Professor Dumbledore had escorted Erin all the way back to her room, explaining his plan and soothing her disquiet. After all, she had no desire herself to be cooped up in what was apparently a very isolated house in a very lonely spot with a very angry and unpleasant man. Of course the ancient wizard had not ordered her to go along with his wishes—just as he had not ordered Professor Snape—but Erin knew an expert in the art of manipulation when she met one, and Dumbledore was a master. Still, this was for Harry, and she would do anything to help the young boy she had come to care for, even if it meant being on the same island—for Dumbledore had told her they would be on an island—with the Black-hearted Prince.

Now, exactly an hour after Dumbledore had left her to gather her few possessions together—she had only just finished distributing them about the room she had come to love—Erin was back in the beautiful circular office with a squirming Pumpkin in her arms and a holdall Dumbledore had conjured for her use earlier in her room, on the floor at her feet. There was no sign of the miserable potions Professor, for which she was grateful.

The headmaster was coming down a spiral staircase that hugged the curve of the circular tower room. “Ah, Erin…excellent. Satisfyingly prompt.” Enclosed, nicely snug within the curved base of the ornate banister was a beautiful copper globe of the world. It looked very old and very heavy, but when Albus tapped it with his wand, it rose into the air and moved into the centre of the room, coming to rest on its iron stand in front of Erin.

“Here,” said Albus, “let me relieve you of that very pretty little feline you are attempting to hold onto. What is her name?” he asked as he conjured a roomy basket from thin air.

“This is Pumpkin,” answered Erin, handing her agitated cat to Dumbledore. The old wizard was not at all phased by the squirming black bundle…indeed, as soon as he stroked her head, she quieted and began to purr like a well-tuned engine. Dumbledore stroked her gently for a while longer, whispering unintelligible words. When her eyes were mere slits, Dumbledore slipped her into the basket and shut the door.

“She will drowse comfortably until you let her out of the basket. With your permission, I will send her on ahead with your belongings. It is best for you to travel unencumbered.”

Erin nodded uncertainly. She wasn’t sure about being separated from her cat again so very soon after getting her back. “You can do that?” she asked.

“Certainly,” answered Dumbledore. He squeezed Erin’s shoulder. “Do not worry, my dear, she will be totally safe and she will be waiting for you when you arrive.”

This time, Erin’s nod was more decisive, but she still held her breath as Dumbledore waved his wand and the basket and holdall disappeared. Erin shook her head in wonder. After all the magic she had seen, you would think she would be totally used to it now. Not so…it still enthralled her.

“Now my dear, if you will direct your attention to the globe, I will show you where you, Severus and Harry are going to be spending the next little while.”

He spun the globe as Erin watched. “Err…how long exactly?” she asked as Dumbledore found what he wanted and tapped a tiny land mass with his wand. To Erin’s amazement, the area grew, overlapping the rest of the land and water until it took up the whole of the curve of the globe that was facing Erin.

“That will depend entirely on Harry, I’m afraid. But that young man is amazingly resilient and my hope is that he will gather himself together in very short order.”

“He obviously has a lot more than just what happened two days ago to let go of,” observed Erin.

“Yes,” said Dumbledore simply. When it was obvious that the old man wasn’t going to be forthcoming with any more information, Erin sighed and directed her attention to the island that had been blown up for her perusal.

“Do you know Scotland at all?” asked Albus.

Erin looked at the enlarged land mass and then back at the geography teacher beside her. “Well, my subjects are history and English, but I know enough geography to know that that isn’t Scotland.”

Albus chuckled. “You are correct. This is certainly not the Scottish mainland, but it is part of Scotland. This is the Isle of Lewis. It is the largest island in the Outer Hebrides, or if you prefer, the Western Isles.

“It is very isolated, with quite a small population. The western side of the island…” Dumbledore used his wand to point to a coastline that was indented with numerous inlets, or, because it was Scotland, Erin supposed they were firths. “…is barren and virtually free of people. Most of the population is based on the east side of the island and in Stornaway, the main township—really, the only township of any size.” Dumbledore had been indicating the places he was talking about with his wand.

“Many years ago, I built a house on the deserted western side of Lewis. It is protected by a special charm that disallows admission to anyone that the person designated the secret keeper does not wish to be admitted.”

Erin’s brow was creased. “I’m not sure I understand.”

