Disclaimer: As ever, not mine…just borrowing.
Author's note: Hope everyone enjoys.
'One change always leave the way open for the establishment of others.' ~ Machiavelli.
Harry was relaxing back into his seat on the Hogwarts Express, watching the Scottish countryside pass them by as the little engine steamed ever onwards. Ron was snoring away in the seat beside him, and both he and Hermione were reading quietly. He looked up as he heard Hermione sigh and close her book. She looked…conflicted.
"What's wrong 'Mione?" Harry asked, laying his own book down in his lap.
"Did something happen this summer Harry?" She asked after a moment. "I didn't want to pry but, I couldn't help but notice a few things."
He nodded. "There are some things that I can't talk about, not yet. But the clothes and things...I went and bought myself the things I needed. I got a chance to actually go to Gringotts and had them change some money for me so I could buy some muggle things. The Dursley's are never going to do it so I need to start taking care of myself." He said, after all it was a harmless lie. "And some of it was gifts from anonymous sources. A bunch of things were dropped off at the Leaky Cauldron for me, I don't like accepting it…but some of it I did need." He sighed, giving her some of the truth as well.
Hermione nodded, understanding a bit. "When you can, if you need someone to just listen…you know you can talk to me right?" She said. It hurt to know that her friend was in a situation that she really couldn't do anything about. She'd even tried talking to the Headmaster last year, but he'd simply said that it was nothing for her to worry over.
"I know…and when I can, I will." He promised her. "Do you think you can help me organize my study time so I can keep up better this year?" He asked her, knowing that would make her happy and change the subject.
"Happily." She grinned, pleased to be able to do *something*.
"Good, I have a feeling this is going to be a difficult year." Harry ran a hand through his hair. "I've been just skating through on a lot of things."
"That's hardly your fault. You have had someone trying to kill you both last year and the one before." Hermione said, it was truly shocking that any of them were passing their exams.
"Well…I think I'm overdue a quiet, normal school year. And I've probably jinxed it by saying it." He smirked.
"Probably." She agreed and opened her book again.
Harry did the same, though his mind was not on it. He truly just wanted ONE year of being a normal school boy. He wanted to complain about homework, or his teachers….not about the madman trying to kill him. It got a bit much sometimes. His thoughts stayed pensive until they finally arrived at Hogsmeade station and disembarked. Hagrid gave him a warm smile, but didn't have time to talk as he was corralling this year's newest students.
Harry followed Hermione to the carriages, as he and Ron had missed this step last year. It was wicked to see them moving all on their own. He still loved magic, especially in something like this. He climbed in and let out a deep breath. "Finally home."
Ron chuckled a little and settled in, nodding to Neville as he came to join them.
"Have a nice summer Harry?" Neville asked as he sat down.
"I did, how was yours?" Harry asked in return. He liked the shy boy, and tried to include him where he could.
"It was nice, spent it in France with my cousins." He grinned. "I hear you had a big trip Ron." He turned.
"It was brilliant!" Ron said and launched into his tale of Egypt and for the rest of the ride, Harry was spared from having to say much of anything. Ron really was enjoying having this story to tell and Harry certainly didn't begrudge him.
SHSHSHSHSHSHSHSHSHSHSHSHSHSHSHSH
Severus was sitting at the head table, trying very hard not to frown tonight. He was sitting at the same table as Remus Lupin, mangy wolf that he was. Albus had 'informed' him of the other man's appointment and expressed his wishes that Severus let 'bygones be bygones' and move past any schoolboy grudges he might still carry. Severus wasn't entirely sure how one simply 'got over' nearly being eaten alive but he'd said he wouldn't make any trouble.
As it was, he would keep an eye on the other man, the safety of the students demanded that much at least. Severus looked up as the students began to flood in, unable to keep his eyes from looking for Harry, trying to assess in a few second's glance just *how* the boy was doing. He was walking with his usual Gryffindor companions, letting the Weasley boy do most of the talking, just nodding and smiling from time to time. Had he always been that…reserved? His name being called roused him.
"Forgive me, what did you say?" Severus as Professor Sinestra.
"You look as though you have something pressing on your mind." She said. "Can you pass the wine?" She asked.
