Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter or any associated characters.

Warning: Mentions of abuse.

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With a sigh Harry wiped the back of his hand off his sweat ridden face. Damn the heat. He was only half way through weeding the garden, and his sweaty, blood stained t-shirt was already sticking to his back. Scars and bruises from the lashings he'd received over the years littered his back, most of which were fresh.

Stretching out his shoulders and back, Harry couldn't stifle the cry that came from his mouth as a sharp searing pain shot through his side. He presumed a few of his ribs were broken after Dudley and his gang had used him as a punching bag the night before.

Doing his best to ignore the pain, he continued with the long list of chores his uncle had given him that morning. He knew he wasn't going to get all his chores done before his relatives returned at half six, after all he never did. And more than likely never would. They always returned just as he was on his last chore but Harry knew they thoroughly enjoyed it, giving them a chance to punish and starve him some more, not that they ever treated him any other way.

Later, as Harry was about to set the plates for dinner, he heard the rumble of his uncle's car in the drive preceded by the slamming of car doors.

"Hurry up and get the dinner on the table boy." Vernon drawled as he entered the house, closely followed by Aunt Petunia and Dudley.

Harry made to set three plates on the table only to have Dudley stick his foot out and trip him up. With the clink of plates smashing, Harry face planted into the table, whacking his head off the wooden leg in the process.

"You clumsy boy." Petunia shrieked "You can't even manage to carry plates without breaking them, you worthless brat."

Harry's vision blurred and the room spun as he slowly sat up amidst the mess. He knew what was going to happen. And happen it did.

"Clean up the mess, boy, and no food for you tonight, you freak" his uncle roared and sent Harry sprawling with a kick to his already injured ribs.

"Yes, Uncle Vernon" Harry replied shakily, every breathe he took jarring his side. He rubbed his blood coated hands into his trousers in an attempt to stem the blood flow, but to no avail.

Harry set to work clearing away the shards as quickly as he could before darting off to his cupboard out of his uncles way. Wrapping his t-shirt around his wounds, he tied tied it in place in an effort to keep his open wounds clean.

Later that evening saw Harry dozing off atop his yellowed mattress only to be rudely awoken by Vernon yelling at him in his usual drawl.

Knowing the man was in a bad mood, he braced himself for the pain that was sure to set in. He was yanked up by the scruff of his neck and flung to the floor in a careless manner before having his ribs kicked again.

Letting out a small moan, he curled up in a ball doing his best to protect his head and wrapped his arms protectively around his sides. As expected, his uncle rained down more punches and kicks until Harry lost consciousness. With a grin radiating accross his face, Vernon picked Harry up and flung him into the cupboard, the boy's head slamming into the wall before he fell in a crumpled heap.

***Riddle Manor***

Tom leaned back in his chair sipping on his coffee as he watched Severus agitatedly running a hand through his matted hair.

Getting fed up with Severus, he asked "What's bothering you, Severus?"

Placing his coffee down, he watched as the man stopped in front of him. Tom knew his Death Eaters only too well and could tell exactly when something was up. That was one of his talents he thoroughly enjoyed

"My Lord….after your fall, and L-Lily's death, Dumbledore made me make a vow to protect Potter." After the words tumbled unbidden out of his mouth Severus took a step backwards noticing the sudden change in demeanor of his lord.

Tom slammed his fist down on the table almost spilling his coffee in the process " How could you betray me, Severus and go to Dumbledore, of all people."

Severus gulped and waited for Tom to continue. "For all these years I trusted you, Severus and this is what you do."

Severus went to grab his wand out of his robes only to blurt out. "But Potter's your horcrux, My Lord." before he could stop himself.

Tom froze momentarily. Severus had to be telling the truth since there was no other way he'd know about his horcruxes. Pondering over it for a few minutes he decided he could trust Severus. After all Severus always told the truth.

This new addition added to his growing number of problems since he couldn't just kill the teen now like he'd tried to do when he was a baby.

Tom mused over his ideas of what he was going to do with Potter. He couldn't leave his horcrux out in the open unprotected where Dumbledore could get to him. It wasn't safe.

A few minutes later he was dragged out of his thoughts by Severus clearing his throat nervously, eyeing Tom's wand with trepidation. Damnit. He'd spoken all that out loud.

"What Severus?" Tom snapped.

"It could be prudent, my lord, to...keep the boy….here my lord." Severus cringed while Tom looked thoughtful.

Suddenly, Tom jumped up knocking the chair he'd been sitting on over in the process. "Good idea Severus, let's do that." Regaining his lordly presence, he retrieved his chair, sitting back down on it with an almost regal grace.

Severus eyed Tom curiously for a few moments wondering if his lord had just lost it.

"You're dismissed now, Severus, I've got some work to do." And with that Severus swept from the room, leaving Tom alone.

Sighing, Tom searched for the connection between their minds and when he felt it he entered with little resistance. Tom was met by a bunch of memories, through which he began to watch Potter's life go by before his eyes in a blur of colours and words.

Pulling slowly out of Harry's mind, he was shocked by everything he'd just seen. Dumbledore had a lot to pay for, allowing Harry to return to the Dursley's year after year and treating him the way they did. His horcrux had already been through a lot in his life so far and he wouldn't let harry suffer anything like that again.

A sudden urge to protect and look after Harry In his manor welled up inside him. After all their childhoods were similar and he wanted to show Harry what it's like to have someone who truly cares about you.

He was beginning to really look forward to with his new life with Harry, only if he would let him that is. He simply did not know if he would ever be forgiven for his actions, but he'd wait and see.