Potions and Snitches
Snape and Harry Gen Fanfiction Archive

Author's Chapter Notes:
Harry and Severus have a meeting with the Headmaster.

And this is dedicated to Pandora, who's been worrying I was not going to update! Silly Pandora, I always do! :)
Chapter 19: Meetings

1994

Severus woke up with a start, his wand in hand. Scanning the room, with a pounding heart, the wizard stood up, cautiously walking to the window where he heard a light tapping. He almost sagged in relief when he saw that it was only an owl at the window, gently rapping; Harry’s owl.

Opening the window after putting his wand away, Severus watched as the white owl came in and sat on the couch, waiting for the wizard to join her. Snorting at the cheeky bird, the wizard closed the window and lumbered back over to where he had slept.

Originally, Severus had wanted to change one of the couches into a bed so he could sleep comfortably, but he found he could not sleep much last night. After he had checked on Harry the night before, his mind had become restless with unanswered questions and newfound fears. All he could think about while sitting alone in the dark was Harry, and was be prey to his imagination and his newly discovered memories.

Even now all that the wizard could think about was Harry. Was it the right thing to do to send him away to live with the Weasleys, or was that a mistake? Severus knew Arthur and Molly would certainly protect the boy, and they were as fond of Harry as they were any of their own children, but would they be enough for Harry? What Harry had said to him yesterday when they were discussing the boy’s living situation still rang fresh in Severus’s ears. But what if I don’t want to stay with the Weasleys?

What had the boy meant by that? Where else would the boy want to go? He wanted to go with you, a small part of Severus’s mind had to hope. But no, it was far too early for Harry to become attached; wasn’t it? Lily had always taken to things quickly, or she would repel things quickly enough. She had always had a good sense of character, and she usually tried to cling to what was good. Maybe Harry was the same way?

Allowing himself a sigh, Severus sat down where the owl waited for him. He searched his robes- he had been using them as a blanket- and gave the owl a treat. It hooted merrily as it snatched up the treat before holding out her leg to allow the wizard to untie the message.

The message itself would not make sense to a Muggle, nor would it be clear to the average wizard, which is why Albus and Severus adopted this form of correspondence, but quickly translating the message, Severus was able to read it clearly. Albus wanted to meet him at the Headmaster’s old cottage near the Lake District. Folding the message and sticking it into his pocket, the Slytherin sighed. So, he would have to take Harry away today. There would be no time to get to know each other after all.

Why should he feel so concerned? The boy had been a brat the last three years, why should he even make an effort to get to know the boy? But he was fooling himself, he knew. Severus had loved Lily, and anything that she had loved or anything that was a part of her, the wizard had to love. He had shut Harry out as it had been far too painful to look at the boy with his love’s eyes in his enemy’s face. But it was different now...

It was all for the best. Harry could not stay with him. He just could not. Spinner’s End would be watched from here on out, Hogwarts would be watched carefully, and Prince Manner was unliveable at this time. Wherever he went, Severus was not going to take Harry with him. What a delight the Death Eaters would have if they found both the Potions Master and Harry Potter together in the same place!

Sighing once more, Severus decided that he could not sleep. He had preparations to make and plans to continue. Looking over at the window, the wizard realized that there were several owls sitting on the ledge.  

&&&&&

Harry woke up from a wonderful nights sleep to the smell of bacon and eggs. Sitting up groggily, he thought for a moment that he was at the Weasley’s house, as that was the only place he’d ever been when such a delicious aroma woke him from his dreams. But he was not.

Oh, but what a dream he had had too! It had not been particularly pleasant, but it had been interesting. He had dreamed about Snape’s prophecy, and the serpent. There had been a great black snake and a green snake. The two had been circling each other, when another serpent, a brown one, came. The brown began to attack the green snake when the black began attacking the brown. The brown one then devoured the black snake, as it seemed the black gave up. In returned, the green then devoured the brown, as Snape’s prophecy was being spoken by the Head of Slytherin in the background. It had been so odd, so obscure, that Harry wondered if he should not tell someone about it. Perhaps Dumbledore?

