The three Dursleys were seated around the kitchen table. Uncle Vernon was browsing through the mail, and Aunt Petunia was pouring tea for Dudley, who looked furious and sulky as usual.

"There you are, Diddy darling," said Aunt Petunia, handing him the cup.

Uncle Vernon gave a great sigh, and picked up another envelope.

"What is this?" Uncle Vernon glared at Harry. "Letter from the... likes of you? What have you done this time?"

"Me? Nothing!"

"Hm. At least this time they sent the right stamps, instead of cluttering the envelope like only abnormal people would do."

(Uncle Vernon was referring to the mail that the Weasleys had sent him two years ago, when, not knowing how many stamps she should put, Mrs Weasley had covered the entire envelope with stamps, much to Uncle Vernon's exasperation.)

Uncle Vernon took the paper out of the envelope, suspiciously. It was an utterly normal sheet of paper. Only one sheet. Keeping some distance from the letter, he started to read.

Harry kept shifting his weight from one foot to the other. What could that damn letter say?

Uncle Vernon frowned. A slight spasm crossed his large purple face. Finally, he handed the letter to Harry. "What they say there... is it right? Or is there some trick here?"

Dying of curiosity, Harry took the letter.

Dear Mr Dursley,

We write to inform you that your nephew, Mr Harry James Potter, is required to take a Remedial Program, to be administered between August 14th and August 17th, under the tutelage of a professor of our school.

Your nephew will remain under our care during this period. Afterwards, he will be escorted to the Weasleys' house, where he shall spend the remainder of his summer holidays.

Professor Snape will arrive to pick Mr Harry Potter up on August 14th, at 9 o'clock.

Yours sincerely,

Minerva McGonagall
Deputy Headmistress

Harry widened his eyes. Professor Snape? What the heck? August 14 would be the day after the next; Snape had spent the night with him two days before and hadn't told him anything about that.

"Er... It's true. I have to take this Remedial Program. I haven't told you before because I didn't know I would have to take it during my holidays."

Uncle Vernon narrowed his eyes at his nephew mistrustfully. Aunt Petunia grimaced, as if disgusted, and Dudley seemed terrified - probably because his experiences with "Harry's lot" hadn't been exactly pleasant.

~* ~* ~

Harry barely could sleep on the night of August 13. He had packed all his belongings the previous evening and, at six o'clock, he was already pacing his bedroom. Hedwig was awake and excited too.

"Hedwig, do you like Severus? He always brings you your favourite bread..."

Hedwig tipped her head, seeming to ponder.

"Yeah, we're going to get out of here, soon. I don't know where we're going to, but anywhere is better than here, isn't it?

Hedwig hooted cheerfully.

~* ~* ~

Uncle Vernon had made a point of waiting for the professor's arrival - which naturally made him furious, because he would arrive late at work. Dudley had taken his breakfast and was hiding in his bedroom, with a heap of snacks and sweets. Petunia was doing the housework as always.

It was still ten minutes to the appointed hour, but Uncle Vernon kept shooting nervous looks through the window all the time. "I hope he has the decency to dress properly, " he snarled.

Merlin! What would Snape be wearing? He had never seen Snape wearing anything but black robes - or perhaps green ones - socially. And how would he get there? Harry hoped that he wouldn't try to come by Floo, like the Weasleys had.

Harry paced the sitting room anxiously, dressed in his too large sweatshirts with the sleeves rolled back five times and his extremely baggy jeans. He didn't want Snape to see him like that, but what could he do?

From time to time, Dudley showed up on the stairs, peering.

At nine o'clock sharp, the doorbell rang.

Uncle Vernon set off down the hall to open the door. Desperately, Harry tried to see what was happening, but the voluminous body of his uncle blocked his vision completely. Furthermore, he wasn't able to hear anything besides Snape's low and grave voice, so intense that it made Harry's entire body vibrate. Damn, that voice was so sexy that even when Harry was nervous it exerted its powerful effects.

With evident but weaker than expected reluctance, Uncle Vernon stood aside so the guest could enter, and Aunt Petunia stepped forward to greet him.

Snape entered - tall, slim, dressed up as a perfect clerk (tailored suit, grey tie), his hair tied in a ponytail. He bowed gallantly to the astonished Aunt Petunia and took her hand to his lips. Harry's eyes widened. Uncle Vernon didn't see any of this: he was closing the door. Aunt Petunia blushed.

"My name is Severus Snape. I am very pleased to meet you, Mrs Dursley."

Aunt Petunia took a few seconds to recover from the shock and invite him to sit on the sofa. Uncle Vernon approached them, and the three of them sat down - Uncle Vernon and Snape on the sofa, Aunt Petunia in an armchair. Snape shot Harry a severe look. Harry gulped, not knowing how to react. Nobody had invited him to sit, so he remained on his feet, behind an armchair facing the sofa.

"What has the brat done, that you have to take him away in the middle of his holidays?" asked Uncle Vernon.

Snape cleared his throat. "Indeed, your nephew is exceedingly rambunctious. He considers himself above rules. I can imagine how hard it must have been for you to deal with him."

Uncle Vernon's moustache trembled with pleasure. And Dudley's head appeared at the stairs, behind Snape.

"Mr... Professor... er...," stammered Uncle Vernon.

"Snape."

"Professor Snape. We have done our best to raise him as a normal boy, to educate him properly. He's not even our son, as you know, but we tried. But you see, it all comes down to bad blood, it's hopeless. His father was a good-for-nothing, a lazy scrounger."

Snape arched an eyebrow. "Very true, Mr Dursley. James Potter was my schoolmate at Hogwarts, and I'm afraid your impression of him is mostly accurate."

Harry bit his lower lip and narrowed his eyes at Snape - who sneered at him.

"And the boy resembles him, surely." Snape went on. "He is remiss and unruly. Precisely for this reason, the Headmaster has assigned him those Remedial classes during the holidays."

"Understandable. I, for my part, don't have any reservations about it, Professor Snape. You can take him. Boy, go fetch your things."

~* ~* ~

When Harry arrived at the foot of the stairs with his trunk and Hedwig's cage, Snape stood up. "Mr Dursley, I know that this is extremely unpleasant for you, but we don't want to attract the attention of your neighbours. Might we use your fireplace in order to... you know..."

Aunt Petunia made a disgusted face, and Uncle Vernon shuddered. "What else can we do? Your kind seems to make a point of disturbing our peace. It's a pity that you are one of them, because you seem to be a rather sensible man."

~* ~* ~

A little dizzy, they went out of the cottage fireplace.

"You... greasy bastard! What the heck was that? Speaking about me that way? And about my father too!" Harry put Hedwig's cage on the floor and pounced on Snape, trying to punch him.

Snape retreated and held Harry's fist. "Stop wailing, brat. Don't you understand what we've got? Three entire days here, and with Albus's permission."

Harry looked at him suspiciously. "How did you get that?"

"Albus needed someone to teach you to Apparate, and I was the only one available. I had to sacrifice myself, once again."

Then Harry relaxed and flashed a shining smile. "Wow! So we can get out, take a walk, go have an ice-cream?"

"No chance. I know how you long to make the cover of the Daily Prophet, but I am still a spy, and you are still the main target of the Darkest Wizard of the Universe."

"Some things never change..."