Chapter 4

Three weeks later the Potions master noticed a message on his mobile while in Muggle London. He called back and caught Helen while standing in the queue at IKEA. They agreed on meeting the next day, for planning and for assembling the furniture.

To his surprise Severus had found a third cousin of James Potter who had nominal guardianship of the boy. The old man claimed that Albus Dumbledore had served as acting guardian, as he himself had never been in a position to care for the boy personally. He relinquished the guardianship easily enough to Minerva McGonagall, who had been angry enough at Dumbledore to go along with the scheme. They had agreed that Severus would be acting guardian for the time being. Thankfully Dumbledore was off to New Zealand and out of reach.

As a professional Helen knew that her ward was too quiet. As a woman moving across England, finding and furnishing a flat and preparing for her new job at Leeds College his disposition suited her just fine. She made a point however to spend at least two hours of quality time a day with Harry. Helen had originally planned more time but found out quickly that the focused attention unsettled the boy to the point of skittishness. He seemed happiest when helping her, be it packing, unpacking, cooking or shopping for groceries. The social worker carefully chose occupations that required little attention from her and therefore made it possible for her to be fully aware of Harry – what he said, his body language, his skill with house-work. More and more a pattern emerged that left Helen tentatively hopeful that her little charge's emotional bruises would heal with time. It seemed that Mrs Dursley had shown Harry attention and even – sparsely so – affection and these events mainly were coincident with the two of them being alone and doing some household chores.

After assembling her furniture Helen dropped a pizza-leaflet in front of her helpmates. Severus went for pepperonis and chilis over salami, Helen chose spinach and greek cheese and then they waited patiently for Harry to find something he liked, praising his reading skills along the way. Finally, the adult's stomachs were grumbling by then, he decided on a Quattro Stagioni. During the wait for delivery a chattering Harry dragged Severus to his room - his very own room! - and explained every little detail: the bookcase with his very own books, a table with new and clean paper and pencils in all colours, a wardrobe with three different trousers that fitted, and, best of all, a real bed!

Over the summer Severus spent quite some time in Leeds. He accompanied Harry and Helen to look for schools, he helped with assembling the kitchen and he was astonished how much the boy knew about plants when they worked on the pots of herbs and tomatoes on their flat's balcony. As Helen was busy with preparation for her new job as a lecturer for social studies at the college the Potions master took Harry on some outings for the last days of the child's holidays. He apparated them to the seaside where he learned that the youngster could not swim - `Swimming lessons are too expensive for a good-for-nothing freak´. Helen would have his hide about the swearwords he uttered at this but Harry's giggle was worth it. "Harry, freak is a bad word, but if someone is a freak then the Dursleys would fit that appellation. It is abominable and freakish to mistreat a defenceless child."

"I can defend myself! And I am quick."

"That you are, Harry, and it is a good thing. Look over there." Two toddlers were playing in the sand.

"Why? That's just two babies."

"They are about the same age you were when you came to live with the Dursleys. You told us that you could not reach the cutlery drawer when you started to wash the dishes for them. What would you think if the parents over there forced those two toddlers to work as much as you had to?"

"They won't. That's their parents. They are their children, not some unwanted nephews who have to earn their keep."

"No. The boy with the blue trousers is their son, the little girl is a niece, I overheard them talking. Can you remember a time where the Dursleys treated your cousin and you the same?"

Harry grew pensive. Severus feared that it would take many more such conversations to eradicate the Dursleys' perverted arguments. For now it was enough.

"How about we go into the sea once more and then look for the ice-cream van?"

The child was already running towards the shore, the Potions master following with a pair of orange water wings.

In September Severus walked around the hills behind Hogwarts a lot, looking for a spot of reception. Helen and he had agreed not to write as it was too noticeable, but that Severus would call whenever feasible. Harry enjoyed his new school a lot and had made friends already. Chattering away over the phone he described his most recent picture in loving detail and professed his hope to be nominated for the school's football team as he was the fastest in his year. The Potions master knew that he could not leave his little Slytherins during the first few weeks of term but assured the child that he would come for a visit as soon as possible.

