It was dark. All around him was nothing but complete blackness. He was used to it though, very used to it. It was all he had ever really known – darkness. That, and how unwanted he was; what a burden he was. He was just an orphaned child who would never be loved like a normal kid in a normal family.

               He knew all of this.

               Until he met that stranger from the hotel.

               Harry rubbed at his eyes tiredly, but he couldn’t sleep. He’d been having a lot of trouble falling asleep lately, especially after Uncle Vernon smashed his head against the wall when they all returned from the hotel. His bottom had burned something awful after Uncle Vernon pulled off his belt and smacked him with it bare, demanding to know why he dared to interrupt the meeting and why he was still even alive. Even Aunt Petunia told him that she wished that the stranger hadn’t found him and that he had just froze to death in the storm. It was some welcome home. But Harry knew that they wouldn’t have been happy seeing him again. They never smiled when they looked at him.

It had been a while since he had stayed the couple nights at the hotel. A week, maybe? And here he was, back in his small, cold, dark cupboard. Well, it was dark because it was past midnight. But the dark didn’t scare Harry – it was what was hidden in the dark that scared him. He remembered stepping out of his cupboard one night to scavenge the trash for the left-over food Aunt Petunia had deliberately thrown out, only to run right into Uncle Vernon in the kitchen. He hadn’t seen him right away and had just opened the lid to the trash when Uncle Vernon stopped him and yelled at him. He was thrown right back into his cupboard and locked in for the night.

That was another fear he had – being locked in a small room. He never knew when he’d be let out again. The longest time he had been locked in his cupboard and forgotten was for three days straight. No matter how hard he pounded at the door and cried to be let out, no one opened it. Harry had wondered if the Dursley’s had left the house to go on some trip in that time, forgetting all about him in his cupboard. No food, no water, no bathroom, Harry cried every day until Aunt Petunia opened the door that third day. Harry feared his cupboard, but he also found solace in it. Remarkably.

His cupboard was the one place he could hide from the Dursleys and hide some of his meaningful belongings from Dudley – what few belongings he had. A couple army men toys, a few drawings he had colored from Dudley’s broken crayons, but his latest addition was by far his favorite.

The soft, black winter coat from his time at the hotel. Harry still wasn’t sure where that man had gotten it, but it was soft and kept him warm. He used it as a blanket rather than as a coat since it could cover him better than his old blanket and Dudley’s old pajamas worked as sleepwear, though they were ripped in some places. But this coat reminded Harry of the man who had shown him what a little care could do. Harry snuggled more under the coat, breathing in its strange smell of spices and herbs.

“Mr. Snape,” Harry murmured, remembering that this was the same smell the man had had when he had curled up next to the man the last night he was with him.

Even though he had been pushed away, the second time Harry latched himself to the man, Mr. Snape had allowed him to stay near, giving up in making him move. It had been so nice feeling safe and secure at the man’s side.

Why didn’t Mr. Snape take him the next morning? Didn’t he feel safe and secure too? Mr. Snape had said that even if he had wanted to take Harry in, he wouldn’t have been able to. But why? And did that mean that Mr. Snape did want to take him in? What was holding him back?

Harry pulled the coat more securely over his shoulders, but that left his feet exposed. He shivered. Since returning back, he had only been let out of his cupboard to do his chores, cook breakfast and some dinners, and to eat a nibble here and there when Aunt Petunia allowed him. They had tried to throw out all his new clothes, from the coat to the new socks. Everything had gone into the trash and had been waiting on the curb, but Harry had left his cupboard and rescued the coat when everyone had been asleep. He didn’t care too much about the other things. The coat was special. It could turn into a nightshirt when Mr. Snape waved that stick of his. And it smelled just like Mr. Snape. This coat was everything to him now.

All this thought of Mr. Snape made Harry miss the man terribly. He was in prison now. That’s what Aunt Petunia said. The man could never bother her family again because he was behind bars with a bunch of bad people like murderers and psychos – right where he belonged. Harry didn’t like that at all. Mr. Snape wasn’t a bad man. Mr. Snape was good – he helped him out of the storm and warmed him and fed him and made him drink awful tasting medicine that made him feel better. Mr. Snape didn’t deserve to be in prison with bad people.

It was all his fault! Harry felt tears burn his eyes and he rubbed his face in the soft fabric of the coat. If he hadn’t been found, then Mr. Snape wouldn’t be in prison where he didn’t belong. But he had been so cold, he hadn’t been able to find a better hiding spot. Now Mr. Snape was gone and in prison! He really was a freak! He always made bad things like this happen! Poor Mr. Snape.

