Lost in his own thoughts of the absolute absurdity of this expedition and how everything was sure to turn out to be nothing more than Poppy turning senile, Severus Snape failed to concentrate properly and accidentally apparated into a Hydrangea shrub. He stepped out of the plant with as much grace as he could muster, remembering to glare at McGonagall who was standing on the pavement looking annoyingly pleased with this exhibition – having just emerged from the far more suitable apparatingpoint of inside a garden shed. Severus walked out of the front yard over to his colleague – relieved the no one had seen him yet.

If the witch hadn't been there with him he might have considered the possibility of him having died overnight and gone to hell. The houses were uniform. Every front yard was blossoming with mostly pastel colors. The scent of flowers and smoke from several grills hung in the air. Children were running up and down the street. Severus paused.

“I cast a notice-me-not charm while you were busy fighting the shrubbery,” Minerva informed him.

“Which number is it?” Severus inquired eager to forget about the Hydrangea.

“Number four. It should be down there. Though, mind you, I haven't been here for a decade.”

Snape huffed slightly and followed McGonagall down the street. It was a wealthy neighborhood. That much was clear from the state of the houses and the pristine gardens. Severus always knew that Potter came from the higher end of muggle society and despite the fact that he knew perfectly well what a spoilt brat he (she? No! He... Surely) was, he couldn't help but feel jealous and enraged at actually seeing it. Thoughts of his own childhood surfaced but Snape pushed them aside.

“Here we are,” announced Minerva and pointed to a house across the street.

If the rest of the street could be considered nice and cheery – The Dursleys' front yard could be considered a pastel explosion. It had several flower beds and low trimmed hedges separated it from the adjoining properties. There was even a little fountain there with a ghastly statue of a cherub pouring water from a pot. Severus wasn't at all surprised – the color scheme reminding him of Petunia's childhood wardrobe consisting entirely of floral dresses. The facade of the house was almost completely identical to the others. The one exception being bars on one of the first floor windows. A latter still stood under it, revealing that they had been put there recently if not the same day. Severus was about to point this out to Minerva but found the witch was no longer at his side.

McGonagall was already making her way across the street and Severus followed. He had to constantly remind himself of why they were there to keep himself from apparating strait back to Hogwarts. He almost felt tainted by his pastel surroundings and a strange yucky feeling wouldn't leave him. Minerva was now at the door and there she paused and starred at it. She turned and looked at Snape after a while as the man caught up with her. The concern was evident in her eyes and Severus felt a twinge of something not far from being fear when he saw it. If Severus Snape had not been directly involved in this situation or indeed if it was anyone but Potter he might well have believed Poppy. As it was he didn't want to – for the sake of the wizarding world, he told himself. True, it certainly would be a complication of epic proportions but the truth was that Severus couldn't stand the thought that Lily was involved in deceit of this magnitude – and why?

Another thought suddenly surfaced and Snape violently showed it into the back his mind but the feeling of despair and disgust it had caused remained behind.

“Well?” he sneered at Minerva a little more harshly than he meant to in an effort to distract himself.

“Are you ready?” she asked more to herself than Snape but he nodded in reply just the same.

McGonagall took a deep breath and firmly knocked on the door. It wasn't long before they could hear some shuffling about on the other side. Then the door opened and a blond horse faced woman looked out at Minerva. A forced smile was plastered on her face but as soon she saw McGonagall, despite the professor's relatively muggle clothes, she almost closed the door but seemed to reconsider. She studied Minerva from the now cracked door and seemed to either have ignored or overlooked Snape who was still standing behind the witch, now with his arms crossed.

“Who are you? What do you want?” Petunia demanded.

“Mrs Dursley? Pardon the intrusion. My name is Professor McGonagall and I'm one of Harry's teachers. I wonder if we might come in?”

The other woman's eyes narrowed considerably.

“I think not. I demand you leave now before I call the police!” she snapped before moving to close the door.

She couldn't however as she suddenly found a black boot in the way. Petunia starred at it for a few seconds before looking up at the person who had blocked her doorway. The black clad man was frowning at her and she suddenly felt more uneasy than angry. Something about him seemed familiar but Petunia couldn't quite figure out why!

“We don't want your kind here! Leave us!” she hissed as soon as she found her courage.

