Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter, no matter how much i wish I did.

Chapter Eight: September First

Snape reappeared in his own fireplace shortly after leaving Harry back at the Orphanage. He dusted himself off, and with a quick flick of his wand, the restraining muggle suit became a nice breathy set of robes once more. He rubbed his neck where the collar had been choking him all day.

With little forethought, he left his office and walked to the Headmaster's. Walking gave him time to think about what he was going to say. Of course, Dumbledore probably knew most of what he was going to tell him, or pretend to know, or pretend it wasn't a big deal. Snape sighed. Maybe it was fruitless.

Before he knew it, he found himself facing the same gargoyle he had been just hours before. The thought struck him as funny. He hadn't even been gone for a day, but it felt like weeks. He shrugged the notion off and announced the password. The gargoyle moved out of the way so that Snape could ride the escalator-like device up to Dumbledore's Office.

He knocked impatiently on the door, and was glad to hear an immediate response. He opened the door and stepped inside. Dumbledore was kid-way between dinner and having a conversation with the portraits around his desk. "If you'd prefer I came back another time," said Snape, and for once his voice didn't hold the icy sarcasm.

"No, my dear boy, come in, make yourself at home. Everything went well, I assume." Snape inclined his head. "One should not assume, Albus." he sat down across from the headmaster.

"The Granger's weren't a problem. The meeting was over and done with in less than an hour," he said, and shook his head as Dumbledore offered him a tin of sweets.

"Very good," said Dumbledore, putting the lid back on the tin, and returning to his meal. "And Mr. Potter?"

Snape stiffened slightly. "I suppose it went well enough."

"Well enough?" asked Dumbledore, looking up from his meal. "I do hope you were kind enough to the boy." Dumbledore knew that may have been wishful thinking, but still hoped.

Snape knew he was balanced on the edge of a stern talking to, but found himself in the curious mood of wanting to poke at the sleeping lion.

"Perhaps you should have sent someone else, if you were expecting Potter to be pampered," Snape said. That did it.

"Severus Sna-" Dumbledore was cut off by the smile Snape could no longer contain. A real, genuine smile.

"It went fine," Snape said, still smiling. "Aside from a few hiccups." His smile slowly dissipated as he took on a look of contemplation.

Dumbledore, still slightly dazed from seeing Snape smile, arched a brow. "Hiccups?" he asked, setting his knife and fork down to peer expectantly at Snape.

"Well," said Snape, leaning back in his chair. "I found Mr. Potter residing in the same room as one Tom Riddle had when you came to speak to him." Dumbledore's eyebrows shot up, but quickly returned.

"Do go on."

Snape was happy to, having never seen Dumbledore give such a reaction. "Next, he told me about his ability to speak with snakes."

Snape felt a gentle poking at the barriers around his mind, and let them drop, knowing Dumbledore would take great interest in such news, and was only confirming it. The presence receeded and snape put the barriers back up.

"A few minor things after that," said Snape. "He was mobbed walking into The Leaky Cauldron.

"The Leaky Cauldron, Severus?" asked Dumbledore, pleasantly.

"Oh, yes, I figured, since there was no one else willing or able, I would take Mr. Potter to get his school things."

Dumbledore's eyes twinkled merrily, and Snape wished they'd stop.

"After that, there was a brief period, after seeing the inside of the Potter vault where I became a...slave to my emotions." Dumbledore nodded again, understandingly, and Snape felt a stab of guilt.

Dumbledore seemed to pick up on it, because he asked, "what happened, Severus?"

Snape looked like he wanted to sink through the floor. "I became a little rough with Ha-Mr. Potter." Though he wished Dumbledore would drop the issue, Dumbledore pressed him.

"Mr. Potter tripped, and I..." He couldn't bring himself to finish the sentence, so he simply dropped the barriers around his mind once more, and Dumbledore explored his memory.

Once he was finished, Dumbledore sat straight up in his chair and clasped his hands in front of him. Snape held up his hand to ward off the approaching talking-to.

"We made amends," he said. "I answered his questions, and he seemed to no longer fear me. I was afraid I had become my father." He was speaking to his shoes.

Dumbledore relaxed. "Go on, then."

"Well, nothing of any real note, until we entered Ollivander's." Snape fidgeted in his seat slightly. "It appears the wand that chose Mr. Potter shares a bond with that of the Dark Lord's. Core-brothers, or something."

Dumbledore became very interested in his Phoenix at the moment, and then turned back to Snape. "Well, thank you for telling me, Severus. I'll expect you're hungry, so I'll have one of the house elves send something along, ok?"

