Chapter Three:

Legal Consequences

A/N: Thanks for reading and reviewing! I am so glad so many people are liking this story!

Savoren.

Rest in sweet peace, Alan Rickman.

Harry's stomach grumbled in hunger but he looked at the porridge with disgust.

Hearing the grumble for the fourth time since they sat down, Severus glared at the boy across the small table. Laying the Daily Prophet down, he let out a deep sigh. "Is the porridge not good enough for you?"

Harry glared at him but stayed silent, not wanting to start off his day with threats.

With a flick of his wand the porridge disappeared and was replaced with a plate full of fruit and a bagel. "Do eat quickly. You have wasted enough time playing with your food and I would prefer to get the meeting with your relatives over as quickly as possible."

Harry cringed at the thought. He swallowed a strawberry before asking, "I thought we were only stopping for me to get my belongings?"

Severus sighed, "If only it were that simple."

"Why can't it be?" Harry asked.

Severus glared at him, "Just eat your breakfast and stop doddling, Potter."

Grumbling under his breath, Harry quickly finished his breakfast.

Taking the last sip of his tea, Severus looked over to make sure Harry had finally finished eating. Satisfied, he flicked his wand and cleared the table. Standing, he snapped his fingers and said in a demanding tone, "Get your wand, Potter."

Sighing, Harry hurried to follow his instructions. He couldn't help but feel a little nervous about this so called "meeting" between the bat and his relatives. His stomach flipped and flopped and he shoved his wand in his back pocket. Once making sure his shirt covered the top of his wand, he returned downstairs and noticed Snape waiting impatiently by the front door. Harry frowned, surely we aren't close enough to drive? Hell, he doesn't own a car, right?! Harry shook the horrifying thoughts of Snape driving a minivan out of his head.

Seeing the brat's look, Severus smirked, "I need to go next door to Mrs. Klein's. She is a widowed, elderly lady. In the summer I check on her every day - I have secret charms on her home to let me know if an emergency occurs but the poor woman needs company as well." Seeing Harry's hairy eyed look, he continued speaking, not wanting the boy to think of him as a softy. "You will be helping me until we return to Hogwarts on Sunday."

Harry followed him out of the house and walked down the pathway, "Who takes care of her when you aren't home?"

"I hire a home nurse to come check on her," Severus said in such a soft voice Harry almost did not hear him.

Harry couldn't help but feel shocked with this news. He shook his head, trying not to be disrespectful by being so shocked that the bat would do something nice, ever. "And who is the woman next door with the child?"

Severus opened the gate and waited for Harry to walk through before following him. "That is the Smith family - they moved here from America. Mrs. Smith is married to a writer who likes to travel. Anyway, Mr. Smith is gone most times than not. They have four children - all very well behaved and quiet. There is two girls and two boys: Aleisha, Anastasia, Avery and Abraham. Before you ask, Anastasia is your age. Avery is ten. Abraham is thirteen and Aleisha is seven." By the time he finished speaking they had walked up to Mrs. Klein's porch and he gave a sharp knock on her wooden door. He narrowed Harry with a small glare and muttered, "You will be respectful and kind. She has hearing problems so you will have to raise your voice a little if spoken to. Do not speak if you are not spoken to though." Giving him a darker glare, he added, "Embarrass me and it will be the last thing you do, Potter."

Just as Harry was about to defend himself, the front door opened revealing a short old woman with white curly hair.

Severus offered the woman a smile when her eyes lit up, "Good morning, madam."

She opened the door in welcome and waited for them to enter before closing the door behind them. "Good morning, Severus! And who may this lad be? I bet he has all the ladies chasing him!" Her eyes sparkled with humor as they landed on Harry.

Blushing, Harry dropped his eyes to the carpet and remained silent.

Severus smirked and immediately walked to a cat bowl and picked it up, going to the kitchen to fill it with water. As he did so he said over his shoulder, "This is my new ward. I have temporary guardianship of him. His name is Harry."