“It's not very polite to leave your guests standing in front yard! What will the neighbors think?” Severus tsk'ed.

Concern flashed in Petunia's eyes and Severus mused that he found her every bit as unattractive a person as he remembered her. When she still didn't move, he took a few steps forward, passing Minerva and that seemed to unsettle her just enough because Petunia took several steps backwards. Thus she let go of the door and it swung open, making it possible for Snape and McGonagall to enter. Minerva closed the door behind them while Severus tried to keep his lunch down at the sight of the internal decor. Meanwhile Petunia seemed to have snapped out of it.

“What do you want?” she spat.

“Where's Harry?” Minerva inquired calmly.

When Petunia didn't respond she continued:

“Is this the living room, then?” She said as she entered and sat down at on the floral couch.

Snape and Petunia followed her – Petunia muttering protests and Snape trying very hard not to brush against anything.

“I would like you to fetch Harry, Mrs Dursley. We have things to discuss,” Minerva stated as she glanced at the photographs on the wall – none of which included Harry.

“MUM! WHERE IS THE BLUE CAR?” someone suddenly cried and a moment later something came jumping down the stairs.

At first Severus wasn't quite sure it wasn't a troll but having also seen the pictures on the wall he concluded that this had to be Petunia's son. The whaleboy took one step into the living room where he instantly locked eyes with a scowling Snape and promptly screamed. Petunia went completely white and rushed over to comfort him. The next moment someone bellowed from the first floor:

“What's going on down there?”

Severus winced at the sound. Unfortunately his sudden movement sent the boy into hysterics and he turned and ran for the stairs – managing to almost knock over his mother in the process. He didn't get far though as someone else was coming down. A mustached man who was really only a larger version of his son stopped as soon as his son ran into him full force and only just managed to stay on his feet.

“Darling, what's the meaning of...” he began but then he noticed Severus through the open door.

“No! We won't have any more of you! Get out of my house! Out! Right now!” he thundered as he and his son made their way down – for they couldn't both use the stairs at the same time.

“Make me,” sneered Snape. “Where's your nephew? I'm getting impatient.”

He pulled out his wand a casually spun it around in his hand. The effect was glorious. Vernon Dursley's face turned beet red, Petunia looked as if she was about to pass out and the boy fled into the kitchen. Neither of the elder Dursleys said a word but Snape didn't fail to notice their eyes glancing at the stairs for just a moment.

“Mr Dursley, Mrs Dursley, why don't you come and sit down? The sooner we can be done here and on our way,” Minerva called from the living room.

“I'll get Potter,” muttered Snape and made his way up the stairs as Petunia and Vernon exchanged a few glances and joined McGonagall.

At the top of the stairs was a small hallway with five doors. Severus quickly noted that one of the doors had several locks and quickly dismissed it as some closet the Dursleys kept valuables in. He turned to inspect the remaining doors. He could easily call for Potter but didn't like the idea of standing around waiting for the boy to finish what ever he was doing. Two of the other doors were open. One clearly lead to the elder Dursleys' bedroom and the other appeared to be filled with toys. Confident that he had found the room, Severus entered only to find a room overflowing with toys but no sign of Potter.

“Potter?”

No reply. Perhaps it was one of the other doors. Severus quickly stepped back into the hallway and opened first the door to the bathroom and then the door to a broom closet. Confused, Severus turned back towards the locked door. It couldn't be? Now that he was looking at it properly he noticed that a catflap was installed at the bottom. Sawdust still lay on the carpet, indicating that the feature had just been added. He tried the handle but the door was locked. Hesitantly Snape raised his wand and hoped his instincts were wrong and Potter was simply hiding in the other room. Not bothering to manually unlock the locks that locked from the outside, he flicked his wrist and the door flung open.

The room was bare. There was a desk, a wardrobe and a bed and the furniture barely fit in the room as it was. The first thing Severus realized upon entering was that the window had bars on it and he remembered seeing those from the outside. On the bed lay a child curled up with his back to him.

“Potter?”

The reaction was instant. Potter spun around and upon seeing the intruder, the child's eyes widened and he flew backwards into the corner where Potter pulled his legs up under himself and hid his face. Severus opened his mouth as if to speak but he couldn't seem to find the words.

No! No, I'm dreaming. I'm lying delirious in the infirmary.

“Potter, I...”