But Harry shook his head. Perhaps he would just write it down on the paper that he had written the prophecy. Maybe they were connected somehow? But the thought of snakes really did not make the young wizard feel any better. What could this new prophecy mean?

Jumping up, the Gryffindor went to look over the prophecy carefully. As he stared down at the words, Harry bit his lip in concentration.

The Serpent’s child will shed his skin, the Head of Snakes shall conquer. Where once was light shall be light again, the darkness looses its menace. The hidden face shall be destroyed, the masks will slowly slip away. The forgotten shall be recalled, and hidden secrets all exposed. Betrayal and treachery shall be the road, but loyalty and love shall endure. Only when the crescent moon is high, and the stars are bright is the hour of unveiling. Where once was light, light shall prevail.

As he read the words, Harry decided that nothing made sense. The Serpent’s child and Head of Snakes had to mean Voldemort, and it said that he would prevail! But then why would there be light were light had been and the darkness loose its menace? And what was this about a hidden face being destroyed?

Suddenly, everything clicked into the young wizard’s mind. Voldemort would return and would think he conquered, but then everyone would realize what had happened and then he would be destroyed! Then the light would prevail! That had to be it! If that were so, then Snape’s prediction was a sign of good news. Things would all turn out alright!

Changing quickly, Harry ran down the stairs, a happy skip in his step. When he opened the kitchen door, he found S- his father sitting in the chair he had occupied the previous morning. The Potions Master looked up, tea cup in hand, and did not smile, but looked distinctly… not angry, as he motioned for Harry come in and sit.

Sitting down to a full plate of bacon and eggs was an unexpected delight for the now fourteen year old, and he began shoveling in the food. Severus watched in exasperated disapproval, but did not comment on the boy’s table manners. But the professor assumed that Molly would take care of all that once Harry got to the…what did they call it… the Burrow, that was.

When Harry looked up to see the slight disgust on his father’s face, he realized that he was not doing something right. When he looked down at his knife, that had previously been unused, was when he realized that he had let his table manners slip. Blushing slightly, the younger wizard picked up his knife and began eating properly. He did not want his father to keep grudges alive just because of his etiquette!

“So,” Harry began awkwardly. “What are we going to do today?” he grinned when he saw that Dudley was, yet again, in the corner.

“We are leaving today,” Snape said blandly. “After breakfast, you will pack up your things.”

“What!” the boy dropped his fork and knife. “Leaving? Already?”

“You would stay here longer?” the professor raised an annoyed eyebrow.

Again, blushing, Harry looked down, feeling quite stupid. “No,” he said quietly. “But I did not think that we’d be going so soon.”

“Well, we are,” the Potions Master went back to his tea. “The Headmaster contacted me earlier this morning. We’re going to meet him.”

Pushing his plate aside, the boy did not feel like eating much, even though he really did want to see Ron and all the Weasleys again. “And then I’ll be at the Weasleys?”

“Yes,” Snape turned his attention to a Muggle newspaper.

The master wizard did not say another word as he sipped his tea and read the paper. Seeing the feared Potions Master in such a state almost made Harry giggle. Now all that Snape needed was a pipe and maybe a fancy night robe that tied in the front. The image invoked humor for the strangest reason, causing Harry to smile, in spite of himself.

But when Harry was finally done picking at his meal, he went upstairs and did as he was bade. Packing was not nearly as hard as it would have been if Harry had been able to live like a normal child. All of his school belongings were still in his trunk, and he did not have much in the way of normal belongings. But what Harry did have was his letter from his mother, the box that his mother had given him, and some of Dudley’s baggy clothes.

He looked over to see Hedwig’s neat, tidy cage sitting in the corner, sparkling. A sinister smile tugged at his lips as he thought about how much Uncle Vernon had grumbled and complained about that particular chore. But of course Snape had not let him get away with such grumbling for long. The Potions Master had never been very tolerant about whining, not even from Malfoy!

