Severus stared out the window in the headmaster’s office, disgusted that he was even having this conversation. His trip to Privet Lane had only served to lower his already low opinion of Muggles, and he had more questions than answers for Dumbledore. Those would need to wait until he solved the bigger problem.

“We cannot leave Mr. Potter with his relatives any longer.”

“Severus—“

“No, Albus, no.”

“Severus—“

“I don’t care what sort of magical protection you think his aunt gives him, but surely it requires an actual emotional bond.”

“Severus—“

“That bond is predicated on more than just his aunt saying he could live there.”

“Severus—“

“I cannot believe you knew how she treated him all these years, Headmaster.”

“Severus—“

“Did you even check on him once?”

“I had someone—“

“Someone? Someone saw how he was abused and did nothing? Who?”

“I was told—“

“You were told? You—“

“Severus—“

“You knew?”

“Severus, let me finish.”

“You knew and did nothing? You—“

“Severus, enough. I was told the boy—“

“Harry, his name is Harry, Albus, not some abstraction.”

“I was told that Harry was treated more harshly than his cousin—“

Severus raised his eyebrow in a skeptical challenge.

“But not that he was mistreated. Had I know he was being harmed…”

Dumbledore trailed off, seemingly aware of how weak that excuse sounded.

“I cannot undo the past, Severus.”

“No, but you can change the current situation.”

“Harry is protected at the Dursley’s—“

Severus whirled around, eyes blazing with anger at the callous disregard and injustice contained in that statement.

“No. He. Is. Not.”

“I think you underestimate—“

“No. I. Do. Not.”

“Severus, I cannot—“

“You are correct, Albus, you cannot. You cannot leave him there anymore. You cannot treat him like a tool. You cannot throw him away each summer. You cannot ignore his well-being. You cannot. Nor can I. I do not dare presume to understand the reasons behind the decision to leave Harry with his despicable relatives. I do not want to hear the justifications and rationalizations and excuses for why whatever reports of abuse—“

“Now Severus, that is hardly fair—“

“No. It is not fair. It is not fair to Harry that in your zeal to believe in happy endings and forever families that you chose to overlook warnings. You said yourself that you were given reports and yet you did nothing to help him. Abuse is more than physical scars, Headmaster.”

“What are you saying, Severus? Harry was abused in that home?”

“Harry Potter needs more resources and assistance and understanding than most children.”

Severus punctuated his words with a slam of his fist on the windowsill.

“He feels worthless and like a burden because those are the things his ‘loving’ relatives told him every day. He has been treated as someone less than equal his entire life. His cousin is allowed to treat him as a punching bag. He sleeps on a cot in a closet. He has nothing of his own, and what he was allowed to have were the broken discards of his oafish cousin.”

He locked eyes with Dumbledore and moved forward as he began speaking again.

“His aunt and uncle do only the bare minimum to keep people from reporting them to authorities. And given the perverse sympathy given to caregivers of special needs kids over care for the child themselves, is it any wonder that the Muggles were able to be more atrocious than normal without much fear of reprisal? The more difficult the child, the more leeway is given in their treatment because the less human they appear.”

Severus practically spat that out that last bit, his lip curled curled in disdain, his face practically a snarl, his disdain obvious. He was standing in front of Dumbledore’s desk, looking down at the headmaster. Dumbledore suddenly looked so very tired and old that he paused to collect himself before continuing. Perhaps he had no idea the severity of Harry’s position.

“And as Harry is unable to communicate very easily or effectively, he is even more dependent on others to pick up on problems.”

“Severus, had I been told—“

“No, Albus. Ignorance is not absolution. It does not matter now what you would have done if only you had known. What matters now is that he does not go back to that home ever again. There are better ways to protect him in the magical world.”

“What do you propose then?”

Severus narrowed his eyes in suspicion.

“Now Severus—“

Severus meet the headmaster’s gaze again.

“Alright. You nullify whatever arrangement you have with those Muggles.”

“And send Harry where, Severus?”

“Here. Keep Harry here at Hogwarts. He will benefit from the stable environment, and Hogwarts is much safer than a Muggle neighborhood.”

“And were we to keep young Mr. Potter on the grounds year-round, who would be responsible for him? You said yourself that he needs more care and attention than most children.”

Severus paused. He had thought this through before coming back to the castle, but now that he was going to voice the words, he found himself uncertain about his qualifications. He took a deep breath.

“I will be responsible for him.”

The words hung in the silence for a moment.

“You will be responsible for him?”

Severus nodded his head.

“Yes.”

“Severus, I know that you took an oath to protect the him—“

“Which is why—“

“Which cannot be why.”

Perhaps the headmaster really did understand the importance of finding the proper guardian for Harry Potter after all if he wasn’t just going to hand custody to the first person who asked for it. Severus sank down into the chair in front of the desk, all fight taken out of him.

“Albus, if you do not believe that I am an appropriate guardian for Harry, please promise me that you will place him with someone who can give him the individual attention he needs and the care that he deserves.”

“My boy, I believe you are the most appropriate guardian for Mr. Potter.”

Severus looked up at the headmaster, brow slightly furrowed in confusion.

“Severus, the oath you swore all those years ago cannot be the reason you take responsibility for this young man. It is not enough. You yourself have spent the last while explaining to me exactly why there needs to be more than just an agreement.”

“Albus, I cannot let Harry go to anyone else. No wizarding family understands autism and no Muggle family understands magic, and there is no one else who understands how both act together.”

“So you understand him, Severus?”

“Yes, yes I understand him. I see so much potential in that young man, but not many people are willing to put in that work to help him reach it. I want to help him tie his shoes and tie his tie and learn sign language and encourage his love of chemistry and potions. I want to be there when he gets his magic to work how he wants it to for the first time, and all the times after that.”

Severus paused a moment to collect himself.

“I want to help him learn that his not worthless. I want to help him with his charms homework and deal with sensory difficulties. I want to be a safe place from the rest of the world. I want to help him work with his challenges. I want him to feel loved, not worthless.”

“Loved, Severus?”

“Yes, Albus, loved. Harry needs to feel loved.”

“Do you love Harry, Severus?”

Severus looked at the headmaster, the words suddenly much easier to say than he imagined they would be.

“I do. I wanted to hate him, I was prepared to hate him, but I cannot hate him, I do not hate him. It is impossible for me to hate him. Albus, that boy deserves more than he has gotten out of life. I can give him that.”

Dumbledore clapped his hands together, startling Severus, a grin replacing the somber expression. Severus also found himself smiling.

“I shall take care of the administrative details, if you want to break the good news to Harry? I imagine he will be quite pleased to stay here where he seems happy and where I trust he is much better cared for.”

Severus stood, and found himself trembling. He stared at his shaking hands. Suddenly, he found himself engulfed in a hug, a ‘bear hug’ as Harry would call it.

“Congratulations, Severus. I am so proud.”