Severus thanks the cashier who hands him the food he ordered. A quarter pounder, five-piece chicken nuggets with ranch, and a large soft drink accompanied with medium fries. Sure, it was a lot for the man to eat, but he really didn’t care. In a week he would be back at Hogwarts, back to lesson planning and preparing the classroom so it was idiot-proofed, even though every year there was at least one student who managed to managed to beat through that. Every time it happened, it amused Severus.

The man sits down at a booth, alone, slowly unwrapping his burger. He hated the sound of the packaging ripping, so he made sure to avoid it at all costs. He took a big bite out of the burger, chewing, savoring the taste.

In reality, there was nothing truly amazing about greasy fast-food burgers, but Severus knew that he wouldn’t be eating these truly mundane burgers again until Christmas
Break, so he might as well eat it while he can.

He overhears someone at the counter, so he looks towards them. Look, Snape could be nosy every once in a while, right?

“Can I order a Happy Meal with the hamburger?” The boy rasps out as if he had been crying earlier. The boy seemed to have messy and matted hair. He looked like a doll that had been tossed around and manhandled.

Severus hears the clinking of coins hitting the register countertop, followed by the opening of a register drawer. The boy waits patiently for his food. Once he is handed his meal, he walks carefully to a table.

Severus didn’t miss the fact that the boy looked wobbly, almost like he was going to topple over at any given minute.

The kid takes his glasses off and sighs, muttering something under his breath, then polishing the lenses with his shirt. His dirty, raggedy shirt. He puts his glasses back on, the cracks and scratches had been filled with dirt.

Merlin, had this kid been pushed in the mud? Severus thinks to himself. In truth, the boy looked miserable. Severus decided he wanted to approach him, to make sure the boy was okay.

“Hello, my name is Severus. Are you okay?” Severus asks the boy, who looks at him with wide eyes.

“Um- yes- er, I mean- Yes sir, I’m okay. I just fell in the mud.” The kid explains looking down at his food, fidgeting with his hands.

“So by falling in the mud, you managed to break your glasses and gain bruises?” Severus questions, raising an eyebrow.

“Er, no. That was Dudley and his friends. They like to push me around.” The child explains, looking up again at Snape, somewhat embarrassed.

“You let them do that to you?” Snape asks, his suspicions confirmed.

“I don’t really let them, they just do it anyway and I’m pretty much not allowed to fight back.” the boy mumbles out.

“Why can’t you fight back?” Severus prods.

“Because I might do something freaky, something weird that normal people don’t do.” the kid whispers.

“What do you mean by ‘freaky’? As in getting mad or biting Dudley?” Snape asks, wondering what could be so terribly weird or offensive that would make the boy unable to fight back.

“Like… and you better pinky promise me you won’t tell anyone I told you this, okay mister?” The kid sticks out his pinky, and Snape grabs onto it with his pinky, making a firm grab and giving it a slight shake. “Well, sometimes if I try fighting back it does… odd things. Like pushing my cousin Dudley into a wall, even though I didn’t put my hands on him, or making things blow up or break, even when I didn’t move them or even touch them.” Harry explains.

Merlin's saggy shorts. The boy was Magical, and he didn’t know it. Must have been a muggle-born. Could he even explain any of the magical world to the boy without him blabbing it off to the nearest person?

Severus decides to take the next reasonable approach. “Kid, that sounds serious. Really serious. Have you tried talking to a doctor about this?” Snape offers with a fake worried tone and a slight frown.

“Can it kill me?!” The boy asks worriedly, fear flashing through his eyes.

“I doubt it’s that serious, that is if you can get it treated,” Snape says, dismissing his worries a little. Now, all he had to do is make him forget this interaction ever happened, and advise him to sleep more to stop the ‘hallucinations’. “What’s your name, young boy? I happen to be a doctor myself.” he lies.

“Really? My name’s Harry. The last name is Potter.” The boy, now revealed to be Harry says.

Holy fucking shit, I just found Harry Potter roaming around the muggle world ALONE? Snape mentally facepalms. “Forget anything I said before, you aren’t ill. You’re magical.” Snape pinches the bridge of his nose.

“So you aren’t a doctor? Why did you say you were?” Harry frowns.

“There's a thing called lying. My name is Severus Snape. I’m like you. When I was young I used to accidentally crack vases with my accidental magic too. That’s why Wizards and Witches go to magic schools, to learn about magic and the magical world.” Severus explains.

“So, how do I treat this?” Harry asks.

“You don’t you dimwit, Magic is something you are born with.” Snape explains.

“Like Asthma?” Harry replies questioningly.

“It’s not a damn medical condition!” Snape raises his voice frustratedly.

