Sorry for the delay. If you really care about the cause, go look at my profile page and that will give you some of it. The other part is that I needed (and still need, mind) to fine tune some notes before I can move further. So I'll post maybe one more chapter before I can't go further without finishing some of my notes I think. The next chapter is done, though. Enjoy!
Quickly finding a place that served outside, Taryn asked, after ordering, "Now, who are you looking for?"
"His name is originally Harry Potter. He was supposed to come to the school I taught at, but no one can find him since he ran from his Aunt's house three years ago. How long have you lived on the streets?"
"For five years. What does he look like?" Taryn asked, having a feeling that she knew who it was.
Taking the picture from his pocket, Severus showed her. Taryn studied it, looking for the similarities between Harry Potter and the boy Emrys Evans she knew. Finding them, she smiled and said, "I do know him. You've seen him as well."
As Severus started to ask what she was talking about, his charmed cell phone rang. It was so wizarding children in trouble with the law would be able to contact him for help.
"Damn thing...hate this thing...why Albus insisted...all the Potions this thing ruined...now, a conversation that could lead me to Harry..." he muttered, looking for the infernal contratption.
Finding it and turning it on, he answered, "Snape."
"Hello Professor Snape. We have another kid down here asking for your representaion. When you get a few hours, can you come down to Scotland Yard.""
"I suppose. Be there in thirty minutes." And Severus hung up.
"Now I have to rescue some infernal brat when I'm looking for another infernal brat. What did he do so major he needs to be at the Yard for questioning?" Severus complained.
"You will want to help this brat," Taryn said.
Severus turned to look at her closely. Her eyes were swirling. "Why?"
"Because. My 'older brother', Emrys Evans, is your Harry Potter. And Em is the one down at the Yard."
-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-
Back With Emrys...
Emrys was doubting his decision now. It was highly likely someone like Severus Snape would be to busy to come help out a street rat. Tom and Jerry were outside the room talking to a man he guessed was the investigator. Twiddeling his thumbs (and wishing he could take out one of his books) he felt two magical presences. One was the familiar, timeless feel Taryn had while the other was balanced feeling with a scattered feel of plants and minerals...something he felt in the Apothecary...something he associated with Potions...Snape!
Feeling interested, Emrys sat upright and waited. He didn't have to wait long.
Two new people walked into the room. One was a tall man with black hair and just as black eyes. Emrys identified him as Professor Snape. The other was a man with brown hair and brown eyes.
"Now, to get this started, my name is Donovan Blake. This is Severus Snape, the man you asked to be you counsel. Can you tell us your name...your real name?" the brown haired man asked.
Emrys shook his head. "No. I won't tell you my real name but the name I adopted three years ago when I ran away was Emrys Evans."
"Why that name?"
"Emrys was close to Emerald, which I think was a nickname for me a long time ago. Someone at the bus stop also made a comment about my eyes looking like emeralds the night I ran away. Evans was my mum's last name. I was not going to go back to my relatives. If this is about the thefts I participated in, I can pay them back. I just didn't want anyone getting suspicious of me."
"What do you mean, anybody getting suspicious of you?" Donovan asked.
"If a street kid were to have everything new, don't you think the other street kids or the police wouldn't be suspicious?" Severus asked, snidely. "May I ask Emrys a question, Donovan?"
"Go ahead."
Emrys eyed Severus suspiciously. Ignoring the look, Severus asked, "Were your original initials 'HJP'?"
Emrys' breath stopped. "How...? I am NOT going back to that place."
"Wasn't planning on bringing you back. But, we'll talk about that later. Now, what is Evans charged with?" Severus asked Donovan.
Donovan looked between the two. Emrys was really pale while Severus had a satisfied look on his face. "I would like to know, but I know this must be some Wizardry thing. Now, he's being accused of helping to kill an officer of the Yard five years ago."
Emrys sighed. "That would be impossible as five years ago I was six and had never been to London before that I could remember. I tended to avoid officers then almost more then I do now."
"Why?" both men asked. Severus wanted to know why the child would be afraid to go to a source of authority to report his uncle. Donovan just wanted to know something about what was going on.
