Blaze: new chapter
Darth: yay!
Voldemort: boo!
Harry: who you? Me have headache now!
Voldemort: LITTLE BRAT! I SHOULD CURSE YOU RIGHT NOW!
Severus: (steals Mace's lightsaber) try it!
Voldemort: you work for me!
Severus: (steals Darth's nuclear tipped lightsaber)
Voldemort: ah…I should run now (takes off running)
Severus: (puts away lightsabers) works every time
Blaze: (laughs) here is chapter 4 and I hope that you like it, reviews, as always, are much appreciated.
Never Say Never
Chapter 4
A New Home
"When are we to leave for the Dursleys?" Minerva asked curiously.
"Soon," Albus replied. He narrowed his eyes. "You are planning on going with Severus to speak with the Dursleys?"
Minerva nodded.
"I don't think that is a good idea, Minerva. I think it would be best if I went with him. Both of you want to hex or curse them and I fear that you will just stand by and allow Severus to curse them," Albus admitted.
"I would never do that," Minerva protested though the look in her eyes suggested that she didn't really believe her own words.
Severus snorted gently to not wake up Harry as the four-year-old boy slept at his side, his head resting on the Potions Professor's lap. "I am sure Minerva wouldn't allow anything to happen to those muggles and I really can't afford a life sentence in Azkaban," he pointed out.
Albus narrowed his eyes. "So long as you two promise to keep the curses and hexes to a minimum and try not to do anything I wouldn't do. All you need to do is get the Dursleys to sign the custody papers," he said.
"We know what to do, Albus," Severus said curtly. He glanced at Harry before placing the four-year-old boy on the couch as gently as possible to not wake the boy up and he stood up.
"I'll watch him until you return," Albus said.
"It would be best to take him to see Poppy first," Severus reminded him. "He needs to start taking a nutrient supplant if he's to gain some weight. He is much too skinny."
"I will take him right away," Albus promised.
"And do try to be quiet. There are hardly any insolent brats here so it should be quiet enough to keep the boy asleep,"
"Yes, I know."
Severus nodded before he and Minerva walked to the floo and, after calling for Arabella Figg's house, they stepped through, reappearing in Figg's house. The elder witch glanced up from where she was sitting on the chair petting one of her cats. "Severus, Minerva, hello," she greeted them. "What brings you two here?"
"Business with the Dursleys," Minerva replied while Severus bit his lip to keep back a sarcastic retort. "We found out that they abandoned little Harry at the park and he nearly froze to death if it were not for Severus here."
"That would explain why I haven't seen Harry outside doing his chores recently," Figg admitted. "Well, I just saw Vernon make his way inside so I assume he just got off of work. Petunia and their boy Dudley have also just arrived."
Severus narrowed his eyes slightly. "Then we must get going," he said smoothly. "We wouldn't want them to get too settled." And I would really like to see Petunia's face when she sees me again, he added silently.
Minerva nodded. "We'll come back later to floo back to Dumbledore's office," she said before she led the way out of the house with Severus just behind her. They walked across the street before Minerva led the way to the door while Severus made sure he still had the papers.
Minerva knocked on the door.
"Could someone get that?" a voice shouted inside.
A moment later the door opened to reveal the slightly familiar skinny horse face blonde form of Petunia Evans Dursley. Petunia narrowed her eyes. "Who are you?" she demanded.
Severus sneered at her. "I am surprised you don't recognize me, Tuney," he snapped coolly.
Petunia's eyes shot wide with shock and anger. "You!" she shrieked. "You're that freak who turned Lily into a freak. Get off of my property."
"Not yet, Tuney," Severus said smoothly. "I came concerning your nephew."
"He ran away, the ungrateful little brat," Petunia snapped.
"On the contrary, Petunia, you abandoned him."
Petunia growled angrily. "I did no such thing. The ungrateful brat ran away," she said curtly.
"Who's there, Petunia?" The question came from a fat man with a mustache that Severus assumed to be Vernon.
"It's two of those freaks," Petunia growled.
"Freaks?" Minerva demanded.
"Get off our property," Vernon said grabbing the door from Petunia and slamming it in their faces.
Severus growled angrily. "Rude muggles," he hissed before he kicked the door down. "It is considered very rude to slam the door in someone else's face," he added smoothly as he walked into the house with Minerva just behind him.
"What are you doing here? You are trespassing on our property," Vernon screeched angrily.
