The next morning found Severus meeting Kingsley Shacklebolt and Alastor Moody in Hogsmeade. Moody, as usual, was in a mood. Life was ironic when it came to the man's name, it seemed. He still felt that more people were needed to escort Harry back to Hogwarts with or without Dumbledore setting up a port key for them. If trouble ran their way, he doubted it would be in a small quantity. He also felt they should have waited until night. Their movements and actions were too obvious during the day. He ignored Severus' reasoning that the Death Eaters were not ready to start working in broad daylight, yet.

Kingsley did his best to stay as far out of either of his companions' radar as he could, though he found their glares and growls amusing. Neither ever failed to come up with new insults for the other, many of which were amusing but could get you hexed for laughing. Of course, he doubted Severus or Alastor would be able to hear any smothered laughter, or even open chuckles, as loud as they were growling at each other. He knew the morning was going to prove to be interesting, especially after the . . . stories he had heard about the muggles Harry lived with.

"Let's just go," Kingsley suggested. The more he thought about it, the more he wanted it over with. He had better things to do than listen to two grown men act like children, however amusing it could get, and play diplomat with muggles. Though, with Severus and Alastor, diplomacy was likely not going to happen. "Unless, of course, you fear the Death Eaters, Alastor." He knew that should get the old man moving. No one challenged Moody's courage or integrity.

Moody hmphed. "Of course not! Don't be daft! I'm still a better Auror than anyone." He glared at the tall, dark man. Saying that to an Auror was dangerous, perhaps, but to him it was true. Besides, Kingsley was use to his ways and would take it with a grain of salt. Alastor did not like the small force, especially when it came to dealing with Harry, but he was not going to back out. The boy needed better protected than Dumbledore was doing, portkey or no portkey. "Fine. We shall go, but I don't like this."

Truth was, the other two men thought, Alastor liked very little, if anything. "You don't like anything," Severus growled before apparating. He had many more important things to do than put up with Aurors current or not, especially 'Mad-Eye', and babysit Potter. The thought of putting up with obese, obnoxious muggles stuck in his craw like little else. He hated muggles.

Alastor growled as well before doing likewise. He was not going to trust Snape to see to Potter alone, and he knew the impatient man would not wait on them once his feet hit the ground at Pivet Drive. Kingsley followed close behind them both. He knew he was the mediator, the one Dumbledore had sent to keep the other two from killing one another. Thing was, he did not know for certain, if they chose to do so, he could stop either of them. Course, if they got too bad, he may be disinclined to do so, anyhow.

The hour was still early, the morning dim and gray yet, as they arrived near 4 Pivet Drive. Many were still in bed, which was likely best as the men did stick out some. Kingsley was tall, black, bald, and had a large gold hoop in his ear. He was the sort of man none of the residents of the neighborhood would trust or invite in just because of the way he looked. He had, for the occasion, worn more muggle like clothing, but his choices were a bit louder than the community was use to. 'Mad-Eye' looked the most normal. He was dressed closest to muggle style, though the fashion was a bit old, with his bowler pulled low over his magical eye.

And Severus, well Severus had foregone nothing. If the muggles wanted to look at him odd for his fashion sense that was not his problem. He wore his black clothes, black robes, and a black cloak as the morning was damp and a bit chill even in July. He stuck out on his own but with the other men, they all made quite a group. Still, Severus had a look the other two men were not projecting, though they could. One good look at Severus had anyone who wanted to say anything or watch them turning the other way. Tall and foreboding with the aura of danger, he was obviously a man to be left alone.

Severus lead the way to the Dursley's door. He turned the back of his hand to the barrier and rapped the knuckles of his first two fingers on it thrice. Then, he waited. Kingsley stood back from the other two men, hands folded in front of him. Alastor tapped his foot impatiently, leaning against the side of the house. When five minutes passed and no one came to the door, Severus politely rapped again, louder and longer. Only the thin line of his lips displayed just how irked he was.

Finally, they heard someone clambering toward the door. Then, Severus was met with the sight of Vernon Dursley in his pajamas and bath robe. The portly man took one look at them and started to slam the door closed. The wood met the flat palm of Severus' hand before it was halfway there. Dursley looked fit to be tied, his face getting a purple Moody remembered all too well, along with the familiar spluttering.

"We haven't laid a hand on the boy!" He exclaimed. He then realized what neighbors could think seeing them. "Off with you!" Seeing them enter his home would be much worse. He would chance anything they would do to him.

Moody tipped back his hat slightly, gazing at Vernon as his magical eye spun about in his head. Dursley swallowed, rethinking chancing them doing anything to him or his family. However, it was the icy, intimidating voice of Severus that made him sweat. The black clad man would think nothing of doing anything to any of them. "I suggest," he spoke softly but strongly, "that you step aside and let us in. After all, wouldn't want your neighbors to see us standing here, would you?" Severus forced a fake smile as he gazed down his nose at the porky man.