Harry rubbed at his face before deciding it was high time to leave again. No one wanted him, and Mr. Snape was gone forever. Maybe he could run to the prison and look for Mr. Snape. Where was the prison anyway?

Harry rolled off his little bed and grabbed Dudley’s old sneakers and threw them on. He should have saved his new boots Mr. Snape had given him. They had fit perfectly. But they were gone with the garbage truck now. Harry put on two more pairs of trousers, fitting them over each other to keep his legs warm and then put his winter coat on. This would keep him really warm. It hadn’t snowed in a while and the snow outside was slowly turning to slush. But it was still freezing so he’d need to keep warm.

               His plan: to find Mr. Snape. He would break him out of jail if he could. He’d find a way. He could do it. And then Mr. Snape would definitely want to keep him for rescuing him from all the murderers.

               But who was he kidding? He couldn’t break someone out of prison! Could he?

               Only one way to find out, Harry thought as he tiptoed out of his cupboard and out the front door. He would find Mr. Snape if it was the last thing he did.

               Severus headed for Albus’s office in hopes to catch the man before he left for the ministry. He needed to talk to him about Harry’s situation. It had been just over two weeks since the hotel incident and the whole problem was eating at his conscience. He just wanted to hear from Albus that there truly was no other way to help Harry. That should help calm his mind and put everything at ease. He gave the gargoyle the password and headed up the stairway, pausing at the door as he heard voices talking.

               He should turn away. Eavesdropping wasn’t appropriate and tended to get him in trouble – take the prophesy situation for example. But old habits die hard, especially when he heard a female’s voice say, “Harry Potter.”

               Severus froze as he had been turning away. He stepped a bit closer to the door and listened closely.

               “Calm down, Mrs. Baxley,” Albus was saying. “I’m sure he is somewhere safe and . . .”

               “How could you say that?” a woman seemed to yell. “That poor boy is out there, and we have no idea where he is! He’s been missing for five days, Albus! Five days! Do you know how long that is? What is he eating? Where is he sleeping? This is terrible, Albus! This is the seventh time he’s run. And my locator charms don’t even work!”

               “I’m sure there is a good reason for all of this,” Albus said in a calmer voice. “I, myself, will head out this afternoon and look for the boy. If I find him, I will return him home.”

               “Home! That boy needs to be locked up somewhere! Obviously, home isn’t home to him! This needs to end and he needs to be somewhere safe at all times. He can’t keep running away like this.”

               “I will see what I can do. I can be persuasive and I’m sure I can talk to Harry’s relatives about making home feel more like home. If I must bribe them to be kinder than I shall. Harry must remain where he is safe.”

               That did it. Severus slowly backed away from the door before rushing down the stairs and back to his quarters. He would go look for the boy. He couldn’t let Albus take Harry back to those terrible people – not after what he had witnessed at the hotel. Harry deserved better. Besides, the boy would never stay. He’d never call it home. It never would be home. He would always run away in search of something better.

               But what would I do with him? Severus thought as he neared his quarters. Where would I keep him? He could keep the boy hidden at Spinner’s End, perhaps have a house elf watch him during the day. Or, with the right magic and strategic thinking, he might be able to sneak Harry into Hogwarts and hide the boy in his quarters. Of course, he’d have the house elf assigned to his rooms to keep an eye on the boy as well. It’d be simple. And while he kept the boy hidden, he’d search for the perfect home for Harry. A nice young couple looking for a sweet boy perhaps?

He’d think on that later, he just had to get to Harry before Albus did. The boy would only suffer more torture from Petunia and her whale of a husband, no matter how influential Albus believed he was. 

               Severus reached his quarters and threw open the door. And nearly had a heart attack.

               “Mr. Snape!”

               Severus jumped back, his back slamming into the closed door behind him. In front of him, standing in the middle of his living room, was Harry Potter. But it wasn’t really Harry Potter, it was more like a silvery apparition of the boy, reminding Severus of corporeal patronuses. Severus slowly pushed away from the door, studying Harry.

               “Harry?” he questioned.

               “Remember me? From the hotel?”

               “Yes, yes, I remember you,” Severus circled around Harry, the child smiling up at him and watching him. Severus hesitantly reached out to touch the apparition, but his hand went right through.  “How are you . . . doing that?”

