Severus watched the Slytherin table carefully as they were becoming slightly rowdy with their excitement at the upcoming match. He tried to not specifically watch Potter, but his gaze continued flickering over to the child. Potter appeared excited, he was smiling anyway, but every time his own eyes wandered towards the Head Table he dimmed slightly.
It had been a full month since the announcement of Potter's guardianship had been announced and Severus was still no closer to identifying what was causing Potter to behave so lifelessly about the news. He had tried multiple times to reach out to Potter, to speak with him, all in vain.
Severus had even swallowed his pride and approached Miss Bones before her potions class one afternoon.
"I can't talk about Harry behind his back," Bones had said slowly in the empty corner of the corridor Severus had guided her to. "But I can say that, between us, he's not talking much about anything. It's like he's pulling away from us."
Severus had gathered Potter's withdrawal on his own. As had the other Professor's.
"Is Harry okay?" Aurora asked him kindly during dinner one evening. "He isn't talking much in class lately. I tried asking him how he was doing and he said 'fine' then walked off. It wasn't like him."
After two weeks of Potter's unnatural nonchalance, Severus had caved and sought out the advice of a professional Muggle Mind Healer.
***
"Potter is my new ward," Severus explained. "I am his Professor at his boarding school and recently I was awarded guardianship of him. At his request. And since it was announced he has been different."
"Your wards name is Potter?" the Muggle man had asked, checking out the paperwork Severus had filled out in the waiting room. "I thought it was Harry."
"It is," Severus said. "Harry Potter."
Severus hadn't worried about giving out any personal details, he had planned on obliviating the Muggles memory of this meeting afterwards regardless.
"Yet you call him by his surname?" the man asked, with judgementally raised eyebrows. "How do you expect to build a relationship of trust if you do not refer to him by his given name?"
"Do you believe it is truly a contributing factor to his reticence to speak with me?" Severus asked.
"It certainly won't help matters," the Muggle chuckled. "Why don't you tell me about Harry?"
"Pot- Harry is a troubled case," Severus said slowly. "I have dealt with over two dozen students from abusive backgrounds throughout my career but P- Harry is decidedly the worst case I have encountered."
He gave the man a summary of Potter's life up to his enrollment at school, including his killing of the Muggle boy but excluding the obvious bits about magic.
The Muggle whistled.
"The poor child hasn't had it easy, has he?" he murmured softly. "Do you have him in counseling already?"
Severus shifted uneasily in his seat.
"I do not. It is difficult, in our culture, to find a good counselor as mental arts are not taken as seriously."
"Hmm," the man hummed thoughtfully. "Well I think the guardianship is a good first step."
"Then why is he behaving like this?" Severus asked. "I do not understand."
"Children from abusive backgrounds, particularly kids who have suffered as horribly as Harry has, are complicated," he said. "The trauma often impacts the prefrontal cortex, which is the primary brain structure involved in emotional regulation, cognitive feedback, emotional regulation, rational decision-making, behavioral modulation, and impulse control. Neglected or abused children often have a smaller, less developed prefrontal cortex."
"So Harry is impulsive and irrational," Severus said. "That does not explain why he is suddenly unhappy with our arrangement."
"It does though," the Muggle insisted. "He has a much more difficult time regulating his own emotions and reactions to those emotions. People always believe that children who are taken out of abusive situations will feel overwhelmingly grateful and that is rarely the case. Harry is probably feeling scared of what living with you will look like, insecure about his new relationship with you, worried about being in a situation where he is not fully in control, and unsure about his own identity now that his entire life is not focused solely on surviving. And with the difficulty recognizing these emotions all he probably understands is he is feeling scared and that will probably be interpreted as anger by him. Abused children recognize anger, they know anger better than anyone. But fear? Sadness? Those are much harder to recognize."
Severus considered all the Muggle had told him.
"So what do I do?" he asked.
The Muggle gave him a sympathetic smile.
"Just what you have been doing- make Harry feel safe, secure, and stable."
***
And now, Severus sat staring at his new ward and had no clear idea on how he was supposed to make Pott- 'Harry' feel "safe, secure, and stable".
No time like the present to give it a try he supposed.
Severus walked towards the end of the Slytherin table, wishing luck to his players as he went.
"Draco, P- Harry," he said evenly, ignoring Potter's look of surprise at his given name. "Good luck today."
"Thank you sir. Ravenclaw doesn't stand a chance," Draco smirked up at him.
Severus wished that Potter could be as uncomplicated and simple as Draco was. A bit of attention, occasional general life advice, and a friendly ear for listening and his godson was happy.
Potter stared up suspiciously at him before giving him a bland smile.
"Thank you," he said.
"Will you be there today Professor Snape?" Miss Bones asked him brightly.
"Of course," Severus said, still looking at Potter. "I wouldn't miss it."
This, for some reason, caused Potter to scowl down at his plate.
"Harry, will you walk with me to the pitch?"
Potter glanced at Miss Bones who gave him an encouraging smile and nod.
Do not let me lose the endorsement of Susan Bones.
It was clear that Potter had formed a form of trust with the witch, which Severus was decidedly not jealous of.
"Course sir," Potter said, standing and grabbing his broom.
Severus gestured for Potter to follow alongside him as he left the Great Hall.
"The weather is ideal for Quidditch today," Severus said conversationally. "Are you looking forward to the match?"