“Yes, it is a rather complicated thing to explain.” said Dumbledore, leaving the globe and indicating that Erin seat herself whilst he moved around his desk to his own high-backed chair. “The easiest way around this is for me to give you a practical demonstration as well as an explanation…I am the secret keeper of ‘The Haven’, near Labost, west coast, Isle of Lewis.” As he spoke the words, Dumbledore was writing. He handed a creamy sheet of parchment to Erin and she read the words he had just spoken.

“As the secret keeper, I am the only one who can convey that address to anyone else. If you try, you will find that you cannot speak the words. You will not be able to write them down. If a wizard accomplished in the art of Legilimency were to try to extract it from your mind, he would not be able to find the information.”

Erin was looking at Dumbledore as if he was slightly mad. Dumbledore was smiling. He nodded his head once, aware of what the young woman was thinking.

“I assure you, my dear, I am not mad.’ Erin blushed. “If you will memorise what is written on that parchment, I will show you what I mean.”

Erin looked down at the thin, slanting, old fashioned writing on the parchment. She read and reread the words several times. Albus stood and crossed to the magnificent bird resting on its perch to the side of the desk. He began to pet and croon to him in the same quiet voice he had used to calm Pumpkin earlier.

“I’ve memorized it,” said Erin, intrigued and a little nervous.

“Very good,” said Dumbledore, still stroking the beautiful scarlet head of the bird. “Now try to say the words you have just read, out loud.”

Erin could not only not speak the words, she couldn’t even open her mouth when she tried. She tried again with the same result. It was as if she did not even have a mouth. She began to panic a little bit, her breathing becoming choppy. She felt as if she was choking. Albus turned away from the bird who was watching Erin with bright, intelligent words.

“Just think of something else to say, and the power of speech will be entirely restored to you.”

“But how did you do that?” were the frantic words that burst from Erin's lips, rather louder than she would have wished. She blushed and lowered the volume somewhat. “You didn’t cast any kind of spell.

“No, I did not wave my wand or incant any words. But just by sharing the address with you, I invoked the charm. Now that you have memorised the address, you will be able to see the house and access it at any time. But as you are now aware, you will not be able to convey the location to anyone else.” Erin looked back down at the parchment and then up into the serious face of the old wizard.

“Any person I do not wish to know where the house or the property pertaining to the house is, could stand right in front of it—could even be looking in the front window—and he or she would not be able to see it.

“Could anyone coerce the information from you,” asked Erin.

“They could,” said Dumbledore contemplatively. “But they would have to be exceptional to capture me and hold me long enough to do their worst. I am a formidable wizard, Erin. Few have the nerve to engage me in battle and I am able to withstand many hexes and curses that would render me susceptible.” He said the whole of this without the slightest trace of snugness. It was just fact.

Erin imagined she felt the charge of raw power emanating from the powerful old wizard. She had felt a similar sensation on the night she had first landed in the magical world. She looked at him with raised eyebrows. “Did you create this charm?” she asked.

Dumbledore blue eyes twinkled. “I did,” he said simply.

Erin leaned forwards, her forearms resting on the desk and her hands clasped. “Look, I understand that Harry needs to recuperate away from people and distractions, but is this all absolutely necessary?”

“There is nothing more important than keeping Harry safe from the evil wizard who is intent upon capturing him,” said Dumbledore. You’re safety is also a priority. The Haven is probably even safer than Hogwarts because no-one…apart from myself, you, Severus and Harry, when he awakens, knows that it even exists.

“Unfortunately, I cannot keep the boy isolated there, much as I would wish it. He needs to attend school and he needs to socialise with his peers. He needs to live as normal a life as possible…” Dumbledore sighed and it was not difficult for Erin to see just how much the old man cared for Harry. When he continued, his voice was regretful. “Though Merlin knows that ‘normal’ is a concept the poor child rarely encounters.”

With another sigh, Dumbledore leaned over and picked up the piece of parchment which Erin had placed on the desk. With a wave of his hand, the parchment caught fire and Dumbledore held it until all but a small corner had burned, then he dropped it onto a large tray under the birds perch and watched it burn until it disintegrated into a smudge of black ash.

“Are you sure this charm will work on a mu…on a non-magical person? Are you sure I will be able to see and access the property?” asked Erin. She had asked the question to try and bring the old wizard out of his reverie, but she was honest enough to admit to herself that she was nervous about the whole thing.

“Quite sure,” he said simply. Erin believed him.

“And how will Harry learn where the place is. He has been asleep since you decided upon this course of action. Unless…has he known about the place for a while?”

