As Potter is to Snape

Chapter 24

Snape sat in the parlor of his quarters at Hogwarts, silently drinking a strong cup of tea and enjoying his last few moments of quiet before the students arrived for the start of term feast.

To be honest, for the first time since he had started teaching, he wasn't completely dreading the school year. It would be a challenge to keep his guardianship of Harry a secret, but he found that he was more than willing to do whatever it took to ensure that the boy was safe and happy this year. He was even surprised to find that in the short time that Harry had been with the Weasleys, he had missed him. Only the smallest bit though, of that he was sure. It was simply that he had gotten used to having him around and the place had been too quiet without his incessant chattering about all the mundane things that the teenager could come up with to talk about.

Snape had just drained his tea when there was a sharp knock on his door and before waiting for a call to enter, Minerva came striding inside. Snape didn't say anything, he simply stared at her calmly, though she seemed to be anything but.

"Severus, Remus has just sent an owl from the train." Snape stood up quickly but Minerva held up her hand to stop him from interrupting her. "He said that everyone is fine, but dementors came onto the train."

"Dementors?" Snape asked, alarmed. "What were they doing on the train?!"

"I'm not sure. But Harry passed out again." At this new piece of information, Snape's eyes widened and Minerva quickly added, "Now Remus assures me that he is fine. They'll be here in just a few minutes and Poppy is going to check him out the moment he arrives, I just wanted to let you know so that you can come down to my office and see him."

Snape began walking towards the door. "Let's go then." He said as he held the door open for her.

They arrived in the entrance hall at the same time as the great oak doors opened, allowing the children to pour into the castle. Snape immediately began to search the faces for Harry's, but it was Minerva who spotted him first.

"Granger. Potter." She called out to them and waited for the trio to make their way through the crowd to where they stood. "I need a word with both of you in my office, please."

Harry cast a quick look up to Snape who only gave the smallest of nods in return.

"There's no need to look so nervous," Minerva assured them, "I just wanted to speak with the two of you for a moment. Go on Weasley, they will join you shortly."

Harry and Hermione allowed themselves to be ushered along past Snape, but just as he turned to follow them, Ron spoke up. "Professor Snape?" He said, his voice polite but Snape heard the nervousness in it. Snape turned back to him.

"Yes, what is it, Weasley?"

Ron took a deep breath and swallowed hard before he looked around at the other students still standing in the hall. "Something happened to Harry," Ron said quietly.

"Yes, I heard about the dementors-"

"Not that." He interrupted. "Before we got on the train before we even got through the platform at King's Cross."

Snape's eyes narrowed. This wasn't something he had heard about."

"What happened?" He asked, he crossed his arms over his chest and glared down at the redheaded boy. "Is Mr. Potter alright?"

"No," Ron said, shaking his head. "His uncle was there. He- Did you know that he hits him?"

Snape felt the color drain from his face. He looked around once more and said, "Follow me," then abruptly, he turned from Ron and walked to the nearest classroom door. He held it open and Ron walked in ahead of him.