Present

“Now I didn’t hear about this until much later but it’ll make more sense if I tell you guys about it now.”  Harry rubbed the back of his neck unfortunately.  Why did the professors have to sit up there like that?  He could feel their eyes digging into him.  This part especially was going to upset at least a few of them.  If they were in front of him at least he could avoid meeting their gaze. Here he just felt vulnerable.  He should have thought about that before they started all this.  Oh well, like so many other things it was too late now.

“Dad got back to the castle a little while after his talk with Mr. Weasley.  He visited Madam Pomfrey, then went up to talk to the Headmaster’s office.  If you ask me, this might not have been the best of ideas.  He probably could have used a bit more time to cool off.  This is one of very few times I’ve even heard of Dad losing control.  The fact he did it twice in one night should tell you something.”

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

February 1996

Dumbledore looked up from the missive in front of him as Severus Snape stormed into the room.  “Ah, Severus, my boy, lovely to see you this evening.”

Severus’s eyes narrowed at the greeting.

“What can I do for you Severus,” the old man asked kindly gesturing for the younger man to take a seat.

Severus hesitated, but took a seat in the chair directly across from the Headmaster.  There was a moment of heavy silence before Severus gathered himself enough to speak.

“I wish to discuss my son.”  Severus said softly.  The words were spoken so softly in fact they were almost lost in the small sounds of the many instruments that laid about the Headmaster’s office.

Albus looked the younger man over.  The man’s face was schooled his features into his ever present stone mask.  There however, was a fire in his eyes.  What made it burn so hot and bright tonight Albus was unsure, but he had a feeling he would find out.

“What about young Harry would you like to discuss?  Has there been a breakthrough in his Occlumency lessons?”  Albus asked steepling his long fingers.

Severus paused.  “In a manner of speaking.  For the first time tonight the boy was able to breakthrough my own shields as I was ejected from his mind.  He witnessed some rather unpleasant snippets of my memories including one of Tobias.  When we were both back in control he inquired if the screaming man was in fact my father.”

“I told him that he was not.  Tobias was not worthy of carrying such a title.  He said the man reminded him of his uncle.  He then provided me with a list of treatments maligning his care at his relatives.  I will be honest I brushed them aside.  I have no intention of the boy returning to their care based on what I had already seen.  I didn’t need to know whatever laundry list of imagined slights the boy had.  He persisted in telling me about them thought.  I did not pay him any mind until the boy told me he was kept in a cupboard under the stairs from almost the time of his arrival until receiving his Hogwarts letter.  He was stored like a spare pair of boots, or cleaning equipment.  I suppose the second part of the analogy is more than fair, as there are house elves that receive better care than the boy has.”

“What would you like to know Severus?” Dumbledore asked, his voice full of sorrow.

“I want to know how long you’ve known.  I confronted Black on his failure to protect the boy, but he claims he never knew.  What’s more I believe him.  He has no training in what to look for in these sorts of cases.  Yes, he did not have the most pleasant relationship with his own family, but it was very different.  Afterward, however, Arthur Weasley told me he and Molly had told you of the boy’s treatment by his relatives.  He even said they’d requested the ability to take the boy in.  Now tell me, how long have you known?”  Severus asked sharply.

There was a pause as a clock chimed the late hour.  The wizards sat in an uncomfortable silence.

“Albus,” Severus said coldly.

The old man paused licking his dry lips, “I’ve always known.”

“Why did - … How could - …” Severus began.  He was lost for words.  He had had a feeling this was the case, but to hear it from the horse’s mouth was something else.

“I had no choice Severus.”  Albus explained softly.

“No choice?”  Severus demanded.  “There were an infinite number of choices.  Any wizarding family in Britain, if not the world would have gladly taken the boy in.”

“He would have grown up famous, people expecting great things from him before he could talk.  It was better to have him in the Muggle world, free from that pressure.”  Albus protested.

“Why then Petunia?  You’d met her.  You knew just how small and petty she could be.  You had to have known her jealousy and hatred of Lily would be transferred to the boy.  How could you be daft enough to tell her James was not the boy’s father?  If there was anything that could have ruined the boy’s future more than this mother’s death it was mentioning my name to Petunia Evans.  She despised me more than the entire Wizengamot combined.”  Severus said dejectedly.

“There was no other choice Severus.  Harry needed the protection of a blood relative, surely Arthur told you that.” Albus told him. 

Severus nodded.

“Lily’s sacrifice ensured Harry a protection that no wizard, no matter how powerful could break.  To be maintained, this required Harry live under the care of someone who he had genetic ties to.  Petunia was the only living family member he had.”  Albus explained.  If Severus was not mistaken there was a note of pleading in the older wizard’s voice.

“She wasn’t though.  There was me.”  Severus countered.

