Realizations
Harry felt a little green but then looked with wonder as he saw himself magically at the end of Privet Drive. He didn’t think he would ever get tired of seeing real life magic. But then reality hit him. He was back at Privet Drive. The magic was over, at least for now. And he would have a whole month with his relatives before school started.
“Come along, Mr. Potter, the only acceptable excuse for dawdling is if you are a flobberworm or hexed, and I assure you neither is the case.” Severus told the confused boy as he tugged on the hand he was still holding. Harry followed dutifully, but with a dread building in the pit of his stomach.
Once they stopped in front of number four, which Severus only realized was number four based on the garish number written on the side of the house since the entire street looked identical, they walked up to the front door and Severus rapped sharply.
It was only a moment before the door opened and Harry was concerned that his aunt’s face might actually turn into a lemon if she looked any more sour. “You!” She hissed in a tone that Harry had thought was solely reserved for him.
“Indeed. I have brought your nephew home and require a moment of your time to discuss certain delicate matters.” Severus explained. Harry hugged his dragon tighter to himself. It was his. The goblin said so. Surely this man would tell his aunt that?
Petunia stuck her head out of the door and looked both ways down the empty street and scowled as she said, “Fine. Quickly. I don’t need decent folk to see us associating with your kind.”
Severus merely raised an eyebrow and followed her into the house which did not improve upon his impression of where the young savior of the wizarding world was raised. It was almost painfully normal. His eyes scanned the hallway and he noted but did not remark upon the lack of photos of the Potter boy. Instead, he followed the tall, sour woman to the kitchen.
Severus sat without permission, returning the slight of not being seated in the living area with a slight of his own and took a small vicious pleasure that if possible, the woman’s face turned even more pinched. “Sit, Mr. Potter, we have much to discuss.”
Harry sat immediately and looked at Severus for approval, so he offered a small nod which earned him a beaming smile from the child. Petunia huffed and sat stiffly. “We won’t pay for that nonsense if that’s what you’re here about.”
“I assure you, it is not. Mr. Potter’s schooling was paid for after his birth by his parents. I am here to discuss a more pressing matter.” Severus began.
“I’m home, Pet!” A voice boomed from the entryway. Petunia went a little pale and Harry began breathing heavily and shaking. Severus frowned at them. “Pet!” The voice boomed, much closer now.
“I’m in the kitchen, Vernon. With guests!” She snapped on the end.
The voice turned much more congenial, “Ah, who stopped by for a visit then?” But as a large man entered the kitchen his tone went from false cheer to one of scorn. “Your kind aren’t welcome here.” He spat at Severus.
“Mr. Dursley, I presume? My name is Professor Severus Snape. I am the Potions Master at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please join us.” Severus said, summoning his years as a spy to be as congenial as possible with a human that achieved what he had previously thought of as impossible, and was more unpleasant that Petunia Evans managed to be.
Vernon started to bluster but a quick word from Petunia and he sat and growled out, “Now what is the meaning of all this? Boy! Fetch me a brandy!”
Harry stood quickly and Severus watched as Harry Potter submissively rushed to expertly pour a brandy for Vernon Dursley. Just as Harry was about to step away, the beefy man reached his hand out and snatched the arm of the boy that was clinging to the dragon plush. “What’s this boy? If I find you’ve been stealing again, there will be consequences!” The man shouted.
Severus intervened with raised eyebrows. “I assure you the toy is his. It was gifted to him today.”
The man reluctantly let go and Harry scrabbled back to his seat. “Already spoiling him, I see. He’s always been a selfish and greedy little urchin. You mark my words, no good will come of him.”
Ignoring his outburst, Severus continued. “I have come to discuss with you your nephew’s classification. In the wizarding world –“
“None of that nonsense!” Vernon stood abruptly. When nobody responded he continued. “I won’t have it! I won’t have it in my own home! My family are good decent folk and we don’t want any more of this anywhere near us. OUT!” He shouted.
Severus bit down the words he wanted to spit at the repulsive muggle and instead said as neutrally as possible, “Mr. Potter, please go to your room while I speak with your guardians. Then we will all speak together.”
“Yes, sir.” Harry said almost eagerly. Severus watched as Harry slipped from his chair and stopped in the hall to open a cupboard.
“I said your room, Potter!” He barked more sharply than he intended. The boy gripped his dragon with both hands and stared at him with wide green eyes, made even larger by the atrocious glasses he wore. “You will find I expect to be obeyed the first time, young man.”
Harry sucked in a breath and looked nervously at his aunt and uncle. Petunia had turned a shade of green and Vernon a nasty purple color. “Go on, boy!” Harry’s uncle barked. Harry nodded and scrambled into the cupboard and shut the door firmly.
Severus stood and marched over to the cupboard. This was what he expected. He had fooled himself into believing that the son of James Potter could be anything less than disobedient and willful. He had thought perhaps the boy had more of Lily in him. Clearly, he was wrong. “Mr. Potter, your behavior is completely-“
Severus cut himself off as he opened the door of the cupboard under the stairs and immediately recognized how wrong he had been as he saw the small boy shaking and curled up on himself with his eyes shut and clutching his dragon. But Severus saw more. A small, stained cot. A pile of ragged clothes. A piece of crumpled paper with the words, “Harry’s Room” childishly scrawled upon it.