               “I don’t know. I just thought about you and how much I wanted to find you and there you were! I was hoping you might want to see me, too.”

               Severus frowned. That didn’t make sense at all. It was probably accidental magic, but of what kind? Severus had never seen such a thing as this before. But he’d have to focus on it later. He needed to find the boy.

               “Where are you?”

               “I don’t know.”

               “Harry work with me here,” Severus growled in exasperation. “What did you see around you before you . . . did this?”

               “I can still see what’s around me, Harry said looking around. And you, too! You’re standing right in front of me! But you’re kind of all . . . ghost like.”

               Well, this was weird, Severus thought, but he couldn’t waste time thinking on it. Albus was a powerful wizard and he was sure to be able to find the boy. Severus figured Harry’s magic was playing a role in hiding himself, whether the boy realized it or not.

               “Okay, what do you see around you?”

               “I see . . . a really tall thing in front of me. There’s a statue of a man at the top!”

               Great. At this rate, the boy could be describing a thousand locations. He needed Harry to be as specific as possible, but this was just . . . well, then again, he was seven.

               “What else? I need you to be as specific as possible.”

               “Err, there’s a fountain . . .”

               Yes, several places had fountains, Severus growled in his head.

               “There’s another fountain!” Harry’s apparition pointed to the side. “There in these pools . . .”

               Severus could feel himself growing frustrated and he said, “Harry, do you see anything really . . . out of the ordinary. Something . . . incredible or really amazing to you.”

               “I don’t know . . . the lions are brilliant.”

               “Lions? You see lions? How many?” Severus asked quickly.

               “Umm . . . one, two . . .” Harry seemed to look around something. “Three . . . four. Four big lions.”

               “Four lion statues,” Severus said more to himself as he thought, “the Landseer Lions, you’re in Trafalgar Square! You’re almost two hours away from home. How did you get there?”

               “Remember when I told you I ended up on my school roof?” Harry asked.

               “Yes.”

               “It was like that, but I ended up here. I kept wishing to go to you, but I came here. I spent the night here with that lion because I was so tired.” Harry pointed off to something. 

               Apparition, Severus concluded. The boy must have attempted to apparate to where his magic must have sensed Severus at, but only made it so far. The boy was just that, a boy and his magic was probably worn after apparating so far for his age. Severus had to admit it, the boy surprised him. It may have only been a two-hour distance, but that was really far for someone Harry’s age. Now if he could just figure out this new magic happening right now. Well, figure it out later, he will.

               “Okay, Harry,” Severus said, summoning his muggle coat. “I’m coming to get you. Stay near Nelson’s Column.”

               Harry smiled when Severus said he was coming for him but then frowned and asked, “Who?”

               “No, not who. The statue. The tall thing with the man on top.”

               “Oh, that. Okay.”

               “Don’t go anywhere. I’ll be there soon.”

               “Okay.”

               Severus slowly backed away to his door, watching curiously as Harry’s apparition faded away. How strange. How very strange.

               Severus managed to sneak out of Hogwarts and past the apparition wards where he apparated to Trafalgar Square. He quickly scanned the large crowd of people, trying to spot Harry as he moved towards Nelson’s Column. He circled around it, but he didn’t see Harry anywhere. Where on earth was that kid? He told him to stay near the Column!

               Feeling a bit desperate as he did not want to be seen when Albus arrived, he called out for Harry, then started asking random people if they may have seen the boy.

               “Excuse me,” Severus stopped a group of tourists, “did you see a small boy, about yea high, err . . . messy black hair, glasses, green eyes . . .?”

               The group of people were already shaking their heads and saying “no” when Severus started asking, apologizing to him and moving on. Severus moved on to the next person he saw, then the next, feeling more frantic as everyone shook their head. He could search the entire square with so many people. What if someone had snatched the boy? How terrible! Severus stopped a man staring down at some map.

               “I’m sorry, sir, have you seen a little boy? He’s wearing a black winter coat, glasses, black hair . . .”

               “Is that him?” the man questioned pointing off somewhere.

               Severus followed his finger and saw an officer trying to drag a small boy out of the square, the child resisting and whining in protest. Harry.

               “Yes, yes, thank you,” Severus said, barely acknowledging the man’s nod before rushing to the officer and Harry. As he neared, he could hear the officer speaking.

               “You know, if you just told me where your parents are, you wouldn’t have to come with me,” the man snapped, sounding exasperated.

