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THE BELGUM POTION
Chapter Five: Mr. McKinley
Snape couldn't believe he was doing this. He was standing right outside of Potter's door, dressed in muggle clothes, about to meet his family. He wanted to be anywhere else in the world--except maybe beside the Dark Lord--than here.
How did the Headmaster expect him to go into the muggle home pretending he was some kind of dealer (whatever that was), grab Potter and get him out of there without causing too much of a commotion? It was damn near impossible!
It took a lot of self-discipline, but he successfully rang the doorbell without making it burst into flames from the anger he was feeling. Seconds later, a plump child who he supposed would be Potter's cousin, opened the door dressed in some outrageous muggle suit.
"No," grunted Snape. He found he could not even smile for the poor excuse of a human. "I would prefer it on." His wand was in his right hand pocket, and he would in no way part from it, especially when he was entering the household of Potter.
"Hello, Mr. McKinley!" a fat man came out of nowhere and shook his hand. Snape put on a very tense smile, while cursing Dumbledore under his breath. Studying the man in front of him, Snape realized this must have been the boy's Uncle.
He looks like an oversized penguin, he thought.
And then, as if it was all some sort of charade, a skinny looking woman called from the kitchen, "Oh, Vernon! Vernon dear! Dinner is almost ready!"
"Excellent, Petunia!" Harry's Uncle said. "She is making her finest, if I may say," he said, turning back to 'Mr. McKinley'. "Her roast beef dinner is exquisite, finer than you can find in any restaurant, I assure you!"
Snape rolled his eyes. There was no way he was going to survive this, and believe it when said, he survived a lot worse than having dinner with some insane muggle family. But this… this may just be too much for him to handle.
When he got back, he was going to strangle the Headmaster!
Just when he was starting to wonder where the blasted Potter was, his eyes met with a pair of bright green ones from the top of the stairs. He immediately threw his eyes off of them.
What was going on here? Why was Potter upstairs, obviously hiding? Shouldn't he be down here with his idiotic muggle family, as he expected? But looking around at the portraits that covered the walls like wallpaper, he could not find any evidence that the boy wizard even existed.
This was not what Snape had predicted at all. But no matter...
In front of him on the couch sat the boy's Uncle and cousin, and in came the woman Snape supposed was his Aunt. She took a seat next to the bigger penguin.
What a strange looking couple, Snape thought. How could this woman have been related to Lily Evans?
"So," Vernon said. "Do you have a family at home, sir?" Snape was snapped out of his thoughts and forced to look at the family before him, wearing the most fake smiles he had ever seen. He kept his composure, as much as he would have liked to just hex them all, grab the boy, and leave.
"No."
"Er--you don't," he mumbled. His big 'charade' didn't seem to be going as planned. "Well! Do you play golf, sir? Because do I have a joke for you!"
"No," Snape said. "In fact, I do not play." He had never heard of such a ridiculous word in his life. Golf... what was this rubbish?
"I see…" Vernon said. He then looked to his wife, as if telling her to speak. She just stared back at him, as if frozen.
It looked as if the Dursley's weren't expectant of Snape's behavior, but he wasn't about to give in the extra effort to be accepted by such people. He had no interest in them whatsoever. He had to somehow excuse himself and get to Potter, without arousing suspicions, as Dumbledore suggested.
"Oh! Well... that must be dinner!" Petunia said cheerfully, finally finding a way to break the stone silence. Dudley's eyes lit up and followed his mother hastily into the kitchen. He just said the word he loved most.
"Right-o, Petunia! If you will, Mr. McKinley--"
Snape cut in coldely, finally finding an opening to excuse himself. "I will be right with you, sir, but I am in use of your lavatory. If I may be excused." Snape passed the awe-stricken Vernon and didn't even wait for him to answer as he made his way up the stairs, cursing under his breath.
The boy was going to get it. Snape was in a sour mood, and who better to take his frustrations out on than Potter?
"Chocolate Frog!" Sirius yelled at the gargoyle, which immediately sprang aside. He made his way up the stairway elevator, and knocked loudly on Dumbledore's office doors.
"Come in," said Dumbledore from inside.
Sirius did just that. Finding Dumbledore standing by Fawkes, he walked over to him angrily. "Albus! How could you have sent Snape!?" He tried his best to keep his voice even, but was unsuccessful. "You know how much he hates Harry!"
