Summer Snaps by Aqua666

The summer of Harry's fifteenth birthday was the summer everything changed, again. Well technically, with Voldemort returning after the third task, everything had changed just before the summer. But more was going to change besides the start of a war. For the summer after his fourth year was the summer that Harry would not, under any circumstances, stay at Privet Drive 4.

The headmaster had told him on several occasions that Privet Drive was the only safe place for him, but Harry wasn't buying it. Not anymore. Not after the amount of danger that surrounded him during every single school year. During his first few years, Harry had thought that the dangers of the school had been a valid reason for not allowing him to remain during the summer. After all, Hogwarts was mostly empty during the summer. The risk that he got into trouble and nobody realize was a lot higher.

But this year things had changed. This year, they had made him participate in the Tri-Wizard tournament against his will. They had put him in danger over and over again. He had been kidnapped and a friend had been killed right in front of him. And it was all their fault. If only they had stopped him from participating, Voldemort would have found a different way to kidnap him and Cedric would still be alive.

And so, Harry had decided that, if they allowed him to come to Hogwarts where he was obviously a constant danger to himself as well as others, there was really no reason to return to Surrey for the summer. After all, he was in danger ten months of the year. Those two months with the Dursleys, while safely hidden away from the magical world, were not nearly as safe as everyone believe them to be.

Harry wasn't all together certain that the threat of Sirius was still bad enough to warrant decent behaviour from his relatives. He just couldn't deal with their attitude, not this year. He had enough on his mind already. With Voldemort back, he couldn't be locked away from the magical world, or run the risk of his wand being taken away for two whole months. Harry knew it was entirely possible that staying in Surrey for the summer wouldn't be that bad. It hadn't been last year. But it didn't really matter. There were enough reasons to remain at Hogwarts and too few to return the Privet Drive.

It was for that reason that Harry had decided to accidentally miss the train. When Harry was walking towards the carriages with his friends, he pretended he had forgotten something and told them to go on without him. Hermione had protested a bit, saying that he would miss the train if he returned now. Which Harry deflected by reminding her that he would be there in time if he used one of the secret passageways. She'd then scolded him for not packing his stuff earlier, so he would have had time to check if he had everything, but let him go when Ron pulled her arm and told her they would all be going through the passageway if they didn't leave now.

His friends left and Harry ran up the staircase, towards Gryffindor tower. He hadn't actually left anything behind, he just needed to pass some time. Walking around the common room, he looked around idly. The place had never looked so empty. He sighed and went up to the dorms, just to see if anyone had left something behind. When he had concluded that nobody had left so much as a stray hair, he decided it was time to leave. Instead of going down towards the entrance, Harry went left towards the statue of Gregory the Smarmy.

He'd intended to stay in the tower long enough to miss the carriages but had rethought that idea. If one of the teachers saw him, they might decide to get him to the station on time. Harry couldn't risk that. So instead, he followed the secret passage all the way towards the end. Moving aside the heavy boulder that was blocking the way, Harry glanced around carefully. The passage ended in the middle of a field, a little way of in the distance he could see the train-station. Climbing out of the hole, he moved the boulder, which was more of a stone slab that an actual boulder, back in place.

Harry could see the steam rising up from the train and knew he had to be careful. If he walked to fast, he would arrive before the train left. If he walked too slowly, someone could see him and keep the train there for an extra minute. He should have kept his invisibility cloak with him, but that would have been too dangerous. Ron and Hermione would have known something was up and his plan would have gone to hell. No, this was the only way.

Harry was careful to stay low, trying to hide himself amongst the high grass, for ones actually wishing that he was smaller instead of bigger. When he was about halfway through, he heard the train leave the station. Standing straight, he saw the train moving away and grinned. He went through the rest of the field as fast as he could and started running as soon as he hit the road. Trying to make it look as if he was trying to catch the train.

