Title: High Wizard (chapter 1)
Author: dormask84

Pairing: Harry/Sev

Rating: R

Category: AU, Romance, Action/Adventure.

Notes: I absolutely swear this first chapter is about as cliché as the story gets and Severus Snape is a bit OC and Harry probably is too.

Thank you kindly to Laura, who beta this chapter withouthaving being asked and hopefully(finally) I'llhave mystoryfixed up. I am far more open to critism these days. I know I need to be better writer so cheers, I know you all mean the best :).

It starts out fairly typical. Harry is about to turn sixteen and he will soon gain his full adult powers. Harry has to spend part of the summer with Snape. Snape meets the Dursley's. Yeah ok, nothing astoundingly different or anything.

Disclaimer: Harry Potter belongs to J.K. Rowling. She wrote the books, she owns the copywriter. I don't earn anything from this. I'm just "borrowing" for a little while.

ssHPss

Dumbledore sat back in his chair. They were both in his office after the events that had occurred.

"Mistakes have been made Harry. I will admit that. I have tried to wait until there was a better time but we are fast running out of that, I think. You are only fifteen, and with all that you have being through I fear you will not like what I offer next."

"Sir?" Harry asked confused.

"Soon you will hit sixteen Harry, and I am sure you are aware by now that most wizards and witches experience a growth of magic near their birthday. Some more then others."

"Oh, like the twins. That explains how they had enough power to come up with that lake." Harry nodded in understanding. "Sixteen is the age of adulthood in old magic traditions and our full power, which we will henceforth wield for all our adulthood, comes to be realized. Or so Hermione explained to me."

"Precisely Harry and I am sure you realize that even if you do not study as hard as your friend, you are already quite powerful in your own right, and I can tell you it is more then possible you will turn out to be as powerful as I am."

Harry swallowed hard. "What will that mean for me then sir?"

"It means that a few weeks before your sixteenth birthday, Professor Snape will be taking you to a place that trains those with potential like yours in preparation for the event and will help you regain control of your powers after."

"Professor Snape, sir?" Harry asked in shock, his voice rising slightly in anger.

"Yes, and before you argue Harry, there are a few facts you need to know"
The look on Dumbledore's face was serious, so Harry held his tongue.

"First of all next to me, Severus Snape is the next most powerful wizard in Britain, which is part of the reason why he is the very best potions expert in all of Europe. He has an extraordinary amount of power, which he almost solely focuses on his fascination, and intense interest in his favorite subject, Potions. Most are not aware he has such power at all. The man is a genius with potions, but so few know the true depth of his capabilities. Voldemort certainly does not, and Professor Snape is smart enough to keep that bit of juicy knowledge to himself. He is a Slytherin after all."

Harry sat there gaping. Snape? Second most powerful next to Dumbledore himself? It hardly seemed possible, yet it wasn't like the headmaster to lie. Even about this, especially about this.

"Secondly the place I want to send you requires any student witch or wizard who enters its door to have a personal tutor of sorts. They can give you the knowledge you need. It is up to you to use it and up to the personal tutor to make sure you do. That is how the system works there. The personal tutor also has to be willing and able to match your strength. If your magic does get out of control Harry, not just anybody will be able to deal with it. For many it will be too strong. If you are as strong as we think you will be, then only Professor Snape or I will have power enough to match it and deal with it. I am sure there are others powerful enough here in Britain, but not among those whom I know and trust enough with your safety. I do trust Professor Snape, despite his personality quirks."

"Why not you then?" Harry asked.

"Think Harry. I am not just the headmaster of this school, but also head of the order. My full attention is necessary in order to keep an eye on all that is happening, along with keeping on top of Voldemort's planning. It is not that I do not want to Harry, but I cannot afford distractions. Your birthday is very close to the beginning of the first term. You may not have gained full control of your magic by that time. It may take awhile before you do. Finding a substitute potions teacher will be easy enough but an absent headmaster is not such a good idea."

"Oh." Harry blinked and thought on that a moment. "What about Snape's other activities?" He asked a little cautiously, not sure if he should even hint on Snape's spying.

"If Professor Snape should need to disappear on short notice, I would ask you not to question too closely Harry. Severus is very valuable as he is a favorite of Voldemort's for his potion skills. He has ways to keep in contact with me without coming to Hogwarts. As long as he can attend the Death Eater meetings as summoned, we should manage."