"Yes sir," Potter said cordially.
Severus internally groaned at Potter's continued minimal responses.
"You have to remain calm- abused children are constantly on the lookout for anger," the Muggle Mind Healer had said.
Severus tried to ask something that would require more than a yes or no response.
"What electives have you chosen for next year?"
Potter sighed, as if already well aware of Severus' plot here.
"Divination and Care of Magical Creatures."
"Interesting, I did not know you had an interest in animals past your neurotic owl. Why Magical Creatures?"
Severus was well aware of why Potter had an interest in Divination. Though they had not yet listened to the full prophecy, Severus had planned on listening to it as soon as they returned home for the summer.
"Sevvie is not neurotic," Potter snorted, more animated than he had been around Severus in weeks. "And Magical Creatures are outside, aren't they? So I'd get to be outside for two classes and I probably won't have as many essays if it's anything like Herbology."
Severus maintained his casual conversational tone so as to not startle Potter into realizing he was speaking more than monotone responses for the first time in months to him.
"You will undoubtedly spend most of your time outside," Severus agreed. "Though I am unsure as to the amount of essays you'll have, Professor Kettleburn is retiring this year and the Headmaster has yet to replace him."
"I hope whoever gets the job is better than Lockhart," Potter muttered. "He's an-"
"Severus!"
Potter's undoubtedly unflattering remark about Gilderoy was interrupted by the arrival of Minerva.
Just when Potter was beginning to speak more freely, Severus thought irritably.
"Severus I need you immediately."
Minerva had a frantic look in her eyes that Severus thought surely meant nothing good. He glanced regretfully down at Potter.
"I will endeavor to make it to the pitch before the game begins," he said.
Minerva looked down at Potter and the frantic look in her eyes changed in to something softer and more sorrowful.
"Actually Harry you will need to return to your common room immediately, the game has been cancelled."
"Why?" Potter asked sharply. "It's the Championship game!"
Minerva shared a look with Severus and the puzzle clicked together instantly for him.
"There's been another attack," he guessed.
"There has," she agreed. "Students are to return to their common rooms immediately." She looked down at Potter softly again, "I am sorry."
Potter shrugged and turned on his heel, changing his direction towards the castle.
"It's fine," he muttered. "Luna tried to warn me the nargles said this would happen." He glanced up at Severus with almost a hopeless look in his eyes, "Let me know if Dumbledore expels me again, yeah?"
"I will not allow that to happen," Severus assured him.
Minerva held Severus back with a hand on his shoulder as he made to follow Potter who was walking with his head down towards the castle.
"Side entrance," she said quietly. Which was likely code for: 'I do not want any students left on the grounds to overhear us'.
"Allow me," Severus offered, following Minerva to the unused side entrance.
"Muffliato," he said.
"Hermione Granger was attacked," Minerva said immediately. "There is an emergency meeting of all professors in Albus' office."
"Hermione Granger?" Severus said, shocked. "Potter's friend Granger?"
Surely not. Surely the child would not be so unluckily cursed to have one of his closest friends be attacked.
Minerva sat a soft hand on Severus' shoulder, "She is alive, only petrified."
Severus released his breath. Petrified was not good, but it was better than dead.
"What is the meeting for?" he asked as they ascended the back staircase.
"New safety procedures," Minerva said. "Possibly a discussion on the merits of keeping Hogwarts open while there are now four petrified students." She gave Severus an uneasy look, "Likely an inquiry on where your ward was when the attack happened."
"Potter was in the Great Hall in front of hundreds of witnesses!" Severus hissed. "I saw Granger leave the Hall myself and Potter did not leave my line of sight since then."
"I know," said Minerva. "I'm not accusing him. Merlin knows Potter will try and kill the Heir himself when he discovers it was Granger who was attacked. But-" she hesitated, "but Albus will want him to be alibied."
Severus was seething as they gave the password to Albus' gargoyle. Minerva was correct, Albus would likely immediately demand an alibi for Potter and once he received it, he would still continue to suspect him.
They entered the Headmasters office and saw that the rest of the staff, save Poppy who Severus suspected was in the Hospital Wing and Rubeus who was still in a holding cell in the Ministry, were already assembled.
"Minerva, did you send the students to their common rooms?" Albus asked, his face grim.
"I did," she said.
Albus turned to Severus, who interrupted him as soon as he opened his mouth.
"Do not ask me where Potter was," he said harshly. "There are dozens of students who will attest that he was at breakfast when Miss Granger left the Hall and he was with me every moment since."
"Aah, I see the implication of my client is already happening."
The staff turned and saw that Lucius had arrived in the office and was leaning casually against the Headmasters doorway. Severus smirked at his friends typical theatrics.
"I was not going to imply anything of Mister Potter," Albus said, giving a level stare to Lucius. "I was going to ask Severus if his students were all accounted for. Though now I find myself wondering why you are here Lucius?"
Lucius strode confidently through the parted teachers and handed Albus a scroll. It didn't take a genius to guess at its contents.
"I am here representing the Board," Lucius said. "Dreadful thing, Dumbledore, but the governors feel it's time for you to step aside. This is an Order of Suspension — you'll find all twelve signatures on it. I'm afraid we feel you're losing your touch. How many attacks have there been now? Four total now, isn't it? At this rate, there'll be no Muggleborns left at Hogwarts."
