After a moment’s consideration, it was decided that Harry would go see Poppy, who was the only one besides Minerva and Severus who was at Hogwarts at the time, while Minerva and Severus went to see Albus. Minerva insisted that Poppy check on Harry just in case though it was doubtful he was hurt or anything. He was probably just hungry though Minerva was surprised that he wasn’t more shocked by his relatives’ sudden departure.

            She was furious but she restrained herself so that she wouldn’t end up hexing Albus, even though she sourly wanted to do so. She couldn’t believe Albus had left that innocent little boy with his despicable relatives and, practically as soon as Harry was out of their sights, they packed up and left him.

            She thinned her lips as she and Severus neared the gargoyle leading to Albus’s office before she cast a sidelong look at the younger man at her side. She knew that he had treated Harry badly during the year but that was only because he saw Harry as a carbon copy of his father—a boy who was spoiled rotten by his loving relatives. Minerva hoped that seeing the truth would help Severus see that Harry was not his father.

            Severus was as impassive as ever but Minerva wasn’t fooled. She knew how much Severus hated neglect and child abuse and abandonment could be classified as either; he did not condone it and, despite how emotionless he seemed, Minerva knew he was seething inside. She knew this only because it’s happened before, several times.

            She remembered one time very well. It had been five years ago with a Ravenclaw muggleborn. The muggleborn had been abused at home for being magical and Severus had noticed the signs. He had reported them to both Filius, as the girl’s head, and Minerva, as Deputy Headmistress, and the three of them told Albus together. The way she remembered Severus explaining the situation to Albus, he had spoken with such a tone of voice that suggested he was barely restraining his fury.

            Minerva knew that Severus wouldn’t condone the Dursleys’ abandonment of Harry no matter how much he disliked the boy. She really did think that hate was too strong a word to describe what Severus felt for Harry. He may not like Harry because the boy was James’s son but Minerva knew that Severus knew that Harry was Lily’s son as well and he loved Lily. If anything, he only disliked Harry because the boy was also Lily’s son.

            After saying the password at the gargoyle, the two professors made their way upstairs and into Albus’s office. He was still seated behind his desk and looked up at the two professors putting down the quill he had been writing with. “Minerva, Severus, welcome back,” he greeted them. “Did you find Mr. Potter?”

            Minerva was about to respond when Severus cut in smoothly saying, “We did. He is currently with Poppy.”

            The Head of Gryffindor House heard the same tone that he used when he discovered that abused Ravenclaw muggleborn but she wasn’t at all surprised.

            Albus’s brow furrowed. “Severus, what is he doing here?” he asked.

            “He is not safe at his relatives’ home,” Severus said curling his lip into a sneer.

            Albus frowned. “My boy, I don’t understand…”

            “It is quite simple, headmaster,” Severus said, “the blood wards around the Dursleys’ home have fallen, they were nonexistent when we arrived and Mr. Potter was still at King’s Cross when I found him. When we went to the Dursleys’ home, we found that it was completely empty, everything was gone and it looked like it hadn’t been lived in for months. Plus, I detected no signs of any kind of magic, dark or otherwise.”

            Albus looked concerned. “Petunia wasn’t supposed to leave,” he said with a frown. “I told her that she wasn’t in order to protect Harry.”

            “Obviously she has,” Severus sneered folding his arms across his chest.

            “I am sure that this was all a misunderstanding. I’m sure if I find the Dursleys…”

            “A misunderstanding?!” Minerva hissed furiously unable to stay silent any longer. “They abandoned him, they haven’t been living in that house for months and you think this is all a misunderstanding! I told you they were the worst sort of muggle! I told you! And they’ve gone and proven me right! Now what do you plan on doing about it, Albus?!”

            “And how were you not alerted to the fact that the blood wards fell, Albus?” Severus asked narrowing his eyes. “Surely you must have at least some idea of when it happened.”

            “The blood wards wouldn’t fall unless the family no longer considered that place their home, Severus,” Albus said. “Or no one has been living in the house for more than six months. They would have weakened if the family hadn’t been living in the house for a month but would not have fallen until at least six months of no one living in the house.”

            “Then how is it that you only thought the wards were weakened and had not fallen?” Minerva demanded angrily.

            “Because it looks the same and I assumed that Petunia would adhere to the promise she made to me when I went to speak to them after Harry’s first bout of accidental magic when he was three,” Albus said.

            Severus snorted. “Petunia has never been known to keep any of her promises,” he said coolly eyes glittering with anger. “Now that she is gone, what is to happen to the Potter brat?”’

            “Well, we will surely need to find the Dursleys…”

            “You can’t seriously think of sending him back there! They abandoned him for Merlin’s sake!” Minerva shouted.