Harry met Dumbledore's eyes and nodded seriously. "Will I be able to stay at the Burrow at all?"

"I am afraid not Harry. Until you have your full power and the ability to control it, you are safer with the Dursley's such as they are. Next year you may not have to stay with them for you will probably know enough and be strong enough to protect yourself. You will also be old enough to perform magic outside of school."

"Well that is something at least." Harry sighed. "So Professor Snape will turn up at the Dursley's about three weeks before my birthday?"

"That is correct." Dumbledore nodded. Harry thought about this for a moment.
While Professor Snape did not have the greatest respect toward him, he was almost interested to see how the Potion Master would react to his relatives.

"Is that such a good idea?"

Dumbledore let a smile cross his lips. "Perhaps not." There was a mischievous twinkle in Dumbledore's eyes and Harry couldn't help but grin in response. This could be very interesting.

"Is that all professor?" Harry asked.

"Yes, yes. Off you go." Harry rose and headed for the door. "Oh and Harry?" Harry paused, his hand on the handle. "I wouldn't warn your relatives. Let it be... a surprise. They do like surprises I hope?"

Harry grinned again. "Not really sir."

"Such a shame. Off you go then."

"Yes sir. Thank you sir."

It was a Saturday and he was wearing his usual summer outfit of baggy, torn and fraying jeans and an oversized grey top. Harry tuned out his Uncle Vernon as he yelled at him to open the door. He stopped everything the moment he heard the knock. Without any thought whatsoever, he grabbed the knob and swung the door open. The words of greeting froze somewhere in his throat.

Dark, cold eyes sneered down at him from a familiar, forbidding pale face framed by long, greasy, black hair. Harry quickly composed himself. "Professor Snape." He shuffled awkwardly. Maybe this wasn't such a good idea.

"Move aside Potter." Came the command. Harry drew in a deep breath and stepped aside.

"Who is at the door boy?" Uncle Vernon yelled out.

"At least I know where you get your manners from Potter." Professor Snape remarked as he closed the door behind them. "The headmaster told me that your relatives would be in the dark."

"Yes Professor. Ah Uncle Vernon?" Harry called out.

"What is it, you useless little freak?" Uncle Vernon came puffing in, his legs creaking slightly as they waddled under his formidable weight. "Forgive my nephew, the pathetic, useless, waste of space that he is. Can't choose your relatives unfortunately."

"Indeed." Snape's eyes narrowed and Harry could almost see the quick churning of gears and the sharp calculating going on in his Professor's head. Professor Snape might be many things, but stupid would never be one of them.

For the first time Harry also noted that, Professor Snape was dressed in muggle clothes. They were very well fitting, posh, and smart looking clothes at that. The outfit screamed money, something his Uncle no doubt noticed as well. Harry was aware that Snape was a pureblood who was aligned with the Malfoy's and his family was well respected among the old, traditional Wizarding families. However putting all of that together with the greasy, hated, potions teacher who made life difficult had not really connected until this moment.

"Vernon Dursley at your service sir." He offered a sweaty, meaty paw to Harry's teacher. Snape eyed it disdainfully and picked it up as if it was one of the twins' practical jokes he had stumbled across by chance. By Vernon's expression, he had not missed a thing but held his tongue as it was obvious that this man was important and rich in some way.

"I am Severus Snape." Was the lofty response. Harry knew his professor could sound arrogant, but that tone implied he was well and above Dursley and made sure he knew it. Harry tried to contain his smile. He well knew the effects his professor could have, and yet to see it used against his relatives made the experience very surreal and quite entertaining.

"Nice to meet you, Mr. Snape. How may I help you?"

"Some lunch wouldn't be disagreeable."

"Certainly. Boy, kitchen, now!" Vernon shot him a look. Harry ran, as it was not a good idea to argue with his Uncle when he took that tone.

Harry was pulling various bits out of the fridge when a moment later the Professor swept in with Vernon trailing behind. "Why don't you come wait on the couch, the boy will have lunch ready soon enough." Vernon offered. Harry pulled out a chopping board, and then washed the vegetables. Having Snape stare and watch was almost too much like potion classes except this time, he knew what he was doing.

"Can this boy be trusted sir?" Professor Snape asked in that deceptively smooth tone. "I wouldn't wish to be poisoned."

"I wouldn't put it beneath him." Vernon scowled. "Why don't I fetch my wife and son? Watch the boy if it puts you at ease."

