“Are you feeling ready for this?” Albus asked. For the past seven minutes straight Severus had been silently staring at Albus’s desk while wearing look number 9. This look was far too neutral to have a name in the same way his others did, but Albus tended to think of it as Severus’s fiercely inscrutable look. Of course, that Severus was trying so especially hard not to let his emotions show whenever this particular look was trotted out always made it immediately apparent to Albus he was extra uncomfortable.

“I’m feeling like we are about to make an extraordinarily large mistake,” Severus said, his expression not changing the slightest bit.

“Entirely possible,” Albus acknowledged. This new relationship dynamic would be very different from Harry and Severus’s current student-teacher one, and would require a lot more from both of them. More than Albus would have believed Severus capable of being able to give at the beginning of this school year. On the other hand, Harry obviously trusted and respected Severus, and Severus was more emotionally available with Harry than Albus had seen him be with anyone for a very long time.  “Every decision we make has the possibility of turning out to be an extraordinarily large mistake. However, of all the potential mistakes before us at the moment, this one seems far and away the best.”

“The least offensive, perhaps,” Severus said.

“You shouldn’t say things like that; Harry might hear and get the wrong idea,” Albus said, though he meant it mostly as teasing.  Just then as if he’d been summoned – which of course he had been, but a good deal earlier and by more conventional means – Harry knocked on the office door.

“Come in Harry. Go ahead and sit down; make yourself comfortable,” said Albus.

Harry did as he was told, settling into the chair next to Severus and giving the man a quick smile as he did so. Severus continued to look fiercely inscrutable, but Harry didn’t seem particularly bothered by that. “Afternoon professors.”

“Good afternoon. I trust you’re doing well. Did your exams go alright?” Albus asked.

“I think so. I’m glad they’re over now though,” Harry said. “Was there something you wanted to talk to me about Professor? Is this about the Philosopher’s Stone and about what happened to Professor Quirrell? He was the one who was trying to steal it, wasn’t he?”

“One thing at a time. We have a number of things we want to discuss with you, and it’s probably best that we handle them in their proper order. But before we begin, I need you to know that much of what I’m going to tell you is very sensitive information. I’m sharing it with you because I believe that you deserve to know, but I would like your word that you won’t repeat what I say to anyone else.”

“But what about my friends?” Harry asked. “We’ve all been dying to know what happened after we told you about the person trying to steal the Stone, and I don’t want to lie to them if they ask me about it.”

“You won’t be lying if you tell them that the Headmaster instructed you not to tell,” Severus said.

“Yeah I guess,” Harry agreed. “But Professor Dumbledore, you said you were telling me because I deserve to know right? Well Ron and Hermione and Neville were all there with me when I told Professor McGonagall about the Stone being stolen, and Draco helped with the research, so I think they all deserve to know too.”

“I appreciate that, but it’s not the only reason that I feel you deserve this knowledge.” Albus considered for a minute, then said, “A compromise, perhaps. For the moment you’ll agree not to repeat any of what I say to anyone. Then, if after I’ve told you everything and you’re able to understand the full gravity of it and why it can’t be spread around, you still feel like you want to tell your friends, then I will trust your discretion. On the condition that you agree not to tell anyone aside from the four you just mentioned, and they first agree not to tell anyone else as well. Does that sound fair to you?”

“Yes professor, very fair,” Harry said.

“It seems to me that if the Headmaster doesn’t want you to tell your friends then you ought to trust his discretion,” Severus said. “However, as he’s already given you leave to do so, I will merely advise that you keep in mind the potential consequences if any of them should fail to keep the information secret before you tell them anything.”

“My friends wouldn’t do that,” Harry said hotly. “If they promise not to tell, then they won’t. They’re good people.”

“I’m not trying to question your friends’ loyalty to you, and I certainly have no interest in debating the moral fibre of a gaggle of preteens. My point was that no matter how loyal they are to you, your friends have loyalties to other people and things as well, just like everyone else in the world. You should never put someone in a position to choose between their loyalty to you and another loyalty elsewhere unless you’re prepared for what might happen if they choose elsewhere. Not to mention all the promises and good intentions in the world mean nothing if someone should have a slip of the tongue.”

