Disclaimer: Harry Potter and his wondrous world belong to J.K. Rowling.  This story is just for kicks and giggles. 

Summary: Snape's position as a spy is compromised when Harry's life is threatened.  The beginnings of a journey together… will they survive?

Spoiler: For all the books since I've read them all at least once… by the way, this story "takes place" after book five…

Warning: This story is rated R.  Those with faint hearts please turn away. 

Circumstance

By Libellule

Chapter Three

Harry found Leonora in the kitchen.  She was washing the comfrey root in the sink as water boiled in a kettle on the stove.  Engrossed in her process, she didn't notice Harry enter the room.

"Dumbledore says he's going to be okay," Harry said.

Startled, she whirled around, the wet comfrey nearly slipping from her hands. 

"Oh thank heaves," she breathed, relief obvious in her features.  "Harry, dear, you look a fright.  Why don't you sit yourself down and have a cuppa?  Keep an old woman company?"

"Okay," Harry replied, taking a seat at the counter. 

Leonora stood on the other side, drying the comfrey and other plants freshly pulled from her garden. 

"What's that for?" Harry asked, "That is—what will it do for Snape?"

"There are plants that are valuable in both the muggle and wizarding world—Comfrey is one of them.  It will stop the bleeding in his lungs.  There are many useful plants in my garden, including magical ones, thanks to Severus." 

"I've been meaning to ask you," Harry began.  "How do you know Snape?" 

Leonora smiled.  "I suppose it does seem rather unlikely that he would even associate with a muggle."  She began to peel the comfrey root as she spoke.  "Many years ago now, my husband was killed in a car accident.  As you can imagine, I was heartbroken.  We had no children, and I was very much alone."

"That must have been awful," Harry said quietly.

Leonora nodded.  "I was so terribly lonely.  Nearly three months had gone by when as I was coming home from work there was a young boy wandering outside my flat.  He was very peculiar—he had black hair cropped to his chin and a long black robe tattered along the bottom hem.  I watched him carefully—it was obvious that he was lost and confused.  Finally I approached the boy and asked him if he was okay, but he didn't answer—poor boy just stared at me, saying nothing.

" 'What is your name?' I asked him.  And I'll never forget the terrified look on his face as he answered, 'I can't remember.'

"The boy—as you must have guessed—was Severus, but not knowing his real name, I called him Michael, what I would have named my son if I had had one."

"Michael?" Harry interrupted with a smile.  "If he had to have a muggle name, I guess Michael suits him."

"I thought so," she said.  "I brought him to hospital, but the doctors couldn't find anything physically wrong with him.  They told me that he had all the signs of post traumatic stress disorder, they notified the proper authorities, and I took him home with me. 

"The nature of his memory loss was peculiar.  He couldn't remember personal things, but he also seemed to have no recollection of the ordinary—like how to use a telephone or what a television was—yet he retained all his reading and language skills.  In fact, the only thing he was interested in was reading novels that were very advanced for a boy his age. 

"I was happy to oblige him his every desire.  He had a bit of a temper when provoked and then recoiled in fear of retaliation.  It was apparent to me that he must have come from an abusive home.  I tried my best to be a good mother, after never having been one before.  I took him places I thought a little boy would enjoy— to football games, and movies, and out to dinner.  I forgot my loneliness, and he his sorrow." 

"The picture by the couch," Harry began, "was that from when you first met?"      

"Yes," she smiled.  The kettle on the stove was screaming, and she prepared a cup of tea for Harry while she spoke. "I'd taken him to a fair.  Michael had warmed up to me, finally, after a month.  I loved him dearly even after such a short time.  We were happy together.  And then one day, I came home from work and he was clearly upset.  He wouldn't talk to me at first.  He was hostile to me and anything I said or did.  So I sat quietly, watching him pace angrily and frustrated, and I waited.

"Finally he blurted, 'I've remembered'.  Then he told me that his name was Severus Snape, he was a wizard and I was a filthy muggle." 

"What did you do?"  Harry asked, accepting the steaming cup from Leonora.    

