A/N - Second chapter up!!! Whew, it took me ages to finish
this one. Had a lot to fit into it. Enjoy...(after the
disclaimer and thanks!)
Disclaimer: I own nothing from the Harry Potter world, JK Rowling owns it all. Pity.
Huge thank yous to Saerelle and Bookwyrm for reviewing! I got this up as fast as I could!
A Snape Kind of Summer
Chapter 2 - Family Conferences
"Sirius!" Harry cried. "What in Merlin's name are you doing here?"
"I've come to take you to-" Sirius began.
"No! I will not go! I told you I wouldn't, and I wont. I am not spending my Summer there. No way." Harry crossed his arms resolutely.
"Harry..." Sirius tried again. "I'm not going to take you to Snape's...I promise you that you will never have to enter the slime-balls house if you don't want to, but I'm not here for that. I'm taking you to Hogwarts."
"Hogwarts? Term has only just finished! I'm not spending my Summer there, am I?"
"No, Harry," Sirius replied. "Dumbledore needs to talk to you."
"If it's about-"
"Harry! No one's going to force you to do anything! And about that lovely owl you sent me, I had no idea what Dumbledore had planned. He hadn't told me! So don't you start having a go at me, I was the one that barged in there and had a fat go at Dumbledore, so I suggest you stop blaming me!"
"Oops," Harry muttered. "I just thought you'd know...being my godfather and all..."
"I think that's why he didn't tell me," Sirius replied thoughtfully. "And with all the history with me and Snape...Merlin, I don't know why I was even surprised now...anyway, you have to come with me to Hogwarts, with all of your stuff packed. DON'T ask me why, I have no idea..." Sirius lied.
"Alright," Harry sighed, re-entering the house. "Give me a minute..."
"Boy? Who is that at the door? If it's another salesman you can tell him to shove off!" called uncle Vernon from the lounge.
"No, it's not a salesman," stated Harry. "It's my godfather, Sirius. He's going to take me to Hogwarts, now, so see you next summer...maybe."
Uncle Vernon froze.
"You mean that there is someone else...like you in this house?" He spat viciously.
"Yep!" said Harry. "My godfather, I told you...remember him? The convicted one. You remember!" Urged Harry, waiting for his uncle's reaction when he inevitably did remember.
It was worth the wait. The colour instantly drained from his uncle's face, and he started to tremble ever so slightly.
"Get....out..." he managed. "Now! Or I shall make you!"
Heaving his stuff out from under the stairs, Harry raised an eyebrow. He pulled out his wand.
"How do you plan to do that, then?" asked Harry innocently.
"Harry..." warned Sirius from the door.
"Don't worry," said Harry, putting his wand into his trunk. "I wasn't planning on using it."
Harry and Sirius heaved Harry's things out of the door, and let Hedwig out of her cage.
"You'll know where to find me," said Harry. "It would probably be an uncomfortable journey, so you'd do better to fly."
Hedwig hooted her thanks, and took off. Harry looked across at Sirius.
"How are we going to get there?" he asked. "Do you have a portkey?"
Sirius nodded.
"It's one of those ones that you can set the time after you've made it, just in case you take longer than planned," he replied. "Hold on to this, if we go around the back, no muggles will spot us."
Harry and Sirius walked around to the Dursleys' back garden, clutching a crisp packet. Harry couldn't help but remember the last time he had used a portkey. It sent shivers down his spine to think about it.
"Ok, here we go..." Sirius muttered a few choice words under his breath.
Harry felt the familiar tug behind his navel, and Privet Drive slowly faded away. A few seconds later, Harry and Sirius hit the ground with a loud thump.
Harry just managed to hold himself up, though he teetered very precariously as he regained his balance.
"Erm...Sirius?" Harry asked. "Where are we?"
"We are just outside the boundaries of Hogwarts. There are wards around the castle to stop anyone from just portkeying in. With timed ones, you can let the wards flicker for a second to let someone in, but with these you have to arrive outside the premises." Sirius explained, walking towards a large door.
Sirius muttered a password under his breath, then Harry and Sirius walked through. Harry suddenly realized where he was.
"The Quidditch pitch!" Harry cried. "I never knew that that entrance was there," he said, looking around.
"No, very few people do. You mustn't tell anyone. It isn't even on the Marauder's Map."
Harry stared. It was really that secret?
"Only chosen people can see the door, and Dumbledore added you to the list this morning," Sirius told Harry. "Come on, let's go and find Dumbledore."
The pair headed up to the castle, and a few minutes later found themselves knocking on the door to Dumbledore's office.