Vernon hesitated a moment, glancing up and down the street, but quickly moved aside as Severus took a step toward him. Severus nodded to him, more because he made the right choice than anything, and stepped inside. The other two men followed suit, all of them coming to a stop near the foot of the stairs. "Well, what do you want?" Vernon demanded, puffing up as his wife came down the stairs to his side and giving the three men a disgusted look.

"We've come for Harry," Severus forced himself to use the boy's given name. "He is needed at the school." Dumbledore and the blasted werewolf owed him big for this. After what the brat had done, invading his memories, he really had better places to be. Hell, he would have sat by the werewolf so the Headmaster could have got the boy himself.

"By all means, take him! Boy's nothing but trouble! Scares the hell out of my poor little Dudley!" He gave them a look akin to 'pity me and my son'. Severus just sneered at him, hearing Kingsley snort softly behind him. Alastor grunted.

"Then retrieve him," Severus snapped out as a command. He hated muggles, especially muggles who thought they were better than wizarding folk. He almost felt sorry for Potter, almost, but the boy really did deserve the family as the family deserved him.

Vernon turned and stormed up the stairs after telling Petunia to scream if they did anything inappropriate to her. She stood stalk still, gazing at the men coolly for invading her home. They could also see that she was frightened. However, one other thing about the woman puzzled them. How the hell could she be the sister of Lily Evans Potter? The question boggled the mind.

Soon, they heard Vernon slamming into Harry's room and barking at the boy. "Boy, get up! Some of your . . . kind are here. I want them out of my house!" His voice was angry and a bit mean. He did not want wiz . . . their kind in his home, around his family. The boy was bad enough.

The scowls on the faces of Alastor and Severus deepened while Kingsley looked down right grim. Alastor felt the intense need to turn Vernon into a wart hog. The man had no right to talk to anyone like that let alone a member of his family. How could anyone related to Lily just stand there and listen to him say those things to the boy? He hated it, loathed it. He determined blood or no blood, the boy had to have a different place to stay when not at school.

Severus, while Moody grumbled under his breath about wart hogs and muggles, noted a pudgy face, he could only assume was Potter's cousin, peeking down the stairs. He did not get that good of a look before Harry was roughly shoved down the stairs by Vernon. The boy nearly lost his footing a couple times before reaching the ground floor. Upon seeing the three wizards he froze, especially at the sight of Severus.

"Professor!" He exclaimed in shock, gaping at the potions master. Of all people to come to Surrey for him, Severus Snape was nye on the last he would expect. Something big had to be up to get the potions master anywhere near him, let alone Pivet Drive. "What are you doing here?"

"The werewolf is ill," Severus supplied, devoid of any emotion or sympathy for the way the boy could, and likely would, take what he said. He really did not care if he upset the boy. The faster he came along, the sooner he could rid himself of him.

"Remus? What's wrong with Remus?" He got concerned. Nothing could be wrong with Remus. He had just lost Sirius. He could not take something happening to the gentle man, too. He looked to the other two men for answers, doubting Severus would give him what he wanted to know.

"Grief, my boy," Alastor supplied. Kingsley just nodded. The muggles did not need to know any more. Neither of the men agreed with Severus so easily saying werewolf in front of them, but what was said was said. Severus did as Severus pleased more often than not anyhow.

"Dumbledore wants you back at the school. We have a key waiting for us," Kingsley's deep voice reverberated in the house thought he did not speak very loud. He noticed Petunia kinda shrink back as he spoke.

"Get your things," Severus demanded of the boy. "I've been around these sad excuses for muggles more than long enough." He glared at Petunia and Vernon then up the stairs to the still peeking Dudley.

Vernon was still stuck on the werewolf bit. "Werewolf?" He asked hesitantly. These wiz... kind were mad!

"Yes," Severus snapped, glaring at the man very coolly. He had not the breath to waste on the obese man.

"You'd remember him as one of the men that spoke to you with Moody here at the station," Harry informed his uncle as he motioned to Alastor. "The one with the sandy hair. He was here last summer, too, while you were out." He loved having things to frighten them with.

"A werewolf! In my house! Never!" Vernon was deep purple, shaking in outrage. "Get your things, boy, and get these people out of my house!"

"Calm down, Dursley, before you pop your own head off," Alastor growled, both eyes fixed squarely on the man. Then, his magic eye spun around and fixed on Dudley. "Might want to put that porker on a diet."

"Porker!" Petunia shrieked. "How dare you!" Her face flushed in blotches as her hands clinched into fists.

Kingsley sighed. You could not take Severus or Alastor anywhere. Both men had such a knack for pissing people off, insulting them, inciting them to violence or at least explinatives. And when put together it was twice as bad, though more than likely they were insulting one another. But, if they chose to gang up on someone, he pitied that someone. Vernon Dursley, however, he was not going to pity.

"Yes, I believe he said porker," Severus intoned. "I must agree. Not even Crabbe and Goyle are that large." The significance of this statement was lost on the muggles but Harry snorted and smirked. Severus raised a brow at him. "Your things," he reminded coolly. Harry beat a hasty retreat to his room.