               “He’s mine, officer,” Severus said quickly once he was close enough to grab Harry and pull him away from the man. “Thank you for finding him. Harry, I told you to stay near, didn’t I?”

               Harry smiled up at him but didn’t answer. The officer just nodded and told Severus, “Just keep him close. Kids get lost around here pretty easily.”

               Severus thanked the officer again before taking Harry’s hand and leading him away.

               “You found me, sir!” Harry smiled up at him, gladly holding tightly to Severus’s hand. Severus said nothing, simply wanting to find a place out of sight so he could disapparate. 

               Suddenly, a loud noise of apparition caught Severus’s attention and he immediately sensed Albus’s magic. He looked around for the older wizard, seeing the man instantly in his rather atrocious muggle green coat. The man looked around and Severus ducked his head, lifting the hood of his own winter coat and pulling Harry along faster. He couldn’t disapparate with Albus around. Doing so would alert Albus to his magical signature. While he could perform a little magic here and there without being detected, large spells such as that tended to create a magical signature other wizards could learn to recognize. And Severus was sure Albus knew his as well as he knew Albus’s. What was he supposed to do now?

               Severus tugged on Harry’s hand, trying to urge the boy to keep up with his quick paces.

               “Mr. Snape, look at the horsey!” Harry said excitedly, pointing up at the equestrian statue of King George IV, slowing down to stare up at it.

               “Not now,” Severus snapped, picking Harry up and rushing along with the boy on his hip. He wasn’t exactly comfortable with carrying a small child, but he could sense that Albus was following them, probably using a spell to look for Harry’s magical signature. Whatever the boy had been doing to conceal himself before, he clearly wasn’t doing it now. Unless Albus had a different, stronger spell he was using.

               Severus needed somewhere he could hide just long enough to do a little magic of his own. Light magic that wouldn’t be noticed at all. He looked up at the National Gallery. The large pillars and entry way to the museum gave him an idea. He ran up the stairs towards the museum, then up the stairway that led to where the several columns were, he chose one in the far back away from the stairway he had climbed up and moved behind it so he was out of all sight from people.

Switching Harry to his other hip, he pulled out his wand and made small circular movements around Harry’s head, taking a small hint of his magical signature, his wand creating a reddish orb at the tip. Harry watched in awe as Severus gave his wand a flick and the little red orb detached itself from the wand and hovered in the air. Severus flicked his wand to the entry way of the museum and the little orb flew inside. Then, Severus held his wand between himself and Harry and cast a weak concealment spell, hoping that the orb’s magical presence caught Albus’s attention before he bothered to search harder. Once that was complete, Severus held a finger to his lips, looking pointedly at Harry, who nodded in response and used both hands to cover his mouth.

               Meanwhile, Albus climbed up the stairway, discreetly hiding his wand in the sleeve of his coat, following its pull that he had set to track Harry Potter. He paused as the pull weakened for a moment as if unsure of where to go. Albus looked around the pillars and amongst the crowd forming. Then, his wand tugged against his sleeve, leading him to the entry way of the museum. Albus sighed, if Harry had gone inside there, it might take ages to find him. Albus followed his wand’s lead and walked into the National Gallery.

               Severus glanced around the pillar he was behind just in time to see Albus’s green coat disappear inside the museum. He sighed in relief and pulled down his hood. He wasn’t sure how long that orb would last, so he kept Harry on his hip and rushed down the stairway closest to him and away from the National Gallery and Trafalgar Square. Once he was far away enough to avoid his signature being detected, and far enough from as many people as possible, he stood behind a tree, checked his surroundings once more, then dispparated with Harry.

               He apparated to Spinner’s End first and finally set Harry on his own feet. Harry looked up at the old, crumbling house before him, the door chipped, ivy crawling up the side, and the stairs creaking as Severus walked up them. Harry quickly followed the man.

               “Is this where you live, Mr. Snape?” Harry asked.

               Severus used his wand to unlock his door. He looked down at the child as he held the door open for him. “Sometimes,” he decided to say.

               Harry entered the house and looked at all the antique looking living room space. He frowned at how dusty it was inside and sneezed. Severus shut the door behind them and moved past Harry. He just wanted to find the boy some clothes (old ones of his that he could size) and possibly a few books and toys for the boy. Severus never had many toys growing up, preferring the books, but he had a coupld trinkets lying around in the attic. Harry explored the living room and before Severus entered his small library, he paused and looked at Harry.