Helen loved her new job even if it was demanding. Harry thrived to the extent that he even dared to test her borders. Mind you, these tests were very mild compared to what the former social worker had experienced in her field, but he did – smuggling a flashlight to look at his books under the covers after bedtime, `forgetting´ to brush his teeth or hiding his jacket behind the umbrella stand if he thought the weather warm enough to go without. For Helen these were good signs, the boy felt secure enough with her to behave like a real child. In October Severus managed a visit, too short in Harry's opinion, but very welcomed. So far they'd had no problems with accidental magic as the boy had found friends at school and really liked his new primary school teacher, Ms Smythe. He caught up in his learning at an astonishing speed now that he was allowed to perform as he was able, not having to fear being better than Dudley. Severus' visit fell on Harry's first game and while his team lost the boy was happy over his first goal. They went to celebrate eating out in an Indian restaurant in Leeds.

Arabella Figg could have noticed earlier that Harry Potter no longer lived at 4, Privet Drive. She'd had her suspicions for a while, but she knew that she'd be back at her brother's house if Albus Dumbledore no longer payed rent for her and her cats' home at Magnolia Drive. Of course, Dumbledore could have checked himself now and then. But he didn't and therefore it was late November before it was certain that no one knew where Harry Potter was. Petunia Dursley could not remember the name of the social worker who had called, Greater Whinging Social Services refused to tell anything to that weird old man in the plum-coloured velvet suit. Kingsley Shacklebolt failed to obtain any useful information via his Muggle police contacts because Dumbledore forgot to cancel the geas on Harry Potter's file and the Auror did not know about it. Severus Snape and Minerva McGonagall kept mum. Whenever the Scottish witch wavered the Potions master murmured words like `cupboard´ or `belt´. And he took her along for his next visit over the Christmas holidays which went a long way to subdue her conscience.

Severus Snape developed a salve that reduced Harry's tell-tale scar to near invisibility. The Potions master and McGonagall – Aunt Minnie – became fixtures in the child's life. After his adoption he usually spent part of his holidays at either place. Henry Charkov was running wild in the Scottish Highlands with Minerva's numerous grand-nieces and nephews, he was brewing potions in Severus kitchen in Cokeworth, always insisting on visiting the chippy, and he even attended dancing lessons with Draco Malfoy, Theodore Nott, Blaise Zabini, Millicent Bulstrode, Pansy Parkinson and the Greengrass sisters. Narcissa had bemoaned to be short of one boy at which point Severus had told his friends of this Half-blood boy he mentored. After a few afternoons in the child's company Lucius Malfoy had cornered Severus in his study, demanding answers. Being Slytherins they had naturally not talked about their allegiances or a possible change in them. Malfoy Sr. was enraged over Severus' memories of Harry's abuse and shrewd enough to see the political advantage of cordial relations with The-Boy-Who-Lived.

After the party for Harry's tenth birthday Helen asked Severus to be released from their betrothal. Her being the adoptive mother of a wizard it was no longer necessary for adherence to the Statue of Secrecy and the Potions master had all but forgotten about it.

Helen's intended Edward Barnaby was teaching economy at the same college as her. They got married at the end of August and Henry's little sister Catherine was born in November. Minerva checked Hogwarts' book of admissions and voilá – there was an entry for Catherine Jane Charkov Barnaby! Edward, being a scientist, took a while to get used to magic being real but witnessing little Catherine making the mobile of seagulls over her crib fly in circles went a long way to convince him.

As elated as Henry was to get his Hogwarts letter as sad he was to leave his family behind. Both Sev and Aunt Minnie promised lots of `detentions´ with hot chocolate and cookies to alleviate any home-sickness.