"I had no idea what to make of it—was he lashing out, a cry for attention?  Or was it worse, was he delusional?  After all, I didn't really know anything about him, or where he'd come from.

"He continued on his tirade.  He'd just gotten off the Hogwarts train, returning from his first year of school.  His mother had picked him up at the station, but they weren't going straight home—they had to meet his father in the city.  They waited for him until after dark in muggle London. 

"He became quiet then, and remained so for a long time.  I thought he might be finished with his tale, but that was not the case. 

"His mother was reading, and told her son to have more patience.  She suggested that he take a walk if he wanted, but if he was late coming back Merlin help him.  Being only ten, he was restless and chose to explore.  Walking down the darkening streets, looking at the muggle shop windows, he heard a scream.  Severus peered around the corner into an alleyway, and saw three men with masks and long robes pointing their wands at a young woman.  Severus knew who the men were, knew who they worked for.  He was about to leave, not wanting to witness her fate when he heard his father's voice among the men.  He turned back, frozen to his spot."

Leonora became very quiet, trying to restrain her anger. 

"To put it mildly, they were molesting the woman.  When they were finished, they killed her.  Severus tired to ignore it, to forget, but he kept hearing his father's voice in his head, saying those horrible things.  The poor boy just wanted to forget, to get the voice out of his head.  He never meant to cause so much damage.  He'd tried to put a mild memory charm on himself—but he botched it, wiping out everything. 

"He was angry because he'd gotten the spell wrong—if it had worked properly he never would have remembered who he was at all.

" 'You don't believe me,' he said.  And how could I respond?  I'd never heard of such a place—a wizarding world.  Before I could even reply he said, 'I'll show you.'  

"I decided to let him—what could it hurt? I thought it would destroy his delusions and he'd start to make sense again.  How was I to know how wrong I was? 

"Holding my hand tightly, Severus led me through muggle London to Diagon Alley.  I must have walked through the entire place, my mouth agape.  I was frightened and awestruck at the same time.  Was I dreaming?  Could such a place be true?

"Then he pulled me aside, away from people's glares. 

" 'I have to go back,' he whispered.  'I don't want to.'

" 'But Michael—' I began, but he cut me off.

" 'My name is Severus Snape.  Please don't forget."

"And then he was gone.  He ran away from my grasp into the crowd.  I managed to find my way back.  By the time I arrived at my flat I was certain I'd made the whole thing up—but Michael—or Severus—wasn't there.  He'd gone."

"He just left you?" Harry asked.

Leonora nodded.  "I spent the entire month of July alone, trying to forget the little boy who'd brightened my existence.  Then one Sunday morning in August came a timid knock on my door.  And there he stood, dressed in full wizarding attire.

" 'I told my parents I was staying with a friend,' he said simply.  His parents had been furious with his disappearance, and he'd been duly punished for risking magic in the muggle world.  Oddly, they weren't so concerned with his four week disappearance, at least Severus made it seem that way.  I gladly accepted him back into my home.  We spent the next two weeks together.  I was the one who brought him to platform 9 ¾ to return to Hogwarts for his second year. 

"I told him he could stay with me anytime for however long he wanted.  From what I could discern from the snippets that Severus told me, I did not like the Snapes or how they treated their young son.  During the school year, I started receiving owls.  Severus explained about his life as a wizard, how he was doing at Hogwarts, and the pressures of being a part of the Snape family.  I was so proud of him, beaming like the mother I always wanted to be.  This is how it was between us—he'd write letters whenever he could and he would visit me during Christmas. 

"As he grew older, I sensed an anger developing in him.  Not only did his friends push him towards the dark arts but his own father did as well.  I know his family looked down upon muggles and he was torn because he knew me and he knew that I was not any of the things they believed muggles to be.  Finally, he decided that I was the exception, but every other muggle was as filthy as he'd been told.  There was a very dark time in his life when the owls stopped coming, and he missed Christmas's with me. 

"Then one day he showed up at my door, just as he did that summer when he was ten.  Severus had come to say goodbye.  He'd done something he could never take back and for my safety he couldn't see me anymore."

