Harry got off the train with his friends and dragged all his things onto a trolley.
"So where are they?" Ron asked as they met up with his mother on the Muggle side of the train station.
"They'll be here eventually." Harry replied knowing that Ron meant his loving relatives.
"Oh yea, they never do turn up on time do they."
"No." Harry replied, this year he was depending on it.
"Sure you're going to be all right dear?" Mrs Weasley asked him with more motherly concern than anybody else had ever shown him.
"I'll be fine, they always turn up eventually." Harry replied feeling like seven kinds of shit for lying to the Weasleys.
"I'll see you in a few weeks." Ron smiled at him broadly and left with his mother and sister for home.
"I'm making my own way home." Hermione said proudly.
"It's not a matter of age, it's dangerous." Harry warned.
"It's only another train journey and it'll be leaving in a few minutes. Oh, it WILL be leaving in a few minutes, I had better dash." Hermione said looking suddenly panicked.
Harry watched her go up an adjacent platform and climb onto the train. He waited till it pulled away. He had hoped that his farewells would have been more meaningful but his friends hadn't known that they were to be parted for more than a few weeks, probably forever since he had no intention of going with Snape.
Harry made sure that everybody else who had got off their train was gone, and then made his way to the nearest rest room, dragging his trunk along with him on the station trolley. He locked himself in the disabled cubicle since it was the only one large enough for what he had to do.
First of all Harry took the potion Dumbledore had given him, partly because he wanted to do it before he lost any nerve and also because he didn't know if that was the reason he had to wait an hour or not. It didn't taste too bad. Whatever he did he would need to change his appearance and that was why he had appeared to go along with Dumbledore's plan. Now he had some supplies to help him survive on the street and he would hopefully be unrecognisable. It wouldn't do Snape any harm to stand around on the platform waiting for him for a few hours and he was certain that Snape would be pleased at his disappearance, although maybe not the connected consequences.
Next he took all the clothes out of the bag that was designated for his immediate use; it was in addition to the extra clothes packed into the rucksack. He found a long leather trench coat, a heavy grey wool trench coat, a strange hippy patchwork jacket, a long linen v-neck shirt and some leather trousers. It was clear why the bag had been so heavy when he also found the boots he had been given to wear, they were like walking boots only they also had a lot of buckles on them. Harry did not really appreciate Dumbledore's sense of humour over his new identity, he was almost glad that Snape didn't possess one because he had had quite enough of this mission already. Thinking of how Dumbledore might have dressed Snape almost made him want to turn up, or at least to sneak a look without being seen.
Harry took off his clothes and put on the new ones then chanced a look in the mirror; the potion hadn't made him feel any different. His hair was growing and getting wavy, clumps of it were wrapped in coloured strings wound into an alternating pattern making braids; they had little beads on the end. He broke off watching his hair getting longer to reach for the burgundy cotton bandana. After his hair seemed to have stopped growing he wrapped the bandana round his head and tied it at the back. It effectively covered his scar, which he assumed had been the Headmaster's intention. He now had the beginnings of a goatee on his chin too.
He slumped down on the floor, the whole process hadn't taken anywhere near an hour. He had plenty of time now to do a runner, he thought; slip out into the anonymity of the Muggle world. He didn't move though, he had told Hermione it was dangerous, was he about to ignore that and run off? Though he doubted anybody would recognise him in time to stop him now. He could be out on the streets in minutes; the streets might be a lot safer than any other option. Surely safer than anywhere Snape could take him, were the boxes under the bridges and in the alleyways. He could just walk out onto the street and keep walking till he was too tired to walk any further.
He could just disappear, Harry thought, still he didn't move. He could disappear but he would be on his own with no direction or purpose. He would be leaving the rest of the wizarding world to whatever fate would be available to them if he didn't do his duty. Harry thought about Snape, he was being sent away too, would Snape have to go on his own when he didn't turn up? Certainly he would be even less likely to blend in as a solitary tourist and Dumbledore had said that he was in just as much danger, perhaps more so when the Death Eaters realised his treachery.
