average human’s Reviews > Sectumsempra > Status Update

“But you- you said I’d have to drink the potions to get answers earlier!” Harry protested.

Snape shrugged and studied his fingernails, “I simply wanted you to take the potions. I am not the head of Slytherin for a lack of cunning, Mister Potter.”

Harry gaped at him.

“Bastard.”

“Brat.”

Harry thought about which questions were most important, just in case Snape changed his mind afterwards.

“Is Sevvie okay?”

“He is,” Snape assured him. “And I will bring him here with me tomorrow if you would like.”

“You will?” Harry asked, surprised. “Why?”

Snape rolled his eyes and it was such a familiar gesture Harry almost smiled at it.

“Because he will likely peck Mister Zabini to death if he is not reunited with you soon,” Snape drawled. “I believe your friends will be relieved to no longer deal with that monster.”

“Blaise took care of him for me?” Harry looked down at the table and ran his thumbs over the smooth granite top, “I-I wanted to bring him with me but I didn’t think I’d be able to feed him... and I didn’t want him to be hungry... I’m sorry.”

“You did the right thing leaving him at Hogwarts. I made sure as soon as I was informed you were not there that he was being cared for. Do not castigate yourself for having to make, what I am sure, was a difficult decision regarding his care. Miss Granger informed me that you were immediately concerned for Mavis, which was admirable considering the circumstances.”

Harry glanced up at Snape’s warm tone and saw that the man, while not smiling, had a look of approval in his eyes.

“S-so you talked to M-Mione and Blaise?” Harry asked, taking a stab at a casual tone and missing by over a meter.

“I have spoken with all of your friends, multiple times a day, every single day, for the last two weeks,” Snape said drily.

“What did you talk to them about?” Harry asked quietly, staring down at the table and desperately trying not to get his hopes up.

“Potions, of course,” Snape said breezily.

Harry slumped down a little further in his seat.

What did you expect? You aren’t their classmate anymore.

Harry had thought that at least the members of his gang would miss him, maybe just a little, but that’s what he got for hoping.

He clenched his eyes shut.

Occlude your mind and keep it clear.

Snape suddenly chuckled and Harry peeked up at him.

“You were the topic of conversation, of course, you foolish child,” Snape said. “In fact, I believe if I do not immediately inform Miss Bones of your safety that she may actually snap and attempt to end my life.”

“Yeah?” Harry asked, with the first tiny grin he’s had since the day he was expelled. “She’s asked about me?”

Snape pinched the bridge of his nose as he sighed. “Potter, your friends abstained from leaving the castle for the holidays in an effort to more easily irritate me to death for information on your whereabouts. They are refusing to eat in the Great Hall out of a protest on your expulsion. Miss Bones has screamed in my face enough times that she is lucky I have not yet removed her vocal chords. Miss Granger has apparently decided that the Headmaster is no longer worthy of her respect as she has taken to glaring at him every chance she has. Draco openly threatened the man during Christmas dinner. I personally have been sneered at, scowled at, and argued with by every member of your little entourage, including the usually charming Miss Lovegood.”

Harry stared at Snape in shock during his rant.

They didn’t forget me? They’ve been asking about me? Harry felt his chest warm at the thought.

“Why are they being nasty to you?” he asked curiously. “You didn’t expel me.”

“Apparently, I have not been searching ‘god damned fast enough’ or ‘freaking hard enough’ for you, according to newly fearless Miss Bones,” Snape said.

Harry grinned a little more at that. Susan really was fearless if she was cursing at Snape.

They didn’t forget you.

“Why were you looking for me?” Harry asked, moving on to to the next question he had for Snape.

“Because you are my student, my responsibility, and I needed to ensure that you were safe and being cared for.”

“But I’m not your student, or your responsibility, anymore,” Harry said with a frown.

“You will be as soon as I am able to find a way for you to rejoin your friends at Hogwarts.”

Harry scowled. He missed his friends but he wasn’t a big fan of Hogwarts.

Snape must have read his thoughts because he gave Harry a wry grin.

“Of course, you have had multiple offers to join foreign schools for magic. I believe Scuola Magíca in Italy has sent you a formal invite through the Contessa Zabini.” He lifted one of his brows at Harry, “Shall I submit my application as an Italian Potions Master?”