“No. he has not. Whilst you were getting your belongings together, I went to the hospital wing and Legilimised Harry, giving him the information via a mental link. Severus however, has known about, and has used the house for a number of years.” Erin nodded, though this legilimising thing the old headmaster spoke of confused her immensely.

“And now,” said Dumbledore, clapping is hands together, “I think the easiest way by far to get you to the Haven is for me to take you.”

Erin tensed. She had been so caught up in the plans to remove Harry to an isolated location to help with his recovery, and then learning where she was going and about the Fidelius Charm, she hadn't given any thought as to how she was going to get there. In the very beginning, she had just assumed that they would be going to someplace quite nearby Hogwarts. With the aid of his old copper globe, Dumbledore had quickly disabused her of that notion.

“Umm…” Erin had just thought of something. “If we’re so isolated, how do we get food. And if the…” Erin had tried to say ‘Haven’ but her mouth had snapped shut. She looked at Dumbledore, wide-eyed, disliking this sensation enormously.

“It is wise to just refer to where you are going as ‘the Place’,” he advised calmly.

“Right. So then…if the Place is so far away from civilisation are there any mod cons?”

Albus’s forehead creased in confusion. “Mod cons, my dear…”

“She means modern conveniences, Albus. I believe Miss Hanson is worried that she will have to make do with candlelight, wood stoves and no hot water,” said a very snide voice behind her.

Erin clenched her fists and took a deep breath. She turned her head to face Severus, who had entered the room silently and had advanced as far as the desk in the time it took her to compose herself. Her face was set and her eyes icy, and when she spoke, her voice dripped scorn. “If I can put up with you, for a prolonged period, Professor Snape, then I could put up with sleeping in a cave.”

Neither of the young people took any notice of Albus but he had turned back to Fawkes to hide the smug smile on his face.

Severus raised one eyebrow the merest fraction, otherwise his face was totally still as he looked down his impressive nose at her. “Indeed,” he drawled. Then he raised those obsidian orbs to Albus’s back. “Perhaps you could fix the cave in the cliff-face up by adding a lantern, and perhaps a straw pallet, Albus, if Miss Hansen has a hankering to commune with nature.”

“If there is such a cave,” flared Erin, “then perhaps that can be your quarters, Professor. After all, it wouldn’t be so very far removed from your natural domain in the bowels of this castle.”

Albus knew it was time to intervene before they shredded each other to pieces. “I believe that will be quite enough of that, children,” he said calmly as he turned to face them, his stern countenance firmly in place. “I would appreciate it if the two of you would make a supreme effort to at least pretend to get on for Harry’s sake. If he is still in his confrontational frame of mind when he wakes up, he does not need to be fed any examples of just the sort of behaviour we are trying to curb in him.”

Erin’s face reddened and she felt exactly like the child Albus had called her. Severus just growled and stalked over to the window to glare out at the late afternoon shadows on the east side of the castle.

“Then perhaps you should rethink this ridiculous plan,” ground out Severus, addressing the pristine pane of glass in front of his face. “Potter isn’t a child, as much as he acts like one most of the time. He does not need to be coddled by a mother substitute.” Erin bit the inside of her cheek hard in the effort to stop herself from launching into another angry tirade, but Albus, had no such reservations. He did not try to hide his annoyance.

“I know that Harry will benefit greatly from Erin’s softer presence, Severus. As much as I know you will curb your tendency towards undue harshness, you are, none the less, not a person overflowing with the milk of human kindness, and after his lessons and talks with you, Harry will need a distraction which I am quite sure Erin can provide.”

When Severus opened his mouth to deliver a stinging rebuttal, Albus held up his hand, the gesture brooking no argument. “And now, I think it is time that we left. It would be more orientating for Erin if we were to arrive in daylight. Did you bring the potion, Severus?”

Severus reached into a deep pocket and with ill grace, he placed a clear phial containing a bilious coloured potion, on the desk. Erin looked at it with some trepidation. She just knew it was for her.

“My dear,” said Dumbledore, addressing her as if he was trying to calm a skittish horse. “I realise that your last journey by Apparition left you severely under the weather. When Remus brought you to us, however, you were unconscious and woke up with none of those terrible feelings of nausea and dizziness that you suffered after your experience with Severus. Now, Severus has provided this potion that will enable you to drift off to sleep gently. I could, of course, stun you, but that spell can be a little rough and you have been subjected to it more than once already. I would prefer you just slip off into a gentle sleep.”

Erin had become more and more horrified as this explanation went on. ‘Slip off to sleep’! She could not help but come up with the horrible comparison of an animal being put to sleep to prevent its further suffering.

