"They didn't mention him once?" Dumbledore demanded.
"No, just like I said before. They sensibly pretended that he didn't exist. I wish I could do the same sometimes, but unfortunately I can't."
"This is serious, Severus. I want you to return tomorrow night, flying over as you did this first time. If you are still satisfied that he is being treated well, that will be the end of the matter. If not, I expect you to assess the situation and, if necessary, bring him immediately back to school."
"Yes Albus," Severus agreed reluctantly.
So Severus returned to Privet Drive just as he had before. Wasting no time, he went straight to Potter's window and looked in. The bed was empty. Severus swore violently under his breath. He knew that now he'd have to go in and find the boy before leaving - Dumbledore wouldn't' settle for anything less. He took a deep breath, and pulled out his wand from his pocket.
"Vulnero," he muttered, tapping the bars. It wasn't perhaps the best charm he could have used, but it was as good as he could come up with on such short notice. When he'd removed the bars, he opened the window and climbed in. He felt like a teenager pulling a prank. As he'd thought before, this entire operation was exceedingly juvenile.
Severus checked the bed first, in case he'd been mistaken. It hadn't been slept in. He crept outside and checked all of the other rooms on that floor. There was no sign of Potter. He must be downstairs then, since it was only a two-story house. Potter wasn't in the lounge, or the kitchen. In fact, having checked all of the rooms, the Potions master was almost ready to admit defeat. There was only one thing that he could still try.
"Quaero," he muttered, putting his wand out in mid air. "Quaero Potterus."
The wand spun around and Snape picked it up. Following its directions, he was led to a door underneath the stairs that he'd somehow overlooked before.
"Alohamara!" The door swung open and he looked inside. It was as bad as a house elf's room in one of the stricter households, the Malfoys for instance, and full of cobwebs, dust and spiders that scuttled away from the light radiating from the wand. Curled up in a blanket on the floor was Harry Potter. Much as he regretted having to admit it, this wouldn't count as acceptable treatment in Dumbledore's books, however much the boy deserved it.
"Silencio," said Severus, making sure that there'd be no noise when he woke Potter up. Then he shook the boy gently.
~~~~~~~~Harry's POV~~~~~~~~~~~
Harry came awake instantly, wondering what on earth was happening. He groped around for his glasses and pushed them on, then blinked, seeing a chameleon like figure bending over him.
"You?" he shouted, although it came out as a whisper that he could barely hear himself.
"Me," the teacher said quietly. "I'm taking you out of here. Where are your things?"
"Upstairs in Dudley's second bedroom, under the loose floorboard in the corner by the window," Harry said promptly. "The rest is here."
"Wait here."
Harry waited. To say that he was shocked would be an understatement. Never, even in his wildest dreams, had he imagined that it would be Snape that came to get him out. Lupin, Tonks, Moody, Arthur Weasley and even McGonagall had featured at one point or another, but the Potions master had ranked right down with Lucius Malfoy in his mind. The whole idea was ludicrous, but it was what was happening. Snape came back a moment later carrying Harry's invisibility cloak, Hedwig's cage, a bag of books and an elderly broomstick. Wordlessly, he jammed the books into Harry's trunk and shrunk it. Then he handed Harry one of Mrs. Weasley's jumpers and, once he'd pulled it on over his pyjamas, his Firebolt.
"Not ideal," Snape said, looking at Harry. "But it will do."
They walked out of the front door without the slightest worry. Suddenly, Harry had a thought.
"Professor," he asked urgently. "What about Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia? Aren't you going to tell them?"
"I left them a note, saying that you have been removed to a safe place for the duration of the holidays."
"That'll just depress them. You should have said that I'd been kidnapped and was about to be tortured to death so I wouldn't be coming home next summer. It would have made their day."
"What I wrote will be quite sufficient and has the added benefit of sticking strictly to the truth."
"Yes sir," Harry said, not at all apologetic.
"Potter! Stop!" he said sharply a few seconds later. Harry pulled to a stop within two seconds, but it took him a little longer.
"Sir?" he asked, puzzled.
"You're visible again. You didn't remove the Disillusionment Charm, did you?"
"No sir, of course not. Why would I bother doing a thing like that when it would get me expelled?"
"Shut up Potter. Someone must have removed it then," Snape said harshly. Harry watched, fidgeting to stop his fingers going numb, as he scanned the nearby houses. His gaze fixed on a silhouette showing in a window. "Who lives there?" Harry thought for a moment.
"Mark Evans and his dad."
"He's a boy? How old?"
"Eleven now, I think. Dudley bullies him a lot, he'd one of his favourite targets."
"Most likely it was him then. I'll have to go around to his house tomorrow to speak to him. Well, come along Potter, we must be going now or we won't be safely back before dawn."
Harry swerved up closer while Snape replaced the charm, then he thought for a moment about the person, Mark, Snape had said, watching them leave. He waved cheerfully, as if the kid could see him. Slowly, shyly, the shadow waved back.
