Slowly and painfully, he made his way up to the office. Reaching the gargoyle, he didn't utter a word as it began to turn. After stepping foot on the stairs, he braced on the wall for support. There, at the desk, sat Dumbledore, looking grave as he always did whenever Severus returned from a meeting. If he noticed the banana peel, he didn't say anything. Warily, Severus explained the details of the meeting. During this, Dumbledore called an elf and whispered in his ear. Nodding, the elf apparated, the banana peel following more quietly. By the time Severus was finished, Dumbledore was already forming a plan in his head.
"First things first" he said, "Tell Voldemort (Severus flinching at the name) that I had planned for me, you, and a couple of aurors to be there... All we can do now is wait for it. As for the Dursley's address, I will plan on it, for the slightest error has the ability to make a huge difference. It is a delicate situation."
Severus nodded sharply. As he turned to leave, Dumbledore's quiet voice stopped him.
"Severus" he said.
Snape waited for him to continue.
"You do understand that it is not wise for Harry to be left here after my departure. The wards will be weaker, albeit slightly, and as I continue to ponder the situation, the more I feel that he shouldn't stay here"
Snape said nothing. He had to admit that what the headmaster had said was true. However, the meaning behind it was not something he was ready to acknowledge. Before he was able to formulate a response, Dumbledore continued.
"Never mind this for now Severus; I'm sure you will agree that this topic would be best left for a time where things have settled down. We have time. I simply thought it wise to inform you so that you may have more time to ponder it."
"Very well" Snape said, already processing there next dilemma. Clumsily but quickly, he made his was to his rooms, while uncharacteristically tripping over himself. Surprisingly, he made it without falling.
He had been so tired that he had not realized that he could have used the floo. Apparently, Dumbledore hadn't remembered either. Good thing it was summer and no students would see him in such condition.
He was just about to lie upon the inviting bed when a loud thump was heard in the next room. Still slightly incoherent, he jumped and took out his wand. Giving himself a second to think, he remembered who was currently residing there. For some reason unknown, he became furious that the boy would disturb him at that time. Closing the door to his rooms loud enough to wake the dead, he made his way to the room next door. Slamming the door open, he checked for the source of the noise and did not expect to find what he did. There, on the floor, was Potter, franticly moving around and getting himself tangled with the bed sheets.
His face was covered in a sheen of sweat and he was muttering rather loudly.
"Potter" Snape said.
Obviously, it wasn't helping the boy, as he curled into himself even more. Snape then attempted roughly to untangle the sheets that were bound to choke the boy. Although the reaction should have been expected, Snape couldn't help but be caught off guard by it. The second he touched the boy's shoulder, he was kicked… hard… in the stomach. As he worked to regain composure, the boy continued to reverse until he hit the wall, hands overhead. It somewhat reminded him of the day in the lab.
Two seconds later, he decided that it might be best to wake the boy up from a distance.
"Potter!", He yelled one more.
The boy's eyes opened unseeingly. Could the boy's nightmare truly be that bad? Snape thought silently to himself.
Next thing he knew, Potter was looking at him, awareness coming to him. Not a second later, he turned away. If it wasn't so dark, Snape was sure he would see the boy blushing. In a rather low voice… the boy stumble over his words.
"I..I'm sorry sir. I woke you?"
After hearing no response to this, Harry continued.
"Err.. Right. Am I allowed to do magic here sir? I…I could put up a silencing charm." Still Snape continued to look at him.
It was getting really awkward when Snape seemed to snap out of whatever world he was in.
"No… no don't do that Potter", he responded offhandedly.
"err…" was all Harry said, having no idea what to expect from the potions master.
Snape wasn't sure how to continue either. What could he say? Deciding it wouldn't make a difference, he got to the point.
"Was that a nightmare Potter? Or…"
They both knew Harry understood the unspoken meaning. Swallowing, Harry spoke up, his voice slightly louder this time.
"Er… it was only a nightmare sir."
He knew it was…. It wasn't possible for people to die twice. "
Um.. You could just throw a shoe or something at me and I'd wake up. And I'll ask Professor Dumbledore about the charm sir."
"Throw a shoe at you…" Snape couldn't help but repeat the obtuse suggestion.
Why would he do that for? Brushing off what he knew was going to be a pointless reply, he continued on.
"Yes Potter, you may do magic whilst here, but I do not want any silencing charms up."
Seeing as the boy was about to protest, he continued on, slightly more forceful.
"Someone should be here to wake you up before you strangle yourself after all the trouble we went through keeping you alive."
With that said, he made his way to the door, turning around once to say, "I have dreamless sleep. You may use it no more then three nights a week but you may ask me for it" Before Harry could even think to formulate a reply, he was gone.
Meanwhile, Harry's half-asleep mind was still muddled with everything that just happened. Checking Dudley's old watch, he saw that it was nearly four in the morning. Not feeling up to going back to sleep, he went to sit on the bed, eyes closed and his head resting on the post. So… he was allowed to do magic. That will make things easier. But then there's the fact that Snape didn't want the charms up. It bothered him that the man would want to hear his aimless mutterings and screams. For what? He had no idea. He would later find it to be a cruel thought, but at the moment it was like Snape was pleased to here his suffering.
By the time Dobby arrived with Harry's lunch, he was nearly finished with his potions essay and was working on charms. He decided he would check them over later so the mistakes could be easier to spot. After eating as much as he could, which wasn't even a lot, he decided to go and walk around the lake.
