Chapter Nine

Hedwig watched as her boy stared in utter shock at the human Snape, clearly not believing what Snape had told him. \What do you mean?/ he cooed, surprise evidently clear in his voice.

"It is just as I said, Potter," Snape said curtly. "I suffered through the same kind of childhood that you did, although my father never starved me and my mother was always there to help me get through it. I suppose you can say that my father played a part in what caused me to turn to the Death Eaters."

\Your father beat you?/ Harry cooed in shock.

Snape nodded. "Only Lily knew about this as I had not told anyone else about it," he said. "But your familiar is correct when she says that I understand what you have gone through."

Harry glanced at Hedwig who hooted. \You see? The human Snape will be a better guardian for you than your godfather because he knows as to what you have gone through and can help you overcome it,/ she chirped.

Harry frowned. \You actually want Snape to be my guardian?/ he cooed in surprise.

Snape, clearly hearing Harry's words, glanced at Hedwig. "I find that hard to believe," he said.

\The human Snape will be able to heal and protect you better,/ Hedwig chirped quietly. \And you already suggested it to him after all./

\Oh…yeah./

"Oh yeah what? What did your familiar say?" Snape asked.

\She reminded me that I did suggest that you can be my guardian,/ Harry cooed in response.

Snape narrowed his eyes. "I cannot seem to figure out why you would want me to be your guardian," he said. "But you should have a say in who you want to be your guardian so I will bring it up with Dumbledore after we get the proof we need to get you away from the Dursleys. However I may not entirely like you, Potter, I cannot and will not condone child abuse if I can find a way to stop it."

\So you don't like me?/ Harry asked.

"At first," Snape admitted. "You reminded me so much of your father that I was blind to the fact that you are also Lily's son. I suppose I was blind by my dislike of your father and I took it out on you."

Harry frowned. \Why did you dislike my father?/ He asked.

Snape's eyes grew pained. "We never got along," he said. "To be honest, your father and his friends, including your godfather, didn't like me, mostly because I was Slytherin and your father and his friends were Gryffindors. They often bullied me and never once got into serious trouble with Dumbledore, which helped to secure my dislike of them honestly."

\They kind of sound like Dudley,/ Harry cooed quietly. \But how do I know you aren't lying to me?/

"Potter, have I ever lied to you before?"

Hedwig glanced at Harry as she waited for him to reply and she could tell that he was thinking the same thing she was, the human Snape has never lied to him intentionally. \He's right,/ Hedwig chirped quietly.

Harry cooed in agreement. \No, you haven't lied to me, Professor. I find it hard to believe but I know that you wouldn't lie to me on something as important as this,/ he said to Snape.

Snape nodded slowly in reply. "Are you still sure you wouldn't mind me being your guardian?" he asked.

\Hedwig is right in saying you can better help me, Professor,/ Harry replied. \I know that your position as a spy for the Order will make it difficult but it will also provide me with the perfect protection. Not only can you help me come to terms with what happened while I was at the Dursleys but you can also keep your cover because Voldemort isn't stupid enough to actually think you would take custody of me, the Boy-Who-Lived, the boy you supposedly hate with a passion. And if you don't want to be my guardian after Voldemort is defeated then you can always give custody of me to Sirius./

Snape narrowed his eyes clearly thinking about what Harry had said and Hedwig hooted. \I thinks he's considering it,/ she chirped to her boy.

Harry nodded before turning his green gaze to Snape. \Besides, you should know how to defend yourself against Voldemort and you can teach me. I will need to know as much as I can if I am to defeat Voldemort and all my DADA professors have taught me little to nothing useful,/ he cooed.

Snape's lips quirked but he suppressed a smile that was threatening to cross his facial features, Hedwig saw this and she chirped in amusement. "You're still young, Potter," he said. "But you are correct, you will need to know more than you know now if you are to stand a chance against the dark lord and be able to defend yourself. This years DADA professor doesn't believe you, Potter, and so she isn't likely to teach you or your classmates anything."

\So will you please teach me what I need to know to survive?/ Harry cooed questioningly.

Snape was silent for a long moment. "Very well," he said finally. "You do realize, however, that I will be unable to teach you all the time. I have classes and so do you, not to mention the dark lord will likely be calling me constantly to his side once you start school."

\And there's also the problem of you not being able to transform back until you get your strength back up,/ hooted Hedwig.

\That's true, how can I get my strength back quicker?/ Harry cooed to Snape.

"I don't know," Snape admitted. "The potion I have been giving you should have worked in two weeks time but because I had to alter it so that it would be safe for a dove to take, it's taking longer to work. It isn't likely you will regain your magical strength for another two or three weeks."

