"Have you completely lost your mind?!" he hissed at Dumbledore. "Petunia Dursley?!"
"I had a rather different idea. There are other residents in this street. Follow me." Severus followed.
Albus knocked on the door of a nondescript house and a prematurely gray-haired 40-something woman in robes and slippers opened the door.
Severus barely registered that the woman knew the venerated Albus Dumbledore was coming to visit and she chose to welcome him in rags, when the woman turned to the venerated Albus Dumbledore and shouted - "Have you completely lost your mind?!"
Dumbledore barely suppressed a self-satisfied smirk, but he changed his expression to that of understanding and concern quickly. "You have my word, he will not hurt you".
Ms. Figg said: "You're bringing a known death eater to my doorstep and I'm supposed to just take your word for it?"
Tired of not being acknowledged, Snape informed her that he had no interest in hurting her. When he looked behind her, inside the house, the only thing reminiscent of magic were a few half-breed kneazles. "Even so, if you want to come in, you will both leave your wands in the mailbox".
Dumbledore happily obliged, but Snape left his wooden stick there with a look of pure distrust.
They entered the house. The shelves were full of books on every subject under the sun - except magic.
The three observed one another in silence. "Arabella, I wouldn't dream of bringing him here if I believed he had any wish to hurt you. He is a death eater, yes, but if I had not believed him reformed I would not have given him a post at my school. I trust him completely, and that I stand here with him without my wand is proof enough".
Severus knew a wizard of Dumbledore's calibre could protect himself against Severus and whoever this was without a wand, in blindfolds, but he said nothing.
"It's time I introduced you properly", Dumbledore continued. "Arabella, I normally would have conjured us some drinks, but I must ask you to pour us some."
She got up and fetched three glasses and an old, dusty bottle.
"I don't have company often", she said matter of factly, still eyeing Severus suspiciously.
"Arabella, meet Severus. Severus, Arabella".
They both looked at Dumbledore, and then at each other.
"Severus Snape is a valued member of the Order of the Phoenix and the Hogwarts Potions Master. Arabella here has been keeping watch over Harry Potter on my behalf since he landed on the Dursleys' doorstep."
Snape asked himself how come he never heard the name Figg in his entire life.
"We are here because the Order needs your help."
Still eyeing Severus suspiciously, Ms. Figg said she will be happy to help any legitimate member of the Order who wouldn't rather her have murdered or enslaved. That was when Severus finally got it. "A squib?!" He asked the room around him, incredulous. "You expect me to bet everything on a woman who can't charm a cat to chase a rat?! I'm leaving".
"That would be for the best", Figg said, expressing none of the fear he had become used to seeing on the faces of those incapable of magic.
"It seems that my plan failed", Dumbledore said. Never one to forget his manners, he got up and continued. "Let us intrude on you no more. Thank you for the drinks, Arabella."
The two wizards headed to the door. As Severus walked past the mailbox, the squib said to him, derision dripping from every syllable, "don't forget the duplicate wand you made. I take it that you used Dumbledore's to cast a Geminio charm?"
In Severus's subconscious mind, the word "interesting" formed just beneath the surface, almost bubbling up as he directed one more disdainful look at her before leaving without another word.