He was, of course, much too late. The station was completely empty. He had run for nothing. Nobody would have noticed had he arrived as though nothing was wrong. Plopping down on one of the wooden benches, he tried to catch his breath. Now he had to think of what he was going to do. He couldn't return to Hogwarts, not unless he wanted to be returned to Privet Drive. He couldn't go to the town, not unless he wanted somebody to recognize him and take him back to Hogwarts, which would then lead to being taken back to the Dursleys. No, he had to think of another plan.

Grumbling at himself for not thinking this through, Harry laid down on the bench. The best thing Harry could think of, was hiding somewhere inside the school. It should be possible. The place was huge and many of the Professors left for the holidays. Taking the map out of his pocket, Harry glanced at it. Most of the teachers seemed to be walking around their offices. Dumbledore was pacing in his tower, McGonagall was moving around her office in an erratic pattern and Sprout was in her greenhouses. Closing the map, he put it back in his pocket and tried to get comfortable on the bench.

For now, he would just stay here. The train wouldn't return for at least another day so there would be nobody coming into the station. Hopefully, tomorrow the castle would be a bit emptier so that Harry could find a way to sneak inside and hide. Closing his eyes, he tried to get some sleep.

Several hours later, Harry shot upright breathing harshly. Looking around, he wondered what had woken him. He hadn't even got to the part where Voldemort came out of the cauldron, usually he didn't wake up until the very end. When he didn't see anyone or anything, he lay back on the bench and tried to get comfortable again. That was, until he was startled by somebody clearing his throat and tumbled of the bench. Looking up, he was staring at the menacing form of Snape.

“Why is it, Mr. Potter, that when something is wrong, you are always involved?” Snape sneered and grabbed Harry's arm, pulling him up.

Harry struggled a moment but found his feet quickly and pulled his arm away from Snape. “How would I know? I don't even know what's wrong this time.”

Snape looked at him in astonishment and sneered “You don't know what's wrong?” He came a step closer, making Harry back off a step. “How about I take you to the Dark Lord, see if you understand what's wrong then.”

Harry's eyes widened. He wouldn't really do that would he? Dumbledore had said that he trusted Snape. The git couldn't actually be planning to take him to that.. that creature.

Snape rolled his eyes and grabbed Harry by the arm once again. Without speaking, he started off towards the exit and dragged Harry with him.

Harry didn't struggle. It would be useless anyway. He'd been dragged off by Snape on enough occasions to know that there was no getting away. And so, Harry reluctantly followed the professor all the way up to the castle. At one point, Harry asked what was going to happen to him now but Snape never answered. When they finally got to the castle, Snape pulled him along to the headmaster's office. Walking inside without knocking, he pushed Harry into a chair and glared at him “Wait here.”

Snape turned to leave but the office door opened again. Harry couldn’t see who it was but heard the headmaster ask “Severus, is something wrong?”

Snape stepped to the side and pointed towards Harry “The brat missed the train.”

Dumbledore walked around his desk and sat down, never really looking Harry in the eyes “Is that so, Harry?”

Harry didn't think he could lie to the headmaster, the man always seemed to know. So, in lieu of actually answering, he nodded.

“Speak up, Potter.” Snape snapped from somewhere behind Harry.

Taking a deep breath to calm himself, Harry glanced at Dumbledore “Yes, sir. That's right.”

Dumbledore sat back, looking slightly disappointed “Harry, my boy. You know you have to return, you can't stay here.”

Harry scowled “Why not?”

“Because we need to reinforce the wards. You have to go home for a few months to ensure they stay strong.”

“Why? Why do the wards have to be reinforced if I'm here at Hogwarts all the time?”

“Because they keep you and your family safe, Harry. You know this. You don't want your family in danger do you?”

Harry closed his eyes, on the brink of giving in. He didn't want his family in danger, he didn't want anyone in danger, especially not because of him. He shook his head, ignoring the impulse. “I don't care.”

“Harry–“ The headmaster began, but Harry wasn't listening.

