S.S.

Severus tried to hold off his tiredness as he accepted a floo call from Lupin. He had not slept well that night.

"I explained the situation to each of them after I spoke to Sirius."

"And?"

"They've agreed, so it's just the details that need sorting with Albus. I sent him an urgent letter last night and scheduled a meeting on behalf of them all with Albus for today."

"I'll be informing Potter of the situation this morning. Then at least he has a day to consider his options. Not that it's anywhere near long enough for this kind of decision," Severus said with frustration.

"No," Lupin agreed. "Tell Harry that I'll see him tomorrow. Do you need Sirius to be there when we meet with Albus?"

"No, it's bad enough that we're thrusting this decision on the boy. I highly doubt he'll want to deal with Black as well."

"They had an argument. It doesn't stop Sirius being his godfather."

"He's barely started being his godfather."

"He was falsely imprisoned for Harry's parents' murder, so they could hardly have had a relationship. You don't have the high ground here, Severus. You tortured Harry for years. Don't act like you're the only one who cares for him." Lupin's head disappeared from the fire just as Severus opened his mouth to deliver a scathing retort.

H.P.

"Harry, a word please," Snape called from the sofa.

"Yeah?" Harry answered rubbing his eyes tiredly.

"Sit," Snape ordered, looking not at all happy.

"Is this about the cauldrons? I know I still have to do that today and I am sorry, I don't think that you would–"

"This isn't about your punishment. As I said it stands but we do not have time to deal with that at the moment. There is something I need to discuss with you urgently."

For something urgent, Snape was really taking his time to talk to him about it and Harry began to feel a little nervous.

"So, er, what did I do?"

"Is it really possible that since last night you've done something else to get yourself in trouble?"

"Probably," Harry answered with a grin, hoping to ease the tension. It was unnerving that Snape seemed too serious to react. In fact, he even looked slightly apprehensive.

"You understand that it is a serious thing to be taken out of the care of your current guardians?" Snape asked finally.

"Yes," Harry replied warily.

"Up until now this… situation… has been dealt with rather informally," Snape began, obviously choosing his words carefully. With no response forthcoming from Harry he continued. "It has become imperative that we formalise your living situation." That sounded like a good thing, so why did Snape look so uncomfortable?

"So, what do we do?" Harry asked eagerly. He was ready to get the ball rolling with anything that would keep him permanently away from the Dursleys.

"You do not have many options," Snape continued. "It is impossible for you to be separated from your guardians officially at this stage."

"Why?" Harry interrupted, earning a disapproving glare from Snape.

"It would involve the ministry. We cannot run the risk that you would be placed in an orphanage or in an unsatisfactory home." Harry shuddered at the thought of going to live in an orphanage.

"No, no orphanages."

"Indeed," Snape nodded. "I suggest an agreement be drawn up with your relatives that leaves them your true guardians but delegates responsibility of you to another."

"That sounds okay, I guess."

"It means the ministry would not register a change of guardian but it would not be your relatives who you lived with or who made decisions concerning your care," Snape clarified, watching Harry intently.

"I won't have to go back and the ministry won't be involved?" 

"Exactly. The issue is that we need to make sure that the ministry does not become suspicious or interested in your home life and that is why we need to move quickly."

"Right."

"You cannot stay in the castle without arousing suspicion. The headmaster has informed me that it has already been too long." Snape frowned as he mentioned the headmaster and flicked his wand irritably, causing a sheet of paper to zoom into his hands with slightly more force than Harry was sure he intended.

"I have a list," he began as he unfolded the parchment.

"Of what?" Harry asked, almost despairingly. What's he written a list for now? If it's another set of rules...

"Don't interrupt me and perhaps you'll find out. It's a list of people who can adequately protect you and are willing to take you in."

S.S.

The boy looked confused for a moment before his face went blank. "Right," he answered tonelessly, taking the parchment that Snape held out.

"You have some time to consider with whom you'd like to live, but not a lot. You need to have some idea by tomorrow. It's going to be for the entirety of every summer holidays, at least until you're of age, and of course with the option of both Christmas and Easter, so think carefully."

"Right," he repeated, glancing down at the list.

