F for Friendship

Severus/Harry

No slash between Severus and Harry

Includes appearances from Remus, Sirius and possibly Draco.

Disclaimer: No money is being made from this fiction. All recognisable characters and scenarios belong to J.K Rowling.

Dear Sir/Madam,

As you are aware, dark fates have befallen the wizarding world and what once was striped with beauty, is now shrouded in an ominous humid of destruction. Following the obligations of the new ministry enforced law sectioned beneath Act 974 verse 87 part 2, titled 'Sudden Effects of Dark Affiliations Unexplained' it is necessary and unavoidable for wizarding folk in all regions of England, Ireland and Wales, who have no legally recorded spouse, to make shelter for adolescent wizards and witches in training.

This new programme, designed and signed on cert by many astound Ministry Officials will officially take action on July 4th, this coming week and will continue to run until September 1st of this year. The option of selecting whom you wish to care for is forbidden and any persons to refuse or attack, will face a full Ministry hearing and fine of 120 Galleons.

A complete list of responsibilities and actions are supplied on the attached parchment. Thank you for your efforts in supporting your community.

Mathilda Ironhorn

Department of Child Protection and Distribution of War Efforts

Severus Snape glowered down at the blue ink glistening on the parchment. His nostrils flared like wings on an eagle and he clenched his teeth tightly together. Hand shaking, he flipped over the parchment to read the attached list of responsibilities.

The following are a list of responsibilities and requirements one must make effort to uphold during this difficult time.

Child must receive 3 fine meals a day.

Child must be sheltered during obscene weathers.

Child must be encouraged to continue education set by school professors as summer work.

Child must have bedding space indoors, preferably near a source of heat.

It is the responsibility of the carer to ensure the child's safety during their stay. If any matter of endangerment to the child's life should occur, Ministry advice must be sought before action is taken. However accepting we are of giving advice, we do plead that only urgent advice be requested.

Thank you for contributing.

Severus crumpled the paper into a ball. His teeth were grinding noisily as he dug his fingernails into the palms of his hands. Only one man on the face of the earth comes up with ridiculous schemes like this. Only one man nerve enough to actually send him this scheme is none other then Albus Dumbledore. Severus knew far better then most how the ageing professor was. Sneaky was the only word to describe Dumbledore, and Severus often wondered how the sorting hat managed to confuse his abilities with that of a Gryffindor. Not that Dumbledore wasn't courageous, Severus knew he was by far one of the most brave men Merlin had gifted the magic community with, but there was something about the old wizards twinkling eyes and crooked smirk that Severus had noted in each of his own Slytherin's at Hogwarts.

"Crackpot," he growled, hurling the ball of parchment into the bin.

15 year old Harry Potter sat at his chipped study desk in the Dursley's home. He sat in a bare room, the walls striped of his Gryffindor flags and drawings. His closet and chest of drawers empty and Hedwig packed away in a clean cage. He crossed his legs beneath the desk and chewed on the tip of his quill. How was he going to phrase this. Dear Sirius, I'm being evacuated, see you soon I guess, Harry? That was hardly a heartfelt letter dripping with his pleas of rescue from this new evacuation scheme.

He dug the palm of his hand into his forehead and hastily dipped his quill in ink.

Dear Sirius,

I'm fine. How are you?

This morning, I received a letter from Mathilda Ironhorn, she's a ministry official that deals with child protection. She said I'm being evacuated, along with a lot of other wizards. I don't know what this all means, I just know I'm being taken from the Dursley's this evening and being shipped off to some strangers house.

Do you know anything about this? Send word as quick as you can with Hedwig.

Harry.

Letting Hedwig out of her cage, he attached the letter to her scaly leg and released her through the window. He sat for a while on the ledge, watching her dark silhouette fade quickly beyond chimney tops. His green eyes roamed the horizon of the suburbs. Times were hard here. Now that the ministry were in full acceptance of Voldemorts return, Harry could see the destruction everywhere he went. He saw the shadow of doubt in the aged faces of muggles as they shivered and paced quickly about their business… even they realised a gloomy force. The days were getting longer and darker, it was like some sort of reverse season. It was cold in Little Whinging, far colder then ever before.

