Updated First chapter Nov 4th, 2011

Authors notes: This is my first fanfic ever, please review Thanks. I will try to put up new chapters frequently. –DracoBlueFlame-

Warning: Later chapters are likely to be full of Slash and het smut so the fic is rated M

Disclaimer: The plot belongs to me, but nothing else.

Acknowledgements: I want to recognize my Girlfriend for giving me the original Plot Bunny for this story as well as helping me get the creative juices flowing when I come to a roadblock.

Also I want to recognize:

Bittersweet Dream for beta reading the first couple of chapters, looking over grammar and fixing a few things.

Momonster for helping me rework my story, adding in details, filling plot holes and generally making this chapter a better read. I feel she deserves a title and recognition and if she keeps up the amazing work for a few more chapters I'll be willing to call her a coauthor because she is doing so much.

Chapter 1

Unsweetened Sixteen

Sweet sixteen, what could possibly go wrong? Well, probably nothing as far as Harry knew; he wasn't expecting a party from family or any more presents since he had already received all his presents from everyone who actually cared and what he wanted most was truly impossible by any means.

Not even the magical world had found a way to bring one back from the dead after all.

And that Sirius was lost - bodily and spiritually - to the Veil of Death made any spark of hope die away.

So when he woke up on the thirty-first of July, he had no reason to look forward to it at all. What was there to look forward to when what you wanted most was impossible? Nothing could bring Sirius back; nothing could lessen his guilt over the entire affair.

Sirius would be alive if it wasn't for his recklessness. Nothing he could do would bring him back. And that truth weighed heavily on him.

'If only.' he thought bitterly to himself. 'If only I hadn't fallen for that stupid trap. If only I had known that I was doing exactly what Voldemort wanted me to do, Sirius would still be alive right now. If only.' Wiping angrily at his face lest a damning tear fell, Harry forcefully turned his thoughts from what ifs and what could-have-been.

Still brooding and depressed over his recent loss, he looked over the presents he had received to hopefully distract himself. From Ron he had gotten his favorite wizard candies, Chocolate Frogs and Fudge Flies; from Hermione, a new Defense Against the Dark Arts book; and what at first glance could only be described as rocks and paperweights from Hagrid, but upon closer inspection he realized they were supposed to be sweet biscuits and breads. All these had shown up around midnight after the Dursleys had turned in, but before he had himself gone to bed as he always wished himself a happy birthday on the stroke of midnight. He ended up sending the owls away once he'd received their burdens without replies for fear of Vernon coming in and striking not only them for the noise they eventually made, but also him for standing in the way.

He looked over at the empty birdcage in the corner of his room and wished Hedwig would return soon. She had been gone for three days now and his anxiousness made it feel as if she had been gone forever; he couldn't help but worry that something might have happened to her. Harry had sent her out with a quick message to Moody saying he was still in good health.

"I really want to send these messages out…especially the one to the order." Harry muttered to himself, glancing at the stack of replies he'd written to his friends. He really needed to get in touch with the Order of the Phoenix; they had made it clear to Vernon that if he didn't check in regularly one of them would show up thinking something was wrong.

Harry's thoughts went back to the memory of Moody staring Vernon and Petunia down in the middle of the train station and couldn't help the slight laugh that escaped him.

It was after sunrise - the sky was just turning back to blue from being bright red and orange as the rising sun lifted higher over the horizon - when a large brown barn owl came screeching into his room through the open window. It was times like these that Harry wished he had air conditioning like the rest of the house, then he wouldn't have to leave his window open at night to cool his room. Harry grabbed the note and untied it from the owl's leg, but before he could even begin to read it, he heard Vernon bellow from down stairs.

"WHAT IS ALL THAT BLEEDING NOISE ABOUT?" Vernon bellowed. Harry tried to shoo the owl out the window, but it wasn't having it, screeching again while clawing at Harry's hand as the teen tried to physically push the bird through the window.

'It was told to stay and wait for a reply.' Harry thought to himself in horror, forgoing politeness as he bodily picked the bird up and flung it out the window, shutting it before the owl could get back inside.