He use to love going before fourth year. Now it was only associated with bad memories. Some of them not even his own. His favorite place, right by the tree, was exactly where Snape's memory had occurred. It wouldn't be exactly true for Harry to continue to call that spot his favorite.
It hurt that his father would do that. Yes, he was young at the time, but he was about Harry's current age… and Harry would never do something like that. He was pulled out of his thoughts after seeing a sight he thought he would never witness. Snape was sitting by that very tree. This surprised Harry for many reasons. One was that it was sure to bring back bad memories. Another was that he never could picture the older Snape sitting on the grass…until now. As if sensing Harry's presence, Snape looked up sharply, glare in place. Harry was just about to turn the other way when Snape got up. The only indication that he noticed Harry was the glare. Other then that, it was as though Harry wasn't there as he shoved pass him and continued on towards the castle.
Harry, learning to not really give a damn at the man's bipolarity, continued on as if nothing happened, coming to a stop on the spot recently vacated by Snape. He scowled, not unlike Snape, as he continued on walking. At first, it was angry and brisk, but soon he managed to cool down and slow his pace. He was halfway around the lake when he felt the first drop of rain land on his head. He started to walk fast and then later started jogging, attempting to get to the castle before the rain caught him. He was well aware of how big the lake was, a little too aware to his taste. And he knew he wouldn't make it back dry. It was a lot harder to run as the ground got muddier and the rain came down harder and harder.
He was attempting to wipe his glasses when they slipped off his face and onto the ground. Swearing, he went to his knees and hurriedly searched for them. Forgetting how close he was to the lake, he accidentally reached his hand into it, using a little too much pressure. He ended up falling head first into the lake. The weirdest part of it was that he hit solid ground not long after falling in. After gaining his footing, he was about to climb out when something hit his leg….hard. Fear gripped at his chest as he blindly continued to grip at the edge.
After finally climbing out, he realized he brought something with him.
He moved backwards until his hand hit something. His glasses to be more specific. They were muddy and he just bent the frame, but he didn't care. Placing them on his face, he saw that it was a bike. A moving bike. That was now loosing hold of his leg. It became upright and was very still. Somehow, Harry managed to see it coming when the bike charged towards him and swiftly moved out of the way.
Purely out of reflexes, he reached for his wand. He panicked as he didn't feel it. At the last minute he remembered that there had been a convenient pocket sewn in under his sleeve that seemed like it was made for a wand. He immobilized the bike and waited a few seconds for his heartbeat to slow down. Where the bloody hell did that bike come from? For some reason, he felt that that wouldn't be the last time he saw that bike. Maybe it was just because of the scenario back in second year with Mr. Weasley's car. When he was finally thinking clearly, he felt like kicking himself.
He was a wizard….and he was at Hogwarts. Ugh, I'm so stupid he thought. He could have used his wand to get his glasses for him….it could've kept him from getting wet in the first place. After charming himself dry and fixing his glasses, he made his way to the castle at a more relaxed pace. He felt the headache coming on as he made his way inside.
At that very second he saw the Bloody Barron moving his way. Without even stopping, he told Harry that the headmaster required his presence. Not attempting to conceal the grown, he tiredly made his way up to the office.
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Snape was mad. One of the things that seemed to be happening a lot lately. After reaching the castle he turned to see the brat standing right where Snape was previously sitting. Probably thinking about his bloody father's….achievements. Somewhat allowing the anger to get to him he made his way to the dungeons when he ran into the headmaster. Not really in the mood to discuss the brat, he shook his head and continued on, too annoyed to care about how rude he was. The headmaster, however, was unfazed, seemingly understanding Snape's currently fowl mood. As though it never happened, he made his way to his office and called on the Bloody Barron to relay a message to a certain boy.
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Finally arriving at the office, he reached for the door and heard the "come in" from the headmaster. After refusing the tea and other pleasantries the headmaster had to offer, he finally got to the point.
"Harry… I've been thinking about this for a while, and I believe it would be for the best."
Harry felt like he would throw up. Anything that started off like this had to be bad. The only thing he could really think of was being sent back to the Dursley's. He felt miserable. Not for long though, as anger set in. Snape had made him go through all this for nothing. He would go back..
His uncle would be furious…. And even if he made it back to Hogwarts, he would only be ridiculed by Snape and receive pity from every other corner. Snape…or even Dumbledore for that matter. Wouldn't keep this to themselves. Voice barely coherent, Harry spoke.
"So... you're sending me back. I understand. Ok….." he lost what was left of his voice then.
"No, no! Of course not my dear boy. You will NOT be returning there." The air with which he said had a sense of finality to it.
Harry had too much experience with adults lying to him to believe this, however. He said nothing as the dread refused to leave him.
"You won't Harry. You will not go back there. I am simply informing you so that you will not go to the trouble of unpacking everything"
Seeing the questioning look on Harry's face, he answered the unasked question.
"At the moment I am unsure of where you shall be staying, but worry not about it dear boy. It will be taken care of"
To Harry those words simply deciphered to… I could not find anyone who wants to take you in.
Finding his voice, he said "I apologize for all the trouble headmaster… I'm really sorry"
Dumbledore looked sad and his eyes dimmed as he explained to Harry that he was no problem at all. Harry nodded unconvincingly before making an excuse on being tired.
Making his way to the dungeons, all he could think of was the headmaster sending him back to the Dursley's when he found no where else. He should've seen it coming anyways. It just hurt that he couldn't tell himself that maybe the headmaster didn't know what he was put through.
Whatever, he thought.
Maybe he did deserve it.
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