Minerva! She would know what to do!

“Potter, follow me downstairs.”

“Snape?” said the child and raised his head, starring at him like he was a werewolf.

Snape didn't even bother to correct the child's manner of addressing him because he was much too occupied with battling the horrible feeling in his chest. The room reminded him of something. Something he had long since repressed. He knew Potter to be the model brat but this was a prison cell! Eager to have McGonagall deal with this, he simply reached out and grabbed Potter's arm and pulled him off the bed. The child didn't put up much of a fight as they came down the stair though he certainly didn't make an effort to keep up with his professor either.

Upon entering the living room it was clear that he had missed absolutely nothing. Minerva was sitting there sipping a cup of tea she had somehow gotten Petunia to prepare and the two Dursleys sat in the armchairs glaring at her.

“Minerva!”

Minerva looked up at the sound of Snape's voice. A smile appeared on her face when she spotted Harry and disappeared just as quickly when she saw the fear in the child's eyes.

“Minerva, may I suggest you take a look at Potter's room before we begin?” Snape sneered as he glared at the Dursleys.

“We can explain, he...” Petunia began.

“Explain? Explain?” Snape huffed.

He could feel the anger rising in him. Never mind, that this was Potter. Locking a child up like that was never acceptable. He unknowingly tightened his grip on Potter's arm, causing the child to whimper. As soon as he heard the sound he let go of the child as if he'd been burned.

“What's going on?” McGonagall said and motioned for Harry to join her on the couch.

The child didn't move a muscle and instead Snape pushed Potter over to her with the words:

“Sit! Now!”

That did it. Harry obeyed quickly and sat down stiffly.

“Harry, what's going on?” Minerva said softly.

“That's what I would like to know! Why do you feel it necessary to lock your nephew in a room with bars on the window?” hissed Snape. “And just what did you intend to use that catflap for?”

“He deserved it! Dropped a cake on my guests yesterday with his freaky powers!” Vernon spat.

“I DID NOT!” cried Harry suddenly to the surprise of the professors.

“IT WAS THE HOUSE ELF!”

At the sound of Potter's voice, Severus suddenly remember where he was and who he was defending. A house elf? That wasn't even remotely possible and even though he in no way agreed with locking a child up so permanently, he had no doubt that Potter was guilty of dropping the cake. He might have accepted accidental magic if Potter had claimed that but the child admitted it had been deliberate though he lied about who had done it.

“Potter! Be quiet!” Snape admonished.

Minerva suddenly rose – ignoring Potter's outlandish claims.

“Which door?” she asked as she passed Severus.

“The one with the locks,” he replied and she stormed up the stairs.

A moment later she returned – a murderous look in her eyes. Snape took a deep breath. He needed to let Minerva deal with this. Just do as they planned and get out of there. They probably just had enough of prince Potter and overreacted. But still.

Minerva sat down on the couch as calmly as she could and motioned for Snape to sit down beside Potter but he remained standing.

“We'll be discussing this, believe me! However, first we must attend to a different matter.”

She took a deep breath and looked at Potter.

“Harry, Madam Pomfrey had a look at your scans and... Well, according to them you should be... female.”

Potter suddenly got up from the couch and would likely have fled the room had Snape not been blocking the way. The sounds coming from the Dursleys were even more telling.

“That's enough! What do you want?” cried Petunia.

“Answers,” mumbled Snape.

“Well, you're not getting any! You have not right to charge in here and...” added Vernon.

“Severus, we...” began McGonagall but she didn't get to finish the sentence because just then a loud sound was heard as the teacup Petunia had been holding fell to the floor and into a hundred pieces.

“Y... You!” She gasped and starred at Snape with wide eyes.

“Hello, Tuney!” sneered Snape.

“You? Snape!” She all but cried.

The next second however came as a shock to everyone as a decorative pillow was hurled at Snape's face by Petunia. He barely managed to dodge it but before he could hex the woman's hands off she yelled:

“You have some nerve coming here now! After all these years! Leaving us with the freak like that!”

Severus paused. What on earth was she talking about? He had had nothing at all to do with the placement of Potter! He glanced at Minerva who looked every bit as confused.

“There! Take her then! And get out!” Petunia cried as she got up from her chair, grabbed Potter and shoved the child towards Snape.

