Disclaimer: I just do this for fun. I do not earn any money doing this since I have nothing to do with the true Harry Potter world.
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"You want to what" Harry asked Snape his eyes wide as he made an attempt to clarify what he had just heard, "I know I didn't hear you correctly. I couldn't have." Snape took a deep breath forcing himself to be patient with the boy. He knew this wasn't a choice, Albus Dumbledore didn't give choices to Severus Snape, he gave orders.
"The Headmaster believes it would be" Snape paused for a moment looking away from the green eyed boy, "Inadvisable for you and your cousin to return to your relatives home and as such you need a new guardian. The Headmaster wishes for me to be that guardian. It's quite simple Mr. Potter."
"Simple" Harry yelled thankful for the soundproofing spells Snape had put up, "How is that at all simple?"
"Potter, do you really think I want to have two teenaged wards" Snape said acerbically, "Unfortunately it's not optional for either of us." Harry dropped into a chair exhausted and rubbed at his scar with a hand. It was still a little enflamed from last nights nightmare and had been prickling since he woke up.
"Alright, so what do I have to do" Harry said dejectedly, "I doubt Dudley will be upset, he'll probably be overjoyed." Seeing shock etched on his professors face he continued. "Don't look so stunned Professor, I know when I don't have any other options and I'm willing to try and work this out for the best" he intoned flatly, "I ignore you, you ignore me?"
Snape didn't really know what to say to the boy. He had planned for the boy to make more of a fuss, kick, scream, something to let Snape know that Harry Potter was still there. "I am not going to ignore you Mr. Potter. That would not be beneficial for either of us" Snape said calmly, "The Headmaster wishes for Dudley, yourself, and I to meet in his office this afternoon and spend the duration of the holiday at the school where your cousin can practice his magic."
Harry scowled slightly, but nodded. "Alright, shall I go tell Dudley then" he asked. Snape shook his head.
"No, I believe it would be best if I told him myself. Why don't you just send him to see me" Snape said still a little worried about Potters calm demeanor.
o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o
"Ah, good to see all of you made it safe and sound" Dumbledore said with a smile, "You must be Mr. Dursley, it's a pleasure to finally meet you." Dudley took a step back from the older man and looked hard at the ground. Dumbledore tried to take no notice of the obviously shy boy. "Mr. Potter, how are you feeling" he asked Harry. Harry glared realizing that Snape had obviously shared everything he knew.
"Fine Professor" Harry ground out sullenly meeting the Headmasters twinkling blue eyes, "Thank you for allowing me to spend the rest of the summer here Professor."
"Oh, it's no problem. The wards of professors are more than welcome to joint their guardians in their chambers" Dumbledore said smiling at Snape causing the dark haired professor to scowl.
"Yes, well neither of them is my ward as of yet Headmaster" Snape said realizing that Dudley was hiding behind his taller frame, not that that worked particularly well as the boy was still quite wide.
"Tomorrow Severus" Dumbledore said, "Now, I've had the elves expand your quarters to add a few extra rooms and I've reset the password. Your new password is 'Skittles', but I'm sure you and the boys can agree on something together to change it to." Snape scowled at the new password, Harry stifled a laugh, and Dudley simply suddenly felt hungry.
"Yes, I will certainly change that password right away" Snape said coldly, "Come on boys, I suppose I must show you to my chambers." Snape turned tight on his heel his black robes billowing and Dudley and Harry rushed to follow him.
"Where are we going" Dudley whispered to Harry as they followed Snape into the bowels of the castle.
"Dungeons" Harry whispered back, "That's where his classroom is, and his office, so I suppose that's where his rooms are too."
"Dungeons" Dudley yelped, "That's a sick joke Harry. Uncle Sev, Harry says you're taking us to dungeons!"
Snape groaned under his breath. "Please do not call me 'Sev' Dudley" Snape said darkly, "And your cousin is correct we are not merely going to the dungeons we are already in the dungeons. My quarters are close by."
"But in the stories the bad stuff always happens in the dungeons" Dudley said pulling his arms tightly to his body and darting his eyes around as if he were afraid that something was going to jump out of the shadows.
Snape turned hearing the trepidation in Dudley's voice and stopped. "Dudley, don't worry those were just muggle stories. Remember, we discussed how they aren't true. Nothing will hurt you, I promise" Snape said in an attempt to be comforting.
"Yeah, you'll be fine in the dungeons as long as you're not a Gryffindor" Harry said laughing lightly, "Don't worry Dud, I was just kidding… sort of anyways. Seriously though, be careful of the Slytherins if you do end up in Gryffindor."
"Mr. Po- Harry, though I cannot remove house points at this time you should still not be slandering the other houses" Snape said moving once more.
"Why are we at a dead end" Dudley asked Harry quietly.
"This isn't a dead end Dudley" Snape answered for him, "This is the entrance to my quarters. Actually, why don't you say the password, I assume you remember it."
Dudley stared at the blank expanse of wall wearily. "Um, alright Uncle Severus" Dudley said, he took a deep breath and then, "Skittles." A handle appeared in the wall and Snape grasped it opening the door to his chambers though Dudley had a death grip on his robes and was shaking. He entered pulling the boy with him and watched as Potter entered dragging his feet behind them. The door shut behind them and Snape let out a breath he hadn't known he'd been holding upon discovering that Albus hadn't taken it upon himself to redecorate.
Harry looked around in awe, the place actually seemed rather… cozy, not what he would have expected being in the dungeons. "It's ok Dudley, you can stop hiding behind Professor Snape now" Harry said trying to get his cousin to let go of the surly professor. Dudley let go apprehensively and looked away from the professor.
