By morning, Harry was doubtful about his decision to go snooping the night before, but there wasn't much he could do about it at the moment. He had already done it, and he had already sent the letter to Hermione asking her about it. And in the back of his mind, there was still that voice that said nastily, "If Severus won't tell me, then I'll find out from Hermione." Because Harry had no doubts at all that Hermione would be able to tell him what the strange potion in the silver cauldron was.

And yet, the next day, all he got was a very angry letter from Hermione, telling him that he shouldn't have been looking around where he shouldn't have been in the first place, and what if Snape had caught him!? But she admitted at last (after a foot and a half's length of parchment spent telling him all the things that could have gone wrong) that the potion didn't sound like anything good at all and that she would try to find out what it was if she could. Harry was slightly disappointed that Hermione hadn't known what was in the cauldron upon getting the letter, but knew that she would figure it out soon.

However, as the days went on and no letter came from Hermione, Harry begin to wonder if she would figure it out at all. Really, when had Hermione become so unreliable? She was supposed to know everything immediately, she always had! It was only now that Harry began to realize how very much he had counted on that. He was dying to know what the potion was, but he wasn't about to make another trip down to the basement, either.

Needless to say, Harry was quite taken off guard when Severus looked over at him across the table one day and asked if he had all of his things packed yet.

Harry blinked and tried not to look suspicious, but was completely taken off guard. Had Severus found out about the cauldron? Was he angry? Was he wanting to send Harry away?

"Tomorrow is September the first," Severus elaborated after a moment's pause. Had it really only been a short moment? Somehow, to Harry, it had seemed like at least five minutes. Nonetheless, a wave of mingled relief and shock washed over him. Severus hadn't figured it out, but.. how could he possibly have forgotten the date!?

"Oh, right!" Harry said, unable to hide his surprise. "I guess I.. forgot."

A slight crease appeared between Severus's eyebrows, but at the same time, the corner of his lip curled. It was definitely a curious expression -- mingled confusion and amusement -- but it was nothing to the myriad of emotion on Harry's face: relief, surprise, bewilderment, embarrassment, and even a hint of regret. Really, it was a small wonder that Severus didn't find it suspicious.. or perhaps he did and was simply more adept at hiding it than Harry.

"You.. forgot," Severus repeated slowly.

"I guess so," Harry said uncomfortably. "I didn't realize it was time to go to Hogwarts already."

A strange look entered Severus's black eyes at that, but his voice was level and betrayed nothing of his thoughts as he said, "I see. Well, you should probably begin packing when you finish eating, then. Knowing you, it will probably take that long to get everything together."

The corners of his mouth twitched, and Harry looked back down at his plate and tried to eat, fighting a smile, too. When had Severus Snape started making jokes, anyway? Was it that day they had gone to Longriver Court? Or had he always done it, and Harry had just never caught on before? He did remember wondering if Severus had intended to make a joke when he had first showed Harry through the house. It certainly seemed very unlike Severus. But then again, it wasn't very much like Harry to forget about going back to Hogwarts, either.

Somehow, he hadn't really thought about going back to Hogwarts since Dumbledore had said that Harry wasn't expelled. Well, there was that brief moment, right after he had come to Spinner's End, when he had thought that Severus was angry at him; but that somehow seemed like a distant memory already, after all the events of the summer. And now, Harry didn't know what to think.

Of course, he wanted to go back -- Hogwarts was his home, the place he really belonged -- but yet, no matter what Severus had said before, Harry couldn't help wondering if things would change. Or, more specifically, if they would go back to the way they were before.

It was probably at that point when Harry first realized just how different things were from the year before. By this time last year, he was so anxious to get away from the Dursleys that he could hardly do anything but count down the hours; the Dursleys were busy thinking he was crazy for talking about Platform Nine and Three-Quarters; and Harry was soon to find out that the Potions Master at Hogwarts detested him.

At least, Harry had always thought he did.

So what about now? It was.. well, bizarre to think that he hadn't been miserable this summer -- or for the last three weeks of the summer, anyway. He had found out a lot about the magical world and even more about himself, and especially about his parents.