"Certainly." He said and did just that. "Forgive me, I was thinking about my lesson plan for the newest Newt students. I have to set some independent studies for this group, keep them challenged." He chuckled.
Sinestra chuckled and nodded. "No apologies required, that group certainly keeps us all on our toes." She agreed.
Severus enjoyed his dinner while watching the new first years come in and be sorted. He applauded enthusiastically for his new snakes, knowing they needed it more than the others. The issue regarding Mr. Potter would need to wait until he heard back from Morwenna and it was best for everyone concerned if he put it out of his mind.
Harry for his part was enjoying the welcome feast, everything seemed back to normal, or at least his version of 'normal'. After dinner he, and the other Gryffindor's, headed back up to the dorms. He said goodnight to Hermione and headed up to start unpacking. He and the other third years stayed up late, catching up after a summer away. Harry spoke a little about his summer in Diagon Alley, which the others thought was very cool, and Ron talked about Egypt and Neville even volunteered a bit about his summer in France. It was very late by the time they all crashed into bed, and Harry slept like the dead.
LHLHLHLHLHLHLHLHLHLHLHLH
It was the second week of classes when Harry finally received any news, and in the most unlikely way. It was his last period on Thursday, now a Gryffindor only potion's class. This year Snape had split all four houses up, giving them a double period. It had made for two surprisingly smooth lessons with a fair bit of theory thrown in by their normally acerbic teacher. They'd also been informed that this year there would be mandatory lecture periods for potions, held once a month for all the houses on a Saturday morning after breakfast. Harry bottled his potion and labelled it, realizing that according to the text book it was the right colour and consistency for once.
He approached the front of the class where Professor Snape was sitting, grading papers. He placed it in the basket used for turning in vials.
"Thank you Mr. Potter. You will remain after class for a few moments." Severus said without ever looking up.
Harry frowned but nodded, "Yes sir." What had he done wrong now?
Severus looked up then and plucked his vial out of the basket, holding it up to the light. "A good effort Mr. Potter. Can you tell me what is stopping it from being a perfect potion?"
Harry blinked and looked at it again. "I'm not sure Professor, the color seems right."
"Look at my directions on the board, then compare them to your text. You can answer me after class." Severus said and put the vial back, returning to his papers.
Harry realized that he hadn't even read the instructions on the board and they were quite different than his text, at least in the last three steps. There was also a note at the bottom, 'In addition to water-like consistency and dark blue color, a correct potion will also shimmer when held up to the light, owing to the addition of unicorn horn dust in the last step after the potion is removed from the heat. This preserves the healing nature of the ingredient, enhancing potency. I advise you to make the necessary corrections in your texts'.
Harry returned to his seat and used his quill to pen the corrections into his book, wondering how many such instructions he had missed over the last two years by assuming that Snape had just copied the directions from the text book. While the ink dried he cleaned his station and put his things away. As the bell rang he remained seated.
"Aren't you coming Harry?" Hermione asked.
He shook his head. "I'll see you at dinner, Professor Snape needed me to say after." He said.
"All right." She said, looking concerned but left with the others.
"Please go and close the door Mr. Potter." Severus said, seeing that everyone else was gone. He stood and headed over to meet the boy in the middle of the classroom. "Did you think about my question?" He asked.
"Yes Sir. There was no shimmer, because I added the powdered unicorn horn before I removed it from the heat." He said. "I guess I never realized that you made changes to the potion procedure from the text."
"From now on I suggest you sit closer to the front, so you do not miss important instructions." Severus said. "Now, I asked you to stay behind because I was asked to give you this letter and be certain that no one saw you receive it." He handed Harry a letter, sealed with black wax.
"Thank you Sir." Harry said, realizing that it was probably from Morwenna.
"I am also to escort you to meet with Miss Lafaye tomorrow evening in Hogsmeade. You can explain your absence to your classmates however you wish, but a detention spent with me would be a believable excuse I am sure." Severus said.
"Yes sir." Harry nodded. No one would think twice about him serving yet another detention with Snape. "Thank you for giving me this letter."
"I trust I don't need to caution you to take care with it?" He said and arched an eyebrow.
"No sir, I know it needs to be kept secret." Harry said, anxious to read it.
