Beloved readers, here we go again...!

~*~*~*~*~*~

Severus didn't look up but paid close attention to Harry as he exited the room. The Professor leaned over his work, but out of the corner of his eyes could see Harry's robes billowing by his ankles as he walked past, the book he was reading resting securely between his arm and his body.

Harry's thinness puzzled Severus, as well as why he was there. Severus was never told of the reason for Harry's presence, and it was somewhat frustrating for the shadowy Potions Master.

Professor Snape hadn't gotten much work done that night. His thoughts had wandered helplessly, and every time they did he silently cursed himself for showing Muggle disorder symptoms, ah, Attention Deficit Disorder, if he remembered correctly. Severus admired Harry's skill at reading. The pages turned quickly when between Harry's fingers, and Severus could almost feel the want to learn of new things radiating off of Harry.

He sighed and set down his quill, gently massaging his temples with his pale fingers after doing so. The best thing for him would be to sleep, now, he knew. Tomorrow he might be able to get some information out of the infuriating old man, his Headmaster.

Suffocating the fire with his wand, he resigned himself to his bedchambers, dreading and anticipating the morning at the same time.

~*~*~*~*~*~

Harry stretched and yawned as daylight broke through his sleep. He was puzzled for a second, not recognizing his surroundings. After yesterday's happenings he expected to wake up in his cupboard after a very odd dream, but was instead in a silky warm bed with fluffy pillows. He looked at the window in the far wall, noting silently that he, king of perceptivity, had not noticed it before. Turning, he saw a large picture of noble-looking woman, petting a tiger-like domestic cat. He started, realizing that the picture was moving.

"Don't be silly, little boy," the noblewoman said to him, also making him jump and cower. "Don't tell me you've never seen a wizard picture before." She peered at him from her throne, eyeing his forehead. "Ah, the infamous Harry Potter, no doubt. The Fat Lady's told me about you. She's quite anxious to meet you, actually. You must be quite the charmer." She looked down, and a look of apprehension crossed her two-dimensional features. "Ah, I see."

Harry quickly realized he was wearing nothing and threw on a forest green robe. "Er... excuse me." Even his training with the Dursleys did not help him when it came to being surprised by talking pictures. He pondered the woman, queen-like in her appearance, but unfortunately was disturbed by the chiming of a grandfather clock in the corner of the rather large room, marking nine o'clock.

He slid undergarments up under his robe, and with a fair good-bye to the picture-woman, slid into the Library, book under his arm once more. Severus was sitting where he was when Harry had left the night before, although he was obviously refreshed and newly clean, with his wet hair, even if he was still in deathly black robes.

"Morning, Potter," he said, as Harry sat down.

"Harry, please."

The sullen Professor looked up. "What?"

"My relatives call me 'Potter.' I would prefer anyone without ill intentions to call me 'Harry.'"

Snape nodded silently and went back to leaning over his papers. He didn't quite understand Harry's association of his relatives with ill intentions, but he resigned himself to the hope that all would be explained in due time. "Very well... Harry. The Headmaster is coming to speak with you, then we will apparate to Diagon Alley." At Harry's blank look, he continued. "Apparating is an effective form of transportation used for wizards. Look it up over there for a better description. In short, one disappears from one place and appears in another."

Harry nodded absently.

"Do you want breakfast, er... Harry?"

Harry shrugged his shoulders. He wasn't sure if he wanted to enlighten his professor on his lack of appetite. One became accustomed to a certain schedule of given food if it remained consistent, as Harry's had. He decided that, instead of telling the professor he ate little more than what he stole from his aunt's kitchen, he would tell the dark professor something more along the lines of what he would want to hear.

"I don't usually eat breakfast, so, no, I don't really want it." Harry assumed that living in such a place he would need to become acquainted with eating to keep up appearances, but also figured that there would be time for that later.

"The Headmaster wants you to eat, Harry. If he knows you have not eaten something, he may spoon-feed you when you get here. Gods know what that man will do. Wring me alive, if he gets the chance. He's put you in my care expecting me to watch out for you, whether you like it or not."

"If I didn't have a choice, why did you ask?"

Severus scowled. He snapped his fingers and a weird looking creature appeared. "You need something, sirs?" it asked them, servant-like. Harry could tell the creature was one of the mysterious castle's inhabitants. He'd only seen few hallways, but he suspected that his current residence was incredibly large, also considering the fact that it was also a school. Not only a school, but a school people lived in, as if a boarding school. Harry was halfway through 'Hogwarts, A History,' and had learned of a bit of its features.

"We'd like some breakfast for my guest, here. And, if you would, summon the Headmaster to inform him that Mr. Potter is awake."

The creature's already-absurdly-large eyes widened. "Mr. Potter, sir?"  It recovered it's composure.  "It is not my business, sirs, so I will do your bidding and be back with breakfast."

Severus nodded curtly to the creature and it vanished with a 'pop!'.

"What was that?" Harry asked, masking his awe.

"A House-Elf. One of the many positioned in the Hogwarts kitchens. Do not be fooled by its servile appearance; Dumbledore spoils his elves rotten."

Harry nodded and reclined in the chair he was comfortably positioned in. He yawned, and rested his eyes, only to sharply open them again at the sound of a 'pop!'.