When he grabbed the cage, Harry remembered the prophecy he had written down and ran to get it. It was still there on the bed were he had left it earlier. Carefully, he folded it up, and stuffed it in his pocket. He would need to talk to Professor Snape about it later.

Once down the stairs, the young wizard saw that his father was already at the door, wearing decidedly Muggle looking clothes. Snape’s pants were no longer black, but a dark, charcoal grey with a silky looking black shirt. But what surprised Harry the most was the fact that the man’s hair was tide back. He had to stop and stare for a moment.

When Severus saw the boy standing on the stairs looking at him, he began to feel uncomfortable. “What, are your feet glued to the stair?” he drawled, sticking Harry’s shrunken chest into his shirt pocket.

“Huh?” Harry frowned. “Oh, no, sir,” he ran the rest of the way down before he was by his father. “Here’s everything else,” he set it down sheepishly.

Looking over the things, Severus raised his wand and shrunk everything down into miniature size. Then he picked everything up and stowed them into his pockets. Harry had to watch in amazement, and was surprised that he did not feel much when he saw Snape take his things. He knew that he would get them back.

“Let’s go,” Severus motioned for the boy to walk out.

“But what about the Dursleys?” the young wizard could not help but feel worried about them.

“Do not concern yourself over those Muggles,” the Potions Master had a rather nasty smirk on his face, but he did not comment further.

They walked on down the street together in silence. Harry could not help but be self-conscious walking with the professor. Here Snape looked like he stepped out of some exquisite university and Harry looked like some sort of street urchin. Maybe he should have washed up a little better this morning? Merlin, he probably looked like gutter trash!

But their trek was interrupted when two boys stepped into their path, smiling nastily at the Gryffindor. “Hey, Potty, where you off to, eh?”

“Shut it, Piers,” Harry growled, wishing that he could just get way. He had not wanted to be seen, especially not by Dudley’s gang.

“Aw, is Potty scard?” Dennis laughed, as though he had said something terribly cleaver.

“Shove off,” Harry hissed.

“And who, might you…delinquents be?” Severus drawled, looking down at the boys in front of him with a sneer.

“Eh! We ain’t del-en-quints!” Piers exclaimed. “And where’s Big D at? Haven’t seen him in a day!”

“Oh, wow, a whole day,” Harry could not help but roll his eyes.

Realizing the insult, amazingly, both Piers and Dennis started for Harry. But when Harry braced himself for the impact, he realized that it never came. Opening his eyes, he saw that Snape, his father, had stepped in the way.

Peeking around the wall of black, the young wizard saw, to his delighted confusion, that the two neighborhood bullies were sitting on the ground, rubbing their butts. Daring a look up, Harry saw a look of pure outrage and disgust on the Potions Master’s face. They’re in for a time now! he could not help but wince.

Grabbing both boys by the front of their shirts, Severus lifted them off the ground and onto their feet again. He glared down at them, his tall stature allowing him to loom over the two menaces easily. The two bullies visibly began to cower at the sight of the livid man before them. No one had ever knocked them over before, and it coming from a man was twice as alarming. All the adults loved them, how could this one not?

“You two,” Snape’s voice was dangerously quiet, “had better get out of here and go home. I never want to hear about you two terrorizing children again, do you hear me?” he shook both of them. “Do anything like this ever again, and I hear word of it, you’ll both be sorry. Understand?”

Now actually crying, the two boy nodded, stuttering a, “yes, sir,” before Snape released them, pushing them away. As soon as they were free, both boys ran off as fast as their legs could carry them.

“Cowards,” Severus snorted. “Their type always are.”

Realizing that Snape was actually thinking of his f-James Potter, Harry had to blush, hanging his head low. He understood what his real father must have gone through at the hands of James Potter and the Marauders. But seeing the professor do that to Piers and Dennis also made Harry wonder if that’s not what the man would have done years ago if he had had the chance. Probably would have.