Just barely resisting the urge to pinch the boy's cheeks, she flashed Harry a smile and, without warning, pulled him into a bone-crushing hug. "It's so nice to meet you, dear! You may call me Patricia."

Severus came back into the room and put the cat bowl down. No sooner did the water bowl be placed on the floor, two cats came running. "He may call you ma'am or madam." He leveled Harry with a daring look.

Harry gave a quick nod and stayed silent. All of this is too weird. Who would have thought the bat of the dungeons actually had a heart big enough to care for an elderly lady? Hell has frozen over.

Severus growled softly under his breath when Harry made no move to help, "Potter! Go to the kitchen and fill the kettle." Turning to Pat, he asked, "If I have him put the heat on, will you remember to take it off when it starts to whistle?"

Patricia smiled and gave a firm nod of her head, "I am not senile yet, Severus. Honestly, I could easily take care of many of the things you do for me - not that I'm not grateful or anything."

Severus gave a small roll of his eyes and turned to Harry, "Go do as I said, Potter."

As Harry left the room he heard the woman quietly reprimand Snape, "If he is your ward then you need to call him by his first name, Severus! Surely your parents never called you by your last name?" Harry did not hear the response as he found the tea kettle and filled it with water. The tea bags were out in the open and he quickly popped in two in the water. Turning on the gas, he waited for the flame to catch and then put the kettle on.

As he re-entered the entrance hall he overheard the middle of their conversation. "- I can have Pot- er, Harry. I can have Harry come over and do it for you." Harry halted, He just called me by my first name. What did she say to him when I left to put the kettle on?!

Seeing Harry, Severus nodded toward him, "Mrs. Klein needs someone to mow her lawn tomorrow. I told her you would do it."

Harry gaped at him, Thanks for asking.

Severus narrowed his eyes at him. "You will do it. A little hard work will do you good. Besides, it looks like you could use the sun."

Harry rolled his eyes and muttered, "Look who's talking." By the deadly glare leveled on him, Harry changed his tone and smiled at Pat, "Of course I will help you. If there is anything else you need help with all you need to do is ask."

Pat smiled, "Oh, you are such a sweet lad!"

At least this will get me away from Snape.

"Is there anything else you need before we leave? I need to take him to retrieve his belongings and get his school supplies for the coming year," He ignored the surprised look thrown at him by Harry.

Pat's eyes sparkled with interest, "Oh! Do you attend that private school Severus teaches at?"

Harry nodded, "Yes, ma'am."

Severus headed toward the front door, "Well if there isn't anything else, madam, we will be home later this evening. If you need anything call your home nurse or Mrs. Smith. If not, I will send Pot- Harry over tomorrow to mow your lawn." He opened the door and gestured for Harry to exit.

Before Harry could escape, she pulled him into one last bone-crushing hug. She whispered into his ear, "Don't let him scare you; he's actually a big teddy bear once you get to know him."

Harry couldn't help but choke on a laugh. He nodded and whispered back, "Yes, ma'am."

Severus let out another huff, "Come, Potter!"

Pat let go of Harry and sent Severus a withering glare, "Use his first name, Severus!"

Severus pursed his lips and waited impatiently as Harry left the house. Before closing the front door he reminded her, "Keep an eye on the kettle and turn the gas off when it is finished."

She rolled her eyes and waved him off.

Closing the door, Severus took long strides back to his house, pulling Harry along behind him. "I heard that snide comment, Potter."

Harry smirked, "You're supposed to call me by my first name, Professor."

Severus leveled him with a nasty glare, "Do be quiet, Potter. You're going to give me a migraine before we even get to your high-pitched aunt's house."

Harry tried to hide his amused smile as he followed him back inside. "You never told me we were going to get my school supplies."

Severus forced himself to not growl. "I do not need to tell you everything, Potter, that's not how a guardianship works. You tell me everything, not the other way around." Before Harry could reply, he held out his arm, "Hold on tight, Potter. We are going to apparate to the alley on Privet Drive."