“Her?” Minerva said as she got up from the couch. “So it's true then?”

Petunia froze and Vernon got to his feet and placed a hand on her shoulder.

“Is this him?” Vernon sneered as he gestured towards Snape.

---

In the confusion nobody seemed to be paying any attention to Harry who was now softly crying.

“Harry?” said McGonagall who now noticed the tears and put her hand on the child's shoulder.

“Is it true?”

Harry instantly looked to his aunt and uncle who were still busy trying to stare Snape down – not realizing that they would lose that battle. She was terrified. It was one thing to be dragged from her room by Snape but now they were asking questions and Harry didn't know how to handle it. Since she was very young she had been instructed never to let anyone know she was a girl but now her aunt had outright said it herself to two of the people she had ordered Harry to conceal it from. Did this mean it was okay for Harry to admit it? Or was this some kind of test?

“Miss Granger knows doesn't she?” she heard McGonagall say and before she could stop herself she replied: “And Ron too.”

Realizing that she had just confirmed it she covered her mouth with her hands and starred at the Deputy Headmistress in horror.

“Potter is female?” Snape suddenly said though it was unclear whether he was informing himself or asking Petunia.

“Well, yes...” Petunia replied and looked at Snape as though she could not comprehend how he didn't know that. Harry sighed with relief.

---

“Are you taking her or what?” growled Vernon as he looked at Snape.

“Excuse me?” Severus replied still adjusting to Poppy's discovery being true.

“Mr Dursley, we came here to confirm that Harry was female. What we would really like to know is how that is so,” said McGonagall.

“Are you going to expel me now?” said a small voice next to Minerva.

Minerva looked down at the girl at her side. Severus rolled his eyes. Harry Potter was secretly female and all the child was worried about was staying in school – of course Potter didn't realize the shock this would give the wizarding world.

“No, Harry, we're going to figure this out,” the witch replied reassuringly and sat down again.

“Why don't you sit down next to me?”

The girl hesitated but she obeyed. It seemed she could only breathe relatively easy next to Minerva. Severus was already going over everything he knew about the time after Potter's birth – trying to make sense of it all. That feeling from earlier hadn't left him.

“Perhaps... Now would be a good time to explain yourselves!” sneered Snape, almost yelling the last words.

In response a loud shriek could be heard from the kitchen and Vernon Dursley immediately moved towards the door with fury painted on his face only to be held back by Petunia.

“You mean... You don't know? You didn't get the letter?” she asked Severus with wide eyes.

“I have absolutely no idea what you're talking about,” he replied and crossed his arms.

“I don't care if you're going to sit here and play hostess to these people,” Vernon sneered at his wife. “I'm going to see to Dudley.”

The man left the room. Severus didn't fail to notice that Potter's eyes followed him out and that she moved closer to Minerva when he went.

“How long have you pretended to be a boy?” McGonagall asked the child.

“Since she started school,” Petunia answered on Harry's behalf.

“Why,” it came coldly from Snape who was losing his patience.

“Don't look at me like that! I promised to conceal it! I wasn't going to raise her a boy just because you lot thought she was one! I wasn't about to make her any more unnatural than she already is! But once we had to put her in school we couldn't very well just let her walk in there in a dress! What would people think!” Petunia explained as she was becoming more and more hysterical.

“Why would people think her a boy in the first place?” McGonagall pointed out at same time as Snape said:

“You promised?”

Petunia looked like a cornered mouse. Severus would have normally been delighted with the sight but right now he was too confused to focus on anything else other than the Potter mystery.

“I don't understand why you didn't come for her anyway – she's your mess after all!” Petunia spat at Severus with such anger that he was reminded of a furious shewolf. Even if he didn't understand what she was saying he recognized accusation in her voice. His face became white with anger and he was just about to hex her hair off when he heard Minerva say:

“Mrs Dursley, Harry is not our mess. She's not anyone's mess. She's a child.”

The elderly witch placed a protective arm around Harry who had been watching the whole thing with wide eyes. Petunia simply huffed at that remark.

“Indeed. That's rich. She's his child!”

“WHAT?” cried Snape as he stumbled several steps backwards and ended up against the wall.

The sound of his voice almost drowned out Harry screaming the exact same word but the following silence was cemented by the sound of the door slamming as Harry ran out of the room.