"Very well then, off with you. I expect you back here tomorrow evening, promptly at eight." Severus said and dismissed him. "I'll also have a packet of ammendments for your last year's potions text, so you can revise your old books. You may, one day, find it useful." Severus said and then headed back to his desk to gather his marking.
Harry looked stunned. "Thank you Sir." He said, leaving before Snape returned to his usual snarky self. This new Snape was….puzzling. He headed up to the tower, letter tucked inside his robes so that he wouldn't lose it. He ducked into an empty classroom on the way and sat down on a desk, opening the letter.
Dear Mr. Potter,
I hope that this letter finds you settling into your studies well. As I am sure your Professor told you, we will be meeting in person tomorrow evening. I was able to get your new guardianship papers filed and processed without anyone taking any note. You will meet your new guardian tomorrow night at the meeting. I do not wish to commit their name to paper in case this letter is read by someone else. I would perhaps advise you to dispose of it, once read.
While there were many candidates named in your parent's will, there was only one that I felt would be able to provide the needed security and protections that your unique situation requires. This person was also very close to your mother when they were children and they are most committed to your safety.
Until tomorrow evening,
M.
Harry re-read the letter once more before doing exactly as she had suggested and burning the letter with a well-placed 'incendio'. He had no idea who Morwenna was referring to, and it reminded him forcibly that he knew almost nothing about his parents other than how they died and that his father was on the Quidditch team.
He was a little frustrated that she had pushed through the guardianship without discussing things with him first, like she had said she would, but he also knew that speed was important with this. Every day she delayed would have been a day where the Headmaster could have found out what they were up to. He had to trust that she had made the right decision, and that this person really was interested in his happiness.
He continued up to the tower and saw Ron and Hermione getting ready to head down for dinner. "Hey guys."
"So what did Snape want?" Ron asked.
"Professor Snape, Ronald." Hermione corrected him.
"I have to serve a detention with him tomorrow night." Harry sighed.
"Whatever for? I saw your potion…it was correct." Hermione said, outraged.
"For ignoring the written instructions. He's right, I've never even really looked at them…and after seeing today's example I realize I *have* missed a lot." Harry said. "He's going to get me a copy of all the annotations I've missed so I can make changes to my old texts as well."
Hermione frowned, not used to Harry taking a detention with this teacher so well.
"At least he didn't take points." Harry shrugged. "Besides, Saturday is our first Hogsmeade weekend and that will make anything better." He grinned.
"Yeah, I can't wait." Ron said, looking excited.
The conversation soon turned to all the shops in Hogsmeade and all the fun they were going to have on their first weekend out. Harry laughed with them, but his mind was on tomorrow night and the knot he felt in his throat at meeting his new guardian.
That general feeling of nervousness and anticipation carried through to the next day and right up to the moment he arrived at Snape's office.
Severus was wearing a cloak and handed one to Harry. "Shall we go Mr. Potter?" He said simply, and at Harry's nod led him down a set of corridors that he'd never seen before until they reached a heavy wooden door. Severus muttered a passphrase and it opened, right into the forest. "I use this exit when I go into the Dark Forest to collect potion's ingredients. It is unlikely that anyone will see us leaving or returning through it." He explained to his student.
"That seems very handy Sir." Harry said, still a bit surprised that Snape was helping him with this. "Professor….can I ask why you're helping me?" He asked.
"Morwenna was a classmate of mine, and she knows that I can be trusted to keep this between us Mr. Potter. It's not the first time I've had to assist her with her work." He said simply.
Harry nodded, though he suspected that there had to be more to it than that. "Can I ask you something Professor?" He asked after a long silence as they walked through the dark trees.
His teacher sighed. "You may ask, I may decline to answer." He finally said in response.
"Why did you separate the houses for Potion's class? It must mean a lot more work for you." He said.
"In the long run, Mr. Potter, I expect it will save me time and aggravation." He said. "There has been a marked absence of accidents so far this year, a trend I hope will continue to prove out." It had taken two years of negotiating and bargaining to get Albus to agree to this. He simply had had enough of the chaos while trying to teach one of the more difficult and dangerous subjects in the curriculum. He had found notes from past Potion's masters at the school, a few hundred years past mind you, and noted that this format had proved remarkably effective. Growing class sizes had, over the more recent years, created a need to group houses together. For potions, he had found it to be hugely detrimental, mostly for his sanity, and for poor Madame Pomphrey's.