She looked from the sickly—and to her lethal—looking brew to Severus, all thoughts of confrontation gone. She just wanted assurance now. “How can you be sure this is going to work on me…I mean, on a Muggle?” she asked in a panicked rush. “And how do you know the dose is right? I may not wake up for a week,” “Or for ever,” she added to herself.

Severus wanted to snap at her that he knew because he was a potions master, and he was a healer, but the sight of her bright, fearful eyes and of her slim fingers wringing together curbed the nasty impulse. He didn’t really want her to be frightened, and he had to admit—however grudgingly—that her questions were sensible.

“I can assure you, Miss Hanson, that I factored in your lack of magic when I tweaked the formula. And the dose is minimal. Enough for no more than two hours sleep. And I have the antidote here. As soon as you arrive at our location, I will awaken you.”

Erin had an irresistible image of Prince Charming leaning over a fairy tale princess in an enchanted sleep and bestowing a kiss upon her to return her to the land of the living. Her face bloomed with spectacular colour and she raised bright, embarrassed eyes to Severus’s scornful face. When he raised his eyebrows, she looked down at the tiny bottle resting on the desk.

“I might be allergic,” she whispered, and Severus fought hard to hold onto his patience, even as he wondered what had caused her embarrassment a moment before,. She was just dredging up excuses now. He picked up the phial and breaking the wax seal around the cork, he held it out to her.

“And so you might. But we will never know unless you take the draught,” he stated baldly.

Erin didn’t appreciate his blasé attitude about her wellbeing and she shot him a darkling glance. Dumbledore stepped in again. “Are you an allergic type, my dear?” he asked sensibly. Erin had to answer in the negative.

“Then I think you will be quite safe taking the draught. Severus is one of the most talented potioneers I have known in the whole of my life, and even if you were allergic to something in the brew, he would have you set to rights within seconds.”

Erin privately thought that seconds was a slight exaggeration, but not wanting to sound any more like a coward than she already did, she lifted a slightly shaking hand and took the tiny bottle. She eyed the toxic looking brew within with distaste.

“You know, Professor,” she said in a brittle voice, raising the opened bottle to her nose and sniffing the contents and grimacing. “People might be a little more willing to swallow your offerings if you added a little food colouring to make them more palatable looking.

Severus had had enough. He snatched the phial from her fingers and replaced the small cork. “Fine!” he barked. “Go without. As it is the headmaster who is to side along with you, he can put up with your weaknesses at the other end.

Long, pale fingers plucked the phial from Severus’s hand. “Thank you Severus,” said a clearly irate headmaster. He then removed the cork again and handed the draught to Erin. “Please drink it, my dear. We do need to get a move on.” Erin felt slightly ashamed but she grasped the little bottle. She raised troubled eyes to Dumbledore’s face.

“This,” she said, “is going to help me. But what about you. Sev…err, Professor Snape wasn’t very well himself after Apparating with me. I don’t want to be responsible for making you ill as well.”

“I will be fine, my dear. I have more than enough magic to carry us both.” It was another statement of fact, and Erin stopped trying to find excuses. She upended the phial and swallowed the contents, which, it turned out, was just as foul as it had looked. She thought that as soon as it hit her stomach, it would be expelled back out through her mouth. But strangely, after an initial unconscious heave, her stomach relaxed.

So did her body. Less than ten seconds after imbibing the brew, she staggered a little and as Severus was closest to her, he grasped her arm. Erin didn’t even realise he had hold of her because five seconds after that, she was fast asleep. Severus swung her slight body up into his arms and Dumbledore, instead of relieving him of his burden, led the way from the office.

Severus would normally have ranted that as it was Dumbledore who was Apparating with the Muggle, he should be the one to bear the burden of her unconscious body now. But the weight of the slight female form in his arms stilled the impulse. In the dim light of the spiral staircase, he unbent enough to look down at the still, alabaster face. A red-gold tendril of hair had come out of its confinement and was draped across her cheek and mouth. He wanted to tuck it back—to see if it was a soft as it looked—but with both hands occupied, he couldn’t. In all the times that he had touched her he had never felt her hair. When he stepped off the staircase, the large floor to ceiling window at the end of the corridor cast enough late afternoon light for Severus to be able to see the delicate tracery of blue capillaries in her closed eyelids. He only kept half an eye on his route—he knew it by heart anyway—as most of his attention was on the delicate beauty of the face that reminded him more and more of another delicate featured red head from many years ago. And he was being forced into the company of that red head’s son for who knew how long.

