kbinnz - Harry's New Home

"What did you mean?"

"J-just that I know you tried, sir. You had said you would. So I don't blame you."

"For what?" Snape pressed. There was something wrong here. Merlin, what was the boy talking about?

"For my getting expelled."

Now both Snape and Pomfrey were staring at Dumbledore. "You expelled him?" the medi-witch breathed.

Even Snape was looking bewildered. There was no artifice in the boy. He truly believed he was expelled, and where would he have received such information but from the Headmaster? But why on earth would Albus do such a thing? Yes, the old coot played a very deep game, but to expel the boy? To remove him from one of the few places where he was safe from harm?

"Harry," the headmaster stepped forward, and Harry flinched back. Okay, here it came. He still wasn't sure what he had done, but obviously he just kept doing it. Dumbledore held out his hand, and Harry tried not to cower. They hated when you cowered.

"Lemon drop?" the Headmaster offered, and to his amazement, Harry realized that the man was holding a tin of candy in his hand. As Harry watched, the Headmaster took one and popped it into his mouth, smiling encouragingly.

He glanced nervously at the Headmaster and then at the other two. What was the right answer? But the old eyes were twinkling at him, and though they were sad, they seemed kind. Harry slowly reached forward, and when no one shouted at him or slapped his hand away, he carefully took one. "Thank you, sir," he said politely. Even if they jeered at him and grabbed it back the next minute, he still had to be polite when anything was offered.

Just as slowly, he moved the candy to his lips, waiting for the snarl or the cuff, but they didn't come and then the delicious lemony taste was filling his mouth. He couldn't suppress a smile, and the Headmaster smiled back.

"Now then, Harry, I wonder if you can help me," Albus said easily.

"I'll try, sir," Harry agreed. He looked over to Snape. Was that okay? The Potions Master was just standing there, glowering, but he didn't seem any angrier than usual, which meant Harry probably hadn't done anything stupid. Yet.

"It seems that there is a little confusion here," the Headmaster continued. "What makes you think you have been expelled?"

"You mean, I haven't?" Harry asked, confused.

"Answer the Headmaster's question, Potter!" Snape snapped, and Harry jumped.

"Yes, sir!" he gulped. "Sorry, sir!" He looked at the Headmaster, and although the old man didn't look angry, he still scooted back just a bit. After all, Snape was pretty big and scary, but even he listened to the Headmaster, That must mean that the Headmaster was even more powerful, and hadn't he been the one to send Harry to the Dursleys in the first place? Obviously he wouldn't think twice about sending him back to them.

"You were telling me why you thought you had been expelled," Dumbledore prompted gently.

"Because Professor Snape apologized, sir," Harry explained.

"And that apology was becauseтАж"

"He couldn't keep his promise, sir. He had promised that I wouldn't be expelled, soтАж" Harry trailed off. He could tell that something was wrong, but he couldn't figure out what it was.

"Harry, did Professor Snape actually say that he couldn't keep that promise?"

"N-no, sir," Harry admitted. "But what else would he have to apologize for?"

Poppy let out an odd noise, halfway between a sob and a snort, and left abruptly. Albus merely patted Harry's foot under the blanket for a few moments. "I see." He patted some more.

Harry looked from the Headmaster to the professor. Snape was scowling as if he was about to explode, while the Headmaster looked very old and sad. "Sir? I'm sorry," he offered. He still had no idea what he'd done wrong, but an apology was usually a good idea.

"Potter, stop apologizing!" Professor Snape snapped. Okay, maybe not such a good idea after all.

"Yes, sir, sorry, sir," Harry replied automatically, then realized what he had done. "Sor-" he cut himself off before he did it again.

Dumbledore chuckled softly, though it didn't sound like he thought anything was very funny. "I see you have your work cut out for you, my boy." He rose to his feet, gave Harry's foot one last pat, then placed the tin of lemon drops on the bed. "For you, Harry."

Then he was left alone again with Professor Snape. "Sir? I'm тАУ " Harry thought better of apologizing again. "Um, what did I do wrong?" he asked. He knew it wouldn't excuse him from punishment, but maybe if he knew what he'd done, he could avoid doing it in the future.

Snape frowned at him. "Be still, Potter. Just listen."

Harry obediently straightened up and looked attentive. "You are not being expelled, Potter. I meant what I said about your not going back to those relatives. You will not live with them again. Ever." Harry's eyes flared with hope and Severus caught his breath. Lily looked out at him, and he had to fight to keep control of his voice.

"You are staying here at Hogwarts, and even if you were to do something so egregious as to require expulsion тАУ which is hard to imagine, given the current Headmaster тАУ even then you would not return to those disgusting Muggles. Do I make myself clear?"

Harry nodded. He didn't trust himself to speak. He got to stay! He got to stay!

"My apology to you was for the injuries I caused you yesterday," Snape continued. "I should not have struck you in that fashion, and I apologize." Now why was the child frowning at him? That had been a very nice apology тАУ even Minerva would have been impressed. "What?" he demanded, aggrieved.

"Why are you apologizing for that?" Harry asked blankly. He'd misbehaved in class, messed up his lines, and tried to leave detention early. Why was the professor apologizing for punishing him?

Snape stared at him. Was the boy trying to be funny? But no, even without Legilimency, it was clear that Harry genuinely saw nothing wrong with how he'd been treated.

"We will discuss that at a later time," he temporized. "For now, you will merely accept my word that it was inappropriate."

"Yes, sir," Harry said obediently.

"Continue your recuperation," Snape instructed, his voice once again coldly formal. "We will talk after you are feeling better."

"Yes, sir," Harry nodded. "Thank you, sir."

And now Snape had pulled him from his dorm тАУ presumably to have that postponed talk? At least that's what Harry hoped. He didn't think he was in troubleтАж But then again, there were plenty of times when he'd made that mistake. Better to check.

"Sir, did I do something wrong?" he asked, trying not to sound nervous.

"Do you know something I should?" Severus asked drily.

"No, sir!" Harry assured him, shaking his head vigorously.

"Very well. Step through," Snape instructed, opening a portrait with a muttered password. Harry obeyed and found himself in a large sitting room. Tea and biscuits awaited on a low table.

"Sit down, Potter," Severus pointed to the couch, and Harry tentatively obeyed. This was a little odd. Why was he in what had to be the professor's private quarters?

The next moment, the fireplace roared, and Professor McGonagall's head appeared in the flames. "Severus? Do you have тАУ Ah. Mr Potter, you are there."

"Yes'm," Harry answered obediently.

"Severus, perhaps you could explain why half my Tower came rushing to my office to inform me that you had abducted Mr Potter and were likely in the process of disemboweling him?"

"Perhaps because your students are insolent, disrespectful idiots who have read too many heroic epics?"

"Severus Snape, there is no call for such rudeness!" Minerva, annoyingly, used the same tone on him as she did on her little lions, and Severus heard a muffled giggle behind him. He shot a look promising instant death to the brat on the couch, and Harry hastily hid behind his teacup.