Snape started his investigation easily enough with a series of floo calls. “Minerva, have you seen Potter this afternoon?” he asked.

“Not since class. Why?”

“I’m looking for him. Any idea where he went after your class?”

“I think he and his friends said something about using their study period to prepare for Filius’ quiz. They didn’t seem too worried about it though – well, except for Miss Granger, but you know how she is.”

Snape rolled his eyes. “All too well. Thank you, Minerva.”

Similar calls to Flitwick, Hagrid, and Sprout turned up nothing noteworthy. All reported that Harry had been his usual self and didn’t seem to be planning any unusual activities. The only time Severus couldn’t account for was the thirty minutes after dinner and immediately before Harry burst into his quarters. As a long shot, Snape floo’d the Headmaster.

“Severus!” Dumbledore greeted him genially. “I’ve been expecting you, my boy. Come on through.”

Snape stepped into the Headmaster’s office, frowning. “You were expecting me?”

“Yes, well, Harry seemed a bit quiet after our talk, and I thought you might want –“

“What talk?” Snape interrupted. He knew he should have let Dumbledore ramble on and tell the story in his own time, but he was too impatient to wait.

“Lemon drop? No? Well, I asked Harry to stop by to discuss summer plans. He had been under the impression that he would be staying here at Hogwarts with you, so I explained that that was impossible.”

Snape’s eyebrows drew together in an even more fearsome scowl.  “You didn’t think to have me present at this discussion?”

“Severus, as you have pointed out, it is important for you to maintain a good relationship with the boy. As unpleasant as it is for me to be the bearer of ill tidings, I felt it was better that I be the one to break the bad news about his returning to the Dursleys.”

“WHAT?” Snape bellowed. “Return him to those abusive Muggles? Are you insane?”

“Severus,” Dumbledore said patiently, “I will of course make arrangements for Aurors to visit the home regularly to ensure that he was not harmed. But the blood wards –“

“- are irrelevant if there is no love to sustain them! The Dursleys don’t need to beat Harry to damage him. What do you think a summer of being called a worthless freak will do to him? And do you really imagine that having Aurors coming by is going to endear him to those magic-hating sadists? Are you so naïve as to believe that Harry would be safe in their care? They’ll just time the beatings so the Aurors don’t see them. Even his walrus of an uncle is smart enough to do that, and Potter knows it.”

“Severus, I’m glad you feel so protective towards Harry, but we must be reasonable. With Voldemort’s location a mystery and the Death Eaters regaining their strength, we must take every precaution to keep Harry safe. I’m sure you have plans of your own, and Harry cannot remain at Hogwarts unsupervised. Although his friends’ families might offer to host him, that won’t answer either. The Weasleys are off to Egypt to visit Bill, and while they have offered to take Harry along with them, it is much too dangerous. The Grangers are Muggles and therefore vulnerable, Mrs Longbottom is getting on in years and can’t supervise a child as – curious – as Harry can be. Who else is there? No, my boy,” Dumbledore didn’t wait for an answer, “as much as it pains me to admit it, the Dursleys remain Harry’s only option. We will simply have to do what we can to protect him while he’s there.”

“And this is what you told him?”

“Yes,” Dumbledore said sadly. “He took it very well, really. It was clearly not the news he’d hoped to hear, but he just nodded and said he’d make arrangements for Hagrid to keep Hedwig here. He recognized that the owl’s presence would unsettle his relatives.”

“You mean he realized his relatives were all too likely to kill her!” Snape exploded. “That child has more sense than you, Albus! What are you thinking? Do you have any idea of the damage you’ve done? Potter finally reveals the Muggles’ abuse to us, and your response is to send him back to them? Are you trying to teach him not to trust us? You might as well tie a bow around his neck and send him to the Dark Lord! Lucius Malfoy couldn’t do a better job of turning him away from the Light. How can you possibly justify this to yourself?”

“But, Severus,” Dumbledore argued, taken aback by the Potion Master’s palpable fury, “there are no other choices. I agree it’s not ideal but Harry has accepted –“

“No, Albus, he has not. He was simply incapable of directing his anger at the person who deserves it and instead took it out on the first person who crossed his path. By now, I am quite certain he will have started taking it out on himself, aided by the additional guilt he now bears for striking an innocent. You are a fool, Albus, and I will not have you damage this boy any further with your crackpot ideas.”

“Then what will –“

“I will take him for the summer,” Snape snarled, “and what is more, I will be filing for permanent custody of the boy. If there is so much as a hint of interference from you, old man, I will transfer him to Durmstrang so fast your beard will fall off. Do you understand me?”

“My heavens, Severus, have a lemon drop and calm down,” Albus urged. “If you feel this strongly about the matter, I will not oppose you.”

“See that you don’t!” Snape snapped, robes billowing as he stalked out of the office. It was a magnificent exit, though the Potion Master might have been a bit nonplused if he had seen the satisfied smirk on Dumbledore’s face as the door closed behind him.