Differences

Severus Snape was not a patient man. Nor did he like taking orders. So when one day, a day he'd been quite enjoying, the Order decided to test his patience when being hesitant when requesting him of something, he was not pleased.

Since the fall of Voldemort, the Order were more sparce then they once were but decided to stay unified for reasons Severus would simply call boredom. They claim to still be together to protect the Potter boy from any residing threats. Yes, they believe the boy who defeated one of the strongest wizards of their time, needed protecting. The boy still stayed with his muggle family when not attending Hogwarts despite being 19. His year being asked to come back for a repeat year due to the lackluster education they received during the war. A lot of things could be said about Death Eaters but saying they excelled in teaching wasn't one of them (with the exception of Severus of course). Because Potter was staying in the same house over the holidays, the Order took it upon themselves to continue their 'duty' of guarding the place. They kept the strict, round-the-clock regimen to allegedly keep Potter safe, which again Severus would call, in a less formal way, absolute nonsense that was just self-fulfillment to satiate the boredom the Order members found themselves with after the war. A way to say they are continuing to help the Boy-Who-Lived, their hero who's image is slated and honored simultaneously as if he didn't complete the task no one else in the wizarding world wanted to help him complete let alone complete themselves. The hero who was thrust into an unknown world at the age of 11, faced near-death experiences annually and was expected to murder an extremely powerful wizard who had 50 years experience in the wizarding world and magic training on his side. Severus found himself feeling bad for the boy often, not that he'd admit it. That's why despite his obvious distain for him, he continued to fulfill his promise to Lily even to the point of nearly dying to Nagini's Venom. If it hadn't been for Potter's quick thinking to call upon Dumbledore's Phoenix, Fawkes, he would have died that night. For that event he did not know whether or not to be thankful to the boy but he did decide to ease the unfounded unpleasant treatment towards him.

So here Severus finds himself, in the summer holidays, summoned to Order Headquarters, with an unsure Kingsley Shacklebolt in front of him.

"So, Professor Snape, I am sure you are curious as to why you have been summoned despite not being a member of the Order anymore?"

"No, just wished to come and relive the great memories." He had been enjoying his day, it was a slow, quiet one when he was brewing some of the more time-consuming medicinal potions in preparation for the influx of students at the beginning of the new school year. Poppy was very grateful that whenever he did this as the time-consuming potions are usually the very important ones that are harder to order due to the complexity of some of the steps.

"No need to be so cold Snape, we did fight a war together." This feeble attempt to lighten the mood came from Alastor Moody who was sat at the table behind Shacklebolt. The pair clearly wanted something from him, not many people chose to spend any amount of time with one Severus Snape unless they were looking for something from him. A fact he had long accepted and took pleasure in.

"Just get to the point, I have potions simmering that I must attend to." His faced clearly portrayed his annoyance in the situation.

"Ok fine. You know how we have continued our duties in guarding Mr Potter?" He rolled his eyes at this Potter had long since accepted his title as Lord Potter-Black. "We have recently found that there is no member free to take tomorrow's shift," ah he could see where this was going, "we were wondering if you could fill the role?" At the unimpressed look on Severus's face, he continued to rectify his previous words, "it would only be for tomorrow, we will not ask you again. We realise you are a very busy man but we really need the help." He thought about this. He didn't have anything particularly important to do tomorrow, it was a rest day for the potions. He was looking forward to a day of reading, though the thought of not being bothered by the Order in the future was a very attractive offer.

"So I would just need to walk around the muggle estate for a couple of hours?"

"Yes! It would only be for the evening, you will be relived by Hestia just before midnight." Kingsley was trying to hide his expression but the ex-Death Eater could distinctly see the hope in the man's eyes.

"Fine but I expect you follow through with your promise of never asking anything of me again." Giving into their wishes Kingsley let out a relieved sigh and turned to Alastor.

