Potions and Snitches
Snape and Harry Gen Fanfiction Archive

Author's Chapter Notes:
Last chapter: A childishly absurd lady was tricked by Dumbledore to pose as Harry's mum; She will add humor and will be an amusing foil to whoever is selected to be Harry's da.
The Third Party

Dumbledore consulted his runes watch one more time, and then set off in search for the final person to join in this adventure.

He found him at the top of an unused tower, one of the few that offered spots of shady protection from the still bright sun at this time of day. He was sitting on top of one of the end turrets, leaning back against the cool stone wall and looking out at the surrounding landscape. Dumbledore had no doubt that he was away from his usual places to discourage any chance, or intentional encounters after the events this morning.

The old Wizard knew that he was aware of his presence but waited until he was acknowledged.

There was a short moment of silence before a bland, "Headmaster."

"My dear boy, call me Albus," he insisted.

A warm summer breeze wafted between them, heightening the response of silence and the solitary atmosphere the man was trying to indulge in.

Dumbledore sighed and delved straight in, "Severus, I have made plans for you to accompany Mr. Potter to America. You will be escorted by the new Muggle Studies Professor, and pose as a Muggle family."

That got his attention. Dumbledore was glad that he didn't fall off the turret and onto the emergency wards. Instead he easily slid off the stone blocks to confront the older man.

"Posing as Muggle Family with Potter? In the colonies?"

Dumbledore addressed him seriously, "Severus I'm afraid that is your only option. It is best for you to lay low for awhile, away from both Voldemort and the Ministry since we were forced to disclose your spy status. While testifying complete allegiance to me under Veritaserum may not be enough for the Ministry to completely trust you, it is enough for Voldemort to wish you dead.

“I know that you were willing to suffer a short stay in Azkaban for the ruse, knowing that Voldemort had plans to overtake it soon, but I simply was not willing risk it. We have discussed this before and will come to the same conclusions. If I had allowed you to follow through, we would have lost much and gained nothing. There would not have been any chance for you to return to us.

"Severus, you are too important to the Order and to this school to loose either by death or design."

Another moment of silence reigned. Dumbledore continued.

"We both know that there is a leak in the Order, I can trust no one else with Mr. Potter's safety. And while you are safely hidden away, you will be able to devote your time on those potions we discussed earlier as well. Perhaps even have time to work on some of your own personal projects. It is only imperative that we have the antidotes before the school year starts."

Long familiarity allowed Dumbledore to tell that he had managed to partly convince the younger man.

"Has the boy agreed?"

"He has agreed to be deaged and placed under the care of two adult Wizards, yes."

Severus sneered. "Yet you have not told him who will be accompanying him."

Dumbledore admonished him. "I know that there has been conflict between you in the past, but we cannot afford for it to continue! As the older, more responsible party and his Professor, it is your duty to put it behind you and move on. Harry will be deaged to six years old and will be quite unable to keep as intense a grudge."

"I make no promises, but I will... try."

"Thank you, Severus. That is all I can ask for."

"What potion will you use on him? I assume that it will be a potion since there are no stable deaging spells that would last for any length of time."

"Ah, I could feel that question coming,” Dumbledore said knowledgeably, “I managed to procure a bottle of Dusky's Second Childhood Tonic.”

Severus mulled over this briefly. "So he will retain his memories and be able to regain his faculties in a crisis."

"Indeed." Dumbledore thought that that was a clever advantage to using this particular potion.

"That's a rare and complicated potion. A Ministry regulated level 2 potion, if I'm not mistaken."

"You are not." His eyes twinkling, Dumbledore offered up no more information. Severus let it drop.

"And the new Muggle Studies Professor? I assume she's a woman unless you intend to dose someone with a gender changing potion. If that is the case, let me assure you in advance that I am quite allergic."

"Oh no, my dear boy. I do not wish to give Mr. Potter any parental gender role issues. My great niece accepted the Professorship position this morning and has agreed to come along."

Severus had a blank look on his face before he gave off a practiced sneer. "Your great niece. Does she know what she's getting into?"

Dumbledore twinkled behind his half-moon spectacles. "Don't worry Severus. I have full confidence in her capability of managing both you and Mr. Potter in the Muggle world."

Severus looked dubious. "I suppose that we shall be leaving shortly?"

Dumbledore opened his rune pocket watch one more time and studied it. "You'll be expected in my office at 8 o'clock tonight. That should give you plenty of time to pack your potions supplies." Not to mention enough time for him to actually make the plans.

Severus nodded and turned to go.

"Ah, one more thing if you please. It would be best if you use a different wand for the duration of the trip since your current one was just catalouged by the ministry, and will no doubtedly be tracked. In fact, it would be best not to use magic more than absolutely necessary."

"A wise precaution. I shall be up at your office at eight. If I may be excused Headmaster-"

"Yes, yes. Off you go! The new password is Krispy Kreme." Dumbledore waited for the expected retort of “What kind of inane password is that”' but he was disappointed when it didn't come. He supposed that the other wizard simply didn't care to know how he discovered what Krispy Kremes were while talking to American Embassaries through the floo...

Chapter End Notes:
Sorry this chapter was so short. A lot of things were unsaid in this chapter. If you didn't pick up on it, this Snape feels as if he owes Dumbledore. And owes him big. He was just saved from The Ministry, Azkaban, Voldemort, torture and possibly a Dementor's Kiss. Dumbledore is going out of his way to see to Snape's safety. Dumbledore gave him another purpose and another way to help the order, even though his direct spying duties are over. I just felt that I had to explain why Snape would even submit to the Muggle practices in this story. ;)

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