The Differences Between Us

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Chapter 1: the NOT forgotten Birthday

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Harry slumped into his chair at breakfast and waited for Aunt Petunia to finish slicing an orange. She didn't trust Harry to make breakfast ever since Fred and George Weasley had give Dudley a ton-tongue taffy last summer.

Dudley was back on his diet and, far from having any effect, Dudley seemed bulkier than ever.

But something was bothering Harry. It was his birthday and he had gotten presents from his friends. Except for one person, Sirius. Harry hadn't heard from him since school let out. Although Harry knew Dumbledore wouldn't let anything happen to Sirius, It didn't stop Harry from having a lingering feeling of unease.

Harry decided to forget about it. He ate his orange slice and then went upstairs to start on the cake that Mrs.Weasley had made for him.

Harry sat there in his room, with a book in front of him so that if someone came in they wouldn't see the cake. Harry heard his uncle leave for work.

A little while later, Dudley left to go to his best friend Gordon's house.

Then later he heard his aunt shrill voice "Haaaaaaarrrrrrrrrrrryyyyyyyy! I'm leave to go to the store! If you even think of messing up anything! I'll make you wish you were NEVER born!" Then she slammed the door and left.

Harry gave a sigh of relief. Now he could finish some of the homework he had been assigned over the summer.

he had just sat down to start on a History of Magic essay when he heard the doorbell ring.

Harry got up a bit annoyed, and went down stairs to answer the door. Who ever it was, they kept ringing the doorbell every five seconds.

Harry opened the door and looked into the face of the last person he would ever expect to see... Potions Professor Severus Snape.

Harry was shocked. Snape looked like a terrorist out of the movies. He was wearing a pair of black pants, a black shirt, and a black trench coat with the collar turned-up, and topped by a black ski hat. He had obviously made an attempt at looking like a muggle.

"Well," Snape barked "Are you going to let me in or just stand there like an idiot?"

Harry moved out of the way to let Snape in. Snape glance once around the room with a look of great disgust at Aunt Petunia's collection of white doilies.

"Err... Pro-Prof-Professor?" Harry stammered "I hope I don't sound rude but, what are you doing here?"

Snape looked at Harry with his usual look of loathing "Dumbledore feels that you are no longer safe at number 4 Privet Drive. So I am being forced to take you to live with me."

Harry was stunned. He felt like telling Snape that he would rather take his chances against Voldemort but, Snape was looking lethal as it was.

"Come on Potter! Go pack! I haven't got all day!" Snape shouted.

Harry jumped into motion instantly. He ran up to his room and took all of his books and school supplies out from under the floorboard. then he ran down to the cupboard under the stairs, picked the lock and pulled his trunk back upstairs to the living room where Snape was waiting. Then Harry ran back upstairs and quickly grabbed some clothes and shoved them into his trunk.

"Are you ready yet?" Snape asked impatiently.

"Yeah" Harry breathed quickly.

Snape took out his wand and pointed it at the Dursley's fireplace "Incendio!"

All of a sudden, a fire appeared as though it had been burning for hours.

Snape pulled out a small pouch out from the trench coat and threw a pinch of the powder into the fireplace.

But at that moment Aunt Petunia came in through the front door with grocery bags in her hands, "Potter!" She bellowed, "get out-" She had just caught sight of Snape and Harry.

She let out a blood curdling scream. " Get out!" She tried to push Snape out the front door, "Get out! Get out! GET OUT!!!!!"

Snape tried to fight back when, Aunt Petunia punched him right in the nose.

She gasped and stepped back, partially horrified by her own daring, and worried about what Snape would do.

Snape ignored the blood streaming down his face and soaking his collar. Instead he pointed his wand at Aunt Petunia "Bindio''

Instantly ropes shot out from his wand and wound around Aunt Petunia making her look like a mummy. She lost her balance and fell over.

"Well, Potter." Snape said turning to him "We best be off."

"Harry stepped into the flames and called into the flames "Severus Snape's house"

The flames grew taller.

"Oh and Potter" Snape said "Happy Birthday"

Harry stared at Snape for a moment, then Harry was gone.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------