"You heard the man Moody, go tell the others we have found someone to cover the shift. Thank you Professor for your time and your help." With that Snape scoffed and turned towards the fireplace and floo-ed back to Spinner's End not knowing that choice would gift him an opportunity he never believed he would receive.

---

Harry was infuriated that even despite his age and achievement, he was forced to return to the Dursley's. He was 19 but due to the extra school year, every newly appointed 8th year were told they must stay where they previously lived in the interest of safety or some other foolish reason. He had pondered his options to where he could have lived had he not been required to return. Grimmauld Place, which he had inherited through Sirius after his Godfather had appointed him the Black heir before he passed, was still crawling with Order members that seemed to believe they still had permission to stay there. Though it didn't seem like it would be Harry's first choice due to the majority of memories of Sirius having taken place there, he did want to reclaim the property. He always wanted to explore the library and learn about the priceless Black family heirlooms and artifacts. He had also always wished to try communicate with Walburga thinking she may be more cooperative if it was to teach the current Black Heir about the Wizarding World and its customs. Harry was still hopeless with both topics but he wished to know how the society works to find himself a place. He didn't harbor the same distaste towards pure bloods and their customs as his late Godfather, he found himself more interested as the Dursley's ruined any want he may have had to stay in the muggle world. If he did somehow convince Walburga to assist him he would try restore the place to its former glory alongside his study. He and Kreacher had come to a truce at the end of the war, it seemed all it took was explaining his interest in becoming a good Lord and basic kindness. Kreacher would be more than happy to take the more tricky jobs when restoring the house, therefore making the whole process much easier.

However, right now that was wishful thinking. He was unfortunately back at the Dursley's despite his pleading not to be sent back. The pleading was met with as many deaf ears as it had throughout his 1st through 3rd year before he had given up. This was one of the only things he could not forgive his professors and Dumbledore for. He had had so much hope that this magical new world would be his escape from the Dursley's so the complete disregard of his pleas had really hit the 11 year old hard. It had solidified his bad habit of not looking to others for help, which wasn't the most helpful when trying to win a war but it's not like many people would have helped him anyway.

Harry's reluctance for not going back to the Dursley's was well founded if the beatings and treating Harry like a house elf was anything to go by. The list of chores was always long, the punishments severe and the sustenance he was graciously provided was little. Vernon did most of the physical abuse, all Petunia would dare do was the occasional smack and holding his hand over the burning stove when he used to burn food, he would use Harry as a punching bag for the smallest reasons but the most frequent being a bad day at work. This punching bag mentality had been passed from his whale of an Uncle to his whale of a Cousin. No longer having the energy to carry his large body when running anymore for 'Harry Hunting', Dudley preferred gathering his gang and simply riling Harry up and beating him afterwards. Dudley still referenced Cedric calling him Harry's boyfriend to which Harry knows would be a fruitless effort to correct. Before he passed Harry did have a crush on the boy having accepted his sexuality after the lackluster kiss with Cho and because he didn't have anything but friendship and sisterly feelings towards her and Ginny. The 'admiration' he harbored towards some of the older Weasley men probably should have clued him in sooner though...

He would fight back but even with him being of age, the ministry decided that the 8th years should still apply under the "No Underage Magic" law due to them still being in education. It seemed as if they believed the returning students were all menaces to society. Harry suspected this tightening of rules was due to the return of himself and Draco Malfoy. Harry's own reputation was forever shaky but the rules were instated not long after he had convinced the Ministry not to send Narcissa and Draco to Azkaban on the grounds of their support before the final battle. He had also managed to shave a few years off Lucius's sentence as he felt that no one should live without both parents because of personal experience.

Through his open bedroom window, Harry could hear the telltale popping sound signifying someone apperating. Yes Harry was aware of the Order appointing themselves his guards, he wished they cared as much when he'd came to them about the abuse but he guesses the worry only comes when it suits them. In Harry's opinion, the Order had fell from grace. The organisation was pointless with there being no more war, it was just a bunch of stragglers who still want to believe they have some significance. The 'bodyguards' on Privet Drive simply walked up and down the street before another came to take their place. There was no threat outside of the house anymore so, once again, their presence was pointless.