The thumping of Vernon's footsteps had made it to the stairs, Harry could tell he was coming closer and closer with each pained creak of wood, and frantically pulled up the loose floorboard, stuffing the missive inside before sealing it closed once more, despairing to himself over the circumstance he'd once again found himself in.

'So much for thinking nothing could go wrong if you weren't expecting anything to go right.' Harry made note to himself dryly, staring forlornly at the door. 'Never count the chicks before they've hatched.'

"THAT BLOODY WHITE BIRD WAS SINKIN' IN THE THAMES TWO DAYS AGO! IF I GET MY HANDS ON ANOTHER OWL IT WILL MEET A SOGGY END AS WELL!" he continued to bellow at the top of his lungs, his lugging steps finally past the stairs and nearer to his door.

"NOT AGAIN!" the Dursley patriarch screamed manically; loud enough that the neighbors had to hear, for at least three blocks in every direction. "NO MORE BLEEDING OWLS! LET ME GET MY HANDS ON ANOTHER ONE, AND LIKE THAT BLOODY WHITE BIRD IT'LL FIND ITS WAY THERE AS WELL!"

Harry felt time stop.

'…Hedwig's…no!' Frozen, Harry could do nothing as the door slammed open, revealing the enraged features of his uncle. 'He's lying!' the boy thought frantically, pleadingly. 'Hedwig can't be dead, she can't be!'

"I am sick and tired of dealing with birds coming and going from my house like it was a damned aviary!" Vernon snarled, stepping farther into the small room. "If I have to wring that bird's neck to have some peace and quiet in the morning then…I WILL!" he bellowed, shoving Harry out of his way.

Harry fell to the ground numbly as Vernon opened the window allowing the bird hovering at the glass to once again enter the house, screeching angrily as it did so.

Harry felt as if he had been hit by a Stupefy; but it didn't quite have enough force to knock him unconscious. Every thought was slow, making his sight swim as Vernon turned his sights towards the owl, crashing through to Harry's room as the barn owl flew through the air around Harry's room; making Vernon try to jump futilely while swatting massive hands through the air nowhere close to the avian. After a few fruitless minutes of running around and swatting at the flying bird, he turned his attention to Harry.

"MAKE THAT BIRD BE QUIET!" Vernon screeched, rushing once again toward the owl, but unable to catch it as it flew through the window, but then hovered outside of it; hooting and screeching loudly as it waited for Harry's reply.

Visibly twitching as his prey left his range, Vernon instead turned to one much closer; reaching down to grab onto the front of Harry's much to large shirt, yanking the thin teenager up to his face before backhanding the black haired teen across the face; the sound of flesh on flesh creating a sickening crack as Harry fell back to the ground, his glasses skittering across the hardwood, scattering glass shards everywhere.

"What-" Vernon started, picking up the limp teenager once more. "-does it take to make you understand that I will not have owls coming and going at all hours of the day?" Vernon demanded, punching Harry in the face.

Harry didn't respond; couldn't respond, frozen.

Vernon had really done it. He'd really killed Hedwig, killed his first friend, the first real birthday present that he could remember.

It was bad enough when it was only Sirius who he had lost; but now on his birthday his most constant companion, the only one who had been with him since he found out about the Wizarding world was gone forever. She hadn't even died in battle with an evil force; just in the hands of his uncle because he was tired of the noise of owls.

Letting out a sobbing sigh; Harry completely shut down, unable to work up the strength to fight back.

Or even the will to want to.

Everything went limp; his mind silent, heart aching with every beat as Vernon took out his pent up anger and frustration on the boy, sparing no mind to his health as the larger man punched and kicked everywhere he could reach.

Skin turning black and blue from the abuse, bones cracking from the assault; still Harry remained motionless, only letting out a soft grunt as Vernon's hit threw him into the far wall of his bedroom.

Landing on his abused stomach, Harry slowly began to push him-self upright as Vernon waddled back towards him.

But before he could get even take five steps, a deafening crack echoed through the room as a figure cloaked in black appeared between them, lifting a hand high as Vernon froze in place, stunned.

Tearing eyes wide, Harry fought to focus on pale skin as the stranger snarled out: "Conpagis Restis!"