               “Do not touch anything,” he said. “Just wait right there.”

               Harry froze where he was and nodded, clasping his hands behind his back.

               Severus went into his library and scanned the shelves for books he had enjoyed when he was younger. He found The Tales of Beedle the Bard, perfect for Harry. That was the only thing he saw that might be suitable for Harry. He’d try the library at Hogwarts, but it would seem suspicious checking out kids’ books. He’d just buy the kid some books later. It wasn’t like he planned on having Harry around for long. Severus moved to the attic and searched boxes for old clothes. He found some outfits from when he was in his teens. They were simple, blue trousers, plain long-sleeved shirts in colors of black, blue, and one lonely shade of green. He could shrink those down for the boy and if worse came to worse, he’d just buy the kid an outfit or two. While he had been searching for clothes, he found a yo-yo, a Rubik’s cube, and a puzzle of all the constellations that Severus remembered putting together with Lily when they had been children. It was complicated, but would keep Harry busy. Classics for children, Severus figured.

               Severus decided he had enough for now, he shrunk everything, pocketed them, and returned back downstairs to the living room. He saw Harry quickly back away from a shelf and back to the spot he was in before Severus had gone to the library. Severus frowned at him.

               “What did you do?” he snapped.

               “Nothing,” Harry said, though his eyes glanced at the shelf.

               “Do not lie to me! If you broke something . . .”

               “I didn’t,” Harry insisted. “I only looked.”

               Severus glared at Harry and moved to the shelf to see what the boy found so fascinating. The shelf only had a couple picture frames, one with just Eileen Snape, nee Prince, Severus’s mother, and the other with both her and Tobias, his father.

               “Are those your parents, Mr. Snape?” Harry asked.

               Severus turned and looked at Harry.

               “Yes,” he answered simply before moving towards Harry and reaching into his pocket.

               “Are they still alive?”

               “One is.”

               “Oh. Which one?”

               “I don’t believe that is any of your concern.”

               Severus held out his hand towards Harry, who at first flinched at the movement. Severus enlarged the object he was holding, choosing to ignore the flinch.

               “Well? Take it.”

               Harry looked at what Severus was holding out to him – a yo-yo. Harry looked up at the man then slowly accepted the small toy. He smiled as he gave the yo-yo a try. He had never had a yo-yo before, but he had seen many other kids play with them before. He managed to figure it out quickly and he hugged Severus, who tensed and froze, unsure of what to do. Harry smiled up at him.

               “Thank you, Mr. Snape.”

               “Indeed,” Severus said, placing his hands on Harry’s shoulders and pushing the boy back. “Do not break it or lose it. You will not get another one.”

               “Yes, sir,” Harry said, holding the yo-yo close, looking up at Severus with obvious admiration in his eyes. Severus wasn’t sure how to respond to such a look and he just awkwardly picked Harry up and apparated to Hogsmeade to the apparition point near Hogwarts. He hoped Albus hadn’t completed his search yet. Severus looked at Harry and decided a simple concealment charm was in order.

               “Come here,” Severus pulled Harry closer to him. “I’m about to use a spell that will turn you temporarily invisible. You are to stay as close to me as possible. So close that I can feel you and know you are with me, okay? Do not abuse this.”

               “I won’t,” Harry shook his head.

               Severus sighed and waved his wand over Harry, slowly turning the child transparent. This spell, when he performed it, only lasted fifteen minutes tops before another recast was needed. They would have to move quickly.   

               Harry didn’t feel any different until he looked down at himself and saw right through his own body. He was invisible! Harry smiled and laughed at the sight of himself.

               “Shh!” Severus shushed, and Harry clamped his hands over his mouth. “Come.”

               Severus led Harry to the castle, the boy pressing against his side. As they neared Hogwarts, Harry gasped and stared in awe at the large castle. Severus had to feel for the boy, then press a hand on Harry’s back to urge him forward. He had to slow his stride, so Harry could keep up with him, but he used the quickest route to his quarters. He just hoped no one stopped him on the way. It was a Saturday, so many students were in their common rooms or the library. But Severus wasn’t sure where his colleagues might be at.

               He surprisingly arrived in his quarters without running into anyone, and just in time, too, as the spell wore off on Harry. Now, the only problem was someone might notice another presence in the castle – Albus mainly. But couldn’t house elves . . .?  

               “Eve!” Severus called out.

