Chapter Four

My sincerest apologies and deepest thanks to those of you that are still reading this story. Writer's block is a plague sent strait from the ninth circle of hell. Enjoy the chapter!

"You saw which spell I was using," Harry muttered under his breath. Snape sneered. "Don't cheek me, Potter. Let's start with where you got the book."

"Borgin an Burke's." He seemed unwilling to share any information without being pushed.

"And when did you buy it?" Snape's voice was calm, but she shot Harry a murdurous look that prompted further speech.

"Last Hogsmeade weekend. I snuck into Knockturn alley under my invisibility cloak."

"Ruddy cloak. Its caused me almost as much trouble as the entire Weasley family."

"I went in and talked to Borgin, and he said that he had something that could help me. He sold the book to me for two-hundred galleons."

Snape's gaze did not change, but he was inwardly shocked. The fact that Borgin and Burke's sold him the book was not what shocked him; in fact he had rather suspected it. What shocked him was the fact that Potter had confided in Borgin what he had kept secret from everyone else. Severus waited, but Potter seemed unwilling to relinquish any more information. It would suffice for now.

"Follow me." He walked out of the office and back into the den.

"It is late. You will have to stay here tonight. In the morning I will take you to Hogwarts." He billowed out of the room without another word.

Harry sank onto the black couch, as confused as ever. He still could not understand why Snape had come after him in the first place. But such thoughts could wait untill morning. Harry closed his eyes, and immediately fell asleep.

"Wake up, Potter." A cold voice reached Harry's ears. He opened his eyes to see Snape gazing beadily down at him. "We have to go to Hogwarts to meet the headmaster. Unless you wish to further enjoy the pleasure of my company, I suggest that you get moving." That was all the motivation Harry needed to get up. He sprang to his feet and followed Snape out of the room. Snape grabbed him by the wrist again, and the they reappeared outside the gates of Hogwarts. The trip through the grounds was silent, and Snape's fury was almost visible in the air around him. They crossed the threshold of the school, and Harry's curiosity was piqued in spite of himself. Never had he seen the castle so deserted. Even during the christmas holidays there were usually a few people in the castle. Now it seemed completely empty. "I wonder if the house elves are still here," thought Harry as he and Snape marched up the marble staircase to where Dumbledore's office was located. He figured that if he was to stay at Hogwarts, at least he would have Dobby to talk to.

But would he be allowed to stay at Hogwarts over the summer? Harry hadn't even thought about what the arrangements for the rest of the summer would be. When he thought of living at Hogwarts, he had never imagined the place so empty. He had always imagined staying there when the castle was bustling and full of life. Of course that was assuming Dumbledore didn't expel him for attempting to use dark magic against his relatives. This was another possibility he hadn't considered.

He was snapped out of his reverie by Snape's cold voice saying, "butterscotch lollipops," to the gargoyle outside Dumbledore's office. Harry fought the insane desire to laugh at the ridiculous phrase coming out of his teacher's mouth, and started thinking about ways to explain to Dumblrdore that he was practising the dark arts. "Or trying to practice them at least," when he remembered how Snape had stopped him from completing the spell. If only I had had a little more time."

At last, they reached the magnificent doors of Dumbledore's office. Snape knocked. "Enter," came the voice from beyond the door. They entered. "Harry!" he said with surprise, "to what do I owe the pleasure of this visit?"

"You didn't know I was here, sir?" asked Harry in faint astonishment. Dumbledore always seemed to know who was at his office door. Snapeallowed himself a small smirk. He had been thinking the same thing himself. Dumbledore ignored the question. "Oughtn't you be back with your aunt and uncle?"

Snape was the one who answered. "He cannot return to his aunt and uncle. I have reason to believe that he has sustained abuse at their hands for years. What's more, I have been inside Potter's mind, and Vernon has been hitting Potter with a whip bought from a Death Eater. It stunted his magic so that he was unable to defend himself, or unlock his owl's cage to write for help."

Dubledore closed his eyes. "You're right, Severus. If they are torturing him he cannot go back. But how will he be kept safe without his mother's protection? You know how the magic work's, Severus. His mother's sacrifice protects him only as long as he resides with someone of his mother's blood, and as long as he is, he cannot be harmed by anyone with malicious intent." "The blood wards are now useless, Albus," Snape interrupted. "They will only protect the boy from threats outside the home, not the one's within it. If Potter stays there, he risks both his life and his magic."

"I can't go back there, professor." Harry finaly spoke. "Can't I just stay here? I already think of Hogwarts as my home. Or with Hagrid, or Remus, or-

"Don't worry Harry. You will not have to go back to your relatives. Have you eaten?" He mutely shook his head. "Why don't you go to the kitchens for a bite? I'm sure Dobby will be more than happy to get you a plate of something."

"Thank you sir." He left.

Dumbledore turned towards Severus. "You certainly rushed to Harry's rescue. I expected you to simply make sure that Harry was properly coping with his godfather's death. And you save his life in the process. I am indepted to you, Severus."

"I'll add it to the list. So who the brat be staying at over the summer?" Dumbledore simply looked at Snape and said nothing.

Snapes face, always pale, now would have put Dracula to shame.

"No."

"Now Severus-"

"Not in this lifetime Albus! I have spied for you. I have risked my neck for you. But I will NOT allow that cretin into my house!."

"It would only be for a short time."

"What about Hagrid?"

"In France recruiting magical creatures."

"Lupin?"

"In Romania communicating with the werewolves."

"McGonagall?"

"Training soldiers."

"Fllitwick?"

"In Ireland, fighting in a duelling tournament."

"Vector?"

"Never met Harry."

"Trelawney?"

"Certifiably insane."

"Julius?"

"He died twelve years ago. This is riddiculous Severus. You will have to take him."

"You have officially lost your mind, Albus. He would not want to stay with me! The last time we were alone together he snuck into the pensive when I was out of the room, went into my worst memory, and I threw a jar of dead cockroaches at him. Nothing good can possibly come of this."

"Have you ever stopped to consider that perhaps its time to bury the hatchet? I know you two have had problem's in the past, but I'm afraid you have no choice. Take Harry back with you." Dumbledore's tone offered no room for arguement.

Snape slowly stood, turned, and left the office without another word.

Harry was in the kitchens with Dobby when Snape arrived. "Come, Potter."

"Goodbye Harry Potter sir!" Dobby waved eagerly to Harry as he walked out of the room.

"Where are we going sir?" Harry asked tentatively.

"The headmaster has decided that you are to spend the remainder of your holiday with me."

"What? With you?" Harry's voice was filled with horror.

"Yes, Potter, with me. I assure you, I did not volunteer for that particular honor. "

They walked again across the grounds, only this time the silence was filled with dread of the summer to come, wondering how they could possibly live through the summer unscathed.

Well, I hope you enjoyed the chapter. As always, I reviews would be greatly appreciated. I will try to post the next chapter soon, certainly in less time than it took me to post this one. Until then, happy reading.