‘I hope that blasted wolf appreciates this. I have far more important matters to attend to than see that he gets his medicine.'

As he continued to stir the dark blue potion four times counter-clockwise and than twice clockwise, Snape's mind began to wonder.

The school year had ended only a week ago and he had already experienced five Death Eater meetings. Last night had been the calmest the Dark Lord had been since he had returned to his body. Snape could still vividly recall the anger on the snake-like features when he finally apparated to the grave yard. Yet his skills at being a spy and occlumency were enough to convince the dark wizard that his loyalty to him was as strong as ever.

What Snape had told Voldemort last night about Dumbledore's thoughts where true. The Headmaster was secretly gathering Order members from the ranks of the Ministry who did believe that the Dark Lord had truly returned. The concern over the muggle sweets was the invention of Severus'. He came up with it as a threat after the Headmaster had repeatedly continued to offer his favorite Sherbet Lemon.

But the aged wizard had not made any comment on Harry-bloody-Potter. And the Slytherine Head of House knew that the Dark Lord would be demanding information on the brat soon.

‘Harry-the Bloody-Boy-Who-Lived-Potter. The spoiled disrespectful brat whose ridicules and stupid stunts are for his own glory seeking desires and to spite me.'

Snape came out of his thoughts and turned his attention back to the potion. Seeing that the potion had turned from blue to purple, Severus saw that the time had come to add the last ingredient. Summoning a jar containing dried Wolfsbane from a shelf on the far side of the lab, Snape slowly added the herb while stirring the steaming purple liquid in a clockwise manner. With the potion at last finished, the Potions Master conjured up several empty vials and both spelled the liquid inside and corked the bottles with another flick of his wand. No sooner had he done that, the fireplace came alive in green flames and the one face that Snape defiantly did not wish to see at the moment was visible.

"Ah Severus," the head of Albus Dumbledore said, "I hope I have not interrupted you in anyway."

"No Headmaster," Snape said as he turned from the table to the fireplace, "I was just finishing the potion as you requested."

The disdain in the ex-Death Eater's voice did not go unnoticed by the aged wizard but he chose not to address it. "That's excellent news my dear boy," Severus cringed at being addressed by the name, "excellent in deed. Remus will be most pleased. With the full moon only a week away, I'm certain that he will greatly appreciate you assistance."

Snape was starting to get annoyed. "Was there something you wished to discuss with Headmaster or did you just randomly decide to pop in my floo and make idle chit-chat?" he asked as he crossed his arms.

"As a matter of fact there is Severus but it is a matter that cannot be talked about through the floo network. Would you please join me and bring the finished potion as well? Remus said that he would be coming by to talk some Order matters."

Snap cringed at the statement and rolled his black eyes. But knowing that there was no way he could say no and have Dumbledore accept it, he could only hope that whatever the Headmaster wanted to talk about would be finished before Lupin arrived. "Very well."

The blue eyes of the Headmaster sparkled with delight. "Then I'll see you in a few moments," and with a pop, Albus' head was gone and the green flames diminished. Snape turned back to his worktable and allowed his hands to tightly grasp the edge.

‘What does that codger want to talk about now? I already told him about the Death Eater meeting when I returned last night. It must be about his precious little Golden Boy. Everything revolves around him and Albus caters to every single one of that pampered and spoiled little brat's whims.'

Letting go of the table and taking hold of his wand, Snape shrunk the vials of Wolfsbane and placed them in his pockets. Then he stepped over the fireplace mantel and took a handful of floo powder from the container on top of it and threw it into the fireplace, producing emerald flames and called out, "Headmaster's office," and stepped through into the flames and was whisked away.

----------

Sitting behind his majestic mahogany desk in brilliant robes of scarlet and gold, Professor Albus Dumbledore saw his fireplace come alive in green flames and saw the figure of Serveus Snape step onto the floor. His arrival did nothing to arouse Albus' pet phoenix Fawkes, who was sleeping on his perch. As the black cloaked Potions Masters swept off the soot from his robes, the ancient looking wizard could not help but smile. While many saw the Slythien Head of House as a greasy-haired cold unfeeling dungeon dwelling bat, Albus knew that underneath the black robes was a good heart. He only wished that his former pupil could only see the good that did dwell inside him.

