Walk the Shadows

done for him -- as they would have for any other child, Severus was sure! -- it was all he could do not to punch the older wizard in the nose. Of course, then he would need to pack his bags -- or simply present himself to Voldemort; the result would be the same.

Rather than do so, he stared into a cup of tea he would never drink, and talked about the weather and how the frequent Death Eater attacks had become -- enough that the Muggle world was starting to catch on to something really strange happening -- and refused to make eye contact with one of the only people he knew who was a more powerful Legilimens than he.

Finally, when he had waited long enough that his temper was perfectly under control, he looked up. 'I want to be named as Potter's guardian. And he has agreed to it.'

The look on Dumbledore's face was priceless. It only took him a split second though, before he had resumed the grandfatherly veneer he traded on. 'How is he coming along under your care?'

Suppressing a growl at the Headmaster's blatant sidestep of the topic at hand, Severus still could not help but grimace. 'He is . . . better than I expected, this soon. But we have not addressed a number of issues as yet. I don't believe he'll be ready to begin classes in two weeks.'

'No? Well, we must make sure that he is. It wouldn't do at all for his enemies to think anything was amiss.'

Oh, no, that wouldn't do at all. Severus averted his eyes so the Headmaster would not pick up on his thoughts. He wondered if Albus knew he was playing right into the role that Harry had him cast in, where he was the grand manipulator and Harry was nothing more than a pawn, a weapon, to be used and discarded. Was Severus the only one who saw Harry as more than that? Albus had wanted Harry shunted off to St. Mungo's after all. Did he just not want to see the truth? To see the result of all his manipulations?

But the Headmaster continued, oblivious. 'Do you think it would be helpful to have him more in contact with the rest of the staff? Remus had been asking after him, and Hagrid, too.'

Severus frowned. That's all he'd need; Weres and Giants in his quarters. 'I don't think he's ready for that, either.'

The blue-eyed gaze sharpened. 'I notice he has not been outside for several days.'

The Old Codger would notice something like that. He wasn't about to tell Albus that the boy had been sulking for several days, when he wasn't throwing things or hollering obscenities or tearing out pages of a perfectly good journal and burning them. 'We have an . . . arrangement. If he meets certain goals, he is allowed certain privileges. When he does not meet the goals . . .' Severus spread his hands, as if to say, 'what can I do?'

'Ah.' The Headmaster was silent for a long time, as if considering his words very carefully. He even looked over at Fawkes, but the phoenix had no trilling words of wisdom for him today, it seemed. Once his gaze settled back on Severus, he said, 'Do you think perhaps Harry has grown overly attached to you?'

'Pardon?'

'He has had little to no contact with anyone aside from yourself since the . . . time of his captivity. And though I have no doubt you have been helpful to him since, I merely wonder if he is becoming dependent on you.'

'It's entirely possible, Headmaster.' No doubt helpful, indeed. Severus kept a tight grip on his temper. He did not need to lose it now. And yet, he couldn't help glaring at the Headmaster, even as his voice dipped to little more than a whisper. 'In fact, I would be very surprised if he were not. I know what happened to him, both in Topsham and in Surrey, and I do not judge him for it. Unlike anyone else, I have dried his tears, and comforted him when he's woken from nightmares, and I have saved him from his own self-rage. He has spilled some of his deepest fears and darkest memories to me, and I alone decried the treatment he received at the hands of those Muggles. Now I have offered him a place of safety and stability, a home, such as he has never been granted before. Why on earth would he not latch on to me?'

He wanted Dumbledore to answer, to make excuses for his own pitiful lacking, in the department of Harry's safety and well being, to protest that he had comforted the child at least once, that he had not always put the good of the Wizarding world ahead of its savior's needs. And then he wanted to throw all that back in the Headmaster's face, and show him what fifteen years of neglect had wrought, in the boy's fragile sense of self-esteem and distrust of any adults, his pervasive belief that he was not worth anyone's love or caring, that he was not allowed to feel joy or peace.

But Dumbledore merely sat behind his desk, looking very old all of a sudden, and all Severus could feel was disgust.

'I assume I have your blessing, then, Albus,' Severus said as he rose from his chair and placed his untouched tea on the edge of the desk. 'I will file the proper paperwork with Child Welfare at the Ministry today. I would appreciate it if you would mention, when they come to interview you, as I imagine they will, that I am doing this for Harry's sake. We can sugar coat it all they want, or all you want, dress it up in well considered statements about how well I can train the boy for his true purpose, but make no mistake, for once, this is what is good for him.'

Dumbledore seemed to pull together at last and Severus sneered, meeting the older man's gaze. This stage of the war was taking a heavy toll on the old man, it was true, but it was no excuse for weakness. Or for giving up. 'Of course, Severus. I will do all I can to make sure it goes through.'

'Thank you.' Severus nodded and left the office. His chest hurt and his steps were heavy as he made his way back to the dungeons. He had wounded the man, his mentor, his oldest friend, the one who had been like a savior to him when all others had turned away. But he would not take back the words he's spoken, for they were the truth, a commodity which had run in short supply of late. And Albus needed to hear that truth at least once.

Back in his quarters, Harry's head came up from his journal as soon as Severus entered the room. He studied Severus' expression for a long moment before pulling his lower lip between his teeth. Severus had become quite adept at reading the boy's moods, especially since Harry could not keep from showing everything in his eyes. Green the color of a Killing Curse, or a perfect Shrinking Solution, and which reminded him so much of Lily, they were a window to this troubled teen's soul. Now they held a glimmer of hope, warring with apprehension and doubt.

'How, er . . . how did it go?'

'Well enough. The Headmaster will not oppose my request, and has promised to aid us however