Hagrid shook his head. "I jus' dunno how yeh deal with tha' snake over there," he said, his voice even more slurred than usual. He pointed over at Nagini, who was doing her best to look innocent.
Harry glanced over at her, eyebrow raised. "And what did she do?" he asked. Anything that caused the half-giant to be completely exhausted and worn out was something to be investigated. In Harry's first year, Hagrid had illegally hatched a vicious dragon and proceeded to call it an "adorable little beauty." Not to mention all the other questionable, or outright dangerous creatures he found fascinating. Like blast-ended-skrewts. Or hippogriffs.
The large man let out a ginormous breath. "Well, le's see. Firs', she 'cided tha' it was a good idea ter eat all th' food tha' I 'ad been savin' fer th' animals 'n th' forest. Then, she wan'ed ter go ou'side, 'n I let 'er. Then she ruin'd my pumpkin patch. Ye know, stuff like tha.'" Hagrid's speech was so bad, he had trouble understanding him.
"Wow. Well, it looks like you need some rest. We'll just go back to the castle." He turned to Snape, who had been quiet the entire time. "Where will I be staying?" he asked.
Snape sniffed. "I do not know. I have a feeling that Professor Dumbledore did not think I would be returning with you, so that is where we will be going next. Rubeus," he said, addressing the man who was still draped across the sofa. He lifted his arm from his face and hummed. "May we use your fireplace to access the headmaster's office?"
Woah. Snape had actually asked for something, nicely. Well, then again, he had been less… cutting in his remarks than usual. Maybe it was because of the state Harry was in when Snape found him. Who knows. Hagrid nodded and put his arm over his face again.
Snape stepped towards the fireplace. "Potter. To get to the fireplace in the headmaster's office, you have to say, "Albus Dumbledore's office," and then the password. At the moment, the phrase is Cauldron Cakes. Watch." He stepped into the fireplace with a handful of floo powder and said, "Albus Dumbledore's office, Cauldron cakes." He threw the black-ish powder down, and he vanished in a towering, flickering green flame.
Harry beckoned Nagini to the fireplace. "I have sssseen wand-waverssss appear and dissssappear in a fire like that. I'm guesssssing you are not injured by it?"
Harry shook his head, amused. "No. Now, I think you may have to wrap around me again to get through." The snake went beside Harry, who already had the floo powder in his hand. She wrapped herself tightly around his legs, allowing him to stand up. "Albus Dumbledore's office, Cauldron Cakes!" he said firmly. He had bad experiences with not saying his destination clear enough.
They both toppled out of the fireplace, tangling in a huge pile of snake and human. Wait. Why did Harry feel another person on top of him?
He got his answer soon enough. "Of course this would happen," Snape's baritone voice sighed irritably. He quickly got up, and Nagini unravelled herself from his body. Harry got to his knees, and finally yo his feet, wincing. It seemed like all his scabs had ripped off onto his shirt. Clearing his expression, he looked at Dumbledore, who was sitting in his chair with a bright twinkle in his eyes.
"Would someone please tell me what on earth happened?" Harry asked.
Dumbledore took the liberty to explain. "You were taking a long time to floo to the office. Professor Snape volunteered to go get you, and you ended up appearing in the fireplace just as he was getting into it!" He chuckled. "Why did it take you so long to get here?" he asked, suddenly inquisitive.
"Well, Nagini had trouble getting-" Harry got interrupted.
"Nagini?" Dumbledore said, looking distinctly alarmed. He stood up abruptly, faster than you'd expect an old man to move. "She didn't hurt you, did she? Where is Voldemort?" he asked, rapid fire. Then, he noticed the huge serpent on the floor in between the potions master and Harry. He immediately aimed his wand at her, and Harry jumped in between the headmaster and his snake.
"Wait! Don't hurt her!" Harry shouted. Dumbledore didn't lower his wand, but he no longer had a curse ready on his lips.
"Harry," he said, "you do realize this is Voldemort's snake." He was looking concerned, the twinkle long gone from his eyes.