“Well, maybe one of them might say something on accident,” Harry agreed grudgingly, “but not on purpose.”

Severus favoured Harry with look number 6 – You’re completely wrong, but it’s not worth my time to try to make you see sense. Harry couldn’t possibly have Severus’s expressions catalogued as thoroughly as Albus had over the years, but he seemed to get the gist of it anyway and looked appropriately sulky. Albus elected to take the interlude as an auspicious sign that this whole thing was going to work out just fine.

Albus lightly cleared his throat to regain Harry and Severus’s attention. “I’ll pick up our story right after you and your friends, Harry, alerted Professor McGonagall that the Philosopher’s Stone was at risk of being stolen, though I would be interested to hear in detail as to how you came to learn that in the future if you’d ever like to tell me,” Albus said. Privately he doubted he would ever get more detail from Harry than he already had; Albus suspected that the whole affair had a fair bit of… call it boundary-testing, even above and beyond sneaking a peek in at Fluffy.

“After you spoke with her, Professor McGonagall sent an owl to let me know of the possible danger. Archimedes is one of the more clever owls we have here at the school, and he managed to catch me mid-air on my way to London to respond to a faked request of assistance from Minister Fudge.” In retrospect, Albus should have taken the Floo Network, or possibly walked off the school grounds and Apparated, but he did like to grab as much relaxing time for himself as he could during finals week because the week after was his busiest time of the entire year. He had a castle full of children eager to start their summer break with no classes to keep them busy, and full of teachers too busy grading to supervise and cut off mischief before it got out of hand. The second week of June always had Albus running around putting out fires, often literally. “I turned around and returned to the school as quickly as I could and immediately went to where the Stone was being kept, where I came face-to-face with the thief.”

“Professor Quirrell?” Harry asked.

“Yes, he was there,” answered Albus.

“I knew it!” Harry said, looking very pleased with himself. “It was way too coincidental that he got too sick to come to class at the same time as someone tried to steal the Stone.”

“Professor Quirrell is dead,” Severus said. “A situation he brought upon himself, but not one that you should be crowing over.” A bit more bluntly put than Albus would have preferred, but that was Severus, and Harry did need to be told.

“He’s dead?” Harry echoed in shock. “But how…” He turned a wide-eyed look at Albus, “Professor, you didn’t…”

“No,” Albus said. “My presence may have been a catalyst for what happened, but as Professor Snape said, Quirinus’s passing was the result of a poor decision he made. One way or the other he wasn’t going to live for much longer. You see, though he was the one physically attempting to take the Stone, he was not doing so completely of his own volition. He was working under the command of a parasitic shade that had attached himself to Professor Quirrell and was hiding underneath his turban.”

“What was it?” asked Harry.

“Not what, who. Quirinus was working for Voldemort, or what remains of him at least,” said Albus.

Harry did not flinch when Albus used Voldemort’s name, which might have been a good sign, except the boy seemed to be in shock. “But he’s supposed to be dead,” Harry eventually said.

“Which would be relevant, if the world ran on ‘supposed-to-be’s’,” Severus said.

“I know, but…” Harry bit his lip. “He’s really still alive?”

“Alive might be a generous term for it,” Albus said. “He’s not dead, but at the moment he has all the substance and power of a ghost. That is why he used Professor Quirrell in an attempt to steal the Philosopher’s Stone – he hoped to use the Elixir of Life to restore himself.”

“But you stopped him, right Professor?” Harry said. There was a very genuine and present note of worry in his tone, which Albus found comforting. That worry said to Albus Harry understood and respected the danger Voldemort presented.

“I did. Thanks in part to the timely warning of yourself and your classmates, I was able to reach the stone before Quirrell could break the final protection surrounding it. When Voldemort realized he would not be getting his hands on the Stone, he fled, leaving Quirrell to die.”

