Harry stared skeptically into the jar of white powder, standing on the hearth near the fireplace. He was supposed to toss this powder into the fireplace and stand in the fire, as if there was nothing life-threatening about that?

“I assure you, Mr. Potter,” Snape said, sounding impatient. “The Floo is one of the most mainstream magical methods of travel existing. You have nothing to be concerned about.”

Harry just looked up at Snape, warily, refusing to take a step closer to the sinister looking flames. Sure, he’d read about the Floo, but actually using it was an entirely different story. Though he had seen Dumbledore use it, he wouldn’t put it past the man to have orchestrated the entire event for some incomprehensible reason.

Death by fire is probably the worst way.

“If I use it first, will you trust its safety?” Snape finally said.

Harry swallowed, then nodded, thrusting the jar in Snape’s direction. Snape grasped it, plucking a pinch of powder from the jar before replacing it back on the mantle. Harry watched as Snape tossed the powder into the fire, which immediately turned bright green. He then backed up slightly as Snape stepped into the fireplace.

“Diagon Alley,” he said clearly, and disappeared in a flash of green flame.

Okay. He didn’t burn up, apparently. So I just do what he did. Right. This is insane.

Harry shrugged, then pinched a bit of Floo powder from the jar. He tossed it into the flames, which had since returned to their normal state, and watched them glow green yet again.

Here goes nothing.

Harry took a deep breath, then stuck the toe of his shoe into the flames. When it didn’t appear to be consumed, he stepped into the fireplace, half-braced for unbearable heat and horrible pain. He was pleasantly surprised to find that the flames felt like little more than a warm breeze.

I won’t even bother to try and figure out how this makes any sort of sense…

Harry opened his mouth to state his destination, accidentally knocking his heel against one of the burning logs. He abruptly inhaled a mouthful of ash.

“D-diag-on All-ey,” Harry choked out, his lungs desperately attempting to expel the ash.

I’m screwed, was Harry’s last thought as he was whisked away into a blur of flame and bricks.

---

Harry coughed violently as he rolled out of the fireplace, landing in a strange, darkened room. There was no sign of Snape.

Harry pulled himself slowly to his feet, trying to shake off the dizziness and nausea. He swallowed back the rising anxiety.

Let’s look at this logically. Obviously, I didn’t say Diagon Alley clearly enough, which is why I’m not there, but what I said sounded mostly like it, so I’m probably somewhere nearby.

Harry studied his surroundings carefully; it appeared that he had landed in some sort of antique shop. There were odd-looking devices displayed on dusty shelves and tables, and though the room was still and quiet, Harry could sense the subtle magical influences at play. Harry felt a bit tempted to fiddle with some of the objects, but he abstained.

Yeah, brilliant idea, go touch creepy magical devices and see what happens. Best possible way to keep under the radar…

Harry inhaled sharply when he heard the door of the shop open with a ring. He backed carefully toward the far corner of the room, concealing himself behind some tall stacks of untitled books, holding his breath.

“Ah, Lucius…” Harry heard a gravelly, hoarse voice say.

I didn’t know wizards smoked, too… And Lucius? Did I just walk into a Shakespearean novel?

“A pleasure…” There was a faint rustle, which Harry assumed was the sound of sleeves brushing together as the men shook hands.

“I have come to see about acquiring the final products of my collection, if I may, Mr. Burke?” said a high, aristocratic voice.

“I believe that can be arranged…”

Harry heard footsteps growing steadily louder, and he pushed back more firmly into his corner.

“Touch nothing, Draco,” the aristocratic man, Lucius, said sharply.

Harry heard the faint tread of lightweight footsteps, and he realized that he was not the only child in the room. Unable to help himself, he shifted over slightly as to partially unblock his view.

Harry could see the backs of two men poring over some object or other, one slight and dark-haired, the other tall and thin with long, white-blond hair. A similarly blond-haired boy who looked to be about Harry’s age was examining some sinister looking jewelry with his hands clasped behind his back, a sullen expression on his face.

I suppose he’s Draco, the aristocrat’s son. What sort of name is that? Were his parents intentionally trying to make him the target of ridicule?

The boy suddenly looked up, and Harry could only stand there, frozen in place, when their eyes met.

---

Severus stepped neatly out of the fireplace of the Leaky Cauldron, brushing soot off his robes. Ignoring the other occupants of the pub, he stepped to the side, waiting for Harry to come through.

