Disclaimer: I do not own any of this story it belongs to the wonderful J.K. Rowling... I just enjoy coming up with scenarios for the characters to play out. :)

This is my first fic that I have posted. I write them all the time I just don't ever have the guts to post them... I honestly don't think they are very good but decided to post this one after some encouragement from a friend. Please forgive any grammatical errors.

This is set at the end of first year. Will eventually end up with Snape adopting Harry... There will be mentions of abuse by the Dursleys. Snape will be slightly OOC.

It will change between Snape and Harry's POV.

"Absolutely not! That brat is not staying with me for the summer. Is it not enough that I deal with dunderheads all term? Now you try to hoist one off on me for the summer!"

I scowled at the meddling old coot standing in front of me with that damn twinkle in his eye.

"Severus I'm afraid I have no choice. He can not return to his relatives; their treatment of him leaves much to be desired. You made a promise to protect him!"

"Yes to protect him, not allow him to move into my home."

"Please, Severus. Do it for Lily."

Damn. Of course he would use my weakness. He might as well have brought the boy in to plead with me with those bloody green eyes. Green eyes that taunted me from a face that looked like James Potter.

"Even if I were to agree what makes you think Potter would?"

Albus sighed," You two must get past your differences. I will leave it up to you to tell Harry where he will be going this summer. This is not up for negotiation."

"Very well but he will live by my rules. I will not have any interference."

Clearly Albus was expecting that answer because he merely smiled, nodded, and then left leaving me alone in my office.

I groaned, "How the bloody hell do I get myself into stuff like this? Oh yeah, I made the brilliant decision to join the Dark Lord and now must atone for my mistakes. Right… Now I remember…"

Silence met my declaration. I had no choice. There was no other option for the boy or me. I would take care of him to the best of my abilities, never mind that he is a miniature James Potter. It was the least I could do. How was I going to tell him, though? If it was under normal circumstances I would enjoy tormenting him with this knowledge, however, under such conditions as the ones I found myself currently in I could not bring myself to do that. If he was to live with me he had to trust me and I didn't want him to think that he would receive the same treatment as he did while with his relatives. With patience on my part maybe we could make this work. Putting on my usual facade I stepped out of my office and headed in the direction of the infirmary. Due to his recent foolhardy adventure Mr. Potter had found himself under Poppy's care. We would have to have a talk about his Gryffindor tendencies. Poppy met me at the door.

"Severus, do you need something?"

"Not from you," I drawled," I need to have a word with Mr. Potter."

"I will not have you provoking my patient Severus Snape."

I sneered," My mere presence seems to do that to most students Poppy. I will do my very best but the information I bring will be distressing to him."

Poppy glared at me. I scowled back; I was the master at the art of glaring, an art form I had carefully crafted over my years of teaching.

"Albus has appointed me as his guardian for the summer. It will be best if I tell him now so that he may have a few weeks to grow accustomed to the idea."

"Perhaps you should wait a few more days, Severus."

"Poppy, Albus will be here tomorrow with the temporary guardianship papers. I will not sign them without Har- Mr. Potter's knowledge."

"His friends are visiting with him right now."

I grinned devilishly.

"I can assure you that Granger and Weasley will flee as soon as the greasy git of the dungeon appears. Gryffindor courage and loyalty only goes so far."

Poppy admonished me with a playful slap.

"Severus you must not persist in tormenting the children."

"I have a part to play Poppy. My role as a spy must be protected therefore I must keep up an appearance of evil death eater. Being the greasy git or, my personal favorite, dungeon bat, is a role I must play."

The tone of my voice was slightly bitter; I was not an easy person to get along with but I was not as sadistic as my students liked to believe.

"Very well, but do not stay long. Mr. Potter needs his rest."

"Yes, rest he could have been getting if the other two thirds of the golden trio did not feel the need to visit him."

My sarcastic comment was met with a rebuking slap to the back of my head.

"Honestly Poppy sometimes you treat me like a first year."

I strode away, trying to avoid another slap. I approached the bed that Weasley and Granger hovered over. Harry's smaller than average form lay on the bed. He smiled at something Miss Granger said causing me to almost smile as well. I schooled my face and steeped up to the foot of the bed.

"How touching. A friendly reunion of the golden trio; what a very Hufflepuff moment. As much as I loathe interrupting it, I need a word with Mr. Potter."

Not surprisingly Granger and Weasley didn't put up much of a fight; they did send him a sympathetic look to his pleading one. After they exited the infirmary I spoke.

"Mr. Potter I have something of the utmost importance to tell you."