"Why, yes... I do. And that is the reason I sent him."
Sirius raised his eyebrows at him. "What are you talking about?"
Dumbledore sighed. "Whenever Snape looks at Harry, he sees James. Nothing more. He sees the rival and enemy that he used to see those many years ago... not the 15 year old that we see today."
Sirius just stared at him.
Dumbledore continued. "It will be impossible for Snape to complete this mission if he continues to see this quality through Harry. I want him to find out more about the boy behind his father... do you understand, Sirius?"
Sirius shook his head. "No. No, I don't." He rubbed his eyes. "Snape will never change."
Dumbledore placed his hand on Sirius's shoulder. Sirius looked up at him, startled to see how much taller he seemed. "Please understand, Sirius, that Severus is just as human as you and I."
"Yeah, well..." he turned away from Dumbledore. "I wish he would act more human. Remus is a damn werewolf, and he acts more human than Snape ever will."
Dumbledore stayed silent, watching him intently. Sirius seemed to be mixed in his own thoughts.
"You're sure?" He looked to Dumbledore, regaining his composure. "You're sure he won't hurt Harry?"
Dumbledore smiled at him. "Yes, I am quite sure. Understand, Sirius, you were in Azkaban thirteen years." Sirius winced at the mention of the wizard prison, but kept his composure nonetheless. "You left thinking Severus was a death-eater, as many thought the same at the time. But even before the incident that Halloween 1981, he has been on the Order's side, and hasn't turned his back on us yet. I trust him, as I do you, with my life."
Sirius mentally rolled his eyes, but dared not to physically.
"And thus, I trust him with Harry's life as well. As I said before, Severus is human, whether you wish to see it or not. It is not in his nature to harm Harry in anyway, no matter how much he despised his father. I have my full confidence that Harry will soon be back at Hogwarts, safe and sound."
"Yeah, well... I'm still not okay with it," Sirius said. "But you've never steered me wrong before..." he ran his fingers through his tangled hair. "But if he DOES harm one hair on his head, Albus, do I have permission to strangle the git with my two bare hands?!"
Dumbledore smiled. "Really, Sirius, do you need to ask my permission? I am sure you would strangle Severus anyway, with or without my word. Ever since your Hogwarts years, you never were one to stick with rules."
Sirius smiled proudly. "Yes, but it would feel so much better strangling him if I knew you were on my side."
"Very well, then. You have my permission."
Satisfied, Sirius went to make his exit. "Oh, and Sirius," Dumbledore called. Sirius looked over his shoulder. "I am aware that with Harry by your side that it will be very much like it was when you were a student at Hogwarts. But it is crucial that you do not forget what is at stake here. Do not confuse the future with the past."
Sirius nodded. "I know. Things can never be the same, again. Not without..." Sirius felt his voice break, not even attempting to finish off his sentence.
And with that, he walked out of the office, leaving Dumbledore there to stare after him.
As Sirius made his way past the gargoyle, he stopped in front of a glass window in the corridor and walked up to it. What Dumbledore said was right, he thought as he looked at his own reflection. It's going to be exactly like the old days.He never thought he would ever again look back into the reflection he once did all those years ago. His fifteen year old self was looking right back him... he could barely recognize himself. He had the same long, mangled dark hair, the same eyes (yet now they were blue instead of the black they used to be, thanks to a handy charm), and the same handsome face he was sure that died the day he went to Azkaban. But here it was, his again... back in the castle where all his happiness lived.
He smiled as he began to walk down the hallway. He saw the younger version of Remus waiting for him at the end of the hall, smiling at him. He was a little shorter than Sirius, with short dirty blond hair and a witty look about him.
"Ready to start another year at Hogwarts?" His old friend asked him, his voice up several notches from what it once was.
Sirius walked up to him and threw his arm around his shoulder. "I can't wait, Remus. I can't wait..."
---
Eh.
….
That is a hint of my intelligence. My SAT scores on Saturday will probably less than 30.
If I don't update in less than five days, I died, because my parents have slain me, due to my stupidity. I was unable to get good enough SAT scores to get into college, and they have burned me alive. Call the authorities.
But only if I don't update in less than 5 days.
…
For all you gullible people out there, I'm joking. So REVIEW, darnit, and make my last days on this earth worthwhile!