As his wait crept slowly from two minutes to three, then five, Severus realized that the boy was not coming through.

Clearly, having the boy use the Floo was a rather imbecilic error of judgment. Considering his maturity, it is so easy to forget how inexperienced he is with the wizarding world. I cannot afford to make such mistakes… I must examine the monitors to locate the boy, though they will likely prove to be useless, as were not designed to detect specific locations outside of the property, due to my utter idiocy…

Severus waved his wand in a few intricate motions, his fears proving to be correct. He could not locate the child from where he was.

The monitors are tied to the property, perhaps I can return there to adjust them…

Seeing that it was his only viable option, Severus shoved a knut into the slot near the jar of Floo powder, grabbed a pinch, and was spinning through chimneys within seconds, all the while cursing the time he’d wasted.

How could he have let the boy out of his sight? He was well aware of the dangers, and he knew, quite acutely, what the boy was going through. The child could run into anything, he could get snatched off the streets, even run away. The child was far too clever for his own good, and a danger to himself…

---

Harry stared into the boy, Draco’s, gray eyes, unsure if he should remain where he was, run, or throw something. The blond-haired boy’s eyes darted toward the adults, then back to Harry.

“Draco,” Lucius suddenly called out. Draco jumped, turning quickly to face the other end of the room.

“Yes, Father?” he drawled, the very picture of well-bred propriety.

“Mr Burke here and I will be going to the back room for several moments. Can I trust you to remain here alone?” said Lucius sternly.

“Yes, Father.”

Harry heard the two men’s footsteps growing faint, and the boy turned back to face Harry’s corner, smirking slightly.

“One would think I had planned for that,” Draco muttered, shifting away some of the books concealing Harry.

What am I so afraid of? He’s just a kid, like me. He isn’t even that much bigger than me.

Harry stepped out from behind the stacks of books, an indifferent expression on his face.

“And who might you be?” the boy asked, with the air of a person well-accustomed to receiving answers.

Harry raised his eyebrows. “What’s it to you?”

“My father practically owns this shop,” Draco huffed. “Having the place infested with street urchins does nothing for business.

Harry knew he was supposed to be affronted, but he just felt amused. “Did your dad feed you that line, or do you come up with pretentious one-liners on demand?”

Harry hadn’t known a face could change colors so quickly. The boy’s pale face darkened red with anger at a speed akin to a traffic light.

“Do you know who I am?” the boy asked with a poor attempt at snobbery, nose in the air.

Harry just raised his eyebrows, his facial expression speaking for itself.

“I suppose that is unsurprising,” Draco sniffed, “considering your obvious lack of a cultural background. One cannot expect those of lesser status to be well-versed in the names and faces of higher society.”

Harry couldn’t help it, he snorted.

“Is something funny?” Draco sniped.

Harry rolled his eyes. “The fact that you seem to be under the impression that you represent this so-called higher society, perhaps?”

Draco squared his shoulders. “Well, you’d be a first year like me, I suppose?”

Harry nodded slowly. “Your point being?”

Draco sniffed again, though he couldn’t quite pull off the sophisticated pose he was angling for.

“When we start school, you’ll see what influences the Malfoys hold in Hogwarts. My father is a senior member of the board of education, and what with Severus being my godfather, I’m guaranteed preferential treatment… ”

Harry physically held back jerk of surprise. Severus, as in Snape? This absolute twit was his godson?

It took Harry a moment to identify the feeling rising in his chest. Betrayal. And jealousy.

Why would I feel that way? It’s not like I need Snape to be a… a parent, or anything. He’s just… well, I don’t know what he is to me, but I trust him enough to tell him things I never told anyone.

“Hey, are you even listening to me?” Draco demanded.

Harry quickly regained his composure, complete with a disdainful raise of his eyebrow. “I wouldn’t know. Perhaps your little diatribe shares the effects of a mild sedative.”

For a moment, Draco looked stumped.

Does he not know what a sedative is? I win.

Draco took a haughty breath, but before he could respond, both he and Harry froze when they heard the approaching footsteps of the adults. Without pausing for a breath, Harry was out the door before Draco could as much as blink.

---

Back in the sitting room beside the fireplace, Severus’ eyes were squeezed tightly shut in concentration as he incanted. The focus and exertion it took to readjust these particular monitors when unable to locate the subject was notoriously draining.

Finally, beads of sweat running down his face, the job was done.

Harry was in Knockturn Alley, though he could not determine the exact location.

