Later, when he thought back on that scene, he had the benefit of hindsight to curse his Potions master reflexes.

Potter had only just returned to his human form when he started to wobble, as though he had forgotten how to stand on two legs. His pupils dilated, his jaw clenched, he wore such a crazed look of pain that it made the hairs on the back of Snape’s neck stand up. Then Potter clutched his head in his hands and collapsed to the ground.

In one step , Severus was at his side, just in time to keep his head from hitting the ground too hard. Meeting Dumbledore’s look, he caught the glint of satisfaction in the headmaster's eyes, and it made him grind his teeth: why was it that Potter thrust him routinely into the role of saviour of the widowed and orphaned?

For now, he needed to assess the damage. He laid the boy on the ground and pressed two fingers to his neck: his heart was beating and his chest rose and fell slightly. Snape sighed with relief; if he had killed the boy, no one would ever have forgiven him. Perhaps not even himself, actually...

Dumbledore let go of Molly Weasley, who had also tried to fly to the boy’s aid, and moved towards the Potions Master.

“How is he ?”

“Breathing.”

Snape lifted Harry up gently. He didn’t seem to weigh much more than the cat… Something had clearly gone wrong with the transformation.

He worriedly placed the unconscious boy on the settee. Perhaps it would be best to start by giving him a Calming Draught? Severus lifted a hand to open his bag and started: his palm was covered with blood! He looked back down at the teenager: contrary to what he'd thought, not all the blood on his t-shirt was old. All over his body, he could see fresh spots of blood slowly saturating the fabric.

Snape swore under his breath and, with a wave of his wand, vanished the boy’s clothes. He heard Molly cry out from behind him; he himself barely managed not to recoil: the boy’s chest was covered by lacerations which seemed to have been made only a moment before. He could almost see them opening up right before his eyes, while he desperately looked for their cause.

The picture of Shadow covered in blood immediately superimposed itself on that of the boy in his mind. Yes the marks matched… But they had been healed, Merlin knew, taken care of and closed a long time ago. What was happening to this child?

He quickly muttered a healing charm and was relieved to see the blood stop flowing. Drawing a breath, he turned to Dumbledore.

“Albus, I'm not sure I understand what's happening. Perhaps it would be best to call Madam Pomfrey or a healer…”

But the headmaster shook his white-haired head.

“That would not be advisable until we know more. The longer Harry’s condition remains secret, the greater our opportunity to deal with it. You are managing admirably, Severus,” he concluded.

Snape grunted nervously. The boy’s wounds had stopped bleeding, but should they be treated like normal wounds? Such treatment would only make things worse if it were a magical wound.

“No. That would not be wise,” he decided finally. “I must know more before trying anything else.”

We can’t leave him like that!” exclaimed Mrs Weasley.

“Any treatment would prove suicidal as long as we don't know the cause of these wounds. For now, I will give him a sleeping potion to keep him from waking up and worsening them. The only thing we can do while we wait is to clean the wounds with fresh water. Nothing more.”

Dumbledore sighted, but acquiesed.

“Molly, if you could go and alert the others?”

White as a sheet, Mrs Weasley left without a word.

Alone with the Potions Master, the headmaster moved closer to Harry, who'd still not moved.

“What do you think, Severus?”

“The injuries look very much like those I previously healed on the cat. They didn’t seem to be of magical origin and they healed rapidly with care… until they reopened tonight, of course.”

“I agree that they don’t appear to have been inflicted by curses. And the phenomenon we have observed could perhaps be explained by Harry’s new powers…” mused the headmaster.

“We must make Potter talk, but I doubt that will be possible with him in this state. He seems as disturbed mentally as he is physically. I doubt he would be much use to us. Albus, you’ve seen his family, how far did you get in your interrogation of them?”

“I did not subject them to Legilimency if that is what you are asking,” replied the headmaster calmly. “Harry’s uncle was clearly speaking the truth when he stated that he didn’t know what had happened to him, and his aunt and cousin did not see him that day. Nevertheless, given recent events, I agree that further clarification is necessary.”

“What do you know about them, Albus? What could have provoked them to get rid of Potter ?”

“Gross misunderstanding. They are Muggles, Severus. You're in a position to understand. You yourself knew Petunia well, after all.”

“‘Well’ is an overstatement,” replied the Potions Master with a frown. “I often saw her with Lily when we were children, around the neighbourhood where we grew up. But Petunia hated that she was different from her sister, and she hated anything that reminded her of the magical world. When Lily and I became friends, she resented me terribly. She thought I was taking her away… until her departure for Hogwarts, after which she no longer wanted to have anything to do with her sister outside of their home. When I saw Lily during the holidays, I only saw Petunia from afar. She always seemed bitter and vindictive, but it was clear that she loved her sister. I don’t know what caused her to push Lily away. Lily was very hurt by her rejection.”

“Perhaps this would be a good thing for you to discover. That and the information we need to understand what is happening to Harry.”