A gust of wind swooped through the window, rustling a few loose papers on Harry's desk. He shut the window, that cold feeling of paranoia cloaked him. He knew he was protected by strong magic, the entire house was, but everywhere he went, he got that strange feeling that he was being watched. His next step could be his last. He knew how quickly apparation could occur. One minute your there, the next your not.

Sinking into his bed he stared up at the ceiling, his thoughts drifting to Hogwarts, then to Sirius, to his best friends Ron and Hermione, his firebolt, Dumbledore and then back to Hogwarts. He missed his beloved castle. It was the only place he ever felt at home and he just wished that everything was OK, that there was no sinister force stalking his every move and that he could just be in peace. His eyes began to flutter and he yawned. He'd like to go somewhere with trees and fields and lots of kind warm people.

It was with an abrupt force that Harry felt himself falling. Sharp jagged rocks lept out from the side of the cliff. They pierced his skin, scraped his joints and as he hurtled, a shadowy figure rose from the depths below him. The figure slowly unfolded itself from the crouching position it had been in. Harry clawed desperately at the jagged rocks closing in around him. His fingernails cracked beneath the effort of clutching to whatever piece of rock he could feel. He trashed about as he fell, beads of sweat dripping from his face. The hooded figure below was drawing nearer and nearer and Harry saw the darkness conceal him. A long, thin, bony hand pulled back the figures hood and green eyes might blood thirsty red snake slit eyes. He screamed.

Harry jumped, realising he had fallen out of his bed. He scrambled back against his bed side table, knocking his lamp with a shattering crash to the floor.

"Hello Harry," a gentle voice greeted him.

He looked up into the face of Remus Lupin. Remus had aged considerably since Harry last saw him, two years ago during his defence against the dark arts position at Hogwarts. He had gotten a lot thinner and Harry noticed a few extra scars littered across his face.

"Bit of a bad dream I'm guessing," Remus said, offering his hand to Harry. Harry took it, allowing himself to be hoisted to an upright position. "Nothing a slab of chocolate won't cure."

Harry grinned, accepting the chocolate frog from Remus.

"What are you doing here, Professor?" he asked, trying not to sound rude, but knowing it sounded that way regardless.

"Please, Harry, I am no longer your professor therefore you need not call my such," Remus smiled, motioning towards the chocolate in Harry's hand, "Eat it."

To satisfy his former professor, Harry unwrapped the frog and allowed it to leap onto his bed, he snatched it up and took a bite of it. Only then did Remus move from where he stood and began opening and closing drawers.

"I assume you have everything packed then?" he asked, sieving through the sheets of paper on Harry's desk.

"Yes, I do, but that still doesn't explain what's going on."

Remus locked Hedwig's cage and placed it on top of Harry's trunk. "You got your letter, didn't you?" he said.

Harry nodded, picking up his wand from the table and stuffing it into his waist band.

"Then you should know what's going on," Remus said, clicking his fingers and then quickly striding to a corner of the room, "I smell chocolate, down there." He pointed down at the floorboards and Harry made a gasping noise.

"That's my secret place," Harry explained, crouching down and wedging his fingers into the crack in the floor, lifting up a section of floorboard, "When I first started Hogwarts, for my birthday Hermione, Hagrid and the Weasley's would send me sweets, but as soon as my cousin sniffed them out or got wind of it, he'd snatch them all up, so I broke off the floorboards and hid them in here."

"Handy," said Remus, clearly impressed, "I don't think your professors would be to pleased if you forgot that." He continued, smiling when Harry sheepishly pulled out a roll of homework parchment.

"I guess not," he said, tossing the contents of his secret place into his trunk and clicking it shut. "That's everything then."

"After you then," Remus said, grabbing the handle of Harry's trunk.

Harry picked up Hedwig's cage and manoeuvred out the door with it. He made a mental note to perhaps shrink it a bit for moving purposes in future. Going down the stairs was a delicate procedure, Harry was terrified of breaking one of the Dursley's family portraits, more so he was terrified in case Remus did. Vernon Dursley had recently declared his tyrance against any freak who stepped foot in his house and Harry didn't doubt the mans temper. Years of cowering got old and Vernon decided to reclaim his house from potential freak visitors.