\Two or three weeks?/ Harry cooed in shock. \But by then I'll being starting school! Isn't there a way I can take the unaltered potion and regain my magical strength before then?/

"It's dangerous for an animagus to take the unaltered version of the potion I've been giving you," Snape said. "However, I will endeavor to ask Poppy about it and see if it is possible to give you the unaltered version."

Harry's eyes glittered with thanks before he narrowed his green eyes. \I sort of miss my friends and Sirius,/ he cooed quietly.

Snape sneered. "Do you want to visit Grimmauld's Place? That is where Weasley and Granger are staying. Dumbledore thought it would be safer for them there until school starts," he said.

\When did you learn this?/ Harry cooed.

"While I spoke with Dumbledore earlier," Snape replied. "Do you want to see your friends and mutt of a godfather or what?"

Harry cooed happily before spreading his wings. Snape stretched out a hand. "It wouldn't be a good idea for you to try flying. Let your wing rest for a bit longer before you trying flying again," he said before he lifted Harry and placed the dove on his shoulder. Hedwig immediately flew forward before landing on his other shoulder.

"I will contact them first and make sure there are more Order members there. This meeting cannot be long for the longer you stay out of Hogwarts' safety wards, the more likely the dark lord will be able to find you, even at your godfather's place," Snape added before he quickly placed a floo call to Grimmauld's Place before waiting for someone to reply.

Sirius, unfortunately, was the one that responded. "What do you want, Snivellous?" he sneered.

"Will you stop calling me that, you mangy mutt?" Snape growled back. "Potter wants to visit you and his friends but I wanted to make sure there are enough Order members to protect him when I take him to your place. He cannot stay long however."

"Tonks, Moody and Remus are here," Sirius replied.

"I suppose that will be enough," Snape said before Sirius nodded and pulled his head back from the green flames. Hedwig chirped happily before watching as Snape stepped into the fireplace and tossed down some floo powder. "Grimmauld's Place," he called before the green flames enveloped the three of them and they disappeared.


Ron glanced up from where he was sitting beside Hermione in the conference room with Sirius. Hermione, of course, was looking over her summer homework but she also glanced up as the floo flared to life and Snape walked out of it with Harry and Harry's familiar on his shoulders.

"Harry!" Hermione called.

Harry cooed happily.

"Don't even think about flying to them, Potter," Snape said curtly. "Your wing still needs rest."

Harry tossed him a glare that clearly said 'I know that' before he hopped onto Snape's hand and Snape placed him on the table. Harry hopped across the table before coming to a stop in front of his friends before tipping his head to one side and cooing.

"No, I won't translate for you, Potter," Snape growled.

Harry cooed angrily.

"Just because they cannot understand you does not mean I have to waste my time being a translator!"

Harry cooed sharply.

"Well who's fault was that?"

Harry cooed.

"Well that's true, I'll admit that but still!"

Harry cooed angrily and Hedwig jumped in before hooting and chirping firmly.

Snape growled. "Fine since it seems to be two against one. I knew it wasn't a good idea for Albus to have me look after two birds," he muttered.

Sirius was grinning ear to ear.

"Oh don't you dare start laughing, you mangy mutt," Snape retorted.

Harry cooed sharply.

"He is a mutt, technically speaking Potter," Snape said.

Harry cooed.

"Did I not say I would translate for you?"

Harry glanced at Ron and Hermione before cooing happily.

"He said to tell you that he says hello and ask how are you doing?" Snape supplied helpfully.

"We're doing fine, Harry," Hermione said. "But what about you? And how can Snape understand you?"

Harry cooed with amusement in his voice.

"He said he was giving me such a headache that Dumbledore made it so I could understand him and he says he's fine," Snape said.

Harry cooed sharply.

"Yes I did add the headache part but it is true, you're constant cooing was giving me a headache because I couldn't figure out what you were trying to say," Snape said in reply to whatever question Harry had asked.

"How long do you suppose you'll be a dove, mate?" Ron asked.

Harry cooed.

"He said hopefully only two weeks although it's more likely to be three," Snape replied.

"I think it's amazing that Snape has to be your translator," Sirius said with a smirk.

"Amazing, so you do know what my name is," Snape said sarcastically.

Sirius sneered. "Of course I know what your name is, Snivellous."

"Stop calling me that!"

Harry cooed.

"Harry said to stop arguing," said Snape said with a smirk.

Sirius rolled his eyes.

Ron glanced at Harry. "So what exactly caused this to happen?" he asked while Hermione stretched out a hand and gently touched Harry's feathers smiling as the dove leaned into the touch almost self-consciously Ron noticed.

