Once in a Blue Moon

DIsclaimer: Not mine, belongs toJ.K. Rowling etc.


~*~


Severus returned early the next morning, surprised to find Potter waiting for him.
\"Well, come on then.\" he said, gesturing for the boy to follow him.
\"I wanted to say good bye to Remus.\" The Boy Who Lived said softly.
\"I will tell him so. He needs to rest.\" The Potions Master said annoyed. To his surprise, Harry nodded and followed him.
Severus tossed some floo powder into the fireplace and it leapt to life. He pushed Harry towards it. \"Go to Arabella\'s\"
he instructed, getting his own powder ready.
\"Mrs. Figg\'s.\" The Boy Who Lived said dejected and green flame enveloped him. Severus rolled his eyes, stepping into the fireplace and quickly following after.


~*~


\"Are you quite done fawning over him?\" The Potions Master said as Mrs. Figg brought Harry a second plate of cookies.
\"Oh come off it Severus. This boy\'s too skinny as it is, and Merlin knows he won\'t be getting anymore treats until Hogwarts.\"
Severus snorted, finding that hard to believe. \"You could do with some fattening up yourself,\" she added, looking him over
disapprovingly. Severus stared her down, not amused.
\"I need to get back to the school as soon as possible. Come along Potter.\" He made his way towards the door.
\"Not dressed like that you aren\'t.\" Arabella called, hurrying after him. Severus gritted his teeth, waving his wand and transfiguring his robes into muggle attire.
\"Is this acceptable?\" he hissed, grabbing Potter\'s arm and dragging him out the front door the moment he had his nod of approval. How he detested squibs.


~*~


The Dursley\'s house was everything Snape expected it to be.; not a blade of grass out of place, the perfect
suburban home. He rapped sharply on the door, glaring at Potter, who was acting all pouty for being caught. After a
moment an extremely burley man came to the door, looking very annoyed that anyone dare bother him.
\"Yes? What is it?\" He said hurriedly, before seeing Harry. He looked quickly to Severus, then back at the boy, not
looking pleased. Seveus didn\'t blame him.
\"Mr. Dursley?\" he asked. The man reverted his gaze to the Potions Master.
\"Yes.\"
\"I\'ve brought your nephew back.\" Severus said, nudging Harry inside. Harry avoided his Uncle\'s glare and quickly ran
upstairs. Vernon tried to smile.
\"Er...thank you so very much. Quite worried about him. Just took off. So glad he\'s come home to us.\" he rambled on
and on, making Severus want to be sick.
\"You\'re quite welcome Mr. Dursley. Just…” He grimaced inwardly, “looking out for the child\'s well being.\" Vernon nodded,
\"Thank you again, I\'m just going to go …check on him.\"
Snape nodded, retreated back down the stairs as the door closed, feeling sickened. They treated Potter just as he
imagined they would too. He glared at the fat little lawn gnome in the flower bed and kicked it over. Everything in Potter\'s
life was perfect.


~*~


\"What did you tell them?!\" Vernon demanded, backhanding his nephew, who slammed into the wall,
then fell to a heap on the floor.
\"Nothing! I swear!\" He promised, looking up at him fearfully. \"I didn\'t say anything.\" Vernon growled glaring down at him.
\"You\'d better be telling me the truth boy,\" he hissed, grabbing his hair and wrenching his head back so he was forced to
look him directly in the eyes. \"\'Cause if I find out otherwise, you.will.pay.\" he threatened voice barely above a whisper.
He shoved the boy away from him and opened the door. \"You\'ve cost me quite a few customers.\" Vernon said annoyed.
\" You\'ll be making it up to them tomorrow. Finish your chores. You\'ll receive your punishment tonight.\" Harry nodded,
getting to his feet.
\"Yes Sir.\"
\"..And no meals for a week.\" Vernon added as an after thought, slamming the door. Harry could hear the multitude
of locks being closed and sighed.
\"Home Sweet Home.\"


~*~


Vernon came and collected Harry around midnight, ushering him down into the basement for his punishment.
Harry took his usual place on the hideous couch the Dursley\'s had received as a wedding present from Aunt Marge and
had never used, removing his shirt and laying down on his stomach. He clenched his hands into tight fists and tried to
imagine himself away.
\"I am very disappointed in you boy.\" Came Vernon\'s voice as he undid his belt. \"I told you that it\'d be no use running,
didn\'t I?\"
Harry nodded, trying to play a scene of Quidditch in his head.
\"You\'ve cost me a lot of money.\" He snarled, \"And you are going to make it up to me.\"
He brought the belt down with inhuman like strength, Harry struggled not to cry out. Instead, he dug his nails into his
palms, creating little half moons to try to distract him. \"Tomorrow you will service EVERY. one of the clients you missed
while you were gone, and I\'m removing all their limitations.\" He emphasised ever word with the whip of the belt.
~Oh god, ~ Harry thought, panicking. ~No limitations?! And all in the same day?!~
Vernon smirked maliciously, throwing the belt aside, \"And it\'s only fair that I get to go first.\" He chucked, undoing his fly.


~*~