This chapter has been edited and updated, in preparation for getting the story going after a long wait.
MysticSong, 12/20/2011
Chapter Two
"Albus," growled the low voice of the Potions Master, "I made a promise to that boy, whether he knows it or not, and I intend to keep it. You have no idea what his life is like with those Muggles."
Albus peered at the man he loved like a son over the rims of his glasses. Inwardly he was pleased that the dour man had found someone he could care for, but there were so many things that needed doing over the summer, which Severus didn't have time for during the year. "Severus, you must understand –"
"No, you must understand, Albus, I am going to get Harry and that is final." Albus gave him a hard look. "However, I suppose I could be . . . encouraged to bring him back to Hogwarts for a few weeks of the summer so that I may do the duties you wish of me before the start of next term."
"Thank you, Severus, that is all I ask," he paused. "Sherbet lemon?"
Severus groaned.
A knock sounded at the door, and well-punished instinct had Harry leaping to his feet to greet the visitor . . . until he remembered he'd been padlocked into his room. Even his window was shuttered and barred. 'Potters' Prison,' he thought drolly. 'Guess they really wanted the neighbours to think I went to . . . whatever that school is for the criminally insane.'
The voice at the door was almost too low to hear through the walls, but there was something distinct in the deep rumbling that gave Harry a spark of hope that a rescue had come.
In a spark of surety, that whoever was at the door was, in fact, there to take him away from the insanity of his relatives, Harry quickly tidied himself up, and got Hedwig's cage as clean as he could without being able to open it.
With that accomplished, he sat on his neatly made bed and waited.
Moments later, he heard the thundering of Dudley's immense weight racing up the stairs at breakneck speed. Harry smiled. Only a wizard could incite fear like that into his cousin!
Shortly after that, his door swung open, nearly pried out of the hinges, and there, in all his robed glory, stood Severus Snape.
Harry was delighted to see him.
The professor quirked an eyebrow when he noticed Harry appeared ready to move. "Where are your things, Mr. Potter? Or did you decide not to do any of your summer work?"
Harry smirked. "I heard the commotion and knew that only a wizard would have put that much fright into my cousin Dudley and I thought I recognized your voice, so I wanted to get ready in case someone had come to fetch me." He paused. "But as for my books and assignments, it's nearly impossible do magical schoolwork when your relatives have locked your trunk up as soon as you cross the threshold of the house for the summer. I figured I'd try to get some work completed on the Hogwarts Express."
Severus frowned. They'd locked the boy's assignments up? He glanced at Hedwig who had lost her white sheen over the summer, as she was unable to fly about or easily clean herself. "Well, you shall have plenty of time to complete your homework at my house."
"Your house?"
His Head of House nodded. "Surely you didn't believe that I lived at Hogwarts all year round did you?"
"Well, no, but I never expected you to take me to your house either."
"And not many have that . . . honour," he paused, "I have a secret keeper to protect the location of my house, so I shall be taking you there via side-along apparition. It may be a bit . . . uncomfortable."
With that said, Professor Snape summoned Harry's trunk. Harry grinned when he heard the crash of the door to his old cupboard be smashed off of its hinges as the trunk forcefully flew out of its own prison. His aunt and uncle's cries of outrage made his grin even wider. As soon as the trunk appeared next to Professor Snape, the man shrunk it and dropped it in his pocket, then followed the same procedure on Hedwig's cage – with Hedwig herself still inside – and placed her more carefully into a smaller pocket where she would stay upright, and then clasped Harry securely to him and disappeared.
They reappeared inside Snape's house; further protection against any visitors being able to recall exactly where they had been. Harry would not be allowed out, but his Head of House had plans to take him to Diagon Alley to acquire materials for his second year, so he didn't fear the boy would get overly bored. And here, at least, he would not be padlocked into a single room all day and all night.
Harry found that summer at Snape's house, while small and, unsurprisingly, a bit dark, was an enjoyable way to spend his hols. His Head of House did not require anything of him except that he did his schoolwork and did not venture outside. Harry was so relieved to be away from his relatives that he was quite obliging of the man's requests.
Harry also found that his professor was quite willing to check over his work and give pointers, particularly to Potions, and review until he was satisfied Harry not only would achieve excellent marks, but that he actually understood the material as well. 'Ron would appreciate Hermione a lot more when she did this, if she didn't force it on him,' he mused.
