Severus Snape was in a foul mood as Dumbledore talked and talked, seemingly deaf to his protests. "Come on, Severus, just be nice to Harry and take him in! Just for winter break! You know that Hogwarts needs to be warded more strongly!"

"Why can't the blasted Weasleys take care of him? Or Granger's family? They dote on him! They love him so much that they're senseless!" Snape snarled. "Now, now, Severus. Do not make fun of their care for the boy," Dumbledore chided.

"But my apartment is connected to the Death Eater headquarters! The Dark Lord and Pettigrew have access! Not to mention all the other Death Eaters!" "I have bought a house by the sea and heavily warded it." "Dumbledore! You don't even know if I'll agree or not!"

"But Severus, Harry is Lily's son!" "Oh, so now you're trying to throw my past mistakes in my face!" "No, Severus, I would never do anything of the sort!" Dumbledore said. "Fine! I'll take him in!" Snape could not stand to look at Dumbledore's twinkling eyes any longer. "You'll be an excellent guardian!" Dumbledore said happily, sucking on a lemon drop.

"Guardian?!" Snape sputtered. He'd been just about to leave, but this couldn't be ignored. "This is just for the two weeks of winter break! Next thing I know, you'll be begging me to adopt the boy!" "Why, Severus, what an excellent idea!" Dumbledore exclaimed. "Dumbledore! Have you lost your mind?!" "Why don't you?"

Snape groaned. "Well, for one, looking at it logically, I'm a spy for Voldemort! And Potter is his greatest enemy!" "Well, then stop spying! That's a good idea!" Snape looked at Dumbledore in disbelief. Maybe the old coot had gone senile. "But Headmaster, we need that vital information!" "Voldemort is getting unpredictable. He could easily kill you in a fit of rage, or just out of spite!"

Severus reluctantly conceded. But Dumbledore wasn't done. "You're much better alive than dead. I care very much for you." "Um..Uh...Ahem...Thank you, Headmaster." "Nonsense! You're like a son to me!" Severus was rendered speechless.

"And Harry is like a grandson! So it makes even more sense that you should adopt him!" "Dumbledore!" "You'll be able to provide a loving home to him!" "Loving?!" Snape choked in disbelief. "We DESPISE each other! We'll kill each other before the first week is done! And besides, you know what my father was like. What if I hurt Potter in the same way?"

"You could never hurt Harry. Just like you'd never have hurt Lily." "I did hurt Lily though, in case you failed to notice! I killed her." Snape rolled his eyes in exasperation. "But he needs you! You two need each other!" "Albus Dumbledore, you are out of your mind. NO! I refuse."

Dumbledore gave a deep sigh. "Don't you sigh like that! I won't be persuaded." "Very well then Severus," Dumbledore said, looking defeated. "I'm afraid that I'm going to send Harry back to his relatives." Severus stared in disbelief and started sputtering incoherently. "But…. Oh for goodness sake, Potter's oaf of an uncle will kill him in three days flat!" "Are you possibly feeling concerned for the boy, Severus?" Dumbledore's knowing smile was making Snape feel like hexing him.

"What!? No! He's supposed to be the savior of the Wizarding World! It wouldn't do for him to die!" "Harry likes you!" "He despises me!" "He listens to you!" "Because he's afraid of what I'll do if he doesn't!" "He respects you!" "I'm going to give you the same answer. He grudgingly respects me because the brat is afraid of what I'll do if he doesn't!"

"Very well. I see that your mind has been made up. I'll just tell Harry that the Dursleys will pick him up at Kings Cross." "Albus!" "My hands are tied, Severus. But just imagine how distraught Harry will be! He was hoping for a good home, and now the prospect has been snatched away! And to think that you could've prevented that! Severus, don't you feel guilty?"

Against his will, Snape's mind conjured up an image of Lily's sad green eyes, filled with tears. 5 seconds passed. Then 10. Until… "FINE!" Snape exploded angrily. "Don't you dare smile at me, Albus Dumbledore, you can save that smile for our funerals!"

"Ah, Severus, I very much doubt it. Now, sign the adoption papers." Dumbledore pulled them out of his desk. "And you just happened to put adoption papers in your desk? Already prepared? What if I'd refused?" "You'd never refuse!" Dumbledore said. "I never doubted you for a second!" Snape snorted and signed his name in disgust.

He jumped out of the hideously patterned chair Dumbledore had conjured for him and sprinted down the revolving steps. He nearly crashed into a pacing Harry Potter, and broke the news to him. "Yes!" Harry jumped up and down, surprising Snape to a great extent. "You're...happy?" "Of course! I'm going away from the Dursleys!" And seeing Lily's eyes filled with happiness lightened Snape's heart and anger. He was going to make sure Harry Potter was happy if it was the last thing he did.

"Oh, and Po-Harry?" Harry beamed at him. "Yes, Professor?" "We are going to act like we hate each other whenever we are in Dumbledore's presence. This is payback for his subtle manipulation of me. Do you understand?" Harry grinned widely. "Yes sir!" He said earnestly. After all, Severus thought as he walked away with Harry by his side, sometimes, even the player gets played.