Harry grinned broadly as he watched Snape flying on ahead of him. He was stiffly erect, and looking very uncomfortable on his broom. It was a bad one, he conceded, even by the school teaching standards, so maybe there was a chance that the teacher wasn't totally incompetent.
~~~~~~~~~Sev's POV~~~~~~~~~~
How tedious, Severus thought wearily. Not only had he had to bring Potter back with him and fly rather than Apparating most of the way, but he'd also have to check up on the Evans boy. To top it all, Potter even appeared to be enjoying himself, even though long distance night flying was never a pleasant experience.
They arrived by the Entrance Hall three hours later, both sore, tired and going numb in places.
"Come along Potter, it's too late to open a dormitory at this time of night. You'll have to come with me," Severus said sourly. Harry yawned and nodded, making surprisingly little protest. Maybe he was too tired. "Dobby!"
The house elf appeared immediately at his call.
"Yes Master?"
"Potter requires a bed on the couch in my lounge. See to it, will you?"
"Of course. Dobby can do that for Harry Potter. We are glad you are back, Master Harry."
"It's good to be back, Dobby," Potter replied. Merlin! Did the boy know every student, teacher, house elf, portrait and creature living in the school?
"Dobby is going now. It will be ready when you come down."
The little creature vanished. Harry was smiling, but Severus glared at him.
"House elves. Real pests."
"They aren't Professor!" the boy protested. What did he know? He'd been brought up by Muggles, for goodness sake. "They do all of the chores that you don't want to do."
"And that is their function, not offering opinions to wizards. Why Professor Dumbledore encourages him I really don't know."
~~~~~~~~~Harry's POV~~~~~~~~~~
Harry looked curiously around him as Snape led him down into the dungeons that were his territory. He pushed open a portrait and stepped into a simple lounge. As promised, the sofa had been made into a basic bed.
"Bed, Potter, and don't you dare disturb me until morning." Harry gulped. He really didn't want to, but did Snape know about his nightmares? That he couldn't help them?
"But Professor, if I have a nightmare. . ." he said, then flushed and paused before continuing. "I sometimes scream before I can stop myself."
"I have certain advantages over your Muggle relatives Potter. I have set up silencing charms around my room already. Unless your scream can be heard from the Headmaster's tower, you will disturb no one. Now bed, not a word until morning."
Harry watched as the Potions professor stalked through to the next room, a bedroom presumably. At any other time, he'd have been curious about his surroundings, but long flights in the middle of the night did nothing for his general awareness and he was all too happy to go straight to sleep. There would be time in the morning.
"No, just like I said before. They sensibly pretended that he didn't exist. I wish I could do the same sometimes, but unfortunately I can't."
"This is serious, Severus. I want you to return tomorrow night, flying over as you did this first time. If you are still satisfied that he is being treated well, that will be the end of the matter. If not, I expect you to assess the situation and, if necessary, bring him immediately back to school."
"Yes Albus," Severus agreed reluctantly.
So Severus returned to Privet Drive just as he had before. Wasting no time, he went straight to Potter's window and looked in. The bed was empty. Severus swore violently under his breath. He knew that now he'd have to go in and find the boy before leaving - Dumbledore wouldn't' settle for anything less. He took a deep breath, and pulled out his wand from his pocket.
"Vulnero," he muttered, tapping the bars. It wasn't perhaps the best charm he could have used, but it was as good as he could come up with on such short notice. When he'd removed the bars, he opened the window and climbed in. He felt like a teenager pulling a prank. As he'd thought before, this entire operation was exceedingly juvenile.
Severus checked the bed first, in case he'd been mistaken. It hadn't been slept in. He crept outside and checked all of the other rooms on that floor. There was no sign of Potter. He must be downstairs then, since it was only a two-story house. Potter wasn't in the lounge, or the kitchen. In fact, having checked all of the rooms, the Potions master was almost ready to admit defeat. There was only one thing that he could still try.
"Quaero," he muttered, putting his wand out in mid air. "Quaero Potterus."
The wand spun around and Snape picked it up. Following its directions, he was led to a door underneath the stairs that he'd somehow overlooked before.
"Alohamara!" The door swung open and he looked inside. It was as bad as a house elf's room in one of the stricter households, the Malfoys for instance, and full of cobwebs, dust and spiders that scuttled away from the light radiating from the wand. Curled up in a blanket on the floor was Harry Potter. Much as he regretted having to admit it, this wouldn't count as acceptable treatment in Dumbledore's books, however much the boy deserved it.
"Silencio," said Severus, making sure that there'd be no noise when he woke Potter up. Then he shook the boy gently.
~~~~~~~~Harry's POV~~~~~~~~~~~
Harry came awake instantly, wondering what on earth was happening. He groped around for his glasses and pushed them on, then blinked, seeing a chameleon like figure bending over him.
"You?" he shouted, although it came out as a whisper that he could barely hear himself.
"Me," the teacher said quietly. "I'm taking you out of here. Where are your things?"