            “Minerva, you must understand that Harry is safest with the Dursleys,” Albus said gently before wincing when Minerva glared at him.

            The floo chose that moment to flare to life and Poppy’s head appeared in the green flames. “Albus, may I step through?” she asked.

            “Of course, my dear,” Albus said and Poppy’s head disappeared before her entire body appeared from the flames. She dusted herself off and walked forward.

            “How’s Harry?” Minerva asked.

            “Sleeping now,” Poppy said. “But, before that, when I was giving him something to eat, I asked him what happened. He told me that his aunt and uncle didn’t pick him up but I was surprised by how he sounded. He wasn’t surprised at all.”

            “That would match up to what he was saying to his owl when I found him,” Severus said.

            Minerva raised an eyebrow. “He was talking to his owl?”

            Severus simply said, “Perhaps he should have stayed a while longer in Poppy’s care.”

             “He was perfectly fine when he left, Severus,” Poppy said glaring at the Potions Master.

            “He was probably bored,” Minerva said. “But what did he say?”

            “Only that he wasn’t surprised that his relatives abandoned him,” Severus said. “He also said he sent a letter with his owl but, obviously, no one received it.”

            “That’s odd,” Minerva said frowning. “Surely someone must have received it.”

            “If they had then I’m sure they would have come here,” Albus said.

            “Well, whatever happened, what are we going to do about Harry?”

            “I am sure that if I explain everything to the Dursleys again then they will understand. But we must find him. Until then, we will need someone to watch over Harry,” Albus said. “I suggest that he stays with a teacher for now until the Dursleys are found as I trust no one else with his protection.”

            “If I didn’t have prior commitments with my children and grandchildren then I wouldn’t mind watching over him,” Minerva admitted.

            “I also have family commitments,” Poppy said regretfully.

            “I figured that,” Albus said with a small smile before looking at Severus.

            “No,” Severus said shortly.

            “You do not even know what I’m going to…”

            “Yes I do, Albus, and the answer is still no.”

            “Severus, you are the only one left who can watch over Harry and will ensure his safety and protection,” Albus said.

            “I have no desire to watch over the Potter brat,” Severus scowled.

            “It will only be for a few days, Severus, maybe a week or two depending on how long it takes me to find the Dursleys,” Albus said.

            “I’m sure there are others who can watch Potter,” Severus said.

            “None that I trust, Severus,” Albus said. “Do it for Lily.”

            “Potter would never agree,” Severus said though his jaw clenched.

            “I’m sure he will once I explain everything to him,” the headmaster said standing up. “Severus, it is only for a few weeks at the most and this is not open for any more discussion.”

            “Very well headmaster,” Severus said though Minerva knew he was not happy.

. . .

            Harry woke up to find himself lying on a familiar bed in a familiar room.

            Sitting up as the memory of what happened earlier—or the day before since Harry wasn’t sure what time it was—came back to him, Harry looked around just as the door to the Hospital Wing opened and Madame Pomfrey walked in with the Headmaster Dumbledore, Professor McGonagall and Professor Snape just behind her.

            “Good morning, Mr. Potter,” Pomfrey greeted him.

            “Morning?”

            “Yes, you slept through the night, which is good since it was rather late when you got here,” Pomfrey said before she called for a house elf to deliver Harry his breakfast.

            “Hello Mr. Potter,” Dumbledore greeted him as he began eating slowly. “Can you tell us what happened yesterday?”

            Harry swallowed a bite of his eggs before looking up. “Didn’t Professor Snape or Professor McGonagall already tell you, Professor?” he asked.

            “They did but I would like to hear your side of the story,” Dumbledore replied.

            Harry picked at his food. “My aunt and uncle didn’t pick me up,” he said. “Professor Snape came and took me back home but they weren’t home. The house was empty and we came here.”

            Dumbledore nodded. “That is what Professor Snape told me,” he said. “So, until we find your relatives, you’re going to be staying with one of our teachers. It will only be for a few weeks, Harry.”

            Harry frowned. “Who?”

            “Professor Snape.”

            Eyes going wide, Harry warily eyed his most disliked professor who seemed to hate him for no reason. “But…”

            “Believe me, Potter, I do not like it anymore than you do,” Snape said shortly before Harry could voice his objection.

            “It is only for a few weeks at the most, my boy,” Dumbledore said gently, “just until we find your relatives.”

            Harry didn’t know if being with Snape would be better than being with the Dursleys but he knew that there was no point in protesting since it was obvious Dumbledore had already made up his mind. He just nodded sullenly.

            “Marvelous,” Dumbledore said clasping his hands together. “Severus, are you planning on returning home for the summer?”