Harry shrugged, not sure why Snape would get a new job if he switched schools, and worked to fight off a yawn.

“Sleep, I think, Potter. I can answer any more questions you may have tomorrow when I return with your belongings and owl,” Snape said. “I will show you to your room. Though I must warn you, it is no Slytherin dormitory.”

“If there’s a roof and a door it’s fine,” Harry said with a shrug. He’d been mostly sleeping in alleys under his cloak for weeks now, anything was an upgrade from that. Plus, it seemed like he’d be alone here, which was a huge boon.

Snape grimaced at his comment as they stood to find Harry’s guest room.

“I would like to inform your friends, the Malfoy’s, the Contessa, and Madame Bones of your safe arrival here. Do I have your permission?” Snape asked as he led Harry up the stairs.

Harry paused on the stairs while he tried to think through any consequences of them knowing where he was.

“They can’t get in, right?” he asked. “And they can’t make me leave?”

Snape continued up the stairs and turned towards a door on the left.

“They cannot enter. They may floo call, but I will change the password to one of your choosing so that nobody may come through without your permission. As for your second concern, the only person who would be able to legally call for your removal from my home is your current legal guardian, Petunia Dursley. And as of the 19th of December when I visited her, she was still entirely unaware of your existence.”

Harry let out a relieved breath. Snape was a lot of things, but he wasn’t a liar. If he said nobody could get in and nobody could remove him then that’s that.

“Then yeah, you can tell them I’m here. Do you wanna borrow Sevvie to send them a letter?”

Snape paused for a fraction of a second before he gestured Harry in to the room.

“I will inform your friends in person upon my return and send a patronus message to the rest.”

Harry nodded as he gazed around the room. It was actually nicer than Snape made it sound. The walls were a pale grey and there was a large black iron bed in the center of the room with a black dresser and nightstand on either side of it.

“What’s a patronus message?” Harry asked curiously as he peeked inside the other door in the room and was reassured to see it was just a closet.

Only one entrance.

But only one exit...

He tried desperately to ignore the panicky feeling that wanted to blur the edges of his vision at that thought.

Occlude, he thought desperately.

“A patronus is a guardian of sorts,” Snape was explaining as he lent against the doorway and watched Harry poke around the room. “It is an advanced defensive spell that is typically utilized as a defensive measure against the Dementors of Azkaban. However, they can also be used as messengers.”

“Brill,” Harry said, sitting carefully on the edge of the bed. “What do they look like?”

Snape gave Harry an inscrutable look and didn’t answer for a moment before he hesitantly said, “They differ from person to person. Would you like to see mine? I can show you how it is used to send messages.”

“Yeah,” Harry said, both excited and upset at the thought of seeing a spell he’d never seen before and now would never get to do.

Snape closed his eyes briefly before he flicked his wand, “Expecto Patronum.”

“Wow,” Harry breathed, all thoughts of his missing magic gone. “It’s amazing, sir.”

Snape’s patronus was a little fox. Its silver fur was so detailed Harry climbed to his feet and reached out towards it, sure he could feel it if he tried. He gave a small grin as the little fox turned its mischievously sparkling eyes on Harry as his hand went through the silver mist.

“I wonder what mine would have been,” Harry said, walking around the little fox to admire it. He looked up at Snape, who still had that weird look on his face, “Is it always the same animal each time?”

“I suspect mine will remain this form for the foreseeable future,” Snape said in a tight voice.

“Brill,” Harry said. “Do you know what my mums was?”

Snape smiled, his eyes looked softer now, “It was originally a cheetah when she first cast it in our seventh year. I found it deeply ironic as your fathers was a stag.”

Harry grinned, he knew just enough about animals to understand why Snape found that ironic.

“You said originally? Did it change?” he asked as he sat back on the edge of his guest bed.

Snape nodded, “It did. I saw hers arrive with a message at Albus’ wartime headquarters in August of the year you were born and her patronus form had shifted to a small fawn.”

“A fawn?” Harry asked, bewildered. “Why would her guardian go from something strong and fast like a cheetah to a damn baby deer??”

Snape seemed to consider Harry’s question carefully, “A patronus will change its form based on a deep emotional shift. I believe the obvious shift in her case, was the birth of her much beloved only child.”

Harry felt a little teary for a moment and turned away from Snape so he could have some privacy to clear the emotions off his face.