Harry cooed for a long while clearly explaining what had happened.

"He said his relatives, wait what? You never told me that, Potter!" Snape exclaimed his eyes flaring with shock and anger.

Harry cooed sadly.

Snape gradually regained control of his anger. "I suppose so. Anyway, Harry said that his relatives were angry with him because he had asked to let Hedwig out to fly around and stretch her wings. His uncle started…beating him and Hedwig tried to fight him off but wasn't able to do so," he said although his voice was on the verge of shaking with rage.

Sirius's eyes also flashed with anger.

"He said that he didn't know exactly what happened, only that he wanted to stop his uncle from hurting him or his familiar. Apparently, accidental magic is what caused him to transform into a dove, his magic rushed to save him from his uncle's…abuse," Snape finished although Ron noticed that his hands were clenched into fists.

Sirius looked like he wanted to march over to the Dursley household and rip them apart.

Ron couldn't help but agree with them.

Harry cooed sadly.

"He said he used a lot of his magical strength to keep himself flying on a broken wing in order to reach Hogwarts but only made it as far as the outskirts of the Forbidden Forest. There, his familiar went ahead to find someone to help him, incidentally running into me since I was the only one at Hogwarts at the time," Snape said.

Harry cooed.

"Potter, how many times have I told you? Stop thanking me!"

Harry cooed happily.

"You must really like to annoy me, Potter."

Harry cooed an affirmative, amusement clear in his voice.

Snape scowled.

"What are we going to do about those insufferable idiots?" Sirius demanded referring to the Dursleys.

"Potter only revealed what happened to you three because he trusts you three to not tell anyone," Snape said. "He's afraid that if we went to Dumbledore then the Headmaster would do nothing. All we need to do is find proof, proof that backs up Potter's claim and then we can take it to the Headmaster."

"But how are we supposed to find that?" Sirius asked.

"What about the bars on his window?" Ron said suddenly before hissing in pain when Harry nipped his hand. "What? It's proof, isn't it?"

Harry cooed.

"He says that his uncle took them off when he learned Potter had a godfather," Snape said.

"Well there goes that idea."

Harry cooed.

"What bars on his window?" Sirius asked.

Snape glanced at Harry who ducked his head and cooed. "What? So that's what happened," Snape said shocked.

"What did he say, Snape?" Sirius asked.

"He said a house elf by the name of Dobby had angered his uncle and his uncle put bars on Potter's window to prevent him from going back to Hogwarts," Snape replied.

Ron nodded slowly. "Er, that's sorta how we ended up in a, ah, flying car," he said.

Sirius's eyes shot wide with shock. "A flying car? Really?" he asked.

Snape sneered. "They not only nearly revealed our existence to the entire muggle neighborhood, they also crashed into the weeping willow," he said.

Sirius narrowed his eyes. "That sounds like something James and I would do," he said.

"Why do you think I was so angry when I heard about it? It only further solidified my position against Potter," Snape sneered.

Harry cooed angrily.

"Well, at the time I didn't know Dobby was the one…wait a minute, Dobby was the one that caused this to happen?" Snape asked.

Harry cooed again.

"Well, house elves do have a different kind of magic than we do," Snape admitted.

Harry cooed.

"Potter said that he doesn't want to talk about this anymore and he wants to know how you plan on proving what he said is true," Snape said.

Sirius narrowed his eyes. "I suppose going to the Dursley household isn't a good idea," he said.

"They aren't in town right now," Tonks said walking into the conference room. "Why do you want to go to the Dursley household?"

Snape, Sirius, Ron and Hermione all glanced at Harry who immediately shook his head, a fear-filled look in his eyes. "To…ah…make sure the Dursleys are all right. I didn't know they are on vacation," Hermione said quickly.

Harry cooed in relief.

"Well, they aren't do back for a few more weeks," Tonks said. "After the wards fell, Albus, Minerva and I had to get them out of their house before the Death Eaters attacked, if they did."

"What about the Death Eaters?" Ron asked before glancing at Snape who sneered.

"I don't know the movements of the dark lord's servants all the time, Weasley," he said curtly. "I do know that two Death Eaters are located at the edge of the Forbidden Forest."

"I'd best get going, Dumbledore wished to speak to Remus and I," Tonks said. "Will you three be fine? Moody is in the next room just in case you need help."

"We'll be fine," Sirius said not once looking at Tonks but examining Harry the dove instead.

Tonks nodded before she walked out of the room and Snape cast a Silencing Charm over the conference room. "There, now Moody can't overhear us," he said.