Severus hesitated. Going to visit the Muggles, seeing Petunia again, Lily’s sister, after all these years? Meeting the family of Precious Potter? He would have gladly taken a pass. On the other hand, he had to understand at all costs the origin of the injuries and Potter's behaviour if he wanted to treat them, and he would be most able to do this if he went himself.

Dumbledore saw the Potions Master’s hesitation and placed a hand on Harry’s shoulder.

“To be frank, Severus, I would prefer not to leave Harry alone. We don’t know if Voldemort has noticed his return to human form, and even though Grimmauld Place is well hidden, the wards might not prove sufficient in the case of an attack.”

Snape nodded reluctantly.

“Very well. I’ll pay them a visit tomorrow. Potter might need tending tonight.”

The door opened and the Order members filed in. It appeared that Molly Weasley had faithfully recounted the dramatic scene that had just taken place in the sitting room, since all wore sombre faces as they approached the boy.

“What can we do?” asked Kingsley.

“Sit down, so we can examine the options,” suggested Dumbledore.

While everyone took their places around the table, Snape took out a green potion from his bag, that he carefully made the boy swallow. It would keep the boy asleep for a good twelve hours. Severus couldn't keep himself from examining him again.

He had seen similar marks before, but they'd had nothing to do with magic… And how to imagine Potter, saviour of the wizarding world, being thrashed the Muggle way? And how had he managed to become so thin… His new power wasn't helping him any.

He quickly applied a warming charm to the boy. It was best not to cover the wounds. What could he have missed when healing the cat? He was limping, he recalled… The left front paw.

He gently lifted the sleeping teenager’s arm and palpated it for a contusion. Near the shoulder, the bone was at an odd angle…

‘Broken and badly healed,’ he mused. The cat had borne the pain with the help of potions and Potter had probably not realised the extent of his injuries while he was a cat. This explained the cat’s lack of enthusiasm for acrobatics.

Snape suddenly felt disheartened. He had missed that as well. What else had slipped by him? Potter had been under his protection for fifteen days without him knowing it, the cat had a broken paw, and now the boy was unconscious, covered in injuries he didn’t know the cause of and which he could not treat.

He was a spy, a Potions professor and a member of the Order of the Phoenix. He was failing in all his missions. The Order of Merlin had never seemed so far away. Off somewhere wandering with his self-esteem…

A glint of silver suddenly caught his eye. Potter’s bracelet. Why did it seem familiar to him? Shadow! Snape quickly straightened and turned towards the waiting group.

‘Has Potter always had this bracelet?”

All eyes looked to the boy’s wrist.

“No, I’ve never seen it before, Harry doesn’t wear jewellery,” replied Mrs Weasley. Arthur nodded in agreement.

“I don’t believe I have seen it before either,” added Dumbledore. “A birthday present perhaps?”

“The cat was wearing it as a collar,” said Snape, in response to the headmaster’s questioning look. “And he struggled every time I tried to examine it. Wherever it comes from, there's a strong likelihood that it's tied to this affair. Is there a way to obtain a complete list of the presents Potter received during his stay with the Muggles?”

“It wouldn't be a long one,” said Tonks. “Hermione, Ron, Fred and George, you, Molly, I’ve still got Remus’ present with me… I was supposed to give it directly to him on his birthday.”

Mrs Weasley nodded.

“Yes, I think that’s everyone. I know that the twins sent him some products from their shop, Merlin help us… Ron was vague, but he probably sent a similar type of present. I don’t know what Hermione chose… As for me, I sent him food as I do every year, the poor boy starves there every summer.”

Snape frowned. The stupid boy refused to eat Muggle food? That would explain his thinness. That was still preferable to a problem with transformation, he mused, slightly reassured.

“Should I go and get the children to give more detail?” asked Mrs Weasley.

“I don’t think that will be necessary. Their letters were still on Harry’s bed at the Dursleys. I put them in his trunk after verifying myself the recipients. I did not read them, out of discretion, but it's not too late for that.”

Dumbledore got up and opened the wooden trunk in the corner of the room. He pulled out an assortment of parchments which he put on the table. He handed Ron’s to Mrs Weasley, the twins’ to her husband and took Hermione’s for himself to read.

Kingsley, Tonks and Severus tried to read their faces while they quickly scanned the parchments. Mr and Mrs Weasley shook their heads, but Dumbledore’s face lit up with joy.

All eyes turned impatiently to him.

“It seems that Miss Granger has just proven, once again, how vital she is. The bracelet you noticed, Severus, is indeed the birthday present from her.”

“And by your manner, I deduce that we can expect the worst,” said Snape ironically, aware of the twinkling glance that the headmaster was sending his way.

“Much to the contrary. Miss Granger’s idea is excellent and particularly welcome. I think it is safe to say that she saved young Harry’s life.”

Curiosity was now etched on every face, including Snape’s, despite his best efforts to hide it.