It’s not that he didn’t think his mum loved him... she died protecting him... it was just, he was so important to her that he changed something her magic made? That felt different.

Good. It felt good. But it was different.

Snape cleared his throat, “I am going to send a message now.”

Harry nodded and turned his head slightly so he could watch out of the corner of his eye.

Snape flicked his wand at the fox, “I have obtained the potion. It was difficult to find but is not damaged. I will be available to accept floo calls if you would like to speak to-“ Snape gave a light and fake cough, “Apologies- speak about the potion, you may floo me at my private residence. If you have any other queries, feel free to reach me through the usual methods.”

Harry grinned a little as the little fox took off. He liked foxes. He’s only ever seen them in books, not a lot of foxes in London, but he thought they seemed smart and were kind of cute.

“Suppose I’m the potion then?” Harry asked.

“You are,” Snape nodded. “Patronus’ will relay messages even if the recipient is in a crowd of people so it is better to speak carefully.”

Harry was about to ask what the usual methods meant when a different patronus came in the room.

“Excellent. I will inform the Minister of your success,” came the voice of Mister Malfoy through the beak of a silver peacock. “I am sure he will wish to speak more about the potion soon, please inform me of the best time to set up a meeting.” There was a pause before the peacock let out a chuckle in Malfoy’s voice, which was bloody weird, “I quite enjoy your new patronus Severus.”

Harry looked up at Snape curiously as the peacock disappeared.

“Is your fox new?” he asked.

He wasn’t sure which was weirder, a peacock chuckling in Mister Malfoy’s voice or seeing Snape blush.

“Do you require a dreamless sleep?” Snape asked instead, clearly choosing to ignore Harry’s question. “I imagine occluding has been difficult as of late.”

Harry narrowed his eyes at Snape’s uncharacteristically obvious evasive tactic. “No sir, I’ve been doing it lots of times every day, haven’t I?”

“You’ve been occluding multiple times, every single day?” Snape asked in a choked voice.

Harry shrugged, “Yep. I didn’t wanna keep having ‘intrusive thoughts’ all the time. Except it’s not been working much lately, I think it doesn’t do as good now that I don’t have my magic.”

“Merlin, Potter,” Snape groaned. “That is probably why your magic is malfunctioning. You cannot occlude your mind more than once a day, and it is generally recommended to only be done before resting to prevent nightmares. You cannot just occlude constantly to prevent having any natural feelings.”

“What?” Harry cried, scooting further back on the bed. “You never said that! Why wouldn’t you tell me that?”

Snape rubbed both of his hands over his face before he answered, “I didn’t think it needed to be said.” He looked over at Harry and frowned, “I apologize Potter. I have never taught a student as young as you. I should have been more clear. Occluding works best to prevent nightmares, and is useful to occasionally block intrusive thoughts during the day, but it should never be done more than once a day. I would wager that your barriers are crumbling under the strain, which is why it is not working as well.”

He stared hard at Harry, who shifted uneasily under his gaze, before he continued. “I believe it may be the key to restoring your access to your magic if the barriers were dissolved and rebuilt.”

Harry blanched and quickly shook his head. “I don’t want to do that, sir. P-please. Can you find a different way?”

Snape looked sympathetic but he still shook his own head. “Child, you cannot close off access to your emotions for an extended period of time without suffering severe complications- as I believe you are already aware of.”

“It’s going to hurt,” Harry whispered, ducking his head. “I-I can’t take it. I couldn’t take it before... and th-then I did something stupid... and now it doesn’t hurt so much b-but I p-put up strong walls to k-keep it all out.”

“I understand,” Snape said softly. “But it has already closed off your access to your magical control, and may soon impair your rational thoughts if it is not fixed.”

Harry wrapped his arms around his head and pulled his knees up to his chest.

“I can’t do it alone,” he whispered.

He knew he was being weak. He knew that. But if there was anyone who probably wouldn’t use it against him- it was Snape. And Snape had said before that he’d be there if Harry needed someone to remind him what the point of life was. It was weak. It was pathetic. And it was needy. But Harry really couldn’t do it alone.

His walls had burst the day after he was expelled, and he still wasn’t sure how he was still alive, but he probably wouldn’t be if it happened while he was alone again.

“I can help you,” Snape offered in a soothing tone. “I will not leave you to do it alone.”