“He killed Quirrell?” Harry asked.

“In a manner of speaking. That sort of possession is a very unnatural thing – the human body was not made to handle it. That is what killed Professor Quirrell.”

Harry nodded. “And what about the Stone, sir? Won’t You-Know-Who just try to steal it again?”

“Voldemort,” Albus corrected. “Always use the proper name for things. Fear of the name increases fear of the thing itself.” A respect for the danger was one thing, fear was quite another. No matter how much Albus might wish it otherwise, an eventual final confrontation between Harry and Voldemort seemed to grow more inevitable with each passing day. Fear would do Harry no good there.

“I’m not afraid of You-Know – I mean Voldemort’s name. I mean, it’s just a name, isn’t it?” Harry shrugged. “Only, everyone else calls him You-Know-Who, so I figured that was what you were supposed to do.”

Ah, number 14 – you’ve just been bested. It was rare for Severus to break out that look on someone else’s behalf, and unheard of for him to remain as smug as he would when he was the one who had gained the upper hand. Between that and Harry’s air of having stated the obvious, what could Albus do but chuckle and admit defeat. “A fair point. If a rose by any other name smells as sweet, presumably the reverse is also true. Very well, in that case feel free to call Voldemort whatever you wish.”

“I can call him anything I want?” Harry asked, his expression rife with mischief.

“Anything within reason,” Severus said. “If you can’t keep a civil tongue in your head, then I’m sure I can find a reason to remove the appendage altogether.”

“Yes sir,” Harry said, looking somewhat repentant, but completely uncowed. Oh yes, a very auspicious sign indeed.

“In answer to your earlier question, Harry, even if Voldemort wished to attempt to steal the Stone again, he can’t now. The Stone has been destroyed,” Albus said.

“Destroyed,” Harry said blankly. “But your friend – Nicolas Flamel –“

“Oh you know about Nicolas? You did do the thing properly, didn’t you?” It really was as shame that he was unlikely to ever get the full story. Maybe he could apply to the portraits for their supply of gossip, just this once. “Well Nicolas and I had a little chat, and agreed it’s all for the best.” Severus rolled his eyes, which luckily went unnoticed by Harry. Albus didn’t entirely disagree with the man, or the rest of the staff who were all of a like mind on this matter, but it would hardly be professional to complain to a student that this was a decision the Flamels very well could have come to eleven months sooner and saved everyone a lot of grief.

“But that means he and his wife will die, won’t they?” Harry asked.

“They have enough Elixir stored to set their affairs in order and then, yes, they will die. To one as young as you, I’m sure it seems incredible, but to Nicolas and Perenelle, it really is like going to bed after a very, very long day. After all, to the well-organized mind, death is but the next great adventure. You know, the Stone was really not such a wonderful thing. As much money and life as you could want! The two things most human being would choose above all – the trouble is, human do have knack of choosing precisely those things that are worst for them.” Albus looked at Harry and Severus, two people he’d seen transformed in the past year and about to embark on the next great adventure of their own, and smiled. “Then again, sometimes we do manage to surprise ourselves and choose correctly.”

After that Albus and Severus allowed Harry a moment to sort through all he’d been told so far. It was quite a lot that had been laid on him already, and Albus would like him to have processed it as much as he could before they moved on to the next topic.

“Sir,” Harry said, turning to Severus. “You said that I shouldn’t tell my friends because they have other loyalties. You were talking about Draco, weren’t you? You think if I tell him about Voldemort, he’ll tell his dad.”

“I think that is information Lucius Malfoy would very much like to have, and Draco knows that. What the elder Malfoy would do with that information I couldn’t say with certainty – his primary motivation for joining the Death Eaters was always his own ambition and as he is now the Dark Lord could hardly serve that – but I can say for certain it would not be wise to let him know regardless,” Severus said.

“But if I told Draco not to tell his dad…” Harry frowned. “I think maybe I need to think about this some more.”