"My son is not a porker! He's fit as a fiddle, healthy!" Vernon roared, glaring at the wizards. Kingsley sighed again. "He's a boxer, he is, and a very good one at that!" He boasted. "That's muscle!"

"Is yours muscle, too?" Severus asked curiously. He gazed at Vernon coolly, eyeing him up and down in speculation.

"Hell, Severus, there isn't that much muscle on fifty men," Alastor told the potions master. He heard Kingsley sigh yet again. The Auror needed to lighten up and not worry about pissing the muggles off.

Vernon was breathing heavily, audibly. His face was so dark it seemed he had no blood in the rest of his body. How dare the freaks poke fun at him! He was a man! They were freaks! "Boy!" He roared up the stairs. Petunia and Dudley both flinched. He turned to glare up the stairs. "Get a move on!" He failed to notice Severus move up behind him.

"I don't think a please would hurt you," he suggested icily in the man's ear. He was satisfied by the man spinning around and landing on his ass on the stairs. He smirked down at him. "Come, Mr. Potter, or do you require some assistance?" He called up to Harry amicably. Kingsley looked at Severus like he was a different man as Alastor smirked to himself. Severus was good at mind games and the Dursleys were up the creek with out boat or paddle.

"I've got it!" Harry called back after a bit of hesitation. Severus' tone had thrown him for a loop.

"We are on a schedule, Harry. We have a key to catch," he reminded the boy. Then, he looked to Dudley. "Why don't you help him, boy!" He sneered with his most malicious face and voice. The same that made the first years, and some seventh years, want to wet themselves. He smiled evilly as Dudley about killed himself in a rush to go help Harry.

Alastor chuckled lightly. "Still have the touch, I see, Severus." He could reduce the stoutest student, or adult, to tears and wet pants faster than just about anyone else Alastor had ever met.

"Of course. How else would I keep hundreds of students in line?" He boasted with a smirk. "The weak ones are easy to spot and single out. Like the porker up there." He had to admit, antagonizing the muggles was fun, not worth having to fetch Potter, but fun.

Vernon shot to his feet again. "Stop insulting my son!" He roared trying to sound big and bad. He only got more angry as Severus just gazed at him blankly, not even blinking.

"I dare say he thinks he's frightening," Severus commented to the other wizards. "I've seen scarier garden gnomes."

Kingsley chuckles, his deep laugh bouncing off the walls. "Gnomes have wicked teeth." He liked seeing this side of Severus, if not what the other man was doing.

Severus nodded. "Yes, that they do. Their blood is useful in some potions as well. I found it very important in a shrinking potion. Of course, you can't shrink just anything with it." He patted some of the pockets of his robe. "I have some on me. Perhaps I could leave some here. You never know, it could work on fat."

"Boy!" Vernon screamed, ringing the ears of the others. Petunia cringed, hugging the way with her back.

"Coming, Uncle Vernon," Harry said dryly as he drug his trunk down the stairs, carrying Hedwig's cage.

"Get out of my house! Out! Out! Out! OUT!" He screamed to them. He wanted them gone!

Severus smirked and pulled a vial from his pocket and tossed it at Vernon. "Just a few drops or it will cause your nether regions to fall off." Vernon jumped back from the vial, again landing on his ass on the stairs. He slid down a few this time, bouncing his head off the steps. Severus and Alastor laughed heartily as they ushered Harry out the door. The boy was shocked at what Severus had done, let alone that he and Alastor were laughing about it. He had never heard Severus laugh before that he could recall.

Once outside, Kingsley shook his head. "Was that necessary?" He asked Severus and Moody.

"Yes," both men said. "And it was damn funny," Alastor added. He started walking down the street to where Albus said the portkey would be. Kingsley sighed and followed. Severus motioned Harry ahead of him.

"If I may, Professor, why did you come?" Harry asked the potions master.

Severus gave him a glare. "Because the Headmaster asked me to. Now no more talk until back to the school." His fun was over and he was back to surly. He wanted back to the school and his dungeons. His dark, cool, isolated dungeons.

Harry sighed and trudged after Kingsley and Alastor. He would say no more to the potions master as it was clear the man hated him. His mind turned to Remus and his pace picked up. He knew the key would only work when it was suppose to but he wanted to make sure he was there at that time. Remus needed him or Dumbledore would not have sent for him. He had to get to the werewolf.

Soon, but not soon enough, Alastor turned down an alley, surveying the area before letting the others walk in. He then led them to the back of the alley and found dirty, ratty old hat. "Here we are." He checked the time. "Just on time." He picked the hat up and held it out for the rest to touch. "Send your owl on its own, lad." Harry opened her cage then, as one almost, they all grabbed a hold of the hat. A few moments later they all felt the pull to their bellies and then found themselves at Hogwarts.

Harry dropped his trunk where he stopped and took off at a dead run. He had to see Remus. The three wizards watched, Alastor and Kingsley sharing a sad look. Severus just billowed off for his dungeons. His task was done.