H.P.

Snape, his least favourite teacher, had just appeared in his relatives home, screamed at them, attacked them and then demanded that Harry leave. Now, he stood outside their front porch clad in his usual billowing black robes, visibly seething and completely ignoring Harry's question. He tried again.

"What's going on? Did Professor Dumbledore send you here? Did something happen? Why—"

"Merlin, Potter, be quiet," Snape spat. He peered up and down the street before striding away from number four. "Follow me," he called over his shoulder, not bothering to check whether or not Harry would follow.

"No." He stood still, one hand holding onto his trunk and the other holding Hedwig's cage. He wasn't going anywhere until Snape told him what was going on.

The Potions Master whirled around, staring hard at Harry. "I do not have time for your childish tantrums."

"Where are we going?" Harry asked, despite Snape's rapidly fading patience.

"I would have thought that even with your inferior intelligence you would have surmised our destination," Snape replied scathingly.

"Hogwarts?" he asked uncertainly, not daring to hope that he could be going back so soon. For a moment Snape's expression began to falter but in an instant his impassive mask was regained.

"Indeed. Now I suggest that you follow me." His tone left no room for argument and with hope of escaping the Dursleys for good this summer, Harry did as he was told.

After Snape found a quiet alley to disapparate them from (and that was an experience he hoped never to have to relive), Harry found himself staring up at the gates of Hogwarts. Had he been standing alongside anyone else he would have thought that he was dreaming. But what if he was just in trouble? He wouldn't put it past Snape to drag him back to Hogwarts just to punish him for some petty misdemeanour. Or maybe something had happened to Sirius… His stomach clenched. He couldn't bear it if anything happened to his Godfather.

They walked up to the castle in silence after Harry had asked yet again what was going on and Snape told him he could keep his mouth shut voluntarily or be put under the silencio charm until he saw fit to remove it. Harry recognised the vicious gleam in Snape's eye that seemed to say that if he had a choice the charm would be permanent, and so he spent the walk up to Dumbledore's office with his jaw clenched tight.

"Jelly tots," Snape reluctantly bit out through gritted teeth to the gargoyle guarding the headmaster's staircase. Harry grinned behind his back, his head suddenly filled with the image of Snape maniacally stirring a cauldron full to the brim of jelly tots, and he struggled to hold back a laugh at the Potions Master's expense. 

"Stay here," Snape ordered, once they'd reached the top of the spiral staircase.

"What? No!" Harry whined, well aware that he sounded like a petulant child but past caring. 

"It looks like Gryffindor will be losing points before the school year has even begun. What a shame." Seeming satisfied that his threat would be enough to make Harry obey, he strode into Dumbledore's office without knocking, slammed the door behind him and more than likely cast a silencing charm on top of that, because try as he might Harry couldn't hear a word through the door.

S.S.

"Severus," Dumbledore greeted calmly from behind his desk, appearing unperturbed by the abruptness of his arrival. "What brings you here in such a hurry?" His eyes searched out Severus' own from behind his half moon spectacles.

"Don't," Severus hissed. "Don't try that with me, Headmaster."

Concern flashed in his employer's eyes. He was not known for his kind demeanour but it was unusual for him to be so irate without cause. "Severus, do try to remain calm. What has happened?"

He glared before spitting the name of his most hated student. "Potter."

The older man sighed wearily. He had obviously been expecting something a little more serious than having to listen to another rant about the son of Severus' childhood nemesis. "It's the holidays. What can the poor boy have possibly done now?"

Ignoring the headmaster's assumption, Severus spoke in a low snarl. "When you left him with those people, they said they would look after him as if he was their own? You gave them a choice?" He enunciated each word of the last question carefully to make it clear that he knew exactly what choice they were given and he did not deem it to be such.

"They were not forced to take him in, Severus, the wards would not have worked had that been the case. You are aware of the conditions." His employer did not betray any hint of surprise at the direction of the conversation.

"I know how the blood wards work. You do not have to agree to care for the child, you do not have to want him, you just have to take him in." He paused, allowing the headmaster to ponder the implications of his words. "You checked on him? You monitored the child that you put in their unwilling care?"

"Arabella Figg has kept an eye on Harry. She would have warned me if there was any cause for concern." 

"And what would you deem to be cause for concern?"

"If he was in any danger, I would have been alerted." This time it was the headmaster who paused. "I need not answer to you, Severus. I might remind you that you have not always had Harry's best interests at heart."

"No, you need not answer to me. Tell me, if Lily stood before you now, would you honestly tell her you did the best you could for her son?" 

"Harry has grown to be all we could have hoped for. She would have been proud of who he is," the older wizard said. 

"That isn't what I asked you," Severus replied coldly.

"He needs the blood wards. I am ensuring his continued protection; you know the danger the child could face." 

"I swore to protect him and I cannot let this lie."

"It is for the best, Severus." Those calm words cut through Severus' cool façade in an instant.

"I will not ensure his protection by subjecting him to another kind of harm. Do not spout that 'greater good' nonsense to me, not with her child." He breathed deeply trying to regain control of his temper.

"I could have given him to any wizarding family, many would have happily taken him, but he needs those wards. He hasn't had the life he could have had, but he is safe," Dumbledore replied, standing up as though to end the conversation or bring it under his control.

Severus shook his head. He wasn't going to be cowed. The headmaster had known what kind of life the child had been subject to and still had the gall to try to justify his decision. "The child has bars on his window. He lived in a cupboard for ten years. I've no children of my own, please tell me, is that normal?" His voice dripped with sarcasm.

"It is irrelevant. The wards are my priority; they will ensure his safety." Dumbledore's tone implied the conversation was over.

"She died for him and this is how you treat her sacrifice?" Severus questioned softly, glaring at the older man.

"What do you propose I do, Severus?" Dumbledore asked heavily.

"Bring him here. The castle is secure."

"And who do you suggest takes guardianship of the boy over the holiday?"