"You can't suspend Albus!" Minerva cried, outraged. "We'll have students dead in the halls without him."
"And yet you have students petrified in the Hospital Wing with him," Lucius said with a single raised brow. "He is no closer to finding or stopping the culprit than he was when he wrongfully expelled a student for it."
Severus agreed with Minerva, though he also agreed with Lucius. Hogwarts would be a more dangerous place without Albus' fearsome presence, but it was also dangerous enough with him.
At least without him perhaps the focus could shift on finding the actual Heir of Slytherin rather than blaming Potter for every slight mishap.
"If the governors want my removal, Lucius, then I shall step aside," Albus said, rising to his feet. "I believe Minerva is more than able to run the school until I return."
"If you return," Lucius said with a smile. "The Deputy Headmistress is more than welcome to take over the duties of Hogwarts. Though the Board may seek out a permanent applicant at the end of the year."
Minerva gave Lucius a cold look before turning to Albus.
"The school may need to shutdown to prevent any more attacks."
Albus nodded, "You do what you must my dear. I have complete faith in your decisions."
Lucius bowed Albus towards his own office doorway, in an impressive show of outrageous arrogance.
"The Board will be in touch," he said to Minerva as he followed Albus out of the office.
The Professors immediately began talking over each other.
"You can't close Hogwarts!" Filius cried.
"The Mandrakes are nearly ready," Pomona said, wringing her hands. "We can revive the petrified students in perhaps a month."
"I can brew the potion required in two days the moment I have the mandrakes," Severus added. "Sending the students home eight weeks early would be disastrous for many of them."
"I believe I am very close to single-handedly catching the culprit," Gilderoy said loudly with an entirely inappropriate wink to Minerva. "I've narrowed down their hideout and should catch them any moment now."
Minerva closed her eyes for a few seconds while she took a deep breath.
"Excellent," she said drily. "I'm sure we will all sleep easier knowing you're on the case Gilderoy. Until then, there will be no unaccompanied students in the halls. No students out of their common rooms past six o'clock. And no after class activities. I will need all the Professor's to escort their students to their next class and wait with them until their next Professor arrives. We need prefects to be completing counts at precisely six every evening. Heads of Houses will need to escort their students to breakfast in the mornings and back from dinner in the evenings. We will be assigning essays and point loss for misbehavior- I do not want students outside their common rooms in the evening for detentions. Students requiring the library will need to be escorted as well; any free periods we each have will need to be spent monitoring the halls and taking students to and from necessary locations."
She gave the Professors all a grim look, "If there is one more attack- student, ghost, cat, or even mouse- we will close."
The Professors all shared her grim expression. As little as Severus wished for his students to be sent home early, it was a better option than whatever was facing them here.
"I will leave it to the Heads to go inform their students of the changes. Stress to them the importance of sharing any information they may have, no matter how minor it may seem."
Everyone began disbanding for their respective duties.
"Severus, Pomona, Filius, if you would kindly inform Granger's friends in your houses of her condition," Minerva called just as Severus was about to leave her newly instated office.
Son of a bitch.
He spun around and fixed Minerva with what he hoped was not as desperate of a look as he was feeling.
"Perhaps it would be better coming from the new Headmistress?"
Minerva snorted and gave him a wry look.
"Your ward, your student, your problem."
Son of a bitch.
"When Potter causes me to bleed to death on the dungeon floor I hope you will be pleased with yourself," he sneered as he left the office.
'Harry you are quite safe, secure, and stable with me although I do regret to inform you that one of your close friends has been petrified and is in the Hospital Wing frozen like a Muggle statue.'
Severus scoffed at himself as he made his way to the Slytherin common room. Minerva was cursing him to hand Potter a silver plated reason to explain his current dilemma with Severus. Currently Potter had no definitive reason to feel so wary of Severus, after tonight he will. Though perhaps he wouldn't identify it as a specific failing of Severus'.
And perhaps Neville Longbottom will finish the year in the top of his class, he thought sardonically.
Severus entered the Slytherin common room and was unsurprised to see it was packed and fell immediately silent at the sight of him.
"I need your attention," he said evenly, knowing the students would hear him. "There has been another attack today."
Severus ignored the looks of shock, awe, and fear being aimed towards Potter as he explained the new rules.
If they still believe Potter is the Heir they will understand otherwise as soon as they discover who the recent victim is.
"Dumbledore is gone?" Zachariah Dolohov asked, giving Potter a sly grin.
"He is," Severus confirmed.
"No Quidditch?!" Flint said. "But sir-"
Severus held his hand up, "I understand. However, the next attack may result in a students death. We cannot take any chances."
He subtly glanced towards his Muggleborn students to see their reactions and saw that the three of them looked pale faced and nervous.
"Who was attacked Professor?" Theodore asked with his hand raised politely.
Severus risked a look towards Potter who was now giving Severus his complete attention.
Embrace your death Severus, he thought.
"The petrified student is Hermione Granger."
The iron candelabra above Severus' head shattered in to thousands of pieces almost immediately. It was only thanks to many years of utilizing his quick instincts that Severus was able to nonverbally cast a shield to protect himself and the students, some of whom shrieked at the explosion, from being struck by the debris.
"It was who?!" Potter hissed over the noise. "Say that again. It was who?!"