"I'd very much like to go over to the Dursleys right now," Sirius muttered. "But how will we find the proof we need?"

Harry cooed suddenly.

Snape glanced at Harry. "Potter says that his cupboard should still be the same," he said.

Sirius's eyes shot wide with shock. "Your cupboard?" he exclaimed.

Ron and Hermione exchanged shocked looks. "What do you mean by a cupboard?" Ron asked Harry.

Harry cooed fearfully.

"Potter, there's a Silencing Charm over this place and no one can understand you as it is," Snape said curtly.

Harry cooed.

"Potter says that he used to live in a cupboard for the first eleven years of his life until he got his Hogwarts letter," Snape said

Sirius's eyes flared with anger. "How dare those bloody muggles do that to my godson?" he exclaimed.

"But there would be no way to use that as proof," Hermione protested. "Even if we got pictures or evidence of it, the Dursleys can always charge us with breaking and entering."

"If it concerns the life of a child, I am sure even Dumbledore will vouch for us and the muggle police really aren't needed for this. The Ministry is what we need to contact," Sirius said.

"All we need to do is get the proof we need," Ron said. "Then we can take Harry away from the Dursleys. But where will we place him?"

"I can take over watching him," Sirius said.

Snape shook his head. "That would not be a good idea, Black," he said. "The dark lord will likely be expecting that. Potter has already agreed to let me become his guardian."

"What?" Ron and Sirius exclaimed at the same time.

Snape sneered.

Harry cooed suddenly quickly and angrily.

Snape glanced at Harry. "Potter says that the dark lord would less suspect me of watching over him and therefore would never look for Potter with me because I supposedly hate him," he translated.

Sirius glanced at Harry as if to confirm what Harry had said. Harry cooed in response before lowering his head as if to tell his godfather that what he said was true.

"Professor Snape watching over Harry is much better than the Dursleys if what Harry says is true, although I don't doubt him for a second," Hermione said.

"Then we'll go to the Dursley household tomorrow and see what we can find out," Sirius said.

"You will," Snape said. "I suggest taking Lupin with you. Death Eaters may still be watching the house, although the dark lord has not told me anything yet, and my cover would be blown if I went with you. Although I do wish to join you when the Dursleys come back." There was a positively evil look in Snape's eyes and Ron had a feeling he was thinking of awful things to do to the Dursleys once they returned home.

"What about Harry?" Ron asked.

"He needs to regain more of his strength before he can revert back to his human form. I'm going to speak with Madame Pomfrey and see if it would be all right to give him a dose of an unaltered version of the potion I have been giving him. That may speed up the process of him regaining his magical strength," Snape said. "Come along, Potter, we must be getting back to Hogwarts."

Harry cooed softly before cooing at Ron and Hermione a few times.

"Potter said goodbye and he hopes to see you when school starts again," Snape said before he stretched out an arm and Hedwig hooted softly as Harry hopped over to join Snape and Snape placed him upon his shoulder.

"See you later, Harry," Sirius said cheerfully to the dove.

"Alert me if you find anything at the Dursleys," Snape said. "I'll take everything to Albus once we have enough to put them away."

Sirius glared at Snape. "Why should you be the one to take the information to Albus?" he demanded.

"Because I am the one that Potter has chosen to be his guardian and he first spoke to me about this abuse," said Snape.

Sirius glanced at Harry. "Why didn't you come to me?" he asked.

Harry merely cooed sadly and lowered his head.

"Potter said that he didn't feel comfortable talking about it to anyone until his familiar convinced him to speak about it to me," Snape said.

Harry cooed.

"He also said that his familiar, apparently, trusts me."

Sirius looked a bit surprised at that.

"Well, we must get going now," Snape said. He nodded a goodbye to Sirius, Ron and Hermione before he turned around and disappeared through the floo.


A/n what do you think?

Blaze: I FINALLY FOUND MY COPY OF ORDER OF THE PHOENIX!

Darth: hahahaha

Blaze: it took me forever and it happened to be at my grandmas house while I tore apart my house looking for it

Darth: hahahaha

Blaze: oh shut it

Darth: hahaha

Blaze: (rolls eyes) the next chapter will come out as soon as I can

Darth: what will happen?

Blaze: Sirius and Remus's trip to the Dursleys, Snape will speak to Dumbledore, and, a week and a half later, four Order members will go speak with the Dursleys, who return a week and a half early

Darth: why did you tell us that?

Blaze: 'cause I wanted to please review. And yes Umbridge's appearance is completely AU. Once again, Sirius has been cleared of all charges by the time this story took place. I will post chapter 10 as soon as I possibly can although I doubt it will be anytime soon.