“Okay, okay! Geez… Anyways, how do I get into a wizard school? Is it a private school? How do I apply? No, how do I get my parents to let me apply?” Harry bombards Snape with questions.

“Wizard schools can be both private and public. The wizarding world is hidden from the world we are in right now. This is the muggle world. I live in the wizarding world. I teach school in the wizarding world. I teach at Hogwarts one of the most prestigious schools out there in the wizarding world. It’s located in Scotland. You don’t apply, normally schools will send you letters if they want you to attend. Your parents will have to let you in unless they want your magic to grow stronger and more wild, then you won’t be breaky only vases, it’ll be windows, glass doors, and walls.” Snape explains.

“Wow! That sounds awesome! I can’t wait until I go to a school like that!” Harry’s eyes sparkle with excitement.

“You will go there, one day. Now, I think you should finish your food. You have to eat in order to grow big and strong. Besides, I’m pretty sure your guardians will send a search party if you are gone too long.” Snape cringes as he pats the boy’s shoulder.

“Nah. They don’t really care about me.” Harry shrugs, taking a bite from his hamburger.

“Alright.” Snape wipes his hands against his pants. “Okay. Well, I’ll stay with you and walk you home. I can’t have you roaming the streets alone at night, it’s unsafe.” Snape says slowly, he was still contemplating the decision as he said it.

“You really don’t have to sir, I come here often and I haven’t gotten kidnaped yet.” Harry explains softly.

“I hope it stays that way, however it would be irresponsible of me to just leave you on your own. It would make me feel better if I walked you home.” Snape says, trying to hide the misery in his voice. He didn’t want the boy to be kidnapped, but he also didn’t want to walk the boy home.

“Okay, mister, whatever floats your boat.” Harry says, finishing the rest of his meal quickly. He hops out of his seat and grabs Snape’s hand. Snape tenses up, and Harry lets go, confused.

“No, you can grab onto my arm. I was just shocked.” Snape explains, trying to dull his words down so he doesn’t seem awkward. Harry grabs onto the tall man’s arm, and they walk out the door. Harry leads the professor around since he knew the route to his house. Snape pretty much was just dragged along

“This is my home!” Harry points to his house and drags Snape to his front door, ringing the doorbell.

“Why you- what the fuck were you doing out so long?” Petunia scolds the boy, grabbing his ear. The boy flinches. Snape clears his throat.

“Tuney. Nice to see you, it’s been ages since our last chat.” Snape smirks, and her face goes pale.

“Harry, go to your room. Severus… Shall we have some tea?” Petunia motions for them both to come in, her face puckered into a sour look.

Snape nods and enters the house, going straight to the living room, which was not too far from the entrance. He sits on the couch, crossing his legs. Petunia Dursley arrives in the living room with 2 cups of tea and some lemon-flavored biscuits that smelled sickly sweet to Severus. The man in all black takes the tea and has a sip.

“Did you hypnotize the boy to follow you? I was hoping I’d never see you again!” Petunia sneers.

“Unfortunately I set a curse on him so that anyone he goes within 15 feet of for the next 3 days will uncontrollably grow warts on their arse. Seems like it doesn’t apply to you, I bet you already have enough there with the way your face looks like you sat on a load of rocks.” Snape replies back, smiling in a fake polite way, just to get on Petunia’s nerves, and it works, she shoots him a menacing glare. “In all seriousness Petunia, don’t tell the boy anything. Nothing about me, Lily, nothing. Not yet. He won’t understand. Maybe next year, when he goes to Hogwarts? You can’t mention a thing. He knows a little, but he can’t know any more for now. Living in the muggle world and knowing about magic at a young age- Petunia, you raised two boys, you would know how kids have no filter.” Snape sighs, putting his serious face back on.

“Alright. I won’t tell, but what’s in it for me?” Petunia grabs a biscuit and dunks it in her tea, then eats it.

Severus sighs, “Well if you don’t tell him, I’ll get you an appointment to get your hair and nails groomed. Merlin knows how long you have been putting that off.” the man bargains. Petunia nods her head.

“That sounds fair enough by me. Now get the hell out of my house. I never want to see your prude and prestigious ass in here again.” Petunia finishes her tea, setting it down harshly on the table.

“Very well then, oh, and ‘Tuney? You might want to get your son under control. His friends push around that brat. Not a good look, like father like son? Or should I say, like mother like son? He definitely got those hideous looks from you.” Severus shouted her way as he walked out the door and apparated out of Surrey.

Harry was still confused about the tall man in all black. Why did he care so much? What information was being hidden from him? So many questions filled the boy’s head.

Apparently, he would have to wait another year. For now, Harry was just happy that someone actually cared about him.