Chapter 6 : A Hint of Trouble


It was June. He was seeing the students off, making sure they forgot nothing. Making sure his Slytherins felt his presence until the very last minute of the school year.

He had another reason, and it was this that was making his face ache with the scowl he couldn't force away.

It was June, and the boy was still on Privet Drive with the Muggles.

"Lupin."

Lupin jumped slightly. He had come to Hogwarts out of necessity, and had somehow been roped into helping with the younger students. He had been tying up some parcels, and when he straightened his smile was very stiff. "Professor Snape. What can I do for you?"

"You still owe me, Lupin."

Lupin's smile vanished entirely. "Ah. I see. The potion?"

Lupin looked like he was wishing he had never made his offer, and it made Severus regret that he was letting the opportunity slip through his fingers. He would have enjoyed watching Lupin drink it. After describing the possible side effects, of course. In great detail.

"No, not the potion."

"What, then?" A confused wrinkle appeared between Lupin's brows. Clearly, it had been the thought of the potion that had made him avoid Severus all this time.

Or maybe he thought Severus bore him a grudge over the rat business. Which he did, actually.

"Does Black intend to take guardianship of the Potter boy?" Severus asked bluntly. It was useless to try to get around to it. Any mention of the boy would get Lupin's suspicions up, and at least this way no time was wasted.

Lupin blinked stupidly for a full five seconds. "Er... Yes, we do plan on taking Harry."

"We?" Severus echoed, refusing to comprehend.

Lupin's cheeks colored.

"Well then," Severus said, though it took enormous restraint to continue, "why is the boy still with the Muggles?"

Lupin hesitated. "Albus seems to think... He seems to think Harry is safer there, for now. Sirius's mother died recently, and his house is a right mess, though we think it will be very safe once we've cleared it out a bit."

Severus studied him. He knew that Lupin practically worshipped the ground the old man walked on. Not that that was unusual. Still, if Lupin had seen the boy and still left him there....

"Have you seen the boy?"

"Well, no... Albus asked us to wait. Apparently Harry's not been told much about our world, and of course it wouldn't be good for him to learn very abruptly that he is going to be taken away from his Aunt."

"So you didn't even bother to check on him?"

It was Lupin's turn to study him. "What is this about, Severus?"

With great effort, Severus ignored the fact that the bloody nuisance was misusing his name again. "You might want to visit Privet Drive, Lupin, that's all. You might learn something."

Lupin frowned.

"And yes," Severus said, just so they would be absolutely clear, "I am telling you to do it, and don't let Albus know that you're going."

He left him there, stalking back to the castle.

He had removed all traces of his magic from the boy's cupboard, back when he had been certain Black would take the boy away. The days, however, had dragged into weeks, and he had been forced to return twice more since then, unable to bring himself to let the boy go without food.

He would go one last time, he decided, just to make sure what Lupin and Black found was what he expected them to find. It would be just like the old man to have meddled, somehow.