“Swear?” Harry asked quietly.

“I swear.”

55%

Amelia’s expression quickly morphed into one of amusement as she shook her head at him, “It is due to the great amount of legal difficulties that Harry’s request will require. The Ministry is willing to bend over backwards for him, but the Minister himself is the only person who will be able to grant it.”

“Oh?” Severus raised his brows in interest. “What odd request has Potter made?”

“Harry adamantly stated that he wishes to reside with you, as your ward.”

What the fuck?

Severus gaped at Amelia, quite forgetting himself in the surprise.

“When did he make this request?”

The witch smiled warmly at him, her eyes sparkled in a way that reminded him much of Albus’ prior to the Potter scandals. “Yesterday. I told him I’d be coming today to go over his options and he asked if you were an option. I briefly discussed your... history,” she grimaced apologetically, “and he told me ‘I wonder if Minister Fudge would help? He did say he’d do anything to make it up to me.’”

She laughed, as if the thought of a twelve year old emotionally blackmailing the Minister of Magic was delightful instead of dangerously manipulative. “I contacted Fudge right after and told him what Potter said and he immediately cleared his schedule to meet with us today.”

“Potter may react poorly when he is told it is not possible,” Severus said slowly.

He was touched that Potter had asked for him, it made sense that the child would once again see him as trustworthy. Severus himself had worked Potter through multiple high stress situations, which surely built this feeling of attachment Potter apparently had. He provided Potter with a temporary residence, his familiar, and was enabling his continued contact with his friends. He hoped that the Ministry’s refusal to grant him this wish would not impact his view of Severus.

“Not possible?” Amelia said, her brows raised above her spectacles. “On the contrary Severus, I believe Harry could ask Fudge for any guardian in the world and would see it be granted. I simply wanted to know your view on the matter before we met with him.”

“Amelia... I was a marked Death Eater,” Severus said quietly. “The Minister of Magic will not grant me guardianship of ‘The Boy-Who-Lived’, and Albus would never allow it.”

Amelia’s eyes flashed dangerously at the mention of Albus’ name. “Albus Dumbledore does not dictate guardianships and this case will be closed as quickly as possible. The Ministry is receiving daily letters from enraged Witches and Wizards who are wondering how the Headmaster of a boarding school was able to originally determine the home for an orphaned infant.” She gave Severus a suddenly mischievous smile before she continued, “And besides, you were legally exonerated as a spy. It’s all very heroic of you Severus Snape. A brilliant wizard who dedicated his life to bringing down the Darkest Wizard known to man. After his defeat, you were determined to protect the child of your closest childhood friend.” She sighed dramatically and wiped a faux-tear from her eye, “The single witches of the United Kingdom will be beating down your doors.”

Severus grimaced, both at her dramatics and her ill-conceived declaration of his romantic appeal.

“Albus would be furious. He intends for me to return to the Dark Lords side once again if he returns.”

Amelia heavily rolled her eyes, “Let’s pretend Albus Dumbledore and his many varied opinions are of no consequence, shall we? Because, in the opinion of the Ministry of Magic, they are less than nullified in this case. If it can be approved, would you accept guardianship of Harry Potter until he turns 17?”

Severus hesitated for the briefest of moments. On the one hand, Potter had a lot of... issues. He had seemed better as of late, but Severus was not naive enough to believe it would last. He was the most beloved magical child in the United Kingdom, Heir to the Potter Line, the prophesied vanquisher of the Dark Lord, and currently was holding a personal hit list with Albus Dumbledore’s name on the top.

Although, on the other hand, it was Potter, Lily’s son. And while there was an undeniable perk to having the most powerful Grey aligned Wizard in his care, there was more to it than that.

It was Potter.

“I would,” he said.

Amelia gave him a warm smile of approval, “I knew you would. We’ll talk soon, the Minister wants this dealt with as quickly as possible and kept absolutely need to know until it is finished.”

And in the second time in two days, Severus left a floo call with a mind full of questions and concerns.

57%

The remainder of the day Severus taught his classes, attended meals in the Great Hall, graded papers, and considered the situation with Potter.

It was flattering that the child wished to reside with him in the summers. It was also deeply ironic considering James Potter would be rolling in his grave.

It was also slightly tragic that the most consistent adult in Potter’s life was his previous potions Professor.