“Thanks,” Harry mumbled embarrassedly.

Not saying anything, Snape just nodded before walking on. It was surprising to Harry that the man did not seem to think anything of it. He had just saved his son from a possible bloody beating, and he did not seem too interested in thanks. The young wizard’s mind went back to his mother’s letter and how she talked about no one ever thanking Severus for his services in the past. Perhaps the professor just did not like them?

But he could not dwell on that for long, before the two wizards stopped outside the old park. Snape directed them to a secluded point in the park before he turned to Harry. “Take my arm,” he ordered.

Tentatively, the younger wizard did as he was told, only to feel a sudden chill and a terrible pain run through his body.

When it all had begun, it seemed to suddenly stop. Even though Harry supposed that they were stopped, his head still spun and he felt extremely ill. Leaning over, he actually did vomit before staggering backwards again. What in Merlin’s good name just happened?

The boy felt something take a hold of his arm and looked up to see Snape’s face, and the man was smiling! Or as close to a smile as Harry had ever seen the man. Snape’s version of a smile was just the slightest lift of the corner of his lips. But still, the Gryffindor could not help but think it rude that the professor found this the least bit amusing.

“What was that?” Harry croaked.

Conjuring a glass of water, Severus handed it to the boy. “Apparition,” he stated bluntly. “Usually makes you sick the first time.”

Taking the water, and swishing it around before spitting it out, Harry glared over at the professor queasily. “Did it make you sick the first time?” he asked moodily.

“Of course not,” Snape continued on with his smile. “But come now. We need to meet Albus.”

The two wizards walked through an open meadow, through tall grass, before they came to an old, rickety looking cottage. It looked positively ancient, but looked as though it had taken some damage during World War II. But as Harry gawked, Severus continued on, his eyes scanning the meadow for any kind of threat.

Arriving at the building, Severus took Harry to a small table that had four chairs sitting around it, as though it were expecting guests. Now, it was in a small little sitting room, but the main wall facing the south, was completely gone, giving it a sort of enclosed porch feel. But not completely trusting anything, the older wizard took out his wand and scanned everything to make sure that there were no traps.

Only once he had sat down himself, did Severus allow Harry to join him. It would not do to have the boy sit and it be a trap! But when the child flung himself down, the professor had to fight back a grin. One would have thought that they had walked twenty miles instead of twenty feet.

“Where are we?” Harry asked after a moment.

“You do not need to concern yourself with that,” Severus snapped, automatically going back into his business mode. But when he saw the look of disappointment on the boy’s face, he could not help but feel sorry for his harsh words. All he could see anymore when he looked at Harry was Lily’s face conveying any emotion Harry’s was!

“But your friends did send you several owls this morning,” the older wizard offered awkwardly. Merlin he hated these situations.

“Really?” the boy perked up. “Where are they?”

“I took the liberty of placing them in your trunk,” Severus explained, relieved that Harry had taken to the change of subject. “You can open them once you are settled later tonight.”

Although he looked a bit disappointed again, Harry still smiled. He had wondered if his friends had forgotten about him, but it appeared that they were just a little late. That was okay. He had still had a pretty good birthday, even without their gifts. He could not help but smile once he thought of Snape’s well wishes last evening. It had meant so much coming from his father.

Kicking his feet idly, Harry glanced at his father to see the man looking out over the meadow, as alert as a mother deer. “So, what do you think about divination?” he asked innocently. “I think I might study up on it more.”

Snape’s face screwed up in disgust once more. “Why waste your time on such a subject?” he frowned at the boy. “It’s worthless and never really comes true. It’s just sprouted out by those that have had too much to drink.”

Surprised at the speech, Harry had to look down at the table so the man would not see his shocked expression. “I don’t know,” he shrugged. “I thought it would be kinda interesting.”

The man turned away, looking out over the plain once more. “If you say so,” he drawled, looking decidedly uninterested.

