It was 5 days before the end of the year and Severus was sitting in his study in his quarters grading his students' homework. He was looking forward to his summer, a child-free holiday. Suddenly, the floo flared and a note flew through and landed on his desk.

"Meet me in my office, son. Now. Albus"

He sighed. What is it now that his adoptive father needed him ? He stood up, grabbed a handful of floo powder, stepped in and spoke loudly

"Headmaster's office"

He landed in Dumbledore's office and saw him sitting at the desk looking at Severus with twinkles in his eyes.

Severus sat down on a chair in front of Dumbledore and asked

"What is it, Father ?"

Dumbledore smiled and started talking

"Severus, as you know, Harry Potter is recovering after his encounter with Quirrel and Voldemort..."

Severus stared at the man angrily. Of course, the conversation was about the arrogant Golden Boy. However, Dumbledore just continued.

"I came to visit him this morning and he informed me that his relatives haven't been treating him nicely"

"Well, I'm sure he just said hat for attention. I know the brat"- Severus interrupted.

"Listen to me, Severus. He asked me not to send him back there. I haven't come to check on him since I left him on their doorsteps. I think we should use this opportunity to get to know about his home life"

"What's there to know more about ?! Just like his father, he has been spoiled by being given everything he wants and become an arrogant little brat !!" - Severus snapped.

" Severus, please calm down. Whatever you said, I think we should keep him away from his relatives this summer to see what's he gonna do"

Severus just stayed silent, so Dumbledore continued.

"And I think the most suitable person to take him is you, Severus"

Severus' eyes widened

"WHAT ?!!! There's no way I'm going to take that brat to my home for the summer !!"

"Severus, please, every other teacher has to visit their family this summer. There's only you left"

"No! You want to keep him, you get to take him. He's an arrogant, ungrateful little brat"

"Then why don't you take this chance to make him realize that, not that I think he is arrogant and ungrateful like you said."

"Please, Severus, for me "- Dumbledore said after a minute of silence. "How about this, you take him this summer and I'll give you 2 vials of Phoenix's tears "

"You should have been in Slytherin, Father "

"And your answer ?"

After 2 minutes of thinking, Severus finally said angrily

"Fine! But I'm going to do it my way and won't keep the spoiled lifestyle he has at home."

"Ok, Severus, just remember he's a child "

The next morning, Dumbledore made his way to the hospital wing to inform Harry of his plan for the boy's summer. Of course, he got the same reaction as the one he got the night before from Severus. It took him a lot of persuading and reassuring for an hour to get Harry to agree. He just hoped that it would go well for the two.

A few days later, Harry finally got to leave the hospital wing. He made his way to the Griffindor tower. He couldn't understand why Dumbledore said it would be good to stay with Snape. He couldn't be any better than the Dursleys, right ?

"Mate, are you ok ?"- Ron said once Harry made his way into the common room.

"Yeah"

"It's nearly the end of the school year, are you excited ?"- Hermione asked.

"Well, I've got something to tell you guys"

Harry ended up telling them about going with Snape

"How could Dumbledore do that ?" - Ron said angrily.

"I agree, but we know one thing, we can't change his decision " - Hermione said sadly.

"Mate, if he does something bad to you, owl me and I'll get mom to come get you away from there." - Ron offered

Harry just nodded.

The last days of school passed quickly and it was finally the last evening of the school year. Harry and Ron had just made their way up to their dormitory when Harry received an owl with a note

"Potter, see me at platform 9 3/4 after you get off the train. S.S"

"What is that ?" - Ron asked.

"Snape tells me to go on the Hogwarts Express with you guys and he'll pick me up at the flatform"

"Ok, let's pack"

Harry didn't have much, just a few worn, oversized t-shirts and trousers that he got from Dudley. He didn't know what Snape would say when the man saw them.

By the time Hogwarts Express arrived at the Platform, it was afternoon.

"Bye, Harry, remember to write me "- Hermione shouted to him before coming over to her parents.

"Harry, if he's giving you a hard time, owl me and I'm sure we would come for you"- Ron said and went with his brothers to find their parents.

Harry looked around, Snape had told him to meet him there. Then he saw him, the big man with black clothes and robes surely was Snape. He walked over.

"Go, Potter"- Severus said shortly

The made their way through the barrier and Harry followed Snape out of King Cross Station. They came into a small and empty alley. Severus turned to Harry.

"We're going to disapparate to the country of the city then drive the rest to my Manor"

He quietly set Hedwig free, saying she would find them on her own and shrunk Harry's trunk and the cage and put them in his pocket. He hold his arm out for Harry.

Harry looked confused.

"What are you waiting for, Potter ? We're disapparating"

Harry didn't know what disapparate meant, but he held onto Severus' arm. He felt like being pulled and pushed into a small pipe. He couldn't breathe. Then he was on his knees and was able to breathe again. He gasped for air.

Severus was impressed. He had thought Potter would at least throw up after disapparating for the first time.

Severus took out a shrunken car from his pocket and unshrunk it. Harry looked at him impressed.

"On"- Severus said to Harry shortly.

Harry quickly got in the back seat and they drove away.

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

It's been 30 minutes, and Harry was already bored. He couldn't understand why Snape didn't apparate them directly to his house. He looked out of the window. There was nothing there to see, just fields and fields.

Meanwhile, Snape, driving the car, was enjoying making Potter's life boring and miserable. He didn't apparate straight to the Manor because he wanted to keep Potter out of it for as long as possible. The less time he was in there, the less trouble he would get in.

It was about 2pm and Harry had started squirm around. He was bored. He looked around a little and he decided maybe he could take a rest. He closed his eyes, willing not to fall asleep. But, just 10 minutes later, Harry was deep in sleep.

