kbinnz - Harry's New Home

"So you agree?" he pressed, needing clear acceptance.

Arthur glanced at Molly. "We'd be happy to help you and Harry, Severus. I suggest that you bring Harry over here to give him a chance to spend some time with Molly and me. If that goes well, then we'll bring the boys home this weekend and have a family meeting and let them and Ginny know what's going to happen. After that, you and Harry can come to dinner and then maybe Harry can sleep over Saturday night. What do you think of that?"

Severus was grudgingly impressed. Weasley had come up with a reasonable plan. After all, he and Harry had never met, and it would be prudent to ensure that Harry got along with the adult Weasleys as well as he appeared to get on with Hogwarts' current crop. "Very well. I will be speaking with the boy in the next day or two."

"Why don't you bring Harry over for dinner tomorrow?" Molly suggested. "Floo over when you can. Arthur can come home early and we'll have the chance to get to know each other, just as he suggests. Your being here will reassure Harry."

Snape nearly snorted. Reassure the boy? Considering his past treatment of the child, it was much more likely that he'd find Snape's presence unnerving, but Snape wasn't about to admit that to the Weasleys. "Fine."

They all stood, and Arthur and Severus shook hands. Molly smiled a bit uncertainly. It was clear she was still worried about the Prince family's reputation, but Arthur gave her a reassuring squeeze. "Until Thursday, then," Arthur smiled.

"Until Thursday." Snape ducked back into the floo and headed straight for his fire whiskey.

TBC...

*Chapter 3*: Chapter 3

"What on earth are you doing here?" the Fat Lady demanded.

"Open up," Snape snarled at the portrait concealing the entrance to the Gryffindor Tower.

"Not likely," she replied haughtily. "Run along, little Slytherin."

"I'm not a student any longer, you idiotic scrawl. I am the Head of Slytherin House and the school's Potion Master, and I want to speak with one of my students. Now open up!"

"Shan't," she retorted airily.

Snape's eyes narrowed. "Open up or I will тАУ"

Just what Snape would have done was never made clear, as at that moment, the portrait opened and a third year Gryffindor started to step out. Finding his way blocked by the looming form of everyone's least favorite professor, he squeaked in terror and fell backwards.

"A model Gryffindor," Snape sneered. "Byerly, go fetch Potter."

"I тАУ I тАУ yes, sir!" Byerly managed to gasp out, then raced away. The Fat Lady tried to close the entrance, but Snape seized hold of the portrait frame and held it open.

In a very short time, what appeared to be half of Gryffindor Tower had hurried up. "Um, Professor Snape, sir, what can I do for you?" Oliver Wood, Quidditch team captain, had apparently been nominated as their spokesperson.

"Produce Potter," he replied with both brevity and menace.

Wood swallowed. "Er, what do you want him for, Professor? I mean," he quickly added, seeing Snape's expression, "should I get Professor McGonagall? If Potter's in some kind of trouble, then she should be notifiedтАж"

"I did not request your Head of House, merely Potter," Snape pointed out, with rapidly dwindling patience. "Kindly produce him."

"He's gonna make him into potions!" came a frightened whisper from the crowd. "What if he's planning to hand him over to Death Eaters?" came another. "Idiot! He is a Death Eater!" said another. "We can't give Harry to him!" "Quick! Hide him!" "I told you he was extra-nasty to Potter." "Has somebody gone for McGonagall?" "Get Harry back to his room!"

"Erm, does Harry have a detention with you?" Wood asked uncertainly.

"Ten points from Gryffindor for nosiness," Snape snarled. His eye caught a movement at the back of the crowd as if someone were trying to push their way through and being rebuffed. "And five points from anyone who blocks Potter's path!"

As if by magic, the crowd parted and a flushed Harry could be seen at the back. He colored even brighter, then hurried forward.

Snape noted some of the students' worried looks turning suspicious as Harry came forward willingly. He seized Harry by the scruff of the neck the instant he was within reach, and intoned, "Five points from Gryffindor for dawdling, Potter!"

"But, Professor, I wasn't тАУ" Potter's protest broke off with a squawk as Snape raised his arm, hoisting Harry onto his tiptoes and cutting off most of his air.

He spun around and stormed away, dragging Harry with him. Behind him, as the portrait closed, he could hear several comments, most of them containing the term "git". Well, at least they were no longer angry with Potter.

As soon as he turned the corner, he released his hold on the boy. Harry dragged at his collar and looked at Snape, wide eyed.

"Do not argue when I am deducting points, you foolish child," Snape scolded. "You will merely lose more for being rude."

"I'm sorry, sir," Harry gulped. "But I wasn't trying to dawdle. Honest! I just couldn't get them to move."

"And you think I don't know that?" Snape demanded, catching Harry by the shoulder and pulling him along. "Don't I have eyes?"

"But тАУ but if you know that, then why did you take away points?" Harry asked in bewilderment.

"Because your fellow Gryffindors were becoming suspicious of your compliance with my orders," Snape retorted. "Your complacency in the face of their alarm was considered odd, and Gryffindors, being of little brain, do not like oddities."

Harry pondered this as he trotted at Snape's side. Finally working out the meaning, he frowned. "I don't think Gryffindors are of little brain. Hermione Granger's awfully smart."

"Hm. A veritable Ravenclaw in lion's skin," Snape said sarcastically.

Harry chewed his lip. He couldn't figure out why Snape wanted to talk with him. He hadn't even had Potions class that day. The last time he'd actually spoken to Snape had been the morning after his detention, when he was still in the Infirmary.

Snape had entered and promptly been pulled into Pomfrey's office. After a lengthy period, he had emerged with two bright spots of color on his cheekbones, while the medi-witch appeared grimly triumphant. She had ushered him over to Harry's bedside and left the two of them with a final, "And I'll be watching you, Severus!"

"Potter," Snape had growled.

"Yes, sir?" Harry had been cautiously optimistic. Snape had made him a promise that he was fiercely hoping the man intended to keep. Just because he could hit as hard as Uncle Vernon didn't mean he wouldn't keep his promisesтАж Did it?

"Potter. I owe you an apology," Snape had said in a rather strangled tone.

Harry's breath caught in his throat. An apology? From a grown up? What for? What would Snape have to apologize to him for?

Oh, no! Was he apologizing because he couldn't keep his promise? Was the Headmaster determined to expel Harry after all? It was true that his handwriting was awful and he didn't really know any of the material like Granger did, nor even much about the Wizarding world, like Ron did, but he was trying really, really hard. It had only been a few days! Surely they'd let him try a little longer before deciding he really was a worthless freak?

But no, if Snape were apologizing then it must be because he couldn't do the things he had promised about not being expelling Harry or returning him to the Dursleys.

"That's okay, sir," he said around the enormous, hot lump that had suddenly appeared in his throat. "It's not your fault." He blinked hard, forcing back his tears. No one liked a crybaby.

He just hoped that Uncle Vernon wouldn't be too mad when he showed up again. Madame Pomfrey had just given him some awful tasting medicine that had healed all the welts and bruises on his bum as well as the cuts and lump on his head. He really didn't want to get another thrashing now that he was finally feeling better.