Chapter 4 - Terrible discoveries

Of all the people in the Wizarding World, Harry wasn't expecting the Hogwarts Potions' teacher to show in the Privet Drive this late at night. A wave of panic seemed to flood the young man. What in the world was he doing in here? He knew Snape was a part of the Order, and he knew that he had played his part…and yet! Harry could not simply imagine Severus Snape taking an interest on him. This could be a mere coincidence. He knew that Arabella Fig had recovered from the whole incident with the Dementors a year ago.

A cynical part of him told him MacGonagal would never appear in Privet Drive, unless it was absolutely necessary. He was alive, wasn't he? There were no Death Eaters who could dismiss such powerful wards as the ones Dumbledore had had placed.

"No…not you…"

"Potter. Change of plans. Bring your case, your trunks and whatever clothes you can muster."

"What?" Harry seemed to mutter stupidly. Perhaps it was the lack of sleep. Maybe he had heard wrong. He could not believe it. Pinching himself, Harry instantly thought this had to be a nightmare.

"Hedwig?"

Whatever soporific effect his aunt's heart medication had had, she instantly climbed down stairs, a deep blue robe with a known Muggle brand logo on it. Harry's heart plummetted. She reeked of tobbaco once again. He had noticed she had begun to take Muggle medication. Reading the prescription he instantly knew this would knock him out more than a small shot glass of dreamless sleep potion.

"Severus?!"

"Ah, Tuney,...how nice of you to come down ...and is that a Gucci robe?" He tutted with a raised eyebrow, a silken tone coming to the professor's voice. Harry had a feeling that even though she was barely awake, his aunt had no idea this was real either. "Judging by the letters the Headmaster exchanged with you, it certainly wasn't bought with your money. And yet, Potter seems as battered and skinny as ever. I wonder..."

"Severus...You must understand...! Your employer's a looney, yes! But he didn't expect us to just raise this freak on our own..."

"Oh, surely not! With how the economy in the Muggle world is coming, I am sure that your husband's job would not pay enough to cover your whale of a son's...education." Snape scoffed.

Now she's being honest. Harry thought as he crossed his arms.

"I'll make you a cup of tea, Professor. Don't bother. I know she only took me in because of the money..." Maybe Harry was a little too blunt. However, he didn't care. Snape could yell at him for being ungrateful and a spoilt brat. He simply did not care.

"I will talk to you later, Tuney!" The strict professor returned, his voice a glacial and thunderous tone. "I don't have the time right now."

"Severus-! It's too dangerous-! Those people killed my sister..."
"Don't you dare bring Lily into this!" Those dark eyes flashed a murderous glare, his hand clutching into the wand. "And as far as Potter is concerned, he won't stay at this house."

Harry was dumbfounded. He had never seen Snape as concerned as he had been right now...not after that incident in his office.

Change of POV

A couple of hours ago

Severus Snape pinched the bridge of his nose, thinking his former Defense Against the Dark Arts' teacher had gone insane. Tom Riddle had been known for having murderous bursts. It had been one of the few things Snape had known. Now he knew why.

The summer rain had turned into a full thunderstorm, the thunder booming across the windows, muffling some of Dumbledore's excuses.

"What on earth do you mean Potter's an Horcrux?!" Snape snarled, his pale and long hands clenched, growing even whiter by the minute.

"That's precisely what you have heard, Severus. Harry has a piece of Tom's soul. It was created when the Killing Curse bounced off." The older man explained matter-of-factly.

Severus couldn't for his life imagine how the Headmaster could act so calm! Exhaling many times, he struggled to remain calm. He would be drenched wet by the time he reached Spinner's End, Cocksworth. However, he was not going to betray Lily for what felt like the hundredth time. She would have exploded on him. He honestly would have expected Petunia to have spoiled the boy rotten. And yet, here was Dumbledore unloading this information how Harry was never spoilt to begin with...If anything he had grown up into painfully thin and abused! He had treated the boy like he had a golden childhood! And yet, now he was hearing the Headmaster gave him glamour spells alongside Madame Pomfrey's own nutrition potions…

Placing both hands on his face, Snape sighed. He could never step foot in Godric's Hollow now. He would be afraid Lily's spirit would be there to torment him, blame him for his disgusting behaviour.

"Headmaster, in all my years teaching in this institution, I never thought…"

"Severus, please…Harry needed to grow up in a Muggle family—"

"NOT THAT family!" Snape snapped, feeling his blood pressure rising. "I saw Lily write her will…What would she think?!"

"It was essential…"

"YOU mean to tell me that you know better than Lily …You knew better than Lily Evans what her son would need!? I saw that boy in our lessons and if anything , his brain was muddled! It seemed like his magic was blocked! Drained! You nearly created an obscurial…and for what?! Because we both believed in the words of a demented old woman!"

"Severus…I know this is all a lot to take in…"

"Don't tell me that!" Snape nearly slammed his face on one of the stained, medieval windows. "You promised me!"

