Chapter 2: Problems and Missions 

It was ten years after that horrible and also delightful night. Ten years of peace in the wizarding world. Now it was time to let their saviour go to Hogwarts, to begin his training as a wizard. But Albus Dumbledore, Headmaster of Hogwarts, was having a problem. The Hogwarts letters to the first years had been send out two weeks ago, but those addressed to Harry Potter, kept coming back to him unopened. Or the letters had nearly been burned and the owls looked ruffled, as if attacked. Albus was beginning to get a bad feeling. Perhaps he should have listened to Minerva, and not have left Harry with those muggles. But, on the other hand, what else could he have done? Although, if he was honest, he should have at least checked up on Harry in those 10 years he had been living at the Dursleys. That was another part of the problem. He wasn’t too sure they had actually kept Harry. What if they had dumped him in an orphanage or something? He didn’t know.  

Last week he had sent Hagrid to the Dursleys. Hagrid had come back rather angry. Apparently, Vernon Dursley had threatened with a gun, and had also shouted at Hagrid that he didn’t know a thing about someone left on their doorstep 10 years before. With that, Hagrid had to leave.  

Now, Albus was forming a plan. September 1st was coming closer, and he was needed at the school. But one member of his staff would be perfect for something like this. To spy and sneak around, trying to find out things about Harry Potter. Also, this member of the staff was used to muggle life, so he would be able to blend in. Other wizards had the tendency to not blend in so well for some reason or another. The only tiny problem with this member of the staff was his hatred for anything to do with the name Potter, and his love for Potions that would keep him in the castle.  

Today was the day Albus was going to convince his staff member to take a leave of absence (he had already arranged a new temporary Professor) and go look for Harry Potter.

Today was going to be tough, today was going to be a battle of wills. And Albus was planning on winning. Today.... there was a knock on the door. “Do come in, Severus,” Albus said.  

The door opened and in stepped, well, something with swirling robes, a lot of black, and a sour look on his face. Albus’ eyes started their damned twinkling.  

With a huff and a grunt that could be considered a greeting, the black, sour looking person called Severus Snape, went to sit in one of the chairs.  

“Hello, Headmaster, what is it that you wanted to speak to me about?”  He asked, coming straight to the point. He had, after all, been called away from a very difficult potion. The Headmaster seemed to be able to do that, always asking him to come when he was working on difficult potions. 

Albus took some time to give him tea and biscuits. Severus accepted the tea, but took no biscuits. “Yes, the matter I wanted to talk to you about. Always straight to the point with you, hm, Severus?”  

Severus decided to just take a sip from his tea. “Hm, well then. The thing is, I have a very difficult problem. And it takes a highly skilled person to solve this problem. If it is possible to solve it at all. So, after much thought, I could only think of one person fit for this job. And that happens to be you, Severus.”  

Severus didn’t look like it, but this got his attention. So either the Headmaster wanted him to invent/make some potion, or he wanted to use one of his other qualities.  

“And what, if I might ask, is the problem exactly?”  

Albus smiled a bit. He was pretty sure Severus was interested. “Well, we’ve lost one of our future students. And neither owls, nor Hagrid were able to reach this person. So I would need you to look for clues, for ways of finding out what happened to him.”  

“One of our future students? And you actually send Hagrid to deliver a letter? No wonder you couldn’t find him then.” But seeing the look on Albus’ face, Severus decided to keep the rest of his comments to himself, for now of course.  

“So, what is the name of this student, and where was he supposed to live, and how long ago did you lose him?”  

Albus twirled his thumbs for a bit. Severus took this as a bad sign. The Headmaster was hardly ever showing signs of nervousness.  

“Well, this will be the part you might not like, but we’ve lost Harry Potter.” Albus stopped talking then, knowing Severus would burst out any second now. He was right.  

“What?! You want me to look for Harry Potter, the Boy-Who-Lived! You mean to tell me, you actually lost him?! Damned Albus, do you even know what you are asking of me?!” he would have ranted for a lot longer, probably starting with James Potter and what he had done to Severus, but Albus cut him off.  

“Yes, I know Severus. Unfortunately, we cannot find the location of Harry Potter. No tracking spells and devices could find him, we only know that he is still alive, somewhere. Now, let me tell you this: ten years ago, I left Harry on the front step at Privet Drive number 4, Little Whinging, Surrey. His aunt and uncle, muggles, lived there, still do by the way, and were supposed to look after him. I had put up protection against Death Eaters and explained everything in a letter. Then I left. I do not know what happened after that. I do know that everything points to the direction of Harry still living in Little Whinging, so that is a start. I am sorry to say, that it never crossed my mind to check up on him. I thought his relatives would take care of him. If you do this job, I have arranged for a substitute teacher. I found you a house on Privet Drive and a job as a literature and self defence teacher at Stonewall High, the local High school. Perhaps Harry might be going there. Will you accept this job, Severus?”  

It took Severus some time, but eventually he decided. To be honest he was getting curious as to where Harry would be, and what would have happened during those ten years. Still, he couldn’t believe Albus would be so stupid as to not at least check up on the boy once. He was their ‘saviour’ after all.  

“Yes, Albus, I will take the job. When do I have to leave?” 

A huge smile broke out on the face of Albus. “Excellent. You can leave within three days, the house is fully furnished and you only have one meeting with the other teachers before the school year starts.”  

He then gave some final instructions to Severus and let him leave.  

That night and the following day Severus was busy with packing his things, and arranging lesson plans for his substitute teacher, who, he was pleased to see, at least was getting near the level of a Potions Master. Two days after his talk with Albus, Severus was ready to leave.  

Albus walked him to Hogsmeade station. “And remember Severus, keep me posted at least once a week. Goodbye, and good luck!” With a wave Albus was going back again. Severus took his trunks and boarded the express train to London, ready for his mission to find the Boy-Who-Lived.