Chapter Nine – Home Sweet – Privet Drive?
Harry sighed as he got on the Hogwarts Express. He had no home, Dudley was probably in an orphanage, or with Marge, and he'd be joining him wherever he went. Dumbledore would make sure of that, and he'd rather live with Snape than stay with Dudley any longer. That was saying something, he knew, since Ron and Hermione's eyes nearly popped out of their sockets when he'd said that fact out loud. Ron and Hermione were bickering over who would take him in, each insisting that their parents were more capable of doing so. He sighed, putting his head on the window.
Kiru was doing in a like manner, and Snape was nowhere to be seen. Mellicent Bullstrode, Draco Malfoy, and Luna Lovegood were all in the car with her, as well as Auror Tonks for good measure. She wanted her dad, and managed to doze off only to have another nightmare. She growled in frustration, and Draco thought of something.
"You know, I heard you play the Prelude of Light, but I never heard you play Hime's song afterwards," he said calmly. Her eyes widened – of course! These nightmares must have been visions of possible futures, and the prefect was ruining them! She whipped out her Ocarina and played Hime's song, nodding off as she finished.
"Wotcher," Tonks said hesitantly as she held Kiru off of Malfoy, who had grabbed the Ocarina to keep it from falling onto the floor. He sat up, and Tonks removed her arms. "Nice job, kid. Maybe now the girl can finally get some well-earned rest."
As the train pulled into the station, Harry frowned – he could already hear Dudley yelling loudly. He sighed, letting everyone else go ahead of him. He wanted to spend as long as he could without his cousin until he had no choice but to leave. He got up, and headed over to Mr. and Mrs. Weasley, who were hugging him tightly, apologizing for his loss. Bill and Charlie were there, too, now, and the four Weasley students joined them with their luggage, as well as Hermione.
"I'm telling you, Ron, I'm sure he'd rather stay with whoever he chooses," Hermione insisted with a huff.
"Hermione, dear, we're more than happy to let Harry into our home," Molly said, but whatever the others were about to say was cut off.
"That won't be necessary, Molly, Arthur," Snape said coldly. "Potter will be living with Kiru and me until further notice. He and his cousin, and before you even start, Potter, it was the headmaster's idea, not mine."
Harry swallowed fearfully, and everybody looked at him in sympathy. They all knew Snape's reputation, but when Dumbledore got an idea like that, it was better to roll with the flow since he always had a reason for his madness. Harry sighed heavily, and swore he heard Dudley screaming angrily as Snape smirked widely.
"Sir," Harry said furrowing his brow, "Where's Dudley?"
"The whale you have to call a cousin, you mean?" Kiru asked as she approached. "I left him back just now. Kami, I can understand why you hate him – I wanted to punch his lights out just by looking at him. But don't worry, I've got some excellent ideas in mind for the summer if he gets any bright ideas in that pea-brain of his."
"Kiru," Snape said darkly. "That can wait."
Kiru began looking around as the Weasley's argued amongst themselves over who got to borrow Errol or Pigwidgon first. She glanced around, her head jerking at any sign of a prefect.
"What's her problem?" she heard Bill and Charlie ask Ginny, who explained the whole rogue-prefect fiasco.
"Kiru, that's enough, she won't attack with me next to you," Snape snapped.
"Yes, father," Kiru said relaxing into her father's side, gripping his left arm tightly. Bill and Charlie's eyes ballooned, and Kiru grinned. "It's rude to stare, you know. You two look like oversized goldfish."
"Don't even think about it," Snape snapped with a smirk, knowing what she was thinking. McGonagall's specialty, transfiguration.
"Oh, but it's so fun," Kiru whined with a wide grin. They looked over their shoulders and sighed in disgust. "We have to house the whale, don't we?" Snape nodded. "Fine. But only if I get Potions lessons in the evenings!"
"I would have done so anyways," Snape retorted. "I can't have my little Hime falling behind and letting her talents go to waste, now can I?"
"Save me," Harry mouthed as Kiru drug him off after the Potions Master and towards Dudley.
Ron and Hermione gaped at Harry's back with awe and horror at Snape's announcement and Harry's misfortune. Harry knew it was coming, but he didn't like it. Ron knew firsthand the horrors of Harry's cousin, but for Harry to put up with his cousin and Professor Snape at the same time was absurd, in his opinion. The rest of the Weasleys, with the exception of Molly and Arthur, wholeheartedly agreed. Molly had remained neutral and wanted to see how things played out, while Arthur was sure that Snape would scare Dudley into being a perfect little prince.
Draco Malfoy raced halfway up to Kiru, before dashing back to his father's side embarrassed. Ron had gotten a good laugh out of that one until Malfoy sneered a comment about blood status as he passed. Kiru would have been proud, Draco knew, but was apprehensive about his father's opinion of the first year potions princess. She was every bit as talented as her father, Lucius smirked, and he was teaching her extremely well. Given time, she could even be better than Potter, perhaps even good enough to become a Death eater, although he would never have wished anything upon Draco. Thus, with that mindset, he told himself he didn't want Kiru to join the Death Eaters and be on the Azkaban list.
