Chapter 6
At breakfast, the next morning Harry was told to start packing. He wasn't told why or when he'd be leaving, just to pack. He did so tentatively. He couldn't believe Snape would send him away just because of one argument. Especially after he admitted to caring for him in a round about way.
After he finished, he dragged his trunk down the stairs into an entrance hall of sorts. Snape was waiting for him, wand in hand.
"You could have come and gotten me. You needn't have bothered carrying the thing down," Snape scolded.
When Harry didn't say anything, Snape cast a levitation charm on the trunk.
"Better isn't it?" Snape inquired.
"Yes sir," Harry replied automatically.
"Are you sending me away sir? We've only fought a little, that's not fair. And if it's because of Voldemort your in as much danger as me, so you should come with me," Harry hurried impulsively.
Snape sighed and rubbed his temples.
"I'm not sending you away Potter, and I am going with you. Are you done playing the wronged martyr now?" he said exasperated.
"Then what's going on?" he asked.
"We're going to Dumbledore's house. It's the safest place for us aside from Hogwarts," Snape answered.
"Dumbledore has a house?" Harry asked.
"Of course he does. He wasn't always Headmaster, Potter," he said sternly.
Harry grabbed the handle of his floating trunk and followed Snape outside. They got to a gate at the end of the drive before he thought to ask questions.
"Why don't we just floo there, sir?" he asked.
"We were taken off the floo network as soon as I arrived at Hogwarts. I'm sure even you can figure out why," Snape told him.
He nodded his head because he could figure it out. If they weren't taken off the network there would have been nothing to stop the Death Eaters from coming and taking him. The thought chilled him a little.
Without warning, Snape grabbed his arm and he felt like he was being tugged through a rubber tube. When he reached the other side he gulped for breath and leaned a little on his levitating trunk.
"Quicker then flying isn't it?" Snape smirked at him.
Coming to the realization that he had just apparated, Harry looked around curiously. They were on an island. The sea battered viciously against the cliff a lone tower stood on. The tower was surround by a wall, with a gate, which they were standing outside of. Snape tapped a bar and the gate opened for them. Inside the wall, there was a small forest. Trees of all kinds were there. As well as many types of birds by the sound. The area was almost its own little world.
"A little warning next time would be nice sir," Harry said.
Snape walked up to the building with Harry following behind. The tower was actually more of a keep now that they were closer. There was no sign of age, but the place still had to be hundreds of years old. They just didn't build keeps anymore. However old it was, it was well constructed. There wasn't a space between any of the stones Harry could see.
They passed through a pair of wooden doors that were like a smaller version of the doors in the Great Hall. They walked through a small corridor and were in a parlor very similar to the Headmaster's office. All shiny whirly things that smoked. A house elf popped out from behind a door to their left.
"Master told Abet that you would be coming. Follow Abet please," the little elf said.
"Your kind are everywhere aren't they?" Harry asked.
"Only where we are most needed and desired Harry Potter," Abet answered.
Snape and Harry followed the elf upstairs. He directed Snape to a room along the way, and then left Harry in a room a few doors down. It was pleasantly lit. A window seat was directly opposite the far wall the bed was against. A writing desk was next to a window to the right of the bed. The drapes around each window matched the burgundy of the carpet. The four poster bed was a maple that matched the armoire standing beside it.
This is nice, Harry thought. He put his things away and went to find Snape or Abet. The house elf wasn't in the downstairs parlor, but Snape was looking around.
"So what now sir?" Harry asked.
Snape glanced at him, then went back to a book he had found. "The Headmaster will be coming to see us."
"Right. So...um…" he stammered.
"Spit it out Potter," Snape sniped.
"I wanted to know what we're to do until Dumbledore gets here," he answered.
"Wait," Snape said tartly, "You can go flying after I check the area."
Harry followed Snape around for awhile, but he ended up going to his room to read a book. That didn't last long. He decided to settle in instead. It took him all of half an hour.
When he went back downstairs Snape wasn't around, but Abet was dusting.
"Abet, do you know when Dumbledore will be here?" Harry asked.
"Master will be home for dinner," Abet replied.
Harry shifted his feet a little; "Do you know where Snape is?"
"Severus Snape is in garden through that door," he said, pointing to the door next to him.
"Harry Potter is to bring his broom with him," Abet added.
He ran upstairs, grabbed his broom, and went out through the door Abet had pointed out. Snape was in the garden reading.
"I recall telling you could fly at some point. No stupid stunts and don't pester me while I read," Snape snapped.
"Yes sir," he shouted as he took off.
It was a few hours later and the sun was almost sunken when Snape called him in. Apparently dinner was done. The pair sat down to wait for Dumbledore. They didn't have to wait long. He showed up as soon as Abet dished the food.
"Hello Severus, Harry. I hope the two of you have settled nicely," Dumbledore said as he sat down.
"We have Headmaster. What's happening in regards to the Dark Lord?" Snape asked bluntly.
"Patience Severus. We don't need to ruin a meal with discussion of Voldemort. What do you two think of the place?" he asked.
"Its nice sir, but we'd really like to know about Voldemort," Harry replied.
"You'll hear all soon enough. Let's enjoy the meal shall we?" he insisted.
After dinner they retreated to a room very similar to Dumbledore's office at Hogwarts. The doubles to the shiny spinning things in his office were here. As well as a desk very much like his other. Dumbledore sat behind the desk while the other two took seats facing him on the other side.
"What is it you wish to know about Voldemort?" Dumbledore requested.
"What he's doing now," Snape said.
"And what we can do about it," Harry added.
Dumbledore smiled at him a little sadly, "There's little to be done. Last I heard before I came here, he was trying to get into Snape Manor. The next place he'll probably look for you is Hogwarts. You should be able to stay here to awhile longer."
"Will the school have to close if he looks there for us?" Harry asked.
"He's not yet strong enough to launch an attack there," Dumbledore answered.
"What about the Ministry?" Snape inquired.
"Nothing so far. We had expected this though," Dumbledore replied.
"What's the Ministry not doing?" Harry asked.
"Admitting that there is a chance that Voldemort would come after Professor Snape," Dumbledore commented.
Harry stared at the Headmaster in incredulity. He knew the Ministry was slow on the uptake, but this was something altogether. Not acknowledging that Voldemort was attacking people was going against everything he thought they were there for.
He looked between the two men with him and saw acceptance. Even that they were expecting this.
"So now what?" he asked.
"You stay here until the start of term," Dumbledore responded.
Snape nodded his head and they went up to bed to await what came next.
AN: Sorry about the delay, but my computer is working now. Hope you guys haven't given up on it.