Life Is Never What You Expect

Title: Life is Never What You Expect
Author: Kalonte
Pairing: Harry/Lucius
Summary: Harry is taken away from his relatives before 1st year then gets a surprise from Severus
Warning: This is slash, so if that is not your thing go elsewhere!!
Disclaimer: I do not own these characters. Even though I wish I did.

Chapter 1

Harry Potter was cleaning the kitchen for his aunt when out of nowhere this grey owl came flying through the open window.
He tried to get the bird to leave, but it was insistent. The owl kept sticking his leg out, so Harry would see the letter tied there.
Harry finally reached and slid it off the owl’s leg and looked at it. He was very surprised to see that it was addressed to him.
Mr. H. Potter
The Cupboard under the Stairs
Number 4 Little Winging, Surry
Harry opened the letter and couldn’t believe what it said. The letter was telling him that he was accepted to Hogwarts School of
Witchcraft and Wizardry. He wasn’t sure what he should do; he figured it was all a big prank. He grabbed a pen and wrote a quick
note on the back of the letter. Once he was done he handed it back to the bird and the bird took off out the window.

It had been about thirty minutes after the owl left when his uncle Vernon came home and saw that Harry wasn’t done with his list
of chores. He backhanded Harry into the wall then grabbed him and dragged him into the hallway and through him into his cupboard.
Harry curled up on his little flat mattress and tried to get some sleep before he was woke up to cook dinner.
*At Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry*

Professor Minerva McGonagall was storming down the hallway of the school on her way to see the Headmaster. She stops in front of
a stone gargoyle and says “candy cane” the gargoyle steps out of the way and she heads up the stairway that was reveled. She
doesn’t even knock, she just storms into the room and takes a seat in front of the desk.

”My dear Minerva what can I do for you today?” The Headmaster asks with a Twinkle in his eyes.

“Albus, I just received a letter from a future student who says he does not believe in magic and will not be coming here. What
do you intend to do about this? Minerva asks in a very stressed voice.

“What do you wish me to do? We can not force a child to come here who does not wish to.”
“This just is not any child, this is Harry Potter.” Minerva says as she hands the letter over to the Headmaster.

Professor Dumbledore takes the letter and reads it slowly.

Dear Whoever You Are,
I thank you for the offer but I think it’s a bunch of rubbish. I truly don’t want to be involved in whatever kind of scam this is.
Magic is a bunch of hogwash and I’ll thank you to leave me alone. I don’t know how you knew where I lived but I really don’t care
either. So here is your reply. I will not be attending your bloody silly school and you can shove all this ruddy bullshit somewhere
I’m to polite to mention.

Yours truly,
Harry James Potter

P.S. The big owl was a nice touch though. I’ll give you that.

After reading the letter a small smile came to his face. “My, the boy does have a lot of spunk.”

“Well Albus what do you intend to do?”

“I will send someone to go and see how Mister Potter is doing, and have them talk to him about coming here. Then if he still
wishes not to come here, then we still can not force him to.” Albus was trying to decide who he get to go and see Harry.

“Thank you, Albus.” Minerva stood and walked out of the office.

Albus sat there for another few minutes until he settled on which teacher to send. He finally went over to his fire place and
fire called Severus Snape to come to his office.

Severus really did not want to go because he knew that he was more than likely not going to like what Albus had to say.
He never did. When he stalked into the Headmasters office he did not even bother sitting down. He stood in front of the desk
and waited for the bad news to come.

“Well Albus what was that was so urgent I had to leave my potions to rush up here?” Severus asked in his usually impatient way.

“Severus I need you to go and check on a student. He says that he does not want to come to the school.” Albus says with his
usual twinkle in his eye.

“Albus if he does not want to come here what business of it is ours?” Severus says with a smirk firmly in place.

“This student is Harry Potter and apparently he does not believe in magic. So I want you to check on him and find out why he
is not coming.” Albus says in a way that lets Severus know that this is not a request.

“Fine, I will leave as soon as I change clothes. Will that be suitable?” Severus was really dreading this.

“Yes that will fine Severus. I will see you when you return.” Albus just smiles with damn twinkle still firmly in place.

Severus stalked out of the office and heads to his rooms in the dungeons to get ready to leave.

Severus aparated just outside the wards on Privite Drive and heads down the street for Number 4. He is nearly disgusted at
the sickening normalcy of this place and pampered and spoiled the brat must be.

When he gets to the house he knocks on the door and hears some commotion inside and what almost sounds like someone
hitting a wall and then a door slam. He shakes it off thinking he must be hearing things. He stands there for several minutes
when the door open and what looks like a small wale is standing there.

