Questions and Answers

Harry slid into the booth at the sunny café. He stared expectantly at the man seated across from him. Professor Snape hadn't said anything in the car, and Harry had felt too awkward to attempt a conversation.

He was beginning to have second thoughts. He didn't know this man. All he knew was that he claimed his name was Professor Snape, supposedly taught at a school-for magic-and had told Harry that he would take him away from his relatives.

My instincts may never have been wrong before, but there's always a first time, right?

He started as the Professor shifted in his seat. Those cold black eyes were studying him again. It was scary. He didn't like it.

"Could you please stop doing that?" He said hesitatingly, with an edge of irritation.

"Doing what, Mr. Potter?"

"You…you know what you're doing." He shrank back into his seat.

"Indeed." The man's expression didn't change.

"Um, you said…that you would explain why I'm a fr-I mean, the magic." Harry thought he'd cover the safer topics first, he could get to the Dursley's later.

"Yes, I did." He didn't acknowledge Harry's slip-up.

Finally, he sighed. "Harry. You are a wizard, as you have no doubt deduced from the letter you received. Magic is very much real, and you must have some talent in using it or you would never have been accepted into Hogwarts. Hogwarts is one of the three major wizarding schools in Europe, and-if I may say so-quite the best."

"Oh."

"Yes. Oh. Any questions?" The professor attempted to look approachable.

Harry tried to hold in his laughter, but really, what was the man doing to his face?

Snape frowned. "Might I ask what exactly you find so funny, Mr. Potter?" Came the silken question.

"N-nothing Professor. I'm sorry. I…I'm sorry."

Professor Snape sighed again. "No, I'm sorry, Potter. I'll do my best not to be quite so intimidating in the future."

"Hey!" Harry replied indignantly, "I wasn't intimidated!"

"Mmm. Yes. Of course not." Dryly.

"I wasn't!"

"Yes, yes, I believe you, Mr. Potter. Now, do you have any questions?"

"Yeah, I do. So…magic is real."

"Yes."

"And…I'm a wizard."

"Yes."

"Right. And you're a wizard. You're a Professor of…being a wizard."

"Yes. How about you try asking something you don't know the answer to?"

"Um, okay, my parents-were they…?"

"Wizards."

"Wizards."

"Are you a bloody parrot, boy?" Snape exploded, "Didn't those muggles tell you anything?"

"Pretty much no. So, my parents were wizards, but they died in a car crash?"

"Of course not, Mr. Potter. Your parents were very powerful. They were murdered. By a Dark Lord. The Dark Lord, actually."

"What's a Dark Lord? And who's the Dark Lord? Is he still around?"

"A Dark Lord is a very powerful Dark Wizard. These days, it has become synonymous with those Dark Wizard of the evil variety-they usually try to take over the world. The Dark Lord was the latest. His name was Voldemort. And yes, I do believe that he still exists."

"You believe? You mean you don't know?"

"No. Voldemort…disappeared almost ten years ago."

"How?" Harry asked, spellbound.

"No one is entirely certain. We all have our own little theories. However, we do know for certain that it somehow involves you."

End Chapter 7

So, you like? Don't like? Was the dialogue okay? I'm pretty sure it's the weakest part of my writing…

I have decided to go with nice!Dumbledore. He will be manipulative, but well-intentioned. My Dumbledore would never do something like that to a child. Sorry to those of you who wanted hardcore naughty!Dumbledore. It just wouldn't fit as well with the story.

Thank you to everyone who reveiwed! I love you, I love you, I love you! I got 40 reviews, did you see? *squeals* I have no idea what people see in this story, but I'm not about to stop you from reading it! *g* *does several happy dances*