"It does." Was the dark remark. Vernon vanished. "Interesting relatives Potter. I hope you know what you are doing?" Snape scowled around at the muggle kitchen as if an old, medieval stone bench, a caldron and a few potion jars might suddenly appear.

"I might be hopeless at potions sir but I've being cooking since I was four. I'm better then my Aunt Petunia and she's known to the entire neighborhood as the best in the area." Harry said as he peeled potatoes and carrots and skinned an onion.

"What is this?" The professor pointed.

"It's called a fridge sir." Harry then found himself explaining simple muggle gadgets to his professor. From the fridge and freezer to the gas plates, oven, microwave, and dishwasher to the peeler, knife sharpener, electric can opener and the small starter he used to light the gas.

"Amazing how muggles make do without magic. Enormously incompetent but ingenious all the same. Are you supposed to just swish the pan like that?"

Harry blinked. He sensed the interest of a potions master coming to the forefront here. "It's called sautéing which is what I am doing to the onions so they don't burn. In muggle cooking, it doesn't really matter which way you stir, how or how often, as long as nothing is burnt. It doesn't matter what order the food goes in either. As a rule, meat generally goes in first because it takes the longest to cook. Spices also usually go in early; they get absorbed better that way with the rest of the food. Things like carrots and potatoes take longer to cook so they usually go in after the meat and spices. Then you add the other vegetables, celery, broccoli, and cabbage. Things like mushrooms and peas go in last because they cook quickly. That's the idea anyway, but there are exceptions of course. The main aim of muggle cooking is to have everything ready at once."

"Peculiar. There is no specific formula you go by?"

"The first time I cook something I usually go by the recipe but once I know it, I don't generally need it and experiment a bit."

"Experiment?" That dark tone didn't approve.

"Experimenting in muggle cooking doesn't usually lead to explosions sir. Well there was this one time with the chicken, but anyway. Most of the time I can get it to taste better."

"Taste is more important in food then potions." The tone was thoughtful. "These recipes. May I see?" Harry pulled open a cupboard in a spare moment and pulled out a box, which he set before his professor.

"This has everything I use in it, from the simple, basic stuff to the more advanced stuff." His professor plunged in a hand and pulled out a thick cookbook, which he opened randomly.

"Cream butter and sugar? Fold egg into mixture? Mix until fluffy? None of this makes any sense!" the Professor said in an annoyed tone.

"Potions don't make much sense to me Professor." Harry remarked. "You should see some of the harder or older recipes. Unless you know what they mean and how to do it, they don't make much sense at all."

Professor Snape flipped through the book, pausing occasionally to glance at various recipes. "No wonder muggle raised children have such a hard time with potions." Professor Snape slammed the book shut with a thump that caught Harry off-guard. Harry quickly set out plates and began to pile them up with food. He heard the heavy steps of his uncle and cousin. He had to assume Aunt Petunia was with them.

"They probably changed into the best clothes they have. Aunt Petunia will be wearing that putrid perfume Dudley got her for Christmas." Harry remarked. Professor Snape rose and Harry shoved the box of recipe books away.

"Finished boy?" Vernon stormed in. Harry grabbed plates and quickly put them on the table before he got out his own little plastic plate, which he offered to Petunia who only gave him less then half of what he gave her. Silently he went to the table and waited by his little wooden stool with the missing leg.

"Well, why don't we all sit down?" Vernon offered.

"Mr. Snape, this is my lovely wife Petunia and our darling son Dudley." Vernon introduced.

"Charmed." Professor Snape nodded coolly then sat with his customary stiff manner and the air of a man who knew he was better then everyone else. He ate with the delicacy of someone raised in high society. Harry watched with slight amusement as his relatives tried to copy him.

Harry didn't even try. He just dug right in as he always did. He was well used to doing so with that cool, dark gaze sneering down at him and he wasn't about to let that stop him. "Now Mr. Snape. May I ask why you came to my humble house?" Vernon asked with a sickly smile.

"You may." Snape murmured pleasantly. Harry glanced up at his professor. Snape only sounded that pleasant when he was about to do something nasty. "First of all, it befalls me to tell you that I am a wizard."

Harry swallowed before he could choke which Vernon was currently doing from his spot at the head of the table. His face turning that interesting colour of purplish red. "As Mr. Potter knows, I am the second most powerful wizard in Britain and I am also considered the third most dangerous wizard residing in the British Isles." Snape said in that dangerously low drawl that sent cold shivers down the spine.