Snape wasn't just his chaperone, he was supposed to be Snape's and Dumbledore was expecting him to do it. Dumbledore cared what happened to Snape and Harry owed the man too much to refuse. Damn it, he thought kicking the waste paper bin with some force. He could be sure that he would get the vision of Snape's death to haunt him too if he ignored Dumbledore's instructions and did nothing to prevent it.
Harry stared at himself in the mirror and attempted to force himself not to care about Snape or anything else, he tried to force himself to leave the rest room and walk out onto the street. He tried to force himself to leave everything and everyone he knew and step out into an unfamiliar world completely alone. He could not move, when he thought of how alone he would be if he disappeared, a wave of uncontrollable misery washed over him and he wept. He slid down onto the floor of the toilet cubicle wondering if Snape really could be better than nothing. Somehow he knew that he would have to be.
In the end Harry waited till the hour was passed and then stepped out into the station, he walked slowly away from the rest room towards the departure boards, looking to either side of him for anything or anybody he might recognise, friend or foe or Snape. There was nothing, nobody, he was still half thinking of bolting; he could see the main exit of the station and the daylight of the street beyond.
Harry certainly wasn't rushing towards his fate although he couldn't hope that Snape would get bored of waiting for him and leave him at the station, making the final choice for him. He dragged his rucksack and trunk onto the trolley, the coats folded up on top. He scanned the boards looking for the next train to Edinburgh. When he found it and double-checked, he headed for platform one as per instructions. Still no sign of Snape, Harry's boots made clinking noises on the stone floor as if they had bits of metal on the soles, but they were comfortable at least. He felt hot in his peculiar jacket, was it the heat of a humid summer day, or was it the panic that was flowing through him. A whole summer with Snape, he must be completely mad; logic told him that he would rather be a homeless junkie but logic wasn't in control of his feet. His heart was in charge and he was too scared to be alone, so here he was walking through the station looking for Snape.
He stood at the platform and looked up the length of the train, which was standing in for loading. He suddenly saw him, Snape and another man about halfway up the platform. At least he thought he did. Halfway up was a tall man standing by a brick pillar, facing the train. Another smaller man stood beside him. There was a rucksack similar to the one Harry had, sitting on the ground between them. The taller man was wearing a long trench coat and had long hair tied back in a ponytail. He wore blacked out shades, a haughty expression and was smoking a cigarette. Harry started walking towards them really hoping that this wasn't it; as he got closer he saw that it was. He was a few yards away when Snape turned, swishing his inky black trenchcoat the same way he was fond of swishing his cloak, and faced him.
Harry came to an abrupt stop, his feet wouldn't move any further, suddenly it all seemed ten times more real but somehow unreal too. Snape approached him with some irritation in his expression, Harry jumped back in fright. Snape came to stand two feet in front of him. Harry had to wonder how Snape could still be dressed mostly in black and yet look so different. Harry couldn't even describe it to himself, he was Snape but so different, the same way he himself was different.
"It is not unusual, I understand, for young men such as yourself to be enticed away from this place by men such as myself, with the offer of certain prohibited substances as a lure." Snape said with the usual edge to his voice only with a bit less volume than Harry was accustomed to.
Harry remained frozen to the spot, he knew he must be staring but he couldn't get his head together. Snape's boots were large and had many buckles too.
"Close your mouth, Potter, and hold out your hand." Snape commanded.
Harry snapped his mouth shut, he hadn't realised what it had been doing in his shock, "This is ridiculous." He announced in defiance but held out his hand anyway.
"People disappear from this station every day Potter, lured away in their innocence." Snape said menacingly, he reached out and pressed a small plastic bag containing three white tablets into his palm, "There'll be more where that came from if you come with me." He added with a sneer. "Be sure that I will not use you too roughly and you will be paid for your services."
Harry responded with some success, guiltily secreting the tablets in the pocket of his patchwork jacket as quickly as he could.