Time flew, and before Harry realized, Professor Snape was prodding him out of bed early one morning to prepare for a trip to Diagon Alley. It was time to gather his supplies for his second year of Hogwarts.
There was a great commotion in Diagon Alley, much more so than usual near the start of term. "What on earth?"
His professor shook his head. He didn't know either, and he kept his stance such that his body would shield Harry's if it came to that, yet . . . the air was light and he didn't feel the awful tensions that Death Eaters tended to bring with them in abundance. Perhaps . . . and then he caught sight of just what was causing the bedlam and groaned. Death Eaters were preferable to this insufferable man he had met once when the Headmaster delightedly introduced Gilderoy Lockhart to the rest of the staff.
It was the newest Defence Against the Dark Arts professor. Overly white teeth sparkling in a mouth that was too wide and too . . . everything. The man was too much; he revolted Severus. Surely, this man was too inept to teach a class of students anything helpful at all. Defence Against laundry spots and tooth decay was more like it, he snorted to himself.
He sighed at the inane number of witches and some wizards that clambered to see the dashing, blond, stupid berk.
As they entered the bookstore, Severus turned slightly to ask Harry a question; it was then that Gilderoy spotted his young charge, and became, if possible, even more saccharinely sweet, charming, and twinkling. His twinkles put Albus to shame.
Harry stepped back in alarm, but, moving faster than one would think possible in the abundance of swirling, feminine robes, Lockhart had pulled Harry from behind Severus and dragged him to the front of the store, exclaiming all the way about how together, they were front-page news!
Severus groaned to himself; Harry did not need this sort of attention. He heard a soft snort from above him and glanced up to see Draco standing on the balcony of the upper level of the store. Draco caught his eye and shook his head.
The jostling of a large family – the Weasleys – caught Severus' attention. He discovered that Miss Granger was also with them. He smirked as he heard the offhand comment, "Mum fancies him!" and Molly's answering retort, but she couldn't hide her blush when she spotted the featured author.
Why anyone would fancy a bloke like Lockhart was beyond Severus. He edged further, hoping to draw Harry away from the fool before . . . but it was too late; a photographer from the Daily Prophet had already snapped several shots of the two.
Unfortunately, Draco and Severus were not the only people watching the luckless Harry.
"Bet you loved that, eh Potter?" asked the snide voice of Millicent Bulstrode as Harry struggled his way back to his Head of House. "Can't even go in a bookshop without being fawned over."
"Oh, piss off," said Harry irritably, the overwhelming stench of Lockhart's cologne had permeated every fibre of his clothing and he felt he was going to be quite ill. He smirked inwardly; Snape seemed to be rubbing off on him.
"Well, well, we meet again, Mr. Potter," came an arrogant voice, "and such language. Really, Severus, I would have thought you'd be teaching your students better manners, but then again, I suppose you can only teach students that are raised by Muggles so much. What's that cute little saying they have? Ah, yes, 'Lie down with dogs, get up with fleas.'"
Harry looked up into the arrogant face of Lucius Malfoy as Severus replied, "Yes, Lucius, I see you're charming as always."
Lucius smirked at Severus as the Weasleys caught his eye.
"Red hair, worn clothing, and far too many children than one can properly afford, it must be the Weasley clan. Arthur," Lucius tipped his dainty hat in his direction.
"Always charming to see you, Lucius," Arthur said through clenched teeth.
The two men stood so close together in a silent face-off, that no one appeared to notice when Lucius slipped something into Ginny's cauldron of books, which Arthur was holding.
"If this . . . childish display of manhood is over, we really must be going," Severus announced dryly, clearly wishing to break the tension of the situation. He also wanted to take Harry out of the area before Lucius pulled anything.
Lucius suddenly bowed to Arthur; an aristocratic, snobbish move that left no doubt in the eyes watching what he meant by it. "Draco!" he called, "We shall be going now. It is high time we returned to Malfoy Manor."
"Yes, Father," called Draco, his voice just as haughty.
As he passed by the group, he raised a brow at Harry. "Potter," he said, his voice a perfect imitation of his Father's, but Harry just quirked a brow in return, his lips straight but a smile in his eyes, and was not fooled.
It would be good to return to Hogwarts.