Harry nodded accepting it at that. "Everyone seems to be enjoying the change Sir." Harry did say. He wasn't entirely sure why Snape was being nice to him this year, or at least not horrible, but he really didn't want to risk making the man reconsider.
Severus merely nodded and fell silent again, getting them on the path to Hogsmeade. He paused every once and a while to point out some rare plant to Harry and them promptly collect a sample. "Later this year Professor Sprout and I plan to run some joint classes, you are all in need of better herb lore and collection procedures." He said as they reached the edge of the village. "Stay close Mr. Potter and pull up the hood of your cloak, it would be best if no one was able to readily recognize you."
Harry nodded and pulled up the hood up, letting it hide his face. He stayed close to Severus as they walked briskly past the main shops and down an alley to a row of little houses. Severus went to the last house in the row and knocked briskly at the front door. Morwenna opened the door. "Please come in, thank you for bringing him Severus."
"It was no trouble." He said politely and removed his cloak, hanging it behind the door.
"Mr. Potter, I hope school has been going well so far?" She said and took his cloak from him, gesturing for him to sit down at the little table near the fire. "Hot chocolate?"
"Please." Harry said. "School's been going well so far, thank you." He said, sitting an unable to help looking a bit nervous.
Severus went to sit in a comfortable arm chair off to the side, to give Morwenna and Harry at least the appearance of privacy.
Morwenna sat down and handed Harry a mug of hot chocolate. "Now, first I must apologize, I did promise that we would sit and discuss your options before anything was finalize."
"You also told me that we needed to move quickly." Harry said. "So, who is my guardian?" He asked her, taking a deep breath. "When will they get here?"
"First, let's talk about the terms of a magical guardianship. You need to be aware of your rights, as well as their responsibilities." Morwenna said. "You're thirteen years old, and this guardianship will last only until you come of age at seventeen. Over the next four years your guardian will be responsible for your room and board, as well as anything you might require for your education. In your particular circumstances, they will also be responsible for your protection from those that wish you harm, or might wish to exploit you to their own ends. They will need to oversee your education into the workings of our world, as I feel you have been woefully unprepared for your future among us."
Harry frowned. "What do you mean?"
"You'll need to learn to handle your finances for a start." Morwenna smiled. "The Potters are a very old family, and even if their funds were depleted by the war, you will still inherit some sizeable assets and holdings." She explained. "A trip to Gringotts would not be out of order." She said. "Your guardian would also be required to at least assist you in finding an apprenticeship after school in a field of your choosing or help you decide on employment or further educational opportunities. Any questions about that?" She asked.
He shook his head. "I think I understand."
"Ok. Now, there were several people mentioned in your parents will, but only one of them has the magical expertise and ability to be a suitable protector for you. As I mentioned in the letter, he was a very good friend of your mothers and I think that it might be nice for you to have someone that can answer questions you might have about her." She smiled kindly.
Harry swallowed. "Who is it?" Harry had a sinking feeling in his stomach, putting together what Morwenna was saying along with what he'd learned earlier this summer from the Malfoys.
"Your new guardian is Professor Snape." Morwenna said. "I'll give you two some time to talk and then we can discuss a few other things." She said and stood, letting Severus have her seat and she politely left the room.
Harry was reeling and looked down into his hot chocolate. Snape! He couldn't even look at the man. His most hated teacher was now his guardian. Life really did hate him. It wasn't bad enough that the man could make his life hell in Potions class, now he could do it all the time.
"I realize this is a shock Mr. Potter." Severus said and gave the boy a few minutes. "The simplest fact is that I was your mother's friend, and I promised her that I would do my best to look out for you after her death. The Headmaster assured me that you were best off with your family, and I believed him. I know now that was a mistake, and all I can do is try to make things right again." Severus said, loath to apologize, but he knew it was necessary.
"If you were really her friend why have you always hated me?" Harry said pointedly, not pulling any punches tonight.