"I understand that this is a shock-"
"SAY IT AGAIN. WHO WAS IT?" Potter yelled, his face white as snow, but his eyes furiously alight.
"It was Granger."
The majority of the Slytherin students inched away from Potter, proving their excellent senses of self-preservation.
"Hermione?" Theodore asked Severus softly before turning towards Potter and jabbing his finger in his direction accusingly. "You said she'd be fine! YOU SAID YOU HOPED SOMEONE GOT ATTACKED!" He yelled at Potter. "THIS IS YOUR FAULT!"
"ENOUGH!" Severus yelled, placing a shield between Potter and Theodore before Potter injured him. "Potter, with me, NOW. The rest of you, do not take a single step outside of this common room. The curfew is not optional. I will be here at seven o'clock to escort you all to breakfast."
Theodore glared fiercely at Potter before storming off to the staircase, the other second year boys following silently with regretful glances aimed in Potter's direction. Potter, who had only moments ago looked furious enough to bring the entire castle to ruins, now appeared lost as he watched his friends climb the stairs without him.
"Potter, come along," Severus said in a softer voice than he had previously used.
Potter looked around the common room and saw that the students who remained were giving him pitying looks.
"I can't. I- I have to talk to Theo- and I have to find Mione- I can fix this. I can. I'll fix it," Potter sounded desperate.
"Miss Granger will recover soon, the mandrakes are nearly ready. And Theodore is upset but he will calm down. Come with me, you need to calm down as well."
"NO!" The stone wall behind Potter cracked at his shout and half a dozen of the Slytherin students quickly sprinted towards the stairs. "I DO NOT NEED TO CALM DOWN. I NEED- I HAVE SOMETHING I HAVE TO DO."
Potter was going to destroy the common room if he did not calm himself. And the likelihood of Potter calming himself or willingly allowing Severus to assist him was absolutely zero at this moment.
Severus took a deep breath and shot a quick prayer off as he raised his his left arm as if he were going to place it on Potter's shoulder.
"Don't touch m-"
The second that Potter's attention turned to Severus' left arm he used his right to cast a silent stupefy to knock the child unconscious. He quickly levitated Potter before he struck his head on the stone floor. He had quite forgotten about their remaining audience until someone gasped and drew his attention.
Terrific. His own students now looked horrified and furious on Potter's behalf.
"I am taking Potter to the Hospital Wing," he informed them. "I believe he may leave the castle in one piece if I take him to see for himself that Granger is alive."
"Could have just told him that," Hezekiah Williams said accusingly. "He's not gonna like that at all."
Severus hid his own guilt at his actions by assigning Williams an essay on the merits of not interfering with the actions of his Professors. He gave a curt nod to the remaining students as he levitated Potter towards the portrait door.
"Since Potter's going to kill Professor Snape do you think I still need to write that essay?" was there last delightful comment Severus heard as he left the common room for a detour in his own office.
'You are entirely safe, stable, and secure Harry. You do not need to fear for your safety when residing alone with me. I am your ally, your friend, and your guardian. You are safe. Do not worry about being knocked unconscious after being informed of the attack of your friend and the accusations of the other.'
Severus typically refrained from taunting himself but his mind cycled through several creative insults during the short walk. If he thought Potter was furious before it would be nothing to how the child reacted to being stunned and then revived in a new location. He placed Potter's body in a desk chair and summoned a Calming Drought to speak directly into the child's stomach.
You've already knocked him unconscious, you might as well drug the boy without his consent as well. Truly exceptional work here Severus.
Severus placed the strongest protection spell he could between himself and Potter before pointing his wand at the child and murmuring, "Rennervate."
Potter immediately began blinking heavily and Severus took the opportunity to speak before the child inevitably exploded.
"If you do not destroy my office I will take you to see Hermione Granger."
Potter jumped to his feet at Severus' voice and focused his gaze on him.
"What the fuck did you do?" he howled. "Where-" Potter quickly glanced around the room to ascertain his location. "How did I get here? What did you do?!"
Severus attempted to keep his voice calm and soothing.
"You were destroying the common room, I feared you were going to injure your housemates and I stunned you to move you to a more secluded location."
Potter seemed shocked into silence for a moment before he let out a short laugh.
"You knocked me out to take me to a private spot? How original," he sneered.
Severus you unforgivable moron.
"No, Harry, not for any nefarious purpose, I assure you. I was concerned for the safety of your housemates," Severus said quickly. "I-"
Potter interrupted him with a flick of his right wrist which caused Severus' protective shield to burn a bright gold before dispelling.
"If you wanted to be alone with me then why do you need a shield, sir?" Potter said coolly.
Severus assessed Potter in the rapid way only one who has spent extended amounts of time around dangerous enemies is able to. Potter appeared calm, he was standing casually with his head tilted to the side. His tone was cool but a conversational volume. He was not fidgeting or tapping, nor was he reaching for his wand or his knife. If Severus were a less intelligent person he may be fooled into believing that Potter is unhappy but calm. If he were less intelligent and unable to see Potter's eyes he could almost believe it. But Potter's eyes were, for once, unfalteringly focused on Severus and were hardened in a cold fury.
In the back of his mind he wondered if he would already be fatally injured if he had not forced the potion in Potter's system.
"Harry, I am trying to help you," he said slowly. "I am not going to hurt you."