He had decided to speak with Potter about it when he arrived at Spinners End that evening.



Severus almost immediately forgot his intentions when he entered his sitting room and saw the changes Potter had made.

“Surprise?” the little demon called weakly from the sofa on the side of the room.

Potter, likely with design advice from the Malfoy’s, had entirely refurbished and redecorated Severus’ home. It no longer looked like the barren and impoverished Muggle home he was raised in. The grey walls were now a freshly painted shade of light green that balanced well with the darkly polished wooden bookcases and shelves that lined the walls. The sofa and matching recliners were no longer a beaten and dull floral pattern, but were replaced with slick black leather seats.

“Potter...” Severus said slowly, gazing around at the multitude of changes that were done just in this room. “Tell me that you did not use your parents’ vault to purchase furnishings for my home.”

“Of course not,” Potter scoffed. “I got most of it from the Black vault.”

Severus thought he likely cricked his neck with as quickly as he turnt towards Potter.

“I will need you to start from the beginning apparently.” He thought about what kind of events led Potter to taking money from the ancient Black vaults and made towards his (apparently newly upgraded) liquor cabinet. “I will also need a drink before you cause me to put my head through these freshly painted walls,” he muttered as he sank down in to one of the recliners with a drink in hand.

Potter ignored Severus’ unflattering mutterings and airily explained how this came to be.

“Okay so you know how I went to Gringotts when I thought I didn’t have money to go to Hogwarts, like you told me to?” Severus nodded and gestured for Potter to continue.

“Right, so you didn’t give me my key, did you? So the Goblins did an inheritance test that summer and I got my Potter Heir ring. Which is bloody brilliant, isn’t it? But Mister Malfoy told me I should have had another Heir ring, because I guess I have a godfather who doesn’t have any kids. My dad’s mate, Sirius Black, that one you told us was a Muggle murderer?” Severus grimaced at the mention of Black and gave Potter a sharp nod. “Well hes my godfather. But thankfully that bastard is in Azkaban because I heard what he did and he’s lucky I can’t get him. But anyway, I told Mister Malfoy that the Goblins didn’t give me that Heirship and that I didn’t get those accounts when I did my test so he looked in to it and guess what?”

“What?” Severus asked, when it was apparent that Potter was waiting for a response to his rant.

“Fucking Dumbledore had his name on those accounts! Apparently Sirius Black let Dumbledore co-sign as my magical guardian for the accounts and that’s why it didn’t show up! Because I wasn’t the sole heir!”

Severus raised his brows. He knew Black was a fool to the worst extreme but to allow Albus to co-sign on his godsons Heirship? Madness.

“If you were unable to gain the Heirship, how did you access the vaults?” he asked Potter.

The child raised his right hand and scrunched his nose at it before two rings appeared, one on his ring finger and one on his middle.

“Mister Malfoy and I made a deal,” Potter said smugly. “Mrs Malfoy is a Black, but I’m the sole Heir for the line. He said if I would name Draco the Heir to the Black line once I become the Lord, after Sirius Black dies and I’m at least 17, that he would help me get Dumbledore removed from the line since he isn’t my magical guardian and has no claim on me now that I’m no longer a Hogwarts student. And he did,” Potter wiggled his middle finger where a silver ring with an obsidian stone rested. “So I signed a magical agreement that once I’m Lord Black that I’ll name Draco Malfoy my heir. And if he dies before me, his kids will get it. But if he dies before me and doesn’t have kids, then I keep the line and it goes to my secondary Black heir.”

Severus swallowed his whiskey and summoned the bottle for a second glass.

“Are- are you mad?” Potter asked quietly after Severus remained silent. “I thought it was fair if Black’s vaults paid to make your house look more like how you’d probably like it since he almost killed you when you were students. That’s what you call ironic, right?”

Severus saw Potter looked nervous and hopeful and, against his better judgement, smirked at the child.

“I believe you meant karmic,” he said drily. “And I am not mad, but you should not have spent your inheritance on furniture for my home. You owed me nothing for staying here.”

“Well,” Potter hesitated. “It wasn’t about just staying here...” The child clenched his fists and rolled his shoulders tensely. “I talked to Madame Bones and Minister Fudge today about picking a guardian...”

Aaah, of course.

Potter was either attempting to subtly bribe Severus in to accepting him as his ward or, much more likely, believed that he would need to offer something in order to be allowed to live there.