"Calm yourself," Minerva said firmly. "We only came concerning your nephew. We have discovered that you two are unfit guardians and we have come to ask politely that you sign so that someone else may gain custody of your nephew."
"What did that little brat tell you? Whatever he said, he's lying," Petunia said.
"Mummy! I'm outta ice cream!" a fat child of at least four or five years screeched angrily.
"I'm coming Duddykins," Petunia called back.
"Your son I suppose?" Severus said lip curling. "I do not wish to stay here any longer than I have to so I suggest that you sign the custody papers and we'll be on our way."
"Who would wish to take custody of that brat?" Vernon sneered.
"I would."
"You?" Petunia's eyes went wide before they narrowed angrily. "Why would you want to take custody of Lily's son?"
"Why would you starve, beat and abandon an innocent four-year-old boy?" Severus retorted struggling to control his anger.
"He's just a freak," Vernon snarled. "He doesn't deserve to live or to eat like normal humans."
"Severus!" Minerva said sharply as anger course through Severus's veins and his wand fell from his arm before he pointed it at Vernon.
"Don't you dare call that boy a freak again!" he snarled in fury.
"Severus!" Minerva snapped placing a hand on Severus's arm though Severus could tell she was trying her hardest to calm herself as well at the audacity the two muggles had. She pulled the custody papers before summoning a pen to her hand and handing both to Petunia.
"Sign the papers before Severus loses what little hold on his temper he has," Minerva said firmly.
"Fine," Petunia sneered before she signed the papers and handed them back to Minerva.
Severus put his wand away before glaring at Petunia. "And for your information, Tuney," he said coolly. "I am taking custody of Lily's son because Lily named me one of his godfathers." With that, he turned around and stalked out of the house and Minerva quickly hurried after him.
Harry glanced up as the fireplace turned green and Severus walked out followed by Minerva. Minerva handed the papers to Albus who nodded. "Everything went well I hope," he said.
"Severus was on the verge of cursing them when they said that Harry didn't deserve to live or eat like normal humans," Minerva said the anger was clear in her voice.
Albus's eyes flared with anger. "You didn't curse them, did you?" he asked Severus.
"No, I restrained from doing so."
"Oh well that is a good thing. We wouldn't want little Harry's guardian to spend the rest of his life in Azkaban," Albus admitted.
Severus ignored that and walked over to join Harry before sitting down beside him. Harry gazed at him. "What happen?" he asked.
"I got custody of you, Harry," Severus replied.
"C…Custody?"
"It means I'm your guardian now and you now have my name."
Harry smiled happily. "They say yes?" he asked.
Severus shrugged. "Minerva and I more or less didn't give them a choice," he admitted.
Harry gazed at him before he gazed at his hands, which were folded on his lap. He knew that Severus said that he got custody of him but Harry couldn't help but wonder if it was just a joke and he would be sent back to the Dursleys. "What now?" he asked.
"I suppose we may as well head home," Severus said. "There are only a few days left of break before I have to return here and I may as well show you your room. I'm sure Minerva would like to come to help you decorate."
"De..deco…ate?"
"Decorate, yes," Severus replied. He stood up before taking Harry's small hand in his. "Why don't we get going?"
Harry hesitated before nodding slowly and following Severus as he and Minerva walked back to the fireplace. "How we do this?" he asked.
"Just hold onto me," Severus said.
Harry nodded before tightening his grip as Severus called out the address of his home on Spinner's End before he, Minerva and little Harry stepped through the green flames.
Harry noticed the home wasn't that big but it looked comfortable. After leaving the fireplace, Harry noticed they were in a living room with a couch and two comfortable looking chairs. There were windows that looked onto the snow covered land and the house was two stories high.
"There are three bedrooms," Severus said. "I'll show you to the one that will be yours and Minerva can help to decorate it."
Harry's eyes were wide. "Really? Get my own room?"
"Of course," Severus replied before he led the way up the stairs and little Harry followed him with Minerva just behind him.
It took a total of two days to finally decorate the room to satisfy Harry. Severus noticed that the boy was still very withdrawn and hardly ever answered Minerva's questions when it came to decorating the room. The boy seemed happy with just the bed, desk, toys and books that were placed in the room but Minerva thought it was too plain so she added some colors, red and gold mainly.
Gryffindor colors, typical, Severus thought with a sneer. He really hated that it would be an eyesore to come into his ward's room every day. But the Scottish lioness was the Head of House for Gryffindor and both of Harry's parents had been Gryffindors so it would make sense that he would be one as well.