“Of course. Important decisions should not be made in haste,” Albus said. “I do request however if you do decide to tell any of your friends, you let myself and Severus know first.”

“Yes sir,” Harry agreed. “Sir, I’ve been thinking, even if the Stone is gone, Voldemort’s going to try other ways of coming back isn’t he? I mean, he hasn’t gone, has he?”

“No, Harry, he has not. He is still out there somewhere, perhaps looking for another body to share… not being truly alive, he cannot be killed. And that I’m afraid is the crux of the next issue we wished to discuss with you.”

“There’s more?” Harry asked.

“Unfortunately yes. When I stopped him from stealing the Stone, I had the opportunity to speak with Voldemort.” Albus took in a deep breath. How could he possibly share the next part with Harry? On the other hand, how could he possibly keep it from him? Harry deserved to know the dangers that lay ahead of him, but he was also a child. A child that deserved to be protected, to be kept safe and happy and innocent while the adults around him shielded him from the evils of the world. Albus honestly didn’t know which was the right choice between the two. What he did know was Harry should know the truth of why his guardianship was being moved around, which meant telling him at least a little of Voldemort. “When we spoke, he made it very clear he intends to come after you again.”

Harry blanched. “Why does he want to come after me?”

“You caused his downfall when you were barely one year old, and you wonder why he might want revenge?” Severus said.

“But I was a baby! I didn’t do anything,” Harry said.

“Exactly, you were a baby. And yet you survived and he, for most intents and purposes did not. The Dark Lord is not one to let something like that pass unanswered.”

“But I didn’t do anything!” Harry slammed his fists down on the arms of his chair, but it was clear it was fear driving him, not anger.

“You’re right, Harry: it isn’t fair,” Albus said. Harry slumped down in his chair. “Unfortunately the world is an unfair place. We must do our best to correct that when we can, but often all we can do is merely do our best with what we are given. What that means in this case is we must make every precaution to keep you safe.” Albus gestured to himself and Severus at the word ‘we.’ There were any number of other people who were also included in that we, but the real point Albus was trying to make was it was the adult’s responsibility to see to this, not Harry’s. “In addition we will be making certain that, should Voldemort return to power, there is somewhere you can go where he will not be able to get at you.

“Like a secret safe house?” Harry asked.

“Like a safe house, yes, but not a secret. It’ll be where you’ll be living during the summer months.”  

“Remus is going to move out of his flat?”

“Ah, I’m afraid that’s another thing. Remus is not going to be your guardian after all,” Albus told him gently.

“What? Why not?” Harry was growing more and more agitated with every moment. This was not how Albus was hoping this conversation would go, though he was at a loss to say how it could have gone better.

“Please know that this change has nothing to do with Remus’s regard for you. If anything he only gave you up because he is so committed to seeing you safe. He still loves you very much, and he wanted to be sure you knew that if you ever need anything you can always come to him,” Albus said.

“I don’t –“ Harry sniffed and rubbed his mouth. “Okay. And he’s still going to be the Transfiguration professor next year, right? I’ll get to see him here?”

“Of course,” Albus assured him. “And you’re welcome to ask your new guardian about arranging for visits in the summer as well, I’m sure.” Severus shot Albus an absolutely scathing look, but Albus was unimpressed. Severus had already proved he was willing to deal with Remus for Harry’s sake; he failed to see how this would be any different.

Harry nodded. “Okay. So, er… who is going to be my new guardian?”

“Now that requires a little explaining. Do you remember at the beginning of the year, when I told you the reason I had originally placed you with your aunt and uncle? It was because your mother’s sacrifice allowed me to create powerful wards around that house. While you can still call home a place where your mother’s blood dwells, there you cannot be touched or harmed by Voldemort.”

“Oh.” Harry went pale and crestfallen. “Well, I guess the Dursleys aren’t that bad. If Professor Snape talks to them again –“

“You’ll will not be going back to that house while there is breath in my body,” Severus said, a more apropos promise than Harry yet realized. Albus had to stifle a grin at the look of surprise on the boy’s face. “Haven’t you been promised repeatedly that you would not be returning there?”