Sighing, Harry slowly grabbed his arm and held on. No sooner did he do so, they disappeared and the squeezing on his navel began. When they landed Harry had to practically jog to keep up with his long-legged Professor.

Sharply, Severus knocked on the door of Number Four. He glared down at Harry and warned him, "Behave yourself."

Harry rolled his eyes, "Yeah, yeah, yeah. If I don't you'll chop me up into potion ingredients."

Unamused, Severus snatched out and gripped Harry's chin, forcing him to look at him. "Watch that mouth of yours, Potter." Hearing the front door open, he unwillingly let go of Harry's chin and gave him one last dangerous look before turning to whoever opened the front door. Seeing Petunia Dursley, he offered her a forced smile. "Hello, Petunia. May we enter? Potter needs to get his belongings and I need to have a word."

Almost hesitantly, she stepped to the side and allowed them entrance, "You have mail, Potter."

Severus immediately frowned, They call him Potter? He stopped himself before speaking up.

Harry sighed and immediately went to the basket on the stand, pulling out a long white envelope with his name on it. He paled significantly when he saw it was from the police station.

Severus watched him closely, curious as to what the letter is about. He allowed himself to be led to a chair and sat down.

"What is it you need to talk about, Snape?" Petunia asked, she seemed rather impatient to get them to leave.

Pulling out some paperwork from his robe pocket, he handed it over to her. "I need your signature so all paperwork is transferred into my name. All mail, including muggle mail, will come to my home instead of yours."

Excited about the prospect, she quickly took the letter and went to find a pen to sign. "Does Vernon need to sign as well?"

Severus eyed Harry closely, his paling had gotten significantly worse. "Yes, he does." Standing, he walked over to Harry and took the paper from him. He quickly skimmed it, his jaw immediately locking in place.

Mr. Harry James Potter

You are being summoned to trial for drug possession, drug use and underage drinking. Be in court on the 5th of September at 2 PM for your trial and sentencing.

Chief Mickinley

Once he knew his professor read the letter, he grumbled, "It's not fair. I shouldn't be charged with underage drinking I will be sixteen on Sunday for Merlin's sake!"

Severus let out an annoyed sigh, "But when you ingested the substance you were not of legal drinking age, Potter. Your actions have consequences." Should I do anything for his birthday? That's what a guardian does, right? He mentally shook his head and forced himself back to the problem at hand.

Feeling his panic rise, Harry took the letter back and skimmed it again, "I can't make that trial date! I will be at school! And what if I get sentenced to Juvenile prison?!" My life would be over!

Severus felt his patience wearing thin, "Again, Potter, your actions have consequences." Snatching the letter out of Harry's hand, he shoved it deep in his robe pocket and said, "I will take this to the Headmaster and he will take care of it. Stop blubbering like an idiot. You made the adult decision to make these choices and now you need to face the legal consequences. Of course though, since you are the Golden Boy, I am sure the Headmaster will make all your problems disappear." When Harry didn't stop fidgeting, he snapped, "Go get your belongings, Potter and do hurry up!"

Huffing, Harry turned and hurried upstairs to the door covered in locks. He couldn't help but feel panicky about the letter. What if Dumbledore can't make this go away? I'm the Boy-Who-Lived! I can't go to prison! He gathered his belongings in blind silence.

When he started down the stairs he overheard his uncle and Snape talking about him. He paused on the steps and listened in.

"He was just a snot before the neighbor kid moved in. Then, he turned into a snot that did drugs. We thought we raised him right," Vernon's voice was gruff and then he added, "I do hope you beat this out of him."

Harry rolled his eyes, Yeah, making me live under the stairs until I turned eleven is definitely raising a kid right.

"Yes, well, I will do what I can." He paused and then said in a voice that made shivers run up Harry's spine, "Eavesdropping is rude, Potter."