Snape stood to leave. "No bother, I can do it myself." He said this with no real venom. He had expected Dumbledore to jump out of his skin, and his response was less than satisfactory.

Harry awoke on the morning of September first as though someone had dumped cold water on him. He shot out of bed, picked out his best clothes, and sat on the edge of his bed, as though Snape would just walk in the door and whisk him away to Hogwarts any second.

The sun had yet to rise.

He busied himself with reading his school books, namely those in potions. He didn't think he'd be much use at wand waving, which had baffled him from page one. Potions making, though, that was more his style. None of that silly wand waving. Just you, the flames and the fumes. He flipped through expectantly, as though he would find a potion that would make time go by faster.

He looked up and saw the Owl cage on his desk was empty. He had let her out before going to bed, and left the window open in case she returned while he slept.

He had decided to call her Wendelin, after someone he had read about in a school book.

He returned to his potions book, and was momentarily distracted when his owl flew back into the room, using the top of her cage as a perch. "Hello, Wendy," he said, getting up and stroking her head softly. He had never seen an owl so perfectly trained. Not even in the movies. She nibbled on his finger and he laughed softly.

"Hungry, girl?" he asked, fishing out some owl food and pouring a bit in a container for her to eat. She hooted softly in thanks and started eating. Harry looked over her head and outside. The sun was just now breaching the horizon.

He laid back down on the bed after packing his book away exactly where it had been, and closed his eyes. He was hoping he could go back to sleep, but that wasn't the case. He laid awake for hours.

Snape awoke as early as he could. He tended to sleep in on the first, as it was the last chance he had to. All the potions were finished and stocked, and he would need the rest. Today, though, he sat bolt upright in bed and went thought the motions of waking himself up.

He dressed and went into his office. There he found a stack of pancakes and a note.

Try to eat something before leaving ~ Albus.

Snape sighed, but ate the pancakes anyway. When he finished he stood up and stretched his back. He checked his watch. Not long till he needed to pick Harry up and drop him off at Kings Cross. It had occurred to him later that Ms. Cole might have been able to do the task, but he found himself wanting to.

He put on his boots and flooed straight away to The Leaky Cauldron. Tom, who was, as always, up bright and early to run the bar waved at him. "Firewhiskey, Severus?" he offered. "No, thank you," said Snape. "Just passing through. Tom nodded and Snape walked out into the chilly London morning. It seemed downright unseasonable.

Snape only realized he was still wearing his robes after he'd been stared at a few times. He didn't care. He found Cole's Orphanage with no problem, and was knocking on the door in no time at all.

Ms. Cole opened it and let him in, taking a minuet to look him over. "Quite the fashion statement," he opined, and Snape pretended not to hear her. "Is Harry ready?"

Ms. Cole nodded. "He's been ready since two in the morning."

Snape bit back a laugh. "After you, Ms. Cole." She led him up the stairs to Harry's room, and knocked on the door.

The time between the knocking and the door being opened was negligible. Harry stood in the doorway, beaming and flushing as though he'd come in first in a marathon.

"All ready?" asked Snape, though a quick look told him there was nothing that needed packing. Harry had gone so far as to move his trunk into the middle of the room, with his owl's cage on top of it.

Harry nodded and Snape walked in. With a hidden flick of his wand, the trunk and cage became as light as a feather, and he gave a pretend grunt as he lifted them off the ground, for Ms. Cole's benefit.

"Have a safe school year, Harry," she said as they walked down the stairs.

By the time they reached Kings Cross, on foot, the featherlight charm was starting to wear off, and Snape quickly found a trolly to put it on. Harry took the handle, and pushed it through the busy station.

Snape stood next to him the whole time, a guiding hand on his shoulder. "Now, walk into the barrier between platforms nine and ten."

Harry looked up as though Snape had take a leave of absence. "Walk through it?" he asked, dumbfounded.

Snape nodded. "I'll walk with you, if it'll make you feel any safer. Harry gave the smallest of nods. They both started walking towards the wall, and Harry shut his eyes, though their pace was a slow one. When he opened them, after a gentle squeeze from Snape, Harry's jaw dropped.

He was standing in front of the most magnificent train he had ever seen. Steam billowed all around them and several other children were getting on board with the help of their parents. Harry looked over to Snape, who was motioning that Harry get on board. He did so.

Snape passed him the trunk and the cage, both of which were ungainly to say the least. "See you at school, sir!" called Harry.

Snape nodded. "Find yourself a compartment before they fill up too much!"

Harry's head pulled back as he obliged.

AN: Ok, so I'm giving a hand at trying this break for each person talking thing. I dunno if it's for me, but if it looks better, I might keep going with it. Next chapter, the train ride and eventual sorting! Stay tuned!