“I also spoke with Madame Bones this morning,” he told Potter evenly. “She informed me of your request and I accepted. What did the Minister say to you?”

Potter gave him such a wide eyed look of surprise that Severus smirked. It was nice to be able to surprise the child who continued to drag chaos in to Severus’ own life.

“That’s it?” he asked hoarsely. “You just accepted? No deals or questions or nothing? That’s it?”

“That’s it.” Severus repeated calmly, maintaining his casual tone. “And no. I did not require any deals in order to accept guardianship of you. Now, what did the Minister say?”

Potter blinked rapidly at him for a few silent moments. Severus held eye contact and gave him a polite look of interest.

“He said... he said that he’d start the paperwork once he got your official acceptance,” he said quietly.

“Excellent.” Severus finished his drink and rose to his feet. “Then I will examine the rest of our house to see what other changes Sirius Black has unknowingly funded, shall I?”

Potter just nodded silently at him, his mouth still open in shock.

Severus smirked at Potter again as he began his inspection of their home. Which, Potter had indeed lavishly furnished and updated. He had laughed aloud at the silver espresso machine that now occupied his kitchen counter.

The child was an absolute menace, but Severus had hopes that they would cohabitate peacefully enough if his request was granted.

He thought perhaps if he maintained a casually easy acceptance of the proposed guardianship that Potter would begin to see himself as something more than a burden who must earn his right to reside in a safe and stable environment.

Severus left after dinner, during which Potter had remained quiet but watched Severus suspiciously. They talked lightly of Potter taking a course in Italian from a tutor recommended by the Contessa. Severus described some of the potions his NEWT class was taking. Potter hesitantly described a new trick he had taught himself on his broomstick. Severus carefully maintained an uninhibited tone to his voice and did not bring up the guardianship.

Before he floo’d to return to the castle he checked the supply of potions he had left with Mavis. He had not trusted Potter with his crumpled mental barriers to have unsupervised access to potions that could be lethal in large doses. He was pleased to see it appeared as if Potter had taken them, as his count indicated.

“I will see you tomorrow,” he told Potter before stepping in the floo. “I will bring Miss Bones if that is still acceptable?”

Potter nodded and lifted a hand in farewell.



When Severus landed in his office he was immediately confronted by the awaiting group of Potter’s friends.

“Professor!” Draco cried, his cheeks flushed with excitement. “You have to go to Dumbledore’s office immediately!”

Miss Bones unexpectedly wrapped her arms around Severus and joyfully explained;

“There’s been another attack!”

64%

He waited (im)patiently until Mister Malfoy finally arrived in the parlor.

“Mister Potter,” he said cordially. “How can I help you this evening?”

“How would you like a job?” Harry asked quickly. “I need a barrister and you always say you’re the best, don’t you?”

Malfoy was too posh to show any surprise, but he did raise a single, perfect, blonde brow.

“What do you need a barrister for?” he asked.

Harry smirked at him, “I need legal defense against Albus Dumbledore. What will it cost me to hire you?”

“If you would kindly allow me a few minutes to gather myself I can floo to your location where we can discuss this further,” Malfoy said with a wry grin of his own.

“Brill. The password is still Sevvie. See you soon.”

Harry paced around the sitting room, thinking hard about how to handle Dumbledore if Professor Snape was even able to get him reinstated. He had told the Headmaster that he was going to kill him... the old man probably wasn’t happy about that.

He looked up from his pacing when the floo chimed and Mister Malfoy elegantly stepped through. Harry smirked when he realized that ‘gathering himself’ apparently meant changing in to a posher robe than he had on before.

“Alright Mister Potter, let’s talk.”



Harry and Malfoy were still seated in the recliners, discussing their plan, when Snape came through the floo.

“Lucius,” he said with a quizzical expression. “I was not aware that you had a meeting with Potter tonight.”

“Mister Potter has retained my services,” Malfoy said with his pretentious drawl.

“Oh?” Snape looked at Harry. “And what services did you require Lucius for?”

Harry’s smirk wavered slightly. Would Snape be mad about their plan? Dumbledore was his boss after all.

“Well, it just depends on what Dumbledore said to you tonight,” he stalled.

Snape crossed his arms and leant casually against the now empty fireplace.