Severus turned to the muggles in a thinly veiled rage. “What is the meaning of this?”
The two stood and glowered. “We never wanted him! He was left on our doorstep with a threatening note and we were told we had to keep him! He’s been nothing but a thorn in our side ever since!” Petunia lashed out.
“That freak is lucky to have a roof over his head at all. Always sneaking. Always trying to take from our boy. He gets more than he deserves. He’s destined for a no good end.” Vernon slammed his hand on the table in emphasis.
“He’s a child. He cannot help what adults have done or the magic he has.” Severus hissed.
“I won’t have talk of that in my house! We may be forced to let him go to that place, but we will not condone his abnormality.” Vernon sneered.
Severus looked at the foul couple standing before him, shaking with their own bigoted self-righteousness. “This was a mistake.” He muttered.
“Damn right, you’re finally making sense. Now leave.” Vernon demanded, coming towards Severus, who pulled his wand. He felt a satisfaction at the fear that rose on the muggle’s face.
“You mistake me, Mr. Dursley. I meant leaving Mr. Potter in your care was a mistake. You have clearly not been up to the task.” Severus glared.
“And whose fault is that? Not ours! We never asked for the freak in the first place.” Petunia shrieked.
Severus took a calming breath. “A fact that you have made abundantly clear. I will take Mr. Potter from your tender mercies.”
“Finally!” Vernon agreed with smug satisfaction.
He was ignored as Severus conjured a piece of paper and handed it to Petunia. “When I indicate to do so, read the words on the paper. After the ritual is complete, you will no longer be Harry Potter’s legal guardians.”
Petunia held the paper suspiciously but read the words eagerly. Severus motioned for Harry to exit the cupboard. “Come, stand between your relatives and me. All you need do is stand patiently, can you do that?”
“Yes, sir!” Harry agreed with a swift nod.
“Good boy.” Another bright beam was Severus’ reward for the simple praise. “Alright. We shall begin. Familia Viniculum.” Severus cast carefully. He then nodded to Petunia.
“I, Petunia Evans Dursley, do hereby renounce any relationship or legal right or obligation to one Harry James Potter. So mote it be.”
Severus spoke clearly as he felt the magic thickening and Harry’s eyes widened at the display through the kitchen. “I, Severus Tobias Snape, do hereby accept the guardianship of one Harry James Potter and all the legal rights and obligations that entails. So mote it be.”
There was a bright white flash and a shriek from Petunia but momentarily the room looked exactly as it had. “Did that mumbo jumbo work?” Vernon collected himself enough to ask.
“It did.” Severus nodded.
“We’re finally free of him, Pet!” Vernon grinned.
Severus turned to Harry who looked as if he didn’t really understand what was going on. “Mr. Potter. You will be staying with me for the foreseeable future. Gather anything you would like to keep and then we shall be on our way. Quickly now, no dawdling.” Severus ordered.
“Cuz I’m no’ a flubbyworm or ex!” Harry nodded solemnly.
“Flobberworm or hex." Severus made a mental note to start exposing the boy to the magical world. "Excellent listening, young man.” Severus praised. He cringed as the boy moved away to obey with a bright grin. He was going to spoil the boy with all this praise.
Severus moved to the doorway and watched with amusement as the muggles cheerfully followed. While Harry gathered what he wanted, Severus smirked at the husband and wife. “You two have a month.”
“A month? We won’t take him back. He’s your problem now.” Vernon scowled.
“You misunderstand, Mr. Dursley. You two have a month to get your affairs in order and turn yourselves in to the muggle police.”
“And why would we ruddy do something like that?” Vernon turned a particularly amusing shade of purple.
“Because. If you do not, I will ask the wizarding police to come around. They are not as kind as the muggles about child abuse. Especially to a child as famous as Harry.” Severus told them silkily.
“Abuse?!” Vernon roared. But his wife ignored him.
“Azkaban.” Petunia gasped in fear.
“If you’re lucky.” Severus nodded in assent. Vernon sputtered, asking what in the bloody hell that meant, but as Harry squeezed himself between his former relatives, Severus turned to stop the conversation. “I will return in a month. You better be completely honest or I may have to offer more motivation. Come along, Harry, take my hand.” Severus grinned maliciously.
Severus held Harry’s small grocery bag of clothes, while Harry grabbed his hand quickly. “Harry, tell Mr. and Mrs. Dursley farewell. You will not be seeing them again.”
“Bye.” Harry said shortly, with a mix of confusion and hope in his eyes that was almost painful to see. “I like the new house color.” Was the last words he said before the two walked away to shrieks and shouts as the Dursleys lamented over the new aggressively neon yellow of their home.
As they got to the end of Privet Drive, Harry asked, “Where are we going?”
“Home.”