"Upstairs in Dudley's second bedroom, under the loose floorboard in the corner by the window," Harry said promptly. "The rest is here."
"Wait here."
Harry waited. To say that he was shocked would be an understatement. Never, even in his wildest dreams, had he imagined that it would be Snape that came to get him out. Lupin, Tonks, Moody, Arthur Weasley and even McGonagall had featured at one point or another, but the Potions master had ranked right down with Lucius Malfoy in his mind. The whole idea was ludicrous, but it was what was happening. Snape came back a moment later carrying Harry's invisibility cloak, Hedwig's cage, a bag of books and an elderly broomstick. Wordlessly, he jammed the books into Harry's trunk and shrunk it. Then he handed Harry one of Mrs. Weasley's jumpers and, once he'd pulled it on over his pyjamas, his Firebolt.
"Not ideal," Snape said, looking at Harry. "But it will do."
They walked out of the front door without the slightest worry. Suddenly, Harry had a thought.
"Professor," he asked urgently. "What about Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia? Aren't you going to tell them?"
"I left them a note, saying that you have been removed to a safe place for the duration of the holidays."
"That'll just depress them. You should have said that I'd been kidnapped and was about to be tortured to death so I wouldn't be coming home next summer. It would have made their day."
"What I wrote will be quite sufficient and has the added benefit of sticking strictly to the truth."
"Yes sir," Harry said, not at all apologetic.
"Potter! Stop!" he said sharply a few seconds later. Harry pulled to a stop within two seconds, but it took him a little longer.
"Sir?" he asked, puzzled.
"You're visible again. You didn't remove the Disillusionment Charm, did you?"
"No sir, of course not. Why would I bother doing a thing like that when it would get me expelled?"
"Shut up Potter. Someone must have removed it then," Snape said harshly. Harry watched, fidgeting to stop his fingers going numb, as he scanned the nearby houses. His gaze fixed on a silhouette showing in a window. "Who lives there?" Harry thought for a moment.
"Mark Evans and his dad."
"He's a boy? How old?"
"Eleven now, I think. Dudley bullies him a lot, he'd one of his favourite targets."
"Most likely it was him then. I'll have to go around to his house tomorrow to speak to him. Well, come along Potter, we must be going now or we won't be safely back before dawn."
Harry swerved up closer while Snape replaced the charm, then he thought for a moment about the person, Mark, Snape had said, watching them leave. He waved cheerfully, as if the kid could see him. Slowly, shyly, the shadow waved back.
Harry grinned broadly as he watched Snape flying on ahead of him. He was stiffly erect, and looking very uncomfortable on his broom. It was a bad one, he conceded, even by the school teaching standards, so maybe there was a chance that the teacher wasn't totally incompetent.
~~~~~~~~~Sev's POV~~~~~~~~~~
How tedious, Severus thought wearily. Not only had he had to bring Potter back with him and fly rather than Apparating most of the way, but he'd also have to check up on the Evans boy. To top it all, Potter even appeared to be enjoying himself, even though long distance night flying was never a pleasant experience.
They arrived by the Entrance Hall three hours later, both sore, tired and going numb in places.
"Come along Potter, it's too late to open a dormitory at this time of night. You'll have to come with me," Severus said sourly. Harry yawned and nodded, making surprisingly little protest. Maybe he was too tired. "Dobby!"
The house elf appeared immediately at his call.
"Yes Master?"
"Potter requires a bed on the couch in my lounge. See to it, will you?"
"Of course. Dobby can do that for Harry Potter. We are glad you are back, Master Harry."
"It's good to be back, Dobby," Potter replied. Merlin! Did the boy know every student, teacher, house elf, portrait and creature living in the school?
"Dobby is going now. It will be ready when you come down."
The little creature vanished. Harry was smiling, but Severus glared at him.
"House elves. Real pests."
"They aren't Professor!" the boy protested. What did he know? He'd been brought up by Muggles, for goodness sake. "They do all of the chores that you don't want to do."
"And that is their function, not offering opinions to wizards. Why Professor Dumbledore encourages him I really don't know."
~~~~~~~~~Harry's POV~~~~~~~~~~
Harry looked curiously around him as Snape led him down into the dungeons that were his territory. He pushed open a portrait and stepped into a simple lounge. As promised, the sofa had been made into a basic bed.
"Bed, Potter, and don't you dare disturb me until morning." Harry gulped. He really didn't want to, but did Snape know about his nightmares? That he couldn't help them?
"But Professor, if I have a nightmare. . ." he said, then flushed and paused before continuing. "I sometimes scream before I can stop myself."
"I have certain advantages over your Muggle relatives Potter. I have set up silencing charms around my room already. Unless your scream can be heard from the Headmaster's tower, you will disturb no one. Now bed, not a word until morning."
Harry watched as the Potions professor stalked through to the next room, a bedroom presumably. At any other time, he'd have been curious about his surroundings, but long flights in the middle of the night did nothing for his general awareness and he was all too happy to go straight to sleep. There would be time in the morning.