Kiru, Harry, and Dudley started fighting long before they got home. Snape was at his wit's end trying to tune them out, and finally ended up yelling at them to shut their mouths. Thankfully for his migraine, they spent the rest of the knight bus ride in silence as they turned onto Privet Drive. A vacant house had suddenly become available, and Snape glared at the number before almost letting out a sigh of relief – it wasn't the one Potter was due for. Rather, it was across the street, and an odd looking woman was moving in as well. She reminded him eerily of Lily somehow, and it drove him mad just watching her.
Snape and Kiru looked around the house. Dudley was eating the food in the kitchen, and Snape was not happy at all. He yanked the food away from the boy, and pushed it across to Harry. Rapping the larger boy on the back of the head, he went on to lecture the boy about how Harry was treated, why it was wrong, why he was here, and that he was now their legal guardian and was now in charge of them.
The three youth paid close attention to the rules that Severus Snape laid out, two knowing he was strict and one fast learning this fact. 1) No going into another's room without their permission unless you shared it with them, and the Potions Lab was on permission-base only. Not that Harry would ever go down there, but Dudley might… 2) Do what I say when I say it – No exceptions unless fatal otherwise. 3) Maintain healthy lifestyle and good grades. 4) no using each other for target practice unless practicing magic. 5) obey any rule I make, even on the spot.
Harry snorted at rule one since he didn't care about a potions lab, but Kiru scowled. It was Harry's turn to scowl at rule two, and Dudley didn't care. Dudley had openly protested at rule three, to which Severus immediately shut him up with a harsh glare. Harry had beamed at rule four since it meant that Dudley couldn't use him for target practice ever again. Rule five had been absurd, Snape knew, but it had to be set in place for the boys since they were dunderheads. Harry was malnourished, still, and Dudley could stand to lose a few dozen pounds. Kiru, meanwhile, could use to gain a few pounds. Oh, he was in for a very long summer he knew. He didn't want anything to do with these blubbering dunderheads, but he had promised to help keep Lily's child safe, and so now he was. He hated it.
As soon as they got inside the home, Harry and Dudley began fighting immediately over who got which bedroom, to which Kiru could see a little tick mark above her father's head. One glare from him, however, and they were immediately quiet, to which he explained the sleeping arrangements. Dudley would sleep under the stairs, Harry would get the room Dudley had formerly slept in, Kiru would get the second bedroom, and he got the master bedroom. Dudley stood agape, and Harry delighted at this news in their change of living space.
Within hours of dawn, the doorbell rang, to which Kiru opened it up with Severus leering nearby ready to hex someone at a moment's notice. It was the woman from across the street, who was apparently new to the town, and the country as well.
"I'm sorry if I'm interrupting something," she said shyly. "I was wondering if I could meet you all. I'm new here, and don't know anyone, you see."
Snape knew what it was like to be outcast by everyone, so he grudgingly nodded an ascent. He knocked on Harry's door and stomped angrily above Dudley's new crawl space, to which Harry was delighted. The potions master raised an eyebrow, and Harry thought it out to his new guardian. You're doing to Dudley exactly what he used to do to me before my first year. I even slept down there, and there were dozens of spiders and other whatnot. Uncle Vernon would have a fit if he knew what was going on. Oh, life's good.
"I'm so sorry," the woman said quickly. "I'm Chessie Hotai, my parents just recently started working at a local hospital."
"Severus Snape," the potions master said coolly. "I'm a teacher at a private school for troubled or orphaned children. These are Dudley, and Harry, my adopted…sons, for lack of a better word. This is Kiru, my daughter."
"It's nice to meet you all," Chessie said shyly. "I'm jobless, as of yet, but I'm hoping to become a medic at a world-renowned hospital. What do you teach, Mr. Snape?"
"Chemistry," Snape said, giving Harry a look that said to keep his mouth shut. "Which hospital? I have a few contacts, so I might be able to help." Or hinder, if you annoy me.
"I doubt you've heard of it. St. Mungo's," Chessie replied.
"For Magical Maladies and injuries?" Snape chided, and her eyes widened. "Yes, I'm a wizard. Dursley, here, is the only one who isn't. The only reason I took him in was to keep Harry safe."
"I suspected you were Harry Potter," she grinned to him. "But I wasn't sure if you were living with a muggle or not. So, you teach Potions at Hogwarts, then, I assume, Mr. Snape?"
"Professor," he corrected with a smirk. "I just got into the neighborhood a few hours ago, myself, however. Dursley or Potter would be better for that advice, although I daresay the latter would be on better terms with the neighbors."
"Professor," Dudley whimpered, and Snape shot him a glare. "Am I the only one in the house who's like my mum and dad?"
"Dead, you mean?" Kiru grinned, and Harry couldn't help but snicker and hold back laughter. Snape gave her a look before turning his gaze back to Dudley and nodding curtly.