"Severus," Potter mimicked in a nasally tone. "I don't want your help."
Potter, in another unprecedented first, took a couple fearless steps closer to Severus.
"I can take you to see Granger if you would like," Severus offered, subtly flicking his wand to his hand.
Not subtle enough.
"How would staring at Mione's frozen body help her any? And why would you need your wand to take me to see Mione?" Potter asked, immediately spotting the slight movement.
Severus hesitated before deciding he may as well be honest.
"You are incredibly dangerous and not in your right mind," he said. "You are upset and I am ensuring you do not attack me as a misplaced target for your anger at Granger's attacker."
Potter looked at him with a small, and cruel, smile.
"'Misplaced target'?" he quoted softly. "Mione's attacker didn't STUN AND KIDNAP ME DID THEY?"
"I did not 'kidnap' you," Severus scoffed at the child's theatrics. "You're hardly tied up and held here against your will."
Severus was not sure if it was a testament to Potter's magical strength or his own unwillingness to actually hurt the boy, but with nothing more than a twitch of Potter's index finger Severus was disarmed for the first time in over fifteen years.
"Don't need a wand if you're not going to hurt me, right?" Potter caught his wand and began twirling it in a callously casual way.
"Potter, my wand, now," Severus demanded, forgetting all attempts at using the child's given name. "You are dangerously close to being in an incredible amount of trouble."
"Threats are useless against kids like Harry, they're used to them. They don't bother them, but they will convince him that you can't be trusted," the Muggle Healer had said.
He's never dealt with a child such as Potter though.
"I don't care about being in trouble," Potter spat. "I need to find the Heir and I need to save Hermione. I am fine and I need you to leave me alone."
You should leave him alone. Potter doesn't need your help. He's fine.
He's not fine. Look at him. He's angry and scared.
He's fine. Leave him alone.
He's not fine. You should try and help him.
"You are not fine," Severus said tersely, shaking his head clear of the unnatural fog that had filled it. "And I would appreciate you not attempting to use an Unforgivable on me."
Potter grinned at him, unrepentant.
"Worth a shot," he said. "I don't want to hurt you, but I don't want your help. I don't want you around me at all."
Severus' feelings were absolutely not hurt at that.
"That's not what you said before," he said, perhaps more cruelly than he intended. "What happened to wishing for me to be your guardian and keeping you from returning to your doting relatives or your charming alleyways?"
Potter blanched, taking a quick step backwards from Severus. Which was a rather effective way to remind Severus that he was not dealing with a grown man, nor someone intentionally hurting him. Potter is a child. A mentally ill, traumatized, abused child.
"I apologize Harry, that was cruel and I did not mean to say it."
"But it's what you're thinking, isn't it? You just agreed to all of it because you feel sorry for me, right? I don't need your pity. I'm- I'm going to fix Mione and I'm going to talk to Theo and you can... you can have your house back if you want and I can figure something out, okay?"
Severus watched as Potter rambled on and realized that the child was not currently angry- he was scared and Severus had no clue why.
"Harry I do not want the house back. It's yours. I do not want to sign over your guardianship, but if, for any reason, you feel you cannot trust me and that's what you want, then I'd do it."
It would hurt him immensely. But if it was best for the child then he would do it.
"Because you don't want it?" Potter asked quietly, clenching Severus' wand tightly in his hand.
"Of course I want it, you foolish child. I would not have done it if I hadn't wanted to."
Potter stared hard at the stone floor.
"Because you were in love with my mum, right? So you think this is how you pay her back?"
He is reaching for a reason you would want him in your life. If you were to strike him in the face then it would be simpler to understand than someone caring about him.
Severus thought perhaps Potter's fear of being cared about might be connected to fear of being left behind; abandoned and unwanted. The author who said it is better to love and then lost then never to have loved at all was a Merlin damned idiot.
"I cared very much for your mother. Yet she has nothing to do with any decisions I have made."
"Tell me why," Potter demanded quietly. "Tell me why you keep being nice to me even when I don't want you to."
'Tell me why you refuse to be pushed away no matter how hard I try.'
Severus hesitated for a moment before making a decision that he hoped would not backfire horribly.
"If you would return my wand I can show you," he said. "It may be simpler."
"Like you're not going to try and attack me the second you get it back," Potter scoffed.
"Why would I attack you?" Severus asked. "I only stunned you before in an attempt to prevent you from burying the House of Slytherin under the rubble of the common room you were destroying."
"And then I took your wand and pissed you off," Potter said, as if pointing out the obvious.
"You frequently irritate me, brat, I have never attacked you for it. And once you return my wand to me, I will have no reason to be upset about that either."
"I don't believe you," Potter said.
"What do you want from me?" Severus groaned. "I do not know how to make you understand me or to trust me."
"Tell me why you keep trying," Potter said quickly. "Just tell me, don't show me, and I'll give you your wand and then I'll leave you alone."
"I care about you, you stupid insufferable child," Severus burst out. "I care about you despite whoever your parents are, and despite the rude things you do and say to me. You have caused me to develop chronic migraines but I care about you."
Potter swallowed hard and took a hard step backwards.
"Don't say that," he whispered, abruptly tossing Severus' wand on the floor towards him. "That's- that's mad. You're a liar."
"I am going to pick up my wand and then I will show you," Severus said calmly, hoping the child would not bolt. "Expecto Patronum," he intoned, thinking of the news article that announced his guardianship.