"My uncle, may he die and rot in Hell for all eternity, told me that what he did wasn't wrong, that it was necessary to stamp out the 'freakishness' and that they would arrest me instead. He also said that even if they took me away, I would just be sent back to them."
Severus felt a sinking feeling. "Evans, have you ever met this man?" He took out a picture of Albus.
Emrys snorted. "Of course. He introduced himself as Grandpa Albie. His hair and beard were shorter, but that's him. Wait...isn't that Albus Dumbledore?"
"I think it's said to say Mr Evans did not participate in the murder of Janey O'Meary. Is there anyone in you world following up on his childhood?" Donovan asked.
"Yes. A collegue and Moody will be checking things out. His Aunt was also threatened by his Uncle as well as some sort of manipulation. His cousin has so many spells on his no one probably knows his true personality. I know the Uncle has no spells on his because all the spells in the house centered on the Aunt and cousin, who, as Emrys doesn't know, is also magical."
As Donovan and Severus debated on release terms (as Emrys had stolen many items), Emrys sat in shock. He knew Petunia cared about him as she gave him food when Vernon wasn't looking and gave him some praise, but Dudley? Magical? That was a surprise.
Finally, Donovan sighed and looked at Emrys. "All right, here's what's going to happen. You will pay, according to Severus' calculations, fifty galleons, thirteen sickles, and ten knuts as well as Severus taking over your guardianship. He has asked to borrow this room for the next hour with no recording equipment to allow you two to talk. I will leave you now..."
"Can you send in the little girl with brown hair?" Severus asked.
"Taryn?" Emrys asked, surprised.
"Yes. May I assume your magic claimed her as a little sister?"
"That would be a safe assumption."
"Then it's good hers recognizes you as an older brother. Here she is."
Taryn walked in and upon seeing Emrys, launched herself at him. The hit him in the head. "Don't ever get taken away like that again," she scolded.
"Don't plan on it. It's nice to meet you, Potions Master Snape," Emrys said, using Severus' full title.
"Just call me Severus. Now, would you like to hear the trouble your disappearance has caused?" Severus asked.
"Sure. Then you can tell us your plan. Just make sure to include Taryn in your plans."
"All right. Now, you were to go to Hogwarts, probably as a meek little boy who would look up to Albus Dumbledore as a grandfather and rescuer. This morning, my colleague, Minerva McGonagall, was unable to address your letter. This was because of your name change. Since Harry Potter was no longer a name used, a letter was unable to be made by the quill since you wanted to separate yourself from your past so much. Albus sent me to your house. I was less then pleased because Albus had been talking about how much you looked like your father and how good a life you had. Talking to 'Tunia changed my opinion quickly and I gave Albus my letter of resignation after packing my things. I had made an Unbreakable Vow with your mother, who was my best friend, to look out for you and keep you balanced and...happy. If I had stayed at the school with the knowledge your Aunt gave me, my life would be forfit. Leaving the old coot, I went to talk to Minerva, told her what happened, ad made a plan with her. As we speak, she's with the Head of Aurors, Moody, to get things straightened out. The original plan was for me to find an apartment until I could find you, then buy a house and home school you. The plans have since changed. All set so far?" (A/N: And there is my longest paragraph so far...)
Emrys looked into Severus' eyes. Nodding, he looked in his lap at Taryn. She was asleep, but he knew she already liked Severus. After all, she followed the man here to get him and was sleeping in front of him. "What's the plan now?"
"I ran into my friend Lucius Malfoy when walking to the relators. After hearing what Albus did to you, he decided he was not going to allow his son to go to Hogwarts as originally planned. He offered to allow me to use his house and said he would make plans for you and Draco to go to a school in America. Schools generally start in September, so we though we had less then a month to find you before school started. We never imagined we would find you so soon," Severus finished, waiting for Emrys' reaction.
Emrys thought for a moment, then stared Severus in the eye. "And Taryn could come with us."
"Yes."
"You won't make me go to the Dursley's?"
"Your Aunt would like to see you, but no, you don't have to go to the Dursley's."
"Who do I look like more?"
"Lily."
"Okay, we will come with you. You seem trustworthy from what I've read and Taryn seems to like you, so there shouldn't be a problem. Now what?"
"You've been to Diagon Ally. Have you gotten your wand?"