Fine Lines

Chapter 1: The Best Laid Plans…

     It was turning out to be one of those days. There was no concrete evidence that pointed in the direction of one of those days but he knew, as he sat there in the headmaster’s office and awaited the arrival of the others, that the day was heading in a decidedly downward trajectory.

     “Would you care for some tea while we wait for everyone else?” the headmaster asked.

     “I was under the impression that this was not a social call, Albus.”

     Albus Dumbledore shrugged. “I have found, Severus, that it is always the occasion for tea.”

     Severus fixed his dark eyes on Albus. “Why do I always feel as if I am about to be interrogated whenever you offer me tea?”

     Whatever reply Albus was about to make was lost as the door to his office opened and admitted the three others that they had been waiting for. Albus smiled at each of them and gestured to the three empty chairs arranged around his desk. Severus merely scowled, wishing that he could get away from them all and get back to his office. His scowl deepened further when a brief squabble broke out over who would end up being the unfortunate who had to sit in the seat next to him.

     “Good day Minerva, Hermione, Ron,” Albus greeted each of them individually as they sat down. “I’m pleased that you could join us on such short notice.”

     “Severus,” Hermione said politely as she sat down next to him in an effort to placate Ron, who glared at him before dropping down next to Hermione.

     Severus nodded in return, not feeling any pressing desire to expend the effort to actually speak to her. He didn’t even bother with Ron, which suited Ron just fine since he was bent on ignoring Severus as much as possible. Glancing over at Albus, Severus was annoyed to find that he and Minerva had started up a conversation on the new First Years. Growing more and more impatient to begin the meeting and get it over with as soon as possible, Severus finally decided that nothing short of interruption would get their attention.

     “We are all here now, Albus, unless you invited someone else that you did not deign to tell us about.”

     Dumbledore looked over at him for a moment, glanced around the room, and then blinked, as if he was surprised to find that everyone was indeed present. “Well, so you are. Why don’t we get started then?”

     The battle not to roll his eyes was one that Severus won by the smallest of margins.

     “I have news to share with you, that will ease some of your burdens,” Albus paused, looking meaningfully at Hermione and Ron before allowing his gaze to flicker to Severus in a way that made Severus slightly uneasy. “Or perhaps add to them.”

     As Hermione and Ron exchanged looks of confusion, Severus focused on the silent communication that was passing between Albus and Minerva. They’re up to something, he thought, suddenly feeling a sinking suspicion that his life was about to get far more complicated than he was comfortable with.

     “Harry has been found,” Albus stated, when the former students’ eyes had focused on him again.

     Hermione’s eyes widened. “He has? Where?”

     Ron was lunging out of his chair before he had even begun speaking. “Let’s go get him! Where is he?”

     This is about Potter. The suspicion grew worse.

     “Wait, wait. Everyone calm down. Ron, please have a seat. The situation is a bit more complex than that,” the headmaster took a sip of tea, patiently waiting until Ron stopped pacing around and sat back down.

     “To answer the where: his current location is in the United States, New York City to be exact. However,” he held up a hand as Ron fidgeted, looking as if he was about to Apparate to the foreign city right there on the spot. “We cannot just go barging into his life and drag him back here. From all accounts, it would appear that he has lost his memory.”

     “What?!” Ron exclaimed. “He lost his memory? How is that possible?”

     “During the battle with Voldemort, Harry suffered injuries to both his mind and his body. When he returned to the Dursley’s, we did not know the extent of those injuries. Once he left, we lost all contact with him. It was his aunt, I don’t doubt it,” Dumbledore shook his head. “Whatever the case, ever since then I’ve been trying to locate him, sending some of my most trusted colleagues in search of him.”

     “His loss of memory explains why we have not been able to find him these last five years,” Minerva explained, looking back and forth between Ron and Hermione. “He has not had contact with the wizarding world, remaining safely out of our reach in the realm of the Muggles. It was only chance that one of our kind saw him.”

     “Are you sending someone to get him and bring him back?” Hermione asked, shushing Ron who looked as if he were about to have apoplexy from the lack of movement in Harry’s general direction.

     Another one of those silent communications passed between Albus and Minerva before Albus answered Hermione’s question. “In a manner of speaking. We cannot simply abduct Harry from his current life. Someone must go to the United States, gain his trust, and discover whether or not it is possible for him to regain his memories.”

     “I’ll go!” Ron volunteered, only barely waiting for Dumbledore to finish speaking.

     “I am afraid that that is not possible, Ron. Your Auror skills are needed in a matter somewhat related to this one,” Dumbledore looked at Severus, who wondered hopefully if his part in all this had finally arrived so that he could say what he had to and leave the rest of them to their debating on how best to handle the newest Potter situation.

     “Lately I have been feeling the first stirrings of the Dark Mark,” Severus said bluntly.