"The headmaster will be coming down tomorrow as will Lupin. Is there anything you don't understand?" Harry remained silent for a moment.

"No, it's crystal clear, sir," he said, still looking at the parchment.

Severus nodded, leaving Harry alone with the list.

Harry was quiet as he sat down for dinner that night. Severus watched as he gave his meal more attention than he had done any potions assignment.

"Do you have anything you wish to discuss before tomorrow?" Snape asked as Harry reached over for the gravy.

"No, sir," he responded shortly.

"I find it hard to believe that there is nothing you have to say about all of this."

Harry shrugged in response and continued eating. They finished the rest of the meal in silence until Severus asked whether or not Harry would like seconds and he responded with a polite 'nossir' and excused himself from the table, leaving a frowning Severus alone in the kitchen.

S.S.

Severus didn't have to be particularly perceptive to see that the boy was bothered by more than the weight of the decision and he cast his mind back to their conversation, wondering exactly what it was that had set the child's temper off. He winced, realising that he had sprung seeing Lupin on the boy. What with organising everything for Harry it slipped his mind that it would be the first time he'd see Lupin after his argument with Black. It was no wonder the boy was preoccupied.

"Harry?" Severus called, from the boy's doorway. The boy was playing with his practice snitch on his bed, looking irritatingly like his father. "I understand this isn't fair and that this is sudden but I need to see that you're considering this. I went to considerable effort to organise this for you at short notice."

"Right. Thanks, sir."

"Harry," Severus began sternly, irritated by Harry's attitude.

"I'm thinking about it, sir."

"Is Lupin's presence going to be a problem?"

"No, sir."

"I understand you haven't spoken to him since he took you out for your birthday," he pressed, attempting to be tactful by avoiding saying 'since you ran out of the floo screaming'.

"It'll be fine. It wasn't really him I was–" Harry cut himself off suddenly, merely shrugging. "It'll be fine, sir."

He didn't know what he wanted Harry to say to him but this irritating politeness was starting to grate on him.

"If something is bothering you, perhaps it would be better if we discussed it now so that you can make this decision without any unnecessary distractions." He wasn't lying about it not being an issue seeing Lupin, so that wasn't the cause of his odd behaviour.

"Nothing's bothering me, Professor. I'm just thinking about the list, really."

"I'm glad that you're considering this but I think you'd make a more informed decision if we discussed it."

"I don't think I need to, sir, but thanks," Harry replied calmly with a shrug.

"Humour me," Severus demanded, irritation creeping into his voice.

"No thanks, sir."

Severus did his best to swallow his frustration. He couldn't just leave him to make this decision without any discussion at all and definitely not in whatever ridiculous mood he was in now. "We'll talk in the morning."

The boy was censoring himself and his attitude was nothing short of deliberate. He'd made quite a jump from 'I'll drop it as long as we're okay' to the polite, often monosyllabic, responses he'd begun to give.

H.P.

Harry reluctantly dropped himself into his chair at the table across from Snape. It was obvious that Snape was getting angry with him and he didn't want him to be angry, but he also didn't want to talk about his options and he definitely didn't want to talk about them with Snape.

"I think you might be mistaking me for a far more patient man, Harry. I'm tired of this attitude," Snape growled as he shoved a bowl of cereal towards him.

"What attitude?" Harry asked innocently.

"Don't act the imbecile, boy."

Harry flinched but said nothing. What would it matter now anyway? He cast around for something to ask that didn't involve talking about Snape's stupid list. "Fine. Do you want the clothes back?"

"Are you attempting to irritate me?" Snape snapped in disbelief.

"No, it's just that they were really expensive and you said that you got them because I was your responsibility. Well, I'm not now, am I?" Harry said with a shrug.

"You think that I'm going to take the clothes back off of you? I see that you had only begun to insult me yesterday," Snape snarled darkly.

He was probably itching to punish him but what would be the point if he wasn't going to live here any more?

"I can pay you back if you want," Harry offered. He said he'd accept them yesterday but that was when he was living with Snape.

"Shut up, Potter. This was always a temporary solution; I knew that when I bought the damned clothes for you."