The table Severus's work had occupied was now half-covered in delicious- smelling foods. Harry inhaled the scents while sitting in his chair.

Severus watched Harry breathe in the scents whirling around the room. Thanks to the boy's reaction to a large meal, Severus could decipher that Harry's comment about not eating breakfast was not entirely true.

As Harry leaned forward to grab hold on a piece of toast with honey, a knock sounded through the room. Severus allowed entry to the knocker, and Harry was not at all surprised when Albus Dumbledore walked through the door.

Albus smiled warmly at Harry, who was currently munched soundlessly on the corner of some toast. "Ah, Harry! How was your night?"

"Fine, Professor. And yours?"

The Headmaster chuckled, a twinkle in his eyes, at Harry's manners and formality. He then stopped, imagining what kind of treatment caused Harry to act so withdrawn and automatically kind, like everyone he met was a stranger, so everyone deserved the same amount of respect, despite their social status. "Mine was wonderful, Harry. Although I pondered for quite a while how I'm going to tell you everything you need to know."

Harry managed to munch his way through half the toast, all the while staring mirthlessly at his new Professors. "What now?"

Dumbledore cleared his beyond-ancient throat. "Now you ask questions, and we answer them to the best of our abilities."

Harry thought about that. He had many questions, obviously, but where to start? His scar? His 'famousness?' Well, any place is as good as the next.

"What is my scar from?"

"Avada Kedavra, the killing curse. It was supposed to kill you, and instead it left you with that scar."

"Curse? Who wanted to kill insignificant me?"

"Voldemort. A dark wizard, bent on destruction of muggles and rule of wizardry."

"Voldemort. Alright. What about my parents? Why did I grow up with my aunt and uncle instead of them?"

"Your parents were not as lucky as you—"

"Lucky," Harry snorted.

"—and did not survive the killing curse. Your aunt and uncle were your closest living relatives, and therefore you, by law, needed to live with them."

"They could've done without me. I'm sure Dudley could have learned to do the washing," Harry snarled coldly.

Dumbledore expected cold reception, but he did not expect Harry to act with such hate to his relatives. Of course, he was permitted his anger, the scars and such were enough to prove that, but Harry Potter did not strike Albus as one to openly show his hate.

"Yes, well. Questions?"

"Why am I supposedly famous?"

"Because you survived the killing curse. You are the first person to ever survive that Unforgivable. For that, you are known to wizards world-wide."

Harry finished his toast and felt an oncoming stomachache. He had never eaten so much as one good piece of toast in one sitting, or been given so much disturbing information all at once. He had more questions, but he wanted to digest what he already knew first, as well as his honey-toast.

"How long will I be here?"

"That at the moment is undeterminable. You will be here at least until the next end-of-term, that is known."

"Will I need to go back—back to them?"

Dumbledore shook his head sadly. "I cannot think of any way to stop that. As your legal guardians they are your watchers."

"But they abandoned me in a box!"

"Which might put a damper on their ability to get you back. You may be assumed dead by them, which may or may not be a good thing. However, if they know you are not dead—"

"They won't care as long as I'm not with them! They're hating bastards whose lives revolve around the Price Dudley!"

"That may be, but they are still your guardians. We really do not have a choice."

"I will make a choice," Harry growled.

Harry's behavior shocked even himself. He showed more emotions in the past conversation than he had ever shown to the Dursleys. He didn't know what to do about it. The information he was receiving was disturbing, a gnawing presence that would be there forever. He was a wizard. He was famous. Yet, he was destined to—most likely—die at the hands of his relatives. And he was yet to be able to save himself from such domestic tortures as emotional abuse. What is a wizard who cannot even help himself? Not a very powerful one, no doubt.

"I believe that is enough for now, Headmaster." Severus broke the uneasy silence, knowing full well that Harry's demeanor had changed. "We should be leaving for Diagon Alley now."

The Headmaster nodded. "We will continue the conversation, later, Harry. Be sure of it." And on that cheerful note, the Headmaster was gone, leaving Harry with Severus and Severus with Harry.

Harry cleared his throat. "We need to leave Hogwarts' ground to apparate."

"Correct, Harry. I see you've done your reading."

Harry nodded, and they left the chambers and the castle, both robes billowing around four ankles.

~*~*~*~*~*~

Author's Note: Ah, well. That was fun. Most of it is already known information for we who have read the books, which I believe, most anyone reading the stories have. Sorry not to have the Diagon Alley part in this chapter, but the way it came out when I typed it, the explanations needed their own chapter, and now that I think about it, so will Diagon Alley. So, in accordance, I split the chapters and will come up with the next ASAP. And, I'm really very proud of myself for getting these out so quickly. I guess when you have the time to sit and type it comes easily. I have plenty of time, this weekend being Easter, because my family is sitting around resting. Also, free reign of the computer, which is always nice. I just realized I'm rambling; sorry about that. Well, here's to my reviewers!

Mikee: Thank you for both 2 & 3 chapter reviews; it's good to know you like it! As for Diagon Alley's occurrences... we'll see, oh yes. Hope you like the chapter! Next Chapter: (which I believe will actually be as I plan, unlike this one) "Diagon Alley and Vanella Grace." Watch for it!

Remo Con: He-he-he, you'll just have to see... Thanks! Here's an update; very soon, I think.