"So, that means all of you are fr-"
"I wouldn't finish that if I were you," Chessie glared at the muggle. "I've had enough of the f-r word for one lifetime. I swear my cousin is such a brat. I'm muggle-born, you see, and she was jealous when I got my letter. I knew there was no chance of joining since she was older than me."
"How interesting," Snape murmured. "That reminds me of an old friend of mine whose sister owned this house before I moved here…"
"Wait, you knew the freak's mum?" Dudley asked, before realizing his big mistake.
Kiru lunged at his throat, Harry not even bothering to do anything, and Snape was struggling to the small Slytherin off of him to keep from killing him. Harry saw the angry look on Snape's face and immediately ran to his bedroom to lock the wizard – and Dudley – out. Kiru, however, was still boiling mad and screaming in Parseltongue, to which Chessie was sitting there shocked as Severus summoned a snake or two with a flick of his wand and shoved her out the door to go to her room. He followed, casting a ward to keep her there to contemplate her actions, and wasn't at all surprised to find Dudley trying to get an extra meal in.
He grabbed the whale by the scruff, leading him out, and pushing him into the cupboard, locking it and warding it as well. He growled in disgust and headed into the kitchen, sending a patronus up to let Harry know he was safe. The Gryffindor snuck in, terrified of the Potion's Master's wrath, and sat down silently at the table. Every so often the adults would talk to him, and it was a nice change from his usual summer lifestyle to be with Snape, he discovered. Weird, but good – the Potions Master was ignoring him almost, but this new witch was very warm and welcoming. He felt like he was at home with her somehow. He did notice, however, that his professor kept applying pressure to the bridge of his nose as though to calm himself down.
"What school did you go to?" Harry asked them, and Snape frowned.
"Hogwarts, Slytherin house," the black-clad wizard said, while Chessie's eyebrows shot up. "You?"
"Hogwarts," she replied. "My parents insisted upon the best education for me, and begged Professor Dumbledore to let me learn there. I was in Slytherin. You were once friends with Lily Evans, if I recall correctly from the gossip around. It's a pity she died – although I won't deny that Potter boy was a selfish git from all the detention slips I saw him get. He should have gotten detention for all those times he took that poor bloke's trousers off, no matter how amusing everyone else thought it was, even years later. I'm surprised the boy doesn't have mental scarring, truth be told. And Potter was a horrible rule breaker! And he strut around the school like he owned the place, just because he became Quidditch Captain in his third year, and his friend, Lupin, was a prefect in their fifth! If you ask me, I'd say that Lily did him a favor in deflating his head a bit, but she should've done so a lot sooner and better!"
"I never thought I'd be saying this to a woman," Snape said appalled. "But I wholeheartedly agree. As for the poor bloke – you're looking at him."
"That was you?" Chessie gasped. "Oh, Kami, I'm so, so, so sorry! I meant no disrespect, Snape-san – er, Professor!"
"None taken," he muttered so that she barely caught it, and his lips barely moved. Harry was none the wiser, and stayed that way. "What I wouldn't give for a day off away from that whale you have to call a cousin."
"You just got him," Harry grinned. "Are you saying that you hate him already?"
"He reminds me more of your father than you do," Snape said tartly, and Harry's eyes widened. If the cruel man meant what he said, Dudley was in huge trouble. "If Dumbledore didn't need him alive, I'd be shipping him off to an orphanage or – better yet – driving him mad or – if it were only legal… There's a novel idea. Potter, how would you like a little payback at your cousin?"
"Sir?" Harry asked appalled, not knowing what was going on. "I'd like that, but does this mean you'll be using me for revenge on my father?"
"Unfortunately, no," Snape frowned. "You remember what would give your Uncle a heart attack, yes? I'm thinking of putting that into action."
"Huh?" Harry asked confused, then realized what Snape was talking about. "Oh, the old Switcheroo. I must admit, Professor; that is ingenious and very tempting. I want no part in it but to watch contentedly."
"I'm glad you like it," Snape sneered evilly. "I'm sure the headmaster won't, though. But, then again, who am I to care about a brat muggle who cannot tell Auror from Death Eater?"
"Professor," Chessie gasped in shock, realizing what they were up to. "I want it to be known that, as desperately as I want to deny any part of this, I can't help but join. Sign me up – what do I need to do to help?"
Snape's sneer turned into a full blown grin, which scared the living daylights out of Harry, but the Potions master took great pride in telling them of his plans for the obese boy. He recognized her vaguely as one of the Slytherin students that were there when he started teaching, but was in her fifth year, and hadn't taken potions for their NEWTs. He hadn't paid much attention that year because he had been too terrified of getting caught as a Death Eater, and was also uncaring as long as the students didn't blow their cauldrons up. Needless to say, he'd come in at Christmas to take the post from Horace Slughorn, his own Potions teacher, who'd retired and flat out left over the Christmas Break for no reason whatsoever. Who'd have thought he'd wind up living across the street from one of his own students, and a different one in his house? What was wrong with these Muggles? To make it worse, a squib lived down the road!
He couldn't wait to get his fingers around Albus' throat and wring the headmaster to his senses.