He nodded. "I know for a fact that she's turned from Voldemort." He fished in his pockets, and found the notebook paper that he had stuffed in there earlier. He put them down on the desk, turning them to Dumbledore. He finally dropped his wand arm, and sat down heavily.
He looked back up."I will read these later, Harry. But, if you are convicted of her loyalties, I guess I will allow you to house her, under supervision. But, was there another reason that Professor Snape brought you here?"
"No-" Harry said, but Snape cut him off.
"Yes, actually." He had emerged from the shadows of the room, taking them both by surprise. "It turns out that the perceived 'danger' your phoenix sensed was actually not the Dark Lord's snake coming to his house. The danger that he was facing was actually inside the house." His voice ended in a growl. He stepped forward and placed both hands on Dumbledore's desk. "He will not be going back to the Dursleys'. Not ever."
"But sir, the wards-" Harry began.
Snape used a few choice words that I can't write down here. "Sure. Potter, you returning to that hellhole is a solid no." His nose wrinkled, and he looked as angry as Harry had ever seen him.
Dumbledore spoke up. "To quote Harry here, would someone please tell me what on earth happened?" He had folded his hands together. "Because, the wards are very important."
Snape looked like he was about to explode. "Potter. Take off your shirt."
Harry blanched, turning around to face Snape. "No, I'd rather not-" He aimed a good ripping spell at Harry's top, which flew back onto the headmaster's desk. Harry whipped around, wrapping his arms around his torso. He felt Nagini wind herself through his legs, giving him support.
Dumbledore's face fell when he saw the crusted blood permeating the whole shirt. "Harry? What's this? What happened?" His voice was ever so slightly higher pitched than usual. In truth, he had a good idea about what had happened, but he wanted to hear this from Harry himself. He slowly looked up at Harry, who had wrapped his arms around himself as if to protect him from something.
"Put your arms down, Potter!" Snape barked. That caused Harry to flinch, and he tentatively put his hands by his side.
Dumbledore had seen many things in his long life, but nothing struck him as hard as seeing the multiple oozing, weeping gashes across Harry's torso, stretching over to his back, and disappearing down his trousers, which, upon further investigation, were bloodstained also.
"I… I fell down-"
"Do not lie to the headmaster!" Snape growled, causing Harry to shrink away from him. "I came into Potter's house this afternoon. Potter wasn't downstairs. Guess where I found him?" he said menacingly. "I found him in his room. The room had a dozen locks on it, which I think you would find peculiar. When I walked into the room, I found him lying on the bed, with Nagini wrapped around him." He paused, waiting for the stark-white headmaster to nod. "I didn't realize that his bed and clothes were coated with blood! He shared with me some interesting facts while I was applying the Cruiciatis salve to his back, front, and legs. Turns out, his Uncle," he spat out the word "had 'lost his temper' and taken it out on him!"
Dumbledore looked absolutely horrified. "Harry," he rasped. "Is this true?"
Harry swallowed and nodded, his eyes cast on the floor.
Dumbledore looked like he had stopped breathing. "No… that house was supposed to be the safest place on earth for Harry…" he whispered.
Snape outright laughed. It was a cold, humorless one, that sent chills to the bones for both Harry and Dumbledore. "You were wrong," he said. Then, he turned to Harry. "I apologize for taking you to Diagon Alley. It must have been painful to you." Wow, now Snape was apologizing. The world was bound to end, and soon.
He didn't dare voice those thoughts. "No… it didn't hurt too bad. The salve did a good job dulling the pain." He shifted around, causing more of the scabs to flake off painfully and drift to the floor. "Although, it is wearing off." He turned back to the headmaster, who was still pale and looked as if he was deep in thought. "Where will I be staying the rest of the summer?" he asked, voice shaky.
Dumbledore flicked his eyes between Harry and Snape. He then said absently, "Since Severus is the only person here in the castle that can possibly tend to you well, you will be living in his quarters until further notice."
Harry's jaw dropped. What? Stay with Snape? "Sir, I don't think that's a good idea…" he murmured. As Snape said, "Absolutely not!"