Three floors down, Albus stopped at the doorway to the hospital wing. Severus transferred Erin into his arms. “I will see you at the Haven, Severus. You will arrive with Harry before I do as I have to walk past the gate to the Apparition boundary.”

“You could levitate her,” suggested Severus.

“As could have you,” said Dumbledore and if there was a slight smirk in the old man’s voice, Severus chose not to hear it. “I am sure you noticed that our young friend is not at all heavy.”

“Yes,” bit out Severus. “But as I am sure you have noticed, old man, I am more than one hundred years your junior.”

“And despite appearances to the contrary my boy, I am not in my dotage. Now, I will see you within the half hour.” Albus gestured with his head towards Harry where he still lay curled up in his bed. “Be gentle with your precious cargo, Severus.”

Severus’s answer was a not unexpected sneer and he swept into the long ward. He would have loved to know exactly what the old fool’s definition of ‘dotage’ was. As he stalked to Potter’s bed, he groaned when he saw Poppy descending on him with a determined look on her face. He was most definitely not in the mood.

8888

Severus had placed his burden in the smallest of the three bedrooms. It was very cold on this unsheltered, side of this God forsaken island with the wind whipping in straight off the Atlantic Ocean, but the fires—and there was one in each bedroom as well as the living room—had already been lit by Dobby, who had been sent on ahead by Dumbledore to prepare the house for habitation. The fact that no one had been in the house for over a year was not evidenced by the cosy, pristine state of it now.

The elf had scurried out of this bedroom when Severus had strode in with the sleeping boy in his arms. Severus had seen him peeking around the edge of the door and when Severus had barked at him to prepare a pot of tea, the elf had immediately disapparated.

Severus adjusted the blankets around the boy’s shoulders, remembering the last time he had carried the too slight body into the hospital wing. Then, Potter’s terrible injuries had even worried him. Severus imagined that children involved in car accidents could have injuries like Potter had suffered at the hands of his uncle, but Severus had never seen a car accident victim. In fact he had never seen a child in such a grievous state of injury (he had buried any memories he had of Muggle children tortured by Death Eaters behind his strongest shields) and he had been worried that his healing skills would not be up to the task, that Harry would succumb, especially after the stress of Apparition on top of everything the Muggle had doled out.

At the very least, he knew Harry would have had another scar on his face if it had not been for Fawkes’s healing tears. Seemingly without conscious volition, Severus reached forward and brushed that thick, black fringe aside to reveal the famous scar. Severus had never really seen it up close before; he had only caught glimpses of it because Potter seemed to take great care to keep it covered.

As if from afar, he watched his own finger tracing the zigzag shape; the scar was upraised and thicker and longer than Severus had thought. He supposed he would have been surprised if it had not been a substantial wound. The terrible curse that usually caused death with no visible injury had backfired—and it had done so in a spectacular fashion. Part of the house at Godric's Hollow had been destroyed and the Dark Lord had actually been banished from his body. The curse that should have killed this boy outright when he was an infant, had not done so, but the second miracle was that the resultant catastrophic explosion had not done so either. That this scar was the only legacy of the event was definitely the miracle that everyone said it was.

When Harry drew in a very deep breath and twisted his head to the side, Severus pulled his hand back in shock, worried that the boy was going to wake. He did not want to be found hovering over the Boy Who Lived…or as they were calling him now, ‘The Chosen One’. He could just imagine Potter’s reaction to finding his hated potions professor standing over him. Things were going to be bad enough over the next however long it took, with both of them being in the same house…even with the ‘softening’ influence of Erin Hanson.

But as he stalked from the small bedroom, Severus realised that he no longer felt it appropriate to heap the sins of the father (and the Godfather) on the son. The boy came with his own, very unique problems, problems that James Potter would never have coped with half as well as his son did at the same age.

When he descended the stairs, Albus was entering the front door with an unconscious Erin still hugged to his chest. Severus stopped dead five steps from the bottom and stared at the other man with the girl in his arms. A vice seemed to tighten around Severus’s chest squeezing all the air out of his lungs. His hands tightened into fists and with a shock, he realised that he was jealous of a one hundred and fifty year old man because that man was holding a girl that he had been fantasising about since he had first seen her properly in the hospital wing.

Dumbledore glanced up and Severus was released from his paralysis. “Ah, Severus,” greeted the old man and as Severus continued his descent, Albus moved towards the sitting room. “Harry is still asleep, I take it?”