"Don't worry, it's perfectly normal that the magic might have scared you, the wards are quite strong" Snape said walking through the room to his bedroom, "Well, are you two coming, or would you rather just stand there staring at the walls all day."
"Sorry Uncle Severus" Dudley said rushing across the room.
"Yeah, sorry Professor" Harry said.
"This," Snape said pointing to a closed door, "Is my bedroom. You are under no circumstances allowed in there." He opened a nearby door that was new, "This is your bathroom. You will share and you will keep it clean. Hogwarts has house elves, but that does not mean you should be untidy" Snape said leading them to two new doors next to each other. Both rooms were identical except that Harry's things were at the foot of one of the beds and Dudley's were at the other. "I assume this is yours Harry" Snape said, "I'll be in my lab, over there" Snape said pointing, "If you direly need my assistance knock on the door, otherwise I'll assume that you're helping Dudley with his spell work." Snape turned and strode towards his lab leaving the two boys behind.
"Come on Dud, we've been dismissed" Harry said tugging on his cousins arm and dragging him into what was apparently his new room.
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"Just swish and flick" Harry said sounding frustrated.
"Wingardiam Leviosa" Dudley said flicking his new wand.
"Well, you got the movement right that time, but it's wingardium, not wingardiam" Harry told his cousin from where he lay on the bed, "Try it again."
"I'm tired of doing charms, can't we do something else" Dudley complained, but upon receiving a look from his cousin sighed and tried again, "Wingardium leviosa!" Dudley stared wide eyed as the book hovered into the air for a split second, but then rapidly smashed back onto the ground. The door smashed open and they saw Snape standing in their doorway looking around swiftly.
"What happened? What was that noise" the man asked agitatedly.
"I made the book float Uncle Severus" Dudley said beaming, "See. Wingardium leviosa." The book rose off the ground this time making it a little higher and lasting a little longer before falling back to the ground again. Snape raised a hand to the bridge of his nose.
"Perhaps you should use something a little lighter" Snape said raising an eyebrow, "Like a pillow." Potter looked properly chagrined and grabbed a pillow off the bed.
"Sorry" Harry said, "Lets try the summoning charm now Dud. The incantation is Accio"
"Dinner will be shortly, try not to break anything" Snape sneered and left the boys alone once more.
"Accio" Dudley shouted, but the pillow barely twitched, "Harry, I'm no good at this stuff." Harry rolled his eyes.
"No one's good to begin with Dud. You should have seen me and Ron in our first year, we took way longer than you" Harry said laughing, "Come on, try it again."
"Why don't you show me some m-magic" Dudley said tossing his wand onto the bed beside his cousin, "I haven't seen you do anything yet."
Harry stood and retrieved his wand from where he had laid it on the table beside the bed. "Err, what would you like me to do" Harry asked anxiously.
"Um, I dunno" Dudley said, "I don't even know what you can do." Dudley pouted up at his cousin and it gave Harry an idea.
Harry pointed his wand at Dudley and watched as his cousins eyes widened. "Rictusempra" Harry yelled the familiar tickling charm. Dudley began laughing uncontrollably.
"Harry, not funny" Dudley said breathily as he tried to get the tickling to stop to no avail.
"Finite incantatem" Harry said and the charm disappeared. Dudley grabbed Harry's leg and pulled the other boy to the ground and began tickling him manually.
"Dinner" the boys heard Snape yell and Harry tried vainly to get Dudley to stop, but Dudley wanted his revenge. "I said din- what do you think you're doing Dudley Dursley" Snape roared as he burst through the door and saw what was happening. Dudley froze and let go of his cousin.
"We were just playing Uncle Severus" Dudley whispered.
"Yeah, really Professor. It's ok" Harry said immediately backing his cousin up.
"I'll be the one to make sure of that" Snape said pointing his wand at Harry and muttering a diagnostic charm, "Lovely, you've re-injured your ankle. Luckily you've only pulled a muscle this time Potter. Try and stay off that ankle and it's time for dinner." Both Harry and Dudley had the grace to look embarrassed by their actions.
Dinner was nothing like it was at the Weasley's Dudley noted, it was back to all the healthy food that Uncle Severus seemed to enjoy. He glanced down at the stir fry wrinkling his nose at all the vegetables. The meal was silent and Dudley continually exchanged worried glances with his cousin.
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"Alright, some ground rules" Snape said looking down at the two boys, "Dudley, you are not to go anywhere in the castle without Harry, myself or one of the other professors. You are free to eat your lunch wherever you wish, but breakfasts will be in here at 8 sharp, and dinners will occur in the Great Hall unless I say otherwise. You two are not to use your brooms unless you are supervised by a responsible adult, and Harry, Hagrid does not count as a responsible adult. We will be meeting with the Headmaster tomorrow morning for whatever the man has planned and you two are to be on your best behavior and I expect you both to be wearing your newest robes." Harry and Dudley looked up at him blinking rapidly. "I assume you both understand" Snape said. Both boys nodded their assent.
"Yes sir" Harry said looking to the ground, he nudged Dudley at his cousins silence.
"Er, yes Uncle Severus" Dudley said still nodding.
"Good, I don't believe there is anything else I need to cover, but I'm sure you'll find something to aggravate me with Harry" Snape said with a sigh, "Now, why don't you go and practice some more magic. I expect you both in bed for 10 o'clock." Dudley looked like he was about to complain, but Harry stopped him with a single look.
Snape re-entered his lab and the boys returned to magic training.
"Accio pillow" Dudley said concentrating with all his might, "I think I saw it move a little bit."
"I think maybe we need to keep working on it" Harry said smiling.
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A/N: Sorry about the delay, but unfortunately real life got in the way. Thanks to my reviewers:
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