Regreted Choices, Happy Consequences

Severus Snape had woken up irritated. Mainly because he'd been woken by a lime green dressed Albus Dumbledore at 3 pm on his holiday. It felt like he'd hardly slept at all.

The man was frantic. Perhaps a lesser man wouldn't notice the subtle dimness of his eyes or the way his glasses were too far up his nose but Severus did, even in his angry half-asleep state.

"What?!", He snarled.

"The wards have fallen.", The man blurted.

Then Severus was frantic. "Have you called for the order?", He asked. 

The wizened old man nodded. He quickly slipped on outer robes and grabbed his potions bag. They departed, instantly arriving at the Dursley residence.

The house was darkened and the door hung open crookedly.

Not a good sign.

They entered the building carefully, with wands drawn.

The floorboards creaked under them. Severus swept upstairs, checking a few rooms before freezing. In the largest bedroom was a large, still man. Severus moved forward and took the man's pulse. 

Nothing.

He went downstairs and found Dumbledore in the kitchen staring somberly at a woman Severus vaguely recognized to be Petunia, on the floor. Her eyes were vacant but her chest rose and fell. Familiar shudders ran through her frame.

"The cruciatus.", Severus murmured.

"I must check the wards.", Dumbledore said abruptly.

Suddenly a thud came from in the hall. Severus and Dumbledore lurched into the hallway, ready for a fight. There was nothing. 

Severus frowned before noticing a small door. He grabbed the handle and tugged, but it was locked. 

"Alohamora", he incanted, then tried again.

The door swung open to reveal a large pale boy. The boy squeaked at the sight of them.

Severus looked askance at Dumbledore.

"Dudley Dursley. Petunia's son.", Albus said sadly.

"Who're you?! Where's my mum?", The boy asked.

A knock came at the doorframe, Severus looked over to find the Weasley couple along with Minerva and Lupin.

"Ah, just in time, Molly. Young Mr Dursley here is needing someone to take him home at the moment.", Albus said, smiling kindly at the obese child.

Molly swept in and coaxed the boy out of the cupboard and outside.

"Shouldn't we question the boy?", Severus asked.

"He was locked in. Likely Petunia's doing. I believe once I check the wards my suspicions will be confirmed.", Albus declared. 

Albus led and Severus followed. While the wards were being checked, Severus surveyed the neighborhood. It was quiet, overly perfect suburban garbage. He hated it. A small sigh from Dumbledore drew his attention. 

"As I thought, there was a monitoring charm on the blood wards. As soon as they fell the family was doomed.", Albus sighed.

Severus breathed deeply to keep from panicking. "Where is the boy?", Severus asked.

"I don't know. It's possible they took him, though that wouldn't explain the wards falling. Likely a former Death Eater.", Dumbledore replied.

Severus refused to believe the boy was dead.

"I shall check. Have someone posted at the house in case the boy comes home.", Severus barked, then he apparated. 

Severus spent his whole night checking in with his "old friends". None of them had the child.

At 5 in the morning, he returned to the house in defeat. Lupin was sitting in the kitchen. Petunia, mini Dursley and the rest of the order were gone. Severus assumed the corpse had been removed as well.

"Sn-snape. Did you find him?", The werewolf asked eagerly. Severus shook his head.

"Go home. The full moon is upcoming, surely you need your rest.", Severus asked with a sneer.

"Um, yes. Thank you. I'll.. be back." Lupin stuttered before leaving the house. 

Severus searched the house once more. This time for some clue as to where the boy might have gone. He came up empty. His stomach grumbled and he relented, opening the Dursley's refrigerator and grabbing himself some jam, he also found bread in the pantry. He slathered the bread with jam and declared it a meal. 

The sun was up and Severus stared around the predominantly floral print living room in defeat. He'd lost Lily's son. The boy who she had loved so dearly was most likely dead. The only thing that kept him from giving up hope was the fact that he himself was alive. Which meant he hadn't broken his oath. That there was still time to protect Lily's little boy. 

He searched the house with renewed energy, eventually coming across the odd things in the cupboard in his search. There was a rotting mattress along with some broken toys and a few crayon drawings attached to the wall by some rusted nails sticking out. His heart sank when he saw the words "Harry's room" scribbled on the wall. 

Abuse. 

Neglect and abuse. 

Something he'd never even considered Lily's boy might have to go through. Perhaps the boy had run away.

He caught sight of a ratty blanket in the corner and tugged it out. It was a blue baby blanket bordered with hearts. On the corner of the cloth was Harry J Potter, embroidered sloppily. It was likely Lily had made it herself. She'd always been bad with a needle. 

He carefully folded the blanket and tucked it into the pocket of his robes. If the boy had ran away, it had been last minute. No affection starved child would leave behind something so important. 

Severus was startled out of his search when the phone in the kitchen rang. Was it a family friend? The Dursley man's job? Or maybe…. On the off chance that it could be the boy, Severus answered the phone.

Harry sat with Marlene as he waited for Severus Snape to come pick him up. He'd told the woman she could go back to her husband but she'd insisted on sitting with him until his guardian came. The woman questioned him about the man coming to pick him up and when Harry told her he'd never met him, Marlene had responded by giving him her number and making him promise to call her if he needed help. 

Then they'd moved onto a more fun topic: traveling. Apparently Marlene had travelled all over: Paris, Venice, USA, The Bahamas and even Australia. She was in the middle of explaining how they used boats instead of cars in Venice when Harry noticed a man dressed in strange black clothes walking down the beach. Marlene looked when she noticed Harry's attention elsewhere. 

She stood when he reached them, "Hi there. I'm Marlene King.", She said, managing to look strong and proud in her bikini.

"Severus Snape. Harry, please come with me.", The man said with a nod to Marlene.

"Sir. Exactly who are you to this boy? He said he doesn't know you.", Marlene demanded to know.

Severus Snape eyed her for a moment before replying, "I am his mother's best friend. I've never been allowed to meet him because his guardians would not allow it. However, something horrible happened and his relatives were unable to retrieve Harry from the beach. I am here because they are unable to be. Please let me take Harry so I can explain things more properly to him.".

Harry gaped at the man.

Marlene seemed to back down at that.

"Remember your promise.", She whispered to Harry as she leaned down to hug him.

Harry didn't hug her back, mainly because he didn't know how.

"Now come along.", Snape said.

And Harry did. He followed Snape into the parking lot and was puzzled when he saw only one car. Had Mr Snape parked somewhere else?

Then Mr Snape grabbed him and Harry yelped as they winked out of existence.