But yet, Harry still wasn't sure if that would remain the same after they went back to Hogwarts. Once they were back, Severus would probably be putting on that act for the Slytherins again, like he had done with Lucius Malfoy that day in Diagon Alley. And if he did that, he would have to be horrible to Harry again, just because that was what they expected. Or maybe just because it was an old habit.

"Harry?"

Harry looked up to see Severus looking at him strangely, a crease between his black eyebrows. "Is something wrong?"

For the briefest of moments, Harry debated saying something about it. But, really, what had he expected? It was better just to say nothing, and so he simply shook his head and murmured something along the lines of "Just thinking" before going back to his lunch.

*~*~*

Reluctant though Harry was to admit it, Severus's observation was probably true. It would take a very long time to get everything that had been scattered out of the trunk in the past three weeks back together and packed in any sort of reasonable order -- and, to put it lightly, Harry wasn't looking forward to it.

Why did he need all of these books, anyway, Harry wondered as he stacked them together to one side of the trunk. Surely there must be copies of them in the library at Hogwarts; they were coursebooks, after all. It wasn't like he would ever use them after he left school, anyway.

Casting a last glare at the books, Harry moved on to potions ingredients. He really should alphabetize them so that he could find what he was looking for without searching forever, but.. well, frankly, taking the time to alphabetize them sounded like a waste of time at the moment, too. Hermione would probably have a heart attack just from seeing that Harry had actually managed to keep his supplies together this year.

With a sigh, he looked down at the assortment of broken quills and crumpled parchment at the bottom of the trunk. If the stupid thing weren't so heavy, he could just empty it into the rubbish bin. Maybe he should just leave it that way and ask Hermione about a spell to empty the bottom of his trunk after he got to Hogwarts.

Shrugging, he decided that would probably be the best -- and easiest -- option, and glanced at his watch. It was almost time for dinner already! How had time already passed so quickly? Harry had always thought the expression went something like 'Time flies when you're having fun,' not 'Time flies when you're trying to get all of your stuff ordered properly so that you can go away to magical school.' And, regardless of what a good time he always had at Hogwarts, Harry certainly didn't find cleaning and packing to be fun at all.

It wasn't until after Harry had eaten and hurried back upstairs to try to get everything stuffed inside his trunk that he started to clear out the wardrobe. Honestly, he would rather have burned Dudley's old clothes than packed them, but he didn't know what else to do with them. He couldn't leave them here, because he probably wouldn't be coming back. So it was with a disdainful look that he grabbed the last armful of oversized clothes and turned back to the trunk.

At least, he tried to; but the sleeve of a horrible green-and-brown sweater was caught on something. Frowning, Harry jerked on it -- and the back of the wardrobe came flying out and hit him in the chest, knocking him back half a step and making him drop the armful of clothes.

Harry blinked once, as if taking a moment to convince himself that this had actually just happened, and then straightened up slowly and looked at the piece of the wardrobe that lay on the floor. He had broken it!? But how?

He stooped to pick up the piece of wood and frowned. It was perfectly square, each side about a foot long, and the edges were smooth. But he couldn't have broken it off completely smooth! And it was then that he looked back at the wardrobe itself and noticed that he couldn't see the wall behind it. So maybe he hadn't broken a piece off the back of the wardrobe at all.

Upon closer inspection, Harry was surprised to find that the piece of wood had come from the wardrobe, but that it was just a false back. There was a compartment behind what appeared to be the back of the wardrobe, and a fairly sizeable compartment at that.

Harry's curiosity was instantly sparked again. A secret compartment in the wardrobe! It sounded like some mystery story, like one of the ones that Aunt Petunia had used to watch on TV when it was too hot out to spy on the neighbors. Harry wished briefly for a flashlight, then that he was allowed to use Lumos outside of Hogwarts, but finally just reached into the compartment to see if there was anything there.

At first, he thought it was empty; all he felt was the cool wood grain in every direction. Then, in one corner, his fingers touched what felt like a folded piece of paper.