I'll just make sure he isn't as arrogant as his father, Severus thought as he knocked on Harry's door. "Harry?" he called softly opening the door.
Harry glanced up from where he was looking through one of the books Severus had given him. "Hi," he said happily though his eyes still suggested that he was slightly subdued.
"I wanted to know if you would to go shopping with me. You could use some new clothes and perhaps some more toys to keep you occupied," Severus said.
Harry hesitated. "Don't know," he murmured. "Not allow to have new things."
"At your Uncle's yes but not here, Harry," Severus pointed out. He walked over to the bed before sitting down beside the boy. "Now then, would you like to come with me?"
"Where we going?" Harry asked.
"A place called Diagan Alley."
Harry's eyes went round. "Okay," he said. He glanced down at the clothes that Severus had shrunk to fit him. "Get new clothes?"
Severus nodded. "Come on, Harry," he said before he pushed himself to his feet.
Harry closed his book before pushing himself to his feet as well and gazing up at Severus. "How we go there?" he asked.
"By floo like before," Severus replied. "Just remember to keep your mouth closed but still breath through your nose okay?"
"Okay," Harry said happily. He closed his mouth before gripping Severus's hand tightly as Severus tossed some powder into the fireplace.
"Diagan Alley," he called before stepping through taking Harry with him and the two of them reappeared in an alley of some sort, Harry coughed as he accidentally opened his mouth the instant he stepped out of the fireplace.
Severus glanced down at him before snorting gently. "Didn't I say to keep your mouth closed?" he asked.
"Sorry."
"No, it's fine. Come on, little one, we have much to do and little time to do it," Severus said before he took his adopted son's hand and led him deeper into Diagan Alley.
"Severus!" Severus bit his lip to keep from groaning out loud at the familiar voice. He glanced briefly at Harry and was relieved to see his long hair was covering the scar on his forehead entirely. All he had to do was make sure that the scar was completely covered during the conversation.
He turned around as the blonde long haired gray eyed wizard, and Death Eater, Lucius Malfoy jogged over to join him with a four-year-old blonde behind him. "Lucius Malfoy," he greeted the wizard dryly.
Harry shrank closer to Severus's leg at the appearance of the new man and the action did not go unnoticed by Lucius. Lucius peered at the boy curiously. "And who is this boy? I didn't know you had children," he said.
"He's not mine." Not through blood at least, Severus added silently but didn't dare voice that thought out loud.
"Oh and who's is he?"
"Well, technically he's mine," Severus admitted more to prevent Harry, who was staring at him with horror and sadness in his green eyes, from starting to cry. "I adopted him."
"Why?"
Severus shrugged.
Lucius smiled though Severus knew the Death Eater well enough to know that the smile was forced. "Perhaps he and Draco can have a playdate," he suggested.
"Your house?" Severus wasn't about ready to give out the location of his childhood home to Lucius, who was a Death Eater through and through.
Lucius smiled galefully. "Of course, I'm sure Narcissa would love it if you two came over," he said. He glanced at Draco. "Come on, Draco, say hi to Severus's son, er…"
"Harry," Severus said.
"Hi Harry," Draco said.
Harry pressed his face into Severus's leg and the Potions Professor glanced down at him before placing at hand on Harry's head, being careful to avoid moving the bangs. "Say hi to Draco, Harry," Severus said as soothingly as possible though he did catch a smirk on Lucius's face.
"H…Hi," Harry stammered out shuffling his feet and gazing at the ground shyly.
"So when are you available for the playdate?" Severus asked.
"How about this weekend? I have some work in the Ministry that I have to take care of but I should be free by then," Lucius said.
Severus nodded before watching as Lucius and Draco walked away. Harry shuddered before gazing up at him. "Who that? Don't like him. Scary," he whimpered.
Severus sighed. If you knew the truth about me then you'd probably say the same thing about me, he thought. "Don't worry about it, Harry, let's finish shopping and then head home for dinner," he said.
Harry nodded before taking Severus's hand again and following the Potions Professor as he led the way further down Diagan Alley.
A/n what do you think?
Blaze: and that was chapter 4
Darth: I liked it
Blaze: I thought you would
Darth: what's going to happen in the next chapter?
Blaze: Lucius's tells Severus about Harry not being protected by the blood wards, Draco and Harry get lost, and Harry has a nightmare
Darth: how will Draco and Harry get lost?
Blaze: I'm still working that out
Darth: ah okay
Blaze: so please review and I will post chapter 5 as soon as I possibly can but I doubt it will be anytime soon.