Suddenly, the locks on his bedroom door began to be unlocked. He must not have been paying enough attention to hear his Uncle pull into the driveway. With a quick glance out of the window he found that it was dark. That means Vernon must be home late so he must have had a bad day at work. Quickly sucking in a breath, he braced himself for the harsh beating he was about to receive. Crying out usually caused the beating to become worse, god forbid the neighbours hear and try investigate the sound, so being quiet was key.

The final lock eventually turned. Vernon's face was already beet red and painted with anger.

"What sort of freakishness did you do this time for someone else to be promoted instead of me?" This made as much sense as the reasons his Uncle made to beat him usually did. He was not able to hear what he was say as he'd dissolved into non-sensical mumblings, but that wasn't what he was interested in. Vernon was struggling his belt off. When being beaten with Vernon's belt it hurt a lot more that just with his fist. The belts leather was worn with several nicks, not to mention the metal belt hoop.

---

Severus was just as miserable as he'd predicted himself to be when he apparated to Privet Drive. Not only was he doing this on a day he didn't have to brew, the sight of the neat row of houses with freshly pruned gardens got on his nerves. There was something overly fake about it that he simply could not stand.

Knowing the night would not go any faster if he stood still, he began the walk up and down the street. Few cars passed him, including one that pulled into Number 4 he concluded was Petunia's disgusting husband coming home from work. Choosing not to ponder on how strange it was for muggles to return home from a day job so late, he continued to walk. Not to long after, he heard a scream ring out from the house. Waiting a few second to verify what he'd heard, the street is dead silent.

"NO PLEASE STOP!"

Now that was unmistakable. Without thinking, Severus found himself striding towards the house and bursting through the door. Barely hearing Pertunia's shriek, he began following the sound of the sobs, he came to a door with an unnatural amount of locks. He decided he'd ask questions later. The dark hair man shoved the door, that was luckily unlocked, open to discover the large man stood over the cowering body of Harry Potter. His arm raised with a belt in his grip, about to strike the boy again.

All the ex-Death Eater could see was red. He grabbed the whale's arm just as he was about to bring it down and swiftly broke it. Venon's expression quickly turned from anger to surprise to in pain before finding himself being flung across the room with an extraordinary display of strength. Happy to know he'd knocked the disgusting slob out, the potions master turned back to Potter. He was sobbing looking towards the floor, turned away from Severus. He mindlessly went to the boy, coaxing him into his arms and, before his brain caught up, he had carried him bridal style out of the house and briskly apparated home.

---

When he finally came to his senses, he placed the crying boy on the bed in his quest room and handing him a handkerchief. He did not have experience helping someone when crying so he allowed himself to go on auto-pilot, gathering some clothes from when he was a teenager (knowing they would be the closest clothing he owned to Potter's size, he'd retrieve his belongings tomorrow) and set them beside the boy, crouching and telling him he could wear them to sleep in and where the bathroom is, vaguely gesturing in its direction. Taking the fact he was now quiet, Severus spoke.

"Would you let me see the wounds? I know you won't want to but I need to apply salve to them, it will ease the pain too." Even Severus himself was surprised at the soft tone of his voice but was glad for it when Potter made slow movements in removing his shirt. For the split second the potions master saw his face he saw it light up in embarrassment before Potter resumed his position, slouched with his head down and fringe covering his eyes. Not wanting to leave the wounds unattended, Severus made quick work, knowing any wrong move would make the boy clam back in on himself. It was extremely hard not to comment of the obviously new and old scars that littered his body.

When the salve covered Potters entire back he stood up and walked to the door sparing a last glance at the head of messy hair and left, closing the door behind him and going to bed. Thinking could wait for the morning.