Today I'm weak, Tomorrow I'll conquer the world by WyL

Severus Snape was not what you would call… A warm man. Neither himself nor his peers would imagine such pleasantries would come out of his cold, bitter mouth. Staff and students alike felt the cold breeze of dismissal at his mere presence. The man spent many years alone, and had become accustomed to the peace and quiet of his Hogwarts dungeon quarters.

However the man was also not a fool, he would not tell himself that he did not care when a young student arrived at his door, clearly a last ditch and desperate attempt to receive the help they needed. The wellbeing and visage of his Slytherin's was one of his only pride and joys. Which is why the teacher was preparing everything he may require for the upcoming year, lesson plans; risk assessments for students etc.

This was the year that Harry Potter would be arriving as a first year also, and the brooding man truly didn’t know what to think. On one hand, the boy was born of his talented and respectable mother, but then there was James Potter. His father. The marauders were not a group of people he would place on his ‘tolerable’ list, but instead those of ‘cockroaches’ and Severus would rather have tea with The Dark Lord himself than James Potter. Of course, said man had eventually grown from his childish taunting of the other and become an auror who held his guilt on his chest alongside his heart, but the anger for his childhood nemesis would still fester.

Despite the stress of his revelation, the bat of the dungeons continued his search for the safest potions for his first years to brew that with failure would not cause themselves and others harm, not because he cared (he would tell you) but because of his precious classroom. The stone floor was already damaged beyond repair, it did not require a makeover this year. With a dramatic swish of his dark cloak, he was retreating to his quarters. That was enough contemplation for the night.

HP~DD~HP~DD

Harry had drawn up a plan, on the scrap piece of paper in his hand was the details of their well planned escape from this hell hole. They had deduced between them that it would not suffice to just sit back and wait to see if fate took pity upon them, and if they wanted to go to this… School which they had been invited into that preparation would be in order. Of course, they didn’t have long to do so, only a month to plan it all. The letter they had been provided had told them of the items they would need, however to get those they would need three things.

‘Phase One - Money
Aunt Petunia keeps her money in her pink coat, left pocket. Every day, we take 3 coins from the pocket and store it under Harry’s Pillow inside the rip in the cot.’

Harry had written. This was a risk they both understood, stealing from their guardians was strictly forbidden and highly punishable, and if they found out that it was not food that they were stealing but money? They would be dead.

‘Phase Two - Travel’
London travel, buses are the best option. Sneak behind the crowd, be inconspicuous’

This was simple, both boys were quite short and under average, so sneaking onto buses and trains would be pretty easy they assumed. Taxis or anything else was out of the question, especially not their Uncle, asking him to drive them anywhere was like asking for a death sentence.

‘Phase Three - Where?
We don’t know how to get to Magical London, but if we bother Aunt Petunia and trick her she might let something slip, else we will have to wing it (which will be harder)’

Ever since the boys figured out what they were, they had noticed… Things that Petunia often slipped. She just couldn't resist her taunting, the woman needed to let them know how freaky and unnatural they and Harry’s parents were, obviously not realising that both of them knew they were Wizards now. ‘Just like that darned old coot in Scotland… Of all places! Ha!’ She had said. So they had deduced that the school was in Scotland, easy enough since there was a direct train in Kings Cross to Edinburgh. Uncle Vernon had to travel to Scotland sometimes for his work, and the lazy man would not bother to drive there with his company car, that would be preposterous! So the boys knew that they would need to buy their supplies from ‘Magical London’ and get to Kings Cross.

Obviously, neither boy would realise how much their plan lacked in stability or holes, like where they would go from Edinburgh, how they expected to navigate London as children without consequence and suspicion that they may gather from any passersby and even the school itself.

And so they began. Dudley had managed to collect around £42 so far through their method, and finding spare change on the floor and in crevices where he was cleaning, and Harry had deduced that ‘Diagon Alley’ was where they would need to buy their supplies, however was unable to get anything else from his aunt. The day arrived when they planned to escape with all their possessions and knowledge, and Dudley woke Harry at 5am with a startling shake to the shoulder and practically dragged him out of the cupboard himself as he lifted the half filled plastic carrier bag which held their things. A few extra t-shirts, a thin woollen jumper which hardly fit wither (so they used it as a blanket mainly) and a few pens and paper, the money was safely in Dudley’s pocket.

The pair knew that 5am would be a suitable time as neither Petunia or Vernon would be awake, safely in a deep sleep and without suspicion. They snuck out of the front door, using the spare key which resided in the plant pot at the entrance to unlock it and once they were a safe distance from the building, began to sprint. They both laughed uncontrollably at how easily they had managed to get away, their unsuspecting relatives still snoring in bed. The refreshing breeze on their faces was relaxing, being outside but not in the confines of the garden (not by choice) and prickling in heat or shaking in the biting cold, this was freedom.

They were free.