“Yes, you the convicted Death Eater.  How would you explain how you came to care for Harry Potter?  What would you have done when Voldemort retuned?  He would have forced you to hand over your son to him.  What would you have done Severus?  Don’t you see Severus, I had no choice.”

Severus sighed almost in resignation.  The man had a point.  “If you knew the Muggles were mistreating the boy why not try and at least prevent the greatest of abuse.  Surely you can’t justify leaving the boy to suffer unaided.”

Albus let out a small sigh.  In this moment he looked all of his many years.  “I hoped they would learn to love him.  I thought that with enough time they would treat him like one of their own.  By the time Harry was school age, it was clear this was never going to happen.  My hope than was the Muggle authorities would step in.  Here too he was failed.  Somehow he fell through the cracks.”

Severus was not so sure it was entirely the system that failed Harry.  He was fairly sure it had help along the way.

“Why not call in the M.L.E. if the Muggles failed?”  Severus demanded.

Albus dismissed his concerns, “Don’t you see?  If the M.L.E. found out it was bound to make it into the press.  There would have been an uproar “the-Boy-Who-Lived Abused at Hands of Muggle Relatives”.  People would have called for blood.”

“They would have wanted to remove Harry from the Dursley’s care, then were would Harry have been?  As tragic as it was Harry had to be brought up this way.”  Albus explained.

“No old man, he did not.  You saw him as a pawn in your game once more.  You saw his future as a sacrifice you were willing to make never mind the consequences.  This will not happen again.  From now on all decisions regarding the boy’s fate and welfare go through me.  I don’t care what excuses you have to make.  I will decide what is best for my son.”  Severus said, before storming from the room.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Present

Severus listened as Harry described Severus’s response to the detailed description of the abuse Harry suffered at the hands of his relatives.  Severus was slightly embarrassed by his response.  He was slightly unfair in his attacks on Black and the Weasleys.  He could not say the same about the Headmaster.  If Albus Dumbledore were any other man Severus was certain he would have curse him.

Harry’s telling of events seemed to make Severus less harsh, at least to Severus himself.  There was one encounter Harry did not know about.  Severus was not sure he could ever tell Harry about it.  He was too scared he would lose his son because of his disapproval.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

February 1996

Severus Apperated to the corner of Private Drive.  He was too upset to care if any Muggles noticed his sudden appearance, or his strange attire.  Severus wore his typical black teaching robes, high collared shirt, and black slacks.

Severus walked a short way down the street. A man at Number 9 gave Severus a dirty look at the sight of his robes.  Severus gave him an equally dirty look in return.  The man quickly retreated into his house.  Severus noticed the well-kept garden at Number 4 was looking slightly shabby.  It seemed Petunia was willing to let her reputation suffer if only to make Harry’s life all the harder.  Severus cursed the woman’s pettiness once more.  Petunia would be forced to deal with the repercussions of her actions however.

Severus would love to see the look on Tuney’s horsey face when she realized that next summer.  Her era of free labor would come to an end.  Perhaps he should do something to aid her gardening efforts.  He would have to think on that.

Severus walked up the brick walkway.  Stopping at the door Severus considered his next course of action.  Perhaps he should have changed out of his robes, if only to put the Muggles momentarily at ease.  No, Severus thought Tuney would likely recognize him instantly and any effort doing so would have been a waste.  Severus raised his hand and delivered three sharp wraps of his knuckles on the door.

There was a slight commotion on the other side of the door, followed by heavy footsteps.  “We’re not interested in buying anything,” a male voice yelled before the door even opened.

Severus merely waited for it to open.  He was rewarded a moment later by the angry visage of Vernon Dursley.

“What do you want?”  Vernon asked gruffly.

“I wish to speak with you about your nephew, Mr. Dursley.”  Severus replied, almost civilly.

Vernon looked the wizard up and down before stealing a glance past him.  There were people watching the interaction in the yards of Numbers 9 and 7.

“Come in,” Vernon offered gruffly.

“Who is it Vernon,” Petunia called stepping out of the kitchen dish cloth still in hand.

“You,” she hissed eyes falling on Severus.

“Tuney,” Severus greeted icily.

“What do you want freak?”  Petunia demanded again.

Severus’s face darkened dangerously.  “I will not be spoken t in such manner,” he warned.

“I will speak to you anyway I want freak,” Petunia hissed.

Without warning Petunia hung upside down as if suspended by one ankle.

“Any more of that Tuney, and this will be the least I do to you,” Severus promised returning the woman to the ground.  “Now, I would like a cup of tea while we talk.”

Petunia straightened her skirt and blouse fussily before disappearing into the kitchen once more to make the requested tea.  Vernon took a seat on the sofa doing his best to avoid the wizard’s steely gaze.  Severus took the opportunity to survey the room.

The room was neat and tidy.  There were a number of knick knacks along the mantle and on a small series of shelves in the corner.  Harry would certainly have had a time with dusting this room.

