"You wait here," Harry told Vernon Dursley as the man parked the car outside the Leaky Cauldron.
"Where are you going, boy?" the man asked, wary.
"To get the money," Harry answered, "there is a way into the Wizarding World here. I didn't think you'd care to come."
Vernon paled and shook his head gruffly. "I'll stay here, then, but you'd better not…"
"I'll be back," Harry assured him, and walked into the Leaky Cauldron, pulling on his invisibility cloak.
It wasn't very busy, as it was still early in the morning. Harry quickly made his way down the long street and entered Gringotts.
"Hello," he said to the goblin at the counter, "I'd like to make a withdrawel, in both Muggle currency and Wizard money."
"That is certainly possible," the goblin said, "but if you want rather large amounts, you may wish to speak with your account manager. There are more…convenient ways to access large sums."
Harry nodded, and was led to Griphook's office.
"Goodday, Mr. Griphook," Harry said politely.
"Just Griphook please," the goblin said, "Now, I understand you wish to make a sizeable withdrawel?"
"I need 10,000 pounds in cash now," Harry said, "some more, I think, as I'm staying in the Muggle world for a while. I do need easy access to my vaults, though."
Griphook nodded.
"Your emancipation papers came through," he said, "which means you now have access not only to your trustfund, but also to your family vault. The Black vaults are also under your control. Furthermore," he added, smirking a bit, "you are no longer considered a minor by the Ministry."
Harry's eyes widened. "Sweet," he said, "no more restrictions for underage magic!"
"Exactly," the goblin nodded. "I have the tenthousand pounds you requested in this envelope," a brown envelope appeared on the table.
"And I requested a Muggle creditcard for you. It enables you to have the money taken straight from your vault, or you could use an ATM machine if you need cash."
"Thank you, Griphook. I was wondering, was my parent's house in Godric's Hollow ever rebuilt?"
"No. But your family, as well as Sirius Black, had other property scattered around England. Your parents were left an old house in York by your father's great aunt. She died three months before they did, so they never had the opportunity to investigate the place. There are two more houses…one a cottage in Kent, and the other a small bungalow near the Scottish border. I believe your grandfather had it built as a wedding gift for your grandmother. It is located in a rather remote area, since they used it to play Quidditch."
Harry's face lit with happiness. "A house with a Quidditch pitch? Oooh that is just AWESOME!"
Griphook frowned slightly at the youthful exhuberance Harry was displaying, but thought better of it and just smiled, perhaps remembering his own teen years.
"How do I get there?" Harry asked.
"Well, the house in Yorkshire can be reached by Muggle transportation. Your great-great aunt married a Muggle, so it is located in the Muggle part of town. The cottage in Kent and the bungalow can both be reached by portkey, which your parents left for you in the vault and I shall request up, but remember that a portkey may be traced."
Harry eyed the goblin warily.
"Don't worry, Mr Potter, your secrets are safe with us," Griphook smirked, "we don't report to anyone."
Nodding, Harry smiled as a necklace with two small silver pendants, a deer and a lily, appeared.
"Your father had these customized," Griphook said, "the deer takes you to the bungalow. The lily takes you to the cottage. They are charmed to recognize Potters. Should you ever desire to bring someone with you, they have to hold on to you, not the portkey."
"Thank you so much for your help," Harry said warmly, "Can I have 500 pounds in cash, please, I might not always be able to get to an ATM machine quickly when I need some."
"Certainly." Harry was readily presented with all he had asked.
"It was a pleasure, mr Potter. Good day."
Harry smiled. He was going to enjoy this holiday.
Vernon was still waiting outside.
"Here it is," Harry said, taking the passengers' seat, "10,000 pounds, as promised. Could you drop me off at the station on your way back?"
Vernon actually smiled at the sight of the money.
"Sure," he said, and looking at Harry intensely for a moment, he added, "Maybe you're not as bad as I thought you were, being, you know, one of them."
Harry shrugged. "You never wanted me, and I was dumped on your doorstep all the same by people disregarding both our opinions on the matter. We have no reason to like each other. I am certain we both prefer that this ends all contact between us. I would recommend that you move, though. Headmaster Dumbledore and most of his colleagues know where you live. There is a house in a village nearby that would suit you very well, I checked on the internet. You'd sell 4 Privet Drive for more then they're asking for this house, too. I got the folder."
Vernon Dursley nodded approvingly. "Sounds good. But since when are you suddenly concerned for our safety, boy?" he asked, with narrowed eyes.