At that moment, there was a loud crack, and the two wizards beheld Albus Dumbledore. The old man was standing in the middle of the meadow in a scandalous bright yellow robe with horrid orange stripes running horizontal in some places and vertical in others. It was an eye sore for sure, and there was no way anyone could miss him. Harry found himself wondering what color the Headmaster’s socks were.

“Harry, my boy!” Dumbledore exclaimed excitedly. “I had not expected to see you here,” the old wizard looked over at Severus expectantly.

“I was not going to leave the boy, Headmaster,” it was obvious how strenuous this meeting was for the professor, his eyes burning with righteous fire, and his tone clipped and barely civil.

Albus would have been a fool if he had not picked up on the younger wizard’s contempt, but he merely frowned at this before turning his attention back to Harry. “Having a nice summer, are we?” he smiled.

“Uh, yes, sir,” Harry smiled shyly, not sure how he felt about the old man anymore. He had planned on being angry and resentful, like his father, but now that he saw the old wizard face to face, he wasn’t so sure.

Dumbledore smile kindly at him, before turning to Severus. “Now, Severus, you had something to tell me?”

Again, Harry feared that the Potions Master might kill the Headmaster, but to his credit, Snape sat still and composed, if not ridged and cold. Nodding only once, the Slytherin explained the events on the evening of the Death Eater meeting. Harry listened intently, devouring the information as it was fed to him. His eyes were wide as he listened to the account. For Merlin’s sake, his father was a hero!

“And that’s when I found a portkey in my pocket, and I was transported to Potter’s house,” Snape concluded.

“Hmm,” the Headmaster stroked his beard. “It is very good you had that portkey, by the sounds of it. But what now Severus, where are you going?”

“I don’t know,” the Potions Master looked away. He did not want to look into those deceivingly trustworthy eyes. “I will drift, I suppose. Perhaps go north into Scotland.”

The Headmaster nodded approvingly. “That would be best. I will have Hogwarts grounds secured by the time you come back for term.”

When Severus nodded, the old wizard turned his attention to Harry. “And I am thrilled at seeing you again, my dear boy! But I am wondering at why you are here? Just wanted to get out, did we?”

“Potter’s not going back to the Dursleys,” Snape cut in, causing the Headmaster to look over at his subordinate.

“What?” Albus looked alarmed. “Why? What’s happened?”

Looking more deadly than Voldemort himself, Severus’s lip curled in contempt. “Why? Because the boy’s been abused, you old fool!”

The Headmaster paled, before he stood up. “A word alone, if you please, Severus.”

Harry watched as the two powerful wizard went out a little ways into the meadow where they began to talk animatedly. The young Gryffindor’s heart began to pound painfully in his chest. What were they saying? What was going to happen? Would Snape tell Dumbledore that Harry was his son and not James’s?

As he listened intently, Harry thought he heard the Slytherin a few times say things such as, “He’s not going back there!” or “How long have you known?” but he could not be sure. By the looks of it, the two were not agreeing, and the boy could not help but feel that this was all his fault. He just wished he was at the Burrow, safe and sound in Ron’s room. He did not like sitting here in this old house that could fall any minute and out in the wide open space, even if it was beautiful.

After what seemed like hours, Dumbledore came walking back with a tired, forced smile. “Come, come, Harry my boy,” he guided the boy out of the house. “I’ve got all your things and we’re going now.”

“Where will, uh, Professor Snape go when I get to the Weasleys?” he asked, looking over at the furious man behind them, still standing where Dumbledore had left him.

“I’m afraid you’re not going to be able to go to the Weasleys,” the Headmaster really did look sorry. “I’m returning you to Privet Drive.”

“What!”

But by that time, Dumbledore had apparated Harry away.

Watching as they went, Severus balled his hands up into fists. He shook so badly with anger that he thought he might explode. The horrified face of Harry, his son, as they left, was forever imbedded into his mind. A tear leaked out of the Potions Master’s cold eyes and he sat down in the grass gracelessly. Running his hands through his hair, jaw clenched, he vowed to get Harry back.

Chapter End Notes:
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