electing to send several i patroni /i off to the Headmaster, Deputy Headmistress and the Matron of the Hospital Wing. They each appeared immediately, Poppy gasping as she fell beside the lifeless body of Harry Potter. Minerva and Albus both had grave looks upon their faces, and Severus could guess why.

Poppy took out her wand and began the diagnostics, each of the four paling with the conditions and other…neglect that was written on the scroll next to Poppy's wand tip. Tears formed in the Matron's eyes, as she finished several minutes later. Rising, she stumbled a bit, causing Minerva to reach out and steady her.

"Poppy, what is wrong with him?" Minerva asked softly, her Scottish accent very recognizable. There was concern hidden in the vocalization, but there was more anger hidden in her tone than anything as Poppy answered her.

"T-they starved him, b-beat h-him a-a-almost daily..his ribs have b-been broken more than once, several times, in fact..h-his ankle has been shattered, his pelvis pushed out of place..O-oh god!" The matron desolved in tears, as Snape let out a low growl. Minerva held the Matron, as Snape grabbed the floating piece of paper; Dear god, he thought, the boy is more neglected than we were led to believe…

(H.J.P)

Harry woke to the sound of Fawkes the Phoenix's song, sad and soft in the air. Almost as soon as he opened his emerald eyes, Madame Pomphrey was on him, running more diagnostic charms and checking him out. Tears glistened in her eyes, but he didn't question it, as she handed him a small pink vial of blood-replenishing potion.

As he drank the potion, Poppy sent off three i patroni /i , alerting the other three staff present at the time to Harry's wakening.

Poppy took her vial back, and handed him a Calming drought, which immediately began to affect him. She sat beside him, and gently ran the glowing tip of her wand over his arm, her eyes filling with tears at what she found.

Snape, the man who had rescued him, came through the door in a cloud of billowing robes, his hands tucked neatly in his pockets; dark obsidian eyes came to rest on Harry's face, as the boy's cheek lit with flush color, ducking his head. There was no escaping this, was there?

Dumbledore came next, his strangely dark robes hugging his form as he ran his thin fingers through the thickness of his snowy white beard. Both men came to halt before Harry and the School Medi-witch, as Minerva came last.

Dark emerald green robes, lined in silver but not overly so, the woman could have been mistaken for a Slytherin. But, with the fiery temper and even better wand-work, she was quickly recognized as the fierce Lioness she was. Harsh lines creased her face, as she gazed down at her little Lion Cub, saddened and angered at what he had been put through by his family, and by one certain Albus Dumbledore. A slight huff escaped the Head of House as she sat on Harry's other side, taking his right arm and murmuring soft charms to heal the boy's bruises and possible other injuries.

Severus kept running the diagnostics, noticing the list kept growing and growing, until it came to the point where Harry had already died, once. His magic faultered, causing Minerva and Poppy to look up at him, both hold Harry tightly.

Minerva spoke first, her tone quiet as a graveyard, "What is it, Severus? What did you find?"

Harry quivered in his fear, knowing exactly what the man had found. Within seconds, only the barely audible whisper of Severus Snape could be heard, his voice a soft, lilting hiss in the hospital wing.

"The boy has died, Minerva," which brought the two women's respective eyes to widen in shock, anger and much more. Albus, however, looked calmly at Harry.

"Harry, why did you not write to tell us this was happening?"

A small, inaudible squeak escaped Harry as his eyes rounded, glaring up at Snape. How dare he! How dare he tell them!

"In case you haven't noticed, Headmaster, but YOU sent me back there! You placed me with them, knowing how much they hate magic!" Harry spit out, unable to believe this. Even Snape, who made it a general point to grate on the boy's nerves every chance he got, agreed with him, as Harry kept speaking, "You know why I didn't tell you! You would only tell me it's for the best, until Voldemort can be destroyed for good!"

Tears clinging to the soft eyelashed above his brow, Harry wrenched himself away from the two Matrons in the room, and ran like hell to get out of the Hospital Wing. One of the four was immediately on his trail, black robes behind him as he ran.

(S.T.S)

Severus had noticed the Potter boy as his eyes rounded, the fear rolling off him in waves; He had listened intently and silently agreed with him, even though Severus would never admit it; He had even watched as the boy ran from the room, tears sliding down his pale cheeks in a steady river of shame. Turning on his right heel, he had half a mind to hiss at the three occupants, but forewent the decision as he made his way quickly to catch up to Harry.

He didn't even know where the blasted Gryffindor was headed!

'Ah, but you do, Severus…he headed to the dungeons a few moments ago..' the voice in his mind made itself known. He only hissed, but made for that direction.

His feet pounded against the ground as he ran, his wand drawn in any case there may be danger. Turning to head down his hallway, he came to a full-stop as he saw Potter demanded entrance to his personal quarters, parseltongue and all as his guardian conversed with the boy…

Sorry for the shortness of this chapter! I'm trying to do so many things right now, it's not even funny! I'm also trying to once more figure out how to make this in Bold type and Italicized type. –sigh- So if anyone could help me out? :) Thanks!

Please Review, and enjoy ;)

TheShadowGates