"Come in," said Dumbledore, from inside.
When they entered, Harry was surprised to see that there were other people in there as well.
Professor McGonagall, Professor Snape and a girl with red hair were sitting in chairs in front of the desk. The girl turned around when she heard them enter, and Harry realized who it was.
"Ginny?"
Harry was bewildered. It struck him as ominous that Ginny was there. What did she have to do with what's going on? Was it about the Chamber of Secrets? Was there another heir?
"It's nothing sinister, Mr Potter," Dumbledore said, twinkling down at him. "I just wanted to call a family conference."
Harry could tell that he wasn't the only one surprised by this pronouncement.
Professor Snape jumped up from his chair, McGonagall looked like she might just start banging her head on the wall Dobby-style, and Ginny just looked downright confused.
"Er...what?" she asked. "A family conference? None of our families are here... what do you mean?"
Harry had a sneaking suspicion that he knew exactly what Dumbledore meant, and he turned to Sirius.
"Remember your promise," Harry warned.
Dumbledore seemed to find all this very amusing, and he sat back into his chair, watching everyone's reactions.
Minerva was edging away from Severus, who looked very much like he was about to Avada Kedavra the next person to speak. Ginny still looked confused, but she was looking at Dumbledore for answers. Harry was glaring daggers at Sirius, who looked plain astounded that Dumbledore had just told them like that.
"Enlighten us to what you mean, exactly, when you say 'family'? I have no family, which you know very well," Severus said, coldly.
"I believe I should explain," said Dumbledore, fighting the urge to laugh at Severus' snort that clearly said: 'You think?'. "As you all know, Voldemort's power is strengthening," Minerva and Severus flinched at the name. "and Harry, Ginny and Severus are all prime targets for attack. You are not safe here, any longer, so arrangements are being made to put all four of you into hiding. Minerva, you are there for appearances sake.
"The ministry have traced a lot of dark magic back to a wizarding family in Cambridge, and they are looking for some people to pose as a family to find out more information, as the family has no record of suspicion or otherwise, and I'm sure you'll all agree that it makes sense to kill two birds with one stone.
"You are not being forced into this, but I would strongly suggest it. Now you know the main facts, I need your answer."
There was a few moments silence, until Ginny said:
"I'll go. If it helps the ministry, then I suppose it needs to be done."
Minerva nodded her agreement.
"If you think we should Albus, Merlin knows, it is bound to be the sensible thing to do."
"I agree," said Harry. "If it that important, then we have to go, I suppose."
Severus made no motion to answer.
"Severus?" Dumbledore asked. "Can I trust you with this? I know I have had you no a different mission before now, but I think he knows. This would be safest for everyone."
Snape scowled.
"I suppose, that regardless of what you say, I have no choice in the matter. Fine. I'll go."
Dumbledore beamed.
"Er...professor," said Ginny. "You haven't told us how long we are to stay there for. A week? Two weeks?"
Sirius shifted uncomfortably in the background, and Harry noticed.
"Sirius..." he warned. "You know something..."
Dumbledore chuckled.
"He does, and I am afraid that this is quite a long term project."
"Well," said Minerva. "We'll have to be back for the start of term..."
"That is not necessary," said Dumbledore. "I have found you both replacements for the year, for that is how long you shall have to stay. Minerva, Severus, you will be tutoring Harry and Ginny together, I believe Miss Weasley can cope with that, and while one of you is tutoring, the other can be keeping an eye on the wizard family."
Everyone in the room apart from Dumbledore and Sirius sat in stunned silence.
"So let me get this straight...we are posing as a wizarding family...for a year...because Fudge says so...and we are expected not to rip each other's throats out?" Snape asked incredulously. "Impossible!"
"Not quite..." said Dumbledore.
"You mean we can rip each other's throats out?" Minerva asked, looking cautiously at Severus as she spoke.
Dumbledore smiled.
"I am afraid not, Minerva," he said, his voice full of laughter. "Severus was wrong on the account that you will not be posing as a wizard family, you will be posing as a muggle family."
There were a few moments of silence, then Snape spoke.
"Please tell me that you are joking," he said, sounding uncharacteristically desperate.
"Am I the sort of person ho would joke?" Dumbledore asked.
Everyone looked at him.
"Yes," said Ginny.
"Well, maybe I am, but would I joke about something like this?"
Still, everyone looked at him.
"You probably would, Albus," said Minerva.
"Well, believe me, I'm not this time," Dumbledore chuckled.
Snape sighed.
"When are we to leave? Next week?" he asked, fearing the answer.