Snape turned to the member of the Order who had been standing quietly beside them and they interacted with some kind of rock dude handshake thing, Harry became aware that his mouth might have flapped open again. The man from the Order left with Harry's trunk leaving them with only the two rucksacks and their other Muggle things.
"Come, let us go." Snape snapped as he made off back towards the departure boards not looking behind him to see whether Harry followed or not.
Harry picked up his rucksack and hauled it onto his shoulders, hooking the coats through the straps so he wouldn't have to carry them. Snape did the same except for the fact that he was wearing the leather one and didn't seem to have anything in patchwork. Harry rather thought he looked the part of prospective rent boy, as he hurried to keep up with Snape feeling overwhelmed and not just a little bit nauseous at his whole predicament.
Severus didn't dare touch the crystal ball as he led the way over to the train that continued all the way up to Inverness. He was certain it would give him electric shocks if he did. Now, the act stops, he decided with himself. He had hated having to frighten Harry like that, after all he had seen in the Pensieve but Dumbledore had insisted on the scenario. At least Harry was still following him across the station and hadn't tried to run away, yet. If only Harry had known that he had been frightened by his appearance too, Dumbledore had known what he had been doing when he had designed Harry's changes and Snape cursed him for it.
He reached up to his hair and pulled out the annoying band that was keeping it tight against his skull, he didn't see that it had a vital part to play. With a shake it was as unruly as ever and a lot longer than it had been before the potion. They boarded the train and stashed their rucksacks in the compartments above their seats; Severus preferred not to let them far from his sight. The old woman who was seated in one of the chairs that would be facing them glowered at Severus before they had even taken their seats. He had known that a train journey with Muggles would be hell and not the best way to start his new life with Harry bloody Potter.
"These seats are reserved you know!" She snapped gesturing to the seats in front of her and continuing to glower.
Yes, and I reserved them, you stupid ancient Muggle, Severus thought, and I had to pay full adult fare too. Severus resisted replying and instead glowered back but it didn't seem to have the same effect on her as it did on his students. You will be treated like you are not worthy of respect, Dumbledore had told him, dressed like that. But these leather coats cost more than everything else put together, he had argued; even so, had been the Headmaster's insightful reply. They were not to attract friendship on their journey; if they could keep people at a distance they stood a much greater chance of detecting an enemy attack. So far it seemed that their dress code was going to be effective. Dumbledore had said that his muggle advisors had provided clothes that were a bit 'goth' with a hint of 'emo', whatever that meant. All Severus knew was that Harry was wearing a jacket very similar to one his brother had owned before they became Kin.
Severus squeezed into his seat only to find the woman's shopping bag taking up half his legroom; he looked to Harry who had managed to take his seat too. They were in a position in which he could say very little to him and he hoped that Harry realised this and kept to strictly Muggle like topics.
He had to stop calling him Harry, Severus realised; there wasn't much point in their disguises otherwise. They hadn't yet worked out an alternative though; unable to summon Harry's attention Severus let him be for a while, he seemed to be daydreaming in his own little world anyhow.
Eventually the train pulled out of the station. Severus reached into an inside pocket in his coat and pulled out two paperbacks he had acquired immediately prior to their rendez-vu. He had bent them about a bit and placed a bookmark in each approximately a third of the way through. He put one on the table in front of Harry.
"Your book." He said in what he hoped was a more congenial tone than the one Harry was used to from him.
The members of the Order designated to kidnap the Dursleys in the event of them trying to take Harry, had had a very easy afternoon, Severus had been told on his arrival at the station. The silly Muggles hadn't even left the house till late in the afternoon. When they did all finally leave in their car they had been followed by the Order to a very nice Indian restaurant somewhere in Guildford. They had never had any intention of picking up Harry nor being there should he return to the house. Maybe they had hoped that some lowlife would drag him off, at least somebody would be happy with this arrangement.