Upon retrieving it, Harry realized that it wasn't paper at all, but parchment. So whatever it was, wizards had something to do with it. For a moment, he just looked down at it and wondered if he should open it. He didn't even know whose it could be. But finally (as per usual), his curiosity got the better of him.

Harry didn't recognize the handwriting, but it was definitely written with a quill by someone who knew Severus.

Harry suddenly thought he knew who this letter was from and really began to wonder if he should be reading it, but he couldn't make himself stop reading now.

Yes, definitely Aunt Petunia. It was even the same cover story that had been given to the neighbors for Harry's sudden disappearance to Hogwarts.

Harry blinked and stared at the letter. Bandor.. the Bloody. That was the same goblin Harry himself had been asked to write about in his History of Magic essay. Did that mean that this letter was written after his mother's first year? It was oddly amusing to think that Binns was still giving out the same assignment after all these years, but at the same time, the letter brought up a strange feeling that Harry couldn't name. He didn't know what it was, just that it confused him.

After a short pause, Harry folded the parchment carefully and put it back into the compartment, then fitted the door into the false back of the wardrobe carefully. Yes, this was definitely the proof that Severus's story was true.. but somehow, Harry thought as he picked up the clothes he had dropped earlier and shoved them into his trunk, finding the letter had just made him feel more uncomfortable about the whole situation.

*~*~*

Breakfast was more of a hurried matter the next day. Harry realized halfway through his pancakes that he had forgotten to pack his telescope and the writing utensils that he had left on the desk beside it, and Severus kept listing potions and ingredients and books under his breath that he had to have at Hogwarts to be sure that he hadn't forgotten anything. Really, it was a little amusing, Harry thought, to hear the Potions Master muttering about roots and herbs; he had never thought that Severus was the type to talk to himself.

Then there was the matter of Hedwig. When Harry went upstairs to try to find space for the telescope, ink pot, quill, and parchment, he realized that the snowy owl had yet to come back from hunting. And it was already eight-thirty!

Okay, it was a little early yet to panic, Harry thought as he forced himself to stay calm and do his best to fit the items he had forgotten into his already overstuffed trunk. Hedwig sometimes didn't come back until later, and there was still time.

But by the time Severus came to ask if Harry was ready to leave, Hedwig still hadn't returned and Harry was frantic. Fortunately, just as Severus had finally calmed Harry down a little and was about to suggest that they go ahead to King's Cross and he would come back for the owl when he got his things, Hedwig flew in through the open window.

Harry was relieved and quickly locked the owl in her cage, much to her disdain, and Severus hurriedly levitated the trunk down the stairs while Harry followed with Hedwig. As they came through the door hidden behind the bookcase, Severus glanced at the clock; it was late, much later than he would have liked to leave, but they still had time...

"Where are your things?" Harry queried as Severus made for the front door.

"I'm not going on the train," Severus explained as he dropped the trunk onto the ground. "I must leave immediately after getting you to the Platform, and be at Hogwarts before the students arrive. I'll come back here for my things and then Apparate to the school."

Harry didn't ask what Apparition was, just looked around for a car or some other sort of Muggle transportation. Surely they couldn't be taking a Portkey to King's Cross Station!?

Yet that seemed to be exactly what they were doing, because Severus chose another piece of debris from the ground and cast Portus. Harry didn't question him, but Severus caught the look on the young wizard's face.

"There is a designated spot for Apparition and Portkeys in a cloaked empty lot not far from the station," he explained, motioning for Harry to come over and bring Hedwig's cage. "It's bewitched so that Muggles can't see it. Mainly for those who live far away, but it's convenient for those who get a late start, as well."

Harry nodded, still wondering what Apparition could be, and held on tightly to Hedwig's cage as Severus caught hold of the trunk. They disappeared in that familiar swirl of color, and Harry was quite proud of himself for not falling over when his feet slammed into the ground this time.

It looked like an ordinary unoccupied lot, except that there was none of the usual Muggle rubbish strewn around; instead, there were several random objects which seemed to have been used as Portkeys, a few of which were clearly magic-related. Harry didn't have long to look, however, because Severus quickly set off at a brisk pace down the sidewalk and Harry nearly had to run to keep up.