"Right, temporary. Got it," Harry said a little more bitterly than he'd have liked.

"It is a complete mystery to me why you want to talk about clothes instead of who you'd like to live with in place of your relatives."

"When's Remus coming, sir?" Harry asked quickly.

"Don't ignore me, Potter!" Apparently Snape could see through his attempts at making alternative conversation.

"I'm not, sir."

"You will discuss this, with me or the– Lupin." Harry shrugged off Snape's demand as he got up and left to wait in the living room.

Harry listened as Snape slammed cupboards in the kitchen, clearly angry over the one-sided conversation they'd just had. It was obvious that it was taking all of Snape's self-restraint not to scream at him in frustration, but it wouldn't be long until he wasn't Snape's problem any more anyway. He wanted to ask again how long it was going to be until Remus and Dumbledore arrived but he wasn't about to risk annoying Snape again.

Lupin appeared first, stepping out of the fireplace with a casual ease that Harry could only dream of carrying off. Harry gave an awkward smile that Lupin returned with a strained one of his own.

"How are you?"

"Okay," Harry said with a shrug. "You?"

"I'm fine, Harry. I'm not the one making the big decision this morning."

Harry grimaced but nodded. "It's not that big a deal."

"It is. Speaking of big deals, we need to talk about the other week."

"I don't want to talk about that or Sirius," he said quickly.

"Well, I wasn't going to talk about that, but while we're on the subject, if you want to talk about–"

"I don't," Harry said, cutting him off and shaking his head.

"Harry–"

"I don't want to talk about it. I already spoke to Snape."

"I'm not sure that was the best idea. I'm not going to force you to talk to me about your father but I do want to talk to you about Sirius." When no reply was forthcoming Remus ploughed on. "Sirius loves you and if he wasn't still being hunted by the ministry he'd take you in without hesitation. I know you're mad at him about what he said before, but you must understand, this rivalry with Severus, it's not so easy for him to let go of. He's been in Azkaban for twelve years. It's hard for him to understand how different things are but he's trying to do his best by you."

"I'm not mad because he doesn't like Snape," Harry said, outraged at the thought.

"You don't want to tell me why you're mad," Lupin replied calmly. "I'm just saying that you should talk to him and try to understand that he's going to make mistakes after spending twelve years in prison but he loves you."

Harry exhaled noisily. "I'm sorry." Lupin was right he couldn't shut out the one person who actually did want to take him in and really cared for him, but Sirius wasn't who he'd thought he was. He'd thought before that stuff about Sirius sending Snape after Remus back when they were at school was a mistake or could have been explained away, but the more he thought about it, the more likely it seemed that he did it on purpose.

"I don't want you to be sorry, Harry. I just want you to talk to him," Remus replied.

"Lupin," Snape greeted Remus with a nod from the kitchen doorway and beckoned him over, sending a cursory glance Harry's way.

S.S.

"Was that the best time?" Severus asked pointedly, gesturing at Harry's dejected form on the sofa.

"He needs to have a relationship with his godfather."

"Talk to him about who he wants to live with," Severus demanded abruptly.

"You haven't already? It's a bit late, isn't it?" Lupin responded with disbelief.

"Don't test my patience, wolf! I had one evening with the boy. Albus will be here in ten minutes, so talk to him."

H.P.

"You ready then, Harry?"

"I suppose so, yeah."

"I'm sorry this is all so rushed; it was sprung on Severus really very suddenly. I invited everyone on Severus' list to a meeting with Albus yesterday morning so it's just a case of ironing out the details with him today," Remus explained in what he obviously considered a reassuring tone.

"How come they need to see Dumbledore?" Harry asked. He could see that his uncertainty had thrown Remus off.

"This solution was Severus' idea, so we just need to make sure that Albus will okay it and part of that is making sure we're all on the same page about the warding. I explained that it would be stringent and heavy but it's up to Albus to determine the specifics."

"What do you mean 'okay it'? Why wouldn't it be okay?"

"I'm surprised Severus didn't explain this better... Albus wants to make sure that you'll be as protected as possible so we need to make sure this arrangement won't put you in any danger, that's all."

"So I might still be going back?"

"Not if we can help it."