"Why is that so, my boy?" Dumbledore looked at him over his half-moon glasses at Harry, now completely lucid.
"Well, it's just that Professor Snape and I don't get along that well, if you know what I'm saying," Harry said in the same low tone as before.
"Harry, Professor Snape is the best healer we have here, other than Madam Pomfrey, and she's on a vacation in the continent." He seemed to see Harry about to speak, and he then said, "Professor McGonagall is also not here. She is at her home in Scotland."
Harry took a deep breath and looked at Snape. "Well, I guess I'm stuck with you," he said. Then, he shivered from a draft coming from an open window in the office. It was the summer- time, but wind could make his exposed skin really cold, really fast.
Snape sighed and said, "I am thinking I truly have no input on this matter." He walked over to where his new things were and grabbed a cloak out of the pile. He tossed it to Harry, who accepted it
without complaint. He wrapped it around his shoulders, shivering one final time as he relished the warming charms on it.
Snape started toward the door, like he did at the Dursleys'. Harry just then thought that he hadn't said goodbye to Dudley. "Well, Potter, are you coming?"
Harry nodded, and said to the headmaster, "Bye." Dumbledore waved his hand, deep in thought again. Harry wondered what was running around his head for him to be so out of it.
Then, he, Nagini, and the most hated potions professor made their way down to the dungeons.
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Meanwhile, back in the office, Albus Dumbledore's thoughts were racing at lightspeed. He held the crusted shirt they had left in his office in his hands. Harry can't go back to the Dursleys'. If I do that, Voldemort needn't worry about killing the boy, his Uncle would do that for him. I just cannot believe that family relations would do that to someone! Well, Albus, his subconscious replied, Muggles have always been different.
Yes, that was very true. As he stood up from his desk, he pondered the subject of Harry's new serpent. That snake is dangerous. My every instinct tells me that I'll regret this, but I'll let him keep her for now.
But what about his relatives?
Albus made his final decision.
Harry Potter would not be going back to the Dursleys'.
HPHPHPHPHP
Severus Snape was storming down the hallway angrily. The headmaster hadn't even taken his thoughts into consideration! What if he didn't want the impudent little brat prying into his personal life? But no. It was always about Potter.
But, it wasn't. Snape watched the shadows dance across the stone wall as he walked deeper into the dungeons, Potter and his snake trailing after him. What about his relatives? They definitely didn't treat him like a prince. And he should've been happy about that.
But all he felt was rage on behalf of the child that had been scorning and discounting his class since first year. He wanted to march to Number 4 Privet Drive and curse the Dursleys to oblivion, and Severus was quite sure he wasn't supposed to feel that way. He was supposed to hate the boy and his detestable Gryffindor tendencies!
These thoughts plagued him as they made their way to the potions master's quarters. They walked up to a painting of a man with a pointed face and a white goatee just as sharp. He had ornate green robes and was standing in a hallway not unlike the one they were in right then.
"Password?" he asked.
"Colubrid," the potions professor said. "Potter, this is Salazar Slytherin. Even though he is just a painting, treat him with respect."
"Ah, Severus, I doubt he would be able to offend me too greatly. What is his name? I heard the surname Potter," the man said, cracking a small smile. The expression softened his features marginally.
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"Harry. Harry Potter," Harry said, stepping forward. "I have heard you can sssspeak parssssseltongue. Issss thisssss true?" he asked on a lark.
The old man looked stunned. "Yessss. Yessss it is. It hasss been a while sssince I have ssssspoken to a fellow parsssselmouth. You mussssst be one of my desssscendants."
Harry shook his head. "I don't know if I'm related to you or not."
"I hate to interrupt this scintillating conversation, but we need to go inside," Snape said.
"Don't be a grouch, Severus," the portrait rebuked. "Ah. Harry, be sure to come back later. It gets quite lonely down here." Then, he noticed Nagini, who was to the left of Harry. "Oh, who issss this fine ssssspecimen?" he asked, seeming to lean forward to get a better look at her.