               The house elf assigned to his quarters popped in, startling Harry who fell backwards into an armchair at the sight of her. The elf glanced at Harry briefly before focusing on Severus.

               “How can Eve help you, Master Snape?”

               “You can conceal the magical signature of a wizard, correct?”

               “Yes, Master Snape. Would Master Snape like his signature concealed?”

               “Not mine, his,” Severus nodded towards Harry. “And you cannot tell anyone that he is here, especially Albus Dumbledore. And no other house elves are to come here, clear? And you will keep an eye on him while I attend to my classes.”

               “Oh, yes, very clear. Eve will keep new little master a secret and keep an eye on him. And conceal his signature.”

               Eve turned and snapped her fingers at Harry, who just blinked at her.

               “Harry,” Severus said, and Harry looked up at him. “This is Eve. While I am teaching, she will keep an eye on you for me. You are not to leave these rooms under any circumstances. Ever. Do you understand?”

               Harry said nothing, just looked back and forth between Eve and Severus. Severus frowned and repeated, “Do you understand?”

               Harry nodded.

               “Good. Eve, you are dismissed.”

               Eve bowed deeply and, with a loud pop, disappeared.

               “What was she?” Harry asked.

               “She was a house elf, Harry,” Severus answered but decided not to go into too much detail.

               “Oh. Are you keeping me?”

               “For now,” Severus said. “I am going to look around for a more suitable family for you and then we’ll see where we go from there. Hopefully, you won’t be cramped here for too long.”

               “Oh,” Harry said, looking a bit disappointed.

               A loud knock on the door sounded and Severus nearly jumped out of his skin. He grabbed Harry’s arm and pulled the boy out of the chair and dragged him towards his bedroom, shoving the boy inside.

               “Stay in here,” he commanded. “Do not move, do not make a sound.”

               Harry nodded.

               Severus closed the door as another knock sounded through the room. He hoped Eve’s magic was enough to conceal Harry as he opened the door to see who it was, though he had a pretty good guess.

               “Evening, headmaster,” Severus greeted, opening the door more to allow Albus to enter.

               “I’m afraid it isn’t quite a good evening, Severus,” Albus sighed as he stepped in and sat exhaustedly in an armchair.

               “And why might that be?” Severus asked, moving to the kitchen to make some tea.

               “I have terrible news, my boy. Harry Potter has gone missing. He ran away from home and has not been seen in five days. I have sent family services out looking for him several times, but it seems Harry’s magic is protecting himself from being found again. I fear that if it isn’t his magic protecting him, the boy may have been kidnapped. And by who knows who. I can only fear the worse.”

               “Potter clearly wasn’t terrified enough to stay put at his relatives,” Severus said as he poured the tea and brought Albus a cup. “I’m sure the boy didn’t go far. His magic must simply be blocking locator spells for the time being. Perhaps, Albus, you need to look more into why he’s running away. I knew Petunia and let me tell you, she was the most unpleasant being on this planet. I wouldn’t put it past her to be treating Potter . . . unfairly.”

               “I understand your concerns, Severus. I had too much faith that blood would mean more to Petunia than what Harry was. He is her family.”  

               Severus said nothing and Albus sipped at the tea.

               “I need your help, Severus. I need you to look for Harry Potter when I cannot. We must find him. Investigate if he has been taken and if any of . . . you know who knows where he may be. He could have been taken for a sinister plot, or even an attempt to finish Lord Voldemort’s mission.”

               Severus flinched at the use of Voldemort’s name. He still didn’t like to hear it. Sometimes, his left arm burned just in memory when someone said the name. Albus ignored it however.

               “I will see to it,” Severus said.

               “But Severus, let’s not mention to anyone of Harry’s disappearance. If the wizarding community hears of this, there may be . . . mass panic. And if your acquaintances know nothing of it, it’d be best not to let them gain any hints.”

               “Yes, Albus. I’ll be careful.”

               “Thank you, Severus. I can always trust you.”

               Severus didn’t answer to that

“Well, I should continue my search with family services. I’ll be on my way. I hope we find the poor boy soon.”

               “Indeed,” Severus commented, opening the door for Albus as the man left.

               Severus waited until he could no longer hear Albus’s footsteps leaving before sighing in relief and opening the door to his bedroom. Harry was sitting on the floor playing with the yo-yo Severus had given him.

               “Well,” Severus began, leaning against the doorframe, “it’s nearing dinnertime. I’m sure you’re hungry. When did you last eat?”