"Tonight," Dumbledore replied.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A/N: Did you like it? Please review! The next chapter should be up later today!
Disclaimer: I own nothing from the Harry Potter world, JK Rowling owns it all. Pity.
Huge thank yous to Saerelle and Bookwyrm for reviewing! I got this up as fast as I could!
A Snape Kind of Summer
Chapter 2 - Family Conferences
"Sirius!" Harry cried. "What in Merlin's name are you doing here?"
"I've come to take you to-" Sirius began.
"No! I will not go! I told you I wouldn't, and I wont. I am not spending my Summer there. No way." Harry crossed his arms resolutely.
"Harry..." Sirius tried again. "I'm not going to take you to Snape's...I promise you that you will never have to enter the slime-balls house if you don't want to, but I'm not here for that. I'm taking you to Hogwarts."
"Hogwarts? Term has only just finished! I'm not spending my Summer there, am I?"
"No, Harry," Sirius replied. "Dumbledore needs to talk to you."
"If it's about-"
"Harry! No one's going to force you to do anything! And about that lovely owl you sent me, I had no idea what Dumbledore had planned. He hadn't told me! So don't you start having a go at me, I was the one that barged in there and had a fat go at Dumbledore, so I suggest you stop blaming me!"
"Oops," Harry muttered. "I just thought you'd know...being my godfather and all..."
"I think that's why he didn't tell me," Sirius replied thoughtfully. "And with all the history with me and Snape...Merlin, I don't know why I was even surprised now...anyway, you have to come with me to Hogwarts, with all of your stuff packed. DON'T ask me why, I have no idea..." Sirius lied.
"Alright," Harry sighed, re-entering the house. "Give me a minute..."
"Boy? Who is that at the door? If it's another salesman you can tell him to shove off!" called uncle Vernon from the lounge.
"No, it's not a salesman," stated Harry. "It's my godfather, Sirius. He's going to take me to Hogwarts, now, so see you next summer...maybe."
Uncle Vernon froze.
"You mean that there is someone else...like you in this house?" He spat viciously.
"Yep!" said Harry. "My godfather, I told you...remember him? The convicted one. You remember!" Urged Harry, waiting for his uncle's reaction when he inevitably did remember.
It was worth the wait. The colour instantly drained from his uncle's face, and he started to tremble ever so slightly.
"Get....out..." he managed. "Now! Or I shall make you!"
Heaving his stuff out from under the stairs, Harry raised an eyebrow. He pulled out his wand.
"How do you plan to do that, then?" asked Harry innocently.
"Harry..." warned Sirius from the door.
"Don't worry," said Harry, putting his wand into his trunk. "I wasn't planning on using it."
Harry and Sirius heaved Harry's things out of the door, and let Hedwig out of her cage.
"You'll know where to find me," said Harry. "It would probably be an uncomfortable journey, so you'd do better to fly."
Hedwig hooted her thanks, and took off. Harry looked across at Sirius.
"How are we going to get there?" he asked. "Do you have a portkey?"
Sirius nodded.
"It's one of those ones that you can set the time after you've made it, just in case you take longer than planned," he replied. "Hold on to this, if we go around the back, no muggles will spot us."
Harry and Sirius walked around to the Dursleys' back garden, clutching a crisp packet. Harry couldn't help but remember the last time he had used a portkey. It sent shivers down his spine to think about it.
"Ok, here we go..." Sirius muttered a few choice words under his breath.
Harry felt the familiar tug behind his navel, and Privet Drive slowly faded away. A few seconds later, Harry and Sirius hit the ground with a loud thump.
Harry just managed to hold himself up, though he teetered very precariously as he regained his balance.
"Erm...Sirius?" Harry asked. "Where are we?"
"We are just outside the boundaries of Hogwarts. There are wards around the castle to stop anyone from just portkeying in. With timed ones, you can let the wards flicker for a second to let someone in, but with these you have to arrive outside the premises." Sirius explained, walking towards a large door.
Sirius muttered a password under his breath, then Harry and Sirius walked through. Harry suddenly realized where he was.
"The Quidditch pitch!" Harry cried. "I never knew that that entrance was there," he said, looking around.
"No, very few people do. You mustn't tell anyone. It isn't even on the Marauder's Map."
Harry stared. It was really that secret?
"Only chosen people can see the door, and Dumbledore added you to the list this morning," Sirius told Harry. "Come on, let's go and find Dumbledore."
The pair headed up to the castle, and a few minutes later found themselves knocking on the door to Dumbledore's office.
"Come in," said Dumbledore, from inside.
When they entered, Harry was surprised to see that there were other people in there as well.