"Thisssss isssss Nagini," Harry replied.
"Nagini, thisssss isssss Hall-Dweller Slytherin." The snake took a close look at the portrait.
"Hall-Dweller?" Nagini asked. "That is a sssstrange name. Hello, Hall-Dweller."
"Greetingssss, Nagini."
Snape looked exasperated. "You can resume later. We have something important to do, if you've forgotten about it. Colubrid," he repeated, and the portrait opened.
Harry nodded, and waved goodbye to Salazar. They proceeded to march inside Snape's quarters.
It wasn't like most people would expect it to be- you know, spartan, with various torture devices and potions ingredients neatly organized around a dark room. Instead, it was very cozy, with a fireplace on the far side of the wall. There was an undertone of deep blue that Harry thought he could get used to. There were bookshelves lining the walls.
"I will have the house elves make a room for you two in a moment," Snape said, breaking into Harry's thoughts. "But first, we need to treat your injuries with something more disinfecting and healing than cruiciatis salve." He beckoned to the couch in front of the fireplace.
Harry sat down on the sofa, and Snape motioned him to take off the cloak around his shoulders. He slid it off, folding it and placed it on the other side of the couch. It was, in all honesty, one of the nicest pieces of clothing he had. Snape seemed to stare at the cloak for a second, and then he went into another room.
"Army-Leader, who wasssss that human that we ssssaw in the officccce?" Nagini asked, slithering onto the couch next to him.
"That wasss the headmaster of our sssschool, Bright-White Dumbledore."
"Bright-White Dumbledore?" Nagini asked. "You mean the human The Forssssaken One rantsss about all the time? The leader of thissss sssside?"
"Yep, that'ssss him," Harry answered. "That'ssss why he wassss sssso alarmed to ssssee you."
Snape came out with various bottles in his arms. He placed them on the floor, and said, "Lay down, Potter." He laid down on his back, displaying the wounds on his front. Snape took a deep breath and picked up a glass vial of something bright blue.
"What's that?" Harry asked.
Snape sighed. "Grievously injured, but still inquisitive," he muttered. "This is disinfecting salve. Some of your wounds have been infected," was his short answer.
Harry was silent for a few seconds as Snape applied the stinging concoction. "You said the other stuff was cruiciatis salve, right?" Snape nodded. "Why didn't I get any in my fourth year?"
Snape looked up at Harry's face quickly. "What?" he asked, color draining a bit from his face.
"You know, at the end of the third task, when I had gotten away from Voldemort, why didn't I have any?"
Snape swallowed visibly. "You're saying you got cruicio-ed?" Harry nodded, and if possible, Snape's face got even more ashen. "How many times?" he asked, slightly hoarse.
Harry's brow creased. "Twice. But, don't worry, the 'Golden Boy' is fine now," he said spitefully, using air quotations. He was still a bit spiteful about how Snape had ripped his shirt off in front of Dumbledore. Then, he took a closer look at the potions professor's face, and realized that he wasn't concerned about his destiny, but with him as a person. How strange.
Snape seemed to not have heard him. "At such a young age… how old were you, fourteen?" Harry nodded again. Snape sat down on his heels. Harry had never seen him so beaten.
"I'm sure you've had worse," Harry said quickly.
Snape grunted. "Oh, yes. But it still is very painful…" he drifted off.
"Erm, professor?" Harry asked, concerned.
Snape seemed to snap out of whatever reverie he was in. "It seems like I'll be having another talk with the headmaster and Poppy." He leaned forward again, completely absorbed in applying the disinfectant to Harry, stony mask on.
"What hasss Sssevere-Ssstern sssso agitated?" Nagini asked.
"I jusssst told him about the time I got cruicccio-ed when I was captured by your previousss massster."
The serpent hissed angrily. "I will never let him do that to you again, Army-Leader."
"I know, Nagini. But sssssome thingssss you cannot help."
A few minutes of silence later, Snape said, "Turn over." He did so, and bared his back to the professor. He felt deft fingers massage the salve over his wounds. Thankfully, he had gotten used to the sting, and it was more relaxing than painful. "I will allow you to do the more… private areas yourself," Snape said stiffly.