"Do they know you're here?" Harry asked, catching the other end of the trunk and helping Remus to wedge it free of the sharp bend on the stairs.

"They were a bit shocked, I can tell you, but with a few persuasive words and one or to flashes of my wand," Remus said, smirking slightly, "they were more then willing to sit quietly. Your aunt, however, a nasty piece of work."

Harry grinned, leading Remus to the living room. He fought to keep a straight face at the sight that met him. His relatives sat up straight and stiff, rooted to the chairs in their precious living room. Harry immediately recognised the presence of a body binding spell. Never before had he seen such similarities between Dudley and a frightened pig up for slaughter. His small eyes darted frantically around the room and every so often he'd leave out a heave as he struggled to keep his balance on the edge of the couch.

"Well I'm off then," Harry said, "I guess I'll see you next year. Bye."

Vernon Dursley growled heavily and Harry couldn't help but smirk.

"Good day and thank your for being so cooperative," Remus said, closing the living room door and picking up Harry's trunk. "A car is waiting for us outside."

Harry nodded, following Remus down the drive way and towards a black car he recognised as being a ministry car. Remus put his trunk and cage in the back and slipped in beside him. A musty smell encased the inside of the car and Harry scrunched up his nose.

"It's the best we can do," Remus said, "The ministry were only just willing to allow me come and get you. They wanted to send Doloros Umbridge."

Harry pulled a face at the vivid memories he had of that old beast. "So why are you collecting me, where am I going?" Harry asked. "I sent word to Sirius this morning with Hedwig, I don't know what's going on."

Remus shifted in his seat and rolled the window down, for which Harry was thankful.

"Times are hard Harry," he began, staring straight ahead, "As you know all to well. Now that the ministry have finally opened their eyes to the truth, the dangers are all to clear. All across England dark activities have been noted, even as far as Ireland, and to be truly honest, support isn't what we expected. Although the ministry accepts that You Know Who is back, they refuse to release the information collected. People are being kept in the dark."

"But why can't the Order release the information?"

"We've been doing that since the graveyard incident, Harry. No one is taking us seriously, Fudge has them brainwashed into supporting Ministry activity. All we can do is recruit our own and continue with the struggle. As we speak, Dumbledore is going head to head with a full Ministry meeting. All the officials have turned up from Ireland and Wales and .."

"What's that got to do with me though?" Harry interrupted. "I'm not understanding this."

Remus rubbed his hands together and shifted again. "You're a hazard Harry. You're a target, you're THE target. This new child protection act passed was brought into affect primarily by Dumbledore for you, but the Ministry took most of the credit for it, saying that they're evacuating all at risk adolescents because of a suspicious unexplained dark presence. Did you notice what department Ms Ironhorn was from?"

Harry frowned. "Child protection." he said, turning to Remus.

"And Distribution of War Efforts," Remus added, "The magic around the Dursley's house is coming under question. A few glitches have occurred at Headquarters, we've noted that our disillusionment charms and magical concealments of our presence are faltering. Something is interfering with them and we don't know who or what it is. The Ministry lied to you in that letter, I shouldn't be telling you this, but I'm not going to keep you in the dark Harry. Only at risk wizards and witches are being evacuated. Children from the likes of dark arts families, notably a lot of your Slytherin classmates have been taken from their families and scattered throughout England and Wales, for protection from their own. It's not just Slytherin though," Remus continued, "Two Hufflepuff students have been evacuated, along with one Ravenclaw and a soon to be first year at Hogwarts whose entire family have been in Gryffindor."

Harry said nothing. He tried to take it all in, but it seemed unnatural. He always knew he was a risk, but this was the first time that anyone had said to him he was a hazard. He felt bad, at fault. He knew the entire wizarding worlds faith lay with him and at some point, he'd have to go head to head with the most dreaded wizard in history, but he questioned his abilities.

