Chapter Text
A few days into the summer break, Severus carefully climbed up from his dungeon office to enter that of another professor. He offered a quiet greeting upon arrival; Minerva MCGonagall replied in an offhand, distracted manner, setting up the necessary spellwork to automate a final batch of acceptance letters being written, signed, addressed, and sealed. Severus took a seat in front of her desk and waited.
After a few minutes, the older witch set down her wand, picked up her head, and blinked at him. “Severus- what can I do for you?”
“I came, because of what I can do for you, Minerva,” the Potions Master answered. “Rather than repeat the fiasco of Heather Potter last year, I thought I would come in advance to offer my services with regards to her brother’s letter.”
Minerva huffed, eyes narrowing at the reminder. Practically the entire Hogwarts staff learned within a week of how little she’d approved of Albus stepping in when it came to the Potter letter - especially after it came out that he’d sent Hagrid off for the final delivery, as opposed to going himself, as Minerva originally assumed. “I’m half inclined to handle the matter personally, in all honesty. I didn’t like to look of those Dursleys ten years ago, and I doubt they’ve improved with time.”
“Agreed,” Severus drawled. “In fact... Did you keep abreast of certain rumors this past year, Minerva? The ones concerning Miss Potter?”
The witch frowned at him. “Not particularly, no. I thought the few I did hear sounded more like exaggeration than anything else.”
“Under-exaggerated, I’m afraid.” Severus didn’t hold back the expression of distaste creeping onto his face. “I may have, visited, Privet Drive last Christmas - which I trust you will not repeat to anyone.”
“Did you really, lad?” An interested and far too curious gleam entered Minerva’s eyes, the sort of expression that could still make Severus twitch instinctively. “And just how were Mr. and Mrs. Dursley?”
“Hardly fit to parent their own child, it seemed, let alone a pair of magical ones. Miss Potter and her brother slept in the attic, Minerva, while their cousin possessed for himself two bedrooms.”
The Transfiguration Mistress went deathly still. “...I see. I’d thought- well. When I heard something about that, I thought it to be a rather extreme punishment.”
“Decidedly not. You can check your own records; Miss Potter’s original letters were addressed to ‘the right side of the attic’.”
Minerva’s nostrils flared, and she said again, “I see.” After a pause to breathe deeply, she went on. “And will young Mister Potter’s be addressed to the left side?”
Here, Severus paused. He studied the witch across from him for a very long moment, before tentatively moving forward with his plan. “Minerva. Are you willing to keep a secret from the Headmaster? For the health and well-being of two students?”
Her eyes narrowed.
HPx2
To her credit, Minerva allowed him to explain only with a bare minimum of detail, and refrained from asking questions while Severus led her to a little used wing of the castle. The door leading to the Pottery received a raised eyebrow; stepping through the illusionary wall garnered a second. When they descended the steps into the small sanctuary below, Severus felt rather gratified to see an almost surprised expression on his fellow teacher’s face.
“Dear Merlin,” Minerva murmured, turning in place to study the entire place. “They’ve been staying here?”
“Rather successfully,” the Potions Master allowed himself to drawl with just a smidge of smugness.
“Yes, yes, I’m certain Miss Potter is well on her way to becoming a credit to your house, Severus, no need to preen over that fact.”
“Preen?”
“Like a ruddy peacock,” Minerva sniffed. “But regardless- they truly have been safe here?”
His previous good humor soured, just slightly, Severus went over a lengthier description of the steps both he and Poppy had undertaken to look after the Potter children, keeping them both healthy and the boy hidden. Minerva made thoughtful noises at a few points, as she continued inspecting the Pottery from top to bottom. Until, finally, they came to the expected question of the children’s current whereabouts.
“Eating lunch in my personal quarters, with instructions to begin summer homework afterwards.”
Both Minerva’s eyebrows near about flew off her forehead. “Alone?”
“There is a house elf monitoring the rooms,” Severus said. “But, in any case, I am willing to trust Miss Potter to obey my instructions and ensure her brother does the same.” He didn’t quite care for the shrewd frown Minerva aimed in his direction, but the witch thankfully refrained from comment. Less surprisingly, she demanded to see the children in person, prompting Severus to lead the way through the Floo.
Dishes had already been cleared away, and two heads of messy hair bent together over an assortment of books and parchment spread across the small dining table recently added to his quarters. Those heads popped up when the fireplace flared a second time, and Minerva came through.
For a long moment, she and the two Potters stared warily at each other. Then Minerva sighed, shook her head and sat down in the nearest chair. “Would you indulge me with a cup of tea, Severus?”
He answered with a brief nod, and shot a subtle smirk towards the siblings as he passed them for the kitchen. Harry grinned back, as Heather sank back in her seat with a relieved expression.
HPx2
The morning of July thirty-first, Harry Potter’s Hogwarts acceptance letter did not go out with a school owl, but rather, was hand-delivered to the Pottery by Minerva McGonagall herself. She then placed Disillusionment Charms upon both the boy and his sister, before ushering them out of the castle entirely.
Severus met them just beyond the front gate, where he and Minerva each Side-Along Apparated a Potter to the alley behind the Leaky Cauldron. The Disillusionments came off, replaced by new broad-brimmed conical hats, in the same style as the one Minerva herself wore. “These have been enchanted with Notice-Me-Not Charms,” she warned the children, “Which should discourage most eyes from lingering too long upon your faces. But if you say the wrong thing too loudly, or act out in an exceptionally dramatic manner, you could still quite easily draw attention to yourselves.”
“We won’t, Professor,” Harry quickly swore, at the same time Heather promised “We’ll be on our best behavior.”
Minerva nodded briskly, then led the way into Diagon Alley. Harry stayed close on her heels, acceptance letter in hand, but his sister dropped back to walk side by side with Severus. Expecting to be alone in bringing up the rear, he looked down to arch a brow at her.
Heather stared back, expression entirely unrepentant. “You didn’t have to come, sir. But thank you. For everything.”
He didn’t deign to reply. But one of his hands raised of its own accord, to settle lightly upon the girl’s shoulder, as they strode after his colleague and her brother.
HPx2
Back in the Pottery, a pair of battered old chess pieces sat pride of place on the mantle, guarding both sides of the box of Floo powder.
A white knight, and a black queen.