"That must have been when he took the dark mark," Harry whispered. 

Leonora sighed, knowing what a grievous error it had been.  "He told me not to venture out alone after dark, trying to protect me against the Death Eaters.  He hugged me tightly, kissed my cheek, then apparated away. 

"I wouldn't see him again until many years later—on the eve before he would confess to Dumbledore.  I was thrilled to see him, and he seemed happy to see me, but worried.  He told me that he was going to try to atone for his sins—that he might be sent to Azkaban prison for life.  He also said that I could be in danger because of him, that I needed to go somewhere safe.  I agreed because he was so upset.  I would have done anything for him.  I came here, to this cottage.  The next day he confessed to Dumbledore. 

"And I believe the rest you must know.  He started working for Dumbledore shortly after.  Severus was still afraid that someone might follow him to me, and had Dumbledore ward the house." 

"I just—it's so unexpected," Harry said.  "I never thought Snape would know someone like you—let alone regard you as his surrogate mother.  I mean, you're so nice."

Leonora laughed at that.  "You don't much like Severus, do you, dear?"

"Well, we kind of have a mutual hatred," Harry explained. 

"Despite what you may think, Harry, I'm sure that Severus does not hate you," Leonora assured. 

"That's what you think—you've never been in his class!"  Harry said.  "He's brutal-- doesn't let a thing I do slip, and he takes tons of points away for every little thing—especially when it's not my fault." 

"Well, it sounds to me like he cares a great deal about you," Leonora replied with a smile.  At Harry's questioning stare, she explained, "Severus doesn't bother with things he doesn't care for.  It seems that he's gone through a lot of trouble to make sure that you do your best."   

"I wouldn't exactly think of it that way…" Harry grumbled. 

Leonora laughed again.  "I know that Severus is a difficult person, very demanding and stern, but he is a good man at heart, I promise you."

Harry looked doubtful but knew better than to voice his misgivings.  Leonora loved Snape very much, and Harry didn't want to upset her with his contrary point of view. 

"It's just about ready," Leonora said.  Harry watched as she chopped the root into very fine pieces.  She scraped the pulp into a large mug, and then added boiling water to it.

"Better add some witch hazel," she murmured, turning toward a large cabinet behind her.  Harry was amazed as she pulled back the door, revealing an array of glass jars, all neatly labeled and arranged in rows.  There must have been at least a hundred different herbs stored in that cabinet. 

"Don't look so surprised," she said.  "It's my business now.  I sell herbs to places all over England, including many wizard shops."  She removed a vial labeled 'witch hazel extract', handing it to Harry. "Add one teaspoonful would you, dear?"

Snape obviously hadn't told her of his skill in potions.  Trying not to grin, Harry removed the cork, measured the witch hazel, and added it to the tea.  It was poetic justice that Snape would be drinking a mixture that had been aided by Harry's hand. 

His grin didn't last, however, as Leonora asked Harry to take it up to him.  "I'm an old woman now, Harry.  Not quite as steady as I was in my youth.  I wouldn't want to spill it." 

Harry nodded, carefully taking the tea upstairs to Snape's room.  He knocked on the open door to alert Dumbledore to his presence. 

"Harry, come in, come in," Dumbledore said with a smile. 

He handed the mug to Dumbledore, who turned to Snape.  He was sitting up, leaning back against the headboard, obviously doing much better now that he could breathe.       

"Severus you had best drink this right away," Dumbledore advised, offering the steaming cup to Snape.  "It's just comfrey root." 

Snape took it without question, taking a slow sip. 

"And witch hazel," Harry added quietly.  Snape's black eyes darted to Harry, peering piercingly over the lip of the mug.

Harry averted his eyes from the strong glare as Dumbledore said, "Shrewd woman, that Leonora."

Snape said nothing, taking another sip.  Suddenly, he thrust the mug to Dumbledore, coughing harshly.  Dumbledore handed him a handkerchief, and Snape wiped the blood from his mouth. 

