kbinnz - Harry's New Home

Snape pinched the bridge of his nose as the little nitwit rabbited on about how his dreadful relatives spoiled their fat son, completely missing the point of his question. "Potter. Your aunt and uncle paid for your cousin, correct?"

"Y'sir."

"Because he is their responsibility."

"Y'sir." Harry thought he understood what Professor Snape meant. "But sir, they don't really think of me as their responsibility, where they owe me certain things. It's more like I'm a тАУ"

Snape cut him off before Harry could say something that would prove intensely depressing to hear. "Yes, your relatives have made their opinion quite plain." Which is why Black will have such a fun time with them. "However, you have forgotten something."

Harry frowned in thought. "Ummmm, like what, sir?"

Snape glared at him. Insolent, arrogant, thoughtless brat! "You are now my responsibility. As such, I will be financially responsible for you while you are a minor."

Harry's jaw dropped. It was one thing for the professor to buy him some gifts тАУ positively brilliant gifts, mind you! тАУ but quite another for him to assume full financial responsibility for Harry. It had never crossed Harry's mind that Professor Snape was willing to do more than let Harry have a room in his quarters and provide paternal supervision and discipline. Surely that was enough of an encumbrance on the man!

To say that in addition to all that, he was also willing to spend his own money on Harry, as if he really were his own flesh and bloodтАж Even Harry's real flesh and blood had balked at that. The Dursleys had always explained their niggardly treatment of Harry with loud complaints of how much it cost to house and feed an unwanted orphan. And now Professor Snape was assuming such a burden without even commenting upon it?

"B-but kids are expensive, Pr'fessor!" Harry blurted out before he could get too used to the idea. Obviously the professor had no idea what he was offering to do. "I mean, I won't eat all that much when Hogwarts isn't in session, but just letting me live with you is going to cost you plenty. I figured you'd take the money from my vault and тАУ"

"Do I look like an innkeeper, Potter?" Snape snapped, feeling a sharp pain in his chest at the child's deep conviction that no one could ever want him as a member of their family but would only be willing to tolerate his presence in exchange for financial compensation. As usual, empathy made him grumpy. "I neither want nor need reimbursement for your care. I am now in a similar position to you as your uncle is to your cousin. I doubt that your cousin is presented with a weekly bill to cover his room and board."

Harry snorted. "If he were, it's be about four zillion pages long!" But then he sobered. "But, sir, why would you do all this?"

Snape raised an eyebrow. "Did you not ask me to become your guardian?"

Harry's jaw dropped again. Had Snape actually thought he'd expected him to take on such an enormous burden? And had Snape actually been willing to do it? Just because Harry had asked him to? "Y-yes," he gulped, "but I never meant that you'd have to pay for all my stuff or тАУ"

Snape glared at him. "Foolish brat. You should never request things if you don't know what you're asking for, particularly in the magical world. It's a good thing I at least am fully aware of the responsibilities of a legal guardian."

"But тАУ but you shouldn't have to pay тАУ"

Again Snape overrode him. "Are you presuming to tell me how to live up to my obligations, Potter? Or тАУ worse тАУ to imply that I have accepted a responsibility that I am unwilling to fulfill?"

Harry might be in shock, but he wasn't stupid. "No, sir!"

"Then kindly keep your inane and ill-informed blathering to yourself, you impudent wretch. You are eleven years old. You are not to concern yourself with the details of your fiscal support. That is my responsibility, not yours. You are responsible for obeying me. If I determine that additional tutoring is necessary, you will not concern yourself with the financial details of that tutoring, but simply attend the sessions as required and perform to the best of your abilities. I will not tolerate laziness, Mr Potter! If you fail to attend your classes тАУ any of your classes тАУ you can expect a very unpleasant outcome."

And it happened again. Despite his best, most menacing glower, the contrary brat was beaming up at him with a soppy smile on his face! Snape nearly cursed in frustration. How was he supposed to instill fear in the little fiend if his threats went unnoticed?

"I'll study harder than anyone тАУ even Hermione!" Harry promised, his heart singing. Merlin, it was so nice to have someone looking after him! Now he wouldn't have to feel so dumb when the other kids started talking about different spells or Wizard bands or any of the thousand other things that were second nature to those raised in the Wizarding world.

Hmf. Well, at least the brat said the right things. Snape glared once more, just to be on the safe side, and dismissed him back to his dormitory.

The first few lessons had gone very well, Harry reflected happily. Learning more than just what was on the class syllabus had given him a better grasp of the material by broadening the context. Now that he more clearly understood what you would use transfiguration or charms for, it was a lot easier to be interested in class exercises and to see the importance of floating a feather or changing a needle into a toothpick. And the fact that he was taught new stuff in these extra lessons, so that he felt like he even knew a little more than his classmates, well, that was just the best part. Already some of the other kids were beginning to notice and ask him for help, which was quite a change from his Muggle schooldays when he had always been considered stupid, thanks to the Dursleys.

The only problem with the extra classes was that they tended to be so interesting that Harry stayed late тАУ and that meant he was late to dinner. Since Professor Snape tended to get cranky if Harry was tardy, especially to meals, Harry tried hard to be punctual. He thought it was kind of strange that Professor Snape was so worried about his eating habits тАУ what he ate, how much, when, whether he ate quickly or slowly, and so on тАУ but he figured everyone had some little quirks, and if the professor's was to fuss over Harry's eating enough vegetables, well, that was okay.

But it meant that Harry needed to hurry if he was going to be at the Gryffindor table by the time the food was served. He'd had to run up to his dormitory to drop off his books after Professor Flitwick had finally shooed him out of his office, and despite running most of the way, it was still clear that he'd be among the last to arrive at the dining table. He could tell from the deserted corridors that most of the school was already in the Great Hall.

"Hey! Look who's there!" The shout from behind him didn't really register at first, but then the sound of running footsteps caught his attention.

Harry turned just in time to see four large boys тАУ probably sixth or seventh years тАУ sprinting towards him. They were all in Ravensclaw robes, and Harry didn't think he knew any of them.

"Hi," he offered, a bit uncertain. He didn't really like the way they had moved to ring him, and he retreated until he had the wall at his back.

"Hi," the tallest boy replied, smiling. Harry wasn't sure why, but there was something about the smile that made him feel uncomfortable. "You're Harry Potter, aren't you?"

Harry nodded. He really hoped they wouldn't ask to see The Scar.

The boy turned to the others. "See? I told you it was him. The Boy Who Lived. The Boy Who Doesn't Go Anywhere Alone."

Harry frowned. He had heard of the first title, but not the second.