The Quidditch match had ended, leaving Ravenclaw the victor by defeating Hufflepuff by 140 points.

It was a - disgraceful defeat, but such things keep happening.

This time, the teams did not get enough time to practice as the governors had sent a new curriculum for the students and professors to follow, which was totally barbaric. It included a class test for every lesson when finished immediately and made time for Quidditch matches' unsettling. These tests were important as they were going to be graded on an overall house basis and points were going to be given to every house accordingly, leaving the students with a spike in their competitiveness. The focus had been shifted to academics all of a sudden as the governors wanted the children to have a 'healthy competition' among them which also led them to excel in their education. Fying lessons for students of every year had been made less frequent. The resource for this spontaneous thought from the governors was unknown. The staff already knew that this curriculum would raise a controversy among the concerned parents soon but until then, they were going to follow it thoroughly.

Albus was on his way to his office and as soon as he whispered Ginger Newt, walked past the Gargoyle statue and up the staircase, he found a seething Severus Snape waiting for him at the door.

Just what could have happened on his visit to the Dursleys to cause such a reaction?

Albus had taken too long to come. Had he been late by one more minute, his office surely would have been destroyed by curses that would have flown from his mouth with ease.

The Headmaster had started eyeing him warily. One moment he's as fresh as a daisy and the next moment he looks like a 200 year old man. Truthfully, Severus didn't know what was the actual deal with the old bastard.

Motioning inside, Albus opened the door to his office that housed various silver instruments placed on spindle-legged tables. A pensieve stood proud and distinct from the other material in a corner. The walls all around had been smothered beneath the portraits of Headmasters and Headmistresses of the past. Every single time Severus entered this room, he thought back of the times when he had looked around the room with wonder. That was the only thing he had been grateful to Potter Sr about, receiving detention because of him and entering the Headmaster's Office to marvel at it.

"Lemon drop?"

Merlin, when did the old man manage to sit behind his desk and open the trinket of that sickening yellow muggle candy whilst his act of reminiscence? The man glided from one place to another with such motion that it was extremely confusing and vexing.

A heated glare directed towards the Headmaster confirmed his rejection for the sweet.

"Tell me, Severus, are the wards intact? "

This sentence was all it took for Severus to start shouting.

"You left Potter with his abusive relatives to rot! He has been living in a damn cupboard for Merlin's sake! What was the use of keeping that squib on watch if she couldn't even report evident child abuse? He wears clothes 3 times his size and they hang on him like elephant skin! Petunia keeps calling him a freak and the boy wasn't even aware of his magic since he was dropped at the Dursleys by you!"

Severus' Occlumency shields were destroyed. The endeavor of keeping his anger in check was as useless as a glass hammer. Before he could continue his rant, Albus put up a hand.

"My boy, just tell me about the blood wards."

Fucking bastard. Severus was ranting about a child's abuse and all the Headmaster still seemed concerned about was the shitty blood wards.

"The wards were weak. They also carried a small trace of dark magic. Really Albus, what is the use of such weak blood wards if the child is not safe at home?"

Within the span of 48 hours, this was the second time that the ceaseless twinkle of the ocean blue eyes had disappeared.

"Dark magic? Are you sure Severus?"

"Absolutely not, I just had an intrusive thought of making a joke!" Snape snapped, sarcasm lacing his voice.

A dark look clouded Albus' face, making his wrinkles that creased his face even more pronounced.

"That is worrying."

'Oh, I thought it was a delightful occasion,' thought Severus.

"Severus, I believe that you have retrieved the boy from his relatives. Don't deny it."

Severus started to feel like a student receiving a detention again. But he knew this time that he had done the right thing.

"Yes."

"Hmm... Well, as you have said, such blood wards are of no use. But it is of utmost importance that we find the source of the dark magic on the weakened wards."

"Of course."

"And until then, you must become Harry's temporary guardian."

Once again, within the span of 48 hours, Albus had said something utterly fucked up.

He wanted to start shouting at Albus for proposing such an idea, but some other part of Severus knew deep down that this was bound to happen since he had taken Har-Potter from his relatives and that part of him didn't even find the situation disturbing.

He immediately knew that something was wrong with his mind if being Potter's son's temporary guardian wasn't bothering him.

This was enough proof for him that he could never function properly within the vicinity of a Potter.

With a reply of acceptance, Severus left the Headmaster's Office.

After reaching his quarters, Severus entered the guest room to check upon the boy.

The child was sleeping sound. He had placed his glasses on the bedside drawer. They were broken and taped to prevent from falling apart. Without thinking, Severus cast a repairing charm and a size-reducing charm on the glasses, suitable for the boy.

He put the glasses down and glanced at the child sleeping. His hands were visible as he lay sprawled on the bed. Small red marks scattered them. Frowning, Severus gently picked up the hands, careful as to not wake up Har-Potter. What was happening to his mind shields?

There were scratches and blisters on the hands. Many of them. The left hand bore a dark spot, which looked more like a burn.

Unknowingly, he lifted the boy's sleeve and he swore that if the child was not present in the room, he would have demolished everything around him. There were bruises on his arm. Some spots of blue, some of red and some of pale yellow color enveloped the ashen pallored skin.

Some people were going to face the merciless wrath of Severus Tobias Snape.