"Is he all right, Headmaster?" Harry asked. 

"Yes.  It will take a few days before he stops bleeding entirely."

"Stop talking about me as if I'm not here," Snape growled.

"You see, Harry?  He's feeling better already," Dumbledore said, ignoring Snape gleefully.  "But we should let Professor Snape rest."  Without another word, he ushered Harry from the room. 

"You've done very well, Harry," Dumbledore said as they descended the stairs.  "You should be proud of the way you've handled yourself.  Professor Snape surely would have died, if not for your quick thinking." 

Harry shrugged.  "Honestly, sir, he did half the work—he brought me here and told me where to go.  And it was Leonora who owled you." 

"Even so, Harry, well done," Dumbledore replied.  He steered Harry into the living room, wanting to say something more to him.  "Harry we need to talk about what's happened." 

Harry didn't like the sound of that, but he sat without comment on the couch. 

"When Severus apparated away with you, he caused quite a bit of turmoil.  Do you understand the implications of his actions?"

"Well, he gave himself up, didn't he?" Harry asked.

"Yes, Harry, he did.  His position as a spy was sacrificed to save you."

"It's my fault this happened," Harry murmured. 

"No, it most certainly is not," Dumbledore said sternly.  "If it is anyone's fault, it is mine.  I had not anticipated Voldemort using muggles to get to you, and I should have.  And now both you and Severus are in great danger." 

"What do you mean?" Harry asked.  "No offense, Headmaster, but I'm always in some kind of great danger, and as I understand it, so was Snape."

"Harry, I don't think you understand just what's happened," Dumbledore said with a frown.  "Severus was very close to Voldemort—within his inner circle of death eaters.  His betrayal has led to a nation wide manhunt.  Every wizard loyal to Voldemort is looking for him and you." 

"Then, we shouldn't be here," Harry said quickly.  "Leonora is in danger—we should be at Hogwarts." 

Dumbledore smiled sadly.  "I'm afraid that it isn't as simple as that.  If you were to go there now, I fear you'd never leave it.  You'd be trapped there." 

"So what are we going to do?  Wait here for them to kill us?"  Harry retorted. 

"Harry, you must understand that right now Voldemort is expecting you to go to Hogwarts.  He wants you there where you will be contained.  I'm afraid your protection cannot be guaranteed."  

"What do you suggest?"

"I'm proposing a little misdirection," Dumbledore said, his eyes sparkling.  "We'll let Voldemort think that you and Severus are at Hogwarts, and in the meantime you will be far away—the farther from Hogwarts the safer you will be."

Harry shook his head, "But where will we go?  And I still don't understand how being away from Hogwarts is safe." 

"Don't worry about that now," Dumbledore said.  "You'll have to stay here a few days before Professor Snape is fit to travel and by that time the plan will be set in motion." 

"So not only is my life in danger, but I have to spend the summer traveling with Snape?"  Harry asked, incredulously. 

Dumbledore smiled, "Now, Harry, it's not that bad.  I assure you there are worse things than spending time with Professor Snape."

"The only thing worse is being caught by Voldemort," Harry grumbled. 

Dumbledore looked at him, a serious shade of blue twinkling in his eyes, "Yes.  You'd do well to remember that."       

To be continued…

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Author's note:  Your reviews warm my heart—thank you so much everyone!  I wrote this chapter for you all.  Please take a moment to review this chapter too. 

My winter break is over and I'm back to school now.  That means that my free moments will be few and far between.  However, with the right motivation, I'm sure I could be persuaded to procrastinate.  *grins* (Don't worry, I procrastinate all the time).  Please be patient with me as I return to school. 

Also, I have two paintings I've done of Snape posted on my website.  Please take a look!  If you like them, prints are available at a very reasonable price!  No obligations, of course.  Enjoy.

(There's a hidden link on the page to view the paintings at a larger size, just highlight around the pictures and you'll find it—for some reason the text is black and tripod won't let me change it!)

Any further comments can be sent to me at:

Li_bell_ule@yahoo.com

Thanks much,

Li