“You are being immediately summoned to the Headmasters office for a discussion on your continued enrollment at Hogwarts,” he said simply.

Harry jumped to his feet with a broad grin.

“Brill! Let’s go!”

“Hold on,” Malfoy stopped him. “You will not respond ‘immediately’ to a summons from Albus Dumbledore. You do not present yourself a child desperate for his approval or blessing,” he sneered. “Severus, kindly inform the Headmaster that, as it is currently seven o’clock on a Friday evening, Mister Potter is amenable to meeting with him to discuss multiple matters of importance on Monday morning.”

“That’s genius,” Harry breathed.

Malfoy gave him a smug look, “That is what I’m here for.”

Snape sighed and sat down on one of the new sofas. “Albus won’t be pleased to be dismissed like this,” he warned.

“If he’s going to be mad about that, he’ll really hate that I’m suing him,” Harry said with a small grin towards Snape.

“What-“

Whatever Snape had been about to say was interrupted by the chime of the floo.

“For the love of Merlin,” Snape muttered, bending down to accept the call.

“Severus! Is Harry there? I just got a message from Dumbledore.”

Madame Bones’ face was floating in the fire, looking frantic.

“He is here,” Snape said. “What message did you receive?”

“Albus seems to think Harry is with me,” Madame Bones explained. “I just received a patronus requesting I bring Harry to Hogwarts immediately to discuss the recent attack.”

“The recent attack?” Malfoy sneered. “Not Potter’s reinstatement?”

Madame Bones grimaced, “Right. But if there has been another attack-“

“There has,” Snape said.

“Then we use this as grounds to have the expulsion reversed if Harry still wants to attend Hogwarts.”

All three adults looked beseechingly at Harry.

“Yeah,” he said firmly. “My friends are there, aren’t they? And I shouldn’t have been expelled in the first place.”

“Then we fight for it,” Snape said with a look of approval. “Albus was reluctant to extend the offer of a meeting. Minerva and myself had to convince him.”

“There was another attack and he was still reluctant to reach out to Mister Potter?” Malfoy asked, making a quick note on his parchment. “Did he say why?”

Snape gave Harry a long suffering look and sighed, “Potter threatened to kill him when he was expelled. Albus believes that Potter is the second rising of the Dark Lord. Apparently he believes the students would be in danger with Potter in attendance.”

Madame Bones scoffed, Malfoy gave Harry an appraising look, and Harry? He preened just a bit. He was flattered that Dumbledore had clearly been shaken by his threat.

He hoped Dumbledore remembered all the wrongs he’d done to him when he did eventually kill him.

“A twelve year old child said something mean when he was being evicted from his home unfairly?” Madame Bones said drily. “Yes, that seems to line right up with the Muggleborn slaughters that Voldemort endorsed.”

“Nobody ever accused Dumbledore of clear thought when it comes to either Potter or the Dark Lord,” Snape agreed.

“Well Severus, are you joining us in Dumbledore’s office tonight?” Madame Bones asked, returning the conversation back to the original topic.

“Excuse me Madame Bones,” Malfoy cut in smoothly. “But Mister Potter will not be responding to Albus’ call tonight. Would you be amendable to sending a message informing him that Potter will be in his office Monday morning at eight o’clock? We do have quite a bit of work to complete between now and then.” He gave Harry a sly look, “Witnesses to gather, paperwork to complete, lawsuits to file.”

Harry thought that Madame Bones might not like that, she was a cop after all. But she gave Malfoy a curt nod.

“Of course. I’ll meet you all here at a quarter til on Monday morning then, shall I?”

“Why?” Harry blurted. He ducked his head and flushed slightly as the adults all looked at him again. “I mean- I just meant, why are you coming to the meeting ma’am?”

“Because you are a ward of the Ministry until your guardianship is completed,” Madame Bones explained kindly. “And I will be there to represent you in loco parentis.”

“Oh, okay.”

“Until then gentlemen, I will be available at home this weekend.”

After Madame Bones disconnected from the floo Harry relaxed back in to his seat.

“Well Mister Potter, shall we get on with it?” Malfoy asked with a raised brow.

“Let’s do it,” Harry agreed.

They continued discussing their plan of attack for Monday morning, easily ignoring Snape who was muttering things about ‘insane children’ and ‘political warfare’ as he sipped a drink.