Straightening, Harry slowly walked down the rest of the stairs and took the turn to look into the living room. How the hell did he know? He felt the glare of his professor burrow into his skull and tried to level his stare. He couldn't help but drop his eyes after only a few seconds.

Vernon smirked, "I thought I thoroughly taught you that when you were younger." Looking to Snape, he added, "He must need a reminder."

Severus forced himself not to glare at the man. "I will choose when my ward needs punishment, thank you though Mr. Dursley."

Harry felt a small blush burn his cheeks and focused on the carpet. "I have my stuff, Professor."

Severus frowned and stood, walking over to him, "Let's go then. Say goodbye to your aunt and uncle, Potter. You won't be seeing them for a while."

Harry gaped at him before realizing he wasn't joking. Looking to his aunt and uncle, he said with almost no emotion, "Bye."

Severus frowned and grabbed his arm, pulling him from the house. Once on the front porch and the door closed behind them, he landed a sharp smack against the clad of Harry's trousers. "That is for eavesdropping, Potter!"

Cringing, Harry waited until he was let go and had his back to him before giving a quick rub to the sting in his backside. "Sorry, Professor."

Severus ignored his apology and continued down the sidewalk, knowing the boy would follow.

Harry slowly lugged his belongings behind him. When he was in his bedroom he had let Hedwig out the window to fly back to Hogwarts.

Huffing, Severus stopped and looked around himself before shrinking Harry's belongings and shoving them in his pocket. "Honestly, Potter. You're old enough to know a simple shrinking spell!"

Blushing softly, Harry stayed silent and slowly followed him to the apparating spot. With his mind elsewhere, Harry didn't notice Thomas before he bumped into him.

Thomas smiled and clapped him on the back, "Hey! I haven't seen you since we got arrested! Did your relatives leave ya in the hole? I'm grounded for, like, an eternity."

Out of the corner of his eye, he watched as Snape turned and impatiently watched the exchange. "Um, yeah. I guess. Hey, did you. . . Did you get a summons?"

Thomas rolled his eyes, "Yeah. I will probably be sent back to Juvenile prison."

Harry frowned, "You've been there?"

Laughing, he nodded, "Duh. Haven't you been?" At Harry's silence, he sighed, "Oh. Well, good luck at the trial. This is your first court appearance though, right?" At Harry's nod, he said, "Then you should be fine."

"Potter!" Severus snapped, getting very impatient with his ward. "If that is who I think it is then I do not want you conversing with him. Come! We have errands to run."

Thomas snorted, "Are you going to let him tell you what to do?"

Harry felt torn but with one look at his Professor, Harry immediately started walking toward him, "I need to go, Thomas. Good luck!" He saw the eye roll from his friend and then watched him walk away and disappear around the corner.

Crossing his arms over his chest, Severus stared down at his ward. "Was that your druggie friend?"

Harry sighed, "Can we just go?"

Taking hold of his arm, Severus pulled him down an alley, "You need to pick better friends, Potter. That is all I am saying." Before Harry could reply, he demanded, "Hold on to my arm." Once he felt Harry's arm on his, he spun on his heel and muttered, "Diagon Alley."


Harry let out a sigh as he watched his Professor pay for his school books, "I said I could pay for them."

Severus leveled him with a glare, "I said I would be your guardian, Potter. Now, shut your mouth."

Harry groaned and looked at the saleslady. She offered him a small smile and bagged the books, "If you don't mind me asking, Harry. Um, can I have your autograph?"

Severus snarled at her and pulled Harry out of the shop, "Disgusting."

Harry sighed again. This trip seems to be filled with him sighing and they had only started a half an hour ago. He looked down at his list, "That's all I need, Professor."

Severus frowned and stopped, pulling the list out of Harry's hand and reading it. "You're not taking Potions?" He noticed he hadn't bought the book but he didn't really question it at the time.

