Harry Potter and the Misunderstanding

CHAPTER 2

Sunday afternoon, in the dungeons of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, found Severus Snape busy at his desk, catching up on paperwork. The professor, whose robes were black to match his hair and eyes, was enjoying his solitude in the dark dungeon. Severus Snape was characterised by his likeness for darkness, it was hard to come by in a castle filled with hundreds of flaming brackets on every wall.

Therefore, he was not amused to see his fireplace suddenly blaze to life with green flames to reveal the head of Albus Dumbledore.

'Severus, I know it's an inconvenient time to disturb you, particularly with exams imminent, but something important has occurred. Would you be able to come to my office?' The bearded head asked.

'Would you be able to catch me if I ran?' Severus muttered under his breath, but jerked his head to show his willingness. The Potions master wasn't entirely sorry to abandon correcting his third year students' essays: he got so tired of marking papers with recurring examples of how his students' brains had ceased to evolve. He skipped over the less glaring errors of his current paper and stood up. Stopping by for whatever Dumbledore wanted would mean he'd be raring to go with the red ink when the headmaster was through with him.
'I will be up directly, Albus.' He promised.
The head in the fire disappeared and the flames in the stone grate returned to their normal colour.

Capping his bottle of red ink, Severus stretched his arms over his head and flexed his fingers, which were cramped from all the corrections he'd been making. He let out a quiet groan and headed over to the fireplace. Throwing some Floo powder over the crackling fire, he gave the simple order: 'Headmaster's office!'
Stepping into the green glow, Severus braced himself for the whirling journey to the top of the school.

Dumbledore was waiting at a safe distance when Severus walked out of the grate, ash sifting off his billowing robes. The headmaster gave the Potions Master a smile before pointing to one of the glass bowls on the table. It was filled with shiny yellow sweets and Severus saw the man's lips forming a 'Wou-?' and hastily cut him off.
'No, Albus, I would not care for a lemon drop, thank you.'
'Ah. Well, you won't mind if I help myself, then.' Dumbledore said cheerfully, placing the large crystal dish of sweets in his lap.
Severus drummed his fingers impatiently on the arm of the chair but he hadn't long to wait before the headmaster got straight to the point.

'You remember, Severus, how we placed Harry Potter in the care of his aunt and uncle in Surrey? Arabella Figg has just informed me that they were killed while, ah...' Dumbledore's brow furrowed as he tried to recall Arabella's explanation. '...Rolling on a coast.' He looked sorrowful.
Severus blinked. 'I think you mean a roller coaster, Albus,' he corrected. 'But, Potter is... dead?' Severus' hands stilled. Surely the headmaster was mistaken.
'Oh no.' The older wizard assured him. 'Harry is alive. His relatives went on holiday. He was left with Arabella.'
Severus did not miss the fleeting look of disapproval that flashed across the old man's face and he appreciated the spanner this event must have thrown into the old man's plans. Not that he cared for the brat one pint, of course. But the boy was Lily's son, after all.

Dumbledore steepled his fingers, the sweets forgotten momentarily. 'We hardly saw this one coming, and it's a delicate situation. His aunt, as his only living relative, was the only one who could offer the blood protection pursuant to Lily's sacrifice.' Dumbledore explained.
Severus looked away quickly. Yes, he already knew all this; must they talk about her again?

Dumbledore gave the former death eater a knowing look before continuing, 'Anywhere we send young Harry, he will be vulnerable.'
'What difference does it make?' Snapped Severus. 'Any Wizarding family would be happy enough to adopt the boy, regardless of the dangers.'
Dumbledore gave him a sharp look and Severus tried not to flinch.
'It would hardly be fair to Lily, who gave her life for her child, to let him be raised by people who were only interested in the fame it would bring them.' Dumbledore said severely. He looked at Severus appraisingly. 'You did promise, did you not, to do all you could to protect him once we knew she'd fallen to Voldemort?'