Standing, Harry glared at the headmaster “You can send them a warning, tell them to move, do whatever you were planning to do when I turn seventeen. I don't care, I'm not going back there.” Shaking his head, he started pacing in front of the desk. He wasn't going back, no matter what the headmaster said.

Dumbledore sighed “I'm sorry Harry, but you have no choice.”

Harry snorted “I have a choice, I've always had a choice. I'm making it.”

“And what choice is that?” Snape sneered from near the door. Harry had forgotten he was there and spun around, slightly startled.

“I choose not to return to those incapable, incompetent, infantile, excuses of human beings I am forced to call my family.” Harry snarled, without really thinking of what he was saying.

“Ungrateful brat.” Snape sneered.

Harry's spine went ridged as he glared at the Potions Master. Still slightly unbalanced due to the events in the graveyard, Harry's control snapped. “Ungrateful?” He sneered right back at the dour man “If anyone is ungrateful it's you. You've had fifteen years of relative peace. Fifteen years of peace you gained because my parents were murdered. I have lived my life surrounded by people who hate me while all of you have been basking in a world without Voldemort.”

Harry turned to Dumbledore and glared at him “I lost everyone and everything that mattered to me and what do you do? You banish me to live with muggles who despise the air I breathe. You cut me off from everything I ever knew and went on to live your happy little lives.”

He started pacing again, glaring daggers at the floor in front of him. “And when I finally find out the truth, when somebody finally shows up to tell me that I'm not just a worthless freak, you do it only because you need me. From the moment I showed up here, I've been in danger. Every single year I have to take care of something that I'm way to young for, because you people seemed to be completely incapable of doing anything.”

Harry glared at Dumbledore again “Voldemort has been in this castle twice, there were Dementors and suspected murderers running around, there were actual murderers around.” Breathing deeply he glared from Dumbledore to Snape “Hell, this room is filled with murderers. Tell me, which one of you made your first kill at eleven years old?”

Dumbledore blanched while Snape opened his mouth to say something. Harry held up his hand and shook his head “Yeah that was me. And it happened in this castle, where I am supposedly safe. I spend most of my time here. This is my home. If you have no problem with having me here when there are hundreds of people around that might kill me, you should be perfectly fine with me staying when there are no threats lurking around every corner.”

Snape scoffed “I doubt any of the students want you dead. You are not that interesting Potter.”

“And yet, every year someone shows up to try. It’s pure luck that none of the students have tried. Though, I doubt that will take much longer. Now that Voldemort is back, I suspect it won’t be long before Malfoy tries something to impress his new master.” He glowered at Snape. “And it's about time you get over your petty little grudge. I am not spoiled, nor arrogant, and I have never enjoyed the attention I get. I doubt you were paying attention a minute ago, but my parents got killed. That's what I'm famous for. Losing the only people that ever gave a shit about me for something besides saving their asses. And you, you have no right to judge me because you are jealous of a dead man.”

Snape's face twitched dangerously. Harry took a deep breath, trying to calm down. Sitting back in the chair, he glared at the desk.

“Harry..” Dumbledore said softly, sounding almost comforting “Harry, I'm sorry for what happened to you. I really am. But you can't stay here. You are right, you have always been in danger here. But you have to come to school, you have to learn. There is no reason to put yourself in danger when it is not necessary.”

Harry sighed and shook his head “Voldemort is back. I will not be cut off again. Not when there is a madman trying to kill me. I will not stay there any longer and you can't make me.”

Dumbledore let out a tired sigh. “Please Harry, don't make things more difficult than they already are.”

Harry glared at Dumbledore “I'm not, you are. You have been from the start. Either tell me what you want from me, or leave me alone.”

Snape gave him a slap to the back of his head “Show some respect Potter.”