In all his life, he had never felt betrayed. None of that foolish oaf's words stung more than the idea he had been played for a fool! And what would Petunia Dursley say to that?! They had placed a dangerous and cursed thing in her own home!

"Who do you think you are, playing with the lives of innocent people…"

"Now they are innocent!" Albus Dumbledore raised an eyebrow questioningly.

"Had this been another non-magical family…If you weren't the wizard I know you to be, Albus Dumbledore, I would make you suffer! However…" He exhaled. "I won't waste any more time, Albus. I have other duties to attend to!"

"Such as keeping that poor boy out of trouble?"

Snape threw one of his icy-cold glares at the older man, but he said nothing. Whether he was referring to Draco Malfoy or Potter, he did not care. He had to make sure Harry was safe. If he was…Now that Voldemort was back, there was no telling what that insane maniac would do.

The older wizard was slightly charismatic and at his prime, he was incredibly persuasive and loquacious. One would think he was a pureblood snob weren't for the obvious history Dumbledore had confided in Severus. After knowing of his revival, there was something odd stirring in Snape. On one hand, he had been ecstatic. On the other, could it be that Voldemort had returned from the grave, thirsting for blood? Not in a way a vampire would. Vengeance…When Severus first heard of the disgusting abomination that called himself Voldemort, he could hardly believe it. But to hear the Headmaster's testament …The wizard he had worshipped throughout most of his childhood was now a murderous abomination. It was no longer Human. It became less than a Human! It was no longer the genius wizard who had gathered a following during the late fifties and seventies.

And between him and Dumbledore, the options were fewer.

As he stood there, after stunning Vernon Dursley with a stupify, Snape no longer knew what he would do with the young man. But he certainly would not be back at Hogwarts. It wasn't as safe!

A small idea came to his mind… but he would not voice it with the Potter boy. He hated the little James spawn. However, Spinner's End was no longer safe. Narcissa Malfoy and Bellatrix knew where he lived. He did not care for what Narcissa thought. However, Narcissa was loyal to her sister and downplayed Bellatrix's fanatical devotion to the aberration.

Snape's mind went over the 'moderate' side of the Death Eaters in his mind. Anyone but that disgusting family…Snape did not care about Petunia that much.

"Why are you taking Harry away from us? He's still a minor, Severus!" Speak of the she-devil herself. Snape rolled his eyes.

"I do have the permission of his magical guardian, Mrs. Dursley." He spoke as calmly as he could. Petunia thought herself better than her late sister. At the end of the day, both Lily and Petunia were just as vain. Lily would never predict that kind of betrayal. But she was a woman coming out of her teenage years. She had no idea how the magical world worked…for a time. However, he owed it to Lily.

He needed the courage to bring Harry away from this horrid place. Claudius Nott would have a conniption if he ever heard that a half-blood were to enter his house. Goyle and Crabbe? They were far too foolish and would only bully Potter on principle, nevermind how wrong it was to bully a child. Talk about the pot call the kettle black. The Black used to be a respectable family. Andromeda…yes! Wasn't Andromeda a fairly respected old woman? She was the middle-child of the Black sisters. She'd welcome Harry.

Andromeda was a member of the Order of Phoenix. However, she was raised within the Black family and was very much aware of the costumes. She would not hand over Harry to Dumbledore, since she had seen what the First Wizarding War had done. If only that disgusting mutt was still around, Snape thought to himself.

"Pack something to eat, Potter. We have a long journey."

"What do you mean long?" Of course the boy had to question him.

Severus pinched once again the bridge of his nose.

"I am on a tight schedule. You will find I am not just your Potions' professor." He threw a bag to Harry, hoping the young man wasn't too weak - or sleepy to walk. "pre-frozen fruits… I came across a twenty-four seven Muggle store. You're all skin and bones, Potter. It wouldn't do for the Ministry to accuse me of murder by negligence." He half-teased.

The boy shivered as he placed his worn muggle jeans that seemed to be sewn to the point they no longer looked like trousers. Dear Gods, if Mrs. Nott was still alive even though she would feel pity. He could bet a galleon even Narcissa would feel compassion for a half-blood, even if said half-blood had defeated He-who-Must-Not-be-Named.

The sky was beginning to clear out. And yet, it felt oddly crisp as the clouds were painted in a soft rose.

Hurrying to the old contraption he had purchased - Malfoy often joked around how Snape liked to have his secrets - a couple of years ago after Lily died, he patted on the passenger seat.

"That's a volvo." Harry muttered weakly.

"And?"

There was a lengthy pause, before the boy choked. At first, Snape took out his wand, knowing the Potter was a sitting duck outside of the Dursleys' home.

"I'm so sorry…I had no idea you could…" The boy exhaled, and this time his eyes averted. A snort passed.

"Not a word of this in Hogwarts, Potter. Do I make myself clear?"

Harry only nodded, seemingly in a half-daze. He will probably knock himself on the backseat of the car. Great. He'll need to wipe the seat later because of James' son. And yet, he could not help but feel sorry.