     Hermione gasped and Ron’s eyes widened. “But Voldemort is dead!” he protested.

     “There were those Death Eaters who escaped capture following Voldemort’s death,” Severus paused to look them both in the eyes. “Lucius Malfoy got away.”

     Ron swore, the enmity between them momentarily forgotten in the face of a greater evil. “That bastard. He’s trying to revive Voldemort?”

     Severus shook his head. “No. He is seeking to become the next Dark Lord, attempting to tap into the powers that Voldemort commanded. The Dark Mark is the symbol of the Dark Lord, not the personal standard of Voldemort.”

     “Lucius must be caught,” Minerva said, leaning forward to look intently at Ron. “That is where you, as an Auror, come in.”

     “What does this have to do with Harry?” Ron asked.

     “For Lucius to cement himself as the new Dark Lord, he must kill Potter,” Severus replied, wondering how dense Weasley could possibly be and yet still manage to stay alive as an Auror. “If he can succeed where Voldemort failed, if he can kill the ‘Boy Who Lived’, the followers of the Dark Powers will flock to him, whether or not he is in full command of the power Voldemort once held.”

     “Are you saying that you want me to fight Lucius Malfoy?” Ron asked incredulously, looking back and forth between the three professors.

     Albus shook his head. “No, Ron. As an Auror, you must find him. We do not know where he is, nor how many followers he already has.”

     Hermione looked shrewdly at Albus. “You want Harry back so that he can fight Lucius Malfoy.”

     “Only partially, Hermione. If Lucius can be found before he gains control of Voldemort’s power, Harry’s power will not be needed. Ron, and the few others we can completely trust, will be enough to apprehend him. If, however, he becomes the next Dark Lord before he can be found, we will need Harry to defeat him, just as we needed Harry to defeat Voldemort.”

     “So I find Lucius and someone else finds Harry? That’s the plan?” Ron asked Dumbledore.

     The headmaster nodded. “Essentially yes.”

     Ron grinned at Hermione. “Guess that’s where you come in, huh ‘Mione?”

     “Not exactly,” Minerva answered, glancing once again at Dumbledore before proceeding. “Hermione will be needed here, to fill a vacant teaching position here at Hogwarts.”

     Hermione gaped at her. “What? Why, Professor McGonagall?”

     Severus raised an eyebrow skeptically. “Granger is going to teach a class? With no experience? What class is she to teach?”

     Another, more meaningful glance passed between Dumbledore and McGonagall. This particular glance was different from the other meaningful glances that they had been exchanging, in that it seemed as if they were drawing straws to see which of them would tell him. But why the trepidation? The only reason for them to be this apprehensive is if…

     “No.”

     All the eyes in the room turned to Severus.

     “No, Albus. No. Absolutely not.”

     “Now Severus,” Albus began, obviously having drawn the short straw.

     “Why?” Severus may have taken getting passed over for the Defense Against the Dark Arts position in silence, but he was going to damned if he was going to sit there quietly and watch as his current job was handed over to Hermione Granger. “After all this time, after all that we’ve been through, you’re going to fire me? Am I now suddenly less trustworthy?”

     “Professor Dumbledore, surely you don’t mean for me to replace Professor Snape,” Hermione interjected, trying to forestall the argument that was so obviously on its way.

     Unfortunately, Ron was unable to keep his mouth shut and only succeeded in exacerbating the problem when he smirked at Severus and said to Hermione, “I don’t know, Hermione. You’d make a good Potions Master, and the students might actually learn something for once.”

     “You, Weasley, are not one to be speaking of learning anything, as your expertise in that area is severely lacking,” Severus snarled.

     Seeing the continuation of the Snape-Weasley feud that had been going on since their first year at Hogwarts, Hermione quickly broke in with, “I don’t want to take Severus’ job from him! I’m not even qualified for it.”

     “Severus, Albus isn’t questioning your loyalties or your teaching abilities,” McGonagall said, drawing Severus’ attention away from Ron. “He isn’t even saying that you’re to be fired. If you would just-”

     “You’re in on this too, Minerva?” Severus asked bitterly.

     “In on what? Severus no one is trying to get rid of you!”

     “That’s what you think,” Ron muttered under his breath.

     Severus whirled to face Ron just as Hermione snapped, “Ron! I can’t believe you!”

     “What? I can’t be honest?” he asked defensively.

     “Severus, really, if you’d just calm down a moment and let us explain,” Minerva tried again.

     Albus Dumbledore sat there in silence a moment longer as the argument grew louder and more heated. Finally, when it seemed as if Hermione was about to slap Ron and Severus was going to get up and walk out, the headmaster raised his hands. “All right now everyone, that’s enough,” he said sternly, allowing just enough of an edge into his voice to effectively stop the shouting.