Harry had already jumped up and was pointing his wand at Snape before the man ended the sentence. Snape just stared at him and raised an eyebrow. Harry calmed almost instantly and lowered his wand. Snape hadn't actually hurt him, and Harry had been extremely rude ever since he'd entered the office. But it was the only way. If he started being nice, he would give in and he would have to spend another summer in hell. He just couldn't do it.

Inhaling a deep breath, he looked directly at Snape “I'm sorry sir. That was a reflex.” Turning to Dumbledore he said “I can't return there. I don't know what you are keeping from me, and it doesn't really matter. I have a maniac after me and no matter what you say, there is no safe place for me. I will not lower my chances by being locked away, again.”

“You are safe at Privet Drive.”

Harry scoffed “No, I'm not. No matter how often you say that, you will never convince me professor. I won't stay there and nobody can make me.”

“You will do as you're told.” Snape sneered from behind him.

Harry shook his head “Not unless I'm given a very good reason.”

“Isn't your safety good enough for you Potter?”

“No, it's not.”

“You're parents gave their lives for your safety and you want to squander it. If that's not grateful.”

“My parents gave their lives to I could live.” Harry spat back “I'm not living, I'm just surviving.”

“What do you think life is if not surviving.” Snape gave him a disgusted look that Harry ignored.

“Being happy, having friends.” Harry smirked at the professor “Doing all those things that keep one from becoming a bitter, old bat.”

“Harry..” Dumbledore admonished.

Harry sighed and looked down at his lap. He shouldn't have said that, even if it was the truth.

“How about you go back for a few weeks and then you can join the Weasley's?” Dumbledore asked, sounding as if he was really trying to make Harry happy.

Harry ignored the headmaster's tone and shook his head. “No. If you send me back there, I will leave as soon as you do.”

Snape snorted “You thought there wouldn't be somebody watching you every second of every day this summer?”

Harry eyes widened and looked from Dumbledore to Snape and back again “There will be someone watching me the whole summer and I still have to stay with the Dursleys? That's just plain cruel.”

Dumbledore glanced at Snape then went back to staring past Harry's head as he said “I'm sorry Harry. But we have no choice, you are in too much danger now that Voldemort has returned.”

Harry sighed “You would think I have proven that I can take care of myself by now.”

“The only thing you proved is that you can get yourself in trouble.” Snape sneered.

“And yet, you think you can keep me safe by dropping me of somewhere I do not want to be. Do you not see the disaster brewing?” Harry looked at the professor with raised eyebrows.

Snape frowned, than looked at the headmaster “The brat has a point. Unless you plan to lock him up and throw away the key, he's going to get into something dangerous.”

Harry nodded, for once in his life actually agreeing with Snape. Well, mostly. “Locking me up didn't work the last time.”

Snape frowned at him but didn't comment. Instead he looked at Dumbledore and asked “Can he not go to headquarters?”

Dumbledore shook his head “No, not yet. Harry must return to the Dursleys, there is no other option.”

“Unless you hide somebody away inside the house to babysit me 24/7, I will find a way to leave.” Harry said, not really believing they would actually do that.

That was, until Dumbledore clapped his hands and smiled at Harry “That's a wonderful idea Harry. I am sure your room is large enough for an extra resident, is it not?”

Harry did a fairly decent imitation of a fish. The headmaster had to be insane. He couldn't hide a grown witch of wizard in his room. And there was no way the Dursleys would allow one of them living in their house.

Dumbledore pursed his lips and glanced at Snape, who instantly said “No.”

Harry would have laughed at the instant response, had he not known that Snape said no only because it was Harry they were talking about. No matter how much he hated the man, it still felt crappy every time Snape treated him unfairly. Even if it was to Harry's advantage this time.

“Severus please. I don't have anyone who can disillusion themselves on such short notice. It will just be for a few days.”

Snape glared at Dumbledore “What if I get called away? What then?”

“If that happens, I'm sure Harry won't take advantage of it.”