Potter's shoulders relaxed slightly as he stepped a little closer to the calming silver fox.
"My patronus used to be a doe, I believe it was borne of my affection for your mother. You heard Lucius say that my patronus had changed recently?" He waited for Potter to nod slowly before continuing. "You changed it you little madman."
Potter looked up at him nervously before taking a few steps towards the fox.
"It's my fox?" he asked softly, reaching out for the silver mist. "It's me?"
"It is a representation of you, yes," Severus said. "I do not want to give up my guardianship of you. I want you to trust me. I care about you, brat."
"For no reason?" Potter asked softly. "Just because?"
"Just because."
"It's my fault Mione's frozen," Potter confessed in a whisper, still staring at the fox. "I said I hoped someone got attacked. I didn't want to go find the basilisk. Theo was right, it's my fault."
"Basilisk?" Severus asked, startled by that admission. "Harry, wait, what basilisk?"
Potter looked up at him and blinked a few times.
"The monster that's attacking people, it's a basilisk."
Severus closed his eyes and rubbed his face with both hands. Of fucking course it is a basilisk. Potter hearing voices. The petrifications near reflective surfaces. Slytherins house symbol is a snake, of course the monster would be one as well.
"Mother of God, how did you find that out?" Severus asked. "No- Miss Granger I presume- why did you not tell me?"
Potter looked down again at the silver fox as he mumbled his response, "I wanted it to petrify one more person. Just one. I wanted Dumbledore to be kicked out just like he kicked me out. And-" Potter swallowed again, "and Mione wanted us to tell someone or go kill it. And I said no. I said she'd be fine. And she's frozen now and it's my fault."
"It's not," Severus said gently. "I wish you would have told me immediately, but Granger's attack is not on you. It is on whoever is controlling the basilisk. Do you understand me?"
Potter shrugged, "Theo hates me. I have to fix Mione."
Potter, who is terrified of being cared about, cares so much for his friends, Severus thought sadly. Has there ever lived a child as complex?
"The very moment that the mandrakes are ready, I will fix Miss Granger. I swear Harry. I will fix her," Severus swore.
Potter looked up at him with wide green eyes.
"You swear you'll fix her? Swear it."
Severus unhesitatingly raised his wand.
"I, Severus Tobias Snape, swear on my magic and my life that the moment I have the mandrakes I will complete the potion to revive Hermione Granger and I will administer it to her the moment I am able to."
"You- you're a good friend."
Severus gazed fondly at his chaotic ward.
"As are you."
"Even if it's my fault that Mione was attacked?"
Severus stepped closer to Potter and kept the patronus between them.
"Am I a good friend even though I stunned you?"
Potter shrugged and gave him a shrewd look.
"You're kind of a bastard for that still."
"And you are a brat," Severus responded with a tight smile. "Though I meant to say that people make mistakes that they have to make up for. Is it your fault that Miss Granger was attacked? No. Would Miss Granger have been attacked if you had alerted someone of the presence of a basilisk in the school? We will never know. You made a poor judgement call and now you have to make up for it."
"How?"
"First I believe you should apologize to Miss Granger when she wakes up. I believe she will forgive you, especially since any one of your friends who undoubtedly knew of the basilisk could have reported it but chose not to. It probably would not hurt to apologize to Theodore as well, though I believe he will likely also apologize to you for things he said when he was told upsetting news."
Severus considered his own mistake he had made and decided he should likely lead by example.
"I apologize for stunning you."
Potter snorted, "I forgive you if you never do it again. But if you do it again then you might as well kill me because I'm going to hurt you when I wake up."
"You could try, though I believe myself to be a much more accomplished dueler than Fred and George Weasley."
The edges of Potter's lips curled up slightly.
"And Quirrell, and Voldemort on Quirrells head, and Lestrange, and Dolohov, and Mister Malfoy?" he drawled. "You're better than all of them? Even though I literally just took your wand?"
"I am, and you caught me by surprise," Severus said.
Potter gave him a disbelieving look.
"Maybe we can duel this summer then and you can prove it?"
Severus smirked down at Potter, equally pleased that the child seems to be willing to cohabitate this summer and amused he believes he will best him in an actual duel.
"That sounds like a fine plan."
Potter grinned more genuinely at him before abruptly asking, "Also, if I kill the basilisk then Mione and Theo won't be mad at me, right?"
Fuck.
"No. No Harry. Absolutely not." Severus gave him an intensely serious look. "Promise me that you will not go looking for a giant serpent that will instantly kill you with only a single glance."
Potter turned his face away, his smile disappearing quickly.
"But then it can't attack anyone else and Mione will be so happy when she wakes up that she won't be mad at me anymore."
"Not if you are dead," Severus stressed. "Swear it Harry. Swear that you will not go looking for the basilisk. Please, leave your Professors to dealing with it."
Potter shrugged and remained stubbornly silent. Severus groaned out loud as he quickly tried to think of a way to prevent his ward from running off half-cocked and getting himself killed.
"When you went after Quirrell last year, you did it alone. Why?"
Potter gave him a confused look, his brows were scrunched together and his head was tilted.
"Because I didn't want anyone else to get hurt," he said slowly.
"Do you believe that myself, or Professor McGonagall, or Professor Flitwick would have been hurt by Quirrell?"