It was then Severus noticed the photographs, or perhaps lack of photographs of Harry.  There were any number of a fat blond child, Dudley, Severus remembered, but not a single one of Harry.  It really shouldn’t have surprised him, given why he was here, but it was still heartbreaking.  Severus may not have grown up in the happiest of homes, but there were still photos of him on display.  Severus could not imagine being forced to live in a place for almost 15 years where there was not even an acknowledgement of his existence.

Petunia entered with a tea tray just then.  Severus noted she’d left off the biscuits.  Her manners would only go so far it seemed.  Petunia sat down beside her husband, Severus joined then taking an armchair across the coffee table.  Petunia readied to pour but Severus put his hand up to stop her.  Petunia’s lips purse, but she did as she was told.  Severus poured out two cups while craftily adding a small measure of Veritaserum to each cup before taking requests on milk and sugar.  The cups were accepted wearily, but both Dursleys refused to drink.  Severus expected such hesitancy and poured himself a cup pointedly taking a sip from his own cup.  Apparently that was enough to put the Dursleys at ease that Severus had not poisoned the pot at least and they both sipped their tea.

Severus waited until the Dursleys were most likely both halfway finished with their tea before asking his first question.  Severus thought long and hard about what he should ask them.  There were so many things he wanted to know.  Now that he was here, his mind was blank.  Finally Severus settled on one of the most basic.  “Did you ever hit Harry?”

Vernon grunted.  “Knocked the boy ‘bout few times.  Most of the time just locked him in his cupboard.  He was too fast to hit when you wanted to.”

Severus kept his features stony as he listened to Vernon’s blasé attitude to the abuse committed on his nephew.

“Why was Harry in a cupboard?”  Severus asked.  It was taking all of his Occlumency skills to keep his tone and face neutral.

“Where else are you supposed to put undesirables?  You need to have a broom, but do you want to see it all the time?  We had to keep the brat, but there was nothing saying we must recognize him, so we put him with the brooms.”  Petunia explained.

Severus’s blood boiled.  She just compared a person, her own flesh and blood with a cleaning instrument.  If Severus ever doubted her humanity before, he certainly did not now.  It took him a moment to recover wits enough to ask his next question.  He supposed the broom comment would answer it, but he had to make sure.

“Why was Harry forced to do so many chores?” Severus asked.

“Had to earn his keep didn’t he?” Vernon asked gruffly.  “Couldn’t afford to have some worthless lay about take clothes off the back and food out of the mouth of our Dudders could we?”

Severus took a calming breath.  He would make it through this set of questions if it took all night.  This was his only chance to ask those responsible.  Losing his patience Severus prepared to ask the most important, possibly, the only one that truly mattered.  “If you did not want to keep Harry why did you?  Why not give him to the state to care for?”

Petunia answered this time.  “He was my sister’s.  You don’t turn your back on family.”

Severus was completely baffled.  “Then what do you call what you’ve done to Harry?”

“Oi you,” Vernon barked.  “We put a roof over that freak’s head.  We’ve feed and clothed him.  Petunia said we couldn’t chuck him out, so we didn’t.  We did as we were told.  If you lot wanted him looked after properly, you should have done it yourselves.  Where do you get off shoving dirty little freaks on people anyway?”

That was it. Severus’s temper snapped faster than a nesting dragon.  In an instant his wand was in his hand.  Vernon was in a Complete Body-Bind, Petunia too.  Thinking he put both of them into an enchanted sleep.  He would need time to carry out his plan.  If would go much better not having to worry them seeing what he was up to.

The first thing he decided were the photos.  Severus placed a complex charm on each picture.  Whenever one of the Dursleys were to look at the photo of Dudley, instead they would see an image of a sad, half-starved, neglected Harry.

Next were the bedrooms.  Here Severus made it feel as if the Dursleys were forced into Harry’s cupboard.  He did nothing to the actual walls, but the Dursleys would no doubt feel the walls closing in on them.

The last thing was probably the cruelest.  He made Petunia and Vernon completely forgettable.  If they were to meet someone new, the person would forget the encounter as soon as they broke eye contact.  Really, this was just the natural course of their desire to fit in wasn’t it?

Severus then headed back upstairs to the smallest bedroom.  There was not much in the room, an old calendar, broken toy, some ignored Muggle books.  Severus collected everything he thought Harry might care to keep, including the books.  Remembering from his own youth storing more valuable items away from sight Severus conducted a painstaking search of the room.  Locating a loose floorboard under the bed Severus retrieved a bottle of ink, a collection of letters used wrapping paper and few photos and newspaper clippings.  Severus shrank everything and put it in his pocket.  He’d let Harry decide what he wanted to keep and what to discard.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Present

Severus wondered how Petunia and Vernon were faring as retuned his attention back to what Harry was saying.