Wonderful. Of all places to end up… The very dredges of society, predators...

Severus was sprinting across the grounds, stepping past the wards surrounding his property. He disapparated, half-convinced that his trip was sped up by his utter panic.

---

Harry darted out into the street, peering around warily. It looked dark and slightly sinister, and almost as grimy as it has been inside. Harry felt the familiar street instincts take over as he glanced around carefully for potential threats, his senses on overdrive.

Well, I guess the next step is to find my way to Diagon Alley, which shouldn’t be too far…

For whatever reason, Harry did not feel nearly as anxious as he would have expected to be.

This is the first time I’ve been on my own since I got to Snape’s house…

Despite the sinister feel around him, Harry had missed his independence. Being told what to do, talking about his feelings… that was pretty foreign to him. But this, navigating the streets and keeping out of sight, was right up his alley. He didn’t need anyone to protect him, didn’t need Snape…       

He walked down the darkened street, scarcely breathing, keeping to corners and trash bins in attempt to conceal himself. At the same time, Harry felt quite calm. He was in control, here. He walked on silently, looking around interestedly.

He stiffened when he noticed a suspicious-looking person leaning against a wall, male or female he could not discern. The person flashed its teeth at him, and Harry reached reflexively into his pocket for the dagger.

 Bloody. Hell.

The realization of the absence of his dagger slapped Harry squarely in the face. This was not his turf; this was the magical world, where a dagger would offer little protection against an experienced wizard.

Harry shoved away the growing fear, forcing himself to breath evenly.

You’ve lived through much worse than this. Just find a way out of here and keep out of sight. You’ll be fine.

He’d been moving for barely a few more moments when his reassurances were proven false.

Harry jerked wildly when he felt a hand grab onto his sleeve. He turned his head quickly, heart beating frantically, to face what appeared to be a female  Her face was deathly pale, and her eyes, which glowed unnaturally, were partially concealed by a thick curtain of dark gray hair.

“Lost, are you, child?” the woman croaked, her cracked lips twisted into a perverse sort of smile. Harry tried to wrench his arm out of her grasp, but it seemed the woman was stronger than she appeared to be.

“I’m fine, thank you,” said Harry, thankful that his voice remained steady.

Show no fear, show no fear-

“Nonsense,” the woman crowed. “I’ll show you just where you need to go.”

She yanked Harry’s arm, pulling him along the road. The adrenaline kicked in then; Harry clawed wildly at her hand, and a surge of heat rushed from his fingertips, forcing the woman to release him with a shriek of pain and anger.

Without pausing for a further reaction on her part, Harry bolted in the opposite direction, head tilted behind him to see if she was following. It was for that reason that Harry didn’t notice the huge, hulking figure blocking his path until he ran straight into it and was sent flying backwards onto the pavement.

“What’r ya doin' down here, boy?”

Harry looked up quickly, gasping for breath, to see a giant of a man, face half-concealed with bushy, wiry black hair and beard. The man may have been frightening, if not for the warmth of his beetle-black eyes and slightly quizzical smile. He felt himself calm slightly.

“Can ya talk?” The question might have been offensive, if not for the sincerity of the man’s tone.

Harry exhaled, his breath coming out in a slight laugh of relief.

“Yeah, I was just l-lost. Floo powder…”

The man gave a nod of understanding. “Firs’ time, eh? Here, lemme help you.” Without waiting for a response, the giant leaned down to pull Harry up. He actually felt his feet leave the ground until the man set him down.

“So, were ya tryin’ ter get to Diagon?”

Harry nodded, brushing soot from his shirt.

“I can help yeh with tha’. Who’r ya with?”

Harry felt a bit weak at the knees, after all that excitement.

Excitement. Yeah, that’s right…

“Er… I was with Professor Snape…”

Who says he even knows who Snape is, anyway?

But it seemed he did.

“Ah, P’rfess’r Snape? Clever man, he is. C’mon, can’ be too hard ter track ‘im down.”

The giant gripped Harry’s upper arm, pulling him along. Harry didn’t resist. There was something about this man that seemed trustworthy. Familiar, even, as though Harry had known him once, and forgotten.

“I’m Hagrid, by th’ way. Gameskeeper at Hogwarts.” He said that last bit in a proud tone. “You’ll be a firs’ year, then. What’s yer name?”

“Harry,” he said quietly, brushing soot off his face with his free hand. The giant, Hagrid, stopped suddenly, releasing Harry’s arm to turn his head toward him.