Harry rolled his eyes and took his list back, "Someone is too picky about who can take the sixth year Potions class. I didn't get high enough marks - which you should already know, Professor."

Severus glared at him, "You may not know it yet but I am not the Potions professor this year, Potter. Professor Slughorn accepts lower marks into his class." He paused before adding, "If you want to be an auror then you need to take the class."

Harry shrugged, "I will think about it. If you're not the Potions professor then what are you?"

"I will be the new DADA professor. I still need to get the potions storage organized for Professor Slughorn though because he will not be coming until a little before the Sorting Feast. Anyway, Potter, the potions textbook is not a big deal, there are used ones in the one cabinet but how is your cauldron? Is it in good condition?" I know you blew it up enough. . . He kept that thought inside his head knowing full well Harry would flip out on him.

Harry gave a slow nod, "Yeah. It's fine." His mind was still caught on the letter about court. "When are you going to give Headmaster Dumbledore the letter?"

Hearing the anxiety in his voice, Severus sighed softly and started walking down the cobble stone street. He led Harry toward the clothes store, "Stop fretting, Potter. I will send it to him when we get back to Spinner's End."

Harry eyed him curiously as he followed him into the store, "Need more black clothes, Professor?"

Severus leveled him with a half-hearted glare, "No. My stock of black is perfect. You, however, could use new trousers and shirts. You should get new underpants and socks while we are at it." He ignored Harry's blush and pulled him toward the trouser section. "Pick out seven. One pair for each day of the week. Try getting different kinds, Potter - don't just get jean."

Harry felt enormously awkward. "I don't need you to buy me new clothes, Professor Snape. I'm fine. Besides, if you would have let me go to Gringotts I could buy my own clothes."

Growling, Severus felt his patience wearing very thin. Taking hold of Harry's arm, he leaned in close and whispered in a dangerous voice, "If I have to explain to you one more time about why I am buying your stuff, I will drag you into that changing room and take you over my knee. Am I clear, Potter?"

Face burning with a violent blush, Harry dropped his eyes and said, "You're clear, Professor." Even saying it though Harry couldn't help but feel weird about letting his professor buy him clothes, let alone underpants!

This is too weird. First he helps an elderly lady and now he is being demanding about "guardian responsibilities." He's probably running a fever. I thought he only took temporary guardianship so he could smack me around but why would he bother with how I look?

Almost sensing the boy's thoughts, Severus sighed and took the job into his own hands. He grabbed seven pairs of trousers and then walked to the shirt section, "Do I need to pick these out as well?" He eyed Harry closely. He could tell this whole situation is odd to the boy but for merlin's sake the boy couldn't keep wearing hole-filled clothes! Especially not with a guardian that is a professor! "If you make me pick out your shirts, Potter, I promise that I will do my best to find the ugliest of all shirts." He paused and pulled a purple t-shirt off the rack. The shirt had a rainbow unicorn on it, "Oh look! This would look great with your eyes." He smirked when Harry pulled the shirt out of his hands and put it back on the rack. "Pick your own, Potter, or I swear I will buy you every single unicorn shirt I can find."

Letting out a deep sigh, Harry slowly started going through the racks. After finding three, he handed them to his professor.

Severus pointed to the racks, "Find eleven more, Potter."

Harry's eyes bulged, "Eleven?! Why so many?!"

Severus shook his head, "Honestly I thought it was obvious, Potter. I hate all of your clothes. They are disgusting and multiple sizes too big for you. I want you to have two weeks worth of shirts so I don't have to see the same one more than once a week. Find them or I will find them for you."

"Why are you doing this?" Harry asked before he could stop himself.

Eyes flashing, Severus gripped Harry's arm and started pulling him to the changing room, "I warned you, Potter!"

Eyes wide, Harry tried to force himself to stop dragging him. "No! I mean why you are doing this! Not why are you buying everything!"

Severus huffed, not understanding the difference. He stopped pulling the boy and let him go, "Why am I doing what, Potter?"