               Harry shrugged before saying, “I found a part of a burger in the dumpster last night.”

               Severus made a disgusted face. Did Harry actually go dumpster diving? And then Severus had gone and picked him up. He felt like he could smell garbage on his own robe now. Wonderful. “I think a bath is in order first. I’m sure you haven’t bathed in a while. Take that coat off.”

               Harry shrugged out of his coat while Severus entered the room and emptied his pockets on the bed. He realized he would have to come up with a place for Harry to sleep. He didn’t like the idea of using the couch, just in case someone knocked on his door in the middle of the night. One could never be too cautious. He didn’t have an extra room at the moment, the other two rooms were a study and a lab. Then the bathroom, which was connected to his room. He also realized he would have to set some rules for Harry. And probably structure out some kind of schedule so Harry didn’t bore while he was away. Who knew children were so much work?

               “Where should I put this?” Harry said, holding up his winter coat.

               Severus looked at the coat that had once been one of his teaching robes. He pointed to his wardrobe and said, “Hang it in there for now.”

               While Harry obeyed, Severus decided to run Harry a bath. He’d think of rules tonight and write them out, along with a schedule. In the morning before his classes, he’d go over them with Harry. After the tub was full and Harry was in the water bathing, Severus ordered Eve to bring whatever was being served in the Great Hall down for him and Harry. It turned out to be a warm dinner of shepherd’s pie. Severus went back to his bedroom and looked at the objects on his bed. He shrunk all the clothes to Harry’s size and set puzzle and cube on a desk in the room. He used a couple of his nightshirts for Harry, shrinking them down to Harry’s size. He would have to buy the boy some clothes to wear, such as shorts, socks, and some new shoes.

               There was a large empty corner in his room. He once had the desk from his study there, but found it too crowded. Severus found an empty box and transfigured it into a bedspring, using one of his pillows to transfigure into a mattress. The bed filled the space right up. Minerva would be so proud of his transfiguration skills. They were definitely improving. Eve supplied the blankets and pillows.

Severus checked on Harry. The boy looked clean enough, and Severus helped the boy into a towel and handed him some nightclothes. It wasn’t as if they would be going out any time soon. Once Harry was dressed, he ran to admire his new bed, happily lying on it and hugging a pillow close. The boy looked so happy. Severus frowned. Anything could make the boy smile. Absolutely anything.

After eating dinner and having the boy read The Tales of Beedle Bard until eight, which Severus figured was late enough for Harry, Severus worked on a rules list and a schedule for the boy in his study. He would make sure to go over everything first thing in the morning and make sure the boy understood them perfectly. His mind went back to the strange apparition appearance earlier that afternoon. He had seen Harry right before him, and Harry said he saw Severus in the same way Severus saw him. It baffled Severus, and he would have to look more into it. Perhaps the library had a book on the event, explaining how exactly it happened. At the moment, Severus would chart it to accidental magic.  

Severus knew he’d have to find more interactive and stimulating games for Harry while he was gone. While the yo-yo made the boy smile, any other boy Harry’s age would rather some cool game after a five-minute play period with such an old toy. Severus sighed. Why had he gotten himself into this mess? If Albus ever caught him . . .

Well, he would just have to make sure Albus didn’t catch him. It wouldn’t be for long. Severus would find a nice family for Harry in a few days tops. Until then, he would just have to put up with Harry. And keep the boy away from dumpsters. Severus sighed and rubbed his face. He felt like some kind of triple agent now – working against both sides. This was terrible.

After creating a schedule, a list of rules, and grading several essays, it was nearing midnight when Severus decided to retire himself. He went back to his bedroom and paused to look at Harry. Just to make sure the boy was still asleep, he told himself.

As he hovered over Harry’s makeshift bed, the boy’s eyes fluttered open and sleep filled green emeralds looked up at him. Harry smiled at him and said, “Night-night, Mr. Snape,” then snuggled deeper into his pillow before closing his eyes again, falling back to sleep. Severus stepped back, unsure of what to think. Harry was asleep still, that was all that mattered.

Severus took care of his nightly routines before crawling in bed himself. For the longest while, he found that he couldn’t sleep, his mind straying to the situation with Harry. Was he doing the right thing? Could he even pull this off? Even if he found a family, legally they needed to go through an adoption process with the Ministry. This would never work! Would it?

With all the turmoil in his head, it would prove to be a long, fitful night for Severus.