"Because I had to. Unfortunately, Mr. Potter, you are year-mates with the children of several of the Dark Lord's supporters. Anything less than contempt for you would have bred suspicion and jeopardized my position. The Headmaster has used me as a spy against that side for a very long time, and he was clear on how he wished me to treat you. However that must end now." He said hoping that the boy would accept that explanation, it was partly truth and avoided the less lovely aspect of his treatment of the boy.
Harry was quiet but nodded, thinking over how Snape had been this year, with no Slytherins watching. "The Headmaster won't be happy that you've done this."
"No, he will not be. His happiness is not really my concern though." Severus said wryly. "I must be prepared for the fallout from that, and he may well dismiss me from the school. We will deal with that when, and if, it happens."
"Why do it if you could lose your job?" Harry was puzzled. Even if Snape had been his mother's friend, why would he risk his job over Harry? It didn't seem worth it really.
"In case you haven't noticed, Mr. Potter, I am not overly fond of teaching." He said and snorted. "I am a Potion's Master. I have many prospects that I have cultivated over the years in the event that my services would no longer be required at Hogwarts. Do not worry over it." He said. "It is up to you if you wish this to be made public. There are certain advantages, and drawbacks to it, as I am sure you can imagine."
Harry nodded. "If it's kept secret, and the Headmaster finds out, he could force you to send me back to the Dursley's, couldn't he?" His voice was quiet, no matter how bad Snape might be…he doubted it could be worse than the Dursely's. At least Snape wouldn't hate him simply for being a wizard.
"Yes, he very well could." Severus said, that being his own chief concern. "Making it public however could make things uncomfortable for you, at least for a while. In the long run, I think that it might be the best option for us both."
Harry smiled a bit then and nodded. His classmates would tease him mercilessly. "Is that what Morwenna wanted to talk about?"
Severus nodded. "She knows several reporters that would be best to run the story, and she can help us direct everything to our favour. Lucius has also offered his assistance in keeping the Ministry on board, I understand from him that you and Draco spent some time together this summer?"
Harry nodded. "We've been trying to get to know each other a bit better." He said. "We did get off to a bad start in first year."
"Your mother never like the animosity between the different houses, she'd be very proud of you." Severus said and smiled a little remembering Lily's many tirades to that effect. "Shall I call Morwenna back out then?"
Harry nodded. "Yes Sir." He said. He knew that really had didn't have a choice in any of this, but he let himself hope, just a little, that things would be better than he was fearing.
Severus stood and went to the other room. To be honest things were going better than he had imagined them, and likely better than he deserved. He had been horrid to the boy, regardless of the reasons. He had fully expected tears, shouting, and hysterics. That none of that had occurred left him pleasantly surprised and hopeful that they would be able to live with one another over the next few years.
Morwenna came back out and the adults sat down at the table with Harry. "Is everything ok Harry?" She asked the boy.
He nodded. "It's maybe not what I expected, but thank you." He made himself say. "Professor Snape said you wanted to talk about making this known publically?"
"Yes, I think ultimately our best protection is found through the support of the public. The wizarding world loves you, Harry. Regardless of Dumbledore's personal influence, if we can make the public see how much you've been wronged, no one would dare try and put you back with those muggles." She said gently. "Lord Malfoy has agreed to lend whatever assistance we might need, and I have a reporter that can be trusted to write the required pieces, as well as a couple others that can be called upon for support as required." She explained.
"I don't want everyone to know about some of it." Harry said uncomfortably.
"I know, and certain facts will be withheld. We can focus on the more general things…such as their hatred of magic." She promised. "As to timing, sooner really is better than later." She said.
"Perhaps it would be best to wait until after this weekend, let Mr. Potter enjoy his first real Hogsmeade weekend with his friends before we stir anything up?" Severus interjected. "That will give things time to settle down before Halloween." He knew that had to be a difficult holiday for the boy, everyone else celebrating while he had to mourn the anniversary of his parent's murder.
Harry nodded. "I'd like that Professor." He said.
"Good, it's settled then. Put your plans into motion, and we will do what is required to make sure that it is effective." Severus said. "Do you need anything else?"
"I will need Mr. Potter to sign a document to state that I informed him of the changes to his guardianship status, and to state that he has no personal objections to it." Morwenna said and pulled the paper out.