“Thank Merlin, yes,” answered Severus and he watched Dumbledore lower Erin onto a sofa. “Peace will reign for a little while longer, at least.”

Dobby sidled into view in the archway to the dining room. Albus spotted him. “Dobby. Dare I hope you have tea ready?”

‘Yes, Professor Dumbledore, sir. Dobby has prepared tea and fruit toast for everyone. Is Professor Dumbledore wanting the tray in here, sir?”

“Thank you Dobby, that would be most welcome.” And when Dobby disappeared from sight, Albus turned to Severus. “If you would administer the antidote, my boy, we will have our pretty young Muggle back with us.”

Severus pulled another phial from his seemingly bottomless pocket and removed the wax seal from around the cork. The cork was removed with a tiny pop. Then he pulled his wand from another pocket and as he dipped it into the neck and withdrew it again with a ribbon of liquid forming an aqua stream as it flowed out, he thought that Miss Hanson would be sure to think this potion much more palatable. Especially as she didn’t have to taste it because he spelled it directly into her stomach; he placed the tip of his wand against her green top directly over where her stomach was, and watched as the ribbon of liquid seemed to be sucked into an invisible hole.

Albus had turned away to attend to the late afternoon tea that Dobby had supplied them with, so Severus didn’t feel restrained as he watched Erin wake up. He watched as she squirmed a bit, her top riding up a little to expose the same expanse of silky soft skin he had seen that first night in the hospital wing. Then those eyelids, as delicate as butterfly wings fluttered and opened and Severus watched as the beautiful dappled green irises surrounding dilated pupils began to focus and understanding seemed to rush back with amazing rapidity.

Too fast. She had focused on Severus before he could turn away and the colour rose in her cheeks as twin slashes of crimson rode high on his. Albus saved the day. He insinuated himself into the three foot of space that separated them, a cup of tea in each hand. Severus took his and moved away as Erin scrambled into a sitting position, pulling her top down self-consciously. It had ridden up even further, giving Dumbledore an eyeful and sending even more colour into Erin’s face.

“Welcome back to the land of the living, my dear. A cup of tea will be just the thing to wash away any lingering taste of potion,” he said cheerfully. “Are you feeling well?” he passed the cup of tea to her.

“Yes, I’m fine,” said Erin, in the slightly hoarse voice of someone who had just awoken after a long sleep. She didn’t understand that as she had supposedly only been asleep for less than an hour. She took a sip of the tea and closed her eyes as the soothing liquid slid down her throat. Albus held out a plate of delicious smelling fruit toast slathered with butter. Erin noticed that Severus wasn’t having any, and that he was looking at her down the length of that prominent nose, as if he couldn’t imagine anything more frivolous than eating a piece of golden toast; so she accepted a slice and took a fulsome bite of the buttery, spicy treat.

Severus turned away from her, determined that he was not going to watch her lips glistening with melted butter, or watch her lick her fingers clean. How in hell was he going to survive living under the same roof as this woman? He decided there and then that if he wasn’t with Potter doing Merlin knew what, he would be down in the basement potions lab, brewing.

Erin was looking around the room with interest. It just looked like a normal home…she supposed she had been expecting something much older; not as old as Hogwarts of course, but very old fashioned. Instead, this house was modern, light and airy, with pale walls and large windows. In this sitting room, the picture window looked out over the cliff and the massive expanse of navy blue water that Erin knew must be the Atlantic Ocean. It was an awe inspiring view and Erin found it difficult to drag her eyes away. Lots of birds were flying around the cliff faces and their muted cries just barely penetrated the windows; Erin realised that the they must be double glazed.

Erin drained her tea and feeling perfectly normal—there was absolutely no after affects of the apparition this time—she stood up and crossed to the coffee table to replace her empty cup on the tray. Severus studiously ignored her presence, taking an inordinate interest in the view, and considering he had been there before, according to Albus, Erin knew he was just trying to ignore her presence. She took a deep breath. This was going to be a torturous experience. She hoped Harry could cheer up quickly. She would need his company.

“So, Professor...how far afield am I allowed to wander before I am outside the property area?” she asked Dumbledore, who was seated comfortably in a sumptuous armchair.

Dumbledore’s empty tea cup was floating through the air and Erin watched it settle gently on the tray. He had just finished consuming his fourth slice of fruit toast and his second cup of tea. It was obvious that he was satisfyingly replete. He waved an airy hand.