-HP-

I lay on the bed trying not to appear scared. I had defeated Voldemort but yet my potions professor left me trembling in fear.

"Professor?"

"After Poppy performed a scan to assess the damage caused by your idiotic adventure she discovered signs of injuries that are very old, dating to right before you came to Hogwarts. The injuries did not heal properly."

I neither confirmed nor denied this. I had learned long ago not to tell about anything that might hurt the Dursley's image.

"You may not with so say anything but I will say that we have spoken to your relatives. After being persuaded by means that I can not impart they revealed what had caused your injuries. You will not be returning to them."

This prompted me to speak.

"If I don't go there where will I go?"

-SS-

Harry's worried voice met my ears. It didn't surprise me that he had noting to say about his injuries. At his age I too had remained silent.

"Ah, now we get to the question whose answer will bring you the most distress. The Headmaster has appointed me as your temporary guardian for the summer. You will be residing with me."

-HP-

My heart rate sped up. I would be going from one hell to another. How could Dumbledore consider Snape as my guardian? He would torment me all summer. I could hear the taunts now, most pertaining to me being like my arrogant father. Despite my inner turmoil I refused to allow my emotions to show.

"Residing with you sir? But the blood wards…"

"Damn the bloody blood wards Harry! You are not safe there."

My control slightly broke with Professor Snape's obvious concern. Where had this man been all year as I was taunted in potions? Where had he been when I was five and making breakfast but not allowed to eat? When I was three and in my cupboard, terrified of the dark?

"I've managed fine for eleven years. Now I only have to return every summer until I am of age. What is the point of someone worrying now?"

-SS-

I didn't have to use Legilimens to know that Harry was getting worked up. That was understandable; Merlin knows what type of abuse he had suffered and now that someone was concerned he didn't know how to react. Anger was understandable. That question why was one that was never easily answered.

"The headmaster did not know about your treatment. I can assure you that he would have found somewhere else for you to stay had he known."

"Why do you care?"

That question caused me more pain than I cared to admit. Here, standing before me, was an eleven year old boy, the chilled of my best friend whom I tormented due to a grudge against his father. The excuse of my role as a spy had been used for revenge against a man who had protected his family with his life. Bitterness had made me blind.

"Harry, my treatment of you has been deplorable. There is no excuse for it. I will not try to excuse myself nor will I even ask for forgiveness because I do not deserve it. All I can ask is that we try to move past that and attempt to get along. I am not an easy man to live with, I will admit that, but I'm afraid neither of us has a choice. Albus is insisting."

-HP-

I couldn't believe what I was hearing. Professor Snape, the dreaded potions master, was apologizing. Not only that, he was going to let me live with him. Anything would be better than the Dursleys. Perhaps Snape and I would get on just fine. I spoke my thoughts aloud without thinking.

"Ron is going to freak out."

-SS-

I tried to fight it. I tried really hard. I knew I would pay for it later but the image that was created due to Harry's words, the image of Mr. Weasley's face upon learning this information was to much for me to handle. I laughed; in fact I laughed harder than I had in years. The look on Harry's face caused me to laugh even harder. After I caught my breath I attempted to place my customary sneer on my face, a feat hard to manage due to my mirth.

"This will be our secret Mr. Potter. Do not speak of what you have just witnessed to anybody."

-HP-

I couldn't believe it; Snape was laughing and joking with me.

"They wouldn't believe me Professor even if I did reveal that information. They might think you had given me a potion or perhaps that you had been inhaling too many fumes."

"My dear Mr. Potter, the only affect of the fumes on me is seen by the state of my hair."

I smiled, who would have thought that the cranky potions master had a sense of humor?

"Well, Mr. Potter, I am under strict orders not to disturb you for long. I shall return tomorrow with the Headmaster so you may witness the signing of the temporary guardianship papers."

"May I tell my friends?"

"Miss Granger and Mr. Weasley may know but they must be sworn to secrecy for now. This can not be made public. I will have to treat you as I did before when we are in class. Now, rest. Poppy can be quiet a witch when one doesn't do what they are told."

-SS-

As soon I said that Poppy came out of no where and slapped me in the back of my head.

"Severus Snape! You will see an angry witch if you do not leave and allow Mr. Potter to rest."

I growled," I will leave when I am done talking to my ward."

That statement was more a retaliation than anything else; I had been about to leave, I just didn't want to give Poppy the satisfaction of thinking she had kicked me out.

"Severus…"

"Very well; Mr. Potter I will see you tomorrow. Do as Poppy tells you to."

I spun around on my heel, secretly satisfied with the way in which my cloak billowed out behind me as I walked out.

Please Review... Will try to update soon