Face heating up, Harry looked anywhere but at his professor, "Why do you care what my clothes look like? Why are you acting like this?"

Severus rolled his eyes, "Acting like what, Potter? Acting like a guardian? If it escaped your mind, Potter, I am your guardian. I may not be your permanent guardian but while I am it is my job to clothe you, shelter you and feed you. It is also my job to guide you and take care of your physical and mental health! What do you not understand?"

Before he could think it through, Harry snapped, "You hate me."

Severus sighed. "I hate your attitude. I hate how you get away with everything with just a bat of your eyelashes. I hate the fact that you are very intelligent and yet you don't put forth your all. Those are the things I hate, Potter. I do not hate you."

Harry rolled his eyes, "Yeah, there's a big difference there."

Severus growled, "Roll your eyes one more time, Potter. I dare you." When Harry stayed silent, Severus pointed back to the direction of the shirts, "Eleven, Potter. Now!" Once Harry walked back to the racks, Severus went to find socks and underpants. After grabbing multiple packs of each, he then went and grabbed two sets of silk pajamas. Returning to Harry, he sighed when he realized Harry still hadn't picked out enough shirts. He raised the clothes in his hands, "Do you approve of my choices, Potter?"

Harry blushed darkly at the sight of the underpants, "Yeah."

"Do you need help picking out your shirts?" When Harry gave him a small glare, he added, "I won't pick out unicorns." Pulling out a plain red shirt, he asked, "What about this one?"

Harry nodded in acceptance and then picked out one of each of that shirt in different colors. Satisfied that he had fourteen, he showed them to his professor, "Can we stop now?"

Severus took the shirts from the boy and looked down at his rugged trainers, "Go pick out a pair of trainers and a pair of dress shoes." Hearing him start to groan, Severus snapped, "Stop fighting this, Potter!" When Harry disappeared, he took the pile of clothing up to the register.

She immediately started ringing him up, "Is this everything?" She smiled when she noticed it was her old Potions Professor. "Professor Snape! How are you?" Changing the subject before he had the chance to ask, she asked, "Who are you getting these clothes for?"

Severus watched as Harry started walking toward him, two shoe boxes in hand. "My new ward. Please just ring it up. I am not in the mood for a conversation." He took took the boxes from Harry and placed them with the rest of the stuff.

Harry kept his eyes down, still feeling highly awkward about this entire situation.

"Harry Potter is your ward?" The shock in her voice made Harry leave out a huge sigh and wish he could disappear.

"Would you finish your job or do I need to get your manager to ring us up?" Severus snapped dangerously.

She gave him a small glare but shut her mouth and finished ringing them up.

Harry watched on in silence as his professor paid for his new wardrobe and then followed him out of the store.

Severus stood and went through the mental list, wondering if he forgot anything important for his ward. Satisfied, he turned to look back at Harry, "Do you need anything else?"

Harry let out a sigh, "No." Please just stop spending money on me! "Can we send the letter to Dumbledore now?"

"Headmaster Dumbledore, Potter. Mind your manners!" Snape snapped dangerously. "I told you I would send it when we return to my home."

Harry gave a quick nod, "Then can we go?"

Severus eyed him closely, "Do you not have faith that he will fix it for you? Doesn't he make all your problems go away?"

He hasn't made YOU go away. Harry shrugged, "I'm just antsy. I just want it over with."

"Well it's past lunch and I am quite hungry, we will deal with it shortly." Without any warning he snapped, "Vix!"

*pop* Vix bowed low to his master and asked, "What can Vix do for Master Snape?"

"Please make lunch and have it on the table. We are returning home now." He watched as the elf bowed again and then disappeared with another pop. "Take my arm, Potter."

Again, Harry did as he was told and took hold of his arm, dreading the upcoming sensation of being pulled through a tiny hole.

A/N: Thanks for reading and please leave a review! :)

Savoren.