“What do you want?” The boy asks with a slight sneer.

“I am looking for Harry Potter if you could kindly point me in his direction.” Severus gives the boy one of his best scowls.

The boy ghostly pale and tries to slam the door before running back into the house and yelling for his dad that someone is asking
about the freak. Severus steps into the house and looks around seeing pictures all over the walls but none of the boy he was there
to find. A man comes into room even fatter then the wale that opened the door.

“What are you doing here? We don’t want any of your kind in our nice normal home. So, get out now.” The man rages turning purple
in the face.

“Mr. Dursley I presume? I am here to speak with Harry Potter, so if you will just point me towards him then I will gladly speak with him
then go. I wish to be here no longer then is needed as much as you wish me here.” Severus sneered at him.

The man pales. “He is not here. He ran away years ago”

Severus does not believe him but what can he do so he turns to leave when he hears a thump and a whimper. He turns around fast and
listens carefully. He here a faint “I’m in here.” He rushes over to the door under the stairs and finds it locked. He pulls out his wand and
says an unlocking charm. The door creaks open and he looks inside and is almost sick by what he sees. There on the floor on what looks
like a crib mattress is a small child who looks no older then 9 curled up bloody and bruised.

When the door was opened the little boy turned his head to look up at him. The most beautiful emerald green eyes squint up at him.
The boy whimpers and curls tighter into a little ball. Severus kneels down and reaches out to lightly touch the boys arm.

“Don’t hurt me please.” The boy whimpers.

“I’m not going to hurt you child. What’s your name?” Severus asks in softest voice he has ever used.

The boy looks back up at him and very quietly says, “My name is Harry. Are you going to take me away from here? I heard you asking
my uncle about me.” The boy asks with a little more force.

“You are Harry Potter?” Severus asks in shock.

Harry nods his head and slowly sits up till he is up on his knees. Severus reaches out and offers him a hand to help him stand. Harry
refuses the hand and uses the wallt o push himself into a standing position just outside the cupboard. Severus looks down at the child
and sees that the boys so tiny for his age. He is shorter and much skinnier then he should be plus what he can see of the boy he is
covered in bruises and cuts.

Harry looks up at this man and is slightly intimidated by how tall he is. He has long jet black hair and inky black eyes. A semi large nose
and very high cheek bones and highly defined features. Even though the man looks slightly scary, he feels safer with him than he ever
has with anybody.

“I was sent here to find out why you turned down coming to Hogwart’s. The headmaster was worried and asked me to come and ask you.”

“You mean Hogwart’s is a real school?” Harry asks in an obviously disbelieving voice.

“Yes I assure you it is very real. I was only sent here to talk to you about school, but now I would like for you to tell me who hurt you like
this and what you were doing locked in this tiny cupboard.”

“Why should I tell you anything? I don’t know you. You could be just like everybody else and I need more people like that.” Harry leans
back against the wall and raises one eyebrow.

“You are right you don’t know me but I assure I have no interest in hurting you in any way. I may even be able to help you but you have
to talk to me.”

Harry thinks things over for a bit then decides to just jump in and go for it. “My uncle Vernon hurt me mostly but my cousin and aunt helped.
I was locked in this cupboard because this is my room I always sleep here. They lock me in so I can’t sneak food or cause any trouble.
Can you really help me?”

“Yes child I can help you. Where are your things? You won’t be staying here any longer.”

Harry reaches in the cupboard and pulls out a tiny back and then looks back up at the man. “I still don’t even know your name,
but I’m ready to go.”

“My name is Severus Snape. Is that all that you wish to take with you?”

“It’s all that I have.” Harry looks up at Severus confused.

Severus just nods and leads the way toward the door. He sends the fat muggle a dark glare that promises a lot of pain. He leads Harry
down the road about two blocks.

“Alright, I’m going to be calling the Night Bus so do not be alarmed.” Harry watches as Severus pulls out a thin stick and holds it out over
the road. Harry jumps when he hears a loud bang and then large purple triple decker bus stops in front of them.

“Come along Harry we need to be going.” He climbs onto the bus and Harry slowly follows him on board. Severus tells the boy that he
needs to get to Hogwart’s as soon as possible.

Severus leads Harry back to a bed and tells him to sit down and rest. He will wake him up when they get to there destination. Harry nods
and curls up on the bed keeping his eyes on everything that happens around him. About an hour later the bus comes to a sudden stop.

“Harry this is our stop.” Severus stands and leads Harry off the bus and through a huge set of gates. Harry comes to a dead stop when
he sees the huge castle in front of him.

Severus looks down and him and smirks slightly. “Welcome to Hogwart’s Harry.”

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