'Latin? He…he's a Wizard!' Harry thought to himself bewildered as a ray of colored light appeared to hit Harry's Uncle, wrapping the fat man in rope from neck to toe. The teen remained motionless as Vernon's arms and legs forced to his sides, causing the fat man to lose his balance and fall to the ground, hitting his head hard enough that he was knocked out from the blow.

Slowly lowering his hand, the stranger swiftly turned from the unconscious muggle, tilting his head as Harry finally managed to get onto his knees, head feeling thick left his thoughts coming slowly.

He didn't know whether to be relived or frightened that a Wizard managed to apparate through the wards surrounding his home.

"How unfortunate. Seems we both have much to learn about lies and truth?"

That voice was unmistakable. Harry didn't even need to see the man's face as his body tensed up, the teen unconsciously backing into the wall.

"Snape?"

Snape started to walk towards him as the teen fought to understand just how the man got into his bedroom, but remained motionless, staring up blankly at Snape.

"Stop staring like some witless Neanderthal and get up." Snape started with a sneer, crossing long arms. "We don't have much time Potter."

Harry staggered upright, shaking his head.

"The wards surrounding this house are as good as gone, and it won't be long before the Dark Lord finds you unprotected." Snape began, watching with sharp eyes as Harry stumbled over to his threadbare bed. "This house therefore is nothing more than a target. You cannot stay here, lest we merely hand you over to the Death Eaters." Snape stroll over to the teenager as Harry carefully sat on his bed, biting his lip to stop his whimpers of pain.

Harry looked slightly confused, 'Why is it Snape?' he thought, 'Why didn't someone else come to save me?'

"Come along Potter, you aren't safe here. Have you been following the news?" Harry nodded hesitantly in response. "Well then you know that the Death Eaters are prowling and causing havoc throughout the land. Now is not the time to answer questions, we have to get you to somewhere safer." Snape added having seen the doubt and questioning look on Harry's face. Snape then pulled a few small brightly colored potions out from inside his robes.

Snape reached over to Harry, pouring the potions down his throat before the teen could get a word out otherwise. "If you had actually learned anything throughout your five years in my class you would recognize these potions, Mr. Potter." He said witheringly. "The first stops all bleeding and is healing any cuts upon your person as we speak. The second heals broken bones, and this third will heal your bruising once your bleeding ends." Snape described briskly, putting the emptied vials in to the folds of his robes as Harry sputtered; unable to help his coughing as the potions burned their way down his throat. "Now drink this." Snape demanded once Harry finally managed to look at him without watering eyes.

As Harry did so, Snape pulled something else from his robes. "The last potion will - with a separate agent - change you enough that your magical signature will alter; therefore making it substantially more difficult to find you through magical means by use of any of your personal belongings." Snape paused, sneering slightly. "Now the final ingredient."

Before Harry could react or respond, Snape lifted a finger to his mouth; and green eyes watched with wide eyes as the Potions Master nicked his finger upon his own tooth, and unceremoniously stuck said finger into Harry's mouth.

"Suck on it." Blinking numbly Harry did as ordered, sipping down on the faint taste of blood while Snape watched him.

"I'm sending you to a woman for your protection. She will be able to take care of you and teach you what you need to survive on your own. It will not be easy Potter, no one there knows of your fame here, so don't expect any special treatment from her, or anyone else." Snape paused, pulling his finger free from the unresisting teen. "I must admit, she is a might odd…but she will protect you…better than your relatives at least." Snape finished with a sneer, turning an eye to Vernon on the floor. Snape pulled a little black bottle of something out of his robes, looked it over, tapped it with his wand and muttered something that Harry couldn't make out.

"Here." Harry didn't have to think about what he was to do as the black bottle was tossed towards his face, his hand lifting to catch the cool glass despite the pain.

"You are going to go for a bit of a trip. And with all the healing you need to do, the potions might knock you …" Snape paused as the boy vanished, then let himself smile grimly. "-out." he finished dryly, looking down at where the brat once sat.

Standing with a short sigh, Severus Snape turned towards Vernon Dursley, still unconscious and hogtied.

"Now, now, now." The dark man murmured slowly to himself, lips curling into a dark grin. "What to do with you."