            “I only have a few more final assignments to grade then yes,” Snape said flatly.

            “Then I suppose Harry will have to stay with you in your quarters until you are done. I shall set out to find Mr. and Mrs. Dursley right away.” Without another word, the headmaster turned and walked out of the Hospital Wing.

            Harry finished eating his breakfast and Pomfrey waved her wand banishing the tray before she said, “You may leave now, Mr. Potter, though I do suggest you eat more. You’re too skinny.”

            Harry flushed in embarrassment as he climbed off the hospital bed.

            McGonagall was still in the Hospital Wing and she smiled gently at him. “I will see you next year, Mr. Potter,” she said before she, giving Snape one long look, turned and left the Hospital Wing.

            “Come, Potter,” Snape said shortly and led the way out of the large room. Harry followed him taking his trunk and his owl’s cage with him.

            They walked in silence down the hallway toward the dungeons until they came to a portrait of a sword with snakes coiled around it. Snape came to a stop at the portrait before murmuring something under his breath and the portrait changed to a doorway that Snape walked past.

            Harry trailed after him into the Potion Professor’s office. It was dark but that was quickly fixed by a wave of Snape’s wand. The walls were lined with jars of Potion ingredients and the desk that sat in the middle of the office was covered with pieces of parchment, an inkpot and a jar carrying quills.

            “Come, Potter. I’m sure the headmaster has already asked Hogwarts to add a room to my quarters for the day,” Snape said striding past the office to another door that Harry figured led to the professor’s quarters.

            He followed him.

            Snape’s quarters were small but also done in gentle earth tones. In the living room was a couch over the back of which was a green quilt sitting across from a fireplace. An armchair stood at an angle facing the fireplace and, resting on the wall across from the armchair was a bookshelf that seemed to overflow with books. There were four doors lining the wall that Harry figured led to other rooms.

            Huh, I would’ve thought it’d be black and dreary, Harry thought.

            “Come on, Potter,” Snape growled. He was already walking down the short hall toward one of the doors and Harry hastily hurried after him. He didn’t want to get on the professor’s bad side, more so than he already was since the professor already hated him.

            “This is your room, Potter, for the next day or so anyway,” Snape said shortly pushing the door open.

            Harry stared; the room was easily twice the size of his room back in the Dursley’s home with a window charmed to resemble the Quidditch pitch outside. There was a four-poster bed in the room’s center with a nightstand next to it and a wardrobe sitting near the magicked window with gray carpet stretching from wall to wall. Other than that, it was empty.

            “This is mine?” Harry asked looking at the professor.

            Snape’s upper lip curled. “I suppose it is not as good as what you’re used to but it’ll do,” he sneered.

            “It’s better than what I’m used to,” Harry said before he could stop himself.

            Snape’s eyebrow rose but all he said was, “I want you to know that this is only temporary until your relatives are found but, until then, you’ll listen to and obey my rules. For one, my study, which is the room across from yours, is off limits. If you get hungry, just ask a house elf and your owl is free to leave when she wishes. That window is also magicked to allow your owl to leave and return when she wishes. I’ll be in my office grading. Do not disturb me unless you absolutely have to.” He stressed out that last rule before he turned and walked away, cloak billowing around him, before Harry could reply.

            Wonder if his rules’ll be different when we go to his actual home, Harry thought walking over to the nightstand and placing Hedwig’s cage on it. He scratched his owl’s chest before unlocking the cage and Hedwig flew out before chirping.

            “I can’t believe I’m actually gonna stay with Snape of all people,” Harry said softly to the owl as she landed on the nightstand and began preening her feathers. “Well, he’s not being nasty to me like he was during school so I guess that’s a good thing. And it’s only for a few days to a few weeks, though I’m not looking forward to the Dursleys returning.”

            Sighing, Harry decided that to continue working on his summer homework like he was when Professor McGonagall came to get him. He wasn’t like Hermione but he also wanted to be a good student, even if he didn’t want Ron to know that, and it would also give him something to do to pass the time since he didn’t have chores to do for the Dursleys until they got back.

            Pulling out his Potions textbook, the parchment he had started working on back at Privet Drive and a quill and inkpot, Harry set to work.

. . .

            Albus Dumbledore apparated to Privet Drive before making his way down the street to number four to find, just as Minerva and Severus had said, it completely empty. The lights were off, there was no car in the driveway and it looked like it hadn’t been inhabited in a while. Albus didn’t doubt his two professors but to see it for himself saddened him.

            He thought that Petunia’s promise would keep her there to protect Harry but it was shocking to see that when he returned to the Wizarding World, she just decided to leave. He hoped that he could make her see reason and come back to watch her nephew.