Snape scoffed but Harry thought about it for a moment. Considering his options. If someone was going to stay inside the house, they would witness how he was being treated. It wasn't something Harry had ever wanted being witnessed, but maybe it could be to his advantage. Surely, if Sirius knew how he was being treated, he would put an end to it. He doubted that the headmaster would allow Sirius to guard him but maybe there was another way. “Can't Remus do it?”

“I'm sorry Harry, he's not available at the moment.”

“For how long?”

“He should be back by the end of the week.”

Harry glanced at Snape, who was glaring at the both of them. Harry smirked at the professor. The man was not going to like this. “Fine, then I'll promise not to leave if Snape is called. But only if you promise that Remus will be my next guard.”

Snape was shaking his head in denial but Dumbledore smiled “You've got yourself a deal Harry.” Looking at Snape he asked “Should I send a message to the Dursley household that Harry will be arriving tomorrow or can you be ready to leave tonight?”

“I'll take the brat tomorrow. I'd like at least one night of peace and quiet.”

Dumbledore nodded “All right then. Harry, you can, as the muggle say, crash on professor Snape’s couch for tonight.”

Harry groaned. This was so not what he had wanted. He'd wanted to stay at Hogwarts, but not with Snape and not for just one night. And now he didn't just have to return to the Dursleys, Snape would be going with him. And Harry wouldn't even get the joy of his aunt and uncle freaking out because of it.

Harry was considering the worst possible outcome of the situation. Snape was going to see how he was treated. Knowing how much the man enjoyed tormenting Harry over his so called perfect life, he could only imagine how much fun the man would have with the reality. Somewhere, there was a small voice telling him that Snape wouldn’t be that cruel, but Harry couldn’t quite believe that.

“Unless you want to sleep in the hallway, you better move.” Snape snarled, effectively pulling Harry out of his thoughts.

Stepping through the portrait, Harry looked around. He was in a small hallway with three doors with no handles. Snape stepped around him and pulled on the torch that was hanging to the right of the middle door. Harry couldn’t help but giggle. Only Snape would have doors that were opened by tilting a torch, it was so cliché.

The living room was a bit of a surprise though. The room was large and airy, though there were no windows. The carpet as wells as the walls were a light blue. One wall was lined with three large bookcases, each made of ebony wood. In the middle of a room stood two armchairs made of the same dark wood as well as a large comfy looking sofa with thick blue pillows.

Snape told him to sit down and to keep his hands to himself, then left the room through another door. Harry sat down and tried to read the titles of the books, but was unsuccessful. Sighing, he leaned back and tried to get relax. It wasn’t exactly working. No matter how comfortable the sofa was, knowing Snape was skulking around stopped him.

A few minutes later, Snape returned to the room and threw Harry a blanket. After glaring at him for a bit Snape told him they were going to leave at 8 am in the morning and that he should get some sleep. Motioning for harry to follow him, he showed Harry how to get to the bathroom and handed him a new toothbrush and some toothpaste he could use.

Harry brushed his teeth and washed his face, pretending Snape wasn’t leaning against the doorpost, watching him with narrowed eyes. Harry was just glad he didn’t need to use the toilet at the moment. He had a feeling Snape was inclined to stay for that as well, the man had that look on his face that said I don’t trust you and will never, ever leave you alone in my quarters, ever.

Once Harry was done, Snape led him back to the living room. As Harry took of his shoes and settles on the couch, Snape gave him another warning not to touch anything or enter any other room. Harry just nodded in agreement and waited for Snape to leave. Before he did, Snape waved a hand and the lights dimmed, leaving Harry alone in the dark.

He tried to sleep, really he did. He was on edge, even after Snape had stayed away for several hours. He just couldn’t stop thinking of his current situation. How he had gotten himself in this mess? How much worse it was going to get? And what the hell should he do now? There were too many questions, too many uncertainties, and he didn’t like it. He’d promised himself that he wasn’t going back to the Dursleys, and yet he would do so in only a few hours. Was his gamble going to pay off? Would Remus get him out of there once he saw how Harry was being treated?