"Hello Severus," Albus said when Snape finally looked up.

"Headmaster," Snape said with a small nod of his head.

"Oh, come now Severus. How many times have I said that there is no need for such formalities when it is simply just the two of us?"

"Too many...Albus." Saying the man's name was something Snape could never get use to. But Snape could not help but notice the characteristic twinkle of Dumbledore's blue eyes behind his half-moon spectacles when he said the man's first name.

"Take a seat my boy," the head master said as he motioned to one of the empty chairs in-front of the desk. Severus cringed once again at the name.

As he made his way over from the fireplace, Snape's robe flourished out behind him and Albus could not suppress a smile as the sight caused Snape to match the student's of him, that of a bat.

 "Can I interest in a Sherbet Lemon Drop my boy?" Albus asked as he held out a small bowl of the Muggle sweets when Snape took a seat.

"Albus, I have not been a boy for sometime so I would highly appreciate not being addressed as one."

"If you wish Severus. Now about that Lemon Drop?"

Rolling his eyes, Snape waved off the offer. ‘How many times is he going to do that till he understands that I will not accept?'

"If you insist," and he popped one into his mouth and closed his eyes as he savored the taste.

"You said that you wished to discuss a matter with me?"

"Yes I did. Two matters as it happens. First, I have thought on your account of the meeting from last night. And I have come to the conclusion that Tom is right."

Hearing the Headmaster say the true name of the deranged dark wizard never ceased to amaze the younger wizard. It was even more amazing than when said the name Voldemort.

"How so?"

"About Senior Malfoy's statements about the Ministry.  Cornelius's refusal to accept the truth will play towards Tom's advantage. Until the Ministry finally acknowledges the truth, Tom and his followers will be able to carry out their plans in secret. Without the full support of the Ministry, there is little chance that we'll be able to stop them from fulfilling their tasks. They will be able to hide in plain sight."

"But we have Kinsley and Moody," Snape said, "And Weasly has been able to get several key officials and others to see the truth."

Albus nodded his head but he had a grave look upon his aged face. "True Severus. True. But I'm afraid it still won't be enough. The entire Wizarding community of England is at risk. Our small fellowship is growing but we lack the influence to put in place the safety measures that the Ministry is capable of. Don't forget, only the Minister for Magic is capable of contacting the Muggle Prime Minister. And let us not forget Cornelius' attempts to discredit me and so far he has been successful."

Snape just looked away from the man he considered to be both mentor and father figure. If only Fudge believed the facts, then they would not be in this position.

"For now there is nothing we can do about our Minister. Nor about Lucius' influence and relationship with him as well. We can keep on with what we are doing. And so you have no idea as to what Tom might be planning next. Hopefully he will shed some light in his next plan of action soon. And when he does call for Severus, I shall have some new information for you to pass along."The longer he goes in-between summoning does tend to cause me to worry.

Snape felt the same way. Whenever the Dark Lord took long periods of time between his meetings in the past, it was due to him forming true ideas of horror.

"You finished the potion for Lupin," Dumbledore said, bring Snape out of his thoughts, "how are you coming along with the potions Poppy submitted for?"

"I've finished with her Pepper-Up and Sleeping Potions. All I have left is the Calming Draft, Dreamless Sleep, Bone Mending and Blood Replenishing Potions that were on the list. Those should not take more than two weeks at the most to finish."

"Severus, I would like you to visit Harry," Dumbledore said out of the blue.

"Excuse me Headmaster!?" Snape quickly asked, hoping that he had not heard what he thought he heard.

"This is my second request today of you Severus. In two days, I would like you to visit number four Privet Drive and see how Harry is doing," Dumbledore answered in a calm and smooth voice.

"I will do no such thing!" Snape shouted as he jumped up from his chair and stared to pace, causing his robes to billow behind him. The noise he made was loud enough to wake Fawkes from his slumber with a startled squawk. "I have far more important things to do with my time than go and babysit your precious Golden Boy Albus!" Snape's face filled with anger and resentment. "I will not ruin my quiet and peaceful Summer Holiday by setting eyes on that glory-seeking-rule breaking-inconsiderate-rude-empty headed-danger seeking reincarnation of his horrid farther -Harry-bloody-Potter!"

"Severus please, there's no need for..."