“Yeah, but…”

“You’re right, Harry, and Severus is being far more generous than I deserve. I confess sending you back to the Dursleys was a possibility I considered, only out of the utmost concern for your safety, but happily another option presented itself,” Albus said.

“What other option? Aunt Petunia always said she didn’t have any other relatives,” Harry said. “Did you find one she doesn’t know about?”

“That will be the official story, yes. What you may tell anyone who asks is that, once it was discovered you could no longer go on living with your aunt and uncle, I began searching for new accommodations for you. My preference was to find some other member of your mother’s family, in accordance with your parents’ will. As I was failing to have any luck in that regard I approached Remus, who your parents put forward as an alternative should Lily’s family not be able or willing. It’s only been just now that I’ve discovered your mother has a second cousin who is available to take you in, and I adjusted plans accordingly,” Albus told him. It was all perfectly true, aside from the part about a second cousin.

“Okay. So what’s the unofficial story?” Harry asked.

Albus grinned at him. He really was a clever boy. “Severus, did you want to answer that?” It was his story to tell, after all.

Severus nodded, and appeared to brace himself. “The truth is Lily has no second cousin, or if she does then it is more than my and the Headmaster’s research were able to uncover. However, she does have one other blood relative, after a fashion. Unlike all the foolish wand-waving you’ve been learning, there are some aspects of magic that are far more powerful and subtle than are taught in school. These magics are often ill-understood, and frequently powered by a strong emotion. Such as love.”

“Like how my mum saved me when I was a baby,” Harry said.

“Exactly,” said Severus. “That was not the first time Lily was involved in an incident like that, though admittedly the previous example was far less spectacular than your own. When she was a child, your mother and another individual got caught up in a blast of accidental magic that made the two of them, for all magical purposes, blood relatives.” Severus paused for just a second, then his next sentence came out a fraction faster than normal. “That other individual was myself.”

Harry stared at Severus for a moment, trying to sort through what he’d just been told. “I’m going to come live with you?” he asked, his voice lilting up hopefully.

“Correct,” Severus said.

“Because you have to let me live with you. To keep me safe from Voldemort.”

Albus sat very still and quietly, waiting to see how Severus would respond to Harry’s question. Here was Severus’s first real test as Harry’s guardian. Albus well understood all of Severus’s reasons for opening up his home to Harry, such that Severus hadn’t needed to say them out loud. The same could not be said for Harry. So the question was, would Severus tell Harry the truth, or hide it behind his duty?

“I – When Lily –” Severus took a deep breath. He looked away from Harry, his gaze staring unfocused somewhere over Albus’s shoulder. “Ten and a half years ago I sat in this office the day after Lily had died. There was nothing left for me in the world, no reason to go on. Then the Headmaster revealed to me that Lily’s son had survived. I swore to protect the child and keep him safe, for Lily’s sake. It was a burden I took on willingly, as it gave my life some small meaning.

“A week ago I found myself once again in this office, with the Headmaster telling me that same child was in danger from Voldemort, and the only way to keep him safe was to make use of the protections left behind by Lily. His aunt’s house would have been sufficient for that purpose. The wards were already set there, and he would come to no physical harm in that household. Instead I offered to open my own home to him – to you.”

Severus paused, then turned to look Harry right in the eyes. “I will protect Lily’s son to honour her and the sacrifice she made. Ensuring your happiness is something I do merely because I wish to.”

Harry blinked rapidly. “Really?”

“Have you ever known me to lie to you?” Severus asked.

Harry shook his head. He stood up out of his chair and took a few steps before launching himself at Severus and wrapping his arms around him. “Thank you.”

Severus looked down at Harry, expression mildly confused as though he wasn’t sure how he’d gotten there. After a moment, Severus’s arms came up and he tentatively returned the hug. “You’re welcome.”

There, you see. Albus knew they’d get up to a round thirty looks by the end of the year. He thought he’d call this one… love.