“Severus will be able to give you and Harry a tour tomorrow but the property is bounded by a low hedge. The hedge’s thickness is magically enhanced because the winds that blow across this island are so laden with salt and so strong, little in the way of foliage grows.

“But inside the hedge boundary, you are protected by the enchantment. Of course, the cliff face is the boundary to the west.”

Dumbledore caught Severus’s eye and when he returned those periwinkle blue orbs protected by their half moon spectacles to Erin, there was regret there. “I am afraid that there will be more than the Fidelius Charm protecting the property Erin. That stops unwelcome visitors getting in. Our Mr Potter is quite the intrepid young wizard, and if he decides that he wants to leave the property, even with express orders not to do so, he will make every attempt to do it.

“Severus and I will be erecting wards that Harry will be unable to breach. They will also keep you within the property boundaries. The only way either of you will be able to leave is if Severus takes you beyond them himself.”

Erin turned away to look at the view again. “So, Harry and I are prisoners?”

“You may leave any time you please, my dear. It is my wish however that you will stay…for Harry.”

Erin rounded on the two wizards. “You make it seem as if Harry’s a wild animal,” she accused.

Dumbledore shook his head. “No, Erin. I could not love Harry more than if he were a grandson—or perhaps great, great, great grandson would be more the mark—but you must understand that that child rushes in where angels fear to tread. Everything I have done or have attempted to do for Harry in his lifetime, has been for his protection.

“Since he was just over a year old when his parents died, I have been responsible for Harry’s protection. It was a proviso in Lily and James’s will, if their first choice of protector—his godfather—was not able to take up his responsibilities. He was not able, and I did the thing I thought would keep Harry safest.”

Severus raised his eyebrows at this pronouncement. He had not known that Lily and James had named Albus in their will as Harry’s guardian after Black. He had always wondered how Albus had been able to stave off attempts by the ministry to take over Harry’s upbringing—making him a ward of the ministry.

He tuned back into his bosses voice.

“It did keep him safe from the evil that still abounded in our world, but I did not factor in the cruelty of his aunt and her husband. That was my most egregious error, but I do not apologise for the rest of my actions. Harry is still alive, and he would not be if I had not taken the actions that I did. Including this action.

Erin’s righteous anger deflated, although not entirely. Professor Dumbledore had given her certain information, but Erin still had no idea why Harry was such a target…had been since he was a baby. How could a baby be a danger to anyone, or indeed a young child?

She knew she was not going to be told everything, at least, not today. And she really wanted to help Harry. In a very short period of time, she had befriended him, and that friendship had progressed to a very real affection. There was something about Harry Potter that cried out to her…well, she didn’t know whether it was her maternal instincts—she didn’t even know if she had maternal instincts yet—but he certainly pulled some string that was firmly attached to her heart. So, she was here on a voluntary basis. She was not here on a tit for tat basis…I will help Harry if you tell me exactly what’s going on with him.

The old man might very well love Harry, but she had not seen any evidence of even liking in the Black-hearted Prince’s attitude to him. Harry definitely needed her here as a buffer if things got a little tense.

“So, unless you plan to keep Harry asleep as a means of keeping him in place, perhaps it’s time to wake him up,” she said, starting as she meant to go on…as Harry’s advocate.

“Most definitely,” assured Dumbledore. But Severus and I will need to construct the wards first. It will take us about fifteen minutes.” Erin’s lips thinned with irritation, but she held her tongue and watched the two men exit the front door. She would have gone out with them, but it was very cold and Erin’s top was very light. She shut the front door and went to stand at the picture window, watching the two tall wizards—one in his flamboyant plum coloured robes and the other in austere black—for as long as she could see them, walking around the perimeter with their wands drawn and their lips moving as they obviously uttered spells that would erect some kind of invisible cage to keep Harry locked up. No matter how many different ways you spelt it, Harry was a prisoner.

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Dumbledore only came back into the house to say goodbye to Erin. He said he thought it would be better for Harry if he did not have to interact with more people than necessary, certainly for the first few days anyway.

After taking Erin’s hand in his and patting it with his other, he thanked her again for her assistance. And after sending a significant look in Severus’s direction, he reached into a seemingly very old etched bronze goblet that had pride of place on the mantelpiece and withdrew something that turned out to be glittery green powder. He threw the powder into the flames and they immediately flared up and turned emerald green. Erin fell back a step in shock, and then to her horror, she watched the old man step into the flames. Instinctively, she cried out but the noise of distress was cut off when the flames engulfed Dumbledore and he disappeared. He had called something out before he had disappeared, but Erin had not heard what he had said.