            Having cast a disillusionment charm on him when he got there, Albus made his way into the home. He wandered around it, wand in hand as he cast a spell to determine if the wards were indeed gone. He didn’t doubt Severus but it was always a good idea to be certain.

            Just as Severus said, there were no wards around the house and Albus could easily see by the lack of furniture and the amount of dust that the Dursleys really hadn’t been living there for a while. He cast another spell; this time, it was a spell to confirm how long it’s been since the wards officially fell, which was something he couldn’t figure out in his office at Hogwarts.

            He was even more saddened when the results came back saying that the wards fell nine months earlier, which was around the time Harry left to attend Hogwarts. He shook his head sorrow in his normally twinkling blue eyes. He needed to know why they did this and, perhaps, he may have a chance to persuade them to return.

            But he needed to find them first.

            He decided to ask Arabella, the squib who had been sent to Privet Drive to watch over Harry, and see if she knows anything about where the Dursleys could have gone. Walking out of the house, Albus made his way across the street and, looking around to make sure there were no muggles around, canceled the disillusionment charm.

            He knocked on the door and, a moment later, Arabella opened it. She looked surprised to find him standing there but there was also a gleam of relief in her eyes that took Albus by surprise. “Albus, it’s about time,” she said stepping back. “Come in, come in.”

            Albus frowned but stepped into the house anyway.

            “Tea?” Arabella asked closing the door behind him.

            “Yes, thank you,” Albus said before he sat down on one of the couches disturbing the half-Kneazle that had been sleeping there. With a baleful glare at the colorful wizard, the half-Kneazle leapt off the couch and padded away.

            Arabella handed him a cup of tea before sitting down across from him in an armchair. “I know I should have informed you before hand, Albus, but I just didn’t want to believe what I was seeing especially to such an innocent boy. I mean, they were only suspicions after all and I didn’t think you’d believe me. But then little Harry left to go to Hogwarts and the Dursleys packed up everything the very next day and left!”

            “Do you know where they went?” Albus asked sipping at his tea.

            “No though I overheard Vernon Dursley say something about his sister Marge. I don’t know where she lives though but she’s just as nasty as Vernon and Petunia are,” Arabella said coolly. “It was when they just left the day after little Harry left to go to Hogwarts that I realized I should’ve told you my suspicions all those years ago.”

            There was sorrow in her eyes. “I should’ve done something! That poor boy! But it was all suspicions. I had no proof.” She shook her head.

            “Arabella, I don’t understand .What were you suspicious of?” Albus asked genuinely confused.

            “I believe Harry was being mistreated by his relatives, Albus,” Arabella said. “He was much too small for his age—he looks like he’s eight or nine—and I’ve seen him outside, shoveling snow, weeding the garden, since he was four or five. His cousin and his friends are always bullying him and it doesn’t look like his aunt and uncle do anything to help him. And that’s only what I’ve seen! I think it’s worse than this, Albus.”

            “Arabella, these are fairly serious accusations,” Albus said uncertainly. He didn’t like what the squib was telling him, even if there was no proof to back them up.

            “I know and I know that I’ve got no proof but still!” Arabella looked really distressed and Albus stretched out a hand before placing it on the old woman’s arm.

            “Calm down, Arabella,” he said. “I need to find them, Arabella. Harry’s only safe here…”

            “Not from his relatives if my suspicions are right,” Arabella said angrily.

            “We don’t know that your suspicions are right or not, Arabella,” Albus pointed out standing up. “I thank you for the tea, Arabella, but I must go.”

            “Is Harry safe at least, Albus?” Arabella asked.

            “Yes, he is.”

            “Good. I hope I’m wrong, Albus, but if I’m not then I hope Harry’ll be all right,” Arabella said softly as she stood up and showed Albus to the door.

            “I’m sure he will be, Arabella,” Albus assured the old woman before he left the house and, once he was sure there was no one around, he apparated away back to Hogwarts.

            As he entered the school, though, Minerva joined him. “Albus, did you find the Dursleys?” she asked.

            Albus shook his head. “I have a lead but I don’t know where Vernon’s sister lives,” he said. “I’m thinking of using a tracking charm though.”

            “Might be the only way unless you want to go through muggle authorities,” Minerva said, “but you would stand out a bit.”

            Albus chuckled knowing his Deputy Headmistress was right.

            “By the way, Albus, the Minister of Magic wants to speak to you,” Minerva added. “He just floo-called but I told him that you were busy and would get back to him when you got back to Hogwarts.”

            Albus nodded. “I will floo-call him right away. How are Severus and Harry?”

            “I checked in on them an hour ago and they’re fine.”

            “Good. I’d better not keep Minister Fudge waiting for much longer,” Albus said before he made his way toward his office.