“This bracelet is indeed charmed. It is a Portable Aid, a gem which allows an injured wizard to find assistance. This explains how Harry was able to find his way to your door, Severus.”

His explanation was met with a chorus of cries: admiration for the young girl, but also astonishment.

Snape leant back in his chair, slightly paler.

“There is however one flaw to this interesting theory,” he said after a moment’s reflection. “Even if my Manor is also in Surrey, it is many miles from Mr Potter’s summer residence. I can scarcely imagine him completing such a journey, especially injured, whether in cat or human form. The Portable Aid does carry a body gently, in such a way as to shield the bearer, but this is not just a matter of a Portkey.”

“Whatever happened that day,” replied Dumbledore, “I think that powerful magic was involved. We don’t yet know the particulars, but if Harry was able to acquire Animagus abilities in a short period of time, probably unknowingly, then the magic of that transformation could've unleashed the power of the bracelet. And brought him to you, Professor,” concluded the headmaster in a soft voice.

Snape grimaced.

“Isn’t St Mungo's closer?” hazarded Kingsley.

“It is,” replied Dumbledore calmly. “The hospital is, in fact, closer to Privet Drive than Snape Manor. Not to mention the presence of several Healers near London who could have helped Harry. However, the bracelet chose to take him to Severus. The bracelet or whatever was guiding it.”

The table was silent as everyone tried to digest and assimilate the information.

“Oh, come on,” grumbled Moody. “Harry hates Snape, Snape almost sicks up every time he says Potter's name, why the devil would the boy have thrown himself so precisely underfoot?”

A baffled silence followed his question, interrupted by a few coughs. Severus remained impassive, and said nothing to contradict him. Moody had just spared him from a long explanation filled with euphemisms.

“Appearances sometimes hide unsuspected realities,” replied Dumbledore with a half-smile.

Snape frowned. That he agreed to care for the boy did not mean that he would concern himself with his fate. The converation was taking a rather disagreeable turn.

“Be assured that I did nothing to provoke this situation in any possible way,” retorted the Potions Master.

“No one doubts that…” murmured Tonks.

“Well, well,” said Molly hastily. “This doesn’t explain the most important thing. How was Harry able to take the form of a cat? Could he actually have become an Animagus?”

“All doubt of that was dispelled, from the moment when Harry reacted positively to the Animagus Revelio,” replied Dumbledore. “Which indeed leaves the big question: how?

“And when. And where. And why,” added Tonks.

“Indeed, Miss Tonks,” agreed Dumbledore politely. “Those as well, of course. Now, here is what we know on the subject: Harry made no attempt to become an Animagus, his closest friends have assured us of this and I trust their word.”

Snape nodded.

“Furthermore, it was impossible for him to practice magic while with his family, as he would have violated the Ministry Decree for the Restriction of Underage Wizardry. In whatever manner Harry gained this skill, it was very quickly. Given his attitude, I'm inclined to think that this also occurred without his knowledge.”

“I don’t understand,” Kingsley interrupted. “Becoming an Animagus is a learnt skill, like any other, it is never innate and cannot be passed on… by magic !”

“Indeed,” admitted Dumbledore. “It is a heretofore unobserved phenomenon. Understand, until we have a definite explanation, all this is but a theory. It remains that Harry had a very short time to become an Animagus, since he was seen in his Animagus form for the first time the day after his birthday, and he doesn’t seem to have possessed this talent before this summer. I am not ignorant of the fact that all this defies the laws of magic, but this is Harry Potter we are talking about, the boy who lived…the only person in the world to have survived Avada Kedavra. It does not seem prudent, in these circumstances, to reject any theory, no matter how absurd.

Silence once again.

Snape could not keep himself from silently cursing the boy. What Dumbledore had just said was perfectly correct. One could expect anything when it came to Potter… even completely irrational explanations. What could have pushed the boy to land on his front steps? What more could he've come up with to make himself interesting? Did he have to be so like his father in everything? He mulled this over.

“Another point, Albus. Potter has a substantial family history when it comes to transformation into wild animals. His father and his godfather, not to mention the rat… whatever there was, Potter was aware of this and could've very well himself built a legend out of this legacy.”

Dumbledore nodded. “I am indeed aware of this, Severus. One way or another, the fact that James and Sirius, his primary father figures, had both been Animagi cannot be a coincidence. I don’t know, though, how this links with his own transformation… And whether we should consider this as a gift or an attempt to harm Harry.”

“So many questions, so few answers… but at least we have got Harry back,” concluded Molly Weasley.

“Very true, Molly, it is a great relief. But we must still remember that no trace of Lily’s sacrifice now protects Harry. What's more, we don’t know how his mental and physical health have been affected, nor what really happened to him. We need to know the answers to these questions as soon as possible. A great many things rest on Harry’s shoulders.”

The headmaster’s piercing gaze sought the Potions Master. Snape met his eyes without flinching. He could almost hear the familiar, “Can I count on you?”

Karma, he mused.

Sybill Trelawney would not have contradicted him.