Potions and Snitches
Snape and Harry Gen Fanfiction Archive

Chapter 2

They landed haphazardly on the front step of Order Headquarters, where Snape quickly ushered them inside.

“What’s going on?” Potter asked.

“Nothing good, I assure you,” Snape replied.

“Are we being followed?” Granger asked.

“I don’t know,” Snape said.

“Who was that man?” Granger asked.

“A Death Eater by the name of Corban Yaxley,” Snape said grimly.

Granger’s mouth formed an “o” while Potter said nothing.

They made their way into the foyer, where Snape quickly shut and warded the door. He cast a quick “Hominum Revelio” which indicated one other human on an upper floor. Likely the wolf, he thought.

“Harry?” Hermione suddenly said. “Are you ok?”

Snape glanced at Potter, who stood, pale as a ghost, his arms wrapped around himself, or herself as the Polyjuiced case might be. Snape cursed. He had wanted them someplace safe and inaccessible; he hadn’t thought about what it would do to the boy to bring him back to his dead godfather’s home.

“Severus?” another voice called. Lupin was coming down the stairs, looking at the three of them. “What’s going on?”

Snape stepped forward. “We’ve just returned from Diagon Alley,” Snape said. He gestured at the two girls. “Miss Granger and Mr. Potter, Polyjuiced.”

Lupin looked momentarily surprised. “Harry?” he asked.

The boy in a girl’s body looked up with haunted dark eyes.

“What happened?” Lupin asked all around.

Hermione spoke up. “Death eaters,” she whispered.

Lupin’s face paled. “They didn’t…”

“No,” Snape said. “We weren’t attacked.” Snape ran a hand through his hair. “It was Yaxley, the sick bastard. He wanted a go at them,” he said, shuddering in disgust.

Lupin looked appalled.

Snape reached into his robes and pulled out two vials of antidote, handing them to Potter and Granger. Granger drank hers immediately and changed back into herself. Potter had grasped the vial but only held it, his eyes now closed, his arms again wrapped tightly around himself.

“Harry,” Hermione said softly. “Go on and drink it. You’ll be back to yourself then.”

When Potter didn’t move, Granger pried the bottle from his fingers and uncorked it. Stiffly, Potter took it, swallowed, and transformed into himself. Lupin stepped forward, his eyes shuttered.

“Harry?” he asked. “Are you alright, cub?”

Potter shook his head. “Can we leave? I can’t… I don’t… want to be here.”

Lupin and Hermione looked to Snape.

Shit, Snape thought. He wracked his brain trying to think of a safe place. If Yaxley was suspicious, or still looking for the girls, his home wouldn’t be safe, and neither would Hogwarts since he couldn’t Apparate directly into the castle grounds. He exchanged a glance with Lupin, who seemed to understand.

Lupin stepped forward and placed his hand on Potter’s shoulder. “Why don’t you and Hermione come to my room. I don’t think you’ve seen it before, have you? I can show you my… ah… tea collection,” Lupin finished lamely. He looked at Snape with a grimace, before ushering Harry and Hermione up the stairs.


Nearly two hours later, Snape made his way to Lupin’s rooms at Headquarters. He’d been to Spinner’s End, to Hogwarts, and elsewhere to see if Yaxley had tried to follow him. He’d stopped back at Diagon Alley to see if questions had been asked about him, or the children with him. Although he’d gained no new information, he had to agree with Dumbledore. He couldn’t count on his summer residence being safe for Potter. And if the look on Potter’s face when they’d arrived was any indication, Order Headquarters wouldn’t be a good place for Potter, either.

He knocked on Lupin’s door.

“Enter.”

Snape looked around the scene. A tray of leftover sandwiches, biscuits, and drinks lay on Lupin’s table. Hermione was perched in a corner, reading a book. Potter was playing cards with Lupin on the floor. Potter looked drawn. Lupin glanced at Snape meaningfully as if to say ‘What took you so long?’

“Time to go,” Snape said.

“Is everything ok?” Hermione asked, closing the book.

“As far as I can tell,” Snape replied.

Potter stood, his face downcast.

Lupin walked them to the door, giving Potter a hug before they left.

Snape gave Lupin a curt nod, ushered the teens onto the front step, and Apparated them to a different alley near the Grangers’ home.

Once Snape had assured the safety of the area, Snape said, “It would be best if you two slipped under Potter’s invisibility cloak.”

Without a word, Potter removed it from his rucksack and threw it over the two of them.

“Follow me, then,” Snape said as he led the way to the Grangers’ home.

Once inside, they settled in the living room. Mrs. Granger brought everyone lemonade.

Snape glanced hard at Hermione, willing her to understand what he wanted without having to speak. He would, if need be, but it would be preferable if she just…

“Mum,” Miss Granger said. “Will you help me take my stuff upstairs? I want to show you what I all got for school.”

Snape nodded appreciatively at her and waited until they’d left the room.

“Mr. Potter,” Snape said, moving to sit on the ottoman in front of the boy. Potter didn’t look up. Snape took a deep breath. “I am very sorry about taking you to Order Headquarters.” Snape closed his eyes, trying to think how to word this. “I needed to get you two somewhere safe and it was the first place I thought of. I didn’t even think about Black.”

Snape reached out and put his hand on Potter’s shoulder. “Are you all right?”

Potter looked up, his eyes glassy. He swallowed a few times. “Yeah. No. I don’t know.” Potter dropped his head again. “I… it’s just… hard… being there now.” Potter grimaced.

“I know,” Snape said.

“Dr. Snape, I am sorry to have missed you earlier,” Mr. Granger said, walking into the room.

Snape stood to shake hands, chagrined that he’d been interrupted.

“Can you stay for dinner? We are having roast pork and potatoes, and we would be happy to have you.”

Snape hesitated. As much as he didn’t want to stay, he didn’t want to leave Potter if he wasn’t all right either.

Potter got to his feet. “Excuse me, I’m just going to go put my things away.”

Snape frowned as Potter left the room. “I’d be delighted to accompany you for dinner,” Snape relented.


“Potter, a word if you please,” Snape said as he prepared to leave the Grangers’ home after a quite filling dinner.

Potter stepped into the hall. Pre-empting Snape, Potter said, “I’m okay now, sir.”

Snape studied the boy closely. He had been more himself over dinner and the color had returned to his cheeks. Satisfied, Snape nodded. “Very well. Someone from the Order will return in two weeks to escort you to London to catch the Hogwarts Express.”

“Not you, sir?” Potter asked.

“Unfortunately,” Snape said, “I do not think that would be wise. It is better for everyone sake’s if you and I maintain appearances.”

“You mean act like we hate each other,” Potter said.

“Precisely so,” Snape agreed.

Potter sighed. “Does that mean you are going to go back to being mean to me in class?”

“It is necessary, Potter. The children of Death Eaters need to continue believing that I loathe all things Harry Potter.”

“Great,” Potter said.

Snape lifted Potter’s chin. “You will withstand it with your stubborn courage, as you always have. But now you will know that the words I speak are not the truth.”

“Easy for you to say,” Potter grumbled.

“There can be no other way,” Snape said.

“I know,” Potter responded. “It doesn’t mean I have to like it.”

Snape thought a moment. “Tell you what,” Snape said. “If you need to speak to me at Hogwarts, knock your potions ingredients to the floor. I will insult you and give you detention, which will not seem out of the ordinary. Will that work for you?”

“I guess,” Potter said.

“We all have a role to play, Potter.”

“I know,” Potter said. “Thank you, Professor. I really do appreciate all you’ve done for me.”

Snape nodded and bade his farewells to the Grangers before Apparating back to Spinner’s End.


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