"I dunno. Probably not, he wasn't very strong if he died from some blisters, was he?"
Severus ignored the fact that Potter downplayed burning a man alive with his bare hands to 'some blisters'.
"So you could have taken one of us with you?" he clarified.
Potter crossed his arms. "Suppose so," he huffed.
"Excellent. Then if you decide to run off and find a basilisk at least swear to me that you will find the closest Professor, preferably me, and tell them first."
Potter considered his request for a moment before nodding.
"Okay sir. I promise."
It was not ideal, but it was likely the best Severus would receive at this moment.
"Very good, thank you." He checked the time and was startled to see it was nearly eight o'clock.
"I am going to walk you to your dorm, you are to stay inside of it for the remainder of the night, understand? I am going to inform Professor McGonagall what you have told me about the basilisk."
"She's going to be mad," Potter predicted. "She's going to kick me out for not telling her sooner."
"She will not," Severus assured him, flicking his wand to dispel his patronus. "Especially not when I tell her how I was laying in my bed, frantically thinking of what horrifying monster could be attacking the students, and was struck suddenly with the realization that it must be a basilisk."
Potter scoffed and looked up at him incredulously.
"That's awfully cunning. She won't be mad at me and you look like a genius."
Severus smiled slightly.
"Did you believe I was the Head of Slytherin for a lack of cunning Mister Potter?"
"Oh, am I Mister Potter again? Thought I was 'Harry'," Potter said with an arrogant smirk.
"You are brat but it is distasteful to call you that in front of your peers," Severus sniffed. "Though I am willing to make an exception in your case."
Potter gave him what was undoubtedly meant to be an innocent expression, which did not fit the child's features in the slightest.
"Okay but that means I can call you a bastard then right?"
Severus didn't mean to, Merlin knows the child needs no encouragement for his cursing and crude language, but he chuckled.
Potter truly was chaos personified, but he was also incredibly witty and would be a fine person to live with during the summers.
If the child did not snap and murder Severus in a fit of rage before then.
***
"Exams, Minerva? Exams?" Severus asked, gobsmacked after Minerva's morning announcement just weeks after Grangers petrification, and apparently seven days before the first exams would begin.
"What is the point in leaving the school open if students are not receiving their education?" Minerva asked stiffly. "Basilisk or no basilisk, the students will receive an education if our doors are open."
"How do you expect us to administer and grade exams on top of escorting students to the loo and hunting for a basilisk?" Filius asked.
"I agree," Gilderoy chimed in. "I mean, we teachers have quite enough to be getting on with, without walking students to classes and standing guard for a mythical basilisk all night..."
"We will make time," Minerva said. "The students deserve their education. Especially our fifth and seventh years."
"If you will excuse me," Severus said, finishing his coffee and standing. "If the mandrakes are prepared then I will go begin brewing."
"Thank you Severus," Minerva said, giving him a warm smile. "I will cover your shift today."
Severus gave her a curt nod before making his way through the Great Hall. Potter, expectedly, stopped him on his way out the hall, as has become his norm.
"Sir! You're really going to make the potion tonight? And Mione will be awake tomorrow?"
Severus saw that Theodore and Blaise were behind Potter and looking up at him anxiously.
"I will be in my lab for the rest of the day brewing, and the moment the potion is prepared Miss Granger will be revived."
"YES!" Theodore beamed up at him before smiling broadly at Potter. "Thank you Professor!"
Severus gave the boys a smile and a nod before continuing down to his lab. He was pleased when the morning after their talk Potter was seated beside Theodore at the breakfast table and they had clearly absolved their disagreement. In fact, Severus thought perhaps the two boys had seemed ever closer than before ever since.
Potter had seemed appropriately quiet since the petrification of Granger, though he was once again allowing Severus to stop him periodically and ask about his day. Severus had grimaced when Potter informed him that he was looking for the Chamber because "he feels like he should be helping".
Severus was no fool. Potter did not want to help for the good of the school. Potter wanted to find the Chamber for the same reason he went after Quirrell last year, vengeance. Hermione Granger is his friend and someone attacked her and so Potter wants to attack them. In the child's mind, it is simple. And perhaps it would be, if it were not for the basilisk that is so huge that legends do not even describe its true length.
Severus was briefly thankful that the chamber is incredibly hidden and even with the increased patrols- none have been able to find it. He would sacrifice vengeance for the sake of Potter's safety any day of the week. And since apparently the child inherited James Potter's streak of brash idiocy, it is best if the chamber is not discovered until Potter is safely at Spinners End during the summer.
"All students to return to their House dormitories at once. All teachers return to the staffroom. Immediately, please."
Severus cursed as he stirred the potion and checked the recipe. He could leave for an hour, but past that and the potion would be ruined. He added another ingredient, stirred the potion counter-clockwise four times, and placed it on a stasis.
He knew there would only be one reason Minerva would make such an announcement. And sure enough, as soon as he entered the staff room, the last Professor, aside from Gilderoy who did not truly count, to do so Minerva confirmed it-
"A student has been taken by the monster. Right into the Chamber itself."
Filius let out a squeal. Pomona clapped her hands over her mouth. Severus gripped the back of a chair in front of him very hard, desperately thinking of his students, and said, "How can you be sure?"