She stared, mesmerised as the green flames died down and returned to their normal yellow and red. It took quite a few seconds for her paralysis to wear off, and then she turned her head to where she knew Severus was standing. She gestured at the fireplace and shook her head, her eyes wide and demanding an explanation.

“The headmaster is travelling back to the hospital wing via the floo network,” explained Severus. He passed her and dipped his fingers into the goblet. He indicated that Erin hold out her hand and then he trickled a small amount of the floo powder into her palm. “That is floo powder and it cools the flames down to just barely warm.

“Wizards often travel by floo. Most wizarding homes are connected to the floo network, though this connection was opened by Dumbledore so that I could transport Potter directly here. He has probably already closed it again, as it is not part of the normal network.”

Erin rubbed the powder against her palm with the middle finger of her other hand. It felt like a very fine grit and it sparkled and shone in the artificial light that seemed to have illuminated the rapidly darkening room in the last few minutes. Full darkness had nearly fallen outside now.

“That is how I transported Potter here,” added Severus.

“Erin reached up on tiptoe—the mantel was very high—and tipped the small amount of powder back into the goblet. She rubbed her hands free of the residue over the fire, not surprised this time to see a little green mixing with the yellow and red flames and hearing an increased crackling that had nothing to do with the burning wood.

“So why couldn’t the headmaster get me here this way,” asked Erin. The question was purely academic. The thought of being engulfed in flames, even if they were emerald green, filled her with horror. But it turned out her horror was not misplaced this time.

“You definitely need magic to travel by floo. It is the combination of the powder and a wizards magic that stops us from being burned. The air current created by the flames within the fireplace and chimney or flue, carries the wizard forward through the network to his designated destination, by the shortest route.

Erin had been gazing into the flames during this explanation. When Severus fell silent, she nodded her understanding, though she knew she would never really understand, and not just the mechanics of floo travel. Then she turned to face him. “I want to thank you for the medicine…er, potion you made to help me withstand the journey. Also, the antidote. I had no discomfort at all this time.” Severus inclined his head slightly and Erin rushed on.

“I’m also sorry that I made such a fuss about taking it in the first place. I hate taking medicine at the best of times,” she added on lamely.

“It is good to know the potion worked as well as it did. Further side along Apparition should not be a problem for you from here on out.”

Erin sincerely hoped there wouldn’t be too many more instances of side along Apparition for her, but she supposed there would be at least one…to get her back to Hogwarts when this incarceration was finished.

Just then, Dobby appeared in the archway again, wringing his little hands together. “Miss,” he squeaked. “Is you wanting your cat to be freed from the basket now. She has woken up miss, and she is not very happy.

“Oh!” Erin covered her mouth, looking horrified that she had forgotten about the cat. Severus rolled his eyes slightly, but luckily Erin failed to see. “Where is she Dobby. I forgot all about her.”

“She is being put in your room miss. She is snarling and hissing now.”

“Which is my room?” she asked distractedly, heading for the stairs.

“I will be showing miss.” Responded Dobby and he started to rush forward.

“That wont be necessary,” said Severus. “I will show Miss Hanson to her room. Perhaps you could get on with preparing a meal for us all.”

Dobby’s ears drooped and he looked at Severus fearfully. “Yes, sir, Professor Snape sir, and he disapparated.

Erin, who had watched this exchange pursed her lips together angrily and when Severus reached her where she was standing on the bottom stair, she said, “a thank you would not have gone astray.”

Severus stared at her as if she was mad. “He is a house elf. He does not need thanking. It is his job to do as he is told.”

Erin glared at him. She opened her mouth, and then obviously not able to think of anything cutting enough to say, she clenched her fists and let out a huff of disgust before turning and hurrying up the stairs. Severus followed in her wake, amused by her attitude. She would learn, he thought to himself. If she was going to be living amongst wizards, she would learn how things worked.

Erin’s bedroom was much smaller than the one she had been designated at Hogwarts but very attractive non-the-less. Though it was now totally dark, she knew that her window, over which mother-of-pearl coloured drapes with a very fine tracery of fern leaves were pulled shut, faced he cliff and the ocean.

When Pumpkin had been released and soothed and left to explore her new surroundings—her first port of call being Severus’s trouser bottoms where she rubbed herself and purred shamelessly, much to Severus’s feigned and Erin’s actual annoyance—they had both progressed to Harry’s room to wake the boy up.