"Is it far? Sir?" Harry asked as he hurried along.

"Not too far," Severus said, but he still looked grimly at every clock they passed along the way.

It was five minutes to eleven when they finally made it to King's Cross, and the Weasleys were piling out of a blue Ford Anglia at just the same time. Harry raised his eyebrows at the car, but Mr. Weasley raised his eyebrows and shook his head. Harry guessed this was the bewitched car Ron had mentioned, and flying wasn't the only thing it had been charmed to do.

"How'd you end up as late as us?" Ron asked as Harry caught up to them.

"Hedwig came back late from hunting," Harry explained a little breathlessly, more from the walk than from excitement for once. "Couldn't leave her..."

"I'll leave you with the Weasleys, then," Severus put in as he loaded Harry's trunk onto a cart. "I am expected at Hogwarts by the time the train leaves."

Harry nodded his agreeance, and Severus set off in the opposite direction while Harry and the red-headed family dashed for Platform Nine and Three-Quarters. Mrs. Weasley directed them all toward it in pairs, then finally grabbed Ginny's hand and took her through. Harry and Ron were last, but when they tried to go through --

CRASH! Both carts bounced off the now very solid wall, Hedwig's cage went flying, and everyone within twenty yards stopped to stare.

Harry lied about losing control of the trolley, then collected Hedwig in her cage and hurried off to a safe distance with Ron.

"What's going on!?" Harry hissed in a barely-audible whisper, pretending he didn't notice all the people who were still gawking at them.

"I don't know," Ron answered, his terrified gaze switching between the barrier and the clock and back again. "The barrier shouldn't have sealed itself!"

"Maybe it seals.. a minute before eleven?" Harry asked fearfully, looking at the clock.

"But it can't, it's not supposed to!"

"The train leaves at eleven exactly," Harry whispered, watching the clock tick closer. Ten.. nine.. eight...

Frantic, Ron dashed over and pressed against the barrier, but somehow Harry knew it wouldn't work. Anyway, it was too late now...

"The train's gone," Ron declared miserably, coming back. "We've missed it, Harry, we missed the train --"

"I know, I know," Harry said, locking a hand in his hair and pacing back and forth. "Okay, let me think..."

"Think faster, people are staring..."

"I don't know," Harry said at last, resisting the urge to stomp his foot like a frustrated four-year-old. "Your parents are on the platform, Severus is at Hogwarts by now, everybody here are Muggles..."

Suddenly Ron's face lit up. "Hey, Harry.. you know how I was talking about Fred and George wanting to come and get you?"

Harry blinked, completely confused as to what this had to do with the current predicament. "Yeah..."

"The car!"

This time Harry was sure Ron had lost his mind. "What are you talking about?"

"The car, Harry," Ron whispered, giving the Muggles a sideways glance to be sure they weren't eavesdropping. "The car can fly..."

*~*~*

It was five o'clock, and Severus was sitting in his office at Hogwarts and mentally preparing himself for the upcoming school year. Another year of teaching witless wonders who couldn't care less about the fine subleties of Potionmaking. It almost made him want to sigh.

He nearly did sigh, too, as he got up and began the walk upstairs. There wouldn't be any dinner in the Great Hall until the feast, but the Evening Prophet should be arriving soon, and at least it might serve to distract him from the perils of educating a new flock of eleven-year-olds who would likely have no talent for the subject.

And distract him it did, but not in the way he had hoped. Upon paying the owl and looking at the front page of the paper, his eyes widened and he had to fight to keep his jaw from dropping.

Severus reread the article again, and then again after that. It did seem to be heading for Hogwarts, and it did match the description of the Weasleys' old blue automobile. It must have one of the Weasleys inside. But it couldn't be their youngest son, and there was no way that Harry would go with him...

And yet Severus tucked the paper into his cloak before heading out toward the gates, where he could Apparate to Hogsmeade Station. He needn't wait for the carriages to reach Hogwarts to find out if Harry was on the train or not, and he wanted to know.