"Professor Snape, is it true?" asked Harry Potter as he caught up to the potions instructor on the way to their afternoon class.
"Is what true Mr Potter? A little more information would be helpful," was the reply given in an insulted tone.
"I heard that Headmaster Dumbledore was summoned to London. Is that true?" Harry reiterated, carefully keeping his tone even.
"That is of no concern to you, Potter."
"Not as a student, no sir. But as a person with a certain order to maintain, I feel that the information may be critical to my well being."
After a short pause during which Snape tried desperately to figure out how Albus's being in London affected the Order of the Phoenix, he finally said, "That may be true, but at the moment there is nothing to warrant any breaches in confidentiality that all staff members trust in where the students are concerned."
"I see. And with that caveat in place, I see no reason to inform the staff of any disorder that could reasonably be expected to arise in the next twenty-four hours. I'll see you in class, Professor." With that Harry spun on his heels and marched over by the group of Gryffindors that were trying desperately not to catch up with the professor. Seeing as none of them were in the secretive Order Snape couldn't demand that Potter return and explain that last comment.
The two-hour class was the longest Snape had ever endured, and he was the one teaching it. That last comment of Potter's had him on edge; going over it sporadically in his mind distracted him from properly focusing on the class in front him. On top of that, every trap he lay for those dratted Gryffindors so he could take points off of them failed. Both Potter and Longbottom behaved perfectly according to the years of training he had given them. The others of their house seemed to have been forewarned to be on their best behaviour to. He wound up taking more points from his own house, galling him even further.
Finally, as the last few minutes of class closed in around him he relented. While the students were packing their books back into their bags, he stood up at the front. "One last thing," he sneered, "It has come to my attention that there are those of you who feel that the headmaster leaving for a week to London is a sign of sure disaster in the making. I regret to inform you worrywarts that not only are the staff of this school competent enough to survive a week without the presence of their leader, but also that the Ministry has agreed to post extra Aurors in Hogsmeade for the week, above and beyond those stationed at the school. Please go back to worrying about whose dress is prettier, and whose muscles are better developed and let the staff worry about your safety in peace and quiet. Good Day."
As he finished, he noticed Longbottom and Potter out of the corner of his eye exchanging looks. 'That ought to put them in their place,' he thought. At that moment Longbottom dropped his bookbag, scattering its contents all around. As Potter reached down help him pick up the mess, his tie twisted around his neck far enough that if class was still in session he would have received demerits for being out of uniform. The timing did not escape the potions professor, and he retreated to his office to sulk over being played so easily by the spoiled brat.
Ten minutes later he came back out into the classroom to prepare for the next class. On his desk he found a neatly printed note requesting that, starting one hour after Dumbledore left, he arrange for an Order meeting that evening at the castle. The last line worried Snape the most.
'CONTACT ALL EXCEPT DUMBLEDORE AND MUNDUNGUS. THEY ARE THE BIGGEST SECURITY RISKS.'
;pThe cover story was fairly simple. Friends of either Lily or Harry Potter were invited to Hogwarts for the evening to meet or get reacquainted with the restored mother of the Boy-Who-Lived. The Aurors, both current and ex, were invited to sit in as security against any one being imperiused into attacking either Potter. Naturally two professors were invited to keep everything civil.
After sitting quietly beside his mother for close to fifteen minutes while she chatted amicably with the Weasley family, Harry finally stood up and cast several privacy and protection sounds on the room they were in. He then turned to Lily and asked her to go sit next to Snape. Hermione and Ron looked like they wanted to argue, but Harry quieted them with a look. Once everyone was seated he began.
"You have all met my mother. You have all heard about the ruckus I've made with... How did it go? My ill guarded public comments over the summer. You should have also heard about the interesting developments that came out of the Sorting Feast. Any questions?"
Snape drawled, "Now there's a foolish question right there. Of course we have lots of questions; most of them about your sanity."
Molly blushed crimson, but tried to shush Snape anyways. "Really now, Severus. He's obviously got something up his sleeve. Let him explain."
Fred and George nodded. "We want to know," Fred started.
"How you knew your mother," George continued.
"Was an animagus."
"And what spell you used."
"To bring her back," finished Fred.
After several moments where no one else tried to ask any questions, Harry turned to Alastor Moody. "How about you, Mad-Eye?"
"Only one urgent question at the moment. How long do you expect to keep her true identity a secret?" he asked with a nod at Mrs Potter.
Shocked noises came from all of the rest.
Harry just said, "How did you figure it out?"
Mad-Eye just pointed at his artificial eye. "This isn't just for looks, you know."
Harry laughed. "Absolutely! And that is the crux of the issue, isn't it. Muggles have a saying. 'If it looks like a duck, and quacks like a duck, then it is a duck.' Those guys have never met the talented Miss Tonks, now have they?"
Arthur cut in, "A metamorphmagus? But their all registered and monitored by the ministry. There's no way that that young lady could be a metamorphmagus."
"True," Harry said, "But I didn't say that was the answer. I just used that to remind you all that contrary to muggle thinking, in the magical world seeing should not always be believing. In the past twenty-four hours I have managed to convince every media outlet, every staff member, and I'm pretty sure every student in Hogwarts that my mother has been returned to me. That is not my mother, no matter how much she mothers me whenever we are together," he concluded, pointing at the redhead sitting almost in Snape's lap.