"Don't feel bad, Harry," Remus said, laying a hand on his shoulder, "Things will be OK and we're working on it."

Harry nodded, turning to face the window. He watched the busy city fly by. Muggles bustled about with bags full of shopping, teenagers rested against walls drinking soda and laughing and talking. Harry wondered how many of those people were wizards. He decided the happy ones must be wizards, because they apparently knew nothing of what was out there. The muggles must be the sad ones, or the frightened ones; though they held no magical ability, they had amazing sensory skills and so it seemed, could pick up on the activity. Most of the journey went by in silence, Harry didn't even think to ask Remus how he was doing and the thought of Sirius and Grummauled place never once crossed his mind. It wasn't until the busy city shops and cars began to fade, did Harry turn to Remus and ask "Where am I going?"

Remus, who had been fiddling with a piece of string hanging from his trousers, jumped slightly. He scratched the front of his head and pushed his hair back into a tangled mess.

"Well Harry you're going to be staying with a friend of the Order. He's a good wizard who lives in a little village a few miles away from Hogwarts. The Hogwarts express actually passes the village on the way to the castle, you might have noticed it a few times, although I doubt it, it's a pretty obscure place. You won't really find it, unless you look for it."

Harry's mood lightened a little. A friend of the order meant contact with the order. It was familiarity, something to hold onto. Harry clung to the prospect of a comfortable stay with this stranger, maybe it wouldn't be to bad.

"What's his name?" Harry asked.

Remus cleared his throat and shifted uncomfortably. "I'm sure there will be time for introductions once you get there," he said, "He's a really talented wizard, very fair. He can be strict at times, but it's understanding where it comes from. Just try to be pleasant OK, it'll make things easier."

Harry nodded, wondering why Remus was so adamant on proclaiming the actual niceness of the wizard. Perhaps others hated this stranger, for false reasons, and maybe Remus wanted to assure Harry that the wizard, although surly was actually really good deep down. Harry mentally shrugged. It didn't really bother him who he was put with, as long as this person had contact with the Order, he'd be fine.

As they drove through the fading city, green and yellow fields came into view. Harry spotted a few cows and sheep in the fields and every 2 or 3 miles, he saw a farm house. He even spotted some railroad tracks and wondered aloud were they the Hogwarts tracks. Remus confirmed that they were indeed and then continued to tell Harry a tale of his Hogwarts days, where James, Sirius, Peter and himself had once cycled the tracks in there youth, seeing if they could actually make it to Hogwarts. Harry then shared his own experiences with those tracks, relaying the tail of the flying Ford Angula.

Hours passed and eventually, as the sun began to sink in the horizon, a little cottage came into view. They drove passed it and another cottage appeared, which they drove passed. The car took a left turn down a thin dirt road and rounded a bend into a cobbled square. In the middle of the square was a fountain and around it a few shops. Harry saw a sweet shop, a post office, a tailors shop and then they passed 2 rows of cottages until they reached another dirt road. The ministry car slowed to a halt as it came to the end of the long road. Harry leaned forward and in the barely light night, he could see a cottage with a little garden out front and a thick brick wall surrounding it. A large black iron gate barred the entrance and no sign of activity showed in the house. It was in complete darkness.

"Get out," grunted the driver in an impatient deep voice.

Harry swivelled out the door and helped Remus with his trunk. The car reversed quickly, sending a pile of dust showering onto there heads. Remus scowled.

"Should have tipped him, I guess," he muttered, grabbing one end of the trunk and dragging it towards the gate. He undid the latch and motioned for Harry to follow him through. Remus silently shut the gate, making sure to redo the latch. The front garden had a pine bench and flowers surrounded the wall. It was nice. Very welcoming looking. There was a name plate pinned to the wall beside the green door, but Harry couldn't make the letters out, it was to dark. Remus lifted the heavy brass knocker and dropped it. Harry shivered, in the obscure, desolate country darkness, the thud echoed for miles.

"Remember what I said," Remus told him.

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Let me know what you think, where you would like this little tale to go and what you forsee as the outcomes of many of the situations the characters face.

- Antonin Dolohov (A.D)