Severus glanced at Harry; he was staring at the cover of the book. He had tried to get something that Harry might actually read, but it was difficult, when they were so far from their own world, to find something appropriate. He himself had a so-called horror book; he doubted whether it could unnerve him. He tried to lead the way and opened his book at the first page. It was hard to have any kind of concentration, however, even for a frivolous work of fiction, when he felt so trapped. He could swear that he didn't have more than an inch of space to move in, in any direction; he was used to being alone and untouched.
Harry sat so still, Severus noticed, it was almost as if he was holding his breath most of the time. He turned the book over and read the back eventually. Severus kept his hands off the crystal ball, it was unfair on Harry and there was nothing he could do about what he saw there anyway.
There was some loud shouting coming from the farthest end of the carriage as they neared Peterborough and Severus tried not to be alarmed when three men in football shirts and kilts, obviously drunk, came up the carriage waving a Scottish flag and singing raucously. As they passed where Severus and Harry sat one of them lurched drunkenly into Harry and knocked him into his shoulder. Severus nearly hissed in fury at the men as Harry flinched away from him again.
"Next time we fly." Severus said to Harry hoping he would at least appreciate the pun.
"Sorry." Harry said in reply suddenly burying his head in his book. He opened it at the bookmark Severus had placed in there. He hoped that he saw the message he had left him on the bookmark, 'now we are friends', he couldn't tell from Harry's expression at all.
It was a long way to Inverness and they were heading into late evening. Eventually Harry curled up in his chair facing away from Severus and appeared to be trying to get some sleep. Severus looked at the woman opposite him constantly willing her to get off at the next station. His lack of communication with Harry had done little to improve her regard for him. She might have said something, he imagined, had she not had almost as much disdain for Harry too.
They passed through Edinburgh as Severus was starting to feel tired too, he fought to stay awake, forcing himself to read his book; he had to keep guard over Harry. The train still linked them directly with King's Cross and they had no way of knowing who else was on it. An announcement repeated where refreshments could be obtained but since they could not be separated for even a few minutes it was very little help.
Harry woke and sat back up in his chair as they passed through Aberdeen, he seemed un-refreshed from his efforts, stiff and sore. He glanced at Severus nervously a few times before speaking.
"Are we nearly there yet?" He asked.
"We've just passed through Aberdeen, not too long now." Severus answered. He turned to look at the darkness outside; Harry hadn't even tried to pretend to be his friend for the purpose of the mission, Severus didn't hold out a lot of hope of him ever taking the offer seriously.
They got off the train in Inverness and stood on the platform to arrange their luggage for a long walk. The woman who had irritated Severus so much made a point of knocking into Harry as she bustled past. He made no reaction; he didn't even look as if he was holding back his annoyance. He only looked weary, exhausted and despondent. Without a word he hauled the rucksack onto his back and waited for Severus to show the way.
"We must find a place to rest for the night." Severus said as they walked through the station. All the shops within the station had closed down for the night and there was nowhere he could even get them a scrap of chocolate and a drink. He had some food in his pack but he would need a stove for that and they really needed to get out of the city.
The night air had more of a bite to it than it would have done in London; it was cleaner and fresher than it would have been too. They started walking through the streets of the city, Severus had no idea where he was going but presumed that it was a small enough city to not pose much problem when escaping it. They seemed to walk for hours before the streets of housing gave way to fields. It couldn't have been that long, it was just fatigue. Harry followed silently behind him, no complaints but no conversation either. He had been a fool to think that they could achieve some kind of truce, he himself had been fulfilling a purpose with his teaching methods; Harry had been living it for real. He was as likely to forgive the Dursleys.
Severus found a field far enough away from anything else and walked to the far corner of it. Severus lit his wand and found a flat portion of grass. They both took off their rucksacks and Harry loosened the bundle that was the tent.
Harry couldn't really see someone like Snape erecting a tent so he assumed the duty, he really wanted to get some sleep sooner rather than later. Snape sat on the grass and started searching through his things; Harry tried not to let him irritate him.
