Chapter 3 – A secret
"So, he got 'the letter' too". said Petunia, on the verge of tears, while sipping on a cup full of hot Chamomile tea she clumsily brewed moments ago.
"Yes, and you should let him enrol at Hogwarts." Snape answered while drinking the same tea in an identical cup.
"No, I won't! I don't want it! I'm his legal guardian, and I don't want a wizard in my house! It's my right!" she replied contemptuously.
Snape snuffled scornfully.
"I'm sorry to break this up to you, but you already have a wizard in your house. I think you know, better than most, that being a wizard or witch isn't a choice: you're born as one or… you aren't."
Petunia constricted her lips while she heard his last sentence. Severus was aware he just touched a weak point of her, and he did it on purpose. He proceeded with his dissertation.
"Oh, well, Mr. Potter is a wizard, he had always been a wizard and he can't stop being a wizard, even if he wanted to; it's an irreversible birth condition, with all its perks and downers. The school is just going to teach him how to control and enhance his powers. And, let me tell you something: having in your house a wizard who knows how to control his powers is way safer than having one who doesn't. An untrained wizard is a risk for himself and the ones around him. That's exactly why the most active wizarding children are rather being home-schooled than attending to a regular school. I myself was a fine example of a magical kid who couldn't be left with a hundred other kids in a building without enough fire escape routes."
"You were a dirty little scamp, but Harry Potter isn't dangerous! He never hurt anybody! He just made a few unintentional silly tricks! He was able to attend a regular school with ordinary kids without any problems! He doesn't need to go to Hogwarts and practice magic; he could have a normal life!" she whined.
"Quite the little late-bloomer he is, isn't he? Good for you. But a wizard's powers grow as he ages, along with the risk he may represent. A reliable source of information told me he recently made a glass disappear, releasing an enormous snake in a crowded Zoo. That sounds dangerous if you ask me. Aren't you eager to see what he's going to do next? Maybe next time he's going to unintentionally release a faster and hungrier carnivorous beast, or he's going to accidentally make something explode in your lovely kitchen, also I would like to point out that there's an impressive number of flammable objects in this cozy living room."
Petunia quivered while pressing her hands against each other.
"But, if he learns to control his powers, he could use them to hurt and threat us at his will." she moaned.
"No, he can't, and that's a very important thing to point out". said Snape. "In the moment a young wizard starts his magic education in a wizarding school, he becomes legally responsible for the spells he casts. And underage wizard students are strictly forbidden to perform any kind of magic outside the school. So, if Mr. Potter even tries to execute any kind of enchantment inside your household, the Minister of Magic will take care of him shortly. But, you're only going to have this legal protection if you send him to school because our system doesn't consider magic children who aren't having any training responsible for their acts."
"But Lily performed magic at our house!" Petunia howled. "Once she turned a teacup I was drinking on in a rat!"
"And she got a warning for that. If she repeated that behavior, she could get herself in serious trouble."
Petunia covered her face with her hands, Snape proceeded with his talking.
"In practical terms, this is what is going to happen: he's going to spend most of the year in a Boarding School, and you're going to be free of him for months. During the couple months he's going to be here, his homework will consist of reading and researching on books and writing essays, like any ordinary boy attending to a regular educational institution. Under those terms, I think we could even keep the little detail that Hogwarts isn't a conventional school as a secret between me, you and Mr. Potter; your husband and son don't even need to know. What do you think?"