"But Snape said–"

"I see why Severus didn't say anything," Remus muttered to himself. "It will be fine. I can't see Albus being unreasonable about this."

There was a knock on the door and Harry got up to answer it, just catching a sarcastic mutter from Snape behind him. Well done, wolf.

"Good morning Harry, Severus, Remus." Professor Dumbledore greeted them sombrely from the doorway, politely waiting to be invited inside.

"Uh, come in, sir," Harry said, disliking the formality and sensing the tension in the room between all three adults.

"I believe we need to have a serious conversation," Dumbledore said, gesturing for them all to sit. As Harry moved to comply he was stopped by a firm hand on his shoulder.

"Hold on a moment headmaster. Harry, I'd like a word."

"Wh-" Harry started, before being cut off by Snape.

"Now," Snape insisted, steering him towards his bedroom.

"Severus, we do not have time to delay."

"You will get your decision when I've had a word with Harry. I think you can handle waiting a few more minutes," Snape hissed with more than a little venom.

S.S.

"What, Potter, is the reason behind this ridiculous attitude?" Severus asked abruptly the moment the door was shut. He would not stand by and wait for Harry to make a rash decision that he hadn't thought through because he was too busy having some adolescent mood swing.

"I don't have an attitude, Professor. I thought this had to be done quickly, sir," Harry replied dismissively, retaining that irritating 'politeness' that Severus wanted to put a stop to.

"Perhaps, Potter, you do not appreciate the considerable lengths I went to when I organised this for you," Severus started in his most silky, dangerous voice. "Believe me, it was some trouble and neither you nor I will leave this room until I am satisfied that you are taking this decision seriously and in the correct frame of mind."

"I am taking this seriously, sir," Harry replied blandly.

"Do not 'sir' me, Harry!" Severus yelled in frustration. "Do you think me a fool?"

"No, Professor," Harry replied innocently.

"HARRY! Sit down, now. Say nothing, not a word, or I will cast a silencing charm on you before I lose my patience completely." Harry complied somewhat unwillingly, sitting himself on the edge of his bed and staring off to the side.

"I want you to explain to me why you're angry, when I say," Severus stressed, seeing Harry open his mouth, more than likely to spew some irritating denial. "I do not want to hear that you are not angry and I do not want to hear anything about this being unfair. I want you to look at me and explain to me what is wrong."

Harry sat completely still, neither speaking nor looking up at Severus. "I have all day, Potter. Be my guest, drag this out as long as you like."

"I'm not angry," he said simply.

"Do not lie to me."

"You can't keep me in here. I don't have to do anything you say any more," Harry replied and Severus was pleased that a note of frustration was beginning to creep into his voice.

"Oh, I think you do, Potter. Until all this is sorted out I am still your guardian, so I believe you do have to do what I say."

"I want to talk to Dumbledore."

"I couldn't care less what you want."

"I know."

There was silence as neither of them spoke and Harry fixed his angry gaze on the wall as Snape stood blocking the door.

"Care to explain that?"

"No," Harry snapped back. Severus merely narrowed his eyes. He was determined not to rise to his behaviour now that he had gotten him to drop the ridiculous 'polite' act he had been putting on.

Severus regarded Harry stonily. It was hard to remember that he was the same boy that came pelting out of the floo away from his godfather just days before.

"Why these people?" Harry bit out after yet another tense silence and held out the list that Snape had drawn up.

"They are willing and trustworthy, they understand that you are at some risk or may well be in the future and would be willing to make provision for it and protect you if necessary. I narrowed the list down to these specific individuals so that you would have a choice of people that you would be willing to live with."

Snape watched Harry look blankly down at the list as he spoke. "I would have thought that you would appreciate what these people are willing to do for you. There are not many people who would be so lucky."

"I do appreciate it."

"Odd, Potter, because it seems to me that you've put more energy into irritating me than considering with whom you'd like to live."

Harry didn't answer, simply staring resolutely ahead. "I am this close to losing my patience with you, you irritating, ungrateful–" Severus cut himself off and shook his head. "Enough of this. I thought better of you."