"No Albus absolutely not and that's final!" Snape interjected. "I refuse to and nothing you say can change my mind. Good day."

If Dumbledore was upset with Snape's reaction he did not let it show. Instead he allowed the man to get as far as the door and when he went to grasp the handle, he said the one thing he knew that would stop him.

"For Lilly than."

Snape stopped dead in his tracks. It took several seconds before he could respond.

"That's a low and an unfair thing to say Albus."

"I'm sorry Severus," Dumbledore said shaking his head, "but you force me at times to play that hand."

Turning on the spot, the seething Potions Master walked back to the desk but did not sit back down. Instead, he merely stood and crossed his arms. "And why do you ask this of me? I was under the impression that the blood wards around his home were all the protection the boy needed. And the fact you already had an Order members watching the boy's home."

"That is true Severus but this way you have something for Tom. You said so yourself that he would be wanting information on Harry sooner rather than later. It must appear that I trust only you with this information. Voldemort knows he can't pass the blood wards. This way, it will appear that I have decided to add extra protection around Harry. Voldemort believes that all my actions are to protect Harry while I don't in reality. It must appear that I desire the child only for his task of destroying him."

"Don't you think of Potter as your tool?" Snape questioned snidely.

"Of course not my boy. My prime concern has been for his safety and well being. "

Snape rolled his eyes at the explanation but decided that he could not detour the old man's mind from this idea.

"Very well," he said in an unpleasant tone, "I will go and watch Potter. The Dark Lord did instruct me to find some way for me to get you to get me close to brat. I suppose this will satisfy him."

A growing smile was visible under the long white beard of the older wizard.

"Excellent Severus. Excellent."

"And how exactly do you wish me accomplish this request? Simply walk into the house?"

"Oh no Serveus," Albus chuckled, "I have a better idea in mind."

After Dumbledore told Snape what he was to do, Snape cringed at the entire idea but begrudging accepted it. What choice did he have in the matter?

"Very well," Snape said, "is there anything else you want me to do?"

"At the moment, no. Remus is due any moment now. Would you like to stay and have some tea with us?"

Snape did not reply. He simply removed to bottled potion vials from his pockets, placed them before Albus, returned them to their normal size and made his way back to the door. He exited just as the fire place came to life again in emerald flames.

----------

The hallways of Hogwarts were quiet and deserted. Just the way Severus preferred them. As he made his way back down to the dungeons, his mind went over the events of past half hour. He had gone from brewing potions to being sent to watch over the spawn of the one man he hated more than the Dark Lord himself. And was set in his convictions to not lay eyes upon Potter's brat for as long as possible had Dumbledore, being the controlling and manipulative old man that he was, never brought up the vow he made all those years ago to watch over Lilly's only child.

Going over the instruction the Headmaster had given him Snape relised that he had spent some time formulating his so called plan.

‘Why couldn't he get some other Order member to do this? If he was so worried about security and not letting the brat know what was happening, he could have sent Nymphadora. True she's new to the Order but she's a bloody morphamagus for Merlin's shake. Her father is Muggle- born and she would know how to act around those blasted Muggles without rising suspicion. But since you already have a history with the brat's aunt', the voice in his mind said, ‘he believes that she would be more comfortable to having you around than a complete stranger. Blasted meddling senile old fool. Why did he have to go and ruin my peaceful summer?'

Snape continued to mentally vent his frustration as he made his way back down corridors down into the dungeons and his chambers. After he swept himself over the threshold and all but slammed the door shut, the Potions Master went over to his worktable and leaned over it using both hands to support himself. Part of him wanted to pour himself a large stiff drink of Firewhisky while another wanted to grab hold of the nearest thing and throw it against the wall with all his might and anger behind it. Yet there was a small piece of him that kept saying that he needed to do this task. But not for Potter Oh no. He would not give Potter the satisfaction of him knowing that he had personally ruined his summer. He would do it for Lilly and Lilly alone.

Running a hand through the long black strands of his hair, Snape pulled himself up and decided that Madam Pomfey's potions would be the perfect thing to help him relax all over again. He went over to the door that lead to his private stores and unlocked it with a simple wave of his hand. Inside he scanned the vastly filled shelves for the particular ingredients. Once that was done, he returned to his lab to begin work. Keeping his mind off the task Dumbledore had given him.