By the time Snape and Malfoy left Friday night, Harry felt optimistic about his chances of returning to Hogwarts on Monday. Really, if Mister Malfoy had represented him legally from the get-go, he probably never would have been expelled.

The man was a shark. He knew more about law and politics than anyone else Harry had ever met. And that includes the Minister of Magic. He wondered if Malfoy knew the laws for the same reasons Harry began learning them; you needed to know what laws you were and weren’t breaking when you made plans.



Saturday morning he began reluctantly gathering his belongings that had somehow became strewn across Snape’s house. He figured that he would either be back at Hogwarts or in Italy come Monday afternoon and it would be best to be prepared for either outcome. Harry found a single trainer underneath one of the kitchen chairs and a jumper on a bookshelf. He shook his head at himself, he never should have made himself this comfortable here. It was stupid to get attached to a place that could be taken away from him in a blink.

Just look at Hogwarts.

That afternoon Harry was eating lunch and arguing with Mavis about the difference between forced slavery and choosing to work as a house elf when the floo went off. He kept eating, assuming it was Snape, and listened to Mavis’ squeaky admonishment.

“Elves is not having strong powers when they is not having Master’s,” Mavis explained while stirring batter in a bowl.

“What if you had a wand?” Harry asked. “Then you would be able to channel your own power, not your ‘masters’, wouldn’t you?”

“Potter you cannot give your house-elf a wand.”

Harry looked up and grinned at Snape, who was leaning against the kitchen doorframe.

“Why not? I’m not using m-“

“HARRY!”

Harry gaped as his red-headed best friend ran past Snape and stopped just short of where Harry was seated.

“Susan?” he asked, inching backwards subtly. “What are you doing here?”

Susan huffed and sat in the chair opposite from Harry, Snape’s usual seat, and smiled at him.

“We said I’d come over today, right? My Auntie said I could. So, tada!” She shook her hands in a waving motion and Harry laughed at her theatrics.

“You’ve been around Draco too much,” he accused fondly.

“You have no idea Mister Potter,” Snape drawled from the doorway. “I will return at five o’clock to return Miss Bones to Hogwarts.” He gave them both a severe look, “I would appreciate it if our home was not destroyed when I return.”

Susan gave the man a small smirk as they both agreed before Snape swept off back to the sitting room.

“‘Our home’?” Susan asked, easily plucking a few crisps off Harry’s plate. “Did I miss something?”

Harry grimaced and shrugged. Susan was his best friend, and usually he felt like he could tell her anything, but what if that changed while he was gone?

“What’s everyone doing today?” he asked instead.

Susan rolled her eyes at his obvious subject change but indulged him anyway.

“Hermione and Theo are wasting their whole day revising, Draco and Ron are flying even though it’s freezing out and they’ll probably get sick, Luna is hunting for wrackspurts with Neville, and I have no idea where Blaise is,” she said, ticking each kid off as she listed them.

“Theo and Hermione are studying together?” Harry asked, scrunching his nose. “That sounds like the worlds most boring day, ever.”

Susan giggled and leaned forward slightly, even though Mavis was the only other person in the room.

“I think Theo has a crush on Hermione,” she said. “He’s always offering to study together and he even made Blaise trade him seats at meals so he could sit beside her.”

“Oh.” Harry thought about how Theo and Hermione were the only two in their group who really got crazy about studying and loved to read. “I guess they have a lot in common?”

Susan laughed and adopted a faux-posh tone, “Well they’re only twelve so it’s likely just a phase that’ll pass.”

Harry shrugged, he didn’t know anything about relationships and didn’t really care to learn either.

“Is everyone being decent to Luna?” he asked. He’d worried that they’d stop hanging out with Luna without Harry there and she’d be lonely and an open target for bullies again.

“Of course,” Susan said indignantly. “Do you think I’d let anyone be mean to her?”

“Sorry,” Harry mumbled sheepishly. “I was just checking.”

“It’s fine,” Susan waved her hand, easily brushing off his implications. “Hey, did Snape tell you about me and Peeves?”

“He said you got detention for throwing stink pellets at Dumbledore’s office door with him.”

Susan gave him a mischievous grin, “That’s just the only time we got caught.”

Harry grinned back, he could just imagine the sort of chaos that an angry Susan and Peeves would create.

“What’d you guys do?”