Severus knelt directly in front of where Harry was sitting, earning himself a baleful glare but Harry made no move to escape until Severus grabbed his chin and held his head firmly in place, so that he was looking into his potions teacher's eyes. Severus held his gaze and his chin as Harry tried to pull out of his grip. "I wouldn't bother, Potter. Is your attitude towards me to do with this list?" Severus asked still maintaining eye contact. Harry looked positively mutinous but flinched when Severus insisted harshly, "Answer me."

"No."

"Liar. You remember how I feel about lies, do you?" Severus didn't give him a chance to answer before he asked another question. "Are you angry because I have not given you enough time to consider your options?"

"No."

"You're disappointed with who's on the list?"

"Get off," Harry demanded with a hint of desperation.

"I'll take that as a yes then, shall I? I wouldn't have thought it would need explaining that you cannot live with your godfather or Lupin."

"I know that. I'm not stupid!"

"You couldn't be more mistaken," Severus said, before exiting the room and slamming the door shut behind him.

"Where's Harry?"

"In his room," Severus answered shortly, scowling with irritation.

"Ah. Perhaps that is for the best," Dumbledore stated calmly, only serving to irritate Severus further.

"How could it possibly be for the best?"

"Severus, I've spoken to all of your candidates and it would seem that they are not quite as prepared as you might have anticipated."

"Lupin spoke to them a day ago. He found them quite prepared then," he snarled, turning to face the headmaster as he paced back and forth in front of Harry's room.

"They may well have been before we discussed the details but this is quite a serious commitment that you're proposing."

"I'm well aware of the seriousness of the situation."

"Albus, what exactly is going on?" Lupin cut in tiredly.

"They are unwilling, my boys," Dumbledore responded in a barely believable regretful tone.

"If they knew the situation they wouldn't be unwilling. Minerva's his head of house for Merlin's sake," Lupin said, looking appalled.

"You dissuaded them," Severus accused without emotion. It was not as if he did not expect some manipulation on the headmaster's part.

"They asked for my view on the matter and I gave it. I will not lie, not when Harry's and their own safety would be at risk."

"I cannot believe this," Lupin muttered, running a hand through his hair in exasperation.

"You've done what you could. Lily would want her son to be safe."

"This is not about Lily. This is about Harry!"

"Can we just calm down. Where does this leave us?" Remus asked.

"Harry goes back and I will have him protected to the best of my ability there."

"Severus, you could take him," Lupin suggested, turning away from the headmaster to face Severus directly.

"I cannot take him. We discussed this already, or is your memory that short?"

"It's not ideal, obviously, but it's not impossible."

"Not ideal? I'll be spying on the Dark Lord and consorting with Death Eaters."

"I know. I said it's not ideal but You-Know-Who hardly makes house calls and especially not to a man acting as his spy on Albus Dumbledore."

"He does not want to live with me."

"What are you basing that on?" Lupin asked with a hint of incredulity, which Severus answered with a sneer. "Look, I thought we were all discussing what is best for Harry?"

"We are."

"I think this is it. I thought you'd at least be willing after–"

"I did not say I was not willing," Severus interrupted heatedly.

"Gentlemen?" The headmaster interrupted quietly and both men fell silent.

Severus stood perfectly still, considering the situation. He was only left with one option. He'd have to explain everything to the boy before it went ahead but it was all they had. He supposed there would be the possibility of transferring guardianship later, when they had more time to fight the headmaster's manipulations.

"I'm taking the damned boy," Severus declared suddenly.

"Now, we need to consider this properly."

"You can't dissuade me so easily. I'm willing to take him, I'll live with whatever wards you want, you consider me trustworthy, I am a powerful wizard and I have always protected him. As for my responsibility, when the Dark Lord rises again I will fulfil my role as I said that I would. There is no knowing when he'll return, Harry could be out and grown by then."

"And you think that working as a spy would allow you to be an adequate guardian for Harry?"

"Albus, please, look what you're considering sending him back to. Severus has already proven that he can more than adequately care for Harry," Lupin said in his defence.

"You've backed me into a corner. I take it Sirius will agree?"

"Yes. In time," he amended and Dumbledore nodded.

"Then all we need is Harry's agreement and then we must begin. Time is of the essence."