"Voldemort would be the first right?' Harry asked curiously. He was use to ignoring his good sense, even around Professor Snape.

"Correct Mr. Potter. The second most dangerous is Mad-eye Moody."

Harry had to laugh. "That doesn't surprise me. What about Malfoy?"

"I believe the one you are referring to, Mr. Lucius Malfoy, is only fifth."

"I wouldn't be telling that to his face though." Harry chuckled.

"Most wizards however consider you as being fourth Mr. Potter, since you are the Boy-Who-Lived numerous times now. Not only has the Dark Lord attempted to kill you, but also nearly every Dark Arts professor, various Death Eaters, dementors, dragons, a three headed dog, the whomping willow tree, a troll and a giant, the house elf Dobby and last but not least the werewolf, who I suppose also falls under the category of Dark Arts professor. It's hardly any wonder Malfoy has it in his best interest to try to kill you."

"I'm more dangerous then Lucius Malfoy?"

"According to popular opinion, yes. I am sure the articles written by the Rita woman to the Daily Prophet hardly helped. She seems to have mysteriously disappeared since however."

"Funny about that." Harry coughed slightly to cover a smile. Snape's eyes narrowed at him.

"You wouldn't happen to know something about that now would you Potter?" Those dangerous eyes fixed on him.

"Oh well now sir." Harry shifted uncomfortably. "You would really have to ask Hermione about that."

Snape sat back slightly in his chair. "I see. Too clever for her own good Miss Granger." Harry just shrugged.

"You ... you. You're one of them!" Vernon spluttered out. Snape coolly pulled out his wand and leveled it at his uncle, his lips curling in that unpleasant and inherently dangerous way.

"I would watch my tongue if I were you Mr. Dursley. Insulting a wizard is bad enough. Insulting me can be highly dangerous to your health. Killing muggles is nothing new to me, and I would not hesitate to do so now. I don't suppose you are packed by any chance Potter?"

"They have my school stuff locked in the cupboard. I don't have the key and I can't do magic outside of school."

"How do you do homework Mr. Potter?"

"I usually do it on the train to school or on the first night or so depending on which class I have first. I keep my wand on me just in case; it's hidden in my room right now."

"I suggest you fetch it and anything else you need Mr. Potter. I will get your things out of the cupboard."

"Yes sir." Harry hurried up to his room to drag out a trunk and fill it with clothes. He then opened the loose floorboard under his bed to get his wand, his photo album, various bits of candy from the twins, his packages of food and a few other bits of things he kept there for safekeeping. It didn't add up to all that much. His other bits of important stuff were locked up in the cupboard and he could hear Vernon opening it with a key even though he knew perfectly well Snape could use magic to open it.

He could just imagine Vernon sweating and puffing and hands shaking under that cold, penetrating and demanding stare. It sent students quaking in their boots everyday and he was sure his uncle was no different. Harry almost smiled again as he picked up the cage that had Hedwig locked up inside. Vernon had the key for that too. With her in one hand and his small trunk in the other, Harry headed downstairs.

"Is that everything Mr. Potter?" The professor asked him as Dudley pulled his other trunks out of the cupboard while under Snape's intensive glare. He was bent almost double with the effort, well as double as Dudley could get with all that stomach in the way. Harry held forth Hedwig's cage toward his Uncle.

"If you would unlock her cage please Uncle?" He asked politely. Snape's glare narrowed further in a way only Snape could manage. There was a fumbling of keys and then shaky hands unlocked the small deadlock on the cage. Harry unhooked the lock for the cage and tossed it on the floor.

"I believe that is everything Professor Snape."

Snape nodded, his dark eyes falling on Petunia. "When Lily talked about a sister, she mentioned a lively girl with a love of life, an easy nature and an eager laugh. That was the first year at Hogwarts at any rate. Lily said she had changed over the years and never understood how, why, when. Still I never imagined that she would be such a narrow minded, resentful and bitter woman. Not that it really matters I suppose. What ever happened to that child do you think?"

Snape twirled in that utterly graceful and dangerous way that only Snape could pull off. Harry bit off the questions that suddenly whirled in his head. Like how the hell Professor Snape could talk about his mother as though she were a friend? He quickly went after the Professor who was already practically out of the front door.

"Take this Potter." An empty cat food can was thrust at him once they were outside. Knowing exactly what it was Harry had to gather himself together emotionally before he could touch it. In moments, the familiar pull of a portkey yanked at his belly.