     When they all proved that the silence was going to last beyond that second, Albus continued. “Ron please, stop antagonizing Severus. That is not helping anything. Hermione, calm down and don’t worry. You are more than qualified to teach Potions for a year or two while Severus is away.”

     “Away?” Severus broke in indignantly. “Where am I going? I was not aware that I had vacation plans,” he finished sarcastically.

     Albus sighed. “Severus, please. You are not getting fired. Nor is Hermione replacing you indefinitely. I merely have a mission that I’d like you to accept, and since it involves leaving Hogwarts for a time, I need someone to teach your class.”

     “You have a mission for me?” Severus looked skeptical. “Why did you not just say that then, instead of first announcing Granger’s sudden promotion?”

     “I apologize for that, Severus. I never intended on telling you in that manner,” here Albus shot a look of mild annoyance at Ron, who had the grace to mutter a sullen, “Sorry Professor.”

     Severus glared at him a moment longer before sighing. It’s not like it matters anyway. What Dumbledore wants, he eventually gets. I might as well just do it and get it over with. “What’s the mission then, Albus?”

     “It’s simple really,” Dumbledore replied, his optimistic tone immediately causing Severus to raise his guard. “You just have to go protect Harry and help him regain his memory.”

     Severus’ eyes widened. He hates me. The man absolutely and completely despises me.

     “You’ve got to be kidding!” Ron objected. “You’re sendingSnape to win Harry’s trust? Snape?!”

     “For once, Weasley, I am in complete agreement with you,” Severus muttered darkly.

     For a brief moment, Albus found himself wishing for something stronger than tea as he took another sip in an effort to calm his nerves. “Look at it this way Severus, Ron. Lucius will be sending his followers after Harry, whether he’s here at Hogwarts or out in the Muggle world. Someone must be able to protect him from anything that Lucius is capable of sending after him. Having been a Death Eater, Severus will know if one of the others is nearby. His talent with potions notwithstanding, Severus is also one of the most powerful wizards at this school. If anyone can protect Harry when he is most vulnerable, Severus can.”

     “This is not just about protecting Potter, Albus. You want him to trust the one you’re sending enough for him to allow that person to get close to him. You want this person to be able to jog Potter’s memory of who he was before he fought Voldemort. And you think that I am this person?” Severus shook his head in complete bafflement. “By all that you hold holy Albus, what is wrong with you? In case you’ve forgotten, Potter and I loathe each other.”

     Ron glanced at Snape out of the corner of his eyes and couldn’t resist muttering, “He’s not the only one.” Hermione glared at him and although Severus heard him, he chose to ignore the comment.

     “Harry won’t remember you to hate you,” McGonagall pointed out.

     “I will remember him!”

     “Severus…” Albus said quietly.

     “How am I supposed to get close to him anyway?” Severus asked. “You cannot just expect me to walk up to him and feed him some line about wanting to be his friend.”

     “Harry is a junior at a university,” Dumbledore supplied.

     “So what?”

     “So all we have to do is enroll you as a student there and fix it so that you become his roommate,” Dumbledore said, sounding incredibly pleased with himself.

     Severus couldn’t help wondering if perhaps Albus was getting nearer to retirement than he had originally thought. “In case you haven’t realized, Albus, I am not a twenty year old man any longer. I will not fit in at this university.”

     “Nonsense,” Dumbledore waved a hand dismissively at Snape’s argument. “Plenty of Muggles in their thirties attend college.”

     Severus cast about for any other argument he could reasonably provide, seeing so much wrong with this plan that it couldn’t help but fail. Convincing Albus Dumbledore of that fact, however, was not so easy. “I don’t even look like a Muggle, Albus. I cannot just show up wearing my Hogwarts robes. Besides, I don’t know anything about Muggles and their lives.”

     Albus smiled. This was an easily solvable problem. “Not to worry, Severus. Between the four of us,” here Dumbledore gestured around the table, “we shouldn’t have any difficulty disguising you as a Muggle.”

     “I come from a Muggle family, Severus. I’ve got some idea of what appropriate college attire is for Muggles,” Hermione was quick to add.

     “Yeah Snape, don’t worry,” Ron remarked with a smile that told Severus that he should indeed be worrying. A lot. “Between me and ‘Mione here, we’ll have you looking and acting like a Muggle in no time.”

     Severus turned to Dumbledore, a look of pure, abject horror on his face. Albus merely smiled and laid a comforting hand on Severus’ shoulder. “Do not worry, old friend. Minerva and I shall be there too, making sure that they don’t get too outrageous.”

     While Dumbledore meant that to be as reassuring as possible, Severus knew Dumbledore and his opinion of what constituted outrageous and what didn’t. Groaning, Severus slumped over in his chair and put his face in his hands, shaking his head as if to deny it all. Yes indeed. Today was definitely one of those days.