"The Heir of Slytherin," said Minerva, who was pale enough that Severus worried for her health, "left another message. Right underneath the first one. 'Her skeleton will lie in the Chamber forever.'"
Filius burst into tears.
"Who is it?" said Rolanda, who had sunk, weak-kneed, into a chair. "Which student?"
"Ginny Weasley," said Minerva with a sorrowful look towards Severus.
Pureblood Ginny Weasley?
"We shall have to send all the students home tomorrow," said Minerva. "This is the end of Hogwarts. We agreed-"
The staffroom door banged open. And Severus had for a fleeting moment considered it was Albus returning- only to see it was instead Gilderoy.
"So sorry — dozed off — what have I missed?" he asked with a broad, and entirely inappropriate, smile.
Severus had it with the insufferable moron and stepped forward.
"Just the man," he said. "The very man. A girl has been snatched by the monster, Gilderoy. Taken into the Chamber of Secrets itself. Your moment has come at last."
Gilderoy blanched in a very satisfying way.
"That's right, Gilderoy," chipped in Pomona, in an uncharacteristic show of pettiness. "Weren't you saying just last night that you've known all along where the entrance to the Chamber of Secrets is?"
"I — well, I —" sputtered Gilderoy.
"Yes, didn't you tell me you were sure you knew how to defeat the basilisk inside it?" piped up Filius.
"D-did I? I don't recall —"
"I certainly remember you saying you were sorry you hadn't had a crack at the monster when Potter was expelled," Severus drawled. "Didn't you say that the whole affair had been bungled, and that you should have been given a free rein from the first?"
Gilderoy stared around at his stony-faced colleagues.
"I — I really never — you may have misunderstood —"
"We'll leave it to you, then, Gilderoy," said Minerva. "Tonight will be an excellent time to do it. We'll make sure everyone's out of your way. You'll be able to tackle the monster all by youself. A free rein at last."
Severus was pleased to see that Gilderoy's true colors were showing in his pale face, watering eyes, and trembling lips.
"V-very well," he said. "I'll — I'll be in my office, getting — getting ready."
And he left the room.
"Right," said Minerva, whose nostrils were flared in irritation, "that's got him out from under our feet. The Heads of Houses should go and inform their students what has happened. Tell them the Hogwarts Express will take them home first thing tomorrow. Everyone please make sure no students have been left outside their dormitories."
The teachers rose and left, one by one, after murmuring their sympathies to Severus.
Severus cradled his head in his hands for a few moments, thinking of Ronald Weasley and how he was to go break the news to a mere boy that his sister was dead.
As it turned out, Severus was not given the chance.
After searching the halls to ensure that there were no straggling students, he checked on the potion for the victims before returning to the common room. The potion needed ingredients to be added at precise intervals and waiting to speak with the students first could result in the potion being ruined and the victims lying in the Hospital Wing for another eight months while new mandrakes were grew. Once he was finished, he entered the Slytherin common room and saw it was gravely silent, a comparison that had him cringing for even thinking, given the current circumstances.
He searched the faces for Ronald and saw that him, Potter, and Draco were absent.
"Blaise- would you kindly go upstairs and fetch the remainder of your classmates? I need to speak to you all and it is rather serious," he said gravely.
"They aren't here."
Severus looked sharply at Theodore, who had answered him.
"Where are they?" he asked.
Theodore exchanged an uneasy glance with Blaise before stubbornly fixing his brown eyed gaze on to Severus.
"They snuck off under Harry's cloak when Professor McGonagall made the announcement and I haven't seen them since," he said.
Fucking Potter.
"Nobody leaves this common room," Severus hissed. "Do not go to your dorms, do not leave this room. I will return shortly with them, understand?"
He swept out of the room quickly, trying to consider where Potter may have went.
Owlery? Hospital Wing? Kitchens?
There were too many possibilities and he needed to find them quickly, it had already been over an hour since Minerva's announcement.
"Mavis!"
Potters elf immediately appeared, giving Severus a small bow of respect.
"Have you seen Potter?" he asked quickly, having no time for social niceties.
"Mavis is seeing Master Potter a few minutes ago and Master Potter is giving Mavis a message."
Severus stared at the elf and prodded him when he stopped speaking, "And the message is?"
"Master Potter is telling Mavis to tell Mister Snoop that Master Potter is very sorry but he is needing to save his orange haired friends sister and Mister Snoop is not to be worried because Master did not forget his promise and he is having a Professor with him."
Severus felt the blood rush from his head and he felt momentarily faint.
"Where are Potter and his friends going? And who is the Professor with Potter, Mavis?"
Mavis pulled on his ears and did not answer.
"ANSWER ME!" Severus demanded harshly.
"Master Potter is telling his blonde friend, and orange haired friend, and the man, that he is finding the Slytherin's Chamber and they are going there," Mavis squeaked. "Master is not telling Mavis who the man with him is, only that Mister Snoop needs told he is having a Professor with him like he is promising."
Severus stared at the elf. There would only be one male Professor in the castle who would be so stupidly fearless enough to escort a child, Severus' ward, on a hunt for a basilisk.
"What does the Professor look like?"
"The Professor with Master and Master's friends is having yellow hair and white white teeth Mister Snoop."
Gilderoy. Gilderoy Lockhart has Potter, Draco, and Ronald in Slytherin's Chamber with a basilisk.
Son of a bitch.