"You are my last family," Harry said indifferently, "I don't like you, you don't like me, and I have no desire to ever see or talk to you again, but I do not wish you dead. Aunt Petunia will like this house; the garden is nice and well kept. Move quickly, and overnight, sometime next week. By the time they discover I did not move with you, if you keep my disappearance hidden well enough, I will be far away and you will be somewhere safe."
They had reached King's Cross.
"Well, have a good life, then," Harry said, and stepped out of the car, out of the Dursley's lives forever.
Harry figured he'd check out the house in York first. He contemplated visiting the York dungeons, but decided he did not want to give Snape any ideas next time the man broke into his mind while teaching him Occlumency. Then again, there was probably nothing in that dungeon that Snape hadn't seen before.
Buying a first class ticket, Harry settled down in the train. He'd shrunken his trunk, relishing that he could now do magic. He threw a cloth over Hedwig's cage, giving her an apologetic look.
"Sorry girl, but Muggles wouldn't understand an owl for a pet," he explained. She hooted softly and went to sleep.
Checking his timetables, Harry saw the journey would take about two hours, so he settled in a quiet corner to take a nap.
Back at HogwartsMinerva McGonagall briskly strode through the corridors. She felt slightly guilty for not checking up on her now VERY young colleague earlier, but the house elf had told her he was with Albus yesterday.
Albus loved children, and she knew Albus cared deeply for Severus. No doubt they were having fun. Which would be good for both of them, she sighed, as Albus had been working like crazy lately.
But now she had promised herself the day off, and decided to spend it with Severus.
Knocking on his door, she was surprised there was no reply. Knocking again, she entered.
"Severus? Where are you, boy?" she called kindly.
He was not in his rooms. Albus must have gotten there before she did, she thought, smiling. Well, she'd just go up and see if she could borrow Severus for the afternoon then.
"Albus?"
The headmaster looked up from his desk as his deputy entered. "Yes, Minerva? Is there a problem?"
"No, I just wondered if I could borrow Severus for the day…he IS with you, isn't he?"
"No," Dumbledore said shortly, "he didn't show up this morning to do his lines. I caught him brewing a Dark potion yesterday and gave him detention. I sent a house elf to fetch him. He should be here any moment now. But please, do take him with you. Will save me the trouble of supervising."
The transfigurations professor raised an eyebrow in surprise. "Why, Albus, I thought you'd like to spend some time with Severus while he is a child."
"I have far too much work to do to spend time with him, and frankly, I don't want to. I'm up to my ears in work, half the Order calls me daily for instructions, and thanks to Severus getting himself exposed as a spy, I now don't know what Tom is planning, nor can I save innocent people from dying. So keep him out of my sight. I nearly beat and strangled him yesterday, I'm not sure if I can restrain myself today."
McGonagall's eyes widened in shock. She raised her wand.
"Point me Severus!" she said. No response.
She tried again, with the same results. A house elf entered just as she was about to try a third time.
"Gabby is very sorry, headmaster sir, but young professor Snape is left. Is not in castle or on grounds. All elves is been looking for him, sir, but nothing. Not in forest, not in lake, nowhere."
"He ran away," McGonagall said, pale and shaking.
"Did you check the dungeons?" asked the headmaster coolly, not looking up from his work, "perhaps he is brewing more illegal potions. If you find him there, lock him in his room and make sure he doesn't leave it until we have time to research a cure."
"ALBUS!" Minerva exploded, "the child is MISSING! Severus is GONE! How can you just sit there like you don't care?"
He looked at her, his eyes distant and cold, his face older then she had ever seen it. But what he said made her blood boil.
"Because I don't. He is responsible for many good people dying right now because he had to get himself kiddified. I told him exactly that yesterday. I told him to get out when I felt I was close to taking Phineas' advice to cane him hard enough to prevent him going anywhere for at least a week."
"ALBUS PERCIVAL WULFRIC BRIAN DUMBLEDORE!" McGonagall shrieked, "ARE YOU OUT OF YOUR BLOODY MIND? You told him he was responsible for people dying? And that Legilimency you used on him earlier! You…you….you abused that boy! Even worse then we did all those years ago when he was still in school here! He could be anywhere! We have to find him, we have to get people to look for him!"
Dumbledore shrugged. "You go search for him if you want, there are no people to spare at the moment to look for a wayward brat with far too much attitude then is becoming for someone his age. He's probably hiding somewhere and will come back when he's tired and hungry. And when he does, I'll make sure the thought of sending the whole castle in a panick by running away will never so much as cross his mind again."
McGonagall's face was red with anger and she had to remind herself that she was no match for the old wizard to keep from hexing him. She stamped out, house elf at her heels, to floo Poppy Pomphrey and Pomona Sprout.