"Thanks," Harry said, voice muffled by the cushions. He turned back over, preparing to get up, but Snape pushed him back down.
"I'm not done yet," he said. He put down the bright blue vial (which was now depleted), and picked up a rich green one. "I know you are going to ask me what this is, so I'll tell you. This is what will actually be healing you."
Snape began applying it to his chest. The stinging that Harry had gotten accustomed to had immediately stopped, and he sighed in relief. Nagini's tongue flitted over his face comfortingly.
Harry tried not to think of how surreal this whole situation was. First, the Dark Lord's snake turned good was now his best friend. Now, Snape was acting almost civil towards him, not making near as many snarky remarks about how he was "spoiled," "pampered," and "just like his father." In fact, those comments had ceased entirely. It was probably because he had seen first hand what his home life was really like. Honestly, it was a welcome change.
Snape motioned for him to turn over. He buried his head in the dark blue cushions, trying not to tense up. Years of animosity had him reflexibly shying away from his touch. He remembered when Snape had thrown a jar of cockroaches at his head. Well, he had warranted it. It was wrong to look in his pensieve. Harry stopped that line of thought before his mind went onto subjects even more upsetting.
"Potter, get up." Harry sat up to look at Snape. His wounds were still visible, but not festering or oozing like they had been.
"Thanks," he said in a small voice. He picked up the cloak, carefully unfolded it, and put it back on his shoulders. He cleared his throat. "Thanks for healing me," he tried again.
Snape hummed and turned away. "You're welcome." He turned back around and showed him a cup of steaming, slate gray drink. Harry wrinkled his nose in disgust, and Snape noticed this and his brow creased. "This is a nutrient potion. If I hear, or find out that you haven't been drinking this every night as directed, the consequences will be dire."
Harry blinked. He, in all honesty, didn't want to know what these 'consequences' were. He nodded, huffing a sigh, and took the drink. It smelled like rotten eggs as he tipped it back. He just barely managed to control his gag reflex as he drank it. It felt like thick acid was going down his throat! It was repugnant!
Harry managed to choke all of it down without infuriating the potions master, so he counted that as a success. He swallowed many times to get the taste out of the back of his throat, to no avail. He looked up at Snape, who seemed satisfied that he had swallowed all of the abominable concoction.
Snape stood up gracefully, saying, "Come, Potter."
Harry got up (much less elegantly than the potions professor), and followed him to a hallway leading from the living room. Nagini followed them silently. They went down the hall some way, and a door appeared where Snape stopped.
Harry looked up at him, confused. "This is your room for the time being," he said, noticing his befuddled glance.
Harry tentatively opened the door. He had never had a room of his own, and that didn't count the room the Dursleys grudgingly 'gave' him. At Hogwarts, he had always shared a large dormitory with the Gryffindors his age.
He opened the door all the way, staring. It was, like the rest of the place, deep blue. His jaw dropped as he took in the room. It was nicer than anyplace he had ever stayed. There was a twin sized bed on the far wall, and on the right was a dark brown wooden dresser. On his left, there was a large closet that he could probably pace in, if he tried.
Snape took his silence the wrong way. "If this room," he snarled, "is not to your liking, you can go to the headmaster and complain to him."
Harry jumped. "No, no, no. I like it." He turned to face Snape. "It's actually nicer than anywhere I've stayed before." He slowly looked up to see his face. Harry's eyebrows rose. Snape almost looked…
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Severus' thoughts were racing. Potter almost looked… thankful. He had told the house elves to create a room for a guest while he had gone to get the potions. The boy had been acting differently lately. Much meeker, much less arrogant. But what if he wasn't arrogant in the first place? his subconscious said. What if you were placing the image of his father over him?
Severus mentally shook his head. The only part of Lily in Harry Potter was her eyes. Nothing else. Well, he does have her temper, his mind supplied. She never did accept fools gladly.
Was he calling himself a fool?
Perhaps.