Severus looked at the rear view mirror and saw that Harry had fallen asleep. He sighed, maybe that would be better since Potter wouldn't annoy him while asleep.

2.30pm, Harry woke up with a start. He looked around. They were still driving. He tried to figure out what had woken him and suddenly felt a pressure in his bladder. Oh no ! He needed the toilet, and bad ! He started squirming. He didn't know what to do. Would Snape stop somewhere and let him go ? He was sure if he didn't get to a toilet soon, he would have an accident.

"Sir ?"

"What ?!"

"Are we almost there ?"

" 2 hours, Potter !"

TWO HOURS !! How could he hold that long. He had to get to a toilet in 10 minutes if he didn't want to wet himself, especially not in Snape's car.

"Sir ?"

" What now ?!"

"Can we possibly stop at a rest stop or petrol station ?"

"Why ? There's food int he basket next to you " - Snape said pointing at the basket on the backseat.

"No, I'm not hungry, sir."

"Then what ?!" - Snape snapped.

"I...I need to go to the bathroom."

"Surely you can hold it, Potter ? You're 11 years old if I recall correctly " - Snape spat.

Harry just kept silent. Maybe Snape was right, and if Harry couldn't hold it then there must be something wrong with him.

He sat there for a few more minutes, squirming constantly. He couldn't hold it. He started to feel tears forming in his eyes.

"Sir ?"

"WHAT ?!" - Snape spat

"Ne...never mind. I'm sorry " - Harry said, his voice breaking. He was so scared he didn't dare ask him. What if the man hit him ? Tears had started running down his face.

'Maybe I shouldn't be too harsh' - Severus thought. Now the boy had started crying softly. He must be crying because of Severus' tone, right ? He didn't need to go that bad ?! Severus was sure he was just doing that for attention, that arrogant brat !

Harry started shaking and he was trying his best to hold it even though he knew he wouldn't make it to a bathroom.

2 minutes later, he started to lose control. It started as a few spurts into his boxers. And then he lost all of control. His trousers started to get wet and the stream ran down his legs and onto the floor and the seat.

Severus heard the boy whimper and the crying started to get worse. He glanced at the mirror and saw Potter's face soaked with tears and his trousers were all wet. Oh no !!! The boy really needed to go that bad. What does he do now ?

"Potter"

The sudden call of his name made Harry flinch. Severus noticed it. Harry cried harder. What was the man gonna do to him now ?! He just wet his seat and his car !

"I...I'm sorry, sir."

"What for ?"

"For wetting your seat and your car and... for crying" - He said softly through his tears.

"I'm a wizard, Potter. Do you mean to insult me ?" - He said angrily.

Severus waved his wand, his eyes were still looking forward with the other hand driving. Harry felt warmth sweep through his lower half and tensed for a few seconds until he realized it was just a spell to clean him and everything that had been wet.

"No, sir. I'm sorry, and thank you sir." - Harry said softly and cried himself to sleep just a few minutes later.

Severus felt pretty bad. He had put a bad start for them by refusing the boy's normal need for the bathroom. He knew children's needs were more urgent and he had gone too far.

Harry woke up to someone shaking his shoulders.

"Potter, wake up. We're here"

Harry flinched. It was only his professor, but Harry hadn't trusted him yet. He was the man that had made his life at Hogwarts hell the previous school year.

He slowly got out of the car. He looked up and was shocked to see a huge Manor. They were in the driveway . And there were gardens and grounds around the Manor.

Snape beckoned for him to follow.

They entered the Manor through the front door and Harry looked aroung with wide eyes. It was huge. Snape took out the shrunken trunk and the cage and unshrunk them.

"Toppy !"- Snape called.

A house elf popped in in front of them and Harry, having never seen one before, stepped back a few steps in fear.

"Master called Toppy ?"

"Yes, Toppy, this is Harry Potter, he's going to spend the summer here. Mr.Potter, this is Toppy."

"Oohh ! Welcome, Master Harry Potter, sir ! Toppy is very pleased to meet you sir !"

"Um..., ok "

"Toppy" - Snape said - "Take this trunk up to the second guest bedroom and take the cage to the owlery.

"OK, Master Severus Snape"

Snape then turned to Harry " Come, Potter, I'll show you around the house"

They went around the downstairs and Snape showed him the living room, sitting room, dining room, the kitchen and the downstairs bathroom.

"My lab is down there behind that door, you're not to go down there unless I give you permission" - Snape said pointing to the door that led to the basement when they were about to go upstairs.

They went up the stairs. Snape pointed out 2 doors and led to his study and bedroom, which Harry were not allowed in without Snape's permission. They continued down the hall, to a big library, it must have thousands of books.

"You can use the library and read the books in it. But, you're to return them to their right places. You may read any books you want except for those you can't take off. They were charmed not to be taken off by you."

Then they went to the other side of the hall and walked to a door.

"This is where you'll be staying"

He opened the door to reveal a big guest bedroom. Inside, the was a big, comfortable-looking bed, a wooden desk, a chair, a drawer, a bedside table with a lamp and a wardrobe. The walls were painted dark blue.

"Any clothes that needed to be washed shall be put in the basket in the wardrobe. They will be transfered to the laundry room magically. You can also put them in the baskets in the bathrooms, which is behind that door" - Snape pointed to the door to the right of the guest room - "and that one" - he pointed to the last door on the other side of the hall.

"Yes,sir"

"Breakfast is at 8 am, lunch at 12.30, dinner at 6pm"

"Yes,sir"

"I'll leave you to settle down and unpack. And I expect you at 6 in the kitchen."

With that, Snape walked downstairs.