Hey guys,

Ahhhh Pottermore releases their first clue today! I'm staying up all night waiting for it lol anyways here's the next chapter and I just finished writing the one after this which has already been sent off to my new beta. Which by the way, special thanks to her for helping me correct all my grammar faults, and without further ado, on with the story! :)

"Absolutely NOT!" Harry all but bellowed while looking around frantically for an escape route.

"Was that a no to the lemon drop or the guardianship, my boy?" Dumbledore asked with that darn twinkle in his eye.

But his attempt at humor did nothing to brighten up Harry's spirits.

Harry shot the headmaster a dirty look, while stating sarcastically, "I think you know very well what I mean, sir."

Dumbledore gazed over at the boy, trying to reason with him.

"Harry, as of right now it is the best and seemingly only course of action to take."

Although the man sent a sympathetic glance his way, Harry was still furious- actually furious was an understatement, he was absolutely enraged!

"But… why?" He demanded, looking back at the man, "I mean I know they never liked me but they never outright refused to house me before. Sure they've threatened it a thousand times but, well, they never seem to really mean it... I mean they need me, don't they? Who's going to weed the garden and cook all their meals and...?"

He trailed off, trying to find reason within himself as to why his relatives had abandoned him like a lost puppy, well other than the fact that all they saw him as was a freak, and the fact that they've always hated him and complained about being stuck with him and, oh, who was he kidding? They despised his very existence... so maybe it wasn't such a big shock after all.

But he still couldn't help but feel the hatred and resentment boiling up inside of him. Even though he despised the Dursley's, they were still his guardians and though he was not dismayed over the prospect of not returning to Privet Drive once and for all, he was still disheartened to hear that even they too, had reached their wit's end with him.

Unaware of the mental battle Harry's mind was going through, Dumbledore continued on,

"My boy, it's not your fault, apparently last summer they were just..." he paused for a moment, "frightened that you would do something...", there was another gap where Dumbledore seemed to be trying to find the proper words to fill in, before he hesitantly continued on, "…rash to yourself that may be... potentially harmful and seeing that you would be in their care", he proceeded, "the responsibility would fall on them for any injuries you attain while under their custody."

Harry was now trying to think back to last summer and what he had said or done that had led them to the assumption that he would try to harm himself. Then again, they were right. I mean he did attempt to jump off the Astronomy Tower... maybe it was best that he didn't stay with them any longer. All he remembered from last summer were long nights spent crying and lying awake all hours of the night, afraid to fall asleep for worry of falling into another nightmare.

It's not like they really even cared about him either, or, for that matter of fact, were even ever worried about him. Even now, when they believed he would harm himself, they were not truly concerned; they just didn't want anything to happen to him while in their care so they wouldn't be blamed for the loss of the "future hero of the Wizarding World".

Looking back up at Dumbledore he met the man's soft, concerned gaze, "But does it have to be him?" Harry questioned dejectedly, soundly slightly whiney, but deciding not to admit that to himself.

Instead, he began thinking of all the other possibilities...

"What about the Weasley's?" he asked.

"They already have seven children to look after as it is, plus that is the first place Voldemort would look if he couldn't find you at your relatives."

At the mention of Voldemort's name Harry noticed Snape slightly flinch and for the first time became conscious of his presence, though he was not surprised, as the arrangements did seem to greatly involve him too.

Deciding to ignore Snape's attendance as of the moment, he turned his eyes back onto the headmaster and ventured on.

"The Grangers?" he questioned.

"Though Ms. Granger may be top of your year," again Harry noticed Snape scowl and snigger, which both Dumbledore and Harry decided to ignore, "you must keep in mind that her parents are Muggles, and I'm sorry to say, but whoever you stay with you will be endangering, my boy, and though I have no doubt they would take you in for however long was required, it's hardly fair to expect them to accept being put at such risk, when they themselves have no magical abilities to defend and protect themselves if, merlin forbid, something did occur."

Harry, loathe as he was to admit it, did see the reason there. Running out of options, he began to name people off the top of his head.

"The Longbottoms?"

"I did not realize you were such good friends with Mr. Longbottom, Harry."

Turning his attention back to Dumbledore, he had to agree that though they were chums, they weren't best mates like he and Ron were and he had to keep in mind that Neville lived with his grandmother who was extremely strict... no, that wouldn't do at all, he decided.

"Uhh what about..." There was a pause where he seemed to be searching for a name, then a spark came to his eye, "Lupin!" Harry said with excitement, finally thinking he had come up with an adequate option.

However, Dumbledore just shook his head solemnly, "What would you do on the nights of the Full Moon?"

Harry had not thought of that, and, looking down disappointedly, he realized he was out of alternatives.

Dumbledore again attempting to reason with the boy quietly said, "Really it is the best option, he is the most qualified to take care of you for the time being."

Harry could have scoffed, how in bloody hell was he the most qualified? He hated his father with a burning passion, he despised his friends, and above all he seemed to loathe Harry himself, only now were they finally sort of beginning to get along and Dumbledore was just going to prance in and ruin their attempt to make peace.

Turning to Snape, he demanded, "You agreed to this?"

"Believe me Potter; I didn't have much of an option," was Snape's scathing remark.

Harry scowled then finally gave in.

"Fine!" he growled. "But he better not try to poison me with some kind of potion."

Snape, glaring at Harry, who glowered back, raised an eyebrow sinisterly and replied silkily, "Mr. Potter, I assure you, if I wanted you dead you would have been a long time ago and," he then raised the other eyebrow, almost challenging the boy before continuing, "if I were to kill you it would not be while you were in my care because that would be far too obvious, really Potter, use that poor excuse of a brain for once in your life."

Harry smartly commented under his breath, "I'm sure you're just bloody brilliant at covering up deaths, seeing how much experience you have with that." He was, of course, obviously referring to Snape's many Death Eater massacre meetings.

Harry was however, not aware that Snape had fairly good hearing and therefore knew completely what he had just said, even if it had been no more than a whisper.

"That'll be 10 points from Gryffindor, Mr. Potter, and if I am to become your guardian for the summer, it will be shrewd of you to learn how to hold your tongue or by the time we return to Hogwarts come September, you will no longer have one," Snape snarled at Harry.

Harry merely glared back at the evil bat, while Dumbledore sat their smiling like a dawdling fool, with a clear sparkle in his blue eyes, as he watched the two glare daggers at one another.

Although Snape and Harry did not agree most of the time, they could both infer one thing. It was certainly going to be a very long summer indeed.