The tent was a simple enough affair, a small ridge tent that looked only big enough to fit two people side by side from the outside. He knew about enchanted tents though, inside would be a room at least the size of the common room if not a whole suite. Harry used the pegs and ropes to secure it in position on the ground. Snape was putting together a Muggle gas camping stove, probably just for show Harry thought. Snape had removed the shades at the station but it just made him look more Snapey. Now in the dark with only a wand for light, well you really couldn't get any scarier than that.
"I'm going to take a look inside." Harry said, Severus didn't respond, he was too busy swearing at a box of matches, for some reason not just using his wand.
Harry climbed inside the tent only to find that it didn't open out into a magically created hotel room inside. It was a real Muggle tent barely big enough for two bodies to lie side by side. Harry thought of what Snape was going to do when he saw their sleeping arrangements; he was more than horrified himself. He thought that they could just about live together in a nice big room. They could just exist; they wouldn't need to interact when they weren't out in public. This was just beyond belief, what had Dumbledore been thinking about.
Harry pulled both the rucksacks inside and pushed them to the back. He loosened off the sleeping bags that he had previously assumed were for show and laid them out on the bedrolls. They would actually have to sleep with only a centimetre of foam between them and the ground; Snape was going to be livid.
Harry was going through the tent things when he came across a till receipt for a Muggle store. Could things possibly get any more hideous? Reluctantly Harry crawled back out of the tent.
Harry found that Snape was heating open Muggle food tins on the burner, Harry was so hungry and grateful he was getting anything, he didn't care what it was. Snape didn't look too pleased, verging on annoyed. Harry started to feel sick and wondered if he would be able to eat after all.
"How are our living quarters?" Snape asked looking up from the cooking.
"Cosy." Harry replied his voice wavering.
"Where did Albus get all this stuff?" Snape said viewing their rather humble supper with disdain.
"Argos, I believe." Harry replied.
"Argos Filch?" Severus queried in disbelief.
"Nope, Argos Extra," Harry squeaked nervously, "Must be another Argos."
"Hmm, Extra? Never heard of him." Snape said trying to stir the food in the tin as it heated up.
Harry sat on the ground hugging his knees trying to calm the nausea so he could eat. If he didn't take what Snape was preparing now he didn't know when he would get anything else.
"We'll have to think of another name for you, try to think of something you would like." Snape commanded.
Having been 'Harry', for better of worse, going on nineteen years, Harry was at a bit of a loss. The only other name he could think of was his father's, which was also his middle name and far too obvious. Besides, Snape would probably do his nut having to call him James.
"Do you want me to choose, how about Alex?" Snape offered.
Harry was surprised to find that he couldn't find fault with the name, "OK, Alex then. What about you?"
Snape frowned and thought.
"Richard." Harry said as it popped into his head. Snape glowered at him and he shrank into himself automatically.
"We need only use these names in front of other people we cannot avoid, when we are alone together you will call me Severus and I will call you Harry, you are not a student any longer but a member of the Order." Severus commanded holding one of the cans out to him complete with spoon.
Harry took the food; it seemed to be some kind of non-descript broth but was, however, better than anything he could have hoped for had he been away from Severus. Severus! That was weird, Harry thought.
They finished their food in silence then Severus collected their things together, careful to be leaving nothing outside the tent.
"Get some sleep Harry." Severus said gesturing to the tent, "We have to move on in the morning, why don't you choose your room now."
Harry climbed inside and waited for Severus to join him and the tirade to begin. However when Severus followed him he only gave the faintest flicker of an expression that could have been perceived as annoyance. Severus shuffled into his sleeping bag fully clothed and turned his back to Harry.
"At least lie down," Severus said shuffling, "You need the rest."
Harry did as he was told, reflecting that this was still actually larger than some of the places he had been expected to sleep in the past. He was surprised how easily he started to feel drowsy considering his bizarre situation. Harry was soon asleep.