Severus read it over carefully and then handed it to Harry. "Take a moment and read it, you should never put your name to anything blindly." He told the boy.
Harry nodded and read it over, slowly. It was exactly what Morwenna had said, simply an acknowledgment that he had been informed of his new guardianship situation and that he had no objections about it. He signed and handed the papers to her.
"Very well. Goodnight Mr. Potter, and please, do not hesitate to contact me if you need anything at all." She said and stood. "Goodnight Severus." She said to the dour man and strode the fireplace and threw a handful of floo powder into it and disappeared.
"We should return you to the school. Your dorm mates will be wondering if I've chopped you up for potions ingredients." He snorted and stood.
"Professor…where do you live?" Harry asked as he was pulling his cloak on.
Severus smiled then. "We'll be living at my cottage in the Orkneys, it is remote but safe. If you wish, we could spend winter holidays there." He offered. "If you would prefer to stay at the school with your friends…." Severus was then very promptly cut off.
"I'd like that." Harry interrupted him. "I've never had a proper Christmas." He said quietly.
Severus nodded, feeling something of pity for the boy. He may not have had the best life growing up, but at least his mother had done what she could. "Then it's high time you started having one. We can speak more later. For now we really must get back." Severus said somewhat uncomfortable with this very emotional moment.
"Yes Sir." Harry said and swallowed a bit thickly. He couldn't really explain the feeling in his chest but he didn't want it to go away either.
Both wizards were quiet on their way back through the forest and back through the hidden entrance into the dungeons. As they reached the staircase back up the main hall Severus put a hand on the boy's shoulder.
"Mr. Potter, I would like you to keep this on you at all times." He handed the boy a simple black stone on a leather cord. "Keep it around your neck, skin contact is best."
"What is it Sir?" Harry frowned but put it on.
"It is a protective charm, and will dispel many dark spells as well as allow me to find you in the event of an emergency." He said seriously. He needed to be more proactive about the boy's safety. As the last two years had shown, Harry was far from safe while at school.
"Thank you Sir, I'll make sure to keep it on." He promised and then accepted a rather thick packet of parchment.
"Here are the notes I promised you. Off to bed now, it would be a shame for you to lose points for being out after curfew." He said and headed off.
Harry looked up and saw the time and swore under his breath, it was nearly 10 pm. He would have a lot of explaining to do without telling any of them the truth.
SHSHSHSHSHSHSHSHSHSHSH
"I trust that everything went well informing the boy of his new circumstances?" Lucius asked as he sipped his wine. His pride still stung over losing the boy to Severus, of all people, but he was not so shortsighted as to miss the opportunities that presented. Severus was a dear friend, and it would simply be an excuse to have him over more.
"Yes, better than any of us expected." Morwenna said. "Mr. Potter is most amenable to the idea of going to the press to control the situation, and the very first slew of articles will hit the Prophet for their Monday edition." She smirked and sipped her wine. "The details of his mistreatment will be withheld, obviously, but we will still have more than enough ammunition to bury the Headmaster under the enormity of his blunder."
"Excellent. I would suggest speaking to Severus about arranging a few very public outings with the boy between now and Christmas, to illustrate just how much better off he is with Severus. I'll be inviting them both to our annual Yule Ball, and that will be a chance for Severus to start networking with better society. Freeing the boy from Albus will allow us to finally unite around him, and make certain that the Dark Lord never returns…and that our culture doesn't need to be destroyed in the process." That was his main concern. If Dumbledore had his way they'd all be living like glorified muggles, forsaking centuries of history and tradition. There had to be another way.
Morwenna nodded. "Excellent, I am grateful to have your assistance with this portion of things. I might be able to change papers and policy but I don't have your influence, or family name to throw behind this." She admitted.
"You are from an old family, just not a powerful one. You could change that in your lifetime, with the right marriage." He said, honesty surprised that she hadn't done just that. She was ambitious as any, but as of yet…unmarried.
"You're not telling me anything I don't know Lucius. Sadly there is a shortage of eligible pureblood men from important houses." She sighed. "Ah well, I must forge my own way, as I always have. Goodnight Lucius, I have yet more to do before I can rest tonight." She stood and smiled.
Lucius rose as well. "A pleasure, as always." He took her hand and kissed it.
TBC