“Harry?” Hagrid whispered. He stared into Harry’s eyes for a moment, his black eyes welling up with tears.

Without warning, he yanked Harry into a bone-crushing hug. Harry gasped in surprise, attempting weakly to pull himself away. But he was helpless to free himself from the grip of this huge, soft, giant who was currently clutching him desperately, his chest heaving with great, gulping sobs.

Finally, Hagrid released him, and Harry staggered backwards, rubbing his arms and breathing hard. He looked up to see Hagrid looking at him fondly, black eyes still wet with tears.

“Las’ time I saw yeh, you were jus’ a baby,” Hagrid said in a thick voice, fishing out an oversized handkerchief from a pocket.

Oh. That’s why he seems familiar.

“You look jus’ like yer dad, an’ you got yer mum’s eyes. Beautiful, she was. And both yer parents, such good people…” He paused to blow his nose loudly. “Tiny, little thing, yeh were. Yeh fit in the palm o’ my hand, yeh did…”

Hagrid continued his ramble as he led Harry down the narrow road, where a rickety sign nailed to a wall indicate that the area was called Knockturn Alley.

“So, how did yeh end up with P’rfessor Snape, Harry? He pick yeh up from yer relatives?”

Harry tensed at that. “Er… I live with him now.”

Hagrid peered down at Harry, an open look of surprise on his face. “Really? How’d tha’ happen?”

Harry shrugged, not really in the mood to discuss the details. Thankfully, Hagrid let it go, continuing to ramble on about the grandness of Hogwarts.

“Great place, Hogwarts is. Loved my time there, I did…”

Harry notice that the road was gradually widening and brightening; it seemed that they’d finally reached the exit. He then noticed a familiar figure in dark robes moving swiftly in their direction.

---

Severus stepped through the crumbling archway of Knockturn Alley, as he knew the boy was nearing the edge of the alley.

Severus quickened his stride as his eyes gradually adjusting to the unlit dankness of the alley. As he walked, the monitors tightened around his ankle, and he knew that the boy was near. Through narrowed eyes, Severus noticed a large, hulking shadow moving toward him, gradually making itself known to be a quite familiar individual.

Hagrid.

He knows the alley well, he may be of some help.

“Hagrid,” said Snape tersely when he was near enough. “Have you-” he stopped when he noticed Harry, small and insignificant beside Hagrid’s huge figure. He heaved an inner sigh of relief.

Oh, thank Merlin.

Scanning the child rapidly with his eyes for injury, Severus pulled Harry toward him by the shoulder. “You are unharmed?” he said tensely.

The child nodded, eyes on the ground.

Hand still gripping Harry’ shoulder tightly, Snape looked back up at Hagrid, who was overlooking the scene with a somewhat bemused, though fond expression.

“Thank you, Hagrid, you have been most helpful,” Snape said politely, wiping all traces of concern from his face. His hands felt shaky with the aftermath of his worry

“Arr, it’s no trouble. Best keep a close eye on young Harry, here,” Hagrid replied jovially.

Though he knew Hagrid meant nothing by it, Severus felt both guilty and affronted at the insinuation that he was not properly looking after the boy.

Well, you haven’t been doing a particularly good job, have you? Considering what the boy has gotten up to since coming into your care…

“I most certainly intend to,” replied Snape sharply. “We’d best be on our way.” Still gripping Harry’s shoulder tightly, he turned away to lead him down the alley.

“See yeh at Hogwarts, then, Harry, Severus,” Hagrid called from behind. Severus nodded without looking back.

For a few long moments, Snape walked alongside the child in silence, hand still gripping the child’s shoulder. It was only when the boy attempted to tug himself out of Severus’ grip when he realized just how tightly he’d been clutching the boy.

Snape immediately released Harry, wanting to kick himself.

You must be careful with the boy. You cannot be taking your anger at your own negligence out on him.

Severus sighed, looking down at the boy. Harry looked odd; not particularly frightened or anxious, just… more reserved in Severus’ presence that he’d been in quite a while

Perhaps he did run into trouble, Severus realized with a jolt.

“Did anything untoward occur in the alley, Harry?”

“No, sir,” Harry said quietly, looking at the ground.

“You are absolutely sure?” Severus asked sharply, frowning.

“Yes, sir. Nothing happened. I was just trying to find my way out when I ran into Hagrid.”

Severus frowned again, but he said no more.