Professor McGonagall, Professor Snape and a girl with red hair were sitting in chairs in front of the desk. The girl turned around when she heard them enter, and Harry realized who it was.
"Ginny?"
Harry was bewildered. It struck him as ominous that Ginny was there. What did she have to do with what's going on? Was it about the Chamber of Secrets? Was there another heir?
"It's nothing sinister, Mr Potter," Dumbledore said, twinkling down at him. "I just wanted to call a family conference."
Harry could tell that he wasn't the only one surprised by this pronouncement.
Professor Snape jumped up from his chair, McGonagall looked like she might just start banging her head on the wall Dobby-style, and Ginny just looked downright confused.
"Er...what?" she asked. "A family conference? None of our families are here... what do you mean?"
Harry had a sneaking suspicion that he knew exactly what Dumbledore meant, and he turned to Sirius.
"Remember your promise," Harry warned.
Dumbledore seemed to find all this very amusing, and he sat back into his chair, watching everyone's reactions.
Minerva was edging away from Severus, who looked very much like he was about to Avada Kedavra the next person to speak. Ginny still looked confused, but she was looking at Dumbledore for answers. Harry was glaring daggers at Sirius, who looked plain astounded that Dumbledore had just told them like that.
"Enlighten us to what you mean, exactly, when you say 'family'? I have no family, which you know very well," Severus said, coldly.
"I believe I should explain," said Dumbledore, fighting the urge to laugh at Severus' snort that clearly said: 'You think?'. "As you all know, Voldemort's power is strengthening," Minerva and Severus flinched at the name. "and Harry, Ginny and Severus are all prime targets for attack. You are not safe here, any longer, so arrangements are being made to put all four of you into hiding. Minerva, you are there for appearances sake.
"The ministry have traced a lot of dark magic back to a wizarding family in Cambridge, and they are looking for some people to pose as a family to find out more information, as the family has no record of suspicion or otherwise, and I'm sure you'll all agree that it makes sense to kill two birds with one stone.
"You are not being forced into this, but I would strongly suggest it. Now you know the main facts, I need your answer."
There was a few moments silence, until Ginny said:
"I'll go. If it helps the ministry, then I suppose it needs to be done."
Minerva nodded her agreement.
"If you think we should Albus, Merlin knows, it is bound to be the sensible thing to do."
"I agree," said Harry. "If it that important, then we have to go, I suppose."
Severus made no motion to answer.
"Severus?" Dumbledore asked. "Can I trust you with this? I know I have had you no a different mission before now, but I think he knows. This would be safest for everyone."
Snape scowled.
"I suppose, that regardless of what you say, I have no choice in the matter. Fine. I'll go."
Dumbledore beamed.
"Er...professor," said Ginny. "You haven't told us how long we are to stay there for. A week? Two weeks?"
Sirius shifted uncomfortably in the background, and Harry noticed.
"Sirius..." he warned. "You know something..."
Dumbledore chuckled.
"He does, and I am afraid that this is quite a long term project."
"Well," said Minerva. "We'll have to be back for the start of term..."
"That is not necessary," said Dumbledore. "I have found you both replacements for the year, for that is how long you shall have to stay. Minerva, Severus, you will be tutoring Harry and Ginny together, I believe Miss Weasley can cope with that, and while one of you is tutoring, the other can be keeping an eye on the wizard family."
Everyone in the room apart from Dumbledore and Sirius sat in stunned silence.
"So let me get this straight...we are posing as a wizarding family...for a year...because Fudge says so...and we are expected not to rip each other's throats out?" Snape asked incredulously. "Impossible!"
"Not quite..." said Dumbledore.
"You mean we can rip each other's throats out?" Minerva asked, looking cautiously at Severus as she spoke.
Dumbledore smiled.
"I am afraid not, Minerva," he said, his voice full of laughter. "Severus was wrong on the account that you will not be posing as a wizard family, you will be posing as a muggle family."
There were a few moments of silence, then Snape spoke.
"Please tell me that you are joking," he said, sounding uncharacteristically desperate.
"Am I the sort of person ho would joke?" Dumbledore asked.
Everyone looked at him.
"Yes," said Ginny.
"Well, maybe I am, but would I joke about something like this?"
Still, everyone looked at him.
"You probably would, Albus," said Minerva.
"Well, believe me, I'm not this time," Dumbledore chuckled.
Snape sighed.
"When are we to leave? Next week?" he asked, fearing the answer.
"Tonight," Dumbledore replied.
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A/N: Did you like it? Please review! The next chapter should be up later today!